Little Things, Big Uses

If you want to survive you don't have to have high tech stuff.  Simple things can be made into very useful survival items.  Here are some ideas.

Creative items, simple stuff

Sticks can be made into spears, fishing rods, and more.  Rocks can be filed down to make knives and hatchets.  Plastic bottles at a stream can be made into a minnow trap and be used (after you wash it out) as a container if you cut the top off to make a wider hole.   More can be said, but that's all for now.

Cottontail Hunting

To go cottontail (more known as rabbit) hunting a you really need is a field that rabbits would be in.  But how do you find them and how do you hunt them?

How to find them
A good place to look is a place that provides cover for them close to where they get their food, such as clover, alfalfa, wheat, garden crops, grasses, and twigs and bark of small saplings.  Some of their favorite places to hide are at blackberry patches and honeysuckle. 

What to wear and how to hunt them
Now what do you wear when rabbit hunting?  Its easy, a blaze orange hat, vest, something blaze orange so if there are other hunters with you because you are in thick brush and if your alone just wear some anyway because if a hunter happens to come by he'll see the blaze orange.  Always wear blaze orange.  Why?  Your in thick weeds and grasses and you don't want to be mistaken for a rabbit in tall grass!  Wear thick pants also because you will likely run into briar's.
How to hunt them.  If you have beagles, then this article is over for you.  If you don't keep reading.  If your without beagles you can still hunt rabbits by walking them up.  How you do it is you walk for 10-15 paces and stop for 30-45 seconds.  Rabbits are nervous and will think they have been spotted and will make a run for it.  If you have two or more hunters, walk 25-50 feet apart depending on how wide the field is.  Do the same thing with walking them up, though you may want to do it staggered way.  One hunter does his thing, stops. The next does his steps, stops, and so on.  And when you find a rabbit snap shoot him.  You might want to learn this shooting technique.  Good hunting!

Squirrel Hunting Tips and Tricks

Squirrels are some things to hunt aren't they?  Small little buggers that are hard to aim at.  But these tips and tricks should help you to have success in your next squirrel hunt.  Two hunting strategies are usually used for squirrel hunting, stalking and still hunting (see my article about Hunting Techniques to hear more about these two types of hunting).  This has worked for me, just going out in the morning or afternoon just walking quietly and I usually see a squirrel.

Tips and Tricks
Now that we have discussed on what techniques to use we will discuss about what tricks to use.

• If two hunters are squirrel hunting then you can use numbers to you advantage.  A squirrel will most likely go to the opposite side of the tree a hunter is looking at.  So getting another hunter to go around and bang on the tree with a stick will make the squirrel go to the other side of the tree, the hunter on the other side can then get a shot.
• If a squirrel goes into a tree wait a while because after a while with no noise (so you should be quiet) it will come out.  Another way is to hit a stick against the tree and the squirrel will think you are chopping it down.
• Be patient and perservere.  This hunting requires that.  So don't go crazy if you miss one or lost track or sight of it.  My grandpa used to use this technique when he was a boy when he went squirrel hunting.  You go to an area that has squirrels and if they were all scared away into their nests then sit at the base of a tree and wait.  Sometimes he even fell asleep waiting!  But when he woke up...  The squirrels were out and he could get a shot.

Just remember, wait, be patient.  Squirrels, when they get a high enough population, they can be a trouble to farmers and their crops, so hunting them to keep the population down (but not to far) is not a bad idea at all.

Polyester Jackets

If you are wanting to have something lightweight and warm, polyester will do the trick.  While it is not waterproof, it can keep you warm.  But since its not waterproof, you can put an oversize poncho over it and you should be fine.  I like the polyester mostly because of its lightweight-ness so you don't get weighed down like some other warm but heavy coats.  But also polyester is also bulky in a way if you want to pack it in a backpack but it can be squished down if you put it at the bottom of the pack.

Micro Fishing Rod

Have you been in a survival situation and would have liked to have a fishing rod?  Personally I haven't.  But if I needed a micro fishing rod, I would have one.  Could you guess what its made of?  A popsicle stick.  Yes, a popsicle stick.
How you do it is you get one of those giant popsicle sticks and wrap some fishing line around it width-wise in the middle.  You only need to do a couple times around then tie it with a bunch of string left over for the fishing line.  Put a little bit of tape (any kind, though duct tape or electrical tape will most likely work best) over the wrapped around line to keep it in place.  End of the fishing line that will be cast out tie on a hook, attach some sinkers, and a bobber if you have one.