LATEST ARTICLES

Bucket List Trip – Historic Canadian River in the Late Fall – Peak Colors!

This video was shot last fall (2023) Mike and I get together annually for a significant canoe trip. This year we paddled the Mississasugi River. We saw an old fort, Grey Owls cabin and had amazing peak fall colors on this historic Canadian River. New Merch here! https://www.bunkerbranding.com/pages/joe-robinet Instagram https://instagram.com/joerobinetbushcraft/

Fenestrated vs Non-Fenestrated Needle Chest Decompression – What the study says #arsneedle

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North American Rescue’s NAR Doctor (Dr. Ethan Miles) breaks down the results from a recent study comparing fenestrated catheters vs non-fenestrated catheters used for needle chest decompression. For more info: https://www.narescue.com/enhanced-ars-decompression-needle

Does Bleach Keep Raccoons Away?

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Some of the most persistent pests that you’ll have to deal with in the suburbs or out in the country are raccoons. Yeah, I get it: They are definitely cute and charming, but you won’t think they are quite so appealing when you have to pick up shredded bags of trash off your driveway at 3:00AM in the morning. Raccoons are smart, and they adapt quickly, and so scaring them off isn’t a sure thing.

two raccoons on wooden fence
two raccoons on wooden fence

You need something that’s actually going to drive them away. Some folks say that bleach is actually a good raccoon repellent. Is that true? Does bleach keep raccoons away?

Yes, bleach can keep raccoons away but it is generally a short-lived solution. The odor of bleach degrades quickly and some raccoons can become resistant to it.

To be perfectly clear, bleach is a strong chemical that can be hazardous to people and wildlife alike, so we’ve got to be smart here.

That being said, if you need a quick and sure solution to prowling raccoons, bleach can do the trick or at least buy you some time to implement a more permanent fix. Keep reading, and you’ll learn a lot more about using bleach to repel raccoons.

What scent will keep raccoons away?
What scent will keep raccoons away?Watch this video on YouTube

Bleach works to repel raccoons by exploiting these animals’ incredibly sensitive noses against them. Raccoons have a genuinely amazing sense of smell, but the trade-off is that they themselves are easily disturbed by harsh chemicals and fumes. Bleach happens to be just such a chemical, and a caustic one to boot.

When raccoons get a whiff of this stuff it is overwhelming to them, maybe even a little bit painful, and if they are already used to coming and going without any problems such a sudden change, and apparent threat, in their environment is likely to make them retreat.

It might only be for a short time, but they might decide to take their chances elsewhere in a place that doesn’t have such an awful nuisance around.

It’s reasonably safe to use bleach as a raccoon repellent, though this is definitely not a use you’ll find on the factory packaging. Bleach is highly caustic and highly reactive, and that presents some real dangers that you need to be aware of.

For starters, when you are using it yourself, it will ruin any clothing that it gets on, obviously, but more importantly, it can hurt your eyes and skin on contact. You must be cautious to avoid spills and inhaling those fumes yourself.

Another, bigger problem is that bleach will combine and react furiously with many other chemicals, and some of them can produce extremely dangerous toxic gases or liquids.

Ammonia is probably the most well-known and dangerous, producing a variant of mustard gas. And that ammonia can come from a source that you might not expect, like urine! Ask anyone who has ever used bleach unknowingly to try and clean up a pet accident and they will tell you.

This means you must be very careful when deploying bleach around your home especially in or around trash cans as raccoon repellent.

The good news is that the chemical compound that makes bleach what it is breaks down in time with exposure to air and becomes harmless salt water. Just know that it will remain a risk factor the entire time until then.

It can be, yes. Chances are you can count on raccoons running the other way when they encounter bleach, especially a close range, but if the animal were to get some on their eyes, directly on their nose, or in their mouth it is going to injure it, maybe even kill it.

As mentioned above, bleach will readily burn eyes, sensitive skin, mucous membranes, and the tissue of the lungs. Any raccoon that blunders into a container of bleach or, whatever reason, it’s trapped in an enclosed space with it is in for a bad time and might die horribly.

This can be more likely than you think if you try to rely on bleach as a long-term repellent, because raccoons are prone to overcoming their initial aversion and soldiering on in spite of it in quest of food or shelter.

Think this through before you use bleach as raccoon repellent!

You can use bleach in containers or repellent “stations” around your home or other areas that you want to protect from raccoons, or as a spray that you can use to form a kind of perimeter.

If you want to use bleach in stations to form a sort of network of protection or to repel raccoons from specific areas, simply fill up small containers with it, put a lid on them, and then poke large holes in the lid to let the aroma out. This will hopefully help protect it from spilling and contamination.

Your other alternative is to mix bleach with water, using equal parts of each, and then load it up in a sprayer or spray bottle to leave a perimeter around your home or property to hopefully repel the raccoons.

Obviously, take great care of that anything you are spraying the bleach on either it won’t be harmed by it, damaged by it, or that you just don’t care what harm comes to it before going this route.

Remember that bleach breaks down in time with exposure to air, and once you can no longer smell that bleachy smell it isn’t doing anything to repel raccoons.

Check your containers or reapply your spray as needed to maintain protection, and remember what I said about raccoons getting used to it in time.

You should expect your temporary bleach deterrent to start failing if raccoons remain in the area. When that happens, you need a good plan B. Ideally, if it’s legal or if you can pay for a trapper, you can trap and relocate the raccoon somewhere far away from your property.

Otherwise, you should look into more persistent and effective deterrents that can irritate and repel raccoons with greater effectiveness and also a higher degree of safety. Natural ones like spicy pepper powder or cinnamon can work, as can commercial deterrents.

Lastly, consider that raccoons are classified as pest animals in many areas, and you might be able to dispatch them using lethal traps or other means legally.

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So, Can You Eat Caterpillars to Survive?

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One of the most pressing survival considerations, no matter the setting or the situation, is food. Yeah, everyone knows that you can go for weeks without food before you starve, but you must consider that you’ll be mentally and physically debilitated from a lack of energy long before then!

a caterpillar
a caterpillar

Accordingly, smart preppers plan on sourcing wild-caught edibles to keep up their nutritional requirements. Insects are some of the very best survival foods around, and tend to be highly nutritious, but not all insects are good eating or safe. How about caterpillars, for instance? Can you eat caterpillars to survive?

Yes, most caterpillars are safe to eat in a survival situation. They tend to be packed with good protein and fats along with plenty of minerals and decent calories. However, some caterpillars are dangerous, either being highly venomous, toxic, or possessing defensive spines and stingers.

I know a fat, juicy caterpillar is the last thing on Earth you probably want to eat given a choice, but that’s kind of the point after all: you probably won’t have a choice given the circumstances. And under these circumstances, you can do a whole lot worse than caterpillars…

They’ll definitely keep you alive and they can even fill you up. Keep reading, and I’ll tell you everything else you need to know about eating these little creepy crawlies.

Yes, there sure is! Caterpillars as a survival food are nothing new, at all, and anyone who’s been through in-depth, hardcore survival training in the military or any other organization where getting lost all alone out in the wilderness is a legitimate on-the-job hazard will tell you as much.

So, let that comfort you: you won’t be the first person who’s been forced to eat caterpillars in extremis.

But, something else you should know is it caterpillars happen to be something of a dietary staple in various countries and cultures around the world, from Africa to South America, Asia to Australia, and elsewhere.

In fact, it’s no exaggeration to say that about 75% of cultures and nations on the planet eat caterpillars as an ingredient, snack, or mainstay food.

And there’s a good reason for this: Caterpillars are highly nutritious and very easy to prepare in a variety of ways. They are also easy to catch once you know a few tricks which we will learn later.

Because most countries around the world do eat caterpillars in one form or another, you can depend on finding them nearly anywhere.

