Firearm Care And Maintenance
It used to be that firearm maintenance was more tedious and certainly more frequently needed than it is currently.
Basic Winter Safety
Where we live, winter uses up a lot of our time each year. The duration varies a bit, but it’s still a lengthy period…
Ammunition Choices
Currently, there is a much greater variety of ammunition choices for hunters than ever before in firearm history.
The Hunter’s First Rifle
The .30 calibre, is 112 years old and still high on the list as one of the most-versatile hunting cartridges in the world.
Yukon coyotes: The dos and don’ts
Coyotes are survivors and are very adaptable. Unlike other predators, they thrive living in our urban environment.
A bear spray refresher
They may still be good, but who wants to learn they don’t work while facing a bear? Each container has only eight seconds of spray.
Tackle box or junk box?
The water is still hard and ice-fishing is good, but now is the time to take out all your open water gear and do some maintenance and organizing. You could get by without a gear inspection, but come July you’ll hate yourself for the condition of your tackle and its containers. IEventually, we all have …
Taking water for granted
In the Yukon, we are spoiled with our abundance of water. Sadly, here and throughout most of North America, we use it (read “waste it”) as if the supply is infinite.
Arthritis: Minimize the difficulty
Here we are, much older than we used to be and almost all of us suffer from the discomfort of arthritis in various places.
Even at a moderate level of pain we find ourselves avoiding lifting, bending, and reaching, as all of those movements – and especially something sudden – hurts.
Local fishing in Whitehorse
Whitehorse is not a world-renowned fishing destination, but it is the entrance to the Yukon, which is one of those places on many people’s fishing “bucket list.”
Black bears and pike
After considerable thought, I can’t come up with any similarity between black bears and pike except that a lot of people won’t eat either. That is sad, as both are delicious and easy to prepare.
Salmon, twice as good
It’s hard to say which of these two salmon recipes is the best because both are delicious. The bonus is that each one is pretty simple to prepare.
Quit loafing around
Try your hand at baking bannock. All it takes is two cups of flour, less than a tsp of salt and about a tsp of baking powder.
Stressed out? Try mindfulness – Part 2
One of the main ingredients of doing mindfulness successfully is to be able to focus so that your brain and body can slow and calm down allowing you to relax.
Stressed out? Try mindfulness – Part 1
More than 35 years ago, I was taught a simple meditation routine. I did not then or now completely understand the mechanics of the routine, but I did it daily for a year or so.
Ice fishing safety
Yukon rivers all have currents, bends, gravel bars, log jams and usually decreasing water levels over the winter.
Time on the land – take a child with you
In my fairly lengthy experience dealing with kids in and about outdoor activities, I have found that they are like sponges when it comes to absorbing information. It is rare to find a child who isn’t interested in nature and the environment. Sadly too many youngsters (and adults) have become addicted to the small screen …
Buying a knife
Part 1 of 2 One of the more common errors made by someone young or otherwise inexperienced in selecting a knife is to buy something big (heavy) with a thick, long blade. A common example is any knife similar to the famous Bowie knife or one of those large “survival” knives with the hollow handle, …
Buying a knife
Part 1 of 2 Different knives are for different purposes, so peeling potatoes is not as easy with a Leatherman as it is with a paring knife. If your budget allows it, I think a person who hunts and fishes needs three knives. The angler can do a better job filleting fish with a knife …
Snow can keep you warm
With a little know-how and little or no tools, a snow shelter can save your life. It will amaze you how warm you are inside a snow structure.
Boat trailering suggestions
Larry has some tips to keep your boat trailer, and boat, moving I frequently see trailered boats with the outboard in the “down” position. This increases the chances of damage to the lower unit or broken prop blades from rocks thrown up by the truck or the trailer tires. If you must use the “down” …
Deer hunting recipes
With hunting season once again upon us, it’s time to attempt to read those hurried, scribbled-down notes of some great wild-game recipes that I have received from many of the big-game hunters I have met, or hunted with, over the years.
Camping: Timesaving tips
Foul weather can wreck more than your mood when you’re out camping and hunting moose. Simple tips and tricks.
A ravenous raven is a resourceful raven
The Yukon bird since 1985, the ubiquitous raven arrives out of nowhere and disappears just as quickly. It all depends on the food supply. They are a very social bird, often seen in pairs, but also in great mobs especially in winter on a food source. Scientific testing has proven these are very intelligent creatures …
Pike for supper
Pike are very common, not difficult to catch and are a delicious mild-flavoured fish. Their one big negative is that they have more bones than other fish, with those “Y” bones in a line along the thickest part of the fillet. The method to remove these bones is pretty straightforward and can be found on …
Who invited all these bugs?
Larry has some tips for getting rid of those pesky mosquitoes I’ve often wondered what it would be like to go camping, fishing, hiking or just relaxing by the fire without the abundance of biting insects that seem to enjoy the same places as we do. How about the frustration created by those two or …
The bears are back in town
Never far away, but hibernating over the winter, the bears are awake now and ravenously hungry. Actually, bears are always hungry.
Tinfoil and the barbeque
Tinfoil, as it’s commonly called, is actually aluminum foil. While it’s not essential, it is a boon to the fine art of barbequing. One of the first things to understand is that it comes in various weights/thicknesses and strengths. Some of it is so flimsy that it tears even while wrapping a nicely shaped potato. …
Bicycle bison hunt
The Porter Creek Secondary School bison hunt changed from a snowmobile hunt to a bicycle hunt due to lack of snow in March. The planning had been done for the 13 participants, six students, six adults (staff and parents) and Hunter Education Coordinator, Jim Welsh. The Porter Creek Secondary School group was part of the …
Fire – RIGHT NOW!
Many situations need a fire, right now! An emergency or something you come upon. May not even be an emergency or survival situation, yet.
Ziplocs and vacuum-sealing
Great for camping, canoeing and hunting, ziplocs are watertight. It can rain for days and the items in your Ziploc bags will still be dry.
Ice-fishing with kids
If you don’t make it fun, they won’t like it. Going out again will be unlikely. In that respect, it’s like summer fishing, only it’s cold as well as boring. Kids need to be entertained and that’s your job. They also do better if they have stuff to eat and numerous cups of hot chocolate …
Snowmobile survival gear
A little planning and preparation can save your day in many situations. The winter bison hunts and Dempster Highway caribou hunts are true examples of the extremes in planning and preparation when it comes to snowmobile travel. Some operators, who realize that bad things can happen, carry survival equipment. Others take off without so much …
Snowmobile ice travel
Larry Leigh has some tips to stay safe when venturing out onto ice on your snowmobile
Long johns—the cure for the common cold
These days, long johns are referred to as a “base layer” and are usually made from some very scientific-sounding material and come with a big, obvious logo to satisfy status-seekers.
Tips for cold hands and feet
In cold weather, a head without a hat on it can lose up to 50 per cent of your body heat and some of that wasted heat could have been going to your hands and feet to keep them warm. Your fingers and toes are the parts furthest away from the heat source that is …
The cooking fire …
A cooking fire isn’t just a miniature bonfire, and to make a good one takes luck, experience or some advice from someone who’s got a reputation for being a good campfire cook.
KD, rice and Pilot Biscuits
If you have a big budget and a small appetite, freeze-dried meals will work to keep you healthy on the trail. I have always found the servings too small and I’d need two of them to fill me up. They are certainly convenient and super light to carry. With a little imagination, you can end …
A shelter from the storm
It’s quite amazing how many people (if they admit it) have had a potentially near-death experience in the outdoors. It’s rarely a plane crash or a boat-sinking experience. Actually, these situations are often due to inadequate planning or mistakes. It’s just three years ago that four really experienced outdoorsmen went to shore in October to …
Preparing those tasty fish treats
Most Yukoners like to eat fish, but sometimes people want a different taste sensation. Here are some fairly simple options to try: Tasty Fish Treat #1 Ingredients Arctic grayling, filleted and cut into 1-inch squares Shake ’n Bake, for coating Oil, for deep frying Method Shake the fish in a ziplock bag with old-fashioned Shake …
Never-fail old standbys
It seems we are living in an age of electronic wizardry. Every season there is a raft of new GPS and communication devices as well as night-vision, heat sensors and range-finding scopes. In the current race to get all these new gizmos, we often forget about some old and very dependable items from the past. …
Schnitzel
Schnitzel is really delicious and fairly simple to make, but there is a bit of cleanup afterwards. It can be made with just about any kind of meat or fowl, wild or domestic. It isn’t a very common dish locally and is really delicious using some of that 100 or so pounds of moose meat …
Footwear and foot care
Our feet suffer less and work longer when they are cared for and housed in proper fitting, good quality footwear.
Axes
Axes are very useful tools here in the north where campfires, bonfires and wood stoves are a big part of life. Everybody has at least one tucked away somewhere.
Cartridges over 100 years old and still kicking
Even shooters in their 20s have had cartridges invented, failed to catch on, and disappeared in their lifetimes. Not so with the six I’ll mention in this short article.
Fishing with Children
The first rule of fishing with children is that it has to be fun or it will fail.
Garage Sales 101
Garage sales are friendly Saturday morning events where we get a chance to socialize with other shoppers and the households, neighbourhoods and organizations hosting the sales.
Fishing with children
Fishing for youngsters may be their first glimpse of ethics and responsible behaviour in relation to nature.
Be Prepared
It is absolutely amazing how even a little preparation can get us through challenges that could be insurmountable without a bit of prep time.
Low impact on the land
The sites you choose look good to you or you wouldn’t set up there. Make your best effort to leave them as you found them. PHOTO: Pixabay It really wasn’t too many years ago that campsites could be obvious almost forever due to the accepted practices of the day. Tents were different with straight …
Let’s use that whole bear
Sadly, black bears have an undeserved reputation of not being very good to eat. A number of Yukon hunters, including me, will dispute that thought as black bear is just as delicious any other animal hunted for meat in the Yukon.
Hearty Burger Soup
In a recent article on uses for ground meat, I intentionally left out soup so I could do this article on that topic. Burger soup is surprisingly easy to make and I am satisfied it will please even the most discriminating taste buds. The complete project, including cooking time is about 2 hours, but of course, longer …
What can we do with all this burger?
Ground meat is certainly one of the results of just about any successful hunt and this includes birds. With a little thought, there are a number of ways to use burger besides simple, but great-tasting, hamburgers. Grinding your own meat saves a bunch of money, but if you pay to have your meat ground, you …
Ropes and the rope bag
Ropes are the long standing traditional way to fasten or tie things down. These days, those ratchet devices with straps and hooks have replaced knots and loops. For some of us older people, ropes are still the logical tie-down tool.
