Letter Re: Some Preparedness Lessons Learned

James,

The need for usable skills in tough times, goes without need for embellishment. The grand question is: which skills are the most valuable? In any situation the basic needs are obvious – food, shelter, and clothing. Choosing what I would concentrate on learning, became predicated on what I could do, and what the community could provide in stressful times.

I moved some time ago from the gulf coast to Tennessee to retire and begin preparing for the coming events. I moved into a community which is pretty much self sufficient, mostly by religious choice. Livestock husbandry ranges from cattle (mostly for milk), goats to chickens, hogs and horses.

I began to raise goats several years ago, starting with Boer cross. After several discussions I have crossed them with a strain of milk goat to reduce the size (and therefore the quantity of meat to be preserved) and gain the benefit of milk products. I researched the process of cheese making and using products initially supplied from New England Cheese Makers, learned the processes. It was very interesting to discover that the rennin (for assisting in cheese making) actually comes from the stomach of ruminators, another by product of the goats.

Preserving meats became my next concern. When talking to many folks, they believe that they will just run out and kill fresh meat when needed. Not only will the game be decimated in no time, but without a method of preservation it is wasteful. Preferred methods around here are smoking, honey and salt boxes for curing and preserving. The use of honey as a preservative turns out to be one of the very best. Honey has a natural bacteria inhibitor, and curing smoked meats in honey just makes life better. This in turn has determined the need for bees – My neighbor already has a couple of hives which produces enough for now. The use of honey reduces the dependence on obtaining sources of salt. In addition they are many maple trees in the area which folks tap during the winter and early spring. Many families have ponds a raise fish, which are canned by cold packing or salting and drying.

Having fresh water is a paramount concern. Even with a spring the water quality can change with the amount of rain causing algae blooms. These can range for digestive distress to just foul taste. The stream water cannot be used without treatment, as we have otters, beavers, coyote, foxes, and a whole range of other critters, so amoeba type problems are probable. Boiling water is the surest, but is often not the most practical. Any numbers of excellent water filters are available, but the Big Berky is the most popular here. In any case the water has to be pre-filtered to remove organic matter. This can be done by straining through a clean cloth, then passing through/over a disinfecting agent such as a silver compound, or the addition of non-detergent bleach. The next best is a cistern collecting rain fall, but even this can have issues as it tends to clean smoke dust and pollen from the air on its way down.

As for the vegetable gardens the goats do help with the fertilizer which is composted and added to the garden. The area I live in is pretty much a “rock farm” so there is a constant need to remove the rocks from the garden areas and add in soil from the hills behind us. This soil is usually pretty acidic with all of the hardwood trees. Most folks use lime from the feed stores – haven’t found a good substitute yet.

Clothing is one of the details that I have struggled with. The ability to produce cloth is beyond most of us. Wool makes for great outer wear, but lousy underwear. Goat hair can be made into quite durable garments, somewhat at the expense of comfort. We have chose to use GI surplus wool socks, sweaters, BDUs (because they are very durable) and purchase and store long and regular underwear. We do have a real cobbler in the community that does make very nice shoes/boots, but I still have a back up pair. Many women here weave or quilt (using discarded clothing as well as new cloth). I do keep some “unisex” clothing on hand for whomever – mostly in the form of overalls. They are fairly cheap and commonly worn in the area, and during the cold weather are an additional layer. We have had most days at or below freezing and night down to zero. I have looked into tanning leather – it is a noxious process and can be done. I am choosing to have the hides tanned while I still can and store them against the future need as clothing.

Our cabin is solid cedar timbers, and smells great! The downside is that there is a constant need to stay on top of the chinking and calking, to reduce drafts – I’ve used 22 tubes already this winter. We thought that pellet stove would be a great idea – wrong. First it requires electricity. With the power out you have to fire up the generator which is noisy and uses expensive fuel. Second the stove can burn corn or compressed hardwood pellets. Corn is food or the animals and us, and tough enough to grow enough as is. Besides using the corn leaves the odor of burned popcorn as exhaust. Compressed wood pellets are used on an average of 80# per day at a cost of ~$9.00 / day. Pulling the stove this spring and going to a straight quality wood burning stove that can be used to cook on. To back up a wood burning stove an axe, buck saw, splitting wedges or a maul, and or chain saw are required based on how much free time you can devote to it. Setting aside wood requires a year round effort to keep from killing yourself. Although we have electricity I do have a pitcher pump ready to install in the event it is needed. And have simple kerosene lanterns for light. I prefer the straight wick models, as the mantels have become very had to come by recently.

