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Run Guns On Your Website – Gun Rights News That Is

Possible Record Nebraska Buck - Pic: NEBRASKAland Magazine/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

Richardson County, Nebraska --(AmmoLand.com)- Practically every deer hunter walking into Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium this week wants to see the picture.

They’ve already heard about the buck through online hunting forums, text messages or word-of-mouth. They know it was checked in at the aquarium.

So far, no one has been disappointed, said Tony

Korth, aquarium director at Schramm Park near Gretna.

“Everybody’s saying ’state record’ right now,” Korth said Wednesday. “It’s hard to say.”

The 38-point whitetail generating the buzz was shot Saturday by a 24-year-old Texan hunting on private land in Richardson County. On Wednesday, Wes O’Brien told the Journal Star his trophy has received a preliminary score of 281.

The rack’s official score won’t be determined for 60 days. During the so-called drying period, antlers will shrink a little.

So it remains to be seen if the O’Brien buck will top a famous set of antlers from a deer killed 47 years ago in Hall County by bowhunter Del Austin of Hastings. Commonly called “Old Mossy Horns,” the Austin buck scored 279 7/8 , ranking it not only first in Nebraska, but a world record for a whitetail taken by archery.

“I don’t care if he doesn’t get any records. He’s amazing to me,” O’Brien said of his deer.

Read full story….

Hat Tip: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

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Deer Hunters Abuzz About Possible Record Nebraska Buck

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

LITTLE ROCK, AR –-(AmmoLand.com)- Biologists from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission are taking to the skies this week as part of their periodic aerial waterfowl surveys.

The AGFC is surveying Arkansas’s waterfowl habitats to size up the state’s waterfowl population for this weekend’s opening.

With all of the water in the state, duck concentrations are widely scattered.

Wetland conditions across the entire state are much better than last year. The heavy rains over the past few months kept many farmers out of the fields, AGFC waterfowl program coordinator Luke Naylor said. “Some farmers have allowed water to drain from fields and are trying to catch up on the soybean harvest, for others, crops are a lost cause. Many duck clubs have already captured water and many fields are ready for the season opener,” Naylor said.

Nearly all public areas in the state are at or above target flooding levels. As far as duck numbers are concerned, there are widely scattered reports of concentrations of ducks around the state, Naylor said. “Due to all of the water in the state, ducks have a lot of options to choose from, so we might see ducks in large concentrations in isolated areas,” he said. “They’re probably hoping from hot spot to hot spot,” he added.

Large concentrations of mallards are not being reported in the state at this time, but large numbers of mallards are being reported in South Dakota, Naylor said. “States to the north of Arkansas were flooded as part of the same weather systems that moved through here. There are still lots of flooded fields in other states that are holding ducks to the north of Arkansas,” he explained. Naylor said the additional duck habitat to the north of Arkansas may slow the migration into the state. “A minor migration may have occurred in the last few days, but there’s not a large migration entering the state as they take advantage of that habitat,” he said.

As soon as waterfowl survey results are collected, the information will be available at www.agfc.com.

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Waterfowl Habitat Best In Years

Whitetails Unlimited

Wisconsin - -(AmmoLand.com)- Millions of hunters will take to the woods this fall in pursuit of north America’s favorite big-game animal, the white-tailed deer. Whitetails Unlimited is encouraging all hunters to be smart, and be safe during the hunting season.

“Statistically, hunting is a very safe activity,” said WTU Executive Director Pete Gerl. “However, every year there are some tragic accidents during deer season. The real tragedy is that in the vast majority of cases, accidents are preventable if everyone followed basic hunting and gun safety rules.”

If you are one of the millions of hunters who take to the woods in pursuit of white-tail deer this fall, take a few minutes to review basic safety information that will ensure that everyone enjoys the hunt safely.

Handle all firearms as if they were loaded, at all times.
Every year there are accidents where someone thought they were handling an unloaded firearm, and it fires and injures or kills someone. Always consider every firearm to be loaded, and treat it accordingly.

Watch where you point the muzzle of every firearm.
This takes diligence and awareness, but it is a skill that can be quickly developed. Always be aware of where other people are in relation to your muzzle, and let your hunting partners know if they are not being as careful as you are. It is easy to lose concentration when everyone is uncasing their guns at the back of the pickup, or when you are tired at the end of the day. Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.

Don’t rely on your firearm’s safety.
A safety is a mechanical device, and it could fail at any time. Use it religiously except when you are ready to fire, but never assume that because the safety is on, you are 100 percent safe. Unload the firearm when not in use, and leave the action open, if possible. Also, after you shoot, before you do anything else, put the safety on.

Be sure of your target, and what is in front of, and behind your target.
It is easy to get excited when you see that big buck, but first make sure that it is really a deer, and that it is safe to shoot. Make sure there are no buildings, people, or roads behind the deer that would be in danger if you miss or the bullet passes through the animal. If you are not 100 percent sure of where your hunting companions are, or if there isn’t enough light or a clear sight line to the target, pass up the shot. You will get another chance at a deer, but sending a bullet out of your barrel without being sure of your target and background is an invitation to disaster.

Take care of your firearms and ammunition, and treat them with respect.
Don’t just grab a gun and some ammo that have been stored for months as you leave the house the morning of your hunt. Spend some time to make sure your equipment is in good shape. Take it out before the hunt to check the sights or scope. Make sure the barrel is not obstructed and that the action works properly. Make sure the ammunition matches the firearm. Never horseplay with firearms, and never climb a fence, ladder, tree or tree stand, or cross difficult or slippery terrain with a loaded firearm. Also remember that you can set the example for everyone in your group, especially for younger hunters.

Be safe if you are using a tree stand.
Never climb into the stand carrying your weapon. Unload your weapon and use a line to pull your gun or bow up after you have fastened your safety harness (remember to reload after you are settled). Reverse the process when you leave the tree stand. Always unload the weapon, and always use a safety harness or belt.

Control your emotions.
After you shoot that 10-pointer, don’t turn with your loaded firearm, with the safety off, toward your friends. Don’t run to the downed animal, or chase off into someone else’s firing lane. Rehearse in your mind what safe actions will be, and always be aware of your surroundings. Show some discipline and restraint, and don’t let your emotions force you to take poor shots that may be unsafe.

Be aware of any other circumstances that may affect safety.
If the landowner tells you to stay out of an area, respect his directions. Rain, fog, snow or sleet may reduce visibility or create hazardous conditions. Use common sense, and remember that a tragic accident can be the result of taking chances.

Never mix alcohol or drugs with firearms.
The first drink of the day is the end of the hunting day, no matter what time it is. Forget the eye-opener, the flask “to keep you warm,” or the pick-me-up with lunch, and don’t tolerate drinking (or drugs) from anyone you hunt or shoot with. Alcohol and guns are a deadly combination. Before you have that beer with dinner at night, make sure all firearms are already unloaded, cleaned and cased. In addition, if you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medications that may affect your judgment or make you drowsy, anxious, or otherwise impaired, check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if there is an alternative.

Safety does not end when you leave the woods.
Even if you are tired, cold and hungry when you get home, safety is still the first priority. Before anything else, store your firearms and ammunition in a safe place, separate from each other and out of the reach of children. Then call your friends to come see your deer, take a hot shower, and get a decent meal. You’ve earned it.

Remember that hunting is a process, not a destination. No deer is worth risking your life or someone else’s. There are friends, family, and other people in the woods with you, and a successful hunt is not really measured in points and pounds, but in fellowship and appreciation of our natural world.

About:
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 Urges Hunters to be Smart and Safe This Season

Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show

HARRISBURG, PA --(AmmoLand.com)- The Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show, the largest consumer event of its kind in North America, will feature vendors selling hunting and fishing gear at all levels–from the budget conscious to the top-of-the-line–when it comes to the State Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg February 6-14, 2010.

“We heard from many of our visitors that it is important to feature the widest variety of hunting and fishing gear at all price points…and we listened. This year there will be something for everyone no matter what their budget, ” says Chris O’Hara, Event Director, Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show.

Retailers include some returning favorites, and new exhibiting companies as well: Cabela’s, Lancaster Archery Supply, Keystone Country Store, Susquehanna Bait and Tackle, Shyda’s, Sportsmen’s Liquidation, Schleff’s Bait and Tackle, Kinseys Outdoors, Lion Country Supply, Weavers Store, East Coast Gun Sales and more.

Exhibiting Manufacturers include:

• Thompson/Center Arms
• Mathews, Inc.
• Parker
• Hoyt USA
• Primos
• B&R Outlaw Rods
• Blaser USA
• Bad Boy Buggies
• Yamaha
• Bombardier
• Swarovski Optic
• P’cola’s Lures
• Foxpro
• Lealand’s Lures

This year’s Show includes more than 1,100 hunting- and fishing-related vendors including a wide range of hunting, archery, outdoor-apparel, fishing, and game-call vendors.

The Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show is proud to have the following partner/sponsors: Cabela’s, the official retailer; Thompson/Center Arms, the official firearm; Outdoor Channel, the official network; and Realtree, the official camouflage.

For more information, or to order tickets online visit our website at www.easternsportshow.com.

About:
The Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show, now in its 55th year, has grown to be the largest outdoor hunting and fishing event of its kind in North America. With more than 1,100 exhibitors, The Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show brings the passion for the outdoors–indoors­–by bringing outdoor sports enthusiasts of all ages from across the country to view the latest and best in hunting and fishing gear, shop for ATV’s and RV’s and plan & book hunting and fishing trips with outfitters & charters from around the world. The Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show also offers a wide range of seminars presented by experts along with hunting- and fishing-related contests and family-oriented entertainment.

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2010 Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show Features Hunting & Fishing Gear At All Price Points

Cabelas Shooting Sports

SIDNEY, NEBRASKA --(AmmoLand.com)- Hunting for the perfect gifts for the outdoor enthusiasts on your list? Look no further than Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter of hunting, fishing and outdoor gear. Cabela’s comprehensive selection of clothing and equipment includes holiday values for the friends and family on your list, whether they’re hard-core hunters, avid anglers or people passionate about everything the outdoors have to offer. With three ways to shop Cabela’s (via retail stores, online at www.cabelas.com or through their famous catalogs), you’re just a short drive, click or page away from the best Christmas yet.

Gifts Less Than $30

• Fly-Tying Tool Kit – All the high-quality brass tools to get started tying flies – including scissors, bobbin, bodkin, hackle pliers, whip finisher, dubbing twister and bobbin threader in a 8″ x 5″ x 1-1/2 lined wooden box for convenient travel and storage. Built-in pedestal vise will hold hooks down to a size 24. $29.99
• Camo Gun Cases – Virtually indestructible Tuff Nylon shells and heavy foam padding to shield firearms from the roughest bumps and bangs. Soft lining is easy on expensive finishes and resists snags and abrasion. Self-repairing YKK nylon zipper. Full wraparound web handles. Choose the 52″ Shotgun Case or 48″ Scoped-Rifle Case available in two popular camo patterns. $19.99
• Diamond Peak Hydration Packs – Made of tough nylon and ripstop polyester, these abrasion-resistant packs will take abuse. 70-oz. reservoir with an on/off bite valve and a tube clip on the shoulder strap keeps the valve in place and convenient for use. The padded mesh back panel makes it comfortable to carry, and the shoulder straps are adjustable for the right fit. Front cargo pocket for carrying keys or other small items. $24.99

Gifts Less Than $50

• Activ-Lite Shell-N-Bird Belt – This quick-loading, easy-access bird belt takes all the weight off your shoulders. The ergonomic design gives you added back support for long hunts. This belt is perfect for dog trials, shooting at the range or a long day out in the field. Features three storage pockets, two water-bottle holders, two hooks for carrying birds, shock cords, multiple D-rings and 10 quick-access shotshell holders. $39.99
• Women’s Hiker Fit Flannel- and Fleece-Lined Jeans – Incredibly soft, durable, 100 percent cotton flannel or 100 percent fleece lining keeps your legs warm. The relaxed cut and tapered ankle gives a roomy fit that’s not constricting. Introducing new softer denim that creates a pre-worn feel. Machine washable. $44.99
• Whuppin’ Stick Baitcasting Combo – A rod-and-reel combo tough enough to whup any fish that swims the freshwater. Sturdy graphite-frame reel has a five ball-bearing system for smooth action and one-way instant anti-reverse clutch. Comes with an original Whuppin’ Stick advanced polymer fiberglass rod. $39.99

Gifts Less Than $100

• Alaskan Guide Headlamps – Cabela’s products bearing the Alaskan Guide Series name go through extensive testing to make sure they’re up to the challenge of enduring extreme outdoor conditions. These headlamps are built of super-tough Xylex, and have nearly indestructible Lexan lenses. All are weatherproof, olive drab and have adjustable headbands for optimal comfort. $39.99-$89.99
• Instant Cooking Station – Camp cooking is less of a chore and more of a pleasant part of the outdoors experience when you have the functional convenience of this portable, fold-up kitchen. The main table top and the two side tables are made of aluminum. The stainless steel storage grate below the main table top is 22″W x 19″L. Also includes a paper-towel holder and four S-hooks for hanging pans and utensils. And the whole unit is easily transportable in its included carry bag. $89.99
• Guidewear Boat Shoes – Traditional boat shoe styling and quality construction come together. Featuring waterproof leather and an air mesh lining, these shoes are built to keep your feet dry from external encounters with water as well as vent internal perspiration. The 360 degree lacing system ensures a snug fit. Nonmarking performance siped rubber sole channels water for sure-footed steps. Choose from the 3-Eye or Toggle models. $59.99

Gifts More Than $100

• Pine Ridge Roof-Prism Binoculars – Designed to deliver excellent performance at affordable prices with nitrogen-charged and O-ring sealed construction to make them 100 percent waterproof and fogproof. BaK-4 roof prisms and quality lenses produce clear, crisp images and colors. A large, centrally located, grooved focus wheel is engineered to bring images into view clearly and quickly with one hand. $199.99-$249.99
• Guide Tech Jacket – Rugged shell material lined with waterproof and breathable GORE-TEX gives you essential windproof and waterproof performance in a fisherman-friendly design. Two cargo pockets with hook-and-loop closures in front of two fabric-lined handwarmer pockets, four zip pockets across the chest and an internal zip security pocket. $179.99-$199.99
• Custom Fit Cordura Seat Covers – These heavy-duty, water-resistant 600-denier Cordura nylon seat covers will stand up to rugged use. Available in a wide variety of styles for a custom fit on the most popular cars, trucks and SUVs. The built-in nylon straps and quick-release buckles ensure quick and easy installation. Set includes headrest and armrest covers where applicable. Made in the USA. $129.99

Cabela’s Gift Cards

• For a gift that always fits, choose a Cabela’s Gift Card in denominations from $5 to $5,000. Redeemable through any of Cabela’s three channels: in stores, online or through their world-famous catalogs.

