DH brought up a disturbing thought last night. In a SHTF scenario, if we have to bug out, we would not be able to take our dogs, as they would be quite likely to give away our position by barking if people happened along within sniffing/hearing distance.

Has anyone thought about this or found a way to keep a dog quiet or thought of a solution to this?

I'm very attached to my dogs and it would truly break my heart to have to leave them behind or worse.

You would be more likely to benefit from them making a noise to alert you of a danger, rather than giving your position away. Take them.

That's a good point too, ICRCC. I guess it could go either way.

Our dogs would come with us in any case they can be use to distract a person while we run away

If i could only bring 5 singular items i would bring the following.

1. my benchmade hunting/tac knife
2. Rat trap
3. lots of paracord
4. metal pot
5.jar of peanut butter

I know its a weird list but i have to bug out with only 5 singular items I'm sure these 5 would keep me going for a long while if used properly, plus the whole sum of their weight would be next to nothing 🙂

1. I have two identical 30 lb BOBs, one by the front door, one by the rear. Unless I jump out the window, I'm definitely taking one of the BOBs... my wife can grab the other one. Each one contains food/water enough for 72 hours (for two people), plus the tools to survive another month unassisted.
2. Papers - biometric fireproof safe contains passports, certificates and documents
3. Depending on the situation (not gonna happen if my wife is in labour, for instance), I'll grab my tactical vest from my vault - already has ammo and a rifle strapped to it.
4. Car keys - got a very comprehensive kit in my car
5. I don't need much else... probably means I've prepared everything appropriately.

If I can't take the BOB.... and say my car was not available (or stolen)... and I didn't have access to my vault...

1. My survival knife
2. Papers - biometric fireproof safe contains passports, certificates and documents
3. Box of matches (we all know what this is for)
4. Bundle of clothing (for warmth, shelter, for strips to make into rope, for starting fires, for lashing the knife to make a spear)
5. My 5 lb jar of rice with the metal 16 oz scoop (the scoop can be used for boiling water or cooking rice, and 5 lbs of brown rice is approximately 7000 calories)

Survival Knife, paracord, tarp, striker rod and magnesium, metal mess kit

Ok, that's good that one can "bug out" with their stuff. But, I have a problem with bugging out. Where in the double hockey sticks are you going to bug out to in the middle of winter, or if all the roads are Jam packed with like minded folks?
Can anyone tell me what or where to bug out to? Many of us can't buy a piece of land in the back woods. Or, have enough money to be able to afford a B&B with the Clampets.

Ok, that's good that one can "bug out" with their stuff. But, I have a problem with bugging out. Where in the double hockey sticks are you going to bug out to in the middle of winter, or if all the roads are Jam packed with like minded folks?
Can anyone tell me what or where to bug out to? Many of us can't buy a piece of land in the back woods. Or, have enough money to be able to afford a B&B with the Clampets.

albertasaurus,

That is the whole point of this mental exercise - discover flaws in our personal plans. And then work on finding solutions to fill those gaps or flaws.

If the "Big One" shakes the West Coast, where will you go?? The Fraser Valley will likely experience a Tsunami. Everyone and their dog will be driving like mad for Hope.

Now, that is also part of the exercise, discovering what will force you to be in a bugout situation. Not all bugouts require doing E & E and close combat. For instance, a house fire. Probably, the highest probablity event to cause you to evacuate your home. You do not need a bugout location, per se, you just need to get everyone out of the house before they are overcome by smoke. A couple hundred feet away with your bugout bag and you will be alive.

Plan it, practice it, revise it and practice some more.

Now if you need to get out for a different reason and you have the skills, climbing into the Coast Mountains may be an option. Float down the Fraser River and head out to sea. It really depends on the cause of the event. WROL or martial law you might be able to find a small piece of land along one of the many irrigation canals. Find one of them big brambles of black berries and with pruning shears burrow your way in to the centre of the thicket. Of course, that is an extreme example. Probably not realistic. But how far are you wanting this "what if" exercise to go??

Start with the high probablity events that are likely for your area. House fire. Flooding. Earthquake. Tsunami. Forest Fire. Work with these first. Before spending energy trying to resolve the apocalypse.

Just my thoughts of course. Good luck.

Mountainman.

Ok, thanks. Fair enough.
I just can't imagine a scenario that warrants having to leave my "stuff" behind. I should start working on a light weight "bug out" kit, just in case. Makes sense.
Hey, I've done the blackberry bush house when I was a kid. Works really well. I guess that each situation requires a different approach. I hope that we won't have to face one for a long time.

1. my meds
2. my kids
3. my BOB
4. my kids meds
5. a knife
If my dog kept up with us she can come. she may be an ankle biter terrier but is great at alerting us to danger, will attempt to protect us and is great for hunting rabbits or gophers.

My wife
My daughter
Emergency cash stash
BoB
My keys

The BoB is actually a Rubbermaid Storage bin with a separate empty bag if a vehicle isn't an option.

i would grab

1) my survival/bug out bag thing
2) photos
3) phone
4) money
5) my bow

but than i would try to grab more like my sisters swords or
our neighbors cat that comes to our house and other stuff 😕

I have a large backpack which is more of an INCH (I'm never coming home) bag it has everything I'd need already including a .22 rifle.

The other 5 things

1. Shotgun
2. 2 shell belts 50 shells total (they only have buckshot, need to get some birdshot still)
3. Wits
4. Courage
5. Mtn Bike

I couldn't carry anything else.

I have a large backpack which is more of an INCH (I'm never coming home) bag it has everything I'd need already including a .22 rifle.

The other 5 things

1. Shotgun
2. 2 shell belts 50 shells total (they only have buckshot, need to get some birdshot still)
3. Wits
4. Courage
5. Mtn Bike

I couldn't carry anything else.

If you have to leave in a second and only have time to grab 5 things what would it be in a shtf time or any disaster
Also lets say you can grab a bug out bag because your either being chased or your home in being invaded
If you can give a list and why those items

M5 - How far do you think you will get on your mountain bike with two long arms if the event that makes you bug out is more disaster, and less WROL?