An actual SHTF scenario is going to result in casualties regardless of what type of scenario it is. As preppers and survivalists, we stockpile supplies and gather the necessary skills and knowledge to survive emergencies and disasters.
Unfortunately, most of the population fails to prepare, and many of them will perish from preventable causes.
Here is a list of ten types of people who will be the first to die in an SHTF environment. This list is not presented in any specific order, nor is it an exhaustive list.
People Who Panic
One of the first things many will do when facing an emergency is panic. Unfortunately, in an SHTF scenario, we do not have the usual safety nets that modern life provides us.
Panic is also a path to bad decision-making, which increases the odds of those decisions bringing fatal consequences. Therefore, to survive an SHTF scenario, we all must stay calm and suppress the urge to panic.
People With No Survival Skills
In an SHTF scenario, every one of us will be responsible for securing the necessities of life for ourselves and our families. Building shelter, purifying water, making fire, securing food etc.
These are all basic survival skills our ancestors knew so well they were second nature.
⇒ DIY Pressurized Rainwater Harvesting and Purification System
But unfortunately, most people in first-world countries have never been taught these skills.
People who lack these skills will fail to secure the necessities of life and find themselves at the mercy of whatever disaster befalls them.
Pacifists
When the grid fails, looting and crime dominate, and civilized society breaks down; everyone is going to have to be willing to defend themselves, their families, and their supplies with force. In some cases, the use of deadly force may be required.
This is not the time for peaceful negotiations or to run away, leaving stockpiles of food and supplies to looters. It is imperative that everyone is ready and willing to defend themselves and their families.
People With No Supplies
When the store shelves are empty, the only food, water, and supplies we will have available are stockpiled in our homes. During an SHTF situation is not the time to pop out to the store to pick up a few things. Those who have failed to stockpile the necessary supplies to survive SHTF will be perishing quickly.
Many of these people will become looters or try tugging at the heartstrings of their more prepared neighbors.
Related: How To Deal With Neighbors And Friends That Come Begging For Food At Your Door In A Crisis
Dehydration, exposure or disease will find these people first.
The Lone Wolf
Several survival movies have romanticized the idea of a lone wolf survivalist wandering through a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
However, those who decide to strike out on their own after SHTF will discover that there is strength in numbers, and the dirty business of survival is best shared amongst a group.
It is hard to gather all the necessities of life each day by yourself and travelling to new areas only brings with it new problems in an unknown environment.
Anyone wandering through an SHTF situation is also at the mercy of any larger groups. These people will either fail to gather the needed resources or fall victim to others.
Those Who Don’t Bug Out In Time
That carefully packed bug-out bag will not do anyone any good if they wait too long to bug out.
We see this during most natural disasters.
A lot of people fail to heed warnings and wait till the last minute to get out of town.
Most of the time, people who fail to bug out will be the unprepared members of our society, but I believe that in an actual SHTF scenario, many preppers and survivalists will be stuck in burning cities because they felt that they had a little more time.
People With Chronic Illness
Many people suffer from chronic illnesses requiring regular medication and treatment. Unfortunately, when the hospitals and pharmacies run dry and close, all these people will find themselves without the lifesaving treatments they need.
⇒ The Biggest Medical Mistakes You Can Make When SHTF
Even some forms of mental illness require medication to manage in some cases the only thing preventing some people from becoming dangerous to themselves and others is daily medication.
Suffering the full effects of chronic illness during an SHTF situation will put these people at such a massive disadvantage that the odds of their survival are almost non-existent.
The Indecisive
Every survival situation requires multiple decisions that we normally would not have to make while living in a civilized society.
Some of these decisions must be made quickly and are matters of life and death. Those who are indecisive will hesitate at critical moments, drastically reducing their survivability.
People Who Talk Too Much About Their Preps
I have seen many people give far too much detail about the scope of their SHTF preparations.
Preppers who are otherwise ready for any emergency or disaster but exercise poor operational security (OPSEC) are going to be in the crosshairs of unprepared individuals who are motivated to take what they need by force. The best way to avoid hungry mobs is to exercise good OPSEC.
People Who Lack The Will To Win
Survival is hard. Everyone who finds themselves in a disaster or emergency must have a strong will to win if they are going to see the other side of whatever calamity they are facing.
So many people in our society are unwilling to push themselves even a little to achieve their goals. These people will not push themselves to the limits to survive. Survival is a contest where the prize for second place is a casket, so we all need the will to win if we are going to survive.
There are many types of SHTF situations we could face in the future, and the best bet against falling victim to them is to prepare now and harden ourselves against these disasters.
The types of people on this list may be your friends, neighbors, and family. While it is essential to secure our survival, we should also reach out to others and encourage them to take the first steps on a path to preparedness.
The people who brag about having 80 guns are also the people who probably don’t have backups of things that matter.
True, a massive amount of guns could be more of a liability than an asset. I suggest having a good hunting rifle for large game, a powerful pellet rifle for small game, and the good ol’ model 1911 0.45 ACP. A reasonable assortment of knives is also a plus. You’ll want a good boning knife, a good hunting knife with a gut hook, a couple of paring knives, a hatchet, and a saw. Don’t forget fishing lines and an assortment of hooks. This just scratches the surface but we should try to keep things as simple as possible. If you have to bug out, you don’t want a lot of weight.
yeah cause nothing says great gun like 7 rounds and weighs more then a brick.
Get a Ar15 / AR 10 get some mags stock ammo and buy a modern striker fire handgun with more then 7 rounds of relic capacity
I agree with the moderate amount of ammo one might carry after a SHTF situation. Some people will arch their back up and mandate having a pistol that holds a dozen or more. It begs the question, “how many times do you actually need to shoot somebody who is giving you trouble?” With the .45 ACP, yeah it only holds 7 in the magazine but it’s not a huge pistol and it packs a wallop and there’s that old cliche… “45 ACP …because shooting twice is silly.” Shoot some thug trying to take you out in center of body mass and he’s going to go down. A 9mm might not actually do it without a double tap. Anyone who has spent time in Uniform will know this. And a spare .45 mag is easy to carry because it’s relatively small. That Glock 19 mag is bulky, and so is the pistol. I also agree that small game is likely to feed you better than going after deer etc which is likely to run out pretty quickly with everyone else going after it. Something small and light like a 10-22 Ruger can keep you fed as well as that 10 lb .30 hunting rifle and make a LOT less noise, something you might wanna keep in mind. The rest of the suggested items Tam mentioned are also good, take up little space, and are easy to carry.
oh yeah cause 9mm vs 45….. handgun calibers suck dude….
45 doesn’t put em down with one shot…… anyways. I’ll take a glock 20 over the relic and almost unreliable 1911 like most of them are anyways.
get a suppressor can’t say it enough
The number of guns will not matter much unless you have people that will be in your group that because of their financial problems can not afford them, then if you have an extra it would come in handy for your group. The more guns most of the time means various caliber ammo and so having to stock a lot of ammo.
I have traded for most of my guns and ammo. The thing about guns is you have to have ammo. The ammo you have will only last so long before you run out. At that point what do you do?
Well you best know how to trap, use spears, bows and know how to make them. Oh best have a long bladed knife too.
Thing is this It does not matter if you and your group are preppers, exsoldiers or and outdoorsmans if you have not prepared yourself for combat and the results that will happen then you will not survive.
