Innholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2021 i Survivor's Edge

We always did a lot of cooking and baking when I was a kid spending time at my grandmother’s house, and I’ll never forget that she kept a 20-pound sack of sugar in the back corner of her pantry. She never used it, and it was an old sack even then. When I asked her why she kept it, Grandma replied, “Because during the Depression in Missouri, we could never get any, so I always keep some just in case.” Just in case: Three words that define the emergency preparation industry. A competent person who is actively concerned about the safety and well-being of his family, neighbors and close friends will entertain contingency scenarios and maintain an adequately supplied cache of gear to support the successful mitigation of these circumstances.…

Donna Rodgers was enjoying a stroll through Eagleglen Fitness Park in Alaska’s Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson when her son, Brad, called to chat. While they talked, Briana, an Australian shepherd, and Ranger, a greyhound, trotted alongside Rodgers as she pushed a stroller holding her beloved chihuahua, Belle. She had just passed a large sign off of Glenn Highway, only a few minutes down the trail, when her dogs started barking. “The next thing I know, here comes this huge, angry mama moose flying out of the side of the road,” said Rodgers. Two calves were right behind her. “I heard the dogs run after them,” Brad recalled. “They were barking like crazy, so I had no idea what was going on. I was hearing these, you know, curdling screams.” With the…

You think you’re alone, that there’s not another soul around, as you trek deeper into the woods. All appears silent with the occasional rustling of the leaves or the wind rushing through the trees. But you are not alone. Animals are all around you, lurking in the thick brush and slinking behind the rocks, and signs of them might not be easy to spot, since they spend a great deal of their energy avoiding detection. Ernest Thompson Seton wrote in the Boy Scout Handbook in 1911: “If you succeeded in getting a glimpse of a fox or a hare in the woods, the chances are a hundred to one that it was aware of your presence first. They are much cleverer than we are at this sort of thing, and…

Botanists have defined over 400 families of plants, and among them is the mustard family—a rather large botanical family comprising more than 330 genera worldwide and about 3,780 species. Now, when most people say “mustard,” they’re thinking of the yellow or brown condiment that’s so popular on hot dogs. And when gardeners think about mustard greens, they’re usually talking about just one of the nearly 330 groups within this large family: the Brassicas. The genus Brassica contains at least 35 species and is actually one of the most influential groups for feeding the world. When I was writing my first book, Guide to Wild Foods, my mentor, Dr. Leonid Enari, assisted me in compiling a list of the entirely safe botanical families. Mustard was one of those families. But Dr.…

WHEN RELIGION AND PREPAREDNESS MIX, MANY CONCOCT VISIONS OF END-OF-DAYS PROPHECIES AND CATACLYSMIC WORLD EVENTS THAT WOULD MAKE THE CITY OF POMPEII SHUDDER WITH TERROR. ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM, MANY PEOPLE IN VARIOUS DENOMINATIONS VIEW PREPARING FOR DISASTERS AS A LACK OF FAITH IN GOD. THERE ARE MANY REFERENCES IN SCRIPTURE, HOWEVER, THAT SUGGEST OTHERWISE. BEING PREPARED FOR DISASTER MAY NOT SHOW A LACK OF FAITH BUT RATHER A LEVEL OF OBEDIENCE TO THE TENETS OF FAITH. THE EARLIEST ACCOUNT OF PREPPING IS FOUND WITHIN THE BIBLE AS NOAH BUILT THE ARK UPON GOD’S COMMAND TO SAVE HUMANITY AND THE ANIMAL KINGDOM TO REPOPULATE THE WORLD. JOSEPH, ONCE SOLD INTO SLAVERY BY HIS BROTHERS, PROPHESIED TO THE EGYPTIAN PHARAOH SESOSTRIS TO STORE HUGE AMOUNTS OF GRAIN for a…

The first thing you feel when introduced to WOOX’s AX1 is the Appalachian hickory in your hand, the octagonal handle providing the ergonomics that suggest this axe is well up to the task. It’s heavy—2 pounds of wood and steel—and it sits in your hand with purpose and conviction. The black Cerakote finish on the head and pommel is satin smooth, protecting the tempered steel and diamond-shaped heel from corrosion and weather damage. This is not an axe you’d find at Walmart, and it isn’t an axe that you’d toss into the back of your truck; this is a tool meant for someone who appreciates fine craftsmanship and who knows how to properly care for an implement that can be used today and 20 years from now. The heritage of…

