What is tularemia?

Tularemia (Rabbit fever)


Tularemia is an illness caused by a bacteria, Francisella tularensis, which can affect both animals and humans. Most cases occur during the summer months when deerflies and ticks are abundant and the early winter months during rabbit hunting season. During hunting season, illness usually results from skinning infected rabbits.

Who gets tularemia?

Anyone can get tularemia if they spend time outdoors in areas where infected animals, deerflies or ticks, can be found. Rabbit hunters, trappers, and laboratory workers exposed to the bacteria are at higher risk.

How is tularemia spread?

The most common way tularemia is spread is by the bite of an infected blood sucking insect such as a deerfly or tick. Another way people get tularemia is by getting blood or tissue from infected animals (especially rabbits) in their eyes, mouth, or in cuts or scratches on the skin. Tularemia can also be spread by handling or eating rabbit meat that is not cooked well. Drinking contaminated water or breathing dust containing the bacteria can also spread tularemia. Person to person spread does not occur.

What are the symptoms of tularemia?

The usual symptoms of tularemia are fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, chest pain, and coughing. If tularemia is caused by the bite of an infected insect or from bacteria entering a cut or scratch, it usually causes a skin ulcer and swollen glands. Eating or drinking food or water containing the bacteria may produce a throat infection, stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. Breathing dust containing the bacteria may cause a pneumonia-like illness.

How soon do symptoms appear?

Symptoms may appear between two and ten days, most often within three to five days.

What is the treatment for tularemia?

Antibiotics such as streptomycin and gentamicin are used to treat tularemia.

What can be done to prevent the spread of tularemia?

1. Persons at risk should reduce chances for insect bites by wearing protective clothing, and by searching for ticks often and removing attached ticks immediately. Tick/insect repellents containing "DEET" provide additional protection. Permethrin is also helpful when sprayed onto clothing.
2. Children should be discouraged from handling sick or dead rabbits, or other possibly infected animals.
3. Gloves should be worn when skinning or handling animals, especially wild rabbits.
4. Wild rabbit meat should be thoroughly cooked.
5. Face masks, gowns, and rubber gloves should be worn by those working with cultures or infective material in a laboratory.

Where can I get more information?

* Your personal doctor
* Your local health department, listed in the telephone directory
* The Utah Department of Health, Bureau of Epidemiology (801) 538-6191

UTAH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
BUREAU OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
August 2001

If we had waited until freezing weather to kill 'em in the desert I grew up in, we'd have had a long wait...

But we religiously avoided hunting them for food in the summer anyway. My dad taught us not to eat them in the months that "don't have an 'R' for rabbit," as he put it. That would be May, June, July and August; and we usually threw in September to be sure. I don't know whether that was just a tradition brought from colder climes by earlier generations of the family, or whether it actually makes a difference in this area too...

Thanks Troy2000

GunandGame.com

Cheese Dipped for Long-Term Storage

I've been taking a 3-week food storage class at Honeyville Farms. I thought I knew a lot about food storage, well, I guess I don't. I learn something new every day at work from customers and I am gleaning a boat-load from this class. I am definitely using this idea. ~Karin


Cheese Dipped for Long-Term Storage
-Use Mild Cheese-


To dip cheese in wax, follow these steps:

1. Divide 5 lb. loaf of cheese into portions your family will eat in ONE day.
2. To melt cheese wax, you will be using the double-boiler method. Place water in tall stock pot, filling a little over half way. Wash empty #10- can, removed label and place can in pot of boiling water.
3. Put chunk of cheese wax in #10 can and let melt completely.
4. Take cheese sections and arrange the sections in the same pattern on the cookie sheet. This will help you remember where you are in the dipping process.
5. Take the section of cheese and dip it into the cheese wax. It will cover approximately half of the section. Take that section and FLIP it so the wax side is on top. Take the next section and do the same first dip.
6. After all first dips are done, grab the section by the waxed part and dip and opposite side of the cheese section. Make sure you SLIP tat section up each time. Continue this process until all sections are dipped again.
7. Now, do each of the sides, and then the middle. Now you have your FIRST layer of wax on each cheese section. All part of the cheese should be covered at this point.
8. Do the previous steps again, repeating TWO more times.
9. Once the sections are dipped THREE times, store sections in Square bucket with lid in cool, dry place for 8-10 years!

Can you believe that? 8 to 10 years!!! Yippee!

