We can do all the prepping we want, but even the best of the best with the biggest pocketbooks and stockpiles of foods will eventually run out unless there's an additional source of foods coming in. Gardening is a great way to make your food storage stretch, but knowing what edibles are growing in the wild around you is another important food source. I've gathered a few links to sites that will help you identify things you can find in your back yard, along a roadside, or in the wild. Please take a minute to look through them. Some of these links will have the same plants on them from the other links, but if you go through them all you'll be able to pluck the info for each individual one out and print the picture to put in your prepper notebook for future reference.
Wild Food Guide: How To Identify The Best Wild Edible Foods (by Outdoor Life Survival)
Surviving In The Wild: 19 Common Edible Plants (by The Art Of Manliness)
Foraging: 52 Wild Plants You Can Eat (by RealFarmacy)
Identifying Wild Mushrooms (by Jeannine Tidwell, on the Twin Eagles Wilderness School Site)
- This link shows 4 distinctive mushrooms, known as the Foolproof Four, that are edible. Some edible mushrooms have poisonous lookalikes, but these 4 are pretty self set in their appearance.
Discover Wild Edible Plants (Again by Jeannine Tidwell, on the Twin Eagles Wilderness School Site)
- This link has a good list of edibles, you may want to look further into pictures for each one.
15 Edible Plants To Forage In Your Own Back Yard (by And Here We Are)
When SHTF, Know What Plants You Can Eat...and Shouldn't (by RECOIL)
(Please note that I do not take any responsibility for harm, incidents, or accidents that are caused from eating any plants or mushrooms in the wild. Make sure you are absolutely positive that you have correctly identified these plants/mushrooms before eating them, and make sure you have prepared them correctly. I also suggest taking a course on edible that can be found in the wild. This will give you a hands on experience which will leave less or no room for mistakes.)
Showing posts with label Basic Survival Skills Series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Basic Survival Skills Series. Show all posts
Friday, September 12, 2014
Monday, June 9, 2014
Basic Survival Skills Series: Part 3 - Water Filtration & Purification
By now I'm sure we all know that we can last weeks without food. Living without water, however, is a completely different story... you probably knew that too. Someone of well health that isn't in an extremely hot or cold environment can last about 3 days without water on average... maybe a couple days longer, but I wouldn't push your luck. No matter how much you already have stored, learning to find, gather, filter, and purify your own water is a crucial survival skill. It's a good idea to check out and add a variety of purification tablets, filtration and purification systems, and even bleach to your supplies, but let's discuss what to do if you're without any of these things. Part 3 of the Basic Survival Skills Series is going to cover some unique ways to gather water, how to make a natural filter to remove sediment, and then the basic boil version and a sun version of purification. Let's get started.
Gathering Water: Being near a natural water source is helpful, but let's discuss some ways to collect water if you aren't. These ways aren't enough to re-hydrate an army, but in a critical situation it could save your life.
Option #1 - You'll need (1) something to dig with, (2) a preferably clear plastic sheeting or tarp, (3) some type of container, (4) a 4 or 5 foot long tube that you can drink from, and (5) a rock about the size of a baseball. The earlier in the day this can get set up, the better. Sunlight is needed to make this work.
* Choose a grassy area that's in sunlight a majority of the day, if grass or weeds are able to grow than more than likely it's somewhat moist under the surface.
*Being careful to save the top layer of non-poisonous grass and/or weeds, dig a hole in the shape of a bowl that's about 2 feet deep and 3 to 3.5 feet wide. In the center of the hole's floor, dig another hole about 4 to 6 inches deeper with a flat base that's just big enough to fit your container in.
*Mash some patches of the grass/weeds you saved along the walls of your hole. Doing this provides more condensation in the hole.
* Place your container in the spot you dug to hold it in place.
* If you're going to use a drinking tube, place one end of it all the way into the container and run the rest of the tube up the side and out the top of the main hole. Let the tube rest on the ground outside the hole.
* Lay your plastic sheeting over the hole and start covering the perimeter with the dirt that was dug out of the ground to weigh the plastic in place (make sure you don't cover the drinking tube if you used one). As you do this, make sure there is enough slack in the plastic so it can sag at least 15 or so inches.
* Place the rock on top of the plastic sheeting right above the container. This will form an inverted dome which guides the condensation to drip into the container.
You can drink directly from the tube if you use one, or you can just open the plastic and remove the container once a day, depending on how long you're at your location. Like I said earlier, this methods won't provide enough water for an army, but this system could provide about a quart a day. The water won't need to be purified, but it'll taste a bit like dirt and the grass or weeds that are covering the hole's walls... better than nothing, right?
Option #2 - You'll need (1) a non-poisonous tree or bush that's in, or almost in, direct sunlight, (2) a plastic baggy, (3) a rock that's about the size of a gold ball, and (4) something to tie with (you could even use a stem from a weed or a braid a few blades of long grass if you don't have any twine). You'll want to set this system up as soon as possible, morning is great so it can gather throughout the day.
* Put the rock inside the bag, then slide the bag over the end of a branch tucking the leaves inside. The rock will work as a weight that provides a lower point that the water can form in.
* Making sure you get the opening of the baggy as close as you can to the branch itself, tie it shut tightly with a piece of jute cord or whatever you can find to tie it with. It's important that you tie it tight, the less air that can move through the opening, the more the heat will build up causing more condensation (even in cold temperatures as long as the sun is out).
* As the sun beats down on the bag, moisture from the leaves will form condensation in the bag, and as it builds it'll turn into water that can be drank without any further purification.
You should set this system up on multiple branches to gather more water. Some suggest poking a small hole in the bottom of the bag for the water to drain into a container, but I wouldn't. I'd worry about it being windy and losing drops of water in the wind as the branches blow around. Every drop counts so it's your call. I set this up in the tree in my yard one night and let it set all night and throughout the next day and was able to almost fill a pint size bottle.
Option #3 - We can't control when it's going to rain, but if the sky looks like it's ready to pour (or even just sprinkle) you'll want to get this set up. Even an inch of rainfall could gather 20+ gallons on an 8x5 foot tarp. All you need is (1) a tarp, (2) a couple trees, (3) some twine, rope, or para-cord, (4) a bucket or container(s), and a rock that will fit inside your bucket or container. You wouldn't want to set this up if there was a nuclear or chemical disaster, but otherwise it would be a great idea for gathering larger amounts of water. Here's what to do...
* Tie two neighboring corners of your tarp with two separate strands of rope, twine, or para-cord. Make sure to use long enough pieces to reach two trees that are near each other.
* You'll want to pull the tarp as tight as you can without ripping the corner rings or anything open. It doesn't matter how far the trees are away from each other as long as you have enough rope to stretch. This should be elevated at least a bit higher than your bucket or container so it guides the rainfall.
* Place your container a couple feet before the untied end of the tarp being sure that that end, along with the loose corners, are able to be tucked into your container. Put your rock in the bottom of the container on top of the tarp and let the rain do the rest.
You may want to let the rain rinse off the tarp and rock (or whatever you use as the weight inside your container) for a minute and then dump the container before setting it back up to collect the water you are going to use, this will get any dust and dirt off the surface of the tarp and rock... you may still want to filter it depending on how windy it is, leaves and stuff may blow in during the rain. Aside from that, rainwater is just fine to drink without purifying.
Filtration: Of course water from any natural source should be purified before drinking it, but since that water will usually be a bit muddy (to say the least), you'll want to filter it first. Pouring the water through a clean sock or shirt would work well, but if you only have the clothes on your back and aren't so sure you want to use something that you may or may not have been stranded somewhere for a few days in, there are other options. You'll just need a few things, I'll explain the options as I list them.
