Zombie hunting is not for the faint of heart nor the ill equipped. We are talking about a dangerous quarry that can make your life a living, if not undead, hell. Zombie hunting should not be undertaken as a wanton activity; only engage zombies if it determines your immediate survival or satisfies some critical objective. Your plan of attack must consider your weapons, mobility, geographic and tactical situation as well as your risk of alerting zombies or other, possibly hostile, humans to your location.
Weapons
Hopefully you will have an armory of weapons to choose from, should the Zombie Apocalypse coming calling on your watch. It's actually a good idea to start preparing now so that you will have the best chance of survival when civilization crumbles. You may come across melee weapons, ranged weapons or explosive and incendiary weapons. Never forget that the most potent weapon in your arsenal is your mind. Stay sharp and you'll be able to handle any situation you encounter.
Just a quick word before we dive into a list of weapons. If you have no weapons and you know that zombies are nearby, acquiring a weapon should be one of your top priorities. Even if you have stockpiled weapons, more won't hurt as long as you do not over encumber yourself. Your best chance to get weapons will be raiding retail stores or private residences where you known weapons are. Of course entering any building after a zombie outbreak is extremely dangerous, but that will be covered in this writeup.
- Melee weapons
- Blunt
Blunt weapons are not favored as zombie killing devices due to ineffectiveness against the undead. Zombies need to have their brains destroyed or heads removed in order to end their attacks. Even though zombies have decaying flesh and organs, which is easily damaged by a blunt weapon, if your weapon penetrates into their skin and becomes lodged inside their body, you're in trouble. You either must run away, down a weapon or risk being bitten while you attempt to remove it from their body. Either way, not a good move. The optimum use for these weapons would be finishing blows to an immobilized zombie.
- Claw or Ball Peen Hammer
Pros: Lightweight, easy to find and also functions as a hand tool.
Cons: Not very effective, could easily become lodged in a body.
This will be a very common item in personal residences as well as retail stores such as hardware stores, department stores and even major grocery stores will stock some sort of hammer. While this is a blunt weapon, because of the small size of the head, you stand a good chance of penetrating the zombie's skin. You could easily lodge the head or claw behind a bone and be in serious trouble. If you must attack, strike the zombie high on their head in an attempt to crush their skull or thrash their brain.
- Sledgehammer
Pros: Devastating when it connects, longer handle gives more distance between user and target. Also functions as a hand tool.
Cons: Users cannot repeat strikes as rapidly as smaller hammers; added weight also requires more energy than smaller hammers. No functionality in enclosed spaces.
A less common item to find, but much more effective against zombies. Again, the only incapacitating strike is to the head. The best way to achieve this is with an overhand swing as if you were driving a stake or chopping wood. Determine the length of time it will take you to deliver one swing and then ready yourself for another strike--you will be defenseless until that time. If you are facing multiple zombies on your own, consider using another weapon or running away.
- Crowbar aka Pry bar
Pros: Lightweight, multi-purpose and you look like Gordon Freeman.
Cons: Limited effectiveness against zombies.
Half-life beats no life, so pick one of these up when you can. They are lightweight and will probably have a relatively large contact area due to their linear nature. Consequently, they will not have much crushing for one a zombie head, but they can still be effective. The straight end can be jammed into a zombie's head, or the hook end can be swung downward or horizontally to penetrate a skull--be sure to wiggle it around for good measure and don't be gentle.
Possibly the best feature of a crowbar is its potential as a hand tool. You can use to help lift or move heavy objects that you encounter, as well as pry open doors or grates that block your way. Don't forget about that hooked end either! You can use it as an extension to pick up or drag a person or object that may have fallen just outside your reach.
- Staff
Pros: Lightweight and can be used as a walking stick or basis for other weapons. Extremely versatile.
Cons: Minimum effectiveness without modification, variable durability (when using scavenged wood).
