National Hunting and Fishing Day

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.- Bowhunting is deeply engrained in traditional outdoor sports and conservation, a proud heritage promoted and protected by the Pope and Young Club. Today the Club is announcing a new partnership to help strengthen these efforts—a sponsorship of National Hunting and Fishing Day for 2009.

NHF Day, formalized by Congress in 1972, has been called the most effective grassroots effort in history to educate the American public about hunting, fishing and conservation.

Always the fourth Saturday in September, the 2009 celebration is slated for Sept. 26.

“It’s gratifying to welcome new sponsors, and the Pope and Young Club is the latest national supporter for our continuing efforts to build public appreciation for traditional outdoor lifestyles and their ties to healthy fish, wildlife and habitat. We’re appreciative of the Pope and Young Club’s leadership,” said Denise Wagner of Wonders of Wildlife museum in Springfield, Mo.—the official home of NHF Day.

Wonders of Wildlife is developing new ways to deliver the NHF Day message. For example, free, downloadable hunting and fishing communication tools, tips, handouts and more for students and public speakers are now posted to www.nhfday.org.

Such efforts are designed to pass the word that nobody does more for conservation than hunters, anglers and sport shooters. Hunting and fishing licenses, along with excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, bows, arrows, rods and reels, together generate $100,000 every 30 minutes—totaling more than $1.75 billion per year—for conserving fish and wildlife resources.

“The Pope and Young Club is proud to proclaim its public support of National Hunting and Fishing Day. We stand shoulder to shoulder with millions of sportsmen and women in paying tribute to our nation’s first and oldest outdoor pastime. Our NHF Day sponsorship represents a serious commitment to assisting in the organized efforts to preserve hunting and fishing for future generations to enjoy, and we are immensely pleased to be a part of this vital campaign,” said Pope and Young Club President M.R. James.

Country music star Luke Bryan is the honorary chairman for NHF Day 2009.
The growing list of sponsors for National Hunting and Fishing Day includes Wonders of Wildlife, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Bass Pro Shops, Sportsman Channel, Realtree, GunBroker.com, Hunting Heritage Trust, Cabela’s, Boone and Crockett Club, Smith & Wesson, Field & Stream/Outdoor Life, Woolrich, Yamaha and the Pope and Young Club.

For more information, visit www.nhfday.org.

About:
National Hunting and Fishing Day, celebrated the fourth Saturday of every September, remains the most effective grassroots efforts ever undertaken to promote the outdoor sports and conservation.

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NHF Day Welcomes New Sponsor – Pope and Young Club

National Hunting and Fishing Day

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— -(AmmoLand.com)- Free audio and video clips with country music sensation Luke Bryan are now available for media, retailers, Web sites, sports venues—anyone with an audience or public address system—to help promote the Sept. 26 celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Day.

The digital public service announcements (PSAs), available at www.nhfday.org, are 30 seconds with an intro featuring Bryan’s Top 10 hit, “Country Man.”

One video clip is geared for hunting, the other for fishing. Both videos are downloadable as MOV files. The audio clip is an MP3.

Bryan, this year’s honorary chairman for NHF Day, is an avid sportsman as well as one of Nashville’s hottest new talents. He charted two Top 10 hits, “Country Man” and “All My Friends Say,” from his first album, titled “I’ll Stay Me.” Bryan’s highly anticipated second album is due out this fall. For details, visit www.lukebryan.com.

“In addition to the new PSAs with Luke, our Web site also has an archive of audio PSAs from previous honorary chairs of National Hunting and Fishing Day including Jeff Foxworthy and Michael Waddell. All of these are timeless and ready for use,” said Denise Wagner of Wonders of Wildlife museum in Springfield, Mo., the official home of NHF Day.

Wagner said www.nhfday.org also offers print PSAs, national listings of NHF Day events, templates for mayoral and legislative proclamations, communication tools for public speakers and presenters, handouts, and many other resources. Most are free.

“All of these resources help deliver the message that Congress envisioned when it formalized National Hunting and Fishing Day in 1972. That is, conservation in America succeeds because of leadership and stewardship from hunters and anglers,” said Wagner.

Wagner thanked the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) for producing the new PSAs.

The growing list of sponsors for NHF Day includes Wonders of Wildlife, NSSF, Bass Pro Shops, Sportsman Channel, Realtree, GunBroker.com, Hunting Heritage Trust, Cabela’s, Boone and Crockett Club, Smith & Wesson, Field & Stream/Outdoor Life, Woolrich, Yamaha, and the Pope and Young Club.

For more information, visit www.nhfday.org.

About:
National Hunting and Fishing Day, celebrated the fourth Saturday of every September, remains the most effective grassroots efforts ever undertaken to promote the outdoor sports and conservation.

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Promote National Hunting and Fishing Day with Free Audio, Video Clips

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

OLYMPIA, WA - -(AmmoLand.com)- The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will accept public testimony and take action on waterfowl-hunting rules, take public comments on the search for a new director for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), and hear briefings on wolf management and other topics at a meeting Aug. 6-8 in Colville.

The commission, a nine-member board appointed by the governor, sets policy for WDFW.

The meeting begins at 2 p.m., Aug. 6, at the NE Washington Fairgrounds, Ag/Trade Center, 317 W. Astor St. in Colville, where commissioners will discuss the search for a new WDFW director with state Department of Personnel staff and take public input on that process. An executive session is scheduled for the rest of the afternoon, followed by a no-host buffet dinner at 6 p.m. The dinner is open to the public, but no public input will be taken.

The meeting continues at 8:30 a.m., Aug. 7, at the Sheriff’s Ambulance Training Center, 425 North Highway 395 in Colville, with briefings by WDFW staff on 2010 supplemental budget proposals, current status of wolf conservation and management, department legislative proposals for 2010 and the status of WDFW lands management and public-conduct rules.

The commission will discuss local fish and wildlife issues with elected officials, hear a briefing and public testimony on rules that implement legislative changes to the Master Hunter permit program, hear public comments, and discuss and act on 2009-10 waterfowl hunting rule proposals during the afternoon.

The meeting is scheduled to re-convene at 8:30 a.m., Aug. 8, for additional briefings, including a report by the Colville Confederated Tribes on the results of a fishing gear use survey, Commission committee reports, and open public input on any fish and wildlife topic.

For the complete agenda, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings/2009/08/agenda_aug0609.html .

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Wa Commission To Set Waterfowl Hunting Rules

Whitetails Unlimited

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin - A judge’s decision in an animal cruelty case is completely outrageous, said Whitetails Unlimited President Jeff Schinkten. “This case has nothing to do with hunting, and the decision needs to be appealed and reversed, or the law that allows this loophole needs to be immediately fixed,” said Schinkten.

The case dates to January of this year, when three men were charged in a Waupaca County (Wisconsin) court with animal cruelty for running down five deer, including a fawn, with their snowmobiles. Four of the deer were dead at the scene and one was euthanized later. The judge dismissed felony charges against one defendant after his attorney argued that the defendant was hunting.

“These men were not hunting, this case has nothing to do with hunting, and to equate regulated hunting to what these men are alleged to have done is an insult and slander to all hunters,” said Schinkten. “Whitetails Unlimited members support ethical, legal hunting and are appalled by the alleged detailed in this case. For someone to escape justice by claiming they were hunting is just disgusting.”

“For a judge to equate legal hunting with running down multiple deer with a pack of snowmobiles, and leaving them to die, just defies reason,” said Schinkten. “If this stands the law needs to be changed so future criminals can’t hide behind ethical hunters. The allegations in this case show a classic case of animal cruelty, and the felony charges should be reinstated.”

Prosecutors in the case have 20 days from the date of the judge’s ruling to appeal the decision.

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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Judge’s Decision in Animal Cruelty Case Outrageouse

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Sudlersville, MD — -(AmmoLand.com)- The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has partnered with local conservation groups to present a Junior Hunter Field Day Event, June, 13, 2009, from 8:30am to 3:30pm, at the Sudlersville Skeet Club, 1240 Duhamel Corners Road, Sudlersville, MD.

“This is an opportunity for Maryland children interested in wildlife activities to discover and connect with their natural world,” said Bob Beyer, Associate Director, DNR Wildlife & Heritage Service. “It gives children a chance to learn how to become involved in the management of our natural resources and to learn about hunting and the important role it plays in wildlife conservation.”

Youth interested in hunting, trapping, and wildlife management will have an opportunity to interact with DNR personnel and local conservationists in a safe, mentored setting. They will learn about shooting sports including shotguns, archery and sporting clays, and observe retriever dog and waterfowl calling demonstrations. Professionals from DNR’s Wildlife & Heritage Service will join representatives of sporting and conservation organizations to provide expertise in natural resources stewardship, wildlife biology, safety, and ethical conduct in the field. All equipment will be provided and certified instructors will oversee all shooting activities.

This event is FREE (lunch included) and is open to young people, ages 8 to 16. Pre-registration is required and is limited to the first 100 applicants, so register early. Please contact the Wildlife and Heritage Service at 410-928-3106 to request registration information or download the forms online at http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/. Only applications by mail will be accepted (no phone, faxed, or e-mailed applications please).

To ensure all Maryland young people have the opportunity to connect with their natural world and grow to become informed and responsible stewards, Governor Martin O’Malley established the Maryland Partnership for Children in Nature in 2008. Under the initiative, which is now being used as a national model, the Governor created the Maryland Civic Justice Corps, a summer job and environmental education program that employs at risk youth in Maryland State Parks, and recently issued the Maryland Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights. A plan to implement the Partnership’s Report and Recommendations – presented to Governor O’Malley in April — is under development. During the 2009 legislative session, the O’Malley-Brown Administration secured record funding for Maryland’s #1 ranked public schools for the third consecutive year, with an investment of more than $5.5 billion.

About:
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) 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 Junior Hunter Field Day – June 13, 2009

Evergreen, Alabama -(Ammoland)- Hunt Comfort is raising the performance bar on one of its most popular cushions, the FatBoy Lite, by improving its design and dropping its weight without increasing its cost. Not only is the FatBoy Lite Elite now 3 ounces lighter; it provides considerably more support thanks to a new premium three-cushion element similar to that used in the best-selling FatBoy. The new design improves the overall feel of the cushion, thus enhancing your time afield with a luxurious fit guaranteed to support your sit.

The best foam-technology seat on the market, the FatBoy Lite’s cushion core contains an ultra-soft soft contact layer, which works like millions of tiny springs that actively support you while relieving the pressure from the weight of your body. The plush feel is unlike conventional foam found in other hunting cushions on the market. The FatBoy Lite does not flatten out or take on body impressions after extended use and is guaranteed to provide you with years’ worth of hunting comfort.

Hunt Comfort Fat Boy lite

Measuring 14″x16″x3″ but weighing less than 2 pounds, the upgraded FatBoy Lite is highly durable and resilient, and best of all, its lighter weight allows for easier transport and set up in the field.

The cushion shell is built with Comfort-TEX – Hunt Comfort’s outdoor seating fabric in Mossy Oak Break-Up® Camouflage. Comfort-TEX’s stretch properties reduce the harmful effects of shear force on the skin and optimize surface support. This waterproof, breathable fabric stretches and conforms to your body to ensure superb resting comfort. The FatBoy Lite Elite also incorporates an abrasion- and slip-resistant ToughTek bottom for improved durability.

The company’s enduring confidence in the quality of its products is backed with a three-year warranty.

About:
For more information on Hunt Comfort’s quality products, call 888-757-3232,
fax 251-578-3524 or check out www.huntcomfort.com.

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Hunt Comfort Announces Upgrade to FatBoy Lite

Arizona Game and Fish Department

Phoenix, AZ -(AmmoLand.com)-Got a Hunting Tip? Send it to us Arizona Wildlife Views magazine invites you to share your best hunting tip with our readers.

Last minute submissions are being accepted through Sunday, April 19, and you can still win a free copy of ?Hunt Arizona 2009.? The first 50 persons to send in a qualifying entry get a copy of ?Man and Wildlife? for their trouble.

What kind of tips do we want? That nugget of wisdom gleaned from years of experience, or a piece of advice you would share with your best friend or your child to improve their success at hunting.

Keep it brief: Three sentences or fewer should cover it. Be specific: Avoid generalities by tying your tip to a particular species, situation, time of year or other fact. Don?t give away a favorite location; we?d rather hear about techniques or practices that pay off. And yes, it?s OK to identify gear you swear by.

Examples of what and what not to submit:

* Pay attention to wind direction. (This is too general: We?re looking for specifics.)

* Hunt into the wind. (This is excellent and brief, a true nugget of wisdom.)

* When making a stalk, take wind direction into account. Wind is never your friend, and if ignored will carry your scent toward your quarry, lessening your chance of success. To avoid that, hunt into the wind. (Excellent and an acceptable length ? but please don?t go longer.)

The best tips will be published with the author?s first name, last initial and home town in an upcoming issue of Arizona Wildlife Views magazine. Everyone whose tip is published gets a free copy of that issue. The author of the best tip wins ?Hunt Arizona 2009? when it?s published in May. And the first 50 people who submit a complete entry will receive a copy of ?Man and Wildlife,? a fascinating history of wildlife in Arizona ? a $14.95 value!

Ready to share your best hunting tip? Send it by e-mail to HuntingHighlights@azgfd.gov (use the subject title: Best Tips).

Be sure to include your full name and mailing address in the body of your message to be eligible to receive top honors or a free gift. Limit one tip per person, please.

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,  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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Deadline to submit your ?Hunting Tip? extended to Sunday, April 19

GoHuntGeorgia.com

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. – -(AmmoLand.com)- With turkey season here and trout season opening March 28, hunters and anglers are urged to obtain their hunting and fishing licenses through the quick and easy online method says The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division.

“It’s easy,” said Capt. Mike England of the division’s License and Boat Registration Unit. “The new system is web-based, offering immediate accessibility to anyone with access to the Internet. Just log onto www.georgiawildlife.com and select “Recreational Licenses” then follow the prompts.”

In addition to at home online availability, licenses can be purchased by telephone (1-800-366-2661), through the Internet at your local public library and at various retail locations. A list of retail agents can be found online as well.

“We have increased the availability of retail locations by adding K-Mart as an official license vendor this month,” said England. “The process of adding new vendors remains ongoing and new agents continue to sign up. Currently, there are 322 registered retail agents statewide.”

For Internet license purchases, a small convenience fee ($2.75) will be added to each transaction. At retail license agents this fee is $3.25 and for telephone license sales it is $4. All licenses that currently are free will continue to be free and will not require a transaction fee: Harvest Information Program (H.I.P.) licenses, deer harvest records, senior licenses (65 and older) and honorary licenses.

For purchasers without a credit card there are several options. Most retail locations take cash for transactions. Also, a prepaid credit card may be purchased and used to complete transactions over the Internet or telephone.

License fees for various privileges can be found at the WRD website and listed in the popular guides to hunting and fishing regulations. The only additional fee is the transaction fee to support the new system, license vendors may not charge more than $3.25 for each transaction. Sportsman do not pay extra for using a credit card or for using the vendor’s printer. Customers should report vendor violations and purchase license elsewhere. To report a vendor whom you feel has erroneously charged you for your transaction, please call your local DNR Regional Office or 1-800-366-2661. Sales of hunting and fishing licenses and boat registration provide key financial support for fish and wildlife conservation.

For more information, visit www.georgiawildlife.com.

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Go Online To Purchase Georgia Hunting And Fishing Licenses

Kentucky Department Fish Wildlife

Frankfort, Kentucky – -(OutDoorWire.com)-  The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission proposed the 2009-2010 deer season dates and recommended deer zone changes at its quarterly meeting March 6.

The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission recommends all hunting, fishing and boating regulations for approval by the General Assembly and approves all expenditures by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. All recommendations must be approved by legislators before they become law.

The 2009-2010 Deer Seasons:

• Statewide All Zones:
• Archery (either sex) – September 5, 2009 – January 18, 2010
• Crossbow (either sex) – October 1 – 18 and November 14 -  December 31, 2009
• Early Youth Weekend (either sex) – October 10 -11, 2009
• Early Muzzleloader (Zones 1, 2 and 3 either sex, Zone 4 antlered only) – October 17-18, 2009
• Late Muzzleloader (either sex) – December 12-20, 2009
• Late Youth Weekend (either sex) – December 26-27, 2009
• Zones 1 & 2: Modern Firearms (either sex) – November 14 – 29, 2009
• Zones 3 & 4:  Modern Firearms (Zone 3 either sex, Zone 4 antlered deer only)
• - November 14 – 23, 2009

Bag limits remain the same as last year.
The Commission proposed changing Meade and Breckinridge counties from Zone 2 to Zone 3 and also recommended reinstating antlerless deer harvest for the first six days of the December muzzleloader season in Zone 4 counties.

The Commission also recommended changes for deer hunting on state parks and wildlife management areas (WMAs).
They proposed opening the Kentucky River WMA to youth firearms deer seasons and designating the November firearms quota deer hunt on Taylorsville Lake WMA as antlerless only.

At West Kentucky WMA, the Commission recommended lowering the number of quota and open hunt slots from 300 for both hunts to 240 participants for the quota hunt and 200 for the open hunt. The open gun deer hunt on the area will move from the second to the third weekend after Thanksgiving.

At Clay WMA, the Commission proposed awarding a preference point to quota hunters who harvest a doe. The Dennis-Gray WMA will have the same hunting regulations as the adjacent Green River Lake WMA. At Paul Van Booven WMA, the Commission recommended to allow hunting for deer during the late muzzleloader deer season and institute a 15-inch minimum spread restriction on antlered deer.

The Kentucky Department of Parks canceled the quota deer hunts at Taylorsville Lake State Park and Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park. The number of slots for mobility-impaired quota hunts at Zilpo and Twin Knobs Campgrounds on Cave Run Lake will be reduced from 30 to 24. The Wendell Ford Training Center in west Kentucky is closed to general public deer hunting.

The next Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting will be held at 8 a.m., Friday, June 12, at #1 Sportsman’s Lane off U.S. 60 in Frankfort. Persons interested in addressing the Commission must notify Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s Commissioner’s office in writing at least 30 days in advance to be considered for placement on the meeting agenda. People who are hearing impaired and plan to attend the meeting should contact Kentucky Fish and Wildlife at least 10 days in advance and the agency will provide a translator. To request to address the commission, write to KDFWR, Commissioner Dr. Jon Gassett, #1 Sportsman’s Lane, Frankfort, Kentucky, 40601.

About:
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources manages, regulates, enforces and promotes responsible use of all fish and wildlife species, their habitats, public wildlife areas and waterways for the benefit of those resources and for public enjoyment. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, an agency of the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, has an economic impact to the state of $4.5 billion annually. For more information on Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, visit our web site at fw.ky.gov.

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Kentucky Fish And Wildlife Commission Proposes 2009-2010 Deer Season Dates

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is bringing a new format to the fall hunt recommendation process by offering six public forums across the state to allow constituents an opportunity to provide input to regional biologists before the hunt recommendations are presented to the commission for the 2009-10 hunting seasons.

Each region will be providing details about the populations within their jurisdiction. This means that if you have interest in a particular unit, you will need to attend the public meeting in that region to discuss management direction.

“This new process of including our customers before finalizing the hunt recommendations, will address the concerns of hunters earlier in the process, when we still have the ability to make changes if they are warranted,” said Brian Wakeling, chief of game management. “This collaboration should also reduce some of the questions during the commission meeting, improving the efficiencies of those public meetings.”

Constituents interested in attending a public forum where department biologists will be on hand to share the preliminary details of the recommendations may go to any of the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s regional offices.

Public forum dates, times and locations are:

• Tuesday, March 3, 6-8 p.m. – Pinetop regional office, 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd.
• Tuesday, March 3, 6-8 p.m. – Kingman regional office, 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road
• Tuesday, March 3, 6-8 p.m. – Yuma regional office, 9140 E. 28th St.
• Tuesday, March 3, 6-8 p.m. – Tucson regional office, 555 N. Greasewood Road
• Tuesday, March 3, 7-9 p.m. – Mesa regional office, 7200 E. University Drive
• Thursday, March 5, 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Flagstaff regional office, 3500 S. Lake Mary Road

After the public forums the final draft of the hunt recommendations to be presented to the commission will be made available for public review at six regional open houses. No formal presentation will be made. However, a knowledgeable staff person will be available to discuss regional hunt recommendations.

Open house dates, times and locations are:

• Tuesday, April 7, 3-6 p.m. – Kingman regional office, 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road
• Tuesday, April 14, 4-6 p.m. – Pinetop regional office, 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd.
• Tuesday, April 14, 4-6 p.m. – Flagstaff regional office, 3500 S. Lake Mary Road
• Tuesday, April 14, 3-5 p.m. – Yuma regional office, 9140 E. 28th St.
• Tuesday, April 14, 5-7 p.m. – Tucson regional office, 555 N. Greasewood Road
• Tuesday, April 14, 3-5 p.m. – Mesa regional office, 7200 E. University Drive

A PDF version of the 2009-10 hunt recommendations will be available for review at the Game and Fish Department’s Web site beginning Saturday, April 11 at www.azgfd.gov/h_f/hunt_guidelines.shtml.

Each year, the department makes recommendations to the commission regarding the management of game species for the annual hunting and trapping regulations, which establish the seasons, dates, bag limits, open areas, and hunt permit-tag allocations based on the framework of the hunt guidelines set by the commission every two years. The next guidelines will be set in the summer of 2010 for hunting seasons 2010-11 and 2011-12.

The final recommendations are scheduled to be presented to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission for consideration during its April 17-18 meeting in Phoenix at the department headquarters at 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix (1.5 miles west of I-17). The agenda will be posted at www.azgfd.gov/commission under commission agenda.

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 To Discuss 2009-10 Fall Hunting Regulations

OLYMPIA, Washington - -(OutdoorWire.com)- Deer and elk hunters have until Feb. 28 to enter their name in a drawing for a 2009 multiple-season permit, which can greatly improve their chance of success in the field.

In April, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will randomly draw names for 1,500 multiple-season deer permits and 500 multiple-season elk permits.

Winners of the drawing will be eligible to purchase a multiple-season permit allowing them to participate in archery, muzzleloader and modern-firearm general hunting seasons for deer or elk in 2009. Winners of the multiple-season elk permit will be able to participate in general elk-hunting season in both eastern and western Washington. They also may apply for any weapon type deer or elk special permit.

“This is a great opportunity for hunters to extend their hunting season this fall,” said Dave Ware, game manager for WDFW. “Rather than having to choose one hunting method over another, hunters drawn for a multiple-season permit can improve their chance of success by participating in all three seasons.”

Ware noted that the permits can only be used during general seasons and in game management units that are open during a modern firearm, muzzleloader, or archery general season. “In other words, winners may not hunt during the muzzleloader general season in an area that is not open for the muzzleloader general season,” Ware said.

Also, hunters can apply only once for each species and are limited to harvesting one deer or elk.
Hunters may purchase a multiple-season permit application at an authorized license dealer, listed at http://wdfw.wa.gov/lic/vendors/vendors.htm , or by calling (866) 246-9453. The permit application is $5.48 for residents and $54.75 for nonresidents.

A 2009 hunting license is not required to submit an application, but winners of the drawing must purchase one before they can purchase a multiple-season tag.

Hunting licenses and multi-season tags can be purchased from local license dealers, on the Internet at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/ or by calling (866) 246-9453. Multiple-season deer or elk tags cost $164.25 for residents and $1,642.50 for nonresidents, including transaction fees. These figures do not include the cost of an annual hunting license.

For more information, visit WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/ , or call the licensing department at (360) 902-2464.

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Washington State: Multiple-Season Hunting Permit Applications Available

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Annapolis, Md. — -(AmmoLand.com)-The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Shoreline Heritage Service announced that shoreline license applications are now being accepted from riparian (waterfront) property owners. Anyone owning riparian property, or those with permission from the property owner, may license shoreline for the purpose of establishing stationary blinds or blind sites for hunting waterfowl. Applications may also be used to prevent others from licensing the shoreline at a later date.

All applications and fees must be submitted by mail or in person and received by the close of business June 1, 2009. Riparian property owners may license their shoreline for a period of one year for a $20 fee or three years for a $60 fee. Landowners who miss the June 1 deadline may participate in the “open” licensing process that begins August 4, 2009.

Applications and information on laws related to shoreline licensing for riparian property owners are available at the DNR website www.dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/riparian.html or by calling the Wildlife and Heritage Service at 410-260-8540, toll free at 1-877-620-8DNR (8367).

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Md. DNR Accepting Applications from Waterfront Property Owners for Shoreline Licensing

LINCOLN, Neb. – -(AmmoLand.com)-The Nebraska bighorn sheep management program got a big boost Saturday when a Kansas man placed the winning $80,000 bid for a permit to hunt bighorn sheep in Nebraska’s Pine Ridge.

John Marsh of Topeka, Kan., was the winning bidder at the Wild Sheep Foundation Convention in Salt Lake City. He will receive four days of guide service, horse usage, lodging and meals at Fort Robinson State Park during the 2009 bighorn sheep hunting season this December.

Each year, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission conducts a lottery for one hunting permit and sporadically offers one permit for auction. The lottery permit allows a Nebraska resident to hunt during the season. The auctioned permits may be purchased by anyone. Each lottery winner and auction permit holder to date has harvested a full-curl ram from Nebraska’s Pine Ridge.

Applications for the 2009 bighorn lottery permit are $25 and will be accepted through 5 p.m. Aug. 12 at the Commission’s Lincoln headquarters. Applications also may be made online at OutdoorNebraska.org. Online registrations will be accepted until midnight, Aug. 12.

Ninety percent of the proceeds from the bighorn permit auction go directly toward the state’s reintroduction and management of bighorn sheep. The program is credited with returning bighorn to the state after they were extirpated in the late 1800s. The most recent milestone reached by the program was the purchase and release of 51 sheep from Montana to the Wildcats Hills in 2007. Forty-nine sheep were relocated to the Pine Ridge in 2005.

Nebraska has four bighorn herds: Fort Robinson and Barrel Butte in the Pine Ridge, and Cedar Canyon and Hubbard’s Gap in the Wildcats Hills. The estimated bighorn population in the state is 280.

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Kansas Man Places Winning Bid for Nebraska Bighorn Permit

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG – -(AmmoLand.com)- Samples taken from the 39 hunter-killed elk during the state’s 2008 hunting season have all tested negative for chronic wasting disease (CWD), according to Dr. Walt Cottrell, the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s wildlife veterinarian.  Samples also tested negative for brucellosis and tuberculosis.

Cottrell noted that the Game Commission still is awaiting the results of CWD testing for the 4,247 hunter-killed deer samples collected during the 2008 rifle deer season.

“Currently, there are no confirmed or suspected cases of CWD-infected deer or elk in Pennsylvania,” Cottrell said.  “Conducting these tests on hunter-killed deer and elk will help to assure us and the general public that it is unlikely that CWD currently is present in wild deer and elk in the state.

“We obviously need to keep a watchful eye on our wild and captive deer and elk.  Working closely with the state Department of Agriculture and other agency representatives on the state’s CWD Task Force, we hope to protect our state’s herds from this always-fatal disease.”

CWD tests on the elk samples were conducted by the New Bolton Center, which is the University of Pennsylvania’s veterinary diagnostics laboratory.  Under a contract with Penn State University, the elk samples also were tested for brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis and found to be free from these diseases.  New Bolton Center also is conducting the CWD tests on the deer samples.  Results are expected later this spring.

“The test results are good news,” Cottrell said.  “Although CWD has not been found in Pennsylvania, we must continue to be vigilant in our CWD monitoring efforts.  The surveillance information we are gathering is important for the early detection of CWD, and we already are planning to continue random testing of hunter-killed deer and elk during the 2009-10 seasons.”

Cottrell added that, the Game Commission, with the assistance of the Pennsylvania and U.S. departments of Agriculture, has conducted tests on about 300 elk and more than 94,000 deer killed by hunters in Pennsylvania over the past six years.  Since 1998, more than 500 deer that have died of unknown illness or were exhibiting abnormal behavior also have been tested.  No evidence of CWD has been found in these samples.  The Game Commission will continue to monitor for and collect samples from deer and elk that appear sick or behave abnormally.

First identified in 1967, CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that affects cervids, including all species of deer, elk and moose. It is a progressive and always fatal disease, which scientists theorize is caused by an agent capable of transforming normal brain proteins into an abnormal form.  CWD is present in free-ranging wildlife or captive cervid populations in 14 states and two Canadian provinces.

There currently is no practical way to test live white-tails for CWD, and there is no vaccine to prevent an animal from contracting the disease, nor is there a cure for animals that become infected.  Fortunately, there currently is no evidence of CWD being transmissible to humans or to other non-cervid livestock under normal conditions.

Deer harboring CWD may not show any symptoms in the disease’s early stages.  The incubation period for CWD is from 12 to 18 months, but animals may show clinical signs or demonstrate behavioral characteristics for two to five years.  Commonly observed signs of an infected animal include lowered head and ears, uncoordinated movement, rough-hair coat, weight loss, increased thirst, excessive drooling, and, ultimately, death.

Hunters who see deer behaving oddly, that appear to be sick, or that are dying for unknown reasons are urged to contact the nearest Game Commission Region Office.  Hunters should not kill or consume animals that appear to be sick.

“We count on hunters to be our eyes when they head out to hunt deer,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. “With the help of the nearly one million deer hunters who go afield, we can cover a lot of ground.

“Hunters should be mindful of wildlife health issues, but no more so than in recent years. We must keep the threat posed by CWD in perspective; should the disease be introduced into the wild populations of deer and elk, it is unlikely that we will ever eliminate it.  At this point, we have no evidence that CWD is in Pennsylvania, or that it poses health problems for humans.”

Not only should hunters shoot only deer that appear to be healthy and behave normally, the Game Commission also recommends that they use rubber gloves for field dressing.  These are simple precautions that hunters can follow to ensure their hunt remains a safe and pleasurable experience.

In September of 2005, in order to prepare for a possible CWD occurrence, Gov. Edward G. Rendell and agency representatives of the Pennsylvania CWD task force finalized and signed the state’s response plan, which outlines ways to prevent CWD from entering the state’s borders and, if CWD is in Pennsylvania, how to detect, contain and work to eradicate it.  The task force was comprised of representatives from the Governor’s Office, the Game Commission, the state Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the state Department of Health, the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.  Also, representatives of important stakeholder groups – including hunters, deer and elk farmers, meat processors and taxidermists – helped shape the final version of the plan.  A copy of the final plan, which is updated annually, can be viewed on the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by clicking on “Reports/Minutes” and then selecting “Pennsylvania CWD Response Plan.”

In December of 2005, recognizing the transmissible nature of the disease, the Game Commission issued an order banning the importation of specific carcass parts from states and Canadian provinces where CWD had been identified in free-ranging cervid populations.  Hunters traveling to the following states must abide by the importation restrictions: Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York (CWD containment area only), South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia (Hampshire County only), Wisconsin and Wyoming; as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.  Unfortunately, in spite of extensive efforts of education about the parts ban, there still are worrisome violations reported from all regions of the state.

Specific carcass parts prohibited from being imported into Pennsylvania by hunters are: head (including brain, tonsils, eyes and lymph nodes); spinal cord/backbone; spleen; skull plate with attached antlers, if visible brain or spinal cord material is present; cape, if visible brain or spinal cord material is present; upper canine teeth, if root structure or other soft material is present; any object or article containing visible brain or spinal cord material; and brain-tanned hides.

The order does not limit the importation of the following animal parts originating from any cervid in the quarantined states, provinces or area:  meat, without the backbone; skull plate with attached antlers, if no visible brain or spinal cord material is present; tanned hide or raw hide with no visible brain or spinal cord material present; cape, if no visible brain or spinal cord material is present; upper canine teeth, if no root structure or other soft material is present; and taxidermy mounts.

Additionally, the Game Commission conducted an emergency drill in March of 2007 to test its preparedness to respond should CWD be identified within the state’s borders.  The decision to hold the drill was a product of two meetings held in 2006 to review and update the state’s response plan, as well as the agency’s internal operational plan.

“Working through the drill enabled us to identify certain equipment, materials and contact information we needed to refine in order to improve our preparedness,” Roe said.  “We also were able to better prepare for future meetings of the statewide CWD Task Force, and were able to share what we learned and what we believe needed to be addressed in the overall state response plan.”

To learn more about CWD, visit the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) and click on the “Wildlife” in left-hand column of the homepage, then scroll down and select “Chronic Wasting Disease” in the “Wildlife Diseases” box.

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PA Hunter-Killed Elk Test Negative For CWD And Other Diseases

www.SportingD.com

Argentina - -(AmmoLand.com)- My name is John Airala and I have guided in Argentina since 1987. I have lived here since 1985 when I moved here from Michigan at the age of 20. My web site is www.SportingD.com and I would like to tell you about our bird hunts.

Our bird hunters averaged over 100 ducks a day per shooter and the average total bag for a week long mixed bag trip was over 3000 birds/shooter.

In honor of the less than wonderful World economic situation that has reduced the number of sportsmen who travel for their hunts, these high volume hunts for duck,dove, pigeon and flushing birds over dogs are offered at greatly reduced prices.

Normally $450/day Now $295/day. Includes food, lodging, license, transport to and from the airport and lots of high volume shooting. There are no hidden or extra costs that you sometimes run into on other hunts and I will make sure that you enjoy this trip to the fullest. The hunt is in the Litoral region of Argentina and the lodging is in our 3 star country Inn, with an average drive of 45 minutes or less to the shooting grounds. The hunt lasts 7 days and includes duck hunting, pigeon and dove shooting and perdiz over dogs. You can distribute how many days you will devote to each species at your pleasure. The season starts May 1 and runs until the end of October for duck. Pigeon and dove season never closes and perdiz closes mid August. Keep these seasons in mind if you want to schedule all species. The destination airport is either Resistencia, or Corrientes, both are equally convenient.

Total for the 8 nights and 7 days is $2065 (US Dollars)

Other expenses:

• your airfare
• tips to bird boys at your discretion
• shells at $13/box

This is a new area and you don’t run into other hunters. The shooting is out of this world. Only 3 groups shot there with me last season and they averaged a little over 100 ducks a day. Perdiz is the only bird that the bags are kept low and you can shoot 30 per outing. Dove is limitless and one shooter shot 1000 in 3 and a half hours just to show that he could. He used 2 guns and a dedicated loader in addition to his bird boy and fired a little over 1800 rounds to do it.

Deposit to book is $1000 and a 50% shell deposit will be required 30 days prior to the start of the season.

E-mail me at John@SportingD.com for references from those who shot there last season, more information, and pictures/video of our hunts.

P.S: Ask about our Gold Club. Hunt for life, any hunt we offer for 1 time fee.

We also have the inside line on great hunting ranches for sale. Example: 10,000 acres 2 hours from Cordoba, with forests, hills and valleys, and over 4 miles of river front. Great opportunity for development and profit and also a great place to retire to. U$S 700,000

Kind Regards.

