# 72 hour bugout bag.



## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

It's a joke people. 72 hours won't save your ass, you need to start thinking about week long or more bug out bags. And u can't just go online and buy a "pre made" bug out bag. Your location, topography, time of year, health local natural recourse such as food and water will dictate the best bug out setup for you. The perfect bug out bag for you needs to be put together by you. Don't be cheap either. You get what you pay for. "A cheap knife won't last. And I carry lots of power bars for more than 72 hours. If shtf and you have to grab bag and bug out u better be able to survive off your bag.


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## swjohnsey (Jan 21, 2013)

Power bars ain't gonna cut it long term. And expensive ain't the same as quality.


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## seanallen (Nov 13, 2012)

Amen bro! The way i got it figgered i can get by for two weeks of food and almost indefinately on the rest. It would suck, yeah, but i could do it.


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## db2469 (Jun 11, 2012)

I realize that putting together a BOB is part of a general emergency preparedness and I have a bag full of food, hygiene, medical and sundrie items that will be part of this years bag that we'll take with us in the car on vacation, day trips, etc...already in the car are things like a hatchet, folding shovel, crowbar, case of water, blankets, hand tools, etc. BUT in a shtf scenario, where are you going to bug out to? If traveling to your BOL only, you shouldn't need days of food, etc..I can't really envision a scenario where I leave my fortified home to go to the woods or who knows where. My plan is, unless I have by then a BOL with others in a more strategic location to defend and survive, I'm staying right here and defend this place to the death...


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

Well I'm not sayin expensive, I'm sayin don't be cheap, your life may come down to what you pay for. For example, I would rather pay $120 for a good sog tech Bowie then 30 for a cheap Walmart knockoff. And power bars will help, allot... Bottom line is 72 hours worth of food just won't cut it


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

@db. You have to realize your bugout location may be compromised and may have to make adjustments and therefor I believe you should be over prepared rather than under prepaid. My location is out to the lake in a desolate location.


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

@sean. I have enough food and power bars to last till I can Hun or fish. I keep a Martin jaguar takedown and telescopic pole and fishing gear so I plan to live off the land 100%


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## db2469 (Jun 11, 2012)

bigtrain2020 said:


> @db. You have to realize your bugout location may be compromised and may have to make adjustments and therefor I believe you should be over prepared rather than under prepaid. My location is out to the lake in a desolate location.


If you can live off the land, then great...my wife and I will not prepare for that scenario...like I said, this is our Alamo, live or die..


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

So what happens if shtf while you guys were away, emp, on foot, 50 miles from home? Just sayin. Besides I can't afford to prep like that. And I do agree with you 100% but you also should have multiple backup plans. I'm not tryin to argue with you bud, these are simply my opinions, nothing more


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## db2469 (Jun 11, 2012)

I understand what you're saying, just giving my situation as I'm sure there are others who don't expect to live out of their BOB...it's my opinion that we will have time to get to our bug in location before the shtf as I don't expect it will happen so suddenly...but who knows? Good luck to us all!


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

I agree, and I hope you do make it back safe. Me i want to be prepared for anything at any time in any location. Except the desert lol


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## bahramthered (Mar 10, 2012)

The usual question is how do you slice being ready for multiple variables versus carrying more food. 

If I lost my wood saw and tarp out of my BOB I could get more food in it. I don't think that's advisable. Toss my sleeping bag for a emergency blanket and I could get even more on it. Heck if I just crammed every bit of spare space full of cliff bars I could sacrifice organization for even more. I just don't see the need. 

I'm not prepping for the apocalypse. I'm prepping since bad stuff happens. Tornadoes, fires, etc. happen. My BoB is just to get some distance in case something bad happens here. If I get trapped here I have stored food and supplies to last out a blizzard or something. 

If it's go time I have a lot of my stuff packed into duffel bags and color coded by what priority they are. If I have time I'll take them all. If I don't I'll grab what seems appropriate and fits my options.


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

That's why I suggest power bars, small and packed full nutrients. I also have Gatorade pouches that are powder and don't take up much space. The whole point I'm trying to make is I would plan for more than a 72 hour bag. Simply cuz you never know. Everyone has a different idea on why they may need to bug out. Mine is simply the idea that if its bad enough to grab my bag, something's wrong and I want the greatest chance of survival I can provide for myself.


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## seanallen (Nov 13, 2012)

bigtrain2020 said:


> @sean. I have enough food and power bars to last till I can Hun or fish. I keep a Martin jaguar takedown and telescopic pole and fishing gear so I plan to live off the land 100%


I got a Rossi ss takedown in 410 and 22lr. Went to bass pro and got my telescopic pole and small diawa spinning reel. Put together my mini tackle box. 
Im starting to replace some of the canned chicken and ham in my food bag with Mountain House freeze dried stuff. Expensive, yes. Most ppl dont realize you can make one of those entrees into two meals if you supplement it with a Rice Sides, or an Idahoan pack. 
Its very important to keep a LARGE bottle of multivitamins in with your food kit. That way, even if you have to forage and have poor luck your body is getting crucial minerals. Might be hungry, but you wont start falling apart.


