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Big 10 divisions

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:35:29 -0500

They are going to officially announce the divisions of the Big 10 tonight at 6 on BTN.
ESPN has the unofficial divisions on their website.
ESPN Big 10 Divisions

Delta Waterfowl eNewsletter - Snow Goose Numbers Up

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:59:54 -0500

Delta Waterfowl eNewsletter - Snow Goose Numbers Up

Snow Goose Production Up, Strong Fall Flight Expected;
Delta Waterfowl to Goose Hunters: �Get Ready�

WINNIPEG, Manitoba�Could a bumper crop of snow geese be in the offing for waterfowl hunters this year?

It was a huge production year for snow geese in the arctic.

Dr. Robert �Rocky� Rockwell, a biology professor at City University of New York and one of North America�s leading authorities on snow geese, thinks so. Rockwell says the summer nesting season in the subarctic region of La Perouse Bay in northern Manitoba was �spectacular.�

�This is a huge production year,� says Rockwell, who was concerned about nesting success after last year�s dismal production. �This was the most bizarrely wet year I�ve ever seen up there. The birds nested 9 or 10 days earlier than normal, and as a result nest success was very high.�

Translation: Goose hunters are staring down the barrel of what could be a banner fall flight. �Predicting hunting can be a fool�s errand, and I never like to do it, but the upcoming season appears to be shaping up awfully well,� says Delta Waterfowl President Rob Olson. �My message to goose hunters is this: get ready. The migration could be packed with young-of-the-year birds.�

Rockwell agrees. He says high nest success means lots of juveniles will be making the flight south. �We�re talking about juvenile to adult ratios of 1.5 to 1,� says Rockwell, �which means those puppies are going to be sucked right into decoy spreads. Harvest always goes up when you have a high juvenile-to-adult ratio, so I think there�s good opportunity and I think it�s going to be early, because geese are already moving south.�

Rockwell says snow and Ross� geese are foraging heavily on berries inland from the Hudson Bay coast. Thousands are currently south of the normal La Perouse Bay breeding range near the Broad River and are staging all the way to the Ontario/Manitoba border.

The eastern arctic is also looking good, says Dr. Jim Leafloor, a research scientist for Environment Canada who just returned from a banding program on Baffin Island. �We�re expecting good production on Baffin, for all species, not just snows,� says Leafloor. �On South Hamption Island it�s the same deal, so the eastern arctic seems to be doing well this year.�

It�s a slightly different story in the central arctic. The migratory bird sanctuary at Karrak Lake south of Queen Maud Gulf is the breeding ground for 10 to 15 percent of the mid-continent snow goose population.

�Production of young at Karrak Lake has declined in the last four years,� says Dr. Ray Alisauskas, a research scientist with Environment Canada who�s been studying the colony since 1991. �There was later-than-average nesting due to delayed snow melt and delays in nutrient storage, stemming from reduced food availability because of very high densities of geese on subarctic feeding areas.�

It could be a banner year for snow goose hunters
While nesting productivity is down, Alisauskas says overall populations of both snow and Ross� geese remain very high. The number of nesting geese at Karrak Lake has grown from 400,000 to more than a million in less than 10 years. A recent assessment found survival rates have not declined since 1989, even with concerted efforts to reduce the population through liberalized hunting regulations and a special spring conservation hunt.

�This harvest is showing that it�s sustainable,� says Alisauskas. �These birds are so resilient. You see video in the spring and you say, �Wow these birds are getting pounded quite hard,� but when you look at the estimates of survival, they haven�t changed in the last 20 years.�

Olson says their sublime taste hasn�t changed in 20 years, either. Delta�s president isn't a preacher, but he has become an evangelist for snow geese, which he says are among the most underrated waterfowl species for the pot. In fact, he insists they�re among the best.

�I don�t know where the propaganda started, but the myth that snow geese are inedible is just that�a myth,� he said. �I think they�re absolutely delicious�certainly not winged liver, as some have suggested� and I challenge hunters this year to prepare these succulent birds for their friends and family. They won�t be disappointed.�

http://www.deltawaterfowl.org/media/pr/201...1-SnowGoose.php

Motivational Poster Time

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:02:00 -0500

Motivational Poster Time

Indisputable Mathematical Logic

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:10:28 -0500

Here's a little something some one sent me that is indisputable mathematical logic.
Remember, this is strictly a mathematical viewpoint. It goes like this:

What Makes 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%? Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been to those meetings where someone wants you to give over 100%.
How about achieving 103%? What makes up 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these questions:

If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then:

H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

And

K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But ,

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

And,

B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T
2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103%

AND, look how far ass kissing will take you.

A-S-S-K-I-S-S-I-N-G
1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7 = 118%

So, one can conclude with mathematical certainty, that while Hard work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, its the Bullshit and Ass kissing that will put you over the top.

Rocker Ted Nugent pleads no contest to California deer hunting violations

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:34:24 -0500

Rocker Ted Nugent pleads no contest to California deer hunting violations

Rock star Ted Nugent, a 1970s guitar hero for hits including "Cat Scratch Fever," has recently created a successful second career as an advocate for hunting and outdoor ethics.

His television show, "Spirit of the Wild," is a four-time "Golden Moose" award winner on the Outdoor Channel. He has used his celebrity status to help promote better pay and working conditions for California game wardens, and consistently rails against poachers and other wildlife criminals.

So it was with a double take of disbelief that two California game wardens sat down in February to watch the show, and witnessed Nugent allegedly violate several California hunting laws.

The Feb. 9 episode showed Nugent killing a young male deer with bow and arrow near the El Dorado County town of Somerset.

The wardens were alarmed because the footage appeared to show Nugent killing a "spike" buck, or one whose antlers have not yet grown long enough to fork. Killing such a young deer is illegal in California.

It also appeared to show the deer feeding on a powdery material spread on the ground before it was shot.

The Department of Fish and Game launched an investigation, spokesman Patrick Foy said, which later revealed this material to be a commercial deer bait. It is illegal in California to hunt with bait.

"We looked at it and we just shook our heads, saying 'I can't believe he actually aired this episode,' " Foy said. "We were all really disappointed to see this happen with a guy who is a representative of hunters."

Nugent was later charged with 11 misdemeanors related to events that unfolded on his own television show, Foy said.

On Friday, following a plea deal with the Yuba County district attorney, Nugent pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors in Yuba Superior Court: illegally baiting a deer, and failing to have a deer tag signed by a government official after a kill.

Nugent did not appear in court. He was represented by Yuba City attorney Jack Kopp, who did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. The 61-year-old rocker, who lives in China Springs, Texas, was penalized with a $1,750 fine.

Attempts to reach Nugent and his business representatives Tuesday were unsuccessful.

The hunt occurred in September 2009 but was not broadcast until February. The charges were filed in Yuba County because Nugent was accompanied by a guide and cameraman on the hunt, and that is where they live.

The guide, Ross Albert Patterson, pleaded no contest to taking an animal illegally and was fined $1,225.

Foy said the investigation revealed that Nugent killed three deer on different occasions in El Dorado County using bait.

Nugent, long an outspoken defender of hunting and gun rights, has been a board member of the National Rifle Association for 15 years. Ironically, he wrote an opinion article on one of the association's websites in 2008 arguing that hunters send the wrong message when they constantly tout their ethics.

He said this "does nothing but cast a dark cloud over the entire hunting community as if 'ethical' is a rarity and must be emphasized. � Ethical behavior is still expected where I live, work and play. There is no need to claim it."

Nugent's violations have caused an uproar in the hunting community. Baiting is a controversial practice, even in states where it is allowed under certain conditions.

As early as October, some observant hunters on an Internet forum suspected there was a problem when they noted a description of the hunt in question that appeared online. It included a commercial bait in the list of gear Nugent used.

"I've heard from a couple of our members about it, and they are, quite frankly, shocked," said Jim Lidberg, a board member of the California Deer Association, a hunting and conservation group. "I'm very disappointed in him. He's been a very strong advocate for hunters' rights and really looked up to by a lot of people."

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/08/18/2965953/r...no-contest.html

Member of our Iowa site receives life saving award

Sat, 14 Aug 2010 21:32:06 -0500

A member of our Iowa site receives life saving award, for saving a couple of duck hunters (article below also) http://iawaterfowlers.com/viewtopic.php?t=6376

Heres an article:

When a hero comes along

SHELDON, Iowa -- A phone call interrupted Marie Kruger's supper in Sheldon on Nov. 16, 2009. A caller at the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City, Iowa, said her son had been in a hunting accident.

"My heart sank. My stomach sank. My life stopped," Marie said. "I thought of the gun first."

Thankfully, son Kurt Kruger, 21, was very much alive. He owed his life to a stranger and the wrong turn he made. That stranger, Stephen Schultz of Marengo, Iowa, will be recognized at the Iowa State Fair on Friday, the recipient of a 2010 Governor's Lifesaving Award from Gov. Chet Culver.

"I'll be there. I wouldn't miss it," Kurt Kruger said. "I didn't know Stephen Schultz before this happened. He's one of my friends now."

Chilly winds battered the Hawkeye State Wildlife Area (the old Coralville Reservoir) near Iowa City on Nov. 16. Perfect duck hunting weather. Kurt Kruger, a University of Iowa student, joined two friends an hour before dawn and climbed aboard a boat.

"The area was flooded," Kruger recalled. "The corn fields and road were flooded. It was stormy and windy and there were ducks everywhere."

A third buddy joined the crew late that afternoon. He got his limit before they headed in, boat fully loaded, plodding through waves and corn stalks.

A big wave caught the boat and the unit tipped, taking on water. Kruger frantically bagged decoys as the boat sank. In seconds four men were dumped into frigid water. The small boat couldn't be turned over. It could, however, support two of the men and kept them out of the water.

Kruger, an Eagle Scout, managed to free himself from his waders before they filled and pulled him under. He swam for shore with Eric Otte of Cedar Falls, Iowa. Try as they might, the pair couldn't reach shore. They'd been in the water nearly 45 minutes when Kruger noticed a light.

Otte told him he was hallucinating. Both men were hypothermic, trying to survive in water that would freeze 10 days later.

The light reappeared. It came from Schultz, a veteran duck hunter who had plied these waters for years, but missed his turn to the boat ramp this night. He was attempting to find his way back to the ramp when he saw two bodies struggling to stay afloat.

"God worked through Stephen Schultz that night," Marie Kruger said. "There is no doubt in my mind. God's hand pushed that boat a little farther than he thought."

"It was one of those nights when the sun went down and it was pitch black," Schultz said. "The wind was blowing. It was foggy. You couldn't see anything."

He did see two men. He pulled Otte and Kruger from the water. Schultz then navigated his boat around a willow stand and happened to shine his spotlight on the bottom of their boat, allowing him to rescue Wyatt Jans of North Liberty, Iowa, and Kevin McCafferty of Chicago, Ill. Schultz called 911 and had the four transported to the Emergency Room at the University of Iowa Hospitals, where he works as a helicopter nurse for the University of Iowa AirCare.

Kruger huddled close to the heater in Schultz's boat. He burned his eyebrows off and singed his bangs. He was placed in an incubator at the hospital for three hours. His body temperature rose and doctors discharged him.

"When they put him on the phone he was so weak physically he couldn't talk," his mother said. "He was more concerned about his gun and decoys."

Kruger's roommates in Iowa City cared for him that night and the next day, a Tuesday. They vigilantly texted Marie and Todd Kruger in Sheldon to reassure them their son was on the mend. Kurt Kruger returned to class Wednesday. His parents met him Friday in Iowa City.

They also met Schultz and hugged him. "I told him that he saved our whole family that night," Marie said.

"I was in the right place at the right time," Schultz said.

Kurt Kruger hunted ducks the following week, but did so without his "baby," a Benelli Super Black Eagle, a semi-automatic shotgun he assumed was lost for good. He'd also lost several decoys, a range-finder, a Hawkeye cap he'd had since childhood and all the duck calls he uses in competition.

The calls are still missing. The gun? Two months later, Kruger went to the site where the boat capsized. One of his decoys looked up from the snow. "I jumped for joy and kicked at the snow and uncovered my gun!" he exclaimed.

He cleaned the gun that night. "It performed flawlessly the next day," he said.

An early goose season starts in three weeks. Kruger is having Schultz, his new hunting buddy, join him. He's already picked their spot: An alfalfa field in Johnson County. Dry land sounds good.

Couple pics from past seasons

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:50:07 -0500

Couple pics from past seasons

My brother and his son

Waterfowlers Journal

Sun, 08 Aug 2010 19:30:38 -0500

Waterfowlers Journal http://shotshell.drundel.com/waterfowl.pdf

Field Hunting For Geese

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 23:19:20 -0500

I'm just starting out field hunting this year. I plan to hunt with some of my buddies and my dad but none of us have any expirience in the field. We've all been seriously waterfowl hunting since age 4 so we know what were doing generally speaking. But I was just seeking advice from any expirienced field hunters on what chokes work best, how to use duck and goose decoys in spread, decoy/blind placement, how wind effects decoy placement. Also do geese light into the wind in fields? Any help is appreciated. Thanks! I also have 6 Magnum shells, 6 fullbody GHG (new) and 24 GHG shells(new) along with blinds and mallard dekes. Thanks again

Fed's Propose Waterfowl Frameworks

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:30:07 -0500

Fed's Propose Waterfowl Frameworks

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today proposed hunting season lengths for the upcoming 2010�11 late waterfowl seasons. The proposed frameworks include duck hunting season lengths of 60 days in both the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways, 74 days in the Central Flyway, and 107 days in the Pacific Flyway. Highlights of the proposed frameworks also include full seasons on pintails with a two bird daily bag limit and canvasbacks with a one bird daily bag limit nationwide. Additionally, the Service is proposing to have a daily bag limit of two scaup in the Atlantic, Mississippi and Central Flyways for the full season and three scaup in the Pacific Flyway for 86 days.

States select their seasons from within the frameworks which establish the earliest beginning and latest ending dates and the maximum season length and bag limits.

The proposed late season waterfowl frameworks will appear in a mid-August edition of the Federal Register for public comment and on http://www.regulations.gov..

Flyway-specific highlights of the proposed late-season frameworks are as follows:

Mississippi Flyway (Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin):

Ducks: A hunting season is proposed of not more than 60 days between September 25, 2010, and January 30, 2011. The proposed daily bag limit is six and may include no more than four mallards (two hens), one mottled duck, three wood ducks, two redheads, two scaup, one black duck, one canvasback and two pintails. The proposed daily bag limit of mergansers is five, only two of which may be hooded mergansers.

Geese: Generally, seasons for Canada geese would be held between September 25, 2010, and January 30, 2011, and vary in length among states and areas, with daily bag limits varying from one to three. states would be able to select seasons for light geese not to exceed 107 days with 20 geese daily between September 25, 2010, and March 10, 2011; for white-fronted geese, the proposed season would not exceed 72 days with a two-bird daily bag limit or 86 days with a one-bird daily bag limit between September 25, 2010, and February 15, 2011; and for brant it would not exceed 70 days with a two-bird daily bag limit or 107 days with a one bird daily bag limit between September 25, 2010, and January 30, 2011. There would be no possession limit for light geese.

http://vocuspr.vocus.com/VocusPR30/Newsroo...&Cache=True

Duck Blind Antics #1

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:39:57 -0500

Duck Blind Antics #1

Mobile Duck Blind

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:38:16 -0500

Mobile Duck Blind

Waterfowl seasonings

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 08:15:22 -0500

Waterfowl seasonings http://www.outdoorseasonings.com/index.php

Matthews Bow

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:02:34 -0500

I'm looking to buy a Matthews Bow this year. Any suggestions on models?

3 Geese Daily

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 20:57:55 -0500

So is it a lock that Minnesota upgraded their daily bag limit to 3 geese? Jw if that was for sure or just a rumor. If it's true and neighbooring states procede with the same action, I would think that it would take a pretty good toll on the Canada Goose Population, but thats just my opinion. Not to say that i wouldnt be in favor of Iowa adding 1 to their bag limit

Gamo Air Rifle

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:41:34 -0500

Does anybody own a Gamo precision air rifle? I have a Gamo Whisper Deluxe .177, that i recieved to use while deer hunting on squirrels and rabbits since it has a silencer and scope on it. But on a few of the other models, they come with a flashlight and laser scope mount. Just curious if anybody had one of those models. If so do they work pretty good? i want to buy some for my gun. With 1200 fps it is said to be able to take down coon, opposom, skunk, etc. so i wanted this stuff to try and get some coon. Thanks!

Officials Plan to Eliminate 170,000 Canada Geese in New York

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 12:47:13 -0500

Officials Plan to Eliminate 170,000 Canada Geese in New York

It�s a doomsday plan for New York�s geese.

A nine-page report put together by a variety of national, state and city agencies shows that officials hope to eventually reduce the number of Canada geese in New York to 85,000 from 250,000.

That means that roughly 170,000 geese � two-thirds of the state�s population � would be eliminated, whether through gassing by the authorities, hunting or birth control.

The nearly 400 geese gassed to death this month after being rounded up in Prospect Park in Brooklyn � as well as an unknown number of other geese killed in New York City in recent weeks � were but a small part of the ambitious overall goal outlined in the document, which was obtained by City Room.

�The state of New York has close to 250,000 resident Canada geese, which is more than three times the state�s population goal of 85,000,� the report states.

Update, 1:37 a.m., July 24 | The report does not offer details about how the state will reach that number. Rather, it lays out specific plans to eliminate most geese near airports in and around New York City.

The report, according to a high-level official at the United States Department of Agriculture, was a result of five months of meetings between February and June 2009, after the crash of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River. Canada geese hit both of the jet�s engines, causing the splashdown.

Those attending the meetings that yielded the report included officials from the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the National Park Service and key staff members from Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg�s office, the official said.

He said that politicians peppered officials from the Department of Agriculture with questions about the science and asked how many goose strikes had occurred and the danger they posed. They learned that there have been 78 Canada goose strikes over 10 years in New York, and that those strikes caused more than $2.2 million in aircraft damage.

The plan was written with the approval of everyone at that table, the official said, including this paragraph:

�The captured geese are placed alive in commercial turkey crates. The geese would be brought to a secure location and euthanized with methods approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Euthanized geese would be buried.�

Lisella, All in stock calls ON SALE!!!

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:30:25 -0500

Lisella, All in stock calls ON SALE!!!

http://www.lisellacalls.com/Calls.html

Waterfowl gear for sale, decoys, trailer, FA Sub's, and more

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 17:23:40 -0500

A posting for Jason from www.nebraskaoutdoorexperience.com

Waterfowl gear for sale, decoys, trailer, FA Sub's, and more

I have a 7'x16' Enclosed Trailer w/ ramp door for sale. It is a 2007 and in Great condition as I only used it during snow goose season! I am also selling all my Deadly Decoys for $9,200. There are 1750 decoys and 500 or so are headed! I am also selling 2 of my Snow Crow Pro's by Foxpro. They come with 3 speakers each and are $975 new and will sell for $650 or obo. Then a few FA SUB's ground blinds for $75 a piece.

Jason D. Christensen
www.nebraskaoutdoorexperience.com
(402)499-3475
"Take a kid hunting and you won't be hunting for them in the future!"

12 Guage 3.5 in. Semi help

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:25:46 -0500

Can anyone add anymore 12 Guage 3.5 Inch Semi-Automatic Shotgun Models to the list that you can think of. A buddy of mine is looking for one thats not too pricey but dependable. Theres the Benelli SuperBlack Eagle2, Mossberg 935, and the Beretta Xtrema 2 and thats what i could come up with . Thanks for the help

college football 2010

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 09:48:33 -0500

This link was sent to me the other day. I am a huge Hawkeye fan, but this seems like quite a long shot. It sure is nice to dream though.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/416106-..._campaign=share[/url]

Fowl Flocker

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:34:19 -0500

Goose Flocking kits http://fowlflocker.com/index.php?pr=Goose_Flocking_Kits

Duck flocking kits http://fowlflocker.com/index.php?pr=Duck_Flocking_Kits

Breeding Population Survey Released

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:25:03 -0500

Breeding Population Survey Released;
U.S. Continues to Attract Majority of Nesting Ducks in PPR

Bismarck, N.D.--The 56th edition of the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey, released today by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Canadian Wildlife Service, revealed wetland conditions and duck populations well above their long-term averages.

The headline numbers: The total-duck population across the traditional survey dropped slightly to 40.9 million from last year�s 42 million, mallard numbers were steady at 8.4 million, scaup numbers rose slightly to 4.2 million and the northern pintail population bumped up 9 percent to 3.5 million.

More good news: Most of the breeding grounds are today even wetter--in some cases much wetter--than when the surveys were flown in May, which will promote re-nesting and increase brood survival.

As was the case in 2009, the real news is buried in the fine print, which showed a continuing shift in breeding-duck numbers from Canada to the U.S.

Part of the reason was an all-time record 2.9 million wetlands on the U.S. side of the region, with 2.3 million of those in the eastern Dakotas. Wetlands are what attract nesting ducks. and the U.S. has never been wetter.

Prairie Canada was wetter than normal, led by a 21 percent year-over-year increase in the pond count in southern Saskatchewan. Yet despite being 34 percent wetter than its long-term average, 72 percent fewer pintails and 18 percent fewer mallards settled in Saskatchewan than its historical average.

Once again, the U.S. picked up the slack. More total ducks settled on the U.S. side of the breeding grounds--13.9 million in the Dakotas and eastern Montana as compared to 10.6 million in the prairie portions of Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba.

That�s pretty remarkable when you consider that two-thirds of the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) exists on the Canadian side of the border,� says Delta Scientific Director Dr. Frank Rohwer of Louisiana State University.

�Delta has been saying for years that Canada is broken, and the latest survey numbers once again bear that out.�

The U.S. side of the region attracted 1.4 million pintails compared to just 592,000 in prairie Canada. Last year was the first time ever that more pintails settled in the U.S. than in prairie Canada.

Other stunners included 4.2 million blue-winged teal in the U.S. to 1.9 million in prairie Canada and 3 million mallards in the U.S. to 2.6 million in the prairie provinces.

Under normal conditions, those results would be cause for celebration, but the good news from the U.S. was offset by concerns about ongoing losses of the habitat that attracted those ducks in the first place.

�We heard from a lot of duck hunters who told us the recent season didn�t live up to their expectations after the great wetland conditions last spring,� says Delta Senior Vice President John Devney. �The best explanation is the ducks that settled in the Dakotas and Montana a year ago weren�t as productive as they were in the 1990s because there was a lot less nesting cover than there was in the �90s.

�The Dakotas have lost close to 2 million acres of grass since 1999--that�s more than 3,100 square miles--and another 2 million acres of CRP are scheduled to expire by 2012.

�Research conducted by the Service showed that upland-nesting ducks need large blocks of grass to produce at population-expanding levels, but we�re losing Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and native prairie acres at an alarming rate. Not only are we losing grass, but also the high-quality wetlands embedded in those acres.

The take-home message is that the U.S. side of the region carried Canada during the wet cycle of the 1990s, but if the U.S. keeps losing habitat, who�s going to pick up the slack?�

Rohwer, who is currently involved in research projects in northeastern North Dakota, says nest success in low-grass areas this spring has been extremely poor--less than 5 percent, which is well below what�s necessary for the population to expand. �If we keep losing grass, that doesn�t bode well for duck numbers,� he says.

Waterfowl hunters across the continent have expressed concern about what impact the BP oil spill will have on the estimated 5 million ducks that will begin arriving in the Gulf of Mexico less than two months from now.

�The oil spill is an environmental disaster that could affect ducks and duck hunters for years to come,� says Rohwer. �We have no experience with this kind of disaster, so it�s impossible to predict what will happen.

�It would appear that diving ducks like scaup, canvasbacks and redheads will be most at risk because they sit in the coastal bays where there has been a lot of oil in recent weeks.�

Rohwer says it�s possible large numbers of dabblers could also be affected by oil, but calls that a worst-case scenario and only should occur if a tropical storm pushes oil into the freshwater portions of the marsh where dabbling ducks are typically found.

There�s no way to know if ducks will move around to avoid the oil,� Rohwer says. �Ducks have no experience with oil, so they may have little predisposition to avoid it.

The bottom line is while we need to find ways to mitigate the damage caused by the Deepwater spill and ensure the long-term viability of coastal wetlands, we can�t ignore the challenges ducks face on the breeding grounds.

Loss of CRP and native grass in the Dakotas, and the loss of wetlands and low productivity in Canada, are suppressing our fall flights. We need to keep the focus on the breeding grounds.�

RedHead Deluxe Layout Blind

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:57:25 -0500

Has Anyone tried the Redhead Deluxe Layout blind? it looks like a good blind, and even has a tarp on bottom to allow blind to be setup in areas of shallow water. Just wondring if anyone has this blind. thanks

Deer Stand Lease For Sale in MISSISSIPPI

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 17:34:43 -0500

Deer Stand Lease For Sale in MISSISSIPPI

From a man in Glen , MS (Glen is a little outside of Corinth , MS )

I took a lease on a piece of land where there are plenty of deer roaming around. I put up a stand in a nice place where several game trails cross��BUT, due to some incurred obstacles getting to the stand last Saturday I've decided to forgo anymore attempts at bagging a trophy deer this year��..So, if anybody wants my deer stand for the rest of the year, it's open to any one who would like to take a stab at it......

My heart can't take another day like last Saturday.

Police: Homeless Man Accused Of Hunting Geese For Dinner

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 20:01:55 -0500

Police: Homeless Man Accused Of Hunting Geese For Dinner
Police Arrest Man On Suspicion Of Animal Mistreatment

MADISON, Wis. -- An 18-year-old homeless man is facing charges in connection to animal mistreatment after an altercation in Warner Park this weekend.

Nathan Kittoe was arrested on Saturday night after he attacked a woman at Warner Park, Madison police said. Kittoe threatened the woman and knocked her down after she commented on his attempts to chase Canada geese around the park.

Police said that Kittoe was chasing geese with a 2-by-4piece of wood.

Kittoe allegedly told the woman that the geese were his food.

Police responded to the park and found several trash bins on fire. They said they believe the fires were started by Kittoe and they found the bones of burned animals in one of the trash cans.

Howard Payne, Madison police's public information officer, said he believed Kittoe was living at the park.

A court date hasn't been set, authorities said.

Police declined to comment on whether Kittoe could face charges for threatening the woman.

Cheap 10 dollar Hunters Specialties - 54" Floating Gun Case

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:29:02 -0500

Cheap 10 dollar Hunters Specialties - 54" Floating Gun Case

http://store.rogerssportinggoods.com/servl...Floating/Detail

Suggestions for a call

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:34:23 -0500

I'm taking a road trip out to Philly this summer and will have plenty of free time so I wanted to get another goose call for the road. Now I'm not the best caller....wait....I'm pretty much not that good at all when it comes to calling geese, so I am looking for a quality call without dropping $100. Any suggestions? Oh yeah, and an instructional CD probably won't be that bad of an idea either.

Milwaukee Fishing Salmon Reports June 7th 2010

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 09:49:39 -0500

Milwaukee Fishing Salmon Reports June 7th 2010
By Capt. Jim Hirt
Charter Fishing Milwaukee customers are enjoying great action on Chinook salmon to 17 pounds. The best action is four to six miles off shore All anglers are catching fish. You will find Coho, Chinook, Rainbow and Lake Trout steady and predictable. A combination of Salmon and Trout in all sizes are active. Let me tell you where and what to use. To see my how to video fish report go to http://www.jimhirt.com
For Coho you can�t go wrong with spoons in most sizes in green and yellow with glow paint. The Reaper Magnum Peacock spoon in regular or magnum is the answer for Sunny days.
For Chinook a spoon presentation of any size in green glow or blue/green on silver will get the job done. The Reaper Fish Fry and Peacock Magnum from Badger Tackle is providing steady action. White or disco 8 inch flashers with green flies is also an important part of the presentation.
Coho are east of the main gap in 90 to 160 feet of water in the top 45 feet. Chinook are in the same area with a deeper presentation of 45 to 100 down on downriggers 60 feet behind the ball
The boat speed of 1.8 gave the best results. Vulcans, Nestor Wobblers and Reapers are sold only on the web at http://www.badgertackle.com Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright� 2010, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

THANK YOU
CAPT. JIM & ANITA

6 Pouch Full Body Goose Bag TRY ME PRICE, Limit 1 per person

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 17:34:17 -0500

6 Pouch Full Body Goose Bag TRY ME PRICE, Limit 1 per person

http://order.customdecoybags.com/6pouchful...goosebag-2.aspx

Help Secure Funding for Oil Spill Recovery!

Thu, 27 May 2010 21:31:53 -0500

Help Secure Funding for Oil Spill Recovery!

http://www.capwiz.com/ducks/issues/alert/?...hq_v=7422eaa94d

Decent weekend on Lake Michigan

Sun, 23 May 2010 14:02:00 -0500

We fished yesterday afternoon for 4 hours and 4 hours this morning. Didn't have to bad of luck on salmon going 7 for 9 both days. Tried the perch this morning but the wind came up to fast and couldn't hold over them. Here are a few pics.

We only ran two downriggers along with 4 yellow birds.

I was lucky enough to get the first coho of the day on Saturday.

Matt's first coho salmon.

My dad bringing in a coho.

The eel that was on my dads coho.

Pics from Sunday.

Dads nice coho from this morning.

All our coho's from this morning.

Cougar sought after attacking cow in Juneau County WI

Fri, 21 May 2010 21:31:29 -0500

Cougar sought after attacking cow in Juneau County

An attack on a year-old heifer in Juneau County over the weekend will be noted as a historic event in Wisconsin wildlife evolution, the first occurrence of a cougar taking down a domestic animal in more than 100 years, experts said Tuesday.

According to Adrien Wydeven, a mammalian ecologist and wolf biologist with the state Department of Natural Resources, tracks and physical evidence confirmed that a cougar attacked the farm animal as it grazed near a stream in the Town of Wonewoc.

According to the DNR, a turkey hunter heard the sounds of the attack on Saturday and scared off the cat by firing shots in the air. The heifer, which weighed about 400 pounds, survived but was put down because of its severe injuries.

The DNR will attempt to capture and euthanize the cougar.

"We intend to handle this in the same manner as we would if it were any other large predator of livestock, such as a black bear or wolf," Wydeven said Tuesday. "This animal attacked livestock, and that is the main reason we will try to capture it, if we can find it."

Motion-activated trail cameras will be set near bait in attempt to determine if the cat is still near the kill site.

Wydeven estimated the last cougar attack on a farm animal in Wisconsin likely took place in the 1800s.

The predator, identified as a mountain lion, panther or puma, was extirpated in the state and much of the Midwest in the early 1900s. Aided by protections in the West in the 1970s, the animals increased their numbers and spread east, growing to number roughly 250 today in the far western portion of South Dakota.

Return to old habitats
With that thriving population of carnivores in the Black Hills, experts suspect young males have sought their own domain and returned to the cougar's former habitats. Reports of cougar sightings in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin have increased in the last two decades.

In Wisconsin, a small blood sample confirmed that a cougar had been in a barn near Milton, in Rock County, in January 2008; a motion-activated camera photographed a cougar on a trail in Dunn County in December 2009; and tracks confirmed a mountain lion - possibly the same animal - passed through St. Croix, Pierce and Price counties earlier this year.

The most certain evidence turned up in a tree near Spooner, in Washburn County, in March 2009. A 110- to 120-pound cougar, chased by dogs, was photographed by DNR wildlife supervisors.

The return has excited wildlife experts as a restoration of the natural order in the state, but comes with fears of attacks on domestic animals similar to those sparked by the growing wolf population.

"It's great to have wildlife restored in the state, but we know that having an animal that's attacking cattle is a sensitive situation," said George Meyer, executive director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation.

In South Dakota, a likely place of origin for the predator that attacked in Juneau County, cougars have killed sheep, calves and goats. Their main sources of prey have been white-tailed and mule deer, elk, turkey and small mammals, according to Mike Kintigh, a regional supervisor with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.

Anxiety over the cougar population there is similar to the angst caused by the growing wolf population in Wisconsin.

"Any time an animal comes up injured, the people immediately assume a lion did it, because they're here, they're a predator and they weren't here 20 years ago," Kintigh said. "I deal with a lot of emotion when dealing with mountain lions."

South Dakota has an established hunting season for cougars, which opens Jan. 1. The limit is 40 animals in a season that typically runs through March.

In Wisconsin, the population has far to go before it reaches a level where a hunt would be contemplated.

"To actually have a population that's restoring itself, you need reproduction," Meyer said. "That's clearly not what we're seeing."

The DNR position is also in its initial stage.

"I think at this point, we have a neutral posture," said Wydeven, who led the effort to manage a re-established wolf population. "If they deprecate livestock, we'll try to control animals.

"If there is a potential for cougars to recover, we have to have a balanced approach to managing them."

HyperSonic Steel

Fri, 14 May 2010 20:07:46 -0500

The new 1,700-fps HyperSonic Steel,� from Remington.�
Introducing the world�s fastest, hardest-hitting steel. With unprecedented velocity and the highest downrange pattern energies ever achieved, new Remington HyperSonic Steel takes lethality to new heights and lengths.
To a level of terminal performance where more birds drop with fewer shots, at the farthest reaches of your abilities. And only Remington has harnessed the wad technology to do it.

Shortens lead by up to 11%.
Most ducks are missed from behind, but the unprecedented velocity of HyperSonic Steel compensates for this by reducing required lead by 8� at 40 yards (about a full body length) on a duck flying average speed. It puts more pellets in the head and neck for quicker kills and fewer misses � without changing the way you shoot.

http://www.remington.com/pages/hypersonic-steel.aspx

Palin: Obama Would Ban Guns if he Could

Fri, 14 May 2010 19:02:22 -0500

Palin: Obama Would Ban Guns if he Could

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin shows her hand with the saying "I am the NRA" as she speaks during the NRA national convention in Charlotte, N.C., Friday, May 14, 2010. (AP)

(AP) Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin said during a speech Friday that President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies would ban guns and ammunition if they could get away with it.

The former Alaska governor said in a speech to the National Rifle Association that political backlash is the only thing stopping Obama from gutting the Constitution's right to bear arms. Palin said the public needs to stop Democrats in their tracks, starting with the November elections.