Despite the staff's minimum effectiveness at killing zombies, this weapon is still extremely useful to the survivor. Consider modifying your staff into a edged weapon. Any spare fixed blade knives can become bayonets. If you can find or make a stake or spike for the end of your staff, you can have a formidable weapon. Even if it is just used as a poking stick, a good staff can topple zombies that are advancing up a sharp incline or stairway while other weapons are brought to bear on them.
To turn your staff into a weapon, make sure you have a very strong piece of wood. If you hold one end in each hand and try to bend it, you should not see any deflection. To add a knife for bayonet or spear point, whittle two notches that correspond to the length of the handle blade or shaft on the spear tip. If you have plenty of string, tie one end in one notch and tightly wind it around the staff and knife until you get to the other notch where you should tie it off. At a minimum, tie the knife to the staff using the two notches to help the string dig in. Now you have a polearm that can be jammed through a zombie head or swung to sever a head.
You may also try to whittle a spike on the end of the staff. If the staff is made of a hardwood, this (along with any other whittling) could take considerable time and dull several knives. Do not dull your party's only blade in this endeavor. Remember to always cut away from your body when working with wood.
An overlooked feature of a staff is potential to be used as a fishing pole. If you have not already notched the staff, put one notch near the end and tie on enough string such that you can rest the lure a few inches below the surface of the water but avoid letting the lure lay on the bottom. If you lack true fishing gear, consider making hooks from safety clips or other bits of metal or bone. Bait can be live worms, crickets, bread, a small bit of chewed gum or if all else fails, something shiny or brightly colored that catches the eye.
Even if you only use a staff as a walking stick, consider whittling a handle into it. Alternatively, you can put two notches were you want the handle and tie a piece of rope to the first notch. Wind the rope around the staff so that the coils are flush against one another. Continue winding it around until you can tie the other end to the second notch.
- Baseball bat or any simple club
Pros: Lightweight, easy to find or make.
Cons: Limited effectiveness--no chance of penetrating strike.
Again, the only hope is a crushing blow to the head. Bats can be found in many different weights, so if you find a heavy one, remember wielding it may tire you quickly. A bat has no chance for penetration, so even if you manage to strike a zombie's head, it could take several blows to crush the skull. Plan accordingly.
- Edged Weapons
Edged weapons have several advantages over blunt weapons. Each one has the potential to deliver an incapacitating blow in one shot--no need to crush a head with several blows. Similarly, edged weapons can remove a zombie's arms or legs which will reduce the risk of pressing your attack.
- Knife
Pros: Useful in any situation.
Cons: Only useful in combat at extremely close quarters.
On its own, a knife of any length is not a good choice for combat. You'll either have to decapitate the zombie or plunge the blade into the zombie's head. Both of which require you to be well within the reach of the zombie and close to its undeadly bite. However, if you can fashion a polearm with a staff as described above, you have a much better chance at survival.
The non-combat uses of a knife are limited only by your imagination. Whittling, can opening, prying, shaving, slicing, dicing, the humble knife does it all.
- Machete
Pros: Allows for more distant between user and target than a knife, can easily cut pathways through undergrowth.
Cons: Still requires a certain amount of close quarter engagement.
The machete is quite a bit more effective than a knife. It is designed to be swung which gives it more leverage and the length of the blade allows the user to stand farther away from the target. An advantage of the machete is that you will be able to hack off the hands or arms of a zombie if you are forced to engage it and have no better weapons. Since it will probably be swinging or grabbing for you, the hands tend to present themselves as targets. Once you lop those off, you need only worry about the bite. However, without the chance of grabbing you, the zombie is of a threat as you step in for the coup de grace.
Of course machetes have been used to hack their way through forests for many years. If you must pass through the wilderness, a good machete can reduce your travel time considerably. While most machetes come in a matte black or other dark color, remember that unpainted, shiny machetes are double edges machetes. Light reflecting off a shiny blade can give you position away to friends as well as enemies.
