Riverwalker’s Book Review and Gear Giveaway - The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide

In his latest book, “The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide”, Creek Stewart has put together a rather impressive and unique wilderness survival guide. This survival guide utilizes a theme based on a very popular series of books and a major motion picture. Hollywood special effects and make-up crews can create on camera sequences that almost make survival look easy. In real life, you will need a lot more to survive. This book showcases many of the survivals skills and tricks utilized by the characters in the movie and gives a thorough explanation of how to develop those same survival skills. It is having a proper working knowledge of survival skills that will ultimately keep you alive.

One of the things that is fairly unique to this book is the number of illustrations it contains. It is positively loaded with pictures from start to finish and this makes visualizing the skills being taught much easier. It also makes it an excellent guide for younger people who are quite likely to be more “visually” orientated. If you like illustrations, this survival guide has plenty from start to finish. 

Building a primitive survival shelter is one of the more impressive sections of the book. Techniques for building a debris hut are clearly illustrated so that even the novice survivalist can build an excellent shelter for their survival. These shelter instructions are very good.

Even if you haven’t read the trilogy or seen the movie, this is still an excellent survival guide with many useful tips and tricks for developing your primitive survival skills. The subject matter is laid out in an easy to understand and organized manner that closely follows the table of contents. It also has a very impressive index that can quickly guide you to the location of relevant survival information you may be seeking. This also allows you to review specific survival topics quickly, easily and in a very precise manner. Creek has also included a section that lists numerous survival kit resources that will allow you to find additional survival gear or information that you may need.

Creek also includes a number of “Survival Quick Tips” throughout the book that can help you further enhance your survival skills. These tips cover a wide variety of survival techniques that can be of value to anyone reading or using his book.

All things considered, this is an excellent survival guide that is well organized, with easily referenced topics and numerous illustrations to help the reader have a much better understanding of the survival skills being outlined and taught in the book. This can certainly help to put the odds in your favor.

Whether you are new to the game of survival or you're a seasoned "pro", this book will help the novice develop new skills and the more experienced survivalist to reinforce their current skills. 

Riverwalker gives “The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide ” by Creek Stewart a thumbs up!

Special Reader’s Bonus - Free Survival Gear Giveaway

As a special bonus to my readers, Stealth Survival is also having a survival gear giveaway sponsored by Creek Stewart and Willow Haven Outdoor. Two lucky readers will win a multi-function survival tool, a bandanna,  a drawstring backpack and a free copy of “The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide” signed by the author.

In addition, the winners will receive an added bonus. A signal mirror from Riverwalker and Stealth Survival will be included in the gear the winners receive. This is the same signal mirror featured in the recent series of posts on “Building a Survival Kit.”

How do you win? It’s simple and easy. Leave a comment on this post with a “Survival Quick Tip” of your own that you feel others may be able to use. That’s all you need to do in order to have a chance at winning the gear giveaway. Two winners will be chosen from the responses received and will be announced in a special post on June 1, 2013.

You may also want to check out Creek Stewart’s first book, ”Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit”. This is another excellent book that you may wish to include in your survival library.

Creek Stewart is the owner of Willow Haven Outdoor, a Survival and Disaster Preparedness Training Facility located in central Indiana.

Are you ready to put the odds in your favor?

Then let the “games” begin!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Disclaimer: This book is unofficial and unauthorized. It is not authorized, approved, licensed or endorsed by Suzanne Collins, her publishers, or Lionsgate Entertainment Corporation.

Training for Survival - Avoiding the Popsicle Syndrome

When faced with a survival situation, the stress that occurs can cause a wide variety of reactions in people. A proper response to a survival situation can be achieved with the proper training and preparation. Quite often people react to the immediate stress of a survival situation with inaction. They will literally find themselves frozen in place and unable to take the necessary actions that may be needed to help them survive. They have literally fallen victim to the “Popsicle Syndrome”. They will suddenly be unable to take the required measures to allow them to effectively react to a survival situation.

Training drills are an effective way to help combat this problem. With the proper training, you won’t suffer from the information overload that can cause you to stress out to the point where you are suddenly “frozen in place” and unable to react. You need to train your brain to react in a positive manner when confronted with difficult situations. A lack of inaction on your point can decrease your chances for survival.

