What makes a good BOL? Im such a newb

[Metrocruiser]

Hi,

We have begun to set our goal to be all ready to bug out somewhere by Dec 7, 2012
So far it looks like this:
1. Take belongings out of safe deposit box at bank and bury/secure it somewhere along with other precious sentimental/valuable/confidential document things we cannot take with us. Any tips how to mark the location in case we ever made it back but the landscape changed?
2. Turn off gas, electricity and water mains
3. Secure house and garage with plywood over all windows and doors. Have precut 3/4" plywood rectangles all marked for each window or doorway ready to go with about 1500 3inch deck screws and 2 sets of fully charged cordless 18v drills
4. Plenty of water and non perishable food stored in garage along with gas genny/tools/wb stove in case it is safe to come back home but still no power etc...
5. Prep BOV with BOBs for all family members and dog. 1 full gas tank + 25 gallons in 5 jerry cans. We have a full sized mid 2000 4x4 SUV with a full sized yakima warrior roof rack. I think I need another full size spare, a 12v air compressor and a patch kit.
6. Find a good BOL............................................... .........................This is where we really need some help in order to plan fuel, time, weather conditions, water supply, shelter etc.

What determines a safe BOL? high ground, defendable, resources, community
What are your criterias
How to scout one out
Is joining some kind of like minded community a good idea
Is going it alone better? Our kids safety is the number one concern


We would love to hear what suggestions you all have. I have never seriously thought about this scenario until just recently and every day I get more intense with this project because I think its a good way to practice our lifestyle and I want my kids to learn an surpass me asap.

I really need help, my wife is supportive but is not really into it in body and mind.

How much ammo should I buy/bring in BOV to BOL, leave at home
How much fuel is enough.
How much water is enough when it is so heavy..........criteria for BOL to have fresh water supply.
Do I wash clothes in a 5 gal bucket with water soap and a stick.
Should I pack enough supplies for 3 days, 2 weeks, 30 days?
Do I treat all strangers we come across as hostile even if they come across as weak and helpless.
Are contacts or glasses better in the bush.
What 20 must have items does everyone need in their BOL, BOV and BOB
I hope this has not been discussed already..

Thanks and God bless

[rentprop1]

so I guess the first question is ...why do you want to leave your secure home with 4 walls and a good roof ??

[prepguide]

so I guess the first question is ...why do you want to leave your secure home with 4 walls and a good roof ??

Have to agree with RP on that one. If there isn't a compelling to leave your home then why do it?

[Metrocruiser]

Hey rentprop1,

Yes, I would rather stay at home but if it ever came to push, shove and looting. My wife and I could not defend 360 degrees 24/7. or mandatory evac, So bugging out is a major player in our back up safety plan.

We would love to find a place that would work as a BOL and a sumertime camping site as well :)

[helomech]

I have stayed during many (about 20) mandatory evacuations. You don't have to leave, but if you leave you can't come back until they allow you to. Well unless you have a way around their barricade.

I basically live at my BOL, and nothing short of wild fires would make me leave on my own power.

[Metrocruiser]

Hi Helomech, it sounds like you may be a single guy. My family is more important than property. Property is just possessions that can usually be replaced. If I was a lone man everything would be different for me. I was thinking to build a shelter underground on our property but it was sorta explained to me that it could be a death trap. So I am looking at all options to keep everyone together and safe.

[mitunnelrat]

I'm of the "get a home where I'd like to bug out to" persuasion myself, but I also have multiple BO options now if the need ever arises. A technique I read years ago for selecting a BOL recommends starting with a state (provincial for you I see. I'll try to post conversions and such as I present the information for everyone) road map, and I found it to be a good reference point.

The first thing it recommends is making radius lines 100 miles (160 km) out from all of the major cities. That's not always possible though, so if you need your BOL to stay in the same state (province) you reside in you may have to adjust accordingly. As an example I ran this exercise for the state of TN, and it appears to be a physical impossibility due to the state's shape and cities locations within it. Anyway...

Once you've determined what areas fall outside of those radius lines, draw 50 (80 km) mile radius lines around the next largest cities. There's a good chance by now you'll have eliminated large swaths of land as potential BOL locations, at least for those of us in much of the eastern US, so you'll focus on what's left, and reduce it even further! The protocol cited eliminating any area within 25 miles of an interstate (or equivalent) highway.

Once that's done, look for areas 10 (16km) miles away from large towns. 5 (8 km) miles from small towns, and (3.2 km) miles off any paved road.

I was actually surprised how much area that still left available in MI, but I further reduced that by requiring a hospital within 20 (32 km) miles. My theory being I'm more likely to experience a personal medical emergency as a shtf scenario than I am to be running and hiding from hordes of crazy people.

Finding property you can buy and develop will be much better than trying to squat elsewhere. Either the owner will likely take exception to you squatting or (in the case of public land) other people will know of it as well and be thinking it looks good for themselves.

Also, renewable resources in water and heat are must haves so eliminate any areas that can't provide you that without power or a grid structure, that latter (heat) especially so in colder climates. It might be a good idea to check an area in all of the various seasons to see what happens. Will that awesome spring time creek that's overrunning its banks be there in the heat of summer? Will the terrain allow you to harvest/ collect resources in the cold and slick conditions of winter?

And... I just lost my train of thought. I'll come back to this when something else comes to mind, but this should give you a good start.

[Metrocruiser]

Hi mitunnelrat

Yes!! I am most definately liking your post. I am anxious to get started now and I appreciate the time you took to post it for all of us.

[rentprop1]

can you tell us a little more about your situation, helomech and mitunnelrat make 2 very excellent comments :

1. I basically live at my BOL, and nothing short of wild fires would make me leave on my own power.
2. Finding property you can buy and develop will be much better than trying to squat elsewhere. Either the owner will likely take exception to you squatting or (in the case of public land) other people will know of it as well and be thinking it looks good for themselves

I know a lot of folks who live in the city have a thought that they will just drive a couple of hours to the nice big wooded area move in - set up .......I'm gonna be brutally honest, but what makes you think you would be safer doing that, why wouldn't the folks in the rural or mountain area just kill you and take your stuff, like you are assuming if it ever came to push, shove and looting ( your words ) ............ have you thought of any security......... having a nice BOL a great bug out plan, a ton of food and water, and a super BOV will not do you any good if you can't defend it.

A lot of folks think they have to leave ( bug out ) when in reality , shelter in place is usually the best option

[helomech]

Hi Helomech, it sounds like you may be a single guy. My family is more important than property. Property is just possessions that can usually be replaced. If I was a lone man everything would be different for me. I was thinking to build a shelter underground on our property but it was sorta explained to me that it could be a death trap. So I am looking at all options to keep everyone together and safe.

Nope, wife and 2 kids. Mandatory evacuation is not necessarily a life threatening situation. Being prepared is what it is all about.

[The Stig]

3. Secure house and garage with plywood over all windows and doors. Have precut 3/4" plywood rectangles all marked for each window or doorway ready to go with about 1500 3inch deck screws and 2 sets of fully charged cordless 18v drills

If you are facing an event so catastrophic that you are forced to leave your home, why are you investing energy into boarding it up? If it's that bad, go. People are going to defeat your plywood if they really want to get in.


4. Plenty of water and non perishable food stored in garage along with gas genny/tools/wb stove in case it is safe to come back home but still no power etc... If the event is so short in duration that there's a chance you could return, then I'm wondering about your thought process of why you'd leave in the first place?

"Bugging out" places you in the most amount of danger, at the worst possible time, with the least amount of information about what is likely to be a rapidly changing situation.

Now, only you can make a decision on whether "bugging out" makes sense. I'd take some time to consider the WHY of bugging out before the HOW. Why would you leave? What sort of event would cause you to leave? Is being somewhere else safer than where you are now? What is being accomplished by leaving?

