Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

Most anglers are never without their fishing pliers when they’re on the water. (KastKing/)

A pair of good fishing pliers is useful in every angling situation, whether you’re chasing catfish, tuna, bass, salmon, sharks—whatever you choose to pursue. True fishing pliers are not simply for removing hooks or mashing barbs. It’s the tool serious anglers keep on their hip or in their pack at all times. Leave the rusty needle-nose pliers in the tool chest at home where they belong, and look for these traits as the mark of modern fishing pliers.

Light Weight and Rust Proof

Pliers made from anodized aluminum are important if you plan to fish in the salt. (Piscifun/)

Purpose-built fishing pliers are usually made of anodized aluminum or stainless steel, which virtually eliminates rust. That is especially important in saltwater environments. In either case, an ergonomically friendly grip with a slim profile and holes ported into the handle material will keep weight down.

Cutting Teeth

Pliers that can cut through wire are important in case you or another angler are impaled with a hook. (Booms Fishing/)

A quality pair of pliers should feature cutting teeth made of hardened steel or tungsten carbide for cutting through everything from monofilament to braided line, rigging wire, and even hook shanks. When it comes time to nip off that barb to remove a hook from tender flesh, you and the patient will both be glad you had the right tool for the job.

The author draws from a tree saddle, showing off all of the deer-hunting gear he’ll ever need. (Seth Lowe/)

More is more, or so we seem to believe. Just spend a few moments browsing social media and the feeds of Insta influencers. You’ll find plenty of virtual vomit from users who shout, “Look at me and all my stuff!” And you’ll see one comparison after another: John’s buck is bigger than yours. Shane’s camo cost more. Jeff’s truck has bigger tires, and Karen’s bow is newer. That world can get tiresome, and there’s a growing legion of hunters who have but one thing to say about it: Enough.

Minimalism is a devilishly simple concept of redefining what you need versus what you want. For minimalist hunters, the result is a tight collection of specialized gear that weighs less, is simpler, and fosters a hunting style that’s mobile and nimble—and in many cases, more effective and enjoyable.

So read on and go light.

To Be One, Meet One

Missouri hunter Chet Donath got the start in hunting that many dream of. “Yeah, I was pretty fortunate. My dad owned a couple hundred acres. I started hunting at about age 10 with my dad and brother. We did the cameras and all that. We had big deer running around, plenty of ground to hunt them on. It was...almost easy,” he says. “Then I decided I wanted to do something different.”

Take small steps to protect your vessel to avoid large repair bills in the future. (Wes Grant via Unsplash/)

Boats require a lot of work. From hulls to woodwork, electronics, and upholstery, owning a boat is more than just an investment of money; it’s an ongoing commitment of your time. Working with the right marine-maintenance products can help make sure it's time well spent. These highly rated maintenance supplies will ensure you spend less time fixing, scrubbing, and polishing, and more time enjoying the water.

Structural

Sooner or later, you might have to fix a hole or crack, so it’s important to be able to use fiberglass and epoxy to make repairs. (TotalBoat/)

Hull repair is rarely an issue for new boats, but sooner or later you're going to have a hole or ding or crack that requires attention. For small projects, a little DIY fiberglass and epoxy finishing skill can save quite a bit of money while also offering the pride of ownership that only comes from doing things yourself.

Upholstery

Without UV protection, vinyl, rubber, canvas, and other materials will deteriorate fast over time. (303 Products/)

Vinyl, canvas, rubber, plexiglass, and other marine materials all need a little TLC from time to time. Whether you are just knocking off the grime or trying to restore water repellency and UV protection, a good quality fabric treatment will extend the life of your vessel and give it that ship-shape look you can be proud of.

With a good compass, some map-reading skills, and a level head, you can navigate your way out of almost anywhere. (Eyeskey/)

With the advent of GPS technology, navigating by compass is a skill that seems to be rapidly falling by the wayside. Because a GPS unit is only as good as the battery or satellite signal that guides it, your ability to determine location and direction by compass is as important as it ever was. Even if you never need to use classic orienteering techniques, becoming proficient with a compass is a process that puts you into even closer contact with the outdoors. The basics can be broken down into three categories.

