Should preppers go it solo or join with a group?

[hawgrider]

Going it alone or even with the wife and kids can be tough no matter what. You become solely dependent on yourselves for everything. While you may have planned well and stocked up, eventually some gaps may begin to show. It would be extremely difficult for say a family of four to produce water, food, personal hygiene, maintenance, repairs, and security during a bug in. Who does what, who sleeps, when, divisions of labor and management?

A group situation lends assistance. Ideally there is a broad base of skills and talents. Together there could be access to shared supplies, gear, equipment, labor, and decision-making. Joint work projects can go quicker and often better. Just the social contact and human aspects can make surviving a SHTF a more endurable event.

What are the down sides to a Colonia? People. Personalities vary widely in groups and sometimes the dynamics can be hard to manage. Just think of your work situation, http://www.alloutdoor.com/2017/03/28/the-colonia/

[Gambit]

my opinion is groups are best
you can go insane being alone
you need someone to keep a watch out when you sleep
you someone to keep watch as you take a "Obama" in the woods or honey dipper
you get hurt, and need help then you are "Hillaryed"

Obama and Hillary are the cuss words of the day again

[hawgrider]

my opinion is groups are best
you can go insane being alone
you need someone to keep a watch out when you sleep
you someone to keep watch as you take a "Obama" in the woods or honey dipper
you get hurt, and need help then you are "Hillaryed"

Obama and Hillary are the cuss words of the day again

Immediate very close family for me ...

Absolutely no outsiders too risky people are ruthless.

[Gambit]

agree
you can met people at groups and develop a bond with them but the trouble is you can know someone all youre life and not truly know them
and I know some of my family members from both wife and myside of the family, I trust putting a raddle snake in my mouth with my tongue wagging more then I trust them
it be hard to fine a good group

[hawgrider]

agree
you can met people at groups and develop a bond with them but the trouble is you can know someone all youre life and not truly know them
and I know some of my family members from both wife and myside of the family, I trust putting a raddle snake in my mouth with my tongue wagging more then I trust them
it be hard to fine a good group

Same here... Most of my distant relatives I would not piss on them if they were on fire.

[Gambit]

Same here... Most of my distant relatives I would not piss on them if they were on fire.
ill piss on them to put out the flames. just so I can set them back on fire for being human trash
that sounded kind of crazy huh?

[Walter Tyler]

Sparkle (My wife) and I are alone on Tyler Island. We prep for family and friends. I know it will take a group to "run" the island when SHTF.
As far as trusting "outsiders", I believe in human self interest. As long as ANY group is working towards each individuals self interest it will continue to function as a group.
If you have made it to the shores of my island when SHTF then you have probably been through some shit, and will see the value of working within a group for safety and security.
There will likely be many folks moving through my AO during bad times... water being easy to travel n all that... heck there are already folks floatin by, so I know there will be a certain amount of traffic.
I dont foresee "attacking" or running off every TDH, (Tom, Dick, and Harry) that is merely passin by to get to somewhere better. For better or worse I know my island cannot be an "Island amongst itself"... no MAN can.

[Woods Devil]

I like to get out and meet my neighbors when I take my walks around the neighborhood. I don't get out as much as I once did and can't walk very far now but if I see someone new moving in I always introduce myself. I have a few good friends in my current neighborhood and in the neighborhood where I lived for most of my adult life and I have some good family members close by. I don't trust a lot of people but we all need allies.

We had an ice storm that knocked out power around here for two weeks 15 years ago. My Brother and I both loaded our trucks and headed over to Mom and Dad's house where we ran the generator and grilled out twice per day. It was very cold out but we kept the house warm and or bellys full of hot food. I could see more stars in the darkened skies than I have seen in my life so it was a nice vacation.

[Woods Devil]

Immediate very close family for me ...

Absolutely no outsiders too risky people are ruthless.


Good morning, hawg.

When we had the ice storm and power outage my Brother and I were in my Parents back yard running the generator and grilling up some breakfast one morning when a stranger came around the house and immediately said "Can I borrow your generator?".

No hello or introduction at first but he saw that there were two of us and we both were armed and his tune quickly changed to "Hey, I'm your neighbor and was hoping I could borrow your generator for just a bit.?"

Neither of us had ever seen this guy before or have seen him since. When times get hard people do get desperate. I hate to think what this guy might have done if he had came around the house to find my Dad alone and unarmed.

