09 Survival Tricks Used By Texas Rangers And Pioneers!

The Old West is rich in plain ol’ stubbornness, savvy and The Will To Survive. Here are ’09 survival tricks used by texas rangers and pioneers’ you need to know so You’re Ready Anytime Anywhere!

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Rattlesnake Alert
Antelope A Comin’
Countering Killer Hypothermia
Go Static Before Dark
Texas Ranger Snakebite Remedy
Texas Ranger Mind-Over-Matter
Shake, Check And Look
Mormon Food Saver
01-Mile Long Range Shooting
Cavalry Soldier Water Finding
Cavalry Soldiers Fighting Hypothermia
Winter Storm Sky Weather Forecasting
Donner Party 1st Weather Forecasting Technique
Can’t Stay Awake Concoctions

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Rattlesnake Alert: Rattlesnakes were always a deadly threat to man and animal during the Old West and are still a threat today. Very few white men during the Old West days could detect those camouflaged rattlesnakes far in advance. Most of the time those considerate critters rattled their tail alerting & warning the incoming invader.

But it was found that animals like cows, horses, mules were somehow alerted to the ambushing rattlesnakes, they were “snake educated.” Somehow, they knew the art of detecting those poisonous snakes.

And even wiser, the scouts like Dave Scott picked-up on the animal’s body language telling him rattlesnakes were very near. All critters are a lot smarter (NOT instinct) than most people think even scientist.

WARNING: Scouts under Buffalo Bill often complained of them snake critters hunkering down with them under their blankets. The snakes sensed and were attracted to the body heat of the sleeping men. According to my research the rattlesnakes weren’t out to inflict their venom but only wanting to hunker down to a warm body. However, beware of all those crawling, critters no matter where your outdoor adventure. See a very important Texas Ranger survival trick – Shake, Check And Look in this blog segment.

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Antelope A Comin’: Buffalo Bill’s scouting party used a survival trick to successfully hunt antelope. A scout named Jim Barber had no problem insuring the scouting party had plenty of meat on their way to Pike’s Peak. If the favored buffalo meat wasn’t available, antelope were everywhere. Jim would lie in the brush. Laying there hidden, he’d wave his handkerchief from the end of his whipping stick. The antelope were sure enough curious and closed on the waving handkerchief. The antelope was savvy.

While it closed on the handkerchief it circled on it probably trying to get a downwind scent. The curious antelope would continue to close on the waving handkerchief and stomp its hooves. When the antelope was within range, Jim Barber dropped the antelope with a rifle shot.

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Countering Killer Hypothermia: The scouting party had a technique to counter hypothermia. They were hit by a storm so fierce they tied their team to the wagon and anchored down the wagon with several ropes. Everyone was soaking wet.

Buffalo Bill told one of his scouts to join him to sleep together to fight-off the cold. He said “Come on Davy, I’m going to sleep. Crawl in and we’ll shiver ourselves warm.” None of the scouts had a change of dry clothes.

I myself (Infantry soldier – 82^nd Airborne) used this same technique in the dead of winter. I wasn’t soaking wet but it was freezing or worse. A Sergeant ordered me to take cover under a poncho liner** with another Private.

I didn’t like the idea of sleeping next to another soldier but it was one of those many many times I thought I was going to die because I was so cold. Believe it or not we both got warmer and got a few hours of sleep. But I have to say, in a cold weather environment when you’re soaking wet, probably the worst thing you could do is get in a bedroll wearing wet clothes. You’re screaming for killer hypothermia to end your life.

Always have an extra pair of dry clothes secured in water-proof wrapping – containers.

Note: Buffalo Bill and scouts were venturing throughout the Great Plains. And within the Great Plains is a corridor called Tornado Alley. It’s an area where there’s a good chance unexpected and unpredictable tornados will spawn, grow, and destroy property & kill the innocent without any warning or mercy.

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Military Poncho Liner: Back in late 1973, when assigned to the 82^nd Airborne out of Fort Bragg, NC, one of my many items of military equipment was a camouflaged military poncho liner. The infantry, especially the airborne infantry is a miserable job. But that poncho liner helped make it a little bit less miserable many many times.

I don’t know exactly what that thing was made of but it was a LIFE SAVER. That baby kept me warm when it was cold, when I was soaking wet and EVEN when I was soaking wet and the poncho liner was soaking wet!!! If you can get ahold of an authentic military poncho liner – get one. It weighs next to nothing and that baby will keep you warm.

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Go Static Before Dark: The Texas Rangers carried on with their mission. One procedure they always executed was to STOP AND MAKE CAMP 02-HOURS BEFORE SUNSET!

Let me pause real quick. I’ve always stated this same policy to go static (make camp) 02-hours before dark. You have no business wandering around at night unless you really know what the heck you’re doing and you have a partner with you or you’re in a group.

Listen, the Texas Rangers used this as a ruse while in hostile injun environment. This is what they really did:

Stop 02-hours prior to dark
Make camp (Rangers had their own Priorities of Work and job assignments like gathering wood, feeding & watering the horses, getting game for dinner,…
Eat dinner
Wait till dark and saddle-up and ride for 01 more hour off their original direction.
After riding 01-hour, they would find the most secluded spot to a clandestine camp.
02-hours before sunrise, the Texas Rangers were already up and roaming the frontier. They were up early cause those injuns liked attacking at night using the limited visibility to their advantage. And modern battle tactics still use this same night fighting tactic to this very day!

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Texas Ranger Snakebite Remedy: On their way back to San Antonio, Texas – Texas Ranger Nelson Lee stopped and got off his horse to be struck by in his own words an “enormous rattlesnake” – it struck him in the ankle. Another Texas Ranger nearby, a Spaniard saw everything and immediately went to Nelson’s aid.

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STOP STOP STOP STOP

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Throughout my survival work since 1991, I’ve come across many snakebite remedies from all over the world and throughout history used by the Real Survivors, and I’ve annotated them in my AASNs (Newsletters) and Survival Books like the one at the end of this blog post.

The Texas Ranger Snakebite Remedy is one of the 02 best snakebite remedies I’ve come across. The other I named after one of my subscribers and it’s called the Lyon’s Snakebite Remedy. Of all the snakebite remedies I’ve come across, these 02 are tied for 1^st Place!

Both are annotated in my book (see below) – “239+ Texas Ranger, Pioneer, Old West,… Survival Tricks And More!” These snakebite remedies are worth 10,000-times the price of these books because they could SAVE YOUR LIFE!

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Texas Ranger Mind-Over-Matter: I tell my subscribers how I use a Mind-Over-Matter application to ignore cold weather where most others would complain and be overcome by the nagging frigid temperatures – “Author’s Own Mind-Over-Matter Application To IGNORE Cold Weather! Thinking Of The Past!” It’s called The Art Of Suffering. But most folks know it as “being weathered.” And the weathered Texas Rangers were also immune to hot and frigid weather that could kill ordinary men; so much that their foes (Indians) feared them. Here’s a quote to support this: “…and if, in pursuit of the foe, they get out of rations, they can subsist on game, being dexterous hunters. What are privations, suffering and danger to them, in comparison with the plaudits of their fellow citizens…? They are accustomed to the heat of the prairies, and the severe Northers to which we are subject.

They need no tents to shelter their sturdy frames from the night winds, but are content with the earth for a bed and a blanket for covering. Such a force as this, continually on the alert, will be a terror to a savage.”

Those Texas Rangers – in their minds were very confident in surviving harsh weather because they passed many previous “tests” before. They didn’t “mind” and the weather didn’t “matter!”

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Shake, Check And Look: Of the ’09 survival tricks used by texas rangers and pioneers’ I use this one all the time.

Texas Rangers always shook, checked, and looked. For what? In the Texas territory living out in that hostile environment you had to shake your bedroll, check your boots and look around you for venomous snakes, venomous scorpions, venomous scorpions, and a cactus nicknamed the “horse crippler” (Echinocactus texenis) that would maim a horse in a second. And it hasn’t changed. Whether it’s a short stay or a long stay in any desert environment anywhere in the world, you better Shake, Check, and Look like the Texas Rangers!