Palin praised the anti-tax tea party movement as a grassroots effort "to get government back on our side." She left the event to travel to South Carolina for a campaign rally with a Republican candidate for governor who is popular with tea party activists.

Addressing an anti-abortion group, the potential 2012 presidential candidate said she understood how some women might consider abortion, citing her own experiences as the mother of a child with Down syndrome and the parent of an unwed teen mother. Last year, Palin said that "for a fleeting moment" she considered having an abortion when she learned of her son Trig's prognosis.

Palin said Friday that abortion is morally wrong and women should carry a fetus to term.

"It may not be the easiest path, but it's always the right path," she said.

Sarah Palin: I Understand Temptation to Have an Abortion
Palin: Let Illinois High School Girls' Basketball Team Play in Arizona
Sarah Palin's New Book: "America by Heart"

Palin used a speech to the Susan B. Anthony List to remind activists why they rallied behind the Republican ticket and why they should work to stop Obama's agenda.

She said Obama is "the most pro-abortion president ever to occupy the White House" and asserted that the historic health care reform law would fund abortions.

In fact, Obama's health care law would not allow federal dollars to pay for elective abortions. Roman Catholic hospitals and organizations of Catholic nuns backed the measure. U.S. Catholic bishops and major anti-abortion groups opposed it, arguing that federal dollars could end up paying for abortions.

Palin challenged Republican women - "mama grizzlies," she called them - to help the Republicans "take this country back" and elect anti-abortion lawmakers. A grizzlie is a bear. She praised female leaders of the tea party movement and invoked her 2008 acceptance speech where she compared herself to a pit bull.

"You don't want to mess with moms who are rising up," Palin said. "If you thought pit bulls were tough, you don't want to mess with mama grizzlies."

Tea party activists believe that government spending and influence should be limited. The movement's name is taken from the Boston Tea Party, a 1773 protest in which activists in the then-British colonies in America boarded ships and threw their cargo of English tea into Boston Harbor in a symbolic act of protest against taxes.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/14/...in6484410.shtml

beginner questions

Mon, 10 May 2010 01:02:24 -0500

so i am gonna take a swing at the turkeys next weekend. i got land that i know has plenty of birds, so i am good to go on that end. i was wondering what peoples opinions on the use of blinds, decoys, and stalking is. its me and my uncle, i think our "guide" isnt going to be able to join us. so its two guys with very little knowledge about the game. does anyone have any suggestions ie should i buy a cheap call and decoy or just try to get lucky or what? thanks for the help in advance.

Athletics� Braden Pitches Perfect Game

Sun, 09 May 2010 20:25:17 -0500

Athletics� Braden Pitches Perfect Game

Dallas Braden�s handful of major league wins grew by one on Sunday. And it was one that will live in the annals of baseball.

Braden, the Oakland Athletics left-hander, fired a perfect game against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays in a 4-0 victory. It was the 19th perfect game in major league history and only the 18th victory of Braden�s career.

Braden gained a measure of fame last month when he criticized the Yankees� Alex Rodriguez for crossing the mound after a foul ball, supposedly a violation of an unwritten rule of baseball etiquette. Rodriguez then dismissed Braden as having only a handful of wins.

Braden hugged his grandmother Peggy Lindsey on the field after the game, a Mother�s Day moment that was especially touching because Lindsey raised Braden after his mother, Jodie Atwood, died of skin cancer when he was a senior in high school. Apparently, Lindsey is just as feisty as her grandson. When she met with reporters after the game, she said, �Stick it, A-Rod!�

Rodriguez had a measured reaction to reporters in Boston, noting that Braden beat the team the Yankees are chasing in the American League East.

�Good for him, he threw a perfect game,� Rodriguez said. �And even better, he beat the Rays.�

Braden did it by striking out six and throwing 109 pitches for his first career complete game. He retired Gabe Kapler on a grounder to shortstop Cliff Pennington for the final out. In Chicago last July, Kapler hit the deep fly ball in the ninth inning that the White Sox� DeWayne Wise corralled at the wall, saving Mark Buehrle�s perfect game.

At 26, Braden is the youngest pitcher to throw a perfect game since the Angels� Mike Witt in 1984, when he was 24. The last pitcher with fewer career victories at the time of his perfect game was Charlie Robertson, whose 1922 gem for the White Sox was his second career win.

Introducing the NEW Model 1911 R1

Wed, 05 May 2010 20:31:07 -0500

Introducing the NEW Model 1911 R1

After nearly a century, Remington returns to its rightful place as the manufacturer of one of America's most revered handguns; the 1911. From the moment you wrap your hand around it's double diamond grips and lay your finger on the polished aluminium of the telltale short trigger, you'll know first-hand why the 1911 has such a devoted following. And modern enhancements make the best even better. The 1911 R1 features a flared and lowered ejection port; beveled magazine well; loaded chamber indicator; high profile dovetailed single-dot front and two-dot rear sights; a crisp 3.5 - 5 pound trigger pull; and a match grade stainless steel barrel and barrel bushing. It also has the Series 80-style firing pin block safety.

The Remington 1911 R1 is hand-crafted and shipped from Ilion, New York-- the birthplace of Remington Arms-complete with a custom carry case, two seven-round magazines and a barrel bushing wrench. So you can be assured of all the pride, precision and out-of-the-box performance you've come to expect from the Remington branded products.

For more information on this once-in-a-lifetime sidearm, visit the all new 1911 R1 website- www.1911r1.com

The rebirth begins in June 2010. So talk to your select dealer today, and reserve your place in owning a piece of firearm history. The Remington 1911 R1.

Update: Gulf Coast Oil Spill

Wed, 05 May 2010 20:11:12 -0500

Update: Gulf Coast Oil Spill

With the situation changing rapidly on the Gulf Coast due to the recent oil spill, Ducks Unlimited biologist Dr. Tom Moorman, director of conservation planning in the Southern Region, offered his thoughts and observations concerning coastal areas where DU works to provide habitat that sustains millions of wintering waterfowl and the resident mottled duck population.

Some highlights from Dr. Moorman's letter on the Gulf Coast:

At this time, it is not possible to say what impacts the oil spill may have on waterfowl
Restoration of the Gulf Coast is bigger than any single agency or organization can solve on its own
Public policy work is critical to conserving the Gulf Coast
DU's long-term approach is to use the best available science to grow our direct conservation program and policy efforts
DU has contacted various state and federal partners to offer any assistance we can in the near-term
Read Dr. Moorman's full letter on the Gulf Coast >>
http://www.ducks.org/Conservation/GulfCoas...uisianaOilBlast

Sincerely,

Dr. W. Alan Wentz
DU Senior Group Manager of Conservation and Marketing

2 days 3 birds

Sun, 02 May 2010 20:34:14 -0500

My dad, my buddy Matt, and I all tagged out this past weekend. Mine came first yesterday morning around 9am. He was 21lbs 8 1/2 inch beard and 3/4 spurs. Next was my dads bird around noon. It was 23lbs 7 1/2 inch beard with 3/4 inch spurs. Finally Matt shot a Jake this morning around 8:30am. 15lbs 4inch beard and 1/4 inch spurs. This is the 2nd year my dad and I have tagged out on the same day. Below is a few pics.

My dad and I with our birds.

My dad walking out of the timber with his bird.

If you can see him I had the old man set up about 15 yards down the hill in front of me and I was calling behind him.

Matt's bird this morning.

BLIND CLERK AT BASS PRO SHOP

Sat, 01 May 2010 08:00:46 -0500

BLIND CLERK AT BASS PRO SHOP

A Portly Woman goes into Bass Pro Shop to buy a rod and reel for her grandson's birthday. She doesn't know which one to get so she just grabs one and goes over to the counter.

A Bass Pro Shop associate is standing there wearing dark shades. She says, 'Excuse me, sir. Can you tell me anything about this rod and reel?'

He says, 'Ma'am, I'm completely blind; but if you'll drop it on the counter, I can tell you everything from the sound it makes.'

She doesn't believe him but drops it on the counter anyway.

He says, 'That's a six-foot Shakespeare graphite rod with a Zebco 404 reel and 10-LB. test line. It's a good all around combination and it's on sale this week for only $20.00.

She says,

'It's amazing that you can tell all that just by the sound of it dropping on the counter. I'll take it!' As she opens her purse, her credit card drops on the floor.

'Oh, that sounds like a Master Card,' he says.

She bends down painfully to pick it up and accidentally passes gas. At first she is really embarrassed, but then realizes there is no way the blind clerk could tell it was she who tooted. Being blind, he wouldn't know that she was the only person around.

The man rings up the sale and says, 'That'll be $34.50 please.'

The woman is totally confused by this and asks, 'Didn't you tell me the rod and reel were on sale for $20.00? How did you get $34.50?'

He replies, 'Yes, Ma'am. The rod and reel is $20.00, but the Duck Call is $11.00 and the Bear Repellent is $3.50

Hunting Videos

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:17:06 -0500

SKYWARD WINGS OUTDOORS ADVENTURES
HOST JOHN PELTON AND CO HOST TOM THORSON TAKE YOU ON A OLD FASHION, WISCONSIN STYLE RABBIT HUNT IN SOUTH WEST WISCONSIN. WITH HOUNDMEN KEVIN MORRISON / MY CUZ!! . AND SOME OF THE BEST BEAGLES HOUNDS WE HAVE HUNTED WITH IN A LONG TIME. OF HUNTING RABBITS

&showinfo=0&disablekb=1&fs=1&rel=0&fmt=22">&showinfo=0&disablekb=1&fs=1&rel=0&fmt=22" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="675" height="400" />

PART 2 OF THE VIDEO

&showinfo=0&disablekb=1&fs=1&rel=0&fmt=22">&showinfo=0&disablekb=1&fs=1&rel=0&fmt=22" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="675" height="400" />

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE LET US KNOW

WI Archery Tom

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:36:33 -0500

Our 2nd season started yesterday, I had the blind set out since last week and ready to rock. The gobbling was crazy and early...5:23 . I had 2 nice strutters launch with a few hens and stay 125 yds above me and show off all morning never leaving them. Four jakes came right in and all took turns on the DSD breeder and put on a good show. The gobbling ceased at 930 ish. At 10:45 a lone hen came into the deeks and spent the next five hours laying next the breeder and jake preening and napping...kinda cool at 7yds I must say. The rest of the day was uneventful until late in the afternoon when I watched 5 strutters down the valley running hens and strutting until just before dark and took them up to roost. It was along 14 hour sit and I had a decision to make.

I thought about it last night and made the decision to head out at 4 am and move the set-up where the birds were chasing the night before. The birds gobbled later this morning and alot less, but they were right where I left them. At 5:55 a lone hen landed above me and by 6:05 the 5 longbeards and several more hens hit the field. It took me about 25 minutes to coax the hens down, but when they commited....the toms made a bee-line. The first one made it to the deeks and I let him have a Grim Reaper sandwich ....he made it 25 yds. What a great morning, I couldn't be happier.

Blind teen bags big bird in first turkey hunt

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:55:10 -0500

Blind teen bags big bird in first turkey hunt

ELMO, Mo. | When Charlie Wilks went turkey hunting Saturday, he didn�t get to see the big gobbler that strutted across a field and put on a show in front of him.

Wilks, 14, has been blind since age 6, when a brain tumor took away his sight.

But that didn�t keep him from shooting a trophy bird on his first turkey hunt.

Against all odds � and with a lot of help from a couple of mentors who went to great lengths to organize the special hunt � he accomplished the seemingly impossible.

�Even though I�m blind, I don�t let it hold me back,� said Wilks, who lives in Emporia, Kan., and was hunting on his grandfather�s land in northwest Missouri. �I don�t look at myself as any different than anyone else.

�Sometimes, I need some help. But I can do a lot of things that people wouldn�t think I can.�

Saturday was an example.

As he sat in a blind flanked by Jack Moore, president and CEO of the National Youth Hunting Association, and Chris Parrish, world-champion turkey caller, Charlie heard the two suddenly speak in excited whispers.

�There�s a hen in the decoys,� Young whispered. �Get ready. That�s like having live bait out there.

�This is the peak of mating season. There have to be some gobblers not far away.�

No sooner had Young said that than he looked up to see two big gobblers sneaking out of the woods toward the decoy.

�Get your gun up,� Young whispered.

Sitting directly behind Charlie, Young helped the boy line up the shotgun. When the big gobbler stopped for a second, the mentor instructed Charlie to take the safety off and shoot.

�Did I get him?� Charlie asked in anticipation.

�You sure did,� Young said as he gave the boy a big hug.

Soon, Charlie was feeling the smooth feathers and the bristly beard of a 24-pound turkey � and was already talking about the pictures he would be posting on his Facebook page.

�I�m excited,� Charlie said. �I was hoping I would be able to shoot a big bird and I did.�

ESPN 360 did a feature on some of the things Charlie can do. He was a defensive lineman on Emporia High School�s freshman football team and did well despite not being able to see.

Charlie�s teammates told him �go� when the ball was snapped and helped direct him.

�He even had a quarterback sack,� said his proud mom, Jennifer Cunningham. �How he knew who had the ball and where he was, I don�t know. But he tackled him.�

But hunting?

Many would worry about the safety issue. Others would say it would be nearly impossible to hit a target you can�t see.

But Charlie allayed those concerns. He started by attending a hunter safety course and passed with ease. Then he talked his grandfather, Al Reynolds, a former Chiefs lineman, into taking him deer hunting on their land in northwest Missouri.

The boy shot a big buck with the help of his grandpa and then took another deer on his second trip.

When it came to turkey hunting, Reynolds professed to needing some help. That�s when he called Young, who runs an organization dedicated to giving youths hunting opportunities.

Young jumped at the chance to help, as did Parrish, who is a multiple world-champion turkey caller.

Young did some scouting on the farm and worked with the boy on hunting safety and target practice. Which brings us to Saturday, the opener of the two-day youth turkey season.

Accompanied by a cameraman for the �Knight & Hale�s Ultimate Hunting� television show, which airs on The Outdoor Channel, they headed into the woods.

Parrish called up three jakes early in the day, and Charlie was able to pull the trigger but he missed.

�That�s OK,� Young said. �We all miss.�

But later in the day, Charlie was able to fulfill his dream.

Young and Parrish also presented the teenager with everything from a youth shotgun to a variety of calls to camouflaged clothing and boots � donated by sponsors such as Sportsmen�s Warehouse, Knight & Hale, and Redhead.

At lunch Saturday, Charlie reached into the box and began practicing with each of the calls.

�Prepare to be annoyed,� he joked to his mom.

But the gifts were just the icing on the cake. Taking a turkey � against all odds � was what Charlie will be talking about for months.

�When he was walking out of the hospital after brain surgery, he was telling other kids, �Don�t give up,� � his mom said. �And that�s how he has lived his life.

�He�s a special kid.�

All U.S. DNR Webpages

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 18:27:28 -0500

Alabama Division of Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries http://www.dcnr.state.al.us/agfd/

Alaska Department of Fish & Game http://dnr.alaska.gov/

Arizona Department of Fish & Game http://www.azgfd.gov/

Arkansas Fish & Game Commission http://www.agfc.com/

California Department of Fish & Game http://www.dfg.ca.gov/

Colorado Division of Wildlife http://wildlife.state.co.us/

Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection http://www.ct.gov/dep/site/default.asp

Delaware Department of Natural Resources http://www.fw.delaware.gov/Pages/FWPortal.aspx

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission http://myfwc.com/

Georgia Department of Natural Resources http://www.dnr.state.ga.us/

Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources http://hawaii.gov/dlnr

Idaho Department of Fish and Game http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/

Illinois Department of Natural Resources http://dnr.state.il.us/

Indiana Department of Natural Resources http://www.in.gov/dnr/

Iowa Department of Natural Resources http://www.iowadnr.gov/

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/

Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/

Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife http://www.maine.gov/ifw/

Maryland Department of Natural Resources http://www.dnr.state.md.us/index.asp

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries, Wildlife and Environmental Law Enforcement http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/

Michigan Department of Natural Resources http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/index.html

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks http://home.mdwfp.com/

Missouri Department of Conservation http://mdc.mo.gov/

Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks http://fwp.mt.gov/

Nebraska Game & Parks Commission http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/

Nevada Department of Wildlife http://www.ndow.org/

New Hampshire Fish & Game Department http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/index.htm

New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/

New Mexico Game & Fish Department http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/

New York Department of Environmental Conservation http://www.dec.ny.gov/

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission http://www.ncwildlife.org/

North Dakota Game & Fish Department http://gf.nd.gov/

Ohio Division of Wildlife http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Default.aspx?al....oh.us/wildlife

Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/

Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife http://www.dfw.state.or.us/

Pennsylvania Game Commission http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/portal/server.p...munity/pgc/9106

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management http://www.dem.ri.gov/

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources http://www.dnr.sc.gov/

South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department http://www.sdgfp.info/Index.htm

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency http://www.state.tn.us/twra/index.html

Texas Parks & Wildlife Department http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/

Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/

Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/

Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife http://wdfw.wa.gov/

West Virginia Division of Natural Resources http://www.wvdnr.gov/

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/

Wyoming Game & Fish Department http://gf.state.wy.us/

Soviet Dictator Josef Stalin's daughter Svetlana Alliluyeva lived a secret life in Wisconsin

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 17:05:02 -0500

Soviet Dictator Josef Stalin's daughter Svetlana Alliluyeva lived a secret life in Wisconsin

MADISON � An independent film is bringing to light a well-kept secret in these parts: Soviet Dictator Josef Stalin's only daughter has lived incognito for much of the past two decades in small towns in Wisconsin.

This still image from the documentary "Svetlana About Svetlana" provided by Icarus Films shows Josef Stalin's only daughter, Svetlana Alliluyeva and director Lana Parshina. An independent film is bringing to light a well-kept secret in Madison, Wis: Soviet Dictator Josef Stalin's only daughter has lived incognito for much of the past two decades in small towns in Wisconsin. (AP photo)

It is unclear whether the 84-year-old who fiercely guards her privacy still lives here today, but Svetlana Alliluyeva has lived at several addresses around Madison in the last 20 years. And in the summer of 2007, a determined filmmaker tracked her down at an apartment at a retirement home in an undisclosed Wisconsin town for a rare interview that could be the last she gives.

A documentary based on the interview, "Svetlana About Svetlana," tells her fascinating and complex life story, which is probably most noted for her defection to the U.S. during the Cold War. On April 18, the film will be screened at the Wisconsin Film Festival in Madison.

First-time director Lana Parshina said she read Alliluyeva's 1967 memoir, "20 Letters to a Friend," when she was a girl growing up in Moscow and loved it.

When she later became a U.S. citizen and learned Alliluyeva still was alive in Wisconsin, she got the idea for the movie. But first, she had to find the recluse whose father brutally ruled the Soviet Union for 29 years until his death in 1953.

Alliluyeva's first tie to Wisconsin came in the early 1970s when she married William Wesley Peters, a noted architect who was Frank Lloyd Wright's apprentice and lived in Spring Green, about 40 miles west of Madison. They had a daughter, Olga, before divorcing a few years later. Alliluyeva took on the name Lana Peters, which she still uses.

Wisconsin Film Festival Director Meg Hamel said she grew up with Olga, who now goes by Chrese Evans, in the Madison area and they knew each other as kids. Ironically, Evans has attacked the movie as an invasion of her mother's privacy. Hamel said she feels comfortable showing the film, whose rights were purchased by New York-based Icarus Films.

"This is a little piece of Wisconsin history, which I'm interested in sharing with our audience," she said.

After months of searching for Alliluyeva, Parshina put an ad on Craigslist seeking help, and paid $150 to a man who vowed to find her. Eventually, the man connected her with one of her neighbors, who passed along the interview request.

Alliluyeva called back to tell her to leave her alone. Parshina would not give up, saying she was influenced by her book and wanted to tell her story. Alliluyeva wouldn't budge, warning in one phone message: "Don't try to come here. You'll meet a closed door. I told you � I don't want to see anybody."

Finally, Alliluyeva agreed to allow the 28-year-old Parshina to come because they shared the same name and "I love young people." But she instructed her not to bring any camera equipment and to pretend like she was just a visitor so that her gossipy neighbors, unaware of her identity, wouldn't notice anything unusual.

After they spent one day together, Parshina convinced her to allow her to return with Madison freelance videographer William Q. Hartin to tape an interview.

Hartin said Alliluyeva was "very leery of us," would speak only English, and nearly ended the interview after a question upset her. "We were walking on egg shells the whole time," he recalls.

But after hours of talking, he said, he and Parshina gained her trust. On the second day, Parshina and Alliluyeva spoke in Russian for hours and she opened up. The result is a fascinating interview that includes reflections on her difficult childhood, her defection and her complex identity.

Alliluyeva said she was grateful to the CIA for helping her defect to the U.S. after she departed the Soviet Union for India in 1966, where she left the ashes of her late third husband. Arriving in the U.S., she denounced communism and her father's policies. Her defection embarrassed the ruling communists and was a public relations victory for the U.S.

But Alliluyeva said she ultimately regretted coming to the U.S., saying she never learned anything from America in 40 years and should have stayed in a neutral country like Switzerland.

"People say, 'Stalin's daughter, Stalin's daughter', meaning I'm supposed to walk around with a rifle and shoot the Americans. Or they say, 'No, she came here. She is an American citizen,'" she says. "No, I'm neither one. I'm somewhere in between. That 'somewhere in between' they can't understand."

Parshina said she did not give away the location of her apartment in the film to protect Alliluyeva from being harassed by journalists and others. Hartin would say only that it was about a 45-minute drive from the city.

After the interview, Parshina says Alliluyeva disappeared again. She changed her phone number, and letters to her address were returned as undeliverable. A neighbor told her she had moved. Parshina said Alliluyeva switched retirement homes every few years to escape notice.

She believes she still is either living in rural Wisconsin, or in Portland, Ore. with her daughter. In e-mail messages, the 37-year-old Evans would not reveal her mother's whereabouts (or her own).

"She was definitely undercover. Nobody knows who she is," Hartin recalled. "She lived in Wisconsin for so long, I would consider her not only an American but a Wisconsinite."

http://www.fdlreporter.com/article/2010041...01/4120503/1979

Mountain Lion hunt in Mine Shaft

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:47:45 -0500

This guy is F'n nuts!

http://trophyroom.com/video/lls8ViwJcT/

Sunset is coming to the future of waterfowl hunting....

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 08:14:31 -0500

(An article with interesting info, I can't believe numbers of waterfowl hunters are dropping off this fast...)

Sunset is coming to the future of waterfowl hunting. Don't believe it? Just look at the statistics. About 2.5 million Americans over the age of 16 hunted ducks and geese in 1996. Ten years later, that number plummeted to 1.3 million, an astonishing 48 percent decline. The end may be even closer in Canada, where there are 70 percent fewer duck and goose hunters than just 10 years ago. It's an alarming trend � one with sweeping consequences to future waterfowl and habitat conservation efforts.

To stem that ebbing tide, many state wildlife agencies and conservation organizations are pouring resources directly into the next generation of hunters. Recruitment efforts kicked into high gear in 1995, when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allowed states to designate up to two additional days of waterfowl hunting for young hunters. Now, virtually every state offers some sort of special season, relaxed bag limit or incentive to lure kids into the fields or marshes. On the surface, it seems like a great idea. Today's boys and girls who become hunters will not only fund state fish and wildlife agencies through license purchases in the future, but will carry on the conservation ethic that is the cornerstone of modern wildlife management. Without a new generation, hunting as we know is doomed.

But the push to recruit young hunters might be having a negative effect on those who already buy licenses. Not everyone is thrilled to treat boys and girls like virtual duck-hunting royalty and many hunters are beginning to question the value of those efforts.

The Trouble With (More) Kids
One hunter, posting on an Internet hunting forum, insisted the decline in hunter numbers is nothing but good, because it weeds out the "wannabes, slobs and idiots who aren't willing to work for their birds." Most critics aren't quite so harsh, but they are reluctant to speak out against recruitment efforts for fear of sounding greedy.

"It's already difficult to find room to hunt now. When these kids turn into adults and I'm already fighting for a place to hunt it's going to be that much more difficult and I think it will only drive more hunters away than it will recruit," said one Minnesota hunter, who didn't want to be identified because he makes waterfowl hunting products. "I'm afraid we've reached capacity."

That's a dangerous argument, said Delta Waterfowl vice president John Devney, and one that should be dismissed. While some areas near large population centers are at capacity, other regions are far from overloaded with hunters. Besides, he added, as duck hunters continue to decline, our collective voice becomes politically irrelevant.

"Hunters didn't fare so well in the last Farm Bill, but imagine what the outcome for the various conservation programs would have been if hunter-conservationist organizations like Delta weren't speaking out in favor of those programs," he said. "It would have been disastrous. Who else cares so much about the birds and the habitat as duck hunters?"

Too Much, Too Close
More hunters equal more money, and thus, more support for conservation efforts. Clearly there is strength in numbers. However, the methods used to boost youth participation, and ultimately turn them into lifelong duck hunters, are creating a rift between young and old. How? By placing youth hunts in direct conflict with regular seasons. Minnesota's youth hunt is one week prior to the regular opening day. Illinois is as close as four days, and the youth season in Texas is as little as five days prior to the regular season.

"It's like the youth day is opening day, and when I get to go out on the general season opener, the ducks have already been hunted," said the Minnesota hunter.

That's just not an issue, said Steve Cordts, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources waterfowl biologist. Most of the birds harvested during the state's one-day youth hunt likely wouldn't have even been in Minnesota when the regular season opens, he said. Blue-winged teal and wood ducks make up the bulk of that one-day harvest, and those birds are often gone by the general season opener.

Greg Franke disagrees. Since Illinois allowed a youth waterfowl weekend starting in 1996, the state wood duck harvest has dropped from second to third in the number of birds taken by hunters each season. Franke also noted the percentage of ducks killed on opening day on public waterfowl areas has seen a steady decline since the introduction of a youth weekend.

"You can't tell me the birds aren't affected by two days of hunting pressure less than a week before the regular opening day. To me, that's too close and it's having a real impact on our duck hunting," said Franke, a member of Migratory Waterfowl Hunters, Inc., an Illinois conservation organization.

What's The Big Deal?
Why would any adult be concerned about one less duck in their daily take? Most hunters who have been pursuing ducks and geese for a decade or two have moved beyond the body-count phase and are more concerned about the entire experience. Killing matters far less than seeing birds and spending a few hours in the marsh. Parents, even those with little waterfowl experience, likely get far more joy in watching their son or daughter have a great hunt than they get from pulling the trigger themselves.

"If we are selling hunting as just piles of birds, then we've done something wrong," Devney said. "Besides, it's not like these kids are limiting out left and right, but I can guarantee you they are having fun."

There's nothing like watching a boy or girl focused on a flock of ducks circling a decoy spread. The nervous anticipation is almost palpable as young hunters grip their shotguns, waiting for the inevitable call to take 'em. Hit or miss, a kid's all smiles. He's happy to be there, the center of attention and the star of a day dedicated entirely to him. What's not to like about that? Youth days are quite popular in many states, including Minnesota, where an estimated 23,400 boys and girls took to the state's marshes and fields in 2005. Those kids killed about 41,000 ducks and 8,000 geese, according to Cordts.

"Thirteen percent of adult waterfowl hunters took an average of 1.6 kids on the youth day that year," he said.

"That's pretty good and I think it shows how much adults like the season, as well."

How well? Sixty-five percent of the state's waterfowl hunters either supported the youth day or strongly supported it, compared to 23 percent who were either opposed or strongly opposed to the youth-only day.

Do They Work?
After 13 years of set-aside days for hunters under 16, many adults are beginning to take a closer look at these seasons and asking: Are they actually helping boost hunter numbers?

The answer seems to be a resounding "no." The proof lies not just in national statistics, but in the trend of hunters in traditional waterfowling states. South Dakota, brimming with public opportunities and filled with birds, is seeing a decline in hunters. Minnesota, which has one of the highest duck and goose hunter numbers per capita, has also seen a dramatic decrease in the sale of state waterfowl stamps despite the popularity of youth hunts. Cordts said the DNR sold about 130,000 stamps in 2000, but he expects to sell fewer than 100,000 in 2009.

"We lost 15,000 hunters in 2005 alone," he noted.

More often than not, youth days attract kids who already come from families with a strong hunting tradition and who will probably hunt with an adult during the regular season anyway. Even one-day immersion events that include a conservation program and a morning hunt with a mentor will likely have little overall effect on recruitment efforts.

"It takes much more than a day in a blind to make a hunter," said Bob Norton, a retired psychology professor from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. A lifelong outdoorsman, Norton conducted a lengthy study for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on waterfowl hunter attitudes and behavior. "Hunting is a learned skill that takes years to hone, and ideally, one that starts with basic woodsmanship before a child is old enough to carry a gun," he said.

Cordts insists doing something to promote hunting to boys and girls is better than doing nothing at all, especially if those kids have a lot of shooting opportunities they might not get during the regular season.

Fish In A Barrel?
A lot of shooting, however, is exactly why many hunters don't like set-aside days, particularly in states where the youth season falls before the general season opener. With so many birds that have never seen a decoy spread or heard the unmistakable pop-pop-pop of a 12-gauge autoloader aimed at them, the hunting can be downright easy.

"Too easy," said Dave Woods, a 34-year-old Oakdale, Minn., waterfowler. Easy ducks can lead to unrealistic expectations rarely fulfilled during the regular season.

"Beginning hunters need to be taught what it's really like duck or goose hunting during the regular season when there are other hunters out in the marsh and the birds aren't like fish in a barrel," he said. "When these kids go out during the regular season, they get discouraged and end up giving up because it's never as easy as it is on youth days, especially if they are hunting on a refuge."

Not so, Norton said. Based on his study, which spanned nearly 25 years, he identified five stages hunters go through as they mature.

The first stage? Action.

"A beginning hunter needs action in order to advance to the other stages," he said. "Without successfully fulfilling the need for lots of shooting, even if they don't bag anything, they often won't advance to the second stage and ultimately turn into lifelong hunters. A special youth day may contribute to the first stage because they often get to shoot a lot."

In other words, without prime opportunities, beginning hunters tend to get discouraged, rather than encouraged. That's just the way kids are. From a wider perspective, getting as many kids as possible into a duck blind will serve a higher purpose in the long run, whether or not they kill any birds or plan to hunt again. Any boy or girl given an opportunity to hunt ducks in a supportive environment will likely have a positive image of the sport, even if they never touch a duck call or pick up a shotgun again.

"In 20 or 30 years, when they are at a cocktail party or some social gathering and someone tries to put down hunting, you can be sure they will defend hunting because they will at least know what it's about and how much hunters actually care for the resource," Devney said. "Non-hunters can be our best allies."

Equal Opportunity Hunting
Franke understands the need for allies, and has no problem promoting waterfowl hunting to new hunters of any age. He plans to take his grandchildren to a marsh during the youth season, even though he is opposed to the way Illinois runs its youth hunt. Woods is also eager to get new hunters into the sport. One of his fondest memories was the look on a friend's face after he killed his first goose. His partner had never hunted before and Woods was more than happy to introduce him to the highs and lows of a typical waterfowl hunt. His friend is now a serious hunter.

"We don't need a special day for anyone because I can take a new hunter anytime I can hunt myself," Woods said.

Supporters of youth days agree that simply offering kids a free day isn't the ultimate answer to rescuing the hunting tradition. It's going to take a conscious effort by all hunters to bring new blood into the sport, no matter the ages of those new participants. The good news is many hunters are actually bringing new hunters afield, even if license sales don't reflect it yet.

According to an unscientific online survey of Delta Waterfowl members, 91 percent have introduced at least one non-family member to hunting. Delta and other groups are also ramping up efforts to reach out to adults.

Delta recently held a hunt for students from university wildlife and biology programs in Canada because many students who are pursuing degrees in wildlife biology don't come from a hunting family. Some have no background in hunting at all. Biologists who hunt will have a far better understanding of the role of hunting and hunters in wildlife management.

Franke agreed that recruitment efforts need to be reevaluated. He wonders why the age limit for youth hunts is set at 16 in Illinois. Seventeen and 18-year-olds have the means to hunt on their own and are more likely to buy licenses and equipment than a 12-year-old, he argued.

However, even if various recruitment efforts work, Franke and Woods would like to know where those new guns will go. Minnesota has lost a huge amount of huntable land to development in the past 20 years, and other states are also dealing with public wildlife areas that don't have room for more hunters. That's why Woods thinks states should put more emphasis on creating new opportunities before they push to increase participation.

Even the most enthusiastic kid will eventually give up if he doesn't have a good place to go.

If nothing else, Franke would like to see a change in the season structure, allowing more time between the youth season and the regular season. That would give local birds time to return to normal preseason habits before opening day, and it would afford everyone equal opportunities. He would also like the second day of the youth season moved to the end of the regular season so kids get a taste of hunting under tough conditions. Arkansas actually holds both youth days at the tail end of the regular season. So does Mississippi and Tennessee. Other states set youth season between splits, giving kids their own day or two, but not until all hunters have had at least a short season first. However, it's unlikely Franke and other concerned duck hunters in Illinois will get their wish any time soon.

"The DNR has no interest in making any changes even after we made a pretty strong case for doing so," he lamented. "It's almost like adult hunters are being pushed aside for the sake of kids."

Potential state record buck found, given away

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 07:38:38 -0500

Potential state record buck found, given away

Hold onto your hats the rumors are true � Michigan has a new monarch buck that potentially dwarfs it�s predecessors, as listed in the Commemorative Bucks of Michigan�s (CBM) record book, and it was found by Sharon Weidmayer while out walking her dog by a small creek just west of Clinton.

The 26-pointer has 31-inch main beams and a 28 6/8-inch inside spread and grossed a non-typical score of 257-4/8.

While out taking a stroll on her property in February, Sharon could easily see some antlers sticking up from the ground on the other side of a creek so she and her dog went over to investigate.

�I counted the points real quick and thought it was at least a 10 point,� she recalled. �My friend, Ron [Waldron], had missed a 10 point earlier in the season, so I called him.�
Not knowing what type of monster she�d come across, Sharon told Ron the buck had at least 10 points and asked him if he wanted its rack.

