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Best Solar Powered / Hand Crank Flashlights

Best flashlights

January 2016, a purchase was made of over 20 solar powered, crank powered and alternative powered handheld lights. These flashlights all underwent extensive testing. This testing included the following steps for my personal use.

1. Drop testing (from 4 feet and 6 feet using different angles and surfaces) – I live in the high desert, if they can’t handle being banged around a bit I cannot use them, regardless what it is.

2. Water survivability – just because I live in the high desert, does not mean things cannot or will not get wet! I use from several inches through 4 feet of water and leave the products submerged for several minutes through overnight depending on their rated survivability.

3. Overall durability/ quality– I always test multiple versions of the same product, like testing accuracy using a full magazine or expansion using 5 rounds minimum, etc., a test is only as good as the number of items used to ensure overall quality.

4. Battery life in use and stored – (this was originally going to be a year-long test, however, as of this writing only one flashlight has survived all testing and still retains a charge!)

The following lights were tested in full, using a minimum of two identical lights per test for each brand, maximum of four. (Donations always accepted, of course, this gets expensive!)

· MECO emergency hand-cranked/solar powered light. (Four lights were tested, I had two fail using cranks, and one crank snapped off after just two cranks, however, they were relatively bright.)

· Thorfire LED solar and hand cranked light. (Being an avid fan of Thorlight battery powered LED lights, I expected great things. Sadly, after testing just 2, I was quickly put in my place. Where they as a company have excelled at building strong, bright small pocket lights, their foray into alternative energy approaches and unfortunately leaves much to be desired. I didn’t have a light last longer than an hour with a full charge and had one crank break, maybe a pattern in cranking lights?)

· Bear Motion – motion powered light with solar backup/ radio and ports to charge other devices (I have never used a Bear Motion product, however, have owned several motion activated watches and really enjoy the idea. Sadly, the charge barely lasted out a week in both lights tested, and when on they gave me between 45 minutes and an hour of light. Also, drop testing shattered one into a thousand pieces, so a definite NO for this light, except as a possible addition for your vehicle?)

· ECEEN solar torch, with port for charging using usb – (My son took one to England, used it well and had it work quite nicely. Sadly, when charged fully it retains battery power for only around 3 days. This means without direct continuous sunlight you will eventually lose charge. I do not use this model in my packs and would not recommend it, my son, however, loves the light and since we live in a VERY sunny area, it will work for him for now. It is both water-resistant and relatively shockproof having been through multiple baggage handlers and the like and lasted fine!)

· Hybrid Solar – Solar powered flashlight with emergency battery backup(This light is the clear winner, and the rest of the review will go into detail as to why with pictures and video attached.)

The rest of this review will focus solely on the Hybrid Solar, solar powered flashlight with emergency battery backup. First I want to review the factory specifications with you.

  • a. Recharges with any light source
  • b. 8 hours of light from one full charge
  • c. Holds a charge for up to 3 years
  • d. Water resistant to 3 meters
  • e. 40 lumens
  • f. 72 meter light beam
  • g. Floats

h. 3 click operation, one click is solar battery/charge light source, two clicks puts it in charge mode, three clicks puts it in backup battery mode

Now it’s my turn based on testing 4 identical lights from this manufacturer.

· It will charge if there is any ambient light in the room, however, full sunlight will charge it in under 3 hrs.

· My max life of light on solar powered side, without battery backup was 6.5 hours approximately, (plus or minus a minute or two) the minimum life was 5.5 hours (plus or minus a minute or two) I was never able to get a full 8 hours, however, I have never had a flashlight that met fully this particular claim regardless.

· As of right now I have one that I charged put through testing and charged again that has been sitting since the 20th of January of this year in a closet with no light, every week I test it just to see if it still lights up, so far it continues, NONE of the other lights tested lasted over a month.

· Because it DOES float, I had to hold it under water, which I did before and after drop testing. Without ANY ill effects and this was on all four being tested. One light I used in a pools deep end of 10 feet and had no problems, I have seen reviews from others that this is a light they used for snorkeling and took it to 40+ feet without any ill effects.

· The 40 lumens are closer to 100 for the first hour or so- however, again this averages out to 40 over the entire length of life lit. It is quite bright and while it cannot come close to my sun like de.Power 1000 lumen lights or an expensive 4000 lumen LED spotlight I have, it functions extremely well for the purposes it is designed. As a survival/ lightweight/ backpacking light!

· Measured beam averaged 70 meters, so this claim from the manufacturer is correct.

· I have used the clicker on one light specifically every day several times a day since purchasing and have had no failures, this was a weak point in a few other lights.

· There were no specific claims to drop testing, though they stated it was durable, my testing dropped it sideways and end over end onto concrete, gravel, dirt and tile. I had no major breakages and only one minor scuff mark on one flashlight as a result. While I would not use it as a baton, it is after all made entirely of polymers, I would not hesitate to rely on it while mountain climbing at this time.

· There is very little information about the power sources for this light, I am not even sure if you can replace the backup battery. However, from what I gather and can tell after breaking one down completely, the solar cells charge a capacitor style bank which stores the initial charge. The backup battery has the average shelf life of most batteries of 7 years and once it’s used up can be changed, using two CR2032 3v button cell. However, I did not test this feature, simply because I did not need too as the solar side/capacitors continue to work very well!

· The factory does not state the weight of this flashlight, so I weighed it myself, as weight is of course always an issue! It came out to right at 6 ounces.

· My children and wife both LOVED this light, and as a result, we are replacing all of our go bag/ vehicle lights with this light.

· Temperatures that it safely operates at, I left one of mine in the sunlight on the dashboard of my 4 Runner Sport in Tucson, Arizona since January. Quite literally it took temperatures from freezing through close to 150 degrees (inside the car) and didn’t waver for second, the polymer build means it will not necessarily burn your hands if you pick it up from being in the sun charging, versus other models which use aluminum casings meaning they get quite a bit hotter.

Best flashlights

In conclusion, it is my educated opinion based on extreme testing that the Hybrid Solar flashlight (40-lumen model) is the overall best solar/ alternative energy powered light available at this time. Amazon carries these at a great price of under $20 apiece. Given the lack of need to change batteries, or bulbs due to the LED setup, this is an absolutely amazing price and because it weighs about half as much as most battery powered lights of the same size, carrying two would not be a bad thing and would essentially double your ability for the same weight requirements.

