Blow Dart: Para Cord, Shoe Goo, Electric Wire Cap and Bamboo Scewer

Wolf's radio and chat room site

This is a great site to get in touch with fellow preppers and learn

http://survivaltimes.info/index.php?option=com_php&Itemid=90

Predator Alarm Around Camp

Homemade Pepper Spray

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIY1hxAHiN0


Things You'll Need:

* 2 tbsp hot red-pepper powder (grounded) 1/3 cup of rubbing alcohol 1/8 cup of baby oil 2 small glasses Thin cloth (paper towel/coffee filter) Mortar for grinding (spoon will work if necessary) Small empty spray bottle (e.g. lens cleaner solution bottle or fragrance bottle) Rubber gloves (optional)

1.
Step 1

Put on rubber gloves if you've opted to use them for safety. Pour the 2 tbsp of ground hot red-pepper powder into the small glass.
2.
Step 2

Pour all of the rubbing alcohol over the red-pepper powder. Use the mortar, or spoon, to stir and grind the solution for at least 10 minutes. If using a spoon, you will want to ensure that the red-pepper powder is completely dissolved before ceasing to stir. A spoon will not grind the powder as good as a mortar will. A blender may also be used to do this, but you may lose some of the solution by using a blender.
3.
Step 3

Add all of the baby oil to the mixture after you've finished mixing for 10 minutes. Stir this new mixture for at least two minutes.
4.
Step 4

Place your cloth (coffee filter/paper towel) on top of the second glass. Press the middle of the filter down into the cup a little bit to prevent spilling. Slowly pour the mixture into the filter and allow it to filter down into the glass. This may take a few minutes as the mixture may not filter quickly.
5.
Step 5

Take the top off of the small spray bottle. After the mixture has completely filtered into the second glass, pour it into the spray bottle. Close the spray bottle and wipe it down with a paper towel. Spray the mixture into the sink to ensure the tube of the sprayer fills with the spray. Remove gloves.

Making a knife Off Grid

Bugout Bag

Bugout Bag

The best way to define a “bug out bag” to use a real-life scenario. You just got word there is a raging wildfire headed for your home (something Californians are dealing with right now). You have exactly ten minutes to get out of your home. Because you are not sure if you home will survive the fire, or how long you may be living out of your car, you will need to grab just a few essentials and run. That’s when bug out bags come in handy.

Our bug out bags are actually two old backpacks that we had retired from everyday use, and a duffle bag like the one shown above. My wife and I share the duffle, and each kid has their own bug out bag with kid-friendly survival gear tucked away in their closet. They know that if mom or dad runs to their room and screams, “Hurry, we have to bug out of here!” they are to grab only their bags and get out of the house as quickly as possible.

It’s worth mentioning here that taking time to open the closet door and grab the bag is a luxury of advanced notice – any notice. If there is an immediate danger (intruder, fire inside the home, etc.) the kids know to just get out with their lives. Be sure to emphasize the different scenarios and come up with a code word or phrase so the kids will know when to grab their bug out bags and when to just get out as quickly as possible.

What Goes In a Bug Out Bag?

We add inventory to our bug out bags as we accumulate things, so this will probably become a living list. My personal bug out bag consists of more survival gear than the ones for the kids. It’s a little heavier, and there are a few things in there that I do not want stored in their rooms (fire starting gear, a small axe, etc.). Their bags have mostly things like a change of clothes, an emergency contact card, a blanket, a couple water bottles, etc.).

Our “survival gear” bug out bag has the following contents:

• A couple rations of food (high-calorie bars). We also have a few packs of Ramen noodles because they have a lot of calories and are easy to prepare, but are extremely light.
• Flashlights. One in each bag. Never burn more than one light at a time to preserve batteries. A hand-crank light is good here, too, for battery-less operation.
• Batteries. To power flashlights, mainly. Be sure to have the right size for your equipment, and pack plenty of extras.
• Glow sticks. When flashlights and batteries run out.
• Hand-crank emergency radio. Great for power outages, and if you are on the run, good for keeping up with emergency broadcast.
• Multi-tool. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere without a good multi-tool!
• Knives. We have several kinds of knives. A folding camp knife with a saw edge, a Swiss Army knife with attachments, a large, fixed-blade survival knife, etc.).
• Change of clothes. Lean towards cold weather gear, and consider an emergency rain poncho.
• Water purification tablets/drops. For treating water before drinking when boiling is not practical, or in addition to boiling just to be safe.
• Stainless steel Kanteen. This 40 oz. mug can be hung over an open flame for boiling water to kill bacteria/parasites found in untreated water.
• Emergency blankets. These Mylar blankets are good to have on hand – we even keep a couple in our car’s glove box.
• Fire-starter materials. Range of materials for starting a fire. We have a butane torch lighter, a magnesium stick, water proof matches, kindling sticks, cotton balls and petroleum jelly.
• Rope/cord. Some 550 paracord is good to have for tying up food, making a shelter, and dozens of other uses.
• Compass. Nothing elaborate, just one that consistently and reliably gives you a north heading.
• Map of your surrounding area. Check out a local visitor center or convenience store to pick up a local and state map.
• Signal mirror. If you are stranded and in need of rescue, a signal mirror is a good way to get a pilot’s attention.
• A safety whistle for each family member. Again, good for rescue situations. You can make a lot more noise for less energy with a whistle than screaming. This is also a good way to find each other if you get separated. Tell everyone to whistle periodically and follow the sound.
• Couple fishing lures and line. You never know when you might have to seek refuge near a river or body of water. Don’t kick yourself for not having a little fishing line and a few hooks.
• Camp axe. One of the first things I check for when camping. Great for splitting firewood, chopping down a small tree for shelter, etc.
• First aid kit. Large kits take up a lot of room, so look for something compact with the basics, or a soft-sided, notebook size kit.
• Survival handbook. Read it before you need the info, but store it in your bug out bag for reference.
• Roll of duct tape. Needs no further explanation, really.
• Cash and coins. Store a couple hundred in cash in a waterproof tube, and consider taking a long a roll or two of quarters.
• Ziploc bags. Great for waterproofing, food rationing, etc.
• Deck of cards (to fight boredom). Don’t discount the psychological aspects of survival. After a day or two, boredom will set in and you’ll be glad to have a deck of cards to pass the time.

Purifying water

What Happens If You Drink Contaminated Water?

First, understand that nearly all untreated water found naturally contains bacteria and other parasites not safe for humans. One of the more prevalent ones is Giardia. Giardia is a microscopic parasite (Giardia intestinalis) that hangs out in untreated water.

Millions of these parasites are released in fecal matter of an animal that has been infected, and it eventually makes its way into the natural water supply. If you ingest Giardia it can cause severe diarrhea in humans, leading to dehydration – which is something you definitely want to avoid if fluids are already scarce.

How Long Should You Boil Water To Purify It?

Most experts agree that one minute at a rapid boil is sufficient. By the time the water reaches a boiling temperature it is hot enough to kill most disease-causing organisms. I usually allow the water to come to a full boil for one minute, then I kill the heat source to preserve fuel and let the water simmer for a short time before pouring it up. One thing to keep in mind is that the longer you allow the water to steam, the more you’ll lose to evaporation.

One note about length of time to boil the water in order to purify it. If you are at a high elevation allow the water to boil for 3-5 minutes, since water boils at a lower temperature at higher elevations.

Preparing Water for Boiling

Its a good idea to include a couple stainless steel mugs or pots in your bug out bag. Plastic containers with a large surface area are good for catching water, but not so good for boiling it.

If the water you collect is particularly dirty or cloudy, use something to filter it before pouring into your clean, boiling container. I recommend taking along a few coffee filters, but any clean piece of cloth will do. In a pinch you could use a handkerchief, a piece of cotton plugged into a funnel or water bottle, or even a clean section of a cotton t-shirt.

Nothing is 100% Effective

While boiling water is probably the best way to purify it in a survival scenario, nothing is a sure thing. Boiling water will likely kill most of the contaminants, but if will not remove things like industrial or radioactive waste. These contaminants can only be removed through a distillation process that probably won’t be available on the go. Drinking untreated water is a risk, but death due to dehydration will be inevitable without staying hydrate.