I'm not sharing that to suggest you shouldn't leave....I'm just suggesting that you want to consider the reasons for leaving first. SHTF is not one singular type of event. It's not just some sort of cataclysmic spontaneous meltdown that develops nationwide over your lunch hour. SHTF events can be anything from mildly annoying to catastrophic societal meltdown. You should probably define what sorts of events would prompt you to leave your current home. Would a tornado? How about 3 days of civil unrest protesting an unpopular court ruling in a high-profile case? How about race riots? Chemical spill? Forrest fire? Pandemic outbreak? Blizzard?

All of those events are different with different challenges and threats. Thus, you should plan for each accordingly. Some of them might prompt you to seek safety elsewhere, some might not.


Should I pack enough supplies for 3 days, 2 weeks, 30 days?

Depends on the nature of your SHTF event. None of us have a crystal ball so it's impossible to answer this. You have to make a decision based on what is reasonable given your plans and financial budget.


Do I treat all strangers we come across as hostile even if they come across as weak and helpless. Anything short of total societal collapse that thrusts us back to the stone-age and there is zero chance of law & order being restored, you will be charged with some sort of crime if you randomly smoke someone because they looked shifty. This is one of the many reasons that you need to define your personal SHTF events and how they will effect things in your area. Getting arrested and thrown in jail is not a viable long term strategy for the safety of your family.


I hope this has not been discussed already..


In many ways it has. There are a lot of good threads that touch on the questions you've asked. Keep reading the site and many of your questions will likely be addressed along the way.

That said, I'm glad you posted and have begun to explore the subject. Hope the discussion that stems from it is helpful for you to continue to refine and strengthen your plans.

[The Stig]

can you tell us a little more about your situation?

Excellent question rent.

Metro, we don't need to know your bank account numbers but a little more information about your family situation, general location (urban? rural?), physical limitations, skill sets, etc would be helpful so we can give relevant advice.

[The Stig]

can you tell us a little more about your situation, helomech and mitunnelrat make 2 very excellent comments :

1. I basically live at my BOL, and nothing short of wild fires would make me leave on my own power.
2. Finding property you can buy and develop will be much better than trying to squat elsewhere. Either the owner will likely take exception to you squatting or (in the case of public land) other people will know of it as well and be thinking it looks good for themselves

I know a lot of folks who live in the city have a thought that they will just drive a couple of hours to the nice big wooded area move in - set up .......I'm gonna be brutally honest, but what makes you think you would be safer doing that, why wouldn't the folks in the rural or mountain area just kill you and take your stuff, like you are assuming if it ever came to push, shove and looting ( your words ) ............ have you thought of any security......... having a nice BOL a great bug out plan, a ton of food and water, and a super BOV will not do you any good if you can't defend it.

A lot of folks think they have to leave ( bug out ) when in reality , shelter in place is usually the best option

Another excellent point.

Further, if you have a dedicated BOL location away from your home, how do you secure it when you aren't there? If you think nobody will find a small structure in the middle of nowhere you are likely mistaken. And wouldn't it be horrible to drive several hours in a panic only to find your BOL cabin had been ransacked and all of your carefully acquired preps stored there were gone?

Again Metro, not trying to dissuade you from "bugging out" as one of many options in a well thought out and comprehensive prepping plan, however, there are many considerations one must make to give yourself a fighting chance in unfortunate event you're forced to go there.

I'm glad you are asking the questions and spurring the discussion. Too many people think they'll load up the family truckster and head out into the woods if "something bad happens". It's idiotic.

[helomech]

I'm glad you are asking the questions and spurring the discussion. Too many people think they'll load up the family truckster and head out into the woods if "something bad happens". It's idiotic.

True, I also find it funny that people think they will hunt deer and hogs if a major SHTF event. Heck even during the depression the deer herd was devastated.

[mitunnelrat]

Not to mention hunting isn't always as easy as Sniper-T makes it seem! lol


I've been out more for this season than I have in the past 3 combined, and I've been lucky to even see anything, let along get a shot at it.

