Your Guide to Planning A Successful Hunting Trip

There’s something about hunting trips that’s so addictive. Spending a couple of days in nature is always something to look forward to, of course; but it’s really the thrill and the promise of success that keeps people coming back for more.

As exciting as the idea of going on a hunting trip is, though, the reality of making it happen – not so much. A lot of things need to come together to make a hunting trip work.

Venturing into the wilderness carries a high level of risk. Thus, safety must be top priority, but without sacrificing comfort and productivity. After all, nobody wants to spend several days in the wild and have nothing to show for it.

8 Useful Tips for Your Next Hunting Trip

8 Useful Tips for Your Next Hunting Trip

Hunting trips may vary in length and location, but there are certain universal truths to consider when planning a successful hunt.

No matter the game or season; guided hunting trip or not; these tips will help you make the most of your time in the great outdoors.

1. Plan ahead of time.

It’s never too soon to start preparing for an upcoming hunt. You can use the off-season to inspect, clean, and fix your equipment; renew or apply for hunting licenses; or brush up your shooting skills.

It’s also a good idea to create a checklist and start packing your gear weeks before your trip, so you have time to address any issues that come up and make sure nothing important gets left behind.

2. Pick your prey.

 You need to decide what animal you want to hunt early on for a number of important reasons. Your choice of prey will determine the location, cost, and length of your trip, and also influence the type of equipment you need.

Once you’ve set your mind on an animal, you can then work on improving your hunting technique to increase your chances of success. This is particularly important if you’re hunting larger prey like deer and bears.

3. Decide on a hunting location.

After you’ve decided on a target, it’s time to pick a location. When choosing a hunting location, you need to take into account your budget, the available accommodation, the terrain, and if you need to hire a hunting outfitter.

Also, do some research on what other hunters have to say about your chosen location. Did they have a pleasant time? Is there anything in particular that you need to prepare/watch out for? Have many of them had success? If many of them went home empty-handed, you might want to check out other locations.

Behind every successful hunt is a well-thought-out route and hunting strategy.

4. Map the terrain.

Now that you’ve picked a location, you’ll want to get a detailed look of the terrain – especially if you’re hunting somewhere new. Behind every successful hunt is a well-thought-out route and hunting strategy.

You don’t have to personally visit the location to map the terrain. You can simply go online and look up other people’s detailed plans, recommendations, first-hand accounts of their experiences in the area. Every bit of information you gather will get you one step closer to success.

5. Prepare required permits and licenses.

Hunting laws vary by location, so make sure to check for required permits and licenses, especially if you’re planning to hunt overseas. Note important details like the duration of the validity of a hunting license and if there are any limits in the number of animals you can take per day.

Hunting violations can get very expensive. That said, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the local wildlife agency if you have any questions regarding the rules and regulations. It’s better to be safe than sorry, right?

6. Test your hunting gear and equipment.

Before embarking on a hunting trip, it’s only natural to check that you have all the necessary equipment and that they are in perfect working condition.

Most importantly, keep in mind that the quality of your equipment has a great influence on the outcome of your trip. As such, it will do you a lot of good to avoid low-cost hunting knives and weapons. Their lack of quality might end up jeopardizing the hunt or – worse – put you (or other people) in dangerous situations.

7. Brush up on safety rules.

Having safety precautions in place is crucial during a hunting trip. Even experienced hunters can lose focus and let their guards down, so see to it that everyone is aware and on the same page when it comes to safety rules and regulations.

Groups with inexperienced hunters will have to double down on their safety guidelines. Make sure everyone knows how to use their weapons properly. If you must, impose consequences for breaking safety rules, so nobody takes them lightly.

Having safety precautions in place is crucial during a hunting trip.

8. Check the weather and dress appropriately.

This should have been a no-brainer but, believe it or not, a lot of people fail to check the weather before a hunting trip. While a little rain is no reason to abandon your plans, a little preparation will go a long way – especially when you’re camping out in the middle of the woods.

Also, invest in good hunting boots and wool socks. High-quality wool socks will keep your feet dry and comfortable, allowing you to walk longer distances.

