As we’ve talked about before, shelter should be your foremost concern in almost every survival situation. Many would overlook this in the desert and opt to search for water. Since finding additional water might not be likely, or even possible, your survival is going to hinge on your ability to reduce your need to sweat … Read more
If you have been watching the news much, no matter which outlet you have been getting it from, you have undoubtedly heard plenty of fear mongering over potential consequences of the outcome of the upcoming election. Liberal media will tell you that Trump’s policies will cost jobs; conservative sources will warn of government paralysis if … Read more
When looking for a survival knife the considerations are not going to be the same as for an EDC. Your survival knife isn’t going to be on your body every day, only when you are taking a camping trip, hunting, or even just stored with your survival supplies or bug-out-bag. Your survival knife should not … Read more
Without a weapon, your survival menu will be extremely limited. In this video we see how to manufacture and use a survival weapon, the shepherd’s sling, using only paracord. Having this skill added to your arsenal will make it possible for you easily carry all the necessary material to help you put food in your … Read more
Most fighting styles train under the pretense of mutual combat. This has both competitors in a fighting stance ready to engage. But street fights often don’t reflect this level of sportsmanship, the sucker punch is all too common. The effectiveness of the sucker punch relies on the intended victim being unprepared, don’t let that … Read more
If you are a CCW holder that has been forced to defend yourself, or if like me you just have an addiction to CCTV footage, you know that carrying a weapon isn’t enough to keep you safe. You need to be able to get your weapon in the fight, and you need to do so … Read more
Knowing what weather is coming can be a life-saving skill in wilderness survival. If you recognize the signs of a coming storm you can forego your planned movement, prepare shelter, gather firewood, or fish (fish feed more before storms). On the other hand, if a storm catches you off guard you could easily die from … Read more
Flint knapping is the bush craft art of making cutting tools from larger pieces of rocks like obsidian that fracture into small, sharp pieces when struck carefully on the edge. With the importance of cutting tools like knife blades and arrowheads in wilderness survival, this is an excellent skill to practice. Even if you have … Read more
Tips for Making Feather Sticks Feather sticks are bush craft fire starters that can be quickly manufactured on the spot using only a knife. They are most useful in damp conditions when dry tinder is not available. The basic premise is to use a knife to carefully create wood shavings that remain attached to … Read more
Self-defense is something that everyone needs to think about, but women are particularly vulnerable and often specifically targeted. Women can be targeted for muggings because they have less strength, have a thinner skull (making them easier to knock unconscious), or as targets for abduction and sexual assault. Because of hormonal, physical, and social differences, women … Read more
I recently wrote about squirrel poles and how to use them to catch squirrels without bait in wooded areas. The importance of being able to trap animals without bait should not be underestimated. In this article, I have posted a video showing how to make and use an “Ojibwa bird pole”. Like a squirrel pole, … Read more
Whether you are traveling by air, driving, or anything else, the laws that govern carrying and transporting weapons are not going to make it easy for you to defend yourself. Unfortunately, the criminals where you are headed are not as likely to be concerned about the laws as you are, and you will be more … Read more
The downside of most traps is that they require bait. In a survival situation, you might not have any food that you want to sacrifice, or you might not have any food at all. One trap that doesn’t require any bait to function effectively is a squirrel pole. Here’s how to make one: First, … Read more
As a defender and not an attacker you will always be at a disadvantage since the attack will always come from an ambush and not with a gentleman’s “on guard” warning. But just because a potential attacker doesn’t want you to know that they are planning an attack doesn’t mean that you can’t see it … Read more
The last thing you need when hunting in a survival scenario is getting injured or sick from your would be prey. Knowing the physical characteristics of safe prey and potentially dangerous animals is a vital bit of knowledge that can keep you safe from further danger in an already precarious situation. These are just a … Read more
The Swedish fire torch is a fire build that is said to have been invented by Swedish soldiers during the Thirty Years War so that they could keep from traveling long distances get more fuel. Fuel efficiency is not only an issue during war, but it could be the difference between a warm night and … Read more
A knife is one of the most important tools that you should always keep with you. It is also a tool with no shortage of variations available on the market. So, what should you look for in an EDC (every day carry) knife? Here are 3 important factors to consider before making your investment. … Read more
When it comes to prepping, you want have the right food stored. You also want to know what foods will last the longest. After all, one of the biggest problems that people have with food or emergency storage is the shelf life. When they are faced with a disaster, they may have goods that are … Read more
In the wilderness, exposure, dehydration, starvation, and wildlife will be your biggest threats. In an urban setting, your biggest threat could come from other people. Now that’s not to say that everyone should be out for themselves and treat all others as potential flesh-eating zombies after a disaster. But we do need to recognize … Read more
