Survivalism: Nature is Calling You.

Coyotes in the Akron Ohio area.

2013-02-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

For the last three years, I've been observing coyotes in the Cuyahoga National Forrest and Summit County Metro Parks in Northeast Ohio. One thing I've noticed is their strong survival instincts. On several occasions I've observed coyotes feed on the carcass of a dead deer. I've been fortunate enough to have been able to capture still photos, night time trail cam photos, and also several short videos. It's truly amazing, coming from an Ohio wilderness standpoint. Ohio coyotes are larger than the southern and western coyotes mostly because they've historically bread with wolves. Scientist
found that the Ohio coyotes have wolf DNA.

Coyotes have a diet that consists of live animals and
also carrion. From mice and rabbits to roadkill. I

watched an individual coyote come back day after day to a deer carcass and eat everything but the hide. I've also watched a coyote (with a radio collar) hunt for field mice at the Chuckery Area of the Metro Parks. There's a page on the metro park website to report sightings of coyotes to help them track and study them. http://www.summitmetroparks.org/NatureInformation/ReportASighting.aspx During springtime, they are more noticable due to mating season and them roaming around during the daylight. I love God's gift of nature and look forward to observing animal survival every chance I get.

Salmon River, Pulaski New York "FLOSSING"

2012-12-06T18:04:00.000-08:00

2012 Pulaski New York, Salmon River

Fishing Trip.

This was my fist time in the Salmon River. I had no idea how to fish for Salmon in the river. We fished using a tecnique called "flossing". I've found that flossing is a controversial form of fishing that alot of anglers equate to snagging. Snagging used to be legal in NY years ago, but is now illegal. Flossing consists of using a rod and reel of choice, most people there had some type of fly rod set up or center pin. The tecnique entails setting a near marble sized split shot weight no more than four feet from the hook. Your hook cannot exceed a gap more than a half inch. Using a pair of polarized sun glasses to see the salmon better in the water, you look for a group of salmon or a single salmon at a rest. You cast about eight feet to ten feet in front of the salmon. The force of the current pulls the weight and hook toward the mouth of the salmon. The goal is obviously to land your hook into the open mouth of the salmon. It is illegal to keep a foul hooked salmon. A foul hooked salmon when your hook snaggs a fin, tail, or body of the salmon. You must release the fish if foul hooked. Everyone develops their own system of casting for flossing. I found myself aiming to cast my split shot ten feet in front of the salmon, just about two feet on the other side of it. As the current pulls your hook and line closer to the fish, youbegin to pull toward yourself in an effort to hook the inside of the salmons mouth. We had plenty of luck, maxing out for three days in a row. I also found it beneficial to put a small piece of florecent rubber worm on the end of my hook, so i could see where it is going in the water much better.

My Review

2012-01-27T08:34:00.001-08:00

Originally submitted at Outdoor Research

Great Winter Hat

By EdSak from Akron, Ohio on 1/27/2012

Sizing: Feels true to size

Pros: Durable, Warm, Breathable, Lightweight

Cons: Doesn't cover 100 ears

Best Uses: Extreme Cold

Describe Yourself: Practical

Was this a gift?: No

Great product, could be a little larger in size to cover 100 percent of your ears (bottom of my lobes were exposed). I used an OR ShapeShifter Balaclava with this hat and it was die hard. Hiked in 20 degree and windy conditions for 12 miles and had no complaints.

(legalese)

My Review

2012-01-27T08:19:00.001-08:00

Originally submitted at Outdoor Research

Recomended for Winter Backpackers

By EdSak from Akron, Ohio on 1/27/2012

Just finished a 12 mile hike in the Allegheny National Forest and used the ShapeShifter Balaclava, great product. Through the wind, snow, and cold, it kept my neck, face, and ears warm. Best winter backpacking purchase i've made in a wile.

Morrison/Rimrock Trail, Allegheny National Forest

Tags: Picture of Product, Using Product

(legalese)

Winter Backpacking Essentials

2012-01-25T20:40:00.000-08:00

One of the most important things to remember before going on an overnight winter hike is to be more than well prepared. Make a check list of what you need to bring......there are tons of websites that have backpacking checklists. Through experience, water is one of the most important. Look at a topo map of the trail your headed to, and see if there are any bodies of water or streams to pull water from, if your bringing a water filter. If you don't have a water filter, be sure to pack a pack bladder and several litres of water in canteens. As far as food....make sure you pack foods higher in protein, there are easy to pack pouches of salmon and tuna that will do the trick. I also pack raw almonds, deer jerky (if your privileged), and raisins/cranberries. Waterproof boots are a must when your dredging through the snow and slush, you don't want wet feet on your first night, it's hard to get those boots dry enough for day two. Warm socks, enough said.... I"m a huge fan of the balaclava, you never know how cold the wind is until it hits you on the face and neck. Make sure your hands are protected with good gloves, you don't want to be gripping your trekking poles with frostbit hands. As for your backpack, make sure it has a rain fly...I had a backpack that didn't, and yeah it sucks when you have to carry a soaked pack for five miles...it could add another 5 lbs to your pack when everything is soaked...bring that cheap 99 cent emergency poncho you got at the bait shop and cover your pack if you don't have a rain fly. As for your sleeping bag, all i have to say is 0 degree mummy bag, cant go wrong. I have an old school Coleman 0 degree that works perfect, though it takes up a little room in the backpack. You could spend a little more and get one that can smash down more in a stuff sack and save you some pack room. I like a tent and some like a hammock, if your going with a hammock in the winter, make sure your prepared and have a good cover tarp (rain/snow). I know i haven't hit all the points here, but keep your mental game on, know where your at, study that map, keep it waterproofed, and use your compass alot, and remember alot of the trails out there..the blazes suck and are faded or have fallen off the trees. Sharpen your mapping skills, I'm being realistic, you might have to go off trail several times using your compass/map to get back on track, alot of the trails are not well defined.

'

Keeping both dry and warm at deer camp.

2011-09-22T20:41:00.001-07:00

Every year i pack smarter for deer camp. I've switched so much gear from year to year in the 20 years I've been deer hunting during the Ohio gun season. Every year it seems to revolve around staying dry and keeping warm. I froze my ass off one year and got soaked in the rain the next....I"m trying not to be a bitch about it...its hunting WTF....I see my dad every year go hunting in the snow and the coldest of Ohio winter weather in a 1989 blaze orange baseball cap that's worn out to hell, no gloves, and the same set of old style cammo BDU's. So, after freezing my ass off in 2009, I broke down and bought a pair of fleece liners for my pants. So far this has been the best investment I've added to my huge hunting tote that sits in my basement. Haven't froze my ass off wearing the fleece underpants, so they get my A+ grade. Next, i stuck with the fleece and got a fleece turtle neck to wear under whatever coat or jacket i wear....A+ again. I guess I'm basing this all on the cold so far, but you have to stay dry right?...I also bought an Outdoor Research Winter Trekking hat that keeps my head very warm and lets it breath. I also use a balaclava that keeps my face and neck warm from the wind. The best investment I've made so far in keeping dry is my Browning Gore-Tex rain pants and jacket. I wear these over the fleece turtle neck and fleece pants....

So, do any of you cold/wet weather deer hunters have any suggestions on how to keep dry and warm during the gun season? I'm still working on what type of gloves to get...

Spoons and spinners for steelhead fishing?

2011-09-11T18:26:00.001-07:00

Anyone have luck using spoons and/or spinners for steelhead fishing? I've recently had someone tell me they use spoons to catch steelhead in the Chagrin River (Ohio) near the beginning of October. I"m new at the salmon and trout fishing game and am looking for advise on early river run tactics?

I just bought a noodle rod and still haven't found the reel i need? Anyone have any advise on a good reel for a noodle rod used for steelhead fishing?

FISHING ETHICS

2011-09-07T10:49:00.000-07:00

To keep or not to keep.....some anglers keep every fish they catch, some keep none...and some keep only what they want/need. Some of us fish for sport, some for food, and some for both.
So what constitutes as an ethical angler? Do you keep a fish if it swallows the whole hook? What if you pull the line and hook out, but the fish is bleeding from the inside? What about if your only catching the smallest of fish, do you keep them still?
I was King Salmon fishing on Lake Ontario just out of Rochester New York this August. My cousin is a firm believer in catch and release of steelhead, for hopes they will move upriver and spawn. He caught several steelhead that day to let everyone of them loose but one...Did he keep the biggest one he caught, no. He kept the one that swallowed the whole spinner and was bleeding out on the deck of the boat. Most people say you can just cut the line and leave the lure or hook in a salmonoid and they will be just fine. If they are bleeding out, it's better to just add them to your daily bag limit and not let them be waisted.

Blue Gill Fishing (Sunfish)

2011-09-06T06:18:00.000-07:00

Keep moving, fishing different spots and different depths until you find a school of sunfish. Use a slip bobber to easily fish different depths until you find your school. Fish near tree cover, vegetation, downed trees, and boulders. Use a light spinning rod and reel 4-8 lb. test line. Sunfish can eat like champs or be very picky. Use of a pinmin, aka ice flies, or small hook baited with maggots, waxworms, or redworms seem to work the best any time of year (ice fishing, spring, summer or fall). If using a pinmin....make sure you keep a variation of styles and colors. The black ant pinmin is my personal favorite. Lots of Blue Gill fisherman swear to the use of a chartreuse (neon green) pinmin. Both have been great for me. I got my first Fish Ohio Blue Gill (10.5 inches) on a chartreuse pinmin tipped with a maggot. My next Fish Ohio Blue Gill (11.5 inches) was on a black ant tipped with a maggot.

Does anyone have any tips on time of day, and/or time of year to fish for sunfish?