Author Topic: Shelter in place or Bug Out? (Read 1878 times)

zeke08 · « **on:** October 21, 2009, 01:22:05 PM »

I was wondering what everybodys thought was on this subject. I have spent alot time prep wise to defend the ol homeplace,(food, water, ammo, supplies) but if the crash comes and the city slickers (or blue hats) come out and try to "move in" at what point do you choose to bug out or die trying to hold on. Which leads me two the second part what do you take all the food you've stored all your weapons and supplies or just my everyday Bug Out bag and emergency vehicle kit? Then I read one time that you should have two of everything (two chain saws, guns, bug out kits, first aide kits tool kits) so all replacement parts would be the same and less time hunting for different supplies?

burntmuch · « **Reply #1 on:** October 21, 2009, 01:34:42 PM »

Great question. Impossible to answer. Bug out to where. wheres better? I dont know. My situation ,wife & 3 kids under 9 y/o. I live within 30 minutes of 2 cities. My thought is hole up Gather friends & relatives to help defend. It all depends on the threat. If its the gov or another military force, My honest opinion is we,re screwed. Great question though, Ive laid awake at night thinking about that.

zeke08 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 21, 2009, 02:08:21 PM »

Yep i have too! In my case wife and 2 1/2yr old son and I have planned on bugging out to higher ground TN is a big mining area lots of old abbandon mines and lots of left behind scrap and here most are in the mountain area so you would have high ground advantage and with the 7p's you would know if someone was flanking you booby-traps way to easy to make!

Oldshooter · « **Reply #3 on:** October 21, 2009, 03:03:39 PM »

If I were to leave here and it is more than likely that We will not I'd go to higher ground as far off the path as possible and stay there. However like I said before prolly not.

Here is a brain buster......do you see your family living on without you, if say you get shot by tresspassers or military thugs or LE? I have Sons and sons in law so I think we would do ok but what about parents with young children and daughters, do they fight or do you make a plan for everyone to "check out"? Not a comforting thought is it?

But I digress, sorry, my mind works funny sometimes.

zeke08 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 21, 2009, 05:59:35 PM »

Great point. And its just us 3 and my wife could/would go on and is very good in the outdoors and with weapons.

Graybeard · « **Reply #5 on:** October 21, 2009, 06:02:59 PM »

I have no where to "bug out to" and couldn't take enough stuff with me if I did to get me by for long. I plan to go down shooting in place. I don't expect to be the only one to go down either should whomever come a calling with guns in hand.

Bigeasy · « **Reply #6 on:** October 21, 2009, 10:27:56 PM »

Do to children, older parents, medical conditions, ect., I think you are better off staying put, and putting your time and effort in making your home/shelter secure and well supplied. Formulate a plan with relatives and trusted friends/neighbors. Having to move, and live on the run in unfamiliar country, existing on only what you can carry would put you at a distinct disadvantage, I would think. Back when I worked in a prison, we would always joke about letting the inmates free, and moving our wifes and kids inside the wall if things outside really went bad....

Larry

Almtnman · « **Reply #7 on:** October 22, 2009, 02:44:13 AM »

I think I would choose what Graybeard said.

Arier Blut · « **Reply #8 on:** October 22, 2009, 03:00:30 AM »

Everyone has a unique set of circumstances. I live in a community of 77. The nearest city is 18 miles away and has less than 15,000. My place is where I would bug out to. But I work 50 miles away in a city of about half a million. If at work during a shtf scenario. I would have to make it back home then go to a defensive situation. From there only worried about trained personel. In that case I believe a long camping trip would be in order. I would imagine they would have a whole lot of other folks to worry about before they would make it here though. I imagine they would try to get control of the major cities first and the advantageous ground to attack from. City folks are of no concern. Black rifles trump gang bangers shooting sideways any day.

Almtnman · « **Reply #9 on:** October 22, 2009, 03:39:19 AM »

Arier Blut, I think in your situation what I would do would be to keep a bug out bag with me when going to work. Add items to it that you would need to make it back to your home and safety.

WD45 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 22, 2009, 06:00:27 AM »

For most people the question would be.. Do I want to be a slow moving target ... or a sitting duck

Kind of makes me think of getting in your car knowing you are going to be in an unavoidable crash, But you get to choose how you crash

zeke08 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 22, 2009, 06:11:40 AM »

Im 15min from a 630,000 people city it gets country quick but we are over run with inbreeding here so these people way worse than sheep so I am hoping to move further out and higher ground and go from 1 acre to 15-20 just trying to find some land thats suitable for living on

Arier Blut · « **Reply #12 on:** October 22, 2009, 08:41:14 AM »

Quote from: Almtnman on October 22, 2009, 03:39:19 AM

Arier Blut, I think in your situation what I would do would be to keep a bug out bag with me when going to work. Add items to it that you would need to make it back to your home and safety.

We have very liberal gun laws here. I carry an AK with a 75 round drum, 2 spares, filled canteen, knife, cheap poncho, poncho liner and first aid on a molle vest in the vehicle. Also 3 mre in the bug out bag. 5 more mre's and 3, 1 gallon jugs of water are also in the vehicle but not feasible to carry. They are in a laundry bag to snatch out of the vehicle quick and drop in the woods if the opportunity presented though. Rural land between here and there. So as long as I can clear the open and make it to the woods all should be well. Plus I work midnights so dark is on my side.

kynardsj · « **Reply #13 on:** October 22, 2009, 09:23:18 AM »

According to where home is, and thankfully ours is out in the country with trusted, well armed friends close by, we would hole up. Enough stuff to live on for a long while in this house. The wife always gripes and asks why do you keep on buying those canned goods when we have plenty. I tell her it's the same reason I put up 30 pounds of rice and I hope the day never comes when she thanks me for doing it. Now if I lived in the city I would have to have an evacuation plan. I agree with GB, if it comes to it I'll go down shooting but I won't go alone.

Almtnman · « **Reply #14 on:** October 22, 2009, 09:59:34 AM »

AB, sounds like you have a plan already in place. One thing I was taught in the military and later in LE was the dark was my friend. Also I have found just like you mentioned that it's much safer walking through the woods than it is alongside a highway.

teamnelson · « **Reply #15 on:** October 22, 2009, 12:26:37 PM »

I'd spend more time learning to do more with less, or in simpler terms, to not need a well provisioned fortress, or stocked out survival vehicle, or even a comprehensive bug out bag. Survival training is essentially pushing yourself to accept a far lower standard of living without all the amenities. Tom Brown trained himself to the point of being dropped off naked in various climes and walking out fed, clothed, and armed. We can't all obviously devote ourselves to that level of preparedness, but whatever we can do to move that way is far more beneficial.

If you put all your stock in any one "solution" you won't survive. Its way more about mental preparedness than it is what you put in your BOB.

rio grande · « **Reply #16 on:** October 22, 2009, 05:26:11 PM »

I'm curious - what does a homeless person do? Bug in?
Do they have 'bug-in bags'?

45-70.gov · « **Reply #17 on:** October 22, 2009, 05:48:44 PM »

i bug out every few years

hurricanes....i live at the beach

i take enough fire power to handle any thing when i get back

plenty of cash for foraging along the highway

i think i might mail my flood policy to a relative in the mountains

teamnelson · « **Reply #18 on:** October 22, 2009, 06:28:00 PM »

Quote from: rio grande on October 22, 2009, 05:26:11 PM

I'm curious - what does a homeless person do? Bug in?
Do they have 'bug-in bags'?

No kidding, huh? I think they'll do better in a collapse at least here in Hawaii than all the haoles in the condo towers. The homeless have already switched mindsets, by choice or necessity. Round here they know all the best fishing spots.

WD45 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 23, 2009, 03:47:49 AM »

Rio,, thats funny..
In retrospect probably 50 % of the worlds poplulation would not know the difference if there was a complete world economic collapse. You have to have an economy first

Old Syko · « **Reply #20 on:** October 23, 2009, 10:28:06 AM »

Quote from: TeamNelson on October 22, 2009, 06:28:00 PM

Quote from: rio grande on October 22, 2009, 05:26:11 PM
I'm curious - what does a homeless person do? Bug in?
Do they have 'bug-in bags'?
No kidding, huh? I think they'll do better in a collapse at least here in Hawaii than all the haoles in the condo towers. The homeless have already switched mindsets, by choice or necessity. Round here they know all the best fishing spots.

I honestly think this is the key to survival. At least those who have made good with nothing or less have the knowledge necessary to survive whether we stay where we are or move on. I've lived with nothing and come to a much better place now days and because of it I now have a full stores list and am prepared to stay and defend what I have. But if circumstances deal me a different hand than what I have anticipated, I have the ability to adapt and continue.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #21 on:** October 23, 2009, 10:51:49 AM »

I think this would be a good question if you had a place to go.
If you live in a city and have family on a farm....
Then I can see the question to see if things get back to normal quickly and hunker down or to fee ahead of the millions heading out of the city once supplies run out or services like Water and sewage become a problem.
But in a suburb where you have a yard and are able to grow some food in a garden .... I would stay unless it will harm you to stay.
Gas leak, bio hazard or fire.

Mikey · « **Reply #22 on:** October 24, 2009, 03:02:58 AM »

If you are in the country, in either a low demographic suburban or rural area, stay and fight. Tactically, you know the area better than any invaders (be they foreign or domestic) would. You know where you can cause the most damage with the least effort and where you can stop them or slow them down. If you have friends and family willing to help you are in better shape than most. If you are alone, hit and run from a distance and keep up the pressure. If you can link up with others and form groups or teams even better yet.

Many of us are just too old to do what we were able to do as younger men but it doesn't mean we have to sacrifice ourselves to a 'one-shot' scenario and it doesn't mean we could not survive a societal shutdown.

The cities are where it will be the worst as that is where the population centers are. With little or no assistance even old guys like us can keep invaders pinned down in the cities......

The fact that even we older ones spend more time in the field hunting than most city people spend walking in the park makes us a very dangerous element for any oppressors and the additional fact that we know firearms and how to use them makes it even worse for the bad guy. jmtcw.

gypsyman · « **Reply #23 on:** October 26, 2009, 02:49:35 PM »

I'm in a situation where within a mile, is plenty of hide out area's, if just for me.Small woodlots,ditch's with drainage tiles, tree lines. But with a wife and 2 boys, not sure if they could handle it for more than a couple days. But with a brother and nephew with in 2 miles, help isn't far away. And we've talked about the scenarios, so we're ready to help each other out. Just hope it doesn't come to that, but prepared for it, just in case. gypsyman

ironglow · « **Reply #24 on:** November 22, 2009, 01:08:47 PM »

I would suppose if one lives in or near a city..they should plan on bugging out. I live in a rural hamlet and know most of the people here very well, and many have valuable skills (mechanics, veterinarians, nurses, farmers etc). Many are skilled hunters & good shots.. I believe we would be best as a defensive community..such as was the norm in the expansion of our frontier in the 18th & 19th centuries..when it was necessary to have 24 hour guards, foraging parties and medical care on site. As in any community, there are a few slackers..but they would have to catch on...or fall by the wayside.
By making a small fortress area, the bad guys would be forced to move on to easier pickings.

don heath · « **Reply #25 on:** November 22, 2009, 08:21:25 PM »

Ironglow - that is one of the greatest blessings of living in a small (rural) community- You are never alone, somebody will have the skill or knowledge that you don't, and there are enough of you to deter the scum. Also, when things go wrong, The 'slackers' often find a calling- even if it is always pulling the 3-6 am guard shift..or knowing how to hotwire a car or break into a building efficiently