FALL HUNTING PREPARATIONS NEED DOING NOW

(Author's Dad out on a hunt)

(Fall Hunting Preparations Need Doing Now by Bob Phillips first appeared in Lake Champlain Weekly in July 2010)
In just a few more weeks we will find the fall hunting seasons upon us. The question is will you be ready for those early openers of waterfowl and  bow hunting and muzzleloader season? Chances are you think you are ready and often have a hectic couple hours just before the opener looking for particular equipment or regrets concerning not getting into better shape for the season.
There are three areas of concern for the sportsman as the fall hunting comes into view. Those three areas often make or break a hunt. There is the area of physical fitness of the hunter, the area of equipment needs and of proficiency with that equipment and last there is the scouting and planning.
First, looking at the physical conditioning of the hunter. You enjoy the outings this fall much more when you are physically able to maintain the necessary pace of the hunt. Now is the time to begin conditioning for later. You can not put this off until the last week before the season opener and expect to be in good condition following a few days of walking.
This calls for a bit of weight lifting and quite a bit of aerobic exercise to increase you lung capacity and endurance over the long hunts. This is the time to be walking, bicycling or jogging on a regular basis. It doesn’t have to be daily, but at least 4-5 times a week is good. If you hunt with a dog during portions of the season, it is also a great time to start conditioning the dog for the coming seasons.
I shouldn’t have to tell you this, because every hunting magazine you read is giving you a similar admonition. But still, every year we have more people die from heart attacks and other conditions due to poor physical conditioning than we do to hunting accidents. But that is enough said. Get out there and begin exercising.
The second area of concern is the equipment you will be using. Now is the time to replace broken or worn parts, purchase new additions to your gear and generally get set up for the up coming seasons. You not only want to have the new equipment ahead of time, but you also want to have it broke in so that you are well familiar with it.
That translates to getting out and using it. Whether it is firing a new rifle or a rifle with a new scope at the firing range or it is purchasing a new backpack and using it on a couple of overnighters on the trail, you want to be familiar with all equipment you use.
I have never understood hunters who do not spend a bit of time shooting their rifles long before the season opens. This is especially true for bow hunters. They really need to put more time in shooting at the range in order to ethically carry their bow in the autumn woods looking for a deer.
We owe it to the animals we hunt to have our shooting skills as honed to as sharp a degree as possible.
Third is the scouting and planning for the fall hunts. That area that held good concentrations of deer last year may not have any fresh sign this year. Of course you won’t know that until it is too late, unless you get out and scout the area ahead of time. Scouting sometimes tells us that we need to adjust our hunting just a little bit to be more successful. This is a good thing.

(Author's Dad following a successful Adirondack Hunt)

The time spent planning now will pay off later. Perhaps you go to your favorite hunting spot and find it overrun with other hunters. What do you do? If you have already planned for such a situation, then you won’t miss a beat. But if you are caught unaware you may miss out on a whole lot of hunting until you come up with a spur of the moment substitute plan.
So take time now to fit these three areas of concern into your schedule. Get out exercising and deal with those equipment needs now, as you plan for the next season coming up.
I hope your time afield and astream is pleasant this summer.

BRING THE OUTDOORS INDOORS THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY

(field work in photography for enjoyment or work)

Long after the actual outdoor experience is over and we have again entered the hustle and bustle of everyday life, the memories kept alive about that experience are very meaningful to each of us. That is why photography plays such a big part in many sportsmen and women’s lives.

(red efts following a rainy period)

Just viewing a snapshot of a past experience often conjures up certain details of that trip. We can even go as far as to say that it may even bring into play the other senses of the body. Have you ever looked at your photos of a camping trip and feel as though you were right there and could smell the campfire smoke or hear the water rushing over the falls? 

(Red Trillium taken on a spring trout fishing trip)

Perhaps you view a photograph of wild flowers and you recall finding the forest floor covered with Trilliums and remember just how strong their scent was on that day.

(fat little toad found along the trail)

Perhaps you have a shot of a frog or a toad that reminds you of the time one crawled into you friend’s sleeping bag and all the antics your friend went through to get it out. One summer camping trip my cousin, Steve, had just that happen. During the early morning hours a large toad crawled into his sleeping bag next to his bare leg and Steve shot out of his sleeping bag and upended the sleeping bag, to shake out the toad, in very quick order. The poor toad had no idea what the commotion was about. Once toad was out, Steve crawled back in and went back to sleep.

(bog life, the pitcher plants)

Photos can be a delightful way to share your experiences with others. Today photography is so simple anyone can be successful and have great results. Digital cameras have pretty much replaced film cameras, however some of us carry both. I have been using a Canon EOS system for a few years. I have two SLR camera bodies, one with a macro zoom lens in the 70-300 mm range on one body and the other has a 28-75 mm lens. I also have started carrying a small Canon digital camera for those quick snapshots along the trail or around camp. Eventually I will switch entirely over to digital as many others have already done.

(tree frog on a fallen leaf)

Sometimes just taking a day for a photo safari into the back country can be a very rewarding time. Make sure you take what you need, such as tripod, lens cleaner, etc. and carry your equipment in a secure and protected backpack. You would be surprised that no matter how careful you try to be, there is a certain amount of bumping and abuse to the equipment, if not properly protected. Once you finish shooting photos, then sit back and enjoy the results.

