The 3 WORST Animals To Eat For Long-Term Survival

The article The 3 WORST Animals To Eat For Long-Term Survival is courtesy of Total Survival

Image source: Pixabay.com

Imagine this situation: You silently enter a nearby piece of woods and move stealthily along some edge cover. You take each step with care, hoping to avoid a hazardous one that would snap a twig beneath your feet and signal your presence to the entire surrounding woods. Fate has landed you in this situation, where your survival depends on your skill with a gun and your knowledge of the land.

Up ahead your prey is feeding, unaware of your presence. Ever so slowly you lift your rifle to your shoulder and take aim.

In a survival situation like this, what animal do you imagine yourself hunting? Is it a deer? Are you fortunate enough to live in an area of elk or other large animal? How about small game animals? Not only are small game animals the most abundant, but they also typically require the least amount of skill to harvest. There’s just one problem with this plan: You’ll starve to death.

The big risk people would face in this situation is a misunderstanding of how their body works and the calories their new life would require in a survival situation. If you ever find yourself in a situation where your life depends on harvesting the bounty of nature, here are three animals you shouldn’t count on:

1. Rabbits

The truth is that if you ate nothing but rabbits in a survival situation you would die from what is called rabbit starvation. This phenomenon occurs when the human body eats only lean meats for an extended period of time. To function properly, you constantly need a variety of food sources to keep you going. Native people knew all about this. Here is a diary entry from renowned explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson scribed more than 100 years ago after living with Native people:

The groups that depend on the blubber animals are the most fortunate in the hunting way of life, for they never suffer from fat-hunger. This trouble is worst, so far as North America is concerned, among those forest Indians who depend at times on rabbits, the leanest animal in the North, and who develop the extreme fat-hunger known as rabbit-starvation. Rabbit eaters, if they have no fat from another source — beaver, moose, fish — will develop diarrhea in about a week, with headache, lassitude, a vague discomfort. If there are enough rabbits, the people eat till their stomachs are distended; but no matter how much they eat they feel unsatisfied. Some think a man will die sooner if he eats continually of fat-free meat than if he eats nothing, but this is a belief on which sufficient evidence for a decision has not been gathered in the north. Deaths from rabbit-starvation, or from the eating of other skinny meat, are rare; for everyone understands the principle, and any possible preventive steps are naturally taken.

2. Squirrel

In city parks and towns around the country, you will find a population of squirrels that, at times, seems to outnumber the people. The real problem with squirrels is that their caloric return is far too low to depend on as a major food source. One squirrel is estimated to provide around 540 calories. In a world where we spend increasingly more time manipulating a screen and sitting on our keesters, we still demand around 2,000 calories a day. Even with our modern luxuries, you’d need to consume around four squirrels a day just to calorically break even. No problem, right? Well, there is one problem. In a survival situation, you could expect your caloric demands to skyrocket. Even if your daily caloric demand only doubled to 4,000 calories per day, that would put you at needing a hefty eight squirrels a day to break even. I’m sure this wouldn’t be a problem on day one in many areas, but how about with a family of four needing 32 squirrels a day? How about on day 100 when you’ve already shot 800 squirrels? As you can tell, the math doesn’t add up, and squirrel is not something you should be depending on as your staple food source.

3. Panfish

Image source: Pixabay.com

Trout and certain panfish find their way on the bottom of this list for the same reasons as squirrels. For example, a wild trout only provides 143 calories per fillet. Double that and you are at 286 calories per fish. Again, the amount of panfish or trout you’d have to catch in a day would be substantial if you were to try and live solely on their sustenance. Based on a 4,000-calorie diet, that would equate to around 14 fish per day to break even for one person. However, there would be an advantage of panfish over squirrels and rabbit. That advantage is that fishing is passive. In other words, you could cast a few lines each day and come back later to check your catch, with very little effort involved. Fishing doesn’t require nearly as many calories as hunting does; therefore, the calories of your panfish would go further and you may not burn 4,000 calories per day. If you were in a situation where you didn’t have to expend much energy, panfish could possibly be a reasonable food source for an extended period of time. However, you would still have to catch an awful lot of fish.

