New Jersey Black Bears

National Rifle Association

Trenton, NJ --(AmmoLand.com)- Last week, the New Jersey Fish and Game Council unanimously approved a bear management policy that includes a six day bear hunt, beginning December 6 2010.

Acting Department of Environment Commissioner Bob Martin has signed off on the policy, thereby opening up the first bear hunt in New Jersey since 2005.

Of course, Wayne Pacelle, CEO of the anti-hunting, Humane Society of the United States issued a statement calling the Black Bear Management Policy a political maneuver with no compelling social or biological reason for repealing the ban.

Mr. Pacelle fails to mention how in 2005 former Governor Jon Corzine (D) chose to disregard Fish and Game Council’s advice and imposed the bear hunting ban for political reasons. Governor Corzine then stood by in 2007 and tacitly allowed a bill to pass out of an Assembly Committee designed to remove sportsmen from the New Jersey Fish and Game Council, replacing them with environmental activists.

Unfortunately for Mr. Pacelle, Commissioner Bob Martin knows that wildlife policy should not be rooted in politics or emotion, but sound science and stated that,“The council incorporated the latest research and science into its proposed black bear management policy…,” contradicting Mr. Pacelle’s claim.

A public hearing on the plan will be held May 11 in Trenton and final approval should come from the state following a 60 day public comment period, beginning April 19.

NRA-ILA will notify you on AmmoLand.com once a time and location in Trenton has been set.

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First Bear Hunt in New Jersey Since 2005 Scheduled

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

LINCOLN, Neb --(AmmoLand.com)- The Nebraska Game and Parks Board of Commissioners on Friday adopted regulations designed to increase the harvest of antlerless white-tailed deer in 2010.

A record deer harvest was expected in 2009, but a late crop harvest, a cold winter with record snowfall and low interest in the October Antlerless season resulted in an antlerless white-tailed deer harvest that fell below objectives.

In 2009, 29,711 antlerless whitetails were harvested. The goal for this year is 42,000.

Commission deer management goals are to reduce white-tailed deer populations, especially in eastern Nebraska, and along the major river corridors, and to allow mule deer populations to increase in eastern and southwestern mule deer units.

Among the deer regulations the board adopted at its regular meeting in Lincoln are:

• Expanding the October Antlerless season – The season is lengthened from three days to 10, and the hunting area is expanded. The hunting area includes land in the following Season Choice Areas: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 River, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22. An unlimited number of permits, which allow the harvest of two antlerless whitetails each, will cost $10 for residents, $54 for nonresidents. Hunter orange no longer is required of archers during the October Antlerless season, but the requirement remains in place for firearm hunters.
• Earn-a-Buck – This tool, designed to increase doe harvest, requires hunters with Elkhorn and Wahoo unit November firearm permits to check in a doe before or at the same time as they check in a buck. The November firearm season will be extended two days for hunters in these units.
• Mule Deer Conservation Area – The area is comprised of the Buffalo, Frenchman, Republican, and Platte units. The only hunters who may harvest a mule deer buck are youth, landowners and those with the new Republican mule deer buck, Buffalo, Platte, or Frenchman permits. These permits allow harvest in archery, muzzleloader and November firearms seasons. Restricted statewide buck, archery and muzzleloader permits will not be valid for mule deer bucks in the Mule Deer Conservation Area.
• Establishing new Season Choice Areas – The following Season Choice Areas are established within existing areas: SCA 8 West, SCA 9 North, SCA 9 River, SCA 17 White River, SCA 24 River, and SCA 25 North. These are intended to allow for additional pressure on white-tailed deer in riparian areas and to allow for mule deer doe harvest where needed.
• Expanding January late antlerless season – The season is lengthened from 15 to 24 days and begins Dec. 26. Hunter orange is required for archers.
• Using bow with firearm permits – Archery equipment will be allowed as a legal weapon on firearm permits in November and January. Hunter orange is required.
• Establishing new Statewide Whitetail Buck permit – This permit will be unlimited in number and valid in archery, muzzleloader and November firearm seasons. The bag limit will be one whitetail buck and one antlerless whitetail. The permit price is $72.50 for residents, $521 for nonresidents.

More permits available – An additional 45,000 antlerless permits and bonus tags will be available statewide.

Regulation changes to antelope hunting include increasing the landowner quotas from 20 percent of general tags to 50 percent, making electronic checking available for archery and muzzleloader seasons, establishing a new Cherry Late firearm unit and a corresponding late doe season for that unit.

Regulation changes to elk hunting include increasing permit quotas in most units and expanding elk zones in many units to increase landowner eligibility.

Following are the 2010 big game season dates:

Deer

• Archery – Sept. 15-Nov. 12 and Nov. 22-Dec. 31
• Mule Deer Conservation Area – Sept. 15-Dec. 31
• October Antlerless (any weapon) – Oct. 2-11
• November Firearm – Nov. 13-21
• Earn-a-Buck November Firearm (Wahoo and Elkhorn units) – Nov. 13-23
• Muzzleloader – Dec. 1-31
• Season Choice (antlerless) – Sept. 15-Jan. 18, 2011 with bow; Dec. 1-31 with muzzleloader and Nov. 13-21 and Jan. 1-18, 2011 with firearm
• Youth and Landowner – Sept. 15-Dec. 31 with bow; Dec. 1-31 with muzzleloader; Nov. 13-21 with firearm; and Dec. 26-Jan. 18, 2011 (antlerless only) with bow or firearm
• DeSoto Muzzleloader – Oct. 16-17; Oct. 30-31; Dec. 11-12; and Jan. 8-9, 2011
• Boyer Chute – Oct. 23-24; Nov. 20-21 and Dec. 18-19

Antelope

• Archery – Aug. 20-Nov. 12 and Nov. 22-Dec. 31, but closed during firearm antelope season in all areas open to firearm antelope hunting
• Muzzleloader – Sept. 18-Oct. 3
• Firearm – Oct. 9-24
• Late Firearm (Cherry Late unit) – Oct. 9-Nov. 12

Elk

• Bull Permits – Sept. 25-Oct. 24
• Antlerless Permits – Sept. 25-Oct. 24 and Dec. 1-21
• Boyd Unit – Aug. 15-Nov. 12 and Nov. 22-Dec. 31

In other business, the board:

• – Adopted changes to underwater spearfishing regulations. The regulations give underwater spearfishers the same daily bag and possession limit on walleyes as hook-and-line anglers: four walleye over 15 inches, of which only one can be 22 inches or longer. This replaces regulations allowing the take of two fish greater than 15 inches, one of which had to be 22 inches or longer.
• – Approved regulations allowing the Commission to sell expired permits and stamps for no more than $25.
• – Adopted a resolution to expand the focus area of activities for the Focus on Pheasants plan in Nebraska. The plan is an effort of landowners and conservation partners to increase pheasant habitat and populations as well as hunter opportunities.
• – Approved a gift of the O. John Emerson Tract in Holt County from the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation. The land has been managed by the Commission as O. John Emerson Wildlife Management Area (WMA).
• – Approved the acquisition of 40 acres of land in York County for wildlife diversity and hunting and designated it as an addition to Kirkpatrick Basin WMA.

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Commissioners Adopt Big Game Hunting Regulations

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Alabama --(AmmoLand.com)- The Alabama Senate recently passed legislation that will require the state to maintain at least the current acreage of hunting land that is available today.

The bill now awaits the signature of Governor Bob Riley (R).

House Bill 330, introduced by State Representative Craig Ford (D- Etowah), requires the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to open new hunting land if a department owned property currently open to hunting is closed.

The bill also directs the department to make every effort to open the replacement hunting land in the same region of the state as the property that was closed. The bill is similar to previous efforts in other states that were promoted by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA). The USSA has also developed and supported “no-net loss” legislative language at the national level including two current bills pending in Congress collectively known as the Hunting Heritage Protection Act.

HB 330 cleared both the House and Senate unanimously and the Governor’s office has indicated that he plans to sign the bill early next week.

“No net loss bills like House Bill 330 are very important in a time where access to hunting land is increasingly becoming difficult for sportsmen,” said Rob Sexton USSA vice president for government affairs. “We appreciate the efforts of all Alabama sportsmen who made this bill possible.”

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Alabama No “Net Loss of Hunting Land” Bill Heads to Governor

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Vermont --(AmmoLand.com)- On March 17, the Vermont House of Representatives passed Apprentice Hunting legislation aimed at reducing barriers to new hunters entering the field. House Bill 243 now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

It is part of the national Families Afield effort by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA), the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF).

The measure, sponsored by Rep. Steve Adams (R- Hartland), will allow newcomers to try hunting under the close supervision of an experienced mentor prior to the completion of hunter education.

“We’re proud that Representative Adams and the House of Representatives have taken the first step to ensure the future of Vermont’s hunting heritage,” said Evan Heusinkveld, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) director of state services. “Vermont sportsmen should continue voicing their support for this bill by calling their state senators.”

The Families Afield initiative was established by the USSA, NSSF and NWTF in 2004 in order to bring a new generation of sportsmen to the field. Since the program’s inception, Families Afield legislation has been passed in 29 states with over 300,000 apprentice licenses sold to date. Other groups giving key support to the Vermont effort include the National Rifle Association, Vermont Traditions Coalition, and Ducks Unlimited.

Take Action!
Vermont sportsmen are encouraged to contact their state senators and urge them to support HB 243. Tell them that this bill is an important step to protect conservation efforts by reducing barriers for the next generation of Vermont hunters to take to the field. To find your state senator’s contact information, visit the USSA Legislative Action Center at www.ussportsmen.org/lac.

About:
The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organizations that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website, www.ussportsmen.org.

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Vermont Families Afield Bill Clears House of Representatives

Whitetails Unlimited

Cambridge, Ohio --(AmmoLand.com)- Travis ‘T-Bone’ Turner, Realtree Outdoors pro-staffer and co-host of the top-rated television show The Bone Collector, will be the special guest at Whitetails Unlimited’s inaugural Big Buckeye Deer Camp Friday, April 2 in Cambridge, Ohio.

“This is a great way to kick off the Big Buckeye Deer Camp,” said WTU Ohio Field Director Denny Malloy.

“We’re in the heart of Ohio’s hunting heritage, and T-Bone understands that. He’s traveling a long way to share his hunting stories from years of experience with Realtree and the Bone Collector, and celebrate the American tradition of deer hunting with us.”

The Big Buckeye Deer Camp is a fundraising event sponsored by Whitetails Unlimited, the country’s premier white-tailed deer conservation organization. The evening includes a dinner, auction, and prizes with a wide array of products such as firearms, outfitter packages, hunting and outdoor-related equipment, artwork, and collectibles only available at WTU events. In addition, all attendees will receive a free Columbia men’s shirt or women’s skirt, a $45 value. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the buffet dinner will start at 7:00 p.m. For more information visit www.whitetailsunlimited.com.

T-bone brings years of experience as a championship archer, hunter, and television personality. In addition to Realtree Outdoors, he is a pro-staff member of a number of outstanding companies in the outdoor sports industry, including Hoyt, Hunter Safety System, G5 Outdoors, and Bushnell. Turner is also the celebrity archery expert to the stars, working with Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Jordan, Michael Waddell, David Blanton and several country music and Major League Baseball stars on their archery setups and shooting advice. Turner currently resides in Hogansville, Georgia, with his wife, Michelle, and son, Archer. For more information, please visit: www.TboneOutdoors.com, www.bonecollector.com, or www.realtree.com.

