DON’T MISS: HOW TO FIGHT BACK FROM YOUR HOMESTEAD

WHY DRONES
NEED TO BE PART
OF YOUR PLAN

IN THIS ISSUE: FEBRUARY 2020

SIMPLE TRAPS WHAT TO LOOK

TO CATCH FOR IN YOUR
YOUR DINNER RIFLE SCOPE

DON’T LET PRACTICAL TIPS

FROSTBITE SNEAK FOR A FASTER
UP ON YOU EVACUATION

STAYING SAFE BUG OUT

WHEN YOU’RE SUPPLIES TO
WALKING ON ICE SURVIVE THE CITY

and more…
VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - FEBRUARY 2020

Contents
HOW TO FIGHT BACK FROM YOUR HOMESTEAD
FEATURED You already know you’re leagues ahead of your neighbors when it comes to being prepared, but
one area too many survivalists fail to account for is just how far hungry and deprived people…

WHY DRONES NEED TO BE PART OF YOUR PLAN

page 4 When I first got a drone, I had a lot of fun just playing around, recording silly aerial movies of
me and my kids, but it actually comes in handy on our property. Far more than I thought…

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR RIFLE SCOPE

page 5 If you’re wanting to boost your accuracy with your rifle, I have one simple suggestion. You need
to get a scope. You’ll land more shots, send your kill rate through the roof, and bring home…

PREPPING STRATEGIES FOR THE SOLO SURVIVALIST

page 6 I used to think prepping with my entire family was tough, and since I started I’ve been blessed to
bring a couple of trusted families into my circles so we’ve now got an incredibly strong…

BUG OUT SUPPLIES TO SURVIVE IN THE CITY

page 8 I spent the better part of my life in office towers, traffic jams and the constant bustle of people,
and it’s only been recently that my work and my family have been able to relocate to…

SIMPLE TRAPS TO CATCH YOUR DINNER

page 9 There are a number of ways you can trap different animals to put food on your plate, but let me
make this very clear. Trapping is not a guarantee. In fact, a lot of the time you will find…

DON’T LET FROSTBITE SNEAK UP ON YOU

page 10 There’s no question it’s a lot easier spending time outdoors during summer, the sunny days and
warm nights are comfortable, and easy to enjoy. But I’m also a big winter fan, and after a near…

STAYING SAFE WHEN YOU’RE WALKING ON ICE

page 11 This last week I had a close encounter of my own, where the ice we were fishing on cracked
through as we made our way home for the day. We’d crossed to the opposite bank to drive out…

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR A FASTER EVACUATION

page 13 With the bushfires raging across Australia it’s got me thinking about the importance of
evacuation. Many of the lives lost have been people, trapped in their homes, in their cars, as…
…

1
VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - FEBRUARY 2020

HOW TO FIGHT BACK FROM YOUR HOMESTEAD

You already know you’re leagues ahead
of your neighbors when it comes to
being prepared, but one area too many
survivalists fail to account for is just
how far hungry and deprived people
will go when the SHTF.
Your home, and all of your stockpile is
like a giant target, and it’s in your best
interest to know how to fight back
when they’re trying to take what’s yours.
Your job is not only to be ready for
whatever comes, but to be able to
protect and defend your home, from
the criminals who were too lazy, or too
unwilling to prepare themselves.
In today’s post, I’ll share exactly how
you can keep your home safe, and fight
back from your homestead.
Let’s get right into it.
COVERING ACCESS POINTS
For starters, you need to cover every
entry point to your home, every route
onto your property.
Yes, they’re also your escape routes, but
don’t let the bad guys drive up to your
door. We’ve added quick growing pines
along all of our perimeter (thick
enough that a car cannot pass), to
create a natural barrier that deters
unwelcome guests.
I’ve also got cattle drains on every road
in, double spaced and dug out at least
2-3-feet-deep, so as soon as we remove
the grids, you can’t drive a car over the
gulley’s which means in a crisis it’s
going to take real effort to get in close.
In addition, there’s trees strategically
planted that can be felled over both the
entry points (and main drive in from
the road) to conceal and cover the
access points to our property.
Unless you know it’s there, you are
more than likely going to drive right
past our homestead.
MAPPING OUT DISTANCES
Next comes the range.
if you’re not zoned in on your targets
as they come up on approach.
We’ve painted markers on the trees
starting from 200 yards out, and then at
150, 100 and 50.
I’m a good shot and I improve when I
know the range, but I’m no
sharpshooter, and I know I’m not all
that accurate shooting at long distances
above and beyond this.
Plus, our property is pretty heavily
wooded, and you can’t see much further
than this anyway.
“it’s in your
best interest
to know

Look to any driveways, roads or even

potential access points, and pay
particular attention to any open spaces
that could be driven through with an
ATV or a 4WD. You don’t want to give
any intruders a straight shot to your
house, so cover these access points.
If you’re used to long distance shooting
you know how important it is for your
how to fight
accuracy to zero in your firearms for
specific ranges.
back…”
We’ve got an almost arsenal of
weapons at our disposal, but even long-
range rifles aren’t going to be effective

2
VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - FEBRUARY 2020

cont.

DIGGING IN FOR COVER

To fight back you need cover, and the

best fortifications are those you’ve been
able to plan in advance.

From our home we’ve got heavily

fortified shooting locations from the
basement (which ties into our escape
plan), but in our surrounding yard
we’ve also created natural rises and
defenses. I borrowed an excavator a
couple of years ago to help with this,
cutting into the natural hills and rises
around our property, and building up
those that were there.

