​Across the wooded parts of the United States and Canada, there are bears. Here in New England we have Black Bears; lots of Black Bears. Black Bears prefer large forested areas with a combination of evergreen and deciduous trees with a mix of wetlands, thick vegetation and a wide variety of food to include berries, beechnuts and acorns. Since Black Bears are omnivores, in addition to nuts and berries they also eat carrion, small animals and insects. They like to stay in areas that are relatively undisturbed by humans and are without high traffic roads. Their dens range from hollowed out or fallen trees, rocky ledges, small caves and brush piles. Most Black Bears camouflage the entrance to their den with wood, leaves and brush to make it hard to find them during the winter. 

​The Black Bear is the largest meat-eating mammal in New England with males weighing from 130 to 600 pounds and females weighing from 100 to 400 pounds. Based on the latest estimates Maine has ~30,000 Black Bears, New Hampshire has ~5,700, Vermont has ~5,150 and Massachusetts has ~4,500 - and their population is growing. 

So if you are out in the woods hiking or camping this Spring, you will certainly see signs of bear activity – and you might even run into one of them. Because of the potential danger bears pose most of us know that if you encounter a Black Bear you should make your presence known by making loud noises and waving your arms. If you surprise a Black Bear, walk away slowly, while facing the bear. Do not turn your back and run, which may trigger them to give chase. Never look a bear straight in the eye. The bear may perceive this as a threat and charge. Sometimes a Black Bear will bluff charge you to within a few feet. If this happens, try to stay calm and slowly retreat, waving and shouting as loudly as possible.
 
Even though most of us know about the danger that Bears present twenty-five fatal Black Bear attacks have occurred in North America during the past 20 years (1997 - 2017). If you want the details on these fatal attacks you can find them in this great article from Wide Open Spaces:
​
https://www.wideopenspaces.com/list-fatal-black-bear-attacks-north-america-last-20-years/

So what if you take all of the precautions and actions listed above and none of it works? What then? Well if you’re really in Bear Country then you should probably have a firearm with you. If you’re hunting that firearm is probably a rifle – and that will certainly dispatch a Black Bear if used properly (e.g. you shoot the bear before it gets close to you). But, if you are just hiking or camping, chances are that it’s not a rifle – it’s probably a handgun. So the age old question is “Will a handgun save you from a bear attack”? Well now there’s an answer to that question thanks to Dean Weingarten’s recent detailed analysis of 63 bear attacks where a handgun was used to fend off the bear. Contrary to many myths, Dean’s analysis found that handguns were 95% effective in defending against a bear attack.

• Five cases involved a .22 rimfire pistol. Four were successful against black bears. One failed against a polar bear.
• One case involved a .380 pistol. It was successful.
• Five cases involved 9 mm pistols. All were successful.
• One case involved a 9.3 x 18 Makarov pistol (in Russia). It was successful.
• Two cases involved a .38 revolver. One was a success, one was a failure,
• Three cases involved.357 revolvers. Two were successful, one was a failure.
• Three cases involved .40 caliber pistols. All were successful.
• Two cases involved a 10 mm pistol. Both were successful.
• Two cases involved .41 magnum revolvers. Both were successful.
• Nineteen cases involved .44 magnum revolvers. All were successful.
• One case involved a .45 Super pistol. It was successful.
• Two cases involved .454 Casull revolvers. Both were successful.
• One case involved a .460 Smith & Wesson magnum. It was successful.
• Eight cases involved handguns that were not identified. All were successful.

 
Dean’s bottomline is that of the 63 pistol defense cases, 60 were successful and three were failures.  The three pistol defense cases that were categorized as failures were:

• The use of a .22 handgun against a polar bear in 1995, in Svalbard, Norway.
• The use of a .357 against an Alaskan grizzly bear by a geologist in 2010 (it is likely the bear was not hit in that incident).
• The use of a .38 revolver in a September 2015 New Mexico incident with a black bear sow and cubs, where the defender climbed a tree. An official reported the defender said he shot in the air and at the bear. The bear backed off twice, but did not immediately leave.

