People die from the heat every summer. If you’re out in the wilderness, in some survival situation, you need to take some extra precautions to stay safe. There are two key safety areas you need to keep in mind: protection from direct sunlight and hydration.

Protection From Sunlight

Sunburns hurt. The longer you are out in the sun unprotected, the more you can get hurt. Burn enough and you won’t be able to move without some fairly severe pain. In addition to that, direct sun exposure can lead to an increased risk of heat exhaustion.

Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to protect yourself from an excessive amount of sun. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

• Find or make some shade to rest under when the sun is at its peak (midday).
• Wear clothes. This might make you a bit warm, but it’s important to find a balance between skin exposure and overheating. Unless you’re working on a tan, try to keep your skin protected.
• Use sunscreen if you have it.
• Lip balm protects your lips from becoming dry and cracked (which is very uncomfortable).
• Wear a hat. This is a good way to keep your head in the shade even if the rest of your body isn’t.

Hydration

Keeping properly hydrated takes care of two necessary bodily functions. It will keep your cells working properly and act as a coolant system fuel for your body. Without sufficient hydration, you won’t last long in the heat.

Your body’s natural coolant system is sweat. As you probably know, sweat is mostly water. It acts by cooling down your body from the outside, and “catching the wind” to increase the cooling. The more you sweat, the more your body uses water. If you are sweating a lot, you will need to drink more water to make up for it.

You won’t last very long without water in your day to day life, but that timeframe shrinks when you are in the heat, exerting yourself. To stay hydrated, simple steps will do:

• Keep water or some type of sports drink with you.
• Keep enough water for your planned journey.
• Have a refillable container, so you can refill your water supply when necessary. It’s also a good idea to have some type of water purification system in your pack, too.
• Stay cool. The less you sweat, the less water your body will use (thus the less you have to drink).

Surviving the heat is not a problem if you take some simple precautions and use your head. Plan ahead, get your necessary gear and protective wear together, and you shouldn’t run into any serious problems.

The key points to keep in mind are to protect yourself from direct sunlight, and to keep yourself hydrated. Do those two things, and you can make it through even the hottest days. If the desert tribes of the Middle East have been doing it for hundreds of years (or more), you can too.

Want to learn more about preparing yourself for an emergency situation? Learn about disaster preparation, survival, and bugging out with The Bug Out Bag Book – How to build a personalized emergency gear kit.

Backpacking Safety Tips
By Natasha Fatale

The most important thing to think about when going on a backpacking adventure is to be prepared for anything. As the saying goes, if it can happen it will happen. These tips will help you avoid any misadventures and enjoy your backpacking trip to the fullest.

Keep Hydrated

It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to keep yourself hydrated no matter what type of a backpacking trip you are on. The best way to do this of course is through the drinking of large amounts of water. You of course do not want to drink it all at once, but spread it out over the course of the day. Making sure that there is plenty of purified drinking water that is available for you and your entire group will lead to many happy campers.

It is important to note, that it does not matter what type of weather or what the temperatures that you are in when going on the trip, you will need to be hydrated. It may not be as obvious that you are losing fluids while on your trip in colder weather, but it is occurring nonetheless.

Dress for the Occasion

One of the most important pieces of clothing to a backpacker is their sleeping bag. This is the item that most do not think of as clothing, but in essence it is the clothes that you sleep in. Make sure that it has the proper ratings for the weather you will be encountering while on your trip.

Make sure to dress in layers as well so as to be able to put clothes on and off to adjust body temperature as necessary. Use your clothes as a thermostat regulator to prevent overheating and overexposure on the trip. Sun poisoning, heatstroke and hypothermia are all things to avoid.

Of course, you are going to want to take care of your feet as well while on your expedition. Make sure to wear hiking shoes or boots that will give you the necessary support so as to avoid twisted and sprained ankles. Do not forget to wear proper socks and sock liners so to prevent blisters and rubbing of the feet.

First Aid

Having an adequate first aid kit is one of the most essential pieces of equipment that you will need to carry on your trip. Make sure to of course have the bare essentials in the kit such as an ace bandage, band aids, burn cream and all other minimum items. Also, keep items to aid in rehydration if someone is dehydrated, such as a powdered electrolyte drink mix.

Make sure to keep things handy and to be ready for any type of danger encountered such as a snakebite kit, or emergency ice packs.

Food Safety

When you are going on a trip, food is always a good thing. Keeping it away from animals as well as safe for you are the two most important things to look at when going on a trip. Perishable items are never a good idea on any backpacking trip. This is because of the inability to keep them at the optimum temperature to preserve food quality.

When preparing food on a trip be sure to follow instructions and to use proper sanitation in order to limit the possibility of illness from poor preparation or cleanliness. The last thing that anyone wants is to be sick because someone did not clean the dishes properly. Wash, rinse and sanitize to ensure the safest practices. This goes for dishes and people as well.

Know the best food storage practices of the camp or area you are in. It could be hanging your food in a tree to avoid bears, or using provided lock boxes. Either way, you want to keep yourself and the animals safe by not allowing the food to fall into the wrong hands.

Know the Trek

Make yourself familiar with where you are going. Know what type of terrain you will encounter as well as the environment you will be in. These factors will go a long way in clothing, food and time decisions for your trip. These will also put you in better shape when it comes to being safe for your trip.

As always, be ready for anything and have a good idea of what you will encounter before heading out.

Just Roughin It offers backpacking adventure trips to the Grand Canyon and Yosemite. Our experienced guides are well-trained and safety conscious, and your adventure trip package includes all your gear, so all you have to do is enjoy yourself.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Natasha_Fatale
Backpacking Safety Tips

Hiking Tip – How to Find Water in the Wilderness
By Pauline Go

Hiking is an adventurous outdoor activity which involves walking and trekking day and night. Getting lost or stranded in the wilderness is something that could happen to just about anyone. When you are trapped in the wilderness the single most important thing you need to survive is water. An adult can survive without food for many days but only a few days without water.

Finding water is, therefore, one of the most important wilderness survival skills otherwise dehydration will inevitably occur. Here are some techniques to find water in the wilderness whether you are in desert or in forest:

• First look for surface water such as streams, rivers and lakes. If you are not familiar with the area, then check the map for blue squiggly marks. Those marks indicate presence of streams and creeks. Animals and birds always know where the water is. So, be on the lookout for wildlife or animals tracks and birds flight paths. Lush green vegetation is also a sign that the water is nearby.

• Search beneath the surface of gravel washes and dry creek beds, even in the desert. These are the places where you can get water. Dig down a few feet.

• Rain and dew: Rain and dew water is safe for drinking and only needs collection. You can collect morning dew by soaking a cloth in long, wet grass. When the cloth is soaked squeeze it out directly into your mouth or container.

• Look for large tress and bushes or thick vegetation. This indicates seep nearby or beneath them. Dig down a few feet to get water.

• Transpiration technique: You can also collect potable water from tree and plants roots through the transpiration technique. Tie a plastic bag over a growing branch, which is exposed to the sun. Be careful not to puncture the bag. Keep a corner of the bag hanging low to collect water. Evaporation from leaves will produce condensation in the bag. This is an easy way to get pure drinking water.

In most part of the world, surface water is seldom pure. After finding surface water always purify it before drinking to avoid parasitic infestation. However, water collected from rainfall, ground, or from plants has enormous advantage of always being pure. Apart from this carry fruits like watermelon, coconut or pineapple when you are on hike these fruits will not only provide water but also necessary vitamins and minerals.

