The NatGeo channel is probably the most-watched channel in my house. We love it! I was excited to receive a press kit from NatGeo announcing their brand-new network, NatGeo Wild! I can’t wait! They have an awesome line-up ready to go, and I am really excited! The new network will officially launch on March 29th.

LOOK NATURE IN THE EYE WITH THE LAUNCH OF NEW TV NETWORK NAT GEO WILD

Traverse the Globe for the Most Intimate, Extraordinary and Unforgettable Stories of the Animal Kingdom

Premiere Lineup for New Network Includes Rebellious Monkeys, Angry Giraffes, and a Man and His Best Friend — Brutus the Grizzly Bear

New TV Network Nat Geo WILD Launches Monday, March 29, 2010

(WASHINGTON, D.C. — FEBRUARY 22, 2010) For more than 30 years, National Geographic has been the leader in wildlife programming. Now, against a global backdrop of increasingly urgent conservation challenges facing wildlife, Nat Geo WILD is giving the animal kingdom center stage as it features the work of some of the world’s foremost explorers, filmmakers and scientists.

Scheduled to launch Monday, March 29, 2010, both Nat Geo WILD and Nat Geo WILD HD will traverse the globe to bring the most extraordinary stories of the natural world in more compelling and visually dynamic ways than ever before. New series and specials will feature the latest technology to immerse viewers in the mysterious and entertaining lives of nature’s ferocious fighters and gentle creatures of land, sea and air.

Nat Geo WILD premiere specials, new series and blue chip programming will include Africa’s Lost Eden, which takes viewers to war-torn Mozambique, where park rangers are desperately trying to execute one of the most ambitious animal relocation efforts in history and restore one of their country’s greatest natural treasures. Then, travel to Jaipur, India, where an audacious troop of Rebel Monkeys is on a crime spree. In Expedition Wild with Casey Anderson, the naturalist treks to Yellowstone and Alaska’s Kodiak Island to learn more about wild bear behavior — and teach these skills to his grizzly pal, raised in captivity. Two National Geographic Explorers lead viewers through very different paradises: Mireya Mayor delves deep into Congo’s forests to enter the private world of the Mystery Gorillas, and Enric Sala plunges into shark-filled waters to learn the secrets of Shark Island.

Premiere programs include:

Rebel Monkeys – NEW SERIES
Premieres Wednesday, March 31, at 8 PM ET/PT
Airs Weekly – Wednesdays at 8 PM ET/PT
They’re a diabolical nuisance, yet considered sacred. But for a gang of monkeys making their home at the Galta Temple in the Indian city of Jaipur, it’s an easy life — lounge by the sacred pool, groom your friends and accept handouts from worshippers paying respect to the Hindu Monkey God Hanuman. But their happy days may be numbered. When a lingering drought threatens local food supplies, the monkeys face an end to their easy gravy train. Join this charismatic fuzzy-haired crew as they search for food and find trouble on the chaotic streets of Jaipur.

Expedition Wild with Casey Anderson – NEW SERIES
Premieres Monday, April 5, at 9 PM ET/PT
Airs Weekly – Mondays at 9 PM ET/PT
The premiere episode of Expedition Wild is a multipart look at North America’s mightiest carnivores, featuring naturalist Casey Anderson and his best friend Brutus, a 900-pound grizzly bear. Trek to Alaska’s Kodiak Island, where Casey gets knee-deep in grizzly life in order to teach Brutus the ways of his wild relatives. This population of more than 3,500 bears offers Casey a chance to witness how they catch wild salmon and feed their young. Casey then returns to Montana to see if he can teach a bear raised in captivity to fish for himself, in an aquarium designed for that purpose. Future episodes of Expedition Wild will focus on the wild wolves of Yellowstone; a journey with Casey trekking through Yellowstone during two key seasons — winter and spring — documenting every living thing he encounters; and a one-hour special with the complete history of his relationship with Brutus.

Mystery Gorillas with Mireya Mayor
Premieres Monday, April 5, at 10 p.m. ET/PT
National Geographic Emerging Explorer Mireya Mayor immerses herself in the secret lives of wild gorillas, learning about new behaviors and group dynamics, such as the role of female choice and limited tool use. Travel to the forests of northern Congo, where record numbers of western lowland gorillas live unseen in the dense foliage. Mireya’s quest to see them up close gives her the chance to get to know the intimate details of one family — a big male named Kingo and his clan of females and young. She also travels to a gorilla gathering spot to witness their group dynamics and study their larger social structure.

