# Why Bug Out?



## PackerBacker (Dec 13, 2012)

I read all this talk about bugging out. I have a hard time picturing a likely scenario that would require that here. We don't have hurricanes etc. We have a random blizzard or ice strom but nothing to run from. We have flooding but where I live if it floods the only viable BOV would be Noahs Ark.

You have any examples?


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

For me bugging out is a worst case scenario. If you live next to a volcano, in a flood plane, a low coastal hurricane target, or an inner city the bugging out might seem like a good idea. If I lived in a high risk area I would want a BOL with most of my preps prepositioned. The trick would be to leave early before the masses plug the road.


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## farright (Mar 25, 2010)

i dont intend to bug out where i am we have tornados that seems likely amywhere lately and flooding the water dosnt get that close to me all i really have to worry about is ground water in the basement 12v sump should take care of that lots of farmland for a new start


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## bacpacker (Jul 15, 2011)

Train or truck wreck with chemicals spill. Nuc accident with fallout coming your way. 

My plan is to Bug in, but there are things that would cause me to BO. We had a train wreck about 10 miles from here with a chlorine release. by the next morning folks within 1 mile of me were being moved out. Luckily the wind changed. I wouldn't have stuck around for that.


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## seanallen (Nov 13, 2012)

Around here in So. Alabama we got it all. Hurricanes, tornados, trainwrecks, etc. We have 4 or 5 high profile nuke targets close by. Live in a coastal area so tsunami could be an issue: a big one, anyway. We also have one of the worst crime rate per capita in USA. Really want to move outta the South.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

We have farmed this property over a hundred years and don't plan on leaving anytime soon. We are essentially immune to flooding and hurricanes and all that as well.
Being forced to evacuate for a pipeline leak or a chemical spill are not as unlikely as a lot of things people prepare for, this may not exactly be TEOTWAKi, but consider if one of these things happened in a SHTF situation.
Radioactive materials are transported and stored all over north america and could always end up on your local highway. 
The most likely I can see here is being forced from our property by wildfires and those who supposedly are better equipped to handle them.


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## mma800 (May 7, 2012)

We would bug out if there were extreme damage to our home due to severe weather or fire. 
We would bug out if hordes of hungry or violent people from the city overrun our little suburb.
We would bug out if there were an environmental disaster that contaminated our air or water.

Otherwise, we are staying put.


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## Padre (Oct 7, 2011)

PackerBacker said:


> I read all this talk about bugging out. I have a hard time picturing a likely scenario that would require that here. We don't have hurricanes etc. We have a random blizzard or ice strom but nothing to run from. We have flooding but where I live if it floods the only viable BOV would be Noahs Ark.
> 
> You have any examples?


A simple example is a fire? Sure a fire in a normal situation may not be a bug out event, but in the midst of any sort of disaster a fire would be.

Once a disaster happens be it long or medium term you are much more vulnerable to secondary disasters that leaves you homeless and makes bug out the only option.

A long term grid down situation in a high population area, especially when food supplies (for the area) are unavailable and utilities like water and gas stop working, also might be a bug out situation. Personally I believe that anyone in a high population density area is fooling themselves thinking that a long term disaster will not require bug out.

Any sort of NBC threat that you could get away from, be it the classic atomic bomb or the radiological "fukashima-type" disaster or chemical or biological warfare or disasters, would of course be a reason. But don't just think ICBM, think terrorism, think accident, think about all the different NBC facilities located in a 100 mile radius of your home, think about what the trains and trucking routes near your homes are carrying....

For me Bug Out is the ONLY option in any long term situation.


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

Here we have no extreme weather to cause a bug-out. We do have (I think) the largest nuke plant in the US. Also I am dependent on the grid for my water. So grid down = bug-out. Everyone is different. I would think everyone in a large city would be bug-out if the grid goes down. Here in the west with the dry conditions, wildfire would cause many to leave.


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## sailaway (Mar 12, 2009)

I live in the innercity, surrounded by zombies. I will stay as long as I don't feel threatened, but will definately bug out before security becomes an issue.


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## forluvofsmoke (Jan 27, 2012)

I can only think of two natural disasters that would drive me out of my home: Tornado and Yellowstone blowing it's cork (I'm a few hundred miles down-wind).


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## the7wolf (Dec 4, 2012)

Civil war.

Hurricane (not that likely here in DFW, TX but not impossible).


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

And my #1 reason for bugging out - Waking up in NY!


