Bugging-Out

Thinking of Bugging-out?

I am always thinking about what I would do if I needed to bug out. I am continually re-drawing my bug-out plan as, as you know I plan to bug-in unless ordered or forced to
bug-out.

I now live in a semi-rural area but to be honest in a SHTF scenario I’m not so sure I am far
enough away from expected hungry looting hordes.

The following considerations for a bug out location are based on my location and of course
Your circumstances will be a different, but the basics of picking a bugout location stay the same.

Of course, let’s be honest bugging out could potentially be something we all need to do, and
picking a good bug out location requires thought and planning.

As you begin you’re planning for a perfect and safe bug out location there are a number of
different factors to keep in mind like distance, location, finances, accessibility and many more.
 Without the proper planning you could find yourself with a bug out location that is inaccessible
during a SHTF situation or a location that is ill equipped to sustain you and your family for any given period of time.

Knowing how and when to bug out is great, but if you have nowhere to go, you might as well stay put.

There is no reason to leave one dangerous situation and then put yourself into a situation that you are not properly prepared to handle.

 

This is why we preppers prepare. This is why survival skills and educating ourselves is just
as important as stockpiling food and water, if this stuff runs out, we need to be able to get more, and having a good bug out location could help us do that.

 

Here are a few things to take into consideration when you are looking for a good bug out location, and keep in mind, your situation will be different than mine.

 

Location

 

Picking a location to bug out to is important for not only security, but self-sufficiency as well.
The way you prepare will be different for bugging out to the mountains than it will be for bugging out to a low land area.

 

In a mountain area you have more natural resources available and more possibility’s available when
it comes to defences, but you also need to have wilderness survival skills, especially because of those now wild and roving packs of ex K9 pets, wild boar and even farm livestock that could possibly also be hungry and thirsty.

 

These animals could be a great food source, or you could be a great food source for them.

 

In the low lying areas you will have less cover and concealment so it’s probably a good idea to
get as far away from other people and main roads as you can.

 

There will be less wildlife in the low lying areas and less trees for building and fire wood, but
one benefit could be that you would have more options when it comes to farming as long as you have a good water supply.

 

How Will You Get There?

 

Getting to your bug out location will be just as important as having one in the first place. When
choosing a location have at least 3 different routes you can take to get there.

Another rule of thumb is to pick a location that is within one tank of fuel,
you won’t be able to stop to re-fill if the power is off and you probably wouldn’t
want to anyway.

 

Pick routes that will not lead you through hot spots or danger zones, avoid populated areas.

 

How Long Do You Plan on Staying?

 

How long will your location sustain you and your family?

 

Purchasing an empty plot of land and continually building up your resources and defences is a low cost way to take a bug out location that you could survive at for a week or two, to a location
that you could survive for many months or indefinitely.

 

If you plan onstaying at your BOL long term, self-defence and self-sufficiency will become
more and more important, your supplies will eventually run out and someone will
inevitably cross your path.

 

Living Off the Land – Survival Skills

 

Unless you are Lofty Wiseman or old farmer bill you are probably not going to be able to live off
the land.

 

Everyone knows the basics of gardening or hunting, but these are skills that take years of practice, you could very well starve because the animals you weren’t able to kill ate all your crops.

 

Seriously though, you will need skills to supplement your food supply, but you need to have food
stored while you develop your skills.

 

Does the land you plan on bugging out to have the natural resources you need? What you are able
to hunt and grow will need to be a factor when you supply your bug out
location.

 

Here are a few questions you should ask yourself.

 

What wildlife lives in this area?

 

Is the soil fertile enough for gardening?

 

What crops can I grow?

 

Is there water nearby for farming?

 

Will I be able to have livestock?

 

Is There a Natural Source of Water Nearby?

 

As usual water is the most important part, without a natural water supply nearby you will
probably find yourself heading off to find water, and putting yourself in
danger.

 

A container or water storage is OK, but at some point you will need a well, river or some other natural water source nearby.

 

Building some sort of water catchment and water storage is also a good idea to add to your supply.

 

Weather

 

Weather will play a role in how you prepare also. In the Scottish Highlands or near me on the North
Yorkshire Moors you must take winter into account.

 

You will need to be able to survive for at least 3 months without any food source other than what you have stored.

 

Plan for sever weather, floods, blizzards, natural disasters or even manmade disasters which could really mess with your survival plans.

 

Make sure and take your local weather into account when you are thinking about a bug out location.

 

How warm will your shelter be in the winter?

 

Will your crops or shelter be damaged by flooding?

 

Is your shelter strong enough to withstand strong winds?

 

Do you have supplies to get you through any severe weather?

 

Protection – Geographic Camouflage

 

Protection is not just guns and ammo, protection begins at your perimeter. As I said earlier,
mountain areas offer more protection and natural camouflage but require more
survival skills, flat lands will require you to be further off the beaten track
and have more ingenuity like building underground or other camouflage.

 

How hidden is your bug out location?

 

How easily can someone find your location?

 

How easy would it be for someone take what you have?

 

How will you defend your location?

 

Shelter

 

We all need shelter to survive and withstand the elements. Shelter is also important for avoiding
extreme temperatures that could ruin your stored supplies.

 

There is more to shelter than just putting a roof on some walls. There are many options available when it comes to shelter that don’t require you to be an architect or construction worker, here are some examples.

 

Shipping containers

 

Underground shelter

 

Trailer home or mobile home.

 

A log cabin or even a teepee

 

This is just a few ideas, but if you use your imagination you can come up with some unique ideas
based on your situation, and sometimes the more unique, the less likely people will see it as “shelter” or “storage”

 

Population

 

Population should be a consideration not only for where your bug out location is, but you should
also take into account the population along the way to your bug out location.

 

Always have at least three routes to your location, you never know if one of your routes will be
impassable because of riots, traffic or infrastructure damage.

 

This is a big choice I have to a make, do I go west through? Or do I go further east? I would feel
more comfortable going east towards the coast, but before I choose that I need to see if there are a few safe routes I can take that don’t lead me through any populated areas.

 

Who’s coming?

 

Who else do you expect at your bug out location in the future? It’s never a good idea to tell
everyone about your plans, but you might have a few family members that you will want to help in the future.

 

If you are prepping and stockpiling supplies for 5 people, make sure you take into account that if
someone else comes into the picture you are going to go through your supplies
more quickly.

 

Having more people with you could potentially help with building, farming and hunting, but it will
also require more supplies so it’s always good to have a little extra just in case.

So I suggest you get planning.