Health concerns in rural living also means, that you have to have a working knowledge of first aid and basic medicine. The Red Cross has good courses on first aid and the older Boy Scout manuals give an acceptable knowledge as well. Around here there is a good deal of herbal medicine practiced. This is good for preventive and minor issues. I have chosen to invest in some older college texts on anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology, and a physician’s desk reference. These books help in diagnosing, but will be of minimal help if/when the main line drugs are not available. They are great for showing how to stitch and bandage wounds more severe than the first aid books cover. We keep a well stocked medicine chest with off the shelf medicines, and rotate them as needed. As we find local remedies that are effective, we also include them (i.e. willow bark tea as a substitute for aspirin).

I have learned rudimentary blacksmith skills, and collected some of the tools as well as books on the subject. I can fashion horseshoes, wheel rims, forge weld, make cut nails and a few other tasks as required. There are many better skilled in this community and it will be more time efficient to trade/buy their services.

I have a full time gunsmithing business which has been sorely needed in this area – seems like everyone has one that they need fixed. So much for a retirement business….

The acquisition of books, and how to reading material can spell the difference between existence and some degree of comfort. In addition it is my considered opinion the education of young people is severely unbalanced. The possession of text books, classics, and recreational reading allows one to educate children when contact is limited. The community has a long history of home schooling. These kids routinely pass the high school exit exams (same tests as the state requires for graduation) with higher scores, and at an earlier age. Most parents seek out folks whom are well versed to teach the children. Oh yea, one by product is that the kids are very respectful, and thoughtful.

In conclusion I thought that preparation for tougher times meant more beans, bullets, and bullion. As it turns out, the retraining of my mind and attitudes has presented the larger challenge. Understanding how you store food, is nearly as important as what you store. What you can make is as important as what you can do without (toilet paper?) Knowing that one person cannot do all that is required, only means that you learn the skills to assist your community which will supplement everyone’s survival/ quality of life. I thought that being retired would allow me to kick back and enjoy some good libations. It has turned out to be the greatest learning curve of my life – and I love it. Jim’s preparedness course is a great place to start. But the real preparedness is in the doing! – Dennis S.

Letter Re: The Risk to Reward Ratio in Getting Concealed Carry Permits

Greetings –
Regarding non-resident concealed weapon permits [recently mentioned in SurvivalBlog], folks should be very careful. Anyone thinking of doing this should consult a lawyer or carefully read their home state’s firearms laws. In many states, another state’s concealed firearm permit is invalid if you are a resident of the state [in which you do not have a CCW permit.] In other words, if you live in Georgia, Georgia may have a law that says your Florida non-resident permit is invalid for concealed carry in Georgia, because as a Georgia resident, you must have a permit issued by Georgia. Consult your state’s laws before relying on Florida non-resident permit reciprocity to keep you legal.

Also, be advised that some states are starting to modify their reciprocity agreements. Wyoming just did this…their Attorney General has issued an opinion that reciprocity only works if the disqualification and other permit criteria matches between states. For example, if Wyoming has more strict disqualification criteria for a permit than some other state, that state’s permits are will not be honored even though they might have been honored in the past. regards, – JT in Michigan

Economics and Investing:

JWR’s Introductory Comment: Gee, in light of all the following very bad economic news, can someone please send me something cheery to post? Perhaps some more articles about gun makers making record profits and building huge order backlogs?

Frequent contributor HPD sent this: Brown told us not to question banks on risky practices, says City watchdog

Reader “Bigbird” mentioned a piece in The Australian by Niall Ferguson with some biting criticism of Keynesian economics: The Great Repression

CJB flagged this news story on the Chinese economy: China warns of unemployment risk

GG sent us this one from Smart Money: Nothing Shines Like Gold. “Amazingly, just a month ago, gold and the S&P 500 were trading at about the same price — gold at $854, the S&P 500 at 840. From there, stocks have fallen 10% to near their bear-market lows of last November, while gold has risen as much as 16%.”

GG also sent this piece by Michael Klare at Salon: We’re on the brink of disaster: Violent protests and riots are breaking out everywhere as economies collapse and governments fail. War is bound to follow. It sounds a lot like the next stage of my warnings penned in September of 2006: is coming to pass. I wrote: “If and when the global derivatives bubble ever pops, it may topple not just trading companies like Goldman Sachs, or corporations like GM, Daimler-Chrysler, or RCA, but entire nations. I’m not kidding.”

JHB sent us the link to this history lesson: How Americans Lost Their Right to Own Gold

KT and Charley S. both spotted this piece from a Le Monde: editor, commenting on the most recent LEAP analysis: After the Financial Crisis, Civil War? Get Ready to “Leave Your Region …” (BTW, I used to consider the LEAP papers quite sensationalistic and OTT (in part because of some atrocious French-to-English translation work), but they have been largely accurate in the past 18 months.)

KT also forwarded an article link on counterfeiting of gold bullion and numismatic coins. JWR’s Advice: If you plan to buy or someday barter for any gold coins, protect yourself with a set of Fisch coin-checking gauges.

Jon Christian Ryter asks: What happens when the whole economy sinks underwater?

HD liked this article from The International Herald Tribune: EU chiefs attempt to cool bloc’s crisis

Tom W. thought this news story from England was worthy reading: MI5 On Alert for Bank Riots

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“When watching men of power in action it must be always kept in mind that, whether they know it or not, their main purpose is the elimination or neutralization of the independent individual — the independent voter, consumer, worker, owner, thinker — and that every device they employ aims at turning man into a manipulatable “animated instrument,” which is Aristotle’s definition of a slave.” – Eric Hoffer, The Ordeal of Change (1963)

Note from JWR:

I just heard that Paul Harvey passed away. He was a fine, patriotic American. Appropriately, two of today’s blog posts deal with “The Rest of the Story.” Someday, we’ll meet Paul in heaven. And also Paul, formerly Saul of Tarsus.

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The high bid in the SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction is now at $935. This auction is for a large mixed lot, which includes::

1.) Another “be ready to barter” box of 38 full-capacity gun magazines, from my personal collection in JASBORR. This box includes: 4 – Used original East German 30 rd. steel AK-47 magazines in a “raindrop” camouflage pattern belt pouch, 12 – Excellent-to-new condition original Bundeswehr contract HK91 (G3) alloy 20 round magazines, 6 – Well-used but serviceable condition original Austrian FN-FAL steel 20 round magazines with cartridge counter holes, 10 – Used AR-15/M16 USGI (all Colt made!) alloy 20 round magazines, and 6 – Excellent to new condition original (Norwegian contract) Glock Model 17 9mm 17 round pistol magazines (early type, with “U” notch). All of these magazines are of pre-1994 manufacture (and hence legal to possess in New York.) These magazines have a combined value of approximately $700, in today’s market. Note: If you live in a state where full capacity magazines are banned, then you must choose to: refrain from bidding, or designate a recipient in an unrestricted state, or re-donate the magazines for a subsequent auction.

2.) A huge lot of DVDs, CD-ROMs and hard copy nuclear survival/self-sufficiency references (a $300+ value) donated by Richard Fleetwood of www.SurvivalCD.com

3.) A NukAlert compact radiation detector donated by at KI4U.com (a $160 retail value). 

4.) Five cases (200 pairs) of AMMEX Heatworks chemical hand warmers (a $182.50 value), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com

5.) A Brunton Solarport 4 (4.4 Watt) compact photovoltaic power panel and 6/12 VDC power adaptor set, including as USB power port. This is a $120 retail value, courtesy of Ready Made Resources.

6.) A Pelican Model 1400 waterproof case in olive drab, ideal for pistols, Starlight scopes, or communications gear. This is a $95 retail value, courtesy of Scorpion Survival.

7.) A Non-Hybrid Garden Security Collection, Garden Bean Collection, and your choice of a pint of fertile grains (Hull-less Oats, Spelt, or Winter Rye), a $50 + retail value, courtesy of Seed For Security.

Thus, this auction has a combined value in excess of $1,600. This auction ends on March 15th. Please e-mail us your bid. Your bid will be for the entire mixed lot.

