For now I'm sticking where I am. I'm far enough off the beaten track that the migrating hordes will not come this far. I wouldn't leave unless it was getting really bad, really quick, or a major forest fire getting too close. The bug out to the woods and live off the land idea has no appeal to me. But then I have a large portion of private land to play on.

 

I also plan on staying where I am(even though i own property elsewhere). The biggest reason is I can plan better where I am than at my property 340 miles away. I can upgrade that property fio sure, but not being there physically is the big deciding difference.

 

Hey Mogli: Yep, where we live in Central New Jersey, on the mainland, but close to Barnegat Bay...we're SOL. We were looking to sell our house and get out, but the banks are not issuing mortgages...on our block there are at least three abandoned/foreclosed homes...some places have been "listed " for over three years. We were looking for safer, decent out-of-state areas, but there is no one left alive in either of our families to house-sit.

The area, in fact, made national news via DRUDGE REPORT, TWICE back in January, due to the increased number of heroin overdoses, and accompanying burglaries/home invasions...we've had 4 attempts, but we were home, and the last one, well, he "Fell" numerous times smashing his noggin into the pavement, and in his drugged-out state, barely crawled away. Local "LAW ENFORCEMENT" no longer does community policing...the only time they are seen is when the drama-queen parasites need an ambulance to "support" fraudulent insurance claims...their main source of income. Trying to report PARTICULAR suspicious activity to them WITHOUT mentioning names or house numbers, and they say they don't want to get involved because "It's too POLITICAL"...which means that they know, but refuse to jeopardize their "careers". Now they have been "trained" to carry and dispense the "antidote" for heroin overdose, instead of allowing DARWIN AWARDS to be given out in masse.

The physical shape of the state, which is peninsula, would make it difficult to flee...in an emergency, besides as far as being "targeted"...Fort Dix and Maguire AFB are very near the only viable escape route., which would be toward the NW part of NJ into Pa.

"Neighbors" are enablers for their dirt-bag, ****** kids...apples don't fall far from the trees. Other neighbors are really so dumbed-down, I don't know how they even knew how to procreate. There MIGHT be, in our section of town, perhaps 4 -5 families who MIGHT have their poop together, but...

Generally, it's "How are ya (Who are ya)".

Under the circumstances, we're stayin' put...I've faced worse scenarios as an "old-time STREET COP"...literally seen and survived it all, so that's not a problem. Supplies and BACK-UPS to cover most contingencies are stored away in very secure areas on our property. Short of a Nuclear War, or major life-threatening Tsunami of great magnitude, we're ok.

I pay close attention to international events...which seem to be getting hotter on a daily basis, along with the abject stupidity of our Government. I just hope that when they coalesce, which they must eventually, that we'll have at least several days notice to get outta Dodge, and IF it will be THAT bad...at least live a little longer...even in parts unknown and with no specific location...just away.

 

Goodness Sakes! I hope you have a dog??? Or 4! :thumb:
That sounds awful. I passed through NJ on my way from NC to CT and even the hwy was scary. As an ex LEO, you can appreciate I missed about 5 of those toll booths but didn't kill anyone! :

When I went through Cairo, IL, about every 3rd or 4th house was burned, boarded up, or falling over with disrepair. Sad really.

I heard in Detroit, the locals are just occupying vacated lands/neighborhoods, and making their own communities out of them with gardens and all kinds of stuff. Maybe that's an idea for a preppers to just take over and fence off a section of those vacated neighborhoods!?

 

I will stay put, Ms. M.

The area you know best is the best safe haven, even if it is urban.

 

We are the BOL for our group. Far out in the county, no building restrictions, low crime, low population. We are also far enough out that no hoards will be headed our way.

 

I'm staying put unless extreme safety concerns force me to do otherwise.

 

Yeah, there'd have to be a nuke already in my basement to convince me to leave. And then I'd be trying to figure out if I could move it rather than myself.

"Hello, Fed Ex? Can you come pick up my package?"

 

We are staying put.
Here's our story....

We made the decision several years ago to "bug out" of Chicago. It got so bad in the city that nearly every night we would go to sleep to the sound of gunfire somewhere on the streets.

We were determined to never be in that situation again...so we planned on relocating to somewhere we would not be chased from again. During that time we would go camping a few times a month to SW Michigan...about an hour and 15 minutes from the city so we decided to look for a home there.

What we found was a very quaint group of small communities which still had that Mayberry-like atmosphere where people still did not even lock their doors at night. We sold our home in Chicago and never looked back. The community I am in has about 1200 residents and one stoplight.

I drove to Chicago daily for the first two years until I landed a decent job here. The cost of living is cheaper here and when the Chicago crowd goes back home on Sunday...its nice and peaceful. Most folks here are hunters so there is little crime what with at least one gun being in nearly every home.

Among the intangible benefits is becoming friends with all the town leaders such as the Chief of Police, Mayor, School Principal, and many others. I am sure you can see the benefit of having these relationships.

So, to answer the original question, we are staying put, because I can't imagine anyplace being better.

 

We are staying put.
Here's our story....

We made the decision several years ago to "bug out" of Chicago. It got so bad in the city that nearly every night we would go to sleep to the sound of gunfire somewhere on the streets.
So, to answer the original question, we are staying put, because I can't imagine anyplace being better.

We're in a similar situation. Left Indianapolis about 10 years ago for a rural Tennessee location. We don't even have a stop light in our unincorporated "town", and know pretty much everyone around us. When we hear gunfire around here, it's certain to be a neighbor picking off a turkey for dinner, or a deer for the freezer. With 35 acres and several horses in the barn we're pretty much set to ride out most SHTF situations.

 

I have a pretty good set up here, and my health is not good. I will be staying here where I have extra food, blankets, tools, my garden, a bed, and a roof over my head.

On the good side, I life in a sleepy neighborhood where everybody has an acre back lot, and the chance of riots is tiny.

 

Pretty much the same for me , got some age on me -77 - but health is ok . Also have a prepping buddy next door who has us both covered in the bullets department . His son and 3 of my sons are aware , but will also stay put -start of a good group . Between us we have a lot of " stuff " we put together for Y2K . We know lots more people from our y2k days who have said they are joining us . Some are hunters some nurses , some mechanics etc . all have food and their own " stuff ". As billy Joel sang in the song about Nam " and we will all go down together ". or maybe not .

 

I am handicapped. When my wife reires next year. we wil move near her sister in the Norfolk, Virgini area.
I have a neighbor on my left and a woman across the sreet that each have a pistol. I'm armed to the teeth. 3 pistols, a Colt 6920 Socom, an Enfield Jungle Carbine, and a Remington 870. Plenty of ammo for each.

 

I am handicapped. When my wife reires next year. we wil move nearher sister in the Norfolk, Virgini area.
I have a neighbor on my left and a woman across the sreet that each have a pistol. I'm armed to the teeth. 3 pistols, a Colt 6920 Socom, an Enfield Jungle Carbine, and a Remington 870. Plenty of ammo for each.

Are you on the eastern shore ? Sounds like you just might fit in to our group .

 

Yep, staying put. Like you, I've been all over the place and no place is any better than this place.

IMo, PSHTF, what will be most important? Water and food and year round growing season. What would be the worst? Freezing weather. ymmv

 

I'm staying. Got 50 acres in a rural township with not much change in the last 50 years I've been here.

 

My wife and I moved from Tampa Florida to Cincinnati for work in 1996. While in Ohio we found ourselves selling and moving further out of town on a few occasions. We went through hurricane Ike (the 70+ mph winds made it that far north) in 2009 and it left us without power for 10 days. That got us started prepping, and with our concerns of this world, we decided it was not far enough out, and with the building codes not "flexible" for what we wanted to do. So we decided to make one last move when our son left for college. We knew we wanted to be further south, within driving distance for our son and close family (to visit them, and so they could get to us if needed). We spent a year looking for the "right" property in N Georgia. Had to be minimum of 4 acres, back up to national forest, at least 25 miles from any major interstate, 30 miles from any major city, 2 sources of water, and most important NO BUILDING CODES. We found our spot in NW Georgia's Appalachian foothills.

It's been 5 months now. Building our cabin and should be finished in the next couple months! We are fortunate that we can make such a choice (we can work from home) and understand that most people do not have the flexability in work or life to do it. To that end we also decided to build knowing that we WILL provide space and resources for our family and close friends. Other than our son and his girlfriend, these same people don't get it and think we are worrying for nothing. They support us but "just don't understand". They are however thankful for our looking out for them. Hopefully they will never have to "understand" but we continue with our plan and love every moment of it. Prepping is fun, and I've lost 20+ pounds clearing land and building the place. Watching our dogs play in the stream is also a riot. We have never been happier.

 

I'm staying put depending on what takes place.

I'm logical, a planner and a goal setter.

If it's a hurricane that's Cat 4 or larger, I'm gonna run like a girl!

Otherwise I'm staying put with Plan A, Plan B and Plan C at my disposal

 

Mogli,

I will be staying put. I have friends & family nearby, i know where to find resources, and I have worked out logistics to whatever degree for defense.

That being said, There are situations that will MANDATE that we egress out of the area to possible BOL.

- Epidemic
- National totalitarian power-grab/Martial Law
- WROL "raider gangs" of serious size and arms moving through the area

 

Mogli,

I will be staying put. I have friends & family nearby, i know where to find resources, and I have worked out logistics to whatever degree for defense.

That being said, There are situations that will MANDATE that we egress out of the area to possible BOL.

- Epidemic
- National totalitarian power-grab/Martial Law
- WROL "raider gangs" of serious size and arms moving through the area

This is the one that has me worried. Where I live, most people have totally bought into the Collectivist mindset and will be on the side of .gov. We all saw what happened in Boston when the declared martial law. They just broke down the doors. That would happen here to.


I'll throw in one more important variable. What if in staying, you will keep a mortgage? Paying that mortgage is dependent on income and with the collapse of the dollar, that income would be gone too? By moving, you could have a decent place completely paid for and be debt free?

It actually looks to me as though many of you have already made the move from a poor location to safer and saner one.

 

staying put, we planned it that way when we bought this place.

 

Depends on what happens.

Leaving wouldnt be my first choice, but it's not completely off the table either.

I'd leave for a strong cat3.

 

bears.... Oh My! But even worse than that? There is the EPA!

:

Yeah, THAT one scares me the most....

I can see it now, we have our perfect homestead, complete with water source and lifestock...and the EPA comes and shuts us down because we are polluting the water source with our lifestock. Or we grow tomatoes in our greenhouse in the winter, and the FBI comes and destroys it because they think we might be growing something illegal, or Homeland security surrounds us, because some disgruntled neighbor we didn't let hunt on our land called them and told them we have a terrorist training camp....
the list is endless...we are not safe ANYWHERE as long as the Feds are still in operation. You are probably better off in the cities.

But if TEOTWAWKI wipes out the governement , that's a game changer , but then again , they are like cockroaches and will survive anything, even a nuclear war

 

We have been fortunate. We can do either, bug in - or - bug out. We have a home and land nearly paid for with ten years of sweat equity invested in gardens and animal pens that produce a bounty that feeds us very well. It's also surrounded by excellent hunting land for deer and hogs. We have over a years worth of supplies stored/stached/hidden and I have multipule "defensive" options at my disposal.

We also have a home in the mountians less than 3 hours north of here, we paid cash for it so there's no mortgage involved. We've moved a large quantity of food there and have good water on the property, it pretty far out and surrounded by nat'l forest land so its fairly remote, the location is also defensible by two people. My "defensive" options are esily portable so it really depends on the situation.

 

we moved to the place that makes most sense to us over 10 yrs ago...out a few miles, water on property, acreage....all the resources one could hope for...and still good quality of life for the commuting city high tech employee during normal times.
we realize there are certain threats that might force evac but shy of that, we'd stay put...anything we'd leave this place for would be considerably less resource for bad days.

not saying we don't have plan b, c,d...our second home 4 hrs away, family in other states, a camper to take whereever we must and enough fuel to get us 900 miles down the road.

but honestly...if at all possible..we are already where we'd make our stand and lay our head for a last nap

 

We have no mortgage and with Hubs disabled, we pay no property tax. Even if we did, we have enough cash to keep the land for many years. Our VA property is in a trust that pays for itself.

 

Love the avatar, Mogli. She was a classy lady.

This is a very good question and I will have to give the equivocal "it depends" answer.

I live in a large city. My parent, my sister, and her family live in a rural town a 3 hour drive from here. I could bug out to there, I guess, but...

There was a dry run mass evacuation from here for Hurricane Rita. I've mentioned it many times. It can be Googled. That disaster convinced me that I will not attempt to bug out unless (1) I can get out way ahead of the masses, or (2) after I bug in it gets so bad that I absolutely HAVE to leave. Exceptions: epidemic, nuclear fallout/attack, that's all the comes to mind off the top of my head. Given the part of town I live in, though, I can't imagine a hurricane that would send me packing.

After seeing the Rita evacuation, I just can't imagine that as a viable option unless I'm way, way ahead of the curve on the SHTF going down.

 

Unless we buy some bug out property, or things get really bad, we will stay put, although I have no idea what others in the neighborhood might do. As far as I know, we are the best prepared in the immediate area, judging buy the fact that there are only two other people with chickens that I know of and I'm not sure how prepared they are.

 

Staying put here. I am in the outermost suburbs, with a mile deep of woods and marshes out my front door full of critters (gators, pigs, deer, ducks, squirrels, turtles, even a few peacocks and a bobcat that visits now and then.)

 

Does "staying point" include going to college, spending your entire Marine Corps career evaluating the 48 states, getting it down to 2 areas in 2 states, moving near one of them, and spending 2 years finding your property....


And now your there.

That count?

 

We are 'staying put'.

We moved here after I retired. Very rural, forest, river, low Cost-of-living.

I have built a house, it will soon be off-grid. We raise pigs and poultry. I produce an assortment of veggies that we sell at a Farmer's Market.

We have an established network of hunters, fishermen, trappers, foragers, and fellow small organic farmers.

 

I'm staying put here in the suburbs .
Not the best place to be but I'll play the cards I was dealt .
Cons ;
Can't have chickens or any other livestock .
Only enough space for a very small garden .
Too many people/sheeple ,
Overbearing government - too many rules and regulations
Pros ;
I know the area like the back of my hand
Lots of good fishing
lots of woodland areas
Lots of hospitals and places to get goods and services .
Mountains and ocean within a couple hours drive
Also - My family is in the area . If tshft I'd want to be near enough to help them if I could even though they are all liberal , unprepared , low info sheep . I guess that should be in the con list .