Where Will The Population Flee?

[Guest KarlS]

If they know you prepared then they are coming to your house!

I am completely unprepared. I have nothing. Good point.

[Oh Shoot]

I am completely unprepared. I have nothing. Good point.

I have 3 months food and water and of course some firearms. As a townie, I have few illusions that would make long term diff. Figure it might give me a month or two with luck to see if further effort is feasible or even desirable.

Also have bug out camping/survival stuff and access to some turf with water not too far away could try for awhile if could get there, but again, no real illusions about living off the land.

If I had kids/extended close family, I'd ensure that ALL had a YEAR's provisions and a place/plan to try surviving FROM.

I do believe meltdown is that much of a possibility in the next decade.

Or next month.

- OS

Edited November 4, 2009 by OhShoot

[Guest HvyMtl]

Dont agree with East Tn - why? You guys forget the Y-12 plant is there - still active...

Anywhere near any nuclear sites, including power plants, is a no go. Chernobyl should be a reminder.

Though there is the Cherokee Nation - they probably would know a thing or two about living off the land...

West Tn - hmm. decent farm land - population focused around Memphis.

Mid TN - hilly ( better defensive positions) good farm land - but starting to have population spread...

Sigh.

Most will stay in their houses and wait. In the short term, that may be the best situation, depending on the SHTF... fortify in place - let the people panic and run around - doubt most any streets / highways would be passable anyway...

As some have said, wait around for a bit, then you just might get your pick...

[Guest Rem_700]

Living off the land would only last for a short amount of time! Hunting wise is what im talking about. Think about it,people would have the woods picked clean of deer in a matter of a years time,if that,then the squrriels,rabbits,birds and other animals would be long gone.People would have to guard their live stock at night to keep people from killin or stealing them.In a matter of 2 years tops,the woods would be lifeless.Our wild animal population is a very delicate resource and if not managed properly,is very easily wiped out.

[Guest KarlS]

Living off the land would only last for a short amount of time! Hunting wise is what im talking about. Think about it,people would have the woods picked clean of deer in a matter of a years time,if that,then the squrriels,rabbits,birds and other animals would be long gone.People would have to guard their live stock at night to keep people from killin or stealing them.In a matter of 2 years tops,the woods would be lifeless.Our wild animal population is a very delicate resource and if not managed properly,is very easily wiped out.

Seems like there are alot of ideas and nobody is wrong. It's good to hear all sides. I still take my chances being as far away from the mass of people. There are way too many people out there that wouldn't have the first clue how to survive. To them survival will be looting and looking for help from those who know how. Gangs will overtake any sources of food and comfort.

If I can be where I can make it for a couple of years I would hope the mess is straightened away by then. If you live in a city or suburb now then I guess you'd have a decision to make. Do you stay put or go? I do think hunting will be critical to long term survival.

[Oh Shoot]

.... I do think hunting will be critical to long term survival.

Hunting might be a long term solution if most of the population dies off before game is eradicated, for the small percentage left.

Agriculture and animal husbandry likely would be more important.

Regenerating (read, NOT one generational hybrid) seeds likely worth more than gold OR bullets after a short while.

Game got pretty scarce during the depression.

If same or worse happens again, with current population level, could actually see CONUS species extinction.

Hell, dogs and cats might become extremely rare if extant at all.

- OS

Edited November 4, 2009 by OhShoot

[Guest HvyMtl]

Ok, a comment on living off the land - people forget that the economy and money value crashed once already in the history of this Nation - the Great Depression

OhShoot is correct:

According to the friends and family members that lived back then, the local animal population - deer all the way down to squirrel, was deeply impacted, as the majority of the people used hunting to put additional food on the table... It was rare to see, find, or catch animals for food after a few years...

Ask your fellow hunters and see how much time and effort they place in getting their deer, or turkey, etc. Realize that present animal population levels are high - and realize an experienced hunter will take far less time finding and bagging their food target...

(Side note: Make sure you know how to make traps and the like. They work 24/7, you cannot hunt 24/7...)

So, that is why I focused on farmland - grow your own food... and be armed, as back then, people also stole from farmers to survive...

Edited November 4, 2009 by HvyMtl

[Guest SUNTZU]

I'm focusing on my neighbors. I'm only putting back fava beans and a nice chianti.

