With less than a week before the inauguration of president-elect Donald Trump, Obama has ordered US troops into Europe, accusations of Russian hacking continue, China is rapidly taking military control of disputed waters and islands, and Syria is still smoldering and continues to draw the West and East closer to world war. With all … Read more
If you are planning for bugging out and surviving, you need to know as much as possible about the environment where you will be traveling and where you will be settling in your bugout location. This includes knowing things about the terrain, the average temperatures through the year, rainfall, and the locations of lakes and … Read more
Quail is delicious no matter how you happen to cook it. If you are hunting for quail, and you’ve never hunted the bird before, it can seem rather daunting. However, it is not too hard, if you understand a few simple tips about the process. Even novice hunters can get quail. Just keep the following … Read more
Over the past decade or so, television shows about surviving in the wild, as well as prepping, have become quite popular. This is a double-edged sword, though. While it is good to draw peoples’ attention to the need to learn survival skills and the importance of prepping, the demands of the production – namely to … Read more
If you have looked online or in stores for a first aid kit of any real worth you have probably noticed the price tag. Kits of any kind tend to be overpriced for the purpose of convenience, but overpaying and not getting everything you need isn’t necessary. If there is a dollar store in your … Read more
This video from West Virginia is a reminder that armed robberies don’t only occur at gas stations and liquor stores. Everything turned out fine for the bystanders and for the armed defender in this case, though not for the robber. Here are a few of the lessons that we can take away from this … Read more
Living in a modern, relatively clean environment with access to medical treatment that is available in the West can lead to complacency about disease. In the over vaccinated, hand sanitized, “health conscious” world we live in, many think of disease like Tuberculosis as a thing of the past. But the reality is that even … Read more
One major principle in selecting survival gear is versatility, you want gear that can do more than one job and is suitable for more than one situation. However; there are times when gear that would normally be on the top of anyone’s list is not going to suit your purposes. One of these cases … Read more
This video shows how important weapons safety is, not only when storing firearms but when handling them. In the video we see an armed robber accidentally shoot his partner in the back, killing him. What is a little harder to notice, is that the armed defender also nearly shoots the intended victim on accident … Read more
Mallow, or Malva, is the wild edible green that is the source for the original marshmallow. Originally native to Europe this plant can now be found all over the world. Cultivated in some areas commercially as a vegetable crop and even growing as an invasive weed in other regions. Malva has adapted to a … Read more
If you are like me, you might be a little skeptical when you first hear that sugar can be used medicinally, but I’m not getting my medical advice from Mary Poppins, this is real. My dog got in a fight not too long ago, and had a sizeable chunk of flesh torn from his … Read more
I have written several articles lately about the recent survival stories of everyday people. Most of these stories share one commonality, they began with a vehicle getting stuck. Of course, it’s a good idea to drive with caution, and keep some basic supplies in your vehicle at all times in case you do find yourself … Read more
We’ve all probably heard the phrase “dressed for success”, and while it’s doubtful that the phrase originated from anything to do with survival, it certainly holds true for survival. Your clothing will be your primary shelter in a survival scenario, and it might be your only shelter. The wrong clothing could get you killed, … Read more
Trout lilies are in the Erythronium genus along with 30 other species of flowers. They grow in temperate forests and meadows throughout the Northern Hemisphere, typically flowering in the spring. They can vary greatly in flower color, but they tend to have a six petal flower with a speckled center, two oblong leaves with … Read more
Many people that are relatively unfamiliar with less than lethal self-defense tools think of stun guns and tasers and virtually the same thing. But there are major differences between these two kinds of defensive tools that anyone interested in using them for personal defense needs to be aware of. Here is a basic overview … Read more
As temperatures continue to drop this winter, everyone should have an alternate method of heating their homes. Those who only have their heat through electric sources are particularly vulnerable, something as simple as a snow-laden limb falling on a powerline could have you without heat all night. A larger storm that affects your entire … Read more
In some areas, fishing will be the most reliable means of obtaining meat in the wilderness. It can be done with little, and even no specialized gear. Here are some tips for success while survival fishing. Set passive traps whenever possible. This way you can spend your time and energy on other essentials … Read more
They say it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog. These two short videos offer evidence that this adage is true. In the first video, you see a man that is bold enough to attempt a home invasion in broad daylight run for … Read more
Hammocks aren’t just for relaxing on the beach or in the backyard. Hammocks can be a useful piece of gear for camping or survival. But they aren’t without their shortcomings, here is a short list of some of the benefits and drawbacks of hammocks for camping and survival. Benefits You don’t need to … Read more
This video demonstrates in a detailed manner the materials and methods to make your own copper coil alcohol stove. Having an alcohol stove is great for disaster preparedness whether you are sheltering in place, or bugging out. With an alcohol stove you will have a reliable alternative fuel source for cooking indoors, and a … Read more
