The Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) is proud to announce the election of Rick Story, Kevin Tate and Larry Weishuhn to its board of directors. The trio is filling board seats that will be vacated by Barbara Baird, Stephanie Mallory and Steve Scott. Their terms expire at the end of July 2008.

A fourth board member will be elected later this month by POMA’s Corporate Partners. This director will fill the board term being completed by Vickie Gardner of Alpen Optics.

The new directors’ terms run from August 2008 - July 2011.

For Immediate Release
May 14, 2008

SCI Condemns U.S. Fish and Wildlife Decision to List Polar Bear as Threatened Under ESA

Washington, D.C. - Safari Club International President Dennis Anderson today condemned the decision of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to list all populations of the polar bear as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). “Because of the uncertainty surrounding the extent of climate change and its impact on the polar bear, the listing was not warranted under ESA standards,” said Anderson.

Currently, polar bear population numbers are at or near all-time highs. Most populations in Canada are either stable or increasing. The FWS is relying on speculative computer modeling and limited professional judgment to conclude nonetheless that the polar bear will be threatened with extinction 45 years in the future.

The listing means that imports into the United States of polar bear trophies legally hunted in Canada will no longer be allowed as of the effective date of the listing, which will be the date that the rule is published in the Federal Register. Before the listing, the law permitted imports from six populations of polar bears in Canada. The FWS previously had determined that the sport hunting programs for each of these six populations is “based on scientifically sound quotas ensuring the maintenance of the affected population stock at a sustainable level.” The new listing rule recognizes the conservation benefits of sport hunting and importation, but claims the Marine Mammal Protection Act bars imports once a species is listed under the ESA.

As SCI demonstrated in comments filed with the FWS, the hunting of these populations supports conservation and sound management in a number of ways, including the payment of $1,000 for each import permit to support research in Alaska and Russia. In addition, the cash supplied to the local native communities by U.S. hunters encourages sound management and conservation by Canadian authorities. With the listing, all these benefits are lost. In addition, the listing will have no effect on polar bear mortality through hunting, as the native communities will simply harvest for subsistence purposes those bears not harvested by U.S. hunters for import. SCI hopes to work with the FWS to reinstate the ability to import trophies under the ESA and Marine Mammal Protection Act.

The listing of populations in the Canadian archipelago, including several from which imports are currently allowed, is particularly unjustified. Even the government’s own speculative computer modeling does not predict a threat of extinction to these populations in the next 45 years.

To allow trophy importation in the future, the FWS will need to make a formal finding that sport hunting enhances the survival of the species. In addition to exploring options for challenging the listing, SCI hopes to work with the FWS to enable the agency to make this finding and to thereby quickly reinstate the ability to import trophies under the ESA and Marine Mammal Protection Act.

“The ESA is ill-suited to address climate change or other perceived threats to the polar bear. The biggest loss brought about by this listing will be to polar bear conservation and management, because the funding provided by U.S. hunters will dry up,” Anderson concluded.

Contact
Nelson Freeman
Government Affairs
and Public Relations
Safari Club International
nfreeman@safariclub.org

–
SCI-First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s 179 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 13 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.safariclub.org or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.

For Immediate Release
May 12, 2008

SCI and NRA Will Defend Rocky Mountain Wolf Delisting

A Montana federal district court has granted SCI’s request to intervene in litigation and defend the delisting of gray wolves of the Northern Rocky Mountains. The effort of anti-hunting plaintiffs to list the wolf again would strip management of the species from the States, and return it to the federal government. It would also prevent state-managed sustainable hunts of the wolves.

The Plaintiffs have asked the Court to return the species to the endangered species list. Together with the federal government, the States of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, and other conservation groups, SCI will present arguments demonstrating why the delisting should remain in effect. A hearing on the Plaintiffs’ request for emergency relief is scheduled for May 29th in Missoula, Montana.

SCI is joined in the intervention by the National Rifle Association of America.

SCI President Dennis Anderson said, “SCI is pleased that the court has allowed us to participate in the battle to keep recovered wolf populations of the Northern Rocky Mountains off the endangered species list. SCI has developed a track record and expertise second to none in litigation related to sustainable use management and conservation. We will use our special experience in this area of the law to make sure that the decision to delist this viable, healthy predator species is defended as strongly as possible.”