When conducting emergency drills at work, it is not uncommon for persons in my charge to literally freeze up. The flashing lights and warning sirens may not even be enough to shake them out of their stupor. They stand there like a test dummy and may not even react when confronted by someone else who is trying to get them to respond to the threat. If they were on a sinking ship, they quite literally wouldn’t be able to don a lifejacket...even though it could mean the difference in their ability to survive.

Training will enable you to take the proper and necessary action in a survival situation and it will be a key factor in your ability to survive. You will not only be able to recognize what needs to be done but you will have the ability to get it done. Being prepared to face a threat by properly training your mind and your body to respond accordingly will give you a definite advantage in a survival situation.

You don’t want to be a “popsicle” when things start to heat up.

Got training?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker’s Review - Online Survival Course - Selco’s -One Year in Hell

Selco’s - One Year in Hell Course from SHTFschool.com gives you the unique opportunity to learn the hard realities of survival and what it actually takes to survive. Selco talks about his real world experience before, during and after a real SHTF event.

You can learn what works, what didn’t and why in a true SHTF event that places real life survival in a unique perspective, that of a real survivor. You will also find out some hard truths along the way. You will develop a new perspective about survival information when you find out how the media and politicians spread their propaganda with little regard for anything or anyone other than themselves.

Selco also covers the many aspects of group survival and the strength in numbers. He gives extremely useful information about why you will need a trusted group of family and friends, how large a group is manageable and why certain skills among members of that group are essential to your survival.

This online survival course is offered in several podcasts that come in a downloadable format, several videos and includes access to a special forum where you can directly ask Selco questions about the different reasons and strategies he employed to survive a true SHTF event. It also includes Selco’s Survival Guide (1.87 MB) in a downloadable PDF format. Here is a brief excerpt from Selco’s Survival Guide.

 

From the Selco Survival Guide:

“No matter how many freeze-dried blueberry muffins you have stocked, the day will come when the last one is gone and all you have is your big sacks of rice or grain, if anything at all.

This course begins at that day. The focus here is on the uncomfortable, stinky, brutal and depressing side of survival. This is what I can talk about best, because this is what I experienced.”

                               Selco

Selco also gives you valuable insights into the techniques and strategies he used to survive. The simple things that worked to help him survive are revealed in an uncompromising and very straight-forward manner.

“The best protection is always to stay hidden. Think like an assassin, nobody can attack something that is not there and can also not defend themselves from a threat they do not know about.”

                              Selco

Also included in the course is Selco’s list of preparations (in a downloadable PDF format) with the details of what he used to actually survive a real SHTF event. He covers the basic items he stocked, the “extras” and why, He reveals what worked for bartering purposes and what didn’t work and the dangers of trading in a black market during a SHTF event.

This course involves the harsh realities when it comes to survival. You will learn the brutal truths of what it really takes to truly survive a SHTF event.

The course currently features approximately 8 hours of audio, 3 videos with additional videos that will be available in the future, and downloadable PDF files. This online survival course is available at a subscription price of only $29.95 and may quite literally be the best thirty dollars you have ever spent.

You can view the video trailer for this course here:

http://shtfschool.com/community/selco-one-year-in-hell/

Selco’s Online Survival Course is available here:

Selco - One Year in Hell Online Course

Get lifetime access for a limited time to Selco's Online Survival Course for only $29.95 and learn from someone who experienced a true SHTF event.

Image provided as a courtesy by Jay at http://shtfschool.com/community/.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Gear - RW's Springer - Holiday Plinking

After stuffing myself with turkey and dressing, it was time to do some holiday plinking. Using my B3 series air gun which uses 4.5 mm (.177 caliber) pellets which only cost a few dollars for a box of around 200 rounds, it was time to ventilate some cans.

Here's a pic of the 4.5 mm pellets that were used to do a little holiday plinking. It's rated at 850 fps but is probably closer to 700 fps from my own experience. It's a tack driver at distances of 100 to 120 feet using just the iron sights.

It has a hooded front sight that has to be manually adjusted. Once it was set properly and aligned there's not much more that needs to be done to the front sight.

It also has an adjustable rear sight that fits in the dovetail mounts. Although it doesn't have an adjustment for windage, it's still a pretty decent rear sight. It's also tapped for a scope mount. If you look closely at the above picture you can see one of the scope ring mounting holes. The other one is covered up by the rear sight.

This air gun has an under the barrel cocking lever (see pic above) with a barrel clamp to hold it in place. It takes about 30 pounds of force to cock the lever and can be somewhat difficult to cock for smaller persons. Lil' RW (who's only 6 years old) tried to cock it but just couldn't manage to get it done. This is a single shot model and all the rounds have to loaded by hand. Just make sure the pellets are seated firmly in the barrel.


