I’m at camp making a final assessment of gear and doing one last pack as final preparation to embark on an overland bike bird hunt. These National Forest campgrounds can often see a lot of use. But, in late fall when the nights get cold, camp company is sparse. As I’m pushing essentials into different…
A recent visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) revealed a truth in conservation for me. There were crowds of people clamoring for views of grazing wild elk. Though I’ve seen similar scenes in other western locations — Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain National Park — these elk were reintroduced to this region in 2001 by…
Summer is where the bulk of planning and preparation for the big adventures of fall start to take shape. In the Midwest that means the peaches are sweet and ripe, peppers are popping and though the walleye have receded to the depths, we’re still able to occasionally invite one to dinner. The plans for camping…
Most of the upland birds around here vanished during the Storm of the Century that dumped 30 inches of snow atop a base of frozen rain accompanied by -60° wind chill. Though game birds were on a downward trajectory long before that fateful day, the 43 years since have shown there’s little hope for any…
Staying warm is great, but I can’t stand feeling like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man while hunting. I was able to wear Filson’s Ultralight Hooded Jacket in single digit temps with just one layer beneath and retain that sweet spot between sweating and hypothermia. Yet, this jacket is sheer enough that the bird vest slides easily…
Though I was cutting as much weight as possible for an overland trek, I allowed for two luxuries: a toothbrush and a pack of DUDE Shower Wipes. Call me a prima donna, but it’s just reinvigorating to be able to wipe away the dirt, grime and sweat of trail toils prior to tucking into…
Alex and I were huddled around burners staring at cookpots waiting for water to boil on the inaugural night of a backcountry trip. It was my first opportunity to pull out the Gerber ComplEAT — I saw the look of derision on Alex’s face. I can’t really blame him because these utensils don’t look like…
Running bird dogs in country where there is minimal surface water, the only way to extend the hunt is to carry enough water. HydraPak’s 3L Bladder upfitted to my vest lets us keep hunting when the land is parched. The insulated drink tube helps keep the water flowing on chilly mornings. I remove the high-flow…
My bird dogs rarely just plunk down on a bed. It’s a whole process where they turn circles, try digging a hole completely through it, turn a few more circles the opposite direction and then settle in once they have verified the legitimacy of a sleeping spot. Orvis constructs their ComfortFill-Eco Softshell Dog Bed with…
Weight, weight, weight… no, seriously. I have carried a multi-tool in my bird vest for years. And the number of times I used that massive have-it-all tool with something for every eventuality over the course of those years…… zero. Because of the rigors of this season of Way Upland, I broke down all my gear…