Product Review and Tips For Using The Zippo A-Frame Hand Warmer

Description: The Zippo A-Frame hand warmer is a low odor hand warmer with a long warming life of 12 hours per fluid filling making it ideal for hunting, snowmobiling, skiing, ice fishing and football.  The product includes hand warmer, warmer bag and filling cup.  (Lighter fluid not included)

Review:  This is one of those products that I can't say enough about.  My first time hunting my mentor let me use one of these to help me keep warm on a day that was a very cold 11 degree day.  At first I thought I didn't need it because i had some of those disposable hand warmers.  However after an hour of sitting I quickly noticed the difference in heat being produced by disposable hand warmers and the Zippo A-Frame warmer.  Needless to say the Zippo hand warmer was far better at producing warmth and it lasted several hours longer than the disposable warmers. Not only that but it it had no odor that I noticed.  Needless to say the Zippo hand warmer get's 5 stars from me and I'll always have a few of these on my when hunting and ice fishing.  

Quick tips:

• Allow the heater time to warm up (to the point that it’s almost too hot to touch) before putting it inside the fleece pouch.
• 
  
  In extreme cold you may want to put the warmer directly in your pocket without the fleece pouch in order to get a more heat.  Note: do this only if you’re wearing thick clothing that’ll keep you from having direct or close to direct skin contact.
• Keep in mind the fleece pouch extends burn time but reduces heat conduction
• For a warmer burn leave the drawstring open so the burner can get more oxygen.
• If it's getting too hot close the drawstring to reduce heat.
• DO NOT place the metal warmer directly against bare skin as this will cause burns.  This is especially important for numb fingers that may not alert you to being burned due to numb pain receptors. 

Pros:  Has very low odor, last very long and gets far warmer than the disposable hand warmers that we all use. 

Cons:  The only con is the fact that you have to refill the warmer with fuel thus you must keep extra fuel around.  (But I can’t really say that’s a con)

Price: $19.95

Product Review: Quantum Optix 30 Spinning Reel

Company Description:  Reel in your next great catch with the Quantum Optix Size 3o Spinning Reel Convertible.  The spinning reel features graphite frame construction and smooth, adjustable front drag.  The aluminum spool is strong and offers smooth casting, and the reel features selectable continuous anti-reverse for reliable line payout.  Two ball bearings and 1 roller bearing provide smooth line movement.  Collapsible single handle.  Internal bail trip.  195 yards/8 lb.

Features and Benefits:

• Graphite frame Construction for light weight
• 2 ball bearings and 1 roller bearing provide for smooth line movement
• 5.3:1 gear ratio for high-speed retrieves
• Reels 27 inches per revolution
• Aluminum spool offers durability and smooth casting
• Single collapsible handle
• Selectable continuous anti-reverse for reliable line payout
• Internal Bail Trip

Review:  I bought the Quantum Optix 30 early last year as a quick replacement for a cheap reel that came on a rod & reel combo set I purchased.  However when I got it home I realized that my ultralight reel was in poor condition so I slapped the Optix 30 on my ultralight.  Overall the reel is very nice it's pretty smooth for an inexpensive reel with only 3 ball bearings.  As well it's a pretty sturdy reel which has taken a beating from me over the past year. 

So far I've caught everything ranging from bluegill just large enough to be considered bait to a 12lb brown trout using the Optix 30.  The only problems I had with the reel is that the screws that hold in the reel handle and the wire bail work loose with normal usage.  This got to be extremely annoying, especially when chasing white bass, so I'll be figuring out some way to fix these issues before the ice thaws this coming spring.  Even with those two issues the reel will stay in my arsenal this coming spring.  However It'll be getting pushed over to a bit heavier rod. 
Overall the reel gets 4 stars from me. 

How I Used:  I have the Quantum Optix 30 paired up with a Berkley Cherrywood ultralight rod.  The reel is spooled with 6lb flourocarbon P-line. 

