Homeland Security has designated September as National Preparedness Month. National Preparedness Month is a nationwide effort held each September to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and schools.

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Five hikers were lost along the Columbia River Gorge this Labor Day Weekend forcing them to spend a night outdoors without the proper survival gear. A group of 7 church friends went on a 10-mile hike near Horsetail Falls on Monday, September 1. They chose to separate at nightfall - 2 finding their way back out of the wilderness that evening and 5 who did not. Temperatures dropped into the 40s Monday night but the remaining hikers were lucky to be wearing appropriate hiking clothes and were carrying enough food and water to sustain them for the evening. Authorities noted that the downfall of the hikers was that not all of them had cell phones or maps and they set out to hike at 1pm, far too late for a 10-mile hike in that area.

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Many of us that have grown up exploring the great outdoors - whether it was hiking, camping, hunting or fishing - take it for granted that we are stewards of our own recreation. It is common sense to pack out your garbage and food scraps, do what you can to avoid damaging foliage and avoid removing animals and birds from their natural habitat. But unfortunately, the notion of green camping is not inherent in all people. There are some that never learned these basic rules of the outdoors or have chosen to ignore them for the sake of their own interests.

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The Collectors West Gun and Knife Show is coming through Portland September 5-7, 2008. The show will feature knife, gun and outdoor equipment retailers and specialists from around the Northwest. The show costs $8.00 per day or you can by multi-day passes to receive a discount.

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This is the perfect time of year to catch grizzly bears in action in the Northwest. Hiking and vacation tours through some of Washington and British Columbia’s best forest land take you close to the action. Ann Campbell has written a great article on the grizzly tours available at Sonora Resort. The tour takes interested animal watchers up the Orford River where the salmon are returning to spawn and the bears congregate in wait for them.

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