Preppers & Chickens

By Nelson J Galan

Chickens are a popular multi-purpose stock among preppers, and we’re seeing more and more non-preppers raising them as well. 

They provide us with eggs and meat, and help to minimize ticks, termites, fleas, rats, mice, flies, fire ants, small snakes and even scorpions.

The beauty is, they don’t care what  stage of development their tasty bug is in. Egg, larval, or adult … if they find it, they’ll eat it.

They’ll also help your garden by eating weed seeds and providing you with high quality manure for compost. Just allow access to your garden before you plant your crops and after you harvest and they'll do their job nicely.

But before heading out and obtaining chickens, it’s important to understand what your needs are, what certain breed of chickens are best for, and how to optimize their benefits.

For example, not all breeds are good layers, some are meatier than others and not all breeds are good survivors.

You also need to understand and decide on whether your intention is to coop, free-range or combo your chickens in order to find the best match. It's not enough to say you want "egg layers" or "meat birds". As with all prepping, you have to have a plan. And a plan with chickens means getting the right breed(s) for your needs and setting your birds up for success.

You must consider what it is you are looking for and then consider their requirements and your ability to satisfy those requirements. Shelter, cleanliness of habitat, waste collection, food, water, shade, lighting, ventilation, coop dimensions, insulation, nesting, and protection from weather and PREDATORS are some of the factors you must take into account.

Understanding your environment is key. How big is your yard? Do you have dogs or cats? What about your neighbors? Are there fox, raccoons, hawks, owls etc.? All these things affect your choices of breeds, quality of life, as well as the health and longevity of your flock.

You should also consider the temperament of the breed you select. Some breeds are more aggressive than others. Some are flightier than others, some are louder, some are broodier etc. Again, think about what you need and what they need. Can you have a mutually beneficial partnership?

Here are some breeds I recommend that should help you in deciding what breeds are good for your specific preps. 

Popular Prepper Breeds

American Game Chicken. Low coop tolerance. Really flourishes in combo or free range environments. Medium to good layers. Average white eggs. Frequent brooders. Will deliver lots of biddies. Extremely smart, very flighty, and hardy. Can tolerate all climates. Can be aggressive, especially with other roosters. Very protective. Full of personality, fun and noisy.
Varieties include: Many different colors. Strains include: Hatch, Kelso, Albany, Sweater, Whitehackle, Claret, Roundhead, and Butcher.

Ameraucana: Aka Easter Egg Chickens. Good for coop, free range or combo. Very good layer. Lays average to above average blue (shades of blue) or green (shades of green) eggs. Calm and non-aggressive. Cold weather hardy.
Varieties include: Brown-red, Buff, Silver, Black, Wheaten, White, Blue and Blue-wheaten.

 

 

Araucana. Similar to the Ameraucana. Flighty, extremely  hardy,  excellent foragers, docile, smart and protective. Good for Coop, free range or combo. Good layer but has "lethal" gene which causes approximately 1/4 of it's chicks to die in the shell. Blue eggs. Calm and non-aggressive.             Varieties include: Black, White, Black breasted red, Blue, Buff & Silver.

 

 

Butter Cup. Flighty and active. Wild and shy, avoids human contact. Fairly rare. Does not coop well. Prefers free range or combo. Good consistent layer that rarely sits. Average to below average sized white eggs, but matures early and is very heat tolerant.
Non-aggressive.      
Varieties include: Golden. Crown comb. 

 

Cornish Game. Slow, docile, easily handled and easily confined. Excellent for cooping. Noisy, and less active. This bird does not defend itself well. Cold hardy and broody. Moderately early maturing. Light brown, below average eggs. Meat bird. Not recommended for a mixed flock.
Varieties include: White, Dark, White laced, Red and Buff.

Leghorn (yes like the cartoons). Flighty, full of themselves, noisy, nervous and spirited. Good for coop, combo, but loves free range. Mostly non-aggressive. Prolific layer, heat tolerant and rarely broody. Matures quickly. Large white eggs.                                                                                  Varieties include: White, Light brown, Dark brown, Black, Red, Buff, Black-tailed red, Columbia, and Silver.

 

 

New Hampshire Red. Not flighty. Competitive and can be aggressive. Very curious. Does well cooped, free range or combo. Good layers and frequent brooders. Nice breed for dual purpose egg layer/meat producer. Tolerates heat and cold well. Average to above average light brown to dark brown eggs.                                                                                                                                   Varieties include: Light brownish red. 

Rhode Island Red. Similar to the New Hampshire Red. Not flighty. Can be very aggressive but calm. Very adaptable to coop, free range or combo environments. Prolific layer and rarely broody. Also a dual purpose breed. Cold and heat tolerant. Above average rich brown eggs.
Varieties include: Red.

Coop Construction

You should always have some kind of shelter for your chickens regardless of the amount of freedom you plan on allowing them to have and your coop will also serve as the initial acclimation point when you first bring your chickens home. Regardless of their future run of the property, the first four weeks or so should be spent living in that coop. This ingrains in them the feeling of a home base and safety. 

Chickens need to feel safe especially the ground dwellers or mothers whose biddies have yet to master perching, and a permanent coops fills that need nicely.

Your coop should be designed for the type of chicken you have or are planning to raise. For example; all coops should have roofs, walls (wire/plywood etc.), doors and predator protection, but slower, fatter egg layers that aren't very flighty (or aren't flighty at all) should have coops with ramps or stairs. The idea is to get your chickens off the ground when they are resting/sleeping or laying.

Here's an example of a small coop with a ramp (and a chicken run).

If you're breeding fliers and you don't use ramps or stairs make sure your perches and shelves are sturdy enough to take the ups and downs of your birds and large enough to fit nest boxes you can add or remove. It's advisable to build stalls or pens your hens will use to help segregate herself and her biddies until such time that she has taught them to perch. Usually about three weeks.