Africa’s Lost Eden
Premieres Monday, April 12, 10 PM ET/PT
It was said to be “the place where Noah left his Ark.” Lush floodplains in central Mozambique packed with wild animals and more than 500 species of birds. But in 1977, civil war engulfed the area, and close to one million people lost their lives. Many thousands of buffalo, zebra and hippos were slaughtered for meat, and elephants for ivory. Of the 14,000 buffalo that roamed the savannah before the war, fewer than 15 remained; of the 3,000 zebra, just five. The legendary Gorongosa Wildlife Park had become an empty Eden with a broken ecosystem. Africa’s Lost Eden documents the extraordinary efforts of conservationists fighting to restore the park and replenish the animal populations. Travel to South Africa, where an unprecedented effort is under way to relocate elephants and hippos to Gorongosa, even as the wounded landscape is vulnerable to drought and fire. For a war-wounded country desperately seeking a symbol of hope, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Shark Island with Enric Sala
Premieres Monday, April 19 at 9 PM ET/PT
Secret coves where hammerheads school in enormous numbers. Coral reefs that ripple with color by day but at night turn into killing grounds for packs of whitetip sharks. Pristine waters brimming with missile-sized tuna and acrobatic dolphins in hot pursuit of gleaming clouds of fish. Cocos Island, a tiny dot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean more than 300 miles (550 km) off the coast of Costa Rica, is home to one of the greatest concentrations of predators on the planet. Dive into this carnivorous crowd in Shark Island with marine ecologist and National Geographic Emerging Explorer Enric Sala and an international team of explorers and scientists. The team traverses hundreds of square miles of ocean in search of clues to explain why so many predators congregate and why, just outside Cocos’ protected waters, life largely disappears.

Hunt for the Giant Octopus
Premieres Tuesday, April 20, at 9 PM ET/PT
It’s one of the ocean’s most enigmatic creatures, with eight legs, high intelligence and the ability to discreetly melt into its surroundings. The giant octopus is said to reach 33 feet across, can weigh 400 pounds and is known as the “devilfish” for the horns above its eyes. With the ability to kill sharks, this is one animal even larger in life than in legend. Now, a team of intrepid explorers dive into the wild depths of the Pacific in hopes of unlocking the secrets to this mysterious and magnificent animal. Journey through ghostly shipwrecks and wildlife on a deep-sea adventure into the world of the giant octopus. And discover these creatures’ phenomenal size, remarkable intelligence and extraordinary ability to morph in response to their surroundings.

My Life Is a Zoo
Premieres Monday, April 26, at 10 PM ET/PT
Living the wild life doesn’t always mean fun and partying for Bud DeYoung and Carrie Cramer. They live together with over 400 animal residents, and work together, rescuing exotic animals, rehabilitating local wildlife and running a struggling small zoo in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. With no days off and no vacation, their relationship has more than its fair share of pressure. They sometimes butt heads, but mostly they share a deep passion for animals. My Life Is a Zoo follows this couple at their DeYoung Family Zoo as they constantly work to keep up with the demands of their business, while tending to their huge and ever-growing wild family. The zoo is home to a diverse mix of exotic and regional animals, some of them rescued from distant parts of the world. Carrie moved in seven years ago and since then the zoo has grown dramatically. It now includes a rehab and rescue program with Bud and Carrie adopting between three and 10 orphaned animals every week.

For more information, visit www.natgeowild.com .

Not sure what to think of this. I guess – if your boss tells you to keep your yap shut and you don’t – you pay the piper. Assuming of course, that was the case. ~DesertRat

Game and Fish dismisses employee involved in jaguar capture

March 19, 2010

PHOENIX – The Arizona Game and Fish Department today dismissed one of its employees as a result of the department’s ongoing internal administrative investigation into the events surrounding last year’s capture of the jaguar known as Macho B.

Dismissed was Thornton W. Smith, 40, a wildlife technician for 12 years with the department and one of the field biologists involved in the placement and monitoring of traps used in a black bear and mountain lion research project that resulted in the initial capture of Macho B.

The department dismissed Smith based on the employee’s own interview statements made during the course of the internal investigation. The statements related to Smith’s conduct that occurred several weeks after the capture, recapture and euthanizing of Macho B.

Smith’s statements and further investigation confirmed that he did not comply with verbal and written directions issued by supervisors and that he admitted to knowingly misleading federal investigators regarding facts surrounding the original capture of Macho B.

The department’s official letter that documents the grounds for dismissal was delivered to Smith earlier today.

Smith admitted that he failed to comply with verbal and written direction from supervisors not to communicate with anyone (other than investigators) regarding the original capture of the jaguar due to the fact that a federal law enforcement investigation had begun.

