Archive for August, 2009
Animal Watching
Greetings From Northern Michigan;
Last night was one of the nights where the temperature got down into the upper 30’s. Brrrrr it is to early for that stuff, but we always get it and then the weather will warm up, it is natures way of saying be prepared we are going to have winter in a couple of months. So we all start getting things ready while we still have warm weather. As for my wife and I we are cutting some wood for the stove so that we don’t use as much gas, we cut the trees long ago so they would be ready for this fall now we are finishing it up and when we go to the woods we always see some wild turkeys and we usually will see some deer but not as often as the turkeys. One thing we take with us is our binoculars so we can see the animals up close and personal. Binoculars are a great accessory to have when hunting or just animal watching so when you are going to the woods or just a ride in the country remember to take the binoculars.
Thanks for stopping by and remember to be safe. Jim
Camping in the Fall
Hi Everyone;
Here in Michigan we are not having the warmest of summers, in fact is has been a chilly summer for some reason and some of the trees are starting to turn color. Now it will be a while before the fall colors will be really vibrant but we are going to start getting some nights that are going to drop temperatures into the 40’s and possibly into the 30’s before many more weeks. So if you are going camping and that old sleeping bag is needing to be replaced be sure and look for one that is durable and will keep you warm for the worst time of year that you camp. We have many campers that come up for deer season and plenty of state parks and private campgrounds that are open through the hunting seasons. This is a particularly beautiful time of year to get out and experience nature also. If your children are grown the campgrounds are not so busy and are very quiet, if that is what you are looking for. Michigan is a beautiful state to visit and we have many parks, trails to ride bike on or jog or walk, come give us a try and see if you don’t agree.
Take care and be safe in whatever you do.
Thanks for stopping by. Jim
Trekking,Hiking and Camping Two Important Tools you Must Have
Hi Everyone from Northern Michigan;
The further you venture away from the trail head, the more important your gear becomes. Priority goes to the basics of survival – food,water and shelter. Modern clothing and tents make life much easier being lightweight and breathable and are now common place. Freeze-dried food now makes it possible to carry weeks worth of food on your back. Water however, is an essential requirement and we aren’t able to carry a weeks worth of water.
The ability to travel long distances well hydrated is greatly increased by the inclusion of two light weight items: A water microfiltration device and trekking poles.
Trekking poles increase your stability on uneven terrain and allow the upper body to assist the knees in controlling the body during descent. As just about every trip involves plenty of climbing and descending they quickly become an important tool. Their benefits are amplified when you are carrying half your body weight on your back and when fatigue starts to set in they help prevent falls and injuries.
Safe drinking water is compulsory if you are going to stay well on the trail. Water is the home to viruses, cysts and bacteria, all of which can cause serious illness. Carrying it is usually impractical so the answer lies in light weight water purifiers. Modern devices have pores as small as 0.2 microns that stop the passage of all types of pathogens. They have the ability to turn any source into safe drinking water and come in a hand pump configuration or with the filter integrated into a water bottle.
Thanks for stopping by. Jim Article by Mitchell Berry of ezinearticles
Tips for Buying Binoculars
Hi Everyone;
Understanding your application is paramount in determining the best fit – for you. Although there are many other specifications and qualities which determine the usefulness of binoculars, we will discuss in this article the primary characteristics for determining the best fit for your application. But before we show you the list, we should go over some basic terminology.
What do the numbers on binoculars mean? All sporting optics (binoculars, spotting scopes, night vision goggles, etc.) use the same nomenclature to describe important features. As an example, a pair of binoculars may have 10×42mm listed as a technical specification. But what does this mean? The “10″ refers to the magnification power of the binoculars – that is – objects viewed will appear to be 10 times closer than when they are viewed by the naked eye. The second number in our example is “42mm.” This refers to the diameter, in millimeters, of the objective lenses on the binoculars. The objective lenses are located on the end of the binoculars furthest away from your eye when viewing. As with the aperture of a camera lens, the size of objective lens determines the amount of light that can enter your binoculars. If your binoculars are going to be used during low light (hunting and astronomy are good examples) you had better have large objective lenses.
Another important number describing binoculars is called field-of-view. A field-of-view of 390′ indicates that the width of the sight picture is 390 feet at a distance of 1000 yards. Field-of-view is determined by magnification and the focal lengths of the objective and eyepiece lenses. More magnification always means less field-of-view. This specification is sometimes expressed in degrees. A field-of-view of 6.5 degrees equates to 341′ (6.5 times 52.5 equals 341). These are some of the things you need to know when purchaseing binoculars.
This article by Chuck Fitzgerald of ezine articles. Thanks for stopping by. Jim
Keeping things Powered and Safe in the Backwoods or Traveling
Hi Everyone;
When you are traveling or camping and no electricity is available and you put out the solar panel to charge your cell phone or computer be sure to have a solar controler
that will let it charge but not overcharge. After all if you are spending the money to be sure you have the power you want to be able to control the power. If you are out in the backwoods camping and you have a solar panel and controler you can keep up with your work or e-mail and still enjoy the great outdoors. After all being with family and experiencing all of the wonders of the great land is what life is all about. Being in the solitude of the great outdoors gives you a new perspective on life. Listening to all of the sounds in the woods like birds, wind in the trees, squirrls running through the trees. It is all just magic the way it works and relaxes the soul. Please get out and enjoy and be safe as well.
Thanks for stopping by. Jim
Backpacking in the Backwoods
Hi Everyone;
When you are getting ready to go backpacking the first thing you want to look at is your tent. If you have any tears, rips or just plain holes in the tent it may be time to look for a new one. Next you what to check out the sleeping bags, the water purifyer, the flashlight or headlamp whichever you prefer. Don’t forget to put in the compass and the first aid kit, frying pan and stove are also good items to take along so you can cook your food, unless of course you are eating berries and nuts and dried beef jerky, me I like to cook something to eat. Maybe a fresh Trout that you caught. Just be aware of the surroundings and where you are and always be safe.
Thanks for stopping by. Jim
Finding your way in the Backwoods
Hi Everyone;
So here it is the end of August already and my wife and I havn’t done near enough camping this summer and we are getting ready to go over Labor Day week-end so we are looking forward to that. If you are going to go backpacking in a new area or camping at a new campground that is a little more remote than usual be sure to take your compass along with you. Making sure that you can find your way back to camp is very important for your safty as well as everyone else in your party. A compass is very inexpensive and can save your life time and again. We want you all to be safe and careful and come back for more camping fun.
Thanks for stopping by. Jim
Cooking While Backpacking
Hi Everyone;
When you are getting ready for a trip into the backwoods your going to want to have all of your equipment ready and inspected to be sure it is going to be ready to use when you are. A backpack big enough to handle everything, a tent that is sturdy and lightweight, and a lightweight campstove
. When you get out into the backcountry the last thing you want to encounter is a campstove that doesn’t have any fuel or is not functional. After all food is important to have with you, and being able to cook it is nice to. So be sure you have everything ahead of time, and remember to be safe.
Have a great trip, and thanks for stopping by. Jim
Crossbow Accuracy Tips
Hi Everyone;
Crossbow hunting is the fastest growing archery hunting style in the United States. In the last several years many states have changed their game laws to either allow all archers to hunt with a crossbow or have made it easier for an archer to obtain a crossbow hunting permit. MIchigan is one of the states that allow all hunters to hunt with a crossbow.
1. Cock your crossbow properly - If you want repeatable accuracy it is vital that your crossbow string is latched at the exact same place for every shot, preferably the center. If you are cocking by hand it is easy to vary the latching point. Most people have a “strong” arm which over-pulls compared to their other arm and places the string off center. Cocking aids can also place the string off center if they are not centered at the start of the pull cycle. Off center cocking can vary the impact point as much as 12 inches at 20 yards. To prevent this problem center the string with your hands or the claw of the cocking aid and keep it centered throughout the draw cycle. The string can be marked with a permanent marker on either side of the barrel at rest. These marks are then used as visual aids for determining center when cocked. If you have cocked the crossbow and your string appears off center, pull up on the string as if cocking and carefully work it sideways until it is back to center.
2. Use a rest - Rifle hunters are taught to use a rest whenever possible when shooting for best accuracy. It is even more important that the crossbow hunter do the same. Even the fastest crossbows shoot at only 1/10 the speed of a hunting rifle. This means that the bolt will be effected 10 times as much by movement of the crossbow during the shot as would a bullet. Most of the accessories used by rifle hunters for rests such as bipods and shooting sticks can be used equally well by the crossbow hunter. Every crossbow hunter will increase their accuracy immediately by using these accessories.
3. Keep it close - Many new crossbow hunters imagine they will be able to take game animals easily at 50, 60, 70, or even more yards. While a bolt fired by a modern crossbow does have the energy to kill at these distances it lacks the flat trajectory needed to guarantee kill zone hits every time. A crossbow bolt traveling at 350 feet per second (only achieved by modern, high performance crossbows) will drop a full 12 inches by the time it travels 30 yards and over 48 inches by the time it travels 60 yards. This means that beyond 30 yards underestimating or overestimating target range by just a few yards can result in a complete miss. Since few hunters can judge range with the precision needed at distances past 30 yards crossbow hunters should limit themselves to shooting under that distance.
By following these three simple rules hunters will maximize their success with a crossbow.
Thanks for stopping by. Jim Article by Tim Stahl of ezine articles
Going Camping
Hi Everyone;
It’s Thursday and the week-end is just about here, and a week-end of camping is a great way to spend with the family. We always take along our bikes so we can ride some trails as well as walk them, plus the kids will have more fun with their bikes. If you are here in Michigan I recommend you try camping at 
Platte River campground. You can rent tubes or a canoe and can go all the way to Lake Michigan which by land is only a couple miles but by river is much longer. With kids having a little privacy while camping takes a tent with some rooms so when you are looking for a family tent look for one that can be roomed off and also will go up without spending hours trying to figure out the directions. After all you want to spend your time playing not putting a tent up. Remember to be safe and have a great day.
Thanks for stopping by. Jim