# What Are Your Survival Skills?



## Canadian (Dec 14, 2008)

I've often wondered which survival skills are the most common and which ones are rare. Feel free to enter the skills you have on the poll. It'll be interesting to see what our strengths and weaknesses are as a group. What skills do you have to contribute to a survival situation?


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

my weakest area is firearms, but I have a bit of experience

I feel conceited checking all of them, but... I also have the feeling many people, especially on this board, will also check them all


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## MaryV (Jan 31, 2009)

the only thing I could even think to check is food storage, i dont have any skills whatsoever. I wish I had a husband who could take care of those things for me, lol.
the truth for me is, the only thing I can do is store food. But I will have food to eat.


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## mandiex4 (Mar 14, 2009)

I checked some of them, but I need to improve on them allllllll!


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## SurvivalNut (Nov 13, 2008)

*Skill Set*

I was born and raised in the city but moved to 5 acres after retiring from the Army. I am a knowledge junkie. If you are out doing something, I am apt to stop by and ask to help and pick your brains.

Anyway, my goal is for my property to be self-sustaining. I keep a list of skills I have tried. I keep an eye on Community College classes and learn by trial and error. Besides self-sufficiency, my desire is to have enough skills to barter for whatever I need, providing all my own (sustainable) raw materials for trade goods.

*SKILL SET* 
*CHICKENS*

EGGS	
CHICKS	
CHICKENS	
CHICKEN FEED	
CHICKEN TEA (Fertilizer)	
CALCIUM

*GARDEN*

NON HYBRID SEED	
VEGGIE PLANTS	
BERRY PLANTS	
VEGGIES (asstd)	
BERRIES (asstd)	
GRAPES	
POTATOES	
SEED POTATOES	
GREENHOUSE VEGGIES

*ORCHARD*

FRUIT TREES	
NUT TREES	
FRUIT 
NUTS	
ACORNS	
TREE STARTS

*HOME PRODUCTION*

BREAD MAKING	
COOKING	
VINEGAR	
SAUERKRAUT	
NATURAL HERBICIDES	
ROOT HORMONE	
TANNIN	
SEED SPROUTS	
YEAST	
PECTIN	
RAISINS	
DRIED FRUIT	
DRIED EGGS	
DRIED POTATOES	
YEAST	
FLOUR	
DRIED FRUIT	
DRIED VEGGIES	
ACORN FLOUR	
NUT FLOUR	
PRESSED COOKING OIL	
TEAS	
JELLY	
PECTIN	
LYE	
SOAP	
CANDLES	
CANNING	
FOOD DEHYDRATING	
JUICES (Apple, Grape)

*BASIC SKILLS*

SEWING	
HAIR CUTTING	
FIREWOOD 
ELECTRICAL REPAIRS	
SHOP TIME (Solar, Manual Tools)	
WOODWORKING

*BASIC PRODUCTS*

CHLORINE BLEACH	
LAMP OIL	
SOAP	
CANDLES	
FILTERED WATER	
WOOD TOOL HANDLES	
CHARGED BATTERIES	
POWER

*NATURAL MEDICINES*

VITAMIN TONICS	
VITAMIN TEAS	
HERBAL MEDICINES, LOCAL

*BLACKSMITHING SKILLS*

KNIFE SHARPENING	
HOES	
ADZE	
SHOVEL	
SPIKES	
AWL	
NAILS	
PUNCH	
CHISEL	
BRACKETS	
HAMMERS	
KNIVES	
MACHETES	
KITCHEN UTENSILS	
CAMPFIRE TOOLS	
HINGES/HASPS	
SCREWS	
SPEAR/ARROW POINTS	
FISH HOOKS	
GAFFS	
TRIDENTS	
FIREPLACE TOOLS	
FLINT STRIKERS	
SCREWDRIVERS

*SKILLS TO LEARN*

FLINT KNAPPING	
NURSING/LIFESAVING	
GUNSMITHING	
GAME DRESSING	
GLASS CUTTING (recycling)	
WELDING

*DEFICIENCIES*

SALT (inland)	
MEAT / FISH (limited)	
ROOT CELLAR (need to build one)	
SUGARS/HONEY	
MILK/CHEESE

*IDEAS THAT ARE NOT FEASIBLE*

SUGAR FROM BEETS (ONLY 3 TSP PER BEET!)	
PEANUTS (TOO COOL HERE)

Any other ideas? Not done yet!


