# best prepper state?



## ghostman (Dec 11, 2014)

what is the best state in the US for a prepper to be in? I would guess one that would have a low population and little to no gun control.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

You leave out very critical criteria. Availability of water/rainfall. Another is growing season.

Population is something within a state. Here in Florida there are counties of low population & others beyond reason like Miami. Even lopsided counties of population like where I live.

Consider early set up of location critical for setting up early. Takes years before fruit & nut trees to produce. Takes time to get soil right for a garden. Plus critical things like setting up alternative energy, water collection system, etc.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

As per your criteria middle of a desert in the southwest would be ideal.


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## Desert Marine (Nov 20, 2012)

My suggestion would be to first and foremost look and see which states will have the least impact on your personal needs and if you have a family it would be a wise decision to consult with them as well. I do agree you should try to find a state, county, city that does have some of the basic essentials like water, climate and relaxed building codes. Over the 30+years of homesteading, Preppering, Surviving I learned that finding an truly ideal location can and will be a challenge. With the advent of technology own remote land that does not have electricity is not a real issue IMHO these days and either renewable energy is so cheap and readily available. I personally have a BOL that is in several International countries as well. My military experience accommodated and prepared me for that lifestyles as well. One thing is for sure your initial preps are only going to last you for so long (and in fact their designed that way). I would be thinking long term such as gardening (farming) and that includes an environment that will allow you to grow the food that you like or are accustomed to eating. Raising livestock on various levels from rabbits (very quiet) to pigs, sheep and goats. If you don't have these skills, I might be wise to get them under you wing as well. "I" would be looking for land that fits that category (which I already have) and then sharpening my long term prep skills.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

Most livestock are social animals so you really want pairs though don't have to be a mail & female. Two piglets early spring & butcher them in the fall. Two milk goats having them bred six months apart. They need bred once a year to produce milk. Offspring you castrate the males & butcher them in about eight months. Females you can keep to expand herd, sale off , or barter. A lot easier to handle goats then a milk cow. Extra milk can be turned into cheese. Buy your goats from the nearest person that sales them & has a buck for breeding. And don't forget some chickens.

I would be looking for property that borders a state forest, national forest, wildlife preserve, etc.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

ghostman said:


> what is the best state in the US for a prepper to be in? I would guess one that would have a low population and little to no gun control.


That would be the desert southwest or Alaska north of the arctic circle.


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## Charles Martel (Mar 10, 2014)

Overall, I would say Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming are the best "prepper" states. Arizona and Texas are both good, but, both are too close to Mexico (and Texas has far too many people).


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## Doc Holliday (Dec 22, 2012)

I would have to say Alaska


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## Sharkbait (Feb 9, 2014)

How can anyone say one state over another without knowing where or what type of shtf event has occurred?

Yes some states are better suited than others,but statically,it's going to greatly depend on what happened and where.And we don't know that yet.


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## Charles Martel (Mar 10, 2014)

Doc Holliday said:


> I would have to say Alaska


I'd agree if not for the short growing season.


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## Charles Martel (Mar 10, 2014)

> How can anyone say one state over another without knowing where or what type of shtf event has occurred?
> 
> Yes some states are better suited than others, but, statically it's going to greatly depend on what happened and where. And we don't know that yet.


True...Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Utah would end up being terrible choices in the event of a massive eruption of the Yellowstone Caldera.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Seems like we had an elaborate discussion on this topic a few months back. Think it was generally agreed the SE would be best. Alabammy, Georgia or North Florididdy perhaps.


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## Charles Martel (Mar 10, 2014)

bigwheel said:


> Seems like we had an elaborate discussion on this topc a few months back. Think it was generally agreed the SE would be best. Alabammy, Georgia or North Florididdy perhaps.


The southeast is good in many regards (climate, growing season, conservative gun laws, etc.). However, it loses major points due to its demographics. I wouldn't want to be in many/most parts of the southeast during any type of extended WROL period.

You should pick up the book Strategic Relocation by Joel M. Skousen. It discusses in detail the best areas in the country for SHTF/TEOTWAWKI/WROL survival.


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

Sharkbait said:


> How can anyone say one state over another without knowing where or what type of shtf event has occurred?
> 
> Yes some states are better suited than others,but statically,it's going to greatly depend on what happened and where.And we don't know that yet.


Valid point, A lot depends on what you are looking to get out of it. Are you looking for a temporary location until things settle down or do you plan on living there year round?

If it is simply a BOL and you are not planning on living there year round then the state is less important in so much as your BOL will more than likely be located in the same state as you reside in.

On the other hand if you are looking to get away as in get away for good. Then the question of which state has a bearing on the topic. Some states are better suited than others, geographically and politically.

My experience is that the Intermountain west has a lot to offer those who wish to go off grid or get away from it all. The down side is income. Most of the ideal places are jobs poor, before relocating to a remote areas of the intermountain west it might be wise to already have a source of income in place.

I also believe that having a laundry list of questions for realtors or perspective sellers is a good strategy. Things like water rights zoning, land use, CCR and mineral rights top the list, followed by such things as permits for wells and septic systems, animals and such. You may find this hard to believe yet there are some very remote parcels zoned recreational only, which could really throw a wrench in works, it pays to ask.

It also pays to visit the county seat and research the property, counties keep property records and can answer most of your questions regarding land use. So in a nut shell the intermountain west has a lot to offer. Yet it doesn't preclude to need to sharpen the pencils and do your own homework.


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## OC40 (Sep 16, 2014)

It seems the longer I'm a member of this board, the one question that brought me here gets asked a lot. ( not a bad thing btw)

I was actually was having this conversation today with a mother who wanted to move "out & away" she knows my mind set and started to pick with small questions. Weather, growing seasons... I could see where she was going but didn't want to ask directly so I did. I asked her what was at that top of her list, she said she wanted to home school her kids. Well than she better find a state with good home school laws and work from there. As I read, gather and just try to soak in a part of the information that one starts to consider for BOL, Prepp'ing, homesteading you have to start with "what matters to you" and what you are willing to give up or endure to have it. 

So with that said, the best state is the one that suits your needs, but as you drill down into the information you'll quickly find this goes from the best state to the best county and the best location in that county. If you are smart don't just throw that list together, the wife and I played with that list for about a year , when you move as much as we have you learn quickly what matters and doesn't.


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

I am in the process and hope to not have to give up or endure, because that's what I am doing now. Things will change, that's a given yet if I do my homework and get it right it will be a move for the better. 

I have about a 2 year window, which is a good thing because at first blush I thought well I'll just buy some land and call it good. About 6 months into this quest I find it isn't as simple as I first thought it would be. I don't move around a lot, I spent 24 years in my previous place, probably 3 years here, and my next move will more than likely be for life, so when I do it has to be right.

I have narrowed my search down to a general area of several counties and made contacts with a few realtors that serve those counties. My next move is to wait till the weather breaks and with laundry list in hand visit some of the realtors and view some of the properties. Maybe not a real vacation in the sense of the word, yet I should be able to get some fishing in.


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## sparkyprep (Jul 5, 2013)

Rural areas of inland Florida. Like me!


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## Diver (Nov 22, 2014)

Charles Martel said:


> The southeast is good in many regards (climate, growing season, conservative gun laws, etc.). However, it loses major points due to its demographics. I wouldn't want to be in many/most parts of the southeast during any type of extended WROL period.
> 
> You should pick up the book Strategic Relocation by Joel M. Skousen. It discusses in detail the best areas in the country for SHTF/TEOTWAWKI/WROL survival.


Excellent book, but I hope in a future edition he does a better job of covering other countries.


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## rickkyw1720pf (Nov 17, 2012)

Charles Martel said:


> I'd agree if not for the short growing season.


I would say the fishing and large animals would make up for the short growing season.

The animals we eat, eat the veggies for us.


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## OC40 (Sep 16, 2014)

Seneca said:


> I am in the process and hope to not have to give up or endure, because that's what I am doing now. Things will change, that's a given yet if I do my homework and get it right it will be a move for the better.
> 
> I have about a 2 year window, which is a good thing because at first blush I thought well I'll just buy some land and call it good. About 6 months into this quest I find it isn't as simple as I first thought it would be. I don't move around a lot, I spent 24 years in my previous place, probably 3 years here, and my next move will more than likely be for life, so when I do it has to be right.
> 
> I have narrowed my search down to a general area of several counties and made contacts with a few realtors that serve those counties. My next move is to wait till the weather breaks and with laundry list in hand visit some of the realtors and view some of the properties. Maybe not a real vacation in the sense of the word, yet I should be able to get some fishing in.


Trust me its a lot of work, some of the realtors we started with gave us the cold shoulder at first go. Now we just tell them we are looking for property to hunt or something that would work as a hobby farm. I'm curious as to what sets your two year window? political climate?

As to living a lot of places, thanks to my career in the military I have been stationed from coast to coast. What I can attest to, stay off the coasts! Too many people, to little land and way to many zone/tax laws to leave a man in peace. That is just my 2 cents.


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## rjd25 (Nov 27, 2014)

OC40 said:


> Trust me its a lot of work, some of the realtors we started with gave us the cold shoulder at first go. Now we just tell them we are looking for property to hunt or something that would work as a hobby farm. I'm curious as to what sets your two year window? political climate?
> 
> As to living a lot of places, thanks to my career in the military I have been stationed from coast to coast. What I can attest to, stay off the coasts! Too many people, to little land and way to many zone/tax laws to leave a man in peace. That is just my 2 cents.


I've been looking into Maine. Lots of game and fishing there. You can get a beautiful log cabin on 100+ acres for 250k and the gun laws are practically nonexistent. The only thing I worry about is the extreme cold/snow season that they have up there.


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## Oneman (Dec 29, 2014)

In my mind Im thinking remote Island, Far away from anywhere, Many have no population so you could "do your own thing" If you are 100% selth sufficient and can cope with a very basic lifestyle
It could be a answer, Also with Modern tech Satellite technology you don't have to be out of touch, The only Very remote Island I know about off hand, with a Population of around 50 People
is Pitcairn Island in the remote south Pacific, And even there they get Internet & TV.


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## 3percent (Dec 28, 2014)

Tennessee is a good place. All laws for the most part are reasonable (besides, SHTF, laws sort of become second thought).

Climate is good.

People are mostly good.

No state income tax.

Lots of land with very different types of terrain. 

Kind of low population.


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