Why You Should Bug Out To A Rural Area

When most people talk about bugging out, I get the impression that they’re talking about bugging out to the wild.

This isn’t a new impression on my part; I’ve been seeing it for years. Yet bugging out to the wild, while a great sounding idea, is the hardest sort of bug out to do. The typical bug out bag only includes three days worth of food, yet I never hear anyone talking about how they’re going to replenish their food, once they get to their favorite wilderness location.

But living off the land isn’t as easy as it might seem. Granted, many thousands of people lived off the land in the early days of our country. But the ratio of people to game was much better back then, making it fairly easy to find dinner. In any situation bad enough to cause you to bug out, the only places where you’re going to be able to find abundant game to hunt are those which are a long ways from any cities, towns or even farms.

Of course, you could bury a massive stock of supplies out there in the wilderness somewhere, just waiting for you. That would be a big project and keeping it secret would require a lot of patience. But that’s not to say you couldn’t do it; it would just be difficult.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have the kind of bug out that happens when the government calls for an evacuation due to a hurricane. While technically a bug out, it’s different than what we usually talk about for two reasons; because it’s temporary and because everyone is looking for hotels and temporary refugee centers to go to.

But that’s not a realistic example of a bug out either, due to the fact that what we’re seeing is all of the unprepared people and what they do. There are surely preppers included in every one of those mass exodus exercises, but they either blend in with the crowd or simply use the crowd as camouflage.

Regardless of whether you and I end up bugging out for a short-term problem, like a hurricane or because of a TEOTWAWKI event that causes a breakdown of society, we need a workable plan to keep our families safe.

If you happen to have a cabin in the woods, which you can use as a bug out retreat, more power to you. I’ve wanted to buy some land and build such a cabin for years, but the finances just keep eluding me. The best I’ve managed so far is a backpack and a tent; which isn’t a survival retreat by any means, it’s more for use along the way to my retreat.

But where am I going to go? That’s the question.

Find a Small Town

My solution has been to find a small town that’s far enough from our home that it will probably be missed by any regional disaster, while still being close enough to be accessible in the event of a disaster. While that town is only 70 miles from my home, it is also 131 feet higher above sea level, as well as being 80 miles farther inland than where I live. That means that the town is much more likely to survive a hurricane, the biggest threat that faces the area in which I live.

There are several reasons why my wife and I have chosen this town, chief amongst which is that we like the town itself. But it was also important to us that it be a small town (actual population is slightly less than 2,000 people) in an area that is at least semi-agricultural. We wanted it to be close enough to be easy to get to, while far enough inland and high enough above sea level to be relatively safe from hurricane flooding, even if it was still close enough to be hit by said hurricane.

The town we found isn’t really on anyone’s radar for anything, even though it has its share of cute shops and its monthly market days to bring in tourism. But other than that one day a month, there’s really no reason for anyone to visit that town. There’s nothing to make it look like a good place to run to in an emergency.

As with many other small towns, there are a few small motels, as well as a fair number of places for sale or rent, although the prices to buy a house are a bit steep. It also has one important thing, which is critical to our plans… a self-storage business. It also has a small river flowing by, providing water.

So, what’s wrong with our little rural town? Like any other small town, it’s suspicious of outsiders. Small towns are different. Everyone knows everyone; and they can spot a stranger from a mile away. So, while they depend largely on the money that those outsiders bring into the town, those people are easily identified as who they are… outsiders.

Should a disaster happen, it’s likely that the residents of our small town will be just as suspicious of outsiders as they are now, or even more so. As with any other small town, they are unlikely to be very welcome to the masses of people from the city, who are going to think that things are better in the rural areas and flood out of the cities, looking for help. Those towns are not going to be a haven filled with food and other critical resources, like many will expect.

urban-versus-rural-living

Integrating Ourselves in the Town

As I see it, the only way that any of us can use a small town as a bug out destination when things go to pot is to integrate ourselves into that town before that happens. That means building a relationship with people, so that we aren’t strangers when we show up at disaster time.

William Forstchen captured the attitude of the small town very well in his best-selling novel “One Second After,” which talks about the aftermath of an EMP. In that story, the town ends up blockading the roads and keeping people who aren’t a part of the town out. They were able to do that because the town was in some rugged mountains, which kept people from coming in cross-country.

Our chosen town doesn’t have that advantage; but that doesn’t mean they won’t try to keep strangers out in the aftermath of a serious disaster. It’s commonly believed that such towns will blockade the entrances to town and post guards. How well they might do in keeping people out is another matter altogether.

At the same time, even if people do get into those small towns, they will stand out as being strangers. One might be able to hide that in a big city, where people don’t necessarily know each other, but not in a small town, where everyone knows each other. If those towns are serious about their security, any strangers slipping into town will probably be found rather quickly.

To combat that, we’re actively working to get to know people in town. Once a month we travel to the town and spend the weekend there, staying at the same motel and eating at our favorite restaurant. We always make a point of visiting the same antique store, where we talk to the owner and go to the same church, where people are getting to know us. Basically, we’re using a weekend getaway as a chance to form relationships with people, getting them used to us, as we integrate ourselves into their community.

This community also has a blacksmithing club, which I am anxious to meet. My dad was a blacksmith in the latter years of his professional life and I had the opportunity to learn a little from him. I’m hoping that this club is open enough that I might be able to spend some time with them, increasing my skills. Of course, that would give us more people that we know, who would vouch for us when we show up for sanctuary.

When the time comes that we have to bug out to that town, they will already know us. That will make it much harder for them to turn us away, even while they are turning aside others. But that’s not all we’re depending on.

Establishing a Supply Cache

Since we live in a hurricane zone, we operate under the assumption that the most likely disaster we will have to face is a hurricane. On top of that, I’m always aware of the risk of major disasters, like an EMP. In either scenario, we will be better off in our selected rural town, than we will be at home. So, while we have a stockpile of equipment and supplies in our home, to help us survive a disaster, we don’t expect to be staying here.

Our number one plan, like that person who has a cabin in the woods, is to bug out and go to our rural town to survive there. With that in mind, our main supply cache is in a self-storage unit, located in that town. We have a 10’ x 10’ unit, which is well stocked with food, survival gear and camping supplies.

In addition to the supplies and survival gear, I have a fair collection of tools there. While I haven’t bothered stockpiling power tools in that cache, assuming that there will be no power, I do have woodworking and mechanics hand tools, which will allow me to do a variety of different things.

The survival stockpile we have set up in that cache is actually larger than the one we have set up at home. Part of that is because we had to include things like camping gear, which we would not need at home; but the other part is because bugging out to that town, rather than staying in the city, is our number one survival plan. The only disasters we would stay in the city for are short-term ones which catch us by surprise.

We’ve also scouted the town for potential locations to set up camp. There are a number of abandoned buildings, which while not ideal, would make a decent survival shelter. But even if we can’t use those, the tent and other camping gear we have would allow us to set up camp in a number of locations that we’ve already spotted.

This supply cache is our second ace in the hole for being accepted by the community, if we ever end up having to bug out and go there. With it, we can prove that we aren’t going to be a burden to them, eliminating the biggest reason they would have for rejecting us. In addition, I’m a former engineer, with considerable skills which could be of use to the town. We’re hoping that combination, along with the friends and acquaintances we’re making, will have them greet us with open arms.

Where to Go From Here?

Of course, my preparations to use that town as our survival retreat aren’t over. Prepping never seems to end. I’m hoping to be able to buy a small piece of property somewhere in that area and park a travel trailer there or build a tiny home. That would be our real ace in the hole, if I’m able to do it, because it would provide us with a legitimate claim residency.

While this won’t be the same as having that cabin in the woods that I would really like to have, it will be just as good. Perhaps it will be even better. Survival in the wild is challenging at best, with all the different tasks that need to be done. We humans are social animals, accustomed to sharing work with others. Using a small town as my bug out location provides me with those others, without the risks that are associated with trying to survive in a big city.

The sense of community that exists in a small town may very well be their most important survival trait. That sense doesn’t exist in the city anymore; but it isn’t lost either. All you have to do to find it is find a small community somewhere.

Written by

Bill White is the author of Conquering the Coming Collapse, and a former Army officer, manufacturing engineer and business manager. More recently, he left the business world to work as a cross-cultural missionary on the Mexico border. Bill has been a survivalist since the 1970s, when the nation was in the latter days of the Cold War. He had determined to head into the Colorado Rockies, should Washington ever decide to push the button. While those days have passed, the knowledge Bill gained during that time hasn’t. He now works to educate others on the risks that exist in our society and how to prepare to meet them. You can send Bill a message at editor [at] survivopedia.com.

Latest comments
  • Land and even housing is fairly reasonably priced in small rural towns in the South. Many of these small towns have vacant buildings that can be purchased cheaply. In rural areas just outside a small town like you describe, can provide space for a garden and hunting. I live just outside a town of 1500 people and have found that my neighbors help each other in crises. You might want to look at small communities in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, or Mississippi. I bought a 2200 sq. ft. house on 1.4 acres surrounded by timber company land, for $76,000. It is on a little used paved road a few miles from town and 60-70 miles from any large cities. There are only 7000 people in the entire county where I live, and most of them are friendly, hard working people who one could work with in an emergency.

    • Your advice is sound, but, those looking to do as you have need to stay away from the coastal areas.. A prime example is here in Baldwin county, Alabama. Since the Land Rapists discovered the beaches in 1980, land prices in the entire county have gone insane. Land which sold for $200 per acre in 1979 now sells for $70,000 per acre if it has even an unlivable shack on it.

  • We live outside a small town near a lake. Do you consider this a good place? We have an acre of land.

  • I don’t like your article. You are encouraging city dwellers to relocate to small towns and you especially single out the South. With your approach, the small town will die. It will be inundated with city folk who will bring their city ways with them and expect the small town people to adapt to the city way. Bull shit! Our town has gone thru this. We now have debt in our county we did not have before the outsiders came. We don’t like it. We don’t like the outsiders. They will never be welcomed. Even in a major disaster, as they sit on their butts waiting on someone to help them, we will let them just sit. Small town people rely on themselves, not government. So it anything, I would encourage the city people to tough it out and stay were they are. We don’t need you nor want you.

    • Whoa, wait a minute. Bill clearly stated for people to assimilate into the community and be ready to take care of ones own while suggesting that you become part of the community by being an active participant. While there are plenty of people who do NOT want to do anything for themselves, Bill is NOT one of them. If people did what he talks about, then you wouldn’t have the issues that you apparently had. We all need to plan on taking care of ourselves first and then those who are at least willing to help, even if they haven’t prepared.

      • Bullshat!

        Bill all but admitted that he is endearing himself to the locals for the sole purpose of “USING” them when SHTF! He and his family will not be welcome when the locals find out his true motives!

    • i agree with you, “city folks bring city ways” and neither of which i welcome. i was raised in city by country people and spent every weekend at grand parents in country. i was raised gardening, hunting and fishing. i live in a small town 50 miles from nearest walmart. i own property in rural area in 2 diffrent states. i live in the small town to be close to wifes work. i hate this “city” living! i hate a lot of things especially people who not only do not know have to survive on their own, but those can not, and expect others to take care of them. i refuse to help anyone if the “expect” me to help.
      i have processes in place so that if i get seperated from my “personal property” no one better try to utilize them as they most certainly will cease to breathe.
      LOL, if government comes and takes my food, no one better eat it or they take the risk of……..

      • You are Absolutely Right! I also have “insurance policies” on my stock piles! It won’t hurt my stash, BUT……………………………………………..

        We also have a close knit group of trusted people in our rural area and they will be the ONLY ones we help, because when SHTF there will be no room for those who feel “entitled”!

    • I agree with you 100% Oren. you cant go into a small rural town once a month and be accepted, tolerated at best, but it takes many, many years of living there to be accepted as truly one of the community. trust me on this one

      • @cid While I agree with your thought ( and I live in a small mountain town) at least they are trying to integrate themselves into the community. Going to church there on Sunday will be a huge step in the right direction for most small towns. The people that just think they will show up and be accepted are the ones that are going to have a real problem. This family may get the OK if they have met the right people.

    • You are Absolutely Right!

      I find it Despicable, and totally Dishonorable that city people would come to a small town, under false pretenses, and try to endear themselves to the locals just so they can “USE” them when SHTF! That is typical big city thinking, and it is Disgusting! This is also a prime example for why REAL Americans hate city dwellers so much!

      We had some of these pieces of white trash come to our rural area, buying up property and then they go to the town meetings trying to bribe the town reps & officials into passing their socialist/fascist agenda 21 laws! They were accosted and told to never return. some were stupid enough to try and they were given a more “stern” type of warning and did not return again.These are the kinds of people that will be shot on sight, when SHTF, ,NO QUESTIONS ASKED!

      And we all know that when SHTF, aside from your own trusted group the ONLY Law that will apply is “Kill, or be KILLED”! It’s just as simple as that!

  • If you can visit the small town every month, see if there are opportunities to volunteer at community events, whether a festival or a church dinner. Washing dishes or cleaning tables at these events will make acquaintances quickly. Also consider joining the volunteer fire department – no better way to integrate yourself with the community!

    • Don’t even think about it!

      This article has already put the people in thousands of small towns across America ON ALERT to you despicable city dwellers that only want to “USE” we REAL Americans so you can continue you Immoral, Perverted, Dysfunctional lifestyles at OUR EXPENSE, after SHTF!
      Don’t Even Try It! It Ain’t Happening!
      We Will Be Watching and We Will Not Tolerate Your Deceptions, now that Bill has blown your cover!

  • Hi, Bill. An Interesting Note to your article. Here in SW Idaho (Near Oregon/Nevada corner) We have a Huge influx of people from Californicate, Arizontal, Las Vagas, and Wash. State – and they (nearly) All moved to the Boise area. Only a tiny percentage bought land or homes in or near the many lovely very small towns in the area (100 mile radius).

    • I hope you are well Armed, because pieces of trash like those already think you OWE them something!

  • Bill, Food storage in a storage unit seems to be risky from the standpoint of temperature fluctuations. How do you deal with that?

  • Oren, Bill is writing this article an advising people to assimilate into the community and with his blacksmith and engineer experience to be of value to the community. It doesn’t sound like he wants to be taken care of.

  • So you mention going to this small town to avoid flooding from a hurricane…yet talk about buying property to “park a travel trailer there or build a tiny home”. If a hurricane is a risk, then you need to be planning on having something there that will withstand hurricane force winds, as well as the tornadoes that hurricanes often spawn. I would think that if you’re familiar with hurricanes, that you would know this already.

  • My knee-jerk reaction to your headline was somewhat like Oren’s. But after reading your article, my hat is off to you. You are integrating yourself into the community, making friends, and preparing to not be a burden. And these little towns will be over burdened. Oren’s concerns are valid. My own little town faces the same threat, with people coming and bringing their hurry-up attitudes, and get frustrated when the level of service is not the same as where ever they blew in from. We will always help those who need it, to the best of our abilities, but have no use for anyone coming here feeling ‘entitled’. You sound like you will be an asset to the community, and that is welcomed anytime, but even moreso in a bug-out situation. You have my respect, and I expect you will receive the same when you move, whether you have to, or whether you finally can.

  • I agree with Sam,also learn ‘small town skills’ The small town folks will be more accepting when people see that you are NOT a burden but an asset to them.
    I grew up on a farm (pop.578) I learned how to plant,harvest food,hunt and process Deer,Duck,Pheasants.and perserve meet.I also learned the personal satisfaction of a hard days work.

    being able to provide for yourself also willing to help others who are willing to help themselfs.help in the community,voluunteer to help.

    country boy from Michigan

    • Don’t bet on it there buddy!

      Bill made it quite clear that he is endearing himself to the locals so he can “use” the town and “use” the people! He said it several times in his article!
      He has no wish to assimilate, only to “control”, and I’m quite sure that he and his family will not be welcome when the towns people find out his ulterior motives!

  • Here’s another downside. I live in a rural area where the majority of people are on some form of government assistance. When their EBT cards don’t work, it won’t be pretty. Plus, out-of-towners stick out like a sore thumb. When I moved here 13 years ago, everybody in the area knew I was coming before I got here. Literally people were waiting for us. Culturally, people make it a point to know everybody else’s business. Plus in our county here, the gun to people ratio is probably 3:1. Some are better equipped than US SOF. Best advice…low profile people, very low profile and keep your mouths shut.

    • You are correct,small town folks know each other and you will stick out like a red flag.Now is the time to slowly start to BLEND in.visiting,shopping,eating.let the people
      get to know you

      • Thanks for the info on your ulterior motives!
        We will be watching for people like you who only want to “USE” people in the rural areas, watching very closely!

  • I haven’t lived in a city in over 30 years, the last 15 on acreage outside of a small East Texas town. The problem we face in finding a secure place is numbers. I’m within one hundred miles of a city of 7 million, and I think as you consider moving to a small Southern town that will be hard to avoid. How far can millions of starving people travel feeding on the countryside like locusts? In a true SHTF situation I bet it’s hundreds of miles. Other than that, countrylife is great.

  • Hello im worried of civil unrest where and when do i leave my home and what highway do i take to go i live in a town surrounded by other towns w not so good ppl drugs in n.j. garfield i have more then a bugout bag i have a 11 person tent a tent stove heater water straw so how do i go about leavn and how long do i wait to leave. I have 2 dogs im not leavn a handicap daughter and a son. And i want to buy handradios

  • Bill, I understand the importance of justification for an opinion especially in the form of an article…But Your claim that your impression is that of folks preparing to bugout to the wilderness is unfounded, truly. most bugout plans are made for two functions: 1st) to escape a bad situation, and 2nd) to successfully travel to a (usually) rural location which has been previously setup (eg: planned) for just such an event. point being credibility is vital to success, therefore a better segway should be implemented.

  • The first BAD Article I’ve ever seen on this site!

    This article has already put the people in thousands of small towns across America ON ALERT to you despicable city dwellers that only want to “USE” we REAL Americans so you can continue you Immoral, Perverted, Dysfunctional lifestyles at OUR EXPENSE, after SHTF!
    Don’t Even Try It! It Ain’t Happening!
    We Will Be Watching and We Will Not Tolerate Your Deceptions, now that Bill has blown your cover!

  • I live near a small town (600 pop).. Just because a town is small doesn’t mean it doesn’t have problems. We have “druggies” who are always on the watch for something to convert into meth. Because my wife and I believe in having a backup to a backup we rented a self storage unit to put some supplies for a time we might have to leave or could not get to our primary location. We are fortunate enough to have a friend with a shelter in place building where we can put another minimal cache of supplies. Not sure if we were targeted or just randomly broken into, but our self storage unit was looted. Not everything was taken, just some emergency food and camping equipment. Just keep in mind that your self storage may be a way for “locals” to improve their standard of living. 24 hour security and secure units are rare in small towns. Just sayin . . .

LEAVE A COMMENT