Some questions to ponder...

Are you physically able to carry a heavy pack for several miles at a time?

Do you have the basic things you need for survival in your area?

How quickly can you bug out if "IT" happens?

Do you know how to use your gear?

Have you used your gear, to make sure it is in good operating order?

Do you have mulitple ways to get to your new location?

Are you staying putt no matter what?

What do you do if someone is already at your location, and not a member of your group?

Do you have enough supplies for an extended stay?

Can you aquire more food/ materials needed for your stay, if you run out?

How long are you "good to go" for?

Do you need a semi full of gear and food to go with you? or Is your stuff already there?

Can you make it to your location on foot? How long does it take loaded down?

Have you practiced the bug out before? when?

These are just a few of the questions that I have asked myself time and time again....I know that for me...it is a good test to go out and go camping for a week or even a long weekend with just what I can carry...I usually don't stay in any 1 place for more than a day, maybe 2..then I move on, when doing this....it really tests your abilities and your skills for getting by with very little...and it gives you a brief look into what it might very well be like for you if you need to bug out.

The questions I asked are what I ask myself all the time and hopefully they could help you too

I have been refining my BOB for sometime,, and am doing testing such as you suggest at this very moment.
I thought i would have more time, but circumstances,,, (i.e. caused by Government interference) has made me move my bug out date to sooner as to later.
I still have my home here in a suburban neighborhood.
I guess I will be abandoning it to the IRS, Mortgage company and Banks to fight over. They have refused to help me stay put,, so I refuse to pay them anymore,,, the IRS is garnishing my wages,,, so I will soon be quiting my Job that I love very much,,, because I refuse to pay the Tax on my Soul,, they say I owe,,,
I am Not a Slave, and refuse to play by rules that are set up by our government, to benefit the Rich, Elite and Politicians, Banks and SupraNational Corporations that are destroying our planet.

I always thought I would know ''when to bug out'''
I think that was a long time ago,,,, They are not going to change the game,,,
so I guess I must for myself,,
change the rules to benefit Me for once.

Thanks for the reminders,,,,

I can answer yes for almost 90% of all these questions, BUT I have a family to take care of......so I'm *beep*.

S&F for the things no one thinks about. Quality thinking.

I not only have tested my gear and myself but cut 10 pounds from my testing weight and in the process added a dozen more ultralight items without losing any of the 10 I cut.

I use a different philosophy. Go where no one goes. Get off the animal trails, and never go on human trails. Use thermals to condense and hide smoke and odors. never camp near water. find concealed pocket so the camo tent goes away. nothing with color exposed outside the tent. Lots of funny rules.


If you dont practice the skills......then they are all in your head and your just another armchair quarterback.


On the flip side when you do, expect lots of things to go wrong. least till you work all the bugs out.

For most of the situations we foresee, our home and farm will be our bugout safe haven/ refuge/ fortress/etc.

The biggest challenge in the short run would be to make it home from work...as such, we have a short term survival pack in each of our vehicles...first aide kit, water, power bars, matches, knife, etc.

That being said, if things went really haywire...and it would have to be really bad...I mean biological, natural calamity...earth extinction bad...we would head for the Blue Ridge Mtns. Yes, we would basically travel by foot with a pack horse and a small herd of goats in tow...pretty much like a 1800s pioneer...first aid, frying pan, water, fishing line and bobs and hooks, a couple of good rifles, dried and dehydrated foods,axe ...and start camping and living off the land...and yes, we are practiced and long time hunters and foragers from youth.

Already planned a route west via the clear cut power line right of ways...this avoids most built up areas and highways...except crossing them....and as such...avoids most traffic and martial law check points.

Once up in the mountains...travel south along the Appalachian Trail..or parallell to it... down to SC/Ga line and hold up in an abandoned water mill we found hidden way back in the woods in a river bottom... near by is an abandoned apple orchard of immense size...good flat land for planting...yes, I would bring seeds. Catch mountain trout and stipers. Set some rabbit boxes, traps... Basically live like the proverbial hill billy.

reply to post by AlreadyGone


Its good you have a plan, I hope that you never have to use it....btw you might be a sitting duck with animals ...people might want them for dinner...and just take them or worse...
What about the people that own land and your tresspassing on to get to your location down south? You think thats going to be safe to do?
This is just my .02 cents

That's why a migration to SC/Ga is a last resort in the event of a mass extinction event.

I am thinking a tidal wave along the lines of say "Deep Impact" orl polar shift... let's see...land owner or tidal wave..land owner or tidal wave...I go with confronting the land owner...

Otherwise, we stay at the farm we live on now. Already set up and know the surrounding area...even in the event of martial law and societal collapse...I feel we could manage just fine....

Chances are, that if the land owner knows there is a tidal wave coming..he/she is already up ahead of us going in the same direction....

But, all joking aside, I see your point and it is valid...which is why we probably stay put.

reply to post by AlreadyGone


I personally would only bug out as a last resort....if I go, I am not comming back, so if it happens its very serious...
I hope that I never have to bug out...for if I do....then there are some serious problems that will have long lasting effects....and this country will never be the same.

Are you physically able to carry a heavy pack for several miles at a time? Yes. And push jogging strollers for the kids who are too small to make it themselves. Honestly, some of you might look at one of those things at a pawn shop or garage sale; they work over rough terrain, and will carry 50 lb or so. (great for hauling water!)

How quickly can you bug out if "IT" happens?
We actually had our most recent drill Friday when I got home from work. IF everyone is at home, we can be in the car leaving the driveway in under thirty minutes, with all food, water and gear loaded in the vehicles. The kids actually shocked me---each was assigned a task to help the family load up, and the older ones actually knew where we kept stuff, and did a fairly good job at selecting which items to take from the stores in terms of weight vs. value. They even took chose food so we wouldn't have to cook for several days.

Have you used your gear, to make sure it is in good operating order?
Most of our gear is either hunting, fishing or camping related. So we use it a lot in the summer.

Do you have mulitple ways to get to your new location?
Yes; the routes are mapped out in the kits in the car, as well as in the hunting kit. They include back-up plans, who to contact for help at the new location(s).

Because of our location, we have different destinations for different emergencies.