SMALL CONTAINER WATER STORAGE

                                                                                 

Many have little choice but to use small containers for water storage. There are a few things to look out for when choosing a container. One is the use of milk containers, a no-no for sure, no matter how well you think you can clean them out you cannot get into the small little imperfections on the plastic they harbor the bacteria that will turn your water bad in a heartbeat. Plus, they are flimsy and will fail in a short time. The same for those already filled water plastic containers with a spicket. The plastic is weak and will fail in a year or less. Avoid a problem and do not use these containers.

 Pop bottles are great and will keep water for years. A few drops of bleach in the water works well. I have had water in some pop bottles for years. When checked they were fine and good to go. Keep the bottles out of direct sunlight. Do not forget to clean the cap with bleach also. Be sure to include the threads of the bottle top. Any glass bottle is good but could lead to breakage. 

 The amount of water that seems to be suggested by the survival experts is one gallon per person a day. I think that is way too conservative, I suggest at least 3 gallons a day per person. That includes cooking, drinking and cleaning, like washing clothes. And that may not be enough, so go to the high side as much as possible, nothing replaces water in your diet. If you can find 40 gallon containers so much the better, but remember that water is heavy, about 8 pounds a gallon, so a larger container might be difficult to move and do not forget a small hand pump. 

For those of you who can get a hold of the 55 gallon drums or water storage so much the better but remember the weight you are dealing with. A 40-gallon container will weigh in at about 320 pounds, so a dolly might be a good investment or a very strong son. When I used the 55 gallon containers I placed them in a location so they would not have to be moved, I could roll the 40 gallon containers if I had to. I believe it’s better if you do not have to move them. Rolling them is a huge pain in the butt. It could compromise your container. No sense in taking that chance. 

 The alternative are the small containers, way better than nothing. The pop bottles are very strong as they have to be in order to withstand the pressure of the carbonation process. That’s why they do not fail over time, keep out of sun as that can make them brittle. You can stash them under beds, sofas, chairs, in cubby holes, in a garage on shelves etc. Years ago when I lived in an apartment I had about 100 bottles under a bed, even stacked them. Keep some in your trunk, under the seats, every little bit will help in a breakdown of water service if it ever comes to that. 

Do not forget your pets they will need water also. My deerhound drinks about a gallon a day. Water is something we cannot live without, plus if you have emergency food much of it needs water mixed into it or to cook it. I know water is not as sexy as food to store, but it is just as important if not more so. Water, prepare for it now. Once it is cut off, good luck with that one. Water is so common we often do not think of it ahead of time. It is not hard to get ready for storage of water, you just have to do it. Daddy can I have a drink of water? If you feel the water is suspect just boil it. Water is life. 

      BY 

                                                                             DUDE MCLEAN

BUG OUT THE HARD TRUTH

 Bugging out is a thing that is beat about on all survival forums and magazines, either by truck or car or hiking etc. The one question I always have about being on foot is, when is the last time you ever

hiked any long distance with 50 to 100 pounds on your back in the heat summer or winter cold? Most will not be able to last a few miles. What about your family? Being under stress will be a factor that you cannot ignore, plus at some point you will stop and throw gear out of your pack deemed not needed because it is too heavy to be worth it, or it is just worthless. I feel the fantasy of bugging out on foot seems like a romantic adventure, that is the lure of heading for the hills. Get out your bug out pack now and go for a hike. Be sure someone can pick you up, I doubt you will get far.  I know of a few who could do it, but even they will have a tough time of it.

 I love it when some writer says to get out ahead of the crowd. What is your info source that will allow you to know you are ahead of everyone else? You really have no more info than anyone else

and that’s the hard truth. All roads are like a river with many side streams that add to the flow. Everybody is not starting out from the same place, but feeding into the stream/road at different places. Witness the roads we are seeing in Canada with all those poor folks in a huge traffic jam. “Oh I know a short cut”, really? Well so does everyone else, they have maps/GPS just like you, cars running out of gas, flat tires,

overheating and other things that break you down are lurking. Wrecks will be everywhere. Its bound to happen and no one to call to remove the wrecks off the road. Nightmare alley is the name of the game.  Panic stricken drivers will make a lot of mistakes to be first in a race to nowhere. The unlawful will most likely be around every curve looking for a pickup that is loaded with gear, an easy to spot target. You might be a badass, but so are the ones who will covet your gear and they won’t be alone.