About Author:

Pauline Go is an online leading expert in medical industry. She also offers top quality articles like :

Importance of Aerobic Exercise, Hiking With Family

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pauline_Go
Hiking Tip – How to Find Water in the Wilderness

Living in the wilderness for any length of time — even just a few days — takes some preparation. There’s more to it than just heading out in the wild and eating berries. You’ll need to tend to things like shelter, water, and fire.

I found this article about living and surviving in the wilderness. Read it…it’s full of great tips.

How to Live in the Wilderness

You might have the warmest jacket around, but if you don’t layer your clothes, it may not be enough. Stacking your clothes in layers around your body is the best way to retain body heat when you are out in the elements.

As body heat escapes, your layers act as barriers to that escape. One layer will only retain so much body heat (the amount of retention varies), and the rest will escape. If you have two layers, the first will capture some of the heat and the rest will pass through. But that heat isn’t all going to get away from you. Another portion of it will be retained by your second layer, increasing your total percentage of heat retention. The more layers you add, the higher your retention will be.

There is something else to consider, too. Since your layers let some heat out, they are also capable of letting the cold in. You have to wear enough layers to not only retain body heat, but also to fight against the invading cold. An easy way to do this is to make sure your outer layer is thick and solid.

Many materials will work, but you need to make sure it is solid. Your grandmother’s knitted shawl might be pretty, but it won’t be very effective keeping out the biting wind. All those holes knitted in for looks will let the cold straight through!

Everyone is different, and everyone has varying levels of cold tolerance. For example, my wife says it’s freezing when I think it’s comfortable. Some people are just different. Take what you know about yourself and create a layer system that works for you. It can get really cold in some parts of the world, and you need to be prepared to deal with whatever weather nature throws at you.

Layer up and stay warm!

Winter Backpacking Survival Tips
By Steven Gillman

Why do you need survival tips for winter backpacking? Because even with the most careful planning there is always a greater risk with winter camping. Of course, getting lost or having an accident is always a possibility, but cold weather makes either of these a more serious matter.

Winter Survival Tip Number One

Stay warm! This is obvious. Hypothermia is the single biggest danger for backpackers, killing far more people than accidents or wild animals. What isn’t always so obvious is how poor planning and not thinking on the trail leads to getting cold.

One cold autumn day, a friend of mine fell in a stream while we were backpacking. He was soon chilled pretty severely. He naturally thought this was just an accident, but looking back on it now, it is clear that we didn’t have a proper survival mind set.

Streams have to be crossed, of course, but we were crossing this one as evening approached. A better plan would have been to get the hiking done earlier in the day. Why? Because it leaves time to deal with accidents like this. It may have been sunny enough to get his clothes dried before nightfall, and it is always easier to find fuel for a fire in the daylight.

In addition, we knew the rocks were slippery, yet we crossed as we were. Seeing the potential for a fall, we could have removed our coats and put them in a plastic bag until we were across. Had we taken this simple precaution, my friend would have at least had a dry coat to put on later.

Had this happened in colder weather (it was above freezing) it could have been very serious. You have to stay warm to survive. To stay warm it helps to stay dry. To stay dry, you have to think.

Insulation

Staying warm is about staying insulated. The value of insulation is determined by the thickness of the air around you that isn’t moving. This is the air trapped in your down coat, and between layers of clothing. Always think in terms of insulation thickness. In planning, this means you need more “loft”in your sleeping bag in winter, and more (or thicker) layers of clothing.

In a survival situation, this means you should immediately look for a way to create more insulation. This can mean setting your sleeping bag on a pile of leaves, or sleeping under a pile of dried grass. You might even stuff your jacket (if it is loose) with the fluff from cattail or milkweed plants, in order to increase the insulation value.

More Winter Backpacking Survival Tips

- Check the weather report before you go, and plan accordingly.

- Be careful when it is near or just above freezing. It is easier to get wet than when it is really cold.

- Drink enough fluids. Dehydration can cause a drop in body temperature.

- Down coats are great – if you can keep them dry. They are almost worthless when wet.

- Avoid sweating, to avoid getting chilled from the moisture later.

- Don’t use cotton clothes in winter, because they get wet easily and then don’t insulate well.

- Have more than one way to start a fire (matches, lighter, fire starter, skills).

- Learn to make a fire in cold wet conditions, and practice.

In 2006, I was trying to climb Crestone Peak here in Colorado, after an early snow. I gave up at about 13,000 in four feet of snow. I was in running shoes, and was soaked from the knees down. It would be below freezing that night, and I had just a tarp and 17-ounce sleeping bag. Does that sound risky? I was actually well prepared.

First of all, it was clear and sunny, and forecast to remain so for days. Back down near the lakes the snow was patchy, with many areas of dry grass. I quickly made a thick mattress of dry grass and thistle stalks to sleep on. I had quit early, so I had many hours to dry my shoes, socks and pants in the sun. They were completely dry long before dark.

As a back-up plan, I had a small fire laid, with a piece of bark covering it in case of rain or snow (I never needed to light it). I drank plenty of water and had fatty foods, which create heat as they digest. I also had more dry socks, and other necessary supplies, despite my 11-pound total pack weight. As you can see, survival when winter backpacking is as much about planning and thinking as it is about good gear.

Copyright Steve Gillman. To get the ebook “Ultralight Backpacking Secrets (And Wilderness Survival Tips)” for FREE, as well as photos, gear recommendations, and a new wilderness survival section, visit: http://www.The-Ultralight-Site.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Gillman
Winter Backpacking Survival Tips

Don’t get enough outdoor and survival content from the blog alone? Your wait and your searching will soon be at an end!

OK, enough with the melodrama. I’m going to be putting together an outdoor and survival themed podcast. If you are a newsletter subscriber, you already know this. If not…now you know. Keep an eye on site (or just subscribe to the newsletter — on the left) to find out when the first episode is launched.

Here is a how-to great article about recycling an old circular saw blade into a nice guthook knife. Use it for hunting, toss it your bug out bag… Read the article here:

How to Make a Guthook Knife from an Old Saw Blade

Outdoor Survival Tips – Ten Uncommon Ones
By Steven Gillman

The outdoor survival tips you’ll find here are not the usual fare. They come from the unusual techniques that myself and others have experimented with. Keep them in mind in case the day comes when you are lost in the wilderness.

Outdoor Survival Tips – Fire Making

1. Pull a piece of pack rat nest loose to use for tinder. These are usually found under rock ledges and in small caves, so they are dry even when it is raining. They are commonly full of plant fuzz, dry grass and other flammable materials.

2. Polish the bottom of an aluminum pop or beer can, and you can use it to focus the sun’s rays to start a fire. Chocolate has been used to do the polishing, but you can also experiment with various natural substances. This is not easy, and probably not possible if the sun is too low, or the can not shiny enough, but I have seen it work. Point the can-bottom at the sun and focus the rays to a small point of light on a piece of natural tinder or paper (a dollar bill works well).

3. Another good source of dry tinder is from old milkweed pods. These often cling to the stalks all winter, and some of them usually have silky seed fuzz still in them, which can be dry even during pouring rain. Any source of flame, or even a spark will ignite this.

4. Bottles and other glass can be used like a magnifying glass to start a fire. Ever since the first forest fire investigator traced the cause of a fire back to a discarded pop bottle, we have known that in bright sunlight, various types of glass can focus the rays to start a fire. You might want to try your own eyeglasses as well, especially if they are a thick prescription.

5. Another source of dry tinder during wet weather is under things. Specifically, look under leaves for dry leaves, or under large logs for anything dry and flammable.

More Outdoor Survival Tips

6. Keep batteries against your body, or at least in your clothing during cold weather. They lose their power more quickly if they are cold, and depending on what they are for, they may be crucial to your survival.

7. To cross a stream on a slippery log, throw some sand, grainy dirt or gravel on it. It will provide some traction. Using any stick for balance helps as well.

8. Lost in the desert, but still have your tent? Use it to collect water. Let the rain fly drape over it, directly against it, so moisture won’t escape as it is normally supposed to. The resulting condensation may collect in small puddles on the tent floor. Scoop it up or drink it directly. You can also mop up moisture on the walls with a small piece of cloth and then wring out the water to drink it. This works especially well on cold nights.

9. Need food? Trout often hang out where faster water dumps into pools, so look there first. You can sometimes chase them into shallows and catch them by hand, which usually means scooping them up quickly and throwing them onto the shore. As a child, I regularly caught fish of several types by hand.

10. No shoes? Losing or destroying your footwear is always a possibility in a survival situation. If it happens, find pine trees that are oozing sap. Scrape it off with a piece of bark or wood. Spread it thickly on the soles of your feet, using it to glue strips of a soft bark to them. Cedar bark works well. It will provide some protection while you are walking. In cold weather, you may also want to cover your feet with plastic bags full of cattail seed fluff, to keep them warm.

Copyright Steve Gillman. See the Wilderness Survival Guide for more tips, and get a free backpacking and outdoor survival book, as well as photos, and gear recommendations, at: http://www.The-Ultralight-Site.com/wilderness-survival-guide.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Gillman
Outdoor Survival Tips – Ten Uncommon Ones

Here’s a little slide show video I put together of my scope base project:

Rifle: Marlin 336

Hardware: Weaver two-piece scope base for Marlin 336

Tools: 2 flat head screwdrivers – one tiny, one regular

Maxpedition gear is now available at BDR Gear. Here’s the page with all the current products: Maxpedition Gear. Based on all of the reports and reviews I’ve seen so far, the Maxpedition line is top notch. I’m talking gear suited for both every day use and while working in hostile conditions.

I’ve been carrying all of my daily gear around in a messenger bag, but after seen the Maxpedition gear, I think I’m going to have to upgrade. Even though it’s big, I’m going to go for the Maxpedition Colossus Versipack. That should have plenty of room to carry my gear…and then some.

Sure, I’ll have a man-purse, also known as a “murse,” but who cares? I usually have to wear something with cargo pockets every day, just so I can fit all of my gear. If I start carrying around a gear bag everywhere, then that means less junk for my pockets. And that means two things: 1) I’ll be more comfortable while carrying my gear around, and 2) I’ll have more style choices when choosing my pants.

On top of all that, this bag will probably make a really good get home bag. Well, I guess that’s what it will end up being if I use it as an EDC (every day carry) bag.

When I get it, I’ll take some pictures and write up a review. I might even get adventurous and video the review for you. In the mean time, head over there and take a look. Who knows… you might find something you’ve gotta have.

If you haven’t already, head over to the Survival Video page and check it out. Learn how to make shelters and see a bunch of other outdoor and survival oriented videos.

The video content is updated regularly, so check it out and see what’s there!

Survival Kits. Bug out bags. Disaster prep kits. They are all the same basic thing: Gear you may need in an emergency. A large disaster will likely require all of the gear in your kit, but other times you just may need one or two things. Being prepared is the smart thing to do.

A survival kit is basically a bag (usually a backpack) that is filled with emergency items. Some of these items would be food, water, first aid supplies, a knife, a poncho, and similar. The actual contents of any emergency kit should meet your particular needs, but there are some staple items common among all emergency gear kits — which would be what I named a moment ago.

At the very least, each person should have a bag packed and ready to go that contains food, water, and something for warmth. Fortunately, there are some pre-made solutions out there — emergency gear packs with the gear already packed in them. All you do is add some customizations to meet your particular needs, and you’re good to go. There’s no need to spend a bundle of money and a lot of time buying all the gear individually, unless you just want to.

Emergencies happen all the time, but not everywhere at the same time. Even something as simple as a tornado warning is cause enough to grab your gear bag. The world doesn’t have to be at war for you to be ready to take care of yourself if you ever need to.

You can see some ready-made survival kits at BDR Gear.

Survival Shelters – What Works Best?
By Steven Gillman

All the various types of survival shelters serve one basic purpose, and it isn’t to have an attractive home for your night in the woods. Of course there might be some psychological value to certain styles. There may occasionally be a need for protection from animals as well. But the primary purpose of a survival shelter is to keep your body temperature up.

It is hypothermia – loss of body heat – that causes most deaths in survival situations. A good shelter prevents this in the following ways:

1. It keeps out the wind.

2. It keeps out the rain or snow.

3. It creates space that can be heated by your body, or with a fire and other means.

People with no skills will sometimes survive in circumstances where others with survival knowledge have died. Why is this? It can be their knowledge or intuition of the principles involved in survival. Knowing how to build a lean-to shelter using natural materials is great, but a lost hiker with no skills might be more likely to survive by burying himself for the night in a pile of dry leaves and grass. Perhaps he simply recognizes that it’s easier for his body to heat the space under those leaves than a larger space in a lean-to shelter.

Sometimes a little understanding of the principles involved and a willingness to think is more important than specific skills. Of course, even better would be thinking, understanding and having the specific knowledge and skills to build various survival shelters.

Survival Shelters

Look at what is available, and consider how you can use it. A rock to get behind might block the wind. A large downed tree might work too. A snow cave is also good for keeping out the wind. Even if you have a tent, a wall of snow blocks can help keep the wind out. Setting up camp in the right place makes all the difference in how much wind you are exposed to.

When rain or snow are likely, a shelter that can keep you dry becomes crucial. Again, look around. How can anything and everything be used? A broken canoe might be worthless for getting you down the river, but it still could be used as a shelter, or as part of a roof. Plastic garbage bags and any other plastic in your backpack might be used for roofing. A cave or overhanging ledge can be a great way to get out of the rain and snow.

Consider the materials around you in terms of how waterproof they are, and how you can use them. Pieces of birch bark can be pulled from rotten logs, for example, and layered over a lean-to like shingles to keep the rain out. Other tree barks may work for this. Cardboard, pieces of a wrecked plane, and large leaves can be used as roofing materials as well.

You can get wet from below as well. For example, a snow cave or shelter made of snow blocks will keep the snow from falling on you, but you can get soaked from the snow underneath you. When the ground is wet, make a floor of plastic or evergreen branches or grass. If materials are limited, try sleep sitting up to decrease the amount of your body that is exposed to the wet and cold ground.

How much space you create with your survival shelter is crucial if it is cold. Make it too big and the temperature inside will be almost the same as outside. You need a small enough space that your body heat or candle or small fire will be able to heat it. A pile of dry grass with a plastic sheet spread over it (crawl inside), for example, is more likely to keep you warm than a large lean-to with a fire in front.

Mix and match the various styles of shelters. Get creative. The snow might not be suitable for an igloo, for example, but a lean-to of evergreen boughs could be covered with crusty pieces of snow for extra insulation. A pile of dry grass or small brush shelter inside a cave would give you rain protection while reducing the space that has to be heated. The ultimate in survival shelters? Whatever works for your situation.

