July 2019

DON’T MISS: THINGS I’D DO DIFFERENTLY STARTING OVER

FIVE AREAS TO BETTER FOCUS YOUR PREPS

IN THIS ISSUE:

JULY 2019

SMART STRATEGIES FOR NIGHT HUNTING

OVERLOOKED SCAVENGING LOCATIONS

WHY YOU SHOULD BE GROWING MUSHROOMS

MY CAMPFIRE FLATBREAD RECIPE

THE PERFECT LOCATIONS FOR YOUR CACHES

CHALLENGES WITH YOUR FIRST FIREARM and more…

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JULY 2019

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Contents

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FEATURED

THINGS I'D DO DIFFERENTLY IF I WAS STARTING OVER I'm a big fan of living without regrets. If there's something you want to do, just do it. This mentality took me abroad for work, all over different countries, and let me to the homestead…

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FIVE AREAS TO BETTER FOCUS YOUR PREPS There's no doubt that being a survivalist is tough. There's so many things you need to consider, plan for, with contingencies in place, your attention is forever being pulled in new directions…

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OVERLOOKED LOCATIONS FOR SCAVENGING No matter how well you plan, eventually, there will be something you need. Perhaps you overlooked it in your preparations, or an accident and some unforeseen circumstances mean…

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HOW TO MAKE SIMPLE CAMPFIRE FLATBREAD There's more to roughing it under the stars than surviving off MRE's or the fish you were hoping to catch, and I'd like to share with you a simple recipe that makes an appearance on…

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OVERCOME THESE CHALLENGES WITH YOUR FIRST FIREARM Guns are a key feature in almost every survival website. But in addition to learning the basics, having the right training, and spending hours and hours on the range, you can still get it wrong…

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SMART STRATEGIES TO HUNT AT NIGHT There's a few things to keep in mind when you’re planning to hunt at night. Especially if you want to improve your chances you'll be bringing home a fresh catch on each hunting trip…

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WHY YOU SHOULD BE GROWING YOUR OWN MUSHROOMS One crop I've been experimenting with lately have been mushrooms. Not the magic type, just plain old button mushrooms. They're fantastic in a salad, with pasta, and are a crop you can…

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PLANNING PERFECT LOCATIONS FOR YOUR CACHES Having hidden caches of supplies could very well make all the difference when the SHTF. Perhaps you've been unable to make it home and you need to resupply, or you've been forcibly…

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DON'T LET THESE SURVIVAL MYTHS BE YOUR UNDOING With the snowballing popularity of survival shows, there's been an unfortunate shift in the industry we all know and love. Sensationalist television is actually doing you a disservice…

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VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JULY 2019

THINGS I'D DO DIFFERENTLY IF I WAS STARTING OVER I'm a big fan of living without regrets. If there's something you want to do, just do it. This mentality took me abroad for work, all over different countries, and let me to the homestead we're happily working on today. But looking back, it's not all sunshine and daisies. Hindsight is a killer, and I'm a little embarrassed at the mistakes I've made along the way. I may not be sporting too many grey hairs just yet but I do have some time on my belt, and as a survivalist approaching his mid-40's I'd like to share a few things with you. Things I wish someone had told me, had I the foresight to actually listen. The mistakes I've made, and what I'd do differently if I was starting over. Of course, it could be argued that the path I took in life took me exactly where I needed to be (which is right here), but I still believe I'd have arrived a heck of a lot faster if someone told me this. So, sit up, and pay attention. You're about to get a brain-dump of what matters most. YOU NEED MORE THAN BOOK KNOWLEDGE Despite the wealth of information available in print, or even video content

online, when it comes to survival planning "book knowledge" is not enough. Anyone who has ever struggled to assemble a tent, or setup an Ikea cupboard – you know what I'm talking about. And forget trying to start a fire with a couple of bits of wood. It's tough, and not like the books. There's a big difference between understanding how to do something, and actually being able to do it. And in survival, theory is a pale substitute for real experience. When my first shelter collapsed under the wind and I spent a long, cold night contemplating what had gone wrong, that's when I realized. I wasn't a survivalist. I was a survival geek. I needed to embrace my inner outdoorsman and put everything I had studied into practice, if I wanted to have any hope of actually using the information I accumulated in a real situation, I needed real-life experience. Make sure you're practicing in the outdoors. YOU NEED TO STAY CRAZYLEVEL ORGANIZED In the military there are logistics

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officers who have a full-time job of keeping all of their supplies in order. It's an important task, because if they get it wrong, the very survival of their troops comes into question. No ammo, or no food, and things go very wrong. For me, I'm basically the opposite of organized. Struggled for years to even put a system in place, and it was only a couple of years back I decided to plan it all out. In doing so I discovered expired items on my shelves, food that the rats had gotten to, and when I ran the numbers, my stockpile covered far fewer months than I thought it would.

