Linda Stephenson at a Dutch oven cookoff.

It’s one thing to have the meat from a game animal. It may be another to cook it! How often have you heard: “I don’t eat venison (elk, antelope, bear, pheasants, etc) because it’s tough and tastes gamey”?

I don’t hear that from my family. My kids were raised on wild game, and my daughter’s favorite meat is elk. Gamebird gumbo is also a favorite.

But what if your family is not familiar with wild game meat? How do you introduce it into their diet?

An important part of every survivalist or prepper’s survival kit and tools are outdoor, campfire recipes. It’s one thing to collect a squirrel, rabbit or deer, and another to prepare it so the meat tastes good. During an emergency or a disaster, you might end up (If you’re lucky!) with a campfire, Dutch oven and game meat.  How do you cook a squirrel, rabbit, grouse or piece of venison outdoors?

“Wild Game Dutch Oven Cooking” can answer many of those questions.

I have known the author, Linda Stephenson, of La Pine Oregon, for years, and she is a superb cook and close friend. I have

competed with and against Linda in Dutch Oven cooking contests, and she’s always a contender! Linda and I teamed up to win the 2003 La Pine Frontier Days Dutch Oven Cookoff, then went on compete in the 2004 IDOS (International Dutch Oven Society) World Championships, where we finished eighth.

So this can hardly be called an unbiased review! But friendship aside, Linda has the credentials to write with authority of the subject of Dutch oven wild game cooking

Linda is currently chapter president of the Central Oregon Dutch Oven Society, one of the largest IDOS clubs in the nation; a former IDOS regional director and she sponsors several Dutch Oven cookoffs each year. Linda is also active as a Dutch oven teacher and judge, and is the author of several other cookbooks.

So when Linda told me she had written a wild game cookbook, I put my order in for one of the first copies. Linda grew up in Central Oregon, hunting with her Dad in the high desert.  At age 12, Linda began preparing the evening meals at hunting camp, often using  the wild game they had brought home. While camping the woods, Linda perfected her cooking skills over a campfire. Linda’s favorite recipes, and family favorites,are the basis for this cookbook.

Linda’s book starts out with a section on getting started in Dutch oven cooking. This, alone, is enough reason to buy the book! She gives an overview of what you need in the cast iron department, and how to use it.

The book is broken down into sections, depending on the kind of wild game you’re cooking. There are specific recipes for antelope, bear, buffalo, caribou, deer, elk and  moose.

A special section on sauces and marinades can be used in any type of cooking. There are enough venison  recipes alone to make this a great gift for deer hunters, and the successful elk hunter won’t need another book.

Because I like small game hunting, I was particularly interested in the small game section. During a disaster, chances are it will be much easier to collect small game animals than the larger species! Besides, hunting small game is a great way to kids interested in hunting. And there is no better training for hunting whitetail deer, than stalking squirrels with a .22 rifle!

Whether your interests are in survival, subsistence hunting, a Christmas present for the hunter who has everything or in making the best use of a fantastic wild game resource, you’ll find something of interest in this cookbook!

To order your copy of  Linda Stephenson’s  ”Dutch Oven Wild Game” cookbook click here

For more related SurvivalCommonSense.com tips and stories, click on the highlighted words:

• STOP: Use this exercise to reduce stress and focus your thoughts.
• The importance of water to survival.
• Make a practical hydration system part of your survival kit.
• Product test: the Sport Berkey Water bottle.
• Effective methods of  carrying water.
• Keep your water bladder storage system smelling and tasting great.
• Where to find water in the desert.
• Find water in vines.
• About Leon Pantenburg

This beach was a great place for a campsite! Guess where it is, and win some free firestarter!

This week’s photo contest again features professional photographer Pete Erickson of Bend, Oregon. Pete specializes in weddings, portraits and scenics.  (Check out his website.)

If you have a favorite wilderness spot, or a great outdoor photo you’d like to see featured here, send it in by email for consideration.

Contributors of selected photos will be published on this post, receive a byline and a free sample of firestarter!

Last week’s photo contest image was taken high in the upper lake in the Young Lakes trio at Yosemite National Park.

“It was the first backpacking trip my girlfriend, Mary, ever took,” Pete recalls. “She’s from Ireland and I wanted to bring her someplace new in Yosemite.”

 The mosquitos were “hellish” on the trip and forced the backpackers to eat in the tent without the fly in place. Pete’s

This summer scene was shot in Yosemite.

 usual summertime backpacking tent for the Sierras is an REI Bug Hut 2.

“I only put a fly on a tent when it rains or snows.  It’s lightweight and see-through,” Pete said. “Mary laughs at me for using it, calling it nothing more than a fancy bug net, but it’s my favorite tent. Keeps the bugs out and you can see the stars at night!”

But, let’s also remember that  making a survival kit is serious business. During a disaster or emergency you may be literally be staking your life on whatever survival equipment you have on your person.

Think about these survival tips:

• Don’t let a survival kit give you a false sense of security!
• The best survival knife in the world, or any survival item, is useless without the skills to use it.
• No piece of equipment will ever be able to replace a survival mindset. Mental preparation is paramount!
• No collection of gear can replace knowledge and practical survival skills. Get the gear, then practice with it.
• NEVER think your pocket survival kit can replace a full-blown Ten Essentials kit.

To participate in the weekly photo contest, send your guess to: survivalsenselp@gmail.com. Winners will be notified by email.

For more related SurvivalCommonSense.com tips and stories, click on the highlighted words:

• STOP: Use this exercise to reduce stress and focus your thoughts.
• The importance of water to survival.
• Make a practical hydration system part of your survival kit.
• Product test: the Sport Berkey Water bottle.
• Effective methods of  carrying water.
• Keep your water bladder storage system smelling and tasting great.
• Where to find water in the desert.
• Find water in vines.
• About Leon Pantenburg

Featured Photographer: Pete Erickson. Contact Pete at petee@me.com, or on his website: peteericksonphotography.com

Recommended Reading:

Surviving a Wilderness Emergency

Build the Perfect Survival Kit

GPS Made Easy (GPS Made Easy: Using Global Positioning Systems in the Outdoors)

Flood Waters at the north steps of Hilton Coliseum. (photo by Bob Elbert/Iowa State University).

by Leon Pantenburg

A drinking water shortage situation happened in my hometown of Ames, Iowa in August. Heavy rains caused the Skunk River and Squaw Creek to flood parts of the city, including my Alma mater,  Iowa State University.

