It's hunting season! Don't worry your wife - be prepared in the wild!

As I am typing this, my husband is getting his camo gear out from the deep, dark depths of the corner of our closet.  Hunting Season is here!  But, before he's able to dust off his binoculars, I am going to be rummaging through his bag to make sure he has what he needs to survive if he were to become stranded or injured in the wild.


What to have in a hunting survival kit:

1. Water and Food: The #1 thing to be sure you have is water, and food is a close 2nd.  Scavenging for food can, in most cases, be easier than finding drinkable water so it is important to pack a canteen pre-filled with water, but also some sealed emergency water pouches or boxes.  It's a good idea to have an emergency supply that will last you 72 hours.  I know it sounds like a lot of weight to carry, but our Troops carry much more in the 120-degree desert, so suck it up and just pack it!  Water purification tablets are a lightweight, compact solution so you could purify found water.  Freeze-dried and dehydrated food are the best to carry because they are extremely light weight, require only water to prepare and maintain most of their nutritional value.  High-calorie food bars are another great food solution because only one or two bars per day can keep you alive and trekking through the wilderness.

2. Warmth: Most good hunting spots are at higher elevation where it can get very cold at night even if it was a nice warm day!  Having a source of fire and an emergency blanket or body warmer can literally save your life.  You should add both waterproof matches and a lighter as backup.  An Emergeny Candle that has an adjustable wick is another option that can provide both light and a source for cooking.  A simple poncho with hood is a must to stay as dry as possible.  You can also add hand and foot warmers that you shake to activate, and don't forget a pair of warm, dry socks and compact wool gloves.

3. Survival knife: One that has multiple functions like an army style knife (has scissors, screwdriver, can opener, file, etc. in addition to the knife blade) is great way to save space in your pack.  A larger hunting knife is also a must to make cutting into your kill easier.  Check out our Ultimate Survival Knife HERE!

4. First Aid: On my husbands very first hunting trip, he made the rookie mistake of keeping his eye butted up tightly to the scope and not being well-braced when he made his shot = a HUGE gash to his eyebrow when the rifle kicked back that probably needed stitches, but they were faaaaar from the hospital.  Luckily, they had butterfly bandages in their pack to hold it closed while he was being a "man" and saying he was "fine" and they continued the hunt with blood blurring his vision!  So, needless to say, even a basic first aid kit WILL get used out there even if you are not stranded.

5. Survival Tools: Compass, Crank or Shake-to-charge flashlight (requires no batteries), Hatchet (we sell an awesome foldable multi-tool hatchet, shovel, saw, hammer HERE!), and don't forget to include a map of the terrain and area where you are hunting.



6. Misc: Fishing Line and Hooks (catch fish for emergency food), duct tape, nylon rope, tarp or pop-up tent for shelter, emergency glow stick, hand sanitizer or wet-naps (these have a scent to them, so only use if it is absolutely necessary because you don't want to scare off your prey with a foreign scent!), plastic bag, pocket tissues


Please leave a comment if you have more items to add to my list!

If you don't want to compile a kit yourself, we have a pre-assembled Hunters Survival Backpack that is camoflauge, HERE!

Paper Plates in my Survival Kit - What are they good for? Absolutely EVERYTHING!

Paper Plates - such an ordinary object, with extraordinary abilities!  It is one of the many ordinary household things that make a great addition to your survival and emergency kit.
I bet you have a stash of birthday plates that didn't get used up last year - throw them in your emergency survival kit!

Here is a list of 10 uses for paper plates in an emergency situation - if you have more to add to the list, leave a comment and let me know, I'd love to hear more ideas!