“T-Bone brings that ‘Brotherhood of the Bone Collector’ attitude to central Ohio,” said Malloy, “which fits in perfectly with Buckeye sportsmen. I’m really looking forward to holding my first statewide Deer Camp in Cambridge, and sharing a great night with the best deer hunters in the world.” Malloy added that, “All hunters, sportsmen, and conservationists are invited, and for more information, to print out an invitation flyer, or order tickets, just go to the WTU website at www.whitetailsunlimited.com.”

The Big Buckeye Deer Camp is sponsored by Out of Africa Safaris, G5 Outdoors, Cabela’s, Heater Body Suit, Winchester Ammunition, Columbia Sportswear, CanCooker, Mathews, and Peet Dryer.

For more information about the Big Buckeye Deer Camp or Whitetails Unlimited, visit www.whitetailsunlimited.com. Tickets are still available at the website, or by calling WTU National Headquarters at 800-274-5471.

Malloy said “The $25 ticket price is a heck of a bargain. For a $25 ticket everyone attending gets free beer and soft drinks, a Columbia shirt or skirt, a one-year membership to Whitetails Unlimited, a great dinner, and lots of great merchandise and activities.”

Founded in 1982, Whitetails Unlimited is a national nonprofit conservation organization. Our mission is to raise funds in support of education, habitat enhancement and acquisition, and the preservation of the hunting tradition for the benefit of the white-tailed deer and other wildlife. When it comes to the whitetail and its environment, WTU’s degree of professionalism and dedication has earned us the reputation of being the nation’s premier whitetail organization.

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Whitetails Unlimited’s Ohio Deer Camp to Feature Travis ‘T-Bone’ Turner

Turkey Hunting

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

Montana --(AmmoLand.com)- Montana’s spring turkey gobbler season opens April 10thand ends May 16, 2010.

Licenses are available from all Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) offices, on the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov and from FWP license providers across the state.

The 2010 Spring Turkey regulations with details on turkey hunting in the general and special permit hunting areas are available online and at FWP regional offices and FWP license providers beginning in mid March. Internet users should find the FWP homepage, locate the Hunting tab and the drop down menu to Regulations, click and scroll down to spring turkey regulations.

Hunters should remember when transporting a spring turkey within the state of Montana, one leg and foot must be left naturally attached for evidence of sex.

Hunters in FWP, Region 7 can purchase up to two turkey licenses per year, which are valid during the spring and/or fall seasons. In the spring, hunters can only harvest gobblers (males). Any turkey license not used during the spring season can be used in the fall beginning September 1st and are valid for gobblers or hens.

Reports from some landowners seem to indicate that resident turkey populations may be lower than previous years. Wildlife biologist, Don Sasse from the Ashland Ranger District suggests that several locations within the Custer National Forest that previously held healthy resident turkey populations may not support many turkeys this spring. Several ranchers living in or adjacent to the national forest who normally feed and overwinter populations of resident wild turkeys have not seen many turkeys this winter. These birds typically scatter throughout the national forest once spring conditions occur.

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Montana’s Spring Turkey Hunting Season Coming Soon

Turkey Hunting with the Remington Advantage Shotgun

Remington Arms Company, Inc.

Madison, N.C - -(AmmoLand.com)-  The Worlds Premier Source Turkey Shotguns and Long-Range Payloads.

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Model 870™ Express® Turkey Camo

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About:
Remington Arms Company, Inc., headquartered in Madison, N.C., designs, produces and sells sporting goods products for the hunting and shooting sports markets, as well as military, government and law enforcement markets. Founded in 1816 in upstate New York, the Company is one of the nation’s oldest continuously operating manufacturers. Remington is the only U.S. manufacturer of both firearms and ammunition products and one of the largest domestic producers of shotguns and rifles. The Company had revenues in 2004 of approximately $393 million and distributes its products throughout the U.S. and in over 55 foreign countries. Visit: www.remington.com

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Turkey Hunting with the Remington Advantage Shotgun

New Jersey Black Bear Distribution

New Jersey Outdoor Alliance

TRENTON, NJ --(AmmoLand.com)-  New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Acting Commissioner Bob Martin today approved the New Jersey Fish and Game Council’s 2010 Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy.

“The Council incorporated the latest research and science into its proposed black bear management policy that shows the population is sustainable and growing,” Acting Commissioner Martin said. “This growth coincides with an increase in serious bear incidents supporting the need for population control in addition to continued nonlethal management tools including public education and outreach.”

The DEP also supports legislation that would increase penalties for people who feed black bears and draw the animals into populated areas.

The most recent black bear population estimate for the portion of New Jersey north of I-80 is approximately 3,400 based on a 2009 DNA study by East Stroudsburg University. The bear population in this area has increased to its current level from an estimate of 500 bears in 1992.

Category I bear incidents, involving black bears exhibiting behavior that is an immediate threat to human safety, or those causing agricultural damage to farmland or property damage over $500, have increased 96 percent from 2006 to 2009. Category I, II and III incidents combined have increased by 130 percent during the same time period.

The Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy’s integrated approach to managing black bears includes research and monitoring, non-lethal and lethal control of problem bears, public education on coexisting with bears, law enforcement to reduce conflicts between bears and people, and a controlled hunt.

Over the past 10 years, bear education programs have been presented by the DEP to more than 100,000 people, and more than 3 million pieces of bear education literature have been distributed. This year 31 bear education programs and outreach efforts have been conducted with an additional 21 programs scheduled.

DEP Conservation Officers inspected more than 4,600 residential properties in high bear incident areas and found 98 percent were in compliance with black bear garbage management guidelines. This spring, Conservation Officers will focus enforcement efforts and education outreach on commercial properties in high bear incident areas.

In 2005, the New Jersey Supreme Court held that the Council may authorize a black bear hunt only if a hunt is consistent with a comprehensive black bear management policy developed by the Council and approved by the Commissioner. In 2007, the New Jersey Appellate Division required that any comprehensive black bear management policy be adopted in accordance with the New Jersey Administrative Procedure Act.

The proposed plan will now be submitted to the Office of Administrative Law for publication in the April 19 New Jersey Register. Following publication, the public will have 60 days to comment on the proposed policy in writing, and will also have the opportunity to comment during a public hearing on May 11 at 6 p.m., New Jersey State Museum, 205 West State St., Trenton, NJ 08625.

To review the Fish and Game Council’s proposed Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy, visit: www.njfishandwildlife.com/bearpolicy10.htm

JOIN NJOA: http://www.njoutdooralliance.org/support/njoa.html

About:
NJOA – The mission of New Jersey Outdoor Alliance is to serve as a grassroots coalition of outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen dedicated to environmental stewardship. We will champion the intrinsic value of natural resource conservation – including fishing, hunting and trapping, among opinion leaders and policy makers. We will support legislation, and those sponsoring legislation, that provides lasting ecological and social enrichment through sustainable use of the earth’s resources. Visit: www.njoutdooralliance.org

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NJDEP Acting Commissioner Approves Proposed Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy

Arizona Game and Fish Department

Arizona --(AmmoLand.com)- The Arizona Game and Fish Commission today urgently asks the public in joining them in opposition to Senate Bill 1200, proposed legislation creating a new appointment recommendation board that would evaluate and control which candidates for commission vacancies the governor could select.

SB 1200 is scheduled to be debated tomorrow and voted on this week in the state senate.

The commission asks people to immediately contact their state senator in opposition to SB 1200 and let them know that House Bill 2619 is a much better solution to an open and fair commission appointment process. Contact your senator now by following this link.

The commission expressed concern that SB 1200, if passed by the Arizona Legislature, could threaten the current commission system by granting greater influence to a select group while weakening the public’s voice in wildlife management.

“This legislation would lead to, and is intended to lead to, a commission made up entirely of people with similar views, similar backgrounds and similar intentions,” said current commission chair Jennifer Martin from Phoenix. “If this bill passes, and the majority of our stakeholders are disenfranchised and most Arizonans are left out, our broad support base that’s always waiting in the wings to protect the commission system, if necessary, will disintegrate.”

Other commission members voiced concern that the current commission system doesn’t need to be changed.

“Such legislation unnecessarily and dangerously polarizes an already delicate political process,” said Chino Valley commissioner Norm Freeman. “I don’t see a problem that needs to be corrected by legislative action that adds another layer of bureaucracy. “

Freeman said that he supports the great wildlife conservation work of the groups that are supporting this bill who represent approximately 6,000 citizens in Arizona, but he could not support change that grants a greater voice to one special interest group over another.

“The legal duty I undertook when appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate was to establish policy for the management, preservation, and harvest of wildlife and for watercraft and off-highway vehicle operations in the public trust for the benefit of the citizens of Arizona. I take that to mean all of the approximately 6,500,180 Arizona citizens, not a 6,000 member subset thereof,” he said.

Instead of all Arizonan’s having an equal voice in the commission selection process, SB 1200 would allow a 6,000 person subset representing less than 2 percent of hunters and anglers to decide commission membership.

As an alternative, the current Arizona Game and Fish Commission supports House Bill 2619.

“HB 2619 provides a better solution for an open and transparent commission appointment process by providing a timeline that needs to be followed and making the list of applicants available for public review,” said commission chair Martin.

The Game and Fish Commission is comprised of five members (serving staggered five-year terms) appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. No more than one commissioner may be from any one county. No more than three may be from the same political party.

The commission is the policy-setting board overseeing the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Since its inception in 1929, this organizational structure has served as a buffer for the best interests of science-driven wildlife conservation during eight decades of back-and-forth political change.

To contact your state legislators click here.

To find out who your legislator is click here.

Action is needed now!

The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Director’s Office, 5000 W. Carefree Highway Phoenix, AZ 85086, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Director’s Office as listed above.

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Arizona Game and Fish Commission Opposes Bill That Will Allow Animal Rights Groups In Selection Process

Outdoors Magazine

Washington, DC --(AmmoLand.com)- PETA, the organization known for publicity stunts, is at it again. This time it is in the wake of rumors that an Ocean Task Force established by the Obama Administration could threaten recreational fishing.

While there was almost an immediate response from the White House stating that was not the intention, this didn’t stop PETA from jumping on the band wagon.

In an interview with Fox News, Ryan Huling, a PETA spokesman, stated that fish suffer “the same as cats and dogs, and that if we wouldn’t put a hook through a dog’s mouth, we shouldn’t put one through a fish’s mouth.” Click above to see the complete video.

At Outdoors Magazine, we want to know your opinion on the issue. Visit our facebook page to leave a comment. If we like it, we may use it in an upcoming issue of the magazine.

For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and expanded article descriptions, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write.

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PETA At It Again

Large Mountain Lion Sighted

New Mexico Game and Fish

SANTA FE, NM --(AmmoLand.com)- The Department of Game and Fish is advising residents of a neighborhood near downtown Santa Fe to be on the lookout for a large mountain lion that has been sighted and may be living in a residential area.

Department wildlife biologists sighted the lion at 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, about an hour after area residents reported seeing the animal. The lion eluded capture by traveling along walls and through back yards in the quiet but densely populated neighborhood near Cordova Road and Don Gaspar Avenue. Based on many fresh and old tracks discovered while pursuing it, the biologists believe the lion is a resident of the area.

The Department continued to search for the lion Tuesday afternoon. If and when it is located, it will be tranquilized and removed from the area.

Residents and others who frequent the area surrounding Cordova Road and Don Gaspar Avenue are advised to be aware that a large predator may be around and to take precautions to protect themselves, their pets and their neighbors. Children should be closely supervised and not allowed to play outside during the hours before dusk until well after dawn. Pets should not be left outside at night, and all food and garbage should be securely stored inside a building.

