Category Archives: Guest Post

Coyote Hunting – Varmint Hunting at Its Finest

Coyote hunting season is one of many hunters’ favorite times of the year. Starting in October and lasting through the spring, many who live in the Midwest and Western states of the United States, as well as many countries in Europe, relish the challenge of pursuing these wild dogs. Many others however view coyotes as varmints and hunt them only to preserve their livelihoods and their cattle or sheep. Still other hunters prize the animals’ furry pelts. There are some states, such as South Dakota, that permit licensed varmint hunting year round, while other states have specific hunting seasons.  It is critical that the hunter be well versed in the regulations of the state where the hunt is taking place.

The prime coyote hunting months in most areas are the months of December, January, and February.  The heavy snowfall experienced in many of the coyote’s habitats is a boon to hunters, making the animals highly visible against the stark white background.  The dogs’ pelts are also in prime condition during the cold weather months. Add to this the fact that breeding season begins in January and extends until mid to late February and the winter is perfect varmint hunting time.  It also helps that the animals are a wee bit distracted when females are in heat and this helps the hunter chase this normally wary creature.

Finding the best area to place the stand is a challenge for hunters. If the hunter can locate the coyotes’ den areas then it is a no-brainer to locate the stand in close proximity. Since coyotes are opportunistic predators, they love to hang out around barns, pastures and any other areas where there are herds of livestock available for the sampling.  Securing the permission of a ranch owner or farmer to hunt on their land can be a real advantage when chasing coyotes.  All hunters who enjoy the sport know not to hunt on any privately held land without the owner’s permission. Not only can the trespasser be arrested, but he may also be subject to the sound of shotgun fire if found on someone else’s land.

Learning and using calls is key to coyote hunting success.  There are a couple of types of calls used in the sport.  The first is known as a locator, a call that mimics the howl of the dogs and determines if they are in the area. In addition to the howling sound, these calls can mimic the coyotes’ yelps and yips. The second call is one that imitates the sound of another animal in distress and leads the varmints to believe that an easy supper may be in the making. The sound of a wounded rabbit is one of the favorite coyote calls. These different calls are not easy to master, but a little bit of time spent studying a few good coyote hunting videos will really help the beginner.

The choice of preferred gun for the hunter is as varied as the hunters themselves.  The pursuit of wild dogs can involve both long range and close range shooting and for this reason, many hunters prefer a gun that is a combination of shotgun and rifle.  One weapon worth consideration is the Savage 24F.

Coyote hunting is done for many reasons. Whether for pelts, livestock protection, or simply sport, it is a favorite of many hunters as it has been for many, many years.

Diving and Snorkeling Sites of Your Dream

When you plan a vacation, you want to get the best of your legitimate leisure time, and you want to spend every minute of it. Usually people look at what sightseeing or accommodation this or that spa place offers, look at hotels, restaurants and entertainment facilities on land, but you as a snorkeling enthusiast or diving aficionado you want to look deeper in the main meaning of this word, “deeper”. I always want to explore what is hidden underwater. I enjoy kelp forests and prolific reefs, with tons of invertebrate life sliding in pristine water.

Of course, every person has his own taste, and what is good for one person may be poison for another. There is a proverb in Russian, “What Russian person enjoys is death for a German person”. Even though this proverb goes into World War II times, it means that you cannot tell universal truth about what is best, especially when it relates to vacation or tastes.

Some people like active vacations, with adrenaline levels going all the way up in their blood, going as far as possible and as deep as possible to meet the most strange creatures underwater that can swallow or bite you, or sting you. But sometimes these animals are not as dangerous as they seem, like in Stingray City where they behave like domesticated pets. (See the Dangerous Animals series.)

Other divers prefer picturesque kelp forests and reefs full of rainbow-colored fish, and are happy to explore dive sites that are not far away from their home, like California’s Channel Islands. Still others enjoy ship wreck diving, with sunken ships from the days of yore, like a 19th century wooden-hull schooner that is nicely preserved in cold water.

What you should never forget about is your diving gear, including your diving knife (you need it in case of emergency) or underwater digital camera (to have the best memories of what you have seen or experienced).

History of Russian diamond production

Because Russia is such a cold country, for many years it wasn’t really cost effective for Russian miners to go to the trouble of extracting diamonds from the cold Russian tundra. It is only in the last half a century that Russia has been mining and producing Russian diamonds, although the diamonds have, of course, been under Russian soil for much longer.

The impetus for the decision to mine diamonds – the ultimate symbol of luxury –was ironically that they were needed to boost the industrial output of the communist Soviet Union. As well as being sparkly, diamonds are important for use in industry – they make extremely hard and long lasting drill tips. They also have military uses, which made them extremely attractive to Soviet planners.