Right now, there’s at least 4 different

positions you can shoot from with
dense earth cover, and a couple of
spots in the trees we’ve setup “for our
kids” to play in, and as a high position
for anyone with a rifle, complete with
ziplines back to our home. The kids
love them, while being completely
practical too.

USING FORCE MULTIPLIERS

Unless you’re part of a large survival

group you’re probably going to be on
your own on your property, with a
handful of close family members trying
to defend against a more mobile, (and
probably much larger) attacking force.

In this instance, you’re going to want

any advantage you can get, and that’s
where force multipliers come into play,
advantages that help to support and
augment your defense. Anything that
can give you an edge in a fight is a
multiplier, and you’ve got an advantage
already because it’s your property.
I’ve got fences and razor wire
protecting some of the more remote
areas of my property, as well as motion-
triggered lighting and security cameras.
It may seem like overkill, but being able
to tell you, at the click of a button, who
has just walked up to our gate, or
whether there is movement along one
of the perimeter fences helps us sleep
far better at night knowing we are safe
and secure in our bubble.
Not to mention the motion-triggered
lighting that brightens up our home like
a football field on game night, and the
guard dogs which have been trained to
be decidedly vicious to anyone not in
our family. These are all force
multipliers you need to take advantage
of to keep your home safe.
PLANNING FOR AN ESCAPE
Of course, even with the best laid plans
you can’t account for everything, and
with enough people and enough time,
even the most fortified homes can be
overrun. Your job in this instance is to
plan for your escape.
To have a hidden way out that allows
you and your family to run for safety
when all hope is lost.
Perhaps they’ve gotten close and fire-
bombed your home, or simply
overpowered your defenses with sheer
numbers. You need an escape plan,
otherwise you risk getting trapped and
being at the mercy of your attackers.
Ours is rather simple, though it was a
headache to get built.
From our basement you can access our
safe room, which is essentially just an
underground bunker.
But the kicker is the hatch in the roof,
which opens up to a tunnel just a
couple of feet underground. Using
drain pipes, we built a 50-60ft escape
tunnel, that gets you to the other side
of a large thicket of trees, and a small
shed containing two ATVs and a
motorbike, so we can get out of dodge
fast, and unnoticed, no matter what’s
happening at our main homestead. I
t’s not ideal, but in a pinch the last thing
I want to be is trapped, and at the
mercy of those trying to break in.
Being prepared is key when it comes to
defending your home, and the smart
survivalists, the ones who are actually
going to make it through a SHTF event
aren’t the ones who built up a big
stockpile of supplies.
The ones who survive are the ones who
know how to fight back, and defend
everything they’ve painstakingly put
together.

