Survivalism

[AustinBoy]

It really suprises me that there doesnt seem to be more interest in survivalism on this board. (yes, I know survivalism isnt a word, yet)

I am not a "end of the world as we know it" kinda guy, but I do have some preps.

Is there really not that big of an interest on this board?

food
water
GHB - Get home bag
BOB - Bug out bag
etc....

I read another forum on the subject but there are a bunch of crazies on there.

I would much rather discuss ideas with people on this board.

Any interest?

If I am not the only one, throw out a topic and lets get started!

AB

[Scott in Houston]

I think many people on here take some level of preparation. It's not about 'zombies' or 'Armageddon' as much as it is about just being smart. Most of us on the coast remember Rita and Ike... it would be kind of crazy to not have some sort of storage of water, food, gasoline, and/or ammo. :)

People on this forum are preparing to protect themselves in the very unlikely event we need our firearm, so preparing for the rather likely scenario (relatively speaking) of a weather disaster or even some form of social unrest regarding politics or a court decision, etc, isn't much of a stretch.

Me personally, food, water, gasoline, first aid, and ammo...

[AustinBoy]

I guess that is kinda my point.

In another thread, I was surprised to see how many people hadnt heard of Mountain House food.

We come to this board to discuss how to protect ourselves with wepaons, but I dont see much discussion about how to protect ourselves in an emergency situation.

Again, I am not talking about "zombies" or "armegeddon" but what if you are stuck without power for 3 weeks?

I dont live on the coast and never really considered this until recently.

You live on the coast. How are you prepared?

Just trying to be helpful.

AB

[AustinBoy]

So I will kick it off with the contents of my BOB (Bug Out Bag).
All of this is in a single duffle bag. Yes, it weighs a TON but I can throw it in the back of the car or take a bunch of stuff out if I dont need it.

In Bag Qty
Candle - 100 hour 2
Magnesium Fire Starter w/Tinder 1
Tent - 2 Person 1
Water - 1.5 Liter 2
Mace - 2oz 2
Fixed Knife - Buck - Skinner 1
Leatherman Wave 1
First Aid Kit** 1
22 Ammo 300
45 ammo - 230gr FMJ 50
USB Charger w/AA Batteries 1
Solar Panel 1
Solar Panel Adapter w/USB 1
Flashlight - Hand Crank w/USB charger 1
Battery Tester 1
Compass - crappy one 1
Zip Lock Bags - 1 Gallon 7
Cigarette Lighters 6
Paracord 550 - 50ft 2
22 Pistol - Browning Buckmark 1
Magazines - 22 Browning Buckmark 2
Razor Blades 10
Zip Ties - 10" 15
Nails - Finishing - 2.5" 20
Playing Cards 2
Whistle 1
Whistle w/Compass &thermometer 1
Fishing Line - 20# - 350 yards 1
Silverware Set 2
Knife Sharpener 1
Katadyne Tablets 90
Duct Tape - Black - 35 yards 1
Gun Oil - 2oz 1
Life Straw - Water Purification 2
Mask - N95 6
Rain Pancho 2
Suncreen - SPF50 1
Blanket - Aluminized/Safety 2
Electrical Tape - 3/4 x 30 ft. 1
3-LED USB Light 1
Waterproof Camping Bags 3
Survival Machete 1
$200 Cash - $100x1 $20x5 1
Pair of Jeans 1
Sewing Kit - 5 needles/thread/buttons 1


**In First Aid Kit Qty
Band-Aids Misc lots
Tweezers 1
Neosporin 1
Neosporin Pain Relief 1
Gauze - Sterile - 3x3 10
Celox 8x8 Clotting Gauze 1
Imodium AD 36


AB

[68Charger]

The zombies WILL come. get your 22lr ready.

[AustinBoy]

Hahaha.
That is just what's in the BOB.
We didnt talk about what's in the safe!

AB

[LSUTiger]

I am all for it! I think the CHL cause, this forum and the members would benefit greatly. If your interested, speak your mind! Otherwise, the opinions of a few will serve to as the voice of all, just like voting!

But all may be for not as I don't think the forum management cares much for expanding the forum scope to include this topic in an organized way for easy information accessibility. I have tried it before in another thread. I just came to the conclusion that I will just have to go elsewhere to get certain content. I think they want to keep it CHL only and thats OK.

If it doesn't catch on here, no worries, there are many survivalism/prepper websites out there. I suggest you check out this one, http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/index.php, it has a feature that you can create local groups so you can organize members by location. What a great way to network and be able to help each other out in an emergency if you organize and are able to mobilize. Also, it has an eerily familar look and feel.

I enjoy this site immensely and have spent a lot of time on this site and feel I have gained all the knowledge I can for now, with only mall incremental gains (law of diminishing returns). I will have to step back for a while and check back periodically as events change to see the latest discussions/new content. I have been spending much of my time lately on these other sites and less time on this one because of the lack of organized survival topics. Posting the random topic is just too hard to search and find information. Other sites are like this one, but dedicated to something else. But all of them have a firearms section. My prepping has really become an urgent matter that I have been addressing little by little. My CHL buddies who have never spent time on this site are not spending any time here either, they are all consumed by prepping. To them, they have their CHL and thats all they need to know. Surprisingly, they are not as interested as they should be with the day to day 2A/CHL issues.

From other posts I get the feeling I'm not the only one who believes the following scenario is not as far fetched as it sounds: In one emergency scenario, I envision all municipal utilities, water, gas, electricity and supply chain shortages will be intentionally restricted and used as a control mechanism for mass compliance. I hope all the naysayers wise up and get on board with the Survivalism/Prepping movement. Guns and ammo ain't the only thing needed to keep free people free. It's hard to fight on an empty stomach or worse, when your kids have an empty stomach. Compliance will be acheived without a fight or just a very short lived one.

The good thing about Survivalism/Prepping is that it comes in handy in all emergencies, from hurricanes to the more extreme. The basics are the same.

So I'm with you brother, but I've been down this road before. If things change then great, if not, I'll still come here for CHL topics and elsewhere for other stuff.

[ghostrider]

interesting quiz on this topic:

https://american.redcross.org/site/SPag ... quiz1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[LSUTiger]

Are you ready?

I probably never be, given resource, space limitations. But my immediate goal is to have 3 months supply to be able to go off grid. Is it enough to wage effective resistance?

[Charles L. Cotton]

I am all for it! I think the CHL cause, this forum and the members would benefit greatly. If your interested, speak your mind! Otherwise, the opinions of a few will serve to as the voice of all, just like voting!

Now you've gone a little too far. You posted a poll about interest in a separate Survival forum. With more than 11,000 Members, you only received 58 votes and, as Keith pointed out, 36% of them were against the suggestion. More importantly, less than 1/2 of 1% cared enough about the idea to even vote!

But all may be for not as I don't think the forum management cares much for expanding the forum scope to include this topic in an organized way for easy information accessibility. I have tried it before in another thread. I just came to the conclusion that I will just have to go elsewhere to get certain content. I think they want to keep it CHL only and thats OK.

Even a quick glance at the board reveals that topics and discussions are far broader than just CHL. The simple fact is interest in a survival forum is miniscule. I've had more people express interest in forums for muscle cars (me included!), flying/airplanes, and ham radio just to name a few. If we created a new forum for every topic that garnered the interest of only 1/2 of 1% of our Members, the board would become bloated and unworkable. As I mentioned in response to your thread on this subject, we responded to numerous complaints about having too many forums by combining those that had minimal usage. Boards do tend to grow over time and those that are well maintained are pruned periodically.

If you feel you've learned all you can from almost 700,000 posts with hundreds of new ones daily, then I wouldn't blame you for not spending much time here. I've been doing this since December 2004 and I still learn something from our Members every day. Then again, I'm an old man, so perhaps I'm just a slow learner.

Declining a request for another forum is not disparaging the topic or the Member who requested the forum, but it certainly appears that you feel slighted or insulted. That was not the intent.

Chas.

[ffemt300]

Katadyne Tablets 90


AB

What is this? Curious.

[AEA]

Water purification tablets.

[ffemt300]

yes I could see where those would come in handy...

[knotquiteawake]

Several pages of survivalist interest here:
http://texaschlforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=83&t=47256" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[LSUTiger]

Declining a request for another forum is not disparaging the topic or the Member who requested the forum, but it certainly appears that you feel slighted or insulted. That was not the intent.

Chas.

Just so you know, my post also was certainly not intended to insult or disparage the forum or forum owners or forum management, but to merely advise a member (s) with similar thoughts of my experience. I don’t feel insulted or disparaged in the least amount. Am I little disappointed that this topic did not catch on here? Yes.

If you feel you've learned all you can from almost 700,000 posts with hundreds of new ones daily, then I wouldn't blame you for not spending much time here. I've been doing this since December 2004 and I still learn something from our Members every day. Then again, I'm an old man, so perhaps I'm just a slow learner.

As I have said before, I still enjoy the site immensely and frequent it often, just not as much as I used to because some of my other interests have gained priority are better served elsewhere.

But I feel, for now, I know enough about CHL to be able to carry effectively, safely and lawfully. I often return to refresh my memory on various CHL topics.

I have definitely learned a lot. I don’t know everything there is to know about anything and in most cases I only know very little or nothing about a whole lot of things.

It is also my observation, as with any and all forums, there is often a finite amount of new things to discuss about a given topic. Things often change slowly, so once you have become educated about a certain topics, minimal gains in knowledge are experienced as you spend more time on it.

Much, not all, of the “new” content is a repeat of something else in some form or fashion or simply comradie, stories and banter between members, which I also enjoy, I just wish I had more time for it.

At some point actual new CHL content is largely dependent on changing laws and applicable events. I suspect if the next Presidential election goes the wrong way there will be lots to new information to talk about regarding guns and CHL.

If you have the time, interest and *no other priority*, then by all means spend as much time here as you wish. It's still a free country, sort of.

Now you've gone a little too far. You posted a poll about interest in a separate Survival forum. With more than 11,000 Members, you only received 58 votes and, as Keith pointed out, 36% of them were against the suggestion. More importantly, less than 1/2 of 1% cared enough about the idea to even vote!

I understand where you are coming from but to me the logic is flawed. A no vote (eligible voter who did not cast a vote one way or the other) doesn’t count, only the people who voted “yes” or “no” count. Do people who don’t vote in normal elections get to say “well I didn’t vote, my candidate/issue didn’t win, so the election results don’t count.” Or because of low voter turn out the election results don’t count? No. A no vote is exactly that, not a vote, it is neither for or against. A “no” vote is something else.

I often don't vote or comment on issues that I feel strongly about because I simply don't have the time. If it does not pertain to something I have on my mind at any given moment I often pass over it to not lose focus on what I was doing. If that works to my detrement then its my fault. But I don't think its safe to assume that because only a small % of voters means there isn't a larger interest. In practice, according to many political polls, because of low voter turn out, one vote = many more than 1 vote. So for those who do not speak up, the few speak for the many. So vote this presidential election!

I guess what is faulty logic and what is not depends which side you are arguing for. I would suppose lawyers can appreciate that.

Even a quick glance at the board reveals that topics and discussions are far broader than just CHL.

Although the site is TexasCHLForum (a previous argument made not to include the survivalism topic specifically as a subsection) it does contain more than CHL topics. And yes these other topics are beneficial, but not necessarily CHL specific (some current political events/new guns (rifles, shotguns), hunting etc. )

As for as user experience, information that has to be searched for specifically and not organized into easy to browse sections is often overlooked and hard to find in a timely manner. That’s why for the topic of survivalism I go elsewhere and for CHL, I continue to come here.




I still try to actively promote this forum because I believe in what it is trying to promote. The more people who support our cause (CHL) the better it is for us. I can appreciat and respect what goes into creating and maintaining such a site, it is a great service to us all.

I still plan on actively frequenting the site and participating in the conversation. Viva TexasCHLforum.com !

Thank you for listening!