Camping Information

The first day of spring has officially sprung for this year.

Dennis Jasper identified a need among children of single parents and children with disabilities. Thus began the Kids Need a Place to Start outdoor program in St. James, Mo., in 2008.

Alley Mill is said to be the most photographed spot in the Missouri Ozarks. And for good reason.

The 12-year-old boy stared out the window with a depressed look on his face. The overnight low temperature had left a fine coat of frost on the scene outside his window. Even though the morning's weather was normal for the season, the youngster's desire to go camping was not.

As you’re beginning your foray into the world of learning survival skills, you’ll become familiar with tasks like building a shelter, performing first aid in the field and mastering navigation. Along with these skills is one that’s essential to survival in a variety of ways -- how to build a campfire.

There’s a wealth of information available out there for those looking to learn more about outdoor  survival skills, from the details on starting a fire to gathering food and water to finding a shelter. But the thing is, a lot of the information out there is actually misinformation. 

With the elements at odds with you, camping in the fall and winter — even during milder weather — can be challenging. A sudden drop in temperature in the night or unexpected precipitation can really put a damper on a trip and even put you in danger.

With all the hubbub surrounding fall activities like bobbing for apples, corn mazes, pumpkin carvings, hay rides and so forth, a really awesome form of fall fun can get lost in the shuffle. Yes, we’re talking about the oft-overlooked ghost tour, which can be just as thrilling as a haunted house, but has the added bonus of elements of regional history added to the mix!

What kind of world would it be if Big Sky Country became a myth, no stars were visible at night and the only place to see “wild” animals was a zoo? It’s difficult and scary to imagine.

No new lands are being created on our planet; we will only have what we have now. If we as outdoorsmen don’t work together to conserve our precious resources, then one day, we may no longer have natural wildlife habitats, and, therefore, no more animals roaming freely, no more wildlife discovery and no more outdoor sportsmanship.