Place to practice primitive skills

[HoneyBadger]

Just to prove that I could, when I did the little excursion I talked about above, I caught a squirrel and ate it. I did a pretty crappy job of butchering it (I'd never cleaned a squirrel before and I just had a cheap/dull pocketknife), but it certainly killed my appetite.

I got the day off work because of the snow. If you want, I can post the contents of my get home bag.

[rbeau30]

Just to prove that I could, when I did the little excursion I talked about above, I caught a squirrel and ate it. I did a pretty crappy job of butchering it (I'd never cleaned a squirrel before and I just had a cheap/dull pocketknife), but it certainly killed my appetite.

I got the day off work because of the snow. If you want, I can post the contents of my get home bag.

Yes please! Collaboration is always welcome!

Are one of those natives that don' t know you have mountains west of you???

There is more than you need just "up the hill"

You didn't mention shooting. So your option are pretty much unlimited.

Sorry to sound harsh, but I moved here for the mountains. Blows my mind how many locals I meet in the 25-35 age bracket who have never been to the mountains!!! WTF?

Tinelement, no offense taken, and yes I am one of those minus the native part, I have been here since 2005 when I PCSd here. Always have been too busy to plan anything out in the mountains. I don't ski and have never wanted to, so winter time in the mountains has always been not in the forefront of my mind.

I've been to as far as Idaho springs, and drove to Grand Junction once. But that is the extent of my excursions.

Reason why I asked for specific areas to go is I wanted to be a sort of a good steward and am looking for a place to go where I wouldn't trespass or anything. I wanted to ensure the area I was using is public land that I could actually utilize for the purpose I was looking for.

[HoneyBadger]

Okay, sorry about the delay! Here are the contents of my "Get Home" bag. Pictures now included!

You'll notice there are lots of things in my "Get Home" bag that may seem strange or out of place... I also keep this as my truck's emergency kit in case I am in a bad accident or I am first on scene at a bad accident. I have a lot of medical knowledge, and I plan on getting EMT certified within a year or two. Many of the things in my kit are intended to help others in need if I have the opportunity.

Also, I've noticed that this kit doesn't account for having more than one person in my truck, so I'm going to add a few things to better accommodate a passenger who also has a will to survive.

Please note that some of these things, such as the pocket chainsaw, are bulky and probably wouldn't do you a lot of good if you had to trek home across an urban environment. My general goal with my bag is to get home from work. I work about 15 miles East of Colorado Springs, out in the prairie. Everyone has a different situation to plan for, so prepare accordingly.


-In the "Get Home" bag
*LA Police Gear $20 B.O.B. - black
*Warm hat and boot socks
*Fire starting kit (2 ziplock bags with 10 vaseline-coated cotton balls each, a waterproof match container filled with waterproof matches and a flint, wrapped in about 2 yds of duct tape, a bic lighter, and a miniature zippo-style lighter that is indestructible and will light under almost any condition)
*Beeswax chapstick (million different uses)
*Iodine tabs for water purification
*Extra lighter
*Name brand painkillers - Excedrin migraine, ibuprofin, Advil and Midol
*2 oz bottle of hand sanitizer
*Waterproof notebook and waterproof pen and sharpie
*6 pairs of nitrile gloves (in case I am first on scene to a car accident and the person is bleeding)
*basic first aid kit (it had lots of bandaids and stuff, but I added superglue, tweezers, 2 safety pins, and a tiny printout of a bunch of basic first aid procedures)
*4 alcohol wipes
*2 oz dropper bottle of bleach
*Signal mirror
*Compass for landnav
*Sewing kit with added fishing line
*Survival saw (can cut through really tough metals, rocks... basically anything)
*Pocket chainsaw (can cut down a 6" aspen in about 3 minutes)
*32 oz plastic water bladder
*Cheap multitool (has pliers, 3.5" knife blade, a little saw, philips and flathead screwdrivers, a file, a can opener, and various other useful things... was only $5)
*Mainstay 2400 emergency rations x2 ( each one of these is broken into six 400 calorie rations. They can survive temps up to 160* and down to -30*, and have a shelf life of 5+ years, so these are perfect for keeping in the car)
*Clif bar (wild game LOVES peanut butter clif bars!)
*2 clear plastic garbage bags (Tons of survival uses: solar still, transpiration bag to catch water from foliage, water holding bag, insulation, shelter, etc)
*Space blanket (mylar blanket for staying warm and dry.. reflects a high percentage of heat. Also is great for signaling for help)
*Sleeping bag made of space blanket material (for those really shitty (rare) days when you have to spend the night in the cold away from your vehicle.)
*BDU pattern poncho (tons of uses: keep you dry, keep you warm in the cold or give you shade from the sun, rainwater collector, quick and easy shelter, camouflage for hiding)
*Compression bandage
*CELOX (clotting agent)
*SAM splint
*Informational sheet with winter car survival tips
*100 rds 9mm fmj
*4-32x 28 monocular
*8 12" long heavy duty zip ties
*LOUD hiking survival whistle
*60 lumen microlight on a lanyard

-Items not pictured and other things that I keep in my truck:
*Jumper cables
*Tire change kit
*Fire estinguisher
*2 MREs
*Several towels and blankets
*Maps and a big atlas book of all 50 states.
*Gerber 16" machete/saw (sharpened with my lansky sharpening kit... it's SHARP!)
*100rds of 9mm
*100rds of .223
*500rds of .22LR
*30ft 4 ton tow strap
*12x20 tarp
*work gloves (I use rappelling gloves. They have a breathable back, but the palm and fingers are nice tough leather. Across the palm, forefinger, and thumb is re-enforced)
*100 ft 550 cord
*16.9 oz bottle of Gatorade x2
*24 oz bottle of water x4
*400W Power inverter
*Phone charger
*GPS


-Items that I generally keep with me:
*Cell phone - currently it's an HTC Thunderbolt which is a real piece of garbage. Soon I'll be changing back to an iPhone
*Wallet - ID/DL, debit card, credit card, and some cash
*Leatherman Skeletool CX with serrated blade
*CCW Pistol


-Things that I am going to change/add soon:
*Electrolytic powder and water instead of Gatorade. Water is much more of a multi-tool than Gatorade
*Pool shock instead of bleach (stable, lasts forever, won't eat through plastic)
*Blow-out kit (for trauma wounds)



The "Get Home" bag is actually quite small and easily fits under the back seat of my truck, along with all the other stuff, and a bunch of crap like a subwoofer and a tire change kit:


All the contents: (The machete doesn't go in the bag, but its appearance is menacing! )



Feel free to comment, leave constructive feedback, or tell me I'm doing it all wrong.


After looking this over and making a few changes, It looks like I carry a TON of stuff with me all the time... Everything listed above fits under the bench in the back of my truck, where there is only about 8" of clearance, with room to spare.

[rbeau30]

Thanks for posting that HoneyBadger! I need to get mine out of the car and go through mine. Definitely study your list and compare to mine. I'll do the same take pics and list out the contents. I would do it tonight, but I woke up with a helluva muscle spasm in my neck, and pretty much has got me immobile... must have slept on it wrong.

[blacklabel]

I got the day off work because of the snow. If you want, I can post the contents of my get home bag.

I'd like to see it if you've got the time.

[HoneyBadger]

I'd like to see it if you've got the time.

Well, I just broke my pushbroom trying to clear snow off the front steps, and I don't really feel like digging out my truck right now.. Maybe in an hour or so. lol

[Tinelement]

Hello,

I am in desperate need of a night away from civilization.

What I am hoping to do is to start utilizing my "get home bag" for real. I am hoping some people here would be able to suggest a good place where I can legally spend the night without traipsing over any private land and such.

I want to be able to put what I have read to practice and hone my skills in a "more real" environment.

I am on the Eastern edge of Aurora, so "going to the mountains" means that I go all the way through the metro area then to the mountains. Perhaps there is some nice place others have utilized, public land, etc, that others have had a successful time using.

If you have a less than public place or whatever just PM me.

Are one of those natives that don' t know you have mountains west of you???

There is more than you need just "up the hill"

You didn't mention shooting. So your option are pretty much unlimited.

Sorry to sound harsh, but I moved here for the mountains. Blows my mind how many locals I meet in the 25-35 age bracket who have never been to the mountains!!! WTF?

[Wulf202]

Do you have kids? I can't remember. I despise the taste of iodined water. Vitamin c removes the iodine after its used for water treatment. Kids wont drink iodine water willingly. Add a packet of emergen C (1000 mg) 50 mg per iodine tab will remove the taste. Also good for fighting colds

Shades. Going snow blind isn't fun

Consider adding a packet of caffeine pills if you need to get home instead of sleep

[HoneyBadger]

Do you have kids? I can't remember. I despise the taste of iodined water. Vitamin c removes the iodine after its used for water treatment. Kids wont drink iodine water willingly. Add a packet of emergen C (1000 mg) 50 mg per iodine tab will remove the taste. Also good for fighting colds This is great advice! Iodine does taste pretty awful. I've used flavored drink mix from an MRE to help with the taste of Iodine-treated water before, but something like EmergenC or AirBorne would serve multiple functions. Vitamin C also helps keep you awake and alert.

Shades. Going snow blind isn't fun

Consider adding a packet of caffeine pills if you need to get home instead of sleep

I'm about to have a newborn with me, so a diaper bag (and a different sort of "blow out" kit ) will also be in the car at all times. I don't really know what I need to add to my bag for having a child in tow. Maybe something simple like cheerios. Maybe a sleep-aid of some sort? Hiking while carrying a newborn, along with the GHB and any other stuff could be exhausting.

If I'm not looking to "get home" and I just need to survive for a few days until help arrives, and there is snow on the ground and the weather is otherwise prohibitive, I would stay with my truck, where I naturally have shelter, possibly heat (or A/C), something reasonably comfortable to sleep on, and protection from wildlife. Also consider: it's easy to store lots of food, water and survival gear in your vehicle, and your vehicle itself is a wealth of survival resources. If you don't have to abandon your vehicle and you've put a little time and money into planning, it should be easy to survive for at least a week. (I generally recommend staying with your vehicle, unless societal conditions are bad enough that you need to get home and your vehicle doesn't matter anymore.)

I edited and updated my post above.

[TheBelly]

for every poncho I have, I have a couple tent poles tied into the mix. That way I can set up a tent in the plains, and still have something to splint my arm/leg if I need to.

Try splinting your own arm. it's pretty difficult. Try putting a tourniquet on yourself.. now imagine doing it while bleeding out! ugh!