It saddens me that the world is a place that requires this. but it is, so act accordingly, or you might just be the next victim.
As always,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared
Food in the Backcountry – Trapping with snares
We live in a society that has trained us to eat meat on a daily basis. Fortunately we are moving away from this paradigm, as we have learned it is both unnecessary and problematic to the long-term health of our planet. That being said, when we are in a survival situation it may become necessary to our survival to harvest some fauna from the earth. Chances are you will not be packing around your hunting gear, if you even have any, when the need arises. So this will focus on methods that use your natural surroundings and a few basic tools.
There are many types of traps at your disposal. Snares, deadfalls and pits to name a few. If you are reading this I am assuming you have a certain level of readiness, like a pocket knife and some paracord.
Lets talk about snares, the two we will talk about today are spring snares and drag snares. Of these the spring snares are the most complicated of the two.
This is an illustration of what I call a drag snare. it is designed so that all that is needed is a well placed loop of cordage and the animals instinct to flee for successful operation. If you look closely you will see the loop is fashioned with a slip knot that will become tight when strained. This ensures that your prey does not escape. Placement is the key ingredient to success. Try to find an animal trail and place the loop so that your prey will pass through it while traveling normally. Make the loop the size of your intended prey. 3-4 inches for rabbits 2-3 inches for squirrels. You don’t want to catch a bear.
spring snare is quite effective but way more complicated in the setup and reduces your chances of releasing an unwanted captive, as it is more aggressive. But it tends to be more successful because it uses the critters body weight to maintain tension on the snare once it is tripped.
The single most important message I want to pass on is;
Traps are indiscriminate and must not be forgotten!
If we decide we need to set traps for our survival, we must be responsible in their placement and management. Taking life to maintain yours should never be taken lightly, be a good steward.
As alway,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared
Food in the Backcountry – Fish
Are you hungry? Are you out in the backcountry without your normal food stores? Never fear, the NW is stocked full of all sorts of options to keep you fed and strong.
Probably the most abundant source of protein rich food is fish. In my opinion, we are blessed with having some of the best native fish in the country but then, I’m biased.
There are several methods you can use to secure your share and more of fish in the streams and lakes of the NW. If you are traveling away from your home, you should have supplies with you that can aid you in dealing with unexpected events. I call it a vehicle preparedness kit (VPK), which we will be talking about later.
Fishing gear is one of the tools I recommend having in your VPK. My kit has fishing yo-yo’s, a good supply of fishing line , assorted lures, weights, and hooks. However, you can catch fish with nothing more than paracord and a knife to start. Enough chit-chat? Let’s get specific.
- Catching fish with a few twigs – If you know where to put them, you can catch fish with just a few twigs by setting up a trap near the bank in the slack
water. You want to make the entrance wide on the outside and narrow on the inside, like so – \ /, this will keep the fish in the corral. Be sure your twigs go far enough up the bank and are tall enough to keep the fish in the trap. Now, just get yourself a grasshopper or a worm – both of which you could eat yourself. But doesn’t a nice trout sound better?
- You can also use rocks and the natural lay of the river or lake to trap the fish (see diagram on left). This is a great way to feed a large group seeing as it gives you the best chance of catching a considerable number of fish with minimal effort. It is relatively non-invasive and easy to remove once you have what you need. Remember to respect the natural flow of the world around you or it just might stop providing for you.
- Using fishing Yo-Yo’s – I love these things because you set them and forget them. In case you didn’t know, fish like the water beneath the trees on the shore. This is to our advantage because Yo-Yo’s are basically automatic reels. You
hang the reel from a branch hanging over the water, bait your hook, pull out enough line to put the hook where you want it, and set the trigger. When a fish hits the hook it trips the trigger and the Yo-Yo reels them in – all the way out of the water. So, once it is set you can go set another one, start boiling water, or work on whatever other chore needs doing. Check the Yo-Yo occasionally until you have caught something.
- Of course, you can always just get yourself a long stick and use it like a pole, as long as you have your fishing kit.
