Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2022 i American Outdoor Guide

The threat is out there – everywhere – and it’s greater than it has ever been. At any moment your life can be impacted by a bad guy with a gun. This deranged person is out there, and when his deadly acts are committed, society likes to apply a convenient label, whether it’s terrorist, serial killer, bullied teenager, disgruntled employee, drug addict, mugger, or mentally ill individual. A life-or-death conflict can occur suddenly whether it’s a one-on-one situation in a grocery store, parking lot, or where people gather, such as sporting events, parades, shopping malls, night clubs, schools, churches, restaurants or other businesses. How can you stay safe? It starts with preparation, according to martial arts expert and longtime instructor Ernest Emerson. In his latest book, Bad Guy With A…

If you’re looking to try something a bit different on your next camping trip, I would recommend a paddle camping outing, specifically by kayak. When our kids were young, my wife and I used to load up the family and head to one of our favorite destinations: Raquette Lake in New York State’s Adirondack region. There we’d paddle out to Big Island and stay in one of the lean-to’s that were available for free on a first-come basis. All it cost was the food we brought and the gas to get there. That was a big consideration for a growing family on a budget. Because we had the three boys (our daughter wasn’t born yet), we had to use a two-person kayak and a canoe in order to carry everyone…

Most stories you hear about lost or stranded hikers who must be rescued have several things in common: the hikers didn’t have the necessary gear and supplies, didn’t have the necessary survival and navigation skills, and didn’t make sound tactical decisions – they left marked trails, over-estimated their physical abilities, etc. BIG REASONS TO GO TINY One reason I like micro-sized gear is that it’s not a burden to carry with you whenever you leave home. It’s there without you needing to think about it until you need it. Wazoo is one of my favorite companies when it comes to micro-sized gear and ways to carry it. Wazoo products are handy as emergency gear if an impromptu outing turns into an ordeal, and as Plan B backup gear to your…

We’ve got some interesting feature articles scheduled for upcoming issues of AOG Boundless that should prove to be both informative and fun. We’re about to kick off our monthly skills column, highlighting techniques that can be helpful on whatever adventures you have planned. Do you want to learn how to tie some of the most useful knots? We’ll show you how. Do you know the best way to hang your food bag to keep it out of reach from hungry bears and other critters? We’ll demonstrate that too. For a bit of fun, regular contributor Jim Cobb looks at Hollywood to compile his top picks among survival movies. Will your favorites make the list? On a more serious side, he will also give us his take on some of the…

1 NUTRIENT SURVIVAL NRE You’ve heard of MREs, the Meals Ready to Eat originally designed for the military, but also used by hikers, campers, and those storing food in preparation for emergencies. Now Nutrient Survival has introduced NREs – Nutrition Ready to Eat. These new NRE packs in resealable pouches are loaded with a full day’s worth of nutrition for an individual. Like all Nutrient Survival products, these NRE packets are designed to exceed the U.S. Military’s Special Ops standards for food used during missions of intense or highly mobile training or conflict. Each NRE pouch contains a variety of seven food and drink mix packets individually wrapped to provide not only a day’s needed nutrition, but about 1,405 calories (including 76 grams of protein) to fuel the body throughout…

What do soaring gas prices, food shortages, a deteriorating supply chain and crowded, mismanaged cities all have in common? They’ve all got a lot of people thinking about dipping their toes into homesteading. Whether you plan on forsaking your day job to become self-reliant and make a living off homesteading, or you simply have the space and time to add another hobby to your repertoire, homesteading can be made a lot easier if you cut out the trial-and-error and know just where to start. No homesteading project is complete without a clutch of dependable animals, and with this list, you’re sure to start out on the right foot with a well-rounded, synergistic group. 1 GRAZING ANIMAL Moo or bahh? Which animal you choose hinges on your main purpose: do you…

In 1972, I was 15 years old and had been an after-school fur trapper since age 12. Many adults regarded my fascination with nature as unnatural. They said, “Boy, you can’t be in those woods all the time.” I persisted against their advice. Because typical teenagers prefer other activities, most of my outings were solo. That was okay because being alone meant being quiet, and seeing more cool things. But being alone also got me into a few scrapes, like the one I experienced that June. A NIGHT TO REMEMBER I’d been out for four days, camped atop a ridge that was bordered by swamp. The nearest paved road was three miles distant. Unwisely, I hadn’t told anyone where I was going; teenagers are notoriously lacking in foresight. Shelter was…

In a way, fire might be considered a multitool, given how many uses we have for it out in the field. It keeps us warm on cold nights and dries us out if we get wet. It boils water to render it safe to drink and it cooks our food to make it more palatable. It lights up the night to keep the boogeyman away. Make no mistake, there is a strong psychological component at work, too. Being able to get a fire going, especially in challenging conditions, provides a sense of control over a situation that might otherwise feel absolutely chaotic. This is important, as it gives you an edge and can help turn the tide against feelings of fear or helplessness. There are any number of tinder products…

Survival skills are for everyone and there are opportunities to get an early start in learning them. DAY 1 PARENT-CHILD CLASS The minimum age requirement for a Randall’s Adventure & Training class is 18. However, the Parent-Child class allows participants from age eight and up. All must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or family member. Randall’s Adventure & Training has offered this class for several years. I have been fortunate enough to attend a few as an assistant. Lead instructor Patrick Rollins heads the outfit and covers the basics of survival in a class setting before taking the bunch into the woods for the hands-on portion. The parents are also students and responsible for keeping their children on track, hydrated, and focused. Class starts at 8 a.m. in a…

What kind of people go on a planned adventure in the jungle? All over the world, there are guided trips to remote places in the jungle that require an overnight stay or a multi-day trip. Destinations include places such as the Zambezi River in Africa and the jungles and rain forests of South America, Mexico, and Central America. Southeast Asia probably has the most overseas/jungle excursions out of Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Usually, some package deal provides transportation via van, boat, or elephant, and always with a local guide. ENJOY THE JUNGLE Most of the topics in any survival magazine gravitate towards an emergency survival situation where skills and minimal gear are used to get through the ordeal. Movies and reality TV shows about time spent in…

I had been using Garmin handheld GPS units for many years on my backcountry hunts. However, I wasn’t paying attention to all the recent tech products the company has been offering to wilderness explorers, off-road vehicle enthusiasts, and fitness fanatics. Garmin continues to introduce new products and to add features to its existing product line, all with the aim of keeping you safe, in touch, and up-to-date on your personal goals, whether those goals entail making it to a remote mountaintop or reaching your peak in physical conditioning. Here’s a look at some of the company’s products. 1 GARMIN INREACH MINI 2 The Garmin inReach Mini 2 is a small device that recently brought big-time peace of mind to members of my family. My daughter Stephanie had about two and…