Top 6 Turkey Guns

In the quest for self-sufficiency, there are certain activities that sharpen one particular survival skill at a time, such as target practice or learning new shelter-building techniques. Then there are those rare activities that can sharpen your self-reliance skills in a more “global” kind of way. Turkey hunting, in particular, involves a uniquely broad skillset: moving stealthily, sometimes under the cover of predawn darkness, listening carefully, and training your eyes to spot short birds at long distances. Which leads us straight into one of our favorite topics: Guns. Effective range is a mixed bag when it comes to hunting turkeys. […]

8 Wintertime DIY Weatherization Techniques

Wintertime presents a lot of potential issues, including massive snowstorms, frigid temperatures and wind chills that can drop below zero. This is difficult enough on its own to deal with when you have everything necessary to keep your house warm and secure. But what happens if you can’t afford to use a lot of heat or, even worse, the SHTF and there’s no electricity or heat to use? Fortunately, there are several DIY weatherization techniques you can use to keep your home as warm as possible even under the worst circumstances. Photo by John Talbot 1. Find and Fix Air […]

Driver Finds Handgun Lodged in BUMPER!?

You Decide: Ridiculously inconvenient bumper holster? Or vaguely hostile hood ornament gone wrong? We’ll add another possibility: Highly ineffective performance spoiler? We have no idea how exactly how this pistol became lodged in the hood of a Honda Civic… but one thing is sure. It’s in remarkably good shape for an object that appears to have been bouncing along on I-5 in Washington State.  We’ve heard of hiding guns in plain sight. In fact, we have shared several ideas for doing just that on the following pages. FYI, none of these include storing them in a motor vehicle, and […]

DIY Hillbilly Water Bottle Filter [STEP-BY-STEP]

A good survival filtration system is a must-have for any survival stockpile or bug-out bag. The reason is simple: Potable water is second only to air in terms of survival, and yet it’s difficult to store in large quantities and even more difficult to transport. In a bug-out situation, it’s probably not going to be practical to pull a 500-gallon water trailer behind the family sedan. Even if you have a pickup, chances are you only have room for a 55-gallon barrel or two — that’s over 918 lbs of water, not counting the weight of the barrels! RELATED: How […]

Will A Bite From This Snake Kill You?

QUESTION: Will a bite from the snake pictured above kill you? ANSWER: No. Often mistaken for highly venomous coral snake, the scarlet king snake pictured above is non-venomous and even beneficial to have around for rodent control. The coral snake (featured on page 10) is identified by the common Boy Scout saying “Red and yellow, kill a fellow. Red and black, friend of Jack.” Thus, if the snake has red and yellow bands touching, it’s a Texas coral snake or eastern coral snake. The Arizona coral snake features a very pale yellow band, nearly white, that touches its yellow bands. 

Top 6 Must-Have Tactical Shooting “Toys”

On its own, a gun serves many useful purposes. For example, it can help you defend yourself and hunt. And, let’s be honest; a gun is just flat out fun to shoot. But why not take your guns to the next level by equipping them with some of the most useful gun accessories? These add-ons can improve your accuracy, which will boost the fun factor. Of course, this also makes it easier to protect your family during an emergency situation. There are many gun accessories available, so how do you know which ones to invest in? We’re going to showcase […]

Luxury Items You’ll Really Want in a SHTF Crisis

What comes to mind when you hear the word luxury? An opulent penthouse suite or perhaps a high class luxury vehicle? These things are definitely considered to be luxury right now. However, after the SHTF, things we take for granted today could quickly become the most highly desired luxury items. Some of these things can be stocked up on right now, but others will quickly become obsolete. Additionally, there are some obnoxiously expensive luxury items that would actually be very useful during an apocalyptic situation. Let’s explore some of the items that you’ll want (or miss) the most when the […]

Interview With Wyatt Earp

Sitting in an old rocking chair was a graying man with defiant eyes. He had stared down some of the baddest outlaws that roamed the Old West.  Unlike many of his contemporaries this man lived to see a ripe old age of 80. During his time as a lawman, he worked some of the roughest boom towns man could imagine:  Dodge City and Tombstone.  When he turned 13, he snuck out of the family farm to join the Union army and fight in the Civil War… only to be turned away for being too young. This was Wyatt Earp and […]

Want to Build a Home Out of Shipping Containers? Here’s How [CHECKLIST]

Shipping containers have become a very popular way to build a house without spending an exorbitant amount of money, time, or ongoing maintenance. In fact, we often refer to these cabins as “bulletproof,” not because they deflect lead but because they deflect nearly all of the common issues that plague traditionally built homes. There are countless success stories out there about DIYers who build an entire cabin for well under $10,000. Even a fully loaded, spacious container cabin can be built for less than $50,000… In addition to being inexpensive and easy to locate, shipping containers are the ideal building […]

10 Best SHTF Knives for Under $50

Does your bug out bag contain at least one or two survival knives? If not, it’s time to carefully reconsider your plans and make a purchase or two. After all, guns are great tools and have the potential to be extremely helpful after the SHTF, but they’re not truly a multipurpose item. These highly useful tools can be everything from weapons to a resource for food preparation. Survival knives can be very expensive, and there are also numerous styles available. Fortunately, even preppers on a budget can improve their bug out supplies and boost their odds of survival by picking […]