Contact
Nelson Freeman
Government Affairs
and Public Relations
Safari Club International
(202) 543 – 8733
nfreeman@safariclub.org

Mossy Oak Apparel Company Changes Name to Russell Outdoors

ALEXANDER CITY, ALABAMA – Fruit of the Loom announces that its Mossy Oak Apparel Division will change its Corporate name to Russell Outdoors.

Mark Tate, Senior Vice President of Russell Outdoors stated, “The Russell Outdoors name more clearly aligns with the expanding Outdoor Distribution Channel and our growing Outdoor business.”

Fruit of the Loom, Inc. acquired Russell Corporation in August 2006. The combined synergies of Fruit of the Loom and Russell Corporation provide the individual business units with extensive resources and efficiencies.

“The change in our name will have absolutely no impact on current orders or business for Mossy Oak branded products. We will continue to offer a broad line of Mossy Oak branded products in the future, while developing new opportunities to fit consumer needs in other channels,” continued Tate. “Russell Outdoors will compliment other Russell and Fruit of the Loom brands in markets where Mossy Oak Apparel has not previously ventured,” added Tate.

About Russell Outdoors

Headquartered in Alexander City, AL, Russell Outdoors is the leading manufacturer of hardcore hunting apparel and outdoor sportswear – combining advanced technology with key hunting necessities to create the industry’s most comprehensive and innovative line of performance outdoor apparel and sportswear inspired by the outdoors. Russell Outdoors is a division of Russell Corporation.

Media Contact:
Russell Outdoors (256) 400-4000 or www.mossyoakapparel.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2008

Contact: Scott Hampel
Tel.: 303-659-2088
E-mail: shampel@muledeer.org
photo(s) available

Mule Deer Foundation Kemmerer Chapter Hosts an Outstanding Inaugural Event

KEMMERER, Wyo. – On April 26, 2008, the Kemmerer Chapter of the Mule Deer Foundation hosted its inaugural event at the Fraternal Order of Eagles building in Kemmerer, Wyo. There were 160 people in attendance to witness this impressive event that included a steak dinner along with a variety of games, raffles, and silent and live auctions.

When the night was completed, the chapter had obtained 87 memberships and raised over $41,000 in net proceeds with an efficiency rating exceeding 70 percent. In the world of conservation, these are phenomenal statistics for a first-time event.

The success of this chapter can be attributed to the enthusiastic and committed group of volunteers who are dedicated to seeing conservation projects be completed for mule deer. As a result of these volunteers’ efforts, a minimum of $16,000 will be allocated to mule deer projects locally. In fact, the committee was able to secure large donations from a number of companies and individuals, including Encana Oil and Gas, Williams, Lightning Construction, Kern River, Chevron Mining, Cumberland Gap Hearthstone, Sims Industrial Services/McKenzie Enterprises, the Town of Diamonville and others. These funds have been placed in the Wyoming Project Fund as MDF Conservation Partners. The Conservation Partnership funds are being combined with other funds, raised in Rock Springs and Lander earlier this year, to help fund the Wyoming Range Mule Deer Habitat Assessment. This is a high priority project identified by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department for the long-term planning and management of habitat restoration/improvements impacting mule deer herds in the Wyoming Range.

A special “thank you” should be given to this local group of volunteers which includes: Shawn Whitmore, Christa Whitmore, Brett Dovey, Mandie Dovey, Shauna Ridgeway, Shawn Ridgeway, Dave Brewer, Vince Hinshaw, Tommie Hinshaw, Dan Christensen, Robyn Christensen, Nate Eisenbarth, Courtney Eisenbarth, Perry Fagnant, Paula Fagnant, Ed Vining, Tina Vining, Fred Baldwin, Perry Baldwin, Pauline Schuette and Jim Olson. In addition, a variety of local businesses and individuals (list too long to include here) donated cash, merchandise or services to this fundraising event. The communities of Kemmerer and Diamondville should be proud of these accomplishments.

