$24.99 US Volume One - Book One

Putting Together A Bug Out Bag That Will Save Your Life During A Crisis Situation

FORGET ALL OF THE URBAN SURVIVAL MYTHS, AND DIVE INTO THE REAL WORLD OF TACTICAL SURVIVAL BY A RESPECTED HARD CORE SURVIVALIST FROM ALASKA. THIS BOOK LAYS IT ALL OUT IN EASY TO UN-DERSTAND FORMAT, WITH PLENTY OF PICTURES, AND DETAILED INFORMATION BASED ON REAL SURVIVAL SCENARIOS, AND THIRTY YEARS OF SURVIVAL PLANNING.

EVERY SCRAP OF INFORMATION INSIDE THIS BOOK GOES FAR BEYOND THE WHAT MAINSTREAM SURVIVAL

MANUALS SHOW. NEVER BEFORE HAS ON E BOOK GOT TEN INTO THE RAW UNADULTERATED ASPECTS OF

SURVIVAL LIKE THIS ONE.

SEE FOR YOURSELF WHY THIS BOOK IS QUICKLY BECOMING THE BUG OUT BIBLE

Written By: Franke H. Schein September 2011

Copyright 2011 Franke H. Schein

All Rights Reserved

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FORWARD FROM THE AUTHOR The BUG OUT BAG book has been a works-in-process for several months. It started out as a full-blown hard copy book that I had hoped to get published, and sold on Amazon, and through big name book sellers. I‘ve published a few books, and written hundreds, if not thousands, of articles—mostly dealing with sur-vival related topics. It seems that I have a passion for survival. I do most of my writing between 3am until 11am, nearly seven days a week. Some days I manage to get one or two pages finished, other days I can barley get enough words onto one page. It works like that for me. I think that it‘s because I‘ve written so much about survival, that rehashing the same old topics time after time, makes it a little boring and mundane. When I‘m not working for my employer, and not pecking away at the keyboard, I am administrating the daily operations of a survival group that I started in 2010. The Alaska Watchmen Group is a small twenty member survival group based in Anchorage Alaska. I started the group because deep down inside of me, I know that when SHTF, I will need somebody to watch my back. I‘m smart enough to realize that in a real world-shaking event, I can‘t do it all by myself. That I needed to have friends that I could count on. People that took survivalism as serious as I do. I built the first website, and started placing ads on various internet forums, and all over Craigslist. It took only a few days to get some responses, and I was excited, as well as a little nervous, when I sat down with my first interview. People have come and gone in the last couple of years. But the group has several ―rocks‖ that will always be part of The Alaska Watchmen Group. These ―Rocks‖ are the type of people that I was searching for; the serious likeminded individual that was already prepping for the end on their own, and likewise understood that having people around during a crisis, is beneficial. In the last year my group has evolved from a two man idea, to a full blown disaster preparedness group that has monthly meetings, conducts field training exercises, and practices mock disaster drill out in

in the Alaska bush country, a place that is both inhospitable, and gorgeous at the same time. Having spent many wonderful nights out in the bush all by myself, I tend to look at survivalism a little differ-ent from the mainstream survivalist out there posting on various internet forums. I probably have a bit of an attitude issue, since at times I can get pretty mouthy when it comes to survival planning, and actually exe-cuting those well laid survival plans. You see, it‘s a pretty serious thing for me. I‘m passionate about survivalism because I know deep down that it‘s only a matter of time before something BIG happens. I‘ll admit that I don‘t know what that ―something‖ will be—only that it‘s inevitability is inevitable. Throughout the last thirty years I have been getting ready for ―The Big One‖ almost everyday. It‘s some-thing that is always on my mind, or at least—never far from it. I like to think that its because I am devoted, of course, other people tell me its because I am nuts. I spend a lot of time out in the bush testing gear and equipment, but mostly I test myself, and some of my own survival ideas. Being by myself out there with the grizzly bears and wolves has a certain deadly attrac-tion. I guess it‘s the ―Man Against Nature‖ thing that pushes me toward those extremes. But nonetheless, I always find myself heading north into the remote areas of Alaska. Places where even a dirt bike can‘t go; places where encounters with wildlife are more numerous, than encounters with other humans.

My favorite seasons are the Spring and fall months. There‘s something in the air during those seasons that brings out my ―wanderlust‖ and I find myself out there humping through the Alaska jungles with my trusty shotgun, 44-magnum, and a couple days worth of food supplies tucked away in my backpack. I tend to use minimal gear, as that means less weight in my backpack, and less worry if something breaks. The picture on the left was taken during on of those ―survival treks‖ that I am so fond of. It was spring, and the snow was still covering the ground in the moun-tains where I like to play. The good thing, the mosqui-toes were not yet buzzing around, but the threat of the grizzly bears emerging from their winter hiberna-tion made for an ever watchful attitude. Each trek teaches me something; either about myself, or the gear and ideas that I am testing. It teaches me that modern 21st century humans are a frail race when compared to our ancestors that roamed the planet with dinosaurs. It makes me think about the Alaska natives that came across the prehistoric ice bridge into Alaska, and had to survive the harshness

of this environment with only primitive tools and weapons, as well as animal skin clothing. That takes skills and perseverance to accomplish. Yet modern humans require so much, to just go camping in a state park for the weekend, The natives managed to live their lives out here scratching out a living in the cold arctic darkness that remains for seven months of the year. I have to give them credit for that….. In the last twenty four months I have watched one disaster after another rock this world. Record breaking tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions are becoming more and more common these days. Fish are washing ashore in droves birds are dropping from the skies like the plague, and weird algae are blossom-ing in river, lakes, and streams all across the country. On top of that, the ancient Mayan prophecies are starting to feel like the real thing. Add the 2012 Dooms-day scenarios, the revelations as described in the Holy Bible, and the plethora of other End Of The World scenarios that are floating around out there, and you have a powerful reason for preparing for disasters. Perhaps I am not the only person that thinks this way; because I see that the survival movement is rapidly growing at a rate which totally astounds me. People from diverse backgrounds are getting their families ready to face what is coming. People that you would never suspect are closet-survivalist, are now coming

into the mainstream survival movements. I have talked with tons of people from all over the country that feel this sense of ―moral urgency‖ to prepare themselves. People that a few years ago were laughing an kidding me for being a survivalist, are now reaching out to me for advice and ideas. Talk about a weird turn-around… I wrote this book in hopes of dispelling some of the lame myths floating around out there. Myths that have been perpetuated by a handful of ―Urban Survivalist‖ that are only guessing their way along—but their posting videos on the internet and the newbie's are sinking their teeth into it. The problem with these urbanities is that they sound convincing to the uninitiated, or the newbie‘s just coming into the survival field. The consequences can be deadly, and I hope that my book will shed some light on these important topics. It is after all; a matter of life and death—lets Not allow these ―gear collec-tors‖ that don‘t have a clue to lead people astray with their silly and stupid survival ideas.

URBAN SURVIVALIST #1

This guy lives in Nebraska, is married, and has three children. He claims to be a survivalist for many years, and also claims that he is ready to go at a moment‘s notice. We spoke on the telephone several times, and blasted e-mails back and forth for a few months. Here‘s his rendition of a survival plan: At the first sign of trouble, he will grab his Bug Out bag, weapons, and family members—heading out into the cornfields of Nebraska. His food supplies will be supplemented with field corn, and he will shoot a cow now and then for fresh meat. His food supply consisted of beans, rice, jerky, and some power bars. He also planned to carry his Bushmaster AR-15 assault rifle, fifteen loaded magazines, and an extra 900 round of boxed ammuni-tion. On top of that, the Mossberg 12-Gauge shotgun and 100 rounds of 00-Buckshot, and a Kimber .45ACP with extra ammo would remain near the top of his rucksack.

