Author Archives: Guest Writer

Get the Right Accessories for Your Crossbow

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It is not just the crossbow that you require for your hunting experience. There are many accessories that will help you to get a much better hunting experience. Some of the crossbow accessories make your sport a much more effective one.

cross bows are good survival tools

Tripod

A tripod helps you to steady your crossbow. A variety of tripods are available in the market that you can use for the hunting purpose. You should get one that is versatile for use with binoculars, camera, and crossbow. The height should be adjustable to both sitting, kneeling or standing positions. You should be able to pan for 360 Degrees. The tripod should be light enough for carrying long distances. This is one of the essential crossbow accessories.

Rope Cocker

This is yet another essential accessory for a hunter. This will help to reduce the draw weight. You should buy one which helps to reduce as much draw weight as possible. Buy one that is lightweight and easy to carry around. It should also allow you to draw the bow accurately every time.

Crossbow Scope

A scope is essential when you are doing big games. The latest scopes come with reticules calibrated with different lengths. These also come with compensation for arrow-drop like scopes for rifles. This is very helpful for long distances. When you are shooting 275 to 425 FPS these scopes help you a lot. They help to dial you in quickly and you need not worry about holdover estimates for longer shots. These scopes help you to make a clean kill. These are very useful crossbow accessories.

Bolt Puller

For a target shooter, it is always a struggle to pull out the arrows that are stuck deep in the target. Block targets are highly durable today. But this creates difficulty in pulling out the bolts that driven deep. Arrow or bolt pullers with good rubber grippers are an essential accessory to pull out the bolts easily.

Soft Case for Crossbow

You certainly don’t want to damage your crossbow. It is not just too expensive to be careless with, but it will also make you lose that much hunting time. So, it is essential to take care of it as best as possible. One of the most useful crossbow accessories is the soft case for your crossbow. A light case with strong double stitch is best for carrying your crossbow. Ensure that it has space for other items like your bolts, quiver and other items. Get one with a comfortable soft and thick shoulder strap.

About author

I am Frank, a professional writer and blogger for outdoor, fashion, technologies, pets, foods, beauty, toys and much more. From early on I started studying life and writing about it. I have a passion to write for my blog and online business. It feels good when I have written an article or blog post that helps people discover and learn more. For more information, please visit my website Atbuz.com or follow me on the blog page.

Drive to Survive: The Right Vehicle for the Apocalypse

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The average adult drives 10,000 miles in their car every year. You drive to and from work, school, the doctor, and the grocery store. It’s a habit and a way of life, but you may not realize that your handy-dandy vehicle could be the one thing that helps you survive when this way of life is destroyed. The end of the world may come in a many number of different ways. However, one of the most important items you will need to survive is a vehicle. This car can’t be your typical Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic though. You’re going to need a durable, secure, and multi-purpose vehicle.

Photo by Jonathan Daniels on Unsplash

It Needs to be Durable

Just like you, your vehicle needs to be able to withstand the harshest of environments. Whether the end of the world is a zombie apocalypse or an environmental anomaly, you need to defend against whatever may come your way. This includes dangerous storms, potential bombs, shootings, or zombies trying to claw their way in. Therefore, you will want a durable, armored vehicle that can protect anything and anyone inside it. Your vehicle should also have four-wheel drive and be able to handle any type of terrain. Some great cars that will do the job include the Marauder, Conquest Vehicles Knight XV, or a Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6×6.

It Needs to Be Big Enough for Multi-Purpose Use

At the end of the world, you will want all of your personal items to act like a swiss army knife. They need to be able to serve you more than one purpose. Therefore, your vehicle needs to be able to offer many things than just a box on wheels. Cars such as the E-350, Chevy Blazer, and the Mercedes-Benz Unimog are spacious and can serve a number of purposes when you need them the most. You can these vehicles to drive to a new destination, store supplies, sleep in the back, or you can even turn them into a jail cell should you need to capture or discipline other individuals. When your car is no longer of use, these vehicles also have so many parts that you can scrap them and trade for whatever supplies you may need.

It Should be Insured to Prepare for the End

Car insurance may be the furthest thing from your mind when preparing for the apocalypse, but it can be extremely handy. During the event that causes the end of the world, there will be chaos. People will be rushing to get to safety and there will no doubt be a lot of traffic and ultimately a lot of accidents. If you have car insurance, you will be able to protect your vehicle and ensure that it makes it through the onset of the event. Some companies will even offer zombie car insurance in case you dent your vehicle hitting a zombie or get attacked by a hoard of the infected.

