# Bugging in and when to bug out



## 6811 (Jan 2, 2013)

There has been lots of talk about bugging out and bugging in during SHTF. Right now I don't believe that there is a standard answer to this question. I believe we all should be able to categorize the level of Sheet Hitting The Fan. Once that is determined, then a proper response to the situation could be decided if you are bugging in or bugging out. I'm sure this will all depend on whether you live in urban, rural or out in the sticks where you can't be easily found. Also what kind of preps do you have (quantity) and are you able to take them all with you if you decide to bug out. The state you live in is also a factor on the decision to bug in or to bug out. Is your local government going to be quick to declare martial law like what happened to New Orleans during Katrina. Would they order the police to go house to house for a mandatory evacuation? All of these factors matter when making a decision to roll out or stay in. 

SHTF is very broad and should be broken down to categories. This way one could decide if he/she is to bug in or bug out. somebody should come up with a plan or a flow chart. Think about different scenarios and the best way to survive them. It seems that there are some preppers who accumulated good preps already but are not sure if they are going to bug out, and when to bug out.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

Everyone's situation will be different due to the extent of their preps. Two neighbors, same scenario, one has a backup generator & fuel & the other has neither. Same goes for heavy storms with one neighbor living on the bottom of the hill which will probably flood & the neighbor on up the hill probably won't.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

If you have a bugout location then you should bugout at the first sign of serious trouble. You can always go back home and say the camping trip was great. If you don't have a bugout location then you need to get one or prepare to stay in place unless you are of above normal in your survival skills and it won't put your family at risk.


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## bad (Feb 22, 2014)

Depending on the situation, expect 10>50% casualties. Who lives and who dies only God knows. I think that laying low might give me the best chance.


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

The real problem is my bugouts from a remotish 2000pop northern area are only planned if there is a critical local situation. Also now that I am a forest fire fighter, I very well may be called up to help put out any fire that threatens where I live so that bugout probably isn't as applicable anymore..

I was also going to look into formal hazmat training. If things go to conventional war between nato and a Russian coalition I might very well consider increasing my time hiking.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Each person group and location will have to follow different paths. We have long prepared to defend this spot on the map. If Natural disaster hits we will be ok. If the hoard tries to come this way from a major city they either won't make it of never leave if they do.
We have made it through two so called 500 year floods I know that don't add up. We have lived on this land sense the 1800's and survived.
Winter in Wisconsin is a shield of it's own , anyone not ready for it will not come here. Many that are here will leave and not pass by here on the way south.
We made the call and worked hard to stick with it.


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## Moonshinedave (Mar 28, 2013)

I'm geared to stay put, is it the best location? no, but it's my piece of dirt, and it's where my stuff is, and it's my stuff that gives me the best chance of survival. Of course, plans change, and if I have to hit the road, well, I guess the wife and I load up what we can, and do so.


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## ApexPredator (Aug 17, 2013)

Old SF Guy said:


> You know...I respect the folks who have made the commitment and live out where they can Bug in with levels of security they find acceptable. Me....I was a soldier...I now work for the Military, and unlike the Politicians, I don't make a lot so I cannot afford 200 acres in Montana or Nevada. I'm a pay check to paycheck father of four and we live right outside of Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina. I have no family with any amount of property to go to either. So I make my plans fit my situation. I have laid them out and I'll simply give you my thoughts (Not my plan).
> 1st...I have plans to survive short term right here...so If the SHTF situation is like some weird ass riot or natural disaster issues...I can endure here with escape plans laid if it gets worse.
> 2nd... If Some event happens that has long term implications, EMP...whether natural or otherwise, Some attack, or any situation where I can tell that all of a sudden things we depended on as a society are done for awhile.....My red neck ass is gone. Come steal my big screen TV and my 8 track collection...I don't care...I ain't coming back. From that point on I'm Amish. Damn right....I don't invest in gold or care about it. Once we get to the point I need gold to buy something...folks will be killing anyone with gold out buying stuff. Me...I will provide for me, mine, and friends. Anything extra will go towards barter and assistance once I feel comfortable enough to climb out of my hole and not shoot the moving, breathing thing in front of my weapon's sights.
> 3rd...Remember the story about the Japanese folks who hid for like 20 years thinking the war was still going? Well I look up to them....and plan to replicate it...I may miss out on some latest fashion nonsense or even miss the next Justin Beiber....S'okay with me...you can laugh afterwards. In a nutshell...thats my plan...Stay in till I think I have to go...Kill anything that stands against me....Live til I die and the hopefully meet Jesus...if not then I guess Me and ol Satan will go a few rounds...."What? Bring a pitch fork to a gun fight? You a damn fool....Bam.


