I've been contemplating this thread for a while, winter seems like a good time to start it.  I hope you will all pitch in.  I did this exercise at home and came up with at least 56 rules of my own.  Here are some of the top ones:
1- Use your personal flotation device.
2- Always tie your canoe to shore and to a tree when in camp.
3- Bring a compass and know how to use it.
4- Bring several kinds of incendiary devices, so to always be able to start a fire.
5- Bring along lots of rope.
6- Double and triple bag your food stuffs.
7- Always hang your food pack.
8- Collect fire wood before dark.
9- Leave your route plan and day of return with your loved ones at home.
10- Know how to identify poison ivy plants.
11- Have a dependable, water proof, rain fly packed.
12- Pack for all kinds of weather (hot, cold, wet, windy).
13- Make camp before supper time(4:30-5:00 pm).
14- Keep a clean camp, no food out or strewn on ground.
15- Know basic first aid and take along a basic first aid kit.
16- Pack good sun screen and bug repellant.
17- Pack two flashlights, in case one is lost or quits.
18- Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated.
19- Do not get too close to moose.
20- Make small fires, not bon-fires.
21- Do not pitch your tent under dead trees.
22- Do not pitch your tent down wind from the fire.
23- Take good maps and know where you are at all times.
24- Have a pack of absolutely water proof matches with you.

I KNOW we can come up with at least 99 together....

Before someone else says it, #7 should read, "Never hang a bear pinata in camp".  

Make sure all of the woman in the group have plenty of tampon's, regardless if they think they need it or not.
I made this mistake once and have never forgotten it since.

thecanoeman

Interesting idea:  as we add ideas we should keep the numbers going.  Might need to have a moderator do that.
Repair kit to include duct tape, goop( or waterproof cement), thread, thin wire.
Do not attempt to travel beyond your capabilities, too far, too rugged, too long.  Know your limits.

Kawishiway wrote on Dec 9^th, 2006 at 3:17pm:

FWIW - Currently on the gear list, you cannot add to or comment on the list items. It became 144 pages of pure spam heaven. The one page I left as bait gets about 10 'probably extremely useful' comment attempts per day.

Don't know what I'll do with that section of QJ. You can still read and create a list to print so it's a low priority.