1. Conserve water, use paper instead - in an emergency situation, water might be a precious asset and you don't want to waste it for washing dishes.  So, don't bother using your plates from the cupboard, just eat off the paper plates!
2. Fuel for your fire - if you are ready to throw a soiled plate out, don't!  Use it instead to help get your fire started.
3. Funnel - roll it up so that one end is smaller and one end is larger to make a funnel.
4. Make a paper cup/bowl -  If you are using it for liquid, this solution will only work temporarily until it is soaked through.  Fold your plate in half, and then fold the left and right side inward securely to make a temporary cup or bowl to scoop or transport almost whatever you want!  Use it to scoop rice or grain; use it as a temporary cup for water; use it to gather berries or nuts, and more!  When it does soak through, lay it out to dry and then either use it again, or use it to start the fire.
5. Entertainment for the kids - paper plates can become endless craft projects for the kids to help them pass the time - mask, Frisbee, crown, paper airplane, etc.
6. Protect food from flies - you can use them to cover your food if you have to step away, to help protect against flies and other bugs from spreading disease or germs onto your food
7. Use them to leave a Hansel & Gretel style trail to aid rescue efforts - you can write your names on the plate and use them to mark your trail and you can also leave instructions on the plates for how to find you.  You could set a rock on top, or attach it to a tree to reduce the chance of it flying away.  Don't forget to put a pencil in your kit!
8. Make a visor - if it is sunny and you are stranded without your sunglasses, you will want eye protection as well as protection for your nose from the sun. You can cut a circle from the top so that hopefully the plate is large enough to place onto your head to serve as a visor.
9. Fly or Mosquito Swatter - just roll it up like a roll of newspaper, and swat away!
10. Megaphone - although it doesn't work quite as well as a real megaphone, it can help direct the sound of your voice so that the sound doesn't disperse as quickly and will carry a farther distance.  This will help your call for help be more effective.  Just roll it up so that one end is smaller and one end is larger, and call for help through the smaller end.

Surviving the Storm - What should be in an Emergency Survival Kit?

Prepare before the weather forecast.
As we saw with Hurricane Irene, being prepared before the storm hits can make evacuation, rescue and repair efforts go more smoothly and with less casualties.  Being prepared before the storm is even predicted can take a lot of stress off of you and your family, and make evacuation more comfortable.  Having the emergency survival basics already packed up and ready to go at a moments notice can provide you with extra time to do other preparations such as boarding up your windows and packing up the car with other items you want to bring with you.  For those of you who choose to stay and weather out the storm, having an emergency survival kit would be CRUCIAL to your survival should the storm take a turn for the worse and you are left to fend for yourself.

What should be in an Emergency Survival Kit?  Here is a basic list of items so that you can compile one of your own, or save yourself some time and money by purchasing a pre-assembled kit that already has all of the items contained in a handy bag or bucket (like the ones we sell HERE and HERE).  There are many different items you could add to your kit, these are just the basics,

1.  Food and Water

• Compact food bars are a great food solution because they take up little space, require no utensils and are easy to share.  Look for ones with a high calorie count.
• Freeze-dried and Dehydrated meals are VERY lightweight, come in waterproof packages and maintain most of their nutritional value.  They only require water to prepare and most are very delicious and taste just like a home-cooked meal.
• Water. Drinking water boxes or pouches, plus water purification tablets or water purification device in case your emergency is prolonged and you run out of drinking water.  This water bottle is really cool - it has water filtration built-in, so you can have filtered drinking water wherever you are! 

2. Warmth and Shelter

• Rain Poncho - one for each family member
• Emergency Blanket or Sleeping Bag
• Source of heat or fire - waterproof matches, warming pads, emergency candle
• A simple, compact tube tent is a nice bonus
• A pair of dry socks for everyone in your family
• Warm gloves for everyone in your family

 

3. Light and Communication

• Flashlight. I prefer flashlights that do not require batteries so you don't have to pack batteries and risk them running low when you need them most.  Shake Flashlights are really cool - you simply shake it to charge it up, no batteries required!  There are also wind-up flashlights, squeeze flashlights and solar-powered options as well.
• Radio. I like the ones that run on both batteries and also an alternate form of power such as solar or wind-up, so that you don't have to worry when the battery runs low.  Choose one that also has the Weather Band.
• One of the above could also be a multi-tool that includes things like a compass, knife, emergency flashing light, etc.
• Glow sticks. These are handy in case you need to flag down an emergency crew, or to tie onto you, your child or your pet so that you all can be better spotted at night.  Especially helpful because kids and animals are known to run off, and if you are in the dark it might be hard to find them again.