* Find a container. If you've brought one with you or can find one, a 2-liter plastic bottle or a large (coffee type) can will work great. You could also use a gallon size plastic bag if you have one (you should always bring plastic baggies in your bug out bags). If you're using the plastic bottle, cut the bottom of it off as straight as you can and use the pouring opening as the part your filtered water comes out of. If you're using a can, you'll need to poke some small homes in the bottom, about 10 should do fine.
* If you don't have any of these things, you can make a natural container out of birch bark if you can find some, or even some large green leaves (make sure they aren't poisonous leaves). If you use bark or leaves, you'll need to roll it in a cone shape with a very tiny opening at the bottom and then tie it with twine or some long braided blades of grass to keep it from unfolding.
* Try to find a way to suspend your filter above a clean container that your water will filter into if you can. Tie it to a low hanging branch or even throw together some sort of tripod out of branches. This isn't mandatory, it just makes it easier.
* Now it's time to build the filter itself. The first layer will need to be something that'll keep the sand from falling out since that's what you'll be using for the majority of the filtration. You could use some sort of cotton material if you have some, otherwise wadded up grass works just fine, just make sure it isn't poisonous.
*On top of the cotton or grass, you'll want to put a couple inches worth of small pebbles or gravel (not any oily gravel).
* I'm not sure how much I trust this step and I've never tried it, but in desperate times you may need to. If you aren't able to purify your water by boiling it or setting it in the sun, you'll need some charcoal. If you've had a fire, crunch up some of the burnt wood into small gravel size pieces (not into dust) and put a couple inches on top of the pebbles.
* The next layer of your filter will need to be sand, it's a great natural filter. Put enough in to fill the container about 2/3 of the way.
*Pour the water you've gathered through your filter and let it drain into a clean container. If the water isn't clear after the first run through, just repeat it as many times as needed.
Purification: After you have filtered the water to your liking, you'll need to purify it. Here are two simple ways of doing so if you don't have any purification tablets or bleach.
Option #1: If you're able to start a fire, which I would hope you can if you've read and practiced the fire starting methods from part 2, you can boil your water to purify it. If you have a pot then you're in luck, but otherwise a tin or aluminum can will do just fine. If you haven't brought one with you, more than likely you can find one that someone else has left as litter. Just rinse it out as best you can. Pour your filtered water into whatever you are using to boil in and bring the water to a boil over your fire. According to the CDC, after your water has came to a boil you need to keep it at a rolling boil for 1 minute (or 3 minutes for altitudes above 6,500 feet). I'd feel safer letting it be at a rolling boil for 3 to 5 minutes though. It's your call. After it boils, remove it from the fire and let it sit until it cools. This will also let any sediment that may not have been filtered settle to the bottom. Then it's safe to drink.
Option #2: If you can't start a fire or don't have something to boil in, you can purify your water in the sun. Bacteria like scherichia coli, salmonella, vibrio cholera, shigella flexneri, yersinia enterocolitica, and campylobacter jejuni can be taken care of with 6 hours of sun exposure, along with rotovirus and the parasite giardia, with a little longer exposure (10 hours) you can remove the parasite cryptosporidium.
You'll need (1) a clear plastic bottle (not glass) and (2) the sun. It doesn't need to be hot outside for this to work either, UV-A is what does the job, not the heat. Make sure it's a clear Poly Ethylene Terephthalate bottle, with recycle code #1 on it. It'll be stamped like this:
* Very easy purification. Just pour your filtered water into the bottle (a 2-liter soda or soft drink bottle works best, remove any labeling), make sure the lid is screwed on tight, and lay it on it's side in direct sunlight.
* If the sky is clear or has very little clouding, let it sit for at least 6 hours, but you may want to wait 10 hours just to be sure you get everything (as mentioned for the possibility of the cryptosporidium parasite). If there's an overcast of clouds, you'll need to wait up to 2 days if it doesn't clear up to full sun exposure for a solid 6 to 10 hours during that time period. After you've left it for the time period needed, it will be purified and able to be drank.
If you haven't yet, you need to set up a bag for emergency situations (a.k.a. a bug out bag) and keep it in your vehicle or on you at all times. At the very least, items to gather, filter, and purify water should be on the top of the list of things included. Practicing these systems now will familiarize you with setting them up. Don't wait until a situation does take place to try and remember what you just read. Your first attempt at these may not turn out right, causing anything from dehydration to diarrhea, which could very easily lead to death.
****************************************************************************************************************
I hope this post has taught you enough to keep yourself from dehydrating in a desperate situation. These are the few methods I'm familiar with, but I'm sure that a little research could provide you with more options. Remember that I'm interested in checking out other prepper and survival blogs and sites that I may not have stumbled across yet, so please share your favorites. Please take a second to subscribe, share this with others who may find this useful, and don't forget to comment.
Gathering Water: Being near a natural water source is helpful, but let's discuss some ways to collect water if you aren't. These ways aren't enough to re-hydrate an army, but in a critical situation it could save your life.
Option #1 - You'll need (1) something to dig with, (2) a preferably clear plastic sheeting or tarp, (3) some type of container, (4) a 4 or 5 foot long tube that you can drink from, and (5) a rock about the size of a baseball. The earlier in the day this can get set up, the better. Sunlight is needed to make this work.
* Choose a grassy area that's in sunlight a majority of the day, if grass or weeds are able to grow than more than likely it's somewhat moist under the surface.
*Being careful to save the top layer of non-poisonous grass and/or weeds, dig a hole in the shape of a bowl that's about 2 feet deep and 3 to 3.5 feet wide. In the center of the hole's floor, dig another hole about 4 to 6 inches deeper with a flat base that's just big enough to fit your container in.
*Mash some patches of the grass/weeds you saved along the walls of your hole. Doing this provides more condensation in the hole.
* Place your container in the spot you dug to hold it in place.
* If you're going to use a drinking tube, place one end of it all the way into the container and run the rest of the tube up the side and out the top of the main hole. Let the tube rest on the ground outside the hole.
* Lay your plastic sheeting over the hole and start covering the perimeter with the dirt that was dug out of the ground to weigh the plastic in place (make sure you don't cover the drinking tube if you used one). As you do this, make sure there is enough slack in the plastic so it can sag at least 15 or so inches.
* Place the rock on top of the plastic sheeting right above the container. This will form an inverted dome which guides the condensation to drip into the container.
You can drink directly from the tube if you use one, or you can just open the plastic and remove the container once a day, depending on how long you're at your location. Like I said earlier, this methods won't provide enough water for an army, but this system could provide about a quart a day. The water won't need to be purified, but it'll taste a bit like dirt and the grass or weeds that are covering the hole's walls... better than nothing, right?
Option #2 - You'll need (1) a non-poisonous tree or bush that's in, or almost in, direct sunlight, (2) a plastic baggy, (3) a rock that's about the size of a gold ball, and (4) something to tie with (you could even use a stem from a weed or a braid a few blades of long grass if you don't have any twine). You'll want to set this system up as soon as possible, morning is great so it can gather throughout the day.
* Put the rock inside the bag, then slide the bag over the end of a branch tucking the leaves inside. The rock will work as a weight that provides a lower point that the water can form in.
* Making sure you get the opening of the baggy as close as you can to the branch itself, tie it shut tightly with a piece of jute cord or whatever you can find to tie it with. It's important that you tie it tight, the less air that can move through the opening, the more the heat will build up causing more condensation (even in cold temperatures as long as the sun is out).
* As the sun beats down on the bag, moisture from the leaves will form condensation in the bag, and as it builds it'll turn into water that can be drank without any further purification.