 
Based on Dean’s detailed analysis of these 63 bear attacks it’s clear that using a pistol to defend against bear attacks is a very viable option. You can read the complete Ammoland article here:

https://www.ammoland.com/2019/03/pistols-or-handguns-used-to-defend-against-bear-attack-95-effective-63-cases/#axzz5iiR7Ednt

​Are you wondering who made all those tracks in the fresh snow? If so here's a great pocket guide to animal tracks. It shows both the track pattern (e.g. how the wildlife walks) and what the front and hind footprints look like. It even has a ruler so that you can measure the prints. It's a lot of great information on a single page.

​If you want even more information about animal tracks - here's a link to the iPhone app that we use - "iTrack Wildlife Pro" by Jonah Evans. The app has detailed photos and information for 70 common mammals of North America, to include over 700 high quality track (with precise front and hind track drawings and detailed track, gait, and “similar species” descriptions for every animal), sign and animal photos with detailed captions.  It even has 120 detailed skull photos for 41 of the species just in case you run across a skeleton during your adventures. The app also stores the Wikipedia page for each species so that no internet connection is required to obtain even more details about the animals. 

​The app allows you to search by the following criteria:

• Common and Latin Name
• Track Length and Width
  
• Number of Toes
• Shape of Toes
• Claw Size
• Track Symmetry
• Mammal Family
• Location by US State, Canadian Province, or Mexico

​The 70 animals currently covered by the app are:

You can learn more about the app, and see more information about tracking, at the “Nature Tracking” website: http://www.naturetracking.com/

If you want to purchase this app you can get it at the Apple App Store or Google Play store.​ You can download the “iTrack Wildlife Lite“ app for free, the “iTrack Wildlife Basic” app for $4.99 or the “iTrack Wildlife Pro” app for $14.99. The Pro app may seem a little expensive – but if you’re serious about animal tracks you should spring for the extra cash because it's good.
 
Here’s the link to the Apple Store for iTrack Wildlife Pro:
     https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/itrack-wildlife/id478516226?mt=8
 
Here’s the link to the Google Play Store for iTrack Wildlife Pro:
     https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.itrack.Pro&hl=en

​Recently one of our readers, Michael Bourke, the Founder of SciCamps.org, dropped us a note with links to several articles that he's found useful in his outback adventures with his son and family. In Michael’s own words:

​Since the main purpose of our website is to spread knowledge about Hiking, Camping and Shooting, we thought that we would pass the links to these interesting articles from Michael along to all of you. 

Camping Gear and Apps
Camping Gear Checklist
          - http://www.albertawow.com/camping-check-list.htm
 
Trekking: Stay connected with our favorite outdoor apps
          - https://www.themanual.com/outdoors/best-outdoor-hiking-and-camping-apps/
 
 
Camping with Kids
25 Camping Hacks to Teach Your Kids
          - https://www.wideopenspaces.com/25-camping-hacks-teach-kids/
 
Backyard Camping for Kids with Disabilities
          - https://www.homeadvisor.com/r/backyard-camping-for-kids-with-disabilities/
 
20 Fun Camping Games for Kids
          - https://www.personalcreations.com/blog/camping-games-for-kids
 
 
Camping with Dogs
Camping with Dogs: An in Depth Guide to Doing It Right
          - ​https://coolofthewild.com/camping-with-dogs/
 
 
Winter Camping
13 Insider Tips for The Perfect Winter Camping Experience
          - ​https://www.marmot.com/destination-guides/MHyqku4t623iKeDFQbUgn31L.html

​On his website Michael has a "growing list of sortable science camps across the United States”. So, if you have a minute, and are interested in camps that have a scientific slant, you might want to check out the SciCamps website that’s in the early stages of currently being built out:   http://scicamps.org/
 
If any of you have any interesting articles, or comments, for us – please send them along. We’re always happy to hear from our readers from around the world!

​Keeping your knives and other blades sharp is critical since a sharp blade really reduces the effort you need to expend to cut something.  In our experience, to really sharpen your blades correctly you need three sharpening stones - one to rough-grind, one to sharpen and one to hone. So, although we already have a file for when we’ve really nicked up our machete, hatchet or axe blades, a dedicated sharpening stone (325/750 grit) for normal sharpening, and a small sharpening stone (120/400 grit) for on the spot touchups, and backup in the outback, we decided to add some finer (e.g. higher grit number) sharpening stones to our gear – especially for our knives. To that end, for medium to fine sharpening and honing we purchased two different dual-sided Unimi Professional sharpening water stones; one with 600/1,000 grit and the other with 2,000/6,000 grit – both for use before we head out on any adventure.

You can find the details about the Unimi Professional Sharpening Water Stones on the Camping/Tools page.

​When we’re in the outback, especially the deep outback, we like to have all the necessary navigation tools that we can (e.g. trail map, compass, GPS app, etc.,) to make sure that we successfully find our way to where we are going. But, in addition to having these tools, you need to have the knowledge related to how to use them, and the basic knowledge of how to read the signs of the wilderness around you.
 
So, if you're looking to enhance your backwoods navigation skills, you might want to check out Tristan Gooley's "The Natural Navigator" website. The site gives some great tips on how to use the Sun, moon, stars, sea, plants, animals and weather to help you find your way. The website has lots of great information and write-ups on how to navigate in the wild; it even has tips about how to navigate in a city and in extreme environments. 

You can check out “The Natural Navigator” at: https://www.naturalnavigator.com/ 

If you want to read a brief overview of natural navigation, here’s a good article, written by Sommer Mathis for Atlas Obscura back on 25 July 2017, that provides a good overview – “An Animated Guide to Nature’s Best Wayfinding Secrets”. The article covers five of Tristan’s favorite natural navigation tricks:

1. You can use the crescent moon to find south (or north)
2. Paying attention to birds can help you predict the weather
3. Most trees grow in a check mark shape
4. At a T junction, you can usually tell which way to turn
5. You can use Cassiopeia to find the North Star

 

You can read the entire Atlas Obscura article here: ​

If you want to learn even more than is covered in the brief Atlas Obscura article, or what is written on Tristan’s website, you might want to check out one (or more) of the books that Tristan has written to share his knowledge and expound on his point of view:

• The Natural Navigator (2010)
• The Natural Navigator Pocket Guide (2011)
• The Natural Explorer (2012)
• The Walker’s Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs (2014)
• The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs (2015)
• How to Connect with Nature (2015)
• How to Read Water (2016)
• Wild Signs and Star Paths (2018)
• The Nature Instinct: Relearning Our Lost Intuition for the Inner Workings of the Natural World (2018)

After I posted the blog about getting a new Silky Ultra Accel Curved Blade Folding Saw (Large Teeth 240mm, 446-24) for Christmas I received a few questions asking about the pros and cons of different types of saws and how a person should go about choosing a saw. So I thought that I would take a crack at answering those questions in this blog post. Note: We also have a Chainmate CM-24SSP 24-Inch Survival Pocket Chain Saw. You can see the details related to both of these saws on the Camping/Tools page.
 
Types of Saws Overview
First of all there are three basic types saws to consider when looking for a saw to take with you into the outback (specifically excluding the typical “wood shop” hand saw – which is great for construction at your house – but lousy in the woods):
​
              1) Bow Saws
              2) Folding Saws
              3) Pocket Chain Saws

​Since each of these types of camping saws are significantly different let me touch on their advantages and disadvantages.

Bow Saws – Bow saws are probably the most efficient type of camping saws. A reputable brand’s saw will have a stronger frame, more clearance and longer blades, improving your ability to cut larger logs and green wood. The biggest advantages of bow saws are that they are sturdy and efficient. The biggest disadvantages are that they are heavier, oddly shaped and do not pack very well. To address these disadvantages there are several folding bow saws on the market, but in our opinion these hybrid designs decrease the effectiveness of the saw (mostly due to the reduced clearance space between the saw blade and the frame) and only partially solve the packing issue since you have to reassemble the saw to use it. If I was in a stationary campsite, I would choose a bow saw because of their stability and efficiency – but a bow saw would not be my choice if I’m hiking and camping due to their packing shortfalls. If you want to check out bow saws you might look at the following 8 popular ones:

• Filzer Buckster Bow Saw
• Bahco 21” Ergo Bow Saw
• Gilmour 21” Bow Saw
• Sven Saw 15-inch Saw
• Agawa Canyon - BOREAL21 Compact Folding Bow Saw
• Gerber Freescape Camp Saw
• Coghlan’s Folding Saw
• Zippo AxeSaw 

Folding Saws – Folding saws are our preferred type of saw for camping since they do the best job of balancing cutting efficiency and packability. There are lots of folding saws on the market, but we prefer saws that cut on the “pull stroke” instead of saws that cut on the “push stroke”. In our experience the fatal flaw on most folding saws is the thickness (or thinness) of the blade. On pull stroke saws there is less pressure on the blade when it is cutting since it is being pulled back toward you. Whereas on saws that cut on the push stroke there is maximum pressure on the blade when it is being pushed forward to cut. Often times this causes the saw blade to flex and bend/break if it binds up while cutting. In contrast, if a pull stroke saw binds while cutting it just gets stuck – without bending/breaking the blade. The biggest tradeoff on folding saws is the length of the blade since that dictates what size wood you can cut and how long/heavy the folded saw is. We think that you need a blade that is at least 8 to 9 inches long to be effective. The other critical component of a folding saw is the handle – so make sure that you have one with an ergonomic design that fits your hand (diameter, length and material) and how you saw. Also make sure that the saw has a mechanism that locks the blade into position when it is in use since there are few things more painful than having a saw blade cut into your hand while sawing. If you want to check out folding saws you might look at the following 8 popular ones:
 

• Silky Ultra Accel Curved Blade Folding Saw, Large Teeth 240mm, 446-24
• Silky Folding Landscaping Saw GOMBOY Professional
• Bahco Laplander Folding Saw
• Corona Razor Tooth Folding Saw
• Ichiban Samurai Saw
• Kershaw Buck Commander Folding Saw
• Eversaw 8.0 Pull Cut Saw
• SOG Folding Saw

Pocket Chain Saws – Pocket Chain Saws are just what they sound like; a chain similar to that on a gas-powered chain saw that is driven by you pulling back and forth instead of a motor. The critical considerations on a chain saw are the length (since that determines what size wood you can cut) and durability (since the only component is the chain and a cheap one will either quickly wear out or break). If weight is an overwhelming consideration then a pocket chain saw is a good option since it will pack into a small pouch (approximately 3" x 4" x 2"), weighs only 3 to 4 ounces and will get the job done on any reasonable sized log that you want to cut.  The biggest shortfall of the pocket chain saw is that it really can only be used for rough sawing of wood; you can’t easily use it for cutting notches or joints. So if you are using it for bushcraft activities it might suffice for the getting the timber – but not for the finer cuts. If you want to check out pocket chain saws you might look at the following 4 popular ones:
 

• Chainmate CM-24SSP 24-Inch Survival Pocket Chain Saw
• Sportsman Pocket Chainsaw
• LivWild Hand Chain with Pouch
• Nordic Pocket Saw

Selecting the Right Saw for You
So now that we’ve covered the basic differences between saw types, what factors should you evaluate when looking for a saw to take with you on your outback adventures? Although the evaluation factors differ a little depending the type of saw you prefer, in general we think that you should look at the following: 1) length, 2) strength, 3) weight, 4) number/type of teeth on saw, 5) diameter of log that can be cut, 6) durability, 7) ergonomic design, 8) ease of blade replacement and 9) cost.
 
