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Showing posts with label survival skills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label survival skills. Show all posts

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Finding Food on the Seashore and Deserted Island

Tropical Islands are rarely desert islands, They will usually offer plenty to eat, both in the water and in the island. Seashore plants will differ according to the climate and they will be available when weather or tide prevent you gathering food from the sea. In the water you can find seaweeds of different varieties, which are a very valuable food source. For the Survivor, when on a deserted island, protein, fat and carbs are all extremely important for the energy that is needed to keep surviving until you are rescued or you self rescue.



 Seaweed can usually be found where the water has rocks and is more shallow so that the sun can reach them. Seaweed can also be dried and stored for months. It's good to have foods that can be stored for long periods of time, especially for the survivor, you never know how long you will be at a certain area or if you will be waiting to be rescued or if your going to self rescue.


 Mollusks & Bivalves... such as oysters, clams, scallops, and mussels should close tightly when trapped. When hunting for fish, mollusk, bivalves, lobster, sea urchins or other sea life, it is best to do it at low tide, when rock pools can be inspected and buried mollusk and other creatures can be dug from the sandy shores. Only eat mollusk that are alive and remember that if a mollusk is above the high tide water level (above low tide is fine), but if above the high tide level or if the water or fluid that comes out of the mollusk appear to have a green or yellow tint in color DO NOT HARVEST OR EAT these! They will make you extremely sick and may be toxic and can cause death. Survival code is that you NEVER risk eating or messing around with something that your are not exactly sure what it might be. If you are unsure, it is best to just leave it alone and look for something else to eat that you know is OK. Remember Fresh water fish are always OK to eat, But Salt water or ocean life has a lot of different varieties of fish that are extremely poisonous. Stick with what you know, It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Gastropods ... There are a few different varieties of gastropods such winkles and whelks that have an operculum (kind of like a trap door) that closes the entrance to the shell. It should close tightly if the shell is shaken. Some Gastropods, such as Limpets and Abalones have no operculum but are tightly anchored to the rocks, It is best to use a knife to pry underneath the edge of shell to harvest them from the rocks. If they are difficult to pry off of the rock then they are good to eat, but if they come of way to easy then they are more than likely sick or dead (just make sure that there is no green or yellowish color water or fluid before eating them). If there are any limpet found still anchored after high tide, then they are still good to eat. The Tide will usually wash away sick or dead creatures.

  
Cooking Shell Fish... You can cook shell fish in many different ways, with Bivalves such as clams, scallops, oysters and mussels, you can Boil them for 5-10 minutes, or you can place your bivalves (mussels, oysters, clams, etc..) on the coals of your fire for about 5-10 minutes and when the shells open they are ready to eat!!



SEA SNAKE
Fishing... Fish and sea snakes require more catching. Some fish are dangerous and all sea snakes are venomous. Distinguish snakes from eels by their scales and their broad flattened tails. On the coasts the best time to fish from the shore is about 2 hours after high tides. If you fish when the tides are still coming in you are going to be constantly retreating. Saltwater is known to rot clothing, shoes, and boots, so when fishing do it in shorts, or in your underwear or a bathing suit. (or if you are on a deserted island, go naked, it's not like anyone is going to see you and it will cool you off).

 Sea fishing requires a larger hook than freshwater fishing, if you don't have a hook, as a survivor you improvise by using things that are around you for instance you can use trash that washes up on shore from the ocean to make a hook or you can make a four prong spear. (which I will go over in another post).
  
Sea Eel
A wide variety of bait can be used when fishing in the ocean. You can use limpets, conch, snails, or even lug worms that can be dug up on sandy and muddy beaches. At low tide look for the coiled worm casts that shows you where their L-shaped burrows are.
  