Final Thoughts

In reality, these animals all can play a minor role in a long-term survival diet, but they should not be viewed as long-term staple food sources. Keep in mind this analysis has considered diets solely composed of these animals. If you could find supplementary food items — from plants to other animals — you would decrease the negative effects. People who lived off the land for generations didn’t depend solely on these animals, and neither should we.

Do you agree? Disagree? What advice would you add? Share your tips in the section below:

This Article Was Originally Posted On offthegridnews.com Read the Original Article here

Original Post Here: The 3 WORST Animals To Eat For Long-Term Survival

It’s The Newest Dependable Concealed Carry Holster. And It Uses Magnets.

The article It’s The Newest Dependable Concealed Carry Holster. And It Uses Magnets. Find more on: http://ift.tt/1nr27gs

Image source: JM4

Finding a concealed carry holster that’s safe, allows rapid access to the gun, and is comfortable to wear can seem like an unwinnable battle. A Texas company is changing that.

The Quick Click & Carry (QCC) holster is made by JM4 Tactical of Abilene. This leather holster uses—get this—magnets. There’s one on the outer side of the sheath, and another in a leather flap that, depending on the model, is either sewn on or is integral to the sheath itself, and folds over the waistband.

The QCC works best as an inside-the-waistband setup. Though it can be worn externally, it’s most discreet and the gun is most secure worn on the inside. This is a distinction that one needs to make upon ordering, along with right- or left-hand orientation.

You Don’t Need A Firearms License For This Weapon!

The original QCC design has the integral belt flap, and holds the handgun deeper inside the waistband. An updated high-ride cut raises the holster in relation to the waistband, so the gun is carried a bit higher. There’s a version of the high ride that allows for use of a tucked-in shirt.

As a relatively small-framed person carrying subcompact but not tiny firearms, a Glock 42 and Kahr 380 CT, I much prefer the high-ride version. Although it cannot secure a larger gun, like a Glock 19 very well, the higher orientation keeps the muzzle from painfully poking my thigh. The gun stays well-concealed under a shirt, though I do have to be conscious to use good posture when sitting. Slouching makes the grip protrude and print. The firearm is also very accessible and easy to draw, with no danger of falling out.

The QCC is one of the few waist-borne holsters advertised as being OK to wear without a belt. I have found that depends on the pants. With loose-fitting or mid-rise jeans, printing can be a problem without the support of a belt. But at no time has the rig felt to be in danger of falling off, including when using the restroom. JM4 Tactical reminds users who run for exercise or work that the high ride style is subject to falling off. I’ve used it without any problems while doing barn and housework, and riding horses.

This is a very safe holster in terms of preventing unintentional penetration of the trigger guard by any object during holstering, and in keeping the gun secure. Caution is advised when reinserting the gun into any holster, and this is doubly true for the high-ride QCC. The sheath does stay open on its own; however with wear, the leather sweat shield bends outward from body, covering part of the opening. It would be tempting to use the muzzle as a fishing tool to get in there, but that’s patently unsafe. Same goes for holding the flap flat with the support hand—it can be done, but it’s very difficult to not muzzle one’s own hand. I found it safe and effective to reholster placing the distal knuckle of my firing hand thumb against the flap to flatten it, and then raise the gun until the muzzle can be inserted. Or, just remove the holster from the waistband altogether with the support hand, and insert the gun before re-installing the works onto the waistband.

There are many choices of leather, color, and prices of the QCC holster. The high ride used in this test starts at $79.95, and comes in tan, brown and black. The regular QCC is available in a less expensive unfinished leather, as well as pricier exotic leathers.

I did experience some staining from the dye of the black QCC. Even after a month of wear that included many days of sweaty outdoor activity, it’s still discoloring my skin and clothing. Fortunately, these marks have washed out in every instance. If I obtain another QCC, I’ll opt for tan for this reason, though it is less discreet with most outfits.

For anyone who’s struggled to find a comfortable and safe method of carrying a concealed pistol, the QCC is worth checking out.

Have you ever tried the QCC? Share your thoughts on it in the section below:

This Article Was Originally Posted On offthegridnews.com Read the Original Article here

Source Here: It’s The Newest Dependable Concealed Carry Holster. And It Uses Magnets.

