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Thursday, September 14, 2017

How to Survive in the Wilderness by Hunting

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Ultimate 650 Piece Survival Kit Organizer | 72 Hr Kit

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Surviving in the Cold

Written by Guest Contributor on The Prepper Journal.

Editor’s Note: A guest submission from Zac Martin.

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.

The post Surviving in the Cold appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

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Best Bushcraft Tips To Learn And Share For Survival

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.

3 Second SEAL Test Will Tell You If You’ll Survive A SHTF Situation

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.

Video first seen on KGB Survivalist.

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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Tuesday, September 12, 2017

One Family’s Experience with Hurricane Irma

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...

Read the whole entry... »

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5 Best Bug Out Boats for Beginners

Written by Guest Contributor on The Prepper Journal.

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 three Amazon Gift Cards with the top prize being a $300 card to purchase your own prepping supplies, enter today.

It is estimated that the USA has upwards of 95,000 miles of “coast line”…

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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