Why You Should Think Like A Green Beret Instead Of A Doomsday Prepper

[Paslode]

Broadsword,

I ain't bashing your post, but after reading it the first thing that came to mind was the movie 'Alive'.

Most people can figure out how to make some sort of shelter, but most people have no clue how obtain water, or how to hunt, or process their kill. Unlike the Outdoor Channel and Pay to Kill ranches you can go days and weeks without seeing a thing. If you get lucky and get to on a killing spree chances are your prey will change their pattern or move.

I am by no means an expert, but I can tell you hunting is hard work (if you really hunt), it is often frustrating and it takes a lot of patience. Without a gun or bow.......it's going to be really rough.


Farming isn't as simple as throwing some seeds in the ground and wala I have food. You must pick crops that will grow in the area, dig up the ground, plant the crop at the proper time and if you do all that correctly you're then at the mercy of mother nature.

If all works in your favor you will have food some months down the road.


I am guessing that if you were thrown in the position as you describe, with 20-30 other people that over half of them won't have skill one, won't pull their weight and will be little more than consumers.

[Peregrino]

Even in recent historical times, the majority of famine deaths in subsistence communities occurred FEB-MAY. After stored food runs out and before new food is available. The amount of planning and the quantities of food required to ensure survival was prodigious even through WWII across most of the world. It was a full time job for the majority of the population. Today's norms (<1.5% of the population feeding everybody else and exporting surpluses) are only possible as a result of mechanized agriculture; the so called "green revolution" that started in the US in the 50's. As a hint - look at the post nuclear war priorities of the 50s & 60s. Number one was the restoration of modern agriculture and distribution systems sufficient to stave off starvation among a dispersed population. As for your scenario - when every waking moment is dedicated to securing the next meals, it takes centuries to build the infrastructure that supports an idle leisure class that can further the conditions of political stability and economic surplus that engenders the age of enlightenment and the industrial revolution. Hard to get to today from hunter gatherer without following the predictable path. It certainly won't happen either overnight or in several generations even with a full knowledge of what's possible. Too many stepping stones to build required capacity. Each layer creates the pre-conditions for an exponential (ideally, no guarantees of a smooth curve) growth in the next layer.

[Barbarian]

The big problem with all of this though is how to get the reliable food supply so that there is sufficient time and calories.

Specifically, the problem is "how to survive long enough to get to the point of being well enough equipped to obtain potable water, and a sufficient surplus of food. All of these food gathering chores require tools such as snares, spears, fish traps, shovels, picks, axes, hoes () and cutting tools. Cutting tools cannot just be pounded out of stone. It takes certain types of stone which may or may not be available in the area the party settles in. Then it must be located and mined or collected. Then it takes the skill and time to knap the blades and attach them.

Long term survival is dependent on playing the odds. Hunting, fishing, farming, traps, and foraging- none of these will provide enough food on their own. You would have to do all of these simultaneously and constantly. You can realistically expect over half of these to have failed at each gathering attempt. Then you have the requisite work after having success.

Game must be carried to camp and processed. It takes hours of hard work to get from dead animal to smoked meat. Tanning hides takes several hours of work per hide and then more work for several days afterward. Edible plants require cleaning, sorting, and separating edible parts from inedible. All of this must happen while making repairs on shelters, maintaining hygiene, keeping firewood, providing defense, tending wounded, etc. Once the party seems to be getting themselves established, local resources will be running low and it will be time to move camp.


I like your challenge. Heck of a handicap, though. I think steam engines are a matter for another day.

[chance]

Has anyone seen the newest Doomsday Prepper show? There's an guy on there named Mike Evock that said he spent 16 years in Special Forces, I'm just curious if he was tabbed or support.

[Max_Tab]

Originally Posted by chance

Has anyone seen the newest Doomsday Prepper show? There's an guy on there named Mike Evock that said he spent 16 years in Special Forces, I'm just curious if he was tabbed or support.

LMAO, I'm watching this episode right now.

[rdret1]

I saw it last night and came on here today to try to find some information about him. I see I was beat to the punch. I have the same questions.

[chance]

Yea, I did a search for his name on here and came up with nothing also.

[rdret1]

I just looked him up on FB https://www.facebook.com/michael.evock?fref=ts This appears to be his son's site. I don't see any links for him.

[rdret1]

As far as Mike Evock is concerned, I just learned he was verified 7th Grp. He is legit.

[Papa Zero Three]

Originally Posted by chance

Has anyone seen the newest Doomsday Prepper show? There's an guy on there named Mike Evock that said he spent 16 years in Special Forces, I'm just curious if he was tabbed or support.

I worked with Mike, he is tabbed and legit as they come.