The odds finding yourself in an active shooter scenario are slim, but for the victims of these incidents, the odds don’t really matter. If you are in public when you hear gun fire, it won’t matter if it is workplace violence or an act of terrorism, survival will be your only concern. Here are some … Read more
Pine isn’t usually the first tree that comes to mind for wilderness survival, especially for food. But the humble pine tree doesn’t always get the credit it deserves. Nearly every part of the tree contains edible material, from the root to the needles. Pines are full of food! That being said, the amount of food … Read more
An alcohol stove is a great piece of gear to have. Whether for backpacking, bugging out, or an alternative cooking method for disaster preparedness, an alcohol stove is worth its weight in gold. Since prepping can get expensive quick, it’s always nice to save money by manufacturing what you can. Here are some simple instructions … Read more
Clear, clean-flowing steams will not always be available to you if you are in a wilderness survival situation. Even if you do come across a source of water that looks clean, you would still have to boil, filter, or treat the water before consuming it to avoid dangerous parasites such as cryptosporidium. This may be … Read more
Canned food is some of the most common survival food there is, but there is one crucial tool you need: a can opener. So what if you don’t have one, or yours breaks when you need it the most? This amazing trick could literally save your life one day: you can actually open a can with … Read more
You are less likely to be put in a struggle for survival when you are well-prepared and well-stocked with gear and supplies. So it’s a good idea to learn some hacks in the event that end up in a situation in which you don’t have the tools and gear that you would like to have. … Read more
If you kill anything much larger than a squirrel you won’t be eating it all at once. If you manage to kill large game like deer, you could have meat enough for months. But without a refrigerator, the meat will spoil if you don’t properly preserve it. One of the oldest methods of preserving … Read more
Usually, I talk about survival from the standpoint of doing the most possible with least available. That’s a large part of survival, especially long-term survival, but it’s not the only aspect. Increasing your odds of survival through acquiring the proper gear (and of course training with it) is another aspect of survival. If your budget … Read more
Whether you are forced to use your firearm to defend yourself in your home or on the street, the sad reality is that you might not be out of danger. The internet is full of news stories in which defensive shooters face murder charges. It sounds ridiculous, and it is, but that doesn’t mean that … Read more
When most people think of arctic shelter they probably think of an igloo. Igloos are great shelters for arctic conditions, but they require just the right snow, tools, and specified skills to build. An easier survival shelter that can be built with only a shovel, and without any prior experience is a quinzhee. A quinzhee … Read more
Winter can be a tough time to survive in the wilderness. Not only will you initially face the dangers of hypothermia, but forests will seem to be completely barren and devoid of any source of food. While many wild edibles are going to be off the menu in winter, one of the best sources of … Read more
Those with mobility issues that necessitate the use of a cane should not neglect self-defense training and preparation. If one has physical limitations, that is even more of a reason to train and prepare. Whether you are injured or elderly, you are in a vulnerable target population. Criminals don’t think like decent people, when they … Read more
In a world with ever-advancing technology that threatens to further restrict freedom and autonomy, we need advancing responses, such as drones, satellite technology, the average person’s ability to resist tyrannical rule is being eroded. While low-tech measures can make you less vulnerable or even be used to combat this technology, sometimes the only option is high-tech. … Read more
In a survival situation, one is much more likely to die from hypothermia or dehydration than from animal attack, but that’s not the case for backpackers. Backpackers should have the gear necessary to protect them from the elements and a water filter keeping them safe from the two biggest dangers of the wilderness. They also … Read more
The last thing you need when already fighting for survival in the wilderness is to have your strength and abilities diminished by illness or infection. Knowing how to make use of some of the plants around you for medicinal use can more beneficial than knowing how to forage for wild edibles since infection can kill … Read more
As I always say, if you have all the gear you need, it’s called camping, not survival. The same is true when it comes to acquiring water in the wilderness. Preferably you will have a water filtration device and a container with you, but in reality, you might not have anything with you at … Read more
Pepper spray may seem like a fool-proof self-defense method that anyone could properly use in any situation, but like any piece of equipment, there is a wrong way and a right way to use it. If you are unfamiliar with your pepper spray you are reducing your odds of being able to properly deploy it … Read more
Knowing how to fish and trap meat is a lifesaving skill in wilderness survival, but there are a variety of circumstances that would not allow for one to take the time necessary to hunt or trap. Perhaps you are anticipating bad weather, you are injured, or you know that you are within several days journey … Read more
Ironically, as your need for a fire increases the difficulty in starting that fire will also increase. One reason is that many of the common sources of wilderness tinder are absorbent, and in damp conditions they will be full of water, making them nearly impossible to use as tinder. Of course, it’s always a good … Read more
