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SELF-RELIANCE; TIPS 69-79

098
MAKE YOUR OWN COVER SCENT
Boil a few handfuls of leaves, bark, and coniferous needles gathered from your hunting area in a gallon of water. Let the mixture boil until the water volume is reduced by half. Wet your hunting clothes with the resulting concentrated tea, then let them dry before going hunting. J.B.R., March 2000

099
SHARPEN YOUR KNIFE
For the keenest and longest lasting edge, you need an extremely smooth stone such as an Arkansas oilstone. This is a natural rock of fine, uniform texture which for many years has had a reputation for putting the best edge on a blade. Put a few drops of light oil on it and sharpen with uniform strokes, the edge of the blade facing forward, maintaining the same angle. Don't press hard. Your purpose isn't to remove a lot of metal, but to smooth the edge. Half a dozen strokes each way may be enough. T.T., February 1970

100
MAKE AN EMERGENCY BACKPACK
All you need is a T-shirt and a rifle sling. Remove the sling from the rifle, tie the arms of the shirt to the ends of the sling, and tie off the bottom. The shirt neck can be either tied closed or left open. T.T., september 1974

101
FORECAST THE WEATHER
Smoke rising from a chimney on a calm day provides one of the most reliable of all weather signs. When the smoke rises upward you can bet on fair weather; when it drifts close to the ground that's a sure sign that rain or snow is on the way. H.G.T., July 1973

102
STUFF A STOCKING
Next time you head to hunting camp, drop a bar of soap into the toe of an old full-length nylon stocking. In camp, hang the top of the stocking close to the washbasin. The soap can't get lost or fall to the ground and get dirty, and it suds right through the nylon mesh. H.G.T., September 1964

103
FIX YOUR AXE
If you store your axe at deer camp hanging above the ground, the shaft may dry and shrink, loosening the axe head. To make sure the head is tight, stand the axe in a pail of water to swell for a couple of hours before using it. J.B.R., May 2000

104
STAKE THE DOG DISH
If your dog keeps tipping over his water, use a large angel-food cake pan, which has a hole in the center. Just place the pan over a wooden stake driven securely into the ground. The stake anchors the pan firmly so that even the most excitable dog can't knock it over. H.G.T., June 1974

105
BUILD A BETTER MOUSETRAP
Make a hunting camp trap out of a 10-quart kettle. Hang a bit of bread or cheese from the bail of the kettle, which will lure a mouse out on a sliver of wood extending from one rim and fastened to a wire crosspiece with an ordinary staple. It's balanced with a large nail so that the outer end rests on the rim of the kettle. When the mouse passes center, it'll plunge into 6 inches of water below. The weight of the nail quickly swings the board back down into position for another victim. It should be placed beside a low box, or have a board extending from the ground to the outer end of the pivoting sliver, so as to give the mice every possible opportunity to drown themselves. T.T., May 1942

106
KEEP WARM ON STAND
Metal tree stands sap body heat. Carry two squares of indoor-outdoor carpet, one for under your backside, the second to insulate the soles of your boots from the footrest. K.M., November 2003

107
SCRUB POTS WITH PINE
When you're stuck with the chore of cleaning up after a meal cooked over an outdoor fire, look for help under a pine tree. A dry pinecone makes a surprisingly effective scraper for scouring off food that sticks to the inside of cooking ware. H.G.T., September 1976

108
DON'T FORGET THE GARBAGE
Tuck a couple of plastic trash bags in your pocket when you hunt. Sit on one to keep your tail dry while watching a traail or fashion a poncho to shed rain-and if you must cross a stream, pull them on like hip boots and wade across without getting your feet wet. H.G.T., November 1973

109
MAKE THE PERFECT DOG HOUSE
You can make a comfortable and inexpensive house for your dog out of a 55-gallon plastic barrel laid on its side. Using a saber saw, cut out a rectangular doorway, and then use pop rivets to hang a heavy-duty piece of canvas over the opening. To keep the bugs out, elevate the barrel by placing it on a wooden scaffold. B.T., June 1989

110
IMPROVE YOUR CAMP
You can keep the floor of your tent much cleaner if you make a natural doormat. Gather some fresh boughs of pine, spruce, or hemlock and place them in front of the entrance. By wiping your feet on them before you enter, you will leave mud and woods duff outside. H.G.T., April 1972