Happy Thanksgiving to all you Turkeys out there. LOL

Been working the last 2 days and heading to WV tomorrow to spend a few days with my oldest daughter and my parents for the holidays. You guys and gals have a great Thanksgiving and I'll see ya soon.

Part 2 of the Groups post is coming this weekend so please stay tuned.

This is Bullseye... OUT !!!

To Group or Not to Group, That seems to be the question. Part 1

In my last post I directed you to read a post at the Staying Alive blog. The post was about the importance of the Clan or a Group for survival. This is a hot topic all over the net so do some research if you are interested in finding out more information. There's plenty out there. Some were a little concerned that a group may NOT be for them, that's fine, do what makes you feel secure.

I think people have a lot of different ideas about what a group is or should be. Not saying that any of your ideas are wrong but I am going to give you a description of what my ideal group would be and it's purpose.

First and foremost we all know that there is strength in numbers, in bad situations that is even more relevant. Together we can pool our resources, our talents, our strengths. The more eyes and ears that are on call the more secure you and your group will be. It takes at least 3 people just to be able to provide some security, one on watch, one on work and one on rest. Any less than that and you have stretched yourself too thin. (Again, my opinion) Even the lone wolf finds security and strength within the pack. To survive and to THRIVE is what I am most interested in, not just to be alive but to LIVE.

Then who is in this group may be your next question. Well, that's up to you. I would choose family first, friends second and others that you meet along the way as last. Skills are very important to your survival. Does any of your family members even know how to handle a gun? That is a skill that must be taught to any and all that you consider as part of your group. Do any know how to raise and preserve food, gotta have that skill too if you are going to thrive. Can you get along with these people? Probably not, at times. Stress will cause many to have their differences but you can and should all be willing to work past these. Do any of your family members, or potential group members, have any food, ammo or weapons that they can bring to your group? These are crucial to your survival and theirs.

I would like to have a group of no more than 10 armed and skilled adults, no less than 6. By Military standards the ratio of 3 to 1 is excepted in a tactical raid mission. 3 good guys to 1 bad guy and that is trial and error, you can bet on that. There are no 1 man missions in the military, even the lone sniper (as he is often though to be) is never alone. He has his spotter to assist him at all times. Watching for the mark, checking and re checking distance, wind direction, obstacles and guarding the "lone" sniper while he performs his task. I use the military standard because hey, these folks are pretty good at killing people and have trained well for it. I trust their judgement on tactical training probably 90% of the time. I'm not saying that you must form an army or even have members of the military, active of non active, in your group. There is no need to re invent the wheel here, what they do works, imitate it and practice it and you will see similar success.

The above only concentrates on your security, your ability to stay alive and protect yourself and your family with a group. Part 2 will consider the added benefits of having others to help with all the other tasks that go along with Long Term Survival. Stay tuned...

This concludes Part 1

Your comments, for or against groups, are always welcome. I look forward to hearing from you. I hope we can learn together as to what is right and what is not in forming survival groups. I for one am 100% pro group.

This is Bullseye... OUT !!!

Great Post at Staying Alive

Michael Boone has done it once again, touched me with another post. He does that often. He has a great post up talking about the importance of the clan or survival groups. Check him out and tell him Bullseye sent you his way.


Stay Alive


This is Bullseye... OUT !!!

Canning pinto beans

Now the first question I get asked when I tell people that I can pinto beans is "why do you can dry beans". OK, here's my reasoning behind it.

1. That way I always know just how many meals I have on hand. 1 qt. of beans is plenty for a family of 4.

2. They are "heat and eat meals". You could eat them cold if you wish, I know many people that enjoy cold pinto beans, I'm not one of them.

3. If I had to I could heat them in the mason jars that they are in. Glass is as good a cooking container as you will find. In an emergency that glass jar may provide many uses. I can also use this glass mason jar over and over.

So, that's why I do it. Plus we love them and eat them often. This way we can just grab a qt from the storage room and heat them up. No all day soaking and cooking them, just heat and eat. It makes what would normally take a few hours of cooking into a few minutes. It's convenient. Also they travel well, you can take them with you just about anywhere and have a good meal just minutes away. Maybe be good for barter in the future too.

