Wow, it’s hard to believe that it’s already been a full week since our last segment.
It seems like the older that I get the faster the hours, days, weeks, months, and years slip away. I often lie down at night and try to sleep but my mind takes me back to times past and I find myself wondering how it all went by so rapidly and left me with only misty memories to hold too as I grow into old age.
Soon I’ll pass by the mirror and glance at an old man whose best days are in the past and days in the future uncertain.
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It is estimated that there are over 1.2 million violent crimes and 8.6 million property crimes reported yearly, which makes it even scarier when you think about living in the big city. In today’s world, even the people who live in rural areas have stopped leaving their doors unlocked and are beefing up their home security. If you live in the city, or the country for that matter, it’s important to know some of the best security measures to take to protect you and the family you love.
Home Monitoring/Security System
While many people don’t feel that a security company monitoring their home is the best way to go to stay secure, when you are worried about rioting, civil unrest, and the increasing violence in the streets of America, it is often the best option. A good security system, with home monitoring, can be the difference between life and death for your family if something should happen in the city you live in.
There are affordable ADT packages available to keep you and the family you love safe in these turbulent and violent times. Make sure that you go with a reputable company for home monitoring. Do your research, take your time, and choose the one you know you can trust.
Get a Guard Dog
While this may seem to be one of the oldest suggestions ever, a properly trained guard dog can do a lot to protect you, your family, and your property. If you think about it, dogs are dependable, loyal, and will kill to protect your family. However, you don’t just want your dog to be a guard dog that gets no attention. If you intend to adopt a dog to guard you and your loved ones, you need to treat that dog as one of the family. Make sure you are giving him a good home, with the proper food, attention, exercise, and regular vet visits that he needs to be healthy and happy.
Purchase a Firearm
This is debatable to many people today, as the debate over guns and gun laws rages on Capitol Hill and in the streets as well. Purchasing a firearm is a huge responsibility and should only be taken on if you have a legal permit and the training to own and fire the weapon. Always, always make sure that you have a safe to keep the gun away from children, but that the gun is still accessible and ready to use if you should ever need it. A firearm is the perfect way to protect what you love, but in the wrong hands a gun can end in tragedy for you and your family or someone else’s. Make sure that you train your children in gun safety and that they know that guns are not toys, they are deadly.
Be Vigilant
All of the home protection tips in the world won’t do you any good if you aren’t vigilant and aware of what is going on around you. Be prepared and keep an eye out for any problems in your neighborhood. Prepare your family for the worst and then expect the best so that you are not surprised by anything that might happen and you will be prepared to defend your family and home.
These are just a few of the top security measures you can take when living in the city. These security measures will work well for the country as well. Instead of just letting what happens happen, install that security alarm, buy that dog and be prepared to protect your family, no matter what comes next.
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Editors Note:Another guest contribution from John D to The Prepper Journal. As always, if you have information for Preppers that you would like to share and possibly receive a $25 cash award as well as be entered into the Prepper Writing Contest with a chance to win one of threeAmazon Gift Cards with the top prize being a $300 card to purchase your own prepping supplies, enter today.
What’s your survival strategy? A fortified bunker? A well-stocked remote cabin? An armored vehicle that can withstand an EMP? Let’s face it, we’re probably not going to spend a fortune on things that we’ll never use, except in an apocalyptic situation. However, things that are useful in a pre-apocalyptic world, as well as in a post-apocalyptic world, are worthy of consideration.
If you happen to have a remote cabin, you’ve acquired it for reasons other than survival. It may have a sustainable heat source, and possibly an off grid solar electric system. You may also have a few acres of land, hunting and fishing supplies, and an ATV to use on the property. These are excellent prepper assets. On the other hand, if you live in the city and have no remote cabin, you probably don’t have an ATV, or any of those other things. Millions of people fall into that category, and many will not survive when the SHTF. In the city, there’ll be too many people for the few available resources. In the city, when food and water run out, desperate people will do anything to get those things. Don’t despair, there is hope, but you’ll need a good plan, and the right equipment and supplies.
It’s especially nice when things you do, and purchases you make, happen to be valuable prepper activities and assets. Canning, or freeze-drying food, is a good example of that. Not only does it increase your food stockpile, it can also reduce your grocery bill. If you’re growing your own vegetables, you have the added bonus of pesticide-free food. You may have purchased a ZeroWater or Brita pitcher, for better quality drinking water on a day-to-day basis, but imagine the value of those when water no longer flows from your faucet.
The decisions you make, on a day to day basis, have survival implications. Perhaps you’ve opted for an under-the-sink water filter, instead of a filtered pitcher. That’s great for now, but if you bug out, you won’t be taking your installed water filter with you. If you stay in your home, but city water no longer flows, the installed water filter will be of no value to you. That’s not to say you shouldn’t install a water filter, but if you have to choose between the two, a filtered pitcher is a better choice from a survival standpoint.
Perhaps you have a couple of flashlights, and a few candles. You may have bought those when thinking about short-term power outages, but didn’t give any thought to a long-term outage. Do you have spare batteries? How long will your battery supply last? You may have a generator, but how long will your stored fuel last? Have you considered an off-grid solar electric system? Unlike batteries, candles, or generator fuel, solar power is sustainable power. A small system, with two to four panels and two to four batteries, can provide all of the light you’ll need, and also keep your food from spoiling by powering a small, energy-efficient refrigerator or freezer. A small solar-electric system can be portable. You can take it with you if you bug out, or use it in your home if you don’t. Solar panel(s) need not be installed on your roof, but could be placed in your backyard instead, hiding the fact that you have power, when others don’t. And unlike a generator, there’ll be no noise or smell to attract criminal predators (zombies). Ground-level panels are easier to take down and pack, facilitating a speedy bug out, in the event you need to do that. Solar panels can be mounted on a frame, made out of PVC tubing. The frame can be easily disassembled, packed, transported, and reassembled at your bugout site.
If you live in the city, you probably wouldn’t buy an EMP-proof, off-road ATV. In addition to taking up space in your garage, you’re going to have to start it up once in a while. You’ll need to make sure it’s in good condition, and ready to roll, if and when you need it. Fuel will have to be changed periodically, to make sure it’s fresh, and the battery will have to be kept charged. For me, that seems like a lot to put up with, for a vehicle that I can’t use. You may consider your bicycle as an alternative to an EMP-damaged car, for bugging out, but you’ll be severely limited when it comes to carrying supplies. That may be fine if you’re bugging out to a nearby friend or relatives home, but it could be a big problem if you’ll be camping out. As I mentioned in a previous article, if I can’t escape in my car, I’ll make my getaway on my riding lawn mower, pulling a small trailer. It’s slow, and it’s noisy, but I suspect it can get me to my bug-out location with the supplies and equipment I’ll need to survive. I suspect I’ll be traveling with others, who are also escaping unsafe conditions at the edge of a large metropolitan area.
Hardening your home is another project that has an immediate benefit, as well as a benefit after the SHTF. Longer screws in door hinges and jambs cost very little. Those won’t stop determined criminals from getting in, but it will slow them down and cause them to make a lot of noise. That’s where an investment in weapons and ammunition comes in handy. There are an abundance of articles concerning hardening your home, so I won’t repeat that information here
Do you own a gun? Are you a hunter? Do you go to the range now and then to sharpen your skills, or for fun? Perhaps you have it to protect yourself, your family, and your belongings. Owning a weapon, and practicing with it, is another fine example of something you benefit from now, and a valuable asset in a post-apocalyptic world. Fishing equipment and supplies are excellent prepper assets as well.
I purchased a live trap a few years back, when squirrels were becoming a nuisance in my garden. I implemented what I would call a “squirrel relocation program”. Since the same squirrel returned to feed every day, it worked out quite well. That live trap may someday be used to catch small animals for food. Voila’! Another prepper asset of great value.
For many, a good prepping strategy must include a bug out plan. A good bug out plan needs to address three main areas of concern: 1. A good bug out site. 2. Getting to the bug out site safely. 3. Bringing the supplies you’ll need for long-term survival, or having those things already available at the bug out site. For some, the bug out site may be the home of a friend or relative. For others, it may be a remote cabin. Still others may have to depend upon a location suitable for camping out.
Summary/Conclusion:
When food and water run out, you’ll have to leave the security of your home to find those things. You may not be able to return. To make matters worse, an EMP event may have damaged your car, forcing you to leave on foot, with only the items you can carry on your back. Some may escape on bicycles, but most travelers will be on foot, heavily loaded down with supplies. The bottom line is this: When the SHTF, we’ll do the best we can with the resources we have, not the things we wish we had. If your bug out options leave you with no choice other than camping, you’re going to need more supplies than you can carry on your back. You may not be able to purchase the items you’ll need after the SHTF, so you need to get them before it’s too late, and you’ll need a plan for transporting those things. Even homeless people seem to understand that, as they can often be seen pushing shopping carts around. Living off of the land is harder than you might imagine, so don’t be caught without the necessary equipment and supplies.
Practicing survival skills is important, but I’m not talking about slaying zombies. Simply working in your own garden helps to fine-tune an important survival skill. Being an above-average fisherman, bow hunter, or trapper are skills you develop with time and practice. These are just some of the activities that you might find enjoyable now, but may save your life in the future. Dreaming about a fortified survival bunker does you no good. Purchasing items that you can’t use doesn’t make much sense either. Make a list of things you own now, that can also be essential for survival, if things get bad. Evaluate your shortcomings. Prioritize. Before you buy anything, consider size and weight. Collapsible water containers, for example, take up less space than 5-gallon buckets. If you’ve been thinking about a water purification pitcher, hardening your home, preserving food, an alternative source of electricity, a weapon, fishing supplies, and so on, what are you waiting for? You’ll benefit now, and you’ll be better prepared for a SHTF situation. There’s no down side.
Decision Flow Chart:
Will I benefit from owning it now?
Will it be of value after the SHTF?
Is it portable?
Can I afford it?
If the answer to all questions is yes, then buy it!
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There are many good reasons why we may end up in a survival situation, but putting ourselves there intentionally is pretty far down on the list.
These days, those who do it intentionally often end up with their own extreme reality show. Others end up as an example of survival stories gone bad.
Chris McCandless fall into this category. Here’s his story.
At the end of April, 1992, Chris, AKA Alexander Supertramp, left Fairbanks, AK and ventured into the Alaskan outback, determined to kill the “false being within.” He survived on a meager diet of scavenged roots, nuts, berries, small game, and mushrooms.
He’d also taken a 10-pound bag of rice with him. He lived for 113 days before dying on about August 18th.
His body was found inside his sleeping bag by a moose hunter who had stopped at the old bus that he had been using for shelter.
There was a note pinned to the door begging any visitor to wait for him because he was injured, weak, and starving. He was so far gone that he hadn’t even taken the note off the door when he returned.
Now, that may sound like a terribly tragic story to you, and it most certainly is, but Chris’s adventure and death is a controversial topic.
Some consider him an arrogant, entitled kid who died because of that arrogance and failure to prepare. Others think that he was somebody to admire who fell victim to the tides of misfortune, and yet others think that he was a mentally ill young man who went into a situation and died because of that mental incapacity.
Like everybody, I have an opinion. I believe that it’s a combination of the three. He was certainly not lacking in the clarity or mental capacity to set forth on his adventure, though it turns out that he was educated but misinformed.
From most accounts, he was also at least a little arrogant and likely overconfident in his abilities. Misfortune also played a part. But mostly, in my opinion, it was lack of preparation and experience.
Anytime you combine arrogance, ignorance, and bad luck, disaster of some type is bound to happen eventually. Even the most humble, skilled, and lucky of us experience misfortune sometimes, and they combined to equal the perfect storm for Chris. It cost him his life.
But … what can we take away from his experience?
Don’t Underestimate the Danger
First and foremost, perhaps his biggest folly was underestimating the danger of what he was doing. Living solely off the land isn’t just a matter of taking a walk, shooting a rabbit or two, and gathering a bushel of berries and edible plants along the way.
Some of those animals may just want to eat you back once the sun sets, and the edible plants, as he learned, aren’t always so edible.
Hard-core wilderness survival at the level he undertook is the epitome of the word survival. The only thing that could have possibly made it more difficult would have been if he were being hunted, barring nuclear fallout and other apocalyptic scenarios.
Don’t let the romance, for lack of a better word, of surviving on your own in the wilderness, being one with nature, and “finding yourself” blind you to the incredibly real dangers of surviving only your own competence and on what’s available to you.
Don’t Overestimate Your Skills
This goes hand-in-hand with underestimating the danger, and both of them can be chalked up to the arrogance factor. This reminds me, on a much more deadly level, of the kid who wants to build his own treehouse. It seems easy, but the reality is a whole different beast than the idea.
You don’t just decide one day, “Hey, I’ve been hiking and have experienced some pretty harsh camping conditions. I think I’ll wonder into the Alaskan bush for an underdetermined amount of time.”
He may have read up on what he would face but this sort of thing isn’t exactly something that you jump into without shorter trips and much more preparation. He was a traveler but had no experience remotely similar to this.
Plus, the fact that he was living on such a limited diet and at such a calorie deficit for so long indicates that he wasn’t prepared. Pictures that he took show that he became gaunt even before he was apparently feeling much of the effects of the poison that eventually killed him.
He was obviously not eating enough calories and was existing on a diet that had very little variance. The same mushrooms, wild potato roots and seeds, and whatever protein he caught surely didn’t provide his body with the wide range of vitamins, nutrients, and fatty acids that it needed to thrive.
In short, he walked in thinking that he could just live off the land, and he couldn’t. Even had he survived, he would have likely been malnourished when he did emerge.
Don’t Ignore Your Body
Your body knows what it needs and it diverts energy from non-critical places on your body to critical ones. In other words, if you’re not eating enough calories, your body will steal it from other parts of your body to keep your vital organs functioning. First it burns sugar, then it burns fat, then it burns muscle.
He was to the point of emaciation – he went in weighing 140 pounds and his remains weighed just 66 pounds with no discernable subcutaneous fat – before he died. He didn’t get that way overnight, nor did he become sick and weak overnight.
The toxin in the wild potato roots and seeds that has now been determined to have led to his demise doesn’t just kill you on the spot. It’s a neurotoxin that acts slowly, so he would have been feeling the effects for days or even weeks – plenty of time to hike to the highway to get help. But he ignored his body.
Prepare for Every Contingency
We all know that this point has an inherent flaw: there’s no way to KNOW every contingency, so there’s no way to prepare for every one of them. What a reasonable, experienced person would do before attempting such an extreme idea is plan and prepare.
They’d play the what-if game. What if I can’t find game? Maybe I should have some back-up MREs. What if I get hurt? Maybe I should have an emergency means to communicate. What if my lighter or matches get wet? I need an alternate method of building a fire. What if, what if, what if.
In his case, he was woefully unprepared for wilderness survival. According to his notes, he attempted to head back to civilization in July, but couldn’t because his path was blocked because the Teklanika River was swollen at the place where he’d crossed in April.
Had he done his research and had a topographical map, he would have known that there was a hand-operated tramway that crossed the river not even a mile away from his original crossing spot.
Have a Backup Plan and Fail-safes
There’s an old saying credited to a German field marshal that says that no plan survives first contact with the enemy. It’s a good saying. That’s why experienced soldiers and outdoorsmen always have a backup plan and fail-safes.
Any experienced hiker or outdoorsman (heck, any Boy Scout) will tell you that it’s just part of the planning process to include information such as your path, your destination, and how long you expect to be gone in a plan that you share with at least one other person. That way, if you don’t show back up or make contact, they know to send somebody after you.
An emergency radio wouldn’t have been a bad thing. Nor would maps, a working knowledge of how to preserve meat (he killed a moose but most of the meat went bad because he didn’t preserve it properly), and just basically used a little bit of common sense. Maybe this is where mentally ill part comes in. Either that, or supreme arrogance.
The one part of his demise that he can’t be blamed for, much, is the fact that the wild potato seeds that made up a majority of his diet were listed as safe to eat in the book he wrote his diary in. It took a couple of decades for it to be determined that the seeds contain a neurotoxic amino acid commonly known as ODAP.
Of course, had he been eating a wide variety of foods and been properly nourished, the toxins likely wouldn’t have affected him.
So, it’s easy to look at Chris’s experience and, if nothing else, learn from it. The real reason that he set off on the trip will never be known, but in the scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that he wasn’t prepared and he died because of it.
Would you do any of the mistakes he did?
Do you have anything to add? If so, please feel free to comment in the section below.
This article has been written by Theresa Crouse for Survivopedia.
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Dental disease is, by far, the most common malady that affects all mammals. Dental problems remain the LEADING cause of employee absenteeism. No other disease state comes close to the extent of problems that untended dental disease causes in the human race.
There are only three basic problems that folks need to be concerned about: caries (cavities), gum disease, and failing dental fillings and crowns.
The most basic advice I ever give to any of my patients, over the last 45+ years, is prevention is far easier, cheaper, and predictable then ignoring the problem.
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In the last three weeks, we’ve seen two of the worst hurricanes in history strike our shores, with Hurricane Harvey hitting Houston and the surrounding area, and Hurricane Irma hitting all of Florida.
While the 6.5 million inhabitants of the Houston metro weren’t told to evacuate, Florida Governor Rick Scott issued a statewide evacuation order, telling 5.6 million people to move out of the state for the duration.
Considering that only 1.2 million people live in the New Orleans area, either of these hurricanes dwarf the number of people who were affected by Hurricane Katrina, the costliest hurricane in US history.
The total dollars of damage from these two hurricanes is far from being discovered, but it will clearly put a major dent in our national economy.
At the same time all of this is happening, much of the western United States is ablaze with forest fires. Every state west of the Continental Divide has numerous fires, with California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho being hit the hardest. While much of this is wilderness area, the cost in lost timber will be astronomical. It will regrow, but that will take time.
On top of all this, the seismic activity in the area of Yellowstone National Park is spiking, with a “swarm” of over 1,500 earthquakes. Scientists state that there is no reason to suspect an eruption of the supervolcano yet, but they also tell us that Yellowstone is overdue for an eruption. What is keeping them from predicting one anytime soon is that there are too many other signs of a pending earthquake that aren’t visible yet. While that could change at any time, we should, at least, have some warning.
Of course, those who believe religiously in Climate Change are trying to make political hay from these disasters, claiming that they are caused by climate change. But then, we’ve heard them blame climate change for Brexit, the Flint water crisis (which was caused by bad management), a surge in fatal shark attacks, severe acne and even the election of Donald Trump as president.
Anyone who understand the science of hurricanes and forest fires knows that even if global warming were true, it would not cause these events. But then, those who push that narrative are selling it to a group of low-information voters, who don’t really understand, but merely accept what they’re told.
President Trump has already asked Congress for a 7.9 billion dollar relief fund for Hurricane Harvey and will probably end up doing something similar for the victims of Hurricane Irma.
If Congress follows their normal routine, other billions in pork spending will be added to these two bills, money spent on projects that couldn’t normally make it through the Congressional review process, but may very well be funded on the backs of the important legislation providing relief for those affected by the hurricanes.
But one has to wonder how many of these disasters the country can absorb, before they start causing a serious impact on our economy.
Granted, the United States is the richest country in the world, but even our well of resources isn’t bottomless. Eventually, we’ll hit a point where our government can’t keep borrowing money, then what will happen?
We in the prepping community look at a wide variety of potential disasters, wondering if one or another will end up being the downfall of our nation, creating that TEOTWAWKI world that we all prepare for. Yet, while we always look to a single event being the cause of such change, there’s nothing to say that there can’t be a series of events that cumulatively bring the nation down.
Right now, we have three of the country’s largest 20 metropolitan areas lying in ruins, not counting the damage to smaller communities. Over a million people had to abandon their homes, due to flooding, in Houston alone.
How much those cities are in ruins is still being evaluated; but it’s clear that it’s going to cost hundreds of billions of dollars over the next three years to rebuild them; estimates are running as high as $290 billion dollars.
In Florida, the local power company is predicting that it could take weeks to restore power to everyone, just as it did after Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy. The damage is so severe, that they are looking at the possibility of a wholesale rebuild of the electrical grid.
But this is nothing compared to Puerto Rico, where they are saying restoring the grid will probably take more than six months.
All this is from just the first two hurricanes of the season. We still have a month and a half of peak hurricane season to go. Who knows what else might happen in that time?
So, Where Does this Leave Us?
Sadly, few of the people hit by either of these hurricanes or the hurricanes to come are prepared for this sort of event to happen in their lives. Flood insurance and hurricane insurance are expensive; so few people buy them, unless they are required to as a stipulation in their mortgage contract.
What that means is that those whose homes are damaged will still have to pay their mortgage, as well as pay for expensive repairs to their homes, somehow. It will take some of these people years to effect those repairs, simply because they don’t have the money to do so and whatever aid they receive from the government won’t be enough to finish the work.
But what if those people didn’t pay their mortgages, but instead abandoned their wrecked homes and ruined lives? What would happen then?
In that case, the banks and mortgage companies would begin the process of foreclosing on their homes, taking that property, which was the collateral for those loans. The banks would then sell off the property, writing off the loss.
If each bank were to just absorb a few such losses, it wouldn’t make much difference. But if we end up seeing a continuation of destruction, there is a possibility of enough of these losses causing banks, especially smaller banks, to fail. While the government has typically bailed out the banks that were “too big to fail,” they don’t offer that same protection to smaller ones.
Each failed bank, like each disaster, becomes a burden on the economy, dragging us closer to the edge of the cliff of financial collapse. There’s really no way of knowing exactly how close that cliff is or which event might trigger a fall. A lot of that depends on psychology, never a very exact science. But one that is even less exact when you combine the psychology of many different people together.
All the More Reason to Prep
If anything, these events merely show all the more reason why you and I need to prepare. None of us know what is coming our way next week, let alone next year.
The things I’ve mentioned so far in this article are just disasters that nature has provided, without even looking at man-made problems that we could face. The world we live in is clearly a dangerous place, and it’s not going to get safer anytime soon.
But our prepping needs to go far beyond building a stockpile. I don’t care if you have ten years worth of food stashed away, it’s not going to do you much good, if it’s under ten feet of water. Nor, for that matter, is most of it going to be available for you to use if your home gets destroyed.
One way of mitigating this risk is by having at least some of your stockpile off-site, preferably in a secure location that you can bug out to, should you be forced to abandon your home. That way, you have something to use while you are away, and maybe even while you are trying to dig your home out of the rubble and see what you can salvage.
But there’s something even more important than your stockpile; that’s the knowledge you learn as part of preparing to face a disaster. Even in the worst of cases, where everything you own is taken from you, your knowledge will remain.
That’s what you’ll have to depend on to survive.
With enough knowledge, you can use just about anything you can find to survive. Maybe you won’t be living in the lap of luxury, but you’ll be warm, fed and have clean water to drink. That’s a whole lot more than millions of displaced victims of these two hurricanes can say today.
While they might be comfortably hiding away in a hotel room today, they’ll be in trouble when their funds run out. You, on the other hand, won’t run out of funds, because you’ll turn your evacuation into a camping trip.
Throughout history, it has been the more resourceful of us who have been the most successful. Whether that resourcefulness led them to invent new things, find new ways of doing things, or just do the necessary tasks of life.
In the wake of any disaster, it will be those who are the most resourceful who are the most successful as well. That survival knowledge you are learning is what is going to put you in this small, elite group of people.
Build your knowledge and prepare yourself! Your family’s survival will depend on that!
This article has been written by Bill White for Survivopedia.
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As another summer slowly dies, colder weather is going to start creeping its way into our lives again. In my area this is my favorite time to go backpacking. Less creepy-crawlies, beautiful changing foliage, and not brutally hot during the daytime. A lot of other people feel the same, and outdoor treks may be more enjoyable soon in your area too.
However, the cool that makes being outside more enjoyable can also bring deadly consequences. So what can we do to protect ourselves from bitter cold?
If you get stuck in a survival situation, or want to avoid putting yourself in one while you’re camping/backpacking/canoeing/whatever these are the things that you need to remember.
Cold Basics
The human body runs at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Once we get chilled to the point where our temperature drops to 95 degrees hypothermia sets. The very first thing you need to remember about cold is that you must stay dry. Wet clothing can conduct the heat away from your body up to 50x faster than dry clothing. As a result, getting yourself soaked by rain, covered in snow, or drenched in sweat is a definite no-no.
Do what you can to avoid such situations. Whether that be utilizing snow shoes, wearing a poncho, or taking breaks in manual labor when you start to feel yourself beginning to sweat, do what you must to stay dry.
Proper shelter is often the primary key that will keep you from getting wet, and at the base level that starts with the clothing that you wear.
Clothing Choices
In the backpacking world there is a saying: “Cotton kills.” Once cotton gets wet, as clothes are known to do in outdoor weather, it completely loses all insulating properties. It does not regain them until it is completely dry which takes a long time. That is why when choosing outdoor clothing (hunting/fishing/hiking/etc.) you should avoid cotton at all costs.