Note that you won’t find them in the coldest regions on Earth, but pretty much everywhere else they are present, at least seasonally. In the US, you’ll find them in every single state in various environments (if you know where to look).

You’ll find them in grasslands, forests, savannahs marshes, mountains, and everywhere else. Everywhere you’ll find moths or butterflies, you can find caterpillars. The trick is learning what types of plants make for typical caterpillar food, because that’s where they hang out.

As a rule of thumb, most caterpillar species prefer to eat new, tender plants and other vegetative growth instead of mature, tougher ones.

What plants they eat exactly depends on the species, so it is worth learning which ones are in your area or in the area where you will be working or traveling so you know what to look for.

Often their distinctive bite marks are easier to spot than they are! Find the food, and you’ll find the caterpillars.

Something else to keep in mind is that where you find one caterpillar you’ll likely find more.

Some are actually communal, or semi-gregarious, and intend to stay together in a sort of herd. Others will just naturally flock to choice food as a matter of course, meaning you can probably make a great meal of caterpillars alone.

Now, there is an obvious downside to caterpillars as with many other insects. Some, though not most, are venomous and possess stingers or spines capable of delivering that venom. Others are toxic or else covered in defensive spines, barbs, bristly hairs, and other defensive adaptations.

A few caterpillar species, like the Southern Flannel Moth caterpillar and Saddleback caterpillar, are actually capable of delivering stings or packing toxic poison that can absolutely debilitate you, make you gravely sick, or even kill you outright.

The rule of thumb is that you want to avoid any of them that are covered with a plush coat of hair, obvious prickly spines or guard hairs, or bright, vivid colors and patterns which are a universal warning sign to all predators that are either dangerous or terrible to eat.

A thorough, in-depth review of safe caterpillar species is beyond the confines of this article, but there is a trusty rule of thumb that will rarely steer you wrong.

If your working knowledge of a caterpillar taxonomy is a little lacking, you should always look for ones that have smooth skin without any hair, spine, or barbs and are colored light green, dark green, tan, or brown. As long as they meet these criteria they probably won’t hurt you.

To be clear, there are some dangerous types that will still fall under this description also, and likewise, there are some safe varieties that are brightly colored or have loud patterns. But those are exceptions!

Obviously, if you want to make caterpillars a part of your survival food plan, it pays to brush up your knowledge on different species.

And as always, you are very wise to employ the field edibility safety test prior to tucking in. A little patience and some cautious inspection might save your life.

Now, let’s assume that you’ve caught caterpillars and they are absolutely, 100% safe to eat. Should you just chow down on them raw? You can, if you have no other choice, but it’s in your best interest to cook them in any way that you can.

That’s because caterpillars are frequent hosts of germs and parasites that could still hurt you or make you terribly sick. Even if it’s a fresh and relatively healthy caterpillar, there’s no telling what it’s been crawling over, so at the very least you want to give them a rinse in clean water.

If you have any way to cook them, they can be gently boiled, pan-fried, roasted, or prepared in any number of other ways. You can even dry them out, grind them into power, and then add them to a soup or stew if you want to.

However you do it, just make sure they are cooked thoroughly. That will kill the germs and parasites alike and keep you safe. Plus, take it from me; they taste a hell of a lot better when cooked!

Getting your hands on enough caterpillars to make a proper meal might be easier than you think.

Of course, you can go around picking them off of leaves and branches wherever you spot them but this can be quite a task: many caterpillars employ highly effective camouflage!

If you are hunting for them in anything but ideal lighting conditions (hardly guaranteed in a survival situation) you’ll probably waste more time than you need to.

A better bet for catching them en masse it’s the place a drop cloth or net made out of mosquito mesh beneath a plant that you know they will frequent for food, and then vigorously shake or tap the branches or the whole plant in an up-and-down motion to flick the caterpillars down onto your catcher.

Although they are great climbers and can go almost anywhere, most caterpillars don’t have a great grip like beetles and will easily be knocked free. Once you suspect that you’ve cleaned out a bush, move on to the next one and soon you’ll be rolling in caterpillars ready for the frying pan.

