Is bugging out a realistic idea?

sawinredneck

sawinredneck

Treehouser
Joined
Mar 24, 2006
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Location
Kansas
First, let's please keep politics out of this, this is just if it's a realistic idea. Second, I'm well aware of my limitations with my back, so let's just carry on like I'm every other Joe in this context.

The neighbor lady is prepping, buying zombie killing spears, animal snares and Amazon medical kits for her buggout plan. She'll get some food, be able to kill Zombies and stich herself back together, cool, but seems like she's missing a lot of other key things.

I've watched a lot of Youtube "Experts" ramble on about what's in their pack, why and how wonderful it is. I'm honestly putting together something for my family now, just because..... But how realistic is that plan?
I have an edge up on most, I do have a place to run to, I have water, fishing, hunting, tons of wood, and woodlands and so on, I have to wonder where most of these people plan to run to?

How sustainable is it? I can buy a Silky saw, a small axe, fire starters, medical kit, things you could put in a pack and carry quickly and get out, but what happens when the axe handle breaks? What happens when the saw blade breaks or dulls? What happens when you break that $300 knife off doing something dumb?
How long can you really survive on fish and wild game?
Sorry, been pondering this a lot lately and you seem to be some sensible minded people, I just wanted to pick the brain trust here to get some realistic input, thanks in advance!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4
Either a small log cabin or a dirtbag cabin.
In an ideal situation I’d take the mini, chainsaws and a load of gas.
In this scenario let’s say you have a saw, axe and small shovel , I think either shelter is doable with these tools.
Short term a lean too or tarp would work.
 
Actually, Andy...I do not think it is the slightest bit realistic. But we all need to at least have a plan, and maybe a few of us will get lucky enough to make it work.

But I wouldn't bet on it long term, for most folk I know...me included.
 
Well, one a can't underestimate the human spirit. I'm not sure what the full context of the theoretical situation might be, but you can certainly survive in a wall tent with a heat source for a good spell...many pioneering Alaskans have done so while building more permanent shelter.
 
I've re-read your post and hope my responses are not offensive... certainly not meant to be. It's an interesting situation that I hope (we) won't be facing.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11
Not offended at all! Hell, I'm doubting the sustainability of anyone doing it, that's why I'm asking. You read the blogs, watch the videos, then really sit down and think it through, I think I'd have a better chance than most of the internet gurus, even half crippled up!
To the shelter, the lean to/tarp would be short term until you could build something better.
But again, what happens when one of your tools fails? How long would a Silky saw honestly last as your main source of firewood, day after day?
How long would an axe actually last in this situation?
I could see someone doing this for a week fairly easy, maybe a month even. but I don't think most people would have the mental strength, much less the physical strength do to this prolonged. Then add the stress of trying to take care of a family, thrown into this, on top of it, I think most people would crack in this day and age.
Think about what you could put in a pack, still be able to carry it, and that's what you have to work with until. who knows when, I'm just not seeing it as a reality.
Yes, I'm putting together a kit, but I've honestly no dreams of being able to run off into the woods with my family and surviving the collapse of society, or whatever may be coming. But I'm realistic to understand it's better to be prepared, than have nothing to work with if it does go sideways.
This isn't about me as much as how realistic the idea in general is. As I said, I at least would have land to run to, I don't think most people have that even.
 
That's the thing, even if you have land, what's to keep other people away? Our whole society is built upon using modern methods to feed, clothe, house, heal, and employ us. The gains in efficiency is what has enabled the population to become what it is, without that tons of people will have to die. In my opinion, any scenario that requires you to say eff it and head into the woods to try to survive is also likely going to be full of other people trying to kill you to take your stuff. Since we no longer live exclusively on food produced right where you are any survival situation will have to cause tons of deaths to even be close to feasible, so imagine trying to do all that cool survival stuff while your crazy neighbor Bob down the street is hunting you with a high powered rifle lol.

The other thing is that you would have to know how to build and fix anything you have without getting parts from somewhere else. Your ax handle broke? You better know how to carve one. Your knife breaks you better know how to forge one, and how to build a forge with no tools in the middle of the woods without drawing attention to the fact that you will be banging metal together making you an easy target. Fixed defenses with a little noise as possible are likely the best way to try to survive, if you can conceal them well enough. Even then tho, you gotta deal with Bob. Being prepared for stuff is always a good thing, but honestly how do you prepare to kill everyone around you?
 
I like the romantic idea of bugging out, lIving in a hollowed out tree on my side of the mountain, but I don't think I know enough to make it happen. I think society as a whole has forgotten what it takes to live off of the land and be one with nature. The Amish are about the only people that I know that could.
 
As a crazy conspiracy theorist I believe that soscietal collapse is a very real posibility. If the grid goes down something like 90% of the population die within 2 weeks. However I have never understood the bug out idea. At my home I have food, shelter 3 years of firewood ,2 solar powered freezers, guns and plenty of ammo, solar powered well water, plenty of diesel.

Why would I leave the relative security of my home ?
 
Ha, my daughters mother in law is prepping for this scenario. I just don't have time to worry about things that might happen, I live in the present, I mean, who knows what will happen tomorrow?
 
Actually my biggest concern IS the “preppers”. Our proximity to D.C. and Baltimore puts a target on us. We’re between them and the real boonies. I would take no pleasure in hurting anyone but I haven’t forgotten how.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #23
VERY good points by all!
As to why leave: I live in a fairly densely populated area, I've become addicted to electricity and if I lose power this house/shop combo is useless to me, just being honest, we are total electric here. The land is 100 miles from here, in the middle of nowhere in a very sparsely populated area. My idea is to get away from all the "Bob's" and other parasites that will show up after a collapse. But yes, even then you have to defend what's yours, and it would be a constant thing, doing so living out of a pack of some sort, not very realistic. I've got guns, I've got ammo, but honestly just moving all that gear would all but kill me!
Gigi: it's a huge thing! There are complete companies set up on this premise and selling gear. You've got companies selling full on buried "bunkers", mini houses that people bury in their backyards and stockpile food, guns, generators, you name it for the impending "collapse". Go to Amazon or Evilbay and type in "survival bag" you'll be blown away at how many ready made kits are available! There are companies selling months worth of freeze dried food for this situation. People are building pantries in their basements and stockpiling things, it's quite crazy!
Brian: I'm honestly more and more in that camp! Can you imagine the saps that hole up in their bunker for years and emerge to find nothing? Do they think they are going to be Noah and repopulate the Earth with their family? Not sure I could take coming out of the hole for that.
I've seen various types of preppers and I've yet to see an honestly solid plan. I've covered the bunker type, I get the people stockpiling in their basement, to a point, but you, at least IMO would end up becoming a pantry for the rest of the town, then your all screwed. I've seen guys build a kit to live in an Altoids tin, I figure that's good for a day, maybe. I've seen guys that fill their bags with nothing but guns and ammo, I guess they plan to take what they need? Then you have the "Bushcraft" types, these guys are smart, they are good, but I think the mental fatigue of being alone all the time would wear on you.
Even "Bugging-in", staying where you are, would become a daunting task as I see it, as soon as someone sees you are doing even "OK" you will have a target on your back. Someone will be trying to take what you have.
If SHTF in all actuality, I don't see anything as a sustainable option.
 
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