iKnife Collector2024-03-29T10:19:34ZTobias Gibsonhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/TobiasGibsonhttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2792748549?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://iknifecollector.com/group/themodernsurvivalist/forum/topic/listForContributor?user=0lga1mx0n7cwp&feed=yes&xn_auth=noBushcraft Bowietag:iknifecollector.com,2023-07-14:3181080:Topic:17176122023-07-14T00:18:13.830ZTobias Gibsonhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/TobiasGibson
<p>I've always had a thing for a frontier knife and a thing for a Bowie. A few years ago I took interest in the Mountain man look and really started pursuing making a functional blade that had that look. Then the Bushcraft bug hit me and I combined them. I've been experimenting with two different models. </p>
<p>The first model is what I call the 1830's model "Mountain Man Bushcraft Long Bowie". This one was made for the Atlanta Blade show. The 12" blade has an antler base handle on a…</p>
<p>I've always had a thing for a frontier knife and a thing for a Bowie. A few years ago I took interest in the Mountain man look and really started pursuing making a functional blade that had that look. Then the Bushcraft bug hit me and I combined them. I've been experimenting with two different models. </p>
<p>The first model is what I call the 1830's model "Mountain Man Bushcraft Long Bowie". This one was made for the Atlanta Blade show. The 12" blade has an antler base handle on a bolt through tang. The sheath is worn over the shoulder and carries a file steel forged from an old file and flint in a pouch.</p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/12145214270?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/12145214270?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/12145214685?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/12145214685?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p>I also wanted a more modern take. This is my personal blade, the first prototype. It's made from CPM-3V. Like the other blade the antler base handle is supported by a bolt through tang. The sheath carries a ferro rod and diamond stone.</p>
<p>I've really enjoyed taking this knife in the field. </p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/12145215262?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/12145215262?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/12145215674?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/12145215674?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a></p> Emergency radios..A little help??tag:iknifecollector.com,2018-09-21:3181080:Topic:15552632018-09-21T21:36:37.645ZTobias Gibsonhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/TobiasGibson
<p>I have recently been looking at emergency radios and I find myself a little lost. Here I was thinking you just get one with a crank, store it until needed and done. HA!!!</p>
<p>Being right at the tip of NC/GA border, a hurricane following us up here, was something last week were rather joking that we should have prepared better for. I am thinking this should be a part of our prep for this winter.</p>
<p>Help me out here guys I am seeing them from 19.99 to 99.99 in the portables and I do…</p>
<p>I have recently been looking at emergency radios and I find myself a little lost. Here I was thinking you just get one with a crank, store it until needed and done. HA!!!</p>
<p>Being right at the tip of NC/GA border, a hurricane following us up here, was something last week were rather joking that we should have prepared better for. I am thinking this should be a part of our prep for this winter.</p>
<p>Help me out here guys I am seeing them from 19.99 to 99.99 in the portables and I do want a portable. Some have solar, some have USB, some crank some batteries some have all the options. Really, this is not something I am going to use unless I have too. What seems necessary to you and why? Do you own one, used one? HELP!!!</p> Bug out vehiclestag:iknifecollector.com,2016-07-26:3181080:Topic:14313862016-07-26T14:54:56.267ZTobias Gibsonhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/TobiasGibson
<p>Think shelter you can pull behind a bicycle</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY0PgSydc6U" target="_blank">first one</a> gives you a pull around shelter but not much more</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2EgMCk0sts&feature=em-subs_digest-vrecs" target="_blank">next one</a> gives you some options including a renewable energy source</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7FreCqHM_k" target="_blank">third video</a> shows what CAN be done…</p>
<p>Think shelter you can pull behind a bicycle</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY0PgSydc6U" target="_blank">first one</a> gives you a pull around shelter but not much more</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2EgMCk0sts&feature=em-subs_digest-vrecs" target="_blank">next one</a> gives you some options including a renewable energy source</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7FreCqHM_k" target="_blank">third video</a> shows what CAN be done to make bugging out an option with peddles being your mode of transport </p>