John Airala www.SportingD.com

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Argentina VIP Hunts, High Volume Duck, Dove, Pigeon

NWTF Convention

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - -(OutDoorWire.com)- Outdoor experts from across the country will be sharing their secrets to hunting success during the National Wild Turkey Federation’s 33rd annual Convention and Sport Show, held February 19- 22, 2009 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville.

For tens of thousands of hunters attending the convention and sport show, the plethora of seminars held throughout the weekend represents a chance to discover the edge they need to bag that boss tom, gain expert insight through question-and-answer sessions with the pros, introduce newcomers to hunting and much more.

The following represent a few of the seminars available during the weekend. Times are subject to change.

• Tips on Buddy Hunting by Alex Rutledge and Eddie Salter, Hunter’s Specialties, Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
• Using Scent Technology for Monster White-tails by Steve Stoltz, Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
• Outdoor Cooking Tips by Mark Kelly, Lodge Manufacturing, Friday, 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
• Competition Calling 101 by past NWTF/Wild Turkey Bourbon Grand National Calling Contest Champions, Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
• turkey calling 101 for Kids by Lance Hanger, NWTF Grand National Intermediate turkey calling Champion, Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
• Women in the Outdoors Fly-Tying Course by Tim Beaumont, NWTF’s 2007 Conservation Educator of the Year, Sunday, 2:00 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

But the convention and sport show is not just for hunters; a special section of the convention hall called The Roost will feature areas for youth to have fun as they learn about wildlife and the outdoors. The Roost will also host entertaining and encouraging seminars custom-tailored to help women, youth and those with disabilities discover new outdoor hobbies.

Welcoming guests to Nashville for the convention will be NWTF Spokeswoman and First Lady of Hunting™ Brenda Valentine and NWTF Spokesman and host of ”Realtree Roadtrips” and “Bone Collector” television shows Michael Waddell.

“I attended my first NWTF Convention when I was 17, and I’ve been back every single year since, said Waddell. “If you’re anticipating the 2009 spring turkey season as much as I am, the NWTF Convention and Sport Show is one event you definitely don’t want to miss.”

Since its founding in 1973, the NWTF’s volunteers have made continual advancements in wild turkey conservation and protecting America’s hunting traditions.

”Join myself, Michael and tens of thousands of your closest friends for a weekend of fun, camaraderie, patriotism and celebration of the wild turkey and its conservation success,” said Valentine. ”We’ll have something fun for everyone in Nashville this February. Join us for a brand new show in your favorite place!”

General admission tickets for the event cost only $10 daily or $25 for a three-day pass. The ticket also grants admission to the exhibit hall, where participants can stock up on the industry’s newest gear and gadgets from more than 545 exhibitors. Ticket holders can also see the world’s best turkey callers strut their stuff during the NWTF’s Grand National Calling Contests, sponsored by Wild Turkey Bourbon.

To view more seminars being held over the weekend, visit the NWTF’s Convention and Sport Show Web site at: www.nwtf.org.

More information about The Roost is available at: www.nwtf.org.

2009 NWTF Convention Sponsors:
Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, ATK/Federal Premium Ammunition, Bank of America, Bass Pro Shops, Browning, Call Makers and Collectors Association of America, Chevrolet, Crescent Cardboard Co., LLC, Foxy Huntress, Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, Harrington & Richardson Company, Knight Rifles, Leupold & Stevens, Inc., Longleaf Camo, Marlin Firearms Company, MeadWestvaco, Motorola, Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, National Band and Tag, O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., Outdoor Channel, The Outdoor Connection, Realtree Outdoor Products, Inc., Remington Arms Company, Inc., S.F.I- Sustainable Forestry Initiative, South Carolina State Chapter, Tennessee State Chapter, USDA Forest Service, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, Weatherby, Inc., Wild Turkey Bourbon, Winchester Division/Olin Corp.

To become a member of Team NWTF or get more information about the 33rd annual NWTF Convention and Sport Show, including a daily agenda, visit www.nwtf.org or call (800) THE-NWTF.

About the NWTF:
In 1973, Tom Rodgers founded the National Wild Turkey Federation in Fredericksburg, Va., as a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation and education organization with a mission dedicated to conserving wild turkeys and preserving hunting traditions. Shortly thereafter, Rodgers relocated the NWTF to Edgefield, S.C., where it’s still headquartered today.

At the time NWTF was established, there were only 1.3 million wild turkeys. Today that number stands at more than seven million birds throughout North America, thanks to the efforts of state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies, the NWTF and its members and partners.

Growth and progress define the NWTF as it has expanded from 1,300 members in 1973 to nearly a half million today. With that growth has come impressive strides in wildlife management as the NWTF has forged dynamic partnerships across the country to further its conservation mission. Together, the NWTF’s partners, sponsors and grassroots members have raised and spent more than $279 million upholding hunting traditions and conserving nearly 14 million acres of wildlife habitat.

While wild turkey restoration is nearing completion, the NWTF still has much work to do. Across North America, supporters are working to enhance habitat for wild turkeys and other wildlife while providing hunters with more opportunities and access to public and private land. In addition, NWTF volunteers and partners are introducing youth, women and people with disabilities to the outdoors through special educational events.

If you would like to become a member of Team NWTF, join a committee or start a chapter, please visit our Web site at www.nwtf.org or call us at 800-THE-NWTF.

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NWTF Convention Seminars Help Outdoor Lovers Sharpen Their Skills

HARRISBURG - -(OutDoorWire.com)- Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced that he was reinstating protection on feral swine in Bradford, Bedford, Fulton, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties in an effort to facilitate trapping by individuals permitted by the agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Under the executive order, issued in May of 2008, protection remains lifted on feral swine in the remaining 64 counties.

“Trapping is the most effective way to remove feral swine from the wild, because it limits their dispersal into new areas,” Roe said. “If funding is not available for trapping, we may consider lifting protection in these counties as well.

“The Game Commission has determined that the eradication of feral swine from Pennsylvania is necessary to prevent further harm to public and private property, threats to native wildlife and disease risks for wildlife and the state’s pork industry. We are not seeking to establish a hunting season, but we are committed to rid Pennsylvania of this invasive species.”

Roe noted that the Game Commission has launched a “Feral Swine” section on its website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), and includes links to the executive order and a map delineating the counties in which feral swine may be taken incidental to other hunting seasons.

Licensed hunters, including those who qualify for license and fee exemptions, are eligible to participate in the unlimited incidental taking of feral swine in those 64 counties where feral swine are not protected. They may use manually-operated rifles, revolvers or shotguns, as well as and muzzleloaders, bows and crossbows. All other methods and devices legal for taking feral swine must be conducted and/or used in compliance with the provisions of Section 2308 of Title 34 (Game and Wildlife Code), which can be viewed on the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) in the “Laws & Regulations” section in the left-hand column of the homepage.

Additionally, the agency may issue permits to authorize individuals to engage in feral swine trapping operations, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services. Feral swine trapping, by permitted individuals, will only be allowed from the close of the flintlock muzzleloading season in mid-January to the beginning of spring gobbler season, and from the end of spring gobbler season until the beginning of archery deer season.

Any person who kills a feral swine must report it to the Game Commission Region Office that serves the county in which the harvest took place within 24 hours. Agency personnel will gather samples to monitor for the presence of disease.

Roe encouraged residents who witness feral swine to also contact the Region Office that serves their county. For contact information, as well as list of counties that each region office serves, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), click on the “Contact Us” link in the left-hand column of the homepage and scroll down to “Region Offices.”

Nearly 25 states across the nation have persistent and possibly permanent populations of feral swine established in the wild, and Pennsylvania is one of 16 new states where introduction is more recent and may still be countered through decisive eradication efforts.

Feral swine have been declared to be an injurious, non-native, invasive species of concern in Pennsylvania that are suspected to have been introduced into the wilds of this Commonwealth through a variety of means, including both intentional and unintentional releases. Feral swine also have been determined to pose a significant, imminent and unacceptable threat to this Commonwealth’s natural resources, including wildlife and its habitats; the agricultural industry, including crop and livestock production; the forest products industry; and human health and safety.

The Game and Wildlife Code (Title 34) and agency regulations (Title 58) provide broad authority to the Game Commission to regulate activities relating to the protection, preservation and management of all game and wildlife. However, the agency was only declared to have jurisdiction over matters relating to feral swine by the state Supreme Court in Seeton v. PGC. In its decision, handed down on Dec. 27, 2007, the Supreme Court decision declared feral swine to be “protected mammals,” and, as a consequence, feral swine could only be taken as authorized by the agency.

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Game Commission Restricts Take Of Feral Swine In Five Counties

New Jersey – -(AmmoLand.com)- Below is a very good article about the status of a black bear hunt in NJ. It is easily understood and highlights the courts decision that “The court invalidated the 2005 plan because the state had not met all the requirements set down in law on notifying the public about a new policy or policy change.
*** It did not rule on the validity of either side’s arguments about the plan itself.”***

Again, the courts did not rule that DEP has the power to establish or deny a bear hunt – or the validity of either sides plan.

There is currently an effort by ouitdoor groups to bring the issue back to the courts. This is something that the DEP wants to avoid since they may be vulnerable as to whether they have provided a sound bear management plan. This may undermine their position before the courts.

Bear Acitvity (incidents) have dramatically increased between 2007 and 2008.

• Category 1 incidsents/encounters (most serious) have increased by 2.5 times (112 to 276)
• Category 2 incidents/encounters have increased 2 times (726 to 1489)
• Category 3 have incidents/encounters increased 2 times (570 to 1059)

Article:

Efforts renewed for Black Bear Management plan

By BRUCE A. SCRUTON Newton (NJ) Herald Jan. 25, 2009

With a new acting commissioner in place at the state Department of Environmental Protection, the state’s Fish and Game Council has renewed efforts to get a black bear management plan in place.

The council, which has authority under the state Constitution to set hunting and fishing rules and regulations, had been stalemated with former commissioner Lisa Jackson over whether the state’s bear policy should contain provisions for a hunting season.

When Jackson left the department, first to become Gov. Jon S. Corzine’s chief of staff and more recently to head the federal Environmental Protection Agency, a career DEP official, Mark Mauriello, was named as acting commissioner.

“We sent him a letter, outlining the issue and updating him,” said Jeannette Vreeland, a member of the Fish and Game Council and its acting chairwoman. “We told him we are interested in working on the issue.”

Darlene Yuhas, spokeswoman for the DEP, said the commissioner has received the letter and the staff is “actively working with the council” on the bear management issue. She said she did not know if there had been face-to-face meetings or simply an exchange of letters or memos.

State courts have said the state must have a black bear management plan in place before the council can determine a hunting season. Len Wolgast, a member of the game council who was primary author of the council’s 2005 and 2007 management plan proposals, said he has been told Mauriello “is a much more reasonable man,” and hoped that being a career official within DEP, he might take biologists’ opinions more seriously.

Corzine has been adamant in his opposition to a bear hunt and those wishes were carried out by Jackson who, in 2006, suspended the 2005 bear management plan which had allowed hunts in 2003 and 2005 in the northwestern part of the state.

That plan became subject to two lawsuits, one filed by sportsmen’s groups and the other by animal rights groups.

The court invalidated the 2005 plan because the state had not met all the requirements set down in law on notifying the public about a new policy or policy change. It did not rule on the validity of either side’s arguments about the plan itself.

That decision came in 2007 and resulted in the council’s 2007 proposal, which offered a compromise.

Jackson’s position had been that non-lethal methods should be used to control the bear population and the number of bear-human encounters. While admitting that birth control is not an effective tool, she said education and control of garbage would be enough to lower the number of incidents involving bears.

The council’s proposal offered to give Jackson’s approach a year to work and said if incidents did not drop by 30 percent, a hunt would be held in 2008. If incidents didn’t drop another 30 percent, another hunt would be held in 2009.

Jackson rejected the proposal out-of-hand and said no plan would be adopted if it even mentioned a hunt.

