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SURVIVAL 101: THREE WAYS TO BOIL WATER IN THE WILDERNESS

adminJan 12, 2018Camp Cooking,Camping,Emergency Preparedness,Uncategorized0 Comment

BOILING WATER IN THE WOODS

So, in our last post we discussed why it can be important to boil water in a survival situation, but we did not delve into the methodology of boiling said water, so, in this insert we will discuss three very easy yet effective methods of boiling water in a wilderness situation. Now notice, I said wilderness situation and not necessarily survival situation. The fact is that the only way I’ve ever been able to get water to boil in a survival situation, (one where I didn’t even have so much as a tin cup to boil with), is the hot rock method. So here are three methods that you can use to boil water in the wilderness.

  1. Fresnel Lense. I’ll mention this first because it is the least practical; however it is probably the most fun, rewarding, and the greenest. The Fresnel Lens harnesses the power of the earth’s sun to boil your water or to otherwise cook your food. This would be a great apparatus to have for a military surplus tent adventure, family camping trip, or any other planned outing. It is kind of big however, so in order to get one together that will be effective you will need to have room in your camper, truck or Subaru.
  2. Fire and iron. Or aluminum, or steel, or ceramic, copper, tin, brass or anything else that can withstand the heat of a fire or cookstove. Most non-ferrous metals other than lead, zinc, etc… The trick here, regardless of the heat source, is to get the water hot enough to boil by getting the vessel hot. This is how we boil water all over the world, the most common method.
  3. Hot rocks. This is the easiest method when in a survival situation because you can use a wood container, clay, mud or even a thick leaf container, or bark, to hold the water while it is being heated to boiling by placing egg sized hot rocks in it. The rocks should not be sedimentary, rather you should use igneous or metamorphic rocks.
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SURVIVAL 101: 3 WAYS THE ART OF KLEPTOPARASITISM CAN SERVE YOU

adminJan 12, 2018Adventures,Current events,Earthquake Preparedness,Emergency Preparedness,Prepper,Uncategorized0 Comment

The art of kleptoparasitism, though not very chivalrous, can be quite profitable in a survival situation. The act is so prolific globally that there are actually tribes of indigenous Africans who still practice the stealing of another’s meat to this day. Even some who will fight lions off a kill. Though I’m not a proponent of trying to steal a fresh kill from a grizzly bear or a pack of wolves, there are several cases where I can see the advantages to taking another’s food in a survival situation, and can think of at least two incidents where I would do it unequivocally; and one other where I would do it grudgingly, depending on the situation. Here are the three times I think that stealing is ok.

  1. When you are robbing the hoard of a gatherer. In this instance I’m thinking specifically of squirrels and their nut caches. Though in reality I would want the squirrel and his nuts, I would just take the nuts if that is all I had. A good way to find caches is to wait for a light snowfall and follow the ambling tracks as the little varmint scampers about checking on his stashes.
  2. When you are robbing a bird of prey. This takes more luck than skill, as most birds of prey are hunting at night. However, if you are in a survival situation and you see a hawk, eagle, or owl make a kill on the ground, prepare to beat it away from that fresh meat; however, take care that you prepare for a fight, these things are pretty badass.
  3. Other humans if the situation applies. From a moral standpoint, this would require either dire consequences or an act of war whereas I was looting the reserves of an enemy. I could live with myself in either situation, providing I wasn’t taking their resources strictly from laziness, or if others more needy than they were depending on me.
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FOUND DEAD IN THEIR HOMES… THE IMPORTANCE OF ALWAYS BEING READY

adminJan 12, 2018Uncategorized0 Comment

Photo By: WCPO.com

Three people in their early 20s were found dead of gunshots wounds in a home in Florida after they were attacked during a Super Bowl party, police say… ¹ A 39-year-old woman and a juvenile girl were found dead Monday morning at a home in Highlands Ranch. ² Eight members of a single family were executed in their homes in a matter of hours… ³

One thing is certain my friends, and that is the fact that this is still a dangerous world, and it is seemingly getting more and more dangerous and volatile as time goes by. You are not safe in your homes anymore, if you ever were, because criminals do not hold anything sacred these days. Everyday, if you look, you can find a story about a home invasion that has left one or more, (sometimes all), of the members of a single family dead in their own domicile. As I sit here in my sun room writing this, overlooking the pool and sipping a hot cup of java, I have in my waistband a Glock model 17, fully loaded and charged, in a DeSantis inside the pants holster. (There is an extra magazine in the pouch attached to the holster). Near me, leaning against a table, is a Remington™ 870 fully loaded and ready to roll with 00 buckshot. I am home on a day off and am catching up on my writing; however, even when I am home I am always armed and am always prepared to commit to violence if need be. Many would think that I am paranoid… perhaps they are correct, however, I think the people mentioned in the above excerpts from recent newspapers would disagree. I think if they could do it over again, they too would have been armed and ready. If you think about it objectively, you can probably relate to the fact that we as Americans have had it too easy for too long, in direct contrast to those in our ancestry who always had to worry about someone forcing their way into their cabin, teepee, or house in an attempt to take their lives or possessions.