In his statements to department investigators, Smith stated that he talked about the capture with Emil McCain, a biologist with the Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project, even though Smith had previously been instructed not to communicate with anyone regarding the subject of the ongoing investigation. According to Smith, McCain had assisted Smith in selecting bear and mountain lion trap site locations for the research project. Smith alleged that McCain disclosed to him after the capture had occurred that McCain had placed jaguar scat at two camera sites in the vicinity of where Macho B was captured. Smith also alleged that during his discussions with McCain, the two of them concocted a false story about the capture for federal investigators, and that McCain later allegedly went to the area where Macho B was captured and removed all traces of jaguar scat so that the capture scene matched the story.

Smith also admitted to Game and Fish investigators that he had knowingly misled federal investigators from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service when he told them the story he and McCain had allegedly made up denying that jaguar scat had been placed in the vicinity of the Macho B capture site.

Yet in his interview with department investigators, Smith alleged that McCain “went in and removed whatever scat he left, whatever it was. You know, I don’t know what got eaten. Because by the time we actually caught, you know, the jaguar, the scat by the camera had been kicked over and knocked. I don’t know what was left. He went in and cleaned it up, made it look like our story.”

When asked by department investigators if he had knowingly misled the federal investigators, Smith said, “Yah. Yah. We (McCain and Smith) came up with a story, and I just, it’s been eating on me and I just couldn’t live with it.”

Upon further questioning by department investigators, Smith went on to allege, “We made a different story to protect the department, to protect Emil, to protect my association with Emil, about, you know, not leaving jaguar scat, but (tape recording inaudible). There was no scat at all placed anywhere. The one scat I did find he pointed out was an old one, which it was, but you know, I can’t live with that. You know, I did it.”

The Department has concluded that the employee’s conduct is cause for dismissal as allowed by Arizona Revised Statutes 41-770 and includes violations of the standards of conduct for state employees found in Arizona Administrative Code R2-5-501.

Smith has been restricted from working on field activities since July 16, 2009, and the department placed him on paid administrative leave on March 8 pending a determination on what final administrative action would be taken. On March 15, the department issued Smith an official notice of charges of misconduct letter. Today, Smith submitted to the department his intent to resign his position. The department refused to accept Smith’s resignation as allowed by Arizona Administrative Code R2-5-901 and issued a letter of dismissal to him.

Department officials added that the Game and Fish internal investigation cannot be considered completed until the department has an opportunity to review whatever findings may come out of an ongoing federal investigation being conducted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. However, department officials noted that as the one year anniversary of the initiation of the federal investigation approaches, the department had reached a point in its own investigation where it could no longer delay taking appropriate action.

The department has determined that no agency personnel directed any person to capture a jaguar, and that the department’s actions related to the capture were lawful.

Information about events related to Macho B can be found at www.azgfd.gov/MachoB.

Related Questions and Answers:

1. Why did the Arizona Game and Fish Department wait until now to dismiss Smith from state service?

The department has repeatedly stated that it would not take action to interfere with the ongoing federal investigation. The department believed that release of the details of the department’s allegations against one of its employees could adversely impact the federal investigation. At this point, almost a year after the start of that investigation, the department expects that the federal authorities have completed their investigation, and therefore the department’s actions today are unlikely to cause harm to it.

2. Did the department inform federal investigators of the statements made by Smith during the department’s own internal investigation?

No. Neither the department nor the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service wanted to risk blending the department’s administrative investigation with the service’s investigation. It has been the department’s understanding that by requiring the department’s employee to provide complete and factual information during the interview, the employee’s statements could not be used against him or her in a criminal prosecution. This is required under the U.S. Supreme Court decision of Garrity v. New Jersey.

3. Will the department provide for public review the investigative material it collected during the course of its own internal investigation?

We will make our decision to release any document or portion thereof based on a determination whether the release would compromise the ongoing investigation.

4. Why did the department elect to dismiss Smith rather than allowing him to resign?

Mr. Smith’s actions were deserving of dismissal.

5. Have any other department employees received disciplinary action as a result of the department’s internal investigation?

Not at this point in the ongoing investigation.

6. When will the results of the federal investigation be made available to the public?

The results of the federal investigation are under the control of the federal government. The department has no information on if or when the federal government will make its results available to the public.

7. What is the status of the federal court lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity claiming that the Arizona Game and Fish Department does not possess the necessary federal permits to engage in jaguar management activities?

The parties are awaiting a decision from the court on the department’s motion to dismiss.