Here are examples from my coop. I prefer to use natural perches.

Remember that you don't want these stalls to be enclosed. You want your hens to be able to look around and you don't want to create "caves' or "blind spots" for snakes to hide in. Your coop must be a sanctuary or your chickens will abandon it.

Your coop should include predator protection from above, all sides and even below if necessary. I know a lady that built her guinea coop on top of chicken wire. Then she added two feet of dirt on top of that.

Although I breed Game Chickens that are free range,

I do have occasion to have to lock mine up over night due to hens sitting on nests or with biddies.

My coop has 18 inches of chicken wire in the ground, tacked to the frame around the entire perimeter. This will keep any stray dog(s) from digging under the coop. I also have chicken wire across the top under the roofing panels. Again, this will keep predators such as raccoon or fox from climbing up and over.

Here's a tip: If you use 1 inch chicken wire and plan on having biddies, you need to line the bottom of your wire with a 1/4 inch mesh at least a foot tall. Small biddies will walk through 1 inch wire leaving your hen without the ability to protect or shield them. And, those biddies may forget how to get back in.

Here's a picture of mesh lined chicken wire in one of my coops.

 

One alternative I use, is 1/4  inch rabbit wire in the sections where I have nest boxes and biddies.
Here's a picture of one of my hens with her biddies in my other coop with rabbit wire.

Another option I recommend for larger flocks is to divide your coop so you can isolate any bird(s) you may have to. Occasionally you may have a bird(s) get sick or in cases of more aggressive birds, you may have to keep a bird away from biddies or keep roosters apart.

Make sure your barrier is solid. Roosters will fight through wire and lose toes and/or beaks.
Here's a picture of an isolated rooster on the left, with hens and biddies on the right. This rooster wasn't aggressive, but he was quarantined for a couple of days while being wormed.

Here's a picture of the door between coop sections (while under construction). Notice that when closed, birds on each side can not see each other.

  

 

You may decide to have built-in nest boxes and/or nest boxes that are accessible from the outside in order to limit your entry in the coop.

Here's a small coop with run and accessible nest boxes at the end. Like the earlier example, hens get ground time inside the wired complex, and nest in the walled off area off the ground. In this example, you simply lift the lid up at the end where the nest box is and retrieve the eggs.

This style is excellent for a couple birds.

 

 

By now you should have an idea of what you're looking for. Cooped, free range or combo birds. Egg layers, dual purpose or meat birds.

Whether you want fat, slow ground dwellers or sleeker, fast flighty birds, your chickens will depend on you for support. The better you support them, the more they'll do and provide for you.

If you do this properly, it'll allow you to have multiple breeds for multiple purposes. My birds coexist very happily and prosperously. They are one big happy flock that include dual purpose game chickens, layers and even Guineas.

Additional Info:

Treat your chickens well. Make sure they have plenty of water and supplement their grazing with cracked corn or chicken scratch. Treat them with bread or meal worms. You can train them so try calling to them as you give them their treats. They'll remember.

Remember that they all have their personalities. If you pay attention, you can learn their habits, their likes and their dislikes. Don't be surprised if you discovered they've trained you back.
I have a friend whose roosters don't start crowing until they know she's awake. Mine will come to the back door when they want some bread, and if they have biddies that have yet to start perching, they will cackle non-stop in the evening until I go and close them in for the night.

Don't be offended if your free range or combo flock starts roosting in trees instead of in the coop. That's what they do (maintain your coop, they'll still use it).
Don't be shocked if your roosters spar, chase or down right fight with each other (maybe to the death).
That's what they do.
Don't be upset if your rooster rapes your hen(s).
That's what they do.
Don't panic if your flock celebrates by cackling after a hen lays an egg.
That's what they do.

I can do this all day. The bottom line is, there is a lot to know about chickens but now that you have the basics, you will enjoy learning the rest on your own.


Regards from Liberty33

 

 

How Many Guns Do You Need?

By Range Master Joe

The question has been asked, how many guns do you need for defense?  The simple answer is 6.  

 
Handguns

You will need two handguns, one small compact that is capable of being concealed and one full size.  I prefer to use a 2” .357 Magnum Revolver for a conceal carry weapon.  Some prefer a small automatic.  What ever you chose make sure it has enough stopping power.  I would not go any smaller then a 380 or a 9mm.  Another good option is to use the same type of gun in a full size and sub compact, i.e. Springfield XD, S&W M&P, or Glocks.  This way all the working parts will be the same on both guns.  The trigger, magazine release, slide, and safety will all be the same.  Field stripping and cleaning will be the same for both.
 
Shotguns

Next you will need a Shotgun.  Barrel length isn’t a big issue but make sure you can maneuver it through your house.  Keep it simple, I don’t like to put optic on a shotgun.  I may add a light and an extended magazine but that is it.  I don’t like side shell holders, they can snag on stuff or rounds fall off them when shooting powerful loads.  Keep a variety on ammo, #7 to #8 is good for snakes of to avoid over penetrating of walls.  #4 to #6 turkey loads are a hard hitting round and buck shot is buck shot.  One round of 00 buck shot is equivalent to 9 rounds of 9mm.

.22 Long Rifle (.22LR)

A .22 LR Rim fire is a must.  They are quiet, have no recoil, cheep to shoot.  Once again keep it simple.  This one is up to you; it doesn’t matter if it is a semi auto, bolt action, single shot, or lever action.  If it is works, it is good.  Make sure the ammo will feed well through your weapon.

Rifle

You will need two rifles, one for close to intermediate range, (10 to 200 meters) and one for long range, (75 to 300+ meters).  For your intermediate range rifle you want a weapon that you are capable of firing 30 rounds a minute.  I like to use iron sights, red dots, holographic sights, or low magnification scope, (1 to 4 power or less).  AR15, SKS, AK47, Ruger Mini 14, or Pistol caliber Carbines are ideal for this roll.  For a long range rifle you will want a little more power. 

