Activity for James Jenkinsâ€
| Type | On... | Excerpt | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question | — |
In the US is it legal to travel on any river/creek my canoe will navigate? I have always assumed that if my Canoe will float, and the waterway ultimately reaches an ocean it is legal to travel on. I looked around for documents that said it clearly one way or the other. Surprisingly I did not find anything helpful in this Wikipedia Article Water law in the United States I... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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Is fish tickling a reliable survival skill? The practice of tickling fish in an attempt catch and eat them has a long history, and is often mentioned in passing in some circles. If I was going to focus building a single skill, I wonder if making nets or hooks and line from native material might be a better choice. In reality is fish ticklin... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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A: Are there US Forest Service maps of historical logging? In the US prior to about 1900, there was little control over logging. Around 1900 the practice of Reforestation began gaining tracktion, with more oversight and controls. Forest that have never been logged are called "Old Growth" or "Virgin" forests. Wikipedia has a list of US Old Growth Forests th... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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Does 'Single-oar sculling' have any use in recreational boating? I have seen 'Single-oar sculling' on Gondola's and in crowded harbors (i.e Asia). From what I have seen on TV it looks like it is mostly an attempt to combine higher sight lines (paddle while standing) and paddling in a narrower path (i.e. the power stroke can be inside the beam of the boat, unlike ... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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What is a 'Whitecap' and why should I be concerned about boating in them? I heard someone talking about whitecaps and how they could be dangerous for boating but I am not sure I understand, what they were talking about. What are whitecaps and why should I be concerned about boating with them? (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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A: Beginning paddle boating The very first thing the novice needs to know is where you want to go. There are several types of paddle (or Oar) powered boats. Each boat style has places they excel at and have shortcomings. Paddle Boat has center paddle (like an old steam paddle boat) that is powered by pedalling. It is only ... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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Safest way to carry ebooks outdoors? There are a number of hazards that can kill electronic products (water, impact). We want to take a few ebooks with us (i.e. plant & animal identification, directions, trails info, etc). Assume non-DRM ebooks. While it is possible to purchase one copy and share it between multiple devices, ther... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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A: Is there a backpacker's guide to edible plants that is very light? There are ebook applications for all smart phones. Adding a memory card to most phones is inexpensive and weighs less than the dust on your clothes. There is plethora of ebooks on edible plants. A quick search on Smashwords (no DRM) finds 1400+ We have a post What are some ways/devices that I can u... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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A: How can I find Corner Caps for my 1963 12ft StarCraft boat? Google leads to me to the parent company (Manufacturer) of your boat, contacting them would be the first best step Based on your photo and description you have a 12 foot boat, designed for an outboard motor. The item you are calling a "corner cap" would help hold the transom of the boat to the sides... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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A: how high does a fence need to be to prevent European brown bear to climb it? The existing answers, should be considered. But given that the OP wants to know how high to build a fence. I know from experience that bears can climb 20 feet (6 meters) without diffuclty in seconds. I would say the lowest height to be safe is probably around 100 feet (30 meters) but that is just ... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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A: How long after a forest fire can you safely re-enter a forest? With training and while accompanied by experienced people, you can safely enter the burned area of a forest fire, while the fire is still burning. There is an entire career field dedicated to the practice it is called 'Wildland Firefighting' and in the US alone about 10,000 people are employed by th... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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Will the Trailhead Registry burn in a forest fire? I posted an answer for a recent question about a forest fire that started after your hike began, that said: Presumably you registered at the trailhead, and you have a friend who knows where you are. There should be aircraft in the area soon attempting to identify your location and risk level. Sou... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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A: What to do if you are above timberline and your descent is cut off by a large forest fire? If you are not threatened there is no reason to activate your PLB. See How bad do circumstances need to be before activating a PLB? It is a forest fire, there may be people who are actually at risk for their lives, activating your PLB where there is no real risk to your party, may cause the diversi... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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A: Why aren't the mule trains outfitters required to clean up after their animals? Unlike human visitors, Equines (horses, mules, and burros) must have their feet cleaned and be on a special diet several days prior to venturing on to the trails. Feed: Clean trailers, hooves, coat, mane, and tails prior to entering the park. Feed stock weed-free forage or processed feed a few d... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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Can I use a Canoe Paddle with a Kayak? I am thinking about getting a Kayak, I am very comfortable paddling my canoe with a single paddle. My motivation is that I can canoe silently with a single canoe paddle that does not need to break the water with each stroke See Indian stroke & J Stroke it is very quiet Kayaks always seem to u... (more) |
— | almost 6 years ago |
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A: Small Islands in Androscoggin river, Berlin NH These are "Boom Piers" they are man made island used to divide the river for multiple paper company's use of the river to transport logs. They extend about 8 miles “The way to get their product here was to put the wood in the water and float it down,” explains Paul ‘Poof&#x... (more) |
— | almost 6 years ago |
| Question | — |
Small Islands in Androscoggin river, Berlin NH We were recently driving through Berlin Hew Hampshire, and saw these small islands in the river for several miles. There was not a good place to stop and take a picture of them, but they show clearly in Google Maps. The looked to be about 8 or 10 feet across. The seemed to be made of stacked rocks... (more) |
— | almost 6 years ago |
| Question | — |
Usability difference between 0.1 micron 0.2 micron filter bottles? We have been using older water filter bottles with charcoal filters. These are easy to drink from a combination of squeeze the bottle and suck will quickly fill your mouth with a swallow of water. We are planning to upgrade to sub-micron pore filter bottles. After much research it seems like the tw... (more) |
— | almost 6 years ago |
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A: Is there a standard way of marking cooking alcohol containers? The "Standard" would be to only use containers specifically designed and marked for the type of fuel it is holding. There are a number of reasons; safety, legal and physical to not repurpose used containers to hold fuel. I won't go through them, as you are not asking about the implications of this,... (more) |
— | almost 6 years ago |
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Can you put a tow truck stinger on a motorhome (RV)? Some terms may not be global, inline descriptions for questionable terms A motorhome is RV with an engine (as opposed to a camp trailer that is pulled by another vehicle). Many people will tow a small car behind it to use for running around when the RV is parked at a campsite. Currently there ar... (more) |
— | almost 6 years ago |
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What attributes should I look for in an inexpensive multi-purpose folding bike? I have been considering a folding bike, it would be multipurpose, for short rides of 10 miles or less. I think I want multiple gears, as it may be used as part of Canoe Advventures My primary motivation is decreased storage and transporting space. I'm hoping for some attributes. There are a lot of... (more) |
— | almost 6 years ago |
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A: Electrical supply at camp site, what are the risks? I am not an Expert the following is the result of a basic knowledge of electricity and extensive research, specific to this issue. I welcome constructive review and suggestions there is a lot of complex considerations and I have tried to balance brevity with concise and accurate descriptions. W... (more) |
— | almost 6 years ago |
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How long is the carp mating season at Presque Isle? I was on the canoe trail at Presque Isle today, and there were large fish splashing in the shallows all over the place. We learned from a passerby that it was carp mating season, and the splash was two carp mating (there are a lot and they were all busy in the morning). It was a rather spectacular... (more) |
— | almost 6 years ago |
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Lake Erie / Presque Isle Water Level I was up at Presque Isle (Erie PA) today and the water level was a foot or more higher than I when I was up there in the summer last year. I kind of surprised as I did not think it would be subject to significant changes in water level. How much can the height of the lake fluctuate over a year? W... (more) |
— | almost 6 years ago |
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A: How to permanently label Nalgene bottles? Inverted Braille Heat the point of a nail or scribe and make small indentations in the thick plastic (lid?), using Braille characters. Color the indented dot with a permanent marker, as the mark is indented the marker will tend not to wear off. With a little practice you will be able to read them i... (more) |
— | almost 6 years ago |
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Electrical supply at camp site, what are the risks? I parked my camper at a full hookup campsite, I plugged in my 30 Amp cord to the 30 amp plug but did not get power. The campground owner checked the plug with a simple polarity checker and everything looked fine (more problem solving excluded for brevity), when we checked with a voltmeter there was... (more) |
— | almost 6 years ago |
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A: How to design a semi-permanent campsite for short trips into the woods that won't attract vandals when we're not there? There is a great answer by Willeke and a reasonable answer by ab2 in addition to the points they suggested, I have a suggestion. Find a used travel trailer in your area (e.g., Craigslist) buy it, and move it to the property, and leave it there. This makes your base camp. Leave the door unlocked; if... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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A: How to keep paper from being damaged by water in the outdoors? Waterproof Smartphone, there are several models with different tolerances available. Electronic sources like, free USGS topo maps off from the internet, can be downloaded straight to the phone. Notes can be made in text or voice recorder apps Older original paper documents can be scanned or photo... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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A: Are there resources for identifying dinosaur tracks? Are there resources for identifying dinosaur tracks? No; Dinosaur tracks are called trace fossils Trace fossils are classified in various ways for different purposes. Traces can be classified taxonomically (by morphology), ethologically (by behavior), and toponomically, that is, according t... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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What is the risk of getting lost while canoeing in a cypress swamp? Based on the answer here I would be exploring a cypress swamp in the Mississippi valey north of the 35th Parrell. If I canoe in a lake or on a river, I always have a pretty good idea where I am, and my entrance and exit points are pretty easy to identify. I have no idea about what it is like insid... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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Alligator free Mangrove or Cypress swamps in the US? I often see Mangrove and Cypress swamps on T.V. and I think it might be fun to explore one in a canoe. My wife thinks we might get eaten by Alligators if we try it. I have no knowledge about alligators, so I suppose the best solution is to find a Mangrove and Cypress swamp that does not have Alligato... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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A: Can you sit on the comfy trike saddle while the canoe is in the water? Yes and No. There are challenges: While the trike does sit with all 3 tires on the the bottom of the canoe, it only fits in this one position, facing forward in the front half of the canoe. You can get two people and two bicycles in canoe, but with a trike one person is probably the limit. You can ... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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Can you sit on the comfy trike saddle while the canoe is in the water? My answer to How to carry a bicycle in a canoe? includes the image below. The following question was asked in a comment, and to give it a decent answer, I am posting it as a new question. Serious question - can you sit on the comfy trike saddle while in the water or is it too high and top-h... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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A: What is the best way to figure out the size/volume of an old pack? Put a garbage bag in the pack, with the open top of the garbage bag sticking out of the pack. Pour water into the garbage bag one liter at a time, keep track of how many liters of water you use. Use Google to convert the number of liters to any measurement you prefer. Empty the water from the ga... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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A: Is it warmer to sleep in a car or in a tent? I have slept many nights in a homemade conversion van From experience getting up at dawn, it usually feels warmer outside the van then in it. There are probably scientific words for it; but the metal gets cold and "sucks" the heat away from your body. If you have a tent, AND IF IT IS SAFE to set i... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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What temperature do different parts of a wood fire produce? I was reading the answers at Can I place a Dutch oven directly into/next to a camp fire? and recalling a recent TV episode about forging iron (coal fire) where they said the coals were hotter then the flame. I looked around the web, but am not finding anything that clearly shows what ranges of t... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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Titanic survival, ice cold water? When the RMS Titanic sank, there were not enough life boats, many hundreds of people went into the cold water and many died from hypothermia. The water temperature in the area where Titanic sank, which was well below normal, ... The coldness of the water was a critical factor, often causing death... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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A: Road trip through the great American West - Anyone have Ideas for locations, areas, or activities? Gas Money and Dream will not get you into Grand Canyon NP. With some exceptions it is $30 per vehicle to visit the most popular areas. FREE ENTRANCE PARK DAYS TO KEEP IN MIND FOR 2017: Does not include other fees such as tours, lodging, reservations, etc. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Ja... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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Is it feasible that a black bear could kill a man with a single swat? A recent post said: a black bear can kill a man (or a dog) with a single swat of its paw. I suppose anything is possible. But is it realistic? Has it ever happened? Googling 'man killed by single punch' finds several instance where a person killed a person with one punch. I also find a lion ... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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A: Do I still need to hang my food if I have two large dogs? There are a couple of really good answers here. But I feel like something is being overlooked. You and the dogs are going to be asleep, when the bear comes walking through your camp. If the food is hanging out of reach, the bear is just going to keep walking, in all likelihood you and the dogs m... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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How dangerous is swimming fully dressed in cotton/denim clothes? There is a recent question What material is a good alternative to neoprene? one of the comments to an answer says: whole suit filled up with water I might be taking it out of context, but as I read the comment it seems to imply something I have heard previously that wet clothes in water are so... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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What is the minimum amount of water per day to survive? I am disabled in the wildness, there are no natural water sources available. I have 2 gallons (7.5 liters) of water. The only practical solution is to sit and wait for rescue. I will be resting in the shade. How much water should I drink each day to survive as long as possible? I have a memory fro... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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Can any automotive fluids be made safe to drink? My vehicle has broken down in the middle of a desert, I have some tools but I am out of water. I have the ability to make a fire. I know that drinking antifreeze is fatal, but I am wondering if I can distill drinkable water from the antifreeze or any of the other fluids in the car. I am also aw... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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Does warming an enclosed area with an open flame provide help with drying wet fabric? Comments at a recent question How many tea light candles are needed to equal the heat output of a person? suggest that burning a candle can produce water vaper that masses twice as much as the candle A typical tea light is around 10g so we'd produce nearly 20g of water from that. That's enough to... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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How many tea light candles are needed to equal the heat output of a person? A recent answer said: In an emergency a tea light candle carefully set on/in a disposable pie tin can heat a 4 season tent enough to aid the drying process - just be sure to isolate, ventalate, and insulate the flame properly! -- (tent model, size, wind, temp, and humidity will all change effecti... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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A: Shooting into tree I searched for any scientific evidence that lead from bullets harm trees. I could not find any harm from the lead (other then the obvious physical trauma). You probably would not want to eat the tree, but there is no evidence that lead in moderate or even heavy amounts will cause to the tree to die... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: What is the life expectancy of an avalanche airbag backpack? I can't speak directly to avalanche airbags, but I do have some experience with Fire Shelters, I believe the same considerations apply. Life expectancy of wilderness survival equipment is not measured by the calendar. It is measured by wear. Safety devices should be inspected at the beginning of ev... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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What types of food make for good emergency rations that I can store in a car? I have a backpack with emergency survival gear for my car. The scenario being it might take a couple of days of walking to get someplace that money and/or a credit card will increase my chances of survival. I like to keep emergency rations in the backpack. Currently I use PowerBar Performance Ene... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Dead Canada goose stuck frozen to top of lake I didn't find exact number but the population seems to be more then 2 million birds with a life expectancy of 10 to 24 year that gives an average life span of 17 years or 6,205 days. 2 million birds divided by 6,205 days = 322 birds dying each day. It is not at all surprising that there is a dead ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How do you safely and legally dispose of old, damaged/unsafe camp stove gas canisters that are still full? You are correct that using or any attempt to empty damaged or rusty containers has a significant potential for personal injury or death. This is the US redneck answer, it may not be appropriate in your (or any) area. Use them for target practice with a long range rifle. Place the containers down ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |