SHTF, How would you treat those who didn't prepare?

Outdoor Life Survival | Prep | Gear
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It would be difficult to turn away loved ones, but I’d have no problem turning away certain asshole family!

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Agreed, I couldn’t turn family away.

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Depends on who it is. Family is welcome, good friends probably.

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I’ve always made it very clear. If you show up with nothing to offer, don’t show up.

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I’ve already thought about this and made my list. My family is pretty resourceful and trustworthy. My kids, sister, and aunt. That’s it! No one else. I don’t like my neighbors and don’t trust anyone else. It’s not being cold hearted, it’s about survival.

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Food.

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Immediate family would be invited in for sure.
Sons Daughters and their family.
But I don’t believe you can prep so well you wont need to go out and gather yourself.
So it would come down to who can contribute to the survival of all.
I believe that your local community would need to band together to survive.
Even if it just your neighbors and your family becoming a group.

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Interesting topic. Here’s a conversation I had with a family member. Now mind you, picture where I live. Southern WV, off the beaten track, in a “hollar” (valley for the rest of the English speaking world, LOL), own my own acreage and am surrounded by folks with anywhere from 7 acres to up to 1000. Stream runs through the front of my property with plenty of small and medium sized game around. Add to this I raise my own chickens for eggs and meat when needed and have a small garden area in the back.

Now, with said picture painted, here is the conversation. One summer night we were sitting around a camp fire with friends and family at my father-in-law’s place (he owns land next to mine). The subject comes up (not by me) of SHTF/EOW/massive civil disturbance, etc… One of the wives looked at me and says, “if any of this happens we’ll just come here, you have plenty of guns”. All I could do at first was just chuckle. When subject continued and she pressed it with “we could help” I finally asked “how”? You have no weapons of your own (she isn’t anti-gun but her husband is not a fan of firearms per se). What do you bring to the table? Do you know how to garden? Take care of livestock? Medical skills? Proficient with firearms (at least enough not to kill yourself). Etc, etc, etc… She looks at me and says “we can help you if it turns to a fight”. Needless to say I had to laugh and then explain that if it turns to a fight her and most of the folks around the campfire fire now are liabilities. The only veteran in the group was my wife’s uncle Jack and he’s almost 80, LOL. So I broke it down to the fact that in a fight situation I won’t be sitting at the cabin trying to defend it either. That my firearms and ammo would get cached in different location. That any military type ops I would conduct by myself, away from my house if possible, and the group as a whole would be a liability.

This conversation went for a bit when I finally told her and everyone else that if their serious about surviving a SHTF scenario that running to my place or father-in-laws would be impractical to say the least (he’s almost 80, bad shoulders, cannot raise a firearm anymore and his wife is out there to say the least). That they needed to A) get firearms training even if they have qualms about owning them. Start stocking up on basic items and storable food stuffs when “the power goes out”. Finally, don’t expect someone else to be “your savior” when it comes to personal safety and preparedness.

The funny part about that whole interaction is that many within that group, including one who was quite anti-gun at the time, have now bought their own firearms, sought training, and started the process of being more self sufficient.

Of course I still wouldn’t take any of them on a conop, my old SI’s would chew me a new one-LOL

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Last note on this subject. I’m not advocating the “lone wolf” approach. To be serious about prepping and surviving a SHTF scenario, community and group is important. Safety is in numbers. Luckily in my valley (hollar for you hillbillies) our neighbors are good about looking out for each other. We keep tabs on each others homes and whenever we see cars or folks acting suspiciously we keep everyone informed. We’ve had dirtbags come out our way looking for a easy break in to support their drug habits. Although it is just “rumor”, I’m pretty sure one of my neighbors “dealt with one” quietly some time back, LOL. He doesn’t take well to people messing with his property, just saying.

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Family would be welcome both of my daughter’s are with very capable men with very useful skill sets my sister’s are meaner than I am and not people to mess with we were raised farming and living of game so I think family would be ok but outsiders need to stay clear of us.

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I guess it depends on your supply inventory and available natural resources. It is pointless (and detrimental) to let people in if you can’t provide for them. I wouldn’t let anyone in unless they had something to offer (skills or supplies).

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#SoylantGreen

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I’m just going to say that if I can’t go to sleep without worrying about them cutting my throat for food or weapons. Or allowing someone else to do so while on watch…they are not welcome in my group.
That makes it a very very short list.

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We ended up stranded on an island from Florance flooding for close to 2 weeks, no power, no gas, no booze resupply and no LEO. 2 neighbors flooded out completely and moved to house of family that bugged out. Another neighbor had a prolonged domestic dispute, 911 said have fun, call us back if someone is dead.

Non of this was my problem, if it’s not on my property I don’t care about it… Clear boundaries were set long in advance, don’t come a callin without advance notice or you might not find the welcome wagon receptive to company.
We did team up a little with one family and did group meals together etc. When they hinted around about getting some fuel from us I let it be known that we might negotiate once every last drop had been siphoned from each vehicle on his property… it was interesting watching the light bulbs flicker in his head… “never thought of that”

In the end, we could have gone many more weeks with nothing more than minor inconveniences, and plenty of ammo to hold off the zombie neighbors, lol.

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I’m not really talented with much that would be helpful (other than shooting) and not well off enough to stock up on a bunch stuff so my collection of firearms, ammo and my duty to patrol the perimeter is all I can offer. Enough?

I have zero reservation of putting anyone down trying to get in.

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This is the classic ant and grass hopper story.
If I continually tell you to store food and you don’t. You just make fun of me and say I’m paranoid. I can’t help you after the fact.

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Change that brother
Instead of buying a weapon next time buy storable food and a water filtration system
The lil one has to eat as well as you and the lady
It’s a hedge against the worst stuff that can happen
Kids don’t understand we don’t have food well

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Okay. Now is a good time to learn how to garden. Raise rabbits, and chickens. Start to store food. Here are a few ideas.

Remember it’s ok to make mistakes along the way. That’s the best way to learn.

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Trust me, both of us are going on that journey soon!

We are gonna build a greenhouse when we move to ID. :+1: In the meantime we are gonna try and use half barrels to grow some basic stuff out in the backyard. Haha both of us have brown thumbs.

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