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In my personal efforts to better understand white-tailed deer, turkeys, elk, ducks and geese I have spent a lot of time over the last 11 years reading the research papers of several top wild game biologists/researchers. I have also spent 10 years researching whitetails, 4 years researching turkeys, 2 years researching ducks and geese, and 3 years researching elk; to find out how the animals act during their breeding seasons and hunting seasons, and reacted to the current weather conditions and lunar factors so that I could be prepared to predict when and where to find the animals on any given day, and use the best hunting techniques to hunt them, based on what I had learned through my research and my personal experience as a professional guide and outfitter for the last 14 years.

In this publication I will try to use what I have learned over the years to help you better understand the Biology &Behavior of the animals; and hopefully teach you some new Hunting Tips. To read about any of these topics click on the appropriate link.

If you have questions feel free to e-mail me: TRMichels@Yahoo.com; or click on 'Talk Forums / Message Board" in the left-hand column.

Good hunting,

T.R. 

As an outdoor writer, author, seminar speaker, outfitter, guide, consultant, researcher, animal behaviorist, naturalist and wildlife photographer - I've always felt that the more I know about the biology and behavior of the animals, the better I will be at understanding what makes them click - meaning why they move, when they move, and where they move. Whether you hunt, photograph or just watch or observe the animals, the key to being successful - is to be in the right spot at the right time - and to do that , you have to understand the animals. As a result of that belief - all of my books start our with what I have learned about the biology and behavior of the animals, through my personal research, and the research of some of the top biologists and researchers in the world. Why? Because I cannot teach you to do what I do, to get as close to the animals as I do, and to be there at the right times, unless I help you to understand the biology and behavior of the animals.

I can't count the number of times I've been hunting, photographing or just enjoying wildlife, that I've heard other people say. "There aren't any animals here", or "where are all the animals". Usually, people say that, because they are either not in the right place, or they are not there at the right time, or they are there under the wrong weather conditions. One of my axioms about animal behavior is, "If it is too hot, too cold, to windy, or too wet - the animals aren't gong to do what they would normally do." Through my personal research, and the researcher of others, I've learned the right weather conditions to see animals, in specific types of habitat.

Through my articles, book and seminars, I will try to help you understand the biology and behavior of the animals, so you can choose the right weather conditions, the right places, and the right times, to see the animals on a semi-regular basis, because there are after all, things that affect the animals, that no one can predicts.

So, if you want to learn more about the animals. and learn abut some very successful tips, tactics and techniques, to get you close to the animals, read my articles and get your copy of my books. I honestly believe I can help you enjoy the animals and get closer to them.

If you have questions, log on to the T.R.'s Tips Message Board, and I'll do my best to help you.

May God bless you and your families, ant enjoy the great outdoors,

T.R. 

Get the Facts - in the Scent Lok "fraud" trial

When is Peak Gobbling in Your area? Peak Turkey Gobbling Dates

When is Peak Rut in Your Area? Whitetail Rut Dates Chart

When is Peak Bugling in Your Area? Peak Elk Bugling Dates

Feature Articles on White-tailed Deer Hunting

Feature Articles on Deer Management

Feature Articles on Turkey Hunting

Feature Articles on Elk Hunting

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Featured Whitetail Deer Hunting Stories

CD Denmon's Column

Mike Weaver's Hunting Tips

Linda Burch's Column

Michael Corrigan's Corner

Judy Kovar's Column

Birding & Photography

Wild Game Recipes

Too Many Snow Geese? Snow geese are destroying their habitat. Read the story here. April 13, 2009

Rumor has it that an "up and coming" manufacturer, who has been working on a new product to help reduce human and other unnatural odors, for several years, is getting ready to release their product by the fall of 2010, just in time for the hunting season.

This new line of clothing will incorporate an anti-bacterial product, plus two newer chemicals that actually attract and bind unwanted odors to the fabric.

Sources say that the wearer of this clothing will then give off fewer odors for at least a day, if not more, which will help keep the hunter from being detected by many game animals. To reactivate the odor capturing abilities of the clothing, the wearer only has to rinse the clothes in cold water.

With the recent revelation that the claims of at least one activated carbon clothing manufacturer, who has stated that that their product will eliminate 100 percent of the wearers odors, may in fact be unfounded and false - this manufacturer feels that the time is right for a product that can actually help reduce hunter odors, and still be truthful about the abilities of the product, stating only that the product will help reduce, but may not totally eliminate, all human and other unnatural odors.

The manufacturer states that several tests of their product, against the products of some of the top activated clothing products available, show that the new product did far better at deceiving the noses of search and rescue dogs than other products currently on the market.

