How do you warm up someone with hypothermia?

How do you warm up someone with hypothermia?

Treatment

Seek immediate medical attention for anyone who appears to have hypothermia. Until medical help is available, follow these first-aid guidelines for hypothermia.

First-aid

Be gentle. When you're helping a person with hypothermia, handle him or her gently. Limit movements to only those that are necessary. Don't massage or rub the person. Excessive, vigorous or jarring movements may trigger cardiac arrest.

Move the person out of the cold. Move the person to a warm, dry location if possible. If you're unable to move the person out of the cold, shield him or her from the cold and wind as much as possible. Keep him or her in a horizontal position if possible.

Remove wet clothing. If the person is wearing wet clothing, remove it. Cut away clothing if necessary to avoid excessive movement.

Cover the person with blankets. Use layers of dry blankets or coats to warm the person. Cover the person's head, leaving only the face exposed.

Insulate the person's body from the cold ground. If you're outside, lay the person on his or her back on a blanket or other warm surface.

Monitor breathing. A person with severe hypothermia may appear unconscious, with no apparent signs of a pulse or breathing. If the person's breathing has stopped or appears dangerously low or shallow, begin CPR immediately if you're trained.

Provide warm beverages. If the affected person is alert and able to swallow, provide a warm, sweet, nonalcoholic, noncaffeinated beverage to help warm the body.

Use warm, dry compresses. Use a first-aid warm compress (a plastic fluid-filled bag that warms up when squeezed) or a makeshift compress of warm water in a plastic bottle or a dryer-warmed towel. Apply a compress only to the neck, chest wall or groin.

Don't apply a warm compress to the arms or legs. Heat applied to the arms and legs forces cold blood back toward the heart, lungs and brain, causing the core body temperature to drop. This can be fatal.

Don't apply direct heat. Don't use hot water, a heating pad or a heating lamp to warm the person. The extreme heat can damage the skin or, even worse, cause irregular heartbeats so severe that they can cause the heart to stop.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-hypothermia/basics/art-20056624

Equipment: Comfort & Ease of Living.

Equipment: Comfort & Ease of Living.

Choosing the right equipment for wilderness living is important, especially if you are carrying that equipment on your back. It is important to choose equipment that is sustainable, which many modern survival gadgets are not. So you really do need to give it some thought before you start collecting gear.

The ease & comfort that you achieve in your wilderness survival depends solely on the equipment you choose. Your survival per se depends mostly on your wilderness living skills. If you have the right skills, you can survive in the wilderness without any bought equipment, BUT, it will be a hard life & a lot of work. Choose the wrong equipment, equipment that is not necessary & not sustainable, & you will finish up living a Stone Age lifestyle!

Here are some questions you need to ask yourself before purchasing or choosing items of equipment:

Is it sustainable? If it breaks can I repair it easily? Do I really need this or am I choosing it because it looks cool? What purpose will this serve? Can I use it for more than just one task? Is this suitable for the environment I am expecting to live in; example, jungle or forest/machete or tomahawk? (a tomahawk is more versatile than a machete). How versatile is this shelter option? If I choose a sleeping bag over wool blankets will the bag keep me warm when wet? In an emergency how easily can I escape from a sleeping bag? Do I need a firearm primarily for defence or hunting? How long will the ammunition last if I use a modern firearm for defence & hunting? Am I likely to get into a firefight? Will I be travelling alone? If I am travelling with a partner, how can I divide some of the equipment to our best advantage?

Bugging Out. Facing Facts. What Will It Take?

Facing Facts. What will it take?

I haven’t written a list to work from here, just thoughts as they occur, so I suggest you jot down any of your own thoughts when reading this & use them in your reply to this post. There is bound to be things that I have missed & it is good to get other people’s perspective.

Okay, let us assume something has gone down & you have to leave your present abode & go bush, what can you expect to have to do to stay as safe as possible under the circumstances. For one you will have to stay alert all the time, even if you are at your retreat or you’re off the grid home, your life will be under threat 24/7! This can be very stressful, but you will not be able to drop your guard unless you are in a secure place & there are others taking their turn on watch.