Should you hire a hunting outfitter?

Hunting guides and outfitters are essential to the success of your hunting trip, even more so if it’s your first time to hunt in the area or you’re hunting a game you’re not very familiar with.

Hunting outfitters will make your hunting trip much more convenient and enjoyable. They’ll arrange the details of your trip, locate the best places for hunting, secure the necessary licenses and permits, transport your hunting equipment, and even help you process the animals, in the event of a successful kill.

Hunting guides and outfitters are essential to the success of your hunting trip

Moreover, experienced outfitters know the hunting grounds like the back of their hands and have a vast understanding of guns and the ammunition needed for different types of targets. Their expert guidance and advice could mean the difference between a frustrating and rewarding hunting experience.

How To Survive A Night In Your Car

survive a night in your car

It’s a harrowing statistic, but according to the National Weather Service, about 70 percent of winter weather-related fatalities occur in an automobile. You can bet many of those vehicle-related deaths began with someone simply leaving the house to run an errand, make a short trip to visit family or friends or take care of routine business. The weather turns unexpectedly bad, road conditions rapidly deteriorate and, suddenly, what was an ordinary drive becomes an overnight ordeal.

Don’t think just because you don’t live in New England, the upper Midwest or the western mountains that something like this can’t happen to you. Even in areas where snow is a rare event, cars can slide off icy roads and become stranded in freezing weather, leaving passengers stuck right there with them. Here’s how to make it through a freezing night in your car and ride out events until help can arrive.

Be Prepared

The first thing to do as winter approaches is be sure you have stored a few key items in your car. If you wait until you need them to try to round them up, it will be too late. Essential items to include in a winter survival kit, according to a combination of recommendations by Wisconsin Emergency Management’s Ready Wisconsin initiative and survival expert Peter Kummerfeldt’s OutdoorSafe website, include:

  • Bottled water (at least four quarts)
  • Snack foods, particularly nutritious energy bars
  • Raisins, dried fruit, nuts, candy bars
  • Strike-anywhere, waterproof matches and small candles
  • A flashlight with extra batteries
  • First-aid kit
  • Folding knife and multi-tool
  • Emergency flares
  • An extra winter coat, mittens and a wool cap
  • Winter boots
  • Toilet paper
  • Cellphone and charger
  • A space blanket
  • A spare blanket or sleeping bag
  • A portable radio with spare batteries
  • Tow rope
  • Nylon cord
  • Flagging tape
  • Chemical hand and body warmer packets
  • 72 Hour Pack

Other essential winter tools in severe weather country include jumper cables, the best small shovel, tire chains and rock salt, sand or kitty litter to provide added traction when stuck on a slick surface.

Before You Go

If you’re leaving for an extended trip, always check weather and road conditions before departing. If poor conditions are forecast, you may consider postponing your trip. Also, let others know when you are leaving, which way you will be traveling and when you should arrive at your destination so they can alert authorities and provide them with solid information to help in finding you should the need arise. Fill your car with fuel and make frequent stops to stretch, relax and refill your tank, never allowing it to get much below a half tank. Should you become stuck and need to spend the night in your car, the ample gas will allow you to start your car throughout the night and run the heat for short intervals.

If You Are Stranded

First call for help if you can’t get your car unstuck. Don’t overexert yourself and don’t leave your car and begin walking for help. You stand a much better chance of being found if you remain with your car, which can also provide the best shelter from the elements. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety warns against running your car constantly. Instead, be sure the exhaust pipe is free from snow and roll down a window enough to vent the car and prevent carbon monoxide buildup. Run the car for short 15-20 minute intervals to warm up and then turn it back off, using blankets, a sleeping bag, hand warmers and the body heat of others in your car to stay warm. Eat snacks to keep nourished and read a book (another item Kummerfeldt recommends) until help arrives.

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Should You Be Including A Body Armor In Your Survival Gear?

