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VETERANS HOTSHOT CREW

Having achieved certification last Veterans Day, the Lakeview Veterans Hotshots are the only Interagency Hotshot Crew in the country that prioritizes enlisting and developing former military personnel. From front lines of battlefields in war-stricken corners of the world to the most rugged backcountry in North America, the individuals on the Lakeview Hotshots are accustomed to putting their lives on the line to ensure safety for other American citizens.

2 Min

Field Notes

THE CHAINSAW

The single most important invention affecting logging was the chainsaw of 1935. Although it was not invented in Oregon, it was perfected there in 1947 by lumberjack Joseph Cox. While chopping firewood one chilly autumn day in 1946, Cox paused for a moment to examine the curious activity of a timber beetle larva in a tree stump.

Profiles

ERNESTO ALVARADO – FIRE SCIENTIST

Ernesto Alvarado is a biologist and Research Associate Professor at the University of Washington. With over 27 years in the field, his current research covers a variety of topics, from fire management to tropical forestry, to the nature of forest fires in response to climate change.

1 Min

black and white firefighter gear on wood floor

How-To's

How to Pack Your Line Gear

When you’re on a fire line, everything that matters is on your back. You may be required to haul 70 lbs. in and out of a remote spot. How you pack is as important as what you pack. Proper pack fit is crucial—the waist belt should ride just above your beltline, with the hips bearing the majority of the load.

info-graphic: allow wood to burn down to ash and drown embers with water

How-To's

Smokey’s Steps to Putting Out a Fire

A campfire can be of the best parts of camping, or provide necessary warmth to hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts. Just don’t forget your responsibility to maintain and extinguish it to prevent wildfires.

Hotshots getting their gear ready from truck

Profiles

Q&A WITH A HOTSHOT

We sit down with Jeremiah Coke, Squad Leader with a hotshot crew in the Pacific Northwest, to learn a thing or two about his 17 years in fire.

3 Min

Profiles

PHOENIX CREW 1

Meet one of the most unique teams partnering with the USFS – an Arizona Fire Crew made primarily of post-release inmates.

10 Min

kyle miller wildland firefighter photographer

Profiles

KYLE MILLER – PHOTOGRAPHER

A wildland firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service and Wyoming Hotshots crew member, Kyle Miller is not a photographer — just a guy who is drawn to fighting wildfire on the front line, who happens to have a camera.

2 Min

Field Notes

#2 of 22 - Protectors of the Forest

MAN BEAST MACHINE

In the beginning, the USFS fought forest fires using animals such as horses and pigeons. Horses provided transportation of man and materials, while pigeons afforded timely communication. From horseback to car, dirt to paved roads and ground to air vehicles, transportation technology is constantly advancing; this is no different for the USFS.

6 Min

rocky cliffs with trees growing in crevices

Field Notes

A Wanderer’s View of Starved Rock State Park, Illinois

As far as state parks go, Starved Rock is tall. Something to be said in a flat, corn-centric state like Illinois. But from its massive Cottonwoods and Oaks that first greet you, to its grand views of the Illinois River, its serpentine boardwalks to the bluffs, its waterfalls, and even its soaring eagles, everything points to the sky.

5 Min

Field Notes

Access to Fishing, Illinois’ Tackle Loaner Program

Imagine if there was a special library made for young anglers; but instead of borrowing books, they could check out fishing rods, reels and other gear. Well there is and it’s available to anyone in Illinois.

3 Min

cooked venison shank in sauce being served by chef

Food & Recipes

Filson Food: Smoked Garlic Venison Shanks

Ask a dozen hunters what their favorite cut of meat is on wild deer and you will likely get a handful who tell you it is shanks. The shank is a cut that gets a good work out, especially on wild game, and as a result it has a lot of flavor. This recipe from Chef Connor Gabbott is a simple one, light on ingredients and lots of room for the shanks to take center stage and shine.

6 Min

Field Notes

A Brief History of Horse Logging

Horse logging is an echo of an earlier, distant time but it is gaining steam as a modern, sustainable form of logging. This practice goes back nearly 10,000 years, though it almost went extinct in the 1980s with the advent of advanced technology like feller bunchers, bulldozers, skidders, and forwarders.

5 Min

Field Notes

Elver Fishing in Maine

Elver fishing in Maine is based on a lottery system. For those lucky enough to win a license the payout can be over $2,000/lb.

4 Min

Field Notes

The Oldest Continuously Running Sawmill in North America

Port Gamble was a gamble that paid off for 142 years as the longest continuously running sawmill on the North American continent. Like many logging towns, it faced boom years and bust years but was far more successful than most. New England influenced the creation and construction of the town. The merchants Andrew Pope and William Talbot sailed west from Maine to San Francisco seeking large resources of timber to supply the growing demand of an ever-growing American West.

8 Min

Signature Materials

Filson x Danner Grouse Bottomland Boot

When two Pacific Northwest brands team up to create a hunting boot, the result is a rugged piece of craftsmanship. Constructed from full-grain leather and oil-finish Tin Cloth, the Grouse boot combines unique elements that have set both Filson and Danner apart for nearly a century—two brands synonymous with quality and durability. The Filson x Danner® Grouse Boots are built in Portland, OR and made to last a lifetime.

3 Min

smokejumper firefighter safely landing from practice jump in grassy field

Field Notes

JUMP TRAINING REDDING, CALIFORNIA

Smokejumpers are specially trained wildland firefighters — and their training is grueling. Often the leading edge of a wildland firefight, smokejumpers parachute out of airplanes to reach fires before they grow into infernos. Their specialized training gives them the tools needed to lead and situational awareness to stay safe in emerging incidents. Check out the journal entries of one smokejumper, Sam Averett, as he goes through training to be a protector of the forest.

6 Min

fire lab test in progress while scientist takes notes

Field Notes

INSIDE THE FIRE LAB

The U.S. Forest Service’s Fire Sciences Laboratory, Fire Lab for short, is the only facility on earth dedicated to studying wildfire through experiments in a chamber. The public rarely gets to witness the science and technology happening inside. I was giddy for the demonstrations, for the chance to experience fire without fear. I would come away with so much more.

5 Min

illustration of maple syrup buckets hanging on tree

How-To's

How to Tap A Maple Tree

Maple syrup was first collected by the native people of North America. While there are no verified accounts of how maple syrup production began, one popular legend suggests maple sap being used in place of water to cook venison served to a Native American chief.

8 Min

Profiles

JIGGER JOHNSON – USFS PIONEER

fried chicken on a thick sliced piece of bread with pickles on a blue plate centralized text reading

Food & Recipes

Filson Food: Nashville Hot Chicken

There’s a heat wave slowly spreading across the country, and that heat wave is Nashville Hot Chicken. There is most likely a joint in your town that is serving up hot chicken and if not, you can make this killer rendition.

4 Min

Field Notes

The Lantern Tavern Announces No New Improvements

The Lantern opened its doors back when gasoline cost 32 cents a gallon and shiny ‘66 Mustangs cruised Chicago Avenue. Every day since, their philosophy of good, simple food and enjoyable times has not wavered.

4 Min

Field Notes

Filson Adventure Comic

Filson Adventures, an original comic series based in Alaska circa 1933.

28 Min

Profiles

Mike Blais of Auburn Stove Foundry Company

Some of Mike Blais’ earliest memories are from the inside of his grandfather’s foundry in Maine. He spent his youth shadowing the older man, learning to mix sand and clay, ram patterns, heat metal, and pour it, creating something from nothing in a series of precise steps. He cast his first piece on his own, under his grandfather’s watchful eye, before he reached the age of ten: a grate for a small coal stove.

6 Min

Signature Materials

Upland Essentials

What gear does an upland hunter need? That question covers an enormous variety of habitat, weather, birds, and preferences. While gear requirements vary for hunting quail in Texas, grouse in New England, chukar on the Snake River, or pheasant in the Dakotas, the following items go with me on all of my hunts, regardless of where or when.

7 Min

Profiles

Maine Guides

Maine Guides are an institution just as iconic in the Northeast as lobster fishermen. They’re stitched into Maine’s landscape—a mythical place of famous coastline and rivers, as well as vast swaths of undeveloped woods (a rarity in the crowded East) that teem with wildlife.

5 Min

fire crew readying to go to the front line

How-To's

How to Become a Wildland Firefighter

Interested in becoming a Protector of the Forest? Learn when and where to apply.

1 Min

man in black coat smiling while driving with friend

Profiles

Banking on Bailey: Introducing the Filson x Merrell Sandall

Head an hour north of Boise, and you’ll find a stretch of the Payette river that contains some of the world’s most notorious class five rapids. Not many people dare to try their hand at kayaking this part of the river, but there are a few who dedicate their lives to running it daily.

4 Min

sandy landscape with green plant life and clouds

Profiles

What is White Sands?

Great white dunes march across the New Mexico desert. From the tallest dune, some 60 ft tall, it’s hard to fathom the world around you. Climb skyward, and your eyes would meet a sea of white; 275 square miles to be precise – where corduroy ribs of pure gypsum rise and fall like an ocean

drawing of coiled rattlesnake with head and tail highlighted

How-To's

Snakebite Prevention and First Aid

While snakebites are a relatively rare occurrence, knowing how to prevent or treat one is a potentially lifesaving skill. This is especially true for those of us who spend a lot of our time outdoors, whether for work or recreation. The more you know, the better you can prepare if something should ever happen to

5 Min

VETERANS HOTSHOT CREW

THE CHAINSAW

ERNESTO ALVARADO – FIRE SCIENTIST

How to Pack Your Line Gear

Smokey’s Steps to Putting Out a Fire

Q&A WITH A HOTSHOT

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PHOENIX CREW 1

KYLE MILLER – PHOTOGRAPHER

MAN BEAST MACHINE

A Wanderer’s View of Starved Rock State Park, Illinois

Access to Fishing, Illinois’ Tackle Loaner Program

Filson Food: Smoked Garlic Venison Shanks

A Brief History of Horse Logging

Elver Fishing in Maine

The Oldest Continuously Running Sawmill in North America

Filson x Danner Grouse Bottomland Boot

JUMP TRAINING REDDING, CALIFORNIA

INSIDE THE FIRE LAB

How to Tap A Maple Tree

JIGGER JOHNSON – USFS PIONEER

Filson Food: Nashville Hot Chicken

The Lantern Tavern Announces No New Improvements

Filson Adventure Comic

Mike Blais of Auburn Stove Foundry Company

Upland Essentials

Maine Guides

How to Become a Wildland Firefighter

Banking on Bailey: Introducing the Filson x Merrell Sandall

What is White Sands?

Snakebite Prevention and First Aid