At the longer ranges, accuracy is more important the speed.  A .243, 22-250, 308, 30-06, or 300magnum, or anything in between is a good round.  A bolt action, semi auto, or single shot will all do well for this application. Heavy barrels will increase accuracy but also increase weight so I can’t say which one is the best.  I like a scope with a minimum power between 2 and 4 times magnification and a maximum power between 8 and 12 times magnification.  Too much magnification limits you field of view.  Also I recommend a bipod or some sort of stabilizing device.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Once you have you weapons, you need to use them at least every 6 month to stay proficient.  I recommend shooting in matches to help with your training.  There are several different disciplines, Steel Challenge, USPSA, IDPA, NRA Action pistol, Bulls eye, Skeet, Sporting Clays, Three Gun or Trap. 

Regards from Liberty33

 

Prepping for Economic Collapse

 

By Nelson J Galan

While in-the-tank American news media report that conditions in the U.S. aren’t as bad as some make them out to be, one needs to be a complete fool to not see the reality before them. For many years, even prior to this current out of control administration, Washington politicians have been derelict with the peoples’ money and have been implementing counter-constructive economic policy aimed at securing votes from low information voters, being the arbiters of fairness and consolidating central power.  

The misguided (I’m being generous with that term) notion that the best way to achieve equality for the people is by government forcing equal results rather than by government guaranteeing equal opportunity, that government knows best how to run your life and that creating an ever expanding dependent class in order to reduce citizen demand for economic and social liberty has slowly turned the U.S. into a quasi-European socialist State.

The governments’ policies on energy, taxes, spending, healthcare, wealth redistribution, redundant regulation and foreign affairs have combined to create a fatally toxic environment. They’ve given us 16 trillion in debt so far and a real world deficit of an unbelievably staggering, 120 trillion dollars when all obligations are factored in.

This is unsustainable. Period. Mathematically it’s not even open for debate.  

And, these clowns are so addicted to spending that they’re currently fighting over reducing the rate of increased spending by 85 billion dollars! Can you comprehend that? Without the 85 billion dollars, the proposed budget is still 15 billion more than the non-budget from  last year but the current administration warns of doom if we don’t spend that extra 85 billion. Its insanity and when you have insane assholes in power, you get insane results. This is a truism of history.

These policies and others are forging a path towards hyper- inflation, wealth destruction and economic paralysis this country has never seen. Consider that during the Great Depression the U.S. unemployment rate was at 25% and stock prices dropped over 50% and look at our current situation.

While the lackey news media tells us the U.S. unemployment rate stands at 7.9%, we know that between 6% and 7% of the unemployed have stopped looking for work and have exhausted their unemployment benefits. So this brings the actual number to around 14.5%. Now while that is a long way from 25%, the reality is the business climate is deteriorating due to overbearing regulation, high taxes, Obamacare, high fuel costs and less discretionary spending by money tight consumers.

Don’t believe me? Here’s a list of stores Yahoo Finance says will close locations in 2013; Best Buy Forecast store closings: 200 to 250, Sears Holding Corp. Forecast store closings: Kmart 175 to 225, Sears 100 to 125, J.C. Penney Forecast store closings: 300 to 350, Office Depot Forecast store closings: 125 to 150, Barnes & Noble Forecast store closings: 190 to 240, Gamestop Forecast store closings: 500 to 600, OfficeMax Forecast store closings: 150 to 175, and RadioShack Forecast store closings: 450 to 550. What do you think is going to happen to stock prices and the unemployment rate?

This is bad, bad news.

More people thrown into unemployment means more government assistance,  which means more wealth confiscation from the producers, which means more lay-offs, which means more government assistance, which means more wealth confiscation … and so it goes. The circle of collapse.

With all this in mind the survivalist has to prep accordingly.

There are several things you have to come to sober conclusions about quickly. The first of which is you have to get your own economic house in order in the next year or two. This is going to take effort and serious planning because as you’re cleaning yourself up, you also have to maintain your other preps.

Stop wasting money. Pack your lunches, eat in house and limit your restaurant dining and pizza deliveries. Look for the best prices on internet, phone service, car & home insurance and cut back on your premium cable or satellite channels. If you can live with the basics or without, that’s even better.

Begin paying off your debts. If you have car payments, consider selling and buying a vehicle with cash, outright. Sell off crap you have that you don’t need and convert the money to silver, gold or even liquor for bartering.

Make sure your Federal, State and local property taxes, your mortgage and your student loans are paid up to date.

The cleaner you are financially, the less risk you have of government or authoritative entities coming after you in times of their fiscal desperation.

Consider not taking that vacation and instead think about finding a part-time job or other ways of making extra income.

Make a list of your expenditures and scrutinize it thoroughly. Find every way possible to trim down.

Continue your food, water and fuel storage and remember that discretion is a must because when people get desperate, you’ll have to deal with them. The fewer people not in your group/team that knows anything about your preps the less chance you’ll have to. In several humanitarian operations I’ve taken part in around the world I can tell you that people who were once trusted neighbors will do anything to take from their better prepared neighbors when they’re hungry, thirsty or just feel like the deserve what they have. And just so we’re clear, they will kill, rape, maim and torture to get what they want.

That brings us to weaponry and ammunition.

Whether you’re prepared to bug-out (most people aren’t) or bug-in, during an economic collapse unprepared people will get stupid. Besides the above mentioned killing, raping and torture, I’ve seen parents offer their children for barter. I’ve seen gangs of roving bandits overturn cars to keep the occupants from leaving with supplies and I’ve seen cannibalism. It is imperative that the prepper understand the extreme desperation that can result from disastrous conditions and although we all hope humanity will bond and become guardians and caretakers of each other the truth is there will be predators without conscience. It is an undeniable and never failing pattern of human history. I highly recommend that if you can, finding a bug-out location, whether through family or friends, or if it’s the one expense you have to invest in, is crucial. Away from civilization is optimal, but understandably not possible for most preppers.