According to the DEP’s figures on black bear complaints, the number of serious incidents rose last year by about 150 percent, from 112 in 2007 to 277 in 2008. All three categories of complaints more than doubled last year.

“There’s no doubt the problems with bears are growing, and we’re going to have more bears this year than last,” Vreeland said. “The time to act is now and a new policy, which includes a hunt, needs to be done.”

Thank you

Ant Anthony P. Mauro, Sr. Chairman, New Jersey Outdoor Alliance: “Because a lot happens behind our backs while we’re enjoying the outdoors.” www.njoutdooralliance.org

About:
NJOACF Council Members: Reef Rescue * NJ State Federation Sportsmen’s Clubs * Jersey Coast Anglers Association * Recreational Fishing Alliance * Trout Unlimited * National Wild Turkey Federation * NJ Beach Buggy Association * Hudson River Fishermen’s Association * United Bow Hunters NJ * New Jersey Council Diving Clubs * NJ Trappers Association * NJ Forestry Association * Society of American Foresters * Quail Unlimited * Ruffed Grouse Society * NJOA

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New Jeresey Black Bear: Activity, Court Status, New DEP Commissioner

Washington – -(AmmoLand.com)- With votes in and ballots counted, the Bainbridge Island Sportsmen’ss Club welcomes its newly elected officers for 2009. Attorney Lynda McMaken (http://www.lyndahmcmaken.com) was elected President of the club, with Steve Korn as Vice President and Debbie Cauthers as Treasurer. Trustees for 2009 are Jim Walkowski, Matt Haney, Steve Carstensen, Steve Humphrey, Pete Cholometes and Robert Cromwell.

I consider it an honor to have been elected President of the Bainbridge Sportsmen’ss Club, a Bainbridge Island tradition for eight decades. says McMaken. I intend to work hard to further the club’s reputation as an outstanding resource for our sportsmen and sportswomen. I encourage everyone in the area to visit and join our growing membership.

The new officers and trustees are preparing for an exciting year that will see improvements to the pistol range and clubhouse, and beginning work on the brand new archery range. Club members expressed gratitude for the tireless leadership and dedication of outgoing President Steve Korn. Korn, in turn, thanked outgoing Treasurer Bill Omaits for his valuable work over the years.

The Bainbridge Island Sportsman Club, founded in 1929, promotes conservation of our natural resources and provides recreational, educational and charitable opportunities. Located on 17 wooded acres at 8203 Sportsman Club Road, Bainbridge Island, Wash., the club provides a venue for members to enjoy safe and courteous use of their firearms.

The club welcomes visitors and new members. For more information, a calendar of events and a copy of the latest newsletter – The Sportsman – please visit the Bainbridge Island Sportsmen’s Club website at www.bainbridgesportsmensclub.org . Mailing address is PO BOX 10421, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110. Phone: (206) 780-9374

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Bainbridge Island Sportsmens Club, Wa Installs New Officers for 2009

West Virginia - -(OutDoorWire.com)- The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources reminds trappers that the trapping season for fisher will end on January 31, 2009. This will be followed a month later, on February 28, 2009, by the closing of hunting and trapping seasons for fox, raccoon and bobcat. Hunters and trappers are required to tag all fisher pelts and unskinned bobcats at an official game checking station within 30 days of the close of their respective seasons. Fox and raccoon pelts are not required to be checked at a game checking station.

Trappers, hunters and fur dealers are reminded that furs shipped out of West Virginia must have a fur shipping tag that is available at West Virginia Division of Natural Resources District Offices and most checking stations.

Bobcat hunters and trappers should also obtain a CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) seal for each pelt they plan to sell outside of the State of West Virginia. All bobcat pelts usually exported from the United States by licensed fur buyers must have a CITES seal from the state where the animal was trapped. These seals may be obtained from theElkins Operations Center and any West Virginia DNR District Office. Calling ahead is advised to ensure that personnel authorized to seal bobcat pelts will be available.

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West Virginia Closing Dates for Fisher, Fox, Raccoon, and Bobcat Seasons

HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA – Pennsylvania Game Commission officials are set to offer hunters the opportunity to participate in a snow goose conservation hunt designed to help stem the growth of continental snow goose populations.

Hunters must obtain a free snow goose conservation hunt permit and report cards from the agency to participate in the season, which will be held from March 11 through April 1. To do so, hunters can access the “Snow Goose Conservation Hunt” page by clicking on the appropriate icon in the center of the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) and then following the instructions. By completing the application online, hunters will be able to print off the permit and report cards and will not have to wait for the package to be mailed.

For those individuals with no online access, permits and the required report cards can be obtained by calling the Game Commission at the Harrisburg headquarters (717-787-4250) and asking for the Bureau of Wildlife Management. However, this process will require mailing the permit and report cards to the applicant, so allow a minimum of one week for processing and mail delivery to obtain a permit.

“Snow goose populations have reached levels that are causing extensive and possibly irreversible damage to their, as well as other nesting birds’, arctic and sub-arctic breeding grounds,” pointed out John Dunn, Game Commission waterfowl biologist. “For some populations of snow geese their nesting habitats can no longer support these large numbers. What’s more, these geese are beginning to impact fragile coastal marsh habitats and crops in Mid-Atlantic States and Quebec.

“It’s likely that North America has never had as many snow geese as it does now. The current population of greater snow geese that inhabits the Atlantic Flyway is estimated at more than one million birds, more than double the management goal of 500,000. They have become a huge and unexpected problem for themselves and other wildlife that shares the wintering and breeding grounds these waterfowl occupy.”

The quickest and probably most effective way for wildlife managers to respond to the problem is to allow additional hunting days – and new hunting methods – to reduce and stabilize snow goose populations. That’s why the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service first offered states the opportunity to allow hunters to take snow geese at a time when all other waterfowl seasons are closed. This will include an option to allow hunting hours for this special snow goose season to extend one-half hour after sunset. Currently, all waterfowl shooting hours close at sundown, except for the September Canada goose season. Also, the Board of Game Commissioners recently gave preliminary approval to allow the use of electronic calls during this conservation hunt. The daily bag limit during the conservation hunt will be 15 daily with no possession limit.

“Currently, the regular snow goose season runs from Nov. 6 through March 10, with a daily limit of 15 birds,” Dunn said. “The additional hunting days offered after March 10 will provide hunters additional opportunity to harvest snow geese.”

Participating states are required by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to monitor and assess hunting activity and harvest. That is why the Game Commission has created the free Snow Goose Conservation Hunt Permit.

“Along with this new permit, hunters must possess a general hunting license, migratory game bird license and a federal duck stamp (for those 16 or older),” Dunn said. “The permit holder will be required to maintain records specifying hunting activity and daily harvest. All permit holders must submit a report, even if they did not hunt or harvest any birds, to the Game Commission no later than April 15. Failure to report by April 15 may result in loss of eligibility to participate in next year’s snow goose conservation hunt.”

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PA Game Commission Prepares For Special Snow Goose Season

Kentucky Afield

Frankfort, Kentucky - -(TheOutdoorWire.com)- In half a century, Kentucky’s white-tailed deer herd grew from 1,000 animals to a million today. Wild turkeys increased from about 800 birds to a quarter-million, and we are now home to 10,000 free-ranging elk, the largest elk population east of the Rocky Mountains. All are now hunted in Kentucky.

A new big game species came closer to joining that list this week when legislators approved a pending regulatory amendment that will create Kentucky’s first black bear season in more than 100 years.

“Sportsmen and sportswomen of Kentucky should be very excited,” said Steven Dobey, black bear biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “Bears are now well established in eastern Kentucky and research shows that population growth has risen steadily over the last 20 years.”

Historically, the range of black bears throughout much of the eastern U.S. was diminished significantly by habitat loss due to wholesale logging and unregulated harvest. Today, however, black bears are more abundant than at any point since the mid-1900s, and Kentucky is no exception. Once logged forests have naturally matured and now offer excellent bear habitat throughout much of the southern Appalachian region of the Commonwealth.

“The 2009 hunt quota is a conservative one of 10 bears, or 5 females, whichever limit is reached first,” said Dobey. “The 2-day season will occur on the third weekend in December and bears may only be hunted within a 3-county bear zone of Harlan, Letcher, and Pike counties. Research clearly shows that Kentucky’s bear population can sustain a hunt.”

The League of Kentucky Sportsmen and others have pushed for a Kentucky black bear hunt for several years. League President Rick Allen recently testified before a legislative committee in support of creating the state’s first bear season. A decade-long University of Kentucky black bear population study is supportive as well.

The timing of this hunt is critical, as ongoing tracking of radiocollared bears shows that most females enter dens during the first week in December. As such, the hunt will concentrate efforts on male bears. The bear zone was identified based on a decade of population monitoring and research that indicates this area of the Pine, Cumberland and Black Mountain region has the highest bear densities.

The 6,000-acre Hensley-Pine Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Letcher County will be closed to all bear hunting and serve as a sanctuary for denning females. On an additional 12,421 acres surrounding this wildlife management area, bear hunting will be limited to landowners, their spouses and dependent children hunting on their own property.

Collectively, the bear sanctuary will stretch from the town of Cumberland to the northern end of the wildlife management area, bounded by KY 160 and U.S. 119 along either side of Pine Mountain.

“Since 2006, 77 percent of all radiocollared female bears have denned on Pine Mountain,” Dobey continued. “Minimizing hunting pressure in this area will protect critical denning habitat for females and greatly assist in our ongoing management efforts.”

The purchase of a $30 black bear permit will be available only to Kentucky residents. All bears harvested must be Telechecked and taken to a department-operated check station. All bear hunters will be required to call an automated telephone number by 9 p.m. after the first day of the hunt to learn whether the quota has been reached. If the quota is met on day one, then the season will be closed. Baiting for bears and the use of hounds will be prohibited.

About:
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources manages, regulates, enforces and promotes responsible use of all fish and wildlife species, their habitats, public wildlife areas and waterways for the benefit of those resources and for public enjoyment. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, has an economic impact to the state of $4.5 billion annually. For more information on the department, visit our web site at fw.ky.gov.

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Kentucky Black Bear Hunt Approved For The 2009 Season

TenPoint 200 Pound GT MAG Crossbow

Suffield, OHIO - TenPoint Crossbow Technologies®, a leader in the production of technologically advanced, high-performance crossbows known for balance and precision shooting, introduces the NEW 6 Point Series GT Mag, TenPoint’s newest generation in recurve crossbow power and performance.

Unlike the 2008 6 Point variable-position GT Flex recurve, which could be mounted in 180, 125, or 90-pound shooting positions, the GT Mag is a single-position 200-pound draw weight recurve that will launch a 420,400, or 350 grain , 20-inch arrow at 307, 320, or 335+ fps respectively.

The GT Mag’s two-piece stock assembly features a one-inch longer UL TriLoc CNC aircraft aluminum extruded barrel equipped with TenPoint’s patented PowerTouch 3 ½ pound trigger. This modified 6 Point bow assembly will also accept the NEW 6 Point Series Defender CLS bow assembly, which can be purchased separately or in a unique combination package along with the GT Mag.

The GT Mag bow assembly features Gordon Composite laminated recurve limbs, which pound-for-pound produce the highest energy transfer rating of any crossbow recurve limb available today. At the heart of the limb design is a ground and tapered power-generating glass core supported by a cross-weaved glass filler that establishes the required limb thickness and adds unparalleled stability and durability to the overall construction. This design package is then captured on both sides by premium S-Glass outer skins to complete a classic design which now sets the standard for crossbow recurve limb performance.

All GT Mag’s come packaged with a 3x ProView Scope, 4-Arrow Quiver, and three Easton aluminum arrows with practice points. TenPoint’s patented ACUdraw or ACUdraw 50 cocking mechanism may be added as an option. The GT Mag is also available as a crossbow only with a peep and pin sight system.

Double-dip fluid imaged in Mossy Oak Treestand ®, the GT Mag is quieter and more compact and maneuverable than its recurve competitors.