Over the next year, the threat of terrorism in the United States will likely increase based on several factors, such as the 2020 presidential election and the Covid-19 crisis. First, the November 2020 presidential election will likely be a significant source of anger and polarization that increases the possibility of terrorism. If President Trump loses the election, some extremists may use violence because they believe that there was fraud. Alternatively, some could resort to terrorism if President Trump is re-elected. In June 14, 2017, James Hodgkinson—a left-wing extremist—shot U.S. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, U.S. Capitol Police officer Crystal Griner, congressional aide Zack Barth, and lobbyist Matt Mika in Alexandria, VA. A few months earlier, Hodgkinson wrote in a Facebook post that “Trump is a Traitor. Trump Has Destroyed Our…

The FBI has increased its committement to thwarting terrorism since it was first formed, but the force has evolved greatly since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. Years after these attacks, terrorism remains a serious threat to the U.S. LONE OFFENDERS: Terrorist threats have evolved from large-group conspiracies toward lone-offender attacks. These individuals often radicalize online and mobilize to violence quickly. Without a clear group affiliation or guidance, lone offenders are challenging to identify, investigate, and disrupt. THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA: Domestic violent extremists have developed an extensive presence on the Internet through messaging platforms and online images, videos, and publications. These facilitate the groups’ ability to radicalize and recruit individuals who are receptive to extremist messaging. Social media has also allowed both international and domestic terrorists to gain…

I spent more than a decade on the “gut, drive and drag committee” for a prominent wildlife conservation organization. Headquartered in South Carolina where the whitetail population at the time seemed—and at times was—limitless, this organization’s leadership had a passion for hosting VIPs and board members for large deer hunts. Since I was the low man on the totem pole of the organization’s executive staff, I was in charge of a lot of the grunt work involved in tracking, retrieving, dressing and butcheri ng harvested whitetail deer—hundreds of them when you count the scores of deer I killed myself. At that time, I’d joined a few area hunters and rented a small, out-of-business deer-processing plant to make processing deer more convenient and to allow for aging the hanging carcasses in…

The first sentence of the book states that violence is rarely the answer, but when it is, it’s the only answer. You are sitting outside a coffee shop when you begin to notice a rising tide of noise. From around the corner a mass of protestors stream in your direction. In a matter of seconds, you are surrounded by wild-eyed fanatics screaming at you. They demand that you pay obeisance to their cause. How do you react? They obviously pose a potential threat, but any action you take could tip the balance and the consequences could be dire. “If you find yourself asking, ‘Should I hit him?’ The answer is probably, no.” The author would term this social aggression, and he advises against doing anything to escalate if you can…

BEING IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME, SOME SAY, CAN’T BE AVOIDED. WHEN RANDOM CHANCE THROWS A CIRCUMSTANCE AT YOU AND YOUR HANDLING OF IT WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, FEW PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY HAVE ANY SAY IN THE OUTCOME. SOME MAY EVEN THINK OF IT AS A VICIOUS GAME OF CHANCE: SOMETIMES YOU WIN; SOMETIMES YOU LOSE. YOU MAY MAKE IT THROUGH OK AND NONE THE WORSE FOR WEAR, OR IT COULD BE THE LAST THING YOU EXPERIENCE ON THIS PLANE OF EXISTENCE. But is that really true? Do you, in fact, have no input when it comes to a seemingly random act in which you could become serious injured or, worse, die? These situations are varied. From a plane crash to a…

When it comes to hard-use cutlery, the name Hardcore Hardware Australia is well recognized in the tactical world. With the introduction of its sister company, Halfbreed Blades, the line is getting a bit of a facelift, offering a specialized development service for government agencies wanting a custom product that meets their specific requirements. Although Halfbreed Blades is geared towards government agencies, its products are available to civilians with discerning tactical tastes as a sort of gold-class line of products. As you look through the Halfbreed catalog, you will most likely notice some very familiar designs from the Hardcore Hardware Australia product line, but you will find subtle differences that take the designs to the next level. With a reputation for overbuilt, bombproof cutlery designed to withstand the hardest abuse, Halfbreed…