Sniper in high-rise hotel kills at least 58 in Las Vegas, injures more than 500

The blog post Sniper in high-rise hotel kills at least 58 in Las Vegas, injures more than 500 was originally published on http://ift.tt/1nr27gs

Country music star Jason Aldean was performing at the Route 91 Harvest Festival when the gunman apparently used a hammer-like device to smash out windows in his room and opened fire. Continue Reading

This Article Was First Found at survivallife.com Read The Original Article Here

Check Out The Post Here: Sniper in high-rise hotel kills at least 58 in Las Vegas, injures more than 500

4 Healthy, Homemade Teas You Can Make From Autumn Plants

The post 4 Healthy, Homemade Teas You Can Make From Autumn Plants is republished from http://ift.tt/1nr27gs

Image source: Steve Nubie

Wild teas made from leaves, flowers and berries have surprising nutritional and medicinal properties. Better yet, they taste great, especially when sweetened with honey, sugar, maple syrup, molasses or an artificial sweetener like Stevia.

A standard caution whenever consuming any wild source or plant is to check with your doctor or pharmacist if you have a medical condition or are taking a prescription medicine. As an example, people on a blood thinner like Warfarin should generally avoid eating wild plant sources. Many wild plants possess vitamin K, which is a natural blood thinner. Consuming these plants in any form could compromise the thinness of the blood and the correct dosage of Warfarin, and could lead to problems.

Get All-Natural Headache Relief With No Nasty Side Effects!

Another caution that frequently shows up is related to Red Clover tea. Women who are pregnant should avoid Red Clover tea and it may be best to avoid wild food sources in general. However, if you do not have a medical condition, you should be fine if you identify and prepare these teas properly.

Another caution is related to shelf life. If you intend to store your wild tea for any length of time (even in the refrigerator), you need to add a process step. This involves boiling the finished tea in a covered pot for at least 10 minutes.

Nutritional Benefits

The most significant nutritional benefit of these teas is vitamin C. This is particularly true for Red Sumac berry tea and to a lesser degree with Goldenrod, Red Clover and Blackberry leaves. However, all of these teas present phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, niacin, potassium, chromium and thiamine, in addition to vitamin C.

Medicinal Benefits

If you’re drinking any of these teas for their medicinal benefits it’s recommended that you drink 3 to 5 cups a day. Unless you boil them in a covered pot for 10 minutes to kill all bacteria, you should make a fresh batch daily.

Goldenrod Tea

Goldenrod tea has been shown in numerous clinical studies to relieve urinary tract infections, bladder infections and kidney infection. Goldenrod tea also has anti-inflammatory properties and helps to relieve congestion, although most teas do.

Not surprisingly, Goldenrod tea has a deep, translucent golden, yellow color. The flavor is somewhat sweet with licorice flavor notes in the background. It’s best sweetened with honey for medicinal purposes but is good with any sweetener.

Red Sumac Berry Tea

Red Sumac berry tea has astringent, anti-septic properties, is an excellent tonic and has benefits for the kidneys. The vitamin C also serves to boost the immune system and as a hot tea offers relief for congestion, coughs, colds and flu.

Red Sumac berry tea has a flavor mildly reminiscent of pink lemonade and rosy, red color and is best when enjoyed with any sweetener.

Red Clover Tea

For hundreds of years, Red Clover has been used to treat coughs and colds, easing the symptoms of asthma and bronchitis, calming skin irritations, lessening the aches and pains of arthritis, and easing anxiety and insomnia.

Red clover tea actually has a fresh, grassy flavor and the color of the tea is a light green in spite of the red/lilac color of the flower tops.

Blackberry Leaf Tea

Recent research has attributed some significant health benefits to Blackberry Leaf tea. For centuries, it was used to treat high blood pressure and nervous disorders, but recent studies indicate some anti-cancer properties. It is an excellent source for oral health — including periodontal disease and inflammation of the gums — and has been shown to have anti-bacterial properties and promote cardiovascular health.

The flavor is almost identical to a traditional black tea and is also good when sweetened.

Wild Tea Preparation

Each one of these 4 teas has slightly different preparation processes. In general, they all involve infusing the tea in water for varying lengths of time. You can do this by either using a tea ball and allowing the tea ball to seep in a cup, or steeping the source in a bowl of water and straining.

