Show Contents 20th April 2015

Show Notes
I start this week with THE TWELTH WILDERNESS GATHERING 2015 13th to 16th August, followed by The GO ID Personal Emergency ID Kit Review, Blizzard Survival 10% Discount offer, Keeping Warm at Night, Breaking News the Brown Stuff has Hit the Fan, Luci EMRG review, the Ribzwear 30% Discount offer, The Swedish Torch, Making Cordage with natural fibers, the Wilderness1w21 10% Discount offer, The Faraday Cage, 4 Reasons to add a pellet air gun to your survival arsenal, Midimax 10% Discount offer, Boiled British Freshwater Fish Recipes, the Field-Leisure 10% Discount offer, Air Rifle Hunting, the Buggrub 10% Discount offer, Catapult Hunting and UK Law, Eating Crows and Some Recipes, the Hunter-Knives 10% Discount offer, Escape/Travel Belt Review.
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THE TWELTH WILDERNESS GATHERING 2015 13th to 16th August

 The Wilderness Gathering has over the years become a firm date in the diaries of those who enjoy bushcraft, nature and wilderness survival skills.

The previous eleven years have seen this event grow from a small event in one field with some traders and schools sharing bushcraft skills and knowledge to a festival of wilderness living skills encompassing bushcraft/survival and woodland crafts.

The show has grown into an event with something for all the family with stories and music by the campfire in the evenings and skills workshops and activities throughout the three whole days of the festival.

The Wilderness Gathering has without a doubt become the premier family event for all those interested in bush crafts and the great outdoors.

The show has bushcraft clubs for all age groups of children to get involved in plus more activities for all including den building and wilderness skills classes for all.

There are hands on demonstrations of game preparation, knife sharpening, basha boat building, bow making, greenwood working, archery and axe throwing and primitive fire lighting to name just a few.

There are talks on survival physiology, classes on falconry and wilderness survival fishing. All of these skills are there for everybody and anybody to participate in.

You can probably pick up information on nearly all the skills needed to live in the wilderness and prosper at The Wilderness Gathering.

There is a wealth of good quality trade stands that are carefully selected to be in theme for the show selling everything from custom knives to tipis and outdoor clothing to primitive tools. The organizers have even laid on a free service bring and buy stall where you can bring along your used and unwanted kit and they’ll sell it for you.

There are local scout and explorer groups on site promoting the World Wide Scouting Movement as well helping out with some of the classes and site logistics.

The catering is within the theme of the event with venison and game featuring on the menus plus organic cakes and drinks. The woodland and open field camping facilities (with hot showers) giving you the option to visit for the whole weekend or just to attend as a day visitor.
Check out www.wildernessgathering.co.uk or call 0845 8387062 you really won’t regret it.

The GO ID Personal Emergency ID Kit Review

Whether you are on a sola trip into the wilderness (not a good idea by the way), and you have an accident or medical emergency and are unable to communicate, or you are part of a group on a wilderness trip having had an accident or a medical emergency and are unable to communicate and the other group members are not aware of any medical condition you may have,

I would say you are in deep do-do. Imagine if any of the above did happen to you and you had the GO ID, which is visible to the rescuers or paramedics, now you know that they will be able to treat your medical condition and or take it into account when giving you treatment for something else.

The GO ID is designed for everyone so that they can carry a warning to medical personal that they suffer from illness or allergies or medical implants.

The GO>ID MISSION:

To empower people with an emergency ID they can set & forget.

To provide financial assistance to organizations which provide life-saving emergency care, especially those lacking basic equipment to serve their communities.

5% of our profits are donated to first responder organizations.

What’s in the Package

Metal GO>ID — Comes in several colours and 3 types of metal.

Silicon ID Cover — Each ID comes with a matching silicon cover. The cover keeps your information safe and discretely hidden when you attach your GO>ID your shoe, key ring, zipper pull, etc.

Hook & Loop Fasteners (2 loops, 1 hook) "Velcro" — Thin and strong, easily attach your GO>ID to your watch.

Laser Labels (3) — Laser-specific labels are perfectly suited for your laser printer — and they’re waterproof and permanent.

Inkjet Labels (3) — Inkjet-specific labels are perfectly suited for your inkjet printer — and they’re waterproof and permanent.

Clear Label Over-laminate (2) — An added layer of protection for your ID label so you can take it anywhere!

Zipper Hook — Clip or hang your ID in any easy to find location, like a zipper pull, belt loop, keychain, etc.

Resealable Bag — Keep all of your ID Making Kit materials together for later use in this handy resealable bag.

Protected by GO>ID Sticker (1) — They want everyone to know that you are protected with the GO>ID! Reflective stickers can also help prevent night-time incidents.

When you’re in need, first responders will need all the information they can get. GO>ID is the personal emergency ID which gives essential information to first responders, even if you aren’t able.

You can easily change your personal information as your situation changes. Just print your personal medical ID label on your own printer and you can … Go>Anywhere!

Alert first responders with two of the most recognized emergency symbols in the world — the star of life or the letters “ID”. Each GO>ID comes with both symbols.

GO>ID is the first ID you can easily wear wherever you want: on your watch, on your shoe, on your backpack, your zipper pull, cell phone … any place you can imagine.

GO>ID enables you to carry more important information than most other medical IDs — up to 250 characters.

There’s no chip or battery so, unlike many devices, it won’t lose power or wear out.

The included ID Making Kit makes it easy to print your custom labels and assemble the GO>ID for how you want to use it.

GO>ID is designed to protect your information and allows for anonymity while on the go. Your personal information stays hidden and discretely out of the way — either under your watch or in the included silicon cover.

The unique alert tab lets first providers know you have important information for them.

The ID is lightweight and comes in several colours and materials. The lightest weighs less than a sheet of paper (1oz)!

The GO ID Personal Emergency ID Kit's contents are provided and made by you, and all you need is a computer the internet and a printer.

I firmly believe that the GO ID will save further lives and provide a level of confidence and reliability that has not really been available to us in the UK before.

You would be foolish in fact many would say reckless to ignore the GO ID. I have decided to include the GO ID as part of my EDC and if out in the woods I will transfer it to my outer clothing for peace of mind. You can get yours at http://go-id.org/

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Keeping Warm at Night

Sleeping warm is one of the factors that can make or break a cold weather adventure. Remember the body cools down during sleep and the blood is drawn from the extremities (feet and hands) to the center or core of the body, so proper insulation must be provided to prevent heat loss.