Instinct took over for the hunter and he naturally said yes. And thankfully so. It turned out to be the biggest buck Ron ever saw.

Sharon left the potential state record non-typical lay where it was overnight and the next day she and her good friend of 35-years went to retrieve the big buck.

When arriving to the fallen buck the next day, Ron could hardly believe his eyes.
�He was very surprised when he saw it,� said Sharon. �Neither one of us still realized just how big it was.�

Sharon had shown him her photos before going out and Ron knew it was a large animal but thought that the pictures were deceiving. They didn�t even come close to doing the animal justice.

�As we came closer she pointed out where it was and I said, �It�s an Elk.� It was a lot bigger than anything I�d ever seen before,� said Ron.

There were no signs of injury to the deer except for its rear being picked over by Coyotes. The deer�s body was intact and had no sign of broken bones, gunshot wounds or arrowhead marks.

�I flipped the hide over and could see no sign of a bullet hole or arrow or anything like that and no real broken bones,� said Ron. �I like to think that he died of old age, outsmarting all the hunters who�ve been chasing him for years.�

Ron took the antlers over to his son-in-law, Mike Guenther, who�s big on hunting, and he was the first to recognize the buck�s potential.

�He walked out, looked at it and said, �I can�t believe it. That could be a state record!��
Calls were made until finding someone who could officially score it and confirm Mike�s suspicions. The buck was scored that evening and it racked up an astonishing 247-4/8 and is potentially the highest-scoring non-typical whitetail ever recorded in Michigan. Dennis Sheats, an official scorer for CBM, green-scored the buck at 257-4/8 gross and 247-6/8 net non-typical. The buck must be scored again, 60 days from February 7, and will be entered into CBM�s �All-Time Special� category. It�s expected to top the current No. 1 pickup buck�s score of 236-1/8. Weidmayer�s special find is also likely to post a dry score higher than the current state-record non-typical, a 238-2/8 buck shot in 1976.
A parade of hunters had to see it to believe it and even after getting a look had a hard time grasping the rack�s enormous size.

�Nobody had ever seen anything that big,� said Ron.

Sharon�s property is a mere 10-acres but behind her it�s thick with brush and an old apple orchard. Where the creek runs the land dips low and easily conceals deer.

�We figure he spent a lot of his time there,� said Ron. �There were a lot of signs of buck rubs there and places where the deer are laying down. It�s a good spot.�

The rack�s immense size may bring a hefty price if Ron decides to sell it. He�s already had a couple of offers and said that he would share the money with Sharon if he does sell. Replicas would be made so he and Sharon could always remember their unbelievable record book find.

[A note for those interested in getting permission to hunt on Sharon�s property � get in line.]

New Gorilla Ground Blind 4 SaleSOLD

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:17:48 -0500

Mathews Reezen Model in Lost Camo...
These are a hub style blind like the Double bull

Paid 299.00, Never out of original bag or put up ---175.00 bucks

here are the specs and pics-->
http://dev.gorillablinds.com/cms/content/mathews-reezen-gs

2010 Nebraska Archery Gobbler

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 21:10:50 -0500

Just Returned from Nebraska after a few day hunt with some friends, it was action packed but cold with brutal winds up to 45 mph. I called a group of 10 gobblers in yesterday morning and the boss bird got right in the face of my DSD jake. At 7 yds I put an arrow in him and he was down for the count. He had great spurs and a double beard. The year started off great so far......

Federal authorities accused of lying in North Carolina duck hunting case

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 20:25:40 -0500

Federal authorities accused of lying in North Carolina duck hunting case

We Tar Heels have been experiencing very interesting legal matters these days and we�ve seen some very well known people sent to the federal penitentiary for not telling the truth or withholding information from the authorities. In an unusual case that�s developing, the charges of not telling the truth or violations of legal ethics in a Federal Court have been turned around as a Federal Prosecutor and a Federal Agent (Game Warden) are being formally accused.

Most duck hunters in North Carolina are familiar with the baiting charges that have been filed against several large waterfowl hunting clubs along the coast. The �supplemental feeding� of these birds to attract them into the shooting range of the member�s shotguns has been a common practice that�s been going on since duck and goose hunting became a major sport along our coast. Game wardens nicknamed the coast of North Carolina �The Gold Coast� because of the golden glow of the corn that was used to attract waterfowl to the area each winter.

For the information of the novice to the baiting of waterfowl controversy, it�s not against the law to feed migratory waterfowl. It is against the law to take (shoot or attempt to shoot) these birds over or with the aid of bait. If the game wardens could show that the hunters who were charged with baiting violations either knew or should have known that they were violating the law by using bait, the fines and sentences were severe.

While the North Carolina law on shooting waterfowl on or with the aid of bait draws a well defined limit of responsibility of knowing whether or not bait is present within a 300 yard area around the hunting blind, federal laws leave this well defined area open to the subjective opinion of the game warden (federal agent).

Smart waterfowl hunters soon learned to inspect the areas where they were planning to hunt to be sure that someone hadn�t placed bait in the immediate area. In spite of state laws prohibiting the harassment of hunters some anti-hunting organizations still use the placing of bait to stop sportsmen from using their blinds.

One hunter who had given up waterfowl hunting because he was afraid that he might inadvertently get into a baiting situation recently said, �It ain�t worth it anymore. I can�t afford to hire attorneys to fight the federal attorneys who are paid with our tax money.�

With heavy fines, loss of hunting privileges for a year or more hanging over their heads, it wasn�t unusual for some �well-heeled� waterfowlers who were charged with baiting violations to hire a good attorney to help fight the charges in court. Others, even though they felt that they were innocent, simply paid the fine, suffered the loss of hunting privileges and embarrassment of being on probation and hoped that the incident would soon be forgotten.

One of the noted baiting cases of 2008 involved Mr. James Johnson of Virginia Beach, VA, several of his guests and two of his employees of Coastland Corporation, which owns several thousand acres of marsh and woodlands along the coast of N.C. In this particular case Mr. Johnson plead guilty to the charges and received a substantial fine, loss of hunting privileges for one year and probation for one year.

This looks straight forward enough on the surface but when Mr. Johnson�s Attorney, Joe Cheshire from Raleigh, asked that Mr. Johnson�s sentence be adjusted to comply with a similar sentence that was imposed on another hunting club it was denied when it appeared that U.S. District Court Judge Terrence Boyle couldn�t remember that case even though it took place in his courtroom.

In that case The Jones Island Hunting Club in Pamlico County was not closed down for hunting and no individual was charged. That club got a corporate plea and was never prevented from hunting for a period of time.

In a recent press release it was announced that Attorney Walter D. Kelley has filed an official complaint to Mary Patrice Brown, Acting Counsel with the U.S. Department of Justice against both AUSA Kocher and Agent Baker.

Walter D. Kelley, Jr., himself a former U.S. District Court Judge and now a lawyer with the Jones Day Law Firm in Washington, DC, has filed a formal complaint with the Department of Justice Office of Professional Responsibility asking for disciplinary action and punishment against Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Kocher and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agent Jack Baker for giving and abetting false statements that led to the questionable convictions and the improper sentencing of several defendants accused of violation federal duck hunting laws. The letter also requests that the convictions and sentences be vacated.

Kelley states that Attorney Kocher lied to Judge Terrence Boyle during the sentencing of James Johnson at a hearing in Federal Court in Elizabeth City, North Carolina in March of 2008 and that Federal Agent Baker, knowing the truth, remained silent while standing before the Judge. Johnson, who was hunting for ducks on land he and his company own in Pamlico County in January of 2007, was convicted along with two guest of �shooting over bait.�

The alleged bait (corn) was more than 600 yards away from his blind, well beyond the 300-yard NC state law limit. The federal law is a more subjective matter of opinion and the law relies in part on the opinion of the federal prosecutor and federal game warden.

Mr. Johnson agreed to plead guilty on advice of his attorney because he did not anticipate, according to Kelley, that Attorney Kocher and Federal Agent Baker would lie about another case prosecuted by Attorney Kocher and Federal Agent Baker in Judge Boyle�s court.

In that case, United States v. Jones Island Club, Inc., Judge Boyle accepted a corporate plea that included a fine but no loss of hunting privileges by anyone in the club. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kocher was the prosecutor and Jack Baker was the Federal Agent in the Jones Island case.

In court for Mr. Johnson�s sentencing, however Attorney Kocher told Judge Boyle that he had shut down the Jones Island Club�s hunting privileges for two years. Baker was standing next to Kocher and failed to correct her misstatement. After hearing it, however, Judge Boyle then sentenced Johnson to a fine, the loss of hunting privileges for a year and other restrictions.

In his letter to the Department of Justice, Kelley says that Kocher�s �falsehood was material as it gave Judge Boyle the misimpression that taking away Mr. Johnson�s hunting privileges was necessary in order to avoid sentencing disparity� with the Jones Island case. Kelley further states that �making false representations in fact�violates the law, as well as the standards of conduct expected of Assistant United States Attorneys and government agents involved in criminal prosecutions.�

Kelley writes that Johnson�s �personal liberty was taken away by the U.S. government.� Kelley ask for discipline of Kocher and Baker and for the court to �vacate Mr. Johnson�s conviction� as well as those of his guest and two employees of Johnson�s who were assisting in retrieving downed birds that day.

Man accused of gobbling up hunting permits

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 20:17:39 -0500

Man accused of gobbling up hunting permits

Police say man used other people's information to obtain extra turkey permits.

Keith Allen Kelly obtained many turkey-hunting permits in recent years - far too many, authorities say.

Kelly Kelly, 48, is accused of illegally gobbling up the permits by using other people's personal information. Now, after what the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission calls one of its largest and most in-depth probes in recent memory, Kelly is in custody.

On Saturday - opening day of turkey hunting season, as a matter of fact - the Salt Springs man was arrested on six felony counts of identity fraud; six counts of common-law cheat or fraud by applying for turkey hunting permits using other peoples' names; and possession of methamphetamine, less than 20 grams of marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.

"His actions deprived people from hunting for turkeys," commission Lt. Ben Allen said. He added that Kelly was not an employee of the commission, but did act as a guide during the turkey hunting season.

The case required more than 100 hours of investigation and some help from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement crime lab, which extracted crucial evidence from the suspect's computer.

Authorities say the investigation began in 2008 when they received numerous complaints from hunters saying someone was manipulating the state's spring turkey hunt quota permit system. The hunters, who were legally applying for the permit, couldn't get one because the system said they already had a permit.

Authorities allege that Kelly was obtaining a majority of the quota permits to certain areas, such as the Gores Landing Unit, and units within the Ocala and Caravelle Wildlife Management areas.

Hunters must receive permission to hunt on certain public lands because wildlife biologists use the permits, which limit how many birds can be killed, to manage the turkey population.

Persons applying for a permit receive only one for each hunting season.

Authorities suspect that Kelly kept information about the people who hired him as a guide and later applied for permits under their names.

Allen said his agency received a warrant to seize Kelly's computer in January and, following the analysis conducted on it, were able to obtain an arrest warrant.

FWC officials also have changed the way permits are issued. They used to be transferable, meaning if someone with a permit could not hunt, they could pass it to someone else. Now, only the hunter who applied for the permit is allowed to use it.

Officials are asking anyone who know about someone cheating the system or otherwise violating fish, wildlife or boating laws, to call the toll-free Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or click on the Wildlife Alert banner at MyFWC.com.

Tipsters may remain anonymous and are eligible for a reward if the information leads to an arrest.

Forest Service officer, mistaken for coyote, shot and killed

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 20:09:35 -0500

Forest Service officer, mistaken for coyote, shot and killed

A U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officer was shot and killed in middle Georgia by a hunter who apparently mistook the ranger for a coyote.

Officer Christoper Arby Upton, 37, was on routine patrol in the Ocmulgee Bluff Equestrian Recreation Area in Jasper County on Friday when he was shot by Norman Clinton Hale, 40, of McDonough.

The incident happened about 11 p.m. in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest near Monticello, according to a statement from the USDA Forest Service.

Hale and another man were hunting coyote in the area. Hale and his hunting partner called 911 and reported the incident, but Upton died at the scene.

The Forest Service and the state Department of Natural Resources are investigating the incident. No charges have been filed.

Upton, a four-year veteran of the Forest Service, previously worked as a game warden for the Department of Defense, U.S. Marine Corps, in Beaufort, S.C., and as a conservation officer, game warden and pilot for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.

He is survived by his wife and a 4-year-old daughter.

Live Feed

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 20:28:34 -0500

Live Feed http://www.pixcontroller.com/WebCam/WebCam-NoChat.htm

custom hen decoySOLD

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:20:16 -0500

Professionally mounted hen decoy in breeding pose. Has flat wood base with handle. As close to real as they get.....100.00, price having one done...its almost 3 times that. Sorry for the cell pic.

What other activities do you enjoy when not hunting/fishing?

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:33:58 -0500

Some Interesting New Archery Products

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:05:51 -0500

http://www.flexfletch.com/products/glow-vanes/

http://nufletch.com/

http://www.shannonhuntgroup.com/illumanight.aspx

http://www.opti-logic.com/index.htm

http://www.bowhunting.net/artman/publish/N..._Accuracy.shtml

Snow goose hunting this past weekend

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:43:56 -0500

The birds didn't want to cooperate but the trip was excellent. Saw more birds this spring than we have the last two springs. Ended up scratching 10 snows this weekend but it was hard to work them when we had 25 to 30,000 birds in the same field we were but a 1/2 mile to the east of us and another 10000 birds on the other side of the highway in another field. Needless to say our spread didn't have a chance. To top it off the sheet water and the sloppy fields made it very interesting as well but the 4 wheeler worked just as we hoped. Here are a few pics.

Here are Saturdays birds. The ross is my old mans. His first snow goose in 15 years.

A few picks of the birds flying around.

The birds working the same field we were in only on the other side of the field.

The flock to the north of us.

I used my Gerbings blind heat, gloves, and vest this past weekend. Wow I didn't know what I was missing till I got these. Stayed nice and warm all weekend.

The trailer was a little full also.

The truck got a tad bit dirty this weekend also.

Here is our birds from Sunday as well.

Spring Snows

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:00:33 -0500

Anyone been out this weekend? I am heading down to SW Iowa next weekend to meet up with some guys. They are down there now but havent heard if they have done well or not. By the sounds of it, I may be a week late. Anyone else going out?

Committed Trailer

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:18:54 -0600

Great Video! Nick and the boys do a great job.

How many species of Waterfowl have you killed?

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:15:02 -0600

I always like to see how many different species hunters have been able to harvest.

I have been waterfowl hunting for 13 yrs now but never really was able to get the variety till I started college. I would say I was blessed to go to school in NW IA and Eastern SD where waterfowl was plentiful. Here are species I have been able to harvest.
Geese (6)- Canada, Lesser, Cackler, Ross', Snow/Blue (They are same species), and Ross'xSnow Cross

Ducks (17)-Mallard, Pintail, Gadwall, Shoveler, Widgeon, Wood Duck, Black Duck, GW Teal, BW Teal, Common Goldeneye, Lesser Scaup, Ringneck, Canvasback, Redhead, Bufflehead, Ruddy and Hooded Merg.

SPAM!

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:53:22 -0600

Can someone do some Deleting here!

Squaw weekend

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:13:41 -0600

We went to Mound City (Squaw Creek) Missouri this weekend and had a great trip. Birds are just arriving at Squaw, thousands. We went to squaw Friday afternoon to check it out and seen 2 tornado's of snows, cool to see this. We had alot of birds working us, but limited opportunities. It rained Saturday morning on us for a couple hours, yea that sucked. It was something to see 300 birds straight up circling down on you. 3/4 of the way down and they flared off. Seemed to happen often, they wouldn't commit. We adjusted the spread multiple times. Tons of ducks and canada geese. We had alot of mallards working the spread, kept calling them into land for the hell of it. We met a couple hunters from WI down there, they were going with another guide service. They were about 2 miles from us, they also got 3 birds, compared to the 239 over 4 days they said they shot last year. We were early by one week this year, but it was awesome to hunt in the spring. I have to honestly say, our guides worked their asses off for us, we will use them again next year http://dead-leafn.com/Home_Page.php , but delay the trip by one week next year, second week of March. The rossi on the far right in pic one is going on the wall, cousin is getting it mounted. Some pics of my brother (Fudd on this site) and his son Bryan.

Another good day in the field...

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:54:28 -0600

Mya and I were asked to guide for a buddy's Upland Church hunt yesterday. I was able to get some more footage on video. Here are Mya's best 3 flush & retrieves of the day. Enjoy...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbCa5Cu1_oo

I got 2 more hunts til I'm done for the year with upland...can't wait to get some more action!

Boat project

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:49:53 -0600

Went out this morning and started spraying the boat. Figured that I had to fix the original problem with the gloss so I didn't use any stencils.
This is after the first coat of Hunter Green

After a coat of black

After desert green (with my little helper)

After khaki

Put the motor and tank on

There are still a few spots of green that give off a shine when the sun hits it. It's a hell of a lot better than when I started. Any thoughts of improvements, blinds, etc?

2 More Sweet Snow Decoys!

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:05:25 -0600

Well I have finished my last 2 Snow floaters till I get more materials. I wanted to do something out of the normal for atleast one of these last 2.

Here is my calling one.

And the Sentry rester.

Thanks for looking!

WI bowhunters tally 4th highest buck kill

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:45:21 -0600

Bowhunters tally 4th highest buck kill

Thursday, February 18, 2010
Madison - Based on early harvest numbers, Wisconsin archers proved they can kill bucks even though the gun buck kill fell 22 percent statewide during the past two hunting seasons.

Preliminary archery deer registration numbers show that bowhunters shot 41,155 bucks during the 2009-10 season - the fourth highest archery buck kill on record.

That's nearly 25 percent of the total gun deer kill of 199,238 bucks, does, and fawns from the nine-day season.

Overall, the DNR tallied a preliminary archery total kill of 85,460 deer after adding in the 44,305 antlerless deer that have been counted so far.

The preliminary total archery kill is nearly half of the nine-day gun deer kill.

How can bowhunters fare so well - especially on bucks - during a year when gun hunters struggled?

"That's a good question. There are a lot of factors that influence buck harvest, with deer population being one of them," said Keith Warnke, DNR deer ecologist. "Deer movement patterns vary at different times of the season, hunter effort perhaps, and the relaxation of earn-a-buck requirements this year meant that bowhunters didn't have to pass up a buck."

Todd Zeuske has been heavily involved in the Wisconsin Bowhunters Association and bowhunting and conservation issues for many years. He was not surprised by the apparent disparity between the bow- and gun-hunting season success this past year.

"I have not researched this, but I do have an educated guess. First off, the population is down, which affects gun hunters more than bowhunters, as bowhunters have more days to find a deer," said Zeuske, who said he was speaking on his own behalf. "Also, earn-a-buck is more of a hindrance to gun hunters than bowhunters. With no EAB outside of CWD zones, I think bowhunters felt unleashed to shoot bucks."

Most hunters and DNR biologists now agree that deer numbers were lower than expected, but Zeuske thinks buck numbers were even lower than they should have been because fawns were shot heavily in EAB units in 2008.

"A lot of bowhunters pass multiple bucks every year, but they probably saw, and passed, fewer bucks in 2009, yet still were able to tag one," Zeuske said. "Bowhunters will more than ever get their share of bucks in the future unless season or equipment changes (are pushed by others)."

He also said archers are better shots than they were five years ago, thanks to better sights, releases, and knowledge shared among archery club members when they shoot together.

"Go to a bow club - there are no longer just a couple of guys who can shoot tight groups. Half of the guys there can shoot the heart out of the targets. Videos have showed them how to do it. Arrows are better and these guys have better form and if they don't know how to tune a bow, they know someone who can," he said.

Zeuske does not blame weather or the lower-than-expected gun kill on opening weekend. Besides the low deer numbers, he said a combination of other factors likely played a role, including when and how the rut ended.

Warnke said the good news is that at least bowhunters had a good season. He said the DNR is working on increasing deer populations in units that are below goal so gun hunters can begin seeing more deer during future hunts. The DNR is still crunching numbers on a unit and county basis. He does not yet know how many deer units will be below goal for 2010.

"We won't know which units are above or below goals until early March," he said.

"It was a good archery season overall,"_Warnke said. "We do know that from the statewide standpoint it was good, but there are areas of the state - the Central Forest Region and north-central and northeast counties - where the archery buck kill was down, as was gun buck kill. Those are clues to look at; if we were down in units in both seasons and they did not have earn-a-buck in prior years, that's telling us something about those populations."

The 2009-10 buck kill total is not yet final. Warnke expects more stubs to trickle in from late season and metro units. He doesn't expect the final kill to hit 90,000 deer, but it could bump 86,000 or go slightly higher.

The record archery buck kill was set in 1999 with 45,562 deer. Next in line is the 45,498 bucks kill in 2003, and 42,010 in 1998.

The overall record archery harvest was set in 2007 with 116,010 deer, but 77,999 of those deer were antlerless deer. The antlerless kill was high in 2007 because of the number of units in EAB status.

In taking a look at the preliminary archery kill, Warnke noted that there were units where the bow and gun buck kill fell last season, but there also were units where the bow buck kill went up from 2008 while the gun buck kill went down. As an example, in units 3, 28, 29A , 35, and 36, both the gun and bow buck kills fell from 2008. The gun buck kill in Unit 35 was down 52 percent and the bow buck kill was down 34 percent.

In units 12, 13, 19, 22, 23, 24, and 25, the bow buck kill was up, and the gun buck kill was down.

In Unit 12, the bow buck kill was up 24 percent, and the gun buck kill down 27 percent. In Unit 13, it was up 12 and down 36, respectively. In all of the other units, it was up 10 to 15 percent (bow) and down 25 to 35 percent (gun). Unit 22 was the exception on the gun buck end of the equation (down 22 percent).

New 2010 Primal Twin Track Cam bow

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:40:38 -0600

New 2010 Primal Twin Track Cam bow

Memphis, Mich., Quest BowhuntingTM, a division of G5 Outdoors, Introduces the new 2010 Primal Twin Track Cam bow. The new bow features the superior construction and quality G5 has built its reputation on, combined with an all new custom decorating process that is exclusive to the Quest Line of bows.

�We are very excited about the new DuraFuseTM process.� Stated CEO and Founder Lou Grace. �The new finishing process not only is tougher than most, it really makes the new line stand out�
The new bow also incorporates the new G5 Patent Pending DurafuseTM decorating process. This process delivers sharp, crisp camo detail and a finish that is more durable than traditionally dipped or painted bows.

In addition to improved durability the DurafuseTM process allows for different designs and looks that have never been seen in the bow industry. One new design is the GfadeTM - a fusion of camo limbs, pockets, and top of riser with a black center riser section. GfadeTM provides the ultimate in versatility for bowhunters. With the camo top and bottom the bow is concealed for tree stand hunting to stalking situations in the field. The black riser mid section makes it perfect for the blind. In the stand, crossing a ridge, or sitting in the blind you never will be out of place with the GfadeTM. The Primal bow is also available in full AP camo or all black.

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=134

Under the hood:
Getting beyond the impressive finish, the Primal bow utilizes an all new modular based Twin track Cam system which delivers consistent speeds of over 330 FPS while maintaining an ultra smooth draw. In addition, the all new stout 13� limbs provide greater stability, reduced shock, and an ultra smooth draw. The Primal also incorporates the Quest exclusive I-glide system � a unique cable system that uses no moving parts. This provides less string wear and eliminates potential failures in the field.

With a retail of $699.95 the Primal continues Quest�s commitment to delivering superior performance and value to hard working, hard hunting archery enthusiasts. The Quest Primal bow is available at finer Archery retailers throughout the U.S.

Quest Bowhunting: The Bowhunters� Bow

About Quest Bowhunting:
Quest Bowhunting� is a family owned business backed by more than 40 years of precision manufacturing experience. Quest Bowhunting� strives to provide superior Bowhunting products that enhance the archery experience. To learn more about Quest�, visit www.questbowhunting.com or call (866) 456-8836.

09 Mathews ReezenSOLD

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:31:24 -0600

-Mathews Reezen

-Lost camo riser/black limbs

-25� draw length

-40# limbs(limbs max at 45)

-PERFECT set up for women and youth

-Includes QAD Ultra-rest HD

-$530 TYD Firm

-Bow was used on one hunt out west and has some cosmetic scratches..nothing major..no trades

The Super Bowl of Fishing

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:42:15 -0600

Here are the current standings going into the final day of competition of the 2010 Bassmasters Classic ay Lay Lake.

KVD is on the hunt!!

1 Jeff Kriet 5 16- 7 5 15-10 10 32- 1
2 Kevin VanDam 5 19- 8 5 12- 7 10 31-15
3 Todd Faircloth 5 18- 2 5 13-12 10 31-14
4 Michael Iaconelli 5 14- 9 4 12- 3 9 26-12
5 Russ Lane 5 14- 1 4 11-10 9 25-11
6 Tommy Biffle 5 14- 3 5 10- 6 10 24- 9
7 Takahiro Omori 5 15- 7 4 8-14 9 24- 5
8 Matt Herren 5 9- 7 5 13-15 10 23- 6
9 Brent Chapman 5 13- 0 5 8- 2 10 21- 2
10 James Niggemeyer 5 13- 3 5 7- 4 10 20- 7
11 Bobby Lane 5 7-13 5 12- 9 10 20- 6
12 Cliff Crochet 5 9- 5 5 10-11 10 20- 0
13 Billy McCaghren 5 15- 4 3 4-11 8 19-15
14 Kevin Wirth 5 8- 9 5 10-11 10 19- 4
15 Cliff Pace 5 16- 3 1 2- 6 6 18- 9
16 Jeff Freeman 5 9- 8 5 8-13 10 18- 5
17 Gerald Swindle 5 10- 8 5 7- 1 10 17- 9
18 Kotaro Kiriyama 5 10- 3 5 7- 3 10 17- 6
19 Shaw E Grigsby 4 6-15 5 10- 7 9 17- 6
20 Mark Tucker 5 9-15 4 7- 4 9 17- 3
21 Pam Martin-Wells 5 6-13 5 9-15 10 16-12
22 Aaron Martens 5 8-11 5 7- 9 10 16- 4
23 Dean Rojas 5 6- 9 5 9- 5 10 15-14
24 Stephen Browning 5 8-15 5 6-14 10 15-13
25 Jason Quinn 2 5-12 4 9-13 6 15- 9
26 Terry Scroggins 5 13- 0 2 1-13 7 14-13
27 Alton Jones 5 6-12 2 7- 5 7 14- 1
28 Frank Scalish 5 7- 2 5 6- 3 10 13- 5
29 Mike McClelland 2 5- 9 3 7-12 5 13- 5
30 Bryan Schmidt 2 6- 2 3 6- 8 5 12-10
31 John Murray 4 7-12 3 4- 9 7 12- 5
32 Gary Klein 1 2-10 3 7-13 4 10- 7
33 Randy Howell 5 8-15 1 1- 7 6 10- 6
34 Byron Velvick 5 10- 0 0 0- 0 5 10- 0
35 Kelly Jordon 1 2- 9 3 7- 3 4 9-12
36 Terry Butcher 2 2-15 2 6- 8 4 9- 7
37 Randy Phillips 4 4- 5 4 4-12 8 9- 1
38 Mark Menendez 5 7- 9 1 0-14 6 8- 7
39 Brent Long 5 6- 8 1 1- 2 6 7-10
40 Don Hogue 2 7- 1 0 0- 0 2 7- 1
41 Casey Ashley 4 4- 2 2 2- 9 6 6-11
42 Steve Kennedy 2 2-10 1 3- 8 3 6- 2
43 Skeet Reese 3 5- 0 0 0- 0 3 5- 0
44 Jody Adkins 0 0- 0 2 3- 8 2 3- 8
45 Greg Hackney 1 3- 5 0 0- 0 1 3- 5
46 Jami Fralick 1 2- 8 0 0- 0 1 2- 8
47 Scott Ashmore 1 1- 7 1 1- 0 2 2- 7
48 Kevin Short 2 2- 6 0 0- 0 2 2- 6
49 Boyd Duckett 1 1- 2 0 0- 0 1 1- 2
50 Denny Brauer 0 0- 0 0 0- 0 0 0- 0
50 Darrell West 0 0- 0 0 0- 0 0 0- 0

Snow Goose video

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:53:46 -0600

Under 3 weeks out, Squaw creek is still frozen Need the weather to turn around, don't wanna drive 8 hours for nothing....

Snow plowing???

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:37:01 -0600

This is how my brother rolls with his snow plowing. Not to shabby in my opinion.

Mathews Monster For SaleSOLD

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:25:33 -0600

***Mathews Monster 6.0***
-New Last Summer
-Black limb/black riser
-Mathews Barracuda Custom Flame color string and cable
-25.5" draw length mods
-60# limbs
-Bare bow (Mathews Dead End string stop included)
-$625 TYD Firm

Very Impressed!

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:30:52 -0600

Guys, recently I was able to speak with the guys from Soar No More Decoys and get them aboard as a sponsor of the Waterfowlers Network. I was so interested in their products that I ordered some of the pigeon silos and the movie Pigeon Blastin 1. To make along story short, the stuff showed up at my door last week, the decoys look awesome and the video is 2 hours of pigeon mayem! I have been super busy and finally was able to get out today for 45 minutes and try them out. After I secured permission on the farm, I quickly set out a dozen decoys and it didn't take long......before I had my gun loaded I had birds circling the deeks!!!! In 3/4's of an hour I had 12 birds laying in the decoys! Wish I could have stayed longer, I can see this is going to get real addicting!

I snapped a quick picture to show you the size of the deeks vs real pigeons, the realism is unbeleivable.
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=133

Check out Soar No More's site here----> http://soarnomore.com/

Win a case of Black Cloud� Snow Goose

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:27:36 -0600

Win a case of Black Cloud� Snow Goose

http://www.blackcloudammo.com/sweepstakes/default.aspx

New DSD's coming in June 2010

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:22:26 -0600

If it works the way it's promoted the DSD will be the best decoy ever. Bigfoot durability with the DSD realism. No bagging needed, paint sticks better than ever.

A.C.E. Technology Features:
Hands-down, the most durable and user-friendly decoy ever made!
Superior Paint Adhesion, even better than prior DSD models!
Self-healing - can be shot with very little if any noticeable wear!
Soft material makes for quiet transport through the turkey woods!
Perfect Memory - if crushed A.C.E. will pop back to shape!
Stays flexible and durable in frigid temps!
Maintains it�s shape and doesn�t hold dents in high temps!
Packable and semi-compressable to fit more decoys in a smaller space!
No increase in price, thanks to new, more efficient production methods!
No increase in weight, despite drastic increase in strength!
Casts in fine details extremely well!
No more bagging decoys!
Available on all 2010 DSD Turkey Decoys!

A.C.E. Goose Decoys coming June of 2010!

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=125
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=126
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=127
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=128
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=129
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=130

Amazing story of Locked Deer Horns!!!

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 20:25:17 -0600

Amazing story of Locked Deer Horns!!! (I received on an e-mail today)

The power of this deer is incredible to drag a dead deer around for a few days.

On November 6, a relative, Dona V, called to tell us that she was driving to Canton , South Dakota and had seen a buck in the distance with his head down. It wasn't moving, and although she honked the car horn repeatedly, he wouldn't raise his head.

She grabbed her binoculars and looked at him, and saw that the buck's horns were entangled with those of another one, which was dead. So she called us and asked if we wanted an adventure -- untangling the animals! Well, we went, pronto!!! I took my camera and we walked right up to them.

They were tangled in an old fence line just east of a golf course, where some railroad tracks had been.. The live buck was on the high side, and the dead buck on the slope. The other buck had been dead for 2 or 3 days, we estimated.

Terry attempted to break a point off the dead buck's rack with his pliers, but couldn't. He tried turning the dead buck's head but the other one just became more frightened and started backing up.

The live buck had the bigger rack - a 5 x 6. The dead buck was bigger bodied and looked to be an older deer. It had more "stickers" on its rack.

The now scared buck eventually got out of the fence, and out in the open.. Terry pulled an old post out of the fence line and used it to try and pry the racks loose, but it didn't work.

We finally decided to go to a friend's house in order to borrow his chainsaw, but then we thought something quieter would be better, and so got a hacksaw instead. Terry sawed the main beam on the dead buck and then the other one was free!

The buck didn't realize this for probably 30 seconds or so. When he did, he started striking the dead buck in the face repeatedly.

He finally raised his head a little, and then a little more. He stood there with his head held high looking at both of us and we wondered if he was going to try charging us too! Then he turned and ran off rather wobbly. He went a short distance, lay down briefly, and then got up and took off in the direction of the Big Sioux River .

Spring Snows pictures to pass the time

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:34:52 -0600

This is a colaboration of some hunts over the years. Please feel free to add some pictures of your spring snow hunts as well!

13 y/o Blue

Band Ross' and Ross'/Snow hybrid

I don't have words--

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:22:31 -0600

http://www.breitbart.tv/caught-on-tape-sea...tally-attacked/

Snow goose hunt in March (in Missouri, Squaw Creek)

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:01:22 -0600

Snow goose hunt in March (in Missouri, Squaw Creek), under 30 days to go

obama fans joke...

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:00:38 -0600

Little Johnny is not an Obama fan
A teacher asked her 6th grade class how many of them were obama fans.
Not really knowing what an obama fan is, but wanting to be liked by the teacher, all the kids raised their hands except for Little Johnny.

The teacher asked Little Johnny why he has decided to be different... again.
Little Johnny said, "Because I'm not an obama fan."
The teacher asked, "Why aren't you a fan of obama?" Johnny said, "Because I'm a Republican."

The teacher asked him why he's a Republican. Little Johnny answered, "Well, my Mom's a Republican and my Dad's a Republican, so I'm a Republican."

Annoyed by this answer, the teacher asked, "If your mom were a moron and your dad were an idiot, what would that make you?"

With a big smile, Little Johnny replied, "That would make me an obama fan."

Inner monologue of a guy at work durring free donut day....

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:57:32 -0600

Hmm, free donuts, huh? I wonder if that means that something bad is about to happen. Like, "Sorry, you're getting laid off. Have a donut." I wouldn't be surprised. Well, anyway, I might as well take one of these babies.

