Innehållsförteckning för July 2019 från American Outdoor Guide

Most people look forward to the warmer months of the year. Except for the oft-oppressive heat, invasions on the ground and in the air from insect pests, and the suffocating humidity, summer gives us the chance to get outside and stretch our legs after being cooped up indoors since last fall. The warmer weather also signals an increase in the occurrence of large gatherings for a variety of social, political and other causes. Many Americans take the opportunity to join their voices with like-minded folks to peacefully express their concerns, needs and wants in the hope that they can influence our leaders and others. Typically, those who disagree with those opinions gather to counter those efforts without incident; but, in some cases, violence ensues. While we can’t always see trouble…

A survivalist? No, although he loved to camp and fish. A nutritionist? No. He used plenty of white sugar and loved to deep-fry. A health food enthusiast? No. Read his recipes. A prepper? No. A communist? No. During the Depression, he was fond of communist literature, but he denounced communism by World War II. A Quaker? Yes. After marrying Freda, they both joined the Society of Friends. As Gibbons put it, "I became a Quaker because it was the only group I could join without pretending to beliefs that I didn't have or concealing beliefs that I did have." A vegetarian? Nope. Read his books. He ate many species of wildlife. A pragmatic wild-food enthusiast? Yes. Gibbons loved to live off the land and make delicious meals from what nature…

It is impossible to look at, or discuss, in one article every possible scenario you might face when dealing with fire. For additional information or even training, you should go to the professionals. Local Fire Department: Whether they are paid professionals or organized volunteers, the men and women here can provide a wealth of information and should be your first point of contact. State Fire Marshal: Every state is different, but a great deal of information can be obtained from your state’s fire marshal office. Federal agencies: The U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Park Service offer numerous programs and fact sheets.…

It’s not just a scare tactic put out there that going three to four days without water can kill you—it’s an absolute, indisputable fact! Science doesn’t lie, and when your body is severely lacking this precious liquid, very bad things happen. Headaches become intense, concentration diminishes, aches and pains develop, and your mouth, skin and lips become incredibly dry. In the worst cases, you risk suffering extreme fatigue, lethargy, accelerated heartbeat and, ultimately, death. Now, the important thing to remember is that not all water is safe to drink, no matter how tempting it is to your dry throat and thirsty lips. In fact, raw water found in lakes, ponds, rivers and even puddles is inundated with an assortment of contaminants and pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, molds and protozoa—all…

At American Survival Guide, we always say that the time to prepare for an emergency is before it happens. Following that logic, we think it is important for all Americans to take a break from their normal summer activities, just for a short time, in order to begin or check their plans and preparations for the 2019 hurricane and cyclone seasons. This year’s Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1 and runs through November 30. The Eastern Pacific season starts on May 15 and ends on November 30. That’s not to say there won’t be any hurricanes outside that window. These monster storms not only affect the coastal states, they can also impact almost the entire country in the forms of tornadoes, torrential rains, massive flooding, power and gas shortages,…

I could be philosophical and say that the benefit of restoring these old blades is the preservation of history. As true as that is, it is not something that motivates many people. But saving money does. Many of us lay out hundreds of dollars on knives and edged tools every year, but what would you say if you could get a really good blade for $20 and some elbow grease? These knives might look a little rough, but good-quality knives, axes and machetes can be found at yard sales for next to nothing. All you have to do is look for them and spend some time cleaning them up. Another plus gained from going through this process is gaining the ability to convert useful tools from other people’s junk. If…

In the late 1960s and early ’70s, a wave of ecological and “back to the land” awareness swept the country. This period saw the rise of the incredibly popular Mother Earth News magazine, communes ... and Euell Gibbons. Euell Gibbons was a man of modest means who loved to fish and forage and always wanted to be a writer. Aspiring to be a novelist, his first work was about a man who tried to live off the land by eating common weeds that grow everywhere. But Gibbons’ publisher told him to rewrite the book as a guidebook for identifying these wayside plants: Stalking the Wild Asparagus, first published in 1962, became a best-seller in the early 1970s, along with several other books. By 1974, Gibbons began to capitalize on his…

Ways of preventing a fire and ways of dealing with one should be part of your everyday life. However, sadly, too many times, it is not. Here are my top seven suggestions for being safe around fire: Plan Ahead: Have a plan in place that everyone in your family or group knows about. Practice this plan over and over, because it could save your life. Don’t be the “tough guy” and battle the flames if you don’t have to. But if you do, make proper practices and equipment part of the plan as well. Communications: Fire is nothing to mess with. If possible, call for help. Keep a fully charged cell phone and a two-way radio handy. Most local, state and federal agencies monitor emergency radio frequencies, so keep a…

Lead Star (803) 995-8843 www.LeadStarArms.com Accu-Tac (714) 980-1306 www.Accu-Tac.com BSF Barrels (262) 725-7727 www.BSFBarrels.com Hiperfire (651) 762-2800 www.Hiperfire.com Hornady (800) 338-3220 www.Hornady.com MagnetoSpeed (512) 284-8161 https://MagnetoSpeed.com Magpul (877) 462-4785 www.Magpul.com Mission First Tactical (267) 704-0001 www.MissionFirstTactical.com Sightmark (817) 225-0310 www.Sightmark.com Triple C Shooting Range (817) 727-8411 www.TripleCRange.com ZRODelta (828) 874-8560 https://ZRODelta.com…

Go light and fast! I have used hammocks by Byer of Maine due to their travel-friendly weight. One model is the Traveller Lite Hammock. It weighs about 11 ounces. I can add my own bug net/tarp combo to it, and it will still weigh well under 2 pounds. A mosquito net in the jungle is absolutely indispensable. Without it, you will surely slap away all night while blurting out profanities. In addition, with diseases such as malaria and dengue fever around, sleeping without a bug net is a bad idea. Unfortunately, the Traveller Lite Hammock didn’t have a mosquito net. For years, Pro Force mosquito nets have been a mainstay with a few of us who frequent the Peruvian rain forest. They have small metal rings (reinforced) for easy setup.…

Timm Irvine-Smith was born in Zimbabwe, but his family soon moved to South Africa, where he was raised in an isolated rural region of the country (where learning wilderness survival and navigation skills were part of a normal way of life). After finishing his bachelor of arts degree—majoring in philosophy and law—and thereafter bachelor of laws, he left university in 1993 and went overseas. He stayed in the United Kingdom with his father during 1993 and did multiple close-protection courses with ex-22 SAS (Lofty Wiseman) and Royal Protection Unit (Dennis Martin) instructors. Irvine-Smith was opposed to apartheid, but he was optimistic that change was on the horizon. Not long after he returned to South Africa in 1994, apartheid ended. Irvine-Smith joined the newly formed Criminal Intelligence Service, for which he…

Some people come to me with rusty, old wrenches, hammers, screwdrivers and such. They ask me what they can do with them to make them useful again. Perhaps they found them at a yard sale, or maybe they belonged to their great-grandfather. What I tell them is to get a 5-gallon bucket and plenty of regular Coca-Cola. Fill the bucket with the Coke and put the tools in it. Let them soak until the rust is removed. Coke, for whatever reason, will eat away the rust. Once the rust is gone, wash the tools and thoroughly dry them. Then, lubricate any moving parts and apply a thin layer of oil to keep them in great shape.…

5.11 Tactical EDC PL 2 AAA Penlight • This flashlight is light and clips right into your pocket or pack. It uses two AAA batteries, has a continuous runtime of four hours and is rated at 107 lumens. With batteries, it weighs 2.14 ounces. It is water and impact resistant. MSRP: $24.99 www.511Tactical.com Swiss+Tech BodyGard PTX • This is a 3-in-1 emergency tool that includes a seatbelt cutter, glass breaker and LED flashlight. It comes with a replaceable battery, along with a keychain connector. MSRP: $8 www.SwissTechTools.com Gerber Impromptu Tactical Pen • This is a very high-quality tool that was developed with law enforcement officials. The pen allows you to write in all weather conditions; it also has an integrated glass-breaker tip and a steel body. It measures around 5…