This article was originally published by Jeremiah Johnson at Ready Nutrition.
In a worst-case scenario, give yourself a hidden edge for when the SHTF and the going gets rough.
What we’re going to detail today does not involve any arachnids, but the Spider-Hole takes its name from the creatures. A Spider-Hole is meant to have the characteristics of the home constructed by the Trapdoor spider and other similar species. What does the Trapdoor spider do? He constructs a hole in the ground for himself and lines it with silk. Then the spider builds a “trapdoor” out of silk and debris from ground level to camouflage his portal. Then the spider waits, with the door open a “crack,” looking out with his eight eyes and awaiting movement of his prey.
Then, quick as a snap, he rushes out and jumps on his prey with lightning speed, and drags the now-envenomated prey down into his spider-hole. How’s that for a survival food prep? His technique has been used by man for some time, and we’re going to refresh on it here.
A Spider-Hole should not be used for a long-term hide unless you have no other options. You can prepare them on your property, and utilize them either for a temporary hide site or for a hasty fighting position with which to ambush an enemy. It is not to be used as a proper fighting position for a static defense, as a “foxhole,” as it is not a very defensible position. The spider hole is used to make a quick disappearing act, and also to prep for an ambush.
As we covered “Fabian Tactics” in the post-SHTF combat operations article, I will refresh briefly. Named after the Roman Consul Quintus Fabius Maximus, the Fabian Tactic is also referred to in the vernacular as a “hit-and-run” maneuver. It is especially useful in an ambush meant to slow down or harass a larger unit by a smaller force. Fabian Tactics are perfect for the Spider Hole: hide for a brief time, and when the moment is right, emerge or fire to give the enemy the soup-bone. Then seal up the Spider-Hole and move out of the area quickly and with a purpose.
Optimal places for a Spider-Hole are on the sides of hills with limited access to your rear once the Spider-Hole is in place, with large boulders or rock faces to your rear, and at the edge of a forest just before an open area (field) meets with it. The Spider-Hole should be able to accommodate one person and their rucksack and weapon. The best dimensions should be the length/height equal to 1 ½ the height of a man and twice the man’s girth for the diameter of the hole. The Spider -ole should be on a slight (very slight) grade for the interior chamber so that if the person inside is in the prone, the feet will be slightly lower than the torso.
Such will enable rest within the hole if necessary, and will not be too unnatural a position in which to lie. A Spider-Hole should be as flush with the earth in the entrance as possible, and the “portal” should be made of materials from the local area that do not appear out of place with the immediate site. Do not take those materials from the immediate site! Then there would be gaps/bare places that would be noticeable. The mouth should have some cover (such as a log, sandbags, or rocks), to be located at the entrance to fire a weapon behind, but not preventing you from escaping from the hole.
Essential Supplies to Add
You will also want to tote in a quart or two-quart plastic bottle to urinate in if you need to be in the hole for an extended period of time. Ladies: Medical supply warehouses make female “urinals” similar to a urine collecting bottle that are in hospitals. Cost is about $10. Male or female, when you fill up the bottle, you’ll need to get out and pour it somewhere at a distance to the hole. Don’t allow the urine to turn to methane and then give the position away. If you need to fire your weapon from it? Put those earplugs in first. Triple-flanged earplugs seal off that ear canal and protect those eardrums from the shots. If you’re underground the sound will be amplified by the closed surroundings.
“Niceties” will be a poncho and a poncho liner to be able to wrap up in and insulate you from the ground. A pad would be a good thing. Remember: you may have to leave it in a heartbeat and come back to it later. One of the primary tools is an entrenching tool (also referred to as an “E-tool,” and I recommend US Army issue with the protective case. The others are cheap pieces of junk. The military’s E-tool is durable and reliable. Your first choice is to use an existing hollow, but remember, it is a hasty position. You can always reinforce it with pressure-treated plywood and boards (to keep it from caving in) if you want to construct it for use on your property later.
You may also want to run out a couple of wireless remote cameras and a screen to monitor movements on trails if you decide to use the spider hole. Good thermal optics and night-vision devices will also be worth their weight in gold. Your family will need to know where each hole is located, and there needs to be a readily-remembered numbering or lettering system to identify the holes. You are once more only limited by your own imagination and creativity regarding these holes.
So, take the tips here and tailor them to your home ground. The Spider-Hole is another preparatory measure you can create to give yourself a hidden edge for when the SHTF and the going gets rough. It has worked well for spiders for millions of years, and it will work for preppers and survivalists, too. Stay in that good fight, camouflage those trapdoors right, and come out when you’re ready to bite! JJ out!
They’re Coming To Get You Barbara
Every plan has flaws. When the blood hounds circle your hidey hole in the ground there Mr JJ, you will crawl out looking like Saddam Hussein with dirt on your face.
