If You Meet a Rattlesnake**

This is One Puppy I'd Leave Alone!

If you are camping, hiking, or even out hunting, you should pay close attention to your surroundings.  While you are enjoying the scenery or excitement of hunting, keep an eye out for a fellow-traveler … the rattlesnake.

If You Hear a Rattle …

You are probably within 4 – 5 feet of a rattler.  This is no time to decide to out-run the reptile.  This is the time to freeze-in-place.

If you patiently stay in place, you can out-last the snake and he will slither off.

If you start to run and the snake is ready to strike, there is no way you can move fast enough!  Remember that rattlers can leap forward one-half the length of their body.

And if He Bites?

Rattlesnake bites are very dangerous.  Remember how we learned to ‘cut and bleed’ the bite and then apply a tourniquet? Forget it!  That is s-o-o ‘old school.’

Within 30 minutes, the bitten area will swell up and turn black & blue. The accepted policy now is to use an ace bandage or soft cloth. Put it between the bite and your heart.

Don’t tie it as tight as a tourniquet — cutting off circulation isn’t the idea. The best plan is to hurry to get medical attention immediately after applying the bandage.

Interesting Facts About Bites

Not everyone who is bitten gets venom in the bite!  In about 30% of cases, no venom is transferred during the bite. Your best protection is thick clothing and leather boots.

Another surprising statistic has to do with the location of the bites: About 98% of snake bites are to hands and feet.

Finally

Rattlesnakes, or any snake, for that matter, prefer not to bother with you.  They would prefer to slither away — in peace.  Don’t force them to attack. It will ruin your day!

Don’t let your undies get bunched up over snakes.  Remember that we share the earth with snakes, and they were here first!  Just use caution and reason.  The truth is:  Snakes like you less than you like them!

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Jim sent this very interesting comment: “… rattlesnakes don’t always rattle prior to striking. I can’t sight my original source for this information but here is a quote from wikipedia (suppose to be referenced but I could figure out which reference when with what information). “Adult snakes may lose their rattles on occasion, but more appear at each molting. If the rattle absorbs enough water in wet weather, it will not make noise.” Just thought I’d pass it along….”

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This blog is a companion to my website, EasyOnlineOrdering.com

Part 2: More Info About Binocular Lenses

This is a continuation of last week’s article about binocular features needed by hunters.

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Magnification: Makes Objects Appear Closer than They Are!

But what does this mean? One x is what you can see with the naked eye.  Thus, a 7x binocular promises to magnify an image 7 times larger than with the naked eye.

Another way of looking at this is: A magnification of 7 means that the image you are seeing through your binoculars seems 7 times  closer that it really is.

Generally, the higher the magnification of a pair of binoculars, the narrower the field of vision. Thus, the closer the image appears, the less you see around that image.

If you are focusing on a deer with a pair of 8x binoc’s, you will see much more of the scene around that deer than you would with 10x binoculars.

Binocular Lens Diameters

The diameter of your lens determines the binocular’s ability to gather light. When the lens is larger, it lets in more light so you can see things in greater detail.

If you want more light during the hours when deer are most active (dawn and dusk), then 7 x 50 is a great choice. This is because , at lower power, your view will be brighter and you will have a wider range of vision than with stronger binoculars.

Objective Diameter: This is the lens at the opposite end of the glasses from the eyepiece; its size is expressed in millimeters. Essentially, it tells you how much light this pair of binoculars can deliver.

Understanding the Numbers: With a pair of binoc’s rated at 7 x 42, this is expressing – “7″ is the magnification and “42″ is the objective diameter (amount of light that can be gathered to see an image).

An Example of a Roof Prism

Prisms: In a nutshell, roof prisms are lighter but porro prisms provide a clearer, sharper image.

The roof prism can be more compact. With the porro lenses, however, you get more depth perception.

An Example of a Double Porro Prism

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Full Disclosure: Although I sell binoculars and other optics, I will not mention them in this article.  My mission is to share information about using the proper equipment while hunting!

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The 2 images showing the two types of prisms in binoculars are from Wikipedia. I am using them through the “Fair Use” Clause. This article is educational.

