Subscribe To Us
Camo My Ka-Bar!
The other day I was in the gun shop picking up some supplies and I spotted a roll of Camo Form® Protective Camouflage Wrap.
I’ve heard some good reviews about this stuff so I bought it and it’s been sitting in my desk drawer ever since!
But today I’m stuck inside due to the weather so I thought I’d grab it and camo my Ka Bar knife handle.
It worked out pretty well.
I mean I certainly didn’t do a perfect job but it gives my knife a good grib and it look quite nice.
I’m impressed!
My Ka Bar Before
My Ka Bar After
Here’s the official camoform tutorial which also shows you how to camo your gun with Camoform.
Wolf’s Review: Windmill Delta Stormproof Lighter
It’s always a good idea to know how to make fire with flint and steel or by rubbing sticks together but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pack a lighter for when you need a quick flame with minimal fuss.
The Windmill Delta Stormproof Lighter lets you make a quick fire without having to burn those precious calories you need to survive if TSHTF.
Designed to light in winds as high as 80 miles per hour, this survival lighter will also work in temperatures down to 40 degrees below zero F!!
The Delta Storm proof lighter utilizes a platinum catalyzer coil to ignite butane fuel via piezo-electric ignition. This allows it to make a flame even when damp(very handy in a survival situation).
The manufacturer claims the lighter will perform thirty thousand ignitions. With a full tank butane (one gram) , you can expect about 300 three to five second ignitions, easily enough for several week long expeditions.
The Delta Shockproof Series has a large fuel window that makes it easy to check on fuel levels.
Two other handy features are it’s adjustable gas flow which allows for usage at varying elevations and O-ring seals that keep water out when the cap is closed.
All in all I find it too be a very robust, strong and powerful little lighter than will definately be your best friend in a survival situation.
I haven’t gotten a chance to run a feild test with this lighter yet due to a Fire Ban currently being in effect in my area but as soon I can I will conduct one and post it on the site.
Preparation of Fish and Game in a Survival Situation Part 2
Snakes
To skin a snake, first cut off its head and bury it.
Then cut the skin down the body 15 to 20 centimeters
Peel the skin back, then grasp the skin in one hand and the body in the other and pull apart.
On large, bulky snakes it may be necessary to slit the belly skin.
Cook snakes in the same manner as small game.
Remove the entrails and discard. Cut the snake into small sections and boil or roast it.
Birds
After killing the bird, remove its feathers by either plucking or skinning.
Remember, skinning removes some of the food value.
Open up the body cavity and remove its entrails, saving the craw (in seed-eating birds), heart, and liver.
Cut off the feet. Cook by boiling or roasting over a spit.
Before cooking scavenger birds, boil them at least 20 minutes to kill parasites.
Preparation of Fish and Game in a Survival Situation Part 1
You must know how to prepare fish and game for cooking and storage in a survival situation.
Improper cleaning or storage can result in inedible or potentially dangerous (food poisoning is a risk) fish or game.
Fish
Do not eat fish that appears spoiled. Cooking does not ensure that spoiled fish will be edible.
Signs of spoilage are–
· Sunken eyes.
· Peculiar odor.
· Suspicious color. (Gills should be red to pink. Scales should be a pronounced shade of gray, not faded.)
· Dents stay in the fish’s flesh after pressing it with your thumb.
· Slimy, rather than moist or wet body.
· Sharp or peppery taste.
Eating spoiled or rotten fish may cause diarrhea, nausea, cramps, vomiting, itching, paralysis, or a metallic taste in the mouth.
These symptoms appear suddenly, one to six hours after eating.
Induce vomiting if symptoms appear.
Fish spoils quickly after death, especially on a hot day.
Prepare fish for eating as soon as possible after catching it.
Cut out the gills and large blood vessels that lie near the spine.
Gut fish that is more than 10 centimeters long.
Scale or skin the fish.
You can impale a whole fish on a stick and cook it over an open fire.
However, boiling the fish with the skin on is the best way to get the most food value.
The fats and oil are under the skin and, by boiling, you can save the juices for broth.
You can use any of the methods used to cook plant food to cook fish.
Pack fish into a ball of clay and bury it in the coals of a fire until the clay hardens.
Break open the clay ball to get to the cooked fish.
Fish is done when the meat flakes off.
If you plan to keep the fish for later, smoke or fry it.
To prepare fish for smoking, cut off the head and remove the backbone.
Preventing And Treating Shock In A Survival Situation
There are many survival scenarios that may lead to you having to deal with somebody who is in shock or in danger of going into shock due to injury.