WORKING WITH NEWCOMERS TO THE OUTDOORS

(starting out a fisherman)

(Working With Newcomers to the Outdoors by Bob Phillips first appeared in Lake Champlain Weekly in May 2010)

   Outdoor Sportsmen go through stages in their outdoor experience. Although those stages may have varying extrinsic or intrinsic values and may vary as to the time frame or period the sportsman goes through that stage, the bottom line is that we all change over time in our outdoor pursuits.
   You can name those stages with any title you wish to use but generally they look something like this. First, there is the stage where you just start out and can’t wait to spend as much time as possible doing whatever your passion dictates. You will fish for anything, no matter the size or the conditions. Second, there is the learning stage where you spend much time trying to learn through experience, books, video or other media as much as you possibly can about your sport. Third, comes the stage where you try to give back something to the sport you enjoy. This is usually done by teaching others, writing about it or just plain sharing your experiences with others interested in the same. The final stage is one where we continue to refine and perfect our techniques as much as we possibly can. This is also the stage where your endeavors often become a bit more costly in equipment and travel.
   These stages may not be all that cut and dried as you might first think. The first stage is where you, yourself are usually mentored by someone else. Doesn’t matter if we are talking backpacking, fishing, hunting or canoeing. Someone probably took you under their wing and formally or informally taught you the finer points of enjoying that sport. Here the learning curve is quite pronounced. You haven’t much time but to go out and enjoy the pursuit of your sport.
   There comes a time however, when you begin to learn more and want to give more to your sport. This is where the other three stages can somewhat blur together but at the same time bring you much satisfaction. Learning more about your sport can be greatly entertaining whether you like to sit and read or not. Many times a number of my hunting and fishing buddies and I will plan to attend an outdoor function together in order to see new developments in the sports or just to talk with other sportsmen. Sportsmen shows, gun shows, seminars and visiting special nature exhibits or sites can all add to your education. At the same time if you are taking some neophyte along, you are helping to educate them and thus giving back to the sport by encouraging a new comer. So these two stages blend together.
   Often times, if you do attend one of those venues, you will hear experienced old-timers in the sports standing around discussing trends and methods from their own experiences. Even though they may now be in that fourth stage of their sport, they are also helping along others through their historical perspective or by confirming the methods and techniques that work in the field.
   During the past year I have been able to help young people with such things as choice of hiking equipment for trips from day hikes to extended stays in the backcountry. Taking hikes to experience the outdoors in whole new surroundings than what they were familiar. We have also had opportunity to get out ice fishing and learn some of the techniques of that sport, which are quite different from the open water fishing of summer. We also did some open water fishing. In both the ice fishing and open water fishing we were able to check out an abundance of tackle and equipment that might be used.
   This past week I took a small group of kids out fishing for perch. Nothing big but at the same time something I knew that they would be successful at doing. This is one of the keys for successful introduction of someone new to the sport. Try to make it a successful and enjoyable outing. They will then look forward to the next outing.
   As you head afield and astream this year consider taking someone new along and introduce them to the sport you love so much. It pays in the end.

ANTICIPATING DEER HUNTING SEASON

(beautiful whitetailed doe) 

Autumn, here in the north country, usually brings visions of changing foliage, harvest time and hunting, both small game and big game hunting. The small game seasons are all open by the first part of October. There is the usual squirrel and rabbit seasons, but there are a number of bird seasons that many take part in as well. Pheasant hunting is strictly a put and take endeavor. The state program releases a large number of pheasants each year on public access hunting lands. There are a small number of these released pheasants that do make it through the winter months, but the winters are usually too icy and snow covered for their survival. There is also some very good ruffed grouse hunting here as well. Waterfowl seasons are also the sport of many, especially here around the Lake Champlain area.

(single doe across an agricultural field)

The main hunting season, that most hunters look forward to, is deer season. The varied locations for many hunters can have them in the mountains one week and on tilled agricultural lands the next. Lately we have seen the loss of more and more family farms which is not good for the economy, but it does help the deer hunters. As these pastures and lands become overgrown with second growth, the deer move in more readily and make for some excellent hunting.
Since we are coming off another mild winter from last year, I think we can expect to see about the same type results for our deer hunting this fall as last. I, for one, am looking forward to the black powder season. I purchased a new break-action 209 primer muzzleloader for this season and am anxious to get out and hunt with it. If that were not enough, the archery seasons opens just next week with the opportunity to hunt a few days on last season’s license, that is providing you still have an unfilled tag from last season.

(young buck in velvet)

So for many, the best part of the year is just now coming up. They look forward to and plan for this season for much of the year. I trust your time on the trail of the deer is an enjoyable season this fall.

THE NUANCES OF THE TRAIL

(The Nuances of the Trail by Bob Phillips first appeared in Lake Champlain Weekly in August 2010)
As you take to the trails here in the Northeast, whether flat trails around nature centers or the steep trails of the High Peaks, each trail has a certain nuance unto itself. Oh there are the obvious things, such as the condition of the trail whether sandy, hard packed soil or rocky ground. There is also the chance that you might travel a trail that is noted for sudden weather changes that you must constantly keep in mind. Some trails are long and monotonously the same while still others are a new discovery around each turn. Whether a gentle grade and easy climb or a steep, lung bursting ordeal, each trail has a certain nuance or a better word might be character.
During last week, we hiked up Algonquin the second highest of the High Peaks in the Adirondacks. What a view that summit gives on a clear Adirondack day! I had three teenagers with me, Nathan and Ethan Bombard from here in Ellenburgh and Brian Moulding from Peru. Herein is one of those nuances of the trail I talked about. You meet all types of hiking groups on the trail. Some are young people from the local camps of the area, while others are couples of all ages. There might be a older person hiking with a younger person or even a complete family unit, all making their way up the trail.
  Following a bit of a surprising start, our immediate area in Ellenburgh had severe flooding the day we headed out, we finally started up the trail at a little after 7:30 a.m. Algonquin is a steep and rugged climb. Since I haven’t hiked all the High Peaks, I can’t say with certainty that it is the roughest climb, but it has to be right up there in steepness. The trail is marked at 3.7 miles with a climb of about 2900 feet from ADK LOJ parking area to the summit. So you can pretty well figure that you are climbing just under 1000 feet for every mile you hike. We reached the summit just about noon and the boys probably could have made it quicker if they hadn’t waited for the old man to catch up every once in awhile.
Here is another of the nuances of the trail. It is a very possible climb for most but you just have to go at your own pace. Don’t try to keep up with others! It can be disastrous. At the summit, the trail steward was talking about his position there and he mentioned that he climbs the trail in about two hours. There aren’t many who will do it in less time than that and many, like myself, that take a lot longer. The end results is that you do it and are paid off with a fantastic view from the top. If he makes it in two hours, then a little over four hours on my 58 year old legs isn’t too bad! I’ll take it.
Unfortunately the stay on top is never long enough before you face the task of having to come back down. Whereas you call on certain muscles to hike up the trail, you now have to use those same muscles and a few others to make it back down. For me the descent is always the hardest. The constant braking action that your legs perform, tires the muscles and knees. Surprisingly, it only took a little longer than four hours for me to get back down the trail to the parking area once again. A certain trio of teens I know had a wait of well over an hour for me to catch up to them, but then I didn’t fall on my face in the middle of the trail either. Here is yet another nuance of the trail in that the trail always calls upon another resource from you in order to succeed. It may be physical or it may be mental in nature, but you constantly have to read the trail to know what to expect.
The trails of the Adirondacks are some of the most beautiful anywhere. I have hiked on many trail systems over the years and in many states and in Canada. All have their own charm and draw, but the Adirondack trails are the most striking here in the Northeast. This is really the draw of the mountain trails, the mystique, challenge and ever changing experiences along the way.
I hope your outings are rewarding and you are able to read the nuances of the trails you follow as you head afield and astream this year.

THE QUESTION OF WHY WE HIKE?

(A pleasant view along the way)

Hiking draws a variety of people, all for their own reason. I enjoy hiking, partly for the challenge of a tall peak, but mainly for the experience of the view you have from the summit of any high mountain top. I like the mountains over 3000 feet because you are usually guaranteed a bit of view, depending upon the cloud cover and weather. This is not always the case, as I found in hiking up Dial Mt. one year. You actually have to go back down the trail a few hundred yards in order to get a vista with a pleasant view.
The real draw to hiking is not that much different than many other outdoor endeavors. There is always the anticipation of what you might experience that keeps you going. Like the fisherman, who is not 100% sure of catching fish every time out, the hiker is not always guaranteed a fulfilling trip up each mountain. It is that concept of intermittent reinforcement, meaning that you are never quite sure when to expect the reward, that keeps many coming back to the trails time and again.

(A view of Wright Peak from Algonquin trail)

There are other draws, such as the challenge of distances covered or number of mountain peaks climbed, but usually it is more of an intrinsic satisfaction than any extrinsic reward that appeals to most. The old adage, “to see the other side of the mountain,” is more than enough for most. It is what it is!
When we begin comparison of this trail system to that trail system, or this mountain to that mountain, we begin to get off track of the true meaning of the hike. Yes, we each have our favorite climbs and favorite spots that renew our souls from the hectic pace of this world. There is no getting around that. But each new hike should be approached with the anticipation of what will be found along the way. This is often an unknown that only unfolds as we progress up the trail.
What new adventures are in your immediate future?

RIVERS CAN BE A SMORGASBORD OF FISHING

(Rivers can be a Smorgasbord of Fishing by Bob Phillips first appeared in Lake Champlain Weekly in June 2010)
   Often times, when you are involved in leisure activities such as fishing, you receive the greatest pleasures when you least expect them. That was such the case last week during the fishing we were able to get in. We headed to the Saranac River to do some fishing for whatever could be found. We found a number of different species were interested that day.
   The beautiful thing about rivers is that their environments change every few feet. Standing in one place on a riverbank, you may be able to fish sunken logs laying on a sandy bottom with one cast and then with the next be fishing a jumble of rocks. Weeds and lily pads might be prolific in one area and just down stream might be a stretch of rapids. You never know what you might find or where you might find fish.
   We started out under a bridge and to be truthful it didn’t look to good for a while. We fished about forty-five minutes without a single bite. I started drifting my line along bottom in a fairly deep hole, bumping it along with a heavy sinker of about a half ounce weight. After a few passes along the sand bar, that stuck out into the pool, I finally got a hit. Just a couple tugs on the line and I figured it was probably a perch or rock bass. I set the hook and immediately felt some significant weight.
   It took a few minutes to land the fish, but I soon had a nice walleye in hand. It was just under 17 inches in length. Was I excited! This was the first walleye I had caught in quite a few years and it was right in the middle of the day. I haven’t been able to get out fishing walleye the last few years because we are usually out turkey hunting during the best part of the season. A night crawler on weighted line, bouncing along bottom apparently looked quite tempting to this one.
   We headed further downriver and soon found another good sized hole to fish. Here we started catching panfish immediately. They were rock bass but put up quite a nice battle on light line. There were a few that were approaching three quarters of a pound in weight. Here I was also in for my second big surprise of the day when I hooked into a big sucker. This one ran about twenty-four inches in length and as usual was so ugly that only a mother could love it.
   My fishing partner also got a couple of nice fish. He hooked into a small mouth bass and after releasing that, he caught another. He caught quite a few rock bass as well at that hole.
   Traveling further down stream it was Gary’s turn to catch a walleye. This one was about fourteen inches in length just under the legal size. Here we caught a few more rock bass and some more small mouth as well.
   We headed back upriver toward where we started out, in hopes that there might be some more walleye in the one big hole we found. As it turned out, the walleye I caught must have been a fluke since they are usually schooling fish and yet there didn’t seem to be any others around.
   I did hook into one more surprise fish before heading home. I had some tentative strikes at my line and thought I was playing with another walleye. When I set the hook, I immediately felt some weight to the fish and the fight was strong, so I knew it wasn’t a small panfish. As I got it into shore, I had a pretty rainbow trout about fifteen inches in length. I will never know how big for certain because it spit the hook out right at my feet.
   This kind of fishing can get expensive. I must have left about a dozen rigs of sinker, snap swivel and snelled hooks on the bottom of the river. Oh, well. Another trip to the tackle shop to replenish!
   I hope you find such a smorgasbord when next you go afield and astream.

RIVER FISHING AND SURPRISES IT BRINGS

     Here in the Adirondacks we have a diverse number of waterways to fish. I believe that is what makes it so attractive to fishermen. You are only limited by your own imagination when it comes to the type fishing you might wish to pursue. Lakes abound and they are always fertile fisheries for a large number of species. There are also the backwoods ponds and small lakes that usually produce trout. The brooks and streams of the area carry brook trout and brown trout on regular basis. The rivers can be very much like the lakes in offering a large selection of species to fish.

(fishing on the Chateaugay River)

     The Ausable, Bouquett, Chateaugay, Salmon, Chazy, Saranac rivers, plus many others are all within easy driving distance. They offer the fisherman any number of species and some very fine fishing opportunities. Those living along the rivers have often worked with the state conservation groups to provide anglers access to these waters, so the fisherman who observes the rules and follows the directives listed at the fishing access sites can help keep those arrangements open for some time to come. Always police the area you fish and do not leave garbage and junk behind when you leave. Observe land owners rights and if a section is not posted as public access, don't invade the owners privacy.

(Brother-in-law with a brown trout from Chazy River)

     Many years ago, I used to fish regularly with an old gentleman who was an Adirondack fishing guide for about 50 years. He was in his late 70's when I fished with him and it was a pleasure and joy to see him work on the lake we often fished. But even though he had a very productive lake to fish at his leisure, every once in a while he would say, "let's hit a river today!" That is just what we would do. Down in that area we had the Hudson, Schroon and a couple of other smaller rivers to fish. He liked to change his routine once in a while just for the challenge. He knew that rivers are always changing and the experience would be new each time, unlike the lake he usually fished, where he could read the bottom like a book and tell you exactly where to anchor and cast to catch a bass.

(author fishing a central Adirondack river)

     When your fishing starts to become a bit mundane and predictable, head to one of the rivers and see if it doesn't put some excitement back into your pastime. You may be surprised just how enjoyable it can be.

SOME PET PEEVES REVISITED

(Some Pet Peeves Revisited by Bob Phillips first appeared in Lake Champlain Weekly in June 2010)
   During the course of a year, I usually speak at a few different Sportsman Shows and/or banquets. I also read a number of outdoor magazines. A reoccurring theme is one of creating your own success. This, on the surface, seems to promise success to every sportsman out there. I say, on the surface, because I see a problem with much of what is toted.
   I am not saying this to elevate myself to the realm of expert, but it seems to me that much of the printed and spoken word is geared more toward making money for the author and less toward real help for the sportsman. I realize that I am now stepping up onto my soapbox but I think much of what is foisted upon the sportsman today is really the attempt of another to capitalize upon the outdoor craze that is around us. You know, bigger racked bucks and heavier fish, at all costs.
   Granted, who doesn’t want to bag the best buck possible or land the nicest fish in the lake? But according to QMP experts, apparently that isn’t in the realm of happening unless you have acreage and are willing to put hundreds or thousands of dollars into its management each year. Most of us do not have control of hundreds of acres that we can do food plots and selected shoots to bring the herd under ideal conditions. I am not trying to minimize those that do, but I see that hunting is fast leaning toward the realm of those with the dollars and means to pursue such. How often have you heard recently, “I have given up hunting, it is just too difficult to find places to hunt anymore.”
   Whether you agree with their excuse or not, the point is that much of our land is privately owned and it is more and more difficult to attain hunting permission. Count yourself fortunate if you do have access to such hunting territory. Here in our northern part of the state, we are fortunate to have many acres of state land to hunt. You must get off the beaten path a few miles to get into it, but it is available. But access isn’t really the issue I started addressing.
   Let me ask, what is the difference between sitting in your tree stand over a food plot that you planted to draw deer in or sitting over a bait pile you put out to draw deer in? I have no problem with either one of these methods when and where they are legal, within reason. Growing up on deep woods deer hunting as a kid, I do have trouble just sitting over food sources to shoot deer that come in, and calling it hunting.
   This is often the theme I hear when attending outdoor shows or in the reading. It is usually cloaked in the tactic of balancing the scales for yourself, but nevertheless I believe that too many have swallowed this concept to the exclusion of other methods. What has happened to such tactics as stalking, still hunting, tracking and trail/scrape hunting?
   Perhaps it is a shortfall of the new technological age we are part of, but we have become slaves to the charts, feeding schedules, moon phases and phases of the rut. I find that many outdoor show speakers and writers, if they are not toting their latest QMP techniques, are calling for strict adherence to one of these above mentioned “scientific” schedules. They are a useful tool at times but let’s face it, they are not always practical. For myself, I usually get only a few hours per week to spend fishing, hunting or even hiking or canoeing. If I limited myself to those times listed on the charts as the peak times for hunting, I would never get out in the woods or on the lakes. The bottom line is, I go when I have time to go, despite what the charts say about my chances of success. Strangely enough, I have gotten a few of my biggest bucks at a time the charts said I shouldn’t!
   Well enough of my pontification. I’ll step down now, but I hope you get the most out of your times afield and astream despite what experts try telling you.