This light also comes in 120-lumen model as well, which is quite a bit brighter, however, again, for the weight savings and pricing, the 40-lumen model is sufficient in every way.

If you have any questions or would like to add your experiences, please feel free to do so. And as always, free the mind and the body will follow.

Jesse Mathewson bio:

  • BSCJA / Alpha Phi Sigma
  • Massad Ayoob graduate
  • Multiple advanced firearms schools
  • NRA range safety instructor

Currently volunteers time writing reviews and educational articles based on his experience and background, as well as being a disabled father at home.

He taught LE/Mil/Fed programs ranging from firearms safety through active use as well as surveillance/counter-surveillance as paid contractor and volunteer instructor

He has lived in and immersed himself in the Arizona high desert for over 25 years, experienced bushcrafter with extensive knowledge both taught and learned in the state/le/mil approach to the same.

Is an active non-voting, freedom loving, non-religious (in normal sense) human being with a desire to share freedom through knowledge with others

Homesteading In Tennessee (Tips For Finding Your Homestead)

homesteading in TennesseeBy Sandra

A number of years ago I awoke to the unpleasant reality that when the stuff hits the fan and people were unable to get food and water, they would spill out into the suburbs, even past the burbs, to our sleepy community, to take what they wanted by any means they could.  Although I lived in a “safe” area with preps, a garden and neighbors who were hunters, I realized I could not expect them to protect me, nor would I be able to defend the property I owned.

I recognized I was going to have to move out of my comfortable environment.  It was just a matter of where.  I started to search for a country homestead where I would stand a chance of staying alive and protecting myself.  A place small enough to be manageable on a small income, but large enough for my kids and their families to come when “the trigger event” occurs. This is the short version of how I did it.

First, I evaluated how much I could spend.  What could I pay cash for, what could I get a mortgage for, how much tax could I afford to pay once I left my job?  Would I buy just raw land or could I get some kind of a residence on the property?  Once I figured out that magic number, I had to decide if I was going to pay cash up front or get a small mortgage?

I called my bank and ask them what they would offer me and I was impressed with the no points and the very low rate they quoted.  I had to pray hard on what to do because I didn’t have any debt.  If I used my retirement funds to pay cash for a place it might put me in a tight spot later on. I finally decided to take a mortgage out until I could sell the suburb house and pay off the new mortgage.  With a preapproval letter in hand, I started looking for my country homestead.

Where to go?  I read the recommended books, considered the options, including moving west where my husband’s family is located.  But, I like the state where I live. Tennessee is listed as one of the top 5 “freedom” states and the state legislature, while not perfect, thinks about preserving the people’s rights more than other states I have visited.

Plus, there is no state income tax and while there are four seasons, winter is normally mild and the growing season is about 8 months depending on the year.  I got the map out and decided where I was going to start looking.  I did a lot of research on the internet to learn about the counties and the small towns in those counties.

I looked up taxes, best use rights, zoning laws and restrictions. Almost every weekend for a year, I was in the car driving the back roads of  Tennessee. Besides my BOB, I always had maps, boots, hat, bug spray, compass and a handgun with me.  I frequently got lost and would go into the local café or gas station and ask directions.  I talked with the people in the cafes and ask them about the area and if any places were for sale.  Some places were friendly and others not so much, which gave me an idea of whether “outsiders” would be accepted or not.

I had to learn about the topography of the land in different counties. When you look at the pictures on the internet, they don’t show you that 13 of the 15 acres for sale are on a 1500 foot high hill, which would only be good for goats. I walked quite a few properties so I could learn the lay of the land.  I wanted some acreage, so I learned to use land and farm sites, not realtor.com.

I learned how to check google earth to see what was bordering the land I wanted to look at so I didn’t drive 3 hours to a site to find the next plot was a junkyard.  “Prepper” real estate ads and sites were way too expensive for what they offered and real estate agents were not willing to drive 1 or 2 hours from their offices to show you property.

I learned how to work around the agents to go see property myself and talk to the property owner and their neighbors.  Country folks are usually sitting on their porches watching the world go by. I’d pull in a driveway and wave at them and if they waved back, I’d go talk to them. They’d tell me who died and who was wanting to sell.  I would always ask if the land flooded, how often, where the closest stream/river was, if it was good hunting land, and if they would buy the land. I heard quite a few interesting stories!

After about 6 months, I got pretty knowledgeable and narrowed down the counties I would considered buying in.  I programmed my favorite internet sites with the parameters I wanted and then it was just watching, visiting and waiting until the right property came up for sale. After about a year, I had my choices narrowed down to two counties and two properties.

One homestead I wouldn’t need to do anything to the residence, the land was pasture with ponds, but it was located closer to a small city than I wanted and the taxes were higher than the other choice.  The second choice I would have to refurb the residence, but the land was raw hunting land with a meadow and natural springs scattered throughout and it was more isolated, but still within 12 country miles of a tiny town.  Both were about the same acreage and had old barns on the property. I spent a week praying and doing “what if” games in my head and finally put an offer on the property with the raw land.

Buying a property from country folks is not anywhere similar to buying a house in the city or the suburbs. There is a lot of poker face haggling going on, but basically what you see is what you get.  If you are not an expert, you have to bring your team of experts with you.  You need to have a guy for the house, the electrical, the roof, the well, the septic, and for the outbuildings.

If you are going to farm the land, you need a guy to come check the land.  Depending on how far out in the country it is located, it is not easy or cheap to get this team of experts out to the property when you want them to come.  Did I say that country folks work on their own time schedule?

One thing I will caution readers about is to find out if the property is in any sort of tax relief program.  For example, is it planted with trees for logging?  Does it have an agricultural exemption?  Is it in any program which offers a tax reduction?  My property was in a “greenway”, which was supposedly county sponsored; but after research, I found it was really funded by the state, which was really funded by the federal government.  I had to take the property out of the program, pay taxes from the last year which the property had a tax reduction.  By doing this, the property is no longer considered a tax-relief property and is no longer on the government inventory list.

