General Q&A about the great outdoors and outdoor pursuits.
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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...
Is there a special way to avoid the layer of ice that forms inside a water bottle during winter activities?
Is it normal for the Evenk/Siberian hitch knot to open out in use, particularly when tied to a large diameter object (think tree) where the rope enters the knot close to right angles from the load?...
What are the bare essentials that I need in terms of equipment when it comes to rock climbing? I've done indoor rock climbing but always rented my equipment from the rock-climbing gym. (For the pu...
So I know that most swimming in rapids should be defensive, on your back feet together and pointed downstream. However, there are times you need some good aggressive swimming to get to an eddie or ...
I've enjoyed hiking my entire life but I have one huge problem. The skin on my feet is extremely soft and sensitive. I wear good wool socks with properly fitting boots and change socks during long ...
Similar to this question, but mildew tends to be very resistant to removal. I sadly failed to keep my tent dry enough, and now it has a couple of mildew spots. They're not bad, but I would rather...
I know that boiling does little to break down chemical contaminants or heavy metals. But I'm unsure if it kills all microbial life. Are there any waterborne illness-causing viruses/bacteria/protozo...
Letterboxing is a precursor to geocaching, wherein participants leave notes / stamps in boxes in the wild... It's helpful to have a list or guide to letterbox sites when embarking on a search, as ...
Fire steels, ferrocerium rods -- oversized versions of the "flint" in a lighter or torch starter, are an apparently popular survival/backwoods fire starting method. Why would one want one of thes...
When skiing in the backcountry (or even in the trees at resorts), what can be done to minimize the risk of getting trapped in a tree well?
About a year ago I was given a three person dual skin popup tent. Almost new but possibly a factory second. (It's made by "Vango" and I think it could be a "reject" because one of the four guy rop...
Is there any way to get wild meat inspected and graded in the same (or similar) way as domestic meats for parasites, contaminants, etc.? If so what are good starting resources or methods for findi...
So the title says it all. If I am scavenging wood in the wilderness, does some of it burn toxic? If so what kinds. This question is derived from this answer.
What are the relative advantages / dangers of different cooking wear? I'm a one-pot gourmet that has been using the same stainless steel pot for 15 years, but am considering an upgrade. Some thing...
This question was borrowed from a comment on this question. But what is meant by an "aggressive" climbing shoe? What is the difference in a non-aggressive shoe? And when would you use one over the ...
Several people have talked about having single edge knife so that you can cut down small trees. What is the proper way to cut or carve wood with a knife?
I've grabbed some neodymium magnets as a cheap way of attaching small geocaches to metallic objects such as road signs and poles. However, I'm not sure of the best way of attaching the magnets - t...
When in the great outdoors, nature is bound to come calling, so what are some good natural toilet paper substitutes when the real thing isn't available?
The steering on my Yamaha 50TLR outboard motor is very stiff. What can I do to make it easier to steer?
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...
Every year or so I'll end up with plantar fasciitis after periods of time where I've walked a lot. In general my walking shoes are fine and have arch support but occasionally I'll need to use sturd...
What's the advantage (or advantages) of a bent-shaft canoe paddle? I've been told that it allows for more efficient use of both arms: the rationale I heard was that your arm on the grip does more ...
What are the optimal wind speed, direction, and surf conditions for Kitesurfing? Please provide a description for various ability levels.
When looking at buying climbing ropes, they are rated to a number of "UIAA falls". What does that mean?
When backpacking we often carry raw beef which we have salted and frozen, usually cut into strips that can be easily cooked through. I'm confident that this is good for 24 hours, and I know that m...
Barberries are so common around here that there would be enough for a fruit serving a day for quite a while. But there is a problem: I do not know whether or not they are edible. Are they edible in...
What should you be putting into your pack when you head up to a tree stand, beyond your gun or bow and ammo, to hunt whitetail deer?
When camping in a bear country, will a tent provide an additional protection from bears, as opposed to just sleeping outside or in a hammock? Provided I take the usual precautions of keeping any f...
Is there a formula which can be used (I'm thinking one that gives amount of water needed factoring in time or distance covered and temperature) to roughly work out the amount of water that needs to...
Bowline knots are among the most commonly used knots across many different outdoor activities. It is used to create a fixed loop at the end of a line, while still being easy to tie and untie. How...
Tents are described being either single or double wall. What is the difference and when is one preferred over the other?
A few times I've been out walking or backpacking and have no moleskin with me. Sure enough, my boots start giving me blisters. How can I prevent or treat hotspots and blisters without using moles...
Is bear spray (pepper spray specially formulated to be effective against bear attacks) effective against other animals, especially mountain lions or wolves? Or is there something in it specifically...
When crossing a glacier (or other mountaineering activity for that matter) I've heard that roping everyone together without having a fixed anchor is falling out of fashion since more often than not...
Me and my wife have never done camping before and always wanted to do it. This time we are planning to go for a small camping trip but have no idea how to prepare for it. We like to hike and are be...
I've been using microspikes on my hiking boots and find that they aren't up to the challenge of hiking up snowy peaks. I use snowshoes but find some mountains would be better served by crampons and...
I live in the Arizona desert, and during the summer, despite my best intentions, I always seem to end up doing some hiking in the summer heat. What is a good formula to figure out how much water ...
I have been wearing Vibram FiveFingers exclusively for three years now. I day hike in them, I exercise in them, I go to to work with them, I hit the beach and swim in them. I have tried wearing "re...
If I am whitewater or sea kayaking, it is possible that my kayak will get overturned leading to a live or death situation. I've heard that it is possible to roll the kayak so it is right side up a...
Hiking on the west coast of British Columbia, there are likely to be cougars around the trails. What do you do if you see one?
If someone from our group is caught in an avalanche, what can I do to rescue them?
I recently upgraded to a modern backpack and I'm stumped as to how to tie accessories down to it. My previous backpack had tie-down points on the bottom of the pack that I could attach long straps...
Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) can be carried during outdoor activities to use in case of an emergency. But are there any guidelines on what exactly constitutes an "emergency"? For example, what a...
There are a number of ways to purify water, off the top of my head we have filters, iodine, and boiling. Clearly each has some advantage/disadvantage (iodine tastes terrible, boiling takes time). ...
When hiking with a new pair of boots or if I haven't been hiking in a while, my feet might get blisters. How can I treat a blister and keep hiking? Are there things I can do to prevent getting ...
Prusik knots are useful in emergency situations as they can be used for both climbing up a rope (out of a canyon) or down a rope (rappelling) without someone else providing a fireman's belay. How ...
Does anyone know of a good way to find topographical maps for either download or purchase?
What should I do if I'm stung by a scorpion? Is the venom harmful to humans?
Since batteries (for cameras, cell phones, etc) will lose charge in cold weather, what can I do to prevent loss of charge, or at least extend the battery life as long as possible?