His plan was flawed from the start. He never really even had a plan, because throughout all of the ―so called‖ planning phase, he never once mentioned where he was heading towards. He later confided in me that he would hide out in the middle of the vast cornfields that make up most of Nebraska, and live off the land as much as possible. He also told me that if he ran out of food, he would not be opposed to using his weapons in order to secure food for his kids.

When I listen to guys like this, I can't help but to shake my head and wonder what tree fell on his head. This guy intends to drag his wife and three kids into a cornfield, eat corn raw from the stalk, and slaughter a few cows to get meat—but only just once in awhile. AND that he would probably shoot somebody to get food when his couple days supply runs out. Think about this for a minute—- He‘s going to drag his kids out into the wind swept prairies of Nebraska. What about the winter months? He will eat corn fresh off the cob. How will he cook it? Fire of course; or ―so he said!‖ When he runs out of foods, he will just take it from other survivalist roaming around out there. Don‘t think that will be a good decision on his part. Further into the conversation he tells me that he doesn‘t know any of his neighbors, and that he‘s live don't the same city street for twelve years. Imagine THAT! My advice to this guy was to stay at home, get to know his neighbors, and stockpile lots of food and water. I tried to (unsuccessfully) explain to him that he‘s going to be much safer in his own neighborhood, as op-posed to heading out into hostile territory with his wife and kids. I also told him that most people that own cornfield full of cattle in Nebraska—are armed to the teeth, and will probably shoot back. They also have large families that are raised with guns from the moment of birth. Probably another bad idea to be slaugh-tering some rancher‘s cows, and taking pot-shots at country folks sitting at the dinner table. Of course; the usual happen—I was cussed out and told that I was full of crap!

How To Build A Bug Out Bag What Gear Works, And What Doesn’t. The Top Reasons That Most Gear is Junk. Why Electronic Devices Are A Waste Of Time. Why Hand Tools Are An urban Survivalist Myth. The truth about imported survival gear. Weight factors that will surprise you. Survival food inventory. KILLER CAMPFIRES. SURVIVAL COOKING TECHNIQUES. Tents will get you killed in a hurry Choosing the right survival firearm.

BASIC BUG OUT BAG INVENTORY Back Pack / Rucksack

Sleeping Bag

Gortex Bivy Cover

Water Purification Tablets

Water Purification Filter

Gortex Rain Suit

3-Piece Mess Kit

Canteen w/ Canteen Cup & Carrier

Individual First Aid Kit

Poncho

Mosquito Head Net

Insect Repellent

Snare Wire

Ka-Bar Hunting Knife

Sharpening Steel

Leatherman Multi-Tool

Toilet Paper

Fire Making Kit

Lensatic Compass

Parachute Cord

LED Head Lamp

Waterproof Pack Bags

AM-FM-SW Portable Radio w/ Extra Batteries

Fire Making Kit

Change Of Clothing

Toiletries Kit

Weapons Cleaning Kit

The BUG OUT BAG (BOB) is where most survivalists begin their survival planning. To many, this is the most important aspect of their survival mindset, and they spend a lot of time choosing the right gear that will enable them to sur-vive whatever calamities that they envision will occur when SHTF. The problems are confounded by the simple fact that one cannot carry everything that is needed to survive every situation that might necessitate a rapid evacuation from home. There are far to many situations which require special, or unique tools, and different survival gear. It would be impos-sible to have everything that is needed, and still be able to comfortable carry the BOB. So What‘s The Answer? It‘s pretty simple when you think about; only carry those things that you will absolutely need, and nothing else. Food Water Wet Weather and/or Cold Weather Gear Shelter Cooking & Eating Utensils First Aid Kit Personal Protection Minimal Tools

THE THREE CRITICAL SURVIVAL GEAR RULES: There are three rules that will dictate what gear and supplies become part of the Bug Out Bag. Three rules that most survivalist always forget, and the result is that not only do they waste their money, but they are placing their lives in greater danger by not following these three rules: RULE #1: If you don‘t need it—don‘t carry it! Rule #2: If it weighs over three pounds—It‘s too heavy! Ruler #3: If it requires fuel or batteries—You don‘t need it!

The picture above shows various survival gear that come in handy under most situations that the average survivalist will encounter. It covers both the three rules of survival gear selection, and meets other criteria that further establishes the gear selection process. ―Weight, Durability, and Utilization‖ The three words above are probably the most important elements to consider when building your BOB. Lets explore each of the words in detail to get a better understanding of why their important. WEIGHT: The best piece of survival gear is the one that weighs less than one pound, never requires fuel or batteries, will work under the most extreme conditions, and costs less than a can of coffee. That might be pushing the envelope a little, but taking everything else away except the weight factor, is what you are after at this point. Since weight usually also means bulk, it stands to reason that bulky items weigh a lot, and will take up valuable space in your back pack. Water weighs about eight pounds per gallon. That means if you are humping two Jungle Canteens, the weigh of drinking water and the canteens will tip the scales at just about nine pounds. Think about that for a moment. NINE POUNDS of extra weight. A sleeping bag weighs (on the average) about 5-7pounds. There are bags out there that only weigh 3Lbs, but the price gets much higher. A standard issue CFP-90 (Combat Field Pack) weighs about 9Lbs empty, and that‘s without the addition of the top pack, or survival gear. Lets do some quick math here: CFP-90 Rucksack 9 Lbs Two Canteens of Water 9 Lbs Sleeping Bag 6 Lbs TOTAL WEIGHT: 24 Pounds Twenty Four pounds and there‘s nothing inside of the BOB yet, no food, water, medical supplies, or fire-arms—and already the pack weighs twenty four pounds.

You see, it‘s at this point that weight becomes a very important factor. It‘s at this point that you must consider every ounce, every pound—and do you actually need to carry a particular piece of gear. The standard issue Meal, Ready To Eat (MRE) weighs a little over 1 Lb. If your are relying on twelve meal packs for survival food; then you‘ve just added another 14 pounds to the BOB. The average firearm weighs somewhere around 9-11 pounds, and that‘s without extra ammunition, or extra magazines. I think that we‘ve covered how important weight is, when it comes to constructing a BOB. Lets explore the next phase; Durability

DURABILITY: The flood of cheap imported survival and camping products into this country brought about a lack of prod-ucts that are solidly built, or will stand up to extreme conditions. Most of what is sold in the camping and big name outdoor stores have been manufactured overseas—and their junk! Most of the imported gear will not stand up to harsh rigorous use, and some will even fall apart the first time out in the field. Plastic zippers snag and break, snaps and ties quickly wear out, colors fade in less than one season, and quality construction is out the window the moment the package is opened. If you are serious about survival, don‘t lay your money down for these cheap imported goods that claim to work. Your wasting your time, and your money. Buy only quality gear that will hold up under duress. The best way to know if something is quality made—it lacks the label that says ―Made In China‖… Chinese camouflage clothing is usually only died on one side, leaving the inside either white, or a light blue. Soak the imported cammies in water overnight, and see how much of the dye washes away, and how quickly the Cammie pattern disappears. That‘s the price you will pay to save a few dollars. Spend your money ―right‖ the first time. Durability also means how the survival gear will stand up under the worst possible conditions. Cold weather, wet weather, hot weather—all gear will eventually break down under constant exposure to the elements. Knives that have their handles wrapped in parachute cord usually start to unwind, or get frayed after re-peated use. These cord wrapped knives don‘t stand up to well in the rain. It‘s much better to purchase a knife that has a real handle—like the venerable Ka-Bar Knife with a real sheath, instead of the cheaply made sheaths that fall apart after frequent field trips.

