10 essential survival skills you need to know

What skills do you need to survive a disaster or emergency situation? Well, some of that depends on the nature of the situation. Here are 10 essential long term survival skills. by Leon Pantenburg Probably the most-asked question about wilderness survival and preparedness is: “Where do I start?” and/or “What are the most important skills …

Peter Kummerfeldt: How to build common sense emergency survival shelters

If we are to believe the survival manuals and the “how-to-survive” articles published in the popular outdoor press, building a shelter from natural shelters in an emergency should be a piece of cake!  After all, look at all the trees, bushes, bark and other natural materials you have to work with! by Peter Kummerfeldt Based …

How to survive a bear attack

What’s the best method for repelling bears? You might need some bear spray. by Blake Miller In my wilderness survival class, I am frequently asked what kind of gun would be the best defense against a bear attack.  I am asked “Is a rifle better than a pistol or what about a shotgun?”  Rarely does …

Review: Bark River Mountain Man knife – a classic design with modern materials

Looking for an all-around belt knife that is also a workhorse? Check out this classic pattern made with the latest materials. by Leon Pantenburg All it takes (for me to acquire yet another knife I don’t need) is a historic, classic pattern made with new, improved steel. This replica of a Hawken rifle and the …

Soapmaking 101 for a survival situation

Several years ago, I made soap out of deer tallow, and it worked very well. It was simple to do, but potentially dangerous! Here is an expert, Karla Moore, of Heart of Iowa Soapworks, to explain how to safely make soap during a survival situation. – Leon by Karla Moore In a survival situation cleanliness …

Cast iron review |Lodge L8CF3 Covered Chicken Fryer, Black, 3-Quart

The most-used pan in my kitchen is a 10-1/4-inch Lodge chicken fryer. Here’s why you might need one, too. by Leon Pantenburg In 1983, I was living in Vicksburg, Mississippi and working for the local newspaper. Journalists never make any money, and this first job gave new meaning to the term “starvation wages.” My  Lodge …

10 tips/secrets to improve your Dutch oven cooking

New to Dutch oven cooking? Or just want to get better at it? These tips might help by Leon Pantenburg The best cooking tool for preppers, survivalists, campers and foodies of all types, IMO, is the cast iron Dutch oven. For hundreds of years, cast iron has set the standard for utility, durability, even cooking …

Book review | Survival Hacks by Creek Stewart

“Survival Hacks: Over 200 ways to use everyday items for Wilderness Survival” by Creek Stewart by Leon Pantenburg For a do-it-yourselfer, wilderness survival is a natural. Us gearheads are always looking for the latest and most advanced equipment, but half the fun of preparedness and urban/wilderness survival is figuring out how to adapt ordinary items …

10 reasons your venison tastes “gamey” (and what you can do about it)

Don’t like venison? It tastes gamey? Solve these problems and enjoy the feast. by Leon Pantenburg My kids were raised on wild fish and game meat. So imagine my surprise when my daughter Mary came home after her first semester at college and announced she was now a vegetarian. The reason for the diet change, …

Review: The Fallkniven WM1 might be your favorite EDC knife

Really, what do you need in an everyday carry knife? by Leon Pantenburg I was not paid to do this review. KnivesShipFree.com is a SurvivalCommonSense sponsor, but did not supply the WM1 used in this post. Fallkniven has a sterling reputation for quality cutlery, and the WM1 Sporting Knife upholds that tradition. A smallish fixed …