<p></p>
<p>With most of these I have an issue with the wheel and tire size. I think something more substantial and less likely to end up flat would work better long term</p>
<p>. The one I like the most? Third video at 2:29. Light weight fold out walls with an actual structure between that is enclosed shelter in storms. If I have to bug out I want more than just a portable covered bed going with me</p>
<p>If your leaving with only something that you need to manually be able to move...what is your choice??</p> WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO BARTER ???tag:iknifecollector.com,2016-01-27:3181080:Topic:13891972016-01-27T22:27:32.669ZTobias Gibsonhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/TobiasGibson
<p>I have a friend that lives off grid. He is solared up, he and his wife grow and preserve thier foods. They hunt together, preserve the meats and use the other animal parts for what he calls "trinkets and such" that they sell at local craft fairs.<br></br>I was pretty facinated when we first met and after a year of asking questions I am thinking these are two of the wisest people I know. When I asked him if they did this while the kids were young he said NO, but wish we had.<br></br>I asked if he was…</p>
<p>I have a friend that lives off grid. He is solared up, he and his wife grow and preserve thier foods. They hunt together, preserve the meats and use the other animal parts for what he calls "trinkets and such" that they sell at local craft fairs.<br/>I was pretty facinated when we first met and after a year of asking questions I am thinking these are two of the wisest people I know. When I asked him if they did this while the kids were young he said NO, but wish we had.<br/>I asked if he was prepared for the senario we always hear about when the SHTF. He just laughed and said nope, that is not likely to happen in my lifetime. Here is his interesting take on prepping for life</p>
<p><strong><em>People have been preparing for the SHTF senario since the 50's when they started building personal bomb shelters everywhere. No one benefitted from that except the folks selling the materials. But do you know what has happened in the following 60 years? 10 recessions in the United States alone.</em></strong><br/><strong><em>We didn't get bombed, we didn't lose our power grid. We just lost our own power. The power to choose a sustainable life. Everyone wanted, bigger and better. Heck in the 80/90's it was almost unheard of to be buying anything used. Now even our kids want the latest and greatest.</em></strong></p>
<p>Me, I am not totally set up for off the grid but I have a wood stove and I have an old well that is capped off, on the property, I know it is still viable because it still leaks at the overflow sometimes after a good hard rain. I grow a small garden and am looking at learning to can because I dont have a lot of freezer space but plenty of room to build a small root cellar.<br/>So I am thinking I am set up ok.</p>
<p>At that point my buddy laughed and said Yup, your sitting pretty as long as Donnie is there with you. HUH??? Even with my disabilities, I have learned to chop wood and I can plant food. Heck, I could even shoot and clean a turkey or a goose right here on our land! I have learned a lot about natural medicines and what plants I would need to find or cultivate for it.<br/>Again he is just grinning at me like I have two heads. He asks just one question, what do you have to barter?</p>
<p><strong>The dollar becomes worthless, it is a time just like the great depression. The world doesnt fall apart so you can still have whatever you want...IF you can pay for it!</strong><br/>So you could grow wheat...can you mill it?<br/>What happens if the wood stove needs fixed? Can you repair it?<br/>Can you fix plumbing if you need to?<br/>What do you have to offer if you need these things done?</p>
<p>Now I am laughing, my marketable skills are insurance adjuster, massage therapist, banker and web site owner. Not right up there with things needed for someone else to sustain thier lives. I could barter my food, my water and then where does that leave me? For a short time I could even barter away my knives. I have a forge, anvils and about any form of tool you might be looking for but my friend is right, Donnie has the skills for those not me.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">So here is my question<br/>What do you have to barter??????</p> ISIS is here in the USA. What is your plan if confronted with an ISIS attack in a public venue?tag:iknifecollector.com,2016-01-03:3181080:Topic:13830912016-01-03T14:55:54.411ZTobias Gibsonhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/TobiasGibson
