OOhhh.......It's too cold to go out.

Tonight I think the time is right to cover weather. In one week, I have went through a snow storm, sustained rain, a muddy thaw and then a freeze up with high winds and dangerous black ice overnight - from the thaw. Ice is especially bad on steel bin walls where a fall could be lethal or there may be no one to help for hours or days if you are seriously injured. You have to be your own safety rep. or you will destroy the most precious tool you have.

When you are outside you need to be monitoring the weather channel, news , etc.. All the time. Don't laugh. There is a two fold reason.

You obviously need to know when bad weather is rolling in so that (if possible) you avoid the obvious pitfalls by getting out before the storm or just after. Often it is just a waste of time to be there when it is miserable and will really slow you down (especially traffic slowdowns - not just getting soaked, blown over or stuck in snow). But, you need to be there!! On a continuous roll, returning to the bin again and again, if you miss one day, it could be the day something was there. You will never know. But you need to know on a daily basis.

If you can't make the effort in bad weather, why even try to be efficient when you have just cut your odds of getting value for your effort. It is the consistency that builds a mild form of security in this field of operation.

The second reason is that better and more stuff is usually thrown out when the weather is bad. I know this from first hand experience. I believe that many people could not be bothered, at this time, to damage items when they toss them out. When they are faced with exposing themselves to bad weather, most of the employees that do the garbage are not going to freeze or soak themselves as readily for minimum wage or low pay. They are usually the employees on the lower end of the pay scale (I am sure marketing managers do not put out the trash). In other words, they open the back door, feel -20 degrees and the wind whipping down their neck; then throw the stuff out as fast as they can and slam the door shut. Also, if you are in a climate like the one I hunt in (cold snowy winters), you have the added benefit during a snow storm of having a soft landing for the stuff about 3-5 months of the year. Perhaps people make no effort to destroy anything, as they believe "no one" is crazy enough to be there in that weather to get this garbage! The bottom line is that you need to prepare yourself for increased activity by getting out early and making space, not just wearing good warm weather proof clothing. The math is on your side. Bad weather=more garbage finds=more of whatever you want; be it money, supplies, items to tinker with or donate to your favorite causes, etc., etc..

Count on getting more stuff during bad weather. Be ready and clothed appropriately. Nobody has to be anymore uncomfortable than their planning will allow. Turn on the radio or TV weather channel and make mental notes daily; then reap the benefits.