A BRIEF LOOK AT CAMPING PAST AND PRESENT

(A Brief Look at Camping Past and Present by Bob Phillips first appeared in Lake Champlain Weekly in June 2010)
The Fourth of July celebrations are just about upon us. With this coming weekend we also see a jump in the family camping in our surrounding areas. Camping has taken on a new look for many but the basics are still the same. Taking a brief look at camping, we see that there are basically three types of camping still in vogue today. I made the choice of three types, backpack camping, tent camping and vehicle camping, because they are broad enough designations to cover the most common types.
The first is backpack camping. This is camping using the utensils and equipment that you and your group are able to carry on your back to some remote area. This may or may not include use of a small tent and often other luxuries are left behind for the sake of ease of burden. Backpacking did not really get it’s full growth until the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Often, before that time, campers stayed at some type of base camp and only hiked what was possible in a days outing. There were a few brush rats who bivouacked for the brief overnighter or two, but that really was not the norm much before the 1960’s. The explosion of backpacking really started a whole new industry in the outdoor pursuits, that of light weight technology.
Strangely enough, with the shrinking of truly remote wilderness areas and the physical expectations of the modern hiker, I see less of the backpack camping than in other years. Perhaps even the emphasis on leaving as small a footprint as possible on these areas has also persuaded many to forego camping and enjoy the wilderness in day excursions instead. They can often set up a base camp at a local campground and cover much of the wilderness in day hikes in and out.
The second form of camping is tent camping. This is usually confined to designated campgrounds where there may be many luxuries not found in the backwoods, or not! Showers, swimming pools, game rooms and numerous other activities can help fill in the nights of camping at many camping areas. If you are more interested in peace and quiet, there are also those primitive campgrounds that basically provide a somewhat level spot to pitch your tent and nothing else but an outhouse for your rest facilities. Many families begin their camping careers in this fashion.
The obvious difference in tenting from backpacking is the weight factor. Since you drive right to your camping site, you can often bring much more substantial camping equipment. The more recognizable features of this camping is the cabin style tents, multiple burner gas stoves, folding camp chairs and of course the large capacity insulated coolers.
At one time this was also known as, auto-camping. Meaning that you loaded up your automobile and headed to the wilderness to spend an extended period of time sleeping in tents, eating in the out-of -doors and generally getting away from it all. Different forms of tent camping actually predate the backpack camping by a decade or two, beginning back in the 1940’s and 1950’s.
Out of this comes the third type, the vehicle camping that many enjoy today. The popup/trailer/truck /motor home vehicles that populate many of our campgrounds today. Many still find this a relatively inexpensive vacation where they are still able to get in touch with nature and yet don’t have to sacrifice all the luxuries of home. This camper camping began back in the 1950’s and continues to have it’s ups and downs to the present day. It is often tied directly to the health of the nation’s economy, however, as much of this camping is a bit more expensive than the previous two styles.
This is not intended to be exhaustive look at camping but rather an introduction so that you see there are numerous opportunities to get out and enjoy the great outdoors around us on a whole different level. Camping out under the wide open skies.
Whatever the style of camping you like, I hope you do truly enjoy the outdoors as you head afield and astream this summer.

THE ADIRONDACK CAMPING MINDSET

     The often repeated mantra frequently heard in the Adirondacks is: "We're going camping this weekend!" Camping means different things to different ones.
     To some it conjures up the image of open skies, a campfire ring and a small backpackers tent. Others may see it as loading the camper trailer and driving to a multi-site campground and setting up camp in a prescribed manner by leveling the trailer and settling in.
     This is quite different than the concept of Adirondack camps which are, more or less, permanent structures built by owners on their own properties or leased land. The camping experience tends to be a more mobile experience in most peoples mind.
     For many, the whole Adirondack summer remembrance revolves around that camping experience whether only a short week in duration or a full month or more. Some even stretch the event over a few weekends, holding down their jobs during the work week and enjoying the weekends by camping at different localities.
    Often an individual's life history can be viewed by the different stages of their camping experiences. As the body grows older it is not so easy to camp on the bare ground or with minimal shelter and bed to sleep in. There is a natural progression toward campers, which are often easier on the body if not easier on the pocketbook.
     The one thing that can be said is that camping not only builds character in a person but it also builds lasting memories.