I purchased the property for a reasonable price, considering I was going to have to redo the residence interior.   The bones were good but the guts were old. I had to find a contractor I could work with, who would drive an hour into the country! Most contractors would listen to what I wanted and tell me no, it was too far for them.

It took me three months to find two contractors who could do the job and get bids; I picked the one I liked the best. The contractor did the work I couldn’t do; wiring, plumbing, moving walls, digging a basement. It was not cheap and it was not fast, but it was good. Between weather delays, people delays, inspector delays, it was about 8 months to complete the contractor part of the refurb.  My sons laid the new floor, painted the interior, changed lights, fans, etc.  There are still baseboards and crown molding to put back up; plus a hundred other little things to do.  It’s a work in progress.

The house had a fireplace with a 40-year-old gas log set, so I went shopping for a wood stove to put in the fireplace. Wood stoves are not cheap!  Once you find what you need, it has to be installed. I’m not talking about just inserting the stove; the chimney has to be inspected, primed and flued and a topper added to keep the brand new roof from burning up. Again, getting people 1 hour out in the country was a time-consuming effort; but it ended well. It heats the entire house to between 66 and 70 degrees, depending on the outside temperature.

I tried to make all the basic systems redundant, the electric HVAC is backed up with a propane generator, which is backed up by a wood stove and fans. The frig and freezer are backed up by the generator and the kitchen stove runs on propane plus the wood stove is also a backup.

The electric well pump is backed up by the generator, but I’m still working on getting a solar system for the well, then I might add to it later. The septic, while new, can be diverted to the first owner’s old country line, which runs out in the woods somewhere.  My son installed a video surveillance system that shows 360⁰ completely around the house and which works beautifully. With 7 large dogs outside and 6 yappy little dogs inside, not much goes unannounced.

The last couple of months have been spent fencing the front 2 acres, installing gates, clearing the garden, planning a rain catchment system, and coops for the chickens and ducks!  It has been frustrating slow at times but exciting at the same time.  I have been accepted in the area and my neighbors are friendly and helpful.

I think any horde, gangs, or desperate people leaving the big cities, which are 125 and 175 miles distant, will get tired, lost and discouraged long before getting anywhere near the backwoods, especially if they are walking.  Most people out here have guns and I hear target practice going on all the time.

I feel safe; I can defend myself, and am working towards establishing a home business and being at least half-way self-sufficient!  I hope this inspires some of you to take the challenge and find yourself a country homestead!

The Redoubt Of The East

Tennessee preppersBy Joel M. Skousen,

Author, Strategic Relocation North American Guide to Safe Places

Many people new to the preparedness field often get exposed early on to the writings of survival blogger and author James Wesley Rawles (Patriots and Survivors). I have a great deal of respect for Rawles and the work he has done to get America motivated to prepared for very difficult times.

His books and tactics, however, often revolve around a civilian military-style response to both government tyranny and social unrest which is beyond the capabilities of most people. In addition, Rawles now promotes a related concept for retreating called “The American Redoubt” which consists of 3 states and parts of 2 others in the West which he feels are the only areas ultimately defensible, where Americans can and should make a final stand for liberty and survival when things really get bad.

His American Redoubt includes all of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and the eastern parts of Oregon, and Washington. He envisions this area as a focal point of collecting fellow patriots who want to survive and forging them into a “Biblically-sound and Constitutionally-sound silver local currency [community] that will give it unity.” These five states he selects happen to be also highly rated in my book on Strategic Relocation, though I expand the selection to include Utah and Western Colorado as well.

But ultimate retreating to the safest areas is not within the reach of all but a few and is not without serious compromise in other important factors. I’ve consulted with people for 40 years and most just can’t just pick up and leave where they live and relocate to one of these 7 states in the far West? Does this mean no one else survives the major wars and social unrest that are looming on the horizon? Not at all.

As a relocation specialist and designer, I found safe retreat locations and helped clients develop high-security homes in every state of the union and you can too. The concept that anyone caught East of the Mississippi River is doomed is only partially valid and highly exaggerated. It is based on the fact that the largest concentrations of people are East of the Mississippi, and that high population densities are your greatest threat in a severe crisis where food and public infrastructure fails—when even good people will be forced to pillage for survival.

To be truthful, the US coastal plains east of the Appalachian chain of mountains is the most dangerous area in America since that is where the overall concentrations of people are the highest and where the level of individual preparedness is the lowest.

The areas west of this first chain of mountains will become the general destination of choice for people fleeing the East Coast. Because refugee flows will flow exclusively westward, Rawles condemns it as unsuitable (at least as to a military-style standoff) clear up to the Mississippi River and beyond.

But for the vast majority who intend to survive without directly military confrontation, there are a much wider set of alternatives. When you understand the principles of retreat location and learn to avoid the flows of refugees (who will take fairly predictable paths out of the major cities), you can find relative safety in many rural forested and elevated areas in the East. It won’t provide the same kind of long-term safety as places farther west, but you can survive. The closer to population centers in meltdown, the greater the risk of having to deal with the more criminal type of looters. And that will happen near any major metro.

But the reality of all this is that few will find the perfect solution. Each person has to prepare as best they can given each person’s limited resources and abilities to relocate. That’s why I concentrate so much on contingency planning in Strategic Relocation knowing that few people can just “up and move” to the safest locations.

Many who have done so have underestimated the costs. I know from long experience that self-sufficiency if very expensive and people underestimate the skills needed and overestimate the savings from self-sufficiency. In short, quickly exhaust their savings and end up moving back to civilization. That happened a lot of people leaving jobs and buying rural during Y2K.

Let me give you an example of the general choices for people on the East Coast. The first line of retreat is that chain of mountains to the West—we’ll call it the Appalachians generally, even though you might know it locally as the Catskills, Berkshires, Great Smokeys or Blue Ridge mountains, etc. These are the most convenient retreat sites for most people because they are closest to the suburban areas in which they live.

Having a retreat within an hour or two has its advantages in terms of access and service of the construction process, but it also has the disadvantage of being closer to the actual threats of social unrest that will flow out of the major cities. These refugee flows will concentrate on low valley roads going through the mountains as people head for other known cities first.

