Bushcraft Kits - Extreme Survival Gear

A Bushcraft kit contains tools for surviving off the land in very primitive surroundings and harsh conditions

*

Think extreme survival gear and tools on a small enough scale that you can carry them in addition to a 72 hour kit.

*

Morguefile.com

The basic 72 hour kit is great if you had to bug out to a shelter in your area. These shelters are not a place you would want to have weapons or gear such as an axe or firestarting materials. The smaller area you and your gear take up the more people can be housed in in the shelter. Emergency shelters are for situations such as a hurricane, tornado, or an earthquake taking your neighborhood off of the map.
*

Sort out emergency gear into sets for mild or extreme emergencies.

We all know we should pack and have ready a 72 hour or bug out kit. These kits are designed and personalized to contain what we need to feed and clothe ourselves for approximately 3 days in the event of a disaster. Having food, water, first aid supplies, a bed roll, and a change of clothes is in the ideal bug out kit and are for general purposes. The basic necessities in these kits aren't something that need to take up a lot of space.

But what about the other gear you might want to consider?

Image: Morguefile.com

Video: How To Use An Axe For Bushcraft

In a Bushcraft kit we need to be ready to do some hunting, foraging, and fishing.
*

Two items that come to mind are a buck (or bowie) knife and an axe (or hatchet). 

*

These two tools are something that would not be allowed in a shelter but are necessities in roughing it and setting up camp in the great outdoors. 

*

In addition to these tools also consider packing a standard mess kit like the ones the scouts use. It takes up very little space and packs neatly into itself.

* 

Don't forget a set of utensils!

*

Bushcraft Kit Supplies:

Supplies such as a few yards of rope and twine can be invaluable for things like lashing together branches for a lean-to or tie down a tent in windy conditions. Twine can be handy for making a primitive bow or lashing sticks together. It can also be used for making animal traps. 

Suggested list for a basic Bushcraft kit:

Axe or Hatchet
Buck Knife
Fillet knife w/ knife sharpener
Magnesium Firestarter
Rope
Twine
A small fishing tackle box
Mess kit
Utensil Set
A small tent
Small shovel or trowel

Bushcraft tools and supplies in a portable kit can be an essential life saving set in the event of an extreme emergency OR maybe just an impromptu camping trip. Keep your skills fresh and tools handy!

There are other things I am sure I am leaving out but this list is basic enough to get you started. If you have any suggestions on what to put in a Bushcraft kit or would like to list the contents of your kit, feel free to post it!

Thanks for visiting! =)

When the SHTF ~ A Rant

This is about as harsh as I am going to get.. Let other preppers set the doom and gloom tone.

Thinking about all the ways that the SHTF events can impact our lives and what some of us are doing about it makes me think. What about dear friends and family members who are too busy, too caught up, and perhaps not serious about where their lives may be if a situation should occur in their lives that they could have prepared for. Come knocking on my door when it's too late and I am going to want to tell 'em I told ya so, but I won't because I am really not that mean, or can I be???

Fires, storms, riots, unemployment, floods, medical problems, and loss of homes are the SHTF events of today. Preparing for any or all of these crisis can help you to better understand what it takes to prep for a larger event. Starting small and moving onto major survival levels pushes you and your family into a better readiness state and closer to being a family that is ready to survive  and not a family ready to starve, die, or be victimized. 

The emergency teams that are associated with natural disasters do not have time to hold your hand because you neglected to address these issues before these events happened. They need to to find victims who need medical care, locate and prepare the dead, tend to hazards, and organize rescue operations, and deliver emergency first aid to those who need it.

Facing the destruction of all you held dear being gone isn't the time to say I could have done more. It's the time to roll a preparedness plan into action and sustain your family until circumstances turn around and you can be guided back to a reasonable living situation. With the essentials of food, water, shelter, and emergency energy covered you can be ok no matter what you have lost. Your life, your health, and your family with you is more important than the pile of stuff that is no longer there.

Where does one begin?

Gather your emergency 72 hour kit together, now. Arrange a set of emergency supplies that can be stored in the trunk of your car. Sit down with your family and review what measures you need to take for your particular needs. Set aside a stock of food storage. Collect drinking water and energy sources such as batteries, charcoal, sterno, and similar items. Make bed rolls to go with each emergency kit as well as a change of clothes.