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VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - FEBRUARY 2020
WHY DRONES
NEED TO BE PART
OF YOUR PLAN
When I first got a drone, I had a lot of
fun just playing around, recording silly
aerial movies of me and my kids, but it
actually comes in handy on our
property. Far more than I thought it
would, and it got me thinking about
just how practical they can be as tools.
I mean, there’s a reason the military
uses drones, using them for everything
from surveillance to tactical missions.
You can get a feel for a situation with a
drone, before sending the troops in.
Now, I’ll fill you in on how I plan to
use my drones (yep, that’s a plural) in a
minute, and how I’ve been using my
latest tech toys around my property. But
first though, comes the all-important
question…
HOW TO KEEP IT CHARGED?
We all know power is going to be in
short supply in a grid down scenario,
and drones are power-hungry little
machines. You’ll get maybe 15 to 20
minutes of flying time on a single
charge. That’s not a lot, and you need
to be sure you’re generating enough
juice through your off-grid sources to
keep the batteries going or you’ll wind
up with a bunch of paperweights.
So, run your numbers and make sure
your setup is generating enough power
before you start buying drones for your
homestead. Once that’s sorted, here’s
how they can help.
SCOUTING YOUR FENCES
If I were to walk my entire fence line,
it’d take me the better part of the day.
Even riding it on an ATV takes far too
long, burning petrol (which is in short
supply too). But in a SHTF situation
riding my fence line puts me in danger.
On my property, that’s where I’m most
likely to be spotted.
With a drone, I can fly the entire route
on a single charge, from the comfort of
my dining room, and check everything
is alright. This is especially important
after a storm, when branches or fallen
trees could have damaged parts of the
fence line where my cattle can get out.
SEARCHING NEW RESOURCES
When we built our bug out cabin it
took months of exploring until we
found the perfect location, a hidden
spring tucked away deep in the back of
our property. But on a recent fly over I
noticed something.
The pond that forms is quite visible
from the sky, but almost impossible to
find on foot. If I was using the drone
back then, I could have saved so much
time from our search. If you want to
quickly search an area, looking for new
resources, using a drone is one of the
most effective ways to find what you’re
looking for.
PATROLLING A BORDER
Now here’s where things get fun. It
took me a while to figure out but
there’s also a pre-programmed setting
on my drone that allows me to record a
flight path and send the drone on
patrol. Once I set this up it became that
much easier scout my fence lines (I
simply run the program and watch the
feed), but this has another practical use.
In a SHTF situation, you could use
your drone to run surveillance along a
border during a firefight. Obviously, it
may be the drones last flight (anyone
intent on doing you harm will probably
shoot it down), but you’ll get some
valuable intel on your feed as to what’s
coming.
INVESTIGATING A PROTECTING AGAINST
DISTURBANCE
I also use my drones as investigators.
They’ve got flashlights I can turn on
and off, so when I get an alarm from
one of my far-flung motion sensors
during the night I can quickly boot one
up and go see what’s happening. It’s a
relief most of the time (we’ve had a
couple of deer and one bear so far), but
knowing I’ve got the ability to see
what’s happening, on all parts of my
property in minutes, well it gives me
more peace of mind, especially living
this isolated. It also makes it really easy
to check whether or not there’s any
mail, without the mile walk to our letter
box at the end of the driveway.
DROPPING A PAYLOAD
Now I’ve not tested this yet (I rather
like my drones thank you), but I have
considered weaponizing my drones as a
last line of defense against an attack.
4
Insurgents have already been using this
technique against our military, and
while a tad controversial, it’s also rather
effective. Fit a grenade to your drone
and crash it into someone trying to
storm your property? That’ll get far
more range than I could throw it, and
I’m sure it’d take any approaching force
by surprise.
HOW ABOUT THE NOISE?
Finally, and I did get asked this a lot,
but how about the noise? When a
drone is close, you can definitely hear
the buzz, but once you get a few
hundred feet in the air it’s much harder
to notice. Unless you’re planning on
flying right up to someone, there’s a
high likelihood they won’t even notice
that you’re flying a drone, and that’s
exactly how I like it.
DRONES?
Unfortunately, there’s not a lot you can
do to protect against a drone. They’re
quick, and you can’t get your hands on
the lasers or signal jammers the military
uses to protect against them. My advice,
if you see a drone investigating your
property (after the SHTF of course) is
to shoot it down. It’s good target
practice, and shows whoever watching
they better not step into your property
because you’re ready and willing to fight
back. The last thing you want is people
snooping on everything you’ve been
preparing so they can steal it for
themselves.
In my opinion, drones have been a fun
addition to our homestead. The kids
love flying them, and they’re also quite
practical, giving me the ability to scout
disturbances and see what’s going on in
all corners of my property, without
having to trek there myself. Saving me
time, effort, and freeing me up for
everything else that needs to get done.
VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - FEBRUARY 2020
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR RIFLE SCOPE
If you’re wanting to boost your
accuracy with your rifle, I have one
simple suggestion. You need to get a
scope. You’ll land more shots, send
your kill rate through the roof, and
bring home more meat after every
hunt. It’s that simple. I even have a
scope on my little .22 rifle now, because
it makes my shots so much cleaner, and
I’m missing almost no rabbits now.
WHAT DOES A SCOPE DO?
At the most basic level, a scope for
your rifle is simply a telescopic lens,
allowing you to see targets at a distance
more clearly. When you close your
other eye to look through the scope,
you’ll see what I mean. But unlike a pair
of binoculars which have a clear field
of view, you’ll notice an overlaid grid as
you peer through. That’s the reticle, and
that’s how you aim. Using a scope on
your rifle increases your range
incredibly. Of course, it’s not automatic.
You will need to practice, and learn
how to adjust for factors like elevation,
wind, and take some practice shots. But
as you get used to shooting with a
scope, you will find yourself landing
better and better shots.
UNDERSTAND THE TERMS
I got confused with all the terms at first
too, so let me explain it to you.
If there’s a range of numbers on your
scope, say a 3x-9x, this means you’ve
got a variable range of magnification,
basically, your scope can zoom in and
out. This is ideal if you’re going to be
shooting in different conditions, at
different ranges. If it’s a single number,
like a 3x or 5x, that’s a fixed scope, and
it won’t change the level of zoom.
The next number that comes is size of
the lens. Generally, it’s something like
32, which means there’s a 32mm lens in
your scope. You can get bigger lenses
that let in more light, but these also get
heavier and larger and you’ll need to
manage that accordingly.
Then comes reticle patterns. Personally,
I’m a fan of the simple duplex pattern,
it’s what I started using first and I got
used to it. In the military they use the
Mildot reticle, which help to estimate
the distance a target is from you, and
there’s also ones that help you gauge
how the bullet will drop over long
range.
Finally, you’ve got the focal plane. First
Focal Plane (FFP) means the size of
the reticle will adjust as you change
magnification, so it’ll enlarge as you
zoom in. The Second Focal Plane (SFP)
reticle stays the same, no matter how
you zoom. For me, I like the SFP
because it’s always clear, no matter how
the magnification changes.
5
DO I EVEN NEED A SCOPE?
Unless your only firearm is a handgun,
my opinion is yes. You need a scope for
all of your rifles. You’ll have a better
chance of hitting your target (whether
you’re aiming at a deer, or some other
intruder who needs to be defended
against), and that’s critical. Because
you’ve only got so much ammunition,
you want to make every bullet count.
Plus, some scopes even come equipped
with night vision, which means you’ll
be able to better defend your home,
even in the middle of the night. And
let’s face it, that’s probably when the
bag guys will come.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT SCOPE
To me, there’s a few things I look for
when buying a scope.
You want the ability to adjust for wind
and elevation, which is advertised as
having audible and reliable turrets. That
way you can adjust the scope for the
conditions you’re in, sighting in your
shots so you’re always shooting true. I’d
also make sure there’s plenty of
distance between the scope and your
eye when you’re shooting, at least 3 or 4
inches so there’s some buffer for the
recoil of your gun. You don’t want to
give yourself a black eye!
Finally, buying the right scope all comes
down to what you’re planning to shoot.
As a hunter, if you’re chasing small
game, rabbits or perhaps even looking
for a scope that’ll help you defend your
property, you should choose a scope
with a magnification of 1x-4x.
As a big game hunter, chasing animals
that won’t let you get in close (but still
within about 200 years), you’re going to
want a little more magnification,
something that’s at least 5x-8x so you
can zoom in and shoot with accuracy.
As a long-range shooter, you want as
much magnification as possible, which
is basically a 9x magnification or
anything above. That’ll give you plenty
of magnification, then all you’ll need to
worry about is finding a stable base and
zeroing in your shots.
If you’re serious about defending your
home, bringing home a catch after a
day out hunting, or simply becoming a
more accurate shooter, it’s a smart
decision to invest in a scope for your
rifle. The increased magnification will
help you to land more of your shots,
because when it comes to shooting, you
want to be as accurate as possible.
VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - FEBRUARY 2020