Last month, 77-year-old Paul Meiling from Utah was driving on a snowy side road in an isolated area of Idaho when his truck became stuck. Temperatures were well below freezing while he was stranded for days, but Meiling was able to survive by taking shelter in an abandoned farmhouse nearby and starting a fire. … Read more
I just wrote about the importance of being armed, even if you know how to defend yourself in a one on one unarmed attack. But the unfortunate truth is that there are all sorts of places these days that limit, or completely restrict your right to protect yourself. While I will always take my … Read more
Self-defense is a factor of survival that everyone needs to think about. But when some think about self-defense, they think about learning a martial art, or krav maga, or even mixed martial arts. All of these are a good idea and will add to your ability to survive an attack, but the reality is … Read more
When most people of clams they think of the beach and the ocean, but there are hundreds of freshwater species of clams and mussels in North America. They should not be overlooked as a potential survival food. They can be found in muddy banks of rivers, and unlike fish, you will not need any … Read more
Yucca plants are usually associated with their native arid environments, but they actually grow as far North as Alberta Canada, and into the semi-tropical and temperate areas of North America. The ability to find these plants all over the continent makes them ideal for survival since you are likely to come in contact with … Read more
If you are just getting into living a prepared lifestyle it can be difficult to know where to start. Developing goals or milestones in your preparedness can help you stay on track in a practical way and avoid a one-dimensional or incomplete strategy that can drain your budget long before it offers any real … Read more
Kidnapping is not the most likely event that you will need to survive, but it isn’t always something that happens to other people. It isn’t something that only happens to those who are wealthy enough to pay ransom, or people living in the third world. Even in countries like the United States, people have been … Read more
Carrying a knife is a pretty common thing to do. Though most people only ever use their knives to open packages or cut their finger nails out of boredom, many people carry a knife in the thought of using it as a defensive weapon. Arming yourself is an important aspect of survival, especially for … Read more
In April of 2016, Caroline Lloyd and her daughter Rachel were vacationing in New Zealand. The two decided to take in some of the natural beauty in the area and went on what was meant to be a day hike. After misreading signs on a marked trail, the pair got lost late in the … Read more
Most of the time, fires are going to require some level of attention and maintenance on your part to continue to burn. But this won’t always be possible or practical. Having a fire that requires no maintenance to burn through the night when inclement weather is rolling in and might make starting a new fire … Read more
This video is of a brazen daytime home invasion. It shows two men with knives in hand enter a home and search it room by room. Luckily the intruders never get a chance to assault, or kill, anyone inside the home. When you watch this video take note of these things: This attack … Read more
Geraldine Largay and a friend set out from West Virginia on April 23, 2013, headed to Maine on the Appalachian trail. Her friend was forced to stop her journey do to family issues with only 200 miles remaining of the nearly 2,200 mile trip. Largay continued on by herself, but sadly she never made … Read more
Miner’s lettuce, or Claytonia perfoliata, is a dark leafy green wild edible. The common name comes from its widespread consumption by miners during the California gold rush years. Here are some of the characteristics and benefits of miner’s lettuce that make it a valuable addition to anyone’s survival menu. Miner’s lettuce is available from … Read more
This CCTV footage is reportedly from Brazil and shows what appears to be an off-duty cop fighting off two “armed” robbers. The video description says that the guns they had were fake, and this seems likely since they point their weapons but never fire them. While the final outcome is that no innocent people are … Read more
The purpose of a “get home bag” is, as the name implies, to carry the items you would want if the worst case scenario took place while you were out, at work, the store, or running errands. It is not meant to be a long-term survival kit, or even a bug-out bag, it is only … Read more
72-year-old Charles Cosgrove, a hiking safety instructor, set out for a day hike at Crescent Lake not far from his home in New Britain, Connecticut. During the hike, he slipped on some wet leaves on the trail and fell some 30 feet onto a large rock. He suffered a multitude of scrapes and bruises, … Read more
As I’ve confessed before, I have a slight addiction to CCTV footage. It’s a little morbid, but not without its benefits. A lot can be learned from watching attacks and attempted robberies. You don’t have to wonder about what works in the real world (on the street instead of in the gym), you can … Read more
Colloidal Silver is one of the more controversial alternative medicines these days. The FDA has issued multiple warnings against using it, but despite this, high priced store bought colloidal silver continues to sell and plenty of people continue to report increased health from its use. I’m not a doctor so I’m not going to … Read more
Watercress is a nutrient rich, and widely available wild edible. It grows in moving water and can be found year round in most areas, as long as the water continues to flow. It is related to other cultivated vegetables such as mustard and wasabi. Other than the leaf pattern it can be identified by … Read more
This video is of an attempted armed robber at a gas pump. “Attempted” because of the would-be victims was armed and put an end to the threat. Take a look at the video and watch as this armed defender reacts perfectly to the threat of an armed attacker. The man in blue is the … Read more