For myself I don’t plan on surviving long. Why because I am 71 and I do prep some but not for the reasons of my survival but so my family that is younger can. I will kill without hesitation when and if the time comes. I will face what comes with a resolution of making what ever event happens come out to my families advantage (even if it means I don’t survive).
If you do not have this attitude you have little chance of surviving. Your family best have this attitude too because you will have losses of family and friends. War and fighting will not be pretty nor will it come out as you want with all your group surviving.
The thing most preppers think is they can fight off what ever attacks happen and they may be able too if the attack comes from unprepared people but most of the roving groups will learn quick and that is when you will have losses.
Survival is not in how much food you put back or how many guns/ammo you have. Survival is in knowledge you have, your willingness to make self sacrifices, and your willingness to make sacrifices of people in your group for the survival of the group. The main thing is ask your self can you send one of your group out on some mission knowing their chance of survival is low because the group really neads the mission success. If you can’t or will not then you have reduced your groups chances of survival. It is like Star trek “the needs of the many out way the needs of the one”.
This is one hard fact you best face now because when and if the time comes hesitating could cost you everything.
Hey Tony don’t you remember Pedo Joe said the 9mm will blow out your lungs!!!
My paternal ancestors knew these truths back in the 1740s thru 1790s as they settled on the wild frontier of western Virginia. My five times great grandmother was killed during a raid on the homestead in the eastern panhandle of WVA and three children kidnapped by Shawnee tribe members. It was defend oneself and face dire situations periodically. Not the social equalities argued by utopians.
Tony,
“Anyone who has spent time in Uniform will know this.” Sure. But they were only using FMJ, so the 9 mm was rather anemic. However, the introduction of HP +P ammunition changed EVERYTHING. Many of the +P loads transfer more foot pounds of energy than .45 ACP FMJ does.
The reason the FBI went back to 9 mm was because bullet placement trumps everything, and with more rounds and less recoil (so as to reduce the time for second or third shots), there is a greater chance of hitting critical organs or the CNS.
Aside from my few personal guns I’ve taken to buying used Remington 870s and Mossberg 500s. I restore them as needed and store them. I figure they will be the easiest guns to learn for family members that show up with no gun experience.
Bragging is silly, but there is nothing wrong with having multiple fire arms. Back ups for those that are failing, Bartering, extra for family members that show up. Some people simply collect them. Charlotte Heston did. There is absolutely NO reason to believe they haven’t prepared for food stores, water, and medical. I find your comment ignorant and presumptive. Plus your exaggeration is uncalled for. The amount of upvotes tells me there are many fools visiting this site. The #1 priority for survival is location. Relocate from population densities. Those upvoting you may be living in the urban and suburban areas believing they can survive with a couple firearms and lots of prep supplies. Absurd.
Jones, you nailed it. I AM the bug out location so there’s no where for us to have to leave or get to. I call this area ‘the Goldilocks Zone.’ I’m not out in the wilderness but I’m far enough out and nowhere close to a large population center. Got (all total of family around here) around 100 acres that was farmed by the family for nearly 100 years. Got critters for food, transportation and security as well. We don’t have everything but then again…WHO DOES?
A gun collection is only as good as the amount of ammo you have for each gun. Is every family member over 10 familiar with at least one or two of your guns?
Good thing is, when it comes to guns, I have something most people do not and when you hear that ‘sewing machine’ I GUARANTEE you, people will think twice. Oh, and the ammo to feed the pig.
Where did you say you lived lol jk but you definitely sound like you are ready.
When a REAL SHTF that impacts the whole country (which will then obviously include the whole world), The military will probably be the only entity operating, and possibly only near their bases.
Most believe the government will survive anything, no matter what happens…and then come to their rescue.
But during a long-term world-wide SHTF??? Very few that are prepping will last over a year. All of the above will be gone in a couple months.
Can this even happen? Yes, the evil axis (Russia, China, Iran, N. Korea) knows the the USA is the only obstacle to their world domination. And a surprise attack is the only way to take America down soon.
An EMP launched from a fake tanker ship (maybe by terrorists hired by the evil axis) could happen any day.
But more likely is a civil war in the next decade after Trillions of Dollars of US debt finally takes down the economy like never before. Very few will make it all the way to the other side.
There will be waves of survivors from the big cities: innocent unarmed survivors first, then small groups of armed criminals, and lastly the large sophisticated cut-throat gangs led by former members of special ops like Rangers, Delta, and Seals, yes there are some highly skilled bad ones along with all the good ones.
But like those mentioned above, they will all die. There are millions of highly skilled snipers (deer hunters) that will be waiting and watching, along with millions of retired military that know guerilla warfare and defensive tactics.
Best to sign up with a heavily armed town of 5,000 or more…
Other potential tactics are:
-Conflict avoidance…hide;
-A hi-tech million dollar bunker hidden far away from the big cities;
-Survival Skills and Lots of Luck for many years (your skills will create your own luck);
-Last but not least…get right with God.
like my husband, brags about the lead he has…well, he can only shoot one gun at a time and so can I, so what then? how many ya got wont matter….
One thing I forgot to mention. Everyone knows to have a sufficient amount of ammunition but prioritize the amounts. Pellets are much cheaper than rifle or ACP rounds and you’re likely to be hunting small game far more often than larger animals. Just a thought.
What is the best pellet gun for shtf?
Remember, co2 cartridges may not be available.
Gamo Swarm Maxxim 10X GEN 2
This may not be the “best” of all- but this has what you want for hinting small game. What you want is a 10rd magazine- single break barrel at 1000FPS – the modern tech you want is the gas type and not spring type. The gas will not leak and you can keep it locked and loaded for hunting while stalking or hiding. This is superior to spring types in the winter time as well as it has no spring oil to bind up in freezing temps.
This one in the link just needs ammo and is said to be able to take down animals up to 120lbs – I don’t know about that since I have not seen it personally but the airgun does have a strong pop to it when fired. It can take any bird and squirrels/rabbit sized animals easily.
My air guns are the type that pump up pressure not co2 and They do drop a rabbit in its trax.
Large caliber air rifles are also available and legal to big game hunt in some states.
its neat…. but which would you rather have….. a real rifle or a air rifle…
I would seriously consider an AR-15 unless you live so far in the woods you don’t have to worry about a bunch of brigands headed your way! Pellets won’t chase them off. Also a cross bow is great for silent hunting!
Get good with a bow and wrist rocket even an atlatl. Plus, snares work well for squirrels. We are raising our rabbits but the cousin likes squirrel.
There’s a catch-22 about the prep-related accounts I follow on IG. They’re a wealth of information, how-to, skills, etc, but……a majority of them have their photo (with or without their spouse), first (and sometimes last) name and state they live in in their bio. With that as a base, you can literally go through the photos in their feed from their yard layout, front of their home, make/model of car (but they at least block out license plate), their children (even with faces blocked out), any identifying stickers or decals on their car that indicate their hobbies, school their children go to, etc, etc, etc, and you can easily pinpoint where they live, knowing they are very well stocked. In a SHTF sitch, I wouldn’t be surprised if followers of these accounts who live nearby make their way towards them. And if it’s dire and desperate, I wouldn’t put anyone past doing this
We can keep quiet about what we have all we want, but anyone who walks down your street and sees tomato plants brimming in your backyard, a glimpse of a chicken run, cans of gasoline lined up in your garage, hearing a generator running when the power goes out or solar panels on your roof, etc. are going to know that you are a very well prepared person and will remember this house if things get bac
Kill those who show up
Not automatically.
