Would you survive what Venezuela is going through?

originally posted by: visitedbythem

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: Lr103
Cool thread, good thought provoking. I am with Irishhaf, I figure I would have about even odds. the lack of electricity would totally suck but survivable. One would need to constantly collect and purify water. may need to dig out my old bb gun and learn hunt and eat crow and squirrel, gather cattail roots and dandelion salad, pine needle tea for vitamin C, But it's the psychological effects of losing the meds that would break me. My girlfriend has a rare type of cancer that requires a constant medication regime to keep it at bay. as soon as that supply of meds gets cut she would suffer a slow, awful cancer death. I fear watching that is the thing that would kill me, loss of hope , etc. . I can only imagine what is going on in Venezuela with such cases. Probably heartbreaking. . My (now) elderly father spent some time down there in Caracas for a job back in the early 1990's, said it was really rough even way back then.

Just a bit of advice, don't eat crow. Seriously, pick any other bird.
Crows are scary smart, and if you eat one their friends / family will forever attack you.
I'm not even a little bit kidding.

In that case, an old woman named Nancy is in a lot of trouble. I read that she is eating crow today, and who knows what she is drinking....

Probably a nice Taxpayer-purchased Grey Goose...

a reply to: JAGStorm

I am good for at least a year or two barring a medical emergency, fallout tainting my ponds and stream, or people coming to try to take my stuff.

originally posted by: infolurker
a reply to: JAGStorm

I am good for at least a year or two barring a medical emergency, fallout tainting my ponds and stream, or people coming to try to take my stuff.

Yep, the three things that will take down the most prepared in a SHTF scenario...

1./ Environment (nuclear fallout is BAD! Potassium Iodide helps with that!)
2./ A medical emergency (train for what you can!)
3./ People.

a reply to: Wookiep

Dude, you are awesome I wish I had it all, my actual reality is a single apartment, a mountain bike, a low paying job, about one month canned food, and an old bb gun. But I think the brain is the strongest weapon. Probably not my brain.

a reply to: Lumenari

I did learn a hard lesson last year though. My water froze and my ponds were frozen over so I had no way to get water for a day.

So, this year I am buying a few 275 gallon totes and storing water in my basement just in case I have that problem ever again.

Propane tank heat &stove ensure I can last the winter months.

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: infolurker
a reply to: JAGStorm

I am good for at least a year or two barring a medical emergency, fallout tainting my ponds and stream, or people coming to try to take my stuff.

Yep, the three things that will take down the most prepared in a SHTF scenario...

1./ Environment (nuclear fallout is BAD! Potassium Iodide helps with that!)
2./ A medical emergency (train for what you can!)
3./ People.

I had forgotten the iodide. Yep I have a bunch of those tablets, and a massive emergency kit complete with sterile wound sew up kits, meds, and even sealed sterile staplers for serious lacerations.

The persistent unwanted guest will get a hot lunch. 50 mag slugs from a smith and Wesson 500
or 12 gage mag slugs...

originally posted by: visitedbythem

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: infolurker
a reply to: JAGStorm

I am good for at least a year or two barring a medical emergency, fallout tainting my ponds and stream, or people coming to try to take my stuff.

Yep, the three things that will take down the most prepared in a SHTF scenario...

1./ Environment (nuclear fallout is BAD! Potassium Iodide helps with that!)
2./ A medical emergency (train for what you can!)
3./ People.

I had forgotten the iodide. Yep I have a bunch of those tablets, and a massive emergency kit complete with sterile wound sew up kits, meds, and even sealed sterile staplers for serious lacerations.

The persistent unwanted guest will get a hot lunch. 50 mag slugs from a smith and Wesson 500

or 12 gage mag slugs...

I'm pretty comfortable at 700 yards in a .308.

My closer range is a Mossburg 590 12 gauge... first two rounds hollow-point deer slugs, the other 5 #4 deer shot...

Then the Glock 45 for another 13 rounds.

If you get past that, then you have me to deal with.

Are people having to forage for chestnuts and squirrels in Venezuela?

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: visitedbythem

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: infolurker
a reply to: JAGStorm

I am good for at least a year or two barring a medical emergency, fallout tainting my ponds and stream, or people coming to try to take my stuff.

Yep, the three things that will take down the most prepared in a SHTF scenario...

1./ Environment (nuclear fallout is BAD! Potassium Iodide helps with that!)
2./ A medical emergency (train for what you can!)
3./ People.

I had forgotten the iodide. Yep I have a bunch of those tablets, and a massive emergency kit complete with sterile wound sew up kits, meds, and even sealed sterile staplers for serious lacerations.

The persistent unwanted guest will get a hot lunch. 50 mag slugs from a smith and Wesson 500

or 12 gage mag slugs...

I'm pretty comfortable at 700 yards in a .308.

My closer range is a Mossburg 590 12 gauge... first two rounds hollow-point deer slugs, the other 5 #4 deer shot...

Then the Glock 45 for another 13 rounds.

If you get past that, then you have me to deal with.

My only rifle is a Russian made 22 with a scope. It is pretty accurate. I would like to have a .308
My 45 is sweet though. Its a Kimber stainless Ultra carry2. It has a match grade bull barrel


The 500 hurts to shoot

Might I suggest a Remington 700 to start in a .308.

Just to get your "reach out and touch someone" hormones going.

And yes... your 45 is sweet!

originally posted by: KansasGirl
Are people having to forage for chestnuts and squirrels in Venezuela?

I think they have already eaten all the zoo animals, if that is any indication...

Zoo Animals Eaten Forbes article

a reply to: visitedbythem

Try making beer!

First, it is a great way to store “food stuff” for longer than a month. If you don’t drink to get drunk, you can live off beer (worked for the Egyptians that built the pyramids!!)

Second, it is a great way to purify your water.

Third, it is a great source of isoprophor iodine which not only sterilizes surfaces but can be absorbed through the skin to keep your body fluids pure!

Besides all the washing and cleaning, can feed the spent grain to farm animals, heck, even wild moose love the stuff!

Next, canning/pressure cooker. When sitting on beans and bullets, you don’t want to spend hours cooking with the smell wafting into the wind. You also need veggies to last longer than a week. Canning and pickling is your friend.

Each local area should have a Survival Guide on how to forage for edibles. One easy one is fiddle head ferns (before they unfold!) Certain mushrooms are easy to identify. Kelp (for us near open water) is a miracle!

I would miss electricity but can also head to the hills if need be. And if you have the knowledge then you are better off. And if you know someone with a plane...

Million people in an urban setting is different. But my battle would be psychological/political and not against my fellow countrymen (a lot of filming “security” doing skeezy shiz... they hate being questioned and having to answer). Probably a quick way to catch a double bullet with my head (suicided-style), but I didn’t start this fight!!

In America, in Alaska, could probably make it a while. Massive urban center based on modern conveniences... time to head out. Like so many have done.

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: KansasGirl
Are people having to forage for chestnuts and squirrels in Venezuela?

I think they have already eaten all the zoo animals, if that is any indication...

Zoo Animals Eaten Forbes article

Damn. 😳😳😳

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

I do have a micro brewery in my shop. I can make up to 20 gallons at a time. Im an advanced all grain brewer, but also have some malt extracts in the deep freeze to use as needed. I have 3 stainless stainless soda kegs, and also a capper ,cases of 22oz bottles. Ive made wine as well, and have very old large vines of grapes on my property. Wine grapes. Lodi flame grapes, I think. Big seeded grapes, pinkish red

I also have a big stainless TCM dehydrator, that can run off my solar. A pressure cooker and many mason jars and lids for preserving

One other thing I have, is transportation. I have an electric mountain bike that charges off of my solar/ battery bank. Its a Prodecotech Outlaw 1200. It does up to 29 MPH without pedaling, and up to 40 if you pedal hard too. It can go 25 miles on a charge. Its like an electric motorcycle

a reply to: visitedbythem

And maybe a false shelf that you and your mtb could sleep in above the hoards!!

Brewing turns on your future calculus where you have to plan the for the future.

PS - Once you keg you will never go back! I went from 22 oz. to 1 ltr. to kegging and will not switch back! Keep on brewing in the free world!!

originally posted by: whywhynot
Yeah, a country boy can survive. Got fresh water from wells and stream, livestock and wildlife, greenhouse and fields. Most importantly got guns. It would be hell on city folks after a couple days.

Don't kid yourself. City folk would form gangs quickly after looting gun shops and head out to the country. That plume of smoke rising from your 'hidden' cabin is a bullseye.

You better have a lot of guns and friends. Country folk are only kidding themselves if they think they have it better. People will want what you have and come looking for it and violence will ensue.

originally posted by: KansasGirl
Are people having to forage for chestnuts and squirrels in Venezuela?

When people are at the point of drinking raw sewage, pretty sure all the chestnuts and squirrels are either already
gone or close to it.

originally posted by: nightbringr

originally posted by: whywhynot
Yeah, a country boy can survive. Got fresh water from wells and stream, livestock and wildlife, greenhouse and fields. Most importantly got guns. It would be hell on city folks after a couple days.

Don't kid yourself. City folk would form gangs quickly after looting gun shops and head out to the country. That plume of smoke rising from your 'hidden' cabin is a bullseye.

You better have a lot of guns and friends. Country folk are only kidding themselves if they think they have it better. People will want what you have and come looking for it and violence will ensue.

I put my money 100000000000000000000000000000000000X over on country folks.

Sorry city folks do have the violence going for them, but most of them can't survive in the woods at all.
Country folks are one with the woods. Also if you think preppers will have a billow of smoke coming from the cabin think again.

Edit to add... have you seen city folks shoot, man they can barely hit anything. It is humorous. Country folks shoot for fun and have to hit in order to eat. Big difference!

originally posted by: nightbringr

originally posted by: whywhynot
Yeah, a country boy can survive. Got fresh water from wells and stream, livestock and wildlife, greenhouse and fields. Most importantly got guns. It would be hell on city folks after a couple days.

Don't kid yourself. City folk would form gangs quickly after looting gun shops and head out to the country. That plume of smoke rising from your 'hidden' cabin is a bullseye.

You better have a lot of guns and friends. Country folk are only kidding themselves if they think they have it better. People will want what you have and come looking for it and violence will ensue.

It is you who are kidding themselve. Raiding a gun store and go hunting country folks in their own area? Dream on. Since you libs don’t approve of guns it must be that you have not practice or proficiency with them. Don’t think that you just point and shoot. Come on out and live your dream with some real serious combat vets.

Fool