As the frigid temps begin to creep in for most of the country, it’s time for your gear to transition as well. Here, we bring you the latest equipment to add to your winter EDC gear and arsenal. From trail snacks to wood cutters, we’ve got what you need to take on Old Man Winter and prevail. 1. HYLAND’S Muscle Therapy A good addition to your arsenal should be Hyland’s Muscle Therapy cream. Perfect for topical relief of minor muscle aches, bruising and minor swelling, the quick-absorbing cream is made with natural ingredients that provide safe pain relief with no strong lasting scent. The gel contains Arnica and is made in the USA. MSRP: $10. (hylands.com) 2. IGNIK Gas Growler Deluxe Perfect for hunting, fishing, camping and so forth, the…

As I reviewed my list of the characteristics of a good gun for wilderness survival, it occurred to me that the Chiappa Little Badger, on paper anyway, would be a pretty good choice. So, I tested the newest model with a four-power scope to see whether it really was worthy. When I consider a gun to outfit my survival pack or bug-out bag, I want it to be reliable, lightweight and portable, small enough to carry discreetly, accurate enough to procure game, mechanically simple (so there’s less to go wrong), easy to operate and chambered for a widely available cartridge that’s easy to carry in quantity. THE LITTLE BADGER The Chiappa Little Badger is a single-shot carbine chambered for the.22 Long Rifle rimfire cartridge, so it checks the box for…

Ever wondered how this beloved condiment is made? Well, it comes from the ground-up seeds of a few different species of mustard, which are typically brown. Mustard can also be made from seeds you collect from the wild. The seeds aren’t flavorful until they’re cracked, after which they are mixed with a liquid to become prepared mustard. Collect and winnow the seeds, grind them and add vinegar and oil to taste. Use it as you would use commercial mustard. The culinary history of mustard as a condiment is extensive. Its English name, “mustard,” is derived from a contraction of the Latin mustum ardens, meaning “burning must.” This is a reference to the spicy heat of the crushed mustard seeds and the French practice of mixing the ground seeds with must—the…

Famous within disaster-preparedness circles, the Latter-day Saints Preparedness Manual is a comprehensive document that establishes proven guidelines to prepare for a life of self-reliance. It’s important to note that the manual has not been endorsed by the Mormon Church but has been designed and written by active membership within the organization. While not an official Mormon Church publication, all materials within the manual are in accordance with general Church guidelines as they pertain to family disaster preparedness. Here’s a selection of topics from the manual’s table of contents: General Preparedness Overview Family Home Storage Kits Food Storage Tools & References Grains & Legumes Sugar, Milk, Fats & Oils Food Processing & Preservation Sprouting Food storage 72-hour Emergency kits Evacuation Communication Financial Considerations Medical Considerations Self-Defense Heating, Cooking & Lighting Clothing…

IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED ON A SINGULAR TUESDAY 252 MILLION YEARS AGO, OR IT MIGHT HAVE TAKEN PLACE OVER THE COURSE OF 100,000 TUESDAYS. IT WAS THE END OF TIMES BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE PERMIAN-TRIASSIC EXTINCTION EVENT. WHENEVER IT HAPPENED AND HOWEVER IT HAPPENED, 96 PERCENT OF ALL MARINE SPECIES AND 70 PERCENT OF ALL TERRESTRIAL VERTEBRATES, INSECTS AND PLANTS BECAME EXTINCT. KNOWN AS THE GREAT DYING, IT WAS THE LARGEST MASS EXTINCTION OF LIFE ON EARTH, AND IT TOOK THE PLANET UP TO 10 MILLION YEARS TO RECOVER. WHAT’S WORSE IS THAT, IN THE KNOWN HISTORY OF THE PLANET, THERE WERE FOUR MORE MAJOR MASS-EXTINCTION EVENTS THAT WERE THE END OF DAYS FOR NEARLY ALL LIFE ON EARTH. “FOR STARTERS, THE SUN WILL EVENTUALLY SWELL INTO A RED GIANT…

0.05 Average percentage of worldwide deaths attributed to terrorist attacks 6 Americans wounded in terrorist attacks outside the U.S. in 2018 21 Churches targeted by terrorists in the U.S. in 2018 47 Percentage of terror attacks that were bombings, worldwide 95 Percentage of terrorist attacks that happen in the Middle East 496 Terrorist attacks using firearms in the U.S. since 1970 647 ISIS attacks in 2018 alone 1,414 Bombings in the U.S. since 1970 1,520 Fatalities in Iraq from terrorism in 2016 3,534 Kidnappings in 2018 3,585 People killed by ISIS in 2018 22,651 People injured from terror attacks in 2018 (worldwide)…