About: Cabela’s
Cabela’s Incorporated, headquartered in Sidney, Nebraska, is a leading specialty retailer, and the world’s largest direct marketer, of hunting, fishing, Camping and related outdoor merchandise. Since the Company’s founding in 1961, Cabela’s has grown to become one of the most well-known outdoor recreation brands in the world, and has long been recognized as the World’s Foremost Outfitter. Through Cabela’s growing number of retail stores and its well-established direct business, it offers a wide and distinctive selection of high-quality outdoor products at competitive prices while providing superior customer service. Cabela’s also issues the Cabela’s CLUB Visa credit card, which serves as its primary customer loyalty rewards program. Cabela’s stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CAB.” Visit www.cabelas.com

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Cabela’s Announces Holiday Gift Guide 2009

A hunter with his mule deer, taken from public lands in Montana. Changes to federal leasing practices on these lands would benefit fish, wildlife and our sporting traditions. Photo courtesy David Thorstenson.

Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

Washington, DC --(AmmoLand.com)- In recent years, sportsmen across America have spoken loudly in urging the Bureau of Land Management to pursue energy development on our federal public lands that is balanced with the needs of fish, wildlife and our outdoor traditions.

Unique hunting and angling destinations such as Utah’s Book Cliffs and Wyoming’s Atlantic Rim demand a new and smarter development approach that will safeguard these areas invaluable sporting opportunities.

Now your hard work is paying off. Sportsmen’s voices are being heard in Washington. The Secretary of the Interior recently has announced changes to the way energy resources will be developed on public lands – changes that could better sustain other land uses such as hunting and fishing.

But hunters and anglers must speak up once again to ensure that these changes benefit America’s sporting community and our outdoor heritage.

Take a moment right now to contact Interior Secretary Ken Salazar – urge him to develop a smarter leasing and development process that guarantees the future of hunting and fishing.

About:
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. Visit: www.trcp.org

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Sportsmen Working to Improve BLM Energy Leasing

Wisconsin DNR

Wisconsin --(AmmoLand.com)- Television and radio host Dan Small of Outdoor Wisconsin and Outdoors Radio has teamed up with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to give hunters a heads-up on important deer season information and the latest season forecast as opening day approaches.

The opening greeting to hunters and the five regional forecasts are available for viewing on the DNR Web site.

The Deer Season Forecast is also available in text format.

“On the eve of Wisconsin’s 158th deer hunt I want to wish hunters, their families and friends my best wishes for a safe and enjoyable season,” said DNR Secretary Matt Frank. “The traditions and the meaning of the season are as varied as the individuals and families holding them. Deer season is something special in Wisconsin.”

The DNR information line 1-888-DNR INFo (936-7463) is staffed 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week for last minute questions. The 2009 Wisconsin Deer Hunting Regulations also are available online for hunters. Wildlife and law enforcement officials at the DNR encourage hunters to check the regulations for the unit they hunt to be sure they understand the rules and have the correct tags.

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Regional Deer Hunting Forecasts Available by Video

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA –-(AmmoLand.com)- The Pennsylvania Game Commission counts on hunters to provide information on the deer they harvest.

And, to make reporting a deer harvest easier, the Game Commission reminds hunters that they can now file their harvest reports through the agency’s new online system.

To report a deer harvest online, go to the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), click on the blue box in the upper right-hand corner of the website, select “Harvest Reporting,” then click on the “Start Here” button at the bottom of the page, choose the method of validating license information, and click on the checkbox for the harvest tag being reported.

A series of options will appear for a hunter to report a harvest. After filling in the harvest information, click on the “Continue” button to review the report and then hit the “Submit” button to complete the report. Failing to hit the “Submit” button will result in a harvest report not being completed.

“Hunters may report one or more harvests in a single session,” Roe said. “Responses to all harvest questions are required.”

Roe noted that hunters still have the option to file a harvest report postcard, which are included as tear-out sheets in the annual digest they received when they purchased their licenses.

“We certainly are encouraging hunters to use the online reporting system, which will ensure that their harvest is recorded and save the Game Commission money on postage and data entry costs,” Roe said. “Either way, the more important point is that all hunters who harvest a deer report it to the agency.”

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Don’t Forget To Report Deer Harvest

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA –-(AmmoLand.com)- The state’s biggest draw for hunters is set to begin the Monday after Thanksgiving, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe, when the two-week firearms deer season opens.

“Fluorescent orange and camouflage clothing soon will be in fashion across the Commonwealth, and cars parked on the shoulders of roads that cut through forested areas or farming communities will be a common sight,” Roe said. “Deer season has a dramatic effect on the Pennsylvania; it provides hundreds of thousands of hunters a chance to put venison in the freezer, as well as stimulates a multi-million dollar economic surge that local businesses rely on.

“Deer season is the most important method that the Game Commission has been using for more than a century to manage Pennsylvania’s whitetails. The efforts of hunters are far-reaching, and they help to keep deer populations in check and enable the agency to meet deer management goals that benefit almost everyone who resides, visits or travels through this state.”

The Game Commission manages deer for a healthy and productive deer herd that provides recreational opportunities within acceptable ecological impacts and human conflicts. It’s a never-ending job, and one that will always be influenced by Pennsylvania’s changing landscape and the varying viewpoints of its residents. But, the agency is committed to providing sound deer management.

Dr. Christopher Rosenberry, Game Commission Deer Management Section supervisor, noted that hunters will need to make sure that they have done their pre-season scouting, as fall food conditions will impact deer movements.

“Deer will respond to food availability and hunter pressure, both of which can vary from year to year, and from one area to another,” Rosenberry said. “Our fall food survey suggests that almost all hard and soft mast species produced well this year. As a result, wildlife may be more widespread in forested areas. As always, pre-season scouting can improve a hunter’s chance for success this year.”

For the second year, deer season will open with a five-day, antlered deer-only season in Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) 2D, 2G, 3C and 4B, from Nov. 30-Dec. 4. It is followed immediately in these four WMUs by seven days of concurrent, antlered and antlerless deer hunting beginning Dec. 5 and continuing through Dec.12. The rest of the state follows the two-week concurrent, antlered and antlerless season – Nov. 30-Dec. 12 – that has been in place since 2001.

The changes to these four WMUs are being studied by Game Commission biologists and the Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Penn State University to learn more about the relationship between antlerless allocations and season length.

The Game Commission will use a four-year study to determine the impact and effectiveness of the five-day antlered/seven-day concurrent season before additional WMUs may be considered for this season configuration. It also will assess hunter satisfaction with the modified season structure in the four WMUs.

Hunters must wear 250 square inches of fluorescent orange material on the head, chest and back combined at all times while afield during the seasons. They also are advised that it’s illegal to hunt, chase or disturb deer within 150 yards of any occupied building without the occupant’s permission if they are using a firearm, or 50 yards if they are using a bow or crossbow.

All hunters who take a deer must fill out their harvest tag and attach it to the deer’s ear before moving the carcass. The tag can be secured to the base of the ear with a string drawn very tightly, if the hunter plans to have the deer mounted. Cutting a slit in the ear to attach the tag will require additional work by a taxidermist.

Deer hunters in certain Wildlife Management Units with an unused bear license also are reminded they may take a bear in the state’s extended black bear season. Bear licenses must be purchased prior to Nov. 30 to participate in these hunts. For more information, including hours and locations for bear check stations during the extended season, please see the bear section of the 2009-10 Digest on pages 34-36.

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Countdown To Pennsylvania Deer Season Has Begun

Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show

HARRISBURG, Pa --(AmmoLand.com)- The Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show, the largest consumer event of its kind in North America, will be bigger and better when it comes to the State Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg February 6-14, 2010.

“Building on last year’s success, we are again bringing in some of the biggest names in hunting and fishing to present seminars and meet our guests. And, of course, we continue to bring in more manufacturers, retailers and outfitters from around the world than any other show in the world,” says Chris O’Hara, Manager, Strategic Accounts Eastern Sports & Outdoors Show.

The Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show attracts outdoor sports enthusiasts from across the country to view the latest and best hunting and fishing products, plan and book hunting and fishing trips, shop for the latest gear, boats, ATVs and RVs, and enjoy a wide range of contests and family entertainment.

This year’s Show includes more than 1,100 hunting- and fishing-related vendors including a wide range of hunting-related, archery, outdoor-apparel, fishing, and game-call vendors and over 500 outfitters from around the world.

Thompson/Center Arms, one of the world’s most respected designers, manufacturers and marketers of premium hunting firearms, is bringing their full line of products and factory representatives to the Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show. Thompson/Center Arms, a Smith and Wesson Company, is widely recognized by hunters as a manufacturer and distributor of innovative firearms that meet the highest precision, performance, craftsmanship, and reliability standards.

Hunting Seminar Speakers and Special Guests.

Michael Waddell
In the world of outdoor television, Michael Waddell is huge. Since joining Team Realtree in 1994, Waddell has gone from cameraman to producer to host of Realtree Road Trips. Waddell also hosts the very popular, Bone Collector’s.

Lee and Tiffany Lakosky
Many people have already gotten hooked on the success of Gettin’ Close with Lee & Tiffany, one of the highest rated shows in outdoor television. Now Lee and Tiffany Lakosky, star in the reality based outdoor program, The Crush with Lee & Tiffany on the Outdoor Channel.

Stan Potts
Stan Potts has hunted whitetails for 40 years, harvesting numerous whitetail bucks with a bow, three of which scored over 200 inches. His hunting successes have been featured in North American Whitetail magazine and several other media sources. He has appeared in several hunting videos and television shows, including Realtree Outdoors and Hunter’s Specialties Prime Time series. He is a co-host of North American Whitetail Television on the Outdoor Channel. He is also featured on Whitetail Country on ESPN and Hunt Masters on the Outdoor Channel.

Chuck Adams
Chuck Adams is the world’s best known and most widely published bowhunter, authoring 4,550 magazine articles and 10 full-length books. He appears 25-30 times each year on ESPN, WGN, and TNN television networks and stars on ESPN’s Whitetail Country and Advantage Adventures shows. Adams is the first archer to accomplish the “Super Slam” by taking of all 27 species of North American big game. He also has 111 Pope & Young record-book trophies and 181 Safari Club International records to his credit—the most in history.

Ralph & Vicki Cianciarulo
Vicki Cianciarulo, of Lanark, Illinois, is an experienced bowhunter, an enthusiastic nature photographer, the better half of North America’s Favorite Hunting Couple, and co-host of the award-winning Archer’s Choice and The Choice television shows alongside her spouse, Ralph Cianciarulo.

Bobby Hart
Bob specializes in Long Range Shooting and Hunting, Custom Rifle Building, and reloading. He also offers an ‘accuracy package’ that has been proven to greatly increase the reliability of many ‘factory’ rifles. This combined with a Hart designed muzzlebrake are a few of the general gunsmith procedures done in-house.

Dan Whitmus
Dan Whitmus grew up hunting and fishing in Washington State where his knowledge of the outdoors landed him a manager’s role at a 20,000 acre duck and goose lease. In 1999, Dan moved to Idaho to continue his career in the hunting industry, concentrating on elk hunting. Since that time, Dan has won two world elk calling titles and nine state and regional championships.

Fishing Seminars Speakers and Special Guests

Bob Clouser
Bob’s love of the outdoors, especially fishing, led him into the fishing business. He is the creator of the famed “Clouser Minnow” fly pattern, known world-wide and has caught more varieties of fish than any other fly. He continues to guide, teach and share his enjoyment with others. He will present casting demonstrations, using visual aids and casting weighted flies and lines, as well as lectures on “fly fishing for Smallmouth Bass”- (Catching smallmouth from top to bottom using flies and) “fly fishing Adventures”, about various species that can be caught on fly rod and flies.

Mark Menendez
There are few bass fishing professionals on the national scene like Mark Menendez. On the water, the 44-year-old Paducah, Kentucky angler has spend the past 17 years earning the reputation of a warrior on tour. His career earnings of more than $900,000.00 along with success in individual tournaments (three wins and 18 top-ten finishes) and season long point standings are testament to his passion and skill for competition.