Being prepared for a disaster is something that everyone should do. And this is not a rule that only military and law enforcement professionals should observe. Even civilians need to have the right kind of tactical gear to cope with the adverse situations they may come across at any point in time. Speaking about tactical equipment, one piece that you may overlook is body armor. However, this is one of the most important pieces for civilians and law enforcement professionals alike. At the same time, it is also legal in most of the states. So even if you aren’t a security personnel, you can still buy one. Before you decide whether you should include body armor in your arsenal, here are some facts that you should know.

Should You Be Including A Body Armor In Your Survival Gear?

What is body armor? 

Even before you contemplate buying body armor, you need to understand what it exactly is. Essentially, body armor is a piece of gear (usually a vest) that covers your body to protect it. This means that you may even consider a helmet as body armor because it protects your head. Often, body armor is used interchangeably with bulletproof vests but may not necessarily be resistant bulletproof. At the same time, it may be strong enough to slow down a bullet if not completely stop it. 

The popular base material for modern armors is Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE). It comprises plastics that are tightly woven for giving them added strength and making them capable of dispersing a bullet’s energy as it makes way through different layers of the protective gear. Besides the ones made out of UHMWPE, you can also find armors that are crafted with Aramid steel. This variant is heavier in weight but offers protection comparable to the UHMWPE counterpart.

What are the types of body armor you can explore?

It has already been explained that body armors are usually made of UHMWPE and Aramid UHMWPE and steel. Besides these, there are different variants available in the market. If you want to explore the options, you can choose to buy body armor from engardebodyarmor because there is plenty of choices here. The best part is that you can shop online discreetly in just a few clicks, without even having to step out.

Here are variants that you can explore:

Soft body armor: 
These soft armor packages consist of a certain amount of flexible layers of PE and/or Aramid. This type of armor is capable of stopping a round from handguns penetrating through it by decelerating it rapidly. This usually results in the bullet deforming or “mushrooming” (and ultimately stopping) the bullet falling after it hits the armor (unless you are unlucky). The successive layers of the material of the vest absorb the bullet’s energy and gradually stop it before it is able to penetrate.

Hard Body Armor: This category is segregated into three types on the basis of plates being used in them.

Ceramic plates:  The armors made with ceramic plates are stronger than soft ones when it comes to resisting rifle rounds. Ceramic plates use a combination of layers of PE/Aramid with Ceramic. The Ceramic part is placed a strike face side of the panel. The ceramic breaks the incoming round and the PE/Aramid package part of the plate absorbs any fragments left. Essentially, ceramic has the potential to slow down the bullet in addition to fracturing its impact. On the downside, ceramic cannot take multiple rounds because the plates become weaker with each round just as it happens with  soft armor. Further, these are heavy in weight and you cannot wear them without an additional carrier.

Polyethylene plates: A variant in body armors that has become popular in recent times is that made in polyethylene plates. These polyethylene plates (PE) are made from layers of PE (UHMWPE) that are pressed together under very high pressure and temperature. These plates can weigh around 1-1.5 kg in comparison with their ceramic plate counter part weighing 3-3.5 kg. However these polyethylene plates do not stop armor piercing rounds.  They can slow down the bullet by “mushrooming” effect and the bullet is actually caught in the plate. Weight reduction is the main benefit of these plates.


Steel plates:
Steel is another variant you can find in hard body armor. Compared to the other variants, it is quite a poor performing product as rounds tend to ricochet. These plates are cheap but very heavy. So you will seldom find professional operators using this type of armor these days. Still, steel emerges as the best choice if you are on a budget because it provides ample protection and does not cost a fortune.

You can explore these options and find the one that matches your requirements and budget.

How can you fit the body armor? 

The fitting of body armor matters the most, irrespective of the variant you opt for. Ideally, it should provide coverage for the main areas of the torso, including your front, back, and sides. The purpose is to protect your ribs and vital organs from potential bullet attacks. Also, you need a good fit to get the right level of protection. This is done by proper positioning and correct adjustment of the armor. 

Do you really need body armor? 

