Meals ready to eat (MRE)

Packing meals ready to eat (MRE) on outdoor adventures is a quick, easy and light weight way to stay out there a little longer. When they first became available to the public I tried a couple entrees. To say they tasted like crap is an understatement. To many carbs, way to much salt or just a big mushy mess. They were originally designed for soldiers in the field. The soldiers were just glad to get something to eat and didn’t have time to be picky. The manufactures have improved some of the meals and are now marketing to the outdoor recreation type person. The meals are still not as good as home cookin’, but are enjoyable if you don’t have to eat them every day. There is a time and a place to use them now.

I was sitting in my deer blind this year and like most hunters, would like to stay on stand all day. It’s only possible to stay for so long because at some point you have to eat. As soon as you go moving around to walk out for lunch that trophy you’ve been waiting for sees or hears you and goes running off. MREs may not be fine cuisine but are better than the usual soggy sandwich, they are a hearty warm meal that will get you through the rest of the day. Everything’s a lot more fun if you have a full belly.

Time available for enjoying the outdoors is limited. Think about how much is spent cooking and cleaning up. Use them while you’re fishing or camping. No need to stop fishing for two hours for shore lunch or cut a hiking trip short because you’re out of energy. These meals are an easy alternative and in the past few years have come down in price and the selection has increased. Take a look on the internet sometime you’ll be surprised what’s available. The lower cost meals need to have boiling water added which can be a problem on some occasions. There are others that you add water and start the self-contained heater, eliminating the need to boil the water on a secondary source. I put a link to Amazon (MRE) on the site to use if you want to check it out.

My disclaimer: I don’t work for any of these companies and don’t care if you buy anything. I just think it’s a great Idea.

Fishing tip #1

When you’re driving a boat always watch where you’re going or you hit stuff. If you feel that this needs to be explained further please don’t ever drive a boat.

Lower Wisconsin River 1/29/2014





1/26/2014

The Wisconsin River below the railroad bridge at Sauk City is frozen over and is not navigable at least down to Spring Green. There are still some areas above the bridge that have open water but if the cold keeps coming most that will be ice covered too. A few people with far more courage than me are catching small walleyes (males) and pike on the golf course side of the river right near the dam and at the wing dam just below the boat landing at the veterans’ park in Prairie Du Sac.



1/26/2014

There are pan fish biting in the section of river that flows behind the island that the railroad bridge crosses. Locals call it the second river. The fish are below where Roxbury Creek joins the Wisconsin River. Just before the 1^st of the year the DNR started pumping a significant amount of water from Crystal Lake into Roxbury Creek, so there’s decent flow of fresh water in the second river. That area seems to be holding more fish than other years. The walk in is a little difficult because there’s a couple of feet of snow on the ground right now.

YOU KNOW IT'S COLD WHEN

 

 Here's my thoughts what's yours ? 




-35F

*You throw a pan of boiling water in the air and it vaporizes;


*Your skin gets burned from 10 minutes of exposure;

*A pets feet get wet and they freeze to the ground instantly;

That river is frozen

*Starting a car sounds like an angry dog fight;

*A fast moving river freezes like a rock;

*Moving to Iran sounds like a good idea;

*Liquid propane from the outside storage tank is to cold for a furnace to burn;

*You use snow for insulation and it works.