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THINK YOU COULD BE A HUNTER – GATHERER? THINK AGAIN

adminJan 12, 2018Adventures,Current events,Fishing,Hunting,Prepper,Uncategorized0 Comment

Photo By: Wikipedia.com

Consider if you will, the Hadza people of Tanzania. They are a true hunter-gatherer society who’s men leave their grass huts at the crack of dawn, poison tipped arrows in hand, and venture out into the wilds of Africa in search of their next meal. This meal could be anything from a small frog or bird, to a full or half grown giraffe. The women also venture forth to perform the other aspect of their existence, the gathering. They go in search of berries, roots, vines and tubers which add supplement to their otherwise protein rich diets. This is everyday life for this indigenous people, and it is the same lifestyle that your ancestors lived so many thousands of years ago. It is the same life that we practice, train, and prepare for as survivalists; however, a close look at these people reveals to us, if we are completely honest, a strong deficiency in our commitment to make a living like they do. In all fairness it must be said that the ability to eek out a living on the plains of Africa is not going to be the same as trying to live in the wheat belt of America or in the mountains and fruited plains. However, it becomes apparent that society and evolution have not necessarily been good to us as far as keeping our survival skills keen goes. A recent study from Yale researchers has shown that these people exercise vigorously nearly two and a half times as much as the modern athletic American or European. As a result the studies further show that these people are extremely low risk for ailments such as heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, high cholesterol, and diabetes. They furthermore don’t seem to slow down as much or are effected as much by age as are their Caucasian counterparts. Nor do they suffer from dementia. Do you want to be a real survivalist? Take heed of these people then and see what it will really take in a post-apocalyptic society to stay ahead of the game… no pun intended.

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COACHELLA AND BONNAROO IN COLORADO; A NEW MILITARY SURPLUS TENT ADVENTURE

adminJan 12, 2018Adventures,Current events,Uncategorized0 Comment

(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella)

According to UPROXX, the organizers of Coachella and Bonnaroo are preparing to bring a new music festival to Denver Colorado this year which is a great opportunity to expand our horizons and have yet another opportunity for a military surplus tent adventure. Though this one may be a bit too wild to be considered a “fun for the whole family” style of adventure, it is definitely an opportunity to get out into the mountains, pitch a military surplus tent, and “Howl at the Moon’ in a very real way. Though this is a project which is still in the works, the organizers of these events are planning to create a super-fest of dynamic proportions. According to AEG’s David Ehrlich, this plan has been in the making for about six years and has nearly come to fruition. Of course, he said, it is going to be up to the residents and the local interests to have the final determination on the inclusion of a new festival, but in reality, who wouldn’t want a fresh influx of tourism to a community that makes it’s living on tourism anyway? This new festival will be started on the grounds of Denver’s Overland Park golf course, and the report is that this festival idea has already been brought up to residents at a community hearing in the courses clubhouse on January 30, 2017. The makers of things, in this instance, have given their blessing however to a new music festival, and a new music festival they shall have. It has already been determined that there are definitely other places which will be open to a new music festival in the event that this one is rejected. So better start budgeting now, and make sure that you have taken the necessary measures to prepare your military surplus tent for yet another rock and rolling, beer slurping, late night, music adventure.

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4 great uses for a surplus bag

adminJan 12, 2018Adventures,Camping,Current events,Emergency Preparedness,Fishing,Hunting,Military Surplus Blog Posts,Uncategorized0 Comment

I read recently that an military surplus army bag makes a great camera bag. Well, huh? I guess that makes sense considering the fact that military equipment is designed to be ultra functional and practical. But there are many uses for a military surplus bag that goes beyond a camera bag. let’s be honest though, the military surplus bag looks cool as hell and there is little else that can just say “adventure and ruggedness” like the rumpled canvas of a coyote brown or OD green military surplus bag. I have had several uses for my military bags over the years. I use one, for instance, as a possibles bag whenever I go hunting with a black powder rifle. I like it much better than I like the stiff leather purse I bought at the second hand store years ago, simply because it is much more functional. These things are great and are multi-functional, the best thing about them is the fact that they are so in-expensive that you can have an assortment on hand for in the event that the need arises to have one. Here are four examples of great uses for a military surplus bag.