Now is the most important question, whether you really need body armor. The answer is that it is completely up to you. For example, if you are in the law enforcement department, this is one piece of tactical gear that you cannot just manage without. On the other hand, it can act as a lifesaver in a defensive scenario even for a civilian. Whether it is a disaster or an attack, body armor can be a great thing to keep you safe. You may feel protected just because are armed. But remember that your attackers will be armed too and wearing protection can actually save your life in the worst situations. Even if you are a civilian, wearing armor gives you the confidence that you may need when facing survival issues.

Can body armor actually save your life?

Body armor can absolutely play the role of a lifesaving gear but wearing it does not guarantee complete protection. The truth of the matter is that you need to choose one that is strong enough to maximize your chances of survival even from bullet attacks. If you have the right one on, the probability of survival increases to a significant extent. When you buy body armor, its NIJ rating is a factor that you should consider. NIJ refers to the National Institute of Justice while NIJ rating is a global rating system that is used as the ballistic standard of resistance. A reputed manufacturer always mentions the NIJ rating for the armors he sells. The rating is classified from Level IIA to Level IV.Level I to Level IV and the higher is obviously better.  Level IIA, II and IIIA are ratings for handgun protection (soft armor). Level III and Level IV are ratings for rifle protection (hard armor).

What factors should you consider while choosing a carrier?

Besides choosing the right body armor, you also require a carrier irrespective of the fact whether you are picking soft or hard armor. A carrier is basically a textile piece that has pockets in which soft armor panels and/or hard armor panels can be placed.

The best carriers are made out of cotton or polyester and have Velcro straps. There are adjustable variants that allow you to attach other gear such as extra pouches to them. When you choose a carrier, steer clear of elastic because it weakens with time and eventually the vest may sag. It is not advisable to wear one that does not give you a snug fit because the vulnerable areas of your body will get exposed.  

Considering these key facts about body armor, you will realize how important it can be in combat situations. Though nothing can guarantee survival at such adverse times, this protective gear increases your odds to a significant extent. Make sure that you pick one from a good brand and also a piece that offers a snug fit for great protection. Still, you should not get overconfident because this attitude can make you slack about your safety!

 

Poisonous Animals You Can’t Eat

Survival manuals often mention that the livers of polar bears are toxic due to their high concentrations of vitamin A. For this reason, we mention the chance of death after eating this organ. Another toxic meat is the flesh of the hawksbill turtle. You recognize them by their down-turned bill and yellow polka dots on their neck and front flippers. They weigh more than 275 kilograms and are unlikely to be captured. 

POISONOUS ANIMALS YOU CAN'T EAT

Many fish living in reefs near shore or in lagoons and estuaries are poisonous to eat, though some are only seasonally dangerous. The majority are tropical fish; however, be wary of eating any unidentifiable fish wherever you are. Some predatory fish, such as barracuda and snapper, may become toxic if the fish they feed on in shallow waters are poisonous. The most poisonous types appear to have parrot-like beaks and hard, shell-like skins with spines and often can inflate their bodies like balloons. However, at certain times of the year, indigenous populations consider the puffer a delicacy. 

Blowfish

Blowfish or puffer (Tetraodontidae species) are more tolerant of cold water. You find them along tropical and temperate coasts worldwide, even in some of the rivers of Southeast Asia and Africa. Stout-bodied and round, many of these fish have short spines and can inflate themselves into a ball when alarmed or agitated. Their blood, liver and gonads are so toxic that as little as 28 milligrams (1 ounce) can be fatal. These fish vary in color and size, growing up to 75 centimeters in length. 

Triggerfish

The triggerfish (Balistidae species) occur in great variety, mostly in tropical seas. They are deep-bodied and compressed, resembling a seagoing pancake up to 60 centimeters in length, with large, sharp dorsal spines. Avoid them all, as many have poisonous flesh. 

Barracuda

Although most people avoid them because of their ferocity, they occasionally eat barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda). These predators of mostly tropical seas can reach almost 1.5 meters in length and have attacked humans without provocation. They occasionally carry the poison ciguatera in their flesh, making them deadly if consumed. 



Other Dangerous Sea Creatures

The blue-ringed octopus, jellyfish, and the cone and auger shells are other dangerous sea creatures.

