Bugging Out to “The Woods”?

Very often people’s plan involves “Bugging Out”. When someone inquires where they will be going a few different answers pop up. My Bug Out Location (B..O.L.), my (insert family member’s relationship)’s place, and the woods are some very popular answers. Let’s take a look at these three examples.

If you plan to head out to your Bug Out location, you are possibly the best off. This means that you should have provisions in place there such as shelter, food, water and defenses. Since this is your place, it will provide legitimacy to you being there. Until an emergency comes, you can keep people from encroaching onto it via law enforcement if need be.  Having this ahead of time allows you to improve the property by clearing trees, planting desirable crops, stocking a pond with fish, and possibly building a cabin. This will put you miles ahead of others because you will be used to living there and know the property. You will just have to defend it from any that may come to try and claim it for their own.

The second option is that you are heading to a friend or family member’s location. Hopefully if you are, this option has been planned in advance.  This is not a bad option either, but leaves you less in control. It is advisable to provide some help to that person before things go sideways. Help them build their cabin, improve the land. harvest crops, or whatever else they need. This will not only show your worth, but will also acquaint you with the area. If things get really bad, they may be forced to pick and choose who stays. You want to be on that short list. You might even be lucky enough that there is enough acreage and that they are fine if you set up a camp there of your own. That way you could make some decisions on location, contents and defense.  They legally do have the final say in what happens on that land though. A great benefit of this setup  is that you are part of a group to defend this location.

The third option of the woods, mountains, desert, etc. is a very risky plan. This is why this plan needs to be very thought out. Have you ever tried to find a secluded fishing location on a relatively popular lake? Chances are you will find someone already there, someone will show up while you are there, or you just got really lucky with timing. Chances are if you have looked over a place to bug out to, others have looked at it too. Deciding to bug out to land you do not own, like public land, prevents you from doing much preparation ahead of time. It also prevents you from having any legal hold on that land. Even if things are bad, park rangers and such may still be on the job attempting to remove squatters. If everyone that says they are going there ends up there, the resources will be depleted in no time. It actually takes a rather large piece of land to sustain a person by hunting and foraging. When the resources become scarce, people will turn on others either to gain their supplies or out of sheer frustration. No sane person wants to be in the woods fighting with hundreds of other hungry people. This warning can also be extended to urban areas. If you have picked the perfect location to hold up and the perfect places to scavenge, then others have them in mind too. Even if you get there first, there is no guarantee you can hold it.

Remember when planning that in the worst situations having a solid thought out plan that can be implemented quickly is important. It may be the only thing that keeps you from getting lost in the sea of those that are not prepared.

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