4. Helpful Tools

• Knife.  This can be a army multi-tool, or something more advanced like a hunting knife.  A knife is useful in many situations and can help you prepare food and shelter.
• Multi-Tool.  This will save much space in your kit.  A tool that has things like a compass, a knife, a light, emergency siren, even a radio all-in-one would be very helpful.
• This multi-function survival shovel is AWESOME
• Nylon Rope.
• Duct Tape
• Gloves
• Dust Mask

5. First Aid, Hygiene and Sanitation

• Compact or portable basic First Aid Kit
• Wet naps and/or hand sanitizer
• Bags for infectious waste
• Compact toothbrush and travel toothpaste
• Pocket Tissues (can also be used as toilet paper)

Elenin - Comet, Dwarf Star, Blue Star, Black Hole... whatever it is, sounds like 2012 is coming early?

I was just made aware of the multitudes of recent research done on Comet Elenin.  Some think it is not a comet at all, but is a Brown Dwarf Star, or a Black Hole.  If it is a Comet, there is a fear that the tail of the comet contains Hydrogen Cyanide and we might all be exposed to this poisonous gas.  It might create an unusual gravitational pull, bringing on volcanic eruptions and seismic activity causing massive earthquakes.  Or, it might bring an electromagnetic event - an EMP event, maybe? Others think it may be the dreaded Blue Star the Hopi Native Americans had warned about; or the return of Nibiru, Hercolubus, Planet X or part of the 9th Wave in the Mayan prophecies, or playing a role in the Book of Revelations in the Holy Bible.  It is very interesting and disturbing when also paired with all of the prophecies most of us are already aware of surrounding the 2012 doomsday, rapture, reawakening, pole shift, enlightenment or whatever you believe December 21, 2012 will bring.

After researching the subject, the dates they give are mid-to-late September; more specifically, September 26th - 28th for when we will feel the effects of Elenin.

It is just another reason to prepare... even if nothing happens at all.  Like I've said before: if nothing happens, my 20-year shelf life food will bring me great comfort knowing that I am ready for anything; may that be job-loss, economic downturn, inflation, disaster, riot, or anything else that might prevent me from buying food from the grocery store.  Then, in 20 years, if I have not used my long term food storage, I will have the most awesome camping party where all of my friends and family will share with me the most gourmet camping feast anyone has ever tasted!  Click HERE to view some of the ready-made, long-term food supply options we sell on our website.

Do your own research using your preferred search engine and some videos on youtube.  It is important to look at research from many different outlets because some are biased and some might provide other pertinent information others have either missed or purposely ignored.  You could listen to some You Tube videos or podcasts while doing housework or as you are laying in bed to go to sleep.

Virgina Earthquake - Are you prepared for a disaster?

Although today's earthquake in Virgina produced little damage (thank goodness!), it reminded me that I feel [as] secure [as one can be] in the fact that if and when a strong earthquake were to strike here (predictions say that we are due for "the big one" here in the Pacific Northwest), I have survival gear prepared for my family to grab and go if we have to leave our home in a hurry.  I also have Long Term Food Storage so that my family will have an emergency food supply to fall back on if we are unable to get to the store, or if the store was destroyed!  Since I just started this blog, I haven't yet put together a post on emergency survival kits, but we do sell some pre-assembled kits on our website www.survivalproductsdirect.com , HERE and HERE that you might find helpful either for ideas for your own kit or to purchase to save yourself some time and money.  I pray that no one was injured today in the earthquake in Virgina, and I hope that there are not significant aftershocks.

See my blog post HERE about grab and go emergency survival kits.
See my blog post HERE about starting an emergency food supply.

I don't have room for Long Term Food Storage... or, do I?!