- Hand Axe
Pros: Lightweight, good penetrating power and very useful as a hand tool.
Cons: The short handles still necessitate very close engagement.
A trusty hand axe is a great tool to keep around. You should not have a lot of trouble finding one, but they may be more scarce in certain geographic areas. Their light weight allows them to be used for extended periods of time. They are most effective as skull splitters when swung overhand on a zombie. Due to their weight distribution, concentrated at the head, they are not as gracefully wielded to cut horizontally at necks. Be aware that a metal shaft covered in a rubber handle may slip over time, so do not repeat the cartoon favorite of drawing an axe back and swinging forward only to find that 1) rubber handles are ineffective weapons against zombies and 2) a comrade behind you has an axe sticking out of their face.
Most hand axes are single blade affairs, which means that the other side is hammer, so you get two tools for the price of one! Plus the axe can be used to chop down trees, phone poles, etc in order to help build defensive structures. And while we're covering what hand axes can do, let's cover what they don't do: fly. A standard issue hand axe sucks at being thrown effectively. And as an owner of a throwing axe, let me tell you that you cannot count on them to hit consistently. That is to say that due to their tumbling nature, you may hit the target with just the tip of the blade, the handle or in lucky cases, the actual blade. Plus a throwing axe has a small point on the backside, so you lost the functionality of a hammer. Also, unless the handle is made of a stout hardwood, the area just under the head will tend to snap after repeated use, assuming you can find the axe in the bushes.
- Axes, 3/4 or full size, Log Splitter or Maul
Pros: Devastating when it connects.
Cons: Even lightweight axes require a long time to swing effectively.
Axes, either 3/4 or full size, are effective when they hit a zombie head. However, just as the sledgehammer leaves the user defenseless between swings, axes leave the user vulnerable for relatively long periods of time. What's more, swinging an axe can throw the user off balance and enclosed areas may not allow the user to swing effectively. Log splitters and mauls are even worse because of the significant increase in weight and should only be wielded (if ever) by the strongest party member. However, the increased weight almost guarantees a strike to the head to be incapacitating.
- Sword of any kind
Pros: Usually lightweight, very good effective if used properly.
Cons: Most swords you find will be decorative.
There are two types of sword: one for slashing and one for thrusting. The general rule is that if the blade is curved, it is meant for slashing. In such case, attempt to decapitate a zombie or swing overhand to split its head. Otherwise, the sword is meant for thrusting and you should attempt to skewer the zombie's head. Double bladed swords are usually meant to do both slashing and thrusting, so its use is up to you.
Do note that most swords you'll find are decorative pieces that have absolutely no guarantee on their robustness. But part of surviving anything is simply the will to survive, so if feeling like a mysterious samurai on a mission to eliminate all zombies in his way helps out, grab a katana.
- Shaolin Spade
Pros: Very effective against zombies.
Cons: 6 foot length can be cumbersome.
The Shaolin spade may not be easy to come by in the western hemisphere, but it is a brutally effective. Think of a six foot shovel with a large crescent on the end opposite the shovel head. Now imagine all the metal edges are razor sharp. That's pretty much what we're talking about and boy can it lay the smackdown. If you are in an area open enough to you use the Shaolin spade, swinging it around can decapitate a wave of zombies per revolution. Thrusting with the crescent helps to collar a zombie neck and then slice right through it.
- Chainsaw
Pros: Will cut through a side of beef without flinching.
Cons: Will cut through you without flinching.
Look, I know Ash used one against an entire army of darkness, but you need to throw this shit away. Since zombies feel no pain and only stop when their brain is destroyed, they have the upper hand. You feel pain and you'll stop going when you lop off your own leg. Swinging this around in a room full of undead sounds cool, but you have to hit them in the head. It's too heavy to wield at head height, and when you're swinging it around, there's a good chance you'll become unbalanced and touch it to your own leg or worse. This is more dangerous to you than the zombies, not to mention the need necessity of gasoline and the "LIVE HUMAN HERE!" sound it puts out for the zombies to hear. Pass.
