Author Topic: bug out trailer? (Read 3305 times)

Dave223 · « **on:** September 05, 2011, 06:21:51 AM »

I recently started building a trailer to use for hunting season. It started out to carry a 4 wheeler and ice chests.
I drive 3 hours to hunt in another state and I figured I would add a small floor jack and 4 way tire wrench.Then I picked up an air tank from the dump and figured it would be handy to have on the road and at the camp. Then I thought, why not 2 spares? I also added strip lights on the side rails and a motorcycle battery for night time. Well one thing leads to another and since I live 19 miles from the end of the road in south La, why not make this into an evacuation trailer for hurricanes? So now I have a rack above the deck to hold gas cans, my genny goes under it , my ice chests and important papers in water tight containers.
Now Im considering scrapping this idea and doing the same with an enclosed trailer so no-one can see whats in it. Possibly building an enclosed gun safe, racks to hold 8-5 gal cans, generator, important paperwork, etc. Anyone thought about this in detail or have any pros or cons? Any ideas of what else could be done? Dave

blind ear · « **Reply #1 on:** September 05, 2011, 06:59:42 AM »

Just go ahead and start with the box walls made of 1/4 steel plate and a set of axels that will carry it and you will be set. (Might need to add pontoons that will float it all, oh, and an outboard and ---) Just kidding

. ear

mannyrock · « **Reply #2 on:** September 05, 2011, 07:01:26 AM »

Dave,

I think this is a good idea when it is limited to a storm/fire/flood evacuation trailer. But, it is a really idea as a bug-out device.

In any instance where you would really really need to bug-out, the open road would be the most dangerous, most crowded, most treacherous place to be. Everyone on it would be highly vulnerable to everything that happens, and history has shown that in a very short time, the roads are clogged shut, and everyone ends up walking, trying to carry what they can on their backs. You would lose virtually everything in that trailer in short order.

Mannyrock

mannyrock · « **Reply #3 on:** September 05, 2011, 07:34:24 AM »

Dave,

Oops. Sorry for my typo. I left out the word "bad" in front of the word idea in my prior response.

Perhaps a bug-out motorcycle would be a better alternative. With a large square compartment on the back for carrying your pack, and maybe five gallons of water and five gallons of extra gas. It could have some type of street/offroad/all terrain tires, so that you could easily go off the road and around traffic jams if necessary.

I don't know anything about motorcycles, but I guess that with a large gas tank model, you could go 300 to 400 miles on a single tank? It would not need to be able to travel at real high speeds, because all of the roads would be clogged. Maybe a top speed of 45 mph would do?

The bigger question is, what safe place would you be heading to with your bug-out trailer or cycle? It had better be close by, and it had better be fairly unpopulated. If you don't have such a place, then you are just driving to deliver your emergency supplies to someone else. Driving to a safe-haven zone designated by the authorities may be a better alternative.

Flexibility and mobility would be the keys here, and dragging a trailer behind a truck or car would flunk those tests.

Manny

Dave223 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 05, 2011, 10:48:28 AM »

After some thought, I guess yall are right, where do I go? Im down in Chauvin la., google it and you will see,we just went thru Lee. The water here comes up for just a high tide, storm surge makes us get prepared and ready to leave.
Its funny, after reading about survival plans, BOBs and the like, I just realized that I live this way for 5 months of every year! Yep, hurricane season. Every spring, we clean up, pick up things off the ground, cycle the can goods in the pantry and start stocking up, we even spend time on the vehicles making sure they are reliable and up to a trip.We keep all of our important papers in business envelopes inside waterproof containers. We run the gen for a half hour once a month, make sure the gas cans are clean an ready to fill. Just pretty much have everything ready from July to November.
As far as leaving, it can be anywhere from going to a relatives house 20 miles down the road to heading to my daughters house in Conroe Tx. I do know that highways get clogged fast, we left for Gustav and headed to Vicksburg Ms. what should have been 4 hours ended up taking 9, and thats with the contraflow!!!!
Since Gustav I have learned to keep a truckers atlas in my vehicles,(they have alot more detail) and we know which back roads to take to get out. There is alot more to be had when you stay off the interstates. The gas stations are not as crowded, people are more willing to help out, and auto parts, tire shops and food is alot easier to obtain! Everyone wanted to stick to the interstate when it came time to bug out for Hurricane Gustav, and they were congested BAD. I happened to stop off at a station for fuel and I grabbed an atlas. I realized where I was and took a back road by chance. I was travelling along at 45 while folks on the highway were deadlocked. I knocked 2 hours off my trip compared to relatives who left an hour earlier than us!
As far as the trailer is concerned, I dont think it would be a bad thing in my case and I may still move forward on the idea. I have to bring 4 people with me (wife son and MIL and myself) and just having the extra supplies would be a god send if it came down to it. Heck, even a cassette toilet in it would be handy and Not a bad idea having my MIL with me. Bathrooms are hard to find when everyone is heading in the same direction, lol! Dave

