North Dakota is a surprisingly restrictive state for those knife carriers who lack a concealed weapons permit, and is all the more eyebrow-raising when you consider how permissive its Southern sibling is. North Dakota’s laws governing knives are long, circular and seemingly inconsistent to the casual reader, overly complicating what should be a simple affair. … Read more
Bears are large and dangerous animals, however charismatic they might look in pictures and videos. Found throughout the North American continent and much of the world bears are powerful and adaptable predators. Though negative interactions between bears and humans are comparatively rare, when they do occur serious injury or death is likely. Though most bear … Read more
When it comes to large and dangerous mammals, bears are among the most plentiful, and certainly the most well-known on earth. These omnivorous ursids are spread across the globe and are quite common in some areas, even though their numbers today come nowhere close to their historic range. Much of the time bears are altogether … Read more
Most preppers I know are fixated on food, specifically on survival food. Although not nearly as critical as water and air on the totem pole of survival necessities food is still absolutely essential to life, and even before you starve from several weeks without it your energy levels and overall well-being will diminish significantly in … Read more
When you see the phrase risk assessment, it probably conjures up visions of stuffy analysts, lawyers and OSHA types fussing and fretting over a problem that would be easily solved if only they would get out of everyone’s way. Chances are you aren’t in the business of risk assessment, at least professionally, but if you … Read more
Indiana is definitely a pro-knife state, with only two real hard-and-fast prohibitions on a couple of types of knives, those being ballistic knives and throwing stars. Thanks to revamped laws governing knives that were finally tuned up from a hodgepodge mess back in 2013, you can own and carry nearly anything with no permit required, … Read more
Firearms are the premier defensive weapon of our time, whether you are trying to protect yourself against hostile humans or aggressive, dangerous animals. In lieu of a firearm you might use a tasers for ranged defense which can work and work well against mammals, but what about reptiles? This is not a fantastical question if … Read more
You will hardly run into a prepper who is not making plans and accumulating gear to be ready for medical emergencies that might occur during or as the result of a disaster. The mantra that I and others in the sector preach is that one must be prepared to be their own first responder. Doctors, … Read more
A reflector oven is an antique cooking apparatus that are seeing resurgence today thanks to its adaptability, convenience, and overall efficiency. These used to be a staple for every work camp and an awful lot of kitchens across the nation, but as their use was replaced by modern contrivances, it looked like these handy contraptions … Read more
For preppers who just want to get away from it all and live a simpler, agrarian lifestyle, or those who want to be well and truly away from civilization when the inevitable collapse occurs, living off the grid is usually a long-term objective. But living off-grid, while simple in concept and the standard of life … Read more
With all the many destructive and spectacular disasters that can occur you might find it difficult to believe that cold weather and accompanying snow storms are capable of inflicting widespread and long listing damage, and are statistically one of these single most dangerous weather events that you can be expected to face in your lifetime. … Read more
Most preppers will be ably prepared for a variety of disasters when they are ensconced safe and sound at their fortified and well-stocked home, but fewer are prepared for dealing with emergencies while traveling. One of the worst things that can happen to you when going by car or truck is being overtaken by a … Read more
If there is one old, clichéd saying that is always applicable it is that “the times it will keep on changing.” If you are living in our current era, you might have noticed plenty of dark clouds gathering on the horizon, and from all directions: cultural changes, government overreach and increasingly wide, some would say … Read more
Perhaps the only way I can describe Pennsylvania’s knife laws is disappointing. Upon cursory review, you might want to congratulate the state for being so pro-knife: you can own virtually any kind of knife except automatics and switchblades, and may legally carry pretty much any other kind of knife you want, to include such common … Read more
It is rare to encounter anybody who does not have a smartphone these days. Rich or poor, prince or pauper, the proliferation of smart devices is approaching “total saturation” in the West. Even the most devoutly Luddite prepper probably has a smartphone on or about their person at all times. And let’s be honest, it … Read more
You have to admit, folks who use outdoor gear regularly are definitely passionate about their choices, and one of the most spirited arguments in this category is on the subject of shelter. Bivies and tents are the two most popular outdoor shelter options available, and each has a legion of zealous fans that argue the … Read more
Bugging out is a core tenant of prepping, and integral to the concept of bugging out is having in mind one or more bug out locations, places where you and your loved ones can head to in times of trouble so that you can better ride out whatever the problem is in safety, or at … Read more
Prepping is sometimes portrayed as an endeavor that you undertake by yourself, for yourself, to ensure you will survive the collapse of society or the outright end of the world. Survival of the fittest, the law of the jungle and the continuity of the competent, all that jazz. However, prepping is so much of the … Read more
Chances are if you have been shopping for camping or survival gear you have come across space blankets. These silver, crinkly, shiny blankets are featured as a standard item in many survival kits, and more than a few preparedness experts will advise you to keep a couple handy no matter what sort of activity or … Read more
For any preppers who have kids, you naturally want them to become capable, competent adults when they grow up. I don’t know of any good parent that does not want that for their child. But while they are small, it is only natural that you, as their parent, will spend an inordinate amount of time … Read more
Keeping yourself and your surroundings clean and free of germs is critical if you want to stay healthy. This is easy enough in kind times though it can be a struggle when far afield for extended forays. But where most people struggle to deal with keeping clean bodies and surroundings, including preppers, is during long- … Read more
Compared to bygone eras you don’t have to work too hard to convince most preppers to include electronic devices of all kinds in their survival plan. This is largely due to the availability and affordability of portable, completely self-contained off-grid sources of power. Two of the most popular are solar and hand-cranked chargers, with an … Read more
Raising cows as part of your survival plan is not for every prepper – I feel the need to just throw that out there right off the bat. Keeping cattle is an excellent idea for some survival homesteaders, but will prove disastrous for others. Cows are arguably harder to raise than poultry birds, but they … Read more
Out of all the possible globe spanning catastrophes that preppers prepare for, far and away one of the most likely to occur is a pandemic. A worldwide outbreak of disease has terrible and far-reaching consequences, and is more than capable of toppling a civilization. Accounts of pandemics and bygone errors paint a very grim picture … Read more