So you must ensure your defensive methods are ready and available. As we’ve discussed in previous prep blogs, you should own weaponry that is at least as formidable as the weaponry you may have to defend against and that means modern sports rifles (AR-15/AK47 types), high capacity hand guns, short barrel 5 shell minimum shot guns for close quarter maneuvering, edge weapons such as knives and tomahawks and blunt weaponry such as baseball bats and batons. Mace, pepper spray and stun guns should also make up part of your arsenal. Also don’t neglect your ammunition. I recommend a minimum of 250 rounds per weapon. Not per caliber. Not per person. Per weapon. Remember, NATO weaponry and ammunition is best, but don’t forget your 22LR rifles, handguns and ammo either.

Your bug-in preps should be low profile and well concealed. Build privacy fences or plant shrubbery to conceal crops, water storage and ground mounted solar panels if possible. Remember if you’re bugging-in, in cities or suburbs it would be beneficial to fence your property, have an intimidating watch dog (yes you need to prep for your pet too) and use quiet sources of energy. Gasoline, propane and diesel generators are great but remember they need fuel, and they’re loud so you have to take that into consideration. You do not want to attract attention to yourself.

You should begin setting cash aside. Banks may or may not collapse but you have to prepare for a disruption of the financial institutions’ ability to service its’ customers either in person or electronically and of course if SHTF bankers will protect themselves before they protect you. The FDIC shit is out the window, at least for a while. So if you’re like many people, you can’t just hoard away a ton of cash instantly so try to save ten or twenty dollars per pay check in a safe and secure location in your home. Purchasing gold or silver in small quantities whenever you can is a smart move. Store this yourself. Do not rely on an agency to do this. They are not going to send an armored car to your house when you need it in an emergency. The uncertainty of an economic collapse means paper money may become worthless. Precious metals and stones will always be valuable. Do what you can.

You should consider attaining materials to fortify your residence if you have to bug-in. Plywood, lumber, sand bags, tempered steel chains, window & door bars and the appropriate bolts and screws are important to prepare in advance. In the case of an economic collapse, city residents are more vulnerable to home invasion and attack. Civil unrest, rioting, looting, and indiscriminate violence are big probabilities so turning your home into Fort Knox may be a life saver. Give some thought to your situation and as to whether or not you want to fortify your home from within. Behind curtains and/or blinds and doors.  Low profile fortifications or obvious fortifications. It’s your call, you know your threats and neighborhood best.

Finally, remember your SEER plans. Just because you choose to bug-in or have no choice or nowhere to go, your circumstances may change rapidly. So keep your go-bags ready. If you choose to bug-out remember that timing is everything and that includes making allowances for the possibility of Marshal Law and police checkpoints and road blocks.

Do your research, write down your plans and make it happen.

Regards from Liberty33

Gun Control and the Prepper

 

By Nelson J Galan

I’ve gotten several emails about the current state of affairs regarding our governments’ continued encroachment against our liberties. Chief among those emails have been readers concerns over the deterioration of our 2^nd Amendment Rights. The Governments’ possible end-game and the effects these anti-gun zealots and politicians are having on the free market availability and pricing on some of  preppers more popular weapons and ammunition. 

For many, if not most preppers, this is a serious issue and helps to further fuel their resolve to prepare for SHTF scenarios. In fact most people are against any further control methods aimed at legal, mentally sound, law abiding citizens, especially since we witness time and time again some criminal not being punished to the fullest extent of the law, being released upon society and committing more gun violence and then being called a victim of society or a broken home by some poverty pimp community blowhard sucking his living off the blood of the poor.  

Then we see some moron government official on the television trying to sound “concerned” for the victims of gun violence perpetrated by insane monsters or ruthless scum bags, instead point their unconstitutional law creating pens at those who are the most responsible and conscientious gun owners.  

The very people, who desire nothing more than to protect themselves and their families from degenerates and dregs, and are in no way, shape or form threats to anyone else are the ones these dimwitted knuckleheads want to punish and disarm.

On the face of it, it seems illogical, but in the mind of the totalitarian leftist it makes perfect sense. And folks, these idiot politicians pushing for these expanded gun control laws are totalitarian leftists. Make no mistake about that.

Their goal is complete confiscation. 

It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that disarming the law abiding makes them less secure and emboldens criminals. One of the factors that played into the Aurora, Co. shooters decision in picking that particular movie theater was, it was a declared “gun free zone”.

Translation; ‘bad guy come shoot us all you want, no one here can stop you’. He literally drove by other, closer theaters straight to that one.  

When the citizen’s ability to defend themselves or even project the image that they can defend themselves as deterrence are removed, it increases exponentially the threats they are faced with. So a touchy feely message for everyone to behold about what a great place you are because you don’t allow guns, is nothing more than a pronouncement that you are a soft target ready to be violated.

Schools, theaters, malls etc., are all places where people gather in mass while putting themselves at risk due to this ill fated notion that guns can’t be trusted in the hands of the law abiding citizen.   

But the half-witted among us think that words and signs will keep everyone safe. A half-wit I know said to me, “well if everyone would just follow the rules, this wouldn’t happen”. Yep, she was serious … she voted for a dumbass that is hell bent on shredding the U.S. Constitution.

The problem with that statement is the same problem that most brain dead zombies who vote for these anti-gun zealots have. They live in a bubble void of common sense and real world practicality. They blindly place their trust in the hands of politicians who want to control every aspect of their lives in exchange for faux security and the promise to punish and take from others who seek or defend liberty, self reliance and minimal government intervention.  