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This blog is a companion to my website, EasyOnlineOrdering.com

Are You Lost? Staying Alive Until You Are Found!

No, I’m not referring to being lost in the holiday rush!

In most wilderness areas, a compass is more useful than a cell phone! *

This posting is about getting lost — in the wilderness – or being  separated from your group while skiing – or when stranded in your vehicle, far from help.

What Matters Most?

Being surrounded by shopping malls, gas stations and take-out restaurants, few of us think about how easy it is to die while waiting for rescue!

Did You Know?

• We can survive without air for about 3 minutes!
• We can survive without warmth for about 3 hours!
• We can survive without water for about 3 days!
• We can survive without food for about 3 weeks!

What Can YOU Do?

Believe it or not, admitting that you are lost is an important first step!  Why?   Think about the last time you were lost, and “somebody” refused to stop to ask for directions.

Until a human admits to being lost, he/she wastes precious energy and resources trying to get ‘UN-lost.’

Once they admit to being lost, the instinct for survival seems to ‘kick in’  and folks are more likely to make better decisions.

When You Are Lost … STOP!

Each letter in the word ‘STOP’ stands for some clever tips!

S = STAY PUT:

• Moving wastes energy
• It’s harder to find a moving target
• Moving around increases our anxiety!

T = THINK:

• How can you help yourself?
• What do you have around you that you can use?
• What do you have with you that you can use?
• What can you do for yourself to assure your safety & comfort (until you are found)?

O = ORGANIZE

• Activities (starting a fire, finding shelter, etc.)
• Your time (Keep busy with useful tasks, not energy wasters).
• Things you have (blanket, compass, wood & tinder for a fire, etc.)

P = PREPARE:

• For changing weather conditions!
• For the night-time
• For your safety and comfort while lost
• How can you signal to those trying to find you?

These Tips … Help you help yourself!

Instead of increasing your problems (and becoming more frightened), these tips will help you to focus your energies into useful actions!

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* Since few 4 legged animals  ”phone home,”  there are precious few cell phone towers ‘in the wild!’

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This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com

Part 2: Wildlife Dangers in the Wild

Most of us look at hiking, camping and hunting in the woods as “a walk in the park.”   However, if you run into a hungry bear or angry snake, you need to know how to handle yourself!

Tips for Staying Alive Around … Bears                           

Bears don’t require engraved invitations to cause you grief!  Bears have learned that man travels with many things that will satisfy the bears’ love of sweets & natural curiosity.

You Should…

• Keep your campsite clean.
• Bears have learned to follow man because a meal is “such easy pickings” at dirty campsites, near refuse cans and trash dumps, etc.
• Be cautious near berry patches.
• Bears are especially fond of streams and lakes.

Things That May Cause Bears to Attack

• Being startled;
• Wanting food;
• Being wounded;
• Having their cubs in tow.

How You Can Stay Safe

If you are a hunter, hiker or camper in bear country, avoid putting out the “welcome mat” by:

• Keeping your camp clean;
• Hanging food or “sweet-smelling items” at a distance from your tents and camp. *

Other Ways to Stay Safe

• If you’re not hunting, make noise while moving
• Stay away from their feeding areas, and
• Never get close to bear cubs!

When A Bear Seems Ready to Attack

• Stop, then move slowly away
• Talk quietly
• Do NOT make eye contact
• If the bear attacks, fall to the ground, curl up and protect vital organs
• Yelling, hitting and kicking are your (poorest choices and) last option

* Take a look at a great article – “Hanging Food & Bear Camping Tips”

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Staying Alive Around … Snakes with Venom

Any snake worth his venom would rather run than bite!

You Should…

• Keep your eyes OPEN in the woods.
• Snakes can be sunning themselves or hiding or hibernating.
• Watch for them in woodpiles, rock piles, in areas with dead, rotting leaves, trees, etc. **
• They lie in grassy regions, around rim-rock, in shallow water and in woody areas near water. In other words, they’re just about anywhere!

Things That May Cause Snakes to Attack

• Startling a snake
• Bothering a snake
• Not allowing a snake to escape

How You Can Stay Safe

• Make noise as you walk, if you aren’t hunting
• Use a walking stick
• Wear snake leggings or tall leather boots

When A Snake Seems Ready to Attack

• Stop and allow the snake to slither away.
• Walk around the snake

If Bitten … Get medical attention ASAP.