HIGH TECH EQUIPPING FOR HIKING

(High Tech Equipping for Hiking by Bob Phillips, first appeared in Lake Champlain Weekly in June 2010)
   Long gone are the days of pack baskets, canvas knapsacks, external pack frames and the old boy scout cooking kits. Even the revered stainless steel Sierra Cup is a relic of bygone days, of not all that long ago. Today the technology for the hiker is every bit as advanced as that of the fisherman or hunter. In some cases I believe the technology for hikers has even surpassed that of other outdoorsmen.
   I have been slowly and with some reservations been switching over to the minimalist or ultra light way of thinking in the hiking department. There are some things I just don’t buy into, but 99 percent of the time I find the new technology very superior to the old.
   The first of this month I was visiting the EMS store in Burlington, Vermont. I was looking specifically for drinking cups that were light weight and compact that I could carry while taking day hikes with our grandkids. I found just the item in the new xmug! These are collapsible soft formed drinking cups that serve well with cold or hot beverages. They come in a few different colors and collapse down to a relatively flat five eights of an inch and are only four and three eights inches in diameter. I picked out a bright orange xmug with a black rim.
   The xmug holds two cups of fluid and is calibrated to also serve as a measuring cup, for those times of preparing meals. The packaging states that they are lightweight and I guess that is a relative opinion as well. Since they fold quite flat, I think they can be tucked into your gear just about any place and should not be noticeable in the weight department. Personally I wouldn’t call them lightweight in connection with ultra light backpacking.
   They are just great for what I intend however, since we have six grandkids in all and could easily have two or three at any one time hiking with us, a few of these cups in my pack with do just nicely when watering time comes around. Each can have their own cup and then they are stowed back in the pack for the rest of the trip, without that annoying noise often associated with metal cups.
   There are a couple of other advancements in the technology as well. There is a new cooking system that is known as jetboilâ. This is a relatively simple system, so that even an uncomplicated type like myself might get along with it. It shortens the heating time of liquids especially and helps get the evening meal quickly. The days of trying to cook over open fires has long ago bit the dust.
   Water is always concern while you hike. It is almost impossible to carry sufficient amounts of water for extended hikes. You have to have either a filtering system or a purifying system to take care of your water needs. That usually amounted to either adding tablets to the water and then tasting horrible water for the next few days or using a filtering pump. Now PlatypusÓ has come up with the CleanstreamÔ system. Fill the one reservoir with available water and then hang it up higher than the receiving reservoir and let gravity take over. There is an inline filter to treat the water as it flows through the connecting tube.
   One final area that technology has assisted the hiker is in the new trekking poles. These new poles are truly lightweight and adjustable in length. The real benefit of trekking poles is found in the descent, especially on tired or sore knees. The new metals used are much lighter than the old alternatives. Some hiked with an old stick, bamboo staff, old ski poles  or extremely heavy adjustable poles. That is no longer necessary. The new trekking poles are simply too marvelous to be true.
   So as you gear up for this hiking season, look to the newer technology for your hiking needs. I didn’t even mention the packs, sleeping bags, tents and other equipment available. Perhaps another time!

HIKING TECHNOLOGY OF THAT WORKS

   Hiking has become a passion for many. There is a fairly new thought that extreme light weight equipment is the way to go today. The ideas is that if you carry all the essentials and they only add up to a quarter or a third of the older equipment you used to lug around, you will certainly enjoy the hike so much more.
   There are some limitations. Two liters of water still weighs in at two liters of water worth of weight. However the container you carry the water in can weigh either a few ounces or a pound or more depending on the choices you make in containers.

(hiking a typical Adirondack trail)

   There are still times when you may opt for a bit more weight in some items simply because of the greater durability of that item. Nothing spoils a hike or overnighter like a piece of failed equipment. This brings up another idea that is a good piece of advice to follow. Do not take a new, untried and untested item into the wilds without first know how it will perform and stand up to the rigors of the back country usage.
   Modern Technology has been a great boon to the back packer and camper of today. Technology allows us greater freedom to move about in the back country with ease and confidence. The one tendency that many still manifest is that tendency to pack more than is actually needed, and thus they defeat the advantages of technology.

TROUT OPENER: A BIG HIT IN 2010

(Trout Opener: a Big Hit in 2010 by Bob Phillips, first appeared in Lake Champlain Weekly in April 2010)
 
   April Fools day came and went without one person trying to play an April’s fool joke on me. At least I don’t believe anyone did. I was on the trout waters looking for trout on the first day of the opener. I suppose that one or two of those fishermen I spoke with could have been telling a whopper but it doesn’t necessarily have to be April Fool’s day for that to happen. Most of the accounts about the fishing I heard that day ran very consistent with one another, so I think I was getting the straight scoop.
   Trout opener was a beautiful day right from the start. It was above the freezing mark, maybe not by much at the dawning hour but it got up into the sixties before the day was done. Clear skies and a very light breeze when there was any breeze at all. Perfect spring day to be out on your favorite trout waters. Ice flows still cover many of our northern ponds and small lakes. The woods still hold some big patches of snow. On top of the few days of rain we experienced at the end of March, the waters were high but fishable.
   The small narrow creeks were running quite fast with the rain and runoff of the last few days. You needed to find stretches of flat, open areas on the rivers to be able to fish the opener. Some smaller creeks were lazy enough they could be fished easily, but in my immediate area I found the rivers much more to my liking. The usual fishing spots were busy with many fishermen, but not so many that we got into each others way. There were a lot fewer than many years. I believe many fishermen stayed home thinking the recent rains were going to make the waters to high and cold to be successful. That is too bad if you thought like that, because the fishing was excellent!
   I fished a couple hours in the morning before I came in to complete some work that needed my attention. I visited a couple of different spots to just check the waters and see what the rest of the day might bring. My first stop, I never even got out of my car. I saw that the water was racing through the ledges that I planned to fish and there was no sense in trying to fight that much water. The second stop looked much more promising.
   I had initially thought of fishing some of the smaller streams, so I brought my shorter spinning outfit for the morning trip. It was good for the first attempt I made at a small feeder brook. I got one strike from a trout but it was very half-hearted and I never hooked into him. Things were looking better all the time.
   The next stop didn’t produce even a strike. I was on a bigger body of water and soon found that the shorter spinning rig wasn’t as handy in this situation. I figured I would change to a longer outfit once I came out for the afternoon.
   It was at the next fishing hole that I saw the first indication that trout were present. One fisherman had caught a big brown trout. That was a nice trout to say the least. It was a 19-20 inch brown trout. I didn’t get a weight on it, but it was fat bellied and a beautiful fish. No one else was getting any strikes from trout, but it was encouraging at any rate. I neglected to ask him what he caught it on, but as I watched him fishing he seemed to be using a light colored, soft-bodied lure.
   I returned home during the late morning to take care of a couple of things that needed attention but determined to be back out as soon as possible in the afternoon.
   Early afternoon, I again hit the river and found the fishing much more pleasant than staying inside on such a beautiful day. During the morning I had already seen seven deer in three different places as well as other wildlife like turkeys and many songbirds. If nothing else happened it was still a pleasant outing.
   The first pool I hit was quiet. Nothing biting. No trout. Since this was the first spot, I was still optimistic. I headed down the road. The second hole was under a bridge. I always like fishing the holes around bridges. They seem to be deeper than other parts of the rivers and they seem to hold some of the nicest fish. A couple of US fishermen were already there when I arrived. I talked to one of them about how his day was going. They had caught one brown trout about 14 inches in length, but that was about it so far.
   I then went across the road to fish the other side of the bridge. I had switched my outfit to a seven foot spinning rod but I was still using the same terminal tackle on the end of the line. I don’t fish much with live bait, and very little with night crawlers or trout worms unless I am fishing for early trout. I had a gold trout spinner on a swivel with a single number 6 hook on the spinner with a couple of trout worms. I had added a couple of splitshot about a foot above the spinner for weight. I began casting this into the ripples and let it drift, then with a slow retrieve I kept it just off bottom as I brought it back through the eddy.
   On the third or fourth cast a trout struck! He was a nice looking one as he flashed around in the pool. I finally landed him and found he was sixteen and a half inches, weighing in at one pound and four ounces. My opener was complete. I was more than happy with that success. I fished a bit longer but I had other things pressing for attention so I quit a bit earlier than usual.
   Considering my own success and the reports of many fishermen I talked with, if you made excuse for not getting out on this opener in 2010 you really missed an opportunity. It was ideal fishing and that is enough said!
   Don’t pass up chances to get out fishing this year but get out afield and astream with your rod and reel

FISHERMAN OR ANGLER: WHICH ARE YOU?

(Which is your go-to rod of choice? The fly rod or spinning rod?)

  
Is there really a difference between the two terms or is the term angler just a bit archaic for today's usage. Perhaps I should have stated fisherperson or angler, or maybe even just fisher or angler, because today many ladies are joining the ranks of the angling club.
    Though these terms basically mean the same thing, defining that individual that goes out to catch fish, they seem to carry different impact depending on their usage and your view.
     The term fisherman tends to draw a picture of someone who is less selective in his pursuit of the quarry. I do not use that in a derogatory sense. It is just one who really loves to fish! Ready and willing to fish anytime and anywhere.
    Whereas the term angler seems to take a more scientific approach. You catch the idea of a purist dry flier, wading up to his chest in a large river, casting to rising trout. The film "A River Runs Through It" comes to mind.
     Obviously, neither is wrong or less than the other in the real world. The question is how do you see yourself, as a fisherperson or as an angler?

(Just under 17 inches of Brown Trout on spring opener)

FISHING FOR PANFISH

(Fishing for Panfish by Bob Phillips, first appeared in Lake Champlain Weekly in June 2010)
   If in your travels for fishing, you hit a place that just doesn’t have the game species you are searching for or those particular fish just aren’t hitting that day, you often find panfish in the area. These smaller game fish are both good fishing and good table fare but you have to find them in abundance and large enough to give you a good fight on light tackle.
   Many fisherman look down on this class of game fish, particularly the bluegill, sunfish or perch because they just don’t get all that big in most waters. Small six inch perch often become a nuisance very quickly when you are trying to catch something a bit more substantial. However, when you find perch or bluegills in the three quarter pound range and higher, then the fun begins. Not only do you have some good fishing fun but there is enough substance to fillet and have a delicious fish fry.
   Such is the case when I head south to visit my son and his family. We often go fishing and since it is in between seasons, the opener for trout and the opener for bass, we go fishing for panfish. This past week we had a great time fishing for bluegills on a couple of small Pennsylvania lakes. We caught a couple of bass as well and released them since the bass opener was still a few days away.
   We had an ideal setup for our fishing of the first lake. Two small boats with electric trolling motors to propel us around the lake. We fished night crawlers suspended about eighteen inches below a bobber. My son had an ultra light outfit and I was using a light rod with a super sensitive tip and open faced reel. My grandson and granddaughter both had regular six foot rods with Zebco 202 reels. Nothing complicated and yet more than sufficient for this kind of fishing.
    Immediately we started catching fish. This day, my granddaughter was the one catching the most. We had a great time boating one after another of bluegills and sunfish. Using my digital fish scale, we picked out the largest of the fish and weighed them in at eleven and twelve ounces. That’s not bad when a small panfish weighs three quarter of a pound. I have caught perch that weigh in at just over a pound, but that is rare on most of our waters.
   The fun begins once the hook is set and those large bluegills turn sideway to the line resistance. Those big slab sided profiles can resist a lot of water and it feels like your have a much larger fish on that light tackle. In some locales the record bluegills have been known to get up into the 2, 3 and close to 4 pound range. Here in our northern climates, however, the cold and short growing seasons do not produce such large panfish.
   The second lake we fished the next day was all shoreline fishing. We started out fishing with bobbers but I soon found that the wind was keeping the fish closer to bottom. We switched rigs and put on a dropped sinker and suspended our bait about a foot from the bottom. We started catching the occasional bluegill and perch. Nothing like the day before where we took home about three dozen bluegills for a fish fry. But there was still enough excitement to have fun fishing those worthy opponents.
   Not only can you have fun with light and ultra light tackle, but I noticed a couple fishermen were using fly rods and tackle. These large panfish must really put on a good fight on a fly rod.
   If you plan to have a fish fry, you want to fillet the fish as quickly as possible. These large bluegills made about three pounds of fillets. We dusted them in seasoned flour and fried them to a crisp golden brown. Served with white rice and vegetables, we had an excellent meal.
   When next you go afield and astream and you can’t find your favorite game fish, give panfishing a try. Even if you only catch and release, it just might salvage a day of fishing.