Goldenrod Tea Preparation

Goldenrod. Photographer: Steve Nubie

Goldenrod comes into full bloom from September through October. The plants can fill a field and are distinguished by their bright yellow flower tops.

Only the yellow flower tops are harvested for the tea. Some believe the flower tops that are not fully in bloom make for a better tea, but I prefer the flower tops in full bloom because of the color it imparts to the finished tea.

A Goldenrod tea infusion is made by dropping a handful of Goldenrod flower tops into a pot of simmering, not boiling water. They’re left to steep for 5 minutes and then strained through a fine, mesh strainer. If you don’t have a fine mesh strainer, you can line any type of strainer with cheesecloth or a clean wash cloth.

Once the tea has been strained, you should see a translucent, golden color. The tea is now ready to be enjoyed and sweetened if you like. You can also enjoy it hot or cold.

Red Sumac Berry Tea Preparation

Sumac. Photographer: Steve Nubie

Red Sumac Berries are easy to find and to identify. The Sumac trees begin showing bright, red leaves in early fall and the Sumac Berries emerge from the top of the trees as a red spike of berries 4 to 8 inches in length.

The best berries are a deep, red color and are best harvested during dry weather. Rain rinses away some of the malic acid that possesses most of the flavor and health benefits.

The berries are stripped from the stems by hand and then ground either in a mortar and pestle or in a food processor. If grinding in a food processor, don’t overdo it. You want to crush the berries, not turn them into a powder.

After you have sufficiently crushed the berries, you want to infuse them in cold water. Hot water will make the resulting tea bitter. Leave them in the water for 1 to 1 hours. I’ll usually place the bowl in the fridge during this steeping time.

Once they have sufficiently steeped, strain them through a fine-mesh strainer. The resulting tea will have a rosy, red color. The intensity of the color can vary depending on the maturity of the berries and your crushing technique. Some people will continue to crush the berries in the water with a potato masher, but I’ve found this can make the resulting tea cloudy. The final tea can be enjoyed hot and sweetened or cold on ice.

Red Clover Flower Tea Preparation

Red clover. Photographer: Steve Nubie

Red Clover grows from early Spring to Late Fall until the first freeze. The flower tops have a distinctive appearance and have more of a lilac color than red.

Harvesting Red Clover is easy. You simply break off the flowers by the stem and then separate the flower tops from the stem. You’ll need 6 to 8 flower tops to make one cup of Red Clover Flower tea. The flower tops are placed in the cup and then the cup is filled with very hot water.

Let the flowers steep for 15 to 20 minutes. You’ll notice a color change to a light amber. You’ll also notice that the red flower tops have surrendered their red color to the infusion. Remove the flower tops and drink either hot or cold and sweetened with the sweetener of your choice.

Blackberry Leaf Tea Preparation

Blackberry leaves. Photographer: Steve Nubie

The easiest way to identify a blackberry plant after the blackberries have fallen is to look for the deep, red canes and thorns that are a distinctive feature of the plant. The leaves alone are used for Blackberry Leaf tea but there’s a trick to harvesting them.

Blackberry leaves have a row of very sharp thorns running along the underside of the leaf on the center vein of the leaf. The best way to harvest them is to fold the leaf over from the top of the leaf with your thumb and forefinger. This is similar to the way you would harvest Stinging Nettle leaves. Once you’ve done this you can safely pull the leaf from the plant.

After you’ve collected a sufficient number of leaves, you have another step. You need to remove the central vein and its long row of thorns. Unlike Stinging Nettle thorns that will soften or dissolve in boiling water, these thorns aren’t going to be subjected to boiling water, but hot water in a steep. It’s true that you’ll dry and crush the leaves and ultimately filter the tea, but the thought of one needle getting through and lodging in my throat makes this an easy decision.

The technique involves pinching the leaf with your thumb and forefinger similar to the way you did when harvesting, only you’re doing this from the back side of the leaf. You then use a pair of scissors to cut out the central vein leaving two leaf halves.

Once you have finished cutting out the thorny veins you’re ready to roast the leaves on a foil lined baking sheet. You roast them for 20 to 25 minutes in a 400-degree Fahrenheit oven. The leaves will dry and brown. You’re now ready to crush the leaves in a mortar and pestle, or you can do this with your hands. A food processor also works, but once again, remember to pulse briefly. You don’t want to turn the leaves into dust.

Once you’ve crushed the leaves, steep them in very hot water, either in a bowl or a cup for 15 minutes. You can also use a tea ball in a cup for this step. If you steep in a bowl, strain the tea through cheese cloth stretched over a strainer, even a fine-meshed strainer. There will be very small particles you’ll want to filter out or you’ll have a cloudy result.

Once the Blackberry Leaf tea is filtered, you can pour it into a cup and enjoy either hot or cold, and sweetened.

What advice would you add? Share it in the section below:

This Article Was Originally Posted On offthegridnews.com Read the Original Article here

Article Source Here: 4 Healthy, Homemade Teas You Can Make From Autumn Plants

10 Natural, DIY Ways To Rid Your Home Of Flies (And Other Annoying Pests)

10 Natural, DIY Ways To Rid Your Home Of Flies (And Other Annoying Pests) was originally published on http://ift.tt/1Qfw8v0

Image source: Pixabay.com

Before we get started with the list of natural fly remedies, it’s important to note that you must identify the exact species of fly you’re dealing with before you can get rid of it. You have to know your enemy, right?

The house fly is the most common type of fly. It’s attracted to animal waste, garbage and any kind of decaying matter. You’ll likely see these throughout the year, but most commonly in the warm summer months. Fruit flies, like house flies, are also attracted to garbage, but more commonly like to linger near partially decayed, sweet-smelling fruit (hence the name).

Another common type of fly—that may be rearing its ugly head around this time of the year—is the cluster fly. Cluster flies are lethargic, slow-moving flies that are attracted to warm, sunny places. You’ll likely see them if you have a large, productive garden, as they are parasitic to earthworms. Cluster flies, unlike house flies, do not carry or transmit disease, but are a nuisance to have around.

Other possible—but less common—types of flies include blow flies, flesh flies, drain flies and stable flies. You likely have no need to worry about these species invading your domesticity.

1. Homemade fly strips

Fly strips (or fly tapes) are a great way to get rid of flies, but come with many ugly side effects. The unsightly and messy yellow “goop” that attracts and eventually kills unwanted flies contains chemicals and leaves a disgusting, slimy residue around your house.

Discover More Than 1,000 Off-Grid-Living Tricks!

A more natural—and less gross—solution is to create your own fly paper. It is much more attractive and uses non-toxic materials that can be found around the house. To create, cut a brown paper bag into 2-3-inch-wide strips. Dip the strips into a mixture of sugar, honey and water. Then, hang the strips using twine wherever flies like to congregate. If they happen to dry out before they’ve annihilated your fly population, simply spritz them with water.

Less mess, less stress.

2. Apple cider vinegar traps

Apple cider vinegar traps are another way of ridding yourself of unwanted flies. Flies can often be found even in the most spotless of kitchens. Simply place an open bowl of apple cider vinegar, water and dish soap near a trashcan or sink. Within a day or two you will find the bowl swimming with the dead buggers, without endangering food safety or the health of your curious pets.

3. Plants

Besides the obvious Venus fly traps, there are numerous plants that can be grown to naturally lower your fly population. Herbs such as basil, bay laurel, rosemary, lavender, mint and even citronella help to repel flies. Because they have strong scents, flies generally stay away from these multipurpose plants.

Most fly-repelling plants can be grown outside or potted indoors, and several are even perennial. This low-maintenance option will help you season your tomato sauce and maintain a pest-free homestead.

4. Essential oils

If fresh or live herbs don’t work as well as you’d like in your fly-combatting efforts, you can also extract the oils from these plants. Harvest them in the morning after the dew has dried but before the sun has burned off any oils. Place the oils in diffusers or open jars around the house.

Other helpful essential oils include tea tree, eucalyptus and cedar.

5. Plastic water bags

This is probably the easiest and one of the most effective fly remedies. A bag of water serves as a lens and reflects movement. Flies are naturally skittish, and will fly away from the bag out of fear.

Fill a plastic bag with water, and hang wherever you tend to find flies (such as near outdoor trash cans). It should repel the flies before they get a chance to invade your domesticity.

6. Place cloves in citrus

While we tend to like the smell and flavor of cloves, flies absolutely abhor them. Cloves are the most effective against houseflies. As a result, flies will stay away from areas where they are present.