The best bet is to always anticipate shock in all injured persons.
Treat all injured persons as follows, regardless of what symptoms appear:
· If the victim is conscious, place him on a level surface with the lower extremities elevated 15 to 20 centimeters.
· If the victim is unconscious, place him on his side or abdomen with his head turned to one side to prevent choking on vomit, blood, or other fluids.
· If you are unsure of the best position, place the victim perfectly flat. Once the victim is in a shock position, do not move him.
· Maintain body heat by insulating the victim from the surroundings and, in some instances, applying external heat.
· If wet, remove all the victim’s wet clothing as soon as possible and replace with dry clothing.
· Improvise a shelter to insulate the victim from the weather.
· Use warm liquids or foods, a prewarmed sleeping bag, another person, warmed water in canteens, hot rocks wrapped in clothing, or fires on either side of the victim to provide external warmth.
· If the victim is conscious, slowly administer small doses of a warm salt or sugar solution, if available.
· If the victim is unconscious or has abdominal wounds, do not give fluids by mouth.
· Have the victim rest for at least 24 hours.
· If you are a lone survivor, lie in a depression in the ground, behind a tree, or any other place out of the weather, with your head lower than your feet.
· If you are with a buddy, reassess your patient constantly.
Herbal Remedies for Various Ailments
Here’s a list of remedies for various ailments that you might face in a survival situation (Thanks to my sister Fuchsia for helping me compile this list!!)
Please Note: The following remedies are for use ONLY in a survival situation, not for routine use:
· Diarrhea. Drink tea made from the roots of blackberries and their relatives to stop diarrhea.
White oak bark and other barks containing tannin are also effective.
However, use them with caution when nothing else is available because of possible negative effects on the kidneys.
You can also stop diarrhea by eating white clay or campfire ashes.
Tea made from cowberry or cranberry or hazel leaves works too.
· Antihemorrhagics. Make medications to stop bleeding from a poultice of the puffball mushroom, from plantain leaves, or most effectively from the leaves of the common yarrow or woundwort (Achillea millefolium).
· Antiseptics. Use to cleanse wounds, sores, or rashes.
You can make them from the expressed juice from wild onion or garlic, or expressed juice from chickweed leaves or the crushed leaves of dock.
You can also make antiseptics from a decoction of burdock root, mallow leaves or roots, or white oak bark.
All these medications are for external use only.
· Fevers. Treat a fever with a tea made from willow bark, an infusion of elder flowers or fruit, linden flower tea, or elm bark decoction.
· Colds and sore throats. Treat these illnesses with a decoction made from either plantain leaves or willow bark.
You can also use a tea made from burdock roots, mallow or mullein flowers or roots, or mint leaves.
· Aches, pains, and sprains. Treat with externally applied poultices of dock, plantain, chickweed, willow bark, garlic, or sorrel.
You can also use salves made by mixing the expressed juices of these plants in animal fat or vegetable oils.
· Itching. Relieve the itch from insect bites, sunburn, or plant poisoning rashes by applying a poultice of jewelweed (Impatiens biflora) or witch hazel leaves (Hamamelis virginiana).
The jewelweed juice will help when applied to poison ivy rashes or insect stings.
It works on sunburn as well as aloe vera.
· Sedatives. Get help in falling asleep by brewing a tea made from mint leaves or passionflower leaves.
· Hemorrhoids. Treat them with external washes from elm bark or oak bark tea, from the expressed juice of plantain leaves, or from a Solomon’s seal root decoction.
· Constipation. Relieve constipation by drinking decoctions from dandelion leaves, rose hips, or walnut bark. Eating raw daylily flowers will also help.
· Worms or intestinal parasites. Using moderation, treat with tea made from tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) or from wild carrot leaves.
· Gas and cramps. Use a tea made from carrot seeds as an antiflatulent; use tea made from mint leaves to settle the stomach.
· Antifungal washes. Make a decoction of walnut leaves or oak bark or acorns to treat ringworm and athlete’s foot.
Apply frequently to the site, alternating with exposure to direct sunlight.
How To Read The Weather When You Are In the Wilderness
If you are out in the middle of the wilderness you have to constantly be aware of the weather.
Depending on your location the weather can change very rapidly and you need to be able prepare according in advance.
There are several good indicators of climatic changes.
Wind
You can determine wind direction by dropping a few leaves or grass or by watching the treetops.
Once you determine the wind direction, you can predict the type of weather that is imminent.
Rapidly shifting winds indicate an unsettled atmosphere and a likely change in the weather.
Clouds
Clouds come in a variety of shapes and patterns.
A general knowledge of clouds and the atmospheric conditions they indicate can help you predict the weather.
Smoke
Smoke rising in a thin vertical column indicates fair weather.
Low rising or “flattened out” smoke indicates stormy weather.
Birds and Insects
Birds and insects fly lower to the ground than normal in heavy, moisture-laden air.
Such flight indicates that rain is likely.
Most insect activity increases before a storm, but bee activity increases before fair weather.
Low-Pressure Front
Slow-moving or imperceptible winds and heavy, humid air often indicate a low-pressure front.
Such a front promises bad weather that will probably linger for several days.
You can “smell” and “hear” this front.
The sluggish, humid air makes wilderness odors more pronounced than during high-pressure conditions.
In addition, sounds are sharper and carry farther in low-pressure than high-pressure conditions.
Travelling In A Cold Climate Survival Situation
If you have to travel or enact a self rescue in a winter survival situation you will face many obstacles.
Your location and the time of the year will determine the types of obstacles and the inherent dangers.
You should–
· Avoid traveling during a blizzard.
· Take care when crossing thin ice. Distribute your weight by lying flat and crawling.
· Cross streams when the water level is lowest. Normal freezing and thawing action may cause a stream level to vary as much as 2 to 2.5 meters per day. This variance may occur any time during the day, depending on the distance from a glacier, the temperature, and the terrain. Consider this variation in water level when selecting a campsite near a stream.
· Consider the clear arctic air. It makes estimating distance difficult. You more frequently underestimate than overestimate distances.
· Do not travel in “whiteout” conditions. The lack of contrasting colors makes it impossible to judge the nature of the terrain.
· Always cross a snow bridge at right angles to the obstacle it crosses. Find the strongest part of the bridge by poking ahead of you with a pole or ice axe. Distribute your weight by crawling or by wearing snowshoes or skis.
· Make camp early so that you have plenty of time to build a shelter.
· Consider frozen or unfrozen rivers as avenues of travel. However, some rivers that appear frozen may have soft, open areas that make travel very difficult or may not allow walking, skiing, or sledding.
· Use snowshoes if you are traveling over snow-covered terrain. Snow 30 or more centimeters deep makes traveling difficult. If you do not have snowshoes, make a pair using willow, strips of cloth, leather, or other suitable material.
It is almost impossible to travel in deep snow without snowshoes or skis.
Traveling by foot leaves a wellmarked trail for any pursuers to follow.
If you must travel in deep snow, avoid snow-covered streams.
The snow, which acts as an insulator, may have prevented ice from forming over the water.
In hilly terrain, avoid areas where avalanches appear possible.
Travel in the early morning in areas where there is danger of avalanches.
On ridges, snow gathers on the lee side in overhanging piles called cornices.
These often extend far out from the ridge and may break loose if stepped on.
Top 3 Sources of Tinder in The Wild
1. Cedar Shavings
In my opinion, the stringy shavings from the bark of a cedar tree are the best natural fire tinder. Rub them between your hands quickly to create a small fluff ball of shavings that will light quickly.
2. Cattails
Even though you can’t get hold of these in all locations, if you have them at your disposals then they are excellent to use as tinder as the light feathery material inside of them burns like paper. Quick and easy.
3. Birch Bark Shaving
Like cedar, just shave some bark off of a birch tree. The cedar shavings are like stringy wood, whereas birch shavings are basically nature’s paper. Thin, light, and easy to burn. Also very easy to peel off the tree.
Two great products to keep in your Bug Out Bag are “WetFire” and “Fire Paste“. I have tested both of these products and they are ideal for starting fires in any condition.
The Meaning Of The Word Survival
I’ve been reading the FM 21-76 US ARMY SURVIVAL MANUAL lately and I’ve picked up some wonderful little tid-bits of info.
Here’s one of my favourites on the meaning of the word survival.
S -Size Up the Situation
If you are in a combat situation, find a place where you can conceal yourself from the enemy.
Remember, security takes priority. Use your senses of hearing, smell, and sight to get a feel for the
battlefield. What is the enemy doing? Advancing? Holding in place? Retreating? You will have to
consider what is developing on the battlefield when you make your survival plan.
Size Up Your Surroundings
Determine the pattern of the area. Get a feel for what is going on around you. Every environment,
whether forest, jungle, or desert, has a rhythm or pattern. This rhythm or pattern includes animal and bird
noises and movements and insect sounds. It may also include enemy traffic and civilian movements.