To stay warm and get a good night's sleep on your next camping or backpacking trip, try some or all of the following tips:

Keep hydrated during the day and avoid drinking lots of fluids at night, so you won’t have to go to the toilet in the middle of the night.

If you must go, use a pee bottle, it’s better than exposing yourself to the elements so to speak. Just make sure you label the bottle! Anyway, holding it in requires your body to waste energy (calories) trying to heat up the water in your bladder to 98.6 degrees.

Eat a big meal with lots of calories before you turn in for the night. Calories are a unit of heat, without them the furnace won’t burn hot.

Keep a snack with you for the middle of the night, so if you do wake up cold you can replenish lost calories and warm back up again.

Go to bed warm. Warm up by taking a brief walk around camp or chopping some fire wood, in fact any exercise will do.

Really fluff up your sleeping bag to gain maximum loft before you climb in.

Use a good insulating pad between you and the ground. Studies show that what you have under you is more important in keeping you warm than what's on top of you.

Wear a wooley hat to bed, you lose most of your body heat through your head.

Keep your nose and mouth outside your sleeping bag. Your breath contains a lot of moisture that can cause dampness to collect in the bag as you sleep. To keep your face warm, wear a balaclava or wrap a scarf around your face.

Roll the moisture out of your bag each morning when you get up (roll from foot to head), then leave it open until it cools to air temperature. If weather permits, set it out to dry, in other words air it.

Avoid overheating at night and make sure you go to bed dry. Being too warm produces perspiration, so vent your bag if needed or take off your woolly hat.

Make sure your feet are as dry as possible before going to bed. This can be done by having a pair of dry socks in your bag for sleeping only.

Wear loose fitting clothing to bed so it doesn’t restrict circulation.

Keep your sleeping gear clean. Dirt clogs air spaces in the material and reduces insulation value making it harder to stay warm.

Fill a water bottle with hot water before you go to bed and then strategically place it at any cold spots in your sleeping bag. Just make sure it has a screw on lid like the Nalgene bottles.

Or you can use disposable heater packs or hand warmers, which costs a little extra money. Or, in the old days they would take some heated rocks from around the camp fire and place them in a wool sock. Just make sure they're not too hot.

If using this old-fashioned method to keep warm, make sure that the rocks are completely dry before heating. Trapped steam may cause so much outward pressure that the rocks may explode.)

Finally the old stand by...to stay warm snuggle up to someone or use the Buddy System (share warmth with others).

Breaking News the Brown Stuff has Hit the Fan

Are you really waiting for a "Breaking News " report on TV to tell you that it's time to carry out your bug out plans?

Honestly are you actually basing your families survival on the lying controlled British media?

Yes, you heard it here first on Sky TV this morning the brown stuff officially hit the fan, so pack your gear, fuel up and wait for the flag.

Do you really expect an announcement? What could be more obvious than the 'announcements' we've already had?

This government has given away billions of our money illegally to the banks and other crooks who have been stealing our money for decades and were apparently so financially strapped that they took that bailout cash and gave one £M bonuses to their staff.

I suppose you could say that there will be those who will think nothing of burning down their local banks, which have been stealing their money and then stole their homes with repossessions?

At some point, the corrupt politicians and greedy corporations are going to brown off and crap on enough people to incite a level of civil unrest commonly known as riots.

To use an Americanism Thomas Jefferson said, "When injustice becomes law, rebellion becomes duty." The fan, folks, is aimed squarely at us. Mr. Jefferson, we hear you.

So what more are you waiting for hyper fuel and food prices? Just around the corner. As that is coming, count on it.

There will be long queues at the shops to buy anything at all? long queues at the bank to get out what's left of your dwindling stash?

News reports of banks and petrol stations burned to the ground by irate customers?

Perhaps you are waiting for the event? an EMP/CME that knocks out the power across the UK or the virus that wipes out entire cities, or an economic crash that leaves the pound worthless and millions starving and freezing to death.

Or, perhaps there won't be any dramatic and totally obvious big-bang event that shocks the world. It might just be a continuation of the rich stealing from the rest of us until their karma finally hits them in the head.

That's one universal law they can't escape: the inevitable consequences of their immoral and criminal actions. Their sh1t, folks, is aimed squarely at them. Front row seats, anyone?

My personal favourites are a pole shift, and an Israeli attack on Iran A pole shift and ice age are natural phenomena that happen from time to time. Such an event is overdue.

Why would Israel attack Iran? Well as it is backed by the U.S., they might simply be told to, knowing that should it go wrong the U.S. is there to stand with them. They might decide alone that the attack must happen to prevent a pre-empted attack from Iran.

Is it now time to bug-out? well not now OK as I don't see enough cause to pack up and head for the hills.

Remember, SHTF does not necessarily mean that it's time to bug out, it means that some trouble has started.

We are in trouble, folks, as indicated by what I have just said and depending on your point of view there will be other events that will mean different things to different people. Well I still thing that we have time to make plans and prepare as best we can for an even uglier state of affairs. I just happen to think that the sooner we prepare the better, we owe that at least to our family's.

For many years we have been watching and hearing the brown stuff hitting the fan for and many of us are aware that we are closer to some kind of disaster than ever in our history.

Unfortunately we have a government who are more likely to drown us than to save us, so don't expect any help from them.

Beginning to prepare can be done step by step, there is so much information across the net to help you, so what is stopping you?

Luci EMRG review

Luci EMRG is a lightweight (only 2.5 oz.), all-in-one lantern, flashlight and emergency light.

This revolutionary multi-purpose product, which provides up to seven hours of light on a full charge and retains 95 percent of its charge per month when in off mode, is always ready to use which makes it ideal for use in the event of a power cut or emergency.

Its features include a safety flasher and a high visibility red and white S.O.S. flasher along with an ultra-bright flashlight setting and lantern mode for diffused room lighting.

Extremely compact, waterproof and durable, Luci EMRG is especially useful for blackouts, car breakdowns and extreme weather conditions such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornados in fact any man-made or natural disaster, which make it ideal for we preppers and survivalist too.

Powered by renewable, clean, free solar energy, Luci EMRG is a safe alternative to traditional off-grid lighting, candles, kerosene, gas light and battery power, making it versatile and safe enough for outdoor and indoor use.