Copyright Steve Gillman. See the page “Survival Shelters” for more on specific shelters, including illustrations: http://www.The-Ultralight-Site.com/survival-shelters.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Gillman
Survival Shelters – What Works Best?

This summer is turning out to be a bit on the warm side. I shouldn’t be surprised. Summer is supposed to be hot after all.

Want to beat the heat? There’s one simple solution: Hydrate. That’s right. Drink plenty of water and you’ll feel better about being in the heat. Just be sure to take in enough sodium with that water so you don’t accidentally flush the salt from your organs and die. Mix in a few sports drinks and you’ll be fine.

I’ve found, through my own experience, that you can do a lot in the heat so long as you are properly hydrated. Just because it’s hot doesn’t mean you can’t get out and enjoy your summer. Stay hydrated, keep enough salt in your system, and you’ll be able to do more and feel energetic. Just don’t overdo it.

How to Prepare For Outdoor Survival – Tactics For Hiking and Camping
By Mo Plante

The outdoors is a beautiful place in which nature is at its best. While the places you may spend your time in at the wilderness seem very safe, there are certain precautions that every person, even the seasoned hiker or camper needs to take. A first aid kit is absolutely essential on even the shortest outdoor excursions. A simple collection of antiseptic, bandages, and hydrocortisone cream should meet the needs of most minor injuries. For more serious injuries a cellular phone will prove to be very valuable or know the locations of the nearest phones that provide service to ranger stations.

Aside from having your first aid kit and way to communicate, the best way to protect you from perils of the outdoors is to know the area in which you are camping or hiking. You would not want to be dropped off in the middle of a huge city that you were not familiar with and the woods should be treated with same respect. By knowing your area, the climate for that particular time of year is very crucial. Not having the appropriate clothing to withstand the weather could cause great harm to you and your family. Remember that a lot of areas temperature range can vary by as much as 40 to 50 degrees between daylight and nighttime hours. To help combat temperature changes the proper equipment can make life out on the terrain a little easier. There are tents and sleeping bags designed for particular temperature ranges that will help keep your body temperature at a safe level. Hypothermia and heat exhaustion are two serious concerns that happen readily to unprepared campers and hikers.

The next point of interest is food and water. Your body will require water to survive. At least 2 liters of water needs to be available daily to sustain your body need for water. While this can be obtained from streams, wells, and other natural resources, it is always a good idea to add some bottled water to your pack. Dried foods can also be packed which are typically light such as MRE (Meals Ready to Eat), and dried fruits and vegetables. A little research can also provide you with naturally occurring food sources for the area you plan on scouting. Do not eat anything that you have not thoroughly researched, as many fruits and plants can look absolutely delicious but prove to be poisonous. Wild game can also be captured for those with knowledge of trapping or hunting. An important thing to remember when eating wild game is that you risk infection of diseases but will help keep the pack weight down and provide you with the variety of diet that you need for longer excursions.

For those skilled and experienced campers and hikers, creating a fire may not be that difficult. However, depending on climate and amount of materials available to start a fire could prove a hard task for the more inexperienced hikers or campers. To make life out in the wild a little easier, waterproof matches would help start a fire easily. Two blocks of flint could also be used and of course if all else fails two dry sticks can give you that little amber you need to start your cooking fire. Pine straw and other dried vegetation are ideal for getting a fire started, but you will also need to locate larger wood sources to keep your fire going for an extended period of time. When you go out venturing for wood, do not travel alone. When possible, always try to travel with a friend in case danger does arise.

Navigation can make or break an experience in the wild. The surroundings are all typically the same no matter what direction you walk in. Landmarks are few and far in between. A compass is highly suggested along with a small map of the area in which you will be staying. Long sleeves and pants will help keep you from being injured from briars and other hazards as well as limit fresh skin available for insects. If you get completely lost this attire should be able to get through the night in many terrains, and leave items that are not needed as landmarks to help others track you or to let you know if you have been walking in circles. When all else fails, a flare gun should have been a part of your survival kit. This should then be fire when times are getting hard. Once the flare has been fired you need to stay at that location.

Some of the more common insects and animals that could pose a problem in the wild are leeches, mosquitoes, and bears. If for any reason you pick up a few leeches on your skin, it is important not to remove them without use of salt or alcohol. This is due to the jaws being left in the skin which can then become infected. Bug spray and netting should be used to prevent an abundance of mosquito and other insect bites as they are prone to diseases and infections. For addressing bears, all food needs to be kept in sealable containers to prevent the scent traveling and inviting a bear into your campsite. This is only a few of the many dangers that the wild possesses. It is important to research the natural inhabitants of any new area you plan to visit.

Another primary concern is animal bites such as spiders, snakes, and scorpions. Many breeds of these animals come packed with a toxic bite. Whether it be a black widow spider, rattlesnake, or other animal you need to know how to handle yourself. The vital part to helping a fellow camper or hiker that has been bitten is to clean the infected area well, and tie a piece of material or belt above the wound. This will help prevent infection and slow the movement of the poison throughout the body. Emergency officials need to be reached immediately if the bite is determined to come from a poisonous animal. An easy way to tell with snake bites are if a row of teeth appears it is typically a non-venomous snake, while if two distinct puncture marks are shown with or without the row of other teeth, it is a good assumption that the snake was poisonous. The next step is to assure that someone is monitoring the bitten person for changes in status. It often takes some time for symptoms to begin to appear. Treat the symptoms as best as possible with your first aid kits and seek help. The myth of sucking out venom is simply that and not suggested.

Now that we have covered the basics of outdoor survival, it is up to you to educate yourself on the specific surroundings that you will be camping or hiking. Knowledge is what will keep you alive out there, while ignorance does not have a pleasant ending.

Get outdoor survival kits and packs , we have the tools to help you survive in the outdoors

SurvivalPacks.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mo_Plante
How to Prepare For Outdoor Survival Tactics For Hiking and Camping

I’m writing a book all about the Bug out Bag. It’s a handy thing, yet many people know little or nothing about them, how to construct them, or why it’s a good idea to have one in your home.

The book will be an eBook, so it will be available for instant download. I don’t have an ETA yet, but it won’t be long. Two or three years, tops. Kidding. I’m kidding. I’ll let you guys know more as I figure it all out.

I’ll be selling the book, but a few of you will be able to get your hands on it for free. So keep an eye out for more details, a page about the book, teaser samples, and more.

Fishing is such a great survival skill to have. After all, if you can’t eat, it’s hard to survive. Beyond the possibility of being stuck in a survival situation, you must keep in mind that fishing is just plain fun.

Largemouth bass are quite popular, and mastering the bass takes years of practice and nearly endless patience. You can, however, cut a few corners. Bass fishing is a skill like any other, and it’s best to learn by doing. But you don’t have to spend years and years honing your skills if you just take a little time out to learn some tips and tricks.

Here’s a Largemouth Bass fishing techniques book you can use to get a jump on the fish and take your game to a higher level. Learn to catch some fish.

Dangerous Australian Wildlife – How To Avoid Getting In Trouble
By Rita Amend

Australia is well known for its unique wildlife. Everyone loves koalas and kangaroos. Unfortunately, there are other species which can really hurt, or even kill you. I don’t want to scare you, far from it! Know what to find there, and you’ll be right.

Crocodiles, Box Jellyfishes (Sea Wasps) and Stonefishes

Australia’s beautiful beaches and coastal areas inhabit some of the most dangerous Australian animals.

