Little if anything goes on around my place without my knowledge. I know every tree, twig and rock within a two miles radius of my hermitage.
Crazy Guy Out In The Woods
I haven’t had any trouble since moving off-grid and out of sight of the neighborhood watch. The townspeople think of me as that crazy guy who lives out in the woods.
No one bothers me aside from the occasional hunter who wonders off trail and into the area, once they spot the Keep Out signs posted every few yards they quickly head for other ground.
Going Armed
Even in small towns we have our share of lawlessness. The most common offense is vandalism or property theft but over the last couple of years we have seen a number of home invasions and several murders.
It seems the meth manufactures have also found it easy to apply their trade here.
I always go armed. No matter what I am doing my Ruger GP100 or Springfield XD are always by my side.
Most threats come when we least expect and a good sidearm can mean the difference between life and death.
Inside the trailer my first line of defense is a Remington 870 loaded with #4 buck.
Advanced Warning
Advanced warning is a must. I have several Dakota Alarms set up to cover the most likely approaches leading to my trailer.
I really like these alarms, the downside is they need batteries to operate; having a good supply on hand against the day of need is a good idea.
Having some sort of alarm guarding the door helps me sleep better at night. I have one of the magnetic break alarms rigged to the door.
I bought these alarms at the local China-Mart about two years ago, can’t remember the price, but I think it was less then twenty dollars for a package of five.
Lighting
Outside lighting off-grid can be a problem. On overcast nights it can be very dark out here, can’t see your hand in front of your face kind of blackness.
I bought one of the solar powered lights off Amazon several months ago, so far it has worked as advertised. Time will tell.
Dogs That Bark – Dogs that Bite
Having a good dog can offer advanced warning against threats and even companionship to some extent. You don’t want Fido to lick an intruder into retreat, aggressiveness is a must.
Even if the dog won’t actually attack an intruder it should at the least bark at anyone approaching. Anything less isn’t worth feeding.
24 Hour Security
Security while away is a different horse altogether. In reality little can be done to prevent a determined thief from applying his trade.
The best defense is for someone to stay home all the time, but in real life this approach is not practical, at least lone term.
Try giving the impression of occupancy by leaving a radio playing inside or some other ruse.
Making It Difficult
Having your valuables hidden maybe your best defense against theft. I’m not going to tell you where or how I have concealed my treasures, for obvious reasons; but surface it to say if I were to die it is unlikely anyone would ever find what I have hidden.
Your Thoughts
Have thoughts or ideas for securing the remote homestead please share with us in the comments below.
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