If Martial Law Is Declared, This Is Where I’m Going

The threat of martial law looms large on the horizon anytime a natural disaster strikes or civil unrest spreads through the streets. If the government does declare martial law, it means the military has been authorized to use its discretion to maintain law and order. While they are technically supposed to coordinate with local law enforcement, military-enforced martial law usually takes a broad sword approach to dealing with most problems.

Having a plan and a backup plan or two of where to go and what to do when martial law is declared will go a long way toward helping you protect your family and personal property. So, I thought I’d break down for you where I’d go and the planning steps I’d put in play if martial law is declared. Feel free to comment and tell us what you think the best approach would be.

Staying Home

If martial law is declared, I’m going to stay home, so long as staying home is a safe and viable option. Home isn’t just where the heart is; it’s also the place with the most supplies and is likely safer than being out in the streets.

Usually, just before or immediately after martial law is declared, the government issues a “Shelter in Place” order or imposes a strict curfew. If you’re caught out in the streets after that point, it’s typically considered a misdemeanor, and the authorities can and possibly will arrest you or forcibly detain you.

Obviously, what is very important is to be able to protect yourself at home. Also, you want to be sure that you have everything that you need in order to live, for as long as Martial Law is in effect. While in most cases, Martial Law should not last too long, sometimes it can. Having a stockpile to cover your needs for at least 2-3 months is a very good idea, together with all the tools and projects you should already have as a prepper.

Basically, I will be bugging-in and this is what every single experienced prepper will recommend as the first and best option. If you have doubts about whether or not you will be safe, start with an assessment of your property. You can do this with the help of the Navy Seal’s Bug-In Guide by Joel Lambert. This incredibly effective guide will teach you vital things for survival, like:

• The ONLY foods you need to stockpile for bugging-in
• How to hide important items from looters
• How to set up alarm systems for trespassers
• How to defend your property like a soldier in a Civil War scenario
• How to draw electricity from dead batteries
• How to communicate with others post SHTF
• What medication you need to stockpile
• How to build a backyard root cellar
• and so much more

There is no bug-in guide on the market better than this one. And the part I like the most is the no BS writing. You only get facts. You are told what to do, how to do it, and even how much you need of specific items when SHTF. Joel Lambert did a great job and thanks to a partnership with Ask A Prepper, you can get your guide at a HUGE discount Here!

When Is It Time to Leave Home?

If martial law is declared, knowing when to leave home and when to bug out requires multiple levels of risk assessment. It might be time to evacuate to somewhere else if you’re noticing the following trigger events.

• Widespread violence near your home.
• Military or police targeting civilians indiscriminately.
• Complete breakdown of law and order.
• Lack of food, water, and access to essential medical care.
• Intelligence, via trusted sources, that conditions are about to rapidly deteriorate.

Set Up a Rendezvous Point

Before you attempt to go anywhere after martial law is declared, you need to make sure that everyone in your group knows the rendezvous point between home and your intended destination. If you do get split up in the chaos of moving from home to your new destination, you and them won’t waste a ton of time and resources looking for each other. Everyone being able to keep a low profile instead of actively looking for each other in the chaos, will greatly improve your odds of everyone making it to the meeting point.

Being Prepared

Ideally, you want to have a properly stocked bug-out bag or go-bag ready with two to three days of supplies before martial law is declared. Then, you can customize the items for the journey to your new destination.

Your intended destination should be something you can reach in two to three days. Even if your ultimate end point is farther than that, you should still have a secure spot or safe house destination within what you can cover on foot in three days. Then you can restock and rest before continuing on.

Where to Go When Fleeing Martial Law

The perfect place to go when martial law is declared will depend on where you are in the country, the local weather, and what areas are safe.

