Mistakes Made in The Great Outdoors

Posted on July 6, 2015September 11, 2015 by BlastAdmin

Hiking, camping and backpacking are all excellent ways to experience the wonder of the Great Outdoors. However, it can also be a dangerous way to witness Mother Nature in all her fury. Simple common mistakes made hastily can have inconvenient and even disastrous consequences. Here we explore some common mistakes average people make when enjoying nature.

Failure to Prepare

Whether you forget to bring a map and determine your route beforehand or you make a rookie mistake like not bringing enough water, or checking the weather forecast using equipment like the ones you can find here, you could add hours or even days to your trip if you get lost — no to mention lose expensive equipment along the way. That’s why it’s crucial to sit down beforehand — even with a hike that you’ve done many times before — and map out your route, procure rations and make sure you have the proper gear.

Ignoring Signs

You may think you can handle a bigger workout than you’re actually trained for because at the bottom of a mountain, anything seems possible. Halfway up and you may reconsider. By then it could be too late and you’re already committed to the summit run. Pay attention to marked trails and their ratings. Don’t go for an intense trail with lots of climbing and scaling if you’re just out for a casual scenic hike. Instead, pick a trail for your fitness level and gradually work your way up in ratings over time. Also, don’t go off the marked trail. Doing so could send you on a route that could get you lost in no time.

Failing to Test out New Equipment

One of the biggest mistakes in camping in particular is not testing out equipment such as grills, tents and even sleeping bags beforehand. Before you head out on your trip, make sure the grill works and that you have enough propane (which, by the way, can be sourced from firms similar to Nelson Propane Gas Incorporated) to fuel it. Nothing kills a good camping buzz faster than hungry kids huddled around the grill mad at Dad who can’t get the darn thing to work. Set up the tent in the backyard before going, too. Make sure you know exactly how to put it together to save yourself the hassle of wrestling with directions at the camp site. Pack all components of the tent with you, including rain covers and stakes, so you’re well prepared.

Leaving out Food and Toiletries

Most people know not to leave out food at a campsite, especially at night when asleep, so that bears and other large animals don’t come a-hunting. But most people don’t realize that many critters, such as raccoons and squirrels, are attracted by the smells of toiletries like toothpaste, soap and bug repellant. Keep these securely packed away as well to avoid unwelcome visitors.

Be careful on your next hiking or camping trip by preparing beforehand so you can have the most enjoyable time possible.

Camping in the Back Country of Montana

Posted on July 6, 2015September 11, 2015 by BlastAdmin

One of the biggest chores in the backcountry is hanging your food in the trees so bears won’t get to it. It is very time consuming. Not any longer, thanks to the Bear Shock® Food Storage Electric Fence for the backcountry.

Nothing says Montana like a backcountry camping experience! But while you are out enjoying the Big Sky Country, please be BEAR AWARE! Being bear-friendly in Montana is something that we pride ourselves on. And it does come with sacrifice—the welfare of the bear always come first even if it means that we won’t be able to see a bear or get that perfect picture. It means taking steps to prevent bears from finding sources of food on your property or when you are out camping like using our Bear Shock® Food Storage Electric Fence.

Did you know that once a bear is food-trained, it is often impossible to un-train them. That is why biologists so often say a fed bear is a dead bear. So let’s don’t feed the bears!

Your attentiveness in keeping your outdoor camp space “Bear Friendly” is doing your part to keep Montana’s grizzly and black bears wild and free.

“Bear Friendly” means allowing every bear to retain its wild and free nature.

Black Bears

Posted on July 6, 2015September 11, 2015 by BlastAdmin

The American black bear is the smallest of the three bears types that can be located in North America, and are it should be noted that they are only found in North America. Black bears have the ability to climb trees because of their short non-retractable claws.

Black bears are very easy going and have a variety of habitat types, they are mostly found in forested areas with thick ground vegetation and an abundance of fruits, nuts, and vegetation. In the northern areas, they can be found in the tundra, and they will sometimes forage in fields or meadows.

Black bears are inclined to be solitary animals, with the exclusion of mamma black bears and her cubs. Typically, these bears will forage alone, but will endure each other and forage in groups if there is a wealth of food in one location.

Most black bears hibernate subject to local weather trends and the availability of food throughout the winter months. In areas where there is a reliable food supply and warmer weather all winter long, bears may not hibernate at all or do so for short period of time. Female black bears will give birth and stay denned throughout the winter, but you should know that both males and females who do not have young may leave their dens from time to time during winter months.

Black Bears

Bear Attacks

Posted on July 5, 2015September 11, 2015 by BlastAdmin

In the past decade, there have been 27 fatal incidences of bear attacks in North America, resulting in 29 deaths. 15 were in Canada, three were in Alaska, two were in Tennessee, and single fatal bear attacks happened in New York, New Mexico, California, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Utah and Montana. 17 of those fatal bear attacks were inflicted by black bears, and 10 by grizzlies.