So, in the 1950s massive mines were started (the largest was the Mirny mine, an open cast mine that is over a kilometer wide and almost a kilometer deep and which has been made famous on the internet by people who circulate amazing pictures). The Soviet Union never did things to a small scale.

Diamond production in the Soviet Union was mainly aimed at industrial production, but it was quickly realized that many of the diamonds being mined were good enough quality to be sold as gemstones for jewelery. A top secret deal was agreed with De Beers to sell them outside of Russia, and the Soviet Union very quickly found it had another major source of income that it could use to support its ambitions.

Today, diamond mining continues in Russia – still on a grand scale. This year, in fact, it was reported that Russia is the world’s largest producer of diamonds – it produces almost one in every four diamonds in the world today, an amount which is worth well over $1billion dollars annually to the Russian economy.

Selecting the Right Folding Canopy for You

There are many good reasons to be considering purchase of a folding canopy. If you have a family that likes to use the backyard, or you like weekend outings to the beach, mountains or the local park, then you probably have seen other groups enjoying greater comfort and safety thanks to their canopy tent. You may have noticed how easily they put their canopies up and took them down–folding canopies collapse quickly to load in the car and take anywhere. They are available to all families thanks to their prices–from $50 to $200 according to size and features selected. Most home improvement stores, and retail stores that feature outdoor gear, have some versions in stock.

Swiss Gear makes a great 10 x 10 “Smart Shade” canopy. It is tough, easy to use and offers lots of shade-100 square feet. It is a superior example of products available in this category. The canopy is treated so that it will block ultraviolet radiation so that the shade provided is total, no matter how strong the sun. You do not need so much as a screwdriver to get it up and protecting you–it is available for use within minutes. This canopy set-up assumes you will be enjoying it in all kinds of weather, as it has been made water-resistant. The UV protection helps protect any of the six different colors you choose from fading. The interior room at the center is 9 feet. Yet with all this, is weighs only 36 lbs. and fits tidily in a nifty carrying case so you can take it anywhere and store it safely. The price for this much quality, size and features is $160. The price is above average, but owners give it good marks for important features such as keeping heat away from the interior better than similar models, and the fact it is made to withstand rain.

A bit more economical one, at $100 even, is the “Palm Springs Outdoor Pop-Up” model canopy. This also provides a 10 x 10 foot area of shade, large enough for most gatherings and special events such as weddings or graduation parties or just a big family get-together. Although is covers a large area, it is so easy to erect and take down that owners like to take it to other places to supply shade and comfort and protection from the elements. Perfect places are picnics, the beach or camping trips. It is ready to use in just a minute of effort, without need of special weights or supports to make it sturdy. This Pop-Up is constructed with steel for the framing poles, important for an outdoor product because that metal not only resists rust it provides the strength of steel to the structure. They do also add to the weight of the tent–it is 50 lbs. A clever technique to protect the material from tearing in the wind or from use is the employment of Velcro to secure the canopy and poles. The only knock that owners have put on this product is that it cannot stand up under a rainfall–too much rain can make the canvas sag and then collapse as water accumulates. The tent is not designed to handle rain—the material has not been treated to make it water resistant, and if exposed to moisture, does not resist mold.

Making Profits through Green Investing

Green investing, as the name suggests, involves investing in the companies that are committed to protecting the environment through eco-friendly policies. These companies, for example, might be utilizing methods to reduce environmental impact by utilizing alternative and renewable energy sources. More and more people are investing only in environment-friendly companies by buying their stocks, as well as buying eco-friendly mutual funds.

While generally green-related financial products currently come with a premium price and are relatively scarce as well, it promises a great future nevertheless. After all, investors do not do this solely for the environment, as a golden rule in investing for dummies, they also want to earn profits since this is still business.

There has been a constantly growing interest on the alternative and renewable energy. People have also become more conscious of the consequences of the use of fossil fuels. As a result, this has opened a great opportunity for green investing. Many people believe that green investing can provide sustainable and long-term income. It won’t be long until this will be a common entry for financial and business references for all investors.

Green investing covers a wide array of areas–green stocks include different sectors, company range and value. A lot of potential green investments are small, young, and uncertain, but an investor can make an environment-friendly portfolio out of big name companies. For example, an individual may invest in an electronics company that provides cooling system for buildings to help lessen their power consumption.

To put it simply, green investing will be the trend of the future. Many industry leaders of today are poised to lead the changes towards investing for the benefit of the environment. Making profits is good, but it will be much better if the business is helping nature first–and this can be made through green investing.