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August 30, 2012
by 
This snare set up is a classic. It’s just a wooden pole and a few feet of wire that gives you a reusable trap that is easily moved, requires no bait, and takes advantage of the squirrel’s natural love of short cuts.
Here’s how to make it.
Select a 4-foot to 6-foot pole that is about the diameter of your arm. It’s best if the pole has a rough, natural look to it, so don’t carve off all the bark. It’s also helpful if the pole has a fork at one end, which you can stick into the ground or pin against the tree to keep the pole from twisting out of place.
[ Read Full Post ]August 28, 2012
by August 28, 2012
by 
The fast current of a flash flood is one of its biggest dangers. But if someone is trapped by a flash flood— clinging to a tree branch or perched on the roof of a car—try using that speed to your advantage.
Step One
Tie a rescue rope to a solid object (a tree, for example) to anchor it against the weight of the victim and the flowing water’s immense pressure.
[ Read Full Post ]August 28, 2012
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With Hurricane Katrina bearing down on his Gautier, Mississippi, home, Armand Charest decided to ignore the weather experts advising evacuation. Instead, he and his wife prepared to ride out the storm—much as they had ridden out previous hurricanes.
As the warnings grew more urgent, the Charests decided to take shelter with neighbors whose house was at a higher elevation. They brought along emergency food and water supplies to add to the essentials already at the home, such as a generator and extra gas in jerry cans. Once the power went out, they used a battery-powered TV to keep track of the storm’s progress.
[ Read Full Post ]August 28, 2012
by If floodwaters are threatening your home, use sandbags to create a dike.
Pick a Spot
Build the dike on the side of your yard from which water will be flowing. Don’t erect the dike against a wall: The weight of the sandbags might compromise the building’s structure.
Fill the Bags
Put the first scoop of sand just inside the bag’s mouth to hold it open, then fill it halfway full before tying off the top.
[ Read Full Post ]August 28, 2012
by If a hurricane is forecast, stay glued to weather reports, and if evacuation is advised, go. But if you have the all-clear to stick it out, ready yourself and your home.
- Stock up on nonperishable foods, prescriptions, and hygiene essentials.
- Cover windows with plywood. Use wood screws, not nails, anchored into exterior walls.
- Lash down (or stow indoors) anything from your yard that might become a flying projectile in a storm.
- Assess which trees might be blown onto the house. Trim limbs that seem vulnerable, and avoid rooms under big trees once the storm starts.
[ Read Full Post ]August 28, 2012
by 
Battening down the hatches to prepare for a storm? Don’t forget the garage. Double-wide garage doors are a weak spot in a windstorm, as high winds can cause these broad, flexible doors to bow inward and fall off their tracks. And that makes your garage, car, and home vulnerable to greater damage.
[ Read Full Post ]August 27, 2012
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It has been argued by more than a few outdoor enthusiasts whether a sharp knife or a dull knife is more dangerous to the user. The logic has always been that the dull knife might not plunge as deeply into you as the sharp blade, but the more jagged wound may take longer to heal (not to mention that you have to push harder to even use the dull knife, increasing the likelihood of a mishap).
So let’s take the dull knife issue off the table by learning some sharpening tricks that work at home AND in the field.
[ Read Full Post ]August 13, 2012
by 
Survival fishing has enough problems built into it. Kinked line from storage in a survival kit and hooks that aren’t the right size for the local fish can be just the tip of the iceberg.
So if you're planning fish for dinner, a simple net can be made in minutes, if you have just a few items and a knife. This basic net will make actually landing a fish a whole lot easier.
All you need to make this net is a flexible forked stick, 8 to 10 feet of cord, and 2 or 3 square feet of survival netting (this is often sold as a “survival hammock”).
[ Read Full Post ]August 8, 2012
by  If you read my previous post on the possible hazards of DEET and Permethrin, you’re probably left wondering what you could use to stave off the hordes of mosquitoes that are out to drink your blood in the summer months.
Here are some DEET-free solutions.
Cigar Smoke
Folks who like the taste of cigars may find some relief by sitting in the middle of a cloud of cigar smoke. Any smoke will help keep bugs away, and cigar smoke seems to be more effective than most other smokes. But the big question on this one is whether the cigar smoke or the DEET is more hazardous to your health.
[ Read Full Post ]
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