Realistic Survival Preparation

OK I don't post a lot in the Survival forum or claim to have any great survival skills other then common sense which a lot of self proclaimed survivalists lack . People are often guilty of not thinking things thou at all like the notion of turning your place of residence into a fortress never mind the fact that your enemy will starve you out in the end . Below are some instances of what I am getting at .
While there is nothing wrong with going hunting but how do you transport bigger game that you have killed if it is not safe to stay in the immediate area ?
Almost nobody gives thought to how they are going to retain the vital element of mobility . From TE Lawrence to the failed Bravo Two Zero patrol all show the value of being mobile . If you have say a 4WD where are you going to get the spare parts and fuel from ?

What kind of precautions are you going to take when you are talking on the radio to avoid others picking up sensitive information ?
What happens if where you would fish from becomes polluted ?
Another key point is what happens if the mob that is after you is bigger then the number of rounds in your gun ?

Time to get real about survival . Know what your limitations are and that Rambo doesn't exist a lone survivalist will likely perish .

I know exactly what your saying, and it is a great point. I think that the amount of necessities that you have is just as important as keeping cool, knowing how to handle situations, knowing who your surrounded by, and who you can and cannot trust in the very beginning can prevent alot of uncomfortable and possibly deadly situations.

There is no "real" way to be completely prepared for an emergency, unless of course we know before hand and can prepare accordingly. Just knowing what you are capable of doing, and who will be with you I think is very important.

I think that the most dangerous part of SHTF is not knowing what you can do.

Peace, NRE.

I think the first thing anyone does when an emergency happens is fill up the bathtub with water. I just recently realized its for flushing the toilet as well as drinking. things for survival...my kit includes swiss fire, a swiss army knife of course... a thermal blanket(the kind that looks like aluminum) a stockpile of organic less than perishables...granola bars nuts dried fruit ect...first aid kit...

and the two staples of every real survivalist...




[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/07611e1d321c.jpg[/atsimg]

im always trying to learn more on this topic because lets face it, at this point the lights could go out at any minute. the food and water situation of course comes to mind first. then guns and all the rest. i was wondering if anyone knows/has read about the possible benefits and uses of colloidal silver. its allegedly has an antibiotic type effect and i think ive read it can help purify water. its pretty simple to make from what i understand.

reply to post by Urantia1111


I looked into colloidal silver a while back here is the recipe. I have not personally tried to make it myself, as I am not really good at these types of things but kept the recipe anyway. Based on what it says I wouldn't try drinking on the first try though.

www.atlasnova.com...

Peace, NRE.

There is nothing more mobile than a person on foot.

Vehicles drown out sounds made by others in the area,not good.

There is plenty of food out there if you get hungry enough to eat it.

The secret is to not get hungry,and to conserve energy.

All the gear in the world won't help you if your truck breaks down and you have to leave it,so approach things from a "least likely to fail" perspective.

Dogs scare me,they run too fast,and too quiet..

Travel light and quiet.

reply to post by xpert11


This is what im working on preparing. Everyone has different suggestions.
Food; Peanut butter(protein/organic), Kashi cereal or cereal with dried fruit (breakfast),granola bars,raisens or nuts for snacks,tuna cans,spam,anything canned protein is good,dried fruit,water stock up (at LEAST 6 month supply) These are only temp to get you through a few months(assuming you stay where your at or have a site prepared). You need to learn how to grow your own fruits/veggies,learn to hunt for food (fishing,hunting) Learn how to purify water, learn self defense,learn easy ways to build fire to cook. Most of it should come naturally. Also, bring a book on nature (plants for medicine,edible plants ect)

Supplies
Knife/sword/axe and or hand made spear
Compass,Map
10 bottles of vitamins or more (take 1 every other day)
Calender,cards,your fav book,pen,paper,music (use batteries 3x a week for longer use) to keep sane
Seeds of fruits and veggies/containers to grow them in
Water purification tablets(as much as i can afford)
Fishing gear
cast iron for cooking
Thermal blankets,winter clothes,tent (i advise breaking into a house for winter)
Toothpaste,bar soap,wash cloths,detergent
a few clothes

Im sure a few more will come to mind. Now if Im on the run obviously I would only carry what i really need to survive. Do not forget seeds,weapon,map,compass,fishing gear,blankets and water/food, tent would be wise. I have 2 military duffel bags so plenty should fit..

Before I address the points raised below I want to make the point that what ever skills you plan on using during Situation X they have to be second nature to you because if you experience trauma then doing normal everyday things can become difficult .

Originally posted by chiponbothshoulders
There is nothing more mobile than a person on foot.

Well providing a person isn't burden down by the load they carrying it is possible to be mobile on foot . For this idea to work it relies on caches of supplies having been placed in various locations before hand .

Vehicles drown out sounds made by others in the area,not good.

You do trade off for speed and possible capacity to move a load of what ever your carrying . Your point is valid so much depends on your environment that you are working in .

There is plenty of food out there if you get hungry enough to eat it.

Having the ability to live off the land and tracking skills are naturally good skills to have .

The secret is to not get hungry,and to conserve energy.

You mean like in the Middle East where if a member of a tribe was only travelling a certain distance by camel they wouldn't bother to bring any food with them ?

All the gear in the world won't help you if your truck breaks down and you have to leave it,so approach things from a "least likely to fail" perspective.

Another option depending on the part of the world you live in is to use horses or camels for transportation . What you can strap onto the back of a horse is a reasonable guide to go by . This assumes for the sake of discussion that you can support all the animals food and medical needs .

Survival is a skill that takes time to learn and to get good at. Try going on a long hike (75-100 miles over a week or two) with the right gear on the first try. Half of what you think you need won't help at all. The other half won't be enough. Or you could shut off your electric and water for a full week and see what it is really like to rough it. You will find allkinds of stuff you haven't planned for. It takes practical experience to learn all of the ins and outs.

Long term survival is as much the way you live as what you have with you. The methods vary from place to place and person to person but it takes actual practice to be good at it.

Also, don't be too quick to judge others. They may know more than you think, and you can learn new things from nearly everybody.

reply to post by badgerprints


Solid advice Badger.
Living off the land while on the move is the worst case scenario yet might be the safest in the end.
If traveling alone or perhaps a very small well-trained group of 4 or 5, you might avoid detection and possible confrontation or contamination in a biohazard situation. Steady food sources would become nearly non-existent so foraging on a wide variety of foods would be necessary to survive.
Avoiding other people would be a very difficult task anywhere in the lower 48, so you would have to travel light and silently leaving little sign as you went.
Foraging wild plants and trapping as you travel, building shelters every night - fires only when necessary, constant watches - very few could live this way, Smaller few are the ones who could do it in a unit.

Anyway, I suggest everyone learns wilderness survival skills first as what you learn applies to city dwellers too, your basic needs remain the same.

Learn to defend yourself, grow your own food and find strength in numbers if you can't survive through foot evasion. Don't count on roads being open long, fuel will run out quickly too. You'll either face checkpoints or bandits if the SHTF.

If you want to learn how to evade people in the woods learn to track deer and follow their trails, they're the ultimate tacticians when it comes to use of natural cover and terrain to hide their movements.

The future will be anything but boring, I hope.

The closest thing to the flesh of a man is the flesh of a pig...

let's just hope most of us are above cannibalizing one another

Also this thread makes me want to play fallout.

If you kill something too big to carry easily, build a travois. My ancestors used them when we moved camp. Here's a link.

en.wikipedia.org...

Beer Can Cook Stoves

Maybe these will be handy for some of you, Im sure theres a few of you who enjoy a cold frost one, so heres a few plans to make some quick powerful cook stoves.

This one Im not sold on, but I like the concept, but whont be buying one
www.ultralightoutfitters.com...

This next one Ive made and used, boils water fast, cheap and whats needed to build can be found everywhere.Best beer can Ive found are the Big Oil Can Fosters.
en.wikipedia.org...

There are some other survival skills that rarely show up in these threads. They could still be helpful for "survival," though.

1. Bribery.
Knowing how to bribe effectively is certainly a survival skill. As I learnt whilst leaving mexico during spring break during my misspent youth.

2. Haggling.
Most Americans are horrid at haggling; just ask any used-car salesman. But this skill goes straight to the heart of the barter economy, since you basically profit by whatever margin you can finagle.

3. Gambling.
In a survival situation, you will have a lot more free time as you are immobilized by weather and waiting. Without all your modern conveniences, get ready to spend a lot of time tending the fire, standing watch, waiting for soup to boil, etc. So get ready for a few hands of Texas Hold 'em, while we wait for the Ramen to heat up.

4. Treasure Mapping.
A classic gambit. Carry an extremely convoluted treasure map in your boot. If you get mugged, you can buy some time once they realize that "only you" know how to correctly read the map. There is nothing as valuable as being valuable to your enemies.... (I know this one is reaching; but I wanted to creatively round out my list. Deal with it.)

5. Drinking others under the table.
Bartering works a lot better after everyone has had a friendly shot. Or two. It also helps with the gambling mentioned above. It can frequently add 5-25% to your profit margin, if you can remain sober. If your rivals pass out, your profit margins can exceed 100%. But be prepared to leave quickly...

6. Forgery
After Katrina, FEMA issued id cards to New Orleans refugees. The FEMA cards were so primitive that they eventually dropped them, and went with the much fancier Red Cross ID cards, which were the quality of state-issued drivers licenses. Turns out someone from the Big Easy can mass produce fake IDs, even after a storm. Think about it, it could get you free food and blankets, and maybe even an escape from a detention center...

7. Appraisal
Face it; while economic collapse represents a once-in-a-civilization economic opportunity, it won't last for long--authority always re-asserts itself. The Black Death ended Medieval civilization, but local warlords instituted governments to provide "security" (and taxing entities) through the crisis. So, you've got to make the most of the crisis. Many people will be bartering valuables in a desperate quest for food. Will you know the difference between a rolex and a relox, or between rhinestones and diamonds? Sure, the bottle says it's a 1959 Dom Perignon, but what is really under the cork? When trading bullets for gold, how will you know pure gold from the foolish kind?

I hope this post sets you thinking about the true nature of survival 'skills'

Now, all of these sound like a joke, but are they, really?

reply to post by xpert11


I'm going to be just like Snake Pliskan when TSHTF.

reply to post by dr_strangecraft


Simple answer. Yes they are.

I was thinking about the black bears today.

1. the bear is hidden and unseen in the woods.
2. his den is warm and dry.
3. he doesn't care whats happen to the outside world.
4. he has had enough food to last the spell.
5. when comes out of the den, things are new and fresh.

Survival is staying alive longer then the rest.

While I was in the service I went through the SERE course (survival, evasion, resist, escape)...the manual can be found online; FM 21-76-1. Granted, the manual isn't near as cool as the course...but at least you don't have to go through the POW stage.

If a situation X ever does happen completely forget about the necessities and focus on things below:

Trying to "hold up" in a city is about the worse thing you can possibly due. Between gangs, criminals, police, military, etc someone is going to break your barriers...count on it. I'd get as far out into a wilderness area as I possibly can (drive if possible but leave your vehicle, also have a place scouted and prepare if need be...I'd recommend it). With that said, you'll want to prepare a "bug out" bag. I recommend a CFP-90 Ranger Pack. This pack can carry everything you will need. A few things you'll extremely need (everything else is optional) are:

1. Weapon: I recommend the M1A SOCOM Mark II: .308, semi-automatic, great for short/medium/long range targets.
2. Survival Knife: Nothing better than a KBAR, though I also have a BattleHawk tomahawk with one.
3. Ammo: Don't bog yourself down with thousands of rounds of ammo it's pointless. 300-500 rounds, plenty. Also keep in mind .308 rounds will be easily available (military/police).
4. Magnesium Fire Starter: A must have.
5. US canteen and cover: Don't worry about carrying large amounts of water, water can be collected, filtered (rocks, dirt, etc), boiled, etc. You'll want to have some on hand, but don't go over board.
6. Military poncho (with liner): I recommend a few of these. You can use them to collect water, make a shelter, keep yourself dry, etc.
7. E-tool: folding shovel, can pick one up for cheap at a Army/Navy store.
8. 550 para cord: and LOTS of it. You will thank me if situation X happens and you have a slew of this.
9. Clothing: If you're in cold weather, prepare. Military gore-tex (ECWCS) are great for cold weather. You'll want solid gloves (seal skinz) or the like, cold weather boots, socks, balaclava, etc. Don't bring too much and keep to a minimum, but make sure you have enough.
10. MRE: pack with you enough food to keep you going for at least 2 weeks to get you started. You'll also have fish, berries, wild life, etc to choose from as well. But always remember; water first, shelter second, food third.
11. Down gore-tex sleeping bag: another must, can easily fit in the bottom of your ruck.

There are plenty of other things you can pack; military flashlight with red/blue/etc covers, safety pins, first aid kit, wool blanket or two, fishing equipment (line, hooks, etc) and various other things posted on web sites. Keep in mind this: Gear, Knowledge, Willingness to Survive. All the gear in the world isn't going to help you if you lack knowledge on this area. Make sure you are also as fit and in shape. If you don't workout, start. Think endurance but muscle mass will also help. Not overly huge, but cut and slim is the way to be in a situation like this. Don't worry about toothpaste, soap, etc as you can easily make this with animal fat FYI. Remember, you're going to be up against: fear, anxiety, pain, illness or injury, cold and/or heat, thirst, hunger, fatigue, sleep deprivation, boredom, loneliness and isolation. Hope this little bit helps you and gets you thinking in a mind set of "always prepare for the worst"

reply to post by Patron Saint


You have the basics covered very good. To make your life
happier out in the sticks. I suggest a mosquito net for your
sleeping. Outdoors them insects can be worst then the enemy.

Originally posted by Patron Saint

10. MRE: pack with you enough food to keep you going for at least 2 weeks to get you started. You'll also have fish, berries, wild life, etc to choose from as well. But always remember; water first, shelter second, food third.

2 weeks of MREs? At just one a day thats 14, which is more than a case and it's going to cost you 21 lbs in pack weight. It's even worse if you are wanting to maintain body weight because you are going to have to spend a lot of time gathering nuts and berries or double up the MREs. Maybe your pack will, but my pack will not hold 14 MREs along with my other gear, let alone 28.
I am also going to disagree with water first, then shelter. There are too many situations where shelter is the primary consideration.
I got to thinking about the total weight here. I've not weighed it but 100 rounds of .308 has to come in close to 8 lbs. So at 300 to 500 rounds you are talking ~20 to 40 lbs in ammo. Add that to the MREs and we are at ~60 lbs of food and bullets. 60 lbs before you add anything else to the pack, like a 7 pound rifle to shoot that ammo. Your numbers just are't seeming realistic, but maybe you are exceptionally big and strong