Additionally, the product floats on water, is fully submersible and lasts up to 10 years without ever having to buy or change a battery.

Luci EMRG

4 settings: bright, super bright, flashing, and red & white S.O.S.

8 hour charge provides up to 7 hours of bright light

10 x 10 feet of lighting

4 LED lights

2.5 ounces weight

Luci EMRG is the most affordable and versatile product yet, and that’s part of our overall strategy as a socially conscious company,” said Chief Business Development Officer and Co-Founder John Salzinger.

MPOWERD sells globally to both the developed and developing world, and high-volume sales from markets like the U.S. allow us to both reduce costs and create higher quality, more affordable products for those otherwise forced to rely on dangerous fuel sources like kerosene and firewood.”

Luci EMRG retails for $9.99 and is available at online at https://www.mpowerd.com/ along with retailers such as Amazon, Nordstrom and Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS).

About MPOWERD

As a socially conscious, award-winning consumer products company, MPOWERD Inc., creator of the Luci inflatable solar light, develops and manufactures game-changing personal clean energy products for use by people living and playing on and off the grid.

MPOWERD is a Certified B Corp committed to transforming people’s lives and protecting the planet by making its products available and accessible the world over.

Having had the original Luci light for some years now, the Luci EMRG is a very exciting addition to their product list and it is even better for our purposes as it now has the ability to provide signals for rescuers to hone in on. Well done MPOWERED. https://www.mpowerd.com/

30% DISCOUNT FROM RIBZ

A front pack is a pack or bag that allows for access of equipment from the persons chest. Front packs first and foremost allow for easy access of gear without the removal of any equipment.

In many adventure outdoor activities it can be critical to the sport to have the ability to reach essential gear fast without the removal of a backpack. Simplicity is the foremost purpose of the front pack but there are many additional benefits as well.

In all there are unlimited uses for the front pack. Front packs are the best compliment to any outdoors man's gear when accessibility, functionality, mobility and simplicity are required. From horseback riding, long distance biking, motorcycling and kayaking.

All sports where fast and easy access of gear is essential, a front pack is your best solution and as you can imagine it is going down a storm within the prepping and survivalist community.

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The Swedish Torch

Here is a method of making a Swedish torch with a chainsaw or splitting wood with a bladed tool. So I thought I’d give it a go. You will need straight dead standing branches a couple of inches in diameter and green bendy sticks.

Make two small hoops with the bendy sticks, think Christmas wreath here. Now cut the branches all the same length bar one which is half size. Next arrange the branches so the hoops fit over them.

The half size one goes in the centre of the bundle, this aids airflow. Getting it to stand can be tricky so I made a wooden stake and pushed that into the ground and pushed the centre of the torch on to it. Stuff the top with twigs and birch bark and light it up. It’s a method for a quick brew or cook up on wet ground or if you don’t want to leave a mess.

Making Cordage from Natural Fibres

In these modern days in our throwaway society, cordage, whether it’s string, cord or rope is taken for granted. Not much thought is given to it. A piece of string is used and when its job is done it will probably be discarded. When a piece of string is needed again, a fresh piece is cut from the ball and so it goes on.

However, to produce a length of cordage in the field from natural fibres can take a significant amount of time. Especially if a long, thin strong length of cordage needs to be produced. There are two main methods of producing cordage, twisting and plaiting.

Normally twisting is used to create an initial length of cordage. Then plaiting can be used with several of these twisted lengths to produce stronger, larger diameter cordage (cord or rope).

Lots of different natural fibres can be used to produce cordage. For example nettles, inner willow bark etc. Bear in mind that the cordage produced from natural fibres such as these are not as strong as commercial cordage which is now available.

To prevent cracking and breaking care should be taken not to bend natural cordage too sharply when using it in lashings or tying knots. One solution is to moisten the cordage to improve its flexibility but, one disadvantage of this is that water, as well as softening the natural fibres causes them to swell increasing the diameter of the cordage.

This is fine until the cordage starts to dry out then any lashings or knots you have tied will become loose.

The outer fibres of the common nettle can be used to produce relatively strong thin cordage. First of all you must remove the leaves.

This can be done by running your hand from the bottom to the top of the stem. Grasp the nettle firmly and you should not get stung. If you are worried about getting stung you can do this process wearing gloves.

Once all the leaves and stings have been removed you can crush the stem with the butt of your knife then run your thumb nail down the length of the nettle to open and flatten the stem out? Now take the stem and bend it over a finger.

The outer fibres should now be able to be gently removed from the hard inner core. The outer fibres should then be put somewhere to dry until needed.

Take one of the nettle fibres and hold it tightly between finger and thumb at one end of the fibre. Then twist the fibre from the other end, rolling it over and over until it kinks, usually somewhere in the middle. The fibre will now be half the original length.

It will be doubled at one end. Continue to hold this end tightly between fingers and thumb while rolling the two tail ends around one another. When one of the tail ends ‘runs out’ add a new fibre in and continue twisting.

Continue this process until your cordage reaches the length you require, to finish tie an overhand knot to stop the cord unwrapping.

The roots of many trees and plants can be used to produce cordage for example pine, alder and birch. Luckily the best roots for cordage tend to be found near the surface of the ground where they are thin and flexible.

Using a digging stick or spade gently dig down until a suitable root is found. Then follow the root along, exposing as much of its length as possible. This can sometimes be tricky as roots tend to interlace and can sometimes be quite a complicated puzzle.

Don’t be lazy and try to pull on the root to remove it from the ground as it’ll just snap. In general it’s best to remove the roots outer bark but, it’s not always required. You can remove this bark by using a brake.

A brake is a thin stick which has a split at the end. You basically pull the root through the split stick (brake) and this scrapes the bark off the root.

Larger diameter roots can be split in half or even quartered to produce the required diameter cordage. Splitting also gives the advantage of giving cordage with a flat edge, giving a lashing more contact area and therefore greater strength.

To split a root start the split with your knife. Then pull the two halves apart to continue the split. If the split starts to run off centre, bend the thicker half more (at a greater angle to the split).

Pay particular attention when approaching knots or bends with the split as these may have to be cut with a knife to stop them from running off.

As I mentioned at the beginning. We tend to use cordage without a thought. The old saying “Easy come, Easy go” springs to mind. However, being able to produce cordage from natural fibres is an important skill which should not be overlooked.

