Jim’s Hunting and Camping

Hi Everyone;

My wife and I just got back from our Holiday camping trip.  We had a great time the weather cooperated and stayed nice so we could go bike riding and hiking.  We had beautiful nights to go walk along the lake and look at all of the lights shining across the lake as well.  It was a beautiful site.  We made sure we had our lights also so we could see where we were going and not fall.  Flashlights are a must when you are camping and hiking on trails.  Please be sure to be safe when you are on a vacation or just a week-end getaway.

Thanks for stopping by.   Jim

Hi Everyone;

There are several different things to consider when you are looking to buy a rifle scope.  You are looking to compare the quality and cost of the scope,in order to best fit your needs.  Hunters use a rifle scope for many different hunting situations.  You have to consider what situation you are going to use the rifle scope in for you to determine which rifle scope is best for you.  A scope is used to help aim, give an estimate of distance, and make target acquisition easier, sometimes also to hunt at night.  The best rifle scope is determined by three main factors.  These include but are not limited to weight, ease of fixing, and adaptability to different or future scopes.  Glass optics make a scope heavy but if you want any magnification or light enhancing properties, it is a must.  Another determining factor  is a choice of laser system or a red dot scope.  A final feature for choosing the best scope for you is the magnification.  This is really determined by the caliber of gun.  For example a 22 rifle would not need much magnification because it is used for small game where as a 270 would need more magnification for a longer range shot.  The more magnification of the scope the more accurate the shot will be for long distances.  These are all key features in finding the best rifle scope for your hunting needs.

Thanks for stopping by;    Jim

Excerpts of this article were written by James Corbett, Ed.D.

Hi Everyone;  I came across this article and thought it provided some great information.  Please always be safe.

Hi Everyone;

1. Campsites… if you’re staying at a registered campsite park call plenty of time in advanced (at least 4 weeks) and request to have your campsites placed closely together. If you have 3 families going, then request three sites side by side. This isn’t a problem for most places.

2. The food… This is probably the biggest stress of all camping trips. Have all of your parties be responsible for bringing along their own coolers of ice. For meals, I would recommend each family being in charge of a different day or different meal. So, taking the above example of 3 families going camping for a 3 day trip, put one family in charge of breakfast and dinner on day one… the second on day 2 and so forth. For more ease, I left out lunch because let everyone be in charge of their own lunches.

3. Camping gear… the big pieces of camping equipment you will need like a grill, table, sun shelters, radio, etc can be divided up, see who in your group has what to bring to the table. Of course each group should be in charge of their own camping gear that includes tents, sleeping bags. But all the other stuff can be shared. I recommend meeting 1-2 weeks with everyone with list in hand and go over who can bring what.

ezine article by Kindal Guthrie

Hi Everyone;

Lets face it the change in the economy really affects our hobbies as well as our everyday living.  For the majority of the hunters out there, waterfowl hunting is both a passion  and a hobby.  By the time you purchase your gun, decoys, calls, clothing, and license it can easily cost $2,500.00 just to start in the sport.  But if you have most of this equipment and are just looking for some quality goose decoys they can be purchased rather inexpensively.  One dozen set out close to a field that another hunter has a large amount of decoys in can save you time and money as geese often will see the smaller flock as a better chance for finding food and will land in your target area.  If you are just looking to see if you want to goose hunt I suggest that you find a good guide and pay for a hunt.  This way the guide will have the land rented and the decoys bought and it will give you a great chance to see if hunting geese is for you.  Good luck and remember to be careful at whatever you do. 

Thanks for stopping by.  Jim

Parts of this article from John R. Olson of Ezine Articles

Hi Everyone;

There are lots of trails to go hiking on here in Michigan.  Go to www.mi.gov/dnr  then click on accessible recreation then under accessibility click on camping trails and beaches and then on accessible trails and you can then find plenty of trails to hike or bike that will give you a great experience in the great outdoors of Michigan.  A few things that will help make your trip a little better,  dress appropriately for the weather, take some rain wear, don’t want to get soaked and be cold,  wear two pair of socks to help keep from getting blisters and if your going hiking take some hiking polesfor safety.  And always remember to be safe, a first aid kit will help if you do have some cuts, scrapes or bug bites.  Have a great trip.

Thanks for stopping by.  Jim

Hi Everyone;

While you are out camping and like to hike in the woods or along a designated trail there is ample opportunity to do some bird watching.  Having a good pair of binoculars is the best way to see birds and animals up close without actually being close.  I know that when we go to Hartwick Pines State Park in Grayling Michigan we can see several different species of birds and once in a while a Bear as well.  We have only seen a bear once in about 30 years of camping there.  There is an 8 mile bike path and a walking paved path that leads to Grayling and the coffee and donut shop.  I enjoy the donuts and get to burn the calories by riding my bike to and from town.  Have a great week-end and remember to be safe.

Thanks for stopping by.   Jim

Whether for camping, walking around at night, or those just in case occurrences like power outages, a reliable flashlight is a powerful asset.  LED flashlights are without a doubt the most reliable because of their brightness, durability, and superior lifetime.  LED flashlights can be twice or even three times as bright as a standard flashlight, and in addition to brightness, are able to provide enough light to brighten a larger area.  LED flashlights are also much more durable than standard flashlights; when dropped, an LED flashlight won’t break, and the bulb is much more resistant to blunt trauma.  LEDs also have a superior lifetime compared to standard flashlights; even the batteries will last longer because LEDs consume less energy. 

There’s no reason to own a standard flashlight anymore because LED flashlights have become so widespread and affordable.  Chances are the flashlight will become lost or abandoned for use before the bulb ever burns out!

Hi Everyone;  When looking at sleeping bags, you’ll find that there are two types of bags, down & synthetic. Down is the lightest & warmest of the two, hands down. Down is considered the best between the two types. Yet it should be noted that over the last several years, synthetic sleeping bags have come a long way. Down is generally more money than synthetic. It’s lighter & compacts smaller than synthetic bags of the same temperature rating. However, down bags do not do well in wet weather. Once down becomes wet, it loses its loft & its thermal characteristics. The time required to dry a down bag can be several hours to over a day. Therefore, many backpackers & campers in New England, as well as other wet climates, do not rely on down sleeping bags. In extreme cold temperatures, down is the choice for most people.

Both types of sleeping bags are beneficial, so which one should you buy? First of all, ask yourself where you’ll be backpacking or camping. This will help determine what type of bag you should be considering. If you’ll be located in a hot & dry climate, but with temps that fall quite low at night, then you may be best to go with a down sleeping bag. If you’ll be sleeping in warm temps, a lightweight synthetic bag will be more beneficial. If the climate is wet & humid, I’d suggest bringing a synthetic sleeping bag. Synthetic bags dry quickly once they’ve become wet.

Thanks for stopping by.   Jim

Parts of this article from Ezine by Steve H.

Hi Everyone;

Before you go on a camping trip, make sure you have all the necessary equipment that you will need in the campsite and that should definitely include the Camping Lights. Having a well-lit camping site will add advantages for comfort and safety, especially if the campers are mostly women and children.

Lights for your campsite may come in different types. A neat kind of light and also one of the newest additions to camping lights is a headlamp that you can strap to your head. This allows your hands to be free for carrying things, or cooking, even in the dark. This particular light has saved my feet on a number of occasions. It is incredibly easy, just strap it on your head, and you are now free to go anywhere, at any time. Even to the nearest tree in the middle of the night. You might even catch some wildlife staring back you.  Remember to always be safe..     Jim

Parts of this article taken from Ezine.