Notes for Sunday – September 27, 2015

There are rumblings from social media in the Middle East that the current flow of “refugees” into Europe through the Balkans will increase before winter sets in, and then resume next spring, in a veritable torrent. It appears that many young Muslim men in more than a half dozen nations have been so emboldened by the success of others that they’ve indicated: “I’m going too.” Watch out folks. Next spring and summer we may witness a human wave of Golden Horde proportions.

o o o

Today, we present another entry for Round 60 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $10,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools, and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 MagPul PMAG 30rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. (An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A Model 120 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $340 value),
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  9. TexasGIBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  4. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  5. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  6. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  7. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  8. TexasGIBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. RepackBox isproviding a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  10. Safecastle is providing a package of 10 Lifestraws (a $200 value).

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value), and
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 60 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skillsfor survival have an advantage in the judging.

Case Preparation: A Building Block for High Quality Reloads, by T.L.W.

Author’s Introductory Disclaimer: I am not a professional reloader. College degrees have only taken me so far into reloading for personal use and formal education cannot replace personal study, experience and common sense–probably true of just about everything these days. Reloading can be dangerous and expose you to toxic metals and chemicals, so please take precautions when dealing with them. The steps below are for informational purposes and are meant to add to the growing conversation on loading your own ammunition in good times and bad. Please use caution at all times!

This discussion will center on case preparation to turn out quality ammo for hunting or self-defense with or without electricity. I certainly prefer all-new components when hand loading for this purpose, but new brass may not always be available. As a result I have attempted to produce reloaded ammunition that meets or exceeds the standards of factory ammo. In years of trials and tinkering I have realized that starting with a good case is crucial to overall end performance. Standard cases ensure uniform bullet-seating depth with an even crimp resulting in a more consistent pressure needed for bullet expulsion. It will also produce a close tolerance in maximum length overall. These factors will improve consistency in bullet velocity and also result in reliable feeding. Notice I did not use the word “accuracy” to describe these improvements. Accuracy involves multiple factors including the shooter, the environment, the gun and the cartridge so even if all of us had the same perfectly loaded ammo your accuracy may vary.

I wrote this for the casual reloader who has a basic understanding and rudimentary tools. If you don’t have those things, they once you have them please revisit this article and hopefully everything will make sense. Having electrical power and access to new material will speed up the process and allow you to learn how to reload while your life does not necessarily depend on it so learn now!

I will use .45 ACP when referencing specifics, as that is the round I recently tested for consistency and reliability. However the techniques described below have been used successfully with both pistol and rifle calibers in semi-auto and bolt-action firearms. With over one thousand of my own rounds down range this past year and some trials of varying techniques I have found that starting with a shell casing that meets tight tolerances can overcome many issues that arise at the range such as failure to feed or failure to eject. Quality control throughout the rest of the process such as using good primers seated to the correct depth, an accurate (ideally digital) scale for measuring individual powder loads, and quality bullets will maximize reliability. While “plinking” ammo can afford to have some variance and a high-end progressive press can churn out thousands of rounds per day that is not the focus of this discussion. I would like to share specifically what I do with some basic tools, a single-stage press and a bit of time on my hands:

1) Tumble: I start with a mixed bag of spent shells and put it all in a vibrating tumbler with a coarse, untreated media (meaning no brass polish).  Tumble for about 30 minutes to accomplish an initial cleaning.

Without electricity tumbling becomes quite a chore, so here is one solution that I have tried with some success: I have a media separator that came with the vibrating tumbler. It’s a plastic ball strainer with a bucket, mounting clips for the bucket and a handle to spin the strainer. I lined the entire inside with aluminum foil and crimped the ends so it stayed in place. I filled half the ball with media then dumped in some spent shells. I then sealed it up and had my 6-year-old start turning while I enjoyed a cold beverage. After 20 minutes of her getting bored and tired and another 40 minutes for me
we opened it up. The brass was starting to get clean! Sand and dirt was gone, spent powder in the bottom of the case was starting to come out and the outside of the case was getting clean enough to see small scratches and dents clearly. While not ideal and obviously labor intensive this was a good-enough solution using what we already had sitting around the garage. A more abrasive media would probably be better for this manual method. We also had another batch where we tried putting the media and shells in a one-gallon plastic bag vice using foil, but that didn’t seem to work as well. Maybe with a little more time it would be okay. I would be interested to hear of other cleaning methods sans electricity.

