So your bug out bag is packed.... When your home is no longer safe, where do you go? Most of us have seen the more extreme shelters on tv or the net; Bomb shelters, converted missile silos etc. Most of us lack the resources to go to such extremes but still need to prepare a suitable location in the event that our homes are no longer a safe place. Those who live in cities are especially vulnerable to their homes becoming compromised. What are your thoughts on how shelters should be constructed?
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Hadestouch,
Much would depend on the "crisis" that forced you from your home. Are you or are you likely to be pursued for your possessions?? Can you make it far enough away to be secure by distance?? One family unit?? Many family units?? Do you have anyone in your group will at least basic military skills?? Does you have frontier skills?? Are you a red seal carpenter?? And yes, location plays a roll. Do you own the land?? Will you be squatting on Crown Land?? Hiding out on someone's pasture?? If you can narrow the variables, you will have a better idea of what type of shelter would be available.
So, let's play "what if". What if you are likely to be pursued in the near future by a throng of half-starved non-preppers or an organized gang of looters?? In this case you will want to have at the very least some sort of defendable position developed in short order after bugout to it. Tools are simple: shovels, picks, and a saw. Supplies: large tarps and hopefully a bunch of sandbags. Dig in. Trenches. Bunkers. If you can pick a piece of real estate that would be hard to approach, preferable only from one direction, and you hold the high ground. A hanging valley in the mountains would be good. An island would have advantages, too. If you could dig in. Solid granite makes for some great trenches if you have coring and blasting equipment to make them. 🙂
What if I have a very remote, hike in only, small lake in the hills with a creek running in and out of the lake. Miles and miles of forest on all sides. Less than 5 people a year ever even go to this lake, and the lake has a healthy fish population. In this case you may opt for the cabin by the lake. Just take the time to build a shelter near by incase you have to flee. Do your forest fire mitigation to limit damage incase a wild fire heads your way. Have at the very least a root cellar and hopefully a wharf or dock on the lake. Spending a night in the water to hide from a forest fire could kill you, too.
If you ran out into the prairies, and found a bushed in coulee, and you could live small. You may be able to burrow into the bank of the coulee and live like a hobbit. But it would be a bleak exsistance. If you could survive in a hovel fro 3 to 6 months maybe you could traverse to a more favourable location and start over.
Just some thoughts,
Mountainman.
An observation. It seems that in many cases the "what if's" are asked with a view to get advice and develop strategies. What I do find a wee tad troubling is that in many of these cases it doen't seem like there is a defined objective or a group of defined objectives. The first thing you need to do is sit down and figure what you are doing? What I mean is develop a few scenarios and then a plan to respond to them. The questions.. what do I need in MY situation? What threats can I identify both immediate and longer term. What is the best way for me to address them in MY situation. In any plan there need to be clear defined goals. What do I want this to do for me? How long am I needing this to work for me? What resources do I have / can I get? One thing to always keep in mind as well... once I am "there" will I be able to sustain myself and my group with the resources I have or can carry with me supplemented by what is available locally through hunting, fishing, gathering... and if you have had the time to develop it.. a garden. Just some thoughts.
Now that I have seen these pedal bike/cars and trailers Lightfoot Cycle Quad - ATC, maybe another option is to get a bike and mod a trailer so you can live the traveling gypsy life style - camp and move, camp and move. Never stay in one place too long?? Not for all, but may appeal to some. I will go get those link.
Mountainman.
Lightfoot ATC http://lightfootcycles.com/products-overview/quadracycles-overview/atc/
Trailer #1 - Cargo http://homesuperstore.ca/trailers-2.html
Bicycle Tent Trailer http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KKBT9Y/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thmiofsp-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002KKBT9Y
Cargo Trailer #2 http://www.amazon.com/Burley-Design-941201-Flatbed-Trailer/dp/B001MS4JDS/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_13
Thanks WildernessReturn for these links. Gives some food for thought on possible options without gasoline!!
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Hi All
My wife and I bought 40 acres of raw remote wilderness with a private lake as well as plenty of elk,deer,moose,bear,
We use it for recreation purposes but its totally decked out as a bug out. Its 1.5 hrs away by vehicle. So if the world doesn t go to shit in the next couple of years we have a awesome rec and hunting spot that doubles as a bug out.
Land finder
Congratulations!!!