Category: Wilderness Survival

Killing Devices For Hunting

12/27/2014

By Survival Ready Blog Team

There are several killing devices that you can construct to help you obtain small game to help you survive. The rabbit stick, the spear, the bow and arrow, and the sling are such devices.

Rabbit Stick
One of the simplest and most effective killing devices is a stout stick as long as your arm, from fingertip to shoulder, called a "rabbit stick." You can throw it either overhand or sidearm and with considerable force. It is very effective against small game that stops and freezes as a defense.

Spear
You can make a spear to kill small game and to fish. Jab with the spear, do not throw it. See spearfishing here.

Bow and Arrow
A good bow is the result of many hours of work. You can construct a suitable short-term bow fairly easily. When it loses its spring or breaks, you can replace it. Select a hardwood stick about one meter long that is free of knots or limbs. Carefully scrape the large end down until it has the same pull as the small end. Careful examination will show the natural curve of the stick. Always scrape from the side that faces you, or the bow will break the first time you pull it. Dead, dry wood is preferable to green wood. To increase the pull, lash a second bow to the first, front to front, forming an "X" when viewed from the side. Attach the tips of the bows with cordage and only use a bowstring on one bow.

Select arrows from the straightest dry sticks available. The arrows should be about half as long as the bow. Scrape each shaft smooth all around. You will probably have to straighten the shaft. You can bend an arrow straight by heating the shaft over hot coals. Do not allow the shaft to scorch or bum. Hold the shaft straight until it cools.

You can make arrowheads from bone, glass, metal, or pieces of rock. You can also sharpen and fire harden the end of the shaft. To fire harden wood, hold it over hot coals, being careful not to bum or scorch the wood.

You must notch the ends of the arrows for the bowstring. Cut or file the notch; do not split it. Fletching (adding feathers to the notched end of an arrow) improves the arrow's flight characteristics, but is not necessary on a field-expedient arrow.

Sling
You can make a sling by tying two pieces of cordage, about sixty centimeters long, at opposite ends of a palm-sized piece of leather or cloth. Place a rock in the cloth and wrap one cord around the middle finger and hold in your palm. Hold the other cord between the forefinger and thumb. To throw the rock, spin the sling several times in a circle and release the cord between the thumb and forefinger. Practice to gain proficiency. The sling is very effective against small game.

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Filtering & Purifying Water

12/21/2014

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By Survival Ready Blog Team

With a few exceptions, like rain water and water collected through a solar still, the water collected from most water sources in a survival situation will need to be treated before it is safe to consume.

Filtering Water

If you don’t have a device that filter and disinfects the water, you will have to accomplish the same task in two stages. Before purifying the water, you will have to filter it to remove any debris.

Filter Frame or Tripod Filter

If you are not carrying a filtration system with you such as a “Lifestraw Personal Filter”, you could construct an improvised water filter. A water filter frame or tripod filter uses pouches of contrasting natural materials to remove unwanted particles from natural water. Pour the water into the uppermost pouch, and allow it to filter slowly down into a container at the bottom.

This water filter is a three tier system. The first layer, or grass layer, removes the larger impurities. The second layer, or sand layer, removes the smaller impurities. The final layer or charcoal layer (not the ash but charcoal from a fire), bonds and holds the toxins. All layers are placed on some type of straining device and the charcoal layer should be at least 5-6 inches thick. Layers should be changed frequently and straining material should be boiled. Remember, this is not a disinfecting method, cysts can possibly move through this system.

Hanging water filter

A hanging water filter works in the same manner as the filter frame or tripod filter, by allowing the water to pass through the layers of filtration. The contrasting layers of rock and sand inside the cloth bag or bottle will each strip particle of debris from the water, leaving in clean enough to be bottled for purification.

To make a hanging water filter you can either use a piece of cloth as a pouch or a bottle to stack the layers and hang it from a tree. Fill the pouch or bottle with layers of different materials working from coarse to fine as you go your way down the container. Pour the water into the top end of the pouch or bottle and allow it to work its way down through the layers

Disinfecting Water

If you consume untreated water, you run the risk of becoming infected with a water-borne disease, so it’s vital that you treat any water first. If you have the ability to start a fire, the most effective way of making water safe to drink is by boiling it from at least 10 minutes. However if you are unable to make a fire, there are several devices available that are capable of filtering and purifying water to make it safe for drinking.