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## bllboyd (Jan 15, 2013)

What if we had a CME or solar storm and lost the grid !!! Which would most likely be for up to ten years and also realize this all and I do mean all food and supply's with the exception of water comes on a truck with will also be fried and any givin city only has about 3 days of food in it and I doubt your gonna farm ur driveway lol as for water well it's sent to your home from a water tower witch in turn is filled by an electric pump so even though for a day or two water will work as it would be gravity fed once the tower is empty waters gone too THUS THE CITY'S WILL BE DEATH TRAPS OF NEIGHBORS KILLING EACH OTHER FOR HALF A BAG OF DORITOS AND A 500 ML BOTTLES OF PEPSI 

NOT TO MENTION 
PANDEMIC / DISEASE / WAR / INDUSTRIAL ( or god forbid ) A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT ACCIDENT 

AND I COULD GO ON 
ACCTUALLY REALLY LOOK INTO IT READ THE BOOKS DO THE REASEARCH 

AND I THINK ONCE YOUMHAVE YOULL AGREE


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## bllboyd (Jan 15, 2013)

Another thing I've noticed is you are all seeming to be quite pre occupied by the normal everyday bad things that occure on the normal where as you need to be thinking about things like long term power outages / NBC threats / fallout / pandemic / famine / drout / ww3 AND I COULD GO ON ! My point is PREPPERS MUST TRAIN THEM SELFS TO ALWAYS THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AS WELL AS TO EXPECT THE UN EXPECTED AS WELL AS PREPARING FOR IT !! 

Try this think of any of these scenarios ! Now ! It's happened how long can u bug in or can you bug in when you do eventually have to bug out where will you go how will you get there what will be your first second and tirciary routes how will you get there with all the roads grid locked and more importantly how on earth will you survive in your home even if you've stocked up ? 
Is it safe to do so can u defend against a large armed and hungry group PLUS MANY MANY MORE QUESTIONS !!

All I'm saying is once one Goes threw all these thoughts and does the research one must inevitably and logically come to the same conclusion ! 
To be safe one has to be outta the city where you can farm and hunt and most importantly be able to defend as well as recon on all sides as wells as set up a shitload of lpop's 
I could go on as I've been a prepper for quite a few years now but anyway I digress 

( once again these are my opinions only  )


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## bllboyd (Jan 15, 2013)

bllboyd said:


> Another thing I've noticed is you are all seeming to be quite pre occupied by the normal everyday bad things that occure on the normal where as you need to be thinking about things like long term power outages / NBC threats / fallout / pandemic / famine / drout / ww3 AND I COULD GO ON ! My point is PREPPERS MUST TRAIN THEM SELFS TO ALWAYS THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AS WELL AS TO EXPECT THE UN EXPECTED AS WELL AS PREPARING FOR IT !!
> 
> Try this think of any of these scenarios ! Now ! It's happened how long can u bug in or can you bug in when you do eventually have to bug out where will you go how will you get there what will be your first second and tirciary routes how will you get there with all the roads grid locked and more importantly how on earth will you survive in your home even if you've stocked up ?
> Is it safe to do so can u defend against a large armed and hungry group PLUS MANY MANY MORE QUESTIONS !!
> ...


See Padre is on the rite page great minds think alike I guess lol


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## stanb999 (Nov 14, 2011)

This question comes up all the time... And it's loaded. LOL

The reason it's a contentious issue on the forum is the diverse places people live. City dwellers think Bugging out is a great Idea. I agree it has a lot of merit for them. A fellow living on a far flung ridge top at the peak of the Appalachians has a different view. Basically they live where the city dwellers wish to bug out to.

Personally, about the only things I would "bug out" for are short term localized events. For instance a fire. But this isn't a huge deal in that if it happened in normal times I have insurance and they will pay for a hotel and rebuilding. Not exactly bugging out IMHO. If the S has hit the fan. A fire wouldn't make me leave tho. We simply don't get extreme levels of devastation from fires and I'd be safer staying here. In fact very few things would make us contemplate leaving.


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## Fn/Form (Nov 6, 2008)

What if a gov't camp is established near you? I was surprised to find some of the deepest wood areas in my state were already sited for camps.

A friend of mine had a plane crash from high altitude on his property. He didn't know about it until the state/feds were already on his doorstep.

Don't forget the Dust Bowl.

Don't forget pestilence or large groups that might drive you to search for a better place. Many things we are used to are simply a matter delicate balance. Sound familiar? ;-)

To NOT have a plan for bugging out would be a single point failure to prepare.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

PackerBacker said:


> I read all this talk about bugging out. I have a hard time picturing a likely scenario that would require that here. We don't have hurricanes etc. We have a random blizzard or ice strom but nothing to run from. We have flooding but where I live if it floods the only viable BOV would be Noahs Ark.
> 
> You have any examples?


Bugging out is something you'd do in the event of an economic collapse or in the event of a large scale natural disaster like a tsunami.