It is time consuming but a skill well worth learning. One thing is for sure, after making a reasonable length of cordage from natural fibres you will certainly have new found appreciation for a humble piece of string.

Wilderness121’s 10% discount

The new supplier of Purificup to the UK is Wilderness121 and they really mean business, having spoken to the director Rob Williams he has agreed to offer you dear listener a 10% discount just by putting the letters UKPRN into the code box it is that simple.

Now pop along to www.wilderness121.co.uk and check out their great range of survival related products.

The Faraday Cage

EMP can be caused by the detonation of a nuclear device in the atmosphere, miles above land. Its pulse wave can easily cover a continent and destroy electronic components in computers, engines, power plants, and solar panels alike.

An event like this has never happened on a large scale, and there are differing opinions as to the exact consequences, but one thing is certain: In a matter of moments, life as we know it would be gone forever. We are also in danger from our closest star, the sun, which could also do extensive damage in the form of (CME). The results would be the same as an EMP..

In an instant the post-EMP world would be back in the 1800's, but you know to be honest I think it would a lot worse.

Without power and the help of machines we would not have the tools, skills, knowledge, and, in some cases, raw materials to make the most basic tools for survival.

How many blacksmiths do you know? Do you happen to own a pair of Shire horses and a wagon for transportation?

You will need to be able to sew to repair your clothes etc., but can you create cloth from raw cotton or sheep’s wool?

The moment of an EMP burst freezes time. The food, equipment and tools in our homes may be the only ones we have for a long time.

If you have one pack of toilet roll then that is it.

As with all survival situations there is a way out, a solution that has to be learnt and understood and then put into practice.

There is a simple way to protect our electrical items from EMP/CME, and that is to build containers to shield important items from the effects of what could be as much as 50,000 volts of power.

The Faraday cage is the answer. The good news is that they are very simple to make.

The hardest part about protecting your equipment is simply doing it. A few rolls of heavy duty aluminium foil, some cardboard boxes and any thing from a biscuit tin to a galvanized steel bin are enough to create your own Faraday cage and protect your electronics from EMP.

The simplest and cheapest way to build your own Faraday container is to use heavy duty aluminium foil.

By completely wrapping an item in several layers of foil, you can protect that item from the damaging effects of EMP.

Keep in mind that every side of the item needs to have a minimum of three layers, so by the time you have wrapped it in foil, some sides may have more than three layers.

This is fine, so long as you have no less than three layers of HD aluminium foil between any part of the item and the open air.

By itself, these three or four layers of foil are probably enough to protect your electronic gear, but when dealing with a SHTF/TEOTWAWKI event, there are no replacements, nor second chances, so it pays to do it right the first time.

Simply adding more than four layers of foil to the device is probably overkill and may not add any more protection than the initial three or four layers. However, you can increase the effectiveness of your Faraday protection and here is how to do it..

Simply place your foil wrapped device into a shoe box or other cardboard box that is wrapped in foil, then place that box inside a biscuit tin or if its a bigger item a steel rubbish bin with a tight-fitting lid.

There is nothing wrong with using many smaller tins with lids rather than just one large one. With your devices protected by three layers like this, they’re likely to survive even an enhanced EMP attack with a stronger electromagnetic pulse.

Heavy duty aluminium foil. You’re going to be using a lot of this.

Either plastic wrap (or something similar) or plastic bags for each electronic item you want to shield.

Pieces of cloth that will be used to wrap items. This is a good way to use up old T-shirts, jeans, and clothes the kids have outgrown.

Cardboard boxes of assorted sizes

Small, essential items that contain an electronic component, such as a clock radio, walkie-talkies, ebook/kindle, mp3 player, Sat Nav, spare mobile phone, etc.

Make sure these aren’t things you’ll be wanting or needing in the near future. If you don’t already have duplicates, make a list of what you want stored in your Faraday container and then look for inexpensive duplicates.

Firslyt, wrap an item in cloth. This will add a layer that will isolate the item from the foil and will also help to keep any sharp edges or corners of the item from puncturing the aluminium foil.

Next, wrap the object with plastic wrap or place in a plastic bag and then wrap with at least 3 layers of foil. Use your hands to gently mould the foil each time, making sure there are no holes or rips in the foil.

Place your wrapped items in the cardboard box and then wrap the entire box with two layers of foil.

Layering for EMP/CME is just as important as layering for winter weather! Be sure that no foil used to wrap the outside of the box touches any of the foil within the box. When your box is wrapped and finished, store it off the ground.

If you want to store large items or have numerous items to store, completely line a steel rubbish bin with cardboard. Make sure there are no gaps.

The foil wrapped items cannot touch the metal of the rubbish bin. Make sure the lid of the can fits tightly, and Bob is you auntie.

4 Reasons to Add a Pellet Air Gun to Your Survival Gun Arsenal

You heard me correctly, I said Pellet Gun. Yes, the kind powered by air I have a good quality Pellet Air Gun and it’s not just because I still have it from when I was a kid.

I INTENTIONALLY have added this gun to my survival kit for very specific reasons…which I have detailed below. If you’ve never considered a Pellet Gun as a survival rifle option, you might change your mind after reading this post.

As a student and instructor of survival living, I take my gun choices very seriously I recommend a “Break Barrel” rifle as it will never run out of air.

Below are 4 reasons (in no particular order) why a Pellet Gun deserves to be including in your Survival Rifle selection:

A pellet gun is an excellent Small Game Hunter especially .22 calibre, I think is a great weapon to take down small game. While people have taken larger game such as wild boars with air guns, they are best suited for small game.

Hunting small game is perfect for any survivalist. Rabbit, squirrel, dove, quail, duck and the like are excellent food sources and are readily available in most of the country. With practice, hunting small game with a pellet gun is absolutely no problem.

I have taken many small game animals with my .22 cal pellet gun. It requires better stalking skills, but that is a good skill to learn anyway. It requires better shooting skills, but that is also a good skill to hone in on. Hunting with a pellet gun will force you to be a “Better” hunter and it will also put dinner on the table.

Secondly the Pellet Gun’s ammo is one of the more convincing reasons to have one on hand. Pellets, no matter the calibre, are very cheap.

You can buy 100s of pellets for just a few pounds. Spend £30 and you’ve got enough to last a lifetime of small game hunting. If all hell breaks loose, traditional ammunition will become increasingly difficult to get your hands on.