[Guest KarlS]

Both OS and HvyMtl make valid points. I'd have to agree with you both in that game will become harder to find long term. As far as hunting them? Heck I'm throwing the corn out and baiting them at that point. Raising your own animals is very logical but as HvyMtl says you can also become a target for theft. Couldn't that then be the same for raising your own crops? Ammo does become important to protect what's yours. OS I have been looking into the seeds also.

I don't know if anyone is right or wrong...All good ideas. What will happen in the end is making sound choices on the situation as it happens. Are you ready right now to ride anything out in your home as it sits or do you leave to go somewhere? Tough choices that I hope none of us have to make. I know just in reading this thread there ideas I never thought of.

[Guest Rem_700]

I live fairly close to a rual school where there are no houses with in a few miles of it,except ours,and they have 2 huge diesel tanks for their buses,first thing me and my dad and few freinds are gonna do in a SHTF senario,is go and comadere that diesel and guard it,until we can figure away to get it back to home base! probably go and borrow a few small tanker truck from one of the oil well places that are close by..WHen the SHTF senario really does play out, you have to look out for you and yours,and do what it takes to make it to another day,at all costs!

[Guest mustangdave]

me and mine...headed WEST...where ever

[mrmoetn]

Have any of you read Matthew Bracken's Books,the Enemies Foreign and Domestic trilogy? They portray life as you are describing it...The first one is a lead in and the second two are dealing with exactly what you all are describing. Luckily some of his characters live to see the end of the plot and the other side of the collapse but the scenarios that they encounter are VERY REAL and are set from Virginia across the country to California in various types of environments, the largest part of the third book is set from Corinth to Ft. Campbell and from the TN river to the MS river. The earthquake that ya'll describe is a major player.... GREAT READ if you haven't yet...you need to. Enemies Foreign and Domestic Web Site

[molonlabetn]

I would expect fairgrounds, civic centers, shelters and national guard bases to quickly become refugee camps... especially those near interstates or airports; and for hospitals to be quickly overwhelmed. Those will be the places to avoid, unless one has no independant survival plan, or needs serious medical attention. The biggest issue would be clean water, which even if I didn't already have plenty treated and stored, and a way to purify more, wouldn't be insurmountable just considering the vast number of water heaters in the abandoned homes which would most likely still contain potable water. Most everything else could be easily scrounged for weeks, knowing where to look, before being forced to break into my own supplies. Heck, I even have enough beer and jerky to last over a month... I'm more worried about the stuff that ya can't plan for or fight off.

So, in summary... irregardless of the situation, I'll stay away any action or place which promotes a 'victim' mentality. It'll just be a matter of being observant and adaptable to the situation, so I'm not going to get all wrapped up in any specific scenario or plan of action, since plans generally get blown out the window when reality hits. I just know that I have anything I may need to survive a realistic social disruption long enough to adapt to it... the most important survival tool we all have is a brain.

[Guest KarlS]

Have any of you read Matthew Bracken's Books,the Enemies Foreign and Domestic trilogy?

Thanks. No I haven't read them but have bookmarked the site and will look into buying them. They sound good.

Edited November 4, 2009 by KarlS
sp

[Mike.357]

I'll just curl into the fetal position and wait to die. Too old to hike out. Roads will surely be gridlocked. Quad can run for abour 4 hours before it goes dry. And I can't carry much on it. So thats not really an option. Certainly not leaving the rest of the family to die alone. Yep I will just curl up and wait to die.

[Moped]

Sounds like a plan, Mike. Huh, could you forward me your address, so I can put you on my map. I'll want to come by and pick up your stuff after wards.

[Guest KarlS]

Sounds like a plan, Mike. Huh, could you forward me your address, so I can put you on my map. I'll want to come by and pick up your stuff after wards.

The vulture's circle tightens!

[Mike.357]

Sounds like a plan, Mike. Huh, could you forward me your address, so I can put you on my map. I'll want to come by and pick up your stuff after wards.

Shortly I will be selling everything off and using the proceeds for hookers and blow.

I will leave you the quad, it is a death trap so I don't think I am doing you any favors. My way of getting the last laugh once I am dead.