Ask anyone in a hurricane zone what's the first things to disappear in the markets? They will all tell you: Bread, Water, Batteries.

Having these life sustaining items in store long before a disaster is on your front step is wonderful insurance for your family.

Preparing to support your family in times of trouble is as important as planning to pay your bills every months and planning to go to work to tend to their needs. Why leave preparedness out of your planning? You plan a family vacation, do you not? Plan a survival team family meeting and implement a contingency plan in your lives.

The more you talk over the needs of emergency preparedness and gather against the SHTF crisis the better off you are going to be, no matter what happens!

More by this author @

www.survival-recovery.com

and 

Home and Family Preparedness

Highway Accident - How many had an Emergency kit?

Chemical spill creates havoc on I-15 

Is there an emergency kit in your car? Being prepared for emergencies in any situation makes sense with so much going on these days. Fires in the news and things like this highway accident should be warning signs to get on with readiness.

Why be stranded somewhere when proper planning with preventative measures means you don't have to be?

I wonder exactly who had emergency kits with them when a chemical spill stopped up the highway for hours. Trouble on highways and traffic tie ups can take you well past your next meal break and into schedule disruption. What if this event kept people trapped out there for days? Now, that's a scary thought. 

Accident Closes Highway... From: LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL 

BY LAWRENCE MOWER AND BRIAN HAYNES

A chemical spill shut down three of the four lanes on Interstate 15 near Primm for hours Friday morning, causing traffic to back up for miles in both directions.

If you have a survival kit ready to go for in your vehicle, scrambling for food, water, and some kind of shelter is not necessary. It is already taken care of. Supply a bag for your car with items that can take the heat of being stored in the trunk. Food items, water in GLASS bottles, a blanket, a change of clothes, and a first aid kit can take you a long way in these disasters.

Start collecting those small drink bottles and refill them with sanitized drinking water. Make sure to clean the bottles and sterilize them before adding the water. Wash well in hot, soapy water and dunk for 10 minutes in boiling water to kill bacteria. Let cool and dry. Add mixture of water that is three drops of bleach to one gallon of water. The bleach will keep bacteria and algae from forming. Change out the bottles every 3-4 months or so. In summer and deep winter, skip the glass bottles and remember to bring a few bottles of water with you or a gallon of drinking water. If you get into the habit of carrying a few supplies with you, an emergency breakdown in scheduling will not affect you too terribly. P.S. Don't forget to bring a good book with you!

ER Bar

Carry items in a bag with you for nutritious snacking. Packages of nuts, cheese crackers, jerky, and granola bars take up very little space and can aid in times when we can't get to our next meal immediately. Gum and hard candy can help with a sugar burst or two. Hard candy also helps with thirst as it counteracts a dry mouth. Even a small amount of nutrition is better than sitting someplace with an empty stomach. Good too are the emergency cookie bars. I call them cookie bars because that is what they taste like.) They provide sustenance and will give the body enough energy to get to the next step in a crisis mode.

Lastly, carry emergency equipment. A small shovel, basic tool kit, roadside emergency kit, and maybe a portable grill for heating water or cooking. The better the planning and emergency kit, the easier the crisis is handled. Don't be one of the people out there wishing they had supplies. Be the one who planned well.

If you have any suggestions on items for a car emergency kit, please, add them in the comment section below. Thank you for visiting!

The advertising links featured on these pages are products from various affiliate programs for the purposes of quality marketing. We feature them here because we recommend them as quality products and will not recommend something that will not meet your needs. By clicking on link and purchasing items you are contributing not only to your well being and needs but you are helping support the writer of this site with small residual income. This enables further research and time to keep working on these issues and topics. 

Frugal lifestyle is Emergency Planning!

Random Readiness notes:

As a driver in a busy city I never know where my day may wind up. I am always starting a new adventure when I clock in at the office and am issued the keys to the car of the day. Some days it may be easy to do lunch at a fast food joint. The other days however may find me camped out somewhere (in a shady spot hopefully) and waiting for my client. These types of work have me either thanking God I brought my lunch pail with me or kicking myself that I did not. I want to be as prepared as I can for the job I do. Who knows? Maybe tomorrow will be a round trip charter to LAX and back to Vegas. That's a long day and I do NOT want to stop for long. The sooner I can get home safely the better off I am and the company's expenses are as well.

