Test your outdoor savvy with this quiz
BILLINGS – If you live in an outdoorsy state there are certain things worth knowing to improve your street cred. Or should that be dirt road cred?
For example, you should learn how to drive a manual transmission, just in case you have to steal a ranch pickup to flee the zombie apocalypse. Ditto with how to back a trailer, split firewood and – maybe most important – start a fire. In some situations, almost all of them bad, fire-starting know-how could truly be lifesaving.
In the interest of helping you be all that you can be, in an outdoorsy way, we concocted a test of general outdoor knowledge. Have some fun and quiz your friends and family over the Christmas holiday.
Quiz
What should you do if you fall out of a boat while floating a river?
Answer: Sure, trying to get back in the boat is important. Hanging onto your paddle is also key. Making sure your flotation device is securely attached should be something you do before falling into the water. Instead, the answer we were looking for is to assume the position. The position in this case is to float with your feet downstream, similar to sitting but making sure your tailbone is elevated enough to avoid banging it on rocks. Standing up can be dangerous since you can easily hook a foot into the space behind a rock. If that happens in fast water, you could be pushed face down into the water. Instead, with your feet forward looking downriver, use your arms to backstroke to shore or to the boat. Having your feet downstream protects your head, and sometimes if the water isn’t too fast you can push off obstructions.
For what activity does a maul come in handy?
Answer: A splitting maul is used for chopping firewood, especially larger blocks. Because the maul is flattened opposite the cutting edge, a sledge or another maul can be used to beat on the top of the maul, using it as a wedge to crack the wood. Splitting mauls can be heavy, from 6 to 12 pounds, which means swinging one is hard, but the heavier weight helps crack the wood. In comparison, a typical splitting ax may weigh around 3 pounds.
What’s the best way to carry a slinged rifle when you are walking downhill?
Answer: It’s best to carry a rifle slung across your chest when walking downhill, especially on snowy hillsides. That way if you slip and fall, the rifle is protected and you don’t risk knocking your scope off zero. Likewise, while trekking across a sidehill with a rifle, it’s smart to keep the rifle slung on the shoulder away from the hill. Again, if you slip and fall the rifle is out of harm’s way, plus you have that hillside arm free to try and break your fall.
What are the two lines between the fly line and the fly called?
Answer: A leader is usually a line with a graduated thickness, starting thicker near the fly line and then slowly getting thinner toward the end. They are long, from 6 to 12 feet. As the leader breaks off, or you tie on new flies, the leader steadily grows shorter. To compensate, fly anglers can tie on tippet. Tippet is line, usually of a smaller diameter, measured in Xs, such as 3x or 4x. The higher the number, the smaller the line. So for fishing spring creeks, a lighter tippet like 7x might be used. Learning the proper knots to tie the lines together is crucial. Stocking stuffer tip, knot-tying tools can now make that process easier.
You find a shed deer antler. Generally speaking, how do you tell if it’s from a white-tailed deer or a mule deer?
Answer: Mule deer antlers are “bifurcated,” meaning they fork in two directions as they grow, splitting again to create more tines. A white-tailed buck’s antler points grow off one main beam. In the West, we call a deer a four-point if it has four antler points on both sides. In the East, this would be an eight-point deer because they add up all of the tines. If the tines aren’t equal on both sides, then it might be referred to as a four-by-five, or 4x5, showing the count on each side. These are referred to as “nontypical.” Sometimes westerners will even emphasize both sides of the antlers, calling a deer a four-by-four, or five-by-five.
What’s the most important survival tool you should carry?
Answer: This is a trick question because the most important tool to carry is knowledge. If you’re up on the basics of first aid, how to build a shelter or start a fire, that’s a good start. I remember watching the television show “Survivorman” in which the host built mukluks by cutting up the upholstery and foam in a car seat. That’s kind of taking it to extremes, but gives you the idea that common items may have other purposes. To avoid becoming Survivorman, or Bear Grylls, always pack some essentials like a couple of ways to start a fire, warm clothing or a rain jacket, snacks and a water bottle. Parachute cord can come in handy for a variety of uses, and a sharp folding knife is priceless.
What does a contour interval measure?
Answer: Contour intervals are found on topographic maps. These are the lines that indicate the steepness of the terrain. When they are far apart, the elevation gain is less than when they are close together. Each line is separated by 40 to 80 feet, depending on the map. The lines also give map readers some indication of the terrain, such as whether there’s a gully or ridge. Every five lines there is a thicker contour interval with the actual elevation.
What’s a glomitt?
Answer: A glomitt is a combination glove and mitten, also called a flip mitten. The mitten part covers four fingers and can be peeled back and held in place by a fastener to reveal fingerless gloves underneath. These are great when you have to use your fingers to perform a task, like pulling the trigger on a rifle, but still want to keep your digits warm.
When boating down a river, what water feature indicates the best way to go?
Answer: Look for the V when navigating down streams. The bottom of the V points to the path of least resistance. The sides of the V are often created by other features like rocks or rapids. When confronted with more than one V, it’s a good idea to scout the rapid by taking out upstream. Walk down and study the water to determine the best route.
What is the special name for an elk’s canine teeth, and why do they have them?
Answer: Both male and female elk have upper canine teeth called “ivories.” The teeth are true ivory and were prized by Native Americans and European settlers. Today, they are still prized for jewelry or mementos from a successful hunt. Elk ivories are the remnants of prehistoric tusks of their ancestors that could protrude up to 8 inches from their mouths.
Where should your head be when mountain biking downhill?
Answer: Your chin should be above the handlebars when downhill mountain biking. This helps weight the front tire when you turn. Leaning back makes it harder for the front tire to initiate the turn. This was a hard lesson to learn and seems awkward. Also remember to keep your pedals flat and knees bent when encountering bumps, and to raise the inside pedal on a turn to avoid dragging it in the dirt.
Bonus: Where should the heaviest gear go in a backpack?
Answer: The heaviest items – like food, a stove and fuel – should go next to your back in the middle of the pack. Lighter items that you don’t need access to, like a sleeping bag, can go at the bottom. Put the things you need quick access to, like a rain jacket or snacks, at the top where they are easy to access.
Scoring
Get 90% to 100% correct and you are a certifiable outdoor nerd. Seventy percent to 80% means you are a frontiersman in training, but you’re getting there. Sixty percent to 70% correct identifies you as an outdoor groupie. You probably hang with knowledgeable friends who are teaching you the tricks of the woods.
If you get 50% to 60% of the questions right in this quiz, congratulations. You’ve been paying attention over the years to weird words or situations your friends, colleagues or significant other have been discussing. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, most people are happy to share their knowledge.
With a score of 50% or less, you may not get your woodcraft badge, but keep on seeking out unusual knowledge and one day you too could be worthy of a coonskin hat.
Why, you may ask, would you want to wear a coonskin cap? Because Daniel Boone supposedly wore one, at least he did on the television series. And we all know Boone was woods wise.
According to the song that went with the show, “From the coonskin cap on the top of ol’ Dan to the heel of his rawhide shoe, the rippn’est roarin’est fightin’est man the frontier ever knew.”