Average Guy Outdoors

Sunday, July 13, 2025

Climbing to the Top

When people think of mountain climbing, absolutely nobody thinks of Southwest Ohio. The lack of mountains makes the reason kind of obvious.

When you say rock climbing, a lot of people still think of mountains and Ohio still isn’t on the list of places. If you say “bouldering,” expect a complete blank stare.

Mountains aside, there are accessible outdoor climbing opportunities in our area. In and around Springfield especially offers several options.

https://www.daytondailynews.com/what-to-know/rock-climbing-is-possible-right-here-in-southwest-ohio/LZWEW66EIBEMZO35XMRQJYMYBI/

Sunday, July 6, 2025

Pints, Pheasants, and Public Land

While the proposed legislation that would have sold millions of acres of our public land is dormant for now, our land and habitat always need our attention. Our uplands and prairies are disappearing at rates that would cause global uproars if they had the broad visual appeal of forested mountains or the romance of the rain forest. Less than 4% of the original 170 million acres remain. The truth is, that prairies are better at turning CO2 into oxygen and at sequestering carbon than rainforests. They just don’t have the “charisma mega environ” of these other landscapes. Unless you’re interested in pollinators and upland birds

Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever (PF/QF) is one of the most dedicated organizations to restoring those habitats and lands wherever they are found. Thursday, July 10th, the Greater Dayton chapter is hosting a pint night, with a percentage of sales benefiting the chapter.

Greater Dayton PF/QF Eudora Pint Night

Thursday, July 10 at 5 p.m.

Eudora Brewing Company - 3022 Wilmington Pike, Kettering, 45429

Support Out of the Shadows for Bats

Bats are some of the most interesting creatures among us. In addition to natural struggles, they are victims of massive “charismatic megafauna bias.”

In other words, our tendency to support and care more about big, cuddly-looking animals with big eyes and soft fur than other valuable critters. Such as bats.

Ohio is home to at least ten different bat species. They’re not rodents. The’re not related to shrews either. Four of them are currently on an endangered or threatened list of one kind or another. But the real truth is we don’t know a lot about their habits and needs.

You can read the complete article in the Dayton Daily News digital edition: Bat Population on the Decline

Resources

Amazing Bats - National Trails Parks and Recreation Administration Building

Ages 6 & Older, Friday, July 11, 8 – 9:30 p.m.

Learn why bats are important and which ones live in Ohio during this fun program with Marne Titchenell from Ohio State University Extension. Learn how bats find their way in the dark, and then we’ll head outside to look for bats in the wild! Kids must come with a grown-up.

https://ntprd.org/amazing-bats/

The Mysteries & Science of Bats - Five Rivers Metro Parks

Ages 10-17, Saturday, July 26, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m., $3.00 | Financial Assistance

Discover the unique behaviors, diverse species, and ecological roles of these incredible nocturnal mammals. Learn about bat echolocation, their diets, habitats, and the important ways they support ecosystems. Weather Dependent.

https://www.metroparks.org/programs-events-finder/?program_number=T134&api=programs&type=program

Bat Roost Monitoring - Five Rivers Metro Parks

Ages 3-13, Saturday, Aug. 29, 8 - 9:30 p.m.

https://www.metroparks.org/programs-events-finder/?program_number=T159&api=programs&type=program

Take part in an Ohio Division of Wildlife study to assess bat populations, and learn how you can help bats. Weather Dependent.

Build a Bat Box

Create a summer daytime roosting area for bats

https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ohiodnr.gov/documents/wildlife/backyard-wildlife/Nest%20Box%20Plans%20pub419.pdf

About Bats ODNR

https://ohiodnr.gov/search/?search_query=bats

Bats in Homes

https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/land-water/issues-for-landowners/nuisance-bats

Bat Conservation

https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ohiodnr.gov/documents/wildlife/wildlife-management/Ohio%20Bat%20Conservation%20Plan.pdf

Thursday, July 3, 2025

Public lands: Land of the Free

We live in a land with great public resources and opportunities. And choice. If “conservation is the state of harmony between men and the land,” as Aldo Leopold wrote in The Land Ethic, as a nation, we’ve no doubt hit some off-key notes.

It’s taken a lot of work, pressure, and patience to get to the state of balance where we are now. It will take ongoing effort to maintain and add to it moving forward.

Read the complete column here: Public lands: What is free? The importance of buying a license to hunt, fish and more in Ohio

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Ohio's Power Berry - Black Raspberries

Like most things in the outdoors and life, you’ll find the most excitement and interesting examples on the edges. Black raspberries love the successional edges of wood lots and fence rows.

Making way for berries is yet one more reason to remove honeysuckle. Native to the area, they could be almost anywhere. Where you probably won’t find them is in the grocery store. If you want some in your bowl or on your plate, you’re probably going to have to pick them yourself.

For whatever reason, the black variety of raspberry is delicate and doesn’t transport as well as red raspberries or blackberries. They have a short window of production, typically 3 weeks give or take, and they yield comparatively less fruit.

Read the complete article in the Dayton Daily News: Ohio's Black Raspberry Packs a Powerful Punch

Recipes:

https://www.food.com/recipe/raspberry-liqueur-172114

https://dishesdelish.com/black-raspberry-ultimate-margarita/

https://gardenandgun.com/recipe/raspberry-pie/

Sunday, June 22, 2025

National Pollinator Week 2025

Pollinators are a vital part of the environment, helping to complete many plant lifecycles and are responsible for 35% of the world's food crops and 75% of the world's flowering plants.

From June 16 - 22nd in the United States, we recognize their importance. Learn more here:

https://www.pollinator.org/pollinator-week

Pheasants Forever Blog - Creatures Great and Small

Sunday, June 15, 2025

Beat the Heat - Take me to the River

As summer arrives and things heat up, we'll all be looking for ways to cool down. Heading for the water is a good bet. Area reservoirs typically offer a steady breeze and, of course, plenty of water. But if you’ve ever spent an entire Southwest Ohio summer day on a boat on any of the larger bodies of water, you know the sun can be a beast.

Fortunately, Southwest Ohio is blessed to have several rivers that are perfect for paddling canoes, kayaks, and Stand Up Paddle Boards (SUPs). These rivers offer dappled shade from trees on shore and some relief from the sun.

You can read the complete article here: Using local waterways to beat the summer heat with paddle activities

For me, being on local waterways always seems to deliver a story. Quiet paddles could result in all kinds of wildlife sightings, from otters to deer to eagles. Group paddles deliver different types of stories, from runaway coolers to wedding rings washed away. But they only happen if you get outside.

In our area in the summer, the question isn’t what to do, it’s where to go. See resources below for possible rental and trip options. And one video of a section in Springfield on Buck Creek.