~Karin

Flour Torillas - How to's and What to's

FLOUR TORTILLAS

Recipe

Makes 8 8-inch tortillas, maybe takes 1 to 1-1/2 hours from start to finish, including resting time (for you and the dough).

2 cups AP flour (AP = all purpose)(or anything else you have ground - i.e. rice, wheat, beans, etc)
1/4 cup shortening
2/3 cup warm water
1 tsp salt

Cut shortening into flour. Dissolve salt in warm water, then add gradually to flour mixture. Mix until dough begins to form. Turn onto floured surface and knead about 3 minutes. Divide ball into 8 smaller balls. Cover balls with plastic wrap and rest at least 30 minutes (mine ended up resting for 2 hours). Heat cast iron pan over medium/medium high heat. Preheat over on low (~200 degrees). On floured surface, roll out ball until about 8 inch in diameter. Grill in dry pan, 30 seconds on each side. I flipped mine a couple of times until done. I held tortillas in warm oven between towel and pizza stone (or whatever you have) while cooking the rest.

Now that you know how to make them - what to do with them?

• Breakfast Burritos with cheese, sausage, hash browns and scrambled eggs. When my kids were in high school I would make these and freeze them. They'd grab one, put it in the microwave and then off to school.
• Chicken Divan Enchiladas with creamy sauce; sour cream and cream cheese.
• Cut tortillas into small triangles, bake, and use a chips for nachos.
• Beef Burritos with all of the fixings.
• Spread cheese on top of one, top it with another tortilla, then top with favorite pizza toppers.
• Pork Asada Tacos using Shirley J Park Seasoning, cabbage, and lime.
• Cherry Empanadas: fill with cherry pie filling, deep fry, and sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar. (Use with a myriad of fillings such as apple pie filling, Nutella, cream, etc.)
• Sloppy Joe Tortillas - not the same as freshly baked buns, but good nonetheless.
• Chicken and Pork Chimichangas - roll up with meat, cheese, and black beans. Deep fry about  minutes.
• Low Fat Turkey Appetizers - spread low fat cream cheese, diced green chilies, a teaspoon salsa, fiely diced black olives, salt and pepper to taste, turkey lunch meat. Roll up tightly and cut into bite sized wedges. Great for game day munchies!
• Cut into fine strips, season, then bake and top with your favorite taco or tortilla soup.
• Banana Tortilla: Spread with peanut butter, drizzle honey, then roll up with a banana. So decadent!
• Cinnamon Crispies: cut into fourths, fry til crisp, sprinkle cinnamon/sugar & eat warm!
• Mexican Lasagna: Instead of using noodles, use the tortilla shells. Make sauce as usual except add a pinch of taco seasoning. Assemble in layers the same way, bake, When done, top with fresh diced tomatoes, black olives, shredded lettuce, dollops of sour cream.
• Peach Cobbler: Use any traditional cobbler recipe, except instead of the dumpling dough,top peaches with criss-cross strips of tortillas. Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar and place 6 pats of butter. Bake as you normally would.
• My favorite - Nati's Quesadilla. I grew up in a little (at the time) community of Ocean Beach in San Diego. Our favorite restaurant, to this day, is Nati's. They fry their tortillas and then sprinkle cheese on top and let it melt. Greasie and wonderful. (Now, why did I move to Utah?)
• And since we're talking "frying," fry (or bake) one up for your taco salad.

I hope you try some of these new and fun ideas. Get some variety in your life! ~Karin

Humorous Comparison of an AK47, an AR15 and a Mosin

Written by Head of the old Headsbunker.com, also known as "Ezra Coli" on the various message boards.
There's an ever present, unending debate over which is best, ARs or AKs, raging across the internet and in gun shops every day sending bile and bitter insults spewing both ways. This debate has turned fathers against sons, best friends against one another, and........well you get the point. The author is of the opinion that there are of course pros and cons to each family of rifle, and I refuse to engage in what is "best". As one who loves them all, especially the AK and AR series, I thought I'd pass on some of the knowledge I have gained over the years concerning these wildly different weapons. As a bonus, I'll toss in my knowledge of another favorite family of weapons at the Bunker, just because they are very popular these days and I often ramble about them. So, here, for the aid of those hammering one another in the debate, is some unbiased, non-slanted, untainted raw knowledge about the AK, the AR, and the Mosin Nagant.

