Samuel 
Versatility in an important quality for all survival equipment and skills. That goes for your pistol as well, and your defensive shooting skills and strategy. One of the major considerations for versatility in defensive pistol shooting is low light shooting and target acquisition in low light. Three pieces of gear that help with this are … Read more
In a time when it is not unusual to see kids as young as two years old using a touchscreen device to entertain themselves while being pushed around in the shopping cart through the store, it should be obvious that most kids are disconnected from the real, natural world around them. Children of this generation … Read more
It’s a shame when hiking in a remote area with pristine wilderness to find trash that careless people have left behind. But if you are struggling to survive in that same wilderness, that trash might look a lot better. One common item that can be found even in remote areas that has potential for … Read more
Fishing is a great way to get meat in a survival scenario. But it can be difficult to do if you need to spend your time tending to your other needs like gathering wood, building shelter, or hauling water. You could always just tie a line to a stick and leave it with bait in … Read more
The physical threats to your survival like temperature loss, dehydration, or starvation are obvious to just about anyone. But less obvious, and just as dangerous are the psychological factors that can erode your ability, and even your will to survive. Just as with the physical threats, the psychological threats to your survival can be dealt … Read more
In most cases of wilderness survival shelter will be your number one concern since hypothermia can kill you much faster than starvation or even dehydration. One of the easiest and fastest shelters that can be built in the wilderness is the debris shelter. One person, with no equipment, can put one together in less … Read more
Water is one of the three most important elements for survival, and in some circumstances, it might be the most important. Even in temperate environments with plenty of vegetation, it can be hard to find sources of water. But if you have a plastic bag, all you need to do is find the vegetation. I … Read more
As I’ve said before, if all you know about fire is the tee-pee camp fire, then you don’t know enough about fire to survive in anything be the most ideal scenario. The more versatile your fire building skills are, the better chance of survival you have in a variety of scenarios. The amount of, and … Read more
Recently I mentioned in an article that I don’t recommend keeping sizable amounts of cash stored for disaster, and why I don’t think it would to you any good to do so. One of those reasons is that after a disaster there will be extreme inflation on the items that people will need most. One … Read more
If you are stranded in the wilderness for any length of time, hygiene will quickly become an issue. It won’t matter so much how you smell, since nobody ever died of body odor. But poor dental hygiene can lead to serious issues that could have you incapacitated and dying a slow, painful death. As always, … Read more
Not every fire building technique will work for every situation. The lean-to fire is a great design for windy situations. It provides a built-in wind block and allows for you to continually add fuel as the fire grows. Here’s how to build one. Gather all your tinder, kindling and fuel before trying to start … Read more
Some things aren’t going to change much in the wilderness; you are still going to need toilet paper. You might even have a greater need for it. The toilet paper that you bring with you won’t be safe like it is hanging from the wall in your bathroom. You are going to have to protect … Read more
Being able to start fires and build lean-to shelters will keep you alive for short-term survival in the wilderness, but if the world as we know it comes to an end it’s going to take a lot more to make it. You will need to be able to repair and replace your gear, your clothing, … Read more
There is no tool that can equally perform all tasks. But the more versatile the tools that you carry are, the fewer tools you’ll need to carry and the lighter you pack can get. One tool that is compact, light, and versatile is a folding saw. Without suggesting that it can replace the time-tested ax, here … Read more
Pig nuts is not the most appetizing name, but Conopodium majus doesn’t sound that tasty either. Regardless of what you want to call them, pig nuts can be a great source of survival food in the wilderness. They can be found all over Europe and North America. You can gather then using only your fingers, … Read more
There is no price that one can put on their life, and therefore their safety. But that being said, it’s not cheap. The cost being armed adds up, and many don’t calculate the cost prior to beginning. This can leave you struggling with bills, and still not able to legally carry your firearm. Let’s … Read more
If you are surviving in the wilderness, especially in the forest, you are likely to have greater access to plant based food than meat. But meat is going to be crucial to provide you with protein, fat, and the energy you need to perform exhausting tasks like covering miles of rough terrain, gathering wood, and … Read more
Whether triggered by post-disaster looting or by “peaceful protests” turned riots, you could find your home targeted for attack. With proper planning, you can protect your home from a myriad of attacks. Your location, home design, and access to resources will determine your implementation, but here are a few basic themes that can be adapted to … Read more
Finding a proper site to make camp, whether you are in wilderness survival scenario or just out in the woods for fun, can make the difference between a good night’s sleep and a total nightmare. But what is that you should look for in a campsite, and what should you avoid? Ultimately you are going … Read more
Whether just in the back yard, or worse yet, in a wilderness survival situation, getting a tiny splinter under your skin can cause you big problems. The pain can be distracting and make necessary tasks difficult or impossible. If left unaddressed the splinter can lead to infection which could, if you are unable to access … Read more
If you are the kind of person that likes to be prepared, planning and storing for disaster or the end of the world as we know it can get out of hand. You can waste resources, time, energy, and space on storing items that won’t offer you much benefit when the time comes to rely … Read more
When there is any other option, it’s always advisable to stay out of a conflict and to avoid a deadly encounter. If we see a situation that might escalate we should call law enforcement. But is situations after a disaster or in any “grid down” scenario, law enforcement might be overwhelmed or otherwise unable to … Read more
When talking about self-defense and safety, situational awareness is always going to come into the conversation. Having good situational awareness will allow you to avoid danger entirely or at least respond to it quickly so as to increase your odds. But what exactly are you supposed to be aware of? When The easiest thing … Read more
Ticks aren’t just creepy little bugs, they are also the harbingers of disabling and even deadly disease. Most people know about Lyme’s disease, but ticks in North America can transmit 15 serious illness. Some of the diseases are newly discovered, leaving open the possibility that there could be more illnesses spread by these parasites than … Read more
Morse code was developed in the 1830’s to transmit language over the then new telegraph. The basic premise of Morse code is similar to binary code, using on and off. The main difference is that Morse code has a “long on”, represented as a dash, and a “short on”, represented by a dot, with blank … Read more
There is probably no category of knowledge with more myths stuffed in than survival skills. Survival myths are all over, they get repeated word of mouth around the campfire, find their way online (I’ve even repeated this one), and even taught by experienced survival trainers. How does this happen? Someone says something that sounds good, … Read more
Despite what Tim Kaine thinks, guns weren’t responsible for the terrorist attack at Ohio State University yesterday. In fact, a gun is what stopped that attack, luckily before any victims could be killed. But with idiots like Tim Kaine running around creating “gun free” and target rich environments knowing how to defend yourself against … Read more
Having an ax in the wilderness can be the difference between surviving or thriving. But like all gear, it can’t take care of you if you don’t take care of it. To keep your ax in optimal shape for a long life (of both your ax and you), follow these easy steps. Handle These … Read more
Fatwood is basically wood with a high resin content. This means that there are natural chemical accelerants in the wood. These accelerants will make it possible to light a fire with only material available to you in the wilderness in conditions that would otherwise be difficult or impossible. This video describes and shows how to … Read more
Depending on what caliber pistol you have, and where you live, going to the range can become an expensive hobby fast. While there is no substitute for live-fire to train accuracy, speed of fire, and gain comfort for beginners, not all training requires going to the range. In fact, there are aspects of defensive pistol … Read more
The main advantages to survival in the tropics are warmer weather, higher availability of water, and higher availability of food. But simply because water and food are available doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be able to access them. Having the right equipment helps, but having the knowledge of what to look for and how … Read more
It’s a shame that it’s even something that we have to think about, but the reality is that we live in a world with people hiding in it that would seek out children as their victims. Children are particularly vulnerable for several reasons, because they are small and therefore less able to fight back, because … Read more
An axe is a great tool to have with you in the wilderness. But an axe is heavier and bulkier than a folding saw and you might have opted not to bring it with you when you find you need to split wood for a fire. Being able to improvise with what gear you have … Read more
Fishing is a great way to get food for survival. But one drawback to fishing for survival is that the most common method of angling requires specialized equipment. A pole without line won’t catch any fish, and in a long term grid down scenario fishing gear will not be widely available. Even if you do … Read more
As I have said before, the people who commit violent crimes are not looking for a sporting fight, they are looking for victims and they will not abide by any rules or decency. One common, and difficult to defend against strategy employed by violent criminals is to outnumber their victims. This can, and has for … Read more
Wind can be a major difficulty in getting a fire started, but it doesn’t have to be. With a proper design for your fire build the wind’s negative effects can be minimized and the wind can even be used to your advantage. One such fire build is the cross-ditch fire. Here’s how to get started. … Read more
Modern fire starting devices utilize chemical accelerants, while primitive fire starting methods tend to rely mainly on friction. But there is a method that bridges the gap, used by people with no modern technology, and yet also incorporated into modern fire-starting methods, such as the butane lighter. This method is that of using the impact from … Read more
Any number or disasters could leave you without access to medical supplies, including the otherwise easy-to-obtain, over-the-counter medicines. The irony is, that the same circumstances that would cut off your access to these medicines, could also increase your need for them. This is why it’s always a good idea to keep some on hand in … Read more
Survival isn’t camping, and it doesn’t just happen when the weather’s nice. If you are in a real survival scenario where you are living from day to day and trying to get the food you need to survive, you need to know every possible method of adding to your stores, and that certainly includes ice … Read more
Even though you might have everything you need as a prepper and survivalist, that doesn’t mean you are prepared to survive. That’s why it is so important to practice bugging out and moving from one place to another with a full pack. It needs to be as realistic as possible, so this means no stopping … Read more