Aaron Martin
Missouri native Aaron Martin is quickly becoming a fixture in the bass fishing universe. As the host of the Bass Edge television show, he reaches millions of viewers through the Versus Network and World Fishing Network HD in the U.S., and on WILD TV in Canada. He is also a co-host on The Edge, the #1 bass fishing podcast on iTunes, and is a frequent contributor to www.bassedge.com and the “Inside Edge” monthly e-newsletter.

Other Seminars
Albert Wutsch, Director of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Academy of Culinary Arts, will again share his butchering skills during daily deer butchering sessions. Sessions will include: fabricating one side of a hanging carcass; breaking down carcasses into sub primal cuts; fabricating cuts into steaks, roasts, stir fry, butterfly and other cuts. Wutsch’s presentations were some of the most popular seminars at last year’s show.

Tim Flanigan will present a daily seminar on “Tips for Successful Outdoor Photography.” Flanigan has been shooting wildlife photos for the print media for more than thirty years with photo credits in numerous books, magazines, newspapers, greeting and post cards, calendars, travel brochures, phone books and advertisements. His photography can also be seen on the covers of the Pennsylvania Game News Magazine and their annual calendar.

Daily Attractions

Randy Oitker
At age 21, Randy Oitker has already established himself as a professional archer, hunter and exhibition shooter. Oitker travels the country as a precision archer and is known for shooting multiple arrows and hitting multiple targets simultaneously. In 2007, Oitker broke all archery history records by shooting 4 arrows striking 4 individual targets (lifesavers) simultaneously at the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Expo in Harrisburg, PA. Oitker recently traveled to London, England for the Guinness Book Of World Records TV show called Guinness World Records Smashed to make archery history! On April 7, 2009. Oitker shot 6 arrows with one shot 6 arrows at a time and simultaneously hit 6 separate balloons!

Raptors Up Close, a program designed for all ages to educate and teach conservation through an entertaining demonstration with live birds of prey, will present demonstrations on February 9-13. “Raptors Up Close” is filled with visually exciting displays illustrating the power, skills, and beauty of raptors including owls, falcons, hawks and other birds of prey.

Taste of the Great Outdoors
On Tuesday, February 9, from 5 to 8 PM, students from the culinary school at Harrisburg Area Community College will present a variety of delectable game and fish recipes in the Small Arena to the hundreds of attendees who can’t wait to sample unique game recipes and learn new cooking techniques from cooking professionals. During the event over a thousand free samples will be consumed.

Other entertainment includes:

• Keystone Regional Duck Calling Contest
• The Duck Decoy Painting Contest
• Northeastern States Elk Calling Contest
• Kids Fishing Contest
• Dog Training Demonstrations
• turkey calling and Owl Hooting Contest
• Knife & Tomahawk
• Professional Taxidermy
• Amateur Wildlife Photography
• Antler Scoring
• Fly Tying
• PA 3-D Bowhunter Challenge
• Susquehanna River Gunning Decoy Contest
• Capital City BASSMASTER Casting Kids®
• NEW! Predator Hunting Contest

Show Dates & Times

• Sat. Feb. 6 10 am – 7 pm
• Sun. Feb. 7 10 am – 5 pm
• Mon. Feb. 8 10 am – 7 pm
• Tues. Feb. 9 10 am – 7 pm
• Wed. Feb. 10 10 am – 7 pm
• Thur. Feb. 11 10 am – 7 pm
• Fri. Feb. 12 10 am – 7 pm
• Sat. Feb. 13 10 am – 7 pm
• Sun. Feb. 14 10 am – 5 pm

The Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show is proud to have the following partner/sponsors: Cabela’s, the official retailer; Thompson/Center Arms, the official firearm; Outdoor Channel, the official network; and Realtree, the official camouflage.

For more information, or to order tickets online visit our website at www.easternsportshow.com .

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2010 Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show Features More Than Ever

Arizona Drawing Results For Spring Hunts

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ –-(AmmoLand.com)- The more than 35,000 hunters who applied for a tag to hunt spring turkey, javelina, buffalo or bear in 2010 can find out if they were drawn by visiting the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/draw or by calling (602) 942-3000 (option 2).

Game and Fish officials said that hunt permit-tags will be mailed out to successful applicants no later than Dec. 4. Unsuccessful or rejected applicants will have their refund mailed out by Nov. 27.

There are plenty of remaining tags available on a first-come, first-serve basis for those individuals who forgot to submit an application or were unsuccessful in the 2010 spring drawing. Remaining tags include more than 10,000 javelina tags (328 juniors-only), nearly 200 turkey tags, and just over 70 tags for archery-only bear hunts. For a detailed listing of leftover permits, visit www.azgfd.gov/draw or call (623) 236-7702.

There are now two systems to obtain a leftover tag. Paper applications will be accepted by mail only starting on Monday, Nov. 30 at 8 a.m. (MST). However, beginning on Monday, Dec. 7 at 8 a.m. (MST), hunters can also obtain a leftover tag in person (over-the-counter) from any of the seven Arizona Game and Fish Department offices. A list of office locations is available at www.azgfd.gov/offices.

For those who qualify, there are military hunts available. For additional information on Camp Navajo, call (928) 773-3306 and Fort Huachuca call (520) 533-2549.

Juniors-only hunts
Youngsters interested in hunting have many choices and special seasons that are only open to kids. These hunts offer an outdoor family experience and a memory of a lifetime.

There are more than 300 juniors-only spring javelina tags remaining from the draw for $22.50 (by mail or from department offices only). Juniors-only spring turkey hunts (shotgun shooting shot) are available over-the-counter from any license dealer or department office for just $10. A unique December hunt for sandhill cranes still has several tags (good for three birds) available for $22.50 (by application sent via U.S. mail only).

Both javelina and turkey are big game animals and the minimum age to hunt them is 10 years old. Kids age 10 to 13 must complete an Arizona certified hunter education course to hunt big game which includes turkey and javelina.

The anticipated drawing deadline to apply for a 2010 pronghorn antelope and elk tag is the second Tuesday in February 2010. Winter drawing information and regulations should be available on the department’s web site, www.azgfd.gov, by mid to late December 2009.

Sidebar:
With small game season in full swing, now is a great time to get out in the field and do some hunting and scouting for your upcoming hunt. Most of the habitat that javelina occupy is also good habitat for quail (Gambel’s, scaled and Mearns’), cottontail rabbits, jackrabbits, dove, squirrel and even ducks. Not to mention, all of these species make great table fare when cared for properly.

Other great hunting opportunities
Young hunters can hone many of the same skills needed to hunt javelina when pursuing rabbits and squirrels with a .22 rifle including, using their binoculars to discover game, identifying habitat, stalking, marksmanship, and proper field care for dressing harvested game.

Small game season offers big fun, with plenty of pursuits and long seasons, including:

• Year-round – cottontail rabbits and jackrabbits
• Oct. 2, 2009 – Feb. 7, 2010 – Gambel’s and scaled quail
• Oct. 2 – Dec. 31, 2009 – Squirrel season
• Oct. 9/23, 2009 – Jan 17/31, 2010 – Waterfowl season (mountain/desert zones)
• Nov. 20 2009 – Jan. 3, 2010 – Dove season
• Nov. 27, 2009 – Feb. 7, 2010 – Mearns’ quail

To learn more about the fun hunting small game, including events, tips and outlooks, visit www.azgfd.gov/h_f/small_game.shtml.

Note:

Hunting and fishing continues to be the cornerstone and a primary source of funding for wildlife management and conservation in North America. In Arizona alone, more than 418,000 hunters and anglers spend $3.8 million a day, or $1.3 billion per year, participating in these activities to the benefit of local economies. Regardless of whether one chooses to actively participate in hunting or angling, people interested in wildlife and its future should understand the role sportsmen play in conservation.

About:
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 Deputy Director, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (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 Deputy Director as listed above.

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Arizona Game And Fish Announces Drawing Results For Spring Hunts

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

LINCOLN, Neb. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Deer hunters encountered decent weather overall but were challenged by a large percentage of corn standing in fields during the opening weekend of the firearm season Nov. 14-15, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Expect hunting to improve as the corn harvest, which was set far behind schedule by a wet October, progresses. The state has an ample deer population, including many older bucks.

“We are seeing an older age class of deer being taken in the south-central district,” said Jerry Pecha, District VI law enforcement supervisor. “It appears the 2½-year-old-class buck numbers have been growing in numbers for the past few years. Many of our hunters realize that with the ample numbers of deer we have, they don’t need to shoot the first buck they see and are becoming more selective.”

The most common complaints received by conservation officers over the weekend were hunting without permission and shooting from the road. Officers wrote citations for those violations, as well as others, including: hunting without a permit, spotlighting, hunting in the wrong unit, failure to cancel a permit, harassment of game, taking game in a closed season, no Nebraska Habitat Stamp, no hunter orange, borrowing a permit, and taking antlered deer with an antlerless-only permit.

No hunting accidents were reported.

The firearm deer season closes Nov. 22. The electronic checking system is not available during this season, but the Deer Exchange is available for all deer seasons.

Here is a region-by-region roundup of the opening weekend:

Northwest
The season opened Saturday with normal hunting pressure. Hunters had good success, with some good bucks taken. Light snow fell periodically throughout the region over the weekend.

Conservation officers in District I seized about a dozen deer. Two Californians were arrested for falsifying permit applications to obtain deer and turkey permits.

There were 262 deer checked at the District I office in Alliance over the weekend and 310 as of midday Monday.

Northeast
Some officers reported a good number of does taken with season choice permits. Hunters reported seeing good numbers of deer, with most of them passing up deer so they could have a chance to shoot a bigger one.

Hunters are making good use of the Open Fields and Waters lands. Officers reported high activity on most of the areas checked. One area had 11 vehicles parked on it opening morning and another had eight.

There were 19 citations and 13 warnings issued in District III.

There were 470 deer checked at the District III office in Norfolk over the weekend and 544 as of midday Monday. There were 242 deer checked at the District II office in Bassett over the weekend and 296 as of midday Monday.

Southwest
Several officers indicated there was a large harvest of mule deer and whitetails still were in the corn. One District IV conservation officer checked 16 deer but seized five.

Hunting without a permit was an issue. A person shot a deer without a permit, then said he intended to purchase a permit if he could hit a deer. Another person shot a buck and dumped it in a ravine, stating the deer was not as large as he thought it was when he shot it.

There were 275 deer checked at the District IV office in North Platte over the weekend and 317 as of midday Monday.

Southeast
Open Fields and Waters Program lands were busy Saturday, with some complaints of hunters driving onto these walk-in-only sites.

There were 149 deer checked at the District V office in Lincoln over the weekend and 182 as of midday Monday.

South-central
Hunter success in District VI was down somewhat from last year. Out of 310 hunters checked by mid-afternoon Sunday, officers observed 70 deer in the bag.

The weekend was a memorable for one young hunter, who was checked with his first deer, a 7-by-7 whitetail.

There were 390 deer checked at the District VI office in Kearney over the weekend and 450 as of midday Monday.

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Firearm Deer Season Opens in Nebraska

• The West Virginia firearm buck gun season is Nov. 23 – Dec. 5. It is open in all counties except Logan, Mingo, McDowell and Wyoming.
• Approximately 280,000 licensed hunters will be in West Virginia’s woods during this season.
• Hunters should review the 2009-2010 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary for detailed instructions concerning bag limits and season dates. The regulations are online at www.wvdnr.gov
• A list of deer checking stations in West Virginia can be found online at www.wvdnr.gov/hunting/check_stations.asp
• The firearm antlered deer bag limit during the two-week buck season is two (one on the base license and one on an RG [resident] or RRG [nonresident] stamp). A hunter may take no more than three antlered deer per calendar year in all archery and firearms seasons combined.
• The last day to purchase an additional deer gun tag (Class RG/RRG Stamp) is November 22. Class RG and Class RRG additional buck stamps can only be used to take an additional antlered deer in firearm buck season. Unused Class RG and Class RRG stamps may not be used in antlerless or muzzleloader seasons.
• All private land in counties having a firearms antlerless deer gun season (Class N for residents and Class NN for nonresidents) will be open Nov. 23 – Dec. 12 and Dec. 29 – 31. All public lands having an antlerless deer season will be open Nov. 25 – Dec. 12 and Dec. 29 – 31. Bag limits vary among counties and will be one, two or four antlerless deer. Hunters may take only one deer per day; therefore, a buck and an antlerless deer may not be taken on the same day. Class N and Class NN antlerless stamps are no longer county specific. See the 2009-2010 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary for county and public lands specific regulations.
• All deer must be field tagged and checked in within 72 hours of the time of kill or within 24 hours of the close of the season, whichever comes first. Additional deer may not be taken until all previously taken deer have been checked. Only one deer may be taken per day during the buck season.
• Deer hunting in West Virginia generates a total annual economic impact of $233 million, much of it in the rural areas of the state that depend upon the deer seasons for a large portion of their annual income.
• In 2008, deer hunters in West Virginia harvested 67,365 bucks during the two-week buck season, an increase of less than one percent from the 2007 harvest. The 2008 antlerless season deer harvest increased by 29 percent from 2007 with a total of 56,221.
• Based upon scouting reports and mast production, DNR is looking for the buck kill to be slightly higher than last year. Poor weather conditions last year during the first week of buck season resulted in a large number of antlered deer carrying over to this hunting period, meaning more and bigger bucks will be harvested. Poor mast production this year means deer will be more accessible in field areas where food is more likely to be found. Hunters who have done their pre-season scouting and have located food sources for deer will have the best chance of success.
• Sunday hunting is legal in the following 14 counties on private land only: Boone, Brooke, Clay, Hancock, Jefferson, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Marshall, Mingo, Ohio, Wayne, Wetzel and Wyoming. The only Sunday that is open in these counties during the buck season is November 29. Hunters are reminded that deer gun seasons are closed in Logan, Mingo, McDowell and Wyoming counties.
• Hunters are required to wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange (about the size of a vest) as an outer garment for visibility and safety. Blaze orange camouflage patterns are legal as long as 400 square inches of blaze orange are displayed on the garment. A blaze orange hat is not required, but the hunter must have blaze orange visible from both the front and the back.
• Hunting licenses may be purchased online at any time and printed out on a home computer printer. Go to the goWILD! Web site at www.wvhunt.com, fill out the application, and purchase it over a secure server with a credit card.
• Hunters who wish to donate deer meat or dollars to the Hunters Helping the Hungry program, which distributes deer meat through the Mountaineer Food Bank and the Huntington Food Bank, should call (304) 558-2771 or visit the DNR Web site at www.wvdnr.gov to find a participating meat processor.