Caring for the bison hunt rifle
Since the bison hunt started, hunters have had problems with their rifles. Steps to prep them for -25ºC to -40ºC range.
Moose round steak
Tenderloin and backstraps (striploin) get all the hype regarding being the most tender cuts off any wild game animal. They have a good reputation as they usually are tender unless they aren’t cooked properly – which is very often as many people insist on cooking wild game just like they would cook beef. For many …
Camp guns for bears
A “bear gun” in camp or at the cabin is very common in the Yukon. It’s primary function is for protection of the humans in camp.
Oil lamps
In modern times oil or kerosene burning lamps are used more as part of décor than to throw light on a situation. People nowadays run electric lights – either battery powered or using electricity – from the grid or a small generator. Propane lights are also used, but to a lesser degree than 20 years …
Yukon Share: Harvested gamemeat sharing program
After a few years of effort trying to put this plan together, the Yukon is now up and running with a “Hunters For The Hungry” type of meat sharing program. “Hunters For The Hungry” is in place in all 50 states in the United States and a similar effort in about half of the provinces …
The wall tent camp
Sleeping on good quality cots with a wood stove it was so comfortable that I stayed eight nights and prob-ably slept better than at home.
Whatever the season, hypothermia can be dangerous
It may come as a surprise, but more people are affected by, and die from, hypothermia in summer and other seasons than in the winter. That may be due to people being more prepared and being more careful in winter. Taking extra warm clothing with you at any time of the year can be a …
Whatever the season, hypothermia can be dangerous Read More »
Human Errors Re: Bears
Sadly some human errors are fatal mistakes when bears are involved. Bears are somewhat predictable, but there are many exceptions to that rule. As a result, humans must always err on the side of caution when in bear country. Recent photos in the news from Banff show two separate situations where a human has moved …
Oyster Sauce Makes it Better
Not too many years ago, I discovered oyster sauce during a barbecue at a friend’s house. I wasn’t sure what the new flavour was, but I really enjoyed it. I have passed on the secret to many others since then and all who have tried it rave about it. This sauce can be found in …
Black or Grizzly? It’s Good to Know
Just two weeks ago – and many times over the past – I’ve heard people say they saw a grizzly bear along the road or out in the wilderness. In many cases I have asked why they were sure it was a grizzly bear and all too often the only reason is that it was …
Salmon: Another Dijon Delight
Fire up the barbecue, here’s another never-fail salmon recipe. Salmon: Another Dijon Delight Ingredients: ¼ to ⅓ cup mayonnaise 2 Tbsp of your favourite Dijon mustard 2 tsp brown sugar 2 tsp fresh or concentrate lemon juice ½ tsp dill Black pepper to suit your taste Lemon pepper Olive oil Method: In a mixing bowl …
Salmon on a Stick
This shish kabob recipe works well, but be gentle as rough handling will cause the cooked fish pieces to break and fall off the skewer. Ingredients: Any size skinless salmon fillet cut into 1” cubes ½” thick sliced zucchini, enough to put 1 slice between every 2 pieces of salmon ¾ inch pieces of red …
Bear Spray
It’s that time of the year again, the bears are out and we need a refresher on bear spray. It isn’t magic – and definitely not the solution to all bear problems – but with a little know-how it will keep you safe in most bear encounter situations. Bear spray is a tool to help …
Salmon, Salmon, Salmon
Many household freezers have some – or even a lot – of salmon waiting their turn on the menu. Hopefully all our salmon is wild salmon and not the farmed Atlantic Salmon that is so common in stores these days. Farmed salmon looks and sounds to be less expensive, but if all the factors are …
Coyotes in the Neighbourhood
Coyotes inhabit everywhere from Central America to the Canadian territories. Originally they resided in the west, but now they reside all across Canada including Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland since the 1980s – they crossed over when ice tied the islands to the mainland. They are somewhat opportunistic in their menu choices, but mammals make …
Veggies à la Barbecue
I bet you can get your kids or even adult veggie haters to enjoy them done on the barbecue. Here are three simple and very tasty methods. Simple Method #1 Cut carrots diagonally, broccoli any size, cabbage in slabs or just about any other veggie. Wrap in tinfoil with a little olive oil and oyster …
Portable Burn Barrel
On a recent half-day ice-fishing adventure with our son, I got to experience some of the benefits of a portable burn barrel that he has been using for the past five or six years. He puts it to use throughout the year, but spring/autumn hunts and hard-water fishing are when it sees pretty consistent use. …
Firelighters
“It will take a few minutes.” Almost all the time, taking a few minutes to get a fire going is an acceptable part of the outdoor adventure. There are some semi-emergency or worse situations where we need the fire going right now and a few minutes is just too long. Getting warm is an immediate …
Happy Appies
Winter is the time for socializing around the wood-stove at the cabin or just in the living room at home. We all want to be warm and welcoming, but when people “just drop by” we get nervous about what we can feed them as far as snacks and appetizers are concerned. Certainly there are lots …
Fishing on a Budget
The equipment needed to start out fishing can be very expensive and it’s really easy to spend a lot more than you need to. One of the first things a prospective angler needs to learn is that the huge rack of lures and accessories was made more to catch you than to catch fish. There …
Hold Onto that Heat
Woodstoves are still a very traditional heat source for our homes and cabins. Firewood and stoves have always been messy with chips and bark in a trail from the woodpile to the stove, but it’s the way of the north. Sadly firewood isn’t as close to town now as 25 years ago and permits are …
Winter Bird Feeding
I feed the birds in winter because it makes me feel good to do it and the birds certainly seem to enjoy it as well. Squirrels certainly take advantage of the situation, but seem to be much less interested in the feeders that do not contain sunflower seeds. Squirrels can also be stopped by blocking …
Cast Iron: The Original Non-Stick Cookware Part 2
I have about 15 or so cast iron pots and pans with six or seven of them in constant use. The others, too good to pass by, are kept seasoned and see occasional use. At least one fry-pan is too big for regular use, but ideal for making breakfast for a crowd. It adds to …
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Cast Iron
Long before Teflon or other spray coatings were on your pots and pans, cast iron was easy to use and easy to clean. It’s been around for hundreds of years and although always heavy, was brought from Europe by the early settlers to North America. The large cauldrons and kettles, now no longer in use, …
Trail Snacks: GORP and Fruit Leather
GORP, aka Good Old Reliable Protein, and fruit leather are can be bought. Quality varies depending on how much you pay. They’re both easy to make and satisfy hunger pangs. Kids can make them; it’s a good rainy day project. GORP Read store bought GORP for tips on what you will make at home. It …
Boat Launch Etiquette
This was an extreme situation, but I once pulled up to the ramp to put my boat in the water and a Zodiac owner had just pulled his inflatable out of the water and onto the ramp. He and his companion then proceeded for at least half an hour to disassemble and pack up their …
PFDs are Only Good if You’re Wearing Them
I have often wondered just how I would feel if after falling out, I was 30 feet away from my drifting boat where my life jacket was draped over the driver’s chair. I have always been a strong swimmer, but the Yukon water is very cold and we are often bundled up in layers …
Remember Walking?
I still see a number of people out walking for exercise and just the enjoyment of it. It’s kind of a mindless activity at least on a smooth path, where you can unwind yourself or unwind an issue. Sadly for many, the only walking they do is to get to their vehicle or when leaning …
MAKE A BETTER FIRE
Except above tree-line, good firewood is available in most places in the Yukon but a few days of rain can make pretty good wood too wet to get anything but thick smoke and little flame. A short time spent on preparation can help to get at least a good cooking fire anywhere. In other articles …
Muzzle-Loaders
Until the mid to late 1800s, all firearms were muzzle-loaders, which, as the name implies, had to be loaded singly by pushing the components – powder, patch and projectile – down the barrel from the muzzle. This loading process made them slow to get ready to shoot again, compared to how the process was accelerated …
Axes: Use and Abuse
Winter is the busiest and most abusive time of the year for axes. They get a solid workout in the fall when we split the majority of our firewood, but all winter long they are used for making kindling as well splitting the rest of the wood. For some reason we have gotten into the …
Flinch: The Rifle-Shooter’s Nemesis
Have you ever wondered why bullet holes are all over the target; or, worse, why you had a good sight-picture but the animal was poorly hit and escaped wounded? The first thing to check is your rifle and sighting system. Look for loose sights or scope. Any sights, including the scope, even if not sighted …
Cooler Tips
These days the word “cooler” can mean a pre-mixed alcoholic beverage, but it’s also the name of an insulated box to keep your food and drinks cool. Coolers come in various shapes, sizes and prices. A really large one seems like a good idea until you try to lift and carry it after it has …
How to Deal with Tough or Strong Tasting Meat
Tough or gamey meat is a real challenge for you and your family. If the first meal doesn’t come off well, you’ll have a hard sell to get them interested in the remaining 150 to 200 kilograms that remain in the freezer. What can we do to make that situation better? First of all check …
Lists, Colour Coding and Labels
People new to outdoor activity such as hunting, hiking and camping are likely a bit more organized on the second or third trip than they were on the first one. At first the newbie often just stuffs the pack and gear boxes in no particular order and, unless they are lucky, has to go through …
Lost, Who Me??
I bet almost every backpacker, hunter or any other outdoor person has been lost in the bush, at least for a short time. Most won’t admit it, but will agree that they were, “temporarily unsure of their location” or “I got turned around.” It’s a blow to your ego to come clean and admit …
Chainsaw-chip Fire Starter
We get pretty good at fire-starting if we light enough fires, but there are some ways to make it even easier. Solid-fuel fire-starters work well but kerosene-dampened chainsaw chips are always successful at minimal cost. If you cut your own firewood, you can gather the chips around your saw-buck. If that isn’t possible, everyone has …
Hiking: Other Essentials
In previous columns, I’ve talked about food, tents, packs, boots, foot care and outer garments. Now let’s look at other things that range from nearly essential to nice-to-have. Cleanliness needs can be met with biodegradable products, or with a part bar of soap from the bathroom and a small shampoo from the travel section of …
The Camp Knife
Too often, I have seen people wearing knives that are really too big to take on any task except chopping down trees. These are often visitors, but locals sometimes wield these big blades as well. If we had junglelike undergrowth, maybe these machete stand-ins would have a legitimate purpose. I’m guessing that folks who really …
Clothing to Keep You Safe and Warm
Time on the land can be uncomfortable and even very dangerous if you aren’t ready for the weather nature sends to greet you. On a summer day in the alpine, all four seasons can assert themselves. The hiker who is prepared with good clothing, equipment, and attitude can actually enjoy the weather experience. Ill-prepared hikers, …
On Backpacks
Since people come in different lengths, so do packs. Most quality packs have frame adjustments to lengthen and shorten the unit. Some have no adjustments, but that’s fine if it fits you at the length it is. Don’t buy it simply because the price is right.