Make use of the tide to help you catch fish by building large arrow shaped fish traps from stakes or rocks. Point them away from the shore. Fish will be caught when the tide recedes. This is what is called "Lazy man Fishing" or better yet "Low calorie Fishing". Using this method, not only will you have dinner being caught with out you having to expel calories that your body needs, babysit a pole or spear fish, but you can forage for food, water, and work on your shelter, which ever needs to be done priority wise. Work Smarter, Not harder.
Different types of Echinoderms





SEA CUCUMBER
Echinoderms... Another useful source of food, the echinoderms include starfish (not worth bothering with as food), sea urchins and sea cucumbers. Sea cucumbers creep about on the seabed or burrow in the sand. They look like wary black cucumbers, up to 8 inches long. Sea cucumbers should be Roasted over a fire until done or boiled for five minutes before eating. Sea Cucumbers are very tough and chewy after they are cooked.


SEA URCHIN
Sea urchins, or sea eggs as they are sometimes called, are usually prickly balls which cling on to rocks, just below the low water mark but they have burrowing relations, the cake and heart urchins and the sea  potato which can be found beneath the sand. Split open and eat the egg like 'yolk' inside. You can eat it raw, but it is safer to boil. AVOID any if their spines do not move when touched or if they smell bad when opened.



DIFFERENT KINDS OF CRUSTACEANS
Crustaceans... These include crabs, crayfish, shrimp, prawns, crab, and lobsters, all of which make their homes in rock pools. Lobsters are usually found beyond the tidal zone but sometimes can be found in deep pools or crevices. Look Under stones and seaweeds... Though you will have to be quick to catch them!!! A net would help. Improvised one from clothing and a piece of wire or a sapling. Sand crabs are abundant in the tropics. Active at nigh, they can be chased back to their burrow at the top of the beach dug out. Some even climb trees and can be knocked down.
   Freshwater crabs, crayfish, and shrimp are also found in many parts of the world. They are smaller than sand crabs and usually found in shallow water.

 All Crustaceans spoil quickly and they may contain harmful parasites. They must be eaten as soon as possible, so keep them alive in water until you are ready to cook them. They are cooked alive, either by plunging into boiling water, so that they die almost immediately, or by putting them in cold water and heating it up, which is claimed to lull them in to unconsciousness so that they feel no pain. Boil for 20 minutes. If you don't have some kind of container that you can boil them in, you can always put them on the hot coals of your fire for about 15 minutes or so. You will know when they are done.

Crabs have poisonous sections which must be removed. You do this by twisting off the claws and legs, then, with the crab on its back, place your thumbs under the flap at the tail and push upwards. Pull the flap up and away from the body and lift it off. This prevents the stomach contents from touching the flesh. Next press on the mouth and stomach come away in one piece. The lungs (known as "Dead men's Fingers"), which are harmful to eat, can them be pulled out and discarded.

 Lobster is easier to prepare. Cut along the back towards the head and split open. The stomach lies just behind the mouth and is removed with the head and intestinal cord.

Seabirds... Most ocean coast are alive with seabirds, Fish for them. Leave baited hooks among offal on flat rocks, even throw baited hooks into the air to be taken on the wind.  Try wrapping bait around stones. The sudden change in weight can make birds crash.
      Ground nesting birds can provide a rich source of eggs. Look for the ones that are easy to collect before risking raiding nests on cliffs. You can also try to catch the birds themselves at night when roosting, but do not risk climbing.
 
The White Tern lays their eggs directly on the tree branches
 Some birds, Like the White Tern, lay there eggs on branches in trees, These birds are easy to spot because they are white with a long, sharp, black beak. You can tell when you are close to one with an egg because the bird will flap its wings, and you can see the birds little spotted eggs just resting on a tree branch.
  







Thanks for reading, Be sure to read Surviving On A Deserted Island and Seashores And The Survivor
For related post on this article. Don't Forget to check out The Ruff Survival YouTube Channel.





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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Getting Water From Plants

Water From Plants


Water Collectors... Cup shaped plants and cavities between the leaves of bromides (many of which are parasitic on the branches of tropical trees) often collect a reservoir of water.
       Bamboo often holds water in its hollow joints. Old and yellow stems are more likely to be water bearing. Shake them, if you can hear water slurping around cut a notch at the bottom of each joint and tip the water out.