It is important that you prepare for the end of the world and obtain your survival vehicle. Having a durable and secured vehicle can be the difference between life and death.

5 Tips for Ultralight Camping | Must-know Tips for Backpackers

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The more weight you can cut from your pack, the faster you move, and the more comfortable your camping experience will be. However, switching to lighter setup can cost an arm and a leg. So here are 5 tips for ultralight camping that can shave weight from your pack without making it too costly.

1. Minimize The Stove

Food is one of the easiest things to over pack. It is thus necessary to lay out your foods in a strategic way. And the first thing to notice is the stove.

The most ideal option is just to leave the stove at home and eat cold foods instead. Oatmeal, nuts, cereal, dried fruits, sandwiches are good choices.

And before you start your trip, list out the foods you will need for each day to make sure that you will not bring too much of the unnecessary.

In case you are not ready to leave the fire behind, you can make a mini alcohol stove from a soda can. This stove can also keep you warm and cook some simple dishes.

2. Use Multi-purpose Items

There are many items that can be used for more than one purpose. For examples, you can use your stuff sack as a pillow cover, cooking pot as a bowl, or sleeping bag as a makeshift stretcher.

Besides the shift toward using multiple-purpose items, it is also weight-saving to cut off the non-essentials. Coffee mug and wine cup are the examples. And after each trip, you can eliminate the items with less frequency or with no actual use.

That said, first aids and emergency kits should never be put on the elimination list.

3. Go Lightweight On The Big Three

The three keywords are the tent, sleeping bag, and backpack. For most campers, they always make up for most of the base weight.

– Tent: There are two factors when it comes to using tents – the number of people and weather. If you go solo, a one-man tent is just a perfect fit. And if you have a companion, two-person tents may weight around 2-3 pounds depending on its design and materials.

Depending on whether it is warm or rainy, you can also opt for the suitable tent to minimize the pack weight.

– Sleeping bag: It is ideal to keep the sleeping bag under 3 pounds and the sleeping pad around 1 pound. These numbers are also flexible depending on weather condition.

– Backpack: People usually forget that even an empty pack weights something. So the tip here is that you should go for packs with smaller loads. It forces you to carry less but just the essentials.

 

4. Select Smart Materials

Titanium and synthetic layers are two great option for the materials. Before deciding to include anything in your pack, make sure it is lightweight, easy to clean and dry.

Using backpacking solar charger is also a smart choice. It frees you from having to worry about finding electricity when you want to charge your stuff.

5. Put Everything On A Scale

Weight is everything. There is two way to do this. You can either put your pack on a scale or make a spreadsheet listing out all items’ weights to see if your pack is lightweight enough.

You can group your items into different categories such as Shelter, Sleeping, Foods, and Clothes. This spreadsheet may take you quite a while to complete, yet it is definitely worth your time and effort.

It helps a lot in deciding whether anything else can be eliminated for a lighter pack. Choosing the items for your pack is like choosing the players in a football game. There are always limited spots in the team and as a coach, you need a make ruthless decision when picking which players to cut and which to add.

The Bottom Line

Your love for camping will be put off by the aches after carrying a heavy pack on your back for hours. The ultralight pack is then crucial to boosting your comfort and camping experience.

So here are the key takeaways for a lighter camping setup: Plan your foods strategically, take advantage of multiple-use gears, minimize the weight of the tent, sleeping bag, backpack, scrutinize on the items, and eliminate the nonessentials.

I hope these 5 tips for ultralight camping are useful for your campaign prep work. Thank you so much for reading.

Author Bio:

Luna is a camping and hiking enthusiast from Phoenix, Arizona. She wants to share her experience to all adventure junkies in order for them to get better preparations before any trip.  Visit her blog to find out more!

5 Things You Should Know About Self-Defense

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In this day and age, one can never know when something untoward might happen. It seems that even the most advanced countries still have their shares of criminals.

One thing you can do to avoid being a victim is to learn self-defense. Here are some tips you can try if you want to learn how to defend yourself.

