Favorite animal\favorite outdoor user blade

Runsalone

Runsalone

Joined
Oct 22, 2003
Messages
1,150
Hey all. Just a conversational thread hopefully for our entertainment!

Whats everybodys favorite woodsdweller and why?
Whats your favorite wilderness blade (or tool...???) how come?? :)

One of my favorite animals to study is the red, or grey fox, there so intuitive and intelligent. Also the shelter mice in A.T. shelters are always putting on an amazing gymnastics show ;) I guess whatever animal I see next is my favorite to watch.....obviously deer, and there tracks are interesting stories. Bats are ......Incredible! So much for one favorite :rolleyes:

What has become one of my favorite tools in the outdoors is my hawk. They seem able to do it all. And on a silly note, it feels like kind of a connection to the past, when people who really depended and lived in the natural world every day as a way of life, had tools similar to these tucked in thier belts or sashes. Back when people and animals were closer communities. Silly I guess, but a reminder better days gone by.

What about the rest of you? What creatures and tools make you happy to be in the wild!????
 
I enjoy Ravens and Crows, mostly because I've had acquaintances with a few. They're quite smart, and a lot of fun to watch. A Crow flock works as a team, and it's interesting to watch them achieve a goal together. Beavers are pretty neat too. It's amazing how they can change the landscape and environment. My favorite outdoor knife is my everyday carry 4" blade sheath knfe, which I made myself from A-2 steel.
 
Its amazing how crows will flock together and terrorize something like a redtail hawk. Cool choice!
 
Owls are cool. In the early dawn if one moves easy through the timber you can sometimes get pretty close to them. I think that their is something mysterious about them, almost supernatural. I guess I am fond of all the predators in the woods. Maybe because I am one to.
I have several hunting/woods knives that I really like but I guess my all-time favorite is my BUCK 110. The 110 and I go way back. My second favorite is probley a old carbon steel SCHRADE 165 that I picked up at a flea market. Don't know why I like it so much,just do. Cool thread.
 
I like them all. I watched a Mule deer doe walk out into a meadow 30 yards from me. Scan the area, sniff the air, scan the area and then give a little mewing sound and out pop two spotted fawns, running and playing with each other. Sat and watched them for as long as they stayed.

Another time watched a doe stomping her feet as she looked in a direction to my left. I dropped down when I heard noises coming from my right and out pops a little tiny, probably new born fawn. It got within a few feet of me when it stopped and looked at me with them big brown eyes, which were getting bigger :eek: by the second and then it bolted in another direction. On my way back to my starting point a few minutes later, I discovered the nature of momma doe's concern. A yellow and black boar black bear popped it's head into a small opening I was standing it, woofed, turned and headed across this basin we were in and promply showed me who was boss by tearing a deadfall into small pieces.

Yeah, I like em all. Even the jays and squirrels that blow a good stalk for me. :rolleyes: :D

My favorite blade in the outdoors is, well, actually I have several. For an all around blade, I really like my Becker BK7, but have found myself grabbing the Mora 2000 for lite field work and game chores.
 
Grateful said:
Owls are cool. I think that their is something mysterious about them, almost supernatural. I guess I am fond of all the predators in the woods. Maybe because I am one to.QUOTE]

I agree A great horned owl has this aura sort of like he is the grandfather of all the winged things in the forest. Like there is wisdom in him that he will divulge when HE thinks your ready, you know. I like the way they tell you things about the environment you share, as if its a secret between the two of you.
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longbow50 said:
I like them all. I watched a Mule deer doe walk out into a meadow 30 yards from me. Scan the area, sniff the air, scan the area and then give a little mewing sound and out pop two spotted fawns, running and playing with each other. Sat and watched them for as long as they stayed.

Another time watched a doe stomping her feet as she looked in a direction to my left. I dropped down when I heard noises coming from my right and out pops a little tiny, probably new born fawn. Yeah, I like em all. Even the jays and squirrels that blow a good stalk for me. :rolleyes: :D
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Hey Longbow.

I like them all too! Its really impossible to pick a favorite. Here is Ga. we dont have muleys, but we do have forest ghosts! The whitetail has got to be one of the most amazing animals I can think of. Some of the most incredible camoflague I can think of. I know what you mean about those big brown eyes. Sometimes I think deer have an understanding of lifes circle that you can pick up on in thier eyes. As if thousands of years of hunter and hunted makes perfect peaceful sense to them. Ive never been norished by one single bite of venison where I wasnt supremely thankful for the sacrifice of this beautiful creature.