“Make sure you’re practicing in the outdoors…”

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JULY 2019 cont. It's important to be organized, use a system with your preps, so you know exactly where you stand and what you've got. Without the data, you're shooting in the dark, and potentially even putting your family in a bad situation as well. YOU CAN'T GET CAUGHT UP ON THE CONSPIRACIES It's almost a rabbit hole when you start doing your research, and as a selfconfessed survival geek I went full throttle. Considering the big-ticket disasters, like a response to a nationwide EMP or a large-scale nuclear attack. In addition to wasting countless hours on research, I dropped thousands of dollars into supplies that were the survival equivalent of a Ferrari. Flashy, but not really necessary. Some have proved smart buys, like my generator, others, like my night vision goggles have sat unused on a shelf for months. The right way to do survival is to focus on the basics, the disasters most likely to happen. Of course, once you've got these covered by all means, start considering your radiation fallout plans, but only once you've got a foundation in place. The most likely threats. That's the best use of your time, and you should adapt your training and preparation accordingly. It's also the best use of your money, putting it towards the investments you need to make for the most probably disasters. Don't buy silly gear that you don’t need. YOU CAN'T LET YOURSELF GO PHYSICALLY With time, a busy life, kids, a homestead, whatever it is going on in your life, it's common for fitness to take a back seat. I'm guilty of it myself. When I get busy at work I let my health slide, from what I'm eating to the time I spend working out. But that's a massive mistake. One I realized after a brief hike with a couple of younger survivalists we were training. It was one of the first treks I'd done after a long winter of inactivity, and it put me on my ass. I struggled to keep up, with my pack on, and after I got home it must have been a week before I felt "right" again.

It was then I vowed to never let myself go again. Regular hikes now feature in my family's life, no matter what else is going on – to ensure I've got the physical fitness needed to bug out effectively. And that doesn't even cover personal security and self defense. Without constant exercise, training and conditioning, how can you possibly hope to hold your own in a fight. Perhaps it's someone wanting to take what you have, whether it's your resources, or even your family. You owe it to them to be able to protect your loved ones. So, sign up for some selfdefense classes, even once a week will make a remarkable difference over the long run.

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Now I get these are all pretty logical, and you're probably thinking – we'll sure, I get it. But if you want to have any hope of surviving the crisis that does come, apply these principles. Learn from my mistakes. I'd love to know how much better I'd have fared with the skills and experience I have today, but that's not how it works. All I can do is share everything I've learnt from 20+ years in the game, and hope you don't make the same mistakes as I did.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JULY 2019

FIVE AREAS TO BETTER FOCUS YOUR PREPS There's no doubt that being a survivalist is tough. There's so many things you need to consider, plan for, with contingencies in place, your attention is forever being pulled in new directions. And that's before you even throw your job, family, and everything else in your life into the picture. It's almost overwhelming. But I'd like to reassure you here. A survivalist mindset doesn't require an immediate switch. Think of it more like a marathon, with every step forward you take you're one step more prepared, readier to face whatever challenge comes your way. And while stockpiling supplies, guns and ammo is usually the recommendation, today I'd like to touch on five focus areas I think all survivalists should prioritize. Get this right, and you'll be in a much better position to weather a crisis. START GROWING YOUR OWN FOOD Gardening is tough, and requires a knack that only comes with experience. The sad part these days, is we're losing touch. Watching YouTube videos instead of doing-it-ourselves. What you need to focus on is your own garden. Through research, trial and error, you'll quickly discover what plans grow well in your area, the seasons you need to consider, and also what's required should you ever need to scale up your food production. Of course, in a crisis you can't expect a garden to start producing immediately. Most plants will require anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks or more to even start producing. So, start your garden now. Prepare a small area in your yard so you can be a little more self-sustaining if the situation ever calls for it. If not, you're getting outside (and some exercise) each time you work on it, and you'll still get to enjoy all the fresh, home-grown produce you can eat. On this line of thought I'd also recommend reading up on your local plants, trees and edibles. A little knowledge could give you access to herbal remedies and medicines, or even overlooked food sources once the SHTF.

S TA R T B O O S T I N G Y O U R HOMESTEADING SKILLS It's easy to rely on someone else when you've got handymen, plumbers and pretty much every other tradesman within reach, from just a click on a website or a phone call away. But in a crisis, these same skills will become invaluable. On our homestead we've made a pledge to fix everything ourselves (within reason, and of course following all s a f e t y r u l e s, r e q u i r e m e n t s a n d regulations), and I've seen a massive improvement in my skills as the months pass. I’ve done bathroom renovations, patching our roof, and as such now have a ready supply of tools and building materials on hand, that we have the skills and expertise now to use effectively. Should a storm break a window in the night, or the roof start leaking, or anything wrong in out plumbing, I've got a pretty good idea on how to get it fixed up quick. Without relying on a tradesman or anyone else, it's just one more step towards self-reliance. S TA R T I M P R OV I N G YO U R TRAPPING SKILLS There's almost a love-affair with the idea of "bugging out and living off the land." I can tell you, as someone who is striving to do just this, it's bloody hard. Of course, we've got our fair share of firearms in our stockpile, but active hunting like this isn't the most effective use of our time. Bringing a big buck home provides a heap of meat, but trapping is a much smarter way to provide a reliable source of meat. Snares and deadfall traps make for great do-it-yourself videos, but they're just not practical. My advice is to buy the cast iron metal traps (yes, the ones your grandfather probably trapped with), and learn how to use them. We've rabbit traps out most nights, and they consistently bring us fresh meat, all we need to do is set them, and check in the morning. It's a 20-minute job, and frees up a bunch of time for us to focus on everything else that needs doing. START LEARNING HOW TO FISH I'm lucky as one of my first survival skills I was taught was how to fish.

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From tying lines to repairing rods, I had my first fishing set handed down to me when I was five, and I've still actually got that rod today (though it has been repaired a couple of times). You need to learn how to effectively source fish from your local ponds, rivers, stream or ocean. Line fishing is a nice recreational hobby, but if you're relying on it for food you're going to want more than one hook in the water. Fish traps and baskets are a great way to set-and-forget it, and we have crab pots out when they're in season and enjoy a nice seafood dinner a couple of nights a week. Think about netting too, and also collecting and harvesting shellfish. You can get plenty of protein with very little effort if you're smart about the fishing strategies you use. START YOUR OWN PREPPER COMMUNITY We've touched on the importance of a survival group in a number of posts, and I want to re-iterate it here. It takes time to develop strong and trusting relationships in your local community, so my advice is to start now. In a serious disaster, you want to be able to rely on your neighbours, helping the entire community pull together instead of falling apart at the first sign of crisis. We've been involved in almost every activity that's come up, and have made a concerted effort to hone and develop relationships with the people who live around us. It'll make all the difference when the SHTF. Smart survivalists are the ones who understand there's more to being prepared than sitting on a mountain of tinned beans with an AR-15. The people and families who will survive, are those who understand there is a bigger picture, and put their energy into these five focus areas. Where have you been spending your time?

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JULY 2019 There could be people inside, they could be armed. There're a thousand things that could go wrong if you jump the gun on this one. So slow down. Take the time (at least a couple of hours, and it's better if you check on a couple of different days), to see what's what. Only ever head into what's obviously an abandoned location. BE PREPARED FOR A NIGHT STRIKE You can use the cover of darkness to conceal your approach, and timing it in the latest possible hours (after 2 or 3am), will ensure most people are already sleeping. Remember though, moving quietly at night is difficult, and you may not be as fast. And don't forget to allocate enough time to get yourself (and your scavenged supplies) home again before the sun comes up and you're a sitting duck. THE TOOL'S YOU'LL NEED

OVERLOOKED LOCATIONS FOR SCAVENGING No matter how well you plan, eventually, there will be something you need. Perhaps you overlooked it in your preparations, or an accident and some unforeseen circumstances mean you're about to leave your bug out and venture out to scavenge what you need. START WITH A GAME PLAN The key to a successful resource run is your game plan. Identify exactly what you need, and head to a location that is most likely to have it. There's no point hoping to find winter gear in a grocery store, and likewise, you're probably not going to find prescription medicine in a restaurant. Because you're essentially going out into the world to steal. Walking out the door in the middle of the day, trying to break into a location could get you in some very serious trouble, not to mention the people you come across who may decide to follow you home, rob you for the gear you've got, or perhaps something even more sinister. MAPPING OUT LOCATIONS What you can do today is to identify targets. One of my rituals is a morning jog, and while a good way to stay fit there's another motive. I use my run as to scout locations, routes, and learn the ins-and-outs of my neighbourhood.

Once I get home, I've got a binder that covers my local neighbourhood in detail, including print outs from Google Maps marked with everything I've discovered. Perhaps it's a walkway that's not listed on a map, or a new store that's sprung up. That way I've always got a working "road map" of routes and potential targets. Here's what you should look out for: • Offices and abandoned businesses. • Government buildings. • Large distribution centers. • Local churches and charities. • Self-storage facilities. • Boats moored at the marina. • Mechanics and auto-repair shops. • Schools, universities, hospitals, libraries, public buildings. • Pawn shops. You'll notice that I'm not planning on targeting homes, or cars, or anything like that. Not only is it inherently dangerous (you're much more likely to find people at home), if I'm at my absolute last resort and I do have to scavenge, I don't want to be taking it from someone who may need it. SCOUT OUT THE LOCATION Before you walk in to a potentially deadly situation, it's a smart idea to case the location.

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Being prepared with the right tools will make a supply run that much more efficient, as a locked or barricaded door can be broken through. Consider packing tools like a pry bar, a lock-picking kit, and perhaps even a set of bolt cutters. Red-light headlamps will help you to see without spotlighting your presence, and don't forget a large backpack to carry your supplies home. Oh, and of course, your firearm, pepper spray, and anything else you need to protect yourself. GET HOME SAFE Finally, once you've got what you came for, it's time to get out. Be as quiet and methodical as possible, and avoid bringing any undue attention to yourself. Don't head directly home, just in case you're followed. You don't want to lead anyone to your home and your family. The smart move is to choose a waypoint, a location where you have the upper hand, and can sit and wait, watching closely to ensure you're still completely alone. Only once you're sure the coast is clear, head home with your new-found supplies. Scavenging in a crisis could very well be the ticket that helps your family survive just a little longer, but you need to do it the right way. Be smart, plan in advance, scout ahead, and know exactly what you're going to do once you get in, to get out fast and get home safe.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JULY 2019

HOW TO MAKE SIMPLE CAMPFIRE FLATBREAD There's more to roughing it under the stars than surviving off MRE's or the fish you were hoping to catch, and I'd like to share with you a simple recipe that makes an appearance on nearly every hike or camping trip we do. Not only is it super simple to make, it's a good filler that gives you a nice boost of carbs when you're burning a bunch of energy in the outdoors.

It's light, and I usually carry enough for 2 or 3 batches without taking up too much space in my bag.

You will need:

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Plus, there's something warm and welcoming about making your own bread.

1 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup water

Or whatever other, seed, herb or spice you prefer. Because it’s such a simple recipe to make, you can mix it up however you like

Your kids will love it, and it may just be the thing that helps calm them down when the whole world is going to chaos around them. Mine even help me to prepare and cook it. It's "their" job now whenever we're heading off on a trek. Of course, while it's a gourmet option for the road, it's also something you can easily make if you're looking for a little variety in your cooking at your bug out or when the SHTF. And depending on the herbs and seeds you have available; the recipe is very flexible. You can make it sweet or savory, as the core to the mix is simply flour and water. All we do is a little prep beforehand. Mixing the dry ingredients together, then double-bagging it in a couple of ziplock bags so I don't create a flour explosion in my kit.

Here's how to make it. M A K I N G YO U R C A M P F I R E FLATBREAD

I'd recommend doing this, as the simple flatbread recipe is pretty basic. Things I like to add to change it up: Fresh blackberries (makes it sweet) Dried raisins (makes it sweet) Wild leeks (wild onion) Garlic powder Sunflower seeds

Oh, and something to mix it in, which can double as the pot to cook it all. We prepare the whole mix in advance, then just forage for any additional ingredients on the trail. This makes the end result quite a bit tastier, though after a day hiking I'm usually just about ready to eat anything that's warm and hot off the fire. IMPROVING THE FLATBREAD RECIPE With this recipe you're going to get about four small servings, and once you've made it a couple of times you'll get the hang of it quick. Then you're going to want to start experimenting, adding different flavors to change the taste.

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“Just because you're on the trail, you don’t have to suffer...”

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JULY 2019 cont. COOKING YOUR CAMPFIRE FLATBREAD When you're ready to cook your bread, of course you need a fire going. Get that done first, so it can die down a bit and give you a nice bed of coals for cooking. When making the dough, the trick is to get it the right consistency. Go slowly, adding the water a little at a time until it's sticking together, but not too sticky. If you've not got a pot, you can mix it right in the ziplock bag, eventually turning it into a semi-dry ball of dough that you can handle without it sticking to you. You'll know you're doing it right when you've got a big doughy ball. If it's crumbling, you need more water. If it's sticking to everything, you've added too much water and need a little more flour (or to just cook it as is). Once your dough is made, separate it into four equal parts. To cook it, you've got a couple of options. You can press the dough balls flat, and fry it in a little oil in a pan over the fire. This is the easiest way, but only works if you've got the right cooking gear. Once it starts to bubble and brown in spots, flip it and cook the other side. Depending on the size of your fire and the thickness of your flatbread, it'll take roughly 5 to 7 minutes to cook. Serve it fresh. Hot off the fire, and enjoy. COOKING FLATBREAD WITHOUT A PAN If you're really travelling light, and have no pan to cook it in, you've still got an option. This is what I usually do when I'm hiking alone, as I like to cut down the weight in my bag as much as possible and "rough it" in the wild.

I look for something about a half inch thick, so it's strong and sturdy to hold the dough. Bonus points if you can find a forked branch that'll hold it in place even more securely. Instead of flattening the dough into balls, you want to now roll it like a rope. Making it about as thick as your thumb, then spiraling it around the branch like a kind of bush pretzel. The consistency of your dough is important here, it needs to stay put once you wrap it on, so it doesn't fall off into the fire. Too dry and you'll lose it as it cooks. Better to make it a little on the sticky side if you're planning on cooking it this way.

But I do like my bread.

Then just hold the dough out over the fire and grill it over the coals, much like you would a giant marshmallow on a stick. It'll take a little longer to cook like this, but it's usually done in about 10 minutes and is a great option for those without a pan.

Go find a long branch, and clean off the end.

Then just break off the pieces and enjoy.

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KEEPING FLATBREAD OVERNIGHT If you've got leftovers or want to prepare your breakfast in advance for an early start in. the morning, this flatbread will keep overnight, but you can't leave it out. The air will harden the bread, and it'll be tough as hell in the morning. But you have a simple solution. Simply put the cooked bread back in your ziplock bag you brought the mix in. Let it cool down of course, then seal it shut. The airtight lock ensures it'll still be fresh in the morning, though I do like to warm it up a touch before eating it for breakfast. Just because you're on the trail, you don’t have to suffer. And this flatbread recipe is a great addition to any campfire meal, that's ridiculously easy to make.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JULY 2019

OVERCOME THESE CHALLENGES WITH YOUR FIRST FIREARM Guns are a key feature in almost every survival website. But in addition to learning the basics, having the right training, and spending hours and hours on the range, you can still get it wrong. I’d like to explain what you may be doing wrong, to help you become a better shot. And better yet, following these guidelines will not only improve your accuracy, but make it far less likely you actually injure yourself with all that time you're spending on the range. IMPROVING YOUR AIM The correct aim technique is probably the most vital skill to develop when you're learning to shoot. Even if you've been practicing a lot, consistent accuracy is difficult, even for the professionals. When your eyes start getting tired and you're no longer focused on the sights correctly, your aim will falter and your accuracy fail. It's a fact of life. To solve it you need to take it one step at a time. My advice is to start working on the front sight, focusing on this alone, to improve your aim. Of course, you need to repeat this with both livefire and dry-fire exercises, with a goal to rapidly shift your focus from the target to your sight, without moving your arms or jerking the trigger as you shoot.

The gun should feel comfortable and firm in your hand, not tight, and the trigger press needs to be one smooth consistent action. Don't squeeze or snap your finger as you shoot. Make it a deliberate press that keeps your firearm as still as possible. I M P ROV E YO U R T R I G G E R PRESS Building on the last point, it's critical to ensure you're not pressing the trigger the wrong way. Your finger should move in one dedicated path backwards, without any sideways movement. If you're struggling with this, it could be you're not pressing hard enough, or you're not moving your finger straight backwards. And that results in a jerky movement that will affect your accuracy when the gun does fire. To solve this, I like to position the trigger just between the pad of my index finger and the first knuckle. Not the tip of your finger, the trigger should be almost "hooked" into place, so that as you pull it towards you the trigger moves in one fluid motion. Work on improving your trigger pull, until it's smooth, and your accuracy will skyrocket. IMPROVE YOUR THUMB POSITION

IMPROVING YOUR TARGET HITS

One potential problem with your accuracy is what's known as thumbing.

If you're consistently hitting your target too low, that's a problem too. It happens because you're pre-anticipating the recoil of the shot, which is causing your hands and arms to tense up. Shooting while highly tensed up like this causes jerky movements, that are usually evident with a series of target hits that are too low. To solve it you need to work on improving your aim, but more importantly your grip.

When you're shooting, if you're not conscious of it your thumb will rotate (usually clockwise for a right-handed shooter) which pulls all your shots to the right. It's caused from an improper grip, or a handle on your firearm that's too big for you. To solve it, you need to work on relaxing your grip. I like to position the thumb of my shooting hand firmly on top of the supporting thumb underneath.

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So, I know and can feel when it's in the right position. Then take a breath. The key to good shooting is calm, and if you're stiff and stressed your accuracy will suffer. As you press the trigger be wary of your wrist and thumbs, any movement and you'll need to reposition for the next shot. IMPROVE YOUR RESPONSE TO RECOIL The first time I shot a gun I thought recoil was something to overcome. A reaction that I needed to fight against, to keep my handgun in the same position. If you've ever shot a large calibre shotgun, you know how futile this is, but it doesn't stop you from anticipating and tensing right before you shoot. Doing this can push your shots down, so you hit the targets lower than you were intending. To solve it, you need to learn to love the recoil. It's a natural reaction to your gun being shot, and you shouldn't be fighting against it. Just let it happen, as it's the next step once the bullet fires, but letting the gun move will not affect your aim. Just let it flow, let the gun rise up as it needs to, then bring it back down into shooting position for your next shot. So, take a breath, and relax as you shoot. Being relaxed throughout this whole shooting process also makes it less likely you injure yourself. Tensing up puts stress on your wrists and elbows with every shot, and can result in pulled muscles or worse injuries if you're not careful. And that's the opposite of what you want. Be wary of these five challenges as you're learning to shoot, especially if it’s the first time you've owned a gun and are figuring it all out for the first time. With practice, you’ll start improving fast, every time you step on the range.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JULY 2019 Well, it depends. First and foremost, I'd consider just how much night hunting you'll be doing. Because they are expensive, and there are so many different ways you can spend your hard-earned cash onsurvival. If you're a regular night time hunter, or are planning to be, it could very well be the best money you spend. You'll spot more game, and have more opportunities on every hunt. Plus, you get dual use out of it. A night vision scope not only helps your hunting game, it could prove the difference between successfully holding off an attack on your property when the SHTF, because you can see the intruders creeping in, once night falls. THE CALLS TO DRAW YOUR PREY

SMART STRATEGIES TO HUNT AT NIGHT There's a few things to keep in mind when you’re planning to hunt at night. Especially if you want to improve your chances you'll be bringing home a fresh catch on each hunting trip. THE ANIMALS IN YOUR AREA First and foremost, is your target prey. Some animals are far more active at night, and with your lights and a little noise, you can flush them out easy, and this is actually my favorite tactic for hunting rabbits. But you've got to remember, you're not the only one doing the hunting. If you're in an area with a large concentration of deadly animals, large cats, wolves and even bears, my advice would be to stick to the day. You don't want to get on the wrong side of a wild animal at night, when you're much more likely to become the prey. THE LOCATION YOU'RE HUNTING Finding the perfect location will make all the difference to a successful night hunt. You can choose to sit in your hide and wait them out, but you need to remember most animals have far better night vision than you (yes, even the ones hunting you).