You should set this system up on multiple branches to gather more water. Some suggest poking a small hole in the bottom of the bag for the water to drain into a container, but I wouldn't. I'd worry about it being windy and losing drops of water in the wind as the branches blow around. Every drop counts so it's your call. I set this up in the tree in my yard one night and let it set all night and throughout the next day and was able to almost fill a pint size bottle.
Option #3 - We can't control when it's going to rain, but if the sky looks like it's ready to pour (or even just sprinkle) you'll want to get this set up. Even an inch of rainfall could gather 20+ gallons on an 8x5 foot tarp. All you need is (1) a tarp, (2) a couple trees, (3) some twine, rope, or para-cord, (4) a bucket or container(s), and a rock that will fit inside your bucket or container. You wouldn't want to set this up if there was a nuclear or chemical disaster, but otherwise it would be a great idea for gathering larger amounts of water. Here's what to do...
* Tie two neighboring corners of your tarp with two separate strands of rope, twine, or para-cord. Make sure to use long enough pieces to reach two trees that are near each other.
* You'll want to pull the tarp as tight as you can without ripping the corner rings or anything open. It doesn't matter how far the trees are away from each other as long as you have enough rope to stretch. This should be elevated at least a bit higher than your bucket or container so it guides the rainfall.
* Place your container a couple feet before the untied end of the tarp being sure that that end, along with the loose corners, are able to be tucked into your container. Put your rock in the bottom of the container on top of the tarp and let the rain do the rest.
You may want to let the rain rinse off the tarp and rock (or whatever you use as the weight inside your container) for a minute and then dump the container before setting it back up to collect the water you are going to use, this will get any dust and dirt off the surface of the tarp and rock... you may still want to filter it depending on how windy it is, leaves and stuff may blow in during the rain. Aside from that, rainwater is just fine to drink without purifying.
Filtration: Of course water from any natural source should be purified before drinking it, but since that water will usually be a bit muddy (to say the least), you'll want to filter it first. Pouring the water through a clean sock or shirt would work well, but if you only have the clothes on your back and aren't so sure you want to use something that you may or may not have been stranded somewhere for a few days in, there are other options. You'll just need a few things, I'll explain the options as I list them.
* Find a container. If you've brought one with you or can find one, a 2-liter plastic bottle or a large (coffee type) can will work great. You could also use a gallon size plastic bag if you have one (you should always bring plastic baggies in your bug out bags). If you're using the plastic bottle, cut the bottom of it off as straight as you can and use the pouring opening as the part your filtered water comes out of. If you're using a can, you'll need to poke some small homes in the bottom, about 10 should do fine.
* If you don't have any of these things, you can make a natural container out of birch bark if you can find some, or even some large green leaves (make sure they aren't poisonous leaves). If you use bark or leaves, you'll need to roll it in a cone shape with a very tiny opening at the bottom and then tie it with twine or some long braided blades of grass to keep it from unfolding.
* Try to find a way to suspend your filter above a clean container that your water will filter into if you can. Tie it to a low hanging branch or even throw together some sort of tripod out of branches. This isn't mandatory, it just makes it easier.
* Now it's time to build the filter itself. The first layer will need to be something that'll keep the sand from falling out since that's what you'll be using for the majority of the filtration. You could use some sort of cotton material if you have some, otherwise wadded up grass works just fine, just make sure it isn't poisonous.
*On top of the cotton or grass, you'll want to put a couple inches worth of small pebbles or gravel (not any oily gravel).
* I'm not sure how much I trust this step and I've never tried it, but in desperate times you may need to. If you aren't able to purify your water by boiling it or setting it in the sun, you'll need some charcoal. If you've had a fire, crunch up some of the burnt wood into small gravel size pieces (not into dust) and put a couple inches on top of the pebbles.
* The next layer of your filter will need to be sand, it's a great natural filter. Put enough in to fill the container about 2/3 of the way.
*Pour the water you've gathered through your filter and let it drain into a clean container. If the water isn't clear after the first run through, just repeat it as many times as needed.
Purification: After you have filtered the water to your liking, you'll need to purify it. Here are two simple ways of doing so if you don't have any purification tablets or bleach.
Option #1: If you're able to start a fire, which I would hope you can if you've read and practiced the fire starting methods from part 2, you can boil your water to purify it. If you have a pot then you're in luck, but otherwise a tin or aluminum can will do just fine. If you haven't brought one with you, more than likely you can find one that someone else has left as litter. Just rinse it out as best you can. Pour your filtered water into whatever you are using to boil in and bring the water to a boil over your fire. According to the CDC, after your water has came to a boil you need to keep it at a rolling boil for 1 minute (or 3 minutes for altitudes above 6,500 feet). I'd feel safer letting it be at a rolling boil for 3 to 5 minutes though. It's your call. After it boils, remove it from the fire and let it sit until it cools. This will also let any sediment that may not have been filtered settle to the bottom. Then it's safe to drink.
Option #2: If you can't start a fire or don't have something to boil in, you can purify your water in the sun. Bacteria like scherichia coli, salmonella, vibrio cholera, shigella flexneri, yersinia enterocolitica, and campylobacter jejuni can be taken care of with 6 hours of sun exposure, along with rotovirus and the parasite giardia, with a little longer exposure (10 hours) you can remove the parasite cryptosporidium.
You'll need (1) a clear plastic bottle (not glass) and (2) the sun. It doesn't need to be hot outside for this to work either, UV-A is what does the job, not the heat. Make sure it's a clear Poly Ethylene Terephthalate bottle, with recycle code #1 on it. It'll be stamped like this:
* Very easy purification. Just pour your filtered water into the bottle (a 2-liter soda or soft drink bottle works best, remove any labeling), make sure the lid is screwed on tight, and lay it on it's side in direct sunlight.
* If the sky is clear or has very little clouding, let it sit for at least 6 hours, but you may want to wait 10 hours just to be sure you get everything (as mentioned for the possibility of the cryptosporidium parasite). If there's an overcast of clouds, you'll need to wait up to 2 days if it doesn't clear up to full sun exposure for a solid 6 to 10 hours during that time period. After you've left it for the time period needed, it will be purified and able to be drank.
If you haven't yet, you need to set up a bag for emergency situations (a.k.a. a bug out bag) and keep it in your vehicle or on you at all times. At the very least, items to gather, filter, and purify water should be on the top of the list of things included. Practicing these systems now will familiarize you with setting them up. Don't wait until a situation does take place to try and remember what you just read. Your first attempt at these may not turn out right, causing anything from dehydration to diarrhea, which could very easily lead to death.
****************************************************************************************************************
I hope this post has taught you enough to keep yourself from dehydrating in a desperate situation. These are the few methods I'm familiar with, but I'm sure that a little research could provide you with more options. Remember that I'm interested in checking out other prepper and survival blogs and sites that I may not have stumbled across yet, so please share your favorites. Please take a second to subscribe, share this with others who may find this useful, and don't forget to comment.
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Basic Survival Skills Series: Part 2 - How To Start A Fire
Knowing how to start a fire is probably one of the first skills that come to mind when asked about survival, and it should be. Fire is used for light and warmth, heating food, purifying water, and even protection from predator animals depending on where you are. You should probably always carry a lighter or matches with you, but since things can get broken, misplaced, wet, or just eventually run out, it's probably an even better idea to know how to start a fire without them. This post is going to focus on that, along with some tips for preparing an area for your fire, some great options for a tinder nest, and how to put your fire out before you leave that area. The first thing you'll need when trying to start a fire is patience, and lots of it. It's easy to get discouraged when using these methods because they're no where near as quick or easy as starting one with a lighter and matches, but if I can do it, so can you. I'm going to try to explain all of this in simple step-by step instructions, no pictures from Paint like I did with the temporary shelters (I know, you'll miss them).