If you are on the trail, there will be no lighting of fires, so no warmth from fire & no cooking, no warm food. This means you will have to carry foods that do not require cooking.

Shelter: You will not be erecting a shelter, come rain or snow you cannot afford to make yourself visible. Tents are an absolute NO, they stand out too much, camo pattern included. So what will you have to do? You will have to roll yourself up in a canvas or oil cloth somewhere hidden by brush, rocks, in a hollow log or a hollow tree or in low ground. Bear in mind that anyone else on the trail will also be looking for likely places to camp so hide yourself well. If there are two or more of you then take turns at keeping watch, but the watch will still have to be well hidden.

Don’t zip yourself up in a sleeping bag, you can’t protect yourself stitched up in a bag, & you can’t move fast enough from inside a bag. Pure wool blankets are the best choice. Keep weapons close to hand so they can be used in an instant. You don’t have to wear camo clothing, but you will need to stick to earth colours, no bright coloured clothing!

When you stop for a break on the trail DO NOT take off your pack! Stay as you are so that you are ready to move or run at a moment’s notice. You may be able to throw yourself into a hidden place, in which case you don’t want your pack left sitting in the open. If you have to run for it, you cannot afford to leave your pack behind, & you will not be able to move as well carrying your pack in your hand as you would if it were on your back.

Animal trails are the easiest way to travel, but if you are wearing modern footwear you are likely to leave sign. Moccasins can leave sign too, but the print does not show as clearly as the tread on a modern boot & may go unseen by all but a trained tracker. If you are wearing modern boots with a tread, stay off clear ground trails. If you are in a group & crossing open ground, spread out so you do not leave a clear trodden trail.

If you can follow a water course, this is a good idea. This will mean you have a constant source of drinking water & the chance of trapping or hunting game. Always boil the water if you can, with a no fire rule early on this will not be possible, but there are tablets you can use to purify water.

Take care when collecting water not to leave any boot prints in the mud or on the bank.

Toilet: If you were pursued by military with dogs, then your best bet is to defecate in a plastic bag, add a rock, tie the bag well & drop in a river or creek. Other than this choose a place well away from the trail & cover it well. Smell & or buzzing flies are a dead giveaway that someone has defecated close-by!

Foods: for trail food I suggest a mix of nuts, sunflower seeds, raisins or sultanas & chocolate bits in a bag. This will keep you going on the trail, it is nutritious & tasty & it may be the only comfort you will get for the first few days.

DO NOT weigh yourself down with modern gadgets that are going to self destruct with time! You have more important things to carry such as medical supplies, ammunition, water & food. It will be quite a while before you can afford to hunt or trap & cook game, you may forage along the way but ONLY along your path, do not stray! So take plenty of dried foods & foods that you can eat without cooking.

Can anyone add more information or suggestions here?

Keith.

Sustainability & Long Term Survival.

http://www.3minutes.com.au/

Sustainability. 

Sustainability/sustainable means lasting  for a long time, or, the ability to make something last for a long time.

If in our preparations for survival we are considering that we may need to live long term in a wilderness situation, then we need to make sure our equipment is sustainable. We also need to make sure that the lifestyle we have chosen is sustainable. In other words, if our equipment is not sustainable, then neither is our lifestyle.

If one has not had the experience, then at least most people can use their imagination to help them see & understand. For instance; let’s say our country is attacked & the enemy uses an EMP to knock out the electricity grid. What will this mean for those living in towns & cities? It will mean that there will be no electricity, no water, no sewage control so no toilets. We all know what else will happen don’t we, looting, supermarkets will be raided for all the food. Chemists looted, gun shops looted, Medical facilities will be hampered. Some people will want what you have, so it will not be safe for you to cook outside or in fact to go outside at all. Your house could be raided, if you manage to repulse an attack, then the attackers may well fire your house or drive a Mack truck through it. Does this make any sense to you?