Mini Portable Water Purifiers

These are specially designed units that filter the water and then purify it, by pumping the contaminated water through either micro filters, chemicals or a combination of both. Sized vary in these devices from small pumps able t purify 10 gallons to units capable of purifying large quantities of water.

Gravity/Pressure Filters

These devices are incorporated within drinking bottles. The water is either allowed to flow naturally through the system via gravity, or is squeezed through by the operator. All bottles of this type typically employ: a filter to remove sediments and organic contaminants; a micron filter to remove protozoa; and a chemical that kills water-borne bacteria and viruses.

Survival Straws

Compact emergency water filters, survival straws usually contain a filter system and employ either carbon or iodine resign systems to eliminate water-borne diseases and harmful chemicals. You need to get the water at the point where you can reach it with your straw. If you want to draw a supply of water to carry with you, you’ll have to draw water into your mouth and decant it into a container.

Larger units, that provide safe water to multiple people and that use the same technology, are now commercially available.

Other Methods

If you can’t boil water, or if you don’t have a water purification device, you’ll have to rely on non-mechanical methods. The concentration and contact time required for some of these methods is dictated by the quality and temperature of the water being treated.

Iodine (Liquid and Tables)

Iodine, which destroys bacteria, viruses and cysts, can be used to disinfect water effectively and conveniently. Its action is dependent on concentration, the water temperature, and the duration of the contact. A concentration of 8mgs per liter at 68 F will destroy pathogens if left for 10 minutes.

Chlorine Tablets

Chlorine based tablets will destroy most bacteria but are less effective for viruses and cysts. They are more effective when used in combination with phosphoric acid and will destroy both Giardiasis and Cryptosporidium.

Potassium Permanganate

Potassium permanganate can be bought at most pharmacies. Mix a few granules with your water until it turns light pink. Leave for at least 30 minutes before drinking

Bleach

Adding unscented household bleach is the cheapest way to add chlorine to water. Be careful to just add one drop of leach per liter of water, two if the water is cloudy, and leave for at least 30 minutes before drinking. This method is not always effective against Giardiasis and Cryptosporidium.

Note: Before employing any commercial device for water treatment, you should do your own research to ensure you are using appropriate devices to achieve the necessary level of treatment.

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Trap and Snare Construction

12/14/2014

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By Survival Ready Blog Team

Traps and snares crush, choke, hang, or entangle the prey. A single trap or snare will commonly incorporate two or more of these principles. The mechanisms that provide power to the trap are almost always very simple. The struggling victim, the force of gravity, or a bent sapling's tension provides the power.

The heart of any trap or snare is the trigger. When planning a trap or snare, ask yourself how it should affect the prey, what is the source of power, and what will be the most efficient trigger. Your answers will help you devise a specific trap for a specific species. Traps are designed to catch and hold or to catch and kill. Snares are traps that incorporate a noose to accomplish either function.

Simple Snare

A simple snare consists of a noose placed over a trail or den hole and attached to a firmly planted stake. If the noose is some type of cordage placed upright on a game trail, use small twigs or blades of grass to hold it up. Filaments from spider webs are excellent for holding nooses open. Make sure the noose is large enough to pass freely over the animal's head. As the animal continues to move, the noose tightens around its neck. The more the animal struggles, the tighter the noose gets. This type of snare usually does not kill the animal. If you use cordage, it may loosen enough to slip off the animal's neck. Wire is therefore the best choice for a simple snare.

Drag Noose

Use a drag noose on an animal run. Place forked sticks on either side of the run and lay a sturdy cross member across them. Tie the noose to the cross member and hang it at a height above the animal's head. (Nooses designed to catch by the head should never be low enough for the prey to step into with a foot.) As the noose tightens around the animal's neck, the animal pulls the cross member from the forked sticks and drags it along. The surrounding vegetation quickly catches the cross member and the animal becomes entangled.

Twitch-Up

A twitch-up is a supple sapling, which, when bent over and secured with a triggering device, will provide power to a variety of snares. Select a hardwood sapling along the trail. A twitch-up will work much faster and with more force if you remove all the branches and foliage.