PREPPING STRATEGIES FOR THE SOLO SURVIVALIST

I used to think prepping with my entire
family was tough, and since I started
I’ve been blessed to bring a couple of
trusted families into my circles so we’ve
now got an incredibly strong team
that’ll band together to make it through
whatever comes our way.
But it’s not like this for everyone, in
fact, many people are tackling survival
alone. If that’s you, I tip my cap to you.
What you’re doing is tough as hell, but I
do understand you may not have a
choice. And that brings me to Marty
(*not his real name).
You see, Marty is a bit like you, my kids
call him the friendly neighborhood
prepper man. But really, we don’t know
all that much about him.
YOU ARE YOUR ONLY BACKUP
When you’re doing this on your own,
you don’t have anyone else you can rely
on. You need to take extra precautions
with everything that you do.
That means no unnecessary risks, no
“Bear Grylls” type escapades, because
if something goes wrong or you get
into a spot of trouble, you’ve got no
one to call.
In fact, there may not even be anyone
who knows where you are.
Take your time, be safe, and don’t let
yourself get caught out.
Marty rolled his ankle last summer, (he
said that’s the “bugger of getting old'”),
He was craving for contact, but you
could tell he only wanted small doses.
In fact, the way he spoke I got the
feeling this was the most interaction
he’d had with the outside world for
months.
If you’re planning a lifestyle like this,
you need to be ready for long periods
without much other human interaction
at all.
And after a crisis, you never know who
you can really trust.

He has his own cabin in the area a few

miles from ours, and I’ve bumped into
him just a few times over the last
decade.
and yet there was no one to help.
“The only
It took him two days to get back to his
cabin, he’s just happy the nights were one who
warm and he’d already shot a rabbit to

The last time we were up there, Marty

cook that first night. can save
came by for a drink, and I could tell he
was a little lonely.
When you’re solo, you are your only
backup, and you need to be prepared you, is
for it.
We got to talking, and after more than a
The only one who can save you, is you.
you.…”
few drinks he opened up and I started
hearing his backstory, and there were a
few lessons in his stories that I’d like to YOU WILL GET LONELY
share with you, especially important if
you’re also planning on surviving solo. I could see this all over Marty’s face.

6
VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - FEBRUARY 2020

cont.

My advice to him was to get a dog (he

used to have but it had since passed
away), and the next time we head up
there I’m going to bring him a rescue
from our local shelter.

It’ll give him some of the

companionship he’s craving.

Plus, a dog makes for an excellent

lookout as another pair of eyes and ears
for any threats.

YOU’LL NEED TO DO
EVERYTHING

Of course, skills come with time and

practice, but there’s a few things in our
household I know I’m rubbish at.

Like cooking.

Unless it’s grilled over a flame, the taste

of what I make does leave a bit to be
desired. Now expand that to everything.

You’re going to have to find your own

food, repair your own cabin, cook your
own meals, and take care of yourself
when you get sick.

There is a massive amount to learn and

master, when you do this solo.

You’ll need to know where to find

food, and how to purify water. How to
mend your clothes, and grow your
garden. How to fix a leaky roof or get
the engine running in your car again. So
many tasks, it almost seems impossible
at the first glance, but all of this can be
learnt. You just need to start small, and
start learning today.

YOU’LL ONLY HAVE YOUR

TWO HANDS

Along the lines of this last point, is

there will only ever be one of you.

Shoot a deer, and you’re going to have
to carry it home yourself. I can’t
imagine building a cabin solo, but that’s
exactly what Marty did.
Using ingenuity, and in his own words
“a boatload of ropes and pulleys” he
even invited me up there on our next
trip to inspect his handiwork.
I’m still in shock. The last cabin we
built for our survival group took a
month, and there were six of us, plus
some pretty heavy-duty equipment.
Marty is a beast, I can’t wait to see it.
As a solo survivalist you’ll need to think
of ways to accomplish big tasks like
this, with just your own two hands.
You’ll need to create systems and
mechanisms that make your life easier,
because there is, and only ever will be,
just one of you.
Whether it’s a bike trailer to help you
haul a fresh kill, or a set of traps that
are working to bring you meals while
you get on with other jobs, you will
need to find ways to multiply your
effectiveness as a solo survivalist.
Surviving on your own isn’t for
everyone, but if that’s what you’re
thinking you need to know what you’re
in for, so you can prepare.
Both mentally, physically, and ensure
you’ve got the knowledge, know-how
and grit, to keep yourself alive and
thriving, even while the rest of the
world descends into chaos.
If this is you, you’ve got my respect, I
know I couldn’t do it alone. Which
makes you a stronger man (or woman)
than me. Kudos, and respect.

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VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - FEBRUARY 2020
I spent the better part of my life in
office towers, traffic jams and the
constant bustle of people, and it’s only
been recently that my work and my
family have been able to relocate to our
homestead. But I’ve been prepping for
a long time, and even though a fire
making kit is a token addition for your
bug-out-bag (and the first thing almost
every list recommends), there’s a few
items you should probably add if you’re
a survivalist living in the city.
HANDGUN OR REVOLVER
With so many people in such a
confined area, my biggest concern was
always my safety. Get your concealed
carry permit, and start carrying your
firearm everywhere you go. Or if you
can’t make sure you’ve at least got a
license to own a gun, and you’ve got it
stored securely in your home or your
car. And then keep some kind of self-
defensive weapon on your person, so
you’re never without a means to protect
yourself. I always carried a knife, and a
small canister of pepper spray on me,
just in case.
PAIR OF BOLT CUTTERS
Now, you’re going to get a lot of funny
looks carrying these around, but should
the SHTF you’re going to need them.
Because everywhere is going to be
locked to you, supply stations
padlocked shut, gates barricaded. I’m
not saying here that stealing is OK, but
in a real disaster you need every survival
advantage you can get, and a pair of
bolt cutters will help you get into a lot
of places that would otherwise be off
limits.
SMALL CROWBAR
Similar to the bolt cutters, a pry bar will
come in handy in your urban bug out
kit. But not just for breaking in, to help
you get out of sticky situations too.
BUG OUT SUPPLIES TO
SURVIVE IN THE CITY
To get through a damaged door, or
break through the lock, even prying
open a window. Plus, in your hands a
pry bar can also serve as a weapon, to
fight back against anyone who is
intending you harm. Again, keep this in
your car, or one of your hidden caches,
and you’ll be good to go.
LOCK-PICKING KIT
It takes a little practice to get the hang
of it, but one of your best assets to
survive in the city is to get where other
people can’t go. Getting past locked
doors, and then securing yourself
inside. This is a whole other level to
simply smashing a door down, because
if you can open the door without a key,
you can lock it shut behind you, and get
a good night’s sleep. I’ve got a small set
that I’ve been practicing with, and while
I’m no savant, I’m surprised at just how
many locks I’ve been able to pick.
RAIN GEAR
Getting caught out in the rain is not
ideal, and one thing many people
overlook is what happens when they
get wet, but can’t get dry again. You
need a way to stay dry, and short of
carrying a rain jacket everywhere you
go, those cheap plastic ones you can
pick up in almost every convenience
store will help in a pinch to keep the
water at bay, long enough until you find
somewhere safe to shelter that’s out of
the rain.
RESPIRATOR
Did you know that thousands of the
first responders to the 9/11 disaster are
linking their cancer to the dust and
toxins they inhaled that day? It was a
scary wake up call for me too,
considering that same scenario could
have happened to any city in the United
States. Once I learnt this fact, I started
carrying my own masks.
8
I opted for the N95 respirator because
while it’s not going to give the same
level of protection as a full-face mask, I
can still carry this with me without
raising any suspicion before a crisis hits.
FLASHLIGHT
In a city it can be hard to know who is
lurking around a corner, or tucked back
into a dimly lit alleyway. And in a
disaster, you can’t expect the power to
stay on, so that means navigating at
night will be a challenge, not to
mention all the pitch-black stairways
inside the office buildings. You need a
source of light, and for me, that was
simple. A strikelight has two key
benefits, not only does it give me a
flashlight, but it’s weighted and serves
as a baton that you can use if you do
happen to stumble across someone
waiting in the dark for you.
ENCRYPTED THUMB DRIVE
It’s important you’ve got digital copies
of all your important information with
you. I’ve got a small USB that’s got a
waterproof cover, and it lives on my
keychain. Inside, so long as I can plug it
into a computer or laptop, I’ve got a
copy of all my personal data, along
with my contacts, medical history, all of
this. Now see how I called it encrypted.
You need a program to encrypt this
thumb drive otherwise you risk anyone
having access to it if you lose your keys
(or they rob you and take them by
force). I’d also recommend keeping a
backup in the cloud for this reason.
Now, it goes without saying this isn’t a
full list, and I’ve intentionally left out
certain items that feature heavily when
you google “the best bug out kits”
because we all know you need first aid
gear, and water, and food and all that.
But if you’re in a city, it’ll pay you to
ensure you have these extra items, so
you’re prepared to survive.
VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - FEBRUARY 2020
SIMPLE TRAPS TO CATCH YOUR DINNER
There are a number of ways you can
trap different animals to put food on
your plate, but let me make this very
clear. Trapping is not a guarantee.
In fact, a lot of the time you will find
yourself going hungry, and you may
even go a few days between catching a
decent meal. That being said, it’s also
important to know how you’re planning
on making the best use of the animal
you do catch, and ensure none of the
meat goes to waste. Right, let’s get to
the ways to catch your dinner.
GO SETUP FIXED SNARES
I always recommend using a strong,
thin wire for my snares, but if you’re
out of options fishing line can work, or
any other strong cord. Now, a snare is
really just a noose, that’s got a loop and
will tighten once an animal gets caught
inside and tries to run.
For this trap to work you will need to
find an area with lots of animal activity
(like a game trail). You’ll notice these
when you’ve spent time in the woods,
they’re paths the animals create, and
easily recognizable through the
undergrowth that’s been pushed aside. I
usually keep an eye out for good
potential game trails as I hike. Then
you’ll need to tie the snare off, so once
an animal is trapped they cannot simply
run off.
Look for something solid, like a thick
branch or a tree trunk that will not
break as they fight against your snare.
Create a sliding loop in the wire, and
position it just off the ground. I find I
get the best results if I camouflage my
snare with some leaves or branches, and
set it behind a curve or another
obstacle in the trail. Then go setup
more, the more snares you setup, the
better your chances of a decent meal.
GO SETUP DEADFALLS
Deadfalls are a great trap if you’re
trying to catch rodents, like pack rats or
even squirrels. You’ll need to find a big
heavy rock, that’s your deadfall, along
with a few sticks to hold the trap in
place. Without too much gear, I like
using a split-stick deadfall. Take a
length of branch about a foot long, and
an inch thick, and cut it in half for your
support sticks.
In each side of the cut, carve a groove,
big enough to fit a pencil in. So when
you press the two lengths of branch
together, they fit together clean, with a
hole you can see through.
Go find a trigger stick, about the size
and length of a pencil, you may need to
whittle this down so it sits flush inside
the groove between the two support
sticks. Then holding the two support
sticks together, prop up your deadfall.
9
The trigger stick should be baited
(peanut butter works great), then
carefully insert the trigger stick into the
groove. It may collapse at this point so
be very careful, and once you’ve got it,
it’s ready. Any movement on the trigger
will cause the support sticks to fall, and
the deadfall to work.
GO SETUP A GAME TRAP
Now I’m all for big game, but the
reality in a SHTF event is that anything
large is going to be taken down pretty
quickly. But one place you can still get
your calories in are birds and other
small critters. Using a different snare (it
needs to be under tension) this is pretty
easy. You’ll need two forked sticks (for
the stake and the trigger), and a sapling
you can bend down to add the tension.
Drive the stake into the ground so the
fork creates the shape of an “A” to give
your trigger point. Tie a loose noose in
your cord, and behind the loop, tie the
trigger stick in, and then tie the cord to
the top of the sapling you’ll use for
tension.
You may need to experiment to get the
right cord length, but the idea is you’ll
bend the sapling down, getting the
trigger to gently hook into the stake
you’ve driven into the ground. They
shouldn’t “lock” together, it’s more like
a very delicate balance. Spread the
noose out on the ground, and toss out
some bait. Grains or rice will work.
And once an animal (or a bird) comes
in to feed on the bait, they’ll bump or
move the noose, setting the trigger free
and the sapling will spring back into
place. As it does, the noose will snap
shut, trapping whatever part of the
animal was inside it at the time. When
you come back, they’ll be stuck waiting
for you in your trap.
I’ve been hunting and trapping for
years, and the danger I see with these
techniques is twofold. First, you need to
be ver y careful setting snares,
particularly when they are under
tension because if you slip, and it
activates with your finger inside, it can
do a world of damage (especially if
you’re using wire). And two, make sure
you’re not leaving any traps behind
when you decide to move on. They are
deadly, and there’s no point leaving a
lethal trap activated if you won’t be
there to make use of your catch. Oh,
and remember how I said there are no
guarantees? I’d also think of a backup
plan, because there will be days when
you’ve done everything perfectly, and
you catch nothing. That’s just life, so be
prepared.
VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - FEBRUARY 2020

First Degree Frostbite. This is a very

mild case, and you’ll notice your skin
DON’T LET has gone red, there may be some mild
FROSTBITE SNEAK pain and when the warmth and blood
returns, there will be a hot red flush to
UP ON YOU the area. Generally, this won’t result in
any long-term damage to your skin.

There’s no question it’s a lot easier Second Degree Frostbite. This is a

spending time outdoors during
summer, the sunny days and warm
nights are comfortable, and easy to
enjoy. But I’m also a big winter fan, and
after a near disastrous ice fishing trip a
couple of weeks ago, I wanted to write
an article on frostbite. You see, I almost
fell through the ice, ATV and all, and
while it was definitely my own fault,
there’s a few things I wanted to share
with all of you. I believe every
survivalist should know how to treat
frostbite. It’s a surprising situation, that
can sneak up on you (or someone in
your group) without you even knowing.
WHAT IS FROSTBITE?
When your skin is exposed to extremely
cold temperatures, the blood leaves the
area as fast as it can, to keep your core
as warm as possible. This is a basic
survival mechanism of your body, to
ensure your heart and lungs stay
working, and you keep breathing. But
the parts of your body that don’t get
fresh blood, all of your extremities like
your fingers, toes, and even your ears,
now start to freeze. That’s frostbite.
The trouble is, when it gets bad enough
it actually kills the living tissue, and the
frostbitten tissue dies.
HOW BAD DOES IT GET?
Typically, we measure frostbite by the
level of degrees (like we do burns).
“every
survivalist
should
know how
to treat
frostbite…”
more serious case, as your skin has
actually frozen. It may feel hard to the
touch, like ice, and once you’ve warmed
up again there will be pain. The skin
will generally blister after a few days,
but after a few weeks will heal. Though
that in that particular area you may have
a permanent sensitivity to cold from
then on out.
Third Degree Frostbite. This is the
most serious case, as not only the skin
has frozen, but your muscles, arteries
and everything underneath has too. If
you’ve let it get to this stage, you need
to be prepared for the loss of limbs, as
the affected areas may need to be
amputated. Certain people, like the
elderly, are at high risk for this level of
frostbite.
HOW DO I FIX FROSTBITE?
My advice is to be careful. If you heat
up someone suffering from frostbite
too quickly it can cause a great deal of
pain, not to mention their body can go
into shock and they can die from being
warmed up too quickly. Sounds unlikely
I know, but the reality is this particular
phenomenon is one of the biggest
risks. You can’t shock the patient.
Start with a passive rewarming, getting
them into a warm area, into warm
clothes, and using blankets or shared
body heat to rise their core
temperature. Starting a nearby fire is a
good idea, just be careful they don’t get
too close as they may not have any
feeling yet in their skin, and you don’t
want to be dealing with burns and
frostbite too.
Oh, and while it may feel like you’re
helping, try to keep the patient as still
as possible and “rubbing” them to
create friction warmth is a very bad
idea. The ice crystals that have formed
in their skin are razor sharp, and
moving these around will only cause
more damage to the patient. Once they
start warming up, you can switch to
active rewarming. It’s important to start
this as fast as possible (just not
immediately), because the faster you get
their extremities warmed up the better,
as it reduces the chances of any long-
term damage.
The best way to do this is a warm water
immersion.
So find a way to heat up some water,
(just over 100 degrees Fahrenheit is
good), and drop the affected area into
the water. The water is a very good
conductor of heat, and the blood will
quickly start to flow once the body part
warms up again. You need to do this as
soon as you can. If you’ve got nothing
for immersion, use space blankets to
create a heat shield, and reflect as much
warmth from the fire to the patient as
possible to help the defrosting process.
STAYING VIGILANT AGAINST
FROSTBITE
Ultimately, your best defense against
frostbite is a good offense. My strategy
(as you probably know very well by
now) is to always be prepared.
It all starts with knowing where you’ll
be hiking to, the conditions you’ll face,
and having the right clothing, boots and
shelter to manage the cold. It’s also a
good idea to waterproof all of your
outerwear, if it’s not already.
But there’s also the fact accidents can
happen, and you need to be ready too.
Mylar space blankets can help with
passive rewarming, and even help you
throw together a quick shelter. Ensure
you’ve got a way to start and keep a fire
going, even in wet and rainy conditions,
and I’d even throw in emergency hand
and foot warmers if you are venturing
outdoors in the winter. They’re a god-
send if you do start to get frostbite.
Knowing how to treat and prevent
frostbite is an important survival skill,
especially if you’re living in an area with
a frozen winter. Because you never
know when you may need to treat
someone you love, for frostbite.