Anyone who sees the mountain lion is urged to call Game and Fish dispatch at (505) 827-9376 at any time. Sightings also can be reported at Department offices in Santa Fe, (505) 476-8000, or Albuquerque, (505) 222-4700, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Although human-cougar encounters are relatively rare, the Department advises residents — especially those in outlying areas — to be aware of their surroundings and to take precautions to avoid encounters with large predators.

Lions generally are attracted to communities for food. They are most active from dusk to dawn, although they sometimes travel and hunt in daylight. Lions prefer to eat deer; however, they also kill elk, small mammals, livestock and a variety of domestic animals such as dogs and cats.

Here are some ways to protect yourself, your family and wildlife from unwanted encounters with mountain lions and other large predators:

• Do not feed wildlife. Use native plants in landscaping, not non-natives, so as to not attract deer, which are the primary prey of lions. Remember, predators follow prey.
• Do not let your pets roam around outside. Bring them in at night. If you keep pets outside, provide a kennel with a secure top. Do not feed pets outside where the food can attract lions or other smaller animals which lions prey upon. Store and dispose of all garbage securely.
• Closely supervise children. Make sure they are home before dusk and not outside before dawn. Make lots of noise if you come or go during times when mountain lions are most active — dusk to dawn. Teach your children about lions and what they should do if they encounter one.
• Landscape or remove vegetation to eliminate hiding cover for lions, especially around areas where children play. Make it difficult for a lion to approach unseen.
• Install outdoor lighting, especially in areas where you walk, so you can see a lion if one were present.
• Close off open spaces below porches or decks.
• Place all livestock in enclosed sheds or barns at night. Close the doors to all outbuildings so that an inquisitive lion is prevented from going inside to look around.

Mountain lion encounters and attacks are extremely rare, but if you do encounter a lion in the wild or in town, you should:

• Stop or back away slowly if you can do so safely.
• Stay calm when you come upon a lion talk calmly yet firmly to it and move slowly.
  Immediately pick up all children off the ground and tell them to stay calm.
  Do not run from a lion as fleeing behavior may trigger the instinct of the lion to attack.
  Face the lion — do not turn your back — remain in an upright position and look as large as possible (raise your arms, open up your coat, if you’re wearing one).
• Carry a walking stick and use it to defend yourself by keeping it between you and the lion. If the lion approaches closer or behaves aggressively, arm yourself with the stick, throw rocks or sticks at the lion, and speak louder and more firmly to the lion. Convince the lion you are dominant and a danger to it.
• Fight back if a lion attacks you. Use any possible object within reach as a weapon, such as rocks, sticks, jackets, a backpack or your bare hands. Lions have been driven away by prey that fights back. Stay standing and if you fall down try to get back up on your feet.

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish is responsible for managing, conserving and protecting wildlife. If you have an encounter with a lion or an attack occurs, please contact the Department at (505) 476-8000 during regular business hours, or your local sheriff’s or police department if you feel you are in danger.

For more information about mountain lions and living around large predators, please visit the Department Web site and check out the publication, Living with Large Predators in New Mexico.

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Large Mountain Lion Sighted In Neighborhood Near Downtown Santa Fe NM

Texas Deer Association

SAN ANTONIO, TX --(AmmoLand.com)- A cooperative research study between the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University and the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, College Station determined that tissue residues on the 11th day post-treatment in chemically immobilized white-tailed deer were at minimal levels.

A total of thirty-three adult white-tailed deer donated by the Texas Deer Association were immobilized with a combination of the predominantly used capture drugs, Xylazine and Telazol, and then reversed 45 minutes later with Tolazoline.

All injections were given intramuscularly in the neck above the shoulder. The dosages used were in the upper range of dosages recommended by a panel of five practicing veterinarians and two wildlife biologists all with a minimum of 10 years experience immobilizing whitetail-tailed deer.

Body weights were estimated prior to drug treatment, and the dose was calculated as would customarily be done when darting deer on the hoof in a permitted facility. A blood sample was collected from each deer prior to and following drug treatment to assure all deer received a full dose of each immobilizing and reversal drugs. After anesthesia and prior to reversal, actual body weights were taken and exact dosages in mg/Kg of body weight were determined. After the deer recovered from the reversal of anesthesia, they were returned to their resident pen, given unlimited access to feed, water, and shelter for the following ten days.

On day 11 post-drug injection, the deer were brought into a Cervid Handling Facility, blood samples were collected, and then the deer were humanely sacrificed by a penetrating captive bolt by trained Texas Parks & Wildlife personnel. At necropsy, tissue samples were collected from the right and left side of each deer’s neck muscle, right and left hindquarter muscle, and liver. All the collected tissue samples were taken to the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory for analysis of metabolites of the injected drugs. Triplicate samples of all tissue and blood samples were analyzed and the results are summarized. Mean tissue residues for Xylazine, Tiletamine and Tolazoline were all below 1 part per million (ppm) and below 1.4 ppm for Zolazepam. The levels of Xylazine and Tolazoline in the deer tissue were ten times less than those published as safe for human consumption in beef following a withdrawal period of three days in a New Zealand study.

The results of the present study in white-tailed deer indicate that there is no evidence that any residue present in venison eleven days post-treatment at the dosages delivered would have any adverse pharmacological effect in humans. Specifically, at 1 ppm (i.e., 1 mg/Kg and a Kg is 2.2 pounds), a person would have to consume 35 oz (2.2 lbs) of venison in a few hours to ingest 1 ppm of the subject pharmaceuticals. The study indicates that a withdrawal period of ten days is sufficient and safe for Xylazine, Telazol and Tolazoline in white-tailed deer at the usual and customary dosages of these drugs utilized in the immobilization of white-tailed deer.

Dr. Donald S. Davis is Associate Professor, Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University

About:
Headquartered in San Antonio, the Texas Deer Association is the only non-profit organization solely committed to improving the quality of Texas deer herds through improved habitat practices, modern harvest strategies and use of superior deer to enhance the deer herds. To learn more about the TDA or for membership information, visit www.texasdeerassociation.com or call (210) 767-8300.

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Drug Residue Study In White-tailed Deer

Outdoors Magazine

Colchester, VT --(AmmoLand.com)-  Outdoors Magazine and the Vermont Big Game Trophy Club (VTBGTC) put the finishing touches on a principal sponsorship agreement.

“In a short time frame the Vermont Big Game Trophy Club has redefined the standard for the way similar programs will be measured around the country. They are a model organization, and their relentless hard work has brought to light new state records and dozens of Boone and Crockett animals taken in Vermont that had been previously unrecognized,” said James Austin, president of Elk Publishing, the parent organization of Outdoors Magazine. “We are proud to continue to work with them for years to come.”

“Outdoors Magazine has been there supporting us since the club’s inception,” said VTBGTC co-founder Brad Hanson. “We consider ourselves very lucky to have such a great publication with its roots in Vermont, and people working there that are as passionate about the state as we are.”

Vermont Big Game Trophy Club

The VTBGTC has some exciting events coming up in the next few months. There will be a handful of scoring events, as well as the VTBGTC Awards Banquet on June 25 – 26 in Barre, Vt. In conjunction, they will also be hosting the Vermont Taxidermy Classic that same weekend, which is the first competition of its kind in over 10 years in the state. Outdoors Magazine will be bringing you more details in the days to come, or visit www.vermontbiggametrophyclub.com for more information.

“That event will be fantastic,” said Kyle Scanlon, editor of Outdoors Magazine. “I know they will be recognizing Vermont’s new state record whitetail by antler size there, and rumor also has it that they have accepted a new state record deer by body weight, and that it is a 300-pounder,” he said. “Thanks to our partnership agreement, Outdoors Magazine will be the first to bring the public this story.”

For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and expanded article descriptions, visit www.outdoorsmagazine.net.

About:
Each month Outdoors Magazine shines its spotlight on different areas of the outdoors world. Features and sub-features are multiple page spreads written by select experts in their fields. In addition to features and sub-features, each month Outdoors Magazine has over 40 columns written by real guides, industry experts, and the best in their fields. Our staff are die-hards who take the time out of their lives hunting and fishing to write.

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Outdoors Magazine Signs Sponsorship Agreement

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

OLYMPIA, Wa --(AmmoLand.com)-  Hunters got a preview of changes proposed in special-hunt permit drawings and new hunting regulations for the fall 2010 season at a public meeting held here March 12-13 by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission.

State wildlife managers also briefed the commission and others in attendance on new proposals for addressing public concerns about property damage and other conflicts related to Washington’s wildlife.

The commission, which sets policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), allotted time for public comments on all three issues as a prelude to voting on those proposals at public meetings scheduled over the next two months.

On a separate issue, the commission directed WDFW to analyze options for increasing recreational crabbing opportunities in Puget Sound. With a stated goal of adopting a new crab-allocation policy by October, commissioners established a time-line for assessing the effects of various fishing options, meeting with advisory boards and providing opportunities for public review of their plans.

Special-hunt permit drawings
In recent years, some hunters have expressed dissatisfaction with the selection process used to issue special-hunt permits, which give successful applicants hunting options beyond those authorized by a general hunting license.

Many of those frustrations stem from the fact that all special-hunt permits are randomly drawn from the same pool of applications, said Dave Ware, WDFW game manager. As a result, applicants often face a choice between applying for popular deer and elk hunts or settling for less-popular hunts with better odds of being drawn, he said.

Under a new plan Ware outlined for the commission, WDFW would create separate applications for seven different categories of popular deer and elk permits, ranging from buck or bull hunts to senior permits. Hunters could apply in as many categories as they choose.

“This plan is designed to give hunters more options for getting the special permits they really want,” said Ware, noting that the proposal was developed with broad public input and support from the WDFW’s Game Management Advisory Committee.

Under the new plan, “points” accrued by hunters toward special permits in previous years would be applied to each of the new permit categories created under the new plan, Ware said. All funds raised by the sale of additional permit applications would be used to expand hunter access to private lands.

The commission is scheduled to take action on WDFW’s proposal at a meeting set April 9-10 in Leavenworth. The proposed rule changes are contained in WAC 232-28-291 on the department’s website at http://bit.ly/d3a41n .

Changes in hunting regulations
WDFW is also proposing some new hunting rules for the upcoming season, based on changes in state game populations observed since the current three-year hunting plan was adopted last year. Proposed changes for the fall season include new conservation measures and hunting opportunities for species such as deer, elk, black bear, cougar and small game.

Key actions include:

Deer: Significant reductions are proposed in the harvest of antlerless white-tailed deer in the Selkirk region, hard-hit by two harsh winters, and on the northern end of the Olympic Peninsula, where the herd continues to have low reproduction rates.
Elk: General hunting opportunities for antlerless elk would be reduced on the Yakima herd, although new hunting opportunities would be allowed in Game Management Unit 346.
Black bear: Fall hunting seasons would be delayed in parts of northeast Washington, south central Washington and the Okanogan region to reduce harvest and conserve female bears. Spring hunting opportunities would be expanded in northeastern Washington and in private timberlands west of Centralia to allow the harvest of more males.
Hunting equipment: Archers and muzzleloaders would no longer be required to possess a concealed weapons license to carry a handgun for personal protection in the field.
Specific proposals are posted on the commission’s website at http://bit.ly/d3a41n under “March 5 revisions.” The commission is scheduled to take action on WDFW’s proposals for the 2010 hunting season at its April 9-10 meeting in Leavenworth.