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** Try my “snake finding” test: “Be Careful – Surprise in the Leaves!“

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This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com

Dangers in the Wilderness

A Reality Check on Wilderness Dangers

Info on How to Avoid a Mountain Lion Attack is Below!

Drowning: Major danger

Sliding & Falls: Biggest danger in the wilderness!

Rockfalls, Avalanches, Landslides: Rare danger

Lightening Strikes: Rare danger

Freezing, Cold Winds: Major cause of problems

Sun & Heat: Major cause of problems and distress

Wildfire: Extremely rare

Wildlife: Very rare

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With all we hear about the dangers of wild animals, it is hard to imagine that interactions are rare.  What if you meet a (card-carrying) member of the wildlife community?

Tips for Staying Alive

Deer

You might be amused to see ‘deer’ included in dangerous wildlife.  However, they can be extremely dangerous.

See my previous story: “Amazing Info of 2008: Published by (Gasp) Others!”  Read about Randy Goodman (bottom half of the article), who learned  about “UN-dead” deer the hard way!

You Should…

Be cautious around a deer that is down.  Make sure he is really dead.  After making various other tests … the gold standard is:  If you can touch a deer’s eye, he’s dead.

Things That May Cause Deer to Attack

• Being startled
• Rutting

How You Can Stay Safe

• If you’re not hunting, make noise while moving
• During rutting,  stay out-of-the-way and near cover

If a Deer is Coming AT You

• Stop because he will run away if he can
• If you’re attacked, run and find some cover
• Hitting, kicking and yelling is a  (poor 3rd) and least-helpful choice

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Mountain Lion

You Should…

• Avoid areas where mountain lions are known to live
• Be careful around areas with steep, wooded land
• Watch yourself in bushy, rocky land

Things That May Cause Mountain Lion to Attack

• If their young are nearby
• If the cat is wounded
• If the cat is hungry
• If you are running away like his usual prey would

How You Can Stay Safe

• Don’t approach a lion kill (unless you want to be dessert)
• Don’t approach ANY mountain lion
• Don’t decide to break in your new jogging shoes in lion country!

If a Mountain Lion is Coming AT You

• Stop
• Do NOT make eye contact with lion
• Make yourself look “big” and yell loudly (Your TARZAN yell might work). Be sure to beat your chest!
• If attacked, this is no time to fight back …
• Instead, curl up to protect your vital organs
• Yell, hit and kick … only as (a poor and) a last choice!

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Next week: We will take on bears, snakes and other wildlife!

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This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com

Wilderness Survival Checklist

For the next few posts, I’m going to talk about strategies for helping yourself when “all goes wrong” while camping, hiking or hunting.  The items included here could help you survive getting lost in the wilderness.

Items to Include in Your Pack                                                

• Clear plastic sheet – about 6 ft square
• Complete first aid kit
• Emergency food
• Filter pump

• Fishing line & hooks
• Flashlight
• Insect repellent
• Large folding knife

• Lip balm
• Metal cup
• Metal match or waterproof matches
• Mirror to use for signaling

• Poncho
• Small roll of wire
• Sun block
• 30 foot of nylon cord

Items to Include in Your Pockets

• Bandanna
• Compass
• Leather boot lace
• Pliers

• Safety pins
• Small first aid kit
• Small map of area
• Small pocketknife

• Space blanket
• Water purification device
• Waterproof matches
• Whistle
• 10 feet of heavy twine

You will note that no cell phone is included.  I believe they give a camper/hiker/hunter a false sense of security.  In my experience, they rarely work in mountainous or sparsely inhabited regions.

3 Ways to  Avoid Getting Lost

A Map: Have a  map of the area you are hunting in  or hiking through/to and be able to read it.  Understand the land features the map is illustrating — before you set out.

“Back Trail:” Look back often, to get a feel for what the way back will look like.

Landmarks: As you are walking, make note of land features or oddities that will help you make your way back.  Make notes, if necessary, so you can remember the landmarks in the right order.