Twitch-Up Snare

A simple twitch-up snare uses two forked sticks, each with a long and short leg. Bend the twitch-up and mark the trail below it. Drive the long leg of one forked stick firmly into the ground at that point. Ensure the cut on the short leg of this stick is parallel to the ground. Tie the long leg of the remaining forked stick to a piece of cordage secured to the twitch-up. Cut the short leg so that it catches on the short leg of the other forked stick. Extend a noose over the trail. Set the trap by bending the twitch-up and engaging the short legs of the forked sticks. When an animal catches its head in the noose, it pulls the forked sticks apart, allowing the twitch-up to spring up and hang the prey.

Note: Do not use green sticks for the trigger. The sap that oozes out could glue them together.

Squirrel Pole

A squirrel pole is a long pole placed against a tree in an area showing a lot of squirrel activity. Place several wire nooses along the top and sides of the pole so that a squirrel trying to go up or down the pole will have to pass through one or more of them. Position the nooses (5 to 6 centimeters in diameter) about 2.5 centimeters off the pole. Place the top and bottom wire nooses 45 centimeters from the top and bottom of the pole to prevent the squirrel from getting its feet on a solid surface. If this happens, the squirrel will chew through the wire. Squirrels are naturally curious. After an initial period of caution, they will try to go up or down the pole and will get caught in a noose. The struggling animal will soon fall from the pole and strangle. Other squirrels will soon follow and, in this way, you can catch several squirrels. You can emplace multiple poles to increase the catch.

Ojibwa Bird Pole

An Ojibwa bird pole is a snare used by native Americans for centuries. To be effective, place it in a relatively open area away from tall trees. For best results, pick a spot near feeding areas, dusting areas, or watering holes. Cut a pole 1.8 to 2.1 meters long and trim away all limbs and foliage. Do not use resinous wood such as pine. Sharpen the upper end to a point, then drill a small diameter hole 5 to 7.5 centimeters down from the top. Cut a small stick 10 to 15 centimeters long and shape one end so that it will almost fit into the hole. This is the perch. Plant the long pole in the ground with the pointed end up. Tie a small weight, about equal to the weight of the targeted species, to a length of cordage. Pass the free end of the cordage through the hole, and tie a slip noose that covers the perch. Tie a single overhand knot in the cordage and place the perch against the hole. Allow the cordage to slip through the hole until the overhand knot rests against the pole and the top of the perch. The tension of the overhand knot against the pole and perch will hold the perch in position. Spread the noose over the perch, ensuring it covers the perch and drapes over on both sides. Most birds prefer to rest on something above ground and will land on the perch. As soon as the bird lands, the perch will fall, releasing the over-hand knot and allowing the weight to drop. The noose will tighten around the bird's feet, capturing it. If the weight is too heavy, it will cut the bird's feet off, allowing it to escape.

Noosing Wand

A noose stick or "noosing wand" is useful for capturing roosting birds or small mammals. It requires a patient operator. This wand is more a weapon than a trap. It consists of a pole (as long as you can effectively handle) with a slip noose of wire or stiff cordage at the small end. To catch an animal, you slip the noose over the neck of a roosting bird and pull it tight. You can also place it over a den hole and hide in a nearby blind. When the animal emerges from the den, you jerk the pole to tighten the noose and thus capture the animal. Carry a stout club to kill the prey.

Treadle Spring Snare

Use a treadle snare against small game on a trail. Dig a shallow hole in the trail. Then drive a forked stick (fork down) into the ground on each side of the hole on the same side of the trail. Select two fairly straight sticks that span the two forks. Position these two sticks so that their ends engage the forks. Place several sticks over the hole in the trail by positioning one end over the lower horizontal stick and the other on the ground on the other side of the hole. Cover the hole with enough sticks so that the prey must step on at least one of them to set off the snare. Tie one end of a piece of cordage to a twitch-up or to a weight suspended over a tree limb. Bend the twitch-up or raise the suspended weight to determine where You will tie a 5 centimeter or so long trigger. Form a noose with the other end of the cordage. Route and spread the noose over the top of the sticks over the hole. Place the trigger stick against the horizontal sticks and route the cordage behind the sticks so that the tension of the power source will hold it in place. Adjust the bottom horizontal stick so that it will barely hold against the trigger. A the animal places its foot on a stick across the hole, the bottom horizontal stick moves down, releasing the trigger and allowing the noose to catch the animal by the foot. Because of the disturbance on the trail, an animal will be wary. You must therefore use channelization.

