A bug-out location is where you can go when the world is ending or you just need some time. These locations are different from your vacation getaways in that they must provide security or be away from prying eyes.
Selecting a bug-out location isn’t as easy as going down to the river and staking a claim. There’s a bit of thinking involved that could make some people break out into anxiety attacks or worse. Don’t sweat it! Read on and learn how to select the bug-out location!
How to Select a Bug-Out Location
A bug-out location lies at the center of several overlapping fields that can protect you from people and possibly catastrophic events. By researching the site, you devise routes and plans for all the utilities you might need. Unfortunately, while your spot could provide everything you need, there’s a chance that some things may have to be sourced.
Water Is an Important Addition to Any Bug-Out Location
There’s no way to live without water. Ensure your place is close to clean water. If not, you can expect to travel to the water source several times daily. Traveling puts a target on your back and places your whole area in danger if you are spotted or followed.
Some uses that water is going to have on your bug-out location are:
- Drinking – If a disaster or event forces you to head to your bug-out spot, you might not be able to get clean drinking water. Make sure that your area can acquire or produce clean drinking water.
- Cooking – You might not think that water is an essential item when cooking. However, to make MREs and boil water for injuries, you must have water. Cooking goes hand in hand with water because you must have something to drink to stay alive, and water is essential to keep electrolytes circulating in your body.
Water is one of those things that, if you don’t have it, all your survival efforts are wasted. So make sure you have a place with water and easy access. You don’t want to spend precious hours out of cover hauling heavy jugs of water to your spot.
Choose an Isolated Spot
Isolation is one of the most important factors when choosing a bug-out location. The lack of people around you gives you several advantages that could protect you and your family. In addition, isolation provides many protections you might not have considered before.
Some protections that isolation provides are:
- No Trespassers – When you are isolated, there is a much smaller chance that someone trespasses on your property. In the event of a financial collapse or attack, people could wander, looking for places to loot or kidnap.
- Off-Grid – When you are out in isolation, you will be off-grid. When you don’t fall under the standard power and water scheme, you have more freedom against attacks. Another plus of being off-grid is you don’t have to pay bills which keeps you in isolation.
Isolation is imperative for a bug-out location. You are hard to find when you are in the middle of nowhere, making you safe. Isolation isn’t lonely unless you allow your mind to wander. Bug-out locations serve a purpose.
Being Able to Afford the Location Is Important
If you don’t already own some land to use as a bug-out, you will have to buy some. Buying land is expensive and could result in a serious dent in your wallet. On the other hand, money could be tight, so looking for land must follow a few guidelines.
Some things to consider when shopping for land are:
- Development Cost – Another thing to think about when shopping for land is how much it will cost to develop. You would have to hire excavators to come in and level the ground, as well as costs for moving rock and laying down dirt.
- Upgrade Cost – The cost to upgrade your chosen land should be considered. You will need pens for livestock and flat areas for farming and solar farming. These require more development work and even more specialized help from contractors.
Shopping for land is a fun experience full of dreaming and wishing. Seeing what your potential bug-out location could be will give you something to work towards and could start to make your plans seem real.
Choose a Safe Location When Planning Your Bug-Out
You should concentrate on location when thinking about your bug-out location. The things to focus on will protect against most threats and give you some needed space if you are near large cities.
The ways that location is essential when choosing a bug-out site are:
- Away from People – You need to choose a location away from a large mass of people. When an event happens, people will become scared and dangerous. They will loot, steal, and kill to survive. Therefore, you must be far enough away that they never find your hidey-hole.
- Mileage – An intelligent thing to do is see how far your bug-out vehicle can make it on a single gas tank. This distance, in any direction, should be the basis for your location search. Getting and keeping fuel could be a problem.
The location you choose for your bug-out should be within a sensible distance from a large city. Then, when the event happens, you can load up your family and belongings and head out until you can’t drive anymore.
Choosing a location for your bug-out is the most critical part of the process. This is the culmination of all the other choices and is a by-product of those choices. Remember that if a location doesn’t provide the things you need, it will not work as a long-term solution to your problems.
Look for an Abandoned Location
This is a bit of a stretch, but if you are looking for places that fit all your needs, search for abandoned homesteads or buildings on the edge of town. While they might not be perfect, they provide a good location, isolation, and stability—something you might not have again for a while.
Final Thoughts
When searching for your bug-out spot, you must have a few criteria to ensure that you and your family stay safe and secure during the disaster. Choose somewhere outside the city but not so far that you must travel without your car and supplies. Keep in mind that a bug-out could be a final destination. Don’t be afraid to drop gear to make the trip.
Being safe is the number one priority when in a bug-out position. The world ending or your mother-in-law coming to town are great reasons to get out and find a place that can provide a haven for you and your family.