Durability doesn‘t mean that all products made in the USA are durable and immediately trustworthy. There are some products out there in the big name stores that are worthless junk—more so than the imported junk. The best way to determine if something will work, or not—is to buy it, and then take it out into the field for a test run. If it doesn‘t work, then don‘t be squeamish about letting the world know. The internet is a great place to share information about junk survival gear. If you are truly into survivalism, remember that your survival gear is sup-posed to save your life. How much value do you place on your life, if you spend a few pennies less on cheap junk that will let you down. Buy It Right The First Time! UTILIZATION: The last thing to remember is the word ―Utilization‖—this means, in simple terms; how often, or how much will you actually use the items that you are considering carrying.

There are far to many [ so called ] survivalist out there that are caught up in the ―new gear‖ syndrome. They literally spends thousands of dollars buying survival gear, with no thought given to if the product ac-tually works, or if they will ever use the particular item out in the field. A few examples of this are the following survival items that some people consider an integral part of their Bug Out Bag: Folding Shovel Folding Saw Camper‘s Hatchet Locksmith Tools Night Vision Goggles Global Positioning System Why in the world would anyone want to carry around all of these heavy and bulk items, is beyond specula-tion. These tools are designed for a particular task, none of which have anything to do with survival. I think what happened is that these ―gear collectors‖ don‘t really understand that ―Bugging Out‖ is a far different creature than camping out. Bugging Out means that you are hightailing it out of your comfort area, like your home; by executing an Es-cape & Evasion plan, into an area that you have already designated as one of several ―Safe Areas‖. The object is to get there as fast as possible, stay out of sight, and all the while have enough gear and supplies to allow you some comfort. Will you really have the time or opportunity to chop, saw, or dig things? Probably not. Put in a simple way—these tools make noise. Noise attracts unwelcome attention—in turn you will probably be robbed, and it‘s very likely that you will be killed by other survivalist out there in the woods that are doing the same thing that you are doing—surviving. Night Visions goggles is yet another one of those stupid and silly urban survivalist ideas. Night Visions gog-gles and/or scopes are designed to allow you to see at night while travelling, or to conduct ambush opera-tions. Though some urban survivalists claim that night vision goggles are to help them spot approaching marauders—that is yet another survival myth, due to the simple fact that if they have established a clan-destine patrol base—they wouldn't need night vision devices. For those that have never owned and operated night vision, I have one word for you—‖BATTERIES!‖

Lots Of Batteries...

I have tried several different types of night vision devices. They all have one common denominator—Night Vision can spot other night vision. Even though the human eye cannot detect the wavelength of the lights emanating from the device, other night vision scopes can clearly pinpoint another device. If you are using a night vision scope, somebody across the field can see the light that your scope puts out—through their own scope. It‘s one of the flaws of night vision. Don‘t allow the urban survivalist mindset force you to believe that night vision will help in camp security. Your in big trouble if you fall for this. These scopes are useless in a real survival situation. They eat batteries like crazy, and don‘t even think about using these expensive gadgets in the rain. You‘ll learn the hard way about wasting money.

Global Positioning Devices are great. Their a useful tool for back country hik-ers. But in a real survival situation, they have little use out in the field. If you‘ve done a proper survival planning session, then using a GPS will be a total waste of time. This is yet another of those ―urban survivalist‖ crap that has flooded the internet. The fact is that in a real Bug Out Situation you already know where you are go-ing, what route you will travel, and that a GPS device isn‘t necessary. If you disagree with this statement, then you probably fall into the Urban Survivalist category that hasn‘t done his survival planning.

Global Positioning Systems can be turned off by the government at will. If there is strong enough solar storms, that expensive

GPS will not work. Snow storms, heavy rain, and other weather factors will also affect the GPS devices. Even something as sim-

ple as heavy tree cover will prevent a GPS from receiving satellite signals.

Yeah—their great during a non-crisis situation but the truth is that during an emergency, y9u will probably never use it. The

good thing about these hand held devises, is that they treat batteries much better than a flashlight. But get used to the idea that

you can do without a GPS. Again—if you've done your homework, you will never need a GPS. That’s a fact!

The guy on the left can be found all over You-Tube proclaiming to be a survival expert. There are many like him out there making survival re-lated videos, and it kills me to see people fall into the obvious ―gear collector‖ trap like this particular individual. If you look closely at the picture , on the far right is the total sum of his food supply. He claims to have everything else that he needs, or at least thinks that he needs—when in fact he doesn‘t have enough food to last but a couple of days. See he glass jar sticking up from behind the box. That‘s right—a glass jar dull of rice, or something. Most of what I saw in this video was cheap imported junk that served no useful purpose in a real survival situation. It might be good for getting across town during an emergency, but in a real BUG OUT scenario, this guy is in big trouble—considering that he

THIS ISN’T MEANT TO DEFAME HIM, OR MAKE HIM LOOK BAD. I APPLAUD THE FACT THAT HE’S TRYING TO GET A KIT TOGETHER, BUT IN MY PERSONAL VIEW, THIS EXEMPLIFIES WHAT A REAL SURVIVALIST SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM. IT MEANS THAT HE DIDN’T DO ANY REAL PLAN-

A real Bug Out Bag starts out with food supplies. Before any-thing is placed into the bag, before the first piece of survival gear ids purchased, the first thing is how much food you will carry, what types of food, and then everything else comes after that.

WITHOUT FOOD YOU DIE! Don‘t run out to the store and start buying survival gear until you have enough food to last a minimum of two weeks. There is a very easy formula to use in my other book; Survival Plan-ning‖ that explains in detail how to determine the amount of food that you should carry in your Bug Out Bag. But the mini-mum should always be 14-days worth of emergency food.

The best way to get your food supplies together, is to figure out how far you have to travel (on foot) to reach you safe area. Then make a menu of lightweight nutritional foods that will get you through the trek. You see, you have to strategize in terms of walking. Even though that will probably be your last resort, you have to plan for the worst case scenario. It would be nice if you could just drive straight into the safe area, but disasters have a cute way of upsetting those plans. For Example, you might use this is a base menu: BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER Instant Oatmeal Instant Soup Freeze Dried Food Pack Instant Coffee Powder Drink Mix Tea Bag Condiments Power Bar So the first day out, your food supply will consists of 2 Oatmeal packs, 1 Instant Coffee pack, 2 Sugar & 1 Creamer packs, 1 pack of Instant Soup, 1 pack of Powdered Drink Mix, 1 Power Bar, and a Freeze Dried Meal pack with a Tea Bag for the evening drink. Now think in terms of 14 days worth of food supplies. If you‘ve followed my menu correctly, the total weight should be less than twenty pounds. You will loose a few pounds each days as you consume the food.

The above picture shows a small survival food inventory. It includes thee military MRE‘s as the base food supply, and other lightweight food items that will pack nicely into the Bug Out Bag. The contents include the following: 3 Meals Ready To Eat 6 Instant Oatmeal Packs 8 Power Bars 2 Packs of Tuna Fish 3 Packs of Emergen-C (Vitamin C) Drink Mix 8 Packs Of Tea Bags 7 Instant Rice/Potato Meal Packs 3 Packs Of Hot Chocolate Mix 1 Plastic Jar of Instant Coffee 3 Packs Of Honey Take a piece of paper and work out a menu using the above food inventory. You should be surprised how long this food supply will last one person. The MRE were included because they contain other essential supplies such as toilet paper, matches, salt, sugar, and other condiments. Each MRE can also be broken down into a two day food supply by rationing the food items. You don‘t have to eat everything all at once. The small Rice or Potato packs are of the ―microwavable‖ variety. That means they are already cooked. You just use the microwave to heat them up. Usually the shelf life is less than one year, so rotate your sup-plies before they expire. To cook out in the field, you simply place the bag in a pot of boiling water. They actually taste pretty good too, and it sure beats a steady diet of beef jerky and raisins.

Cooking Out In The Field: Contrary to what many urban survivalist think, survival cooking requires planning, and skills. These guys falsely believe that it‘s just a matter of stopping for the night, building a campfire, and roasting over an open flame.