Bear attacks happen as fast as lightning!!! Most situations where you will need to use bear pepper spray will be in a close surprise encounter. When people are injured by bears in most cases it is due to the fact that the person and the bear were unaware of each others close proximity. In a surprise encounter as this, a person usually has less than 2 seconds to react. UDAP Pepper Power’s® belief is to get as much bear pepper spray as possible between you and the bear in that 2 seconds.

Camping Checklist 2013

Posted on July 5, 2015September 11, 2015 by BlastAdmin

Camping season is upon us and we wanted to share with you a camping checklist. It’s always better to be prepared when going on an outdoor adventure. Making sure that you have the necessary supplies and equipment can determine whether you’ll have a great time or not. And if you’re a list person like me, then checklists make a great tool for keeping you on track.

Your camping checklist is going to depend on where you’re going camping, what type of camping you’re going to be doing, and the activities that you’ll be participating in on your outdoor adventure. You will also need to factor in the season and how long your trip will be. For example, if you were to spend your holidays in Iceland, you may have to visit sites like https://www.rent.is/ and similar ones to rent your camper van well in advance. You would most probably be spending your stay in the same vehicle. As for venturing around the country, there are local guides on whom you can rely for their expert services.

Now, that is cleared out, let’s focus on other factors. Do you have a camper? Are you staying in a cabin or are you going to stay in a tent? Are you well-equipped for the trip? If not, you may want to head down to online sites of companies like GearDisciple and purchase everything well in advance. Also, if you’re going to stay in a tent-you’ll need sleeping bags, air mattresses/cots, folding chairs/camping chairs, flashlight/lanterns, pillows, extra batteries, clean water, or a water filter or treatment tablets.

You will need appropriate clothing and footwear, kitchen ware, campfire cooking utensils, food (store all food in sealed bags in a bear resistant container. Like UDAP’s NO-FED-BEAR airtight containers), personal items, fishing gear or outdoor gear for the activities that you have planned. Camera, first aid kit, two-way radios, GPS receiver if you don’t know the area, basically make a checklist of all the supplies that you want to take so you can check it off once it’s packed and loaded into your vehicle. Then you don’t have to worry about leaving anything behind.

To protect you from bears, you will need a light weight electric fence, like UDAP’s Bear Shock.

Sleeping in bear country can be very frightening for people. This item is an answer to the problem of fear while camping in bear country. This is useful for everyone sleeping in the backcountry.

Bear specialists and outdoor professionals will tell you, bears who willfully enter a camp are either predatory or have become used to eating garbage and human food. Either way these bears are no longer fearful of being in close proximity to humans and are very dangerous.

Bear Shock is the first ultra lightweight battery-powered, electric fence system and is designed to provide safety and sound sleep while in bear country and to help protect you and your equipment from curious bears by providing a surprising electrical shock if touched. Bear Shock uses three sets of poly-wire with two hot and one ground. When the energizer is turned on, Bear Shock will distribute an electric charge of about 6,000 volts if touched.

Have a good night’s sleep while sleeping in bear country. It is perfect for backpacking due to its size and weight. Bear Shock only weighs 3.1 lbs. without batteries and 3.7 lbs. with batteries, and fits in a small 5″ x 20″ storage bag. Bear Shock will enclose a 27 ft. x 27 ft. area, and runs on 2 D-cell batteries that can supply power to the energizer continuously for approximately five weeks.

Bear Shock can easily adapt to most environments. There is enough poly wire to fence an area 27ft. by 27ft. It is fully adjustable and has three gate hooks for easy access. A much smaller area can be fenced buy cutting the poly wire. The poly wire can later be tied back together if a larger area is preferred.

Bear Shock is small, lightweight, portable, and simple to use with all the components included in one easy kit. Bear Shock helps provide safety and peace of mind for you and your family while enjoying the outdoors.

Go out and enjoy the great outdoors! Stay safe in bear country and use your head, be prepared.

NO-FED-BEAR ™ – UDAP New Item

Posted on July 5, 2015September 23, 2015 by BlastAdmin

One of the first signs you will see at the bear park in any zoo is “Don’t feed the bears”. This is so true in a bear’s natural habitat too. There is an old familiar saying “A FED BEAR IS A DEAD BEAR”. According the National Park Service, allowing a bear to obtain human food, even once, can result in aggressive, bear behavior. Aggressive bears are a threat to human safety and must be removed or destroyed. Help keep bears wild and safe. Do not feed the bears for any reason!

Protecting your food from bears, protects bears. Therefore, UDAP Industries Inc. a company in Bozeman, MT has come out with a new and exciting item. After more than 16 years of providing products to help people coexist with bears, UDAP Industries now has a bear proof food canister the “NO-FED-BEAR™” available for back country travelers. This new item is an answer to the problem of bears obtaining human food. It is useful for everyone traveling in the backcountry.

For More Information visit: http://www.udap.com/nofedbear.htm