These are just some of the ways you can catch fish in the wild, but I consider them the most practical.
As always,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared
Survival Hacks – Fire good
You should know by now one of my favorite topics is fire. I believe it is the most important tool outside of what you carry. Being able to start a fire can be the difference between life and death or just simply make your life a lot more comfortable and tasty.
So let’s get started with my favorite fire hacks:
- Empty toilet paper rolls stuffed with dryer lint: This is my favorite because of both its simplicity and thrift, it is completely free and way too easy to make, to not have one on hand. Simply collect the dryer lint from your dryer, if you use communal dryers you could collect everyone’s, then simple stuff it loosely into an empty toilet paper tube. You can also cut a paper towel tube in half and make two. These make excellent tinder.
- Cotton balls smothered in petroleum jelly: Ok, this one isn’t free and uses new materials, but it really works well. Just like it sounds, take a few cotton balls and saturate them with petroleum jelly – I usually stuff them in an old pill bottle, but a film canister would work, too. Oh wait, we don’t have those anymore but you get the idea. This is also excellent tinder.
- Tea lights: These are so cheap and light that you should carry a few and they have so many uses that I consider them indispensable. For example: they replace tinder with a self-sustaining mini fire.
Of course all of the above hacks assume you have a lighter or matches, they are not ways to make fire without the former, they are simply aids. Which gives me the idea – we should talk about how to start a fire without a match or lighter. Keep your eyes open for that in an upcoming post.
As always,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared
Skill Development – Water, finding it and making it safe
As usual, one post leads to another, you saw me mention finding water in my last post, if you read it. So, today we talk about water. Water is the third of the 3’s, the only two more important are air and shelter. Here in the NW we tend to dismiss the importance of water due the usual abundance of it. But, let me tell you, from first hand experience, when you need it and can’t find clean water to drink, you will realize just how scarce it is. Now, I realize most of us are in either an urban or rural setting where potable water comes straight out of the faucet, so we spend little time thinking about the acquisition of water. We don’t think about how we will find water when the pipes run dry.
In the wilderness there are no artificial water pipes, but there is plenty of water, even in the desert. Nature has a way of finding water, it is the only way it can survive. So, keep your eyes open and look for the signs. Mother nature will show you where the water is, or at least where it usually is. Animals need water looks for signs of activity. Small birds that are grain eaters like finches will lead you there in the mornings.
In the forested wilderness that is most of the gorgeous NW, finding water can be as simple as traversing (moving laterally across the slope) a hillside or mountain. you will most assuredly find a stream or pond. In the desert you will want to look for what appears to be a stream bed or dry river. These will usually be found near strips of land that have larger vegetation growing, the greener and bigger the better.
If you find what looks like a dry stream bed there may still be water there. Just as in the desert, dry streambeds with green vegetation are good places to look for water if a readily available source has not been located. The greener the vegetation the better.
A Seep is going to be your go to method of getting water where there is naught.
- In the dry stream bed, at a low spot or the outside of a bend, start by removing the bulk of any rocks lining the stream bed in the area you have decided to dig.
- Now, dig your seep about one foot deep and two to three feet wide. Start by digging an exploratory hole. Look for the soil to start getting darker as you dig. Once you get to about a foot deep you should see either moist soil or if lucky you will see water starting to fill the hole. Sometimes you need to give it a few minutes, take a break and relax, come back to check in a few minutes. You may need to go deeper than a foot. If you don’t see signs of water, find yourself a better spot to look.
- Once you have your seep dug, line it with the smaller rocks you cleared out earlier, this will reduce sediment from getting stirred up when using the seep.
- Filter the water or boil it if you have the means, but in general this water should be fairly clean and safe to drink.
- You can use a t-shirt, kerchief or any piece of fine knit material to filter out particulate.
A Seep or Egyptian well can be used to filter water from an active stream or river, if you find yourself without a filter or means to boil your water. Just dig it about a foot or so away from the water on the bank. The water from your active source will be filtered through the earth and you seep will gradually fill. When you have an active source of water the seep does not need to be as wide, but always go at least a foot down.