 

  1. Being aware of your surroundings is the first thing you should learn – the first line of self-defense you can employ is to be aware. You need to be alert and pay attention. You’ll be surprised at how many incidents can be avoided if people will just be aware of their surroundings. What bad guys like to do is surprise people who are distracted. Stop looking at your phone all the time, look and listen to everything around you. If you’ve watched animal documentaries that show hunters getting their prey, there is always the element of surprise, so lessen that element of surprise by always looking around.

 

  1. You need to make sure that you are working out to improve your physical fitness – if you want to employ self-defense techniques when needed, it’s important to realize that if you are not physically fit, then you might actually be endangering yourself. You don’t need to go to the gym. Make sure you do cardio exercises to get your heart healthy. If you have dumbbells, use them so that can increase your upper body strength.

 

Self Defense

 

  1. You must also be eating a healthy diet – getting regular exercise is always coupled with a healthy diet. Try to stay away from fatty and processed food, and lessen your intake of white rice and sweets, especially if you are just starting to get physically active. You want to have a good endurance, especially if you want to take up some form of martial arts as a step in your quest to know more about self-defense.  

 

  1. Get professional instructions if you want to know more – if you want to know more than just the basics, there are actually several martial arts or self-defense classes you can take to further add to your skills. But remember that it takes commitment to do so. You will need to be disciplined as it will require a lot of time, effort. Especially if you are not very sporty, to begin with, learning a new skill such as jiu jitsu or taekwondo or krav maga might take its toll on your body. But if you are determined to know how to protect yourself in this day and age, then you will not mind all the pain and sacrifice while you are learning.

 

  1. Invest in a self-defense weapon – you may also want to buy a weapon that can help you when it comes to self-defense. But make sure that in choosing a weapon for self-defense, you will have done a lot of research and also acquired the proper skills necessary to handle said weapons.

 

Will Money Still Rule the World After the Apocalypse?

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Charles Darwin was once quoted as saying: “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” As much as we would like to accurately predict the future, there really is no way of telling when the Apocalypse will occur. There have been countless predictions involving the Apocalypse, none of which have been accurate thus far, obviously. According to the World Bible Society, the world will end on or before the year 2021, but once again, only time will tell.

photo credit: Sam Rupsa

While we all hope that disaster will not strike in our lifetimes, it is best to always be prepared for the worst.  There is a lot to consider when preparing for a possible Apocalypse such as knowing where to go, having basic survival kits on hand as well as whether to stockpile cash in advance or not.  Money plays a tremendously important role in our current lives but will it be of as much, if any value, after disaster strikes? The following are all possibilities to consider in a post-apocalyptic world:

Prepare for the birth of a new currency

Regardless of how we personally envision the Apocalypse to play out, chances are good that new currencies will be established post-apocalypse. Many preppers are of the opinion that cash will remain king if a crisis like a natural disaster occurs, although debit and credit cards will become worthless. We may have to seek entirely new ways to establish and manage our finances. While there is a general consensus amongst some that gold will become the standard currency across the world, others argue that it will not be of much use after all thanks to income influences.

According to a guide published by Forbes, if a disaster is of such magnitude that it renders the currencies of developed nations’ worthless, gold will more than likely become useless as well due to being a luxury, and incomes will be plummeting drastically. In all likelihood, an entirely new currency will be created as it will just be easier than trying to revive a pre-apocalyptic one, making it pointless to try and hoard money for a ‘rainy day’.

Bartering could return with a bang

The return of a very natural bartering economy is very possible after the Apocalypse and one which a lot of preppers are looking forward to.  In its simplest form, bartering entails exchanging your own goods and services for goods and services you would like to acquire from someone else. There are a lot of seemingly basic items that will be extremely popular in terms of bartering in a post-apocalyptic world. Food and water will undoubtedly be in huge demand, especially as it is very possible that all farmlands may be rendered useless for an extended period of time. Medical supplies such as antibiotics, disinfectants, bandages, ointments, painkillers and blood stop powder will also be very valuable as will salt, liquor, pet food, any fire-making equipment and ammunition. Even if you happen to lose all your worldly possessions in the Apocalypse, you can always barter with services such as medical skills, child minding, fishing, pottery and animal husbandry.

If we could foresee the future it would be decisively easier to prepare for the Apocalypse. We would also be able to make an educated decision on whether to stockpile money while we can, or splurge it all at the first sign of disaster, before it is rendered completely worthless. If the world’s currencies lose all value, as it is expected to do by many, it might prove to be of more value to hoard medicinal supplies, canned good and bottled water than actual cold, hard cash.