In a related issue, the commission denied a petition to amend existing white-tailed buck deer seasons in northeastern Washington by adopting special antler restrictions for hunts in Game Management Units 117 and 121. The commission did, however, commit to a public review process and consideration of the proposal for the 2011-12 hunting seasons.

Controlling property damage
Another proposal presented to the commission would give landowners more flexibility to prevent and address property damage caused by wildlife.

A new approach proposed by WDFW would encourage landowners to forge agreements with the department that set out a clear course of action for dealing with damages caused by wildlife on their property. Those rules would establish specific requirements for both lethal and non-lethal actions, and identify new sources of technical assistance for property owners.

Under the department’s proposal, claims for crop damage would be paid only after an assessment by a professional crop insurance adjuster.

The commission is expected to take action on WDFW’s proposal during a conference call scheduled May 7. The proposed “Wildlife Interaction Rules” are posted on the commission’s website at http://bit.ly/db1aCT .

Also at the meeting March 12-13 in Olympia, the commission:

Extended the current allocation policy for the non-tribal Columbia River summer chinook fishery by one year.
Received a briefing on 2010 salmon forecasts, conservation needs and fishing opportunities.
Approved the purchase of a 369-acre conservation easement and two properties to benefit wildlife in Okanogan County.

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WDFW Airs Plans For Special-Hunt Drawings, 2010 Hunting Rules, Wildlife-Damage Issues

Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever

Saint Paul, Minn. - -(AmmoLand.com)- Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have honored three local chapters for their efforts to introduce youth to the outdoors and create the next generation of hunters and conservationists.

Recipients of the third annual No Child Left Indoors® National Awards include the Mahaska County (Iowa) Pheasants Forever chapter, the Illinois Pioneer Pheasants Forever chapter and the Great River Area (Illinois/Iowa) Quail Forever chapter.

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s No Child Left Indoors initiative is the organization’s national effort to engage youngsters in outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing and camping. The No Child Left Indoors® National Awards recognize chapters for their youth habitat projects, youth and family community events and youth outdoor education programs.

“These chapters have shown the ultimate commitment to promoting youth activities and getting kids involved in the outdoors,” said Cheryl Riley, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s Vice President of Education and Outreach.

Great River Area Quail Forever Chapter
This chapter does youth work on both sides of the Mississippi River – in Illinois and Iowa. From presentations to high school kids, an FFA banquet, hunter safety programs and youth fishing tournaments, Great River Area Quail Forever chapter members engaged youth and talked about habitat and the needs of quail. The chapter also held its first mentored youth hunt last September.

Mahaska County Pheasants Forever Chapter
Each spring, the Mahaska County Pheasants Forever chapter sponsors an outdoor day that includes every 5th grade student in the county, 350-plus students. In the fall, the chapter hosts a field day which over 200 youth attend and everyone goes home with a Pheasants Forever Ringnecks (youth) membership. The chapter also sponsors an Iowa Youth Hunter Education Challenge Team as well as a scholastic shooting team that had 60 participants this past year. Last year, chapter expenditures on youth programs topped $16,000.

The Mahaska County Pheasants Forever chapter’s youth coordinator is Mahaska High School student Brooks VanDerBeek. Brooks’ dad, Jeff, is president of the chapter. Brooks serves on Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s National Youth Leadership Council and recently helped form the first-ever high school student Pheasants Forever chapter in the country, the Oskaloosa Pioneering Ringnecks. Brooks’ efforts have earned him the Izaak Walton Iowa Youth Conservationist of the Year award, and he was named a “Hero of Conservation” in the current issue of Field and Stream magazine.

Illinois Pioneer Pheasants Forever Chapter
The Illinois Pioneer Pheasants Forever chapter held 11 events in 2009 as part of its “Young Guns” program, involving members, women, FFA, scouts and families in trap and skeet shoots, a fishing derby, a hunter safety course, a rifle shoot and a youth mentor hunt. In 2009, the Illinois Pioneer chapter spent approximately $31,000 on youth programs. There are 290 youth members in “Young Guns” and this year they will be working on an 80-acre habitat restoration project. The chapter credits the “Young Guns” program in making its annual fundraising banquet last spring the largest in its 25-year history. Original “Young Guns” Ben Magers and Kirstin Blackford helped create and serve on the newly formed Illinois Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever State Youth Leadership Council, and each was recognized as a 2009 Environmental Hero by the Illinois Governor.

For more about Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s No Child Left Indoors® initiative, contact Cheryl Riley at criley@pheasantsforever.org and 651.209.4975.

Pheasants Forever and its quail division, Quail Forever, is a non-profit conservation organization is dedicated to the conservation of pheasants, quail and other wildlife through habitat improvements, public awareness, education and land management policies and programs. Pheasants Forever has more than 120,000 members in 700 local chapters across the United States and Canada.

For additional information please visit www.PheasantsForever.org and www.QuailForever.org

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Quail Forever’s Third Annual No Child Left Indoors National Awards

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont.- -(AmmoLand.com)- Jim Zumbo, host of Jim Zumbo Outdoors on Outdoor Channel and longtime member and supporter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, has established a special elk hunt for veterans at RMEF’s Torstenson Wildlife Center/Double H Ranch in New Mexico.

The first-annual “Jim Zumbo’s Purple Heart Hunt” will be a cow elk hunt in November.

Participants will include the two high bidders in auctions held March 4-7 at the RMEF Elk Camp and convention in Reno, Nev., as well as two servicemen who are recipients of the Purple Heart medal for wounds suffered in combat. Each high bidder will hunt with the veteran they sponsor.

“The rewards that I receive from taking disabled military warriors hunting are immeasurable,” said Zumbo. “This elk hunt is an opportunity to not only offer quality hunting experiences to veterans, but also for able-bodied sportsmen to experience hunting side-by-side with troops who are true American heroes.”

RMEF President and CEO David Allen said, “RMEF is proud to be a part of Jim’s Purple Heart hunt. We will roll out the red carpet for these true American heroes. As Americans, we cannot do enough to repay those who serve our country with honor and allow us to enjoy our freedoms. The Purple Heart hunt is just another small way we can say thanks to these men and women.”

Zumbo is well known for his work with disabled servicemen, many of them amputees. He and country music singer Aaron Tippin are national spokesmen for the Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund, which is part of Paralyzed Veterans of America. Zumbo has hosted military heroes on hunts in Africa, Alaska and a dozen other states.

Like most of his hunts with disabled vets, Zumbo plans to film the upcoming elk hunt, which may be aired on his television show.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.7 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

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Zumbo Establishes ‘Purple Heart Hunt’ with RMEF

Union Sportsmen’s Alliance

LOUISVILLE, Ky. --(AmmoLand.com)- The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance will host a Sportsmen’s Dinner on Friday, March 26, 2010 at the IBEW Local 369 Hall in Louisville, Ky.

Tickets for the event are $75 and include a new or renewed USA membership.

Following the success of its Inaugural Sportsmen’s Dinner in Minneapolis, Minn., last April, the USA is working with Unions across the country to hold similar events to continue to grow this one-of-a-kind hunting and fishing club.

The dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m. followed by a silent auction and various raffles for fantastic prizes, including a U.S.-made Beretta 3901 shotgun featuring the USA logo.

“This is our first event of 2010 and we couldn’t have picked a better place to kick things off,” said USA Regional Coordinator Tim Bindl.

“The support we have received from Union members in the area has been phenomenal, and we hope that through fellowship and fun, we can spread the word about the USA and further strengthen the bond of our Union brothers and sisters.”

For more information about this event or to make reservations, contact USA Membership Coordinator Heather Tazelaar at 877-872-2211 (toll free) or heathert@trcp.org.

About the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance
The USA is a one-of-a-kind, hunting and fishing exclusively for union members, retirees and their families. The USA extends union member benefits beyond the workplace to the woods and water by connecting union hunters and anglers across North America and providing them with the latest hunting and fishing information, special offers and benefits, exclusive discounts and much more. To learn more about the USA, visit www.UnionSportsmen.org.

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Union Sportsmen’s Alliance to Host Sportsmen’s Dinner in Louisville

67 successful youths will be recognized at the Club’s 27th Big Game Awards, June 24-26, 2010, at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nev.

Boone and Crockett Club

MISSOULA, Mont – -(AmmoLand.com)- Young hunters age 16 and under have taken 67 Boone and Crockett qualifying trophies over the past three years.

Each will be listed in the triennial Boone and Crockett Club 27th Big Game Awards book due out later this year. Included among the youth trophies are a massive Alaska brown bear and the largest non-typical mule deer recorded in 36 years, both of which are Top 5 specimens in their respective categories for the awards period.

All 67 successful youths will be recognized at the Club’s 27th Big Game Awards, June 24-26, 2010, at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nev.

The event is a celebration of conservation successes featuring a free public exhibition of world-class antlers, horns and mounted specimens from across North America. Hunters who have taken Top 5 specimens in 36 categories of native North American big game during the past three years are invited to participate in the exhibit, alongside the youths.

“At this year’s ceremony, for the first time ever, we’re honoring young hunters who’ve taken a Boone and Crockett-class trophy during the past three years,” said Eldon Buckner, chairman of the Club’s Records of North American Big Game Committee. “It’s gratifying to see youths, both boys and girls, broadly represented across big game categories.”

The 67 trophies by hunters 16 and under include:

• Alaska brown bear—2 entries (minimum score 26, top score 29-1/16)
• Bighorn sheep—3 entries (minimum score 175, top score 190)
• Black bear—8 entries (minimum score 20, top score 21-9/16)
• Columbia blacktail deer, typical—2 entries (minimum score 125, top score 135-6/8)
• Cougar—3 entries (minimum score 14-8/16, top score 15-8/16)
• Musk ox—2 entries (minimum score 105, top score 110)
• Pronghorn—5 entries (minimum score 80, top score 88)
• Rocky Mountain goat—3 entries (minimum score 47, top score 53)
• Roosevelt’s elk—2 entries (minimum score 275, top score 326-7/8)
• Mule deer, non-typical—1 entry (minimum score 215, top score 242-4/8)
• Mule deer, typical—4 entries (minimum score 180, top score 191-4/8)
• Whitetail deer, non-typical—15 entries (minimum score 185, top score 240-5/8)
• Whitetail deer, typical—17 entries (minimum score 160, top score 174-4/8)

Young hunters claimed 2.2 percent of all the trophies entered into Boone and Crockett records during the Club’s 27th awards period.

“We’ve accepted almost 5,000 total trophy entries between Jan. 1, 2007, and Dec. 31, 2009, which is four times the number we received 30 years ago. Clearly, wild, free-ranging, trophy class animals are more plentiful today than ever. That’s a tribute to those wildlife managers and sportsmen—including the young hunters—who participate in that management,” added Buckner.

The Boone and Crockett system of scoring big game trophies originated in 1902 as means of recording details on species thought to be disappearing because of rampant habitat loss and unregulated harvest. Science-based conservation efforts led and funded by license-buying hunters brought those species from vanishing to flourishing.

Scoring records remain a classic gauge of habitat and management programs. In addition to its prestigious history and tradition, the Boone and Crockett Club’s scoring system is strongly associated with the highest tenets of fair chase and hunting ethics.

Along with celebrating conservation and hunting, the Club’s 27th Big Game Awards is also a fundraiser for the Club’s mission programs. Registered attendees also can enjoy raffles, an auction featuring hunts in top trophy regions across the continent and the 27th Awards Banquet and ceremony on June 26.