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Then you’re gonna love my free PDF, 20 common survival items, 20 uncommon survival uses for each. That’s 400 total uses for these dirt-cheap little items!

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Protein Powder as a Survival Food: Is it Any Good?

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Preppers who are getting ready for long-term survival scenarios and living in the aftermath of disasters are always looking for a better survival food option. Something that is more nutritionally complete, longer lasting, easier to prepare, easier to carry, etc.

stockpiled items canned chicken breast emergency blanket toe warmers and more
Stockpiled items: canned chicken breast, emergency blanket, toe warmers, pinto beans, yellow popcorn, compass, poncho, dried milk, peanut butter, canned brown bread, honey, chicken bouillon

Some folks have suggested using protein powder as a survival food, and I must admit this is not something that I myself had thought of before. But what’s the scoop? Is protein powder a good survival food or not?

Yes, protein powder is a pretty good survival food. It’s an easy and convenient way to carry plenty of easily digested protein and calories with you, and is versatile enough to be prepared and drunk as is or mixed in with other foods. It isn’t, though, nutritionally complete.

I must say, whoever first thought of this really had their thinking cap on. Protein powder is a remarkably good survival food, though not a truly complete one.

Nonetheless, it can definitely make your life easier when packing a bug-out bag or stocking a survival pantry. Keep reading and I’ll tell you why below…

This is the info that matters. How nutritious is protein powder, generally? All around, it is pretty doggone good, though of course, there’s a huge amount of variation among all the products on the market, and there are many!

But, as a base guideline, you can depend on a 30 g serving of naturally sweetened whey protein powder, which is about one scoop, to provide 120 kcal, anywhere from 20 to 24g of protein, and 3 to 8 g of carbohydrates along with a little bit of fat.

Most powders also have a bit of sodium and lots of vitamins and minerals, especially B vitamins, though some are significantly better fortified than others. In any case, you can count on getting lots of calcium, a decent amount of iron, plenty of potassium, and more.

One thing I’d like you to keep in mind is that many such products are made for folks who are working out and trying to stay fit, and accordingly, they try to keep calories at a minimum. This is usually accomplished through the use of artificial sweeteners.

Think twice before getting one of those products because in a survival situation every calorie counts, and so you’re usually better off going with something sweetened with sugar, honey, maple syrup, or something like that.

Aside from good nutrition, the other great thing that protein powder has going for it as a survival food is a very long shelf life. And it’s quite easy to store.

Again, another baseline for the shelf life of protein powder is about 5 years, conservatively, kept at room temp of about 70° F. Do that and you won’t have any issues. A little cooler or warmer isn’t a big deal, but high temps will degrade your powder!

Now, if you care to check the sell-by date on the jug you’ll see that most of them have a date that is about a year, maybe two, from the date of purchase.

Don’t let that misguide you: these dates are arbitrarily set by the manufacturer according to government guidelines and do not accurately reflect the actual shelf life of a product.

Think of them as a best-by or freshness date. Kept in a cool, dark location in a sealed container, protein powder will last a lot longer than that and be completely safe.

The single most important thing you must do if you want your protein powder to go the distance in a survival situation is to keep it safe from moisture. I hope that would be obvious! We mix it with water or some other liquid to prepare it for consumption, after all.

If protein powder, of any kind, even gets damp, it will soon mold – that’s just going to ruin it.

Consider taking it out of the container, assuming it doesn’t have the factory seal still intact, and pack it in some sort of other heavy-duty packaging.

I like using vacuum-sealed Mylar bags, but you can also make a great case for keeping them in Ziploc freezer bags or smaller versions in pre-measured portions and then placing those inside a Nalgene bottle, storm bag or small Pelican case. That way, even if your pack gets doused, your protein powder will be fine.

Now, some seasoned preppers might be balking already at the idea of protein powder as a survival food. After all, we have other mainstays like beef jerky, canned tuna, canned chicken, and so forth.