Part of that is location, I know, but still. The deer herd here is so large its at nuisance levels.

[Sniper-T]

Another Canadian on board... Welcome Metro!

I can understand your desire to bug out. A good friend of mine lives in downtown Toronto, and if SHTF, the first thing he is doing is getting the hell out of Dodge. He's got a BOL, moderately stocked, but more impportantly, he's got it set up for restocking. (Heirloom seeds, hand tools, etc).

But for me, Unless a wildfire is imminent, or something of the ilk, I will be bugging in to my home for the duration. I too am working to making it, and us self sufficient.

[Metrocruiser]

Hello everyone
Im sorry to start this thread and not reply to it. The info.posted is awesome and i appreciate everyone's feedback. My 2 sons both have had high fevers since last week. I hate dosing them with antibiotics which the Dr rxed for both of them so its been good old fashioned wet towling all night long..Im beat..
As soon as they recover i will Get right back into my bol research.

[greg48]

i'd say a good plan includes both stay and defend as well as flight.
a plan should include alot of what if's...what if i am not at home and travelling? what if the event [tornado, flood etc...] destroys my home. a bag to get me home. a plan should also include a couple or three alternative destinations in case home is compromised. maybe cache some ammo and a couple wpns some where in the back yard, buried. my daughter lives in st louis, we have established a route for her getting home in the event of some shtf event. we carry bags in our vehicles that could get us home as well as sustain us in place for at least a week.

[Metrocruiser]

can you tell us a little more about your situation, helomech and mitunnelrat make 2 very excellent comments :

1. I basically live at my BOL, and nothing short of wild fires would make me leave on my own power.
2. Finding property you can buy and develop will be much better than trying to squat elsewhere. Either the owner will likely take exception to you squatting or (in the case of public land) other people will know of it as well and be thinking it looks good for themselves

I know a lot of folks who live in the city have a thought that they will just drive a couple of hours to the nice big wooded area move in - set up .......I'm gonna be brutally honest, but what makes you think you would be safer doing that, why wouldn't the folks in the rural or mountain area just kill you and take your stuff, like you are assuming if it ever came to push, shove and looting ( your words ) ............ have you thought of any security......... having a nice BOL a great bug out plan, a ton of food and water, and a super BOV will not do you any good if you can't defend it.

A lot of folks think they have to leave ( bug out ) when in reality , shelter in place is usually the best option

Hi rentprop1,

We are city ppl from a fairly large metropolis 3+ million. Our primary residence is less than a 10 mins walk of one of the larger malls in the pacific north west. We have a lot of windows.

We have been sorta looking for a recreational acreage for the past 5 years but didn't really have solid criteria to base our search upon. Im glad to have found this community of knowledgeable and helpful people, now we will have a much better foundation to build and plan upon.

We hope to find a location in a sparsely populated area, we would also try to become part of the community to get to know everyone better and know who would be receptive to reciprocate and who would be likely to be a raider if any SHTF.

[Metrocruiser]

Excellent question rent.

Metro, we don't need to know your bank account numbers but a little more information about your family situation, general location (urban? rural?), physical limitations, skill sets, etc would be helpful so we can give relevant advice.

Hi Stig,

No survival training, but have done scouts and lived a camping offroad lifestyle for 10 years or so in my younger days. Love guns, just finished my course last night, now I have to wait 28 days before I get approved to purchase handguns. Any suggestions are very welcome. Im thinking to try to find a savage 22lr/410 survival rifle. Or the M6 airforce issued rifle.
Im a very handy DIYer, reno'd a few homes to flip and I can dilligently handle most issues in my own home, like carpentry, roof, electrical, plumbing, cement, security systems and surveillance.
Physical limitations....age.
I am trying to learn as much as possible everyday now, about survival skills, bugging out, planning and options. Wife is giving me shit for not getting other work done.
Once I find a nice BOL, hopefully it will have a large front door because I am gonna park a cannon there :)

[Sniper-T]

I LOVE front door cannons!
*sniper is jealous*