Earthquake, tornado, pandemic, hurricane, tsunami, terrorist attack - oh my!
When I first decided to start putting together an emergency supply of food, I did a little research and found that most people suggest to work up to having a year's worth.  YIKES!  Just thinking about having a month, a three-month, let alone a year's supply of food stocked up on the shelves conjured images of canned food taking over my kitchen cabinets and spilling out onto the counters... or images of spending countless hours preserving foods in jars, sticky everywhere (preserving food is actually really fun, but I shutter to think about making enough to feed our family for 3 months straight, or even buying and making space for that many glass jars).  I don't really buy canned food because of the studies done on the harmful effects that BPA has on your body, and most canned food can liners contain BPA.  After doing more research on the subject of long term food storage and emergency food supply, I came to realize that it doesn't have to be canned or preserved jar foods, and it doesn't have to be in my kitchen AT ALL!  I could store dehydrated and freeze-dried food in the garage, under my bed and even in the coat closet!

Some of the most compact food solutions we found are made by Wise brand in a square-shaped bucket so they are more efficient with space than a round one, and are easily stacked in the coat closet, with plenty of room left for our coats. Each freeze-dried or dehydrated meal is individually packaged and safely stored within the bucket. They are also more compact than stacks and stacks of #10 cans like the Thrive brand (which we also own, and are good but I like the efficient storage Wise brand provides). So, the Wise food buckets are the ones we decided to sell in our store.

Having a stockpile of food is a really good idea so that you wont be left with bare shelves and an empty refrigerator if disaster were to strike, or if you get laid off from work and you have to change your budget drastically and suddenly. A "run on the stores" is another concern, wiping the store clean due to looters or genuine buyers of the food during a crisis.

In addition to our long shelf life food supply, we have a garden and just bought a greenhouse this summer so we can try our hand at growing over the winter! So far, we have 6 months of "Long Term Food Storage" food stored up; I'm working towards a years worth as our budget allows.

p.s. These food packets don't have to be reserved for an emergency, they are GREAT for busy moms or bachelors needing a quick dinner solution!  Just pour the package contents into a pan, add water, stir and cook... in about 12 minutes, dinner is ready on the table!  Or, if you have a last-minute potluck to attend!

MONSANTO'S GENETICALLY MODIFIED CORN COMING TO A PLATE NEAR YOU!

MONSANTO'S GENETICALLY MODIFIED CORN COMING TO A PLATE NEAR YOU!
This is the title of a horror film to give you nightmares for weeks... but this is a true story about Zombie Frankenfood that will come to life this Fall, find its way to your home, and you might unknowingly invite it in for dinner.

Monsanto co. plans to launch a Sweet Corn Fall 2011 that is intended for our grocery stores and you wont be able to tell the difference between natural corn and this FrankenCorn.  In addition to the corn in the fresh produce section, Monsanto is also in talks with companies who will can or freeze their corn - contaminating your long-term food storage options too!  You may already be familiar with the Monsanto's genetically modified, Round-Up Ready corn they developed for the feed and fuel industries, but this corn is intended for human consumption.  The corn is genetically modified to be resistant to RoundUp herbicide being sprayed directly on it, killing everything around it BUT the corn.  ICK!
Being genetically-altered is creepy enough of an idea by itself, but to make things worse, independent laboratory studies have found that these gmo corns causes organ failure, sterilization and other serious problems in rats.  DOUBLE ICK!
Now is a better time than any to start budgeting so you can afford to spend a little bit more at the grocery store to choose Organic over generic foods. 
If your budget is tight, the best solution would be to grow your own garden using seeds that are Non-GMO, Non-hybrid.  You can grow an entire garden that will provide vegetables for months for the price of only a few vegetables from the grocery store!  You control how your garden is grown, and which chemicals (or lack thereof!) you have (or have not!) used.  Plus, with your own garden, you can be ready for whatever the future may bring... job loss, inflation, disaster or emergency that causes a run at the stores, etc.

Here is a whole can full of seeds for your garden that are non-hybrid, non-gmo from Survival Products Direct - click HERE - this is great because each of the cans contain several pouches of seeds.  Instead of the paper pouches you see in the stores that can rip open or get wet, these are in resealable mylar pouches... resealable so you can plant a few seeds now, then reseal the pouch and then plant more a couple weeks after, so you can stagger your harvests (so you don't have 30 squash all ripe in the same week, you can plant them so you'd have 10 ripe per week for example).  The can has a lid, so you can keep all of your pouches handy and tidy all in one place instead of open and spilling all over the garage!


