Essential abilities...

**MarshallDodge** · 09-04-09, 10:11

Good list.

"detail strip and maintain their chosen firearm(s)"
You should have all the tools and know-how for the platforms you have chosen.

"hunt, field dress and butcher a deer or similar size game animal"
We slaughtered a couple chickens last weekend so I can check that one off the list.

I hate touching raw meat for some reason but when push comes to shove, I can get over it. It is the main reason I don't hunt big game but that is going to change because my 14 year old pulled a deer tag for this fall. It's time to learn how to gut a deer. It's odd because I can get knee deep in grease working on the car but have an issue with blood and guts.

**dbrowne1** · 09-04-09, 10:47

Spade-

You are correct that you can "take it too far." The insurance analogy is a good one. Most people insure against the normally foreseeable types of things - house, auto, health, life, certain types of liability depending on circumstances.

It just doesn't make sense to try to cover yourself beyond a certain point. I'm not going to insure against the possibility that I hit a van full of Nobel prize-winning, millionaire neurosurgeons and get hit with a $100mil lawsuit, just as I'm not going to try to prepare for every possible disaster/survival scenario.

I look at it in terms of investing in capabilities that I can use in the broadest possible set of plausible scenarios. Losing power, losing potable water, losing the ability to buy basic things on demand - whatever may have caused that to happen - is about where I draw the line.

**K.L. Davis** · 09-04-09, 12:05

I think it is Popular Mechanics that publishes an annual list of the 100 things a man should be able to do -- looks a lot like the OP's list...

My wife always says that there should be a "man school" where they use that list as the curriculum.

**HES** · 09-04-09, 12:17

Originally Posted by Spade

Good list. To be honest some of those I may not be able to do. Your list also got me to thinking. How far does a person take this? Ill try to explain. For people like others & myself the idea of being prepared is somewhat an enjoyable idea as well as pass time. I enjoy firearms, hunting, & have recently started reading up on personal survival & bug out scenarios. Others may not enjoy these things as much but understand a need to be prepared & do it somewhat grudgingly. But my thought is at what point do you take it to far? Or is there a point a person can? I’m curious if a person could spend so much time, energy, & money on being prepared that a person’s life might pass them. For instance I am married with one child. Yes I am responsible for being prepared but at what sacrifice to spending time with my wife & kiddo. Don't get me wrong I think a person should train & yes even work out, but I think it could overwhelm a person. There is lots of gear & guns I want. There is lots of training I would love to have. But alas money & time are valuable commodities & need to be used wisely. Thankfully for me my wife & kiddo share my interest in being prepared & so it works into our family quite well but even so could you not be come obsessed at some point? Just interested in other thoughts.

I hear what you are saying and as a happily married father of three (slightly deranged) kids I completely understand. With that in mind I think you have two options. 1) learn the skills and purchase equipment as time and money permits. This may mean having to stretch things over 5 or 10 years. But thats the life of a married man 2) Start to form associations / friendships with others who have complimentary / supportive skills and equipment. No man is an island and in a survival situation, especially with family in tow, you are going to need numbers to make it through the situation. So I think for guys like you and me a combination of 1 and 2 will be our best options. Of course physical fitness can be done on your own every day. Just set aside a half to a full hour every day for that. Also remember to make this a family project. With their 'buy in" you'll probably find a lot more support than if you were doing this on your own. Just find the balance.

**RogerinTPA** · 09-04-09, 12:33

Originally Posted by tpd223

Reminds me of this;

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."

-Robert A. Heinlein

I've always admired that quote and have often thought that Americans should be living/pursuing those skills, throughout their lives. Also learning and teaching those skills mentioned in that quote and this thread, when ever possible.

**zushwa** · 09-04-09, 13:02

Originally Posted by MarshallDodge

I hate touching raw meat for some reason but when push comes to shove, I can get over it. It is the main reason I don't hunt big game but that is going to change because my 14 year old pulled a deer tag for this fall. It's time to learn how to gut a deer. It's odd because I can get knee deep in grease working on the car but have an issue with blood and guts.

Dude, you would be surprised how many people can't and won't **** with a dead animal. When I was a SERE instructor we would get some of the hardest guys on the planet and they did the pee pee dance when it came to game skinning.

You would also be surprised how many guys think they can dress game and end up butchering it (no pun intended).

**yallknowho** · 09-04-09, 14:47

Originally Posted by K.L. Davis

I think it is Popular Mechanics that publishes an annual list of the 100 things a man should be able to do -- looks a lot like the OP's list...

My wife always says that there should be a "man school" where they use that list as the curriculum.

that's what dads are for. unfortunately everything in that capacity I had to teach myself.

**citizensoldier16** · 09-04-09, 16:32

Originally Posted by yallknowho

that's what dads are for.

Amen to that! I've learned many things, if not all of them on that list, from my dad. I don't have kids yet, but I fully plan to impart all the knowlege my father passed down to me onto my children.