Ranged Weapons
Ranged weapons offer some of the best ways to vanquish the undead. Most every gun out there can blow a brain apart at close range. The drawbacks of course would be the need to carry ammunition, maintaining the weapons and the report of the firearm. While silencers are made for some guns, they are hard to come by. However, human powered ranged weapons are quite stealthy and it may be possible for you to fashion additional ammunition them.
- Shuriken aka Ninja star or any Throwing knife
Pros: You can pretend you're a ninja.
Cons: Everything else.
There's nothing great to be said about these. On the off chance that you can throw them reliably, you're not going to destroy the zombie's brain, unless you have developed exploding ninja stars.
- Bow or Crossbow
Pros: Very quiet operation, possible to make additional ammunition.
Cons: Effectiveness based on user's strength.
There are three main types of bow: traditional, recurve bow and compound bow. An example of a traditional bow would be the English longbow while the recurve bow looks like a traditional bow with tips that bend away from the user. Compound bows are modern day developments that are mainly used for hunting. They are the easiest to use, in that their pulleys can reduce the actual draw weight the user must exert to pull the arrow back while firing the arrow with a force several times the draw weight. Furthermore, some compound bows come with a trigger, so that you do not have to hold the string back before you take a shot.
Unless you come from Sherwood Forest, you will not be able to take down a zombie anywhere near the maximum range of the bow. Still, unless you're getting mobbed, you'll have plenty of time to aim. I would think that even with mild practice, someone with decent hand-eye coordination would become proficient at 50 foot shots.
Crossbows are going to weigh substantially more than bows but pack substantially more firepower. Drawing or cocking mechanisms differ on crossbows but it is safe to say that you will have a slower rate of fire with a crossbow.
Either way, you have a way to make stealthy kills. You can even try to make your own arrows for the bow which can be a blessing itself. Either do it as a time killer when you take a break from practicing, or assign it as a duty to someone in the party who may not be able to otherwise contribute to the group's survival. See how to shoot a bow.
- Pistol or Revolver
Pros: Compact, comparatively lightweight.
Cons: Requires cleaning and ammunition. Could give away location.
Pistols can easily be found at pawn shops, sporting goods stores and some department stores. Please consider that these are likely places to be raided by other people, so accept the fact that you may not find any pistols in such a store. Pistols come in a variety of calibers, ranging from .177 (BB) or .22 all the way up to .500. A .22 can actually bounce off a humans skull, so do not consider .177 or .22 to be an effective weapon unless you're up against zombie hamsters. If you do find a pistol in a store or residence, search for ammunition and take all that your party can comfortably carry. Ammunition type does not matter very much since you'll be going for headshots anyway. Also seek out any cleaning supplies that may accompany the pistol.
Note that a revolver is normally reloaded more slowly that a pistol. You have to remove the empty shell casings and load in six fresh rounds, one at a time. A semi-automatic pistol can just eject an empty magazine and slide in a full one, not to mention the fact that a semi-automatic pistol can easily hold two or three times the ammunition of a revolver. However, semi-automatic pistols could jam while revolvers won't. The longer it's been since the gun was cleaned, the more chance it has of jamming. Therefore, if you have no cleaning supplies or you have no idea how to disassemble, clean and reassemble a pistol, a revolver maybe be better for you in the long run.
- Shotgun
Pros: Extremely effective at close range.
Cons: Loud, not effective at long range, may not be magazine fed.