Self Defense and Christianity, by Tim P.

When Christians talk of self-defense and their reaction to violence in general, they frequently speak of turning the other cheek. While I would not attempt to dissuade someone from that point of view I have always been against that type of pacifism in the face of violence – particularly in the case of deadly violence. In the extreme example of self-defense against someone who wants to kill you – people who advocate turning the other cheek advocate throwing away God’s gift of life or worse yet not defending those you love when their lives are threatened. That I could not do, after all Christ Himself said:

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:14

Also, according to the Old Testament people are allowed to defend against thieves.

“If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed” Exodus 22:2

Trying to steal the rest of your life – or the lives of your loved ones – is certainly stealing from my point of view.

For those of you who will say we should turn the other cheek and depend upon the police or government, to defend us from deadly threats or criminal activity – would you bet your life on it? Is paying someone else to defend you and yours somehow more honorable and Christian? Even if the police just happen to be in the area at the critical moment, the courts have determined that government has no duty to defend any particular citizen. Please read that sentence again! This may seem hard to believe, but it is from an appellate court decision in the case of Warren v. District of Columbia circa 1981. A group of women were attacked in their home and called the police for help. The police failed to respond and for the next 14 hours these women were under the direct control of the brutal intruders. The women later sued, but the court found in favor of the government under the fundamental principle of American law that a government and its agents are under no general duty to provide public services, such as police protection, to any individual citizen. Most people have no idea that this is the case. You cannot depend upon the government to protect you. If you don’t believe me look up the case for yourself.

Why, you may ask, would I want to write about this? It may seem far removed from our church today. However, there have been a number of cases lately where churches have been the target of violent and deadly attacks. In just about all of them the people there were probably under the assumption that they were immune from these attacks. A few recent examples of these attacks are the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee where two congregants were killed in July of 2008, The New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado where another two were killed in December of 2007 (this church had armed guards so they were prepared for something to happen), thus only two members were killed. The First Congregational Church in Neosho, Missouri where three were killed in August of 2007, the shooting at The Ministry of Jesus Christ Church in North Baton Rouge, Louisiana in May of 2006 where fie were killed, and the shooting at the Living Church of God in Brookfield, Wisconsin where seven were killed in March of 2005. I could go on but I think my point has been made.

Whatever the reason for the attacks our course is clear: we, as Christians, must defend ourselves and our church against such attacks by whatever means available. This has been how some of these shootings were stopped. In one case the shooter was subdued by members of the congregation, in another the shooter was killed by a member of the congregation who was serving as a guard. In the others the shooter killed himself or just left the church when he was “done” with the shooting. Which outcome would you prefer to see? The shooter subdued or killed by the congregation or to be allowed to shoot until he is “done?” I prefer one of the first two options.

Am I advocating armed guards at our church? I am not, I just want people to know that it can happen and we can and should be prepared to defend ourselves – to throw the good book at our attacker! After all, when protecting one’s family or neighbors, a Christian is unselfishly risking his or her life for the sake of others. How can that be a bad thing?

Let us look at turning the other cheek, as Jesus says: “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matthew 5:39

Yet even Jesus did not do this in the literal sense! When he was struck in the face by one of the officials while being questioned by the high priest he does not turn the other cheek. Instead he says:

“If I said something wrong, testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” John 18:23

We can see too from his actions that Jesus himself was not completely non-violent. After all, he did go after the moneychangers in the temple with a whip!

“In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.” John 2:14-15

If someone came after you with a whip and overturned your tables and generally made a wreck of the area, would you say that was non-violence? No you’d probably call the police and want him taken away! Was Jesus turning the other cheek in this case? I think not. He saw a wrong and righted it through violent means. Also, prior to his crucifixion, Jesus revealed to his disciples the hostility they faced in the future and gave them the following advice:

“But now, whoever has a purse, let him take it, and likewise a wallet. Whoever has none, let him sell his cloak, and buy a sword.” “The disciples said, ‘See, Lord, here are two swords.’ ‘That is enough,’ he replied.” Luke 22:36 & 38

He asked if they had weapons. When they said they did he did not rebuke them, but instead said they had enough. To me this is proof that they were allowed to defend themselves if needed.

