Adventure Outdoors Magazine Fall 2017 | Page 88

“Having a weapon is useless if you do not know how to use it, so if you own or are thinking about owning a firearm, make sure you take it out to clean it and use it periodically.” Practice defensive skills. This could not be more necessary, especially if things go super south. Having a weapon is useless if you do not know how to use it, so if you own or are thinking about owning a firearm, make sure you take it out to clean it and use it periodically. Do NOT use your firearm without the proper permits and legal doc- uments that your state will require. You will have to do your research, de- pending on your area’s rules, to make sure that you’re following all of the necessary guidelines. It is highly recommended that you take a professional course at a shooting range, with a licensed instructor, before you purchase a weapon and while you’re training with it. Of course, these are the basic tips for staying alive, and preparing for the worst. Keep in mind that all of these suggestions are solely based on the fact that whatever you’re facing will be a make-it-or- break-it situation, and this skillset should not be taken lightly. Having this knowledge will allow you to breathe easy through the small stuff, and more than likely, make it through the hard stuff, too.