Shotguns are the ultimate close range weapon. As opposed to pistols, the bigger ammunition is given a lower numerical rating typically 20, 16, 14, 12 and 10 gauge. There are also a few different types of shotgun to be found and some are more desirable than other. For instance, a double barrel shotgun is break action, which means that the stock and barrel have to be snapped open in order to remove the spent shells and insert more ammunition--only one per barrel, though. Obviously, this is not a great weapon when faced with multiple zombies. However, most shotguns are pump action and magazine fed, holding anywhere from three to seven shells or more in some highly modified cases. The more the merrier! If given a choice, always grab a pump action shotgun. A 12 gauge is all the firepower you need, 10 gauges feel like a mule kick.
The other main difference between shotguns is barrel length. The longer the barrel, the more slowly the shot expands. However, since you need to obliterate the zombie heads, you'll want to take shots that are fairly close range, by hunting standards. The distance will depend on the gauge, barrel length and type of ammunition used. If you have a chance, always grab Magnum shells for the extra kick. You'll have to experiment to see what your maximum effective range is, but anything under 25 feet to the head should be a guaranteed kill. Consequently, these are the ultimate weapon to be used when clearing a building.
For the complete badass, Arnold effect, get one with a pistol grip. Most stocks can be swapped out by only removing a single bolt, so be sure to look around for an alternate stock if you don't like the one on your shotgun. As with every firearm, try to locate any cleaning supplies as well.
- Rifle or Assault Rifle
Pros: The best long range firepower, period.
Cons: Loud, may have a slow rate of fire, unwieldy in close quarters.
The king of long range ass whooping. Rifles will have longer barrels than most other guns, so you may want a different weapon in cramped environments. Sizes range from 5.56mm and 7.62mm or .22 to .50 caliber. Ignore the .22 and 5.56 if you have an option; pick up any scopes that can be fitted to the rifle.
Even though rifles should be used to engage long range targets, having a decent rate of fire always helps. The highest rate of fire will come from fully automatic rifles, but this is a waste of ammunition since zombies are only vulnerable to precision head shots. The best bet is a rifle with a semi-automatic mode. A bolt action magazine fed rifle is good, but single shot bolt action is the slowest rate of fire you're going to find outside of musketry.
Explosive
You probably won't come across many explosives in your travels. Sure, we can make things that go boom with fertilizers, but that's not going to help us here. Concussive weapons aren't going to have the same physiologic impact on the undead as they do on the living. You would need a lots of shrapnel to shred the zombie bodies, but a blast that deadly would endanger you as well. Unless you get your hands on some grenades, don't even worry about explosives. If you do get your hands on some grenades, remember that they have a wounding radius of 15 meters. This probably won't kill a lot of zombies, but it will maim them so you can deliver some finishing blows.
Incendiary
It is possible to destroy a zombie with fire. However, it should be no news to you that you must destroy the zombie's brain in order to incapacitate it; zombie "death" by fire is no different, you just burn the body until there's nothing left. If the zombie is still mobile while it is on fire, it will continue to pursue you because it feels no pain. Remember that this could set fire to any of the surroundings, so do not use fire against zombies if there is any chance it could get out of hand and destroy a resource or building you use or wish to use. It would be best to lure the zombies into a pit or natural trap and then set them on fire with whatever is at your disposal.
- Gasoline
Pros: Highly flammable, useful in engines.
Pros: Highly flammable, a serious irritant for humans.
Gasoline is dangerous to ignite by hand because it is very volatile. The fumes coming off the liquid will ignite before you touch the liquid. Mixing in shavings of bar soap or chunks of Styrofoam will gives give you a napalm-like substance.
- Kerosene aka Paraffin oil
Pros: Less volatile than gasoline, possible to be used for light.
Cons: Still dangerous.
Kerosene is safer to handle that gasoline and widely used for heating and cooking purposes. If you can produce a wick, you can use a small amount of kerosene to make a lamp. Similarly, kerosene soaked rags or even logs will safely burn for long periods of time; use these for light or ignition sources when you encounter zombies.
- Oil
Pros: Very safe to handle, burns for a long time.
Cons: Heavy smoke.