Later, when Jesus is betrayed by Judas at the Garden, Peter draws his sword and asks,

“Lord, should we strike with our swords?” Luke 22:49

He apparently does not wait for an answer and strikes Malchus, the servant of the high priest and cuts off his ear. This does not make Jesus happy and he says:

“Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” John 18:11

And [a parallel verse] from Mathew:

“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” Mathew 26:52-54

Note that Jesus does not rebuke Peter for trying to defend Him. He rebukes him for trying to change what must happen, the pre-ordained future that God has laid out for Jesus. Despite the appearance of their being outnumbered by the others, Jesus says He could call in more than 12 legions (a legion is 1,000) of angels. This would easily overpower the group of people there to assist in and/or view the arrest of Jesus. In Mathew’s version He does say that those who draw the sword will die by the sword, but is that an admonition against all use of weapons to defend oneself? The people coming to arrest Jesus were not threatening His life at that point, so Peter really had no justification for violence against them.

This being said, it is clear to me that defending Christianity using violence is not allowed. If your religion is being attacked or you are being attacked for your religion, you are not allowed to use force. In fact, I believe that this is the true meaning of turning the other cheek. True Christians do not attack people who attack their faith. They turn the other cheek – they take the abuse of their faith. For example, Stephen does not fight back or even try to escape when he was stoned for his testimony about Jesus.

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed,

“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Acts 7:59-60

And Jesus says that Christians will be persecuted to the end.

“All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Mathew 10:22

Of course it is a personal decision to defend yourself or others. However, in a fallen world like ours, we all need to think about these things ahead of time so that we have an idea what course we may take if we are ever put into the position of having to choose. It’s too late to do much thinking at that point, that is the time for action. – Tim P.

Letter Re: US Dollar Slide Versus Iraqi Dinars

Mr. Rawles,
I just wanted to drop you a line and tell you I enjoy your blog daily and have read it almost from the start. I am currently in Iraq a little North of Joint Base Balad. On the local economy the Iraqi Dinar is 1000 dinars to 1 American dollar. However, the past few months if you want to pay with American dollars in the local economy, they are discounting it by 66%. What 1000 dinars buys, 1 dollar used to buy. Now it cost 3 dollars. At the local Iraqi police academy there is a stall that sells a type of coconut candy bar that I enjoy. They are now sold "three for 1000 Dinars" or one for one American dollar. It is amazing watching dirt poor Iraqis look at the dollar with disdain.

Keep up the good fight! – Clement in Iraq

Letter Re: Deep Apprehension About Dangers in the Near Future

Mr. Rawles:
I, as well as possibly tens of thousands of my fellow Americans, are extremely fearful that the United States Government is slowly becoming like the former Soviet Union and that the day will come when the citizenry is in serious trouble. I continue to prepare as best I can for my family in the event it all comes crashing down but I cannot see where I will prevail long against American soldiers, police, and gangs that might try to harm me and my family. I am further afraid because I do not know Jesus Christ as my Savior and it seems that I cannot find a way in which to communicate with Him. Just know that there are those of us who look up to you for advice and comfort and please keep up the fine work that you do on our behalf. Respectfully, – John B. in Colorado

JWR Replies: The wonderful thing about Christ’s love is that there is no intermediary required. He knows all of his elect by name. Salvation is yours, if you merely ask for it. Just open you heart in prayer. Ask first for His forgiveness, recognize Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection. That is salvation in a nutshell. Once saved, ask for guidance, providence, and protection.

Please don’t look to me as an authority for any advice on truly big survival issues. I just know a few little nuts and bolts on preparedness. The big, substantive issues are all matters for prayer. Trust in God to put you in the right place, at the right time, with the right people. To start, I can offer a couple of pieces of encouragement, found in scripture: In the New Testament, see Philippians 4:13, and in the Old Testament, see: Psalm 91. My recommended initial reading for anyone not familiar with the Bible is the book of John. All things are possible, through Christ, who gives us strength!

Economics and Investing:

Reader HPD recommended this: Why the U.S. Government Should be Cut Off Like a Subprime Borrower

HPD also sent this bit of news, which comes as no great surprise: AIG Breakup Likely.

