Posted on 01/19/2013 3:23:13 PM PST by blam
Bugging Out vs. Hunkering Down
M.D. Creekmore
January 19th, 2013
The Survivalist Blog
This article has been contributed by M.D. Creekmore of The Survivalist Blog.
The very idea of leaving the security of your home to “bug out” to the woods has never sat well with me – In nearly every instance it’s better to hunker down or “bug in” than to bug out. I mean, why leave the safety and familiar surroundings of your home, for the open and unforgiving wilderness.
For many people this is their first line of preparation against disaster, unfortunately, most will end up joining the multitude of other refugees freezing in a cave and eventually end up dead or wards of whatever government is still functioning.
I live in a fairly safe area and have prepared to survive at home and can conceive of only a few scenarios that would force me to leave. Even then, I would go to an out-of-state relatives house with whom, I have a pre-arranged agreement, where if need be he can come to my place or I to his after a disaster.
I know what you’re thinking “what about an end of the world as we know it” type event, well if such an event were to take place, there would be no 100% safe place for most of us, and really do you think you would be better of making a go of it in the open wilderness as opposed to hunkering down at home.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we should never bug out to the wilderness; we should indeed keep all our options open, what I am saying is that there are better ways to survive most disasters than heading into the bush.
You need to weigh the risks of bugging out vs. hunkering down and make your final decision based on logic and type of threat. That’s the way decisions should be made, unfortunately many people when making plans for survival side with emotion (that emotion being to run and hide) instead of the more tried and true form of decision-making known as logic.
Relying on emotion instead of logic can make for some interesting adventures; however without sound planning beforehand those adventures are likely to be sort lived. For example, I recently asked a fellow in his late 30’s what he would do if disaster struck his area.
He thought for a moment and said he would gather his family and all the food, guns and ammunition he could find and head for the mountains that lay some seventy-five miles to the north of his home.
Depending on the type of disaster, his “plan” might work short term for a lone survivor or a small group of individuals in good physical condition with proper gear and mind-set. But he is a new father and his wife is one of those that think missing an appointment at the nail-salon is the end of the world as she knows it.
Making matters worse he has no outdoor survival training or skills other than watching reruns of Less Stroud’s “Survivorman” and camping at a national park campground with all the utilities and hookups. Why he thinks he can survive off the wilderness while dragging his family along, I don’t know. He isn’t thinking logically.
His decision was based on emotion and as a result if he ever has to put his plan to the test in the real world his family will likely suffer or die because of his decision and “Red Dawn” thinking. Unfortunately, this batman in the boondocks mentality is and will continue to be the chosen survival plan for many who haven’t thought it through.
When making survival plans for your family you have to honestly weigh the risks of your decision based on logic. In almost every disaster scenario, it is better to stay put (bugging in) or head to a pre-arranged safe place at an out-of-town relatives or friends house than it is to head to the woods to eat twigs and pine bark.
For most people an evacuation bag is a better choice than a bug out bag. An evacuation bag should contain the gear necessary to get you from point A to point B, whereas a bug out bag (in most cases) is geared more toward wilderness survival. I have both, but admittedly my bug out bag is an option of last resort.
Knowing when to go is much more important than the contents of your survival pack or even where you will go. You don’t want to jump and run before you need too, but you don’t want to wait too long or you may never reach your destination.
If you wait for the authorities to give the order to evacuate it may already be too late. The roads leading to safety could be blocked and impassable by motor vehicle and walking to your destination may be impossible or too dangerous to attempt.
On the other hand if you jump and run in response to every potential disaster you’ll soon deplete your resources and the patience of your family, school and employers.For example, say you live in an area prone to tornadoes like Texas and you evacuate to Arkansas every time the clouds turn dark or the wind shakes the leaves. You would literally stay on the road. But waiting until the twister is at your door will put you at an unnecessary risk.
There are no easy answers; all you can do is weigh the dangers of bugging out vs. hunkering down depending on the situation and logic. You have to consider the nature of the threat and ask yourself which gives the best chance of survival with regards to the type of disaster you are facing.
Then, there are times when evacuation is a no brainer, say you live on the Florida coast and a category 5 hurricane has been predicted to hit that coast within twenty-four hours, in that case you would be stupid not to go now, even if you have no prearranged bug out location…
On the other hand let’s say there is snow storm heading your way and you have food, water, heat and a way to cook even if the power goes out for an extended amount of time then you are probably better off to hunker down where you are.
In my opinion the bugging out vs. hunkering down debate is moot because it all comes down to the type of threat, your personal situation and preparedness level – in the end you’ll have to make that decision based on that knowledge and common sense.
I've read some say that we are entering a 100 year drought period, all a natural cycle.
I notice my usually very wet area (Mobile) is in the yellow on that map.
No way! I will stay in my house. there’s no internet in the woods.... Besides I sold my Jeep and bought a Camaro, it has to be in the garage at night... I do have firearms, a water stash, and plenty of non perishable food.. and internet food for at my desk!
My mom is a massive survivalist and taught me a lot. Growing up we spent some time living in the Alaskan Bush in a one-room cabin with no plumbing, 50 air miles from the nearest road.
I thought we had a pretty good handle on things, then my son became a type one diabetic. He’s dead without insulin. You can only stockpile it for so long, even with refrigeration. We’ve looked into making it ourselves, but insulin is a delicate hormone and it’s not easily isolated or synthesized. It must be injected. There is no oral route.
Sorry, but these ‘survival’ threads do tend to depress me now. This family can’t live long without modern medicine. My son has the knowledge to survive in the woods for years, but he’s not going anywhere without insulin.
For many people, modern life is a necessity. We’d already be dead without it and we can’t make it long if it goes away.
Bite me.
Some people need modern medicine to live. If the SHTF, a LOT of people are dead.
I didn’t know about the 100-year drought theory. That’s interesting, too. We can probably stand my part of the country being a little more sterile, but I really hope that the drought doesn’t further affect your part of the country (the stuff of dreamy gardens).
BTW, we didn’t move here over a decade ago to survive any big disaster in civilization. Didn’t even think of such things. Although, come to think of it, nature here is an ongoing disaster that we moved to. And there’s nearly no real economy here. We did it, because we like the peace, quiet and technical challenges.
bttt for later reading
That just tears at my heart for you. Here is a suggested plan. Don’t wait, move now. Move to an area, um like Texas maybe so when the SHTF you have better chance to survive with your child. I’m sure like in any state your going to have some undesirables. People don’t seem to understand, other than bs talk, the truth. 1.) Texas has the WORLD’s 3rd largest army. So what if some of those troops are federal bases now. If a civil breaks out. Who’s going to go in there and try to repo them? Sure as hell not me. 2.) They have oil, plenty of wind power access, and solar access. 3) Most people don’t know this, but the Backbone of the entire internet for America crosses in San Antonio. Good luck getting that reconnected obama if they say screw you. I will take YEARS to rebuild around it. If they try and the wireless networks cannot handle ALL Of America. Just ask those people after Karina how their wireless was. That was just one small part of the US. 4.)Jericho : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0805663/
For me, bugging out meant only to get to your hunker down spot. And it should done before the bottom drops out. It’s getting close now as a matter of fact. However, you can clearly see the signs. Regardless, I think it’s either going to be the economy, the gun grabbers causing civil, and/or both. Don’t wait. Make your move now while it’s sustainable. Use your income tax if you get any? Give up that new couch you always wanted and invest into something else.
Here for you or anyone else. The long sleepless hours of my time used to research viable options. All you need is shelter, food, water, protection, planning, and conditioning. Doesn’t mean you have to live in a hole. Live life, but make a little extra time to prepare.
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You do what you have to do to fit the occasion. I am better off here at home for anything that hits. If the house gets a direct hit by a tornado or earthquake, I might have to leave, and stay somewhere else.
I would even consider staying in a tent in the backyard or sleeping on a mattress in the back of the Van if necessary for a short period of time.
No reason to apologize.
I was just wondering if it was a certain part of the post that had caught your eye, and that I was missing.
Your son, exactly like my sister, has specific medical needs that are a great challenge even in normal times.
But he also has a loving mother and there is no medicine so great as that.
Take care!
I keep two knapsacks (one for me, one for my wife or another passenger) in whatever car I am in. There is basic survival equipment and tools (rain gear/poncho, water bottles, water purification straw, extra socks/underwear/ over clothing, space blanket, hi-energy snacks, fire making gear, tiny portable stove, .22 pistol, road map, etc.). Each bag is light enough to be easily carried but heavy enough to provide necessaries for a 3 or 4 day walk, if necessary. One bag (mine, the heavier one one) has my clothing and at least one of everything. The other has backups of crucial items and gear tailored specifically for my wife.
If an emergency comes, it is my opinion it is more important to get home than bug out, plus the bags can be used for emergency short term bug out as well.
We (like most people, unless you are traveling) are seldom further from home than 50 miles. We can walk that with proper equipment. If traveling alone, I can chuck the women's clothing/shoes and carry the 2nd bag as well, with more spare stuff.
John Ringo wrote a series of sci fi books about a massive alien invasion of hundreds of million “Posleen” armed with superior technology, earths armies at the beginning were so overwhelmed it was advised that any person making a home stand have the house equipped with a self destruct option to be used in a last dich scenario, and since captives were eaten many people just gathered their families together and when the enemy came crashing through the door they blew everything sky high.
How would an out of control supremacy government react knowing that millions will stand their ground at at the first provocation will simply blow up their homes taking along a SWAT team or Homeland Security squad?
John Ringo wrote a series of sci fi books about a massive alien invasion of hundreds of million “Posleen” armed with superior technology, earths armies at the beginning were so overwhelmed it was advised that any person making a home stand have the house equipped with a self destruct option to be used in a last ditch scenario, and since captives were eaten many people just gathered their families together and when the enemy came crashing through the door they blew everything sky high.
How would an out of control supremacy government react knowing that millions will stand their ground at at the first provocation will simply blow up their homes taking along a SWAT team or Homeland Security squad?
If I were to bite you, you’d go septic and it would be a fairly merciful and relatively quick, though painful death. :O)
I take BP meds. Guess I’d have to try some herbal remedy or the other along with praying a lot. (I got on a cut rate program last year where I ordered a 6-month supply of the meds by mail and got large bottles of pills.)
Husband has been “pre-diabetic” for a long time now; but he takes CHROMIUM, BENFOTIAMINE, and CINNAMON supplements. So far, that’s worked for him and dr. seems disappointed that he’s not followed her predictions for him to need drugs. - He uses XYLITOL instead of sugar or other sweeteners; can’t tell it from sugar as far as taste. We eat a little whole grain bread and plenty of protein, organic greens in salads, a little fruit; avoid high fructose corn syrup in anything.
I do the same thing, whether facing 100 degree heat or 10 degree cold, everyone needs to have what it takes to survive in their car for a couple of days if the freeway becomes locked up, all of that gear should be kept in an actual backpack so that if it becomes clear that the freeway is locked for good, or the car is no longer of use, then you can hike home and be able to camp along the way.
People should be realistic and be prepared to sleep for one or two nights outdoors while covering the hike, in an emergency, one might not be able to simply fast walk straight home at 4 miles per hour and in 5 or ten hours.
I also redo my gear semi-annually to fit the seasons, even in a 6 hour summer, freeway lockdown like we get occasionally, I am prepared to share water with others who came unprepared.
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