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

no salt? that's what BARTER is for, buddy!


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## SurvivalNut (Nov 13, 2008)

*Salt*



The_Blob said:


> no salt? that's what BARTER is for, buddy!


I have 200 lbs of salt in buckets and 200 lbs in my water softener.

Since I don't produce it from scratch, I did not put it on my list. That will be an item I would have to buy or barter for later.

I don't believe in paying and stockpiling items to barter or give away later.

Thes best barter items are excess production products.

I don't spend my pennies to stock items for someone else's lack of preparation later. If I have spare, then I will barter it.

I like snickers bars. Can't grow them here. Stock some of those for me and I will send some eggs your way when TSHTF.


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## Canadian (Dec 14, 2008)

Hey, I posted the poll and I only checked one box.


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## SurvivalNut (Nov 13, 2008)

*One box?*



Canadian said:


> Hey, I posted the poll and I only checked one box.


When TSHTF there are a lot of "one boxers" I will be seeking to ally with. The lady that has canned all her life. The retired couple who have a small backyard garden patch BUT understand seed saving and carry over a few favorite varieties. A person with a good work ethic, honesty and common sense but not much else. A hunter/gatherer. A natural inventor/mechanic. A nuturer/medic.

The world was made with one boxers who specialized in one thing or another.

My kids are not as into this as I am, but each has some skills. I try to support their individual box interests. When I go, hopefully, the little boxes can figure it out together.


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## Canadian (Dec 14, 2008)

Being a one boxer is better than being a no boxer.


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## Expeditioner (Jan 6, 2009)

I only checked four boxes as those are skills that I have developed and applied. I do not claim to know it all and as such I am always looking for ways to improve on what I know and how I apply it. Those skills which I have the most experience with are:


Hunting, Trapping, Fishing
Hand To Hand Combat
Firearms and Ranged Combat
General Camping and Outdoor Living
I have varying degrees of knowledge and skills in some of the other categories. Try to learn and apply something new at least three to four times a week.


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## dukman (Mar 1, 2009)

I really ain't that skilled.... I checked Camping and that was it 

Most of my skills are my 2 cents.. Sometimes I can see a simpler or more efficient way to do things. My other skill I guess would be intimidation. I probably not very good at hand to hand, but at 6'4/250lbs nobody wants to mess with me


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## SurvivalNut (Nov 13, 2008)

*One Boxers*



Canadian said:


> Being a one boxer is better than being a no boxer.


A One Boxer who is good at what they do has enough marbles rolling around to survive most static situations.

I'd love to start a local prep group of One Boxers. OB's I would guess would form, of necessity, a more cohesive group than independent bunkerheads.


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## Canadian (Dec 14, 2008)

Being on a team is always great. I know a lot of people have a very fierce notion of doing everything on their own. It's just a lot more fun when there are other people to help out and share things with.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

Based on that list - I was able to click on 6 of them. I wouldn't say that I am "expert" in all 6 - but - I feel that I a fairly well-versed in them all.

First-aid - re-cert'd several times. My father has been an Industrial First-Aider for the majority of my life and has been part of the ambulance service for longer than I can remember (now retired). My mother has been in the medical field longer than I have existed (and is still in the field). I remember as a child reading medical texts and looking at pictures of burns and amputations and cuts and thinking that I was having a normal childhood. Blood - guts - gore does not faze me at all .. 

Mechanical - If its broken I can normally fix it. Electronics, automotive, plumbing, electrical. I haven't done much with gas beyond propane stuff in trailers and natural-gas on my furnace.

Fighting skills - no detail provided 

Camping and outdoor skills - camped since I was 6 months old - and that was only because I was born in December. Camping by hammock, tent, trailer, home-made shelter - winter and summer. No problems

Food preservation & storage - you all might have seen some of my posts about cooking food and such.

Communications - got the basics down. Thought about going deeper with ham / short-wave / etc. Have communications gear that include a mobile base-station CB for off-roading.


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## Canadian (Dec 14, 2008)

NaeKid - Good for you. I have to work on being able to tick off more than one box.


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## Expeditioner (Jan 6, 2009)

Canadian said:


> NaeKid - Good for you. I have to work on being able to tick off more than one box.


There is a lot to be said for the team concept. Even among the various SOG units in the American Armed Forces each member has a special function with cross training in another function. To be an expert in everything is a daunting and maybe even pointless endeavor.


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## Canadian (Dec 14, 2008)

Well I know I'm not going to medical school ever. That's one box I'll never tick off. I'm also a bit germ phobic so touching a bleeding person is a bit daunting for me.


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## Expeditioner (Jan 6, 2009)

Canadian said:


> Well I know I'm not going to medical school ever. That's one box I'll never tick off. I'm also a bit germ phobic so touching a bleeding person is a bit daunting for me.


I have no problem with touching injured/wounded people. My skills are limited to advanced first aid training. I can suture a wound if I had to.....though the needlework is a lot to be desired. Med school is not a box that I check off either.


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## Canadian (Dec 14, 2008)

I work for a drug addition clinic and I'm surrounded by people with Hepatitis, AIDS, and other blood diseases. So I get really paranoid about hand washing and keeping away from contaminated surfaces and of course used needles. Anytime anyone cuts themselves I stay well back. I'm just conditioned that way now.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Expeditioner said:


> I have no problem with touching injured/wounded people. My skills are limited to advanced first aid training. I can suture a wound if I had to.....though the needlework is a lot to be desired. Med school is not a box that I check off either.


Maybe I was a little premature in checking the Med box. I have had CPR/First Aid cert. since 96. I did stitch my finger some time ago on a walk-in camping trip in whats called the PA. grand canyon. I practically sliced the tip of my finger off and could not get the bleeding to stop. While that hardly makes me an M.D. , I was assuming any type of med training would warrant a check there.  If that is incorrect, someone can go in and _uncheck_ that box for me. Thanks


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

seems that if you have anything in a line you can check that particular box...

I'm surprised there wasn't a scavenging/appropriations line tho...


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## Canadian (Dec 14, 2008)

I ran out of lines. Plus there's no real requirement to check a box other than the "I've been there done that" factor.


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## TimB (Nov 11, 2008)

The_Blob said:


> my weakest area is firearms, but I have a bit of experience
> 
> I feel conceited checking all of them, but... I also have the feeling many people, especially on this board, will also check them all


I didn't check the communications/electronics box as I cannot repair radios or the like. I did check all the others- the only reason I checked medical was because I have had some advanced first aid training. Oh, and I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.  

Tim


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## Canadian (Dec 14, 2008)

Nice Tim. It's amazing what the Holiday Inn can do for your survival skills.


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## TimB (Nov 11, 2008)

Canadian said:


> Nice Tim. It's amazing what the Holiday Inn can do for your survival skills.


Tongue-in-cheek, I hope. 

Tim


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## Ramkitten (Apr 21, 2009)

Well, if you put my husband and I together, we can check all but the hand-to-hand combat box. (Although I can probably land a pretty good kick to the shin if I had to.) If it's my husband alone, he can check ... um ... all but one box. Me alone, I have five empty boxes. Needless to say, I hope to keep him around. He's handy.


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## Canadian (Dec 14, 2008)

I bet you can hit harder than you think. Two weeks ago my wife punched me and broke my ribs! I'm still in pain. I'll never tell her she hits like a girl ever again! ;-)


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## endurance (Nov 26, 2008)

I like the idea of the thread, but I hate boxes. I don't see enough options to really get to the meat of what I see as valuable skills I can bring to the table. Here's a few that come to mind:

Mediator
Community organizer (I know what you're thinking, but seriously, there's a value to being able to talk to your neighbors and organizing mutual aid in times of crisis)
Wildland firefighter (also certified as a receiving and distribution manager, Class B sawyer, and public affairs officer)
Tinkerer (can you make a car alternator into a battery charger with either a stationary bike powering it or a stream? I haven't done it yet, but I have the plans and tools)
Instructor (most of what I know, I can teach)
Bicycle mechanic
Counselor

The GF has me beat on animal care (she cares for the horses and started off in vet school before switching to nursing) and on medical skills (she's an ICU nurse, I'm a former EMT that's current as a First Responder). My neighbors have me beat on gardening skills, but we share a small garden together now, so I'm learning. The GF and I are planning on taking up fly fishing over the summer. We currently bike, xc ski, and hike together every weekend we can. I train about 8 hours a week currently (endurance sports). That should ramp up as I'm thinking about another 24 hour solo race in October. I think fitness is an essential skill everyone should have. Strength and endurance are a matter of life and death when TSHTF.