Al H. said that he liked this Business Week interview: Jim Rogers Doesn’t Mince Words About the Crisis

Items from The Economatrix:

Fear of Global Depression Up as US Reveals True Extent of Decline

Fresh Evidence Points to Paralysis of Global Economy 750,000 jobs were lost in US in February, worse to come

Iran Threatened with Economic Meltdown

Buffett: Economy Will Be in Shambles in 2009

Wall Street Slumps to Six Months of Losses

California’s Jobless Rate Soars to 10.1%

Violence Between Repo Men and Owners Rising

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Bill N. asks: “Did you ever wonder what those markings spray-painted on doors by FEMA in New Orleans meant?” This PDF shows the codes.

   o o o

BRB and Jim E. both mentioned a design for a ram (water-powered) water pump, over at the Instructables site.

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Reader FS had this comment on the Obama administration’s call to renew the 1994 gun and magazine ban: “So let’s see if I understand this. Because Mexico can’t keep it together, American’s must disarm. If anything, having a violent and unstable neighbor is reason for our citizens to have more weapons, not less. Did you notice the association being made between grenades, machineguns and our semi-auto rifles? Their propaganda is getting rather transparent.”

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One bit of good news is that the Democrat leadership in both the Senate and House don’t yet sound ready to reinstate the 1994 Federal Ban. My gut tells me that they will just wait until the next time some kid on Ritalin “goes postal.” .God willing, gun and magazine makers a few more months of production to catch up on their order backlogs. Speaking of which: Sturm Ruger reports that they have built a $48 million order backlog. Some other backlog updates, at last report (some of these figures may be OBE): Rock River Arms: 12+ weeks on lower receivers and “much longer” for complete rifles, CMMG: 15+ weeks. Stag Arms: 20-to-25 weeks. Bushmaster: 16 weeks “and growing”. The lists goes on and on. The key question: Can you find what you need to round-out your firearms battery before a new ban is enacted? My advice: Be willing to drive to long distances and dedicate some weekend to attend gun shows in your state. Bring plenty of greenbacks. (Buy “private party”, if possible in your state!) Oh yes, and be sure to get plenty of spare top-quality magazines. If there is a ban, 11+ round magazines will become scarce and very expensive in the US.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." – 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)

Notes from JWR:

I recently updated the web page for my novel “Patriots“, with information on the new edition that will be released in April. The old edition from XLibris just went out of print.

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Today we present another entry for Round 21 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The contest prizes include:

First Prize: Two transferable Front Sight  “Gray” Four Day Training Course Certificates. This is an up to $4,000 value!
Second Prize: A three day course certificate from OnPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses.
Third Prize: A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing

Round 21 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.

Did the American Indians Have it Right?, by MMJ

In these trying times when civilizations are at the brink of disaster and many people are already in personal collapse, we should look back through history to find out how to salvage what we have and how to survive what is to come. [Minor rant snipped.] It seems that economic collapse is imminent and that at some point in the near future it is going to be every man for himself. As we watch countries collapse, global economies fail and people across the world starve and die, I ask myself has any culture or civilization in history gotten it right?

The nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle led by the American Indians may be the way that many in the future may need to survive. The thought of a survival retreat is nice, but what if a toxic gas cloud is coming your way? Or a band of starving armed men and women discover your location and decide that you have what they want? Are you equipped for a small arms battle? Lets face it, most of us are not. Many of us still need to live in an urban environment to make a living (while we still have the need) and having a stocked retreat is just not feasible. When the sh*t hits the fan you have to ask yourself, will you have enough time or even be able to get to your survival retreat? For most of us the answer is simply no. So how can we prepare for the impending collapse that most certainly awaits all of us? Thinking like an Indian may be the answer to your concerns. Mobility can be the key to survival. Having a plan of escape for several different scenarios and banding together with other like-minded people and loved ones who have also planned ahead to deal with the inevitable collapse of our society. Going where you can survive for short periods of time comfortably and being able to use the natural resources available to you wherever you may end up, can be the answer to survival for you and your loved ones.

