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Activity for James Jenkins‭

Type On... Excerpt Status Date
Answer A: Paper bin waste suitable to stop an arrow?
A paper bin is going to make a fairly small stopping area. Hopefully there is something more substantial (like a wall) behind the target that will stop the arrow if you happen to miss the target entirely. A couple of bales of hay make a larger area, small bales are relatively inexpensive and reli...
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almost 8 years ago
Question What material are the shells I just purchased made of?
I purchased a box of shotgun shells in the United States. On the box it says they are for pheasant. But it does not say if the shot is lead, steel or some other nontoxic material. We know from the question I have an older shotgun designed for lead shot, can I use steel shot? that the type of shot is ...
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almost 8 years ago
Answer A: World's largest 3D archery course?
It is/was probably at the 2014 National NASP Tournament &#x2013; a certified Guinness World Book record &#x2013; for the world&#x2019;s largest archery tournament. Held in Louisville&#x2019;s Exposition Center, 10,800 student-archers from grades 4 through 12 representing 39 states, including Alaska, ...
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almost 8 years ago
Question What is "Dry Camping"?
I heard the phrase "Dry Camping" while watching an American RV show. What does it mean? Are there similar but different terms for the same thing in other parts of the world?
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almost 8 years ago
Answer A: Good and easy way to create a paper tuning jig
Cardboard box with a hole in it. Tape the paper over the hole. If your range has a place to mount the cardboard, you only need a single side of the box. If not take the whole box and cut entrance AND exit holes in it. Optimally the arrow should pass all the way through the paper without touching a...
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almost 8 years ago
Answer A: Hunting bears with a knife?
Unless you sever the spinal column near the top of the body there is no body injury that can be done with a knife that is going to result in instant death/disablement of any animal. Any injury that does not completely disable the animals neurological system is going to be dependent on the animal bl...
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almost 8 years ago
Question How dependable is a cheap compass?
I was reading the BBC news today and there was an ad for an inexpensive "5 in 1 Outdoor Survival Gear Escape Paracord Bracelet Flint / Whistle / Compass / Scraper" I clicked on the link and saw this photo, four compasses sitting side by side. Two of them agree, the other two disagree significantly...
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about 8 years ago
Question Can a 'Flameless ration heater' be used to safely start a fire?
It appears that you can accidentally &amp; unsafely have an unsafe occurrence with a 'Flameless ration heater'. The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted testing and released a report which in summary states "... the release of hydrogen g...
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about 8 years ago
Answer A: How do you avoid Norovirus on the AT?
Acquire it 6 months or less before your trip on the AT. There is some controversy but it seems you can probably count on immunity from an exposure to last 6+ months. Some of the best places to acquirer Norovirus (that are easily accessible) are daycare centers and nursing homes. Volunteering at ...
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about 8 years ago
Answer A: What should I do about large trash left by others on USFS land?
If the item is small enough to move, but too large to easily carry out. Organize the junk so that it is stacked as inoffensively as practical, but remains easily accessible. Don't hide it or drop it into a ravine, you want to make it easier to remove not harder. Contact the landowner or manager. T...
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about 8 years ago
Question Can I use a blue plastic tarp to float my vehicle across water?
For those unaware, the US army has been using canvas tarps to float jeeps across water for decades. Video http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675028751US-4th-Engineers-troops-with-Bantam-Jeeptarpaulinriver Canvas tarps are stronger than the blue plastic tarps you purchase for most uses today. Ca...
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about 8 years ago
Question Can you boil water on top of Everest?
We recently had the question Can you get burned by boiling water on everest? and not to long ago the question Why aren&#39;t there any electric stoves that can be used for cooking where you can&#39;t build a fire? The first teaches us, the higher you go the lower the temperature at which water boils...
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about 8 years ago
Answer A: Will Black Bears actually follow you up a tree
A few years ago I was walking in the woods in western Washington state (USA) the forest was Douglas fir, with undergrowth ranging between 2 and 10 feet high (1 - 3 meters). There was no trail. I was trying to be quite as I was hunting squirrels with a 22 rifle. The area I was in had brush about knee...
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about 8 years ago
Question Is the ACE 1 Ultra-Clean Biomass Cookstove too good to be true?
I was looking for a loan on Kiva and found this loan in Lesotho (Africa) The product people are borrowing money for is the ACE 1 Ultra-Clean Biomass Cookstove which sounds fantastic. It is designed for use in very rural areas, it is a high efficiency stove that burns any biomass (wood, dung, corncobs...
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about 8 years ago
Answer A: Things to consider when approaching deer
You should consider that an angry or surprised deer can decide to attack. Deer kill people, excluding the 120 to 200 or so by auto accident in the US, deer also kill by attacking. reference1 reference2 I was not able to find accurate numbers but in the US count seems to be less then 52 per year, pro...
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about 8 years ago
Answer A: How can I tell if a plant is poisonous?
Yes and No... The no is addressed in the answers at How can I identify edible berries/fruit from poisonous? Yes, two options. Modern Science method; Take the suspect plant to a lab for testing. Wait for the results, pay the bill, knowledge acquired in 3 easy steps. Redneck method; Eat a large p...
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about 8 years ago
Answer A: Is there any evidence, one way or the other, that "Adopt a Highway" programs reduce littering?
This question spawned a lot of comments, there are some interesting thoughts there. The premise of the question "Is there evidence that "Adopt a Highway" programs reduce litter?" caught my attention. So I went looking for the answer. Three things impact littering Personal choice Education Lac...
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about 8 years ago
Question What Navigation Aids can I make on an island with only a knife?
In a recent discussion about navigating from a deserted island, it was suggested that if I have a knife and natural resources I could create my own navigation aids. In this instance I was planning to sail from the island with a compass that I happened to have been stranded with. If I didn't have a...
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about 8 years ago
Question How unpleasant is Hypothermia?
There are a lot of ways to die in the great outdoors. Prevailing answers at What are some mortal dangers in temperate woods? suggest that Hypothermia is near the top of the list. I have been really cold a few times. It seems to me that getting warm again was more painful then the getting cold. Hy...
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about 8 years ago
Answer A: What are the easiest methods to carry a backpack when cycling?
Tow it... While you might want to pick a different trailer than I use, you can tow a lot of stuff behind a bicycle. I usually carry; A gallon of water Cooler with drinks and lunch Life jacket Two oars 10 pound anchor Change of clothes (and towel in drybag) Laptop and MiFi if I am on call Rain Coa...
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about 8 years ago
Answer A: Bouldering beside the freeway
This answer is specific to the US interstate highway system The vast majority of this system is closed to pedestrian (and bicycle) traffic. These are dangerous roads to be on; on average 600+ pedestrians die each year on them While there are many place (namely the state of Oregon) where walking on ...
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about 8 years ago
Question How to make a fish hook?
I am in a survival situation and need to make a supply of fish hooks. What are my best options. I have a knife and in my travels I have noticed much native vegetation as well as a couple of animal skeletons.
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about 8 years ago
Answer A: Does it feel colder than before if you warm yourselves up and go out in the cold again?
I think part of what is missing in your question and the answer by flawr is core body temperature. When you first get cold your body automatically shunts blood away from the surface of your skin to decrease heat loss. As you get colder your core body temperature falls (you could think of it like t...
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about 8 years ago
Answer A: Blizzard Chaser: What to take on a 5-hour Blizzard Hike?
There are many good answers here, there are also several warnings about the advisability of your journey. One of the more important things to take (that seems to have been overlooked) is your ID, drivers license, dog tags (if you were in the military). As a consideration for others it is important ...
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over 8 years ago
Answer A: What coat should I wear when camping that won't be damaged through melting by embers from a fire?
A purely synthetic outer layer of Nomex is a good choice. People fighting wild-land fires generally wear Nomex It it works in the middle of a forest fire, you will probably be happy with it at the campfire.
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over 8 years ago
Question What is the safest and most effective additive to keep drinking water from freezing?
I know that the antifreeze used in fresh water RV tanks is non-toxic and can protect to -50F. Thinking Sugar might be a good choice I posted the question How to calculate how much sugar to use as antifreeze in drinking water? from the answer it looks like you don't get much real benefit for reasonab...
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over 8 years ago
Question How to calculate how much sugar to use as antifreeze in drinking water?
Sea water does not freeze until about &#x2212;2 &#xB0;C (28 &#xB0;F) if you add more salt you can lower the freeze point to -21&#xB0;C. We know from How much sea water can I safely drink? that drinking salt water is not good. But adding any substance to water that will form a solute will lower th...
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over 8 years ago
Question What is the most effective means of melting snow with body heat for drinking?
The related question Is it safe to drink snow? tells us that in addtion to then normal considerations for any wild water source, you also need to consider how the snow may tip your metabolism into hypothermia If it is cold and you are traveling and/or without a heat source, what is the best way to m...
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over 8 years ago
Question How to get rid of RV awning/canopy stink?
I have a camper (tow behind RV) with an awning. Every time I unroll the awning/canopy it stinks. I have scrubbed it with soapy water, and left it open to air dry several time. But it always get wet and smelly again (presumably related). The material looks like a vinyl. Keeping it dry and/or open ...
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over 8 years ago
Answer A: How to walk on wet, slightly rotten wood?
The special tread for walking on slippery wood is called caulk boots or cork boots. They have spikes that give good traction on wet wood.
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over 8 years ago
Question When is the best time of year to find the North Pole?
The Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is defined as the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. source There were several attempts to reach the North pole prior to the 1940's. A review of Wikipedia's article on Exploration of the Nor...
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over 8 years ago
Question How much distance is there between True North and Magnetic North Poles?
This question is not as simple as it seems, and a few minutes of googling did not drop the answer in my lap. A comment at I never adjust for true north. Is this bad practice? suggesting that: True north and magnetic north are basically the same thing started me on a search for a quality answe...
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over 8 years ago
Answer A: I never adjust for true north. Is this bad practice?
Not discounting the existing answers which provide great perspectives. You don't really care where the North Pole is. It is not like there is only one or two, nor is like anything is stable. There are half a dozen north poles and most of them move around regularly and they move a lot (10s and 100s ...
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over 8 years ago
Answer A: Creating a bone colored feather dye
Feathers take dye well. Some references suggest that kool-aid can be used. You can use an off the shelf fabric dye. If you want to go natural you could use turkey droppings, and thin to get a consistency that gives the desired color. Regardless of which type of dye you use it will take trial and ...
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over 8 years ago
Answer A: Possible to transform (at least two) smartphones into walkie-talkie like devices?
As other answers point out, their are issues with using your cell phone as a walkie-talkie. The answer as they point out is you, can but it really does not meet the need. Your need/desire is to communicate with cell phones when "you are too far from civilization". Depending on what country you are ...
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over 8 years ago
Answer A: Is killing fish with iced water really humane?
You can kill tropical fish by freezing them, or even just letting them cool down. From the outdoors perspective, most game and eatable fish are not tropical. There is a post on a sister site Fish &#x201C;coming back to life&#x201D; after being frozen and there are many google finds about frozen fis...
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over 8 years ago
Answer A: Walking technique to deal with muddy, slippery underground?
There is an existing answer about walking technique, this answer focuses on a "piece of equipment" to do the job. Unless your mud is different than the mud I am used to walking in, the reason your boots slip is the traction surfaces fill with mud, and thin layer builds up across the bottom of the bo...
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over 8 years ago
Question How many miles of hiking trails are there in the United States?
Wikipedia has a list of Long-distance trails in the United States I exported the table to excel and found there more than 150 trails listed, totaling more than 74,000 miles. Another resource with a list of State by State Trails claims more than 1,100 trails in its system. How many miles of trail...
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over 8 years ago
Answer A: How much sea water can I safely drink?
How much sea water can I safely drink? = None If you drink sea water, how much fresh water do you need to drink to off set the sea water you drank? = 2.8 units of distilled water per 1 unit of sea water (to neutralize without adding hydration) The "scientific" answer to this question involves a lo...
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over 8 years ago
Question How much sea water can I safely drink?
Anyone who has played in the ocean knows getting a little sea water in your mouth and swallowing it will not kill you. Seawater contains salt. When humans drink seawater, their cells are thus taking in water and salt. While humans can safely ingest small amounts of salt, the salt content in sea...
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over 8 years ago
Question Are there any contaminates that become more toxic when boiled?
The answers at How long does water need to be boiled for to kill all bacteria / viruses? indicates that boiling water kills bacteria &amp; viruses. But boiling does not remove any chemical contaminates that might be present. Neurotoxins are not "alive" so they can't be killed, though some like botul...
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over 8 years ago
Question Is a recurve bow more accurate than a long bow?
I realize that recurve bows are the "next generation" after the long bow, delivering more power for length, is there an inherent accuracy improvement with the recurve or is it just power to length?
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over 8 years ago
Question I have an older shotgun designed for lead shot, can I use steel shot?
I have an older shotgun designed for lead shot, by law I can only fire steel shot. Can I fire steel shot, or do I need get a new shotgun? If I can use steel shot, what additional maintenance is required?
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over 8 years ago
Answer A: Keeping Single Item Cold While Backpacking For 2 Days
The type of medication being transported can impact the answer to this question. But for Insulin a really good choice is FRIO cooling case it use evaporation to keep the contents cool. It needs to be someplace it can breath so in the center of your back pack is not a good choice, but an outside pock...
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over 8 years ago
Question Where in the world are train-track right of ways, also public right of ways?
A recent question Walking through an active railway tunnel during a long distance walk brought up the topic of pedestrian access on train-track right of ways. In many areas of the world train tracks are private property (belonging to the railroad) and traveling on the tracks without being on a train...
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over 8 years ago
Answer A: Outrigger and/or leeboard when sailing a canoe?
I have not actually had a sailing canoe in the water, but I have looked at a bunch of pictures and videos. Almost every leeboard you see on a canoe is hinged so it will raise up when there is an obstruction. When the canoe gets up any speed then the water becomes an obstruction, this video is for ...
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over 8 years ago
Answer A: Walking through an active railway tunnel during a long distance walk
In most parts of the world going through a working train tunnel on foot is illegal, in all parts of the world it verges on suicidal. I can imagine there are places in the world where, there are no other reasonable options. In this case, in addition to common sense items required for walking in a da...
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over 8 years ago
Answer A: What kind of leaf should I NOT use for tissue or toilet paper?
Urtica dioica (Stinging Nettle) while it grows over much of the world, It grows in abundance in the Pacific Northwest, especially in places where annual rainfall is high. Found in large patches where much of the vegetation is evergreen and resembling a mint plant. A couple of hand fulls may easily b...
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over 8 years ago
Question What kind of leaf should I NOT use for tissue or toilet paper?
Yesterday I was out in the woods and had a runny nose. When I wanted to blow my nose I looked for maple leaves, because I knew what they were. Not sure if the list of bad choices is small enough for single answer, but if it is. What kind of leaf should I NOT use for tissue or toilet paper?
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over 8 years ago
Answer A: Rock climbing over edge - What can I put under the rope to protect it?
Use a piece of Scrap carpet or throw rug on the rock edge to protect the rope.
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over 8 years ago