Field Notes | Page 5 of 10 | The Filson Journal

The Filson Journal

Grit: Marc Warnke’s Pack Goats

Goats are one of the earliest animals domesticated by humans. While they’ve been utilized for countless purposes, it’s still oddly uncommon in America to use them as pack animals, but one man hopes to buck the trend.

Read more

two seamen one standing at a large telescope and one taking notes on a clipboard

The History and Meaning of Maritime Tattoos

Standing out among a variety of styles and techniques, aesthetics, and traditions, perhaps nothing is more recognizable in the tattooing world than the sailor tattoo. Steeped in maritime lore and echoing a chorus of sea shanties across well-navigated oceans, the relationship between sailors and their ink has earned its place in the identity of modern Americana.

Read more

a black and white image of the bow of the SS Clallam with passengers prior to its sinking

The Sinking of the SS Clallam

Hazardous weather conditions. Small craft advisory. Strong wind warning in effect. These are common warnings to mariners who may be considering the Strait of Juan de Fuca—the passage running between the south end of Vancouver Island, BC and the north coast of the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State—during the fall storm season of 2019.

Read more

a straight on view of the work in progress build of the ballard bridge as an old car drives towards the cameraman

The History of Ballard: The First 100 Years

Today, the neighborhood of Ballard is well known for its restaurants and atmosphere. However, the history of this Seattle hamlet is a story of industry, community, and entrepeneurship.

Read more

a black and white image of six men wearing a variety of jackets, hats and pants holding a flag reading the mountaineers

The Evolution of Mountaineering Gear

Humans have climbed mountains since they first crossed the Alps or left religious offerings in the highest heights. But it wasn’t until the mid-18th century that Europeans turned their gaze to the tops of mountains.

Read more

a snowy dark landscape of the Utah mountains with patches of trees and a storm rolls in

Remarkable Skills of an Avalanche Rescue Dog

When it comes to mountain life, avalanches are part of the territory. If you’re lucky, you might only see or hear one. But on the off chance you get caught, there’s little even the most experienced mountaineer can do to escape. Bright gear, a beacon, shovel and probe are key to survival, but when disaster strikes, nothing beats four furry legs and a wet nose. Trained since puppies, avalanche rescue dogs have unique talents that are unmatched by humans or human science – covering as much ground in thirty minutes as twenty humans could in four hours.

Read more

two Air Force men wearing green snowsuits, one sitting up, while the other lays down resting on a bag as a helicopter takes off in the snowy mountains in Alaska

The 210th Air Rescue Squadron

The 210th Air Rescue Squadron, nicknamed “The Second 10th,” is an elite peacetime and combat search and rescue (CSAR) unit based in Alaska that’s on call for its citizens 24/7/365. Regarded as “the Guardians of the North,” the unit has saved thousands of natives stranded in remote terrain, brutal snowstorms, and icy waters along the coast.

Read more

close up image from the top down of over a dozen wild horses in varying hues of brown and black running towards something

History of America’s Wild Horses

The wild horses of the West have occupied the minds of people here since they were reintroduced to the North American continent by Spanish explorers in the 16th century. These first mustangs (from the Spanish mestengo, which means “ownerless beast” or “stray horse”) were the predecessors of the wild horses that roam the desert and grassland ecosystems of the Midwest and Western United States today.

Read more

a brunette woman with a long braid down her left shoulder wearing a grey scarf, red jacket and black cowboy hat against a wood barn

The History of the Cowboy Hat

If there is one piece of Western wear that has become the ultimate symbol of the American Cowboy, it’s the cowboy hat. Like all Western wear, hats were made to be as tough as the trail and started off as accessories purchased based purely on function rather than fashion. A hat provided shade, protection from the elements, and warmth for the wearer, but could also be used to fan a fire, as a vessel for drinking water, or waved from horseback to catch the attention of a fellow rider in the distance. There were as many styles of cowboy hats as there were people wearing cowboy hats.

Read more

snowy white covered landscape with a dozen snowy bison walking towards you

Rebisoning America’s West

As we bounce across the prairie, small groups of bison close to the dirt track watch us roll by, while two bands of elk stare at us from a distance. Meandering along in search of the two bison cows, Austin talks of seeing the landscape restored to its pre-nineteenth-century vigor.

Read more

a close up of a US Fish and Wildlife silver duck band

Duck Banding: Hunter-Backed Conservation Work Helps Waterfowl Thrive

Banding has been used for centuries. In 218 B.C., besieged Roman soldiers reportedly used thread to tie a message on a crow’s leg and then released the bird. John James Audubon and Ernest Thompson Seton pioneered early banding methods in the United States. Federal banding programs were established in the 1920s after the Migratory Bird Treaty of 1918.

Read more

dozens of birds flying overhead on an overcast day

North America’s Flyways and Ducks Unlimited

Twice a year waterfowl and bird species make the long journey from south to north and back again along the Pacific Flyway, stopping at reservoirs, wetlands, and shallow lakes along the way to both rest and feed.

Read more

double barrel shot gun open with both shells hovering above chamber

History of the Shotgun for Upland Hunting

The earliest shotguns, or “Haile Shotte peics,” as they were called, date back to the 16th century in England, where they were used for hunting by the aristocracy, chief among them Henry VIII. These were multiple shot firearms and were used primarily for hunting birds.

Read more

Train Like a Wildland Firefighter, Workout 1: “FRIDLEY”

First responders and wildland firefighters don’t have the option to work from home. They need to be in top physical and mental shape or else lives could be lost. If they can’t make it to the gym, they bring the gym home or find a way to use whatever space they have to hit their daily goals. We worked with the guys at MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab to bring those simple but effective routines to you and whatever space you occupy to help you keep physically fit and mentally sharp.

Read more

two men shirtless in a gym, the one in front bent over with his hands on his knees tired while the other adjusts the rowing machine behind him

Train Like a Wildland Firefighter with Mountain Tough Fitness Lab

The day-to-day rigors of a wildland firefighter require supreme mental and physical strength. These folks hump 45-pound packs up and down steep, rugged terrain for three to five miles a day — usually in the intense heat of a wildfire. If you want what it takes to be a wildland firefighter, you have to train like one. That’s where MTNTOUGH comes in.

Read more

black lab jumping to catch pheasant flying away in a hunting field with dead grass and cattails

How to Process an Upland Bird

Steven Joyce of Reds Hunting, a renowned hunting and fly-fishing guide outfit in Eastern Washington, joined us at Filson’s annual Sportsman’s Expo to demonstrate how to harvest the meat from an upland bird. Check out Steve’s clean and efficient method for processing any game bird.

Read more

warehouse of white maple syrup barrels stacked to the ceiling on the right and left

The Heist: Canada’s Sticky Situation

Together they discovered that someone had tampered with over 1,000 barrels. Nearly 540,000 gallons (10,000 barrels worth) of thick, golden liquid sunshine had been stolen; 12.5 percent of the Reserve, with a street value of anywhere from $13.4 to $18 million, was unaccounted for.

Read more

monument peak lookout with sunsetting

Monument Peak Lookout Tower

In 2019 Filson partnered with the National Forest Foundation (NFF) to restore Montana’s Monument Peak Lookout in Montana; originally built in 1936, using a classic L-4 tower and cabin plans from 1933.

Read more

historic image of men sitting down to eat lunch in field among burned trees

THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS.

THE Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a depression-era work-relief program that put millions of America’s young men to work on important conservation projects. Established in 1933 by executive order, the CCC was one of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s most popular New Deal programs

Read more

hotshots walking through dirt path in forest carrying their gear to location

BIA: INTER-AGENCY HOTSHOTS – NATIVE AMERICAN FIRE CREWS

NATIVE AMERICAN FIRE CREWS were officially formed in 1910—known as the Division of Forestry, a part of the BIA—and tasked with protecting tribal timber holdings. As one might imagine, these crews were incredibly effective.

Read more

wildland firefighter throwing retardant in smoky forest

WHAT IS A WILDLAND FIREFIGHTER

Wildfires across the U.S. have become increasingly large and uncharacteristically extreme, due to factors including climate change and unhealthy forests. This puts communities, habitat, and watersheds at risk. It also means that the women and men who work on the front lines to combat wildfires are facing more dangerous conditions. Who are the people who undertake this arduous, smoky, dirty, relentlessly hot, and risky mission to protect our forests and grasslands and the residents and property in adjacent communities?

Read more

caterpillar sketch

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.

Read more

Helicopter flying over pond

#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.

Read more

rocky cliffs with trees growing in crevices

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.

Read more

spinner fishing rod and reel on stone

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.

Read more

man working with horses to pull log

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.

Read more

man moving fishing net in river

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.

Read more

man sitting in saw mill for group photo

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.

Read more

smokejumper firefighter safely landing from practice jump in grassy field

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.

Read more

fire lab test in progress while scientist takes 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.

Read more

bartender pouring beer from tap

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.

Read more