Winter Wildlife Signs
ACTION HUB – NOVEMBER, 2025 Winter Wildlife SignsWinter Wildlife Signs Tom Watson If you think of the outdoors as one big, wonderful natural theatre, then the leaves across that landscape are like a partially-drawn, visibly-impenetrable curtain that hides so much of the overall action going on around you. Fortunately, once colder weather…
SURVIVAL SENSE FOR HUNTERS
Tom Watson (Published in Fall 2025 issue of Whitetails Unlimited magazine)Tom Watson The term “survival” gets tossed around quite a bit in outdoor chat circles, most often centering around procedures that evolved from many of the extreme behind-the-lines enemy-evading tactics straight out of the U.S. Air Force survival manual. Hollywood’s contributions, as well as television…
NEW BOOKS FOR YOUR OUTDOOR LIBRARY –
I occasionally receive books on some aspect of the “outdoors” I like to introduce in this column – from memoirs that share personal experiences that both teach and entertain, to reference books that offer tips on various types of outdoor adventures and resources. Sometimes, in doing so, they remind us of the environment in which…
Cuttin’ Up In Camp…axe vs. Saw?
(Originally published in “Self Reliance In The Outdoors” /Tom Watson / Midwest Outdoors – June,2024) As part of my spring readiness rounds through my camping gear I always reach that fork in my mental “Do I really need this?” road. The most recurring question arises over whether or not I should bring an axe, a…
Carp Cuisine / Invasive Entrées / Can’t Beat ‘Em – Eat ‘Em
By Tom Watson, as Published in Big River magazine The plating of the entrée dish, with the brilliant reds and vivid oranges of the crawfish perched atop a sauce-covered fish fillet was even tastier that its eye appeal. Enough so that it took third place in a recent NOLA Navy Cook-off that paired NAVY and…
Enjoying a Campfire Bakery…
One of the lighter, but important aspects of being self reliant in the outdoors is the level to which you can bring your kitchen skills to the campfire. Whether it’s a casual car-camp weekend or a backcountry bivouac or spike camp, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy some of the cooking creations you enjoy…
Understand the Distinctions Between Charts and Maps
By: Tom Watson – Posted: April 2, 2024 on Action Hub Even in this tech age of global positioning devices and other cellphone-assessable electronic navigational software, the use of traditional maps and charts is still relevant, especially for those exploring major inland lakes, rivers and coastal shorelines by small, muscle-powered watercraft. Although it’s quite common to hear someone toss…
TOMOUTDOORS.COM 