CAUTION: Be careful to maintain a firm grip on the lever once it has been cocked. Even if it has a safety mechanism, don't rely on it because If it releases suddenly it can cause a severe injury to your fingers.


While not the best air gun available, it's still a pretty decent air gun even if the stock is an ugly shade of yellowish-orange. Probably need to refinish the stock to make it a little prettier. Not much room to complain since it only cost $20 (which included a scope).The best part of plinking with this air gun is putting rounds through the same hole time after time.




Got springer?


Staying above the water line!


Riverwalker

Practical Self Reliance - Cross Training for Survival

Quite often the independent nature created by developing our own self reliance leads us to forget an important aspect of self reliance. There will be times when one person may not be able to perform tasks in a normal manner due to abnormal circumstances. This is where cross training can increase your chances of survival.

Cross training is having more than one person capable of certain tasks that are a requirement to keep things working smoothly.  Even the simple act of changing a tire is something that every member of the family should know how to do in an emergency should it become necessary. Likewise, everyone in the family should be able to prepare a basic meal should the “regular” cook become incapacitated in some manner. No matter the task, you should always have someone that can function as a backup. You should also have the most capable person performing that task. In the event they are unable to do so, having a backup is going to make things go a lot smoother and more efficiently.

An injury, illness or absence due to your presence being needed elsewhere or simply becoming separated in a crisis can leave other family members at a distinct disadvantage. Cross training will not only increase your self reliance but it will also enable things to get back to a state of normal a lot quicker and faster that might otherwise possible.

It is also important to remember that in a crisis even routine and mundane tasks can add to a person’s sense of well-being and importance to the overall functioning of the family as a unit. Young children can be taught many simple tasks that would allow other family members to work on more pressing needs. This adds to their importance in the family unit and will increase your ability to maintain your self reliance.

By way of example, in my training of personnel at work, everyone generally has specialized duties which they perform. In their absence, there is always someone else that is capable of performing that task. They may not be the fastest or most efficient at that particular task but the job will get done. Thus, the unit as a whole will continue to function even though it may be at a somewhat slower pace. At least things won’t come to a grinding halt.

Cross training is fairly simple to incorporate into your lifestyle. Just take a little extra time and patience to show other family members how and what needs to be done. Whether it’s how to change a flat tire, repair a water leak, cook a meal or repair a roof, realize that you can’t impart years of experience and practice overnight to a novice. It’s also important to remember the physical and mental aspects that a task may require and make sure the individual being cross trained in that skill can manage the task on both a physical and mental level. If the task can’t be performed safely by that person you will be adding an additional element of risk to your survival that is unnecessary.

Got cross training for survival?

Staying above the water line!


Riverwalker

Training and More Training

Been extremely busy with training for work. Having three jobs makes it pretty difficult to squeeze in all the necessary training. Most of the training is a job requirement and there's really no way around it. As a result, there's been little time to do much more than sleep and eat an occasional meal. My apologies for not posting more regularly but there just hasn't been much time available for anything extra. Hopefully, things will get a little closer to normal now.

I did have a little time to make a big fire.

Thanks everyone!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Updating Your Survival Skills

Having survival skill are a great thing to have because you never know when they will be needed. Emergencies or natural disasters can happen at any time and anywhere without the least bit of advance notice. Keeping your skills updated is also an important part of emergency preparedness. It's not every day you get a chance to put your skills to the test because disasters don't follow a timetable. Techniques and procedures can change as better ways are found to accomplish the same task, especially when it comes to your first aid and CPR skills.

It was necessary to recently update my emergency first aid skills and this was required due to the nature of my work. After undergoing some additional training in advanced first aid, CPR and getting certified on the AED (automatic external defibrolator), I feel my skills are now in pretty good shape when it comes to emergency first aid. In an emergency or crisis, first aid training will be one of the most useful skills you can have.

If you haven't taken the time to get first aid training, now would be an excellent time to put some effort into advancing your skills in this area. You may have training available through the workplace or you can check for training classes that may be offered by your local EMS services or fire department. In any case, if you don't have proper first aid training you may be setting yourself up for a rude awakening if a disaster or emergency occurs. Even if there isn't a major disaster, first aid skills are always useful for the everyday "minor" disasters that occur.

There are going to be times when you need more than a band-aid!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Shotgun Point of Impact Test - .410 Gauge Shotgun - Part Two

In Part One of a simple test of point of impact and how well they patterned with different shotshell rounds for our .410 gauge shotguns, results of RW, Jr. were posted. I am now posting my results of the recent tests that were done with my H & R Topper Model 88 .410 gauge shotgun.

Using the same basic target rounds as RW, Jr., the first shotshells I used were the Remington Long Range Shotshells in #6. I used green colored targets for my targets instead of the black colored ones that RW, Jr. used. No mistake or confusion on the results that way.

I had a very good pattern on the 8 1/2 inch by 11 inch target with the Remington shotshells aiming at the center mark of the target from 50 feet. This was pretty much in line with what I thought would happen. I’ve made a point to make sure I know just what my firearms are capable of and what, if any, limitations there might be on the gun or my abilities.

I had similar results at 50 feet using the Winchester High Brass Shotshells in both the # 7 1/2 and # 6 shotshells. This was to be expected though. I have been using these loads for quite some time and they have always done well in my .410 shotgun. Good patterns were achieved when aiming at center target with all shotshell rounds (see pics above). I would feel very comfortable using either the Remington or Winchester shotshells, as both produced excellent results for me. It is important to remember that this was done with a stationary (fixed) target from a standing position (not the most stable platform). Moving targets are a whole different ball game.

Pictured above is a pellet from the 000 buckshot rounds that RW, Jr. dug out of the tree behind the target when repairing the tree damage. You should always make an attempt to repair any unintended damage done to the natural environment. This is a basic precept of good hunting, shooting and bushcraft skills.

From a distance of 75 feet, it penetrated the good oak tree about 1 1/4 inches and mushroomed very nicely to a little less than 1/2 inch in diameter. The pellets in the target went only slightly deeper but the old stump was fairly rotten. No surprise that they went a little deeper!

The buckshot rounds tested fairly well also. My first rounds were within a five inch circle but were slightly to the left of center and this was probably due to the fact that I’m right-handed but left eye dominant. If I cock my head ever so slightly, my rounds have a tendency to go left of center and down to the left. This depends upon how bad I cock my head when aiming. It takes a conscious effort on my part to keep my head straight. This is something my good friend Bitmap pointed out in the comments section of Part One. The position of your body will affect your aim. My second shot was even worse. I over compensated and my head was turned too much to the right. Hence the rounds went low and to the right.

I need to shoot more of the 000 buckshot before I make a definitive decision. This may be a while though. I can shoot a 25 round clip of .22lr for the cost of just one of the .410 buckshot rounds. I also need to mention that there was a minimal amount of additional recoil from the buckshot loads. Those of you out there that are of smaller stature don't need to worry about it.

If you don’t know for sure how your firearm performs, you may need to do a little practice yourself. Practice only makes you better and will give you more confidence in your own abilities. It’s too bad I don’t have any free rounds from a manufacturer to test out or I would be doing a lot more shooting!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Shotgun Point of Impact Test - .410 Gauge Shotgun - Part One

RW, Jr.'s .410 Shotgun

Shotguns can have a wide range of variance in the type of pattern they shoot and will affect the point of impact when shooting your shotgun depending upon the type of shotshell load. It's best to know ahead of time if you will hit your target or if your aim needs to be adjusted to get the maximum benefit of the shotshells you are using in your shotgun.

The Target

Over the weekend RW Jr. and I conducted a very unscientific POI (Point of Impact) test with our .410 gauge shotguns. The first part will show the result of our little test with RW Jr.'s Stevens Model 311A. This .410 shotgun was manufactured in Chicopee, Mass. by Savage Firearms.It's a double barrel model with a full choke and a modified choke. For purposes of our practice it was used with the full choke. The test was designed to simulate real life conditions in order to get a better idea of just how well this little shotgun performs. It was done at a distance of 50 feet and from a free standing position, which is probably the most unstable platform you can use for any type of shooting. The target was an old tree stump that stands about 4 1/2 feet tall. RW, Jr. cleared an area around it with the riding mower and we were good to go.

Test Rounds

The test rounds that were used were all 3" shotshells with with 11/16 ounce shot. We used #6 and 7 1/2 Winchester High Brass Game Loads and some Remington Express Long Range #6 shotshells that RW Jr. likes to use in his shotgun. We also included some Winchester 2 1/2 inch shotshells in 000 buckshot (3 pellets).