• The Box Jellyfish or Sea Wasp causes more deaths than snakes, salt water crocodiles and sharks together. It is abundant along the northern tropical coastlines during the Australian summer. Sea Wasps fire an extremely powerful venom when you come in contact with them.
• Saltwater Crocodiles or Estuarine Crocodiles live in rivers and freshwater swamps along the coastline in northern Australia. Salties grow up to 5 m, some exemplars get even a bit bigger. They have powerful jaws that won’t give you any chance to escape once they have grabbed you. Salties are the world’s largest reptiles. They are protected in Australia.
• The Stonefish can be found among rocks in shallow waters on beaches and islands north of the Tropic of Capricorn. Its venomous spines release a toxin that causes severe pain and shock.

How to avoid trouble and first aid

1. Obey the signs that warn you about Saltwater Crocodiles and the Box Jellyfish along rivers and beaches.
2. Wear shows while walking in water on stony beaches and coral islands.
3. Vinegar inactivates the stinging cells of the Box Jellyfish and should be poured over the tentacles before you remove them from a victim.
4. Bath the stung area of Stonefish stings in hot water to reduce the pain.

Transport victims to hospital as soon as possible. Antivenom for Stonefish and Box Jellyfish is available.

Australian snakes and spiders

Snakes and spiders are found all over Australia, in the cities and the Outback. There are a few snakes species supposed to be the most venomous in the world. Unless feeling trapped, snakes and spiders won’t “attack” humans. Leave them alone, and they won’t do you any harm.

How to prevent snake bites?

• Most snake bites happen due to silly behaviour. Don’t provoke them, don’t try to catch or kill a snake.
• Wear socks and boots when walking in high grass.
• Don’t lift large rocks and dead wood.
• When you see a snake, stamp your feet and let is slither away.

First aid for snake bites

• Don’t cut the wound, don’t wash it either.
• Don’t put ice on the wound.
• Immediately apply a pressure immobilisation bandage as you would do to treat a sprained ankle. The bandage slows down the movement of the venom. But don’t make it too firm. The bandage shouldn’t stop the blood flow, and should stay in place until a doctor looks after the victim.

First aid for spider bites

• Spider bites by big black spiders should be treated as funnel web bites. Apply a pressure immobilization bandage. Seek medical advice as soon as possible. Antivenom is available.
• Redback spider bites are painful. Apply an ice pack to relieve the pain. Antivenom is available but only given if the pain consists, and/or symptoms like headache and nausea develop.

Now that you know a little about the dangerous Australian wildlife, do you feel better prepared? I really hope so. Please do never forget, the risk of getting hurt in a car accident is much higher than being hurt by any Australian animal. Be careful, but don’t worry too much.

Enjoy Australia’s unique wildlife.

Rita Amend loves traveling, especially to Australia. Her trips to Australia covered more that 30,000 km of rough and bumpy Outback roads, and lonely highways in the central and eastern Outback.

Rita Amend is the author and owner of Rita’s Outback Guide. The Guide aims at independent travelers, and covers extensive tips on Outback driving, track descriptions, and a section about Australian animals.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rita_Amend
Dangerous Australian Wildlife – How To Avoid Getting In Trouble

Here are two pictures of my growing tomatoes. These pictures are a few days old (maybe 4 or 5), and the tomatoes have grown a lot since then.

And here is a picture with my hand up to it so you can get some size perspective.

Those in the picture have grown so much since I snapped these photos. I’ll take more pictures once they start to turn red. I have no idea when that will be, but at the rate they are growing, it will be soon. The two plants in that planter have doubled in size since I bought them. At last count, I had six tomatoes growing. Besides that, I have many flowers getting ready to bloom.

And since the flowers are where the tomatoes are going to show up, I’m looking to have a great yield. Which is good because tomatoes are very healthy.

The Bit of Archery History
By Linda Thompson

The history of archery is an interesting one, by following the evolution of archery we also follow the history of mankind which is so closely linked.

Throughout the world we have found evidence of ancient archery, even in places where in the past it was thought that the bow and arrow was not used, such as Australia.

It is thought that archery most likely dates back to around 20,000 BC which is in the Stone Age, but the ancient Egyptians are credited as being the oldest known people to have used the bow and arrow. Archery was adopted by the ancient Egyptians at least 5000 years ago for the purpose of both hunting and warfare.

In 1200 BC the Hittites, an ancient people who lived in what is what is now known as Turkey and northern Syria, used the bow and arrow from fast, light chariots that enabled them to become dreaded opponents in Middle Eastern battles.

Their neighbours known as the Assyrians, who originated in Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria also used archery extensively. They reshaped the bow to a recurve shape that was shorter and much more powerful enabling them to be handled at lot easier by an archer on horseback. They also used several different types of material to build bows including horn, tendon and wood.

In China archery can be traced back to the Shang dynasty which was between 1766 and 1027 BC when war chariots carried a three man team consisting of a driver, lancer and archer.

It was during the ensuing Zhou dynasty between 1027-256 BC that the Chinese nobles at court liked to attend archery sporting tournaments that were accompanied by music and much fanfare.

The Chinese introduced civil archery to Japan around the six century and it had an overriding influence on later techniques and etiquette. One of Japan’s martial arts now known as kyudo (way of the bow) continues to be taught in Japan in the traditional manner. A bow over 2 metres long and made of bamboo, wood and laminated strips is used for shooting a target set in a roofed over bank of sand.

During the Geco-Roman period, the bow was utilized more for personal exploits or hunting than it was for warfare, Archery is frequently depicted on pottery dating to that time.

The Romans are not believed to have been very good archers, more than likely because up until the 5th century the bows they used were shot by drawing the string back to the chest rather than the face which gives the arrow far more accuracy.

Enemies such as the Parthians had far better skills; they were accomplished horsemen who were able to shoot backwards by swivelling around in the saddle often at full speed.

The superiority of the archery equipment and techniques used by the people of the Middle East continued for centuries. Attila the Hun and his Mongols, using Bows similar to those of the Parthians and Assyrians, conquered much of Asia and Europe and the Crusaders were thrown back by Turkish archers.

The bow was a means of survival during the days of English and later American colonization and still is in some countries on the African continent

The popularity of archery has also been reflected in many songs and folklore, probably the most famous being Robin Hood, but archery is also often referenced in Greek mythology.

The first known organized archery competition included 3000 participants and was held at Finsbury, England in 1583.

By the time of the European 30 Years War between 1618 and 1648 because of the introduction of the gun, it had become clear that the bow and arrow as a weapon belonged in the past.

Since that time, archery is has become extremely popular as a recreational sport.

Linda Thompson is webmaster of http:Discount Archery Shop where you can get all your discount archery needs from bows,arrows and accessories to targets. We have a full range of bows and arrows. Check our prices!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Thompson
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Bit-of-Archery-History&id=1152483

Well, my tomatoes are starting to grow!! I’ve got three little tomatoes sprouting from my plants (2 plants). I’m pretty excited about them. You see, I love tomatoes, and it seems I’ve got a bit of a green thumb, too. Yes, it is probably too early to make such a bold claim, but I’m going to throw it out there any way.

If I think of it tomorrow, I’ll take a few pictures of it and post them here.

Here’s a good article about getting started in fishing.

Easy Steps to Taking Up Angling
By Bill Bailey

If you have ever thought about taking up Angling but don’t know where to start, then you are not alone.

There are many ‘would be’ Anglers out there who never had the benefit or the opportunity to learn how to fish.

Most Anglers began to learn their craft as children – as is the more ‘traditional’ route into the sport – the knowledge having been passed from a senior family member, or gained by trial and error as a child with school-friends.