 *  Ttraveller's Tree Ravenala madagascariensis, one of the banana family, can hold 2-4 pints of water between the bases of the chevron of leaf stalks.

Vines... Vines with rough bark and shoots about 2 inches thick can be a useful source of water. But you must learn by experience which are the water bearing vines, because not all have drinkable water and some have poisonous sap. The poisonous ones yield a sticky, milky sap when cut. You will know not to try that type again. Otherwise it is a matter of trial and error and worth trying any species.
      Some vines cause a skin irritation on contact if you suck them, so it Is better to let the liquid drip into your mouth rather than put your mouth to the stem, and preferable to collect it in a container.
     To obtain water from a vine select a particular stem and trace it upwards. Reach as high as possible and cut a deep notch in the stem. Cut off the same stem close to the ground and let the water drip from it into your mouth or into a container. When it stops dripping  cut a section from the bottom of the vine first as this will cause the liquid to run up the vine through capillary action.

Roots...  In Australia the water tree, Desert Oak and Bloodwood have their roots near the surface. Pry these roots out from the ground and cut them up into 12 inch lengths. Remove the bark. Suck out the moisture or shave to a pulp and squeeze over the mouth.
     It is not easy to find some of the most useful desert roots unless you have been shown by someone with experience. Australian Aborigines can identify a tiny twig which grows from a football like bulbous root, which can be a life saver. But unless you have been shown how to find them it is not worth expending your energy and resources looking.

Palms... The Buri, Coconut and Nipa palms all contain a sugary fluid which is very drinkable. To start it flowing bend a flowering stalk downwards and cut off its tip. If a thin slice is cut off the stalk every 12 hours the flow will be renewed, making it possible to collect up to a quart each day. Nipa palms shoot from the base so that you can work from ground level, on grown trees of other species you may have to climb up them to reach a flowering stalk.
     Coconut milk has considerable water content, but from ripe nuts it is a powerful laxative and drinking too much would make you lose more fluids.

Nipa Palm


Buri Palm





Cacti...  Both the fruit and bodies of cacti store water, but not all cacti produce liquid safe to drink. The Saquarro, the giant multi fingered cactus of Arizona, is VERY Poisonous. Take Care to avoid contact with cactus spines, they can be very difficult to remove, especially the very ine hair like ones, and can cause festering sores if thy stay in the skin.
 
Saquarro Cactus

*Fun fact about the Saquarro cactus: Sereus giganteus of Mexico, Arizona and California, grows to 17 feet high and holds large amounts of fluid-But it is extremely poisonous. Collect and place in a solar still to evaporate and recondense during the cold night.



    The Barrel cactus Echinocactus grusoni can reach a height of 4ft tall, and is found in the southern United States through to South America and requires a considerable effort to cut through its tough spine covered outer skin. The best method is to cut off the top and chop out pieces from the inside to suck, or to smash the pulp within the plant and scoop out the water sap, which varies from tasteless in some plants to bitter in others. An average sized 3 1/2 foot Barrel cactus will yield about 1 liter of milky juice and the is an exception to the rule to avoid milky sapped plants.


Barrel Cactus

That's all for todays post, Please check back for more great information, Bookmark or add this blog to your favorites. http://www.ruffsurvival.blogspot.com and don't forget to check out our You Tube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/ruffsurvival
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Eric From Ruff Survival

Methods of Distillation

Distillation

Distillation kits are part of the equipment of life rafts, but they can be improvised. To distill liquid you need to make something to do the job of a laboratory retort. Pass a tube into the top of a water filled covered container, placed over a fire, and the other end into a sealed collecting tin which, preferably, is set inside another container providing a jacket of cold water to the vapor as it passes out of the tube. You can improvise the equipment from any tubing (pack frames for instance). To avoid wasting water vapor, seal around the joins with mud or wet sand.
    An easier method is a variation on the desert still. It takes a little longer for the water to condense but may be easier to set up.

