Bug In Or Bug Out?

This is not a simple question because depending on the crisis at hand either may be right or wrong, so let's take a look at some reasoning for each. For myself I plan to stay put as long as it's safely possible, because of course the majority of my preps are where I am but I have the triggers in place that will get me to leave.
I have heard many people say "I have this remote bugout place that I am going to when it gets bad". Here are the questions I put to them.

1. How far away is it? 
If this remote place is more than 50 miles (or 2 days walk) from you how do you plan on getting there? If people are fleeing like you are there will be traffic tie ups, panicked people, and perhaps already gangs of looters just waiting to take whatever you have. If it's more than 50 miles you may never make it there. Do you have at least 4 different routes to get to your place? Have you drilled these routes so you know them by heart? Do you have cashes buried along the way so you can restock? Have you ever stayed on this place and know where to obtain water? Know the topical graphical layout of the land for security and hunting purposes? Most people say they will bug out to the woods but have no clue how to get there in a SHTF scenario or what to do when they get there. And if it's more than 50 miles like some I know have theirs hundreds of miles away you better have a great plan to leave early or chances are you won't make it.

 2. I'm not leaving I have all my preps and tons of ammo and I can ride it out. Really? Are you will to bet your life and your families lives on it? Alot of people said that with Hurricane Katrina and they paid the ultimate price. Being a prepper means you prepare for any kind of danger not just the man made ones. If you have a wild fire headed toward you are you going to sit there and burn? No you are gonna get out of it's way. So do you have a plan to bug out? Have a more than one location chosen that are at the farthest 2 days walk because you may not be able to use your vehicle. Make sure your bugout bag is current for the season at all times. Make sure you have cashes buried along the way that has fresh water, food, ammo, and clothes in it. Remember no preps are worth your life! 

 

 I made this video a few years ago and it still holds true. Make a plan A B C D E...make sure your family knows it and...drill drill drill!

Bug In Bug Out?

Be prepared, not sorry.
 

Survival Goddess American Blackout Review

Please visit my You Tube channel and my review of Nat Geo's American Blackout

Survival Goddess American Blackout

Survival Education Plan

I am sorry that I have not been posting regularly but I have taken my own advice and went back to school. I currently work in the medical field but decided I needed more skills and went back to obtain my Pharmacy Technicians certification and on July 15th I passed my boards! 

Along with this plan of going back to school was the long range goal of transferring to a hospital closer to which now is my bug out location but once I transfer it will become my permanent survival retreat.

As I have said time and time again education is going to be one of the keys to long term survival. Even if it's not formal schooling take a survival first aid course, hunting course, canning etc all these add up in your knowledge savings account.

Challenge

I challenge you to expand your knowledge savings account and I would like to hear from you. Share your knowledge plan with us and we can inspire and motivate eachother!

Be prepared, not sorry

Survival Fishing Button/Bug Out Bag Item

This is a great item to have in your bug out bag and in your cashes. It costs all of about a $1.50 to make and in a survial situation could mean eating or not.

To watch the complete video you can watch on my You Tube Channel

Be prepared, not sorry

Two Ways To Safely Remove Ticks

It is that time of year again.........TICK SEASON

These pesky blood sucking nuisances are not only painful but in many cases they can also carry Lyme Disease. It is good to make a practice of examining yourself, pets, and livestock especially after walks, time in the woods, etc. With many people the first instinct is the grab them with hands or tweezers and pull them off but that can result in breaking the head off which will remain embedded in its victims skin.

Here are two ways that in many cases successfully making the tick back out of the skin and be removed safely.

Liquid Soap Method

Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick
with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for 20 to 30 seconds the tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away

Petroleum Jelly Method

Apply a thick glob of petroleum jelly to the tick and the area surrounding it and make sure it is completely covered as to not let any air in. After a minute gently with paper towel or tissue paper gently try to remove the tick. If tick has not backed out re-apply and try again.

If neither of these techniques work seek medical help.

Be prepared, not sorry

Survival Retreat: Making A Plan

This is the next installation in the series of the Survival Retreat.

This has been a pretty talked about and sometimes heated topic this week. To be a part of a group or be alone? What kind of skills someone needs to have to join a group? How many preps to have etc...even though it was heated at times........We are talking and exchanging ideas and that is where knowledge comes from. To see both sides, evaluate, and make the right decisions for us.

Thank you to Deborah and Carolanne...you are amazing warrior women with vast knowledge and I am so privileged to know you.

Let's look at the questions you should be asking yourself, a potential group, or member to your group. In the last article we talked about how the retreat land/property is owned and held. Again I strongly urge that unless the person owning the property is a relative or a friend that you would trust with your life that you NOT buy into a retreat that you hold no rights/share to the property. I have seen people lose money and their preps this way and that is the reason I am writing this series.

MYTH: There has to be property purchased to have a retreat

For some reason there is this idea that you have to own or be a part of owning a mass amount of property. I live in Michigan where we have thousands and thousands of acres of state forest. I have lived in Alaska where 90% of the state is unpopulated. The most important thing you need is........

A Plan

I can not stress this enough...make your plan NOW!!! One thing that 9-11 taught me as a search and rescue person is you better have an emergency plan because when SHTF communications will me non existant or stretchy at best, travel will be a nightmare, and the media will be trying to control the sheeple hysteria. Make your plan now. If you are going to try to make it on your own or with a group make that plan. When SHTF what is the sequence of events and tasks that must be done? Where do you go? What do you do? What is the list of important things you must do in order. What is your backup plans B C D and E?

If you are staying in your home then your plan needs to consist of have your plan in place now for security, sustainable water and food, and a energy plan. You will not survive without these.

If you or anyone in your survival group does not own property take a hard look at what you do have. Who owns the largest home? Where is the largest piece of land that is not owned by anyone? Make that plan of when SHTF this is the rally point so if there is no communication capability everyone in your group know this is where everyone will gather.

Take some weekends and actually rough it (because welcome to WROL) and go into the state or federal area and find that rally point. Now I know I'm gonna have emails that give me crap about it belongs to the government blah blah blah..believe me when there is a collapse a group of loners in the state forest will be the least of their worries. They will be trying to control the hoards in the cities.

Find that spot that has adequate water and hunting capabilities. And squat...yes you heard me squat..... I have a shelter and fire pit that I use to go hunting and just get away. You better believe me I have preps buried and no one has ever disturbed it because it is that far in and it is camouflaged. It is a good part of a day hike in from the closest road which is a dirt road and 55 miles from a large city so that is my plan E. And this year I will be taking my group there so they can make their own shelters and this will be my whole groups plan E.

My point is you can have a retreat anywhere but...........you better have a plan!

Be prepared, not sorry

Survival Goddess You Tube Channel

Just wanted to announce that the new Survival Goddess Channel is up and running. I am really excited to have another venue to get the important information out on prepping and surviving the world changes to come. Subscribe so you don't miss out on critical information.

The new Survival Goddess You Tube Channel is up! 

Dynamics of a Survival Group Part 1

I have several emails regarding forming or joining a survival group so I am going to do a series to address the different dynamics and issues that you should consider when you think about forming or joining a group.

Survival Goddess You Tube Channel

Mind Sets

I think this is probably the hugest component of a group. I have seen many groups implode due to dictatorship attitudes or what I like to call "Too many chiefs and not enough Indians syndrome". One or a handful of people seem to have all the power and dictate the rules. Whenever you have that type of environment it is just a recipe for disaster. 

I have seen groups that require their members to have 2 years worth of food, a list of weapons and ammo along with a $10,000 membership fee and store ALL of this on this one person's property! Why on earth would you hand over all your preps this way? For $10,000 right now there is listed a property of 3.5 acres 40 miles north of me with a lake 1 mile away and it's very secluded. Granted 3.5 acres is not alot of property but with good property management you can store and grow alot of preps along with some of the best hunting in the state. If you have correct management your space you could maximize 2 families and provide for them.

Suggestion: If you want to form a group and want to purchase a larger chunk of property go to a lawyer and form a Hunting Club. I have seen people do this all the time. You form a club and if for some reason a individual wishes to leave the club the other club members can buy them out, require they find some to buy in and must be approved by the group, or walk away and forfeit their share. This also puts the entire group on a level playing field because you are all equally invested.

When looking for a group of forming one EVERYONE needs to have a valuable skill set to bring to the table. They also need to have the right mind set. I have seen a group that has a doctor and a ex Army Ranger that are given card Blanche in the group and don't need to prep because the group is expected to provide for them because they have such special skills! To me that is absolutely ridiculous! 

The group needs to function as a cohesive unit. Everyone has a job and yes you need leaders but not dictators. I will take a hard working, loyal, and willing to learn individual over a walking ego that thinks he is privileged because believe me when SHTF this self privileged individual will become a source of constant irritation and won't be worth it.

And a huge mindset I look for is the willingness to share their skills with the group. If I see a person that thinks they are going to keep their skills to themselves because they think that makes them invaluable and not teach anyone in case you lose them that proves to me they are selfish and have no regards to the survival of the group and I have no use for them in my group.

What are the needed skill sets?

These are the skill sets that I look for when adding members to my own group.

* Military - Of course you need this. This person knows how to set up a  security perimeter, firearm knowledge etc.

* Hunter/Gatherer/Scavenger - This person or I recommend you have 2 or 3 of these because they always are sizing things up and are little hoarders. They will gather and haul back everything because there has to be a use for it. They know if your hungry enough you will eat anything. A large cricket contains 9 grams of protein. They know how to set snares, run a trap line, hunt, track and field dress anything they kill.

* Farmer - This is a given.

* Livestock/Rancher - If you can find a person that can do Both Farmer and Rancher you have hit the jackpot

* Veterinarian - If you can find a Veterinarian prepper count your lucky stars because they can also double as your Medical person. I know a vet that on a hunting trip one of his buddies fell off a ledge and broke his arm and he set it.

* Medical - Now here you don't necessarily need a doctor but a nurse or paramedic is fantastic.

* Mechanic - In a scenario not involving an EMP you are going to want one of these

* Einstein/Engineer - These are the people that see a need and can come up with a contraption to solve the need.

* Heart - This is the person that doesn't have any of the above skill sets but has the heart to learn because canning, gardening, livestock tending can be taught.

Be prepared, not sorry

To Survive...It Will Take A Village

Most preppers are a very solitude lot...we don't want anyone to know what we have, where we are, and we protect it to the death. After having a conversation with a dear friend that is also a prepper his advice is spot on...

If you think in WROL you will hold on to what you have on your own you might as well give up now..

There is no way 1 or 2 people can do it all. Security, hunting and gathering, tending to livestock and gardening, preserving food, and all the everyday tasks that will come with this new frightening life.

It will take a village to survive

If you watch Doomsday Preppers like I do, look at the ones that you think will be successful in surviving a collapse...Southern Prepper 1 has aligned with Engineer 775 are a fantastic example of a team/village coming together to survive. I have been given permission by Southern Prepper 1 to show this video. Take a look it really has such good advice. Thank you SP1!

I urge you to take that time right now to find that village so that you may survive. I currently hold Meet and Greets to find that village. Now in honestly you will encounter those people that really are not serious. They have watched a episode or two of Doomsday Preppers and have that sense of panic which will wear off in a couple months when they understand how much time and dedication it takes to prep.

Don't show your hand until you are absolutely comfortable

Personally it takes along time for me to be comfortable with someone to even share where I live. Take your time getting to find and know your tribe. Spend some weekends camping and practicing skills with your potential village members. Evaluate how their lifestyle and goals align with yours..

*How do their skill sets fit into your village
*What do they bring to the table in skills and preps
*Do their philosophies in survival, life, and religion align with the village
*Most of all what is their personality...will it work within the village

I can't stress enough to look for that village now so that you may be comfortable with each other. These are the people you are going to entrust yours and family's life to.

Be prepared, not sorry

Prepping On A Budget Part 2

I am really excited about the feedback I have been getting on this article and please send me your ideas!

Dollar Stores

I love these for first aid/cleaning products and water purification. I can buy two bottles of peroxide, a tube of generic neosporin, a gallon of bleach (for water purification and self defense)......All for $1 each. I also buy a package of Kotex pads that work as a great as wound dressings.

Second Hand Stores

I like these for clothing, camping, building supplies and believe it or not vehicles. Some second hand stores are non profit such as Habitat for Humanity, Boats and Car Ministries, and of course Goodwill. Builders will donate extra building supplies to Habitat for Humanity for write off's on their taxes. If you are building your retreat you can get cabinets, counter tops, doors etc. all at deep discounts.  You can donate your car or boat to the Angel Ministries and take $500 off your taxes, I have done this when I donated a Dodge Intrepid when it blew an engine. They rebuild and resell.

Craigslist/Backpage

This is a great place but buyer beware of what you buy and your safety. I'm sure many of you have heard about the Craigslist Serial Killer or the person that bought something that was totally a lemon. I will look thru these adds and you can find some gems. I purchased a Coleman lantern, cooler, and air mattress (all only used once) for $12. If you decide you have found something that you want to buy meet that individual in a very public place like MacDonald's and DO NOT GO ALONE!

EBAY

I have to admit I am an Ebay addict. If I haven't bought anything in a month they are sending me a "We miss you" email. I purchased my truck on there in 2004 and I still have it and drive it everyday. It is by far the best vehicle I have ever owned. I purchased 46 acres in Maine in 2001 sight unseen, lived there for a year and sold it at a $10,000 profit. Ebay is a gamble on what you get so you really need to do your homework. On the land in Maine I did a title search to make sure the title was free and clear and I did the same with the truck.

There are gems for prepping everywhere and the biggest thing I want to stress is do your homework and make lists! I make lists for absolutely everything. Lists for what I need in food, ammo, first aid, storage, clothes, etc. With making these lists it will help you keep your spending in check and show what you lack in so you can prioritize.

Checkout the Newest Page..........How I Prepped This Week

Be prepared, not sorry

Mother Nature Provides The Lessons For Prepping Part 2

In November 2011 I published the first post of "Mother Nature Provides The Lessons For Prepping" and now in the aftermath of Sandy I wanted reiterate and update this. 

Growing up on a farm you have to be a prepper. We canned, butchered our own meat, hunted, and of course grew our own crops. It's just what you did.. After Katrina hit that's when I kicked prepping into high gear, I seen that Mother Nature is not bias in race, how much money you have, or where you live. She can unleash her wrath anytime and anywhere and it amazes me on how (sorry to say but it's the truth) foolish and unprepared people are. Our own government says you should have at least 3 days of food and water in your house for emergencies.  And it breaks my heart and angers me when I see people dumpster diving and standing in lines to just get fresh water.

It doesn't matter where you live..Mother Nature can hurl anything your way

I don't care where you live in this country Mother Nature can hurl anything at you...wild fires, earth quakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, drought, flood, and blizzards. I live in Michigan and our weather is relatively easy compared to some other parts of the country. But I remember when I was young we had the "Great Blizzard of 1978". That blizzard brought the state of Michigan to a grinding halt for 2 weeks. People died and froze to death because they were unprepared. Thank god we had plenty of food, both wood and fuel oil furnaces, my mother had the good sense of filling the bathtub and anything that could hold water before the storm hit so we had water to drink, she also had plenty of oil lamps, we filled 55 gallon drums of water prior to the storm, and we had a creek running thru our property so all we had to do was clear a path with the tractors and break thru the ice for the livestock to drink after the storm. The only disruptions in my life was no TV or school.

So what can Mother Nature do to you?

Be prepared for what Mother nature can throw at you. Now I'm sorry if this offends people and it's my opinion and blog so I can voice it, but in both cases of Hurricane Katrina and Sandy I seen the satellite images and thought "this is a Monster get the hell out of Dodge!" and both times I seen people on the news laughing saying "it was no big deal and they were going to ride it out". That is just stupid and how many paid the ultimate price for that?

Nothing you own is worth your life or families life.

Now most of us myself included plans on bugging in when SHTF but I am not foolish enough to think that plan will hold together forever and situations arise where I may have to have the alternate plan. I have plans A, B, C, and D.....do you?

*What if your location is overrun by individuals wanting what you have?

*What if Mother Nature makes it impossible to stay at your location such as a wild fire or flood?

If you don't have backup plans start NOW! Here are suggestions for plan B, C, and D

Choose 3 different alternate locations. All must be within a 3 day walk because in the case of an EMP or mass ciaos you may not be able to use your vehicle. Bury cashes along the way so you don't have to carry 3 days worth of food and water. Bury them next to a landmark you will easily remember like a huge tree or road sign etc because in a critical situation you don't want to be scratching your head trying to remember where your cashes are. I like to use plastic tubs because they are fairly inexpensive and very easy to make water tight.

My bugout bag is only designed to keep me for 3 days and or to get me to my next cashe' or bugout location if for some reason I can't get to my cashes. I have 3 different ways to make fire, a few protein bars, first aid kit, water filtration tabs and bottle, a small fishing kit, hand gun, rope, change of clothes, knife, and across the back my bow and arrows. Now I know I'm going to get people saying you need this or that in your bag but I stick to what I have said it is only designed for 3 days of survival MAX. And if you have every prepper gadget known to man in your bugout bag you will NEVER be able to carry it for a long distance so therefore it's useless and may cost you your life. You want to move quickly and efficiently to get away from the danger.

My cashes contain individual wrapped protein bars, a couple cans of ready to eat from the can meals that are high calorie and protein. 4 bottles of water. Bullets. A pair of socks, because you want your feet dry and comfortable to carry you to your destination. A small battery operated radio because if possible you want to know whats going on around you and if anything is standing between you and your bugout location. Hopefully you have your locations stocked and ready for when you arrive.

I can't stress this enough "have alternate plans" .

Be prepared, not sorry

Lessons Of Prepping And The Unemployed

Back in May I was layed off from my job, which in Michigan is no surprise. While my previous employers haggled about who was going to pay my unemployment, I was left hanging with no income.

Thank God I'm A Prepper

I went for 6 weeks with no money except for the occasional cash job and thank god I have a medical background so I was able to pick up a shift here and there at the local assisted living home. So there I am hitting my prepping stores hard. These are the lessons that I learned:

Diversify

You hear this term all the time when it comes to a stock portfolio but never when it comes to your skills. In my life I have been blessed to have lived about a half a dozens lives. I have a medical background, real estate, farming, marketing, sales, and title work. In January I took some of my tax return and received my commission as a Notary Public which landed me the job I have now. I am currently saving to take my pharmacy technicians course.

Always move forward to better your skills.

Addiction And Comfort Foods Are Essential

Now I know you are looking at that sentence and the one word that jumps out is ADDICTION. I am addicted to coffee and I really went thru it. I also like my wine at night and thankfully I have been making my own for about year and have been tweaking the recipe. As far as comfort food I love my peanuts and peanut butter and I went thru that too.

As preppers we concentrate on the beans and rice. Let me tell you I learned that the addiction and comfort foods are HUGE! When everyday is survival and stress these will be a small comfort which can mean the world to your sanity and how you face the next day. I really urge you to take a step back and re-evaluate your skills and your prepping stores.

Are you a smoker?

Love chocolate/sweets?

Potato Chips?

These are things that you really need to evaluate and make a commitment to put them away just like you do any store.

Be prepared, not sorry

Childrens Role In The Retreat

Do your children have a role in your retreat?

I grew up on the family farm. What that means is "everyone" contributes to the operation of that farm. I remember I was driving tractors before my feet could reach the pedals. I remember driving the tractor and the baler while my brothers stacked the bails on the wagon.

When I was in my teenage years my brothers had left home and so it was my job to wake before school and take care of steers, chickens, pigs, and my horse, then I repeated this in the evening. Also it was my job to take care of treatments, wounds, and on many occasions emergency situations where I had to "wing it".

This taught me responsibility, work ethic, and the most important.......self-reliance...

When I was in Alaska I was impressed by the kids with their skills, self reliance and the best example of this is the "Junior Iditarod". These kids as young as 9 compete in a 125 mile out and back course which is a overnight run. They are out there alone in sub zero temps with their teams and they just take it in stride very naturally.

They know how to survive, hunt, fish, drive quads, snowmobiles, and avoid danger. It is second nature to them.

I have heard several parents say they want to shelter their children and I think this is the absolutely worst thing they can do to their children. Children can be an important asset to the retreat. They can tend livestock, gardens, food preparation, and depending on age and skill they can contribute to security.

Teach them now.....

Teach your children to use weapons, prepare food, fish..etc. Use this as family bonding time. Go camping, teach them to build fire, build shelter, fish, navigate, etc. It doesn't have to be gloom and doom it can be lasting fun family memories.

Valuable memories that can contribute to the retreat and maybe save their lives...

Be prepared, not sorry.

Economy Makeover

Please watch and chime in....

Gear And Knowledge

I think as preppers we are always looking for newest ideas in gear and of course more knowledge. But how do you sort through it all? I don't know about you but I am at times overwhelmed buy the opinions and sometimes contradictory information out there.

I have purchased gear that looks great in the pictures and someone says "this is a must have" and when I received the gear it had plastic parts that I know in a long term survival situation it will never last. Then you have people saying "you get what you pay for so you have to buy the most expensive to get the best". Well all I can say is I have to prep on a "budget" so huge purchases are out of the question. I will honestly say I have picked up gear and supplies at garage and estate sales.

There are also individuals that are conducting survival classes throughout the country that I would really love to attend but again I'm on a budget so that is really something that has to be saved for or I have to work on my own to gain that knowledge. So I would really like you to share your experiences with myself and the readers on

What gear, gadgets, and knowledge sources

You have used and were worth the money?

What wasn't worth the money?

What isn't out there now that needs to be?

Knowledge is power.

Be prepared, not sorry

Guns And Goddesses

This is a subject that that most women either are intimidated to approach or they are dependant on their men and feel they will leave it up to said partner. I can't stress this enough........

You are responsible for your safety and that of your offspring...

I lived in Alaska for a couple of years and there is nothing more pure or dangerous than a grizzly protecting her cubs. Her whole existence is to protect them and with her instincts, brute force, and.......NO FEAR.. she will defend them to her death.

I was raised with a father who was the Great White Hunter/Fisherman and three older brothers. My first experience shooting a gun I was 6 years old, standing on a bucket with a 12 gauge resting on a fence post with my father next to me. When I pulled that trigger it knocked me off that bucket and on my ass. As I lie there trying to regain the wind that had been knocked out of me my father came and stood over me and said...."Always respect what a gun can do"...and I always have.

Now living on the farm with said Great White Hunter there was a family of six to feed so we hunted. We hunted rabbits, squirrel, pheasant, turkey, and deer. I learned how to field dress a rabbit before I knew my times tables. I thought everyone ate that way until high school and a friend came over after to school and raided the refrigerator and ate what she thought was chicken and was squirrel and she informed me that "squirrel was something you fed in the park and not ate"....

Over the years I have come to embrace bow hunting. In Alaska I was even on a women's league and it really does give you the sense of empowerment. Every women needs to know how to use and be accurate with a weapon/weapons when it comes to prepping and when SHTF.

Take a hunters safety course or sign up for a shooting class at a local range because you need to be that mama grizzly that will protect herself and her family no matter what. Another piece of advise my father gave me which women have a hard time with and you MUST get over is..........

"If you point a weapon at another person you MUST be ready to kill them"

If it comes to the point of you or your family being harmed or killed and you have pointed that weapon there must be no hesitation or conscious wrestling to pull the trigger.

Be prepared, not sorry