Not to mention that it will be ridiculously expensive. If the world we live in ever gets this way, why waste your traditional ammo on hunting squirrel or other small game? That would be wasteful and careless if there was a smarter way. There is – pellets.

1000’s of Pellets Fit into Small Spaces

Not only are pellets “Dirt Cheap”, they are very small. You can carry 1000s and not even know they are there. You can store 10s of 1000s in just 1 shoe box. To top it off, pellets have a shelf life of pretty much forever! Traditional ammunition can go bad over time. Especially with the talks of giving ammunition an expiration date, stocking a few 1000 pellets isn’t a bad idea.

Thirdly an air weapon is a silent shooter so forget the earplugs. These guns are silent. In many survival scenarios, a silent weapon is a good thing. Not only can you hunt without drawing attention to yourself or your family, but shooting a silent weapon often means you can get off more than 1 shot if there are multiple targets.

Both of these are positive. People pay 1000’s of £££’s to make their guns silent. No extra charge for the pellet gun.

Lastly they are powered by air and you don’t have to buy air. And, it’s never going to be out of stock. For this reason, I prefer either a MULTI-PUMP or BREAK-BARREL Pellet Air Gun.

I will in future sell my CO2 powered air gun, and buy a break barrel. Needing to refill canisters or tanks doesn’t make any sense in a survival situation. You want to keep it as old fashioned as possible. It’s hand pump all the way for this survivalist.

There are tons of options when it comes to Hand Pump or Break Barrel guns. They both come in .177 and .22 calibres. The fps varies depending on the gun.

So there you have it, 4 solid reasons why you should keep a Pellet Gun in your survival arsenal.

Ken at MidiMax.co.uk is offering 10% off any product by using the code Midi10 so check out www.midimax.co.uk

Benefits of Animals when Living Off the Grid

If you go the extra mile and decide to keep animals, you will greatly reduce your dependence on the outside world of shops & supermarkets because animals can provide you with the following:

Meat and Poultry (fresh meat, no hormones, healthier food).

Milk and Eggs (will make you happy every morning).

You can obtain other by-products such as cheese and butter (once you learn how to make them).

Animals are also great pets and can bring joy to the whole family.

Can keep the grass mowed down for you.

Can provide you with fertilizers for your plants.

They can multiply, which means you have the option to sell or increase production.

Goats are one of the best choice's when living off the grid, because they're low maintenance, they can basically take care of themselves.

Goats can survive on bushes, trees, desert scrub and aromatic herbs when sheep and cattle would starve to death. Goat milk casein and milk fat are more easily digested than cow milk.

Goat milk is valued for the elderly, sick, babies, children with cow milk allergies, patients with ulcers.

Goats have a lot to offer, and they don't ask much in return. They can clear invasive weeds, offer fresh goat milk, and they can be a fun pet. They can also be used for meat if necessary.

Goats can be quite a bit of work too, but many people are finding that raising urban goats is quite rewarding.

Before getting a cow, think hard about it. A cow is the biggest tie in the farm, you will have to milk her twice a day, to feed the cow you need to grow fodder, to use up the manure from the cow you will have to dig or plough more land ... unless you’re dedicated to spend more time in the farm, think loud and often before getting a cow.

On the other hand, a cow will save you more money in the farm than anything else, milk, butter and cheese go up and up in price, you can also sell or trade calves if you want for something else you might need more on the farm.

Sheep are a very good thing to keep. Sheep live and fatten on grass. Don't even make demands on your hay unless the ground is covered with snow (and even then they won't eat hay unless they have previously learnt to); they are thus cheap to keep.

A good number would be 4 ewes and a ram (or ask a neighbouring farmer if you could borrow his ram for a few days).

Choose the breed that is native to the country you live in. Very good pasture may carry three ewes with their lambs per acre, less good two ewes and their lambs. You might average one and a half lambs per ewe.

But they will do far better if you rotate them around the farm: put them on, say, a quarter of your grass acreage and keep them there until they have nibbled the grass right down, then move them on to the next quarter. In this way let them follow the cows—sheep will graze very well after cows have had all they can get: cows will starve after sheep.

To raise chicken the humane and healthy way is to give them enough space to scrap, to perch, to flap their wings and take dust baths (which is not possible and even cruel in a wire cage).

If you want to have eggs all year then a couple of dozen of hens will do. Give each hen a handful of grain every evening and a handful or two of high protein food in the morning, and any scraps you can spare, and they will do the rest.

They will eat a lot of grass and a lot of earwigs. They will hatch you out a clutch of pretty little chicks. Keep them out of your garden or they will play hell with it.

Always keep a cock among your hens, hens like having fun as much as we do. Let your chicken run right out into the fields and woods. They will be getting so much free food.

Why go in for incubators and brooders when hens will do all that work for nothing for you? Hens will be able to give you eggs from grain and household scraps alone, but not many. If hens are really to produce eggs they must have some protein.

Raising geese is very easy and require very low maintenance if any. A pen of geese, say three geese and a gander will run happily about the fields, and live on grass with just a handful of grain thrown to them every night to lure them home to shut them in from the foxes, otherwise they don’t need any grain.

But you must protect them from rats and foxes. Rats will pull goose eggs, or young geese, right out from under the feathers of the goose mother. A fox will go miles to get a sitting goose.

When geese begin to lay, say in February or March, if you are lucky enough to have a broody hens then, you will have to splash eggs with water every day, because a hen doesn’t know this part of goose mother’s duties.

Boiled British Freshwater Fish Recipes

These can be cooked using foraged greens or taken home and given the chief treatment.

Boiled Tench

Prepare the tench by scaling, gutting, removing the gills then washing and patting dry.

Place in a large pan then pour over just enough water to cover. Add 25g of salt per 1l of water added then bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for about 10 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.

Transfer the tench to a warmed serving plate and garnish with parsley. Accompany with melted butter.

Boiled Trout

This is a traditional British recipe for a classic dish of boiled trout that's filleted and served topped with a truffle, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil. Ingredients: 2 medium trout, cleaned and scaled 2 summer truffles 2 garlic cloves 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil juice of 1 lemon sea salt, to taste

Method

Bring a pan of lightly-salted water to a boil. Add the trout and cook for about 20 minutes, or until done through. Remove the fish then take off all the skin and fins.

Take the fish and carefully remove the flesh as four fillets (discard all the bones). Arrange these fillets on a serving plate. In the meantime, place the truffles and garlic in a mortar and crush to a paste.

Add the vinegar and lemon juice and mix thoroughly to combine. Place the oil in a pan, add the truffle mixture and heat gently over a low flame (this should be just heated through, do not allow the sauce to fry). Take off the heat and season to taste. Pour the sauce over the fish and serve.

Feed the 5 thousand

A fish boil is a fun, low-maintenance way to feed a large group of people -- and although it is traditionally served outdoors, you can also bring the party inside. Whether you're planning an outdoor picnic or a big family get-together, a fish boil provides a nutritious, low-calorie meal for the entire family.

Step 1

Fill a large pot about three-quarters of the way up with water. Bring the water to a boil, either on your stovetop or outside on an open fire.

Step 2

Add the potatoes and 1 pound of salt for every 10 people, and then bring the liquid back up to a boil. Cook for 8 minutes, then add the onions to the pot.

Step 3

Add 2 pounds of peeled baby carrots, if desired. Wait until the water comes back to a boil, and then cook another 2 minutes. Double these cooking times for every 10 people you are serving.

Step 4

Add the whitefish and cook for 14 minutes. Use an instant-read thermometer to test the centre of the fish. If the fish reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit in the centre, it's done.

Step 5

Place one piece of fish, three onions and two potatoes on each plate, then add a pat of butter and spoon some of the broth over the fish. Serve with a wedge of lemon if you have one.

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Air Rifle Hunting

Hunting with air rifles is challenging, demanding and, in the purest and best sense of the word, entirely sporting.

A number of factors combine to make a clean, humane and effective shot at a rabbit a lot more than simply yanking on a trigger with hope in your heart, though.

It’s true; pests form the vast majority of legal and suitable air rifle quarry, but there’s more to simply knowing what you can shoot when you are out in the countryside.

Fair enough, something defined as a pest doesn’t need much to qualify for a well-aimed pellet, but no matter how lowly or nasty a creature might seem to be, it still deserves a clean, quick and humane end with no suffering involved.

You, as an air rifle hunter, must behave with sportsmanship and with respect for your quarry at all times, and because of its relatively short range, using an air rifle will also make more demands of you than almost any other type of sporting arm.

Field craft, the ability to get close enough to your target to ensure an accurate and humane shot, will test your abilities to the utmost. Quite often you’ll be frustrated if a tiring stalk ends in failure, but you get a real sense of achievement, and pride, when you do succeed.

There are one or two unwritten rules of air rifle hunting which make it clear that some species never qualify as legitimate or sporting quarry. All the game birds, for instance, will frequently present easy targets, but don’t be tempted because your permission to shoot will be very quickly withdrawn if you are seen to be poaching!

Hares can become pests but they are too large to be shot humanely with airgun pellets, and that applies to foxes, too. There are plenty of sporting species that qualify as air rifle quarry without any need to look any further.

Also as an air rifle hunter, you must not only abide by the Country Code but uphold it too and possibly gain brownie points from the landowner in the process. I

f you see some example of the code being broken, like a dog worrying sheep, kids vandalising farm buildings or machinery, a picnic fire that’s not been properly extinguished, or simply rubbish left behind by thoughtless people do something about it.

As a privileged and authorised person which you are, since you’re out hunting on some farmers land you owe it to him to help police his land, so even if you can’t immediately do anything about a problem, report it as soon as possible.

The farmers bush telegraph soon spreads good news and bad, so showing that you’re prepared to help will quickly become known and you’ll more than likely be made welcome on other farms.

Even if you never see another soul when you’re out hunting with your air rifle, there are right and wrong ways to behave and more often than not someone will be watching!

Open gates carefully and ensure they shut behind you but don’t slam them this only weakens the hinges.

If the gate should be locked, climb over at the hinged end, not the latched end, because your weight will have far less effect if you cross where the gate is best supported, by the hinges.

If you have to cross a barbed-wire or stock-mesh fence, push the wire down at the centre of a run between two posts and, provided there’s enough slack for you to cock one leg and then the other over, hop over.

If the fence is too tight, climb as close as possible to a fence-post, but don’t force the fence down and leave it sagging in the middle. Farm animals escaping into crops or neighbouring land is a sure-fire way to lose your shooting rights!

Whenever you cross from one field to another, make sure your rifle is safe. If it has a sling, which is best and safest whenever that’s possible, you can leave it on your shoulder when opening and closing a gate.

But at all other times, especially when you have to climb and need both hands to cross an obstacle safely, make sure the rifle is unloaded and lay it down parallel with the fence or gate, so that you can reach over or through when on the other side, and retrieve it safely.

Resting the barrel on the wire is dangerous because the rifle might slip and fall if the fence wobbles as your weight is on it, and also because you might walk past the barrel once you’ve crossed the fence.

Even though you know the rifle is unloaded, never walk in front of a barrel that’s pointing at you.

I was always taught the “Horse always kicks” and the “Gun is always loaded” remember this and you will not go far wrong.

When you fancy decoying pigeons you’ll often need to build a hide but if you don’t take hide-poles to support the net with you, ask the farmers permission first before cutting any.

Don’t cut slow growing hardwood sticks, such as ash, from close to where the hide is to be built, choose quick-growing species like hazel.

Cut the poles with a fine-tooth saw or secateurs, at a steep angle, which gives you a point to make pushing them into the soil easier, and leaves behind a stump from which buds will more quickly sprout.

Use side branches to dress the hide netting to blend it in with the surroundings, and when you pack up, tuck these branches into the base of the hedge and leave the hide poles where you can find them next time, or take them with you.

Leave the area as you found it. That’s part of the Country Code too. LNT

When rabbit shooting, it might seem to make sense to paunch the rabbits (taking out the stomach and intestines) to make carrying them easier, but in fact cleaning out rabbits that have cooled off for a few hours is much easier than cutting open warm and floppy ones, and you won’t leave piles of guts around to attract foxes.

Most large areas are crossed by some form of path. As an authorised person, you must know where they are and make every effort to ensure that anyone using such paths is not in any way put at risk by any shots you might take.

What this means is that the most sensible thing to do is keep well away from footpaths, tracks, rights of way and bridleways, and public roads.

All responsible air rifle hunters must know the laws on hunting and as well as shooting safely.

