SHTF- Can you survive the winter?

Fall is here, winter will be setting in. This is the scenario: Nukes go off in several American cities. There in no power and no gasoline. Food shipments have stopped. No cell phone, no lanline phone, limited communications. Enemy forces possibly invading. Complete civil disorder, sheeple want what you have.

Can you make it through the winter? Do you have enough food for all family and friends that you expect to stay with you? Do you have enough fire wood or propane? Water source? Can you purify it? How about winter clothing and bedding for every family member? Guns and ammo. Do you have the means to hunt and defend yourselves from the masses of sheeple?

The reason I posted this is because I ask myself this question all the time. I have enough stored food and water for at least 3 months. This is for a family of 6. I plan on hunting to help supplement that. I definitley could use more
food. Enough fire wood for most of the winter. Two gas cans full for chainsaw if I should need more. Extra winter clothing of all sizes for the family. Sleeping bags for all. Bow for hunting and rifles and handguns for defense. Plenty of ammo, too. And of course all my military gear if I need to go into action.

Any majors things I've overlooked? Does everyone else have these preps in order? Winters coming and things are looking bad, pray and prepare.

i might suggest having a .22 for hunting as it will attract less attention to people who want your food

Roger that. Have .22 with 1200 rds and also a bow, both for silent hunting.

Yep. We hold an annual winter survival excersize along the Appalchian trail in January that will let you know a little of what to expect.

I had a real life SHTF a few years back, ice storm, shut us off from civilization for a few weeks and took out all the utilities. Did well but do wish I had more firewood on hand. The fresh cut stuff will burn but not nearly as well as seasoned.

There are innumerable lists and I have a lot of them saved. The main divider of equipment is home if you stay, vehicle if you are mobile and backpackable if you have to carry on your back.
It would be a tough decision as to whether you stay at home and become sheeple fodder or whether you high-tail it and have less stuff to get you by. Game is going to disappear in a hurry if there are other people around so kill it and smoke it quickly before the other rural people depelet the game supply. That means you would need salt which I do not have stored up. I would figure on a combination of Home for a while and then mobile or backpack when the hordes really get serious about looting for the basics like food and shelter and clothing. By then it might be impossible to load up everything in the behicle and head for the boonies. I have a feeling that, personally, I am going to make a lot of bad mistakes and blunders. I suppose the best answer is to have your little cabin nestled away in the woods and have it stocked (they probably broke in last week and stole and crapped on everything anyway) and head for there while you can still get there with mobile and everything but the kitchen sink with you.
I don't have the little cabin I just have my woods.

grasssnake, good points. I agree that it will be a tough decision to stay or go. I think the best bet is to stay at home as long as you possibly can. You don't want to head for the hills to early in the game, because you won't be able to take as much and survival will be much tougher. Plus once you leave you may not be able to reverse your decision and go back. I think alot of guys think they will just head for the hills and survive up their as long as needed, but obviously its not that simple. Especially during the winter months.

whats "sheeple"?

kabar, "sheeple", are the everyday joe's who don't pay attention to whats going on in the world and don't prepare for it. Basically 99% of the public.

thank you soldier11B

I like where I have my retreat, unfortunately more and more sheeple are moving "out to the country" and turning it into the "burbs". Fortunately there are also some "potential recruits" out here too.

Create your own power w/a generator, make your own fuel by distilling denatured alcohol... ( http://running_on_alcohol.tripod.com/ ), you do need to pick a generator that is convertable to run on alcohol fuels.

A one year supply of emergency rations will see you through to the next spring & harvest seasons. Then making sure that you have a good supply of planting seeds will keep you alive for the further times after that, suplimented with hunting and foraging and you and your's should do well. This needs to be researched, learned, and practiced now, before it means your life or death.

Using short wave radios and other types on radios w/rechargeable batts can help compensate for your comms needs, it's a good idea to equip your vehicle(s) with the same types of radios to help remain more moble, if need be.

Without being well armed, stocked with ammo, and trained to fight, can make you and your's just another type of "shopping store" for anyone that IS armed to take what you have stockpiled.

Hand tools like knives, shovels, axes, hammers, hatchets, saws, rope, wire, tarps and sheeting, flex-tubing & hard-pipe, chisels, etc, etc, can get you through nearly anything a hard winter can through at you and your's by making or making do with what can be found or thought of to fill most of your survival needs.

Don't forget maps, compasses, and seaching-out safer locations for you and your's to possibly relocate to if the area you are in now becomes unworkable or unsecureable. Also, meeting place that can be pre-selected if everyone isn't together when something comes down if everyone has to move/relocate. Medical and First Aid supplies are a must too.