 Instructions: Take a tube from a covered vessel in which polluted/saltwater, or even urine is to a boil. Set the other end under a solar still. A sheet of metal or bark, perhaps weighted down, will cover the vessel. Even a cone of leaf over the water pot will help direct the steam into the tube.

Water From Ice or Snow... Melt ice rather than snow, it produces a greater volume faster for less heat, Twice as much for half the heat. If forced to heat snow, place a little in the pot and melt that first, gradually adding more to it. If you put a lot of snow into the pot, the lower lever will melt and then be soaked up into the absorbent snow above it, leaving a hollow beneath which will make the pot burn. Lower layers of snow are more granular than on the surface and will yield more water.

Water From Sea Ice...  Sea ice is salt (not good for drinking) until it has aged. The ore recently frozen, the saltier it will be. New sea ice is rough in contour and milky-white in color. Old ice is bluish and has rounded edges, caused by weathering.
         Good water can be obtained from blue ice, the bluer and smoother the better. But beware of even old ice that has been exposed to salt spray.

Thanks for reading, be sure to bookmark this page or add it to your favorites. We appreciate all google pluses, shares on Facebook and Twitter. And don't forget to check out our You Tube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/ruffsurvival
Eric From Ruff Survival

How to Make a Solar Still

Solar Still



Dig a hole in the ground approximately 36inches across and 18inches deep. Place a collecting can in the center, then cover the hole with a sheet of plastic formed into a cone. The sun's heat raises the temperature of the air and soil below and vapor is produced. As the air becomes saturated, water condenses on the underside of the plastic, running down into the container. This is especially effective in desert regions and elsewhere when it is hot during the day and cold at night. The Plastic cools more quickly than the air, causing heavy condensation. This kind of still should collect at least 1 pint over a 24 hour period.
  The still may also double as a trap. Insects and small snakes are attracted by the plastic. They may slide down into the cone or wriggle underneath it and drop into the hole and then cannot climb out. A solar still can be used to distill pure water from poisonous or contaminated liquids.

* Roughen underside of sheet with a stone to ensure droplets run down it. Use stones or weights to secure edges and keep cone shape. Fix can so that trapped creatures cannot tip it over.
    If feasible use a syphon to a lower level to draw off water without disturbing the still.

Warning about Urine and Sea Water
Never drink either... NEVER!!! But both can produce drinking water if distilled, and sea water will provide you with a residue of salt.



Getting water from Condensation

Condensation



Tree and plant roots draw moisture from the ground, but a tree may take it from a water table 50ft or more below, too deep to dig down to reach. Don't try, let the tree pump it up for you by tying a plastic bag around a leafy branch. Evaporation from the leaves will produce condensation in the bag.
 *Choose healthy vegetation and bushy branches. On trees keep the mouth of the bag at the top with a corner hanging low to collect condensed evaporation.
Placing a polythene tent over any vegetation will collect moisture by evaporation which will condense on the plastic as it cools. Suspend the tent from the apex or support with a padded stick. Avoid foliage touching the sides of the trap or it will divert water droplets which should collect in plastic lined channels at the bottom.
    Even cut vegetation will produce some condensation as it warms up when placed in a large plastic bag. Keep the foliage off the bottom with stones so that water collects below it, and keep the foliage from touching the plastic. Use Stones to keep the bag taut. Support the top on a padded stick . Arrange the bag on  a slight slope to encourage condensation to run down to the collecting point. When no longer productive carefully replace with fresh foliage.

