When To Bug Out - Make The Plan NOW

Like most preppers I talk about bugging out, my bug out bag, and my bug out location but I want to touch on....

When do I bug out and what's the plan?

When To Bug Out - Bug Out Plan

I hear so many preppers say I am going to bug in I have everything I need right here.

But what if??....

* Your location is over run, your supplies are taken and your forced out? Or in case of a natural disaster you have to get out of it's way?

Do you have alternate supplies stored and a alternate safe location? What are the triggers that will put your plan in motion?

* What if your separated from your family at the time of bug out? Do you have a rally point?

In many a crisis we have seen family searching for other family members. Don't be one of these families.

* Plan, Drill, Repeat

I can't stress this enough, plan and drill with your family so it is all second nature and your not standing around looking at each other wondering what you do next.

* Make sure your bug out bag is season ready.

Depending on the time of year should determine what is in your bag. If its winter your don't need bug spray in your bag. It's useless. Take that few minutes at the changing of the seasons to get your bag ready for that season.

Be prepared, not sorry

Goddess (72 Hour) Survival Bucket

We all have our bug out bags, but right next to my bag is my survival bucket. Where I work I can get plastic buckets for free and I use them for cashe' on my route to my bug out location. The survival bucket is an extension of my bug out bag. Both can be grabbed and carried on a moments notice. In my bag is the essentials to survive, my gun, ammo, fire starting tools, fishing button, snares, first aid, MRE's,  water purification, change of clothes and socks, thermo blanket, and ax so if some reason I am separated or can no longer carry my bucket I still have what I need to survive.

In my bucket is the extensions, toilet paper, MRE's and cans of food, hygiene products, bottled water, water purification, more first aid supplies, and a radio. As both are emptied they can be consolidated to my backpack and the bucket can just be used for just water. Now realize that both of these are designed to get me to my next cash. This is not the DO all.... it is just designed to get me to my next cash. So there is planning involved to know your routes and have your cashes buried.

These buckets can be designed for each member of the family. All size of buckets with lids can be purchase at home improvement stores such as Home Depot, Lowes etc. so even children can have the size bucket they can carry and let's face it.... in a bug out situation every little bit of supplies help! As crazy as it sounds even my dogs have their own packs....everyone carries their own supplies!

Now you can purchase these buckets from several different online companies but for a fraction of the price you can build your own and for the same price you can build a few of them. Just think if every person that experienced Hurricane Katrina had a bug out bag and bucket, a bug out plan and route to escape.......how many lives could have been saved? How many people would have not been dependent on FEMA or the Red Cross (which took days to arrive)?

Be prepared, not sorry

Taking The "Gamey" Taste Out Of Wild Game And Fish

Growing up the daughter of the the "Great White Hunter/Fisherman" I learned....

All game is edible if you do it right..

I love to fish I think more than I love to hunt..probably because you can catch a fish and have it over a campfire in a matter of minutes. Pan fish such as bass, trout, perch, bluegill are my favorite but if it swims I will eat it. Depending on what you are fishing or hunting for you can sometimes, if you don't know the tricks have a very gamey or fishy tasting entree. But here are some things you can do to neutralize that unpleasant taste and give you some fantastic eating.

Milk

I love to fish for pike and in most places you can fish away with no limit but they can be a strong fish. Bear tends to be a greasy and gamey tasting meat but soaking them 24hrs in Milk tends to neutralize those tastes. 

Baking Soda

Baking also is a great neutralizer. My dad takes his salmon and soaks them in baking soda prior to smoking them.

Lipton Onion Soup Mix

For rabbit or squirrel put a package of Lipton Onion Soup Mix in a crock pot. Than add the fixings you want...I grew up eating this and you better believe LOSM is part of my preps!

Be prepared, not sorry

Survival Fire Starting/Items for your Bugout Bag

This is a simple way to get a fire going on a day that is drizzly/rainy. I will be creating a DVD that will show other ways in a survival situation to make fire.

If there is something you would like to see included on this DVD please shoot me an email with your suggestion.

Be prepared, not sorry

The Mayans Were Wrong

Well we made through Dec 21st 2012 and we're still here!

Now in all seriousness there are signs of the troubled times that lie ahead and all you have to do is turn on the news. Those that have known me for years know that I said that our economy could financially survive another Katrina well we have Sandy. The difference between Katrina and Sandy is Sandy hit the financial HUB of our country. 77 days since Sandy not a whole lot of relief has been felt for those individuals and the strain can be seen on the nations economy. How long did we hear we were headed for the fiscal cliff?

The Mayans were wrong but your should be kicking your prepping into high gear.

Here are some New Year's Prepping Resolutions.

*Bugging in or Bugging Out?

There are arguments for both sides but what I believe is you need to have not only Plan A but Plan B C D and E. If your bugging in or out you need to have alternate backup locations and plans. You may be over run by natural disasters or looters where will you go or do then to survive?

*Lists Lists and more Lists

I am the huge list maker. I have complete lists of food and water storage, first aid/medical supplies, and Security/Ammo/Hunting supplies. Each list also has the Want List which is supplies that need to be added. It doesn't matter how much food you have if you get an infection and have no antibiotics to fight it etc.

*Expand Your Knowledge Base

Make it a point to learn more. Take survival or first aid courses. Learn new skills from You Tube or take classes. For example if your food runs out and you have no idea how to hunt or garden then what?

Take some time to actually sit down and think about the prepping you need to get done in 30 days, 60 days, 6 months, 9 months, and for all of 2013. You will be glad you did. I have put a new page up called my How I Prepped This Week. It really helps to put your preps into writing to keep yourself motivated and on track. And who knows? You may get some great ideas from fellow Goddess Preppers!

Be prepared, not sorry

The Threat Of All Show And No Go

My grandpa used to have a saying about people who tried to pass themselves off as something they wasn't and that was "All show and no go". In the prepper community we have that and unfortunately they are going to be what I think, a huge threat. These individuals have the mind set of the most guns and stored food will survive and that may true for a "limited amount of time"....

But what happens when WROL goes into overtime?

With no skills to grow food, hunt, improvise or barter what will these people do? A hungry pseudo prepper is going to be a very dangerous person. I always use the aftermath of Katrina as an example because that's what it will be like. Being hungry, thirsty with just enough tactical experience and the moral compass lowered to the mentality of "It's you or me" they will, by force try to take what they need. If they have a military background they also know that strength lies in numbers and may recruit their own private army.

The harsh truth...

I'm sorry but the truth is harsh and a WROL situation is not going to be going back to the Little House on the Prairie days, its going to be survival of the fittest and the most adaptable. Within hours of Katrina blowing thru the looting, rape, and murder began. This past summer with the unbearable heat people were using their AC at astronomical rates and there was a suburb in Wisconsin where the power grid went down for three days. Within only three hours of that grid going down there were armed gangs that began robbing and looting. That was was only three hours what happens when it months or years?

Don't show your hand..

If your like me I like to attend the prepper conferences and network with other preppers but I always keep in mind not to give away too much and choose carefully who I network with. This also goes for the survivalist boards etc. because I have met some pseudo peppers that quite frankly scare the hell out of me and I don't want to be around them right now let alone in a WROL situation. But on the other hand I have met some fantastic preppers that I have learned so much from and very grateful for it. The reason I started this blog was to help women take an active roll in prepping and their survival but still I don't give away information that would put myself in danger in the future.

Skills, Skills, and more Skills...

As I wrote earlier I believe it will be survival of the fittest and the most adaptable that will survive. When I say the fittest I don't mean that so much in the physical sense but the person that knows how to hunt and fish, how to grow food and preserve it, how to barter, how build shelter and fire, first aid, and has tactical sense. I am always trying to learn new skills because you can never in my opinion have enough knowledge. Many preppers play and rely on their strengths because they feel that will get them thru.....it won't. You have to be adaptable and the skills to adapt to the given situation. My strengths are hunting, fishing, and farming but yet I know this will not carry me thru. I need the tactical experience to protect myself and what I have so, I continue to learn. Work right now the skills you are lacking in so when the time comes you are not "All show and no go"

Be prepared, not sorry

What If You Knew....

As preppers we are always preparing for what we think will happen in the future, whether our scenarios of the future is a collapse of the power grid or economy, nuclear war, zombies, and the list goes on and on, we are are always preparing. BUT..

What if you knew.....

What if you knew for sure in 6 months to a year the scenario for which you are preparing is going to happen? What would you change or start doing right now at this moment?

*Are you going to bug in or bug out?
*Store more food?
*Store more ammunition?
*Learn new skills such as hunting?
*Create alternative power sources?

I urge you to spend some time considering this. We all would like to think we have more time to prep but we seldom give ourselves a date to be prepared by? I understand no one can be fully prepared for a life shift of this magnitude but seldom due catastrophes show themselves ahead of time or they wouldn't be a catastrophe right?

There are many shows out right now such as "The Walking Dead", Falling Skies, and soon "Revolution" that all show life being turned upside down and all the characters were caught off guard and thrust into this situation and having to cope the best they can. My personal favorite was "The Colony". To me this was about as realistic you could get (in a controlled environment) without the real thing.

This was a group of strangers that were thrust together after a virus wiped out 90% of the population. They all had to pull together to survive and thrive.

I asked you to sit down with pen and paper and write down what would you start doing at this moment if you knew in 6 months to a year your life would be the scenario you most fear? I would like to hear from you and ask you to share with others.

Be prepared, not sorry

Bugout Location Options

When considering a bugout location many people think rural or forest locations. Here are a couple options you may want to consider.

Bugout Boat

Remember the old Kevin Costner film "Water World"? In a WROL situation it may be quite as apocalyptic as that but here are some pros and cons and a link you might want to take a look at.

Pros:
-Isolation and relatively unreachable from the starving masses on shore
-Fresh water plentiful, assuming you have a sustainable way to disinfect it
-Fishing easily available as long as there's no environmental devastation or overfishing in your area

Cons:

-Entirely dependent on the water for your food, unless you can grow food on the boat
-Fuel/mobility issues (You would need solar and wind)
-Extremely vulnerable to inclement weather. (One bad enough storm and your floating BOL could be gone forever, maybe taking you with it)
-Cramped quarters/very little storage unless you're willing to tether a bunch of boats or platforms together ala Waterworld
-Limited access to plants you don't grow yourself
-Inability to keep livestock (maybe chickens?)
-What happens if you can't return to shore at all? What if the looters/raiders decide they want what you have, and camp on shore to wait you out? Hope you have enough to eat and drink until they get bored and go away--assuming they ever do.

I would consider this a short term solution unless you are on a body of water and boat that are both fairly large. Check out this link

Floating Cabin

Bugout Cave

Now I have heard a rumor that a large survival group purchased a area of land in Arkansas that is a side of a mountain with many large caves. Well it should be a good idea if our ancestors supposedly started there right? Well lets take a look.

Pros

-A large enough cave will give you ample space out of the elements and allow for you to have a fire.
-Very little maintenance needed

Cons

-Rocks may fall from the roof on you while you're inside.
-You may have to share your cave with the wildlife there has been there long before you (bats, rats, salamanders)
-Moisture dripping from the ceiling (but its better than being out in a cold rain)
-Caves may be very bad places to be in a thunderstorm. (the path of lightning as it travels down from higher up through the rock. As it travels past the cave, the lightning sometimes leaps through the air, across the cave where you might be sitting)
-Caves are a very bad place to be during an earthquake.
-If attacked you may not have an alternate way to escape.

Again these are suggestions/options that if you are considering as I always say..PRACTICE PRACTICE. This is not something where SHHTF and your realize you are claustrophobic or you are not a good swimmer.

Be prepared, not sorry

Looking For The Perfect Bug Out Location

First of all I have to apologize for my long break from posting. I have been working 60 to 70 hrs per week and I just have to say I'm plain worn out. Extra money means extra preps that can be purchased. I am also looking to purchase my bug out location and begin building. I have already purchase plans for a cabin to be built totally off grid. So I am looking for at least 5 acres with a well and septic already present and close to another source of fresh water. 

A place fairly secluded and away from the larger metro areas. A area that still has good hunting and soil for growing within a 60 minute area from my present location.

This has been quite the task!

Its hard to find everything I want. I'm curious to hear from those that have purchase a bug out location as to what it is they have purchased and the criteria you had during your search. Did you have to sacrifice some of your criteria or did it change during your search. Can't wait to hear!!

Be prepared, not sorry

Walking The Talk

This post may ruffle some feathers with some but I'm hoping this turns on the lightbuld for others. I know plenty of people that spend countless hours watching You Tube videos, on the prepper boards, and email lists. They have the expensive bug out bag with every top of the line gadget known to the prepper world. They have a stockpile of weapons and ammo that could outfit a small army and just as much food.

But they haven't spent 1 minute putting it into practice.

I met a husband and a wife that were so proud of their bug out bags and these bags had everything you could imagine in it. I asked the wife if she had ever actually carried hers because I'm a pretty good judge of weight and that thing came close to out weighing her. She said "no" so I asked her to put it on and walk across the parking lot and back. She barely made it. If she can't carry it...then it's useless.

You have to have more than a plan.

One man I talked to said he was going to bug in as long as possible then he was heading to this state forest. I asked him "Have you ever spent any time there? Do you know the area? Where are your water sources? Any possible threats?" He just looked at me and said "No but I can make it there" Don't be foolish, have a plan. If possible have your bug out location stocked and ready to go but if that's not possible spend some time getting to know your bug out location. Take you BOB and spend some weekends there and see if its actually going to work for you. Find your water sources, practice building a shelter and fire.

What are you going to do when the cans run out?

I have heard so many preppers say "I'm going to live off the land, I'm going to hunt and fish" I then ask them "Do you know how to field dress what you kill?" and the answer I usually get is "Well no but it can't be that hard" Believe me it's very easy to ruin good meat and possibly making yourself ill by cutting into the stomach or intestines and contaminating the meat. Another thing I ask them is "How are you going to kill it?" and they look at me like I'm stupid and they say "I'm gonna shoot it". Why would you want to waste your precious ammo along with risking your safety by letting others hear the shot? I am not going to waste my ammo shooting a squirrel or rabbit when snares work just as well and they don't risk my safety. As far as bigger game learn to use a bow, it is a challenge but that knowledge comes in handy to have.

Put into practice what you have learned because you don't want to learn the hard way after SHTF.

Be prepared, not sorry

Mother Nature Provides The Lessons For Prepping

Mother Nature Provides The Lessons For Prepping

As preppers we prepare for EMP's, economic collapse, and some even prepare for zombies but not too many give thoughts to natural disasters. Mother Nature can be just as deadly and unpredictable as the East Coast has been realizing over the last few months and these scenarios are played out over and over but yet many are caught unprepared.

A 5.8 magnitude earth quake rocked Virginia on Aug 23 and evacuated many locations in Washington and put 2 nuclear power plants offline. Hurricane Irene on Aug 29 killed 33 people, power outage to 4 million people, and caused 2 million to evacuate. Last weeks snow storm has claimed 15 lives with 2 million without power last week and as the writing of this post close to 200,000 were going on their 2nd week without power.

Don't say it can't happen where you live

I don't care where you live, it can happen to you. There is not a place in this country that is immuned to a natural disaster. It could be hurricane, flood, wildfire, tornado, snow storm, earthquake, or volcano (remember Mt. Saint Helens?)

I remember the great blizzard of 78 in Michigan. 55 people in Michigan alone died due to that storm. Many were without power for 3 weeks. Thank god my parents heated with wood, we had a huge pantry, and life really wasn't altered too much for us except for no tv etc. We had huge 55 gal drums and a creek running thru our property so we would fill these up to water the livestock and we heated over a fire outdoors to bath in. My father worked for the county and they had a generator so he would fill up containers of drinking water to bring home.

My challenge to you

The east coast has teaching lessons. Be prepared! This is the minimum you need to prepare for NOW!

*1 month food and water for each person in your family
You may think this is overwhelming but just work at it. How over wheming would it be if you are unprepared with nothing and your family is in jeopardy?

* Alternate heat source and 1 month supply for it
If you have a fireplace or wood stove have a 1 month supply cut and seasoned. If its kerosene again 1 month.

* Alternate cooking source
If you have a grill 1 month supply charcoal or gas. I strongly urge you to have a rocket stove. There are plenty of videos on to show you how to build one and I will be posting a DIY to make one.

*Bugout location with supplies
You may want to bug in but be prepared. There may be reasons that arise that you can not stay in your home. What's your plan B?

* 1 vehicle with a full tank of gas that can carry all the family along with bugout bags and some supplies
You may have to leave and you don't want a vehicle that can't carry the whole family or not have enough gas to get you to your bugout location.

Don't let this be overwhelming. Just work at it.

Be prepared, not sorry.

Where Do I Bug Out To?

Craftbyrd sent me this question:

"I have a question? Where is everyone going to bug out to? I'm being sincere here. I have always had this in the back of my mind. Get in the car and go but then the thought of what do I do when the car runs out of gas and where the heck am I going to go?"

This is a question that has a million different answers by a million different preppers and I hope my readers chime in on this and give their answers also.

My answer to this question has many different aspects to it. For one there is "no perfect bug out location" every location has it's pro's and con's. Climate, growing season, water availability etc. are all factors to be considered.

The first thing I would ask you is:

What are you used to? By this I mean where is your location now? Is it in a southern state where you have lived for years and know the area? Understand the challenges of living there such as hurricanes? You know where the fresh water is located? This is something that could be your saving grace. This is a huge factor because most people say " I will bug out to the wilderness where no one is" and the problems with that are:

They are not familiar with the area

They don't understand the challenges it offers

Where or how to obtain their food and water

A good rule of thumb is find a bug out location that is within 1 tank of gas from your current location. And I urge you to do this now so you have that time to:

Find your location

Know your location, where is the fresh water? what food options do you have i.e hunting fishing? what is the population in the area?

If you have to bug out for an extended period of time (weeks/months) these are what you need to have in that location.

Water
Food
Shelter

I am looking forward to seeing additional comments and answers from my readers.

Be prepared, not sorry

Why Your BOB May Not Save You

This past Labor Day weekend of rustic camping with my boyfriend and his sons inspired this post. Now mind you when I go camping I bring everything but the kitchen sink. Medical supplies (including supplies for toothaches) my own supply of firewood, bathing and hygiene supplies, toilet paper for the outhouse, and the list goes on. Basically the whole back of my truck was filled for a 3 day camping trip not to mention Scott's truck was also.

We had a great time and upon packing up this morning Scott uttered the words that inspired this post...

"You know if we had to bug out we wouldn't even have a tenth of this stuff"

On the way home my mind was trying to wrap around those words and all the scenarios that ran through my head. Go to any survival board, You Tube, or survival blog and you will find endless information on the best type of BOB's to have, what you should have in it, etc. But the consensus is it should have 3 days of supplies in it to get you to your bug out location.

Ok you made it to your bug out location now what?

Most people have given more thought to whats in their BOB then where they are bugging out to and what happens when they get there. Some don't even have a bug out location but they have a BOB? If you don't have supplies stashed at your bug out location how do you live past the 3 days of supplies you have in your BOB? What if you can't go home for weeks or months or perhaps not at all, is your BOB going to save you?

With the contents of your BOB could you last weeks or months? 

Unless you are a hardcore survivalist your answer like mine is going to be "NO" so you need to have a plan. A bug out location that has food and supplies to sustain you for months and those supplies have to include a way to purify water, and hunting and fishing supplies. You have to have the answer to these these questions and the answer has to be for MONTHS

Shelter
Water
Food

Be prepared, not sorry.