Remington Express Long Range Shotshells

Winchester High Brass Game Load #6 Shotshells

Winchester High Brass game Loads 7 1/2 Shotshells

RW, Jr. fired numerous rounds of the shotshell loads and found out his shotgun was shooting several inches low with all the different rounds when aiming dead center on the target. By adjusting his aim up to the top of the center circle he was able to get a good spread on the target with his rounds.

RW, Jr. 000 Buckshot at 50 Feet

Repaired Tree Damage

The next part was to test out the 000 buckshot loads and see how they performed. I told RW, Jr. that I wanted to do it at a distance of 20 feet which would be about the maximum distance for a home defense scenario. RW, Jr. stated "In the country, 50 feet is a home defense scenario! If they get within 20 feet, it's only because you've stopped to reload!" RW. Jr. then loaded up and proceeded to shoot some 000 buckshot at the target from 50 feet. He was probably anticipating the recoil from the buckshot load and his shot went low and right. It was probably due more to his aim being off a bit. Only one pellet struck the target from 50 feet. The other two pellets hit low on a big tree about 25 feet behind the target. Very important to remember that you will be held responsible for where your rounds end up. Afterwards he moved up to 25 feet and shot some more 000 buckshot rounds. The results were a little better this time.His first shot was a little low and to the right but his second shot put all three pellets within a 5 inch circle at 25 feet, with two pellets inside 3 inches.

Although not very scientific, it does give us a good idea of the point of impact and what kind of pattern spread to expect from our .410 shotguns. knowing how your gun performs will help you develop more confidence when you are using it.

In Part Two, I will post my results.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Pistol Shooters Correctional Information

Many people don't have the time or money for the additional training to become proficient with their pistols. Practice and more practice is required. Being able to determine what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong is an essential part of becoming more proficient. While there is no real substitute for quality training in the use of your pistol, here are a few links you may find helpful in your efforts to improve your accuracy.

Pistol Shooters Correctional Information

Common Shooting Errors (75.2 kb)

Pistol Group Analysis (52.2 kb)

Shooter Fault Terms and Definitions (9.11 kb)

All of the above files are in PDF format.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Shotguns at Dark Thirty

Home defense scenarios are usually going to happen at the most unfavorable time. It will probably be dark and either late at night or early in the morning when lighting is not the best and you are probably only half awake. It was for this reason I decided to do a little “dark thirty” practice with my Mossberg 500A shotgun.

Since wandering around the house at night with a loaded 12 gauge shotgun and a flashlight is not one of the safest things you can do (Mrs. RW takes a dim view of these sorts of things), I decided to do a little practice outside at dusk out at the farm. I decided to use some #71/2 heavy dove shot that was inexpensive enough so that I wouldn’t have to take out a loan to buy more shells (can the price of ammo get any higher?). This also gave me a chance to further check out my hiviz bead sight and see how effective it was at low light levels.

Using some discarded roof sheathing that was an irregularly shaped piece that stood about 6 foot high propped against a wooden saw horse as a target, I found out that the hiviz bead sight worked extremely well in the low light conditions. My brother-in-law also shot numerous rounds and liked the way the hiviz sight worked. The target was set up at about forty feet and this distance was chosen as a test for effectiveness at what would be considered a really extreme distance for defensive purposes and to include a safety factor since we were shooting in the dark. Twenty feet would probably be a normal distance for a home scenario. I also chose an irregular shape to simulate conditions such as someone hiding behind an object that would change the appearance of their silhouette. There was some ambient light from the outside security light that was a couple of hundred feet away but I considered this comparable to an urban scenario where street lights are fairly common and occur at regular intervals. At forty feet, the patterns were holding pretty tight but not anywhere sufficient to stop or even disable an intruder with such a light load. I plan to do some pattern testing in the daylight in order to get a more accurate picture of just how my shotgun patterns with different loads.

I also need to do some POA (point of aim) and POI (point of impact) testing for some different loads. In doing this type of shooting activity, the main purpose is to check to and see if your gun shoots where you aim/look/point your shotgun and is basically done to see how well your shotgun “fits” in your particular case.