Hopefully this product will be available before big game seasons open this fall.

Contact TRMichels@yahoo.com for updates.

Here are a few photos from the Wildlife Activity Research Project I'm conducting on a 3,000-acre wildlife preserve in Arkansas - no hunting allowed. There are over 150 deer, 25 bears and 200 turkeys using the preserve; plus several golden and bald eagles, mute and trumpeter swans, and countless other birds and mammals.

You can follow this research, and learn about the biology and behavior of deer, turkeys and black bears, in all types of conditions, throughout the hunting season, here .

You can see these animals, and many more, by logging on to USeeWidlife.com, where I am conducting my research project on deer, bears, turkey, swans and eagles.

If you really want to learn about deer, bear and turkey behavior. Join me over there as we study the daily and seasonal activity of the animals, and I explain what is occurring. If nothing else, you'll have a great time watching all of the birds and mammals.

By T.R. Michels

I've been watching several programs on the Science, Discovery, History, National Geographic and Planet Green channels lately. One program that really caught my attention was called the Spirit Walk (or something similar). It chronicled the adventure of the first white man to ever be allowed to take part in one of the rituals of the Aborigines of Australia. It had a lot to do with passing on the ancient rituals of the Aborigines to the younger, more modern generation. What intrigued me was how the Aborigines felt that the spiritual world of their religion, was intertwined with natural world, and how they felt that they, as a people, had a responsibility to preserve nature as it was, for the current generation, and future generations. And the elders of the tribe felt that if they did not pass on these intertwined beliefs, that both nature and humans would suffer.

This reminded me of how the Native Americans believed many of the same things. And it reminded me of one of the verses in the Bible, which states, "Let them (man) have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground." (Gn. 1:26 NAB). And I began to look at how we, as 21st century humans, look at the natural world, and how we have treated it - not very well. We've cut down over 80 percent of the world's forests, which has led to runoff of precipitation in many areas, along with the erosion of valuable surface soils. It has also led to less oxygen and higher levels of carbon dioxide, which has caused the green house effect, with its higher temperatures and melting of glaciers and polar ice caps. This in turn, has led to lower saline levels and pollution of the saltwater oceans and seas, which affects weather patterns worldwide.

Our use of natural resources (especially the renewable ones such as plants and wildlife) has depleted the population numbers of countless species, condemned some to survival only in captivity, and others to extinction. According to the World Conservation Union (IUCN) , at least 816 species are known to have gone extinct as a result of human activity in the last 500 years. The actual number is probably much higher that. The extinct animals in North America alone include the Eastern Elk and Merriam's Elk, and the Tule Elk population is probably below 3000 animals. The extinct birds include the Heath Hen, the Passenger Pigeon and the Carolina Parakeet. Without the help of sportsman, the White-tailed Deer and Wild Turkey may have been on that list. As it is, the Gould's Turkey population may be as low as 250,000 birds. And at least 25 other birds (such as the Eastern Brown Pelican, the Whooping Crane, our national bird the Bald Eagle, Atwater's Greater Prairie Chicken, the Piping Plover and the Red-cockaded Woodpecker) are either endangered or threatened.

As a person who has been fascinated with nature since I was about 7 years old (53 years), a hunter since I was 12 years old, a big game researcher since 1990, and an avid birder and wildflower enthusiast for the last three years, I've seen my interest in preservation and conservation of both wildlife and wild places, grow over, but more so in the last two years, as I spend more time birding. I think it is because I actually spend more time paying attention to everything around me when I am birding, as opposed to being focused on hunting. The more time I spend in the wilds, the more I realize how much we humans have negatively impacted the habitats that wildlife and plants rely on.

One of the most noticeable signs of human impact on nature is the trash we leave behind. It is hard to go on a birding trip without seeing pop bottles and cans, and paper, styrofoam and plastic along the trails, especially near or on water. And much of it has been left by fishermen.

Hunters may not see as much trash, because they often get farther off the beaten path, but I've been 20 miles from a trailhead in the Teton Wilderness Area, and seen tin cans, glass and plastic at an old campsite. We should all try to live by the motto "if you pack it in you can pack it out". But, how many of us pick up trash (left behind by others) when we see it? I generally keep a garbage bag in our car, because I'm always picking up trash along trails, and bringing it back to a parking lot dumpster, or our car. Do you do it?

I'm sure most of us have lost some hunting property to development, and gravel roads have carved up just about every national forest I've ever visited or hunted. And sooner or later those roads channel runoff water, turn into gullies, and new roads are cut because the gully is too deep to navigate. And the runoff from those roads pollutes streams, rivers, ponds and lakes, and destroys habitat.

Big game hunters may see less habitat loss than birders do, because the flatlands, meadows and prairies, that harbor several species of small mammals, reptiles and songbirds (many of which are in jeopardy), and several plant species (including wildflowers, which big game hunters refer to as forbs), are more amenable to development than forests or mountainous areas. But, those areas are serve as nesting habitat for upland birds and waterfowl, so it does affect hunters.

My disgust at the way we treat nature, is not only because I am a hunter, researcher, hiker and bird and wildflower enthusiast, but because of my Christian upbringing - which leads me back to that verse in the Bible. The word dominion basically means we can do whatever we want with the animals, but it also implies that we have a responsibility - a responsibility to protect, preserve and conserve nature. And we are doing a very poor job of it.

As I watched one of the programs on the Planet Green channel, I became acutely aware of the fact that we may already be at the tipping point, where, unless we start taking care of nature, as it has taken care of us, for thousands of years, we may not be able to reverse the effects of global warming, caused by deforestation; and air pollution, caused by our use of fossil fuels; and the loss of clean water, caused by poor land management practices and the use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. If we continue the way we are, global warming and air and water pollution may bring us (humans) to the brink of extinction, maybe not for several generations, but, if we continue, it may very well happen.

I don't know that anyone can get all of humanity to believe that the spiritual world of the Christian God Yahweh (or whatever other spirituality they believe in), and the natural world, are intertwined, and that as believers in a spiritual world, we have a responsibility to change our ways and treat nature with a lot more respect than we have been. However, I think we can get humanity to realize that we have to change how we interact with nature, or we may sooner or later become extinct ourselves.

The question we have to ask ourselves is, do we have a responsibility to speak up, to make known to others, that we have to find ways to leave less of an impact on nature. Not only to protect, preserve and conserve what is left of nature, but to increase the forests of the world, and all of the other ecosystems that are needed to sustain life as we know it on Earth.

Personally, as a Christian, my answer is yes, I do have a responsibility to try and save nature. I'm not sure how I can do it, or how much of an impact I can have on my readers and seminar attendees, but I know I have to try, or I am not being true to my Christian beliefs and my God. If I have learned anything by my attempts to expose the Scent Lok advertising as a fraud, and their product as a scam, it is that one person can make a difference (And it is my sense of truth and fairness, as a result of being a Christian, that caused me to take on Scent Lok). So, if any of you want to join me, or have any ideas what we, as the spokesmen and spokeswomen of the hunting community, can do, let me know.

By Mike Holmes

As a teenager growing up in rural East Texas, I was an avid hunter. Deer were not as numerous in those days as they are in the same area now, but there were feral hogs (we called them woods hogs or "rooters"), 'coons, fox, bobcat, rabbits, and squirrels enough to keep a young man busy. My friends and I did most of our hunting with hounds of various types, and working with the dogs was as big a part of the enjoyment as the hunt. Then things began to change. The unlimited paper and timber company land that had always been open to anyone for hunting was being leased to "hunting clubs" and many private lands were developed. The dogs we loved so much were killed by cars on the road, or stolen, maybe shot, by newcomers who did not have the tradition of running with hounds in their backgrounds. I got out of hunting pretty much altogether and went fishing instead. Always sort of a "one-trick pony" I tend to concentrate on one activity exclusively - maybe even obsessively. Over the next 30 years I went from fishing the surf to offshore, and I became a licensed charter boat captain and outdoor writer for most of the major magazines in the country on offshore boating and fishing subjects.

After retiring from my "day job" in petrochemical research, I decided I had the time and interest to get back into shooting sports. The first two rifles I purchased - remember, I had been out of this game for 30 years - were in caliberes I had desired most in my teens - a .22 Hornet and a .300 Savage. It is very satisfying to reach a point in life where things out of reach in earlier years become obtainable. I had always thought the Savage 99 to be the most beautiful and functional looking rifle in the ads and catalogues of the late 50's and early 60's, and at long last one was mine - a 1952 vintage EG in .300 Savage in very good shape. Mounting a more modern scope on it and spending some time on the range initially prepared me for my first South Texas deer hunt, and the taking of a cull spike and the first javelina I had ever seen in the wild. Neither was a particular challenge, but the "ancient" cartridge performed perfectly. Since then the old .300 has become my favorite hog rifle, and is the first weapon I reach for when still hunting in thick woods for deer. If this was also the last rifle I obtained, I would hardly feel under gunned on anything I am likely to hunt.