This: Not This:
Wool is the number one natural fiber that will still keep you warm despite being wet, but it has a reputation for being itchy. Merino wool and alpaca fleece are natural alternatives here. Both are incredibly soft, not itchy, and will still keep you warm when wet.
When it comes to synthetic fibers polyester blends and polypropylene are some of the best out there. Fleece, Gore-Tex, and DryLete make great choices in clothing fiber type.
Keeping the “wet makes you miserably cold” principle in mind, buy boots that are waterproof. There are plenty of manufacturers out there making high-quality boots that don’t look like waders which you’ll appreciate. It can be hard to have fun when you can’t feel your toes.
It’s also important to realize that up to 30% of the body’s heat is lost through the head and neck. This being the case, you should wear a hat at all times when out in cold conditions, and do what you can to keep your neck covered. Cold hands? Gloves definitely help, but are inferior to mittens for warmth. Gloves keep each finger isolated, as well as the warmth emitted from each finger. With mittens, the fingers are allowed to warm each other. I’ve used old military surplus ones in incredibly cold conditions and they work great.
How to Sleep in the Cold
When it comes to camping in winter weather buy a bag rated as cold as you can get. I know some people get worried about overkill here, but they seem to quit worrying about that when it’s 3 AM and their teeth are chattering. If you get overheated with an “overkill” bag, it’s a very easy fix. That isn’t the case in reverse.
Secondly, mummy bags are much better at retaining heat than your traditional sleeping bag. A mummy bag has a tapered foot at the bottom meaning that you will sleep with your feet close together (like a mummy. Get it?). Yeah, you won’t be able to move about, but the smaller interior area means that there is less space within the bag that your body has to heat up. You stay much warmer as a result.
I avoid down-filled bags, as once down gets wet it loses the majority of its insulating properties. It’s definitely not a filler that you want to take on a canoe trip with you. Plus, down tends to clump up meaning there are going to be spaces within your bag that are not properly insulating your body from the cold.
Don’t expect to not have a miserable night if you don’t have a sleeping pad of some sort as well. The ground is cold, and it is going to want to suck all of the heat out of you that it possibly can to make itself warmer. It’s like a warmth vampire. A sleeping pad between you and the ground keeps your body heat in your body and away from creepy dirt vampires. They also provide a thin layer of cushioning between you and the ground as well, so it’s a double win for you to use one.
Gadgets
Anytime I’m out in the woods in the cold, I always carry HotHands and a space blanket with me. (I’ve never understood why they’re called ‘space blankets’. Is it because they don’t take up a lot of space, or is it because it looks like something an astronaut would use?)
I’ve found both to be surprisingly effective. On one ham-mocking trip I took, I woke up at 3 AM shivering like crazy thanks to cold butt syndrome (It’s a thing. Look it up.) Thankfully, I had a space blanket with me. Within minutes of wrapping myself up like a big bean burrito, I could easily feel the warmth returning to my body, and I spent the rest of the night actually warm enough to sleep comfortably.
It’s hard to use a space blanket while you’re hiking though. When I’m on the move I use HotHands. I’ll activate one or two and place them within the inside pockets of my jacket. You actually have to keep these things migrating from pocket to pocket or you can end up cooking yourself.
Don’t solely rely on these two items to keep you warm. You can’t go out hiking in a cotton T-shirt, get drenched by surprise weather, and then expect fantastic results from a HotHands packet and a space blanket. Don’t be stupid. Both of these items will definitely help to keep you warm, but you don’t want to be fully relying upon them if you can help it.
Wrapping it Up
Above all else, use your head. If you have some serious qualms about what you’re getting yourself into because the weather is looking more iffy than normal, then don’t go. That’s how you avoid putting yourself in a survival situation to begin with. When you are out though, following the above advice will help to ensure that you not only stay as warm as possible, but safe from hypothermia and frostbite as well.
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Bushcraft survival tips are a very hot topic in the prepper community, especially considering that old saying about “the more skills one has, the less gear one needs.” This “omnia mea mecum porto” (a Latin proverb meaning “all that’s mine I carry with me”) mindset is a prepper’s greatest asset, and I really did not mean it to rhyme.
To begin with, one may ask what on Earth is bushcraft?
In layman’s terms, bushcraft is what kept our ancestors alive and kicking for tens of thousands of years, well before the invention of agriculture, cozy cities, and our modern-day conveniences. Bushcraft is the ancient art of survival in the wilderness, using only the (sometimes scarce) resources provided by “the great outdoors.”
Keep reading to get the essentials!
Bushcraft is basically a fancy Aussie word for wilderness survival and it combines the know-how with regard to DYI-ing basic tools with how to use animals and plants at your disposal for outdoor survival in a SHTF scenario.
For true-blue preppers, learning bushcraft skills will increase your survival chances exponentially in a nasty environment/situation, via increasing your ability to adapt to new challenges and unforeseen situations.
You Can’t Skips the Basics
The more self-sufficient and confident one is, the better. The quintessential bushcraft skills to master include hunting/trapping game, food foraging, shelter building, water gathering/purification, and fire making.