[Talon]

I would steer clear of anyone that I haven't known for at least 10 years.

[hawgrider]

Good morning, hawg.

When we had the ice storm and power outage my Brother and I were in my Parents back yard running the generator and grilling up some breakfast one morning when a stranger came around the house and immediately said "Can I borrow your generator?".

No hello or introduction at first but he saw that there were two of us and we both were armed and his tune quickly changed to "Hey, I'm your neighbor and was hoping I could borrow your generator for just a bit.?"

Neither of us had ever seen this guy before or have seen him since. When times get hard people do get desperate. I hate to think what this guy might have done if he had came around the house to find my Dad alone and unarmed.



Sounds like he came to steal the generator but found you guys out back grilling... SUPRISE!

[Radio]

Currently, in our area, we have no group. I don't know anyone here that we could trust well enough to let them in. Not to bash Idaho, but in the almost 4 years that we have been here, we've noticed that anyone we meet is of the mindset, "What can you do for me?" They see what they can get out of you, but when it's time to return the favor they forget who you are.

I do have friends in Nevada, Texas, NC and SC that I can trust, though. But if shit hits the fan for real, I imagine my family is sort of phucked unless we can make it to any of those locations especially if the lines of communication is down. I think it's good to have a group. But, I don't trust anyone here as far as I could throw them.

[Sparkyprep]

I trust 90% of my neighbors in my very rural neighborhood. Many of us are preppers, and i believe that our area would function quite well in a SHTF situation.

[juskom95]

Currently, in our area, we have no group. I don't know anyone here that we could trust well enough to let them in. Not to bash Idaho, but in the almost 4 years that we have been here, we've noticed that anyone we meet is of the mindset, "What can you do for me?" They see what they can get out of you, but when it's time to return the favor they forget who you are.

I do have friends in Nevada, Texas, NC and SC that I can trust, though. But if shit hits the fan for real, I imagine my family is sort of phucked unless we can make it to any of those locations especially if the lines of communication is down. I think it's good to have a group. But, I don't trust anyone here as far as I could throw them.
I'm about in the same situation. There are good people in my area, but talk to them about even keeping an extra week of food/water (right after a city closing snow storm) and they start acting like you're some smelly, woods dwelling hermit! Closest family I can trust is three hours away and with where they are at . . . SHTF they're on their own. I love them, but without a trained team/squad I wouldn't be going into Columbus in a SHTF scenario; it is bad enough on Friday and Saturday nights. After that, the only friends I know I can trust is six hours away.

Really like being on an island huh?

[Walter Tyler]

I'm about in the same situation. There are good people in my area, but talk to them about even keeping an extra week of food/water (right after a city closing snow storm) and they start acting like you're some smelly, woods dwelling hermit! Closest family I can trust is three hours away and with where they are at . . . SHTF they're on their own. I love them, but without a trained team/squad I wouldn't be going into Columbus in a SHTF scenario; it is bad enough on Friday and Saturday nights. After that, the only friends I know I can trust is six hours away.

Really like being on an island huh?

Is there a church nearby?
Is there a VFW nearby?
Is there a gunclub nearby?

Commonality can be found in the oddest places...
I think it would be better to at least know your "neighbors" or community before you are staring at eachother over rifle sights.

Trust is a TOUGH thing to earn and give.
But in SHTF I think we ALL will go with "good enough" to survive. Ya know the best of a bad situation to keep our kids alive.

Sorry if this seems obtuse, but I just got done reading this:

https://mountainguerrilla.wordpress.com/2017/02/07/skull-stomping-sacred-cows-reality-isnt-nice-its-a-2x4-to-the-teeth/

And I am a lil jaded and worried.

So If you have to prep for Friends and Family cause they wont, at least they bring SOMETHING to YOUR island when they show up... A history of trust... a common interest... two hands and eyes that can man the "gate" while ya sleep.
THAT can be priceless in SHTF... even if it comes with a mouth that wont stop waggin or has to eat.

The best of the BAD is what preppin and survivin is all about.

[juskom95]

Is there a church nearby?
Full of SJW Liberal types. My wife went to many of them, not trustworthy.


Is there a VFW nearby?
They don't like OIF/OEF veterans there, or really most VFW's so I avoid them.