Now you may say that you must bug in because you simply would not know how to survive in the bush. Well my reply to that is, learn. Get the skills you will need & go bush & get some experience before the shtf.

Now for the equipment. IF you are prepping for long term survival, there is no point relying on items that are NOT sustainable! Ferocerium rods, matches, cigarette lighters, are not sustainable, don’t kid yourself that they are just because you do not have primitive fire lighting skills. Flint, steel & tinderbox is a sustainable method of making fire, & it is an easy method to learn & use. Think about what you have in your bug out pack, do you NEED the items you have, or are they just adding weight & taking up room? Most important items are: Medical supplies, water, food & ammunition. Do NOT compromise the carrying if these items!

Firearms:

I have modern firearms & I have muzzle-loading firearms. IF I had to leave on my own & could only carry one firearm, I choose to carry my flintlock. Why? Because it is sustainable! If it breaks I can fix it. Now I could carry one of my .22 rimfires, the ammunition is relatively light, but if it should malfunction, I simply would not be able to fix it. Yes I could carry a spare firing pin & perhaps the tools needed to strip the bolt & replace the firing pin, but then I still only have a .22, which can not be relied on to drop anything but small game. Yes I know you can shoot roos & goats etc, but how many times have you shot a medium sized animal with a .22 & lost it? I need a gun that I know I can count on, a gun that will efficiently kill small & medium sized game & if possible large game too.

I realize that a flintlock muzzle-loading gun is not the best in a fire fight against others who can load faster than I can, but it only takes one shot to kill, & I plan on keeping a low profile & staying out of fire fights if I can. Now if I am travelling in a group, which in fact I would be if I had to leave my home in the forest, then as a group we would be carrying modern firearms, muzzleloaders & traditional bows. I will add a list of the advantages in carrying/using a flintlock muzzle-loader.  I can see the advantages in carrying a modern firearm, but I can also see the disadvantages, & for me, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. Reading through this list it is pretty easy to compare these advantages with those of the modern firearm, so see what you think. Do bear in mind the weight factor of modern ammunition, the larger the calibre, the heavier it is. How much can you carry without compromising other important equipment?

Advantages of a Flintlock Muzzle-loader.

1)   Ammo is less expensive than a modern equivalent calibre firearm.

2)  The smoothbore is very versatile, being able to digest round ball, bird shot, & buckshot, or any combination of two of these (can also use minies).

3)  The fusil is lighter to carry than a modern equivalent sized gun.

4)  You can vary the load if needs be.

5)  The smoothbore will digest other projectiles besides lead.

6)  Lead can be retrieved from downed game & remoulded with a simple mould & lead ladle. This means that you can carry less lead, & more of the lighter gunpowder.

7)  You can make your own gunpowder.

8)  You can use the lock to make fire without the need for gunpowder.

9)  You can use gunpowder for gunpowder tinder fire lighting if needs be.

10)        IF the lock should malfunction (these are very robust & it is not likely) you can easily repair it if you are carrying a few spare springs & a few simple tools.

11) If you do not have any spare parts & the lock malfunctions, you can easily convert it to a tinderlock or matchlock & continue using it.

12)        You do not need a reloader, brass shells, caps, or primers. The latter have been known to break down in damp conditions or if they are stored for too long.

13)         Wadding for ball or shot is available from natural plant materials or homemade leather or rawhide.

14)       Less chance of being affected by future ammunition control legislation.

15)        Gunpowder is easily obtainable providing you have a muzzle-loader registered in your name regardless of calibre (NSW)

16)        A .32 calibre flintlock rifle is more powerful than a .22 rimfire, less expensive to feed, more accurate over a greater distance, able to take small & medium sized game, & other than not being able to use shot (unless it is smoothbore), it has all the attributes of the other flintlocks.  For larger game you can load with conical slugs, which of course you can make yourself in the field.

17)        Damage from a .62 calibre or .70 calibre pistol or long arm is in the extreme. Wounded prey is unlikely to escape.

18)         By using buck & ball you are unlikely to miss your target. This load is capable of taking out more than one target.

19)        There is less kick-back to a muzzle-loading gun.

20)       Antique Flintlock muzzle-loading guns do not require a license, registration, or a permit to purchase in NSW Australia.

The Advantages of Carrying/Using 18^th Century Equipment.

·      A flintlock smoothbore gun is versatile, you can make fire with the lock without using any gunpowder, you can use various sizes of small shot & round ball, you can if necessary use other projectiles besides lead, you can retrieve lead from shot game & remould it for further use. If the lock should malfunction it is easily repaired with spare springs, if you have no spare springs the lock is easily converted to matchlock.

·      A flintlock rifle has the same advantages as the smoothbore except that it can not use small shot without leading the barrel. A .32 flintlock rifle has more power than a .22 rimfire & is less expensive to shoot.

·      You can purchase an antique flintlock pistol now with no need for licence or registration.

·      Ball moulds can be used as heavy tweezers for removing foreign objects from the body.

·      Gunpowder (Black Powder) can be used to make fire with unprepared plant tinders without wasting ammunition.

·      A trade axe/tomahawk is very versatile. The head is easily removed to be used as a hide scraper, the tomahawk can be thrown for recreation, self defence & hunting. This axe is a good defence weapon for hand to hand fighting, for constructing shelters & traps & for hammering in stakes or wooden pegs. A new helve/handle is easy to make & fit & does not require a wedge to secure the head.

·      The awl is used for making leather items & for repairing leather items. The awl is used to make & repair moccasins.

·      The butcher knife is for skinning & butchering game & can be used for self-defence.

·      The legging knife is a back-up to the butcher knife. If you should dull the edge on your butcher knife you can continue with the legging knife. You do not want to stay around sharpening blades. Your shot may have attracted unwanted attention.

·      The clasp knife is used for camp chores & for making trap triggers. You do not want to use your main blades as utility knives.

·      Flint, steel & tinderbox will enable you to make fire anywhere in all weather conditions. It will not break or wear out & the process is renewable & sustainable.

·      18^th century woodsrunner’s clothing (men & women) is practicle, protective, hard wearing & renewable.

·      The housewife (sewing kit) is for making & repairing clothing & packs. The needles can be used for removing splinters & if needs be sewing up wounds. The beeswax is used to wax the linen sewing thread & can be used as makeshift tooth fillings.

·      The angling tackle can be used with a rod or set lines, it can also be used for catching ducks & large land fowl. The linen or silk lines can be replaced with hand made cordage made from plant materials. Silk lines can be used as suture thread.

·      The cooking kettle is used for boiling food, boiling water for drinks & sterilising, carrying water & for catching rainwater.

·      Cotton & linen bags can be used for cleaning dirty water before boiling for drinking or adding to your water bottle.

·      Gun tools are used for repairing the lock on your flintlock muzzle-loading gun if needs be, but these locks are very hard wearing. The tools are merely a back-up. The turn screw is used to remove the lock & barrel for cleaning.

·      The whet stone is used to sharpen your blades, as is the metal file, though both could have other uses if working with metal.

·      The half-axe is optional & is capable of heavier work than the tomahawk without adding too much weight.

·      An auger is optional & is used for making holes for constructing more permanent dwellings. These augers come in a variety of sizes & weigh very little. Small versions will fit in your pack, where longer versions can be tied to your blanket roll.

·      The sword is also optional but in a hand to hand fight can be very useful. The sword is also used for cutting reeds for shelter & mat construction.

·      The wool blanket is far more versatile than a sleeping bag, & if wet the blanket retains more body heat than a sleeping bag. The pure wool blanket can be used as a matchcoat or a Great Coat & can be used in a sitting position under an oilcloth covering on the trail.