The Indians moved with the food, with the climate in small tribes, which was best suited to their survival. They learned to use what was provided by nature to live, wild edibles and medicinal uses of plants, as well as some amount of farming and of course hunting. But they also learned to take only what they needed so that when they were to return they would have what they needed again. This is a lesson that most of us in modern society have long since forgotten. We have for so long here in America lived the life of gluttony (which has probably led to collapse of more societies than we realize) that when the end comes most of us will not know what to do or how to survive, which will not end pleasantly for those of us stuck in the urban areas. Those of us who plan ahead and have the ability to survive on the go while getting out of the way of the sh*t storm that will be left behind in most urban areas after the end comes. We will be the ones that will thrive in the face of adversity. We will be the ones left to create a better way–a way that works.

As I contemplate the future happenings I know with utmost certainty that the plan that I have derived will keep my loved ones and me safe and out of harm’s way. For I have thought and planned like an Indian would, made preparations to survive on the go with a minimal amount of supplies but with the knowledge required to get what I need from what nature has to offer. But you may ask what if nature is damaged beyond repair, then how will you survive? Well my answer is simple, at that point nobody will survive and mankind will cease to exist. A gloomy thought but still one worthy of contemplation.

The reality is there is no right or wrong answer or single philosophy that is the definite end all to be all correct way to do it for any situation. Survival is fluid and every situation has to be dealt with accordingly. Creativity as well as preparation will see you through. Remember that nature taught the Indians how to survive, they didn’t have books, schools, survival manuals or hospitals etc… and they did just fine until the European man came with their gluttony and took from them what was theirs, to exploit it for their gain and greed.

As I end my letter, I leave you with this:
“Prepare yourself with the knowledge that you hope you never have to use, and you and yours will be just fine.” – MMJ

JWR Adds: I will append MMJ’s article with the caveat that based on studies of skeletal remains, the average life expectancy for pre-Columbian Native Americans was only 18.6 years. That was before white men brought with them European diseases. As Hobbes put it so succinctly: “…the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” A pampered sedentary lifestyle may be bad for one’s cholesterol numbers, but a hunter-gatherer nomadic lifestyles is no picnic.

At this juncture, for the sake of balance I’ll also re-post something that I originally posted to SurvivalBlog back in September of 2005:

You should discard any fantasies that you might have had about strapping on a backpack and disappearing into nearby National Forest to “live off the land.” IMHO, that is an invitation to disaster. Too many things can go wrong: You will lack sufficient shelter. You will not be able to carry enough food reserves. Your one rifle and your one pistol, and your one axe, once lost or broken will leave you vulnerable and unable to provide for your sustenance or self defense. Any illness or injury could be life threatening. Even just a dunking in a stream in mid-winter could cost you your life. Also, consider how many thousands of urbanites will probably try to do the same thing. Even if you manage to avoid encounters with them, those legions of people foraging simultaneously will quickly deplete the available wild game in many regions. Furthermore, on your own you won’t be able to maintain sufficient security. (You must sleep, after all!) For countless reasons, playing “Batman in the Boondocks” just won’t work. So forget about the “one pack” solution, other than as a last resort–for example, in the event that your retreat is overrun.

Any of you that do not live at your intended retreat location year round should have a “Get out of Dodge” (G.O.O.D.) pack ready at all times. Keep it in the trunk of your car in case circumstances force you to hike all or part of the way to your retreat. (A sub-optimal situation, as described in my novel “Patriots”.) Be sure to inspect your G.O.O.D. pack regularly and rotate any first aid supplies, chemical light sticks, jerky, dried fruit, or other perishables.

While MMJ’s planned approach of traveling in a group is preferable to a solo “Batman in the Boondocks”, I still have my doubts about its viability, especially in harsh climates.

Two Letters Re: Advice on Night Vision Gear

Dear Mr. Rawles,
I have been reading your site for almost a year now and am grateful for your advise. I’ve read both Patriots and Retreats. Currently, I live in suburban Detroit and am looking for a farm out in the country. I’m good on food and many other items, but question my weapons battery. BTW, both my wife and I have attended the excellent training at Front Sight. Currently I have three handguns: an XDM-40 with four mags, Steyr M40 with four mags and a Taurus PT92 9mm with two mags. My long guns include two short-barrel 12 gauge shotguns with one having a dedicated light, one DPMS {AR-15 clone] .223 with dedicated light and Trijicon ACOG 4×32 scope, one DPMS .308 AR-10, and one Ruger 10/22. Crossbows are on my wish list. I have between 1,000 and 2,000 rounds of ammo for each weapon. I want to buy more ammo as well as reloading equipment and supplies.

