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
Whether for hunting or defense, a bow is a great tool to have with you in any survival situation. But a bow is a little big to put in your pocket as part of your everyday carry. Being able to make one from materials available to you in the wilderness will insure that you always … 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
It is estimated that the average American will see 200,000 images of violence in the media by the age of 18. Putting aside the moral implications of this, because that’s a whole other topic, there is another result these images will have on the viewer. Namely, they will have a completely unrealistic concept of fighting … Read more
Pemmican is a dehydrated survival superfood that is nutritionally complete and incredibly long-lasting. It is made with nothing else but lean meat, tallow, and berries. It was invented by the North American Plains Indians, as a way to store the meat through the winter. It quickly caught on with early Frontiersmen and even British explorers … Read more
One of the most important decisions to make in your preparations for survival is whether you should stay in place or head for the hills. In this article I am not attempting to advocate either option as a one-size-fits-all solution to any situation. This is simply meant to show the benefits to, and limitations … Read more
Humans are at the top of the food chain due to our intellect and social structure, not necessarily our physical prowess. When you are in the wilderness, or even outdoors in your neighborhood, you can come in contact with animals that have the potential to kill you. Here are a few tips on how to … Read more
One of the biggest concerns for long-term self-reliance or survival is energy. Most energy sources that we rely on seem to be finite. Gasoline, propane, coal, even wood, all will run out at some point and are difficult to regenerate. Batteries in particular run out quickly, and rechargeable batteries can be costly and unreliable. But what … Read more
Whether you currently live in an area with vast wilderness and need to keep a pack with supplies in your vehicle all the time in case of emergency, or if your disaster plan is to get out of the urban area you live in and head for the hills, here is a list of … Read more
If you are outside when a thunderstorm comes, the safest thing you can do is to get inside a house or a car. But these options will not always be available to you. Whether you are hiking, camping, or already struggling for survival while stranded in the wilderness, you will be without any meaningful safe … Read more
For the first time in decades, violent crime rates are on the rise. This is not a trend likely to change if the availability of life-sustaining resources is limited by any number of possible disasters. If you want to survive, finding water, shelter, and food is only going to be the beginning. You will have … Read more
It can take 3 weeks to die of starvation, 3 days to die of dehydration, but in cold weather you can die in 3 hours from exposure. Shelter is the number one priority in any cold weather survival scenario. Not every situation will offer the same resources or have the same threats, but these are … Read more
Making it through a disaster can be just the beginning. Cut off from power, water, and medical resources, your life can still be in danger for some time. During this period the risk of contracting an infection increase, as do the potential complications of an infection. Without access to medicine, and perhaps with the need … Read more
Not all fires are created equal. If all you know is the standard teepee style campfire, then your fire skills might be a bit lacking. In this article, we will take a look at the Dakota fire hole, how to make one, and its strengths and weaknesses. How to Build a Dakota Fire Hole The … Read more
Chances are, you’ve already got a big jar of petroleum jelly in your bathroom. But did you know that you should have one in your survival stash or bug-out bag as well? This is a list of a few survival uses for petroleum jelly that might raise your appreciation for the seldom used, 12-year-old jar … Read more
If you have never used a rocket stove it is difficult to believe how little fuel can be used to effectively cook your food. A rocket stove will not be a replacement for your indoor cast iron stove, but it is a great supplement for when your fuel is getting low, days are getting warmer … Read more
With Hurricane Matthew closing in on the east coast, hurricane preparedness is on everyone’s mind. It’s important to inform yourself on what to expect and how to prepare. High winds are what most people think of when it comes to hurricanes, and while they do pose a threat, wind is one of the least dangerous … Read more
Being able to quickly exit a car that is being submerged in water is very important to know how to do should your area be threatened by a hurricane, as there is often severe flooding following. There are of course other instances in which this might happen, so everyone should know what to do. Recently … Read more
When disaster strikes and you are searching for resources, locks are going to be obstacles between you and what you need. But that doesn’t mean that you won’t want to make use of the locks yourself. Learning how to bypass locks in ways that leave them intact for your future use is a skill … Read more
With violent crime back on the rise, terrorism, and an increasing trend of lawlessness, it’s no wonder that first-time gun ownership is on the rise in America. Many people who had previously never considered owning a firearm are now looking to be caring a handgun for personal protection. But carrying it is not going to … Read more
