Palouse Outdoors: A few reasons to keep an outdoor journal

October 13th, 2024 – "Flat, clear water and high sun are a poor combination for persnickety trout, particularly in desert midge country. Throw in a metric ton of black fly larvae the size of a pencil lead that the fish inspect with excruciating detail, and you've got the makings of a slow day. By noon, the frost had melted off, and I had tired of watching Chas catch fish on a booby fly with a chironomid dropper. Midday, hundreds of large dragonflies began copulating unexpectedly over the shallow end of the lake, and the submarine-sized rainbows were ready. Their hefty bodies rolled like killer whales, and they rocketed airborne for a shot at landing with a meaty pair of dragonflies. The autumn foliage casting a colorful reflection across the lake's slick surface presented an unforgettable scene and made fishing unimportant."

This detailed account of an unusual rainbow trout feeding frenzy offers more than meets the eye. "Fishing was tough" is the undertone rather than the point, and the entry serves two-fold. First, time, weather conditions, and fishing conditions are captured. Second, a working fly combination and natural food sources are identified. Finally, the account of big fish leaping after giant dragonflies adds a twist to this lake's fishing success puzzle. Next time, I'll have a dragonfly pattern and my Nikon and wildlife lens to capture the feeding rainbows. The attention to detail captured in two minutes of scribbling is never lost on the outdoor adventurer.

Not into writing? That's no reason to avoid journaling. Journaling is not beholden to lengthy prose. It can be, but journaling is what you make it. If you hunt, fish, go birding, skiing, hike for wildflowers, or enjoy anything else Mother Nature offers, here are a few compelling reasons to keep an outdoor journal.

#1 – Location – There is a wealth of online information about where and how to experience anything. Which beaches are best for surfing? Where is the best backcountry skiing? Where to find a rare migrant songbird overwintering. Maybe you seek that sleeper parcel of secluded public land that holds "Booner" mule deer bucks or countless chukar. The internet can get you into the ballpark. Truthfully, you must put in the effort to discover what you seek precisely, and taking good notes on location is how you lock it in.

#2 – Environmental Conditions – Regardless of the purpose of your outdoor pursuits, keeping records of date, time, weather conditions, and what you experienced (or did not) can help identify trends. For example, I've recorded every deer hunt since taking my first buck in 1996. I can tell you with certainty (thanks to a spreadsheet) that I have harvested nearly 70 percent of my deer in the evening and on calm, clear weather days. There may be a correlation with my desire to hunt in inclement weather, but I've paid my dues in sub-freezing temps, blizzard conditions, and torrential rain, all to find that fair weather has been most productive.

Data collection makes you a better hunter, but doesn't stop there. Journaling translates into any outdoor recreation mode influenced by season, weather, wildlife, etc. It can better prepare you for the next outing. Photography is an easy example.

Wildlife and landscapes can be challenging to photograph, and it should be no surprise that photography trips are best when planned like a hunt. Morning and evening hours are typically the best when the sun angles are low, the light is rich, the atmosphere is relatively clear, and shadows add drama, highlighting details of the scene. Taking notes on the conditions, what worked and what did not (lenses and settings), and what to look for and do the next time can ultimately lead to the perfect capture.

#3 – Techniques – Fly-fishing is another example where matching the hatch can be meticulous. Location, date, time, and conditions are key information to align your fishing calendar with when and where to be and with which fly box to carry. I recall a time in late July on Kelly Creek in the Idaho panhandle. A blanket blue-wing olive hatch was coming off late in the day. Three friends and I were perched precariously on boulders, casting flies on a large pool that boiled with rising cutthroat.

Reading the water and fish behavior – how the fish were taking the flies –, we were able to switch tactics and fly patterns through the stages of the hatch from emerging (hatching) fly to terrestrial adult, and finally to spinner (dead adult), duping fish until it was too dark to see them rising. Notes from each trip on the same body of water can allow you to hone in on those magical days. Maybe not with absolute precision, but often timing it right rather than relying on coincidence.

If you are passionate about your outdoor endeavors, you likely are drawn to the experiences more than strictly statistics. The good, the bad, and the ugly days afield are better than the best days at work, and it's those experiences that keep us grounded as the years roll by. This is where the creative side of journaling emerges.

#4 – Telling the Story – Memories only sweeten with time, and our recollections may be better than the actual moments we lived. Capturing the details bolsters our memories and allows us to share our stories better, and telling our tales is a human pastime. Since time immemorial, native peoples have carved and painted stories on rock – a tradition we continue with photography, print, and electronic media. Ultimately, journaling boils down to reliving and sharing our precious moments with others, particularly our loved ones.

Take a few minutes to note your time with friends and family, the chest-rattling gobble of a wild turkey on a cold spring morning, the glistening powder wake as you slice down the slope on a bluebird day, and the way that beverage hit the back of your tongue as you lounged under a cotton candy sunset on the coast. Tomorrow is never guaranteed, but our journals live on.

"Write that down." – Van Wilder.