The Field & Stream Tips Blog

To prevent my box calls from squawking in my vest pockets, I secure the lids with my girlfriend's elastic hair bands. They're just the right size, and they're strong enough to do the job.
Roger Hurley, Old Lyme, Conn.

Steve Wolfe

When I deer hunt, I like to carry a 1/4-inch-thick sheet of plastic bubble wrap to sit on. Not only does it keep me dry, but my body temperature warms up the air in the bubbles, which helps keep me warm—even on wet, cold ground. And, no, the air bubble don't pop as soon as a buck appears.
Steve Wolfe, Camas, Wash.

I like to keep a spare floor mat in the trunk of my truck to throw on the ground when I change into and out of my waders. This prevents pebbles and dirt from sticking to my socks and entering my waders—and it keeps my truck cleaner.
Mike DeRobertis, Scarsdale, N.Y.

Trying to lace up your boots when the ends are frayed and won't go through the eyelets can be a real pain—especially at 4:30 a.m. at turkey camp. For an easy fix to this problem, take some electrical heat-shrink tubing and cut a small length about 1/2 inch. Slip the tubing over each lace and then heat-shrink it with a lighter. The laces will now thread through your boots, good as new.
Mike Weatherford, Morrisplains, N.J.

I painted the blade of one of my canoe paddles blaze orange. This provides me with one more signal device if my boat ever goes down.
Philip Bryan, Bloomington, Ind.

When reloading rifle bullets I find it helpful to mark the bullets with a Sharpie so I can identify loads that I intend to test for accuracy. I write a number on the bullet near the tip that corresponds to a load in my journal. I then mark a target with the same bullet number, so when return home I can see which load preformed best. This is especially useful when I have many different combinations I intend to test.
Nathan Hinker, Corsica, S.D.

After a day's hunt (particularly a rainy one), I use the remaining "heat" in my chemical handwarmers to dry the insides of my boots. Just leave one inside each boot overnight, and they'll be dry in the morning.
Don Bogdanovich, Minneapolis, Minn.

Whenever I'm flyfishing with a nymph or Woolly Bugger, I like to take some mud side from the stream and work it into the fly. This does a good job of removing my scent from the fly.
Rob Sullivan, Peterborough, N.H.

Before I head out hunting, I always tie a piece of string or dental floss to the end of my gun barrel. This way I can tell which way the wind is blowing at all times.
Jack Kline, Superior, Wis.

Three-dimensional turkey targets are great shooting-practice tools for bowhunters. Problem is they're expensive. To make your own, take your oldest turkey decoy and fill it with expanding insulation foam. After the foam dries, place it in front of your block and start practicing.
Chris Duke, Milton, Ontario, Canada