About:
TenPoint Crossbow Technologies is a world class manufacturer of crossbows that’s recognized as an industry standard for power, performance, precision engineering, durability, and safety.

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TenPoint adds 200 Pound GT MAG Crossbow

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX — The 2009 Pronghorn Antelope and Elk Hunt Draw Information booklets are now available at all Arizona Game and Fish Department offices and license dealers statewide. Applications are now being accepted by mail only.

Apply before Jan. 22, and if there is an error in your application, the department will make three attempts, within a 24-hour period, to notify you by telephone (if a phone number is provided) to get the application to be corrected. Errors can cause your application to be rejected from the draw process.

A 2009 hunting license is required to apply. Department officials encourage hunters to get their license before applying for an elk or antelope hunt permit-tag if they wish to do any other hunting in early 2009. Licenses purchased through the draw process will not be mailed out until April 24, 2009, regardless of application success.

Hunters are reminded there is no online application process. The final deadline to submit paper applications for a 2009 hunt permit-tag for antelope and elk hunts through the draw process is Tuesday, Feb. 10 by 7 p.m. (MST). Applications must be received by mail or by hand delivery to department offices before the deadline; postmarks don’t count.

To assist customers and reduce errors, a PDF application form can be filled out using a computer and keyboard, but must be printed, signed and submitted by mail (along with the correct fees by check or money order), or by delivery to any department office. The form can also be printed and then filled out using an ink pen.

The PDF application and the 2009 Arizona Pronghorn Antelope and Elk Hunt Draw Information booklet can be downloaded at www.azgfd.gov/draw.

The elk over-the-counter nonpermit-tags (for limited areas) are also available in 2009. These tags are akin to a “limited opportunity” hunt in areas with very low elk populations. Hunters interested should thoroughly review the regulations and visit www.azgfd.gov/otc to download the “2009 Elk OTC Informational Handout” PDF for frequently asked questions, hunt area boundary descriptions and area maps before purchasing.

For those hunters looking to get into the field before the fall, there are many spring javelina hunt permit-tags available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Javelina over-the-counter archery-only nonpermit-tags for metro Game Management Units are also available at any department office or license dealer. For a list of available spring javelina hunts, visit www.azgfd.gov/draw under “List of Leftover Permits for Spring 2009 hunts (PDF, 45kb).”

Note: The big game draw is a lottery-style process for allocating the limited number of Arizona big game hunting permits to applicants. The department typically receives far more applications than there are available permits for the elk and antelope draw. Wildlife conservation and management of game animals by the Arizona Game and Fish Department is made possible by funding generated from the sale of hunting licenses, hunt permit-tags, and matching funds from federal excise taxes hunters pay on guns, ammunition and related equipment.

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 Elk And Antelope Hunting Permit Applications Due By Feb. 10

West Virginia - -(OutDoorWire.com)- Preliminary counts of game checking tags indicate West Virginia hunters harvested a total of 162,371 white-tailed deer during the recently completed bucks-only, antlerless, muzzleloader, bow and youth/Class Q deer seasons, according to Division of Natural Resources Director Frank Jezioro. This year’s total harvest was 11 percent above the 2007 deer harvest of 145,937 and ranks as the 15th highest total on record. Hunters killed 68,540 bucks, 54,704 antlerless season deer, 30,749 archery season deer and 8,378 muzzleloader season deer during the 2008 season.
Antlerless Deer Season

The 2008 antlerless deer season, which includes the youth/Class Q deer hunts, was 25 percent above 2007, due in part to the increase in hunter opportunities to take antlerless deer. “It is important to note that part of the deer management strategy is to regulate the harvest of antlerless deer in individual counties to raise or lower the deer population,” said Jezioro. The top 10 counties were: Preston (2,843), Jackson (2,173), Mason (2,155), Wood (2,118), Lewis (2,051), Harrison (1,921), Wetzel (1,866), Ritchie (1,792), Barbour (1,728) and Monongalia (1,676).

“Continued doe harvests are the key to healthier, heavier, and more productive deer herds. Guided by our deer harvest management plan, we will continue to recommend appropriate antlerless harvests for the benefit of not only the deer herd, but also all wildlife dependent on our state’s woodland habitat,” said Jezioro.
Muzzleloader Deer Season

The 2008 muzzleloader harvest of 8,378 was nine percent above the 2007 harvest and ranks as the 16th highest total on record. The increase in harvest is attributed in part to the increased number of counties open to either sex muzzleloader hunting. Generally, antlerless deer make up 80 percent of the muzzleloader season harvest. The top 10 counties were: Braxton (538), Lewis (392), Preston (320), Mason (299), Ritchie (297), Jackson (279), Roane (270), Gilmer (267), Wood (264) and Barbour (245).
Archery Deer Season

The bow hunters take of 30,749 deer was12 percent above the 2007 harvest of 27,440 and ranks as the 6th highest on record. The top 10 counties were: Preston (1,434), Randolph (1,268), Kanawha (878), Nicholas (870), Monongalia (854), Mason (825), Greenbrier (788), Wyoming (746), McDowell (741), and Jackson(733).

(Note: If your e-mail viewer does not properly display the deer harvest chart below, you can see it on the WVDNR Web site athttp://www.wvdnr.gov/news.shtm )

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West Virginia Hunters Harvest 162,371 Deer in 2008

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced that the agency is lowering the minimum age required for its “independent study” Hunter-Trapper Education Class to 11 years of age.

When first initiated in 2006, the Game Commission joined a nationwide trend among conservation agencies to provide quality hunter education on-line, but limited participating in the course to first-time hunters at least 17-years-of-age. On Sept. 1, the agency lowered the minimum age to 14.

“The concept of obtaining a license for first-time hunters by foregoing the traditional two-day or three-day course recognizes the time constraints of today’s world,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. “Distance learning meets the need of today’s changing world by accommodating busy lifestyles, and many young people are already demonstrating that they are able to learn course materials online.

“While hunting is recognized as an opportunity for families to spend quality time together, the actual process of obtaining a first-time hunting license is often the main impediment to people wanting to start out. Distance learning allows students to conveniently study at their own speed with a minimum amount of classroom time.”

Registration is available on-line at the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by clicking on the “Hunter Education Classes” icon in the center of the homepage. After reading the instructions on how to register, click on the “Go to Calendar” button at the top of the page, and then scroll down and select an “Independent Study” class meeting your scheduling needs.

Once registered, the student is given the option of studying course material online or requesting a copy of a printed manual. Then, on a given date and time, students who completed the home-study portion of the course will spend time with a District Wildlife Conservation Officer to learn about the Game and Wildlife Code, hunting ethics and landowner relations. Students then take the certification test.

“Most students spend about eight to 10 hours completing the home-study portion of the course,” said Keith Snyder, Hunter-Trapper Education Division chief. “Independent study is an established concept used by many universities and other institutions of higher learning. The Game Commission believes our distance learning program provides a needed convenience to busy students.”

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Minimum Age Lowered For Hunter Education Independent Study

Millennium M-100 Multi-System Hang-On Stand

The Hunting Solutions

Pearl, Mississippi - -(AmmoLand.com)- If comfort is a non-negotiable when tree-stand hunting, then consider the Millennium M-100 Multi-System Hang-On Stand. Featuring a comfortable one-piece Textiline® sling seat, which is UV-, moisture-, and scent-resistant and a large 38″L x20″W platform, the M-100 Hang-On Stand is especially designed for all-day hunting.

Constructed of triangular tubing, the platform easily supports up to 300 pounds. Hefty 1,600-pound capacity platform cables keep even the “big-boy” hunters’ minds at ease during the hunt.

The specially designed male seat fitting slips into the Cam-Lock Receiver easily and quietly so you can be hunting within seconds.

The Secure Receiver Chain with a Cam-Lock system ensures the stand is always solidly secured to any location without penetrating or damaging the tree. Exclusively designed for the New Millennium, all-aluminum tubing and extrusions are fluted to reduce weight.

No bolts here, the stand features all-welded seams for superior strength and construction. The permanently mounted bungee strap keeps the folded stand securely closed during transport, and thanks to the feather-light, all-aluminum construction, the stand weighs only 14 pounds, which makes toting it through the woods a breeze.

Features:

• Durable powder-coat finish
• Comfortable, quiet, easy setup
• GoLite, all-aluminum construction
• ComfortTech contoured, tight Textilene® sling seat
• Seat folds against tree providing entire platform for standing shots
• Easily folds flat for backpacking
• The stand and full-body harness are both TMA certified.
• Lifetime warranty

Check out www.huntingsolutionsusa.com for more info.

About:
Hunting Solutions was founded in 1999 our mission is to provide hunters with safe, high quality products at a fair price. Hunting Solutions is dedicated to quality design and workmanship that can be seen in all our products. This is how we are able to offer an unlimited lifetime warranty.

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Millennium M-100 Multi-System Hang-On Tree Stand

National Park Service - Until recently, the National Park Service has used park staff or contract sharpshooters to reduce populations of elk and deer within national parks to achieve herd levels that the habitat can support.  As a result of NRA’s advocacy for the use of hunters to assist in such operations, the Service is now obligated to consider the use of skilled volunteers (e.g. hunters).

The Elk Reduction Plan for Rocky Mountain National Park, CO is the first such plan to include skilled volunteers.  The Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP) plan, which is open for public comment until Sunday, March 15, presents 6 action alternatives.  Under Alternative B, skilled volunteers would become part of a pool of available personnel that could assist in the culling operations.  Under Alternative E, the Service would look at ways to enhance elk hunting opportunities outside the park, in cooperation with the North Dakota Game & Fish Department, the U.S. Forest Service, and adjacent landowners.

Public meetings will be held although specific dates and locations have not been announced.

The draft plan is available at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/thro.

You may submit your comments using the above website or mail your comments to Superintendent Valerie Naylor, TRNP, Box 7, Medora, ND 58645-0007.  Hunters are considered the first conservationists and have been a valuable asset to wildlife managers in keeping wildlife in balance with its habitat and other natural resources.  We encourage you to comment on the draft plan and support the use of hunters at TRNP, as well as supporting efforts by the Service and the state of North Dakota to enhance hunting opportunities outside the park.

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Please Stand-Up and Make Your Voices Heard Contact the National Park Service

Mule Deer Foundation

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) completed a million dollars in on the ground habitat projects for mule deer and black-tailed deer in 2008. Thousands of acres of habitat have been restored or improved through these efforts.

MDF aggressively pursued habitat restoration projects in 14 states. Local MDF chapters worked closely with state wildlife agencies and federal land management agencies to fund a variety of habitat projects. These ranged from planting bitterbrush seedlings on deer winter range, water developments, reseeding of wildland fires, and restoration of critical sagebrush winter ranges. MDF was also a partner in the purchase of the Moylan Creek property near Denton, Mont., 1,000 acres which connects over 14,000 acres of public access land.

MDF members even stepped up to donate money to help feed deer last winter in Utah and Colorado. They volunteered hundreds of hours to help these states’ wildlife agencies get feed to starving deer on snow covered winter ranges.

MDF President and CEO Miles Moretti said, “2008 was a record breaking year for the Mule Deer Foundation. We have been able to put money on the ground through over 100 local MDF chapters, the sale of state wildlife auction tags and generous donations from members and volunteers. MDF has adopted the motto of ‘Saving Deer One Acre at a Time!’”

Moretti went on to say, “We could not have done it without the help of our passionate, dedicated members. MDF is committed to funding even more on the ground projects in 2009.”

If you want to help with a local project, start a local chapter or work on a local chapter committee, please contact MDF at 801-747-3344 or president@muledeer.org. You may also visit our Web site, www.muledeer.org, to learn more about the Mule Deer Foundation.

