Category: Survival Mindset

Tracking Dogs- Part 3, by D.D.

As you can see, the dogs are the least of your worries. They are just one of the tools that are used to accomplish the overall goal of catching you. They are used for direction and tracking, and they supply information to the other searchers. A K9 may also be used to grab you, just as they would anywhere else they are used. Even if you could somehow trick or neutralize the dog, you are still going to have to deal with quite a bit of other things. To get into range of doing harm to the dog or handler …


Letter Re: Vacuum Sealing Jars and Feed Store Grain

Good morning, Hugh, I enjoyed and learned a little more from Sarah Latimer’s post. I’m interested in the method used to create a vacuum in the canning jars when dry canning. We have arrived at the same place you have– to use glass jars. We have canned many jars of dehydrated apples and other items by heating the jars in an oven to 300 degrees and sterilizing the lids, filling the jars with the contents, and tightening the lids quickly. This has worked well 95% of the time. We have heard of various devices to place a vacuum on jars, …


Letter: Getting Home

HJL, I am a truck driver. At any giving time I am about 200 to 600 miles from my house. In a mad max scenario, martial law, et cetera, I have a get home bag that I keep with me at all times. What I want to know is, what would be the best way to get home? Do I follow the roads? Do I go through the woods? Do I follow train tracks? I have a map of the rail system. Thanks and keep up the good work. – J.M. HJL comments: The answer is “Yes”, to all of …


Letter Re: Dealing with Troubled Teens in a Post-Collapse World

HJL, In response to the question “Let them in or not?” in “Dealing with Troubled Teens in a Post-Collapse World- Part 1”, do yourself a favor and answer “NO!” to that question. Dealing with a “troubled teen” when the child is your own is one thing. Voluntarily inviting that kind of volatility into an already bad situation is sheer insanity! Not only will the child not listen to you, you run the risk of an “authority conflict” between you and the child’s parents. This will affect everyone under your roof and could spell disaster for all. Reaching out to others …


Dealing with Troubled Teens in a Post-Collapse World- Part 2, by Credo in Deum

Aside from sexually-related conversation, which is discouraged in the classroom, food is probably the number one topic of interest among juvenile inmates. After assignments are collected and they are conversing in the few minutes of free time before an officer comes to escort them out, these juveniles endlessly talk about what will be their first meal after they get released from jail. Needless to say, they’re not too thrilled with the bland institutional food they get. Burritos, burgers, cakes, cookies, and candy are among the delectable delicacies that they can’t wait to sink their teeth into. Imagine what things will …


Letters Re: “The Deadliest Shooting in U.S. History”

Several SurvivalBlog readers wrote in concerning the top note yesterday about CBS’ claim that Orlando was the “deadliest” shooting. CBS really missed the mark with that claim, underscoring the mainstream media’s inability to do even the most basic research and their inability to correct or retract bad information. This is by no means an all encompassing list, and the main reason for posting it is to underscore that the worst atrocities and mass killings were perpetrated mostly by government entities and/or targeting those least capable of defending themselves. The 17th century has multiple massacres against Native Americans that easily exceed …


Dealing with Troubled Teens in a Post-Collapse World- Part 1, by Credo in Deum

The collapse has happened. You thought you were prepared for just about any challenging circumstance. Do you have enough food? Check. Enough water? Check. Enough guns and ammo? Check. Are you ready to deal with unexpected guests, including lazy, rebellious, criminal, troubled teenagers? You better check! Why do I bring up this issue, you may ask? Maybe it’s because in my own line of work as a substitute teacher, I come into contact with quite a few teenagers. Before I retired, I taught in elementary school, middle school, and even adult school. After retirement, I’ve had the unique opportunity to …


Guest Article: Open Source Intelligence, by Samuel Culper

In light of an election season, economic conditions, and domestic stability particularly vulnerable to disruption, we should examine a distinct possibility. Under Title 10 of the U.S. Constitution (as described in Title 18, USC Section 1385), the President has the authorization to order military forces to support civil authorities and to aid domestic security efforts. These operations are referred to as Military Assistance to Civil Disturbances. After the Watts Riots of 1965, the U.S. Army drafted a plan for the Defense Department, codenamed Operation Garden Plot. Since then, U.S. Presidents have authorized both regular army and national guard troops to …


Five Common Mistakes New Preppers Make and How to Avoid Them- Part 2, by S.M.