This means you should be able to recognise your quarry and whether it is legal to shoot it or not. As long as you have permission to be on the land or property where you are shooting, you may legally shoot the following species:

GREY SQUIRREL Common and destructive pest, especially damages trees. Has displaced the native, protected, Red squirrel in many parts of the UK.

CARRION CROW Major predator on game and songbirds, eggs and chicks, will also peck eyes from new born lambs. It is very wary and difficult to stalk.

FERAL PIGEON Cheeky chappie town scrounger actually carries a variety of nasty diseases. Creates mess and damages buildings. Do Not Eat

COLLARED DOVE Same size as protected Turtle dove but Collared variety can steal and soil large quantities of stored grain in farmyards. Needs controlling.

ROOK Although officially a pest and predator, at certain times of the year they can be beneficial to agriculture, eating harmful insect pests.

WOODPIGEON Vast flocks hoover-up crops in all parts of the UK. They are the most destructive pest in constant need of control and very good to eat. (E)

RABBIT Back in plague numbers in many areas, the rabbit is as destructive and greedy as the woodie and in need of continuous control.

RAT Public enemy number 1. They cause untold millions of pounds worth of damage worldwide plus carrier of several highly dangerous diseases.

MAGPIE One of the most voracious and destructive predatory pests, hitting young broods of garden songbirds in particular.

There are other birds, like jays and jackdaws which are defined as pests, but don’t as a rule pose the same threat as those listed above.

Greater and lesser black-backed gulls and herring gulls, although also on the list, are too big or because of habitat not to be considered as suitable air rifle quarry.

All birds, except the named pest species, are legally protected. Even pests may only be shot by authorised persons defined as the landowner, or one who has permission to shoot on the land where the quarry is present.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act, which governs avian pest species control, requires that a shooter must be sure that the quarry was causing or about to cause damage at the time it was shot.

By definition a pest is a species whose numbers, appetite and destructive nature result in damage to food crops etc. so the need to control their numbers is obvious.

Using an air rifle to hunt at night, together with hand-held or scope mounted lamps, red-dot sights or modern Night Vision devices, is exciting.

Both rabbit and rat numbers have surged over recent years so, with permission, of course, there’s plenty of pest control available.

Hunting lamps, hand-held or scope mounted, are all you need for lamping success that and a bit of common sense.

The power source can be integral using re-chargeable batteries, or via a coiled flex to a 6v or 12v battery slung from a belt or your shoulder. Cordless lamps are more compact and simple but they are also heavier than flex types and you should remember this when making your mind up.

Hand-held types are not so easy to hold out at arm’s length for very long, but smaller models with stock-mounted power-packs are worth trying.

Reflector sizes vary from an inch or so to over a foot but air rifle models are mostly of the smaller variety, between 2in and 6in - which send the beam from a krypton or halogen bulb lancing out into the night to pick up the gleam from your quarry’s eyes.

Most lamps have a trigger-switch, which you can pull with one finger and on some you can also lock the trigger on, so your finger doesn’t tire with the strain of keeping the switch down.

All hunting lamps should be used sparingly. Just a quick flash round with the beam to pick out the targets, close the range down with a silent approach, pinpoint the rabbit in the light and take the shot.

This method will save your battery, increase the time you can be out, and help to gain a bigger bag by not disturbing other potential targets.

Any risk, no matter how slight, involved in your intended shot must mean giving up the stalk and simply trying somewhere else on the shoot. You must also be aware that it is illegal to shoot within 15 metres of the centre of any road, track, path or right of way.

The Country Code, mostly unwritten and defined over many centuries, has fundamentally changed recently, due to the Right to Roam. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CRoW) allows the general public access to far larger areas of the countryside than ever before but not unlimited access.

Large expanses of moorland, heathland, down land and mountain areas are now open but the act does not allow unlimited public access on private land, except via the many footpaths and bridleways that already exist.

Ordnance Survey maps of the British Isles include a key which defines the difference between county and parish boundaries, bridleways, tracks and paths with public footpaths and rights of way represented by red dotted lines and the word PATH or FP.

Road access points are indicated by signposts and the latest legislation has brought in another sign which indicates access to suitably designated areas.

Footpaths are also a standard width, 3 feet, which is wide enough for two people to pass without bumping into one another. But whatever the status of a path that crosses your shoot, the best advice is to avoid them whenever you can, and certainly when you are aware that there’s anyone using them.

As an air rifle hunter, respect for the countryside includes having the same sort of respect for yourself, and your sport.

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Catapult Hunting and UK Law

It is completely legal to shoot rabbits with a catapult with the intention to kill. So if you are looking for dinner you can use a catapult, it is legal.

However you must:

a. Have permission from the landowner to do so first!

b. Be proficient enough to be able to kill, and must use suitable projectiles to ensure this! For example steel ball bearings.

c. Intend to kill.

It is also important to note: The Wild Mammals Protection Act 1996 which makes it an offence to injure, maim, beat with sticks, torment, burn, wild animals etc. .

In other words not to kill but merely to cause suffering. Therefore if you are seen shooting at a rabbit time and time again without killing or stunning the rabbit only hitting it, this could be seen as contrary to this act, and would need to answer for it, possibly in court.

Therefore power, accuracy, using adequate and suitable projectiles, and at a range whereby an accurate shot will kill, is vital to be and be seen to be within the law.

Anyone hunt with a catapult?

When I was younger I used to make my own catapults and hunt rats, squirrels and pheasants with steel bearings.

SIMPLE CATAPULT PLINKING:

Use an old cardboard box, full of crumpled papers such as computer paper, newspaper etc., and take a couple of drawing pins, staples or tape etc. and fasten a target on the box - and shoot away. At the end of the session, you can take out the papers and shake them lightly, recovering your ammo - for your next volley.

Be sure to try various distances, and various sizes of ammo, and varying weights - practice as much as you can before actually going out hunting.

I usually like a bull’s eye of about two inches square, with the target placed about 10 feet away to start, and then extend my distance out to twenty five yards.

SIMPLE CATAPULT HUNTING:

Firstly, be ethical, and practice at home with your catapult before venturing out in to the field to hunt for rabbits, grouse, pheasants, pigeons, squirrels etc. We want good clean killing shots. As well, be ethical, and take only shots at close range, learn how to hunt various animals, so that you get very close to them before taking your shot.