Given my obsessive personality traits, however, one might guess where this is going. My long-time charter boat was a 1962 Bertram 31, a classic sportfishing vessel I bought as a basket case and rebuilt from bottom to top. Once bitten by the rifle bug, it was only natural I look for other classic rifle cartridge combinations. The next addition to my arsenal was an old rifle that had belonged to an uncle who was a rifle nut. When I took possession of the sporterized 1909 Argentine Mauser, rebarreled to .270, I didn't really know what I had. I do now. After refinishing the stock to a nice oil gloss, pilar bedding, and floating the barrel, I had one of the strongest actions ever made, and in one of the best calibers. As a young hunter, like nearly everyone else my age, I read every word Jack O'Connor published about rifles and hunting, so I knew the .270 was one of the best all round cartridges of all time. I took a nice buck last season on my own property with it, a one shot, "dead right there" kill at 80 yards with a high shoulder shot. I love that rifle, but ...

As an admitted O'Connor fan, of course I had to have a Model 70 Winchester. The first one I found was not a pre-64 as I would have wished, but a 1968 Mannlicher style, a .30-06 with a 19" barrel. There were feeding problems that I corrected with new followers, magazine springs, and eventually a new magazine box. It is not my most accurate rifle, but it shoots well enough for a hunting rifle. With it's full-length Fajen stock, it is an attractive piece, although it kicks like a mule and is much louder than I would like. My next Model 70 was more of what I wanted - a 1963 in .300 Winchester Magnum. Now, I have little or no need for a .300 mag, but I wanted the rifle. I wanted the massive action, the outside claw extractor, and the controlled round feeding. The Model 70 isn't as heavily built as my old Mauser, but it was the closest American offering ever made. It was in "like new" condition except for a Boyd's laminated stock, and the price was right. I had shot a prototype Model 70 from the South Carolina FN plant the year before in .300 Winchester Magnum at the Texas Outdoor Writer's Association conference, and was surprised that the recoil was so mild (the hard kicking little '.06 had prepared me, I guess). And, this pre-64 version is heavy enough to be pleasant to shoot. It also was instantly the most accurate rifle in my small collection, so if I only kept it to use at the range it would be worth it to me.

My next find was even more of what I was looking for - a 1952 Model 70 standard rifle in .30-06. Not a collector's gun, this one has near perfect metal, but the stock has the dings a true hunter's rifle should have. After scoping it with a new Nikon Buckmaster, I was amazed to find my first three shots at 100 yards, using 150gr Federal Fusion ammo, made a really tight clover leaf hole. The rifle has since proven to consistently shoot sub MOA three shot groups at both 100 and 200 yards with this ammo. I have not had the nerve to remove the action from the stock to see if it is bedded or not, instead opting to "leave well enough alone".

I have several old guns in even older calibers. Am I giving away anything to the newer, lighter synthetic stock and stainless steel firearms and their "modern" hot magnums? I would say "no".

The .22 Hornet has less power and range than the hotter centerfire .22's, but is very enjoyable to shoot, very accurate, and has amazing killing power. My wife has shot several raccoons with it, and those results were as would be expected. One night I was "culling" some small hogs on my property and shot a boar of about 40 pounds with the Hornet. He ran about 20 yards and collapsed. The 45gr hollow point had entered low and behind the facing shoulder and exited through the offside shoulder, destroying the heart and lungs. The next hog I shot was a 250# plus boar, with 2 1/2" "cutters" - too much pig for the little Hornet. This one was hit just behind the ear with the .300 Savage and a 150gr Federal "blue box" load, and fell so fast he almost squashed a small pig standing next to him.

Since I really have no need for my .300 Magnum, when I heard of the amazing results other shooters were having with the 30 caliber Barnes Tipped Triple Shock bullets in 130gr in this cartridge, I was eager to give these a try - especially when I discovered Federal offered a factory loading. My first three shot group went in one ragged hole! The accuracy and trajectory are amazing, and of course the recoil is even less than with a 180gr round. Now I have a long range deer and hog rifle I can actually use on South Texas trips - whether I really need it or not. I my opinion, the .300 Win Magnum has to be the best of the "big 30's". It is more powerful than the excellent old .300 H&H, and with less recoil than the .300 Weatherby, it has the powder capacity to outperform the short magnums. It is powerful enough for most big game animals on earth - and all found on the North American continent. Introduced in 1963, this is the "newest" of my cartridge selections.