You'd have to bug out if you live too close to a major city like Milwaukee or Chicago. After the dollar collapses you'll have hundreds of thousands of welfare people rioting. They'll leave their neighborhoods and go into middle class neighborhoods to commit robbery, rape, and murder as they search for food, drugs, and valuables.

You might have to bug out if you live too close to a prison. After the dollar collapses they might just let everybody out. Or maybe they'll let 80% of them out and kill the ones they consider the most dangerous.

On the other hand, if you live at least 100 miles from a major city you might be OK where you are. I think even a small town will be a dangerous place after the coming collapse but not everybody has a bug out property in the middle of nowhere.


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

There hardly is a "middle of no where" anymore. Everyone has access to quality maps and Google Earth. A quad or 4-wheeler can carry anyone almost anywhere.


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## GrinnanBarrett (Aug 31, 2012)

The reason most people want to plan to bug out is simple. Most neighborhood homes in which the bulk of us live are undefendable at best. Neighborhoods are built with the idea of getting people to come in and buy a home not keep a mass of gangs away from your doors. Being away from row houses is many times in your best interest. Being away from heavily urbanized areas is certainly going to be in your best interest if you wish to keep your supplies and your family safe. Once people know you have "SOMETHING" they want it and they are going to come for it. If you have food and heat they will be at your house like bugs to a light. GB


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

hiwall said:


> There hardly is a "middle of no where" anymore. Everyone has access to quality maps and Google Earth. A quad or 4-wheeler can carry anyone almost anywhere.


It's more the idea of living in an area with very low population density. Like Garden, Michigan in the Upper Peninsula where the closest city of 50,000 or more is Green Bay and that's 150 miles away.


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

I live in a very small town (less than 5,000) but plan to BO bc the water isn't the best. Yes we have a well but it's very shallow and depends on the weather. City water is even worse and depends on the grid. Our BOL has 3 water sources that do not depend on weather or grid (deep well, creek and river).


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## Padre (Oct 7, 2011)

I have posted this map before, the number one reason for most people to bug out is Population Density. Any given piece of land can carry a load of only so many people. Modern civilization is built around the premise that people can live in concentrated areas and ship in food from afar. If that premise is no longer viable then modern civilization is doomed, i.e. even smallish cities do not have the land needed to carry the load of their population.

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/defining.america/map/index.html


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## zombieresponder (Aug 20, 2012)

bllboyd said:


> Another thing I've noticed is you are all seeming to be quite pre occupied by the normal everyday bad things that occure on the normal where as you need to be thinking about things like long term power outages / NBC threats / fallout / pandemic / famine / drout / ww3 AND I COULD GO ON ! My point is PREPPERS MUST TRAIN THEM SELFS TO ALWAYS THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AS WELL AS TO EXPECT THE UN EXPECTED AS WELL AS PREPARING FOR IT !!
> 
> Try this think of any of these scenarios ! Now ! It's happened how long can u bug in or can you bug in when you do eventually have to bug out where will you go how will you get there what will be your first second and tirciary routes how will you get there with all the roads grid locked and more importantly how on earth will you survive in your home even if you've stocked up ?
> Is it safe to do so can u defend against a large armed and hungry group PLUS MANY MANY MORE QUESTIONS !!
> ...


So, uh, do you plan to stake a claim on land owned by other people....or go to "public" land? Here in TX there is very little "public" land, which means anyone bugging out to "live off the land" is either going to become a thief or starve to death in overcrowded conditions worse than those of the third world. I don't see my family or my neighbors being particularly welcoming to refugees, and I suspect that would be true anywhere else.

If you don't have somewhere else to go, as in a specific location, then staying home is probably the best option.


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## Boomy (Mar 17, 2012)

zombieresponder said:


> So, uh, do you plan to stake a claim on land owned by other people....or go to "public" land? Here in TX there is very little "public" land, which means anyone bugging out to "live off the land" is either going to become a thief or starve to death in overcrowded conditions worse than those of the third world. I don't see my family or my neighbors being particularly welcoming to refugees, and I suspect that would be true anywhere else.
> 
> If you don't have somewhere else to go, as in a specific location, then staying home is probably the best option.


Last I heard 98% of the state is privately owned. Non urban people don't take lightly to trespassers or squatters. For example Kings Ranch is the largest ranch in the state. 825,000 acres that ******** walk all the way around. Their reputation is known all the way down south. Trespassing is highly frowned on.


