I was hunting Grizzly Island last weekend and took a shot on a flock of Shovelers, killing two birds with one shot. Afterward, I pondered the question: What if that flock had been pintails and I'd instead killed two pintails in one shot. What should I have done because the limit is one per person? I think if I'd taken the birds to the check station, it would have caused a lot of questions and how would I have proven that they were killed by the same shot? - James M.
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From marathons to mountain climbs, 2008 proved to be another epic year for The Gear Junkie. But without the right apparel and equipment, these adventures would not have been possible - or at least not quite as fun. Here are 10 top products that helped make it happen - rain, hail, rock slides, ice, white water and all.
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I live in a residential area, and raccoons have begun visiting my backyard at night. They are using my yard as a rest stop in their nightly urban foraging. Our backyard is landscaped including a grass lawn. I am looking for anything short of cages to discourage them. Is there any nontoxic substance I can spread near their entrance/exit point to discourage their visits? They do not appear to be eating or digging up anywhere in the yard, but they've adopted my yard as their restroom. - John W. Full story »

The tang stench of tar is in my nose. The street ahead is fresh and featureless, a snaking stretch of smooth asphalt put down just days ago by a construction crew.
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Q: A buddy of mine got two lobsters in San Diego Bay recently. While he was cleaning them, he noticed green algae on their shells and then found the meat to be white, looking like it was already cooked. Both lobsters were still alive when detailing them. Have you heard any other stories like this? Would they have still been OK to cook and eat? — Ray C., San Diego Full story » Comments (2)

Black Diamond Equipment LTD is among the most vaunted of outdoors companies, an outfit with a legendary founder, Yvon Chouinard, and innovations that span from ice screws to avalanche-survival breathing apparatuses.
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My husband and I went grouse hunting in Wyoming several years ago. My favorite part of the trip was traipsing down Crazy Woman Canyon. It was gorgeous. We hunted ruffed grouse in the canyon and blue grouse on another mountain, and we saw plenty of sage grouse on the range. Ruffed grouse and spruce grouse are tasty birds similar to quail. The ruffed has whitish meat; the spruce has darkish meat, and both weigh in about 12 to 16 ounces dressed. A simple grilled preparation for this mild bird is tasty.
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Mountaineering is an ultimate testing grounds for outdoors gear. Last month, on a quick two-day ascent, I climbed Utah's Kings Peak, the state's highest mountain at 13,528 feet. Here's a rundown on the gear that worked, and some that did not.
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Q: While hunting or fishing, besides carrying the appropriate license(s), do I need to have photo identification in possession or can I leave it in my vehicle? - Gambino A. Full story » Comments (1)

Oh, those dreary, drizzly days of autumn, mist and rain making puddles, soaking golden leaves, keeping you indoors when all you want is to go outside and play.
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It may look like a traditional mid-height leather hiking boot, but Hi-Tec's V-Lite Altitude Ultra was built with a plasma-based process developed for military clothing worn in a chemical attack.
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Q: I have been fishing the Owens River Gorge for the last 23 years and the fishing recently has been great, but the fish were full of parasites. I know that area was recently stocked and I can't help but feel they stocked it with infected fish. In the more than 23 years I have been camping and fishing the lakes and streams in Bishop, I have never encountered that type of problem. What is going on here? Thanks. - Marie E.
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'Tis the season to run your legs off. Each autumn, from St. Paul to Seattle, tens of thousands of runners wrap up a year of training with a 26.2-mile run. I ran my requisite annual marathon this past weekend, pacing at just under eight-minute miles in the Twin Cities Marathon to pull my best personal time to date at 3 hours, 27 minutes.
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In the time-honored tradition of long-haul truckers and cheapskates road tripping across the United States, the backseat of my car has long served as an ad hoc bed for covert slumber away from home and on an adventure. Pull over, crack the windows, grab a fleece jacket for your pillow and goodnight. Full story »

Q: I have some questions about mule deer and black-tail deer. How often does a deer have to drink water? How far will they travel to get water? How far from a water source will they go? What time of year do the bucks rut in the San Diego area? Thanks for any help with this. — Ed S., San Diego Full story » Comments (3)