<p><strong><span class="font-size-4">ISIS is here in the USA. What is your plan if confronted with an ISIS attack in a public venue?</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Your at the mall with the family or just the wife. You hear two...then three more gunshots. No doubt they are gunshots. Then you hear screams then multi-pal screams. There are more shots coming your way. You look the length of the second second floor of the mall and you see four armed men in black coming your way…</span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-4">ISIS is here in the USA. What is your plan if confronted with an ISIS attack in a public venue?</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Your at the mall with the family or just the wife. You hear two...then three more gunshots. No doubt they are gunshots. Then you hear screams then multi-pal screams. There are more shots coming your way. You look the length of the second second floor of the mall and you see four armed men in black coming your way shooting people as they come.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><span class="font-size-3">As many people run by you, you move</span> the wife and family into the Dillards store with them. You reach the other side of the store and the doors are chained. You think...."This is going to be a killing field".</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">What will you do my friends? Three responses. Hide, run or fight. The wolves are coming. Are you the sheep or the sheepdog?</span></p> How to Survive the Next Ice Agetag:iknifecollector.com,2015-10-03:3181080:Topic:13594962015-10-03T19:50:03.231ZTobias Gibsonhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/TobiasGibson
<p>I seem to read a lot of articles when things slow down here on the site. This was one I had not thought about. even after reading it I am still not sure I have thought about it LOL </p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>How to Survive the Next Ice Age</strong></p>
<p><br></br> <br></br>Throughout the history of the planet, the world periodically experienced ice ages when most of the world was covered in ice sheets and glaciers. If you saw the movie called The Day After Tomorrow, then you would already be…</p>
<p>I seem to read a lot of articles when things slow down here on the site. This was one I had not thought about. even after reading it I am still not sure I have thought about it LOL </p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>How to Survive the Next Ice Age</strong></p>
<p><br/> <br/>Throughout the history of the planet, the world periodically experienced ice ages when most of the world was covered in ice sheets and glaciers. If you saw the movie called The Day After Tomorrow, then you would already be familiar with how global warming, whether caused by man, nature, or both, will cause another ice age. Unlike the movie, the next ice age will not happen in a matter of days, but most likely in a few decades. And the next ice age will most likely not start during our lifetimes, yet it is an inevitable cycle of the planet. So, how will mankind survive the next ice age?</p>
<p>During these ice ages, almost all forms of life find surviving much more difficult than the abundant period of time that humanity is experiencing now. No matter how well prepared any person or group can be for the next ice age, they will eventually run out of supplies and need to start living off the land again. And since we are no longer cavemen or Neanderthals who survived by hunting and gathering, we need a well thought out plan for survival. The four minimum requirements needed for survival during the next ice age are food, shelter, water, and fire. Let’s tackle each of these requirements one at a time.</p>
<p>FOOD:</p>
<p>At the start of the next ice age, most farms on the planet will be devastated and will not be able to produce enough food. Additionally, most of the world’s population will move closer to or into the tropics, and these tropical areas will not be able to produce enough food for everyone either, especially when they are severely overpopulated. Therefore, the world would need different kinds of food sources that can better survive the cold.</p>
<p>During the last ice age, it is believed that the main source of food for Neanderthals was fish and rabbits. These types of animals are more naturally resilient to cold climates. On the other hand, I don’t see how most livestock, such as chickens, can survive perpetual winters for hundreds of years; so farms will need to switch to raising animals that can more easily withstand cold, especially if these animals can more easily forage and consume the limited plant growth during the ice age such as rabbits. Also, the production rate of these types of animals will be much higher than regular livestock such as cattle, thus more quickly feeding more people with fewer resources.</p>