Basically, everything that revolves around food-water-shelter, the holy trinity of survival, is an essential skill to master for a survivalist.
Let’s make a basic list, so you could count them better!
When it comes to living off the land, as in food foraging, one must have in-depth knowledge of local flora, which is essential when it comes to efficiently harvesting edibles whilst at the same time avoiding toxic plants.
Camp cooking is also a must-learn skill for outdoor enthusiasts. And speaking of flora, remember that cattails are edible and easy to find in shallow waters along the shore. Read my article about cattails for further reference.
Trapping and hunting/stalking game is all about knowing how to build snares, how to use lures, how to fish (always remember to pack fishing gear in your survival kit), how to read animal signs while hiding your own (human) scent, making cordage, tying knots, cleaning/dressing/cooking game in the field, and the whole nine yards.
A solid survivalist must be able to gather and purify water by using an improvised water filter, and also know how to make a fire for boiling/purifying water, and so forth and so on.
Shelter building skills must include knowledge of how to make cordage, how to tie a good knot, how to harvest building materials (branches, fallen trees), how to use a knife for batoning, how to waterproof/make natural insulation for your shelter, etc.
Knowing how to start a fire in the wild using readily available materials is a must-learn art, including gathering tinder, collecting wood, building a fire pit, building a fire plough/a bow drill, or other device, and you should also know the different types of fires and their best uses in a particular situation.
If you’re just starting out in the fine art of bushcrafting, you should focus on basic survival skills, such as batoning wood, making simple tools, knot-tying techniques, basic fire starting, and building basic camp structures, including the tripod.
If you’ve already acquired basic bushcraft skills, you should concentrate on shelter building, foraging for food, building a fire without lighters/matches, basic trapping and making snares, and water purification.
For advanced bushcrafters (I am not sure that word really exists), you can engage in complex projects, such as land navigation (celestial navigation for example), making cordage and rope using plant fibers or animal tendons, tracking, and advanced structure building.
Now, let’s talk about some tips and tricks, because after all, that’s what today’s article is all about.
Tell Someone That You’re Leaving
To begin with, remember that communication is key. Before going out on a trip, tell someone about your plan, including where you’ll be going, for how long, and also share if you have a specific route set up (it would help with tracking you down in a SHTF scenario).
Don’t Lose Your Temper
Next, remember to keep your composure in any situation. Always remain calm, cool, and collected, think positive, and hope for the best while preparing for the worst. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but optimism goes a long way, even in a SHTF scenario. No matter how alone and scared you may feel, everything starts with your attitude in a survival situation.
If something doesn’t work as it should – let’s say starting a fire in the wilderness, for example – keep calm, don’t rush, and don’t panic. Just stop, relax, breathe in-out and try something else.
Proper Tools
Remember that at its most basic level, wilderness survival, aka bushcraft, is surviving out there in the woods with nothing more than an edged tool (say, a knife) and the clothes on your back.
Which takes us to the next tip: a blade (read survival knife) is one of the most important tools to have in a survival situation.
A light and sturdy blade is as important to the bushcrafter as the katana is for the samurai. And yes, I am talking about a high-quality, full-tang blade, which may be used for a multitude of purposes, ranging from self-defense to digging a shelter.
Another must-have and highly versatile bushcraft tool is a hatchet or a tomahawk. Given its design, a hatchet is perfect for heavy-duty tasks such as chopping wood, splitting logs, hammering (posts or stakes), butchering large game, and so on and so forth. If two items are too much for your “money”, you can go for the ultimate bushcraft tool: the machete.
A machete can be described as the best of both worlds, being a hybrid of sorts between a hatchet and a knife. And yes, a high-quality solid machete can be used for digging, chopping wood, clearing bush, batoning, and more.
However, the best bushcraft tool is the one you have on your person, so don’t complicate things too much, alright?
Considering the fact that death from exposure is a regular occurrence when it comes to outdoor survival scenarios, you must always pack some type of shelter in your EDC survival kit (a poncho, a $1 tarp, etc.), together with a couple of large, contractor-sized garbage bags.
When filled with leaves, the garbage bags will make for awesome insulating pads on which you can sleep or sit.
You should carry a good-quality fire starter with you at all times, tied and braided to your knife lanyard, and I am talking about waxed jute twine. Always remember to pack a couple of protein bars in your survival kit; they’re incredibly nutritious and lightweight. Also, they don’t spoil easily.
Learning basic body insulation methods may be a life saver in many survival scenarios. Think about stuffing leaves, newspaper, or dry grass under your clothes, so you’ll be retaining body heat in harsh weather conditions.
If you wrap plastic bags (remember those garbage bags?) around the leaves on a tree, the sun will evaporate the water from the inside of the leaves, which will then be forced to condensate on the inside of the plastic bag (read trapped inside).
The same trick can be used to extract water from plants.
Now that you know these survival tricks, would you make it on your own if stranded deep in the wild?
Now, it’s your turn. What are your favorite survival tips you’d like to share with us?
Feel free to comment below.
This article has been written by Chris Black for Survivopedia.
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We lost power about 10:30 p.m. Sunday evening as Hurricane Irma approached; no big deal, we went to bed. I was so exhausted I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. I was jarred awake at 1:45 a.m. Monday by my husband shaking me–he said, “I think there’s a tornado nearby.”
