5 Survival Lessons for Get-Home Scenarios (And 15 Items to Pack)

Preppers and survivalists are obsessed with bags, a bag for bugging out, a bag for bugging in, a 72 hour bag an INCH bag and a possible pouch, all well prepared and ready for impending disaster or emergency.

get home bag backpack

Realistically though, there is one bag that is going to be used more than any other, and it will be used far more often than all your other preps, that is a get home bag.

Forget bugging out and never coming home for a minute, what if disaster strikes while you are at work or away from home for any other reason and you need to get home to your family before taking any other action what do you have on you right now to make that possible?

It doesn’t even need to be a major national emergency or natural disaster that threatens your commute home, although it might be. Public transport strikes, flooded roads, fuel shortages and severe seasonal weather such as heavy snow might all prevent you from getting home.

So what are you going to do about it? What do you have in place to make sure you can make it home to your family and take charge in the event of an emergency or even just in case of more mundane obstacles?

Your get home bag should help in this regard and just as with any other survival kit it will need to be customised to your specific requirements, distance from home, intended mode of transport, local laws and many other factors. To start off I’ll relate some of my own experiences where I had to ‘get home’ and the lessons I learned from those experiences.

holding a paper map next to compass

1^st Lesson; Never Rely On Technology

A long time ago I undertook a 291 mile expedition along the Cambrian Way in Wales to raise money for a children’s charity. The terrain on the trail is quite severe in places and much of the route is very remote and far from any help.

I had arranged with my wife that I would contact her regularly along the trail and was carrying several backup batteries for my mobile phone which I would switch on at pre-arranged times each day to get in touch and let her know what progress I had made.

If at any point I couldn’t contact her she wouldn’t have immediately worried as I may not have had reception but if I had gone for much more than 48 hours without being in touch she would know to send out a search party. Not all went to plan on this expedition though, I made excellent progress to begin with and actually walked day and night on the first day of the expedition to get ahead of schedule and take advantage of the beautiful moonlit night.

I carried on making good progress the second day and then the bad weather hit, it wasn’t completely unexpected but it was more severe than forecasts had indicated and rivers rose significantly preventing me from making some of my planned river crossings and delaying me significantly.

To make matters worse, my phone got soaked when I fell in a marsh and stopped working. This left me in a predicament, unable to contact my wife who was my designated safety person who would send rescue in the event of me being uncontactable or suffering an accident.

With the weather continuing to deteriorate there was every chance that I would have to make further detours and with every inch the rivers rose the risk of suffering an accident rose with them.

I was at that point that I decided the expedition would come to an end and I would depart from my route and head towards the nearest settlement where I could phone my wife and start my journey home.

My technology had let me down, the waterproof case of my phone had not protected it, the spare batteries were useless and I had to get home, partly for my own safety due to the bad weather and partly to ensure that no one was accidentally summoned to ‘rescue’ me when rescue wasn’t necessary.

In a ‘get home’ scenario this lesson applies in the sense that you may not be able to rely on your usual technology to aid you, don’t expect sat nav’s to work to help your find your way around diversions, or your phone to work to arrange a rendezvous with your family or to warn them of a delay or your normal mode of transport to be functional when you really need it.

For this reason I always carry paper road maps in my car and never rely solely in GPS when I am out on hiking expeditions, in fact this importance on not relying on technology was highlighted to me many years before my experience on the Cambrian Way when I was training to fly gliders and was bound by aviation rules to always carry a paper chart even if the glider was equipped with GPS.

2^nd Lesson; Always carry cash

Following on immediately from the first lesson if it wasn’t for the cash I was carrying I wouldn’t have been able to use a pay phone when I did make it to civilisation to let my wife know I was OK and what my plan was, nor would I have been able to purchase a train ticket back home.

Another experience which drove this lesson home was when I flew to Italy to teach a class of children how to use knives for bushcraft at an education conference.

I was planning to combine my attendance at the conference with a few days camping and hiking in the Trentino Valley and Brenta Dolomites and had packed my light weight camping kit and was planning to camp the few nights between arriving and the start of the conference.

But when I alighted in Bolzano it was clear that my luggage hadn’t made it, my bags had been left behind in Rome when I changed plane and I was now without my accommodation.

At this point I learned that airlines will not pay expenses for accommodation at the destination as they work on the assumption that everyone has somewhere to go whether that’s home or to a hotel, they would have paid me the equivalent of about $25 to buy a toothbrush and toiletries but not for my accommodation so I was left with my carry-on luggage and the choice of sleeping under a hedge or paying for a hotel. As it happens I always carry enough cash for emergencies and I was able to find a backpackers hostel to stay at for about $20.

This lesson is important to remember for a ‘getting home’ scenario as much as a lost luggage situation. Getting home safely is the key rather than getting home at all costs.

Sometimes, perhaps in the event of the disruption of travel infrastructure such as road and rail due to strike action or severe bad weather the primary purpose of your get home bag should be to keep you as comfortable as possible until you can get home rather than get you home strait away. This might mean having enough cash on you to pay for a hotel or recovery for your vehicle if a breakdown is what threatens your journey home.

an EDC kit

3^rd Lesson; Customization

Your get home kit must suit your individual situation. My primary means of transport to and from my day job is my bicycle and my get home kit reflects that, in the top of my bag I carry a puncture repair kit, spare inner tubes, spare batteries for my bike lights, a pump for my tires, tire levers and a spanner. These tools have been essential a number of times as punctures are frequent on the small country roads I ride along.

When I used to work in Scotland and drove to work, it was important to have some tools and spares relevant to the repair of my car:

• a miniature fire extinguisher,
• roadside beacon,
• high vis jacket, spare wheel,
• tyre pump,
• spare washer fluid for the windscreen,
• pare water for the radiator,
• and a small emergency kit in case bad weather stranded me and I had to stay at work or in the car.

When I lived in Sweden and largely relied on public transport my most important piece of ‘get home’ kit was a street map in case the busses and trains I usually relied on were cancelled and I had to walk home.

What I take away from these lessons is that I need to allow my situation to dictate what I carry in my get home bag, it should for you too, there isn’t any one answer for everyone and you do need to take circumstances into account when you prepare your get home bag, local laws, your mode of transport, a get home bag which includes a knife and firearm isn’t going to work on a commercial flight if you are traveling for business for example.

Lesson 4; The Principle of diminishing returns

A get home kit is not a full bug out bag, the more you try and lug around on a daily basis the smaller the return you will see for the weight and bulk you carry. You can’t carry a full emergency kit with you at all times, it is true that you could permanently keep a large survival kit or bug out bag in your vehicle but that might not cover all your ‘get home’ requirements.

Remember that a bug out bag is designed for more or less self-contained survival, in a bug out situation money, street maps and spare light bulbs for your car might not be essential but those might be the very things you need to get home. Instead you might carry several pounds of snare wire and fishing kit that will never help when you need to get home.

There are people who seem sincerely convinced that the more kit they have the better they are prepared when in actual fact the return for carrying extra equipment because it is ‘in fashion’ or for buying expensive equipment when their skill level doesn’t really warrant it is minimal at best.

This same principle applies with your get home kit; trying to cram too many fancy survival aids into your commuter bag or car is going to make your bag frustratingly heavy, limit your ability to perform your day to day tasks and potentially get you into trouble at work or on public transport especially if you are trying to carry equipment for self-defence or a large knife.

