Desert Survival - Studying Nature

Hi everyone!

I'd like to thank RW for letting me do another guest post. I know this time of year we all have a lot of better things to do, so I thought a few of my random wandering's would give him a much needed break.

For those of you that haven't heard of me, I'm an ex off-road racer living in Arizona. I used to race enduro in the Midwest and wasn't very good at it, When I moved here in ‘85, I figured I'd go desert racing...which I wasn't very good at either! Now, I can do things that would scare most people, but not worthy of the national guys. No way I'd make a living at it!

Besides spending way too much time in the desert, either broken down or blazing thru it, I've noticed a lot of trends .I've recently made a few trips to Mexico and sitting in the seat watching the desert go by made me think a bit. Every time I get bored with the scenery, I see a wash and there are cottonwood trees along it. I'm originally from Nebraska and know cottonwoods need a lot of water...hmmm...Sure; there were a lot of other trees there too, but cottonwood?

Now, let me pass on another rambling story. Back when I was in good shape, I'd get up at 6 am and do a 5 or 6 hour practice ride every Sunday morning. I ran a power line road for about 15 miles to the Verde River, take a break, then ride it back. One day I noticed a little trail running off the side and decided to see where it went. It was barely a goat trail, It was probably a javelina (wild pig) path that slowly opened up into a small wash. This turned into a small canyon that ended in a 20 foot high wall. Looked like a good spot to take a break and then go home.

As I sat there eating a couple of granola bars and slurping down a drink from my fanny pack. I noticed a bunch of butterflies all over the area. Now, it was the season for all the plants to be pollinated but I'm 10 miles from the nearest river. Hmmm? I'm not talking 5 or 6 butterflies but several dozen butterflies all over the place! And lots of bees! Not too many critters can survive in Arizona during May. I got a little curious and went over to where they were gathering and sure enough the ground was WET. Guess what? There was a small natural spring seeping up thru the sand! I scooped up a handful of sand and the hole filled within a few minutes. Amazingly, these critters knew where the water was, even in the desert!

My point here is never overlook anything you see. It's easy to swat the mosquitoes, but think...where did they come from, breed, and so on. If there are no animals around, chances are there isn’t any water either. No trees, no water! Just learn to observe nature’s critters!

Dean in Az

Survival Kit Essentials - The Rain Poncho

Rain Poncho

One of the essential items everyone needs to include in their survival kit is a rain poncho. It can be as simple as a large trash bag with holes for your head and arms, an inexpensive emergency rain poncho from the dollar store or a regular rain poncho purchased from a camping outlet, a big box store or an outdoor sporting goods store.

Rain Poncho Essentials

A good rain poncho should have:

1.) A hood with drawstring to protect your head because this is where you will suffer a majority of the loss of body heat.

2.) Elasticized cuffs on the sleeves to help keep out moisture.

3.) A heavy duty zipper with protective cover that snaps in place.

4.) Large pockets to carry additional survival gear that can be easily accessed without exposing your body to moisture.

5.) It should also have a drawstring around the bottom edge to help body heat retention.

It is also a good idea to get one that is a couple of sizes larger than you normally wear because you will then be able to protect your backpack or other gear from the effects of rain and moisture and it will allow you to make a temporary shelter if needed.


Hypothermia can occur very quickly when you are wet because water conducts heat away from your body. Temperatures as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit can lead to the possibility of the dangerous effects of hypothermia if you become wet. Keeping dry can be an essential part of your survival.

Got poncho?

Staying above the water line!

The Smoker Barrel - DIY Wood Chip Holder

One of the things that will come in handy for your smoker barrel is a wood chip holder. It allows you to use different types of wood to smoke whatever you happen to be cooking. You can use oak, mesquite or hickory, etc. to add a distinctive flavor to your food.

You can make a simple wood chip holder for your ugly drum smoker by using a few bolts, a coffee can, and a piece of baling wire. The size of your charcoal basket will determine the length of bolts you will need. In my case, the charcoal basket has a diameter of 15 inches and three 5 inch bolts were required. I made three bolt holes in the sides of an empty coffee can spaced equally apart.

I also punched numerous small holes in the outside of the can to allow air to reach the wood chips. You can use most any type of can for the holder. You will need to make sure that it doesn’t have some sort of lining inside. If it does, you will need to do a burn-out of the can. It was easier to just use a coffee can because no extra preparation of the can itself was necessary.

The holder itself sets several inches above the actual coals in my basket when loaded with 5 pounds of charcoal. This is the normal amount of charcoal I use to cook an average size brisket and a slab of ribs.