THE 2020 LOCKDOWN HAS AFFECTED US ALL IN SOME BIG WAYS, LIKE LOSS OF JOBS, MOBILITY, AND FREEDOM OF CHOICE, BUT IT HAS AFFECTED US IN SMALL WAYS TOO. FOR INSTANCE, MERELY RUNNING TO THE STORE TO PICK UP SUPPLIES, A NEW THERMOS PERHAPS, OR ANY NUMBER OF GEAR RELATED TO KEEPING US PREPARED WAS—FOR A LONG WHILE—PROHIBITED. AND EVEN IF YOU COULD, THE THREAT OF COVID MAYBE CONVINCED YOU NOT TO GO OUT AT ALL; ODDS ARE YOUR STORE OF CHOICE WASN’T EVEN OPEN, AND SOMETIMES, WHAT YOU NEEDED WAS OUT OF STOCK. WE RELIED ON ONLINE GIANTS LIKE AMAZON, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY GO DOWN TOO? What then? You do without or you improvise a solution. Up until the advent of 3D printers, breaking a zipper pull…

Make a point of thoroughly inspecting your kit at least twice a year. The time changes for daylight savings are a great reminder. If you have to take the kit home so that you can work in peace, that’s fine, just make sure you bring it back the next day. Completely unpack your bag or pack and visually check every item. Make sure that food items and batteries aren’t expired and ensure that water bottles or other containers of liquid haven’t leaked. Swap out books and such, should you want something different or perhaps more current if you’re stashing a magazine or two. It is human nature to occasionally dip into this kit, even when there isn’t a true emergency, such as when you’ve missed breakfast and you’re starving, so…

1 To steam food in a pot over a hobo stove, place hardwood chips on the bottom and add spruce or hemlock twigs on top. Add a small amount of water to the bottom and place the food on the twigs to keep it up off the water. 2 Once the pot is loaded with wood chips and green conifer twigs, place the food on top, cover and boil the water. Frequently check the food so you don’t overcook it. 3 The finished dish the author made of cod, shrimp, tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach. There’s no need to eat like a savage while in the woods. This is a simple yet sophisticated way to cook over a hobo stove in the woods.…

Even though an elevator is only about the size of a large closet in your home, there is still a spot within it that offers you some safety in the event of a physical attack by a stranger. Usually, attacks occur in apartment or condominium complexes where the number of people riding the elevator is relatively low, but violence can occur in large skyscrapers, too. The key location in an elevator is directly next to the control panel with your back to the wall. This allows no one to surprise you with an attack from behind and gives you the agency to hit the alarm button if trouble occurs. Standing by the button controls, you can also prevent your possible assailant from controlling where the elevator stops and when the…

It seems improbable, but there are many stories of people falling from impossible heights and surviving. In December of 2006, for example, skydive instructor Michael Holmes hit the ground from 15,000 feet after his parachute failed and his reserve became tangled. He survived after landing in a dense blackberry bush (and because of a great deal of luck). Sure, he broke multiple bones and was in the hospital for weeks, but he lived to tell the tale. Trauma is the leading cause of death among people under 35 years old (and the sixth cause of death worldwide), resulting in more than 100,000 American deaths annually, and a large portion of those deaths occur because of blunt-force trauma. This can be defined as physical injury caused by a forceful impact to…

Midnight Snack MAN FACES OFF AGAINST 400-POUND BLACK BEAR ACROSS KITCHEN ISLAND! Dave Chernosky didn’t want to get out of bed. He had awoken in the early morning to the sound of doors slamming in the kitchen of his Aspen home. “I hope this isn’t a bear,” he thought. Getting up in the predawn darkness, he left his room and rounded the corner to see what was going on. There he was met with an unlikely scene: the white glow of the refrigerator illuminating pulled-out drawers and cabinets flung open—and a black bear rifling through them. “I jumped behind the counter,” Chernosky said. “The bear had already gotten into a bag of sugar and some blueberries.” With his 12-year-old twins asleep downstairs, Chernosky wanted to get the bear out of…

What exactly is a plant “family”? What constitutes a family has a great deal to do with tradition, with plants grouped together by obvious similar characteristics. Family is a rank of classification that groups many genera (smaller groups, aka Brassica) that share some set of what are considered to be the more important or significant features. Genera (plural for genus) are composed of many individual species. As botanists continue to refine their observations, they have redefined some families when they’ve found through morphological and/or molecular (DNA) studies that one family is embedded in another (in such circumstances, they are merged). When it has been found that a genus or group of genera does not share the genetic makeup of the larger family in which they have been classified, they are…

