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Q&A

General Q&A about the great outdoors and outdoor pursuits.

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How can my neighbor encourage chipmunks to move away from her front-yard flower garden?

This question is related to my earlier question about when it is safe, from the young chipmunks' point of view, to relocate a burrow of chipmunks. To recap the background of the earlier question: ...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by ab2 MonicaNotForgotten‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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How to test the sharpness of a knife?

In order for knives to be useful, they need to be sharp. If I am sharpening one myself, how do I know when I am done? What would be a simple easy test of whether a knife is sharp enough?

8 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Most practical knots for a bend (tying two ropes together) while pulling to create tension?

My personal favorite for tying two ends of a rope together is the Flemish Bend. It's simple, strong, does not slide, does not require stopper knots (unless used for life-critical applications), all...

4 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Andrey Mikhaylov - lolmaus‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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How do I get a stuck gas canister (for hiking/camping) out of a stainless steel mug?

I nested my 110g gas canister inside my stainless steel mug for a hike. I used it about halfway through for lunch, and when I was done put it back in the way I had packed it (upside down). Now it i...

6 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Michael‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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How to find good places for target shooting on National Forest Lands

Target shooting is expressly permitted on National Forest Lands. However, finding a good place to do it is not necessarily straightforward. What would be good strategies to find a place to target ...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Yossarian‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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What kind of Rope for a Bosun's Chair

I'm going to make a bosun's chair to lift me 40 ft in the air to a tree platform (with at least a 6' clearance, so closer to 50'). Of course I would like the right type of rope with the right tensi...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Jesse Yishai‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Are Italian mountain huts accessible when unstaffed? Do I need a key?

I am considering a late October trek through the boundary area between Ticino (Switzerland) and Verbano Cusio Ossola (Italy), including the Valle Cravariola. This takes be along several bivouacs a...

3 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by gerrit‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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How did O&#x2019;Brady charge his electronic gear while hiking across Antarctica?

The Outside Online article How to Fuel for a Solo, Unassisted Antarctic Crossing starts with "Colin O’Brady thinks it’s possible—but just barely—to haul enough calories to traverse the continent. H...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by uhoh‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Will a coyote attack my dog on a leash while I'm on a hiking trail?

Is a coyote or pack of coyotes likely to attack my small dog if she is with me on a trail on a leash? I heard of someone's dog being eaten while the woman was walking her pet on a leash. She was a...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Bonnie S.‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Adirondacks winter road open/closed status

I'm looking for a decent source to know winter road conditions for various Adirondacks access roads. First level of interest would be just what is or isn't being maintained. A better yet answer w...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Francky_V‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Wet vs dry glacier

What exactly is meant by the terms "wet" or "dry" glacier? This link here seems to point to the existence or absence of a film of melt-water below the glacier. This has an impact on how the glacie...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by fgysin reinstate Monica‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Earliest in the year one could deep water solo in Majorca?

I'm planning to go deep water soloing in Majorca as soon as weather conditions will allow it, I don't mind cold water as long as it's reasonably warm outside (~20°C). Since I'll probably be travel...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Alberto Zaccagni‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Do emergency space blankets actually work?

Inspired by a space blanket being included in emergency winter kits, I wonder if there's any rigorous study about whether these things actually work and in what ways to best use them. In my own ex...

4 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by cr0‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Yosemite Fire Rings - What to Expect?

I'm planning a Yosemite trip for this summer. In reading up on the rules on fire restrictions, I saw this: When and where fire restrictions are not in effect, wood fires are allowed in existing...

5 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by scohe001‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Rods for shark fishing

I was looking at jawbone 2 xtreme blanks, the sledgehammer model is 10' with 100-250 pound line rating. It's E glass with 28-36 ounce lure rating. I've been looking all over the Internet for someth...

0 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by user25300‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Alternative to midshipman's / taut-line hitch for modern ropes

A taut-line hitch is used to tying tent ropes to a stake. It can be manually slid up/down the standing part of the rope, so as to adjust the tightness in the line, but it holds well under tension. ...

2 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Yogesch‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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How do I tell if a glacier is safe for crossing?

Sure you have to look out for crevasses which is nicely explained here: How to detect a crevasse on a glacier. But what else does one have to consider when trying to cross a glacier? Some glacie...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Andreas Schwab‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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What is the use case for non-breathable waterproof pants?

For rain pants, there are both breathable pants that let sweat out and non-breathable ones that do not. The problem with the non-breathable pants is that your sweat can build up inside and then you...

8 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Would Mud Prevent Sunburn?

If you had no sunburn cream, would it work to cover your exposed skin in mud and gunk as a crude way to prevent sunburn? I have never tried it. I have tried using paper tissues on my face as a sun ...

2 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Snack_Food_Termite‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

sun
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Risk of category three sunglasses when skiing

I am going skiing for one to three days next week. I have some category three sunglasses I am planning to use instead of goggles. Long term I would definitely use goggles but for just a few days am...

2 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by david_adler‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Do ultrasonic dog repellers actually work against strays and other loose dogs?

In answers to a recent question, ultrasonic dog repellers were suggested as a means of self defence against stray dogs rather than weapons. I'm also concerned with loose farm dogs, and live somewhe...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by Chris H‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Effective black fly repellent

I am looking for solutions on how to effectively repel black flies while hiking or picnicking. In my experience, repellents that are effective against mosquitoes do not work at all with these ankle...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by oscilatingcretin‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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How to explain unexpected success following a bearing taken from an iPad

I live in northern British Columbia where the relevant declination values are currently Magnetic declination: 17° 45.30' East Grid declination (for Natural Resource Canada's NTS maps): 16° 17.04'...

2 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by tomfumb‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Wild animals in Finland and Norway

Next summer I am planning to ride a bike from Belarus to the north of Norway through Finland. What measures should I take to be protected against wild animals (bears and wolves)?

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Rudziankoŭ‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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no weapons Fighting large cat with bare hands

Recently there was a news article about a Colorado jogger who was attacked by a mountain lion and killed the mountain lion with their hands (ie, no weapon). What are the effective ways, with no we...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by mongo‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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What type of centipede is this?

I was taking a hike through Khao Yai National Park when I came across the centipede below. Can anyone identify what animal it is more specifically? It's been a few years and I only took this pic...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by JJJ‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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What are effective trekking-groceries in terms of energy/mass ratio while maintaining a healthy balance of carbs, fats, proteins and vitamins?

Sure it is nice to carry around huge packs of fresh vegetables and some beef in order to prepare a proper dish. However, it takes up space and moreover lots of mass in your backpack. Also, a pound...

2 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Andreas Schwab‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Why don't rainforests and jungles smell like rotten corpses?

If animals eat each other daily and defecate, why don't rainforests and the natural world smell like rotten corpses and feces? Wild animals don't have recycling people.

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by System‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Can a tag on the prey's leg harm a peregrine falcon if eaten?

I saw a bird (the mother) swallow the birdring of another bird it was eating on live camera (while feeding its chicks) link (the site is in Polish) and I am wondering whether: Can it actually cau...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by eagle‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Who to contact for a bird with broken wing in Portugal, Algarve?

I saw a bird with an injured wing among the rocks on a beach in Portugal (Algarve). The bird has been on the beach since Friday evening, and her wing feathers have completely dropped off by now. I...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by ozmichka‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Strategy to ascend steep scree slope

On a hike a while back, I was going up the less favored side of a large hill. Due to recent geological activity, the hill side had sort of cracked/split creating a 5-10 foot wide pathway along the ...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Yogesch‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Is the Battery Life of the Garmin InReach Mini enough for a 2 week trip?

I am going hiking for 2-3 weeks with no possibility of charging the battery again. Assuming I only turn the InReach on only once a day to send a "I'm ok"-message and then turn it off again, would t...

2 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by user5227744‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Knot for pulling two branches of a tree together

I need to bring two branches of a palm tree/bush together. So I need a knot that is secure under tension but can also be progressively tightened. What knot would you recommend?

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Ray Klein‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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What are uses of red spruce (picea rubens) by humans in a wilderness, primitive, or frontier setting?

What are uses for red spruce (picea rubens) by humans in wilderness settings (e.g. in primitive technologies, bushcraft, wilderness survival, low-tech rural livelihoods, frontier homesteading)? Whi...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by cr0‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Is it legal to launch a kayak from a public beach in Chicago?

I live in Chicago and would like to get a foldable kayak. As far as I can tell the only thing I need to do to be able to use it in Lake Michigan is get a watercraft registration. Once I have that ...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by qfwfq‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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How real is the danger of suffocation in an Igloo?

Last weekend I spent a night in an igloo. The event was organised by professionals (it was a company retreat) and during the night there was always one of the guides awake making rounds and checkin...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by fgysin reinstate Monica‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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How do you determine where to cast when fly fishing bigger, mostly featureless rivers?

Smaller streams are easy to tell where to cast when fly fishing given fish's tendency to hang out in pools or hole or undercut banks. It easy to decide where you need to cast and approximately wher...

0 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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How to split 3-5 people into rope teams for glacier travel?

I'm starting to go through the book "freedom of the hills". Somewhere in the initial pages, it states that a climbing party must consist of a minimum of three members. A bit later it states that du...

4 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Yogesch‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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+1 −0
Backpacking with incontinence

Suggestions on how to backpack with urinary incontinence? Not a fun topic, but I’m headed out on a 5-day backpacking trip and am concerned how to pack out any used products without attracting bears.

3 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by siesie ‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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What is the feed/day limit for various pack animals?

Wikipedia lists these common pack animals Camel Yak Reindeer Goats Water buffaloes Llama Equines including horses, donkeys, and mules Dogs (packing and sledding should have different values) E...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by James Jenkins‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Was the young cougar who attacked a runner recently in Colorado likely to have been old enough to live independently of its mother?

Warning: Contains details that may be too graphic for some cat lovers. Today's New York Times has an article titled Man who Strangled Cougar Cited a Lesson from His Cat. See He's no Chuck Norris...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by ab2 MonicaNotForgotten‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Use of a personal anchor system to rappel (abseil) off a cliff with anchors by the edge and at foot level

Definitely not a duplicated question to this one... Rather a much more specific question... The situation arises when there are bolted anchors at foot level on the edge of the cliff: The issue ...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Enjoy nature‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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Birds singing and dancing on telephone wire

Location: UK East Midlands, suburban garden. Bird: possible marsh tits, something in that size range with a black cap. Time: late July. Two similar-looking birds were observed making high-pitched,...

0 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Andy‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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How relevant is distance between nock and fletching?

I just recently fletched new arrows and I decided to put them a little more downward than usual. I thought (with my particular fletching rig) I would get more helical twist into it. However, I end...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by OddDeer‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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+2 −0
Flat bottom boat trolling motor power

I am wondering how to estimate the needed motor power for boating upstream on big rivers like, for example, Danube. (mean the bottom to middle part, i.e. where the Danube is wide and "slow"?). To ...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by jm666‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by James Jenkins‭

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What is this lizard-like thing?

This just crawled out of a houseplant I purchased last weekend. Can anyone help me identify it? I also need to know what to feed it because it probably hasn't eaten in a long time. It's about 4 inc...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Fo.‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Navigation device with offline maps and GPX support

I have a subscription service from komoot for maps. Is there any GPS device that supports offline maps and GPX, preferably with android OS integration. Example scenario would be: Use an android bas...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Mohammed Shameer‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Using roof rails to set up hammock

Has anyone experience with attaching a hammock to roof rails of a regular car? I just bought a hammock for my next camping trip. I will be traveling mostly by car and sleep in a tent but wanted so...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Jon Isr‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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+2 −0
Guide mode ATC with locker to belay loop

So just questioning some advice I received once: When in guide mode when belaying a second from above, is it ok to take the locking carabineer and attach it to your belay loop? The primary benefit...

2 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Daniel Harvey‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Why use a 20 MOA rail on top of a rifle?

Some hunting rifles come with a 20 MOA rail on top for mounting the scope or you can purchase the rails separately. What is the point of a 20 MOA rail?

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