Posts tagged animals
I'd like to know which kind of arrow would slow down or kill a bear, which vital spots should I aim at, which kind of bow should do the job, more specifically, against black and grizzly bears? "W...
Most of my prior hiking experience has been in areas that are not home to bears, so what precautions should I take to protect my camp (and myself as I am hiking) from bears. I am aware of a couple...
Let's say I'm camping and I slept close to a river (50ft) and when I woke up a bear was searching through my stuff, what should I do to avoid him? What to do if it notices me? And last but not leas...
During my usual weekend morning jaunt along Del Monte Beach in Monterey (California), I noticed for the first time the Plovers, who normally seem to forage nonstop, actually taking a communal break...
I often see Kestrel's in the countryside around my house (Hobby & Kestrel). I live outside of the range of hobby's so I don't really see them. But if I did, how do you differentiate between the...
While walking on the beach in Monterey, I have noticed several Sandpipers that I at first thought had lost a leg; they hop along on the one, eliciting pity from naive onlookers. Then, though, they...
I thought about this question a while ago and have yet to find an answer. We have a small two person tent, just enough for my wife and I, and our dog. The issue is drying said dog when it is rainin...
I walk on Del Monte beach in Monterey, California quite often. I see LOTS of Sandpipers there; and always with them are Plovers (which remind me of little frenetic Killdeer). The Sandpipers dig i...
My trusty North Face Goretex failed yesterday. The coat itself is in fine working order but the zip is totally broken. Just came apart. I'm loathed to trash a £200 jacket simply because the zip has...
I am riding on Horseback from Southern Denmark via Germany and France to Southern Spain. I hope to rely on the goodwill of farmers for an overnight camp spot and grazing for my two horses. But what...
Now, this is not very common, however I have heard it enough times from people to know that it actually does happen. When sleeping in the open or in an open tent (yes, i know you shouldn't), snake...
Note: This question might be a little offtopic. Kill it if necessary. I've always had "THC" outdoor jackets which are knitted sheep wool jackets. However, they stink like a stable. Normally I put...
Ok so we've a Shetland Sheepdog, roughly 6kg for his max weight, and he has a pretty decent harness (as in you can pick him up from it and it doesn't hurt him, choke him etc) but he only has a dece...
In decades of hiking and backpacking in the Sierra and Colorado Rockies, I have seen only six species of large mammals: black bear, coyote, moose, big horn sheep, elk and deer. If I had been hik...
How would you tell, either from dismounting or from horseback if it's safe to jump an obstacle? Can you always assume a cross country obstacle will be safe to jump as well?
Years ago, after a storm, I found a dead bird with an id ring on its leg. I wanted to find out where to report it, but before I returned with a camera to take a photo, a neighbor decided to dispos...
I recently moved to a property on 20 acres and I'm a total noob when it comes to hunting. There are several deer stands setup all over the property mostly along the tree line overlooking some open ...
I use an ENO hammock when I camp and I have always wondering if a snake would want to slither into my hammock while I'm sleeping. Note that this hammock is open, as opposed to a Hennessy hammock, w...
I'll be trekking through a dense monsoon forest which has a sizable population of king cobras and vipers. I'll be at least 5 hours away by walk to the nearest human settlement and another 1-2 hours...
Along with trekking and camping, I am too involved in musical instruments that I play. And, I always have had a thought of carrying my six-string with me on some long hike for entertainment during ...
When looking for bird seed (particularly this time of year, Autumn) what kind of bird seed should I be using to attract the most amount of birds into the garden? Is the seed even important or will ...
While attempting to locate a specific climbing wall, our group hiked off-trail through several different areas that had large piles of leaves. In attempt to scare off the snakes, we poked the groun...
Please note, this question covers different material than that in Camping with a dog for the first time. I've often seen...
We have a black dog, and we can't really take him out hiking in the heat and sun because he can't cool down fast enough. How do you keep your dog cool when it's hot out and you're away from water? ...
I'm looking into purchasing a dog life jacket for kayaking with our Shetland Sheepdog puppy, when he is fully grown (6months, he's currently almost 4months). Ideally this will be for rough water s...
I am planning a hike on the Appalachian Trail. I have never hiked in an area with bears. What safety precautions should I take to avoid them (or for them to avoid me) and what should I do if I enco...
I want to drive to Hearst Lake (map here) and explore the area on foot, but I am unsure what wildlife precautions I should take at a high altitude. Do grizzly, black bears, mountain lions, elk have...
Choosing a trail gun is proving more challenging than I would like. What handgun calibres are powerful enough to provide some protection against aggressive bears? I want something manageable en...
In bear country, we are told, never eat food in your tent. I no longer live in bear country but I may return in the future. If I eat food in my tent now, does that mean that, from a bear's point ...
My friends and I are planning our first backpacking trip and the date is less than a month away. We just have a couple of loose ends to finish up on. We were wondering what the best method to tie...
I am an avid runner. I will be visiting British Columbia for the first time, soon. My trip will include a few weeks in the Rocky Mountains (Glacier, Banff, Yoho) and north of the Sushwap Lake. At l...
Basically, I am wanting my dog to retrieve birds, but also hunt rabbits and foxes. I may also want to use him to smell for blood trails from deer, elk, etc. Would this be possible, or would it just...
I just read this question about bears and tents and according to the answers, if you ever have to use a bear spray, you have to do so outside of your tent (quite reasonably). I am wondering if cam...
When hunting small game in a hot climate, is it advisable to field dress the game where it falls, or wait until the carcass can be refrigerated? Searching has turned up plenty of conflicting answe...
If I was out on a long hike, and I wanted to shoot a bird for supper, is there a way to find out in a very short time whether or not that species is legally protected? Sometimes you can get in trou...
I have planned a smaller lake trip for me, my girlfriend and our two dogs(10 year Labrador, 5 month Eurasier). What I didn't think of is the fact that the puppy might need to be carried for a part ...
Often, when I leave my tent during the day, cats and other animals come and pee in the corners and on the carpet. They probably do this to mark it as their territory. They don't come at night when ...
Recently my girlfriend and I were invited to go camping with our friends at a cabin in Flagstaff, Arizona. My buddies have already left and we're supposed to leave tomorrow to go and meet them up ...
I've heard that while adder bites are venomous the number of people who have died from them are extremely low. If you're on a trek and you're bitten is it safe to continue for a couple more days be...
I am considering to get Garcia Machine Backpacker's Cache. According to MEC user reviews, this is the only cache approved in the Adirondack Mountains. Canadian parks, and other places as well, co...
Caches are very often hidden in hollows. Generally any tree with more or less visible hollow is a very probable geocache hide. Often you can't easily look into that hollow because it's deep or lo...
Anyone with experience in bear-populated areas, what's the best way to store food when your on the move with a car? Are some foods better than others? Wondering specifically about black bears in ...
I know I am supposed to put food-related trash inside my bear canister. Should I also put used female hygiene products and ziplock bags holding used toilet paper inside my bear canister over night?...
My dog enjoys hiking. I haven't taken her on any overnight trips yet, but would like to try some summer/fall backcountry camping with her (i.e., what I think Europeans call wild camping -- not car ...
As stated in the title: is there any evidence that the hormones etc that the body produces during intercourse increases one's likelihood of encountering a bear in the back-country?
Are there specific seasons or temperatures that increase the likelihood that a hiker would encounter a snake? I go backpacking solo in the mid-Atlantic (US) and carry a snakebite kit as an extra pr...
Many outdoor areas that have bears have bear bag-lines setup for hikers. In situations where the bear-bag line is not there or it is full, what dimensions should I keep in mind to protect my goodi...
Fights happen. Sled dogs have personalities that aren't always compatible... Is there a technique to breaking up a fight that will minimize risk of injury to both me and my dogs?