For those of you unfortunate enough not to have been inducted into angling as a youngster, finding out where to begin in later life can seem like a daunting prospect.

If you are thinking about taking up the sport just for yourself, or maybe you are looking for a leisure activity that you and your children can participate together, there are a number of ways to gain access into the world of angling.

Firstly, you will need to decide what branch of angling you want to take up. This will more than likely depend on local opportunities. For example, if you live close to the sea, you may want to take up fishing from the beach. If you have a river, canal or lake near to your home then chances are that you may decide to learn to fish at those locations. Of course there are variations on any theme, which may mean you opt for fly-fishing on the local reservoir or lake.

Whatever ‘discipline’ you choose then you should try to gain some experience of fishing first-hand, before you invest in relatively expensive fishing tackle and equipment.

There are many Angling Clubs and Associations that offer ‘taster sessions’ for beginners. Finding your local club and contact will be straight-forward, by searching the internet. If you have no luck on the net, phone your local tackle dealer for advice.

Generally ‘taster sessions’ put on by local Angling Clubs are staffed by very keen and enthusiastic members, blessed with infinite patience – something you will need to be an Angler – and very likely go out of their way to provide you with useful advice and assistance.

If you feel that you want to progress from the ‘taster session’, the easiest way to gain knowledge and experience is to invest in a starter session or two with local Angling coach. You can use the same process to locate a professional coach as you used to find your local Angling Club. If you choose to use a professional coach, they will also advise you on the tackle and equipment you need to get you going.

If you prefer to learn under your ‘own steam’ rather than invest in lessons, then the next step is to gain ‘local’ information on suitable venue to learn to fish. You can obtain this vital piece of information from your local tackle dealer.

Walking into a tackle shop and plucking up the courage to ask for help and advice is not an easy step to make, particularly if the store is busy with anglers browsing the shelves and racks, and with other anglers standing at the counter in conversation with the staff about their recent fishing exploits. Try and choose a day and a time during the week when the shop is not too busy. This will allow the staff to spend more time assisting you, rather than trying to have a conversation between serving customers.

When you have identified your local tackle dealer, give them a call and find out when is their least busy time. Once you have found out the best time to visit, ask for the name of the person you should speak to about getting advice on taking up angling. In effect you are making an appointment, which will not be of ‘one-way’ benefit as the tackle dealer will be investing their time, hoping to retain you as a customer for the future.

If you have used a professional coach to gain some knowledge, you should go to the local tackle dealer equipped with a list of things you need for your first venture into the world of angling. If you used the ‘taster session’ with your local club, and decide not to use coach, make sure you write down a list of what you need to get you started before you leave.

Remember that the vast array of rods, reels, line, floats, weights, hooks, bait, nets etc on display in the store are there to catch Anglers, rather than fish!

Most Anglers like to ‘collect’, without even realising it. They are like kids in a sweetshop really. Any spare cash will likely be spent on the myriad of fishing tackle on display, and the chances are most of it will never get used ‘in anger’!

When you venture into the tackle store, be sure to stick to the list you have carefully prepared. Don’t invest in the most expensive option available, or the cheapest. Don’t fall into the trap of buying ‘on-line’ at auction either, as there is an awful lot of poor quality fishing tackle sold to the unwary over the internet.

Ask your dealer for advice on good quality, reliable tackle, suitable for beginner. If you look after it, you can always pass it on to someone else when you graduate to more sophisticated, higher quality tackle in the future.

Now you are fully equipped and ready to go. By now you should have received a little experience and knowledge before venturing out to your chosen fishing location. So what next?

Remember to check with your local tackle dealer if you require license to fish. This will depend on the country you live in, or the type of fishing you intend to start off with.

Make sure you think about safety. If you are going fishing alone, ensure someone knows where you are fishing and when you are due back.

You are now ready to go fishing. As Anglers say, “tight lines”!

Bill Bailey is a freelance writer and contributor to the Anglers Social Network site http://www.anglingbook.com and http://www.schnafflehound.com Bill is a keen all round leisure angler.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Bailey
http://EzineArticles.com/?Easy-Steps-to-Taking-Up-Angling&id=1149573

The pair of boots I have now are uncomfortable, and without sufficient insulation to deal with cold weather. So I think I’ll get some new boots this year. But I might actually have to get two pairs. You see, it’s going to be all warm, sometimes wet, and usually snakey. Then the winter is going to come on and the ground is going to freeze through the sole of my boots while I stand in one place for three hours.

Should I try to find one middle-ground boot that is warm enough for the cold, but not too warm for the warm? Should I get a pair of light snake boots and then some waterproofed, gore-tex, thinsulate, space station boots for the winter? I don’t know. I have some experience with combat boots, but not so much with hunting boots.

Buy for your climate, you say. Well, yes, that’s why I’m considering two pairs. But I’m going to be honest with you, I’m cheap. I need some new archery gear this year, too. If I get two pairs of boots, then my wife is just going to scowl at me when I go to buy the bow or crossbow (I haven’t decided yet). What to do…what to do?

Right now I’m looking at some snake boots, and also some boots with heavy insulation, waterproofed, and all that jazz. Do any of you who are more experienced with hunting boots have any advice for me? Maybe I should just get some desert tan combat boots for the warmer weather, but that won’t help me with the snakes. I guess I just don’t need to step on the snakes, but I’m trying to be cautious here.

Survival Preparedness – Survival Skills and Emergency Kits
By Chuck McIntyre

Most of us would agree that at any moment we could find ourselves in a disaster or other emergency situation. Even if this fact is only lurking in the back of the mind just below consciousness, the statement is no less true. Anyone can suddenly be thrust into an emergency situation or have a disaster land squarely upon them quite unexpectedly. How well one survives or IF one survives may be a matter of luck. Far better to invest some time and effort in survival preparedness.

Survival preparedness for the purpose of this article is not a call to be constantly fearful of impending doom and disaster skulking around every corner, or to hoard great caches of dried beans, MREs, bullets, and gold then hunker down with your stash in some remote area.

More realistically, survival preparedness is the act of obtaining knowledge of and practicing basic survival skills, gathering survival gear, food and water together into emergency survival kits. These kits can then be placed at easily accessible points in the home, car, office, etc., or on your person.

Think ahead to anticipate what sort of situation might arise and what survival skills, gear, and supplies would be useful to successfully see you through to the end of it. Some excellent items on the list of basic survival skills to learn (and practice!) would be:

• how to build a fire with or without matches
• how to build a simple emergency shelter
• how to obtain food and water
• how to use a map and compass
• how to signal for help
• how to use the survival gear you have chosen

The size of the emergency kits and the items they contain will be determined by the scenario for which they are intended to be used; lost in the wilderness, stranded in your vehicle on a lonely back road, recovering from the aftermath of a tornado or other disaster.

Always include fire starting items, items to build an emergency shelter, survival tools, a medical kit, signaling device, emergency lighting, containers of water, and rations. There are many helpful web sites that describe complete lists of items to include in emergency survival kits of all sizes.

In any emergency situation strive to remain calm. Use your mind. It’s one of your best survival tools.

Initiative belongs to the individual. Make the time and effort for prudent preparations toward your own survival and that of others. Do not risk suffering the consequences of taking no action at all.

Survival after all is being alive at the end of an ordeal.