2) Filter: Dump media through a strainer, sort by caliber and inspect for damage like hairline cracks, large dents, etc. I typically reject about 5% of recovered rounds after this process. For hunting or defense reloads I use only Winchester, Hornady, Federal or Remington brass. This is a personal preference as these manufacturers have good reputations. Remove as much media from the case as possible. There may be small amounts of media stuck in the primer and that is okay for now. [JWR Adds: My habit when reloading is that whenever I discover a split neck or other serious case flaw, I immediately squash the case in my workbench vise. This eliminates any risk of accidentally later reloading the same rejected case.]

3) Sort and lube: I sort brass into piles by manufacturer. This helps ensure uniformity in the case based on the manufacturing process such as case thickness and initial case sizing – something that is difficult to determine for your average reloader. Spread out 50 or so rounds on an old towel and spray down with resizing lube being sure to coat the outside vertical wall of the shell.  The lube works either wet or once dry so there’s no rush to resize. [JWR Adds: If you use case lube that comes from a squirt tube, rather than a spray can, you can buy and un-inked inkpad from any large office supply store. One good squirt of lube on this pad will give you the most efficient use of the lube for dozens of cases. And snapping the lid of the pad shut when your are finished eliminates the risk of contamination by sawdust or any other foreign matter.]

4) Resize and decap the brass:  This is usually done with a single die. For ammo going into a semi-auto gun use a full-length sizing die.  If it’s a bolt-action rifle, a collet die that only resizes the neck is just fine. I use a single stage press and it is certainly slow. That is why most reloaders dobatch processes and keep bags or plastic tubs of cases in different phases of production. I do not do more than 100 at a time when loading for hunting or defense. The repetitive nature of doing much more than 100 can lead to lost mental focus and mistakes that could have serious consequences.

5) Measure: This is a critical step in selecting cases for hunting or self-defense. If re-purposing brass from spent shells understand the case expands in the chamber from the pressure of powder ignition and the only place for that material to go is down the barrel. Your cases will get longer over time and require trimming to get them back in specifications (your reloading dies will come with documentation on precise measurements for case length and overall length). Be careful here as after multiple reloads eventually case wall thickness decreases to the point where the case will split. The mitigation for this failure limits the number of times you reload a single case, Always inspect your cases prior to starting the reloading process. Because of this I only use once-fired brass for critical (self-defense) use. After use the spent shell for a second reload goes to the practice pile. I use a digital micrometer to measure my cases (for .45 ACP my tolerance is +0/-.03mm of maximum case length following resizing; you may choose something different based on your firearm or preference.) Cases that are too long are trimmed to within tolerance. Brass that is too short goes into my plinking can and will only be used for practice. Rotate the case to measure across multiple points, since case mouths or rims may be un-even.

5a) Trim: Use the full length sizing gage that came with the die set with a carbide cutter attached to it. For convenience I use a drill to lock the case in a shell holder then insert the brass for cutting, but this can be done by hand.  You can also clean the primer pocket with a special tool at this time.  I typically do a quality check of a single point measurement with a micrometer to ensure the case is in spec following trimming. If there is a burr from cutting, it should be removed with a chamfer tool.

6) (Optional) Tumble: back in for about an hour in the vibrating tumbler.  This time use a medium grit media with brass polish.  This will remove most of the residue from resizing, however quality resizing lube has no effect on primers or powder so a second tumble is not required. Note: If you used any resizing lube then you must remove any lubricant that you used for resizing. I realize here that some progressive presses [with carbide dies] do not require the use of resizing lubricant.

