This is a thought that hit me this weekend as I was surfing the Web for survival topics so I could learn something new. I was looking up Bug Out Locations, and it hit me that, we (I) discuss prepping your primary home with preps primarily for Bugging In. But I started giving more thought to how prepped a Bug Out Location should be in the event you have to Bug Out at any particular time of year. For instance, If you live where I do in the Northeastern region of the United States, we clearly have four distinct seasons. Therefore if I have to bug out in November, it is going to be hard for me to grow vegetables until spring. It may be hard for me to procure any livestock as well because I do not have a barn, coupe, or shelter for any animals, so I better have a freezer full of protein or proteins stored of the canned, jarred, dehydrated, or freeze dried type. If I bug out in November, for instance, I have a minimum of six months (including the month of November) before I can plant any vegetables/crops. That is a long time. It will be at least nine to 10 months before I have any harvest at all. An even longer time. It might also be spring before I (you) could start to build a shelter and food storage for any livestock you may procure.
So, that said, “How stocked should a bug out location be if you have to bug out?” I am thinking, that based on a per person basis, you should have a “minimum” of one year to 18 months of food storage at your bug out location per person. Why up to 18 months? Well, what if you have a poor growing season? What if you cannot procure more than a couple of cows, goats, chickens, etc. Protein will be at a minimum, so your food storage may be what you are living on for that extended period of time. Especially if you are not seasoned at skills such as hunting or fishing.
This isn’t limited to food either. I think that you should cache extra clothing for all seasons, medical supplies, oil, gasoline (stabilized), tools (a couple of chainsaws, a redundant toolbox, and other tools), plow for the garden, a couple of bicycles for organic transportation, lamps (oil, candle or other), guns, ammunition (especially for hunting), fishing gear, generator(s), solar panels, deep cycle batteries, inverter(s), radios, cell phones & sim cards, walkie talkies, batteries, etc. at your bug out location. I know it sounds like a lot, and I know it is going to be expensive. Redundancy is. But the more I think about it, the more detail and items come to mind.
it is a lot to think about. There are a lot of skills to acquire and learn. The more I think about it, the more I think that I am more an armchair prepper and armchair survivalist than not. I am clearly ahead of many others, but still in my infancy and learning.
What have I learned? Prepping is not enough, there needs to be a much bigger plan… And, this post sort of when awry a bit with what instead of how much. This also begs the question, should you have a bug out location with your network of preppers or go it alone with your family? I thing the former for me. A dentist, doctor, experienced OPSEC guy, carpenter, etc, are all assets to a group.
Please comment if you are a seasoned prepper and self sufficient homesteader. I would like to know what you think and what your thoughts are on the above.
Don’t be discouraged. You don’t need the entire community of professionals in every occupation. Just the Basics. think withing your family and your close friends. At the Thanksgiving dinner family gatherin, the year Obummer took office, we started a family plan for the inevitable time we would need to have been prepared. Our location is within 25 miles of each of us and 20 miles outside a rural northern California town of 6000. All 11 families are family, all contribute 5% of their gross income and the location was already occupied by one family member who owns a fence company on 20 acres.
Now, 6 years later our prepping has come along fine. We have four cabins and four travel trailers on site, underground fuel storage, elevated water tank, 1 acre garden with 7 more tillable acres available. Pigs, chickens, rabbits and catfish. 4 septic systems, 4 wells, a stream and a pond. We buy Mountain house foods by the pallet (40% off). We have purchased our standardized rifles and ammunition as Birthday and Christmas gifts for each other. Medical? We have a near neighbor who is an MD, and in the family we have a surgical nurse, 2 EMTs and a registered Dental Technician (RDT). Safety? we have 15 adult men (four with miltary backgrounds and two local police. This is not difficult… it in not expensive.…and it is lots of fun. when you share… it comes together in months , not years. A good methed of bonding comes form training together on weekends. (5–10 miles out scouting trails is a blast for all involved).