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
Wilderness survival in the cold means heat retention above all else. You can last for 3 weeks without food, 3 days without water, but can die in 3 hours from exposure. Your clothing is going to be your primary protection against the elements. But what happens if your clothing gets wet? Wet clothes will not … Read more
When most people imagine themselves in a survival situation, they picture themselves in a beautiful forest at the edge of a lake. While that might be nice, it might not be the reality for everyone. You might find that you need to survive in the swamp, which is one of the most dangerous and difficult … Read more
When building and planting a vegetable garden, especially when space is a major factor, it can be tempting to use every available square inch for edible plants to increase food production. It seems logical enough, and to some extent it is, space should not be wasted. But is it a waste to plant ornamental flowers … Read more
Being able to properly identify animal tracks and determine their approximate age is a great skill to have for wilderness survival. It can help you to hunt or trap game, find water, and avoid potentially dangerous animals. But what about the times when tracks aren’t present? Well, even when the ground or weather makes tracks … Read more
Whether you are attempting to cross a frozen lake for expediency in a wilderness survival scenario, or are just having fun on the ice, if that ice cracks your odds of survival have just dropped to near zero. The intense cold can trigger a gasp response, which could mean that you just inhaled freezing water … Read more
Out of all natural disasters, earthquakes are by far the deadliest. They come with absolutely no warning, and have the power to shake infrastructure to the ground. If you live in an area that is at risk for earthquakes preparation is a must and decisive action are musts. Here are some ways that you can … Read more
If you are deep in the wilderness, whether you are backpacking for pleasure or trying to get out for survival, having a strap on your backpack break can be devastating. The uneven pressure will start to cause shoulder pain in a mile or so, foot and knee pain soon after, and depending on the terrain … Read more
Given that these days you can get a paracord bracelet that has a fire rod incorporated into the design for less than $10, I don’t usually write much about primitive friction fire techniques. However, knowing how to start a fire from only the material in the wilderness is a valuable knowledge and a skill that … Read more
Whether for stealth during hunting or for evasion, camouflage is a survival necessity. Both hunters and military units have developed various forms of camouflage over the years. Each form has its use, its benefits, and its limitations. For this reason, it’s important to consider what situations and environments you will be needing your camouflage for … Read more
In most street fights and assaults, at some point, your opponent will try to dominate you by grabbing a hold of you or your clothing. If they succeed in establishing a solid grip on your collar, hair, or your wrist, they will be able to dictate your movement and force you into a compromised position … Read more
As I have written about before here, not all fires are equally beneficial in all circumstances. For those times when warmth is needed and fuel shortage is not an issue, a log fire build is a great choice. It can be modified to burn slower, to work with damp wood, or to cook on, but the … Read more
Trees are a valuable source of wilderness survival necessities. From firewood, shelter material, cordage, food, and even water, trees can provide nearly all of your needs in a wilderness survival scenario. But not all trees offer the same resources, or any at all. In order to get the most out of the trees in your … Read more
If you are preparing for survival, you’ve probably asked the question of whether it is all worth it or not. Maybe you have some friends who think you are crazy for buying all the beans and rice you have in your basement or that can’t understand why you have firearms and go hunting. Maybe you’ve … Read more
These days severe weather hardly hits without some warning, offering us precious time to prepare and stock up in case the weather is bad enough to leave us cut off without water and power for days. Depending on where you are, this threat is more common than other places, and the considerations for each place … Read more
Small game traps like dead falls are effective tools, but few bush craft tools are as effective or as versatile as nets. Nets can be made from any cordage with the techniques demonstrated in this video, and even the cordage can be manufactured from wilderness materials if you needed to. Nets can used to catch … Read more
No one tool is right for every job. The benefits of having a semi-automatic rifle like an AR-15 for survival are plentiful, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t benefits to be had by what many would laugh at for a survival gun, an air rifle. Here are a few reasons why you might want … Read more
Steve Callahan was a “moderately experienced” sailor that suffered shipwreck while attempting to cross the Atlantic and was stranded at sea and successfully survived 76 days adrift. When considering the difficulty of surviving in any environment, let alone at sea, 76 days of survival is an amazing feat. And one that deserves attention so that … Read more
Whether setting a bone and digging out a bullet, anesthesia is going to make the ordeal easier on both the patient and on the “survival doctor”. But the sale of anesthetic drugs is understandably restricted, so if you want to have a supply on hand for survival use, you are going to have make them … Read more