###

About MDF (www.muledeer.org)

The Mule Deer Foundation is a national non-profit 501(c)3 conservation organization whose mission is “to ensure the conservation of mule deer, black-tailed deer and their habitats.” MDF partners with U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, local agencies and other conservation groups to complete conservation projects which benefit mule deer and other wildlife. MDF is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah and has volunteer chapters, primarily throughout the western U.S.

Chapters in Wyoming are located in Kemmerer, Rock Springs, Lander/Riverton, Laramie, Casper, Sheridan and Gillette. If you would like more information or would like to help, please contact Christa Whitmore at 307-877-2292. You may also reach MDF Regional Director Scott Hampel at 303-659-2088 or shampel@muledeer.org.

For information about the Mule Deer Foundation please call 1-888-375-DEER (3337)

Posted over on Arizona Sportsman’s Journal… Who know where they came from, or whether they are real - that being said, some of the coolest mountain lion pics I have ever seen.

Have a look HERE.

This has to be one of the best singles ads ever printed. It is reported to have been listed in the Atlanta Journal.

SINGLE BLACK FEMALE seeks male companionship, ethnicity unimportant. I’m a very good girl who LOVES to play. I love long walks in the woods, riding in your pickup truck, hunting, camping and fishing trips, cozy winter nights lying by the fire. Candlelight dinners will have me eating out of your hand. I’ll be at the front door when you get home from work, wearing only what nature gave me. Call (404) 875-6420 and ask for Daisy, I’ll be waiting….

Over 150 men found themselves talking to the Atlanta Humane Society

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Cory Johnson (614) 888-4868 ext. 214
Sharon Hayden (614) 888-4868 ext. 226

May 13, 2008

Fund Launched to Combat Largest Anti-Hunting Group

(Columbus, OH) -The nation’s leading advocate of sportsmen’s rights is announcing the creation of a fund with the sole purpose of combating the world’s number-one anti-hunting organization.

Money collected by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) through the new Sportsmen Against HSUS fund will be used in the continuing battle against the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and its animal rights campaign.

The Sportsmen Against HSUS fund is designed to:

* mount a national campaign which will focus on educating the media, elected officials, the public, sportsmen and the many others targeted by the animal rights group, and

* fund the campaigns that combat the public policy threats initiated and supported by the HSUS. The HSUS lobbying machine claims to have played a role in getting 86 different state laws passed in 2007 alone. The group also filed more than a dozen new lawsuits in 2007.

Wayne Pacelle, who claims to be a vegan, and is an anti-hunting advocate and president and CEO of HSUS, recently said, “Let’s raise at least $10,000 right now, with $5,000 to go to pets who are the victims of foreclosures and an additional $5,000 to fight the horrible wildlife abuses that the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance loves.”

The HSUS is America’s leading opponent of hunting, fishing, trapping and scientific wildlife management. It led the charge in a 2006 ballot campaign to ban dove hunting in Michigan, contributing $1.6 million to the effort. Among other voter issues, it also took the lead in the 1994 ballot campaign to ban cougar and bear hunting with hounds and bait in Oregon. It opposes hunting on National Wildlife Refuges and other public lands. It has filed lawsuits to impede the management of gray wolves and grizzly bears.

Some current policy attacks on sportsmen’s rights by the HSUS include:

* the launching of a campaign to address so-called “puppy mills,” abusive large-scale commercial dog breeding operations. Using sentimental images of suffering puppies, the organization is backing legislation in Pennsylvania that would devastate small hobby breeders, dog show kennels and sporting dog enthusiasts. The legislation is so radical that it has been opposed by the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club and even dog rescue shelters in the state.

* a mandatory spay and neuter bill in California, which would require all dogs be spayed or neutered by the age of six months, making it nearly impossible for sportsmen with mixed-breed sporting dogs to remain in business.

The USSA is taking the fight to the HSUS after its continuous attacks against sportsmen’s rights.

“The name Humane Society disingenuously implies that the organization is in the business of taking care of stray dogs and cats,” said USSA president Bud Pidgeon. “The HSUS does nothing to make the public think otherwise when tugging at the heartstrings of Americans when asking for donations.”