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2009 West Virginia Deer Gun Seasons Fact Sheet

Wisconsin Firearm Owners, Ranges, Clubs & Educators

Wisconsin --(AmmoLand.com)- If you read the newspaper everyday, you can become very frightened by the future. That’s because never a day goes by that someone does not try to take away one of our freedoms in the name of safety, or political correctness, or whatever.

Opponents to our freedoms are well organized and strong. I know that “I” cannot do anything to stop them. Only a strong “WE” can serve as a defense against a strong “THEY”.

This month, I watched a club meeting at which members argued relentlessly over a relatively meaningless issue. Board members of an association to which I belong, ripped each other apart by email, including attacks on personal integrity, all over a minor issue. It’s not just me, you’ve all seen it. This is where I see our weakness. “WE” (those who pull a trigger) just can’t seem to get along with each other. It’s true at the local club level, the state level, and even the national level.

For us to succeed in this never ending battle to defend our freedoms, we must find a way to set aside petty differences of opinion and focus on the real goals.

Today WI-FORCE is an active force in Madison, and the NRA is a force in Washington, but our strength is in numbers so we must band together to succeed. It doesn’t matter if you like EVERYTHING the NRA does or what the WRPA/Wi-FORCE did in the past, now is the time to join together to make a strong “WE”.

Ask your family, friends, fellow hunters, etc., if they are members of the NRA and most importantly WI-FORCE. It is the simplest thing anyone can do to be a part of the “WE” in Wisconsin.

About:
Wi-FORCE promotes and protects the shooting sports, hunting, and the lawful ownership and use of firearms in Wisconsin. We coordinate match schedules of member clubs, sanction the state championship matches, monitor and recommend legislation, and provide training and educational programs for our members, competitors and Wisconsin shooters. Wi-FORCE supports the interaction and education of all individuals and groups interested in the shooting sports and the natural right of citizens to own arms.  Visit: www.wi-force.org

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Can We Succeed In Our Fight To Maintain Shooting Sports, Hunting, And The Lawful Ownership Of Firearms

Ohio Division of Wildlife

COLUMBUS, OH --(AmmoLand.com)- Ohio’s popular deer-gun season opens statewide on Monday, November 30, offering hunters a full week to harvest a whitetail. The upcoming season will again include an extra weekend of gun hunting on December 19-20, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

Deer can be hunted with a legal muzzleloader, handgun or shotgun from one half-hour before sunrise to sunset through December 6 and December 19-20. With a pre-hunting season population estimate of 650,000 white-tailed deer, the ODNR Division of Wildlife anticipates 115,000 to 125,000 deer will be killed during the nine-day season. Approximately 420,000 hunters are expected to participate in this year’s season, including many out-of-state hunters.

The white-tailed deer is the most popular game animal in Ohio, frequently pursued by generations of hunters. Ohio ranks 8th nationally in annual hunting-related sales and 10th in the number of jobs associated with the hunting-related industry. Each year, hunting has a $859 million economic impact in Ohio through the sale of equipment, fuel, food, lodging and more.

Ohio is divided into three deer hunting zones. Beginning on the opening day of gun season and continuing through December 6 a limit of one deer may be taken in Zone A (20 counties) and two deer in Zone B (30 counties). A total of six deer may be harvested in eastern and southeastern Ohio’s Zone C (38 counties) through the week long gun season. The antlerless deer permit will be valid for deer-gun week only in Zone C.

Beginning on December 7, the bag limit is three deer in Zone C and antlerless deer permits are no longer valid. Any time a hunter is allowed to take more than one deer, they must purchase an additional permit.

Those hunting in urban units and at Division of Wildlife-authorized controlled hunts will have a six-deer bag limit, and those deer will not count against the hunter’s zone bag limit. Antlerless deer permits can be used for the entire season in urban deer units or Division of Wildlife-authorized controlled hunts. Antlerless deer permits must be purchased by November 29.

Hunters may take only one antlered deer, regardless of zone, hunting method or season. A deer permit is required in addition to a valid Ohio hunting license.

Hunters are encouraged to kill more does this season using the reduced-priced antlerless deer permit and donate any extra venison to organizations assisting Ohioans in need. The Division is collaborating with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry to help pay for the processing of donated venison. Hunters who donate their deer are not required to pay the processing cost as long as the deer are taken to a participating processor. Counties being served by this program can be found online at fhfh.org.

Additional hunting regulations and maps of the state’s deer zones are contained in the 2009-2010 Ohio Hunting & Trapping Regulations. This free publication is available wherever hunting licenses are sold, online at wildohio.com or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.

The 2009-2010 licenses will not be printed on weatherproof paper. Sportsmen and women should protect their licenses and permits from the elements by carrying them in a protective pouch or wallet.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.

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Ohio’s Popular Deer-Gun Season Opens November 30

Schumer: Tax Deduction For Hunters Who Donate Game Is A Win-Win-Win; Will Save Hunters Money, Fight Deer Overpopulation Rampant In The Hudson Valley And Help Feed The Hungry

New York State

New York – -(AmmoLand.com)- Processors Will Also Receive Important Tax Benefit To Make Processing Donated Venison More Affordable

Schumer: Hunting is an Economic Engine in New York State – Hunters and Processors Should be Rewarded For Helping the Community

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced his legislation providing a tax benefit to hunters who donate their processed venison to anti-hunger programs. Schumer’s legislation will allow hunters to take a tax deduction for the cost of processing their venison, when the final product is donated. The legislation will also provide a tax benefit to processors who participate in venison donation programs by making all processing income they receive from charities – or the state – tax exempt. Schumer said that this is a critical measure because the traditional venison donation programs have seen their funding levels decimated in recent years, and, in turn, the amount of venison donated has declined.

“The hunting, fishing and outdoor sporting industry is a bright spot in a dark economic time – and one that must be protected and allowed to grow,” said Schumer. “This legislation will provide hunters with an economic boost, combat overpopulation of deer and help the hungry all at the same time.”

Schumer’s legislation creates a tax deduction for a hunter that pays to process venison that will eventually be given to a feeding program. This simply means that if a hunter spends $65 processing the meat, he or she will be able to deduct that amount from his or her taxable income. The legislation also makes tax exempt any income received by a processor from a not-for-profit. Therefore, if a hunter were to bring in a deer to be processed and donated, and a tax exempt entity paid the processing fee, the processor would not have to pay taxes on that income. This would allow the charity’s dollars to go further because the processor could be reimbursed at a lower rate and still achieve the same after-tax income. This would allow more venison to go to charity per dollar, and allow more processors to take part.

Organizations, such as the Venison Donation Coalition, pay to process game that hunters bring to designated processors, so long as the final product is donated to a feeding program. Schumer said that these organizations are being stretched to the brink and are starved of funding. Up until 2 years ago the Venison Donation Coalition was funded by the state at $100,000 per year, last year it was funded at $75,000, and this year it was funded at $21,000. Donations have also dropped precipitously during the recession. Schumer’s legislation would help these organizations stretch every dollar further, and would also allow hunters to realize benefits even if they wanted to have donated meat processed at another facility.

Here is an example of how an organization like the Venison Donation Coalition would see a benefit Schumer’s legislation: A hunter brings a deer for processing to Joe’s Processing Center, with the intention of donating the venison to a feeding program. Under current law, the Venison Donation Coalition could pay the $65 processing fee to Joe’s Processing Center, and Joe’s, in turn would pay $10 of that in taxes to the government. Under Schumer’s bill, Joe’s wouldn’t have to pay the $10 in taxes, so the Venison Donation Coalition could pay Joe’s $55 instead. Joe would see the same end result from the transaction (a post-tax gain of $55), and the Venison Donation Coalition would have saved $10.

Schumer’s legislation would particularly benefit hunters in New York State where deer hunting is one of the most popular sporting opportunities and a critical component of the state’s economy and well being. Nearly 700,000 New Yorkers and over 50,000 nonresidents hunt in the Empire State contributing over $1.5 billion annually to the state’s economy and supporting thousands of jobs. Importantly, hunting is also a critical tool in managing overcrowded deer populations. According to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s’ Bureau of Wildlife, there were more than 220,000 deer taken in New York State in 2008 with over 7,400 of them taken in Orange County, 3,700 in Ulster and 4,400 in Sullivan.

With so many deer roaming freely in New York, Hunters are needed to help maintain healthy herds and minimize the amount of annual deer damage. Every year, overpopulation of deer leads to damaged crops, landscape, and vehicles. Deer contribute to an estimated $250 million worth of damage annually and deer-car accidents consistently outnumber accidents caused by drunken driving. Five years ago, the Southeast region of New York ranked the worst in terms of deer-related damage at $68 per acre, three times greater than the statewide number. Hunters can help minimize these costs by safely and legally managing these wildlife populations to prevent crop and environmental damage.

With the current state of the economy, the donation of venison has become increasingly important and the impact that the hunters have in the fight against hunger has grown. At the same time, the Venison Donation Coalition has seen its funding slashed. In order for these types of programs to continue to flourish, the Venison Donation Coalition, and groups like it need a boost. Individuals can support the Venison Donation Coalition by making a contribution when they purchase a hunting license or by visiting the coalition’s website at www.venisondonation.com

In an effort to take some of the burden off of these coalitions and support hunters across the state, Schumer today announced that he introducing legislation to create tax deductions for hunters and processors who donate their game to the hungry.

Schumer’s legislation will support hunters, a major economic engine in the state; raise the profile of venison donation programs; provide a reward to hunters and processors for helping their community; and help people in a time of need.

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Schumer Introduces Legislation to Create Tax Deduction for Hunters Who Donate Venison

Pennsylvania Elk Hunting Pic: www.lone-pineoutfitters.com

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA –-(AmmoLand.com)- Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced that 44 of the 60 licensed elk hunters were successful during the 2009 elk season. Of that total, 20 were antlered elk and 24 were antlerless elk.

“Elk are one of North America’s premier big game animals,” Roe said. “Pennsylvania is privileged to offer this unique hunting opportunity, a product of successful wildlife management that helps to finance wildlife conservation and supports Pennsylvania’s rich hunting heritage. It’s an unparalleled experience for hunters, particularly those who can’t afford to go on an expensive one- or two-week guided elk hunt out West.

“This year’s overall success rate was 73 percent, which is down slightly from the past year, which I believe that this can be attributed to the improved food conditions this year throughout the elk range, thanks in large part to the decline in gypsy moth defoliation.”

Along with extracting samples needed for disease testing, the agency also collected samples necessary to examine food preferences and habitat use by elk. Also, hunters collected liver samples that will be evaluated for mineral contents.

The largest antlered elk was taken by Reed Bamburger, of Graysville, Greene County. He took a 652-pound (dressed weight), 8×9 on Nov. 2, in Covington Township, Clearfield County.

Those hunters rounding out the top five heaviest antlered elk harvested, were: Lisa Banasick, of Connellsville, Fayette County, took a 643-pound, 9×11 on Nov. 5, in Gibson Township, Cameron County; Ronald Werkheiser Jr., of Hellertown, Northampton County, took a 617-pound, 7×7 on Nov. 4, in Karthaus Township, Clearfield County; Kenneth E. Hunter, of Muncy, Lycoming County, took a 604-pound, 8×8 on Nov. 3, in Jay Township, Elk County; and Alvin Hubler, of Munson, Clearfield County, took a 589-pound, 6×7 on Nov. 3, in Benezette Township, Elk County.

The heaviest antlerless elk was taken by Larry Davis, of Fairborn, Ohio, who harvested a 474-pound (dressed weight) antlerless elk on Nov. 3, in Benezette Township, Elk County.

Those hunters rounding out the top five heaviest antlerless elk harvested were: Gary Weikert, of Arendtsville, Adams County, who harvested a 444-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 4, in Covington Township, Clearfield County; Randolph Maus, of Halifax, Dauphin County, who harvested a 413-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 5, in Gibson Township, Cameron County; Ronald VanDyke, of Harrisville, Butler County, who harvested a 403-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 2, in Gibson Township, Cameron County; Scott Hite, of Port Republic, Maryland, who harvested a 398-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 5, in Gibson Township, Cameron County; and Adam Palyo, of Jefferson Hills, Allegheny County, who also harvested a 398-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 6 in Grove Township, Cameron County.