When you start gathering supplies for your survival you will probably start as most do with the basics. You probably already have a supply of non-perishable food, bottled water, and tools like knives and fire starting supplies. But where do you stop? These days there is a real market for survival supplies, and supply has … Read more
One of the very first questions in presidential debates is in regards to future supreme court nominees and what that would mean for decisions regarding the Second Amendment. Regardless of what your views on gun control might be, it is a realistic concern that our rights might be so far restricted that certain guns, if … Read more
Not every piece of gear or specific skill is going to applicable for your personal survival. If you live in the North East you probably don’t need to know more than the absolute basics of desert survival just in case your vacation to the Grand Canyon takes a turn for the worst. Likewise, if you … Read more
As we’ve talked about before, cold is one of the quickest killers. Exposure to cold can kill you in only a few hours. Building a shelter and starting a fire should be your first priorities, especially at night, but you can’t always just wait for rescue to come. In order to get out of a … Read more
Most people might think of squirrels or birds when they think of small game in a survival situation. But you might have to think a lot smaller than that in some cases. If you have no weapon, and if your situation doesn’t allow for you to spend time manufacturing one or setting traps, then perhaps … Read more
Sometimes it’s skills and not supplies that can save a life. One such example is learning how to perform CPR. CPR, or cardiopulmonary resurrection, can be the difference between life and death in a variety of scenarios ranging from heart attacks, accidents, near drownings, suffocations, smoke inhalation, and electric shock (including lightning strikes). Even now, … Read more
Whether you are looking for food in the wilderness or in a post disaster urban setting, small game like rats, rabbits, and squirrels are going to be on the menu more often than large game like elk or deer. But what if you have succeeded in catching or trapping small game, but you don’t have … Read more
If you are in a location where the weather is getting cold, and you are in a survival scenario, things can start to look grim pretty quickly. However, there are some things you can do as a means to improve your survival capabilities. Let’s look at some quick and easy cold weather survival tips you … Read more
You are a prepper, or at least you think you are. You’ve been acquiring knowledge regarding survival in a variety of situations, and you have been collecting the gear and goods that you need. You have what you feel is the right equipment, and you believe that you are ready for anything that might come … Read more
In a survival situation, especially when you have to survive for a long period of time without the ability to run down to the grocery store, you need to hunt for your own food. Many people consider themselves hunters and they feel that they would be perfectly fine in a survival situation. Of course, you … Read more
For those that don’t watch the news much, there has been an increase in the frequency and tone of talks regarding nuclear war from highly powerful people. Now, there’s no reason to freak out, but it is very important to be aware and be prepared. Whether or not we end up in a nuclear conflict … Read more
If you are in a wilderness survival situation, or in a disaster area, getting help is a high priority. You or someone you are with might be injured or sick and not able to travel, you could be lost, or you could be weakened from prolonged dehydration or hunger. Whatever the reason, you will want … Read more
If you are stranded in the wilderness fighting for your survival, or trying to live in the wilderness long term, transportation is a must. You will only be able to travel 10 miles a day on foot, and that is over good ground with a light pack. But on the water, you can travel 30 … Read more
Life is dependent upon water, so when you find a source of water in the wilderness, chances are it’s a good place to look for your food too. There are numerous designs for fish traps, and in this article, we’ll be talking about a static funnel fish trap. How it Works A static … Read more
Injuries in the wilderness can turn a hike or a camping trip into a fight for your life instantly. The pain alone can immobilize you, leaving you stranded. The risk for infection is high if the fracture has punctured the skin. A broken bone can even severe an artery and cause massive bleeding which could … Read more
In most survival situations finding water is the hard part, then all you need to do is treat it, filter it, or boil it (or hope for the best if you can’t do any of those). But if you are near the coast, or in an area that has been hit by a hurricane or … Read more
Learning how to identify the edible and poisonous plants in your local area is always a good idea. But what if you find yourself in an area you are not familiar with and in need of food to survive? You can follow the steps in the “universal edibility test” to determine of the plant is … Read more
If things always went your way you would never need to worry about how to survive in the wilderness. But since things don’t always go your way, you need to have a plan, and a backup plan when that doesn’t work. It’s not enough to know how to start a fire in ideal conditions, if … Read more
As with all of your tools, paracord can help to save your life, but it will only be as effective as you are skilled with it. Not every situation calls for a slip knot, or three slip knots on top of each other. To get the most out of your paracord spend some time practicing … Read more
Shelter and water come first in survival, but sooner or later you will need to eat. Large game is not always an option, you could be unarmed when forced into your survival situation, you might not want others to hear a gun shot, you might be limited on your ammunition, or there might not be … Read more
Knowing how to start a fire and having the tools to get it going are not always going to be enough. You might find that you don’t have very much wood available, or that the wood you do have for fuel is too wet. Here are some tips on how to make the most out … Read more