When they find no refuge in those other cities, the concentrations of flows further west will diminish as people drop off due to fatigue, hunger and discouragement and start foraging locally. That’s where the danger of a site close to danger comes in: eventually, desperate people will make it to rural homes and cabins even in the mountains.

Only those, who are located out of these flows, and not visible from main roads will have a chance of evading major confrontations. And, even then, I recommend a strategy of providing concealment underground so as to avoid armed confrontation whenever possible. While I don’t have the space in this article to cover all that I’ve written about as far as retreat areas in the East, I will give a review of the highest rated areas relatively within a day’s drive.

Redoubt of the East

The first range of mountains can give you significant safety, but you can achieve a significantly higher level of safety going beyond the Appalachians to the high plateau regions of Tennessee and Kentucky. This massive and relatively unpopulated area is called the Cumberland Plateau—most of which falls within the state of Tennessee. A narrow section goes north into Kentucky but much of that is part of the Daniel Boone National Forest, where you can only buy land near the edge of the plateau.

Tennessee is where the most land is available on the plateau. This state is a famous battleground state with deep conservative sentiment and lots to offer in terms of lifestyle: great music, horse country, good growing climate and fine people. TN gets my best rating for a retreat state in the East. Land is relatively cheap and there is no income tax. Garden potential is good, there is lots of forest land within a tankful of gas from many large eastern cities.

I consider the Tennessee Cumberland Plateau the “redoubt of the East,” and it is my highest rated area for retreats near the East Coast. In a meltdown of the social order, by the time refugees get through the first mountain range and the numerous mountain rifts that confront them—before seeing the 1000 foot high Cumberland Plateau, they will be highly motivated to stay on the valley floor with its promise of food and civilization (the lure that keeps people on the march).

There isn’t much agriculture on the plateau (though it is fine for growing garden crops) nor large communities so there is little draw for refugees to make the trek up those slopes. What highways do lead up to the plateau cut through steep valleys and gorges and are fairly easy to block off to restrict access.

The two major cities that are closest to the plateau are Knoxville and Chattanooga. Both are very nice cities with fairly good economies that can support those who can relocate but still need to stay in the job market. The southern plateau areas are about an hour from Chattanooga and the northern areas are about the same distance and time from Knoxville. Interstate 40 cuts across the plateau and links Knoxville to Nashville. You should give it a wide berth.

The best area for those coming from Virginia and states to the northeast is the plateau area north of I-40 ranging from the Catoosa Wildlife Area on up to the Kentucky border where the Big South Fork Recreation Area is found. You have to avoid the Oak Ridge nuclear research site on the Tennessee river valley floor (a prime nuclear target during war), but the northern part of the Plateau along highway 27 from Wartburg to Winfield gets you far enough west and east of the threat area to be safe. The northern plateau area has two or three pockets of federal land which makes a nice backdrop for a retreat, especially if you find running water on your land.

The southern plateau south of I-40 has an even larger land area and is only sparsely populated. There is a small town in the middle named Spencer, but I prefer the broad forested lands further south near McMinnville, which the closest full-service valley town to the plateau. Highway 111 and 8 get you down off the plateau to the East or West sides of the plateau for shopping and jobs. Check out this area and you’ll find there is considerable safety in the East. There is hope.

Joel Skousen, is the publisher of the World Affairs Brief, a weekly news analysis and commentary service online at www.worldaffairsbrief.com  Mr. Skousen’s books (The Secure Home, and Strategic Relocation—North American Guide to Safe Places) are showcased on his website www.joelskousen.com

Is Kentucky a Survival Retreat Location For Preppers

kentucky-preppersBy Joel Skousen

Author,  Strategic Relocation and The Secure Home

Kentucky and Tennessee are a couple of my favorite states for relocation for those already in the East looking for safety.  They are both in or beyond the Appalachian chain of mountains which will channel refugee flows coming from the east into known highway corridors, which can be strategically avoided.  First, let me offer some general comments about Kentucky, which is a very diverse state, with 13 distinct geographic regions, each with their good points and bad.

Far western Kentucky includes alluvial plains and small hills with good basement potential but not as much forestation as the east.  But be careful, certain western counties surrounding Madisonville also have large coal deposits. The low lying areas south of the Ohio River, however, are nearly flat and thus poorly drained, thus leading to a lot of wetlands.

Where good drainage allows, the land is fertile and productive.  The cities of Louisville, Owensboro, and Henderson along the river are highly industrialized, with pockets of poor crime-prone areas.

The East/central Bluegrass region around Lexington is probably the most sought after area in Kentucky and is known for its horse farms. The land is expensive because of that but you can still find reasonable land away from the horse farms.  I’m partial to the south/central area around Bowling Green, Ky, This is a great small city that has friendly people and low crime.  It is surrounded by great country farms with lots of patches of forest and trees.

Kentucky has the advantage of having huge swaths of forested land out in the main farm areas of the state.  If you look on the satellite view at Google Maps you can see a very broad swath of forest land starting just south of Louisville and meandering back and forth, east and west of I-65 on its way south to Bowling Green.  When you find farmland backed up to these forested areas, you get both farm self-sufficiency and forested retreat privacy.

Your choices in Kentucky are broader than you think, but the important thing is to follow these general criteria:  1) find land with basement potential, 2) good water resources (well, spring, or creek), 3) a mix of forestation for shielding and open land for cultivation, and 4) the home site should not be visible from any main or secondary paved road.

For higher security farms and retreats, a lot of preppers are attracted to the Daniel Boone National Forest which is located along the Cumberland Plateau in the Appalachian foothills of eastern Kentucky—the subject of this briefing.  It encompasses over 700,000 acres of very rugged terrain and characterized by steep forested ridges and deep ravines—less than 15% is in private hands.

This is also coal country, especially in the regions abutting the national forest, where the most private land is found.  Here, you do have to be careful of pollution from mining as well as the uncertainties of not owning the mineral rights under your property.   Be especially careful about buying land after it has been strip-mined and then “reclaimed,” by bringing in fill dirt of unknown quality.