We preppers though, are a much different breed of people. Most of us understand the need for self defense. We understand the concept that bad guys will do bad things regardless of the law or rules of common decency. We understand that desperate people will take desperate actions against innocent people for their own benefit. We get that 340,000,000 guns in the United States alone, that we know of, mean criminals will always have guns. We know that in TEOTWAWKI situations looters, marauders, bandits and worse will be armed to the teeth and there will be limited if any government to help us. We understand about self sufficiency and having the ability to protect our loved ones, our neighbors and even innocent strangers from the predators and the takers. We value our Right to Keep and Bear Arms because we know the opportunity it provides to us for Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness regardless of wills others may wish to impose upon us. We trust in the great equalizer and understand it is a tool that will aid us in our survival. 

And it’s not just disasters we prepare for. A disarmed citizenry is also easy prey for a government run amuck. The threat of government oppression is as real as any other threat  or catastrophic event.  

While most preppers hope and pray their government will never turn against the citizens, most everyone who prepares for worst case scenarios understands that history is littered with these types of situations so ignoring that possibility would be doing so at their own very considerable risk. 

Let’s take the popular myth of Hitler’s words and actions regarding gun control and the popular false counter point arguments to the myth.

You’ve probably read the quotes attributed to Hitler regarding a gun free society being a safe society, along with a narrative on how this led to him having no serious opposition to his dictatorship. And perhaps you’ve read the anti-gun lobby’s rebuttal stating his gun policies were more in line with the modern pro-gun movements’ own policies because he actually relaxed some of the restrictions on guns laid forth by the 1928 Law on Firearms and Ammunition. 

Well the truth is that while Hitler did not set out to disarm the German people who were not “enemies of the State”, - those who were considered law abiding German citizens, he did in fact disarm those he deemed as his enemies. The 1938 Law; Regulations Against Jews’ Possession of Weapons did disarm law abiding citizens and they were told that that action would make them safer as they were then relocated in to the ghettos. As we know, that didn’t work out so well for the disarmed citizenry. 

The Nazi’s wanted to get rid of their contrived Jewish threat and the only way to do this with as minimal of resistance as possible was to ensure the playing field was as one sided as possible. The disarming of the Jews was a precursor to the master plan of extermination. A necessary step to ensure greater governmental power over its citizens. The anti-gun lobby glosses over this fact because it’s an inconvenient truth. 

In more recent history, as a born American of Cuban heritage, I can attest to the fact via my own families experiences, that the first thing the Cuban communists did was disarm the Cuban people “for their own protection”. What followed was the torture and imprisonment or murder of all political opposition, gays, artists, mentally handicapped and anyone else that were deemed threats or undesirables to Fidel Castro’s communist utopia. The confiscation of all business and property and the forced separation of children from their parents for communist indoctrination camps followed immediately behind. 

With these lessons and others like it in mind, millions of people look at the current anti-gun crusaders with disdain and deep suspicion. You add into the equation The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (OBAMACARE) and the semi-tyrannical manner in which it was implemented. The us-against-them meta-message coming from the White House regarding taking from the successful and rewarding the unsuccessful. The actual words uttered by the President himself referring to “punishing” their enemies (political opposition). The fact that governmental agencies like Heath & Human Services, The Center for Disease Control, The Social Security Administration and FEMA buying massive amounts of ammunition and weapons while publicly admitting they are preparing for civil unrest. And, throw in an ever expanding population of failed, envious, ignorant and entitlement demanding classes and it’s easy to understand that the targeting of the law abiding citizen through the diminishing and eventual elimination of their 2^nd Amendment Rights becomes extremely alarming. 

Alarming to the point where Americans are flocking to gun stores, sporting goods stores and pawn shops in hopes of stocking up with weaponry, ammunition and survival gear in numbers never before seen in any country at any time in human history. The massive mobilization of ordinary people towards a cause not popular by the ruling elites has created nervousness in government and exposed a secret government officials were all too happy to keep from their constituents. That secret being the massive preparations government itself has been undertaking.

Between the ordinary citizen and the government, weapons and ammo manufacturers are hard pressed to keep up with demand driving prices upward and causing shortages across the country. This is classic supply and demand.

One supplier I know told me he has an outstanding back-order for the government he has to fill every time he’s resupplied that immediately wipes out his inventory of 9mm and 5.56 caliber ammunition. Because of confidentiality clauses in his government contracts he’s not at liberty to divulge which agency(s) is making the purchases, but will say it’s not the military.

While this is good for business, as a Patriot who has been selling these goods for over twenty years, he is perplexed as to why now and why this much? “Scared” he says to me, “just plain scared”.

Keep in mind he entered into these contracts shortly after 9/11 at a time when government was ratcheting up it’s response to UBL and al-Qaeda and citizens were preparing for more terrorist attacks on the home front. And yet, at a time we’re being told the war on terror is practically over, the government demand for weaponry and ammunitions grows to unprecedented proportions.

 

This is worrisome. 

This leads me to believe that this government wants a gun ban so badly, that they are attacking this problem from all fronts. That is to say, if they can’t gain enough support to confiscate weapons, they’ll go after the next best thing. Ammunition.

In the meantime however, it’s imperative that they themselves stock up on all the ammunition they can before moving against that segment of the firearm business.

Very high taxation and ridiculous regulation will enable them to claim they aren’t subjugating the 2^nd Amendment while still achieving there goal of limiting the people’s ability to defend themselves. With this theory becoming more popular among the people, citizens are exploring all available options from online purchasing to reloading their own supplies. And as the government brazenly speaks of taking control of more aspects of people’s lives, the danger of an over reaching out of control federal juggernaut becomes more and more of a concern. 

The trick for the prepper who is still striving to achieve their weapons cache goal is to maneuver through the high price vs. good value maze. A very difficult task to accomplish in this environment.

