Denial of area tools

Posted by Sure_Pear_9258@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 60 comments

So if shit were to go to hell there are two area's on my property I would like to deny access. In front of my garage which is all gravel. The second area is between my house and my fence on one side and the garage and fence on the other that act as pathways back and froth from my front to back yards. Along the sides of the house I have no window that can be access without a ladder. In the front and back I have very large windows but have concreted in planters with large thorn bearing rose bushes in front of those windows.

My current plan for denying access to my garage area which I cannot cover easily from my house nor my side walkways is to use lots of caltrops. I already have about 100 lbs of them made up and stored in three 50 cal ammo cans (figured one can for each area).

What other passive area denial tools, natural or man made, would you guys implement? Keeping in mind because of the size of the walkways between the fence and house its to small to really put a gate there and it gets used to much during my daily life in particularly by my dogs.

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13mo@reddit

This is why I love this sub, the way this is worded makes it sound like you'd rather self isolate and do some scooby doo booby traps on your Private Property over establishing a connection / building community in a way that assures mutual safeguarding & back-up for these maladaptive apocalypse scenarios. So... I suggest digging a really deep moat and filling it with alligators:-)

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TwiLuv@reddit

Cattle grids: you’ll have to use your truck, 4 wheel drive, or other to chain up & remove, but it sure will make access to the garage door difficult.

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Optimal_Show1269@reddit

A combination of Active and passive, visual and discrete

Passive and discrete like landscaping plants, fences, lighting - Outter Perimeter and key inner around making windows difficult to access plants lie thorn berry , holly blackberry help passively stop and restrict movement to path ways. Back this up with solar powered motion sensor flood lights, passive motion sensors & cameras anyone can get through any barrier given time and motivation so back this up with solar powered flood lights denies them time.

With this combination I control access to my property I know when anyone set foot on driveway. A step up would be razor wire when needed for walks and driveways add motion sensors or even little bells caltrops might be good but you might accidentally step in your own trap.

IMO.. none of these make you safe or secure they give you time to arm yourself.

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ye3tr@reddit

Unless it's a really fucked up SHTF, there will still be plenty of cops to arrest you for booby trapping. I'd consider a firearm and de-escalation

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Federal_Refrigerator@reddit

What if there’s just traps and no boobies? Then it’s fine? /jk

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DiamondSFarm@reddit

Boobies are a trap!

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Federal_Refrigerator@reddit

AHHHHHHHHH

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Ryan_e3p@reddit

Be advised that setting traps like that that can injure or kill is illegal.

Recommend putting up a fence around the property and getting motion activated alarms/lights.

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Federal_Refrigerator@reddit

I recommend setting mines for this reason. Way less chance they’ll be reaching you within the week. Buys you time to get a helicopter to a country that doesn’t extradite. /s

But really though: yeah, I’ve seen people call a hurricane SHTF and as a Floridian I’m like: no. That’s Tuesday.

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Difficult_Wind6425@reddit

I've been in florida my entire life and dozens of bad storms. After Ian, Pine island was cut off by road way and it was definitely a SHTF for any of the 9000 residents that decided to stay and not evacuate. I was in Cape Coral just across the water and could hear gun shots there every single night for weeks until the roads were fixed. Looters were coming in by boat to steal from houses there because the cops and other first responders said they would not be coming there.

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Federal_Refrigerator@reddit

Yeah that’s why we don’t stay if we’re in a small, secluded area prone to disconnect from mainland. I live somewhere in Florida with decent elevation and is not coastal and is a major city center where there’s NO chance of no police being around due to population, location, and nearby military installations.

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Difficult_Wind6425@reddit

No offense but you are not in a "just tuesday" area for hurricanes if you aren't on the coast.

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Federal_Refrigerator@reddit

That’s your opinion brochacho I been here for a VERY long time. It’s Tuesday for me. It’s a regular occurrence I prep for so yeah it’s Tuesday not SHTF for me lol

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WardenWolf@reddit

It depends on context. For example, with proper signage caltrops, if ostensibly for anti-vehicle use, would probably be legal in most states. Note that there's a few areas that outlaw mere possession of caltrops. Something like a shotgun trap is 100% illegal, but properly posted potentially injurious area denial can be legal if done right.