I'd recommend finding somewhere that you can't be snuck up on, with your back protected yet giving you a clear view out to the surrounding area. If you're in a group, stay close to each other so you can continue to communicate. THE RIGHT LIGHTING COLORS We touched on this in the last point, but you're not going to be a very successful night hunter if you can’t see. Especially if you're targeting the fast, predatory animals with your hunt, you need light to see your target. Bright, white spotlights are what most people consider, but in my experience, these are really only good with small game like rabbits. Bigger targets, like foxes, coyotes and even bobcats will simply slink away, and you'll never even know they were there. Red lights are better, softening the glow while creating that illuminating effect in an animals eye that helps you pick them out in the shadows. Just don't spotlight your prey directly, shine above their heads so you don't spook them. THE NIGHT QUESTION

VISION

Do I need to invest in night vision goggles (or a scope)?

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Any experienced hunter knows the power of a call, and they work wonders at night. I've lured bobcats and coyotes close with deer and duck calls, as they come to investigate what sounds like an animal in distress. At night, when you've got a limited hunting area and almost zero visibility, you need a good hunting call to bring the animals right to you. Then all you need to do is light them up and take the shot. THE PATIENCE TO DO IT RIGHT My dad was an avid fisherman, and he had a level of patience that I can only hope to develop one day. You need patience, especially at night, to avoid getting frustrated, bored (or even tired), while you're waiting for your targets. I've set my watch to vibrate silently every 4 minutes to remind me to do another round of calls, and I try to be in each location at least 45 minutes to an hour. That gives the wilderness around you time to settle down after you've moved, and hopefully forget you're even there so you can lure your prey right to you. Armed with the right mindset, plan and hunting gear, a night hunt becomes a challenging and rewarding experience I'm sure you'll love as much as I do. The whole atmosphere of an area changes as night falls, adding another level of thrill to each hunt. Plus, it gives you the chance, practice and experience you need to become a more reliable hunter (while honing your night shooting skills, just in case). Stay safe out there.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JULY 2019

WHY YOU SHOULD BE GROWING YOUR OWN MUSHROOMS One crop I've been experimenting with lately have been mushrooms. Not the magic type, just plain old button mushrooms. They're fantastic in a salad, with pasta, and are a crop you can grow indoors, in controlled conditions, throughout the entire year. I'm amazed at how easy it is to grow these, though there are a few things to remember. Yes, even in winter, you can keep your mushroom crops growing which is what made this particular crop so interesting for me. A way to add fresh produce to my diet, without concern for what the weather outside is doing. It's fantastic how well they grow, in conditions that would have other plants curled up and dead. FINDING A PLACE FOR YOUR MUSHROOMS Normally you find mushrooms growing in the damp, dark corners of the forest, so you're going to need to setup a similar area for your mushroom crops. Stable temperatures in the 60's, with very little sunlight. Basements work well, though you can also naturally seed these into nearby areas of forest if the conditions are right. In our property, we had an old barn-style shed that actually has its own basement. It was originally just a pit for auto repairs, but we expanded it intending it to be another store for our stockpile, but there's a spring or something nearby and it's just too wet to be any use.

“easiest way to get started is to buy the pre-made kits…”

But it's perfect for mushrooms. So, we put it to use, with a few shelves and some heat pads, and the mushroom zone was ready to grow. CREATING YOUR GROW AREA The trouble with mushrooms is that the perfect environment they need is also the perfect conditions for mold, and that's the last thing you want contaminating your food, or your home. It's imperative you keep the area as sterile as possible. I've got rubbing alcohol on hand to wipe down any tools, equipment and my hands before I touch any grow boxes, and this also includes any spray bottles to water your crops. We've got heat pads down to help stabilize the temperature during winter, and of course, no need for growing lights! SETTING UP YOUR BOXES Mushrooms like the dark, and the easiest way to get started is to buy the pre-made kits from a local gardening store. Just add water and put them in place, and within a week you'll start to see the mushrooms sprouting. Building them your own requires the addition of sterile growth medium, into trays lined with thick plastic and seeded with the spores of mushrooms you've bought from the supermarket and dried. Personally, I started with the kits, and then just saved a mushroom or two from each crop to re-seed these each round, with a little extra fertilizer too. GROWING YOUR MUSHROOMS After a couple of days, the white roots will start to form, cover it with about an inch of fine soil, cover the grow box with plastic wrap, and keep the entire setup moist, not wet. You should see small mushrooms forming in a week, though some species do take longer. Mushrooms are a little unique in that the crops grow in batches known as "flushes" but it means the same thing. From a single crop, you might get several rounds of growth, with smaller mushrooms growing in place of the larger ones you've harvested. Which brings me to an important point. The growth medium, the soil in your box is precious. You need to take care not to contaminate it at all (or you risk ruining future crops), and you need to be very careful during har vest to avoid damaging the delicate root system of the mushrooms.

