What is the purpose of bugging OUT?

[Silent Earth]

If you are up to your ### in alligators ( or crocs) you get out of the swamp even if you have lived in the swamp like a Cajun for 50 years. A galloping wild fire, massive prolonged drought, epidemic, massive quake or 5 million starving refugees camping on your front lawn comes to pass the only safe option is the cede ground and not family members lives.

 

[jontte]

that's propably why we have to have plan a.b.c.d....and back-ups to these..I would be terryfied about those townships also,don't think they plan much ahead there so PSA you'll have to make pro and cons list in bug out/bug in..which is something I must do..

 

[Prepper Safrica]

PSA said

Last time I had any contact with Afrikaans preppers many of them were absolutely terrified of the thought of having to bug out of their communities and they were actively seeking viable alternatives such as microlights, boats, light aircraft, even charter aircraft for groups of families. Some folks elected to get off road capable camper vans so they could bug out cross country and avoid the townships. Its also a popular option with Aussie preppers.

Yeahh this is still the case - however I am not Afrikaans but of German decent. The Afrikaans community is very close and does have its "secret" bug out plans - there are many of them living on farms and they certainly feel bugging in is better then running.

However, all the town folks are in a rather difficult position, most of us live in houses in the suburbs with a garden of about 3000 sqf and have to make a judgement call - BO on the first sign of trouble or trying to hold the fort - having watertanks installed, veggie and fruit tree garden established and perhaps a few chicken running..... I decided for the latter - recently ripped out the decorative plants and planted fruit trees, put in veggie beds and collect rainwater - so far 7500 litre plus a 15000ltr splash pool.

Giving up this sustainable home in a SHTF situation will be a tough call .... but if trouble is coming my way I don't think I can stop the crowd to take the little I have because they will be to many to stop - thats when I will BO - but when is the right time to leave? Any ideas on this?

 

[Prepper Safrica]

that's propably why we have to have plan a.b.c.d....and back-ups to these..I would be terryfied about those townships also,don't think they plan much ahead there so PSA you'll have to make pro and cons list in bug out/bug in..which is something I must do..

Thanks the pro / con list will certainly help - problem is I do know that there might be a situation I have to leave - but at which stage - how does one realize that leaving / BO is not an option anymore but a neccessity?

 

[Prepper Safrica]

i dont like the idea of having to bug out any more then you do Prepper Safrica but i will..on account i feel and believe my safety comes before my present location..so if/when the time comes..i will do so..you mentioned going through townships.im guessing that means going by the way of roads..have you looked into going across country? and maybe using the train tracks as well?

Thanks for the tip train tracks - good one! Cross country means in my case crossing a step mountain range - only 3 roads out of my town - guess I made a bad choice on location. But will venture into the mountains to find ways to disappear if TSHTF - got an old Jeep Cherokee 4x4 and this trusted car can go places hard for others to follow.

 

[Silent Earth]

Giving up this sustainable home in a SHTF situation will be a tough call .... but if trouble is coming my way I don't think I can stop the crowd to take the little I have because they will be to many to stop - thats when I will BO - but when is the right time to leave? Any ideas on this?

Yes I do, but I can only speak for myself and my circumstances are not as perilous as yours. You have the race / culture conflict to contend with as well as the economic and starving horde scenarios, it is likely that the physical risk to your family is probably much greater than the risk to mine in the short term so your response and plan has to be much more clearly defined. Roughly speaking you will need to get out BEFORE the escape routes totally close off. In your case it may require you to bug out as a precaution to a safer location to see how things unfold. If the crap hits the fan then you keep going, if it doesn't then you can return home. Tis better to go prematurely than to find its to late and finding yourself surrounded ala Rourkes Drift. Can you hide a cache of extra supplies in the veldt or at a safe location away from home? Can you find a safe location to go to as a rallying point that is safer than your home location. Can you feasibly bug out to a safe spot without causing damage to your sustainable home then return if the danger passes?. I think having the option of a precautionary bug out plan is the best option.

Thread identified........ risk to home and family confirmed.........stay or go?
or
Threat identified..........risk to home and family confirmed......... stay / go / go to safe location to see how things develop

Both options are going to rely on you having good access to news reports via the media / authorities / friends nearer the threat / early warning system in place so you can decide in good time if you need to bug out.

 

[Silent Earth]

PSA
"Thanks the pro / con list will certainly help - problem is I do know that there might be a situation I have to leave - but at which stage - how does one realize that leaving / BO is not an option anymore but a neccessity?"

In your case as soon as ONE of the three routes out of your community is closed by the bad guys and or as soon as you hear that the hordes are looting and killing in the communities they come across.

I think I once read about riots in your country and many of the police / military lower ranks actually joined in the looting, so you cannot rely on the authorities to protect you. You unfortunately have to be slightly more paranoid than us and be willing to take PRECAUTIONARY measures.

I used to work with a hydraulic specialist from Natal who got that sick of the threats to his family he bugged out permenantly to the UK.

 

[jontte]

PSA, think you got a somewhat comprehensive help-list from NR, this here is some of those questions where it really helps beeing ex-mil to give a proper answer, a happy amateur like I consider me to be have a part of the answer but not everything

 

[Roninsensei]

If i had a place out there and my plan was to at first try to stay, Id have this planted all around my outer fence line.

Euphorbia milii AKA the Crown of Thorns

Have fun getting through that before I shoot you.

 

[jontte]

well,atleast you'll have your funeral flowers at the same time ...but it sure looks beautiful

 

[Prepper Safrica]

Thanks everyone - you gave me a lot of new ideas and I really need to get BO routes with some supplies going and make sure to pay attention to what goes on around me / my town. Bugging out into another country / back to Germany is no option as I believe that after all, Southern Africa might have a unique geographical location which is less prone to natural disasters and disasters created by terrorists / wars. So staying in South Africa is for me the BO plan - now I just make sure to have a plan if something goes wrong over here.

 

[jimLE]

seems like someone mentioned driving around in dif areas,but not sure..so you might try doing that,by getting out a map of your area,and maybe some other area.then pick a location..then drive it..maybe make a outing of it with family/friends.or who ever..check out the dif areas in a way that dont look suspicious and all..this way you might locate the best bol for you and all

 

[Silent Bob]

If i had a place out there and my plan was to at first try to stay, Id have this planted all around my outer fence line.

Euphorbia milii AKA the Crown of Thorns

Have fun getting through that before I shoot you.

View attachment 3595

Yup and hope you have the right gear on to navigate through it too...no gloves, wearing shorts = better have a stock of band-aids for all those cuts.

 

[NEONOBODY]

Wow! I am on the road and have not been able to check in here since posting. Thanks for all the replies! It is good to see that not everybody has the mindset of those on NatGeo (Doomsday Preppers) :-D

Might I recommend something to those who "bug in" and are worried about being "robbed". My opinion is that the best way to do this is to not draw attention to yourself. Think tactically and strategically. The more you try to keep people out, the harder they will try to come in. Obvious defenses are a sign that you have something valuable to protect. The most important in an isolated area (or even apartment building for that matter) is to "know they're coming". If it is a group of "civilians", then a show of force is in order. Look to riots for an example. Looters look for easy targets. They will avoid confronting a strong defense and move on to something weak or unprotected. If in an apartment building, a sniper in an overwatch position and a "near miss" shot, will most likely diffuse the situation. A remotely detonated "homemade claymore" in the entrance way will most likely deter even the most hardcore looters.

On the other hand, organized groups, militia, military, police, will most likely overpower you if you plan to defend. Here it is better to play the "live dog". Keep enough provisions in the open to indicate that you are just getting by. Everything else store in a very well concealed location. The key is to let them "find something". If you are there, but there are no supplies in the open, then it is obvious the "motherlode" is hidden somewhere. An example would be to have a cheap pistol and a few rounds of ammo in the open. The "real stuff" is hidden yet easily accessable. Same goes for food. If an "authority figure" comes in he may well "covet" your new Glock XL1000. If you have a military surplus revolver though, it may be left alone. Same goes for a "mosin-nagant" rifle while hiding your AR-15.

If you are in the country, scatter your supplies or hide them REALLY WELL in your house. If you scatter them, do not go to the same cache enough to leave a trail. NEVER put all your "eggs in one basket"! Same logic (defend or not defend) applies here. If confronted by the authorities, be a live dog. If a civilian group, take em out or at least give them a reason to move on to an easier target.

Always keep in mind the use of "force multipliers". Cameras, radios, mines, even gas comes to mind. If you retreat, and someone comes in to your home, chlorine gas can be a very effective deterrent. If confronted by a mob, move to a safe location and arm booby traps on the way out (if nothing else along the way has deterred them) ;-)

Just a though.

 

[Silent Earth]

90% of those on Nat Geo's doomsday preppers were just fools wanting 15 minutes of fame or getting free advertising for some business venture true preppers and survivalists would not expose themselves to such public scrutiny or exposure.

 

[jontte]

so true about that NR..so true, it's like putting an advert out saying;here are stuff..just come and grab it..