Photo By: petapixel.com

Photo By: RDDUSA

Photo By: RDDUSA

Photo By: RDDUSA

  1. As an herbalism bag. I like to hunt for tubers and mushrooms. I also like to go out during certain times of the year and gather flowers, roots, and leaves for different medicinal purposes. A good military surplus bag , especially one like the Australian soft bag, fits easily around the shoulder and neck, and offers a great way to save what you gather without getting in the way or taking up needed pack space.
  2. As a relic bag. I also love to hunt for relics. By relics I mean arrow heads, artifacts, treasures, etc. I find these types of bags to be perfect for underwater excursions as well. I also carry two or three military surplus bags with me whenever I am on a military surplus tent adventure, especially one with the entire family where I am usually the person who ends up packing everyone else’s gear.
  3. As a medical kit. I always try to carry some occlusive dressings, two or three tourniquets, and some combat gauze just in case I get into some trouble in the form of miscreant contacts, bear attack, or I run into a nest of sasquatches. Not common, but not totally unheard of either.
  4. As a shell bag. I had mentioned that I used a military surplus bag as a possibles bag, but another function I like one is for use as a bag to hold my shotgun shells when I am skeet shooting or dove hunting. This is much easier to handle than to try to juggle a box of shells, or to hold them loosely in my pocket.
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Should Chesty Puller get the MOH?

adminJan 12, 2018Current events,Uncategorized0 Comment

Chesty Puller

Lewis Burwell Puller, Chesty, as he is known, is an infamous Lt. General who has become the epitome of United States Marines. He was noted for his heroics and mental aptitude throughout his life and is seen even today as a hero to all members of the Marine Corps. According to the Marine Times, over 300 marines have had the distinction of having been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, one of the highest military honors that can be bestowed upon any service member. The award was began in 1861 and unfortunately, Chesty’s name has been omitted from the list of recipients. Chesty saw a lot of combat in his time, and his iconic frown and battlefield witticisms are legendary. For instance, he was once quoted as saying “They can’t escape us now” when he as told that he and his men were surrounded on all sides in Korea. Chesty earned five Navy crosses during his career, which is the second greatest military honor for valor. And there have been attempts made in the past to upgrade some of his medals to MOH, however, for some reason they have all failed. It is the opinion of many that the time has come to posthumously upgrade this war hero’s accolades to the greatest degree. Marines still learn of him and chant his name in boot camp. There is no greater aspiration than to be like Chesty Puller, much like Army soldiers still learn of Audie Murphy. A recent review by the Pentagon has revealed that there are hundreds of recent war veterans who have not been properly awarded for valor on the battlefield and the former secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, has recommended that some Navy Cross recipients have their awards elevated. Though the review is limited at this time to post 9/11 recipients, it is perhaps high time that this American hero is recognized as well.

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Women in spec ops… one year later

adminJan 12, 2018Current events,Uncategorized0 Comment

Ok, so it was a year ago that the United States military opened the world of spec-ops to women, a move that brought angst, strife, dissension and lots of ego based opinions. And after a year, we still do not have any women SEALS or Green berets. In a recent article on Military.com it has been reported that the prospects for women in spec ops are very few and far between, with the military even looking at individuals in ROTC and in some cases at civilians who haven’t even joined the military yet. Rear Admiral Tim Szymanski, the head of the Navy Special Warfare Command, has stated that it takes about two and a half years to get into spec-ops from the initial inception phase, which means that even when we get female soldiers who are able to make the cut into spec-ops, it wouldn’t be until 2020 at the soonest that they could join a team. And that’s if she can actually make it through BUDS which is too much for most men. Even the two women who had gotten through the Army Ranger training in 2015 haven’t yet been picked up by a Ranger unit. Though MARSOC was the first to be able to brag that it had three women in the pipeline for spec-ops training, it was apparent fairly quickly that none of them would make the cut and they all dropped out for various reasons. Lt. General Marshall Webb, the commander of the Air Force Special Operations Command has made the statement that even though the standards might be too tough for the majority of women, the fact of the matter is that they are too tough for the majority of men too, and the standards are not going to be lowered just to get women in. “AFSOC is looking for the highest caliber candidates”, he said, “and when a person meets that standard, she will be joining our ranks.’ And hopefully not until!

