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    2009 April - Desert Rat - The Premier Hunting and Fishing Blog of the Southwest!

    Archive for April, 2009

    Arizona Game and Fish Commission sets 2009 fall hunts

    Arizona Game and Fish Commission sets 2009 fall hunts

    Enhances first-come, first-serve system for leftover permit-tags

    The Arizona Game and Fish Commission approved the remaining big game fall hunting seasons for deer, turkey, javelina, bighorn sheep, buffalo, bear and mountain lion at its April 18 meeting in Phoenix.

    The application deadline to apply for a hunt permit-tag is Tuesday, June 9 by 7 p.m. (MST), Postmarks do not count, and there is no online process available. You can start applying once the regulations are posted on the department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/draw.

    Draw application instructions, season dates, permit numbers, hunt numbers and other draw related information will be published in the 2009-2010 Arizona Hunting and Trapping Regulations booklet that should be available for download at www.azgfd.gov/draw the last week in April. Printed copies of the booklet should be available at all Department offices and license dealers statewide no later than the second full week in May. To apply for a 2009-10 fall hunt permit-tag, paper applications must be used - no online application service is available.

    Applicants should note, there is a new P.O. Box for submitting hunt permit applications and the new address should be reflected on the new envelopes. The new address is Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn.: Drawing Section, PO Box 74020, Phoenix, AZ 85087-1052. However, applications mailed to the old address will be automatically forwarded to the new address.

    Another date to remember is – May 28 – which is the end of the application grace period. During the grace period, if you apply for one of the remaining fall hunts and make a mistake on the application, the department will attempt to call you three times in a 24-hour period and allow you the opportunity to correct the mistake. After that date, mistakes can cause your application to be rejected.

    New for this season is a dual method and schedule for applying for leftover tags on a first-come, first serve basis. In an effort to streamline the process and reduce the waiting time, hunters will have the option to buy a leftover permit-tag at department offices - after a by-mail-only grace period.

    “The mail-only process didn’t allow hunters to take advantage of a last minute openings in their schedule to go hunting, because we couldn’t process the paperwork quick enough, said Brain Wakeling chief of game management. “With this improvement, they can go to their local department office, see what hunts are available and buy it right there over-the-counter. This is a huge improvement in removing a barrier to hunter recruitment and retention.”

    For first-come, first-serve leftover tags for fall 2009-10 hunts paper applications are accepted by mail only starting Aug. 3 after 8 a.m. Beginning Aug. 10 at 8 a.m. hunt permit-tags can be obtained at any department office or by the mail application process.

    Another change worth noting is the deadline to apply for a pheasant permit is now the same as the fall draw deadline of June 9 by 7 p.m. MST. Pheasant hunters are to use the same application materials as the fall big game hunts with the new deadline date.

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    Posted on 30th April 2009
    Under: Arizona News, Events, General, Hunting, Press Releases | No Comments »

    Arizona’s young shotgun shooters continue to rise in clay target competitions

    Well done to these youngsters and a great program…. ~DR

    sctp_comcup2009_01_thumb

    Arizona’s young shotgun shooters continue to rise in clay target competitions

    Many teams qualify to compete in the national competition in July

    Intense wind, pouring rain, hail, a touch of sun and a perfect 100 score in skeet from intermediate shooter Tanner Bissell of the Ben Avery Clay Crushers, were some of the highlights from this year’s SCTP Commissioners’ Cup championships.

    Another success story was the top score in the trap competition by varsity shooter Garret Cobbs of the Red Mountain Target Terminators, with 199 hits out of 200 targets. Clearly, Arizona’s Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) continues to foster incredible talents from young shooters from across the state.

    “These kids and this program continue to set a higher bar each year, “said Ashley Lynch, shooting sports coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “I’m completely amazed by the perfect score – that’s a first since we started the program.”

    A trio of competitions was hosted for each clay target shooting discipline this spring – sporting clays, skeet and trap. Competitions began March 28 with the sporting clays event hosted in Phoenix at the Ben Avery Clay Target Center. The competition was held during the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Outdoor Expo and drew more than 150 athletes. The skeet competition took place April 11 at the Tucson Trap and Skeet Club and drew more than 130 athletes. The competition finished up with trap on April 18 at the Ben Avery Clay Target Center, with over 155 athletes in attendance.

    Each discipline is broken into five divisions: varsity, grades 9-12; junior varsity, grades 9-12; intermediate advanced, grades 6-8; intermediate entry, grades 6-8; and rookie, grades 5 and under.