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mystery-pirate@reddit

Congrats, you have reached the point where the more you do to prepare the more vulnerable you feel. What is your plan when the bad guys use drones to drop grenades or fire bombs on top of you?

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boatmaster1@reddit

The more you do that is visible, won't stop people but make you a target as they will think you have something to hide. I remember years ago a company went around selling security cameras door to door and every house on the street that had them got broken into but the houses that didn't did not get touched so it is a conundrum to what measures you should take

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PrisonerV@reddit

Had some kids on halloween going around knock and dashing. I got them on my camera saying "theyve got a camera." And the other one saying " hi there" snd both running off.

Shared with my son. He said "did you notice the one kid was holding a gun?"

Cameras are a deterrent.

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mystery-pirate@reddit

Key word in that story - kids. What is a deterrent to amateurs might be a target for pros.

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PrisonerV@reddit

Pros don't rob normal people's homes, well unless they're really stupid.

And if you're rich, you can afford better security.

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RiffRaff028@reddit

Common misconception, and people might say I'm being pedantic, but having dealt with corporate security for years, I always advise people that cameras are NOT a deterrent. They are a tool for investigation and prosecution. There are multiple methods of defeating security cameras, of which wearing a surgical mask is the easiest and cheapest. There are also methods of completely blinding cameras from a distance.

In your case they might have deterred a couple of kids up to mischief, but they won't deter a criminal.

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NotNowNorThen@reddit

I think a big part of why cameras are a deterrent is because they provide evidence. If there is no investigative process, that part of the deterrence falls away

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MasterAahs@reddit

Are you wanting something mobile. So you can get in and out yourself or with a car. Or something more permanent? Lots of variables. And don't forget. If you look too well prepared raiders will want your stuff. Sometimes looking like a failure can keep people away.

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JRHLowdown3@reddit

While a car doesn't give a lot of true ballistic protection, it does give some as well as concealment. That's the downside of using a car to block an entrance. Better than nothing and the plus is that it can be moved easily if need be. Might make good bait if done correctly though :)

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Gaydolf-Litler@reddit

Fills doors with concrete

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JRHLowdown3@reddit

Being as cover works both ways, could be giving the BGs cover. Guessing with normal car doors you may have at best 3 inches of concrete you could place in a car door (provided the car door could handle it), not accounting for nucks and crannies the concrete couldn't get into.

When I shot our house that is concrete block poured solid with grout mix with rebar in each cell, I shot it with a .308 at 15 yards. Best I could tell measuring the hole was the round went in about 3 or so inches. To give a comparison.

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Shadowfalx@reddit

You should honestly seek counseling.

1) your described scenario is very unlikely. it lands right in the middle of "people are hungry enough to be stupid" and "government is knocking down walls to arrest/ kill people" the only recent example i can think of would be Rwanda but even then it is unlikely "denying access" to your property in any semi- reasonable manner would have worked.

2) there are no real ways to block access without risking your and your family's lives.

3) prepare for Tuesday

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Gaydolf-Litler@reddit

What's going down on tuesday?

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Shadowfalx@reddit

With the way this year has been? I assume nuclear war with Venezuela or maybe a million dollar check deposited to 150 million random Americans.

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Upstairs-Parsley3151@reddit

Just get a worn out sex doll and tape it to a chair, and beat the shit out of it and stick a huge weird dildo in it. It won't do anything, but would you raid a house with that? I wouldn't.

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User_225846@reddit

It soulfs like a couple of tall swinging gates would do the job

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Pando5280@reddit

As much as I appreciate caltrops that might work against you if you need to evacuate. Beyond that Im gonna suggest motion detector lights (I used solar ones that went on dim when it got dark and lit up bright when they detected motion - use amber taillight tape over the lenses and you get a nice night vision friendly yellowish glow at night and a brighter glow when they detect motion, saw many deer and a couple bear that way) Another option is just using window alarms. Or get a good dog which to me is the best option if your lifestyle allows.

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reinaldonehemiah@reddit

Doberman

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Lost_Engineering_phd@reddit

When SHTF, On behalf of bad guys everywhere, I would like to thank you for making your home an obvious target and letting everyone passing by know that you have resources available for redistribution. It is also wonderful of you to provide us cover so we can get close and wait for just the right time. Mostly thank you for blocking your escape route with caltrops.

