Preppers UK - Surviving Armageddon

[TheOutdoorist]

Did anyone else catch the show on Nat Geo? I only tuned in because i know a few familiar faces from YouTube but it really got me thinking...

Some people had cupboards full of tinned goods and one chap lives off the grid hunting and growing his own food etc.

What made me think the most was since i've gotten into lightweight kit i have forgotten about Bushcraft- and although i still want to practice it I have moved on all my kit in order to buy lighter kit.

I am going to buy a new stainless steel billy can and go out in the woods with that, a knife, saw and some paracord and see what i can do.

Also I am now very eager to learn foraging and trapping and also preparing game in the field like how to clean out fish/rabbit/wood pigeon/squirrel because although i have taken them all before i have never done it myself. I once cleaned out a wood pigeon with the help of a friend and cooked it up on my hobo stove but i am very eager to learn myself

I do not think the world is going to end but watching the show got me thinking that if my house flooded(i live between two mountains) or heavy snow come, or a solar flare did stop all electronics i want to be confident in feeding myself and living independently if I had too, obviously it would be a last ditch effort.

I am also thinking of a few nights out soon where i'll treat my own water, find my own food and make a small camp with a shelter frame and use a tarp because i have made a shelter before i just do not like leaving them in the woods.

Thank you for reading, Ben.

PS, I will not be filling a cupboard with food and drums of water under the bed etc i am just hoping to sharpen up my skills encase they are even needed and have fun whilst doing so.

[claverhouse]

I think if there was a solar flare strong enough to act as a global EMP we'd all have bigger problems than there being no electricity - like looking for Factor 20000 sunblock and enough boxes to keep our hair in after it all fell out, and extra toothbrushes for the second heads we'd all be growing ..... ;)

[paul standley]

I watched it last night... I think that as Bushcrafters, most of us have achieved a degree of preparedness anyway by the very nature of the interests we practice and I know a lot of use keep various bits of kit in the car in case of unexpected need but beyond that I'm not going to be building a bomb shelter or food store in my cellar anytime soon.

I quite liked the philosophy of the guy In Slovakia which basically, was to acquire and practice the skills to provide shelter, grow, forage and hunt for food in the event that the need arose as opposed to stockpiling large amounts of stuff but as ever, it's each to his own...

Paul.

[TheOutdoorist]

I watched it last night... I think that as Bushcrafters, most of us have achieved a degree of preparedness anyway by the very nature of the interests we practice and I know a lot of use keep various bits of kit in the car in case of unexpected need but beyond that I'm not going to be building a bomb shelter or food store in my cellar anytime soon.

I quite liked the philosophy of the guy In Slovakia which basically, was to acquire and practice the skills to provide shelter, grow, forage and hunt for food in the event that the need arose as opposed to stockpiling large amounts of stuff but as ever, it's each to his own...

Paul.

Hello Paul,

I think I feel very similar to yourself in how you describe.
I will not be spending £1000's on cans of food that will last 25 years but in a few years time if i had an opportunity to live independently off the grid i certainly would not refuse it.

[OakAshandThorn]

I think if there was a solar flare strong enough to act as a global EMP we'd all have bigger problems than there being no electricity - like looking for Factor 20000 sunblock and enough boxes to keep our hair in after it all fell out, and extra toothbrushes for the second heads we'd all be growing ..... ;)
Well, because of the increase in solar radiation beginning in the 1990s, it is definitely possible. According to NASA, though, the levels of solar activity fluctuate every 50-60 years or so (1940s/30s - 2000 was a time of relatively low solar activity). But still, many of us would be in serious trouble if such a thing happened, because humans are slaves to electronics. What would be even worse is if we got smacked by a solar flare powerful enough to disrupt the Earth's EM field, in which case,...we are in BIG trouble. Hopefully, that won't happen for a very very long while.

[Silverback]

I quite liked the philosophy of the guy In Slovakia which basically, was to acquire and practice the skills to provide shelter, grow, forage and hunt for food in the event that the need arose as opposed to stockpiling large amounts of stuff but as ever, it's each to his own...


Me too, and I'd like to think thats the category into which I fit. Been at the pointy end of too many major incidents to sit back and wait for the next one.

Personally i think we are more at risk from a rocketing inflation/economic collapse, peak oil/fuel crisis or civil unrest type incident anyway rather than EMP, Pandemic or mass extinction event

[rich290185]

worse thing to worry about when a solar flare hits and the power go's out..................how do you get on NBC????? ;)

[AL...]

Need to get a wind up puter kinda like the raido's and torchs lol

Cheers
AL

[TheOutdoorist]

Please no one think i'm paranoid about anything happening.. just wrote this thread as the show made me think.

Im not worried about solar flares/EMP or epidemics, i just think that out of everything that could happen i would like knowledge just encase it did because at the moment if i had to leave the house for a few days for any reason, even just because i left the tap/cooker on i could but anything over 1 week i would start to struggle food wise. Also if the currency deflated i would like the knowledge to prepare game and forage food.

I hope to never have to do anything, but i would like to. Taking game live, preparing it yourself and then eating is a learning curve that few too many people are used to. I remember catching a fish as a child and cooking it over a fire which was a great memory but i have never prepared a fish myself..

The purpose of this thread was more towards learning the skills rather than why i would need them..

Cheers T^

[Silverback]

The purpose of this thread was more towards learning the skills rather than why i would need them..

Cheers T^


Loads of information already posted on numerous threads. Use the search option and enjoy

[OakAshandThorn]

Need to get a wind up puter kinda like the raido's and torchs lol

Cheers
AL
Now there's a great idea! :D



worse thing to worry about when a solar flare hits and the power go's out..................how do you get on NBC????? ;)
Well, at least you'll get an awesome night show with the auroras ;).

[blindgeekuk]

I found an online version of this yesterday... I was expecting it to put the preppers across as total nutters, similar to how the BBC's conspiracy road trip did - The guys shown on their own came across as slightly mad, but the ones shown with their wives and kids came across as more normal.

The falklands vet with the bolt hole in wales - 5 hours drive on a bug out is pretty extreme - what if the motorways are blocked for example. He claimed to be prepping for a natural disaster, but then makes comments about bugging out as soon as possible. I wonder if he bothered to bug out during the riots or in the recent flooding, or the fuel crisis...

The various stores of stuff they had gathered... That looks like my cupboards after our monthly tesco restock to feed a family of 6. I'd seriously question how they think they could live a year on what they had gathered.

[TheOutdoorist]

I found an online version of this yesterday... I was expecting it to put the preppers across as total nutters, similar to how the BBC's conspiracy road trip did - The guys shown on their own came across as slightly mad, but the ones shown with their wives and kids came across as more normal.

The falklands vet with the bolt hole in wales - 5 hours drive on a bug out is pretty extreme - what if the motorways are blocked for example. He claimed to be prepping for a natural disaster, but then makes comments about bugging out as soon as possible. I wonder if he bothered to bug out during the riots or in the recent flooding, or the fuel crisis...

The various stores of stuff they had gathered... That looks like my cupboards after our monthly tesco restock to feed a family of 6. I'd seriously question how they think they could live a year on what they had gathered.

I do agree.

The one I really enjoyed was the chap in Slovakia.. had it all worked out in my opinion :)

[FishyFolk]

Well, at least you'll get an awesome night show with the auroras ;).

Yes but nowhere to brag abaut the awesome pictures :sad:

[surplus 6]

just read this, down loading a copy so I'll comment tomorrow after watching it :)