Stuff you know if you have an AK.	Stuff you know if you have an AR	Stuff you know if you have a Mosin Nagant
It works though you have never cleaned it. Ever.	You have $9 per ounce special non-detergent synthetic teflon infused oil for cleaning.	It was last cleaned in Berlin in 1945.
You are able to hit the broad side of a barn from inside.	You are able to hit the broad side of a barn from 600m.	You can hit the farm from two counties over.
Cheap mags are fun to buy.	Cheap mags melt.	What's a mag?
Your safety can be heard 300m away.	You can silently flip off the safety with your finger on the trigger.	What's a safety?
Your rifle comes with a cheap nylon sling.	Your rifle has a 9 point stealth tactical suspension system.	Your rifle has dog collars.
Your bayonet makes a good wire cutter.	Your bayonet is actually a pretty good steak knife.	Your bayonet is longer than your leg.
You can put a .30" hole through 12" of oak, if you can hit it.	You can put one hole in a paper target at 100m with 30 rounds.	You can knock down everyone else's target just from the shock wave of your bullet going downrange.
When out of ammo, your rifle will nominally pass as a club.	When out of ammo, your rifle makes a great whiffle bat.	When out of ammo, your rifle makes a supreme war club, pike, boat oar, tent pole, or firewood.
Recoil is manageable, even fun.	What's recoil?	Recoil often used to relocate shoulders thrown out by the previous shot.
Your sight adjustment goes to '10', and you've never bothered moving it.	Your sight adjustment is incremented in fractions of minute of angle.	Your sight adjustment goes to 12 miles and you've actually tried it.
Your rifle can be used by any two bit nation's most illiterate conscripts to fight elite forces worldwide.	Your rifle is used by elite forces worldwide to fight two bit nations most illiterate conscripts.	Your rifle has fought against itself and won every time.
Your rifle won some revolutions.	Your rifle won the cold war.	Your rifle won a pole vault event.
You paid $350.	You paid $900.	You paid $59.95.
You buy cheap ammo by the case.	You lovingly reload precision crafted rounds one by one.	You dig your ammo out of a farmer's field in Ukraine and it works just fine.
You can intimidate your foe with the bayonet mounted.	Your foes laugh when you mount your bayonet.	You can bayonet your foe on the other side of the river without leaving the comfort of your hole.
Service life, 50 years.	Service life, 40 years.	Service Life, 100 years.
Its easier to buy a new rifle when you want to change cartridge sizes.	You can change cartridge sizes with the push of a couple of pins and a new upper.	You believe no real man would dare risk the ridicule of his friends by suggesting there is anything but 7.62x54r.
You can repair your rifle with a big hammer and a swift kick.	You can repair your rifle by taking it to a certified gunsmith, it's under warranty!	If your rifle breaks, you buy a new one.
You consider it a badge of honor when you get your handguards to burst into flames.	You consider it a badge of honor when you shoot a sub-MOA 5 shot group.	You consider it a badge of honor when you cycle 5 rounds without the aid of a 2x4.
After a long day at the range you relax by watching "Red Dawn."	After a long day at the range you relax by watching "Blackhawk Down."	After a long day at the range you relax by visiting the chiropractor. THEN you watch "Enemy at the Gates."
After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for a stiff shot of Vodka.	After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for hotdogs and Apple Pie.	After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for shishkabob.
You can accessorize your rifle with a new muzzle brake or a nice stock set.	Your rifle's accessories are eight times more valuable than your rifle.	Your rifle's accessory is a small tin can with a funny lid, but its buried under an apartment building somewhere in Budapest.
Your rifle's finish is varnish and paint.	Your rifle's finish is Teflon and high tech polymers.	Your rifle's finish is low grade shellac, cosmoline and Olga's toe nails.
Your wife tolerates your autographed, framed picture of Mikhail Kalashnikov.	Your wife tolerates your autographed, framed picture of Eugene Stoner.	You're not sure there WERE cameras to photograph Sergei Mosin.
Late at night you sometimes have to fight the urge to hold your rifle over your head and shout "Wolverines!"	Late at night you sometimes have to fight the urge to clear your house, slicing the pie from room to room.	Late at night, you sometimes have to fight the urge to dig a fighting trench in the yard to sleep in.