The wood chip holder also helps to deflect some of the smoke and heat to the outer edges of my smoker barrel and catches some of the excess fat drippings from the meat preventing flare-ups. Make sure you soak your wood chips in water prior to use or you will get some nasty flames going inside your smoker barrel. If the wood chip holder gets damaged or gets a hole in the bottom, just replace the coffee can.

Got wood chips? Make a DIY wood chip holder!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Rifle Muzzle Brakes

Muzzle Brakes

Adding a muzzle brake is one of the easiest and simplest ways to customize your rifle while increasing its performance. Muzzle brakes are used on a lot of different types of rifles. SKS’s and AR-15’s are just a couple of examples of rifles where they can be found in use. They can be a plus when used on the larger caliber rifles that are out there. Being able to add some additional stability and control at a relatively low cost when shooting your rifle is a good thing.

Here are a couple of pics of the different style of custom muzzle brakes that are available.

AR-15

SKS

Although a number of websites sell muzzle brakes, I’ve found that a custom-made, hand-crafted muzzle brake has worked the best for my purposes. After checking around, I found some excellent muzzle brakes made by Dean in Arizona. My first muzzle brake for my Ruger 10/22 was an excellent piece of craftsmanship. This is something that is lacking in a lot of products out there. The conventional style muzzle brake for my Ruger 10/22 was good but I really like the new style muzzle brake that I recently acquired.

Ruger 10/22 w/New Style Muzzle Brake

While at the farm last Saturday, my wife’s younger brother and I gave the new style muzzle brake a quick workout since the light was starting to fade and it was going to get dark soon. I mounted it on my Ruger and it was time to do a little target practice. I set up a target and stepped off a rough distance and then got down to a little serious plinking!

New Style









Conventional Style

At about fifty yards we wound up with 4 and 5 inch groups using the new style muzzle brake while firing from a standing position. My brother-in-law was astounded at the fact that he could maintain a view through the scope of the target the whole time he was shooting. He said this makes a real difference. I had also spent some time improving a little problem I had with a tendency to jerk the trigger by using my shooter’s correction target. My groups were pretty good but were winding up low and to the left prior to this. Still need some more practice and at a longer range. I will post more results later in an update.

Height Comparison

My new style muzzle brake for my Ruger 10/22 is about an inch longer than the conventional style but still allows me to leave it on when in my rifle case. I do have an old camera case that I can store them in if I decide to take them off for cleaning of my rifle, etc.

I like the looks of both of my muzzle brakes and intend to do some longer distance shooting with both styles real soon. Hopefully I’ll be able to get a second Ruger 10/22 for the wife to use along with her Marlin.30-.30. I’m using the Federal Value Pack 22lr for practice purposes right now and I’m saving my CCI Stingers for serious use.

These are brand new CNC machined muzzle brakes. They’re made from 6061 T6 billet aluminum and are easy to paint. They fit snugly on the end of the barrel and usually mount with one or two setscrews or come threaded depending upon your type and style of rifle.

This new style muzzle brake for my Ruger 10/22 was well worth my $30 investment. Now if I can just find a cheap AR-15? I've got a birthday coming up real soon. Maybe I'll get lucky?

If you need a muzzle brake for your rifle, you can get an excellent one by contacting Dean in Arizona at Blkcwbyhat@aol.com .

Thanks Dean for making a great product.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Personal Protection Items - Hiking Boots

Protecting your feet is one of the main things that is necessary on an everyday basis. If you have to travel by foot, either by necessity or by choice, you will need a good pair of hiking or walking boots to properly protect your feet. A good pair of hiking boots combined with a good hiking staff will carry you a long ways.

Always take time to properly "break-in" new boots to avoid blisters and other unnecessary problems.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Another One Bites the Dirt

Mrs. RW is still working to diminish the gopher population in Texas. She has declared war on all gophers. The gophers have to go and she plans to make sure they do! She’s still busy Trapping Pesky Critters.

" Texas maximus" Trap

She may eventually need a bigger trap if she runs across a Texas maximus!

Be careful! If you see an extremely large pile of fresh dirt in your yard or garden, you might experience an encounter with the legendary Texas maximus.... in which case you will need your Mossberg maximus.

She still isn’t convinced about eating gopher stew yet!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Summer Survival - Getting the Point

Getting the Point

Sharp Points

Plant with Sharp Spines

Cactus with Sharp Spines

Wild Mustang Grapes

Mesquite Bean Pods

Whether you're are foraging for wild grapes, berries, or mesquite beans, it always best to remember that they're a lot of plants out there besides poison oak or poison ivy that can cause you a lot of grief. So whenever you're out and about or just checking the trail while on a short hike, you need to be constantly aware of your surroundings.

Note: The above pictures were taken on a relatively short hike I took while checking the trail through the woods the other day and are just a few of the pointy things I encountered.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Checking the Trail

Checking the Trail

Had a little free time over the holidays and spent some time checking the trail through the woods. It gave me a chance to give my hiking boots a little workout.

A pair of hiking boots is a good thing!

Bushcraft anyone?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Stealth Smoking - Meal in a Barrel

Smoker Barrel Loaded

Smokin' It Up

Cooked a small meal for Memorial Day on my ugly drum smoker. Gave Mrs. RW a well deserved break from the cooking chores. A slab of ribs, a few baking potatoes, some roastin' ears, and a large sweet onion rounded out the menu nicely. My grandson likes his brisket plain and without sauce. The smoked onion was absolutely terrific (Mrs. RW's opinion!).

Made some sun tea to go along with the meal.

Making Sun Tea

Finished Sun Tea

Threw a brisket on the smoker after the ribs were done!

Smoked Beef Brisket

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Gun Pics - Taurus Millenium (non-Pro) PT-111 9mm

Right Side View

Left Side View

The right side view shows the hole for the Taurus locking mechanism and the large extractor that also works as a loaded round indicator. The left side view shows the slide release pin, the push button magazine release and the safety in the "ON" position.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Water Purification - Distillation Made Easy

I'd like to thank RW for allowing me to do yet another guest post. I’m sure he enjoys the break and it gives me a great chance to share my 2 cents with everyone!

I've noticed several sites addressing the collection of rainwater. Aside from digging or drilling a well, this is the easiest way to conserve water, but many have mentioned the possibility of leached roofing chemicals, bird poop and just plain garbage contaminating the rainwater. Some of the big stuff can easily be filtered with a screen, cheesecloth or a sand tank filter. Granted they’re all great ideas. You could just as easily put a large funnel on a food grade tank and skip a lot of the steps. Use the roof drain for the garden or animals and save the funnel tank for drinking. The only drawback is, unless the tank is sealed, it will go bad (growing algae, etc.). If your storage exceeds demand and you don’t use the water quickly, you will eventually need to purify it one way or another to use it for cooking or drinking.

Depending on how you collect the water and how much you need, will determine how pure the water needs to be. If it's for the garden, use as is and there’s no problem. If you plan on using it for drinking or cooking, you need do a little more work. You can filter it, treat it with chemicals, such as a few drops of bleach per gallon of water, or boil it. What happens if you run out of bleach? Bleach loses its potency once opened. Boiling only kills the bugs, but doesn’t remove the minerals, chemical residues or heavy metals. Here in Arizona, we have pretty bad water. It has lots of minerals and metals, not to mention the leached chemicals from years of illegal dumping. I actually got a $1000 check from a company dumping benzene in the sewer for 20 years!

So what's the best way to save/preserve/purify water? The latest thing here for swimming pools is to change them to salt water. The salt kills the algae. This means no expensive chemicals and harmful things to store. I converted my Jacuzzi a few month's ago and a bag of salt is dirt cheap compared to the chemicals. Less scum equals less mess. It's not strong enough to hurt plants should I need to water them with it.

For drinking water, I think distilling is the best way to do it. It only involves boiling water, but not as simple as a pot on the fire. If you recall the TV show "MASH", they had a still in the tent. Simply use the same concept! A pot with a tight fitting lid full of water at boiling and a vent (the curly pipe on top) will collect and condense the steam and drip into pretty much pure clean safe distilled water!

How to make one? You could do it like the moonshiners did or as I have with a handy pressure cooker! My pressure cooker uses a weight for a vent. It simply fits over a nipple fitting; it pops open if the pressure gets too high. I can remove the weight, slip on a piece of plastic tubing, and vent the steam into another pot to collect the water. Keep a close eye on the water level in your pot and be careful because the steam can burn you! If you keep it to a low boil, the heavy metals, minerals and such will stay behind and the bugs will be cooked too! No chemicals or filter system. No muss and fuss!

Simply use your pressure cooker to process your water, as well as your canned goods!

Thank you RW!

Dean in AZ

Riverwalker's Gear - DIY Hiking Staff

Whether you are practicing bushcraft or just out camping. A good hiking staff will serve you well. It can add to your stability while walking or hiking and help you avoid putting your feet on something that might bite. Combined with a good machete and you've got the perfect camping combo.

A plain old broom or mop handle with a bicycle handlebar grip stuck on the end makes a great DIY hiking staff. Add a piece of cord for a wrist loop and it's ready to go. All you really need to do is saw the old handle to a comfortable length for ease of use.

I have one with a spiked tip and another with a blunt tip depending upon the type of terrain that I'll be doing my hiking or walking.

These are cheap and simple to make. A hiking staff along with a good machete is a perfect combination for camping or bushcraft.

Got stick?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Keeping Watch At Night

Keeping Watch At Night

Busy working on some projects today. So here's a pic for everyone to enjoy. More later.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Personal Protection Items - Snake Boots

Snake Boots

It doesn't matter if you are fixing fence or out hunting, you need to have the proper footwear. One of the best forms of personal protection is a good pair of snake boots. If you happen to live in an area where there are a lot of snakes, sooner or later you're going to meet up with a snake. Wandering through high grass and weeds or marching through puddles of standing water will create a need for a good pair of boots. You aren't going very far if you don't take the time to protect your feet!

The snake boots pictured above are RW, Jr.'s snake boots. He spends a lot time in the tall grass checking fences and are a "must have" to avoid the very real possibility of a snakebite from a cottonmouth or copperhead. While a good pair of snake boots are expensive, they can quite often be found on sale or at special prices. In any case, they are a lot cheaper than a trip to the ER if you get bit by a snake in the grass!

You can view the specs and features of RW, Jr.'s snake boots here:

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=58009&hvarDept=500&hvarEvent=&hvarClassCode=3&hvarSubCode=3&hvarTarget=browse


Got snakes?

Get snake boots!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Prepping Project - Rainwater Collection Tanks

Rainwater Collection Tanks

One of my next projects is to start working on a better system for rainwater collection. I’ve found a source for some decent storage tanks at a good price that will make my initial project feasible as far as my budget is concerned. While these tanks won’t hold all the possible rainwater storage my roof system will catch, it gives me an affordable option that will allow me to test out the viability without going too heavy on the budget.

A friend of mine that I used to work with in the oilfield now works for a beverage processing plant and will get me as many tanks as I need. I just need to give him a little advance notice so he can haul them to my place. This works for me!

Rain Barrel

I picked up four tanks on Saturday that I plan to use for my initial upgrade of my rainwater collection and have an option to get more as needed. The cost of all four tanks was $50. This gave me an individual tank cost of only $12.50. This is cheap enough that if I make a mistake in setting it up I won’t be out a huge amount of money.

The tanks originally contained high fructose corn syrup and I will have to do a little work cleaning them out. The clean out will only require water and a little effort on my part. The 55 gallon barrels are OK but don’t begin to meet storage needs and fill up quickly during a rain shower.

Tank Valve

The tanks have a two (2) inch ball valve on the bottom of one side and a six (6) inch lid on the top. The tanks are 42 inches high, 36 inches wide, and 48 inches in length. Figuring the cubic foot capacity of the tanks gives me approximately 42 cubic foot of storage capacity. Since there is 7.48 gallons of water in a cubic foot, total tank storage is equal to a little over 300 gallons per tank (they’re actually 315 gallon tanks according to the labels).

The six inch lid will also give me a big enough opening for the feed line from a gutter system. I plan to hook two tanks together by means of the two inch vales. Placing a filter and a check valve between the two tanks will allow me to use one tank for collection and the other tank for filtered storage. A pump won’t be needed for the filtering process. The water pressure in the collection tank will force water through the two inch connecting line, through the filter and then into the filtered storage. Since water also seeks its own level, the filtered storage tank will fill evenly in the process.

Tank Lid

I also plan to use a third tank to catch overflow when the first collection tank gets full. This water will be used for the garden, plants, etc. and will only need basic filtering. I will also need to do some cover-up work so that the tanks don’t stand out sitting next to the house, garage and greenhouse. I plan to do a simple wood enclosure for the tanks that will also allow easy access. This will also allow me to give additional support to the tanks. Some of the tanks have a ribbed support mechanism that can be easily reinforced for greater support.

Water weighs roughly 8.6 pounds per gallon and will put some strain on the tanks if not given additional support. The process of hiding the tanks will thus serve a two-fold purpose.

Collection Tanks

My current plans are to use three tanks for the garage, three tanks for the greenhouse, and two sets of three tanks for the house. This will give me a total storage capacity of about 3800 gallons. This includes filtered water storage of approximately 975 gallons. The total cost for the tanks will be about $150. I will also need four filters and check valves and some 2 inch PVC pipe for the connections. This is inexpensive enough for me to get started on the project.

Greenhouse

The first phase will be to hook up a set of tanks to the greenhouse. It has a corrugated roof with a very high run-off co-efficient rate of about 95 %. The second phase will be to hook up a system to the garage and the final phase will be a system for the house. This will give me the best opportunity to evaluate how the system works on a small scale and then modify the system as necessary to make it more efficient. Since my garage has a shingle roof, the run-off co-efficient isn’t very high (about 80 %).

