Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those –or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

First, DO NOT miss the link in today’s top note about a new lab-created virus causing encephalitis with an extremely high lethality rate!

—

After a nearly snowless autumn, we are finally getting some heavy snowfall, here at the Rawles Ranch. We’ve had more than 15 inches in the past week. The forecast was anything between 13 inches and 34 inches. It was -2 F on Friday morning and it could be as low as negative 15 F during the next four or so nights. I’ve had to do some snow shoveling in from of our shop doors. Since we have a long lane out to the county road and there is a large turnaround area between our house and outbuildings, this has necessitated a lot of time behind the wheel of our plow pickup truck. I usually dedicate that time to prayers or listening to sermons, rather than listening to music. I should mention that living in a remote and mountainous area, our selection of daytime radio stations is very small:  Just three stations on the FM band and none on the AM band.  But thankfully, the FM station that comes in the strongest is a repeater (“translator station”) for KMBI, a Christian station in Spokane. I am not a fan of modern praise music, but I do enjoy hearing sermons from reformed theologians. My favorite is Alastair Begg.

Update:  This morning (Saturday, January 18th) the thermometer read -18 F. Brrrr!  That is the coldest morning that I’ve seen here, within memory.  Our thermometer bottoms at -20 F. Hopefully, we won’t go “off the scale”, in the next few nights.

Getting this much snow and deep cold also forced me to postpone slaughtering and butchering a couple of yearling cattle. That project can wait…

Now, Lily’s report…Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Thus saith the Lord God; An evil, an only evil, behold, is come.

An end is come, the end is come: it watcheth for thee; behold, it is come.

The morning is come unto thee, O thou that dwellest in the land: the time is come, the day of trouble is near, and not the sounding again of the mountains.

Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations.

And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth.

Behold the day, behold, it is come: the morning is gone forth; the rod hath blossomed, pride hath budded.

Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness: none of them shall remain, nor of their multitude, nor of any of their’s: neither shall there be wailing for them.

The time is come, the day draweth near: let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn: for wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.

For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, although they were yet alive: for the vision is touching the whole multitude thereof, which shall not return; neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life.

They have blown the trumpet, even to make all ready; but none goeth to the battle: for my wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.

The sword is without, and the pestilence and the famine within: he that is in the field shall die with the sword; and he that is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him.

But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.

All hands shall be feeble, and all knees shall be weak as water.

They shall also gird themselves with sackcloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame shall be upon all faces, and baldness upon all their heads.” – Ezekiel 7:5-18 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Friday — January 12, 2024

On this day in 2010, a magnitude-7.0 earthquake devastated Haiti, especially Port-au-Prince, killing more than 200,000 people and leaving more than 1,000,000 homeless and touching off a massive international relief effort.

—

Today is the birthday of Edmund Burke. (Born 1729, died 9 July 1797.)

—

On January 12, 1888, the “Schoolchildren’s Blizzard” killed 235 people.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  5. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. 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).
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $305 value),
  2. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  3. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $870,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 110 ends on January 31st, 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.

Truth-Based Preparedness – Part 2, by R.M.

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)

Claimed Global Warming and Climate Threats

You may recall hearing this, back in 2023: This is the hottest year in 12,500 years!

So, it is hotter now than during the ice age! Who’d a thunk it?
Will you base your prepping on a media story about a politician who says “Earth is on fire”?

You can find many charts showing various time periods and temperatures recorded somewhere. Many times a “temperature increase” is measured the exact way and in the same location they did a hundred years ago, in the cities. However, the cities have grown and they retain more heat in the manmade structures. It is actually cooler outside the cities due to wind draw. There may be no net gain in heat. The truth is out there. If you are shown a thirty-year chart, try to find a hundred-year chart, etc. It is easy to pick a warming period if you start at the end of the last cooling period, if you want to show warming.

When I worked in the environmental engineering department for a major manufacturer, the hand-wringing liberals were yelling at me that we are literally heating up the planet. I would ask them, “What temperature would you like it set at?” They didn’t know. No one ever considered what a small portion of the earth’s temperature gain or loss is actually affected by mankind, compared to the solar cycle and volcanic activity. But people, who want to control what you do, see climate change as a useful tool to force compliance to their wishes. In this case, believe what you want. Study. Then follow the science.Continue reading“Truth-Based Preparedness – Part 2, by R.M.”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at the new FinCEN BOI database reporting requirements. (See the Regulation and Taxes section.)

Precious Metals:

Reuters: Gold to enter 2024 with sights set on record highs.

o  o  o

Kelsey Williams, at Gold-Eagle.com: You May Get A Higher Gold Price, But…

o  o  o

3 Promising Precious Metal Stocks Set to Shine Bright in 2024.

Economy & Finance:

H.L. sent us this: 4 in 10 Companies Anticipate Layoffs in 2024.

o  o  o

Reported by the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: Unveiling the Financial Enigma: Wolf Of Wall Street Nancy Pelosi’s Stock Market Triumphs.

o  o  o

The government overinflated the initial jobs report every single month of 2023.

o  o  o

At Zero Hedge: BRICS Expands Footprint In The Global South.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — January 11, 2024

January 11, 1915 was the birthday of Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair “Paddy” Mayne, DSO and Three Bars (died 14 December 1955) was a British Army officer from Newtownards, capped for Ireland and the British Lions at rugby union, lawyer, amateur boxer, and a founding member of the British Special Air Service (SAS).

—

Today is also the birthday of famed big game hunter and writer Peter Hathaway Capstick (1940-1996.)

—

I just heard that Ready Made Resources is running a special on L3 Aviation Grade Binocular NVDs with a 10-year warranty! These are full mil-spec White Phosphor, 2300+ min FOM, with zero spots. Normally these sell for $10,399.  On sale at just $7,599 per pair.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  5. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. 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).
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $305 value),
  2. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  3. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $870,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 110 ends on January 31st, 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.

Truth-Based Preparedness – Part 1, by R.M.

Here is my premise: People need to base their preps on correct information that is grounded in truth. The Truth is Out There, Somewhere!

Everyone that I know who does any “preparing for the future” has a specific future problem or set of problems in mind. Their plans are determined by their perception of what the threats are, how likely they are to occur, and what they might do to their world.

Our perceptions are based on the world as we see it. We see the world through information – filtered by the lens of what and how information and facts are presented to us. This lens also affects how we interpret the information presented.

What do you believe to be true? Why? What do you believe the threats are? Why? What are your most likely threats where you live? How accurate is your perception of the problem you are prepping for, versus what you will actually find once it begins? How well does your plan provide an actual solution to the actual problems you will face?

What if you have been basing your actions on fabricated “facts” or inaccurate information? What if you have been ingesting lies? What if you are prepping for the wrong things that are not even a real threat to you? We have all seen the shows where someone is prepping for a volcano, or a tsunami, or an alien invasion….

Real threats may be underplayed or underreported on if they are inconvenient to the people who run, among other things, the media. What if you are persuaded to fear something that is not really even a threat? Or, what if you are persuaded to believe some action or plan is safe and it is not?Continue reading“Truth-Based Preparedness – Part 1, by R.M.”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, we look at the threat that could be posed by feral dog packs.

A Future Feral Dog Threat?

SurvivalBlog reader Karen B. sent us this from The Los Angeles Times: In a remote corner of California, roaming dog packs leave a trail of blood and terror. JWR’s Comments:  In a deep economic depression or a societal collapse, situations like these are bound to become more commonplace, as dog owners turn loose pets that they can no longer afford to feed. And, as they multigenerationally breed into feral packs, they likely will become more wolf-like, in their behavior. Plan accordingly.  For folks who live in suburbs, I recommend laying in a large supply of 12 gauge shotshells loaded with #4 Buckshot. (Note that this is not to be confused with the much smaller diameter and more common #4 birdshot.) That is the best choice for stopping dogs, up close, with only minimal risk to the occupants of neighboring houses.

US-Made Weapons Used to Attack Our Allies

Bobby in Oregon sent this, from a news outlet in India: From India to Israel, US weapons being used to attack its allies. JWR’s Comments:  I have no doubt that a large portion of those are being sold by the Taliban, in Afghanistan. We can only blame the incompetent and corrupt Biden regime, for leaving those weapons in situ, when the U.S. withdrawal took place. Shame on them!  Oh, and speaking of Kashmir, a recent Itchy Boots motorcycle travel video graphically illustrates how India is ramping up their forces there.

Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — January 10, 2024

On January 10, 1901, the first major oil field in Texas was discovered, near Beaumont.

—

On January 10, 1946, radar signals bouncing off the Moon were detected for the first time.

—

When I made my annual 10 Cent Challenge appeal, on January 2nd, I had no idea that PayPal had just changed their link codes on December 31st, so most of our PayPal links were broken at that time!  My apologies!  Here are the updated links:

You can make a one-time payment of any amount, at the Ten Cent Challenge PayPalMe page.

Or subscribe for $3 per month (billed monthly):

Monthly PayPal Billing

Or subscribe for $36.50 per year (billed annually):

Annual PayPal Billing

Or become a Patron Of The Blog for $100.00 per year (billed annually):

Patron – Annual PayPal Billing

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  5. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. 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).
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $305 value),
  2. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  3. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $870,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 110 ends on January 31st, 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.

How to Process Chickens and Rabbits – Part 2, by Elli O.

(Continued from Part 1.  This concludes the article.)

Now for the wings. Separate the wing at the first joint by using your knife, in the same manner as the feet removal. Due to the small amount of meat from the first joint to the tip of the wing, this part can be discarded.

Turn the bird around so you can see the neck. There is very little meat on the neck (although it is delicious and quite tender) so the neck can be cut short. You will need to remove the esophagus which can be found in the upper part of the cavity, as you go in from the neck area. The esophagus looks like a ribbed tube. Pull it out and discard it in your bucket.
You have now eviscerated your chicken. It is time to thoroughly rinse the inside and the outside of your bird. Remove any remaining feathers.

Your chicken can be cooked and enjoyed now or canned for later.

I have found that when I am processing chickens by myself, it helps to have a 35 gallon barrel cut in half horizontally and filled with ice water. Then after I get one bird plucked, it will go into the barrel until I get all the birds plucked. This seems to keep the process rolling smoothly, while keeping the birds from becoming an unsafe temperature.Continue reading“How to Process Chickens and Rabbits – Part 2, by Elli O.”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

—

This news from Ohio should come as no surprise: Gun Crimes Fall after Constitutional Carry Laws Adopted, Study Shows.

o  o  o

A new video from SurvivalBlog’s Editor-At-Large, Mike Williamson: Bjorn Bladeworks Machete.

o  o  o

Some more wise commentary from Patrice Lewis: 17 things frugal people never buy.

o  o  o

I have good news for any blog readers who are annoyed by YouTube’s anti-ad blocking software. There is now a free tool called uBlock Origin, available for both Firefox and Chrome browsers.  It is very quick and easy to install. No more YouTube commercials — hooray!  But, if you choose to use this tool then please toggle the ads back on, at SurvivalBlog. (Just click the big “switch” button.) Advertising helps keep SurvivalBlog afloat. Thanks. – JWR

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

” 168. The old question will be asked in this matter of prerogative, “But who shall be judge when this power is made a right use of?”  I answer: Between an executive power in being with such a prerogative and a legislative that depends upon his will for their convening there can be no judge on earth. As there can be none between the legislative and the people should either the executive or the legislative, when they have got the power in their hands, design, or go about to enslave or destroy them, the people have no other remedy in this, as in all other cases where they have no judge on earth, but to appeal to Heaven; for the rulers in such attempts, exercising a power the people never put into their hands, who can never be supposed to consent that anybody should rule over them for their harm do that which they have not a right to do. And where the body of the people, or any single man, are deprived of their right, or are under the exercise of a power without right, having no appeal on earth they have a liberty to appeal to Heaven whenever they judge the cause of sufficient moment. And therefore though the people can not be judge, so as to have, by the constitution of that society any superior power to determine and give effective sentence in the case, yet they have reserved that ultimate determination to themselves which belongs to all mankind, where there lies no appeal on earth, by a law antecedent and paramount to all positive laws of men whether they have just cause to make their appeal to Heaven. And this judgment they cannot part with, it; being out of a man’s power so to submit himself to another as to give him a liberty to destroy him God and Nature never allowing a man so to abandon himself as to neglect his own preservation. And since he cannot take away his own life, neither can he give another power to take it.” – John Locke, from Two Treatises on Civil Government. — (This passage by Locke is thought to be the  inspiration for George Washington’s An Apeal To Heaven naval flag design.)

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — January 9, 2024

On January 9, 1839, Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre of France proclaimed his invention of the daguerreotype, the first commercially successful form of photography.

—

January 9, 1943 was the birthday of gunsmith Paris Theodore, developer of the ASP modifications to the S&W M39 pistol.

—

On this day in 1776, writer Thomas Paine published his pamphlet “Common Sense,” setting forth his arguments in favor of American independence. Although little used today, pamphlets were an important medium for spreading ideas in the 16th through 19th centuries.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  5. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. 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).
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $305 value),
  2. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  3. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $870,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 110 ends on January 31st, 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.