A Survival Tips and Techniques Blog | UrbanWoodsman.com

Bird flu comes from South Asia and threatens to spread all over the world. Nowadays there is hardly a person who is not aware of expansion of the deadly disease, but still most of us do nothing in terms of protection, as we hope the virus won’t reach us. Even if the danger is overestimated, at least your conscience will be clear, as you’ve done the due diligence. It is not so difficult to take some preventive measures, because if the disaster occurs it will be too late.

What to Start With?

As the incubation period of this disease is equal to 3-5 days, you will have not much time to think over your auctions, and that is in case you KNOW you have been infected. So, it is necessary to think of possible ways of bird flu survival beforehand.

The vaccine against bird flu has not been developed yet, for it needs some time to study the virus mutation in human body. But there are some prototypes which contain substances that may defend you from the disease. So, first of all, it is necessary to find an opportunity to take vaccine.

The second step to increase your survival rate is to buy enough quantity of Tamiflu. That is an antiviral drug that fights H5N1 strain effectively. If you are infected, you will have to take a double dose, and for prophylaxis a single dose a day is enough. Therefore you should get enough quantity of Tamiflu, for, in case of pandemic, it will be impossible to find this medicine at any price.

Finally, it is obvious you should not travel to the countries where bird flu is raging.

What Should I Do to survive if it Reaches Me?

In order to foresee the approaching of the disease it is necessary to keep informed. As soon as you learn from mass media that bird flu is drawing near, you should supply yourself with food and water that will be necessary for the next 3-4 months. It is also recommended to leave the city for a country house, because in case of anarchy connected with the pandemic you will feel safer out of town.

Another thing you should do for bird flu survival is washing your hands thoroughly and wearing masks if contact with infected people is unavoidable. As any other influenza virus, bird flu gets the human organism through dirty hands contacting with mouth, eyes and nose.

If you have any children you should keep them indoors and prepare them for home schooling. In the event of any member of your family still has been infected, you need to prepare a quarantine room. It should be a remote room, supplied with all the necessary: water, food, medicine and entertainment.

You should always remember that we may wish for the best, but we must be prepared for the worst. Nowadays lots of books, newspaper and magazine articles devoted to bird flu survival are available. Besides that, you can look for the information on bird flu survival on the Internet.

Hunting for Elk can be very demanding, especially considering the type of terrain that hunts are typically carried out on.  With the right preparation before-hand you can turn a so-so hunt into the hunt of a lifetime.  The American West holds some of the most beautiful country in the United States and for a lot of folks that means mountainous terrain.  The very first tip that I can offer to you is to get yourself into good enough physical condition before considering an elk hunt.  If you expect a guide to piggy-back you around, you are probably going to be a little let down when the time comes to start trekking into the heart of Elk country.  Conversely, if you are hunting public land, the very first thing to consider is getting a little background knowledge on the area you are going to be hunting.  The reason guides are so successful and oft-used is due to the fact that they live and breathe the land they are responsible for guiding on.  Elk guides know the habits of the particular population of animals in their area and play by the rules dictated by the Elk.  Another variable that makes guides so popular is that they know their quarry.  If you want to perform at the level of a guide, you must have background knowledge of Elk habits.  Armed with this knowledge of territory, the typical habits of Elk and being in shape enough to tackle back country, you can become an effective hunter.

Choosing a Guide / Outfitter:
Hiring an Outfitter or Guide is an excellent way to cut down on the preparation that is typically required for a successful Elk hunting trip.  Your guide supplies the brains and you supply the bullet or arrow.  The main drawback to hiring out a guide is cost.  Elk hunting is typically not a cheap endeavor, but if you want guaranteed results in almost every circumstance, a guided trip is the way to go.

Another benefit of hiring an outfitter is that once you put the animal on the ground, they will haul it out for you.  In addition, a majority of guide services either offer butchering or have very solid working relationships with processors due to the amount of business they typically bring in. oogle_ad_client = “pub-5569030158825604″; /* 468×60, created 11/22/09 */ google_ad_slot = “5171795343″; google_ad_width = 468; google_ad_height = 60; // –> <!– google_protectAndRun(“ads_core.google_render_ad”, google_handleError, google_render_ad); // –>

One of (if not the most) important benefits of hiring a guide or outfitter is the amount of knowledge you can glean from these men / women.  For the most part, guides have spent years upon years perfecting their craft and almost all are more than willing to answer questions and to give insight on animal behavior, etc.

When contracting a guide another perk is that they will typically provide all of the meals as well as lodging.  If you are dragging on a guided trip the chances are that you will not perform up to snuff and may not get an animal.

Do-It-Yourself Elk Hunt:
If you have the equipment and the stamina, there is probably no greater challenge than packing up and setting off for the backcountry on your own.  One caveat to this is that you MUST be prepared and have a working knowledge of wilderness survival if by chance you get lost or injured.