Sometimes I think youve never REALLY thanked the creator before a meal like one youve taken yourself. Its so easy to go to the grocery store and pick up a steak. And never really think about the life that has been traded for yours, but when you watch the last glimmer drain from those eyes...... Its humbling for sure.
 
For a critter, a gotta say hawks. I'm just in awe of them. In the city, crows during the day and oppossums at night.

For sharps, right now I like the fancy red handled Moras and my SAK. Bought a bladeless friend a Mora 2000. Already cut himself with it :rolleyes: I have a new Beck WSK that hasn't been let out yet :D

Diablero
 
Squirrel antics crack me up!! Specially when they are competing!In the city I love the sparrows....very curious,can almost get them to take food from my hand! :p My new favorite knives are from Bark River Kife and Tool,my most useful model is the Fieldsman,but the Forseter is the Ultimate :D
 
I don't really have a favorite but I enjoy watching/observing about anything when I am out. Recently on a short hike I was about 30 yards away from a doe with a fawn. Both were amused by me and watched me carefully as I continued up the trail. They had me pegged as a Tourist.

My favorite blade, at present is my Becker Companion.
 
Runsalone said:
Hey Longbow.

I like them all too! Its really impossible to pick a favorite. Here is Ga. we dont have muleys, but we do have forest ghosts! The whitetail has got to be one of the most amazing animals I can think of. Some of the most incredible camoflague I can think of. I know what you mean about those big brown eyes. Sometimes I think deer have an understanding of lifes circle that you can pick up on in thier eyes. As if thousands of years of hunter and hunted makes perfect peaceful sense to them. Ive never been norished by one single bite of venison where I wasnt supremely thankful for the sacrifice of this beautiful creature.

Sometimes I think youve never REALLY thanked the creator before a meal like one youve taken yourself. Its so easy to go to the grocery store and pick up a steak. And never really think about the life that has been traded for yours, but when you watch the last glimmer drain from those eyes...... Its humbling for sure.
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Yep, I agree that the Whitetail is an incredible creature. They are very much like our little blacktails here on the coast of California to hunt. Had some good times trying to chase them whitetails on the ground (only way I hunt), while up in Idaho. I wasn't hunting to kill, but for the experience and I had a heck of a time getting up within longbow range with them. Muleys can be easy to hunt sometimes and other times they can be a real challenge, the whitetail and blacktails seems that they are always a challenge.

I also agree with others here and yourself that the creatures we visit and study in the bush hold wisdom and imho, much of it is beyond our comprehension. It's like they carry the memories of a hundred millinium of lifetimes within their instincts and spirit and when we meet, they share it with us in ways that only they can. All we have to do is see, listen, feel and understand.

I agree that to live within the cycle of hunter and prey gives many an appreciation of the life and death cycle and an understanding of death that very few others really understand or care to know about. Maybe because it reminds them of their own mortality and scares them. It brings me closer to a spiritual contact with my CREATOR and all of Creation. It shows me that the animal that just gave it's life to me, actually made the ultimate sacrifice, so that me and my people can live for a short time longer. For that, I give thanks to the animal and my CREATOR receives prayer and thanks for sending the animal to me to die, again so that my family and I can live. There is no greater gift that we could receive and I am forever humbled by that gift.
 
I love seeing red tail hawks while I'm out day hiking. Seeing them floating above makes me feel welcome in the area. Deer are a close second, just because you have to be so quiet to watch them.
Lately I have been carrying the new Doug Ritter Griptilian on hikes and I like it alot.
 
Tknife-- How is the Ritter Grip holding up? I know the blade is thin so it must slice great.Not to thin is it? Ive been eyeballing one of those myself, though I wish theyed make it with a different handle material!
 
Had the day off work today.... Headed to Dawson forest WMA, and hiked a moderately short trail.

The whitetail rose to the top of the list for today as I saw another cross the trail not 15 yards in front of me. About a minuit or two befre the wind shifted and she caught my scent. And then ***poof*** she was gone with a wheeze.


God theyre beautiful.
 
As a long-time lurker here, I would like to offer my first post on your forum.

Retired and living in mid-Florida, I now have the opportunity to take 3 or 4 day hikes per week with an occasional longer trip from time to time.

My favorite animal is the alligator. Many of the places I hike offer opportunities to view these amazing creatures. They display qualities I wish I had more of; they are patient, quiet, deadly efficient at what they do, and it seems they get to sleep a lot! :)

For many years my hiking/camping knives have been; my beloved Randall Model 1, 6", carbon/leather. The Randall is complemented by a small Sebenza, circa 1995 manufacture, and a Victorinox Soldier.

I hope I can contribute on your interesting and educational forum from time to time.

Thanks,
dan
 
Hi dan! Thanks for your comments!

I love gators too. I grew up until I was about 16 or 17 in south carolina just off the coast, in a place called murrells inlet. We had lots of swamp critters there! Heck the seafood reseraunt I had my first job at had a little 5-footer that lived underneath the walkway in a little bog. Id always scare the dookie out of the waitresses and hostesses by feeding it chiken fingers left over from work. Never any of my fingers!


Nothing like what You probably see in florida I bet. Id love to do some camping down in the glades sometime. Its a virtual reptile zoo from what I gather.(and bring the DEET!) :D
 
Runsalone,

Now I know why the gator I eat sometimes tastes like chicken. :D

Hefty fines (and I think jail time too) here in FL for feeding or harassing the gators. Now and then I'll see some idiots feeding or teasing these animals, esp the smaller ones. I've seen gators move faster than these people can imagine, as I'm sure you have too. The newspapers carry stories of some of these encounters that have the theme of: Gator 1, idiot 0.

These are usually the same people I see in the swamps, five miles from the trailhead, wearing a t-shirt, shorts, and sandals. Sometimes they carry a half empty bottle of designer water. Newspaper stories waiting to happen.

I've done same day hiking in the 'glades but no camping. I don't think I can carry that much bus spray to stay overnight.


dan
 
I hear ya Dan. Sometimes when the blackflies in the hills here in Ga. start to get to me , I just think back to them swamp skeeters we had back home.....JEEZ!


I know what you mean about gators being quick! Ive had some affinity for animals of all kinds ever since I was old enough to know what they were. Its been my(howbeit short) experience that if you show them the proper respect they will usually return the favor. To this day I cant resist catching snakes and turtles for whoever is with me to study and learn about.....But only if they dont mind being handled. I guess the difference in the t-shirt, shorts sandals crowd waiting to be a newspaper story is that the creatures seem to be a novelty, seperate from thier cheeseburger and fries-air condition world(granted that we all must live in at least sometimes :( ;) To me they are to be respected, even reverenced. I think they are some of our greatest teachers.

Hope it didnt offend you-my feeding the gator. It was just my way of connecting with him. And thakfully not him with my leg!!! :D Usually these days I refrain from feeding animals at all. Wildness is their utmost treasure, and to seperate them from it in the least, must be bad medicine...ya know!

Live and learn I guess. ;)
 
O.K. I'll play. I live in the North country and my favourite woods animal is the woodland caribou. Caribou have an undeserved reputation for being dumb but they really just have a different instinct than white-tail that doesn't work so well against the clever little hominids with high velocity weaponry. Against wolves and the like the caribou herd instinct works very well thank-you and in tough marginal country they don't waste thousands of calories running and hiding from anything out of place. In fact they are down right curious and lovely to watch.

My favourite folder is the large Wegner by Spyderco. Well made, comfortable and sturdy a fine hunter and decent survival blade. For a fixed blade I am liking my Swamp Rat Camp Tramp, but like my Becker Necker with custom maple scales even better. I have it with me whenever I leave town and find it tough, useful and more importantly with me when I need a sharp instrument. I find the shape very useful for skinning and the little blade does very good work with a baton. Wonderful value but much better with a real handle.
 
Runsalone,

Certainly no offense taken!! No worries. :)

I agree about nature/animals being important teachers for us. I learned that from my father many, many years ago and it still holds true.

I worry that in a couple of generations there will BE no nature/wildlife to enjoy, especially here in mid-FL.

Now- back to your original question. I use my Randall Model 1 instead of the newer, trendier knives because of it's time-proven abilities, a blade I can keep razor sharp, even in the field, and ...well just because it's an
American classic. I've spent a lot of money trying to find a knife that suits me better but just can't do it. I keep coming back to the Randall. I think I'll stop trying.

dan
 
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