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## hillobeans (May 17, 2012)

bllboyd said:


> Another thing I've noticed is you are all seeming to be quite pre occupied by the normal everyday bad things that occure on the normal where as you need to be thinking about things like long term power outages / NBC threats / fallout / pandemic / famine / drout / ww3 AND I COULD GO ON ! My point is PREPPERS MUST TRAIN THEM SELFS TO ALWAYS THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AS WELL AS TO EXPECT THE UN EXPECTED AS WELL AS PREPARING FOR IT !!
> 
> Try this think of any of these scenarios ! Now ! It's happened how long can u bug in or can you bug in when you do eventually have to bug out where will you go how will you get there what will be your first second and tirciary routes how will you get there with all the roads grid locked and more importantly how on earth will you survive in your home even if you've stocked up ?
> Is it safe to do so can u defend against a large armed and hungry group PLUS MANY MANY MORE QUESTIONS !!
> ...


You might want to stick around and read a few more posts before ASSuming that everyone one this board is only preparing for inclement weather. Just a thought.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

PackerBacker said:


> I read all this talk about bugging out. I have a hard time picturing a likely scenario that would require that here. We don't have hurricanes etc. We have a random blizzard or ice strom but nothing to run from. We have flooding but where I live if it floods the only viable BOV would be Noahs Ark.
> 
> You have any examples?


The examples are many ... but the main point is being prepared if one must ...

It is a simple as that ...


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

Our BOL is ours- family owned for 4 generations.


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

I don't really see a tornado hitting my place as a bug out scenario. We have family friends and possible a hotel if need be, that's called shit happening to ya.

Bug out to us will be if we think we need to hide a few days to save our life. (red dawn event) or something like that. Economic collapse, etc, I'm in my location. I couldn't move anywhere else and survive. 

For those in city dwelling, if you bug out, you really need not only a place but people to go to!!! A family member that has a location and is prepping already would be ideal.

To add to think: I'd get with the people that I would be bugging out to and share preps, have long term items shipped to them, you can store seeds to bring along, let them handle water and location preps (gardening, heat sources, etc) once or twice a year get together and decide what needs to be done or purchased. My parents can lots and lots of food, they will come here for survival and bring what they can. We have room, food, heat and defense.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

PackerBacker said:


> I read all this talk about bugging out. I have a hard time picturing a likely scenario that would require that here. We don't have hurricanes etc. We have a random blizzard or ice strom but nothing to run from. We have flooding but where I live if it floods the only viable BOV would be Noahs Ark.
> 
> You have any examples?


Sure: http://www.klr650.net/forums/showthread.php?t=91636

Here in Alberta we had a fire that decimated an entire town: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Slave_Lake_wildfire

The evacuation of the town has another name ... "Bugging Out". Many in that town left with just barely the clothing on their backs at 3:00 in the morning. On another site I am on, a KLR-rider kept us updated - he had to leave his KLR in the garage. By the time that he returned home (his house wasn't directly burned), the power had been off in the whole town for a couple of weeks. All the food in his fridge and freezer spoiled - throw out the fridge and freezer as you will never get the scent of the spoiled milk or meat out of them. Check the motorbike - no damage. Ask his wife and kids what they think - she packs up and leaves him and says that she never wants to see him again.

I heard that after that fire had destroyed so much of that town, the divorce-rate sky-rocketed as the people in that town couldn't cope with the destruction.


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## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

Eventually I will have to bug out. My spot is indefensible long term in a bad situation. Before I had to bug out I would most likely go early to care for family. I keep my preps as mobile as possible for that reason. Their spot isnt really defensible either but oh well better than my spot. Working on the situation. Hopefully I have enough time to provide viable options.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

The slave lake fire had a huge impact on many people, seeing people shattered from something like that made me change how I thought about "smaller" disasters.
It is so easy to say those people were weak, that I am a lot stronger psychologically, the truth is many of these people had survived horrible things in their past and were fine but this sent them off the edge.
One of the main factors in a situation like this is that you lose all control, the government simply forces you out and treats you like a problem. They bulldozed perfectly good homes in order to create firebreaks and the one next to it was fine, this can really mess you up. We now keep some of our sentimental things in "firesafe" containers so that if we are forced to evacuate for any reason they might be there when we come back.


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## gaspump86 (May 5, 2012)

Bugging out is for the poor preppers........like me lol
Staying in my urban city neighborhood is not an option.


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

I'm pretty rural but going even more rugged with our BOL. Our water situation isn't stable, other preppers in our group live in downtown with full grid everything. Our BOL has no issues (thank God) except we have to build shelters lol. Water is stable, garden spots, wildlife, and very secluded.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

I live in east Texas, wildfires are pretty rare but it happened a few years ago & we bugged out. We prepare so that if we need to bug out, we have everything we need. In less than 10 minutes, we can have 3 kids, 3 dogs, a cat, & the 5th wheeler ready to go down the road with everything necessary to take care of everyone for at least a week. We had all the sentimental stuff, guns/ammo, important documents, leashes, vaccination records for all animals, medications, etc. loaded. It wasn't fun but we were at peace that we had everything that was important. That's why we prep for a bugout even though we live in the country.


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