I also practiced doing some tactical reloading and had a difficult time with this part. It seems I had reversed my butt cuff when taking pictures of my shotgun for my website to show the normal right handed shooting setup and hadn’t changed it back. This complicates matters when you shoot left handed. Being left eye dominant and right handed is a whole different set of problems that I won’t go into here. Always check to make sure the configuration of your gear matches your shooter and you should be OK. A left handed shooter with a rifle or pistol that’s been configured for a right handed shooter will cause problems you don’t need. My brother-in-law didn’t have a problem as he shoots right handed. On a side note, the “tang” safety on my Mossberg 500A worked great and was not a problem as it is functional for both left and right handed shooters.

I was only able to shoot a single box of shells as it got real dark, real quick. In the country without the ambient light from different sources that are present in the city, it gets really dark! Plus several of the dogs were in the area and I didn’t want to take a chance and accidentally shoot one of them. Even with the somewhat reflective surface on the old piece of roof sheathing, it was not that simple a task to see the outline of the irregular target. I plan to work on a light setup of some form for my shotgun because when it’s dark you just can’t be sure of your target without some form of additional light.

My lessons learned here are pretty simple. First, make sure you’ve got the proper setup. A gear configuration that is uncomfortable for the shooter will affect all aspects of your shooting. Second, you will need extra light to positively identify your target at night. When it gets dark, it gets DARK! Third, shoot something cheap until the price of ammo and shells goes down (hopefully?). Fourth, be extremely aware of your surroundings and the whereabouts of EVERYONE and EVERYTHING when practicing in low light conditions or when it’s dark and your visibility is extremely limited.

Always take the time to learn your capabilities and limits, as well as those of your firearm and make safety a primary concern at all times.

You can read the follow up article here: Shotguns at Dark Thirty - Improvised Shotgun 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

Using Shotguns for Defense

Using a shotgun for defensive purposes requires proper skill and training to avoid mistakes that could endanger your safety. There is an excellent series with pictures and comments that will allow you to get a beginning knowledge of fighting with a shotgun and learn some simple techniques for using a shotgun for defensive purposes.

Do you know the proper manner to do a tactical reload? What is the one thing you never want to do with your shotgun? These are just a couple of the questions you can find answers for in this article. The article consists of four pages and I have provided separate links for each page or you can simply click “next page” at the bottom of each page.

Fighting With A Shotgun

Page One

Page Two

Page Three

Page Four

You can also find other articles on a variety of different gun-related topics here:

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/educational.htm

Hopefully you will find this information useful.

Thanks JH for the link.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Rince an Bhata Uisce Bheatha

The Gaelic translation of Rince an Bhata Uisce Bheatha means “Dance of the Whiskey Stick”. Commonly referred to as Irish Stick Fighting, it is a form of martial art that originated in Ireland. This martial art was originally a style of the Doyle Clan and was used to settle disputes between Irishmen in the country back during the 18th and 19th centuries.

The first type of Irish Stick Fighting was believed to have originated at a much earlier date, when weapons had been banned in Ireland. As a result of this ban, an alternate means of self defense and fighting evolved. Using fighting sticks which were also known as shillelaghs, Rince an Bhata Uisce Bheatha was developed as a result of the influence of the Doyle Clan. The Doyle Clan applied boxing movements and techniques to the already existing stick fighting style. As a result, Rince an Bhata Uisce Bheatha came into being.

Irish Stick Fighting Techniques of Rince an Bhata Uisce Bheatha

Irish Stick Fighting uses a walking stick or cane crafted from a hard wood (oak, etc.), called a bata or shillelagh. The stick is used as an extension of the hands. Most techniques involve jabbing, punching and thrusting with the stick. The stick could also be used to block an attack or to disarm an opponent. The stick is used with both hands, and both ends of the stick can be used to attack an opponent. Most attacks are designed for close range fighting. The sticks were of various lengths and varied between short, medium, or long versions. Sometimes the knobs of shillelaghs were hollowed out and weighted with lead. These versions were known as “loaded” sticks.

You can find more information about shillelaghs here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shillelagh_(weapon)

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/AEmblem/shillelagh.html

My Dance of the Whiskey Stick generally includes some of my favorite spirits, Makers Mark.

Thanks Sam.


Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Free Online Firearms Safety Course

The safe use of firearms is a must for any gun owner or anyone who is contemplating becoming a gun owner. Safety is of paramount importance when it comes to the safe handling and use of firearms. Everyone should also strive to take a firearms training class or take a basic refresher course as often as possible.

Here is a link to a free online hunting and firearms safety course: Begin the online safety course.

