So you want to head for the hills?

reply to post by bekod


are you some kind of authority on "the hills"?
you must be a heck of a woodsmen.
either way, why assume nobody else can handle it? Somewhat of a demeaning tone you're putting out.

First I live in the hills of Tennessee. Complete with hillbillies, farmers and bear hunters.. basically everything you would expect in a back woods community. If my family survives what ever catastrophe that comes our way I feel pretty confidante that that these hills will be able to provide everything that we need to survive since I had the foresight to lay in basic staples and firewood... Sure there are still more things that we need to store up but there are always things that we want more of. I'm more comfortable here in these hills than I would be in the city, feel safer and theres a heck of a lot less traffic: meaning people.

Also learning how to survive in the "wilderness" isn't really that complicated. Nobody is born all knowing.. its all a learning process, and wanting to survive, keep the kids warm and fed is one great big motivation to learn anything.

I think I'm ready, "for them hills".

I live in Canada, so living in the wilderness is a very, very real possibility here. So long as you know how to make pelts, treat skins make clothes from animals and collect eadibles... know how to catch animals to do these things.

The number 1 thing that will make you survive... is something that many, many, many ATS'ers forget... it's the single most important thing, above your BOB, or Survival Tin... EVEN your knowledge...

It's the Will To Live.

People tend to forget just how vast this earth is... when the internet gives the illusion how small it may feel.

PS... Keep an axe head with your kit...

In our current time I am quite amazed. As kids growing up in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, my green beret father started teaching us survival skills from an early age and twice per year on 2 week survival excursions. He always said that someday when I am older these skills are going to save me and my family. I grew up, spent my time in the army. With so many survival shows on the tube nowadays, I watch all of them and see some things that my father taught, but there is alot that he taught they do not show. I have taught my children how to survive using the environment. The majority of people have become entirely too dependant on electronics. Heading for the "high ground" is the best option, regardless. If you do not know even the most basic skills to survive, you should start cramming for that knowledge now. When things turn for the worst, depending on the situation (ie) a comet strike, massive earthquake, volcanic, etc. The human body will initially go into shock, you need to learn how to keep your head and move fast to your pre-determined destination. I would not recommend a FEMA camp, which is exactly where the government is going to try and corral us. Stay off of the main roads and avoid groups of people. Look what happens when there are riots, people become animals. The furthur north into the high ground the better. Research the terrain and avoid volcanic, earthquake and coastal areas. Peace!

I think the most important place to head, is too the food warehouses and underground storages to get some canned hams and some capri suns

if you're smart you would have already located these places and set up hideouts inside one of them, where you could have a complete vantage point and a place to hoard the goodies where you and your their stuff cant be detected

lol you guys are so funny. Why even talk about this.... is it to stroke your own "I'm more prepared than you are" ego?

The lead post on the thread. He was trying to get a point across but didn't come out well.

Get a book, read, learn, practice, practice, reread, relearn, practice.

A few notes on this matter.

Hording is great but you are trapped. You have to protect/defend what you have. So that puts your back into a corner. Like a badger when backed they will fight hard with tooth and nail but in the end they will always get squished between the rock and the hard place.

Learning to live off the land is a great way to survive any situation but without a plan on where to go and what to do. You have failed.

Yes survival in the city can be done but at certain costs. Its all about the level of life you are willing to live. You will have a lot of trails ahead of you. One I'm not personally willing to put myself, wife and children through. In the end on the table you will be looking at human tartar main dish.

Topic of Secrets, there is to many of us on this planet as it is. I know helping and teaching is something good. But if everyone survives we will be no better off than where we left off. Less numbers there are the less the people who do survive will have to contend with.

Depends on the scenario.

I think most survivalists would prefer to stick it out on their own homestead.
The BOB (bug out bag) is mostly for two reasons:
1) You may not be home when the disaster hits.
2) You may have to leave the home if the home itself is threatened.

Most hope they NEVER have to use their BOB...and would prefer to make it home.

However, if not, then time to yes, head for the hills (or island, in my case...that's my preference). A lot easier to secure.

I have some basic woodland skills, but granted I'd be trying to learn a lot fast. Of course, books on how to do such things are definitely part of my BOB.

In addition to foraging though, a great deal of folks will be looting supplies.

reply to post by bekod



Sure to insure your survival there are many, many things that most should know about living off the land but the single most important thing to survival that you fail to even mention is "Will to Live". If you do not have the "Will to Live", than your just as good as dead, you can know everything their is about living off the land and if you don't have that mindset that you want to live, you have to live and have to keep on trying you will die and all that knowledge is worthless. Anyone that has the right mindset and the ambition too keep trying can live off the land regardless of ones knowledge about primitive living. The bigger problem with survial in a "SHTF scenario", is natural resources, over hunting, over fishing, tainted water etc. especially around more populated areas, food of any kind will be scarce forcing people to venture further and further away from the populated areas into more rural parts, some farmer with some guns shooting at people will be a death sentence for that person, sure he may take out a few but the law of numbers always wins and that farmer would be much better off to just make a deal with others to insure his own survival. Just food for thought.

Originally posted by havok
I feel bad for city dwellers.
There will be so much chaos.
People don't understand what will really take place.
You guys need to realize that it will be worse than you think.
Did any of you experience the LA riots?
I bet not a single one of you did.

I did. For 6 hours.
I was just a kid.
It's a dog-eat-dog world.
That wasn't even remotely close to a SHTF moment.
That was over police brutality.

But, it's okay...
Just keep thinking that everything will be fine.
That's exactly what some of the store owners did back then.
The ones that boarded their businesses up are the ones that are still there.

See, I'm not running to the hills.
I live in the hills.

On purpose.
I had a choice to live in the city.
For the most part, I just don't like the constant rush of things.

I am in no hurry and I like it that way.


It's easier to make fun of people who prepare than it is to realize you missed the train.

Some of us "City Folk" weren't always "City Folk", and who gives a rats behind if you lasted 6 hours in a riot while you were a kid, what you don't think people have seen or experienced much worse events then that? If you think that spending 6 hours in a riot is the measure of a man then your sadly mistaken. And why would you make fun of people for preparing for some disasterous event? Does the military go into battle without first making preparations for battle? Why not make fun of them for getting prepared? Seriously go play your "COD Black Ops", where you can actually be the badass that your not in real life.