Is there a gunclub nearby?
Again, full of SJW Liberal Types unfortunately.


Commonality can be found in the oddest places...
I think it would be better to at least know your "neighbors" or community before you are staring at eachother over rifle sights.
I do try, but I live in a urbanish area not a rural one. I have one neighbor whom is %100 sure the government will always be there for them, no matter what. They are the MOST Non-Left out there as they at least believe in firearm ownership (though they have no clue about semi-automatic versus automatic); their family is all LEO and they work with LEO's too . . .


Trust is a TOUGH thing to earn and give.
But in SHTF I think we ALL will go with "good enough" to survive. Ya know the best of a bad situation to keep our kids alive.
I've been burned a lot with the mentality of "they are really good people!" I got a taste of it during Katrina. Some communities will 'band together,' but a significant portion will not. We banded together because our neighbor hood was majority active-military or retired, so we had a mission to complete to help others.


So If you have to prep for Friends and Family cause they wont, at least they bring SOMETHING to YOUR island when they show up... A history of trust... a common interest... two hands and eyes that can man the "gate" while ya sleep.
Family? They're a lost cause. They are on the 'Presentation of Deadly Force,' level if they arrive at my house in normal times. They are no good to anyone and a detriment to a good person in a non-SHTF scenario.

Friends. Yup, I have a few but none locally, there is a stereotype about combat veterans so I tend to keep to myself.


THAT can be priceless in SHTF... even if it comes with a mouth that wont stop waggin or has to eat.

The best of the BAD is what preppin and survivin is all about.
I get what you are proposing, but if they are not willing to plan for themselves after multiple real world examples (hard snow storms shut this city down three times since I've been here and they still will not put the most rudimentary supplies aside) they are not going to take supplies from me with anything more than a "YOU OWE ME THIS!!!!" attitude.

I'm jaded, because I've seen SHTF in the US and other countries. Some groups will come together, but the closer you get to a city the less they will come together and the more they will be willing to steal your generator or water. I saw that plenty in Katrina, why would it change now?

[Walter Tyler]

I tell ya what buddy... You are welcome at my place anytime.:bigthumbup:

[juskom95]

I tell ya what buddy... You are welcome at my place anytime.:bigthumbup:

Just a small rant born of frustration!

I've tried reaching out to people here locally, but I'm in too much of an . . . urban area, so the Liberal concentration is high here.

[KnuteFartne]

I think the smaller the group the better 5-6 tops. After that you're just carrying people.

Sent from a Galaxy S5 far far away.

[Walter Tyler]

I think the smaller the group the better 5-6 tops. After that you're just carrying people.

Sent from a Galaxy S5 far far away.

I think the size of the group will be determined by the carrying capacity of the area that group resides in.
5-6 folks in an apartment or burbs house fine.
5-6 folks in a rural area on 120+ acres of private land is not near enough.
Not enough eyes, hands, not enough to spread out and defend the homestead.
The "squad" eventually returns to the "FOB". so to speak.

[hawgrider]

I think the size of the group will be determined by the carrying capacity of the area that group resides in.
5-6 folks in an apartment or burbs house fine.
5-6 folks in a rural area on 120+ acres of private land is not near enough.
Not enough eyes, hands, not enough to spread out and defend the homestead.
The "squad" eventually returns to the "FOB". so to speak.

120 Acres isn't that big unless its all hardwoods. I hunt about 360 acres of my son in laws farmland. It starts to get small with much over 5 to 7 guys but a lot of it is open fields.

[Walter Tyler]

120 Acres isn't that big unless its all hardwoods. I hunt about 360 acres of my son in laws farmland. It starts to get small with much over 5 to 7 guys but a lot of it is open fields.

Oh I agree.

View off front porch facing north:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e26/WalterTyler/20160419_183212%20copy_zpsz6vd6sal.jpg

The schack sits on about the only clear area (12 acres) at the top of the hill... hell the whole island is a hill... which is why its an island in Missouri???

5-6 guys CAN cover a lot of ground at long distances hell 100-150 yards is enough to be long distance for most folks... but I think the vets here would agree that digin in with 5-6 guys is not the "best case" scenario.
I for one would sleep better with 5-6 on duty 24/7/365... but that means a larger circle of trust.

[hawgrider]

Oh I agree.

