If you’ve been keeping up with my blog posts lately you’ll know I’ve come to adding a few news posts from around the web on this subject. I’ve got a couple more today that are new and updated, so let me know what you think of em…

USC takes adventures outside

USC students trying to cure summer boredom should consider going on a summer outing with USC's Outdoor Recreation. All summer long students have the … Read More…

Adopt a Horse

The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, … Read More…

The last of the free town swimming holes

If you like outdoor recreation, you're in luck; if you like retail recreation, you're not — most of the Main Street businesses are shuttered, … Read More…
That’s all the news for today guys, so until next time, thanks for stopping by.

Technorati Tags: outdoor recreation

Lake Powell is at highest level in 6 years – Yahoo! News

This is a good summer to take in the sunshine and canyon country scenery around Lake Powell on the Utah-Arizona line (assuming you’ve budgeted for gasoline) because the water in the lake is at its highest level in six years and rising.

What’s the big deal? The most prominent effect, according to Friends of Lake Powell — http://www.lakepowell.org/ — is that Castle Rock Cut, a major shortcut between sections of the reservoir, is now open to all boats. It also means there’s now enough water to float your boat farther back into some of the canyons that make the lake so much fun to explore.

There’s a lot of shoreline to tour, whether you bring your own power boat or rent one of the many houseboats available. The Lake Powell Guide — http://www.powellguide.com/ — says the lake that was formed when the Glen Canyon Dam plugged the Colorado River has nearly 2,000 miles of shore, with 96 major canyons. Get an idea of how jagged the lake is by checking out their map. There’s a directory of outfits that provide land, water and air tours, but the “Fishing” and “Recreation” links all seem to end in dead ends.

The Lake Powell Guide also has a directory of boat rental companies. And yes, you need a boat to see most of the area around the lake because there are few roads in this region. Even Rainbow Bridge National Monument — http://www.nps.gov/rabr/ — is accessible only by boat, unless you get a backpacking permit from the Navajo Nation and hike in. However you get there, you’ll be rewarded with views of the world’s largest known natural bridge.

Rainbow Bridge, Lake Powell and a good bit more are contained within the Glen Canyon National Recreational Area — http://www.nps.gov/glca/ — a 1.2-million-acre scenic region of water and land that has been sculpted by wind and water. Check out “Photos & Multimedia” for webcams and a collection of knockout photos. Then look under “Plan Your Visit” for the essential “Things to Know …” That’s also where you’ll find “Things to Do” including hiking and biking, fishing (with links for Utah and Arizona fishing regs), and two backcountry roads to drive.

Your base for visiting the lake and surrounding area will be the city of Page — http://www.pagelakepowelltourism.com/ — sitting on a rise overlooking the lake with a range of motels and restaurants. Try the links contained in the introductory article to other sightseeing and recreation in the area, especially the Grand Circle — http://www.grandcircle.org/ — of parks and national monuments across the five-state region. Then look to the left side of the page for “Itineraries” to find more ideas of things to see and do.

One of the best scenic views in the area is a spot on the Colorado River just west of Page on U.S. 89 called Horseshoe Bend. At the “Plan Your Visit” section of the recreational area Web site, look under “Things To Do,” “Outdoor Activities” and then “Hiking” for directions. AZCentral has a photo — http://tinyurl.com/7wgud — and more details on the trail to the overlook.

Then there’s the stunning scenery that you have to see from the inside, from the bottom of the intricately carved Antelope Canyon. The canyon is overseen by the Navajo Nation’s Parks and Recreation Department — http://tinyurl.com/2zcuur — which has links to authorized guide tour operators. To see how stunning the canyon is, scan the photos from tour operator Carolene Ekis — http://www.antelopecanyon.com/photos.html — and then visit Bob Estrin Photography — http://www.bobestrin.com/antelopecanyon.htm — for some tips on shooting your own photos.

