Wild Turkeys in Winter Mode
The birds are in large groups now. In fact, the other day I noticed some 200 wild turkeys in one field! Here’s a short look at some nice birds in the neighborhood:
Category: Wildlife
Goldfinch
Boone and Crockett Revisits Roots, Role and Process in Saving Yellowstone
DENVER, Colo.–At a meeting marking the conclusion of Boone and Crockett Club’s 125th anniversary year, held at the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver on Dec. 7, attendees revisited the Club’s first order of business at its inception–saving Yellowstone Park for all Americans. Read more
EA Gear™ Introduces the Dead On™ Sight System
Shed some light on the subject with the Dead On™ System by EZ Access™ Gear. The Dead On™ System is designed to provide the shooter with plenty of light when night hunting hogs and varmints. lumen green torch, which quickly clips on to most barrels to provide illumination out to well over 100 yards without spooking game. Read more
University of Outdoors to Welcome Students in 2014
Want to earn a living doing something you love in the great outdoors? Now there’s a university just for you. The new University of Outdoors will be opening its doors summer 2014 in two locations — Altoona, Alabama, and Mesa, Colorado, and will be providing its students with useful skills and knowledge essential for developing a career in the out of doors. Enroll now and change the course of your future. Read more
New OK state record rainbow trout breaks 47-year-old record
Mark Reed of Blanchard with his new Oklahoma state record rainbow trout that he caught from Lake Watonga in November. The fish weighed 10-lb., 10.56-oz., breaking the nearly half-century-old state record of 10 lbs., 4 oz.
A new state record rainbow trout was caught recently from Lake Watonga at Roman Nose State Park, reminding Oklahomans that this non-native, cold-water fish is in season and providing plenty of angling action across the state. On Nov. 17, Mark Reed of Blanchard caught the 10-lb., 10.56-oz. rainbow, breaking the nearly half-century-old state record of Billy Payne, who caught his 10-lb., 4-oz. trout from the Illinois River in July of 1966. Read more
Whitetail Deer with Locked Antlers Freed
A risky maneuver pays off for a big buck…
Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund board recommends 76 outdoor recreation development and acquisition projects totaling $27,677,800
The Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) board of trustees Monday recommended to the Michigan Legislature that 76 recreation development projects and land acquisitions totaling $27,677,800 be funded in 2014. The board this year considered a total of 142 applications seeking $49,431,900 in funding. In a competitive process, all eligible applications were evaluated based on scoring criteria developed by the MNRTF board. Read more
Results Matter in Black Rhino Hunt
By Glen Wunderlich
A controversial black rhino hunt is set to be auctioned by the Dallas Safari Club (DSC) on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Namibia. Fueled by typical emotion-driven rhetoric, the usual suspects, including the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), oppose the hunt on the grounds that the animals are endangered. On the other side, conservationists and biological scientists support the auction as a means to brighten the future of the prized African game species.
First a few facts are in order. The number one reason for the decline from around a million rhinos in the year 1800 to approximately 30,000 today is poaching. Rhino horn is one of the mainstays of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and thus has been responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of rhinos. The question is not whether rhino horn actually has medicinal value; enough Asians believe it does, and therefore, its value is literally double that of gold.
Namibia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) was established in 1990 and is responsible for the safeguarding Namibia’s environmental resources. Since 2004, with the support of scientists in the international Convention on Trade in Endangered Species, Namibia is authorized to sell up to five hunting permits a year. With selective hunting as a part of its comprehensive rhino conservation strategy, the country’s black rhino population has more than doubled since 1990.
DSC expects the permit to sell for at least $250,000, perhaps up to $1 million. All proceeds will be returned to Namibia for underfunded rhino-related projects such as anti-poaching patrols.
Did you catch that? All proceeds are to be returned to Namibia.
Contrast this with how HSUS uses its questionable tactics to line the pockets of its hierarchy.
HSUS CEO, Wayne Pacelle, raked in $395,000 in total compensation according to its latest tax return. In total, 38 people received over $100,000 in compensation from HSUS—up from 24 the previous year. HSUS put $2.9 million into its pension plan—significantly more than it made in paltry grants to support pet sheltering.
So, rather than paint the DSC with the same brush used on poachers, while lining its own pockets, wouldn’t it be philanthropic if HSUS leaders invested that money in anti-poaching efforts or in efforts to reduce the demand for rhino horns? (That’s Wayne’s argument against the DSC, by the way, directly from his blog.) Read more
ABC Says Eagle Ruling Weakens Current Protections
Washington DC — American Bird Conservancy (ABC) is reviewing the revised eagle rule announced today by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), asserting that the plan may mark a setback in protecting Bald and Golden eagles, two species that have inspired Americans for centuries. Read more
SkullHooker Introduces The New Bone Bracket for Skullcaps
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (Dec. 9, 2013) – SkullHooker™, the company that has revolutionized the way hunters display their European skull-mount trophies, introduces the new Bone Bracket™. Specially crafted for those that prefer to display their trophy using the skull plate as the base, the new Bone Bracket makes a simple and elegant solution to displaying skullcapped horns and antlers. Read more