What do you have in your BUG OUT BAG that no one else has?

A homeless guy I met on a bus taught me the trick of carrying a four-sided hose bibb key with him for water and washing purposes. Probably not necessary for TEOTWAWKI, but if you find yourself in a bad way and on the streets, being clean all the time can get you temp jobs and keep the cops from harassing you.

The homeless guy on the bus hoboed all over the Southwest, and he told me that he never had a tough time finding temp work and keeping enough cash in his pocket to move on when he needed to, solely because he was always clean. He would use the hose bibbs in back of convenience stores and the like to wash himself and his clothes. The guy seemed to have his shit together. I wish I'd had a chance to pick his brain more.
 
A decent homemade first-aid kit, in a waterproof clear box (includes 2 pkgs of quick clot). Bear bell-to rig as an early warning devise. Nail clippers. Metal dental pick. Sliver Gripper. Ear plugs. Diamond knife sharpener. Knife. LeatherMan tool. Fishing line. Paracord. Book to read. Change of underware, socks, t-shirt. Washcloth. Soap. Toothbrush & toothpaste. Baby wipes. Duct tape. ESSE ArrowHead kit.
 
Where are you guys getting your lock pick sets? I mean I've seen them for sale in magazines but I always think they are probably junk.

If you're still interested check out serepick. I got a set of the titanium Bogota Titan Entry sets. Not sure what others have.
 
Got mouse traps and 3m tinted UV safety glasses. Both items cheap and work.
 
If you're still interested check out serepick. I got a set of the titanium Bogota Titan Entry sets. Not sure what others have.

Southord was where I got mine, I have several different brands I've accumulated over the years due to my jobs, stick the laminated ones they tend to be a lot stiffer and if you get the hardened ones they'll last longer.

When you use your picks a lot they wear, if you're just learning a cheap set is fine to learn with, once you learn the mechanics of picking you can pick with just about anything.

A couple of bump keys is always great to have and require a lot less explaining of questioned, it's kinda hard to justify carrying lock picks unless your a locksmith, not impossible just difficult.
 
Sugar is a good one too, you can use it to clot wounds and stop them from getting infected. The best way to do it is surround the wound with something like Vaseline, pour the sugar in the middle, then cover with a bandage. There's plenty of other uses for sugar too but that is one a lot of people don't know.
 
Sugar is a good one too, you can use it to clot wounds and stop them from getting infected. The best way to do it is surround the wound with something like Vaseline, pour the sugar in the middle, then cover with a bandage. There's plenty of other uses for sugar too but that is one a lot of people don't know.

As with any traumatic wound, the wound is first irrigated and debrided. Hemostasis is obtained prior to the application of the sugar (PI) dressing since sugar can promote bleeding in a fresh wound. A wait of 24 to 48 hours before the application of sugar is not unusual. During this delay, a simple PI dressing is applied to the wound. Once bleeding is under control, deep wounds are treated by pouring granulated sugar into the wound, making sure to fill all cavities. The wound is then covered with a gauze sponge soaked in povidone-iodine solution.

Superficial wounds are dressed with PI-soaked gauze sponges coated with approximately 0.65 cm thickness of sugar. In a few hours, the granulated sugar is dissolved into a "syrup" by body fluid drawn into the wound site. Since the effect of granulated sugar upon bacteria is based upon osmotic shock and withdrawal of water that is necessary for bacterial growth and reproduction, this diluted syrup has little antibacterial capacity and may aid rather than inhibit bacterial growth.

So to continually inhibit bacterial growth, the wound is cleaned with water and repacked at least one to four times daily (or as soon as the granular sugar becomes diluted) with more solute (sugar) to "reconcentrate" the aqueous solution in the environment of the bacteria.

Studies by: Dr. Leon Herszage; Dr. Richard A. Knutson ;

Bose B. Honey or sugar in treatment of infected wounds? Lancet 4-24-1982;1(8278):963. [Note "?"]

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Clinical trials

So how are the clinical trials? There are lots of poor quality studies. Almost 400 references if you are in the mood for cherry picking. The preponderance of the poor quality studies points to benefit.

[G]anulated sugar . . . looks encouraging and has been used to treat mediastinitis , diabetic foot ulcers and sloughing wounds.

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/honey/

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Annals of Thoracic Surgery
2003
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Treatment of recurrent staphylococcal mediastinitis [inflammation of the tissues in the mid-chest]: still a controversial issue

This study compared the effectiveness and safety of wound dressing with granulated sugar versus early muscle flap surgery in the management of recurrent postoperative Staphylococcal mediastinitis.

CONCLUSIONS: Both treatments proved effective in recurrent type IV A Staphylococcal mediastinitis. Granulated sugar proved a safer option in severely compromised patients.
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CONCLUSION

This case study reports on the successful use of a white granulated sugar dressing on a patient with two infected pressure ulcers. The heel wound was no longer malodorous within 12 hours of treatment, pain was reduced within two days and the patient was mobile using a Zimmer frame within one week. The sugar dressing facilitated autolytic debridement of the heel wound and promoted granulation tissue formation with a reduction in wound size. A moist wound bed was maintained and bacterial colonisation prevented.

This study demonstrates that sugar, which is a relatively cheap dressing (average cost per dressing change - £1.49/ 1,60 euros / 2.40 USD), can be effective on infected, malodorous wounds of different aetiology, including pressure ulcers.

However, a larger randomised controlled trial comparing white granulated sugar to standard treatment when managing exudating wounds, with parallel economic evaluation, and more laboratory work on the use of sugar dressings, has been planned to prove efficacy and cost effectiveness and to substantiate these earlier conclusions.

http://www.woundsinternational.com/...granulated-sugar-to-treat-two-pressure-ulcers
 
I saw some posts about rat traps, but I think a much better option that is a lot more durable and can take bigger game is Conibear traps. I carry I couple 110s & one 220 trap in my BOB, they don't weigh very much and you can set them up tons of different ways for many different animals. I also carry a few yoyo fishing reels, if there's no water around these can also be used to trap small game. This way I can set all my traps and if I feel like it make a couple with what I have at hand, then I can spend more time actively hunting. The best way to secure food is to have as many ways to catch it as possible. If you don't have the time or think time is better spent actively hunting, the conibears set up in less then a minute and your off. You can actually use them as a foot trap for large game if you can secure them really good so the animal can't run off, or to help you hunt by staying close by to spear or club the larger animal once it's foot is caught. The are pretty cheap too, I got 6 #110s for less then 20$ I think. And these things will last a lifetime with minimal upkeep. The yoyo reels same thing very cheap for a bunch of them.
 
A metal clipboard, and a dog bell. The dog bell rings very nicely, and comes in handy for a bear scare, and as an alarm. A clothing marker is good to have too.

I also carry a couple bells and put them on branches or a string around my camp. The ones I have are for fishing, they have a clip to attach to the end of you pole or your line so they can be easily clipped onto something without tying or anything, they work great as an alarm for security or to let you know when a trap has been sprung.
 
Anyone mention a gill net? Light. So effective it's against the law, like leg-hold and conibear traps in many areas. And you won't catch the neighbor's dog. The last could save your life. Some dog owners get upset over Fido dying in someone's trap - real upset - shooting upset.

My position is that getting upset can spoil your aim.
 
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Anyone mention a gill net? Light. So effective it's against the law, like leg-hold and conibear traps in many areas. And you won't catch the neighbor's dog. The last could save your life. Some dog owners get upset over Fido dying in someone's trap - real upset - shooting upset.

My position is that getting upset can spoil your aim.

If you remember this is a bug out bag thread, not a daily use thread. A snare or large deadfall can catch fido just as easily as a Conibear. Only difference is at least fido won't suffer before he dies with a Conibear. I guess you could carry around have a heart traps when trying to survive& just check what you catch so you can release pets. Don't worry about your family starving or being in danger, mrs Johnson's cocker spaniel is much more important. Most people feel that way I'm sure. One ur bugging out trapping laws kinda go out the window just like many other. I'd rather be judged by 12 then carried by 6.
I'm guessing that in a bug out or survival situation you probably won't be worried about pets and things like that, especially if you bug out to the wilderness. If your just trapping to get fur or something then yes you have to set trap lines where you won't get people's pets. I know if SHTF the last thing I'd be worried about is fido or his owner, I'd be worried about me and my family's survival. And fido could be skinned and cooked before joe owner even knows he's gone LOL. Hey I love Chinese food. SPARE RIBS ANYONE?

And Conibear traps are usually fine to use as long as you take the proper classes and obtain the proper license for them, I've used them to catch fur bearers for a few years now & I've never caught a pet or domestic animal. You aren't just popping them up in the backyard near where the lady down the street walks her poodle. Like anything else using common sence goes a long way.
 
If you remember, practice is good before you really need to use a tool.

Dogs have suffered extensively before death in a Conibear. I can post the pictures if you insist, but this is a family-friendly forum.

Dogs are survival tools. That is why aboriginal peoples, who knew much more that we do about roughing it, used dogs to hunt and for security. (Yes, occasional thump on the head.)

I plan on bugging out at home.

Conibear traps are unlawful in many jurisdictions. (Google is your friend.). You should check first - unless you are saving them for TEOTWAWKI. which has been predicted for at least the last 1013 years.

In the meanwhile, in the real world, the neighbor may hear the yelp and look you up.
 
If you remember, practice is good before you really need to use a tool.

Dogs have suffered extensively before death in a Conibear. I can post the pictures if you insist, but this is a family-friendly forum.

Dogs are survival tools. That is why aboriginal peoples, who knew much more that we do about roughing it, used dogs to hunt and for security. (Yes, occasional thump on the head.)

I plan on bugging out at home.

Conibear traps are unlawful in many jurisdictions. (Google is your friend.). You should check first - unless you are saving them for TEOTWAWKI. which has been predicted for at least the last 1013 years.

In the meanwhile, in the real world, the neighbor may hear the yelp and look you up.


Well like I said I have used them for a few years and have the proper license to use them, I know they are illegal or most times heavily restricted until proper classes are taken. Like I said I've used them very successfully and have never caught a pet ever, most people think they are illegal where I live but in reality it is just a ton of stuff you need to do in order to obtain the proper permit, and like any legal trap you can find my info on each trap so if I ever did mess up I'd quickly ay the price and lose my permits. if set up correctly one that would fit a dog would break its neck quickly. If someone is setting them wrong then I would guess a dog could catch a paw or maybe snap on its nose is the most likely scenario. But as I said you should not be setting them in residential areas, my trap lines are far out in the woods where they should be. I've heard of hunters shooting pets because they are stupid and shoot at anything that moves. With anything out there that's used to hunt or trap it can be dangerous to pets and people if used wrong or foolishly.
If you plan on bugging out at home you don't really need a bug out bag and you could keep live traps and use them. Someone needing to leave home needs a bag they can carry and ways to get food they might not be so PC, but that's survival. I'm well aware some people might want to have a dog with them, but if we are talking legality of the traps then what about leash laws? LOL laws go right out the window for most people when it comes to your children eating or starving.
In most cases when the time comes to bug out its nt going to be because of a power outage, it's gona be because some serious stuff is going down. In that situation I'm sorry but me and my family come before a German Shepard and I'm sure when it comes down to the nitty gritty most people agree, especially people with children they have to provide for. If feeding my family gets me into it with someone then so be it. I would gladly give my life for my family without hesitation, when it's my time it's my time. Most people would fight if someone tried to take food from their family so why not fight while trying to catch food and getting confronted.
I guess all i can say is Keep your pets close after SHTF everyone, one mans pet is another mans dinner.
 
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