I grabbed my glasses and my Glock and headed to our makeshift safe room (our laundry room which is the innermost room in our home). We heard roaring winds but didn’t know what was going on. Then at 2:02 a.m. all got quite. We looked at each other. The glance was all that was needed; we were in the eye...
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Editors Note:A guest contribution from Cher Zevala to The Prepper Journal. As always, if you have information for Preppers that you would like to share and possibly receive a $25 cash award as well as be entered into the Prepper Writing Contest with a chance to win one of threeAmazon Gift Cards with the top prize being a $300 card to purchase your own prepping supplies, enter today.
In the past, we’ve studied the possibilities of bugging out by boat. While there are some serious complications that come with ditching terra-firma for the big blue sea, some preppers find the benefits vastly outweigh the dangers. For example, bugging out by boat means you have a higher likelihood of avoiding angry mobs and gangs interested in stealing your stuff. In your boat, you can stockpile more tools and gear than would fit comfortably in your car or bug-out vehicle, and you could have less dependence on non-renewable energy, giving you greater opportunities to roam.
However, if you aren’t an avid boater, you probably don’t know how to begin shopping for the perfect bug out boat. This guide should help you decide what you need in a boat, which boat to buy, and how to become an expert before you need to get gone.
The Perfect Bug Out Boat
Just as there are considerations when choosing a bug out bag, a bug out vehicle, and other essential survival equipment, you must be careful about how you select your boat. Not all boats are ideal for long-term living – especially in an EOTW scenario. The following qualities are preferable in beginner bug out boats.
Low cost. While an old salt might feel comfortable acquiring a brand-new, top-of-the-line, expertly updated vessel, boating beginners shouldn’t bother breaking the bank on a boat they will rarely use. Used fishing boats for sale online are incredibly affordable, and many make excellent bug out boats. And there is never a downside to limiting the things that can break and need a qualified technician to repair.
Low maintenance needs. The worst thing that could happen is rushing to your bug out boat when things go bad only to find it broken down. Like cars, boats require regular repairs, but it shouldn’t be in such bad shape that you are never sure it will run when you need it.
Renewable energy sources. Most realistic EOTW scenarios include a dearth of oil and other common fossil fuels. Though a gas motor isn’t a bad feature on a bug out boat, you should also have renewable energy options available, such as sails, wind turbines, and solar generators.
Comfortable living spaces. Most bug out boaters expect to spend extended periods of time on board their vessels. That means you should have a cozy and secure cabin, in which you can cook, sleep, and perform other common activities.
High storage capacity. Even if you are using your boat merely for a quick getaway, you should have enough storage space on board to hide away all your survival equipment. Then, you don’t have to keep it cached in your car or home.
5 Bug Out Boats to Consider
Some survivalists are perfectly happy toting an inflatable raft to their nearest waterway and floating to safety, but most bug out boaters want a more durable and permanent vessel. The following live-aboard boats are perhaps the best options for survivalists, beginners and experts.
Powerboats. On one hand, powerboats tend to have the greatest amount of livable space, but on the other hand, they are slower and handle more poorly than other boats.
Sailboats. Sailboats come in two varieties: mono-hull and multi-hull. The former provides greater speed at the expense of navigability; the latter provides greater space. Still, all sailboats require a bit more practice to sail proficiently. (Editors Note:The REAL deal breaker to consider is sailboats under 26 feet are NOT required to have an on-board head!)
Trawlers. Technically a type of powerboat, a trawler is built for long, economical travel. They are even less speedy and less maneuverable than power boats, but they are usually exceedingly spacious.
Motorsailers. A marriage between powerboats and sailboats, motorsailers have engines and sails, are quick and capacious. These could easily be the ideal bug out boats for their flexibility and stamina.
Houseboats. Designed for calm waters, flat-bottomed house boats can’t roam far, but they provide all the comforts of home. There are houseboat varieties with and without engines, so you must be careful to purchase a boat that can move.
Before You Bug Out
Even worse than finding your boat broken-down when you need it most is realizing, as the world is crashing down around you, that you have no idea how to work your boat. As soon as you purchase your life-saving vessel, you should enroll in classes to learn boating basics. You should get on the water as much as you can to feel comfortable maneuvering your boat through all sorts of conditions. Then, it won’t matter what the weather if you need to make a quick escape – you’ll be ready to bug out.
Final Editors Note:This is MY TEOTWAWKI and/or “I have run out of money” plan! I would have to sail the “horn” or get through the Panama Canal to become a Caribbean Pirate, or just become a Barbary Coast pirate and pillage the California and Oregon Coasts!
Author Bio: Cher is a content coordinator who assists in contributing quality articles
on various topics. In her free time she also enjoys hiking, traveling and
getting to know the world around her. Cher has built up many strong
relationships over the years within the blogging community and loves
sharing her useful tips with others.
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There are affordable ADT packages available to keep you and the family you love safe in these turbulent and violent times. Make sure that you go with a reputable company for home monitoring. Do your research, take your time, and choose the one you know you can trust.
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