A new thought.....

[GREEN607]

Like some of you, I spend a bit of time thinking about the 'survival' items that one might need in a SHTF situation. If you are the single fellow (or gal) that is satisfied with just a GO-bag... this may not interest you. But if you have a family that might have to 'travel' some time and distance in the event of a super-disaster (like we get nuked)... this may be something you want to think about.

I hadn't thought of this, until today. If you're out in the country (on the move), and you need to take fish or small game to survive.... you might encounter 'un-friendlies'.... and hopefully, you'll see them before they see you. If you've taken and dressed out a deer (for example) or a cooler full of fresh fish....... you are going to want to transport that with you, if you can. But how to you keep it from spoiling, if you need it for food for the next couple of days?

I was thinking that medical-type cold packs (the kind that you bend to break open and 'activate') would be a great thing to have with you, for keeping meat, short-term.

Anyone else have thoughts on this? -Lee

 

[Icarry2]

I have always picked up extra cold packs, I buy cases from one place and put them away, some say they have a shelf life but I have some older ones thay still seem ok.

I carry one in my EDC bag and some in the truck and car emergency totes and my BOB too. I have some with all of my gear cashe's and in each trama bag.

Never fails with kids in sports that someone needs one at least a couple times a month during the summer sports seasons..

As for keeping food chilled and such I hadn't considered them because of the relatively small amount of cooling that they put out.

Consider a battery powered thermoelectric cooler like these,

Coleman - 40 Quart PowerChill Thermoelectric Cooler -

Just my two pennies... I don't know anything..

 

[spearheadersarge]

Big game means big time requirements and exposure. Anything short of sub-sonic 22 and somebody will hear it. I wouldn't want to try to field dress a deer after shooting it unless prepared to ditty quickly. I might cut the backstraps and roll but unless you use a bow and arrow or snare I would pass on that idea. Fishing would be okay but only at night for me. Medpacks would work for a while but not long term I believe.

 

[Bunnykid68]

I think in the good ole days they used a lot of salt.

 

[WETSU]

Yeah, coldpacks are not a long term solution. Any type of gear oriented thinking is headed in the wrong direction IMO. You need to think more like spearhead sarge and develop a food plan that maximizes stealth and conserves energy.

Small game (snares, supressed .22, slingshot, traps, big stick)
Fish ( line and hook, jug fishing, trot line, gill nets, seine, noddling, gigging)
Grubs/insects
Edible plants/seeds/nuts

Back that up with food in your BOB. Or, supplement your BOB food with fresh kill and foraged provisions.

But I'd say start there. Know more, carry less.

 

[GREEN607]

Big game means big time requirements and exposure. Anything short of sub-sonic 22 and somebody will hear it. I wouldn't want to try to field dress a deer after shooting it unless prepared to ditty quickly. I might cut the backstraps and roll but unless you use a bow and arrow or snare I would pass on that idea. Fishing would be okay but only at night for me. Med packs would work for a while, but not long-term I believe.

Oh, I know they're not any good for long-term (individually). However, If you had a good food 'kill' that you needed to keep for just a couple days..... you could use just two at a time (in a liteweight cooler), and when they became 'warmer'.... toss 'em, and activate 2 more.... was my thinking. Better than losing precious food, especially if traveling as a group.

 

[rhart]

Im not sure if you're referring to being on the move on foot or in a vehicle. If I was on foot, I would try to find a good hiding spot and jerk some food for a couple days. If I'm at home or my cabin, I can can meat or fish. I canner is a must have item if you dont have one already. You need a pressure canner with a pressure gauge for meat. I picked up an extra a couple weeks ago at Goodwill for 19.99. If you end up with a bunch of jerky you can do lots of things with it including makin pemmican. Pemmican is a mixture of ground jerked meat, fat, salt and fried fruits or berries.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Rather than buy the instant cold packs like you mentioned, why not make your own from the raw ingredients? It'll be much cheaper that way and it just so happens that the raw ingredient used doubles for many, many other uses.

Some uses:
High nitrogen fertilizer


a component used in explosives


can you guess it yet?


Ammonium Nitrate

When you put AN in water it is an endothermic reaction and it gets really cold. You just have to get the mix right (too much water and it won't get cold enough, too little and it won't fully react). IIRC, when it's all done, it can still be used as fertilizer.

AN by itself isn't illegal BTW. I have some in my garage right now.