General Q&A about the great outdoors and outdoor pursuits.
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Someone told me that you should treat a snake bite (in the wilderness) by cutting a X in the skin (with a knife) and sucking the stuff out of it. This sounds a little weird to me. Is this really a ...
Last year, we had an assembly at school where two falconers came and talked about the craft. I thought it was amazing and the idea captivated me. But I don't quite remember all the details. He said...
I've recently noticed that some archers wear two gloves and some only one. Latter always have them on the hand which pulls the string. Two gloves: One glove: What's the difference? Is it up t...
I'm new to sewing and new to pack-making. Trying to build a lightweight pannier, since most panniers are made out of heavy cordura. I've ordered 2 yards of a 210d Dyneema X Gridstop; (specs here...
It seems pretty clear but I would like to make sure that I don't need a license or permit to Catch and Release in Florida, in the county that I live in. According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conse...
I cant decide whether to use a wash-in or spray-on DWR treatment to my Gore-Tex jacket (Arcteryx ZETA AR). I would rather use the NikWax TX Direct Wash-In because it'll get spread evenly throughou...
I have a boat lift in my boat house. I'm concerned that leaving the lift in the water will cause the carpeted bunks and metal cross beams to deteriorate more quickly. Should I keep it up or down w...
I'm planning to go skiing this winter, having not been for a few years. I remember that in the past, the first few days often ended up being cut a little short as my legs were aching too much from ...
While out hiking today, I came across a spot where someone had fired off a couple dozen shotgun shells, then left the spent cartridges lying around. Dealing with those was simple (put them in my t...
We have a couple of questions about the legality of and how to tap trees to get sap. Tree sap is the source of sugary syrups like Maple or Sycamore. The sap can then be evaporated over a fire to ...
Is it legal to tap trees on public land in the UK? I'm thinking of tapping sycamore trees in a local wood on an overnight trip in the spring. Also, am I correct in the assumption that the last we...
Related to this quetsion Tree tapping in the UK - Time and legalities. I have never tapped a tree. How do you do this? What equipment is involved, etc?
Late I've been shooting with a friend and he had a sack filled with sheep wool a target. This was quite impressive! I've never seen such a cheap and yet qualitative target! As I don't have any sh...
We have recently hiked in Slovakian mountains where bears live. I’m not too concerned about the bears during the day, as we make enough noise to avoid an encounter. But I am not sure about sleeping...
I read http://www.animatedknots.com/sheetbend/#weavers The Sheet Bend would replace the Square (Reef) knot except that it is not a binding knot – both ends must be loose in your hands with no l...
At the moment I'm online shopping around a bit for down sleeping bags. I came across some sleeping bags that are specified to have an "X chamber construction". I have found lots of online resources...
I've got the advice to take a pocket knife with me for 2 weeks of wild camping / hiking in Scotland (West Highland Way). However, I don't understand when I would need it. I will take the following...
One of the selling points of a synthetic sleeping bag is that it retains its thermal properties even when wet. However, one of the most miserable nights I have ever had was in a wet synthetic sleep...
Having found the general area in which to camp, what should I look for when choosing the exact location for my tent? I'm thinking specifically about conditions along the east coast and great divid...
Outdoor adventure activities seems like a mouthful, so I was wondering if there was a more appropriate term for such activities? Wikipedia suggests 'Outdoor Recreation' but that implies these to b...
I'd like to know approximately how long it takes to do the Telluride Via Ferrata route. I've seen estimates anywhere from 2 hours to 6+ hours which seems extremely wide to me. How long does the act...
I recently came back from a 17-day backcountry hike. At the start of the hike, my backpack was 28 kg. At the end of the hike it was around half of that or a little bit more. I'm fine hiking with...
I've recently learned that linen underwear is great against fungal infections that can be contracted in hot sweaty conditions. But elsewhere I had read that the best fabrics against sweaty or trop...
Why do some people stand in the water to fish and not just stand on the bank of the river? They get wet this way.
When you're up in the tree stand and need to urinate, is it okay to do it just from above or should one seek another solution? So, does your game somehow smell the urine and will stay away? Any oth...
I have Lowa leather hiking boots with a rubber toe cap and sidewalls which I bought around 5 years ago. I've gotten great use out of them and the leather is still in great shape, but the rubber is ...
If the daily air temperature is between 0 °C to 14 °C, what sort of temperature would be found within caves? Will it be any colder or warmer? The caves in question (Wombeyan) do not go terribly fa...
Getting back in a canoe is not as easy as I thought it was going to be. I also learned that Extra Flotation might be needed So if I am alone in the middle of a body of water, how do I get back in...
I would love to spend a few winter nights with my friends in a winterraum (winter room) in the Alps; officially, with the owner’s permission. Are all the winterraums meant for emergency only, or ar...
I have access to a 23ft Sonar sailboat that isn't mine. It's pretty difficult to get back into after going for a swim. Can anyone recommend a type of portable ladder I could bring with me when I u...
I was staying in the spectacular free and open Ragohytte in magnificent Rago Nasjonalpark, and used some of the provided firewood and coal to heat up the stove in order to dry my gear and enjoy a b...
My general question is as such: If I use a 30°F (-1°C) under quilt with my hammock, would I be fine using a 50°F (10°C; or higher) sleeping bag as a "top quit" during 30°F (-1°C) winter nights? My ...
I have a couple of recurve bows that my brother and I had when we were kids. My kids are just starting to use them now, but the rabbit fur that my dad glued to the risers to use as arrow rests fel...
I need some help designing a diet for extended multi-day treks which is sustainable, provides high-energy but still remains somehow portable. For some reason my efforts so far were not very success...
When climbing a multi-pitch route, suppose I am belaying the second climber, using Reverso or a similar device. It lets me arrange the rope in such a way that when the climber falls, the rope auto...
Scouts, messengers, pioneers exploring the frontiers of civilization - images of these sorts of characters paints an ancient archetype, one that I think could be useful to understand in present tim...
I bought them a few days ago and took them for a long walk and then a short hike to try them out. They were fine with the walk, they felt great, but with the hike, problems problems problems. A sea...
I've already experienced this twice. The first time was a year ago, on a hiking camp: on the first day I recklessly went out with one of the best groups there, and while I didn't lag behind, this ...
There seems to be an ongoing holy war with "boots people" vs "shoes people". A comment on this question caught my eye: ...Ankle support is a myth for most folks.... Now I've always worn boots...
Canoes are known for tipping over, most come with enough flotation so they won't sink. Stock flotation is often just for neutral buoyancy, adding flotation is an option but if I have not done that...
I was watching one of those Discovery Channel wilderness survival shows last night and one of the "survivors" made a compass from a piece of wire tie and an earbud's magnet. He stripped the plasti...
There are two trails leading to a beautiful spot in a nearby park. One of them has a steady climb all the way (trail A) while the other has some sharp climbs followed by relative level segments (tr...
A shooting glove seems to be quite important for archery. I'm a bit lost when it comes to characteristics of a good shooting glove. What makes a 40 $ glove superior to a 15 $ one? What should one l...
A shooting glove seems to be quite important for archery. I'm a bit lost when it comes to characteristics of a good shooting glove. What makes a 40 $ glove superior to a 15 $ one? What should one l...
The Swedish skärgård located just west of Gothenburg is a beautiful place. I have travelled there a couple of times, taking the bus-ferries around between the islands. There are quite a lot of uni...
I'm having trouble finding parks and forests that allow backpacking and primitive camping near Chicago, IL. Are there any good locations near Chicago for backpacking?
When wearing long pants and shirt, is it useless to apply a mosquito repellent on the skin under the clothes, or is it effective even under clothes? (for India)
I'm looking for a marked trail off the Beartooth highway that leads to a peak with a nice overview about the region. I googled for the last couple of hours, but couldn't find a lot of information. ...
I have far less experience in trekking where there is snow. I believe walking through snow and through ice are two different techniques. Is there some sort of safe technique to walk on such snow...
I am in the process of building a Moonboard or basically a home climbing wall which is used for bouldering training. However, because I am not a fan of overhangs, I have built it vertically (the bu...