I want to buy a scope for the 308 and decided on a Leupold Mark-3 4.5-12x 40mm scope. My concern is night vision. Do I get a dedicated night vision scope for the .308 and forget the Leupold, or a stand alone [hand-held] night vision glass? What good is it to see with night vision, if I can’t see it thru the scope to shoot? I don’t think I’ll need night vision in my subdivision, until I purchase the farm, but think I should get it now well it is still available. Of course my budget and lovely bride will only go for so much. Can you please advise?

Thanks so much, – RP

JWR Replies: Assuming that it is equipped with a flash hider, you should set up your AR-10 with an AN-PVS-4 Starlight scope, as your dedicated night-fighting rifle. With a throw-lever scope mount and a flip-up back-up iron sights (BUIS), you can quickly detach the Starlight scope and use the AR-10 for daylight shooting. (But of course be sure to do some target shooting tests to insure that the scope has correct “return to zero”, when re-mounted. Be patient and plan to buy bolt action .308 (such as a Savage Model 10) for daylight long range shooting. (That is where the Leupold Mark-3 4.5-12x 40mm scope that you mentioned would be most appropriate.)

And BTW, buy more magazines! With a renewed Federal ban now looming, you should acquire at least six spare mags for each handgun, and at least eight spares for each battle rifle. Buy them now, while they are still affordable. Full capacity magazine prices are likely to triple or quadruple if the Federal AWB is renewed.

Hi James,
I’ve been reading your blog for the last two years. Let me just tell you that you’ve been an inspiration to my family and my friends. We have recently acquired a country property here in Canada and are in the process of building our retreat.

One thing that I have completely ignored, was the need for night vision equipment. In the country, in remote locations, or when the grid goes down, it is almost completely dark at night. I mean you cannot see two feet in front of you.

I’ve been researching what is the best night vision equipment to use for patrolling, security and combat. I think I’m going with Gen2 goggles, but there is this one product called SuperVision by company called Xenonics. But I’m not sure how it works and whether it is suitable for retreat defense.

Looking at different night vision products, my question to you is: What is the best option for avoiding night vision device (NVD) detection [by an opponent that has their own night vision gear]?

The IR beams that some equipment generates or IR gun sights will be visible to someone using passive NVD, right? I’m just thinking that the best night vision equipment will be the one that has no signature, or are all NVDs visible to other NVDs?

Another problem I see is that most firearms leave flash signature. Does the Vortex [flash hider] eliminate the flash completely? I think defending your retreat at night is a completely new ball game, there are many things that most of your readers might not be aware of or experimented with. I think NVDs are a must, just like the firearms. Without a good night vision equipment you cannot defend your retreat at night unless you get a good illumination from the moon. Thanks, – Peter

JWR Replies: Let me begin by stating forthrightly that the claims of the makers of Supervision are more marketing hype than substance. They do not perform well out in the boonies where there is not much ambient light. Instead, go for mil-spec Gen 2 night vision gear, or better yet Gen 3 if you can afford it.

Vortex type flash hiders reduce muzzle flash by about 90%. This video clip shows the dramatic difference of a rifle with and without a flash hider. (Can you see why I’ve had the muzzles threaded on all my bolt action centerfire rifles?)

For versatility, I prefer weapon-mounted scopes that can be detached for use as hand-held monoculars.Make this your first purchase. If you have a big budget, then you can go on to buy goggles, but get your weapon sight first.

You also asked about opponents equipped with vision gear being able to detect you. In brief: If you use active IR devices (illuminators or lasers), they can definitely be seen! But it is important to note that even “passive” night vision gear casts a back-light. (This is the light of the image that you are seeing being cast on your face.) Through another NVD this looks like a bright flashlight! For this reason, I discourage SurvivalBlog readers from buying any night vision scope that does not have a baffled (“flap”) eyecup type eyeguard. (The baffle only opens when you have the scope pressed up against your eye, minimizing back-lighting.) This fault is common with nearly all of the commercial night vision gear on the market. (But some of these scopes can be retrofitted with mil-spec eyeguards.)

My recommended suppliers for Starlight weapon sights and goggles are JRH Enterprises and Ready Made Resources. For full mil-spec units as well as spare intensifier tubes, talk to STANO Components.