Some may be there to barter.
barter in lead
If you kill everyone that shows up then you will not have any trading. This will lead to you eventually not surviving because trading will be an emportant part in a latter stage of a SHTF.
Plus, if you kill everyone who shows up, that there is a signal to their cohorts to send more people to swarm or infiltrate your location. Even if nobody witnesses you eliminating a visitor the first few times, eventually someone will figure it out and approach with stealth and purpose.
Is this Hillery or Bill speaking???
You’re right. Exactly right. Expecting to hold off everyone, for who knows how long is unrealistic. Think! When can you sleep if you have anything others are looking for? You’ll be short-lived with guarding 24/7. Their instincts for survival will be sharpened like your own. Why are we having all this coming disaster anyway? It’s not just popped up out of nowhere, has it? Where has this all been coming from? Look there for your real enemies, not in your next door neighbor’s place. They’re in the same boat as you are. Let me quote something for you that our forefathers wrote back in 1776.
Quoting: The Declaration of Independence———“Governments, long established, should not be changed for light and transient causes, and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security”
Now, our founding father weren’t insurrectionists. They were good people, hard working with good families. They were industrious. Most had learned about law, both natural law of God and man’s law at government levels. Their declaration states that man is from the Creator of the Universe—not a creation of government. As such, Man is UNDER the laws of nature and nature’s God ( meaning God’s government, not man’s) read this in the Declaration, it’s all there. Man’s government has no stated authority under their own law to do anything to man to take his liberties, life, or happiness. Our founders were logical, intelligent and learned men who’d attempted for 10 years preceding, to petition to gov. without any mercy coming from that monarch. These founders were forced to do exactly what they now prescribed for posterity, should we find that gov. is operating contrary to our best interests. Our founders didn’t turn on their neighbors, in a “dog eat dog” mentality, like starving hyenas. Instead they embraced and helped to secure their neighbors for the purpose of a concerted effort to throw off the real perpetrators of ruination for them. Where they were ALL reduced under despotism, they turned to the force who was truly perpetrating crimes on humanity, not their brethren. Wasn’t it the KING who forced them into conditions that were unsustainable?
Were they right or were they wrong to tell us how they sustained themselves finally?
Do we see wisdom and experience that they handed down to us? Or do we believe that guerilla warfare is our only salvation, with all the tens or thousands of people who may storm our abodes, while trying to stay alive like we are ? Wisdom goes before warfare. Our brains separate us from the hyena mentality, surely. Put with thought and wisdom, as did our founders, in it’s proper place in our situation now.
Gorilla warfare was how we won the war and yes they where inserectionest. They had enough and challenged the king. They burned out ships and threw the tea. Tar and feathered those loyal to the crown.
Yeah ideals are peaceful but history is violent.
The problem is, many of them are the enemy…..leftists. It isn’t just SHTF trying to survive…..it is also civil war.
The left wants you dead, under any circumstance. Family members will betray you. Fact.
Dont live in town…..
In a SHTF situation we will revert to our training and experience. Now is the time to perfect our skills. Spend a week in the woods, use only the survival items, food and water available when SHTF! Make this a yearly, family training/adventure. Minnesota Boundary Waters Canoe area an excellent choice for honing one’s skills. Practice makes perfect. If a serious survivalist, this is a must!
Yeah you’re absolutely right! All the guns in America are no good if you don’t know how to use and maintain them. Why does the subject of politics always have to be brought into this thread? WE THE PEOPLE! Not we the democrats, we the republicans, how about WE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE? Politics only divide the people, all this bull$&@#. Politics are part of the reason that Americans are divided now, anyhow practice your skills at least once a month for 2 to 3 days at a time. Someone was talking about air rifles versus firearms, I’m of the opinion that you use the gun/tool that it was made for, you don’t drive nails with a tape measure, and if an air rifle will suffice to get small game, then that’s the tool for the job, folks be safe, keep up with what’s going on in the world and what’s around you, I haven’t seen anything about foraging in this conversation, food, meds are all out there for us to find and use. So many people run to the Dr. Over everything, I don’t know when I saw a Dr. Last? Don’t want their big pharma addiction pills, don’t need them when the same thing they make synthetics all of the big pharma are based on plants. Get physical books and then study, hunt and gather. I’m not gonna start on all the things that I have learned from my parents, Grandparents, great grandparents! They mostly all loved thru things that people in this day and age will never get, to much time on the computer, just look at us right now? Lol I’m not trying to be funny! But if the younger generation would spend more time learning about actual living and get off these fake video games. This world would be a better place for all of us. God Bless America
Perfectly said, I’ve forged for my own medicine and foods for many years , we don’t do Dr’s either. I’ve been teaching my family as well and have physical books to use . Yes knowing how to hunt and protect is important but without knowledge of forging for foods and medicine people won’t make it very long.
serious question. if we DO have to ‘bug out’…we have to leave behind everything we’ve stockpiled, right? so i’m thinking it might be better to shelter in place?
Depends on the situation. Natural disaster vs. Russian emp? Information is critical in order to take decisive action. Ie communication devices that you have stashed in improvised faraday cage that you made from a galvanized trash can. Info is critical!
Shelter in place is highly recommended.
You know what you have, where it is, easily accessible, know your locals, have shelter and storage, etc.
Only time to bug out for sure is if your life is in immediate danger (Troops coming down the street, neighborhood on fire, gangs of demozombies, G-Men going house to house, similar catastrophes.
Just be prepared to defend your castle as it were.
To late then,. I’d say if you live in a town or especially a city. You have 48 hours or less to get out.
Bug out is always a last resort. Unless you have a location you are going to that is stocked with supplies you are going to be hungry,lost and alone in just a few days. Unless it is a something like a fire or flood I would rather die in place protecting what is mine than die cold and hungry along some road or field
Prepare for the worst. Hope for the best. If this current Govt. wings aren’t clipped,
a SHITF. definitely on the way.
A good slingshot is a great weapon and the are ammo all over the ground!!!
Meg, I’m gonna take a guess that you are female? Yes you possibly will.But if you have a location to bug out too. Then you have one up on alot of folks. If you do already have a good place to go to, you can stock up on preps there. And you can always place a cache along the route you have to take. If you do use a cache or 2 or several scattered around. Non-perishable food, water, water filter, med supplies, change of clothes, fire starting tools. I personally add a 5 pack of bic lighters into each tote, waterproof container, paracord, a tarp, T/P! Lol, you will probably be carrying a bedroll, sleeping bag, it really don’t cost that much to put one together, a cache I mean not a sleeping bag!Lol but if it comes down to having to leave? At least you have a place to stop and rest, get a bite to eat, and think of your next move. By the way, this is pretty logical, but make sure that you !make the cache in a place where people don’t go alot, !make sure it’s hidden well, camo, buried, ect. But this is something doable for anyone who is smart enough to see what’s going on around the world. Be safe and keep learning. You got this! One more thing that I should have mentioned in the beginning, if you have a firearm ? Make sure that you put extra ammo in each cache, and DON’T panic! A clear head will get you where you want to go. Remember don’t even speak about any caches, bugout locations to anyone unless it’s your close family, significant other, children, or people who are close to you. But don’t be too specific about where anything is. Some people who you would trust with your life in the here and now will change when food gets scarce, oh yeah, if you have never saw Temu the app? They have alot of things that are useable. I just bought 2 pieces of e.m.p. Proof material and a couple of rolls of aluminum foil tape. You can make a basic faraday cage, bag for a laptop, foldable solar panels, backup anything that you may need to keep, learn, and music. I think that this world !ight stop turning without it! Lol, but for real back up all your important documents, data onto a thumb drive and place it with your laptop, walkie talkie, radio solar handcranked, for news. Remember don’t let yourself PANIC! That will stop everything you are trying to accomplish. Good Luck and God Bless America!