5 Reasons You Should Replace Your Social Security Card Right Away If It Is Lost or Stolen

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Financial Survival, Protect Your SSN

If you lose your social security card or have a feeling that it has been stolen, take necessary actions to replace it immediately. Your social security number is probably one of the most important form of identification you have from the government.

When stolen, someone can use your social security number to purchase property or even transact your financial accounts. In addition, criminals can use your social security card to commit crimes or even sell it to an illegal immigrant. A social security card has a number of benefits to the card holder.

Replace your card to be able to open a bank account. If your social security card is stolen, you wouldn’t be able to memorize that number for a long time. Getting a card replacement is safer especially if you want to open a bank account. Some banks require you give them your number while others ask for the card.

On average, $15 billion is stolen from Americans every year. Most, if not all, fraudulent transactions have been linked to lost or misplaced cards that weren’t replaced or reported immediately. Therefore, banks ask for other documents such as your social security card or number to help minimize identity theft.

  1. Prevent Fraud

Your social security card has both your social security number and your full names. The two pieces of information are enough for a fraudster to steal money from your bank account or engage in identity theft. With the information on your social security card, a criminal can easily access your finances.

Criminals can also open accounts, get healthcare, file fraudulent tax returns and a lot more, using your lost or stolen card. If you discover that your card has been stolen, the first thing you should do is take immediate action to protect yourself and finances from theft and fraud.

  1. Get a Passport

A passport is an important travel document. Many times you want to get out of the country for vacations or even a business meeting. When applying for a passport, you need to prove your identity. One document that can help you prove you are the person applying for a passport is the social security card.

A social security card makes it easier for your application to be approved to get a passport. So, in case you lose your card, replace it immediately.

  1. Health Insurance

Insurers need your social security number to provide you with a health insurance cover. In certain cases, insurance companies need your social security card for security reasons. You cannot afford to miss health insurance because you don’t have a social security card.

You are aware of the benefits of having health insurance cover, especially when you or your family member becomes ill and cannot afford to pay medical bills.

  1. A New Job

New employers definitely ask for social security cards for the purposes of identity and tax compliance. If your card is lost or stolen, it’s better to replace it immediately, especially if you are expecting a new job. You wouldn’t want to slow the process of starting your job.

  1. Credit Card Application

Financial institutions might also ask for your card including a copy of it to prevent fraudulent actions. Moreover, they use your social security number to verify if you are creditworthy.

Whether your card is lost, stolen or you’ve simply never applied for one, you need the card for various reasons. Make sure your card is always kept in a safe place and if possible, only walk around with a copy to help you access your number if need be.

You won’t just reduce the risk of losing your card, but also get to bring it with you only when you know you intend to use it.

Do you want to replace social security card? Contact us to find out how we can help you get replacement card ASAP.

 

 

What’s In Your Bag? Preppers Share How They Pack Their Bug Out Bags

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Bill 

The Prepper Journal

What's in your bugout bag? YearZeroSurvival

 

When you travel, what top 3 survival items do you bring besides the common stuff everybody brings?

I am addressing this from the point that there is no commercial airline travel involved. They make it nearly impossible to “carry” on-board anything, even bottled water, though you would be surprised what you can pack in checked baggage. Check the regulations as opposed to the rumors.

I never travel without at least a tactical knife, fire starter and a compact Mylar blanket. If I have a weapon, which I do almost always, then an extra 100 rounds of ammo, always. For the obvious reasons and for barter.

Most useless: cell phone without a solar charger – you can’t always find a working plug. additional electronic devices and, believe it or not, the “wrong” shoes.

How do you bring things with you?

I have a dedicated backpack – compartments. Duffel bags require too much time rummaging around for things. My current backpack is Swiss Army. I organize the compartments by #1 – self defense, #2 – survival, #3 – extras – since normally #3 has a laptop and a tablet and chargers, in a SHTF scenario these would be discarded for more of the basics in #’s 1 and 2.

What are your top tips for other traveling preppers?

Be situation aware. Look at people. Look at the people around you. Engage them in conversations if possible to further understand their current mindset. NEVER risk yourself by doing something stupid – do not try and sneak anything past TSA, ever. Keep your head in emergencies, people will seek out those that do.