The most simple method of hunting for Elk on your own is to pack up a backpack with enough supplies to ensure you have shelter, food and most importantly water.  The human body can survive for several weeks without food (albeit at lower performance levels), but if you remove water from your daily intake, you survival time drops drastically.  Make sure you pack light as you will have to carry your kit on your back for extended periods of time.  Conversely, you need to make sure that all of your needs with regards to clothing (temperatures can swing wildly depending on the season), shelter, etc. are covered.  Something that I used to do before going on long outings in the wilderness is to test out my pack as it will be loaded during a trip.  Obviously you won’t be carrying your bow or rifle around with you, but a simple test run or two should be sufficient enough to tell you whether you have packed too heavily.  Never sacrifice water for items that are not necessary.  Another suggestion on top of packing an ample supply of water for your trip (several liters for a day or two trip), is to invest in a water purifier.  There are numerous products out on the market, but for my money, I went with the Katydyn Vario Microfilter water purification system. Spending money on a good filter / purifier is an excellent investment.

Before setting out, make sure that your trip is planned carefully and that you notify friends or family where you are going to be at what time and when you expect to return.  In the event of an emergency, people need to know where you are, this greatly increases your survival rate if something bad should happen.

One major advantage of a DIY Elk hunt is that you set your own pace, allowing you to set up a small base camp and branch out from there.  Another benefit of packing in yourself is the freedom you have to set up camp wherever you want.  If you spot a couple of 6×6 bulls in the distance, you can move camp easily and hopefully set yourself up to take an animal down when the time is right.

The major challenge despite the obvious physical one occurs if and when you take down an Elk.  If you succeed in your mission you will most likely need to mark the kill spot, return to your vehicle to lighten up and then come back for the animal.  It may even take several trips to do so.  If you do research beforehand, you may find that an area rancher or land owner has horses on call for a fee of money or a couple of Elk steaks after all is said and done.

One of the most important things you can do before going it alone is to go on a guided trip.  Pick the brain of your guide and get as much information as possible from him or her.  This knowledge will prove priceless when in the field and having no one else to rely upon but yourself.

A DIY Elk hunt is the thrill of a lifetime, filled with challenge after challenge.  In the end, if you do take down an Elk, you can take pride in knowing that you did things your way, on your own time.

WORLD RADIO SWITZERLAND had a great piece on gun ownership. Most of Europe has an unarmed civilian population, the Government has the guns. But there is one European country that has not given up it’s arms…..yet. It’s always for your own good………….

There is zero doubt that the time are changing. With recent hurricanes, economic meltdown, and Mr. Dick Bin Laden still on the loose, natural or man made disasters are now more a part of our lives than ever. You only need to watch FoxNews or CNN for an hour or two to become a little frightened about the possibility of the sky falling on our heads at anytime. There are so many (or too many) cogs in the wheels of our economic system that allow any minor disturbance to have a seriously detrimental affect on the supply chain of goods to our local grocery stores.

I have recently been reading many, many web sites and blogs that deal with hurricane survival, disaster survival, and survival preparedness. One aspect of preparing for a prolonged survival situation that has been commonly overlooked is how to deal with family, friends, and neighbors that have NOT prepared for the worst case scenario after the turd hits the fan. Remember, YOU were smart and prepared for a disaster with a comprehensive survival kit with a 3 months supply of food and water, maybe a gun or two, and a few must have luxury items because you realize that you just can’t rely on anyone but yourself when things get ugly (i.e. Hurricane Katrina).

This is where I would like to propose a few hypothetical questions.

While your next door neighbor went on a fancy and expensive vacation to Europe and didn’t heed the warning to prepare, would you share your survival rations?

Your best friend just purchased a new Corvette and is more worried about rims and tires than preparing a survival kit, would you share your survival supplies?

Your sister didn’t even stash a can of corn in her cupboards, but she knows you did because you have been telling her since before Y2K that you have been preparing for a disaster, would you share your gear?

A pack of hungry, desperate, and angry fellow citizens decide that your supplies are now theirs, would you defend your supplies by all means necessary?

We have been extremely fortunate in our lifetime to not have experienced a great shortage of basic staple goods and empty grocery shelves. But, we have never as a country faced the economic quicksand that we are drowning in today. Oh yeah, don’t forget Mother Nature, because she is the one that is really in charge. I’m still trying to define my answers to the questions proposed above, but it is worth a moment of time to consider both the questions and the potential answers.

Almost all countries with coastlines are plagued by typhoons. This tropical cyclone is the same type of storm as a hurricane (in the Atlantic) or cyclone (in the Indian Ocean). Typhoons are massive accumulations of wind and rain rotating around a central low-pressure zone that develop over large bodies of water, more likely oceans. A tropical storm becomes a typhoon when its winds reach 74 miles per hour.