<p>Remember that large proportions of the planet will be covered in ice sheets and glaciers where edible plants will not grow. Therefore, farms in warmer areas will have to switch to faster growing plants to be able to feed more people, especially with shorter warm seasons to grow plants and limited farmlands. Growing food quickly with limited areas of farmland will be the key to feeding the world’s population in the next ice age. As a result, I predict that farms will convert to using mostly greenhouses; where even in harsh climates, foods of any type can be grown. Unfortunately, growing food either way will be much more difficult and more expensive. I also predict that most individuals will be growing food in their homes and in small personal greenhouses to offset the costs of food.</p>
<p>SHELTER:</p>
<p>I suspect that our homes during the next ice age will look much more different than today’s McMansions (i.e. excessively large houses), because larger homes will cost more to keep warm. First, most of the existing homes and building will not be able to withstand the harsh weather or crushing ice sheets, so new homes and buildings will need the be redesigned and built specifically for the ice age climate. Homes will have many more sources of heat, such as fireplaces and skylights, for keeping their occupants warm and dry than they do now. These homes will be better insulated and have fewer windows to keep out harsher winter weather. In the overly populated areas near the equator, smaller homes will be a necessity to squeeze more people together over small areas of land.</p>
<p><br/>Furthermore, communities and even cities will almost become self contained biospheres that are virtually closed ecological systems. These biospheres will provide safe and necessary communal areas for commerce, recreation, education, farming, etc. away from the harsh weather outside.</p>
<p>WATER:</p>
<p>Water will most like the easiest survival requirement to satisfy. Anyone can easily boil snow and ice to make safe drinking water. And in the over populated tropics, current technology allows us to safely desalinate salty sea water.</p>
<p>FIRE:</p>
<p>Since wood will become more scarce during the next ice age, burning almost anything, including trash, will be the norm to stay warm and dry. However, in modern society, we mostly use electricity and fossil fuels to heat our homes. I predict that the world’s energy requirements will skyrocket to unfathomable heights to keep people alive. I can only hope that our scientists and researchers can eventually invent cheaper, safer, and renewable sources of energy, such as solar, wind, hydro, and fusion power.</p>
<p>The original article is<a href="http://www.philforhumanity.com/How_to_Survive_the_Next_Ice_Age.html" target="_blank">here</a></p> Your Personal Fire Kittag:iknifecollector.com,2015-08-23:3181080:Topic:13479942015-08-23T20:15:17.743ZTobias Gibsonhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/TobiasGibson
<p>Today I was putting together an Emergency Fire Kit for my family Emergency Bag so I thought I would take some pictures of the things I have included. As always, please forgive the dog hair in the photos, with 4 dogs it’s not going away anytime soon. For a basic Survival Fire Kit you may not want all of these items but may choose just one or two from each category. The two categories are 1-Ignition and 2-Tinder.</p>
<p></p>
<p>IGNITION:</p>
<p>For Ignition sources I am showing 4 different…</p>
<p>Today I was putting together an Emergency Fire Kit for my family Emergency Bag so I thought I would take some pictures of the things I have included. As always, please forgive the dog hair in the photos, with 4 dogs it’s not going away anytime soon. For a basic Survival Fire Kit you may not want all of these items but may choose just one or two from each category. The two categories are 1-Ignition and 2-Tinder.</p>
<p></p>
<p>IGNITION:</p>
<p>For Ignition sources I am showing 4 different pictures. The first is the UCO Stormproof matches. I have always been impressed with these matches. They will light, provided you have a striker, and they will stay lit. The wind can blow them out and they will relight. You can submerge them in water and they will relight. They will also burn for several minutes. Carrying these in a waterproof match container is almost always imperative for a good Fire Kit.</p>
<p>Next up are a couple of classic fire steels and a striker. Fire steels generally come in two types, Ferrocerium or Mischmetal. There are hundreds of different brands of fire steels out there and everyone has their favorite. Ferro rods tend to be a little harder while Mischmetal is a little softer and tends to produce large gobs of molten metal sparks that can travel several feet. Unfortunately, the term Fire Steel has become a generalized term and unless you do a lot of research you may not know what you are buying. The good news is that it may not matter as both Ferrocerium and Mischmetal are equally capable of throwing a spark to start a fire.</p>
<p>Next up is the classic magnifying lens. In this case I have an inexpensive 5X, 10X, 15X loupe. This item is good to have in your bag not only for starting fires, should you happen to have some sunshine, but is also good for reading maps, and for use in your First Aid kit to help remove splinters or ticks.</p>