Step #1: Locate Your Area
Take into consideration where your shelter is set up (if you have one), along with nearby trees, low hanging branches, roots, dry leaves, etc. when choosing an area to burn at. Try to set up at least 10 feet from all flammable areas and objects if possible. If there are lots of leaves or pine needles, you're going to need to try and clear these out of the way as best you can with your foot or something.
Step #2: Prepare Your Area
There are two ways I suggest preparing an area to burn in. If you're not worried about being seen, follow the first option. If you are trying to keep low profile, I suggest following the second.
Option 1 - Above Ground Burning: After you've chosen and cleared your area, gather enough stones to make a ring that's at least 30 inches in diameter. Stones that are at least the size of a softball work great, but you'll just have to see what you can find to work with. If you can't find any stones, it's ideal to dig a circle about 30 inches in diameter and at least a few inches deep. This stone ring or hole will help keep the fire contained to that specific area. After this, you're ready to start building your fire.
Option 2 - Dakota Fire Pit: You'll need to dig two holes for this fire pit. However large the diameter of these holes are is how far apart the holes need to be from each other too. I'd go with about 9 inch diameter on each hole, and dig them 9 inches apart. This tends to be a good size for warmth and cooking on, you aren't trying to provide light remember, this method is for low profile. Dig each of your holes down about 12 inches deep and then make a tunnel by scooping out the area between them under ground. The top of the two holes should be the only above ground openings. After this, you're ready to build a fire in the bottom of one of the holes. Build it in the side that is farthest away from the direction the wind is blowing so the other hole acts as an air intake to keep the fire going.
Step #3: Tinder Nest
If you haven't carried something with you, like paper (shredded), dryer lint, sanitizing wipes of at least 70% alcohol, cotton balls coated in Vaseline, or a jute cord or rope that you can fray (there are lots of options), you'll need to find something in your surroundings. People also suggest charred linen, but I've honestly never tried using it. Never made it, never tried to find it somewhere to buy or anything. You can check into that yourself. Some great natural tinder materials are dry grass and leaves, dry cattail leaves or fluff, dry pine needles, shaved bark, or anything else that you can locate that's dry and catches fire easily if a spark hits it. Once you've found these things you need to carefully mold them into a bird nest shape, very carefully. Don't pack them together tight because it'll make it harder for oxygen to move through it and it won't light as well. Just set it to the side in a dry place once you have it ready. Put some extra tinder nest materials to the side too, you'll want to thread them into your kindling tee-pee later.
Step #4: Fuel From Fallen Branches
You're going to need to gather kindling and firewood in a few different sizes to build your fire and keep it going. Really aim for the driest fallen branches you can find. There may be plenty on the ground, but you can also look up into the trees for dead branches that have gotten hung up in living branches. If you have an ax or hatchet you could even split bigger logs into smaller sizes. As far as sizes needed, find twigs that are a quarter of an inch in diameter or less, some that are around an inch thick, and you'll also need some that are a couple inches (and up to wrist size) in diameter. Separate the kindling and firewood into three groups according to their thickness and set them near your fire pit so you can grab them to add to you fire as needed.
Step #5: Set Up The Kindling
Now that you've prepared your area, made a tinder nest, and gathered kindling and firewood, you're ready to start your fire. Using some of the thinnest twigs you gathered and some more of the tinder nest type materials, make a tee-pee shape in your fire pit. Be sure that the base of it has an opening big enough to stick your original tinder nest into, you'll start the kindling on fire by sticking the tinder nest inside the base.
Step #6: Start Your Fire
I'm going to cover a couple methods here, so I will just title them and get on with the process.
Flint and Steel Spark Method: (If you haven't bought the sparking tools)
Flint: You can find this almost anywhere in the world, but some of the most common places to find flint is on land that used to be under water, or near river and lake shores where there are a lot of rocks laying around. Some of the best types of rocks to use are quartz, chert, agate, jade, and carnelian. Don't worry about trying to learn which is which if you don't already know. If you find a rock, just strike it a few times with your striker and if sparks fly, it'll work. Since the sparks come from slivers of burning steel, you'll want to break the rock down a bit, the sharper you can get one edge of your flint, the better the spark.
Steel: You can use high carbon steel, alloyed steal, or even iron pyrite to create a spark, just make sure it's not stainless steel. A closed pocket knife works well, so do old files. If you're out in the middle of no where and don't have something to use as a striker, some rocks can be struck together and create a spark. You'll have to test strike some until you find them, but they are there.
How It's Done: Have you ever bent a wire hanger back and forth kind of fast and then touched the part that was bent? It gets Hot! It's kind of the same sense here... when the flint strikes the steel, the energy of the friction converts to heat and that's what makes the steel shaving hot.
More simply, I hold the steel in one hand and strike the flint (rock) in a downward acute angle against it aiming the sparks towards my tinder nest. You could hold the rock and strike the steel against it if you want, but it doesn't seem to aim the sparks in the right direction for me. You'll just have to see which is right for you, just make sure the spark is directed to your tinder nest (or char cloth if you are using one). Once your tinder nest starts smoking a bit from the burning embers (sparks), you'll want to blow on it to turn it to a flame. Once you've done that, set it under your kindling tee-pee and continue blowing until you catch the kindling on fire. Continue adding kindling, small sticks, and bigger pieces as needed in a small to large order to build your fire stronger. I can usually get a decent fire going with this spark method in 2 minutes or less. Practice can make you much faster, but 2 minutes is still pretty quick.
Battery and Steel Wool Method:
Easy one, if you happen to have them with you. (If you do carry these, don't keep them in the same area... especially not your pocket, you don't want to burst into flames anywhere near your crotch area.)
Battery: I'm told that any battery will work for this, but I've only tried with a 9 volt battery and it works super fast.
Steel Wool: The key is to find the finest steel wool you can.
How It's Done: I'd put the tinder nest under your kindling tee-pee first because this will go quickly. Touch both battery terminals to the steel wool and run it back and forth across the surface. The steel wool will catch the batteries 'electricity' and start turning red, blowing on it a bit will help the heat spread. This can be done in just a couple seconds, then stick it with your tinder nest. Blow on it until it catches a flame and then build your fire up like explained earlier.
Magnifying Glass Method: (or even a pair of reading glasses works in the same concept). All you need is the magnifying glass and your tinder nest... and the sun, this only works in the day time.
How It's Done: Simply hold the magnifying glass at an angle so the sun will shine through creating a bright dot on your tinder nest. Adjust the angle and distance your magnifying glass is away from the tinder nest, the smaller the dot you can create, the quicker it'll burn. As soon as it starts to smoke, try blowing on it a bit to help it turn to flame and make it spread. Then build your fire up like explained earlier.
There are also friction methods that can be used to start a fire. I find these very time consuming, but in a desperate situation you may need to try them anyway.
Bow Drill Method:
Rather than trying to write these instructions out for making a bow drill, because it's hard to follow without a visual, watch this video on making a bow drill. (I don't own this video)
Once you've made this bow drill, started using it, and have created the embers, you'll need to dump them off onto your tinder nest, blow on them until you can get a flame to start, and then stick it under your kindling tee-pee. Then you build your fire up from there.
Hand Drill Method:
Another friction method similar to the bow drill, is a hand drill. Exact same concept as the bow drill except you don't need a bow or the handhold. This may be the hardest method, I've still never been able to start a fire like this and I've tried countless times. Maybe you can do it.
According to those who have succeeded at this, all you do is copy the base board that you would for a bow drill, and use a (dry) stick that's about a half inch in diameter. You press the one end of the stick against the base board and quickly spin it back and forth between your palms/hands until it heats, makes an ember, and then you dump it out on your tinder nest and so on like the bow drill method. If you try this and succeed, please do come back and let me know.