Most Important Note: The bad ass savvy Texas Rangers employed ‘Shake, Check And Look’ all the time and YOU should too. I (author) live an an old house that was built in 1971. And I gotta tell you, this place is a magnet for all types of spiders. Most are harmless.

But one spider that will send you to the hospital is the venomous Brown Recluse spider. Once it bites you, the skin at the bite site will eventually rot away if you don’t do anything about it.

I myself have used the famous Texas Ranger ‘Shake, Check And Look’ and have found Brown Recluse Spiders in my clothing and while cleaning my house. So, now you know so You’re Ready Anytime Anywhere!

Most Very Important Note: Earlier you read a teaser blog post about Texas Ranger Snakebite Remedy and I also gave you a hint about the Lyon’s Snakebite Remedy.

Well guess what? The bad unknown to everyone – except my subscribers (YOU), Lyon’s Snakebite Remedy can also remedy bites from venomous spiders like the Brown Recluse Spider, Black Widow Spider,… See My Survival Book at the end of this blog post. See “239+ Texas Ranger, Pioneer, Old West,… Survival Tricks And More!” at the end of this blog post. Now let’s carry-on with Mormon Food Saver.

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Mormon Food Saver: Mormon’s used this food saver about 158-years ago and this food saver was passed down to home-working Mothers all across North America who told their kids who told their kids and it’s used today as a very safe insect repellent for food. If you lay out flour, oatmeal, hard pasta (noodles, spaghetti, vermicelli,…), even in their closed box containers, they’ll eventually be invaded by small worms that eat everything in sight.

I’ve retrieved boxes of once hard pasta where these worms turned everything that remained into dust. Other boxes I inspected that were just barely infested with these worms are worthless and should be thrown away in a non-survival situation.

Mormon’s over 158-years ago and modern savvy folks today use a herb that protects foods and repels these worms and other insects – it’s called bay leaves. Yes, bay leaves. That’s all there is too it. Whether the bay leaves are fresh off the vine or bone dry, they repel all types of worms and insects that go after flour, oatmeal, pasta,…

Plus, as you may already know, bay leaves are used for seasoning. So next time you store any food, place bay leaves in the containers. However, your best bet is to place long-term type foods in airtight impenetrable containers (airtight glass jars). Cardboard boxes are for short-term storage only and them worm critters will eventually penetrate any type of cardboard box.

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01-Mile Long Range Shooting: Buffalo hunters of the 1800s engaged buffalo at ranges no 10 Indian arrows combined could reach. To engage buffalo after buffalo without the heard stampeding off, the buffalo hunters shot from downwind into each buffalo. Shooting from downwind, the buffalo couldn’t smell the human scent nor the gunpowder with their super sensitive noses that warned them of danger.

To steady their rifles, they secured their rifles on forked sticks that were securely held in the ground. The barrel lay on the joint of the forked stick complimenting the hunters’ other marksmanship fundamentals that were a necessity to engage buffalo at long ranges.

To reach their target at long ranges, many buffalo hunters initially used a 07-pound* Sharps weapon they called the Big Fifty or Old Poison Slinger. It fired a 50. caliber (1/2-inch) bullet that had a maximum range of 5-miles with a maximum effective range of approximately 1-mile (1,600 meters). The bullets used were factory loaded but buffalo hunters that re-loaded their own bullets turned out to be better marksmen.

The $80 to $100 rifle was top of the line and their marksmanship was second to none. Hey, with kazillions of buffalo to shoot at they had plenty of practice. *The Sharps heavy caliber rifle was continuously improved and final models in that era weighed up to 16-pounds.

1st Note: Some US Army Special Forces snipers use a set of 03-sticks (01-foot each) secured together about 03-inches from their tops. The 03 sticks are spread-out to form a T-Pee stand. The sharpened 03-legs are secured in the ground and the weapon barrel rests on top of the 03-sticks where they’re joined with their tops.

2nd Note: The 2nd sniper school I (author) attended, we were taught to reload our own ammunition that was TAILORED specifically to our own sniper system. Turns out the tailored ammunition shot better than issued National Match and Special Ball ammunition.

