Anything you wish you were better at, in terms of the outdoors?

[country road]

I have been circling the sun long enough to have gotten to the point of adequacy, at least, in most of my outdoor endeavors except one. I wish I were better at taking a dump in the woods. The need always seems to come upon me with a sense of urgency that precludes finding the perfect spot and it is nearly always in cold weather so that I have multiple layers of clothing to get off. God forbid that I be in a tree stand. The old, 'grab a tree and squat' technique works well except when I'm in a cutover or a dense overstory and can only find skinny, bendy saplings which always introduce a sense of apprehension to the event. I avoid hanging it over a log at all costs, because the fact the log is horizontal to begin with means that it is dead and its state of decay is always as suspect as my sense of balance. I could go on, but you get the picture. There is no need to go into the things that have fallen out my pockets during the evacuation procedure. I will say, with some pride, that I have only had to discard a set of suspenders due to obvious reasons, and that it has be nearly fifty years since I was caught in the woods without and cleansing material. Discomfort is a marvelous teacher.

If any of you have discovered a graceful and easy way to accomplish this outdoor feat, I'd like to hear it. No---I don't want to see a YouTube of it.

[jcarlin]

Explain to the better half why I need another gun. So far the answer is you have enough already.

about 10 years ago my wife peaked into the gun cabinet and said "Huh... I thought there'd be more."
Not wanting to seem inadequate.. I now need a bigger safe.
But I've maybe once or twice discussed a gun purchase with her. We're both employed, we talk about the finances, we know the score.

[country road]

I have been circling the sun long enough to have gotten to the point of adequacy, at least, in most of my outdoor endeavors except one. I wish I were better at taking a dump in the woods. The need always seems to come upon me with a sense of urgency that precludes finding the perfect spot and it is nearly always in cold weather so that I have multiple layers of clothing to get off. God forbid that I be in a tree stand. The old, 'grab a tree and squat' technique works well except when I'm in a cutover or a dense overstory and can only find skinny, bendy saplings which always introduce a sense of apprehension to the event. I avoid hanging it over a log at all costs, because the fact the log is horizontal to begin with means that it is dead and its state of decay is always as suspect as my sense of balance. I could go on, but you get the picture. There is no need to go into the things that have fallen out my pockets during the evacuation procedure. I will say, with some pride, that I have only had to discard a set of suspenders due to obvious reasons, and that it has be nearly fifty years since I was caught in the woods without and cleansing material. Discomfort is a marvelous teacher.

If any of you have discovered a graceful and easy way to accomplish this outdoor feat, I'd like to hear it. No---I don't want to see a YouTube of it.

Absolutely amazing---------

[FirstBubba]

I have been circling the sun long enough to have gotten to the point of adequacy, at least, in most of my outdoor endeavors except one. I wish I were better at taking a dump in the woods. The need always seems to come upon me with a sense of urgency that precludes finding the perfect spot and it is nearly always in cold weather so that I have multiple layers of clothing to get off. God forbid that I be in a tree stand. The old, 'grab a tree and squat' technique works well except when I'm in a cutover or a dense overstory and can only find skinny, bendy saplings which always introduce a sense of apprehension to the event. I avoid hanging it over a log at all costs, because the fact the log is horizontal to begin with means that it is dead and its state of decay is always as suspect as my sense of balance. I could go on, but you get the picture. There is no need to go into the things that have fallen out my pockets during the evacuation procedure. I will say, with some pride, that I have only had to discard a set of suspenders due to obvious reasons, and that it has be nearly fifty years since I was caught in the woods without and cleansing material. Discomfort is a marvelous teacher.

If any of you have discovered a graceful and easy way to accomplish this outdoor feat, I'd like to hear it. No---I don't want to see a YouTube of it.

@ country road - with a hip implant, "grab-a-root-and-grunt" is about as easy as kissing your elbow; bendy saplings, dead logs aside.
After the hip surgery, box blinds became a necessity rather than a nicety.
Inside a box blind, an empty 5 gallon bucket, a bottle of Pine-Sol and a gallon jug of water is now "necessary" equipment.
"Ring-around-the-butt" is preferable to "smear-across-the-butt"!
Of all my vices; hot, black coffee is the one I can't (refuse to?) alter.
Good coffee is a diuretic and a bowel stimulant.
Stashed safely away in all my hunting bags, pouches, vests, packs and all three vehicles, there is inevitably a "half-roll" in a Zip-Loc.

Toilet paper is like Discover card!
Don't leave home without it!

https://www.amazon.com/How-Shit-Woods-3rd-Environmentally/dp/1580083633

[dewman]

I have been circling the sun long enough to have gotten to the point of adequacy, at least, in most of my outdoor endeavors except one. I wish I were better at taking a dump in the woods. The need always seems to come upon me with a sense of urgency that precludes finding the perfect spot and it is nearly always in cold weather so that I have multiple layers of clothing to get off. God forbid that I be in a tree stand. The old, 'grab a tree and squat' technique works well except when I'm in a cutover or a dense overstory and can only find skinny, bendy saplings which always introduce a sense of apprehension to the event. I avoid hanging it over a log at all costs, because the fact the log is horizontal to begin with means that it is dead and its state of decay is always as suspect as my sense of balance. I could go on, but you get the picture. There is no need to go into the things that have fallen out my pockets during the evacuation procedure. I will say, with some pride, that I have only had to discard a set of suspenders due to obvious reasons, and that it has be nearly fifty years since I was caught in the woods without and cleansing material. Discomfort is a marvelous teacher.

If any of you have discovered a graceful and easy way to accomplish this outdoor feat, I'd like to hear it. No---I don't want to see a YouTube of it.

I too use a 5 gallon bucket. Instead of pine-sol I use 2" of kitty litter.

[bowhunter75richard]

I have been circling the sun long enough to have gotten to the point of adequacy, at least, in most of my outdoor endeavors except one. I wish I were better at taking a dump in the woods. The need always seems to come upon me with a sense of urgency that precludes finding the perfect spot and it is nearly always in cold weather so that I have multiple layers of clothing to get off. God forbid that I be in a tree stand. The old, 'grab a tree and squat' technique works well except when I'm in a cutover or a dense overstory and can only find skinny, bendy saplings which always introduce a sense of apprehension to the event. I avoid hanging it over a log at all costs, because the fact the log is horizontal to begin with means that it is dead and its state of decay is always as suspect as my sense of balance. I could go on, but you get the picture. There is no need to go into the things that have fallen out my pockets during the evacuation procedure. I will say, with some pride, that I have only had to discard a set of suspenders due to obvious reasons, and that it has be nearly fifty years since I was caught in the woods without and cleansing material. Discomfort is a marvelous teacher.

If any of you have discovered a graceful and easy way to accomplish this outdoor feat, I'd like to hear it. No---I don't want to see a YouTube of it.

You may have to change your whole outlook of hunting CR ! Instead of looking for the most likely spot to do-in a deer, you will need to look for the best placed horizontal tree as that necessity is without doubt much more important. It is no big thing to go home empty handed, however much more important to not go home full panted ! Either that or just don’t eat a couple of days prior to each hunt, but that of course reduces your days in the woods, which also reduces your time to find the correctly placed and slanting tree !

[jcarlin]

I have been circling the sun long enough to have gotten to the point of adequacy, at least, in most of my outdoor endeavors except one. I wish I were better at taking a dump in the woods. The need always seems to come upon me with a sense of urgency that precludes finding the perfect spot and it is nearly always in cold weather so that I have multiple layers of clothing to get off. God forbid that I be in a tree stand. The old, 'grab a tree and squat' technique works well except when I'm in a cutover or a dense overstory and can only find skinny, bendy saplings which always introduce a sense of apprehension to the event. I avoid hanging it over a log at all costs, because the fact the log is horizontal to begin with means that it is dead and its state of decay is always as suspect as my sense of balance. I could go on, but you get the picture. There is no need to go into the things that have fallen out my pockets during the evacuation procedure. I will say, with some pride, that I have only had to discard a set of suspenders due to obvious reasons, and that it has be nearly fifty years since I was caught in the woods without and cleansing material. Discomfort is a marvelous teacher.

If any of you have discovered a graceful and easy way to accomplish this outdoor feat, I'd like to hear it. No---I don't want to see a YouTube of it.

Regarding cleaning equipment, family legend has it that my brother has never come home from fishing with both socks.

[jcarlin]

I need to improve my J-stroke

I once had almost developed a passable J stroke... but then I found kayaks... and powered shallow v's. It is a worthy skill, but one I don't possess.

[jcarlin]

I could be better at almost everything in the woods. My location doesn't lead to a lot of stalking, but I've taken a few deer while on the move, even with a bow. I've taken up occasional fly fishing in the past few years and I'm not a virtuoso by any stretch. Maybe not even remotely competent, and am color blind and can't name 1.5 million flies and their stages, but I can cast a woollie bugger or a muddler in a small brush lined stream, catch some fish, and rarely have reason to swear anymore.
I know the very very basics of trapping, but have never really run a line. Just set on occasion for nuisances.

I've gone goose hunting a couple of times with buddies and that's my limit of wing shooting. I've never once shot trap. As hunting goes, deer, squirrel, and rabbit round out my experience and interests (upland birds are entirely put and take here) and this year, so far deerless, I haven't spent more than a couple of hours with my son and his .22 on the smaller two, though I expect to pile some on in February.

As a camper/hiker/backpacker I'm pretty squared away in the necessary skillset.

The only thing I'm truly good at in the outdoors is enjoying almost every moment I spend in it.

[Gary Devine]

I have been circling the sun long enough to have gotten to the point of adequacy, at least, in most of my outdoor endeavors except one. I wish I were better at taking a dump in the woods. The need always seems to come upon me with a sense of urgency that precludes finding the perfect spot and it is nearly always in cold weather so that I have multiple layers of clothing to get off. God forbid that I be in a tree stand. The old, 'grab a tree and squat' technique works well except when I'm in a cutover or a dense overstory and can only find skinny, bendy saplings which always introduce a sense of apprehension to the event. I avoid hanging it over a log at all costs, because the fact the log is horizontal to begin with means that it is dead and its state of decay is always as suspect as my sense of balance. I could go on, but you get the picture. There is no need to go into the things that have fallen out my pockets during the evacuation procedure. I will say, with some pride, that I have only had to discard a set of suspenders due to obvious reasons, and that it has be nearly fifty years since I was caught in the woods without and cleansing material. Discomfort is a marvelous teacher.

If any of you have discovered a graceful and easy way to accomplish this outdoor feat, I'd like to hear it. No---I don't want to see a YouTube of it.

My younger brother down in western Georgia takes a large trash bag in case he needs to crap up in his tree stand. ?
Can you picture seeing that someone taking a dump in a trash bag. ? Toilet paper goes in also.
I guess he learned that trick from a red neck southerner? ?

[Outlaw]

Wing shooting, mainly pass shooting. I do fairly well on flushing birds going away, devoting birds and trap, but any sort of hard crossing shot for me is about 50/50 hit miss.