Step #7: Putting Out Your Fire
Two easy ways. (1) Pour some water over it if you have access to some, of course, or (2) cover it with dirt and smother it out. Yep, those are self explanatory.
Before I go, I want to share one more thing. How to waterproof matches, because it's ridiculous paying so much for the ones in the stores. I don't know if there are different ways to do this, but here is the simple step-by-step to the way I do it.
That's all it takes, I don't even dip the other end in wax. When you go to use these matches, you'll need to peel a bit of the wax away from the side of the match head that you are going to strike. You'll enjoy being able to light a fire even after everything else may have been rained on or gotten soggy from wading through a creek bed.
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OK, those are the few methods I am familiar with (and one I've repeatedly failed at). Since I did buy a camera the other day, I will be making some tutorial videos to upload soon, I hope you'll come back to check them out. Do you know any other ways to start a fire without matches or a lighter and have succeeded at them? If so, please comment below and share your experience and tips. Remember that I'm interested in checking out other prepper blogs and sites that I may not have stumbled across yet, so please share your favorites. Please take a second to subscribe, share this with others who may find this useful, and don't forget to comment.
Step #1: Locate Your Area
Take into consideration where your shelter is set up (if you have one), along with nearby trees, low hanging branches, roots, dry leaves, etc. when choosing an area to burn at. Try to set up at least 10 feet from all flammable areas and objects if possible. If there are lots of leaves or pine needles, you're going to need to try and clear these out of the way as best you can with your foot or something.
Step #2: Prepare Your Area
There are two ways I suggest preparing an area to burn in. If you're not worried about being seen, follow the first option. If you are trying to keep low profile, I suggest following the second.
Option 1 - Above Ground Burning: After you've chosen and cleared your area, gather enough stones to make a ring that's at least 30 inches in diameter. Stones that are at least the size of a softball work great, but you'll just have to see what you can find to work with. If you can't find any stones, it's ideal to dig a circle about 30 inches in diameter and at least a few inches deep. This stone ring or hole will help keep the fire contained to that specific area. After this, you're ready to start building your fire.
Option 2 - Dakota Fire Pit: You'll need to dig two holes for this fire pit. However large the diameter of these holes are is how far apart the holes need to be from each other too. I'd go with about 9 inch diameter on each hole, and dig them 9 inches apart. This tends to be a good size for warmth and cooking on, you aren't trying to provide light remember, this method is for low profile. Dig each of your holes down about 12 inches deep and then make a tunnel by scooping out the area between them under ground. The top of the two holes should be the only above ground openings. After this, you're ready to build a fire in the bottom of one of the holes. Build it in the side that is farthest away from the direction the wind is blowing so the other hole acts as an air intake to keep the fire going.
Step #3: Tinder Nest
If you haven't carried something with you, like paper (shredded), dryer lint, sanitizing wipes of at least 70% alcohol, cotton balls coated in Vaseline, or a jute cord or rope that you can fray (there are lots of options), you'll need to find something in your surroundings. People also suggest charred linen, but I've honestly never tried using it. Never made it, never tried to find it somewhere to buy or anything. You can check into that yourself. Some great natural tinder materials are dry grass and leaves, dry cattail leaves or fluff, dry pine needles, shaved bark, or anything else that you can locate that's dry and catches fire easily if a spark hits it. Once you've found these things you need to carefully mold them into a bird nest shape, very carefully. Don't pack them together tight because it'll make it harder for oxygen to move through it and it won't light as well. Just set it to the side in a dry place once you have it ready. Put some extra tinder nest materials to the side too, you'll want to thread them into your kindling tee-pee later.
Step #4: Fuel From Fallen Branches
You're going to need to gather kindling and firewood in a few different sizes to build your fire and keep it going. Really aim for the driest fallen branches you can find. There may be plenty on the ground, but you can also look up into the trees for dead branches that have gotten hung up in living branches. If you have an ax or hatchet you could even split bigger logs into smaller sizes. As far as sizes needed, find twigs that are a quarter of an inch in diameter or less, some that are around an inch thick, and you'll also need some that are a couple inches (and up to wrist size) in diameter. Separate the kindling and firewood into three groups according to their thickness and set them near your fire pit so you can grab them to add to you fire as needed.
Step #5: Set Up The Kindling
Now that you've prepared your area, made a tinder nest, and gathered kindling and firewood, you're ready to start your fire. Using some of the thinnest twigs you gathered and some more of the tinder nest type materials, make a tee-pee shape in your fire pit. Be sure that the base of it has an opening big enough to stick your original tinder nest into, you'll start the kindling on fire by sticking the tinder nest inside the base.
Step #6: Start Your Fire
I'm going to cover a couple methods here, so I will just title them and get on with the process.
Flint and Steel Spark Method: (If you haven't bought the sparking tools)
Flint: You can find this almost anywhere in the world, but some of the most common places to find flint is on land that used to be under water, or near river and lake shores where there are a lot of rocks laying around. Some of the best types of rocks to use are quartz, chert, agate, jade, and carnelian. Don't worry about trying to learn which is which if you don't already know. If you find a rock, just strike it a few times with your striker and if sparks fly, it'll work. Since the sparks come from slivers of burning steel, you'll want to break the rock down a bit, the sharper you can get one edge of your flint, the better the spark.
Steel: You can use high carbon steel, alloyed steal, or even iron pyrite to create a spark, just make sure it's not stainless steel. A closed pocket knife works well, so do old files. If you're out in the middle of no where and don't have something to use as a striker, some rocks can be struck together and create a spark. You'll have to test strike some until you find them, but they are there.
How It's Done: Have you ever bent a wire hanger back and forth kind of fast and then touched the part that was bent? It gets Hot! It's kind of the same sense here... when the flint strikes the steel, the energy of the friction converts to heat and that's what makes the steel shaving hot.
More simply, I hold the steel in one hand and strike the flint (rock) in a downward acute angle against it aiming the sparks towards my tinder nest. You could hold the rock and strike the steel against it if you want, but it doesn't seem to aim the sparks in the right direction for me. You'll just have to see which is right for you, just make sure the spark is directed to your tinder nest (or char cloth if you are using one). Once your tinder nest starts smoking a bit from the burning embers (sparks), you'll want to blow on it to turn it to a flame. Once you've done that, set it under your kindling tee-pee and continue blowing until you catch the kindling on fire. Continue adding kindling, small sticks, and bigger pieces as needed in a small to large order to build your fire stronger. I can usually get a decent fire going with this spark method in 2 minutes or less. Practice can make you much faster, but 2 minutes is still pretty quick.
Battery and Steel Wool Method:
Easy one, if you happen to have them with you. (If you do carry these, don't keep them in the same area... especially not your pocket, you don't want to burst into flames anywhere near your crotch area.)
Battery: I'm told that any battery will work for this, but I've only tried with a 9 volt battery and it works super fast.
Steel Wool: The key is to find the finest steel wool you can.
How It's Done: I'd put the tinder nest under your kindling tee-pee first because this will go quickly. Touch both battery terminals to the steel wool and run it back and forth across the surface. The steel wool will catch the batteries 'electricity' and start turning red, blowing on it a bit will help the heat spread. This can be done in just a couple seconds, then stick it with your tinder nest. Blow on it until it catches a flame and then build your fire up like explained earlier.
Magnifying Glass Method: (or even a pair of reading glasses works in the same concept). All you need is the magnifying glass and your tinder nest... and the sun, this only works in the day time.
How It's Done: Simply hold the magnifying glass at an angle so the sun will shine through creating a bright dot on your tinder nest. Adjust the angle and distance your magnifying glass is away from the tinder nest, the smaller the dot you can create, the quicker it'll burn. As soon as it starts to smoke, try blowing on it a bit to help it turn to flame and make it spread. Then build your fire up like explained earlier.