    Top results for all three events are:

    Sporting clays:

    Varsity: Red Mountain Target Terminators, scored 238, by Van Sickle Chris, Kyle Sutter, and Quinton Moore.
    Junior varsity: Red Mountain Target Terminators, scored 210, by Kent Thomas, Fuller Stephen, and Eric Fleming.
    Intermediate advanced: Ben Avery Clay Crushers, scored 225, by Holden Huff, Perry Miller, and Tanner Bissell.
    Intermediate: White Mountain Clay Busters, scored 168, by Roman Ashcraft, Austin Moore, and Barton Logan.
    Rookie: Ben Avery Clay Crushers, scored 175, by Casey Coleman, Tim Lehmann, and Tyler Sims.
    Skeet:

    Varsity: Ben Avery Clay Crushers, scored 282, by Shelby Shank, Kyle Johnson, and Lane Shank.
    Junior varsity: Red Mountain Target Terminators, scored 264, by Thomas Kent Everett, Stephen Fuller, and Eric Fleming.
    Intermediate advanced: Ben Avery Clay Crushers, scored 288, by Tanner Bissell, Holden Huff, and Perry Miller.
    Intermediate: Ben Avery Clay Crushers, scored 229, by Mitchell Jones, Cody Kime, and Zachery Clark.
    Rookie: Phantom Sure Shot, scored 216, by Hayden Hilderbrand, Nathan Moss, and Jacob Rayner.
    Trap:

    Varsity: Red Mountain Target Terminators, scored 948, by Garret Cobbs, Justin Williams, Zachary Kelly, Kyle Hagberg, and Kyle Wandelear.
    Junior varsity: Ben Avery Clay Crushers, scored 875, by Andrew Witte, John Heim, Andrew Tougas, Michael Brooks, and Brandon Medina.
    Intermediate advanced: Ben Avery Clay Crushers, scored 879, by Holden Huff, Paysen Unger, Perry Miller, Trent Jordan, and McCally Gibson.
    Intermediate: Mohave Top Guns, scored 773, by Colorado Parr, Christopher Franklin, Forrest Keller, Kirsten Shaw, and Benjamin Smith.
    Rookie: Ben Avery Clay Crushers, scored 370, by Tyler Sims, Casey Coleman, Tim Lehmann, Brett Miller, and Garrett Rand.

    For a complete list of all the results, visit www.azgfd.gov/sctp and click on the link for the Commissioners’ Cup results.

    In addition to the awards and titles received from the Commissioners’ Cup, top performing teams qualify to represent Arizona at the 2009 SCTP National Championships held at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, Illinois from July 23-26. Winners from the national competition could be selected to attend an Olympic development camp in Colorado Springs, and some will go on to compete at the collegiate level.

    Arizona’s SCTP continues to grow each year. There are now 17 clubs across the state dedicated to teaching boys and girls about character development, sportsmanship, responsibility, commitment, and a passion for shooting sports.

    Lynch added, “I have to thank all the clubs, parents, kids and volunteers for all their dedication and hard work – without them, the program would never be this successful.”

    The clubs in alphabetical order are
    : Arizona Dust Devils (southeast Phoenix area), Buckeye Buckshots (Buckeye area), Ben Avery Clay Crushers (Phoenix area), Central Arizona Target Shooters (Casa Grande area), Cottonwood / Verde Valley Sportsmen’s Club (Cottonwood area), Huachuca Hot Shots (Sierra Vista), Leading Edge Shooters (St. Johns area), Prescott Trap and Skeet (Prescott area), Phantom Sure Shots (west Phoenix area), Red Mountain Target Terminators (East Valley), Mohave Top Guns (Kingman area), Tucson Shooting Stars (Tucson area), Williams Busters (Williams / Flagstaff area), White Mountain Rod and Gun (Springerville / Round Valley area), Wickenburg Sportsmen’s Club (Wickenburg area), White Mountain Clay Busters (Show Low / White Mountain area), and the Yuma Young Guns (Yuma area).

    Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) is a youth development program using shooting sports as a learning platform for youths in grades 12 and under. It is considered the Little League of shooting sports. The program instills many life-skills like personal values or character traits for fair play, compassionate understanding, individual responsibility, sportsmanship, self-discipline and personal commitment. SCTP is a national program administered by the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation and facilitated locally by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. To learn more about SCTP, visit www.azgfd.gov/sctp or www.sssfonline.org.

    ###

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    Posted on 29th April 2009
    Under: Arizona News, Conservation Groups, Events, General, Press Releases | No Comments »

    The BorderLine Walk: supporting anti-poaching in the Savé Valley

    anothervictim

    On May 15th, two hunters—one white and one black—will begin a long walk along the border of Zimbabwe to raise awareness and gain support for the plight of the wildlife and people of Zimbabwe and help finance community development programs.

    The BorderLine Walk will be 3066 kilometers long: 813 kilometers along the Botswana border, 797 km. along Zambia, 225 km. along South Africa, and finally 1231 km. along the Mozambique border. The BorderLine Walk will be widely covered by the media and progress will be published on the African Expedition Magazine website [ www.africanxmag.com ] and Google Earth.

    If you really care, this is your opportunity to sponsor hunting, wildlife conservation, and community development in Zimbabwe.

    Desert Rat Note - I am passing this along on behalf of African Expedition Magazine

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    Posted on 28th April 2009
    Under: Conservation Groups, General, Hunting, Press Releases | No Comments »

    Chatting With Crooked Horn Outfitters

    Lennis Alaska Bear

    I want to thank Brenda Negrete over at Crooked Horn Outfitters for helping me out with this project. Owner Lennis Janzen is a busy guy but Brenda has been excited about working with the Desert Rat Blog and she has been instrumental in making this project happen. I’m looking forward to working with Crooked Horn on some future projects - maybe some product reviews, new project announcements - ya never know! In the meantime, let’s learn some more about Lennis and Crooked Horn.

    1. When someone asks you to describe your Company, what do you tell them?

    Crooked Horn Outfitters is an extension of myself in that we are driven by a desire to live the life of an American hunter and to supply the hunting essentials so you can be the best hunter you can be.

    2. How/why did you decide to get into this business?

    Growing up on a large cattle ranch and being a hunter at young age taught me about being creative with very few resources. I have been driven to design the products I have out of neccesity in the woods. Work is easy when you love what you do.

    3. Tell us a little about the different aspects of your business.. (number of employees, different departments, are they all in same location, etc)

    We have small town business ethics, customer service and attention to detail but we’re backed by big city, USA manufacturing. Our manufacturer, Force Protector Gear makes deployment gear for our military so the same specs go into our products that go into theirs. We are located in a mountainous, California community and this helps keep us in the outdoors all the time. We have the best of both worlds!

    4. What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing your business today?

    Overseas manufacturing and so-called innovators that do no more than copy your products. Our top quality products and USA manufacturing sometimes make it difficult to compete but we believe the old motto, “You get what you pay for” still exists.


    5. Is it hard to stay innovative?

    Where there’s enthusiasm and passion, there’s innovation for an inventor.

    6. Is it important to keep developing new products, or is it more important to keep perfecting your existing products?

    Both. There’s always room for improvement of existing products. Our customers continually assist us with ideas and suggestions to help make our products even better. I usually design new products when I’m hunting, tired and frustrated, and have been sitting under a tree for several hours. That’s why it’s so important for me to be in the field as much as I’m in the office.

    7. Describe how a product goes from “idea” to “full production”.

    Here’s an example of how I designed and produced one of our products, the Bow Hook. I had been hunting for 23 days straight with my bow in my hand and one arm felt like it was a foot longer than the other one. I came home with an idea and went to work making it. It’s definitely the handiest way to carry your bow comfortably while being able to glass hands free. I had an idea, I needed it and I made it!

    8. Which of your products are you most proud of?

    The original Slide-n-Flex Bino-System binocular harness. It has changed the way people carry their binoculars worldwide.

    9. What does the future hold for Crooked Horn? What are your goals?

    We’ve just achieved our 20 year anniversary and that’s a major accomplishment in business. We were just chosen by the Boone and Crockett Club to make a unique line of hunting essentials, Boone and Crockett Adventure Gear! We’re hoping for another 20 years!

    10. What is your favorite hunt?

    Brown Bear! To outsmart the ultimate predator at his own game by calling him in with a predator call. It’s been done – you can see it on our website!

    11. It seems like you do a ton of hunting - what’s the hunt that you haven’t done yet, that you’d most like to do?

    Hunting alligators with a spear! I’m going to try this on my 50th birthday this year so we’ll see how it goes!

    12. Have you hunted in Arizona yet?

    Yes. Don’t tell anyone but I’ve been lucky enough to draw 3 Elk tags there! It is one of my favorite states to hunt.

    Desert Rat Note - I know he said not to tell anyone, but no one reads this lil ol blog anyway….

    SW Deer

    Again, I want to thank Lennis and Brenda for helping out with this awesome interview! Look for Crooked Horn postings to be a fairly regular occurrence in the future. Please take a minute and visit their site. They have some awesome products, and their quality is well-known throughout the industry.