It is more important than ever that all sportsmen unite to combat the principal enemy of American conservation and the outdoor sports that make conservation possible, he said.

Pacelle has a sordid history of leading the anti-hunting crusade. When he was the national director of the Fund for Animals, which has since merged with HSUS, he was quoted as saying, “We are going to use the ballot box and the democratic process to stop all hunting in the United States …”

Pacelle has let the public in on the agenda of the HSUS, saying, “More money will mean more pet protection, but also more ballot initiatives to restrict inhumane and unsporting hunting practices, more state legislation, more local ordinances.”

To contribute to the Sportsmen Against HSUS fund, please contact the USSA at 801 Kingsmill Parkway, Columbus, Ohio, 43229. For more information call (614) 888-4868, or email info@ussportsmen.org.

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

I grew up in the northeast - Ruffed Grouse country - although no one called them that, except “the society“. Nope, in my neck of the woods, everyone hunted “partridge”. We also hunted woodcock. At some point in my life, I moved to Maine. The birds they hunted there looked like the ones in New Brunswick, except they were called “pahtridge” and “woodcawwk”. I had always kind of had a hankering to hunt over a bird dog. One day I was reading a Sports Afield magazine and spied a picture of the most beautiful dog I had ever seen. It had classic hunting dog lines, like an English or Irish Setter. It was a little bigger though, and jet black. Black with mahogany feathering. And a little white splash on the chest. In the photo I saw, there was a pair. they were Gordon Setters. I immediately started to research these dogs, and tried finding breeders in Maine. I stumbled across a breeder, Jeff Pratt, in Woodland,ME. My wife (at the time) and I took a drive down, and I was hooked! Alas, though - we didn’t think it was in our budget - so we added it to our “someday” list. That September, I was helping her Dad work on a storage shed by the cottage on the lake in Danforth. I heard her car pull up, and out she came with a beautiful little pup! An early birthday present! Woo hoooo !!! My eyes got moist for sure! I named him “Jake” and for a long time, Jake was my boy! He was a hard dog to learn on though, when it came to training. He was a bird-crazy SOB, but boy, did he run wide! That dog would go like a black missile! We hunted some, but I got discouraged long before he did. Later, when my wife and I separated, Jake and his yard-mate Zeb got adopted out to my family, as I had to move into an apartment. Zeb was a big furry Newfoundland-and-something mix; a bear of a dog that was happy and gentle. He went to my brother’s. Jake went to Mom and Dad’s. I think Mom and Dad got attached to ol Jake, and Dad fussed over him quite a bit. Jake passed on after I moved west. He had that stomach-twist thing that dogs get now and then. Zeb passed as well - he got loose one night and was hit by a car.

After I moved to Arizona, it wasn’t long before my thoughts turned to taking a crack at another bird dog. There are a few Gordons here and there in Arizona, but not many. It’s just too hot. I saw an ad for GSPs not too far from my home. I checked out the pups, and melted. “This one is a big love”, Ken the breeder told me. That’s the one that came home. Trooper was a kick. My wife wasn’t so sure about him - she’d never owned a “big” dog. Turns out, years later - Trooper is her favorite. For as bold and brash as Jake was, Trooper has always been timid and skittish. Not sure why. I know his breeder, and he’s never been abused here or there. If the toaster pops, Trooper makes a dash out of the room. I’ve never worked with him on birds. I admit, I got him and just didn’t have the time to commit to properly train him. That, and I just didn’t know how to deal with such a sensitive dog. He’s made a great dog though - everyone is afraid of him at first, but they always wilt with a dose of “trooper-love”. He’s like a 70 lb lap dog, and is as caring and gentle as any dog I have ever owned.

I’m a little disappointed in myself that I wasn’t realistic in assessing my ability to make time for, and train these dogs. I’ve always been a dreamer I guess, and the vision in my head of hunting over my own pointing dog was just too much to resist. That being said, they both ended up as great dogs, and I loved them dearly. I’m glad to have had them along, during my little slice of life.