·      The oilcloth shelter is very versatile & can be used in many ways, including use as a rain coat. Used as a lean-to shelter you can use fire for warmth at night & you have good visibility on at least three sides. The lean-to is easy & quick to construct & quickly taken down. It does not need tent poles/rods & it is easy to carry.

Anyone using this equipment is advised to learn the many primitive skills that go with this type of wilderness living. If you are living this 18^th century lifestyle then your level of comfort will never drop below this level. This equipment does not wear out; anything that could break can be repaired or replaced from natural sources. You are also advised to carry a modern medical kit which should include an eye wash glass.

My Equipment List.

.62 cal/20 gauge flintlock fusil. 42 inch barrel.

.70 caliber smoothbore flintlock pistol.

Gun tools and spare lock parts.

Shot pouch and contents.

Leather drawstring pouch of .60 caliber ball (in knapsack).

Powder horn.

Ball mould and swan shot mould.

5 Gunpowder wallets

Lead ladle.

Butcher/Hunting knife.

Legging knife.

Clasp knife.

Tomahawk.

Fire bag.

Tinderbox.

Belt pouch.

Fishing tackle in brass container.

Two brass snares.

Roll of brass snare wire.

Knapsack.

Scrip.

Market Wallet.

Tin Cup.

Kettle.

Water filter bags (cotton & linen bags).

Medical pouch.

Housewife.

Piece of soap and a broken ivory comb.

Dried foods in bags.

Wooden spoon.

Compass.

Whet stone.

Small metal file.

Oilcloth.

One blanket (Monmouth cap, spare wool waistcoat and wool shirt rolled inside blanket).

Two glass saddle flasks.

Length of hemp rope.

Bottle of rum.

Basic list of what I carry. This list is made up from items that we know were carried, from items that my research has shown were available, & from items that have been found, such as the brass snare wire. I am not saying every woodsrunner carried all these items, but I am saying that some woodsrunners may have carried all these items. From experimental archaeology results in historical trekking, I think the items I have chosen are a reasonable choice for any woodsrunner that is going to live in the wilderness for a year or more.

Keith.

Lost Survival.

Lost Survival.

In an ordinary lost situation if you did the right thing & notified several people in regards to WHERE you were going & WHEN you intended to return, then all you have to do is sit tight & wait for someone to find you. This is of course providing you STOP as soon as you realise that you are lost, & do not stray too far from your intended route.

IF you feel that you have strayed too far from your intended route, OR you failed to tell anyone where you were going, then there are practicle things you can do to stay safe & perhaps find your own way out.

1) If you are low on water, find some if you can without straying too far from your present position. Low ground is generally better than high ground, though a rock plateau can often hold water in holes & basins in the rock. In flat terrain look for greenery growing. Usually this is trees or bushes. This could prove to be a water hole or a water course.

2) Remember that providing you keep yourself safe & have water, TIME is not an issue. Staying alive is more important than losing your job! Concentrate on staying alive & getting out, relax if you can & don’t panic.

3) You may need to construct a simple shelter from the sun or bad weather. With this goes making a fire, but make sure the fire is SAFE & can not spread! Clear an area of 5 paces all around your camp site, but only make fire if it is safe to do so. In extreme hot & dry conditions you should not light a fire.

4) During the day listen for the sounds of people; vehicle engines, car doors shutting, dogs barking, house doors closing, the sound of chainsaws or axes cutting wood or the sound of a generator or water pump.  Look for smoke from camp fires or house chimneys. This will give you a direction to follow, but make sure you do NOT go round in circles. Line up three trees or land marks or a combination of these in the direction you need to go. When you get to the first marker, put your back against it & line up the remaining two markers with another third one. Continue on & repeat.

5) At night listen for the same sounds, but unless they are close-by, just mark the direction with rocks or sticks or mark trees & wait until daylight unless you have a torch or are fairly certain you are on safe ground. Travelling in the dark can be dangerous & you do NOT want to injure yourself. Look for vehicle headlights, radio tower lights, house lights, camp fires, lighthouse lights if you are near the coast. Watch for aircraft lights, there may be an airstrip not too far away.  