Figure 4 Deadfall

The figure 4 is a trigger used to drop a weight onto a prey and crush it. The type of weight used may vary, but it should be heavy enough to kill or incapacitate the prey immediately. Construct the figure 4 using three notched sticks. These notches hold the sticks together in a figure 4 pattern when under tension. Practice making this trigger before-hand; it requires close tolerances and precise angles in its construction.

Paiute Deadfall

The Paiute deadfall is similar to the figure 4 but uses a piece of cordage and a catch stick. It has the advantage of being easier to set than the figure 4. Tie one end of a piece of cordage to the lower end of the diagonal stick. Tie the other end of the cordage to another stick about 5 centimeters long. This 5-centimeter stick is the catch stick. Bring the cord halfway around the vertical stick with the catch stick at a 90-degree angle. Place the bait stick with one end against the drop weight, or a peg driven into the ground, and the other against the catch stick. When a prey disturbs the bait stick, it falls free, releasing the catch stick. As the diagonal stick flies up, the weight falls, crushing the prey.

Bow Trap

A bow trap is one of the deadliest traps. It is dangerous to man as well as animals. To construct this trap, build a bow and anchor it to the ground with pegs. Adjust the aiming point as you anchor the bow. Lash a toggle stick to the trigger stick. Two upright sticks driven into the ground hold the trigger stick in place at a point where the toggle stick will engage the pulled bow string. Place a catch stick between the toggle stick and a stake driven into the ground. Tie a trip wire or cordage to the catch stick and route it around stakes and across the game trail where you tie it off. When the prey trips the trip wire, the bow looses an arrow into it. A notch in the bow serves to help aim the arrow.

WARNING:This is a lethal trap. Approach it with caution and from the rear only!

Pig Spear Shaft

To construct the pig spear shaft, select a stout pole about 2.5 meters long. At the smaller end, firmly lash several small stakes. Lash the large end tightly to a tree along the game trail. Tie a length of cordage to another tree across the trail. Tie a sturdy, smooth stick to the other end of the cord. From the first tree, tie a trip wire or cord low to the ground, stretch it across the trail, and tie it to a catch stick. Make a slip ring from vines or other suitable material. Encircle the trip wire and the smooth stick with the slip ring. Emplace one end of another smooth stick within the slip ring and its other end against the second tree. Pull the smaller end of the spear shaft across the trail and position it between the short cord and the smooth stick. As the animal trips the trip wire, the catch stick pulls the slip ring off the smooth sticks, releasing the spear shaft that springs across the trail and impales the prey against the tree.

WARNING:This is a lethal trap. Approach it with caution!

Bottle Trap

A bottle trap is a simple trap for mice and voles. Dig a hole 30 to 45 centimeters deep that is wider at the bottom than at the top. Make the top of the hole as small as possible. Place a piece of bark or wood over the hole with small stones under it to hold it up 2.5 to 5 centimeters off the ground. Mice or voles will hide under the cover to escape danger and fall into the hole. They cannot climb out because of the wall's backward slope. Use caution when checking this trap; it is an excellent hiding place for snakes.

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Traps & Snares

12/14/2014

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By Survival Ready Blog Team

For an unarmed survivor or evader, or when the sound of a rifle shot could be a problem, trapping or snaring wild game is a good alternative. Several well-placed traps have the potential to catch much more game than a man with a rifle is likely to shoot. To be effective with any type of trap or snare, you must--

Be familiar with the species of animal you intend to catch.
Be capable of constructing a proper trap.
Not alarm the prey by leaving signs of your presence.

There are no catchall traps you can set for all animals. You must determine what species are in a given area and set your traps specifically with those animals in mind. Look for the following:

Runs and trails.
Tracks.
Droppings.
Chewed or rubbed vegetation.
Nesting or roosting sites.
Feeding and watering areas.