InterMedia Outdoors, which owns Sportsman Channel and several publications including Petersen’s Hunting, is the Boone and Crockett Club’s media partner for the event.

For registration and more event information, visit www.biggameawards.com.

About the Boone and Crockett Club
Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair-chase sportsmanship and habitat stewardship. Member accomplishments include enlarging and protecting Yellowstone and establishing Glacier and Denali national parks, founding the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System, fostering the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the cornerstones of modern game laws. The Boone and Crockett Club is headquartered in Missoula, Mont. For details, visit www.boone-crockett.org.

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67 New Youths Trophies in Boone and Crockett Records

New Jersey Outdoor Alliance

Belmar, NJ --(AmmoLand.com)-  NJOA has been asked by  AmmoLand readers to provide a link to a poll in the Star Ledger where they can weigh in on the need for a bear hunt.

It seems that there is concern that the animal extremists have distributed the link to the poll through their global network and people from all over the world are weighing in on what is a New Jersey issue.

The poll is not scientific and has no validity in determining the need for a bear hunt. In fact, I provided the link in an earlier email. However, there’s no harm in honoring the request to send it again.

Don’t let people in other states or other countries speak on your behalf. Don’t let the animal extremist (HSUS, PETA, etc.) groups continue to damage our ecology with their agenda to grant equal rights to animals and to foist a vegetarian lifestyle on all of society.

Speak up for conservation. Remember, it’s conservation and not preservation (animal rights) that Mother Nature uses to manage her ecosystems.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/03/nj_is_expected_to_have_bear_hu.html

Here’s to the great outdoors!

JOIN NJOA: http://www.njoutdooralliance.org/support/njoa.html

About:
NJOA – The mission of New Jersey Outdoor Alliance is to serve as a grassroots coalition of outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen dedicated to environmental stewardship. We will champion the intrinsic value of natural resource conservation – including fishing, hunting and trapping, among opinion leaders and policy makers. We will support legislation, and those sponsoring legislation, that provides lasting ecological and social enrichment through sustainable use of the earth’s resources. Visit: www.njoutdooralliance.org

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Animal Extremists Trying to Fake Public Opinion On NJ Bear Issues

Bear Education and Resource Group who's website if filled with pictures of warm fuzzy bears continues to endanger NJ residents with misleading advice on the growing black bear population.

Trenton, NJ - -(AmmoLand.com)- Anti hunting minority interest group Bear Education and Resource Group ( BEAR )  is suing the New Jersey Fish and Game Council, two days after the council voted to authorize the state’s first black bear hunt in five years.

BEAR claims to be a community-based, non-profit, educational organization, established in 2001 to “provide factual information to the public about black bears”, that is anti hunting speak for disseminate false information to get their way.  As is typical for these types of fringe groups they are completely against science based wildlife management, like that practiced by the NJ Fish & Game managers, and are in favor of letting the bears “manage themselves”.

They advocate measures to avoid human-bear conflicts, to provide advice regarding specific black bear situations, and to oppose the hunting of black bears, the primary bear management tool used throughout the USA. Apparently NJ bears are different and this time-tested technique will not work in New Jersey.

They also believe that the bear problem can be solved through the exclusive use of bear resistant garbage cans.  This is not just funny but insulting. Anyone who lives in bear country knows that bears can tear open cars and buildings if they want what is inside.

They also are demanding that enforcement of NJ trash laws be handled by NJ Fish and Game officers.  Isn’t enforcement of trash laws the responsibilities of local police and municipalities?

BEAR recommends you protect yourself from bears with water guns & umbrellas ..!!?

But it gets worse:
In a paper released by Bear Education and Resource Group entailed What do I do if I see a bear? They list the following things as the recommended tools to scare bears away:

• Supersoakers
• Water guns
• Air horns
• Rocks
• Pepper spray
• Pop-open umbrellas

We are not making this up!!?

It gets even worse. When answering the question: Do black bears pose any danger to me or my children? they say “that black bears are not aggressive”.  That is just wrong and BEAR clearly has no regard for the well being of our children or humans in general and are willing to put people at risk to promote their twisted agenda.

Among their other deceitful tricks is they have been asking all their supporters to vote in a poll on NJ bears to load the vote in their favor.

Fortunately they have no problem exposing their real agenda which is “promote tolerance of our bear neighbors, and foster peaceful coexistence between bears and people”

This is he same logic that they are now using to justify suing the NJDEP for voting to manage bears correctly through sound wildlife management techniques.

But New Jersey residents are much smarter and have more common sense than the Bear Education and Resource Group gives you credit for.  Read their info for fun but do not be foolish enough to follow it or risk your life and those of your children.

Be safe and support science based management of all wildlife and the environment.  Do not be swayed by the pictures of cuddly bears or the wish full thinking of feel good wildlife management.

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NJ BEAR Group Wastes Tax Payer Money To Promote Anti-Hunting Agenda

New Jersey Fish and Game

TRENTON, N.J. --(AP)- Bear Education and Resource Group, a group opposed to killing bears, says it is suing the New Jersey Fish and Game Council, two days after the council voted to authorize the state’s first black bear hunt in five years.

The Bear Education and Resource Group claims the council violated the Open Public Meeting Act, which requires the council to allow members of the public to attend its meetings.

In a statement Thursday, BEAR alleges members of the council participated in a private meeting of the game committee, which decides on the bear hunt policy.

Len Wolgast, chairman of the game committee, says all the council’s regular meetings are open, but subcommittee meetings, including the game committee, don’t have to be.

The state environmental commissioner still must approve the bear hunt. ..read more

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Bear Education and Resource Group Suing N.J. Wildlife Council

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Trenton, NJ --(AmmoLand.com)- On March 9, the FGC approved a management plan for the state’s black bear population that recommends a six-day hunt in December.

The plan now moves to the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for a public comment period prior to a final decision being made by acting DEP Commissioner, Bob Martin.

“We are pleased the FGC voted to recommend a hunting season as part of the management plan,” said Rob Sexton, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (USSAF) vice president for government affairs. “We will continue working with state officials to keep moving this badly needed plan forward.”

The FGC proposal is the latest step in a multi-year effort to address growing concerns in New Jersey about increasing bear-human interactions since the hunt was arbitrarily ended in 2006 by then DEP Commissioner Lisa Jackson.

In response, the USSAF, along with Safari Club International and the New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, filed a lawsuit against the state to challenge the former Commissioner’s decision to stop the bear hunt.

The state Supreme Court refused to consider an emergency injunction that would have compelled the Commissioner to proceed with the 2006 hunt.

Since then, Assembly Members Gary Chiusano (R- Frankford Township) and Alison Littell McHose (R- Franklin) have repeatedly called for the Administration to reevaluate its bear hunting ban as the number of incidents between humans and bears continued to increase. Those same legislators also introduced Assembly Bill 181 clarifying that the FGC has sole authority to implement and regulate black bear hunting in New Jersey while prohibiting the DEP Commissioner from blocking those approved by Council.

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New Jersey Takes Step Towards Bear Hunt

GoHuntGeorgia.com

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga --(AmmoLand.com)- The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division recently selected George “Rip” Masters as the 2009 Volunteer Hunter Education Instructor of the Year.

This award is presented annually in recognition of an instructor who displays outstanding volunteer efforts in educating sportsmen and women on wildlife conservation and the importance of safety while hunting.

“Rip Masters is always ready to help spread the word about hunter education,” says Col. Homer Bryson, Chief of Law Enforcement. “He is involved with every aspect of the planning process for classes and goes out of his way to give his attendees a personal experience.”

Georgia “Rip” Masters has been a volunteer hunter education instructor since 1986, and has twice previously been nominated for this same honor. He is keenly active on holding the interest level of his students – taking it so far to build, at his own expense, various bullet and shotshell displays to help illustrate topics.

He personally reviews the test with any student that may not have passed in order to ensure that the student leaves feeling more confident to come back and take the test again. He also likes to provide new hunters with maps of local places to hunt. Masters wants students to have an enjoyable experience, not that the course and the test is just a requirement.

The selection of the Hunter Education Instructor of the Year begins at the region level. Each of the seven WRD Law Enforcement Regions picks the outstanding instructor in their area and sends them to the DNR Law Enforcement/Hunter Education office. The applications are then submitted to the Hunter Safety Committee. This committee is made up of WRD personnel from Game Management, Fisheries Management and Law Enforcement who are knowledgeable in working with volunteers and about hunter safety education. The committee then makes the final selection.

For more information on the Volunteer Hunter Education Instructor of the Year or hunter education classes, call the WRD Conservation Education Office at (770) 918-6414. For more information on GHEA, visit their website at http://gheanet.homestead.com/AboutGHEA.html .

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WRD Names Cherokee County Resident As Top Volunteer Hunter Education Instructor Of The Year

Turkey Hunters Encouraged To Put Safety First

GoHuntGeorgia.com

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga --(AmmoLand.com)- Successful hunting trips require a combination of skill, patience and most importantly, preparation. As turkey season rapidly approaches, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division encourages preparation first, hoping that hunters will brush up on important turkey hunting safety tips before hitting the woods.

“Hunters should always be sure to identify their target before pulling the trigger and should never shoot at sound or movement,” advises Lt. Judd Smith. “Turkey hunters have to utilize their firearms safety knowledge and remember ways to keep themselves and others safe while in the woods.”

Hunters are encouraged to review the following turkey hunting season safety precautions.

Season opens on Sat., March 20:

• Never wear red, white, blue or black clothing while turkey hunting. Red is the color most hunters look for when distinguishing a gobbler’s head from a hen’s blue-colored head, but at times it may appear white or blue. Male turkey feathers covering most of the body are black in appearance. Camouflage should be used to cover everything, including the hunter’s face, hands and firearm.
• Select a calling position that provides at least a shoulder-width background, such as the base of a tree. Be sure that at least a 180-degree range is visible.
• Do not stalk a gobbling turkey. Due to their keen eyesight and hearing, the chances of getting close are slim to none, but a hunter in motion greatly increases his/her chances of being mistaken for game.
• Be careful using a turkey call. The sound and motion may attract other hunters. Do not move, wave or make turkey-like sounds to alert another hunter to your presence. Instead, yell in a loud voice so other hunters know you are in the area.
• Be careful when carrying a harvested turkey from the woods. Do not allow the wings to hang loosely or the head to be displayed in such a way that another hunter may think it is a live bird. If possible, conceal the turkey in a blaze orange garment or other material.
• Although it’s not required, it is suggested that hunters wear blaze orange when moving to and from a vehicle and hunting site. When moving between hunting sites, hunters should wear blaze orange on their upper bodies to lessen chances of being mistaken for game.

Additional Safety Tips

Turkey hunters must possess a valid hunting license and a big game license to legally hunt turkeys in Georgia. If hunting on a Wildlife Management Area, hunters must also possess a WMA license. Sportsmen and women must always obtain permission from the landowner before hunting on private land. Only male turkeys may be harvested, and the season bag limit is three gobblers per hunter.

For additional turkey hunting information or turkey hunting safety tips, visit www.gohuntgeorgia.com , contact the nearest Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement office or call (770) 918-6414.

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Turkey Hunters Encouraged To Put Safety First

GoHuntGeorgia.com

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga --(AmmoLand.com)- Turkey hunters across the state are practicing their yelps and clucks in preparation for the upcoming turkey season. Opening day is Sat., Mar. 20 and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division anticipates that the 2010 season should be good, and harvest levels should be similar in comparison to the past several years.

“There should be many vocal 2-year old gobblers available for harvest this year thanks to the high reproduction rate in the summer of 2008,” says Kevin Lowrey, Wildlife Resources Division wild turkey project coordinator.

Statistics from the 2009 season harvest summary indicate that an estimated 56,113 resident Georgia hunters bagged 27,323 turkeys last year. The bird to hunter ratio (harvest rate) for 2009 was .49 birds per hunter – the same as in 2007 and 2008. According to Lowrey, Georgia’s current turkey population is estimated at 300,000 birds. Georgia turkey hunters are privileged with one of the longest turkey seasons nationwide. With a bag limit of three gobblers per season, hunters have from Mar. 20 through May 15 to harvest their bird(s). Because most hunters pursue wild turkeys on private lands, the Wildlife Resources Division reminds hunters to always obtain landowner permission before hunting.

WMA Hunting Opportunities Georgia’s Wildlife Management Areas offer excellent turkey hunting opportunities. Through the WMA system, resident hunters have access to nearly one million acres of prime hunting land for just $19 a year. Success rates and total harvest numbers from 2009 may help indicate which WMAs hunters should target this year. In the northwest, Crockford-Pigeon Mountain and Berry College WMA reported the highest harvest rates. In the northeast, Dukes Creek WMA and Wilson Shoals WMA had the highest harvest rates. In west central Georgia, hunters should try Joe Kurz WMA and Rum Creek WMA. In east central Georgia, Di-Lane Plantation WMA and Tuckahoe WMA reported high harvest rates. In the southeast, hunters should visit Dixon Memorial WMA and Sansavilla WMA. Middle Georgia hunter should try River Bend WMA Finally, in southwest Georgia, River Creek WMA and Chickasawhatchee WMA had the highest harvest rates. A special WMA license is required for any person 16 years or older who does not possess a valid honorary, sportsman or lifetime license when hunting wild turkey on a WMA, Public Fishing Area or State Park. In addition, both a valid hunting license and a big game license are required to legally hunt wild turkey. Wild turkey legally can be hunted with shotguns, loaded with No. 2 or smaller shot, any muzzleloading firearm, longbow, crossbow or compound bow.

Conservation of the Wild Turkey in Georgia
The comeback of the wild turkey is one of Georgia’s great conservation success stories. Although the bird population currently hovers around 300,000 statewide, as recently as 1973, the wild turkey population was as low as 17,000. Intensive restoration efforts, such as the restocking of wild birds and increased emphasis on biologically sound hunting seasons, have helped re-establish turkeys in suitable habitat in every county. This resurgence is due to the efforts of private landowners, hunters and conservation organizations like the National Wild Turkey Federation.

The Georgia Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation has donated more than $3,220,977 since 1985 on projects that benefit wild turkey and other wildlife. The NWTF works cooperatively in partnership with the Wildlife Resources Division and other land management agencies with the focus on habitat enhancement, hunter access, wild turkey research and education. There currently are 96 state chapters of the NWTF with membership totals of more than 16,000.

For more information regarding wild turkey hunting opportunities, WMA hunting opportunities, 2010 wild turkey hunting seasons, regulations or license requirements in Georgia, visit www.gohuntgeorgia.com .

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Time To Talk Turkey – Georgia’s Turkey Hunting Season Opens Mar. 20

Union Sportsmen’s Alliance

WASHINGTON, DC – -(AmmoLand.com)- The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership today announced that its popular union-focused hunting and fishing club, the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, will become a stand-alone entity separate from the TRCP.

Throughout the transition and beyond, the TRCP and its labor union partners will continue to foster the relationship that has resulted in union members becoming an influential and growing voice in national conservation policy.

“We at the TRCP are proud of the progress made by the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance since we started it in 2007,” said Jim Martin, TRCP board chair. “The USA program now is ready to grow to the next level. We look forward to continuing to work with the AFL-CIO and our other union partners on the conservation policy issues that matter most to American sportsmen.”

Formed in 2007 by the TRCP, the USA gives union hunters and anglers the opportunity to unite their union and outdoor lifestyles and connect with fellow union sportsmen across North America. When union members join the USA, they also become TRCP partners and help safeguard American sporting traditions and advance the TRCP mission, activities that have contributed to the TRCP’s increasing effectiveness in furthering conservation objectives in the interest of the hunting and angling community.

“The TRCP created the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance to promote the TRCP’s conservation mission and strengthen the impact of American workers in determining responsible management and use of our natural resources,” said USA Executive Director Fred Myers. “This vision – and the role of union members in conservation policymaking – will be perpetuated under the USA’s new identity and reinforced by the strong leadership of the TRCP and its union partners.”

The USA will remain based in Nashville, Tenn., and continue interactions and joint undertakings with the TRCP’s Washington, D.C., headquarters and Western staff. While maintaining its conservation approach, formed in consultation with TRCP leadership and staff, the USA will continue its policy of non-partisanship by not taking positions on political agendas, parties or candidates.

“The TRCP remains committed to the success of the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance and to nurturing its increasing influence in the U.S. conservation arena,” said Diane Craney, interim president and CEO of the TRCP. “By facilitating the USA’s re-creation as a separate, stand-alone entity, we can refine and sharpen the conservation focus, both with union members and the sportsmen’s community as a whole, that has become a hallmark of the TRCP.”

“The USA offers our nation’s union members the chance to organize, sustain and defend a uniquely American way of life – an outdoor heritage both for themselves and for their children and grandchildren to enjoy,” said AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka. “The AFL-CIO is honored to have played a founding role in establishing the USA, and we welcome the opportunity to foster our partnership with the TRCP by continuing to promote a conservation message that resonates with union workers everywhere.”

Learn more about the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance.

Inspired by the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, the TRCP is a coalition of organizations
and grassroots partners working together to preserve the traditions
of hunting and fishing.

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TRCP Union Sportsmen’s Alliance to Launch as Stand-alone Entity

New Jersey Black Bears

New Jersey Fish and Game

TRENTON, NJ --(AmmoLand.com)- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Acting Commissioner Bob Martin released the following statement on the New Jersey Fish and Game Council’s vote to advance its proposed Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy:

“In recent weeks, I have met with Council members to discuss a range of black bear issues and the need for a multi-faceted management strategy that is based on solid science and the latest research. I intend to scrutinize this proposed policy to make sure it provides the best possible solutions to the considerable challenge of managing this valued wildlife resource in the nation’s most densely populated state.”

A New Jersey Superior Court ruling in 2007 requires the DEP Commissioner to approve the Council’s policy before it is submitted for adoption in accordance with the New Jersey Administrative Procedure Act.

The Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy’s integrated approach to managing black bears includes research and monitoring, non-lethal and lethal control of problem bears, public education on coexisting with bears, law enforcement to reduce conflicts between bears and people, and a controlled
hunt.

To review the Fish and Game Council’s proposed Comprehensive
Black BearManagement Policy, visit: http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/bearpolicy10.htm

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NJ Fish And Game Council’s Proposed Comprehensive Bear Management Policy Statement

TDA’s Superior Genetics Whitetail Deer Auction grossing $888,000 at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo.

Texas Deer Association

SAN ANTONIO, Texas –-(AmmoLand.com)- The Texas Deer Association’s (TDA) latest event raised the bar not only for the quality of Texas’ whitetail deer herd but also for the knowledge of wildlife enthusiasts and the future of students in agricultural pursuits.

With the TDA’s Superior Genetics Whitetail Deer Auction grossing $888,000 at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, approximately $8,000 will go to the scholarship fund of the San Antonio Livestock Exposition.

The TDA has donated nearly $60,000, including $15,000 from the San Antonio chapter’s banquet last year, to the rodeo’s scholarship fund since the deer auction became the first in the nation to be conducted at a stock show in 2005.

The seminars, co-sponsored by Purina Mills, were another highlight as more than 500 people packed the Auction Barn on the rodeo grounds on Feb. 12.

Pen to Pasture Deer Release, covering how to adapt genetically superior deer to a free-range life, drew a lot of audience participation with seminar leaders Charles DeYoung, Ph.D., research scientist and professor emeritus at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, and wildlife consultant and biologist Warren Bluntzer.

“It showed the interest and the care people have for the white-tailed deer of Texas and how far education has taken wildlife management today,” Bluntzer said.

Farmers and ranchers walked away with a better understanding of how to take care of their resources and the land to produce agricultural products and a healthy wildlife population that can add to the diversification of their income, he said.

“All of the Texas wildlife species benefit from these practices. It’s a win-win situation for Texans who own land, sportsmen and the wildlife,” Bluntzer added.

Common-sense approaches were addressed, too, such as how to adapt deer from their diet in the pen to what they will find in the pasture, TDA executive director Karl Kinsel said.

“Some of the things, like how a deer will find water, are something people don’t think about,” Kinsel said. “You put water along fence lines because, while the deer may not find water in the middle of a pasture, they will find a fence and walk along it – and they’ll find water if you put it there.”

One of the most important aspects of releasing superior deer to the native herd is that one big buck will not work wonders, Kinsel said.

“One super buck won’t change the dynamics. You need to replace 50 percent to see a visual impact,” he said.

Kinsel praised officials with the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo for incorporating wildlife into the traditional agricultural exhibition.

“In today’s agriculture it takes that diversity for any farm or ranch to stay profitable, and to have all the wildlife facets represented as well as the farm equipment and sheep and goats is a commendable step for the rodeo,” he said.

In addition, having the auction and seminars on the stock show grounds also drew a number of people who normally would not be exposed to a wildlife event, he said.

Meanwhile, the auction attracted a standing-room-only crowd of more than 1,000, as it has every year since 2005.

The highest lot, selling for $42,500, was for the sister to a buck that scored 252 at 3 years old. The doe, from High Roller Whitetails, was bred to 20/28, a buck that scored more than 310.

The second top lot came from Gene Gonzalez of Sacred Oaks Whitetails. A 4-year-old doe, the offspring of Dreambuck who scored 321 at age 4 and was bred to Kid Dynamite 282 at 2, went for $42,000.

The third highest lot, going for $37,500, was from Venado Creek Whitetails, a doe fawn not yet born that was sired by Max Dream (a Gonzalez buck and womb brother to Kid Dynamite), which scored 341-7/8 at age 2.

“This shows that deer with proven pedigrees are doing really well in the market these days,” TDA auction manager Jayce Kalmbach said.

While the lots averaged about $7,000 each, nine lots sold for more than $20,000. Straws of semen averaged between $1,000 and $1,500.

For the first time at a TDA auction, mule deer went on the block. A buck and doe sold for $26,000.

“Mule deer are a growing Texas market, and people are getting a good vibe about them after seeing the growth in whitetails,” Kalmbach said.

The next event on the TDA calendar will be the second annual Spring Gala & Deer Auction March 5-6 at the Embassy Suites Outdoor World in Grapevine.

“It started out as one of the banquets that TDA does across the state. It’s more of a fun event with silent and live auctions, Kinsel said.

The economic impact of Texas’ deer breeding industry is more than $650 million, including more than 7,000 jobs, according to a study in 2007 by Texas A&M University.

