Category: Survival Mindset

A Tactical Plan for Surviving Major Disaster in the North American Suburbs, by A.M. – Part 2

Water Water is essential. In Minnesota, water is not an issue. After all, this is the “Land of 10,000 Lakes”. Every Minnesotan is within walking distance of a lake, pond, stream, or river– everyone. In the spring and summer, we get adequate rainfall. In the winter, we are blanketed in snow and ice. As if that isn’t enough, most of our forests are deciduous, which means we can use plastic bags to collect respiration (water) from those leafy plants while the leaves are green. Before you all change your bug out plans to include “running to Minnesota”, remember that we …


A Tactical Plan for Surviving Major Disaster in the North American Suburbs, by A.M. – Part 1

How would you survive a long-term disaster situation? I am talking about the worst case scenario– gangs of marauders, hungry people fleeing the cities, and/or soldiers storming through neighborhoods with no electricity, no grocery stores, no water, and no heat. The lead recommendation in this scenario is to bug out to a rural area. Ideally, you would own a self-sustaining property away from the population masses and get there before the chaos begins. Many people will attempt this approach. People from the urban areas will spread out toward the suburbs and ultimately to the rural areas. Those who are fleeing …


The Dead Don’t Bury Themselves, by M.R.

Let me be honest. Writing this was not pleasant. Researching the information on death and burial and reviewing what I already knew was depressing, to say the least. The topic of death is one that the living naturally try to avoid, but if any group understands that avoiding reality does not remove it from our lives, it is the peppers/survivalists. Modern management of death has removed the need to know from our current lives. A SHTF experience can quickly remove those modern death management services. I’m a grey-headed, stiff-jointed prepper, who is at that age when loved ones and friends …


The Prepping Fatigue and Dilemmas of a Middle-aged Housewife, by P.C.

I have often wondered how much I might have achieved if my personal circumstances had been different. By different, I mean better, in the sense of having the freedom to make better decisions about preparing for the future, whatever it might hold. I imagine myself as a fit, 50-something woman with a knowledge of bush craft, a seasoned firearms expert able to hit targets on the run, and a keen homesteader with full expertise in herbal medicine and food storage. I would be the ‘’head honcho”, leader of the pack, with sound plans for neighborhood defense, communications, and top notch …


Two Letters Re: The Weakness in Your Defense Plans

HJL, I want to say thank you to T.S. Your article helped reinforce the attitude I had to re-condition myself and the way I see and think. I completely understand because that is precisely what I had to do when I finally purchased a gun. That was five years ago. Further back in time (I am in my 50’s now), I worked in a retail store that sold pellet handguns. Once, alone in the back stock room I took one out of the box. The feel of the gun, the weight, and that sense of power was kind of exciting. …


The Hidden Weakness In Your Defense Plans, by T.S. – Part 2

There are two tried, proven, and scientifically-documented ways to program the unconscious mind. Any professional or Olympic athlete will tell you that visualization works. If you watch winter Olympics downhill skiers stand at the top of their run, they are moving their bodies imagining the run as they want it before they even start. This programs the unconscious to see the same picture that the conscious imagines, and when the two work together amazing results follow. The other way to reprogram the unconscious mind is also well known and documented, though few have applied that knowledge to shooting; it’s positive …


The Hidden Weakness In Your Defense Plans, by T.S. -Part 1

The mental and emotional considerations of using lethal force to protect your home and loved ones after TEOTWAWKI is not going to be as easy, as you have imagined it. By way of introduction, I am a retired street cop who spent his entire career on the streets of a gang-infested neighborhood in a large, inner city. I have shot people, though none died. On several occasions, I was myself shot at, and I was hit once. I want to share my thoughts and experiences with you, lest you have naïve and unrealistic ideas, which will prove counterproductive, at best, …


