Time travel could become the ultimate adventure trip, offering people a chance to correct past mistakes as well as providing glimpses of the future. Traveling through the Fourth Dimension doesn't come without some serious risks, though, which becomes painfully clear in A Sound of Thunder, an overlooked 2005 thriller.

Based on the short story by Ray Bradbury, this film is set in 2055, when time travel has become a profitable reality. One company uses this technology to conduct exclusive safaris into the past. Dr. Travis Ryer (Edward Burns) and his crew take groups of wealthy hunters into the past to stalk and kill a dinosaur. To avoid changing the past, the hunters must stay on a special path and not bring anything back with them. They also must be careful not to kill anything but that particular dinosaur, which was going to die even before the hunters got there.

After conducting many such safaris, something goes terribly wrong. Ripples through time cause drastic changes in the Earth's climate, plant, and animal life. Somehow, a member of the last safari did something to affect the course of history and evolution. Plant life grows out of control, threatening to engulf buildings and people, and animals mutate into strange new forms.

Even the most skilled hunters would find the violent creatures in A Sound of Thunder rather challenging. Reptile and primate evolution has gone haywire and only Dr. Ryer, with the help of physicist Dr. Sonia Rand (Catherine McCormack), can set things right again. Ryer literally has to race the clock to find out what the hunters changed on the last safari and correct it before it is too late.

During normal safaris, experienced hunters take precautions, and this is especially true during a time safari. Everyone wears protective gear and uses guns loaded with frozen nitrogen bullets. In this way, the normal flow of time is preserved and unaltered.

In addition to an interesting science fiction plot, A Sound of Thunder takes place both in a prehistoric jungle and Chicago of the mid-21st century, which is overgrown with tropical plant life. Though ignored during its initial theatrical run, this film definitely offers one wild ride.

If shooting a trophy animal is what you have in mind, head to Oregon where the state's Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted a cougar management plan back in 1996. Because they are skillful hunters, cougars have been responsible for killing livestock and affecting the population of other game animals, including bighorn sheep.

Controlled cougar hunts are allowed in Oregon, with a split season (Jan. 1 through May 31, August 1 through Dec. 31). The entire state is open to hunters until the Oregon DFW determines that quotas have been met in certain areas. No matter what, however, cougar hunting with a dog, though highly effective, currently is prohibited by Oregon law.

Everyone in your hunting party will need a license plus a General Cougar Tag and/or a Blue Mountain Additional Cougar Tag (the bag limit is one per tag). For the colder weather, you may encounter in the Pacific Northwest, you should pack a good jacket, such as the Carhartt J97. With a blanket layer inside to keep warm, the J97 allows good freedom of movement when you are hunting for the perfect trophy.

Oregon's management plan aims to keep the cougar population at around 3,000. There are some opponents to this plan, however, who believe that controlled hunts actually can cause more problems because they eliminate the older cougar population (younger cougars tend to do more damage to humans and livestock).

If you prefer to hunt with a hound, nearby Washington State does allow you to use a dog while going after a cougar in certain counties. In either case, the Pacific Northwest is one of your best bets when looking for this type of trophy.

Sources:
http://capitalpress.com/main.asp?SectionID=94&SubSectionID=801&ArticleID=44515&TM=73397.52
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/hunting/big_game/
http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/newreal/release.php?id=oct1204b

When hunting season is underway, you might be tempted to trek out to new territory and spend a few nights in the great outdoors. A hunting expedition can put your endurance, stamina and concentration to the test, and roughing it during inclement weather requires packing up some survival gear essentials so you can track down your prey like a pro.

Whether you're hunting game in the forest or tracking down deer in the country, you'll need some basic gear to get through the night safe and sound. Here's what you need for a successful hunt:

Keep those feet well-prepared for hunting mode with a pair of insulated boots. Rugged, lace-up boots are designed with several layers of insulation and extra protection for almost any type of weather. You'll need the extra layers of insulation for snowy days in the forest or country roads, so toughen up with a pair of rugged shoes and thick socks as you trek along your trail.

You'll also need to layer up with fleece and insulated outerwear to ward off those cooler temperatures, day and night. Make sure you're decked out in at least one thick fleece jacket, heavy fatigue pants and a puffy jacket that will give you an extra layer of warmth when temperatures hit rock bottom.

When it's time to call it a day and hit the campsite for a good night's rest, a thermal sleeping bag will help you get through the night with ease. Look for 'chrysalis'-style bags designed with a super-tight construction and extra padding to help seal in the heat. These sleeping bags will keep you warm and toasty on any fall or winter evening and shield you from bugs and insects that might be lurking around your camping territory.

Finally, you'll need a basic sport utility kit filled with some basic tools and a first aid kit for unforeseen emergencies. The Gerber Sport Utility Kit is a lightweight and versatile kit filled with a flashlight, back pack ax, a compact folding spade and first-aid basics; when you're spending a few days and nights in the great outdoors, you'll need these by your side to handle minor cuts and scrapes.