As someone who has been in places where there was no rule of law, I can say in my opinion the best defensive measures are completely invisible. Your home should look less appealing than your neighbors. Personally I would make my home look like it has been abandoned for a while. I would cover your windows with weathered plywood. You might even consider using some black paint to make it look like there was a fire. Use some carbon black to dirty up the outside of your house too.

In case the visual deterrent doesn't work, I have been working on trying to figure out the formula for the USMC mobility denial system, basically a slippery slime. I think I nearly have it figured out, just have to get the ratios right.

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HillbillyRebel@reddit

I assume you mean from vehicles entering an area and not pedestrians, based on the caltrops idea. If so, look into bollards. You can put them into the ground and pull them up when needed.

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WardenWolf@reddit

Depends on many factors. Note that injurious or lethal area denial is generally considered a boobytrap and illegal, but with proper warning signage there are some things you can do; if the stated target is animals or vehicles you have some leeway.

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No_Albatross7213@reddit

Motion activated sprinklers and lights. Being sprayed with water is a harmless deterrent.

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MaggieJack1@reddit

If SHTF, best thing u can do is make your house look like it's already been looted.

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PlanetGuardian-42@reddit

Solar powered motion-activated floodlights. Aimed in the direction of entry. They are blinded, you see them very clearly.

Primer tripwire the perimeter. Something like this

Use high test fluoro fishing line as the wire and string fishing line everwhere between trees where they'll enter. They get caught up real bad and alert you to their location.

Might be difficult to keep your dogs out of something like this though.

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SheistyPenguin@reddit

Keep enough materials on-hand to build walls/fencing where needed. Look up your local laws on barbed wire, no trespassing signage etc. (Yeah people want to assume law and order breaks down, but that's an extremely risky bet to make).

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Connect-Town-602@reddit

Barbed wire is an excellent deterrent. Attach bells or other sound devices to it. Razor wire is an option though more expensive. Multiple no trespassing signs also can help you legally, but must be prominently displayed.

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IlliniWarrior1@reddit

reinforce that garage door - garages are going to be targeted in a SHTF - for both possible goods to loot but also eazy access to homes via a weak interior connector door .....

to block vehicle entrance to the property - prepare to use bullisters >>> post hole dig for the below the ground surface receiver pipes - cap the receiver pipes and skim re-cover with gravel - in a SHTF drop in the actual bullisters - also have fencing available for any possible foot traffic ......

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j-mac563@reddit

If they will be passive, and you will also be using these areas, it will quickly become apparent where to walk and where not to. Best option is to not use these areas yourself and set up passive defenses. Noise and light if you don't want to harm them. Noise light and pain compliance options if hurting is an acceptable outcome. It is not difficult to rig up a tripwire/pressure plate to a noise maker (think shotgun primer), add on what you like to increase the noise or light show. In an odd coincidence flour is fairly flammable. In olden times grain mills were only operated during daylight times so there were no flames in the building. Now if you want to stop vehicles, rebar driven into the ground at about a 45⁰ angel will ruin most vehicles that are not armored. If you are wanting to stop armored vehicles, you are looking at concrete, boulders, or large trees close together.

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JRHLowdown3@reddit

If you have access to telephone poles, 4' in the ground and about 3' above ground is what you want for most vehicles. I'm talking about large poles, not "corner posts" from Tractor supply.

I drove an old Chevy truck of mine (no airbag) into a set of these at 25 MPH to test a friend's set up about 3 decades ago. Truck stopped immediately. Tried it with a backhoe which it also stopped.

I gave him this idea after watching a young Mexican gal take a corner way too fast and smash into a telephone pole. She had to be going about 40mph. The S10 truck was ruined, I watched the telephone pole shake just a bit at the top- that was it.

Next time your at a national/state park and they have a trail that is off limits to ATVs, etc. you'll likely notice something similar blocking access.

Later, I found some reference to a similar thing of using "heavy logs" like this in one of the old fortifications FM manuals.

You could make this into a cute little wood fence with a couple 2x6 stringers between the posts and it would look totally normal.

Suffice to say if you can, you want this ahead of your standard farm/field wire fence.

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j-mac563@reddit

Very nice!!! I had not ever thought of old telephone poles. I like it as it is easier to make than concrete barriers.

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JRHLowdown3@reddit

And concrete barriers tend to work both ways as cover/concealment.

