Tailwater
The downstream section of a river or stream found below a large man-made dam. The most productive tailwaters are from bottom-discharge dams, making the water relatively cold and constant in temperature.
Take Down Bow
A long bow or recurve that can be taken apart for transportation usually in 2 or 3 pieces.
Tapeworm
A worm that is flattened like a tape measure and functions as an intestinal parasite, unable to live freely on its own but able to do so within an animal’s gut. The eggs usually enter the body via raw or uncooked beef.
Tarp
Canvas or laminated material. (read about a Tarp Shelter)
Tendon
The tissue by which a muscle attaches to bone. A tendon is somewhat flexible, but birous and tough.
Thunderstorm
A storm that produces lightning and thunder and often heavy rain and strong wind.
Tibia
The larger of the two bones in the leg (the smaller one being the fibula). The tibia is familiarly known as the shinbone.
Tide
The regular rising and falling of the water of the oceans and waters connected to the ocean.
Tide Pool
A rocky pool adjacent to an ocean and filled with seawater.
Tidewater Glacier
A mountain glacier that ends at the ocean.
Tiller (hunting)
The measured distance perpendicular to the bowstring to the point on the limb, where it joins the riser.
Timberline
The elevation at which trees no longer grow in Colorado, timberline is usually around 11,500 feet. In latitudes farther north, the timberline descends. In British Columbia, for example, timberline is only about 4,000 feet.
Time Difference and Time Zones
As the Earth rotates, different parts of the World (from East to West) are lighted by the Sun (sunrise) successively, and then move on to darkness (sunset).
Consequently, different areas of the world (“time zones”) start and end their counting of the daily hours sooner or later than others.
They are divided into time zones according to convention, and measured by their distance (in hours of difference) from Greenwich (England) Mean Time (GMT).
For example, New York time is GMT-6, because when it is 12 noon in Greenwich, in New York it is 6:00 AM, a 6-hour “time difference”. (see time zone maps)
Time-Distance
A time measure of how far apart places are (how long does it take to travel from place A to place B?). This may be contrasted with other distance metrics such as geographic distance (how far is it?) and cost-distance (how much will it cost to get there?).
Tinder
Easily flammable material used to ignite fires. (see more about tinder)
Tippet (fishing)
The piece of line between the leader and the fly.
Topographical Map
A map that identifies land features (topography), as well as roads and man-made structures.
Topping Lift (boating)
A rope from the mast to the back of the boom – principally used to take the weight of the boom when the sail is down.
Top Rope (climbing)
The use of a fixed anchor point above. This implies easy access to the top.
Tornado
A violent rotating column of air, in contact with the ground, pendant from a cumulonimbus cloud. A tornado does not require the visible presence of a funnel cloud. It has a typical width of tens to hundreds of meters and a lifespan of minutes to hours.
Torque (hunting)
The dreaded “enemy” of good consistent accuracy. It is a “form” problem. Basically it is holding, gripping, or releasing the bow in such a manner that the bow “twists” (from torque YOU apply), and your shot ends up being poor. Under ideal conditions you should hold the bow “loosely” in your hand, and upon release it should jump STRAIGHT forwards, any “torque” you apply will make the bow twist upon release, causing your well aimed shot to go somewhere unintended.
Trade Winds
Persistent tropical winds that blow from the subtropical high pressure centers towards the equatorial low. They blow northeasterly in the Northern Hemisphere.
Tributary
A stream or river that flows into a larger river.
Tropical Rain Forest
A type of rain forest where conditions are very warm and humid.
Tropic of Cancer
A line of latitude located at 23°30′ north of the equator. The Sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Cancer on the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (June 20 or 21). It marks the northernmost point of the tropics, which falls between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
Tropic of Capricorn
A line of latitude located at 23°30′ south. The Sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Capricorn on the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere (Dec. 20 or 21). It marks the southernmost point of the tropics.
Tropics
The area of the globe from latitudes 23.5 degrees north to 23.5 degrees south.
Trunk (of a river)
The trunk is the main course of a river.
Tsunami
The most dramatic and destructive of waves caused by underwater disturbances, such as volcanoes, earthquakes, and landslides. These waves can reach heights of 120 feet (40 m) or more. The larger the disturbance, the larger the tsunami will be.
Tularemia
An infectious disease of wild rabbits caused by a bacterium that may be carried by ticks and transmitted to man; also called rabbit fever.
Tundra
A treeless plain characteristic of the arctic and subarctic regions.
Tundra (hunting)
The fragile soil found in high-alpine terrain and in far northern latitudes.
Tusk
A modified tooth to protrudes out of the mouth of some mammals.
Typhoon
A hurricane that forms in the Western Pacific Ocean.