Let Me Get Right To The Point Here; ―BULL CRAP!‖

Campfires have no place in a survivalists conversation or thinking patterns. Fire equates to getting killed for your food. Fire equates drawing attention of other

Survivors out there in the bush. The last thing that you want to do, is to advertise your presence through a campfire. Forget all that crap about a smokeless fire. Fires give away not only smoke, but smell and light too. Each of these will attract undesirables straight into your camp. This is a situation that you want to avoid at all cost.

These multi-fuel stoves like shows on the left are absolutely great hiking or camping stoves. But they are useless in a survival situation. Just the fact that they require a steady supply of fuel, say nothing of the bulk and weight, make them impractical for carrying in a Bug Out Bag. There are ―Volcano‖ stoves and folding stoves on the market that fare much better. These stoves will use just about anything for fuel, including home-made heat tabs that are built from cotton balls and paraffin wax. Using a folding stove and heat tabs keeps you safe. Their flames are too small to attract attention, there‘s virtually no smoke or scent wafting through the air, and their lightweight compactness makes them ideal for a Bug Out Bag. In a pinch, small twigs can be used a fuel.

I use the folding stove and heat tabs as shown in the pic-ture on the right A steady supply of commercially made heat tabs is augmented by home-made cotton balls tinder. This compact stove will boil a canteen cup of water in just a few minutes, and will take the weight of a small pot filled with water. Even in the dead of winter when it‘s –40 degrees below zero, using this stove was no problem at all. The secret to survival cooking is to always remember that light will betray you, and the smell of food cooking will at-tract both four-legged and man made predators. Here in Alaska, it‘s a good idea to cook and eat in once place, and then roll up into the sleeping bag in another place. Never cook, eat, and sleep in the same area, as it will attract grizzly bears or wolves into your camp. The same rings true for human wolves.

The only time that a campfire should be used is during an extreme emergency. If you are wet, cold, or need to boil water—then a camp fire is the best option. Keep the fire small and manageable. The fire will be much easier to maintain and tend, as opposed to a large fire that needs lots of wood, and lots of attention. For the survivalist, fire building has to be an exacting science. If you are to the point of hypothermia, then you had better know how to build a fire under the worst conditions known to man. It don‘t matter if there‘s a monsoon rain pouring buckets of water down on you—a fire will have to be built to save your life. If there‘s eight feet of hard packed snow covering the ground, you better know how to build a fire quickly before you freeze to death. Hypothermia is a slow death. It doesn't take long to before your mind shuts down, and you‘ll wish you had thought about an emergency fire making kit that is outlined below.

THE EMERGENCY FIRE MAKING KIT: As stated above, it‘s a good idea to keep camp fires out of your survival planning unless there‘s a dire emergency. But when the occasion arises that a fire is needed, this fire making kit will quickly have you sit-ting in front of a small flame in record time. The kit shown on the left is just such a piece of survival gear. Besides the obligatory disposable lighters, and matches, there are several means to get a fire going—even in wet conditions.

There is no other valid reason for having a survival campfire. None whatsoever can justify the risk. But when the situation arises that you absolutely must have a fire, then take the time to construct it right, and only keep the flames going as long as you need it. Don‘t go to bed with a campfire roaring away on the edge of the camp. You might never awaken from your slumbers.

When all else fails, the magnifying glass will never run out of fuel, as long as there is sunlight. A Swedish fire steel, flint striker, waterproof matches, and candles stubs are an essential part of this kit. Remember to keep everything dry. I found a small zippered pouch in the local flea market. Even though the pouch itself is waterproof, I still double bag everything with Zip-Loc Bags as an added precaution.

If you are forced to build a fire, then learn the proper techniques that will enable you to get one going no mat-ter what the weather conditions are. During a particular nasty rain storm, I once had to build a small camp fire underneath my hanging poncho. It was first necessary to build a log floor out of woof sticks to keep the fire out of running water. I kept the fire small enough to handle with little wood chips, yet the flames were strong enough to boil drinking water, cook my food, and dry out some of my clothing. Dry wood can be found underneath the first layer of leaves, and found near the base of rotting trees. Any Boy Scout manual will teach you how to build a fire from scratch, but it takes experience to understand that not everyone can get a fire going during a torrential down-pour. Take the time to learn now, before you really have to do it, and when your life depended on that skill.

EMERGENCY FIRE MAKING KIT CONTENTS:

Waterproof Matches Disposable Lighters Swedish Fire Steel Flint & Steel Striker Magnifying Glass Fire Jelly Strike-Anywhere-Matches Home Made Fire Tinder

HOME MADE QUICK & EASY FIRE STARTER:

Use a razor knife and carefully remove the powdered material from the inner core of the highway flare. This material is very flammable, and will light even when damp. Store it in Zip-Loc Bags, and keep it out of the weather. There are several different types of emergency fire tinder on the market. Toss the commercial container, as they are pretty worth-less, and repack in your own waterproof storage container.

The ONLY reason that a survivalist builds a campfire is under the following situations:

To Boil or Purify Drinking Water

Cook Food When No Other Method Is Available

Provide Warmth To Prevent Hypothermia

To Dry out Clothing And Gear

As stated earlier, there is no way possible that anyone can carry every piece of gear that might be needed during a survival situation. That is an impossibility unto itself. But you can carry the things that will be nec-essary to save your life during an emergency. The amount of gear and supplies that you can carry is dic-tated by weight, bulkiness, and your own health. But lets face facts here, no matter what you may think, there is no way in the world that a Bug Out Bag will get your through End Of The World Scenarios. At some point you will have to resupply yourself, or learn to do without. In my own personal experiences, I have found that most survivalist that have a wife or life-partner, are faced with the dilemma that she isn‘t involved in the survival preparations. She is just going along with it for the sake of the relationship. That's not true in all cases, but for the vast majority of survivalists, they are the one‘s doing all the prepping, and rarely does the wife or girlfriend get involved. It‘s when you have two (or more) people that are actively involved in survival preparations, that the job be-comes easier. It‘s at this point that two people can carry a lot more gear than the lone survivalists all by himself. Splitting up essential food supplies and gear will allow for a broader range of equipment to be carried.

HOME MADE SURVIVAL FIRST AID KIT:

Start with a store bought first aid kit and add things to it over the course of several months. Quick Clot Sponges Emergency Suture Kit Mole Skin Patches Cold & Flu Remedies Sleeping Aids Antibiotics Prescription Medication Extra Reading Glasses Tampons Sanitary Napkins Pain Medication Israeli Compression Bandages Antiseptic Wipes Thermometer Burn Cream Splinter Removal Kit

You will need to find those little medical items that aren't included in most store bought First Aid kits. The things that you probably already have in your medicine cupboard at home, or the things that you regularly use throughout your life, like prescription medication, contact lenses, feminine hygiene items, and other medi-cal supplies that are particular to your own needs. Barring any serious injury, like gunshot wounds, animal bites, or broken bones, the most common injuries that you can expect out in the field are burns, blis-ters, strained ankles, and small cuts or abrasions. One of the more serious, but common wilderness injuries are getting poked in the eye with a tree branch.

There are commercial Wilderness First Aid Kits that will work fine, but in a survival situation, where help isn‘t just around the corner, you will need to carry some additional medical gear. The one thing to always remember, is that even a little cut can quickly become infected and eventually lead to death if left un-treated. Having antibiotics in the first aid kit is a paramount requirement. Some of the more better known types of antibiotics can be bought in Mexico, and in some cases, they can be purchased on-line through internet vendors. I‘m not advocating that you utilize this route to get antibiotics, but you should look into acquiring them as part of your kit, with whatever means and methods that you have at your disposal.

