Outdoor Survival Info

Archive for April, 2007

I came across a useful article that I wanted to share. It’s got some pretty good survival information in it, so read it and remember the advice offered.

How to get out of a car that is hanging over a cliff.

A decent firearm should be a staple in most people’s disaster kits. Why a firearm? Well, simply, you never know when you’re going to need one. In a disaster, everything is chaotic, and you might need some way to defend yourself, your family, your food source, or you home. Or, you can use a firearm to hunt and feed your family.

In a society-crushing disaster, or even a prolonged ecological disaster, having a tool for food and protection is a must. Even if you “don’t like guns,” you need to have one and know how to operate it. It’s better to have one and never need it, than to need it and be empty handed.

Here’s a great resource for browsing and purchasing firearms for what is typically much less than retail pricing: Gun Broker.

Click this link, sign up, and start shopping around for a decent rifle, pistol, or shotgun. Some of the descriptions are the bare minimum, but most contain detail pictures and lots of information on that particular firearm.

Be safe, secure, and confident. Click the link and check them out.

I went to the range yesterday, and I was horrible. I took my Springfield XD9, and my lack of practice was evident. My shots were all high, high and to the right, or just all over the place.

I hadn’t been to the range for nearly a year — eleven months, I believe. That’s far too long to sustain any real skill. Even though I’ve been shooting various firearms throughout my life, I’ve never been really good. The practice I did get was sporadic, and I’ve never had any actual professional marksmanship instruction.

Out of practice, and just learning as I go has produced some horrible results. So, I’m going to need to shoot more often. The more you shoot the better you get, I’ve heard. Well, since I can’t afford to pay for a class or a weekend workshop right now, I’m going to just have to learn as I go.

I’ll be visiting the range more often. I want to improve my skills from decent to really good. I think I’ll buy a book on pistol marksmanship. Time to head to Amazon.

Starting next week, I’m going to have a “Featured Gear” column that will feature some particular item that may be useful in a survival situation.

I plan on making this a weekly thing, but don’t get angry if I’m late one week. I’m a busy man. Anyway, I’ll highlight the gear item and note some potential uses, so you can weigh it and decide if you need to make said item part of your emergency plan.

I haven’t decided on a particular day of the week yet, so stay tuned!

The B.O.B., or Bug Out Bag, is probably the most important piece of equipment you need in case of an emergency. Though it is made up of several parts, it’s one grab and go item that you will be glad you have should disaster strike.

Even though this piece of equipment has “Bug Out” in the name, you don’t necessarily need to be wilderness bound to use one. One can bug in just as easily as bug out. For example, say that you are in Northern Montana, in a rented ski cabin, and a gigantic blizzard pours snow on you, trapping you in for days. With a well-stocked bug out bag, you can just bug in and wait for the roads to clear up.

When putting together a bug out bag, the first thing you need is a bag. Now, this is supposed to be something that you can grab and head out with, so a backpack would be ideal. When selecting a pack, make sure it’s a good one, because if you’re having to muscle your way through angry crowds or run through some thick woods, you don’t want your pack to fall apart.

If you need a regular-sized backpack, why not get a military-style 3-Day assault pack? If you need a large pack, capable of sustaining two people, or if you will need to travel for a while to get to a safe location, try a larger back, like the CFP-90. Those packs are large, tough, and pretty comfortable, too.

In another post, I talked about the value of having food in an emergency. When building a bug out bag, keep in mind that it may very well sit in your closet for years without seeing the light of day. So, you should pack military rations in it, since they are designed to last for years without going bad. I recommend SurePak MREs, which are nearly identical to the government issue military rations. These complete meals are packed in a bag that fits nicely into BDU cargo pockets. So, putting a few of these in your bug out bag won’t take up much room, and will solve the food problem. Keep in mind that they are meals only, and don’t come with water. So you’ll have to pack some of that, too.

These suggestions of mine are just the very basic necessities. There are many other things that you may need to add, and still other things that I think are a must. A good knife, for example, is a must for any BOB. You never know when you’re going to have to cut some rope or divide up some badnages. Flashlights and extra batteries, along with some type of warmth and shelter system are also musts for a bug out bag. I have a polypro tarp and some paracord in my bag, so that I can construct a basic tent or put a covering on a lean-to shelter.

Whatever you decide to put in your bug out bag is up to you. Just make sure that you have one. The last time I grabbed mine was when a tornado hit a block behind my house. That was quite and exciting night! I grabbed my bug out bag, and got my family into some protective shelter and waited out the storm. If we had been dislodged by furious winds, we would have had flashlights, water, protien bars, and emergency mylar blankets.

Take this basic information and expand upon it so that it meets your needs.

Now go make a BOB.

With hurricane season right around the corner — June 1, I believe — everyone in the danger zone needs to make sure that they are prepared for disaster. Hurricane Katrina taught me that we always need to be prepared for what we don’t see coming.

Sure, that region is used to hurricanes, but many were not prepared for what happened when the waters rushed into New Orleans. My advice is to be ready for some displacement. What better way to get ready than to make sure you have some basic supplies on hand to get you through the tough times.

I think the most important thing you can have in an emergency pack is food. I know that’s quite a debateable point, but food gives comfort and strength, and strength can aid you greatly when times are tough.

The best food you can have, in my opinion, for hurricane disaster preparation is the MRE. You can find some here. These MREs are civilian versions of the government contracted military rations.

MRE stands for Meal Ready to Eat, and that’s what it is. Inside the plastic pouch is a complete meal: Main entree, side dish, desert, some type of beverage powder (sports drink, cocoa, etc.), and even some condiments and a spoon. It’s a whole meal inside a bag, free of preservatives and carrying enough nutrients to get you through the day.

The packs are small enough so that you can fit several in a backpack. If you have a family, for example, you can give three meals to each person, and they won’t feel weighed down by it.

The only thing these MREs don’t have is water. So if you don’t want to dehydrate, you’ll need to pack some of that, too.

Next time, I’ll discuss the concept of the Bug Out Bag, or B.O.B., and give some advice on the contents. Emergency preparation might be a chore, but if you get caught in a hurricane, having a full meal can do wonders for your strength and your morale.