If you are stranded in the wilderness and trying to get to safety, you may come to the point where you need to cross a river. Or if you are backpacking you may choose to cross a river, but if you don’t do it safely you can quickly find yourself fighting of survival. Whether you … Read more
Having a kit ready when expecting a birth is a great thing, but it won’t get the baby out for you. And as we go into winter the chances of roads being too dangerous to travel is increasing, raising the probability of an emergency home birth. If you are expecting a baby soon you need … Read more
Prepping is very important to you. You are getting all the items you need for you and your family to survive, and you are learning the skills you need to make you more independent. You are probably proud of this as well, and you should be. However, this doesn’t mean you should be advertising to … Read more
Pregnancy and birth are a reality of survival that need to be addressed and prepared for adequately. No matter who you are, you never know when you might need to deliver a baby. Obviously, this might not be at the top of the list for the majority of preppers, but if you are or have … Read more
OK, maybe I’m being a little paranoid for posting more about that, but the anti-Trump protests are turning into riots in some major urban areas. Hopefully, they will die out over time, but I don’t think we can be too prepared, especially if you live in a major city like San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, LA, … Read more
Being able to see at night in the wilderness is an ability that you don’t want to go without. Of course, you should always have an headlamp with you, but batteries run out, gear breaks, or you could lose it. This could put you in a situation where you can only perform necessary tasks during … Read more
If you always had the right gear at the right time, it would be called camping, not survival. But the reality is that weather changes, people get lost, and the wilderness can be unpredictable. Don’t be overly reliant on specified gear like a cold weather sleeping bag that you might not bring with you while … Read more
Violent protests and even riots are not as rare as they should be these days. Donald Trump’s victory has a lot of people upset, some of which care little for the rule of law. Protests are already occurring in several major cities around the country, and despite how the media portrays them, they are … Read more
Whether you have gotten your vehicle stuck in the mud off road, or the sand in the remote desert, or even in high snow on a highway during a bad storm, getting your vehicle moving again could be the difference between getting home and a struggle to survive. If your vehicle isn’t able to move, … Read more
Survival gear is only helpful if you have it when you need it. Selecting gear that is easy to carry will increase the likelihood that you will be willing to keep it with you more often. Building a survival tin will make it possible to carry essential items with you at all times. It can … Read more
Rules exist in combat sports like MMA and boxing for a reason, mainly to protect the fighters from serious injury or death. But there are no rules on the street, and if you are being attacked you aren’t going to have the luxury of being able to tap, or having the ref stop the fight … Read more
In the last couple of articles, we’ve talked about how to get water from vines if you can’t drink ground water, and how to manufacture a bowl to store or transport water without a modern container. But, what if you do have ground water, and no container to boil water in? You don’t have … Read more
You don’t need to have table manners when you are struggling for survival in the wilderness. But you may need to have some utensils. If you have gotten lost, stranded because of weather or an accident, then you might not have your gear with you. This might leave you without a container for water. It … Read more
You’ve trained for years. You can walk with an 80-pound pack for miles without breaking a sweat and you can shoot the wings off a fly at 50 yards. You have planned your bug out perfectly. There’s nothing that can stand in your way. Then you feel a gentle tug at your hand and look … Read more
Not every source of ground water that you come across in the wilderness will be drinkable. It could be stagnant swamp water or contaminated after a flood. If you do find a clean water source you might not be able to stay near it. For these reasons and more it is important to know alternative … Read more
Being lost in the wild is a serious threat to your survival. The fear that goes along with it can overwhelm and cloud your mind making you response slow or irrational. This is the last thing you want when you are already fighting just to stay alive. Here are some tips on what to … Read more
Some disasters come with warnings like hurricanes, but you won’t always have that luxury. You could be at work or otherwise about your daily life separated from your supplies when disaster find you. Going home might not be an option, your home might be inaccessible, destroyed, or otherwise too dangerous for you to go to. … Read more
While it would probably be a little excessive to put a toothbrush and a bar of soap on your EDC list, hygiene is a crucial factor for survival. We can see examples of how important hygiene is for survival by looking at the military. Most people think of the term “causality” as meaning someone … Read more
A struggle for survival in an urban setting could take place at any time. Massive grid failure or zombie apocalypse isn’t a requirement. Look at how many people have been shot in Chicago this year already, or how many people have been victims of mob violence in other cities. Whether after a disaster or … Read more
Recently I posted an article describing how to build a survival bow in the wilderness. Since a bow wouldn’t be much good without an arrow to fire from it today we’ll talk about how to build arrows in the wilderness for survival. Shaft Selection First, you will need to select straight, sturdy shafts … Read more
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