A 12-14" butt end telephone pole isn't going to offer a lot of cover or concealment to a BG.

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j-mac563@reddit

That is true. But i was looking at the OPs issue more as a keeping people out, than a defend location.

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JRHLowdown3@reddit

You still have to know if someone is there or not, being able to observe an area and not have a dead spot you can't observe is going to be important. Even if you had good tech like thermals, a drone, etc.

Developing a few honey spots that SEEM like excellent cover that are marked and known to everyone is group isn't a bad idea, and if your group is training enough to be able to get angles on this, even better. But I'd prefer not to give good cover to BGs if possible.

And practical wise, the telephone poles may be as low cost as Free, cut up with your chainsaw easily and transport easily. A dedicated concrete barrier would not be.

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Winter_Persimmon_110@reddit

Plant osage orange. It was used to keep hogs in before wire fences.

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f250suite@reddit

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CurrentWrong4363@reddit

Remote Paintball turret with pepper balls and night vision?

And a silly one, dig a pond fill it with koi and put lasers on their fricking heads 🤣

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JRHLowdown3@reddit

"I have one simple request... Koi with frickin laser beams on their heads!"

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throwaway661375735@reddit

Pew pew koi?

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JRHLowdown3@reddit

#1. Are all these areas fenced and posted? We like to assume "SHTF" means all laws gone, do WTF you want but that's not the case. You may have to defend your actions in court and the courts are packed with idiots that coddle the criminals. If they can just walk up to your place from the road now, that's a problem. You want to be able to state- "they approached our gate, where their is clearly a no trespassing sign, they cut the lock and came down our road. They approached our fence which also is marked, they cut our fence. Our dog ran at them barking and they shot our dog. At this point their intent was extremely clear and...."

We have a couple worthwhile neighbors, both ex military. One bought a place right at the road edge. Has cameras but no fence at road, no gate he keeps closed, isn't posted, etc. Couple of those Scandinavian youts broke into his place, alarms went off and they fled. A couple of other like minded neighbors tracked them directly back to the rental house they were staying in. Cops came and even found some of the missing items but did nothing to them. They were "just walking around" when shown the pics of them on camera in the guy's yard, barn, etc.

Scattering a ton of caltrops isn't a great idea, sorry. A couple of issues- 1. Even though it could be the PAW, your still going to have to mow a bit- for fire protection as well as keeping sight lines clear. You'd be amazed the things people miss at training doing jungle walks and "spot and shoot" observation drills from a defensive position- you can hide in tall grass and some folks especially not used/trained to spot these things have a hard time finding some of the targets. Got thermal?? Save the caltrops for road denial. Not sure the type (a pic would be helpful) you have or are making, but folks that are trained aren't going to be walking like they are "back on the block" when they approach. Further, if they have thermal or NV, your caltrops are likely going to stand out like crazy at night (NV) or any time of the day or night with thermal.
Don't relay too much on the old "rose bushes and thorny things are the Maginot line" non sense. I've crawled through a ton of nasty stuff like that and many others have as well. The old adage of "plant thorny bushes in your fence line" thing simply adds CONCEALMENT to the intruder and is dumb AF. Go by a prison, do they have bushes growing near the fences? WHY? Cause they want to be able to SEE the area well.

However the "concrete planter" if filled with enough soil does add some Ballistic protection to your house. Make sure your family knows where these spots correlate to on the inside of your house, it could save their lives.

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RiffRaff028@reddit

Anything that makes noise is good. People up to no good want to keep it as quiet as possible.

Raspberry bushes provide both a natural-looking deterrent with thorns while simultaneously serving as a food source.

I would also combine anything you use as passive area denial with a hidden perimeter alert system. These are easier and cheaper to set up than most people think, and they can be solar-powered.

I know this isn't technically an area denial solution because the effects don't kick in instantly, but wild hemlock has some very serious physical impacts on a person who gets too close and gets any sap on bare skin or inhales the flowers. One of my plans for a poor man's offensive chemical weapon is to create darts or other methods of delivering the sap onto a person's skin or into their bloodstream at a distance.

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MyDailyMistake@reddit

Love my native thorned blackberries.

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mediocre_remnants@reddit

Concertina wire is the traditional way to keep people out of an area. But like other folks said, that will likely make you a target.

I'm not sure how valuable caltrops will be since they're easily defeated with a broom.

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