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    Posted on 25th April 2009
    Under: General, Hunting, Interviews, Products | No Comments »

    Arizona Game and Fish extends moratorium limiting mountain lion predation management on the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge

    Arizona Game and Fish extends moratorium limiting mountain lion predation management on the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge

    April 18, 2009

    PHOENIX — As part of its continued efforts to restore the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge’s (NWR) struggling desert bighorn sheep herd, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission voted today, at its regularly scheduled meeting, to extend through July 31 the Department’s self-imposed moratorium on lethally removing offending lions captured and collared on the Refuge. As defined by the 2007 Kofa Mountains Predation Management Plan, an offending lion is one that kills at least two bighorn sheep within a 6-month period.

    The decision to extend the moratorium through the July 31 date reflects the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) estimated timeline of the end of the public scoping period for the environmental assessment (EA) for managing mountain lion predation on desert bighorn sheep on the Refuge. The Service now anticipates completing the EA by the end of 2009.

    The department’s original one-year moratorium was enacted in April 2008 as a cooperative agreement with the Service, and it expired yesterday, Friday, April 17. When established, the one-year moratorium reflected a Service estimate of six months to complete the EA. Lions captured and collared outside the Refuge are not subject to the moratorium.

    The Service requested the department to extend the moratorium due to the complexity of conducting the environmental assessment.

    The moratorium extension provides one exclusion.

    In late February, the department collared a lion, KM04, on the refuge during the original moratorium. This lion, currently the only one captured and collared on the refuge, has already preyed upon three bighorn sheep and qualifies as an offending lion. Under the extended moratorium, the KM04 lion’s predation history will be reset to zero as of today’s decision. However, if KM04 qualifies as an offending lion again, he will not be covered under the new moratorium.

    “The Kofa bighorn sheep herd is critically important to the sheep restoration efforts in Arizona and much of the Southwest,” said Gary Hovatter, deputy director for the department. “The very low rate of herd recruitment - approximately 40 yearlings per year - makes any additive mortality to this herd – be it due to drought, disease, forage quality, or other factors — an issue of critical interest to the department and its stakeholders – the citizens of Arizona.”

    Hovatter added, “mountain lions are also an important species to the department and the eco-system. Their populations are very healthy throughout the state and are managed like all other big game species. Removal of lions on the Kofa NWR does not threaten the health of Arizona’s mountain lion population.”

    The Kofa desert bighorn sheep herd was once one of the most robust herds in the nation and has been a critically important source of transplant sheep for restoring desert bighorn sheep to Arizona and other southwestern United States mountain ranges for 51 years. Historically the Refuge has been home to a population averaging 760 bighorns. However, since a survey in 2000, the population has continued to decline. The 2006 survey count reflected a historic low estimated population of 390 animals.

    Wildlife experts attributed the decline to a variety of potential factors including drought, predation, wildlife water management, disease factors and human disturbance. At the beginning of restoration efforts in 2006, it was estimated that at least five lions had been spending enough time in the refuge portion of the Kofa Mountains Complex to be considered “resident.” Given the historical indications of the transient nature of the lion presence on the Kofa, these resident lions are likely an important cause of additive bighorn mortality.

    To learn more about Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Kofa bighorn sheep management program, visit www.azgfd.gov/kofa.

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    Posted on 23rd April 2009
    Under: Arizona News, Conservation Groups, General, Hunting, Press Releases | No Comments »

    NWTF Plants Seeds for Arbor Day Success

    NWTF Plants Seeds for Arbor Day Success

    EDGEFIELD, S.C. Each year, conservation-minded Americans celebrate National Arbor Day by joining forces on the last Friday in April to plant an estimated 18 million tree seedlings.

    However, to improve wildlife habitat and the environment, tree-planting efforts must span much further than Arbor Day celebrations. Through the National Wild Turkey Federation’s initiatives, private landowners and volunteers work year-round to rejuvenate forests by managing habitat and planting trees. During the weeks leading up to and closely following Arbor Day of 2009, the NWTF’s distributions 278,000 seedlings distributed to chapters in the U.S. and Canada.

    “The NWTF recognized the need for regional programs that would plant food-bearing shrubs and trees for wildlife, and decided to take action,” said James Earl Kennamer, Ph.D., the NWTF’s chief conservation officer. “Through initiatives and our regional habitat programs, the NWTF is meeting the need in big ways.”

    The NWTF is meeting the need to improve wildlife habitat nationally through Operation Appleseed in the Northeast, Operation Oak in the Southeast, Operation SOS (Set Out Seedlings) in Midwestern states and Ontario, Operation Big Sky in the northern Great Plains and Operation Heartland in the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio River valleys, plus other initiatives to plant longleaf pines, American chestnuts and oak.

    Seeds of Success

    During the weeks leading up to and closely following Arbor Day of 2009, the NWTF’s distributions include:

    169,000 oak seedlings through the Operation Oak Private Landowner Program

    70,000 hardwood seedlings to chapters in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin through Operation SOS (Set Out Seedlings)

    15,000 hardwood seedlings to chapters in the Midwest through Operation Heartland

    15,000 oak seedlings through the Operation Oak Chapter Program

    5,000 crabapple seedlings to chapters in the Northeast through Operation Appleseed

    4,000 hardwood seedlings to chapters in Canada through Operation SOS Canada

    Longleaf Legacy

    Though the longleaf pine covered more than 90 million acres of America’s landscape at the time of European colonization, today, longleaf pine forests have been reduced to only 3 million acres nationwide due to pasture and cropland conversion, landowners planting other pine species for timber and the absence of fire, on which longleaf is dependant.

    Longleaf pine forests are an important and diverse habitat that is home to 26 federally listed endangered species such as the indigo snake, red-cockaded woodpecker and gopher tortoise. Longleaf pine can be grown in landscapes that are poor, sandy and well-drained, and are often more suitable for these sites than other species.

    To restore the South’s most famous and unique ecosystem - longleaf pine the NWTF and Georgia Pacific have partnered to restore more than 8,500 acres of longleaf pines on both public and private land in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi through a $1.1 million grant from Southern Company and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

    “The value of longleaf pines for both wildlife and timber production is tremendous,” Kennamer said. “It’s a valuable addition to property managed for multiple uses, and would be an excellent tree to plant in your front yard on suitable sites on Arbor Day.”

    Project partners also are hosting landowner field days to teach the benefits of planting and managing longleaf pine such as high timber value and quality wildlife habitat. Longleaf pine forests allow prescribed fire to be introduced earlier and more often than other species of pine trees, which reduces the chance for wildfires and maintains grasses and other wildlife friendly plants. Another advantage is that numerous federal and state programs supplement the costs associated with planting and managing longleaf pines.

    “With programs designed to help landowners, planting longleaf pine trees is a win-win situation for conservation, hunters, landowners and wildlife,” Kennamer said.

    American Chestnuts

    Few trees are missed by wildlife more than the American chestnut, which once flourished from Georgia to Maine, but was virtually eliminated by a fungal disease called blight. Because chestnuts were an important food source for deer, wild turkeys and other wildlife, as well as a source of food and lumber for nineteenth century settlers, blight is a serious problem.

    “Blight destroyed a beautiful tree, and a major food source for wild turkeys and other wildlife,” said Robert Abernethy, the NWTF’s assistant vice president of agency and outreach programs. “Its reintroduction would benefit everyone, especially wildlife.”

    Until recently, restoration of the American chestnut was an unlikely dream. However, The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF), with help from organizations such as the NWTF, is breeding American chestnut trees with Chinese chestnut trees using a method called backcrossing to create a chestnut tree that is blight-resistant and able to reclaim its place in American forests. The new tree will be more than 94 percent American chestnut in appearance and form with blight resistance as the only remaining trait of the Chinese chestnut.

    NWTF New York State Chapter Working to Restore the American Chestnut

    During April of 2009, the NWTF New York State Chapter will work with the American Chestnut Foundation to plant American chestnut trees in 10 to 12 counties in New York that were part of the tree’s original range. The NWTF New York State Chapter has invested $10,555 from the state Super Fund to help the New York State Chapter of TACF breed a blight-resistant American chestnut tree.

    “The restoration of the American chestnut tree is a long-term project,” Abernethy said. “It will take many years to develop enough genetic lines to begin restoring chestnuts across the Eastern half of the country.”

    The NWTF signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the TACF in 2006 to work together for the benefit of American chestnut trees and wildlife by planting blight-resistant trees in orchards to provide a future source of American chestnut trees. The MOU is a continuance of the support that the NWTF has given TACF in the past.

    “This partnership continues to benefit wild turkeys and their habitat, along with everyone who believes in wildlife conservation and the preservation of our hunting tradition,” said Kennamer.

    Operation Oak

    Oak trees provide food and shelter for many animals, but residential urban development, changing land uses and fire suppression has been detrimental to Southeastern hardwood stands.

    “A lack of mast-producing trees such as oak can have devastating effects on wildlife,” said Greg Boozer, the NWTF’s Operation Oak coordinator. “The NWTF formed the Operation Oak program to restore oak woodlands, which is a very valuable component to wildlife habitat throughout the Southeast.

    Created in 2000, Operation Oak distributes oak seedlings to NWTF chapters whose volunteers plant the seedlings on private and public properties to enhance wildlife habitat. This year, the NWTF already has distributed more than 185,000 seedlings to NWTF chapters and landowners.