10
VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - FEBRUARY 2020
STAYING SAFE WHEN YOU’RE WALKING ON ICE
This last week I had a close encounter
of my own, where the ice we were
fishing on cracked through as we made
our way home for the day.
We’d crossed to the opposite bank to
drive out, opting for speed instead of a
much slower trail ride, and it all started
splitting as we crossed.
Quite a scary situation.
I thought we’d done everything right,
but mother nature had other plans and
she wanted to drag us down into the
drink.
Luckily, I didn’t get dropped in the icy
water, but it got me thinking about the
importance of staying safe on the ice.
Because let’s face it.
When winter hits you may be forced to
make an ice crossing as you escape the
city, or perhaps you need to get out on
the lake to do a little fishing for your
next meal.
And while you should never fully relax If it seems a little dodgy, stop.
when you’re walking on solid water,
there’s a few safety rules I’d highly And carefully retrace your steps until
recommend you follow to ensure you you’re back on solid ice.
don’t fall through.
PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT’S WEAR ALL THE RIGHT GEAR
AROUND YOU
It may seem a little overkill but there’s
Once you’ve measured and are sure it’s
thick enough to support the weight you
need, you can start moving onto the ice.
But pay attention to everything that’s “pay
going on around you.
If you’re walking over a fast-moving
attention to
stream, you need to know the ice is
going to be weaker as the flowing water everything
underneath melts it through.
There will be thinner sections in certain
that’s going
parts of the ice, and if you see any
areas with pooling water, you want to
on around
steer clear – this indicates the ice sheet
is already sinking, and can happen after you…”
a fresh snowfall (or even the weight
from your car can push it down).
11
VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - FEBRUARY 2020

DON’T JUST WALK ON THE ICE

Just because the ice “looks” safe, it doesn’t mean it actually is. There’re so many different factors that
come into play, everything from the temperature that day to how long it’s been frozen over.
You need to be vigilant if you want to stay dry. Probably the easiest way to test it is to bring a small,
cordless drill with you, with an extra-long bit. With no drill you could use a hammer and chisel to
break through, and then measure just how thick it really is.
• You don’t want to walk on ice less than 4 inches thick.
• You don’t want to drive an ATV on ice less than 6 inches thick.
• You don’t want to drive a car on ice less than 12 inches thick.
Measure first, before you venture out on the ice, or simply stick to the shore.
If you don’t know how thick the ice is that’s supporting you, there’s a good chance you’ll put too
much weight on it and it’ll break through.
When you’re just getting started I’d recommend drilling a few holes, about ever 20 or 30 feet as you
venture out. This way you’ll get an understanding of what’s happening underneath, as most lakes
you’ll find the ice does get thinner as you get further and further out.

cont.
some key pieces of gear to have with
you if you’re venturing out onto the ice.
A dry change of clothes and a means to
start a fire is a good start, but you need
to remember the first priority is getting
out of the water.
I’ve got a light life vest I wear when I’m
on the water, it’s small and barely
noticeable, but I can pull to inflate it
and it’ll ensure my head stays above
water and my clothes don’t drag me
under if I happen to break through.
On all of our ATV’s we’ve got small
throwable life preservers with a length
of rope attached, so we can toss it to
anyone unfortunate enough to fall
through.
And personally, I’ve also got a whistle I
always wear around my neck, and I
have a small pick I always wear looped
around each wrist when I’m on the ice,
so I can get a little more traction if I
ever need to pull myself out.
Yes, it’s quite a lot of gear, but it also
gives me comfort. Knowing I can
quickly get myself out of the water, and
that my group is equipped to help, and
there’ll be a fire ready and a dry change
of clothes to help fight off any signs of
hypothermia before they even start.
It’s very reassuring.
SPREAD YOUR GROUP OUT ON
THE ICE
This one is just common sense, but
people tend to forget it when they’re
travelling in a group.
You need to spread out if you’re
walking, driving, or doing anything on
the ice. The more weight that’s pushing
down on one particular area, the more
potential damage it can do.
Plus, if it breaks through, your chances
of survival are much better if only one
person gets wet, and everyone else can
help pull them out, as opposed to the
entire group falling in the water.
That’s a recipe for disaster if I ever
heard one.
My rough rule of thumb is to keep
people about 20 feet apart, and I’d aim
for at least double this if you’re driving.
And don’t forget where you park.
You want to keep the cars spaced out
so they don’t start dragging the ice
down with all that weight.
In a SHTF event, you never know what
situation you’re going to face, and
knowing how to stay safe when you’re
walking on ice is a good skill to know.
To do it right, requires a little forward
thinking and a lot of care.
But it’s far better to be cautious, than to
take a risk and wind up neck deep in
icy-cold water.