View off front porch facing north:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e26/WalterTyler/20160419_183212%20copy_zpsz6vd6sal.jpg

The schack sits on about the only clear area (12 acres) at the top of the hill... hell the whole island is a hill... which is why its an island in Missouri???

5-6 guys CAN cover a lot of ground at long distances hell 100-150 yards is enough to be long distance for most folks... but I think the vets here would agree that digin in with 5-6 guys is not the "best case" scenario.
I for one would sleep better with 5-6 on duty 24/7/365... but that means a larger circle of trust.

Purdy place ya got there!

[juskom95]

Oh I agree.

View off front porch facing north:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e26/WalterTyler/20160419_183212%20copy_zpsz6vd6sal.jpg

The schack sits on about the only clear area (12 acres) at the top of the hill... hell the whole island is a hill... which is why its an island in Missouri???
Looks nice, I'm jealous.


5-6 guys CAN cover a lot of ground at long distances hell 100-150 yards is enough to be long distance for most folks... but I think the vets here would agree that digin in with 5-6 guys is not the "best case" scenario.
I for one would sleep better with 5-6 on duty 24/7/365... but that means a larger circle of trust.

Even with a small building it would be hard with six people. Consider you don't really want a single person ever on duty, then you cannot run that pair 24/7, so at best four people for 24/7 security alone (two shifts) which leaves only two additional people for the work. Now you could slim down the security some during the day, as you could work but it depends on the area and the threat.

[Walter Tyler]

Looks nice, I'm jealous.



Even with a small building it would be hard with six people. Consider you don't really want a single person ever on duty, then you cannot run that pair 24/7, so at best four people for 24/7 security alone (two shifts) which leaves only two additional people for the work. Now you could slim down the security some during the day, as you could work but it depends on the area and the threat.

YES... this is where force multipliers like remote security camera and motion detectors can work to your advantage... I got a lot of "bluebird" houses all over the forest and spend a small fortune in batteries each year... but "deer in the garden" at night is NO GOOD. My gate is a mile down the driveway yet somehow I always know when some one tries to turn around in my drive way when they see they cant get "to the river" from the public road.

[juskom95]

YES... this is where force multipliers like remote security camera and motion detectors can work to your advantage...

With or without those, you still don't want a single person on watch. What happens when you have to pee? This seems like a silly consideration, but it is a very real one when it comes to guard duty.

[Kfilly]

Looks nice, I'm jealous.



Even with a small building it would be hard with six people. Consider you don't really want a single person ever on duty, then you cannot run that pair 24/7, so at best four people for 24/7 security alone (two shifts) which leaves only two additional people for the work. Now you could slim down the security some during the day, as you could work but it depends on the area and the threat.

Yes, I was also eyeing up the can of Coors Light.

[Kfilly]

I am planning on being with my immediate family. I do not think I could trust others.

[inceptor]

I live in a stuffy suburban area. I have been here over 20 years and have had many neighbors come and go. Most are way younger than me. I have found mostly it's best if I just keep to myself. I figure if it does get ugly, it won't take long to figure out who you can somewhat trust and who you can't. Even then I will keep my cards close to my chest.

[hag]

Not enough people definitely creates a problem. I can feed 50+ people indefinitely, but if I'm working ground or putting in hay or picking beans, whose watching the cattle or chickens and hogs? Who's watching my back or my home or my family. I hope the security of everyday meals and warm shelter will bring out the trustworthiness in people, but who knows

[juskom95]

I hope the security of everyday meals and warm shelter will bring out the trustworthiness in people, but who knows

It would for someone like me. I'm not afraid of hard work, but as to running a farm to feed people? Little out of my league.

Now physical security, overlapping fields of fire, guard rotations . . . that I can do!

[hag]

It would for someone like me. I'm not afraid of hard work, but as to running a farm to feed people? Little out of my league.

Now physical security, overlapping fields of fire, guard rotations . . . that I can do!

Hey, we're nearly neighbors, so if things get bad, you and yours have a plate at my table anytime you want it

[juskom95]

Hey, we're nearly neighbors, so if things get bad, you and yours have a plate at my table anytime you want it

I appreciate it, one reason I'm on boards like this, since my family is . . . untrustworthy.

[DerBiermeister]

I think I'm pretty much screwed, blued, and tattooed.

The friends that I used to think I could count on are history. One died a year and a half ago, and the other is now dying of Lewy Body Dementia. We don't see much of our neighbors, so they are a question mark.
I definitely could count on my children and their families, but they are two hours away (and that is on a good day). As they live up in Northern Va., they actually might be better off trekking down here to my home. So I guess it just really depends on what kind of SHTF event we have and whether or not they could travel the 100 miles in the early going.

[Deebo]

Good morning, hawg.

When we had the ice storm and power outage my Brother and I were in my Parents back yard running the generator and grilling up some breakfast one morning when a stranger came around the house and immediately said "Can I borrow your generator?".

No hello or introduction at first but he saw that there were two of us and we both were armed and his tune quickly changed to "Hey, I'm your neighbor and was hoping I could borrow your generator for just a bit.?"

Neither of us had ever seen this guy before or have seen him since. When times get hard people do get desperate. I hate to think what this guy might have done if he had came around the house to find my Dad alone and unarmed.
I was there too. Arkansas. It was bad

[Baglady]

Hey, we're nearly neighbors, so if things get bad, you and yours have a plate at my table anytime you want it

I want to go to your place! You got the BEEF!! And we know how to farm, cook, can, and shoot! :D

[Baglady]

I trust 90% of my neighbors in my very rural neighborhood. Many of us are preppers, and i believe that our area would function quite well in a SHTF situation.

:ditto:

[juskom95]

I think I'm pretty much screwed, blued, and tattooed.

The friends that I used to think I could count on are history. One died a year and a half ago, and the other is now dying of Lewy Body Dementia. We don't see much of our neighbors, so they are a question mark.
Neighbors are hard to gauge until you have known them for many years, or lived through a SHTF/WROL situation. Sometimes, the ones you would think are reliable and steadfast fold right away while that dweeb pulls their weight. Hard, very hard to tell.


I definitely could count on my children and their families, but they are two hours away (and that is on a good day). As they live up in Northern Va., they actually might be better off trekking down here to my home. So I guess it just really depends on what kind of SHTF event we have and whether or not they could travel the 100 miles in the early going.
My sister is close and I would help her, if she could get to me. My parents would have to deal with it, but then again their house is built like a bunker already . . . even without any prep work. I would feel safer behind their house walls in a firefight than my own!

[Inor]

In a SHTF scenario, Mrs Inor and I would have no choice but to join a group. Both of us are very much specialists in the skills we have and we do not have a clue about the skills we do not possess. For example, I can pretty much fabricate anything. I have been a woodworker most of my life and I put myself through computer school working in a machine shop. So I can hold my own doing metalwork. I know electronics and chemistry reasonably well. Mrs Inor is a hell of a gardener and she knows quite a bit about herbal medicine.

But neither one of us knows the first thing about raising farm animals or similar pursuits. We are both pretty good shots, but I am sure, shooting paper targets or walking a corn field shooting pheasants is a far cry from setting up defensive perimeter.

If we were lost in the woods, I am pretty confident we could survive for a decent period of time since both of us have spent a LOT of time in the woods. But in a full-fledged societal meltdown, we would need a lot of other skills to get by.

[DerBiermeister]

In a SHTF scenario, Mrs Inor and I would have no choice but to join a group. Both of us are very much specialists in the skills we have and we do not have a clue about the skills we do not possess. For example, I can pretty much fabricate anything. I have been a woodworker most of my life and I put myself through computer school working in a machine shop. So I can hold my own doing metalwork. I know electronics and chemistry reasonably well. Mrs Inor is a hell of a gardener and she knows quite a bit about herbal medicine.

But neither one of us knows the first thing about raising farm animals or similar pursuits. We are both pretty good shots, but I am sure, shooting paper targets or walking a corn field shooting pheasants is a far cry from setting up defensive perimeter.

If we were lost in the woods, I am pretty confident we could survive for a decent period of time since both of us have spent a LOT of time in the woods. But in a full-fledged societal meltdown, we would need a lot of other skills to get by.

I hear ya. We are much in the same condition. Put me on the water in a sailboat and I can make it. But neither one of us knows anything about living off the land. We also are declining in our health, so we won't be hiking up to the Blue Ridge Mts.

[hawgrider]

Jack of all trades will survive. I won't get rich but I will survive lol !

[hag]

I want to go to your place! You got the BEEF!! And we know how to farm, cook, can, and shoot! :D

You just come on any time young lady