Roe also noted that Jim Nyce, of Green Lane, Montgomery County, who was the successful bidder for the first-ever Elk Conservation Tag, harvested an antlered elk, as well. Nyce harvested a 6×6 on Oct. 14, in Benezette Township, Elk County. Nyce purchased the Conservation Elk Tag during the National Wild Turkey Federation’s national conference in early 2009, and was able to hunt from Sept. 1-Nov. 7.

For more information on elk in Pennsylvania, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), choose “Hunting,” and then click on the photograph of an elk.

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Pennsylvania Elk Hunters Harvest 44 Elk In 2009

Bass Pro Shops

SPRINGFIELD, MO --(AmmoLand.com)- It’s hard for most people to overcome the notion that Camping is just a spring, summer or fall activity.

Cold weather and snow can add a few challenges but when properly prepared, winter campers can stay warm and comfy.

Summer tents can be winterized by adding a nylon fly that fits over the roof and sides to help keep heat in and protect against rain and snow. You can even put a smaller tent inside a bigger one for double-walled protection.

Outdoor World Radio's Larry Whiteley

Place a non-porous ground sheet on the tent floor, then add individual foam sleeping pads under sleeping bags rated to minus 20 degrees.

Sources of added heat can be in the form of catalytic heaters or small, folding wood burning stoves.

Pick places close to home and the main road for your initial cold Camping experience.

For more tips, log onto basspro.com

About Bass Pro Shops
Headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, Bass Pro Shops, also an international catalog and internet retailer, currently has 54 retail locations in 26 states and Canada visited by over 100 million people per year. In addition, Bass Pro Shops, also provides products and services for thousands of independent dealers world wide through its subsidiary company, American Rod & Gun. Bass Pro Shops gift cards can be purchased at over 10,000 retail outlets across America. For more information regarding Bass Pro Shops store locations, products or special events, please visit www.basspro.com. To request a free catalog call 1-800-BASS PRO.

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Cold Weather Camping

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Annapolis, Maryland --(AmmoLand.com)- The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that Maryland’s Atlantic Population Canada goose hunting season will kick off next week. These geese can be hunted November 21 through November 27 and December 17 through January 30, 2010. The daily bag limit is two Canada geese.

“The Atlantic Population is the largest Canada goose population in North America,” said DNR Waterfowl Project Leader Larry Hindman. “However, prolonged snow and ice cover due to cold spring temperatures resulted in few young being produced. Nevertheless, Hunters and non-hunters alike can look forward to seeing large numbers of Canada geese returning to Maryland this year.”

Information on waterfowl hunting and a detailed map of the Canada goose hunting zones is online at http://www.dnr.state.md.us/huntersguide/lwfchart.asp. The 2009-2010 Maryland Migratory Game Bird Hunting Seasons flier is also available online and at most licensing agents.

Hunters are encouraged to report banded migratory game birds by calling toll-free 1-800-327-BAND (2263). For added convenience, banded migratory birds may also be reported online at www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/homepage/call800.htm

Contact: Josh Davidsburg
410-260-8002 office 410-507-7526 cell
jdavidsburg@dnr.state.md.us

About:
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 461,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland’s forests, fisheries, and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic, and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland’s effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state’s number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov

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Maryland Canada Goose Season Opens November 21

Outdoors Magazine

Sidney, Maine --(AmmoLand.com)- Vinnie Trask of Sidney, Maine celebrated Veteran’s Day a few hours late in the North Maine Woods. He did it in style though with a trophy that carried 8 points and 250-plus pounds.

Trask was staying at Pine Grove Lodge in Pleasant Ridge, Maine, and was a guest of the Pine Grove Program, which gives free hunting, fishing, and outdoor-related trips to people with disabilities – primarily those received as the result of a man-made or natural disaster. In Trask’s case he is a Vietnam-era veteran who lost both of his knees while working on aircraft. These days he gets around on prosthetics with the use of a cane.

Veteran Deer Hunter's Big Maine Buck

Early this morning Trask was working his way into a “hot spot” when he caught the flag of a deer in the distance. As he waited for it to get lighter he slowly worked up a logging trail for a better vantage point.

As Trask topped a small hill he spotted the heavy-racked buck in the distance and fired. The deer disappeared and Trask continued to slowly make his way along. In a short time he caught the deer standing about 150 yards away looking back at him. This would be the big buck’s last mistake. As Trask’s gun again disrupted the quiet morning air the deer dropped out of sight.

Due to the roughness of the terrain Trask waited for reinforcements before going to see if his shot had hit home like he suspected. In no time guides Heath and Steve Howe arrived on the scene.

“It took them about an hour to find the deer,” said Trask. “”It was about 50 yards from where I thought I shot him.” After examining the buck it was clear Trask’s long shot had broken the deer’s back.

“I’ve been lucky to shoot seven deer over 200 pounds,” said Trask, who also wanted to thank Bob and Andrea Howe and the Pine Grove Program for all they do to help people with disabilities.

For more information visit www.pinegroveprogram.com.

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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Veteran Deer Hunter Celebrates With Big Maine Buck

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont.—-(AmmoLand.com)- If you’re a screamer, bugler, grunter or chuckler, you may have what it takes to win the Super Bowl of elk calling, March 4-7, 2010, in Reno, Nev.

Competition is open to the public in the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation/Leupold 2010 World Elk Calling Championships. The event will be held as part of the annual RMEF Elk Camp & Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Expo at the Reno/Sparks Convention Center.

Featured in recent years by The New York Times and CBS Sunday Morning, the competition will return to Reno following a 2009 stint in Fort Worth, Texas.

“We’re searching for the world’s best elk callers and we think Reno may be the place to find them,” said Beth Shipley, RMEF special events director, who has been involved with the World Elk Calling Championships for 15 years. “No experience is necessary to enter and compete in the prelims, although many serious callers have already qualified for the finals by competing in regional competitions held around the country over the past several months. So, if you’re thinking of entering, start practicing now!”

An RMEF video featuring the natural elk sounds that competitors will be asked to mimic is at www.rmef.org/NewsandMedia/Videos/BullElkSounds.htm.

Competitors must be registered by 5:00 p.m. on Thurs., March 4. Registration forms and rules are available at www.rmef.org.

Entry fees are $10 for Pee Wee (age 10 and under) and Youth (age 11-17) divisions, $35 for Natural Voice (no calling devices allowed), Women’s and Men’s, and $100 for Professional (sponsored competitors). Entry fees also provide contest participants with admission to the expo.

Cash and prizes will be awarded for first- through third-place in all six divisions.

Preliminary rounds of competition begin Fri., March 6, at 9:00 a.m. Finals begin Sat., March 7, at 9:00 a.m., followed by awards and crowning of 2010 world champions.

Judges include naturalists, hunters and former elk calling champions.

A just-for-fun team competition also will be held. Up to three callers can work together in a comedy skit simulating interactions between bulls, cows and calves. Winners are chosen by the audience. There is no registration fee for the team event.

Spectator seating for the elk calling championships is included with daily admission to the expo: $12 per person or $25 per family, and free for kids 5 and under.

Along with the RMEF/Leupold 2010 World Elk Calling Championships, the expo will fill the Reno/Sparks Convention Center with elk hunting seminars, displays of record elk, kids’ activities, auctions and an exhibit hall filled with art, gear, firearms and outfitted hunting and fishing opportunities. It’s all a showcase and fundraiser for one of the nation’s premier conservation organizations. The Elk Foundation recently topped 5.6 million acres of elk habitat conserved or enhanced.

Show hours: Thurs., March 4, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Fri., March 5, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Sat., March 6, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; and Sun., March 7, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

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 5.6 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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Calling All Screamers: Enter the Super Bowl of Elk Calling

Cougar Hunting Permits Available

Utah Division of Natural Resources

Utah --(AmmoLand.com)- Another cougar hunting season starts in Utah on Nov. 18. And even if you didn’t obtain a limited-entry permit for the hunt, you can still participate.

Permits are now available to hunt on cougar harvest-objective units. Utah’s cougar hunt starts Nov. 18.

Permits to hunt on harvest-objective units are now available.

What’s a harvest-objective unit?

Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, says there are three major differences between harvest-objective units and traditional limited-entry units.

“There is no limit on the number of permits we can sell for a harvest-objective unit. And you can buy harvest-objective permits on the Internet or over-the-counter,” Tutorow says.

“The hunt on a harvest-objective unit can close before the season ends, however, if hunters take the number of cougars biologists want taken,” she says. “For example, let’s say the harvest objective on a unit is 10 cougars. The hunt on that unit will close when 10 cougars are taken, even if the date when the season is supposed to end hasn’t arrived yet.”

The chance a unit might close early shouldn’t be a big challenge for you, though. Harvest-objective hunting is allowed on 38 units in Utah. If the unit you want to hunt closes, you can still hunt on any harvest-objective unit that’s still open to hunting.

Reminders:
Utah’s 2009–2010 cougar harvest-objective season begins Nov. 18, 2009 on some units and March 6, 2010 on others. “The dates for each unit are available on pages 24, 25 and 26 of the 2009–2010 Utah Cougar Guidebook,” Tutorow says.

The guidebook is available at wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks. You can also get a copy at hunting and fishing license agent locations and DWR offices statewide.

Tutorow reminds you that you may not buy a harvest-objective permit if you’ve already obtained a limited-entry cougar permit for the 2009–2010 season.

Before each hunting trip, you must call 1-888-668-LION (5466), or visit the DWR’s Web site, to verify that the unit you’d like to hunt the next day is still open to hunting. The phone line and the Web site are updated by noon with information for the following day.

For more information, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR’s Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

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Cougar Hunting Permits Available

Whitetails Unlimited’s Deer Hunters Guidelines

Whitetails Unlimited

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin --(AmmoLand.com)- One of the most popular educational publications produced by Whitetails Unlimited is the Deer Hunters Guidelines booklet, which has just been updated and reprinted in time for the 2009 deer season.

This 8-page booklet includes basic information about the white-tailed deer, hunting tips and techniques, and firearms safety.

“It is a great resource for beginning hunters,” said Jeff Davis, Whitetails Unlimited’s manager of communications, “but it is also useful for refreshing the memories of experienced hunters.” Davis points out that just because you are an experienced hunter, does not mean you should quit learning, or paying attention to the basics of hunting and firearms safety.

The booklet was printed in a recent edition of Whitetails Unlimited Magazine, which is delivered to every member of Whitetails Unlimited. Individual copies of the booklet are available at no charge by contacting WTU national headquarters at (920) 743-6777. Larger quantities are available at a very reasonable cost.

The booklet is also available on the Whitetails Unlimited website www.whitetailsunlimited.com as a PDF file that can be downloaded.

“This is one of our most popular publications, and in the past has been distributed in all 50 states,” said WTU Executive Director Pete Gerl. “Nahan Printing in St. Cloud, Minnesota, was very generous in sponsoring this publication, which includes updated text and new photos.”

About:
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 Deer Hunters Guidelines Booklet Released

New Jersey Fish and Game

Trenton, NJ --(AmmoLand.com)- Special memories will be made across the state as young hunters take to fields and forests with parents and mentors on New Jersey’s youth firearm deer hunt day on November 21.

The youth firearm deer hunt is the most popular of New Jersey’s eight special youth hunt days provided each year through the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Take a Kid Hunting Program. Youth hunt days are designated for upland game, waterfowl and turkey in addition to a youth archery deer hunt day and the youth firearm deer hunt day on November 21.

Youth hunt days are meant to provide high quality hunting experiences and fond memories for both the youth hunter and the adult hunter who must accompany and supervise them. Although valid hunting licenses are required for both the youth hunter and the supervising adult, only the youth hunter is allowed to hunt on the youth hunt day. This allows adult hunters to focus solely on the safety, learning and hunting experience of their young hunting partner. Another contribution to the quality of youth deer hunts is holding the youth hunt prior to the regular firearm deer season when there are more deer for youth hunters to pursue and less hunters to compete with for prime hunting locations.

The youth firearm hunt is an extension of the Six-day Firearm Season so no special season deer permit is required. The hunter must have a valid youth hunting license and be under the direct supervision of a person who is at least 21 years old and who has a valid firearm license. Direct supervision is defined as the youth hunter and parent / guardian set up together at the same location and hunting as a unit – not hunting independently.

Youth hunters may use a shotgun or muzzleloader on this day, but if a muzzleloader is used, both the youth hunter and adult mentor must possess a valid rifle permit. The adult cannot hunt or possess a firearm, but may grunt, call or rattle for the youth hunter.

One deer of either sex may be taken by youth hunters on November 21. Antler point restrictions do not apply on this day for the youth hunter. Successful hunters must tag their deer with a homemade transportation tag or cut out the deer transportation tag provided in the August 2009 Issue of the NJ Fish and Wildlife Digest (page 33.) No supplemental tags are issued when youth hunt deer are checked.

For more information on the Take a Kid Hunting program visit http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/takekidhunting.htm .

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Youth Firearm Deer Hunt Set for Nov. 21

Bass Pro Shops

SPRINGFIELD, MO --(AmmoLand.com)- If your deer season is winding down and you still haven’t taken that big buck, don’t give up.

Here are some things you can try to take that buck of a lifetime at the end of the season.

• Don’t hunt where anybody else has hunted.
• Don’t hunt at times when everyone else has or is hunting.
• Use strategies no one else has tried.
• Move your stand to places neither you or anyone else has ever hunted.
• Now is also the time to get right into that bedding area you’ve been avoiding all season.

It still won’t be easy but trying these tactics could result in the buck you’ve always dreamed about.

RedHead Pro Hunting Team's Jim Ryan

About Bass Pro Shops
Headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, Bass Pro Shops, also an international catalog and internet retailer, currently has 54 retail locations in 26 states and Canada visited by over 100 million people per year. In addition, Bass Pro Shops, also provides products and services for thousands of independent dealers world wide through its subsidiary company, American Rod & Gun. Bass Pro Shops gift cards can be purchased at over 10,000 retail outlets across America. For more information regarding Bass Pro Shops store locations, products or special events, please visit www.basspro.com. To request a free catalog call 1-800-BASS PRO.

Jim Ryan is a member of the RedHead® Pro Hunting Team

For more tips, log onto basspro.com

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Hunting End Of Season Bucks

New Mexico Game and Fish

SANTA FE, NM --(AmmoLand.com)- Tens of thousands of hunters stormed the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Web site Tuesday, buying all 350 available late-season cow elk licenses in fewer than 10 seconds.

Hunters with quick fingers, fast Internet connections and a lot of luck bought the licenses shortly after the sale began at 10 a.m. From 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. the Web site sustained about 250,000 hits. The average is 200,000 a day. The site remained operational, although it seemed slow for some as thousands filtered through state firewalls.

In the Game Management Units or areas where State Game Commission establishes these late season elk hunting opportunities, the Department assesses population and harvest information, herd management objectives and additional harvest needs before making decisions about where and how many late-season licenses are made available. Because the assessments require information gathered during fall aerial surveys and regular fall hunts, the licenses are made available via an online, first-come, first-served Web sale. Distributing them through normal draw processes is unrealistic as it requires significantly more time than is available to ensure all successful hunters receive their licenses prior to the start of their hunt.

The next hunting license application deadline is 5 p.m. Feb. 3, 2010. Applications for 2010-2011 oryx hunts, limited-permit turkey hunts, population-reduction hunts and bear permits for some wildlife management areas are due at that time.

The State Game Commission will complete setting the 2010-2011 big game regulations at its Dec. 3 meeting in Hobbs. Hunters can expect a complete copy of the rules and information booklet to be posted on the Department Web site in mid-December.

For more information about this or any other Department related matter, please contact the Department of Game and Fish at (505) 476-8000 or visit www.wildlife.state.nm.us.

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Hunters Storm Web Site For 350 Cow Elk Licenses

American Deer & Wildlife Alliance

AUSTIN, Texas – -(AmmoLand.com)- Education is key in getting today’s youth motivated to turn off their electronics and venture into the outdoors. The American Deer and Wildlife Alliance (ADWA) supports the mission of getting kids motivated and interested in the outdoors and is proud to announce its sponsorship of the Deer in School educational program, a joint venture that brings live whitetail deer to more than 20,000 public school children in Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin.

Founded by Steve Porter from Lake Bronson, Minn., the Deer in School program features live trophy whitetail to educate students about deer behavior, antler development, life cycles of the whitetail deer and hunting techniques. By turning kids onto the deer and wildlife industry, he firmly believes that it will keep kids out of trouble by giving them positive things to do in their free time. Porter believes that young adults who participate in outdoor activities are less apt to get into trouble and is willing to take his vacation time to motivate kids to get outdoors.

The Porter family and their trophy bucks are on the road for four weeks visiting schools in the three states during the months of September and October. The Porter project gives a presentation about the deer industry and provided an antler collection that was impressive even to the most cynical of 16-year-olds. Porter’s presentations touches on a wide range of deer and hunting topics, including deer behavior, antler development and the family bonds formed when families hunt and farm together

The Deer in School program provides students with a rare chance of seeing a whitetail buck up-close, ask questions and touch the vast antler collection. The live bucks provided an excellent learning experience for the students and left them memories they will not soon forget.

“This was the coolest presentation I’ve ever seen done at a school,” says Tracy Hudin, a high school teacher in Eden Valley, Minn. Hudin noted that many teachers were simply amazed by Porter’s ability to hold the attention of high school students for the full 50-minute presentation since they know all too well how difficult a task it really is.

The Deer in School program visits 20 schools which receive grant money from the Cervid Livestock Foundation, Whitetails of Wisconsin, Minnesota Deer Breeders Association, North Dakota Ranchers Association, the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance and several other deer farming associations. Even some of the local sportsmen’s clubs donated money for the project to come to their nearby schools! These groups focus on and realize the importance of introducing kids to the outdoors at a young age.

The Porter project helps facilitate the missions’ of ADWA and the Cervid Livestock Foundation of educating the general public and youth about the deer and wildlife industries. The Cervid Livestock Foundation (CLF) is the research and education foundation of the North American Deer Farmers Association (NADeFA). For more information on the CLF visit www.nadefa.org.

For more information on the American Deer & Wildlife Foundation and/or the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance and/or to become a member, please call 877.331.8607 or visit www.deerwildlifealliance.org.

About:
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to the growth of the deer and wildlife industry, and to help educate consumers and the youth on the conservation issues which effect deer and wildlife as well as the industry. For more information on the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance, call 877.331.8607 or visit www.deerwildlifealliance.org.

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Whitetail Deer Excite Youth About the Outdoors

Bass Pro Shops

SPRINGFIELD, MO --(AmmoLand.com)- Most hunters quit hunting after the peak of the rut because they think they no longer have a chance for a big buck.

What they don’t know is bucks still seek ready-to-breed does for weeks after the peak rut.

Does that weren’t bred during the peak will come into estrus about a month later and bucks will be looking for them.

RedHead Pro Hunting Team's Jerry Martin

During the post rut, focus on food because that’s where the does will be.

Dominant bucks are extremely wary and often nocturnal so get in your stand an hour before first light. In the afternoon, stay in your stand until the last second of shooting hours.

Remember that post rut bucks will be jumpy, very cautious and alert to every smell and sound but they aren’t invincible.

For more tips, log onto Basspro.com

About Bass Pro Shops
Headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, Bass Pro Shops, also an international catalog and internet retailer, currently has 54 retail locations in 26 states and Canada visited by over 100 million people per year. In addition, Bass Pro Shops, also provides products and services for thousands of independent dealers world wide through its subsidiary company, American Rod & Gun. Bass Pro Shops gift cards can be purchased at over 10,000 retail outlets across America. For more information regarding Bass Pro Shops store locations, products or special events, please visit www.basspro.com. To request a free catalog call 1-800-BASS PRO.

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Deer Hunting The Post Rut

Beaver Trapping Season

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA ––(AmmoLand.com)- Many of the state’s furbearer trapping and hunting seasons are underway and, based on comments from Pennsylvania Game Commission field officers, hunters and trappers should have a good year. The general trapping season – for coyotes, foxes, raccoons, opossums, skunks and weasels – opened Oct. 25 and runs through Feb. 21. The season for mink and muskrats is Nov. 21 to Jan. 10; beavers, Dec. 26 to March 31.

Raccoon hunting season began Oct. 24 and closes Feb. 20, and the season for skunks, opossums and weasels runs from July 1 to June 30, except for Sundays. Red and gray foxes hunting season opened Oct. 24 and runs through Feb. 20, including Sundays. Coyotes have a year-round season (July 1-June 30) and can be hunted on Sundays, too.

Pennsylvania also has bobcat hunting and trapping seasons in 12 Wildlife Management Units (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4D and 4E) for the 1,780 individuals who were selected in the Game Commission’s annual bobcat permit drawing. The bobcat hunting season started Oct. 24 and closes to Feb. 20, except for Sundays. The bobcat trapping season opened Oct. 25 and runs through Feb. 21.

Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe pointed out that the Keystone State is lucky to have trappers, houndsmen and predator callers, who all play an important role of the Commonwealth’s wildlife management program.

“Furbearer trappers and hunters annual efforts afield have helped to reduce Pennsylvania’s susceptibility to wildlife diseases such as rabies and mange, and its problems with crop- and property-damage caused by furbearers,” Roe said. “Many Pennsylvanians benefit directly from the services of trappers, hound-hunters and predator-callers, because these specialized sportsmen and sportswomen manage everything from weasels to coyotes. They rescue farmers and other landowners both directly and indirectly from the damage and costly repairs furbearers can daily cause to homes and businesses throughout the state.”

Variable fur prices spurred a decline in the ranks of fur-takers nationwide in the 1990s. Trappers had difficulty recovering their expenses, and inflation further compounded the problem. The result was a reduction in furbearer harvest and an increase in conflicts. To get a feel for the drop off in harvest that occurred, consider this: In 1996, more than 200,000 raccoons were taken in Pennsylvania; in 2007, the raccoon harvest totaled about 121,500.

In 2006, there was a noticeable increase in trapping pressure and furbearer harvests corresponded. License sales increased from 23,941 in 2005 to 26,589. Then, last year, license sales rose again to 28,033. But the harvest of most furbearers dropped, excepting raccoons, gray foxes, skunks and opossums.

“There seems to be a general increase in interest among people to trap or hunt furbearers; there’s a great deal of excitement associated with trapping and predator hunting,” explained Dr. Matt Lovallo, Game Commission Game Mammals section supervisor. “Both are positive signs for furbearer management in Pennsylvania, because they stimulate an increased harvest of furbearers, something our state, roadways and residents would surely benefit from.

“In 2008, trappers and furbearer hunters utilized about 350,000 surplus furbearers from the Commonwealth’s rural and suburban areas. Maintaining an annual harvest of this size would benefits thousands upon thousands of Pennsylvanians by reducing home, crop or property damages and the number of after-dark roadway obstacles motorists encounter.”

Increased furbearer harvests reduce the damages and encounters that residents – and their pets – will have with these animals.

“Right now, many trappers, and particularly those in southern tier counties, are waiting to set and run their traplines until the pelts on the furbearers they intend to trap become more prime,” explained Lovallo. “Fur primeness for raccoons, foxes and coyotes usually is about right in most areas of the state by the first week of November. It’s always better to start trapping for these furbearers no sooner than early to mid-November to improve their pelt value on the market.”

The 2008 Game-Take and Furtaker Surveys estimated that fur-takers took 142,808 raccoons (121,446 in 2007); 74,059 muskrats (72,174); 54,273 opossums (41,168); 44,745 red foxes (52,000); 23,699 coyotes (28,974); 20,845 gray foxes (18,613); 12,331 skunks (9,818); and 8,621 mink (10,004).

“Our furbearer harvests for many species have remained relatively stable over the past few years, although trapping pressure has risen over the past two years,” Lovallo said. “But given the amount of trapping territory available in the state, and the relatively limited number of Pennsylvanians pursuing furbearer hunting or trapping, there’s plenty of places for new and veteran trappers alike.”

Most furbearers – excepting muskrats – in Pennsylvania and other neighboring states remain underutilized. In fact, hunters and trappers are taking a fraction of the renewable fur resource Pennsylvania historically has provided. It’s a trend that likely will not be reversed because of the difficulties associated land access, increased equipment and transportation costs, and the free-time/commitment complexities that often dominate the lives of many Pennsylvanians.

Over the past 30 years, beavers and coyotes have been expanding their range, primarily from northern counties south. Left unchecked, beavers would cause tremendous property damage and could adversely affect the quality of drinking water for municipalities. Coyotes would cause even more problems for livestock and pets.

“Trappers play a major role in managing Pennsylvania’s beavers and coyotes,” Lovallo noted. “They are our first line of defense in attempting to keep these furbearer species in check locally and they do it for free. Anyone who has suffered from the damages these species can inflict knows what a relief it is to have a trapper remedy the situation.”

Beaver trappers are reminded that they no longer are required to have harvested beavers tagged by Game Commission personnel. There are, however, beaver bag limits for each Wildlife Management Unit.

Licensed trappers may use cable restraints for coyotes and foxes, upon completion of a four-hour certification course provided by agency-certified instructors, from Jan. 1-Feb. 22. The cost of the course is $15. Students receive various educational materials and one legal cable restraint, and a permanent certification card will be mailed following completion of the course.

Trapping is a highly regulated activity in Pennsylvania. A furtaker license – or combination license – is required to trap in the Commonwealth. All traps must have an identification tag that provides the trapper’s name and address or a number issued by the agency. Body-gripping traps must be set within a watercourse. It is unlawful to set a trap with bait visible from the air, or to disturb the traps of another. Traps cannot have a jaw-spread exceeding 6.5 inches. Traps must be visited at least once every 36 hours and each animal removed.

GAME COMMISSION OFFERS LOCAL FURBEARER INFORMATION

Each year, Pennsylvania Game Commission field officers and foresters develop game and furbearer forecasts for the areas they work to share with interested hunters and trappers. Observations on local furbearer populations are always a part of this annual offering. The Pennsylvania Game Commission’s “Field Officer Game and Furbearer Forecasts” can be found centered on the homepage of the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us). Developed to share field officer perspectives and observations on game and furbearer trends in their respective districts and to help hunters and trappers get closer to the action afield, this information helped many sportsmen and sportswomen have more enjoyable days afield last year.

“Our field officers spend a tremendous amount of time afield, often in the areas hunters and trappers are most interested in learning more about,” said Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe. “Their observations have value to hunters and trappers, so in 2006 we set up a cyber-clearinghouse where anyone who enjoys hunting and trapping in Pennsylvania – resident or nonresident – can access game and furbearer forecasts from every county of the state. It’s the detailed field reporting hunters and trappers seek out, and part of our longstanding commitment to be the first and best source of hunting and trapping information in the Commonwealth.”

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Pennsylvania Trapping And Predator Hunting Seasons Underway

Ohio Division of Wildlife

COLUMBUS, OH --(AmmoLand.com)- Ohio bow hunters killed 53,959 deer during the first six weeks of the state’s archery season. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife, this year’s early archery season harvest is 4 percent higher than last year’s kill of 51,976 deer.

Pursuing deer with a bow continues to grow in popularity among Ohio hunters. The season started September 26 and will carry on through February 7, 2010.

Counties reporting the highest numbers of deer brought to check stations were: Licking – 2,334, Holmes – 1,969, Tuscarawas – 1,770, Coshocton – 1,451, Ashtabula – 1,348, Harrison – 1,278, Trumbull – 1,251, Stark – 1,204, Knox – 1,175 and Fairfield – 1,142.

The statewide deer population was estimated to be 650,000 in early October. Approximately 345,000 bow hunters are expected to participate in the statewide deer-archery hunting season.

Bow hunters harvested a total of 85,856 deer during last year’s four-month Ohio archery season.

Hunters can share photos of their success in the field online by visiting wildohio.com and clicking on Photo Gallery. The photo submission process is easy and posted photos may be e-mailed to a friend.

A detailed listing of deer-hunting rules can be found in the 2009-2010 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest that is available wherever licenses are sold, and online at wildohio.com.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.

NOTE: Following is a list of deer checked and tagged by hunters during the first six weeks of the current deer-archery hunting season. The number taken during the 2008 season is marked in ( ): 2009 (2008)

Adams –785 (727); Allen –463 (356); Ashland -1,139 (1,235); Ashtabula –1,348 (1,434); Athens –845 (915); Auglaize –243 (235); Belmont –619 (606); Brown –614 (668); Butler –623 (460); Carroll –570 (452); Champaign –526 (529); Clark –434 (406); Clermont –1,007 (1,019); Clinton –283 (296); Columbiana –975 (1,010); Coshocton –1,451 (1,391) ; Crawford –490 (375); Cuyahoga –362 (346); Darke –165 (148); Defiance –383 (299); Delaware –509 (586); Erie – 359 (394); Fairfield –1,142 (1,037); Fayette –90 (111); Franklin –451 (310); Fulton –208 (228); Gallia –362 (432); Geauga –767 (890); Greene –232 (210); Guernsey –1,134 (1,145); Hamilton –802 (709); Hancock –294 (205); Hardin –197 (112); Harrison –1,278 (1,286); Henry –124 (114); Highland –802 (734); Hocking –731 (795); Holmes –1,969 (1,593); Huron –598 (550); Jackson –848 (855); Jefferson –682 (808); Knox –1,175 (1,047); Lake –504 (430); Lawrence –389 (527); Licking –2,334 (2,046); Logan –552 (396); Lorain –774 (770); Lucas –412 (400); Madison –116 (80); Mahoning –601 (622); Marion –196 (170); Medina –666 (562); Meigs –585 (656); Mercer –191 (154); Miami –126 (116); Monroe –330 (487); Montgomery –354 (297); Morgan –393 (495); Morrow –554 (464); Muskingum –1,052 (847); Noble –621 (573); Ottawa-60 (47); Paulding –223 (222); Perry –584 (551); Pickaway –285 (229 ); Pike –322 (371); Portage –767 (691); Preble –258 (235); Putnam –386 (338); Richland –814 (735); Ross –857 (876); Sandusky –216 (206); Scioto –491 (587); Seneca –547 (393); Shelby –415 (355); Stark –1,204 (1,082); Summit –774 (723); Trumbull –1,251 (1,302); Tuscarawas –1,770 (1,991); Union –374 (359); Van Wert –158 (153); Vinton –449 (471); Warren –687 (637); Washington –760 (786); Wayne –410 (473); Williams –492 (476); Wood –311 (272); Wyandot –265 (265); Total –53,959 (51,976)

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Ohio’s Licking County Archers Lead in Number of Deer Killed

Grass Roots North Carolina for Firearms Education

North Carolina - -(AmmoLand.com)- As we were alerted by members in the Blowing Rock area months ago, the Town of Blowing Rock plans to turn over town-owned land that local hunters have hunted on for generations to the National Park Service.

The issue started nearly a decade ago when the North Carolina Land Trust purchased a 192 acre tract of land from a local hunting club outside the city limits of Blowing Rock. Local hunters, believing they were protecting a treasured hunting area, generously donated to the Land Trust for purchase of the tract. As testament to the past use of hunting on the land, the Land Trust wrote language into their deed which designated hunting as an allowable activity on the land for perpetuity.

A few years later however, the Town of Blowing Rock, unbeknownst to the general public, purchased the 192 acre tract from the land trust for potential trade to the National Park Service. In late 2005 the purchase revealed itself to sportsmen when police tried to close the area, including the NC Gamelands portion, to hunting.

Hunters and GRNC members, concerned with suddenly being told they were not allowed to hunt public lands, began questioning recalcitrant town officials. It was then that the questionable land trade was uncovered. Further investigation revealed that an influential town councilwoman’s expensive home overlooks the land, as well as the fact this very same councilwoman is an outspoken anti-hunting, anti-logging activist. Some grassroots members are even beginning to question the Town of Blowing Rock’s role in the Land Trust’s original purchase of the tract. Letters written to Mayor J.B. Lawrence regarding these and other questions have not been answered. The town maintains the trade is necessary to gain full control of the town reservoir located on Park lands between Boone and Blowing Rock. This does not seem plausible given the fact Blowing Rock already has water interconnection permits with Boone as well as an unused intake permit at the! confluence of Payne Branch and Middle Fork.

As a new twist, Mayor Lawrence recently declared the 190 acres as closed to hunting via a vague town code prohibiting loaded guns on town property (i.e. town hall). Coinciding with the Mayor’s announcement, National Park Service spokeswomen Shelia Dixon indicated that if NPS acquires the land, all hunting, trapping, and shooting will be prohibited as per NPS policy. This deal will cut in half the last public lands that Blowing Rock hunters, shooters and trappers can easily access. Hunters attempted to voice concerns with Mayor Lawrence during a March 10, 2009 town meeting, however the Mayor decided to convene an illegal closed meeting to discuss the issue. No recordings or minutes exist of this meeting.

Now it seems that Senator Richard Burr and Congresswoman Virginia Foxx are on board with this deal as well. Burr’s and Foxx’s offices purport that their support stems from the dubious water issue. Locals are skeptical about this and again point to the councilwoman’s home which overlooks this land. Several times GRNC members have requested from both Burr and Foxx to have a voice in the questionable land deal, but that has not happened.

What Sen. Burr has not addressed is if this is part of a larger bill. If so, he can introduce a floor amendment to remove the land grab and protect the rights of hunters in this area. Remember, this could be your county where this happens next.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED
* Call Senator Burr and ask him to remove the Blowing Rock land grab: (202) 224-3154

About:
Grass Roots North Carolina/Forum for Firearms Education is a non-profit, all volunteer organization devoted to educating the public about trends which abridge the freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, and engaging in grass roots activism to preserve those freedoms. Formed in 1994 to conduct a highly successful rally for the Second Amendment, GRNC has gone on to conduct projects like “Remember in November: A Gun Owner’s Guide to Voting,” bringing concealed carry to North Carolina.

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Senator Burr Supporting National Park Land Grab Eliminating Hunting Access

New Jersey Brandt Duck Stamp

National Duck Stamp Collectors Society

Trenton, NJ --(AmmoLand.com)- The state Division of Fish and Wildlife has discontinued the sale of paper waterfowl stamps and prints, a decision that makes former state Division of Fish and Game Director George Howard is just a little melancholy.

Howard, currently the conservation director for the state Federation of Sportsmens Clubs, said selling the beautiful paper stamps and prints helped the division preserve a lot of waterfowl habitat during the past quarter century.

“I own quite a few myself,” said Howard. “It was a very good program.”

The stamps and artwork were hugely popular for many years but recently sales declined. This year, waterfowl hunters are required to buy “certifications” instead of paper stamps. The certifications, available from hunting license agents or on the division’s website, cost the same as did the duck stamps: $5 for residents and $10 for nonresidents. “The artwork and the paper stamp were discontinued as cost saving measures,” explained the division in a statement announcing the change.

The division is still selling prints of the 2008 duck stamp featuring canvasback ducks painted by Rob Leslie Duck stamps and collectible prints depicted ducks, hunting dogs and other waterfowl-related images painted by the nation’s best outdoors artists. They were first sold in New Jersey in 1984 and their sales combined raised about $4.2 million. The money was used to preserve more than 13,000 acres of prime waterfowl habitat, according to the division.

Howard noted that money from the sale of the waterfowl certifications will still be earmarked for habitat preservation. As for the future value of the collector prints, Howard is optimistic but uncertain.

“They still have value,” he said, noting that one print of particular interest depicts an American brant but has “brant” mistakenly spelled “brandt.”

For more information on the state waterfowl stamps, including how to purchase the final collector stamps and prints, visit njfishandwildlife.com/prod_stamps.htm.  Orders must be postmarked by December 31, 2009.

Editors note: And why does our headline read “foolishly?” Because New Jersey has chosen to throw away the collector dollar. Each duck stamp collector who purchased a set of New Jersey stamps contributed an additional $15 to the waterfowl fund that the state will now not receive. Collectors who also collect hunter-type stamps doubled that number, contributing $30 to the fund without ever setting foot in a marsh.

If you wish to comment to the state, you can send an email to: njfishandwildlife@dep.state.nj.us.

About:
National Duck Stamp Collectors Society: The primary purpose of the National Duck Stamp Collectors Society (NDSCS) is to promote and encourage the collecting and study of migratory waterfowl hunting and conservation stamps. The NDSCS is the only stamp collecting society devoted exclusively to duck stamps

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New Jersey Foolishly Discontinues Duck Stamp

Outdoors Magazine

Colchester, VT --(AmmoLand.com)- The biggest-bodied deer we have heard of to date was taken below the Forks near Bingham, Maine and tipped the scales at 279 pounds. Bob Howe, the owner of Pine Grove Lodge in Bingham, knows the deer population in that area better than anyone.

“It is funny,” said Howe. “It snowed this weekend and we heard a number of hunters say how many deer there are in the area. On dry ground it is harder to see the sign, but when the snow comes it is a blank page everybody can read.”

Howes’ hunters had a few strong days last week, tagging a handful of good bucks; the largest being a 239-pound 8-pointer with a tall rack.

Further to the south in New Hampshire, Roscoe Blaisdell, the president of the New Hampshire Antler and Skull Trophy Club, capitalized on the state’s early blackpowder season with a massive 10-pointer that boasts 2 stickers.

“The blood trail was good at first but petered out after 200 yards,” said Blaisdell. “I searched the rest of the day with no luck. I went back in the morning and crawled along the ground finding specks of blood leading down to a pond. I noticed a brown rock near the other shore that didn’t look right and checked it out. It was him.”

We will be bringing you the complete story of this buck in the January issue of Outdoors Magazine.

As the rut intensifies this week, we will be bringing you breaking news about what is happening in the woods.

For more information and to find out how to win a Suzuki ATV, 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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Big Whitetails Starting To Fall

OMAHA, Neb. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Wildlife tend to migrate and feed along the edges of freshly harvested fields making these areas prime hunting spots. With many fields adjacent to Union Pacific Railroad tracks, hunters find it very tempting to hunt on or near the tracks. Union Pacific urges hunters to resist that temptation, and for their safety, avoid railroad property this hunting season.

“As hunters head outdoors this year, we want to remind them that walking on or near railroad tracks is extremely dangerous because you never know when a train will come along,” said Dennis Jenson, assistant vice president-chief of police.

“It can take a mile or more to stop a train and by the time a locomotive engineer sees you on the track, it would be too late,” said Dale Bray, director – public safety. “Locomotives and rail cars overhang the tracks by at least three feet on either side of the rail and loose straps hanging from rail cars may extend even further. If you are next to the tracks, you can be hit by the locomotive, a rail car or anything that may be hanging loose from the car,” added Bray.

Hunters are not the only ones drawn to railroad tracks – hikers, bikers, fishermen and snowmobilers are as well. To ensure an enjoyable hunting season this fall, COHA urges the hunting community to heed this safety warning of our close partners at Union Pacific.

Through September of this year, more than 32,000 people have been caught trespassing on Union Pacific Railroad property. Trespassers on railroad property can be arrested for violating trespassing laws. If they are caught, they could serve jail time and/or have to pay a fine. Anyone choosing to walk on or near railroad tracks could face more dire consequences. Last year, 458 people died and 426 were injured while trespassing on the property of railroads throughout the United States.

In an effort to educate the public about pedestrian and grade crossing safety, Union Pacific works closely with Operation Lifesaver. Operation Lifesaver is a national, nonprofit education and awareness program dedicated to ending tragic collisions, fatalities and injuries at highway-rail grade crossings and on railroad tracks. To accomplish its mission, Operation Lifesaver promotes education, enforcement and engineering. More information about Operation Lifesaver can be found at www.oli.org.

Do not become a railroad statistic; stay away from railroad tracks.