Thanks for reading, Please check bag regularly for more from Ruff Survival
Thanks Eric from Ruff Survival

Basic needs of Surviving

To reiterate, the main elements required for survival are FOOD, FIRE, SHELTER, and WATER. Use  PLAN (Protection, Location, Acquisition, and Navigation) to help you prioritise your survival needs. If you don't have shelter in the desert, having 2 liters of water is of little use to you in the longer term.
  It takes a healthy person quite a long time to die of starvation, for the body can use up its stored resources, but exposure to wind, rain and cold can be fatal even in temperate climates and death comes in only minutes in the icy waters of the poles. Food is rarely the first priority. Even in those places where it is difficult to find there are usually other problems to face first. Shelter will often be the prime necessity in extremes of climate or temperature. Not just in the frozen polar regions  or the baking deserts, but for walkers trapped by mist on a hillside. The need for fire is closely linked.
    Water is something that most people in the modern world take for granted. They are so used to turning on a tap that until an extreme drought causes water rationing they scarcely think about it.  Yet the survivor at sea, or after a flood, thought surrounded by water, may be desperate for drinkable water. And thee are many places where, unless it rains, no obvious water is available. The other survival necessities are dealt with later in my blog post, But water is universally important.

JUST HOW LONG CAN THE HUMAN BODY GO WITHOUT THE ESSENTIALS??
In general the human body can survive for 3 minutes without air, 3 days without water, and 3 weeks without food. There are always exceptions to this and there are examples of people pushing these boundaries and surviving for longer periods. It is amazing what the human body can endure but such a survivor's health can suffer in the long term due to such trauma. For example a person surviving for more than 9 days without water will undoubtedly suffer kidney damage or failure.

Keep yourself together when Facing Disaster

When facing a disaster it is easy to let yourself go, to collapse and be consumed in self pity. But there is no use giving up or burying your head in the sand and hoping that this is a bad dream that will soon pass. It won't, and with that kind of attitude it will rapidly become much worse. Only positive action can save you.
A healthy, well nourished person can physically tolerate a great deal, provided that he or she has self confidence. Even if sick or injured, a determined person can win through and recover from seemingly impossible situations. To do so there are many stresses that must be overcome.

SURVIVAL STRESSES
The survival situation will put you under pressure, both physical and mental. You will have to overcome some or all of the following stresses...
  • Fear and Anxiety
  • Pain, Illness and Injury
  • Cold and/or Heat
  • Thirst, Hunger and Fatigue
  • Sleep Deprivation
  • Boredom
  • Loneliness and isolation
Can You Cope??? YOU HAVE TO!!

Self confidence is a product of good training and sound knowledge. These must be acquired before you have o face up to a survival situation.
     Physical fitness plays an important part. The fitter your are the better you will survive. Initially you may have to go without sleep to ensure that you are in  safe location, or make a long march in dangerous conditions. Do not wait until you are forced to go without sleep to see whether you are capable of doing so. Prove it to yourself now by getting into training. Develop the resources to cope with fatigue and loss of sleep.
     You will be working hard to procure food and water. They will relieve hunger and thirst. But finding them will tire you and you will need an adequate shelter to enable you to rest and recover from you efforts. Don't over do it. Rest frequently and assess the situation.
   Pain and fever are warning signals that call attention to an injury or physical condition. They are not in themselves dangerous, however distressing and discomforting. Pain can be controlled and overcome. Its biological function is to protect and injured part, to prevent you using it, but this warning may have to be ignored to avoid the risk of further injury or death.



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Lets Talk About Knives

A knife is a invaluable asset in a survival situation. As I have stated several times in many of my other blog post that having a knife is one of the most valuable things that you can carry. If you ask just about any survival expert they will tell you that If there Is one tool that they could pick when going out into the wild they will always pick the knife.

Choosing the Knife that's right for you...
A multi-bladed folding knife is a useful tool, but, if you carry only one knife, you need something stronger, a general purpose blade that will do all likely tasks efficiently and comfortably, from cutting trees to skinning animals and preparing vegetables. Some have a compass built into the handle or have the handle hollowed out so that you can carry survival kit inside it. However, these features will be offset by the possibility of  a hollow  handle breaking and a compass may soon lose its accuracy after the knife has been used on a hardwood tree. If you lose this kind of knife then you also lose your survival kit. So its much better to keep the kit in a separate pouch on you belt or on the sheath.