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I like to use a pair of sharp scissors, carefully cutting each har vested mushroom at the stem, while leaving all the roots intact. That way, more will grow. COLLECTING MORE SPORES Collecting mushroom spores for future batches was never overly difficult, but there's a right way to do it to ensure you don't contaminate future crops. Select large, fully formed and fullygrown mushrooms for this, and harvest them as close to the cap as possible. Taking a clean, white sheet of paper, lay the mushroom cap down on it, so the "gills" of the mushroom are resting on the paper. Drip a few drops of sterile water on the top of the mushroom cap, then cover the entire thing with a glass cup or bowl. Let it sit for 24 to 36 hours. Once the time has passed, lift it up and you'll see a pattern that looks like the under-side of the mushroom on the paper. That's your mushroom spores. You can store these in a sterilized and water-tight container until you need them. Our mushroom boxes are producing almost more mushrooms than we can eat, week-in, week-out. And they only need to be re-seeded every other month. It's one of the best "hands-off" bits of produce we've got on our homestead, and it's completely out of sight, and out of mind. Not only is our grow area relatively secluded (in case anyone comes raiding our garden crops), it's making use of a space that was previously sitting empty. That's a winning combination in my book, and the end result is more mushrooms than we know what to do with. Providing variety and nutrition no matter what.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JULY 2019

PLANNING PERFECT LOCATIONS FOR YOUR CACHES Having hidden caches of supplies could very well make all the difference when the SHTF. Perhaps you've been unable to make it home and you need to resupply, or you've been forcibly removed from your home and you need some gear and supplies to make it to your bug out location. Being equipped to survive will help you stay alive. The military is the best example of this technique. With proper supply, their operations run smooth, as they can keep troops armed and in place, right where they need to be. Smart logistical support is the reason they're so damn effective. Everyone from the special forces to the intelligence agencies are using hidden caches. Yes, even the bad guys too. If you're wanting to build redundancies into your survival planning, a strategy that includes the perfect location for your caches is prepping 101.

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR CACHE? This is a somewhat personal question, as it all depends on your survival plans. What I've got stored at each cache varies quite significantly. Some close to my home just contain firearms and ammunition. Others further afield contain mostly stockpiled food and outdoor gear. I've even created a separate (hidden) storage bunker close to my bug out location, so while the cabin appears empty, there is almost 6 months' worth of water, food and gear in easy reach. Once you know what to include in each cache, it becomes easier to know where to hide it. WHERE TO HIDE YOUR CACHES? For this step Google Maps will come in handy. Look at every route you're planning to take as you bug out.

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The goal is to get one cache along each route, so change it to Google Street View and walk the path (or get your boots on and hike out each route). You're looking for landmarks that you can use, but have enough cover for you to approach unseen.

“Being equipped to survive will help you stay alive…”

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JULY 2019 FUNDAMENTALS FOR A GOOD CACHE SITE: • • • • • •

The area should be relatively easy to access (day or night). The cache should be relatively easy to find (when you know it's there). The cache should be disguised and not immediately recognizable to anyone else. The cache site and the supplies you've hidden should remain a secret. The cache should be waterproof and protected from mother nature. The cache should "stand alone" and not reveal any other details to the enemy.

cont. Think about it like this. Someone is following you, and they're taking aim for a shot every time you pop out into the open. Can you get in and out with your cache while remaining unseen? Any landmark needs to be unique and significant (so you or someone in your family can find it), but not anywhere that may be occupied in a military operation or provides a tactical chokepoint. Good: Unique landmark along a trail your family frequently hikes and all know. Bad: Using a highly trafficked structure like a bridge as your landmark. DOING ALL OF YOUR OPSEC Before you head off to a site to hide cache, you need to do your reconnaissance. My advice is to walk the area on foot, but you need to also have a backstory in case someone asks what the heck you're doing poking around. Take a book about wild edibles and say you're doing research. Bring binoculars and say you're birdwatching. Install a Geocaching app and say you're on the hunt. Just make sure you have a plausible excuse.

I'd recommend getting the GPS coordinates of your intended site, pictures of the area from all angles, mark out the different ways to approach the site, and flag any potential risks as you see it, for when you're actually coming back to retrieve your cache. Perhaps it'll look different during winter, there's too much visibility, or whatever it is. THE PERFECT CACHE LOCATION Once you're sure the site is ideal, you need to place your cache. GPS is great, but I'd also recommend having a paced off or measurable path to find the location as an alternate, just in case you're trying to find it without your device, there's no power, or whatever. It's a two-step process, that starts from a landmark. Pick a starting point that's memorable, unique, and will not change. It could be a giant boulder, a cave in the side of a hill, a power-line-tower on a hilltop. Something you can use as a reference point, that's not going to have moved when you come back. From here, you need to choose a cache site. Think like, face the tallest mountain on the horizon and walk 25 paces towards it. I don't like to use compass bearings for this, because you may not have a compass when you come back.

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D O C U M E N T E V E RY T H I N G ABOUT YOUR CACHE Once you've hidden your cache (I'm quite fond of burying mine in waterproof PVC tubing that's been sealed), you need to be able to find it again. There are three steps to this. The hand-drawn maps. These are vague enough that you won't be able to find it unless you know me, with landmarks that are only known to my family. I draw a high-level overview with markers like "the road to Grandma's" or "the Christmas campsite" and the cache site marked. The second is more detailed, with everything necessary to get the cache. In our survival binder I include pictures of the location (which are stored along with the hand-drawn maps), with key bits of information (like the direction faced and cache site) included with each picture. I've also made it so you can find each cache without a map, or a picture, with a set of written instructions to give out over radio comms. Just in case. And that's it. Make sure that once you're done you leave the cache location undisturbed, with no trace that you were ever there or that there's anything of value buried in the ground under your feet. You never know who is watching you place the cache, and of course, you want to ensure it remains undisturbed until you truly need it.