The items that goes in get home bags which is most susceptible to the law of diminishing returns are knives. I know a lot of people advocate carrying several knives as part of an ‘edc’ system; a large or tactical style folding knife, a Swiss army style knife, a multitool and maybe a fixed blade as well. The combined expense of all those tools does not yield a corresponding benefit.

Those three or four pieces of equipment may cost several hundred dollars but all perform the same basic function. Make do with fewer tools if you can, I normally carry just a multitool on my person on a daily basis and a small fixed blade knife in my bag if I can justify it in case I need something more robust.

So what should you definitely carry regardless of any specific kit related to your mode of transport;

THE LIST

• Spare battery and charging cable for cell phone, even if you shouldn’t count on your phone and other technology in an emergency you should do what you can to keep your phone functioning.
• Emergency contact details; now that people tend to rely on their cell phones to remember numbers for them make sure you write down essential contact details and keep them in your get home bag, even if you do remember all the important numbers you need write them down anyway as stressful situations can make you forget things. You will want to have family members numbers and maybe the numbers of your kids school at hand in case of emergencies. Maybe your get home ‘emergency’ is that you are going to be late to pick your children up because your car has broken down or you have been held up because of roadworks or an accident or a family emergency, having the school’s number to hand will be important.
• Local map.
• Cash (at least enough for a night’s accommodation, a train ticket or to pay for a tow truck) some should be in change.
• Vital documents (you may well carry these in your wallet or purse but copies in your get home bag are important too, in case of national emergency you may need to identify yourself to authorities or prove your identification).
• First aid kit (minimum contents);
  • Plasters (Band-Aids)
  • Antiseptic wipes
  • Latex gloves
  • Pain killers
  • Scissors/shears
  • Triangular bandage
  • Absorbent wound dressing
  • Tourniquet
• Multitool, something multi-purpose remember you aren’t necessarily surviving in the wilderness you are getting home. A multitool with pliers is the most versatile of the pocket tools you can have and is unlikely to get you in trouble even under the strictest of local laws.
• Shelter; remember that your get home bag has to fit amongst your normal every day kit, you can’t carry a whole backpack with you at the expense of what you actually need on a daily basis. The shelter you carry might be something that keeps you warm if you get snowed in at work and have to sleep at your desk, or something more robust and weather proof of you need to hike home in a real emergency, I would suggest a poncho liner style blanket and a blizzard bag which is a type of double skinned mylar bag that is very robust and comes vacuum packed and no bigger than a water bottle. These two will pack down very small and means you wont have to carry a massive extra bag, drawing attention to yourself and slowing you down. If you travel in a car, you can carry a sleeping bag and some blankets as well to supplement your light weight get home bag.
• Fire-starting tool; in conjunction with your shelter being able to make fire is a must, even if you carry a lighter or something for fire lighting in your edc you should carry a backup in your get home bag, preferably as fire lighting kit is so light weight a few options would be better a lighter or matches and a firesteel would be ideal. You should also carry a few items of volatile tinder such as wet fire tinder to guarantee you a fire if you need it.
• Knife; a knife is a vital part of any preppers equipment, and just as much a part of a get home bag as any other ‘bag’ you put together in preparation for emergency. Just as with the lighter even if you carry a knife in your edc make sure you have an extra one in your get home bag. This doesn’t need to be a large survival knife necessarily, although if you can justify carrying one then do so, it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
• Illumination; a flashlight is probably already part of your edc but you’d be unwise not to include something in your get home bag too, a head torch is most versatile as it allows you hands free movement if you have to hike home in the dark, carry out a repair on your vehicle in the dark or move around safely in buildings or on the subway if there is a power cut.
• Weatherproof; a light weight waterproof poncho is most efficient in terms of space and weight, if you carry waterproofs anyway as I do because I spend a lot of time outdoors on a daily basis then use these in an emergency but adding a full set of waterproofs to your get home bag will make it bigger and heavier than it needs to be.
• Self defence; this depends more on your local laws than anything else, if you are allowed to carry do so but if you carry on your person anyway you may not need extra self-defence items on your get home bag. Remember that you don’t want to be carrying huge amounts of kit in your get home bag so you won’t want to be squeezing full size battle rifles into your kit, go instead for something compact and consider less lethal options such as tazers and pepper spray if you can’t carry firearms or knives.
• Something to carry it in; a waterproof roll bag with compression straps keeps all this kit watertight and compact and it really shouldn’t take up much space. If you carry your daily kit to work in a backpack then you already have what you need to carry your go bag in as it should fit inside it along with all the things you carry on a daily basis. If you normally use a shoulder bag or brief case than add a fold down backpack to your kit, these are light and take up no extra space but that can be easily unfolded and the contents of your go bag can be decanted into it to make it easier to carry if you have to hike anywhere.

My Own Get Home Bag

On an every day basis my personal get home bag is contained in a Hazard 4 plan B sling bag inside the bag I normally take to work with me on my bike. If I am staying away from home for work or any other reason I will adapt it to the circumstances and if I am traveling by car there will be other items in the car. The contents of my normal get home bag are as follows;

• Salewa folding rucksac
• Spare battery and USB charging cable for cell phone
• Waterproof notebook with essential contact details
• Emergency phone
• Bike repair kit
  • Spare batteries for bike lights
  • 4 tyre levers
  • 2 spare inner-tubes
  • Bike pump
  • Tyre patches
• head band for Olight H1 (my edc flashlight)
• spare head torch
• Leatherman Skeletool
• Bic lighter
• Extra large ferocerium rod
• Enzo Neck Knife
• Emergency Bivi
• Snugpack jungle blanket
• Small first aid kit;
  • Isreali bandage
  • Antiseptic wipes
  • 2* Ambulance bandage
  • Steri strips
  • Band aids
  • Latex gloves
  • Shears
  • CAT tourniquet
  • Celox gause
  • Pain killers
  • Anti-diarrheal
  • Water purification tablets
• In the car;
  • Winter sleeping bag
  • Foam sleeping mat
  • 2* wool blankets
  • 2* mylar tube tents
  • 2* 5 litre water containers
  • Hexamine stove and fuel
  • 5 tins of soup
  • 2 tins of hot dogs
  • Large first aid kit
  • Spare wheel and tyre pump
  • Water for radiator
  • Spare oil
  • Spare bulbs for headlights and tail lights
  • Spare fuses for car

Best of luck preparing your own get home bags, remember to consider your personal requirements don’t just pack what I carry and I hope you never have to use them.

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The Ultimate List Of INCH Bag Survival Items

An INCH bag is far different than a BOB bag. Possessing such a bag could be essential to your very survival – and should always be kept within reach.

green backpack with two water bottles in side pockets

INCH stands for I’m Never Coming Home. It is a large survival bag that is packed full of all the essentials tools and gear you will need to survive while you find a new place to call home. A BOB – or bugout bag, holds enough gear to keep you alive UNTIL you get home, or up to 72 hours.

While you will some of the same items in each bag, there are vast differences in both the gear packed and the rucksack used to carry them. Think of an INCH bag as a bugout bag on steroids! In this article we’ll talk about the items you need to consider when you put it together.

Differences Between an INCH bag and a Bugout Bag

Bugout bags a typically smaller than INCH bag, and carry just enough supplies and gear to help you survive a SHTF trip from work or school to your home or nearby prepper retreat where stockpiles of long-term storage food, water, gear, etc. are waiting for you upon arrival.

A bugout bag is packed with a specific trek and time-frame in mind. An INCH bag is packed to last you basically forever. Of course you won’t be packing all the food and water you will ever need on your back, but you will be carrying to tools necessary to provide yourself with the basics of survival.

INCH bags are packed with a potentially unending time-frame and destination in mind. Nomadic living, especially in the wilderness, should be the primary focus during INCH bag packing. You may not be staying in one place for very long and likely will not have the option of guaranteed resupply unless you have buried survival caches you can get to during the SHTF disaster you are trying to live through.

The typical bugout bag weighs about 25 to 30 pounds when stuffed full with gear. An INCH bag commonly weighs between 40 to 50 pounds when loaded with survival supplies.

The best type of I’m Never Coming Home bags will also come equipped with a hydration bladder with a straw that reached from its storage spot in the bag to the wearer’s mouth…

Hands-free watering on the go will not only keep you moving along the trail, especially when being chased, but will prevent the need to remove the bag, causing you to keep both your hands and eyes busy and not looking out for danger that could be lurking behind the next bush.

Carrying either bag for any distance drives home exactly how important it is for all preppers to work physical fitness into their SHTF practicing your preps routine.

At least twice a month I walk three miles with my INCH bag and hike about the same distance over rugged terrain with my bugout bag.

Even though my beloveds and I live in a fully-functional, sustainable, and secluded homestead, I refuse to become a complacent and overly confident prepper and ignore the real possibility that we could one day be driven from our survival retreat by the marauding hordes, fire, or nuclear attack.

Choosing the Right INCH Bag

If you bag wears out before you do, the chances of living to see another sunset are greatly diminished. An INCH bag must be durable, first and foremost. Such a bag INCH bag should fit the upper body properly to distribute its weight evenly between the shoulders and hips – and have adjustable straps.

A rucksack with a sturdy yet light-weight external frame, the type designed for backcountry hiking, are the best option for INCH bags – especially the ones with padded pressure points to provide extra comfort. The bag’s fabric should be waterproof, durable, and have copious amounts of pockets and zipper compartments.

The bag, when filled, should not weight more than 25 percent of your total body weight. Only purchase a bag that is in a dark, earth-tone, or camouflaged color to help conceal your movements and location.

List Of INCH Bag Survival Items

Water

Water is a top priority, especially when you are planning to never return home again. When you are always moving about in order to survive, fining it is definitely going to be an ongoing struggle. Even if you are fortunate enough to make camp for an extended period of time near an ample water supply, the essential liquid must be both filtered and purified properly to avoid illness or death.

If you were merely packing a bugout bag, throwing in a few LifeStraw filters would do the trick. But, when packing an INCH bag, the straws and packets of water purification tablets would be used up in a matter of weeks – months if you got lucky.

Go ahead and toss several water purification tablets and LifeStraws into your INCH bag, but save them for only the most dire of circumstances. Pack a stainless steel water bottle in the I’m Never Coming Home bag for long-term use as well.

A stainless steel water bottle can be placed over an open flame so the potentially contaminated liquid inside can be safely boiled and impurities removed. You can boil water over and over, and yet over again, in the stainless steel bottle without damaging it – and it doubles as a portable water container.

Dual-use items are key when packing any survival bag – they serve multiple functions and avoid the need to add extra weight or take up essential space in the bag.

When planning to live off the land for long periods of time you need the right tools to do so. You need every advantage you can get and you need to use them all.

Food

You will need plenty of protein to remain strong and healthy while surviving in the woods or other temporarily safe area after the SHTF. Snaring small game like snakes, squirrels, rabbits, and raccoons, will become a part of your daily routine and challenge to survive.

Fishing in every waterway you are fortunate enough to come across offers another opportunity to secure protein and to garner the amount of calories you need to maintain your strength.

Snares and Traps – Either pack the wire in various small to medium weight gauges you will need to capture small game, or buy one of the survival snares kits that are readily available online for a nominal price.

The snare kits typically come with diagrams and detailed directions on how to place and set the snares to aid trapping novices. The kits or wire needed to make your own snares, will take up very little space and are really lightweight – but will worth far more than their weight in gold after the SHTF.

Compact Fishing Pole – A pocket fishing rod is lightweight and takes up little space in your bag. One is none and two is one, so squeezing two of these fishing poles into your INCH bag will enhance your chances of survival in one of them breaks and can offer you a quality bartering item if absolutely necessary.

Yo-Yo Reels – The reels are also a must have for the INCH bag. The handy reels increase your chances of catching a fish while you are sleeping or performing another survival task – like chopping wood for a fire. You simply set the Yo-Yo Automatic Reel and then walk away until you get a bit and then reel in your catch once you have awoken or finished gathering the wood you need to cook your bounty.

Tackle – A compact fishing tackle kit should include ample swivels, eights, hooks, extra line and other typical supplies an angler would need to catch his lunch and dinner.

Slingshot – A high-velocity slingshot will help you to not only kill small game, but can be used as a silent self-defense weapon as well. A slingshot will never run out of ammo! Put the survival slingshot in an exterior pouch of the INCH bag to keep it handy when you spot game….or trouble.

Bows – There are multiple types of bows, and each one of them can be deadly in the right hands and have extreme value during a survival situation. The takedown recurve bow it the best option for an INCH bag. It quickly breaks down into smaller parts without tools and can easily fit into a zippered pouch of your I’m Never Coming Home bag.

Compound bows won’t break down into smaller pieces to be stored inside the INCH bag, but are lightweight enough to be tied to the outside frame of the bag for easy toting. This type of bow is great at long range and will allow you the capability of stalking and shooting large game, like deer, from a significant distance.

A crossbow will likely need to be connected to a strap and carried over your shoulder or slung across the top of the INCH bag. It can be carried cocked so you are ready for either a threat or any game that happens to cross your path, at all times.

Knives – Multiple different type of knives should be included in the INCH bag. A pocket knife, multi-tool or Leatherman-style knife, a butcher knife, a fish scaling knife, and a Bowie knife. This is both a tool and a weapon and must be kept sharp and ready to use at any moment – your life will very likely depend on it!

an open multi-tool

Tools

You’ll need to build at least temporary shelters, cut your way through dense and prickly thicket, and chop woods, while surviving by only your wits, skills, and what is contained in your INCH bag.

Shovel – A lightweight and foldable survival shovel folds up into a hard case that can be placed inside of, or clipped onto, the INCH bag. Most shovels of this type have a serrated edge, making it another dual-purpose survival tool.

Hatchet – The hatchet will double as a wood and limb cutter for fire and shelter making, and can also be used as a weapon. If you also pack the necessary items to keep the hatchet (and the knives you will also be packing) sharp – and you should, the hatchet should be sharp enough to cut through animal bones for tool and weapon making purposes.

Machete – The lightweight brush-cutting tool will help clear your path in the dense woods and can also be used as a weapon. Learn how to make your own rope and use the machete to cut vines to garner supplies for natural rope making and basket weaving – to storing and gathering food and trapping purposes.

Hand Tools – A screwdriver, hammer, folding hacksaw or camping finger saw, plyers, wire cutter, and if you can find one that is not too heavy and cumbersome, a bolt cutter.

Fire Starters – Pack multiple lighters and waterproof matches, a flint stone, and homemade fire starters – like dryer lint, petroleum jelly mix with turpentine at a 2 to 1 ratio – this is also doubles as a healing salve for wounds and burns.

Compass and Maps – Pack a compass and paper maps that cover at least the tri-county region. Covering the paper maps with clear contact paper will help protect them from the elements while still allowing them to fold. A compass/emergency whistle combo can be tied onto the INCH bag and serve as an orienteering backup device.

Binoculars – If you rifle does not have a scope, or as back-up even if it does, invest in a decent pair of lightweight binoculars.

Clothing

Preventing frostbite and hypothermia will be essential to your survival. Even if the SHTF in the peak of summertime, do not leave home without a durable warm coat and rain gear.

Shirts – Lightweight long sleeve shirts should also be packed to avoid being plagued with bug bites and sun burn. Pack two lightweight long sleeve shirts, two sweatshirts, a thermal shirt, and two short sleeve shirts in your INCH bag.

Health issues which are nothing more than mild or mundane now could become deadly when left untreated during a doomsday disaster. An intense sunburn and exposure to the heat could cripple your energy and reaction time just enough to get you killed while trying to survive in the wilderness.

Gloves – Pack at least one pair of cold weather gloves and two pairs of work gloves in your INCH bag. Yes, three pairs of gloves will take up valuable space, but trying to survive without them will eventually be almost impossible. Gloves will wear out quickly during heavy usage – the typical farmer or rancher will go through four pairs of leather work gloves per year under routine circumstances.

Socks – Keeping your feet dry will prevent foot rot and other potentially serious infections and debilitating conditions that could keep you languishing in one spot, unable to do the necessary food gathering/hunting, and water gathering you need to survive. Pack seven pairs of socks and a dry bag to store any clothing you can’t immediately allow to dry thoroughly when it becomes wet or damp.

Pants – Two pairs of durable work pants, like Carhart pants of bibs, or heavy jeans should also be pack, along with a couple pairs of lightweight shorts. If you feel that underwear and bras are worth taking up space, by all means roll them as tightly as possible and put several of those into your INCH bag as well.

Bandanas – Pack three bandanas in your bugout bag. They can be dipped into water and tied around your neck or forehead to help keep you cool, or tie up your hair and keep it off your back to achieve the same goal. The bandanas can double as a bandage and a rag to clean your cookware with as well.

Hats – Pack two warm hats suited for winter wear – preferably the type that include ear flaps. A ball cap or other lightweight hat to protect the head and face from intense heat is also worthy of a spot in the INCH bag.

Cleaning and Repair

Sewing Kit – The supplies and ability to mend not just your clothing but the INCH bag if it tears – which it likely will over time, is extremely important.

A winter coat with just a few small tears will allow cold and rain to reduce your natural body heat. The needles in the sewing kit can be sterilized and used to stitch torn flesh as well. Sure, that is a very unpleasant thought, but being able to stitch your own body after an accident, might just save your life.

The kit should include small or foldable scissors, a dozen needles, a needle-threading tool, and ample mini spools of thread. White thread should be packed because it is free of dyes, making it less likely to spark infection if used to stitch up a wound.

Gun Cleaning Kit – A cleaning kit which fits into a tube or folding carrier will help keep all of the important pieces safely tucked away until they are needed. Purchase extra parts for your firearms and store them in a zipper pouch of some type to keep them secure. A repair kit and extra string for bows and fishing rods should also be included.

Sewing kits, weapon cleaning kits, repair kits, and small unique tool kits if room allows it (such as screwdrivers, pocket knives, and utility tools.) Extra clips, buckles, and straps should also be included in order to repair your I.N.C.H. bag in case of rips, tears, or damage while out trying to relocate to safe shelter.

Eating and Drinking

Cooking – A camping cookware set is both compact and lightweight and will cover all of your essential needs. The self-contained kits have a skillet and an “plate” that doubles as a lid for the skillet – the skillet is just deep enough to be used as a shallow pot to make stew. Eating utensils slide into a secure spot on top of the plate/lid for compact storage.

Canteen – A canteen with a carabiner can hang from the outside of the bag – saving valuable space inside. Even if you have a hydration bladder, packing a canteen is still recommended. You may be forced to move from your campsite near a waterway at any moment – having as much water as you can carry should always be a priority.

Survival Food – Pack enough MREs or survival food packets to last for three days. The food should be saved for only a dire emergency when you absolutely cannot catch, kill, or forage for a meal for the day.

Shelter

Tarp – Pack at least one tarp, preferably two, to use to make a tent when building a temporary shelter. Choose tarps in a camo motif or at least in a dark color to avoid attracting unwanted attention.

Rope and Tape – Pack two rolls of duct tape and plenty of rope and paracord to use to tie together branches when making a temporary shelter and to hold down tarps being used on the shelter. There are countless uses for duct tape and rope – do not skimp on these items when stuffing the I’m Never Coming Home bag.

Sleeping Bag – Packing a sleeping bag is common when making a bugout bag, but might be too heavy to add to an INCH bag. Instead pack several neatly folded into squares, plastic trash bags.

Laying on the trash bags will keep you off the cold ground and help you maintain a steady body heat. Stuffing the trash bags with leaves and brush will further insulate the body from the cold and damp ground. The bags can also be used to help protect the contents of the INCH bag during heavy rains or when being forced to cross deep waterways.

Blankets – Pack a small blanket to use as a bedroll – most rucksacks have straps at the bottom that can hold a rolled up blanket.

Mylar blankets are common items in a bugout bag, but they will do you little good in the long term – one use and they become trash. The blankets are extremely lightweight and take up a very small amount of space, so packing several in the INCH bag for medical emergencies or during times of intense cold is not a bad idea.

After being used, the blankets could be used as bedding or under a tarp roof on a temporary shelter to better protect the inside of the makeshift structure from rain, snow, or cold.

Pillow – A rolled up piece of the packed cold weather clothing can serve as your pillow – or use one of the trash bags filled with leaves to suit this purpose. Small inflatable pillows could be packed without taking up a lot of space, if deemed necessary.

hygiene kit with toothbrush floss deodorant razor shampoo inside a pouch

Hygiene

Hand Cleaners – Wet napkins, soap, and waterless hand sanitizer will help keep you clean and destroy germs you WILL come in contact with while butchering animals and cleaning fish.

Teeth – Pack a two travel size toothbrushes and a travel size mouthwash and toothpaste holder, The mouthwash and toothpaste will run out quickly, so learn how to make your own natural substitutes from the bounty offered in the woods to prevent potentially life-threatening tooth and gum disease and infections.

Dental Kit -A small dental care kit with tooth extractors is also necessary. An infected tooth can bring you to your knees quickly, and allow the infection to spread throughout the body. The kit should also include a temporary filling kit and an oral anesthetic

Feminine Hygiene – It would be impossible to pack enough tampons and pads to take care of a lady’s monthly needs in any INCH bag. Purchase two disposable feminine cups to take care of the monthly issues. The cups are not designed to last forever, but if they are washed out and cleaned, it should be possible to make one cup last up to a year before it tears and leaks.

Misc. – A towel and wash cloth, a mirror, comb/hairbrush, are useful comfort items that will not add much weight to the INCH bag. Learn how to make your own shampoo from natural items to keep your hair clean – or cut it as short as possible before leaving home and pack a pair of scissors to repeat the short cut as necessary.

Birth Control – Romance might not be the first, or even the 100^th thing on your mind when packing an INCH bag, but if you are bugging out with your spouse or significant other, one day it will be. Packing condoms will help prevent an ill-timed pregnancy from happening during a dire disaster scenario.

Lighting and Communications

Lighting – Flashlights and batteries to keep them going are definitely necessary. Batteries take up space and have some weight to them, so plan to use the flashlights sparingly after strapping on your bag and fleeing home. Mini flashlights that have a keychain end should be attached to the INCH bag in multiple places. A LED headlamp and glow sticks will also be handy to have and take up little space in the bag.

HAM Radio – Purchase a handheld HAM radio so you can monitor traffic, even if you never plan on saying a word to a single outsider. Being aware of the movements of marauding hordes, the location of an emerging pandemic, and a brewing wildfire – and what the government is doing, could save your life!

A hand-crank or solar powered radio could accomplish this same goal, if the purchase of a HAM radio does not fit your budget and you are worried about battery weight. Buy a small portable solar charger with a USB port to help keep your handheld radio charged at all times.

large first aid kit open with gauze, bandages, tensor bandage, Naloxone, Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen, Benadryl, Polysporin, Afterbite, Tums, sunscreen, rubbing alcohol, Aloe Vera, Needle and stitching equipment, tweezers, tick removal device

Medical

First Aid Kit – You will not be able to call 911 after the SHTF. The first aid items in your INCH bag should be given a top priority level, just below water.

List of INCH Bag First Aid Supplies

1. Quick Clot Compression Bandages
2. Tourniquet
3. Non Adhering Pads 2×3 inches
4. Gauze Pads 3×3 inches
5. Gauze Pads 2×2 inches
6. Gauze Pads 4×4 inches
7. Cold Packs and Hot Packs
8. Electrolyte Mix
9. Eye Wash or Saline
10. Penlight
11. Skin Stapler and Remover
12. Nasal Decongestion Spray
13. Utility Lister Scissors
14. Instant Glucose
15. Magnifying Glass
16. Peroxide
17. Rubbing Alcohol
18. Witch Hazel
19. Liquid bandage and/or super glue
20. Chapstick
21. Splinter Outs
22. Burn Gel
23. Tweezers
24. Anti-Diarrheal
25. Stool Softener
26. Scalpel
27. Cohesive Self-Sticking Roll Bandage 3 inch by 5 yards
28. Aid Adhesive Tape
29. Gauze Roll 2 inches
30. Gauze Roll 4 inches
31. Triangular Bandage
32. Multi Trauma Blood Stop Dressing
33. Surgical Dressings 5×9 inches
34. Ammonia Inhalants
35. Exam Gloves
36. Bandaids Strips in all sizes, including butterfly Bandaids
37. Knuckle Elastic Cloth Bandaids
38. Fingertip Elastic Cloth Bandaids
39. Oval Eye Pads
40. Antibiotic Ointment
41. Antiseptic Wipes
42. Alcohol Pads
43. Sting Kill Swabs
44. Snake Bite Kit
45. Iodine Swabs
46. Knee, Ankle, and Elbow Braces
47. Tylenol and any prescription medications – learn how to make natural substitutes from prescription and over-the-counter medicines and carry an empty container to store the natural medications in.

Resource Material and Comfort Items

Photos and ID – Pack along photos of your loved ones to help bring you comfort and inspiration while surviving in the wilderness, perhaps trying to reach your family or friends. Photo identification might be necessary if stopped by a governmental entity or, in the worst case scenario, for a good Samaritan to use to mark your grave.

Book, playing cards, pen and paper, etc. – Pack a book or deck of cards to give you something to enjoy during the little down time you will get after fleeing your home. The mental diversion will eventually be much welcomed.

Education – Pack a first aid book, tree and plant identification guide, or other survival resource material they may help guide you on your survival journey.

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Testing Your Bug Out Bag – Would Yours Survive the First 48 Hours?

So you have spent your hard earned money, and your valuable time getting prepared. You have read all the articles and made the perfect bug out bag. Now what? You can sit the bag in your vehicle, or home and just wait till SHTF so you can bug out. I asked my self-everyday with my BOB sitting in my backseat of my truck, “What am I missing?”

green molle backpack

I always see new items that I think I have to have and wonder if I should buy that item. I have spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars over the past many years buying stuff so I can be ready.

How do I know if I am ready?

I knew there had to be a valuable way of finding out if my bag could keep me alive for 3 days or longer if needed. I put my bag to the test. Here is what I have done and continue to do.

I do on a regular basis “Survival Campouts” or “Bug Out Bag Campout”. Basically, the premise behind these is to have different scenarios that will test my knowledge and bag.

I like to do this at different seasons throughout the year. It can’t always be sunny in the 70s. I just finished one a couple of weekends ago. Here it was cold and rainy; needless to say it was miserable.

I did this one with several family members that tagged along. Each of us had our own bags. I typically use land that my brother owns. There are 81 acres of land. I am currently talking with other friends who have large amounts of land. It doesn’t do me a lot of good to constantly use the same land since I know the layout of it.

Here is how I structure the testing weekend. I come up with what I consider possible real life events that would require us to bug out and that would cause us to abandon our vehicles and take to foot. I will use this past weekends experience as an example.

The first thing I did was ensured that the land was not being hunted on. This past weekend was opening rifle season in Missouri and the last thing I felt like doing was treating a gunshot wound.

There were a total of four of us that went. My girlfriend (27), one of my nephews (10), my mother (57) and I (34) all participated. I also brought along my dog.

When preparing for this test, I told my family to bring what they thought was needed for them to survive for three days in the wilderness. I didn’t put limitations on them since this was their first time.

For me I had only what was on my person, and my bag. My dog also has a vest that has molle packs on it where he carries his food, some water, fire starter kit, a small first aid kit, and a cable run so I can ensure he doesn’t run off. I didn’t add or change anything in my bag, and I wore normal clothing that I would wear for the current type of weather.

The key here is to not do any extra planning or packing. If SHTF in real life and you are forced to bug out, you mostly likely won’t have the chance or time to pack new items. I also keep my bag in my truck and at night I bring it into my house. If I keep it at home and I am out and about and SHTF I am without my bag till I get home.

The scenario started with SHTF. We were forced to bug out due to unsafe circumstances in the neighborhoods we live in. We all had a rally point were we meet up and then proceed to our bug out location.

On the way to the bug out location our vehicles were rendered useless. Now we had to transfer to foot. We packed up with the supplies we had brought and headed in the general direction of our bug out location.

At this point we were all relying on our knowledge and equipment we had on our backs. The weather was in the 40s with the sun up and was forecasted to be in the low 30s at night, plus it was lightly raining. The last time I updated the items in my bag was early summer. I was concerned that I might not have what I need to survive.

As we set up camp and I opened my bag and started to inventory my items, I realized that this was going to be interesting. The first thing I did was setup a shelter and then started a fire. I had 2 quarts worth of water that I carry with so water wasn’t my first concern; it was the colder weather that was rapidly approaching as the sun went down.

This night was a chilly one. Remember I didn’t do extra planning or packing. I had on a long sleeved shirt with my medium coat. I had a brimmed hat in my bag which is designed to keep the sun off my neck, and that was it.

The next morning we decided to stay at this campsite while we figure out our plans moving forward.

We spent the next two days testing our skills and equipment. I had written several scenarios that I implemented at different times of the days to test skills, and knowledge. These are as examples the following, make up your own that will test your skills:

• While away from camp an animal finds food in your camp and eats half of it. I took the entire camp food supply and took half of it and placed it out of service.
• While away from camp a looter comes in and takes 5 items from your supplies. I took five random items from each persons bag and placed it out of service.
• I had a couple of days before the camp out placed a tote and a backpack at random spots on the land. These were there to represent the possibility of scavenging items. They had random items that could be valuable to the camp if found. No instructions or even knowledge of these was presented to the camp. They found the tote, but didn’t find the bag. Of course I recovered this later.
• I then added a scenario about a group of unknown people scouting the camp. The group had to decide how to react to them.
• The next scenario was the group of unknown people advancing on the camp.
• Then it went to a scenario of one of the unknown attackers was injured and another ran off. What steps do you take now? Do you use your few medical supplies to help them?

During “free” time I taught basic skills fire building, shelter building, water purification, foraging, and many others. I would then test their knowledge on how to make or do the simple tasks. On day 3 we did some more training and the packed up camp and headed back to our vehicles.

These are very important types of tests that make you better prepared. It is one thing to have all kinds of equipment and supplies, but another to know how to use it and what actually works.

An example; I carry ration bars, freeze-dried meals, and other long shelf life items. Well the ration bars and snack style items were great.

The freeze-dried meals were a disaster for me. I carry a small cooking pot that I can cook and boil water in. Well, these freeze dried meals produce 4 servings. My little pot wouldn’t cook a quarter of the bags. I tried portioning a small amount into my pot and cooked it like suggested.

The issue is the seasoning is impossible to portion that is loose in the bag. I had a horrible meal that my dog wouldn’t even eat. Plus each of these uses a whole quart of water to make. I now know that these are great for bugging in or even at you bug out location, but not in my bug out bag.

There are many other items I keep in my bag that are absolute worthless. I never even thought of using them in a bug out situation. These would be used in a long-term situation, but not bug out. Remember, 72 hours is what you are striving for.

One of the biggest things I realized was how I am not all weather prepared. I had one mylar emergency blanket. If it weren’t for my knowledge and my dog snuggling with me, I would be an ice cube. So very quickly in a short three days, I realized I had a few mistakes that could have cost me my life in a real SHTF situation.

In conclusion, if you have not yet tested your bug out bag, or if it has been a while then go out and test it. Unless you plan on repacking your bag every few months, I recommend packing stuff for the different weather you might come across.

Also don’t be afraid to pull items out of your bag you don’t use. Every pound counts when you are lugging your bag around for miles and days. There is no better way to know if you are ready than to put your skills, knowledge and equipment to the test.

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How to Build a Bug-Out Bag the Right Way

So you decided to get more serious about prepping and want to put together a bug-out bag. That’s great! Still, you want to keep it light and you do not want to spend a lot of cash. There are a few strategies you can use to accomplish this, and some items that are an absolute must.

What is a Bug-out Bag?

First, let us define a bug-out bag. This is a pack preloaded with tools to help you survive if you are forced out of your home. Experts say that the average bug out situation lasts between two and three weeks, so you need enough supplies to at least get you through that time frame.

Many bug-out bags are labelled as “72 hour bags”. However, in theory the same supplies that help you survive three days would help you survive for a week or two. This is called the survival clock.

Let’s not confuse this bag with a get-home bag, which is intended to get you back home from the office or from your car. Your list of tools will vary quite a bit between these two scenarios.

Pre-packed Bags

I do want to take a moment to address pre-packed bags you can purchase online. First of all, these are very expensive. You could easily spend several hundred dollars on one of these packs.

More importantly, survivalists who buy pre-packed bags are less likely to break into the pack and become proficient with the tools inside. By forcing yourself to hand pick each item, it ensures that you will be more prepared if you have to use the bag in a survival situation.

Which Bag is Right for You?

We can start by discussing the bag itself. The size you choose will be determined by how much gear you pack, which is in turn determined by your skill level. The more experience I gain with survival techniques, the less gear I need to pack.

Also, try to avoid any packs that would make you stand out in a crowd. Other people may be desperate in this situation and may try to steal supplies from those that are more prepared. If you can keep your pack size down to a normal back pack, this is ideal.

If not, you definitely want it to have an internal frame. Packs with external frames scream “I have lots of gear, come and take it.”

Rules for Packing your Bag

As you start to look at items to pack, take a look at the four pillars of survival: food, water, fire, and shelter. In addition, you may consider first aid and signaling to be two secondary priorities. Some general rules to consider on every piece of gear are as follows:

1. Ask yourself if you absolutely need it. This is especially true of large or heavy items. For example, there is no point in taking a cast iron skillet if you can take something lighter and smaller for cooking. I always try to keep my pack weight under 25 lbs.
2. Always comparison shop. Every time I choose a piece of gear for my pack, I get online to see if I can find a more effective, lighter, smaller, or cheaper option. In just a matter of minutes you may save a few lbs or save a few dollars.
3. Make sure you have a plan B. The one thing you can say about every survival situation is that something unexpected will go wrong. Instead of just taking waterproof matches, take a ferro rod as well. This way you can still light a fire if you run out of matches.
4. Don’t just think of yourself. In many cases you will have family or friends with you, so consider their needs when you pack. Also, try to bring items for bartering if you have the space. Cigarettes are an item that takes up little space but would be in high demand. You can pretty well ask for whatever you want if you have smokes and nobody else does.

Cutting Tools

Now that we have some basic guidelines, let us discuss specific items. Cutting tools are at the very top of the list. A good full tang knife is essential in most survival situations. You do not have to break the bank, but get a knife with high carbon steel for the blade. This will allow you to use it with your ferro rod. You can get a perfectly functional knife for under $30.

Depending on the type of vegetation, a hatchet, machete, or folding saw may be smart as well. These items take up space, so only take one if you know you will need it. These bladed tools will help you to fashion other tools and also help with building a shelter.

Fire-starting Devices

Next on my list would be two methods for starting a fire. For me a ferro rod is mandatory. This item can allow you to start a fire even if you get it wet, and it will last a very long time.

A secondary option would be a good lighter. I like Zippos because they work when wet, they are wind proof, and you can refill the fuel with several different flammable liquids. They recently have come out with several electrical lighters that would probably work well, but you would need a way to charge one.

With fire allowing you to safely cook food, purify water, keep away predators, stay warm, and keep the bugs away, it should be a major priority. I would also consider taking one of the waterproof tinder options you can buy. Just a few small cubes could last for weeks and help you get a fire going in the pouring rain.

Water Purification

In most conditions you can only survive without water for three days. Having a secondary method with which to purify water is very important. You will not always be inclined to build a fire just to get a drink of water.

I like carrying some water with me, so I have a water bottle with a filter built into the lid. It takes up some space, but I can clip in on my belt. You can also get a steel bottle so you can use it for cooking as well. If you need to save more space, a straw style filter works great.

I also like to have iodine tablets just to be safe. I’ve had my filter clog up before and needed the tablets to get by.

Shelter Building Materials

There are a few items for shelter that I consider a must. A good emergency blanket is definitely one of them. For about $10 you can get a thick tarp-style blanket with a reflective surface on one side. This is great for a waterproof shelter or to wrap up and keep warm in a jam. If there are several people in your group, upgrading to a full sized tarp may be a good idea.

Paracord is another item which I always have in my pack. Sure, you can make your own cordage, but paracord is so much easier. You can cut it open and remove all the interior strands for projects ranging from setting snares to lashing poles together.

Defense

The biggest debate in my mind is whether to pack a weapon or not. Having something for self-defense and for hunting is great, but they are bulky and don’t pack well. A handgun is great because of the size, but it is a sure fire way to disclose your location. A crossbow is silent and deadly, but it is awkward to carry.

In my view, the decision comes down to the distance you need to travel. If you are staying close, it is probably worth toughing it out and taking one. If you have a long distance to travel, carve yourself a spear and do without the gun or bow.

Food and Water

Food and water are other items that are up for debate. What I mean is actually taking food with you in your pack instead of procuring it in the wild. Having any meaningful amount of food or water would take up significant space and would be quite heavy.

If you are going to take food with you, I would definitely suggest something lightweight that does not spoil. Beef jerky, pemmican, and MRE bars are examples that might work. Unless heading into the desert, I would not suggest carrying much water. I sometimes fill up my small water bottle before I hit the woods, but any more than that would be counterproductive.

Miscellaneous Items

Finally, there are a few small random items that I normally keep in my pack. Fish hooks are normally either in my pack or stuck in the bill of my hat. You can make fish hooks, but they take up almost no space. I like to have a sharpening stone. Again, you can find one in the wild but it is so small that I can keep it on my keychain.

A quick-read digital thermometer is a smart choice. Whether you are ill, dealing with extreme cold, or enduring extreme heat, knowing your body temperature is good. If it drops below 95 degrees or spikes above 103 degrees then you know you need to take action to improve your situation.

A reliable compass is also a good idea. In most cases I can find my cardinal direction without one, but a little reassurance is a good thing. Mine also has a magnifying glass for starting fires. A signaling whistle is another small item that can be very helpful if you need to signal for rescue. A good tactical flashlight is needed for emergencies, but eventually you will need batteries.

Also, don’t use your light as a crutch. Once the sun goes down, you really need to be settled in for the night. Walking around at night can be dangerous for several reasons.

Organizing and Testing your Gear

Once you think you have your bug-out bag put together, you are just getting started. Try taking it with you for some primitive camping. You will quickly realize that some items are not important while others are vital. When you get home, reevaluate the items in your bag and make changes as needed. Remember to shop around and you should be able to keep cost to a minimum.

All of the gear I have ever used in my bag cost me about $140. That being said, I have removed more than half of those items. At this moment my pack only has about $65 of gear inside.

One other point to mention is that you can carry small gear outside of your pack. With cargo pants I have six pockets in my pants and five pockets in my jacket. I can put my knife and hatchet on my belt, and use carabiners to attach other items to the outside of my pack. It does not help with the weight, but it does give you a little more space in your pack.

Modular Bug-out Bags

Organizing your BOB is every bit as important as getting the right gear. A modular bug-out bag is a system that divides your pack into several categories. You can organize by the type of gear, or by the time frame you expect to be away from home.

Either way, pack several smaller bags, label what is in them, and put them all in your primary pack. With this system you can make last minute adjustments to your pack to keep the weight down. You can also ensure you are not forgetting anything.

In my opinion, there needs to be at least one general emergency kit in your bag. This is a small kit that you can carry in your pocket or latched to your belt if you leave your large pack behind. Inside your pack you may have a first aid kit, a fire-building kit, and a fishing kit, but you also need a kit that will cover all four pillars of survival for at least a few days.

For example, I will sometimes stuff my filtered water bottle with a folding knife, some fish hooks, a ferro rod, a few fire cubes, my emergency blanket, some iodine tablets, and some paracord.

It also has a paracord lanyard that allows me to hook it on my belt. This kit is compact and only weighs about a pound, but it has most of the important items from my pack.

As you tackle this project, take your time and do it right. Spend time shopping for the best value and try to avoid impulse buys. I suggest purchasing just a few items at a time so you can give each one a good amount of attention. If you purchase online, most items will have a weight and size listed.

Just remember that every once will count if you have to travel dozens of miles. Once you have your items, pretend that you are reviewing each item and put it to the test. If your tools are not ideal, you want to know that well before you end up in a survival situation.

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A Primer on Raising Sheep

Sheep would have to rank among the most common grazing animals in the world. They are extremely versatile and adaptable and are raised for wool, meat, skin and milk.

Icelandic sheep on green pasture

Raising your own sheep is an extremely enjoyable experience, as well as an excellent way to keep the grass down, turn your weeds into clothing and provide some really tasty meals.

The sheep industry isn’t a modern one. In fact, it dates back thousands of years to a time when a more primitive people relied on their personal flocks for food, clothing and trading. Actually, history tells us that wool was one of the first textiles to be processed and spun for use as cloth.

Let’s look at the benefits of raising your own sheep and see they will become invaluable when disaster strikes…

Lifestyle

For many, the enjoyment of an agricultural lifestyle and a ‘small taste of country’ is the reason for keeping a few sheep. If their property has extra land, it’s an excellent way to keep the grass down and provide some of their own organic meat. Folks sometimes use it as an opportunity to expose their young children to the idea of living off the land and teach them that meat and milk doesn’t grow on supermarket shelves already packaged.

For families with young children, sheep are an excellent choice because they are generally good tempered and easy to handle. We have found that lambs which have been bottle fed become extremely friendly and make excellent pets.

Relationships with animals such as these are really important, especially for children because when disaster strikes and your life is turned upside down, animals are one of the best sources of comfort quickest ways to restore a bit of normality back to your life.

They take up much less space than cattle and aren’t Houdini’s like goats. To give you a general idea, one cow and her calf needs about the same amount of grazing area as a flock of five ewes and lambs.

Sheep are happy to graze orchards, lawns, wooded areas and nearly anything else between. They eat a lot of plants that other more fussy grazers won’t touch and better still, they eat basically to ground level.

They are reasonably cheap to buy, have a comparatively short gestation period of 145 days and generally need little medical attention. So, without much upfront cost, you can have your own little flock in a short space of time.

Organic Food

For some people, it’s a way of ensuring that what they eat is completely natural free of additives and steroids. Knowing exactly how the animal has been kept, what it has eaten and how it has been processed is really important to these people.

Tax Benefits

There are several taxation advantages that go along with raising sheep, or other agricultural activities, which may be worth considering too. Laws vary by state, so you will need to familiarize yourself with your state’s definition of a farm for taxation purposes.

Wool, Meat or Milk: Which Breed is Best?

Considering there are a lot of breeds of sheep, it’s important that you identify exactly what you want to get out of your flock. As with any livestock, different breeds have been developed for different purposes, so you need to decide what your number one priority is: wool, meat or milk?

You also need to consider your climate and what kind of pasture you have to offer and make your choice accordingly.

Supposing your aim in raising sheep is purely for their wool, here are some things to consider:

Fine-wool breeds have been specifically developed for the genuine wool producer, for both commercial and hand spinning markets. These sheep have been selectively bred to produce quality fleeces and their comparatively fatty meat is not always considered prime eating quality.

Fine wool will bring better returns, but you may have difficulty breaking into an existing market in your area, especially if your quantity is small.

Fine-wool breeds include:

• Merino
• Rambouillet
• Debouillet
• Cormo
• Jacob

Medium-wools cover most of the common breeds of sheep. Their fleece is generally sold on the market and their carcasses are often large and make good eating.

The ROI on this wool isn’t likely to be as good and if you can’t shear them yourself (i.e. you have to pay shearers to do the job), the cost of the shearing may be greater than the money the fleece brings.

The most popular medium-wool breeds include:

• Dorset
• Hampshire
• Suffolk
• Shropshire
• Texel
• Cheviot
• Polypay

Meat sheep

If you are keeping sheep for their meat and can’t be bothered with the fuss of shearing, your obvious choice will be one of the hair sheep varieties.

As their name suggests, hair sheep are covered in rugged hair much more like that of their wild ancestors, which adapts to suit their environment and sheds in much the same way as a dog’s coat.

Hair sheep have become very popular because they are hardy, low-maintenance and resistant to many of the common parasites.

Carcasses are usually lean and make excellent eating.

Hair sheep breeds include:

• Katahdin
• California Red
• Barbados Blackbelly
• Croix
• Wiltshire Horn
• Royal White
• American Blackbelly

Dairy sheep

Do you want to keep your flock for milk and cheese? These items will be invaluable for bartering after that catastrophe hits.

Sheep’s milk is extremely nutritious and has a very high solid content which means makes excellent cheese and butter. It is higher in several vitamins and minerals than cow’s milk and is easier on the digestive system.

They are easily milked by hand and depending on the variety, may produce between 400 and 1100 pounds of milk per season.

Lactating ewes of any sheep species are suitable for milking, however the renowned milking varieties include:

• East Friesian
• Lacaune
• Hampshire
• Suffolk

What facilities do I need to keep sheep?

Buildings/shelters

As with any livestock, the size and complexity of the facilities needed to keep sheep depend largely on the size of the flock, your local climate and the climate in lambing season.

Some sort of storage shed or barn is useful for fodder storage and climate protection and will be essential if lambing is going to take place during the winter.

Sheep are incredibly adaptable and hardy and if the ewes are lambing in spring or summer, a small flock owner may well get away with a basic shelter for storing supplies and housing ill or lambing animals.

Shelter for BOL

A temporary shelter is easily constructed with bales of hay for walls and a piece of weighted iron for the roof. This type of shelter can be easily erected at your BOL and is cheap. The hay will provide fodder once the shelter is no longer needed.

Shade and water

If your summer is dry and hot, you will need to ensure that your animals have adequate access to shade and water. Sheep, like other grazing animals, are exposed to the elements all year round and inadequate shade and water will likely be fatal.

You will need to make sure that your BOL is close to a natural water source – your flock will make short work of your stocked water so your location needs to have a dam, waterhole or river nearby.

Pasture/feed

Sheep are grazing animals, so the constancy and quality of pasture or feed is very important. They will happily graze a wide range of grasses, legumes and trees.

Most of a sheep’s nutritional needs can be satisfied with grasses, but if the pasture is poor or in short supply or the needs of your animals particularly high, you may need to supplement with a mix of whole grains.

Some people say that feeding sheep grain to fatten them up will make the meat greasy and fatty – this is of course, a matter of personal opinion. I have never tried it because we have more than enough pasture. Grain is, of course, a more expensive feed option and will be harder to find and more expensive post disaster.

Hay, which is high in vitamin A, is going to be necessary for feeding out if your area experiences harsh winters. Store your hay in a dark place (e.g. a barn) to preserve its nutritional value.

Mineral salt helps to prevent bloating and should be readily available to your sheep. Maybe you could use a licking block or provide it loose or granulated.

Health Issues

Sheep are incredibly hardy, adaptable and resistant to many kinds of common livestock diseases.

Of course it’s your responsibility to provide a clean and safe environment for your animals because most illnesses are the result of poor sanitation and dirty housing.

A few of the illnesses that may affect your flock are:

• Footrot
• Polyarthritis
• Pneumonia
• Mastitis
• Pregnancy disease
• Coccidiosis & scours (lambs)

Sheep are also prone to parasites, but this can be prevented to some extent by rotating pastures regularly.

It is really important that you maintain contact with a reliable veterinarian and vaccinate your flock appropriately.

Annual routine care should include vaccines, shearing, hoof trimming and deworming. Lambs require ear tagging and tail ringing. Ask your vet for more information on these topics.

Sheep manure should always be pelleted and solid and the animals generally stick together in a flock. Keep a lookout yourself for any animals that look sick or injured and isolate any animal that appears unwell.

General care

Sheep are generally easy to handle and easily trained. If your flock is small and you are a smart prepper, you can make the most of their gentle character and use it to your own advantage. They will follow almost anywhere for grain, apples or bread. Luring them with treats makes it easy to get them into pens for veterinary treatment or loading.

Handling facilities, no matter how small the flock, always make the job easier when it comes to loading, shearing or sorting. Of course they can be constructed in many different ways and your own needs will determine what you build or buy.

A few things to remember when designing your pens:

• Sheep move along better if their course is slightly curved and they can’t see what is ahead
• They instinctively move towards and follow other sheep
• They move better uphill than down

Predators

Predators are a serious concern as thousands of sheep are lost every year to hunters such as wolves, coyotes, foxes, eagle and bears.

A few points that may help to prevent losses to predators:

• Use guardian animals such as dogs, alpacas, llamas or donkeys
• Use neck bells on your sheep
• Quickly remove any dead sheep from your fields
• Install high, predator-tight fencing

Other Points of Interest

Here are several other points about raising sheep and lambs that might be of interest to you:

• Lambs can be weaned as early as 60 days old
• Orphaned lambs are often unwanted by commercial farmers and they are only too happy to give them away. This really does make your flock a very economical investment.
• Bottle-fed lambs make excellent pets, though they tend to be very demanding and over friendly as they grow up.
• Lambs do very well on cow’s milk powder, which can be easily purchased from your local supermarket and is much cheaper than the genuine lamb milk powder.
• Sheep are generally quiet, unlike goats.
• Sheep will happily graze steep or rocky pasture that is unsuitable for cows.

Well, it really isn’t difficult to keep a few sheep of your own. In fact, it’s enjoyable and helps to keep the grass under control. With the added bonus of delicious, home-grown meat.

You never know what circumstances might crop up, when there is no longer anywhere to buy meat, or you simply don’t have the cash. I think, when times get ugly, you’d be jolly glad to have your own animals. After all, isn’t this just going back to basics and learning how to care for ourselves without relying on modern conveniences?

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