Setting the Declination

Remember, there’s a difference between true north and magnetic north. (Eyeskey/)

For the purpose of using a compass, there are two types of north: true north and magnetic north. True north is defined by the point at which the earth's axis exits its surface, around which our globe rotates once each day. The north star, or Polaris, sits in the sky generally over this "north pole," which is why you can always at least determine a northly direction if you can find Polaris in the night sky. Magnetic north, by contrast, is defined by the earth's magnetic field. The needle of a compass always points in this direction, and the angle of difference between true north and magnetic north is called the declination. That angle changes depending upon where on earth you are standing. Suffice it to say that declination for any given location is printed on its corresponding topographic map, and you must set that angle on the compass before obtaining accurate bearings. Refer to your compass's instruction manual on how to change the declination, as each compass is different.

From Map to Field

When you’re setting a bearing, don’t worry about which direction the compass points. (Suunto/)

Let's say you know where you are on a map (a trail intersection, for instance) and you want to find a specific destination in the field, such as a water source. Identify that feature on the map, then set your compass on the map with its edge forming a line between your known location (trail intersection) and your target destination (water source). Rotate the dial, or bezel, until the parallel orienting lines on the compass's base plate are lined up with the north-south lines on your map. Disregard the needle at this point; all you are doing is setting the bearing. Next, stand up and hold the compass away from your body to eliminate interference from belt buckles, knives, or other metallic objects. Rotate your entire body until the magnetic needle lines up with the red orienting arrow underneath. The direction of travel arrow at the head of the compass now points directly at your target destination. Follow that arrow, take repeated bearings, and you are home free!

Internal frame backpacks are lightweight, easy to shoulder, and ideal for multi-day trips outside. (Teton Sports/)

The majority of backpacks on the market today are internal-frame packs. While external frame packs are still available, they are mostly confined to situations where the user is carrying very heavy loads, like an inflatable watercraft, expedition or research gear, or even full game bags. Internal bags have been the standard for decades now because they conform to your body, don’t have rigid external tubing that can hang up on obstacles, keep the load on your hips, and won’t throw you off balance on uneven terrain. Here are a few things to look for when shopping for an internal-frame pack.

Volume

Think about how many days you’ll be hiking, and the amount of gear you’ll need, to help you determine a proper pack size. (Teton Sports/)

The first consideration is pack capacity. Volume is measured either in cubic inches or, more commonly, in liters. Day hikers will get by with a pack in the 25- to 35-liter range. Backpackers striking out for one to three days will need a pack anywhere from about 30 to 50 liters. Trips of more than three days call for packs of 50 to 70 liters or larger. Pack volume is also a function of season. Winter demands that hikers carry more clothing, food, and fuel, so assess your seasonal hiking habits when considering volume.

Length and Girth

A properly fitted pack should displace the weight on your hips, not shoulders. (Osprey/)

The two most important dimensions when sizing a pack are your torso length (not your height) and waist size. Look for an adjustable suspension system, and make sure the pack allows the load to ride on your hips rather than your shoulders. Toward that end, a well-fitted and adequately padded waist belt can make all the difference in how well you are able to handle the load.

Based on accuracy, versatility, and popularity, the 6.5 Creedmoor round is the wonder-cartridge of the 21st century. It doesn't possess the magic some folks think it does (two days ago a clerk behind a gun counter informed me that the 6.5 Creedmoor didn't start to drop until 700 yards. Heaven help us). But the Creed is exceptionally accurate, its recoil is relatively low, and it's remarkably lethal on everything from prairie dogs to bull elk. Due to its popularity, there are a plethora of ammunition offerings available today. Here are some of my favorites, ranging from streamlined, high-BC long-distance target rounds right down to sizzling-fast varmint medicine. Street prices for all the rounds listed are approximate (it all depends on where you shop).

Long-Range Target Rounds

Black Hills 147-grain Hornady ELD-Match

For one-hole accuracy. (Black Hills/)

Black Hills is one of my favorite ammo companies, partly because they build awesome ammo, and partly because they’re a family-owned, super patriotic business. Combine their handcrafted quality with Hornady’s insanely accurate 147-grain ELD-Match bullet with a G1 BC of 0.697 and you’ve got an ideal cartridge for long range. Muzzle velocity will be around 2,700. Street price: $41.00

Federal Gold Medal Match 130-grain Berger

You work hard to gather firewood, so don’t make the mistake or ruining it. (Amagabeli Garden & Home/)

When it comes to best practices at the home hearth, it’s a good idea to keep firewood on some sort of elevated rack. Storing wood on the ground between two trees or, worse, directly on the deck boards of a wooden porch, traps moisture. That attracts termites and invites rot. If you don’t want to go through the trouble of building your own rack, a commercial bin for either indoor or outdoor use will keep wood dry and the house free of loose bark and debris.

Outdoor Racks

Keep wood off the ground to prevent moisture buildup or insect infestation. (Landmann/)

Those heating with wood all winter probably burn more logs than most commercial racks can hold. But for the casual pyro lighting only a weekly blaze or two, a metal rack meant for outdoor firewood storage will keep wood organized and dry whenever you feel like sending a little smoke up the chimney.

Indoor Racks

An indoor rack keeps dry, split firewood handy for whenever you need to feed the flames. (Amagabeli Garden & Home/)

Anyone who burns even an occasional fire knows it's most convenient to bring it inside in stages so there is always dry wood on the hearth. For that, you need an indoor rack. Having ten to fifteen sticks of firewood at the ready can mean the difference between getting a blaze going whenever you want and struggling with damp wood freshly retrieved from the back yard.

Though some are expensive, an insulated mug can keep warm drinks warm for long periods of time. (GSI Outdoors/)

A personal camp mug is one of those bits of gear that gets ingrained in our outdoor psyche. It’s there to greet us with the morning joe, warm us around a campfire at night, and toast hunting buddies when the meat pole begins to fill. There are a lot of options and styles to choose from, but the best mug is whichever one you will choose to pull from the chuck box or backpack every time you pitch camp. It’s the mug with your fingerprints on it, and some good memories in it. If you're looking for a new or replacement mug for camping, here are a few things to consider.

Insulated

An insulated mug is ideal for sipping a hot drink in cold weather. (GSI Outdoors/)

For cold-weather camping, you can't beat an insulated mug. There are two basic styles to choose from: those that incorporate some sort of insulating layer, such as neoprene, and those with vacuum-sealed, double walls. Just bear in mind that the latter cannot be warmed next to a fire or over a grate.

Classics

There’s nothing better than drinking a little camp coffee from one of your own personal mugs. (GSI Outdoors/)

If you just want a cup for tea or coffee in the morning, or even a couple of fingers of sippin' whiskey at night, enamelware has the look, weight, and feel of classic camp drinkware. For those who are watching pack weight, a Titanium mug is the best way to go. They are expensive, but worth every lost ounce. As long as they are single-walled, you can warm any of these next to a fire or atop a single-burner pack stove.

Pick a cover than protects your entire boat, especially the console. (Classic Accessories/)

Like the old saying goes: a boat is just a hole in the water that you throw money into. Even a used entry level boat typically costs in the thousands of dollars, to say nothing of upgrades and maintenance. No matter whether you own a small johnboat, a center-console fishing vessel, or a weekend runabout, it’s an investment worth protecting. For a boat stored indoors, a protective cover will keep dust and debris out of the console and electronics, while protecting the finish during highway travel. For outdoor storage, a sturdy cover is essential.

Runabouts and Small Boats

A good cover will fit your boat tight and not allow water to pool on top. (Classic Accessories/)

A snug fitting cover is equally beneficial for the family runabout, dad's bass boat, or even small vee-hulls and johnboats. The cover should come with a support pole or interior battens, either of which will keep the fabric tented up to prevent water from pooling on the canvas.

Bimini Tops

A bimini top is there when you need it, and tucked away when you don’t. (Leader Accessories/)

A fold-down Bimini top is more about sun and rain protection for the crew than for the boat. They are great on small skiffs, bay boats, and bateaus, easily folding out of the way when running and popping up for shade and cover as needed.