Freezing Fish
Over the years a few people have told me that due to a loss of flavour, they do not freeze fish and only eat them fresh. Certainly a well cared for fresh fish has a slight flavour edge on one that’s been frozen, but not enough difference to avoid freezing your catch. For most of …
Raingear
Over the years I’ve been out in the rain. I’ve seen people who wear raingear from ultra-expensive Gore-Tex to disposable vinyl rain ponchos, or even garbage bags. Huddling under a tarp is another common sight. How well the garbage bag/vinyl poncho crowd did depended on how long the rain fell, their attitude, and definitely their …
Grilling Salmon
Salmon can be grilled in your oven. Then, it’s referred to as broiling. It can also be grilled on the barbeque, or carefully over a campfire. During our lengthy winters broiling is the usual method at our house, but occasionally I dig the snow off the barbeque and ask myself why I am standing out …
A Hike or a Walk
Both hiking and walking use feet for propulsion. A walk is often more leisurely, unless it’s your mode of exercise, and it’s done without a load. A walk is usually undertaken close to home, it doesn’t usually cover too much distance, and it usually ends where it started. A hike, on the other hand, often …
Camp Tips and Ideas
Meat care: • Pre-cut ropes for hanging quarters. Make them six to seven feet long with a tied loop on one end to fasten to the meat. Leave them attached to lift meat up into a plane or a high truck bed. • Use a child’s crazy-carpet snow toy, or a quadruple folded tarp, to …
Cooking and Eating Ling Cod
Ling cod, or burbot, is very common in the Yukon’s southern lakes, and is quite easy to catch by jigging, bottom fishing, or using set-lines (which requires a free, separate fishing licence). These fish are bottom-feeders and are attracted to bits of fish belly on a single hook. They usually swallow the baited hook, so …
Ice Rescue By Others
Falling through the ice is less life-threatening if you are with others, especially if they’re prepared for such an event. Some very experienced Yukoners have put planes, trucks, four-wheelers, and snowmobiles through the ice. A greater number have gone through on foot. It usually happens quickly with little chance to take preventative action. If your …
Cold Water Immersion
The 1-10-1 principle refers to time: one minute, 10 minutes, and one hour. “One minute” deals with cold-water shock; when you first fall into the cold water. There will be an immediate deep gasp followed by hyperventilation and possible panic. Controlling panic and your breathing are critical to survival. This situation will pass in about a …
Ice Fishing Equipment
Ice fishing is a cold weather activity and your hands are involved in every operation, including cutting holes, setting up equipment, and hopefully handling fish. High quality gloves, mitts, and hand warmers are essential to keep at it for any length of time. Long before power or even hand-powered augers were available, holes for winter …
Ice Fishing, Part 1 of 2
In southern Canada’s ice-fishing season, lakes have been traditionally dotted with wooden ice huts or shanties. These are frozen in places with propane or home-built oil drip stoves to keep the anglers warm. Rarely in the Yukon have I seen such huts, but occasionally a collapsible tarp and plywood structure are seen. The modern ice-angler …
Sleeping bag selection
Sleeping bags are available from $25 to $2500, depending on your needs and budget. They will all be satisfactory if used as intended, but none will work very well if used other than what they were made for. Sleeping bags come in a couple of different shapes, a multitude of materials, and a variety of …
Making the Best of a Gunshot Animal
The heart-lung area is the place to put your bullet for a quick, clean kill on any big animal. The lungs supply oxygen, and the heart pumps oxygenated blood, so if you stop either one or both, the animal dies quickly and a minimal amount of meat will be destroyed by the bullet. Occasionally, even …
Knives For the Hunt
Generally speaking, a hunter should have two knives — one for camp chores, such as cutting rope, whittling a wiener stick, or cutting up vegetables. The second knife is for use after the animal after it is down. The general-duty camp knife should be a very convenient multi-tool as made by Gerber, Leatherman, SOG, or …
Cowboy/Camp Coffee
A little research shows me that “camp coffee” and “cowboy coffee” are the same thing, but maybe originated in different locations. Basically, each involves a fire, a pot, some water, and some ground coffee. Even the more intricate efforts involve these basic items. Most people who enjoy this type of brew like it for the …
Dumplings For Your Moose Stew
It’s an unfortunate household that doesn’t occasionally sit down to a simmering pot of delicious moose or other wild-game stew. It’s a meal that can be made easily in camp or at home and it’s guaranteed to satisfy even the biggest appetite. There was a time when a stew wasn’t complete without including dumplings (bread-like balls) …
Sheep Hunting Part 3
Many new gun cartridges have come to the market in the last few years. A number of them are in the 30-calibre-and-under range, and would be excellent for a sheep rifle. The old standbys, such as .270, .308 or .30-06 will never let you down if you do your part; they are also suitable for …