Criteria for the Perfect Location

• Remote and hard-to-access areas away from major highways and urban centers reduce your risks of dealing with “People Problems.” The terrain should be difficult enough to deter most people but manageable for someone prepared. Often times, having a natural “Gate Keeper” obstacle at the start of the trail serves as a good deterrent.
• Abundant natural resources with fresh water and small games give you the best chances of being able to survive in the short term. In a severe or prolonged crisis, arable land and the abundance of large game become a more important factor for long-term survival.
• Weatherproof shelter is also a critical consideration as rain, snow, wind and other elements won’t just make it uncomfortable. They can be serious health and safety concerns. Not to mention your body burns more calories when you’re cold or short on sleep, placing increased strain on your existing base of resources.
• Low local population density reduces the risk of betrayal, theft, or government interference. Also, in times of crisis, locals in rural communities tend to band together against outsiders. If you aren’t well known in the surrounding small towns, this could create trouble for you.
• A defensible position from natural barriers like mountains, dense forests, or cliffs can serve as a stronghold against unwanted visitors. A natural bottleneck to funnel potential hostiles will help you control security while also buying you time to evacuate later if the need arises.
• Camouflage and concealment are also important as you want the area to be concealed from aerial and ground surveillance. Yet you also want it to have enough open sight lines that you can see trouble coming. One easy way to do this is to hide the straight lines of any sort of man-made structure. Even something like a brown tarp with some branches strewn against it will keep a small trapper’s cabin from standing out against the organic shapes of the natural world.
• Existing supplies are a definite bonus when choosing where to go after martial law forces you to evacuate. Even if it’s a cache of canned food, and a 22 with a box of ammo buried in a sealed PVC tube in the forest. Any existing supplies at your bug-out destination or on the way will greatly improve your odds of surviving. Especially since you’re probably going to arrive there exhausted and hungry after the long journey fleeing martial law.

Where I’d Go

Of course, I’m not going to give you the secret location of my preferred bug out destinations. And I do mean that plural, as I have a top destination, a secondary destination, and a rendezvous point an hour from my home with additional supplies.

My number one destination is deep in the wilderness. At an off-grid cabin about 35 miles off any of the main roads. There are game trails that lead to the cabin and old growth trees looming over the road about 3 miles away that can be dropped in a way that looks natural. I’ve practiced routes that will get me there via four-wheel drive that avoid all main roads, as well as spots I can stash my truck to make the rest of the way on foot.

Related: Off-Grid Tools You Need To Have On Your Property

The cabin is on a wooded ridgeline where the building’s structure is hidden at a distance from undergrowth. Yet there are still sight lines to the road and the trail that runs by the lake below.

There’s a sand point well that can draw water, but in my past stays, I’ve found it’s simply easier to bring a small jerry can with me on my morning perimeter walks. Then I pass by the lake to fill it right at the end.

Related: 7 Hidden Signs That Martial Law Will Be Declared

One of the other things I love about this old trapper cabin is that there are tons of squirrels, rabbits, and other small game. You can usually take them with a 22, a 4.10 shotgun or even an aggressively pumped pellet gun. This keeps my sound footprint minimal to the ears of other humans. I can harvest protein easily, without the big boom of a rifle or shotgun that can spook big game.

Why the Wilderness?

A wild place is usually better than a suburban area, as the military’s focus during martial law will be on controlling major cities and highways. They tend to ignore the existence of remote areas, and more rural communities.

The added benefit of going so remote is that it drives down the population problems that will likely be an issue in rural communities. When martial law is declared in urban areas and rural communities go forgotten, the crime rates tend to skyrocket in small towns. Especially if the local supply lines are compromised.

Also, you do not need much in the wilderness if you are properly prepared. With information you get from resources like the Wilderness Survival Guide you can actually choose a destination that already has the natural resources you would need to survive for a long time, much more than just wood and food.

There’s a real temptation to bug out to a farm. Especially if you have a friend or family member who’s a farmer. Unfortunately, these are large targets that everyone will want to flock to, with perimeters too large to keep secure. A hobby farm in the woods is one thing, but a large-scale farm will just be a giant bullseye to everyone fleeing urban disaster.

Final Thoughts

Martial law is a worst-case scenario that no one wants to see, yet it’s not the sort of scenario where you want to be caught unprepared. While staying home when martial law is declared is often the safest and wisest option, you also need to be prepared to go somewhere else if the situation escalates. Especially if you currently live in an urban area or a community with a high crime rate.

If you don’t already have a bug-out location, now is the time to start planning. Ideally, you should be able to reach it in 2 to 3 days on foot, or at least have some sort of safe house to resupply within that range. Then, make sure there are rendezvous points along the way that everyone in your group knows about.

Ideally, when martial law forces you to evacuate, you’ll be able to flee to a remote area. A simple cabin or even an old camper parked on an old logging road can give you a place to hole up while things simmer down in the communities where martial law is in full force. Keeping some basic supplies at your bug-out destination and having the means to harvest local small game will further boost your survival chances.

Now we want to hear from you. Where would YOU go if martial law was declared? Would you stay home? What if you were forced to leave?

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