They also hate the fresh smell of citrus, so what you will need to do is take an orange or lemon and cut it in half. Poke about a dozen individual cloves into each half of the citrus. Place the slices on a countertop or other open surface. You will find that your fly population drops dramatically.

7. DIY fly killer spray

If you’re like most people, you hate using chemical-ridden sprays around the house—especially in places where you eat. An easy fly killer alternative is to combine dish soap, Windex, vinegar, and water in a large spray bottle.

This method requires vigilance, as you’ll need to spray the flies as they appear, but after several applications you should find that the amount of flies decreases.

8. Red sine traps

Flies love the sweet smell of red wine. If you place red wine in a bowl with some dish soap or vinegar, they’ll be drawn to the scent of the wine and drown in the liquid.

9. Lure them out with light

Most bugs—including flies—are attracted to light. Darken the room in which you tend to find them by lowering blinds.

You can also place light traps in an attic or other enclosed space that humans typically don’t frequent. Light traps will keep flies out without the application of stinky, toxic chemicals.

10. Get physical

It seems obvious, but if you don’t want flies in your house, don’t invite them in! Take out the trash on a regular basis, and keep trash bins far away from your house. Keep your kitchen tidy and make sure there aren’t any stray crumbs hiding in nooks and crannies. Cover pet food dishes and don’t leave food out on the counter.

Make sure your house is well sealed—cluster flies like to invade in the fall months when they are looking for a place to spend the cold winter months. These pests can find their way into the house through the smallest of spaces, so make sure any air gaps are sealed and holes in window screens are repaired before these buggers become a problem.

What tips would you add? Share your advice in the section below:

This Article Was Originally Posted On offthegridnews.com Read the Original Article here

Original Post Here: 10 Natural, DIY Ways To Rid Your Home Of Flies (And Other Annoying Pests)

How To Avoid Bacterial Infections While Scavenging Food In The Wild

The following article How To Avoid Bacterial Infections While Scavenging Food In The Wild Read more on: http://ift.tt/1nr27gs

Food is always available in the wild, but you still have to be cautious of what you eat to avoid bacterial infections. This is easy enough if you understand what wild edibles you can eat. Read on to learn about what you should do if you run out of provisions and need to find food.

Avoid Bacterial Infections | Wild Edibles You Can Eat

Shelter, food, and water are the basics of wilderness survival we are all familiar with. Even amateur campers should know about these outdoor essentials and preparations to be ready for an emergency situation. But what if something really unfortunate happens and you’re indefinitely stranded in the woods? If you run out of food, you can’t be careless with what you eat. It’s important to understand what you can safely consume in the wild to avoid bacterial infections and possible food poisoning.

1. Stinging Nettle

You can find Stinging Nettles in Europe, Asia, North Africa, and North America. This plant is quite high in protein content for a leafy green vegetable, and it also has very nutritious seeds. Here are instructions on how to prepare this wild edible in the outdoors:

• Gather the seeds and pound it like you do with mortar and pestle until it gets sticky.
• Place this mixture between both of your palms and squeeze until it resembles a loaf of bread.
• Wrap this in the leaves of the stinging nettle
• Place in the fire for a few minutes, and it should be ready to eat.

2. Dandelion

Dandelion (also known as “the lion’s tooth”) grows in the temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere. The roots contain vitamins and minerals and the most energy-giving part although the entire plant is edible. Furthermore, it is also known for having a bitter taste, so it has to be cut into pieces and immersed in cold water before cooking. In a survival situation, on the other hand, you can wash the roots of a Dandelion and jus eat it raw.

3. Burdock

Burdocks are found anywhere in the world and have large leaves that grow up to 28 inches in length. Their roots are rich in starch, which you can dig up and roast over the fire before eating. After, you can enjoy its fine taste by peeling off the roots.

4. Cattail

You can identify this plant by its unique flower and flat blade-like leaves. It grows in wetlands all over the world, making it an option if you’re ever stuck in a marshland. This wild edible’s roots are rich in starch, which you can roast over the fire or eat raw. In addition, a cattail’s flower is an excellent tinder aside from also being completely edible.