Sheep Hunting: Part 1
A sheep hunt is a true test of intestinal fortitude. It is similar to an alpine hike, but with a heavier pack — due to meat-care equipment, a rifle, and ammunition. And whereas backpacks are lighter coming down on hikes, if your sheep hunt is successful, the trek out includes hauling 75-90 pounds of meat, cape, and skull. Two hunters …
Rhubarb
It’s in almost everybody’s garden, and it grows totally untended in abandoned homesteads and mine sites — It must be a North American plant, right? Well, not so. it was brought to North America in the late 1700s, but didn’t gain wide popularity until the mid-1900s. This red-stalked, green-leafed vegetable is rich in vitamin C, …
Your Goose is Cooked
Unlike the southern provinces where ducks and geese are around for a few months, migratory bird hunting is not a popular activity here. But those who do make the effort can readily get birds for the freezer. Preparing these birds for the table is really quite easy, but, sadly many would-be or used-to-be bird hunters …
The Perfect Weenie Roast
As far as I know, electronic gadgetry hasn’t affected the humble hot dog. Having said that, I’m confident that somewhere out there there is a new gizmo guaranteed to make the perfect tube-steak. Making a hot dog can be a very simple operation, and that’s probably why it is so popular with very young children; …
Use and Care of Axes
On a recent visit to a friend’s place I noticed that his axe handle had a 10 to 15 centimetre warp, and the head was loose and rusty. I’ve never seen a warped handle, but all the problems were a result of lack of care. Swinging an axe with a loose head is very dangerous …
My View on Optics
Whether you’re a hunter, bird-watcher, naturalist, or a combination of all three, optics play a big part in the activity. Sure, wildlife can be spotted with the naked eye, but a device to magnify your vision is crucial if you want to see the creature in detail. A hunter’s ability to distinguish the sex of …
Fly Fishing for Pike
In the Yukon, fly anglers usually target arctic grayling, rainbow trout, or kokanee salmon in stocked lakes. These fish are readily available, fairly easy to catch and make great meals. One very common Yukon fish, usually overlooked by the fly-angler, is the northern pike. These great fish are often demeaned with nicknames like “slough shark” or “alligator,” and sadly …
Open-fire Cooking with a Dingle Bom
When my Swiss friend showed me how to use a “dingle bom”, he neglected to tell me how to spell it. I did, however, quickly learn what a great open-fire cooking system it is. It is simply a long pole resting on an “X” (bipod) made from two shorter poles. The part of the pole …
Smaller Guns for Women and Youth
If the gun doesn’t fit the shooter, learning to use it will be difficult and even dangerous. Traditionally, both rifles and shotguns are made to suit an “average” sized person, but sadly that person is male and is larger than the average woman or youth. A gun that is too long for the shooter cannot …
Duct Tape
Likely, most households, tool-kits, camping–boxes, and glove compartments contain a roll of duct tape. Originally developed to seal joints in cold-air ducts (hence the name), it has proven useful for many more purposes. As comedian Red Green says, “If you can’t fix it with duct-tape, you just can’t fix it.” He has shown over and …
Managing Recoil in Rifles
Newton’s law about every action having an equal and opposite reaction becomes obvious, and sometimes painful, when shooting any type of firearm. Firearm recoil or kickback is affected by the energy of the particular cartridge you are shooting, the shape of the stock, the weight of the firearm, the way the gun is held, and …
Of Course You’ll Stay for Dinner
You aren’t sorry for inviting them to stay, because they are all your kids’ best friends, but what can you make for dinner to satisfy a group that size? If you are a planner you’ll have many containers of spaghetti sauce, chili and stew in the freezer, but what if planning isn’t your strong suit? …
A Recipe That Might Change Everything: The Ziploc Omelette
Next to drug dealers, North American kitchens are probably the biggest users of smallish, sealable plastic bags. There are a variety of sizes and brands, but Ziploc is probably the best all-round choice. Not only can you freeze things in them, but if you’re careful there is at least one dish you can cook in …
A Recipe That Might Change Everything: The Ziploc Omelette Read More »
Bison Hunt: On The Table 5/5
When serving bison, ideally the first meal is raved about. If not you’ll have difficulty serving the remaining 2300 pounds in the freezer.
Bison Hunt: In The Kitchen 4/5
Nutrient comparison: fat per 100 grams of lean cooked meat: bison: 2.42 grams; choice beef: 10.15 grams; pork: 9.66 gram. Why we hunt Bison.
Bison Hunt: Field Care 3/5
I suppose by now some hunter has field-dressed a large wood bison by themselves, but I’ll bet they never want to do it again.
Bison Hunt: Getting Equipped 2/5
Hunting Bison isn’t easy. One bull broken down and weighed in pieces is 2,300 pounds. Big animals that can disappear after being hit well.
Bison Hunt: intro of the herd 1/5
1998 was the first bison hunting season. They did nothing to avoid hunters. Later they became wary so hunting them became more challenging.