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SPARTAN SWIM CUT RIFLE PLATE CARRIER; 3 REASONS IT’S A GOOD BUY

adminJan 11, 2018Uncategorized0 Comment

I have given some shout outs in the past for several tactical armor systems that I have found to be particularly useful, and I will continue to do so whenever I find a product that fits the bill, and that offers you, the consumer, a hell of a deal for a good price. That’s why this old anti-terrorists fingers were twitching today when the USPS man rang my doorbell and I got my brand new swim cut Spartan® brand rifle plate carrier with side, front, and back plates,( rated for up to a 7.62×39). I got the whole package for… wait for it… $199.00 USD delivered. When I first found the ad on Google during one of my many forays into the realm of current survivalist gear and weaponry, I had never heard of Spartan Armor Systems and figured this would be some second rate, fly by night organization that was just trying to separate me from my hard earned cash. Then I called up a Ranger buddy of mine, M.J. Jarvis, who had recently returned from Afghanistan and he told me that he was going to order one right then just to have a spare. So, with still some trepidation… Jarvis will have you do some dumb shit just for a joke sometimes, I keyed in my order and got it just three days later… no shipping charge. I have to say that I have never been happier. Not only is this armor lighter than the thick ceramic armor I have been using, it is also incorporated into a very well designed carrier that has no plastic snaps at all… everything is triple thick, heavy duty Velcro. Here are the three main reasons I love this plate carrier and why I’m going to buy a few more when the funds come through.

  1. It comes with four rifle plates. Even though they are not yet coated with anti-spalling compound, they are primed with base coat. Some truck bed liner will work marvelously I should think. But for the price, who can fuss? The good news is that for $200 you are covered front, back, and on both sides.
  2. It is well manufactured and heavy duty. The plate compartments are built tough enough to last. An ingenious design holds your plates in securely, while being flexible enough to offer you the greatest in flexibility. Like I was asked once by one of my guys when we were dry fitting his rifle plate with his trauma kit… “What if I got to duck and roll sarge? I can’t do it with this bulky shit on!”
  3. THE PRICE! Did I mention this entire system is on sale for $199.00 delivered?
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CAREFUL HUNTING: 3 PITFALLS TO AVOID BEYOND MISSING YOUR MARK

adminJan 11, 2018Hunting,Uncategorized0 Comment

It wasn’t long ago that a good friend of mine came banging on my door all a-quiver with excitement over the beautiful ten point whitetail buck he had managed to bag at my family farm. Stuttering and giddy, he retold the story of the kill over and over, and then showed me the tag he had, freshly printed, from his computer, (in Ohio, we tag deer electronically now, at least that’s how we check them in). In any event, I happened to notice that he had indicated on the tag that he had harvested the deer with a shotgun, and I knew that shotgun season didn’t open for three more days… My friend, (we’ll call him Tim because that’s his name), hadn’t been paying attention to changes in the game laws, and he though that gun season opened on Thanksgiving Day that year. It was actually a very simple but costly mistake. No, the Ohio DNR never came looking for him like I suspected they would, but he got so worried they might that he packed up everything he had and moved to Key West Florida. So, here are some tips for having a successful hunting season this year, and by that I mean one that does not involve a trip to court under a capias.

  1. Make sure of the season. I know that, in your area, trout season might have opened up on the same day for the last one hundred years; to the point that it has become a family tradition to go trout fishing on the first of April and you have been doing it for 80 of the one hundred years… but just for precaution, make sure you pull up the local and state game laws… just to be sure. Things change and so do procedures. Wildlife management is an evolving science.
  2. Check for zones. I was never so happy to have missed a shot one year, when I let loose an arrow at a turkey and later discovered that turkey season was only open in the Northern region of my state that year.
  3. Be cognizant of trailcams. Though I am no advocate of poaching outside of a survival situation, I am understanding of the fact that mistakes happen and I do believe in the concept of mental culpability. I’m reminded of the time a friend of mine shot a deer which ran into a thicket and stopped to look at him. He shot her again to put her down humanely, (he was sure he hit her the first time), and then… you guessed it, found two dead deer in that thicket. His first shot had been true and the mortally wounded deer ran into a thicket where her twin was bedded down and dropped at her feet. Said twin stood up and got shot too. THERE WAS NO INTENT TO BREAK THE LAW IN ANY WAY! This is a law abiding citizen who did the right thing, he called the game warden. Even though both deer were killed on his property and he had seven children, five of whom were of legal hunting age and all of whom were entitled to tag two deer each, he still paid a hefty fine. Simply because he was honest. I bring this up only because I recently read an article about a similar mistake which happened involving an elk that was shot on a trailcam, and the errant, (not criminal), hunter was prosecuted.
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