The way I do it.

Rinse your beans and then let soak over night. ( 12 hours ) Store in a cool place during this time.

Remove beans from the water and replace with fresh water to cook them at medium heat for 30 minutes.

Place hot beans in hot qt. jars leaving an inch of head space in the jar. Add 1 teaspoon of table salt. (Optional) Remove any air bubbles.

Adjust 2 piece ring and lid and place in a pressure caner at 10 lbs for 90 minutes.

You're done !!

Label and store and be ready to enjoy them good ol' pinto beans ( we call 'em soup beans ) anytime you wish. I am going to can some tomorrow and will try to post some pics tomorrow night. I love to can and hey, it's prepping too. My 2 favorite things all in one. Gotta love it.

This is Bullseye... OUT !!!

Fuel Storage

I always try to keep extra fuel on hand, gasoline that is. As preppers we always try to get the best deal on things that we need and use on a regular basis. Do we not all use gasoline on a regular basis, like nearly everyday ?? That is why I store fuel, I use a lot of it. I have 8, 5 gallon gas cans, the plastic ones, that I keep my fuel in. I rotate this by adding them to my Jeep when I get below 3/4's of a tank. When I go to town I fill the cans back up, rotating them as I do this so I always have fresh gas.

Like I said, I have 8 of these, that's 40 gallons on hand just about all the time. This allows me to have fuel when the price goes up for a few days for NO reason. Once it comes back down I fill what cans I have used. Plus, in the event of a power outage I STILL HAVE FUEL. Last year in Kentucky there were some ice storms that left many without power for weeks, the gas stations too. It didn't happen where I live but west of me just a few hours drive. Some of those folks where in a world of hurt for fuel. So it's just a safe bet to keep some extra on hand.

I have bought all of my gas cans used at yard sales and the flea market. I usually pay around 5 bucks for them, new they are around 12 to 15 dollars. I am always on the lookout for more of them, watching at any yard sale that I see. I hope to get more, would like to be able to keep 100 gallons on hand. I store these in my outside storage building out of the weather and the sun. Gasoline will keep just fine with no additives for a good while. If you plan to keep it long term I would recommend adding some stabilizer. The 5 gal cans work great for me because they are fairly easy to handle and I don't need any pump of any kind to get the fuel from the can to my tank. The large 55 gallon barrels would require some kind of pump to get your fuel. The 5 gal cans are easy to handle, just grab 1 or 5 out of the building when you are heading to town or when the gas prices are more to your liking and fill them up.

We store other things we need, why not fuel too ? I buy when the price is lower and this saves me money. I hardly ever carry extra fuel with me because I am never far from home. Even when I visit my family in WV it's only less than half a tank in my Jeep from here to there. I never get under 3/4's of a tank so I always have enough fuel to get home now matter what. I stop along the way where I see the lowest price on fuel and keep my tank topped off. I feel that we as preppers should all have SOME fuel stored. It would be a shame for your bug out plan to hit the dirt because you where 2 gallons short of your destination. Ya'll think about that and let me know what you fuel storage plan is. I know my plan's not perfect but in this case some is better than none.

This is Bullseye... OUT !!!

"ORDER"

We have had the nicest weather anyone could ask for for over a week now and I have been a busy little beaver. Working outside getting things in order.

That's what preppers strive for, to have things they need and to have them in order. I have always said that if you can't find it, you don't have it. In an emergency situation it is critical to be able to find the things you need when you need them. One must keep all their preps in order at all times just in case. I love doing this, keeping things in order. I makes my life seem more complete, full and.....well, orderly. I like for things to be in their place.

Most of yesterday was spent cleaning the vehicles, both hers and mine. I feel that it is important to keep your vehicles clean and orderly as well as your other preps. You car is a prep too and never forget that. "BOV" ?? Bug Out Vehicle ! If I have to resort to that I want to be able to get inside with out fighting off the Wal Mart bags and such. I keep my Jeep pretty well in order most of the time but still, sometimes things get piled up inside. I took advantage of the nice weather to vacuum both vehicles and shampoo the carpets, just makes everything look and smell nice. Hers got a good bath and all the fluids checked and topped off. The Jeep, well, all fluids topped off and the bath will have to wait. I will be back in the log woods again tomorrow and a wash job would be in vain right now. It's not that bad anyway, never is but I will get to it soon. I like to keep my vehicles in top condition at all times. They are a big investment and I will take care of that investment as best I can.