The same thing applies to any planning of a long term trip, building a contingency plan for emergency survival,  or that just in case unknown minor emergency. Bring a bag that's small enough to not be a bother but roomy enough to keep a few readiness items in it.

Planning ahead well enough you take pressure off of the situation and can apply that energy to using other skills.

This has been covered this in  other posts but I really want to stress how much easier it is to plan ahead for crisis than it is to have to live through it with out any back up what so ever.

I have people tell me all the time I am wasting my time. Laugh out Loud, I think to myself. I have used these plans and supplies a number of times though not on a serious scale, yet. Times of tight budget, illness, unemployment, and seriously busy scheduling have me accessing my preparedness planning. Time and again I am grateful that I am NOT wasting my time but adding to the things that help me.. Saving time and money in the process.

Frugal lifestyle IS Emergency Planning!

More info on these handy links:

Survival Food Basics:

http://www.squidoo.com/survival-foods-requirements

AND

Survival Recovery Site: www.survival-recovery.com

Survival Kit Ideas: 

http://www.squidoo.com/a-survival-kit-list

Red Cross , FEMA, and Emergency Skills

The Red Cross is a wonderful resource for Emergency Skills!

*

In catastrophes we need to be ready for anything. 

*

People who work with the Red Cross and other organizations as first responders need all the help they can get. If we are better prepared to help our self, family, neighbors, and friends the better we can all work together to assist those folks who are there to help us.

*

A class from the Red Cross or FEMA's First Responder's Course would be a great way to learn more about what we need to be prepared for emergencies and how to go about that. In the video Jaime Lee Curtis shows us a recommended 72 hour kit and it's contents. A class can help teach you other preparedness ideas to add to that readiness.

*

This short video shows us some simple tips from the Red Cross for what to pack in an emergency kit.

*

*

These classes not only teach first aid and medical emergency techniques such as CPR they also teach you what hazards to deal with like turning gas and electrical supply off if there is a danger from them being active. There is a wealth of information in attending these instructive courses! 

*

Better still most of these classes are offered for free! 

*

Learn and use the simple practice of being aware of what dangers you may face in your area in terms of weather and other possible hazards. This information maybe one of the best things you can do for your family, yourself, and neighbors as well. These valuable skills can be carried on into a full on survival mode if needs be.

*

 Set aside time to attend a First Responders Class in your area sponsored by FEMA or a become a Red Cross Volunteer. 

*

Operational First Responder Courses: 

www.fema.gov/nims/nims_training.shtm

*

***

*

Red Cross:

 Prepare for Emergencies with American Red Cross First Aid, CPR ...

*

Related Articles:

Red Cross Volunteers recent interaction with emergencies:
Red Cross Responds to Fla. Floods, Western Wildfires



More information on preparedness and other survival and readiness topics see:
Site: www.survival-recovery.com

Image: Allposters (affiliate permissions)

Updated and edited (again!) 07/20/2012

Links For Related Survival Topics - Site Map

Links for related Survival Topics here on Preparedness 1 2 3 are listed by topic.

The links below are articles on this blog Preparedness 1 2 3 (or Prep123 for short!)

I wanted to sort them into categories as sometimes the blog posts get jumbled and you may not be able to see some great tips and writing because it's buried in the back of of the blog.

Thanks for dropping in and don't forget to book mark this page! It will be updated from time to time when new links are added!

Communication:

• Preparedness - Communication Devices

Disaster Preparedness:

• Plan ahead - Prepping For Natural Disasters 
• Preventative Measures - Wildfires

Emergency Kits:

• Highway Accident - How Many Had An Emergency Kit?
• Food Ideas For 72 hour Kits
• 72 Hour Kit and Bug Out Bags
• First Aid Kits and Supplies
• Survival Handbag

Emergency Preparedness (general preparedness posts):

• Readiness and Mental Preparedness
• Power Out - Is My Food Still Edible?
• Children And Emergency Preparedness
• Emergency Preparedness Specialist
• When the SHTF - Rant
• Surprise! The Moment You Were Preparing For Wasn't Disaster!
• What If's We Don't Think About
• Why Store The Basics?

Food Storage:

• Vitamins In Emergencies
• Food Storage Companies
• Home Production
• Budgeting For Food Storage
• Storing Foods
• Fussy Families - My Family Has Different Diet Needs
• Inventory And Food Storage Planning

Frugal Living:

• Frugal Lifestyle IS Emergency Planning
• Crisis Planning - Frugal Living
• Frugal Living Storage Tips

Gardening:

• Container Gardening Ideas
• Container Gardening How To

H2O and Water:

• Quest For Clean Water In Emergencies
• Water Main Break - Store Some H2O
• Stay Hydrated Party Animals!
• H2O

Home Defense:

• The Spirit Of Preparedness - Self Defense

Preparedness In Action:

• Barely Making It
• Move In Employment Has Me Relying On My Preparedness

Survival Skills:

• Red Cross And FEMA Emergency Skills

Other Great Links Here:

Almanac
Butter for food storage

See more on Squidoo: Preparedness Keys

Survival Recovery on Wordpress:

Survival Recovery (Site)

Crisis Planning - Frugal Living

Preparedness and Financial Crisis

How preparedness can help us be ready for a financial crisis.

Image Credit: www.morguefile.com jdurham 

A job change some 30 days ago still has me in crisis mode. It has been a few weeks since I had a predictable income and I have been able to work through this situation because I set a plan in action. 

I thought out what I needed for about a month to save on expenses. I planned out the month of supplying my home with the needed paper goods like toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags, ect, and the goods I regularly use in the bath and kitchen areas. Together with the food set aside in freezer, cans, and freeze-dried forms this period of little or no income has been easier to endure.

This situation is also a seasonal occurrences as I work in an industry that has a good income for about 5 months out of the year during the convention season and then drops to very small paychecks by the end of the year. I have to be prepared to weather these changes in my income. If I don't save against these lean times I am stressed over paying my bills and supporting my family. Saving money and putting aside the foods and goods we live on is my investment in our money season.

Tackle this situation long before it comes across your home's threshold by stocking up on household necessities now. Take a home inventory. Predict your family's use of health and hygiene items, foods and water supply. Putting a crisis mode plan in force long before it becomes your nightmare can be a major comfort in a time you need to worry about something other than spending those couple of dollars on things you could have had stocked ahead of time.

My crisis involved spending cash on certificates, uniforms, materials, supplies, and tools for a new job. With the burden of home stock already set in place, I have been able to make the necessary purchases I needed for my new job requirements and am still able to have a comfortable home. I don't need to worry about my shopping budget week to week at this time because it is already in my stock.

I will replenish the depleted goods in my stock as my income starts flowing back a little at a time. After the basic bills are paid, restocking my pantry and storage deficits comes into play. With about $20 a week over the next few weeks I can be back into my 30 day plan easily and prepare to extend the 30 day plan to 60 days. The only thing holding me back is space at this time.

My next crisis plan? Moving to a new home by the beginning of the year. Frugal living is a way to battle financial crisis gracefully. When we plan ahead in a time of plenty, the lean times can be met with few sacrifices.

Preparedness and other frugal living tips and articles: 

www.survival-recovery.com
www.survivalrecovery.wordpress.com 

Survival Food Storage - My Favorite Tips And Tricks

updated 07/16/2012

Adjusting

Food Storage and Emergency Planning Helps in Small Crisis

What incidents would require a need for using food storage or survival skills? 

Employment Change

A change in employment has me relying on my emergency planning skills, food storage, and supplies. My budget has played out by the skin of its teeth as I switch jobs and have to reinvest some of that income for the transition. This is not a crisis in which I have to go without power, water, shelter. I will not need an alternative source for cooking or leave my home. It is one that has seriously disrupted my routines and taken me out of my comfort zone. The adjustments to new work, surroundings, and people have me circling my resource wagon so to speak. 

I will have to allocate funds for my change in employment status and keep a tight rein for the next few weeks.  I have to adapt to my new surroundings, adjust to a new time schedule, and reroute my meal planning for a bit. Conserving monies is important until the first paycheck arrives. 