As a consequence of coal and difficult terrain, the region is highly depressed financially as coal has been strangled by environmental regulation and farming has never done well in small plots—though that’s what we want for retreat farming if they otherwise meet the above criteria.  The eastern counties of Kentucky have hundreds of small, mostly dying towns.  The downside of all this is that newcomers to the area are looked upon with some suspicion.  Why would anyone want to come to a place where there are few jobs?

Another negative is the political orientation of Eastern Kentucky–a Democratic stronghold due to the mining and welfare mentality that persists in this area.  Even though Kentucky is in the hands of two Republican Senators, Rand Paul is a positive, and future Senate Majority Leader McConnell is a problem—a compromising Republican leader who talks a good story but doesn’t follow through, except to support the Powers That Be.

Weather is often cloudy and rainy in the Appalachians, so you have to be prepared for that.  The rain provides abundant water resources but is not the best for livability.

For a look at the various divisions of the national forest, open up this link to the official map. The long national forest extends almost to the Ohio border in the north down to Tennessee in the south.  It is divided into 3 districts, the Cumberland to the north, the London district in the center and the Stearns district to the south. But, notice that there is a large district to the East called the Redbird district that is rarely shown in green (designating national forest) on most maps.

That’s probably because it is riddled with private land, which is great for retreat farms.  And there’s a good-sized town in the middle, Manchester, Ky.  In this district, you’re surrounded by national forest but there’s plenty of private lands to choose from—unlike the West where most national forests are locked up tight and where “inholders” are few and far between (and treated with some hostility by the Forest Service).  By the time these large forested lands were turned into national forests in the Appalachians, there was already way too much private farming to buy them all out, so they remain as “inholders.”

Normally, in Western states, I discourage the buying of remote inholding lands because there are too few property owners to mount an effective legal battle against the federal government should they choose to arbitrarily close off your access (which they have done in the past).  I don’t think confiscation of inholding land is a danger in this area because there are so many private holdings, and the constitution requires compensation (money the feds don’t have).

Some of the best areas of the National Forest in which to find private land is in the Southern Stearns District, West of Williamsburg along highways 92 and 478.  You don’t want to locate along those particular highways, but there’s a lot of private land and smaller roads branching off from both where you can find secluded homes and forested land.  In the middle of the district are the tiny towns of Stearns and Pine Knot which become the tourist and service centers for those living inside the National forest.

I actually prefer the land outside the forest between the town of Montecello, Ky and the western border of the DB National forest, bounded by the meandering south fork of the Cumberland river.  This is where you find real retreat land, already carved out by small farmers, but no major tourist roads or traffic—and less coal mining.

The central London District goes from Lake Cumberland in the south to the Kentucky River farther north.  This district is between the two major towns of London to the east and Somerset to the West, which provide good commercial access to those who find retreat sites amid the forest in between.  I-75 also crosses through the forest from SE to NW so stay clear of that passageway.  Much of the good retreat property near Somerset is to the East before you get to the National Forest, so don’t think you have to get within the national forest to be safe.  This central district is one of the few places that has a river running north/south through it (most other rivers simply cross the plateau West-East).  There isn’t much private land along this Rockcastle river, but there is some.  Follow it on Google maps (satellite view) to find cultivated parcels.

The northern district (Cumberland) is East of Lexington, Ky, a major city so there is more pressure on this area for second homes for the wealthy of Lexington.  But still, there are plenty of rural farms available. If you need to be near a big city like Lexington, locate east of I-75 so you don’t have any major obstruction blocking your access to the mountains to the east. The towns of Winchester and Mt. Sterling are ideal for being fairly close to Lexington but also very close to the mountains.

The Best Camouflage Pattern for Hunting By Season

Camouflage for hunting wild bore

by Brandon Cox

When shopping for camouflage, it’s hard to resist the bargain area where camos are sold for less than retail. Usually, the camos featured in the clearance section are out of season. However, some hunters will jump at the chance to save on camouflage and wear it in the woods – regardless of the season.

Some hunters will even go as far as mismatching their camos with many different seasons in one outfit. While they may have saved a few dollars, they might have ruined their chance to catch a buck, which can be a much bigger loss in the big scheme of things. Why you ask? Despite what people will try to tell you, camo patterns matter, especially when hunting whitetail deer.

Why Does Camo Pattern Matter so Much?

You don’t have to take our word for it, or anyone else’s just evaluated the science. Whitetail deer have one focus in life, and that is to survive. Scientists have told us that whitetail deer have 2 cone cell eyes. What this means is they don’t see the same way other animals or humans see.

Due to the way their eye is created, deer don’t see the colors yellow or red very well. Instead, they mostly see all colors in shades of yellow or blue with some shades of green. While their sight is somewhat limited, deer see the best in low light, which mostly includes sunrise and sunset.

Deer are also known to have great eyesight right after fresh snow hits the ground. While deer don’t usually see colors, they do have pretty clear vision. In fact, a deer’s eye can dilate anywhere from 7mm to 8mm. In comparison, a normal human eye can only dilate to a maximum of 8mm.

You’re probably catching on by now and realize that deer’s eyesight and changing foliage has a great deal to do with camo patterns. Basically, if you get caught wearing the wrong camo at the wrong time of day or season, your chances of killing a buck are based more on prayer than talent or planning. To avoid being caught unprepared, you need to know what camo patterns are best for which season.

Preferable Early Season Camo Patterns

In most states, early bow season for whitetail starts towards the end of September. Usually, the trees and grass are still pretty green at this time. This is a good thing for hunters because they can opt for their trusty green patterned camouflage.

Everything in the woods is pretty green, so a deer isn’t going to immediately notice you covered in a green pattern stalking him from the woods. However, as the trees begin to shed their leaves and the grass loses its bright green luster, you need to rethink the color of your camos if you want to go undetected.

Wear Broken Green Camos in Fall

Once the trees have changed color, you need to change the color of your camos. Since the area around you isn’t bright green anymore, you don’t want to appear that way to deer. Shades of green are easy for deer to see, especially when everything around you is changing.

You might think you can get away with wearing bright green camos if you’re sitting in a treestand, but that simply isn’t true. The only way a deer might not notice your green camo in a tree is if you’re sitting in an evergreen. Otherwise, if a deer catches a glimpse of you in the tree, you’ll look more like a blob sitting in a tree instead of a part of the tree.

