#outdoor safety

[outdoors-things]

Outdoor Safety Tips | Discuss!

Hi! We're Girl Scouts who created this blog in order to earn our Girl Scout Safety Award! For one of the steps we had to create a forum to discuss a safety issue we're passionate about, and as some of us work as camp counselors, outdoor safety spoke to us.

So, we're asking your tips and tricks for outdoor safety! Please reblog this and share your precautionary measures & things you actively do to stay safe while out in nature!

Thanks!

[techdriveplay]

What Are the Best Tips for Camping in the Rain?

Camping can be an exhilarating way to immerse yourself in nature, but when the weather turns wet, it’s essential to know what are the best tips for camping in the rain to ensure you stay comfortable, dry, and enjoy the experience. Rain doesn’t have to ruin a camping trip; with the right preparation and mindset, it can add a refreshing element to your outdoor adventure. Whether you’re an…

[hikercarl]

Trail Etiquette 101: How to Respect Nature and Fellow Hikers

Discover essential trail etiquette tips to enhance your hiking experience. Learn how to respect nature, fellow hikers, and leave no trace on your outdoor adventures.

I love hiking and find peace in nature. But with more people hitting the trails, it’s key to follow trail etiquette. This way, we all enjoy the outdoors without issues. I’ll cover important tips, like staying on paths and following Leave No Trace rules. Key Takeaways Respect nature and fellow hikers by following established trail etiquette Stay on marked trails to minimize environmental impact…

[forloh]

The Forloh Men's AllClima Softshell Jacket combines weather-resistant performance with breathable comfort, making it perfect for active outdoor use. Its durable, stretchy fabric offers flexibility and protection against the elements, ensuring you stay comfortable and dry in various conditions.

[ask-the-fox]

Fireproof Bonfire and Barbecue Blankets - ASK THE FOX Camping Gear

[thepanvelite]

Backpacking Essentials: 5 Must-Have Travel Products for Your Adventure

Essential travel products: navigation tools, first aid, sun protection, knife, fire starter.

[emmytolly]

How Diet Affects Mosquito Attraction: Tips for Bug-Free Outdoor Fun

Hey there! Ever feel like mosquitoes have a personal vendetta against you? You’re not alone. These tiny, annoying creatures can detect us from over 150 feet away. But did you know that your diet might be making you more attractive to them? Let’s dive into why this happens and how you can turn the tables on those pesky bugs. The Diet Connection So, here’s the deal: eating foods high in sodium…

[selfreliance365]

Being self-reliant, and safe, in the outdoors!

Being self-reliant and staying safe in the outdoors can easily be accomplished by taking a few minutes to prepare. Here are a few tips for both hunters and anyone else that spends time outdoors.

Serving on the local Search and Rescue team, I’ll get reminders from my group about things to consider when spending time outdoors. With it being the middle of hunting season this link was shared with the group and whether you hunt or just like spending time outdoors, these are some good reminders of things to consider to stay safe and not end up having the Search and Rescue group come looking…

[wanderguidehub]

Uncover Washington's Wilderness: A Comprehensive Guide to the Top Hiking Trails in Olympic National Park

Welcome to Olympic National Park, a vast reserve in the Pacific Northwest characterized by its diverse ecosystems – from the rugged Pacific shoreline, and alpine meadows, to the temperate rainforests. This guide will serve as your compass, navigating you through top hiking trails that weave through this breathtaking wilderness. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or a novice keen to explore,…

[thegreenestwood]

Stories like this make me so damn sad. A grown man thought it was a good idea to take his 14-year-old stepson hiking in the Chihuahuan Desert when it was 119F / 48C in the shade, and now they’re both dead, for no good reason. Please do not do this. Please heed the heat advisories and excess heat warnings issued by the National Weather Service. If you want to be outside, go to a river, lake or pool, or run through a sprinkler. If you must hike, pick a short, shady route that is preferably near surface water, start early or late to avoid the heat of the day, and bring a lot of drinking water and rehydration drinks. However much you think you need, bring more.

