Urban Bugging in

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carhugger_prep

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Joined
Dec 29, 2013
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166
Location
Mishawaka, IN
I was just curious about this. What are the best things to do for security, food, and water in a urban situation?

There is a forest about 10 yards from my front door so I need to brush up on my plants and get a .22 LR for the deer I have seen. There are 5 small pounds in my neighborhood and a creek down the road.
 
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Plan and Recce, Identify and note food stores, food warehouses, food distribution centres, wild foods growing on wasteland. Note sources of water from leisure pools, ornamental lakes, water storage tanks, fire fighting roof top reservoirs, note locations were ferel pigeon, rabbit or other local critters live etc Set up water catchement systems for rainwater and runoff, rooftop traps for birds, ponds for breeding fish in etc.
 
Then Sir you are a wise man.
I edited my first post but I will say it again in case that you didn't see it. There is a forest about 10 yards from my front door so I need to brush up on my plants and get a .22 LR or bigger gun for the deer I have seen, I just have a .38 revolver so getting a bigger gun is a necessity. There are 5 small pounds in my neighborhood and a creek down the road.
 
you mentioned the forest...might look into it for sniper positions..this way 1 or 2 ppl can set up there as sniper(s)..lets say its decided that 2 of you set up as snipers.stand at the left corner of the house.then look straight across to the forest.any area to the left of there will be good for a sniper..then do the same for the right corner..but look to the right instead.who ever is at the left side shots across the front of the house.and who ever is to the right side does the same..this way neither one shots directly at the house.and the enemy will be caught in a cross fire..and might look into sniper positions for the back of the house as well..
 
I edited my first post but I will say it again in case that you didn't see it. There is a forest about 10 yards from my front door so I need to brush up on my plants and get a .22 LR or bigger gun for the deer I have seen, I just have a .38 revolver so getting a bigger gun is a necessity. There are 5 small pounds in my neighborhood and a creek down the road.


Then sir you are a wise man with a plan, the definition of a prepper, I'm sure some of the gun owners here will advise you, but if I was choosing a 22 it would probably the ruger 10/22 TDR.

As for the creeks and ponds that's the water issue sorted so long as yu have a devent water filter to hand like a Berky or Berkfield
 
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I was just curious about this. What are the best things to do for security, food, and water in a urban situation?

There is a forest about 10 yards from my front door so I need to brush up on my plants and get a .22 LR for the deer I have seen. There are 5 small pounds in my neighborhood and a creek down the road.

Get water/ecology quality reports from your local environmental agency also take note on the source of the water, how many people live up stream, was there ever a smelter plant, chemical plants near the creek etc.. that is now developed residential, all these things have to be answered before that creek can be trusted for anything including the ponds!
 
brush up on your snares and traps, get a book on foraging for your particular region and get to know and be able to identify wild food plants, if you cant afford a Berkeley at least get something like a Sawyer mini water filter.(which is small enough for you to carry)..not all water sources will be pure. do you have any food stores? if not start now.
 
Animals you can easily keep in an Urban setting: Rabbits, Chickens
Thing about hunting a deer (or rabbit) that often they'll still run a bit after shot. Tracking them down can be the hard part.
Be ready to expand the palette a bit (like frogs, snake, pigeon, rats, insects, etc.). When it comes to taste or starvation, 10 out of 10 people choose to ignore taste. (and I've heard that rat is actually pretty tasty if cooked well)

Rain catchment is a decent water collection system to use in an Urban setting, but lots of unexpected foraging solutions too. Garden hoses, hot water heaters, toilet tanks (not bowls), are all pretty common places in homes to find water. You can even grow lots of small potted plants and veggies to eat too.

Biggest worry in an urban setting is going to be staying hidden from the gangs that will no doubt be looting and running around in cities. That and sanitation conditions (imagine a city sewer system with nobody manning the station) will be your biggest threats no doubt.
 
sewage systems in large towns and especially cities in the UK are all electrically powered, once the power goes off the pumping stations don't pump. in a SHTF event in a city your main problem is getting rid of bodily waste especially where you cant bury it or compost it, apartments, inner city etc.
 
keep a 10 liter plastic bucket at hand with a bundle of plastic bags,that's your make shift toilet...have a tight lid to it also..
 
I have already dug a soak away at the bottom of my garden filled with gravel and I have two portable BLACK black water tanks from a camping store plus a proper camping toilet with separate clean and dirty water tanks.
This is the company I use, a decent and inexpensive proper porta potti that saves on smells and accidental spillages which could be a major bummer if the bucket gets knocked over when the house is in lock down .

http://www.thetford-europe.com/product-category/toilets/portable-toilets/

Oh yes before I forget I highly recommend a small (even home made) galvanised metal incinerator bin ( trash can) for burning paper waste ( toilet paper, wipes, baby wipes, diapers, sanitary towels etc) which can be normally set up near any soak away you dig.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=galvanised incinerator bin&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=25090659246&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17881960933169776526&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_4slcfbz0o_b
 
keep a 10 liter plastic bucket at hand with a bundle of plastic bags,that's your make shift toilet...have a tight lid to it also..
make shift yes, short term yes, what do you do with the buckets when they are full? how many can you store in a city apartment? at some point you've got to take a risk and empty them somewhere-that's the risky part.
 
i lived across the street from a sewage lift station for 2-3 years..never had a problem with it,untill the transformer went out for it..100% raw sewage flowed across neighbor's yard untill they managed to come out and fix it..only good thing about that..is it got fertilized real good..lol
 
I live quite a way uphill from the local pumping station, i'll be able to hear when the pumps go out from the screams further down the hill!!:D
 
bigpaul, only short term solution..know that..have a place about 150yds away where to "store" these bags...
 
If I may point out, you will be in an urban area, with all the other people living there! Even if none are violent it will be a drain on all local resources. Your 38 pistol will do you well, but learn how to use it! Does anyone here want Jerry Miculik on their bad side? For urban hunting a good pellet rifle is a good idea. Get to know your neighbors as many may be useful and even have the same mentality. Have an escape plan.
 
sewage systems in large towns and especially cities in the UK are all electrically powered, once the power goes off the pumping stations don't pump. in a SHTF event in a city your main problem is getting rid of bodily waste especially where you cant bury it or compost it, apartments, inner city etc.
That will be one of the major problems in my area, for sure!
 
we live in the country,so no problem there..we're on a septic tank and field line..but it'll help us to keep lots of rid-x on hand thoe

Yeah, I try and keep a case of this stashed, but it's definitely on the "stock up" list when the signs are hitting.
 
You might consider burying some supplies in the forest Incase you have to leave your home in a hurry you could come back in a few days and dig up a few supplies to get you back on your feet.
 
If there's a nearby forest in your urban sprawl! If you decide to do this, keep an eye on it on a regular basis. It won't be as easy as you think and be prepared for someone to find it first! Also, remembering where it is and bring a digging implement if you need it! Another version could be renting a storage shed somewhere and keep the good supplies buried under a bunch of junk! Sure, someone at some point may decide to start looting these places, but it may keep for awhile.
 
This is a topic I'm CONSTANTLY thinking about. We have a small 2 bedroom apartment and my biggest worry is having to bug out especially with our 3 small children. We are on track to purchase a house by the middle of 2019 which will mean go time for sticking up on prepped essentials but tomorrow could be the day when it all goes to hell....
 
@Brandon Craig

Congratulations on the future home buy. With small children, It is going to be very difficult to bug out, unless you get a very early start, ahead of the crisis. Obviously of it is a fire heading your way, there is no option and you will have to leave. If this is an economic situation, then the Grey Man approach, I think will be your best option. You are going to need to outlast your neighbors, while not painting a target on your backs. Urban survival is possible, at least in my mind. I currently live in an urban surroundings and I do plan to survive. If the situation is a major grid down, long term power outage, then water is going to be the first priority. Second is of course food but rations are going to need to be cut. You don't wan't to look like you are gaining weight, while everybody else is losing weight. If your apartment is ground floor, then sewage back up could also be a major problem. That old saying sh1t rolls down hill will not be a joking matter when all the pumping stations go off line. You can prep for urban survival but you do have to look at things a bit differently . JM2C
 
@Brandon Craig

Congratulations on the future home buy. With small children, It is going to be very difficult to bug out, unless you get a very early start, ahead of the crisis. Obviously of it is a fire heading your way, there is no option and you will have to leave. If this is an economic situation, then the Grey Man approach, I think will be your best option. You are going to need to outlast your neighbors, while not painting a target on your backs. Urban survival is possible, at least in my mind. I currently live in an urban surroundings and I do plan to survive. If the situation is a major grid down, long term power outage, then water is going to be the first priority. Second is of course food but rations are going to need to be cut. You don't wan't to look like you are gaining weight, while everybody else is losing weight. If your apartment is ground floor, then sewage back up could also be a major problem. That old saying sh1t rolls down hill will not be a joking matter when all the pumping stations go off line. You can prep for urban survival but you do have to look at things a bit differently . JM2C


I agree, its very possible just depends on the situation. As far as greyman/outlasting everyone else, we keep a pretty low profile we don't have fancy things in our apartment and we don't have a newer car nor do we invite people into our home. Things don't get to crazy around here the most exciting thing on the weekends are cars getting towed for being double parked and the occasional baby momma drama happening across the parking lot. My main thing is security. Not just OPSEC but boarding up windows and front/back doors. TBH I'm really just praying nothing happens until I get this house because my mind is filled with plans and I'm going to be busy.
 
urban bugging in is certainly doable, but you need to hunker down and not get noticed. food and water supplies are the main thing you will need, but if the power goes off and it probably will you need to think about alternative cooking and heating and lighting without setting the place on fire and giving away your location, windows need to be boarded or black out blinds fitted.
 

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