Technorati Tags: outdoor recreation

Hey Readers! I’ve been comin across some crazy stuff the past few days from a few different blogs around the web which I just had to share with you. Check em out below…

Elk Foundation Grants to Benefit 16 Wisconsin Counties

Door County—Sponsor RMEF Door County Chapter 2009 Youth Sporting Event to introduce young people to conservation and outdoor recreation. … Read More…

Climashield(R) Reaches New Heights with APEX

Climashield provides lightweight thermal insulation to the world's most sought-after brands in the outdoor recreation, military and hospitality industries. … Read More…

Oyinlola's Years In Government, A Waste – Fatiregun

Sola Fatiregun, a London-based information technology expert who is an indigene of Osun State and a lover of outdoor recreation as hobby when situation … Read More…
That’s all the news for today guys, so until next time, thanks for stopping by.

Technorati Tags: outdoor recreation

Hey Readers! I’ve been comin across some crazy stuff the past few days from a few different blogs around the web which I just had to share with you. Check em out below…

Active Outdoor Recreation Resources : Blisstree – Family, Health …

Why find outdoor active recreation? It's green – you cut out the lame gyms and material heavy exercise equipment in exchange for time in the great outdoors. Nature naturally and effectively cuts calories (think hills and sand). …

Red Tide hits Maine coast | NETrailhead.com, Northern New England …

NETrailhead.com is your guide to Northern New England outdoor recreation and adventure travel. We strive to provide fun information about Hiking, Backpacking, Camping, Bicycling, Fishing, Kayaking, Canoeing and Snowshoeing in Maine, …

Equipo Roca: 2008 Outdoor Recreation Participation Report

Children in America are suffering from the effects of obesity and inactivity at unprecedented levels,” said Chris Fanning, executive director of The Outdoor Foundation. “Teaching youth the benefits of a healthy active outdoor lifestyle …

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Technorati Tags: outdoor recreation

Technorati Tags: outdoor recreation

RV 101: Sure, they’re big, but you can do it – Yahoo! News

HOLMDEL, N.J. – If you’ve never vacationed in a recreational vehicle, your first reaction might be “I can’t afford to rent an RV” or “They’re too large to maneuver.”

Or maybe even “I don’t want to end up like Robin Williams,” who not only had trouble driving one in the movie “RV,” but also had a run-in with the septic tank.

But RV dealers and rental companies are not going to hand you the keys without some preparation. I rented an RV for the first time last summer, and I didn’t head out on vacation not knowing what I was doing. A tutorial before you drive the RV off the lot is the norm.

And while gas prices have made it more expensive to take road trips in any kind of vehicle, RVs do come in many different models and sizes – from truck campers and towable trailers to motor homes and even sport utility RVs. There’s one for every budget and family type. Winnebago Industries Inc., the largest maker of motor homes, unveiled a 2009 ERA (a class-B motor home model) that gets 22 miles per gallon, while the largest motor homes get about eight miles per gallon, according to industry data.

Courtney Robey, public relations manager for the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association, says RVs can also be a good deal for families. Despite gas costs, “a family of four can travel much more cheaply in an RV than by flying, where you’d have to buy four tickets. And you’re not going to be eating out at restaurants three times a day. You’re going to be cooking in the RV. You also don’t have to pay for a hotel room. So a family can save money in the long run.”

Cruise America – http://www.cruiseamerica.com or 800-671-8042 – is the largest RV rental chain in the U.S. Expect to pay about $1,000 a week for a class-C motor home that sleeps up to seven. Class-C motor homes may also have a queen-sized bunk over the cab that sleeps two more.

Luxury rigs run $90-$200 per day; more modest travel trailers run $28-$85. Multi-day deals are usually available. You pay gas plus a fee for the number of miles you drive (some companies sell miles as a package). Most rental companies also offer inexpensive packages with sheets, towels, dishes, and pots and pans so you don’t have to pack all that.

As with summer house rentals, RV rentals often go early. Many dealers have their fleet rented by early spring for summer travel. The RVIA Web site – http://www.gorving.com or 888-467-8464 – can help you find dealers, manufacturers, campgrounds and general information.

The tutorial you get before driving away will likely include how to use the generator, water pump, water heater, furnace and liquid-propane tank; how to fill the freshwater tanks, dump the black-water (toilet) and gray-water (sinks and shower tanks); when to start electricity and which modes (battery or AC) to use; and when to run the refrigerator on gas or electricity.