If you think you can handle it because you’re from a hot climate, no you cannot. Take it from a native South Texan who grew up without air conditioning. These sorts of temperatures do not care where you are from or where you have hiked before. Your body may not be great at telling the difference between, say, 101F / 38C and 115F / 46C - it can all just register as ‘really hot’ - but you will die much faster at the latter temperature. Please don’t do this to yourself, the people who love you, and the first responders who have to deal with the fallout.

[acorviart]

king in his castle

[techdriveplay]

How to Stay Safe While Hiking

Hiking is a fantastic way to connect with nature, stay fit, and enjoy the great outdoors. However, safety should always be your top priority. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to stay safe while hiking. Statistics on Hiking Safety: Over 50% of hikers have experienced an injury while hiking, ranging from minor cuts and scrapes to more serious issues like sprains and fractures. Approximately…

[skillofsurvival]

Top 5 Most Useful Skills for Survival

There are many useful skills for survival. Survival skills are essential for anyone who spends time in the wilderness, whether for recreation or in emergency situations. Knowing how to properly treat injuries and illnesses, start a fire, navigate, build shelter, and procure food and water can mean the difference between life and death. In this article, we will discuss the most important and…

[typhlonectes]

What to Do If a Snake Bites Your Dog

Late summer and fall bring hunters and dogs to the field, and more chances for an encounter with a venomous snake. Here’s your bite plan.

by T. Edward Nickens

We’re entering a time of year when sporting dogs and venomous snakes are most likely to be in each other’s face, says Dr. Chris Jenkins, a biologist and CEO of the Orianne Society, a science-based reptile and amphibian conservation group. Encounters with “piz’nous serpents,” as one old fellow once described them to me, can take place any time of the year in the South, Jenkins says, but late summer and fall is all about the overlap of time and space. Hunting dogs are in the woods and swamps. Rattlesnakes, copperheads, water moccasins, and coral snakes are still active. When the latter takes offense at the former, dog owners need to have a plan. Jenkins is an avid hunter who’s dealt with his own snakebit dog, so he comes to the issue with some unfortunate serpent cred...

Read more: https://gardenandgun.com/articles/what-to-do-if-a-snake-bites-your-dog/

[rebeccathenaturalist]

The above link includes articles on lost mushroom hunters in the Pacific Northwest over the past ten years. Many of these people were found deceased, and others were very lucky to have been found alive.

One of the things I really emphasize with foraging is safety, and not just the danger of picking something poisonous. While some people come into this practice with a realistic idea of the risks involved, others have....well, let's just call it a romanticized idea of foraging. They're not wrong in that it can be a fun, fulfilling activity that gets you all kinds of tasty things. But you have to be able to also navigate what can go wrong.

This is especially true for foragers who decide to go off-trail. I see this especially with people looking for mushrooms, because the lure of potential huge flushes of chanterelles, morels, and the like frequently leads people to head out onto public land in areas without marked trails. Sure, these locations are less heavily traveled and so it's more likely you'll stumble across a patch that no one else has gotten to yet. But--you're also more likely to get lost.

I personally tend to not go off-trail because I know for a fact that my sense of direction is abysmal (I've managed to convince myself I was lost on an out-and-back trail more than once.) But if I did, here's what I would do to mitigate the chances of getting lost:

--Take a GPS unit. These make finding your way back a lot easier, especially if you're able to drop pins as you go along or even digitally mark your trail.

--Take a map and compass and know how to use them: GPS isn't perfect, especially if signal is sketchy, and if your battery dies, well, there you go. So a topographic map and a compass make a good backup--if you know how to use them. Many urban areas in the U.S. have orienteering clubs, and failing that there's always YouTube.

--Take biodegradable flagging tape and tie bits of it to branches along the way. Then follow that path back when you're done, taking the tape with you as you go. If you miss one or two, they'll break down pretty quickly. DON'T leave the tape up on purpose to keep the trail to your patch of mushrooms or berries, though; not only are you adding plastic to the local environment, but you're leaving a trail for anyone who finds it.

--Take a friend! If something happens to one of you, the other can go for help. Or, if you're like me, only go off-trail with someone who's much better at orienteering than you are.