Letter Re: Lessons Learned While Living in San Francisco

HJL, After reading this article, I was terribly, terribly incensed at SFPD/OPD. I am a former law enforcement officer from Southern California, and I now work in insurance, handling claims from the Bay Area. Stories like these are unfortunately very common (except for the heroic and dynamic recovery by the author). Hit and run, non-injury accidents, vandalism, and theft from vehicles are basically ignored. My professional advise is not to bother with calling the police unless a suspect is known. The fact that I have to give that advise upsets me to no end. It’s not hard to have good …


What Happens When A Spouse Dies? by JEH

In prepping, I never thought about my wife not being by my side. We have both come to believe that the world, as we know it, will evolve into a world where we do not belong. We both work to make our home happy and educate our child. We are paying for braces on her teeth, and we want the best for her. However, nine months ago, a close friend of ours was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. We saw a lady go from being a loving and caring wife, mother, and school teacher to a woman who fought …


Lessons Learned While Living in San Francisco, by JGD

I’m writing this as I wrap up my 18th year of living in San Francisco to outline a recent experience with crime in this city. Beneath the surface, this city has big problems. Above the surface, San Francisco is a beautiful city, and it’s a ton of fun to live here. There are thousands of things to do and amazing places to visit; you name it, and it’s here. I’ve got a great career and a beautiful, like-minded woman. I own my house and have a great sailboat and lots of friends. I could not be more blessed. Things just …


Be The Gray Man, by M.F.

Blending In for Survival One of the lesser-discussed survival topics, even among preppers, is the eventual need to go out into what’s left of the world after the fan turns brown. Most preppers focus on making preparations to survive the onslaught of unforeseeable calamities that are more than likely heading our way in the near future. While none of us can say for sure what exactly will happen to bring on a survival situation, we are all pretty sure that something wicked this way comes. Even non-preppers can “feel” that something is wrong. It doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to …


Eating That Preparedness Elephant, One Bite At a Time, by M.H.

It’s probably safe to assume that if you’re a regular reader of this blog and a follower of Mr. Rawles’ books and writings, you are no newbie prepper. I have been making a concerted effort to become prepared since Y2K, and I have bumped up my efforts in the past couple of years, as events have become more disconcerting; even so, I’m sure that compared to many of you fine folks I am just wet behind the ears. Based on what I have learned from Mr. Rawles’ books and others, my attendance at several Prepper Expo’s and participation with various …


Why You Should Build Community Before SHTF, by J.W.

Establishing a network of local contacts is imperative for long-term survival during and after SHTF. As survivalists and preppers, we take excruciating measures to prepare the tiniest details for what events might come. We read up on which ammo will pierce an engine block the best. We invest time choosing food-grade plastic in which to store kitchen staples, and we upgrade to the fanciest water-purification systems and run practice drills for if an intruder were to crash through our front door. Then, we debate those things on the Internet, because we as humans love to get lost in the details. …


Prepping for Prepping: Initiating the Uninitiated, by R.S.

If you are like many in the prepping community (not of the lone wolf variety), then you have developed or are working to develop a network of people with similar ideology regarding SHTF or TEOTWAWKI. We’ve been taught to believe that there is strength in numbers, and OPSEC aside, I tend to agree that surviving together beats surviving alone. In that case, you will inevitably need to reach out to people to build your network, and if you’ve had more than two if these conversations, I’m sure you’ve run into someone that either thinks you’re crazy or needs a great …


Getting Prepared, A Philosophical Perspective, by ShepherdFarmerGeek- Part 2

Yesterday, in Part 1, I talked about making choices, being informed, and how to deal with the “best case”. Now, let’s look at the worst case. Worst Case So there’s the best case– a wholesale economic collapse, which has, actually, already begun. On the other hand, I think the worst case scenario would be some combination of: World economic collapse driven by people who want to cripple the United States so its Constitution and sovereignty can be overthrown, PLUS A human-engineered, actually-deadly viral pandemic and mandatory mass vaccination with actually-dangerous ingredients (thimerosol preservative and squalene adjuvant come to mind), resulting …