Low ground can be good for finding water, but high ground will give you the best chance of seeing something that will help you get out. High ground will also make you more visible if you keep a fire going. Adding green vegetation to a fire will create more smoke. Passing aircraft may also spot your fire. 

THREE is the S.O.S. signal, three whistle blasts, three gun shots, three fires (keep them safe), three COOEEs (a shout), three air horn blasts, three flashes from a torch at night, three flashes from a mirror during the day. You get the idea.

IF all else fails, going down hill SHOULD eventually lead you to a water course/source. EXAMPLE: you are on high ground, you go down. When you reach the lower ground, say a valley or gully, it too should go downward in one direction. Follow this downward & continue doing this until you find a water course. Mountain areas at their highest points produce what is called "Header Streams". These are where the water source starts from & these eventually run into streams or creeks which eventually lead to lakes & rivers. Water is also a source of food, & communities are usually built close to a water source.

If you do not expend too much energy, you can survive roughly 3 weeks on water alone, no food. But you can only survive roughly 3 days without water.

What Not To Do!

Photo Credit: http://nga.gov.au/AboriginalMemorial/land.cfm;

I was prompted to write this short article because I recently saw a video about survival in Arnhem Land. In this video a number of suggestions were made that I do not agree with. Rather than rubbish the video or the presenter, I prefer to simply advise what not to do in this blog.

I lived for 10 years in the Territory, I survived cyclone Tracey in 74, & prior to that I lived in an Aboriginal camp in Arnhem Land for two months.

When travelling in the Territory, wet season or dry season, do NOT set up camp anywhere near water if you intend to spend the night there, & certainly not in shaded areas near water. The reason for this is: 

(1) mosquitoes breed in water, & they love to be near water & particularly swarm in shaded areas. The dry season can get chilly & therefore less mossies especially if there is a stiff breeze blowing, but in shaded protected areas the mossies are still there.

 (2) Leaches. Leaches love the damp, & they are not just in the water. Leaches can be found in the damp areas anywhere near water & you do not want these in your shelter. 

(3) Snakes. Snakes love the water & frequent low damp areas, this is where they find their food. They are also great swimmers & will often travel by water. If snakes are to be found anywhere, it will be near water.

(4) Crocodiles. Crocs are everywhere in the Territory, a safe water hole one season may not be safe the next, because during the wet season crocs travel overland. Crocs can be hard to spot in the water, & they will often leave the water. Crocs can also run very fast on land for short distances. If you don't want a croc dragging you out of your shelter at night then don't camp near the water! If you have to fetch water, NEVER put your hands in the water, NEVER stand on the water's edge. Use rope, cordage or at the very least your waist belt through the handle of a billy to dip water. Crocs are amazingly fast so take care! 

(5) Rising Water. In the wet season water holes, creeks & rivers can rise very quickly & if your shelter is too close to the water you can get flooded out. 

If you are going to make camp do it in an open area high & dry if you can with a tree or two for shade. In this way you can take advantage of any breezes blowing that will help keep you cool & hopefully keep the mossies at bay. Sometimes there is no escaping mossies, I have covered myself with a blanket, used a mossie net, & sat all night by a Buffalo dung fire drinking rum all night. The latter won't keep the mossies off, but after half a bottle of rum you don't really care! Come morning though you will not be feeling so good from the rum or the mossie bites!

You take care out there.
Keith.

Advantages of Prepping With an 18th Century Living History Group.

Advantages of Prepping With an 18^th Century Living History Group.

·      Participating in living history activities is fun & educational.

·      Children love living history activities & are able to share the experience with their parents.

·      Children who participate in Historical Trekking become used to carrying their own equipment & getting ready for the trek. IF a shtf situation should arise, the child knows what to do to get ready to leave, no fuss & no worries.

·      As a group member you can train with the local militia which is completely legal & does not attract unwanted attention.

·      You can learn many primitive living & survival skills including flint, steel & tinderbox fire lighting.