Residents of Florida are used to hurricanes, but it’s always big news when a major one is headed towards any part of the US. And for good reason, one advantage hurricanes have over other natural disasters is that there’s plenty of time to prepare. This doesn’t make them any less dangerous, of course, but the … Read more
One of the less glamorous aspects of survival is being prepared for either short-term survival during some kind of attack, or the need to be prepared for lethal encounters after disaster strikes. When supplies are low and tension is high, violence is bound to be at least someone’s mode of survival, so you need to … Read more
If you are a survivor of a natural disaster one of your first concerns will be clean drinking water. Attempting to drink water that has not been treated could lead to serious illnesses. Some of these illnesses are life-threatening even in good conditions, but when you are under stresses common to post-disaster scenarios such as malnourishment, … Read more
Your chances of living through an event such as being stranded in the wilderness or civil unrest will greatly increase if you have a healthy capable body and mental determination. These are not the only factors by any means, but when all else is equal, someone who can cover 10 miles of rough terrain … Read more
Most attacks occur in what is called transitional spaces. These are places where you are transitioning from one environment to another and where the attacker can easily come and go. Examples would be parking lots, convenient stores, gas stations, elevators, and bus or train stations. When you are in these spaces, as many of us … Read more
In a wilderness survival situation, you can’t count on things going your way. This time of year, cold will be a main concern if you find yourself stranded outdoors, since exposure too cold can kill within hours. Fire is the obvious solution, but there are a number or reasons why you might not be able … Read more
You can never have enough fire starters, ammo, or bottled water. This list contains just a few of the fire starters that can be made from items you probably have lying around the home, or potentially improvised even after disaster strikes from resources you could scavenge. Tuna can and cardboard Nearly everyone throws away cardboard … Read more
People have a tendency to feel safe in their vehicles in a similar way to feeling safe in your home. And while being in a vehicle has its safety advantages in a defensive scenario, it is no fortress on wheels. When facing an attack in your vehicle, knowing its strengths and vulnerabilities will greatly impact our … Read more
After disaster strikes and we are cut off from a normal flow of resources our bodies are going to be under high levels of stress, the last thing we need is to expose ourselves and those around us to biological hazards when we are in a vulnerable state. One commonly overlooked aspect of preparation disaster … Read more
You have a lot of things to consider when you are choosing the best bug out bag, and you can’t simply buy what friends or family members are buying and believe that it’s going to work for you. You have to stop and think about what you need, your size and frame, and what you … Read more
While a gun that is in poor maintenance is unlikely to pose an active threat to your life, it could very well be putting you in danger. Whether you will need your gun to function effectively in a self-defense scenario or to hunt, a malfunction could cost you your life. In a self-defense scenario fractions … Read more
In this instalment of lock bypassing we will be talking about bump keys. A bump key is basically a key that has been filed down to the lowest depth. They are used to jolt the pins of the lock above the shear point by applying tension on the bump key, and then bumping it. Bump … Read more
In case you are not too up-to-date on the news, and this would be easy to miss, but Venezuela’s economy has completely crashed and its citizens are starving. They have to wait in line for hours for government rationed food, and they are even crossing the borders in droves to buy food from neighboring countries. … Read more
I’m sure many of you have strong feelings about this upcoming election, which is unlike any election in US history. You may feel love, hate, reluctant support or some combination of the three towards either (or in the case of hate, both) candidate, but if you are a survivalist, regardless of political leanings there are … Read more
Snakes are a big benefit to the world. They help to control the population of vermin, for example. However, when you are in a survival situation and you are limited on the types of food available to you, snake just might be something you have to put on the menu. It’s not as bad as … Read more
Survival in an urban environment is completely different than a small town or rural setting. Your carefully acquired survival skills and supplies might not be of the most use if you’re trapped in a chaotic urban jungle during a disaster. In this case, it might not be hunting or shooting that saves your live, but blending … Read more
There’s no doubt that a firearm is one of the most important survival tools you can own. For home defense, self-defense, self-reliance and disaster preparedness, having a firearm has countless advantages to any prepper. But it’s not as simple as owning a gun, or even knowing how to load, unload, discharge and aim. There are … Read more
Have you ever stopped to think about what it would be like to not have water? We’re not talking about not having the bottled water that you like. We are not talking about not having water for a couple hours coming out of the tap. We’re talking about being in a survival situation where you … Read more