2019 Mt. Emily Elk Hunt

The Bull that Almost Wasn't

In October of 2019, I was lucky enough to get to tag along on one of the most sought after elk hunting opportunities in Oregon.  My good friend Adam had drawn the tag with a 1% chance of drawing, and before we knew it, we were in the thick of planning for an epic adventure. 

After multiple debates about gear, guns, and where we would find the elk, it was finally time for a few quick scout trips.  I was absolutely blown away by how beautiful the country was up there and couldn't believe that I had driven by so many times on countless trips over those mountains for destinations in Western Oregon.  Within the mater of a few hours it became one of my most favorite places on earth. Quite frankly, months later finally getting around to writing this post, I can't wait for the chance to go back up. 

Bank Fishing for Rainbow Trout

Bank Fishing for Rainbow Trout

Take a look at this video we put together of a recent trip to the Malheur Reservoir from some rainbow trout fishing!  While the bite wasn't as hard as heavy as we may have liked, we were able to land a couple really nice fish!  It was a great day out with family and we all enjoyed the time together in the beautiful great outdoors. 

Epic Wal-Mart Find

Camillus Carnivore X

I have to admit, these days I seem to find myself venturing back into the outdoor section at the local Wal-Mart, and today, I found something that completely caught my attention.

I have been debating getting a machete type blade for a while now, but I am still very new to this whole bush crafting, outdoor space and I wasn't interested in spending tons of money on supplies.  I had seen the really cheap stuff at places like Harbor Freight, but I owned something similar and knew it wasn't up to the challenges I was seeing online or had in mind.  I was also eyeing some of the Gerber blades I had seen at Home Depot and a few other stores... Maybe they were the way to go?  I had always loved my other Gerber products..... but then I stumbled across something that I hadn't seen yet. And once I laid eyes on it, I knew I was gonna have a hard time walking away.

Camillus Blades makes a version of the machete, that quite frankly just looks epic!

This is the Camillus Carnivore X.  It is one bad looking machete with a saw blade and gut hook feature on the back of the blade.  It comes with a small caping knife that doubles as a spear point and has a few integrated socket heads in the handle if you needed to try and loosen a nut or bolt that was the correct size.

In the video embedded below I take a look at the features out of the box and give my two cents on this blade having just messed around with it in the shop.  Quick version, I am very happy with the feel of this blade and for less that $35 I think its a great addition to my camping and outdoor resources.

I am going to be workin on some modifications to the system and plan to update this post when I do.  Right now in my mind I am looking at that wonderful sheath and debating some sort of a paracord warp with maybe some mini survival kit features added for the fun of it.  We will see what I can come up with!  

If you watched the video, I wonder what your thoughts are about my observation with the saw blade on the back of this thing. Comment down below and share, I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

Find some time to get yourself out in the beautiful nature that surrounds us.  There is a wonderful world just waiting to be explored and you just might find that...... 

Life is Better, When it's Lived 

OutdoorZ

Sierra Trading Post

Why did it take me so long to discover this???

So, I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I have been driving by a store for years now, not knowing what it was, and that store is none other than the Sierra Trading Post. 

In Meridian, Idaho, the Sierra Trading Post is located right next to the interstate that we use all the time.  I am constantly asking my wife about what that store is, because it looks slightly outdoorsish from the outside.  It turns out that isn't on accident. 

Sierra Trading Post is a discount distribution store.  If you are familiar with Marshalls, Home Goods, or TJ Max, then you know what I am talking about when I say discount distribution stores.  My limited understanding of these stores, thanks to my wife explaining it to me, is that they receive merchandise from regular brick and mortar stores, like JC Penny and Macy's for example, that didn't sell.  They take this merchandise, and give it one more chance to move before..... I don't know what....dumpster maybe??  

Well, it turns out that Sierra Trading Post is a sister to the three stores listed in the last paragraph.  But instead of getting unsold merchandise from Macy's, it's coming from places like REI, Sportsman Warehouse, and other outdoor recreation resellers.  What this means for us the consumer, is the chance to get a great deal on some great gear. 

Now, let me preface the deals I found on my first visit ever with this disclaimer.  These types of stores are very seasonal and you have to understand that their inventory is always changing within the same relative guidelines.  You are going to find footwear, clothing, toys, furniture, etc. at all of them.  And when you come back a month later, there are going to be different things available.  You have to be willing to look through things to find the diamond in the rough that might be just right for you.  It's a style of shopping that some people love, and others can't stand.  You have been warned.  

So what I found upon entering the Meridian store was reminiscent of my visits to Marshall's in our area.  As a sister store this should come as no surprise.  There were the usual three sections of clothing, Women's, Men's and Children's. There was a large section of footwear, but it wasn't full of tennis shoes and loafers, instead it was full of boots and other aggressively treaded shoes suitable for outdoor use. There was also sports specific shoes, like mountain climbing shoes for example. They had a large section of pet supplies, also typical across the sister stores I have visited, but again, as with all of these sections, an outdoor adventure focus.  You won't find shirts and ties.... but will instead find base layers, outerwear, flannels, and parkas in the clothing sections.... at least in January. 

What really sets this store apart from the others in the family of stores is the dedicated section for outdoor gear.  I found tons of amazing backpacks, trekking poles, hammocks, sleeping bags, and a small section of fishing gear.  There were coolers, water containers, and even a few Mountain House Meal items.  All of this was of course cheaper than I had seen anywhere else.  

The camping gear section was fairly small, but held a few amazing products and I had to restrain myself from getting too much.  There were some emergency matches, compression bags, camp coffee cups and some eating utensils..... as well as some epic deals on knives and multitools.  Not the least of which was the Mora Bushcraft Black knife for only $39.99.  That's $15 cheaper than I found on Amazon at the time of this writing and I am kicking myself more and more every day for not grabbing one.

It's a bit out of the way for us in our normal shopping routine when we venture into the city.... but after my first visit, I will be stopping more regularly to see if I can find more diamonds in the rough to add to my preps and outdoor gear.  The discounts on high quality gear are better than I have seen in general elsewhere.  And honestly, I kinda enjoy hunting for that diamond in the rough.

Life is Better, When it's Lived 

OutdoorZ

December Survival Gear Review

As we all prepare to put 2019 to bed, and welcome the new year, I thought it would be a good idea to review some of the survival gear that I have been able to collect over this past month.  Here at the end of the year, for a wide variety of reasons, I felt compelled to get myself focused on my preparedness mindset.  I had ventured down the road of Every Day Carry and Bug Out Bags in the past.....what feels like years ago now, but that focused has wained.  Not anymore.

December is of course a great month for those of us with a preparedness mindset.  Inevitably, many of us will find ourselves in the shops and stores, and online purchasing gifts for loved ones, which can give us time to also check for great deals on prep items we may be lacking.  This, as well as a potential flux of gift cash gives us an opportunity to find and procure items we may have been debating purchasing.

All of which is a long way of saying that I bought some great stuff in December and I am excited to share it all with you now.  There will be more in depth reviews of some of these items in future videos and posts on this blog, but without further delay, let's look at the list.

Preparedness Items Purchased December of 2019

1. Tactical Back Pack ($30)
2. Camillus Machette ($24)
3. Harbor Freight Survival Knife ($8)
4. Mora Companion Bushcrafting Knife ($11)
5. 550 Para Cord ($3)
6. Jute Cord ($1)
7. Stanley Cook Set and a Metal Camp Cup ($15)
8. Life Straw Water Filter Set ($30)
9. SOL Bivy Sack ($18)
10. SOL Survival Blanket ($12)
11. Duct Tape (Camo Pattern) ($3)
12. Fat Wood ($7)
13. Cotton and Vaseline ($5)
14. Collapsable Food Dish ($5)
15. Ramen Bombs Supplies ($4) 

While this list looks long for a single month of purchase to those of us on a limited budget, many of the items on this list are very affordable.  I added estimated prices on it all, and you can see that things like 550 Para cord and Jute Twine are not going to break the bank for anyone, and I got the duct tape rolls deeply discounted.  I also had some gift money from Christmas that I committed to this list of purchases, which accounts for nearly half of the items purchased.  

I whole heartedly believe that you should never underestimate the importance of beginning the journey.  If you feel compelled to begin prepping or even begin shoring up your preps, then just start.  Start with a few items here and there each month.  Keep your eyes open for the good deals that you might otherwise miss and grab those opportunities when they present themselves. Preparedness is a mind set and a marathon, not a sprint.  With dedication and patience, you will find yourself more and more prepared with each passing month.  

Check out the video below where I take a look at each of the items on this list and be watching for more posts on my deeper dive into some of the items from this months list of purchases.

Happy New Year Everyone!!  

Life is Better, When It's Lived
OutdoorZ

DIY Fire Starter Kit

In October of 2019, I was lucky enough to join a friend on a great elk hunt here in Oregon.  My good buddy Adam drew the Mt. Emily elk tag, one of the most sought after elk tags in the state.  And thus I found myself sitting on a ridge one cold, foggy morning with a wild hair to start a small fire to warm up.  It seemed easy enough to just gather up some twigs and leaves and stuff and get a fire going.  Boy was I wrong.

Everything around me was damp from the fog, rain and snow that had been falling the past few days.  The lighter I tried to use was sorry at best and for the life of me, I couldn't get a fire going.  Now, to be fair.... I didn't try super hard to gather good kindling.  I also didn't think through all my resources very well and having reflected on it now, I would likely do better next time.  But, I came away from that experience humbled and realized that I needed to think about what I would do if I actually had to start a fire.  This kit, is the result of that reflection.

My thought process when putting this kit together was to gather both things to start a fire, and things to sustain the start of the fire.  I had seen multiple examples online of various match improvements so I set about making some for myself.  I call them super matches, and at their core, they are a combination of match(es) and something to extending their burn time.  All of which is then coated in candle wax, which is an added fuel source (wax burns if you didn't know) and a water protective layer to keep things dry until they are needed.

