General

There exists a school of thought in the gun community that you should always train like you intend to fight. While this is certainly solid advice from a tactical standpoint when it comes to muscle memory and accurate shooting, there is always some yahoo on the range who takes that mantra a little too far. 

Long before celebrated Canadian bushcraft and survival expert Mors Kochanski dedicated a chapter of his famous book Northern Bushcraft to the topic of 'bindcraft' and before Dave Canterbury’s concept of five C’s of survivability became popular Stone Age hunter gatherers were creating cordage from the bark of willow and basswoods, grasses and animal skins.

When we go on adventures out of doors we need to face it that we can’t carry all the water we need for days on end. We need to be able to find it and make it safe to drink. Also bear in mind that without water you will only survive for three days. Staying hydrated should be one of your highest priorities while you are outdoors and you should take every opportunity to top up your water supplies.

When we look the survival rule of three’s; three minutes without air, three hours without shelter in harsh conditions, three days without water, three weeks without food we have to face it that food is at the bottom of the list.

That doesn’t mean that we should ignore it though, having to forage, hunt and scavenge for food is a time and labour intensive activity so being prepared for emergencies with a well-stocked pantry or for outdoor adventures with well packed provisions if you’re headed out on an expedition is essential.

Fire is one of your most vital resources in the outdoors, nothing else in the history of the human species has been quite as revolutionary as the discovery and harnessing of fire, and it is as vital now as it ever was. In the outdoors only our requirements for air and shelter ranks above our need for fire.

I remember an assignment I had in the fourth grade. We were supposed to walk around our houses and find the best or the most important tools in our homes. I walked first to the barn to look at all the equipment for the yard and fields and paddocks and pens ‑ everything from rusting scythes to filthy posthole diggers to more wrenches than I could count to piles of nails and screws and other fasteners. Nothing there seemed like The Most Important Tool. I tried the garage next ‑ more wrenches and everything was covered in oil, and nothing seemed even as important as the tools in the barn. 

EDC: Every Day Carry. This means so much more than simply a concealable firearm, though that is the extent of what many people think. There are so many tools that we need access to every day other than a gun; in fact, our gun is likely the tool that we will reach for the least. So what is it that we need to have with us at all times in addition to a weapon? We have talked before about the importance and utility of a knife and some type of multi-tool. What else do we carry? A light source. DNA Tactical is the place to find the equipment and the advice to help you find the hand held lights that you need.

It is actually surprising how often the difference between "training" and "practice" is discussed, argued and more often than not, compared to one another in theory. The truth is, these two fundamentals are not remotely similar, the basics are different and both require diverse approaches to truly master the craft! 

Sometimes, and more often than not, it just really seems that the favorite pastime of mankind is strife. If one were to turn on any source of main-stream news right now, they would be inundated with images and news of dastardly events going on throughout the world. 

The other night, I was driving to a popular BBQ restaurant near the house, as I needed to pick up some food for the family. As I neared an intersection that led to the highway, I saw traffic building up and figured it would be quicker to take a side street. I turned right onto an unfamiliar road and about two (2) blocks down, I noticed a man lying on the sidewalk by a vacant store front. He didn't appear like a person that was just down on their luck, intoxicated, or homeless. Instead, he immediately reminded me of "Battlefield" casualties I had seen while on my previous deployments.