Back to my manual tumbler: I found the brass polish slightly tarnished the foil I used to line the filter. I have not done research into the exact cause and it may very well be spent powder grit that is electrostatically attracted to the foil, but given there are undisclosed mild solvents in the brass polish and the long-term effect on powder and primer function is unknown I will not be using brass polish with this method in the future. A tumble without polish should be fine to soak up any excess lubricants.

6a) Optional ultrasonic sink cleaning: If you have the inclination and equipment, a quick turn in an ultrasonic sink will make your brass look like new. Make sure to use a brass cleaning solvent and not a steel one iny our sink and never substitute one for the other when cleaning brass. This will remove all oils and polish from the cleaning and resizing process.  You have to rinse with distilled water and dry the brass thoroughly before moving on.

The results of this tedious process have been measureable. I tested 200 rounds of .45 ACP ammo from a SIG-Sauer Model 1911 Scorpion at 20 yards. I used 50 Federal and 50 Hornady factory loads, but chose as a benchmark the 50 rounds of Winchester “white box” factory ball ammo (230 grain) as it was the most accurate. My own 50 rounds used once-fired Winchester brass, CCI primers, Magtech 230 grain ball bullets and Accurate #5 powder. I do not own a chronograph, so I chose group size as my standard. At 20 yards I saw a 21%improvement in accuracy using handloads (meaning reduction of shot group diameter using a gun rest for a 5-shot group was 4.2” for factory ammo down to a 3.3” group for handloads). I had one failure to eject from the Federal factory ammo, but no other failures. Anecdotally, I have seen similar performance from my own 185-grain JHP, but I have not measured the differences.

While there are more variables than simply case preparation I believe that my trials demonstrate that reloads can be a viable option for critical applications in any scenario where factory ammunition or new brass is not available. Reloading will also save you a little money in the near term, and much more over the long term. Keep reloading, and stay safe!

Letter Re: Trail Shelters and the Hantavirus Threat by Zac T.

Hello All,

In an effort to remove oneself from the vectors in a trail shelter I’d suggest never going in to a trail shelter… Carry and bring your own solution with you. After hiking for 10 hours, nobody is going to break out their N95 mask and wet mop down a shelter to remove the virus risk. The best someone can hope for is to remove themselves from the now known threat and avoid the pests causing it.

Hennessy hammocks come complete with a rain fly and mosquito netting that you zip yourself in for the night. No bugs, and no mice. However, some people can’t comfortably sleep in them, some can. It is best to figure this out before shelling out the cash. Once you borrow and try one, carrying a complete solution for camping out replacing your tent for a hammock is a good bet. What I found personally is that tighter ropes make a more horizontal sleeping area, I don’t like having my feet above my head. Everyone is different so you have to find what works best for you.

Yes, you still could sleep on the ground using a tarp lean-to, but when it only takes a few minutes to find trees 15 feet apart and wrap a nylon strap using carabiners around it. In under 10 minutes you can have your sleeping area set up. And tear down using snake skins is just as quick. You can break down your sleeping area in the same amount of time, under your rain fly, keeping dry… (Video.)

You can even get an under bag and winter camp using a hammock. (Video.)

(This Shug Emery guy [in the video] is a bit crazy, but you gotta respect camping at -40 Fahrenheit in a hammock.)

This year I got my hammock and have made a few trips to places that didn’t have good level ground for a tent or tarp -like in a swamp. Yep- the mosquito netting is a great thing! The hammock opens up your mobility, and it is noteworthy that Hennessy sells green and camouflage hammocks.

You can get a cheaper hammock to try sleeping in it, before you commit to buying a more expensive Hennessy.

One warning that I’ve read is worth repeating: If you put up a hammock in a trail shelter you risk causing the load bearing supports to shift causing a shelter to collapse. Aside from that, thigh-diameter trees work fine.

I hope this is helpful. – Fitzy in Pennsylvania

Letter Re: Proof the Economy Will Get Worse, From the Dept. of Ed.

Hello, Gentlemen:

First thank you for all the time and effort you put into SurvivalBlog. I am
a daily reader and have found it very helpful in my prepping journey.

