Finding actual ways to maintain our existence in extreme cases of emergency situations is a taxing problem for the survivalist. The responsibility of providing the necessities of life for ourselves and our families is a great burden to all of us. While traveling and once we arrive at our retreat it becomes even more important to know how to obtain continuous food reserves over a period of time. Spear fishing can certainly act as one of these resources for fresh food.
Spear fishing has been portrayed as vital part of the outdoors culture for literally hundreds if not thousands of years as a source of valuable food. The great part of spear fishing is that it does not require an abundance of special equipment but rather all that may be needed is a sharpened spear. These pieces of equipment can be obtained at any sporting goods store or through one of the dive centers in your local area.
The procedure is really very simple and can be performed in one of several ways. The first method is to simply stand in a shallow pool of water and watch as a fish approaches. Another means of spear fishing can take place in shallow water with snorkeling equipment. Lastly, you can go all out and employ scuba diving gear. Keep in mind that with this increased gear comes elevated training and licensing that the simple standing in water with your spear gun does not require. You can often discover scuba and snorkeling classes in your local vicinity. It can not be stressed enough that knowing how to properly dive is important for your safety when you go spear fishing under water.
When you practice for using your spear fishing equipment and develop the necessary skills for its use you should keep in mind that certain rules and regulations may apply. Granted that in an emergency situation we would and could disregard many of the wildlife rules and regulations but until such time it is best to comply completely with both the city and state laws as they are set forth. In some locations this equipment may be considered illegal while in other locations you may be restricted to harpoon or similar devices. Not knowing could cost you some very healthy fines so it is best to check before hand.
A trip to the sporting goods store will reveal several types of spears and the related spear guns available for both fresh water and salt water spear fishing. Traditionally, spear fishing used simple trident shaped barbed hooks on the three ends of the spear. The trident was made from wood or some other lightweight metal and consisted of sharpened tips on each of its three prongs. There are usually two main styles of spear guns which you can purchase. The first is powered by a rubber band setup which releases the spear. The second one is pneumatic or air powered. Most pneumatic type guns can be quickly reloaded and requires no outside source of air since its air is contained in the chamber. Various sizes of spears are available that can be the size of an arrow and up.
If you have decided you would like to dive while spear fishing you will need to plan your budget accordingly. You will find that you need to purchase snorkeling or scuba gear as well as obtaining some training in your equipments use before you can get started. Since your scuba equipment will represent an important investment in your well being it is important that you double check it each time you dive in order to ensure it is working properly. As a true survivalist and diver you should always carry on you some sort of protective equipment in the event of an underwater entanglement, to kill a speared fish or perhaps a shark encounter, therefore it is recommended that you always maintain a sharp knife when spear fishing. Should you decide that you wish to fish in the murky deeper type waters you should consider a spear gun which is made for spearing fish that are close by you.
While scuba diving you should be aware that some areas are home to a variety of sharks and the mere act of killing fish in those water will more then likely attract these creatures rather quickly. You should find out what the best method is to kill the fish without undo attraction for the local sharks. In the same sense you should brush up on shark knowledge prior to going spear fishing. Some types of sharks are less aggressive when compared to other types and even those which are aggressive can be successfully dealt with when not in their attack mode. Properly knowing which types of shark you may be dealing with will help you determine your course of action when you encounter these underwater creatures.
Maintenance of both your spear guns and your spears is important if you plan to use them often. You should always oil your spear gun regularly even if you do not use it. Remove any accumulations of water as well as the dirt or sand from your gun after you have used it in order to keep it functioning properly. If your gun has rubber on it you should check the rubber for wear on a regular basis. Worn rubber hoses interfere with your spear guns operation and make it unsafe.
Spears and spear guns should always be treated as if they were a weapon especially when children are around. You can purchase locking mechanisms specifically designed for spear guns to prevent small children from pulling the trigger mechanism. Make sure that you store your tridents and traditional spears far from the reach of your children to avoid any unfortunate accidents.