[Moped]

Thanks, but no thanks. Have a friend of mine that actually lives in your neck of the woods, that flipped one. Lucky for him he landed between two large rocks and the quad ended up on the rocks above him. He was up at Windrock at the time.

I don't mess with them. My lucks not that good.

If your selling everything off for hookers and blow, I'd move to another city first. The pictures I've seen of the hookers in this town leave much to be desired.

Edited November 5, 2009 by Moped

[Guest cjr]

My worst nightmare is meds,My wife has MS and takes Copaxone injections every night along with other daily meds.

Other than that I have enough food,fuel,fire power,ammo,transportation motorized and non motorized,generators and water to last as long as need be.

If SHTF I would purchase or trade for all the meds I could get,when she started running out hopefully I could find someone that would trade for beef or what ever I had plenty of.If not,sad to say I would be one of those guys we all hate.

[molonlabetn]

My worst nightmare is meds,My wife has MS and takes Copaxone injections every night along with other daily meds.

Other than that I have enough food,fuel,fire power,ammo,transportation motorized and non motorized,generators and water to last as long as need be.

If SHTF I would purchase or trade for all the meds I could get,when she started running out hopefully I could find someone that would trade for beef or what ever I had plenty of.If not,sad to say I would be one of those guys we all hate.

I'm not a DR at all... but just knowing the chemical makup of copaxone as primarily a polymer of 4 essential and non essential amino acids, which are readily available seperately as OTC supplements, it would possibly behoove you to consider researching and stocking up on those in lieu of a perscription shortage...

Lysine

Glutamic Acid

Alanine

Tyrosine

Take that for what it's worth... but there are always alternatives. I feel for ya though, and would be right there with ya as far as doing whatever is necessary to ensure the well-being of loved ones.

[Guest SUNTZU]

My worst nightmare is meds,My wife has MS and takes Copaxone injections every night along with other daily meds.

Other than that I have enough food,fuel,fire power,ammo,transportation motorized and non motorized,generators and water to last as long as need be.

If SHTF I would purchase or trade for all the meds I could get,when she started running out hopefully I could find someone that would trade for beef or what ever I had plenty of.If not,sad to say I would be one of those guys we all hate.

I'm not a DR at all... but just knowing the chemical makup of copaxone as primarily a polymer of 4 essential and non essential amino acids, which are readily available seperately as OTC supplements, it would possibly behoove you to consider researching and stocking up on those in lieu of a perscription shortage...

Lysine

Glutamic Acid

Alanine

Tyrosine

Take that for what it's worth... but there are always alternatives. I feel for ya though, and would be right there with ya as far as doing whatever is necessary to ensure the well-being of loved ones.

My mother has MS. I agree with cjr and appreciate the nudge in the right direction molonlabetn. Much obliged.

[Guest KarlS]

I guess cjr has a good point. Up until he brought up medication I had never given it a thought. Both myself and my wife take daily medications and would become very ill without them. More brain racking! I wonder about getting prescriptions from Canada? It only makes sense that every pharmacy here will be hit. This is a serious thought. I concievably could be prepared and survive for the long haul but without medication it's all meaningless.

[Guest Drewsett]

My family has land on a river up in the ozarks. The house backs up to a 100 foot bluff and is only approachable from two sides, both of which can be easily cleared of brush to create a rather efficient kill zone. Game is plentiful, fish are plentiful, the only problem is the soil is rocky so crops would be difficult. There are over 20 springs with clean water withing hiking distance...if the SHTF, that's where I'm going.

I would be more worried about stockpiling trade goods...precious metals, equipment to produce goods, and foodstuffs (mainly seeds and canned goods) would be my first priorities, but ammunition and fuel would be right up there as well.

Edited November 6, 2009 by Drewsett

[Guest 22-rimfire]

I see the significant dependance on meds of various kinds as one of the most troubling aspects of a true "fan" scenarios. My wife takes various meds and I don't know how she would do if access just stopped overnight.

I saw on the news that Hwy 64 (Ocoee River area) is closed due to rock slides as is I-40 going though the mountains toward Ashville from Tennessee. Might make the exidus to the Blue Ridge a bit of a problem if it happened right now. Those roads would never get cleared in a long term fan scenario. cleared.

Edited November 20, 2009 by 22-rimfire