Live-baiting for bass may be a lost art in most of the U.S., but not in Florida. (Jason Arnold/)

In coastal South Florida, the native music is salsa, or maybe Buffett if you cross a few more bridges. In the northern part of the state, you’re listening to country, or maybe Skynyrd. But at every inland tackle shop from Pahokee to Pensacola, the sweetest music around is the soft, sputtering bubbles of an oxygenated tank keeping precious finned gold alive. Bass purists throughout the rest of the country have retreated from night-crawler dirt, cricket baskets, and minnow buckets, but the Sunshine State still holds a vibrant live-bait culture, and native golden shiners are its currency of choice.

Unlike the tournament competitors who race at 70 mph to get to a spot first, veteran Central Florida guide John Leech says the shiner guides are remarkably calm and composed. “I ride right by places where I know I can catch fish, because I respect my friends’ water,” he says. These guides also catch a ton of big fish, and if you can get past your artificial-only mindset, their low-drag approach to bass fishing can score you a live-bait monster this fall.

Shop Talk

As bait shops around the country are being replaced by mega-marts and online shopping, there are fewer reasons for artificial-only guides to hit the store in the morning, except maybe for ice, crackers, or the men’s room. Those who need lively shiners, on the other hand, have no choice but to stop before dawn. The need for same-day freshness hedges the stores against unsold inventory and forces guides to mingle. They queue up and wait for the proprietor to dole out shiners, casting harsh glances at any blow-dried glitter boater who looks down on them. The artificial-only guys may think they have “the closest thing to live bait,” but that just reinforces the fact that live bait is categorically superior.

The tough-to-find “mule ear” 9- to 12-inch shiners are at a premium in springtime, but in fall, Leech is content with 5-inchers, and prime warriors are in the 6- to 7-inch range. “The last guy to the bin is the mad one,” explains Mark Detweiler, owner of Big Toho Marina in Kissimmee. “You’ve got to get up early and get here.”

Billy Gray has more than 50 years of deer-hunting experience under his belt. (Travis Faulkner/)

Modern high-tech scouting gear like cellular game cameras, hand-held GPS units, and mobile phone mapping apps have been deer-hunting game changers. However, at the end of the day, these tools alone will not translate to more meat in the freezer and bucks on the wall. The cold hard truth is there’s just no real substitute for old-school wisdom, hard-earned knowledge, and woodsmanship skills when it comes to scouting, patterning, and effectively hunting whitetails.

Your dear ole granddad sure didn’t need high-tech devices to get it done. He relied on precise scouting techniques that involved accurately reading sign, understanding whitetail habits, identifying preferred food sources, and adjusting to seasonal pattern and behavioral shifts. In order to maximize your overall success in the woods, you first need to master the following old-school scouting and patterning techniques. These nine tactics worked for your grandpa, and they will still consistently produce results for you today.

1. Hunt Un-huntable Cover

I’ve been fortunate enough to chase whitetails from the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky to the open, rolling hill country of Oklahoma, and just about every point in-between. Although it might seem trite to say, mature bucks almost always gravitate toward the thickest and nastiest cover they can find, especially during periods of intense hunting pressure. This won’t come as a big surprise to savvy hunters, however, very few know how to effectively scout, set up, and hunt areas that are both intimidating and seemingly impenetrable.

The key is to walk the edges of overgrown clear-cuts, densely covered thickets, and the ugliest swamp bottoms you can find that are located near current food sources to pinpoint entry trails.

A good screen will allow you to still enjoy your fire while keeping it contained. (Pleasant Hearth/)

To keep the home fires burning safely, every fireplace needs a well-fitted screen. A fireplace shield not only prevents sparks and ashes from popping onto wood floors or carpet, it can also offer a way to manage air flow and get just the right circulation to prevent smoke from curling back inside the house. Dress up any hearth with a screen fitted exactly to your firebox.

Glass Doors

Fireplace glass doors offer the most protection against sparks and smoke. (Pleasant Hearth/)

Glass-door fireplace screens are the most secure means of controlling an indoor blaze. They not only shield the room from flying sparks with mesh curtains, but also allow you to completely close off the firebox behind solid doors. This can be crucial in poorly constructed fireboxes that don't draw well, where having a means to shutter the opening can be the difference between using your living room's centerpiece for fires or using it for dried-flower arrangements.

