The Survival Weekly Dispatch - Volume 11, Issue 30
Hey folks, thanks for checking out the newsletter. Last week, I announced the cancellation of Prepper Survival Guide magazine, but I wanted to more properly eulogize the magazine.
We did Prepper Survival Guide for a little over six years, lasting 22 standard issues plus a few specials scattered here and there. We side-stepped politics and similar nonsense and concentrated on delivering information and education that was largely borne out of hard-won experience on the part of our contributors.
Being part of the team that built Prepper Survival Guide from the ground up will always be one of the high points of my career. We did some great work and had a lot of fun doing it. While we're still doing Backwoods Survival Guide, I'm always going to miss Prepper.
I’m going to continue including Prepper Survival Guide in the magazine section further down the newsletter until the current issue comes off the market in a few weeks.
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Prepper Tip - While having emergency gear with you and being proficient with its use is absolutely important, even more critical is understanding that the best scenario is one in which that gear goes unused. In other words, if the conditions are sketchy, don’t push your luck simply because you think you have what it takes to survive.
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The cat’s out of the bag, so I can now talk about it a bit. How to Survive 2025 is a new podcast coming soon, hosted by Brian Keene, Dacia Arnold, and myself. Given that I’m involved, you can safely surmise that there will be no politics, no fear mongering, and no bullshit. Just common-sense and practical approaches to helping people deal with life’s little, and not so little, curve balls. More info when I have it.
By the time you’re reading this, we’ll have recorded our first episode. The plan is for the show to run until at least November or so, though we can certainly go longer if the popularity warrants doing so. Once it’s ready, it’ll be available anywhere you normally find your favorite podcasts.
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Late last week, my wife and I spent part of the day visiting White River Knife & Tool in Fremont, Michigan. The Cammenga family was incredibly welcoming and we had a great time touring their facility. I’ve been a fan of White River Knives for several years. They not only have their own line of knives but they produce blades for several other companies as well. I was surprised to find out just how many “White River” knives I actually own, LOL.
I’m working on a feature for Knife Magazine about White River Knives. Not sure when it will go to print, but once I know I’ll be sure to mention it in an upcoming newsletter.
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It’s been a bit since I mentioned my Patreon page. There are two subscription levels for content. Basic ($4/month) gets three posts a week delivered to your inbox. Advanced ($6/month) gets seven posts a week. Subscribers get sneak peeks at new articles that will be published elsewhere as well as original content written just for Patreon. Subscribers will also get early access to all of the How to Survive 2025 podcast episodes. Plus, once you subscribe you get access to all of the content that’s been previously posted at your subscription level. All told, that’s well over 400 posts at this point. There’s even a 7-day free trial.
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Traditional Bushcraft the latest book from Craig Caudill. I’ve greatly enjoyed his other volumes, so I was excited to hear about this one. Now, I’ll say up front that I’ve known Craig for a number of years and consider him to be not just a colleague but a good friend. That said, I’m not one to blow sunshine up anyone’s butt when it comes to reviews. If I thought this book was awful, I’d just tell him so privately and be done with it.
With that out of the way, let’s take a closer look at Traditional Bushcraft - Simple Projects for Wild Woodcraft.
Caudill begins the book with a great section on sourcing materials. This includes not just acquiring materials in a sustainable and responsible manner, but choosing tools properly and using them safely. He also talks about passing skills along to others. Something I really appreciated seeing was this:
“We can either complain about how tied to their phones this generation is or we can do something about it. So, do something about it with this book. Take them with you. You or they may lose the desire for the smartphones in the process, at least for a while. We never know when we are helping to put the next famous woodcrafter, author, or outdoorsperson on the path of their lifetime.”
I could not possibly agree more with that sentiment.
Inside the book, you’ll find over 20 individual projects, including:
Wilderness Anvil
Bucksaw
Camp Bench
Cattail Cover and Pad
Adjustable Fire Tepee Stand
Camp Cup
Camp Tongs
Woods Gig and Digging Stick
For each, Caudill talks about the importance and use of the item being fashioned. He also provides a list of supplies you’ll need, including tools. Then, he takes you through the project step by step. You’re guided not just by his well-written instructions but by spectacular full color photos detailing exactly what he’s telling you to do.
Scattered throughout are “Pro Tips” that aren’t just applicable to the project at hand, but contain information you should file away in your mental toolbox for future reference and use.
Now, here’s the extra-cool part about this book. Remember how when we were kids, you learned some of the best stuff without realizing you were being taught anything? This is the adult version of that. As you go about building the various projects, you’re going to pick up and refine vital skills along the way, from knife handling to foraging and more.
All in all, I really like this book and highly recommend it. It’s a great way to get outside and have fun while also doing something productive, as I know that’s important for some people. Traditional Bushcraft would make a great gift for the budding outdoorsperson in your life, too.
Find it at Craig’s website or pick it up at Amazon.
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We took another beachfront hike this past weekend. This one didn’t involve getting lost, either, so that was a bonus.
Survival Tip – Don’t Panic
References to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy aside, this is important. When people panic, they often make bad decisions, so it’s critical to know how to calm the mind in the face of stress and chaos.
Breathe – if you feel like things are starting to spiral out of control, stop what you’re doing and breathe. Take three deep breaths, all the way down into your belly. Breathe in through the nose, hold the air for a count of three, then blow slowly out through the mouth.
Be Confident – no matter what’s happening around you, the one thing that is always within your ability to control is your reaction. Keep your head up, shoulders back, and remember that you’ve successfully survived every single thing life has thrown your way so far.
Recognize Alert Signals – fear is normal and there’s no shame or embarrassment necessary about it. Learn how your body reacts to it and as soon as you recognize it happening, act. The sooner you get it under control, the easier it will be to manage.
Take Care of Yourself – a body and mind that are well-rested and in reasonably good shape will fare better than those that have been treated poorly. A bad diet and negative habits make you more vulnerable. Ask me how I know….
Prepper Survival Guide and Backwoods Survival Guide
For those new to my little corner of the Internet, I am the Editor in Chief for Prepper Survival Guide and Backwoods Survival Guide magazines. Here are the covers for the current issues that are available in stores right now.
You can find them just about anywhere magazines are sold, including:
Walmart
Sam's Club
Costco
Publix
Walgreens
Rite Aid
CVS
Tractor Supply
Fleet Farm
Barnes & Noble
Subscriptions to both titles are available here.
Questions, Comments, Complaints, Concerns?
I am always just an email away - jim@survivalweekly.com.
The upcoming podcast sounds exciting!