Blue-Ringed Octopus

Most octopi are excellent when properly prepared. However, the blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata) can inflict a deadly bite from its parrotlike beak. Fortunately, it is restricted to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia and is very small. It is easily recognized by its grayish white overall color and iridescent blue rings. Authorities warn that all tropical octopus species should be treated with caution, since many have poisonous bites, although the flesh is edible. 

Jellyfish

Jellyfish-related deaths are rare, but the sting they inflict is extremely painful. The Portuguese man-of-war resembles a large pink or purple balloon floating on the sea. It has poisonous tentacles hanging up to 12 meters below its body. The huge tentacles are actually colonies of stinging cells. Most known deaths from jellyfish are attributed to the man-of-war. Other jellyfish can inflict very painful stings as well. Avoid the long tentacles of any jellyfish, even those washed up on the beach and apparently dead. 

Cone Shell

The subtropical and tropical cone shells (Conidae species) have a venomous harpoonlike barb. All are cone-shaped and have a fine netlike pattern on the shell. A membrane may possibly obscure this coloration. There are some very poisonous cone shells, even some lethal ones in the Indian and Pacific oceans. Avoid any shell shaped like an ice cream cone. 

Auger Shell

The auger shell or terebra (Terebridae species) are much longer and thinner than the cone shells but can be nearly as deadly as the cone shells. They are found in temperate and tropical seas. Those in the Indian and Pacific oceans have a more toxic venom in their stinging barb. Do not eat these snails, as their flesh may be poisonous.

 

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Why Try Body Armor?

As this is the first post I’ve had about body armor, we’ll start with a little bit of history:

Bullet-Proof-Vest

The modern form of body armor has its Western origins in Italy and England in the mid- to late-1500s. From there, we move on to various updated forms of body armor, paying
particular attention to forms of “bulletproof vests,” experimenting with steel breast plates and cotton padding. The greatest shift occurs with the discovery of properties leading to the creation of Kevlar® in the 1970s. The synthetic fibre known as Kevlar® is extremely strong, while having the benefit of being lightweight. This revolutionary discovery lead to the advancement of improvements with body armor, allowing for a less restricted frame of movement while being exceedingly strong. Though the name Kevlar is synonymous with bulletproof vests, there are similar aramids used to create vests, such as Twaron and Heracron.

There are various types of body armor on the market, with different levels of strength, as outlined by the NIJ. The NIJ takes care to note the difference between bullet proof and bullet resistant. Although the types of ammunition increase incrementally as the armor level goes up, as armor cannot protect against every type of ammunition, they thus cannot be called bulletproof. In fact, “an extremely small percentage of cases, a round can even go through a vest that it is rated to stop,” meaning that one must exercise reasonable precaution even while wearing a form of body armor.

Although the Level IIA offers the lightest weight, and thus is easiest to conceal, it may not be an optimal choice for your protection needs. For comparison purposes, the vest most commonly worn by police officers is a Level II. Interamer offers a pretty comprehensive chart outlining the specific weapons and ammunitions each armor level will cover. As the protection level increases, so too does the weight of the vest. You should be taking that fact into account when it comes to choosing your vest – if your vest is too heavy to comfortably wear, you’ll likely forgo wearing it altogether.

Another important thing to keep in mind about your body armor is its longevity. Though the NIJ “rates for five years of service,” that ends up depending on how often it’s worn. A vest worn at least semi-daily will have more wear than one worn sporadically, so further inspection is required. Related to this, due to wear and weather conditions weakening the ballistic fibers, the strength of your vest will end up dwindling over time. As it is unsafe to buy a used vest because of this, I wouldn’t recommend trying to sell it either.Teijin Aramid, the company that produces the synthetic fiber known as Twaron offers a buy-back program of vests. The materials are recycled and used as an “asbestos replacement.”

Provided you care for and wear them properly, a bullet resistant vest could end up being a worthy investment. So long as the vest is fitted properly, it has the benefit of offering additional protection in case of vehicle crashes. If you’re realistic about what a bullet resistant vest could do for you, the positives of owning (and more importantly wearing) one certainly outweigh the negatives.