P.S. Here are some links about this recent development about Monsanto's Sweet Corn, so you can do the research yourself:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-04/monsanto-to-introduce-engineered-sweet-corn-in-u-s-this-year.html?cmpid=yhoo

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/08/monsanto-biotech-sweet-corn-human-consumption.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/12/monsantos-gmo-corn-linked_n_420365.html

Some documentaries worth watching on the subject of Genetically Modified corn and other foods and our government's roll in assisting it's advancement:
The World According to Monsanto
King Corn
The Future of Food
Food, Inc.

Grab and Go Kit - what is it, why do I need it?

 In an emergency situation, you might need to leave home in a hurry!  You'll want to have at least a 72 hour survival kit in a compact, light-weight pack or portable bin so you can, well, "Grab 'n' Go"!  You don’t want to be scrambling around at the last minute, gathering items from around the house in an emergency... you need to get out of the house before you get hurt!

We are a family of 4, so I packed the "essentials" for 2 adults and 2 kids into a rolling plastic bin that has a lockable lid and wheels and a handle... like a rolling suitcase but more waterproof!  I am the type to over pack on vacation, so I got something large but in hind sight, I realize I don't need as large of a bin that I have; a hikers backpack or duffel bag would work awesome and would probably be easier to carry if you have to go a long distance with the kit, or if you need to hold your child's hand with one hand and roll the kit in the other, the bin might not work as well.

The basic/essential items I have in my family's Grab 'n' Go kit are:

• FOOD & WATER: Be sure to have enough servings or calories for each member in your family of food and water - don’t forget your pets! Water filtration is also advisable.  I have water purification tablets as well as boxes of drinking water.  I have Wise brand freeze-dried/dehydrated food packets - both the kind that you can prepare in it's own bag, and also some that you would heat up in a pan.  I also have 18 400-calorie emergency food bars - 2 per adult per day and 1 per child per day.
• FIRST AID: A basic, pre-assembled first aid kit has pretty much everything you need.  A small bottle of hand sanitizer or wet naps are a good addition too. 
• LIGHTING: Flashlight (plus batteries for the flashlight if it’s not solar or wind-up) & emergency candle - the emergency candle I have has a roll-up wick so you can increase the flame to cook with - you could also get one of those mini camp cookers.  The flashlight I have is a wind-up radio/flashlight combo, plus 2 compact squeeze-to-charge flashlights for the kids, where they only have to squeeze them to power them up - no batteries required!  Shake-lights are cool where you simply shake it to create the power to turn it on!
• WARMTH: Emergency warming blankets (the shiny silver kind that is lightweight and compact), waterproof matches, hand warmers and a poncho for each family member
• OTHER: Pocket knife, glow sticks, emergency whistle (has a compass on it too!), a small notepad, a pencil and a deck of cards is nice to help pass the time.
• DOCUMENTS: You might also want to keep a small folder that includes a photocopy of your insurance cards or numbers and company contact info (medical, home, life, auto, etc.), your bank account numbers, birth certificates, passports, social security cards, and any other pertinent information you might need if you will be away from your home for a period of time, or to prove who you are.
• DIGITAL FAMILY PHOTOS: In case of fire or total destruction of your home, you might also keep a collection of family photos on a memory device, card or disc in your grab and go kit so you wont loose any precious memories.
• PET ITEMS: Don't leave Fluffy and Fido behind!  If you have pets, you'll want to also include food and water for them, plus an extra leash and an extra glow stick or two that you can tie onto their collar so they will easily be spotted in the dark should they break free from the leash out of fear.

I have other items in my kit too that are considered bonus "extras" that I will do further posts on later.  The items listed above the the things I think are most necessary to survive.

If you have any other ideas to add to a basic grab-n-go kit, leave a comment and share with me!