AES Burro Creek/Big Lake Fence Removal Project

Who: Arizona Elk Society, www.arizonaelksociety.org

When: May 30-June 1, 2008

Where: Main Camp will be at Dipping Vat Spring campsite just north Crescent Lake.
SW of Springerville, AZ. From Showlow take Highway 260 East toward Springerville, turn south on paved Highway 273 (3 mi east of Springerville) and head south 19 miles. Look for signs at campsite on right side of the road.
Camping is also available at Big Lake campground. Meals and meetings will take place at Dipping Vat Springs.

Description: Burro Creek is where we continue to remove barbed wire fencing in Big Lake area.
These fences cross good Antelope, Elk and Deer habitat. It will be a significant benefit to remove these fences. We will be removing and rolling up wire, pulling and hauling out posts (steel and wood).
We need a lot of help on this project so please mark your calendars. We will be providing meals Friday night, Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner, and Sunday breakfast. We need fence rolling equipment, post pullers, pliers and as many able bodied volunteers as possible.
We will be working with barbed wire and lots of it. Bring your sun block, hats, gloves and long sleeved shirts and pants. Be prepared for all kinds of weather. We need around 50 volunteers.
Plan on arriving in the afternoon of Friday May 30th. Breakfast will be at 7:00 am Saturday and we will start working at 8:00 am. After Sunday breakfast we will work until about noon then pack up.

If you would like to carpool, please contact Tom.

Check our website www.arizonaelksociety.org for more information.

I just got off of the phone with Neil Large, Editor of Canyon State Hunter. A great guy for sure, and he’s pretty excited about their plans for a brand new Arizona hunting magazine. You know what, whether I am directly involved with the new publication or not, I am pretty excited too! I think Arizona’s hunters are ready for a fresh new magazine.

Stay tuned for future announcements as we follow their launch, and subsequent growth. I know a few of the folks involved, and I can tell you that you won’t be disappointed.

What a bunch of tools. Spotlighting rabbits. Some hard-core poachers, there….

From AZGFD:

Utah residents pay the price for poaching in Arizona

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission recently revoked the privileges of three Utah residents for spotlighting wildlife (black-tailed jackrabbits), littering, and hunting without a license on the Arizona Strip.

During its April meeting, the commission revoked the individual hunting, trapping, and fishing privileges of Stephen Holt, Blake Obershaw, and Gregory Holt for five years. The three men were also civilly assessed $500 each for the loss of the wildlife they took illegally. In addition, Arizona is part of the nationwide Wildlife Violator Compact, meaning any individual that is revoked in the state also loses their hunting, trapping and fishing rights in 29 other member states.

“The commission feels that no matter what type of wildlife is taken, the individuals committing the crime should be held responsible for the loss of a public-owned resource,” says Arizona Game and Fish Commissioner Bob Hernbrode. “You need to be familiar with our laws if you hunt in Arizona.”

The violations were discovered during a night patrol effort conducted by Game and Fish wildlife officers. The officers observed the individuals using a spotlight and shooting at wildlife. After conducting an investigation, the three men were charged with hunting black-tailed jackrabbits at night with artificial light, littering while hunting, and taking wildlife without a license. They were also found to be intoxicated and the driver was arrested for DUI. A Moccasin Justice Court judge found the violators guilty and ordered them to pay $750 in fines, and they will remain on probation until the fines are paid in full.

“These types of activities represent a disturbing disregard for wildlife laws and for the resource, and these are criminal activities, not hunting,” says Hernbrode. “Legal and ethical hunters appreciate when the people who commit these acts are held accountable.”

Civil penalties, and license revocations and suspensions are a separate process from any criminal penalties that a Justice Court may impose. They are initiated by an officer filing criminal charges against a wildlife violator through the Justice Court system. If the individual is found guilty and has been cited with a revocable offense, they must then go through the revocation process and appear before the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. The commission makes the final decision on whether someone loses their hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges and for how long. It is not intended to be punitive, but it is established to recover the loss of the value of the wildlife to the state.

“When a case like this wraps up, it makes all of our efforts worthwhile,” says Arizona Game and Fish Department Wildlife Manager Luke Thompson. “We hear about this type of activity going on and we are glad when we can catch a poacher in the act. It will hopefully send a strong message to others and prevent them from committing a wildlife crime.”