As part of that journey, I have learned that I cannot take a lot of
“insider” information at face value. I work to find sources to verify it or
at least review the original source of information. We should all do that.

In response to the 19 September article, Letter:Proof the Economy Will Get Worse, From the Dept. of Ed., I reviewed the link the writer posted to the FAFSA announcement. The original FAFSA announcement provides critical information that the writer of the article apparently failed to notice. That is that beginning with the 2017-2018 FAFSA form the date of availability for the form changes from January 1, for example;January 1, 2017, to October 1st of the year before. So, using the 2017-2018form as an example, it will be available on October 1, 2016. Here is the exact statement from the Dept. of Education site: Beginning with the 2017–18application, the FAFSA will be available to students and families October 1 of the previous year.

While one could certainly read all types of theories into this the most evident one is this; with the form now being available for completion and submission on October 1, there is no way that the submitter would have tax returns available for, in this example 2016, as W-2 forms cannot go out before the end of the tax year and must go out by January 31 of the next year. So,2016 tax forms cannot go out before 2016 is over, thus the FAFSA submitter has no choice but to use 2015 tax returns. Unless of course they want to wait four months until they have their 2016 W2 and have completed their tax return. I suspect the Dept. of Education moved up the form release date from 01 January to 01 October to help facilitate the timely processing of FAFSA forms. Yes, I know, hard to believe our government could do anything to improve efficiency!!

I find this to be the most sensible explanation for this change in tax form requirements for the FAFSA form beginning with the 2017-2018 FAFSA form.

Hopefully, this response to that article will encourage my fellow readers to“trust but verify”. Many pieces of poor or just plain wrong bits of information or insights have been given out with good intentions. – JSD

Odds ‘n Sods:

For more than a decade titanium nitride has been a popular protective hard coating for internal gun parts such as gas pistons, firing, pins and AR bolt carriers that requires only minimal lubrication. But now a company near San Diego is offering a full gun coating service. (Thanks to Terry H. for the tip.)

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Reader J.B.G. flagged this: The RV for the end of the world: 18-tonne, $890,000 vehicle that looks ideal for people who like holidaying outdoors – in a warzone

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Reader M.T.H. suggested this Fox News article: Surrender: San Fran’s iconic, last gun shop to close over new regulations.

JWR’s Comment: I wistfully remember shopping at the San Francisco Gun Exchange right in the city’s financial district, back in the early 1980s. The store was always crowded with well-dressed business executives during the lunch hour. The store had very politically incorrect door handles fashioned from elephant tusks. The store’s inventory was varied, the prices were fairly competitive, and there were a few jaw-dropping “display only” pieces. The Gun Exchange was owned by a very friendly Jewish couple named Posner. It had started out as modest pawn shop in the early 1960s, but by the 1980s it catered to high end gun collectors. It was sad to see how the hoplophobes made one whole sector of righteous commerce impossible for an entire city. Don’t let the gun grabbers run amok in your town, folks!

o o o

I liked this primer over at The SHTF Blog: Situational Awareness: A Skill You Need

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with
them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said,
Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold
my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not
faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my
God.” – John 20:26-28 (KJV)

Notes for Saturday – September 26, 2015

One this day in 1789, Thomas Jefferson was appointed America’s first Secretary of State. The 26th of September is also the birthday of the late Jack LaLanne. (Born 1914, died January 23, 2011.)

o o o

Great news! I just heard that Wranglerstar’s book: Homesteading: Rediscovering the American Dream is now available for pre-order. Wranglerstar is my favorite “hands”on” videoblogger, who really lives the life and is someone who has developed a wealth of traditional skills, so this promises to be a great book. His video announcement mentioned that the book features more than 200 photos.

o o o

Today, we present another entry for Round 60 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $10,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.
    Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools, and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 MagPul PMAG 30rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun
    Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. (An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A Model 120 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $340 value),
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  9. TexasGIBrass.com is
    providing a $300 gift certificate, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a
    combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance
    in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  4. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  5. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  6. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270
    value),
  7. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  8. TexasGIBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. RepackBox is
    providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  10. Safecastle is providing a package of 10 Lifestraws (a $200 value).