If you source of water is a lake or pond, it is best to add a secondary seep about a foot further away, in line with your first seep. Now, take your water from the second seep, it has been double filtered. Since the water in a lake or pond is static, it is more prone to bacteria and parasites.
Remember, it is always best to be prepared for these types of emergency and carry the appropriate tools to make your water safe to drink, whether a filter, tablets or a pot and fire source. Although, we don’t get to decide when bad things happen, we can choose to be versed in the skills that will get us through them. These are the basics, nothing replaces hands on experience. go out there and try it out before you need it to survive.
As alway,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared
Skill Development – Basic Land Navigation
This is a very complex subject, but very simple in application, if you follow a few simple rules and have a basic understanding of how to read a map.
Map Terminology
- Contour – Imaginary line on ground, all points of which are at the same elevation above or below a specific reference surface.
- Coordinates – Linear and (or) angular quantities that designate the position of a point in relation to a given reference frame.
- Declination – Magnetic declination is the angular difference between magnetic north and true (geographic) north at the point of observation; it is not constant but varies with time because of the “wandering” of the magnetic north pole.
- Elevation – Vertical distance of a point above or below a reference surface.
- Grid – Network of uniformly spaced parallel lines intersecting at right angles. When superimposed on a map, it usually carries the name of the projection used for the map, that is, Lambert grid, transverse Mercator grid, universal transverse Mercator grid.
- Latitude – Angular distance, in degrees, minutes, and seconds of a point north or south of the Equator.
- Legend – explanatory table of symbols used on a map or chart.
- Longitude – Angular distance, in degrees, minutes, and seconds, of a point east or west of the Greenwich meridian.
- Map – Graphic representation of the physical features (natural, artificial, or both) of a part or the whole of the Earth’s surface, by means of signs and symbols or photographic imagery, at an established scale, on a specified projection, and with the means of orientation indicated.
- Orientation – Establishing correct relationship in direction with reference to points of the compass; the state of being in correct relationship in direction with reference to the points of the compass.
- Overlay – Printing or drawing on a transparent or translucent medium intended to be placed in register on a map or other graphic and which shows details not appearing or requiring special emphasis on the base material.
- Relief – Elevations and depressions of the land or sea bottom.
- Relief shading – Technique for making topography on a map appear three-dimensional by the use of graded shadow effects. Generally, the features are shaded as though illuminated from the northwest.
- Ridge – A spur of land that is higher than the land on either side.
- Topography – Configuration (relief) of the land surface; the graphic delineation or portrayal of that configuration in map form, as by contour lines.
- Triangulation – Method of extending horizontal position on the surface of the Earth by measuring the angles of triangles and the included sides of selected triangles.
- Valley – A spur of land that is lower than the land on either side.
Tools of the Trade
Basic land navigation only requires three tools. A topographic map, a compass and a pencil or dry erase marker, if your map is laminated or sealed in plastic.
Finding your Grid Coordinates
All topographic maps have grid numbers listed on the top, bottom, and both sides. To find your grid coordinates you simply find the numbered line to the RIGHT of the grid square you are in. Then you find the numbered line on the BOTTOM of the grid square you are in and you can get the four digit grid coordinate which will give you the 1 km square area you are in. Remember you read the map RIGHT AND UP.
To get a more exact fix on your location you first break the two sides (from right to left and bottom to top) into ten equal parts each. To get the next set of numbers for your coordinates you first go from the right and figure out which of the ten parts you are in, then do the same from the bottom up. This will give you a six digit grid coordinate, which will give you your location within 100 meters. To get your coordinates within ten meters of your location you divide each of those ten square you mentally created in half, you would use either five for half way between those lines or zero for directly on a line. It takes practice, lots of practice to “eyeball” an eight digit grid coordinate but it can be done.
Orienting your map
To orient your map first lay your map on as level a surface as you can then find the North Declination line, usually located in or near the maps legend. Lay your compass on the map and line the edge of your compass up with the MAGNETIC NORTH line. Then simply turn your map until the North seeking arrow is pointing in the same direction as the Magnetic North Line on the map.