Pretty interesting stuff. I take part in these surveys, and also get copied on the results. Very cool. ~DesertRat

Top Hunting and Target Shooting Equipment Brands for 2009

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — Southwick Associates has announced the brands and products hunters and target shooters preferred most in 2009. This list has been compiled from the 44,734 internet-based surveys completed by hunters and target shooters who volunteered to participate last year in HunterSurvey.com and TargetshootingSurvey.com polls. In 2009, top brands included:

Top rifle brand: Remington (16.5% of all purchases)
Top shotgun brand: Remington (22% of all purchases)
Top muzzleloader brand: Thompson Center (29.5% of all purchases)
Top handgun brand: Sturm Ruger (16.6% of all purchases)
Top scope for firearms: Bushnell (17.3% of all purchases)
Top rifle ammunition brand: Remington (28.8% of all purchases)
Top shotgun ammunition brand: Winchester (32.0% of all purchases)
Top handgun ammunition brand: Winchester (22.0% of all purchases)
Top blackpowder brand: Pyrodex (351.5% of all purchases)
Top balls, bullets, or shot brand: Hornady (26.2% of all purchases)
Top bow brand: BowTech (14.8% of all purchases)
Top arrow brand: Easton (30.3% of all purchases)
Top fletching brand: Bohning (30.3% of all purchases)
Top broadhead brand: Muzzy (25.3% of all purchases)
Top archery target brand: The Block (22.3% of all purchases)
Top decoy brand: Flambeau (15.7% of all purchases)
Top game call brand: Primos (34.8% of all purchases)
Top reloading bullet brand: Hornady (30.2% of all purchases)
Top reloading primer brand: CCI (36.0% of all purchases)
Top reloading powder brand: Hodgdon (36.5% of all purchases)
Top binocular brand: Bushnell (19.5% of all purchases)
Top holster brand: Uncle Mikes (21.4% of all purchases)
Top knife brand: Buck (16.7% of all purchases)
Top scent or scent covering brand: Scent-A-Way (24.5% of all purchases)
Top shooting target brand: Shoot-N-C (38.9% of all purchases)
Top clay brand: White Flyer (34.3% of all purchases)

Other interesting facts from the HunterSurvey 2009 annual report: The busiest month for purchasing for hunting was November, for Target Shooting was June, and for self-defense was February

This is just a small part of a comprehensive report offered by Southwick Associates. For more info on this and other reports, please contact them.

David French from HandWarmers.net had contacted me and asked if I would mind reviewing his handwarmers, to which I agreed. I was a bit at a loss though; I received the handwarmers in late February, and all my cold-weather hunts were over for the year. I asked David what he thought and he said he would just appreciate the mention, at this point. I would have rather posted a review based on an actual use, during a hunt. So, I dug out his warmers and sat down to type the review. My daughter was hanging around and said “Oh – those are the things I used on my (javelina) hunt.” “Are you sure”‘ I asked. “The same kind?” She insisted they were so she ran to get her backpack. The wrappers were still inside, and sure enough – they were the same.

In January, I had taken my daughter Mikaela on a javelina hunt, with the help of some friends. Now even though we were just north of Phoenix, Day One was probably the coldest day I had spent afield, in Arizona. We were snowed on, sleeted on and rained on. It was windy, wet, cold and miserable. David’s HotHands packets made the day tolerable for both of us! These are light, easy to use, and take up no room in a pack. There’s nothing to fail, and stuck in the end of a glove or mitten, they are awesome on a cold day. We live in Arizona and they came in handy – if I was still living in Maine, I think I’d be buying them by the case! You can read Mikaela’s version of the story here: Tale of the Sunset Sow.

I asked Mikaela if the handwarmers had worked good on her hunt. “Oh yeah”, she exclaimed, “they were awesome!”.

David also sells “Toasti Toes” (pictured above) to put in your boots, and a large heat patch for those sore spots anywhere on your body. Great products!

Boy I miss fishing brook trout. I received this as a fwd/fwd/fwd from my mom. I cannot speak for its validity.

I need to throw a big shout out to Daniel Clay of Mad Cow Cutlery. In getting my other blog, The Dry-Rubbed Rat going, I had contacted a bunch of companies when my blog went live, offering to post press releases, company profiles, reviews, etc.

Daniel replied and offered to send me a bunch of knives and tools to help me get started. The box arrived today, and let me tell you, this is quality stuff. I’ll be posting photos, reviews, etc in the weeks to come, over at the Dry Rubbed Rat. They’ve also offered to provide as much information possible, so look for future posts on sharpening, how to choose the right knife for the job, etc. because sportsmen and women are typically big users of cutlery, I will be posting that info here as well. What a great company, and I look forward to working with them in the future!

Seriously – if you need a knife, a sharpener, whatever – you need to check with the folks over at Mad Cow Cutlery.