If you don’t have at least one modern sports rifle like and AR-15 or and M4, consider the Ruger Mini-14. These have been jumping off the shelves as quickly as the before mentioned and have gone up in price as well, but if you find one you’ll save some money in comparison and you’ll still be getting a very fine weapon of the same vein.

I would also consider a 12 gauge shotgun with an 18 ½” barrel. A Mossberg Maverick88 model or a Stevens can still be had for around 200 bucks. In the absence of a modern sports rifle a shotgun for close range encounters will fill the role nicely.

If you’re looking for a longer range solution, explore a .308 rifle. Keep in mind that the anti-gun crowd, talk a big game about not wanting to take away your hunting rifles, but as soon as they get a chance they will rename hunting rifles; sniper rifles ... and then they’ll start in on those. You need to get ahead of that.

Once their accomplices in the media take that ball and run with it, pricing and ammunition will sky rocket so the sooner you pick one up the better.

By all means if you can afford a couple of magazine fed 9mm handguns, I recommend purchasing immediately.  

 

And don't forget the .22LR.

It doesn’t look like this current waive of supply and demand is going to slow down anytime soon. In fact it looks like this is going to be a longer fight than ever before, but your preps must continue. You shouldn’t sit on the side lines waiting to see how things will shake out. So whatever you need, whether it be weapons, ammo or both, write up your plan of action. Do your research, pool your funds and get off your ass and get it done.

Start with what you think you need most and work off the list. Also support your gun associations and those politicians who stand with you on your Rights to Keep and Bear Arms. We’ve never faced a more crucial moment in our history.

 

Regards from Liberty33

Basic Survival

Welcome to Liberty33 Doomsday Survival Blog.

We hope you will enjoy our posts. At Liberty33 we've been preparing for over 25 years and it is our mission to share our experience in basic survival with you.

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Repost from www.liberty33.com

Basic Survival
By Nelson J Galan

​Why be Prepared?

The truth is that being prepared for emergencies is the best, if not the only way to ensure you and your family's safety and security. Looking around we see a world that is in deep trouble. From financial turmoil, to global terrorism, to increased severity of natural disasters - everything seems to be getting worse. Disaster can strike quickly and without warning so it has never been more important for you to be prepared. Having at least the basic knowledge, skills and equipment, to give you and your family the chance to survive is crucial because depending on the government, be it local, state or federal is iffy at best and you should never, ever put your life or the lives of your loved ones in the hands of some faceless government bureacrat or agency that may or may not care about you, be incompetent or have some kind of hidden agenda. Being prepared and having a well thought out and planned response to disaster is your responsibility and your safest course, and may mean the difference between life, death, or ...

What should I know about preparing?

There are an estimated 3 million "Preppers" in the United States alone. Most are everyday people from all walks of life that have a sense of upcoming danger, are students of history or simply feel that being prepared in uncertain times is both logical and prudent. Preparing is a lifestyle change in most cases and it can also get expensive if you don't discipline yourself. But it really doesn't have to be. Anyone can begin preparing by making small changes in how they purchase goods, store supplys and practice practical skills. One more thing. There's alot of prepping advice out there with many people telling you that their way is best. You ultimately have to decide what works for you and your family. Most prep advice is pretty similar so do your research and customize your preps to fit your needs.

How do I start?

First thing's first. You need to make a plan. And not just a plan, but a plan that is practical, realistic and very flexible. Ask yourself what are you most concerned about that might actually happen? Give this some thought and take into consideration your surroundings and your geographics. Are you vulnerable to earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, volcano eruptions, hurricanes, blizzards, wild fires, mud slides, or tornados? It's ok if you're concerned about multiple types of catastrophies, but focus in on the one most likely to occur in your area first and start planning from there. Doing this will put you on the path to self reliance and help to develop what I call, your subconscious survival checklist (SSC). Once your initial plan begins to take shape, you can incorporate other concerns such as pandemics, financial collapse, civil unrest, terrorist attacks (dirty or biological), zombies (hey it can happen ... only think of rabies or mad cow disease rather than dead people rising from the dead) and expand your preps to include specific scenarios.

Survival 101 The Initial Plan
STEP 1 ... Write down your plan!

But first, commit the following to your SSC. If you have prior notice of a localized natural disaster such as a major hurricane or wild fire, and you have the means to ... get the hell out of the way. Simple. Logical. In many cases, life saving. When in doubt, get the hell out. Your home or property are not important. Your family and you, are!

Now break out the note pad and pen or pencil and start writing. I can't stress that enough. As you write out your plan, it's a good idea to skip a line or two between your inititial instructions. You'll probably go back and fill these in with updated notes as your plan grows.

Your checklist should start with sudden emergency escape routes (SEER). SEER is my acronym intended to help keep you safe in the event of everything from a sudden natural disaster to a home invasion. Any other prep won't mean a thing if you can't get out of harms way in a hurry, if needed. So list every exit way out of your home from every room. From there list every path from each exit to your designated safe location, i.e. 'n.e. corner of the block' or 'uncle Joe's house'. Make sure you write down addresses and phone numbers. Then go through your plan with your family and make sure everyone knows every exit, path and safe destination. Write down notes of obstacles or any impediments and practice run your routes until everyone has them down pat. Using travel and city maps with your marked routes works great.

While you're in the initial planning stages of your SEER, it is important to remember that preparations must never be single minded. In order to be ready as soon as possible (ASAP), a prepper must multi-task. A few basic preps I highly recommend doing as you're formulating your initial plan are preparing your food & water supplies, your first-aid, your emergency shelter gear, your communications equipment, your transporation & defense equipment. Not neccessarily in exact order, but simultaneously.

Food & Water

The biggest advice I can give anyone about food is probably the most logical, yet for some reason the hardest to keep focused on. Commit this to your SSC. Procure what you like! When you go to the grocery store or big box outlet (recommened), buy the foods you normally eat. If you get a hell of a deal on lima beans, but you can't stand them, you'll have added misery in when "shit hits the fan" (SHTF) scenarios. Why do that?