REMEMBER... YOU ARE ONLY AS SHARP AS YOUR KNIFE. Your knife is such an important piece of survival equipment, that you must keep it sharp and ready for use. Don't misuse your knife. Never throw it into trees or onto the ground. Keep it clean, and if you don't intend to use it for a while, oiled and in its sheath.
When walking though close, or difficult terrain, get in the habit of checking your knife This should become an automatic reflex especially after negotiating difficult terrain. A check of all pockets and possessions should be second nature.

Folding Knives.... A folding knife that has a serrated edge, and which can be opened one handed is valuable, provided it has a good locked position. Always carry one. A blade in a wooden handle is usually more comfortable. It will not slip in a sweaty hand and, if the handle is made from a single piece of wood, is less likely to cause blisters.

Sharpening a knife... Any sandstone will sharpen tools. A grey, clayey sandstone being best. Quartz though more rarely found, is good and granite can also be used. Rub two pieces together to make them smooth. A double faced stone with a rough and a smooth surface is ideal and should be carried in the sheath pocket. Use the rough surface first to remove burrs, then the smooth one to get a fine edge. The object is to get an edge that will last and not chip.

   * To Sharpen the blade, hold the handle in the right hand. Use a clockwise circular motion and apply a steady pressure on the blade with the fingertips of the left hand a you push away. Keep the angle constant and make sure you push the knife into stone so that the edge is sharpened rather than rounded. Keep the stone wet. Rock particles on the blade will show the angle you are obtaining. Don't drag the blade towards you under pressure. This will produce burrs. Reduce the pressure for a finer edge. Work counter clockwise on the other side.

Thanks for reading and come back for more valuable information. Don't forget to bookmark this page or add it to your favorites as I will be posting more each day. Also check out my You Tube Channel by visiting http://www.youtube.com/user/ruffsurvival.

All comments are welcome and encouraged. We appreciate your support!! Thanks Again...
Eric From Ruff Survival.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Survival Medical Kit

When getting  a medical kit together it depends on your own skills when packing it and using it. Pack medications in airtight containers with cotton wool to prevent rattling, and it can be used to start a fire if needed. Here are a few essential items to carry that will cover most ailments...

Analgesic... A pain reliever for mild and moderate pain. Codeine phosphate is ideal for tooth, ear, and headaches, Ibuprofen or Advil is also very good for these types of ailments especially sense you have to have a prescription to get Codeine. One tablet of the Codeine phosphate every six hours as needed but can cause constipation as a side effect, so it can also help if you are having loose bowel movements. Now you can't give this to children So that is why its good to Carry Tylenol or ibuprofen, these can be given to children and don't cause constipation. Although they may not be as strong as Codeine they do work for mild pain.

Intestinal sedative... For treating acute and chronic diarrhoea. Imodium is usually favoured. DOSE: 2 capsules initially, then once each time a loose stool is passed.

Antibiotic... For general infections. Tetracycline can be used even by people hypersensitive to penicillin. DOSE: one 250mg tablet, four times daily repeated for five to seven days. Or there is Omoxocylin that is also a great antibiotic that can be used by people that are hypersensitive to penicillin, That is what I usually keep on hand, I myself am allergic to penicillin and it works great. DOSE: one 500mg tablet 2 times a day for 5-7 days. Be sure to carry enough for a full course. If taking either of these antibiotics be sure to steer clear of milk product, calcium and iron preparations or other drugs containing aluminium hydroxide.

Antihistamine... For allergies, insect bites and strings ( may also help in Case of a bad reaction to a drug). Piriton is recommended in Britain, Benadryl (which I highly recommend) in the USA, Sleepiness is a side effect of both, so both can be useful as a mild sleeping pill. Do not exceed the recommended dosage, or take with alcohol.

Water Sterilizing Tablets... For use where water is suspect and you can not boil. Iodine is also a great way to sterilize water, just for safety precautions I carry both. Be sure to do a little homework to see how much is needed.

Anti-Malaria Tablets... This is only a necessity if you will be traveling where malaria is present. There are types which require only one tablet taken monthly. Check around, do research on which is the best to get.

