Surviving the Werewolf Apocalypse: A Guest Post by Jason McKinney

Today I present you a guest post from Jason McKinney; a family man, a good friend, an all around stand out chap, and one hell of a writer! He’s currently touring in support of his book Dog World – an apocalyptic tale that will make you think twice about what you know of werewolves. Here’s at little more about the book:

“It is the summer of 2005, near Tikrit, Iraq. Captain Paul Demarti is the executive officer of communications when a report is received from a patrol that is incredible, at best, or ridiculous, at least. The patrol begins to report hostile contact with giant canine-like creatures when the communication is suddenly cut off. Little does Demarti know that these transmissions will change the course of his life and commence events that will threaten humanity’s existence. In Jason McKinney’s furiously fast-paced and viciously fanged Dog World, it’s werewolves versus soldiers stationed in Iraq, with no less than the fate of humankind hanging in the balance. In a werewolf action thriller like no other, bloodlust reigns and battles rage as a few of America’s bravest struggle to suppress an enemy who is stronger, more cruel, and, at the onset, far hairier than any terrorist they have ever known. Readers craving a compelling, craven story that is coursing with humor will relish sinking their teeth into Dog World.”

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Sounds intriguing doesn’t it?? Stay tuned after Jason’s guest post for links on where you can pick it up!

Surviving the Werewolf Apocalypse: Four Tips from Expert Jason McKinney

I believe knowing how to survive a werewolf apocalypse is just as important as knowing how to survive a zombie apocalypse, a natural disaster, or your in-laws staying with you for an extended period of time. The truth of the matter is that if you’re not prepared to deal with a werewolf dominated society, then you’re just a walking Porterhouse steak. This guide reads, in large part, like any other survival guide, but I’ve added a few tips that will help you prepare for when werewolves, or “poodles” as I call them in Dog World, launch their offensive.

Communication:

The definition of communication isn’t limited to knowing how to talk to your spouse, partner, or kids. It also means having a way to communicate with the outside world. Whether or not you decide to talk to other survivors is up to you, but you will need a radio capable of receiving the Emergency Broadcast Network and/or private broadcasters in the event of a lycanthropic attack. This is extremely important. When rescue shelters are set up you’ll need to be able to receive updates pertaining to any shelters that have been overrun with hostiles or are at capacity.

You should think like the military. Planning and information gathering from the world at large is essential. Many private citizens will have ham radios, broadcasting information, so pay attention to the situation around your location. Be advised that some incoming info may be bad so always go with your gut when analyzing or responding to outside communications. A good radio and an analytical method for processing incoming information will help you to plan for worst and best case scenarios while on the move. Communication and information equals situational awareness.

Food:

Most survival experts say three to four months of rations for a family of four is needed in the event of any catastrophe. If you have a family of five or more, then I’d stock up with four to five months worth. Staples like peanut butter, crackers, canned vegetables, canned fruit and bottled water are no-brainers. Ramen noodles (some people love them, my 7 year-old is one of them) are a good, inexpensive item to keep in stock. Rice, oatmeal, various packaged noodles, and dry cereals are also good to have plenty of. Those items can be stored in Ziploc bags for easy transport and can be snacked on as a dry food that will expand to fill you up.

Fresh or bottled water is a must. Go with the three to four month plan for a base set up then expand on that a little at a time. It also couldn’t hurt to prepare for a time when you’re constantly on the move. For those times you will want to have desalination kits or water purification tablets on hand so you can purify nearly any water source. They are available at many sporting good stores or on the Internet. These are very handy to have especially if you take to sea or live near an ocean. Remember to always sanitize your water sources. Werewolf physiology doesn’t have a problem drinking directly from a filthy river, but your body does.

When it comes to cooking or sterilizing metal implements, Sterno tabs or Sterno chafing fuel is great. You can use these in the field and, if you’re careful, indoors. The tabs can be found at military surplus stores or online and the chafing fuel can be found at most big wholesale shops like Costco or Sam’s Club. These are cost efficient and easily portable for heating any food stuff you might have.

Lastly, if you have the money to spend on supplies then military issued Meal, Ready-to-Eat, or MREs, are excellent for emergency planning. The pouches contain everything from an entrée to toilet paper and in some instances water powered entrée heaters. MREs come in a variety of choices and it’s my understanding that a Vegan menu has been added to the MRE list.

Guns and ammo:

It’s more than a magazine, it’s something you need. Like surviving a rise of the undead population you’ll need a firearm, proper training, and at least 400 rounds of ammunition for your weapon of choice.

In time you’ll have more than werewolves to deal with as you travel to safety. There will be human raiding parties to deal with as well. When dealing with hostile werewolves and humans the phrase to remember is escape and evasion. Unless you’re in a group of 20 or more, you should never engage lycans head on. Werewolves have and always will have an advantage over humans. Mentally they operate from both a human and wolf understanding. You should only attempt to fight them if no other alternatives are left. If you have to engage lycans remember to never open fire at a distance. You’ll only be wasting your ammo. When it comes time, engage lycan attackers at 20 feet or less. Make your shots count and always aim for the eyes. Werewolves have a wider cranium than humans, and their eyes and forehead make for perfect kill zones. Werewolves are not invulnerable. They can be killed.

As it was pointed out to me recently, crossbows are also good short range weapons suitable for hunting and minor defense. Crossbow ammo is reusable and can be replenished from nature. Never discount a weapon just because it doesn’t go bang or lacks a trigger.

Sanitation:

Everyone knows that cleanliness is important in day-to-day living, but in the event of a lycan overthrow you have to change your thinking. Manufactured deodorants, body wash, and toothpaste will be detrimental to your survival. A werewolf’s olfactory senses are legendary and the smell of today’s hygiene products will set you apart from your surroundings. The best thing to do is learn how to manufacture everyday hygiene needs from nature. It can be done. We’ve made toothpaste, deodorant, and soaps from natural ingredients that work just as well, if not better in some cases, than items bought from any store.

Learning natural personal hygiene is vital to surviving werewolves. You must smell as close to nature as you possibly can and these items not only keep you fresh, but they also mask your scent. Believe me when I say that choosing natural body odor over these items won’t save you. Your natural body odor will draw werewolves to your location just as surely as walking around smelling like Degree or Ivory soap. I say again, your natural odor will work against you. My best advice is to think like hunters. Many mask their scents while hunting to keep from alerting their prey to their presence. This tactic will work as well for masking your presence from werewolves.

If you follow these guidelines during Werewolf Apocalypse-Day then you’ll make it through to the end.

My unending thanks to everyone for reading, and to Julianne for allowing me to guest post.

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About the Author ~ Jason McKinney is a writer and storyteller. A busy husband and father of three, he started writing fiction in his spare time for his wife. Dog World is the written answer to his seven-year-old daughter’s questions: Are there any good werewolves and what do they do when they aren’t hairy? McKinney is also the author of the zombie comedy, Memoirs of the Walking Dead: A Story from the Zombies Point of View. He resides in Madison with his family and seven pets. Also available is his children’s novel of a canine sheriff in Nebraska, Sheriff Teddy and the Mysterious Egg Thieves.