Free-Standing

A tri-fold fireplace screen also keeps sparks from landing on the floor, and adds a decorative touch to any room. (Amazon/)

Properly drawing fireplaces don't necessarily need a glass-door insert. Instead, a freestanding screen may be all that's called for. Tri-folding screens have a deep profile, which can add a bit of decorative texture to the room. Flush-mounted standing screens fit nicely against the chimney; just be sure to measure accurately as the tolerances are more critical.

Prairie potholes and wetlands filter nutrients and replenish groundwater for wildlife and humans. (USFWS/)

On Thursday, September 12, in Washington D.C., Acting Administrator of the EPA, Andrew Wheeler, announced a repeal of the 2015 Obama-era Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule.

“Today, EPA and the Department of the Army finalized a rule to repeal the previous administration’s overreach in the federal regulation of U.S. waters and recodify the longstanding and familiar regulatory text that previously existed,” Wheeler said.

According to a September 12 EPA press release, the WOTUS rule was repealed in an effort to re-establish consistency and repair a "patchwork" of regulations brought on by judicial decisions adjoining to the 2015 Obama-era rule. "With this final repeal, the agencies will implement the pre-2015 regulations."

In 2015, the WOTUS rule was established to define the scope of waters protected under the 1972 Clean Water Act (CWA). It included small bodies of water, like wetlands, streams, and seasonal streams, and placed them under federal protection.

According to a September 12 post by the TRCP: "The 2015 Clean Water Rule had clarified longstanding Clean Water Act protections for millions of acres of wetlands and many headwater streams that protect communities from flooding, contribute to the drinking water supplies of one in three Americans, and provide essential fish and wildlife habitat that supports a robust outdoor recreation economy worth $887 billion."

One of the author’s battle-scarred Musky Mania Docs. (Cliff Gardiner & John Keller/)

I guess you could say we were “reverse surf-fishing.” My friend Craig Cantelmo, a veteran of the Long Island striper scene, was glued to the helm. We were so close to the beach at Montauk that he kept vigilant watch to make sure we stayed behind the breakers. This was 2015, and it was the first time I ever threw a Musky Mania Doc. This 9-inch Spook-style topwater weighs upward of 3 ounces, which made it easy to bomb a mile toward the beach. Working it, however, made my wrist and shoulder burn. According to Cantelmo, there was no such thing as too aggressive. He also made a guarantee: “Whether they eat that thing or not, if there are stripers around, they’ll come up and let you know they’re there.” Four retrieves in, a 20-pounder ghosted up to take a crack. I’d seen the light that hundreds of striper fishermen before and after have come to bask in.

Dark Horse

There are countless lures that have cult followings, many of which were developed for cult fisheries, such as the classic Jitterbug for nighttime largemouth hunters. The Doc is different. There has always been some presence of muskie lures creeping into the salty world, but the Doc is one of very few that became a true staple. At least it is now. Even back in 2015, Cantelmo wouldn’t say the name of the lure in the video we were shooting. There is much debate over who actually recognized the lure’s potency first, but it had been a hidden gem in the arsenals of several in-the-know New England captains for years before it ever got on my radar. They had already unlocked the Doc’s code. Unpainted models, which are the color of bone, seemed to call up stripers more consistently than any pattern. The bronze hooks that came stock for muskies would rust after a day’s use in the brine, so they had to be replaced right away with heavy-gauge saltwater trebles. Seeing that the Doc frequently tempted true cow bass, extra-heavy split rings were necessary to handle the strain of a fight far more violent than that of even true trophy muskies. What needed no tweaking, however, were the Doc’s sound system and profile.

Smash and Burn

To my eye, the Doc isn’t that impressive in terms of creating commotion. There are loads of pencil poppers and surface swimmers that make more froth and throw more water. What everyone who leans on a Doc agrees upon, however, is that the profile and internal rattle combine to make the secret sauce. Big stripers feed on menhaden, which typically measure 8 to 12 inches. The Doc is one of the few topwaters that match that size while maintaining pretty good castability. Its ability to mimic this large prey is also the main reason why it has earned such a reputation; when a fish rises to the Doc, it’s usually a big one. The clack of the heavy steel bearings inside as the bait walks can also be heard from a long distance, which many—myself included—­believe gives the Doc its uncanny ability to make stripers appear when nothing else will. Since the lure has become a must-have in my saltwater kit, I’ve used it to make heavy bass materialize out of a dead ocean on days with nary a blip on the sonar, when live baits, boxes of other lures, and even methods like trolling that often produce during slow outings have blanked.

A personal weather station is a great way to get technical, specific information on what Mother Nature might be throwing your way. (Ambient Weather/)

Sportsmen are weather watchers. We live indoors but we dream outdoors—waiting for the temperature to rise or drop, looking for the next front to pass overhead, anticipating subtle shifts in wind and tide. While it’s true that much of this information can be gleaned from online and mobile sources, none of is is as accurate as having your own home weather station. These professional-grade systems have become so advanced that they can do everything from check the barometric pressure to turn off your lawn sprinklers during a rainstorm or monitor the baby’s room from the other end of the house. Plus, they’re downright cool! Here’s a peek at some of the best performing home weather toys.

Pole Mounted

Modern weather stations are loaded with features and can give you predictions on just about anything that's happening outside. (Ambient Weather/)

Want to know when the wind will shift in favor of that stand you been waiting to hunt, or the current moon phase? How about the barometric pressure for Tuesday night's bass tourney? From UV levels to peak wind gusts, these private weather stations will tell you everything you need to know to plan any outdoor activity.

Desktop

With a wireless weather station, you can mount a sensor almost anyplace outside for the most accurate information. (La Crosse/)

If you want an uncomplicated yet still hyper-local weather tool that’s as much art-piece as it is appliance, consider a wireless desktop model. The sensor is easily mounted to any vertical surface outside your home, feeding a brilliant layout that ads a techy touch to any interior.

If you’re not sure what type of call you prefer, experiment with a few until you discover the sound you’re looking for. (Carlton Calls/)

Calling a bull elk into bow range is an experience that will send chills up the spine of any big-game hunter. A good caller can get a whole herd of wapiti or a single bull moving in the right direction when they otherwise might be impossible to approach. And you don’t need one of every gadget on the rack to get in the game. All it takes is a few basic calls, a bit of practice and, most importantly, time spent in elk country. Here’s how to join in the conversation.

Grunt Tubes

There are different ways to mimic a bugle, but a long tube helps amplify the sound. (Primos/)

A grunt tube is used primarily for accentuating the throaty bugle of a bull elk. A distinctive guttural bellow may be mimicked with a separate mouth diaphragm—using the grunt tube for amplification—or with a latex reed built directly into the bugle itself. Tubes with a built-in reed make it easy to reproduce accurate bugles, while separate diaphragm calls require more practice. Just remember the only way to really become conversant in the language of elk is to get out there and listen to them talk amongst themselves.

Diaphragm Calls

The great thing about diaphragm calls is your hands remain free for other tasks. (Primos/)

Bulls and cows each have their own unique sounds, any of which can be recreated with a mouth diaphragm call. But which one? It sometimes seems there are more cuts and shapes and tones on the diaphragm-call market than there are elk in the woods, but a savvy hunter can get away with just one or two. Ultimately, you need to be able to produce a solid bugle and the subtle mewing and chirping of cows and calves. With practice, a single diaphragm can produce a surprising range of calls, and they have the added benefit of being hands-free for those moments when you need to stop an elk while you are at full draw.

The selection of sauces in a kit opens up all sorts of flavor possibilities. (Zombie Cajun/)

For the grill master who seemingly has everything, there is always something else he or she wants: another type of smoking wood, beefier tongs, a 4-channel Wi-Fi/Bluetooth BBQ Alarm Thermometer. If you are scratching your head over what to bestow upon the pit master in your family (even if that's you), take a look at some of the spice and sauce samplers intended to get the most out of your next barbecue or tailgate party.

Spice Sets

Having a selection of spices at hand makes it easy to blend and create your own barbecue rubs. (FreshJax/)

Great grilling means great spices. But sometimes we get stuck in a rut, shaking and massaging the same old dry rub on every cut of meat. A smoking sampler pack is the perfect way to spark creativity at the grill and find new combinations that will broaden the repertoire of any outdoor chef.