Chuck McIntyre is active in helping others learn basic survival skills. He offers reviews and recommendations of survival gear and emergency kits at MySurvivalPro.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chuck_McIntyre
Survival-Preparedness—Survival-Skills-and-Emergency-Kits

By Brian Carter

Outdoor survival skills can mean the difference between escape/rescue and tragedy. Fortunately, most survival skills are simple and easy to learn. Here are the top ten things to do in a survival situation, in order:

1. Don’t panic. Breathe. Relax.

2. Give yourself first aid if needed.

3. Inventory your survival items.

4. Assess any imminent weather dangers.

5. Find an open area where you can be seen from the air.

6. Create appropriate shelter.

7. Drink lots of water.

8. Make fire, but safely! Learn how to build fire in a variety of ways and how not to start a wilderness blaze in your quest for survival.

9. Signal for help.

10. Eat the wildlife, including insects, but nothing with more than 6 legs and no plants you aren’t totally sure of.

Ten Essential Survival Skills & Qualities:

Survival isn’t just about skills, but also attitude and mindset. Desire to survive, determination, persistence, willingness to plan, and learning survival skills ahead of time all increase your chances of survival. The best time to learn survival skills is before you need them.

- Will to survive

- Calm, poise, focus

- Make shelter

- Make fire

- Find and purify water

- Find food, hunt, trip

- Signal for help

- Navigate without map or compass

- Basic first-aid

- Weather prediction

The Most Valuable Survival Items:

We could probably debate this list endlessly, but I guarantee you’d much rather have these items with you than need them and not have them.

- Knife

- Poncho

- String/rope

- First aid kit

- Flint, tinder

- Water purifying tablets

- Whistle, mirror

- Wire saw

- Fishing kit

- Emergency blanket

Once you get into a survival situation, it’s too late to prepare and to learn the skills. Now is the best time to prepare to survive. Get your survival gear and get into a survival training class!

Brian Carter is an outdoor enthusiast, and a major fan of survivorman. He reminds you that once you get into a survival situation, it’s too late to prepare- learn the skills now. Now is the best time to prepare to survive. Get your survival gear and get into a survival training class!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_Carter

Article

Well, spring is upon us in full swing it seems. The cold weather has finally abated, and it seems the tornadoes aren’t coming back right now. So, it’s time to fish! I might go fishing this afternoon at a catfish-filled stream a few miles away.

But I’ve got to check on my gear first. It’s been out in the storage room off the carport, so who knows what it’s under. My wife is always in and out of there moving junk around, but I never go into the place. I’m sure everything is alright. I am looking forward to some fishing, but I would really like a boat to help out with that.

A boat would be nice.

By Caleb Rogers

When disaster strikes, where will you be and how will you get to your family? Will you have supplies with you if you’re out and around town? The purpose of this article is to discuss what is known as the “get home bag,” and differentiate it from a bug out bag.

A get home bag, though it goes by many names, is a basic emergency kit one usually keeps in their car. The purpose of this kit is to keep you, and whoever is typically with you, safe and fed until you can get to a more secure location or more long-term gear. A bug out bag, on the other hand, should be designed to hold enough gear to completely sustain you – and any family with you – for 72 hours or more. Depending on the size of your family, you might need a few bug out bags.

While bug out bags should typically be large enough to carry a lot of gear, a get home bag only needs to carry enough to get you home or to a similarly safe location. The bag you use for a get home bag should have two basic characteristics. First, it should be small enough that you can carry it around comfortably. A common backpack or shoulder bag designed for school books should be sufficient. What you don’t want to do is use a large military-style rucksack. They are bulky and won’t help you out if you need to get out in a hurry.

The other characteristic is inconspicuousness. Drawing attention to yourself in a disaster isn’t a good thing. If the situation is bad enough, people will beat you and possibly kill you for your food and water. If you are trying to get to a secure location, your journey should be as smooth as possible. Keep a low profile by using a small, common backpack or shoulder bag. You’ll look like everyone else, so chances are you won’t be singled out by unsavory characters as a target.

I like to think of a get home bag as a mini bug out bag. Like a bug out bag, the get home bag should be filled with gear that you personally will need. Customize it to suit your individual needs. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Food: I like to use MREs for this. MREs are military rations designed to keep you going and do so from a small package. You can fit two or three in a backpack and still have room for plenty of other gear.
• Water: This one is tricky because water is heavy. Two or three water bottles will probably be what you need, but that will add a lot of weight. You will just have to judge your own personal circumstances and needs to determine the right amount of water to carry. It might be a good idea to carry a little water, and then some type of water purification system.
• Foul Weather Gear: Depending on your area, you might need something to protect you from rain, snow, or hard desert heat. Ponchos, anoraks, wool sweaters, gloves, headwear, and such will fit the bill, but you have to pack according to your needs.
• Knife: Carry a pocket knife or multi-tool in your pack. It’s the most versatile tool around and it’s a staple of any survival pack.
• Rope: Carry a length of rope or paracord in your pack. You can use it string together a quick shelter made of branches or a tarp, lash on a splint, or make a tourniquet.
• Flashlight: It gets dark every day, so be sure to have a way to see in the dark, along with batteries to keep that flashlight going.

When packing your get home bag, there are two things you need to keep in mind: Your individual gear needs and your local laws. Aside from dying, the last thing you want to do is get arrested in a disaster. Whatever type of personal security equipment you put in your bag (including your pocket knife), you need to make sure you follow local and state ordinances. Even though you may be in the midst of a disaster, police officers will still be around and they still have a job to do. Take care of yourself, but don’t run afoul of the law.

Keeping a get home bag in your car is a simple way to keep gear close to you when you might need it. Getting home in an emergency is important, and it’s a lot easier to do if you already have equipment on-hand to aid and support you.

Part of having a survival plan is figuring out how you are going to sustain yourself once the rations run out. If there is some disaster that has the potential to cut you off from civilization, or if it collapses entirely, then you need a plan.

Check out this article on How To Grow Your Own Food. It’s pretty good as a general overview, and from it you can find links to explore the details more. You need to have some kind of plan for when your survival rations run out. If you live in an area where you can have a garden, then consider growing your own food. We humans run pretty well on veggies, after all.

Over the next few years, I’ll be building a house. It won’t take me years to build (I hope), but I won’t have the necessary funds to start the build for at least another year.

I plan on building a house that is as self-sustaining as possible. Water from a well and cistern type of system, and electricity provided by some type of natural resource. That one is going to be tricky, but after spending thousands of dollars on electricity over the years, I’ve had enough. That’s an expense I would rather do without, especially since there are viable alternatives should one be so inclined. It’ll be tough, but I can do it.

I plan for the house to be situated on some land that I will find and purchase. That land will also serve a sustaining purpose. I plan for it to provide meat and veggies for my family. It’s homesteading, I guess…but it’s not going to be very far from civilization. For the most part, I like civilization. And I like technology (thus the need for electricity).

I’ll post updates here as they come in. Stay tuned, because there may be very valuable survival information along the way.

It’s frustrating to go out into the woods and see nothing. Likewise, it’s also frustrating to have hunters walking all over the deer path you know the deer would travel were it not for the intruding humans.

Man, I need to buy some land so I don’t have to deal with other hunters on the land I’m hunting.

No deer! I haven’t seen any deer yet. I think I might have heard one crossing the creek behind the brush line, but I can’t be sure. It could have been some loud ducks.

Weekend number two of modern gun deer season is looking rather dismal. Maybe it’s this ridiculous heat. I had to wear a t-shirt hunting this afternoon. It was 70 degrees!

