Journal
Meditations on Hunting Backpacks (Written in 1998)
As the founder, chief designer and former owner of Mountainsmith, one of the world’s best known manufacturers of technical backpacks, I spend about 200 days a year camped out testing designs. On a...
Read moreThe Possibles Pouch (written in 1997)
Over several decades of wandering the backcountry I’ve developed a kit of “possibles”–items that can save my bacon, or just ensure comfort, wherever I roam. The term “possibles” comes from the int...
Read moreArizona Outdoors Interview with Jim Solomon (September 2001)
Patrick:I’ve been backpacking and backpack hunting for about 45 years.I owned a wilderness survival school (Colorado School of Outdoor Living) from 1972 to 1980.I was a Certified Cross Country Ski...
Read moreThe reader who has perused a bit among my other “essays” knows that I am pretty much a solitary hunter/rambler. I do it by myself. Perhaps some probing of the ramifications of this style of wander...
Read moreStaying Young in the Field (Written in 2000)
No, the subject is not the aging of meat- though that might be a good topic for a future essay. Rather, I’m talking about the aging of us hunters. When I was a young buck I could put up with just ...
Read moreThe short answer to your question about which packs and tipis I use is that I use, or have used extensively, all of them. If you’re trying to narrow the field of options with a mind to make select...
Read moreAnswers To Posimag (Written in 2000)
The following is in response to a pregnant paragraph from good pal and customer “Posimag”, as posted on our message board 6-1-00. My response grew so large it warrants putting it here on the Forum...
Read moreRifle Cartridge Power - How Much is Enough? (Written in 2000)
I wonder when the laser-guided bazookas will show up?”—– anonymous The subject is hunting rifle “power”. We seem insatiable for more and more of it. Remington’s new 300 Ultramag sales are brisk...
Read moreUsing Your Pack As A Shooting Aid (Written in 2000)
Your pack is the best shooting aid you have. And make no mistake about it-a solid rest is the absolute best contributor to accurate shooting. Given half a chance, I’ll always shoot off my pack, ev...
Read moreHand-loading For All-purpose Use of Big Game Rifles (Written in 2000)
HANDLOADING Discussion: the usual condition of starting well below the following Big Game and Dangerous Game loads should be observed; some of them are a mite hot. My approach is to make my ...
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