Potassium Permanganate... add to water and mix until water becomes bright pink to sterilize it, deeper pink to make an antiseptic and to a full red to treat fungal diseases such as athlete's foot. It can also be used in combination with glycerin to cause a chemical reaction and make a fire.

Surgical blades... At least 2 scalpel blades of different sizes. A handle can be made from wood when required. Now this is not usually a necessity, but if you have room, bring them.

Butterfly sutures.... Use to hold the edges of wounds together. works a lot like stitches but without the needle and thread.

Bandages.... Assorted sizes, preferably waterproof, for minor abrasions and keeping cuts clean. They  can be cut and used as butterfly sutures.

Condom... A rather unlikely source, but very usable in a survival situation. Condoms believe it or not make a great water bag, holding up to 1 litre of water. It is easiest to fill from a source that has an abundance of water and a degree of water pressure, like a waterfall.


Carrying a Mobile Phone

The mobile or Cell phone is one of the great inventions of the twentieth century. In an emergency situation it can be a real life saver. Some phones are better than others, so it's worth doing some homework to see what kind gives you the best coverage. Its also very important to check out network coverage. As most people know, and this is my opinion, but Verizon Wireless always seems to have better signal than T-Mobile or AT&T. Even where I live, In the Smoky Mountains of NC, I didn't get signal with my T-Mobile phone so I switch over to Verizon. It's always good to keep a "throw a way" phone in your car at all times. You never know when something bad is going to happen, So go to Wal-Mart or any other store and get a Verizon flip phone to keep in your car at all times, you can buy one at Wal-Mart for $15 bucks, also get a car charger for both, Your regular cell phone and your "throw a way" phone. That way you always have a way of charging your phone. Keep your phones charged as often as you can. It can be the difference between life and death.
Charging your phone can be a problem in the wild, so you should always use your phone wisely, and that is why I cant say it enough, Always keep your phone charged. YOU never know what is going to happen, life is unpredictable.
Now days you can buy solar powered devices that will charge phones and other electronic devices when your camping or hiking. They also have hand held manual chargers, so look into getting one of these items, especially if you are one of those people who love going on long camping trips or hiking trips.
If you happen to be in any kind of survival or emergency situation, be sure to keep your phone as dry as possible, Remember water and moister is the enemy to your phone, so keep it dry. Also, Make short phone calls on the hour, Someone could be picking up your signal so don't give up. Once you receive confirmation that the rescue is under way, keep the phone on and listen for any incoming calls. It could be your rescue party. And If your phone has a tracking device in it, it can help rescue find you even faster.

That's all for today, Please leave any comments below, and be sure to G+ .
Also Check out my You tube channel for great videos. http://www.youtube.com/user/ruffsurvival

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

The Importance of Survival skills and Training

We are living in an uncertain world, It was only a couple of months ago that everyone thought that the world was ending. Survival is so important in this day in age, anything can happen, and it is your responsibility to learn all you can about survival and what to do when in a survival situation. That being said I am going to take you through a course of what I know and what I have learned that should help you in any survival situation that you may find yourself in. And with this knowledge, I will give you the confidence that you need to survive against the odds and allow you to adapt and overcome when something happens to go wrong.


The need for survival training has never been greater. People all over the world have become much more adventurous and informed about the world around us. Using what little knowledge that they have and their wealth to get them places that have not yet been explored putting them in to dangerous situations.  That is why it is so important to get survival training and knowledge before you go on a vast journey around the world. The possibility to become lost is always there. And it is so important to learn all you can. Knowledge is so powerful and it is weightless, so learn all you can about the  environment that you are going to, learn all you can about the plants, animals, and bugs. Knowing survival Skills can and will save your life.

It is extremely important to practice survival skills and be prepared for anything. Survival training is the best insurance policy that you could ever have. You could be anywhere in the world Isolated and away from any kind of civilization.

Check back for more on the importance of survival skills and training.