Let's see, there's the chocolate with sprinkles, and there's a chocolate without sprinkles. Well, why wouldn't you choose the one with sprinkles if you have the option? I can't think of a single good reason. This chocolate donut with sprinkles looks totally manhandled, though. Look at this: there's, like, a finger indent on the top of it. It's pretty obvious that somebody just poked their whole finger into this donut. I was probably Dennis in accounting. I f*ckin' hate that guy. Always laughing, and adding things. He knew I was going to narrow it down to the chocolate with sprinkles donut, and he deliberately sabotaged me. What a dickbag! Well, I got news for you, Dennis: I'm not gonna play your game. I'm not taking that donut. What are you gonna do now, Dennis?! What are you gonna do now?!!

Ooh, maybe I'll just have a jelly-filled donut instead. It's always so hard to tell what's in these, though. You have to touch the little leaky hole on the side and then taste your finger to see what it is. I wonder how many people have already done that this morning. Dennis probably has, that dickbag. What a dickbag that guy is. Seriously. Oh, shit, Stacey the receptionist just came into the break room. Holy balls, is she hot. Okay, she's coming over toward the donuts. Don't panic. Stay calm. Try not to sweat. Whichever donut she chooses, I'll choose the same kind. Then she'll think that we have some kind of bond. Yeah, then she'll start to notice me! Oh, that'll be great! In a few years, we'll be married, and have some kids, and live in a cool house and bone each other non-stop, and it'll all be because of this one, singular moment, at the donut table, when I decided to----

What the f*ck?! What the f*ck was that?!!! Did she just tear a piece off of a donut and leave the rest there? You can't do that! You can NOT f*cking do that!! If you choose a donut, you dedicate yourself to that donut, and you eat the whole damned thing! That's just common donut etiquette!! What kind of a donut whore are you, Stacey?!! Forget it! I will not spend the rest of my life with a breakfast pastry slut like that. I deserve better! I deserve....that bearclaw right there. Oh, the bearclaw. It's not as good as the other donuts, but it's always larger. Quantity over quality, that's the bearclaw's game. God dammit. I swear they just bring these free donuts in here to stress us out.

Discovery Channel: 'Deadliest Catch' captain dies

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:53:05 -0600

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=121

Phil Harris, the fishing boat captain whose adventures off the Alaska coast were captured on the television show "Deadliest Catch", has died, the Discovery Channel said Tuesday night. He was 53.

Harris suffered what his family described as a massive stroke on Jan. 29 while the fishing vessel he captained, Cornelia Marie, was in port at St. Paul Island, Alaska. The fisherman was flown to Anchorage for surgery.

The reality show, which has filmed five seasons, has been one of the Discovery Channel's most popular and depicts the crab fishing industry in the dangerous waters off Alaska.

"It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our dad - Captain Phil Harris. Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end," sons Josh and Jake Harris said in a statement released by the network. "For us and the crew, he was someone who never backed down."

In a statement, Discovery Channel senior vice president Elizabeth Hillman says, "Phil was a devoted father and loyal friend to all who knew him."

"We will miss his straightforward honesty, wicked sense of humor and enormous heart," she said.

In an e-mail to The Associated Press, she said no additional information was immediately available Tuesday night.

Harris had seemed to be improving, and in a posting last Saturday on the ship's Web site, he was described as "talking to friends and family today; showing his greatest progress" since the stroke.

His sons wrote in a Feb. 3 posting that "No one ever said Captain Phil Harris wasn't tough. Today, dad showed some good signs of improvement, squeezing our hands and even summoning his trademark Captain's bluntness ... We are encouraged but still very cautious."

According to the ship's Web site, Harris started working on fishing boats at age 7 and started work 10 years later on a crab boat. When Harris turned 21, he ran a fishing vessel out of Seattle, making him one of the youngest to captain a vessel in the Bering Sea.

When Harris suffered the stroke, the family said a friend, Derek Ray, had flown to St. Paul to take over the role of relief skipper for the rest of the opilio crab season.

Harris' fishing vessel was based in Seattle.

A Hunting Memory Not Soon Forgotten!!

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:08:03 -0600

Short drop or I5 KLR?

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:09:49 -0600

Hey guys, looking at buying a new cackler goose call. Looking at the DRC short drop and the Saunders I5 KLR. I don't have a good sporting goods store around here to where I can go and try them out. Looking for some opinions to help with my decision. Please let me know if you have one and what you think of it or if you have tried them both and please tell me why you chose one or the other. Thanks for the help.

Short drop or I5 KLR?

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:07:39 -0600

It's been a good year so far..

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:56:08 -0600

I've been to the game farm 3 times this year already and each time gets better than the last. Very Happy

I got a new camcorder that I've been trying to get footage with and I've been learning how to use iMovie 09 as well.

Here is my first hunting video...enjoy

Before and After

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:41:06 -0600

The new Illinois non-typical record in the field and on the wall It scored 268 and change, and it is one beauty of a mount

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=119

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=120

Big Set of Sheds

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:31:21 -0600

A friend of a friend found this big set in Monroe County, WI.

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=117
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=118

Burlapped Foam Decoys (Pics)

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:51:26 -0600

ICDEDDUX requested me to post up some pictures of some of the decoys that I have worked on.

Here is a pictures of the bluebill that I finished a couple weeks back. I put way to much time and effort into it, but hell it passed the time by.
Ready for painting

Finished

Here are 3 Snow goose floaters that I had worked on.
GHG that I used as a comparison and the carved one.

Finished Sentry

Rough sleeper carving and another sleeper carving

All 3 completed floaters

Thanks for looking!

Don't wear a rabbit skin hat

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:09:53 -0600

Last chance hunt

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:07:44 -0600

Had the chance to get out for one last hunt. Had some good times with some good friends.

Shot the cackler after we took the group picture.

Bear Anatomy 101

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:05:00 -0600

This is a great cut away that Woody Sanford of Magnus Broadheads made picture by picture to show true anitomical content.

QUOTE

The distance between the humorus and the ribcage runs about 4-5.5" on mature black bears and 7-9 on a mature interior griz. Attempting to shoot up tight to the shoulder like you do on deer can cause you to miss the vitals altogether, passing through between the ribcage and leg. The majority of those shot and lost here in AK over baits are shot just like this.

The point of center for the heart averages roughly 7-8cm behinde the shoulder line of a standing broadside bear, so on bears you need to back off the shoulder a bit to "center punch" the vitals. There is a misconception that bears don't bleed very well. Bear hair does not shed blood or water very well but if you do hit them well you will still have a good blood trail.

New Video! The most effective snow goose spread

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:01:07 -0600

The spring snow goose season is here and I cannot wait to get my first tornado of birds to decoy in close.

If you are like me and have bitten by the snow goose bug you know how important decoys and decoy spreads are.

Click the link below to watch a video where I explain how we set are decoys and why. Trust me, it works!

http://performancecalls.com/snow_goose_decoy_spread.html

I hope this helps you decoy a few more birds this year,

Chris

Making YOU a Better Caller!
Chris Holste
Performance Calls
www.performancecalls.com

Performance Calls
21243 Independence Ave.
Lakeville, MN 55044
USA

The Wrightnows

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:44:34 -0600

My kids love this commercial.

Broadhead Damage Pics (Graphic)

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:42:57 -0600

QUOTE

Got this photo from Dave Oligee, the owner of Simmons Broadheads. One of his customers shot this doe with a Simmons Land Shark. I think the doe jumped the string and turned her face toward the shot. I'll try and get some more detail on how this happened.

Australian Banker Caught Looking At Racy Images Of Model Miranda Kerr On Live Television

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:50:27 -0600

Look at the guy sitting at his desk, the monitor (left side).

Looking for Goose hunting equp. please look

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:11:25 -0600

Hi, im looking for some Big Foot, Full body Decoys, and Avery finisher blind. If you are willing to ship that would be great, thanks for reading

Lock Em Up---Throw Away The Key

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:38:23 -0600

Hunter Who Killed Son Rearrested for DWI
Updated: Monday, 01 Feb 2010, 11:32 PM CST
Published : Monday, 01 Feb 2010, 10:14 PM CST

The hunter, who mistakenly killed his son, was rearrested after violating the terms of his probation for allegedly driving under the influence.

Leo Albretch came home to find his mail scattered across the street a week and a half ago. His wife thought vandals had destroyed their mailbox, but it turned out to be the latest warning sign from a man who's had his share of trouble over the last couple of years.

Albretch says he was approached a few minutes later by Anthony Klaseus, who admitted he'd hit Albretch's mailbox with his side-view mirror. Klaseus later told police he had had five beers at his parent's house at the end of the cul-de-sac, where he'd been house sitting.

Even though he blew a .07 on a portable breathalyzer, which is below the legal limit to drive, police say Klaseus failed a field sobriety test. They also found two beer cans on the floor of his pickup truck and officers arrested him on suspicion of drunk driving. This isn't the first time Klaseus has been in trouble with the law.

Nearly two years ago, he shot and killed his 8-year-old son, Hunter, after mistaking him for a turkey while the two were hunting near Belle Plaine. At the time of the shooting, Klaseus had drugs in his system. Prosecutors say his arrest for driving under the influence violates his probation for manslaughter because he's not allowed to have any drugs or alcohol or break the law.

Albretch was able to repair his mailbox within a few days but he says it'll be much harder for his neighbor's son to put his life back together.

A judge gave him 60 days in jail as well as 90 days of electronic home monitoring after that. He must also undergo chemical assessment within 30 days and still faces penalties for his DWI.

Nice Shed Antler

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:42:08 -0600

Found a good one today

Trailer for Sale

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:45:57 -0600

Hey gang,
I have a 6 X 8 Trailer made from an old camper bottom.
Not sure you could tow a wheeler with it but it works perfect for hauling gear behind a 4 wheeler
or in my case, my dogs and training gear. You can gut it even keep all the lumber in the trailer that I've used
for storage. I just don't use it anymore. It has lights that work and the tailgate drops down in the back.

Asking only 200 for it but would be willing to negotiate.
Located in Birchwood, WI. I'll dig it out of the snow if you want it!!!! LOL

email kghops@yahoo.com for more info.
or pm me.

Kg

New snow goose loads coming soon

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 13:34:59 -0600

New snow goose loads coming soon......if there not out already???

http://www.blackcloudammo.com/

New call from Lisella Calls

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 21:10:27 -0600

New call from Lisella Calls (sponsor), Nice call Brian, Thanks. (yes, the painted thing in the back was from my 2 year old daughter) http://www.lisellacalls.com/

Just got this pm!!! Is it real of fake????

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 12:44:49 -0600

Kevin or Todd just got this pm I didn't open the link but wanted to give everyone a heads up. Don't open the link!!!

Dear(s), AJB!

A virus alert was noticed on your computer.
We highly recommend you to check your computer and perform online virus check at our site immediately: http://antivirus.effectmeds.com
----------------------------------------------------
Sincerely, Forum Administration fieldhunts.com.

A Preacher.........

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:30:20 -0600

A Preacher announced one Sunday that he must move on to a larger congregation that could pay him more.

There is a hush within the congregation. No one wanted him to leave.

Joe Smith, who owns several car dealerships in the City stands up and proclaims, 'If the Preacher stays, I will provide him with a new Cadillac every year, and his wife with a Honda mini-van to transport
their children!'

The congregation sighs in relief, and applauds.

Sam Brown, a successful entrepreneur and investor, stands and says, 'If the Preacher will stay on here, I'll personally double his salary, and also establish a foundation to guarantee the college education of all his children!'

More sighs and loud applause.

Sadie Jones, age 88, stands and announces with a smile, 'If the Preacher stays, .... I will give him sex!'

There is total silence.

The Preacher, blushing, asks her, 'Mrs. Jones, whatever possessed you to say that?'

Sadie's 90 year old husband Jake is now trying to hide, holding his forehead with the palm of his hand, and shaking his head from side to side, while his wife replies, 'Well, I just asked my husband how we could help, and he said, 'Screw him!'

Isn't senility wonderful?

Snowgoose Smack Down

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 13:22:50 -0600

Snowgoose Smack Down

NFL Today

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 12:39:23 -0600

Vikings -vs- Saints, (Vikings win by 6)

Colts -vs- Jets, (Colts win by 14)

Of course, all finals are a guess Go Favre, win it all and retire again

Hicks agrees to sell Rangers to Nolan Ryan group

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 08:31:17 -0600

Tom Hicks has agreed to sell the Texas Rangers to a group that includes Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan.

The sides announced Saturday night that they had finally reached an agreement, eight days after a 30-day exclusive negotiating window expired. The group is headed by Pittsburgh sports attorney Chuck Greenberg.

"Together, we have worked exhaustively since last month to attain this agreement," Hicks said in a statement. "It's a complex business deal that positions the franchise positively for the future."

The purchase price is expected to be more than $500 million.

The next step is the deal has to be reviewed by baseball's executive and ownership committees. Then at least 75 percent of baseball owners would have to approve the transfer of ownership from Hicks to Greenberg's group.

A group of 40 lenders holding debt from Hicks Sports Group also has to approve.

There is a chance the deal could be approved before the April 5 opener, though the process could continue into the season.

Hicks Sports Group defaulted early last year on $525 million in loans tied to the Rangers and the NHL's Dallas Stars, which Hicks has owned since 1996. Hicks has said that was a deliberate move to force lenders to renegotiate terms of the deals.

Hicks, who bought the Rangers in 1998, put the team up for sale to help pay off or reduce that debt. He has said he plans to keep his NHL team.

Greenberg has asked Hicks to continue his association with the Rangers as chairman emeritus.

"Nolan and I greatly appreciate Tom Hicks' willingness to work beyond the deadline to complete the deal and his support for passing the torch from the Hicks family to our group," Greenberg said. "His actions speak eloquently to his commitment to serve the best interests of Rangers fans and the community."

In a separate transaction, Ballpark Real Estate, L.P., an independent investment vehicle controlled by Hicks, will sell or transfer to the Greenberg-Ryan group approximately 153 of 195 acres around Rangers Ballpark and Cowboys Stadium that is owned or controlled by Hicks. In return, Hicks will receive cash, notes, and an ownership position in the team.

Hicks announced Dec. 15 that he was entering in exclusive negotiations with Greenberg, choosing that proposal over bids submitted by former sports agent Dennis Gilbert and Houston businessman Jim Crane, who at the end of the 2008 season attempted to buy the Houston Astros from Drayton McLane.

At one point before going into negotiations with Greenberg, Hicks was trying to put together a group of local investors for a bid in an effort to maintain controlling ownership of the team.

After the 30-day exclusive negotiating window expired on Jan. 15, Greenberg and Ryan issued a midnight statement saying they had "come too far to walk away now" and were prepared to work around the clock if that's what it took to reach a final agreement.

If the deal is approved by baseball, Greenberg will become managing general partner and CEO of the Rangers while Ryan will continue as team president, the position he was hired for two years ago.

Love Those Fox Bodies!

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:30:35 -0600

two scopes for sale

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:37:29 -0600

I have two scopes for sale. The tasco is used but the Thompson Center scope is brand new.

The Tasco is a 4x32 fixed scope. Used to be on my .243 but hasn't been on my rifle for 3 years now. Would like to get $25 bucks shipped for it.

The second scope is a Thompson Center Hawken Hunter Series 1x32. I saw these all over the internet for $120 to $130 plus shipping so I will sell it for $110 shipped.

Below is the pic. The T/C is the smaller of the scopes.

PHOTOGRAPHING YOUR BIG GAME TROPHIES

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:25:50 -0600

Trophy pictures showing hunters with game they have taken have been the primary means of recording hunting successes since the advent of cameras.

Early photographs of game trophies were often taken after the trophies were removed from the field because not many people had cameras, and the cameras of the day were difficult to take afield. Many of these photographs were taken at a place where a camera was available such as at a hunting camp or at the home of one of the hunters.

Early photographs were composed with the animals the hunters had taken laid out on the ground, hung on a meat pole, or displayed on the vehicles used to transport the game from the field.

Such photographs were the norm 60 years ago and served the purpose of recording the hunt. Since that time, societal values and sensitivities have changed dramatically. Many practices of the past are no longer considered to be in good taste. Just as the practice of transporting big game animals on the fender of a vehicle is no longer considered appropriate, the publication of trophy photographs which do not display the animal in a discreet and respectful way is no longer acceptable.

As ethical hunters, we need to be sensitive to the image we communicate to other hunters and to the non-hunting public. In spite of all that has been done in the area of hunter ethics, big game animals continue to be photographed on or in the back of vehicles, hanging in garages, or lying in a heap on the ground with little thought being given to composing the photograph and displaying the animal properly.

Photographs such as these are the result of the hunter not having a camera while afield and little thought being given to how the photo is composed. Even when it is not possible to photograph a big game animal in the field, discrete photographs may be taken in one's backyard or some other natural area. Interestingly enough, some of the field photographs submitted with trophy entries to the Boone and Crockett Club's Awards Program show little regard for the animal or the composition of the photograph. These photographs serve the purpose of recording the animal's size, antler configuration and other features, but are not suitable for publishing in Boone and Crockett Club publications. It is the editorial policy of the Club to only publish field photographs of big game animals which present the animal in a discreet and respectful way.

THE CAMERA
The first thing one needs to take good field photographs of trophy animals is a camera at the scene of the kill. Today's cameras are technological wonders and there is a wide variety of light, compact cameras that will do the job.

My favorite camera is an Olympus XA. This little camera fits into my shirt pocket and literally goes everywhere I go while hunting. It has been with me on backpack hunts from the peaks of the Alaska range and the tundra of the Alaska Peninsula to the mountains of Wyoming and the breaks of the Snake River in Idaho's Hell's Canyon. Through the years it has performed flawlessly.

What makes it so great? It is lightweight, has an excellent glass lens, is mechanically reliable and has a foolproof self-timer, which is especially important if you take an animal and your partner is on the opposite ridge. Some of my very best photos of trophy animals are those I have taken with a self-timer.

Since big game animal are most attractive early in the morning and later in the afternoon, light is a consideration when taking photographs. The best photos are generally taken in bright, warm sunlight. Most modern films work fine under these circumstances.

When you are photographing early in the morning or late in the afternoon, you need a film with an ASA that will do the job for you. I like to use 100 ASA color slide or print film since it is fast enough for most light conditions and has a fine enough grain to be enlarged up to and including 20 x 24 inch poster prints.

The issue of color slides or prints is one we could argue for some time. I take both kinds of color film. I use the slides for recording the hunting trip and shoot both slides and color prints when taking trophy photographs. I also carry one roll of high-speed black and white film just in case I need it for marginal light conditions or special effects. When one considers the cost of the hunt, the cost of a few extra rolls of film is negligible. I always take several extra rolls of film and take lots of pictures, especially when taking field photographs. I use different camera angles and light settings looking for that one perfect photo.

COMPOSING THE PHOTO
The first thing I do when taking a trophy photo is to look over the area where I have taken the animal and mentally compose the photograph. Consider the background and make use of the natural beauty of the area whenever possible. Then situate the animal so you can take advantage of the natural background to the greatest extent possible.

Sometimes you will not be able to move the animal due to its size or the terrain. In such cases, you will have to do your best and go with what you have. Set the animal up so it is presented in a respectful way. Tongues hanging out, blood on the animal or the ground, bullet holes showing in the body and legs askew detract from the photograph and contribute to distasteful photographs. Place the animals' legs up under the body and set it up so it looks as natural as possible. Wipe off any blood that may be present. I always carry five or six squares of paper towel in my hunting pack for this purpose.

Check to be sure your rifle or bow is pointed in a safe direction if it is to be included in the picture. Be sure that hunting gear such as ropes, knives and lunch sacks that will detract from the photo are not in the photo. If you are unable to take the photo while in the field check to be sure that the area where you are taking the photo is as natural as possible and does not include items that will detract from the overall quality of the photo or the animal being photographed.

Get up as close as possible and look the situation over through your viewfinder. The closer you get, the better the animal will look. Look for anything distracting around the edges. Remove limbs, brush, or grass that are in the way. Check the sun angle and the need to compensate for back lighting. Frame the scene and check all four edges of the photo so that you do not cut anything out. Finally focus the camera and shoot.

It is a good idea to take several photographs from several angles and use different parts of the scene as the point of focus. If you have an autofocus camera, be mindful of what the camera is focusing on. If your depth of field is short and you focus on the nose of an animal, such as an elk, the hunter may be out of focus. If you focus on the hunter, the animal may be out of focus. When in doubt take lots of photos.

I like to take trophy photographs from a very low angle and use the sky or the background to frame the photograph. The animal will show up better when you do this. When I'm alone I use a small, lightweight tripod and set the camera on the tripod on the ground. My favorite tripod is one sold by Recreational Equipment Company in Seattle, Washington. It is made of high-impact plastic, weighs a few ounces, folds up nicely and has a velcro strip for attaching the tripod to a limb, bush, or backpack. This tripod will double as a support for a spotting scope. If I do not have a tripod, I set the camera on a rock, piece of wood, or whatever is handy.

The final point in taking a good trophy photograph is to not hurry. Take your time and attend to every detail. This is your best, and sometimes only, opportunity to take a great photograph and record a special moment.

By George Bettas

New Ohio Muzzleloader Record Could Have Longest Main Beams Ever Recorded.

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:41:40 -0600

New Ohio Muzzleloader Record Could Have Longest Main Beams Ever Recorded.

Okay, it�s not official quite yet. But unless a buck�s main beam can shrink by almost two inches in 60 days, you are looking at least the longest left main beam and likely the longest two beams recorded on a whitetail deer�ever. On November 30th, the opening day of Ohio �s gun season, 39-year-old software developer Brian Stephens dropped this 18-point colossus at 80 yards with his .50 caliber T/C muzzleloader. The enormous buck should shatter The Buckeye State�s nontypical muzzleloader record and will almost certainly set the new mark for whitetail beam length.

Champion duck caller dies in Tuesday accident

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:45:52 -0600

Champion duck caller dies in Tuesday accident

FORT MADISON -- Bernard A. Boyle, a nationally known champion duck caller and duck call maker from Danville, died Tuesday morning in a two-vehicle crash north of Fort Madison.

Boyle, 47, was traveling southbound in a minivan on 303rd Avenue early Tuesday morning when his vehicle was struck broadside on the passenger side by a pickup driven by Todd Richard Pardall, 45, of 2126 Golden Road, West Point, who was traveling eastbound on 180th Avenue and failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection of the two roads.

Both vehicles entered the southeast ditch of the intersection, according to the Lee County Sheriff's office. The minivan came to rest on its top in a private drive and the pickup came to rest in the ditch near the minivan.

Boyle died from injuries sustained in the accident. Pardall was transported to Fort Madison Community Hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash.

The Lee County Sheriff's office was assisted at the scene by Denmark Fire and Rescue, fort Madison Fire and Rescue and Lee County EMS Ambulance.

The investigation continues and charges are pending, according to the sheriff's office.

Boyle was a founding member of the Mississippi Valley Callers Association and two-time winner of the World Championship Duck Calling Contest, in 2002 and 2004. He also won the Champion of Champions Contest in 2005.

Boyle sold his line of duck and goose calls through a Web site, mallardmauler.com.

Early line for this weekends NFL games.

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:51:39 -0600

Early line for this weekends NFL games.

Calling Classic seeks competitors

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 07:33:17 -0600

Calling Classic seeks competitors
Competitive duck and goose callers will test their skills again in Burlington IA next month at the Mississippi Valley Waterfowl Calling Classic.

Nearly $3,000 in cash prizes are offered in four categories at the Feb. 6 event at Catfish Bend Casino and Pzazz Resort, according to Randy Vorwerk of the Mississippi Valley Callers Association.

The Iowa State Duck Calling Contest will start at 8:30 a.m. The first-place winner will get $500 and a plaque. Second and third place will get $150 and $100, respectively.

It will be followed by a calling clinic for youth, with a youth calling contest at midmorning. There will be contests for children 12 and under, and for contestants 13, 14, 15 and 16. Cash, prizes and plaques will be offered.

At noon, contestants will vie for the $1,000 first-place prize in the goose-calling contest. Second and third place will get $200 and $100, respectively.

It will be followed by the Mississippi Valley Regional Duck Calling Contest at 2 p.m. That contest offers the first-place finisher $500 and a plaque, $200 and $100 for second and third place, respectively.

No pre-registration is necessary for these events. Registrations will be completed from 7:30 to 11 a.m. the morning of the event.

Registration fees are:

* $30 for the Iowa State Duck Calling Contest;

* $10 for the Mississippi Valley Youth Duck Calling Contest (Up to age 16);

* $50 for the Open Goose Calling Contest

* $35 for the Mississippi Valley Regional Duck Calling Contest

Do You Feel Lucky?

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 07:32:06 -0600

Do You Feel Lucky?
Deadline for Delta Truck Raffle is Jan. 20th

Want to start 2010 by doing something extra special for the ducks and also have a chance to win a new truck?

Delta�s annual truck raffle is the ticket for you. In fact, tickets are available for $300 and only 325 will be sold�excellent odds by any standard. The drawing is Jan. 22th, and the lucky winner will receive a new Ford F150 Super Crew 4x4. Proceeds from the raffle will directly into Delta�s research and duck-production program efforts.

Tickets can be purchased online or by contacting our Bismarck office toll free at 1-888-987-3695. The deadline is Jan. 20, after which the winner will be notified (offer valid in the U.S. only).

Thank you for your continued support of Delta Waterfowl and our programs for ducks and duck hunters.

http://www.deltawaterfowl.org/offers/truckraffle.php

Custom FFD's

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:30:53 -0600

Fully, well, almsot fully flocked Ringers!

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=104

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=105

Take a Second From Your Day

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:17:53 -0600

XEROX IS DOING SOMETHING COOL

If you go to this web site, http://www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving overseas. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services.

How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! It is FREE and it only takes a second.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? Whether you are for or against the war, our soldiers over there need to know we are behind them.

This takes just 10 seconds and it's a wonderful way to say thank you. Please take the time and please take the time to pass it on for others to do. We can never say enough thank you's.

Thanks for taking to time to support our military!

Great sales at rogers!

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 16:36:49 -0600

Just was on the rogers website and they have some good year end sales!!

http://store.rogerssportinggoods.com/servl.../183/Categories

Seen one today

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:25:33 -0600

at one of the local dealers, same color and all.

Pretty bad ass

Investigation into illegal wolf killings

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:06:01 -0600

Investigation into illegal wolf killings

Duluth, Minn. (AP) -- Federal agents are investigating a recent rash of illegal wolf killings across northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Tuesday asked for the public's help in finding suspects in 16 wolf killings across the three states in November and December.

Two wolves were killed in Minnesota, eight in Wisconsin and six in Michigan.

Wolf populations have rebounded over the last 30 years, but the gray wolf remains under protection of the federal Endangered Species Act.

The Fish and Wildlife Service is offering up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of people who kill wolves. Wolf advocacy groups have added money to the rewards.

The TRUE Alaskan Adventure

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:11:41 -0600

During a private "fly-in" fishing excursion in the Alaskan wilderness, the chartered pilot and fishermen left a cooler and bait in the plane, a bear smelled it. This is what he did to the plane.
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=98
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=99
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=100
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=101

The pilot used his radio and had another pilot bring him 2 new tires, 3 cases of duct tape, and a supply of sheet plastic. He patched the plane together, and FLEW IT HOME !

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=102
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=103

Roger Maris

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:02:41 -0600

With McGwire admitting steroid use, Bonds juiced, Maris the single season home run king again, legitimately?? My opinion, he is....... Will Bud Selig have the balls to correct the record???

Mark McGwire admits using steroids when he broke home run record

Mark McGwire finally came clean Monday, admitting he used steroids when he broke baseball�s home run record in 1998.

McGwire says in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Monday that he used steroids on and off for nearly a decade and he apologizes for his actions.

He says: �I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era.�

Spring snow goose hunting, anyone going??

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:50:41 -0600

Spring snow goose hunting, anyone going?? We booked with Dead-Leaf'n Guide Service http://dead-leafn.com/Home_Page.php for the 1st weekend in March. My 1st snow goose hunt. We have a couple of guides on the sites that sponsor us, please check them out if interested in going on a spring snow goose hunt.

http://dead-leafn.com/Home_Page.php

http://www.gooseandducksmackers.com/

http://www.oklahomawaterfowl.com/

http://www.nebraskaoutdoorexperience.com/

http://hookedonhonkers.com/

http://www.blackduckoutfitters.com/

http://www.showmesnowgeese.com/

http://www.cuppedwings.ca/ourhunts.htm

Snow Goose Shells for Sale

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:22:53 -0600

Snow Goose Shells for Sale http://ilwaterfowlers.com/viewtopic.php?t=...12292d3f757a23a

Mark McGwire admits using steroids when he broke home run record

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:08:02 -0600

Mark McGwire admits using steroids when he broke home run record

Mark McGwire finally came clean Monday, admitting he used steroids when he broke baseball�s home run record in 1998.

McGwire says in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Monday that he used steroids on and off for nearly a decade and he apologizes for his actions.

He says: �I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era.�

HAVE POLITICAL CARTOONISTS ACTUALLY AWAKENED!!

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:44:29 -0600

HAVE POLITICAL CARTOONISTS ACTUALLY AWAKENED!!

made some snow goose windsocks today

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:07:12 -0600

Got a wild hair today and talked the wife into sewing up my windsock bodies today. Then after that I hand sewed in the plastic circle in the front to allow the air to go into the sock. Then I put duct tape on the inside of them and cut a small slice through the sock where the duct tape is. Next I put the dowels(which I ran out of) through the sock. Now all that is left is to spray paint the x on them. Painted one today so I could take the pics.

Here is the body sewed up with the plastic ring sewed in also.

Here is the body with the dowel installed.

Here is the finished product. Nothing fancy but some cheap decoys and some good motion. Anything is better than those texas rags!!!

Retriever saves 11-year-old boy from cougar attack

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 13:03:49 -0600

Retriever saves 11-year-old boy from cougar attack in Boston Bar

A golden retriever saved his 11-year-old owner from a cougar attack Saturday in Boston Bar, BC.
Angel leapt a full 1.5 metres above the ground, sailed over a lawn mower and intercepted a cougar mid-air, just as it was about to pounce on 11-year-old Austin Forman.

The cougar got Angel, a golden retriever, around the neck and the two animals fell to the ground, the cougar�s jaws clamped tight around the dog�s neck.

Austin ran inside, frantic and screaming.

�I was terrified,� said Austin. �My dog saved my life, but now the cougar had him.�

Austin had been bringing firewood in from the backyard woodshed at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday in a Boston Bar subdivision, a regular chore.

But this time, as he paused with his wheelbarrow full of wood, he heard the sound of something crunching across the snow.

He turned and saw a dark shadow just an arm�s length from him. Then it charged. Angel jumped, leaping at the cougar.

Austin�s panicked mother, Sherri, immediately called her husband, who was at his dad�s place, and then called 911.

Within minutes, the howling and crying of the animals had stopped. From inside the house, �all we could hear was the heavy breathing of the cougar,� said Austin�s 17-year-old sister Holly.

�He had Angel�s head in his mouth and was suffocating her.�

RCMP Const. Chad Gravelle happened to be at the station, not far from the Forman home.

�I got the call that there was a cougar mauling a child, and that it was Austin,� said Gravelle.

�He�s a good little guy, and I was just hoping nothing was happening to him.�

Gravelle rushed to the house. �The daughter came out, everyone was crying. They said the cougar had the dog.�

Gravelle�s first thought was �Thank Christ he doesn�t have the boy.�

Then he drew his gun. There was no second thought.

�I ran through the house and out the back.�

Gravelle told everyone to stay inside.

�I leaned over and I could see the tail coming out from under the porch, and I could see the cougar had the dog at its neck.�

Gravelle paused. �I wanted to hit the cougar and miss the dog. They were all tangled up together.�

He took his time to aim and line up his shot, three or four seconds at most.

The first shot got the cougar in the hind end, said Gravelle. He hoped that would be enough, but the cougar only growled and clamped down harder on the dog�s head.

Gravelle shot again, this time hitting the cougar in the head.

Inside the house, Austin heard two loud bangs.

�It was very exciting to see him take action right away to get that cougar away from our dog, that he didn�t hesitate,� said Austin.

But when his father, Jay, and Gravelle pulled Angel out from under the porch and lay her in the snow, she didn�t move.

�I thought she was dead,� said Austin. He didn�t want to go outside.

�When we got the cougar off of her, she was barely breathing,� said Jay. �All of a sudden she took a big deep breath.�

Angel began to drag herself through the snow, rubbing her face in it, trying to clear the blood away. Slowly she raised herself up.

�All of a sudden its lungs filled with air and it stood up, like a person shaking off a long sleep,� said Gravelle. �It was unreal.�

�She�s up,� cried Jay.

Austin and the rest of the family came out and down the back stairs.

Angel, her eyes covered in blood, her fur matted and torn, went from person to person, sniffing them until she got to Austin.

�She stopped at my son,� said Jay. �Once she had smelled him and made sure the cougar didn�t get him, she went back and flopped down.�

Austin threw his arms around Angel. �I thanked her and petted her and gave her a hug.

�After I found out that she was alive, I was very joyful,� said Austin.

�I�m happy that my dog is all right and that the cougar didn�t get a chance to harm anyone else.�

He said that before the attack, he�d noticed the rambunctious one-year-old retriever was behaving oddly.

The dog stuck a little too close to him as he pushed the wheelbarrow through the snow, and then lay down in front of the woodshed door, as if to block it as he loaded up.

Usually Angel would be tearing around the yard, playing, only coming if she was called.

As Austin emptied the first load from wheelbarrow in the house, he told his mom he thought Angel was finally learning to behave.

The attack happened as he stopped for a second to rest as he wheeled the second load across the yard.

While there had been reports of a cougar being spotted in the area, no one was too worried. The woodshed was in the backyard, and besides, cougars didn�t usually cross to that side of the Fraser River.

Austin�s grandfather, Lloyd Foreman commended Gravelle. �We can�t say enough about the quick response by the officer involved.�

Angel will be taken to Chilliwack veterinary hospital today for a checkup, but other than some puncture wounds and tears, it looks like she�ll be all right.