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

The multi vitamins are a great idea. If you get a chance look into the Martin jaguar takedown bow and takedown arrows. Another form of silent hunting


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

I frequently travel for work and much of it is alone, in the boonies. SHTF, I'm having to hoof it home (2 hour drive most times). My BOB has full change of seasonal clothes, extra pair of socks, high quality hiking boots, MRE's, cash and map of surrounding states. It also has multi-tool and reference guide for edible plants in my area. If it takes me overnight to get home, there is a tarp in my car for shelter (with all necessary components) and my hubby and I discuss my route every trip before I leave home so he knows where I am and what roads I will be on in case he has to come get me. 

Is there a such thing as over prepared?


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

Well I think there is overboard but not over prepared. You have a good setup going. I also keep a cb radio in my pickup but am thinking of switching over To smaller handheld cb. Of course an emp will disable that but can still be useful otherwise. The boots and socks are a great idea


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

bigtrain2020 said:


> My location is out to the lake in a desolate location.


You and every weekend warrior with a trailer full of wheeled toys, or wannabe rambos who think being in a hunting club is the same as hunting. Just sayin', desolation is gonna be mighty crowded SHTF.


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## Toffee (Mar 13, 2012)

I keep a 72-hour "jug" in my car. Mostly my husband and I are quite close to home and so I keep water, snacks, small sundries, iodine (thinking about switching over to silver soon), blankets, extra set of clothes, socks, etc and all the basic get your car out of the snowbank kind of stuff.
That is my biggest fear anyway as it can snow well into April and May here and I work very early in the morning, most of the times the plows aren't even out yet.


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

First off I'm already out in the middle of nowhere, second I don't have a trailer full of toys, I have a small pickup and my gear. And third genius is I do this for fun, this it my lifestyle. Outdoors all the time. And I don't even have a gun. I spend weeks at a time in BFE cuz I enjoy it.


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

@toffee. It's good to see your prepared for your current location and situation. Too many people think simply cuz they have a few guns they will survive anything lol


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

bigtrain2020 said:


> First off I'm already out in the middle of nowhere, second I don't have a trailer full of toys, I have a small pickup and my gear. And third genius is I do this for fun, this it my lifestyle. Outdoors all the time. And I don't even have a gun. I spend weeks at a time in BFE cuz I enjoy it.


Thanks for recognizing that I'm a genius. If you'll notice in my post, I didn't say 'every OTHER weekend warrior and rambo wannabe', implying that is who YOU are, I merely said expect lots of unwanted company wandering around, because 'heading to the woods' seems to be an armchair prepper's plan A,B, and C.

Welcome to the forum. And to my 'ignore' list.


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

Actually you did say "you" and every other weekend warrior, you may want to read your own post again


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

Lake Windsong said:


> You and every weekend warrior with a trailer full of wheeled toys, or wannabe rambos who think being in a hunting club is the same as hunting. Just sayin', desolation is gonna be mighty crowded SHTF.


Still don't see the word 'other'.


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

Regardless..... I'm here to learn and teach. not to turn this into a who's balls are bigger competition or argument. Thank you for posting your opinion.


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

LOL, my balls are bigger. My opinion. Rant off. Ignore on. Apologies to others on the forum for sidetracking a thread. Carry on.


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## FatTire (Mar 20, 2012)

Windsongs point is valid, and some thing you should consider. There are a great many people who have 'head to the woods' as their plan, to the extent they plan at all.


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

Well on a flip note I live in a town of 800 in the middle of nowhere, the biggest town from me is 30 minutes away and it's 3000, so on and so forth. Many places are not excessable by even the baddest of bad 4x4s


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

Being cocky will cause you to make a mistake somewhere. Never underestimate your neighbors or the 'big town' of 3000. Like Windsong said, every 'weekend warrior', wknd hunter/fisher will think 'hell, I can just go to the woods and survive' and make it harder for the rest of us who actually live it daily.


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

I do live it daily. I have lived it my entire life and wouldn't have it any other way. I'm not cocky one bit. I grew up in the middle of nowhere my entire life in Northern California and wanted to get further out so I moved out here and in between commercial fishing I micro farm


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## WWhermit (Mar 1, 2012)

bigtrain2020 said:


> @sean. I have enough food and power bars to last till I can Hun or fish. I keep a Martin jaguar takedown and telescopic pole and fishing gear so I plan to live off the land 100%


Out of curiosity's sake, what's the longest amount of time you've spent living off the land 100%?