Pros:  The Optix 30 is very economical in price.  The reel has a reasonably smooth drag and is pretty light weight.

Cons:  The screw that holds in the bail wire consistently comes loose.  As well the screw that holds in the reel handle in place comes loose with normal use which can be annoying. 

Price: $19.99

Choosing the Right Size Pack For Your Trip

Infographic Credit: Campmor

Elk Playing With Photographer

I saw this video and had to share it with you all.  Check this out.

A Few Quick Pics of This Year's Late Salmon Trip

This past august I was lucky enough to be able to take a little time out to go to the west side of the state for a short salmon fishing and camping trip.  It is something my dad, my hunting partner and myself had been planning on doing since earlier this summer.  However every time we’d come up with a date it would end up being inconvenient for one party or another.   But eventually we got it together and made our way up north to the Pere Marquette River to chase spawning salmon.  

To say the least, we had a blast.  Below are a few pics from our trip.  We ended up catching quite  few fish over the course of two days, mostly snagging them.  However we did manage to catch 10 legal fish.  For bait I was using different fly patterns, mostly wooly bugger variations, but the most effective thing was a wooly bugger inline spinner that I make.  Which had a few fish biting at it out of aggression since the salmon this late in the spawn don't feed.   I'll post the pattern for the wooly bugger spinner that I make in a later post. 

Next year I'll making this trip a lot sooner so I can catch salmon while they're still fresh in the river and more aggressive. But this trip was still a lot of fun. 

Thanks for reading!

Me holding a decent sized salmon caught on a spinner.

My hunting partner with another nice salmon. 

Deer Anatomy

Photo Credit:  Outdoorlife

How to Make Venison Stock

Venison stock

Stock is a key ingredient in many of the different dishes you'll make.  And venison stock is no different from any other type of stock in that way.  Venison stock gives you a tasty base for wild game soups, stews, gravies and many other dishes.  It's simple to make and can be tailored to your specific taste buds by simply changing out the ingredients or even smoking the bones rather than roasting them before making the stock.  Below is a quick recipe for venison stock that'll have you putting more of this years deer harvest to tasteful use. 

Materials Needed: 
Cheesecloth
Stockpot
Roasting pan
Large measuring cup or large bowl

Ingredients: (these ingredients you can add to or take away from according to your taste)
Deer, antelope, elk, or moose bones
4 to 6 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 or 4 stalks of celery, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 medium onions or 4 small onions cut into quarters
1 or 2 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
10 whole peppercorns (optional to taste)
4 or 5 sprigs of parsley
2 sprigs of thyme or 1tsp of dried thyme leaves

Directions:
1.  Arrange deer bones in a large roasting pan. Preheat oven to 450 and roast the bones util well browned.  This normally takes about 1 hour.  Be sure to turn the bones at the half hour point for even browning.
2.  Transfer bones to the your stock pot. (you may wanna use tongs to avoid burned fingers.) Loosen browned bis from the roasting pan by stirring and adding 1 cup of water if necessary.  Pour this liquid into a large bowl or measuring cup so you can skim the fat off of the top.  Add liquid to your stockpot with the bones. 
3.  Add the rest of your ingredients to the stockpot.  Cover the bones with cold water then heat over medium-high heat until the liquid comes to a boil.  Once the liquid comes to a boil reduce the heat and skim any foam from the top of the stock.  Let simmer for about 8 hours, skimming foam periodically and adding additional water when necessary to keep bones covered.
4.  Strain sock through 3 or 4 layers of cheesecloth into a large heat resistant bowl or pot.  Discard the bones, vegetables and any solid matter leftover in cheesecloth.  Pour stock back into the stockpot bringing the stock back to a boil.  Cook the stock until reduces to about 3 quarts.  Let it cool for a while before refrigerating over night. The next morning, skim any solidified fat from the top and your venison stock is ready.

Thanks for reading,
Kwan