    “To date, we’ve helped plant more than 627,000 oak seedlings to improve wildlife habitat across the southeast,” Boozer said. “We thank our partners, our sponsors and especially our volunteers for all of their hard work and support. Together, we’re leaving a positive, long-term impact on wildlife for generations to come.”

    For more information about the NWTF visit the Web site at 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 $286 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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    Posted on 22nd April 2009
    Under: Conservation Groups, Hunting, Press Releases | No Comments »

    More Guns, Less Violent Crime as the Bad Guys Run or Die

    Ted Nugent posted this great piece in the US News:

    More Guns, Less Violent Crime as the Bad Guys Run or Die

    More guns, less crime: Thanks to the Founding Fathers, we’re as safe as in our mothers’ arms

    By Ted Nugent
    Posted April 20, 2009

    Rocker, outdoorsman, and radio and TV personality Ted Nugent is the author of Ted, White, and Blue: The Nugent Manifesto.

    Water, water, everywhere water. Know it, embrace it, manage it, or drown. Same goes for cars, trucks, chainsaws, knives, crowbars, blowtorches, and guns. Based on the inept, clumsy, irresponsible failure of brain-dead, uncoordinated numbnuts, I will not be denied the pragmatic, functional utility of anything.

    I will not drown, nor will I drink and drive, chainsaw-massacre anyone, stumble, slice, burn, or shoot myself, nor will I ever hold up a bank. So the best advice would be to think, improvise, adapt, and overcome, man up, but by all means, leave me the hell alone. You don’t ban electric guitars just because someone may have a lapse in logic, goodwill, and decency and spontaneously break out into country and western music. The vast majority of sensible people will use electric guitars as God intended and whip out good, sexy rock-n-roll licks.

    I need my water, cars, trucks, chainsaws, knives, crowbars, blowtorches, and guns. I have mastered them all; they are all wonderful ingredients for my American Dream of rugged individualism, declared independence, and self-sufficiency. They all serve me well, and I am not giving any of them up. Ever.

    The masses must never be controlled for the sake of the lunatic fringe. Remember “Don’t Tread on Me”? Don’t.

    America has spoken. With guns and ammo sales and concealed weapons permits surging at unprecedented rates, never in the history of mankind have more people possessed more firepower and most significantly, carried more concealed weapons on their persons than today across America. And as FBI crime reports and law enforcement and academic studies conclude, the self-evident truth is that more guns clearly equals less crime. Where there are more guns per capita, violent crime goes down, particularly crimes of assault, like rape, burglary, and robbery. This is good.

    It is indeed Ted Kennedy’s gun ban dream of GunFreeZones that have proven to be the guaranteed slaughter zones where the most innocent lives are lost. Think Columbine, VA Tech, Lane Bryant, NW IL University, Luby’s Cafeteria, NJ, Salt Lake City, and Omaha malls, Calgary University, Toronto, Chicago, Boston, Flight 93, the mayor’s office in San Francisco, ad nauseam. Peace and love will get you killed, and unarmed helplessness is bad. Unless of course your anthem goes baaa….. baaa…… baaa.

    So why in God’s good name would any human being wish to force unarmed helplessness on another? That level of cruel indecency and forced victimization is incomprehensible to me and about 100,000,000 Americans who own guns. Self-defense is the most powerful, driving instinct of good people everywhere. To deny this is evil personified. Write this down—GunFreeZones are a felon’s playgrounds. Ban GunFreeZones now.

    Good people don’t want the rapist to succeed. We want him dead. We don’t want our homes invaded. We want invaders dead. We don’t like carjackers. We like them dead. We don’t like armed robbers. We like them dead.

    We have examined all the evidence we need to know that calling 911 is a joke, unless of course they bring a dustpan and a mop to clean up the dead monster we just shot while protecting our family.

    The choice is clear: Gun control as forced by the Chuck Schumers of the world is complicit in every violent crime committed. Conversely, gun control a la Ted Nugent is putting the second shot through the same hole as the first shot, where innocent lives are saved and recidivistic maggots come to a screeching halt, felled by the lovely ballet of good over evil we call the Double Tap Center Mass Boogie. Learn it, know it, love it, shoot it. Good guys should live, bad guys not so much.

    It is reassuring, and ultimately convenient, that fresh from escaping the scourges of tyranny, slavery, kings, and emperors, our brilliant, sensible Founding Fathers knew it was important to write down the self-evident truth that the right to self-defense is surely a God-given individual right to keep and bear arms. Write this down, too—”keep” means it is mine, you can’t have it. “Bear” means I’ve got them right here on me. “Shall not be infringed” echoes that beautiful “Don’t Tread On Me” chorus.

    I like the U.S. Constitution and our sacred Bill of Rights but, quite frankly, I don’t really need them in order to know in my heart and soul the list of self-evident truths therein. Those came from thinking, common-sense men who refused to be helpless, dependent slaves to anyone or anything. These truths are all burned forever on my soul. I live them, no matter what.

    Meanwhile, in order to stop the drowning and murders, I will work on banning water; Obama can try to ban guns. Good luck.

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    Posted on 20th April 2009
    Under: General, Hunting, Interviews, Politics and More | No Comments »

    Et Tu, Rush??

    I must say that this is a bit surprising. Well, maybe not. Perhaps when you get “big enough”, you don’t keep track of where your money is going. I hope that Limbaugh see the light…

    Sportsmen Call on Rush Limbaugh to Break Ties with Country’s Leading Anti-Hunting Group

    (Columbus) – The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) is spearheading an effort calling on American sportsmen and women to ask radio personality Rush Limbaugh to disassociate himself from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the largest animal rights group in the country.

    On April 14, 2009, the HSUS revealed that Rush Limbaugh had recorded two radio announcements supporting two of its programs. This revelation has caused an uproar in the sportsmen’s community due to HSUS’ long-standing history of assaulting hunting, fishing, and trapping rights.

    “Many of Mr. Limbaugh’s supporters are the very people targeted by the HSUS,” said Bud Pidgeon, USSA president and CEO. “By lending such a prominent voice to supporting HSUS, he is helping to deceive people about the real agenda of the organization.”

    After being notified of Mr. Limbaugh’s promotion of the HSUS, the USSA sent him a letter to shed light on HSUS’ true agenda and outlining anti-hunting activities undertaken by HSUS. The letter also urged Mr. Limbaugh to disassociate himself from the group.

    The letter, signed by the USSA President and CEO, Walter P. Pidgeon, Jr., details why the HSUS is the top opponent of sportsman rights:

    “…every major piece of legislation, lawsuit or ballot issue that would restrict the rights of Americans to hunt originated with HSUS. This includes bankrolling ballot issues to ban the hunting of America’s #1 game bird, the mourning dove, lobbying legislation to ban the only effective hunting methods to control black bear numbers, opposition to hunting on Sundays, and opposition to allowing parents the ability to choose at what age their sons and daughters are permitted to begin hunting and much, much more.”

    “The HSUS is the number one opponent of sportsmen in America today,” said Pidgeon. “It uses seemingly harmless campaigns like the ones endorsed by Mr. Limbaugh to raise funds for the organization to advance its controversial mission. It is our hope that once Mr. Limbaugh hears from American sportsmen and women he will understand how his endorsement aids HSUS in its quest to to destroy American freedoms such as hunting, fishing and trapping.”

    Take Action: All sportsmen and sportswomen should immediately contact Rush Limbaugh and urge him to sever his ties with HSUS. Explain that regardless of the issue being promoted by HSUS, their true agenda is to destroy America’s heritage of hunting, fishing, trapping, and all scientific wildlife management methods.

    Call his line at 1-800-282-2882 from noon to 3 pm eastern standard time on weekdays

    E-mail him at [email protected].

    Mail a letter to:

    The Rush Limbaugh Show
    1270 Avenue of the Americas
    New York, NY 10020

    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.

    -30-

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    Posted on 18th April 2009
    Under: Arizona News, Conservation Groups, General, Hunting, Politics and More, Press Releases | No Comments »

    2nd Amendment Blog Bash

    I gotta tell ya… awhile back I wrote a post complaining that the NRA hadn’t responded to my inquiries about the national convention coming here in May. I been trying to reach someone to find out about blogging at the event. Well, within a day, the NRA Media Relations folks contacted me, and proceeded to get me in touch with the right people.

    Turns out that the NRA is way ahead of the game when it comes to bloggers, and they have a ton of stuff going on at the convention. If you’re a blogger, you should consider coming

    2nd Amendment Blog Bash Info

    Ten Reasons to Attend the Blog Bash

    Here are ten reasons you need to attend the Second Amendment Blog Bash if you are a new media publisher. These special benefits are only available if you join us for the Bash!

    10 ) With press credentials that accompany your Bash registration, you can walk the 6 acres of exhibit hall and interview or profile any of the 457 exhibitors showcasing their products at the NRA Annual Meeting.

    9 ) Network with more than three dozen other pro-Second Amendment publishers from around the country. Build your online profile, earn more links through new relationships, and find new sources of information for your own new media publications.