Of course one of the most critical items on a saw are the teeth on the blade. The standard way manufacturers measure the teeth on a blade is by the inch - often listed as “teeth per inch” (TPI). In addition to the number of teeth, the size of the teeth is also a factor. Larger teeth (and lower TPI) typically provide faster cutting and are better at cutting softer wood and smaller teeth (higher TPI) are good for cutting harder wood. Blades with 2-8 TPI are good for ripping soft woods with the grain. Medium blades with 10-20 TPI are for crosscutting and moderately hard materials. Fine blades with 20-30 TPI (not really applicable to camp saws) are for very hard materials and/or very precise cuts.
 
If you want to see more detailed information, and reviews, about saws here are some good articles/websites to checkout:

• https://myopencountry.com/hiking-camping-gear/tools-accessories/best-backpacking-saw/ 
• https://trulygear.com/best-backpacking-saws/ 
• https://www.trekwarrior.com/best-survival-saw/
• https://ogoutdoors.com/best-backpacking-saws/
• https://hiconsumption.com/2018/10/best-camping-saws/ 
• https://thriftyoutdoorsman.com/best-camping-saw/  

​Like most of you we got some new gear for Christmas. One of the best items was a new Silky Ultra Accel Curved Blade folding saw. Although we normally use wood that either is deadfall, or is easily chopped with our hatchet or pack axe, sometimes we find that we need to saw something. If pack weight is not an overriding consideration the best option is a folding saw.  As with all of the Silky curved blade outdoor saws, these are pure Japanese pull stroke saws with Silky's proprietary tooth design. While technically there is some cutting done on the push stroke, it is very minimal. The saw will easily cut through logs up to 6” in diameter, and larger logs if you can either rotate the log or vary your cutting position. 

​You can find the details about the Silky Ultra Accel Curved Blade Folding Saw on the Camping/Tools page.

​Just in time for winter the Utah Avalanche Center has produced a new set of Avalanche safety classes and made them available online.

​ 
There are 5 interactive courses designed to help everyone learn the principles needed to be safer and more confident in the avalanche terrain.
 

• Get the Gear
  • Learn about the equipment that you need to go into the backcountry and how to get the most out of it
• Get the Training
  • Learn how avalanches work and how you can avoid them
• Get the Forecast
  • Learn to understand your local avalanche forecast to guide your decision-making in the backcountry
• Get the Picture
  • Learn to recognize the clues to avalanche conditions
• Get out of Harm's Way
  • Learn about avalanche terrain to maximize your riding while minimizing your exposure

 
You can find out more at both the “Know Before You Go” and the Utah Avalanche Center websites.

​These days many people are not just out there backpacking, they’re lightweight, ultra-lightweight and super-ultra-lightweight backpacking so that they can travel further and faster. So what are the definitions of lightweight, ultra-lightweight and super-ultra-lightweight backpacking, and what gear do you need to jettison from your normal load to give it a go?
 
The short answer is that for lightweight backpacking your “base pack” should weigh less than 20 pounds. Ultra-lightweight requires a base pack weight of less than 10 pounds and super-ultra-lightweight requires a base pack that weighs less than 5 pounds. Note that “base pack weight” refers to the weight of all the items in your backpack, including the backpack, with the exception of your consumables (food, water and fuel). Base pack weight also doesn't include the clothing that you are wearing to hike. Alternatively “skin-out weight” refers to everything in your pack plus your consumables and the clothes that you are wearing. In other words, skin-out weight is what you weigh with your clothes and backpack on - minus the weight of your naked body. But there’s a lot more to Lightweight, Ultra-lightweight and Super-ultra-lightweight backpacking.

​Luckily one of our website’s readers found a great article on Angie’s List (thanks Steven and Stephanie - who knew that they had hiking articles on Angie’s List) that summarizes this trend and provides lots of links to other websites to give you all the necessary information to get you started. Since the article nicely aligns with our thoughts on the topic we thought that we would pass it along - "Ultralight Backpacking: Keeping the Packing List Short". You can find the article here:

​https://www.angieslist.com/articles/ultralight-backpacking-keeping-packing-list-short.htm

….and here’s a complete listing of the 21 links that the article references:

1) Start Lightweight Backpacking
   - https://www.gossamergear.com/pages/start-lightweight-backpacking
 