There are also friction methods that can be used to start a fire. I find these very time consuming, but in a desperate situation you may need to try them anyway.
Bow Drill Method:
Rather than trying to write these instructions out for making a bow drill, because it's hard to follow without a visual, watch this video on making a bow drill. (I don't own this video)
Once you've made this bow drill, started using it, and have created the embers, you'll need to dump them off onto your tinder nest, blow on them until you can get a flame to start, and then stick it under your kindling tee-pee. Then you build your fire up from there.
Hand Drill Method:
Another friction method similar to the bow drill, is a hand drill. Exact same concept as the bow drill except you don't need a bow or the handhold. This may be the hardest method, I've still never been able to start a fire like this and I've tried countless times. Maybe you can do it.
According to those who have succeeded at this, all you do is copy the base board that you would for a bow drill, and use a (dry) stick that's about a half inch in diameter. You press the one end of the stick against the base board and quickly spin it back and forth between your palms/hands until it heats, makes an ember, and then you dump it out on your tinder nest and so on like the bow drill method. If you try this and succeed, please do come back and let me know.
Step #7: Putting Out Your Fire
Two easy ways. (1) Pour some water over it if you have access to some, of course, or (2) cover it with dirt and smother it out. Yep, those are self explanatory.
Before I go, I want to share one more thing. How to waterproof matches, because it's ridiculous paying so much for the ones in the stores. I don't know if there are different ways to do this, but here is the simple step-by-step to the way I do it.
Step #1: Melt down a small amount of candle wax in a can. Not a big green bean can or anything, something like a tuna or Vienna Weenies can.
Step #2: Dip a wooden match about half way into the wax (the striking side of course). Just dip it in and pull it out, it don't need to sit in there or anything.
Step #3: As soon as you pull it out of the wax start blowing on it... Quick! That way it cools the wax before it has a chance to soak into the head and ruin it.
Step #4: After you have waterproofed and cooled them, stick them into some kind of container. I use an Altoids can.
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OK, those are the few methods I am familiar with (and one I've repeatedly failed at). Since I did buy a camera the other day, I will be making some tutorial videos to upload soon, I hope you'll come back to check them out. Do you know any other ways to start a fire without matches or a lighter and have succeeded at them? If so, please comment below and share your experience and tips. Remember that I'm interested in checking out other prepper blogs and sites that I may not have stumbled across yet, so please share your favorites. Please take a second to subscribe, share this with others who may find this useful, and don't forget to comment.
Friday, May 30, 2014
Basic Survival Skills Series: Part 1 - Temporary Shelter
Before I begin Part 1 of this Basic Survival Skills Series, I want to tell you that no matter how many skills you have in a time of complete chaos, not a single one will help you out if you don't take a deep breath, pull your head together, and keep your thoughts straight. Knowledge, practice, and confidence will get you through almost any ordeal, it's just a mater of getting it before you have to use it. This series is intended to provide you with the knowledge you need to practice and master (sounds cheesy) skills that will be most important for your survival. Then when the time does come to put them to use, you'll have the confidence to do so because you were already prepared. Now that that's out of the way, let's get started.
It's probably a good idea to have a semi-permanent alternative shelter set up in case you have to leave your home for any worst case scenario, but there's still a possibility of not being able to reach it in events like natural or man-made disasters... or if some group of crazies take it over before you get there and you just don't know if you can fight them off (some may try, I probably wouldn't, I have kids). Anyway, knowing how to build a temporary shelter is vital if you're on the move until you can get back home, or if you're on foot seeking out your next semi-permanent/permanent shelter in a time of extreme crisis or collapse. There are a lot of temporary shelters to chose from, but instead of trying to make myself familiar with all of them or trying to load more weight into a backpack that I can already barely carry, I've watched probably hundreds of tutorials and practiced building quite a few different kinds. Of all the different shelters I've tried out, there were two that were so simple and quick to construct, I just started focusing on them. One uses a few man-made materials, but none that weight much or take up a lot of room, and the other is constructed with natural materials, you probably won't even need a hatchet or anything. I've practiced building these numerous times and can construct either type in 30 minutes or less (although some suggest these take a couple hours to make). I'm hoping to be able to make a video tutorial of both of these temporary shelters in the near future, but for now these are just drawn out step-by-step.
Temporary Shelter #1: Tarp Tent
I guess this is the name for this shelter, this seems reasonable enough since it is just what I called it, a tent made out of a tarp.
What you'll need:
Terrain - of course you need an area, but try to scope out one that is relatively elevated and as flat as possible, also try to pick an area that has some sort of additional trees or boulders around to help block wind.
2 Trees - try to locate two trees that have branches low enough to tie onto, taking into consideration that these will need to be far enough apart to ensure your tarp fits in between them, but close enough together to be able to tie your rope/cord from one tree to the other.
Tarp - the size depends on you and how many people are with you, these aren't meant to be some luxurious and large shelter, remember it's just temporary.
Rope or Cord - again, this is somewhat your preference. I feel like having 100+ feet of whichever type you chose is way more than enough to set up with.
4 Stakes - there are lots of sizes, weights, and price ranges to chose from, just make sure they're strong enough to hold your tarp in place if it's windy.
A Rock - I'd hunt out a rock about as big as my hand to use to pound the stakes into the ground because I don't want to carry more than I have to, you could do the same or bring something to hammer the stakes in with, your choice.
Now that you know what you'll need, here's how to do it. (Get your giggles out now, I made these pictures on Paint... I really need a camera.)
Step 1:
Find the area you plan to set up in and clear the grounds in between the trees you plan to use.
Step 2:
Tie your rope/cord from one sturdy lower branch to the other tree's branch. You're going to have to know how to tie a good knot. This isn't my video, but you should still check out how to tie these three easy knots.
Step 3:
Drape your tarp over your rope/cord. I like to try and pull both flaps so they touch all the way to the ground, but sometimes the branches are too high. If this is the case, pull the side that blocks the most wind to the ground and then pull the other as far as it will go.
Step 4:
You'll need to tie the longest wall of your tarp to two of the stakes (one at each corner) and use something to hammer them into the ground. Tie the other wall's corners to the last two stakes and hammer them into the ground as well. Lay your bedding out inside if you have any and that's it for the tarp tent. let's move on to the next temporary shelter.
Temporary Shelter #2: Debris Hut
I've seen a couple different versions of a debris hut, but the one I'm going to lay out for you is my favorite and seems sturdier than the others. No man-made materials are needed for this, but you may or may not need a hatchet, I usually don't. It depends on what kind of debris is laying around.
What you'll need:
Terrain - again, try to find something relatively flat and as elevated as possible.
A tree - find one with a lower hanging branch, similar to the ones used for a tarp tent.
A Spine - a long branch, not connected to a tree of course, the longer the better and aim for one that's about 5+ inches thick.
Ribs (Loose branches) - you'll need a variety of sizes and lots of them, they'll need to be able to rest against your spine branch and ones that have twigs and leaves on them are ideal so you have some sort of texture to make covering it easier.
Leaves and Twigs - as many as you can scrounge up, these will be used for the outer walls and you may even try to find some kind of moss or something that you can use for better insulation too.
After you gather your materials, here's what to do.
Step 1:
Find a tree similar to the ones used for a tarp tent and clear the grounds around it.
Step 2:
Find a long branch that is at least 5 inches thick to use as the spine of your hut. The longer this branch is, the better. Rest one end in the V of a lower (sturdy) branch, giving about 8 to 12 inches of overhang if possible and then position the other end of the branch as far out onto the ground as it will reach.