·      You can use a variety of period items & learn how to make your own clothing & equipment.

·      You can learn muzzle-loading, archery, sword fighting & tomahawk throwing.

·      You can participate in historical treks & get to actually use your equipment. In this way you are able to choose the right equipment to suit your needs & you will know that it all works.

·      You will learn to set up an oilcloth shelter & construct other primitive shelters.

·      Lone wolves can still take advantage of group membership either by learning from the group instructors, or by participating on the group’s internet forum.

This is the New England Colonial Living History Group 1680-1760 forum address if you are interested:  http://eighteenthcenturylivinghistory.freeforums.org/

February - Swinburne study into youth homelessness reveals majority spent time in out of home care - Swinburne University of Technology

February - Swinburne study into youth homelessness reveals majority spent time in out of home care - Swinburne University of Technology

Prepping For Survival. PART ONE.

I Am New To Prepping, Where Do I Start? What Should I Purchase First?

PART ONE.

This get’s asked a lot, and it is not an easy one to answer, because much depends on your present situation, where you live and what sort of tools and equipment do you already have. So to answer this question, I will assume you live in a town or city, and you have nothing of any use in a survival situation.

The first thing to understand is that in a serious break down of society you will need to get out of the city while you can. In my opinion, if you stay in the city you will become a target. You can not leave your home in safety, and you can’t secure your safety in the home from raiders. It is just too easy to fire a house or drive a truck through it. So let’s prep for “Bugging Out”

If you have to leave the city for any reason, you can’t possibly know for how long you must stay away, so prep for long term wilderness survival. Here are a couple of recommendations that I think are important:

1.    Never rely on modern gadgets and gear, they will not last and there are more important things to take up the weight in your pack. If you are going to carry a modern item, such as a modern firearm with ammunition, do not do so at the expense of carrying primitive gear.

2.    If you have a partner you will find it easier to prepare and survive. Equipment can be shared and you can take more with you. The same goes for a group of people. You may want to have someone carrying just food and or water.

3.    If you carry a modern firearms and ammunition, keep it just for self-defence, NOT for hunting.

4.    When packing for the trail there must be a compromise between two principles: minimum weight and maximum self-reliance.

Items you will need when “Bugging Out”:

1.    Shelter.

2.    Fire making tools.

3.    Housewife sewing kit.

4.    Medical Kit.

5.    An awl.

6.    A good hunting knife.

7.    A clasp knife.

8.    A back-up fixed blade knife.

9.    Tomahawk or light belt axe.

10.  A good whet stone and a small metal file.

11.  Blanket.

12.  Water bottles or canteens.

13.  Food items. Always carry some foods that do not require cooking.

14.  Kettle.

15.  A bow and arrows or a muzzle-loading firearm with shot pouch and accoutrements.

16.  Fishing tackle.

17.  Two roles of 7 strand brass picture hanging wire for making small game snares.

18.  6 meters of light natural fibre rope for making trail snares for medium sized game.

19.  Knapsack and Haversack.

Type of equipment:

Shelter: A natural fibre canvas for use as a lean-to is far better than a nylon tent. A canvas enables you to; see outside, construct easily in various forms, gain heat from the camp fire, cook in the rain without getting wet, stoke the fire without leaving your bed, be less visible when not using a fire.

Making Fire: A traditional flint and steel with a tinderbox for fire lighting is a sustainable method, and learning how to use a flint and steel will teach you a lot about plant tinders and fire lighting in general. With a flint and steel and tinderbox you will never be without fire.

Knives: You will need a good hunting knife, a simple inexpensive carbon steel butcher knife is all you need for skinning and butchering game.

A carbon steel clasp knife is a good back-up knife, but it’s main use is for camp chores and constructing primitive traps.

A third fixed blade knife such as a legging knife to be used as a back-up for dressing game and for self-defence. All your blades can be used for self-defence.

