Where is best to live in a SHTF scenario:Rural North or South (POLL)

We have land and a house in northern NH. Generator, wood stoves, food, guns and ammo. We have a house in San Antonio and land just west of San Saba TX. Where would you choose to live during a real SHTF scenario if it were to last 12-18 months. TOTAL economic collapse. Nuclear War, CME (enough to disrupt electricy and comms for an extended time.

Advantages I see for NH are:
1. Already isolated. Don't see "gangs" from NY and Boston making there way north to loot
2. Plenty of natural water and game
3. Climate good for food starage (long winters)
4. Plenty of natural fuel (wood)
5. 500 gallon propane tank.

I live in an area that is semi rural and have all those things you mentioned. I think the main difference is weather conditions.
In Texas you don't have to deal with blizzards and bitter winters. I know heat can be pretty horrible but I think the cold is worse.

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Originally Posted by Jeanlouise

I live in an area that is semi rural and have all those things you mentioned. I think the main difference is weather conditions.
In Texas you don't have to deal with blizzards and bitter winters. I know heat can be pretty horrible but I think the cold is worse.

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If you have some sort of fuel you can always stay warm.......

Yes, you can but life is much harder when you're under 4 feet of snow and it's 29 degrees outside.

I was born and raised in northern NY and lived 5 years in Texas...I pick Texas. :)

We live in Maine, but have alternative, undeveloped destinations in north-western Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. All are less than half a tank of gas away for both the truck and the motor home. All provide good isolation, cover and have a plentiful supply of water, fuel (wood) and food (game, plants, etc). None of them have cell phone coverage (YAY!), but we've got 160m through 70cm amateur radio and conventional/P25 commercial radios in all of our vehicles.

Being in the north also means fewer poisonous critters with which one might need to be concerned.

For me, I'd stay in the south. Partially because I'm used to the weather but also because I'm familiar with the area. I would not put southern hospitality as a reason simply because I think it'd be thrown out the window in a true crisis.

In a real SHTF scenario... I voted other... I want to be away from people entirely in a SHTF scenario.

The South is great... but you can't pack a freezer full of meat and have it last a year and a half.

Most looters from the big cities wont go further north, that's true... but, they will leave the cities as they are able... because they think we (and the farmers) grow all the food (like arugula*) out in the sticks.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens when the SHTF... If it does, when it does.

* arugula reference is obscure tip o' the hat to the current administration.

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Originally Posted by whoppo

Being in the north also means fewer poisonous critters with which one might need to be concerned.

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A very good point, although you have much larger critters to worry about.

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Originally Posted by bootslxa

A very good point, although you have much larger critters to worry about.

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Not really. Keep our distance from young male moose and you are fine. Black bears are quite harmless unless they have no food. We had bears on our property in NH and they run away if they get spooked. Momma bear is fine as long as you respect the rule:don't get in between mommy and cubs.

I am born & bred southern boy. (A gun clinging. Bible carrying, Jesus loving redneck!)

I already live in the rural south surrounded by neighbors that are like minded & prepared for almost anything. I've been north a few times and know I couldn't make it through the winter up there. (Probably could, sure don't want to!)

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Buy a house in WV. We have it all. Moderate climate, lots of rivers and streams, over run with deer and West Virginians generally are good people who look out for each other. The don't call it "Wild and Wonderful" for nothing.

Probably the ideal place to live would be around Sonoma, California. Perfect weather, abundant food growing areas with fertile soil, great water sources and the best part is that if you run out of everything you can go to Starbucks.

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Originally Posted by suntzu

If you have some sort of fuel you can always stay warm.......

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I also see a lot of survival time having to be used just to stay warm.

Where I live (SC), we have abundant wildlife, a long growing season, natural plant sources for food and abundant year round water sources. So here, the majority of survival time can be spent gathering/growing food; instead of cutting a SIX month supply of firewood. (by hand!)

One more thing we have here and in TX (my favorite state in the Union!) is a much lower land to population density. Hopefully, this would make it easier to be self sustaining.

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I love the California weather. No need to worry about heating fuel and the summer heat is dry and tolerable. That being said in a true SHTF event a brutal winter could be your friend if you were prepared. Those that were not prepared would not make it through the winter making the following spring easier on you. In your case I would hunker down and ride it out through the winter. It would be a hard life but if you could sustain yourself up north long term I think it would be less populated and safer.

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Originally Posted by tcox4freedom

I also see a lot of survival time having to be used just to stay warm.

Where I live (SC), we have abundant wildlife, a long growing season, natural plant sources for food and abundant year round water sources. So, the majority of survival time can be spent gathering/growing food; instead of cutting a SIX month supply of firewood. (by hand!)


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Wow, they need to change that song to "A Country Boy Can Survive (below 32 degrees lattitude)":image035: If you already have a house designed to be heated by wood or pellets it is not hard. In fact, that is how a lot of people heat their homes in northern NH and Maine. It already is a part of life. We did not live out of an igloo!

You make some good points but I did say only for 12-18 months (1-2 winters). Now, my wife and I are vegetarians and we grew stuff in our greenhouse during the winter. Yes it can be done. But I think the poll comes down more to where you feel more comftorable than having to learn new things. Biggest seller for me is that nobody will be coming north!

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Originally Posted by suntzu

Wow, they need to change that song to "A Country Boy Can Survive (below 32 degrees lattitude)":image035: ...

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Especially, when this ole country boy's Uncle Arther comes calling. :smile:

I hear you and can understand where you're coming from. A good survival mindset definitely has a lot to do with how comfortable you feel and how "familiar" you are with your surroundings.

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