12
VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - FEBRUARY 2020
PRACTICAL TIPS FOR A FASTER EVACUATION
With the bushfires raging across
Australia it’s got me thinking about the
importance of evacuation.
Many of the lives lost have been
people, trapped in their homes, in their
cars, as they fled the danger, but they’ve
gotten stuck along the way.
They didn’t get out soon enough, and
the flames and the fire overtook them,
with heartbreaking consequences.
It’s a sad story, and one that bears
thinking about. Because in a crisis, a
handful of minutes can make all the
difference.
You may escape the perimeter of a
town before the army seals it off. You
may make it over a bridge to safety
before floodwater washes it away. You
may get out of your home before the
rioters reach you, and you’re able to
make it to safety.
Central to all of this is speed, and in
today’s post I’d like to share some
practical tips to help you evacuate
faster. So, you’re not running around
trying to collect “everything” until
you’ve run out of time and it’s too late,
you’re ready and on the road in
minutes.
Yep, minutes. Here’s how we do it.
P R E - PA C K E V E R Y T H I N G But I’ve tried to make this as simple as
YOU’LL NEED possible.
On the one hand, you never know In our hallway cupboard we’ve got our
when a SHTF-like event can happen, so hiking boots and a set of clothes laid
you should always be ready. out for everyone (so we’re not
rummaging looking for things if we’re
But if you’ve got advance warning, like evacuating in the middle of the night).
tornado season or the news giving you
a heads up of a localized disaster So no matter when we wake, we just
heading your way, pre-pack everything need to spring out of bed get dressed
you’ll need. We’ve got a tub-storage and run out the door.
system in our garage that’s essentially
our SUV-bug-out kit. And we’re gone.
All I need to do is grab the four main
tubs (two of food, one’s camping gear
and the last is all the other suppliers),
and that’s it. Then there’s the water
tank, and some extra fuel and we’re
done.
By pre-packing, we’re able to be out of
“you’re
bed and in a fully packed car, in under
10 minutes. That’s pretty damn good. ready and
And it also ensures we don’t “forget”
anything as I’m sure we would if we on the
were frantically trying to rush and grab
everything we need as we run out the
door.
road in
KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU NEED minutes…”
TO GRAB
Now, it’s not possible to pre-pack
everything, and there’s a few extra items
we will need to grab.
13
VIP SURVIVAL ACADEMY - FEBRUARY 2020
cont.
Then is all the personal stuff.
We’ve got a go-bag in our safe with
cash, passports and all our important
ID (it’s stored like this so we can grab it
and run), and then we each get our own
bug out bag, that hangs in that same
cupboard by the back door.
And of course, I’ll empty my gun safe
and bring all of my weapons and
ammunition with me too.
Because the biggest danger when we’re
out on the road like this is going to be
all the other desperate people.
KEEP YOUR CAR READY TO GO
It drives my wife slightly crazy, but I
never, and I mean ever, let the gas on
the car drop below half.
When it does, I swing by the station
and get her filled up again. It’s not just
for peace of mind, but by doing this I
know, that no matter what has
happened that day, or that week, we’ve
got at least enough fuel in the tank to
get us a hundred or so miles away.
Same goes for servicing, you need to
keep your car in good working order.
So, do all of your regular oil changes,
get it checked when it needs to be done,
serviced every year, and keep an eye on
things that may wear out like the tires.
Your car will be your lifeline if you
need to evacuate and it needs to be
ready to go at a moment’s notice.
HAVE A DESTINATION IN
MIND
So, with the car loaded and everyone in,
it’s time to hit the road. But you need a
destination. You can’t simply drive
around aimlessly, especially if it’s the
middle of the night. You need a plan,
and some idea of how to get there.
This is where thinking ahead is a great
idea, and for us, we’re heading straight
for our bug out cabin. It’s a different
one to the shack we built on our
property (as we’re evacuating the area)
and I’ve got no less than three different
routes we can follow to get there, and
I’ve test driven them all. I know exactly
where I’m going, and any workarounds
we may need to face should the
situation change.
HAVE A BACKUP PLAN
And if all goes to hell and we need
another destination entirely, we’ve
planned this out too.
14
Our backup bug out location is my in-
laws place, it’s a few hundred miles
further, and that brings challenges of
its own. Like, having enough fuel in the
car to get there, without relying on a
gas station being open in the middle of
the night.
What we’ve done is setup caches at a
halfway point, with enough hidden fuel
to refill our main car twice over. The
extra tanks can be brought along
(they’re just jerry cans), but it gives me
peace of mind. I know exactly where
I’m going, which means I can drive
faster.
Faster than I would if I had no clue.
Speeding up your evacuation when the
SHTF is all about being prepared and
planning in advance.
The more you can think of now, the
less stress you’ll face when it all goes
down because all you’ll need to do is
implement the plan. You’re not trying
to solve anything mid-crisis, you’re
simply going step-by-step and sticking
to the plan.
And in a crisis, when time matters the
most, you’ll be well out of dodge
before your neighbors have even
finished loading their car.