Since deer are engineered to focus on survival, the simple presence of an odd blob in a tree might be enough to spook them. And once deer runs, they’re sure to spook all their friends.

Instead, fall deer hunters should opt for a broken pattern. A broken pattern has a duller brown and green color with hints of orange and rustic changes, which will help you stay hidden in the woods.

Late Fall – Stick with Fall Camos

Luckily, you don’t need camos for every season. As long as there isn’t any snow on the ground yet, you can wear the same camos in late fall as you did when the trees first began to change. The only exception to this rule is right after it snows.

Don’t Cloak Yourself in White After it Snows

Many hunters want to cloak themselves in white camo patterns after the first snow. We understand the logic, but you have to remember that deer see extremely well after fresh snow hits the ground.

Instead of opting for an all-white approach, hunters should try to wear camouflage with broken patterns. It’s important to avoid solid white or other solid dark clothing. By wearing broken patterns in the winter, you’ll be harder to see and won’t spook deer as you climb into and out of your treestand.

Now you know why there are so many hunting camo patterns on the market. Not all are created the same nor do they all deliver the same results. Instead, each is unique and it’s up to you to decide which color or pattern is right for your area. No matter what color, shade, or pattern you choose, it’s important to keep the following information in mind.

  • Make sure your hunting packs match your camo (so they won’t give you away)
  • Never wash camos in a laundry detergent that uses UV brightening agents (it will make any camo easier for deer to see)
  • If something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to change it

Now that you know why camo patterns are important to the success of your hunt, you’re ready to go shopping. You no longer have to fear the bargain section. Just remember if you’re buying out of season camos at a discounted price, it’s important to keep those in the closet to the following year.

It’s a bunch cheaper to buy new camos for every season then it will be to stock your freezer with meat for the winter if you lose out on a buck because you wore the wrong gear hunting.

Why You Should Learn Bow Hunting for Survival

bow hunting for survivalby JimShyWolf

Let’s clear the air first. I’m not a professional archer or survival bow hunter. I’ve never published an article in BowHunter or Archery magazine, nor have I ever competed in the Olympics in any venue, let alone archery. (Regardless what you may have heard to the contrary.) Nor have I ever traveled out-of-state to hunt any animal with a bow (and only did it once with a rifle, so am no expert there, either).

Nor have I any formal education beyond what a college phy-ed class attempted to teach me after I’d been shooting and studying archery for twenty years. When push comes to shove, I am a ‘purist’ but I don’t let that stop me from using modern materials or style of bow.

At 64 years of age, what I have is more than fifty years experience shooting, hunting, ‘kind of’ studying archery from the bowhunting and zen aspects, and shooting since I was eleven because Mom didn’t think kids should have guns before they could walk.

So my career with archery began as many do: parents don’t equate bows and arrows with their ability to kill. And, as any child of a parent knows, they’re wrong. A 45-pound draw hunting bow has the killing ability of a 30-06 rifle. Actually, in expert hands and in the right circumstances, even a 25-pound draw weight bow will have the killing ability of a 30-06, or any other shoulder-fired weapon you want to stack against it.

Please note: I did not mention anything other than killing ability. I did not say “at 800 yards” or “point-blank range” or “with a 220-grain JHP” or any other round. I said “ability”. There isn’t an animal on earth that has been killed with a rifle before it was killed with a bow.

We won’t get into how the first bow was accidentally made by a caveman when he discovered his fire drill bow would shoot sticks across the fire faster than he could throw it, or how Nimrod was the first Mighty Hunter with a bow.

But how does a bow have the same killing capacity as a 30-06?

Because of much the same reason a bullet does: blood-letting. A bullet has ‘shock’ value as well, yet an arrow will bleed even more quickly than a bullet because of it’s cutting edges. And when hunting or speaking of hunting, the arrowhead is equally as important, if not more so, than the bow or arrow. Let’s look at this from the beginning, getting to the arrowhead in a few minutes.

When it comes to surviving in a true wilderness setting, a bow, In My Opinion, is the absolute best weapon you can have. Better than a rifle or pistol for several reasons.

First: a bow can be made from almost any hardwood material, especially the maples, yew, ash, and best of all, the Osage orange. Birch, some pines, and aspen can be used as well, with brittle oak being a fairly down-the-line choice. There are exotics that can be used, but we’re talking survival in North America so will limit our choices to anything growing around us.

Second: an arrow can easily be made from reeds (think cattail for one) or whittled from other woods, Port Orford Cedar being the most commonly used (until the Spotted Owl terminated the harvesting of it, and over-harvesting as well, to be totally honest).

Cedars make the best wood arrows because they don’t warp as readily as most other woods, have a more stable grain pattern and can be bereaved most easily into sheaves for arrow stock, and can be compressed most readily.

Arrowheads can be chipped from flint, or other stones, even panes of glass, and bone, or just the fire-hardened tip of the arrow itself. If you’re industrious, you can file steel down to a very serviceable point. But, we’re talking survival and what’cha got with you, not what you’d like to have.

Bowstrings can be spun quickly from the inner bark of many commonly available plants- milkweed being a common material or cut from any animal hide or, in a survival situation, from the cords of one’s jeans. (Just don’t tear away your groin cloth, Tarzan!) Now: name one bullet you can do this with. ‘Nuffa that. Now let’s get to the bow.

Regardless where you live, any archery shop now is going to convince you that “you must absolutely gotta have the very best top of the line got more speed than light double helix hyper snappy wheel compound that we happen to sell right here” bow. I won’t say BS on that, but I will tell you this: a salesman’s job is to sell. Not necessarily what you want or need, but to sell.

Here I’m going to state my opinions, not some scientific hyperbole an engineer came up with or what a catalog will say. What kind of bow you get- be it traditional longbow, recurve, or compound- is up to your preferences. I’m going to tell you mine.

I shoot them all. I love them all. All are very serviceable and sturdy. The newest bow I have, a Fred Bear compound, is darn close to 30 years old and shoots as well today as it did the day I bought it- only more accurately ‘cuz now it’s got ‘sperience. It’s also the only bow I have sights on. The oldest I have is 53 and my son learned to shoot with it as I did: one arrow at a time.