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## sailaway (Mar 12, 2009)

Probably my greatest survival skill is communications, my wife says I'll talk to anyone. The more I learn the less I know. I did check several boxes. I was in Hurricane Andrew and a couple of other nataural occurances, but my favorite survival experiences are when I just load my backpack and head for a foreign country with only a round trip plane ticket and some travellers checks. When you arrive you have nowhere to stay and nothing to eat, and the adventure begins. I have travelled all over Europe like that and my wife and I did our honneymoon in Morocco like that. Not knowing the language sure hones your survival skills, especially when your on limmited funds. It is also quite fun.


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## SonOfLiberty (Apr 28, 2009)

I checked off quite a few of these things, but have some definite shortcomings. Right now I'm working on food storage, education then implementation.

Definite strengths would be firearms/reloading (shooting since I was 4) and military training, camping, fishing. Experienced but not expert would things like radio communications (HAM), hunting (haven't hunted in a while so I suspect I'm probably rusty at this point).

Another thing, not listed, that I'm good at is energy efficiency. I'm not a greenie-weenie in a political sense, however, I know how to cool your home in summer without electricity (for example), gather water and things of that nature.

I've way too much to learn though. Feel like I'm racing the clock at this point, and I'm normally not even vaguely a paranoid type of person.


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## Canadian (Dec 14, 2008)

I think the clock on the whole world is ticking. 4.1 new humans are born every seconds world wide. 1.78 humans die every second. With each passing minute the world population grows with no end to the growth in sight. How will we feed all these people? Eventually we won't be able to.

Tick Tock.


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## Canadian (Dec 14, 2008)

Looks like hand to hand combat is the least common skill. I'll have to practice so I can rassle you for the last can of beans!


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

Canadian said:


> I think the clock on the whole world is ticking. 4.1 new humans are born every seconds world wide. 1.78 humans die every second. With each passing minute the world population grows with no end to the growth in sight. How will we feed all these people? Eventually we won't be able to.
> 
> Tick Tock.


the numbers get even crazier if you break it down geographically &/or ethnically...


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## Canadian (Dec 14, 2008)

Maybe rice is a form of natural viagra?


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## endurance (Nov 26, 2008)

Canadian said:


> Maybe rice is a form of natural viagra?


You're close. I was just reading somewhere that without the discovery of storable grains the human population would have never topped 150 million people. Now, with the green revolution in agriculture our ability to produce, essentially converting oil into food, we can support over 6.7 billion. However, when the oil prices start to climb again, that food will become less affordable and therein lies the rub. When oil prices climb back over $100/barrel to stay next time, expect global grain prices to double again, and as competition on the open markets for that grain rises, expect it to double again.

Sooner or later, agriculture will have to return to a smaller, sustainable scale where people actually produce some percentage of their own food. To me, the only way to avert a crisis is to start building gardens that produce food. Last year my neighbors got me started. This year we're working cooperatively and we're both doubling the size our our beds (from 30 sq.ft. to about 60-70 sq.ft.). Eventually, I'm hoping to convert 50% of my little property into garden. Sure, it will come nowhere near producing enough food to feed me and make me self sufficient, but it will likely produce 100% of my fresh veggies in the summer and probably close to 20% through the rest of the year through canning and freezing. We'll see. It's all new to me, but very exciting stuff. Think about the world's food shortage if everyone in the US converted just 10% of their lawn into a vegetable garden and planted one new fruit or nut tree.


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## naturaldoula (May 21, 2009)

I'm coming out of just lurking here to mention a skill that I didn't see on the list, but is important enough to mention for some who may not have thought of it - someone to help birthing mothers. Having a midwife or doula can mean life or death to women having babies.

Anyway, I just wanted to mention that as people prepare, that this might be someone in your community to seek out... midwives, doulas, lactation specialists, and post-partum helpers. Beyond gardening, sewing, soap-making and food storage, I have few skills, but I do think that aiding with women giving birth is a valuable skill and one that was highly valued in the past (and seems to be making a comeback today even.)

And hello!


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## Canadian (Dec 14, 2008)

Thanks for coming out. Helping with babies would be great. I guess anyone with that skill can tick off the "first aid / medical" category. Thanks for adding to the poll.


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