Outdoors men & women in the Playground.

[Hbgplayer]

Any other hunters, fishers, hikers, or campers on this here forum?
It seems to be a rare breed who like to both be in the great outdoors and to play RPGs of any variety, so I thought I'd ask, and create a thread for all your pictures and tall tales.

I would start it off with a couple of small steelhead I caught this afternoon, but apparently I can't post pics from my phone.

[Starwulf]

I enjoy fishing, from late March until about Mid-September, usually just for catfish though. I used to hunt but with my back injury I can't haul a deer back if I manage to shoot one, so that's out. Camping is out for much the same reason as hunting, hurts like hell lying on the ground in a sleeping bag. Still, I try to get out into nature as much as I can, which isn't that hard since I live on top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere :)

As far as tall-tales and pictures, don't have any pics, but the last "big" catfish I caught was about two years ago, a solid 12-13lbs, and easily the biggest catfish I've seen anyone catch amongst my group of friends. Certainly not a record or anything, not even for my county, let alone state(county is 20lbs I believe, state is a bit higher then that), but definitely a stellar catch regardless.

For a tall-tale that some might not believe, this lake I used to fish at when I was younger with my best friend has this ENORMOUS bass in it, so damn big if we hadn't had it on a line once and the line broke I would swear it couldn't possibly be a bass. This thing was ginormous, probably 2x bigger or more then my aforementioned catfish catch. We always called it the lake monster and were always fishing for it, but normal lures and stuff just couldn't get it to bite. One day we were out fishing for sunnies, buddy got a decent sized one and was like "Hey, I wonder if the lake monster would go after this". So we scouted around the entire lake(it's a BIG lake, so this took a solid 20 minutes or more) until we managed to spot his shadow lurking near a fallen tree. Buddy caught another sunfish, then reeled it and cast out about 3 yards in front of the monster. About 5 minutes later my buddies rod jerked and bent nearly in half. Got it within about 10 feet of the shore when the line snapped(it was only 10lb test ><). One of the most frustrating things ever, because I'm damn sure that bass would have been a state record, if not possibly national.

[nyjastul69]

I enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and nature walks. I haven't hiked much recently. When I did hike it was usually with my brother and his father in New Hampshire or sometimes Maine. I still bike frequently, mostly for commuting purposes. There are a few nice bike paths in the area I frequent as well. I have a link of pics I've taken of various critters I've spotted over the last couple years in my SIG.

[Dire Moose]

I do a lot of hiking, myself. I like exploring new places. Also, I have a keen interest in science with degrees in biology and geology, so I'm always on the lookout for interesting animals, plants, rocks, and minerals.

[Castaras]

I love walking in the country. Don't get to do it as much in the city, but am planning to move to a quieter spot where walking is more doable when I finish university. So hopefully, lots of quiet countryside romps are in my future... I mean, I could walk about in the city, but there's people, noise and smog. All of which I could do without. :smallyuk:

[Feytalist]

Yeah, I enjoy hiking. I don't hike as much as I would like - it's nicer in a group, but not everyone is always available. At least we've got a planned 5-day trip coming up end of the year. Looking forward to that.

I'm also a fairly avid hunter. I'm fairly lucky in that I know a few people with ties to game reserves and hunting farms, so for me it's simply a matter of setting a weekend or so apart and pitching up. I'm hoping to free up some time somewhere in April for another trip. Again, it's nicer with other people - usually family in this case. We all grew up around firearms and hunting, so we're more a lot more comfortable around each other.

I always need to do a mind-switch when talking about hunting over here. Hunting in my case means in the wide open veldt; semi-desert scrubland. The area is simply too large to cover on foot; we do much of our shooting from the backs of jeeps. The antelope of course can see you from hundreds of meters off; the closest shot I've taken was around 200m. The farthest was (independently verified) at 380m. A perfectly placed heart-shot - if I do say so myself - on a fully-grown kudu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_kudu) male, weighing around 260kg.

Never did enjoy fishing much, though :smallbiggrin:

[Toastkart]

I don't get to go nearly as often as I would like. When I lived with my parents, there was a nice little place I'd go to 2-3 times a week. I don't do any hunting or fishing, but I do take pictures. Here's just a small sample.

Deer trio (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/Einhander/Life/DSCN4827.jpg)
red-tailed hawk (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Einhander/media/Life/DSCN3152.jpg.html?sort=3&o=324)
great blue heron (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Einhander/media/Life/DSCN3047.jpg.html?sort=3&o=362)
snake (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Einhander/media/Life/DSCN2449.jpg.html?sort=3&o=459)
the wetlands (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Einhander/media/Life/DSCN4671.jpg.html?sort=3&o=137)
morning light (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Einhander/media/Life/DSCN1485.jpg.html?sort=3&o=948)

[007_ctrl_room]

I love fishing (and drinking beer), but I just don't get out as much as i'd like with work and all. Every other year or so i head up to Canada and do a fishing trip in the middle of nowhere - it's so unbelievably relaxing. No planes overhead, no traffic, just awesome fishing, lots of LaBatt Blue, and great food. Oh, and lots of bears too.

[WeepyDevil]

I'm an avid hiker when the weather allows it, especially in the spring and fall. I also enjoy swimming, kayaking, and canoeing, although I haven't done any of the three in quite a while now, as I dislike public swimming pools and don't own any form of watercraft myself.

[blacklight101]

The wife and I are both gamers and fairly outdoorsy when we get the chance around the kids. Kids are just a bit young yet to really appreciate it, but I think they'll like it.

Camping is great fun, hiking too. Im also trying to get better at throwing axes, but I live in a city, so no space to practice anywhere close. I wasnt bad at it (for a newbie) last summer, but I know its been months since i've been able to toss them around properly.

I shoot too, just paper though. I have been hunting, but I have no need for the meat (dat city living) and don't give a rat's arse about a "trophy" this or that, so I don't really go any more. Target shooting is still fun, I just need to look into glasses now.:smallsigh:

Yay, outdoorsy gamer types!

[alaalba_123]

I went for an hour and a half hike today. I'm really trying to be outdorsy again. I've spent far too much time inside as of late.

[Crow]

:smallsmile:http://i1364.photobucket.com/albums/r725/hrafnkolbrandr/10440214_894668503893035_3895709186212459148_n_zps 1e9oguyz.jpg (http://s1364.photobucket.com/user/hrafnkolbrandr/media/10440214_894668503893035_3895709186212459148_n_zps 1e9oguyz.jpg.html)

[rs2excelsior]

I'm fortunate enough to go to school in the Shenandoah Valley--so lots of really great hiking trails fairly close by. A group of friends and I even went so far as to start an impromptu hiking club last fall, although the winter weather has put that out of action for a while--although once last year some friends of mine and I did a hike in about six inches of unbroken snow. I'm looking forward to the weather getting warmer, though, so I can get out there again.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10354088_761280287276532_8909143557214423565_n.jpg ?oh=c3ffeed6ffccd92e1474976fbff72879&oe=557F5849&__gda__=1433419761_268e252606f2c05abdb153e86f3e2fc 1

https://scontent-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/10387616_761280040609890_2712838811355401502_n.jpg ?oh=670d01d7b011da906ed4a3c83623cd0b&oe=55841339

https://scontent-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/1505598_777013589036535_8918643230584948152_n.jpg? oh=007953cf0f5510de56bc586db8f2c44c&oe=5587A5EC

https://scontent-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/1378727_561218970615999_315732927_n.jpg?oh=19870cb 3bf0f6ca2edcf57dc806bb394&oe=5586DF64

I also do Civil War reenacting, which is outdoorsy (obviously), and a bit of shooting (just paper, like blacklight101), although we do that more inside than out--year round indoor ranges are great :smallbiggrin:

[Remmirath]

I greatly enjoy hiking, biking, canoeing, and swimming whenever I get the chance. I don't live in a place where I have particularly easy access to good places to do any of those things (aside from biking, which can be done in-city, just not as pleasantly), unfortunately. Still, there are some trails and lakes within reasonable driving distance, and I often visit those in the summer. I also like archery, although I'm not particularly good at it yet, and I find sparring outdoors to be more enjoyable than doing so indoors. My favourite vacations are always when I end up going somewhere more remote and I can spend a lot of time out in nature. Luckily, my state has plenty of such places, although most of them are several hours or more from where I live.

It's still too slushy for doing much outdoors as of yet, but I'm looking forward to good outdoor weather again. Even just getting outside and reading a book or having a cookout again will be nice.

Camping is something that has always intrigued me, but that I have never done. I'm not sure whether I'd like it or not. Every time I've thought about it, it sounds fun, but I expect I'm probably not dwelling on any potential problems it might have. Regardless, I'd like to try it some time.

[Astral Avenger]

I am an avid wilderness traveler, I've done some 2000 odd miles of wilderness travel, mostly by canoe, but some backpacking too. Love the rocky mountains for footing it and the arctic for paddling, but I'm not going to complain if I get to go on a trip anywhere far enough out to not hear cars.

Best animal encounter I've had was as a guide this past summer, woke up before my 13 year old campers did, got out of the tent and saw two woodpeckers in a tree right over the tent. I spent about 5 minutes watching them before a noise from the lake-shore attracted my attention to a family of otters swimming by one way as two loons swam by the other way. Just wish I had time to dig my camera out of the pack to get some pictures of it.


I love fishing (and drinking beer), but I just don't get out as much as i'd like with work and all. Every other year or so i head up to Canada and do a fishing trip in the middle of nowhere - it's so unbelievably relaxing. No planes overhead, no traffic, just awesome fishing, lots of LaBatt Blue, and great food. Oh, and lots of bears too.

What rivers/lakes do you go to for your fishing trips? I've been around a good amount of the Pigeon River area (eastern side of Lake Winnipeg) on a 27 day canoe trip, and down the Dubawnt and Thelon rivers up in NWT & Nunavut.

[Aspiration]

I usually am only able to go hiking, but enjoy camping, bicycling, rock climbing, kayaking... anything, really, when I have the chance.

[Aliquid]

Just got back from a few days of camping yesterday. I love the outdoors and feel "at peace" with myself when surrounded by nature.

I don't hunt or fish, but I enjoy wildlife encounters. I have been in a kayak and had a bald eagle dive for a fish within a dozen feet from me. I have had a few bear encounters (some a bit too close for my liking).

Luckily I live quite close to nature and get wildlife in my yard from time to time. There was an owl in my back yard yesterday, and a bobcat has been hanging around lately.

[Jay R]

I was much more of a hiker in my younger days, including two summers as a Philmont Ranger.

Now my camping is much less primitive. I'm going camping for several days next week, but it's an SCA event, and I'll bring fencing gear, arts projects and documentation, Renaissance costumes, etc.

[Erloas]

Now my camping is much less primitive. I'm going camping for several days next week, but it's an SCA event, and I'll bring fencing gear, arts projects and documentation, Renaissance costumes, etc.
My girlfriend and I got back from Estrella just recently. It was a good trip.
Would that be Gulf War? I haven't made it out to that one yet, did make it to Pennsic 40 though.

I've taken my pavillion out camping a few times, at Granite hotsprings and Teton National Forest, always gets some interesting looks.

We went out fishing last weekend, didn't do great, just one rainbow, about 2-3lbs by my estimate. Going to get the boat ready this week and hope to go out this weekend. We weren't totally sure if the lake was completely open so we just went to check it out last weekend, I never do as good on shore as I do in the boat.

[Bulldog Psion]

I'm definitely a hiker. Show me a trail, and I'm on it, PDQ. :smallwink:

I don't know if growing a large vegetable garden when opportunity offers counts as outdoorsy stuff, but I've done that and would like to return to doing it soon.

I haven't hunted in quite a while now, but I certainly do enjoy the taste of venison. I also like target shooting, which I suppose is semi-outdoorsy also.

Never been much for fishing, though.

At the same time, I really enjoy getting my hands on some polyhedral dice or spending an evening playing a favorite video game.

Anyway, I guess my ideal summer day would be going for a short morning walk, spending a few hours writing fiction, working in a garden for a couple hours in the early afternoon, going on a longer walk in the mid to late afternoon, and having a good tabletop RPG session with good company in the evening. That's pretty much a Perfect Day for the psionics-wielding bulldog.

[Jay R]

My girlfriend and I got back from Estrella just recently. It was a good trip.
Would that be Gulf War? I haven't made it out to that one yet, did make it to Pennsic 40 though.

Yes, I'm going to Gulf War, and should arrive late Wednesday afternoon.

[blacklight101]

I was much more of a hiker in my younger days, including two summers as a Philmont Ranger.

Now my camping is much less primitive. I'm going camping for several days next week, but it's an SCA event, and I'll bring fencing gear, arts projects and documentation, Renaissance costumes, etc.

I did a trek at Philmont with my scout troop. It was damn good fun. Went with one of the Mount Baldy ones. Tooth of Time was cool, I went to the top of it too. :smallbiggrin: Ten days on the trail. One of the coolest trips I ever took.

I hope I can take my boys one day.

[KerfuffleMach2]

I did a lot of camping when I was in Scouts. Also did some hiking and canoeing.

We used to have a specific campout in January of every year. We would arrive at the same campsite every year (I think it was called Munahkee, not sure), and we would do a five mile hike to a nearby town. Called Hell. It was the Hike to Hell campout, and we did every year. It was fun.

Boy, do I miss it. Don't really have the time or resources now. As soon as I can, though, I will.

[Traab]

I used to be big on hunting and fishing. Never had any luck bow hunting, except for a couple good stories like the time I was almost attacked by a wolf. (Not really, it was chasing a squirrel and ran to the tree behind me then ran off but still exciting to see, wolves are really rare in my area) Or a black bear once. But the fishing I had better luck on, fishing rainbow trout from a lake. Every time I go out I bring back dinner. Good tasty fish. Annoying bones. I still like to hike, I just dont seem to get the chance much anymore. My dad and I have similar tastes, we go to a secluded hiking area with little traffic with a book and some snacks and drinks, go to the middle of nowhere, then hang out and relax in the sun for awhile in peace and quiet.

[blacklight101]

Might be taking my first trip shooting for the year this weekend. I hope the weather stays nice for it. May have a few friends to go with too, that always makes it nice.

[TheThan]

I’m planning on doing a lot of prospecting this year. I already got everything I need; I just gotta wait for the right time. Since we’ve been in drought for some time, it’s going to be a mostly dry job getting down in the river beds.

I’m in the tail end of Mother Load country, and I’ve got that gold fever. *rubs hands greedily, wide eyed*



Used to do other outdoorsy stuff, last time I went camping was… two or three years ago. Didn’t like the people I was with though (friends of friends); went fishing then too. Haven’t gone hunting in ages; heck I haven’t even shot in ages.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Remmirath
I greatly enjoy hiking, biking, canoeing, and swimming whenever I get the chance.

I'm with most of these: I'm out in the woods nearly every day if I can, mountain biking in warmer weather and kayaking every chance I get.

I also love long walks on the beach, preferably alone on a rainy afternoon, with a cold northeast wind spattering raindrops against my face and only the seabirds for company.

Right now I'm avidly awaiting the spring migration of warblers, who should be starting to arrive any day now. I enjoy birds at any time of year--I love the golden-crowned kinglets who pitter around the woods in winter--but warblers have exquisitely beautiful songs, and I enjoy the challenge of identifying them as well as the pure music they share.


Originally Posted by Remmirath
Camping is something that has always intrigued me, but that I have never done. I'm not sure whether I'd like it or not.

I've done fieldwork in some of the remoter parts of the Amazon, and stayed at field stations from southeastern Brazil to northwestern Costa Rica. But I'm terrible at pitching a tent. :smalltongue:


Originally Posted by Starwulf
Still, I try to get out into nature as much as I can, which isn't that hard since I live on top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere :)

I used to do a lot of hiking in the Catoctins, which may be vaguely close to where you are. It's lovely landscape, especially in the spring, when the shadbushes are blooming and a grove of redbuds is like a fine lavender mist on the mountainside.


Originally Posted by Toastkart
I don't do any hunting or fishing, but I do take pictures. Here's just a small sample.

Those are nice photos, especially the morning light. Lovely little cattail marsh you have there.

[TheThan]

I'm with most of these: I'm out in the woods nearly every day if I can, mountain biking in warmer weather and kayaking every chance I get.

I also love long walks on the beach, preferably alone on a rainy afternoon, with a cold northeast wind spattering raindrops against my face and only the seabirds for company.

Right now I'm avidly awaiting the spring migration of warblers, who should be starting to arrive any day now. I enjoy birds at any time of year--I love the golden-crowned kinglets who pitter around the woods in winter--but warblers have exquisitely beautiful songs, and I enjoy the challenge of identifying them as well as the pure music they share.


Walked within 5 feet of a red tailed hawk once. They're gorgeous. He (or she had no way of telling), was perched on a stump by the road, didn't have a kill or anything, it was just standing there; walked right by it on the way to high school.



I've done fieldwork in some of the remoter parts of the Amazon, and stayed at field stations from southeastern Brazil to northwestern Costa Rica. But I'm terrible at pitching a tent. :smalltongue:


It takes practice to get good at living out of tent.

Anyway I don’t think I could hack the tropics. I could cope with the high heat, humidity and constant rain, but the constant swarm of insects would make me go insane. I don’t mind bugs, but begin swarmed by them constantly sucks.

[Erloas]

I suppose it would depend a lot on the type of tents, but I've found very few that are hard to put up. I don't think I've ever had a hard time with a modern tent either.

It was about 3 years ago at Estrella War I helped put up about 35 tents in 2 days. Considering the majority weren't modern dome tents that is quite a bit of work.

Last year I took the GF's kids to fish at a small kids fishing pond at the edge of town and we watched an eagle take a fish from the pond.
Also saw one dive, but fail to get one out of a small stream near Jackson, Wy a few years before that.
I'm not positive both were eagles, we have quite a few birds of prey and I'm not all that great at telling some of them apart. (wikipedia says we have 15 different species of hawks and eagles and another 5 species of falcons)

[TheThan]

There's a family of bald eagles living up at one of the larger lakes in my area, but i've only ever seen them from afar. they're a little wary of the human folk. They made the news some time ago when they were first spotted.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by TheThan
There's a family of bald eagles living up at one of the larger lakes in my area, but i've only ever seen them from afar. they're a little wary of the human folk.

Bald eagles are fairly common in my area, but they're extremely skittish of humans. I'll be walking along a trail at the water's edge, and a bald eagle will lumber out of a tree several hundred feet away and fly further along the trail, and then wing off over the water when I keep coming closer.

Contrast this with chickadees and kinglets, who are wren-sized or smaller and absolutely fearless. Kinglets like to come over to see what you are, if they're not too busy flitting about, and they'll watch you from five feet away sometimes.


Originally Posted by TheThan
Anyway I don’t think I could hack the tropics. I could cope with the high heat, humidity and constant rain, but the constant swarm of insects would make me go insane. I don’t mind bugs, but begin swarmed by them constantly sucks.

It's not always as buggy as you'd think, and it depends a lot on the type of habitat. I've stayed in parts of the Amazon where the evenings are lovely and bug-free. "Nem uma carapanã," the locals will say, "not a single mosquito."

I've also tried sleeping in a hammock on a riverboat tied up by the shore, and without a mosquiteiro (mosquito net) the night was a misery of midges. "What do they live on when they can't get field biologist?" could have been my cry. It depends where and when you are.

But there are many more insects than just the biting kinds, and it's lovely beyond words to come across a glade of wild Philodendrons with butterflies fluttering lazily in the sunlight. And there's absolutely nothing like an electric blue morpho flashing past your canoe, a vivid turquoise blaze skipping through the aether, partly in our world and partly somewhere else.

And then there's the cicadas. I've been in a grove in cloudforest in Costa Rica with hundreds of cicadas all tightly packed, pulsing solid sound like heat radiating from a brick oven. You have to shout to be heard by the person standing next to you. The sheer intensity of their sound is beyond description.

[patebon]

I love fishing & hiking, very love.
http://wigunpics.science/1/g.png