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JULY 2019

DON'T LET THESE SURVIVAL MYTHS BE YOUR UNDOING With the snowballing popularity of sur vival shows, there's been an unfortunate shift in the industry we all know and love.

Without the right technique, the right supplies, and the right environment (forget trying a friction fire anywhere damp), you're not going to get a fire.

Sensationalist television is actually doing you a disservice, making bold claims with outrageous sur vival techniques that are not only plain wrong, but could put you in an even more dangerous situation.

You need a fire-starting kit, with not only a lighter (the easiest solution) but a flint and steel and a source of dry tinder to catch. Oh, and knowing how to actually start a fire helps too, it's harder than you would think if you've never made one.

If you rely on what you've seen these so-called "experts" doing, the chances of you replicating it to survive drop significantly. Trouble is, it's easy to believe them. We want to believe them, but when your life is in danger, relying on a "fact" you saw in an old television show isn't going to do you a lot of good. Today I'd like to clear up several facts, to ensure you know what's what. IT'S RATHER DIFFICULT TO START A FIRE On television you'll see them strike two rocks together, or rub a couple of sticks which immediately start smoking, and now they've got fire. This has an element of truth, you can make rocks spark and a bow drill is a real thing, but it's tough.

YOU CAN EASILY LIVE OFF THE LAND If I had a buck for every survivalist who told me they were going to simply head off to the hills at the first sign of a crisis, I'd have a pocket full of cash. But living off the land is tough, even for trained survival experts. And without the right gear, training and experience, you're not going to stand a chance. Most shows are highly edited, with the real experts on hand, just outside of the camera's that are filming. Setting up the situations, or available at a moment's notice should anything go wrong. Don't think you'll have it so easy, the reality is that mother nature is a harsh mistress and if you don't respect her, you will regret it dearly.

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YOU CAN FORAGE FOR WHAT YOU NEED Realistically, if you've no idea what you're looking for (or you've not stumbled across some poor fools' cabin and the vegetable patch he's been growing), you are going to find it very difficult to forage for food in the wild. Very, very difficult. Of course, you can go a few weeks without food, but speaking from experience, it's not fun and after a few days you won't have energy for much.

“living off the land is tough, even for trained survival experts…”

VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - JULY 2019 cont. The trick is to learn what's what, so you can actually find, and accurately identify the edible plants in your local area. Because there are far too many that are poisonous and will downright kill you if you just try to eat everything willy-nilly. YOU CAN SUCK THE VENOM OUT OF A SNAKE BITE Another movie no-no, where you slice open the wound and suck out the poison. In fact, by slicing the skin around the bit you're actually helping the venom to spread. Plus, the bacteria transferred from your mouth as you do this can lead to severe infection. You cannot suck hard enough to get the venom out, it's as simple as that. If someone in your party has been bitten, apply a pressure bandage to control the flow of blood, (though be careful you don't cut off the blood supply completely and kill the entire limb), add pressure to the wound and call an ambulance. YOU CAN PLAY DEAD TO AVOID A BEAR ATTACK If you're being attacked by a bear, playing dead is not going to work. In some cases, sure, a bear may decide you're no longer a threat, but you're probably going to be mauled by this stage and almost dead anyway.

And you can forget running, a bear is faster than you.

YOU SHOULD DRINK YOUR OWN PEE

Your best bet against a bear is avoidance. Be loud and noisy when in bear country so you don't startle one, and if you happen to see a bear, give it a wild berth.

As you get more and more dehydrated it seems like an option, it's sterile and technically correct, there is water content in pee.

Pepper spray and even a large calibre pistol may help to scare it off, or give you a means to fight back if that's what the situation calls for. But you'll be fighting for your life. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS REMOVE A BULLET Hell no. If you're trying to pull anything other than a nail from your body, you'll be doing more harm than good. If it's an arrow, a piece of branch, whatever is in there – it's actually acting like a cork to stop your blood flowing out (and you dying). Leave it in, bandage it up so the wound is stable then go and get medical help. If you've not got this as an option, or you're several days from medical help you may have to try, but it's a tough call. Internal bleeding, punctured organs or an artery being hit will take you out of commission when the SHTF. So be careful.

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But there's also all the compounds your body is trying to rid itself of, and you're putting these all back in. You'd be better off distilling your pee to extract the water (and discarding the rest), but this relies on the tools at your disposal. My advice would be to simply find a better water source. Boil some river water. Melt some snow. Create a solar still. Don't drink your pee. To survive a crisis, you need to rely on the training, knowledge and experience you have, and it's an unfortunate reality that there's so much incor rect information out there. In this post I hope I've cleared up some of the most common misconceptions you always see on television, and hopefully steer you in the right direction once the SHTF.