There you have it. In the end, it is clear to any open minded inquirer that the Mosin Nagant is the most superior weapon of all time, but the AR and the AK come out as a draw when compared side by side.

Expanded GPS

50th Space Wing completes GPS constellation expansion

6/15/2011 - SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) -- The 50th Space Wing successfully completed a two-phase GPS constellation expansion known as "Expandable 24" June 15. The expansion increased global GPS coverage and is now providing civil, military and commercial GPS users with a more robust signal and a higher probability of signal acquisition in terrain-challenged environments officials said.

The GPS constellation consists of 24 operational slots positioned within six equally-spaced orbital planes surrounding the earth. This plane/slot scheme and enhanced satellite placement ensure GPS users receive the most accurate navigation data at any time, at any place around the world.

"This marks another successful milestone in our continued commitment to modernize our weapon system," said Lt. Col. Jennifer Grant, the 2nd Space Operations Squadron commander. "We take great pride in providing GPS performance that exceeds our requirements for the system, which we have been doing since 1995."

Expandable 24 is a U.S. Strategic Command commander-directed initiative, executed by the 2nd Space Operations Squadron, to reposition six satellites in the current GPS constellation. Given the strength and number of satellites in the current constellation, Air Force Space Command was in a position to enact this strategy to benefit global users. AFSPC acted on this opportunity to increase the robustness of satellite availability and overall signal in space performance by expanding three of the baseline 24 constellation slots.

Phase one of Expandable 24 began in January 2010, when 2nd SOPS members performed maneuvers to reposition three GPS satellites, one of which took 351 days to maneuver. The last of the satellites completed repositioning January 18. Phase two began in August 2010 when 2nd SOPS satellite maneuvered the final three satellites to their new locations. It was completed June 15 when the last satellite arrived at its new location.

"From the planning phases in the fall of 2009 to its completion today, 2nd SOPS operators, engineers, analysts and support personnel have done an incredible job in making the Expandable 24 GPS initiative a reality," said Maj. Benjamin Barbour,the assistant director of operations. "It's an exciting time to be a part of GPS. This is a huge milestone and everyone in the squadron is excited about the accomplishment and proud to have played a part in continuing GPS's position as the 'gold standard' for global navigation space systems."

The GPS constellation has now attained the most optimal geometry in its 42-year history, maximizing GPS coverage for all users worldwide, she said.

(Courtesy of 50th Space Wing Public Affairs)