You can now use the compass to find a bearing to any terrain feature, road, building, or grid coordinates on the map.
Resection – finding where you are
First orient your map and look for a prominent terrain feature you can see to the LEFT of your location. Then find that terrain feature on your map. Place your compass on the map, with the edge of the compass running through the center of the terrain feature and draw a line back towards your vantage point.
Next find another terrain feature you can see to the RIGHT of your location. Find that terrain feature on the map, place your compass on the map with the edge running through the center of that terrain feature and draw another line backwards towards your vantage point.
Where the two lines cross is your location. You can now get the grid coordinates to your location.
Reading the Map – What does it all mean
The legend is going to tell you everything about the map except how to read it. Here are the two most important things to know.
Distance traveled – this is a huge one, as it is difficult to keep track of your location if you don’t know how far you have traveled. The best method that does not depend on anything battery operated is a pace count. You should know your pace count to distance traveled ratio, for example mine is 110 steps to 100 yards, walking normally. Now I can pace off 100 yards using 100 steps, learned this from golfing, but that is not my relaxed pace and that is what you need to know. Go to your local High school track and walk the 100 yards with a relaxed pace, now you know your number. Remember a mile is 1760 yards. A good practice is to carry a string of pace count beads, an easy way to manage your counts and you can make your own.
Contour lines – you know from the glossary what these are, and what they mean, but can you read them. The simplest way to look at it is, if the line curves toward a higher elevation, it is a valley. If the line curves toward a lower elevation, it’s a ridge. Best place to find water is in a valley. When contour lines are far apart, it is a gentle slope. When contour lines are very close it is a cliff or at least very steep. If the contour lines form a circle, it is either a peak or a pit, based on the elevation change.
Now that you have the basics, get out there and practice in a safe place, with limited risk. I found that going out to some local Orienteering events is a great way to become intimately familiar with a map and build your navigation skills.
as Always,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared
Skill Development – Building a one match fire
OK, Let’s build a fire!
The most common mistake when trying to build a one match fire is not having all your supplies gathered before you strike a match.
Supplies consist of three types of wood: tinder, kindling and fuel wood.
- Tinder is very brittle, dry wood that is roughly the diameter of pencil lead and about as long as the spread of your hand from thumb to pinkie. Longer is better than shorter. Get a good double handful – you know, when you put your hands together finger tips touching and thumbs touching, like when they are around your snoring partners neck – that much is perfect.
- Kindling is dry wood that is roughly about the thickness of your thumb. Be sure to collect a double arm load, imagine you are hugging your mother, about that much will do nicely, but always err on the side of too much. You want long pieces, about the length of you forearm from your elbow to tip of your middle finger (a cubit). Be sure it is good and dry because you’ll want it to break rather than bend it.
- Fuel wood is larger pieces of wood that are anywhere from the thickness of your wrist to the size of your thigh. It can be bigger but those tend to require tools for processing. It is simpler to get what you can process by hand. Try to get pieces that are about the same length as your kindling. The drier the better, but you can place fuel wood around your fire to help get it drier. You want to get a pile about knee-high ready before you start because you can always get more later.
Now that you have acquired all your supplies, you are ready to build your fire.
Building Your Fire
Always build your fires in a safe location, and on bare ground far from any structures or trees that may catch fire. You are trying to get warm and potentially cook food and boil water, not burn down the forest or your shelter. If you have rocks available, make a nice little fire ring about the same width as your forearm is long.
Start by placing your pile of tinder in the center of you fire ring (assuming you found some rocks). Fluff your tinder so that you have a little air underneath it. Now, you are ready for your match. Protect it from the wind and make sure the match is burning well before you move to the tinder. You can do this by holding the match with the head slightly below your fingers. Now push the match under the tinder and hold it there as long as you can. If your tinder was dry, it will readily start to burn. Once you have a flame, be sure to roll or fluff the tinder over the burning part so you get a good portion of it burning.
