Speaking of hunting, you should think about arming yourself with more than just a knife. You could be facing a society with little or no government, so people could turn on each other; your closest neighbors could turn out to be your worst enemies. This is a very sobering thought, but it could be a very real prospect.
On the other hand, if you’re faced with a non-weather-related disaster, humans could be the least of your problems. If zombies or aliens (or something equally as terrifying) take over and become a threat, I doubt you’ll want to get close enough to use a knife. In that case, a firearm would be a great comfort.
As such, you should seriously consider including a firearm in your bug out bag, as well as plenty of spare ammunition. This is true whether you’re familiar with guns or not; I doubt your enemies will be discerning and leave you alone just because you’ve never held a rifle before.
For those who aren’t familiar with firearms, a .22 caliber rifle is a great starting point. This type of rifle is pretty simple to use, it doesn’t weigh too much, and it will suffice when it comes to hunting or killing relatively small sized animals. However, if you live in an area that has a high wolf or bear population you might want to think about going for something a little bigger and more powerful; conversely, if you live in the middle of a city then a smaller pistol would probably be enough.
Whatever you decide, try to book some time down at a shooting range now, so that you can get used to how your firearm works and what it feels like to use. You don’t need to be an expert sharp-shooter, but you do need to know how to handle it, as well as the basic safety precautions. It would be awful to find yourself looking into the eyes of a zombie, bear, or even down the barrel of someone else’s rifle, only to then find yourself working out how to use your own. Practise now until you’re comfortable with using your firearm, then store it safely away until you need it!
Do remember that although we might face a lawless society in the future, we are living in a society with rules and regulations at the moment, so you should do everything by the book. Firearms can be very dangerous if used incorrectly, so if you need a licence then make sure you get one – if you don’t, then you could land yourself in serious trouble before the apocalypse even comes! Once you have your licence, firearm and ammunition, keep everything together; when you do have to flee, take your licence with you just in case you do have to prove your honest intentions.
When it comes to hunting, you might want to take a few other items in addition to a firearm. These could be slingshots, pellet guns, equipment for setting traps – anything that you could use to catch or kill small animals. Don’t go overboard; a few well-chosen tools will last you indefinitely, which is better than taking up loads of space with tools that you’ll never use.