THE WHOLE INTENT OF THIS ADIRONDACK BLOG IN THE FIRST PLACE

     My intent is to keep each post approximately within the length of the first post and this posting. I will also post articles from my weekly outdoor column that has first appeared in Lake Champlain Weekly magazine and that are appropriate to the post of the day.

(canoeing on one of our lakes)

     There is always room for dessert! If you are like me, you love to view photographs from others. Photographs will also appear to augment the writing.
     I am an outdoor writer. This means that I write on all aspect of the outdoors. I certainly write on the hiking, snowshoeing, canoeing and skiing that our region has to offer, but also realize that I write on hunting, fishing and all other aspects of the outdoor activities our mountains and lakes have to offer.

(Granddaughter panfishing)

     I am a firm believer that all outdoors men and women can pursue their chosen sport and coexist peaceably with one another. We all stand to lose way too much if we allow dissension among ourselves.

(small game hunting)

  

 That being said, however, I also believe there is room for lively, respectful discussion among us on many different levels and topics. I look forward to your comments. I do not look forward to dealing with any swearing, vulgarities, sexist remarks, disrespect, inappropriate comments, name calling or anything I deem offensive.

(backwoods deer camp)

HIKING CLEARS THE MIND AND SOOTHES THE SOUL

(this article first appeared in Lake Champlain Weekly magazine, Sept. 1 2010 by Bob Phillips)

        In this age we live, there is much interest in physical activity. Many like to bike, walk, canoe, kayak and run in order to turn back the hands of time or at the least suppress the aging process. We try to enjoy a certain quality in our life that allows us to participate in the many things we find exciting and meaningful.
One of simplest of activities that we can engage in is hiking. Whether we enjoy short ambles out through the countryside or we enjoy the scenic nature walks along rivers, lakes or through the woods, the end result is the importance. Often we cut short the real benefit of these hikes. We don’t fully incorporate the true essence of the hike into what might do us the most good.
Certainly hiking is great for our overall physical health. We are well aware of the fact that we need to put in a certain amount of time with our heart rate operating at a certain level in order to gain healthful benefit from the exercise we undertake. But too often we are so concentrated upon the heart rate and maintaining the aerobic level of efficiency for the most effective benefit, that we miss out on another truly healthful benefit.
The physical health benefits can’t be minimized. But there is the mind and we might even mention the soul that also benefits from our hiking endeavors. The physical certainly allows our hearts to operate much more efficiently over long periods of time and under stressful conditions. There is also the calming effect of our exercise that allows our minds to strengthen and our souls to calm, even in the midst of stress.
Way too often I see individuals speed racing through their hikes, whether nature walks or mountain hikes, and I wonder if they really receive any enjoyment from these outings. Sure you can check off one more trail conquered or one more peak bagged, but did you enjoy the trek along the way? Or do you end the hike feeling more exhaustion than exhilaration?
When we put head down and with shoulders swinging we hit the trail and don’t look up until we cross the self-imposed finish line, we often short change ourselves. On any outing there is much to experience along the way that might well lift the soul and clear the mind of the complications of the day. To miss those experiences is a sad commentary at the least.
In my own way of thinking, I have solved more problems of life while out hiking than in any one other place I find myself. I have often cleared my mind of all the clutter that often fogs our insight for what lies ahead in life. This happens, not because I am so self absorbed during the hike that I rehash these things throughout, but rather because I allow myself this little bit of time to really get in touch with the natural world around me and experience the solitude and tranquility of a hike.
Little things often speak to our minds and souls if we just allow them the privilege. It may be something as small as watching a little toad along the trail or seeing a number of red efts coming out after a steady rain. Perhaps a snake crosses your path and you watch it’s searching progress as it hunts for food. Maybe you are lucky enough to find one of our larger yellow spotted salamanders following a particularly damp period of time. It may be something that is thought provoking such as finding an old stump torn apart by bears feeding on the insects found inside. All these unique experiences can refresh the soul and stimulate the mind.
Sadly, too often I find people do not see these things because they are too busy getting from point A to point B in the fastest possible time. I know this is true because I have often asked hiking partners if they saw this or that along the trail and the answer is always the same. “No, but I would have liked too!”
As the admonition goes, take time to smell the roses along the way, as you head afield and astream this fall because it clears the mind and soothes the soul.

A SIMPLE TREK IN THE WILDERNESS by Bob Phillips

     I am privileged to chronicle, on a weekly basis, many things about the Adirondack region. Writing for a local weekly magazine in the Northeast corner of New York, I find that the High Peaks region and the Lake Champlain valley offer amazing opportunities for the outdoors man and woman of today.

Looking toward Iroquois from Algonquin

    Some believe that we have tamed these mountains. Perhaps there is a kernel of truth to that thought. Certainly man has made inroads into the mountains that may never have been meant to be, but the mountains continue to fight against that encroachment. Some of the mystique of the High Peaks has diminished as the herd trails to their summits seem to get deeper and wider each year. On most peaks it is impossible to get lost, at least as long as you stay in the rut. But in spite of this, there is still a whole lot of wilderness in our Adirondacks.

View of one type of herd trail 

   The desire to interlace the sky ways with cell phone towers, thus greater cell phone coverage, under the guise of protection for mountain travelers, fosters belief that the mountains have succumbed to being tamed. I doubt this highly! There still remains much to experience in the wilderness of these mountains. There is an ageless quality about these mountains that must be experienced to understand their draw and enduring charm.

View of Mt. Marcy