From their website:

Mad Cow Cutlery is a family owned and managed cutlery business located in the Heart of Texas, between Austin and San Angelo. Though we are rurally located in the middle of some of the best hunting and ranch land, we are within 3 hours or less of five cities with populations over 100,000-including Austin, San Antonio, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. This close proximity to so many large cities, and our central location in the United States, allows us to reduce shipping times-especially to the east and west coasts.

As a family operated business, you can be assured that someone with an invested interest in the success of Mad Cow Cutlery will be involved in the quality control of every aspect of the business from answering questions to shipping. It is our goal to provide a level of customer service that exceeds the expectations of our customers.

We want to be your supplier of commercial cutlery, but Mad Cow Cutlery is more than just a knife shop. In 2008 we completed the construction of a new warehouse and offices to expand our product lines and better handle the large number of products that we keep in stock ready to ship. Browse our lines of knives, sharpening stones, graters, tenderizers, grill tools, kitchen utensils and other quality brand commercial and home utensils and you will realize that Mad Cow Cutlery can meet all of your commercial and home processing and cooking utensil needs.

Being a small business doesn’t mean small selections and limited services. Since we are more specialized in the products we sell, Mad Cow Cutlery stocks larger selections of cutlery and cooking utensils than the larger corporate distributors of processing and restaurant knives and accessories. Our online store is loaded with the latest features and securities-designed and maintained by some of the leading names in the business.

Payment transactions feature the newest levels of security. We use merchant services provided by some of the largest names in payment processing. Since part of Mad Cow Cutlery’s continued success and growth depends on our reputation, you can be assured that your privacy and security is a top concern. Our outstanding relationship with our manufacturers, along with our volume purchasing abilities, allows us to offer some of the best deals on professional knives-especially on larger volume orders from meat processing establishments and chain restaurants.

The main difference you will notice shopping with Mad Cow Cutlery is our personal service. Everyone at Mad Cow Cutlery is dedicated to providing friendly, fast, and accurate service. Without our customers we couldn’t do what we love, so you can be guaranteed that you are our top priority. If you ever have a question, comment or complaint about any of our products or services, please don’t hesitate to contact us at customerservice@madcowcutlery.com

We love feedback from our customers, so drop us an email at feedback@madcowcutlery.com.

Mad Cow Cutlery also operates one of the top rated and largest cutlery sites on ebay. Mad Cow Cutlery started experimenting with online selling on ebay. Over the years it allowed us to fine-tune our customer service and shipping methods. We still continue selling on ebay to reach a market segment that only shops on ebay. We have earned both Power Seller and Top Rater Seller credentials from ebay. You can use the link below to view our feedback.

NEWS RELEASE

For immediate release, March 15, 2010

Media Reports Erroneously Tie Accidental Shooting to Ben Avery Shooting Facility

Various media outlets on Saturday, March 13 reported the accidental shooting of an 12-year-old-boy near the Ben Avery Shooting Facility. While most reports of the incident were accurate, the Arizona Game and Fish Department wants to make certain the public understands the incident did not occur on Ben Avery Shooting Facility and the accidental shooting was self-inflicted.

The Phoenix Police Department said the child was injured around 11 a.m. on Saturday in a desert area west of the Shooting Facility boundary. The child was target shooting with his father and grandfather when the accident occurred.

When the initial call for assistance was received, Ben Avery Shooting Facility personnel assisted Phoenix Police Department officers in searching and clearing all range facilities to make certain the incident didn’t occur on the range or that other activity on the range didn’t contributed to the accident.

Arizona Game and Fish Department property was used as a staging area to provide emergency treatment and load the boy onto a medical transport helicopter.

The Ben Avery Shooting Facility is located on the northwest corner of I-17 and Carefree Highway in north Phoenix. Situated on 1,650 acres, it is one of the largest government-operated recreational shooting complexes in the world. It averages more than 120,000 shooters per year and is home to a number of regional- and national-class competitions and other major events. Offering a wide array of target-shooting opportunities, the facility has 67 covered stations at the main range (all handicap accessible), and more than 25 additional rifle, pistol, and archery ranges for recreational and competitive shooting. The Clay Target Center offers 18-lighted trap/skeet overlay fields and two sporting clays courses.

Well done to Game and Fish for another awesome outreach effort ~DesertRat

Want to see live wildlife, watch your kids catch a fish, refine your archery skills, try out all types of firearms, navigate a field course, view exciting rock crawler and ATV demonstrations, see boating exhibits, or witness exciting mounted cowboy action shooters?