To learn more about the Texas Deer Association or for membership information, call 210.767.8300 or visit www.TexasDeerAssociation.com

About:
Headquartered in San Antonio, the Texas Deer Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of Texas deer herds, and to developing ways to improve deer quality in Texas. For more information on the Texas Deer Association, call 210.767.8300 or visit www.texasdeerassociation.com. As a part of its public education efforts, the TDA publishes Tracks, a full-color
bimonthly magazine that updates members on legislative news, deer genetics and game management issues

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Texas Deer Association Auction & Seminars Raise Bar For Wildlife

Orion - The Hunters Institute

Kansas --(AmmoLand.com)- Hunting is one of the safest ways to enjoy the outdoors, and making it ever safer will be a primary topic at the 2010 Kansas Hunter Education Instructor Academy, held March 26-28. Volunteer instructors from Kansas and neighboring states also will delve into the topic of hunting ethics with invited guest speaker Dr. James Tantillo.

Tantillo, who teaches ethics and environmental philosophy at Cornell University and sits on the board of directors for Orion – The Hunters’ Institute, will deliver a keynote address titled The Morality of Hunting: “A Damnable Pleasure.”

Plus, participants will get the chance to examine the differences between hunter ethics and hunter preferences during breakout sessions hosted by Tantillo.

“Most people today who think about hunting tend to lump all value questions together under the heading “ethics” without regard for whether that classification is accurate,” Tantillo said. “In reality, hunting ethics usually involve more aesthetic than ethical issues.”

Tantillo went on to say the tendency for sportsmen and women to impose their personal hunting values or behaviors on others to improve the image of hunting may be well intended but can cause infighting and ultimately erode efforts to uphold our hunting traditions.

Orion – The Hunters’ Institute has long supported the work of hunter education programs across North America starting with Jim Posewitz, the organization’s founder. The partnership between Orion and hunter education programs has been responsible for shaping millions of new hunters.

During the weekend hunter education academy, a variety of other breakout sessions on safety, hunter ethics and responsibility will be conducted by representatives from the Treestand Manufacturer’s Association and Kansas and North Dakota volunteer hunter education instructors. Awards presentations and program updates will round out the weekend.

For more information about the academy, contact Wayne Doyle at wayne.doyle@ksoutdoors.com.

About Orion – The Hunters’ Institute
Orion is a 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to ethical hunting and the wild resources essential to that purpose. Founded by Jim Posewitz in 1993, the organization is dedicated to preserving hunting as an important part of our North American conservation heritage through teaching hunter ethics and expanding society’s knowledge of the conservation legacy that was born in the embers of the hunter’s fire.

Orion is best known for its strong stance on ethical hunting and promoting the value of North American’s hunting heritage. “Beyond Fair Chase,” which was written by Posewitz, is a standard for hunter education classes in North America with 500,000 copies in circulation. For more information, please contact us at 802-730-8111 or visit www.huntright.org

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Kansas Hunter Education Instructors Welcome Dr. James Tantillo

Dead Down Wind

Pleasant Valley, MO --(AmmoLand.com)- Dead Down Wind®, an industry leader in scent prevention and D2W Guide Gear, announces that Colin B. Anthony of Columbia, MO is the lucky bowhunter who will participate in an archery-only bear hunt with television personality and host of Dead Down Wind American Archer, Tom Nelson.

“I hope Colin is ready for one of the most exciting and exhilarating hunting experiences ever! The adrenaline that rushes through you when you draw back on a big bear is unreal” commented Tom.

Colin registered for the Dream Hunt sweepstakes by going to www.deaddownwind.com and will he headed north to Canada in June for the hunt of a lifetime with one of the finest guides and outfitters in North America.

The hunt will be hosted by Tom Nelson of American Archer, and Rob Nye from Rob Nye Wilderness Adventures (http://bowsite.com/robnye/). Wilderness Adventures offers an exceptional opportunity to harvest a record book bear. The first flight will go to Saskatoon. A float plane will take Tom and the winner to a remote camp known for big bears in northern Saskatchewan bordering on the Northwest territory.

About Dead Down Wind:
Dead Down Wind is a premium supplier of quality scent prevention products and D2W Guide Gear designed to help outdoor enthusiasts become more successful in the field. Dead Down Wind revolutionized the scent elimination industry through the development of a bio-engineered process known as ESPTM (Enzyme Scent Protection). Through this process a strand of enzymes is created a broad spectrum of odors not just bacteria – the source of human odor. Unlike cover sprays that can only attempt to mask these odors, or carbon clothing that only attempts to contain it., enzymes go well beyond the scope of typical antimicrobials in both effectiveness and the range of odors controlled.

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Dream Hunt with Tom Nelson Winner Announced

Hunter's Specialties

Cedar Rapids, IA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Hunter’s Specialties new Velvet Whitetail Clover provides much needed nutritional benefits to deer while enhancing food plots by putting nitrogen back into the soil.

Designed for spring or fall planting, Vita-Rack Velvet Whitetail brand Ladino Clover contains a proven mix of high performing clovers including Alsike, Dominion Red, Medium Red and Crimson, along with White Clover.

Hunter's Specialties Vita-Rack Velvet Whitetail Clover Mix

The mix grows extremely tall and spreads by stolons for a thicker food plot, producing tons of highly palatable and sweet tasting forage per acre. All Vita-Rack seed mixes feature high germination rates and a low percentage of foreign matter, making them a great value, as well as providing better plant coverage across the food plot.

Vita-Rack Velvet Whitetail Clover can save landowners up to 45% on fertilizer costs when used in a crop rotation with other Vita-Rack seed mixes, including the new Booming Beans™ and Winter Forage™ mixes. Clover is a legume, which pulls nitrogen out of the air and fixes it in the ground, where it can be used by other plants. Typical costs per acre to apply 17-17-17 fertilizer would be $93.00. By using Vita-Rack Velvet Whitetail Clover in a crop rotation the costs would drop to $52.00. [click here for more information on crop rotation]

For more information, log onto the Hunter’s Specialties website at www.hunterspec.com, write to 6000 Huntington Court NE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402, or call a Consumer Service Specialist at 319-395-0321.

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Hunter’s Specialties New Vita-Rack Velvet Whitetail Clover Mix

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

Miles City, MT --(AmmoLand.com)- A bowhunter education class has been scheduled in Miles City, MT. Registration is April 1 through April 16th at the MTFWP regional headquarters in Miles City.

The office is open 8 am – 5 pm and the class will be limited to 30 students on a first come-first serve basis.

The class will be held in the FWP regional office conference room, 6 pm – 9 pm on April 21 – 23.

The field day will be held on Saturday, April 24, 2010 at Spotted Eagle Recreation Area, beginning at 8 am and ending by Noon.

On-line students are welcome to attend the field day, but should call ahead to Kirk Anderson- Lead Instructor at 233-3140. On-line students must bring their certificate of completion of the on-line course with them to the field day.

Visit: www.fwp.mt.gov/r7 for more info.

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Bowhunter Education Class Scheduled Miles City, MT

Southern California Pheasant Shoot

California Outdoor Heritage Alliance

Norco, CA --(AmmoLand.com)- 1st Annual Pheasant Hunt at Raahauge’s Pheasant Club in Norco on Friday, March 19th.

The event, which will benefit the efforts of the California Outdoor Heritage Alliance (COHA), will not only offer a great upland bird hunt, but also an opportunity to meet and talk with members of COHA staff and Board of Directors.

The rolling fields of Raahauge’s Pheasant Club – some of the most beautiful in Southern California – are conveniently located close to Orange County and just a short drive from downtown Los Angeles.

The fields will be made up of five person teams with four birds provided per person (cleaned). Dogs can be provided (please bring a tip for the handler). The day’s activities include a catered Mexican lunch, raffle and auction.

Registration begins at 7:00 AM at Raahauge’s Pheasant Club, 5800 Bluff St., Norco, CA. Directions can be found at: Raahauge’s Pheasant Club or call 951-738-9212.

The cost is $160 per shooter through March 10th, $200 per shooter after March 10th. Valid hunting license and upland game stamp required.

Come and enjoy a fun day in the field while doing your part to support COHA’s important fight to protect your right to hunt today, and for generations to come.

Please send your registration in to: Gretchen Heffler, So. California Director of Development, 10 Shasta Court, Oceanside, CA 92057

Ph: 760-722-6697 Fax: 760-722-6695 gretchen@outdoorheritage.org

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COHA Announces 1st Annual Southern California Pheasant Shoot

California Outdoor Heritage Alliance

Sacramento, CA --(AmmoLand.com)- Senator Tom Harman (R-Orange) has introduced SB 1058, COHA-sponsored state legislation which would prevent big game tag and upland bird stamp monies from being misused for non-game or non-hunting purposes.

A similar COHA-sponsored bill, SB 589, was vetoed by the Governor last year.

SB 1058 would mandate that all deer, elk, wild pig, antelope, bighorn sheep and bear tag revenues and upland game bird stamp monies be used to benefit those particular species, their habitats, and the users that generate them. It would also provide much-needed opportunity for sportsman’s groups to review and provide comment on proposed expenditures of the funds.

Beginning in the 1980s, a portion of hunting license tag/stamp monies were redirected away from game species conservation to other purposes. Loopholes in state law also currently allow for a significant portion of deer tag monies and all bear tag monies to be used for non-game purposes, while a large percentage of pig tag funds have also remained unspent or have been redirected in recent years.

According to data from 2006, only 62% of deer tag revenue was actually used for deer-related projects. Similarly, only 64% of wild pig tag money and 48% of wild sheep auction tag money was used for related conservation work.

SB 1058 also consolidates various existing big game species fiscal accounts into a single account, which improves efficiencies in the use of the monies and gives the Department of Fish and Game greater flexibility to benefit all big game species.

A separate provision of SB 1058 elevates hunting and fishing above other recreational uses when the Fish and Game Commission determines which uses are appropriate for DFG’s Wildlife Management Areas.

“California sportsmen and women expect their license dollars to go to the wildlife management and conservation programs they were intended for,” said Evan Heusinkveld, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) director of state services. “These funds should not be spent to fix roads or patch holes in the state budget.”

SB 1058 will be heard in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee in early April. Please contact members of the Committee and urge their strong support of this much needed measure. For Legislator contact information and a sample support letter, click here.

To view Senator Harman’s press release announcing the reintroduction of the legislation, click here.

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COHA-Sponsored Bill Would Protect Big Game Tag & Upland Game Stamp Revenue

California Outdoor Heritage Alliance

Sacramento, CA --(AmmoLand.com)- Assembly Member Pedro Nava (D-Santa Barbara) has introduced AB 2223, legislation which would prohibit the use of lead shot on state Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) operated by the Department of Fish and Game (DFG). Violators of the bill’s provisions would be subject to a $500 fine on the first offense.

The bill would not only undermine the Constitutional authority of the California Fish and Game Commission–the regulatory body tasked with determining the precise methods of take for hunting and the specific public use regulations for each WMA–but also remove any meaningful scientific review and analysis of the effects of lead shot by providing an exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

In doing so, the measure ensures that politics, rather than sound science, dictates the state’s hunting regulations and management of wildlife.

According to proponents, the bill is intended to reduce alleged lead shot-induced mortality to mourning doves (the most populous game bird in North America) as well as to raptors that feed on doves and other small game. Yet, only a portion of the WMAs across the state provide significant dove hunting opportunity, and fields that are heavily hunted for dove are typically disked on an annual basis by DFG so as to make most lead pellets unavailable to wildlife.

In addition, raptor populations on WMA’s remain at very high levels, while there has reportedly been no documented incidents of raptors succumbing to lead shot poisoning.

“I’ve hunted two dozen WMAs across the state for just about every upland game bird and small game species, and the one thing you notice is that each area is unique in terms of species, topography, management practices and degree of hunter pressure,” stated Mark Hennelly, Vice President of COHA.

