Home Survivalist Tutorials Bug Out Bag 101 – Building The Ultimate Bug Out Bag Bug Out Plan: Prepping Without a Bug Out Plan is Not Prepping

Bug Out Plan: Prepping Without a Bug Out Plan is Not Prepping

Why Develop a Bug Out Plan?

Are you are a prepper? Great! Do you have a bug out plan, or very strong bug-in plan? If not, you are basically wasting your time prepping if an “end of the world as we know it” event happens.

This is a pretty strong statement, especially from a website that specializes in prepping. A statement in which I’m sure some people may disagree.

I used to be one of those preppers; the ones who simply had a few weapons and a semblance of an idea of how I’d bug out if I had to. However, in the blink of an eye, my mind was changed forever about prepping and bugging out.

The very fact that you’re reading this means that you are at least thinking about developing a bug out plan. If you haven’t already come this to this conclusion, I urge you to spend a few minutes reading through this short tutorial found at the bottom of this article.

At its conclusion you will at least have an idea of what to do if the worst happens, at best you will take our advice and spend some time developing a full blown bug out plan.

It all started when I was at my mom’s house for Thanksgiving a few years ago. It’s the one time of year that we are able to pull all branches of the family together for a few hours. Almost always, during these family events the subject turns to what I do for a living (I own this website and a few others that concentrate on prepping and bugging out).

It almost always begins with someone asking me for a website address to go to, or for me to give them a discount on prepping supplies. And it always ends up with someone telling me “if the SHTF they are most definitely coming to my house.” (I haven’t the heart to tell them that we won’t be there)

However, while having this conversation a few years ago, my neighbor said something to me that totally changed my attitude about prepping forever.

First let me tell ya, my neighbor is not the sharpest tool in the shed. In fact, bless his heart, he’s lacks the common sense God gave a dog, and that’s putting it mildly. Anyway, I was talking about prepping with my cousin and he looked at me and in a sarcastic voice said “I don’t worry about all that prepping and stuff.”

Which of course, left me obligated to tell him that he should at least put a 72 hour bug out plan together for him and his family. Just then, he cut me off mid-sentence, and what he said next changed my perspective about prepping forever.

He said “Why should I spend money on all that prepping crap? If the SHTF I’ll just shoot someone and take their shit.” When he said this I was taken back for a second because he was deadly serious and had actually given it forethought. He continued “why should I spend thousands on prepping stuff when I can spend a few bucks on ammo and hunt down a prepper?”

I was speechless. First because, he had said “shit” in front of his mother who basically lives at our Church, and keeps a bible on her key ring. Secondly, because I could not argue with his logic.

It is actually a semi-viable bug out plan, that is if you have a complete lack of morals and conscious.

Then I thought to myself “If my dim-witted neighbor came up with this idea, how many other people have come to the same conclusion?” Or, how many WILL come to this conclusion should the SHTF?”

Right now, think about the people that live near you; how many of those people do you think have prepared for a disaster? Not many at all. If the food supply chain was broken, and food was scarce, how long would it be before they come to your house asking for your help? How many would bother asking?

Regardless of your ability, or willingness, to help those around you, it’s highly likely that someone like my neighbor with his brutal bug out plan is going to eventually try to take your food storage and supplies, perhaps killing you and your family in the process.

Now think outside of your neighborhood to the closest large city. For example, we live in the North Georgia Mountains about 100 miles north of Atlanta. How long do you think it will take for the MILLIONS of people in these metropolitan areas to run out of food and start searching for new food sources?

The overwhelming majority of people in huge metropolitan areas have less than three days of food stored and no way to feed themselves, other than looting the local McDonalds or supermarkets.

Now, do the math. Allow 72 hours for the grocery stores to run out of food, and then maybe a week of looting restaurants and one another. Once these other sources are bare they will turn on each other, and then they are going to leave the city in search of food. We are talking about millions of displaced people that are roaming and seeking new food sources.

You may be thinking, “Well, I have guns and ammo, and I’m prepared to defend my house,” I don’t need a bug out plan. However, most people fail to grasp the enormity this situation. Imagine MILLIONS of people. That’s 12 football stadiums full of people for every million.

It’s proven that displaced people move in large groups when they are traveling.

Are you prepared to defend your home against 30, or 50 people who have weapons? Seriously, visualize it; If a group of thirty to fifty people descended on your house, armed or not, could you take out thirty people before they reached you and your family? Even a well armed family would have a problem taking down a mob of hungry people. Remember, these are people with nothing to lose, whose children have not eaten in days.

What if the shoe was on the other foot?

Imagine you and your family being a part of these displaced people who live in the city. What would you do? First you would get your family out of harm’s way by getting them out of the city that will be lawless and dangerous. Next, you would seek shelter, food and water.

How would you travel? Where would you go? You’d probably try to stay off the main highways and travel towards small towns and farms in the surrounding area. What would you do once you found a place that had food, water and shelter? You would look to feed your family, right? If you found someone or another family that had food, who would not share it with you, what wouldn’t you do to feed your child who hasn’t eaten in days?

This is why you need a bug out plan if you’re a prepper.

Tutorial Sections

Bug Out Plan: Provision Your Bug Out Bag for Inclement Weather

Bugout Profile: What are the weather realities? Let’s suppose that you live in a northern U.S. city and disaster strikes, say citywide riots, and you need to grab your bug out bag and get (far)
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How to Pack a Bug Out Bag: Beyond the Basics, Make it Personal

Addressing Your Personal Needs When You Pack a Bug Out Bag: When you begin to pack a bug out bag, you need to consider some personal needs, medicine for example, may be critical. Other items,
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Bug Out Plan: Your Bug Out Bag Dictates Your Bug Out Location

Bug Out Location: Where are you most likely to be should you need to bug out? It’s an important question, because it’s a big part of determining your bug out plan and survival strategy. A lot
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Bug Out Plan: Should I Have a Bug Out Vehicle?

Bug Out Vehicles? Wherever you are going, how will you get there? When disaster strikes, it’s a good bet many people think they can jump into their favorite petroleum fueled bug out vehicle and bug out. Not
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Bugout Plan: How Long do Bugout Bags Need to Last?

Planning Bugout Bags: How long will survival conditions continue? Most disasters don’t cause generalized survival conditions, bugout bags need to be planned accordingly. Their effects, though severe, are usually dangerous (a matter of life or
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