Other items of order for the day, stacked more of the firewood that I have been splitting all week, washed and serviced my 4 wheeler and cleaned out or at least straightened up my storage building. I can get the 4 wheeler in there now anyway. Couldn't before. LOL Still much to be done, my work bench is a mess, things scattered everywhere on it, tools out of place....I don't like that at all. That is tomorrows project, to work on my bench and get my tools in order and cleaned or oiled whatever they may call for.

I had plans to rework the food storage room a few weekends ago but decided to wait for a bit. It's too nice and there is just too much to do outside right now, it can wait til the long dark days and nights of winter. The food is in there and I know where it all is but I would still like to get it in order. Inventory all the items and see where I stand, it's an ongoing project and one that I love. Lists of preps and or needs are an everyday thing for me. I MUST KNOW either what I have or what I need and that is the only way I have found to do so, to have order.

Maybe in some strange way it helps to put a little more order in my life, something which seems to be lacking...it's complicated but it works. Either way, order must be restored at the Compound and I intend to do just that. Next on my list is medical preps, I know I am lacking and plan to get those in order as soon as possible.

So guys and gals, take advantage of your time and get your lives and your preps in order. Ya gotta be able to find it if yer gonna use it. Ever look for a flashlight in the dark ?? I have and will not have to look again. I know where mine are....do you ??

This is Bullseye... OUT !!!

The Lone Prepper

Let's just say that those that live here and are under my care are not really into the whole prepperism thing. Far from it really. Oh, sometimes Mrs. Bullseye will pick up a few extra things that are on sale at the store to add to our food storage program, mostly just to try to make me happy. It does help. But most of the time I am alone in my quest for independence and preparedness.

I enjoy living a frugal live style, they don't. While they are out shopping and eating out at restaurants I am here at home, turning off the lights they left on, the TV, the satellite box and God only knows what all else. Just trying to save a little here and there. They joke about the things I do, not really seeing that I am doing these things for them. When I come home from town they always jokingly ask if I got another case of tuna or Spam. They joke about my wood pile saying that it is a lumber yard and that I never seem to think I have enough. I clip coupons to use on items that we use regularly, that's funny too. I buy nearly everything by the case....funny. Always a smirk when the ask if I have my gas cans in the Jeep when I say I'm going to fill up.

It's a good thing I do these things and don't let them or their attitude get to me. It's hard at times but I march onward. Knowing that it won't be so funny in the near future, they will see why I have worked so hard to insure our future and our safety. I march on. Everyday looking for and thinking of new ways to prepare. They are like so many others out there that believe that the good times will last forever.....sorry to let them know that they never have. The Romans thought they would too and after 500 years they seen they were wrong. Our country is only half that age and we can see the end just over the horizon, or at least some can.

I do what I do for them, for us, for our future generations. It's not some kind of game that I play or just a hobby of mine. It's serious business and I know that. I have tried everything I know to do to show them the truth about our future but the world has them by the throat, choking any thought of the things to come right out of them. It's hard being a Lone Prepper but in the end I know it's worth it.

Keep on Prepping,



This is Bullseye... OUT !!!

Thanks Dad !!

This is a picture of my father taken just weeks before his departure for Vietnam. I am one of the lucky ones that had their father come home, many were not so lucky. Thank you to all the Vets who gave their lives for us. And Thank you Dad for fighting for me and for coming home again.

God Bless America and those that fight for Freedom.

Well now ain't that just messed up !!

You work hard to try to make something that will be good for everyone, you pour your heart and soul in to it, and some SOB's come along and try to steal it. Ain't that just messed up. The American Preppers Network, one that I am very proud to be part of, has been Hijacked !!! Yes, that's right, someone has taken it upon themselves to steal the name ( use on almost just like it ) and direct traffic to their site. All of the state prepper networks too. They just left the 's off of preppers. Trying to fool you ?? I think so. Don't be fooled by this Bullshit, these are nothing more that thieves trying to cash in on the good name of American Preppers Network and all the other state preppers networks. SHAME ON YOU !!!!! How dare you think that people are that damn stupid.