�She loved to play in the snow, so we used to call her our snow Angel,� said Jay. �Now we call her our guardian angel.�

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=95

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=96

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=97

Misc...

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:17:48 -0600

Misc....

A hunter was crossing a road one day when a frog called out to him and said, "If you kiss me, I'll turn into a beautiful princess." He bent over, picked up the frog and put it in his pocket.
The frog spoke up again and said, "If you kiss me and turn me back into a beautiful Princess, I will stay with you for one week."
The hunter took the frog out of his pocket, smiled at it and returned it to the pocket. The frog then cried out, "If you kiss me and turn me back into a Princess, I'll stay with you and do anything you want."
Again the hunter took the frog out, smiled at it and put it back into his pocket.
Finally the frog asked, "What is it? I've told you I'm a beautiful Princess, that I'll stay with you for a week and do anything you want. Why won't you kiss me?"
The hunter said, "Look, I'm a avid hunter and when I'm not hunting, I'm fishing, so I don't have time for girlfriends, but a talking frog is really cool!"

Just read this

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 18:07:51 -0600

Posted on another forum-

John Smith started the day early having set his alarm clock

(MADE IN JAPAN ) for 6 am.

While his coffeepot

(MADE IN CHINA )

was perking, he shaved with his

electric razor
(MADE IN HONG KONG )

He put on a
dress shirt
(MADE IN SRI LANKA),

designer jeans
(MADE IN SINGAPORE)

and

tennis shoes
(MADE IN KOREA)

After cooking his breakfast in his new
electric skillet
(MADE IN INDIA)

he sat down with his
calculator
(MADE IN MEXICO)

to see how much he could spend today. After setting his
watch
(MADE IN TAIWAN )
to the radio
(MADE IN INDIA )

he got in his car
(MADE IN GERMANY )

filled it with GAS
(from Saudi Arabia )

and continued his search
for a good paying AMERICAN JOB.

At the end of yet another discouraging
and fruitless day
checking his
Computer
(made in MALAYSIA ),

John decided to relax for a while.
He put on his sandals
(MADE IN BRAZIL),
poured himself a glass of
wine
(MADE IN FRANCE)
and turned on his
TV
(MADE IN INDONESIA),

and then wondered why he can't
find a good paying job
in AMERICA

Calico buck

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 13:24:05 -0600

Here is a Buck that a hunter got in WI. He sent these pictures to a bunch of people to see what he could get and the owner of Cabela's paid him $13,000 for the head and hide. A calico buck like the one below is rarer than an albino.

Class A Waste-Bag

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:49:36 -0600

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/22175965/detail.html

Hey what's up?

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:41:13 -0600

Hey everyone, what's up? My name is Adam and I'm new here. I'm from Seattle, where are you guys from?

Got Him Home

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:29:42 -0600

Got back my gun buck euro today.

Before--

After--

Sorry for the crappy pic, still looking for the right spot for him.

Couple to many

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:16:30 -0600

Farm pond last weekend(pic)

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:05:29 -0600

The old man and I hit a farm pond last weekend along with some buddies. Dad and I only fished for a couple hours and then had another christmas to go to so we left early. Had some good luck and caught some nice gills. Biggest one of the day was 10 inches my buddy got him but here is the mess the old man and I brought home.

Snow Camo Review--Gamehide Naked North Snow

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 19:15:31 -0600

Mid Day we hit the woods in search of some Coyote's. The temps were brutal with a steady northwest wind, but sure beats sitting at home. We did a total of 5 sets and managed to roll 2 dogs and capture them on HD video for future video work. After we were done at a few locations, we took some stills to show how well the Ambush Jacket and Pants in Naked North Snow blend in with the winter landscape. These are just a thin, over layer that can be put over your warm base. It hasn't let me down with deer, and it fooled the wary coyote's eyes today.

**Be sure to click on image to view High Quality image**
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=89

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=90

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=91

You can't beat them for the price either, they are on sale for $19.00 and available in 5 camo patterns!

The Tops--> http://www.gamehide.com/Snow-Camo-Cover-Up-p/snj.htm

The Bottoms--> http://www.gamehide.com/Snow-Camo-Cover-Up-p/snp.htm

Get them ordered, and to view all Gamehide's Holiday sale items go here--> https://www.gamehide.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=134
or simply click the banner in my signature to enter the site!

Congrats Coach!

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 18:27:03 -0600

You are the winner in the free giveaway from Gamehide! Pretty simple to pick a # and win FREE gear!!!!

The contest can be viewed here--- > http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?showtopic=182

Please PM me your shipping info so I can get your Gamehide gear on the way! Thanks again Gamehide for the donation and you can view all Gamehide products by clicking the banner below.

What calls do you like?

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 19:24:22 -0600

for Goose I use a Grim Reaper Boarder patrol call, or a Wing Lock Sudden Impact. Both are easy to blow and produce great sound. The Grim Reaper is real "goosey"!! Both are short reeds.

For duck I use a Let Em Work double reed Deadly Deuce call that I changed into a single reed. I also use a River Mallard call that I absolutely LOVE!!!!

Snowmobile trail closed due to Traffic Jam

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:03:36 -0600

Snowmobile trail closed due to Traffic Jam

drawing a tag in WI

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:29:02 -0600

anyone else put in for a tag this year in wisconsin?

What broadheads do you use??

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:23:46 -0600

Just curious as to what broadhead everyone uses for bowhunting? I have tried alot of them but have been using grim reapers the last few years and really like them. I use the 100-125 grain mechanical razortip.

2 Giants..1 Blind..30 Minutes apart

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 09:38:18 -0600

QUOTE

One blind, one evening, one dream hunt! You'll have to see it to believe it!!

This story starts back in July when we got pics of a huge droptine buck that was affectionly named by Audrey Boos "Cookie Monster".. The name stuck!
We got all kinds of pictures of him on the trophy Rock thru the summer and then pics of him on scrapes and pinch points thru the rut, BUT never laid eyes on him thru the whole season, THAT is until last week when he broke my heart skirting the field I was setting in to leave me thinking I would never see him again!
Then yesterday after hunting him for almost 3 mos he appeared again, this time bumping does and AGAIN skirting the food plot I was watching to leave me breathless at 55yds.
This morning the wind was right so Tammi and I popped into our blind, many deer were seen but no sign of CM, however a 8:30 we did see a really big 11 pointer chasing a doe in the timber above us, of course all we could do was hoppe he would chase her by us and he DID NOT!
With only a few days left I decided to get aggresive and move the blind to where I might be able to get a shot if the big Droptine again showed and skirted the field. The blind was moved and brushed in. We were set!
2:00 we are back in the blind and within minutes deer are aproaching the field and it seems our "same day set" was perfect, WE DIDN'T KNOW JUST HOW PERFECT IT WAS!
4:10 And the big 11 from the morning is chasing a doe across the field some 300yds straight to us! I grab the camera, Tammi grabs here bow and we wait, soon the buck has bumped the doe to within 17yds, Tammi heart pounds him with the Rage head and the buck goes down in 50yds. I am excited knowing that Tammi has just5 killed the biggest deer of her life! After we do all the needed "TV" stuff I jokedly say "now the Cookie Monster needs to coime in" Ya right!!!! Well I about fell off my stool when 30 minutes later we look up and behind a doe comes CM!!! He is very cautious and again is skirting the field scent checking the does feeding, however the AM move of the blind was a lucky choice. As the buck turned to nervously leave I settled the pin on him at 37yds and OMG what a feeling to see that arrow bury behind the shoulder of the buck I had been dreaming about all summer! It was an unbelievable moment for both of us, Im not too proud to say there were some excited tears in that Double Bull Blind!
After the recoveries and all the photos and scoring sessions we are still pinching ourselves. We know we are so lucky to have experienced ahunt that is surely a ONCE in a lifetime experience!!!
Tammis 11 pointer had a 23 2/8 inside spread, 26 6/8 beams and scored 180 2/8
"Cookie Monster" had a brow and a drop broke and still grossed 193 6/8

P.S. Thanks to Bob and Audrey for putting up with us this season and my infatuation with a certain buck!
Sorry for the book!

Counterfeit Leupold Riflescope Warning

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:45:48 -0600

Counterfeit Leupold Riflescope Warning

Leupold� is issuing a customer alert to purchasers of products, particularly via Internet sales, in regards to bogus Leupold products that are apparently being illegally imported from the People�s Republic of China. These products bear many of the marks and trade dress of current Leupold & Stevens riflescopes making them very hard to distinguish externally from authentic Leupold products.

In recent months, counterfeited Leupold Mark 4� riflescopes have begun to arrive with increasing regularity at the firm�s Beaverton, Oregon, headquarters for service. These products are not manufactured by Leupold and are not covered by the Leupold Full Lifetime Guarantee.

Leupold employs serial number tracking for all its riflescopes, so if a customer finds a scope that is suspect, he or she can simply write down the serial number and call 1-800-LEUPOLD to confirm if it is indeed authentic.

In general, most of the scopes appear to originate from Hong Kong (People�s Republic of China), and have �Leupold Mark 4� laser engraved on the bottom of the turret in a silver etch, while the black ring on the objective is etched in white and does not include the name �Leupold.� The scopes also do not bear the Leupold medallion, a mark all Leupold scopes will always possess. An authentic Mark 4 riflescope will always be engraved black on black and have the name �Leupold� engraved on the black ring.

Benelli to Reveal New Shotgun - Jan 19, 2010

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:11:14 -0600

Benelli to Reveal New Shotgun - Jan 19, 2010
Benelli USA

Sleek. Beautiful. Italian. She's the lightest auto-loading shotgun in the world. And she's coming January 19, 2010. On that day, the launch of Benelli's newest shotgun will be revealed at the SHOT Show and simultaneously unveiled on the Benelli USA website.

Evoking grace and beauty, the female form has inspired artisans since the dawn of time, and does so no less today. With Benelli's newest offering, Italian designers have blended art and function in a way that every sportsman will appreciate.

"At just under 5 pounds, this is lightest shotgun on the market, chambered in a gauge that many skilled hunters and sportsmen will find not only a delight to handle, but wonderful to shoot." said Stephen McKelvain, Benelli USA's VP of Marketing & Communications. "Benelli combined striking gun art with reliable function, the hallmark of all our products."

Log onto www.benelliusa.com and learn more about the newest Benelli masterpiece.

New Slug Gun

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:05:36 -0600

Gonna try to get one before this summer. Awesome gun.
The Savage 220F

Specs--> http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/models/

Time to get this board started...

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:20:03 -0600

Since this is the taxidermy forum, this should be started by posting a few of your mounts. Show them off. Others may get an idea for a mount of their own. This is one that I had done in Pennsylvania last Christmas. He's sporting a 58" wing span.

I want my money back!

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:14:00 -0600

How bout the Indy fans wanting their money back after the Colts pulled the starters in the 3rd quarter on Sunday? As a sports fan, I go to the games expecting my team to win, especially when the team is 14-0. Pulling the starters seems to be "short changing" the fans.

A Must Have

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:40:08 -0600

I pre-ordered this movie last summer and rec'd it in late August. By far the best waterfowl video I have ever seen..I strongly suggest watching it...I have mine about wore out Here is the trailer.

confused deer

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:17:16 -0600

confused deer

Mad Skillz!

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:56:51 -0600

new hunter dating site

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:30:34 -0600

Greetings I just started a hunter's dating site. I was getting tired of not finding a girlfriend who wanted me to hunt. So I started a site where men and women hunters can go to find like minded people. It's free and fun. I'm on twitter and not a bot if you have questions just check us out.

Check out ***

Gobble Gobble

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 17:07:46 -0600

My Archery Gobbler From 09.......Can't wait---Nebraska in 3 months

Holiday Hunting

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 14:31:59 -0600

Been out in Eastern PA visiting family for the holidays (spend most of my time hunting). Had a few goods hunts so far although slower than the past few years. Shot my first band on the first hunt of the trip!
12/21

12/22

12/23

Heres a game for ya Tim, for the off season...

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:32:32 -0600

Infrared Toy Blaster Electronic Game - Duck Hunter

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=84

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3478970

Deer Fight pics.

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:28:30 -0600

Deer Fight pics.

Happy Holidays My Friends

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:27:08 -0600

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=83

Hoping you guys finished picking up those last minute gifts for your families. It's been crazy over here!

I just want to wish you and your family happy holidays.

After the big day, let us know what you got from Santa.

Enjoy the time guys,
Kevin

Shot Placement Game

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:21:21 -0600

http://bowsite.com/bowsite/features/articl...r/deergeometry/

Drive Thru Pank

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:56:46 -0600

Ringneckslayer's Theme Song

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:19:06 -0600

Pat Reeve's (Driven TV) 09 WI Archery Buck

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:36:13 -0600

"Well...after a long fall PAT finally made it happen in Wisconsin with his new Mathews Z7. A perfect early Christmas present to himself! We've had this tall brow 10 pointer on our Cuddebacks all summer and fall and he finally came in during shooting light last night! My brother Jared was behind the camera and caught it all, way to go boys, that's gettin it done "DRIVEN STYLE" "

Oldie but a goodie

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:30:10 -0600

Roping a Deer
Author unknown - for good reason

Actual letter from someone who farms, He writes well and tried this:

I had this idea that I could rope a deer, put it in a stall, feed it up on corn for a couple of weeks, then kill it and eat it. The first step in this adventure was getting a deer. I figured that, since they congregate at my cattle feeder and do not seem to have much fear of me when we are there (a bold one will sometimes come right up and sniff at the bags of feed while I am in the back of the truck not 4 feet away), it should not be difficult to rope one, get up to it and toss a bag over its head (to calm it down) then hog tie it and transport it home.

I filled the cattle feeder then hid down at the end with my rope. The cattle, having seen the roping thing before, stayed well back. They were not having any of it. After about 20 minutes, my deer showed up-- 3 of them. I picked out a likely looking one, stepped out from the end of the feeder, and threw my rope. The deer just stood there and stared at me. I wrapped the rope around my waist and twisted the end so I would have a good hold.

The deer still just stood and stared at me, but you could tell it was mildly concerned about the whole rope situation. I took a step towards it, it took a step away. I put a little tension on the rope .., and then received an education. The first thing that I learned is that, while a deer may just stand there looking at you funny while you rope it, they are spurred to action when you start pulling on that rope.

That deer EXPLODED. The second thing I learned is that pound for pound, a deer is a LOT stronger than a cow or a colt. A cow or a colt in that weight range I could fight down with a rope and with some dignity. A deer-- no chance.

That thing ran and bucked and twisted and pulled. There was no controlling it and certainly no getting close to it. As it jerked me off my feet and started dragging me across the ground, it occurred to me that having a deer on a rope was not nearly as good an idea as I had originally imagined. The only upside is that they do not have as much stamina as many other animals.

A brief 10 minutes later, it was tired and not nearly as quick to jerk me off my feet and drag me when I managed to get up. It took me a few minutes to realize this, since I was mostly blinded by the blood flowing out of the big gash in my head. At that point, I had lost my taste for corn-fed venison. I just wanted to get that devil creature off the end of that rope.

I figured if I just let it go with the rope hanging around its neck, it would likely die slow and painfully somewhere. At the time, there was no love at all between me and that deer. At that moment, I hated the thing, and I would venture a guess that the feeling was mutual.
Despite the gash in my head and the several large knots where I had cleverly arrested the deer's momentum by bracing my head against various large rocks as it dragged me across the ground, I could still think clearly enough to recognize that there was a small chance that I shared some tiny amount of responsibility for the situation we were in. I didn't want the deer to have to suffer a slow death, so I managed to get it lined back up in between my truck and the feeder - a little trap I had set before hand...kind of like a squeeze chute. I got it to back in there and I started moving up so I could get my rope back.

Did you know that deer bite?

They do! I never in a million years would have thought that a deer would bite somebody, so I was very surprised when ... I reached up there to grab that rope and the deer grabbed hold of my wrist. Now, when a deer bites you, it is not like being bit by a horse where they just bite you and then let go. A deer bites you and shakes its head--almost like a pit bull.. They bite HARD and it hurts.

The proper thing to do when a deer bites you is probably to freeze and draw back slowly. I tried screaming and shaking instead. My method was ineffective.

It seems like the deer was biting and shaking for several minutes, but it was likely only several seconds. I, being smarter than a deer (though you may be questioning that claim by now), tricked it. While I kept it busy tearing the tendons out of my right arm, I reached up with my left hand and pulled that rope loose.

That was when I got my final lesson in deer behavior for the day.

Deer will strike at you with their front feet. They rear right up on their back feet and strike right about head and shoulder level, and their hooves are surprisingly sharp. I learned a long time ago that, when an animal --like a horse --strikes at you with their hooves and you can't get away easily, the best thing to do is try to make a loud noise and make an aggressive move towards the animal. This will usually cause them to back down a bit so you can escape.

This was not a horse.. This was a deer, so obviously, such trickery would not work. In the course of a millisecond, I devised a different strategy. I screamed like a woman and tried to turn and run. The reason I had always been told NOT to try to turn and run from a horse that paws at you is that there is a good chance that it will hit you in the back of the head. Deer may not be so different from horses after all, besides being twice as strong and 3 times as evil, because the second I turned to run, it hit me right in the back of the head and knocked me down.

Now, when a deer paws at you and knocks you down, it does not immediately leave. I suspect it does not recognize that the danger has passed. What they do instead is paw your back and jump up and down on you while you are laying there crying like a little girl and covering your head.

I finally managed to crawl under the truck and the deer went away. So now I know why when people go deer hunting they bring a rifle with a scope to sort of even the odds..

All these events are true so help me God... An Educated, Bruised and Bleeding Rancher.................

Lumenok Shots

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:46:00 -0600

Ha Ha!

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:36:13 -0600

Farm cross or a spec cross?

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:35:56 -0600

Farm cross or a spec cross?

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=82

Ice fishing lake Michigan, wouldn't do it this way...

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:24:18 -0600

Ice fishing lake Michigan, wouldn't do it this way...

Trophy pike through the ice

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:31:49 -0600

Trophy pike through the ice

Wow!

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:26:38 -0600

All I Know--Illinois--Nov 1st 09

2nd season Iowa shotgun deer

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:03:18 -0600

Today was the last day for 2nd season shotgun in Iowa. My brother in laws group shot a monster and to top it off it is still in velvet. Talk about weird. Here is the pic.

"Drive Thru Voice" - Gabriel Iglesias

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 12:55:57 -0600

"Drive Thru Voice" - Gabriel Iglesias

Donations Triple Reward for Information on Shooting of...

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 10:36:26 -0600

Donations Triple Reward for Information on Shooting of Whooping Crane Near Cayuga, Indiana
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Contributions from two organizations have tripled the amount of a reward offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who shot and killed a whooping crane near Cayuga, Indiana.

Washington, D.C. - infoZine - Defenders of Wildlife, a national non-profit conservation organization, and the Indiana Turn in a Poacher or a Polluter Program are each donating $2,500 to the reward for information that leads to an arrest. The total reward is now $7,500.

Wildlife law enforcement agents with the Service and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources are investigating the shooting of the crane, which happened sometime between Saturday, Nov. 28, when the crane was observed by an International Crane Foundation staff member, and Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009, when an ICF volunteer found the carcass along West County Road 310 North, just west of North County Road 225 West.

The Turn in a Poacher or a Polluter Program is a joint effort between the sportsmen and sportswomen of Indiana, concerned citizens and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Through this program, any citizen can anonymously report violations of fishing, hunting and environmental laws, and can be eligible for cash rewards. All of the money contributed to rewards comes from private donations.

�The Indiana TIP Program hopes that the increased reward amount will encourage some good citizen to come forward with information that will lead to the arrest of the person who did this,� said Phil Seng, a member of the TIP Citizen�s Advisory Board. �People who break hunting and fishing laws are not hunters or anglers. They are thieves who steal from all of us.�

Defenders of Wildlife often contributes to rewards for information when endangered or state-listed species are killed, according to Caroline Kennedy, Senior Director of Field Conservation for the organization.

"It is tragic that such an important bird in the recovery effort was killed," Kennedy said. "We hope that the additional reward money that Defenders of Wildlife is providing will help lead to a conviction in the death of this bird."

Observations reported by the public play a key role in solving wildlife crime, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent Buddy Shapp. �People who live in an area notice details that can tell us a lot,� Shapp said. �They sometimes see something or hear something that strikes them as unusual but not necessarily criminal. People might not realize that their observation is significant.�

Anyone with information should call the Indiana Department of Natural Resources 24-hour hotline at: 1-800 TIP IDNR (800-847-4367), or the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service at 317-346-7016. Callers can remain anonymous.

The crane was identified by a leg band, and determined to be the seven-year old mother of �Wild-1,� the only whooping crane chick successfully hatched (in 2006) and migrated from captivity.

There are approximately 500 whooping cranes left in the world. The crane and its mate were among 19 whooping cranes migrating from their summer grounds in Wisconsin to their wintering grounds in Florida.

In addition to the Endangered Species Act, whooping cranes are protected by state laws and the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

The Indiana DNR is the guardian of the state�s fish and wildlife resources and their habitats. More information about the Indiana DNR is available at: http://www.in.gov/dnr.

Deer and Turkey Expo 2010 events

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:18:10 -0600

2010

February 12-14
24th Michigan Deer & Turkey Spectacular, Lansing

Feb. 26�28
20th Illinois Deer & Turkey Classic, Bloomington

March 19-21
18th Ohio Deer & Turkey Expo, Columbus

April 9-11
26th Wisconsin Deer & Turkey Expo, Madison

Reconyx Wins ----Again

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:12:30 -0600

Trail Camera shoot out results.

http://www.trailcampro.com/2009trailcamerashootout.aspx

Ever want to learn a new knot?

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:53:16 -0600

here are some great knots that teach you through animation!

http://www.proknot.com/html/fishing_knots.html

Whitetail Anatomy 101

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:21:45 -0600

Some good stuff here

Shows exactly what you are looking for!

Tuning A Short Reed

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:16:03 -0600

Some Great info and pics here guys!

-----> http://www.refugeforums.com/refuge/showthread.php?t=612023

Layout Specs

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:09:44 -0600

All in one place..maybe to help out with your purchase desicion

Prepping a Layout BLind

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:04:02 -0600

Thought I would share with you guys.

First, I claim to be no expert at this, all my layouts reside in Illinois, have snow spray/corn stalks for when I head to Illinois when WI closes.

It was a fun little project that the wife and kids helped out with.

After watching an avery clip on the DU website by Avery, I decided to give it a whirl.

Step 1
I purchased a Finisher in Khaki 229.99

Step 2
I lightly misted the blind twice with a dark flat spray paint 4.99

Step 3
I got a bag of Killer Weed in All Terrain (A mix of 4 colors) 29.99

Step 4
I cut the individual color bundles into strips at about 10 inches, wrapped small bundles around the stubble straps, and zip tied each bundle into place.

After a couple of adult beverages, it was good enough to get to the field.

And yes, you will also need to work on it in the field to match what you are in, but it should save some time.

All this info along with instructional footage by Avery, can be seen here.
http://www.ducks.org/DU_Magazine/DUMagazin...GroundGame.html

Safe Hunting guys!

Why They carry guns in Alaska

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:20:33 -0600

(story e-mailed to me)

This guy lives just outside of Soldotna.

Have I got a story for you guys!
King salmon season is over, and since I had a day off before silvers start, I
thought I would go for a walk! This occurred at 11:16 am this morning
(Sunday), just 2/10 of a mile from my house, ON OUR ROAD while walking
my dogs (trying to get in shape for hunting season, ironically!) For the
record, this is in a residential area-not back in the woods.
I heard a twig snap, and looked back...full on charge-a huge brownie,
Ears back, head low and motorin' full speed! Came with zero warning; no
Woof, no popping of the teeth, no standing up, nothing like what you
Think or see on TV! It charged from less than 20 yards and was on me in
About one-second! Totally surreal-I just started shooting in the general
Direction, and praise God that my second shot (or was it my third?)
Rolled him at 5 feet and he skidded to a stop 10 feet BEYOND where I was
Shooting from-I actually sidestepped him and fell over backwards on the
Last shot, and his momentum carried him to a stop past where I fired my
First shot!

It was a prehistoric old boar-no teeth, no fat-weighed between 900-1000
Lbs and took five men to DRAG it onto a tilt-bed trailer! Big bear-its
Paw measured out at about a 9 1/2 footer!

Never-ever-thought "it" would happen to me! It's always some other smuck, Right?

Well, no bull- I am still high on adrenaline, with my gut in a Knot.
Feels like I did 10000 crunches without stopping! Almost puked for
An hour after, had the burps and couldn't even stand up as the troopers
Conducted their investigation! Totally wiped me out-can�t even put that
Feeling into words, by far the most emotion I have ever felt at once!

No doubt that God was with me, as I brought my Ruger .454 Casull (and
Some "hot" 350 grain solids) just for the heck of it, and managed to
Draw and snap shoot (pointed, never even aimed!) from the hip! Total
Luck shot!

All I can say is Praise God for my safety and for choosing to leave the
Wife and kids at home on this walk! Got a charter tomorrow, so gonna TRY
To get some sleep now!

not exactly the girl next door.......

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:24:15 -0600

Fallon Kunevicius is not exactly the girl next door (as you can see), but she didn�t hesitate to bag the buck next door when it crossed through a narrow ravine between backyards on her family�s suburban property in Independence, Ohio. On the evening of November 3rd, as the buck quartered slightly away, she raised her crossbow, center-punched the slammer, and with some help from a tight-knit community, recovered the giant main-frame 8-pointer from her neighbor�s front-yard shrubbery.

Worth the Recoil? Remington�s New HyperSonic High Speed...

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:50:38 -0600

Worth the Recoil? Remington�s New HyperSonic High Speed Steel Shotgun Loads

Later this year, Remington will offer the heaviest, fastest steel loads yet made. The new HyperSonics will containing 1 1/8, 1 � and 1 3/8 ounce loads launched at a screaming 1700 fps. (I know, for you rifle guys, 1700 fps is plodding. In a shotgun, 1700 fps is off the speedometer). The nearest competitor in the speed derby is Kent, whose Fasteel clocks in at 1625, but with lighter payloads.

The technology behind the HyperSonics is ingenious. A new wad called the Turbo Jet (see picture) makes it possible for ...... Remington to put so much shot at such high velocity in a shell without reaching dangerous chamber pressures. A hollow stem running from the bottom of the shotcup to the primer holds a small powder charge; the main charge surrounds it. Upon ignition, the first charge starts the wad and shot down the muzzle. Then, the second charge ignites in the larger space. The increased volume behind the wad allows the remainder of the powder to burn without creating excessive pressure. The result is a shell capable of launching more shot faster than any other I am aware of.

The shotcup is actually self-slitting. It starts out as one piece, to keep the shot together and pattern tighter (like Federal�s Black Cloud) then the �stress concentrators� on the sides cut the shotcup into petals, releasing the pellets.

All of this speed and technology will give you:
1. 16% greater pellet energy.
2. Leads reduced by 8 inches on 40 yard crossing shots.
3. A recoil headache. The 1 � ounce Hypersonics will generate almost 50% more recoil than a �standard� 1450 fps 1 � ounce high velocity steel load.

High velocity steel does seem to work even better in the field than it does on paper* but my gut reaction to HyperSonics is, the extra recoil isn�t worth the extra killing power, You tell me.

Slow Cooker Beef and Beer Stew

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:02:56 -0600

Slow Cooker Beef and Beer Stew

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=80

This is a flavorful stew for the slow cooker, and perfect for an everyday family meal. Serve this stew with warm crusty rolls or hot buttered biscuits.
Ingredients:
�3 to 4 pounds top sirloin roast
�1/3 cup flour
�1 teaspoon paprika
�1 teaspoon salt, divided
�1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
�2 tablespoons vegetable oil
�3 large potatoes, cut in 1 to 2-inch cubes
�2 medium carrots, sliced
�2 ribs celery, sliced
�1 large onion, chopped, 1 1/2 to 2 cups
�1 can (10 1/2 ounces) condensed beef broth
�1 cup beer
Preparation:
Trim the roast and cut into 1-inch cubes. In a food storage bag, combine the flour, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add the beef cubes and toss to coat.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring, for about 4 to 5 minutes, until browned.

Put potatoes, carrots, and celery in the slow cooker; top with half of the onions. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Top with the browned beef.

Combine the soup and beer; pour about 1 cup into the hot pan and scrape up any browned bits. Pour the pan contents and remaining beer and broth mixture over the beef. Cover and cook on LOW heat for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
Serves 6 to 8.

Slow Cooked Barbecued Country-Style Ribs

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:58:04 -0600

Slow Cooked Barbecued Country-Style Ribs

Barbecued Country-Style Ribs, Crockpot

Boneless country-style pork ribs are a great meat for the slow cooker, and your favorite barbecue sauce and a little apple juice and garlic makes these ribs extra-flavorful. The pork ribs are cooked with brown sugar, onions, apple juice, garlic, and other seasonings, then they're finished with purchased barbecue sauce.
Ingredients:
�3 to 4 pounds boneless pork country-style ribs
�1/2 teaspoon salt
�1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
�1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
�2 cloves garlic, minced
�1 large onion, halved, thinly sliced
�1/2 cup apple juice
�1 bottle (16 to 18 ounces) barbecue sauce, about 1 1/2 cups
Preparation:
Lightly grease the crockery insert of a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker. Wash pork, trim excess fat and pat dry with paper towels. Put the sliced onions in the bottom of the slow cooker, then place pork on top. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper, brown sugar, and minced garlic; turn the pork ribs to coat all pieces. Pour apple juice evenly over the pork. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours. Drain liquids from the pork. Pour barbecue sauce over the pork and stir slightly to distribute the sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 1 hour longer.

Deer Stand

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:06:31 -0600

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=79

Hunting T-Shirts and School Dress Codes

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:44:36 -0600

Every year in schools all across the country, students are told what they can and cannot wear to school based on a dress code policy. No short shorts. No hats. No revealing tops. No shirts depicting obscene or illegal activities.

That last item is often left up to interpretation, and at times has included shirts that depict perfectly legal and legitimate objects or activities, like firearms and hunting.

Above is a photo of a T-shirt from outdoor retailer Cabela�s depicting a crossed fishing rod and muzzleloading rifle, emblazoned with the company name, the date of its founding, and its moniker as the �World�s Foremost Outfitter.� Innocuous enough, right?

Well when a 15-year-old student at Millennium High School in Goodyear, Ariz., wore that shirt to school last month, she was told by a teacher not to wear it again, although she was not disciplined in any way. Earlier that day, another teacher had also informed her that she could get in trouble for wearing that shirt.

The girl�s father immediately notified Cabela�s, and Cabela�s brought the incident to NRA�s attention. We contacted the school to find out if such a shirt would indeed violate its dress code policy. After all, depictions of muzzleloaders can be found in photos from the Civil War or paintings from the American Revolution in any standard high school history text.

Thankfully, it looks like common sense has prevailed in this case, as the school�s interim superintendent informed me that the T-shirt in question does not represent an inappropriate image and does not violate the school�s dress code policy, thus the reason why no disciplinary action was taken. Ultimately, the school got it right.

Still, it�s troublesome that two teachers would question a shirt that obviously alludes to Cabela�s reputable hunting and fishing business in the first place. But attacks on hunting and firearms at school are nothing new.

Louisiana hunter cited for killing bears

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:13:36 -0600

Louisiana hunter cited for killing bears
Written by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

Louisiana game wardens cited a man Nov. 27 for killing two black bears on Red River Wildlife Management Area in Concordia Parish.

Gary Kinsland, 62, of Sunset, La., was issued citations for two counts of taking bear in a closed season. Wardens were called to the site by wildlife biologists working at the WMA�s check station as part of a managed deer hunt. Kinsland, who was deer hunting before killing the bears, told the game wardens he shot the bears after mistaking them for feral hogs. He then self-reported the incident.

Charges will be filed in Concordia Parish, according to a press release from the state. Kinsland could face fines totaling up to $950 per count, up to eight months in jail or both, plus court costs and forfeiture of anything seized. Additionally, restitution to the department in the amount of $10,000 per bear will be sought.

A 30.06 rifle with hunting scope was seized after the incident.

http://www.lsonews.com/200912011028/Louisi...ling-bears.html

Pheasants Forever chapter giving away guns like mad

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:04:36 -0600

Pheasants Forever chapter giving away guns like mad

The Montana chapter of Pheasants Forever will give away 104 firearms during 2010 as part of a year-long fundraising raffle.

Tickets for the 2-Guns-A-Week raffle cost $50 year, and the proceeds will support Pheasants Forever�s wildlife habitat mission in Big Sky Country.

Montana Pheasants Forever will raffle 104 firearms in 2010 as a fundraiser.

�We�re excited to give folks a chance at 104 guns in 52 weeks,� said Jon Lee, Pheasants Forever National Board member and a longtime Montana Pheasants Forever supporter. �That equates to a raffle ticket at the cost of just 48 cents per week. But we�re even more excited to see their show of support for upland birds and wildlife habitat in this state.� A maximum of 3,000 tickets will be sold � or one gun for every 29 tickets sold � and 100 percent of the proceeds will support Pheasants Forever�s conservation efforts in Montana. The impressive gun list, valued at about $70,000, includes firearms by Weatherby, Benelli, Browning, Remington, Ruger and more retailing in the $700 to $1,500 range. Winning ticket numbers will be placed back into the pool of tickets, so by purchasing just one ticket, participants have a chance for all 104 firearms.

Ticket are available by sending $50 per ticket (payable to Pheasants Forever) to P.O. Box 2157, Missoula, MT 59806. For more information, call Jon Lee at (406) 721-9919 or e-mail Jon@MontanaPF.org.This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it For the complete gun list, visit www.MontanaPF.org.

Beginning Jan. 4, two gun drawings will be held each week. Winners will be posted the Monday of each week at www.MontanaPF.org. Proceeds will support Pheasants Forever programs, including wildlife habitat development, land acquisitions and youth and education programs.

Prizes announced weekly include 2 of each:
1. Browning X-Bolt N/S 30-06
2. Tikka Wood/Blue 223
3. Remington 770 30-06
4. Beretta Xtrema 2 12/28
5. Remington 870 Express 12/26 3.5"
6. Stevens 200 25-06
7. Browning Silver Hunter 20/26
8. Sako A7 25-06
9. Savage 93R17BV
10. Browning X-Bolt N/S 270
11. NEF Pardner Pump 12 Gauge
12. Marlin XL-7 Blue/SYN 25-06
13. Beretta Urika 12/26
14. Tikka Wood/Blue 270
15. Remington 700 SPS 30-06
16. 10/22 RB 22 LR
17. Browning Silver Hunter 12/28
18. Sako A7 270
19. Remington 770 Youth 243
20. CZ-USA Ringneck 16/28
21. Savage 93R17 Camo Package
22. Weatherby Vanguard B/S 300 WSM
23. NEF Pardner Pump 12 Gauge
24. Remington 770 Youth 243
25. Sako A7 270 WSM
26. Browning Silver Hunter 20/26
27. Marlin XL-7 Blue/SYN 270
28. Beretta Xtrema 2 12/26
29. Stevens 200 243
30. Remington 700 SPS 223
31. CZ-USA Mallard 20 Gauge
32. Browning BPS 28/26
33. Ruger M-77 257 Roberts
34. Savage 93R17 Classic
35. Browning X-Bolt N/S 7-08
36. Remington 700 SPS 243
37. Sako A7 300 WSM
38. Weatherby Vanguard B/S 22-250
39. NEF Pardner Pump 12 Gauge
40. Tikka Wood/Blue 25-06
41. Remington 870 Express 12/26 3.5"
42. Browning BPS 12/28
43. Beretta Urika 12/28
44. Savage 25 LW 204 Ruger
45. Remington 770 30-06
46. Stevens 200 22-250
47. Browning Silver Hunter 12/28
48. Tikka Wood/Blue 300 WIN MAG
49. Browning X-Bolt N/S 243
50. Sako A7 243
51. CZ-USA Woodcock 12/26
52. Browning X-Bolt N/S 300 WIN

http://www.montanapf.org./docs/2010_GAW_Flyer-_color.pdf

http://www.lsonews.com/200912091033/Pheasa...s-like-mad.html

Chris Niskanen: Book on the history of Minnesota decoy-carving is...

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:35:21 -0600

Chris Niskanen: Book on the history of Minnesota decoy-carving is the real deal
of the state's decoy-carving craft back to the 1880s, is the real deal
By Chris Niskanen

Doug Lodermeier was bursting with stories about Minnesota duck-decoy carvers.

We were in Lodermeier's basement office last week, thumbing through a computer copy of his new book, "Minnesota Duck Decoys � yesterday's and today's folk artists," which is to be published in a week or so.

At more than 700 pages, "Minnesota Duck Decoys" is the exhaustive text on nearly every maker who ever put a rasp to wood in Minnesota.

Lodermeier, who lives in Edina, spent 20 years tracking down the histories of carvers such as Wilfred "Jack" Tauer (1907-92), who made decoys in his South St. Paul home.

When a family member showed Lodermeier one of Tauer's works, Lodermeier delivered bad news.

"Your grandpa didn't make that," said Lodermeier, a board member of the Minnesota Decoy Collectors Association. "That's a Herter's decoy."

The stunned relative didn't believe it and pulled more decoys out of a bag.

The next ones were hand-carved beauties that are collectors items today.

"Tauer had actually made the rest, but he bought a pair of Herter's for his model," Lodermeier said. "He actually developed his own style later, and his final works are Jack Tauer originals.

"There are a million stories like that about these carvers."

Until now, Minnesota's rich decoy-carving history never had been fully compiled. Most decoy books focus on Maryland, Illinois and Louisiana � states with more extensive histories of decoy carving. So

Lodermeier decided to pull together magazine articles and other sources, and add them to his meticulous sleuthing to document Minnesota's decoy history, which traces to the 1880s.
"With a book like this, the unknown decoys become known," said Dick Brust of Roseville, a founder of the Minnesota Decoy Collectors Association. "We've been talking about a book like this for 40 years."

Lodermeier pre-sold 600 copies of the 1,000-copy first edition, and he is taking orders for delivery before Christmas. He also is author of "Minnesota Duck Calls," published in 2003.

"There's been a huge appetite for a Minnesota decoy book," said Lodermeier, a partner in a Minneapolis design agency. "But I didn't do alone. I had a lot of help."

It would be unfair to call "Minnesota Duck Decoys" a collectors book. It's really a history book that documents carvers of the market-hunting era, those around famed Heron Lake and Lake Christina, and the giants of the factory industry, such as Herter's of Waseca and the lesser-known Tuveson Manufacturing Co. (1910-42) in St. James.

Some of the old decoys sell for $20 or $30, but others, such as those made by famed carver John F. Tax of Osakis (1894-1967), sell for tens of thousands of dollars.

"Tax is probably our most famous and salable carver," Lodermeier said.

He checked old newspaper articles, death certificates and historical societies to find � and often correct � information about the lives and times of decoy carvers.

There is Abe Nelson (1872-1932), called the father of the Heron Lake decoy, who carved elegant canvasbacks that were widely admired and copied. Today, they sell for thousands of dollars.

Although there were many Heron Lake carvers, attributing the folk-art birds to their makers is difficult because not all of them signed their names.

"The history was lost when the decoys got picked, moved away and traded," Lodermeier said.

Lodermeier was given access to hundreds of decoy collections across the United States, and he photographed thousands of birds and learned the histories of many lesser-known carvers. He stumbled across a virtually unknown carver named Tom "Ole" Gunderson of Ashby, Minn., whose rare birds are held in a single private collection.

"Gunderson is an interesting story," Lodermeier said. "He disappeared one day, fearing he was going to be put into an insane asylum. He shows up a few days later near Gull Lake under an assumed name."

St. Paul has its own quirky history of decoy makers.

The Horne & Danz Co. (1881-1915) made decoys that attached to a floating board. Each side of the board had a different cutout of a duck. If the top decoy flipped over, the one on the bottom appeared.

"The idea is they were portable," Lodermeier said.

The "Minnesota Duck Chair," made in St. Paul in the 1940s, wasn't a decoy but a wire mechanism that fit around a dead duck and held it up in the water. "You'd shoot a duck, put it in the Duck Chair and you had a decoy," Lodermeier said.

Then there are the Novotny brothers of St. Paul. Emil owned a sporting goods store at 324 Jackson St., and his brother Joe (1884-1924) was a gunsmith who carved duck decoys. Very few of Novotny's cedar and pine decoys exist, but Lodermeier has their story in the book.

The book solves many mysteries and debunks myths about carvers.

"There are a lot of people who will be able to identify what's on their shelves now," Lodermeier said.

He deliberately did not include prices because a decoy's value fluctuates based on its rarity, condition and supply.

Lodermeier, a collector himself, self-published the book, knowing no publisher would embrace a huge book with so many pictures. He said he won't recover the cost of researching and writing the book.

"It's not a money-making venture," he said. "It's giving something back to a hobby I love."

Outdoors editor Chris Niskanen can be reached at cniskanen@pioneerpress.com.

"Minnesota Duck Decoys � yesterday's and today's folk artists" ($85) is not available in bookstores. It will be published in the next few weeks, and author Doug Lodermeier is taking pre-Christmas orders. He already has sold 600 of the first edition of 1,000 copies.

To order: Call Lodermeier at 612-922-9674, or print an order form at dougandpaul.com. Major

credit cards are accepted

http://www.twincities.com/outdoors/ci_1393...?nclick_check=1

Bigfoot in the northwoods? Camera picks up strange image near Remer, MN.

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:22:17 -0600

Bigfoot in the northwoods? Camera picks up strange image near Remer, MN.

Tim Kedrowski and his sons, Peter and Casey, are not pushovers for Bigfoot stories, but a frame on a game trail camera set up on their hunting land north of Remer has left them in a quandary.

Tim Kedrowski said his motion-activated camera captured this image of a black creature, about seven feet tall, striding through a stand of trees on his land near Leech Lake.

"To us, it's very hard because we lean toward the skeptical type," Kedrowski said in a telephone interview from his Rice, Minn., home.

But after checking with neighbors and any other hunters who might have been walking through the dense woods at 7:20 p.m. on the rainy night of Oct. 24, he said they couldn't imagine what else the image could be. Tim said he considered ideas from a bear to a bow hunter in a fuzzy suit. But the arm and hand couldn't be a bear's, or its upright gait. And there is no evidence in the photo of a bow or flashlight a hunter might be using to track a wounded deer.

The Kedrowskis checked the Minnesota Bigfoot Web site and came up with the names of Don Sherman and Bob Olson, the Northern Minnesota Bigfoot Research Team.

Sherman is the facilities manager for the Cass Lake Indian Health Service Hospital, and Olson is an auto body repairman in Deer River.

Sherman has responded to numerous area Bigfoot sighting reports and has made casts of footprints. He said he once caught footage of a Bigfoot on a thermal imaging camera and heard its warbling call.

When Sherman saw the image the Kedrowskis sent him, Tim said the researcher responded that he believes it is a picture of a Bigfoot. Sherman went with the Kedrowskis to the photo site and measured the height of the creature in comparison the sapling next to it. He determined the animal is about 7 feet tall.
"I've hunted there for 43 years," Tim said of their property near Shingle Mill Lake. "I've seen one bear off my deer stand. I've seen three timber wolves."

Casey Kedrowski said he and his brother had gone out to the family's hunting shack prior to deer season to bring in firewood and make other preparations. They set up a game trail camera to see what might be wandering around their property.

Casey said he and his brother were the only people who knew where the camera was located. They took the camera down when deer season started, and a couple of weeks later checked on what they had caught.

When they came to the picture of the long-armed creature walking upright, Casey said, "We just looked at each other. Each of us thought we were playing a trick on each other."

When they determined that neither of them had pulled a prank on the other, they checked to see if anyone had been in the area that night. Tim said the only neighbors were two elderly hunters in their own shack, neither of whom matched the size and appearance of the creature caught on camera.

However, he said, when he asked the men about

the night the camera clicked on the mystery, they said they had gone out about 2 a.m. to use the outhouse and had heard strange squealing noises. Tim said he asked them to show him the direction of the sounds. They pointed to the area where the camera had been, although they had no idea of its location.
Tim said he just released the photo and permission for its publication last weekend.

"It was deer season and we wanted to concentrate on deer hunting, and (we) really wanted to talk to people in the area and ... make sure they weren't scamming us," he said. "We're not 100 percent sure, obviously. After visiting with (Sherman and Olson) we feel they've done a lot more investigation. That's why we put it in their hands."

Sherman said the Northern Minnesota Bigfoot Research Team started receiving reports of Bigfoot sightings in 2006 and has had reports every year since, including four reports this year. He said the first reported sighting he investigated was from a man running a road grader near Six Mile Lake south of Lake Winnibigoshish. Sherman said he was able to make casts of the footprints. A more recent sighting report was by a truck driver.

"I've talked to this guy � this was last year � he was coming from Crosby (Minn.) with a load of lumber by Washburn Lake," Sherman said. "It had hands, he said, like baseball mitts. It took three steps to cross the road. He was pretty shook up."

In spite of such seemingly credible reports, biologists remain unconvinced.

"Personally, I don't buy the fact this thing exists," said Blane Klemek, assistant wildlife manager with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in Bemidji.

"There are certainly species that are discovered each year -but megafauna � rare is it a big mammal is discovered," he said.

He noted the belief that the ivory-billed woodpecker is not extinct after all is based on a fleeting, indistinct video image of some kind of woodpecker recorded in 2004 in the Big Woods of Arkansas. No other sightings have been reported.

He also noted than no one has ever found a Bigfoot carcass.

"All organisms die; they don't just go away," Klemek said. "You'd think someone someday would find one."

Evan Hazard, Bemidji State University retired mammalogist, also expressed doubt about the Bigfoot's existence.

"I just don't know," he said. "My background in mammalogy makes me skeptical, not expert. My inclination is to say we really don't have good evidence."

Hazard said proof would be a clear photo matched with footprints at the same site � multiple pieces of overlapping evidence.

Sherman said the research would go on. He said he believes the Bigfoot is intelligent and perfectly at home in the woods.

"That's why they're so elusive," he said. "They know the woods better than any hunter because they live it."

One thing the hunters agree on is that even if they could produce a carcass for examination, they wouldn't shoot a Bigfoot.

"Absolutely not � no way," said Tim. "I asked my sons would they shoot it, and they said no. It has every right to live."

"I've talked to people who've had them in their sights and their scopes, and they said they couldn't pull the trigger," she Sherman.

He urged anyone who wants to report a Bigfoot sighting or evidence of the creature to call him at 218-308-1451 or Olson at 218-246-8493.

"We've got all kinds of equipment, night vision, cameras, listening devices," Sherman said.

http://www.twincities.com/ci_13968657?source=most_emailed

(I had to post this, not that I believe)

Shot in the penis....

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:07:25 -0600

Duck Hunting Joke

A duck hunter was out enjoying a nice morning on the marsh when he
decided to take a leak�. He walked over to a tree and propped up his
gun. Just then a gust of wind blew, the gun fell over, and discharged�shooting him in the genitals. Several hours later, lying in a hospital bed he was approached by his doctor. �Well sir, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that you are going to be ok, the damage was local to your groin, there was very little internal damage, and we were able to remove all of the steel shot. The bad news is that there was some pretty extensive damage done to your penis. I�m going to have to refer you to my brother. �Oh, well I guess that isn�t too bad,� the man replied �is your brother a plastic surgeon? �Not exactly.� answered the doctor. �He�s a flute player in the local symphony�.He�s going to teach you where to put your fingers so you don�t piss in your eye�

Montana officials postpone considering wolf bow-hunt

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:17:55 -0600

Montana officials postpone considering wolf bow-hunt

HELENA � The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission won't consider whether to allow a bow hunt for wolves until next spring.

The issue was slated for discussion on Thursday, but the commission postponed that discussion to give the public more time to comment on the plan.

Fish, Wildlife and Parks Management Section Supervisor Quentin Kujala says the commissioners will still have a full plate for their meeting this week, with elk, deer, antelope, upland game birds and other seasons on the agenda.

Montana says wolf hunt worked, but lawsuit looms

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:15:54 -0600

Montana says wolf hunt worked, but lawsuit looms

An examination of Montana�s first public gray wolf hunt showed at least nine of the animals were killed in an area prone to livestock attacks � a finding that could blunt criticism that the hunt was ineffective.

Confident state wildlife officials said they could increase the quota on the predators next year. They want to zero in on a number that would strike a balance between protecting the wolf population and curbing attacks on livestock and big game herds.

�We�re on the right track,� said Carolyn Sime, gray wolf coordinator with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

However, the hunt in Montana and a wolf season in neighboring Idaho must first pass muster with a federal judge in Missoula.

An estimated 1,350 gray wolves in the Northern Rockies were removed from the endangered list in the spring. About 300 wolves in Wyoming remain on the list.

In September, U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy let this year�s hunts proceed in Montana and Idaho. But his ruling also said environmentalists were likely to prevail in their bid to restore federal protections.

Arguments in the environmentalists� case could come as early as February.

Idaho and Montana officials � backed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service � have said hunting can be done responsibly and is crucial to keeping wolf numbers in check.

To underscore that contention, Sime pointed to a new analysis of Montana�s hunt, which ended Nov. 16.

At least nine of the 72 wolves killed were in the Big Hole Valley � site of frequent wolf attacks on livestock. Just two breeding female wolves were killed out of an estimated 34 statewide.

Wolf researcher Mark Hebblewhite from the University of Montana said the results show hunting does not necessarily put the species in more danger.

�There�s no other wolf hunt in the world that has as many regulations on when and (how many) wolves can be killed,� he said. �You cross the border into Canada and you can kill any wolf anytime you want.�

There were about 500 wolves in Montana last year. Even with the 72 killed by hunters � and another 127 killed by wildlife control agents, poachers, ranchers and other causes � that figure was projected to grow during the last year.

If that happens, it could defuse arguments that hunting is harming the broader population.

Environmentalists are doubtful. They argue at least 2,000 of the predators are needed to protect against a future population collapse.

�We�re close, but we�re not there yet,� said Matt Skoglund with the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Ranchers like 63-year-old Jerry Ehmann counter the state�s hunt is not doing enough.

Ehmann said he used to run about 200 head of cattle on 25,000 acres of public land in southwestern Montana�s Bitterroot Range. After wolves started harassing his animals this year and five calves went missing, Ehmann decided to cut back to only 72 animals and keep them fenced in on his ranch near Sula.

He sold off the remaining cattle in November.

�They�re going to have to do something drastic � poison them or trap them. They�re just too smart of a critter to be hunted. That wasn�t enough,� Ehmann said.

In Idaho, hunters have taken 119 wolves this year out of a 220 animal quota. Hunting there is scheduled to continue through March.

Biologists are now compiling an end-of-year population estimates in the two states in preparation for setting next year�s quota.

Montana officials also are planning to tweak their regulations to cut down on illegal wolf kills and spread out where the harvest takes place.

Deputies search for snowbound hunters in Arizona

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:13:40 -0600

Deputies search for snowbound hunters in Arizona
By FELICIA FONSECA (AP) � 3 days ago

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. � Searchers fanned out across a wide swath of Northern Arizona on Thursday in an effort to reach more than a dozen hunters stranded in deep snow and freezing temperatures.

Authorities said the hunters got caught in a powerful storm that dropped 2 to 3 feet of snow Monday and Tuesday with wind gusts of up 78 mph.

Coconino County sheriff's spokesman Jim Driscol said no injuries were reported when officials reached some of the hunters by cell phone. The priority, he said, is to retrieve hunters who might be low on food and heating fuel, and get to them before the next storm system hits, possibly this weekend.

Searchers Thursday afternoon were looking for 16 people in five hunting parties. They were checking known camps where the elk hunters might be based, Driscol said.

Searchers already had rescued about 50 people who had called for help since Wednesday. They expected to get more calls as the elk hunting season drew to an end Thursday.

Between 2,500 and 3,000 permits were issued for the latest nearly weeklong hunt, said Shelly Shepherd, a spokeswoman for the state Game and Fish Department.

Many hunters are well equipped for long hunting trips, with propane, generators, days worth of food, all-terrain and four-wheel drive vehicles, and camping trailers, Shepherd said.

"They do come prepared and do come with supplies, (but) it's hard to say how much they brought," she said.

Searchers from the sheriff's office, Game and Fish, the Department of Public Safety and the U.S. Forest Service were using snowmobiles, helicopters and planes to locate the hunters scattered across the region. Hunters have tried to dig themselves out of the snow, but some roads are impassable, said sheriff's spokesman Gerry Blair.

One hunter died Monday night when wind gusts sent a pine tree crashing down on his tent as he slept. Blair said those who have been rescued are cold and hungry but have not had any major medical issues.

Blair said search and rescue missions are typical following a winter storm, but it's unusual for have so many active missions at one time.

"The storm just hit when everyone was out in the field," he said.

Senator wants a moose hunt in Michigan

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:02:49 -0600

Senator wants a moose hunt in Michigan

Michigan hunters would be able to take aim at a new big-game species -- moose -- under legislation introduced in the state Senate on Wednesday.

The bill sponsored by Sen. Jason Allen, R-Traverse City, would require the state to create a moose hunting advisory council and order the Natural Resources Commission to establish a moose hunting season for at least one year.
The hunt would be the first in the state since the native population was nearly wiped out more than 100 years ago.
Officials at the Department of Natural Resources estimate there are about 500-600 moose in Michigan today, all in the Upper Peninsula including Isle Royale, a national park in Lake Superior.
DNR spokeswoman Mary Detloff said late Wednesday that her top biologists support creation of the advisory council, and believe a moose hunt can be successfully implemented.
"But it might not happen for several years. And it will be a very restricted hunt," Detloff said.
By comparison, Michigan holds a lottery for elk hunting permits in the northern Lower Peninsula, authorizing the taking of about 100 animals annually from a population of about 1,000.
Detloff said the elk tags are the most sought-after game permits in the state, and predicted a moose hunt would spark similar interest.
Michigan's moose population has expanded since the mid-1980s, when 61 animals were airlifted from an Ontario provincial park and deposited in the UP.
Biologists don't believe the moose population has yet reached the target of about 1,000 animals before hunting would begin.

Suspected thief claims he was protecting animals

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:43:01 -0600

Suspected thief claims he was protecting animals

DENHAM SPRINGS, LA (WAFB) - A land owner used a decoy camera to help catch a man suspected of stealing other digital game surveillance cameras from his property in Livingston Parish. After his arrest, the man reportedly told detectives he took it to stop the owner from hunting in the area.

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=78

Dustin Archibald, 21, of Denham Springs surrendered to Livingston Parish sheriff's deputies on Thursday. According to investigators, he was photographed around noon the previous day "taking the bait."

When presented with the photograph (See above), which deputies said clearly shows him with the camera in his hand, Archibald allegedly told them he was not stealing the camera but taking it so the property owner would not hunt the deer in the area. Detectives added the incriminating photo also shows Archibald's dog and a "No Trespassing" sign in the background.

Deputies said the problem began in November when four cameras were stolen from the victim's property near Denham Springs. He decided to set up a decoy and place another surveillance camera in position to snap pictures of any potential thieves. The land owner called the sheriff's office and showed them the photograph of the suspect.

Archibald was identified as the culprit and turned himself in to authorities. He was booked into the Livingston Parish Detention Center on one count of criminal trespassing and one count of theft. His bond was set at $10,500.

NFC North standings

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:54:36 -0600

Click on to maximize.

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=77

nothing like a little snow and wind

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:06:52 -0600

My brother's girlfriend sent these pics today. A little bit of drifting I guess at his farm.

How has this season been for you?

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:57:46 -0600

Answer above. (this is also for the home page).

Bunch of new games for our arcade

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:01:01 -0600

Get bored at work? Lol, play some games in our arcade.

I am currently adding another 100+ games now. Enjoy!

Here comes the snow storm

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:38:51 -0600

1st good snow fall where my daughters are building a snowman and sledding. Hoping for too much snow to take the day off tomorrow

I challenge you!

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:13:57 -0600

That's right!

You must first be registered to play!

Once you have:
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=75

Here is the link to play: http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?autocom=arcade&code=gow

Locked Bucks

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:25:18 -0600

Just Rec'd this in an email-

Pics from Calhoun County Mississippi

Mike and I live in northern Calhoun County . That county is deer heaven; I have never seen so many in herds.Anyway he called last night and said that in the little creek in front of his house, 2 deer had been fighting up the hillside and became locked together and ended up going down the hill and into the creek. Mike said that over the years, this is the third pair of deer he has found locked up, although the other 2 were dead when he found them. He and a neighbor were attempting to save one of the deer, both of which were nice trophy deer. They shot one with an arrow (they both have bow permits) and then they tried to separate them and release the other one. In the process Mike got injured when the live deer was bucking around. Mike had bone chips in his wrist and elbow, and got gored twice. They then had no choice but to shoot the second deer. They tried to separate the horns and couldn't. They then skinned out the deer and took the heads to a local taxidermist and they still could not get them apart. Amazing that they could become that entwined. They are having the heads mounted........that should make a very interesting mount. I will attach the series of pics that they took of the
ordeal

Deer mount

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:48:20 -0600

Deer mount

Wisconsin Senate leader demands DNR fire deer experts

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:01:29 -0600

Wisconsin Senate leader demands DNR fire deer experts
December 3, 2009

MADISON, Wis. (AP) � A powerful state senator called Thursday for wildlife officials to fire anyone involved with deer management after hunters killed the fewest deer in years during Wisconsin�s traditional November hunt.

Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker, D-Weston, said the Department of Natural Resources� has draconian herd-control policies that have devastated the deer population, leaving hunters empty-handed. The experts who designed the regulations deserve to lose their jobs, he said.

�They�ve earned what they got coming. They�ve screwed us over too many years in a row now,� Decker told The Associated Press. �They got what they wanted. They wanted a decimated deer herd. I don�t think anybody trusts them anymore.�

DNR officials rejected Decker�s demand.

�We know there is hunter frustration, but the suggestion to fire staff is not a constructive proposal,� DNR Secretary Matt Frank said in a statement.

Wisconsin�s November deer hunt is as much a part of the state�s culture and image as cows, cheese and the Green Bay Packers. Hunters constantly complain about the DNR�s deer regulations, but Decker�s statements reflect a new level of anger over two years of anemic hunts.

At the heart of the issue are the DNR�s herd-control policies.

http://gazettextra.com/weblogs/latest-news...fire-deer-expe/

Two Girls, One What?

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:05:10 -0600

See it? Hard to miss.

Macho Skeet

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:08:55 -0600

Hot Off The Press!

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:48:35 -0600

The Tiger Woods Family Christmas Portrait
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Deer antler is a materials scientist's dream

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:52:11 -0600

Deer antler is a materials scientist's dream

Prized for their impressive antlers, red deer have been caught in the hunters' sights for generations. But a deer's antlers are much more than decorative. They are lethal weapons that stags crash together when duelling.

John Currey, from The Univ. of York, UK, has been intrigued by the mechanical properties of bone for over half a century and has become fascinated by the mechanical properties of antler through a long-standing collaboration with Tomas Landete-Castillejos at the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha. "Antlers look as if they are dry," says Currey, "but no one knew if they really are dry when used in contests."

Curious to find out whether red deer antlers are used wet or dry when duelling, and how this affects the antlers' mechanical properties, Currey headed south to La Mancha to test the mechanical properties of red deer antlers and publishes the discovery that dry antler is stiff and tough on 27 November 2009 in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

But before the team could begin testing the antler's strength, they needed to find out how dry the bones were. Collecting freshly cut antlers from the university farm and a local game estate just after stags had shed the antler's protective velvet, Currey, Landete-Castillejos, Jos� Estevez and their colleagues weighed the antlers each week to find out how much they dried. Amazingly, over the first 2 weeks, the antlers lost a colossal 8% of their weight, compared with 1% weight loss if they were cut at other times of the year. Eventually the weight loss stabilised and the antler's humidity was in balance with that of the surrounding air. It was clear that the antlers were dry when the stags began duelling.

But how did this water loss affect the bone's material properties in comparison with those of normal bones, which function internally and are always wet? Would the dry antler make a better weapon than wet bone?

The team prepared 40 mm long blocks of dry antler and wet deer femur and measured the amount of force needed to bend the blocks to find out how flexible the materials were. Even though most bones are relatively brittle and inflexible when dry, the team found that the dry antlers are almost as stiff as wet bone: which is ideal for weapons that have to survive a lengthy pushing contest after the initial clash.

But how 'tough' was the antler? How much energy could it absorb in the initial crash? Applying a force to the middle of the blocks of bone and gently increasing it until the bone broke, the team plotted a curve of the bending force against the amount that the bone bent. Calculating the amount of energy that the antler could absorb before shattering, Currey found that the tissue was incredibly tough: 2.4 times tougher than normal wet bone. And when Currey measured the amount of energy that the dry antler could absorb in an impact, he was surprised and pleased to see that it could survive impacts 6 times greater than the impacts that shattered wet femur. The dry antler was tougher than wet bone and ideally suited to survive the stags' initial clash.

So dry deer antlers are simultaneously stiff, yet tough, making them perfectly suited to their role as a weapon. And the deer seem to have solved a problem that has puzzled engineers for decades. "It is very difficult to make anything that is both stiff and tough," says Currey, but it seems that duelling deer solved the problem eons ago.

Hunters register 195,647 deer in November hunt

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:46:40 -0600

Hunters register 195,647 deer in November hunt

MADISON � A survey of Wisconsin deer registration stations conducted by the state Department of Natural Resources has yielded a preliminary tally of 195,647 for the just-ended, nine-day November gun deer hunt. This includes a buck tally of 86,251 and an antlerless tally of 109,396.

This number is preliminary and is expected change before a final report is published in late winter. It does not include harvest information from the archery, October antlerless gun deer hunt, muzzleloader, December antlerless deer gun hunt or late archery seasons. The preliminary harvest count in 2008 was 276,895.

�Deer populations are variable throughout the state,� said Keith Warnke, DNR�s big game biologist, �and we believe people when they say they did not see deer in their hunting area. We have also received reports from successful camps. As always, local populations make all the difference.

�Wildlife management and especially deer management is a process of continual adjustment. In response to hunter input we adjusted seasons this year to reflect lower populations across the north and central forests and suspended EAB in many areas.�

DNR wildlife officials anticipated the total harvest would be down due to changes in season structure that significantly reduced the antlerless deer harvest, lower fawn production and tough weather conditions for deer and hunters alike. In some northeastern units it was not possible to shoot an antlerless deer and in other northern region units the small supply of bonus antlerless deer tags did not meet demand. Careful adjustment of antlerless tag numbers is an important tool in managing deer numbers.

�There are still days to hunt in 2009 in herd control units where deer are above goal and in CWD units. The muzzleloader hunt is underway and the December antlerless hunt is around the corner.�

In February, DNR biologists will compare unit-level harvest numbers against overwinter population estimates and will adjust the recommended season structure for 2010 to address any significant trends.

�A pillar of Wisconsin deer management is the accurate harvest figures provided by hunters,� said DNR wildlife biologist Jeff Pritzl. �Periods of stable deer populations have always been relatively short-lived in Wisconsin. Mandatory deer registration allows us to respond quickly to changing population levels. We have annually adapted our harvest strategies, and will continue to do so in consideration of what the 2009 harvest tells us about the deer population.�

�This year, in response to hunter input, we moved 29 units from earn-a-buck to herd control status and 38 units from herd control to regular unit status. The total number of regular units grew from 21 in 2008 to 59 this year.� said Warnke. �The result was inevitably less antlerless opportunity and lower antlerless harvest numbers.�

A table of county by county (pdf; 39kb) harvest broken down by DNR region, with a comparison to the 2008 preliminary harvest is available on the DNR Web site.

Young hunters prove themselves safe and responsible
�What is really exciting, is the 9,907mentored hunting licenses purchased by 10- and 11-year olds,� said Diane Brookbank, chief of DNR�s licensing and customer service unit. �These are the future hunters and conservationists that will step into the woods in place of the hunting �retirees� as our population ages.�

Wardens reported no firearm incidents among these young hunters.

Hunt fourth safest in history
DNR hunter education administrator and conservation warden Tim Lawhern said there were seven hunting incidents during the 9-day gun hunt. A possible 8th incident remains under investigation.

�Our hearts go out to the families whose loved ones suffered injury during the hunting season,� said Lawhern. �Our goal is to eliminate all injury and loss of life while hunting. Every incident is investigated to learn what happened so we can work to prevent such incidents in the future.�

Self-inflicted gunshot injuries accounted for 57 percent (4 of 7) of this season�s incidents. Deer drives contributed to 25 percent of all incidents. Both categories and all firearm related incidents can be attributed to failure to observe one of the basic rules of firearm safety according to Lawhern.

Still, noted Lawhern, hunting remains a safe sport and has gotten safer over time as more and more hunters are graduates of hunter safety education courses. This is especially true in Wisconsin where the incident rate for hunters is well below the national average. The incident rate for 2009 in Wisconsin was 1.11 incidents per 100,000 hunters � the national average is 3 per 100,000.

�This was the fourth safest season ever and the fourth time in history that we�ve had a gun deer season with less than 10 incidents,� said Lawhern, �Nonetheless, our goal is zero incidents.�

More than 638,000 gun deer licenses sold
DNR�s automated License Issuance System, known as ALIS, peaked at 200 transactions per minute at 5:30 p.m. on the Friday before gun season. The 638,040 gun licenses sold through the end of the season on Nov 29 represent a near identical number of hunters as in 2008 when 642,419 hunters hit the woods.

Nearly one in five hunters age 15 and younger is female and women bought 8.6 percent of all gun licenses sold
All 50 states are represented in license sales with the highest number of nonresident hunters coming from Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan.
The most licenses were sold in Dane County.
All ages participate with over 54,000 hunters age 65 and older buying licenses.

Coyote - unbelieveable story!

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:07:40 -0600

Meet the wiliest of all coyotes: Hit by a car at 75mph, embedded in the fender,road for 600

miles - and SURVIVED!

When a brother and sister struck a coyote at 75 mph they assumed they had killed the animal

and drove on. They didn't realize this was the toughest creature ever to survive a

hit-and-run. Eight hours, two fuel stops, and 600 miles later they found the wild animal embedded in their front fender - and very much alive.

Daniel and Tevyn East were driving at night along Interstate 80 near the Nevada-Utah border when they noticed a pack of coyotes near the roadside on October 12. When one of the animals ran in front of the car, the impact sounded fatal so the siblings thought there no point in stopping. 'Right off the bat, we knew it was bad,' Daniel explained. 'We thought the story was over.'

After the incident around 1am, they continued their 600 mile drive to North San Juan - even stopping for fuel at least twice. But it was only when they finally reached their destination at 9 am did they take time to examine what damage they may have sustained. At first it looked as though it was going to be quite gruesome. 'Daniel saw fur and the body inside the grill,'

Tevyn East said. 'I was trying to keep some distance. Our assumption was it was part of the coyote - it didn't register it was the whole animal.' Daniel East got a broom to try and pry the remains out of the bumper and got the shock of his life. 'It flinched,' Tevyn East said. 'It was a huge surprise - he got a little freaked out.'

'We knew it was bad': Tevyn East, who was in the car when it hit the coyote, bends down to take a look at the fur poking through the fender.

Fur Pete's sake: What Mr. East spotted as he bent down to inspect the damage to his car - the body of the coyote poking out through the
radiator.

Wily coyote: The animal's head can be seen as rescuers took apart the
front fender to save it after it was struck by the car at 75 mph.

Miracle escape: As the animal struggled, wildlife protection officials put
a loop around its neck to prevent it from further injuring itself. The front
of the car is completely taken apart as the coyote begins to wriggle free.

And voila! Tricky the toughest coyote ever rests in a cage after its
ordeal - which it survived with just some scrapes to its paw.

Antelope Deaths Traced To Poisonous Yew Bushes

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:57:21 -0600

Antelope Deaths Traced To Poisonous Yew Bushes
November 29th, 2009

CHEYENNE � The deaths of 10 pronghorn antelope in the Cheyenne area over the past month has been traced to consumption of foliage of poisonous yew bushes.

In mid October, Game and Fish received reports of dead and dying antelope in the Winchester Hills area south of Cheyenne. At that time, game warden Todd Kittel collected six of the seven animals found at Winchester Hills and took them to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department laboratory in Laramie for analysis. Nearly a month later, Kittel investigated reports of three dead antelope in the Round Top Road area north of Cheyenne. In both instances, the deaths of the antelope coincided with heavy snowfall in the region. It is likely the added snow cover drove the antelope close to residences in search of food. All animals were found within 200 yards of the yew bushes.

WGFD assistant wildlife veterinarian Cynthia Tate necropsied the pronghorns and subsequent toxicology analysis revealed that it was indeed the consumption of yew foliage that had killed the animals.

The poisonous properties of yew plants is well documented. There have been numerous instances of livestock dying after eating leaves of yew trees and bushes. The entire plant except for the fleshy berry contains cardiotoxins. This includes the bark, foliage and seeds. Since the seeds are contained within the berry, the berries of the plant should be considered off limits as well. It only takes 6-10 ounces of the foliage to kill a horse or a cow. If ingested, it is also toxic to humans and pets. In ancient times, potions made from yew foliage was used as a means of carrying out death sentences in some cultures.

In winter, the toxin accumulates in greater concentrations in the foliage and the plant is even more potent. Kittel said homeowners, especially in rural areas frequented by wildlife, may wish to consider the potential effects on wildlife when choosing shrubbery for landscaping.

Get Groceries For Pennies... what?

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:18:07 -0600

Check it out:

Amazing! You can fast forward to 3:35.

Looking to up my #'s

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:36:35 -0600

Moose in Naubinway, MI

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:46:50 -0600

(Story e-mailed to me)

Naubinway, MI, is about 40 miles west of the Mackinaw Bridge in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan .

How about this at your front door, Baby Moose 12 Hours Old -
Born in the middle of downtown Naubinway, Michigan.

In my 33 years in Michigan 's Upper Peninsula , I have never
seen a new-born baby moose. This one was not even a half
mile from our house. The mother picked a small, quiet
neighborhood, and had her baby in a front yard just off of US 2,
at 5:30 am.

Allen and I were out bike riding when we came upon the pair.
The lady across the street from this house told us she saw it being born.
We saw them at 5:30 PM. So the little one was 12 hours old.
What an awesome place we live in to see such a sight.

Totally awesome, but makes it really tough to use your front door!

Archery Buck

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:21:55 -0600

Here is My Story on my Archery Buck I harvested on 9-30-09, thought I would share it here.

I have been hunting my buddy Steve's new lease for a few weeks, and there are several deer that I would love to walk past . A major coldfront that blew gusts on Monday up to 45 mph from the NW told me to get out there. Last night I had 3 does in range and witnessed 3 bucks (no shooters) actually fighting...a great show an memorable experience. I told Steve the story and urged him to go with tonite.

We met at 5 pm and headed out, I sat in the same double bull as last night and Steve took a stand that was 81 yds away at the edge of the food plot. It was awesome cause we could see each other and share a hunt from 2 different angles. Early on we had a few does work the woodline but swirling winds kept them from commiting to the plot.

As the evening progressed, I had a small fork horn run out of the woods and go past me at 17 yds. As I watched the buck another small spike entered the plot. Then it happened........just like a ghost a great 8 stepped into the plot. He took one look at the 2 small bucks and ran at the fork full boar! The fork took off and the 8 stopped at 13 yds. I drew back the DXT and buried the Rage. The deer wheeled around and ran directly under Steve's tree and expired a short time later. It was AWESOME, and I had the pleasure of sharing the whole deal with Steve. I am still on cloud 9, and anticipate to be there for some time. A memory to last a lifetime!

Here he is in velvet-

Here he is hard horned a few weeks ago-

And here he is at my side.

If it Fly's....this makes it tasty!

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:14:55 -0600

Some of you may already do this, but for those who don't.....

Step 1
Kill you some dove, duck or goose. I chose dove tonite

Step 2
Marinade cleaned bird for 1 hour. I prefer Teriyaki.

Step 3
Put bird in 2x3" chunks wrapped in bacon on skewer. I cut a standard pkg of bacon into thirds.

Step 4
Apply skewers to medium heat grill with the grates warm. I prefer charcol.

Step 5
Cook both sides for 2-3 minutes or until bacon is done

Step 6
Serve with whatever you'd like. I chose Steak Fries. and Creamy cukes and several 16oz beers.

Step 7
After the food and drink settle, throw a small piece of lumber on the grill and let the kids have Smores for desert

Hunting Seasons Re-open for Ruffed Grouse and Pheasant

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:57:20 -0600

Hunting Seasons Re-open for Ruffed Grouse and Pheasant
November 26th, 2009

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds small-game hunters that the season on ruffed grouse and pheasant reopens Tuesday, Dec. 1, and runs through Jan. 1.

Grouse season is open statewide with a limit of five per day, 10 in possession, in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula (Zones 1 and 2) and a limit of three per day, six in possession in southern Michigan (Zone 3).

Pheasant hunting resumes across much of southern Michigan, east of U.S. 131 and south of M-20 and U.S 10. Check the 2009 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Guide for exact boundaries. The limit is two roosters daily, four in possession.

�Bird hunters often find opportunity in the late season in areas that were too wet earlier in the year, but can be accessed in December because the standing water is frozen,� explained DNR upland game bird biologist Al Stewart. �Hunters who concentrate in high-quality habitat should still be able to find birds.�

Hunters must have a valid small game license.

South Dakota Pheasant Limits May Increase In December

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:56:13 -0600

South Dakota Pheasant Limits May Increase In December
November 28th, 2009

Pierre, S.D. � Due to the delayed harvest of crops this fall, the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission intends to act at its Dec. 3-4 meeting in Pierre on a proposal to raise the three-bird daily pheasant bag limit to five cock pheasants daily.

Under the proposal, the current 15-bird pheasant possession limit would increase to 25 male pheasants.

If adopted, the emergency rule would take effect Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009, and remain in place until the current pheasant season ends on Jan. 3, 2010.

�The ability of hunters to harvest pheasants in the first seven weeks of the 2009 pheasant hunting season has been severely inhibited by lack of row-crop harvest,� said GFP Secretary Jeff Vonk. �The weather patterns that led to this situation were not anticipated by the Commission when it adopted the pheasant season back in April.�

The adjustments in the daily limit and possession limit will not hurt overall pheasant numbers in future years because only cock pheasants may be harvested, Vonk said.

�As crops are taken from the fields, the refuge that pheasants found in oceans of cornfields will disappear, and birds will be concentrated in the remaining cover,� Vonk said. �The addition to the limits will allow hunters the ability to make up for opportunities that were lost in the first part of the season.�

Sixth Cat Taken in Zone 1, Two More Closes Zone

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:54:36 -0600

Sixth Cat Taken in Zone 1, Two More Closes Zone
November 27th, 2009

A 3-year-old, 92-pound female mountain lion taken Nov. 19 by a deer hunter northwest of Grassy Butte in McKenzie County is the sixth cat taken in zone 1. If two more are taken from zone 1 before March 31, 2010, the quota of eight will have been reached and the season within zone 1 will close immediately.

When an eighth lion is taken, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department will notify media outlets via a press release announcing the close of the season in zone 1. Hunters can also check the number of lions taken in zone 1 by accessing the Game and Fish Department website at gf.nd.gov.

Zone 1 includes land south of ND Highway 1804 from the Montana border to the point where ND Highway 1804 lies directly across Lake Sakakawea from ND Highway 8, crossing Lake Sakakawea then south along ND Highway 8 to ND Highway 200, then west on ND Highway 200 to U.S. Highway 85, then south on U.S. Highway 85 to the South Dakota border.

Zone 2, with no quota, is the remainder of the state and is open through March 31, 2010.

The mountain lion season is open only to North Dakota residents. A furbearer or combination license is required

FWC Encourages Use Of Safety Harnesses After 2 Treestand Accidents

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:52:57 -0600

FWC Encourages Use Of Safety Harnesses After 2 Treestand Accidents
November 28th, 2009

Two serious tree stand accidents over the weekend have Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) hunter safety staff reminding hunters to wear a safety harness when using a tree stand.

On Saturday, Pace resident Anthony Eddie Vanna, 33, died after falling from his tree stand in the Blackwater River State Forest near Munson. Vanna was muzzleloader hunting for deer when he fell 23.5 feet. He apparently was attempting to come down the tree at sundown.

The previous day, Susan Rudd of Quincy fell backwards off a 12-foot tall ladder stand while hog hunting on private property in Gadsden County. Although injured, she managed to walk out and call for help.

Rudd was Life-Flighted to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and admitted. She has since been discharged from the hospital.

FWC law enforcement investigators say neither hunter wore a safety harness.

Bill Cline, the FWC�s section leader for hunter safety and public shooting ranges, said anyone who hunts from a tree stand should wear a safety harness.

�If you�re going to leave the ground, you need to wear a full body harness. If a hunter isn�t willing to do that, they need to stay on the ground. It�s that simple,� Cline said.

Hunters who use older tree stand belts or upper-chest straps should discard them, Cline said. He encourages hunters to visit MyFWC.com/HunterSafety and take the free online tree stand safety course.

Tiger Woods hurt in car accident in front of his Florida home

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:42:05 -0600

Tiger Woods hurt in car accident in front of his Florida home

Much remains unclear about the 2:25 a.m. crash and why he was out at that hour. The golfer's wife uses club to break a back window to get him out of car.

The initial media reports that instantly spread around the globe sounded dire: Tiger Woods had been "seriously" hurt in a car accident early Friday and was hospitalized.

It turned out that the superstar golfer's injuries, first reported by the Orlando Sentinel, weren't as dreadful as the word "serious" implied in the police report. But as additional details emerged during the day, it appeared Woods certainly suffered more than a fender bender.

Woods, 33, was backing out of his driveway in the Isleworth community near Orlando, Fla., at 2:25 a.m. when he struck a fire hydrant and then hit a neighbor's tree, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

It was almost 12 hours before the police issued an accident report, and it is still unknown why Woods was out driving at that hour and much about the incident remains unclear.

After the first news reports about the accident, Woods' website in the afternoon issued a terse statement saying he was in "good condition," after being treated and released from Health Central Hospital in nearby Ocoee, Fla.

The Associated Press later Friday quoted a local police chief as saying Woods' wife, Elin, used a golf club to smash the back window to get Woods out of his 2009 Cadillac sports utility vehicle after she heard the accident and came outside.

Woods had cuts to his lips, blood in his mouth and was lying in the street, with his wife nearby, and was in and out of consciousness when officers arrived, Windermere Police Chief Daniel Saylor said. At one point Woods woke up and tried to get up but lost consciousness.

FHP spokeswoman Kim Montes said troopers arrived at the Woods' home early Friday evening to talk to the golfer, and that his wife told them Woods was resting and asked them to return this morning, the Orlando Sentinel reported. The troopers agreed.

The FHP's news release said alcohol was not considered a factor in the accident, and that the crash remained under investigation.

The airbags in Woods' SUV did not deploy, according to the FHP, and it was unknown whether Woods was wearing a seat belt.

But owing to the authorities' technical language in the case of accidents, the world was stunned with headlines of Woods' "serious" injury that appeared on media websites from Los Angeles to London, aired on television and arrived on fans' Blackberrys and mobile phones.

The news release listed the injuries as "serious" because patients' conditions are always classified that way if they are transported to a hospital, FHP spokesman Jorge Delahoz told the Orlando Sentinel.

The media frenzy that the word "serious" ignited was "illustrative not only of Woods' global fame, but of the rapidity with which the media can spread news whether it is entirely accurate or not," said David Carter, executive director of USC's Sports Business Institute.

Woods, of course, is the world's No. 1 golfer. He has won 82 times worldwide and captured 14 major tournaments, and this year he also became the first athlete to reach the $1-billion mark in career earnings through prize money, endorsements and other income, Forbes magazine estimated.

Woods can make or break TV ratings simply by choosing to play in a tournament. He has a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes.

While the authorities "may characterize [the injuries] very technically," today's instant media communication "leads to banner headlines which makes everybody wonder what the impact could be if, for any reason, he was to miss a serious of tournaments," Carter said.

In fact, the accident occurred on the eve of the Chevron World Challenge, an 18-player tournament hosted by Woods at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks.

The four-day tournament starts Thursday, and Woods is scheduled to hold a pre-tournament news conference there Tuesday.

Wood missed last year's tournament, which supports the Tiger Woods Foundation, because he was recovering from surgery on his left knee.

He was scheduled to rejoin the field this year, but Mark Steinberg, Woods' agent, told the Associated Press on Friday that he did not know if Woods still planned to play.

Tournament officials did not elaborate on Woods' appearance beyond the golfer's statement on the website www.tigerwoods.com.

Woods won six times this season. Although he did not win a major tournament, Woods said he considered the year successful because he wasn't sure how his knee would respond after months of rehabilitation.

Farting in the Library

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:08:28 -0600

Waterfowl/venison/pheasant/fish seasonings

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:37:12 -0600

Waterfowl/venison/pheasant/fish seasonings

http://www.outdoorseasonings.com/waterfowl.php

Turkey Hunting and the Cops

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:08:58 -0600

Turkey Hunting and the Cops

Sun Nov 29 and Mon Nov 30th NFL Lines

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:51:08 -0600

Sun Nov 29 and Mon Nov 30thNFL Lines, click on pic to maximize. Packers should hit wild card.

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=72

Missouri Firearm Deer Harvest Down 4 Percent

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:40:27 -0600

Missouri Firearm Deer Harvest Down 4 Percent
November 26th, 2009

JEFFERSON CITY � Harvest numbers for Missouri�s 11-day November portion of the firearms deer season dipped by 7,524, or 4 percent, this year from last for a total of 193,155. Missouri�s record November firearms deer harvest was in 2006, with a total of 235,054.

The top harvest counties were Texas, with 4,372 deer checked; Howell with 3,871; and Benton with 3,616.

Antlered bucks made up 41 percent of this year�s November firearms deer harvest compared to 37 percent last year.

�This increase in antlered bucks is partly because we are in the second year of the antler restriction in many counties, so more bucks were available,� explained Missouri Department of Conservation Resource Scientist Lonnie Hansen.

Overall harvest numbers in central and northern Missouri were down, due mostly to heavy and prolonged rains.

�Hunters usually harvest about 60 percent of the total for the season during opening weekend,� said Hansen, who is in charge of the MDC�s deer-management program. �Heavy rain during four of the first five days of the 11-day season was a major factor in lower numbers. Adding to that were weeks of wet weather before the season, which forced farmers to leave a considerable amount of corn standing. This provided a refuge for deer and made them more difficult to find.�

He added that the past few years of more liberal harvest regulations in many central and northern Missouri counties also have stabilized or reduced deer numbers in these areas, as was intended.

Harvest numbers in the Ozarks and southeastern Missouri were generally higher than last year.

�Harvest numbers were down last year in these areas because of abundant acorns,� explained Hansen. �Deer were more scattered throughout the woods and less likely to concentrate at other food sources such as fields. This made it more difficult to pattern their movements. We did not have that issue this year because of a lighter acorn crop. Also, the rains held out until after opening weekend, so hunters had better weather.�

He added, �Overall, we had a good season and Missouri�s deer population remains healthy and relatively stable.�

Deer hunters still have opportunities to fill their freezers, and also to help their neighbors through the Share the Harvest program. The antlerless season runs Nov. 25 to Dec. 6. The second round of the archery season runs Nov. 25 to Jan. 15, and muzzleloader season runs Dec. 19-29.

The Conservation Department recorded seven firearms-related deer hunting incidents during the November hunt, including one fatal one, plus three additional falls from tree stands.

Wolf Illegally Killed in Iron County

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:34:53 -0600

Wolf Illegally Killed in Iron County
November 24th, 2009

The Department of Natural Resources today announced that an arrest has been made in a wolf poaching case reported Nov. 17 in Iron County.

DNR conservation officers were contacted with reports of a dead wolf south of Iron River in Iron County on the evening of Nov. 17. Officers responding to the scene found a dead wolf dumped at the edge of a field that had apparently died of a gunshot wound. Evidence at the scene led the officers to a nearby hunting camp where a possible suspect was identified.

The suspect, who is from Green Bay and who had already returned home, was contacted by DNR conservation officers and agreed to return to Iron County to be served with arrest warrants and appear in court. The suspect will be arraigned in 95B District Court on Nov. 30, where it is expected he will be charged with illegally killing a wolf and hunting deer without a license.

The maximum penalty for poaching a wolf is 90 days in jail or a fine of up to $1,000, or both, plus reimbursement of $1,500 to the state for killing an endangered species. The maximum fine for hunting without a license is $500.

Wolves are a federally-protected species in Michigan and cannot legally be killed except in the defense of human life. Anyone with tips about wolf poaching or other hunting violations should call the DNR�s Report All Poaching line, 24 hours a day, at 800-292-7800.

Idaho Nonresident Tag Sales Start December 1

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:30:40 -0600

Idaho Nonresident Tag Sales Start December 1

The 2010 licenses, tags and permits go on sale at 12:01 a.m. MST, Tuesday, December 1, except for the nonresident Selway B elk tags which go on sale at 10 a.m. MST.

The sale of these popular tags is being delayed because many license vendors and Idaho Department of Fish and Game offices will not be open at midnight. By delaying the sale timing, hunters will have an equal opportunity to buy the tags.

Nonresident hunters can buy their licenses and tags at Fish and Game offices, any license vendor, or by credit card by calling 1-800-554-8685. They can also buy them online at the Fish and Game Website at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov.

Big game hunters can find more information on the sale and purchase of tags for residents and nonresidents on pages 94 � 96 of the Idaho 2009 Big Game Seasons rules booklet.

Residents also can buy 2010 hunting licenses starting Tuesday, and they can buy a receipt for deer and elk tags, which don�t go on sale until after deer, elk and pronghorn controlled hunt drawings later in 2010. Hunters can redeem the receipt for a deer or elk tag after the controlled hunt drawings in July so those whose names were drawn don�t have to exchange their general season tags for controlled hunt tags at a Fish and Game office. Instead the controlled winners are simply issued a controlled hunt tag at any license vendor. The rest are issued general season tags.

More Steelhead Coming To The Boise River

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:28:28 -0600

More Steelhead Coming To The Boise River

Just in time for Thanksgiving, Idaho Fish and Game plans to stock 300 or more steelhead in the Boise River from Glenwood Bridge to Barber Park Tuesday afternoon November 24.

Anglers hoping to tangle with one of the 4- to 10-pound hatchery steelhead need a 2009 fishing license and a $12.75 steelhead permit, good for 40 fish. Though required in other steelhead waters, barbless hooks are not required for Boise River steelhead angling.

All steelhead stocked in the Boise River will lack an adipose fin � the small fin normally found immediately behind the dorsal fin. Boise River anglers catching a rainbow trout longer than 20 inches that lacks an adipose fin should consider the fish a steelhead. Any steelhead caught by an angler not holding a steelhead permit must immediately be returned to the water.

Steelhead limits on the Boise River are three fish per day, nine in possession, and 40 for the fall season.

The fish are A-run hatchery steelhead, returning Idaho Power Co.�s Oxbow Hatchery fish trap below Hells Canyon Dam on the Snake River. Many of the returning steelhead will become part of the ongoing steelhead hatchery program at Oxbow Hatchery as part of Idaho Power�s mitigation.

�We are happy to collaborate with Idaho Fish and Game this year to bring steelhead to Treasure Valley anglers,� said Paul Abbott, Idaho Power biologist. �The best thing about this program is that it eliminates the need for folks to travel to the Snake or Salmon rivers to catch steelhead. Boise anglers will have the opportunity to test their skills right in their own backyard.�

For information about the Boise River steelhead release, contact the Fish and Game in Nampa at 208-465-8465 or check the Web site at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov.

Minnesota Deer Harvest Report Down 11 Percent

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:26:38 -0600

Minnesota Deer Harvest Report Down 11 Percent

Minnesota�s firearms deer harvest is down 11.6 percent from 2008 but on track with expectations, according to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Since the season opened Nov. 7, preliminary results show that hunters have harvested 151,000 animals, 20,000 fewer than last year following the third weekend of hunting. The decrease reflects fewer opportunities for hunters to harvest antlerless deer in about half of the state�s deer management areas.

�The strategy for 2009 is to allow deer populations to build and stabilize by reducing opportunities to take antlerless deer,� said Lou Cornicelli, DNR big game coordinator. �We expect hunters to harvest about 200,000 deer, or one-fifth of the state�s wild deer population. We�re on track to do just that once the final numbers are in and counted for all deer seasons.�

Hunters have harvested about 19,000 fewer antlerless deer than last year, accounting for the majority of the decline. Harvest of bucks is only about 1,200 animals behind last year. Hunter numbers are nearly identical to last year.

�The harvest of bucks is the most stable indicator of deer population,� Cornicelli said. �Nearly the same number of bucks has been harvested, which suggests that deer are still there to be taken. Since fewer hunters have the option of harvesting an antlerless deer, the overall numbers have decreased.�

Cornicelli said hunters also have been especially cooperative in the DNR�s efforts to sample deer for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in southeastern Minnesota and Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) in northwestern Minnesota.

DNR-staffed stations in southeastern Minnesota have sampled 2,350 deer for CWD. In northwestern Minnesota, 1,468 deer have been sampled for Bovine TB. Minnesota hunters harvested about 222,000 deer last year. The highest recorded harvest was 290,000 deer in 2003.

�Hunters are harvesting more deer than we did historically but not as many as when the deer population reached its peak in the early 2000s,� said Cornicelli. �With population goals being met in many areas, harvest numbers are showing that we�re beginning to level out to where we want to be.�

Anyone shopping on Black Friday?

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:22:54 -0600

If so, tell us what you got and what good deals you found.

Happy Thanksgiving from Show Me Snow Geese

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:11:52 -0600

Happy Thanksgiving from Show Me Snow Geese

New Evidence on How Wolves Pressure Elk

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:13:33 -0600

New Evidence on How Wolves Pressure Elk

While Montana and Idaho actually initiated conservative, tightly controlled wolf hunting seasons this year�after years of needless controversy�animal rights� groups still hope to find ways to scuttle the hunts and get wolves put back on the Endangered Species List. Defenders of Wildlife, for example, has more than 92,000 signatures on an online petition to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, urging him to restore federal protection for wolves.

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=71

Among the points of contention that will come up in continued wolf debate is vehement disagreement over how significant wolf predation is on elk.

Those who support regulated wolf hunting say that increasing wolf populations are driving elk numbers down significantly, at least in some areas, reducing herds and resulting in lost opportunities for elk hunters, guides and outfitters. (Fewer elk hunters also means less revenue for the state game and fish departments, which are losing the license fees elk hunters would otherwise pay.)

Residents of the Rocky Mountains have a lot of first-hand evidence regarding the toll wolves take on elk. Every now and then, people actually see it take place, or else they find the gruesome aftermath. (Visit www.saveourelk.com.) Others, like Idaho resident James Lewis, can tell you, �Since the introduction of wolves I can hunt for an entire week and see maybe 3-8 elk�where we once saw up to 300 a day.�

�Nobody denies wolves kill elk,� the antis bellow, �the question is, are wolves taking a significant, scientifically documented, toll on elk? Enough of a toll that it somehow justifies reducing wolf numbers?�

Anti-hunters will soon be pointing gleefully to a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Minnesota that found a wolf�s predatory ability peaks at about two or three years old and erodes significantly thereafter. So, they will tell us, the wolf�s affect on elk is less than we might believe.

Yet another recent study, however, showed that the mere presence of wolves, regardless of their age, can drive down elk numbers significantly�even without direct predation.

The study found that wolves cause elk to switch from grazing in open meadows to browsing woody plants in heavily forested areas where they retreat for safety. According to the study, that means elk living near wolves eat 27 percent less food than elk living far from wolves, which results in weight loss, starvation and ultimately lower calving rates.

�Elk hunted regularly by wolves are essentially starving faster than those not hunted by wolves,� said Scott Creel, ecology professor at Montana State University and lead author of the study. In the three years prior to wolf reintroduction in Greater Yellowstone (the site of the study) in 1995, elk numbered between 17,000 and 19,000. But from 2004-2007, elk counts declined to between 6,738 and 6,279.

�This research shows that the total effect of a predator on prey numbers can be larger than one would determine simply by looking at the number that are killed,� Creel said. �Until now, it would have seemed obvious to conclude that a herd losing many of its numbers to predators would decline faster than a herd where predators were less successful. However, now it is conceivable that the herd with the lower direct predation rate could decline faster, if it spends more of its time and energy avoiding being eaten and less on reproduction,� Creel concluded.

Let me hasten to add that proof of wolves� toll on elk, whether through direct predation or because they lead to lower calving success, is not a signal to �exterminate wolves,� as animal rights� groups continue to label any statement that advocates a managed wolf season. Nor does it attempt to hide the fact that a number of other factors affect elk populations, too�deep snow, disease, other predators, drought and habitat loss can all come into play.

There are plenty of good reasons to hunt wolves besides the fact that they take a significant toll on elk�but the fact is they do.

Hunter Furious Over Treatment by U.S Customs

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:09:44 -0600

Hunter Furious Over Treatment by U.S Customs

Horror stories of traveling with firearms, especially when those travels involve airports and/or national borders, are not uncommon. Confusing regulations and forms, the fear of having one�s firearms lost or damaged, and unpleasant interactions with airline and government officials all contribute to the maddening experience many hunters face when traveling with guns.

For Virginia hunter Frederick Payne and his son-in-law, their experience with U.S. Customs in Toronto upon returning from a hunting trip in Newfoundland on Oct. 17 was nothing short of abysmal. It took them more than two hours to clear U.S. Customs, even though they had previously been cleared by Canadian Customs and had complied with all regulations, causing them to miss their connecting flight to Richmond.

�It was obvious that we were singled out for special treatment solely because we were lawfully carrying firearms,� said Payne of his ordeal in Toronto.

�Please understand that my concerns go beyond the personal inconvenience and indignities which we experienced,� Payne continued. �The conduct of the officers in question demonstrates a callous indifference to the rights of lawful travelers, as well as to the security needs which they are charged with serving. � I believe that the conduct of these officers reflects a conscious policy to harass American citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights to transport firearms in a lawful manner.�

The following is a letter Payne sent to U.S. Customs Acting Commissioner Jayson P. Ahern describing the poor service of U.S. Customs agents in Toronto. U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not respond to a request made by NRA 10 days ago to comment on this incident, nor did they respond to Payne�s letter.

October 20, 2009

Hon. Jayson P. Ahern
Acting Commissioner
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20229

Re: Complaint regarding Customs Service�Our file 09-8

Dear Commissioner Ahern:

This will serve to report to you on the quality of service of your officers, based on my recent experience with your personnel in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

My son-in-law and I were returning from a hunting trip to Newfoundland this past weekend, October 17. Our flight connections took us through Toronto, and we were informed that we would need to clear U.S. Customs there. Both of us were carrying hunting rifles, along with small amounts of ammunition and related hunting gear, as well as a few keepsakes purchased in Canada. We had previously been cleared through Canadian customs in Toronto on our arrival, as well as by TSA when we left Richmond. Neither of us was carrying anything of even remotely questionable legality, both of us are natural-born U.S. citizens of impeccable character and both of us were in possession of current U.S. passports and next flight boarding passes to Richmond. The rifles, both of which belong to me, were manufactured in the U.S. and were purchased in Virginia, one in 1972, the other in 2006. They were carried in hard-sided cases which were locked in accordance with regulations of the TSA and Air Canada. Both had been previously cleared by TSA and declared in accordance with Canadian law.

Upon our arrival in Toronto, and on retrieving our baggage from the baggage claim, we made our way to the customs station, where we found a long line of travelers waiting to clear primary inspection. After a delay of approximately 45 minutes, we passed through primary inspection without undue incident. Seeing no directions and having not been told where to go by the primary inspector, I headed for the exit to aircraft gates. When I reached the exit, I was stopped by one of your officers who rather peremptorily gestured toward a closed door bearing a small sign for �secondary inspection.� I was not afforded any verbal assistance, nor was there any sign or other device to direct me to where I needed to go.

When I entered that room, I found a substantial group of perhaps 30 people who appeared to be waiting in a group of seats. Across the room, at a remove of perhaps 50 feet, were two stainless steel counters which were equipped with computer terminals and manned by two of your uniformed officers. I found my way to one of these and handed over an envelope, containing my passport and various other materials, which had been provided to me at the primary inspection station. The female officer took the envelope and brusquely directed me to �have a seat over there,� gesturing toward the other travelers. I walked over to another, unmanned, station and stood waiting with my son-in-law who had been directed there a few minutes earlier.

I noted two other officers who appeared to be working, one at a station somehow related to disease control and another having no apparent purpose. There were several other inspection stations (four, as I recall), but none of these was ever manned, despite the backlog of travelers and despite the fact that at least four other uniformed officers were in the room. None of these appeared to be doing anything productive, but were merely strolling around, occasionally chatting to one another in English or (more often) in Spanish.

As we were waiting, it became apparent that the two officers carrying out the inspections were in no hurry to complete their assignments. Shortly after I arrived, the male officer walked away from his station and stayed away for about � hour. No one replaced him. The procedure appeared to be for the two officers to call out the names of travelers, who were then to walk over and submit to the inspection. This was not efficient since the officers announced the names in a conversational tone of voice which could not be heard by the travelers and usually had to be repeated 2 or 3 times.

Eventually, my son-in-law�s name was called, and he took his baggage over to the station manned by the male officer. I remained standing next to the unmanned station for several minutes until another officer arrived and rudely directed me to go over and sit down saying, �This is my station.� (He proceeded to stand at the station and do something on the computer terminal, but he performed no inspections.) I did so and waited for another 15 minutes or so, at the end of which time I heard my son-in-law call my name and gesture for me to bring my baggage over to the station next to the one where he was standing. This station was manned by the female agent. According to my son-in-law, she had spoken my name, but she did so in such a low tone that I had not heard her at all.

I walked over to the station, and your officer ordered me to place my baggage on the counter. Unpleasantly surprised by her discourtesy, I did so, suggesting that she might say �please,� to which she made no response. She commenced inspecting my carry-on bag, which contained only a few hunting related optical and electronic devices, a pair of boots and a couple of paperback books. She went through the bag, not bothering to close zippers and the like. She then ordered me to unlock the rifle case, which I did, but she barely looked at the rifle, apparently not bothering to check its make or serial number. She said something about my being able to prove that I had acquired the rifle in the U.S. I recognized this maneuver from the reports of previous experiences of friends and handed her the original of your Form 4457 which I had previously prepared and on which I had listed both rifles, as well as the various electronic and optical devices. Your officer affected not to know which rifle was before her despite the fact that it was plainly marked as a Savage .30/06 and was obviously a bolt action, precisely as described on the form. She then asked where the other rifle was, and I directed her to my son-in-law�s case. She questioned why they were both listed on my form, to which I responded that both rifles belong to me, that I had loaned one to my son-in-law for the trip. She then proceeded to criticize my completion of the form, despite that the fact that it contained all relevant information and had been signed and sealed by another of your officers at the Richmond office.

Next she asked me whether I had bought anything in Canada, to which I replied that I had bought a bottle of rum and indicated that it was in my checked bag. She made no effort to examine it. She then asked me if I was carrying ammunition and, if so, was it less than 2 kilos. I thought this was odd, since the bag bore the Canadian-mandated red and white sticker reading (in English and French) �ammunition.� I indicated that I had 19 rounds of .30/06 ammunition. Here again, she made no effort to check my statement. In fact, she made no effort even to open the checked bag. Eventually, she indicated brusquely that I was free to go. Predictably, she made no effort to direct me where to go, and I had to find my own way out.

This was certainly one of the most incompetent, poorly-managed operations I have ever experienced. The people were grossly inefficient and consistently discourteous, and there appeared to be no supervision or management of any of the personnel. I can say without hesitation that, had I been the female officer�s supervisor, I would have fired her on the spot for incompetence and discourtesy to American citizens. I have been through customs on several occasions, both American and foreign, and I was prepared for a certain amount of unpleasantness. In my admittedly limited experience, U.S. customs officers, in marked contrast to those of other countries, quite typically make the experience gratuitously unpleasant and display both boorishness and incompetence, but nothing prepared me for this level of both.

In the event, it took us over two hours to clear U.S. Customs, during which time we missed our connecting flight to Richmond. Had it not been for the good customer service of Air Canada�whose employees appeared to be genuinely concerned about our plight�we would have been put to major inconvenience and expense. As it was, we could not arrange another flight to Richmond and had to make arrangements for someone to pick us up in Washington.

The performance of your officers was nothing short of disgraceful, and to see them as the �first line� representatives of my native country made me profoundly angry and ashamed. The impression was particularly acute when contrasted with their Canadian counterparts who performed similar duties but who were consistently courteous and efficient. Based on the accounts of others that they have suffered similar experiences at the hands of your officers, I conclude that my experience was essentially typical.

In light of the foregoing, I suggest that it would be appropriate for you to initiate an investigation of the performance of your agency, particularly, but not exclusively, in the Toronto office. I respectfully request that you advise me what steps you intend to take to correct these deficiencies.

By copy of this communication, I am advising Senators Warner and Webb of my concerns, as well as Congressman Perriello and Congressman Cantor, my son-in-law�s representative. I respectfully request that they follow up on my complaint.

Sincerely yours,

Frederick W. Payne

Have a happy Thanksgiving

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:28:49 -0600

Have a happy Thanksgiving, go Packers

Buy a Car, Get an AK-47

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:40:39 -0600

Buy a Car, Get an AK-47

Mark Muller, owner of Max Motors in Butler, MO, gained his 3 1/2-year-old company national notoriety in August 2008 when it gave away vouchers for a handgun with every vehicle sold that month. Sales went up 35 percent. This year�s August promotion offered vouchers for an AK-47, generating a media frenzy that included this CNN interview where he gets the best of an anti-gun reporter.

Sales for the month doubled, and the company�s website http://www.max71.com/ which usually receives between 5,000 and 6,000 hits a day crashed sometime after reaching 1 million hits in a 24-hour period. More than 40,000 e-mails poured in�each of them personally responded to�and 97.8 percent of them were favorable.

