78 Survival Skills Everyone Should Know

This is an article written by Jeremy Knauff on "How to Survive It.com"

While I applaude his workmanlike efforts to build a survival skills task list, this list is not complete as Jeremy admits. I don't think one person could build a complete list,...at least not in a short period of time. I decidely to post Jeremy's list and add my own, in italics, as his tasks generated thoughts of my own. Undoubtably the readers of this will have many more.

Jeremy's aticle:

Survival is based largely on two things: a positive mental attitude and knowledge. With those two covered, you can make up for any lack of tools. Knowledge doesn’t break, wear out, and short of forgetting a thing or two, you generally can’t lose it.

Below, I’ve compiled a list of skills I think everyone should know. This is by no means a “complete” list because there is always room to learn more, and the more you know, the greater your chances of survival. But this will give you a solid foundation and a far broader skill set than most people. Everyone should know how to:

Drive a stick shift. Jump start a car; siphon or procure fuel from a disabled/abandoned vehicle.
Swim. Make an improvised flotation device.
Start a fire without matches or a lighter. Use flint and steel, a magnesium fire starter, a magnifying glass and the bow method to build a fire.
Build a garden
Use herbal remedies
Produce beer/wine
Build your local community. Develop an early warning system(s) and communications methods within your neighborhood.
Tan leather
Cure/smoke meat
Make soap
Construct animal/fish traps. Construct and emplace booby traps and early warning devices.
Make activated charcoal
Survive hypothermia. Recognize and treat Hot and Cold weather injuries.
Properly load a backpack
Conduct basic repairs (home, auto, equipment, etc.)
Operate a ham radio. Develop and use a radio brevity code system.
Defend yourself without a weapon
Identify surveillance
Build a rainwater collection system
Weld
Accurately fire an arrow
Dehydrate food.
Construct snowshoes
Build a raft with a tarp
Navigate using the stars. Navigate with a compass (dead reckoning); read a map (terrain features and marginal information; perform intersection and resection using a compass and a map.
Right an overturned raft Build with stone/brick (basic masonry)
Cut down a tree with an ax
Forage for food. Identify edible (and poisonous plants).
Sew and/or make clothing
Pilot a boat
Shoot a firearm accurately. Be able to disassmble, clean, assemble and perform a functions check on firearms. Be able to perform remedial actions on stoppages.
Find water
Utilize camouflage. Build a single fighting position. Build mutually supporting fighting positions. Build a camouflaged and concealed observation/listening post.
Construct a pond
Can food
Ski
Dig a latrine
Build with wood (basic carpentry)
Determine authenticity of gold and silver
Rappel
Follow a trail/tracking. Sterilize your trail - employ counter-tracking measures.
Use less-lethal weapons (baton, stun gun, pepper spray, etc.)
Metal working (blacksmith)
Lose a tail
Operate power tools
Construct a splint. Build a field expedient litter.
Open a can without a can opener
Drive a motorcycle
Construct a net
Identify animals by tracks and/or scat
Patch a tire. Fix a flat by plugging a tire.
Reload ammunition
Build a bow and arrow
Administer first aid. Perform CPR; Treat for a gunshot wound; emplace a torniquet; treat a sucking chest wound;
Identify venomous snakes. Treat for poisonous snake bite.
Accurately fire a slingshot
Make candles
Raise fish (for food)
Distill water/alcohol
Hot wire a car
Cook without a stove. Build a solar oven.
Survive heat injuries
Raise livestock
Find tinder
Create fertile soil. Develop a compost system.
Make charcloth
Properly store food
Survive a riot
Sharpen a knife
Butcher livestock. Field dress and butcher wild game.
Purify water
Make leather products (sheathes, holsters, boots, etc.)
Hunt and fish
Cast bullets
Maintain a bee hive
Use hand tools
Tie a knot. Be able to tie these knots: square knot, bowline and clove hitch


On his site, Jeremy advertises: "Are there any skills you think should be on this list? Let me know (in the comments box below)." Go to the link and give him some suggestions.