5. Acorns

Acorns come from oak trees and grow all over the world. They’re the perfect survival food, since they contain carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Acorn food preparation requires some patience, as they need to be cooked several times. To prepare, slice the acorns into bits and place in boiling water. You may repeat the process by adding more water until it lessens the bitter taste, or until you think it’s finally good for eating.

Watch the full video of these top 5 wild edibles by Survival Lilly:

A person’s hunting skills can also keep him alive in the wild. However, these skills require experience and expertise. That’s why it’s important to impart survival knowledge in all individuals — regardles of whether they have a background in hunting. When faced with a life and death situation, knowing what wild edibles to eat will help you avoid bacterial infections and help you survive in the wilderness too!

What can you say about these edible plants in the wild? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

UP NEXT: Making Pemmican: The Ultimate Survival Food!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr!

This Article Was First Found at survivallife.com Read The Original Article Here

Check Out The Post Here: How To Avoid Bacterial Infections While Scavenging Food In The Wild

Signaling for Help | Different Strategies You Need To Learn To Survive

Signaling for Help | Different Strategies You Need To Learn To Survive was originally published to Total Survival

You hear a great deal of big talk about survivalists hunting animals with spears, building elaborate shelters, and rubbing two sticks together. However, real survival is typically about finding rescue by learning the different ways in signaling for help.

Signaling For Help | Learning The Different Strategies

There are times you might be stranded a mile from help, and times you might be 50 miles from the nearest person. However, with a proper signaling strategy you can find help in almost every scenario.

Contrast

No matter how you plan to signal for help, contrast is the key. This is the principle of ensuring that your signal stands out from its surroundings. For a stationary signal, this could mean bright colors against a drab background. It could mean letters or shapes in a natural environment. For a smoke signal, it could mean black smoke against a white sky or white smoke against a blue sky. As for sound based signals it could mean a horn, a whistle, or the sound of metal clanging. Contrast light signals, it means a bright light against a dark background, a flashing light, or a light making a pattern. All of these are examples of creating contrast using your signal.

Light Signals

Using light to signal for help is one of the best ways to get the attention rescue personnel. LED flashlights and laser pointers are great for signaling at night. You can simply flash them on and off, or you can use Morse code to signal ‘SOS’. One of the most common ways of signaling is using a reflective surface like a mirror. This allows you to bounce the light of the sun off of a distant target. You can poke a hole in the center to help you aim these flashes of light at a helicopter or car. Just remember that you must be facing the sun to signal a target that you are facing. All of these visual signals can work miles away from their targets.

Sound Signals

Sound is another excellent way to signal for help, especially if the sun is not visible. You can yell for help, but you will tire quickly and often your voice will be drowned out by the wind. A whistle is a very common signaling tool to use as it requires less effort and reaches much further than a human voice. If you can find anything made of metal, you can often bang on it to create a distinct sound that carries. Just remember that sound rarely travels as far as light. In addition, windy conditions and valleys make sound signals more difficult.

Smoke Signals

By simply building a fire, you can often signal for help. You will need a good way to start that fire, so a lighter or Ferro rod is good to have. Once the fire is started, you will need a way to create contrast. You can use rubber or plastic for black smoke, or green vegetation for white smoke. To create a pattern, you can build three signal fires about 50 feet apart. You can also use a blanket or tarp to waft the smoke and create a signal with the plumes. Typically Morse code is used for this as well. Just wait to add the plastic or green vegetation until you think you have rescue personnel in range. You do not want to run out of supplies too early.

Stationary Signals, Flagging, and Vehicles

Stationary signals are large letters or shapes made in contrast with the ground. These must be visible from the air. Three equal lines is a universal sign of distress. If you have any material that is bright in color, you can attach it to a long pole and move to a high spot. Wave it back and forth when rescue teams are in range. Finally, remember that a vehicle is often your best signal. It is large, colorful, and metallic. You have a horn and headlights for sound and light. You can even burn parts of the car for black smoke, or bang on the hood for a sound signal.

Bear Grylls survival tip of the week is posted by Discovery Channel Southeast Asia:

Do you know other ways in signaling for help? Let us know in the comments section below. Up Next: How to Signal for Help in the Wilderness

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr!

This Article Was First Found at survivallife.com Read The Original Article Here

Read More Here: Signaling for Help | Different Strategies You Need To Learn To Survive