Bob Caldarone, a spokesman for Cruise America, says rentals do not usually include a test drive, but he stressed that if you’ve rented a U-Haul or something similar in the past, “driving a class-C motor home is no different since the truck chassis are the same, except all rental RVs have auto transmission.”

I booked a Midwest trip through KOA (Kampgrounds of America) – http://www.koa.com or 888-562-0000. Some RV camps charge a family overnight rate; others charge per person or per child. I found a campground in South Haven, Mich. – http://www.covert-southhavenkoa.com – near Lake Michigan. We paid $42 a night to stay there, and stored our RV at the campground for $5 a night, while taking a sightseeing trip by rental car in South Bend, Ind., and Chicago. We called the KOA campground with a return date and time, and the owners not only removed the RV from storage but set it up at a drive-up campsite complete with hookups, folding chairs and campfire ready to go.

There are more than 450 KOA franchises in the U.S. and Canada. Most sites cost $25-$40 per night. You can order a KOA Directory (P.O. Box 30558, Billings, Mont., 59114, $4 shipping, or online) or pick one up free at any KOA.

The KOA Value Kard Rewards program ($24 for a year) saves you 10 percent on KOA stays, provides a Web site where you can track your travels and rewards points, and mails you a KOA directory each spring.

Other resources for finding RV campsites include Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts, http://www.campjellystone.com, 800-558-2594, $30- $50 a night, about 70 locations; http://www.reserveamerica.com, which lists private and government park campsites; and http://www.recreation.gov, which lists campsites in federal recreation areas. Camping in a national park typically costs less than $20 a night, not including park admission fees.

Woodall’s North American Campground Directory – http://woodalls.com – lists over 14,000 private, independent campgrounds, service centers and attractions, including maps and rules of the road for each state and Canadian province. Go Camping America – http://www.gocampingamerica.com – also lists private parks and campgrounds nationwide. A business called Tracks & Trails – http://www.tracks-trails.com – prepares customized self-drive itineraries for the Western U.S. and Canada that include RV rentals and reservations.

I also used the Automobile Club of America – http://www.aaa.com – for mapping out my trip, and planned the least expensive gas stops through http://www.gasbuddy.com.

A few things to keep in mind before you go:

-DRIVING: Get directions for the straightest, easiest route, and practice parking. Don’t speed; you’ll need extra room to stop. Learn to use your side-view mirrors (and rear camera if there is one). Most motor home generators automatically turn off just before the fuel tank is completely empty. There will still be some gas left to drive on, but you should gas up immediately.

-ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: Lower the jacks when you arrive at campsites to balance and stabilize your RV, and raise the jacks before departing. Also, when leaving campsites, lower the TV antenna and close outside door steps, the canopy and slide-outs (walls). Apply the parking brake when stopped and release it before departing.

-INSIDE: When the RV is in motion, all passengers should be belted and you shouldn’t try to cook. Bring a 30/15-amp electric adapter and an outdoor long heavy-duty extension cord, plus a cable wire for the TV. Bring marine toilet paper, which degrades easily, and disinfectant for the toilet. To conserve water, shut the shower off while soaping up.

-THE SEPTIC: Don’t be intimidated! The black tank (sewer waste) and gray tank (water waste) are located beneath the RV. A panel in the galley displays tank levels. Wait until tanks are at least three-quarters full before you empty them; otherwise they won’t drain properly. Dump contents of the black tank first so the soapy water from the gray tank can clean out the hose. Put a tray of ice cubes down the toilet into the black tank after pumping out, but before hitting the road. The jiggling ice can help clean the tank.

And remember: Robin Williams made it look harder than it really is.

Technorati Tags: outdoor recreation

Most hunting advice sources all over the web will tell you that the best time to maximize your chances of bagging a nice buck is the rut. The rut is the peak deer hunting time of the season when bucks and does will reproduce.

Starting in bow season, bucks will prepare for the rut by leaving scrapes all over the woods. A scrape is where a buck scratches the ground, leaving his mark for all of the other bucks in the area to notice. Its a method that bucks use to start figuring out who the dominant buck is. Bucks will always make a scrape under a limb. They do this so that they can rub their nose on it and leave scent. Other bucks competing for that area will come by, scrape some more, and smell the limb. So your probably thinking now that a scrape is a good spot to hunt a buck, right? Well, you are correct, but you have to understand one thing first.

For whatever reason male whitetail deer will make scrapes during the night. Is this a guarantee? No, but it is very common for a buck to do. Once fall starts coming bucks will begin to pee in the scrapes for other deer to smell. Bucks will also start rubbing tree’s with their antlers. They do this in order to rub the velvet off their horns, and leave sign for other bucks to notice. Bucks also rub tree’s in order to strengthen their necks for fighting during the rut. Once bucks start rubbing trees and stating their dominance, they start to let their guard down. This is why hunters are so successful at harvesting mature deer during the rut.

Bucks begin to worry less about predators and more about does. They begin to start roaming and begin to start being noticed. Once a doe is ready to breed, she will urinate in a whitetail bucks scrape which lets him know that she is ready to mate. So when he comes by to check his scrape he will notice. One more piece of hunting advice you should know is that bucks will urinate on their “hawks” formally called tarsal glands. These glands are on the insides of their back legs and will turn black when the buck is in rut. This is a great way of knowing that the rut is in full swing. Once the rut starts you need to start hunting harder and longer. That is longer hours in order to optimize your chances of seeing a trophy whitetail. Bucks will start wandering around trying to find a hot doe and when they do, they are rarely distracted. I hope these deer hunting advice tips will help you next season.

For more tips that could increase your hunting success, please visit deer hunting advice.

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Tips On Choosing The Best Dog Tracking System
 by: Jack Russell

Dogs are man’s best friend, and this is not an understatement. This is because man and dogs find things that they can both enjoy such as playing, wrestling, running, and even hunting.

There are people who bring their dogs along whenever they are out for a hunting activity. They do this because they find their dog’s company during hunting a worthwhile inclusion.

Moreover, there are dogs that are also adept in hunting activities especially those that were trained for specific types of hunting activities.

It is for this reason that certain devices were created in order to help hunters monitor the activities of their dogs. An example of these devices is the dog tracking system.

Basically, a dog tracking system is a device that is used by hunters to track the activities of their dogs while they are out hunting. These tracking systems are typically used to monitor dogs on their location, their current activity, or to check whenever dogs have already gotten its prey.

So, for people who are not aware of how dog tracking system works or why they are so important for some people, here’s a list of some facts regarding this marvelous device.

1. Dog tracking systems are used mainly by hunters like coon hunters, upland bird hunters, hounds men, etc. They use this system in order to monitor their dogs that are out on the field.

2. This particular tracking system is also used whenever the hunters can no longer see their dogs because of distance or terrain.

3. Dog tracking collars are great alternatives when hunters can no longer use their dog bells or their beeper collars.

4. With dog tracking collars, they can easily spot their dogs and call their attention. Best of all, dog tracking collars are also applicable in tracking numerous dogs in a certain hunting activity.

5. There are some dog tracking systems that allow the handler to verify or find out what the dog is doing. All they have to do is to use some performance systems that are included in the collar.

In this way, the handler can tell if the dog is currently walking, if it has stopped, if it is barking at something, or if it has already caught its prey.

Moreover, dog tracking systems are not only for hunting purposes. There are people who can make use of this device whenever their dogs are lost.

With dog tracking system, hunting can be fun for both dogs and their handlers.

About The Author

Jack Russell is a a long time dog fancier, visit his Dog Resources Blog and download his Free Dog Owners Handbook – it’s Dog Gone Good! http://www.daveshealthbuzz.com/dogcare/.

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Outdoor Recreation. Has anyone else been put off by the fact that major outdoor magazines pander to SUV's.

Monthly mags dedicated to anti pollution sports like bicycling, camping, kayaking etc. (Outside,Backpacker etc) are major advertising spots for gas guzzling, polluting SUVs. Is that a sellout?

Technorati Tags: outdoor recreation

Technorati Tags: outdoor recreation