Doomsday Preppers

[jamieooh]

Anybody watching this show?
Watch the clip until the end.
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/national-geographic-channel/shows/doomsday-preppers/ngc-bug-out-vacation/

[eaglethebeagle]

My wife and I watched this program and then dvr'ed the others and watched them. This guy actually got lucky just shooting his thumb. It appeared he has no idea of gun safety and easily could have shot himself or one of his sons. He actually held the gun with his left thumb covering the muzzle while his right hand was on the trigger.

Being prepared for something is one thing but some of these people on this show are just goofs and wont last long if there is a doomsday.

Their was an older couple that they showed living in the northeast somewhere and they had zero weapons. They believed that their stockpile of honey and other food would be good enough to keep them safe. They didnt think have a gun for protection would be needed.. LOL they were hippie libbies and the type of people that believe the world is a Dr. Seuss book.

[jamieooh]

LOL @ Dr. Seuss book.
I actually have not watched the show. I was to tired when I posted this and forgot to ask a couple questions.
Are they making people out to look like idiots ? Do the people actually have good plans? (sounds like some of them are naive ) Also the guy that took his boys to the desert , was that just a practice run?
I know if hell beaks loose and I have to depend on myself for survival I will not be driving to the desert. How is going to start a garden? Any of these people have a greenhouse for going food in the winter?

[eaglethebeagle]

Some of the people are actually good to go with most of there prep. The only issue is the show typically shows a couple different families and they each have their own catastrophe scenario. Some are possible while some are less likely.

Some people are good with learning how to live off the land and have survivalist skills while others seem to think they can be hippies and there will be no threats after a doomsday event.

I like the show and its not painting them as idiots except for the people themselves that are actually idiots. The guy shooting himself and the hippies are idiots. There is a New York Fire fighter that is prepping for a Yellowstone Volcano blast. I understand his reasoning because of 9/11 the cloud after the towers fell had an impact on him. That scenario seems less likely than say a financial doomsday or mass terror attack.

[eaglethebeagle]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUM0TOkNALg

This looks like an older episode than the newer versions but still NatGeo produced.

[jamieooh]

Interesting video Eagle.
I wonder if he has a gun? I saw the knife , but no gun. I personally would not want to wait until became a knife fight.
I personally would not want to hang out in a city if society falls apart.
My personal belief is that the most likely "doomsday" scenario is a monetary collapse or when fuel prices become so high that almost all forms of transportation come to a halt.

[eaglethebeagle]

My thoughts on what are the most likely "chaos" doomsday situations are like you suggest oil/gas skyrockets and causes hyperinflation on an already weak economy. Then people panic as they cannot afford basic necessities. The other would be something like 9/11 but if it were a coordinated attack on our energy plants. If they are able to knock out electrical grids for a prolonged period of time that would cause chaos and riots, looting and rampant crime. That was what happened after hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Another world war could create some unknown possibilities that cause a doomsday. Gas/oil prices spikes, terrorism on American soil, possible threats of nuclear attack on America from another nation involved in that war (Iran, Russia, China) all combined together at once would create a hystyria that may lead some to commit crimes and end of world (nothing to lose) actions. Our ability to prevent a default on our national debt and then go into the same shit hole that Greece is in could be likely. I have no confidence in obama to lead us out of our problems. So yes a monetary collapse is very likely possibility.

Some of the natural disaster events are less likely but possible like the solar flares that could knock out the electrical systems around the world.

[jamieooh]

http://www.mdpub.com/Wind_Turbine/
That one is small output wise. You can find plans online to make one big enough to run your house.
Would be very handy to keep your living area climate controlled and run your refrigerator and a large freeze.

[goinloco1]

Just a question for you all. what would be the best things to horde for survival situations? I'm not talking food, parts for a wind generator or anything of that nature which none of would do any good in winter, either southern or northern, without two things. I'm talking small, lightweight, and can carry thousands of and a second one can be found anywhere but may be unusable for consumption. Both are the basic necessities you absolutely cannot live without for very long and you would be able to get anything else you needed by trading them.

#1 is matches. just plain old dry book matches (I keep a couple flints) since you cannot keep warm, boil water, or cook food without heat. cold people will give their left nut for matches to start a fire.
#2 is water. any drinkable supply is going to be gold. bottled water included.
while stores and such are pillaged these will be two items most will never think of. food is usually first on ones mind even though you can go for up to 14 days without eating. but you cant go without water or warmth for very long. dehydration and hypothermia are your enemies, hunger is just a nuisance until your set and can get game or trade.
a 3rd would be some sort of shelter, but most of us can figure out something quickly for that.

otherwise grab your guns, ammo, and sleeping bags and head for ground you know if shit hits the fan.

This is just my opinion folks. :)

[jamieooh]

You are absolutely correct.
I for one will not be staying in the city. I'm about an hour away from my Grand Parents farm. That's where you will find me.
Plenty of land, springs, near a river, and lots of wildlife.
I am however short on guns. I only own one pistol.
Probably should get a bunch of matches.

[BrendenF11]

My list will come tomorrow, I have thought about this a lot recently. Good lists so far though.

[eaglethebeagle]

Well with how the world is right now several of these possible doomsdays are not paranoia of a kook but very real possibilities. War with iran will send oil and gas higher and how high will it go if russia gets involved in the war? Will America get involved or stay out of a war with iran? That is a huge question for what it means for either answer. If we do join Israel that is the proper thing in my opinion but it could lead to Russia joining iran and of course other countries joining. Its a very big wild card but it is going to play out at some point I have no doubt.

So oil/gas goes way up and cost of living goes way up and food, gas, our fuel to heat and cool our homes goes way up. All these things going very high compared to what we are comfortable with then at some point it reaches a mark that many people beginning with the poor cannot afford. The essentials( gas for vehicle, heat for warmth, AC for cooling in summer, higher food expenses from higher gas prices). The poorest people who are hurt the most by these necessities being too expensive have to resort to drastic measures to secure these vital necessities for themselves and their families. Crime goes way up and widespread riots can begin to happen. Chaos as people are being attacked and killed at a rate never before seen. The danger of going out in public is a serious threat to everyones safety as it is rampant crime.

That is a very real possibility and let me share this.

I have been approached or witnessed others being approached for money for gas alot over the last year. I am someone who doesn't go out as much as I used to. I was approached at a Home Depot by a guy who needed money and I had my daughter with me. He didnt show a weapon while asking for some money but he began his request with "man I really dont want to do this" I handed him some loose change and he went away. I let him know I didnt have cash in my wallet. Had he had a weapon he would have had some serious charges on him with my daughter being there with me.

It is one instance that forced me to religiously take my concealed S&W bodyguard revolver with me now every time I do go out. I am fortunate that our housing situation is that we dont need to go out very much for things but shit is very bad for people right now and all signs point to it getting worse and possibly way way worse.

I am purchasing things I feel I need for some of these possibilities. Water purification items, fire starter items, I am adding some new guns to my collection and stocking up on ammo. I am going to buy some survival gear/ camping gear. I was a boy scout for only 6 months as a kid but the Boy Scout motto is a good one 'be prepared".

[Malice]

I've watched every episode and though some have legitimate plans and could possibly survive longer than others... some are just comical.

The comical:
I don't remember which episode it was but there was one guy that was a "typical airsofter" that we see every so often. Pushing 400lbs and packed into his camo pajamas that his mom bought him when he was 12 running around with a .22 thinking he's a ninja.
There was also the female web designer that thought she was some sort of bad ass because she could do a pull up and went on about how she plans to put a bullet to the back of her cats head when the time comes. She tried to impress everyone with her physical prowess then 2 miles into her 6 mile hike was gasping for air as if she hasn't left her comfy Herman Miller chair in the past 10 years.

The guy that shot his own thumb... he was a nutcase that covered it well. He appeared normal on the show but there was something really off about him, like that crazy old Vietnam vet at the end of your street that seems nice but puts glass in front of his doors and windows every night just in case Charlie tries breaking in. (No offense to Vietnam Vets, my father was one, but that wacky guy in my subdivision creeps me out)

The legit:
The very first couple they showed with the steel container compound seemed to be the most legit but there is a fine line between being prepared and being a nut case.

The big gourmet cook lady actually had her crap together.

The black firefighter in NY I don't believe would cut the mustard because he was all about knives because he couldn't legally own a gun. He was a big ass beast of a man that could handle himself in a knife fight, toss most people around like a ragdoll and the training he was taking would certainly help but I hate to burst his bubble. If it got as bad as he was thinking, that knife won't do much good when the non-law abiding citizens have firearms.

In all I like the show though I think most of the people they are showcasing are a bit over the top. It's good to be prepared for SOMETHING but as any wartime vet can attest to, things change quickly once bullets start flying.

[BrendenF11]

Now I do not consider myself a survivalist, but there is absolutely no harm in being prepared.

There are many steps to being prepared for a situation where you have to depend on yourself and those around you to survive without any outside help. Being prepared is something that you can not just have by buying some stuff and calling it good. You have to be mentally prepared, physically prepared, and equiped properly.

One thing that seems to be over looked when people talk of survival situations is the mental aspect. Not just mentally prepared to do what you might have to do when interacting with other people you come across, but maintaining your sanity. In a bug out bag of mine is a new copy of my favorite game, stratego, a cribbage board, 5 decks of cards, 10 dice, and roughly 20 books. This will help myself and the people that I am with feel some sort of familiarity and sense of normalcy which in turn will lead to better mental health. It will allow for us to lead some what of a similar life style we had before, not leaving everything we knew behind. Maintaining a life style that you are used to is important to the morale of the group and the efficiency of the group. That also means not stocking up on freeze dried foods, or MRE's. While the MRE's would be fine for me, I am used to eating them, it would not be good for the rest of the group. They are not used to eating an MRE or freeze dried food. Anyone remember what happened to their bowels the first time they had an MRE? That is undue stress on a body that will need to be fit, it also is not a sense of normalcy that everyone will want during a time that everything else in their lives are changing.

Weapons- This is a short version. Ideally I would have 3 weapons to every person in the group, and 1 spare for every two people in the group. One would be a working weapon, I personally am satisfied with having a large stock of .22 rifles for working weapons. Working weapons should be weapons that you can carry easily, are light, and are able to do something with. I know you can bring down a deer with a .22 if you have to, I have seen it. Plus the ammo is cheap, plentiful, easy to store, and small enough to carry a lot. The .22 can also serve as a valuable training tool for your self defense weapon, allowing you to perfect rifle shooting skills without burning up bulkier more valuable ammo and undue stress on your SD weapons. On top of that I also have 4-12 ga. shotguns all with bird, slug, and SD barrels and extended mags. I only buy pump, I can foresee to many problems with fixing a semi auto if it needs fixing.

Two would be a handgun of some sort. This is a matter of personal preference. I have decided on 3 calibers for my handgun stash, .45 ACP, .22, and 9mm. Having eliminated my .357 and me .40 over the past year to cut down on ammo expenses. Also I have decided on purchasing Kimber for the .45, walther P22 and Ruger single six for the .22, and Spring field XD for the 9mm. That allows for purchasing replacement parts much easier and allows me to store less and purchase less while keeping all of the weapons functioning properly. Glock may be a better way to go just for the fact that pieces and parts would be much easier to come by.

Third is self defense, while the .45 doubles as a hunting and SD weapon, I prefer the AR-15. It is so easy to build one now, ALOT of people have them, ammo is relatively cheap and can be stocked easily, it is also a rifle I am very familiar with and would be able to train others that need the training. It can work as a hunting rifle but can also throw down alot of fire power if the situation arises.

Other essentials. Camping stove, a GREAT on I have found is the Biolite. The heat from the sticks you burn can cook, it also has a small USB port attached to it with which you can charge small devices ie cellphone, gps, small lights etc. Camping gear, rain coats/ponchos, cold weather gear, water proof matches, magnesium fire starters, camping pots and pans, light weight camping silverware, boots, two way radios with vehicle chargers, as much TP as you can fit, Isopropophyl 90% rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer in bulk, hydrogen, towels ( look for micro fleece towels light weight, easily dried take up no room), bar soap, Medical sets (tourniquets, chest decompression sets, band aids, cremes, athletes feet treatment, bandages in plastic wrap, asprin, multi vitamins), knives (good quality knives too not cheap 30 dollar buck knives), hatchette/axe/saw, portable hand crank weather radio, and protable ham radios. There is more but when selecting these items it is essential that you pick quality over quantity, and light weight as possible, these items should serve a purpose and you should practice with them all to make sure that you are efficient with them all and know when to use them and not to use them.

Food and water. I am not a big fan of stock piling a vast amount of food or water. I maintain a diet which is familiar, high energy, somewhat light and long lasting. I feel that these food reserves should only be used when other food is not readily available. Canned fruits, vegi's, corned hash and pastas, are my favorites to keep on hand. Honestly Mary's Kitchen Corned Beef and Hash is great in my book, dang near 500 calories per can, the cans are small, it is cheap, and it lasts A LONG time. I do keep large quantities of canning supplies on hand, along with lare supplies of salt. You can can vitually anything and provide for yourself fairly easily if you are efficient at the skill. Practice makes perfect. Water is something I do keep on hand, but I keep purification methods on hand in a much larger quantity. From tablets, to filters, to steaming supplies all of which can provide a safe and secure way of obtaining water. I practice my various methods atleast 3 to 4 times a year for two or more days at a time to make sure I am efficient at obtaining water.

I am not a bug out fan, I STRONGLY believe that you should settle yourself in a community which has the possibility and capability to provide for itself. My surrounding community has large sources of poultry, beef and pork. It has a large quantity of farm land, and fresh water available within walking distance, it has its own power plant, and has renewable energy sources near by which can provide much needed power. I prefer to stay where I am, I have more stuff here and there is a better chance of survival.

Now bugging out. If the situation degrades past the point of relative stability and I need to leave I have a plan. My plan involves more than one vehicle, as much supplies as we can fit into the vehicles but also leaving space enough in each vehicle to carry essentials from another vehicle that may have broke down on the way, and enough space to fit those people from that vehicle into a different one. That guy with his two boys traveled 40 minutes to his location, if that vehicle breaks down 20 minutes into that trip they are screwed. They have a good chance of losing a bunch if not most of the stuff they have selected to bring and is essential to their survival. They would be 20 minutes from each location leaving them up a creek without a paddle. Routes, I did not hear him mention his routes. If you have only one route to get to a certain place, you have atleast two routes to few. Multiple routes to where you need to get to are essential for safe transportation to your final destination. The situation will determine which route you should take. Also having a backup spot to go to is essential also.

The number one thing on my list: Knowledge!!! You have to know how to use everything you have, you have to know how to use it in multiple situations, you have to practice to make sure that you are able to do everything you think you will need to do to survive. You can not have a weapon never train on it and expect to be efficient with it when you do have to use it. There are plenty of survival resources out there for people to use and learn from. This is a book that will come with me for sure, it offers everything from efficient heating and cooling, self defense layouts, food treatment techniques, food storage, food processing, all sorts of good stuff. "Back To Basics- How to Learn and Enjoy Traditional American Skills" I paid 40 dollars for this hardcover book, but well worth it. I highly recomend it.

This is just a short list of what I would have do and use. I think I could write a hole book on it. :)

[eaglethebeagle]

Excellent advice Brendenf11

I agree with a lot this and yes it is foolish to see the world and know the potentials for doomsdays and not be prepared. It is smart to not go it alone regardless of your situation. If you live somewhere and you are a loner or little family or friends then start looking for some friends that will be like minded about this preparation. Its never too late to begin until it is too late to begin. I feel I am behind on my prep personally. I have many items but many that I feel I still need and I need to practice and train with weapons and situations.

I am in Florida, Tampa if there is anyone that is in central Florida that wants to connect and grow a small unit or group for a prep community that I think is ideal. It is in my opinion the smaller your group the more dangerous and less likely to survive. You eventually may run into a group larger than yours and at that point being out numbered is bad for winning or surviving.

Lets keep this thread going I will post more things as i find them.

[BrendenF11]

Here are a few sites I have come across with handy things.

http://biolitestove.com/BioLite.html These are campstoves I think they would be quite handy.

http://www.bulletproofme.com/ Body armor and chasis. If you think this is necessary.

http://www.soldiersystems.net/ Has some of the newest items in the gear industry for the military. Best part is that alot of the products they reference can be purchased by civilians online, and it's all higrade stuff.


http://www.shooting-hunting.com/results.html?Keywords=Ammunition Great ammo site, can usually find bulk ammo for cheap here.


http://www.alpharubicon.com/ This site has some GREAT material, little hints, tips, methods, etc. I love browsing and reading through everything there.



Also ebay, digging around on you can find great deals on some great gear. plus it can expand your mind a bit more and let you think of more things you may need or could use.

[jamieooh]

BrendenF11,
Thanks for the links.
The alpharubicon is more along the lines of what I had in mind for prepping.

[BrendenF11]

Absolutely, there is more information than a days worth of reading on that site. I have ran across a lot of preparedness websites, but alpharubicon is BY FAR the best site I have found for references, ideas, and a level headed aproach to the topic as a hole. There are some smart cats on that site, glad it could be of some assitance.

[jamieooh]

Thanks. I added that to my favorites.
When I started this thread I was actually hoping that we would go this way.
I really wanted to see what my fellow apaches thought about this subject.
I was curious if anybody had a garden, canned their vegetables/fruit, had a greenhouse, wind turbine and or solar panels or any thing for long term preparedness. (?)

[BrendenF11]

I have been learning a lot from my folks in the gardening subject. Right now it amounts to a luxury simply because of the taste and health benefit from doing it, I also realize the options that it gives me if I have to get off the grid, or the grid has left me. We use raised beds with a some what primative form of irrigation, rain barrels along with some hoses with very fine holes poked in them for watering on hot days. I live in minnesota so our fruit selection is limited, but we have found various types of strawberries, cherries, plums, raspberries, and apples. The soil is somewhat sandy where I live so finding the right kinds of plants that can grow in your area is a matter of research then trial and error.

I can not believe that I forgot that in my list!!!! Seeds, they are important as hell, cheap, and can be stockpiled for quite a while.

Every year my family cans, pickles, beans, salsa, tomatoes, jams, jellys, apples, peppers. You can also can potatoes, which we have not tried, we have a good food storage system in cold cellars and other various methods. I would highly recomment the book that I mentioned in my previous post: Back To Basics - How To Learn And Enjoy Traditional American Skills. There is more info in that book about various methods of gardening, canning, power sources etc.

I have also started to dabble in windmill operations, ever drove through nebraska and seen all of these cows huddled around a windmill drinking its water? That leads me to believe that I could create a windmill that would provide a source of power through turbine energy, AND provide me with a source of water. I am an electrician by trade so the power generation is relatively simple, just need to learn the water aspect of it all. Also most energy should not be needed if a homestead is built right, and you have the ability to add additional features which can provide heat and cooling. I have recently thought of a windmill system that acts almost exclusively as a pump for a geothermal system, providing a constant temperature and reducing stress in a household.

I am glad you posted this topic, I love hearing others opinions and their personal preferances. It gives me ideas and gets me thinking, and I am a firm believer that knowledge is the key!!!

[jamieooh]

speaking of cows. Right now I live in a city. (Missouri I used to live in Minnesota )
Now wonder how much land would you need at a minimum to have a few head of cows?
I would think one might want a dairy cow or two plus some beef cows.
I have had goats milk (see eagles video posts) and its highly highly highly over rated. Goats can be destructive . They will eat everything.
Thats good if you need brush cleared.Bad if they are eating every limb on you apple tree .

[eaglethebeagle]

Well of course when I go to the grocery store or other retailer for anything i peruse the magazines for the new weapons mags and now more for the gardening and living off the land magazines. I might make a trip to Barnes and Noble the one here has a huge magazine rack. I found http://www.motherearthnews.com/ its a magazine but here is the website. Great articles for getting self sufficient. You also start to realize your in hippie territory with some of these people being so earth and enviro conscience. I am all for keeping planet earth clean and pollution free but dont go all PETA and vegan on me or I will punch you.:D

I never gardened until last year I tried it and it was a learning experience for sure. If you garden or do it this year I will say one thing. Spider mites....I was doing an organic garden as i dont want to eat chemicals or feed them to my family but it is more of a task being organic. So this year I am going to plant flowers within the garden that help bring the good bugs like ladybugs to help fight the bad bugs like spider mites and other pest. Tons of websites about all this stuff.

I will go collect some of these sites I have found and post them here later. Great thread and much appreciated with everyone's info.

[BrendenF11]

Jamieooh, I can not say how much land is required for cows. I know it is a bit when you do not have sufficient animal feed for them. Free ranging I know is a lot of work, plus it becomes a security issue during a "doomsday" scenario. Others could be out for those animals, hell in MN here in the past year I don't know how many pigs and cattle have been stolen and that's just because of the high price of beef and pork. When people are starving they are going to want those animals even more, to me thats where the solid community comes in. As I have stated I love the community that I am in because it is far enough from larger cities that it becomes an issue of transportation to get here for others, but it still a sizeable town around 6700 with ample farming and industrial resources. That community has a better chance of providing for these animals and keeping the shelves stocked with corn, soybean and wheat products. Just my personal take on it.

Now for me I would prefer pigs over cattle, they are easier to maintain plus they are good "recyclers," you can feed them virtually anything and they will eat it. They are also smaller and easier to keep in a barn or small shed, and still provide a few hundred pounds of meat per animal along with a lot of lard and bones for other uses. The down side is that they are small and it will require more animals, but they do also have large litters every time they reproduce compared to cows who have one or two. At the same time one cow is roughly 5 pigs, and can provide a milk. Everyone around here uses feed for their cattle so I can not give an accurate amount of land per head, I can say that when we were in North Ft. Hood there were free range cattle every where and they were quite healthy but they also had a very very large area to roam.

Good point on the goats though, they are around the same as sheep. Every animal has it's upsides and down sides, just a matter of location and preferences.


Organic gardening is hard as hell eaglethebeagle, we do the same thing here though. Have you looked into growing "hedgeballs?" We buy them and throw them into the potatoe patches, I am not to sure where they grow but I am willing to bet you would be able to grow them where you're at. They are an absolutely GREAT pest deterent, plus they are all natural. Growing the right plants which attract the right kinds of predators for common bug issues is a great idea, along with bat houses, and whatever you can do to attract owls which buts down on the little rodents that like to eat virtually anything you have in your garden.


All great points guys, I look forward to those gardening sites too I'm always looking for ideas!

[jamieooh]

goinloco1 brought up the point of water.
Anyone looked into a way to filter your water? I was think long term. I found this http://www.enviroalternatives.com/watermethods.html
But most of the methods on this list seem out of reach for the average guy trying to keep his family with safe water. I 'm thinking along the lines of riding water of pollution whether it be sewage , chemicals, or bacteria.
Anybody have a plan to clean your water for a few months to maybe even years?

[BrendenF11]

I can not afford many filters or purification treatments, also a lot of the stuff has an expiration date on it. I know that boiling is the probably the best way to treat water, and at the same time I think that I have some sort of a solution for it. I am not a fan of simply boiling the water in a pan and then drinking it. I prefer to steam the water, much like an alcohol still, into a seperate clean container. So I do not know if this provides a solution in all circumstances with water purification (ie chemicals, poisons, etc), but to me it seems to be the best option. 10 or 20 feet of 1/2 inch copper plumbers piping is spendy but still cheap when you think of what it could provide you, plus it's copper so it's easy to work with.

I would really like to know if this method is safer than just boiling, I would think that it would be but I don't know. On the flip side if you have everything you need for a still, it could be very valuable in the trade aspect also. I know steaming water takes more time than we would all want to spend on getting clean water, but I would assume there would always be an open flame or fire to constantly cook water on.

Just my thoughts, most very efficient water treatment filters or systems are spendy as hell. The cheap stuff expires rather quick.

[jamieooh]

ya if you had to boil your water .Gathering up wood would be time consuming and exhaustive.
You can use plastic to catch moisture but that would be a slow process .

[goinloco1]

goinloco1 brought up the point of water.
Anyone looked into a way to filter your water? I was think long term. I found this http://www.enviroalternatives.com/watermethods.html
But most of the methods on this list seem out of reach for the average guy trying to keep his family with safe water. I 'm thinking along the lines of riding water of pollution whether it be sewage , chemicals, or bacteria.
Anybody have a plan to clean your water for a few months to maybe even years?

boiling is the best as it kills bacteria and such, but also remember to stow away some cheese cloth and pour the water through it before boiling to get everything else first.
One thing i see people forgetting about is something everyone has in their laundry room. do not forget to grab your clorox. a couple drops in a gallon of water will sterilize the water and make it potable.

A good book to get is the sas survival guide. everything from edible plants, first aid, shelter, how to get or make potable water, etc.

[BrendenF11]

That is very true, wood is time consuming for gathering, I guess I am thinking from the Minnesota point of view gets alittle chilly up here :) , so the wood would be a requirement. I prefer the north over the south, I see more people moving to the south because of the much more mild climate. Very good call goinloco, bleach or chlorine are two very good things to have on hand and provide many many uses. Now Minnesota is the "land of 10000" lakes, so water would be easy to come by here, ( there's actually 15,000+ lakes. Another viable alternative is OLD farm sites or homesteads, a lot of these places were build near a water source. A lot of times those water sources are natural springs, I know in Minnesota these natural springs are absolutely every where, just gotta know where to look. This would provide a naturally filtered water source, I have drank water from many a spring around here and have not gotten sick as of yet. Now I have never drank life sustaining amounts of water from these springs, so don't know about the limit.

[eaglethebeagle]

:thumbsup:Here is a water purification page on a survival site. http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/water/purification.html Another survival site which i clicked the water purification page. http://beprepared.com/category.asp?c=137&c2c=tn&name=WaterStorageandWaterFiltration&start=0

Here are some seed sites. http://www.abundantlifeseeds.com/
http://www.anniesheirloomseeds.com/
http://rareseeds.com/Shop/?gclid=CJGV-4qfuK4CFY2b7QodehE7QQ
https://bestcoolseeds.com/
http://www.companionplants.com/

Will cont. later must evac my home immediately for family matters...

[jamieooh]

Brenden, Missouri is the same way when it comes to springs. Especially here in south western MO.
Brenden, is your house well insulated? I'm assuming it is since you live in Minnesota .

[jamieooh]

Discovery channel is starting a new series called "Doomsday bunkers" hopefully it is a good show.

[BrendenF11]

Where I live right now is very well insulated, I will be heading to Afghanistan for a tour next year and when I get back I intent on building my own place. I have plans!! The insulation will be something else, along with that a 20x30 cold storage for canned goods, and "fresh," potatoes onions etc. Can you tell I'm of German ancestory? :) I have also been picking up stuff off of ebay, it takes time to find the right items, just today i picked up an ACU GenIII gortex set for 15 bucks, new with tags. WELL worth the money. That sort of stuff is essential for the climate I live in, that is also why I do not plan on moving south if I have to move,. When I first started considering scenarios I looked at what I had, and since I am not rich, I felt it right to stick with what I had and build off of it.

In the way of water I think that the springs, which provide a "natural" filtering along with boiling are the best routes for a water source.

Something I need to figure out is how to ice fish without my auger, and using to much energy while making a hole. 2 ft of ice is a bitch to get through with a pick axe or a chisel. I would really miss that and not be able to survive without it :) .

What are your planes for the heat and do you guys have a larger selection of bugs, and varmits to deal with?

[jamieooh]

The heat doesn't bother me, but where I plan to go when SHTF there are a couple caves, springs, a creek and a river on or along the property.
Check this out for your ice fishing.http://www.buycheapr.com/us/result.jsp?ga=us21&q=icefishing+auger
I went ice fishing once (that I remember) when I was 3. We used to live in ST. Paul MN.
We have variety of varmints and bugs . My biggest concern would be snakes.

[eaglethebeagle]

Awesome news for me to report today. I went to my local wal-mart which is not my preferred retailer but it was convenient so I used them. Well I went in to grab some ammo as they do sell ammo at a decent price and picked up more shotgun 00buck, 45 auto, and 38+p. I am looking at going the 22lr route like mentioned it is cheaper and still can hunt and hurt with it. Well after purchasing the ammo there was a older fellow that was telling some other shoppers about prepping and so I waited for them to finish. Then I introduced myself and asked the guy about if he was prepping for a doomsday. He and I talked and he had a actual business card with his facebook and website info. Long story short he lives very close to me and he has a group of active and former military active and former police and civilian members already. I went to the youtube and will post more on them later. I am going to connect with him later and visit their place to look around and get more acquainted with them.


If this turns out to be as good as it looks then I have found just what I am looking but still my natural skepticism still in the back of my head telling me to trust but keep one eye opened for that red flag issue.

I believe in being apart of a large group of people to be the best for after the shtf because of the old safety in numbers and moral not going at it alone. Plus of course the more man power the better at getting things done and having people specialize and sharing resources with each other. I will post more on it later and more on the garden and survival stuff I have found.

[BrendenF11]

Snakes are no ish to me. I took a trip out to Wyoming, SD, MT, NE 2 years ago. No route or plan, which was nice, also gave me a chance to do some hiking off the beaten path and take roads that were hardly on the map. The one thing that really almost got me a couple of time was the rattlers. Now I had an advantage as they rattle when you get close so I knew they were there, at the same time for myself it is not a natural thing to look for so I never actually saw one or would have been able to spot them without their rattle. I am to used to Bears, Coyotes, Moose, Deer, and an occasional cougar being the only threats. I'm not afraid of snakes, just don't like how stealthy they are, matter of fact the only thing I'm afraid of is the ocean. Mosquitos would be a threat too though, so I do need to find some sort of a natural bug repelent that can be easily made.

Another advantage of the .22 is the size of round you want to use. For example my ruger single six has one cylinder for .22LR, and one for .22MAG. I also love my .22 Henry's, I have a ranch hand and a regular, they take .22S, .22L, and .22LR. I like being able to use the shorts if I need to, not as loud (even though a .22 isn't that loud anyway). Plus it is so nice to refine my shooting abilities, the principles atleast, without burning up to much spendy ammo.

[jamieooh]

not a big fan of snakes. They usually die after meeting me. I doubt I would take the time if I ever see a live rattler. I was up in NE,SD,WY, & MT last summer didn't get to see a bear.

[eaglethebeagle]

prep site and water storage and preservation items. http://www.thereadystore.com/water-storage/best-sellers?limit=72

[eaglethebeagle]

http://www.mypatriotsupply.com/default.asp

[BrendenF11]

So here is a question for you guys. EMP's. If one goes off everything is down, vehicles, power grid, cell phones, communication devices, etc etc etc. What are your plans for that type of a situation? To me this is the most dangerous man made form of a SHTF scenario. Relatively easy to produce, compared to an amount of nukes that could do any kind of damaged, and when done at the right height could pretty much wipe out virtually everything in a modern society.

Here is my thing, things that rely on batteries. I don't know if it helps but I try to keep a ready reserve of a few things that will run on batteries, along with that a keep a very decent sized amount of rechargeable batteries on hand with atleast two 12v converters and cigarette adapters on hand. While this is minimal, it is a source of power, and vehicles are much easier to fix than a power grid. Plus it is all relavent to virtually any kind of situation.

[jamieooh]

good question brenden. I will look into this when my weekend gets here.
I have been snooping around a bit on this.
Any suggestion on books to have on hand?

[BrendenF11]

I do not know of any good books. I guess any book that would give you knowledge of electrical systems, and books on mid to late 1800's farming and guides for living in that time period would be helpful. I know that there are ways to protect equipment and pieces of sensitive electronics from the affects of an EMP, but does it really matter if the whole grid has to be replaced from your house all the way back to the power plant? I have read a lot of writings that suggest that taking everything completely off the grid will save that equipment, and I have read many that say it will not make a difference and all of the electronics cicuit breakers etc will be fried regardless. It is hard to test the affects of an EMP without destroying a section of earth that gets the full effect of the EMP, or detonating a nuclear weapon. I guess for myself the best defense is not living in a highly populated area, city or a large town. I read some where, I don't have the reference handy, that retrofitting the hole electric grid to with stand and EMP would cost upwards of 500,000,000,000. Given the current economic situation of the US I do not see that happening in the near future, and only one nuke detonated a couple hundred miles above the center of the US puts us all back in the dark ages.

[jamieooh]

I was looking into bio fuels . Could you make your own with only what you could grow on your land. I so far came to the conclusion , that you could not. Maybe some Apache out there has better information?
Also I doubt if it got that bad that you would not want to "drive to town". It's doubtful there would be anything in town worth the risk.
I agree with you about farming techniques .
Also on the subject of books. I was thinking first aid and preventative health books.

[Mel]

Well it sounds like you fellas have it all under control...Where I would be staying when the SHTF Only one road in.Been hunting these woods for over 25 years,I know every hump and bump in them.It's a little over 2,000 acres and the farm has a windmill water well on it,don't know how long it would sustain us....But it will last long enough till everything cools down.
Will drag my boat, camper (if the truck will run),and a mess of the wife's kin-folk with us.I have 5,500 watt gen. for as long as we can get gas.Also have 150watt. solar panel to keep my deep cycle batts. charged as well as a 2,000 watt. inverter on the camper.I've ate anything from rattle snakes to sand sharks.So food to me will not be a problem,I know how to hunt and trap.

I've heard of Alcohol fuel that you can make Jamie,Haven't really read much on it though.

[jamieooh]

What is a sand shark?

[Mel]

Here ya go brah. Sand Shark
http://i49.servimg.com/u/f49/15/29/25/80/sandsh10.jpg

[jamieooh]

Brenden
I found this on EMP. http://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/faraday-cage-emp-protection/
Seems to me that it might be cheaper and easier to build an emp resistant out building. Store items like solar panels , radio, deep cycle batteries, lights, and other electronics.

[jamieooh]

was that good eatin? as they say. I hope you didn't find that in a cornfield . lol
Taste like chicken.

[Mel]

was that good eatin? as they say. I hope you didn't find that in a cornfield . lol
Taste like chicken.
Everything's good when it's deep fried.:)

[veritas44]

You can get every thing you need for Bio fuel at dudadiesel.com. get you some UCO stormproof matches for quick fire...nothing but lack of oxygen will put them out. They are a little expensive so get a couple of packs and the get some ferrocerium rods, there cheap and throw shards that burn at about 3000 degrees, I've started many fires with them.
Katadyn makes the best water purifier and you can also get Erlenmeyer flasks or containers of such and distill the water because just boiling alone won't kill giardia or cryptosporidium cysts.

One thing no one thinks about is antibiotics...yes they have shelf life but there easy to get so just rotate your supply, you will need them.
Ehhhhh just my 2 cents.

[eaglethebeagle]

Hey I hear land shark is good with a fine white wine and fava beans. :P

If you need to cook that land shark out on the camp or trail here is a camp stove that looks good to go.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZwIWj2i2d9w#!

[jamieooh]

You can get every thing you need for Bio fuel at dudadiesel.com. get you some UCO stormproof matches for quick fire...nothing but lack of oxygen will put them out. They are a little expensive so get a couple of packs and the get some ferrocerium rods, there cheap and throw shards that burn at about 3000 degrees, I've started many fires with them.
Katadyn makes the best water purifier and you can also get Erlenmeyer flasks or containers of such and distill the water because just boiling alone won't kill giardia or cryptosporidium cysts.

One thing no one thinks about is antibiotics...yes they have shelf life but there easy to get so just rotate your supply, you will need them.
Ehhhhh just my 2 cents.
Veritas44,
Thanks for jumping in.

[BrendenF11]

Mel I like your set up sounds like a really good place, sounds like a place I'd like for myself in the near future.

Thanks for the link jamie, faraday cages in a large scale seem to spendy and to risky to count on. It is better than nothing but if you spend all that time and money on a building and it doesn't work then you've lost a lot of other resources you could have otherwise. For myself in MN there is to much shifting and settling of buildings to maintain an effective shield, plus ensuring a door and all windows are covered completely and the connection to the rest of the grid could be a major issue.

Veritas I have read that boiling does not kill all forms of giardia and the like. However, what about setting up a still much like you would for making moonshine and having the water boil and cook turn into steam and cool down into a large vessel for collection, would that work? I would think that steaming or boiling the water in this method would make it much more pure, I could certainly be wrong though.

Also a still, another necessity for survival in my book. :) I do like to drink, but also such a valuable trading tool, provides a form of cleansing for medical treatments etc.

[veritas44]

Brenden... your are correct by distilling ( converting water into steam) and then condensing in another container you should kill the spores but if your still unsure just run the water through a ceramic filter after distillation. I also keep activated charcoal on had in sponge form, it will take any brackish taste out of the water...but its not nessessary.
As for distilling alcohol for trade and cleaning, that is good along with any extra ammo you would be willing to part with for trade.
And as with my first post along with antibiotics, keep a well supplied medical kit. I've had to sow up my own hand after slicing it with a machete.
You can never be prepared for every situation but it hasn't stop me form trying.

[Mel]

Have you guys thought much about what you could eat off the land your on?
I sat and thought about it,and everything I would eat is seasonal.We have morel mushrooms,elephant ear mushrooms (don't know the real name of them),dandelion's,and cattail roots just to name a few.I really never thought about winter time because the wild game I can take fairly easy in the winter.
Anyone have any ideas on winter time edible plants?

[BrendenF11]

From the MN perspective, your kind of screwed on plants as a fresh source, however the abundance of wild game and local domestic animals would be enough. I do grow herbs, and spices in my own place right now which is great for decent cooking. Also the cold works towards a persons advantage in this type of a climate, stocking up during the summer months and planting enough to get you through a sever winter is key, we do that now. Potatoes and onions have been the easiest to keep. You can also bury cabbage, in dirt, the outer leaves keep it clean and sanitary and the colder temps preserve the inside. Also carrots keep very well in colder temps, 2 weeks ago I was out chipping carrots out of the frosty ground. Peppers can also be very easily dried, by hanging from string or wire in a hot climate to have during the winter. Most of what you get in the winter will come from the summer, just a matter of preserving.

[jamieooh]

Brenden,
Have you looked into building a small greenhouse?
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=44

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIAIuzGFXL8&feature=related

also I did a quick google search for ways to get vitamins
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/focus/nutrition/facts/vitamins_minerals/vitamin.htm

[eaglethebeagle]

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/plants-1.php

good site for wilderness survival

thanks for all the great info from everyone

also here I searched Amazon.com books and selected in relevance of popularity for wilderness survival this is the link

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_11?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=wilderness+survival&sprefix=wilderness+%2Caps%2C359#/ref=sr_st?keywords=wilderness+survival&qid=1330940315&rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3Awilderness+survival&sort=salesrank

[eaglethebeagle]

http://www.survivalmetrics.com/id_escape_and_evade_tactical_military_survival_kit

[BrendenF11]

We have a small greenhouse, it is well worth it. It is also heated from an electric space heater, if it gets below 10 degrees it gets alittle tough to maintain a decent temp for good growing conditions. Right now it is made up of old windows and barn wood with pretty much and kind of insulation we can find, best part is all of the parts are free. If you know of a house that is being torn down a lot of times you can ask to go in and take some windows outm and if you are up to it rip out some insullation out of the walls. Right now we use the greenhouse as a starter in the spring for radishes, onions, carrots etc. That way we get them earlier and spread out more over the summer making them easier to harvest and giving us a longer shelf life into the winter.

Thanks for the links!

[jamieooh]

Great idea brenden. What are dimensions of your greenhouse? How many Windows were you able to use ?

[BrendenF11]

Right now we are at 15 ft long by 8 ft wide. We have shelving on each side and one smaller row down the middle, enough to fit a 18" tray if we need to. I figured that we have so far spent roughly 15 dollars on it, some screws and caulk is all we have bought. Everything else is from old buildings, so very cost efficient. It is kind of an eye sore though, not to much time has gone into looks :) .

[jamieooh]

I bet nobody will care about looks as long as there bellies are full.

[Mel]

I bet nobody will care about looks as long as there bellies are full.

:lol: Hunger kinda changes your perspective doesn't it Jamie.

[jamieooh]

Oh ya. I think as long as it works that's all that matters , especially when shtf. With the added bonus of being free. That's the best.
Brenden, have you already started composting?

[BrendenF11]

We have been composting for about 10 years, since I was in highschool atleast. I save up my scraps from the week and drop them off at my folks. We now have the compost pile big enough that we get quite a bit of food from it too, with the older vegtables being thrown in there they some times sprout. We usually get potatoes, grapes, strawberries from the pile itself. We have had success in taking turns of turning over each end of the pile. One year we will turn over the south end the next year the north, the ends we do not turn over we usually get some sort of growth in. The best part is that nothing goes to waste, anything that is junk is quickly turned into a very nutrient rich soil which we use in the garden, along with the coals and ash from bonfires. We have turned relatively sandy soil into dark earth in about 10 years time through composting.

Now if I had pigs I would be feeding them a lot of the junk that we throw into the pile, but at the same time you can throw virtually anything into the pile and it will eventually produce with the exception of pine needles. Well worth doing if you have the space to do it. It's not all ending up in a landfill either this way.

I sound like a hippie when I read my posts, my dads an old vietnam era vet/hippie. At the same time Minnesota has some of the best conservation efforts in the US, and a lot of the money put into the conservation efforts comes from hunters and the fisherman. I figure if I really preserve the environment there will be more for me to kill next year, and watch as I like to watch all the other animals come in as I hunt. That is why I like composting too, it equates to a healthier soil that I can use, small landfill usage, and an easy way to dispose of things.

[jamieooh]

not all hippie ideas are bad.
Seems like you and your family are fairly self sufficient already.

[BrendenF11]

We try to be it costs less, plus it tastes a lot better. Do you have a place where you could set up a garden jamie? Or do you have a spot that you could set up a community garden? We are getting together with the neighbors at my folks place this spring to till up a 20x40 ft plot which we will use for a community plot. There will be contributions from anyone that wants to get something out of it. We already have a large garden and can not expand anymore, however the neighbor has an extra lot about 75x75. I will be putting in a lot of hours this summer on it, but it will be worth it when I get an extra gunny sack of potatoes. I would advise a community garden at the very least, that way not only you get the knowledge but your community does too. Doing any kind of gardening is tough work, unless you use chemicals to treat the whole garden. Which at the same time using those chemicals affects the bees, spiders, bats etc. which all play a part in maintaining a much more suitable environment to function in much more so in a SHTF scenario.


Which reminds me of another thing, does anyone here have and experience in raising bees? That is something I would like to try, I don't know the first thing about it though. I also need to come up with a smaller sized windmill for water production, I am working on that right now I think I'll be able to figure that one out though.

[jamieooh]

Brenden,
Right now if SHTF I will head to my grand parents place. they have about 100 acres about 10 of it is open the rest is wooded.
The only problem with that plan is my grand mother has Alzheimer and congestive heart failure . They didn't set up a will before she was diagnosed , so I could be SOL .
I need to get off my butt and look for a small farm. I really don't want to be anywhere near a city if all hell break loose.

[veritas44]

Jamie

You have the same idea as I do, my parents have a house and land in the Ozarks. The water comes from a natural well on the land and the house is on top of a huge hill with 360° view.
Hunting would be no problem, lots of game. The only problem I for see is the land in the Ozarks is pure slate...a green house would be a must.

[jamieooh]

wow surprised to someone on here that knows the Ozarks. We do grow rocks well around here. lol
My grand mother has a couple really good garden spots. They have a cave that constantly has water running it. That water runs down the hill into a field.I think it could be used to irrigate a decent sized garden.
Also the idea of being around thousands of people that don't have food or water scares me. Then add caffeine headaches to that mix and it WILL get ugly fast. LOL

[Mel]

Here's a couple pics of the farm I would go to.This is the only road in.Wish I had more but this is it.From last winter.
http://i49.servimg.com/u/f49/15/29/25/80/deep_t10.jpg

To the right of this picture is the farmland, about 200 acres.The rest is woodland around 1,800 acres.It's like a peninsula, with the Missouri river around most of it.
http://i49.servimg.com/u/f49/15/29/25/80/farm10.jpg

[jamieooh]

Mel,
You have more trees on that farm then the NE state forest. lol :P

[Mel]

Mel,
You have more trees on that farm then the NE state forest. lol :P

:lol: That's the river bottom for ya bro.

[jamieooh]

lol I missed your part of the state. I drove through the "sand hills" and didn't see many trees.

[Mel]

hahaha.....Yeah,once you hit Grand Island it's all the same from there to the panhandle.

[Mel]

Here's a view from above Jamie

http://i49.servimg.com/u/f49/15/29/25/80/getmap10.jpg

[jamieooh]

anybody thought about what animals you would want around?
I think chickens would be a must for their eggs, meat, and they eat bugs.
rabbits?

[BrendenF11]

Chikens yes, as you said for the eggs plus a source of meat and they reproduce frequently. Pigs, as I have said natures recycle machine, anything that doesn't turn into waste is always kep, plus a 200 pd hog is worth its weight in gold. Cats, rodent control, helps prevent the little varmits from destroying valuable harvests and during growing season. Plus we have a large population of gophers in MN, ie Minnesota Gophers, which will also reduce injuries, they also deter skunks, coons, ground hogs, etc. A couple good dogs, labs, huskies are preferable in my book. Also a couple of geese wouldn't hurt, a few cows ( very few for myself) as it takes a lot to feed and care for a cow or a herd. Plus they're fucking big and there is more of a chance of hazzard, rouding up cattle on foot is fun when your a kid but quite a chore when your older and a waste of energy.

Animals should be versatile and useful, as long as you select the right kind. Ever thought about trapping? I have done a fair bit as of late, and it is something that is worth it's weight in gold if you have access to a key spot where certain animals frequent. Trapping also leads to tanning, while clothing is readily available, it is quite safe to tan anything without having to risk going any where for anything. There are many recipes any where on the net for using the brains from a deer or other animals to tan a hide. I have tanned 4 deer hides, and two muskrat. It takes time, and a lot of it to do it right, but in the end the product can be great. Which also transpires into sewing, learning to sew is a valuable lesson.

K I got off topic and I could easily keeping going! :)

[jamieooh]

Brenden, great points.
I don't think you got of topic. This all food for thought. Might as will spit it out while your thinking about.
We can always rehash any topic. We might come up with better proven ideas or someone might throw in their 2 cents .
We might have go back and make a list of all the good ideas that everyone has thrown into the discussion .

[BrendenF11]

I forgot to ask you mel, how much did that moat cost you :) . Nice set up and place you got there, do you have a lot of antelope or deer around the area?

[eaglethebeagle]

Chikens yes, as you said for the eggs plus a source of meat and they reproduce frequently. Pigs, as I have said natures recycle machine, anything that doesn't turn into waste is always kep, plus a 200 pd hog is worth its weight in gold. Cats, rodent control, helps prevent the little varmits from destroying valuable harvests and during growing season. Plus we have a large population of gophers in MN, ie Minnesota Gophers, which will also reduce injuries, they also deter skunks, coons, ground hogs, etc. A couple good dogs, labs, huskies are preferable in my book. Also a couple of geese wouldn't hurt, a few cows ( very few for myself) as it takes a lot to feed and care for a cow or a herd. Plus they're fucking big and there is more of a chance of hazzard, rouding up cattle on foot is fun when your a kid but quite a chore when your older and a waste of energy.

Animals should be versatile and useful, as long as you select the right kind. Ever thought about trapping? I have done a fair bit as of late, and it is something that is worth it's weight in gold if you have access to a key spot where certain animals frequent. Trapping also leads to tanning, while clothing is readily available, it is quite safe to tan anything without having to risk going any where for anything. There are many recipes any where on the net for using the brains from a deer or other animals to tan a hide. I have tanned 4 deer hides, and two muskrat. It takes time, and a lot of it to do it right, but in the end the product can be great. Which also transpires into sewing, learning to sew is a valuable lesson.

K I got off topic and I could easily keeping going! :)

You said "coons" I didn't know blacks were such a problem up there Zimmerman:D joking LOL

[eaglethebeagle]

here are a couple of post from these preppers near by my place.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSqmkXQSOdA&feature=relmfu






http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlBAVReyDl0&feature=channel

[jamieooh]

Eagle,
I was wonder what you sounded like. lol joking
Seriously those are the fanciest chicken coups I have ever seen . Very resourceful group.
I hope they know that once the chickens get used to the coup you can let them run free and they will return to it at sunset. Ginney's (probably spelled wrong) will roost in a tree at sunset.
Then you can save money on feed by allowing the chickens to eat the bugs in your your. This is also handy to help control bugs.
That chicken wire will help keep black snakes out. I about shit myself as a kid when I found a black snake trying to eat an egg at my grandfathers house.

[BrendenF11]

Just got done with a book I picked up the other day, yeah I got quite into it so it was a quick read. "One second after." By William R. Forstchen. A damn good read. It is a book centered on a small town in North Carolina, it is about a man former Army Colonel who deals with trying to keep his family safe after the United States was attacked with an EMP. The forward is by Newt Gingrich, and the information in the book was derived from unclassified reports.

I personally really enjoyed this book, it has the suspense to keep you into reading it, but it also provided a lot of information and insight as to how a community and family would react. Just a suggestion to ya guys, I picked it up on ebay for $7, and free shipping.

[BrendenF11]

Just got done with a book I picked up the other day, yeah I got quite into it so it was a quick read. "One second after." By William R. Forstchen. A damn good read. It is a book centered on a small town in North Carolina, it is about a man former Army Colonel who deals with trying to keep his family safe after the United States was attacked with an EMP. The forward is by Newt Gingrich, and the information in the book was derived from unclassified reports.

I personally really enjoyed this book, it has the suspense to keep you into reading it, but it also provided a lot of information and insight as to how a community and family would react. Just a suggestion to ya guys, I picked it up on ebay for $7, and free shipping.

[jamieooh]

http://money.cnn.com/video/smallbusiness/2012/04/25/smb-zombie-camp.cnnmoney/?iid=GM


http://money.cnn.com/video/smallbusiness/2012/03/27/sbt-doomsday-survival-school.cnnmoney/

[BrendenF11]

This spring has been great for me, getting out into the woods and hiking about for a few days at a time with a limited pack and supplies. I have been putting to practice a lot of the things I read and watched over the winter. If nothing else, and I'm just nuts for "preparing" it sure has had some relaxing affects, and gotten me in better shape than I would be otherwise. Building fires has always been an interest of mine, and getting the practice in is rewarding and cool from a natural perspective. I've also put about 2000 rounds, down range this spring. It's been a blast.

[joelee]

I'm new to prepping formally, but have done some without even reallizing it.
Here is a site for podcasts:
http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/

[BrendenF11]

So an issue that I found come up the other day at the range. Weapons maitenance and replacing parts.


The other day while the girlfriend and myself were out shooting the AR's on of them started to jam, it would not eject the old round. The round was stuck in extractor. I knew almost immediatly what the issue was, so now we were shit out of luck for using that rifle for the day. Took it apart and sure enough the ejector spring was screwed, then I remembered that I had a BCM extra spring upgrade kit in my cleaning pouch I had with! So I quickly replaced the spring, which actually is a much heavier spring than the original factory piece and the rifle was back on line.

I am not a gunsmith, the AR platform I am quite familiar with, so I am not to sure how to completely disassemble all of the firearms I own. It also got me thinking about picking up replacement parts for the firearms I own. For my AR's I already have some excess springs, firing pins and pieces, that I picked up for the sole purpose of replacing warn ones when it happens. That instance on the range really got me thinking about it though, what if my .22's start going down which is an absolutely essential weapons to have due to the size of the round its accuracy and the amount of ammo you can easily and cheaply have on hand. I think I need to start breaking down my weapons further than I normally do and start getting some extra pieces.

[goinloco1]

one thing to look at is the type of weapons you have. as said above, you may want to squirrel away a couple extra spring sets. But, also think of much simpler operating weapons. while that semi auto may be the thing to have in your eyes, takethe blinders off and look into pretty much failsafe weapons. I'm talking revolvers, single shot rifles and shotguns, etc.
while that ar may put alot of rounds downrange... it sure as hell doesn't when it breaks down. And those minutes you use fixing it may be life or death, while having a pretty much failsafe backup can change that game.
Also having at least one large caliber will literally scare the crap out of people or at least make them pause and change their game plan. and large caliber ammo is pretty much useless to all but a few incase you have some scroungers sneek into camp.
One other thing... scopes... pretty much useless when really in the rough, only takes one good knock and you can toss it. Know how to use iron sights, its pretty hard to knock them out of whack.

[BrendenF11]

I can't let dead dogs lie :D

a few sites ive been following:

http://www.youtube.com/user/CampfireTalk

http://www.youtube.com/user/usframe

Very useful information!

[eaglethebeagle]

shopping for a crossbow any advice from those that have one?

[BrendenF11]

Wish I did, I've been looking as well. Good topic eagle!

[jamieooh]

:freakout:
13055

http://www.thisiswhyimbroke.com/ak-47-rifle-with-chainsaw
Clodius thanks for showing me this website.
decision decisions

[BrendenF11]

Was thinking about this thread, and as I have said before knowledge will always be power. One thing that will be extremely important is a management of resources. Wood, weaponry, food, livestock, wild game. They will deplete rapidly, however reducing usage is key to preserving for the future. These are a few things that I have found as of late.

One simply small log, cooks a meal and then some, also a very viable form of heat due to the slow burning hi energy release in a well ventilated area.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydqGJEOz8VU

If you're not resourceful you're going to suffer. Not an ideal idea on some of these but makes you look around and think that much more about what you cane use.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYxqEifeAsU


Along with countless numbers of hours of videos on the youtube of how to create things you'll need. I have also recently stocked up on cast iron pans, salt, sugar, and vinegar. I have been working on making my own vinegar. Salt will be an issue in MN so working on ways to aquire it naturally through resources where I live, hasn't been to successful so far. Made a still this summer, just for testing for water purification, worked well considering the creek I took the water out of and didn't get sick. Trying to figure out a decent, nonspace consuming version of it to do in a house over a fire that heats a home. I know what I need but the pieces can get spendy, so working on alternatives. I'll post a pick of this years veges and preserved items for the winter months in a day or more.

[steve290]

hi goin loco, as well as matches get a light weight fresnal len,camping supplies should have if not ebay,that way if sun is up you are good ,water will not destroy.\ them.dont forget your salt if you are away from ocean.steve290 /aust

[BrendenF11]

Appologies for the delay. Salsa, green beans, and pickles. Just some of the stuff we can yearly, and improve on every year.

And a firearm. :D

[jamieooh]

Brenden how is the greenhouse going ? Do you have maturing plants or starters for spring?

[BrendenF11]

We will be getting the raddishes, some carrots, peppers going pretty quick, next month by mid month. Other than that, just dug out the last of the carrots from the garden last week. Well I chiseled them out with a hammer, spike, and a shovel, but they are damn good after they've frozen like that. The cold makes them extra sweet.


We tried a few new things last year, with freezing, and drying various kinds of meat for something different worked ok still needs refinement. Can't wait for fresh stuff from the garden again though.