About MDF (www.muledeer.org)
The Mule Deer Foundation is a national non-profit 501(c)3 organization, with over 12,000 members. MDF’s mission is to ensure the conservation of mule deer, black-tailed deer and their habitats. MDF is dedicated to restoring, improving and protecting mule deer habitat (including land and easement acquisitions) resulting in self-sustaining, healthy, free ranging and huntable deer populations; encouraging and supporting responsible wildlife management with government agencies, private organizations and landowners; promoting public education and scientific research related to mule deer and wildlife management; supporting and encouraging responsible and ethical behavior and awareness of issues among those whose actions affect mule deer; and acknowledging regulated hunting as a viable component of mule deer and black-tailed deer conservation.

For information about the Mule Deer Foundation please call 888-375-DEER (3337).

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Mule Deer Foundation Saving Deer One Acre at a Time

Clay County Kentucky Elk Hunter Holds New State Record

Frankfort, Kentucky - Kelvin Jackson of Clay County holds Kentucky’s new state record for a non-typical bull elk. Jackson’s 8×8 bull, shot Oct. 4 in Harlan County, officially scored 367 7/8 in the Boone & Crockett Club’s scoring system. The bull beat the previous non-typical record of 349 3/8 held by Andy Kidd of McCreary County.

“When I got drawn for a bull permit, you can ask my wife, I was like a kid,” Jackson said. “That’s the first time I’ve felt that way since I was seven years old.”

Jackson decided not to hunt in his home county, opting instead to try a county with a larger population of elk. He began scouting Harlan County in July.

“I wasn’t after a state record or anything,” said Jackson, who had previously hunted elk in Colorado. “I’m kind of a meat hunter – everything I harvest, I enjoy it.”

Local residents helped Jackson locate elk, and he received permission to scout and hunt on private land.
“I went to people in a little place they call Greasy,” remembered Jackson. “They told me where they’ve been seeing elk. When I found the herd, there were 22 cows and seven bulls. I stayed behind a big mound of dirt to watch them, up into August. I’d go there once a week to watch them.”

Jackson’s work paid off. As he studied the herd’s behavior, he prepared to take a long-range shot.
“They were in a field, and if you approached them, they would leave,” Jackson said. “I practiced shooting long-range because I figured I’d have to do that.”

Jackson took the bull at 465 yards with one shot from his 300 Remington Ultra Magnum. The bull’s antlers had to dry for 60 days before official scoring could take place.

Jackson’s elk is the largest non-typical bull officially scored and reported to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources for the 2008 season.

“This bull is an outstanding example of what conservation can accomplish,” said Tina Brunjes, big game program coordinator for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. “A little more than a decade ago, Kentucky had no wild elk. Today, we have a large, healthy herd that consistently produces quality animals that any hunter would be proud to take home.”

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife intends to issue 1,000 quota elk hunting permits for the 2009-10 season. The state’s herd is now estimated at 9,000 animals.

“Our restoration program has reached a management stage,” Brunjes said. “It will take the help of hunters, along with sound, science-based management decisions, to maintain the kind of elk herd that produces such an exceptional bull.”

So far this season, no hunter has reported a typical bull larger than the 371 0/8 elk taken last year by Greg Neff of Kenton County. Archery season for elk, however, continues through Jan. 19, 2009.

Elk lottery applications for the 2009-10 hunting season are on sale now through April 30 for $10 online at fw.ky.gov. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife will conduct a random drawing in May to award the quota hunt permits. The department plans to issue 250 bull and 750 cow elk hunting permits.

About:
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources manages, regulates, enforces and promotes responsible use of all fish and wildlife species, their habitats, public wildlife areas and waterways for the benefit of those resources and for public enjoyment. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, an agency of the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, has an economic impact to the state of $4.5 billion annually. For more information on the department, visit our web site at fw.ky.gov.

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Clay County Kentucky Elk Hunter Holds New State Record

COLUMBUS, OHIO - Hunters killed 16,382 deer on December 20-21, during the weekend of gun hunting, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

The extra weekend of gun hunting was first offered in 2006 in response to hunters’ request for additional weekend days to pursue white-tailed deer, the state’s number one big game animal. In 2007, hunters took 17,710 deer during those two days.

Counties leading the state in deer killed over the weekend included: Tuscarawas – 868, Harrison – 724, Licking – 594, Guernsey – 534, Holmes – 522, Coshocton – 514, Ashtabula and Washington – 426, Jefferson – 394 and Belmont – 389.

A total of 218,890 deer have been harvested so far this season when combining the adult and youth gun seasons, early muzzleloader season and the first nine weeks of the archery season. Hunters took a total of 232,854 deer during all of last year’s hunting seasons.

Hunters can continue to enjoy deer hunting December 27-30, during the statewide muzzleloader season, and through February 1, 2009 as the archery season continues.

Hunters have been encouraged to kill more does this season and donate any extra venison to organizations assisting Ohioans in need. The Division is collaborating with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) to help pay for the processing of donated venison. Hunters who give their deer to a food bank are not required to pay the processing cost as long as the deer are taken to a participating processor and funding for the effort lasts. Counties being served by this program can be found online at http://fhfh.org/.

Hunters who wish to share their successes can submit a photo of themselves and the deer they took during this year’s hunt. The photo submission process is easy and once the photo is posted, it can be e-mailed to a friend. Go to wildohio.com and click on New! Submit Your Deer Photos and More.

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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Tuscarawas County Ohio Leads State in Weekend Deer-Gun Harvest Numbers

COLUMBUS, OHIO – Hunters took 20,659 deer during Ohio’s four-day muzzleloader season, December 27-30, with Tuscarawas County again leading the state with 934 deer checked. Last year, a preliminary total of 21,473 deer was taken during muzzleloader season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

Counties reporting the highest number of deer checked during the muzzleloader season included: Tuscarawas-934, Washington-774, Harrison-764, Licking-688, Meigs-613, Coshocton-598, Guernsey-565, Belmont-539, Monroe-533 and Holmes-528.

A total of 239,549 deer have been harvested so far this season when combining the adult and youth gun seasons, early and statewide muzzleloader seasons, and the first nine weeks of the archery season. Hunters took a total of 232,854 deer during all of last year’s hunting seasons.

Hunters can continue to enjoy deer hunting through February 1, 2009 as the archery season continues.

Hunters have been encouraged to kill more does this season 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 give their deer to a food bank are not required to pay the processing cost as long as the deer are taken to a participating processor and funding for the effort lasts. Counties being served by this program can be found online at http://fhfh.org/.

Hunters who wish to share their success can submit a photo of themselves and the deer they killed this year at Wildohio.com.

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Ohio Statewide Muzzleloader Season Comes to an End

Join Ted for a Hunt Adventure on the Ted Nugent Porkslam

Tednugent.com - -(AmmoLand.com)- For the ultimate in hunting fun, join Ted on his specialty Nuge campfires wherever he may seek the mighty Spirit of the Wild. You will come away from a Ted Nugent hunt with memories unavailable anywhere else in life, we assure you. Come experience the kind of hunts you see on Ted Nugent’s Spirit of the Wild TV. You will be moved!

Dates March 20-21, 2009

Sunrize Acres offers monster trophy Russian & Austrian HogBeasts – Primo Adventure Guaranteed! Uncle Ted will join in on the hog hunting for one day of the two day event to stoke fires within each and every WhackMaster and WhackMistress – Join us won’t you?

Only a few spots left – BOOK NOW!

See the PorkSlam Photo Gallery

Read what other hunters have to say about this hunt

About:

With attacks against the sportsmen coming from every direction, it is nice to have a voice come from our corner. Thanks to Ted Nugent for being that voice. Thanks for bucking political correctness to instead speak out for those of us who are willing to take responsibility for some of the meat we put on our plates. With so many antis in Hollyweird grabbing headlines these days, I wish more performing artists would follow Ted’s lead and speak out against those who wish to outlaw hunting.  Visit www.Tednugent.com for more info.

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Join Ted for a Hunt Adventure of a Lifetime on the Ted Nugent Porkslam

Arizona Game and Fish Department

New Apprentice Hunting License Offers A “Test Drive” At No Cost
License encourages sportsmen to mentor others, assist hunter recruitment effort in Arizona

PHOENIX — -(AmmoLand.com)-  Effective Jan. 1, the Arizona Game and Fish Department is offering a new “Apprentice Hunting License,” at no charge, to encourage existing hunters to become mentors and introduce a friend, neighbor, relative, or co-worker to the traditions and importance of hunting.

The Apprentice License allows an already licensed hunter to take a beginner on an actual hunt—without the beginner having to buy a hunting license. The Apprentice License is free for residents and nonresidents and is valid for two consecutive days for the take of small game, fur-bearing, predatory and nongame mammals, nongame birds, and upland game birds. (To take migratory birds or waterfowl, the appropriate stamps are required at normal costs). The license is not valid for the take of big game.

Many people express an interest in hunting but are deterred either because of not knowing how to get started or the initial expense. The Apprentice Hunting License removes the initial cost barrier of having to buy a license (which costs between $26.50 and $151.25, depending on age and residency), so that newcomers can “try before they buy.”

“This will allow a seasoned hunter to take someone new under their wing and teach them the basics about hunting, firearm safety, and wildlife conservation without cost prohibitive burdens,” said Chairman Bill McLean of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. “There are many states with this type of license, and it has become a model for removing barriers in the national effort to increase hunter participation.”

The Apprentice Hunting License is only available at Arizona Game and Fish Department offices. The mentor must be at least 18 years old and possess a valid hunting license and is limited to two Apprentice Hunting Licenses per calendar year. The license must be made out to the name of the apprentice, with the mentor’s name associated with the license. The apprentice can only receive one license per calendar year. The mentor is required to be with the apprentice at all times while in the field, providing instruction and supervision on safe and ethical hunting.

“This is a great opportunity to help preserve and expand Arizona’s hunting heritage and wildlife management through the next generation,” said Craig McMullen, Hunter Heritage Work Group team leader for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “Not only will this allow someone new to experience the thrill of the hunt, this also allows mentors to teach others about wildlife conservation and the important role that hunters, as conservationists play, in the management of all wildlife.”

“Outside of getting new hunters in the field, safety is our number one concern. Hunting in Arizona is very safe, and we have one of the lowest accident rates in the United States,” said Dave Williams, hunter education coordinator of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “A good mentor will instill the basics of wearing hunter orange and how to safely handle a firearm through T.A.B.+1: Treat every firearm as if it were loaded; Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction; Be sure of your target and beyond; and keep your finger outside of the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot. Nearly every hunting-related accident can be avoided by following these simple principles”

However, with the added flexibility comes added responsibility. Mentors need to set a good example to these impressionable new comers. Mentors should consider the following guidelines:

Focus on the experience not the harvest Obey all laws Keep your apprentices physical limits in mind Be informative Teach field dressing and cooking Take pictures Plan a follow-up outing Seasoned hunters can start the New Year giving. By introducing someone new to hunting, you are giving the gift of the American hunting heritage. Quail season runs until Feb. 8, 2009, cottontail rabbit season runs all year long and the both make excellent quarry (as well as, great table fare) for new hunters. A 2009 hunting license is required beginning Jan. 1, 2009.

Visit the Arizona Game and Fish Department self-paced online hunter education course to learn more about hunting safely, hunting ethically, the history of hunting, wildlife management success stories, firearm safety, and more at: www.hunter-ed.com/az.

Media note: The recruitment and retention of hunters, anglers, trappers, and shooters is important to continue the successful management of Arizona’s wildlife. Funding for the management and conservation of game animals is funded by dollars generated by the sale of licenses, hunt tags and matching funds from federal excise taxes hunters pay on guns, ammunition, and related equipment – not through the state’s general fund. However, all citizens and guests of Arizona enjoy driving on a country road and enjoy roaming elk herds, antelope on the range or ducks in flight. Did you know regulated hunting has never resulted in the extinction of a species? On the contrary, most game species populations are more stable now then when there were no hunting regulations.

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.

Visit www.azgfd.gov for more info.

