Where would you bug out to?

Ok if I had to bug out tomorrow I would end up going across Texas into New Mexico and then North to Colorado. Zombies however I would be hitting the nearest yacht/small cruise ship in Galveston. Nuclear I would be screwed but I could always relax and let chaos ensue. What would you guys do? Just hypothetical and you don't have to share major details. I'm just trying to get some ideas from some more experienced ATS members. Btw, first thread other than my introduction. Let the contributing begin!

reply to post by trippvail


Uh....

great question... but If I were a DHS Intel agent, I would start this thread too...

reply to post by trippvail


Outback Australia where else...

More than likely nowheres. I have shelter, land to grow my food, woods to snare and hunt in. Well water. What more could I need?

If the occasion came where I HAD to get out, there are hundreds of acres of woods that I am getting to know like the back of my hand, I guess that will do just fine.

See heres the thing about the survival threads these days. Since I want to survive with my family and friends, I chose not to share with anyone whom may not have my best interests at heart, as to the how, where and why of my survival plan. I appreciate the thread notion, very interesting to talk about, but not under the controlling governmental auspices we live within. Why tell people where to find you and what to consider destroying so you can't use the resource?

Water is the biggest priority, you can go a couple of months without food but a couple of days without water and the troubles begin. If there is no nearby freshwater sources then try and setup a water distillation plant along the coast somewhere remote. Might even be able to catch a few fish as well.

i live in canada so really anywhere is nice. just thinking of it as normal camping

reply to post by trippvail


Just to be clear, I am not trying to burst your bubble...and don't take offense to these statements.
It seems as though your idea of this type of situation will be fun and games.
Believe me, if SHTF, people will be petrified with fear.
It will not be as easy as you might think.

Now back on topic.

To me, a 'bug out bag' is nothing more that my camping bag full of gear.
I never quite understood why(or who) changed the name from camping to 'bug out'.
Because I don't think naming a bag particularly to freak out with is a good thing.

People have to understand this too...
You should have a prepared emergency kit in you house or car regardless of any impending disaster.
Because you never know when a flat tire could force you to walk ten miles.
A good bag of gear will help.

There's no 'destination' in a B.O.B situation.
The best place to 'run' to is another family or friends house.
Just running into the woods is down-right dumb.
Unless, you have experience living in the woods alone.
My guess is most people don't.

That entire name (bug out bag) was created for a motivated sales pitch.
Just another way to make money.

As for destination in a shtf situation, unless someone is forcing my to leave my area...
...this guy ain't going anywhere!
(and if anyone thinks they will force me to leave, they must be high on something)

Either way, if SHTF, remaining calm and not running like an idiot is the key to survival.
By the way, unless your driving, you are not crossing states as fast as you think.
Highways will be blocked, roads detoured, bridges unpassable.
If you are hoofing it, you'll be lucky to make 20 miles a day.
Good luck with that.

The mountains of West "By god" Virginia! There is plenty of wild game and almost impenatrable valleys. The only reason i am not there now is no work,wv is probably 90% woodland.

reply to post by havok


Yeah you prettymuch nailed it on the BOB, it is the same bag I hike and camp with. Has all I need to survive if I were to fall and break my leg or some craziness, and need to make my way slowly back into civilization.

It depends on what type of shtf situation it is.

If it was a virus or disease that was spreading like there's no tomorrow and people were dropping like flies...you'd want to be as far away from anyone else (not in your family) as humanly possible to avoid infection.

If it was an economic and social breakdown, you'd want to team up with as many like minded people as possible, to share work and resources and to have an organised defence against the inevitable armed gangs that will also organise to kill you and you family, and take what they need from you.

If it was a natural disaster, like mega flare taking about electronics and power systems all around the planet, teaming up would probably also be a good idea...again, it's the strength in numbers game.

Where to go if it's a virus?

Anywhere where there are zero people would be the priority.

Your home would come under attack from survivors looking for supplies, additional disease and plagues of rats and critters would be rampant due to the rotting corpses that would litter the cities and towns...ground water would become contaminated by the rot, as would the air...so i wouldn't advise staying in a town or city.

Best option would be to identify safe havens in your local areas, or as close as possible to your current, main location, but base your choices on different shtf scenarios.

One for natural (tsunamis, EQ, volcano, virus, asteroid, flares etc. etc.)
Another for civil disasters, (riots, societal breakdown, civil war, depop agendas, etc)
Another for anything else you can think of.

It's no good having a 'bug out' location all squared away, if you don't know what you'll be up against...just have to try and plan for everything i suppose, and hope that if 'it' does happen, it's one that's on your list.

Well, I'm in Australia so I would head a little further south during summer, to the southern coast of NSW, or possibly even all the way through Victoria to Tasmania, and then migrate north during Winter. There is plenty of good hunting around the hinterland and coastal regions, and the weather is very pleasant.

Pretty much anywhere out of the way and where the hunting is good.

reply to post by trippvail


I would tell you as i am sure you are a fine upstanding citizen but, the prime directive forbids me in interfering with the natural order and i may give you an idea that was not native to you.
Good luck.

Thanks all for your replies. I understand where some of you are coming from about not knowing me and not telling me. Thanks to the rest of you guys for participating. I did learn a few things from this thread though. To those of you that are set up to stay where you are at I'm jelous. I live in a metro area so I would be leaving. The rest of you guys bugging out I wish ya'll the best of luck on your journey, as I know we will all need it. I have plans for my friends and family in case the SHTF but I'm trying to figure out the whole contact thing since phones will most likely be down at the time. I still have a lot to learn but I feel if it happened tomorrow I could keep my family safe, and that's what is most important. Thanks again ATS members for making my first thread a success.

The woods, mountains, wherever the crap is not currently hitting the fan! Perhaps upwards to Canada. Anyone following me, besides my family, will be eating my bullets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Originally posted by DricoTheDestroyer
besides my family, will be eating my bullets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

edit on 9-4-2011 by DricoTheDestroyer because: (no reason given)

make sure not to serve those bullets with curry, that could be a very volatile situation lol.


The best place would be somewhere which has resources but that will not be the most common idea for everyone else, if you live somewhere like Australia the best place would be a small country town in middle of nowhere and if need be head further along the coast.
If you have enough fuel to go further than anyone else you should be ok in reality because gas stations once they are dry will be dry, so if you can get a good distance away from that final gas station you should be in a good place.

A seaside town preferably, you'll have an abundance of seafood and also lots of wild animals to hunt also, mmm kangaroo steak

reply to post by DeepThoughtCriminal


good idea Australia and nomadic migration go together, but how r u going to navigate the straight? thats some big waters to get to Tasmania