Bishops within the Mormon Church maintain the responsibility of caring for the poor and needy within the boundaries of their wards. The storehouse is a place where members in need can go to obtain food and other supplies at the recommendation of their bishop. Storehouses are equipped by offerings and donations from the Mormon membership, and items can be sent to areas affected by disasters, wars and economic crises. The late Mormon president Thomas S. Monson maintained that “while [bishops’] storehouses provide many of the same services as any retail food store, not one has a cash register…These are goods that money cannot buy. No price tag is put on the time, effort and love so generously contributed to the common good of those in need.” As with most directives…

The Global Terrorism Database (GTD) has been collecting facts and news information about terrorist incidents since the 1970s. It possesses the most complete record of terrorist attacks in recent decades. According to its research, the September 11 attacks in New York stand out as the most fatal terrorist event in the world in recent history. In fact, claiming the lives of nearly 3,000 people, the death toll in 2001 was almost four times higher than the combined deaths from terrorism in the US since 1970. Based on fatalities, it records that terrorism was relatively high in the 1970s, then comparably quiet during the following decades, with the exception of major outlying years, 1995 and 2001. Over the last five years there has been a small but steady increase in terrorist…

PEOPLE ARE TAKING SIDES AND IT’S NOT PRETTY. DIFFERING OPINIONS USED TO LEAD TO LIVELY DISCUSSIONS AND A HEALTHY EXCHANGE OF IDEAS. NOW, A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW IS APT TO GET YOU PUNCHED IN THE MOUTH. MULTIPLY THIS LOW FLASH POINT BY HUNDREDS OF HIGHLY EMOTIONAL, ADRENALINE-CHARGED CONFRONTATIONAL PEOPLE. WHAT YOU GET IS A MOB ON THE BRINK OF TURNING WHAT WAS OSTENSIBLY A PROTEST INTO A RIOT. YOU DON’T WANT TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. WHEN VIOLENCE SUDDENLY ERUPTS, DON’T GET CAUGHT IN THE DESTRUCTIVE CHAOS OF ALL THE BURNING, LOOTING AND BEATINGS. THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO KEEP YOUR DEMISE FROM BEING THE SUBJECT OF THE NEXT VIRAL VIDEO. BUT YOU HAVE TO ACT QUICKLY. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? Some may ask, “What…

As this issue was heading to press, the world was in full global-pandemic mode. Gun sales were surging to all-time highs, and the latest toilet paper and ammo famines were kicking into overdrive. But those who already reload ammunition were unfazed, knowing full well that they weren’t going to run out of fodder for their favorite firearms. No, COVID-19 didn’t spur us on to create the free “Reloading Zone” video series on tactical-life.com. We’ve been working on it for a while. In fact, it’s a spinoff of our annual Complete Book of Reloading print publication, which is currently available for purchase at outdoorgroupstore.com. And now you can watch season one of “Reloading Zone” online for even more content. SHOW OVERVIEW Handloading is an enjoyable and rewarding activity that can help…

These days it seems like everyone and their brother is putting their own spin on the AR-15 modern sporting rifle. Some you want to own, and others leave you with that “Why?” look on your face. Then there are those that leave you so curious that you just can’t stop looking at them. That’s the kind that can end up following you home—especially if it’s a side-charging, gas piston-operated, upper receiver-located twin buffer-spring AR-15. Did we mention that it could cycle and fire perfectly while folded? Yes, you read that correctly. GOING BACK Brownells’ newest AR-15 offerings are called the BRN-180 (16-inch and 18.5-inch barrels) and the BRN-180S (10.5-inch barrel). Actually, the BRN-180 and BRN-180S are technically upper receivers that can mate to any mil-spec AR-15 lower receiver. They look…

Throughout North America and over the ages, many plants have been used for soap because of their high saponin content. Following is a short list of common soap plants; there are many more than the ones described here. To learn about your area’s local soap plants, talk to someone at a native plant society or in the botany department of a college or university. AMOLE There is the fairly widespread member of the lily family with the tennis-ball-sized bulb referred to as amole (Chlorogalum pomeridianum), found chiefly in the western states. The long, linear leaves measure a foot or longer, and they’re wavy on their margins. When you dig down—sometimes up to a foot deep in hard soil—you’ll find the bulb that’s entirely covered in layers of brown fibers. For…