Lagoon
A shallow body of water that is located alongside a coast.
Lake
A large body of water surrounded by land on all sides. (see world lakes)
Laminar Flow
The smooth and regular flow of a fluid in a constant direction without any mixing taking place.
Laminated Bow
A bow made of several layers of different material glued together, usually two layers of fibreglass and a hardwood core.
Laminated Stock (hunting)
A rifle stock milled from layers of wood laminated together.
Landforms
Physical objects (lines, points, areas) that differ from the surrounding objects. (see more about landforms)
Landlocked
Shut in completely, or almost completely, by land.
La Niña
Cold-water conditions off the western tropical coasts of the Americas, occurring irregularly and occasionally following El Niño conditions, caused by stiffening trade winds. It results in regenerated fisheries, drought in the central and eastern Pacific, and rain in the western Pacific.
Lanyard (boating)
Short length of thin rope, e.g. attached to a knife or whistel.
Larva
The second, or “worm” phase of an insect’s life cycle. Sub surface stage of development of an aquatic insect.
Lash Rope (hunting)
A rope with a cinch attached to it that is used to lash a load down on top of a packhorse. The rope is usually 3/8 to 1/2-inch in diameter and 45-50 feet long.
Latent Heat
Heat energy required to change a substance from one state to another. It is the energy stored when water evaporates into vapor or ice melts into liquid. It is released as heat when vapor condenses or water freezes.
Latitude
The angular distance north or south from the equator to a particular location. The equator has a latitude of zero degrees. The North Pole has a latitude of 90 degrees North; the South Pole has a latitude of 90 degrees South.
Lava
A general term for molten rock that is extruded onto the surface.
Lava Tube
A tunnel formed underneath the surface of a solidfying lava flow.
Layout Boat (hunting)
A one person boat in which the hunter lies flat in middle of a decoy spread. Usually used in big water with a tending boat nearby.
Leader (fishing)
Short length of heavy line or wire between the main fishing line and the lure. Prevents sharp-toothed fish damaging the main line.
Leaf
The thin, flat green part of a plant that grows on a stem.
Lean-To
A three-sided shelter with an over-hanging roof and one open side. (more about a Lean-To Shelter)
Leave No Trace
Simply means that you should clean up your site before you leave.
Lee
The side of an object that is sheltered from the wind.
Legend
A key to what the symbols or pictures in a map mean.
Leg-Hold Trap (hunting)
A style of steel trap that catches animals by gripping them by the leg or foot; also called foot-hold trap.
Lens (hunting)
As the name implies it is a lens that attaches to target type sights, that adds magnification for increased accuracy. Usually around 2X to 4X for 3D shooting, sometimes more for indoor “spot” shooting.
Lensatic Compass
A compass which features a built-in magnifying lens for ease of reading directions. The old anny lensatic compass (no longer used) is the best example of this type of instrument. Lensatic compasses are impractical for camping (they don’t have built-in protractors), slow to use, and no more accurate than modern Orienteering instruments.
Limb Bolts (hunting)
Each limb has a limb bolt that is used to adjust the poundage (draw weight) of the bow. The limb bolts should be “bottomed out,” then backed off an equal number of turns to desired poundage on some bows, or set by measuring the “tiller” on others. (Follow MFR directions)!
Limb Saver (hunting)
A newly developed “mushroom” shaped rubber product (developed by Simms Labs Inc.), used in pairs and attached to the limbs of the bow according to instructions (usually a few inches from each end of the limb, where there will be no cable obstruction), helps damped vibration and oscillation in the limbs making the bow “shock” on release much smoother.
Loch
A body of water such as a lake, sea inlet, firth, fjord, estuary or bay.
Lodge (hunting)
The dome-shaped houses made by beavers and muskrats.
Longbow
An archery bow with no cams and when strung, the string only touches at the ends of the limbs.
Longitude
The angular distance east or west from the north-south line that passes through Greenwich, England, to a particular location. Greenwich, England has a longitude of zero degrees. The farther east or west of Greenwich you are, the greater your longitude. Midway Islands (in the Pacific Ocean) have a longitude of 180 degrees (they are on the opposite side of the globe from Greenwich).
Lowland
An area of low and usually level land.