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September 11, 2012
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Rub-a-dub-dub, imagine spending 26 hours floating in the waters off Sitka, Alaska, in a 4-by-4-foot tub. That’s what Ryan Harris, 19, did late last week after the 28-foot aluminum boat he and a friend were fishing from capsized. The Coast Guard rescued Harris on Saturday, two hours after his fishing buddy Stonie “Mac” Huffman was found alive on a beach 25 miles northwest of Sitka.
The two men had been fishing for coho salmon two miles from Cape Edgecumbe when the hydraulics on their boat failed. They fixed the problem and started heading to port when a massive wave knocked the boat on its side, dumping the men into the water before they could send a mayday. “We had no radio, no cell phones,” Harris told the Daily Sitka Sentinel.
[ Read Full Post ]August 30, 2012
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This snare set up is a classic. It’s just a wooden pole and a few feet of wire that gives you a reusable trap that is easily moved, requires no bait, and takes advantage of the squirrel’s natural love of short cuts.
Here’s how to make it.
Select a 4-foot to 6-foot pole that is about the diameter of your arm. It’s best if the pole has a rough, natural look to it, so don’t carve off all the bark. It’s also helpful if the pole has a fork at one end, which you can stick into the ground or pin against the tree to keep the pole from twisting out of place.
[ Read Full Post ]August 28, 2012
by August 27, 2012
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It has been argued by more than a few outdoor enthusiasts whether a sharp knife or a dull knife is more dangerous to the user. The logic has always been that the dull knife might not plunge as deeply into you as the sharp blade, but the more jagged wound may take longer to heal (not to mention that you have to push harder to even use the dull knife, increasing the likelihood of a mishap).
So let’s take the dull knife issue off the table by learning some sharpening tricks that work at home AND in the field.
[ Read Full Post ]August 15, 2012
by The weapon does you NO good if you cannot reach it. This is the bottom line.
Maybe you can’t reach it because it is buried in your backpack, or you left it in the truck, or--worse still--it’s sitting in the safe at home. This is the ultimate irony of all ironies: To own something that could save your life and not have it with you in an emergency. The topic of bears, bear spray and self-defense came up in one of my survival classes last week when someone asked if it’s smart to hike and backpack with a handgun. I said yes, absolutely, if they own a handgun that they are experienced with, and if they can safely carry it within easy reach.
If you are already walking around in your day-to-day life with a concealed handgun in a low-profile holster, then you are already halfway there. All you need to do to add a concealed carry option to your outdoor gear is to simply change the holster.
[ Read Full Post ]August 13, 2012
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Survival fishing has enough problems built into it. Kinked line from storage in a survival kit and hooks that aren’t the right size for the local fish can be just the tip of the iceberg.
So if you're planning fish for dinner, a simple net can be made in minutes, if you have just a few items and a knife. This basic net will make actually landing a fish a whole lot easier.
All you need to make this net is a flexible forked stick, 8 to 10 feet of cord, and 2 or 3 square feet of survival netting (this is often sold as a “survival hammock”).
[ Read Full Post ]August 8, 2012
by  If you read my previous post on the possible hazards of DEET and Permethrin, you’re probably left wondering what you could use to stave off the hordes of mosquitoes that are out to drink your blood in the summer months.
Here are some DEET-free solutions.
Cigar Smoke
Folks who like the taste of cigars may find some relief by sitting in the middle of a cloud of cigar smoke. Any smoke will help keep bugs away, and cigar smoke seems to be more effective than most other smokes. But the big question on this one is whether the cigar smoke or the DEET is more hazardous to your health.
[ Read Full Post ]August 7, 2012
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Considering that the Dakota fire hole is an obscure fire building tradition, I sure get asked about it quite often. People want to know if it really works, is it worth the trouble, and a whole host of other questions.
The Dakota fire hole is a Native American fireplace style that burns wood efficiently like a wood stove. It also provides a greater margin of fire safety by keeping coals and flames fairly contained when you must have an open fire in windy conditions.
By spending some extra effort on the front end to dig the fire hole, you can burn a hot fire with less wood. This can be a huge time and material saver in areas where wood is limited.
Here’s how to make it.
[ Read Full Post ]July 27, 2012
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Our ancestors made cord, twine, and rope from a diverse number of fibrous plants throughout the world. Often, this cord would find its way into every facet of life, from clothes and tools, to fishnets and bow strings. Try going camping without cord and see how well you do.
All is not lost, however, if you come up short. Luckily for us, there is plenty of plant fiber out there that can be turned into rope. The fibers of many different materials can be used in strips or ribbons, in the same condition as they are harvested. Fibers can also be separated and cleaned, and then twisted into traditional, multi-ply cordage.
[ Read Full Post ]July 23, 2012
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These days, it seems like there is a tactical version of everything we buy. That one word—”tactical”— informs us that someone has put a combative spin on an everyday item like a flashlight, a key chain, or even a ball point pen. These ruggedized, intensified, or weaponized items can provide us with one more way to defend ourselves and our loved ones. So having tactical versions of different kinds of gear is not a bad thing at all.
Consider the tactical pen for a moment. In its most basic form, it is simply a rugged pen that both writes on paper and serves as a spike that could be used in hand-to-hand combat. Any pen or pencil could stab an attacker; but a tactical pen can be used to fight back with a surprisingly sharp point, and without the fear of the thing bending or breaking in half.
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