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Base Camp Las Vegas, desert hiking, Death Valley

Book review: Base Camp Las Vegas | 101 Hikes in the Southwest

 600 300 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness

There is more to Las Vegas than glitz, glamour, sin and gambling. It’s also a great central location for some very interesting hiking.

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Survival Knives and Gear

how to choose a pocketknife, best pocket knife, folding knives, how to choose a folding knife

Video: Ten things to look for when choosing a pocket knife

 600 300 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness

You made the first decision in knife-buying, and opted for a folder over a rigid-blade knife. What else do you need to consider before investing in a quality folding knife?

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Hunting and Fishing

catfish, chicken liver featured

Survival fishing video: How to bait your hook with chicken liver

 600 352 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness

One of the most effective baits for catfish is chicken liver. Here is one method for keeping it on the hook.

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Survival Skills

Include an insulated pad for sitting upon, because the plastic bag doesn't have any insulation. (Photo copyright 2013 Peter Kummerfeldt)

Six survival uses for plastic bags

 597 400 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness
6

I carry a variety of plastic bags in all my survival kits. They can be worth their weight in gold during an emergency.

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Survival Gear

survival tarp shelter, cheap tarps, best tarp shelters

How to choose the best tarp for survival shelters

 600 300 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness

Tarps can be really valuable survival tools. But what if your budget is limited and you needs several that will do the job? Here are some tarp materials that have worked for me.

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Make Fire

Lightning-Strike. survival fire starting

Review: Lightning-Strike Fire Starter

 600 300 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness

During a backcountry emergency, you may stake your life on your firemaking tools. Here is a system that is worth looking at.

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Clothing

Mosquitoes can carry many different diseases.

Insect repellent clothing: We review the Hook and Tackle Bug-X shirt

 274 184 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness

What’s the best way to co-exist with biting insects? Here is a new product that might be what you need.

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VIDEOS | TIPS & HOW TO's

Backroads Mississippi, Mississippi, sharecropper shack
Backroads Mississippi: Home, Sweet Home harmonica solo in Campbells Swamp
 600 300 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness

The old traditional song “Home, Sweet Home,” played on an antique harmonica, accompanies a multi-media look at Campbells Swamp, Mississippi, in south Warren County.

Survival fishing: How to make a trotline from paracord
 600 400 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness

Time is precious during an emergency. If you can make a fish trap or run a trot line, these can gather food, even while you’re doing something else.

A drainage ditch might be the only source of water you can find.
Video: How to stay hydrated under all circumstances
 600 400 Survival Common Sense Blog | Emergency Preparedness

Water is necessary for life. Here is how to find it in the desert.

Leon Pantenburg writes a survival blog with tips and techniques to help average people survive an unexpected urban or wilderness emergency, with survival skills and emergency preparedness. Topics include survival knives, survival clothing and camp cooking, making a fire, emergency shelter, hunting and fishing, competent survival skills and survival gear reviews.