�We struck a chord with the God-fearing Americans who still live in this country,� Muller said. �People were not coming for the gun, they were buying to support someone of like mind.�

Not everyone was happy with the promotion. He received one call from a self-professed �peace activist� who threatened to kill him and rape his wife. Another guy called, claiming he was across the street with a rifle and was going to kill him.

Muller, who regularly carries either a Smith & Wesson 1911 or a Kel-Tec .380 ACP, said the nonsense didn�t intimidate him. He added that a lot his employees have a CCW permit and that concealed-carry classes have been conducted at the dealership with regularity.

Although Muller was born in Philadelphia, he�s lived most of his life in Missouri, where �We always plinked around with .22s,� he said. �I�ve been shooting my whole life and have done a lot of duck, squirrel and rabbit hunting.� Muller�s wife learned to shoot more than 10 years ago when he introduced her to the shotgun. �First thing I taught her was to shoot a 12 gauge from the hip.�

He also has a strong faith, and some of his fellow churchgoes consider gun ownership contrary to the Bible. �I believe it�s immoral not to be prepared to defend your family,� Muller explained. �That�s immoral. I can guarantee Jesus wouldn�t be a victim if he didn�t want to be.�

Oddly, more than half of the buyers didn�t take the gun voucher�some opted for gas. �It wasn�t about the gun,� Muller reiterated. �It was about supporting someone willing to take a stand.�

Keeping a dealership thriving in a town with barely 4,000 residents requires 10- to 12-hour workdays, and Muller relies heavily on his 30 years of experience in automobile sales. So what promotion does he have on the drawing board for next year? �I�ve got one that�s bigger and better�.� he said.

Bad Boy Buggy For Sale

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:38:59 -0600

Upgrading to a 2010 Model

All Electric 4x4 Utility
-10" Aluminum Rim and Tire Pkg was a 700.00 add
-Optional Battery Fill System was a 300.00 Add
-Very Low Hours

Features-

A Picture

$6950.00 Located in La Crosse WI Area
email waterfowler99@yahoo.com
serious inquiries only.

Fun stuff to do at the office

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:28:33 -0600

Fast forward to :15.

NEBRASKA Buck could be new Nontypical record

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:26:40 -0600

Deer hunters abuzz about possible record buck
Thursday, November 19, 2009 6:35 am

Wes O'Brien of Lexington, Texas, shows off the massive whitetail buck he shot Saturday on private land in Richardson County.

"Everybody's saying 'state record' right now," Korth said Wednesday. "It's hard to say."

The 38-point whitetail generating the buzz was shot Saturday by a 24-year-old Texan hunting on private land in Richardson County. On Wednesday, Wes O'Brien told the Journal Star his trophy has received a preliminary score of 281.

The rack's official score won't be determined for 60 days. During the so-called drying period, antlers will shrink a little.

So it remains to be seen if the O'Brien buck will top a famous set of antlers from a deer killed 47 years ago in Hall County by bowhunter Del Austin of Hastings. Commonly called "Old Mossy Horns," the Austin buck scored 279 7/8 , ranking it not only first in Nebraska, but a world record for a whitetail taken by archery.

"I don't care if he doesn't get any records. He's amazing to me," O'Brien said of his deer.

Many people probably don't realize antlers are scored and ranked. But the Boone and Crockett Club, founded by Theodore Roosevelt, devised an official measuring system for big game trophies in the 1920s. Other groups, most notably the archery-based Pope and Young Club, have developed similar systems.

Scorers must go through training and become certified to officially make measurements for the clubs.

Antlers fall into two main categories. Typical racks are generally symmetrical and with a nearly equal number of points on each side. Nontypical racks usually have many more points and asymmetrical sides.

Nebraska's record book not only categorizes racks by type, but also by weapon. The current record for a nontypical firearm whitetail in Nebraska scored 242 5/8 and was shot in 1961 in Nance County by Robert Snyder of Genoa.

Even if the O'Brien buck eventually ranks highest overall in Nebraska, Old Mossy Horns will remain the top archery whitetail.

The O'Brien buck was not scored before the hunter returned to Texas. But as long as it is measured by a certified Boone and Crockett scorer, it will be accepted in Nebraska's big game trophy records, said Randy Stutheit, a wildlife biologist with the state Game and Parks Commission.

Stutheit and Korth, both certified scorers, declined to speculate whether the rack might establish a new record because they have only seen photos.

But Korth said he's never seen another buck like it in nearly 20 years of checking hunters' deer at Schramm Park.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime buck," he said. "Remarkable is a really good word for it."

In more recent years, trophy whitetails have inspired an entire industry. The highest ranking bucks often are sold to collectors, put on public display, given nicknames and reproduced in collectable bronzes, plates and even cocktail coasters.

In other words, there's big bucks in big antlers.

That isn't lost on O'Brien, a meat cutter and warehouse worker from Lexington, Texas, who described himself as a "broke white boy who likes to hunt." He said he has obtained an agent and will consider selling the antlers after they have been mounted.

O'Brien came to Nebraska with a friend who knew a landowner, who in turn gave them permission to hunt in Richardson County. Other than a nonresident license, he said he paid no fees for hunting access.

He shot the buck from about 100 yards shortly before sundown Saturday, not long after he stepped out of a truck to stalk a different deer.

He got lucky, he said, which inspired the nickname he's already given the buck.

"Too Easy."

Snow Goose Spreads Using Fewer Decoys

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:08:18 -0600

Snow Goose Spreads Using Fewer Decoys

Show Me Snow Geese testing Ron Latschaw's Feather Flyer Decoys

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:05:06 -0600

Show Me Snow Geese testing Ron Latschaw's Feather Flyer Decoys

Amazon.com: Black Friday Deals Week Starts Now, outdoor gear....

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:11:03 -0600

Amazon.com: Black Friday Deals Week Starts Now, outdoor gear....

http://www.amazon.com/Hunting-Fishing/b/re...pf_rd_i=3375251

Duck Magnets 2009 deer hunt

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:55:08 -0600

I seen one buck for the opener gun deer hunt in WI, another bad year. The other 4 guys in my party ddin't see any deer. Heres how the opener looked, very foggy.

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=64
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=65

When the fog cleared, good lookin spot for hunting off of a field.

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=66

My cousins truck stuck, funny moment, lots of cussing

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=67
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=68

All in all, a good time with family, but had a bad deer hunt. We will be looking for different land to hunt next year.

Hi everyone

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:58:34 -0600

** Removed due to spam. **

My 2009 WI Gun Buck

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:30:53 -0600

After sitting in my stand from 530 am to 130 pm, this guy followed 5 does up the ravine. The 270 put him down without a flinch. Time spent in the woods on stand killed this deer. He had a broken G2 from a scrap as well as a broken G4 on the opposite beam. He did not sport a huge spread, but decent mass and a 7 and 7.5 brow helped tremendously.

Deer in my neck of the woods

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:11:29 -0600

Here's a nice 10 pointer I photographed about 4 years ago.

Geese Photo

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:09:25 -0600

We have tons of geese, ducks, upland game and trophy bucks!

Vending Machine Fail

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:44:01 -0600

World record catfish caught.

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:50:17 -0600

[Video] 2009 - 2010 Waterfowl Season

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:46:28 -0600

What is this???

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:26:19 -0600

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=54What is this???

Lost Camo Effectivness

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:58:23 -0600

I am sold on Mathews Lost line, but I went out today and shot some photos of a friend to show how well it works. Gamehide' Mathews Collection in Lost Camo....simply disappears. See for yourself.

Duck Decoy Spreads from Performance Calls

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:47:46 -0600

Duck Decoy Spreads from Performance Calls

Do you ever sit up at night wondering how many duck decoys you should put out the next morning?

I know I do!

If you follow these simple rules when deciding how many decoys to run, I guarantee you will kill more birds.

Rule #1:
Ducks make movement on the water, your decoys should also!

If there is little to no wind I have found a small spread of 12-24 decoys with a jerk chord to be the most effective. There is no sense in running a huge spread to have it sit and look dead.

Rule #2:
New area...small spread.
If you are hunting an area for the first time I prefer to run a small spread of 24 decoys or less. I do this so I can quickly pick up and move to the area I see ducks landing in. The odds of hunting a new area and being in the right spot the first time is slim. But you can always move to it quickly if there is not much to pick up.
Remember, being on the "X" is the most important aspect of duck hunting.

Rule #3:
The wind is your best freind!

If you have wind, I would put out as large of a decoy spread as you feel is practical based on the size of the water you are hunting.

Rule #4:
The bigger the water, the bigger the spread.

If you are hunting a small pond, it is impossible to run a huge spread and still look natural. On the other hand if you are hunting a large lake, running a large decoy spread will make your spot stick out to overhead ducks.

Be careful though...if there is no wind. Going smaller with a jerk chord is almost always more effective than a large, lifeless spread.

As always combine this with some sweet duck calling and you will have that one two punch needed to kill the ducks you deserve.

Making YOU a better caller!
Chris

Performance Calls
21243 Independence Ave.
Lakeville, MN 55044
USA
http://www.performancecalls.com/

Minnesota hunter goes from deer hero to alleged poaching zero

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 09:23:34 -0600

Minnesota hunter goes from deer hero to alleged poaching zero

Major Rod Smith, DNR Enforcement operations manager, holds the rack of a white-tailed buck believed to have the largest set of eight-point antlers ever measured. Troy Alan Reinke, 32, of Cannon Falls was charged this morning in Goodhue County with 13 counts of illegal taking deer. If convicted, he faces $19,000 in fines, up to a year in jail and revocation of his hunting license. November 13, 2009. (Pioneer Press: Chris Polydoroff)

On Halloween evening, Troy Alan Reinke reportedly took his bow into the woods near White Rock, Minn., where local hunters knew a monstrous buck lived.

Reinke, 32, already had shot two deer in October and illegally failed to tag or register them, state Department of Natural Resources investigators say. The Cannon Falls man allegedly already had butchered them and planned to kill another, according to Goodhue County court records.

Just before dark, he allegedly shot the local legend: a rare white-tailed buck with the largest eight-point rack in the world.

Troy Reinke, 32, of White Rock, Minn., was charged 11/12/09 by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources of poaching a world-class eight-point buck in Goodhue County. (Photo courtesy of Goodhue County)

With help of his cousin and his cousin's girlfriend, Reinke dragged the deer out of the woods, put his tag on it and registered the deer in Cannon Falls, according to records.

Soon, photos of the deer spread on the Internet. And soon, tipsters were calling the DNR to report Reinke had shot the buck illegally.

On Thursday, Goodhue County prosecutors charged Reinke with three gross misdemeanor counts and 10 misdemeanor counts of illegally killing deer, including the trophy buck and two others.

If convicted, Reinke faces $19,000 in fines, up to a year in jail and revocation of his hunting licenses for three years. No court date has been scheduled.

Also, if Reinke is convicted, the trophy rack will become permanent DNR property and might be displayed in the agency's traveling poaching display called the Wall of Shame.

The DNR has seized the racks from two of the bucks, including the trophy,
and the meat from all three deer. Officers also seized Reinke's archery equipment and hunting license.

In terms of the fine amount and the trophy quality of the buck, it is one of the biggest deer poaching cases in recent years for the DNR.

Ivan Terwilliger, who gave Reinke permission to hunt on his family's 395-acre farm near White Rock, said he had no idea Reinke allegedly had killed three deer illegally, including the trophy buck.

"If he broke the law, he deserves to be punished,"

Terwilliger said.
He said the incident has convinced him that he should post no-trespassing signs on his property and let fewer hunters use it.

Terwilliger said he didn't know the trophy deer was on his property but had heard one was "in the neighborhood."

The nation's two big-game recording groups, Pope and Young Club for archery and the Boone & Crockett club for archery and firearms, don't keep separate records for bucks by antler points.

But DNR officials say a search of those groups' records show the whitetail buck's net score of 185, based on antler measurements by a certified scorer, would make it the biggest eight-point whitetail ever shot. The next biggest was a Michigan deer with 180 points.

"I've never seen a deer like that," said Lou Cornicelli, the DNR's big-game program manager, who estimates he has examined well than 21,000 deer. "Nationally, (hunters) harvest millions of deer a year. The odds of harvesting one this large are infinitesimal."

Acting on at least three tips, DNR officers Tyler Quandt and Kevin Prodzinski questioned Reinke on Nov. 5 at his home.

According to the complaint, Reinke admitted he first killed a small eight-point buck in October but did not find it until the next day. He reportedly took half the meat and the antlers, and admitted to not tagging or registering the deer.

According to the complaint, Reinke said he later shot a doe and didn't tag or register it. He reportedly said he butchered both deer by himself.

He also admitted shooting the trophy buck on Halloween, according to the complaint. Officers seized its skull and antlers from Reinke's home and the shoulder "cape," or skin, from Corcoran Taxidermy in Hampton.

Chuck Corcoran, the shop owner, said he was at first excited for Reinke when he brought the deer into the shop.

A group of hunters gathered to see it, congratulating Reinke, and at least five of them took pictures with it. Everyone was excited to see a deer so large, Corcoran said.

He said Reinke had told him he had cancer and had been in a motorcycle accident last summer.

"I thought this couldn't happen to a better kid," Corcoran said of Reinke getting the big buck. "Then, the night the warden got the cape, I was just sick about it."

Another hunter might have had a chance to take the deer legally and that would have brought positive publicity to Minnesota, Corcoran said. Now, the deer will never be recognized as a legal trophy.

"That's the saddest part," Corcoran said.

Court records show Reinke has previous convictions in Goodhue County for domestic assault, disorderly conduct and theft.

He has a 2006 conviction for fishing with too many lines in Dakota County and in 2003, he was warned by the DNR for fishing without a license in his possession.

According to court records, he served 120 days in jail recently for his second domestic assault charge.

An official Boone and Crockett scorer told the DNR the rack had a gross score of 190-5/8 inches and a net score of 185. The largest eight-point whitetail listed by the Pope and Young Club, which recognizes archery records, measured 175-5/8, and was taken in Wisconsin in 1977. The largest eight-pointer ever had a score of 180 and was taken in Michigan, according to the DNR.

The rack measures 28-5/8 inches at its greatest width. It's notable for its massive thickness and mass of the main beam, or antler.

Two counts of taking deer without a license

Two counts of taking deer over the legal limit

Two counts for possessing an untagged big-game animal

Two counts of failure to register a deer

Two counts of failure to validate a deer license

One count of gross overlimit of wild animals

Two counts of transporting an illegal big-game animal

The likely record-setting antlers from an eight-point white-tailed buck was the focus of a press conference at DNR headquarters in St. Paul Thursday November 12, 2009. (Pioneer Press: Chris Polydoroff)

Product Review--Onyx Pet Vest

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:02:44 -0600

I admit, I was a little skeptical at first, but ordered Onyx's Pet Vest when they came on board as a sponsor. I hunt the fast, frigid waters of the Mississippi River, and anyone that has hunted divers knows how much water a crippled bird can cover. I can't imagine seeing a dog lose it's life for a duck. Perfect trial dog was my dad's dog Puck. The vest is fully adjustble and cinches down to fit him perfectly. The Max-4 pattern is a plus, as well as the sturdy handle to help him into the boat. Best of all, when I buckled it on him, it did not bother him a bit or change his performance. I think it is a great tool for your devoted partner.

Puck waiting patiently!

Perfect Mark!

Beauty Bluebill!

Good Boy!

Pretty cheap insurance at $20.99
----> http://www.onyxoutdoor.com/

To All The Veterans - Thank You!

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:48:41 -0600

We show you our appreciation! Without you... freedom would not be.

http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=40

Deer loses head-butt with Wisconsin lawn ornament

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:44:31 -0600

Deer loses head-butt with Wisconsin lawn ornament (see the dead deer in the background)

This 640-pound concrete elk statue lies on its side in the backyard of Mark and Carol Brye s home in rural Viroqua. The dead buck lies about 20 feet away. (Courtesy Brye family via the LaCrosse Tribune)
A love-struck buck ran out of luck a week ago.

The seven-point buck was killed when it rammed a 640-pound concrete statue of an elk in the backyard of Mark and Carol Brye's home in rural Viroqua, Wis.

Bucks often fight during the breeding season, commonly called the rut. Dominant bucks defend breeding territories and female deer by sparring with subordinate bucks. Antler battles sometimes result in the death of one or both deer, but usually end with the biggest buck winning and the smaller buck high-tailing it out to another area.

Mark Brye, who owns Brye Plumbing in Viroqua, was still laughing about the suicidal buck he found near his elk statue last week.

Brye said his morning ritual is to rise early and look out at the life-like statue about 40 yards from his home.

"Our son and daughter gave it to us for Christmas four years ago because we like to hunt elk," Brye said. "The elk is a nice thing to see every morning. It looks pretty cool, especially on a foggy morning."

Brye said he knew exactly what happened when he saw the statue tipped over. Although they were about the same height, the statue weighed at least three times more than the 180-pound deer.

He didn't realize the buck lay dead a short distance away.

"I could tell the buck poked the statue a couple of times by the chipped paint on it," Brye said, adding that the buck eventually rammed it like a mountain goat.

The buck apparently staggered about 20 feet and fell.

Brye claimed the buck with a tag from the Vernon County conservation warden. He laughed at the warden's tag note: "lawn ornament fight � lost."
Brye said the deer shattered its skull. The antlers were still on its head but were dangling.

"The statue is OK, but the antlers broke off when it tipped over," Brye said. "One side of the antlers is in one piece, but the other side is in five pieces."

Brye, 58, is considering removing the antlers from the unlucky buck and gluing them on the elk statue as a remembrance of the strange but true story.

The deer is butchered and in Brye's freezer. The elk remains on its side.

"I can't tip it back up until I get a whole bunch of guys to help me," he said.

244,000 cans in pool # 9 on the Mississippi 11/2

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:14:38 -0600

244,000 cans in Pool # 9 (closed) on 11/02/09

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/UpperMississipp...ts/11_02_09.pdf

The wolf weighs over 230lbs smashing the previous record...

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:11:27 -0600

This Wolf was shot recently on Oak Island , MN (near the Canadian border). The wolf weighs over 230lbs smashing the previous record of 175lbs. Wouldn�t want to run into this puppy in the woods.

Photoshop or real??

50,000 soldiers believed buried by a cataclysmic sandstorm in 525 B.C.

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:48:43 -0600

Vanished Persian army said found in desert
50,000 soldiers believed buried by a cataclysmic sandstorm in 525 B.C.

The remains of a mighty Persian army said to have drowned in the sands of the western Egyptian desert 2,500 years ago might have been finally located, solving one of archaeology's biggest outstanding mysteries, according to Italian researchers.

Bronze weapons, a silver bracelet, an earring and hundreds of human bones found in the vast desolate wilderness of the Sahara desert have raised hopes of finally finding the lost army of Persian King Cambyses II. The 50,000 warriors were said to be buried by a cataclysmic sandstorm in 525 B.C.

"We have found the first archaeological evidence of a story reported by the Greek historian Herodotus," Dario Del Bufalo, a member of the expedition from the University of Lecce, told Discovery News.

According to Herodotus (484-425 B.C.), Cambyses, the son of Cyrus the Great, sent 50,000 soldiers from Thebes to attack the Oasis of Siwa and destroy the oracle at the Temple of Amun after the priests there refused to legitimize his claim to Egypt.

After walking for seven days in the desert, the army got to an "oasis," which historians believe was El-Kharga. After they left, they were never seen again.

"A wind arose from the south, strong and deadly, bringing with it vast columns of whirling sand, which entirely covered up the troops and caused them wholly to disappear," wrote Herodotus.

A century after Herodotus wrote his account, Alexander the Great made his own pilgrimage to the oracle of Amun, and in 332 B.C. he won the oracle's confirmation that he was the divine son of Zeus, the Greek god equated with Amun.

The tale of Cambyses' lost army, however, faded into antiquity. As no trace of the hapless warriors was ever found, scholars began to dismiss the story as a fanciful tale.

Striking evidence
Now, two top Italian archaeologists claim to have found striking evidence that the Persian army was indeed swallowed in a sandstorm. Twin brothers Angelo and Alfredo Castiglioni are already famous for their discovery 20 years ago of the ancient Egyptian "city of gold" known as Berenike Panchrysos.

Presented recently at the archaeological film festival of Rovereto, the discovery is the result of 13 years of research and five expeditions to the desert.

"It all started in 1996, during an expedition aimed at investigating the presence of iron meteorites near Bahrin, one small oasis not far from Siwa," Alfredo Castiglioni, director of the Eastern Desert Research Center (CeRDO)in Varese, told Discovery News.

While working in the area, the researchers noticed a half-buried pot and some human remains. Then the brothers spotted something really intriguing � what could have been a natural shelter.

It was a rock about 114.8 feet long, 5.9 feet in height and 9.8 feet deep. Such natural formations occur in the desert, but this large rock was the only one in a large area.

"Its size and shape made it the perfect refuge in a sandstorm," Castiglioni said.

Right there, the metal detector of Egyptian geologist Aly Barakat of Cairo University located relics of ancient warfare: a bronze dagger and several arrow tips.

"We are talking of small items, but they are extremely important as they are the first Achaemenid objects, thus dating to Cambyses' time, which have emerged from the desert sands in a location quite close to Siwa," Castiglioni said.

About a quarter-mile from the natural shelter, the Castiglioni team found a silver bracelet, an earring and few spheres which were likely part of a necklace.

"An analysis of the earring, based on photographs, indicate that it certainly dates to the Achaemenid period. Both the earring and the spheres appear to be made of silver. Indeed a very similar earring, dating to the fifth century B.C., has been found in a dig in Turkey," Andrea Cagnetti, a leading expert of ancient jewelry, told Discovery News.

A different route?
In the following years, the Castiglioni brothers studied ancient maps and came to the conclusion that Cambyses' army did not take the widely believed caravan route via the Dakhla Oasis and Farafra Oasis.

"Since the 19th century, many archaeologists and explorers have searched for the lost army along that route. They found nothing. We hypothesized a different itinerary, coming from south. Indeed we found that such a route already existed in the 18th Dynasty," Castiglioni said.

According to Castiglioni, from El Kargha the army took a westerly route to Gilf El Kebir, passing through the Wadi Abd el Melik, then headed north toward Siwa.

"This route had the advantage of taking the enemy aback. Moreover, the army could march undisturbed. On the contrary, since the oasis on the other route were controlled by the Egyptians, the army would have had to fight at each oasis," Castiglioni said.

To test their hypothesis, the Castiglioni brothers did geological surveys along that alternative route. They found desiccated water sources and artificial wells made of hundreds of water pots buried in the sand. Such water sources could have made a march in the desert possible.

"Thermoluminescence has dated the pottery to 2,500 years ago, which is in line with Cambyses' time," Castiglioni said.

In their last expedition in 2002, the Castiglioni brothers returned to the location of their initial discovery. Right there, some 62 miles south of Siwa, ancient maps had erroneously located the temple of Amun.

The soldiers believed they had reached their destination, but instead they found the khamsin -- the hot, strong, unpredictable southeasterly wind that blows from the Sahara desert over Egypt.

"Some soldiers found refuge under that natural shelter, other dispersed in various directions. Some might have reached the lake of Sitra, thus surviving," Castiglioni said.

Mass grave discovered
At the end of their expedition, the team decided to investigate Bedouin stories about thousands of white bones that would have emerged decades ago during particular wind conditions in a nearby area.

Indeed, they found a mass grave with hundreds of bleached bones and skulls.

"We learned that the remains had been exposed by tomb robbers and that a beautiful sword which was found among the bones was sold to American tourists," Castiglioni said.

Among the bones, a number of Persian arrow heads and a horse bit, identical to one appearing in a depiction of an ancient Persian horse, emerged.

"In the desolate wilderness of the desert, we have found the most precise location where the tragedy occurred," Del Bufalo said.

The team communicated their finding to the Geological Survey of Egypt and gave the recovered objects to the Egyptian authorities.

"We never heard back. I'm sure that the lost army is buried somewhere around the area we surveyed, perhaps under 16.4 feet of sand."

Piero Pruneti, editor of Archeologia Viva, Italy's most important archaeology magazine, is impressed by the team's work.

"Judging from their documentary, their hypothesis of an alternative route is very plausible," Prunetic told Discovery News. "Indeed, the Castiglioni's expeditions are all based on a careful study of the landscape...An in-depth exploration of the area is certainly needed!"

Hunting with silhouettes

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:04:04 -0600

I was wondering how many of you guys hunt over silos and if they need to be set up any particular way? I bought a group of decoys from a guy who was gettting out of waterfowling due to his health and included in the mix was 3 dozen silos. I didnt know since they are 2D if they need to be put at different angles? Does anyone hunt over just the silos or do you mix them in to fill a spread or do you not like them? Any help is appreciated. Thanks

What type of rifle do you use to hunt deer with?

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:47:24 -0600

What type of rifle do you use to hunt deer with?

I use a Remington Springfield 700 30-06

CVA 50 cal

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:03:45 -0600

Anyone Muzzloader hunting this year?? I have a CVA 50 and have never taken it into the field as of yet. One of my goals is to shoot a deer with black powder, hopefuly soon.

Midland 22 Channel 12 Mile Radio Pair

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:49:33 -0600

Midland 22 Channel 12 Mile Radio Pair (good price)

http://www.wingsupply.com/shop/Scripts/pro...U.asp?SKU=LXT80

Camera Fail

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:09:18 -0600

Lol... gets me every time.

Nice Setup!

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:48:18 -0600

I really like the layout of this page, way to go guys!

Archery Doe

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:38:04 -0600

Ducks got stale, so I hit the woods for the first night in over a month. I had 11 does within 60 yards in a few hours. This new Drenalin set from Gamehide with Scent-Lok works because she was straight down wind at 20 yds and never had a clue I existed. Man is archery hunting a blast, I encourage all to try it.

How many bands

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:45:02 -0600

How many bands do you have so far?? I'm still lookin for my 1st. If 5 geese fly in and 4 are baned, I will definately shoot the one with no band, just the luck guess??

Calling Geese in The Fog with Hunter Grounds

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:28:24 -0600

Calling Geese in The Fog with Hunter Grounds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPPrqQKS65w...feature=channel

Perfect 'No Trespassing' Sign

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:32:18 -0600

Who would like to have one of these?

Update

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:57:13 -0600

Had to change the website back to the default style. We are working on a registration issue. Once it is fixed we will revert back to our style (template).

Man Wishes For...

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:15:16 -0600

A man walks into a bar and sees a man with a tiny head about the size of an orange.

He asks the bartender what had happened to the man.

The bartender says, "Well, he was on a beach and saw a beautiful mermaid."

"The mermaid swam up to him and offered him a single wish."

Unfortunately, the man replied "How about a little head?"

Win a case of Black Cloud�

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:24:13 -0600

Win a case of Black Cloud�

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http://www.blackcloudammo.com/sweepstakes/default.aspx

The Most Random Thread Ever

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:25:33 -0600

Post any random finger outbursts here. Proper English is strictly forbidden!

Spam rule does not apply for this thread (in case you were wondering). So let everyone know what you're doing...

Go!

Whats For Dinner Tonight?

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:19:01 -0600

Let us know what you have cooking for dinner. If you like it, post the recipe -- but first try it yourself .

Doesn't need to be game related. Could even be mac & cheese.

Sooo... what's cooking?

Twitter? Yes or no.

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:05:30 -0600

I'm curious.

Vote above (this is also for the main page).

Pheasant hunt from this past weekend

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:47:23 -0600

Pheasant hunt from this past weekend

Some pics from last weekends hunts

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:42:37 -0600

Some pics from last weekends hunts, banner weekend.
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=22 http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=24
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=23
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=20 http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=19
http://fieldhunts.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=18

Welcome Guys

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:43:11 -0600

First and foremost, thank you for taking the time to come over here and check it out.

We have huge plans for FieldHunts and we really want to focus on our members. So please, if you have any suggestions or comments, let us know below (I promise, we don't bite).

We welcome all sponsors from our network (WI, IA, MI, MO, IL, TX). If you are currently a sponsor with us, send a private message to myself (Kevin), Duck Magnet (Todd), or AJB (Adam) and we'll hook you up with a "Sponsors" tag which allow you to access "Sponsor Listing & News."

Past members, you want to sign up, as we'll be having monthly giveaways. It's our way of saying 'thank you' for making our community that much better.

Thank you for your time,
Kevin

Rules For FieldHunts.com Classifieds [MUST READ]

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:44:16 -0600

RULES FOR FIELDHUNTS.COM CLASSIFIEDS

We insist that you read all rules before you post an ad or commence in any transaction.

Ads are totally free to individual registered members.

Buyer/seller beware. Meaning if you do not know who you are buying/trading/selling with, make sure you take appropriate safeguards to protect yourself like getting full name, complete address, phone number, etc� If you send payment via the USPS, it is a federal felony not to honor the transaction once you cash a check or M.O. Make sure you follow up on all transactions like acknowledging you received payment, the goods, etc. Send goods with a �confirmed receipt� that the buyer received it.

Ads must state in the title whether it is �for sale�, �wanted�, or �for trade�. And must clearly state in the ad title what is being listed. For example: �Remington 1187 shotgun for sale� or �Foiles SMH goose call for trade� or �Wanted � Finished Labrador Retriever Dog."

For sale items must clearly state the asking price. No best offers or auctions or similar are allowed. This includes no links or posts about auctions.

No Business ads are allowed. This includes dog kennels. If you make, assemble parts, mark up the price, etc. for sale/resale�that is a business under our definition. If you are a business, please become a sponsor to advertise your product or services. Please contact DuckMagnet@wiwaterfowlers.com to become a sponsor. Sponsors may include a link on their signature to their business website and may sell items/services on the classifieds. NonSponsors may not.

Firearms. You must abide by all federal, state and local laws and regulations. You may only ship guns to a FFL holder per Fed law.

About dogs/puppies. You may post an ad for 1 dog or 1 litter per calendar year as long as you are an individual not running a kennel. A definition of a kennel that we use is if you are selling more than 1 dog per year or having more than 1 litter per year or receiving stud fee/s. Kennels are not allowed to list their litters/dogs in the classifieds, but may become a sponsor at this site to advertise their Kennel.

Land/leases. No land for sale, leases, etc. are allowed.

By listing an ad or responding to an ad you agree to hold Fieldhunts (its owners), employees and moderators (know hence forth as �WE�) harmless in all transactions and are agreeing to abide by all the rules set forth by Fieldhunts. By posting or reading an ad, you are agreeing that WE will NOT be held responsible for the content of any message, the selling, buying, or trading of any item, product, or service. You also agree that in no way will WE be held liable for any transaction at the Fieldhunts Classifieds, including but not limited to injury and/or death. By creating a post, or making a transaction, you are agreeing to these terms. We reserve the right to ban a member, edit or delete any post for any reason.

If you had a good experience with a member, either buying, selling or trading, let the other FieldHunt members know about it. Strictly voluntary to do so.

Just mention there log in name and a brief message.

feed

Big 10 divisions

Delta Waterfowl eNewsletter - Snow Goose Numbers Up

Motivational Poster Time

Indisputable Mathematical Logic

Rocker Ted Nugent pleads no contest to California deer hunting violations

Member of our Iowa site receives life saving award

Couple pics from past seasons

Waterfowlers Journal

Field Hunting For Geese

Fed's Propose Waterfowl Frameworks

Duck Blind Antics #1

Mobile Duck Blind

Waterfowl seasonings

Matthews Bow

3 Geese Daily

Gamo Air Rifle

Officials Plan to Eliminate 170,000 Canada Geese in New York

Lisella, All in stock calls ON SALE!!!

Waterfowl gear for sale, decoys, trailer, FA Sub's, and more

12 Guage 3.5 in. Semi help

college football 2010

Fowl Flocker

Breeding Population Survey Released

RedHead Deluxe Layout Blind

Deer Stand Lease For Sale in MISSISSIPPI

Police: Homeless Man Accused Of Hunting Geese For Dinner

Cheap 10 dollar Hunters Specialties - 54" Floating Gun Case

Suggestions for a call

Milwaukee Fishing Salmon Reports June 7th 2010

6 Pouch Full Body Goose Bag TRY ME PRICE, Limit 1 per person

Help Secure Funding for Oil Spill Recovery!

Decent weekend on Lake Michigan

Cougar sought after attacking cow in Juneau County WI

HyperSonic Steel

Palin: Obama Would Ban Guns if he Could

beginner questions

Athletics� Braden Pitches Perfect Game

Introducing the NEW Model 1911 R1

Update: Gulf Coast Oil Spill

2 days 3 birds

BLIND CLERK AT BASS PRO SHOP

Hunting Videos

WI Archery Tom

Blind teen bags big bird in first turkey hunt

All U.S. DNR Webpages

Soviet Dictator Josef Stalin's daughter Svetlana Alliluyeva lived a secret life in Wisconsin

Mountain Lion hunt in Mine Shaft

Sunset is coming to the future of waterfowl hunting....

Potential state record buck found, given away

New Gorilla Ground Blind 4 Sale**SOLD**

2010 Nebraska Archery Gobbler

Federal authorities accused of lying in North Carolina duck hunting case

Man accused of gobbling up hunting permits

Forest Service officer, mistaken for coyote, shot and killed

Live Feed

custom hen decoy**SOLD**

What other activities do you enjoy when not hunting/fishing?

Some Interesting New Archery Products

Snow goose hunting this past weekend

Spring Snows

Committed Trailer

How many species of Waterfowl have you killed?

SPAM!

Squaw weekend

Another good day in the field...

Boat project

2 More Sweet Snow Decoys!

WI bowhunters tally 4th highest buck kill

New 2010 Primal Twin Track Cam bow

09 Mathews Reezen**SOLD**

The Super Bowl of Fishing

Snow Goose video

Snow plowing???

Mathews Monster For Sale**SOLD**

Very Impressed!

Win a case of Black Cloud� Snow Goose

New DSD's coming in June 2010

Amazing story of Locked Deer Horns!!!

Spring Snows pictures to pass the time

New Gorilla Ground Blind 4 SaleSOLD

custom hen decoySOLD

09 Mathews ReezenSOLD

Mathews Monster For SaleSOLD