Size Up Your Physical Condition
The pressure of the battle you were in or the trauma of being in a survival situation may have caused you
to overlook wounds you received. Check your wounds and give yourself first aid. Take care to prevent
further bodily harm. For instance, in any climate, drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. If you are
in a cold or wet climate, put on additional clothing to prevent hypothermia.
Size Up Your Equipment
Perhaps in the heat of battle, you lost or damaged some of your equipment. Check to see what
equipment you have and what condition it is in.
Now that you have sized up your situation, surroundings, physical condition, and equipment, you are
ready to make your survival plan. In doing so, keep in mind your basic physical needs–water, food, and
shelter.
U -Use All Your Senses, Undue Haste Makes Waste
You may make a wrong move when you react quickly without thinking or planning. That move may result
in your capture or death. Don’t move just for the sake of taking action. Consider all aspects of your
situation (size up your situation) before you make a decision and a move. If you act in haste, you may
forget or lose some of your equipment. In your haste you may also become disoriented so that you don’t
know which way to go. Plan your moves. Be ready to move out quickly without endangering yourself if
the enemy is near you. Use all your senses to evaluate the situation. Note sounds and smells. Be
sensitive to temperature changes. Be observant.
R -Remember Where You Are
Spot your location on your map and relate it to the surrounding terrain. This is a basic principle that you
must always follow. If there are other persons with you, make sure they also know their location. Always
know who in your group, vehicle, or aircraft has a map and compass. If that person is killed, you will have
to get the map and compass from him. Pay close attention to where you are and to where you are going.
Do not rely on others in the group to keep track of the route. Constantly orient yourself. Always try to
determine, as a minimum, how your location relates to–
· The location of enemy units and controlled areas.
· The location of friendly units and controlled areas.
· The location of local water sources (especially important in the desert).
· Areas that will provide good cover and concealment.
This information will allow you to make intelligent decisions when you are in a survival and evasion
situation.
V -Vanquish Fear and Panic
The greatest enemies in a combat survival and evasion situation are fear and panic. If uncontrolled, they
can destroy your ability to make an intelligent decision. They may cause you to react to your feelings and
imagination rather than to your situation. They can drain your energy and thereby cause other negative
emotions. Previous survival and evasion training and self-confidence will enable you to vanquish fear
and panic.
I -Improvise
In the United States, we have items available for all our needs. Many of these items are cheap to replace
when damaged. Our easy come, easy go, easy-to-replace culture makes it unnecessary for us to
improvise. This inexperience in improvisation can be an enemy in a survival situation. Learn to improvise.
Take a tool designed for a specific purpose and see how many other uses you can make of it.
Learn to use natural objects around you for different needs. An example is using a rock for a hammer.
No matter how complete a survival kit you have with you, it will run out or wear out after a while. Your
imagination must take over when your kit wears out.
V -Value Living
All of us were born kicking and fighting to live, but we have become used to the soft life. We have
become creatures of comfort. We dislike inconveniences and discomforts. What happens when we are
faced with a survival situation with its stresses, inconveniences, and discomforts? This is when the will to
live- placing a high value on living-is vital. The experience and knowledge you have gained through life
and your Army training will have a bearing on your will to live. Stubbornness, a refusal to give in to
problems and obstacles that face you, will give you the mental and physical strength to endure.
A -Act Like the Natives
The natives and animals of a region have adapted to their environment. To get a feel of the area, watch
how the people go about their daily routine. When and what do they eat? When, where, and how do they
get their food? When and where do they go for water? What time do they usually go to bed and get up?
These actions are important to you when you are trying to avoid capture.
Animal life in the area can also give you clues on how to survive. Animals also require food, water, and
shelter. By watching them, you can find sources of water and food.
WARNING: Animals cannot serve as an absolute guide to what you can eat and drink. Many animals eat
plants that are toxic to humans.
Keep in mind that the reaction of animals can reveal your presence to the enemy.
If in a friendly area, one way you can gain rapport with the natives is to show interest in their tools and
how they get food and water. By studying the people, you learn to respect them, you often make
valuable friends, and, most important, you learn how to adapt to their environment and increase your
chances of survival.
L -Live by Your Wits, But for Now, Learn Basic Skills
Without training in basic skills for surviving and evading on the battlefield, your chances of living through
a combat survival and evasion situation are slight.
Learn these basic skills now–not when you are headed for or are in the battle. How you decide to equip
yourself before deployment will impact on whether or not you survive. You need to know about the
environment to which you are going, and you must practice basic skills geared to that environment. For
instance, if you are going to a desert, you need to know how to get water in the desert.
Practice basic survival skills during all training programs and exercises. Survival training reduces fear of
the unknown and gives you self-confidence. It teaches you to live by your wits.