Then get ready for lots of fun and excitement at the largest hands-on outdoor exposition in Arizona on March 27-28 at the 1,650-acre Ben Avery Shooting Facility on Carefree Highway just west of I-17.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Outdoor Expo offers fun for the entire family. There will be a multitude of exciting outdoor activities and exhibits:

*See lots of live wildlife demonstrations from birds of prey to amazing reptiles

*Have your kids catch a fish at the huge kids fishing tank

*Try out firearms from different manufacturers in a safe, supervised shooting range setting

*Take an archery class or try out 3D archery on a walking course

*Kids can shoot .22s and air guns while learning more about firearm safety

*Get fishing tips from local tournament anglers and fishing guides at the fish demonstration tank

*Learn about safe, responsible off-highway vehicle recreation. View quads, side-by-sides, and 4×4s, plus see rock crawler, trial bike and ATV demonstrations

*Try your hand at different specialty shooting disciplines, such as cowboy action shooting, black powder, practical pistol, and steel target shooting

*See boating exhibits and learn about watercraft recreation and safety

*Make your way through a hunter education field course

*View exciting shooting competition by the cowboy mounted shooters

*Attend informative workshops on wildlife viewing, hunting, nature photography, backcountry gear and more

*Visit the Clay Target Center and learn how to shoot skeet, trap and sporting clays

*Watch hunting dog demonstrations

*Visit with more than 100 exhibitors—sportsmen’s organizations, conservation groups, shooting clubs, government agencies, and commercial vendors of outdoor products and services

Trolley transportation is available throughout the Expo grounds, which are located on Carefree Highway, about ½ mile west of I-17. Just follow the signs.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 27 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 28. Admission and parking are free, but bring a little money for food and beverages or for the nominal ammunition fee if you want to try out firearms on the range.

The Gold Sponsor for this year’s Outdoor Expo is the American Red Cross, Grand Canyon Chapter. Silver Sponsors are Weatherby Foundation International, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, White Flyer Targets, Winchester Ammunition, and Diamond Ridge Development Corporation (Diamond Ridge partner contributors include Eagle Plumbing Services, Kat CSI Construction Services, Sunshine Painting, and Valleywide Plumbing.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is operated on a “user pay, user benefit” business model. The Outdoor Expo promotes wildlife-related and other outdoor activities to current and future customers who support the department’s mission and funding through their engagement in those activities. The department receives no Arizona tax dollars, and no tax dollars are used in conducting the Expo.

For more information about the Outdoor Expo, visit www.azgfd.gov/expo.

Now, this story is funny. First off, there’s lots of data suggesting just how much damage feral cats do to local wildlife populations. If the animal rights groups are so concerned, then they should offer to control the cats, and pay reparation to the state, for the damage these things have caused. Of course, animal rights groups are notorious for not running good shelters, so that will never happen… Second – hunters shooting cats? Umm.. yeah, OK. Not saying it won’t happen once they’re declared feral but seriously?

DesertRat: “Hey Greg – heading out to Thompson’s Ranch Saturday – want to go? I’ve got a lead on a big herd of feral cats out there. They’ve been hitting the songbirds wicked hard this year…”

Greg: “Dude, awesome – I’m in. Any word on the quality of these animals? Any trophies in there??”

Seriously.

You can read the full article here: Could ruling lead to hunters shooting cats?

A snippet:

A number of animal activists have contacted state officials in an effort to head off a potential reclassification of feral cats, which could end the growing number of programs that trap, neuter and return them back into neighborhoods or the wild, and allow them to be hunted.

The state Fish and Game Council has condemned the idea of leaving cats in the wild and now another committee that reports to the state Department of Environmental Protection is studying the issue of TNR programs.

“Nothing has happened or been proposed so far,” said Michelle Lerner, who works with the Animal Protection League of New Jersey and helped start a TNR program in Mount Olive last summer. “We are trying to work with state agencies to make sure this ridiculous proposal does not see the light of day.”

Read the full article at the link above.

I was recently contacted by the Trophy Room and asked to have a look at their site, and maybe mention it to my readers. Trophy Room is a free site that enables you to share videos with other outdoor enthusiasts.

From their “About Us” section:

Founded in December 2007, Trophy Room is an online video destination and information source for hunters and fishermen. Trophy Room’s mission is to entertain, inform, educate, and connect you with the most serious outdoorsmen on the Web – all for free. We empower our users to share their experiences in the field and on the water through their own eyes while connecting with other outdoorsmen along the way.

Coming soon, Trophy Room’s users will have the ability to log and share all of their days afield with a new media resource for hunters and fishermen – The Trophy Report.

Tight lines and straight shots – Welcome to Trophy Room.

Here’s a sample video with some Arizona content:

They have some cool stuff posted over there. Check it out!

