# Scenario #3 There is now nationwide shortage of food and there's hardly any law



## charito (Oct 12, 2013)

Scenario

*NIGHT time.*

This is it. The SHTF scenario. The grocery stores are all empty. People are now scavenging.

Which is better, to let them know that your place is occupied (thus there is some light in your place seen from outside), or should it be all lights out, not even a candle?

Why?


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## Arizona Infidel (Oct 5, 2013)

If there's a food shortage and hardley any law I think there are more problems. I doubt there will be electricity so no lights and someone will always be awake on watch.


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## kevincali (Nov 15, 2012)

All windows covered except a western facing window, which is a good vantage point for me. It will serve 2 purposes. 

1. I can look out 

2. I will have lanterns and such. So I will let them know someone is here. 

My figuring is that the first looters will be scared and will only break in if its easy. Crime of opportunity. 

Now, farther in the scenario, is a different story.


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## indie (Sep 7, 2013)

I think it depends on your ability to defend. I'm the only adult in a house with three very small kids. For us, I think laying low would be critical to survival. If they come a'looting while the lights are off, I'll do my best, but I hope to avoid as much of it as I can. Once we have more food ahead, I plan on getting more dogs. Right now I've got two German Shepherds, but what's two when you can have four? 

On the other hand, it's going to be impossible to keep small kids quiet so it might be better to just go all out with lights and guns blazing.


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## BigCheeseStick (Aug 7, 2013)

Black landscaping plastic and duct tape to cover the windows, then interior doors will be removed and put up against the back of the black plastic on the windows, and held in place with 2.5" deck screws. = We're free to move about, use any light we want. If somebody does throw something at the glass, no real harm done... In return for breaking the glass, a rifle barrel might just poke out somewhere to eliminate further issue.

To answer the next scenario. NO, I won't hesitate _or_ offer warnings.


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## ApexPredator (Aug 17, 2013)

Black Out shoot the first trespasser and leave um in the yard.


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## midtnfamilyguy (Nov 17, 2012)

personally, I think lights will be on. If someone sees a lot of light it could lead them to believe there are more people and make them less likely to do anything. Call it a force multiplier by illusion.


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## BigCheeseStick (Aug 7, 2013)

ApexPredator said:


> Black Out shoot the first trespasser and leave um in the yard.


HANG them from a tree in the neighbors yard with a big red sign around their neck "LOOTER". Still gets the point across, and any attention drawn from authorities or gang members will be to THEIR house.


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Upstairs dark, easier to see out of a dark house. Doesn't make you as big target in your lit up house. Lights in the basement only if needed. Lock and load.

If you need to let people know your around hang a light outside in a tree.


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## sargedog (Nov 12, 2012)

Well seeing how I only sleep about 10-15 hours a week I will be doing all night shift watches. My wife and daughter would do the hours I am asleep with the double barrel VP approved double barrel shotgun. Since there will be no tv,internet, lights, my main goal will be to keep out thugs. For the next couple of months we will be in these apartments, after that we will be moving to our own place. We have enough food and water to last months, may just be canned food but we won't go hungry. If it will be longer than that we will have to go to mom's where there is a lake and plenty of deer.


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## charito (Oct 12, 2013)

midtnfamilyguy said:


> personally, I think lights will be on. If someone sees a lot of light it could lead them to believe there are more people and make them less likely to do anything. Call it a force multiplier by illusion.


Have you seen the movie Home Alone (I think)? In order to thwart bad men from coming to the house, the kid tried giving the illusion of people in the house with cardboard cutout of people silhouetted by the windows.

Attention Indie....this might work! :-D


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Being blacked out can be ok, but it could lead looters to think the house is empty and ripe for the picking. I heard one idea about making your house and the ones next door look like they had already been looted. Break the front screen door and block it open with something, strew some old clothes around the front yard and add some cheap electronics to the mess. Then shoot the first looter to come in the house.


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## BigCheeseStick (Aug 7, 2013)

In the situation described, anybody just plane DUMB enough to be out walking down a residential street looking at other peoples houses... If they aren't wearing a uniform, YOU KNOW their looting! If they ARE wearing a uniform, pretty darn safe bet their either there to confiscate firearms and supplies, or FORCE you to evacuate. Our state and many others have recently eliminated voluntary evacuations as an option. If there's an evacuation it is MANDATORY you leave by law!

Yes, after Katrina if you had more water or food than _they_ deemed necessary, authorities took it! (youtube it)


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## indie (Sep 7, 2013)

I just saw a cardboard cutout of Captain Jack. Now I have a valid reason!  "Gee, honey, it's for home defense...really!"

As for mandatory evacs, I wonder how much manpower a small rural community would have to go house to house outside city limits. I wish we were farther from town, but we are OUT of town at least. It's so frustrating that we have to protect ourselves not only from lawless civilians, but also lawless government. Need a little security here, folks, just give us a break!!

That's a big part of why I have plans to hide a lot of our supplies in plain sight throughout the property. It has an old boneyard on it so there are many hiding places. Because of the stability issue of high temps, this is only for when things get serious so hopefully there is enough time to get preps moved. I imagine there would be that much warning at least.


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## BigCheeseStick (Aug 7, 2013)

Premeditated cardboard cutouts:

DO'S!
View attachment 3041
View attachment 3045

DON'TS!
View attachment 3042
View attachment 3044


Maybe...
View attachment 3043


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## indie (Sep 7, 2013)

Heck, if I had #3, _I'd_ probably start shooting the place up. :shock:


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## Prepadoodle (May 28, 2013)

The lights will be out and I will be sleeping. If someone comes around, the dog will bark and I will deal with it.


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## Southern Dad (Nov 26, 2012)

If I'm hunkered down at home, front windows will be blacked out. Trespassers won't be happy. If I'm at my bug out location, it's isolated enough that blacking out the windows will not help. Anyone who finds the location will be wanting the place to be unoccupied because they will plan to break in. It's a pretty isolated cabin in the North Georgia Mountains.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

My home will be dark. All the battery operated IR detectors will still be operational. As far out of the "city", town really, the only law enforcement I am likely to see will be the county sheriff, and he already knows that he needs a warrant to come on the property on business. He also knows he is welcome as a friend. Anyone on my property will have to face the dogs, me and if it is a real shtf event then there will be other things that are brought into my protection grid.

The neighbors are far enough away that I would wait until daylight hours to talk with them.


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

Lights on inside will allow a cautious and careful observer to see and determine how many are in the house, . . . if they have a scope or binoculars, . . . maybe even able to see if you are armed and prepared.

There seriously is a reason that there are no lights on in foxholes.

I also plan on having exterior speakers, . . . listening devices, . . . and an armed sentry watching the most likely route(s).

Any movement will be challenged and dealt with as necessary, . . . 

May God bless,
Dwight


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Dwight, would you approach a target from the obvious routes? Check your terrain and see if you can find the - not so obvious routes too. If you lack the manpower to use sentries then think about "unusual" alert or sentry systems..... think VC.


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## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

I'd be on rotation with family members for the sentry duty at the bug out property - no way I'd still be any where near what use to be home.


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## rickkyw1720pf (Nov 17, 2012)

ApexPredator said:


> Black Out shoot the first trespasser and leave um in the yard.


That is what I was thinking, it would probably work unless it Halloween.


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## Piratesailor (Nov 9, 2012)

Now this would get interesting. I think in this case there won't be electric so no lights. We have a genset and would use it sparingly. I think I'd check what the neighbors are doing too. If all their lights are on via a genset or something, and you're blacked out, you might be a target. Visa versa if you're lit up and everyone is dark. Blend with the rest of them. 

Food for us won't be an issue for 8-12 months. After that we'd be in trouble. We have plans for that too but the options aren't ideal however we won't starve either. 

Security would be 24/7. Anyone approaching would be treated fairly... But with a rifle aimed at their head in case they don't reciprocate. If it was "real" bad with looting, rioting, mayhem, etc, then anyone I can't identify touching the property would probably be shot.


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## longrider (Mar 25, 2013)

I would like some covers for the windows. Probably inside wooden shutters. They will look "Decorative", but would be functional. And bars for the doors. I've got alarm dogs. I'm looking for a man-stopper. Any people who won't leave when asked will be shot. I have some ideas for alarm systems around the perimiter. Don't know if they'll work.

I would welcome any ideas on perimiter alarms.


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## Fuzzee (Nov 20, 2012)

A light on in a particular part of the house will be an attention drawer. All the lights on would be stupid and a waste of resources. You don't want your enemy to have a fix on you no matter what. If it's come to the point though when people are out scavenging and stealing than everyone here will need to pull their weight and take turns staying up pulling a guard shift. They've only got to wake me if I'm sleeping and I'll start gutting thieves and hanging them from the fence.


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

PaulS said:


> Dwight, would you approach a target from the obvious routes? Check your terrain and see if you can find the - not so obvious routes too. If you lack the manpower to use sentries then think about "unusual" alert or sentry systems..... think VC.


There are only two obvious routes into my lair, . . . both will be blocked, . . . people will have to detour to enter, . . . making them slow down, . . . listening devices will be near the turns, . . . they will be challenged through external speakers, . . . but I'll be spotting on them from a safe distance, . . . through a milspec scope.

If it is at night, . . . I have IR capability, . . . I should see them (or whoever is on sentry duty) long before they get close in.

Yes, . . . there will be gravels in the coffee cans on strings, . . . might even be a flash-bang or two at appropriate intersections.

The neat thing about flash bangs, . . . if they are up to no good, . . . chances are they will attempt to return fire, . . . thinking they were attacked. It might weed out those we really do not want around, . . . because if they return fire on my flash bangs, . . . well, . . . it might not be pretty when the smoke clears.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

I like the "flash bangs", have you thought about some smoke with a trace of ammonia in it? I think the combination in close succession would be ideal.


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## BigCheeseStick (Aug 7, 2013)

Fuzzee said:


> A light on in a particular part of the house will be an attention drawer. All the lights on would be stupid and a waste of resources. You don't want your enemy to have a fix on you no matter what. If it's come to the point though when people are out scavenging and stealing than everyone here will need to pull their weight and take turns staying up pulling a guard shift. They've only got to wake me if I'm sleeping and I'll start gutting thieves and hanging them from the fence.
> 
> View attachment 3050


Love that picture! Put that in the yard with a sign that says "LOOTER, person inside this house owns a rifle and dice. Want to play a game?"

Put this mask in the window.
View attachment 3109


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Me, no lights visible at night. Noise/light discipline. The windows will be blacked out at night. I'll be outside while everyone else is asleep at night. I am the sentry dog. I'm a good sentry dog. I don't bark, can let myself in and out, hardly ever tear up stuff in the house, can get my own food, and my thumbs allow me quicker and more efficient means of killing intruders. Plus, I can finish loading and then drive one of the trucks to the location. Never in my days of dog handling did I meet a sentry or patrol dog who could claim all that. On top of all that, my breath is much better! :mrgreen:


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