Lol you agree to stay outta florida and ill stay outta the brag area all though i would try to get the hell out of the group AO i dont think the arms rooms are gonna stay full and i dont feel like contending with that level of tech.


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## pheniox17 (Dec 12, 2013)

another bug in or bug out thread 

"to be or not to be, that is the question"

everyone is different, I don't have a bol or some place "off the beaten path" and those are 2 facts I have to accept

don't get me wrong I have plans to purchase a bol in the middle of nowhere when $$ become available, but right now, today... I have no bol

so plans, bug in until I have no choice but to leave, if the shtf event is that bad, let's say zombies, and I survive, well a lot of other people will be dead so bugging out has less risk

its all about timing, a lot of the sheep will evac cities and clog highways, others will stay as they have nowhere else to go....

no one knows what you can and can't do apart from you, think real, base on other local events, and that's whats likely to happen


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## ApexPredator (Aug 17, 2013)

Ive got another Delta a Fox/echo and a bravo, Ive been working on a charlie and an EOD guy though none are quite as prepped as I am but they dont have as much baggage either we keep some old ICOMs to link up with in a designated area. I still worry about those going rogue though. Pretty sure we can form a pretty tough core. 

I think youd be surprised I was when I talked to some of the company guys I think the mutual destruction would keep them from nosing around so its a safe bet to open up a little.


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## 6811 (Jan 2, 2013)

Old SF Guy said:


> You know...I respect the folks who have made the commitment and live out where they can Bug in with levels of security they find acceptable. Me....I was a soldier...I now work for the Military, and unlike the Politicians, I don't make a lot so I cannot afford 200 acres in Montana or Nevada. I'm a pay check to paycheck father of four and we live right outside of Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina. I have no family with any amount of property to go to either. So I make my plans fit my situation. I have laid them out and I'll simply give you my thoughts (Not my plan).
> 1st...I have plans to survive short term right here...so If the SHTF situation is like some weird ass riot or natural disaster issues...I can endure here with escape plans laid if it gets worse.
> 2nd... If Some event happens that has long term implications, EMP...whether natural or otherwise, Some attack, or any situation where I can tell that all of a sudden things we depended on as a society are done for awhile.....My red neck ass is gone. Come steal my big screen TV and my 8 track collection...I don't care...I ain't coming back. From that point on I'm Amish. Damn right....I don't invest in gold or care about it. Once we get to the point I need gold to buy something...folks will be killing anyone with gold out buying stuff. Me...I will provide for me, mine, and friends. Anything extra will go towards barter and assistance once I feel comfortable enough to climb out of my hole and not shoot the moving, breathing thing in front of my weapon's sights.
> 3rd...Remember the story about the Japanese folks who hid for like 20 years thinking the war was still going? Well I look up to them....and plan to replicate it...I may miss out on some latest fashion nonsense or even miss the next Justin Beiber....S'okay with me...you can laugh afterwards. In a nutshell...thats my plan...Stay in till I think I have to go...Kill anything that stands against me....Live til I die and the hopefully meet Jesus...if not then I guess Me and ol Satan will go a few rounds...."What? Bring a pitch fork to a gun fight? You a damn fool....Bam.


The Japanese guy you are refering to is Lt. Hiroo Onoda of the Japanese Imperial Army. He hid in the Philippines for 29 years thinking the war was still going on. He has a book titled "No Surrender". the book is very good and he wrote it himself. There are illustrations, drawings and diagrams of his prepps. Also, his atitude in survival. This is a good read for us preppers.


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

No surrender, I"ll have to check that out, We all have to put values on our beliefs. I know, its 4 in the morning, wtf am I doing up at this time. I have a tear in my meniscus that wakes me up at night. Surgery May 9.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

mhans827 said:


> Right now I don't believe that there is a standard answer to this question.


I can answer that question in a manner that is to elementally simple it may even offend some people, but allow me to explain.

*You do that which is safest and most beneficial and be prepared to change course at a moments notice.
Every location, event, situation, etc will have vastly different factors and circumstances.*

But here is why I state it in that manner. Most people, and I'm talking about the unprepared, casually prepared, mall-ninjas, perhaps some of the people on this board, and even potentially myself, do not possess the self awareness, environmental awareness (talking about surroundings - not going green) and situational awareness necessary to properly identify the risks, threats, and liabilities with any given event - especially as that event unfolds.

This gives us three choices:
1. Screw it... Don't even try to figure out self, environmental, and situational awareness. It requires a TON of energy dedicated to your grey matter and some level it requires instincts that some people just don't have. Not to worry. Use the now, while everything is calm. Create a Disaster Recovery and Family Continuity Plan. Page one needs to have a set of "If-Then" statements, flow chart, or score card to walk you through the current event.


> If Hurricane approaching - then bug out.





> If marauding bands of illegals roam the highways at night - then bug in.


This lets you make the critical decisions now so you can focus on surviving later. Lets be honest, your brain burns a shit-ton of calories and nutrients. Nutrients you might not have when the SHTF. That will compromise your ability to make GOOD decisions and you will lean on fear and emotions to fill that gap left by a poorly nourished brain.

2. Instead of planning for every unfathomable event, use the now to study and train for self, environmental, and situational awareness. Focus your energies on these skills and train like you would in a gym. I ain't lying - that will be some hard stuff to do. I'm not sure there is a class or even a book about doing this outside of military training and even then, I think the training that really focuses on this is in your upper level military training (BUDS, Ranger, Spec-Ops, etc). When ever you are out, start to stop yourself every ten minutes and ask critical questions.
Where am I?
Who is near me?
How far to home?
How long to home in a car, in traffic, on foot?
Where is the water?
Where is the food?
Who is the biggest threat to me inside of 10 yards, 25 yards, 50 yards, one mile?
What is the weather like NOW - and what does that mean for later?
Where can I take shelter, cover, concealment?
What are my immediate assets and liabilities?

Once you get comfy asking these (and probably more if anyone else can think of any), go to places like a crowded mall at Christmas, concerts, schools, a hike in the wilderness, stop at a roadside park - go to places you don't normally frequent or operate in and start running the drills there in your head.

Option 3? That is dividing your time to BOTH of these enterprises. But you have to know that doing so will require you to be constantly revising your plan in Opt-1. Either option requires a lot of thinking skills. I find that when I sit down to do either my head literally gets hot. It can be exhausting and stressful so you have to budget it or you will operate in stress mode 24/7.


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## slewfoot (Nov 6, 2013)

mhans827 said:


> There has been lots of talk about bugging out and bugging in during SHTF. Right now I don't believe that there is a standard answer to this question. I believe we all should be able to categorize the level of Sheet Hitting The Fan. Once that is determined, then a proper response to the situation could be decided if you are bugging in or bugging out. I'm sure this will all depend on whether you live in urban, rural or out in the sticks where you can't be easily found. Also what kind of preps do you have (quantity) and are you able to take them all with you if you decide to bug out. The state you live in is also a factor on the decision to bug in or to bug out. Is your local government going to be quick to declare martial law like what happened to New Orleans during Katrina. Would they order the police to go house to house for a mandatory evacuation? All of these factors matter when making a decision to roll out or stay in.
> 
> SHTF is very broad and should be broken down to categories. This way one could decide if he/she is to bug in or bug out. somebody should come up with a plan or a flow chart. Think about different scenarios and the best way to survive them. It seems that there are some preppers who accumulated good preps already but are not sure if they are going to bug out, and when to bug out.


I agree with you 100%.


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

Boatload of truth has been said. Myself and I suspect others don't have the means to prepare for every event, does anyone really? We plan to bug in, have ample protection available, food and water for 3 for a month. Not best case scenario, but, best we can do. What is, is. We have to live with it.jmho.


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## Prepadoodle (May 28, 2013)

I have a big red balloon and plan to bug up.


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## Silverback (Jan 20, 2014)

I like the statements in this thread, It all depends on what is going on. In most events I plan on bugging in as long as possible. My location, home and prep are centered around this. However, I do have get the hell out kits ready. I just hope I do not need them.


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

Prepadoodle said:


> I have a big red balloon and plan to bug up.


Prepadoodle! You're back!!! Welcome back pal!


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

As GT and others pointed out, each potential SHTF situation warrants a potentially different Bug In Bug Out Bug Up approach. 

If EMP hits and I'm on a business trip by plane 1000 miles away from home...I'm probably never getting home. If a Crazy snow and ice storm hits causing chaos and I'm 100 miles from home...I get home better than the average Joe and probably help out a few people along the way. 

If a Flash Mob of crazed teens hits 100 metro areas in a 10 day period...if I'm home, I'm fine. But if I'm out in one of the areas that gets hit... then Luck or Unluck determines the outcome. But then again, Luck is when Preparation meets Opportunity so I give myself a better than average chance. 

If the transportation industry causes an interruption of Goods?...Well we have the means to easily make it through limited interruptions of supply. If all trade/commerce stops overnight we live OK for maybe 6 months then some real personal shit hits the fan. 

Our preparations started out as a means to protect ourselves against...A) Weather related Situations and 2) Economic Instability and/or Collapse with increasing civil unrest due to WROL. It eventually morphed into a nice reality to create a sustainable lifestyle for ourselves. Its a journey with no destination; a race with no finish line. So, we try to enjoy the race and invest what we can in our goal to be self sustaining. Will I ever make my own doeskin clothes? Probably not. Will I help birth my grandbabies at home? I hope not. 

If a total shutdown of the world as we know it occurs and we are overun by marauders then showdown at Slippy Lodge happens and those weapons that I lost over the Marianna Trench in the deeps of Loch Ness just may mysteriously return to their rightful owner! I probably ain't bugging out.

I just want to live as free as I can with the time I have left.


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## SquirrelBait (Jun 6, 2014)

I'm bugging in.

I know the terrain, I know the people, I know what assets are available and how to utilize them. 

I'm ready to play my zone...


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## 2000ShadowACE (Jan 14, 2014)

I plan to stay put until it becomes totally unsafe to do so. My first BOL is about a mile away and my secondary is about 30 miles away so it will depend on the situation in several areas as to which way I run. However, it will have to be extremely dire to force me out of my bunker.


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## Notsoyoung (Dec 2, 2013)

There is no single answer that will cover every situation/location/person. IMO ideally everyone would be living in the place where they plan on holding out if the SHTF. Realistically most people have to work for a living and not everyone can be a farmer/rancher, and have to live near where the work is. Then there are financial considerations. Not everyone can afford to buy a place out in the middle of nowhere and plan on bugging out to there when things go down the drain, and will have to make plans accordingly. Then you have to take into consideration the population density for where you live. 

One factor that many may overlook is the climate for the area where you live. Survival for you and also for people who are threats are going to be a whole lot different if you live in an area where it very seldom gets down to 32 degrees and maybe gets a snow flake or two every twenty or so years then in an area where every Winter you can plan on a month or two where it is -20 degrees below zero and have 5 or 6 feet of snow on the ground. I think that in an area with harsh Winters you are going to see a die off of somewhere between 80 and 90 percent. Food will quickly run out and because of the snow it will be nearly impossible for those living in metropolitan areas to go out to the countryside to look for food. Personally for me and mine, I hope that if there is a "the world civilization collapses" event should happen, it takes place in the Winter right after we are all in place. It would cut way back on the number of roaming mobs that we would have to worry about compared to better weather.


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## jbrooks19 (May 22, 2014)

Bugging out in the initial outbreak will be very difficult for me. by foot, bike or truck... I think i'll stay put as long as i can. When we had a bad storm come thru last year it was crazy trying to get out of town, we did it but it was total chaos..


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## big paul (Jul 14, 2014)

in a total SHTF event-no food being delivered to the shops and no mains water- expect the population to halve every 6 months, levelling out at the 18months mark, I'm sure you can all do the maths for your own areas.


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

I'm not well prepped (yet). However as 2000Shadowace said, bugging in offers me the maximum chance of survival, right now. I have the basics for this area, protection, and the means to bug out if the local situation goes sideways. There's not all that much wild game around, but I think I can deal with that. I already live on the edge of an Amish area and that's going to go a long way if it's shtfy. What still worries me a little is trying to keep well-informed enough to recognize when shtf starts to happen. If you're a week late in seeing it, you may wake up dead some morning and never find out why.


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## krusty (Oct 7, 2015)

Notsoyoung said:


> There is no single answer that will cover every situation/location/person. I think that in an area with harsh Winters you are going to see a die off of somewhere between 80 and 90 percent.


I know this is an old thread - sorry about the bump, but being new here and seeing that statistic freaks me out.

Winter for me begins end of October. The following months right up until April/May can be harsh.

So basically I'm going to need at least a 6 month supply of food on hand for those months.

When it comes to storing food I was not expecting to keep a half a year on hand.

Going to take some calculations to figure out how much I'll need, not to mention water.


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