Smoker Choice and Maintenance
Leaning against the counter at my wife Heather’s staff party, I listened to tales of hiking trips, caribou hunts, broken ATVs and fishing trips good and bad. With the plethora of personalities involved we heard many perspectives of a similar story, until the topic of ice fishing came up. Even the least experienced outdoors person …
Canning Wild Meat
Before electricity, drying and canning were the only ways to preserve meat, but I’ll bet it didn’t take long to get tired of eating dried meat.? With freezers in every home, canning meat has become very uncommon – which is a shame because it is easy, tasty, and it really tenderizes tough meat. It’s also …
Vacuum Sealers
Fish quality deteriorates faster than anything else in your freezer. Flavour loss and freezer-burn are the most common results. Double wrapping with plastic and butcher paper allows longer storage, but vacuum packing is the secret to longevity with frozen fish. The early versions of shrink-wrapping devices were large, expensive, and not as dependable as later …
Wrapping for the Freezer
Freezer-burn ruins a lot of meat, fish, and vegetables every year. It is caused by air leakage in the packaging, which allows the moisture to escape, drying out the contents. The drying out process leaves the product looking as if it was burned and it is ruined as far as human consumption is concerned. This …
Coleman: A Good Name in Camping Equipment
It’s been a long time since I was a child, but I clearly remember Coleman lights and stoves on my earliest family camping trips. These days Coleman produces various camping and outdoor equipment including canoes, coolers, tents, modern stoves, LED lights, and of course, old stand-byes like lights and stoves, using either propane canisters or …
Tarps Around Camp
Tarpaulins are a very important, but often under-utilized, piece of outdoor equipment. There is no reason why a nature enthusiast shouldn’t have a bunch of tarps in different sizes, since they go on sale for half price at Canadian Tire a couple of times per year. They come in different levels of quality, but the …
Lighting and Keeping a Fire
Fires keep us warm, get us dry, cook our food, act as a signal and make us feel good. Anyone can eventually get a fire going but getting it done quickly can be a life-saver, or at the very least get everyone warmer sooner. The “one match fire” works with practice, but carrying a minimal …
Axe Care and Use
I’ve never found a hatchet very useful, but they are very common camping equipment. If hatchet carriers tried a short, full-sized axe, I am confident they’d dump the hatchet. An axe, even a short handled one is used with two hands most of the time and packs much more impact when splitting firewood than a …
Boot Care
A high-quality, well-made pair of hiking boots will probably cost you much more than your sleeping bag and almost as much as your tent. Having laid out all that cash, you’ll probably want the boots to last for a few years and that is certainly possible with a little TLC. If you’ve cared for the …
Wild Game Chilli and Spaghetti Sauce
Up to a certain point in the preparation, spaghetti sauce and chilli are the same recipe. It’s only when you start to add the specific spices and extras that these two products need to go into separate pots. If you keep that in mind it will speed up the preparation of these two popular supper …
What to Have in a First Aid Kit
You’ll never be sorry for carrying a basic First Aid kit with you on your outdoor adventures. Kits are available ready-made, but they are expensive and often include something you’ll never need – and are missing something necessary. Having the First Aid kit is vital, but training is essential and available locally. You and your …
There’s a Bear in my Yard!
Whether your yard is a camp-site, the area around your cabin or your fenced residential property, it is still disconcerting and sometimes frightening to have a bear that close to you. It’s more common than we realize because a bear may check out your space and finding nothing to attract and hold it there, and …
More Tips About Tents
Now that you’ve selected a tent and figured out how to set it up, let’s consider some more tips to get the best use out of it and to make it last for many years. The fly that came with the tent is essential. No matter what the weather is like at set-up time, put …
Oyster Sauce and Tin Foil
A roll of aluminum foil can be a time and energy saver when cooking over an open fire – or even at home with the barbeque. The first step to minimizing problems is to buy wider and better quality foil. To cook on an open fire, make your fire in the shape of a key-hole …
The Tent: A True Survival Item
If you are interested in sheep-hunting or high country backpacking, then your tent may be the most important item you will ever own. Suffer through bad weather and your attention will quickly be drawn to the difference between low and high quality tents. Over the years, I’ve seen and heard about a number of tents …
How to Cook a Meal in a Pit
Yukon is blessed with many pea-gravel beaches surrounding our lakes. These locations are perfect for pit-cooking. It is a bit of effort to dig out the pit, reduce the fire to coals, prepare the food and arrange it on the fire, but once you’ve done that you can relax. Food wrapped in good quality foil …
Home-Made Trail Snacks
Fruit Leather is a chewy fruit roll or bar made by blending and drying fresh fruit into a leathery consistency. If it is kept cool it will last for the duration of any trek or sleep-over. To make your own, use a Teflon coated cookie sheet covered with a plastic wrap held around the edges …
Warm Feet, Happy Feet
Everyone has had cold feet ruin or at least negatively impact an otherwise great day. Our feet are some distance away from our body heat source and are constantly in contact with cold ground, water and snow. Treat them right and you’ll stay happy. This is doubly important with kids’ feet because their misery becomes …
Winter: Time to Repair the Summer Toys
We all plan to spend part of the winter checking out and repairing some of our summer-use equipment. But just like New Years resolutions many of us seem destined to fail our plan. But we can get some of this done if we put our minds to it during a slow evening or weekend. There …
Firearm Care for Cold Weather