COOKING UTENSILS:

You don‘t need to spend a fortune on an expensive space age mess kit that has all the fancy gizmos. What you need is a basic mess kit that includes a pot with a cover, a fry pan, and a plate to eat from. A typical three piece mess kit will provide for all of your cooking needs. The nesting pot and pan don‘t take up to much space in the rucksack, and I‘ve included a ―pot grabber‖, as well as a small camper‘s pocket knife complete with a fork and spoon. Everything fits nicely inside the nesting pot set, and with the addition of a dish cloth, nothing will rattle inside the pack to give away my position. The folding Stove also fits inside the mess kit if you take your time and work it into the last pot. KEEP THE MESS KIT CLEAN BEFORE USE!

TENT & GEAR REPAIR KIT: In a survival situation you will be out there all alone. If something breaks, there will be no way to run to the store and replace the item. You will have to have a means to fix it, on the spot. I‘ve put together a small ―Gear Repair‖ kit that will re-pair most everything that I carry out there. It starts with some basic items, and then goes from there into a kit that will patch leaks, sew clothing, fix a broken pack frame, mend torn mosquito netting, and fix al-most everything that I use in a survival situation. Lets explore some of the things that you might want to consider as part of your kit...

TENT & GEAR REPAIR KIT CONTENTS:

Tire Patches Super Glue Compact Sewing Kit Bailing Wire Duct Tape Electrical Tape Heat Shrink Tubing Seam Sealant Jelly Small Radiator Clamps Backpack Frame Shunts Assorted Stainless Steel Nuts & Bolts Eye Glass Repair Kit

Utilizing the items contained in the list on the left, you will be able to fix and/or repair just about everything that your Bug Out Kit has. I learned a very long time ago, that when you start to depend on a piece of gear, that‘s when it will let you down. It will break when you can least afford to have it break. It will leak when it‘s raining, and the pack will give up the ghost when you are carrying the heaviest weight. To be a survivalist, you almost have to be a part-time MacGyver when it comes to fixing your critical gear.

The backpack/Rucksack is the one survival items that gets used everyday. The total sum of your survivabil-ity is predicated upon the pack remaining in good working condition. If you have purchased a cheap im-ported backpack, then you better be prepared to have it break down pretty quick. Whereas, the military rucksacks are built to withstand repeated harsh use, the cheap imports have a tendency to fall apart when SHTF. This is a situation that you must be prepared to immediately correct when the time comes. Put together a small repair kit and make it part of the Bug Out Planning.

The following pictures shows a typi-cal Bug Out Bag, and some of the extra gear that can be carried inside of it. There are some things that you really don‘t need out there, but then again, there are some things that you absolutely can‘t live without. So far everything that I have dis-cussed in this book, is laid out for you in these following pictures. But you will also notice the addition of a flashlight, a GPS Device, and a toilet-ries kit. These are things that will be carried by my partner. That is the secret to planning a survival Bug Out. Don‘t be the only one carrying all the gear that will be needed. An emergency fishing kit is yet an-other example of extra equipment that can be used. Don‘t worry about buying some ―sardine can‖ fishing kit. Just go ahead and buy a collapsi-ble rod 7 reel, and fill the lure box with enough plastic lures, extra hooks and sinkers, as well as an-other spool of fishing line. Trust me when I tell you that it‘s easier to catch fish with a rod 7 reel, as op-posed to hunkering down on the bank jiggling a section fish line up and down in the cold water. If you‘ve done your homework right, you will never need this fishing kit, but remember that it‘s always a good idea to have this kit tucked away in the Safe Area. It‘s at that point that you will appreciate the simplicity of this kit.

TO TENT OR NOT TO TENT?

Some survivalist like to use a nylon tent for a shelter. That’s

fine and dandy, but again it’s a matter of weight and bulki-

ness that quickly comes to mind.

Though tents are great when its storming out in the bush, to

ne personally, they are not worth all of the trouble.

Very few tents are camouflaged colored. Most are bright

yellow, bright blue, and sometimes even red. That’s the first

strike against using a tent for survival situations.

The next problem is the one that is more important; it’s the

false sense of security that a tent provides. Once you are

safely tucked inside of the tent, it’s almost like you are co-

cooning inside of a safety blanket.

But there are more problems as well...

Sleeping inside of a tent will greatly reduce your situational awareness . You can‘t hear approaching threats as good, if you are behind nylon; and you certainly can‘t see anyone coming at you. Tents also have a very definitive outline. They are an unnatural sight out in the woods. Their sleek-straight lines makes them easy to spot, even if they are camouflaged colored. It‘s hard to hide the straight lines that the roof, or guy-lines make. I don‘t care what you do, you will have a difficult time making tent blend into the surrounding vegetation.

Most camping tents weigh anywhere from five to nine pounds. That alone makes them unsuitable for a sur-vival situation. I would much rather cut that weight in half, by using a cammie poncho that only weighs two pounds, and rolls up into a compact little bundle that will fit inside one of the pockets of my rucksack. The fact that I am in open air, also allows me to see and hear any approaching threats, whereas, inside of a tent that awareness is diminished by a factor of three. One of the other great uses that I have found when using a poncho, is that during the rainy season, if a canteen cup is strategically placed in one of the cor-ners, the rainwater ―run off‖ makes it easy to rehydrate my water supply.

Even in the worst rain that I have encountered, my ―poncho hooch‖ always kept me dry and comfortable. I had to take a few extra steps to keep my sleeping gear dry, but it was worth it to be able to know when somebody was coming near my camp area. It‘s also difficult inside of a tent to light a small campfire. Whereas, under a poncho hooch, having a small fire poses mo issues, as long as you don‘t get the flames to high. Cooking is also made easier under the poncho, and you don‘t have to unzip anything to go out and take a leak.

During nasty weather, I don‘t use my sleeping bag; it remains packed away inside of the BOB. I use my poncho liner, and wear extra insulating clothes to keep the chill off. I call this the ―Three Level Sleep System‖ and it has worked for me in the harsh backcountry of Alaska. During exceptionally cold and rainy nights, the first poncho is used as a overhead shelter; an-other is place don the ground to keep my pon-cho liner dry, and a emergency space blanket is laid out on top of the poncho liner. This system has kept me warm when the tem-perature dipped down into the single digits. It also keeps my sleeping bag dry and ready for use when the rain finally stops.

THE BIGGEST AND MOST DANGEROUS URBAN SURVIVALIST MYTHS

THAT WILL GET YOU KILLED IN A HURRY!

You will be all alone out there:

Nobody else will have a survival plan like yours

Your guns will protect you and keep you safe

More ammo and magazines are better

Most survivors will die in two weeks, or less

Food supplies can be supplemented with hunting and fishing

I‘ll just head to the nearest park and go into hiding

Wild edible plants will be plentiful out in the woods

Recreational cabins are mine for the taking

The police will be too busy with other things, than to worry about me

I can protect my wife and kids all by myself

I can steal what I need to survive

The problem with these myths is that so many people believe them. They have based their entire survival plans around these dangerous improvisations, that it astounds me that a sane and rational person could fall for such nonsense. In the thirty years that I have been teaching survival, and living survivalist like, I have seen and heard just about every excuse out there—most due to lack of proper sur-vival planning. There‘s no way in hell that anyone can convince me that a 21-day food supply is unnecessary because they can forage for wild edible plants. Really; In The Winter?

The problem arises when ―Hollywood Survivalist‖ make television shows that tells people it‘s alright to go out into the woods with food and water. They show them how to gather water from various sources, and how to make a fire with two sticks. But what is uncanny about these shows—everything that they need sud-denly and magically appears out of nowhere. Their out in the Amazon Jungle where it‘s rare to see another human beings for weeks; yet they find an empty water bottle to use as a makeshift water filter. Sounds kind of like a :Set Up‖ to me personally. Take your food and water with you!

Survival is all about preparedness, not ―making due‖. It‘s about having the right gear, enough food, and a decent survival plan. Nothing else will work. Period! Forget all the crap about finding edible plants, hunting for fresh meat, and stopping long enough to catch some trout. In a real survival situation these things will get you killed in a damned hurry! Imagine a world gone crazy. A medical epidemic is sweeping the country from coast to coast. Millions of people have been infected, and are slowly dying off by the droves. You grab you kit, rush your wife and kids out the door, and head straight for the nearest forest or state park to wait out the pandemic.

Firstly, you are probably not going to make it to that cute little cabin out in the park that you rented last year. The roads will be jam-packed with other people trying to get out of dodge. The price of gasoline just tripled, and the banks shut down because the bank clerks are slowly dying off from the epidemic. The cops are searching everyone on the highway and back roads; so any weapons that you happen to be car-rying, are quickly taken from you. Resistance is met with a fusillade of bullets. Even if you happen to make it to the cabin, there‘s probably already some other group occupying it—and they have more guns than you do.

So your stuck on the back country roads, the gas tank is near empty, and suddenly a light snow starts fal-ling from the skies. What—you thought disasters only happen during the summer months when it‘s warm outside>?Tisk, Tisk, Tisk…. Every intersection, and every bridge has a checkpoint being manned by national guard troops. Your not getting across that bridge with you guns, and if they suspect that you are contagious, you will probably be shackled and sent to a FEMA camp for treatment, or to die of the disease so they can incinerate your re-mains.

But the sad reality really hits home, when your car runs out of gasoline, and there you are—sitting on the side of the road, with cold weather closing in on you, and your survival kit only has three days worth of food—but there are four people to feed in your little family. Most people will just grab their guns and head into the bush, vowing to survive at all costs, and no matter what the price. But did I mention that it‘s starting to snow, and that you are in a hostile environment, and that you won‘t be the only one out there with a assault rifle? Better think about that little fact !

So lets see if I have this straight; you are going to head out into the woods, trying to reach a secluded cabin; you only have three days worth of food in your rucksack,—and your wife and kids are just going to hike through the cold wet forest without a single complaint? Oh—and all the while GOD will keep you safe from the ―Other‖ people out in the woods, and they have more guns, more friends, and you will be able to execute a ―counter ambush‖ plan—all by yourself.

In the Real survival world, problems and issues are a way of life. But they can be handled by doing some serious survival planning. The fact is, that unless you actually have a ―Safe Area‖ already established—you will be just another wandering victim of circumstances. It‘s will be just a matter of time before you run out of food, and get shot trying to steal somebody‘s supply cache. It‘s inevitable that you will perish due to lack of cohe-sive planning. No matter what situation forces people from their homes, there is a certain segment of the population that will turn predatory. If you live near a prison, your problems are already multiplied exponentially. Those individuals that have spent their entire lives flowing against humanity, in terms if criminal activi-ties, will suddenly become ―king of the rats‖ when police services disintegrate. There is no way in hell that YOU, all by yourself, can hope to go up against a well armed gangs of thugs.

Unless you happen to have a small survival group that has trained together, your best bet is to remain out of sight, and out of mind. That can‘t be accomplished unless you put some serious planning effort into it before the crisis happens.

Even if you manage to get away from the cities with your lives intact, once you are out in the woods, there‘s a good chance that other survivalists will set up and execute an ambush, if for no other reasons, than to acquire your food supplies and gear. They might just kill you because you ventured into their safe area. Are you really prepared to counter these threats all by yourself?

During a Bug Out situation, everything that you will need to survive must be carried on your back. There are a few things that you should also carry in other places, just in case you get separated from your backpack.

In addition to my CFP90 rucksack, I also use a Tactical Combat Vest—minus the heavy bulletproof plates used my the military. The vest is equipped with a drop-leg holster, and a drop-leg pouch. All of my first level survival gear is carried in the vest and attached pouches.

Emergency Space Blanket

Chemical ―Snap‖ Lights

Chemical Heat Packs

Cammie Face Mask

Mosquito Head Net

LED Headlamp

Insect Repellent

Cammie Face Paint

Mini-Binoculars

Toilet Paper

Waterproof Map case w/ Area Maps

Zipper Temperature Gauge

Lensatic Compass

Waterproof Matches

Parachute Cord

Additionally I carry identification documents in case things get back to normal, or I am stopped and asked for my ID:

Social Security Card (Copy)

Birth Certificate (Copy)

Driver License (Copy)

Car Registration (Copy)

Most everything that is stored in the Tactical vest and pouches, are the things that would allow me to survive under primitive conditions. If I am forced to drop my rucksack, then I have enough survival gear to make it to my safe area. There‘s little in the way of food, other than a few packs of MRE Entrees and some power bars, but I am confident that as long as I have access to these things, I can hightail it to my safe area with little or no trouble—provided that I am not injured. The rucksack weighs about 75Lbs with every-thing, including the tactical vest. Weapons and ammunition will add to the weight, so I have cho-sen a two gun system that works for me. But even without food, I have another trick up my sleeve that came about as a result of survival planning. There are several; food caches posi-tioned long my intended travel route. Each cache point is about ten miles away, and even under the worst conditions, I can reach one of these cache‘s in about three days travel time through Alaska‘s thick arctic jungle.

REMEMBER THIS: All of the gear, supplies, and small kits that I have described so far, can be carried

by different members of your family. Split up all the food so that everyone has an equal share. The rest of the gear can be assigned to members of your family, along with the job of using the particular kit. For ex-ample; the person carrying the Emergency Fire Making Kit, is the one that is responsible for starting all the fires. The person that carries the medial kit, is in charge of treating any injuries. Of course, you wouldn‘t saddle the thirteen year old with the job that they can‘t handle, or packing gear that is heavy or cumber-some. If you are going at it all alone, then your best bet is to read my upcoming book; Survival Planning‖ and get yourself one step ahead of the crowd. It will be difficult for you to carry everything that will be needed, so you will definitely need to have a Plan-B ready to go at a moments notice.

PLAN PREPARE TRAIN PRACTICE SURVIVE

LEVEL ONE [ TACTICAL VEST ] INVENTORY

Zipper-Pull Temperature Gauge Emergency Space Blanket Chemical Lights Chemical Heat Packs Camouflage Face Paint Mosquito Head Net LED Headlamp Insect Repellent Mini-Binoculars Toilet Paper Waterproof Map case w/ Area Maps Lensatic Compass Waterproof Matches Parachute Cord Sharpening Steel Snare Wire Lensatic Compass

LEVEL TWO [ CFP-90 RUCKSACK ] INVENTORY

Sleeping Bag Gortex Bivy Cover Poncho Poncho Liner 3-Piece Mess Kit Canteen w/ Cup & Carrier Ka-Bar Knife Leatherman Multi-Tool Water Purification Tablets Water Purification Filter Gortex Rain Suit Individual First Aid Kit Toilet Paper Fire Making Kit LED Head Lamp Waterproof Pack Bags AM-FM-SW Portable Radio w/ Extra Batteries Fire Making Kit Change Of Clothing Toiletries Kit Weapons Cleaning Kit

SURVIVAL FOOD SUPPLY INVENTORY

MRE Wheat Bread 6 MRE Crackers 6 MRE Peanut Butter 6 MRE Jelly 6 Instant Coffee 14 Sugar Packs 28 Non-Dairy Creamer Packs 14 Salt Packs 6 Instant Soup Packs 6 Instant Oatmeal Packs 6 Honey Packs 6 Freeze Dried Breakfast Packs 4 Freeze Dried Lunch Packs 4 Freeze Dried Dinner Packs 4 Tea Bags 3 Hot Chocolate Packs 3 Raisins Packs 6 Emergen-C Drink Mix Packs 12 Hershey Chocolate Bars 4 Power Bars 8 Meals, Ready To Eat Food Packs 6 Dried Pineapple Fruit 1 Dried Mango Fruit 1 Power Drink Bottles 3

SURVIVALISTS SMALL ANIMAL SNARE

Look closely at how this snare is built. This is one of the reasons that your BOB should have snare wire. Build it, leave it overnight—and then eat!