In times when the sheeple are waking up everywhere and need good quality information and you do this, redirect them? Are these new "fake' prepper sites part of the long are of the NWO. Starting to look like it to old Bullseye.

God, I hate people more everyday. I mean, is nothing sacred ?? Is there nothing that some people won't do to take others down ?? Fake, fake, fake.....Can't even come up with an original name, use one close to the same to try to fool people. They even have a pirate Texas Preppers Network. Riverwalker is the Godfather of the Prepper Networks and they even had the nerve to horn in on him. SOB's....... I'm so mad I could chew nails......I want to break stuff.....

I've went through a pack of smokes in the last hour, I've checked and rechecked my sidearm. Who is gonna come next and what are they gonna try to steal. Some people just have no morals I guess, anything to "try " to make a buck. hehehe.....ain't they gonna be fooled.

Remember, there is only ONE network for Preppers and that is the American Preppers Network and it's recommend state networks. If a site is on their blog roll, there good'ns.

This is Bullseye ... OUT !!!

A full day and I am pleased

Yep, been a full day here at Camp Bullseye. Lady Bullseye has a bum knee and I thought we were going to the Dr. office today but she decided to tough it out for a while longer. No need to be were all the germs are until you really have too. And she is feeling some better today.

Well, since that's off the list, me and her step father decided to go and get some more firewood. I have a bunch of trees that have been down since Feb. and are in a handy place to get them. We cut and hauled both of us a load of firewood today. BIG trailer loads too. We need more but they will be there when the chance happens by us again. I will be working tomorrow and should get 3 days out of it. I sure hope so. Not sure if anything is lined up later or not, just have to take it as it comes and thank God for it.

After we got back from the wood run I fonudthat we had got a Kroger sale paper in the mail. Some great deals too, especially if you are looking for bargain food storage. I hit the shower to try to get some of the sawdust off me and then on to Kroger. I never thought about it being the 1st of the month and the rush that goes along with that, be I soon remembered when I pulled in the parking lot. I was not going to miss this opportunity to add to my food storage no matter what. I was armed ( really, I had my 9 on my side, Open Carry here in KY ) and dangerous. I pulled out my list that I had made before I left home and hit the isles only purchasing the items on my list. Got a lot of canned goods at great bargains. Name brand too. Bought some stuff for the freezer too, to cheap to pass up. I have been working on getting some canned meats of sorts, chicken, salmon, tuna and of course the old standby, SPAM and TREAT meat. Just anything to add to the rice and beans to make it a little more fun. When it hits the fan anything kind of meat to add to you beans and rice will be fun I'm sure and welcome too. Man, I just love that Kroger. I have a Kroger Plus Card and get the best price on every purchase plus the send coupons every week tailored to our past purchases. So, we get coupons for the things we by regularly. These usually correspond to the sale that week too. We also get 10 cents of per gallon of gas for every $100 dollars we spend. It's a win, win for us really.

The only things I purchased that weren't for our long term storage were pop,bread and milk. The total before my Kroger Plus savings= $235.62, total after my Kroger Plus savings = $153.57, not bad at all. If you have Kroger near by, GET A KROGER PLUS CARD. Check with your local stores and see what kind of saving plan or card the offer and get one. It's big savings

The family is heading to WV again this weekend and I will have some time alone. I plan to spend it working in the food storage room. Things have gotten pretty messed up in there. (Someone) and I won't point any fingers has been putting random junk in there from throughout the house. I plan to organize and itemize everything once again and get back on track. A big job but I really enjoy it. Food storage is and always has been my favorite prep.

So, yep, a full day. Got a good load of wood and some food too. A good day for me and I sure needed one. As I mentioned before, it's been pretty stressful around here the last few weeks. Today had made me feel some better about things. Alright guys and gals...

This is Bullseye... OUT !!!