Your initial preps should come from your local food venders. Canned goods like meats & vegetables, stews & soups, nutritional and power bars and foods like rices, jellys, peanut butters, beans, jerkys, crackers, nuts, etc. can be purchased when doing your regular shopping. I would set aside ten to twenty dollars every visit, if possible, in order to begin your preps. Just remember to bargin shop and look at the expiration dates. It goes without saying that you want to buy stuff that is freshest and has the furthest out expiration date as possible. As you build your food supplies, you'll rotate through them based on the expiration dates. Another reason to buy the foods you like to eat.

Water is extremely important in your preps. Even if you have good water from your faucet, you cannot count on that in an emergency. Therefore water bottles and stored water are vital to your survival. At minimum, in your initial prepping phase, I would buy two cases of 20 ounce bottles of water and several 5 gallon water cans to fill. As soon as you get home, fill them up and seal them properly. Most emergency agencies recommend 1 gallon of water per day per person. In you're initial preps, 96 hours is the new magic number (up from 72) experts now advise as a minimum to have stocked. I would goal for 30 days. As your survival plan grows, so will your water storage. Buying water purification tablets, filtering bottles, filtering straws and bleach is a priority. Don't skip this.

First - Aid

Whether you face a localized natural disaster or 'the end of the world as we know it' (TEOTWAWKI), it is imperative you have solid first-aid knowledge and better than average first-aid gear. Start your list with the basics and go from there. Prescriptions, over the counter pain relievers - asprin/non-asprin, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, insect bite cream, birth control, bandages, anticeptics, sterile gauze and pads, first-aid tape, eyewash, tweezers, alcohol cleansing pads, burn spray, exam quality gloves, anti-biotic ointments, sterile eye pads, inflatable splints, scissors, providone- iodine, anti-biotics, absorbent gauze and compresses, cpr kits, first-aid manual, snake bite kit, powdered charcoal, poisen ivy - oak- sumac cleaners, instant cold compresses, triangular slings and a face shield. This will get you started but I advise a comprehensive medical kit as your main medical gear, with every member of your team carrying at least one small basic kit and there should be at least one kit in your vehicle. Don't be intimidated by the amount of first-aid items I've listed, there are many kits on the market that are relatively inexpensive and contain most, if not all these items and more. The next step is to get familiar with the medical usages and applications of your kits and items in case you need them. First-aid also requires practice. Don't forget that.

Emergency Shelter

Even if you want to stay in your home (BUG-IN), having emergency shelter is important. Staying out of the elements will help keep you healthy and alive. I remember talking to a friend who survived Hurricane Andrew. He chose to bug-in expecting his brand new house would hold up to the furious storm. It was a miscalculation he'll never forget. He ended up living in a make-shift tent he constructed from 2x4's and a tarp that he had used to cover his now missing boat. And that's where we start. Aquire a tarp. Simple, lightweight and multi-purposeful. You can fold it up in stick it in a go-bag or backpack. You can use it as a tent, a windbreak, a sunshade, or even a litter. You also should consider a tube tent which is also lightweight and easily storable as well. Get more than one depending on how many people are in your party. Remember to shop for the environment you anticipate using your shelter in. Flashlights with batteries, a propane camping stove, lanterns, fuel, rope, paracord, insect repellent-DEET, binoculars, toilet paper, sleeping bags, stick matches, fire starters, solar blankets and glow sticks should be part of your initial preps. Also, remember that in many cases your vehicle will do just fine so comfort items should find their way to the trunk along with your other camping/survival gear. If you absolutely must run your vehicle for heat, remember to use a carbon monoxide detector.

Communications

Communication starts at home, but can get pricey so start with what you can. An all weather emergency/hazard warning radio is a good idea to have and highly recommended. An all weather/hazards alert crank radio should be a part of your bug-out equipment. Also, hand held two-way radios, a CB radio for your vehicle, a CB base radio for your home/shelter, a handheld GPS, a GPS for your vehicle, a cell phone, a portable am/fm radio, flashlights, a solar battery/device charger, rechargeable batteries and an internet connecting device such as a lap top or smart phone. Don't overlook the low tech. Paper, pencil's, permanent markers, chalk, spray paint, air horns, signal mirrors, whistles, flares and flashlights are all equally as important. If you need rescue or your party gets seperated, these lowtech items may help you immensely. I would also recommend caution tape and contagion signs. In the event of a bug-in in a long term catastrophy, deploying these and spray painting your home with warnings such as "morgue", "all dead inside" or "contaminated" may help to keep looters or others away. In order for that to have the best chance of success you must keep a very low profile.

Transportation

Prepping your get away vehicle is of the utmost importance. Getting out of danger and heading to the farthest or safest and/or most secure location with the greatest of speed usually means ground transportation and for most folks, it means the family car, truck or SUV. Therefore, as you're formulating your initial plans, make sure you do not ignore your vehicle and while you're doing that, consider any other means of transportation you may have at your disposal. Four wheelers, motorcycles, boats, RV's and bicycles all may be useful or even a better option depending on what emergencies and/or planning scenarios you may ultimately be faced with. Understanding this, you should make sure all your options are properly prepared. Your vehicles that can, should be stocked with many of the supplies we already covered. Food, water, medkits, lighting, solar blankets, GPS's etc. But they require other preps as well. For starters, make sure they are fully fueled at the end of each day. I know with todays fuel prices that can be a challenge but if you can budget to where you top off nightly rather than wait until you're low, you may be able to pull this off. It's important so give it a shot. Being able to drive 300 miles or so without having to stop and find fuel is optimal. Make sure you keep maps with your get away routes and destinations in your car along with any phone numbers or addresses you need. Do not identify map points on it like, "weapons cache" or "buried silver here". Use code words only you and/or party understand for those sensitive locations. If you don't want to indicate the location of your final destination either, simply conceal your map point meaning or leave it off altogether. But, you must be sure everyboby in your group knows where the end point is and what to do/where to go from the point you stop marking your evacuation route.