2) Ultralight Backpacking Guide (How to Easily Conquer Lightweight Hiking)
   - https://backpackerverse.com/ultralight-backpacking-tips/
 
3) Working Gear List: The Big Three
   - http://www.thetenaciouscrasis.com/working-gear-list-the-big-three/
 
4) The Big Three: How to Lighten Your Backpack, Sleeping Bag and Shelter
- https://seattlebackpackersmagazine.com/the-big-three-how-to-lighten-your-backpack-sleeping-bag-and-shelter/
 
5) Lightweight Backpacking Step 2: The Big Three
   - https://www.itstactical.com/gearcom/load-bearing/lightweight-backpacking-step-2-the-big-three/
 
6) Ultralight Makeover
   - http://www.backpackingnorth.com/ultralight-makeover-overview/
 
7) How Much Should Your pack Weigh?
   - https://www.rei.com/blog/camp/how-much-should-your-pack-weigh
 
8) A Weekend Backpacking Checklist for First-Timers
 - https://www.sierratradingpost.com/blog/article/first-weekend-backpacking-checklist/
 
9) Lightweight Backpacking: The Big Three
   - https://sectionhiker.com/lighten-up-your-backpack-the-big-three/
 
10) How to Pick Your Big Three
   - https://thetrek.co/pick-big-three-shelter-sleeping-bag-pack/
 
11) Water for Hiking
   - http://www.hikingdude.com/hiking-water.php
 
12) Hydration
   - https://www.thehikinglife.com/health-safety/hydration/
 
13) How to Cut Water Weight: A Backpacker's Guide to Hydration
   - https://www.greenbelly.co/pages/how-much-water-should-i-carry-backpacking
 
14) Ultralight Backpacking: 10 Tips for Shaving Weight Without Sacrificing Comfort
   - https://bearfoottheory.com/ultralight-backpacking-tips/
 
15) Tips for Lightening Your Backpacking Load
   - https://www.backcountry.com/explore/tips-for-lightening-your-backpacking-load
 
16) How to Calculate Backpack Weight with LighterPack
   - https://backpackers.com/how-to-calculate-backpack-weight-with-lighterpack/
 
17) Organize Your Backpacking Trip
   - https://www.backpacker.com/stories/organize-your-backpacking-trip
 
18) How to Pack and Organize a Backpack for a Euro Trip
   - https://www.eaglecreek.com/blog/how-pack-and-organize-backpack-euro-trip.html
 
19) Long-Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail
   - http://hikinghq.net/book_long_distance.html
 
20) Pack Like a Pro: Ultralight Backpacking with Scott Robertson
   - https://www.osprey.com/stories/pack-like-a-pro-ultralight-backpacking/
 
21) Making the Switch to Ultralight Backpacking
   - http://www.lovetheoutdoors.com/making-the-switch-to-ultralight-backpacking/

​If you read the article you’ll see that many of the embedded links talk about the need to first sort out your backpack, shelter and sleeping bag/system (the “big three”) since they are the absolute required gear and weigh the most. After that, assuming that you still have remaining weight allowance, you need to add water, food, fuel, cooking/eating utensils, first aid kit, etc.
 
So, if you’re interested in challenging yourself with a Lightweight, Ultra-lightweight or Super-ultra-lightweight backpacking adventure, look over all this great information and get out there…….

​If you’re outdoors, and the weather is both cold and wet, one invaluable piece of gear that you need is a good pair of waterproof gloves – especially here in New England. The only problem is that many waterproof gloves don’t breathe, don’t allow you to have good dexterity and aren’t sturdy enough for actually doing real work - like chopping wood.

​Recently we’ve spent a fair amount of time looking for a good pair of waterproof gloves and finally found a pair that we liked; the Seirus Innovation 1171 Mens Xtreme Waterproof gloves. We like the fact that they provide a tight fit and have a tall wrist cuff that keeps out the cold air and snow – while allowing us the dexterity to use tools in the cold.

​You can find the details about the Seirus Mens Xtreme Waterproof gloves on the Camping/Tools page.