My second oldest- 39- is the original Fred Bear takedown with two sets of limbs (one target, one hunting) on a B riser (it came with choice of A,B, or C- diferentiated by length of the riser, which also was the deciding factor of draw weight).

There are others in my collection- a Ben Pearson takedown (TD) a year younger than the Bear, a Paul Bunyan fiberglass longbow, and a very antique pure aluminum bow made by ParX of Jackson, Michigan. (I should google them to see if they still make bows.) Sorry- thinking out loud again, and digressing. Some odds and ends complete the collection.

My point is, it won’t matter what style of bow you choose, just be sure it’s the one you want and dream about. If your imagination is filled with Robin Hood or Fred Bear or Ben Pearson or Howard Hill, you would probably feel more comfortable with a longbow or recurve. Either will be a fine choice.

Longbows have a tendency to ‘stack’, which means they get harder to draw as you draw them. If it’s a very short bow, it will stack more than a longer bow. Recurves stack less than longbows due to the curve. Too, the length of your personal draw will also cause it to stack more or less.

Draw length is measured the old-fashioned way: Hold your arms out in front of you, fingers extended, to make an arrowhead. The distance from your fingertips to your chin is your arrow length, your draw length is from your wrist to your chin.

Bowyers have simplified this for us, however, and make their bows with an ‘average’ draw length of 28 inches. The reason for the arrow length? So you don’t cut your fingers with the sharp broadhead, it extends beyond your hand. Arrows can be cut to length as required, even simply at home with a sharp knife.

If your dreams extend to the modern mystique of wheels and pulleys, cams and short, snappy- and very fast arrows- then you may be dreaming of a compound. Other than Bear, I won’t comment on who makes the best, but there are many out there. Some very good bows are made by some very unknown people, and a good way to learn about some is pick up a copy of a Bowhunter magazine. (No plug, just reference.)

Compounds do send arrows down range faster than other bows and use very light arrows. (Do not use a wood arrow on a compound bow- ever. Nothing may happen, but then again, you may end up with an arrow shaft in your forearm, or worse.

That’s experience talking, and manufacturer’s direction.) If TSHTF, my choice will be the recurve or longbow because of the simplicity of their design, maintenance, and ease of repair. I just don’t have the shop to rebuild steel/aluminum/magnesium pulleys and steel cable strings.

Not to mention, compounds are much heavier than stick bows. I’d rather carry more arrows than more bow.

Arrows for longbows and recurves run from cedar to esoteric compounds like graphite. In short, any arrow can be shot from a stick bow. Wood and aluminum have been around for… well, ever, almost. OK- when Alcoa came out with their first aluminum arrows, I was skeptical. Still am, but dang, they shoot nice. Almost as tough as wood.

Almost. In some instances, tougher: and they can be reasonably straightened of mild bends. (Wood can as well- use steam and pressure to do that, though.) Fiberglass and graphite… well, you ain’t gonna straighten those breaks. Some have told me graphite is tougher than wood, but my opinion is still out- and will be until I test some, which I don’t intend doing.

Compound bows shoot aluminum, ‘glass and graphite with equal aplomb, but never wood. (Don’t ask.) With today’s compounds, the biggest ‘thing’ is the speed factor. Everyone’s trying to get their bow to shoot as fast a 30-06 bullet. Or so it seems. I’ve heard excuses (ok, reasons) from things such as “the deer don’t jump the string” (which I laugh at), to “the lighter arrows need the speed” (which I agree with).

To gain this speed of the arrow, they use the lighter carbon or graphite arrow, which usually weighs less than the broadhead on the end. And speed creates penetration- which the lighter arrows need. Badly.

So my opinion of light arrows is still out. In “the old days”, we used to ‘spike’ our aluminum arrows with a wood arrow to increase the weight so they’d get better penetration. We didn’t need speed- we had power.

Arrows are ‘fletched’ with feathers- real turkey feather is best and be sure they come from the same wing- or plastic vanes. The debate rages as to which is best. I’ve used both, have some mighty old arrows with turkey feathers. And some mighty old vanes as well.

The biggest problem I’ve had with vanes is cold temps. They seem to stiffen and don’t stabilize the arrow as quickly. But that may just be my imagination. Some say feathers aren’t as waterproof as vanes, but I don’t see that. I sprayed mine with Camp Dry once and forgot it. No problems. Water runs off like a duck’s back.

Some people also claim wet bowstrings stretch and make the bow lose power due to less ‘fist’ in the bow. To which I say nonsense: I’ve never lost ‘fist’ with a string or cable. (‘Fist’ is your hand-made to a fist, thumb extended upward, and from the riser to the string is the height of the string from the riser.) I will admit that a vegetable fiber string will most likely stretch, as will leather. Soak them in tallow before use.

What does make a bow lose power can be on the string, though. Silencers. Attachments that quiet the string vibration after the shot- which vibration is also what the animal hears and causes it to ‘jump’ the string- and evade the arrow.

Silencers can be as simple as a feather tied to the string, both ends of the bow, or as complicated as gobs of rubber bands woven into the string layers. Here, less is more. Go as simple as you can get away with. Some people don’t use silencers at all.

Arrowheads (told’ja we’d get here) are what does the killing with an arrow. Where I live, there are several rules to follow with arrowheads used for hunting. (Note: in a survival situation, there is only one rule: survive.

So forget about ‘nice’ and ‘laws’ and ‘fair chase’.) MN requires arrowheads “be of barbless design with at least two blades and a circumference of two inches for three or more blades and weigh 125 grains”. Which just means, go to your local sports shop and buy what they sell cuz they’ll most likely not be selling illegal products.

If they are, call the local game warden and let him know and your butt is covered when you go to court. Other states probably have similar rules, so check yours if you’re interested in being ‘legal’. Fred Bear makes the Bear Razorhead, which was an original design two-blade with a third and fourth blade insert, and which has probably killed every animal on the planet.

They’re extremely difficult to find these days. Now hunters are using all kinds of jury-rigged designs, some utilizing real genuine razor blades as cutting edges.