SURVIVAL WATER PURIFICATION

Never cross a stream, or go around a pond or lake, without filling your canteens. You‘ll never know when water will become scares, or the how far away the next water supply will be. Water is the most critical aspect of any survivalists planning. Without water the trek become a hard-ship.

The Katadyn Hiker-Pro is the filter that I carry in my Bug Out Bag. It‘s lightweight, compact, and comes with its own carrying case that fits neatly into one of the pockets on my rucksack. I can filter water directly from any water sources that I encounter, and in less than twenty minutes refill both of my canteens.

You will also need to purchase water purification tablets that kill all of the water borne virus that can make you sick. It‘s pretty easy to pump clean water from the filter into your canteen, and then drop in one of the puri-fication tablets. The dirtier the water looks, the more tablets will be needed. Stream water in Alaska is abundant, but in the Lower-48

States you might have to scrounge for a decent water source. I‘ve purified marsh water with this filter, and it sure beat the hell out of boiling water on my folding stove for five minutes. Less time, and less effort makes the job easier to deal with. In a pinch, or if the water is really dirty, go ahead and boil it before you use the water filter and tablets. That way you are assured your water supply is safe to drink. But remember to use a campfire when boiling water, this will save your precious stove fuel for a time that you will really need it the most. Campfires kill, but the last thing that you want is to get a case of the ―Screaming Scrud‖ because you drank contami-nated water.

The US Army 2-Quart Jungle Canteen is my choice for carrying water. Each canteen comes with a strong carrier that can be attached to the CFP-90 Rucksack, or any backpack that has web straps.

Having one gallon of water adds another eight pounds to my total weight, but water is the nexus of life, and during my own Bug Out, I will be needing lots of water to drink and cook with. Fortunately for me, Alaska has lots of water sources, but during the winter months, it takes some work to get water from a frozen river.

COLD WEATHER SURVIVAL

Alaska experiences about 7 months of winter each year. It‘s not uncommon to see temperatures dipping to –65 Below Zero, and with the wind-chill factoring in—it gets damned colder than that. Not all survivalists will encounter harsh weather like this, but none the less, when It's cold outside, it cold no matter where you are at. Even in Arizona.

We can‘t always count on Mother Nature‘s cooperation when it comes to survival. Bad things don‘t always happen during good weather—so you‘d better be ready to face the cold wind of winter, if you are a real survivalist. There‘s no excuse for sitting at home during the winter months, because it‘s to cold to go outside and train. How can anyone call themselves a ‗survivalist‖ if the weather is going to stop them from going outside. But, playing around outside in the winter months is a totally different creature from having to survive out there when SHTF. It requires a different mindset, different gear, and different survival planning. It requires that you be able to Bug Out when the snow is eight feet deep, the winds are howling at 40 MPH, and the temperatures drop down into the sub-arctic conditions that will freeze spit before it hits the ground. Are you ready for that type of survival strategies?

Extreme Cold Weather Clothing:

BASE LAYER:

Polypropylene Underwear

Polypropylene T-Shirt

Insulated Socks

Thermax Pants

Thermax Shirt

INNER LAYER:

Wool Trousers

Wool Sweater

Wool Watch Cap

Fleece Jacket

OUTER LAYER:

Gortex Gloves

Fleece Face Masks

Gortex/Down Parks

Gortex Gaiters

Bunny Boots [ Mount McKinley Alaska January 14th 2012 Photo: Franke Schein ]

Being afraid of extreme cold weather is a natural thing. Most people have the tendency to stay indoors next to the wood burning stove when the temperatures dip into the sub-zero ranges. But, some of us enjoy the challenges of facing the extremes—a Man against Nature challenge. Most people think that I‘m nuts when they hear that I‘m heading 150 miles into the Northern interior of Alaska. Sometimes I believe them too… Nonetheless; being out there in the thick of winter is both a way to test my gear, and myself. It allows me the quiet time that I need to recharge myself, and the opportunity to get my survival mind-set used to the frigid weather. The list on the preceding page is everything that I wear. It looks like a lot of clothing, but in reality, it is three layers that help to trap body heat, and keep the cold wind, as well as the wet snow from the ―creeping chill‖ that signals the start of hypothermia. Choosing my gear is very important. If my life will depend on a piece of equipment, or clothing, you can be assured that a lot of thought has went into it, before I lay down my money. The Parka is one such piece of gear that is essential. I don‘t play around when choosing what Cold Weather Parka.

Snag proof Zippers

Multiple Inner-Pockets

Multiple Outer Pocket

Draw String Waist

Snow Skirt

Adjustable Collar That Reaches To The Nose

Fur Trimmed Hood

Nylon Sleeve Skirt: (Keeps the snow and wind off the wrists)

Waterproof (Not Water Resistant)

Armpit Venting Zippers The multiple inner-pocket hold the survival gear that I consider essential out in the cold weather.

Extra Insulated Socks are layered in both (large) lower pockets. Having them rolled-up creates unwanted bulk, so I keep one sock in each pocket. It reduced the bulk; most times it‘s easy to forget about them until they are needed. Extra Cell-Phone Battery is stored in one of the upper zippered pockets. The battery is wrapped in wool, and then placed inside of a small zip-lock bag. The wool helps to protect the connections from snapping, and in a pinch, the wool can also be used as an emergency fire starter. The zip-lock bag can be used to melt snow for water. A Mini-Flashlight is kept in another chest pocket. During the Alaska winter months there isn‘t much daylight. The sun rises about 10:30 AM, and stats setting around 3:30 PM. By 4:30 it is already dark. Having a flashlight handy is a blessing. Disposable Lighter & Waterproof Matches are likewise stored in a zip-lock bag inside of the Parka.

In one of the upper-pockets an Emergency Blanket rides along in case I am forced to hunker-down and get warm. I carry both the standard blanket, and the Emergency Space Bag. Both are essential survival gear that I don‘t want to get separated from. Zipper-Pull Mini-Compass and Temperature Gauge complete the ensemble. Sometimes it‘s beneficial to know what the temperature is, and during darkness or white-out conditions, the little compass might help to determine travel direction. But, during a blizzard, hunkering-down is the only way to survive. It‘s easy to get lost out there, or walk right off the edge of a cliff, or stumble into an ice filled stream. A small Water Bottle that is kept half-filled rides near my chest. Keeping it half-filled insures that in the event that I fall down, the water bottle isn‘t crushed, and end‘s up exploding inside of the parka. Keeping it next to my chest insures that it doesn‘t freeze. A pair of Extra Gloves are not only an essential item, but a part of the survival gear. Gloves get wet, or ripped open on sharp ice. Having a spare set of gloves insures that my time out in the woods is uneventful. Oftentimes a few granola bars, and chocolate bars are stashed away in the pockets for added energy dur-ing the arduous trek across the frozen landscape. Peppermint candies gives a little energy boost. A few soft tissues will help to defray the ―runny nose‖ prob-lems that are associated with cold weather. Soft Berber Fleece works really good, as does pieces of Mar-ino Wool from worn out clothing.

Having quality Cold Weather Boots is para-mount to survival out there in the snow coun-try. I prefer the military ―Bunny‖ boots. They are rated to –60 below zero. Topped-off with a set of gortex gaiters to keep the snow out from the top of the boots—keeps my feet in good condition. Tinted Snow Goggles are also a must out there. The sun reflecting off of the snow can quickly create conditions called ―snow blind-ness‖. Blowing snow, or ice-fog are likewise deflected by the goggles. The one thing that I always try to keep in mind when I am out there, is that weight can be the enemy. Humping around a heavy backpack means that walking in the snow requires more effort. Minimal gear which fulfills the require-ments for cold weather survival is the only way to go. The added space in the backpack is filled with extra food.