This is another liquid that can be used for light as it burns for a prolonged period of time. If you try to make a fire of any size with it, be warned that it does produce a thick smoke that could obscure your vision. With such thick smoke, oil can be used to get a signal fire going with enough smoke to lead rescuers to your position. Unless you can survive a zombie onslaught that follows the smoke trail to your current location, considering other means of signaling.
Before you leave the safety of your shelter, there are a number of supplementary supplies you should take with you. Take all the weapons you can comfortably carry as well as water and emergency rations. Also grab a
first aid kit, any viable communications devices (radio, etc), compass, map,
Multi-Tool and a light source. If you have propane, see
how to light a lantern. It's also a good idea to keep as much reference material on hand as possible. Pick up the U.S. Army Survival Manual, which covers all manner of survival in the environments, as well as first aid, plant and snake identification and ways of catching food and water. If this isn't available, any other field guide is better than nothing.
Engagement
Zombies must be killed by destroying their brains, got that? They feel no pain and are deterred by nothing in this world. No matter when weapon you use, you must aim for their head or neck. Even if you cut off a zombie's head, the head will remain alive until it is destroyed utterly. You may still be bitten by a decapitated head, but let's face it, you're not the sharpest crayon in the drawer if that happens and The Resistance is probably better off without you. However, the zombie is a lot less dangerous without a body, so decapitation does help.
Melee weapons are usually brought out when you're scraping the bottom of the barrel, but they are still capable weapons. After enough exposure to zombies you will learn their physical capabilities and become confident in your ability to attack them head on. As long as you are not wildly out numbered or surrounded on all sides, you stand a good chance of whittling down their numbers as long as you keep your escape route open. Find a melee weapon you are comfortable with and train with it to increase your proficiency. Blunt weapons must strike to the head while slashing edged weapons can also be used to decapitate zombies or hack off hands or limbs so that you can move closer, in relative safety, to deliver a final blow.
Ranged weapons will always be effective when fired accurately from close range. If you can find a zombie or zombies in an open area, experiment to determine the maximum effective range of both your weapon and your aim. Use this to mentally establish a kill zone around you that you can successfully engage undead targets. Remember that bows are always a good weapon choice, thanks to the ability to replenish or recover their ammunition. Pistols are useful at close quarters and shotguns pwn for lack of a better word. Rifles should be reserved for long range engagement only, unless you're in mortal danger. Bows, pistols and rifles require high precision to hit the brain--remember that a brain only resides in the upper part of a skull. Shotguns are more forgiving in that the shots expand as they travel. Make sure that a hit from a shotgun does in fact dispatch the zombie! You may very well see some pellets hit the zombie's head and cause visible damage, but if the zombie is not caught by a large chunk of the spreadshot you may not destroy the brain. Always confirm your kills! And make damn sure anything lying on the ground is actually dead.
The Hunt Is On!
Again, zombie hunting is not to be undertaken for sport. This is dangerous and could get you turned into a zombie yourself. Only set out if there is a clearly defined and critically needed objective. That means you are securing food, water or other necessary supplies, you are securing a shelter for your party or you must rescue other poor souls. Even then, you should only set out when you have a decent idea of the terrain and the numbers of zombies nearby and you can handle any immediate changes in the environment (daylight, nighttime, rain, sleet, snow, etc). And most importantly, only leave if you are properly equipped! Otherwise, just shoot yourself in the head so you don't die exhausted.
It is necessary to consider where you are setting out from and where you will return to. If you have a heavily fortified shelter to return to, then you are in good shape--you need not worry about alerting the zombies to your position. Large stone or concrete multistory buildings are the best shelters to maintain, so try to occupy schools, hospitals, military bases, hotels, municipal buildings or something similar. Try to avoid single story buildings or buildings with many entry points or large glass doors or windows. If you have to use such buildings it is of the utmost importance that you maintain stealth. Rooftop access is invaluable no matter what kind of building you use.
If you must maintain stealth, do not use any motor vehicles as the sound will attract more zombies than you can handle. You should also avoid using unsilenced firearms as their reports can be heard at great distance. Do not use fires or other bright light sources and avoid any loud noises, especially radios or loud speech.
Your method of stealth combat will not change from one engagement to the next. Use your bow, crossbow or melee weapons to dispatch any zombies you encounter, but avoid all unnecessary combat. Stay off of rooftops and away from windows or any other highly visible places. Move silently using hand signs to communicate and avoid light sources or reflections at all costs.
If you have a well fortified shelter and enough party members to leave behind and man the fort, you're in great shape. As one group leaves the shelter, have the party members remaining in the shelter provide covering fire for the group that ventures out. If you have reliable motor vehicles, considering driving the expeditionary group to the target location and picking them up when they are done. If the vehicle is left running at the target location, there is a good chance it will be swarmed as it continues to attract the undead. If the shelter is far away, do not waste the fuel to return, just take the vehicle to an open field or parking lot and wait for the expeditionary group to complete their task.
Battlefield Locations
Buildings
If you must enter a building, do so as a team. As best you can, avoid any loud noise that may come from breaking into a building. Maintain your silence so that you may hear the shuffle or moans of the unread as you move through the building. Remember that other people may have entered the same building and locked a zombie in a room, or people may have entered the same building and locked themselves in a room while they tended a nasty bite mark. Be as concerned with the areas behind as the areas in front of you. Zombie eyes may have spotted you before you got in the building and decided to follow you inside. Get what you came for and get out, unless you mean to occupy the building in which case you shoulder clear it room by room. Then clear it again. And again. Then reinforce all points of entry, set a fall back position and collect any resources that are to be found. If you are comfortable using silenced or melee weapons, stick to those. Otherwise, be prepared to draw to draw more attention to yourself. Either way, make every shot count.
Open Fields
If your task requires you to occupy or pass through a field, stick to any available tree line as much as possible. Stay low and do not present yourself as a silhouette. Frequently check over your shoulder to make sure you are not being cut off by advancing zombies. Get in and get out. Do not let nightfall overtake you in an open field; return to your shelter if dusk approaches.
Woodlands
If your task requires you to occupy or pass through a woodland, know that you are entering a dangerous area. The underbrush will slow down any retreat you must make and speed is a principle advantage you have over the undead. Remember that darkness will come sooner while you are under the cover of trees, so plan to be out that much earlier. Keep an eye out for any poisonous snakes, spiders or scorpions along with bears or large cats.
Lakes and Rivers
People always forget to clear bodies of water. Since zombies don't need oxygen, they can withstand staying underwater until they literally fall apart. If a zombie gets caught up in a river, it can be swept downstream until it tumbles onto a bank, hungry for flesh. If a zombie wanders into a lake, or is swept into a lake via river, it can resurface along the edge of the lake at any time. It is not recommended that you go into the water chasing the damn things, but realize that one can show up in an area you thought was secure if there is a body of water nearby. Have your party continuously keep an eye on the body of water; patrol the edge of the lake or river and see if you can detect movement underneath the surface. If you spot a zombie, try to lure it out and dispose of it.
Evacuation
If you must evacuate your current location and travel long distances to reach another city or town, remember that many other people have tried this before you. Expect intentional roadblocks, along with the scattered debris of vehicles and bodies that have piled up as humanity fights for existence. Do not come to a complete stop nor exit your vehicle until you are well aware of your surroundings. Try to go around any obstacles while being extremely cautious to not damage your vehicle in any way as you roll over debris or limp along the shoulder. This goes doubly so inside cities where roads will most likely be impassable due to the carnage. Come to think of it, don't drive in cities.
Conclusion
So there you go. The who's who on anti-zombie weaponry and a quick rundown on how to move out and take some of the bastards with you. Hopefully this document will contribute to your post apocalyptic well being. For further reading, consult The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks.