Surviving in a post collapse world
A friend sent me this link very
interesting reading from a man that saw
Russia collapse up close.Reference Here
The following talk was given on February 13, 2009, at Cowell Theater in Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, to an audience of 550 people. Audio and video of the talk will be available on Long Now Foundation web site.
Moving on to transportation. Here, we need to make sure that people don’t get stranded in places that are not survivable. Then we have to provide for seasonal migrations to places where people can grow, catch, or gather their own food, and then back to places where they can survive the winter without freezing to death or going stir-crazy from cabin fever. Lastly, some amount of freight will have to be moved, to transport food to population centers, as well as enough coal and firewood to keep the pipes from freezing in the remaining habitable dwellings.
Now I found this part very interesting. Which will bring me into several topics right away. First we are dealing with a different world here in America we have many problems from a huge multi culture problem that very well could turn into a open warfare. But let us deal with a few reality that some I feel are almost guaranteed. Wild Dogs! I first started talking about this problem back pre Y2K. I understand people and their love for their dogs. As times become tough people are going to let their dogs go in great numbers. This is a very big problem I believe will happen all across America
We can look at the historical facts. Russians after the collapse in 1990's in some part of the country were so dangerous that at night people only walked in groups carrying clubs to defend themselves against wild dogs. In fact several Russian readers of my articles 10 years ago wrote me about the vicious fights they had with dogs both at night and during the day. Dogs have no natural fear on man. Dogs are pack animals. Once formed, huge packs of 30-50 will be common in the country side. The south with the more mild climate will be extremely dangerous. 85 million dogs in America does not take but 10% released to form packs started mating and your worst nightmare will come true.
How do you defend against a charging pack of dogs? How do you pick out the leader and Beta? When charging at you shoot the forward most dog this well show the other dogs you are a top predator. Keep shooting until they are all dead or out of sight. Shooting one or two and letting the rest go will only turn the dogs smarter and more dangerous next time. This is deadly serious and no game time for bunny hugging feeling. It will be you against the packs.
Fall and winter will bring the most vicious attacks; starving dogs, extreme weather will drive these animals to the most aggressive stage. Livestock owners will be confronting packs at night. Charging out with a flashlight and double barrel is great for the first two dogs but the next 28 can rip you to shreds before you reload. Livestock may well be to precious to lose to dogs. At first the dogs will attack during the day until they learn to adapt to the fact that night hunting is more productive and less dangerous for them. 10 dozen snares protecting your property would really help.
I am sure some readers are thinking this guy is too extreme for me I could never shoot a dog. If you thinking like that you are in big trouble already. The first law of the jungle is only the strong survive. In a post collapse world you are not going to have the luxury of thinking like I could never shoot a dog. Instead of worrying about some Spotted owl you better be worrying about your own survival first. Because if you worry about some animal over your own survival you have lost the battle. You are going to be wishing you bought the old books who didn't play games on reality of nature. Defending your livestock from 2 and 4 legged predators could mean the difference between life and death. Get in the proper survival mind set.
On Eric Gurr blog he said: "We still talk about the health care crisis, the environmental crisis, the oil crisis, the banking crisis. Let me tell you my friends you are about to learn the meaning of the only crisis that matters, the survival crisis."
If anyone has any good dog attack stories please feel free to email me. At prohuman@daktel.com
Now the other part I found interesting was how the Russians organized what sounds like bus trips dropping people off in this part seasonal migrations to places where people can grow, catch, or gather their own food, and then back to places where they can survive the winter.
That is interesting concept. How this well play out has me wondering. Well it be commune style and people work on the farm all summer by hand to produce enough food to survive the winter? This is very hard rugged work. Others heading into the bush and living off the land in parts sure but not the millions that live in the cities. I could see folks working for ranchers helping put up hay to survive the winter in trade for beef. Plus growing their own garden at the same time putting up potatoes, wheat, barley and fresh veggies. That could work.
The ones in the woods at retreat already set up and stock is who I would like to address my next part to. In the above link the Russian kind of scoff off the lone man in the cabin retreat set up. Never any details. I believe he was comparing Russians to Americans and may not have realized the true retreats set up across this country. I would guess there is a couple million retreats set up fortified stock to the gills with trained men to run them.
Now as supplement to your stock food, instead of hunting snaring is best option for taking animals. Think about it; a snare is working for you 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Hard to get a hunter to that without you having to feed him. The snare is lightweight easy to carry and conceal. You can learn to take anything from rabbit to deer with them. Now a dozen snare for deer are under $25. Spread out across a mile you can cover 12 trails all at once. Now if you are in thick deer area this might not be a good idea unless you want to spend the next day cleaning 4-6 deer. But the point being no one hunter can cover 12 deer trails over 1 mile all day and all night. But 12 snares can. Just common sense once you understand the correct way to use snares you will be happy your learned the art. That is why I recommend folks get the training DVD's because you are seeing the sets made you have a good understanding then you see the actual catches. Re watch them several times and it will be come part of being a successful snaresman or snareswoman.
Remember when everyone in America looked at you as if you were nuts if you talked about economic collapse? I found this part in a comment section.
A few days ago I would say that this guy is way off base. Then today I saw someone stop their car to pick up a road kill rabbit. Last year dead deer would rot by the roadside, not any more.
Picking up road kill? It shows the American people are starting to get desperate. That is just the beginning I believe you may see fights over road kills in the near future. You still have time to get your basic store up wheat, barely, beans, Mac and cheese, can meats, tuna fish, can veggies, the interesting thing in the Russian article was business that had good inventories did better. Think of yourself as a small business and stock up. Common items now that are cheap will be great trading material later.
If you enjoy my articles drop me a line.
Buckshot
*20 August, 2009 is the date that Buckshot's Articles were migrated from the Trapping Section to his own sub domain on RuralSurvivial.info
