The Survival Weekly Dispatch - Volume 12, Issue 6

Hey folks, thanks for checking out the newsletter this week. We had our two-year-old granddaughter almost all of last week. As a result, not a whole lot of work got done. So, this week has thus far been mostly about getting caught up. I’ve answered a ton of emails, with several more still waiting for me. I have a few articles to do for GAT Daily, Knife Magazine, Offgrid Magazine, and Mind4Survival before Friday.

I’m hoping to carve out some time yet this week to start writing a new book I’ve been wanting to tackle for a bit. The outline is already done and I have a ton of notes to gather together. I’ve pitched this book to a couple of publishers, but haven’t heard back from either of them yet. If they both pass, I might just self-publish it. We’ll see how it plays out.

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After the recent helicopter and plane collision near Washington DC, flight safety is top of mind for many.

When you fly, keep in mind the Plus 3, Minus 8 Rule. Upwards of 80% of plane crashes occur within three minutes after takeoff or in the last eight minutes before landing. Why is this important information? These are the time frames when it is critical you’re awake and alert. Most deaths in crashes occur due to fire, not impact. Various agencies suggest you have about 90 seconds to evacuate the plane after it goes down before flames will impede your escape.

While you’re at it, if you have the option of choosing your seat, the folks at the back of the plane tend to fare better in crashes.

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I recently sat for an interview with Patrick Diedrich with Offgrid Magazine. It was a pretty wide-ranging conversation that covered a lot of ground. Definitely the longest interview I’ve done in quite a while. You can see it here.

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The new edition of Backwoods Survival Guide has started showing up in stores. Here’s the cover. Look for it anywhere magazines are sold.

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The shadow stick method of navigation gets mentioned in a lot of survival manuals. It isn’t nearly as whiz bang awesome as those books want you to think. Here’s what my buddy Craig Caudill has to say about it.

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Our hike this week was at Dorothy Carnes County Park in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. We visit there a few times a year. There’s a platform that overlooks a lake. Nearby is a small structure, not unlike a “Little Free Library” box, that has containers of birdseed, some bird identification books, and binoculars. On the platform are a few built-in trays where you can spread the seed to entice birds to land. It’s a neat addition to the park.

Survival Tip – Keep, Sell, Donate, Toss

This is a great time of year to start doing some decluttering in the house. Paring things down, even just a little, can accomplish a few things. It can free up space for emergency supplies. One of the biggest complaints I’ve heard from non-prepper spouses is the lack of organization and proper storage of prep supplies and gear. Let’s face it, few people desire to live like they’re auditioning for an episode of Hoarders.

Better organization allows you to find what you need when you need it. If time is of the essence, you shouldn’t be digging through umpteen cabinets and cupboards to locate a needed tool or whatever.

Pick a room. Or if that’s still too overwhelming, a closet. Set up four boxes – Keep, Sell, Donate, Toss. Every single item in the closet goes into one of those boxes (or a similarly labeled pile, whatever works best for you).

The stuff that ends up in the Toss box gets thrown out immediately. If you let it sit around, you’ll talk yourself into keeping it.

Donated items can be taken to your nearest Goodwill or similar outfit at the earliest opportunity. If not today, then tomorrow at the latest.

Anything you’re selling can be photographed and put up on Facebook Marketplace in the next day or so. Give it a week and if it doesn’t sell donate it, unless you have a very good reason otherwise.

That leaves the Keep pile. Go through it again and make sure you really do need all of it. Odds are there will be a few more things you can get rid of.

Don’t try to do too much at once. One room is probably the largest area I’d try tackling at a time. Even that can be broken down into stages. Hit the closet one day, your dresser another, under the bed next week, that sort of thing. This is a project that is likely to take you several weeks to complete, and that’s okay. Take your time and don’t let yourself get overwhelmed. At the same time, though, don’t put it off. The sooner you begin, the sooner you’ll be finished.

Backwoods Survival Guide Magazine

For those new to my little corner of the Internet, I am the Editor in Chief for Backwoods Survival Guide magazine. Here is the cover for the current issue available in stores right now.

You can find Backwoods Survival Guide just about anywhere magazines are sold, including:

• Walmart

• Sam's Club

• Costco

• Publix

• Walgreens

• Rite Aid

• CVS

• Tractor Supply

• Fleet Farm

• Barnes & Noble

Subscriptions are available here.

Questions, Comments, Complaints, Concerns?

I am always just an email away - jim@survivalweekly.com.