Remember to always follow the safety rules when using firearms.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Free Gun Training and Safety Seminars

First Shots® is an introductory program that provides the public with opportunities to give shooting a try. Developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and hosted by independent shooting facilities, First Shots provides participants with a comprehensive introduction to shooting by qualified range operators and instructors that includes gun safety, local ownership requirements, shooting fundamentals, hands-on instruction and how and where to continue.

Designed for first-time shooters, the seminars include both classroom and range time.

Seminars available in Texas:

Saturday, October 4
Lock and Load
3408 Loop 323 S SW
Tyler, TX
903-531-1214
9:00am

Saturday, November 8
Texas Thunder Range
7128 Bandera Rd
San Antonio, TX 78238
210-509-2273
12:00pm

First Shots is one of many NSSF programs working to increase awareness of and participation in the shooting sports. For more information on First Shots, visit http://www.firstshots.org/.

NSSF, founded in 1961, is the trade association for the firearms and recreational shooting sports industry and promotes the safe ownership and responsible use of products its members make and sell. For more information, visit http://www.nssf.org/.

For information on seminars in your area go to http://www.firstshots.org/seminars.html.

Remember, safety is no accident!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Free Gun Safety Seminars at Bass Pro Shops

News Release:

Free Gun Safety Classes Available At Bass Pro Shops

Enjoying the outdoors is about more than just hunting and fishing. Safety plays a huge role in the enjoyment of the outdoors.

As a result, Bass Pro Shops will offer free gun safety seminars at 47 stores at 10 a.m. (local time except in Canada) Saturday, Aug. 9. The first 100 people to complete the course at each store will be given a Project ChildSafe gun lock. "We firmly believe in gun ownership, and an important element to that is gun safety," says Brent Lawrence, media specialist with Bass Pro Shops.
"These seminars will help get people acquainted with firearms and basic safety."

The gun safety seminars will be held as part of the Bass Pro Shops Fall Hunting Classic Aug. 8-24. The Fall Hunting Classic is a 17-day event that focuses on hunting and the outdoors.

Other special events during the Bass Pro Shops Fall Hunting Classic include:

* Aug. 8-10 - Nationally recognized professional hunters and outdoorsmen will be at stores to give seminars and talk about their experiences.

* Aug. 11-24 - ATV/UTV & Boat Show. Customers will have the opportunity to check out some select Arctic Cat and Cub Cadet vehicles along with the Tracker family of boats at this free show.

* Aug. 22-24 - Share the Harvest. Customers will receive 15% off select brands of hunting boots with the donation of 2 canned food items. The food will be donated to local organizations. While there visit with local Department of Natural Resources or Conservation Groups about their designated program for hunters to donate their wild game harvest to local food pantries.

* Aug. 8-24 - Cub Cadet UTV and 2-year Toyota Tundra Truck Lease sweepstakes. Customers can enter the national sweepstakes to win. One Cub Cadet UTV and Toyota will be awarded nationally to a Bass Pro Shops customer.

(Note: Sweepstake not available in Canada; Islamorada, Miami and Branson stores will not have gun safety classes.)

Media opportunities

Media members are welcome to attend a class, or Bass Pro Shops representatives can go through the course with media members. In-studio, in-store and telephone interviews are possible. Contact Brent Lawrence at (417) 873-5017 or blawrence@basspro.com, or contact the store manager at your local Bass Pro Shops.

About Bass Pro Shops

Bass Pro Shops is a leading merchant of outdoor recreational merchandise. The pioneer of outdoor stores, Bass Pro Shop has established itself as a prime destination for the outdoor enthusiast. Almost invariably, Bass Pro Shops retail stores rank among the top tourist attractions in their respective states as a cutting edge innovator in the highly competitive world of outdoor retailing. Their retail approach includes cozy, hunting-lodge themed decor, large, comprehensive product displays and professional sales help who not only market the outdoor lifestyle but live it as well. Impressive indoor waterfalls, giant aquariums, wildlife mounts, delicious food and more make each of the 50 Bass Pro Shops stores an attraction for the sporting family.

About Project ChildSafe

Project ChildSafe is the United States' largest firearm safety education program. Project ChildSafe reminds gun owners to: Properly store firearms in the home; practice safe firearm storage options in the home ; and make certain that firearms in the home are not casually accessible to anyone - especially a child. For more information, visit http://www.projectchildsafe.org/

Media Contact:Brent Lawrence (417) 873-5017 or blawrence@basspro.com

I hope this will be of help to anyone out there interested in gun safety.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker