Outdoors

After a full day of camping excursions, fishing, hunting, etc., is there anything better than coming back to camp with a hot meal waiting for you? Well this is done easily with a Dutch oven. A Dutch oven is a large cast iron pot with a lid that seconds as a skillet for your breakfast eggs or bacon, and can give your outdoor experience a wonderful meal at the end of the day.

The basic idea of cooking with a Dutch oven is slow, slow, slow! After your morning campfire for your breakfast and coffee and you are ready to hit the trails or stream, you bury your Dutch oven in the coals with a great meal inside that will be waiting for you when you get back! But we’ll get back to that shortly!

So let’s start with the basics. First off, you will need to purchase a true campfire cast iron Dutch oven. A “true” campfire Dutch oven is made of cast iron, big and heavy with sloping...

With the seemingly endless choices of indoor entertainment around these days, it appears as though we often ignore the great outdoors. Quite a few of us spend the day on our laptops, and then we go home and sit in front of the boob tube, or jump on another computer and surf the Internet. This is really kind of weird if you give it some thought. Why do we choose to stay inside so much? Have we become that addicted to passive forms of entertainment like video games and motion pictures? Where is that in and will imagination that we had when we were children? There is a whole world out there just waiting for a, literally.

I recall when I was a kid growing up, which only seems like 100 years ago, I spent as much time as I could outside. I couldn't get home from school fast enough so I could fly out the door and hop on my bicycle - pure freedom. Sure, we had our share of games, but ...

The first thing you need to figure out when shopping for hiking gear is which pieces of gear are good deals and are discounted because of low quality. You need to be honest with yourself and determine what level of a hiker you are. If you’re just a weekend walker won’t need as much equipment as an avid hiker. After you establish what type of hiker you are, you can establish what type of hiking gear you will need.

Initial Expense

For those of you who are buying equipment for the first time, you need to watch out for some of the raw deals that outdoor specialty stores are offering. A good idea is talking to someone who is an experienced hiker or even dragging an experienced hiker along to help with your purchases. You can never put a price tag on informed assistance, so having that seasoned hiker with you to help select your gear can save you a lot of time, money and hearta...

Going camping? Need to buy a sleeping bag? Here are a few tips to help you select the best one to fit your needs.

Shape / Design

One of the first factors to consider is the shape and design of the sleeping bag. A standard sleeping bag is a simple rectangle, usually with a zipper running up one side. The second primary design is the mummy bag, which is designed to fit the shape of the body. This allows it to more efficiently retain body heat. There are also variations of the two major design shapes, designed for various purposes.

Fill / Insulation

Sleeping bags are usually filled with down, or some synthetic material. Down filled sleeping bags are generally warmer, and more expensive. Synthetic sleeping bags are generally less expensive than down filled bags, and perform much better in wet conditions. The do not readily absorb water, and still ofer some insulati...

Niagara Falls is a group of large waterfalls that are located in the Niagara river on the eastern coast of the United States and Canada. They are located on the border between the two countries, and are composed of three waterfalls. These three waterfalls are the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and the Horseshoe Falls. While these waterfalls are not very high, they are quite wide. Over 5 million cubic feet of water will fall down in a single minute. It is one of the most popular waterfalls in the world, and is the most powerful in the North American continent.

Niagara Falls is a well known site that is a popular tourist attraction. In addition to this, Niagara Falls is known for the hydroelectric power it provides, and the spot was chosen as potential source of power by Nikola Tesla, the famous inventor. A memorial has also been built for him at the site. The three waterfalls...

Nothing surpasses an African safari for a family adventure vacation. Far removed from the distractions of crowds and noise, a safari in Africa produces an adrenaline rush greater than anything you can imagine.

In the Swahili language, the word "safari" means "trip" or "journey." Most of the time, it is used to describe the trip of an individual or family to visit distant relatives or friends. Non-Africans use the word safari to indicate a journey to Africa's game parks to view their magnificent wildlife.

Africa's Outstanding Game Parks ...

Africa is noted for its game parks. These parks are home to the largest concentrations of exotic animals in the world. Each park has its own unique characteristics, and your visit to any one of them will leave memories that last a lifetime.

Some of the more popular African safari destinations include Masai Mara and Amboseli i...

One child pretends to sleep in a sleeping bag at the front of the circle. She puts out three camping items (binoculars, water bottle, flashlight, etc.) While "sleeping" the bear (another child) sneaks and steals an object. The class yells "Wake up" and the sleeping child guesses which item was taken and three chances to guess who the bear was. The bear then gets a turn to sleep and the game continues.

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Go on a scavenger hunt for nature items. First have each child decorate a paper bag and write name on it. Then as a group go for a walk outside and collect different items. I made a list and then drew the picture next to the word. I also read the items aloud as we walked to remind them what they are looking for. (yellow leaf, rock, bug, stick, etc.) We had a lot of fun!

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Why learn about wild plants just to go backpacking? Of course it is interesting for some of us, but beyond that, a little knowledge of plants can save your life. This isn't just about the edible ones. Food is actually a low priority in most wilderness emergencies. However, there are many other important uses for the plants out there.

Useful Wild Plants

Cattails: The cattail is one of the most useful wild plants in the wilderness. Swampy or wet areas throughout the northern hemisphere have cattail plants, and once you identified them, you'll never forget them. While they have five edible parts, cattails are much more than food plants. Their long flat leaves have been used for centuries to make baskets and food-serving trays. You can weave them into mats for sleeping on, and even make crude clothing out of them.

The "fluff" of the cattail seed head that makes it...

Survival Tips
Pine sap, which is easily gathered from tree wounds, makes a wilderness glue and sealant that is hard to beat. To give it some body, heat and mix with a little powdered black charcoal from your campfire. (Then ball it to the end of a stick, let it cool, and it will be easily transportable and ready to melt off as you need it.

Before throwing your fish bait in the water, douse it with cod liver oil. The smell will make your bait more attractive and attract fish from quite a distance. It is very effective.

Balsam fir resin makes an excellent wilderness antiseptic for treating cuts and abrasions. To obtain it quickly, simply pierce the resin bubbles that appear on the bark surface.

Drink before you are thirsty, especially before going on a hike. Once you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. This is important in the winter, too, because we do not ...

A tarp is a large sheet of strong, flexible, water resistant or waterproof material. Usually, cloths such as canvas coated with plastic or latex are used to make tarps. Generally reinforced grommets at the corners or sides form attachment points for rope, so that the tarp can be tied down or suspended. Nowadays, tarps are sometimes made from woven polyethylene as well. Such tarps are called Polytarps. Tarps have been used for a long time to protect boats from the weather and to cover them.

Types of boat tarps:

Tarps are primarily classified on a basis of their material. Some common types of tarps are:

• Poly tarps: These are the most commonly used tarps, and provide excellent cover from rain. The material is high-density resin, with heavy-duty grommets which complete the tarp. These poly tarps are mildew proof, tear resistant, acid resistant, and can be easily used i...

There are ten items that are almost essential for survival for more than a few hours. Even if you’re only taking a short walk from base camp, you should bring these items along with you. None of these can be improvised from materials you may find on the forest floor, which is what makes them essential.

Whether you use the Boy Scouts, The Mountaineers, or the Sierra Club as the basis, they all have the same basic items on their “essentials” lists. You can customize your own survival kit based on their lists and your own needs, but this should be considered a starting point. The first three are for finding your way, the next three are for protecting you, and the final four are for emergency usage.

1. A map. Whether you’re canoeing, camping, or hiking, you will need a map that can help you find both natural (hills, streams, and rivers) and man-made (power lines, unimproved...