Image Credit: www.morguefile.com earl53

I rely on the back up I placed in my food pantry so that I can be prepared for any financial output. The money coming in has to be sliced thin at this moment until it is actively replenished. My attitude has to remain positive even though this isn't a tornado or hurricane or earthquake, it is still a scary situation that has left me a bit unnerved. The comfort is there knowing I have something to fall back on until life returns to a normal pace once more.

Medical Crisis

I think back to the time I faced a major surgery. I was in a frightening situation. I would be unable to work for at least two months. My income came to a screeching halt. The certainty of laying in a recovery bed for weeks was a daunting thought. I was very sick. I scarcely wrapped my head around the fact that a  hysterectomy was necessary to help me get better. I would have to rely on my food storage to recuperate and support my nutritional needs because I would be bed bound for at least ten days. I would be in severe pain from the surgery and the medication would make it difficult for me to drive. It would be an unwise decision to leave the comfort of my room for anything other than a short trip to bathroom or kitchen.

The supplies in my pantry allowed me to eat, tend to my incision and medical needs, and be comfortable in the few weeks I was down and recuperating. The buffer a bit of food storage and supplies offered was a worry I did not have to feed. I had small applesauce cups, crackers, soups, and cereals to eat. I could crack open a can of beef stew or make a quick noodle dish for nourishment. 

Be Ready, Be Stocked Up

The pantry should contain at least two months of supplies. Ideally, a food storage plan should cover one and a half to two years of supply for the individual and family members. Store the things you will eat. Explore ways to dry store, freeze, can, and bottle edible goods. Set aside a budget for this monthly. A good food storage can be built off of $50 a month. Take inventory at least every six months to see what needs to be rotated and what supplies are running thin. Make it a habit to store personal items, hygiene products, and a bulk of first aid supplies. The more you set aside, the more comfortable the recovery. 

More by this author:

www.suvival-recovery.com

Survival Foods Requirements

Food Ideas For 72 Hour Kits

Emergency meal and power bars packed with nutritious ingredients lend much needed nutritional resources to our supply. For situations where cooking a regular meal is not possible or the need to conserve our resources is present, a power bar can float us through to a more convenient place and time.

High calorie energy bars don't have to be expensive.

In seeking the right ones make sure they can with stand heat and have long, stable shelf life.

Garden of Life's Raw Meal is a great addition to your list. With a full meal daily requirement in a simple mix and consume powder you don't have to skimp out on your full dietary needs.

For more nutritional information on what to store see article: Survival Foods Requirements

Additional food support for emergencies see site: Survival Recovery

Survival Food Companies

There are many food companies in the survival business. Some specialize in convenient pre-selected large packages for long term purchase. Others have a catalog where you can select and build your own long term store. They all feature long shelf lives.

I have found some companies have an inexpensive price tag which looks great until you read the fine print. The weight content is why the foods are cheaper. Find the heaviest weight in the product you are seeking and you have found the best value for your money. This is valuable information when putting as much product in the space you have available. I personally want to store the heaviest possible amounts as I am limited on places I can put my foods in the storage area I have allocated.

Popular Preparedness for Emergency Survival Food Online Catalogs:


Free Food Storage Calculator:
Shelf Reliance

Large Selection of Entrees:
Nitro-Pak


Special Packages in mylar bags:
Mountain House Freeze-Dried Food


Small storable container selection:
Lindon Farms Food Storage

Fussy Families & Food Storage

Fussy Families and Food Storage

My family has different needs for their meal choices.

One family member is allergic to peanuts, so there goes peanut butter for that one. Another one can't tolerate soy products. Label reading is a required study when shopping and cooking. Grandpa is a diabetic and the youngest one in our family only wants to eat cereal at every meal.

How do I plan a storage around that? 

Just like you plan your weekly grocery trips. Only for storage you plan it in bulk. How long do you want to have your storage last? Seeking ways to make sure that quality holds up?

Store what your family eats. Know the better your family can eat in times of stress the healthier your survival will be and the easier the crisis will be to get through.

These questions enthusiasts manage to work around in their quest for ideal preparedness for emergency survival.

Full Article: Survival Foods Requirements

Site: www.survival-recovery.com