 Then there are people who will say “well I am living in my bugout location”, by definition  that is impossible. A bugout location is somewhere else other than where you are. Think about it, no matter where you are now that you think is a safe place you can be displaced by events. Events like huge fire storms, tornadoes, earthquakes and floods to name a few things that can upset your location. You always need a backup plan, but it has to be viable for you to execute. Now is the time to check out how far it is and what if someone else took over your bugout location before you secured it. Oh the problems that you may have to deal with. A fire fight is really not an option in real life, they are just

as desperate as you are. That leaves to chance being killed, good guys do not always win. No one wants to chance being killed or wounded that might lead to death. No matter how well one may think they are off the beaten path. If there is a dirt road or a path that is a problem in a large scale SHTF. If you are settled in have a few locations that you can bug out to planned ahead. You most likely will not be able to really defend your location against several bad guys. The bad guys are determined to get you out and take your gear and maybe your life. It is much smarter to fade away to another location. Know your AO ahead of time, explore while you still have time.

 I am just using common sense here and identifying some problems. Remember the best plans happen really fast once they begin, circumstances change in a unforeseeable manner. Be ready to shift with the wind. I hope this will get you thinking about your bug out plans. 

                                                                       by Dude McLean

Mentors...What Does It Mean?

I recently read about a well-known survival guy who said, and I’m paraphrasing here, that he had no mentors — he learned it all himself. Really? It would take a long life time to learn all the primitive survival skills on your own and how would one even know about them in the first place. We all have a teacher in some form. Even if you don’t agree with them, it sets your brain to thinking of another way, or an improvement to your mind.

Mentor: Someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced, often younger person. A trusted counselor or guide, tutor or coach.

For many, a mentor is from a book you read. Even if you were set off just by adding a nuance to what you read, that author was a mentor. Even the author of a magazine article that is BS and sets you off experimenting on your own is a Mentor.

If you are lucky enough to have a face to face instructor and can admit you learned even one thing, he/she is a mentor, even if they set your thinking process that perhaps sends you in a better direction.

A Mentor can be a friend who is not actively being a Mentor, but has a skill set they share with you in a conversation or just in the act of camping together and having campfire talks. I believe some think it is a weakness to admit they have learned from someone else. I also believe the person who is a Mentor can be younger than you. Anyone who teaches often times learns things from a student. If you’ve ever taught any class, you will have experienced this.

An old friend of mine once said to me why are you taking classes from that guy, he’s way younger than you? What does that mean? He had a set of skills that I did not have, that’s the bottom line.

I was very weak in plants and had tried out several books and instructors. Then I began taking some of Christopher Nyerges’s classes and it was apparent, almost instantly, I found the right Mentor. He is a natural born teacher who was articulate and knew his subject. One thing I liked was his attention to detail. And if he did not know something, he told you so. A know it all teacher is not a good thing. Being honest with himself and the student is a bonus for everyone. I’ve had a lot of Mentors, some more important than others, but learned from them all.

As one moves along in life, you look back and say, “wow how do I really know all this stuff?” It’s simple, you picked the brain of several mentors along the path. You practiced and soon have tucked a lot of info into your grubby brain. You now have experience and have provided your own nuance to the subject.

