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Are there any preppers here on the mag?
- Thread starter coldcanna
- Start date
thank you, not many of those in my territory
does make sense now, from what i've heard the big uns aren't that tasty
brown_thumb
Active member
Yes and those huge wild pigs taste like shit. Trap the little ones and feed them corn for awhile to nullify that nasty wild meat taste. Then slaughter them while they're still young.
None of my plans revolve around being in the city. Once I'm out, I won't have to worry about food on acreage. Like someone mentioned before seed storage is priceless. Especially if you've been growing in your own climate and saving seeds from plants that are doing the best.
As far as guns go... a .22 might be the most useful all around. Ammo is light, its not too loud, doesn't obliterate game, can still take down a human if you're a good shot. I just picked up a Ruger 22/45 with a silencer. In a really shitty situation where people are killing each other for food or water this sort of outfit would be critical. I'd approach defending my property like I've done with grows with silent perimeter alarms. If you are outnumbered there is a way better chance you'll come out alive if you're able to quietly deal with people.
I'm not that worried that things will get that bad very quickly (2-3 years). It seems like a certainty that our quality of life will decline. A second major depression. I have a few old high school friends who still think middle eastern terrorists are the biggest threat to the U.S... pretty short sighted. Our mistreatment of the environment and rapid population growth is our undoing. Fact: a heat wave in 2003 killed maybe 70,000 people in Europe. The people who are most qualified to predict climate change (i.e. James Hansen) predict extinction within a few decades if we can't get off fossil fuels.
Which brings me to the types of plants you'd want to grow: drought tolerant. Cassava is my first though. Can't grow that in Oregon, whoops.
As far as guns go... a .22 might be the most useful all around. Ammo is light, its not too loud, doesn't obliterate game, can still take down a human if you're a good shot. I just picked up a Ruger 22/45 with a silencer. In a really shitty situation where people are killing each other for food or water this sort of outfit would be critical. I'd approach defending my property like I've done with grows with silent perimeter alarms. If you are outnumbered there is a way better chance you'll come out alive if you're able to quietly deal with people.
I'm not that worried that things will get that bad very quickly (2-3 years). It seems like a certainty that our quality of life will decline. A second major depression. I have a few old high school friends who still think middle eastern terrorists are the biggest threat to the U.S... pretty short sighted. Our mistreatment of the environment and rapid population growth is our undoing. Fact: a heat wave in 2003 killed maybe 70,000 people in Europe. The people who are most qualified to predict climate change (i.e. James Hansen) predict extinction within a few decades if we can't get off fossil fuels.
Which brings me to the types of plants you'd want to grow: drought tolerant. Cassava is my first though. Can't grow that in Oregon, whoops.
Goats and chickens are great, I know a lot of people that raise them and they are pretty easy to deal with. One thing that no one has mentioned is rabbit... I read somewhere that a single breeding male with 2 or 3 females on a good cycle can provide meat for a family of 4 all year. Plus they eat just about any greens you toss in their pen. If you raise the right types you can even have a great source of fur to make coats and hats. One thing already pointed out is that rabbits are too lean, so you must supplement additional fats to your diet but this can be done. I also speculate that rabbits raised in captivity would have a much higher fat content than wild ones.
Rabbits are a bit trickier than common conversation lets on sometimes. My gf works with them and they are some of the most commonly mistreated animals on the planet. They need grass, a lot of it and often. If their forage is too high in calcium they cannot regulate the amount they absorb like other mammals and end up getting stones. This will happen with spinach or kale and other high Ca forage. Orchard grass species don't have a lot of Ca so if you lives by a meadow that would be great. Don't get me wrong, they love alfalfa, apples, and other rich shit but if you want a healthy sustained population its best not to rely on plants other than what they were evolved to eat. Same can be said for human and sugar.
Edit: goats look to be a really good idea
Edit: goats look to be a really good idea
Stockpiling food, keeping rabbits or goats or hogs are all good ideas, but what about the people that didn't? People get desperate, and that's when people are the most dangerous.
I joked about taking your shit, but there will be people that will try to do just that. Likely roving bands of armed and hungry people. And the better you've prepared, and the more supplies you have, the bigger target you are.
So how do you handle that? We're now in basically a feudal state. Like minded people will band together. So you and your neighbors who have also accumulated supplies have joined forces, shared resources and attempted to fortify your position. Maybe you even trade with other fortified communities.
But you've got roving bands of hungry and ruthless people plotting, attacking and laying siege to your little communities. It's Medieval times all over again.
Without industry, things like bullets become scarce. Eventually you run out. You can reload, but those supplies won't last. Good luck trying to reproduce smokeless powder in a post apocalyptic society. Now you're down to bows, spears and knives.
Medieval times indeed.
I joked about taking your shit, but there will be people that will try to do just that. Likely roving bands of armed and hungry people. And the better you've prepared, and the more supplies you have, the bigger target you are.
So how do you handle that? We're now in basically a feudal state. Like minded people will band together. So you and your neighbors who have also accumulated supplies have joined forces, shared resources and attempted to fortify your position. Maybe you even trade with other fortified communities.
But you've got roving bands of hungry and ruthless people plotting, attacking and laying siege to your little communities. It's Medieval times all over again.
Without industry, things like bullets become scarce. Eventually you run out. You can reload, but those supplies won't last. Good luck trying to reproduce smokeless powder in a post apocalyptic society. Now you're down to bows, spears and knives.
Medieval times indeed.
Walking dead is introducing a lot of people to those concepts now.