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New Apprentice Hunting License Offers A Test Drive At No Cost

The 2009 Arizona Pronghorn Antelope and Elk Hunt Draw Information regulations booklet is available online at the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/draw. Hunters interested in obtaining a hunt permit-tag via the draw process can start applying now.

All applications must be submitted by mail or hand-delivered to a department office – no online application process is available. Applications are due by 7 p.m. (MST) Feb. 10, 2009 – postmarks do not count.

To assist customers and reduce errors, a PDF application form can be filled out using a computer and keyboard, but must be printed, signed and submitted (along with the correct fees by check or money order) by mail, or by delivery to any department office. The form can also be printed and filled out using an ink pen.

Early applicants can take advantage of the “grace period”—those who submit an application by Jan. 22, 2009 will receive up to three calls from the department in a 24-hour period if an error is found on the application. If the applicant is reached by phone, the department will help fix the error to ensure a completed application.

Arizona Game and Fish Department officials said printed copies of the regulations should be available at license dealers across the state by mid-January.

For 2009, there are 26,474 elk tags available (a slight increase of 385 tags from last year), and 1,007 pronghorn-antelope tags available (a 1-permit increase from last year).

The elk over-the-counter nonpermit-tags for limited areas will continue to be offered in 2009. These tags are akin to a “limited opportunity” hunt in areas with very low elk populations. Hunters interested should thoroughly review the regulations and visit www.azgfd.gov/otc to download the “2009 Elk OTC Informational Handout” PDF for frequently asked questions, hunt area boundary descriptions, and area maps, before purchasing.

A 2009 hunting license is required to apply. Department officials encourage hunters to get their license before applying for an elk or antelope hunt permit-tag if they wish to do any other hunting in early 2009. Licenses purchased through the draw process will not be mailed out until April 24, 2009, regardless of application success.

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 Director’s Office, 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 Director’s Office as listed above.

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2009 Arizona Antelope And Elk Regulations Are Available Online

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Annapolis, Md. -(AmmoLand.com)- Maryland’s Firearm Deer Season reopens for white-tailed deer on January 9 and 10, 2009 in all Maryland counties except Allegany and Garrett Counties (Deer Management Region B). This two-day deer season provides additional opportunities for landowners to manage deer numbers and offers hunters a late season opportunity. The firearm season in Deer Management Region A (Allegany and Garrett Counties) and the sika deer firearm season remains closed.

The bag limit for the two-day hunt is a continuation of the Region B firearm season bag limit for white-tailed deer. A total of two antlered deer and ten antlerless deer may be taken during the Region B two-week firearm season (already completed) and the two-day January season. Two antlerless deer must be taken and a Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp must be possessed before a hunter may pursue a second antlered deer.

“The January firearm hunt has proven to be a successful addition to the traditional two-week firearm season,” said Wildlife and Heritage Service Deer Project Leader Brian Eyler. “During the 2008 two-day firearm season, 4,636 deer were taken with antlerless deer comprising nearly 80 percent of the harvest.”

Hunters are urged to inspect any permanent and portable tree stands before using them. Harness style safety belts should be used while climbing into or out of a tree stand, as well as while in the stand. Hunters are reminded to always exercise the fundamental commandments of firearm safety while afield.

Deer hunting provides outdoor recreation for over 68,000 Marylanders, is a vital tool in managing deer populations and contributes more than $150 million to the state’s economy each year.

For complete bag limits, season dates and other deer hunting information, visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide. The 2008-2009 Maryland Guide to Hunting & Trapping issued with each hunting license contains detailed information about all of Maryland’s hunting seasons.

About:

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 449,000 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 more than 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 Firearm White-tailed Deer Season Reopens in 21 Counties on Jan. 9 & 10

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Annapolis, Md. -(AmmoLand.com)- Maryland deer hunters continued a successful 2008 – 2009 deer season with an unofficial harvest of 44,802 deer during the recent two-week firearm season. The harvest represents a very slight decline compared to last year’s official harvest of 44,913 deer for the same period. The antlered harvest of 15,695 deer (474 sika deer) was down 2 percent compared to 16,018 antlered deer (443 sika deer) taken last year. This year’s antlerless harvest of 29,107 deer (570 sika deer) was a 1 percent increase over the 28,787 deer (493 sika deer) taken last year.

“It is encouraging to see the strong harvest we experienced early in the season continue through firearm season, particularly for antlerless deer,” said Wildlife and Heritage Service Deer Project Leader Brian Eyler. “Antlerless deer harvest remains our best tool to ensure successful deer population control.”

Hunters in Region A (Garrett and Allegany counties) reported 4,822 deer during the two-week season, a 5 percent increase compared to last year’s official harvest of 4,594 deer. The Region A antlered harvest decreased 7 percent from 2,899 deer last year to 2,699 deer this year, while the antlerless harvest increased 25 percent from 1,695 deer last year to 2,123 deer this year.

In Region B, the two-week firearm harvest decreased 1 percent from 40,319 deer last year to 39,980 deer this year. The antlered harvest decreased from 13,162 deer last year to 12,996 this year (-1%), while the antlerless harvest decreased from 27,157 to 26,984 deer this year (-1%).

While the weather cooperated for much of the two-week firearm season, junior firearm hunters were not so lucky. The Junior Firearm Deer hunt on November 15 was plagued with rain across much of the state. Junior hunters bagged an unofficial 1,526 deer, down 31 percent from last year’s official total of 2,211 deer. Junior hunters harvested 907 antlered deer and 619 antlerless deer this year compared to 1,237 antlered deer and 974 antlerless deer last year.

Junior hunters may obtain an official DNR Junior Hunter Certificate for deer that they harvest this year. The certificates are available from participating retail agents. Junior hunters can also have their picture posted on the DNR website by visiting www.dnr.state.md.us/huntersguide/Junior_Hunters/md_jr_hunter.asp.

Maryland’s two-week late muzzleloader season opened Saturday, Dec. 20 and closes on Jan 3.

Complete bag limits, season dates and other hunting information can be found online at www.dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide. The 2008-2009 Maryland Guide to Hunting & Trapping issued with each hunting license contains detailed information about all of Maryland’s hunting seasons.

See a complete breakdown by county

About:The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 449,000 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 more than 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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Deer Harvest Remains Strong During Recent Two-Week Firearm Season

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. - -(AmmoLand.com)- Five coveted Wyoming Governor’s Elk Permits will be sold at Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation fundraisers in 2009, beginning with a live auction in Emmetsburg, Iowa, on Jan. 31.

The permits allow hunters to access any open area at any time during 2009 seasons. Guide service is not included. Hunting equipment must be legal for the season hunted.

Phone bids will be accepted at the Iowa auction. For information, contact Doug Vlasman, chairman of the Majestic Heartland chapter of the Elk Foundation, at 712-852-3398.

“It’s a big deal to have this tag at an Iowa banquet. This is a highly sought-after opportunity to hunt trophy-class Wyoming elk in 2009. Hunters have taken a number of 400-class Wyoming bulls in the last few years,” said Kurt Flack, RMEF regional director.

Wyoming Governor’s Elk Permits also will be auctioned in March in Fort Worth, Texas, Rock Springs, Wyo., and Redding, Calif. Another will be sold in April via sealed bids in Lander, Wyo. For details, contact the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of Wyoming at 307-777-4529 or www.whfw.org.

The Elk Foundation will return most proceeds from these sales to Wyoming for conservation projects. A small portion will be used to fund RMEF work to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife and their habitat.

About the Wyoming Governor’s Elk Permits
The buyer of this tag may hunt elk, deer or antelope during the 2009 hunting season in any open hunt area in the state (both general license and limited quota license areas), subject to existing season dates and limitations, beginning with the day of the first open season until the last day of the last open season. Season dates and types for 2009 will be finalized in April 2009. All current regulations for the particular hunt area being hunted at the time apply, including means of take. Buyer may hunt different or multiple units in the state, but only take one animal. Any resident or non-resident whose privilege to purchase a license is not under suspension or revocation in Wyoming, or other wildlife-violator compact states, is eligible to bid on these licenses, including previous Wyoming governor’s license purchasers. These licenses may be purchased in addition to drawing a license for that species in the license draw. For more information, contact the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of Wyoming at 307-777-4529 or www.whfw.org.

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 5.4 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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Iowa Auction to Open Sales of Wyoming Governor’s Elk Tags

Fiocchi's 12 Gauge Golden Turkey Shotshells

Fiocchi Ammunition

Fiocchi   USA – Successful hunters of the wily and tough wild turkey know that the use of Fiocchi Ammunition’s 12 gauge, 3-inch Golden Turkey shotshells give them the edge they need toward having a successful event.

Fiocchi engineers chose nickel-plated shot for these shells as it provides the turkey hunter with denser, more consistent patterns, with fewer stray pellets as well as increased range and deeper penetration than standard, non-plated shot. Fiocchi’s nickel-plating helps the shot pellets retain their aerodynamic spherical shape during firing and while passing through the shotgun’s choke. Rounder pellets (as opposed to deformed, out-of-round pellets) have truer flight characteristics, making them more accurate.

Fiocchi’s nickel-plating process results in rounder pellets that fly through the air with less resistance, resulting in increased velocity at impact. This increased velocity, combined with a resistance to deformation upon impact with game, contributes to deeper penetration. This deeper penetration helps the pellets break more bones and strike vital organs to ensure humane kills and less lost, crippled birds. Fiocchi’s 12 gauge Golden Turkey 3-inch shells are a “best available” load utilizing 3.2% nickel-plated lead shot with guaranteed surface hardness and therefore, outstanding patterns.

Fiocchi’s 12 gauge Golden Turkey 3-inch shells contain a maximum dram equivalent of 1-3/4 ounces (50 grams) of shot and produce an incredible stinging velocity of 1,325 feet-per-second. Fiocchi has gone to such lengths to ensure that its extra-hard, nickel-plated shot is of such high quality in preventing shot pellet deformation during firing, that the use of a protective shot buffer is actually redundant in Fiocchi Golden Turkey shotshells.

For more information on Fiocchi’s 12 gauge Golden Turkey 3-inch shells with extra-hard nickel plated shot, or Fiocchi’s full line of rifle, pistol, rimfire, shot shell and unique rounds contact: Fiocchi Ammunition, 1662 Nevada Way, Boulder City, Nevada, 89005 • 702-293-6174 • or visit www.fiocchiusa.com.

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Fiocchi’s 12 Gauge Golden Turkey Shotshells Are Key To A Successful Hunt

Arizona - When you are penciling in your commitments on your new 2009 calendar, look for an opening in January or February, and reserve some time to go javelina hunting.

There is quite a selection of spring tags remaining available on a first-come, first-served basis. As of Dec. 17, there are more than 6,000 javelina tags remaining.

Many of the tags are for hunting areas that offer good odds for success in some of Arizona’s finest country. Javelina hunting is exciting, challenging and occurs during some of the best weather for an outdoor adventure.

Make Plans For A Javelina Hunt This Spring

Javelina can be harvested by rifle, handgun, muzzleloader or bow and arrow, depending on hunt permit-tag type. The meat is excellent when handled and prepared properly. Favorite recipes include in-ground pit barbeque or processed into summer sausage or chorizo breakfast sausage.

Other spring hunting tags remaining include more than 20 turkey tags and approximately 30 archery-only bear tags.

To apply for a tag, a hunt permit-tag application must be submitted by U.S. mail only, to the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Drawing Section, P.O. Box 52002, Phoenix, AZ 85072-2002.

Applicants must include their 2009 license number on the application request. Additionally, junior hunters ages 10, 11, 12 and 13 are required to complete a certified hunter education class to participate in a big game hunt.

For a current list of remaining tags, PDF application, regulations and more, visit www.azgfd.gov/draw.

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 Director’s Office, 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 Director’s Office as listed above.

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Make Plans For A Javelina Hunt This Spring