Some never learn anything new and get stuck in the sands of time never questioning your “way” of doing a certain skill. We have a habit of taking what some guru of survival says as gospel. Rigid thinking is your enemy and is hard to part with because you have convinced yourself that this is the right thinking. It took me quite a long time to use stainless steel knives. I still like the patina a carbon steel knife attains over the years of good honest work in the bush, but I now use stainless, not exclusively though. It was after Alan Halcon kept harping at me, that he gave me a Mora. Yes, he’s cheap, but after using it for some time I see things have changed with stainless steel. Shame on me for not being flexible sooner. A lesson in getting stuck in the sand. Lesson learned. Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks

On a personal level, I have so many to thank the list could be a book. Look back and think of those mentors and give them a shout out, or send smoke to the directions because some do not walk beside us anymore. Make an effort to help those just beginning the path of owning the skills, they will never forget you.

Never stop learning none of us are know it all’s. Always be a student of the skills and of life.

In The Gravest Extreme

Guns and self-defense, many of us are of the mindset that we will defend what is ours, and our loved ones. All well and good. However, in this society we have laws that we must, at this point, obey and the closer to the letter of the law the better when it comes to guns, and self-defense.

” In the Gravest Extreme” by Massad Ayoob ,  far as I know is still one of the best books you can own and read, and  parts of it should stick in your memory banks. The copy I have was purchased by me in 1980, it was already in its 18th printing. It covers the role of the firearm in personal protection. This is a book that covers what you should know. Your rights. I’m sure that the book by this time has been updated, keeping up with changes and what you need to know.
Here are some of the chapters. “Self-defense and lethal force.” ” The Dangerous myth of Citizens Arrest.” ” Samaritans with Guns.” ” A Gun At Home.” ” A Gun in the Street.” ” A Gun in your Car.” ” Deterrent Effect of Defense Handguns.” ” Women and Guns.” “High Price of Handgun Machismo.” ” Gun Saftey.” ” The Aftermath.” .
These are only a few of the chapters that are covered.

Many of you are aware of who this man, Massad Ayoob, is as a writer for many magazines and other books on weapons. He is very much sought after as a professional witness in self-defense cases. To the point, he knows his stuff.
This book could save your life, your loved ones lives, and a ton of money, and grief. By knowing a few fine points of the law, what and when to say anything is key. The book is an easy read, 130 pages and is interesting despite at first glance of being boring. Please do not fool yourself with thoughts like “Oh hell I know the law” or “I already know what I need to know my buddy is a cop and he told me” (Many times the police officer is wrong, do not take a chance) . What you think and what is, are two different things. You owe it to yourself to be informed as possible on this subject, it could impact you and your family for years to come. Find a lawyer who is a “pro gun” lawyer in your area and keep his card or number on you, or store it in your phone. The NRA other gun rights outfits have gun friendly lawyer lists.

I just reread this book and it holds up well, still applies today. Shows you that not much has changed. Ammo choice has really changed a lot, and that’s good for us. The book goes into ammo and your gun. Your gun is best left as stock as possible, if you go to court that will be in your favor, it is in the book.

I feel this is one book that anyone who owns a gun should have, and that it should be reread every year.

It is your right. Know your rights. Do not guess at what your rights are.
Read this book do yourself a favor. I am not a lawyer and I cannot give you legal advice. However, I can suggest that you buy and read this book

By Dude McLean

The Rat Trap

 In 2011 I wrote an article on rat traps, that same year we held a Dirttime event. During that event I held a class on traps and how the rat trap is often overlooked as it is so common. So we held a contest and anyone could use the trap they wanted to. The winner would get a bush knife. 

The winner used a baited rat trap, they caught a ground bushy tail. So I thought it would be nice to publish the article here ... but it is not to be as I cannot find the article from 2011, so here is a new article.

 The rat trap is so common that if we need one, we just pick one or two up the next time we go to market. I feel this trap is so important for small game I always have a few of them in my kit. I feel it would be a wise move to have 50 to 100 of them in your stock pile, at present they run about 2 bucks. I prefer the traps by Victor over all the rest as they have a stronger spring to hold the critter and it is very fast. The knockoffs just do not do the trick. I have caught cotton tails, bushy tails and birds and a lot of ground critters that add up for a fine stew, including snakes. 