spruce · « **Reply #5 on:** September 05, 2011, 10:51:55 AM »

Reminds me of the pioneers heading west in their covered wagons. They took everything they thought they needed - and ended up throwing almost all of it away along the trail!

The ones who made it forgot about the comforts they used to enjoy and learned to adapt to their present circumstances.

blind ear · « **Reply #6 on:** September 05, 2011, 10:57:16 AM »

DAVE223, you live in one of the places that I would bug out "to" in a social breakdown. Plenty of rain, fish, water mamals, birds. You might have to go a little farther south at times. Just keep the same Hurricane plan and protected firepower. good luck. ear

mannyrock · « **Reply #7 on:** September 05, 2011, 11:08:00 AM »

Dave,

One of the very first modern survival movies ever made was called "Panic in the Year Zero" starring Ray Millan, and Fabian (I think). It was made in the 1950s. It is black and white.

In this film, a nuclear event occurs in LA and everyone is trying to get out. Ray has a medium sized Airstream trailer, that he loads up with his family and supplies, and they head for the hills, hauling it behind his Woody station wagon. The destination is a remote state park, where they had camped years before. He has a pump shotgun, a .45 auto, and a bolt action rifle.

It is a really good little film. In it, he shows how he handles a traffic jam problem, as well as a problem with a motorcycle gang who is traveling around raping and robbing folks.

He also makes sure that nobody can follow him into the state park, by destroying a small bridge at the entrance after he has driven across it.

Ray is the all around American dad, complete with a brown corduroy driving jacket and smoking pipe. Kinda like Fred McMurray in a SHTF scenario, toting a shotgun.

Find a copy and watch it. You will like it.

Mannyrock

Dave223 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 05, 2011, 11:22:38 AM »

Manny,
My MIl is always watching old movies, in turn, so am I. I have seen it a couple times! It is a good movie and something to learn from I guess.
As far as my location goes, I do think its one of the best to be in for any other situation other than storms. Plenty of rabbits, squirrel, deer, gators, shrimp, fish, crabs, and crawfish and bullfrogs can be had as easily as my front ditch! No motorized vehicles are needed to get to em either. My situations are mostly from high water and just a storm in the gulf can make us bug out these days.

Lost Farmboy · « **Reply #9 on:** September 05, 2011, 01:07:49 PM »

I think the bug out trailer for hurricanes is a good idea. The key is to get out early.

I wish I had one. I live in a suburb. I have an unpopulated place to go to. We have supplies there, but I would have to leave a lot of good things behind if I had to make a quick get away. Again the key would be getting out early.

If you couldn't get out on time a bug out motorcycle would be great.

hillbill · « **Reply #10 on:** September 05, 2011, 01:47:32 PM »

Quote from: Dave223 on September 05, 2011, 06:21:51 AM

I recently started building a trailer to use for hunting season. It started out to carry a 4 wheeler and ice chests.
I drive 3 hours to hunt in another state and I figured I would add a small floor jack and 4 way tire wrench.Then I picked up an air tank from the dump and figured it would be handy to have on the road and at the camp. Then I thought, why not 2 spares? I also added strip lights on the side rails and a motorcycle battery for night time. Well one thing leads to another and since I live 19 miles from the end of the road in south La, why not make this into an evacuation trailer for hurricanes? So now I have a rack above the deck to hold gas cans, my genny goes under it , my ice chests and important papers in water tight containers.
Now Im considering scrapping this idea and doing the same with an enclosed trailer so no-one can see whats in it. Possibly building an enclosed gun safe, racks to hold 8-5 gal cans, generator, important paperwork, etc. Anyone thought about this in detail or have any pros or cons? Any ideas of what else could be done? Dave

i think yu have a great idea!id want to add a extra spare for your truck, sum long lasting dry food and basic cooking gear like sum lite alum pots and a grill that could be placed over sum rocks to cook on.a good basic tool set, sockets and wrenches.possibly a extra 12 volt batt or jumper box.maybe with a solar charger to have it ready when yu need it.since your carrying a generator anyway id add a one of the little pancake air compressors.throw in a couple 12 ga shotguns, couple 22 rifles and whatever pistols yur handy with and your good to live anywhere for as long as you need too.you might also look at a cheap camper shell for your truck spray paint the windows so no one can look in and roll on.

Rex in OTZ · « **Reply #11 on:** September 07, 2011, 11:56:33 AM »

In some cases the rubber tire and internal combustion engine didnt survive so keeping the 12 volt battery may be a challange?
Looking at recent Refugee type sinerios like Hati, Japan, Iraq, to name a few the recent ones a fella has to reflect, if its a suddent incident your stuck on a main road system, bridges, overpasses, tunnels and simple embankments and rasied bed roads may be damaged by Earth quake/Tsunami, storm scatter and such debris may be a problem to motor vehicle traffic.
I threw in the Bosina Pic of the Ole gal next to a burnt tank, even armord vehicles were targets in that situation.

don heath · « **Reply #12 on:** September 07, 2011, 08:55:06 PM »

I like the idea of a caravan or camping trailer - and if you are going to use it for real hunting/camping trips you will soon find out what is just dead weight.

Having seen fleing refugees in 4 wars and one volcano incident- the others are right...if you are part of the crowd, you have left things too late, and what you really need are two dirt bikes for the 4 of you.

If you can moove with a modicum of convieniences I belive you greatly enhance ones own ability to cope. Physical discomfort adds to the feelings of insecurity and panic. After a week or so people start to find their feet and can cope much better with without many things. A warm, dry bed, Good food and a toilet chair and bog roll put you in a much better possition phycoligically than those without.

Just make sure you pack the essential survival gear in the truck so you can ditch the trailer in a hurry if you need to. My hunting trailer holds 110 (us) gal of diesel and 55 gal of water, and then has the storage space above that. I have a big roof rack over the cab and typically sleep up there when we are hunting (client sleeps in a brick chalet)...but we don't have rain in the huinting season.

bilmac · « **Reply #13 on:** September 08, 2011, 03:12:33 AM »

Those who plan ahead are way better off than the 99% of the population who are airheads. You know your situation, the more you think about it the better your plan and trailer will become. Good luck.

Rex in OTZ · « **Reply #14 on:** September 08, 2011, 11:42:13 AM »

Instead of horses ya could load ATV's? if ya had honda 110 3 wheelers ya could manhandle a whole crop of them in there.

They are built to haul heavy loads, low enuf to the ground to make loading easy, high enuf that you have to work hard to get one stuck, there wired for Highway use (turnsignals/brakes)

Both the pictured are new and outside the regular guys budget but one can find lots of used for really reasonable $$

heres a 18 foot gooseneck with propane and such can be both camper and enclosed storage

or the less expensive stocktrailer thats has tons of possibilites hang some strechers off the sides with dog chain for flexibility, Dad ripped some 1x4"s and fillled in the gaps with 1/4" carrage bolts to cut down on elememnts entering.
We used to use them for all sorts of stuff, Dry storage, mobile fueling and lube center when farming (110gallon puckup box fuel tank slides right in) and there Lockable

bilmac · « **Reply #15 on:** September 08, 2011, 12:56:45 PM »

Ya get a big trailer then you got to have a big truck to haul it, one thing leads to another. All that is big money. Is a guy better off buying new equipment or buying gold.

Everybody has to answer questions like this for himself, considering his own situation, but people ought to be thinking real hard about what the future will be and not just assuming that things will be the same tomorrow

hillbill · « **Reply #16 on:** September 08, 2011, 02:55:43 PM »

Quote from: bilmac on September 08, 2011, 12:56:45 PM

Ya get a big trailer then you got to have a big truck to haul it, one thing leads to another. All that is big money. Is a guy better off buying new equipment or buying gold.

Everybody has to answer questions like this for himself, considering his own situation, but people ought to be thinking real hard about what the future will be and not just assuming that things will be the same tomorrow

yea what im thinkin about is like a 5' or6'x12' enclosed trailer, bumper hitch. you get too big and it would be useless for hunting off the paved road.easiley pulled by any 1/2 ton truck or suv or even a car in a pinch.with the bumper hitch yu could throw a dirt bike or atv in the bed of yur truck. or with a dirt bike strap it to the side of the trailer.i much prefer the dirt bike, faster, better mpg and easier to ride in the woods and harder to get stuck.oh and 2 less tires to worry about and if its a older one yu dont even need a hott battery to kickstart it.

tacklebury · « **Reply #17 on:** September 12, 2011, 03:07:12 PM »

I'll try to get a picture of it, but my dad's building such a trailer. His has 2 beds, small external woodstove that is fed from outside and insulated from the interior. He's used a pick-up truck rear end with the gears removed. It'd been used to haul wood for many a year on our property. It's built completely of wood for the upperstructure using light weight luan unlined paneling and insulated with board type insulation and another layer of luan inside. It's a cute little thing and has an inverter built in, separate battery system that charges off line or by rolling. Also has an air conditioner and ref'g. He's rigged everything (except AC) to use electric or gas depending on the situation. Sleeps 2 full length and has a self composting commode built, but not obvious. It's pretty cool and he's intending to pull it with his Jeep Cherokee.

He's balanced everything pretty well and added lots of hidden panels for storage of things like jacks and food stuffs on the outside. He also rigged up a vent fan for cooking, so it won't smoke up too bad. He made the woodstove from surplus 6" steel pipe we had from another project and end caps that were left over also. Small closet in the center has the double insulated chimney going up through it, so basically, by adjusting how far open that door is, it adjusts the amount of heat coming inside for cooler weather.

bilmac · « **Reply #18 on:** September 16, 2011, 12:38:19 PM »

Wow, he managed to cram a lot of stuff into a pickup box trailer.

Lost Farmboy · « **Reply #19 on:** September 26, 2011, 10:18:41 AM »

Just reread the OP. It started as a hunting trailer. That makes it a duel use item. I would not spend time and money on a trailer just for the small possibility I may have to bug out. Right now if I had to bug out quickly I would have to leave a lot behind. It would be nice to have a trailer to pull more stuff. The most important thing I do not have room for in the car are my bees.

For me a jon boat with a small electric motor would be a big help. The boat itself would be a survival asset where I will go if things get bad. The battery for the motor would be useful for lighting and power. Just need a solar battery charger. Could put a lot of food, cloths and survival gear in the boat. It would still have room for a few bee hives.

mannyrock · « **Reply #20 on:** September 26, 2011, 12:29:37 PM »

Farmboy,

Of all of the things to worry about when the world is coming to an end, . . . your bees? I would be more interested in saving my case of Jack Daniels! :-)

Best, Mannyrock

Lost Farmboy · « **Reply #21 on:** September 26, 2011, 02:38:49 PM »

My bees are my number one reason for wanting a bug out trailer. I consider my bees my most important survival asset. A man could live for years with nothing but bees. Honey is the best storage food. Honey found in the pyramids was still good. But there are other products the bees produce. Pollen, propolis, wax, bee bread and royal jelly. The bees and larva are eaten in some places around the world. Then there is mead. Mead, wine made from honey was the first alcoholic beverage in the world. One third of the food you eat was pollinated by bees.

