From the "Woodpile Report" No. 502, 31 Oct '17 Well worth a read. Excerpts follow - Although technically a vagabond, a man the locals called "Leatherman" lived a life approximating Escape and Evasion a century and a half ago. He traveled a circuit some 180 miles on a side, from Connecticut to the Hudson River and back again, with such regularity his reappearances were dependably foreseen by townspeople. In time he became an Odin The Wanderer-like legend. Modern day Escape and Evasion derives from the US military's Code of Conduct, which requires captured military personnel to "make every effort to escape". Escape and Evasion training is based on standard survival woodcraft with emphasis on covert techniques appropriate for hostile territory. The survivalist in a catastrophe is more likely to be escaping detection than capture, but the methods apply. Leatherman was in no danger of capture as far as we know, nor was he in hostile territory, but for thirty years or more he used the basic practices of Escape and Evasion, including regular movement between proven sites in a large, remote area familiar to him. ++++++++++++++ Prepositioned caches provide the necessary independence from outside supply. They also allow escape as-is and afterward permit traveling light between sites. Provisions for ninety days may be a good first approximation, six or seven caches with two week's rations at each, say. As elsewhere, this is for one person. Should the nature of the calamity warrant and become apparent sufficiently in advance, perishables could be doubled or tripled. Ramping up is easier done than starting from nothing. An aside: one item to consider carrying is a weather radio. Tiny, battery-powered units are available for about twenty dollars. Assuming the reporting service is maintained it's a resource worth having. Covert camping is a study in itself: choosing and improving sites, camouflage and stealth fires, quick shelter construction and takedown, noise abatement, unattended fishing, night travel, area surveillance methods, anti-tracker techniques and on and on. A survivalist is not a partisan guerrilla looking to engage an enemy. While it's wise to have a retrievable battle rifle should that day come, it makes sense in the interim to carry a light game rifle in a small caliber, backed up with a heavier caliber sidearm for defense. A survivalist handles armed confrontation by evasion, meaning "be somewhere else". If surprised, he will break contact and disappear, easier to do with confidence when every tree and trail is familiar for miles in any direction. If there's no option but to take down a relentless bad guy he will make it an unfair contest. Few of us wish to live as a fugitive. But most of us want to live. The tradeoff, once made, would soon be intolerable for some, miserable but bearable for others, an adventure for still others. For those who imagine going "off grid" is roughing it, decoupling from society altogether, even amidst murderous chaos, will be inconceivable. Said differently, these are life's self-selected victims.
Great post, woodpile is always a good read. This is a fun topic for me, i try to practice this daily, especially when in civilization, but I also track my routs of travel looking for places to escape to, places to cache or places for shelter!
Malcolm Naden is probably Australia's best example of escape and evasion. He evaded police by moving around the wilderness for 8 years, and even fought off a swat team armed with m4's with only a .22 rifle. The police withdrew with one wounded whilst Naden made his escape. He resupplied from unattended remote cabins. He eventually had enough of his solitary existence and let himself get sloppy and was finally captured. IMO that's an important aspect of E&E. We are not solitary creatures and eventually our inate desire for companionship may be our downfall.
Don't forget Eric Rudolph, who played hide and seek for over 5 years "According to Rudolph's own writings, he survived during his years as a fugitive by camping in the woods, gathering acorns and salamanders, pilfering vegetables from gardens, stealing grain from a grain silo, and raiding dumpsters in a nearby town."
Just for those outside of Australia, whatever one may consider of his escape and evasion technique, the man was a dog....and he is best where he is...in jail for with a life sentence plus 40 years. Malcolm Naden - Wikipedia
Yeah, I practice 'E & E' constantly but mostly during the Summer months when I hear the wife say those horrid words, "Bandit, it's time to weed the garden!"
A very interesting man! I need a more thorough read about him! I had this thought yesterday, but tend away from thread crossing. Here goes anyway. Should we study Bowe Bergdahl as a supreme example of the ability to escape and evade any form of meaningful punishment? Mods, please feel free to remove this post. I’m not real comfortable posting it here, but it was such a strong thought!