Doug Paymer of Camera Land has become a great friend of the Desert Rat Blog. Doug is well-known through his participation on a bunch of hunting message boards across the internet, including our own AHT Forums. If you are interested in purchasing cameras or optics, please contact Doug. I guarantee his knowledge will impress you. They are also a dealer for Vortex. Thanks Doug, for taking the time to answer some questions! ~DesertRat

1) You are one of the few companies that really seems to utilize the power of the internet, especially when it comes to participation on message boards, forums, etc. How did that strategy come about for Camera Land? We are a family owned and operated business, here since 1957, and Dad has taught us that we must make the difference in how we present ourselves and providing the best customer service we can. Everyone carries the same goods so we must be the difference that separates us from everyone else (BTW, Dad still comes in twice a week and will be 80 in August). The forums/message boards a community made up of the people that use the goods that we handle. It makes good sense to get involved and provide what assistance we can.

2) How much of your sales volume is internet versus local? I would say about 1/3rd

3) You’ve become very well known around the ‘net, especially on the hunting sites. Are you a hunter yourself? I am a fisherman. Every July I spend a week fishing in Alaska, I try to go down to Central America in the Spring and being on the South Shore of L.I. in NY, from Spring thru Fall, whenever I can find the time, we Deep Sea out to Hudson Canyon (about 80 miles off shore) for Big Game Sport Fish. My wife has informed me that if I add anything else to my “away from the family time” I will have all the time I can use as I will have no family :>) I do manage to go to the range with buddies when time permits

4) What are some of the most common questions from hunters when it comes to optics? How about cameras? I do not know if you’d have enough space to post this “interview” to completely answer this question. There is no such thing as a “common question” when it comes to the needs/wants of people. We get lots of “How would you compare this to that” questions and “What power is suggested for…”, “What camera is best for…..”, Eye Relief questions, ED vs Standard glass, Best way to Digiscope, etc.

5) You’ve been in the business a long time – what are some of the advances or trends that have surprised you, in the past few years? On the camera side it was the coming of age of Digital and the basic extinction of film. Wow, is all I can say. Cameras that for under $200.00 can go under water, be dropped from 5′ and take super high quality images. On the Sports Optics side it is the improvements in sub $1000.00 and sub $500.00 options from the Asian mfg’s. The $1500.00 Alpha Euro glass of 10 years ago can now be had from Minox, Pentax, Vortex, Promaster, etc for less than $750.00. it’s amazing

6) If you could offer one piece of advice to hunters considering new optics, what would it be? Bragging rights mean nothing. Have an open mind to what is now available. Seeing what is best for you is the best way to choose, not what hype says would be best.

7) What are some common mistakes to avoid, when buying a new camera? Over buying. A 6MP camera will make a perfect 8×10. Most folks never make more than a 4×6 print. Everyone is different, however, I have found that for 80% of consumers a camera that is simple to operate, can produce great family, vacation, children and game shots is all that is needed. Key word……simple. Most people are picture takers, not photographers and have no interest in Photography per say. They just want a good shot.

Thank you for your continued support.
If there is anything else that I can assist you with please let me know.
Doug
212-753-5128

Please visit our website @ www.cameralandny.com

2010 Banquet & Major Event Schedule

March 27-28 Arizona Game and Fish Department Outdoor Expo

April 10-11 Arizona Bowhunter’s Association’s 2nd leg (Rumble in the Rocks) of the 2010 Triple Crown. Click on the link above for more information or contact Stony Amerine at 623-204-8659 or at amerines7@aol.com.

May 1-2 Arizona Bowhunter’s Association’s 3rd leg (Pinal Mountain Gathering) of the 2010 Triple Crown. Click on the link above for more information or contact Stoney Amerine at 623-204-8659 or at amerines7@aol.com.

May 8 Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society Annual Steak Fry at Cave Creek Park (37019 N. Lave Ln. 85331, Cave Creek). For more information call 480-854-8950.

May 15 Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation Annual Sportsmen’s Heritage Banquet with special Guest Governor Sarah Palin at the JW Marriott at Desert Ridge.

May 22-23 Southeastern Arizona Sportsman’s Club’s “3-D Shoot” at Blackjack Campgrounds on the AZ/NM border. For more information contact Gila Outdoor (3660 W. Main St. Thatcher, AZ 85552) at 928-348-0710.

June 5 Arizona Deer Association Fundraising Banquet. Chaparral Suites Resorts, 5001 N. Scottsdale Rd at 4:00 PM. For more information call 480-854-8950.

July 10 Arizona Chapter Safari Club International Annual Banquet at Ventana Canyon, details TBA. For more information call 520-490-8367.