The Axe: A tomahawk as we know them today is a light axe with an oval or round eye that does not require a wedge to secure the head to the helve. This not only makes it easier to make and fit a new helve, but it can also be used for throwing for recreation, self-defence and hunting if needs be.

Sharpening Your Blades: All you need is a good whet stone and a small good quality metal file.

The Blanket: One good quality pure wool blanket per person should be adequate in most areas in Australia, but you will also need to carry a few extra clothing items for really cold weather. This clothing will weigh less than a second blanket, and can be carried rolled up in your blanket.

Water Bottles and Canteens: No specific requirements here beyond light weight and durability. Carry as much as you can afford to carry in areas that are unknown to you. You don’t know where the next water source will be. Add a meter square piece of plastic sheeting for making a solar still just in case.

Foods: Dried foods are by far the best way to go, but some of them will require water to make them more palatable. Rice, oats, paster, dried fruits and vegetables, flour, nuts, sunflower seeds, dried meat (Jerky). You may also want to add some bread and cheese for the trail when first starting out. You need to travel as far as you can the first day/night.

The Kettle: This is not your average tea kettle we are talking about here, we are talking billy kettle made of tin plated iron, or a tin lined brass or copper kettle. The brass and copper kettles are likely to last longer but are heavier that the tin billy. But if you look after you tin kettle it too should last a long time.

Bows and Guns: A bow is relatively silent, but not as good as a gun for self-defence. However, a long bow or a recurve bow are relatively light to carry, so you could conceivably carry both gun and bow. This is especially easy when you have a partner or are a member of a group. DO NOT carry a compound bow. There are too many things that can go wrong with this type of bow. Special strings are required, as are special arrows.

A flintlock muzzle-loading gun or rifle, are far more sustainable than a modern firearm, plus they are more versatile. A smoothbore even more so than a rifle. Gunpowder bags can be used to carry extra gunpowder, and when empty, can be used to store plant tinders. You can retrieve spent lead from the game you shoot, so no need to carry a lot of weight in lead. All you have is lock, stock and barrel, and the lock is easy to repair with a few spare parts. If the lock should break, and you have no spare parts, you can easily turn your flintlock into a matchlock or a tinderlock and continue using it. Matched pistols can be carried to increase your fire power and self-defence abilities.

The Trap Line: Setting up a trap line will save you time in the long run and save on ammunition. A trap line will work for you day and night.

Second Hand Items: Many good items can be purchased inexpensively second hand from op-shops and second hand stores, including; butcher knives, axes, haversacks, knapsacks, leather for making clothing and pouches, blankets etc.

In Part Two I will cover my recommendations for clothing items.

 Please Note, prepping for survival is a serious activity, this is not the time to want to be a Rambo type or want to show off your military gear and camo clothing. You Are Not in the army in regards to prepping, there will be no back-up, no supplies. Choosing the right gear and equipment the first time is important to your long term survival, so get it right.
Keith.

Looking at the back of my oilcloth shelter.

My belt pouch with fishing tackle, brass sundial compass, fire-bag flint and steel and tinderbox.

Tomahawk, hunting knife, friction clasp knife, and legging knife.

Metal file and whetstone.

Open housewife sewing kit.

My knapsack with oilcloth, blanket, spare moccasins, and market wallet secured under the flap closure.

Two more packs belonging to my sons.

My .62 caliber/20 gauge smoothbore flintlock fusil.

My .32 caliber flintlock rifle.

A flintlock pistol to match the caliber of your longarm.

My shot pouch, powder horn and accouterments including ball and shot moulds.

Shot pouch gun tools, spare flints, jaw leather and grease container.

Gun lock spare parts and tools, including a wad punch.

Two awls. The top one I made, the lower one was my Father's. The wood blade sheath is wound with beeswaxed linen thread.

My Video Channel with more videos relating to the items above: 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHEOMSZJETfj3GnoyONuvCQ

 Details on my Primitive Fire Lighting Book which is available as a PDF for downloading:

http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com.au/2010/12/more-details-of-my-new-book-primitive.html