Good morning hridika,
I just made this post to my blog...
http://thepreparedcanadian.blogspot.com/2013/03/forming-prepper-group_26.html
And here is the podcast that goes with it...
http://www.mediafire.com/?ttv98ti9jxz024s
Although this is centered more around forming prepper groups, most of it applies when looking to meet preppers online.
Hope some of it helps...

I think that you have a couple different ways to go about it, you can use a group/board like this one, and post and get a feel for folks a bit as they post and then set up a public place meeting, coffee shop etc, I would not invite folks to your place or go to their place personally till I knew them very well, think of it in a way as online dating, and follow the same rules..

Meet in public
Bring a friend or let someone know when you are arriving and when you check back in by phone.
Keep the first meeting short, coffee or a lunch, work up to longer visits.
To talk about, start simple, stick to the basic's, do you garden, what do you have planned in regards to water, do you have a bug out bag..
Subjects I will never talk about in public or a group setting in any form of detail, full details on preps, full details on defence or anything related to it, and last but not least full skill set, (unless your skill set is still quite basic, there is no reason for folks to get a detail on what you can or can't do)

As for peaple to avoid, well that is much tricker, if you are going to a public meet, anyone can come, watch for the middle of the road folks, I am leary of folks that are way to public or pushy, or seem to want to make a profit from the movement, there is a difference who want to share a good idea or project vs those that want investors and or someone to help them make money on prepper related items so that they can prep better themselves. (not knocking their right to do so, just I don't think its a good thing to push at a first meets)

I am sure as leary of folks that are clams, if they can't or won't talk at all, is it nerves or shy, now I live with a man who is very quiet but when he speaks its thoughtful and with intent, so I am not saying I can't handle quieter folks but its the ones that are there to listen but not share that makes me wonder, if you took the time out of your world to make a meet but won't share at all.. its a red flag to me at least.

I want someone who has the skill sets to understand how to share knowledge and how to hold knowledge quietly at the same time.

We all meet folks that seem great till you get to know them a bit more (and they still might be great folks) but they just don't mesh with you, sometimes its easy to back out gracefully and othertimes it can be a little hard to cut those ties, if you followed the rules above and only shared email/meet in public, you should be able to break off in a more easy way then if you gave your phone number, where you work an or where you live..

My best advice, take your time, don't rush the friendships, build it slowly and be judgemental.. Now most of the time in life, we are asked and even trained to not do that but when it comes to prepper friends and or possable prepper circles, BE JUDGEMENTAL of all things, look at their attidute, if they think its ok to be pushy or rude or mean on a online forum, then you know they are going to be even worse about getting their own way in their prepper groups, if they research and research but never seem to get anything done, the odds are good it will still be that way in a year or ten..

If they get to the point that you like them, you have spent outside time with them and you want to take it further, then start doing work projects with them, some at your place, some at their place, camping on crown land etc, and you will figure out pretty quick on being proven right or wrong.. spend two days helping dig a new waterline or put up a couple cords of firewood or break land or a horse together and you will figure out pretty quickly.. yes or no..

Watch how they treat their children and their animals, it will speak volumes on what has value in their life..

Thanks,
Great point about how they treat kids or animals.
Many people can pretend to be nice with strangers, but they seem to slip around kids or animals.

Keep in mind that some of the things Farmgal mentioned may take months to show up

I want to say, Ditto, to what farrmgal said. Think of it like online Dating. Basicly, thats what it is. You are dating for extended family. Its also important to remember that you will also become their family so make sure you are ready for that type of commitment. Now I want to be the counter balence. Make sure your expectations are not too high for any to reach. People are flawed and so are you.You also have a very small dating pool on wich to draw. What you are looking for is people you can count on. There is a fantastic counterintuitive quote I got from Chris Martensons organisation. "In the end, you dont even really have to like the people in your group. You are looking for people that work well together".
My other advice is that you can never have absolute safety. You will have to take risks. No risk means No growth. You also have to be willing to "kiss a few frogs if you want to find a prince". Also expect Heart Ache in this goal. I, personaly, was suprised at that in my goal to do the same. I have waisted an increadible amount of time on people that turned out to be either untrustworthy or "perminent daters". When your heart gets broken, dont go spinster. Take a bit of time...and then jump right back in.

cerunnos5 - I was laughing at your dating analogy but it is the perfect fit.

New preppers especially seem to want to meet face-to-face right away without thinking through the consequences of their actions. I certainly can understand how much nicer it is to talk to real life people but spending some time here on the board or chatting by email first is a good first step. Slow and steady wins the race - I mean the best prepping buddies!

I've been trying to meet like minded preppers since 1995 with no luck. Did meet afew people, but their way to lazy to do things for them selves or others in a group. Sure their harts is there to be a prepper, no meat in their actions. Don't want to be alone wolf, but it seems that's the direction i'm heading too. Very hard to find good like minded folks out there.

Met afew want to be preppers at a local gun range. Their type of prepping is guns & ammo only. If the chips are down they plan on raiding people that have things. They are not the people i want to be with, when the SHTF.

Met afew want to be preppers at a local gun range. Their type of prepping is guns & ammo only. If the chips are down they plan on raiding people that have things. They are not the people i want to be with, when the SHTF.

Definatly. What we are now refering to as "The Brass Hoard". I had to cut one of these guys loose after several months invested into him. I am Soooooo... sooooooooooooooooooooooooo.... glad I never told him where I live. One of my rules is that if a person has more invested in guns than in food storage, food and enery production, that they are 100% useless to me and a danger to my friends. The other one is guys that push their military training. I might be willing to accept one person...as long as he is smart enough to see through his cult programing, accepting of others and willing to learn...but I certainly dont want a bunch of them. I bet Im going to get some flack on this comment

Met afew want to be preppers at a local gun range. Their type of prepping is guns & ammo only. If the chips are down they plan on raiding people that have things. They are not the people i want to be with, when the SHTF.

Unfortunately this is the type l generally meet as well. No interest in sustainability or truly preparing. They have the mentality that as long as they have enough ammo they will always get what they need. l figure if at any time in the first few conversations they ask about what weapons l have or how many then its an indicator they wont mesh with me.

Now a conversation on homesteading or gardening or alternative energies - theres hope for them lol. Theres more involved in being prepared to me than running into the woods with a ton of firepower.

"Definatly. What we are now refering to as "The Brass Hoard". I had to cut one of these guys loose after several months invested into him. I am Soooooo... sooooooooooooooooooooooooo.... glad I never told him where I live. One of my rules is that if a person has more invested in guns than in food storage, food and enery production, that they are 100% useless to me and a danger to my friends. The other one is guys that push their military training. I might be willing to accept one person...as long as he is smart enough to see through his cult programing, accepting of others and willing to learn...but I certainly dont want a bunch of them. I bet Im going to get some flack on this comment"

Well said!

The problem i have when "reaching out" is the size of my family.
My wife and i prep, the kids dont.(some exceptions) They know we do and im sure they would be knocking at the door in a time of need.
We prep in anticipation of that, however, never knowing if any, some or all of them would show up or not.
With our family count reaching the high teens(in # of ppl), not many preppers are willing to take on an "extended family" to their group.

So for us, we read, learn and do what we can to better ourselves.

Gg - I suppose the purpose of the meeting is the real issue. If people want to meet in order to learn from each other that's one scenario - like a wide spread community of like minded folks. Wanting to be a part of a close knit mutual assistance group is another scenario. I think these cautions are good in both instances.

Be cautious and see where things lead without giving away too much info about your situation and your location.

I've been trying to meet like minded preppers since 1995 with no luck. Did meet afew people, but their way to lazy to do things for them selves or others in a group. Sure their harts is there to be a prepper, no meat in their actions. Don't want to be alone wolf, but it seems that's the direction i'm heading too. Very hard to find good like minded folks out there.

Isn't meeting another hardcore prepper like looking for a woman half your age that is totally into you and also happens to be a ballerina with an IQ of 177? you know they're out there but maybe at one point you need to settle for a bit less? Or maybe they were better equipped but you yourself didn't come across as suitable to them so they never let on what they're really like?