I'm sitting on a good amount of ammo. I'm going to nitrogen seal even more. But if that runs out, bush skills are handy. This guy has great instructional videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLoukoBs8TE
Keeping animals does seem like a big security issue. Hunting game allows you to not have to worry about someone stealing your meat. I think becoming a better hunter might be more valuable than learning about animal husbandry at this point.
I'm sitting on a good amount of ammo. I'm going to nitrogen seal even more. But if that runs out, bush skills are handy. This guy has great instructional videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLoukoBs8TE
Keeping animals does seem like a big security issue. Hunting game allows you to not have to worry about someone stealing your meat. I think becoming a better hunter might be more valuable than learning about animal husbandry at this point.
I'm thinking that being semi-nomadic, moving around and taking advantage of seasonal resources is the ticket. Staying close to the coast would allow me to take advantage of things like fish and shellfish, while still being able to move inland for game and wild edibles.
Small caches of food and supplies spread over a given area are easier to hide than a farmstead. And if someone stumbles on a cache, they haven't found everything you have.
Switching over to a crossbow or bow makes a lot of sense. Snares and traps are silent. Gunshots attract unwanted attention.
Small caches of food and supplies spread over a given area are easier to hide than a farmstead. And if someone stumbles on a cache, they haven't found everything you have.
Switching over to a crossbow or bow makes a lot of sense. Snares and traps are silent. Gunshots attract unwanted attention.
Green Squall
Well-known member
One of my favorite prepping products. 33lbs of hard white wheat for only $32.50 and the shipping is cheap. You get 6 #10 cans in a case. And no I'm not Mormon. It's just a killer deal IMO.
You can cook it as it or grind it into whole wheat flour. Very nutritious stuff.
https://store.lds.org/webapp/wcs/st...7_3074457345616706370_-1__3074457345616897722
You can cook it as it or grind it into whole wheat flour. Very nutritious stuff.
https://store.lds.org/webapp/wcs/st...7_3074457345616706370_-1__3074457345616897722
atk7
Active member
One thing not mentioned yet is,,do you have a plan ? If shtf does your family or close friends have a primary and secondary meeting place agreed on ? The secondary is in case the primary is not accessible. And ways to communicate like a message drop location where you can leave a message if you are separated and can't wait around for any number of reasons. One of our strengths as a species is we are pack animals and are more successful as a family unit. The ability to bring the pack together and operate as a unit can make a huge difference.
HerBnGorE(illa)
Member
Another useful item to have in your arsenal that hasnt been mentioned is activated carbon. So many uses from filtering air and water to neutralizing chemical reactions.
We would all have to watch out for semi-nomadic 'Lone Wolf' WelderDan types....lol
I would rather form a small militia, dig in, build a fort, and have recon groups going out on scavenging trips, build a mine field around the place, and have armed observation towers with sentries.
That way we could build a community, and protect the women and children.
brown_thumb
Active member
Guys, you talk as if a post apocalyptic world is worth living in. If it gets truly that bad then I'll take my own exit, on my own time, by my own means.
"The Road"
"The Road"
Well yeah brown thumb, if it's global-thermo-nuclear warfare....then all of us are pretty much toast, so none of this 'prepping' will matter.
brown_thumb
Active member
Yeah, I know... a total economic collapse is survivable by most. It makes sense to be prepared for something like that. I do keep some water and food on hand. I just don't take it as seriously as I did because I'm alone and have health issues. If I was young and had a family to protect I'd be far better prepared.
Guns may sound really nice initially to have but when you run out of bullet you're screwed.
Which is why I mentioned an axe early on. The back end can be used like a hammer also.
A katana or two, crossbow, assortment of knives, hand tools, snare wire, animal traps,
a few magnifying glass for starting fires when my matches run out,etc.
Oh yeah, I would be remiss not to include my trusty 22oz Eastwing Hammer. Can't be Canadian without a hammer.
Which is why I mentioned an axe early on. The back end can be used like a hammer also.
A katana or two, crossbow, assortment of knives, hand tools, snare wire, animal traps,
a few magnifying glass for starting fires when my matches run out,etc.
Oh yeah, I would be remiss not to include my trusty 22oz Eastwing Hammer. Can't be Canadian without a hammer.
brown_thumb
Active member
Guns may sound really nice initially to have but when you run out of bullet you're screwed.
Which is why I mentioned an axe early on. The back end can be used like a hammer also.
A katana or two, crossbow, assortment of knives, hand tools, snare wire, animal traps,
a few magnifying glass for starting fires when my matches run out,etc.
Oh yeah, I would be remiss not to include my trusty 22oz Eastwing Hammer. Can't be Canadian without a hammer.
I have at least 2000 rounds of ammo in the calibers of firearms I still own (9mm Luger, .40 S&W and 12ga). I have tons of other common/popular calibers stashed away for trade. Regarding ammo, I'm fairly well prepared but this is only because selling it is a bit of a PITA. I moved to a rural area about five years ago so the closest UPS main facility is a 2 hour round trip from me and that is cost/time prohibitive selling ammo online. Had ammo been easier to sell, I surely would have to survive after I could no longer work. Anyway... ammo I have PLENTY of.
About a year ago, I sold more than 18,000 rounds of various .22LR ammo to a local pawn shop because I needed the funds and they offered a little more than I paid for it because, at the time, .22LR was very difficult to find.
It doesn't matter how much ammo you have.
Only a ninja can stop a ninja.
Having seeds that can build soil fertility are a must.
Rye seeds,clovers,hairy vetch, etc. will be valuable.
Clovers and hairy vetch can fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil.