Complicated monsters that cut quickly and cleanly, to be sure, but no where near as hardy as the old Razorhead. The closest I’ve seen to the Razorhead is the Magnus two-blade, and they’re great. Not to mention, take a very fine edge.

Oh, yes- I sharpen all my broadheads. Not something you’ll do with the more modern designs- all you need with them is more razorblades. And a few hundred bucks. Dang- those heads are very spendy now!

Between a two blade and three, or four, blade the biggest difference is cutting power. Or cutting ability. An arrow kills by bleeding the animal out- so expect it to run and have to track it- like cutting its throat. The more blades, the more damage to arteries and muscle and veins and… you get the idea, and the more easily tracked.

The more damage, the faster it bleeds out. Too, shot placement may be a bit more precise with an arrow than with a gun because arrows do not go through bone. Hitting the critter in its vitals is, well- vital.

So practice-practice-practice! Side note on broadheads: round over the tip so it passes by bone rather than trying to penetrate it and getting stuck. You don’t need a pointy point, you need something that slides past the bone. Also, an arrow wound to a non-vital spot with a rifle can cause an animal to bleed out, so there are more areas to aim at with a bow.

Also, MN does not allow crossbows unless one is handicapped and proven by a doctor’s permission slip. I’ve shot crossbows, don’t own one, and have little to say about them. I have considered getting one just ‘because’ and no other reason.

A friend uses one, loves it, and has lots of fun with it- but he’s not a hunter. Some compounds will draw hundreds of pounds and shoot a bolt (arrow) fast as… umm… lightning… but they lose speed, therefore power, quickly. Maybe others have more experience with them and can comment. Some states do allow hunting with crossbows, so they can’t be all that bad.

When it comes to shooting, a crossbow is probably the easiest to learn quickly since it’s so much like a rifle. Compounds are easy to learn and be accurate with when loaded with sights- and some with stabilizers, levels, and flucks (or whatever they’re called)- but have their limitations in those conditions. (More on that in a minute.) Most difficult- but certainly not hard- to learn is the recurve and longbow using instinctive shooting techniques (my fave method).

Shooting a bow is relatively simple. Nock an arrow on the string, push-pull the bow and string apart, bring the hand to your cheek, look at the target as you point the arrow at it, and let the string go. All bows are shot in that manner. The hardest part is doing the same thing over and over again and never varying that technique.

Let’s examine the shooting aspect a moment.

‘Instinctive’ shooting is how archers first shot. By looking at the target, pointing their arrow at it, and release. No sights, no levels, no floofloos. Use a push-the-bow-pull-the-nocked arrow method as you raise the bow to point the arrow at the target.

The string hand anchors someplace on your face- usually the corner of the mouth- prior to releasing the shot. The bow arm is extended almost straight out, with just a slight curve, the upper body leans forward slightly and the head is ‘cocked’ over the arrow.

Focus on the target- a small patch of hair (in hunting)- and not on the arrow. Let your eye aim the shot just as you would by pointing your finger at it. Release smoothly- release smoothly- release smoothly- by extending the shooting fingertips. Right: don’t go past the first joint on your finger to pull the string-arrow.

Just open your fingers and let the arrow go. Once released, hold the bow in place- don’t drop it or let it fly into orbit. And don’t let your release hand fly off into space, either.

Instinctive shooting can be done with any bow in any position. If you’re laying on your back, you can shoot with this technique holding the bow level with the ground, no need to bring it to a vertical position. If you’re leaning forward ducking under a branch, the bow can be shot without lifting it to a vertical position. If you’re hanging by your hair or the skin of your teeth, a bow can be shot without having to bring it to a vertical position.

Now let’s talk about sights and levels and stabilizers and… all those modern contrivances that require a bow be held vertically and level before it can be shot. Which usually includes all the compound bows being sold today because they ‘just gotta have all this stuff to make them work’. BS. IMO. Sights are wonderful on bows, just as on rifles and handguns. But they do limit a bow a lot more than a rifle- kind of.

When using sighted bows, the weapon must be held in a vertical position for the sight to be any use. In short, you can’t ’tilt’ your bow and expect the sight to be ‘on’, ‘cuz it won’t be. Any deviation of the axis the bow was sighted in at will negate the sight.

And in the bush, you’ll have a lot of fun trying to find a vertical position 100% of the time. For sure, it’s not the most difficult from a stand- through some shots from a stand with a sight are nearly impossible and only uncomfortable with instinctive shooting.

I enjoy the sights on my compound for tournaments and field shooting at the club, but for hunting, I feel they’re pretty ‘iffy’ if I’m stalking. As to having a sight level… I ain’t building a house, I’m shooting a bow, probably at a deer or pesky wabbit or partridge… I don’t need any stinkin’ levels.

Two additional items you’ll need- again, don’t ask why, just trust me on this- are some sort of finger protection such as a glove or tab. Mechanical releases are very good, make the release butter smooth, but again, use the KISS principle. Unless you absolutely positively gotta have the latest gizmo… I prefer the glove because ‘it’s on my hand and no fiddling involved’ when I want to use it. Not the best for some, but for me it removes a lot of other dilemmas.

An arm guard is mandatory, especially if you’re shooting with a jacket or ghillie suit or long sleeves- anything the string can whack on its way to resting. And it’s doubly mandatory if you’re shooting sleeveless. You don’t need broken blood vessels in your arm swelling to the size of a birthday party balloon. Trust me on this- I know. (Don’t ask!)

If you’re going to hunt with a bow, be sure to spend time honing your tracking skills as well. Nearly any animal shot with a bow is going to move out of the area before it bleeds out and you don’t need to waste a life or food. After all, that food may save your life or that of someone you love.

I know a lot of people have spent gazillions on their armories and think they have all the bases covered, but until they have a bow, they’ve only got to third base. Home plate is a long way off- about 90 feet, which is farther than the average deer shot with a bow.

So might I suggest getting a bow and half-dozen or more arrows, a finger glove or tab, an arm guard, and a few hours of practice to really round out your survival preps?

Who knows- the opportunity may arise you want a silent shot… and we haven’t even gone fishing or bird hunting yet.