July 15 Arizona Game and Fish Department Big Game Super Raffle Drawing

July 23-25 Arizona Bowhunter’s Association’s 4th leg (Bowhunter Happening) of the 2010 Triple Crown at Sunrise Park Resort. Click on the linkabove for more information or contact Stoney Amerine at 623-204-8659 or at amerines7@aol.com.

July 23-25 Arizona Trapper’s Association Annual Convention, Gila County Fairgrounds. For more information call 928-674-3355

July 30 National Wild Turkey Federation (Huachuca Golds Chapter) The Knight’s of Columbus Hall, 156 W. Kayetan Dr., Sierra Vista 85635. For more information call 520-378-0478

October 30 Arizona Antelope Foundation’s “Arizona Conservation Awards Banquet” El Zaribah Shrine, 552 N. 40th St. Phoenix. More information is forthcoming

September TBA Anglers United Annual Fundraiser Banquet, Grace Inn, 10831 S. 51st St. Phoenix 85044
December 10 Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club Annual Dinner Banquet. For more information call 928-344-9323.

2010 Conservation Projects and Mentored Hunt Calendar

Arizona Antelope Foundation
April 10 work project Hope 3 Canyon Clear Creek Ranch. For more information please email info@azantelope.org.

Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society
April 10 High Tank #3 in Unit 45B, KOFA

April 24 Powell’s Monument in Unit 12B, Paria Plateau
*For more information on ADBSS events call 480-854-8950

Arizona Elk Society
April 16-18 AES-NWTF Youth Turkey Camp Unit 23

June 11-13 Annual Burro Creek/26 Bar Adopt-a-Ranch Project, Big Lake area

June 18-20 Wapiti Weekend, Springerville, AZ

July 17 (Tentative) Buck Springs Work Project

July 31 AES Elk Clinic, FOP Lodge 19th Ave. between Cactus and Thunderbird

October 7-10, Junior Elk Camp, Unit 6A, Happy Jack Lodge

Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club
April 2, Youth Fishing Derby, for more information call 928-580-7752

October 1-2, Coyote/Quail Hunt, for more information call 928-783-8110

2010 Conservation Board & Membership Meetings
Arizona Deer Assoc Board Meeting, March 16 and April 20 @ 6:30 PM, University of Phoenix Campus, 4635 E. Elwood (3-story building), Room # 7, Phoenix. Call 480-854-8950 for more information.

Yuma Valley Rod & Gun Club Board Meeting, March 24 and April 21.

Yuma Valley Rod & Gun Club Membership Meeting, April 7 @ 6:00 PM, American Legion Post 19, 2575 S. Virginia Drive, Yuma

Southern Arizona Wildlife Callers Board Meeting, March 16 and April 13, FOP Lodge 3445 North Dodge, Tucson

Southern Arizona Wildlife Callers General Club meeting March 11 and April 8, FOP Lodge 3445 North Dodge, Tucson

Chandler Rod & Gun Club Board Meeting, March 17 and April 21 @ 6:30 PM, Bass Pro Shop

Chandler Rod & Gun Club General Club Meeting, March 10 and April 14 @ 6:30PM, Chandler Community Center

Desert Christian Archers Member Meeting, March 16 and April 20 @ 7:00 PM, Calvary Community Church, Room 204, 12612 N. Black Canyon Highway, Phoenix

Arizona Flycasters General Meeting, March 11 and April 8 @ 7:00 PM, Sunnyslope Community Center, Phoenix

Arizona Flycaster Board Meeting, March 18 and April 15 @ 7:00 PM, Sunnyslope Community Center, Phoenix.

Arizona Predator Callers, March 11 and April 8 @ 7:00 PM, Mesa FOP Lodge, 1452 E. Main

Phoenix Varmint Callers, April 6 and May 4 @ 7:00PM, FOP Lodge #2, 12851 N. 19th Ave. Phoenix

Desert Fly Casters Board Meeting, March 17 and April 21 @ 7:00 PM, El Penasco Mexican Kitchen, 19 E. Broadway Road, Tempe

Desert Fly Casters Club Meeting, March 10 and April 14 @ 7:00 PM, American Legion Post #2, 2125 S. Industrial Path, Tempe.

Arizona Antelope Foundation Board Meeting, April 12 @ 6:30 PM, El Zaribah Shrine, 552 N. 40th Street, Phoenix

Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society Board Meeting, March 10 @ 7:00 PM, El Zaribah Shrine, 552 N. 40th Street, Phoenix

Arizona Elk Society Board Meeting- TBD
Southwest Walleye Anglers, General Meeting, March 16 and 18, for more information call 480-861-7898