Position your traps and snares where there is proof that animals pass through. You must determine if it is a "run" or a "trail." A trail will show signs of use by several species and will be rather distinct. A run is usually smaller and less distinct and will only contain signs of one species. You may construct a perfect snare, but it will not catch anything if haphazardly placed in the woods. Animals have bedding areas, waterholes, and feeding areas with trails leading from one to another. You must place snares and traps around these areas to be effective.

For an evader in a hostile environment, trap and snare concealment is important. It is equally important, however, not to create a disturbance that will alarm the animal and cause it to avoid the trap. Therefore, if you must dig, remove all fresh dirt from the area. Most animals will instinctively avoid a pitfall-type trap. Prepare the various parts of a trap or snare away from the site, carry them in, and set them up. Such actions make it easier to avoid disturbing the local vegetation, thereby alerting the prey. Do not use freshly cut, live vegetation to construct a trap or snare. Freshly cut vegetation will "bleed" sap that has an odor the prey will be able to smell. It is an alarm signal to the animal.

You must remove or mask the human scent on and around the trap you set. Although birds do not have a developed sense of smell, nearly all mammals depend on smell even more than on sight. Even the slightest human scent on a trap will alarm the prey and cause it to avoid the area. Actually removing the scent from a trap is difficult but masking it is relatively easy. Use the fluid from the gall and urine bladders of previous kills. Do not use human urine. Mud, particularly from an area with plenty of rotting vegetation, is also good. Use it to coat your hands when handling the trap and to coat the trap when setting it. In nearly all parts of the world, animals know the smell of burned vegetation and smoke. It is only when a fire is actually burning that they become alarmed. Therefore, smoking the trap parts is an effective means to mask your scent. If one of the above techniques is not practical, and if time permits, allow a trap to weather for a few days and then set it. Do not handle a trap while it is weathering. When you position the trap, camouflage it as naturally as possible to prevent detection by the enemy and to avoid alarming the prey.

Traps or snares placed on a trail or run should use channelization. To build a channel, construct a funnelshaped barrier extending from the sides of the trail toward the trap, with the narrowest part nearest the trap. Channelization should be inconspicuous to avoid alerting the prey. As the animal gets to the trap, it cannot turn left or right and continues into the trap. Few wild animals will back up, preferring to face the direction of travel. Channelization does not have to be an impassable barrier. You only have to make it inconvenient for the animal to go over or through the barrier. For best effect, the channelization should reduce the trail's width to just slightly wider than the targeted animal's body. Maintain this constriction at least as far back from the trap as the animal's body length, then begin the widening toward the mouth of the funnel.

Use of Bait

Baiting a trap or snare increases your chances of catching an animal. When catching fish, you must bait nearly all the devices. Success with an un-baited trap depends on its placement in a good location. A baited trap can actually draw animals to it. The bait should be something the animal knows. This bait, however, should not be so readily available in the immediate area that the animal can get it close by. For example, baiting a trap with corn in the middle of a corn field would not be likely to work. Likewise, if corn is not grown in the region, a corn-baited trap may arouse an animal's curiosity and keep it alerted while it ponders the strange food. Under such circumstances it may not go for the bait. One bait that works well on small mammals is the peanut butter from a meal, ready-to-eat (MRE) ration. Salt is also a good bait. When using such baits, scatter bits of it around the trap to give the prey a chance to sample it and develop a craving for it. The animal will then overcome some of its caution before it gets to the trap.

If you set and bait a trap for one species but another species takes the bait without being caught, try to determine what the animal was. Then set a proper trap for that animal, using the same bait.

Note: Once you have successfully trapped an animal, you will not only gain confidence in your ability, you also will have resupplied yourself with bait for several more traps.

In a separate post titled “Trap and Snare Construction” we provide more detail on different type of traps and snares and how to construct them.

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Water Sourcing: Finding Water Outdoors

12/12/2014

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By Survival Ready Blog Team

Finding water is at the top of your priorities in any survival situation, ranking well above food. The reason is simple, you can survival far longer without food than without water. Without water, there’s a high chance of dying in just a few days.

