Wednesday, August 29, 2012

What is Bushcraft?


Bushcraft is the skill set you would use in a survival situation either in wilderness or even in a shelter at home situation.

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Bushcraft skills include...


Firecraft - the ability to create and maintain a fire without matches

Tracking - knowing what signs to look for animals in the wild


Hunting - the knowledge of not only taking an animal for food but knowing how to dress and butcher the meat for consuming.

Fishing - an obvious skill and one of my favorites!


Other very helpful Bushcraft skills include:

  • Shelter Buildin
  • Tools Use - knives and axes 
  • Foraging
  • Hand-carving wood
  • Container Construction - using natural materials for baskets, storage, etc.
  • Rope and Twine-making

These are important skills essential to the maintenance of human life. Bushcraft skills are generally learned in Scouting Programs early and are a part of military survival training. Add these skills to your emergency preparedness planning list for the event you may have to use them!

   

Related sites: 







Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Preppers - Urban Legend OR Urban Myth?

Preparedness and emergency planning is what makes the difference in your being an urban myth or an urban legend. 

Let me site some experiences to help you relate to the difference.

Donner Party - Allposters ~ Affiliate Permissions
Donner Party ~ Image: Allposters

When the Donner Party headed across the plains they ignored strong advice to avoid the pass in the mountain now named for their fateful planning. In the cold of winter they found themselves trapped in crippling snow and ice facing a dreadful situation. In their lack of planning they resorted to cannibalism.

To me this lack of proper planning leaves them in my category of urban myth

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They did not survive well!




More on The Donner Party Herehttp://raiboy.tripod.com/Donner/id14.html

An Urban legend would be someone that has planned well and fortified themselves to withstand any crisis or disaster such as the scenes from this video:



Is this the category you fit into?

Who would qualify as an urban legend?

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Image Credit: MorgueFile
Modern preppers who have thought out their emergency list and the reasons and actions for planning are to me urban legends. These folks understand the ins and outs of preparedness and have placed their resources accordingly. They plan for sheltering in place for situations that would allow that and have put up a food storage and a supply of goods to carry them through these difficulties. They have also set aside equipment for supplying energy to their homes in the event the power grid goes down or some other calamity shuts off the electricity supply to their homes. They also have plans for defending their shelters. They garden, they stock and preserve foods and they go about their lives in regular routines but always on guard for trouble or additional ideas for emergency planning.

Image Credit: MorgueFiles
In the even of a disaster that would require an evacuation, these preppers have that planned out as well. They have set aside food, water, and supplies in 72 hour kits and have stock ready to go in their homes and their vehicles if needs be. Traveling on foot in a situation where they cannot use a vehicle is also on the list of emergency plans. Inside these kits are cooking gear, small tents or hammocks, first aid supplies and various tools and supply to aid in surviving in a wilderness setting. I can assure you most of them are trained to confront hazards that may be present on the road to safety.

Plan for emergencies today!

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Get your list, plans, and supplies together for preparedness and consider your family urban legends!

 








Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Preppertalk - Preparedness NOW not weapons later


Preparedness means taking care to stock foods and other useful supplies for your family NOW before the event of a disaster or crisis. Weapons or other home defense tactics usually are in the planning. There are plenty of sites online that discuss tactics. This blog is for more light topics but I had to touch on this subject so that others who aren't aware of this can be on the alert.

I have a side business where preparedness is part of my sales pitch. I ask people if they do food storage or if they even have a 72 hour kit. Preppertalk is part of my routine when I am not at my full time job.

A few times I had folks tell me they are going to find people that are prepped and take their stuff. They get a little dark when they go into their "battle plan". I laugh at them. For one don't they understand? Folks who prep usually have a defense plan in place and it's going to take a bigger idiot than them to even see the food or supplies stocked away.

More about it here: Preparedness is NOT Pillaging on survivalrecovery.wordpress.com