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal
    Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower
    Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. APEX Gun Parts
    is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value), and
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 60 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Trail Shelters and the Hantavirus Threat, by Zac T.

1

There are a number of fantastic hiking trail systems within the U.S. The
Appalachian Trail alongside the East Coast, the Continental Divide through the
Rockies, and the Pacific Crest along the West Coast immediately come to mind,
just to name a few. And if you’ve ever spent a considerable amount of time
backpacking through one of these trail systems, you’ve probably passed a
prepared shelter or two.

Your typical trail shelter is essentially three walls and a roof, meant to
really just get you out of the wind and rain. Should you be placed in a
survival situation and opt to go bug out in the woods, wouldn’t a trail
shelter make the perfect home base? It’s already built, they’re typically
built near a running water source, they’re certainly secluded, and many of
them even come with an outhouse!

Who wouldn’t want to grab one of these great shelters as quickly as they
could?

Unfortunately, there’s also a downside to trail shelters. As I mentioned,
they’re really nothing more than three walls and a roof, and though that may
do a good job of protecting you from the elements, they do a very poor job of
protecting you from critters and creepy crawlies. In reality, shelters tend to
be notorious places for woodland animals to congregate thanks to the ready
supply of food and trash that irresponsible backpackers leave behind.

From my own anecdotal experience, I can personally attest to this fact.
I’ve spent many a a night sleeping in the woods, and have yet to have a
favorable experience with sleeping in a trail shelter. When sleeping in a tent,
I have privacy, I am ensured that I’m not sharing my living space, and I know
that I’m not laying down in filth. When sleeping in shelters, I’ve been
attacked by an army of baby skunks, have felt mice repeatedly run across my
legs, watched bats fly two feet from my face, been woken to black bears looking
for free grub a few feet away, have had to deal with other people’s trash,
and have listened to the sweet melody of mosquitoes nibbling on my ears all
night long.

It’s honestly not a pleasant experience.

However, the most dangerous part of the journey is not the animals or bugs,
it’s the viruses that they can leave behind. In particular, hantavirus.

Hantavirus is an especially nasty little virus that is carried by some
genera of rodents, with mice and rats being the main culprits. Early symptoms
include fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, and dizziness. As the infection
progresses, eventually the lungs begin to fill with fluid and the patient will
have difficulty breathing. If not treated quickly enough, death can occur as
the patient slowly suffocates to death.[1]

With readily available medical treatment, the risk of serious complications
or death is greatly diminished. However, we are discussing a survival
situation! Superior medical treatment isn’t going to be available during this
type of situation, so you need to ensure that you know about hantavirus.

Within the U.S., deer mice, white-footed mice, rice rats, and cotton rats
are the predominant carriers of the virus, depositing infectious material every
time that they pee or poop. Humans become infected by breathing in aerosolized
particles of hantavirus, by being bitten by an infected rodent, or by touching
droppings, urine, or nesting materials and then touching their eyes, nose, or
mouth.

Unfortunately, mice and rat droppings, urine, and nesting materials are very
often part of the home décor at most trail shelters. Should you decide to
claim one of these shelters during a survival situation, odds are that you’re
going to do what you can to clean the place up a bit to make it more like home.
However, sweeping can readily spread hantavirus particles throughout the air
that you’re breathing. Even if you decide not to clean out the cabin, I can
virtually guarantee you that there are going to be mice that have made
residence there, and considering the fact that all it takes is one mess up to
become infected, staying in a shelter overnight quickly become unappealing.

“But don’t people sleep in shelters all the time?” you ask.

Yes, they do. I’ve done it too. But this doesn’t mean that this is the
best idea. Currently, hantavirus within the US has a case fatality rate of
approximately 38%, and backpackers are at an increased risk of catching the
disease.[1] Why? Because they have a
greater risk of being in contact with mice and rats, and typically that happens
from time spent in infested trail shelters.