The regular intake of water essential to life is about 2 to 3 liters a day. This is the minimum required to keep your water balance and prevent dehydration. In a survival situation, you should always filter and purify. In this post we’ll cover different ways to source and procure water. We’ll cover filtering and purification methods and gear in a separate post.

Here are a few method to find water:

Dew Collector

Dew collectors can be improvised from sheets of plastic, but commercial version are far more efficient. Condensation gathers on the sides of the collector, eventually running down into the central reservoir. Dew collectors are especially useful as the fluids collected can be safely drunk without the need of filtration or purification.

Harvesting Dew

In areas with moderate to heavy dew, dew can be collected by tying rags or tuffs of fine grass around your ankles. While walking through dewy grass before sunrise, the rags or grass will saturate and can be rung out into a container. The rags or grass can be replaced and the process is repeated.

Rain Collector

If you are in an area where rainfall is scarce, you want to maximize the amount of water you collect every time it does rain. A simple tarp rain collector, like the one shown in the image below, will channel large volumes of rainwater down into a bucket or container. This will type of collector will obviously need to be constructed in advance of the rain. Looks for signs of gathering clouds and pick and area with minimal obstructions to maximize the amount of rainwater collected.

Solar Still

Solar stills are designed to supplement water reserves. Contrary to belief, they will not provide enough water to meet the daily requirement for water.

Below-Ground Solar Still. Materials consist of a digging stick, clear plastic sheet, container, rock, and a drinking tube. Selecting a site where you believe the soil will contain. The soil should be easy to dig, and will be exposed to sunlight. See our post solar still construction for more details.

Transpiration Bags.

The mechanism a transpiration bag employs to source/collect water is the same as the solar still. That is why they are also known as “Above-Ground Solar Stills”. This device allows the survivor to make water from vegetation. To make the aboveground solar still, locate a sunny slope on which to place the still, a clear plastic bag, green leafy vegetation, and a small rock. See our post solar still construction for more details.

Digging for water

Digging down into damp earth can often lead to significant water deposits. Create a hole several feet deep and about 1 ft wide and allow water to seep in through the earth, collecting in the hole. ALWAYS filter ad purify such fluids before you drink them. In flat agricultural land, look for irrigation ditches between fields

Melting Snow & Ice

The environment may sometimes provide you with opportunities to acquire water. In a cold water can generally be located in the following:

Snow. Snow can be melted for potable water. Melting snow will result in a higher fuel usage. Uncontaminated snow does not need to be disinfected.

Ice. Ice can be melted for potable water. Melting ice is preferable to melting snow due to the higher concentration of water per volume. However, since ice is frozen water it needs to be disinfected.

Sea Ice. In time, sea ice loses its salinity. You can identify this ice by its rounded corners and bluish color. Gray ice has not yet lost its salt content.

Here are some general considerations when using snow and ice for water.

(1) Never melt snow or ice inside your mouth. This removes body heat and increases the chance of cold weather injuries.
(2) When on the move, use body heat to melt snow. Place snow or ice in a water bag and place the bag between your layers of clothing, not directly on the skin.
(3) Do not waste fuel to melt snow or ice when drinkable water (i.e., stream) is available.
(4) If melting snow in a container by a fire, utilize a hot rock to speed up the process and conserving fuel.

With very few exceptions, like rainwater or water immediately collected after water vapor condensation, most water sources that are procured in a survival situation should be treated before it is safe to drink. We will discuss the topics of water treatment, filtering and purifying in a separate post.

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Solar Still Construction

12/12/2014

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Solar stills are designed to supplement water reserves. Contrary to belief, they will not provide enough water to meet the daily requirement for water.

Below-Ground Solar Still. Materials consist of a digging stick, clear plastic sheet, container, rock, and a drinking tube.

(1) Construction.

(a) Select a site where you believe the soil will contain moisture (such as a dry streambed or a low spot where rainwater has collected). The soil should be easy to dig, and will be exposed to sunlight.
(b) Dig a bowl-shaped hole about 1 meter across and 24 inches deep.
(c) Dig a sump in the center of the hole. The sump depth and perimeter will depend on the size of the container you have to place in it. The bottom of the sump should allow the container to stand upright.
(d) Anchor the tubing to the container's bottom by forming a loose overhand knot in the tubing. Extend the unanchored end of the tubing up, over, and beyond the lip of the hole.
(e) Place the plastic sheet over the hole, covering its edges with soil to hold in place. Place a rock in the center of the plastic sheet.
(f) Lower the plastic sheet into the hole until it is about 18 inches below ground level. Make sure the cone's apex is directly over the container. Ensure the plastic does not touch the sides of the hole because the earth will absorb the moisture.
(g) Put more soil on the edges of the plastic to hold it securely and prevent the loss of moisture.
(h) Plug the tube when not in use so that moisture will not evaporate.
(i) Plants can be placed in the hole as a moisture source. If so, dig out additional soil from the sides.
(j) If polluted water is the only moisture source, dig a small trough outside the hole about 10 inches from the still's lip. Dig the trough about 10 inches deep and 3 inches wide. Pour the polluted water in the trough. Ensure you do not spill any polluted water around the rim of the hole where the plastic touches the soil. The trough holds the polluted water and the soil filters it as the still draws it. This process works well when the only water source is salt water.

Transpiration Bags. The mechanism a transpiration bag employs to source/collect water is the same as the solar still. That is why they are also known as “Above-Ground Solar Stills”. This device allows the survivor to make water from vegetation. To make the above ground solar still, locate a sunny slope on which to place the still, a clear plastic bag, green leafy vegetation, and a small rock.

(1) Construction.

(a) Fill the bag with air by turning the opening into the breeze or by "scooping" air into the bag.
(b) Fill the bag half to three-quarters full of green leafy vegetation. Be sure to remove all hard sticks or sharp spines that might puncture the bag.
CAUTION Do not use poisonous vegetation. It will provide poisonous liquid.
(c) Place a small rock or similar item in the bag.
(d) Close the bag and tie the mouth securely as close to the end of the bag as possible to keep the maximum amount of air space. If you have a small piece of tubing, small straw, or hollow reed, insert one end in the mouth of the bag before tying it securely. Tie off or plug the tubing so that air will not escape. This tubing will allow you to drain out condensed water without untying the bag.
(e) Place the bag, mouth downhill, on a slope in full sunlight. Position the mouth of the bag slightly higher than the low point in the bag. The bag can also be wrapped around leaves still on a tree as show in the video below
(f) Settle the bag in place so that the rock works itself into the low point in the bag.
(g) To get the condensed water from the still, loosen the tie and tip the bag so that the collected water will drain out. Retie the mouth and reposition the still to allow further condensation.
(h) Change vegetation in the bag after extracting most of the water from it.
(i) Using 1 gallon zip-loc bag instead of trash bags is a more efficient means of construction.

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3 Critical Elements on Setting up Your Survival Camp

12/8/2014

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By Randy A.

If you are planning on taking to the woods for your bug out, or even just spending time there brushing up on skills, picking the right spot for your stay is important.

Shelter

Your shelter should be located out of the wind. Always look for loose rocks or dead trees/limbs that could fall on your shelter.

The shelter itself should be made so it is warm and comfortable. If you can manage it have the entrance facing downwind so that you can build your fire in front and catch the heat in your shelter.

Learn to make a shelter that does the best in your local region. To find the best options study how the Native Americans in your area lived. They used native materials and built shelters that fit what they needed to survive in any given area.

Water

Water is your second priority after shelter. Locate your shelter close to a potable water source. But not too close, you will need to take into account possible flooding.

Another reason I like to be a little ways away from water is the noise factor. Setting up camp right next to even a small stream will mask many sounds with running water.

Food

Set your camp in an area that can provide you with food in the long term. This can mean places to hunt, fish, trap, and gather wild edibles.

A string of small traps can be set all around your camp to catch small game. You can set several hundred small deadfalls to catch rodents and possibly larger traps to catch larger game.

About the author
Randy Augsburger lives and writes from an old farm that has been in his family since 1866. Born in northwest Ohio, Randy grew up in a small town in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. He draws on his experiences of hunting, fishing, trapping and prospecting for his writing. Randy is also an ordained Southern Baptist preacher.

You find his writing blog at http://randyswrite.blogspot.com/

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Killing Devices For Hunting

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Trap and Snare Construction

Traps & Snares

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