Stashes and cashes in relating areas also is a good idea, if for no other reasons than "Just in Case".

IHTH

Michael

I have always said that if the SHTF was a man (Fuds)induced event.... it will happen during the winter months. My gut and brain tell me this is a certainty.

I know they think that it happening in the cold weather will keep a whole lot of the population in place. They do not want anyone running around trying to get to safer sancuaries.

So have what it takes to get through the first winter.... but have enough to get you through the second winter as well.

Good point Hawker, Nothing easier to control then a Frigid, Sick Populace Conditioned to Electricity and Creature Comforts in the middle o' winter , Sheeple we'll be Scramblin' to "Re-Location" camps,

I know that sound too Carries 2-3 times further with ice an Snow on the ground , something' to remember , Ive stocked up too on like 20 Tubes of them airborne Tablets , its Debateble if they really "kill" a cold , But ive had nothin' but Success with them so far and for the Nutritional Benefit (packed with vitamins) alone there worth it!
God Forbid ya' get Scurvy! or ya' could just get some pine needles and make some pine needle Tea , either way gotta get that Vitamin C

I was in a third world country and carelessly drank what turned out to be very untreated water. The "repurcussions" did not kick in until a full day after I stopped taking my Airborne tablets. I can't be sure, but I don't think that it was a cooincidence.

This is a excellent topic, dont have much to add, dunno if we would do well during cold months, these past recent winters has been what we call indian winters,not as cold, that sleeping bags and wearing warm cloth wouldnt take care of.

JB

To survive the winter, you had to be preparing all year. I should say if you want to be confortable. Canning food, making caches,storing fuel and wood supplies,thats if you'll be living in a cabin or a guide tent with a stove. a 6 month supply of fresh water and at least two pair of good winter boots, and many layers of protective clothr=es and supplies. ammo stock piles for hunting and ammo stock piles for protection. all you wilderness survival gear and you'll need to double this for every person with you. A man who is confortable with his ability to stay out in the field or the wilderness for long periods with automatically do better. In other words a person who hunts and trains for a life without the luxuries of today has a better chance in a survival situation. Your militia training will help you in all these areas, but a life in touch with the area you are intending to be in is invaluable. That goes for urban members also. You still need all the suviving gear plus a plan for your urban retreat, and an escape rout if it fails. urban members will also need the same abilities to survive out in the field, if they have escape the cities.

One suggestion, if your on a budget, try stocking up on the basics, beans, rice, wheat and double can every week you go shopping. this means that every time you go shopping, you buy double the canned goods you ordinarily buy. then place the doubles aside. Buy food you will EAT!! buy condements, wild foods and basic fare go down easier when combined with hot sauce catsup etc. if you have limited space, buy a metal cabinet from a garage sale (Salvation Army, thrift store, junk shop) and designate it your "preparedness cabinet" and use it for storing food water etc. If you live in an appartment, buy a woodstove anyway, and buy enough pipe to stick it out the window. take a piece of 3/4 inch plywood the size of your opened window and cut a hole in it. line it with sheet metal and fibrglass insulation. when you need it, stick the plywood in the window, hook up your little pot belly stove and use it. Just be sure to spread plywood over the area you will be placing your stove and put it up on blocks., some more fiberglass works good to make a fireproof backstop behind your stove. and BE CAREFUL. When not in use, put a table runner on the stove top, plug the hole and add some "rustic nicknacks" like a cast iron pot and a Cast steel iron. you can use these later.
If your going to Cache things, cache the basics. So many people I know who have caches have cashed thousands of rounds of ammo , guns and such. while thats good, add in such things as a durable boiling pot, an axe covered in old motoroil and cloth (which can be used to start your first fire. some Magnesium firestarters and some extra warm clothing in those space bags they advertize on tv.

Great suggestions Ridge Runner. Your cache maybe the only thing you have left.

Well fellas, The fan is running and the governments stomach is gurgling.We better get ready.

I almost spit my drink at my monitor when I read that line....too funny. I agree though, things aren't looking very promising.

Agreed, Im not likeing what Im seeing... Another suggestion is that you look into the Salvation Army Thrift Store for cloths too. and Im not just talking jackets here. alot of times you can find the old wool suit pants and such. they are usually in darker tones and will also give you the benifits of wool. you have to think this way in that scenario. how much do you spend on some whiz bang expensive wool pants for a cache when you can get similar performance from something for 2 bucks, if its too long,hem it or blouse it. the most important thing is to have stuff ready. look at things you have access to, both at home AND at work. figure out what can be improvised, scrounged, "appropriated" for your use should the fecal matter collide with the oscilating air director.