Spend any time watching the news right now, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that the end is nigh, and in reality, things are definitely changing.
From political upheaval and societal unrest to worries in the stock markets and an obvious climate emergency.
Many preppers are considering their next move, and for many people preparing for the worst, having a good bug-out location is paramount.
What Makes A Bug Out Location?
A bug-out location is simply a piece of real estate that you and your family will head to when the SHTF is a national or global SHTF or even a personal SHTF situation.
For most preppers, thinking about picking a bug out location, it’s usually a location in another part of the country; Maybe in the mountains away from coastal flooding, maybe somewhere in the middle of nowhere and close to your work, or perhaps it’s in a remote location, and you plan to live.
Whatever your reason for choosing this particular place, it needs to tick all the boxes.
If SHTF, then this is where you’re going, but when choosing such a place, some things need to be taken into consideration.
What Your Location Needs
Plenty Of Land
First and foremost, before you consider a location for your bug-out property, you need to make sure that there are many lands available.
It’s likely that the environmental impact of the world will be large enough to overwhelm any one area in a short space of time, so it’s only logical that you pick a property that has a good amount of land for you to turn your bug out location into a homestead if needed.
In most cases, when SHTF, the population will be in much lower numbers than before, and people would find it hard to find refuge in different areas without having to travel too far, which means a location in the middle of nowhere with no immediate neighbors will be an immediate advantage.
A Secure Perimeter
The security of your bug-out location is paramount; without it, you’ll be open to all kinds of threats.
You probably don’t want people coming in and trying to take what you have; If there are clear markings for your territory and organized perimeters, then it’s likely that this will happen.
You need to make sure that you have a strong fence with a lot of visible signs to deter people.
A Water Source
With the drought that is hitting the different parts of the world right now, acquiring water will be something that you’ll have to think about. One thing is for sure when SHTF, there will be no more running out of water, so it’s best to head out with plenty in your storage already.
You’ll need this for drinking, cleaning, cooking, and watering your plants. Having a good water source, or a sustainable rainwater collection system in place, is important to not just you but also to your animals.
Food And Shelter
Food and shelter are both essential accessories to a bug-out location.
If SHTF, then you will have to be self-sufficient from day one; otherwise, you risk death from starvation or dehydration. The amount of food that you store will depend on what you’re going to do with your bug-out location.
Some will use it as a temporary shelter while they build a permanent home elsewhere. If SHTF and the economy crash, food prices may go up, so bringing plenty of food -at least enough for you and your family for a full year- is best practice.
In A State With Good Gun Laws
If SHTF, then your bug-out location will probably end up being a defensive location, with the most likely situation being that you’ll have to fend off attacks from people or animals.
Having a means of protecting yourself is essential for survival. Most preppers are avid lovers of the 2nd amendment, and for a good reason, so your bug-out location will be no different.
Ensure you pick a state that is happy with either concealed carry or open carry and isn’t intent on changing those laws any time soon.
A Place To Build
Providing that you choose a relatively close property to your current residence, it’ll also be very easy to build a home the second time around, provided that you have the skills and materials.
Again, this will be key if SHTF and you want to build a homestead away from your current location for survival purposes.
If SHTF, then it’s very likely that you will have to protect your family from all kinds of threats. A good bug-out location doesn’t have to have a lot of room or be close to civilization; as long as it’s safe from animals and not too far from water, then this is all that matters.
Abundant Natural Resources
If SHTF, then a good bug-out location will have everything that you need to survive. Using this as a temporary location to build a home will be something that you’ll have to think about.
In most cases, building a house from scratch is hard work, especially if you’re not used to it, so having the option of building on top of an existing foundation is always advisable.
While land can sometimes be cheaper in some areas, it’s better to just buy a property that already has some kind of shelter built on it, and with the world becoming more crowded, this kind of property will be harder and harder to find.
The Ability To Be Off-Grid
In a true grid-down situation, you’ll need to have your own source of power.
Having your own generator that you can then use to power any electronics you may have and charge batteries or run lamps and appliances is important, but the noise may attract unwanted attention.
You’ll also need to grow whatever food you’ll need to prevent your storage from running out, and this is where prepping for SHTF will come in handy. Prepping for SHTF by buying seeds and other materials and storing them away is a great way to ensure that there’s always enough food on hand.