Step 3:
Starting with longer branches first, rest one branch as close to the V as you can with at least 5 or 6 inches extending past the spine branch, branches with twigging are ideal because it gives texture and makes covering the walls easier. (Again, I wish I had a way to make a video but since I don't and am using Paint to do this, the branches will be odd colors so you can see the overlapping pattern you need to make).
Step 4:
On the other side of the spine branch, butt another long branch as close to the V as you can. Again with at least 5 of 6 inches overhang, and preferably with twigging branches for texture.
Step 5:
Continue to cover the entire spine branch, rotating sides, using shorter branches as you go, until you have completely walled both sides.
Step 6:
Starting with the tallest end of your hut (the entrance), begin laying small branches, loose leaves, twigs, weeds (make sure it isn't poison ivy), and dead grass over the rib branches (we'll call them ribs, I'm just making names up as I go).
Step 7:
Finish covering the outer walls of the hut. The more debris you put on, the better insulated it'll be. Your entrance will be at the tallest side of your hut, right under the V of the tree branch. If you choose to leave that entrance opened, I would so heat and light from a small nearby fire can come in, you'll be finished at this point. Otherwise, you can use additional branches, leaves, etc to close it in the entrance more using the same steps you did to create and cover the walls. All that's left now would be to throw your bedding in if you have any and your debris hut is ready to go.
Although these step-by-steps look a little silly because they were done with the poor Paint program, I hope they are descriptive enough to understand how these two shelters are constructed. I'm hoping to get a camera soon so I can start making tutorial videos, but until then I suggest looking up tutorials on how to make these two shelters on YouTube or something. There's a good variety of preppers and survivalists who have excellent videos. Take some time to go out and practice building these, the more you practice the quicker you'll get. You'll also build your confidence enabling you to keep a calmness to you if 'S' really does ever 'HTF'...
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Please be sure and return for the next two posts in the Basic Survival Skills Series where we will be covering ways to start a fire and then options for making water drinkable. I really hope you'll find them all useful. Skills are much easier to lug around with you, rather than trying to carry a heavy backpack or bug out bag. Remember that I'm interested in checking out other prepper blogs and sites that I may not have stumbled across yet, so please share your favorites. Please take a second to subscribe, share this with others who may find this useful, and don't forget to comment.
Basic Survival Skills Series: Part 1 - Temporary Shelter
Temporary Shelter #1: Tarp Tent
I guess this is the name for this shelter, this seems reasonable enough since it is just what I called it, a tent made out of a tarp.
What you'll need:
Terrain - of course you need an area, but try to scope out one that is relatively elevated and as flat as possible, also try to pick an area that has some sort of additional trees or boulders around to help block wind.
2 Trees - try to locate two trees that have branches low enough to tie onto, taking into consideration that these will need to be far enough apart to ensure your tarp fits in between them, but close enough together to be able to tie your rope/cord from one tree to the other.
Tarp - the size depends on you and how many people are with you, these aren't meant to be some luxurious and large shelter, remember it's just temporary.
Rope or Cord - again, this is somewhat your preference. I feel like having 100+ feet of whichever type you chose is way more than enough to set up with.
4 Stakes - there are lots of sizes, weights, and price ranges to chose from, just make sure they're strong enough to hold your tarp in place if it's windy.
A Rock - I'd hunt out a rock about as big as my hand to use to pound the stakes into the ground because I don't want to carry more than I have to, you could do the same or bring something to hammer the stakes in with, your choice.
Now that you know what you'll need, here's how to do it. (Get your giggles out now, I made these pictures on Paint... I really need a camera.)
Step 1:
Find the area you plan to set up in and clear the grounds in between the trees you plan to use.
Step 2:
Tie your rope/cord from one sturdy lower branch to the other tree's branch. You're going to have to know how to tie a good knot. This isn't my video, but you should still check out how to tie these three easy knots.
Step 3:
Drape your tarp over your rope/cord. I like to try and pull both flaps so they touch all the way to the ground, but sometimes the branches are too high. If this is the case, pull the side that blocks the most wind to the ground and then pull the other as far as it will go.
Step 4:
After you have your stakes out, you need to get the tarp tied up...
You'll need to tie the longest wall of your tarp to two of the stakes (one at each corner) and use something to hammer them into the ground. Tie the other wall's corners to the last two stakes and hammer them into the ground as well. Lay your bedding out inside if you have any and that's it for the tarp tent. let's move on to the next temporary shelter.
Temporary Shelter #2: Debris Hut
I've seen a couple different versions of a debris hut, but the one I'm going to lay out for you is my favorite and seems sturdier than the others. No man-made materials are needed for this, but you may or may not need a hatchet, I usually don't. It depends on what kind of debris is laying around.
What you'll need:
Terrain - again, try to find something relatively flat and as elevated as possible.
A tree - find one with a lower hanging branch, similar to the ones used for a tarp tent.
A Spine - a long branch, not connected to a tree of course, the longer the better and aim for one that's about 5+ inches thick.
Ribs (Loose branches) - you'll need a variety of sizes and lots of them, they'll need to be able to rest against your spine branch and ones that have twigs and leaves on them are ideal so you have some sort of texture to make covering it easier.
Leaves and Twigs - as many as you can scrounge up, these will be used for the outer walls and you may even try to find some kind of moss or something that you can use for better insulation too.
After you gather your materials, here's what to do.
Step 1:
Find a tree similar to the ones used for a tarp tent and clear the grounds around it.
Step 2:
Find a long branch that is at least 5 inches thick to use as the spine of your hut. The longer this branch is, the better. Rest one end in the V of a lower (sturdy) branch, giving about 8 to 12 inches of overhang if possible and then position the other end of the branch as far out onto the ground as it will reach.
Step 3:
Starting with longer branches first, rest one branch as close to the V as you can with at least 5 or 6 inches extending past the spine branch, branches with twigging are ideal because it gives texture and makes covering the walls easier. (Again, I wish I had a way to make a video but since I don't and am using Paint to do this, the branches will be odd colors so you can see the overlapping pattern you need to make).
Step 4:
On the other side of the spine branch, butt another long branch as close to the V as you can. Again with at least 5 of 6 inches overhang, and preferably with twigging branches for texture.
Step 5:
Continue to cover the entire spine branch, rotating sides, using shorter branches as you go, until you have completely walled both sides.
Step 6:
Starting with the tallest end of your hut (the entrance), begin laying small branches, loose leaves, twigs, weeds (make sure it isn't poison ivy), and dead grass over the rib branches (we'll call them ribs, I'm just making names up as I go).
Step 7:
Finish covering the outer walls of the hut. The more debris you put on, the better insulated it'll be. Your entrance will be at the tallest side of your hut, right under the V of the tree branch. If you choose to leave that entrance opened, I would so heat and light from a small nearby fire can come in, you'll be finished at this point. Otherwise, you can use additional branches, leaves, etc to close it in the entrance more using the same steps you did to create and cover the walls. All that's left now would be to throw your bedding in if you have any and your debris hut is ready to go.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Although these step-by-steps look a little silly because they were done with the poor Paint program, I hope they are descriptive enough to understand how these two shelters are constructed. I'm hoping to get a camera soon so I can start making tutorial videos, but until then I suggest looking up tutorials on how to make these two shelters on YouTube or something. There's a good variety of preppers and survivalists who have excellent videos. Take some time to go out and practice building these, the more you practice the quicker you'll get. You'll also build your confidence enabling you to keep a calmness to you if 'S' really does ever 'HTF'...