Typhoons form in the Western North Pacific and tend to affect China, Japan, and the Phillipines. At the extreme, typhoon wind speeds can reach up to 150 miles an hour, and gusts can reach 300 mph. Along with these strong winds come torrential rains and a devastating storm surge that can reach 20 feet above normal water levels. These tropical storms tend to dissipate when they can no longer get their energy from the warm water. When it moves over land, its energy source quickly disappears, and the storm begins to lose its power.

Unlike tornadoes, typhoons and hurricanes do not form suddenly. It takes several days before a minor storm becomes a major typhoon. Normally starting as a normal thunderstorm, the right conditions can build them into intense weather disturbances. Thanks to modern satellites and communication systems, it is easy to spot and track typhoons. Weather bureaus can, therefore, inform people well before a typhoon event that the danger is approaching.

Most countries subject to frequent tycoons have established safety procedures and plans to help people prepare and prevent injuries and property damage. By the time a typhoon is close, local authorities will already have issued warnings, anywhere from 24-48 hours before the predicted landfall. People in the area should follow these tips to stay safe:

* Store enough fresh drinking water and food for several days. The typhoon’s destructive power may make it impossible to return home right away or to get to groceries or markets. Further, the storm may destroy local water delivery systems.

* If you are caught outdoors during the storm, seek high ground and find some type of durable shelter.

* If your home is not strong enough to withstand powerful wind gusts and rapid flooding, seek cover at a designated evacuation center or shelter. Don’t risk your life by staying in a poorly-constructed building.

* If you do stay home, turn off and unplug electric appliances and equipment to avoid possible electrical shorts and fires. Frequently, your local utility will cut off power to prevent additional emergencies.

* Make sure you have adequate protective rain gear to keep warm and dry in case you need to flee the area.

* If you are indoors during the storm, stay there. Going outside may expose you to fallen power lines or flying debris that is extremely dangerous.

* Make sure you have a battery-powered radio to monitor the situation through local news services whether the community’s power is on or off.

Man hasn’t learned how to prevent typhoons, but we can anticipate their direction and power soon enough to find safety and survive. Being well-prepared will spare you the emotional stress of panic and avoid making possibly deadly mistakes. Fear and panic are responsible for many lost lives, and that is one condition you can control.

Typically wilderness survival kits have first aid items, ways to make fire, a blade of some sort, and some water purification tablets. That’s the minimum in any case, and there are certainly other items in almost any kit that you buy. But of course not everyone is going into the same kind of terrain during the same seasons and engaging in the same activities. In other words, you might not find a kit that has just what you need in it. The solution? Build your own.To start with, you need a good nylon pouch or zippered bag to hold everything. You can start stocking it with the usual items. These should include matches, some other form of fire starter (lighter or magnesium stick), a signal reflector, whistle (also for signaling), water purification tablets, a compass, a knife, some cord, duct tape, paper, a pencil, needle and thread, safety pins, bandages, aspirin, gauze pads, sun block, antibiotic ointment, medical tape, tweezers, and moleskin.

Next, consider the types of environment you are normally going to be in. If you often hike in the desert, for example, a large garbage bag or piece of plastic might be a good idea. It can be used to make a solar still if you need water.

If you canoe to isolated locations far from civilization, fishing gear might be a good addition. A few rolls of line and a half-dozen hooks and split-shot sinkers will add only an ounce or so to the weight of the kit. This better prepares you to feed yourself should your other supplies get washed away.

If you do a lot of cold-weather backpacking you might include an emergency “survival blanket.” One of the metallic-plastic ones might weigh only a few ounces, yet work to warm you as well as keep the rain off of you.

If you hike in the mountains and are prone to twisted ankles or knee problems, add an ace bandage. If the metal hooks snag on things in your kit, you can leave them behind and just tuck the wrap into itself. I also sometimes carry an elastic knee-brace that weighs just a few ounces.

If you travel very far from roads or civilization in general, food can be a great addition as well. Find some granola bars or something else that has an expiration date a year away or more. That way you can leave the emergency food in your survival kit between trips, so you don’t forget it.

If you travel in cold wet places, add a good fire tinder that will light when wet. This could be cotton balls soaked with petroleum jelly, cardboard soaked in wax, or something similar. Alcohol-based gel hand sanitizer can help wet things burn as well (and can be used as a disinfectant).

Finally, consider making small survival kits for your pocket. Losing gear is not that uncommon, but you rarely lose the clothes you are wearing. This kind of kit should have aspirin, waterproof matches, a bandage, and a small amount of duct tape. You can add other items, but keep the whole thing small enough and light enough to comfortably carry in a pocket.