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Tomorrow: Dangers in the Wilderness  & What to Do When You Meet a Mountain Lion, etc.

This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com

Campers, Hikers & Hunters: Building an Open Fire

A Fire is One of the Great Joys of Being Outdoors!

With the cooler weather coming our way,  now is a great time to review how to build an open fire — safely!

Some Terms to Know

Tinder – pine cones,  leaves, dry grasses, dried pine                                 leaves, etc.

Kindling - small tree or brush branches, twigs, etc.

Fuel - larger tree branches, logs,  etc.

Before You Get Started

When  we start a fire, we are accepting the responsibility of protecting the animals and their habitat on the land we are using.

• Collect wood as you are setting up camp.
• Get your wood and kindling collected before dark.
• Collect enough to last until the next daylight.
• Include your wood needs in your plan for a good camp site.

• To protect your wood from dampness, put 2 poles parallel on the ground and stack wood crosswise on top of them.
• Keep your stacked wood at least 10 feet from the fire.
• Use a poncho or tarp to cover the wood.
• If  you get to a campsite and all the wood and kindling is wet, find logs, split them and chop out bits of the inner log for kindling.

Building a Fire

• Clear an area of about 10 feet.
• Find a collection of rocks to form a tight circle — to contain your fire.
• Heap your tinder in the center of your fire ring.
• Add kindling on top of the tinder; pointing to the center of the fire.

• The kindling should be placed close enough to each other to catch fire but sparsely enough to allow air flow.
• Start your fire at the bottom of the tinder pile.
• Add larger sticks, logs, etc., as the fire catches and burns.

When You Are Finished                                                     

Make sure your fire is out before leaving.

Take your trash with you. Leave your campsite in as-good-as or better condition than when you found it!

Remember, thousands of acres of land are burned each year — by carelessness.  When land burns … animals die!

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This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com

How to Predict Rain While Fishing

OK, you are out fishing and it starts to rain. Could you have anticipated it?  Here are some tips to be more aware of conditions leading to a rain storm.

First Things to Notice

What Effect Will Rain & Lightning Have on Fishing?

Watch animals in your area.  Are sea birds moving to shore and staying put?  In our area, thousands of seagulls leave the coast and gather on an old (closed) Walmart  parking lot.

Marine biologists believe fish have evolved to the point where they sense rain — or  at least weather changes!

The Effect of Humidity on Weather

As humidity rises, the chance of rain increases.  Watch airplanes as they pass overhead. Those with a vapor trail indicate high levels of moisture in the air.

The longer the vapor lasts, the higher the humidity and the closer rain is. If there is no vapor cloud after a jet, or it disappears quickly, then the moisture/humidity level is low and the weather is stable.

Predicting Rain at Night

Use the stars to predict rain!  The more the stars seem to twinkle, the higher the moisture content in the air!

When Rain Turns to Lightning

Science Daily (http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2006/1011-mysteries_of_thunderstorms.htm) indicates that lightning requires ice!  It’s so hot where I live, how on earth can there be ice in the atmosphere?

The ice they are talking about is VERY high up in the atmosphere. These pieces of ice can be positively (+) or negatively (-) charged. When these -’s and +’s collide, they build up a charge. Lightning is the release of the charge!

Since we cannot see how much ice is in the atmosphere when it is raining, it’s tough to be the angler-meteorologist  (weather person) to decide, “Will lightning start soon?  Should we go? or Can we stay?”

There are lots of factors in your decision.  Are you in a boat, far from shore?  Are you in a high, flat area, with no place to hide? Are you surrounded by trees?  All of these are good reasons to go home.

Unfortunately, a rod is an excellent conductor of electricity.You do not want to be holding it during a rain storm that turns to lightning!

Remember, smart anglers fish with one eye on their line and the other on the weather!

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This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com

River Tubing Safety & Tips **

Can there be anything more fun than floating down a river in a tube? I don’t think so …..

This is part of a series on Tubing:

The danger of snakes
Things you need to take
Choosing the right water for tubing
Repairing a Tube — ‘on-the-fly’

Goin’ Tubin’

Tubing is a wonderful way to spend time; however, it requires some planning

One of Summer's Great Joys: Riding Down a River on a Tube!