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Please be sure and return for the next two posts in the Basic Survival Skills Series where we will be covering ways to start a fire and then options for making water drinkable. I really hope you'll find them all useful. Skills are much easier to lug around with you, rather than trying to carry a heavy backpack or bug out bag. Remember that I'm interested in checking out other prepper blogs and sites that I may not have stumbled across yet, so please share your favorites. Please take a second to subscribe, share this with others who may find this useful, and don't forget to comment.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Intro To Basic Survival Skills
The last two lists I posted barely made a dent in all of the foods and supplies available that should be discussed and considered for your stockpile. We'll definitely have to come back to those in future posts. We'll also need to discuss things like re-packaging, canning, and storage options for your things, but right now I want to discuss a few basic survival skills. Having a little knowledge and know-how will not only allow you to provide shelter, light, warmth, food and water, medical care, and protection in almost any situation, but it can be also be used for bartering after things begin to settle back down again and communities start to rebuild themselves. The three posts following this one will be covering three very basic, yet critical, survival skills that everyone should have: shelter building, fire starting, and water filtration and sanitation. If you haven't subscribed to this blog yet, I encourage you to do so, so you don't miss out on the Basic Survival Skills Series... these basic skills could save your life.
I'd like to hope that in a worst case scenario I'd be able to hunker down in my home until things clear up a bit, but I know (and so should everyone else) that the possibility of having to leave for an alternative location (whether temporarily or permanently) is very real. With that being said, scoping out a variety of areas that you could go to would be a plus, but without knowing exactly what, when, or where anything will happen, setting up just one specific location could be a waste of time. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great idea to have a designated shelter ready for events like civil unrest, but you never know what that place will be like or if it'll even be reachable in the event of something like a natural or man-made disaster. Knowing how to build a temporary shelter is crucial, especially if you're on foot searching for a new location because your pre-planned place is unreachable. In part 1 of this Basic Survival Skills Series we we'll be discussing two kinds of temporary shelters that are simple and quick to construct. One using mostly man-made materials, and one that requires none at all.
To me, temporary shelters and being able to start a fire go hand in hand. If you're in a situation where you actually have to stay in something like a tarp tent or debris hut, you're going to need a fire for everything from warmth and light, to protection (from animal predators depending on where you're at), to making water drinkable and heating food. You could always carry lighters or matches, but since things sometimes get lost, wet, or broken, having alternative ways to start a fire is an important notch to add to your survival skills belt. Part 2 of the Basic Survival Skills Series will provide step-by-step instructions on how to prepare an area for a fire, how to make a tinder nest, a variety of ways to start a fire (with and without man-made tools), and of course how to put a fire out. Also included in that post will be instructions on how to waterproof wooden matches. These not only come in handy depending on the areas you have to travel through as your matches and other supplies may get wet, but you'll be able to prepare your matches for much less than it would cost to purchase them already waterproofed. After you know how to start a fire (you'll have to practice), it'll play a major role in the next part of the series.
Since a human can only survive about three days without water and it weighs too much to carry a decent supply of, being able to provide drinkable water is pretty high up on the survival skills list. Depending on the water source, in order to avoid drinking contaminated water that could cause anything from diarrhea to death, you're going to have to know how to filter and purify it. The easy way out is to buy some fancy survivalist purification device, but just like anything else that gets packed in a bug out bag, these things could get broken or misplaced while you're on the move. Even if you brought a bit of bleach or purification tablets, you'll eventually run out if you 're trying to provide drinkable water for yourself or your family for any length of time. In part 3 of the Basic Survival Skills Series I'm not only going to give you tips on finding and gathering water regardless of where you're at, but I'm also going to provide information on how to filter and purify water in a few different ways.
If you still haven't subscribed, I hope you will take a second and do so now. Being able to build a temporary shelter, start a fire, and making water drinkable are the three basic skills that could very well save your life. We'll discuss additional skills in the future, but these are the first three that anyone who wants to attempt to survive a worst case scenario need to have.
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If you have any questions about a specific skill that I mentioned, please be sure and return for the 3 part Basic Survival Skills Series, or you can ask now to ensure that it gets addressed as I write the content. I will describe all the options that I'm personally familiar with, and I'll be as thorough as I can in the step-by-step directions to each one. I really hope you'll find them all useful. Skills are much easier to lug around with you, rather than trying to carry a heavy backpack or bug out bag. Remember that I'm interested in checking out other prepper blogs and sites that I may not have stumbled across yet, so please share your favorites. Please take a second to subscribe, share this with others who may find this useful, and don't forget to comment.
I'd like to hope that in a worst case scenario I'd be able to hunker down in my home until things clear up a bit, but I know (and so should everyone else) that the possibility of having to leave for an alternative location (whether temporarily or permanently) is very real. With that being said, scoping out a variety of areas that you could go to would be a plus, but without knowing exactly what, when, or where anything will happen, setting up just one specific location could be a waste of time. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great idea to have a designated shelter ready for events like civil unrest, but you never know what that place will be like or if it'll even be reachable in the event of something like a natural or man-made disaster. Knowing how to build a temporary shelter is crucial, especially if you're on foot searching for a new location because your pre-planned place is unreachable. In part 1 of this Basic Survival Skills Series we we'll be discussing two kinds of temporary shelters that are simple and quick to construct. One using mostly man-made materials, and one that requires none at all.
To me, temporary shelters and being able to start a fire go hand in hand. If you're in a situation where you actually have to stay in something like a tarp tent or debris hut, you're going to need a fire for everything from warmth and light, to protection (from animal predators depending on where you're at), to making water drinkable and heating food. You could always carry lighters or matches, but since things sometimes get lost, wet, or broken, having alternative ways to start a fire is an important notch to add to your survival skills belt. Part 2 of the Basic Survival Skills Series will provide step-by-step instructions on how to prepare an area for a fire, how to make a tinder nest, a variety of ways to start a fire (with and without man-made tools), and of course how to put a fire out. Also included in that post will be instructions on how to waterproof wooden matches. These not only come in handy depending on the areas you have to travel through as your matches and other supplies may get wet, but you'll be able to prepare your matches for much less than it would cost to purchase them already waterproofed. After you know how to start a fire (you'll have to practice), it'll play a major role in the next part of the series.
Since a human can only survive about three days without water and it weighs too much to carry a decent supply of, being able to provide drinkable water is pretty high up on the survival skills list. Depending on the water source, in order to avoid drinking contaminated water that could cause anything from diarrhea to death, you're going to have to know how to filter and purify it. The easy way out is to buy some fancy survivalist purification device, but just like anything else that gets packed in a bug out bag, these things could get broken or misplaced while you're on the move. Even if you brought a bit of bleach or purification tablets, you'll eventually run out if you 're trying to provide drinkable water for yourself or your family for any length of time. In part 3 of the Basic Survival Skills Series I'm not only going to give you tips on finding and gathering water regardless of where you're at, but I'm also going to provide information on how to filter and purify water in a few different ways.
If you still haven't subscribed, I hope you will take a second and do so now. Being able to build a temporary shelter, start a fire, and making water drinkable are the three basic skills that could very well save your life. We'll discuss additional skills in the future, but these are the first three that anyone who wants to attempt to survive a worst case scenario need to have.
****************************************************************************************************************
If you have any questions about a specific skill that I mentioned, please be sure and return for the 3 part Basic Survival Skills Series, or you can ask now to ensure that it gets addressed as I write the content. I will describe all the options that I'm personally familiar with, and I'll be as thorough as I can in the step-by-step directions to each one. I really hope you'll find them all useful. Skills are much easier to lug around with you, rather than trying to carry a heavy backpack or bug out bag. Remember that I'm interested in checking out other prepper blogs and sites that I may not have stumbled across yet, so please share your favorites. Please take a second to subscribe, share this with others who may find this useful, and don't forget to comment.
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