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It's great that you do that, punkrockcaveman! We have a similar problem in the US with dog poop. People go through the trouble of bagging their dog's poop (as required in many wild spaces) but then leave the bags sitting by the side of the trail! The result is funny trail signs like this...

I carry a bottle bag that I made. I use it to remove trash from the trail. Many of the trackers I studied with make an offering of ceremonial tobacco or kinnikinnick to show their gratitude to nature. I decided to show my gratitude by removing "plastic offerings" others have left in the...

No. I have made smudge sticks with them. It was not known to be consumed by the indigenous peoples of my area of California.

In the US, the tracking community has discouraged the old practice of smelling scat. Raccoons and other mammal scat can carry parasites that can be transmitted to people by inhaling them. I mention raccoons specifically because their scat carry a parasite that can be fatal to humans. - Woodsorrel

I encourage people to hammock camp. Polar Bears enjoy a good burrito as much as the next guy. :) I spent time in Churchill this past winter observing polar bears. It was an amazing trip I will never forget. - Woodsorrel

@Man of Tanith, here's a link to the mocs I purchased. You can choose from several styles. I chose a "boot-like" moccasin. I have no experience using them outside yet because of the Coronavirus, and because I haven't recovered from the fall I described in my previous post. Men's Earthing...

I approve. :) - Woodsorrel

I use moccasins. I made my own "two piece" moccasins out of inexpensive suede. These are "mountain man" style and does not require much sewing. They are silent. I wear them over heavy hiking socks to cushion my feet, which are not toughened from walking barefoot. I also use them as camp...

Yes, I keep a journal. It has proven extremely valuable. I record things I observe, questions to research when I get home from the trail, notes from classes, the location of wild edible plants, etc... When I am disciplined, I use the Grinnell System. Since I am bad at art, I paste in...

I have greatly enjoyed using my F1 in VG-10. I just strop it to keep it sharp. But if I needed to sharpen it, I would use wet/dry sandpaper, a sharpie, and a mouse pad. Here is a review of the F1 in VG-10. https://www.natureoutside.com/fallkniven-f1-knife-review/ - Woodsorrel

I brought my original F1 with me on a recent trip to the arctic. I appreciated the hidden tang in the cold weather. Like gra_farmer mentioned, the original design speaks to me in a way the later versions do not. But it's a matter of personal taste. I'm sure you will enjoy either one. -...

My 2019 goals were: 1. Do a camping trip in the Tahoe National Forest to track American Black Bear 2. Visit Yosemite National Park to hike to Sentinel Dome and to Ostrander Lake 3. Spend a week in the arctic to observe polar bear and arctic fox 4. Do at least one ultraviolet hike 5. Learn...

Broch, deer have the same ability to see UV. Because I love to observe wildlife, I also wash my outdoor clothes in a detergent without scent or chemical brighteners. If you have a UV flashlight, you can use it to examine the clothing you wash in regular detergent. You will see the residue...

Janne, right now everyone builds their own spacecraft independently. Small spacecraft = small mass = lower costs to launch = less expensive. So there is no movement to build larger orbiting platforms. For Low Earth Orbit spacecraft (below 600 km) I believe there are regulations that they must...

The explanation I heard for this is that they can see urine trails from the small mammals they hunt. If you have ever used a UV flashlight in your bathroom, you can understand why. Animals like voles have "runs" they commonly use to move about. Seeing in UV would help the bird see the trails...

I will try. There are two reasons that immediately spring to mind why this may not be practical. Thermal design Space is a vacuum, so spacecraft cool through radiation. There is no convective or conductive cooling like we experience when we are hiking in a cold wind or lying on frozen...

There are three companies that plan large LEO constellations. I expect this will become a more common sight in the future. I have very mixed emotions. Fast Internet communications from anywhere in the world is a noble goal. And seeing satellites streak overhead is always a treat. But when...

Yes, I used the two mentioned in the article below. I thought the cell-phone based one (Echo Meter Touch 2) was awesome and easy to use. I especially like its auto-classifying feature. The Ananbat is more of a scientific tool. https://www.natureoutside.com/bat-banding-radio-tagging/ -...

Here's a list of bushcraft books you might like. There are "survival" books in some of the other lists on the same site: 2019 Bushcraft Book List Another option is to assemble a library of books that cover individual skills in depth. I find I get more complete information that way. Hope...

I wonder about that too, slowworm. There certainly seems to be a lot of attrition. My hope is that they're just spending more time outdoors. :) - Woodsorrel