“AB 2223 wrongly mandates a ‘one-size fits all’ approach without a single WMA-specific study demonstrating significant impacts from the ongoing use of lead shot on wildlife.”

“These issues should be decided by the state’s wildlife management professionals on a case by case basis,” said Evan Heusinkveld, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) director of state services. “Science, not politics or public opinion, should be the basis for these decisions.”

AB 2223 is sponsored by the Audubon Society, Defenders of Wildlife and Humane Society of the United States. The first hearing will likely be in the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee in early April. For the Committee’s contact information to voice opposition to the bill, click here..

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Bill Introduced to Ban Lead Shot on State Wildlife Areas

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

OLYMPIA, Wa --(AmmoLand.com)-  The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will accept public comments on proposed changes to this year’s hunting regulations and special-hunt permit drawings during a meeting here March 12-13.

The commission, which sets policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), also will consider initial comments on proposed new rules designed to address property damage and other public concerns related to wildlife.

The public meeting in Olympia will start at 8:30 p.m. both days in Room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E. An agenda for the meeting, along with WDFW’s proposals on these issues, is available on the commission’s website. (See http://bit.ly/a9Uqdg ).

“The new hunting rules proposed for the upcoming season reflect changes in state game populations since the current three-year hunting plan was adopted last year, said Dave Ware, WDFW game manager. The proposed hunting rules include a combination of new conservation measures and hunting opportunities for species such as deer, elk, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, black bear, cougar and small game.”

In addition, WDFW is proposing changes in the way random drawings are conducted for special-hunt permits, which provide additional hunting options beyond those authorized by a general hunting license.

Public hearings on special-hunt permits and hunting rules proposed by WDFW are scheduled March 13, the second day of the commission’s meeting in Olympia. The commission is expected to take action on both proposals at a meeting set April 9-10 in Leavenworth.

Also at the meeting March 12-13 in Olympia, the commission will:

• Accept public comments on a new initiative proposed by WDFW to address property damage and reduce other conflicts between wildlife and humans.
• Consider extending the current fishery allocation policy for Columbia River summer chinook salmon by one year.
• Receive a briefing on 2010 salmon forecasts, conservation needs and fishing opportunities.
• Consider approval of land transactions proposed by WDFW in Pierce, Kitsap and Okanogan counties.

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Public Hearings Planned On Proposed Hunting Rules, Special-Permit Process

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Monticello, GA --(AmmoLand.com)- A USDA Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer was fatally shot Friday, March 5, at the Ocmulgee Bluff Equestrian Recreation Area on the Oconee Ranger District of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Jasper County.

The officer, Christopher Arby Upton, 37, of Monroe, GA, was on routine patrol in the area about 11 p.m. Two individuals were hunting coyote with a high-powered rifle equipped with night vision and apparently mistook the officer for game. After the shooting, the hunters dialed 911 and reported a hunting incident.

“This is a tragic incident where the loss of a Federal officer’s life could have been avoided,” said Steven Ruppert, Special Agent-in-Charge for the Southern Region of the Forest Service. “This is a devastating loss for Chris’ family, our agency, other law enforcement officers and his friends and neighbors in Monroe.

“All of our thoughts and prayers are with his family,” Ruppert said. “The standard procedure for a hunter is to identify your target and then shoot,” said Homer Bryson, Law Enforcement Colonel for Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Resources Division (WRD). “The hunter failed to do this, and mistook the officer for game. He then shot and instantly killed the officer.”

The shooter, Norman Clinton Hale, 40, McDonough, GA, and an observer, Clifford Allen McGouirk, 41, of Jackson, GA, were hunting coyotes. The incident investigation is being conducted jointly by the Forest Service and GDNR WRD and is ongoing.

Upton, a 4-year veteran of the Forest Service, had previously worked as a game warden for the Department of Defense, US Marine Corps, at Beaufort, South Carolina, and as a conservation officer, game warden and pilot with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. He is survived by his wife, Jessica, and a 4-year-old daughter, Annabelle. Arrangements are pending.

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USDA Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer Killed in Accidental Shooting

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Washington, DC --(AmmoLand.com)- A nationwide campaign to educate a leading winemaker about the true agenda of the nation’s largest anti-hunting group has met with success.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) had called upon sportsmen nationwide to contact the maker and distributor of Yellow Tail wine regarding their financial support of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). After being besieged by angry consumers, Casella Wines, the Australian producers of Yellow Tail, responded to the criticism by issuing a statement that it will no longer support any lobbying groups.

As previously reported, the USSA immediately contacted the American distributor of Yellow Tail as soon as it became aware that the wine company was preparing to donate $100,000 to HSUS. After hearing no response, the USSA issued an action alert that was picked up by numerous sportsmen groups, farming organizations, and individuals. This set off a flurry of online activity throughout social media sites including Facebook. This put significant pressure on Yellow Tail to revise its decision to partner with HSUS.

At first, the American distributor, W.J. Deutsch and Sons Ltd, issued a blanket statement that the donation was to be targeted “to support The HSUS’ Animal Rescue Team, which rescues animals in peril whether from natural disasters or large-scale cruelty cases.” As the USSA indicated at the time, that response was inadequate since Yellow Tail’s actions were helping HSUS appear as a mainstream organization and also funding its attacks on sportsmen nationwide.

After enduring several additional weeks of protest against their product at the hands of thousands of outraged American sportsmen and farmers, Yellow Tail wine made the right decision and pledged not to work with political lobbying groups like HSUS. According to a letter sent February 19 to the Animal Agriculture Alliance, an advocacy group focused on animal farming issues, Yellow Tail stated:

“[yellow tail] is committed to the plight of animals in need, and we know that animal welfare groups work in different ways to advance their cause. We are interested in the welfare of animals, and in financially supporting animal welfare causes that provide direct care services to help animals, not on taking positions on any animal lobbying issues. We pledge to you that any future support for animal welfare will go to organizations specifically devoted to hands-on care, such as rescue, sterilization, feeding, or disaster assistance.”

This statement represents a major victory for sportsmen.

“Though the USSA is disappointed HSUS received the donation, Yellow Tail’s pledge to not support similar efforts in the future is important,” said Bud Pidgeon, USSA president and CEO. “The USSA expects that this will serve as a reminder for corporations to do their homework before staking their reputation and money on HSUS.”

The campaign against the Yellow Tail donation also highlighted the growing power of social media websites to impact corporate decisions. At no point did the effort become a major news item in mainstream media such as major metro newspapers or nightly news telecasts. Instead, the entire effort took place online among advocates looking to defend themselves from HSUS.

According to Doug Jeanneret, USSA’s vice president of marketing, “This should be an eye opener to sportsmen around the country that social media matters and that it is an important tool to make your voice clearly heard, even by companies on the other side of the world.”

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Yellow Tail Admits its Mistake on HSUS Partnership

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Washington, DC --(AmmoLand.com)- A leaked memo from the U.S. Department of the Interior reveals plans to set aside millions of acres of federal lands, currently open to a multitude of users, as new “National Monuments.” Basically, these designations could be established by a stroke of President Obama’s pen with no oversight.

The memo identifies approximately 13 million acres in nine western states for “National Monument” designation under the 1906 Antiquities Act. The Act allows the President to make these designations without Congressional approval or local input.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) is deeply concerned as prior Monument designations have caused trouble for hunters and wildlife conservation.

For example, President Carter created millions of acres of National Park Service Monuments in Alaska which immediately closed the areas to sport hunting. It took a subsequent act of Congress to undo many of these hunting closures. President Clinton also created Monuments at the end of his term. Wilderness activists have since blocked wildlife management projects in these areas arguing that conservation efforts are inconsistent with Monument purposes.

Monument designation does not automatically limit hunting or other uses, but experience has shown that this designation can have a negative impact on access and conservation efforts. USSA holds that any change in public land use should only occur after open discussion with stakeholders allowing them to voice their concerns, if any.

“President Obama campaigned on keeping government decisions transparent to the public and we ask that he honor that pledge by not making a decision on Monument designations without first hearing the opinion of America’s sportsmen and other concerned citizens,” said Rob Sexton, USSA vice president for government affairs. “The USSA will be watching closely and respond immediately if sportsmen and others are kept in the dark.”

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organizations that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website, www.ussportsmen.org.

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Leaked Obama Administration Document Could Spell Trouble for Sportsmen

N.Y.S. Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame

Utica, New York --(AmmoLand.com)- The New York State Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame proudly announces that it will induct nine new members at the Annual Banquet, April 24, 2010 in Canastota, NY.

The nine individuals represent a cross section of interests and achievements from various regions of New York State. What they do have in common is a lifetime of dedication to conservation and improving participation in outdoor sports.

Dave Barus of Erie County has been a leader in many sportsmen’s organizations and the Erie County Federation of Sportsmen as well as one of the founders of the Southtown Walleye Association. He founded the Teach Me To Fish program and conducts that on behalf of several clubs. Bill Button has developed several youth programs in Yates County and served as president of local clubs and the Yates Federation of Conservation Clubs. He started the Yates County Chapter of S.C.O.P.E. and has been a longtime advocate for sportsmen’s causes.

Bob Hughes of Steuben County is a life-long instructor in hunter safety and trapper education. He has served as president of the NYS Trapper’s Association and is currently the Scholarship Chairman. Bob Monacchio of Saratoga has devoted a lifetime to protecting the ecology of Great Sacandaga Lake and opportunities for fishermen. He has also worked on behalf of sportsmen all over the state to fight invasive species, increase access for anglers, and protect the dedicated Conservation Fund.

Ed Noonan is an award-winning writer from Saratoga County and a strong advocate for sportsmen’s rights and conservation. He has actively promoted and assisted in many youth clinics and activities. Glenn Sapir of Putnam County has spent a lifetime as editor of national and state publications and introduced sportsmen to new opportunities, set standards for ethics, and encouraged new writers and sportsmen. Currently he promotes shooting sports, especially for youngsters and newcomers, on behalf of the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

Ed Sidote of Norwich is known as Mr. Finger Lakes Trail for the many miles and hours he has spent assisting and introducing others to the joys of the outdoors. His exhibits, seminars, and hikes have all conveyed the message of conservation and the sportsmen’s role. Al West of Warren County developed the course on trapper education before it became state mandated. He has served as president of New York State Trappers Association and currently is chair of the Joint Trappers Initiative which works with the DEC to reconcile the interests of trappers and the public’s concerns.

Steve Wowelko of Onondaga County has been the voice and the organizer of many organizations both for Onondaga County and New York State sportsmen. Friends of Carpenters Brook, Family Fish Days, Camp Hinckley Fishing Program, member of Region 7 Fish and Wildlife Management Board, and the fight to save the Carpenters Brook Hatchery are only a few of the programs that Wowelko has devoted countless hours and skill to.

All of these sportsmen are recognized not for what they achieved on a personal basis, but for their efforts on behalf of saving or improving our sporting heritage. They along with their families and friends, past inductees of the Hall of Fame, and representatives of the major sporting conservation groups will gather at the annual banquet.

These sportsmen will be honored at the Annual Banquet in Canastota, NY on April 24, 2010. Guests and interested sportsmen are encouraged to attend. Information or reservations are available by calling 315-363-3896 by April 17.

In addition to honoring sportsmen and women for preserving or enhancing our outdoor heritage, the NYS Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame is involved in many other educational activities including seminars, fishing clinics, or youth programs. Check the web site www.nysohof.org for more information.

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New York State Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame To Induct Nine