Let me give you an example:

My buddy and I had hiked 17+ miles one day, and were absolutely exhausted.
We didn’t make camp until twilight, and by that point, all we wanted to do
was just lay down and rest. Setting up our tents was too much work, so we opted
to just sleep in the shelter instead. We didn’t know that the place was
infested with mice.

It was terrible.

There were mice nibbling on clothing behind my head, running across the
rafters, tramping across our chests, and pitter-pattering their way across the
floor all night. One particularly mischievous little fellow somehow managed to
find his way down the rope where we had hung their bag, and then proceeded to
play with a noisy candy wrapper all night long.

Yes, we made it through without getting hantavirus, but we most certainly
played the odds that night. I don’t want to do that again. Had we retired in
the wrong spot, had we swatted at the wrong mouse, had we placed our hand on
the wrong spot on the floor and then rubbed our eyes, then we could easily have
been infected. That’s all it would have taken. Fortunately, we made it out
fine. Still very sleepy, but fine.

Unfortunately, others have not had the same outcome.

Back in 2012, a group of hikers were trekking through Yosemite National
Park. 10 visitors were infected, and 3 of those 10 actually died from
hantavirus. The majority of those infected are believed to have contracted the
virus while staying at the Signature Tent Cabins. One other patient probably
was exposed to the virus while staying at the High Sierra Camps.[2]

Hantavirus infection does happen, and you have no way of knowing which
shelter is infested with it, and which is not until after the fact. You have to
take preventative steps with this virus.

So, what can you do to prevent hantavirus infection while bugging out?

Well, the first and easiest thing that you can do is to prevent your
exposure to the virus. You can do this by avoiding rodent-infested
areas, and in this case, that’s trail shelters.

Personally, I just don’t believe that they’re worth the risk. Sure,
they’re already there and readily available, but that convenience comes at a
cost. You’d be much better off just packing a tent out with you and staying
in that. Should it absolutely come down to the wire, and I had no other source
of shelter and was about to freeze to death I’d have no problem with staying
in a shelter, but there’s a risk-versus-rewards analysis that you need to
perform in your head here.

Secondly, protect your food supply from rodents. On the trail, I do this by
hanging every bit of food that I’ve got in a bear bag at least 20 feet off
the ground. Anything else that potentially smells like food goes up there too,
such as toothpaste, soap, and the like. Mice are incredibly smart, and will
find a way to gain access to your food supply if you are not careful, and when
they do, they’ll be depositing all kinds of nasty little germs all over your
food.

Third, if you absolutely must clean out a rodent-infested area, there are a
few precautions that you should take. NEVER use a broom. Brooms aerosolize
infectious material. The same thing applies to vacuums. If you need to clean
out an area where rodents are present use a wet mop or towels moistened with
disinfectant.[3, 4] Next, make sure that you’re wearing some form of latex gloves when cleaning out areas contaminated with urine, nesting, or fecal material. I’d wear some form of respiratory protection as well, such as a N95 mask, just to be on the safe side.

If you don’t have these items, then I honestly would look into considering
other shelter options. Do you have a tent or tarp with you? Can you build some
form of shelter for yourself out in the woods somewhere that hasn’t been
infested with rodents? Be creative with your shelter options in this scenario.
Where there is a will, there is a way, and there’s nothing like a survival
situation to bring out one’s creative side.

In Conclusion

With hantavirus being a very elusive and mysterious visitor, you need to
think twice about where you are finding your shelter overnight. Though you may
live close to a great trail system, you have no way of knowing which trail
shelter is a tomb, and which is not. Be responsible with your prepping. Don’t
willfully lead your family into a place where their lives are at stake. Even if
it’s just yourself, there are still people out there who love you, and would
miss you terribly should something happen. I understand that sometimes risks
have to be made, but make sure that they are at least reasonable risks.

Odds are that you already have some form of bug-out bag. Why not include
some form of shelter in it, even if it’s just a tarp and rope. The extra
weight is well worth the benefit, and just might save your life.