Food Supplies: Instant Oatmeal

Instant Coffee

Instant Soup

Hot Chocolate

Tea Bags

Raisins

Dried Pineapples

M&M (Crushed) Candies and mixed with Brown Sugar

Emergen-C Vitamin Drink

Sugar Packs

Non-Dairy Creamer Packs

Salt Packs

Pepper Packs

Mountain House Freeze Dried Scrambled Eggs & Peppers

Mountain House Freeze Dried Chili Mac

Mountain House Freeze Dried Beef Stroganoff

MRE Wheat Bread

MRE Crackers

MRE Peanut Butter

MRE Jelly

Emergency Gear:

SPOT-Satellite ―Messenger‖ Arial Signaling Flares Signaling Whistle Orange Signaling Smoke Markers Fluorescent Orange Marker Panel Strobe Light Chemical Light Sticks

Sleeping Gear:

the one thing that cannot be minimized is the cold weather sleeping gear. head out into the bush cold weather with a cheaply made sleeping bag, and it will quickly turn into a very miserable night. Get used to the idea of running back and forth gathering firewood to stay warm—that will be the result of an inferior sleeping bag. I like to keep an extra space blanket inside of my sleeping bag for those really cold nights. The emergency blanket helps to retain the warmth inside of the bag. One important thing to remember about sleeping in cold weather: Unless you keep your boots and socks in the bottom of your sleeping bag at night; they will be frozen in the morning. Those heavy and wet boots will ruin the sleeping bag, and the transfer of moisture will reduce the efficiency of the bag itself. For that rea-son, I change my socks before calling it a night, and then slip into my sleeping bag, with the boots hanging out from the bottom. Another reason for the emergency blanket. It also makes things easier in case I have to exit the shelter to relieve myself in the middle of the night; and in case I am awakened by a predator, I‘m not trapped inside of a zippered sleeping bag. It is also necessary to have adequate insulation from the cold ground. A sleeping pad helps to eliminate the cold earth from sucking the warmth out of your body. There are several varieties available on the market. It‘s simply a matter of choosing one that suits your own particular needs. I use my backpack as a headrest, and this also helps to keep my gear close to me. Before going to sleep, I make sure that every piece of gear is repacked into my backpack. In case the wind knocks down my shelter, or I am forced to leave in a hurry; I won‘t have to stop and look for my things. They are already packed. When it is cold out there, your best defense against hypothermia is to have the right gear, and the right sur-vival attitude. There is no other substitution , short of staying inside, This might not be an option; so at every opportunity it should be part of your survival strategy to test yourself under the worst weather that nature can throw at you.

In my opinion, far to many survivalist have placed a higher priority on firearms, than food. I have watched over the years as survivalist have come out of the woodworks with their own ideas concerning survival firearms. The trend seems to be ―More Is Better‖; and somehow I just can‘t agree with that, even a little bit. Firearms used for survival should serve a dual purpose; self protection, and hunting. Guns aren‘t for starting pitched battles that you can‘t win, they are for getting out of contact by put-ting enough rounds down range, to change the mind of the person that is trying to attack you. Skills with firearms comes next. The trend is leaning towards semi-automatic assault rifles with high magazine capacities.

That's great, and I agree that everyone has to determine what works the best for their own survival plans. But to tell you the truth, some of these urban survivalist must have gotten really confused; they seem to forget that they are prepping for survival, not for going to war against Al Qaeda. Is there really a need to carry an assault rifle, a shotgun, and two handguns, plus an additional thousand rounds of ammunition? These types of survival plans tells me a lot about the person making the plan. It tells me that they haven‘t really made a plan, and it also tells me that their really not into survivalism itself. What it does tell me, is that these people are looking for the ―End Of The World‖ to occur, so that they can go out and shoot some-body. Why else would you need all the guns and ammo?

If you‘ve done your survival planning, then guns will play a part in those plans, but it will not BE THE PLAN all by itself. Lets face the simple truth, many of these [ so called ] survivalist get off on playing war games. Theirs is a world that is fraught with rebellions, ambushes, and war lord scenarios. They envision themselves in some fantasy world as the last war-rior on the planet, saving humanity from enslave-ment by rogue elements of the government, and protecting all the beautiful women from marauding bands of killer thugs. They can leap small build-ings in single bounds, outrun a steam locomotive, and single handedly annihilate an entire Russian

Yet when you ask them how much food they are carrying in their BOB, they will probably only show you three days worth of food, but enough ammunition to equip a small US Ranger Patrol during combat opera-tions. These are the guys that will perish in the first two weeks of any crisis. You see, the one thing that fire-arms doesn't give you when it‘s bought, is the common sense to know when to use them, and then know when not to use them. A sixteen year old country boy with a bolt action rifle, can make life miserable for these survival Rambo's. Timed shots that are accurately placed is really the key to survival firearms.

Another startling truth is this; most of these urban survivalist don‘t have a plan, don‘t know where to go, and couldn‘t get beyond their own driveways if they had to. I say this with all candor aside, based on the experiences that I have witnessed over the years by these types of survivalists. Their pack is short on food, but long on guns and ammo. They have never heard an angry shot fired at them in their entire life, and the videos war games have deluded their minds with—makes them feel invulnerable to bullets. Guns are a necessary part of every survival plan, there‘s no doubt about that. But the right weapon, and the right skills are what is required. To me a firearm is like a knife; you choose the right one for the job you

In my own survival plans, there are certain types of guns that I prefer. Chiefly, since I live in Alaska, a place that has grizzly bears and wolves that like to snack on guys like me, I opt for the high caliber belted mag-nums that have tremendous knock down power. The Ruger #77 chambered in the .338 Winchester Magnum is my favorite ―all around‖ survival rifle, but then again, the old Remington #700 that shoot s a .375 H&H Magnum works equally as well for hunting and protection. Assault weapons are also part of the survival arsenal; the Ruger Mini-14 that fires the .223 caliber man-stopper, or the Intratec TEC-9 hosing down the opposition with 9mm bullets, have made their way into the survival armory. Even the trusted Mossberg #500C 12-Gauge tactical shotgun has a place in my plans. Nothing beats a three inch magnum slugs screaming out of the end of a shotgun bore.

In a small way, it really doesn‘t matter what type of weapon that is used; what matters is your own skills with it, and how much knock down power it has when the bul-let reaches the target. Of course, You certainly wouldn‘t want to encounter a charging grizzly bear armed with only a .38-Special revolver. That‘s an entirely different scenario altogether. For most survivalist that live in or near a city, the best weapon is a caliber that is easy to find when SHTF, and fired from a weapon that you are comfortable with.

The picture above shows several different types of survival weapons. Each gun has a particular use, and is destined for a certain job. Taking any of these rifles, and adding a handgun to the mix, will provide a decent all around mixture of de-fense and hunting weaponry. Each rifle adds to the overall effect when combined with a self-defense hand-gun. Left To Right: Ruger Mini-14, Mossberg 12-Gauge Shotgun, Ruger #1022, Mosin-Nagant 7.62x54R, Ruger #77 .338 Win-Magnum, Remington #870 12-Gauge Shotgun.

No matter which handgun that you choose, the caliber should be one that is easily obtained when every-thing goes south. (9mm, .357 Magnum. .44-Magnum and .45 ACP are some of the more prevalent car-tridges out there.

No matter what other survivalists say; it is not possible to live out of the Bug Out Bag indefinitely. At some point you will have to resupply yourself. This is where survival planning comes into play. If you have planned everything correctly, then it‘s likely that your food supply will start to run out as you get closer to your safe Area. I advocate a minimum of 21-Days food supply be carried. This allows for three weeks to get out of harms way. Skipping a few meals, or rationing the food supply, will increase the number of survivable days. Don‘t become a starving victim because the Bug Out Bag is filled with all kinds of gear instead of food. It‘s a waste of time. As long as you are dressed for the weather, have shelter, warmth, and protection; then everything next to the food supply is unnecessary.