Practicing Poor Opsec (continued) There are a lot of different ways to see if a person is receptive to prepping or whether they are sheep. Help those who ask for your help or are interested in becoming prepared. I actually put together an easy 30 day pantry list and have been asked for a copy by several people shortly after the “winter weather” discussion I mentioned earlier. They can easily grow from there on their own. Some other great topics that you can work around to a preparedness conversation that I like to use are: Civil Unrest. Everyone is discussing …


Five Common Mistakes New Preppers Make and How to Avoid Them- Part 1, by S.M.

Those new to prepping, and even those more experienced, will often find themselves overwhelmed with not only information that is often conflicting but with tasks. “Where do I even start?” is a common question. It is my intention to help you become less overwhelmed and more organized in what you will soon realize is a marathon journey rather than a sprint. In doing so, I will attempt to keep my particular opinions to a minimum and just provide helpful information to the readers. Failure to Properly Assess Your Situation There’s an old saying, “If you fail to plan, then you …


Survival Escape and Evasion, by Nemo

When reading survivalist literature, on various blogs and in fiction, there are many good ideas and suggestions, but often suffering from an idealization of circumstances, both before and after “the event”, which throws all into confusion. On the one hand, preparations for disaster are too often haunted by the twin hell-hounds of over-confidence and the myth of universal preparedness. Over-confidence, in that the prepper is assumed to have unlimited financial resources and time to purchase the items suggested and to acquire the training needed to do various things. Universal preparedness, being a myth, is based on the idea that the …


Letter Re: Venezuela Eating Worse

Hugh, I understand the situation. The people are desperate. Looking at those pictures it is easy to see they are subsisting on too many starches, which makes them appear well fed, though they are not. So I’m not meaning to criticize, but there is also in those pictures of their food something of note. There’s lots of foods there that can be reproduced. Seeds in the veggies can be planted, beans can be planted, coax seeds from the onions and carrots, plant a potato, etc. Are they doing that? Do they have a place to do that? Would it be …


Readiness Mindset: Your Most Important Survival Tool- Part 2, by B.G.

Keep yourself from giving up. Always stay positive. Negativity will kill you faster than the lack of nourishment, enemy combatants, or nature. It is an absolute guarantee that you will fail, if you give up. Staying calm and keeping a positive mindset will give you the mental endurance to continue on and make good decisions. Find your mental trigger. This is what you will think about when you are on your last leg, ready to give up, or don’t think you can do what needs to be done. This will be your motivation to push that one more mile, to …


Readiness Mindset: Your Most Important Survival Tool- Part 1, by B.G.

Whether prepping for a EOTWAWKI situation or any potential disaster or emergency in everyday life, the most important and powerful tool at your disposal is your own mind. A person can have all of the fanciest survival gear and equipment, but without the proper mindset and training it is all nothing more than a cool looking, expensive pile of useless junk. Even a person who has studied countless books, guides, and manuals for every survival situation imaginable can be rendered completely inept in the moment of an emergency, when all that knowledge is needed the most. If you wish to …


Letter Re: Realities to Off-Grid

Hugh, Just wanted to share that the bucket toilet seats don’t last long, only about five months. You need to build a wooden box and put on a real toilet seat. You will get a build up in the bucket over time and bleach doesn’t clean it. Pour boiling water over the sides and bottom and it will come out clean and odor free. Laundry done by hand will need a place to drain, since you can’t wring it out as well as a machine. You can use a wringer, but it doesn’t do well for jeans and sweat shirts, …