A rifle or shotgun is a tool used to help put meat in the freezer. Like all tools, a firearm needs a little TLC so it doesn’t let us down when we need it most. For most of the year, a routine cleaning leaving a thin film of oil, and perhaps a little grease or …
Sleeping Outdoors
Trappers and dog mushers have always slept out in the cold and with a few exceptions have done well. I got my start in occasionally sleeping outdoors in the winter in 1998 during a winter hunting season for bison. A lot of hard lessons were learned and planning and preparation swiftly became more important. A …
How to Make a Tender Dish Out of Tough Meat
They say that with a big bull bison even the gravy is tough. If you are in possession of such an animal you may have 900 pounds of very tough meat. Some moose are just as tough. The following suggestions may help you create meals to be enjoyed by everyone. First, make as much ground …
Dressing for the Cold
Wearing high quality brands certainly helps, but the real key to staying warm in winter is dressing in layers with the ability to vent off excess heat. The secret is using three layers as follows: WICKING LAYER: This layer is next to your skin and wicks away perspiration (we all sweat whether we like it …
Budget meals for backpacking
I haven’t had any freeze-dried back-packing meals for a long time. They may have changed, but I always found them to be very expensive with very small servings. In order to fill my stomach and keeps the costs down, I’ve always travelled with the food described in this article. The first step is getting an …
Hypothermia: Symptoms and Prevention
Hypothermia results in death far more often than many might realize. Often the reported cause of death is drowning or heart attack but it’s hypothermia that brought about that condition. Anyone who has spent time on the land has had at least the early symptoms of hypothermia, or exposure, as it used to be called. …
How To Assemble a Winter Survival Kit
Most survival situations don’t involve plane crashes, floods or blizzards. Usually they are fairly routine events such as a broken motorboat propeller, water in the gas, a broken ski or a sprained ankle. All of us with some time on the land realize that things often happen that were not part of the plan. At …
Knowing the Tricks to Starting a Fire Can Save a Life
After a long day on the trail, or a short day in foul weather, there is nothing quite so comforting as a fire. And just think what it does for us in a survival situation out on the land.
Spring Black Bear Hunt
An annual rite of spring for many Yukoners, including me, is the hunt for a black bear. Grizzly bears are also active and available, but I am only interested in hunting something I can eat. Grizzly bear is not on my menu. Check the hunting regulations for seasons and bag limits, but mid-April to mid-June …
Cast Iron: The Heavyweight of Cooking
Cast-iron cooking implements have been used in kitchens for hundreds of years, and are still very popular with all of us who have taken the time and effort to learn how to use them. They are equally at home on a campfire or your kitchen stove and oven, though due to their weight, you won’t …
Ice-out Lake Trout
The three most targeted fish species in the Yukon are lake trout, Arctic grayling and pike, and are sought after in that order.
Pike in the Shallows
Pike spawn in the late spring and depending on where you are fishing are available in shallow water well into early July. Among my favourite places to try are the high-water sloughs and back channels along our many rivers and shallow bays such as Jackfish Bay on Lake Laberge. These areas are often navigable if …
Stir Fry and BBQ: Making the Most of Your Game
So you’ve got 250lbs of moose or up to 500lbs of bison in your freezer? You’d better hope the family likes the first dish you prepare, because there’s a lot more where that came from. Most of the problems with wild meat go back to how it died and how it was dealt with from …
Lip-smacking Ling Cod
Ling cod, burbot, fresh-water cod—call them what you like, we can all agree that they’re delicious. I’ve yet to hear of a complicated recipe, but there are probably some available. As mentioned in my Step Outside column in this issue, dressing-out a ling cod is different from handling any other Yukon species. When you have …
A Great Late Winter Catch
If you catch a fish in the Yukon that looks like nothing you’ve seen before, it’s likely a ling cod. Ling cod and burbot are the usual names used in the Yukon, but this fish is common in much of Canada and goes by a number of local names, depending where you are catching them. …
Canning Fish and Wild Game
A very traditional—often thought of as old-fashioned—way of preserving fish and wild game is canning using the pressure of steam. Unless you have a friend to lend you a pressure canner, the start-up cost can be between $100 and $200 to purchase the necessary equipment and accessories. In olden times, cans were used even at …
Meat Care Basics
When you have 300-500 lbs of moose or bison in your freezer, you really need to have everyone in the family just love the first plateful that you serve them. If you prepare properly as set out below, you increase the chances of that first meal being so delicious that it causes them to …
Moose Hunt Essentials
A moose will often fall exactly where you had hoped they wouldn’t. Here a prepared hunter shines and the newbie learns a few lessons.
Fish Smoking Basics
Smoking fish and making jerky are somewhat similar in that the process removes the moisture from the product (fish or meat). In either case it is your preference as to how dry you make it. If either is completely free of moisture it will keep without refrigeration, but it is not nearly as palatable as …
The Faithful ’06
The 30.06 Springfield is now over 100 years old. With a 180 grain bullet tit is the minimum cartridge to hunt bison in the Yukon.
Campfire Bannock
Bannock is another old favourite—at least the eating part. Making it is simple, but it impresses everyone in camp cooking it for them.
Jerky 101
So midsummer is approaching, hunting season is just weeks away and you have an abundance of meat left from last years. There are a few options to consider. They range from not hunting this year (not a likely choice), passing some meat on to someone who will use and appreciate it, making a bunch …
The Old-fashioned Shore Lunch
If you’ve ever read about—or been lucky enough to go on—a guided freshwater fishing excursion, there’s always a shore lunch included.