It is about time to put a new roof on the garage and so a metal roof will probably be put on to replace it. This will raise the efficiency rate to about 90 or 95 % and will help to offset the cost of a metal roof.

Most projects are easier to accomplish if you start off small and work your way up to bigger and better things. If you encounter a problem and can’t find a feasible and cost effective solution, you won’t have lost a lot of time, money and effort on the project.

If everything goes according to plan, I will hopefully have a complete rainwater collection system in place at a very affordable price in the next few months. Then it will be time to start working on a system for the farm.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Summer Survival - BEE Careful

Bumble Bee on Flower

One of the biggest threats to everyone as they enjoy the outdoors is all the other creatures that are present during your activities. There is a need to be constantly aware that there are little things out there that can cause you a lot of pain and misery if you aren't careful. Be observant of your surroundings while enjoying the beauty that is present all around you on a summer day.

BEE careful! BEE observant! BEE safe!



Staying above the water line!



Riverwalker

Home Security - The Outdoor Security Light

Security Light on Utility Pole

One of the easiest and most affordable solutions for home security is an outdoor security light. They are very inexpensive, usual cost just pennies per day, and require no maintenance or installation on your part. Most utility companies, both urban and rural, will install one on your outside utility pole at little or no charge.

Outdoor security lights will light up large areas around your home and help to lessen the possibility of a break-in or burglary of your home. Most criminal types prefer to operate under the cover of darkness. If they can't be seen, it gives them a sense of confidence while they carry on their illegal activities.


Most commercial establishments realize this and take extra measures to make sure their storefronts, parking lots, and areas inside the building are lit up like it's daylight.

Inexpensive and generally requiring no maintenance or repair on your part, this makes outdoor security lights an excellent way to increase your home security at a low cost.

Got security light?


Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Summer Survival - Safe Treatment of Snakebites

The first aid recommendations for victims of snakebites can vary greatly due to the fact that different snakes all have different types of venom. As a result, you should obtain information and guidelines from competent medical authorities or Emergency Medical Services providers in your area as to the proper method for dealing with a snakebite. There are some basic things you can do to help a victim of a snakebite until proper medical care can be obtained for a snakebite victim.

The majority of current first aid guidelines for victims of a snakebite agree on certain basic things that should be done in cases involving the victim of a snakebite.

1. Don’t panic! Panic can affect your reasoning and will not help the situation.

2. Protect the victim and any other persons from the possibility of further snake bites.

3. Seek immediate medical attention as soon as safely possible to do so.

4. Make arrangements for transportation to the nearest hospital emergency room.

5. Keep the victim of a snakebite calm. Additional stress can endanger the victim.

6. Don’t give the victim of a snakebite anything to eat or drink, including medications, unless given specific instruction by a doctor.

7. Remove any items of clothing, footwear, or personal items such as jewelry or rings that may cause additional problems due to swelling, etc.

8. Try to keep the bite area below the victim's heart level to lessen blood flow back to the heart or other places in the body.

9. Avoid excessive movement and try to keep the snakebite victim as still as possible.

10. Do not apply a tornuquet, incise the bite area or clean the bite area with any type of chemical, as these actions may do more harm than good. The use of a simple compression bandage is usually just as effective and a lot safer for the victim.

Additional information can be found here:

http://firstaid.webmd.com/snakebite-treatment

Being certified in First Aid every year for over a decade and working in outdoor situations where the chance of a snakebite is a very real possibility has given me the confidence to know how to properly help someone in an emergency without doing any further harm. Proper first aid training will help you to deal with snakebites and other emergencies in a safe and responsible manner. This will insure that you are doing the best you can to help someone in an emergency.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Ruger 10/22 Rifle - New Style Muzzle Brake

New Style Muzzle Brake on Ruger 10/22

New Style Muzzle Brake Mounted on 10/22

New Style Muzzle Brake

I've finally gotten my new style Ruger 10/22 muzzle brake. Although the post office was a little slower getting it here than I originally estimated, it has finally arrived! Now all I have to do is test it out and see what happens. Hopefully, I'll have some good results to report. Since it didn't get here until after my days off, I'll have to wait a little while to test it out.

You can read about my current muzzle brake here:

Accessories for the Ruger-10/22-Muzzle Brake

I'm excited to find out if this new style works as good as the old style. The new style is lighter and has a much sleeker look to it. If it performs as well as my old style one I will be definitely pleased.

You can order these direct from: Blkcwbyhat@aol.com

Got muzzle brake?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker