Reconnaissance ( Recce / Recon)

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BillMasen

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Just wondering how many of you folks do active reconnaissance of the area around you homes, retreats, BOLs etc, especially during and after crisise like the type we are going through now? Urban and Rural.

If you do is it on foot, vehicular or horse based

How far from your homestead / house / base do you patrol and roughly at what frequency?

Is there anything APART from intruders you watch out for?

Do you keep a written log of patrols to compare with older entries to see if anything has changed.

What TIPS or GOOD habits have you picked up for youre scouting missions?

I'm desperate to learn how folks in different countries carry out recon / recce??

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There is literally nothing to see here. What am I looking for? A person walking down the street? Yes it happens, but very rarely now. Let's see, yesterday on my "reconnaissance stroll" around the neighborhood I passed one girl walking her dog and a group of three middle aged bikers. The girl wasn't even on our street.

Back yards are fenced. Wandering around behind houses would take too much effort and involve too much risk.
 
So on a Recce ramble a week or so ago I found TWO useful things, (1) The council has ordered the demolition of a row of old garages to make way for housing, They are now officially empty and the doors are hanging off. my mate and I found 1 x ten inch Engineers vice, slightly rusty on the floor of one unit , its now mine, and my mate found a small anvil in another, he is into tin and copper smithing arty things so he is now the proud owner of the anvil. The other thing discovered is a small overgrown pond that was I believe a secondary stock pond for the local fish keeping club who have closed down. The Original pond is long gone and overgrown / filled in but this secondary pond is still about 4 ft deep in the middle and has a healthy stock of what I think are carp. Fresh protein :), I checked Google earth and the pond is to obscure from the surrounding marshy area to be seen. I like Reccies :) I also found empty 12g shotgun shells just off the footpath not 500 yards from my house, that is a concern for the future.

Recce / Recon can be fun as well as informative.
 
like to walk from work to home,and I try to vary which route I take,just to be up to date,where are new constructions,road works etc, it's been much new
as they are doing the ground works for a new light rail system near me, paths are cut off,old routs closed,well in a tight spot it's just jumping some fences to be able to move.
it also provides me an opportunity to look for possible places to hide if needed.

rely on my detaild map from the army,that somehow,I forgot to give back ;) bloody accurate map of the area I live in.
 
Did walks to improve my health and to learn the "Neighborhood". Economic, racial, social and of course access and exit routes. It did not improve my health, lungs still are toast but I do know what and whom surrounds me. I also did a google earth search. The pictures are many years old but it does provide good roof top views. It always pays to know your surroundings. The lock down of course hamper scouting trips. There are many paths that are not traveled by folks but it would be nearly impossible to transport a load of supplies. Sand and underbrush, no vehicle access.
 
DrHenley said:
Today's reconnaissance observations:

Suspicious individuals: 0
Total Pedestrians: 0
Total Bikers: 0
Total people seen on the ground: 1 (Neighbor getting something out of his truck)
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Sounds like my neck of the woods. Do cows count?
 
Not much human action around where I live but I take the dogs out in the fields and forests and along the lanes. Normally I am just scouting for hideout spots and wild food locations. I had planned on doing a 3 day/overnight walk from the nearest city back to my home in the summer but this is now looking unlikely.
 
Never considered it recon, just getting to know my surroundings and area. For a few years I’ve been printing each section of the tax record overviews. Shows the size and shape of the land as well as any ponds, lakes, streams or buildings on them. Along with that I have the owners names. For people closer to me...within a couple of miles, I’ve personally noted their autos and house members. Written it all down. Also keep up with any trouble makers and such through fellow neighbors and restaurant/bar, salons, grocery store, Tractor supply employees etc.. I’ve never told even my hubby the extent to what I’ve recorded. Just consider it wise to know those around you. I’ve driven and walked many places and know many routes of escape from our home acreage to good spots to hide/shelter. Please don’t consider me weird I’m just cautious and always been inquisitive.
 
GeorgiaPeachie said:
Never considered it recon, just getting to know my surroundings and area. For a few years I’ve been printing each section of the tax record overviews. Shows the size and shape of the land as well as any ponds, lakes, streams or buildings on them. Along with that I have the owners names. For people closer to me...within a couple of miles, I’ve personally noted their autos and house members. Written it all down. Also keep up with any trouble makers and such through fellow neighbors and restaurant/bar, salons, grocery store, Tractor supply employees etc.. I’ve never told even my hubby the extent to what I’ve recorded. Just consider it wise to know those around you. I’ve driven and walked many places and know many routes of escape from our home acreage to good spots to hide/shelter. Please don’t consider me weird I’m just cautious and always been inquisitive.
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Planning ahead sure beast the heck out of "what am I gonna do"! I like your methodical approach. More info is always better than too little info.
 
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Urbanprep said:
Planning ahead sure beast the heck out of "what am I gonna do"! I like your methodical approach. More info is always better than too little info.
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Thank you for understanding UP! That’s how I see it too. Since I live in a low density area, it makes it easier. Never had time for such things before retirement.
 
This is what I have around me, I have a lot here around me that haven't been mapped by the USGS and DNR, I have quite a few of the caves, lava tubes that turn into labyrinth that I mapped. When I was guiding the USGS to a lot of these tubes and caves further North (how I met my Wife) I never disclosed these around my property to the USGS and DNR.

http://doomsdayprepperforums.com/index.php?threads/red-light.10747/#post-141648

I also have maps and business listings that may be resourceful in a SHTF or TEOTWAWKI of all the towns around me. I also keep maps of natural resources such as water and food sources. I have 60, 80 and over a 100 year old maps showing trail and roads that are not used anymore and are not on current maps but most are still travelable if one can find them without an old map. Most of us have a lot of resources around us if we dig a little deeper into the past and sometimes it takes getting your hands on some old maps and comparing it to current maps. Researching, exploring can be done for little or no money.

I use old maps and repath (overlay) on newer topo maps and order prints with added paths and useful locations I marked, water, forage location, tunnels, lava tubes etc.. from the mapping place I deal with, all my maps are updated USGS, water proof and have GPS tic and compass coordinates printed on them, I keep a library of maps where each quadrants is in it's own container. even if you live in town one can do this, you can get a better idea what one would be dealing with and may even find some good resources and put the odds in your favor when the time comes, don't discount old map, sometimes they are the hidden jewel of survival ;)

map.jpg
 
I usually spend a couple hours every day this time of year checking my preimeter fence for needed repairs. At the rate I'm going now it'll a few more days before I make it all the way around my property. Theres still some snow patches in the timber, enough to keep my drinks cold. So far the fence made through winter in surprisingly good shape. Of course I haven't walked down any of the canyons or through the heavy timber yet either.
Today I saw a half dozen deer. The first deer I've seen since November.
Theres no place on my property where I can see another home, even from the highest point. No yards lights at night time either.
We don't have any caves here like Mav has but we do have a lot of old mines. There's an old abandoned mining town on the north end of our property.
 
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