Jim’s Hunting and Camping

Good Morning;

aking an interest in backpacking is something many people do. Backpacking can be an adventure. It can be a fun weekend hobby, the way you spend your vacations or part of your lifestyle. However, you approach backpacking, it is a great way to get some exercise and experience the great outdoors.

Backpacking challenging and adventurous. It appeals to young and old, male and female. It is something anyone can do because there are countless options on how and where to do it. Backpacking is a great way to get exercise and have fun at the same time.

Backpacking is the combination of hiking and camping. Backpacking trips involve hiking through wilderness areas and camping overnight.

There is a community in backpacking. Everyone works together to preserve the wilderness that they love. There are certain accepted and unaccepted behaviors in backpacking. Backpackers try not to disturb or damage the are they travel in. They clean up all traces of their camp and never litter or take anything along their travels.

A backpacking trip can last one night or multiple nights. The longer the trip the more that must be packed and carried, so planning both packing and the trip is essential. Since the backpack is carried around by the backpacker and it should carry almost all supplies, it should be as lightweight as possible, yet large enough to accommodate everything that is needed.

Some areas that are very popular backpacking destinations will have camp sites set up. They may simply have a fire ring and posted maps or they can have cabins. Other areas may have nothing at all and backpackers set up their camp wherever they find a good spot.

Backpacking requires a person to keep safety in mind always. There are many hazards in backpacking and a person who does not think about being safe is sure to fall prey.

The backpack itself can pose problems if a person does not learn how to fit it and pack it properly. The physical activity can be strenuous and a person must be conditioned to handle walked through uneven and rough terrain.

First aid and general wilderness safety is another thing a backpacker must know. It is easy to get lost and hurt in the wilderness, so every backpacker must have a good handle on staying safe.

There are large numbers of backpackers. They explore, love and walk through the wilderness with the common goal of a good backpacking experience. Armed with a little information a person can easily get started in backpacking.

This article by Joesph Then of ezinearticles.   Thanks for stopping by.   Jim

Good Afternoon;

You’ve been birding for some time and developed an degree of expertise. You may have built a good life list. Now you want to expand that list and ensure quality sightings at the same time. Binoculars served you well at closer ranges, but what about the birds across the water or on the mud flats, or farther across the prairie, or high in the sky? You are ready for new gear: a spotting scope.

As it is with binoculars, so it is with scopes. One can spend any amount. Often, manufacturers try to accomplish being inexpensive and being lightweight at the same time. Sometimes, this leads to scopes which are not well proofed for water or fog and are not as rugged. Still, recent trends have brought down the price to more affordable levels. Consequently, spotting scopes are not only for the elite, but are becoming both essential and accessible equipment for the avid birder.

The first decision is the eye piece, also know as the ocular. Really, this is two decisions in one. First do you want it configured straight through sited (ST) or angular (AN)? Straight through may make it easier to find birds because it works just like your binoculars. Angular appeals to some because it may be less a strain on the back and neck. If you are the sole user of the scope, ST may be the way to go. If you tend to share with several people when birding, you may wish to consider AN. Secondly, you have a choice of a fixed or variable magnification. Many believe it best to stick with a fixed magnification of 20x or 30x–the larger the magnification the greater the light distortion. Variable magnifications typically are 15x-45x or 20x-60x. You should use the smaller magnification in the range to locate the bird and ramp up to gain more detail. As you ramp up, less light will be let in accompanied by a narrower field of view.

The next decision is the objective lens. These define the field of view and are best if at least 60 mm. Larger objective lenses gather more light as well as allowing a greater field of view. The material used for the lens is important, too. The more expensive scopes have a special type of glass in them call ED, which stands for extra-low dispersion. ED enhances light gathering and corrects for chromatic aberration.

Finally, don’t neglect the support for your scope. Rigid, mid-weight tripods are best. Tripods need to be sturdy and easily adjustable. Consider a tripod with flip locks for secure and quick adjustments.

The acquisition of a quality spotting scope will enhance your experience and enjoyment of the great outdoors.

This article by Roy Smallwood of ezinearticles.  Thanks for stopping by.   Jim

Good Morning;

What Makes a Good Fishing Trip?

Ask most avid fishermen what makes a good fishing trip and you will probably get a variety of answers. While most consider the number of fish caught to be of the most importance, it is not the only consideration. A successful fishing trip should be relaxing, enjoyable and productive. To ensure the best of all three, it makes sense to be prepared.

In addition to the requisite reel, line and bait, there are a few additions that will add to your enjoyment. Fishing often times involves camping, and you cannot go camping without a flashlight or two. In addition illuminating a campsite and helping light the pathway between camp and the river, a quality LED flashlight is a major benefit while fishing by the waterside. If fishing at dawn or dusk, a flashlight will help you better prepare your fishing pole and bait for use.

The right knife is an important part of a good tackle box as well. Nothing can make fishing seem like an unpleasant chore than attempting to clean your day’s catch with the wrong sort of knife. A fillet knife with a sharp blade makes quick work of your cleaning chores. Choose one with a fixed or locking blade but it still flexible to cut through the delicate skin of your fish.

Fishing pliers are also a very important asset. Fishing pliers run the gamut from a simple set of pliers used to cut wire and attach weights to more elaborate fishing multi-tools that contain scissors, multiple sizes of pliers, wire cutters and more. Pliers can make difficult fishing tasks much simpler and do not cost a lot of money.

Choosing the Right Equipment

There are a variety of considerations that you must use when determining the right equipment for you. The length of time you are typically on a fishing trip, the type of facilities that you stay in and the type of fish that you catch.

The longer you are gone and the more primitive the conditions, the more important it is to have multiple fishing lights. LED flashlights and headlamps are excellent choices when you need auxiliary lighting. The LED bulb is long lasting and provides a clear and bright light.

The weight and size of your fillet knife and fishing pliers should be determined by the types of fish you catch. Of course the fisherman that fishes in the open ocean will need much more heavy duty equipment than the fisherman interested in teaching their young son or daughter the basics in a pond.

Regardless of what your intentions, fishing is much more enjoyable if you invest in the proper equipment and take proper care of it. Proper care ensures that your fishing equipment will last as long as possible. Some items such as an LED flashlight, may last decades. A fillet knife, properly cared for and regularly sharpened may last just as long. The best way to extend the life of fishing pliers is to purchase a pair that is made to do the job. Attempting to cut wire or remove hooks with a pair of pliers made for a smaller job is the quickest way to break the pliers and possible injure yourself in the process.

Fishing is a relaxing and fun way to enjoy the outdoors if you are properly prepared with the right equipment.

Article by Ben Anton of ezineArticles.  Thanks for stopping by.   Jim

Good Afternoon;

My wife and I have just completed reservations for a camping trip in July, and that makes 4 week-ends so far that we are camping this summer.  So when you get ready to start making your reservations you also want to make sure that the old tent is in good shape as well.  You don’t want to find a tear or leak when it is raining out, so get the tent out and start inspecting it for holes.  If you find that you need a new tent look for one that is the best quality you can afford for tents are an investment in the future because they will last for years to come.  Happy tenting and be safe.

Thanks for stopping by.  Jim

Good Morning;

When you are in your den or living room and have a wall that is just missing something, maybe you should have a picture of your favorite dog, or ducks flying away, or a bear in the woods, there are so many things to consider.  If you are an avid hunter maybe a picture of that huge moose you are looking for.  What ever it is the picture would add to the decor of the room, and it would be a great conversation piece as well.  Have a great day and be safe.

Thanks for stopping by.   Jim

Good Morning;

When you are out backpacking and staying away for a few days or weeks and you still want to keep in touch with home or work you need to keep everything charged.  Well Brunton has a great product that will do just that, it will keep your cell phone, charged as well as many other things charged up as well so that you can enjoy the backwoods and still get that report to your boss.  Enjoying a vacation with friends and family is the most important part.  Have a great day and be safe.

Thanks for stopping by.   Jim

Good Afternoon;

If you don’t have a LED Headlamp you probably have seen them and thought – “hey that looks kind of geeky” or “that looks cool, but it’s probably a waste of money”. At least those were my impressions until recently. I’ll admit I’m a sucker for gadgets, it’s fun to see what neat ideas truly creative people can conjure up!

Flashlights are gadgets that have a very practical side to them and every household and every car should have one readily available. So flashlights have always been particularly interesting to me. However, until recently, I hadn’t realized the usefulness of the LED Headlamp.

This past summer I had been clearing out some of the junk that had accumulated in my basement. Like most basements, I presume, there are a few corners which are poorly lit. When you are sifting through boxes of possibly soon-to-be-discarded stuff it helps to have both hands available – holding a flashlight in one of your hands really slows you down. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I needed a LED Headlamp!

The headlamp I chose has six LEDs providing 4 different settings. The settings are: focused beam, floodlight, combined focused beam and floodlight, and night vision (red LED). It has a comfortable elastic headband and the back of the headlamp has foam padding. Additionally, the angle of the headlamp can easily be changed.

When I Really Needed It

Soon after buying my headlamp I helped my brother load his belongings into a rented moving van. After a long day of carrying boxes and moving furniture, we headed over to the truck rental office to hook a trailer up to the rental truck. This was well past dark, the rental office lot was poorly lit, and all the rental company people were gone. The trailer took longer than we expected, but we finally loaded his car on the back. Having the headlamp was certainly useful while attaching the trailer, but that’s just the beginning.

Around 10:30 PM on a Saturday night in a part of town where you don’t want to hang around, we finally were ready to drive off and call it a day. I was following my brother in my truck (F-150) and as we were pulling out I heard an agonizing sound from one of my tires. I pulled over and sure enough I had a flat. Not good news, and I really didn’t feel like waiting around this part of town for help to come fix it. Fortunately there was an empty parking lot where I could park and do the change.

As anyone that has changed a flat knows, you need both hands. Plus if you are bent over looking under the car it’s hard to tell someone else where you need them to point the flashlight. Fortunately for me I had my LED Headlamp. This kept both hands free and made the whole tire changing process less frustrating. Now I know, this headlamp sure is handy!

This article by Tom Brock of ezineArticles.   Thanks for stopping by.   Jim

Good Afternoon;

When you are out hunting, fishing or camping and you need a tool, take a look at a multi-tool.  They have several different tools in one that can do all kinds of repair.  The suspension by Gerber is one of the best multi-tools on the market and with the suspension you can do most jobs with one hand as it will close by itself.  So if you are looking for a tool to help around the house or in the field check out the suspension multi-tool.

Thanks for stopping by.   Jim

Good Morning;

On a camping trip, the most essential tools to consider for your kitchen are your camping stoves, which is why you should take extra effort in choosing the best equipment in the market. Most of the camping stoves available today differ in their purpose; so, before you go out and purchase one, you should think of what kind of camping activity you are going to engage in and look at the stoves capacity to cook the food you may want throughout the period of your camping trip.

If weight is not a major concern for you when camping, a family camping stove is probably the best camping stove for you. These are the largest of many types of camping stoves, are really easy to use, and are also essential for large range of camping. Their size is due to the fact that they are designed to feed a whole family. Most varieties of family camping stoves have common features, such as a large gas hob and/or a grill for a much wider range of cooking activity. Due to its large size, the gas canister attached to it is relatively large as well.

Backpacking stoves, on the other hand, are direct opposites of the family camping stoves. This type of stove is designed primarily to be carried inside the backpack during a long period of hiking, rambling, cycling or fishing. They are definitely smaller than the other types of stoves and have a lighter setting. Due to their small size, they have only one hob which also tends to be relatively small. Such camping stoves are just enough to fit the needs of an individual camper cooking an average sized meal.

The last stove discussed here is a mountain camping stove. If you want your stove to have an average size and weight, the mountain camping stove is the right cooking equipment for you. It is designed with a minimum weight and size that is critical for most mountain climbing campers. What makes this stove so significant for mountain climbers are the features which allows you to use them even in a very cold climate and in low atmospheric pressure.

In general, most mountain camping stoves are very lightweight and use liquid fuels which give the best performance when under the most difficult situations. These stoves also give the most heat for a given amount of fuel. You also can find mountain camping stoves that use gas as fuel, but gas fuel mountain camping stoves can only be used in low-level mountain climbing.

Here are a few tips to help you out when purchasing a camping stove. Find one that is easy to set-up and takes up as little room as possible when you break it down. Good camping stoves should have a good base-of-support and you should avoid ones that tip on less-than-ideal surfaces or when they have a big pot on top of them. Fuel supplies that can be disconnected from the camping stoves also make life easier.

This article by Martin Johnson of ezineArticles.   Thanks for stopping by.   Jim