Nearly any 'small game' can be shot and killed effectively at close range with a catapult, but rabbits & pheasants are likely the easiest because they often ‘stand still’ and will allow a catapult hunter to get within several feet allowing for an excellent shot.

Often these animals will hold tight for a second and even a third shot if need be. Your adrenaline will be surging - and you will experience 'buck fever' so - beforehand - practice, practice, practice!

Get as close as you can to your quarry, and by using the same catapult draw technique that you use for target shooting, but with the heavier hunting ammo, draw back, taking aim at the head of your target/quarry, and let fly!

Pigeons, especially in barns can also be great sport, in that one usually has an excellent shooting opportunity, and you won't put holes in the roof, either. Most farm folk don't like pigeons in their barn: pigeons are carriers of much disease!

Small glass marbles (like you played marbles with, as a kid!) work well for this plinking, and is a cheap source of ammo that is obtainable by all. I don't recommend using them for hunting purposes.

Eating Crows and Some Recipes

I think most people have a natural prejudice that has prevented most crow hunters from even considering this bird as wild game.

My experience is that the mere mention of dropping these birds on the menu brings a series of comments from my mates as if I had just suggested stir frying up a batch of common sewer rats.

And if you ever make the mistake of sharing these thoughts with a non-hunter, be prepared for the same reaction. This is a shame since, properly prepared, the members of the Corvid family are as tasty as most other game birds and even tastier than some.

Besides, with crow populations as high as they are, what an untapped resource we have at our disposal.

Historically, crows, as well as other non-songbird species have been common fare. Remember "four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie"? Our revulsion seems to centre around the fact that the crow and its close relatives are scavengers and therefore unfit to eat.

Well, as far as pigs and chickens are concerned, you just wouldn't believe what these supermarket critters will stick in their mouths.

Seafood? You honestly don't want to know what goes into a some shellfish before it ends up on that expensive seafood platter. I suppose the same goes for lobsters. The list goes on.

In short, it's really just our cultural prejudice that limits our possibilities. You know, maybe crow meat just needs some clever marketing terminology. Look what they did for Sweet Breads and Escargot...

Field Preparation

It will come as little surprise to anyone that even the biggest crow doesn't make much of a meal. However, the fact that it is often possible to take large numbers at a time can compensate for this.

Since a morning shoot can easily net from 10 to 100 birds, you want to limit the amount of time necessary to clean each bird. Put out of your head any idea of plucking a crow like you would a goose or duck.

Besides the breast meat, there just isn't enough edible meat on a crow to make it worthwhile. Using the technique described below, you can extract the best meat of a crow within a minute or two with very little mess.

Lay the crow on its back in front of you with its head pointed to the right.

Take a finger and locate where the breast bone meets the upper abdomen.

With a sharp knife, make a cut across the crow (wing to wing) below the breast bone. Don't be concerned about cutting too deep, no edible meat will be damaged with this cut.

Holding the birds feet with your left hand, place 2 or 3 fingers under the skin where the cut was made and pull in opposite directions. The skinless breast meat should now be exposed.

Take the knife again and separate each breast half away from the bone starting in the middle and working outward. You should end up with 2 lime sized pieces of crow breast. Discard the remains properly.

The meat can now be frozen, marinated or freshly prepared.

Recipes

Below are some recipes. Feel free to try these or to experiment with your own creation. There is no reason why any recipe for dove, quail or grouse to be found in a wild game cookbook would not work just as well.

Then you can decide whether to tell your guests what went into the recipe before or after they have finished. Bon Appetite!!

Pre-Cooking Preparation

Preparation

You can use this method with crows, coots, diver ducks and just about any fowl that may have a strong flavour.

Use as many breasts as you decide to grill and soak them from 2 hours to overnight in salt water then thoroughly rinse and dry the breasts.

Then use your favourite brand of Italian dressing and put enough to coat the bottom of a container you can put a lid on and put a layer of breasts, a layer of dressing, and keep layering till all the breasts are in the container. Finally, top off with dressing and put in fridge overnight. The next day they will be tender and tasty.

Summer Crow Layers

Ingredients

16 pieces of crow breast meat (no bones) (8 crows)

16 pieces of green pepper

16 cherry tomatoes

8 button mushrooms

8 ears of sweet corn

1 1/2 cups of Teriyaki sauce

1/2 cup melted butter

8 kabob skewers

Preparation

Cut each piece of crow in half and place in a covered bowl with the Teriyaki sauce over night. Clean and cut each ear of corn into 3 pieces. Cook in boiling salt water for 10 minutes.

Alternately put corn (3 pieces), green peppers (3 pieces) and cherry tomatoes (3) along with 4 pieces of crow meat on each skewer. Use 1 mushroom to top each skewer. Brush with melted butter and place on preheated grill for about 4 minutes. Flip, butter again and place back on grill for another 4 minutes. Repeat one last time for a total of 12 minutes or until they appear done. Serves four adults.

Country "C" Medallions

Ingredients

24 pieces of crow breast meat (no bones) (12 crows)

2 medium onions (chopped)

6 tblsp of oil

5 slices of bacon (chopped)

1 big or 2 small turnips (peeled & chopped)

1/3 of celery root (peeled & chopped) - note: substitute with celery

3 tblsp wet mustard

1 tblsp lemon juice

salt, pepper to taste

dash of paprika

2 bay leaves

2 juniper berries - note: substitute with allspice

1 tblsp Majorjam (crushed)

1 heaping tblsp of mayonnaise

water

Preparation

Sauté onions and bacon in oil until golden. Add meat, spices and sauté some more. Add vegetables and the rest of the ingredients except mayonnaise. Add enough water to keep the meat almost covered. Cook in a slow cooker on medium

In about 3 hours you will see that the meat is soft enough to cut with a fork. Take the meat out and place on heated platter or dish to keep warm. Remove the bay leaf and put all the gravy (about 2 cups) in a blender and blend. When thoroughly blended, add mayonnaise and blend shortly.

Add gravy to meat and serve over rice with a winter salad. Serves four adults.

Pan Fried Crow

Ingredients

2 eggs

seasoned bread crumbs or flour

oil or bacon grease

Preparation

Remove breast meat from as many crows as desired. Beat with meat mallet (for tenderizing). Dip the pieces in beaten egg and then in bread crumbs or flour. Fry in oil in hot skillet.

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