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

3 years solid. Went through a divorce, had to sell my animals, cabin and land. Now I'm looking for more land so I can build a small cabin and start over.


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## d_saum (Jan 17, 2012)

bigtrain2020 said:


> The whole point I'm trying to make is I would plan for more than a 72 hour bag. Simply cuz you never know. Everyone has a different idea on why they may need to bug out. Mine is simply the idea that if its bad enough to grab my bag, something's wrong and I want the greatest chance of survival I can provide for myself.


I think what you are really referring to would be called an INCH bag (I'm Not Coming Home). Most people have a bugout bag just to get where they are going, and in addition to that.. I think most folks here are generally prepared for more than 72 hours. 72 hours is just a guideline really.


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## seanallen (Nov 13, 2012)

bigtrain2020 said:


> 3 years solid. Went through a divorce, had to sell my animals, cabin and land. Now I'm looking for more land so I can build a small cabin and start over.


3 YEARS? holy crap Train!!! If i woulda known that, i woulda sent you a Big Mac, or a Whopper, or sumpin! For curiosity's sake: did you absolutely HAVE to pull 3 whole years in the boonies or was that a life choice? Methinks that would be a great series of stories to share with us here. The goods, the bads, the lessons learned. -- im all ears---


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

It was a choice I made. I love being out and about and not tied down to society's "ways" like I said I want to get back to that. I will tell ya one thing. I ate allot of fish and eggs. Now I'm in a rental payin electric and water and buyin food and all I can think about is getting back to nature again. I miss bartering with people. I'm thinking about taking a trip to Alaska to further my education on survival.


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## seanallen (Nov 13, 2012)

bigtrain2020 said:


> It was a choice I made. I love being out and about and not tied down to society's "ways" like I said I want to get back to that. I will tell ya one thing. I ate allot of fish and eggs. Now I'm in a rental payin electric and water and buyin food and all I can think about is getting back to nature again. I miss bartering with people. I'm thinking about taking a trip to Alaska to further my education on survival.


Man... Im tellin ya... Sounds like you came to the right place here. I would like to respectfully ask/beg/plead with you to assemble some of the highlights together into a type of narrative and tell us about some of it. That would be freakin awesome! You got to do something ive always dreamed of doing. I would truly love to hear about it.


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

Well bud the first thing I found "thank god" was the right property. Five acres with a small cabin and pond. One mile from the lake. I built a large raised garden. Got chickens, ducks, turkeys, goats, a horse and pigs and rabbits. I stocked the pond with catfish, bass, minnows and believe it or not, goldfish lol. I would buy, sell and trade my goats and chickens. The chickens keep bugs and snakes away plus provide food, chicken and eggs lol milk from goats, fish from pond it lake. Chicken and horse crap make fertilizer. Lots of small game to eat like rabbits and squirrel, snake is good too. I grew corn, peppers, Okra, cucumber. Never got around to planting my fruit trees yet but that was another step I was gettin ready to take. I cleared some land for it but never got to it. I would buy or trade for large hay bales and stock some away to feed the animals in the winter.


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

Honestly I would say if its a dream of yours go for it. Start investing in the small things you will need. Seeds, water barrels, PVC to plumb a cistern with. Tools you may need. Save up and find your perfect location and make it happen. I chose sw Missouri cuz you can find land cheap and there are many resources. Pretty good annual rains. Timber, other people willing to barter plus a handy radio station that you can call into with stuff to buy sell or trade Monday through Friday for an hour and a half in the morning. A huge lake and lots of wilderness


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

A 72hr (or three day) Bug Out Bag could mean the difference between staying alive and being found dead ..

Story from yesterday afternoon.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/0...-day-of-extreme-weather-around-edmonton-area/



> A spring blizzard blasted through the Prairies on Thursday, killing three and causing a chaotic series of crashes south of Edmonton involving at least 100 vehicles.
> 
> As snow continued to fall throughout the night, City of Edmonton spokeswoman Laura McNabb warned commuters to expect longer-than-usual travel times.
> 
> ...


Raw video clips of the accident-scene.

http://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=889810


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

To continue writing about another reason for a BOB ....

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska.../21/sk-passenger-train-unity-sask-130321.html



> A Via Rail passenger train with 154 people on board that was stranded in stormy conditions in rural Saskatchewan for almost 24 hours is on the move again.
> 
> The eastbound train was forced to stop outside Unity, Sask., about 175 kilometres west of Saskatoon, around 11 a.m. CT Thursday.
> 
> ...


Having a WinterBOB with them would really make the trip that much more enjoyable ... eh?


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## bigtrain2020 (Mar 20, 2013)

I do believe in all your travels, day, weekend, road trips or any general time away from home you should keep a small survival kit, food, water, the basics basically.


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