A hidey Hole for a temporary escape, as your entire property is invaded, over run and looted, yeah maybe, but there will be a lot of gunfire before I ever go into hiding.
Here in FL you dig down about 2 feet and you hit water, then the snakes and leeches come for a visit. I am not a big fan about sleeping on the ground here in FL, Thus why I have an all season woodlands camo hammock, about a $500 product. Off the ground high and dry off the cold ground and away from snakes. Just find a big thicket and dig in with your hammock between 2 trees with no deadfalls, and IR blanket attached to the underside of the camo canopy to mask my heat signature. Home sweet hidey home.
Well Silver sure is in a Hidey Hole. Down .28 cents more today to $14.28. WTF? Massive manipulation. This should be sitting at about $28 right now. They sure want everybody to Luv the Fed Reserve Fake Money eh. If you can afford to buy more at this price back up the truck and average down your Buy in. I sold some back in Mid $15, then it dropped a buck. I can hit some high rallys, but this is not along term strategy.
And right now the Silver to Gold Price ratio is off the charts $89.48 to $1. of Gold. Insane and does not make any sense.
Silver to Gold Price Ratio – 89.49 to 1. Off the charts manipulation.
The Silver to Gold Price Ratio has not been this high since 1993. Just shows you how screwed up this PM market is.
It IS insane, even lower than I thought it would go again. It won’t last though. I have a couple of jungle hammocks from army surplus and yes they are great! I left you a bunch of info on the pandemic article on the 25th. Did you read it yet?
In wetlands the best spider hole may be a platform “hunter blind” built in the forest canopy.
The problem for Sadam Husain is he stayed feet in a spider hole. He came out regularly for food and water. A nearby neighbor saw and turned him for the reward. Without the tip off the US military would have never found him.
And all it takes to find you is a dog.
And yes along with a headstone it’ll give the dog something to piss on.
If you’re self-disciplined (think, Spock passing a lie detector test in zen pose) the stress dog will bite his rookie trainer, who will shit himself.
Also, while I would tend to value a loyal animal over a traitorous person — this is not to promote animal cruelty — perps find the dog, first, every day.
Awesome article Jeremiah Johnson. Thanks for the reference to Roman (Fabian) tactics. This idea reminds me of the tactics used by Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox, during the Revolutionary War. This kind of preparation can help someone avoid capture until the battle situation is more advantageous. Avoiding overwhelming forces for a short time can allow the warrior to wreak “Hell on Earth” to the smaller occupying forces. The Swamp Fox caused tremendous trouble for the British during the Revolutionary War. Don’t forget natural ground cover for the lid to your spider-hole, folks.
Didn’t do much for Saddam Hussein. Might as well place the headstone when you get finished digging it.
Yup, nothin like digging yer own grave. But on the bright side you could wear an explosive vest and take some of them with you lol.
Too many people have mistaken Hollywood entertainment for reality..
Think ‘sweep’, a very short-term event. By all means think ‘hideout’. Throwing up Saddam Hussein is another red herring to justify doing jack. Hussein hid 13 years from the mightiest military in the world. So who was the stupid one?
Well have at it then sunshine.
That’s right Montana; it’s a pre-fab hasty fighting position not a BOL. Lotsa Billy Bad-Ass doofuses post here.
It’s the same Fanboys puffing their chests and bragging about themselves every day…No way some of these Fanboys actually work for a living because the majority of their time is spent online..
Stuart, you got that right! When in the heat of the chase what do you want, a hidey hole or a hammock to dive into. Hope your hammock is made of Kevlar cause you might be taking a long nap. Trekker Out
im not into spider holes. Rather keep on the move. Maybe for a quick nap and move on. First rain it will fill with water and be a mud hole. Last thing you want is soiled clothes and wet feet. Especially in a war zone.
This is a good idea. I have one on our property that the wife and kids can flee to in the case they need to hide. It is concrete, and has a safe, food, and water in. I have two more planned. One will be a simple hidey hole for the grandkids to keep as a secret, and the other will be another food/equipment storage area.
I have ready access to heavy equipment, as well as left over construction materials.
A friend lives on land with a lot of water in the soil. He actually built his above ground in what looks like an old abandoned dirt pile, and the access appears to be a two foot diameter concrete puddle that appears to be where someone washed a concrete truck out.
My property here in Flauduh, is thirty five feet above the water table . Easy digging too. No water till you get down around thirty feet. In other words, I live on a hill…a rarity in Flauduh ha ha
Hezekiah comes to mind.
Could something practical be learned from the capture of Saddam Hussein, who was supposedly found in a spider hole?
Besides casual rudeness, above (hehe) how could he have done that better, though.
Tunnels, etc, have been reported in every major theater, of which I am aware.
I’ve always believed that access from the house, a closet, was the way I’d prefer to do it. Covert entrance, nosey neighbors not aware of any construction, fine as long as your house isn’t torched.