Wilderness Survival Rifles

By Chuck Hawks Illustration courtesy of Henry Repeating Arms Co. This somewhat arcane subject is sometimes confused with "Rifles for Protection in the Field." But that article, intended as a guide to rifles carried for protection against large, dangerous predators has already been written and can be found at this URL: http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifles_protection_field.htm
This article is about lightweight, takedown rifles that you might use to survive in the wilderness if things go really wrong. After the crash of a bush plane far from civilization, for example, or on a wilderness canoe, kayak, or raft trip after your boat is damaged beyond repair and you must either walk a great distance to safety or survive for an extended period of time before help can be expected to arrive. These are the firearms that you might use for subsistence hunting to help fend off starvation during such an ordeal.
This article is not intended for the hunter far from civilization. He or she would be better off carrying a few extra boxes of ammunition for their primary hunting rifle for use in case of emergency, rather than another entire rifle.
This article is primarily for the explorer, fisherman, photographer, or anyone else who is not in the wilderness primarily to hunt. All of the recommended rifles will be .22 caliber rimfires, as the ammunition is so much lighter than any centerfire cartridge that a far greater number of cartridges can be carried in the same amount of space.
I suppose at this point it is reasonable to ask, "Why a rifle instead of a rimfire handgun, which would be smaller and lighter to carry?" My answer is that if you are an experienced handgun hunter embarking on a non-hunting wilderness expedition, by all means pack a .22 trail gun, or "kit gun" as they used to be called. That is what I carry when I am out camping, fishing or photographing. But most people, including most big game hunters, are simply not sufficiently skilled with a handgun to be able to use a .22 pistol efficiently as a survival tool. If faced with potential starvation, a rifle will better serve them.
The .22 LR should be the cartridge selected for a survival rifle. The object here is to kill small animals and birds for food, not blow them apart with a powerful cartridge. The .22 LR High Velocity (not Hyper Velocity) cartridge loaded with 36-37 grain hollow point bullets is just about perfect for the purpose of harvesting such game. And .22 LR ammunition is so compact that a 50 round box takes up little more space than a single 12 gauge shotgun shell or three .410 shot shells or center fire rifle cartridges.
Clearly, for survival purposes, a takedown rifle with a barrel no longer than 21" will be advantageous. It is simply easier to pack. And space is likely to be at a premium on any wilderness expedition. The survival rifle may be scoped, but iron sights should be provided. There are at least four widely distributed (in the U.S.) .22 rifles that meet these requirements.
There is a pair of well known, classic takedown hunting rifles that meet our size requirement. These are the Grade I Browning Semi-Auto .22 (SA-22), and the takedown version of the single shot Stevens Favorite Model 30 falling block rifle.
And then there are a couple of purpose designed survival rifles, both autoloaders, that are widely available. These are the Marlin Model 70PSS Papoose and Henry U.S. Survival Rifle.
If you are purchasing a rifle solely for emergency survival use, one of the latter is the obvious way to go. If you also want to use your survival rifle as a plinker and small game rifle for recreational shooting, one of the more traditional models would probably be a better choice.
Illustration courtesy of Browning. The Browning Semi-Auto .22 is the highest quality and best general purpose rifle in the group. It is has been used for decades by knowledgeable small game hunters and plinkers who have no particular interest in a survival rifle. This attractive and compact .22 autoloader comes with a polished blue metal finish and a high gloss walnut stock and forend. Its tubular magazine holds 11 rounds. This rifle comes with a 19.25" barrel, weights 5 pounds 3 ounces, and is 37" long when assembled or 19.25" long when taken down. The 2005 MSRP is $535. If you are seeking a fine .22 hunting rifle that can also double as a survival rifle, and you can afford the best, the Browning SA-22 is the way to go.
Illustration courtesy of Savage Arms Co. The Stevens Model 30 Favorite is a slim, under lever falling block design that weighs only 4.25 pounds. It is an external hammer single shot with a blued barreled action and a walnut finished hardwood stock and forend. Loosening a single thumbscrew allows the 21" barrel to be removed from the action. The rifle is 36.75" long when assembled. The 2005 MSRP is $249. There is a review of the Stevens Favorite rifle in .17 HMR on the Product Review Page. For the more traditional hunter/survivalist on a budget, the Favorite deserves a serious look.
Illustration courtesy of Henry Repeating Arms Co. Among the purpose built .22 survival rifles, the Henry is unique. It is the U.S.A.F's quintessential survival rifle, weighing 2.5 pounds and measuring only 16.5" long when disassembled. This is the basic AR-7 design now manufactured by Henry. Its barrel, action, and two magazines store in its waterproof ABS plastic butt stock (there is no forend), and it floats. The steel barrel and action are Teflon coated for rust resistance. The look and feel of its bulbous butt stock has never appealed to me, but the rifle is actually pretty accurate. This autoloader comes with a 16" barrel and an 8 round detachable box magazine. The 2005 MSRP is $199.95 in black or silver; camo finish is an additional $50. A soft plastic carrying case is included.
Illustration courtesy of Marlin FireArms Co. The Marlin Papoose is based on their ubiquitous Model 60 autoloading action, modified for a removable 16.25" stainless steel barrel. Assembled, the Papoose is 35.25" long and weighs only 3.25 pounds. The detachable box magazine holds 7 rounds and the butt stock is injection molded black plastic (there is no forend). The Model 70PSS comes with a padded, floatable, Cordura carrying case. The 2005 MSRP is $318. Once in use, this relatively conventional rifle is probably the more comfortable of the two dedicated survival rifles with which to hunt.
There may be other, lesser known, survival rifles out there that I have failed to include. Until recently, Springfield Arms offered their bizarre M6 swing-action, over/under .22/.410 combination gun. But that ugly duckling is no longer listed on their web site, although extra magazines and accessories are.
The four rifles described above are sold by major American arms companies with national distribution and can be purchased from practically any sporting goods store or gun shop. That alone should make them the top contenders for the survival role, where a rifle absolutely, positively, has to work the first time and every time.

DWB adds:  I have always been an active user and promoter of the Ruger 10 22.  It doesn't break down like some of the others listed and illustrated weapons, but I have found it's size and reliability and accuracy to be unmatched in my use.  I carry one with a 3-9 scope mounted and with that scope fewer rabbits are running around now, than before I acquired this rifle.