Preppers get wrong – they do not take into consideration the Golden Horde. Every new prepper has a plan to head for the mountains, desert, etc. But if you are close to an urban area so will the thousands and millions of others. The best plan is to make preparations to hunker down in place and let events unfold – not with a tornado bearing down on you or a Cat 5 Hurricane when you live in New Orleans below sea level behind levee’s that were build 3 lifetimes ago. But it is usually the best option as a first reaction.

ALSO – more people are injured after weather events than during weather events. It is the aftermath of the situation that you also have to give equal consideration to. Downed power lines, wild animals and desperate people.

 

Thomas Xavier

More Than Just Surviving

What would you pack in your bugout bag? YearZeroSurvival

When you travel, what top 3 survival items do you bring besides the common stuff everybody brings?

I bring:

  • Imodium – Traveller’s diarrhea is a legitimately dangerous thing to have in emergency situations (diarrhea = dehydration) and also consider the fact that you can also have pretty bad bowel problems as a consequence of adrenaline, fear, or stress.
  • Medicated foot powder with piroctone olamine (because if you’re going to be walking for hours and hours in less than ideal situations, you don’t to have issues with bacterial infections – obviously cleaning would be ideal, but when you can’t, foot powder.
  • Chewing gum – The ability to trick your mind into thinking you’re getting a calorie intake and/or distract you when trekking long distances under duress seems like a solid idea relative to its size.

How do you bring things with you?

Honestly, the brand and/or style of bag is irrelevant because people are difference and have different taste. Personally, I’d go for the Hazard 4 stuff, because it’s bombproof and light. I have 3 of them, my favourite being the Grayman Patrol. Super solid and discrete. Plenty of room, but if in doubt, use packing cubes.

What are your top tips for other traveling preppers?

Be mindful of legalities if you ever stray beyond borders or even States. The knife laws in the UK, for example, are bordering insane relative to what you can expect in America. Your mindset should suit your environment with regards to gear.

6 More Preppers Share Their Bugout Bag Items [source]

 

 

5 Valuable Tips for Surviving a Natural Disaster

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Have you or any of your loved ones ever been caught in a natural disaster? Natural disasters can occur in many different forms including hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, landslides, and flash floods among others. Whatever form it may take, a natural disaster has disruptive and destructive effects in any individual’s normal life. The following tips can help you and your loved ones to overcome some of the problems you may face during a natural disaster.

 

  • Make enough family preparation

Preparation is the best way to keep one at ease in the event of an emergency. Take time to discuss with your family what they wish to carry to remain calm when a natural disaster occurs. Give your children time to share what they would not like to leave behind when evacuating. Give them few ideas on how to go about in the crisis to ensure their safety. Discuss the news from the meteorological department with your family to enhance your preparedness.

 

  • Prepare a survival kit

It is difficult to tell the duration that a natural disaster may last. Some can take few hours while others may take several days to last. Equip your survival kit with enough supplies that can last you for at least three days. Include important items such as food, blankets and water. Consider the number of people who will need to use the kit to avoid depleting the supplies long before the emergency is over. Ensure that you carry a kit that can zip up when evacuating.

 

  • Give attention to medications

If you have any condition that requires medical attention, remember to take care of it. Carry your spectacles or hearing aids with you. Many people face medication problems whenever an emergency occurs. Ensure you have enough pills to last you for few days if the disaster lasts for days. Even when you think you are fine carry some painkillers and antibiotics in case need arises. The pressure and confusion that you and your loved ones may face during a natural disaster may make it necessary to take some painkillers.

 

  • Avoid using elevators

In case you get caught in a natural disaster while in the tenth floor, let the elevator be your last option. Disasters increase the chance of power failure. You can easily be trapped in an elevator once there is power failure. Staircases will take more time to reach the ground floor but they are much safer during a disaster. Don’t put yourself in more confusion by getting stuck in the elevator.

 

  • Be cautious when moving around

Natural disasters such as earthquakes bring along aftershocks. When moving to evacuation areas, be careful of any possible falling objects and debris. Watch out for unstable grounds when walking. If you have health problems such as poor vision, you are advised to stay where you are until the rescue comes. Moving around will expose you to more risks of being hit by falling objects such as broken grasses or debris from buildings. The only safe place to move to is a certified evacuation center.

 

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Leona is part of the content and community team at Specialty Fuel Services – providers of emergency fuel continuation services, in locations affected by catastrophic events.