To add to the flood problems, several water mains broke. This left many parts of Ames without any potable water whatsoever.

Because the disaster was localized, emergency agencies were able to truck in water quickly.

But what would happen in a Hurricane Katrina situation, where people were stranded by flood waters for long periods of time? In those situations, staying hydrated in the heat becomes incredibly important.

Transpiration bags use the condensation principle to gather water. (Peter Kummerfeldt photo)

“In priority order, after shelter and the need to defend your body temperature, preventing dehydration is the survivor’s next most important necessity,”  says survival expert Peter Kummerfeldt.

In some areas, drinking water can be found in vines. Another way to gather drinking water during a flood might be to set up transpiration bags, a method typically considered a desert survival technique.

“Using clear plastic bags to enclose living vegetation and capture the moisture transpired by the leaves can be an effective method of collecting water,” Kummerfeldt says. “Any time you have a plastic bag and living vegetation it should work.”

This survival  technique relies on a process called transpiration, which goes on constantly during the daylight, in deserts and swamps alike.

During transpiration, trees absorb moisture through their roots, and evaporate water

Condensation from the vegetation will be caught in the plastic bag. (Peter Kummerfeldt photo)

through openings in their leaves, according to USGS Science for  a Changing World. Trees tend to transpire more with increased temperatures, sunlight intensity, water supply, and size. When it gets too hot, though, transpiration will shut down.

“The vegetation should be given a vigorous shake before placing it in the plastic bag,” Kummerfeldt advises. “This is to remove any insects, bird droppings or other materials that might contaminate the water.”

Within a short period of time, water will begin to condense on the inner surface of the bag, collect into water droplets and drain to the lowest point of the bag.

Water quantity depends on the amount of moisture in the ground, and vegetation type. Other factors affecting water production include the amount of sunlight available, (it doesn’t work at night) the clarity of the plastic bag and the length of time the process is allowed to work.

“It is not uncommon to find two or three cups of water, and sometimes much more, has

The amount of water produced in a transpiration bag will depend on many environmental factors. (Peter Kummerfeldt photo)

accumulated over a six-to-eight hour daylight period,” Kummerfeldt said.

The best way to remove the water without disturbing the bag, he added, is to insert a length of vinyl aquarium hose through the neck of the bag down to the lowest point where water will collect. (This should be done during assembly of the apparatus) The water can then be sucked out or possibly siphoned into a container.

“When enclosing vegetation in the plastic bag it is advisable to place chicken egg sized stone in the lower corner where the water will collect” Kummerfeldt said. “The weight of the stone creates a separation between the enclosed plant life and the water and keeps plant saps from contaminating the water.”

“You can’t count on large quantities of water being produced in individual transpiration bags,” Kummerfeldt cautions. “But you must do everything you can to stay hydrated.”

Recommended Reading:
Surviving a Wilderness Emergency
Build the Perfect Survival Kit

For more related SurvivalCommonSense.com tips and stories, click on the highlighted words:

• STOP: Use this exercise to reduce stress and focus your thoughts.
• The importance of water to survival.
• Make a practical hydration system part of your survival kit.
• Product test: the Sport Berkey Water bottle.
• Effective methods of  carrying water.
• Keep your water bladder storage system smelling and tasting great.
• Where to find water in the desert.
• Find water in vines.
• About Leon Pantenburg

Be Prepared!

This butcher knife is one of a dozen I bought for $2 each. The sheath came from a barrel full of knife items at a gunshow.

by Leon Pantenburg

My knives are working tools, and the ones used in the kitchen frequently get double duty on camping trips or for meat processing. Some of these knives started out  in a commercial cutlery catalog, were sold at a butcher supply store or were good deals at a gunshow.

One memorable score was at a gunshow, when a vendor was selling used boning knives Victorinox Cutlery 6-Inch Curved Boning Knife, Black Fibrox Handle for about $3 each. I bought several, and reshaped the blades to different lengths so I could experiment with the best length. (Turns out, I like a five-inch best!)

My best cutlery deal came from a butcher supply store in Nampa, Idaho. On a whim, I stopped in to look around, and found new, six-inch butcher knives being sold for $2 each. Mundial 5619-6 6-Inch Skinning Knife, Black The handles were wood, and had recently been outlawed by the health department. I bought a dozen, (and still regret not buying another dozen!) and presented them to my hunting buddies. Many of those knives ended up in hunting camp wearing the cardboard tube/duct tape sheaths!

A prepper and/or survivalist can see the advantage of a knife that is usable for a variety of outdoor tasks. So suppose you get a good deal on a one-piece  knife and want to take it to hunting camp. For safety sake, that blade needs to be securely covered. Here’s how to make a quick, safe sheath that will last  until you come up with a permanent replacement.

Materials needed are the cardboard tube from inside a roll of paper towels; duct tape, a six-to-eight-inch piece of paracord

These three different models of lamb skinner knives all have different styles of sheaths. The wooden-handled knife gets the most use.and a piece of leather or webbing about one inch wide and eight-inches long.

Here’s what you do:

• Measure the blade length against the tube, and make sure that every part of the sharp edge will be covered.
• Flatten the tube under a pile of books or something heavy, until the cardboard remains semi-flat. Then, take a piece of duct tape and tape across one end, to help hold the shape.
• Wrap the length of the tube once with duct tape.
• Double over the webbing or leather to form a belt loop, then tape it securely to the back of the tube.
• Wrap the sheath with duct tape again to secure the belt loop. (I carry duct tape on my knife sheaths anyway, so put on a few extra feet!)
• Take the paracord, run it through the belt loop and use it as a safety tie for the handle.

Of course, you could always buy a knife blade protector, but preppers and survivalist-types tend to be  hardcore recyclers and do-it-yourselfers. Besides, the cardboard tube project takes so little time and is so cheap , you can soon make a sheath for all your knives! LamsonSharp KnifeSafes Knife Blade Protectors, Set of 4

I made this knife and cardboard sheath 44 years ago. Despite extensive carry and use, the sheath still does its job quite well!

My practice is to keep an eye out at gunshows, and buy any leather sheaths that might fit something I own. Over the years, all but one of my hasty sheaths has been replaced with solid, well-fitting leather or nylon sheaths.

My best score in that area was when I bought a leather Bowie knife sheath for a couple of bucks. One of my elk hunting partners, Phil Walker, carries a real Bowie knife elk hunting, and his knife carrier showed the wear and hard use. That scavenged sheath fit his knife like it was made to order.

One knife I own, though will never have a sheath replacement. I made my first knife as a 14-year-old, grinding the blade to

shape  on an antique pedal-powered grinder. The handle is made of wood, and lacking the right leather at the time, I made the sheath out of cardboard and tape. I used the same technique as mentioned above, except I used an old leather belt for the loop. I always intended to make a real sheath out of leather, but never got around to it.

I carried that knife for years in that cardboard sheath , and it worked just fine. So, I guess there is probably no reason to replace it now!

For more related SurvivalCommonSense.com tips and stories, click on the highlighted words:

• STOP: Use this exercise to reduce stress and focus your thoughts.
• Write a note to let people know where you went, before you left.
• Take your Ten Essentials on every outing.
• Dress with the right fabrics.
• Have a plan to make a tarp shelter.
• Carry lightweight, compact firestarter.
• Find the most effective fire ignition system.
• How to make charcloth, a material that can catch a spark from any source.
• Use charcloth as an effective method of catching a spark to make a fire.
• It can kill you: Hypothermia
• Hardtack: A great emergency food
• About Leon Pantenburg

To check out or order: Linda Stephenson’s “Wild Game Dutch Oven Cooking: From the Hunt to Your Table” click here.

Be Prepared!

by Leon Pantenburg

Lots of water, none to drink! (FEMA photo)

As a newspaper reporter covering various natural disasters, including tornadoes, floods and forest fires, I noticed a common aspect among all of them: Drinking water was always in short supply.

My first flood taught me that. I was working for the Vicksburg Evening Post and was sent to photograph the high water in Chickasaw Bayou, north of Vicksburg, MS. The nearby Mississippi River had reclaimed some of its flood plain, sending high water into a subdivision and forcing residents to leave.

I rode in a jonboat with a sheriff’s deputy, and we cruised the flooded streets. It

A drainage ditch might be the only source of water you can find.

was Mississippi summer hot, the heat reflected off the muddy, nasty water and the bottom of the metal boat, and the  deputy and I baked in the sunshine.

Though  there were miles and miles of water, there was not one drop to drink (to update and steal a cliche from “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner). I would have gotten  really thirsty, except the deputy was prepared with extra water and willing to share!

I’m not sure anything could have made that vile floodwater stew after Katrina potable! But regardless of where you

The Sport Berkey Portable Water Purifier can be a valuable addition to any urban and/or wilderness survival kit.

are, staying hydrated is one of your first priorities.

Where I live in Central Oregon, I am within striking distance of high desert, mountains, temperate rain forests, the Pacific coast and beautiful deciduous forests. I love to roam all these areas, and frequently, during hunting season, may end up miles from the vehicle and my backup water supply. But these areas all require different variations of hydration gear, and here’s how to decide what will work best for your region.

Here’s an important consideration before choosing hydration gear: How long will it take to work? Some sport bottle systems work instantaneously – you fill them up, prime the filter and drink. This can invaluable if you need to quickly re-hydrate a child or someone who is dehydrated to the point of medical emergency.

The chemical treatments, such as the Polar Pure, can require upward of 30 minutes to work, depending on the water temperature. Some filters just take a long time to work. Generally speaking, boiling is not a particularly quick operation. The time it takes to boil water varies, depending on altitude, heat source, shape of container etc.

Here’s what I carry as part of my hydration system, and so far, everything has served me well. (Many of these items are multi-use):

Water Containers: You must have durable, large capacity water containers available. If you’re out all day in the desert or a flood, for example,

The Nalgene in the center is what I drink from and the Platypus flexible bottles on either side are backups.

there probably won’t be a place or chance to replenish your drinking water, and all you’ll have is what you carry. Also, you might find someone without any water at all. You don’t want to give away your backup!

• Nalgene bottle: I like the wide-mouth model, and modify mine with a paracord loop and duct tape. The loop is designed so the bottle can be carried on my belt, or tied to a cord to lower into a stock tank, depression or water source that is hard to get to. Don’t think you can just tie something onto the lid retainer – chances are it will break at some point, and as these things go, probably when you need it the most.  Nalgene BPA Free Tritan Wide Mouth Water Bottle, 32 Oz, Gray with Black Lid.

Duct tape is useful for everything, and around the water bottle is a convienent place to carry it!

• Platypus flexible water containers:  These collapsible water containers are available in various sizes as water storage units and they roll up into a small, lightweight pack when empty. I generally carry two or three large-sized extras, rolled up and empty, in my daypack, since they weigh next to nothing and don’t take up much space.  Platypus PlusBottle, 1 Liter with Push-Pull Cap Then, if you need to carry water from a spring or other water source, you won’t have to improve. (Tip: Since you will probably need a minimum of a gallon of water per day, it makes sense to take enough flexible water containers to haul a gallon!)

Tin or metal cup for boiling or dipping water out of hard-to-reach places. Boiling water is probably the safest, most effective method of water purification available, providing you have a heat source, and a tin cup works great and is incredibly useful. Metal Camping Cups

I usually carry a large (about 24-ounce capacity), metal cup for several tasks. My trusty, large blue enamel cup and a spoon comprised my mess kit for nine days in the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota. I never needed anything else. I have brewed countless cups of tea or coffee over various heat sources with that piece of gear, and I don’t leave home without one!

How long should you boil the water to purify it? Bring the water to a boil, and that should kill anything that boiling will

This Central Oregon high desert spring is the only water source for miles. The water will require purification before using.

kill. Water boils at 212 degrees, then vaporizes. Extended boiling will not make the water hotter or kill more nasties, but it will use up more of your fuel!

Polar Pure or Potable Agua: These are chemical purifiers, and require a certain time period for them to work. I used the Polar Pure system exclusively on a nine-day canoe trip in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters and the system worked really well. Polar Pure Water Disinfectant With Iodine Crystals Potable Agua comes in capsules and is easy to carry and use. Either Polar Pure of Potable Aqua goes on every outing. Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets

Six-foot piece of aquarium tubing: I got this tip from survival expert Peter Kummerfeldt. Peter recommends including the tubing in case you find water in a crack or crevice and can’t get to it. Just stick the tube in the water and suck it out.

Coffee filter and bandanna: If you can filter the mud and debris out of the water, it will make any filter last that much longer. In especially turbid, muddy water, wrap the coffee filter around the bottom of any filter and attach it with a rubber band. It will help! The bandanna has many uses, including serving as a water filter. A clean one, that you haven’t used to wipe your nose, is preferable!

Large garbage bag: Another multi-use item. Use this to catch rain or dew, or as a reservoir for holding water.

Water filter: Some lightweight  method of filtering and purifying water can be incredibly useful.  I recently field-tested the Berkey Portable Water Filter, and I like it. Several companies make similar products.

“The bottle’s filter is designed to remove and/or dramatically reduce a vast array of health-threatening contaminants from questionable sources of water,” according to Berkey, ”including remote lakes and streams, stagnant ponds and water supplies in foreign countries where regulations may be sub-standard at best.”

If the water is really nasty, the Berkey folks recommend two drops of plain chlorinated bleach or iodine be added to each refill before filtering. This will kill minute pathogens such as viruses, according to the brochure, and the disinfectant will then be filtered from the water entirely removing its odor, color and taste.

So, these items work for me. My hydration system is set up with the idea that there is a piece of equipment that should be able to handle any situation. Do your research, select your equipment carefully and include an integrated hydration system in every survival kit.

And make sure to  use your common sense to stay hydrated in the first place!

For more information on Berkey water filtration systems contact: directive21@directive21.com

For more related SurvivalCommonSense.com tips and stories, click on the highlighted words:

• STOP: Use this exercise to reduce stress and focus your thoughts.
• Write a note to let people know where you went, before you left.
• Take your Ten Essentials on every outing.
• Dress with the right fabrics.
• Have a plan to make a tarp shelter.
• Carry lightweight, compact firestarter.
• Find the most effective fire ignition system.
• How to make charcloth, a material that can catch a spark from any source.
• Use charcloth as an effective method of catching a spark to make a fire.
• It can kill you: Hypothermia
• Hardtack: A great emergency food
• About Leon Pantenburg

Sunset somewhere in the Boundary Waters (All photos by Bob Patterson)

by Leon Pantenburg

There are some wilderness areas that have “It.” And I’m not really sure what that “It” is. But these special places have some sort of undefinable combination of stunning scenic beauty, wildness and a natural connection I feel with nature.

I have felt “It” in such completely-diverse places as Death Valley, Campbell’s Swamp in Warren County, MS, and the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia. “It” draws you back.

The Boundary Waters on the northern Minnesota border is one of those special places.

The Boundary Waters — also called the Quetico-Superior country — is a wilderness region on the Canada–United States border between Ontario and Minnesota, in the region west of Lake Superior. This area is part of the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota, and in Canada it includes La Verendrye and Quetico Provincial Parks in Ontario.

The name “Boundary Waters” is often used in the U.S. to refer specifically to the U.S. Wilderness Area protecting its southern extent, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

In 2004, members of Boy Scout Troop 18 took a nine-day canoe excursion. Three different crews went their various ways on different routes, and reunited at the Boy Scouts’ Northern Tier High Adventure Camp at Moose Lake at the end of their voyages. All the experiences were different, and all were magnificent. Everybody felt “It.”

I was on that adventure with my oldest, Dan, and my friend Pat Simning was there with his oldest son, Eric. Pat and I also had younger sons, who were coming up in scouts.

“We will do this trip again,” we vowed, before we even left the parking lot at the scout base near Ely, Minn.  So in 2009, members of Troop 18 again traveled from Oregon to the Boundary Waters.

If you haven’t been to the Boundary Waters, you’re missing one of those trips of a lifetime. If you love canoeing, a Boundary Waters trip should be on your bucket list.

Bob Patterson

Luckily for me, my old college roommate, Bob Patterson of Mankato, Minn., makes multiple trips to that general Boundary Waters area every year and he always sends me photos.  (Bob, my brother Mike Pantenburg and I will be hunting for elk in Idaho in October!) Bob’s superb photography skills allow me to vicariously enjoy the area1
Here are some images from Bob’s last Boundary Waters trip earlier this year. I’ll write about wilderness survival  or emergency preparedness later. And it goes without saying that you should never go into the wilderness unprepared.

For now, just enjoy the photos!

Paddling through an aquatic plant bed in the Boundary Waters.

Aquatic plants.

Sunset

This is one of those places you have to portage. But the scenery is so beautiful, it's worth the effort!

Sheer beauty at the end of the day.

For more related SurvivalCommonSense.com tips and stories, click on the highlighted words:

• STOP: Use this exercise to reduce stress and focus your thoughts.
• Write a note to let people know where you went, before you left.
• Take your Ten Essentials on every outing.
• Dress with the right fabrics.
• Have a plan to make a tarp shelter.
• Carry lightweight, compact firestarter.
• Find the most effective fire ignition system.
• How to make charcloth, a material that can catch a spark from any source.
• Use charcloth as an effective method of catching a spark to make a fire.
• It can kill you: Hypothermia
• Hardtack: A great emergency food
• About Leon Pantenburg

Be Prepared!

Every prepper, survivalist and big game hunter needs a selection of knives for processing the meat of large animals. At some point, you may need to reduce a steer, hog, sheep, goat or large game animal into neatly-wrapped packages of

The Forshner boning knife, top and Cold Steel SRK are good choices for backcountry hunting.

meat for the freezer. Or, you might get a great deal on a half or quarter of beef or pork, and want to save the meat cutting and wrapping fees.

At home, you may have all the tools and accessories needed to make this job do-able. But what knives should you carry when hunting the backcountry? What if you’re on your own, with no outfitter to haul in meatcutting tools and take the meat out on a pack horse? Even if  the big game carcass will be taken to a commercial meat cutter later for processing, you’ll still have to  gut, skin and possibly quarter the animal.

In a backcountry hunting situation, every ounce in your daypack counts. But! (DANGER! DANGER! SURVIVALCOMMONSENSE.COM WARNING!!! Under no circumstances should you ever leave your Ten Essentials and survival gear behind to lighten the load! )

After hunting  the west, parts of the midwest and the eastern United States for several decades, my backcountry knife selection has been refined to three.

Now, the conversation about what knife, or knives, are best should be held around a blazing hunting camp fire, (And what fun would it be if everyone agreed?) So first, let me state my biases:

• No Folders: I love, own and use many folding knives. Buck 110 Folding Hunter, Lockback Folding Knife
  I carry a pocketknife every day and feel naked without one. But I don’t carry a folding hunting knife in the backcountry. The weak point of any folder is the hinge. Break that part, and you end up with two pieces. And, the hinge will attract hair, dirt and other stuff that will gum it up and make it harder to use.
• No guthooks. In my opinion, the hook is only good for a couple of cuts, such as the initial incision to open up the body cavity. Otherwise, the guthook looks terrible on a knife blade, can hook on the sheath or your clothing and serves no other purpose. (Guaranteed arguments from these comments!)
• Safe Handle: My backcountry knife must also have a non-slip handle. Inevitably, the knife will get
  

  This Mora knife handle was still safe to use after cleaning a limit of trout.

  covered with blood and body fluids during a gutting operation and a slippery handle is dangerous. Reluctantly, I must suggest the beautiful wood, bone and/or other slick, georgeous composite-handled knives be left behind!

• Long-enough blade length: A blade between four to six inches is my preference. Now, don’t write in and tell me how you’ve field-dressed all sorts of big game with your pocketknife! Sure, it’s possible! For years, I used a Schrade folding hunter with a three-inch clip-point blade for whitetail deer hunting. But for what I need in the backcountry, a longer blade works better and is more efficient.
• Easily sharpened: It doesn’t matter what wonder componant the blade may be made of. At some point, the blade will need sharpening, and I must be able to do it easily. Using a dull knife is dangerous!

The elk hunting technique method my brother, Mike, and I use to hunt elk or deer in the mountains can be pretty hardcore. We’ve hunted together since he was 12 (decades ago!), and our usual routine is to work together as a team, but hunt separately. Before we take off from the base camp, a morning hunt is planned, and we know the area each other is hunting. We’ll pick a rendezvous site to meet for lunch. If an animal is down, we go take care of it. If not, the afternoon hunt is planned.

This style of hunting involves a lot of walking and glassing, and every ounce counts. Nothing is taken along that hasn’t been carefully weighed, discussed and considered.

So, based on that criteria and my prejudices, here’s my choices for what knives to take along on a backcountry backpack elk or deer hunt:

Cold Steel SRK: If I only had one knife for field dressing and skinning a big game animal, the SRK would be it. The

My Cold Steel SRK has had hard use for nearly 20 years and is still my first knife choice for the backcountry.

initials stand for “Search and Rescue Knife” and it would be a great choice for that. I bought my SRK in 1991, when I moved to Idaho. The knife’s performance is so impressive that two of my elk-hunter friends bought SRKs.

The SRK blade is 3/16″ thick and 6″ long; the Kraton handle is 4-3/4 inches long; overall length is 10-3/4 inches. My SRK, without sheath, weighs eight ounces, and 10.5 with the sheath wrapped in duct tape. Cold Steel 38CK SRK Survival Knife

My first action upon getting the SRK was to take the black “tactical” paint off the blade, and mark the handle with bright tape. The SRK  has field-dressed well over 50 whitetails, been used on several elk, and is a very practical survival knife. In one instance, I quartered three deer without the SRK needing sharpening.

The SRK’s handle never gets too slick to hold safely, no matter how messy the gutting job gets. I have split a deer pelvis by pounding the SRK through it with a rock. Several times, the SRK has been used alone to split ribcages on big whitetails.

The clip point is a good choice for making the initial slit down the belly when gutting an animal, and the SRK  works passably well for skinning.

Another good choice is the Cold Steel Master Hunter. For folks who want a little less blade, but the same none-slip handle and good design, the Master Hunter might be a better option. The four-inch blade design works particularly well for skinning. Master Hunter, Kraton Hndl, Stainless, Plain, Concealex

The next two knife choices I learned about in college. I worked my way through Iowa State at the Hy-Vee #1 grocery store in Ames, Iowa. Always a cutlery enthusiast, I quizzed the meatcutters about their favorite knives and why they used them.

The guys in the clean white coats and hats did more meat cutting and processing in a day, than the rest of us do during a

These lamb skinner knives all work well to skin any sized big game animal.

very successful hunting season. They could order any knife they wanted from a variety of commercial knife catalogues.

The meatcutters didn’t agree on the best overall knife, naturally, but I made my choices for skinning and boning knives based on their input. Here’s what I came up with:

Victorinox or Forshner Lamb Skinner: The name refers to a style originally used, I imagine, for skinning sheep

somewhere. The style features a five-inch upswept blade, and a large handle. A standard sheep skinner comes with a blunt tip, which I filed down from the top edge into a point. Lamb Skinning, Black Fibrox, 5 in.

If you’re going to enjoy the meat you harvested, it must be cooled as soon as possible, and that means getting the hide off ASAP. A good skinning knife makes this critical job easier, and subsequently faster.

I’ve experimented with a standard six-inch butcher knife, but find I like the sheep skinner better. Mundial 5619-6 6-Inch Skinning Knife, Black

I experimented with various boning knife blade lengths. The winner in this category is the five-inch.

Five-to-six inch Victorinox or Forshner Boning Knife: This knife also works well for filleting fish, and should have a thin, flexible blade. Mike and I usually carry one boning knife between us. The boning knife can be considered a specialized tool, but when you need one, it’s worth that extra weight! Victorinox Cutlery 6-Inch Curved Boning Knife, Black Fibrox Handle

Swiss Army Knife Classic: Yeah, you read right. The Classic is the smallest Swiss Army knife,  it fits on a keyring, and that’s why I carry it. My keyring survival kit goes with me everywhere, including hunting. While I carry a complete Ten Essentials kit and survival gear with me, redundancy in some areas is a great thing!

The Classic is a folder that weighs one ounce and has a tiny blade that is virtually useless for hunting. But it also has a

The tiny Swiss Army Classic may end up being one of the most useful knives in the backcountry!

scissors, nail file (with the tip modified to fit the hinge on my glasses), toothpick and most importantly, a tweezers. This little knife could be a godsend if you get a splinter in your hand.Victorinox Swiss Army Tinker and Classic Knife Combo

But the glasses screwdriver could literally save the hunt. If you’re like me, you can’t see without your glasses, and if you can’t see you can’t hunt. The modified Classic could end up being your most important knife!

So there’s my suggestions for the minimum backcountry hunting knives. Here are some other contenders that get an honorable mentions:

Folding Buck Hunter: I’ve used and carried  a Shrade lock blade and a Buck double-bladed hunter. They were disqualified because they were folders. Buck Knives 110 Folder

Case Folding  Double-Bladed Hunter: Another disqualification because of the hinge. But I’ll admit, having two sharp blades available reduces sharpening during the field-dressing operations. New Case Cutlery 6265 SS Folding Hunter Knife Working with Leather Sheath Impact-resistant Rosewood

Wyoming knife: One of my elk-hunting buddies, Phil Walker, carried a Wyoming knife for years for gutting and skinning. It works very well for this purpose, but I don’t like because it looks like something out of Star Wars. (Prejudice, I’ll admit!) Wyoming 5″ 3/4 Knife With Skinner/Gut Hook Blade & Nylon Camoflauge Case Md: WKBIG.

The replaceable blades are great when you’re in the middle of a carcass and need a sharp blade. Phil also carried an 8-inch butcher knife Victorinox Cutlery 8-Inch Granton Edge Butcher Knife, Black Fibrox Handle
and an honest-to-God Bowie, and hunts elk with a Ruger Number One in .338 Winchester.

Using these tools on opening day 1993, near Dworshack Reservoir in central Idaho Phil killed, gutted, quartered and packed out a six-by-six bull elk by himself. He got done in time to come pick me up in the boat across the lake!

The Mora knife is a good all-around camping and outdoor knife.

Mora: I love my Moras, and carry one most of time when I’m outdoors. The small Scandinavian knives are great for about 90 percent of what I need a knife for. A Mora is my choice for cleaning fish, processing small game and a Mora rides in my vest when I’m hunting birds. Frosts Carbon Clipper Utility Knife. But I prefer a larger knife for bigger game animals.

But survival expert and former big game guide Peter Kummerfeldt has carried and used a Mora for years. He has used the small knife on bighorn sheep, deer and elk, and I bought my first Mora on his advice. In the case of any expert, skill always trumps equipment!

Leatherman Wave: My favorite multi-tool is the Leatherman Wave. I got a Wave for Christmas several years ago, and so far, it has done everything I ever needed it for. In addition to pulling barbed wire from abandoned fences, the Leatherman has also been used to remove hooks from a toothy fish, repair a radiator hose, saw wood etc. Leatherman 830040 New Wave Multi-Tool with Nylon Sheath

But the Leatherman is not a hunting/survival knife. And while none of my survival knives could replace the pliers, knife, screwdrivers etc. the Wave features, weight in the backpack is the issue. You can be sure there is a Wave back at camp!

Gerber Model 46904 Gator : The looks of this knife so impressed me that I bought one just to test. So far, the knife

This Gerber Gator, left of scissors, is undergoing field testing. It must first make it out of the kitchen!

is passing all tests with flying colors. This fall, I hope to use it on a deer and/or elk, and then it might make the finalist list! Gerber 46904 Gator Fixed, Fine Edge Knife with Drop Point

When all the discussion is over, you decide what knives become  part of  your backcountry hunting gear. Think about your choices, and know how to use them. Then, when you stand over that fallen big game animal in the backcountry, take a moment to be thankful before you get to work. You are doing something many people can only dream about!

(The hunt isn’t over when the meat is in the freezer. How will you cook it? Here’s a recommendation for a great cookbook.)

• STOP: Use this exercise to reduce stress and focus your thoughts.
• Write a note to let people know where you went, before you left.
• Take your Ten Essentials on every outing.
• Dress with the right fabrics.
• Have a plan to make a tarp shelter.
• Carry lightweight, compact firestarter.
• Find the most effective fire ignition system.
• How to make charcloth, a material that can catch a spark from any source.
• Use charcloth as an effective method of catching a spark to make a fire.
• It can kill you: Hypothermia
• Hardtack: A great emergency food
• About Leon Pantenburg

Be Prepared!

The spring in the Death Valley canyon was the only source of water for probably miles around, and my hiking partner and I had detoured to see it.

The Sport Berkey Portable Water Purifier can be a valuable addition to any urban and/or wilderness survival kit.

But the spring (a seep really)  looked and smelled like a hog wallow, with the muddy, filthy water polluted almost beyond belief.

The over-populated feral burros in the area had dug holes, so the water would seep in. But they also relieved themselves in the water while they drank. The desert bighorn sheep wouldn’t drink that filthy slop, and I was glad we didn’t need to re-supply.

Water is critical to survival, be it in the desert or during a flood such as happened after Katrina, or last week in my hometown of Ames, Iowa.

But frequently, the only drinking water source available may be muddy, dirty and polluted. If that’s your survival situation, then your choices are simple: Drink or die.

Or suppose you travel to a third-world country, where water quality is suspect at best. You need to be able to carry along a filtering/purification system that is compact and portable.A dependable system for filtering and purifying water is mandatory for any emergency preparedness and/or survival kit, and it should consist of several inter-related components. One of these should be some sort of filter/purifier.

For the last couple weeks I have been field-testing the Sport Berkey^® Portable Water Purifier bottle. The size of a standard bike or running water bottle, this system could be a valuable addition to your survival kit or emergency preparedness planning.

To quote the specs that come with the Berkey, the purifier bottle: “The Berkey sport bottle fits well with my other outdoor and survival equipment.

 “It’s the ideal personal protection traveling companion – featuring the IONIC ADSORPTION MICRO FILTRATION SYSTEM. The theory behind this innovation is simple. The bottle’s filter is designed to remove and/or dramatically reduce a vast array of health-threatening contaminants from questionable sources of water, including remote lakes and streams, stagnant ponds and water supplies in foreign countries where regulations may be sub-standard at best.”

If the water is really nasty, the Berkey folks recommend two drops of plain chlorinated bleach or iodine be added to each refill before filtering. This will kill minute pathogens such as viruses, according to the brochure, and the disinfectant will then be filtered from the water entirely removing its odor, color and taste.

I could have filled the bottle from a local drainage ditch, drank the filtered water and let you know how everything came out in a couple weeks. But, dear reader, there are limits to what extent I’m willing to test any product! (I also considered filling the Berkey bottle with beer, to test how effectively the filter removes taste…)

So, until someone proves differently, we’ll assume the Berkey claims about eliminating viruses, heavy metals, toxic chemicals, microscopic pathogens,  Giardia, Cryptosporidium and other nasty water-borne nasties are accurate.

Subsequently, my field testing was limited to handling, ease of use and how the Berkey sport bottle could fit into an integrated survival water system.

 Handling

 Here’s the good part:

• The Berkey bottle is a great size. It fits in the water bottle basket on my bicycle, in the side pockets of my
  

  The Berkey sport bottle fits well with my other outdoor and survival equipment.

  fanny pack and daypack and fits my hand well. It is convenient to use and could easily be included in a suitcase or carry-on for overseas travel.

• The bottle is easily secured, because of the ring built into the top, to virtually anything. It could be carried by the top, or have a carabineer or piece of cord threaded through it.
• The bottle is soft and flexible. This allows the user to squeeze and produce more internal pressure. This, in turn, reduces the amount of suction needed to drink from the straw.
• When the bottle was full, it was possible to squeeze filtered water out of the straw. You could fill other bottles with filtered water in this way, but it would be a long, laborious process. The good news is: You could filter water for young children or old people who couldn’t muster enough suction power to operate other filter bottles.

User Friendly

 The Berkey is easy for me to use.

• The bottle must first be “primed” before using, which amounts to squeezing the bottle until water comes out the top. I had no trouble performing this operation. For someone with weaker hands, the system could be primed by stepping very carefully on the middle of the bottle until water came out the straw. Obviously, stomping on the container would probably hurt the filter or the rest of the system!
• Filling the bottle is easy – just dip the water out of the source, put the filter in, screw on the top and drink. You don’t need another container for that.

The Berkey as Part of an Integrated Survival Water System

As far as I’m concerned the Berkey is not the do-it-all, indispensible water filtration/purification system. Nothing is.  Here are some aspects of an integrated survival water system the Berkey does very well:

• For quick conversion of questionable water into something safe to drink, the Berkey is superb. All you do is fill it and suck on the straw. With some water treatments, you frequently must wait a period of time while the chemicals work. If you or your child is dehydrated, he/she needs water ASAP. There is no waiting with the Berkey.
• If you’re traveling along a creek, near a lake or along some other water source, the Berkey is all you need to take along. You can replenish the bottle as you go, and reduce the water weight.
• There are no chemicals involved in the Berkey system, so you don’t have to be concerned about ingesting iodine, chlorine bleach or other additives.
• The bad news is that the Berkey, like any bottle or bladder system, can be affected by freezing. That could remove the Berkey from consideration as a water source during freezing situations.

The Rest of the Integrated Survival Water System

No single item can guarantee that you will be able to purify water for drinking. (I’m not sure anything could have made that vile floodwater stew after Katrina potable!)

This combination of water bottles works well. The rigid Nalgene in the middle is used for drinking and storage and the Paltypus soft bottle are used to store extra water in the pack.

Here’s what I carry as part of my water purification system, and so far, everything has served me well. (Many of these items are multi-use):

• Polar Pure or Potable Agua: These are chemical purifiers, and require a certain time period for them to work. I used the Polar Pure system exclusively on a nine-day canoe trip in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters and the system worked really well. Polar Pure Water Disinfectant With Iodine Crystals Potable Agua comes in capsules and is easy to carry and use. Either Polar Pure of Potable Aqua goes on every outing. Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets
• Platypus flexible water containers. These collapsible water containers are available in various sizes as water storage units and they roll up into a small, lightweight pack when empty. I generally carry two or three extras in my daypack, since they weigh next to nothing and don’t take up much space. Platypus PlusBottle, 1 Liter with Push-Pull Cap
• Nalgene bottle: I like the wide-mouth, and modify mine with a paracord loop and duct tape. The loop is designed so the bottle can be carried on my belt, or tied to a cord to lower into a stock tank, depression or water source that is hard to get to. Don’t think you can just tie something onto the lid retainer – chances are it will break at some point, and as these things go, probably when you need it the most.  Nalgene BPA Free Tritan Wide Mouth Water Bottle, 32 Oz, Gray with Black Lid
• Tin cup for dipping water out of hard-to-reach places and/or boiling: Tin cups are great! Metal Camping Cups
  You can use them for a multitude of tasks, including boiling water. Boiling water is probably the safest, most effective method of water purification available, providing you have a heat source.
• Six-foot piece of aquarium tubing: I got this tip from survival expert Peter Kummerfeldt. Peter recommends including the tubing in case you find water in a crack or crevice and can’t get to it. Just stick the tube in the water and suck it out.
• Coffee filter and bandana: If you can filter the mud and debris out of the water, it will make any filter last that
  

  This tiny spring is identified by the lush vegetation immediately around it. The water should be purified before drinking.

  much longer. In especially turbid, muddy water, wrap the coffee filter around the bottom of any filter and attach it with a rubber band. It will help! The bandana has many uses, including serving as a water filter. A clean one, that you haven’t used to wipe your nose, is preferable!

• Large garbage bag: Another multi-use item. Use this to catch rain, or as a reservoir for holding water. I wouldn’t waste my time or the materials to make a solar still. My experience is that solar stills don’t work well enough to justify construction.
• Water filter: Some lightweight  method of filtering and purifying water can be incredibly useful. The Berkey excels  in this category.

Conclusion

My testing so far has shown the Berkey to be a durable, very useful survival tool. In October, I’m hunting elk in Unit 16 in Idaho, and my plan is to take it along in my daypack side pocket.

I’ll be hunting several promising-looking drainages with streams in them.  The plan is move a lot and  daypack weight will be an issue. Nothing is being taken along that doesn’t have a specific purpose and the idea is to cut weight wherever possible.

The Berkey Sport Bottle will allow me to hunt without carrying a lot of water, and I’ll be able to replenish it as needed. I’m betting the Berkey will handle my hydration needs without any problems!

For more info about the Berkey water purification systems, contact: www.directive21.com.

For more related SurvivalCommonSense.com tips and stories, click on the highlighted words:

• STOP: Use this exercise to reduce stress and focus your thoughts.
• Write a note to let people know where you went, before you left.
• Take your Ten Essentials on every outing.
• Dress with the right fabrics.
• Have a plan to make a tarp shelter.
• Carry lightweight, compact firestarter.
• Find the most effective fire ignition system.
• How to make charcloth, a material that can catch a spark from any source.
• Use charcloth as an effective method of catching a spark to make a fire.
• It can kill you: Hypothermia
• Hardtack: A great emergency food
• About Leon Pantenburg

Be Prepared!

Hanging on to your tools may be critical to your survival. But some small items, such as butane lighters, Chapstick or some survival knives, don’t have a way to attach a lanyard or safety snap. Here’s an easy way to fix that.

Prevent loss of small critical survival items by attaching a poptop, and securing them to a clip or lanyard.

Take an aluminum poptop and attach it to the small item with a piece of bright tape. Then, whenever you use that piece of gear, clip or attach it to a lanyard. Attach the lanyard to your belt, button hole or zipper fob.

Get into this habit and you’ll never drop or lose that critical piece of gear.  This is particularly important in areas with a lot of snow, like where I live in Central Oregon.

I frequently am out in areas with several feet of accumulation, and dropping a butane lighter in these areas of deep snow virtually guarantees you’ll lose it. Even if you can find the lighter again, chances are the cold will disable it for several minutes.

Either of these situations is a problem if you desperately need to build a warming fire and your hands are numb!

Avoid potential emergencies caused by losing gear by thinking ahead!

Recommended Reading:
Surviving a Wilderness Emergency
Build the Perfect Survival Kit

GPS Made Easy (GPS Made Easy: Using Global Positioning Systems in the Outdoors)

Staying Found: The Complete Map and Compass Handbook

For more related SurvivalCommonSense.com tips and stories, click on the highlighted words:

• Take your Ten Essentials on every outing.
• Have a plan to make a tarp shelter.
• Find the most effective fire ignition system

Be Prepared!

Up on the ridge, the sudden autumn storm caught us by surprise. The dark clouds came boiling over the nearby mountains and headed in our direction. The wind picked up, and within a matter of minutes,  we would be hit with some really nasty weather.

This very simple Timber Hitch is easily-learned and works great to secure one end of an emergency A-Frame tarp shelter.

My brother, Mike, and I were on a backpack elk hunt, deep in Idaho’s Clearwater National Forest. We had been way down in a dark canyon, chasing a herd, when we climbed back out to regroup. Distracted by the potential elk sign, we han’t paid attention to the weather.

Our only shelter would have to be made out of two blue plastic tarps and some parachute cord. We looked around quickly, secured a line between two trees that were about 15 feet apart, and set the 10-by-12-foot tarp across it in an A-Frame fashion. We anchored the edges and corners with rocks. (Read the rest of the story by clicking on: tarp shelter. )

Here’s the point: No survival kit or technique is worth anything if you don’t know how to use it.

In this case, quick, effective knots were part of our survival gear. Because we were proficient with them,  it was easy to make an emergency shelter.

During survival situations, a basic knowledge of knots may prove to be  invaluable as you construct a shelter, tie up a food bag to keep it away from animals, or secure your boots! In fact, knots may end up being more useful than that really cool survival knife!

Most people don’t learn how to tie knots, so in an emergency situation, they lack a vital piece of gear. We’re going to help fix that.

These videos from “The Art of Manliness” provide  excellent demonstrations of  how to tie seven basic knots. 

Here’s what I want you to do: Click on  Knots and watch the videos. You’re not done with just one viewing! Then, get a rope, and practice. When you can tie several of these knots, and have an idea of where and how to use them, you’ve added a valuable survival tool to your wilderness survival  kit!

For more related SurvivalCommonSense.com tips and stories, click on the highlighted words:

• STOP: Use this exercise to reduce stress and focus your thoughts.
• Write a note to let people know where you went, before you left.
• Take your Ten Essentials on every outing.
• Dress with the right fabrics.
• Have a plan to make a tarp shelter.
• Find the most effective fire ignition system.
• It can kill you: Hypothermia
• About Leon Pantenburg

Be Prepared!