This is undeniably true, however, I assert that protein powder is far easier to carry in terms of weight per calorie and per gram of protein and also in terms of form factor than any of these canned goods, and it even beats out the foil-pouched versions of the same.

Compared to heavy, bulky, and inefficient canned goods, it wins by a mile and it’s still a logistical advantage compared to the other more modern kinds of packaging.

At home in the pantry, it might not make much difference. But in your BOB on your back while you’re hoofing it for your life across unforgiving terrain- I promise that’s an advantage you don’t want to give up.

One of my favorite things about this stuff as a survival food is that it is so doggone versatile. If I’m in a hurry and just need to gas up quickly, I can pour a little powder into a cup or bottle, mix it with water, and then chug it down. Done.

But I can also mix it in with other foods like soups and stews, eggs, and more. This is a great way to add bulk, protein, and calories for basically no additional effort.

And before you ask, no, it doesn’t mean you’ll be getting a strawberries and cream omelet; you can get unflavored protein powder which is perfect for the job.

One factor that I think, regrettably, many preppers overlook in this discussion is the suitability of liquid nourishment for people who are sick and badly injured.

For those of us who have been there, it’s surprising how difficult, or even impossible, it can be to keep solid food down. When your body is in a crisis and shunting resources away from your stomach, you simply might not be able to process the nutrition that you desperately need.

Protein powder drinks or shakes, though not perfect, are usually a much better bet under the circumstances. This is something you should not discount if you want to be truly ready for all contingencies.

Sort of in the same vein, your sweeter and more flavorful protein powders, stuff like classic fruit, dessert, and milkshake flavors, even more exotic stuff like key lime pie or cereal flavors, can be a great comfort food for adults and kids alike.

I don’t know when the last time you might have tried this stuff is, but most of the modern brands we have today are shockingly good!

Most preppers, myself included, tend to approach packing calories and liquids with a ruthless eye for efficiency, sparing not even a thought for human factors like “want,” “comfort,” “flavor,” and so forth.

Using protein powder, it’s possible to bring along something that will keep you going but also help you feel good under what might be the worst circumstances of your entire life.

Don’t underestimate the value of keeping yourself or someone else mentally in the game by fostering feel-good emotions when you can.

Another update from Captain Obvious, I know, but don’t forget that at its most basic you’ll need extra water to prepare your protein powder, assuming you aren’t mixing it into food.

No kidding, right, right. But this means that you’ll either have to carry more water with you or be prepared to source water from somewhere in the environment.

I know every prepper’s already familiar with this notion and prepared to do so, but it also bears repeating here because you can’t count on mixing your protein powder with milk, juice, or something else that might make it taste better.

If you’re used to having a delicious protein powder shake after your workout made with whole-fat milk, the same stuff mixed with water might be a rude awakening.

Make sure you try and get comfortable with your chosen protein powder or powders made with water only ahead of time so you know what to expect.

Protein Powder Survival Food Pinterest image
20 survival items ebook coverLike what you read?

Then you’re gonna love my free PDF, 20 common survival items, 20 uncommon survival uses for each. That’s 400 total uses for these dirt-cheap little items!

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Hammock Camping With a Dog in Winter

#forest #hammock #wintercamping Come along on a winter hammock camp with my dog, Wolf. We backpack in and find a nice spot to camp in the open forest. We check out a raging river and enjoy time winter camping New Merch here! https://www.bunkerbranding.com/pages/joe-robinet Instagram https://instagram.com/joerobinetbushcraft/

When to apply a tourniquet – Part 2 #bethedifference #tourniquet #cattourniquet

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North American Rescue’s NAR Doctor wraps up this quick 2-part overview of knowing when to apply a tourniquet. For more info: https://www.narescue.com/combat-application-tourniquet-c-a-t.html

Winter Camping with no Tent – Snow Filled Forest – Large Campfire – Solo

#wintercamping #campfire #forest To order your own “Joe Robinet’s Camp Spice” you can go to https://smokeshowsauce.com/products/joe-robinets-camp-spice-3-pack-preorder There is a 3 pack option as well as a single. ALL ORDERS WILL SHIP BY MARCH 15 Come along with me on a solo trip through some snowy woods! I pull a sled through the bush to find a decent camp spot. I winter camp with no tent and build a huge campfire. New Merch here! https://www.bunkerbranding.com/pages/joe-robinet Instagram https://instagram.com/joerobinetbushcraft/

Where to Get the Best Survival Training

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Best Survival Training How to Survive Christmas

  • 9 Reasons To Thank The Troops On Memorial Day
  • Spring Allergy Survival Guide
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    For awesome survival gear you can’t make at home, check out the Survival Life Store!

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    Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on December 4, 2021, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

    10 Hunting Season Buzzkills

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    Hunting is a practice that started with our ancient ancestors. For many of us, hunting season is like a yearly pilgrimage to get back to our roots.

    Hunting is an exercise in strength and persistence and is a true test of our survivalist skills. Humans have traditionally hunted for food, clothing, and sometimes even for shelter. But besides being a necessary survival skill, hunting is something most of us truly enjoy.

    A must have: This is why hunting is so much fun 

    Sometimes it’s a way for us to bond with our fathers or sons, or just a way to get away from our hectic lives and feel closer to nature.

    10 Hunting Season Buzzkills

    There are those that will tell you that hunting is a barbaric or outdated practice, but they don’t know what they’re talking about. They don’t know that the practice of hunting still has huge benefits today. First and foremost, may people still need to hunt for food.

    But beyond that, hunting helps control animal populations, and the fish and wildlife industry boosts the economy in many regions.

    Still, there are a lot of things about the hunting aspect that are, shall we say, less than glamorous. Here are just a few of them.

    10 Things That Suck About Hunting Season

    Some things about hunting can really chap your ass. Here are our top ten.

    10. The Holidays

    You are required to show up for some holiday functions or at least the big ones. Too many of them fall during the hunting season.

    9. Season length

    Hunting season is nowhere near long enough. We all have a big game plan about hunting different areas during different parts of the season, but we most often run out of season.

    8. Work

    Employers are extremely hung up on attendance. Even during hunting season, they fully expect outdoorsmen and women to wake up and go to work while they could actively pursue game. What happened to this country?

    7. Garbage

    You follow a strict scent control regiment for your hunting clothes and your body. But there are those in this world who still expect us to haul dirty, stinky garbage out to the curb. I hate chores. What would the deer think if they got a whiff of us? We, as hunters, work very hard to be odorless to get closer to game and yet, we still have to take the garbage out.

    6. Football

    Hunting has been around longer than football has. A lot of hunters enjoy football. The hunting season overlapping with football season is a scheduling conflict that the media, the NCAA, NFL, and high schools could quickly fix. Just wait until deer season ends.

    Like I said, for many hunting is much more than something they just do for food. For some it’s a passion, or a sport, or an almost spiritual experience. Hunting involves both physical and mental stimulation and requires a unique combination of skills. There’s nothing quite  like it. Hunting season is a perfect opportunity to take in all of nature’s splendor.

    For survivalists, hunting is an ideal activity because it is one of the best opportunities to practice shooting skills. That means that when SHTF and you have to bug out, as long as you have a rifle, you know you’ll have food. Plus, you will know how to use a gun to defend yourself if worse comes to worse.


    What other things spoil the hunting season for you? Tell us about them in the comments. Then check out these related posts on our site:

    7 Awesome Rifles For Mountain Hunting

    Choosing the Best Guns and Ammo for your Arsenal

    Sneaky Survival Snare Traps To Keep You Alive

    For awesome survival gear you can’t make at home, check out the Survival Life Store!

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    **Disclaimer: All content on this site is for informational purposes only. Please read our full disclaimer .**

    Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on November 18, 2014, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.