The Tyler Chronicle Winter, 2022 Worldwide Edition
Chronicle Outdoors
Whooping Cranes Edge Closer to Extinction
Banded whooping crane and mate observed during fall migration in central Kansas. (Public domain.)
Whooping Crane Restoration
At more than five feet tall with brilliant white plumage, black primary feathers, a red cap, and yellow eyes, the highly endangered Whooping Crane (Grus americana) is one of the most spectacular birds native to North America. In 1942 there were fewer than 20 birds in the flock that migrates from Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada to Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas.
An additional six cranes were alive in Louisiana, bringing the total global population to only 22 individuals. The non-migratory Louisiana flock died out a few years later; hence all Whooping Cranes now alive derive from a core flock of only 16 birds. Whooping Cranes were likely uncommon even before hunting and habitat loss reduced them to dangerously low numbers. The vanishingly small population of 16 in 1942 represents an extreme genetic and demographic bottleneck that few species survive
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Fishing Fever!
As the old song says, "It's summertime and the livin' is easy, Fish are jumpin'..."
Indeed they are. And lots of them are being caught too, as the following snapshots illustrate. Don't let the season pass you by without making at least one visit to an area lake or to a stockpond on your farm and experience the thrill of landing a "big one"!
Share your fishing snapshots! Just send an email attachment along with your story to: editor@thetylerchronicle.com It's that simple!
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The Tyler Chronicle Winter, 2022 Worldwide Edition
Chronicle Outdoors
How to Build a Campfire with One Match and Some Twigs
Fuel Source: Dead Limbs Found on the Forest Floor
The Same Limbs, Broken Into Shorter Lengths and Separated into Piles According to Size
Smallest Twigs (Kindling) Will Be the First to Ignite When the Match Is Applied Underneath Them
A "Tipi" of Slightly Larger Twigs Is Built Above and Around the Kindling
The Match Is Applied Under the Smallest Twigs
The Fire Is Now Self-Sustaining
Success!
Carefully Add Larger Pieces
How to Build a Campfire with No Matches!
A magnifying glass is used to focus sunlight to a point. The heat produced is very intense and can quickly ignite dry tender. Of course, the brighter the sun, the better it works. Also, the larger the lens the better. If you are serious about relying on this method to start a fire, you should invest in a high quality, glass convex lens. You should keep it in a protective container to avoid scratches and breakage. Not only can this lens save your life by giving you the life-sustaining warmth of a fire, but you can use it to magnify anything from a splinter in your finger to... you name it!
Dry tender will be ignited by the intense, focused radiation very quickly. The lens should be adjusted to produce the smallest possible point of light on the dry tender. We must emphasize the importance of the quality of the tender, and that it must be kept absolutely dry. The tender pictured here is partially decomposed pine. Pine trees are an especially good source of this material. They die and fall to the ground; soon weather and insects produce this very light-weight, sponge-like material. You can make your own tender from a wide variety of other materials such as cotton cloth, and lint. We will cover this in more detail in a separate article. Igniting the tender is just the first step. You must have dry twigs on hand to carefully feed your growing campfire. Don't wait until your tender is ignited before you try to find twigs! Have your fuel ready beforehand!
Two magnifying lenses are shown here. The smaller one is mounted on a stand with clamps for holding the specimen. The larger lens on the table is hand held.
Tender can be made from a variety of materials. Good tender should be extremely dry and it should have a low kindling temperature. The tender shown here was taken from a decomposing tree stump.
Tender igniting in medium sunlight after about fifteen seconds.
Magnifying glass removed. Tender well ignited!
The Most Necessary Items for Survival
Get Yourself a Pocket Knife!
Of all the necessary tools, the knife is near the top of the list. In fact, it would be wise to have at least two on hand; a pocket knife such as the one pictured above, and a larger one for heavier work. If you have ever faced survival in the wild without a knife, then you know how important a sharp metal blade can be. The uses for it are countless, ranging from personal defense to cutting the saplings you can use as building material. If you are serious about "Surviving Hard Times", then get yourself a knife and learn how to use it!
A Simple Fish Hook Can Provide Delicious, Wholesome Food!
Fish hooks and line can prove to be the most important items in your survival kit. Making fish hooks in the wild is not an easy task, so make sure you have at least a dozen in your pack. Bobbers and sinkers can be improvised if necessary, but fishing line, like hooks, is not easy to make. Moral? Take it with you!
Stainless Steel Pot
Mylar Sheet
Paracord
Fire Starters
And Yes, A Gun
Survivor's Reference Manual
First Aid Kit
Mirror
Flashlight
Food
Clothing
Compass & Timepiece
High Quality Protein Supply
Shelters for Survival.... and Comfort!
Where to Sleep
Here is a basic rule of thumb which cannot be over-emphasized. "Do NOT sleep on the ground!" Of course, there may be situations where you have no choice, but as soon as you can, put some distance between you and the dirt. There are two principal reasons for this; snakes, and fireants. Of course, if you are stranded on an ice floe or in some other situation where the temperature is quite low, sleeping on the ground or snow (with adequate insulation) may actually be to your advantage. But in warmer locations where the lowest temperature is well above freezing, use a hammock, or make yourself an elevated sleeping platform. Spiders, ants, centipedes, scorpions and snakes are your unseen enemies in the night . Take precautions!
With a simple blade and some limbs and small saplings, you can make yourself an elevated bed in a few short hours. This could be the difference between life or death. A good hammock is ideal, and should be considered a basic component of your survival pack. We are assuming that you are in a wooded area. Desert locations will make it more difficult, since there may be few or no materials from which to make your elevated bed, or maybe not even bushes or small trees to hang your hammock!
Avoiding injury of any kind is extremely important. A snake bite or spider bite which might be treated in a clinic or hospital under ordinary circumstances may receive minimal or no treatment in the wild. Even if you do not die from the effects of the venom, infection of the wound will almost certainly occur. Under the very best of circumstances, your ability to secure food will be impaired for what could be an extended period of time.
Dogs
A dog is like a wife; it can be a source of great pleasure and an enormous asset, or it can be a liability of the worst kind. You must decide whether or not to include one in your survivalist scenario.
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