The Indecisive: The roads are paved with squirrels who couldn’t make a decision.
Yeah. Allow me to extend the list:
11) The morbidly obese hushpuppy devourer who cant see his flaccid (or erect) schmeckel any longer because his stomach protrudes past his line of sight. This may fall under the chronically I’ll category, but I just wanted to make sure no one overlooks this group. Sadly, this constitutes 84% of Askaprepper’s viewing audience.
That would make 90 percent of the people posting here….
i do agree you gotta make it to the fight.
The weight will melt off in a short time due to stress. Just have to prepare to last while that happens, then proceed as planed.
Yeah i know whu-chu tawkin bout willis! I have to stick my finger in my butt and yell snake before he will come out far enough to keep from pee’ing on me shoe!!!
Best to shed that extra weight early. After SHTF an obese person is a clear target as someone who has food. And probably lots of it! Best to look hungry so the unprepared leave you be.
Demarco – I see from your posts that you get off making fun of people. Based on your IP address, you like to post under different names too. I am always amused with tough guys like you who hide behind your computer and take unnecessary shots at people, putting everyone down in order to get the attention you crave. People who have been there and back can spot a wannabe like you from a mile away. What a sad and miserable life you have. Please keep posting your pathetic comments. They actually make me smile……
Feel better now Frank?
It should be a mentioned consideration. If you are truly preparing to survive anything physical mobility is critical. Bugging in or bugging out. Obesity is a killer for either scenario. Call it “chronically ill” , but I doubt the obese agree. More than likely they will tell you “ I would rather go down fat and happy” than lose weight to survive. Unfortunately, they become a liability for others and can contribute very little to the daily needs while using valuable resources. Age can be a problem if people are junked up on pharma. Cooking and washing dishes is a must for those people. Sewing, and some laundry as well as babysitting. They always complain they can’t sleep at night, so they should be the night watch.
Looks like at 86 I’m screwed!
you are never really screwed as long as you think ahead prepare stay calm and be smart dont give up
LOL I am 71 and I am not screwed. All this being screwed is in your head. The main thing at our age is not our survival it is insuring our children has a chance at survival. If we have to sacrafice ourselves so our family can survive so be it.
Ask your self why you had children? Then ask yourself how important your children are? Then ask yourself what are you willing to do so they can survive? I think the answers is evident if you really love your family.
You know, in these comments what I’m not hearing is why we’re not stopping the government in all this? We talk of all our guns, and who will have to kill who, when they come to take our supplies. Why aren’t we talking about the fact that except for planned annihilation, we wouldn’t be going through all this in the future. Only a small amount of people are actually planning mass destruction, and those are not stoppable, with the same ‘vigor’ you talk about taking on thousands of people storming into our abodes? Some only begging for food and refuge with children? If you all want to use your guns, why not think out who your real enemies in all this truly are? The ones who are destroying the food supply plants, stopping the trucks from rolling, selling 1 million barrels of oil to China, so we’re disabled? ( or whatever huge figure that was?) Who’s concerted ideas are behind all these disasters? What people are doing all these things and with who’s help? While they plan your and all your loved ones ‘demise’, you’re preparing to kill your next door neighbors who are couldn’t /didn’t stockpile. All victims, aren’t you—but who is your REAL enemy?
At my age jail, prison and death aren’t as much a deterrent as they use to be.
So big talkingtough guys don’t bother me.
Burns is a fed
Those who cannot, then teach–you will be valuable.
Having that kind of mind-set…and you will be screwed. Never take a mind-set where you have already given up.
Hell far u been here long enough anyway! lol jes a kidding
Well Gloria, since you made it to 86, tells me that you are wise, and I have no doubt that you possess survival knowledge and skills and that a great many people are ignorant about which are GREAT assets to have in any bad situation. you can at least teach and pass on your knowledge and skills to other people which will enhance their survivability and they in turn to can help you as you need help. Absolutely no one survives and thrives without help at one time or another. Everyone dies at some future point regardless how bad or how good the current situation is. I am sure that you have maintained a good attitude which got you to 86. Don’t underestimate yourself or other people. No one knows what the future truly holds or how things will turn out.
I believe that most people in the big cities will be stuck because they only have the gasoline in their vehicles at the time and the gas stations will be overrun if any of them are open and soon be empty. Plus most major arteries will be clogged because of accidents or even shut down on purpose. I don’t believe they’ll be any cell phone communication because that will probably be shut off by the government or the fact there’s no power to run it. So you won’t have any way to look up on the internet any information or to be able to contact friends and family. Thusly you need to set up a pre-appointed meeting spots as rally points. And much much more.
And get thoroughly familiar with back roads, avoiding the main arteries…including the side streets in an urban area.
Cell towers have backup generators and enough fuel to last 3-7 days as a minimum.
But they might curtail extraneous cell communications to cut down on fuel needs due to using less power.
Extraneous is everyone but the government.
I suspect that cities will be sequestered in a shtf scenario – no one in or out for the interim while FEMA decides what to do with everyone.
Well why don’t you jes stay home and tuff-it-out, If all this shtf comes will u be a little happy slave for WEF for ol bald head Claus Shawb? Give me a chance at him and i will take him out w/my slingshot which i hand made,,,
Drinking much ?
You just described what happens when there are hurricane evacuations. A nightmare of clogged traffic and broken down vehicles. They run out of gas and no way to charge their cell phones. I have family members who have vowed to never evacuate again due to their hurricane evacuation experiences on the roads. Winter storms on highways have the same effect. Get out of urban areas now, is the #1 SHTF survival tip. Relocate.
The physically handicapped is also one that’ll be an early death toll.
Anyone who, for example, relies on a wheelchair for mobility, etc…
I’ve read that most of these kinds of people were left on 1 floor level (staging areas) of the towers during the 9/11 event and died as a result of it.
A person can be measured by what they can carry! A real bad ass can carry more, farther, and longer. Perspective is key to survival. The community you live in/with is important to your survival. If the community fails you fail. Last man standing is done! Contribute to the survival of your community so that they can contribute to your survival! Leave your family with a legacy of survival!
All the comments are from personal perspectives, some are great, some not so much.
So now my perspective; To survive one has to be willing to do what ever it takes to survive and protect family. Never hesitate to be “100% WHOLLY VIOLENT” in any situation. Have no remorse for the violence you found necessary to inflict and move on to solve the next problem. If you choose to have others in your circle / tribe, expect the worst from those attaching themselves to you and be ready to eradicate the inner problems. Trust in GOD and be a wolf not a sheep.
Good point
Thats how I think of it. Never hesitate. Pretty sure I will not hesitate. I never have.
Leadership is a trust thing, ultimately.
I believe that an essential part of surviving will have been beforehand, did I ask enough what-if? questions and come up with answers to them.
How can I avoid being in one of these higher-mortality groups?
What if the bridges between where I am and where I need to be are blocked or down? Will I be able to cross? How? Would it be better to cross at night, or can I safely cross during the day?
Will I be able to treat illness and injury in austere conditions?
Long-term food and shelter outlook, if there is no power?
Security? Noise discipline?
Communication? Radio silence?
There are a wide range of ethical questions to answer, as well. Unfortunately, it is often assumed when discussing prepping that the status quo will be many bubbas who have accumulated piles of stuff and will be guarding it with a shoot first ask questions later mentality and selfishness. What kind of person do I really want to be? Etc….
In a situation where you or your group has the defend against people trying to take something for nothing you have to remember that when/if they or any of them are disposed of,… What was once theirs is now yours.
True ….. nothing like getting into wars……
A serious problem with this article is that it does not define what SHTF actually involves. Definitions are controllling here. Some would describe SHTF as being a week without power after an ice storm. Others would describe it as involving a week’s displacement after a hurricane evacuation.
I conclude that Tam O-Shanter who commented here is “old school.” If SHTF involves the total breakdown of law and order and disruption of the societal supply chain for months thereafter–as I believe most of those involved in preparedness have in mind–the need for only a hunting rifle “for large game” doesn’t make much sense. Anyone who believes that they will be bringing home large game in the bed of their pickup three months after fecal matter has hit the oscillator is living in a dream world. The large game will be gone, just as deer populations were all but wiped out during the Depression. Frankly, after three months or so, only small game in remote areas will likely survive. People will be shooting every edible animal they see.
By reducing the firearms choices to a hunting rifle and a pistol, a person’s defense preparedness will be reduced to situations involving longer ranges and short ranges.
Depending on a bolt-action rifle at close quarter–with what is usually a 5-round magazine that is slow to load –would be a poor choice. This handicap would be somewhat offset if the person was actually part of a larger, armed group, in which case there would be strength in numbers.
Depending only on a semi-auto .45 pistol as Tam O’Shanter proposes, a firearm with limited stopping power (no matter what anyone says), would also be a poor choice, which is the reason for the old adage, “Only a fool takes a pistol to a gunfight.” This adage assumes, of course, that the person knows that he is actually going to a gunfight.
Anyone who proposes that the “mighty .45 ACP” is a manstopper is blithely ignoring the fact that every recent study shows that bullet placement trumps foot/lbs. of energy almost every time, and they also ignore the fact that +P 9 mm. ammo can actually produce more foot/lbs. of energy on the target than .45 ACP FMJ, the so-called “manstopper.” (For the record, I own both.) Jeff Cooper’s been gone for quite sometime, and both firearm and ammunition technology have continued to improve. Query: How many police departments or national military services carry, as their standard sidearm, a .45 ACP pistol of ANY type? I’ll wait. Show me your work. Don’t get stuck in the 1980s! There is a reason why 9 mm. dominates the firearms market today.
Of course, if SHTF involves simply a period of food shortages, and not famine, occasional blackouts,and not the actual long term loss of the grid, and only intermittent fuel shortages/sky-high prices, not total fuel unavailability, the three gun solution you propose would likely be fine.
While aggravating, inconveniencing, and disruptive, this version of SHTF would be unlikely to reduce society to a Mad Max World status.
SHTF – marshal law, FEMA relocating people, extreme natural disasters, no water/supplies for long periods (weeks and longer), agents/rioters coming down the street going door to door, similar.
I’ll stay stuck in the eighties, thank you though. 9mm lol
10mm is for those who wanted more than slow 45
I’m a Viet Nam Combat Veteran and pushing 80 years old and have Emphysema. My wife is just a few years younger than me. Neither of us have any family within 100 miles of us. So, with that in mind, we aren’t going anywhere unless we have plenty of warning. After reading these posts, I find that a lot of people don’t really realize the possibilities of SHTF situations. Some things to consider are as follows:
Bugging out.
1. What guns to take? 9 mm vs. 45 ACP. With a 9mm, you can carry a lot more ammo due to the weight. Shot placement is the key. The “spray and pray” you see in the movies don’t cut it. Same with a .22 vs .223. You can carry a lot more .22 than you can .223.
2. What about your pets? They may end up as food but for now they are pets.
3. What about your stockpile? Can’t carry it all.
4. Do you know where you are going and several different routes to get there?
Many, many, many other things to consider.
Bugging in:
1. Do you have enough stockpiled that you don’t have to leave the house for an extended period?
2. Do you have enough people in your house to properly protect all entrances?
3. Do you have enough people in your house that can;
a. Cook
b. sew
c. provide medical treatment
d. cover guard duty while others sleep
e. scavenge for supplies if needed
f. The list goes on and on.
Plan to succeed but prepare a back up if that plan fails.
shot placement is key…. However this isn’t “hunting from a deer stand you been sitting in for 30 mins . waiting for the deer you had on a trail cam for 9 months and been baiting with feed. Shot placement is great but other times you needs to suppressively fire to get peoples heads down so someone else can advance or make the shot. (or you need to advance or retreat) to cover.
the advancements in ammo has allowed “9mm to become a very decent caliber” however like all pistols calibers they just don’t have the speed of a rifle to do traumatic damage for instant kills.
In my experience, those who talk about killing others all the time in every scenario actually have little experience in causing mortality. If that is your only solution to every problem, you will not survive because once people know this about you, they are not going to take the chance of making contact: they will just standoff at a safe distance, put the crosshairs in the right spot and pull the trigger. You seem to have put in some time learning about needed skills. I would admonish you to stick to what you know.
Most people are likely to get knocked out by going outside. That’s why I preach almost any fire team size group with minimal experience. Would dominate the majority of country side or suburbs.
Joe,
You are possibly the first one to mention sewing skills on this site. We all wear clothing plus utilize other fabric items. It is a valid skill to have so various levels of sewing tools are needed, from fine needles and thread to heavy upholstery needles and button-hole thread. There is a museum in Estonia that is a remembrance of what the soviets did to the people of Estonia from WW2 era to officially 1991 and a bit beyond. There is a long row of hanging clothing from that era. Many, many of the articles of clothing show limited skill in sewing as the wearers of the clothing did not expect to need to know how until the soviets stormed in.
I am glad that I live in the country and next to a Vet such as you . He also knows that helping those that help you goes further than just shoot first type. We watch each other cause I can hunt, track, fish sew cook etc. the list goes on for I never stop learning but I try to teach so when I am gone they can carry on.
In any scenario, I think those who have good physical conditioning, mental balance, stealth and silent survival skills, will have a better chance.
Don’t forget the 40 Cal. With Winchester ranger ammo it will do the job just fine.
this sounds like an armchair quarterback that has watched to much TV! You use what you have or what is available. Maybe Donald has a .40 so it is the best in his mind? If you are confronted with someone else that is also armed, marksmanship will be of greater value than the caliber you chose. If bugging out, a 500 round brick of 22RF will last a lot longer than any centerfire and it weighs less than 4 lb. How much can you carry? The firearms that use 22RF weigh less than centerfire arms also. Common sense will survive.
Skills are very important. If you aren’t up to par on your health, but you bring a valuable skill, then that evens it out. Learn something valuable, and yeh, don’t talk about your preps. Unless the people you are telling live far far away. We have 3 layers of food, that’s what I’ve always been taught, and it’s working so far.
Where is the Christian response of preppers on this site? What about love thy neighbor as thyself or do unto others as you would they do unto you? Our souls and where we end up eternally are much more important than preserving our lives in this world. Aren’t they?
As a Christian I would kill to defend others, but not murder for gain. It is in the Bible.
Don’t know if it is true but I heard from a friend that he had a conversation with a cop regarding prepping. He was shocked when the officer patted his weapon and said “this is all the prepping I need”.
Really! The fact is you will find both good and bad everywhere. Even among our officers.
Neighbors would need to organize to survive. Some fear a line of camo vehicles out in rural areas going house to house and taking everything one needs to survive. Or would they find high powered rounds coming at them from every direction, plus we know where they live.
I don’t see many volunteers for such a task–they will have more pressing things to worry about.
Christian response … well i would take care of my Rement first. If you’re part of a larger circle of trading….. then sure but might need to do something for working in a trade.
Guess you are it. You don’t need to prep or protect it from the bad guys. Just let it all happen. If you don’t believe some of your neighbors are or will become the bad guys then you are among those who won’t survive.
We are tasked with discernment of good and evil.
Well, I find that they missed one group. Not sure what to call them, but the people who decide to end it. Can’t say I completely understand why one should prep.
If it a small SHTF, then government will survive and getting in with them would b your best option.
If it’s a mad Max kind of situation. Then I would ask why you’d want to live
This world is pretty crazy already with civilized man. I could only imagine what it b like if that is gone.
???
In Texas, the Peppers who bug out and don’t own a place to go are another doomed group. The only national forests in Texas are within walking distance of Houston and the over 3 million city slickers in the metro area. Bug out to private property and you will be warned off or shot. Refugees are a sanitation and security hazard, an intolerable one.
And if you think of the Pacific and Appalachian trails and such, get out now and learn how to camp in bad weather, the weather is almost always bad.
You can’t live off rodents, people, better tote a hundred pound bag of rice to make burgoo.
Crap, history shows lots of examples of refugees walking hundreds of miles w/o food or water. We’re all screwed, you have to cache and be ready to abscond.
I agree. Been reading about things long distance runners (UltraRunners) deal with – they use something called Body Glide to avoid chafing and blisters on all parts of the body where clothing/straps/etc contact the skin, they change socks frequently, change shoes if they are wet/damp, they know how to treat and protect blisters. Most people would NOT be able to walk even 20 miles without damaging their feet. We have so much to learn. You CANNOT simply “bug out.”
I’m 75. And still active. On 0 meds. Tripped on a rock out camping Sunday night. Cut my forehead bur the nose I landed on didn’t break. Dr kept saying how great my blood pressure was. Lower number was 68. Better than most of his staff in the OR.
Stayed a couple of more days after the fall. Enjoying fishing,trapping crawdads, cooking for the family on a campfire. Catfish were good. Boiled 39 crawdads for one meal. Trapped them with fish guts. Slept in my sons tent. Getting up off of the ground is not as easy as it once was but I loved being out there. We cooked with wild garlic onions. Found dozens of clumps just around the tent. They were everywhere.
I don’t drink beer so when given a can I made bread. 3 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1, 12 oz can of beer. Mix well. Put in greased cast-iron pot with a lid. Set in the hot coals of the fire and turn once in a while till done. It was great with my home canned chicken vegetable soup. I made Indian tacos, shrimp stir fry which could just as easily have been crawdads,instead. Breakfast was catfish, eggs, buttered- toasted, English muffins. Other days were wild stews of fish, wild onions, mushrooms, ect. Boiled fish heads, dandelion greens and juniper berries were the base of another stew. I was showing my grandson what was possible. He’s a good fisherman but is just learning about foraging. I’d invited a friend for dinner every night when he got off work. He was amazed at what we were eating. I did take, salt, pepper, some other seasonings and dried veggies if we needed more than we could forage. I did have lard and flour, canned pie fillings and flour tortillas. So we had fried pies using the flour tortillas and canned pie fillings. My home canned fruit and sun dried tomatoes were handy. I cooked tepary beans, wild onions, jalapeños and dried rabbit to serve on fry bread like tacos. I grow tiny wild chilis but used jalapeños. My friend that ate with us didn’t know we could find so much in a public campground. Even young cactus pads were good. My son was taking pictures of edibles and wild flowers. He’ll put those together for his sons and other family.
Good practice and lots of fun. I bought two of the cheapest crawdad traps. Those will stay with the fishing tackle. The 49 crawdads fed 6 adults and only took 3 hours to catch.. I boiled them with wild onion, wild chili’s I took with us, and and some salt. Cajun seasoning or Old Bay ect would have been good also. We drank cota tea we stopped and picked on the way. I gathered mullen leaves that I dried at camp to bring home.i also brought home juniper branches thick with berries. We dug wild onions and yarrow plants to bring home and tuck in the wild garden.
Half a tank of gas took us to the camp 3.5 hours from home. So a $100 trip.
Everything you said sounds wonderful.. I have been prepping for about a year now. Everyday I hear or think of something else I need to get…we will be bugging in.. I have no outside knowledge.. My husband has given me nothing but grief about my prepping..I have tried many times to talk to him about the need to be prepared…He does agree with the need for water and
about a week supply of food, but everything else, he says is me just being crazy..He doesn’t want to have guns in the house, I have several baseball bats and muschties placed at door ways . I am truly getting worried about our well being….I just wrote in to let others know that there are some couples that don’t agree with the other about prepping or the possibilities of SHTF even happening…This can sure make it hard on the one who is trying to prep…I pray for blessings on each one of ypu, stay prepared.. Try to help as many other preppers as you can cause there be a lady that has to fight the man to prep..Thank you again.
Lynda
I fill your pain.
My wife, what a fight to get her on board. She is 80% on now. She says the other 20% is what I will have to do so she does not want to learn that. That’s cool to me…
Start to watch U-TUBE on survival.
Look up BLACK SCOUT survival. He’s a good Christan guy.
Just watch and learn as much as you can, even if He thinks you, are nuts.
One day he will see that you have done what he thought was crazy. “Help him survive”.
Loved reading your comment we need more people just like you that knowledge and know how is what is going to help people survive . Us old timers are sometimes more useful than the young folk but are usually discounted because of our age thanks for sharing .
And just so you know what gun control is’ Use both hands
I have read many of these type comments and artivcles for a long time BUT not one really takes true survival into cpnsideration. Choose of guns, calibar and action vary with choice but you must have a gun that is reliable, will shoot every time, can kill with one shot. First off all automatics hand guns and rifles are prone to failure when dirty or when damp in very cold whether. (eliminate them) that leaves bolt action, pump, lever or break open for reliable action. In hand guns only a revolver is reliable. As to calibar you do good by choosing a calibar that can be used in both rifle and revolver. There are a few but my choice is 357 Magnum for revolver and a lever action for rifle. A 357 rifle will bring down a deer with one shot.(I did this years ago_)
Now as far as getting game you should have 1’19 and 1/8 snare cable and snare locks for both sizes. This gives you means of securing meat silently so predators man or beast does not hear you. You are set to catch anything from mouse to moose what ever is available including dogs, cats and rats. None of this is mentioned above
THINK
you might consider stocking up on various sizes of single-strand stainless steel wire leader, sold for saltwater fishing, and the heavier gauges make excellent snare wire.
I always recommend getting stainless steel items if/when you can for just about anything metal, including knives, scissors, tools, fishhooks, utensils, etc. because of their durability, corrosion resistance, and easier to clean, especially if in situations where proper care and maintenance may be hard to do.
1. Lol lever actions have more complex moving parts then most semi autos.
2. Hate to break your Fudd lore down…. they been fighting wars with semi automatics for nearly a century now
3. Revolvers jam as well
4. Thinking…..you’re nuts
Get ready folks, we are going back to the times if “the Wild West”… get those horses feed, saddled and ready to go as well! Definitely survival of the fittest…
I noticed Claude has shut down his “Manage your Subscription” page, I wonder what is going on?
Police Failures In Uvalde Are What Happen When Law Enforcement Cares More About Woke Politics Than Training
They never cared about you
They ALL trained for active school shooter a mere three weeks prior to the event. Something else was in play…..the school police Chief was a complete loser. The training was specific on engaging the shooter immediately. Texas law on required school shooter training.
I’ve read this whole thing, what I’ve found missing is when choosing the guns pick the ones with the most common ammo. Your chances of finding more are better 9mm,22, 12ga 30 30, 5.56 The most common.
The other thing I see no one has added into their survival is FEMA they WILL come in and take anything you stockpile to distribute to everyone else or for themselves, the guns first they don’t like being shot. By the way you have no constitutional rights after Marshall law and FEMA has been given total power over the population.
Best bet for me is I have my buyout bags, I have my 70s 4×4 I don’t live in a big city. Down side I’m in my 60s pacemaker and my kids live next to a big city with my grandkids. Hardtack, beans rice dried meat an veggies fruit, enough to last the trip to a more sustainable area that if needed could be moved in a wheelbarrow just to show size. We have a plan,we have the people who will be there and the place to meet. Some stores are there that are long term and all under ground.
My point is unless you involve friends and family who have a place to go big enough to support the group or can buy one, your to late.
The most common ammo could also be hard to get due to the high demand of being common among owners. That is our experience.
FEMA is lazy. They will go where it is convenient first. They have families to feed and don’t want to take big risks in remote areas. If there are no communications ….EMP, CME, government grid shutdowns ….there will be no announcement of “martial law”. It is not Marshall law. Of course, they may show up unannounced at homes in urban areas….then suburbs. The number 1 priority for preparation is to get out of the cities and suburbs. Relocate.
What a coincidence that (due to no reply button) it’s not possible to reply on Carol Burn’s reaction about missing replies that talk about going after governments that caused all this shit already and if we don’t bother about stopping them (evil persons) even a real Shtf situation to begin with! ?
I’ve been following several preppers sites for quite a long time now, read many many reactions and asked too how come nobody is chasing elites down but got totally ignored too. Feels like preppersites(accounts) are controlled opposition. Everyone ignoring Carol’s reaction about not even mentioning that taking down governments and their elite bosses is the right thing to do because elites are due to all shit happening in the first place but keep talking about all kinds of guns and killing (due to governments actions hungry) people because they didn’t prep (enough), like all people can afford it and have enough space to do so and if Shtf really will happen, fema will collect all of it (when fema think it’s neccesary and that’s anything that serves elites, so even cars and houses) anyways, ask a prepper even says so himself in ‘7 prepping items fema will confiscate when SHTF’. ?
Guess that ask a prepper and most folks (so called real preppers) rather shoot innocent people because (even stock up with lots of guns and ammo which worldwide most people are not allowed to have so most people cannot really protect their people, houses and preps to begin with), they shit their pants when thinking about having to chase/catch real evil (elite). Most probably that’s also the reason of that in every war lots of innocent people die too! ?
FEMA does not have the manpower and resources required to do a nationwide door-to-door search and confiscation of people’s homes looking for personal supplies. I’d be more concerned about people getting desperate and willing to risk their lives to steal from others.
Nope they use cops, military and everything federal government armed plus the union. Not to mention the majority will turn them in. Once it’s a felony to have it.
Not our problem you live in a shit hole
And corrupt politicians who live in areas where honest preppers dwell 😉
I have to kinda agree with Megatron.
I have to rebuild my 1911s every 15 to 20,000 rounds.
But the pistol is just to get you to your rifle.
Just sayin’
if you are shooting 15-20 thousand rounds after SHTF, and seriously trying to conserve your ammo, then you are most likely in a War situation and will need to forage additional weapons and ammo as best you can, as well as consider alternate “weapons” like fire, undermining, chemicals (toxic/corrosive/volatile), and even diseases that can be used for sabotage.
Two characters in a book Robert Heinlein wrote, said, “When in danger or doubt, run in circles, scream and shout.” Their father, Lazarus Long, gave both teenagers a bad spanking for even joking like that. Thou shalt not panic.
Those who are without supplies will become supplies for those who are stronger.
The Coming Power Grid Collapse… is a good vid, and a good site for people who want to stay home.
Lone wolf? Those are cast out of the pack to die and rarely survive long. Take a lesson from cats. Most cats are loners. Bobcats, leopards, tigers fall prey to others like wolves, from prey animals, and any injury is life-threatening. For how to not do things, watch the dilly movie, The Road. For how to survive alone, read Wolf and Iron (the grid collapses).
Chronic illnesses? Yo! Me! Yet I survived decades without medica. Now, thanks to liberals’ hitler health care, minimal medical care. What’s wrong with me? I lived in Penna for a long time and need a good shrink, LOL. I did my research and found herbals and so on to control allergies and infections caused by allergies as well as arthritis, et al.
Indecisive, shilly-shally, wimps are meat for the starving or slaves. Braggarts the same. Braggarts are usually losers, weak-willed. Like the lizard who bragged his ancestors were the mighty dinosaurs, then was eaten by a bird.
Me, bragging, we picked all the mesquite today! (5 lbs!) Chopped a pound of green onions to dry! Picked apples and put up a whole 9 quarts! Watered the sweet potatoes! Picked morninga! (Try not to laugh, OK? It’s not polite…Snickering in OK, though ☺ Yes, and bought a watermelon! Got 2 tomatoes (Porter) out of the garden! Beware opf the ice age! What we’re not saying is the solar food dryer (‘tis Arizona) that can handle bushels at at a time, the 100 lbs of meat in the freezers (that was picked up on Monday), along with fruit, and veggies (summer kraut!), hundreds of pounds of shell corn, pinto beans, rice, and chia stored here. Cases of things like coffee beans and tea, tomatoes, leather britches (dried green beans), a ton of green onions coming on with the monsoons, net bags of cooking onions, jars of chicharrons (deep fried fat with some meat; pressed, they’d be cracklings), lots of butter and lard. What we bought, much of it, came in a little at a time. All grain and legumes were frozen for a few days in one freezer, then stored. 50 lbs corn, 20 of rice, 50 of beans, 10 of chia, and never at one time but bought over weeks and months, one bag at a time. Meat purchases the same. Pork fat for chicharrons is .50c a pound. Buy 5 lbs at a time, use the crock pot to cook, then brown on the stove, put in half-gallon jars and cover with melted lard. Pemmican is made the same but fruit should be dried. niio
red, I disagree with your speculation “Bobcats, leopards, tigers fall prey to others like wolves, from prey animals, and any injury is life-threatening.” These cats do not “fall prey” to other predators, and the rare occurrence they may have physical conflict is usually over territory, protecting young, or an attempt to steal a kill.
Personally, I’m going to stay “home” until I determine we need to move to survive, and will work with others that are worthy, but I expect to also often forage alone. I will not restrict myself to be “one or the other”, I will conduct myself as I determine I need to be depending on the circumstances.
Harvested all the grapes off one vine because they had gotten sweet, and the birds were raiding. The other vine has a lot of tiny grapes that are still sour so I’m hoping they grow bigger and get sweet, but temps are hitting 90’s so they may instead turn to raisins while on the vine.
I have to snip seed pods off the Moringas every day now to try and keep them producing more leaves for the wife.
The pineapples are growing tiny “crowns” and are turning a yellow color, not sure if that’s a good thing, it’s my first try at growing pineapples.
The strawberries took a serious hit when the temps hit 90’s, like it cooked them. I have some that still have a very few green leaves, and some just totally dried up and look dead with no green at all.
Planted black-eyed peas, all coming up fine – they like the heat.
my Tennessee Red peanuts look okay, but my Virginia peanuts are struggling, not sure why, it’s my first attempt growing peanuts.
I am getting more and bigger potatoes growing them in large 10–20-gallon tubs. When the tops are dying off, I cut back on watering those tubs for a few weeks, then harvest. Works better than the 7-gallon fabric grow bags I’ve been using for the past couple years.
Pressure can meat rather than freeze for when your power grid can’t handle the freezer. Also, make some shelf store pemmican and smoke meat. Salt fish filets for shelf storage.
We lost our freezer so pressure canned the contents recently, and salted the fish.
Demarco, Raven it’s all the same. Stir the pot, crave the negative attention, put others down to make themselves feel taller. Same MO, same persona.
Two quotations I will always remember. “The more you know, the less you have to take with you.”
And “We have done so much with so little for so long, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.” The first is Horace Kephart, the second was at the entrance to Fort Bragg, at least it was the last time I looked. It all adds up to skill and the willingness to do what one has to do to win.
Your assesment of a lone wolf seems to be very narrow and incomplete. Any true lone wolf individuale will be a very skilled, intellegent, and maticulist person. Ever here of the unabomber?
Ted Kaczynski was a lone wolf and responsible for more than a dozen bomb attacks in multiple states between 1978 and 1995. He managed to avoide the detection of the FBI for 17 years until his people turned him in.
Another famous lone wolf is Eric Rudolph AKA the Olympic Park Bomber, who avoided FBI capture for 5 years by surviving in the Nantahala National Forest near Cherokee and Graham Counties, in North Carolina. He did this by stealth camping, gathering acorns and salamanders, pilfering vegetable gardens, stealing grain from a grain silo, and raiding dumpsters in Murphy, North Carolina until he was caught by a local law enforcement officer for dumpster diving.
I do not endorse these mens ambitions of criminal activity in the slightest but to list lone wolves as the first to die in a SHTF scenario is hyperbole. I do not have time to list the many stories of hermits who lived in isolation from civilization just fine. When you think about it, technically most survival stories are of people who survived as a lone wolfs. Yes they made it back to civilization and were eventually united with their tribe, but hopefully a SHTF scenario will eventually return to some type of law and order too.
If you choose bugging in, build a community, thats your best chance for survival. If you choose to be a lone wolf, plan accordling. Build cache’s, learn stealth camping and buschcraft skills. Learn how to do survelliance without being dettected and avoide people until you can determine if their friendly or foe. There is much more that could be said on the subject but I think I have made my point. People who think a lone wolf cannot survive in an SHTF do not have the mindset or the skill set to survive as a lone wolf who will probably be the most dangerous animal in the woods.
Larry, I agree, and having the skills and attitude to do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, will be a key factor determining who will survive. Those who have narrow minded perspectives will not be able to adapt and overcome enough to survive for long.
“your mind is your most potent weapon, everything else are just tools to accomplish the goals the mind decides to pursue”
That’s pretty accurate and why Norwegians will die first. Weak minds are common in Norway. The Norwegian library burned down last year. All 4 books were destroyed. Sad part is they never finished coloring in 3 of them.
Ted was a brilliant man. His manifesto is incredible and accurate about how people live a life being told what do by technology.
Mk ultra program and the Cia destroyed Ted in college.
Desert storm vet here I live in a rural area I have a small farm various head of livestock also have horses very large garden and a small group to help with security around the clock some are veterans we train and prepare preserving/ canning food weapons training along with fire building in adverse conditions water purification we have a stream through our property my weapons 12 gauge pump marlin 30 30 AR15 in 556 called. AR22 in 22lr ,sig 226 in 45acp glock 19 9mm sig p936 in 9mm for conceal carry and you can laugh if needed high point 9mm carbine my wife is equipped with ar 223 sbr keltech sub 2000 in 9mm s&w 9mm m&p ruger 1022 scoped 22lr and 9 shot 22 cal.revolver we are not leaving unless our government comes after us we do have multiple back up plans
WTG there, You sound ready for it.
I know I’ll be one of the dead. I’m a heart patient who relies on eight different prescription meds. I have, at best a three month supply. I also have a defibrillator in my chest, so an EMP event would probably trigger it.
Still, I’ll do what I can to help my family and myself.
Actually, being in Houston is your worst enemy. Akin to living in Chicago. We are very familiar with Houston and the other Texas blue sh..t holes….all major cities in Texas are bad.
You can put looters on that list also. The first I see stealing from me won’t have to worry about the rough ride to the police station!
There are two main possible positions in a SHTF scenario. Depending on what’s happened either bug in for a while or get out earliest if you can. Be prepared to foot it as streets, highways will be a parking lot full of stress / fighting. Possibly an e bike with multiple batteries for long distance, taking advantage of trails in any area. Most individuals will take to what they know as fast distance creation which are the streets. Utilize the group to carry necessities but no luxury items. Don’t forget a recurve bow some arrows or bolts if a light crossbow. You’ll use up a lot of ammo probably just get out of the urbanization to an isolated area where no one is prepared to survive. Each individual will carry light, they’ll be no military forces to supply food, shelter and additional ammo. There’s where a bow comes in once your self ammo supplies are exhausted. Think how many different types of self defense items can assist with survival. Go Gun from Germany makes great products that are light /easy to carry. One such product for about 100 bucks is a bad ass slingshot that has the capability of penetrating ballistic gel to FBI requirements. Yes think multiple hunting, defensive items. You have to think only necessary items and how far you’ll have to travel on foot once transportation is exhausted so 50 lbs is about max for most healthy adults.
500 rounds of 22lr equals 100 rounds of large caliber ammunition like 45 ACP. It’s all about weight people. They’ll be no military back for additional supplies, especially ammo, food, shelter and back up forces to fight. Head to the most inhospitable place as most will head to better sunny conditions. There’s where the real fighting begins as those who made it there are tough with a good fight. Great backpack for extended periods, all weather conditions.