Make sure your vehicle is maintained properly. Your fluids, tire pressure, spare tire(s), battery, belts, heating/cooling systems, radio, and windshield wipres are in good working order. Make sure you have an extra fuel can, fuses, bulbs, warning triangles, jumper cables, tire puncture repair kit, tire sealent, an air compressor, a manual air pump, a jack & tire iron, electrical tape, emergency beacons, and a tool kit with screw drivers, wrenches, a life hammer, flashlights with extra batteries, an ice scraper and a digging tool. Finally, commit the following to your SSC. When SHTF roadways may become parking lots. Understand this! Plan your escape several ways using several routes. Call your local emergency management agency and ask them what the emergency evacuation routes are and use all this information to determine the threshold of your escape time table. If you wait too long, you may be better off staying than being caught in the open.

Defense

Unless you have a former nuclear missile silo or an underground bunker built to withstand armageddon in your backyard, you should plan on protecting yourself and your family against attack. We already touched on possible deterrent strategies and deterrent would be the preffered method of dealing with looters or marauders. Confrontaion should be avoided if possible. But the time may come when confrontation is the only option. Be it an invader in your home or property, a raider on the road or a pirate on the water you must be prepared to meet their force with maximum effectiveness. You also have to be ready to meet the dangers of feral or agressive dogs or animals. Investing in stun guns, tasers, and bear pepper spray, is a must. Other defense items such as guns, rifles, shotguns, full tang knives (the knife extends through the full length of the grip portion), machete's, aluminum baseball bats, hatchets, axes, bows and crossbows are advisable and also double as survival and hunting tools. Gloves, elbow and knee pads, as well as googles and helmets should be on your list. Consider skateboarding helmets, spelunking helmets, rock climbing helmets, baseball batting helmets with faceshields or hockey helmets (I know you were wondering). They won't stop a bullet but they'll protect your head from blows, falls and flyng debris. Or you can invest in tactical helmets.

As for your guns; The .22 long rifle bullet is a perfect prepper bullet for many applications such as critter and small game hunting. They're cheap and so is their ammo. Plus they're relatively quiet. I recommend at least one .22 LR handgun and rifle. For better defense, I would consider weapons with NATO caliber rounds. If SHTF most of the weapons that will come with the first responders or military personnel will be 9mm, 5.56 or .223, 12 ga., and 7.62 or .308. This is important in the event that you run low on ammo and need to scavange. If conditions get horrific, the rounds you take off the dead must be of use to you. Still, it's a good idea to check with your local Sheriff or Police Department. Some Departments use the .40 caliber handgun and a few still use the .357.

Gear

In emergency situations, the better you are outfitted the better chance you have at staying safe. You'll need backpacks or go-bags for SEER, bug-out and reconaissance situations. Make sure those include water, food, ammo and first-aid, plus the other essentials for your escape or trip. Packing your backpack for worst case scenarios is a good idea but keep in mind the weight. In an emergency you may have to travel long distances, or flee rapidly and being overloaded will present you with either having to drop your pack, suppiles or worse. Larger carry bags or gear bags can be used for vehicle bug-outs or bug-in storage. Those should carry your larger bulkier equipment.

You should have no-rip/stop-rip type clothing. If you're in an emergency situation, keeping your clothing as intact as possible will help minimize cuts, scrapes and insect bites, keep your skin shaded or keep you warm. Plus easily ripped clothing won't last very long so ... well who wants to be in a disaster while in the buff? Always have a change of clothes including extra socks. Keeping your change of clothes in a water proof bag is best. Make sure you have sufficient cold weather/hot weather clothing including jackets, thermals, scarfs, gloves, headware etc., depending on your environment and/or your bug-out destination.

Footwear should consist of having two good pair of running shoes or sneakers, tactical boots, hiking boots and or hiking shoes, wetsuit booties and mud or swamp boots. You should carry the pair of your choice in your go-bag while ensuring you have the remaining pairs in your carry bags or containers. I keep a set in my truck, in my car and in my office.

Tactical belts and vests help to keep your tactical gear organized while still within reach. Every member of your group should have something along those lines. It's not just about guns, but about access to emergency equipment without having to dig through a pack. You decide the items you think you'll need and stock your vests, belts, cargo pockets or pack pockets accordingly.

Bugging-in VS Bugging-out

Circumstances beyond your control may force your hand on whether to go or stay in an emergency. In the event of a natural disaster that gives ample warning such as a hurricane, you'll probably have enough time to make arrangements out of the storms path or bug-out to a predetermined location such as secure or remote property. For most everything else your decision will have to be made on the fly. Planning helps you make those decisions wisely. Be prepared for all options and no options. It's your call so do your research. Don't over reach. Use common sense and be realistic. Your goal is to make your situation safer not worse.

Regards

You should have enough information to get you started, but this is just the begining, there is much more to consider. Prepping is an on-going art and as situations around us change, so must we. Remember that there is a lot of good information out there so be diligent and prep wisely. Train yourself and your group in defense, navigation, communication, building, first-aid, farming, trapping & hunting and seek out other like minded neighbors. Never be boastful about your preps as discretion is your best defense against those who would look to seperate you from them. Don't forget hygiene items or your pets and get in shape. Get your body fixed by taking care of that toothache or the needing of glasses and try to get your blood pressure, blood sugar or cholesterol down through diet and exercise.

The better shape you're in, the better chance you have at survival and the better chance you have at keeping your family safe. In the end, that's what it's all about.

Good Luck and Regards from Liberty33