                                                                                 THE SET UP

I drill at least 3 holes in the trap to hold it in place with cordage or wire, that way it cannot be dragged off and lost for the critter to suffer. I paint some of them but it doesn’t seem to be something you have to do. Bait it with food scraps or peanut butter or seeds. You can set them on a tree limb and tie in place, they do not have to be flat you can even set them on edge against a tree or a bush. The rat trap is very good at catching small game. I do test each trap to make sure the spring is in good condition. The time could come when you might need them to catch vermin in your house, I set a few on my engine block when some ground critters decided the engine was a nice warm place to nest, they chewed some wiring and cost me about 6 bills to fix it.    

Rat traps are light and take up little space in a pack. Rat traps are very effective. Just be sure not to

leave any set when you leave the AO. I have never done this, but have heard you can catch birds with a rat trap, makes sense to me, might be something to experiment with. Keep in mind the laws in your area, many birds are protected, but in a true survival situation I would not hesitate, your call.  Like all traps location, location, location is all important. Set traps along runs where the critters go. You will have a better chance of a meal. Rat traps can be used over and over again, this is a plus when compared to most snares. Sure the meals are small but 6 or 7 small critters add up to some real eating. You can practice on rats and mice. It is much easier to catch small game that larger critters. Set them around oak trees also, as may critters like acorns, any fruit bearing tree will be good.

I feel that a cache of rat traps is a major item to be set aside as a time might come when none are available at the local hardware store is the shtf. Rat traps are cheap enough to stock up on while they are available, Rat steak anyone? Not too bad in reality. Chipmunks are easy to catch. I have never caught a jack rabbit with a rat trap, too big unless it is a very young one. Sometimes your trap will be sprung, look for tracks to see what it might have been and reset plus set up a snare, you might make a catch of a bigger critter. Stock up now!!!

By Dude McLean

Dogs and Rewilding

Dude_McLean

Nov '14

Many indigenous peoples around the world used dogs, not only to help them move but help in hunting. Larger dogs carried packs and pulled carts.

There are many breeds that fall into the primitive breeds slot. Primitive dogs are versatile survivalists, capable of fending for themselves, At the same time domesticated enough to to be specialized in certain activities, hunting, guards, in general a protector for the group and family. Hunting is the primitive dogs oldest profession and primitive dogs adapt to hunting with people and for people. They know how to track game in the right direction, where to find the game, and how to treat a bird or smaller game mammals or a moose, wild boar or a bear. Some are chase and kill hunters. The will chase and kill any animal they can overcome. This can be a plus for the rewilder. For a hunter using a spear, a bow or atlatl aboriginal dogs are extremely helpful in locating, tracking and bringing to bay and killing animals. Hunting

with dogs is most likely one of he oldest forms of hunting the world over. To learn about primitive dogs I have in my library a book "Primitive breeds perfect dogs" by Vladimir Beregovoy and Jill Moore Porter. They go into small detail about these dogs. An excellent book but not cheap. In my library I have around 170 books just on dogs, this is one of the best overviews I have found. Interestingly the best dog books come from England. Another book is "Lost History of the Canine Race:" going back 15,000 years.

In my AO which is the high desert I chose a Scottish Deer Hound, a sight hound, they hunt by sighting the game and running it down, she will bring a jack rabbit back to me and put it in my hand. She will chase and bring down a deer. these dogs hit almost 40 miles an hour for

a sustained amount of time. In a related side note when my other dog was still a puppy coyotes had him on the ground and the deer hound killed two of them by crushing their skulls. Saving the pup. I watched it happen. Sight hounds are so fast, viper fast, the coyotes didn’t know what hit them. Fittingly her name is Arrow. The other dog is an Aussie Cattle dog or Queensland Heeler. I picked that one because they have a high prey drive and can withstand the heat and cold. He has brought back bushy tails and other smaller game. His name is Bodiddly or Dingo Dick, depending on my mood. So I have

Bow and Arrow. The Heelers were bred from Dingoes I feel these dogs are a perfect fit for the rewilder as are others of the primitive breeds like black mountain cur dogs type. I had an Akita for 15 years, a primitive breed she caught quail, doves and ducks, bushy tails, among others she must have ambushed them. Dogs will add to the larder and make hunting a positive outcome for the hungry.

Some other primitive breeds are the West Siberian Laika, The Basenji, so called bark-less but make a lot of noise. The Pharaoh hound a sight hound. Karelian bear dogs, New Guinea singing dogs, while rare they can be found. The Jindo dog is an excellent choice. The Bushmen dogs, dogs of the bushmen, every bushman village has these dogs that hunt with them, they are the only domestic animals they have, the Canaan dog, and the Carolina dog which is a wild dog found in the Carolinas, a fine dog.

Primitive dogs come from all over the world. The Akita with which I had a lot experience with, is a good choice as well, not as fast as some others however. All the primitive breeds are stubborn as hell and will take a firm master but a fair one, they will not tolerate being hit. they are smart and learn fast. You hit one and you lost the dog.

You can find other primitive breeds by doing a google search. Almost any of them would be a good fit for the rewilder community.

By Dude McLean

Skookum Bush Tool

When I first saw the word “skookum,” referring to the name of a knife, I thought, what is that? And what kind of word is that to name a knife? Almost sounds like baby talk. So I looked it up in the dictionary and it is a real word, it is the perfect name for this knife.
I discovered that “skookum” is jargon [Canadian] for anything strong and able, solid and reliable, genuine.” That fits this knife to a “T”.

As close as anybody has come to the perfect bush knife that I have seen," says Mors Kochanski.

Standing in a check out line at a local market in 2002, Rod Garcia glanced down and saw a book for sale -- "Bush Craft Outdoor Skills and Wilderness Survival," the classic book by the legendary Mors Kochanski. Rod bought the book, having always been fascinated with the outdoors life style. Rod read the whole book in one day and it changed his life. He signed up for the Mors Kochanksi winter survival course. Rod found himself in a whirlwind of intense instruction for 6 days, immersed in northern wilderness skills.

Rod absorbed all the information, but even as a "new guy," he was somewhat dubious about the claims for the knife uses that Mors Kochanski, recommends in his book and in his courses. For Rod it just didn’t compute that a ten-dollar Mora knife could really fit the program. In Mors’s class, like most survival courses, the knife is the center of survival. It is the one tool you learn to trust your life with. Could a ten-dollar Mora, really stand up to the hard use that is called for in a real life extreme environment? Rod was not comfortable trusting his life to any ten-dollar knife.

The next year Rod enrolled in the summer course that Mors offers, and at the same time, he was looking for a knife a bit better than that ten-dollar Mora could offer. Besides, he had already broken a few of them; he didn’t like that.

The Start Of Things To Come

In 2005, Rod attended a knife show in Montana, his home state. Rod met a knife maker and they discussed the kind of knife Rod was searching for. Between them, they came up with some good ideas, but the results still didn’t quite live to what Rod envisioned.
Determined at this point to become a knife maker, Rod met a local knife maker who exposed Rod to the basics and he was on his way. Rod sold his Land Cruiser to buy the knife equipment he would need to set up shop. The next thing he knew, he was pounding steel.
Being influenced by his dad, a machinist, Rod looked at the knife he pictured as a tool first and foremost, so it had to be sturdy and yet meet all the criteria needed for a real bush knife. The midnight oil burned on.

The First Test

Rod’s next move was to attend the Rat Root rendezvous, a gathering that includes mostly wilderness survival teachers/instructors [INWHAT STATE IS RAT ROOT?]
In his pack, Rod brought some prototype knives to show around. " They were a little rough " says Rod, the prototypes had been sitting out for all to look at and handle. Mors Kochanski, who happened to be at the event, sat down and asked, "Whose knives are these? These knives are as close as anybody has come to the perfect bush knife that I have seen," reports Rod.
More than encouraged by the endorsement from Mors, Rod spent the next four months experimenting with the design. He worked on the handle. Rod states, "It is important that a tool has a comfortable handle, and that all the parts work together."
Rod settled on a 12 degree scandi grind for the blade. The standard scandi grind is 91/2 to 10 degrees. So the Skookum Bush Tool grind is a little steeper and will handle more abuse. Rod’s first knife was 1095 steel but he moved quickly to carbon "O1" and "O2" steel.

Skookum Bush Tool is Born 

Rod moved to his own testing in the field, all the while making adjustments until he felt the knife was ready for the final word. Rod sent three finished knives to Mors Kochanski.
Rod waited and waited, but heard not one peep for over three weeks and then, the phone call. "You are the first person to make my concept of a bush knife since my book was published in 1987," said Mors to Rod. How cool is that?

The Skookum Bush Tool as a Knife

I received my Skookum Bush Tool about four weeks before the deadline for this article. My first impression was "This is a beauty." The handle molded to my hand and feels secure. Everyone who had picked up my knife has commented on how comfortable this knife handle is.

I ordered my knife in "O1" carbon steel, as I wanted the sparking advantage with the carbon blade. I also opted for the "hole" near the tip of the blade, as Mors points out the advantages of this feature. The Skookum knife comes with a sheath that is made for hanging around your neck, again a recommendation from Mors. However, I feel the knife is a bit heavy for a neck knife unless you have on heavy clothing or a coat and the knife is hanging on the outside, I had The Gunhawk, a local gunsmith and leather craftsman, make a customized sheath for my Skookum that hangs on my belt but has a built in option, so I can choose to use the neck method if I so desire (the best of both worlds).

How it Works

This knife arrives sharp. Really really sharp! I cannot think of any other knife I have ever received from any maker that is this sharp, and that is saying a lot.

As this knife performs, it seems to flow through the woodworking camp chores, from fuzz sticks, trap triggers, cooking, slicing and dicing, and batoning. The Skookum features a full tang with a very strong pommel that protects the handle if the knife is driven tip first into the wood. The knife’s blade tip is close to the profile centerline of the handle. The back of the handle and the back of the blade are on the same line. The handle materiel is linen micarta, so it is impervious to the weather and other adverse conditions.

The blade is as long as the width of my hand. As you can see in the photos, the knife does not have a guard. To quote Mors Kochanski from his book: "A guard on a bush knife is in the way and detracts from many operations." Some people prefer a guard for fear of slipping forward onto the knife edge, but unless used for stabbing, the hand should never slip in this way. " In all my years of instructing I do not recall an injury due to lack of a guard." It’s in the book!
Rod also does his own heat treat process. " Being in control throughout the knifemaking process is very important to me. " The sheath is made by Rod as well, in a traditional style and is of heavy cowhide and molded to the knife. I will add Snoseal at a later date, as I do with all my sheaths. The knife sits deep and secure within the sheath, needless to say it is a top loader.

Notice the continuous blade curve transfers to great ease in cutting, making fuzz sticks or whatever you are doing, this feature enhances the practicability of the blade shape.

All of the features you find in this fine blade are straight out of Mors Kochanskis book "Bush Craft" in chapter 3, beginning on page 109 through page 134. I say this because I could quote the whole chapter and it really just boils down to this knife.

"The knife is the smallest and most portable of all the cutting tools. Light and unobtrusive, the knife is readily available for hundreds of everyday tasks in bush living." F(rom the book, "Bushcraft")

Being that the "Skookum Bush Tool " is Rod Garcia’s first effort as a knifemaker, I only have one question ….What took you so long, Rod?


Some Specs
Over all length 9 9/16 inches
Handle length 4 ¼ inches
Weight 6.67 oz
Blade steel O1 carbon steel
Blade thickness 1/8 inches
Width 1 1/16
Handle is linen micarta, mine is green.
(these are my measurements )
Contact Information


Rod Garcia can be reached for more detailed info at
Website http://Skookumbushtool.com
rod@skookumbushtool.com

By Dude McLean
Photos by Alan Halcon