Maybe It will cool off next weekend and I can bag some animal.

It’s important to stay warm when out and about during the winter, and with winter coming right around the corner, I thought I would tell you guys about a new category at my gear shop. The new category is Cold Weather Gear, and it contains only two items right now. But those two items are important to keeping you warm. And who knows? By the time you read this, I might have more products in that category.

Check out my cold weather gear and buy some to stay warm.

I hold the personal belief that the knife is the single most useful thing ever invented by man. I also am of the mind that one should have a particular knife for a particular job. Now, sure, there are some great “utility” knives out there, suitable for a wide variety of purposes. That’s how I look at my CRKT pocket folder. It’s tough and it’s handy.

But it’s not really going to cut it (pun shamelessly intended) when I gut a deer. So I bought a new knife today. I bought a Gerber fixed blade hunting knife with gut hook. It’s nothing fancy, and wasn’t expensive. But it’s something I needed, and I’ve already taken it out in the field. Of course, it didn’t get any use, but it will.

I’ll give a full review with pictures after I have the chance to use it. Well, I might just snap some photos of it tomorrow and post them so you can see what it looks like. Preview: Full tang construction with a grip-friendly hard-rubber…grip. The blade is 4 inches long and coated with titanium. It’s sharp enough, it seems, and the gut hook is a nice feature that doesn’t stick out too much. The knife also came with a basic nylon sheath. It’s a nice knife, especially considering how much I paid for it ($22 at Wal-Mart). I’ll see how it holds up to some real use and abuse — I demand serious performace from my gear, which my wife says is just being too hard on it all.

Everyone needs a bug out bag. Why, you ask? The answer is simple. You never know when you might need it. Emergencies are emergencies because people don’t see them coming. The disasters strike suddenly and with great force. Then, all of a sudden, you are surrounded by crisis.

Having some gear ready in the event of a crisis can help you keep a clear head. If you don’t have to worry about your next meal, or what you’re going to use for shelter, you can spend your energies focused on the actual crisis. Ideally, this gear should be in a single bag — something with which you can just grab and go.

Later on, I’ll write up a little piece about what you should put in your bug out bag, but for now you can just take a look at this bug out supply shop and pick up a few pieces. Those pieces may save your life, or, less dramatically, make a bad situation a little easier.

Squirrels are not as easy to hunt as I thought. I have been out to the woods twice, and I still haven’t even seen one where I was. I have seen squirrels out in the woods before, but never while hunting them. They aren’t like city squirrels…these suckers hide from you.

I parked myself at a hickory tree for twenty minutes and didn’t see or hear anything. So I moved to another hickory tree and waited. Still nothing. I repeated this for two hours. This tells me that either a) I wasn’t waiting long enough, b) there weren’t any squirrels in that area, or c) I suck at squirrel hunting.

I’m leaning toward a combination of a and c, but maybe with some b thrown into the mix.

Maybe I’ll have better luck next Saturday.

Face it, squirrels are everywhere. When stuck in the woods somewhere, you’ll need to eat. The food you carry with you will only last so long. You may need to find another source of food to get you through to safety.

It seems that eating squirrel has a certain stigma to it. But I don’t care about any negative reputation. Plently of people around here love to hunt the little furballs, and enjoy eating them. I’ve personally never killed or eaten squirrel, but I plan to in a few short days. Since squirrels are such a readily available animal, I thought I would learn how to hunt them and prepare them for eating, in case I need to eat them in an emergency. Having previous experience with the animal may mean I won’t have to work as hard to win a meal.

Besides the survival training aspect of squirrel hunting, I think it will just be fun. Think about it. I’ll be out in the woods with my shotgun (I don’t currently have a .22). I’ll practice my marksmanship, my woodland navigation skills, and learn about squirrels. Those are some very useful survival skills that are also fun to practice. And as my wife will tell anyone, I need A LOT of practice with my navigation.

I’ll post a report with pictures after I go out. The season starts this Saturday, September 8th.

While camping this weekend, I learned a valuable lesson. It’s good to have a padded sleeping mat when camping. I learned this the hard way, quite literally, by sleeping on the hard, rocky ground. Not only will one of these pads make sleeping all nice and comfy, but it can be a vital part of your bug out gear, too.

When you are bugging out, there’s an emergency going on somewhere in your region. During times like this, rest is critical. With yourself better rested, you’ll have more energy and be able to make more sound decisions. Both of which are vital to survival during a disaster. Not only are they good for you, but if you have to care for an injured person, putting them on your padded mat can help facilitate a quicker recovery. No, it won’t actually help heal a broken leg or take a fever down to safe levels. What it will do is make your charge more comfortable. And comfort aids in healing.

The pads are light, and they don’t take up much space on a pack. If you don’t have one, I suggest you get one. I’m going to.

I’ve survived the weekend camping trip, with only a large area of my body sunburned. The only survival skill that I practiced over the weekend was sleeping on a hard, rocky surface while in a tent that was about 20 degrees too hot for sleeping.

Naturally, this made my sunburn even more uncomfortable.

Even though we were situated on a public camping ground with a large lake 120 yards from us, I still brought some basic survival gear along. I also taught my two year old daughter some basic swimming techniques, which will aid in her survival while she is in the water.

There’s a new forum out there focused on the outdoors. Hunting, fishing, camping, and basically anything else. Now, I know a lot of you guys already have a favorite forum, but that doesn’t mean you can’t give another one a try.

This outdoor forum is called Hardwood Hollow. It’s new, and there aren’t many members yet, so get over there and help shape the tone of the board. The forum is definitely outdoor-based, but there’s always room for survival topics to be discussed.

If you like what you see, join in the discusssions. You might learn something, or you might teach someone. It’s Win-Win!

Go click that link and check it out.

I’m going camping this weekend at a lake. Greers Ferry Lake in Central/Northern-ish Arkansas. It’s a fun place with plenty of camping and water adventures.

This is a family camping trip, complete with in-laws and little kids. So it’s really more like moteling, or RVing, than camping. But I guess that will have to do.

The survival skills I will be practicing are tent-work and fishing. I’ll be catching food, preparing it, and cooking it right there in camp. I’ll also experiment with some fire-building techniques. Nothing too primitive. I’ve yet to play with my magnesium firestarter, and this should be the perfect time to try it out.

It will be good to get away from civilization for a while, even if it’s only for two days.

If you don’t know how to fish, take the time to learn the basics. It may save your life one day. That’s important, isn’t it? Fishing is fun and relaxing, but besides that, it’s a way to fill your belly when there’s not much else to eat.

When in a survival situation, you’ll need to find three things: Shelter, water, and food. Shelter you can build, water you can find and collect, but what will you eat? Twigs aren’t really fit for human consumption, regardless of how many there are lying around. Hunting is a great source of meat, but in an emergency, animals can be scarce and hard to pin down. But fish seem to be everywhere. Anything from a small pond up to the ocean is a fine place to find fish.

Now, if you’re stuck in an urban environment, you probably won’t have anywhere to get fish. But if you’re in that kind of environment, there’s probably other food sources available. If, however, you are anywhere on the outskirts of the city, head to the hills for refuge. Unless the hills are on fire, of course.

You should keep many things in your emergency supply kit. Among those items should be some simple and portable fishing tools. You don’t need fancy equipment, but you do need some basic skills. You should know the types of fish you can find in your area, what they typically like to eat, and where they usually hang out in the water. This basic knowledge and gear can help you snag a fish to eat when you would otherwise go hungry.

Get some gear and put it in your pack.