    8 ) Get exclusive access to leaders in the Second Amendment movement through the panel featuring leaders of pro-gun organizations in New York, California, Arizona, and New Jersey. Enjoy a private session with them to ask questions you have about the movement, their online efforts, and the future of Second Amendment battles at the state level.

    7 ) Enjoy reserved upgraded seating for Blog Bash attendees at the NRA Celebration of American Values Banquet with speakers John Stossel of ABC’s 20/20 and Oliver North.

    6 ) Boost your profile in the online pro-Second Amendment community when we feature your blog links and Twitter feeds on the front page of the Bash site. When readers find more coverage of the NRA Annual Meeting, you have the opportunity to grow your audience.

    5 ) Learn tips from the pros that you can apply to new media technology through the podcasting session with NRA News host Cam Edwards. Use the time during his session to pick up relevant content and technology advice based on his background in talk radio, as a host on Sirius satellite radio, and broadcasting online.

    4 ) Take advantage of press access to the Celebration of American Values Leadership Forum featuring NRA-ILA award-winner Gov. Sarah Palin and many others, including Gov. Jan Brewer (AZ), Marcus Luttrell, Ambassador John Bolton, Gov. Haley Barbour (MS), Michael Reagan, and Gov. Mitt Romney (MA).

    3 ) Spend time with industry leaders on the floor and off the floor at the Happy Hour with Outdoor Channel’s Michael Bane just for Blog Bash attendees.

    2 ) Win free goodies! Days of Our Trailer blogger Thirdpower has generously donated door prizes to be drawn from attendee names, and we are working on more from industry.

    1 ) Bash attendees can enjoy unprecedented access to NRA staff who fight the gun rights battles every day. From the kick off happy hour with the NRA-ILA Public Affairs team to the Hunting Policy session with NRA’s national lobbyist on outdoor issues, you’ll have the opportunity to talk to all of these behind-the-scenes staffers about how things are shaping up for the movement and on the political scene.

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    Posted on 16th April 2009
    Under: Arizona News, Conservation Groups, Events, General, Hunting, Politics and More | No Comments »

    Bats Killed In East Valley

    These stories make my blood boil. Partly because of the blatant stupidity, and partly because the non-hunting public will tend to assume that, because it was outdoors with a gun, that it was a hunter. Morons. Pigs. Criminals.

    Read the full story here: 89 bats killed in mine shaft near Superstitions.

    Eighty nine Mexican free-tail bats were shot and left to die in an abandoned mine shaft near the Peralta Trailhead of the Superstition Mountains, authorities said Wednesday.

    “This is a blatant example of disrespect for wildlife, and the laws that are established to protect the state’s wildlife,” Arizona Game and Fish wildlife manager Dana McGehee said in a release. “Unlawful killing of any wildlife is considered a major loss for the residents of Arizona and our wildlife resources.”

    Authorities believe the bats were shot and left to die sometime between April 1 and last Friday, and they are offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to suspects.

    “We need help from the public to catch the suspects,” McGehee said. “If you were in the area recently, please try to recall anything you might have seen or heard, or any conversations you may have had. Someone may not realize he or she has the key to solving this case.”

    Mexican free-tail bats are one of 28 species found in Arizona, Game and Fish officials said.

    What kind of twisted mind decides that this is OK, and carries it out? I don’t care if they were 12 or 112 - they are useless, disgusting psychopaths. Not hunters. Not now, not ever.

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    Posted on 15th April 2009
    Under: Arizona News, General, Hunting, Press Releases | No Comments »

    Tea Party Day

    I hope this doesn’t get me branded a “radical right-wing extremist”

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    Posted on 15th April 2009
    Under: General | No Comments »

    Recommendations for the 2009-10 hunting regulations available for review

    Recommendations for the 2009-10 hunting regulations available for review

    The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s proposed recommendations for the 2009-10 Arizona Hunting and Trapping Regulations are now available for review in PDF format on the department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/h_f/hunt_guidelines.shtml and will also be available at a series of open houses at the regional Game and Fish offices.

    The 2009-10 recommendations take into consideration the public input received from a series of regional public forums held in March. Department officials said this new process addresses the concerns of hunters earlier in the process, when there is still time to make changes if they are warranted, and give constituents a look at any potential changes before they happen.

    During the regional open houses, no formal presentation will be made. However, a knowledgeable staff person will be available to discuss regional hunt recommendations. The schedule of remaining open houses is:

    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
    An open house was held at the Kingman regional office on April 7.

    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.

    Each year, the department makes recommendations to the commission regarding the management of big 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.

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    Posted on 13th April 2009
    Under: Arizona News, Events, General, Hunting, Press Releases | No Comments »