"When I have been asked during these last weeks who caused the riots and the killing in L.A., my answer has been direct and simple: Who is to blame for the riots? The rioters are to blame. Who is to blame for the killings? The killers are to blame."Dan Quayle
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6 Things You Must Do If You Want To Have The Secret To Catching More Trout
It has always been my private conviction that any man who pits his intelligence against a fish and loses has it coming. ~John Steinbeck 1. How Fish Think When you hunt for deer, and any other animal for that matter, there are some set rules you have to ...
Hunting By Moon Phase: Your Best Season Ever
Every season, millions of hunters take to the woods with renewed enthusiasm and vigor. Unfortunately, many come away empty handed, returning day after day to face similar results. It's every hunter's biggest dilemma, but some have found the perfect ...
Outdoor Navigation Tips
Hiking, and in particular hiking in remote areas, is a great experience if approached with due regard for fitness, safety and skill. One of the major skill categories, is the ability to navigate with or without compass and map. Ideally, no one should ...
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Having a good time is pretty high on everyone’s to do list, especially when surrounded by awesome views and super-awesome friends. We hike, bike, climb, camp, raft, fish, hunt, four-wheel, sleep and eat – among other things – in the backcountry. If not done properly, that’s a lot of wear and tear on our natural resources. Responsible recreation ensures future outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors as you have. Without a recreation code of ethics, our backcountry would become a thing of the past. Here are some universally agreed upon keys for having a good time – the right way.
-Take only pictures, leave only footprints. If you carry it in, carry it out. This will eliminate litter.
-Protect water sources from contamination. Use bio-degradable soap, or try hot water soap-less dishwashing, bathing and clothes washing. When using soap (even bio-degradable) and toothpaste, dispose of the wastewater at least 100 feet away from natural water sources, well or faucet water sources.
-Be a good neighbor - control your noise and your pets. Always keep your dog on a leash no longer than 6 feet, and away from public swimming areas. Barking and not cleaning up after pets leads to many complaints from other outdoor enthusiasts. Do not leave pets unattended.
-Be respectful of the natural environment – keep the trees and shrubs alive and growing. Nails and wires should not be used on trees because they can cause serious damage to trees. Burn damage will permanently scar or kill a tree.
-When hiking or biking, stay on designated trails. This keeps damage to vegetation and erosion in one place.
-Before leaving your
campsite, clean your fire pit and your campsite. Make it as clean as you would want it if you were arriving that day. The next user will appreciate it.
Leave-No-Trace, www.lnt.org, offers the following Principles for Outdoor Ethics: Plan Ahead and Prepare, Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces, Dispose of Waste Properly, Leave What You Find, Minimize Campfire Impacts, Respect Wildlife and Be Considerate of Other Visitors.
Here is the Tread Lightly!, www.treadlightly.org, pledge: Travel and recreate with minimum impact, Respect the environment and the rights of others, Educate yourself – plan and prepare before you go, Allow for future use of the outdoors – leave it better than you found it and Discover the rewards of responsible recreation.
Responsible recreation means having the common sense and the courtesy to enjoy the backcountry without spoiling someone else’s experience. Most outdoor enthusiasts understand this very well and spend a good deal of their time restoring, enhancing and conserving our backcountry. Have a good time when you’re outdoors, share these keys with your friends and use this information to Get It Right The First Time.
Get Outdoors!
Chuck Fitzgerald ©2004. All Rights Reserved.
Chuck Fitzgerald is the President of Arizona based BackCountry Toys, an online store providing backcountry specialty gear and educational information for outdoor enthusiasts. Visit www.BackCountryToys.com to receive the free newsletter "FreshAir” or call (800) 316-9055.
chuck@backcountrytoys.com
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