<p>The last photo shows several different types of lighters. It is always worthwhile to keep a lighter in your fire kit although the typical butane lighter might not be ideal. They are relatively useless in high wind or in cold and you must secure the lever so it does not depress while in your kit and allow the butane to evaporate. Also shown are the NuMyth Tohil Watertight Lighter and the EverStrike match from SurvivalLife. These both fill with regular lighter fluid and contain rubber O-rings to seal the lighter and prevent the lighter fluid from evaporating. While they both do an adequate job, one was free and the other costs roughly $23.00, and you may get what you pay for. The EverStrike will hold lighter fluid for longer than, say, your regular Zippo lighter but it will evaporate. The NuMyth Tohil lighter can remain filled with lighter fluid for months, if not years, without evaporating. Still, with any lighter, you must check the lighter fluid level regularly.</p>
<p></p>
<p>TINDER:</p>
<p>For Tinder I show pictures of common items most people are aware of. Candles, Vaseline-soaked cotton balls, Fatwood shavings and Fatwood sawdust, and Magnesium shavings. There are obviously going to be many other tinder sources available, these are just a few that I am partial to.</p>
<p></p>
<p>MISCELLANEOUS:</p>
<p>One item goes into the miscellaneous category and that is the small container of Vaseline. I have shown the stock photo for clarity and I also show it next to the Mini Bic lighter so you can get a size perspective. This obviously can also do double-duty in your First Aid kit and as a lip balm, which is what it is packaged as. Carry at least one of these tiny containers of Vaseline and you may come up with untold uses for it. They are so small you may want more than one.</p>
<p></p>
<p>KNOWLEDGE:</p>
<p>No amount of Emergency Supplies will ever do you any good without the knowledge and experience to be able to use them when needed. I often will use these Emergency Supplies and others just to keep my skills up and also to teach others in my family how to use them. The most important tool you have in any Emergency situation is your knowledge and your ability to use it. So whether you are prepping for earthquakes, fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, or the Zombie Apocalypse, always have at least 1 or 2 ways to make fire. Remember that two is one and one is none.</p>
<p></p>
<p>So please share with us some of the things you like to include in your Fire Kit. This is the point of sharing in this blog, so we can all share our knowledge and experience with our survival gear.</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2655287031?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2655287031?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-left"/></a></p>
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2655290496?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2655290496?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-left"/></a></p>
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2655302184?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2655302184?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-left"/></a></p>
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<p></p> Wildlife recipes you wouldn't normally knowtag:iknifecollector.com,2015-07-18:3181080:Topic:13381182015-07-18T01:36:52.256ZTobias Gibsonhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/TobiasGibson
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.realworldsurvivor.com/2015/02/13/rattlesnake-skinning-and-dining/#rattlesnake-skinning-dining-5" target="_blank">Rattlesnake Skinning and Dining</a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span>If you live in the country there’s a fair chance that you live with rattlesnakes. Some folks kill them and throw them aside, but rattlesnake meat is actually pretty tasty and nutritious, and the stretched skins are beautiful, too! <span>Preparing a fresh snake…</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.realworldsurvivor.com/2015/02/13/rattlesnake-skinning-and-dining/#rattlesnake-skinning-dining-5" target="_blank">Rattlesnake Skinning and Dining</a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span>If you live in the country there’s a fair chance that you live with rattlesnakes. Some folks kill them and throw them aside, but rattlesnake meat is actually pretty tasty and nutritious, and the stretched skins are beautiful, too! <span>Preparing a fresh snake isn’t for the faint of heart. Take your decapitated snake and bury the head to keep pets and critters safe. If it was killed recently, it will probably still be wiggling and coiling. You just have to work around that. Hold it firmly and slit the skin where the head was attached. Stick your finger into the slit, grab the skin and yank downward. You should be able to remove the whole skin; it will turn inside out. Or cut carefully down the middle of the belly and gently peel it off. The rattle can go with the skin. <span>For a 3- to 4-foot snake, melt a quarter of a stick of butter in a frying pan. Sprinkle the meat with salt and your favorite spices. Add snake meat and brown. Once browned, turn heat down, cover (with lid slightly off to allow steam to escape) and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the lid for the last 10 minutes to reduce juices. However you decide to prepare it, make sure to cook the meat for at least half an hour to tenderize. The meat can be eaten from the spine and ribs, similar to fried chicken. We preserve our skins by nailing them on a board and rubbing hand lotion into both sides several times while they dry. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2655283969?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2655283969?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></span></span></span></p> What is Jade Helm 15 and why is it attracting controversy?tag:iknifecollector.com,2015-07-17:3181080:Topic:13379622015-07-17T17:58:20.678ZTobias Gibsonhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/TobiasGibson
<p>Depending on your perspective, an operation starting on Wednesday could be one of the largest military training exercises ever — or one of the first steps in a planned government takeover that leads to martial law across a broad swath of the United States.</p>
<p>Called Jade Helm 15, the venture is a Special Operations exercise that has attracted tremendous controversy. And as it prepares to get underway, here’s a background guide on what you need to know:</p>
<p>Where will this operation…</p>
<p>Depending on your perspective, an operation starting on Wednesday could be one of the largest military training exercises ever — or one of the first steps in a planned government takeover that leads to martial law across a broad swath of the United States.</p>
<p>Called Jade Helm 15, the venture is a Special Operations exercise that has attracted tremendous controversy. And as it prepares to get underway, here’s a background guide on what you need to know:</p>
<p>Where will this operation take place?</p>
<p><br/>In parts of seven states across the Southwest — Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. But most of the operation is slated to take place in Texas, which is where much of the opposition has been based.</p>
<p><strong>Are any other states concerned? Or is this just a Texas thing?</strong></p>
<p>Texas has generated the most vociferous opposition. But other states, including Utah, have expressed some concerns as well.</p>
<p>Still, that seems like a lot of states. Does the military normally do such big exercises?</p>
<p>No. Although the military does conduct multi-state exercises, military officials have said that the size and scope of Jade Helm sets it apart from others. The military has said 1,200 troops will be involved.</p>
<p>Does the military need any state approval to do this? Or can they just show up?</p>
<p>Starting last fall, military officials began coordinating with state and local officials and sought local approval in the areas where the operations will take place. Some parts are taking place on private property, and the military says they have obtained permission from landowners. It is also taking place in the jurisdiction of local law enforcement, so those authorities have been notified of the exercise.</p>
<p>How long will it last?</p>
<p>For two months, from July 15 to Sept. 15.</p>
<p>Why is it being done?</p>
<p>The military has said that it needs to update training exercises, saying in a statement that it “periodically conducts training exercises such as these to practice core special warfare tasks, which help protect the nation against foreign enemies.” They have been seeking terrain that might be similar to the one found in areas in the Middle East, where many of its missions are taking place.</p>
<p>But don’t they have military bases for this kind of thing?</p>
<p>The military argument is that its top forces are already familiar with those training areas. So they want to put them in unfamiliar settings for role-playing exercises.</p>
<p>Who is involved?</p>
<p>Participants include a variety of military branches, including Army Special Forces Command (Green Berets), Navy SEALS, Air Force Special Operations Command, and the 82d Airborne Division.</p>
<p>What are they going to be doing during the training?</p>
<p>The military has said that it will “further develop tactics, techniques, and procedures for emerging concepts in Special Operations warfare,” and that the operation will take place day and night. But military officials haven’t gotten into much detail, other than to say local residents will notice military vehicles on the roads — traveling to land being used for the training — or helicopters in the area. Local residents near the operation will see military officials, but only when they are coming into town to go to a restaurant or shop in local stores.</p>
<p>How did this gain so much attention?</p>
<p>Radio talk show host Alex Jones, who has built a career out of sensational claims, has been pushing the issue for months to his huge national listenership. In March, one of his staffers had obtained a document from a military veteran that included a Special Operations command map that listed Texas, Utah, and a portion of California as “hostile” for purposes of the military exercise. Jones viewed this as major news and told listeners that Texas was going to be invaded. “They’re going to practice breaking into things and stuff. This is going to be hellish,” Jones said. “Now this is just a cover for deploying the military on the streets . . . This is an invasion.”</p>
<p>A few weeks later, actor Chuck Norris also said he was worried about the operation, noting, “We must never check our brains or blindly trust, especially the government.”</p>
<p>Has it gained mainstream concern?</p>
<p>Yes. Governor Greg Abbott in April requested that the Texas State Guard monitor the federal military operation. He emphasized that Texans support the US military, but blamed President Obama for sowing distrust.</p>
<p>“The cause of the underlying concerns is that we see instances, like a shooting in Fort Hood by a terrorist, that the president labels workplace violence. We see the president come to the border in Texas and say it’s safer than it’s ever been,” Abbott told Austin-based NBC affiliate KXAN-TV. “And so I think it was a misplaced perception by people in Texas who have problems with the Obama administration and connected that trust with the Obama administration to the military.”</p>
<p>What have been the other responses?</p>
<p>Jon Stewart called them the “Lone Star lunatics.” One former Republican state senator, Todd Smith, accused Abbott of “pandering to idiots.” And Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, when asked at a press conference whether the military was planning to take over Texas, responded, “No.”</p>
<p>What are people worried about?</p>
<p>Opponents are fearful not necessarily about this operation but that there will be more. In their view, the operation is one way for people to grow more accustomed to seeing military officers on average American streets. At some point, it won’t be an exercise anymore; it will become a way of life. Texas residents who are worried about this compare it to a frog that gets used to the hot water only to realize eventually that it was boiling.</p>
<p>SOOO, WHAT DO YOU THINK??? After recent events, do they get to have weapons when there is supposedly no threat involved...just training</p> Dangerous Wildlife Encounterstag:iknifecollector.com,2015-07-07:3181080:Topic:13354202015-07-07T16:07:03.438ZTobias Gibsonhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/TobiasGibson
<p>The Survival Priorities discussion was a very interesting one. Particularly the question whether the first priority should be making a spear for protection from predators. This made me wonder just how many of us have had dangerous wildlife encounters. I say encounters instead of attacks because I believe that most of these up close and personal encounters probably don't result in actual attacks. What I am looking for are unexpected and unintended encounters. For example while just out…</p>
<p>The Survival Priorities discussion was a very interesting one. Particularly the question whether the first priority should be making a spear for protection from predators. This made me wonder just how many of us have had dangerous wildlife encounters. I say encounters instead of attacks because I believe that most of these up close and personal encounters probably don't result in actual attacks. What I am looking for are unexpected and unintended encounters. For example while just out hiking. If you have had any such encounters, what tools/weapons or methods did you use to prevent or survive an actual attack?</p>
<p>I will start by relating a couple of my most recent such encounters. They both were by skunks. Some may not consider skunks dangerous but I don't want to get sprayed by one. And they can carry rabies.</p>
<p>The first happened when I was walking to my deer stand one morning. I say morning but it was still dark. I walked to within about three feet of a skunk before I noticed him. Fortunately for me he was backed into a hole and couldn't spray me. The tool I used to avoid an attack was to beat a hasty retreat and give him a wide berth. The second occurred one afternoon while deer hunting. I was hunting from my portable ground blind. Suddenly I saw a skunk headed straight for my blind. I don't know if he knew I was there or not but I wasn't taking any chances. He was ten feet from my blind when I started shooting him with my .22 pistol. I fired all eight shots at him. After the first shot I know I wasn't hitting him with every shot but I did hit him several times. Finally he went the opposite direction and crawled into a hole under a stump. I feel certain that he eventually died but I wasn't going to poke around that hole to find out.</p>
<p>If you have had any such encounters, please tell us about it.</p>