On a snowy day last winter I mounted a Leupold scout scope to a new Ruger Gunsite Scout bolt-action rifle chambered in .308. In this Survival Topic I will show you how the boresighting of the rifle and scope was done. It’s quick, easy, and requires no expensive tools or special setup. Often I choose to go scopeless on rifles but by utilizing quick release scope rings I … [Read more...]
Starting a fire with flint and steel (the steel is also known as a “firesteel”) brings to mind the image of self-sufficient mountain men in the wilderness. A rite of passage that ties you to wilderness travelers through the millennia, the ability to use flint and steal is one of the basic survival skills everyone should master. But how does flint and steel work? More … [Read more...]
A little known survival aid related to wilderness fire making skills is the Dakota Fire Hole, also known as the Dakota Fire Pit. This handy device is easy to construct and has marked advantages over other types of camp fire constructs. Once you make a Dakota fire hole and try it out, you may choose to use this method for outdoor fires on a regular basis. Making a Dakota … [Read more...]
Ever eat a tree? Survival Topics will show you how. Where others starve, expert survivors find food; often in plentiful supply from sources few people know about. To survive where others fail you need the drive to observe and learn, the willingness to try new things, and the ability to drop all preconceived food prejudices. In the Survival Topic Survival Foraging on the Move … [Read more...]
Using wood ashes as a cleaning agent makes alot of sense: they are readily available, free, and relatively safe for the environment when compared to many types of soap. In this Survival Topic we will cover this very handy method for the outdoorsman to clean his dirty dishes. Re-purpose Natural Materials When it comes to wilderness survival, large scale disaster, or even just … [Read more...]
Bannock has been a staple food of wilderness explorers, prospectors, soldiers, and trappers for centuries. Portable, nutritious, tasty and easy to make while surviving in the outdoors, bannocks legendary reputation continues as one of the best survival foods you can bring into the wilderness. Bannock is high in carbohydrates and complements the proteins of pemmican, jerky, … [Read more...]
In wilderness survival knowing how to utilize trees like the balsam fir can enhance your ability to survive. Uses for the balsam fir tree for wilderness survival are so numerous that a complete inventory could easily fill a small book. If you are lucky enough to live in balsam fir (Abies balsamea) country then you have a readily available supply of medicines, fire starting … [Read more...]
In this Survival Topic we will discuss why it is important that you consider ALL sources of drinking water as contaminated with disease causing organisms until you properly treat it. We will also touch upon the best method to make water safe to drink. Water Born Disease Organisms I want to hammer home to you the importance of always always always (did I say “always”?) … [Read more...]
For many thousands of years Polaris has been used as a guiding star and reference point for navigators and astronomers. Through experience and observation humans discovered the North Star lights the way to true north. Know the secret of finding the North Star in the northern sky, and you will know how to find direction even in the darkest of nights. In this Survival Topic … [Read more...]
Knowing how to make your water safe to drink can not only keep you healthy - it could save your life. We often take for granted access to safe, uncontaminated, potable water. So much so that many people do not have the means or knowledge necessary to destroy disease causing organisms that may be lurking in their water supply. Many outdoorsmen, survivalists, and … [Read more...]