References

[1]
http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/hps/symptoms.html

[2]
http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/outbreaks/yosemite-national-park-2012.html

[3]
http://www.cdc.gov/rodents/cleaning/index.html

[4] Heymann D. Control of Communicable Diseases Manual (20th ed.). p. 248.

Letter Re: Sources for MRE Rations

Hello Hugh,

I’ve been reading SurvivalBlog for many years and have had a few of my
articles posted in the past. This is the first time I’ve written since you took
over as editor. You’re doing well, Hugh.

I am in the market to buy Meals, Ready-to-Eat (MREs) as a source of Bug Out
Bag (BOB) food storage, along with pre-positioning some at my intended retreat
locations.

There are so many options and it is difficult to determine what is best, or
even which are the best value for the money. Amazon is flooded with all manner
of brands and packaging. I am looking for the best choice that is quality and
has the full contingency of “Extras” like heater, spoon, matches, coffee, etc.
The “WarFighter” ones from Sopacko seem to fit the bill nicely.

Could I please ask your help in guiding me on this? Feel free to share this letter on the blog to get input from my fellow readers as well if you like.

Thank you for the work you do. – DS in Arizona

JWR Replies: The shelf life of MREs is excellent, as long you keep their temperature low. (But don’t let them freeze!) Several of our advertisers sell commercial MREs that aside from their outer packaging are virtually identical to the military MREs, including matches and chemical heaters. Sopacko is indeed a good maker. (The MRE makers that are also current or recent military MRE contractors are almost always a safe bet.) Once you’ve identified a good maker, then it is simply a matter of comparing prices–including shipping, which can be considerable.

Economics and Investing:

Oil Prices – What Does “Lower For Longer” Actually Mean?

o o o

Over at the SHTFPlan blog, Mac Slavo reports: Soros, Icahn and Major New Players Rushing Into the Gold Sector: “Things Are In The Works As We Speak”

o o o

B.B. sent this: Food Stamps In Crosshairs of Shutdown. [JWR’s Comment: State-level disruptions of EBT card payments in the past two years have caused chaos. We can only imagine if this were to happen nationwide.]

Items from The Economics Team:

The Extinction of Retirement

At Zero Hedge: Confessions of an Economics Professor

Track Your Banks’ Texas Ratio. Hint: Many banks sit on the edge of failure even in “the recovery”

Household Economics – 11 Foods to Can or Freeze Now

Odds ‘n Sods:

The Fight for Light: Assault on Silicon Valley (Part 1 of 3.) Along with Chuck Woolsey, this segment for NRA News hosted by Ollie North features Chuck Holton, who you may remember as the creator of the great American Redoubt piece for CBN.

o o o

In Malaysia, RFID road tax stickers will track all vehicles. (Thanks to H.A for the link.)

o o o

I just noticed that Chris Walsh of Revolutionary Realty has added a North Idaho MLS search tool to his web site. It is a very handy tool, for anyone considering moving up there. I highly recommend Chris’s services. He is an agent who really knows the American Redoubt region.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak;
and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
My doctrine shall drop as the rain,
my speech shall distil as the dew,
as the small rain upon the tender herb,
and as the showers upon the grass:
because I will publish the name of the Lord:
ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
He is the Rock, his work is perfect:
for all his ways are judgment:
a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. – Deuteronomy 32:1-4
(KJV)

Notes for Friday – September 25, 2015

On September 25th 1789, the fledgling Congress of these united States adopted the first 12 amendments to the Constitution and forwarded them to the States for ratification. The first ten of these amendments would become the Bill of Rights.

o o o

A reminder: The big sale on Mountain House long term storage foods at Ready Made Resources will be ending next week. the discounts range from 35% to 50%. Stock up!

o o o

Today, we present another entry for Round 60 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction
writing contest. The $10,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools, and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 MagPul PMAG 30rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. (An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A Model 120 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $340
    value),
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  9. TexasGIBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  4. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  5. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  6. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  7. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  8. TexasGIBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  10. Safecastle is providing a package of 10 Lifestraws (a $200 value).

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value), and
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 60 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.