Is survival preparation best done in secret?

those that don't learn to live together will die together - old time survivalist maxim

I think announcing to the world you are stocked up and ready for anything is a huge mistake. Only those you are willing to take in or others who are also prepping should have any clue what is going on behind closed doors.

If you tell everyone you have food, water, medicine, etc. then you will be killed when people don't have their own supplies and need yours. It's that simple. They will kill you and take it from you. Don't trust people.

I'd not advertise it but it'll be pretty obvious fairly soon after TSHTF who is prepared and who isn't. Unless you live in a remote area the "have-nots" will sniff the "haves" within a week by common sense or during random scavenging.

Maybe a good plan would be to periodically pose as just another desperate person and join food scavenging parties whatever ... while being sure to advertise how crazy and armed to the teeth you are too.

Building a bunker just underground with entrance above ground close to water would be a great call, with parking just underground also for your vehicle.

Survivable though ? im not sure.

originally posted by: RedParrotHead
I'd not advertise it but it'll be pretty obvious fairly soon after TSHTF who is prepared and who isn't. Unless you live in a remote area the "have-nots" will sniff the "haves" within a week by common sense or during random scavenging.

Maybe a good plan would be to periodically pose as just another desperate person and join food scavenging parties whatever ... while being sure to advertise how crazy and armed to the teeth you are too.

Most of the "have-nots" will only be sniffing for a week or two. Pillaging the wealth of other people is not a long-term strategy, unless you're a buccaneer on the Spanish Main.

Suppose you are a "have not." Suppose further that every successful raid will net you 3 days of food. Suppose further that you have a 50/50 chance of surviving / succeeding any given raid.

In that case, you have a 97% probability of dying by "DAY 15".

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Conversely, if you can avoid all contact for 2 weeks.... you have virtually no opposition when you emerge...

Share the knowledge... it's no secret to be self reliant.. we folks of recent generations for the most part haven't had to live with that mentality...

We need that back, and soon... the best way IMO, is to teach not preach... find an open ear, share the knowledge....

Hiding what you have learned, and acted upon is a disservice to those who taught you, and to the folks who are willing to learn, what was once passed on from birth....

Don't be afraid... the more who know, the less threat of those who don't coming to take what you have...

.02

I would keep it secret. You never know who's going to backstab you once the apocalypse breaks out.

I believe that somebody should prep in two ways. Have a central short term bug-out stash where you are currently located and make sure you can leave in under 10 minutes. Then you should have a larger long term stash somewhere fortified for living. The short term stash will allow you to either live for a short period where you currently are or make the trip to your larger stash. If by some massive amount of bad luck your large stash is compromised you will still have the short stash to help get you through. Personally I have a plan for a couple of SHTF scenarios and I have let a few people in on them. IF something was to happen we have a rendevous point where we will meet before heading to a secure location. I don't tell them what I do/do not have, just that I have a plan. I think being self reliant and having some numbers is necessary.

You can't be on watch forever, even strong people need sleep after a few days.



-Divin3

Lately, folks that prep can tend to spook the government too. We just had a local case where an undercover FBI agent got a guy to talk about his preps. He had a lot of land, a lot of buried weapons, etc. He actually seems like a decent guy, but went off spouting off about how he'd kill government agents if they came in, etc.

Not the best idea.

Also, he was making homemade explosives. Also not a good idea.

Of course, his big mistake was TALKING about it.

Thing is, if the SHTF is a government takeover, then no matter how many guns etc. you have, it is going to be futile. Better to try and work with them than against them if it happens. 50 folks with guns aren't going to do anything against a cruise missile fired from miles away.....

its called OPSEC(operational security) and unless its very close family-and maybe not even then-its best to keep your gob shut, as they said in the last war "walls have ears", if people don't know you have stores they cant take it away from you, and last of all TRUST NO ONE.

The people I tell (other than anonymously online, in forums like this), are those who are invited to come join us and add to the defense, and workforce, to keeping us all safe, fed, and provided for, in such a crisis, whether it be the end of the world, or just a bad storm.

For example, I have some good friends who live in evacuation areas during hurricanes. So, they know about our preps, and know they can come here during such an emergency.