& preparation.   Here are a few safety tips to help get you on the water in record time!

An ideal tubing locale is a shallow, warm body of water with no obstructions.  The idea is for the water to be  moving quickly enough to offer a “moving experience,” but slow enough to keep the tuber safe.

That combination is a difficult one to achieve. First, a tuber has no control over the tube. Using a paddle usually only causes the tube to spin around.

Second, most rivers have parts that are not navigable.  It is important for tubers to know where those places are. Contact the state’s “fish & game” office for a map.

Must Haves

A pair of tennis shoes – to protect feet from sharp rocks, etc.

Sunburn protection – plan to reapply it often

Sunglasses and/or eyeglasses - to be strapped or tied on

Jeans – cut-offs to full length – for sun protection and to protect your backside  from obstructions poking up from the river bed

Rope – 5′ to 8′ long for emergencies, plus knowledge of some quick-release knots

A Hat – Some use a crash helmet (bike riders’ helmets, for example) or at least a baseball cap (for sunburn protection for the head)

Tubing items: a knife, duct tape (temporary tube repairs), patch kit, a small air pump, a valve core remover, extra valve cores and stem caps.

Personal items: set of dry clothes, waterproof matches, a first-aid/snake-bite kit, food and drinks, extra water (Don’t plan on drinking river water; most waterways have some pollution), personal flotation device (also known as a  ”Mae West”) and insect repellent.

Possibles: If the water is below 60 degrees, you may want to have a diver’s wet suit ready to protect you from hypothermia (a potentially lethal condition, when the cold water chills the body below a tolerable temperature).

** Added ‘head gear’ info

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Tubing is a great way to spend a lazy, summer day. We have a few more ideas to share in the coming days. Check back often!

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This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com

Snake Dangers & River Tubing**

Is Every Snake Poisonous?

If you see every snake in the US as a potential killer, you’d best confine your tubing adventures to a swimming pool!

Snakes tend to hang out in warm waters; however, they tend to be mostly non-poisonous.*

Suggestions to limit your meeting these “fanged foe.”

• Don’t bother or tease snakes,
• Go around snakes, avoiding them where possible.
• Stay out of shallow water as much as possible
• Stay away from banks in thick, wooded areas

4 Poisonous Snakes in America

Cottonmouth Water Moccasin Snake — This is the only poisonous American water snake; usually found in southeast parts of the US.

According to Wikipedia, Cottonmouths are ” the world’s only semi-aquatic viper, usually found in or near water, particularly in slow-moving and shallow lakes and streams.”

Cottonmouth - olive, black, brown skin with fangs he's eager to show off!

Most snakes are as afraid of you as you are of them. Not so with the cottonmouth!  He usually stands his ground and even likes to show the white lining of his mouth — just so you know who should run first!

Being bitten by a cottonmouth is going to ruin your day, believe me.   You can avoid this meanie by staying in the middle of rivers and by avoiding banks with shallow water.

Diamond-backed with an Evil Eye!

Rattlesnakes — These snakes are available from Canada to Mexico.  They provide more trips to the hospital and unplanned deaths than any other American snake!

Fortunately, they give an intruder advanced warning of their strike — with the rattling sound.

The Eastern Diamondback has more venom in a single bite than any other snake. Caution!

Copperheads have no sense of humor!

Copperheads – This snakes venom is potentially lethal. Need I say more?  Oddly enough, he is copper colored!

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Coral Snake - Absolutely lethal! Remember the rhyme, “Red and yellow kill a fellow …..”  Watch for the banded yellow, black and red snake.  Others, with similar bands (but not in this order) are non-lethal.

'Red and Yellow Kill a Fellow ...'

The good news is that this snake is not looking to cause trouble.

Finally

• Become familiar with the 4 poisonous snakes,
• Take a snake-bite kit
• Use it – if needed and
• Get the victim to a hospital ASAP.

* I used to think that non-poisonous snakes did not bite and poisonous snakes would. That is incorrect; any snake can — and will — bite, if provoked. The venom in non-poisonous snakes just won’t kill you!

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All snake photos are courtesy of Wikipedia!

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** Added photos; added clarity to some explanations.

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This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com