Take 1 oz of that Jack Daniels and dissolve 1 oz of bee propolis and you increased the medicinal value of the Jack Daniels a thousand times. Long after your Jack Daniels is gone I'll be sipping mead. I could go on and on, but this is a bug out trailer thread.

bilmac · « **Reply #22 on:** September 27, 2011, 02:14:21 AM »

I just started keeping bee's. My logic for starting is that honey may be the best barter crop I can produce on my limited acreage. If things got really bad, there could be a real demand for sugar in local areas. Fruit trees and berries are hard to grow at our altitude, and although they grow sugar beets locally, the processing plant is far away. As far as I know turning beets to sugar is a complicated process.

Pat/Rick · « **Reply #23 on:** September 27, 2011, 07:23:41 AM »

Honey is one food that doesn't spoil. Got jars and lids? honey can replace sugar for fruit canning syrup. Other benefits listed already. Locally there are a couple of bee keepers. In a fan environment their produce would very valuable. I wouldn't mind having some hives myself but then, I'm planning on "bugging in".

mannyrock · « **Reply #24 on:** September 28, 2011, 06:22:04 AM »

Hey Guys,

A timely Article!

I was just looking at the newstand in a big book store. The latest copy of the magazine called "The Backwoodsman" has a very lengthy article on how to convert a little 4ft x 8 ft flat trailer (like the ones you buy for $400) into a mini-camping trailer! It includes explaining how to line the exterior with sheet aluminum.

Though you may not really want a camping trailer, you may pick up some really good ideas about how to make a bug out trailer for pretty cheap!

Best, Mannyrock

Lost Farmboy · « **Reply #25 on:** September 29, 2011, 09:15:29 AM »

I think a camper would make a great bug out trailer. It has a lot of survival equipment built in. Where ever you go in a bug out situation you will find the Inn full. With the trailer you will have a place to lay your head.

no guns here · « **Reply #26 on:** September 29, 2011, 09:41:38 AM »

I like what Don Heath said about "if you are part of the crowd, you have left too late". I think the best idea is to get the remote living down and then just bug in. Remote, out of sight, out of mind, well-stocked and hopefully off the grid.
Then just hunker down, be quiet, don't be seen, don't advertise your prescence and wait it out as much as you can.

NGH

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #27 on:** September 29, 2011, 09:42:28 AM »

I know of a enclosed cargo trl. that has a construction grade gang box in the nose. slide out drawers on the floor that access thru the rear doors. It has a side door also. The space between the gang box and drawers is goog for gas cans. On top the drawers is good for sleeping and storage. The thought is to up grade suspension to off road capatable with some 6 or 8 ply tires.
Interstate travel could pose problems after an event but in say a storm getting out intact may be doable. After the event parking and seeking info may be the best bet. Even a camp site ot rv park may be good for a few day to let things shake out .
In such a case maybe treat the tow vehicle like your person and the trl. like your truck. IE carry in the tow vehicke what is most needed ( what will hurt to lose) and use the trl. as a stock pile. Keep tow vehicle gas topped off and extra on board. Like keeping a gun on your person keep one in the tow vehicle incase you have to drop trl. and run. EMP and all bets are off .

bilmac · « **Reply #28 on:** October 17, 2011, 02:29:48 AM »

If I were to make such a thing as Dave is building my most important goal would be to make sure it is weather proof. It will spend years sitting in the yard, and a few days use in the fall. I wouldn't trust sheet aluminum it takes some skill to work with, and I've seen too many campers leak after they get some age. I would build with lightly framed 1/4 inch plywood and cover it with fiberglass. I've made several boats this way, and they never leak.

Pat/Rick · « **Reply #29 on:** October 18, 2011, 08:31:27 AM »

I have at times thought about building a hinging lid set up for my utility trailer. When opened it would form an "A" type roof, a hinged filler would take care of the front, and the same with a split for access for the back. Should be able to travel closed and locked. Like I say I have just toyed with the design/plan. The seams after unfolding?? Rubber strips? Piece of tarp type mat'l? Add game cart in case you have to strike out on foot to carry vital gear. Absolutely necessary gear on body if that happens. L.B.E./rucksack.