3rd Note: And while I’m at it, here’s how we used rice to improve marksmanship. We took about 02 to 03 cups of rice and secured it in a loose plastic bag (water-proofing). Then we put that bag of rice in an OD green sock and tied a knot on the sock that formed a ball. When taking up the prone firing position, the bag of rice is placed under the stock. Minute changes of elevation (increase or decrease) are done by barely squeezing the bag or manipulating it. Rice is used because it molds and holds to changes during the engagement process. Plus, it can be used as an emergency food source!

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Cavalry Soldier Water Finding: Cavalry soldiers looking for water searched for water in specific areas. They looked for mud in a stream bed and that’s where they dug. They dug into the wet dirt hoping to dig down far enough to find a continuous flow of trickling water.

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Cavalry Soldiers Fighting Hypothermia: At times, patrolling soldiers were trapped in blizzards. With killer hypothermia a serious threat, officers had to literally whip their men with a horse whip to keep them moving to prevent hypothermia. See

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Winter Storm Sky Weather Forecasting: Say you’re in the mountains during the winter months and that particular day is mild. How do you know if a winter storm is brewing right on top of you?

Here’s how the old west cowboys figured a winter storm was about trap them in place. They had 02 options – hunker down, or GET THE HECK OUT OF THERE to a safer area! The clues were a combination of the following:

a) Clear blue sky
b) Lack of animal movement on the ground
c) Lack of birds in the sky. Lack of birds squawking like they usually do.

Hey, them smart critters innately know when to get the heck out of Dodge. So if you see a clear blue sky, the strange absence of critters, or they’re acting crazy – odds are something is coming your way (snow storm, firestorm, hurricane, tornado,…), so follow their lead and GET OUT to a safer area.

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Donner Party 1^st Weather Forecasting Technique: 31 October 1846, the axle of George Donner’s wagon broke. Cutting timber to fix it, George cut his hand. The remaining Donner Party pushed-on towards the summit with George and his family catching up.

That evening John Breen wrote in his diary “…it was sundown. The weather was clear but a large circle around the moon indicated an approaching storm.”

Let’s pause for a second. Let me tell you about “Halo” weather forecasting trick and here’s a quote from one of my Newsletters: A halo around the sun or moon means that cirrostratus clouds made up of ice crystal (potential precipitation) may indicate snow or rain depending the time of year. The brighter the halo around the sun or moon the greater probability of snow or rain. With a halo, there is a 66% chance that it will rain or snow within 12 to 18 hours! John Breen saw that halo around the moon – guess what happened?

That very night it began to snow. That morning on 01 November 1846, the Donner Party in panic made a bolt for the pass but the higher up they got, the deeper the snow. They were met with up to 05-feet of snow. The trail disappeared, the steep trail slick, the wagons – oxen couldn’t climb. They were only 150-miles from Sutter’s Fort, California.

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Can’t Stay Awake Concoctions: Back in the western days (1800s) here’s what cowboys on cattle drives did to stay awake not only for cattle rustlers, but also for stampede prevention and those Indians on the war path.

They called it the “rouser”, they’d put some chew (tobacco) in their mouth and eventually created tobacco juice. The tobacco juice would be placed under their eyelids. It would initially sting but it did the job to keep them awake!

Here’s another trick I personally used in the US Army Ranger School during City Week, where on an average, I estimated Ranger students average about 03-hours of sleep per 24-hours throughout the entire 02-month in-the-dirt leadership course. I got the following ingredients from the accessory packs from C-rations.

I took 01-part coffee grains, 01-part sugar, and 01-part cream and mixed them together. I then placed about a tablespoon in my mouth between the cheek and gum. It worked real good! During the Darby Phase (after City Week), my body barely started to adjust to the lack of sleep and long non-stop hours. You must get the Book – American Elite Fighters – Are US Tax Payers Getting Their Money’s Worth? See Below.

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MOST IMPORTANT NOTE: Now that you read & viewed ’09 survival tricks used by texas rangers and pioneers’ – You’re Ready Anytime Anywhere. However, before you go out on your next outdoor adventure, please re-read “How To Plan Your Outdoor Adventure!”

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– 09 survival tricks used by texas rangers and pioneers