Now time for your kindling! Start with your smaller pieces and just slowly add them by laying them over the burning tinder. Try to add them in a reasonably symmetrical manner (balance is good but not required). You are going to get a lot of smoke during this part. This is a good thing because where there is smoke there is fire. Once you have a good fire going with your kindling, you’ll know this because the smoke will have died down significantly, you can start adding your fuel wood.
When you are adding fuel wood remember the triangle of fire; Fuel, Heat and Air. Be sure not to smother your beautiful fire, feed it slowly, and add any remaining kindling to aid it if you run into trouble.
If you follow these simple guidelines and practice you should have no trouble starting one match fires and being the hero of your group.
NW Tips
A couple of insights from here in the NW where it tends to be a tad wet…
If you are dependent on a fire every night, start your day by collecting some moss. There is almost always plenty to be found and be sure it is free from insects. Then place some under your hat and on top of your head. This makes great tinder and if you keep it under your hat all day it will be nice and dry by the time you build your fire.
Also, I have found that quite often it is difficult to find dry ground to build a fire. So you can use either a large flat rock or build a platform from wet deadfall. If you take a couple of large pieces of wet deadfall place them parallel about a foot apart, then place 4 or 5 pieces across these at a right angle. Add one more layer like this, again at a right angle. Build your fire, as normal, on top of this. Not only will your fire be easier to start, the platform you build will dry out from the heat and turn into fuel.
Now, get out there and do it!
As always,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared
Skill Development
Good afternoon,
We here at NW survival tend to spend a lot of time talking about all the things you need to have in order to survive an adverse or emergency situation, either in the city or the wild. That means actual skill development may end up taking a back seat. This week I want to talk a bit about the importance of skill development.
The truth of the matter is that no matter what you have with you during times of stress, they are useless to you if you do not know how to use them. Even something as simple as a first aid kit may go unused without the proper skill set. If we don’t take the time to learn what the appropriate response is to any given situation, our other preparation is for naught.
So, we are going to start a series of posts dedicated to Skill Development, not equipment. Starting with the basics, how to start a fire. I can already hear the grumbles… “I know how to start a fire!! You are wasting my time.” But let me ask you this, when is the last time you built a fire with one match? OR When was the last time you built a fire with no matches?
Then we will talk about knots, followed by land navigation (both urban and rural), and many other skills that I consider basic.
As always,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared
Back from the void
Good evening and happy Friday,
First I apologize for the recent lull in activity the last ten days have been very busy. We had three birthdays an anniversary and a birthday today and Sunday, not to mention Valentines day. So, you can see where I have been, where have you been? Have you been refreshing the supplies in your car kit? Look for an upcoming post on this. Updating your info and photos on your thumb drive? Another future post. What training have you scheduled for you and your family? We set a new record this year for the wettest winter on record here in the good old NW. It is worth mentioning that all this down time due to the weather can be used productively to get your gear in order as well as going out to enjoy it. What’s that I hear? You don’t enjoy going out in the rain? Maybe you just need to get the right gear, there is plenty to do in the rain. I have always enjoyed the forest in the rain, it is so fresh and alive. It is also a great time to go diving. So get prepared and get out there and enjoy the great NW at its finest.
As always,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared
Superbowl Sunday
Good morning, It is Superbowl Sunday. I am sure half of you care and the other half couldn’t care less, this is for the latter. It is easy for us to let our guard down and have a great time when surrounded by friends and family with a common interest in the spectacle that is Superbowl Sunday.
I don’t want to rain on that parade, but this is when you are most vulnerable. I say have a great time, relax a little and enjoy yourself. Just remember, if your are out and drinking, you shouldn’t be armed, that just isn’t being responsible. So this puts you at greater risk, we must always be cognizant of our surroundings.
Here is an idea if you have a designated driver, which you should, make them your designated eyes and ears, they have already committed to protecting your welfare just expand their responsibilities. Remember the average response time for emergency services is 12 minutes, a lot can happen in 12 minutes.
As always,
Stay Vigilant and Be Prepared
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