transportation

[taoofme]

5 years of unregulated hunting, who's to say there'd be anything left. It does take a lot of time and there's no guarantee. I'm for hunting as a survival means but there are a lot of factors that have to be taken into consideration. domesticated meat is more efficient.

5 years of unregulated hunting would decimate herds. But you aren't taking into account losses of attrition; stupidity, piracy, criminal action or enterprise, riots, starvation, traps, bandits, lack of preparedness, "government intervention/ relocation/ internment"... All these factors would lower the population massively at five years in. Hell, most losses would be within the first six months to a year.

 

[jontte]

would say the first spike in fatalities could come as early as the first 2-4 weeks,no food to towns,most town people don't know anything abt hunting,I always compare my co-workers to me,right now have food for abt 4-5 months,they have mostly for 2-4 days food in fridge,with the mentality that when I need food,I just go and buy it, after 5 yrs,well no overpopulation

 

[taoofme]

A very reasonable prediction. And excellent points on food storage alone. I'd surmise that the food riots in the larger cities would contribute massively to most deaths in the first months of SHTF.

 

[jontte]

def,desperate people do stupid things,that's why I do everything to improve my preps,small things like how to fortify my door quickly, big towns turn into a killing field in no time at all

 

[Gazrok]

I imagine that in a true SHTF scenario, where folks knew things weren't coming back anytime soon....first, it would take a week to realize it. Second, after this first week, things will go to hell VERY quickly. By this time, folks have pretty much gone full blown animal, looting, killing, raping, etc. with the authorities holding their own for likely around a month, but still failing to protect anyone in outlying parts of cities.

Eventually (within 3 months), the city gangs will prove too powerful for the authorities. For about another 3 months, the gangs will drain the resources of the cities with relative impunity, so that 4-7 months post SHTF, they'll start to raid more and more outlying targets. Probably sticking to the Interstates and what they see from there. Fuel will be a problem likely within a month, so at 8 months past, any visitors we'll see (other than any previous stragglers from previous) will be on foot. It's those first months that will really present the most danger, starting after about two months. (so month 2-8).

 

[jontte]

so live far away from cities,your chances are better,if you prep!
and be ready to defend yours with any means neccesary

 

[Gazrok]

Yep, the "city" I'm miles from, is about 35,000 people, so not a very big city. I'm about 7 miles from the outside of the city. Most of the actual residential area of the city is even further from here.

 

[DBarry1973]

Diesel power would be the ticket for transportation if you don't want to be on horseback or bikes. Within months all the manufactured fuels wouldn't be worth using for Firestarter.

 

[Gazrok]

Within months all the manufactured fuels wouldn't be worth using for Firestarter.

You can use products like Stabil, etc. to refresh them though (but how many folks will realize that?), but yeah, my diesel truck, tractor, and generators should be good to go, and with the ability to use other fuels as well.

Though, we do have the horses also.... We'd probably use these for patrolling with the truck just when hauling something.

 

[DBarry1973]

That would be a lot of Stabil to stock up on.

 

[Gazrok]

Yep, or of course....loot. I plan to stock as much of certain things as I can afford to do, but identifying loot targets isn't a bad idea either, if everything has gone to hell. However, you have to do some risk assessment too.

Biggest looting targets:
FOOD - Grocery stores, discount stores, distribution centers, schools, hotels, restaurants, etc.
MEDICINE - Hospitals, clinics, Dr. offices, drug stores
WEAPONS - Discount stores, gun shops, sporting goods stores
CATCH-ALL - Discount stores, drug stores, convenience stores
GAS - Gas stations (though most won't realize how to get to it without power, or how it is stored, and requires mixing for most vehicles).

So, criteria for me has to include:
1. Has something we need or will need
2. Is relatively remote (meaning less competition), but close enough to be worth the expense in resources (fuel, etc.)
3. Isn't defended or being attacked (we see that, we go on to another target, not worth the risk)

So, you pick the CVS on the outskirts of town vs. one in the city. You pick a lone gas station off the Interstate, not one in town, etc.

You also don't want to do it while there is still law and order. Things have to be obviously going south. However, you also have to hit it before others get the same idea. My priority would be Medical first. Gas I can likely wait on. (I could even get it out of now useless power transformers if I have to, wonder how many folks will know that?).

 

[DBarry1973]

That's what's great about a diesel engine. The original design was ment to run on pent oil. I tired everything from fry grease to hydraulic fluid in an old mechanical Cummins and it ran great on everything.

 

[jimLE]

5 years of unregulated hunting, who's to say there'd be anything left. It does take a lot of time and there's no guarantee. I'm for hunting as a survival means but there are a lot of factors that have to be taken into consideration. domesticated meat is more efficient.

yeah domesticated meats is a great route to take,and to start out with..but its nice to put other meats on the table time 2 time.be it deer,rabbit,elk or some other meat..

 

[jimLE]

would say the first spike in fatalities could come as early as the first 2-4 weeks,no food to towns,most town people don't know anything abt hunting,I always compare my co-workers to me,right now have food for abt 4-5 months,they have mostly for 2-4 days food in fridge,with the mentality that when I need food,I just go and buy it, after 5 yrs,well no overpopulation

there's lots of folks that dont even know how to cook..so their one group of ppl that'll be disparate right off...

 

[jontte]

that's one thing I have never understod,can't cook?my dad and grandma thought me to cook,can't sew,well my grandma thaught that to me aswell,but what can you expect when you have your nose buried in the screen all day

 

[jimLE]

i started learning on how to cook at a early age..master chef im not by all means..but i can cook thoe.as for sewing goes.expert im not at that as well,but can sew well enough to get by,when it comes to what i do sew..

 

[jontte]

I learnt the basics in school for sewing and latermy grandma told me;boy you better learn to do these things 'cause you never know what your wife can do or can't

 

[Warriorhealer22]

Never discount what an individual can do when it needs to be done! Murphy is an equal opportunist.

 

[James Martin]

just my way of thinking .....after the shtf for 5yrs i think i should already be in our BOL and have the garden set in so why would i need
to a bug ot vehicle...if i do need to go somewhere i can walk there...just my 2 cents thanks james

 

[jimLE]

well james.i don't know the distance from where you're living now to your bol..but wouldn't it be faster and safer to drive that distance?especially if you have a vehicle that can go cross country if needed?