I made multiple versions of these super matches to add to my kit.  Some of them have three matches in the bundle, while others have only one.  Basically, we are wrapping the match stick in something that will burn to increase the burn time.  I used four different things during my experimenting with the concept.  Chenille, toilet paper, heavy shop grade paper towels, and athletic tape.  After playing around with these and running a test fire I was surprised to find that athletic tape came away a real winner.  It had a significantly longer burn time in my simple test, but proved difficult to get going.  I have since decided that a hybrid version might be the best option, starting with a small wrap of chenille before finishing with a nice wrap of athletic tape for extended burn time. The chenille burns very easily and quickly, which should be enough to get the athletic tape wrap to start burning.

Once I had some super matches made, it was time to come up with way to carry them around.  I have seen examples using a simple pill bottle to hold a few matches, which I think is a solid plan, but I wanted something a bit more substantial than just a couple matches.  I settled on an affordable Husky container that I found at Home Depot.  It is 100% waterproof, with a rubber gasket around the lid and a robust, three buckle latch system that holds the lid down very tightly. The inter compartments were also adjustable, which allowed me to make appropriate sized sections for the items I wanted to include.

Here is what we ended up with in each kit. 

Fire Starting (Ignition Sources) 

• DIY Super Matches (Assorted single and triple match versions) 
• Strike anywhere matches
• Strike on the box matches (small box) 
• One book of kitchen matches (Very low profile and easy to add) 
• Ferro Rod and Striker

Fire Support (Kindling Sources) 

• Pencil Sharper (Making wood shavings) 
• DIY Wax Covered Fire Starters (Makeup Remover Pads coated in wax) 
• Makeup Remover Pads (Flat Cotton Disks) 
• Tea Lights
• Chemical Fire Starter Packs 

I was happy with the way they turned out.  I was able to get a whole pile of materials in the kit.  It is probably overkill to be honest.  There is enough stuff in there to start multiple fires if necessary, in a wide range of situations.  But, for me, at this point, it's a kit that I plan to keep in my pack whenever we are out and about in the woods, hiking, hunting, fishing, etc. I guess I don't want to be caught unprepared again.  You can see my YouTube video about putting this kit together below.

Continued research into this topic has lead me to discover a few other interesting items that I would like to work into the kit and plan to add.  I have them listed below and in many cases, it would be sufficient to have them on your person, or in your pack somewhere, without having to be a specific part of this kit. 

Items to Add

• Bic or Zippo Lighter (I carry multiple when I am out) 
• Ranger Bands (Bike Tire Inner Tube Cut into strips.  Burns very well) 
• Duct Tape (Also burns very well.  I have it on my hiking staff, and in my pack) 
• 550 Fire Cord (Para Cord designed to burn) 
• Jute Twine (Jute is very flammable when you untwist it and makes a great tender) 
• Cotton Balls in Petroleum Jelly (I keep seeing this... sometimes soaked in rubbing alcohol first) 
• Hand Sanitizer (It's mostly alcohol folks....and alcohol burns) 
• Dryer Lint (Can also be soaked in waxed and formed into "sticks") 
• Fat Wood (You can buy this and cut it down into smaller pieces, or find and make your own) 
• Fat Rope Stick (ProCampTek Product that looks interesting) 
• Tender Straws (Fill a drinking straw with cotton or dyer lint, maybe some alcohol and seal)
• Magnifying Glass (Solar fire starter) 
• Birthday Candle (The trick kind won't blow out in wind) 

I will continue to work on this list and refine my kit and this post as I discover and test more resources related to this topic.

I am curious if you see anything missing in this plan?  Is there something in your fire kits that I don't have listed here?  Comment down below and lets see what we can learn and build together. 

I hope you found this information useful.  I learned the hard way how important it is to be prepared to start a fire.  Thankfully, this reminder came in a non threatening situation and has allowed me to reflect and plan for the future. I like knowing that I am more prepared for the natural environment because I believe...... 

Life is Better, When it's Lived 

OutdoorZ

Welcome to KT OutdoorZ

Welcome to KT OutdoorZ where we share our outdoor experiences. We have access to a wide range of pacific northwest habitats, from high deserts to alpine forest and everything in between. Over the years, we have learned that Fishing, Hunting, Hiking and Camping throughout the beautiful local area's is just the beginning. There is so much beautiful country to see and explore, and so many valuable lessons to learn.

On this blog and our associated YouTube Channel, we will be chronicling our outdoor experiences, gear that we have come to know and love, and a general love for the outdoors and all it has to offer. In time, you'll find gear reviews, DIY projects, preparedness, and survival information. Like many of you, we are learning as we go and plan to share our insights so that others can benefit from the knowledge we have gained.

Thank you for joining us. We hope you'll agree, that life is better, when its lived OutdoorZ.