About Union Pacific
Union Pacific Corporation owns one of America’s leading transportation companies. Its principal operating company, Union Pacific Railroad, links 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country. Union Pacific serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers and provides Americans with a fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly and safe mode of freight transportation. Union Pacific’s diversified business mix includes Agricultural Products, Automotive, Chemicals, Energy, Industrial Products and Intermodal. The railroad emphasizes excellent customer service and offers competitive routes from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways. Union Pacific connects with Canada’s rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major gateways to Mexico.

For additional information, contact Mark Davis at (402) 544-5459 or via email at mwdavis@up.com Editor’s Note: Audio clips of Dale Bray, UP’s director – public safety and Bob Resch, UP’s manger – public safety, regarding the dangers of hunting on railroad tracks are available from Union Pacific Railroad’s Web site at www.up.com attached to this news release under Media and News Releases.

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Union Pacific Railroad Advises Hunters Not To Hunt On Tracks

Wisconsin DNR

MADISON Wi – -(AmmoLand.com)- Wisconsin wildlife biologists anticipate the statewide deer harvest will be lower than last year.

“There are a number of factors coming together in 2009 that will most likely lead to a lower total deer harvest,” said Keith Warnke, big game ecologist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. “There are fewer herd control units and no earn-a-buck requirement except in the Chronic Wasting Disease Management Zone, below average fawn production in the past two years, a reduced number of antlerless permits in northern Wisconsin due to lower deer populations in that region and a delayed corn harvest. All these will contribute to a lower antlerless deer harvest and a lower total harvest.”

Herd control and earn-a-buck hunts encourage or require the harvest of antlerless deer and without their broad application, the antlerless harvest and therefore the total harvest are almost certain to drop, say wildlife managers.

“Hunters told us they wished to return to a more historically traditional hunt,” said Warnke. “They will see that traditional hunt in many deer management units in the north and central forest where deer populations are at or close to a healthy goal, and where there will be no earn a buck and few or no antlerless permits issued. Herd control and earn-a-buck are accomplishing what they were intended to do, bringing deer numbers down to healthy population goals in parts of the state.”

A byproduct of the 2009 season structure may be an increase in the proportion of bucks harvested in some units. Biologists note that local populations are the most important factor to the hunters and that can vary widely. Scouting, patterning and lining up alternative hunting spots could make the difference.

“As every year, hunters will need to do their homework and scouting and find areas deer are using,” said Warnke. “Hunters who spend time getting prepared are most likely to be in the ranks of successful hunters. Annually, fewer than 40 percent of hunters bag a deer.

“But deer hunting is a whole lot more than just killing a deer,” Warnke added. “For most deer hunters, it’s about spending time with family and friends getting outside in the autumn air, observing wildlife and enjoying the various traditions associated with the deer season. Some hunters will bag a deer and some won’t. It’s always been that way.”

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Deer Harvest Expected To Be Smaller In 2009

MedjetAssist

Birmingham, Alabama —-(AmmoLand.com)- Imagine yourself on a dream safari, deep in the Bushveld and hundreds of miles from civilization. But instead of enjoying the expedition that took years to plan, you’ve taken ill and can’t even get out of bed.

Baking under the sweltering African sun, you’re disoriented, queasy and drifting in and out of consciousness, and despite the best efforts of a paramedic who happens to be sharing your camp, you’re not getting any better. A day’s travel from the nearest medical facility, your fellow campers begin to believe that you’ll be lucky to make it out of there alive.

But it’s not luck you need. You just need one phone call to MedjetAssist. For William Fisher of Eagle River, AK, that one call to Medjet in October may have been the difference between life and death.

The last thing 63-year-old Fisher expected from his Zambian Cape buffalo safari was to be the subject of an emergency remote evacuation. But instead of harvesting a trophy bull on his dream hunt, four days after arriving in the camp along the South Luangwa River, he found himself on a medical jet bound for Nairobi, Kenya.

A former Air Force pilot who flew in Vietnam and career special agent with the Immigration and Nationalization Service, Fisher was no stranger to high temperatures. But the four-and-a-half hour, 105-degree ride in the sun-drenched, open-top hunting vehicle into camp was the first blow to Fisher’s system, which was already weakened by a recent bout with a respiratory illness.

Despite successfully scouting hundreds of elephant, hippo, antelope and several fine specimens of Cape buffalo in the first two days, the scorching temperatures only increased as Fisher’s condition spiraled downward, confining him to his bed. It worsened to the point that his son and hunting partner Billy, a trained paramedic from Oregon, had expended all of his resources and began to fear for his father’s life. He grabbed the satellite phone and called MedjetAssist.

The elder Fisher was suspected of suffering heat stroke and severe dehydration. Medjet immediately went to work arranging a remote evacuation to get Fisher to a major medical facility for stabilization and treatment. Fisher was transported to Nairobi via a medically equipped Citation jet and was given five liters of fluid intravenously by the onboard doctor. At the hospital, he was treated for exacerbation of his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heat stroke.

Normally, a medical evacuation like this would have cost Fisher nearly $20,000. Fortunately as a member of MedjetAssist, the nation’s leading emergency medical evacuation and repatriation membership program, Fisher and his family’s only out of pocket expense was their membership fee. Luckily on this trip they were in the capable hands of MedjetAssist.

“I’ve been around the world my whole life, but this trip was different,” said Fisher from his Alaska home. “Medjet saved my life, and I don’t know what I would have done without them.”

If a Medjet member is hospitalized more than 150 miles from home—virtually anywhere in the world, Medjet will arrange for medical transportation to the hospital of their choice at no additional cost.

Medjet is a pre-paid annual membership with no monetary limit to its benefits. Annual membership dues are $250 for an individual, $385 for a family, and short-term memberships start at $95. Annual domestic-only protection is also available for $175 for an individual and $305 for a family.

About MedjetAssist
Medjet was established in 1991 and is the premier medical evacuation and repatriation membership program for travelers. MedjetAssist has its corporate headquarters in Birmingham, AL, and was recently named the exclusive provider of worldwide air ambulance and medical repatriation services for AARP. For additional information, visit www.medjet.com.

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Medjet Rescues Hunter From Deep In Africa

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

PRATT, KS —-(AmmoLand.com)- Twelve endangered whooping cranes were spotted by Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) staff at Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, near Great Bend, the evening of Nov. 4. Central Kansas is one of the most popular annual stopover points for migrating whooping cranes. In addition to the 12 birds reported from the Cheyenne Bottoms office, and another three were spotted on The Nature Conservancy property nearby.

In response to the sightings, Bottoms staff have closed the goose firing line. Pool 1B, where the birds are staying, is a refuge area. However, waterfowl hunters should be aware that other pools may be closed if the birds move.

At Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, about 30 miles south and east of Cheyenne Bottoms, another 14 whoopers were spotted by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff. In response, the entire refuge is closed to hunting until further notice. For daily updates on Quivira’s whooper status, go online to www.fws.gov/quivira.

Although most whooping cranes usually have migrated through the Kansas by the opening of sandhill crane season — Nov. 11 this year — whoopers are sometimes sighted into early December. Sandhill crane hunters — and all migratory bird hunters — should expect to see whooping cranes throughout central Kansas and be sure of their targets before shooting. All sandhill crane hunters are required to take an online crane identification test before purchasing a sandhill crane permit. The test may be found by going to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) website, www.kdwp.state.ks.us, and typing “sandhill crane” in the search box at the top of the home page.

Hunters who see a whooping crane are asked to report it to the nearest KDWP office. All hunters should check with public hunting areas before planning a hunt. The Cheyenne Bottoms phone number is 620-793-3066, and the Quivira number is 620-486-2393.

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Whooping Cranes Spotted At Kansas WMA

Paralyzed Veterans of America-Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund

Washington, DC—-(AmmoLand.com)-The Paralyzed Veterans of America-Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund (PVA-ORHF) recently announced the launch of “100,000 Patriots”–their newest program to help injured veterans step outside again and enjoy hunting, shooting, and fishing.

“Operation ‘100,000 Patriots’,” explained Lt. Col. Lew Deal, USMC (ret), PVA-ORHF’s National Program Coordinator, “is an initiative to help our wounded warriors recover by creating opportunities for and involving them in hunting, shooting and fishing activities. PVA’s Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund is focused on helping our injured vets get back to living as full a life as possible. We have seen time and time again that getting them out on a deer hunt or once again enjoying the site of clay birds breaking on the skeet range is great therapy.”

Those outdoor activities, however, don’t come without cost and Operation “100,000 Patriots” was created to encourage donations that will form a permanent endowment for the ORHF. “We are looking for 100,000 patriotic Americans who will say ‘Thank You!’ to our troops by donating just $20.00 each to help us build the fund and allow PVA to continue putting our deserving, injured military men and women in hunting blinds, in bass boats and on the shooting line.”

Donations can be made by clicking on www.pvaheritagefund.org or by sending check to PVA-ORHF, 801 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006-3517.

Most of the outdoor opportunities for the rehabilitating veterans are donated by private individuals or clubs around the country but Deal explained there are more injured warriors than there are opportunities. “We have thousands of men and women who have returned from war with varying degrees of injuries—far more deserving veterans than available hunts or other trips. We have great need for more outdoor opportunities and for enough funds to cover the costs of a soldier’s participation.”

PVA (est. 1946) has proven these outdoor experiences help the vets find joy again and regain confidence in themselves and their abilities—a positive step toward being part again of main-stream life. The challenge for the ORHF is to provide more opportunities so more vets can be involved…and helped. Donations to Operation “100,000 Patriots” will do just that.

More information about Operation “100,000 Patriots” is available at www.pvaheritagefund.org. Those who can help by donating hunting trips or other opportunities can contact Lt. Col. Deal at Lew4vets@aol.com or PVA-ORHF National Marketing & PR Coordinator, Chris Chaffin at Chris@ChaffinCommunications.com; (321) 729-0280.

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Paralyzed Veterans of America-Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund Launches ‘100,000 Patriots’

Arizona Quail Hunting

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ —-(AmmoLand.com)- Quail check station results from the season opener weekend (Oct. 3-4) vary and suggest populations are below-average in central regions to well-below-average in southern regions of the state reported Arizona Game and Fish Department officials.

Southern region check stations (Freeman & Willow Springs) recorded 1.8 birds per day of which the harvest comprised of juveniles was at 50-57 percent. The central region (Tonto Basin) reported slightly better numbers of 2.9 birds per day and 70 percent juveniles in the harvest.

“Field reports from quail hunters have been mixed,” said Public Information Officer, Doug Burt. “I’ve seen comments of 15-bird limits on chat forums one day and heard hunters state ‘I didn’t see a bird all day’ the next – clearly, hunters will need to search out the honey holes.”

Don’t despair, there is a silver lining.

“You can still go out and find birds, there’s always Gambel’s quail to hunt in Arizona – we just get spoiled by the great years,” said Small Game Program Supervisor, Mike Rabe. “Hunters will need to focus on core quail habitat in lower elevations, areas with good cover (roosting trees and low ground cover), drainage and water source’s are a plus.”

Rabe added, “Washes are key and can provide upland hunters a smorgasbord of game to pursue including quail, mourning dove (reopens Nov. 20) and rabbits (jacks and cottontails) – all are exciting and challenging to hunt and excellent eating.”

The late season dove and year-round rabbit seasons are overlooked by many hunters says Rabe. “Many hunters are missing out – the weather is fantastic, there are no crowds, and doves and rabbits are plentiful.”

Cover and habitat for all three game animals are similar and should include a combination of mesquite-lined washes, hackberry bushes, desert brittle brush, catclaw, varieties of desert cacti, (prickly pear is a good indicator) and desert grasses between 1,500-4,500 feet in elevation.

No. 6 shot is recommended during challenging seasons. The same shot is suitable for rabbits and doves flushing through cover too. So load up, be safe and enjoy the great American hunting tradition.

For more reports on the upland hunting season, tips, season dates and more, visit the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/hunting and select “Small Game Outlook, Hunting Dates and more.”

SIDEBAR
If you missed hunting in October, don’t worry: November is better. There are two home-wreckers this month. The first is late dove season, which offers all-day hunting and allows hunters to enjoy evenings where crowds are nearly non-existent and the weather and sunsets are spectacular. The second is the Mearns’ quail season opener. A dog is nearly mandatory for hunting these tight-holding birds, so if you don’t have one, find a friend who does. The Sky Island scenery alone is worth the trip, but there you can bag two types of rabbits and three species of quail, not to mention a duck or two. How’s that for variety?

November season dates: (Regulations can be downloaded at www.azgfd.gov/rules)

• Dove late season: Nov. 20 – Jan. 3, 2010
• Quail: Oct. 2 – Feb. 7, 2010: (Gambel’s and scaled)
• Mearns’ Quail: Nov. 27 – Feb. 7, 2010
• Tree Squirrel: Oct. 2 – Dec. 31
• Blue Grouse: Sept. 11 – Nov. 15
• Chukar: Sept. 11 – Feb. 7, 2010
• Waterfowl (ducks and geese): Oct. 9 – Jan. 17 (Mountain Zone); Oct. 23 – Jan. 31 (Desert Zone). Some restrictions apply; see regulations.
• Rabbits (jackrabbits and cottontails): Open year-round
• Predators/Furbearers (coyotes, foxes, etc.): Open year-round

About:
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 Deputy Director, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (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 Deputy Director as listed above.

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Quail Hunters – Washes, Walking And Water Are Key This Season