Survival

Preppers and survivalists are obsessed with bags, a bag for bugging out, a bag for bugging in, a 72 hour bag an INCH bag and a possible pouch, all well prepared and ready for impending disaster or emergency. Realistically though, there is one bag that is going to be used more than any other, and … Read more

Have you ever considered what makes a necessity a necessity? By a strict definition it’s things you have to have to survive; air, food, water, shelter. That’s probably the best way to define it, but I also like to include things that you simply cannot imagine going on without. And no, I’m not talking about … Read more

Having a garden can be one of the most important features in any long term survival situation. They can also help keep everyday living expenses low which is especially important in times of economic hardship. If you only have experience flower gardening or little gardening experience at all, the thought of trying to provide some … Read more

So you’ve decided to embark on an overseas trip, and this time it is not to Italy, France or the Bahamas, but instead to a developing nation, sometimes called a Third World nation. An estimated 50 million people from industrialized nations travel to the developing world every year. The difference between industrialized and developing nations … Read more

Today, housing prices are climbing ever higher even though many homes are currently staying on the market for months on end. Inflation is out of control, the economy is tanking generally, and the appraisal of the media and financial shills seems to be “clap your hands if you believe.” But let’s get real; even the … Read more

When most homesteaders think of getting poultry for any purpose, the very first birds that spring to mind are chickens, naturally. And that’s with good reason! Chickens are cheap, highly productive, generally easy to care for, and a cinch to keep even if you have a small backyard. But ducks are also quite popular, historically … Read more

All of us know that disasters great and small are dangerous. You don’t really prepare for things on this scale if they aren’t truly so… Natural or man-made makes no difference; any given event will carry with it dozens of ways to die. And so we prepare. We train. We plan. We stockpile. All in … Read more

As we know, there are many folks out there who are scared of flying. Most of the time, they picture the worst possible things that can happen, which includes a plane crash and having to survive on open water or a deserted island. While it is true that statistically, cars crash more often than planes, … Read more

For so many preppers, the biggest part of the task is just getting all of the gear and supplies you’ll need to sustain yourself and your family in times of trouble. Yes, skills count for a lot. But there is simply no replacement for having what you need on hand when disaster strikes. I’m talking … Read more

Even in the world of survival, there are celebrities and legends. From legendary adventures and soldiers who overcame frankly unbelievable odds, to everyday people who found themselves embroiled in a fight for their very lives, the people on this list run the gamut when it comes to experience and expertise. Many are professionals who have … Read more

Everyone understands instinctively how precious water is to survival. Going even a single day without a drink of water can leave you crippled or dead when the chips are down. Precious few people can survive outside in the elements for more than a few days, at most, without it. And that’s the paradox of the … Read more

Badgers are virtually synonymous with tenacity, but are they dangerous? Most folks don’t know too much about badgers. These are interesting animals that are noteworthy for their intricate social and family units that form in the wild, and they’re also important game and fur animals that are harvested for their hair and for their meat. … Read more

For most folks who live anywhere in the United States, the blue jay is a common sight in your yard. From the loud, screeching calls to their bully-like behavior at the bird feeder, these corvids are definitely unique and ubiquitous in their typical range. But these birds are also known to cause quite a commotion, … Read more

It is hard to imagine any animal being less dangerous than a chipmunk. From their beautiful, striped fur to those adorably chubby cheeks that carry food back to their burrows, chipmunks are among the most charismatic rodents on Earth. Arguably it is only squirrels that have better publicity. They are so tiny and delicate, it’s … Read more

If you’ve ever gotten a good look at those needle-sharp teeth, I don’t blame you for thinking possums are dangerous. I think everybody, especially people living in the South, have been surprised by them in the night: hanging out near the deck or popping out of the trash can. Those beady black eyes, the loud … Read more

Many domestic animals have diverged quite radically from their wild or ancestral counterparts. Let’s look at sheep, for instance. While it’s true that sheep can grow to be quite large and sometimes physically powerful, they don’t hold a candle to their wild cousins. In the United States and elsewhere in North America, bighorn sheep are … Read more

There is no shortage of amazing animals out in the wild. Some look magnificent, some are physically impressive and others are ferociously vicious or incredibly venomous. But there are a few animals, only a few, capable of fundamentally changing the environment around them. Beavers are that animal. Even a single beaver is capable of turning … Read more

There are all kinds of different deer species to be found around the globe, and many of them right here in North America. But standing over, literally and figuratively, the whitetails and elk on the continent we have the moose. Moose are the largest deer species in the world, and though they tend to keep … Read more

There is hardly an animal out there that is more entertaining, and more charming, then the raccoon. Or rather, there are plenty charming as long as you aren’t the one enduring their attention! Raccoons are notorious for breaking into garbage cans, outbuildings and sometimes even homes in their never-ending quest for food and nesting areas. … Read more

All birds of prey are majestic. Whether it is a hawk, a falcon, an eagle or some other species there is just something about the image of a predator taking prey on the wing that stirs the spirit. However, as capable as these birds are all of them play a distant second fiddle to the … Read more

The fox is regarded as a trickster, a livestock predator and a symbol of cleverness and cunning in virtually every culture around the world where these animals are found. That’s for good reason, and there are few wild animals that are as evasive as foxes. But as human settlements expand, foxes are seen in increasing … Read more

Out of all the bears that you might encounter in North America, it is the black bear, the smallest of the North American bears, that you are likely to run into. Black bears are crafty, curious, and commonly encountered in and around towns and homes when searching for food. Although their antics can be amusing, … Read more