Sauce Selections

If you’re looking for a sauce flavor you can’t find on the grocery shelf, consider creating your own. (Zombie Cajun/)

Even though real BBQ magic happens over hot coals, a gift pack of hot sauces can perk up any recipe or add a nice touch of variety to serving and presentation. Scratch cooks and DIYers will appreciate a sauce lab of their own, complete with pepper blends, sauce bottles, instructions, and even a sciencey-looking funnel.

Fireplace tools can help you avoid possibly burning your hands and arms. (Epica/)

When we can’t be gathered around a glowing campfire in the wilderness, the next best thing is a warming blaze with family and friends at home. Having the proper tools on hand makes for a safer, cleaner-burning fire that is as much a pleasure to tend as it is to sit by. Here’s a look at some basic tools you’ll want for your home and hearth.

Fireplace Sets

If you want everything you need for your fireplace in one setup, a tool set on a stand might be for you. (AMAGABELI GARDEN & HOME/)

If you want to go all in from the start, a complete fireplace tool set with its own stand is the way to go. They usually offer some combination of a poker, tongs, an ash shovel, and a sweeper for tidying up before, during, and after a blaze. Some sets come with fancy brass handles, but you’ll never go wrong with classic black.

Tongs and Pokers

A pair of tongs make it easy to reach into a fire and rearrange burning logs and coals. (Epica/)

If you prefer to keep your number of fireplace tools to a minimum, consider just a set of tongs and/or a poker. Tongs are indispensable for getting the back log into just the right position to burn all night. And a poker is the quintessential tool for doing exactly what it says: sitting and poking at the fire (whether it needs poking or not). A poker with a built-in blow pipe allows you to direct oxygen in the right spot without singeing off your eyebrows.

Wood pellets can infuse your meats with a rich, smoky flavor. (Camp Chef/)

Very few of us have a full-size barbecue pit in the backyard, and gas, barrel, and kettle-style grills just can’t compare to a real smoker. That’s where pellet grills come in. While relatively pricey, they are the most convenient way for a backyard chef to consistently get rich barbecue goodness. Other than what meat to lay on the smoky altar, the only decision you have to make is what to feed the grill itself. Here are a few woods to consider.

Hickory and Pecan

If you’re new to pellet grilling, you can’t go wrong with hickory. (CookinPellets/)

Pellet choice is literally a matter of taste. But if you are just beginning to experiment, you can’t go wrong with hickory for beef, pork, or poultry. Pecan has a similar but nuttier flavor. Either can be considered more or less universal smoking woods. Hickory is sometimes blended with oak to optimize burn qualities and flavor.

Cherry or Apple

If you prefer a mild smoke flavor, try cherry or apple wood pellets. (Camp Chef/)

Apple and cherry wood produce a milder smoke. While not as suitable for beef, either works well on chicken or pork, with the added versatilty of being great flavor enhancers for seafood or vegetables.

Even a small application of body powder can prevent chaffing. (Unsplash/)

We get it: guys sweat. Real men chafe. And that brings with it a whole host of conditions that can, for the sake of honest discussion, all be classified under the clinical term of Monkey Butt. Whether you are heading out on a five-mile run, heaving kettle bells at the CrossFit gym, or just riding your office chair with a little too much enthusiasm, sometimes a man needs professional help in the freshness department. Fortunately, the personal hygiene market offers many solutions. While these are not necessarily products you would don for a close-quarters stalk on an elk or to penetrate the olfactory defenses of a whitetail, they will help you heal after overexertion so that when the game is on and performance counts, you can glide into range with the grace of a velvet panther.

Take a Powder

Medicated powders with aloe and chamomile can sooth irritated skin. (Gold Bond/)

Chafing and irritation are caused by prolonged moisture and friction at points of skin-on-skin contact. Cooling, medicated powders are the original answer to this age-old condition. Look for talc-free powders with soothing additives such as aloe and chamomile. Gold Bond is a leader in skin relief, so just consider this: if their products work for a seven-foot tall, 325-pound man named Shaq, they will probably work for you.

Try the Lotion

Most lotions won’t clump on your skin or leave a residue. (Fresh Body/)

If you don’t fancy a powder because of the residue it can leave on your skin and in your clothes, try a lotion, cream or spray. These products offer the same soothing relief, are easier to apply, and will not clump up after repeated use.