That the .270 and .30-06 are still competitive in the hunting market can be proven simply by glancing at the Sunday newspaper ads for rifles from the big retailers. There will rarely be a rifle advertised that is not available in these two cartridges, and more often they are the only chambering on "special offer" rifles. The .270 is still one of the flattest shooting of all cartridges, very accurate, and has killing power beyond its most popular bullet weight of 130gr - with relatively light recoil.

For all practical purposes, the .270 will do anything a 7mm magnum will do, with much less recoil, longer barrel life, and less expensive ammo. It is easily sighted as a 300 yard "point blank" hunting cartridge. The venerable .30-06, the "father" of the .270, shoots a little less flat, but just as accurate, and will handle much heavier bullets suitable for larger game. Ammo for both of these chamberings can be found anywhere centerfire ammo is sold - all over the world. Both of them have benefited from new developments in powder and bullets, which has helped them keep pace with the new "gee-whiz" cartridges introduced in the last decade or so. With the aforementioned 130gr Barnes in .30, the .30-06 can be loaded to produce muzzle velocities well over 3,000 fps, with improved trajectory. In fact, handloaders are using this same bullet in the .300 Savage with excellent results - something the ammo companies might well take notice of.

Of course, as an O'Connor disciple, my dream rifle is a Model 70 Featherweight in .270. These are getting very hard to come by in pre-64's, so I have a new FN Model 70 on order. New ones are hard to come by, also, if you order it - although some can be found on the retail stores racks. Reports I am getting are that these rifles compare very well with the pre-64's, and are very accurate "out of the box". This will be an interesting comparison for me, and of great benefit to the average shooter and future hunters to come, as just with my beloved old Bertram, there are no more pre-64's being made. I really don't think they should be chambered for any cartridge introduced past 1963.

Does Moon Phase Affect Monthly Deer Activity August 6, 2009

I'm currently conducting a research project on a 3000 acre game preserve in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, using 8 cameras on feeders, in feeding fields (3 cameras), transition zones (3 cameras), a meadow without a feeder (1 camera) and deer bedding areas (1 camera). My staff and I will be watching the cameras 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, beginning August 1, 2009.

I believe this is the first study ever conducted, using live feed cameras, with infra-red nighttime and audio capability, where the researcher can literally watch the animals 24/7 - which should bring to light new information on the behavior of animals - not only during the day, but also at night. And since one of the 8 cameras in this study is literally in a deer bedding area, I can tell exactly what the deer are doing, both day and night, while they are in the bedding areas of their seldom watched "daytime core areas" - where they may spend up to 75% of their time during daylight/legal shooting hours.

Here is my latest hypothesis. which I hope to find answers to by the end of this year.

This is just a thought process, in progress, but, many people want to know which moon phase animals are most active in. There is a lot of anecdotal information available to hunters, by hunters, who generally do not take good notes - because they are not getting sightings from every moon phase, for equal numbers of days, throughout the month.

And they may not take into account whether or not there are clouds present, which alters the amount of light available during the day and night. They may not take into account the perigee/apogee cycle of the moon, which my affect deer activity. And they may not take into account the weather conditions, which affect deer activity. All of this has to be taken into account, in order to come up with reliable conclusions.

Plus - If a person does not have deer sightings from an equal number of days during the full moon, and the same number of days during each of the other moon phases, at the same location, while sitting for the same number of hours, their notes may not accurately reflect when peak sightings of deer or bears occur. Which is why we conduct controlled, very rigid research projects.

And why this study, is so important. It is the first study I know of to use live feed infa-red cameras, and the first time a study of the nighttime "activity" (not just time and location) of the animals, particularly deer, in relation to lunar factors, at night, has been possible.

Researchers have found that peak deer activity occurs during the full moon, and during the new moon, and during other phases. There seems to be no consensus. Which may suggest it makes no difference. During my resarch in the fall of 1997, I found peak sightings of deer, during October and November, during the full moon.

It may be that, since deer are a prey species, susceptible to predation, and because sight is a means of defense to them (meaning security to a deer is not being seen) - that - the high visibility during full moonlit nights, without clouds, may allow deer to see well enough to detect dark objects, and movement, that they may not see on cloudy nights or during other phases of the moon. This high visibility factor may make deer so nervous, that they do no move much in open areas, at night, during the week of the full moon, provided there is no cloud cover.

This could result in more daytime deer movement, during the full moon, because the deer still need to eat, and they can do so, during the day, in wooded areas, where thy feel secure.

You can view the weekly results, graphs, and my latest ideas and conclusions, on the bottom of our home page at www.TRMichels.com. There will be weekly updates.

If you have questions, feel free to ask on the T.R.'s Tips Talk Forum.

God bless,

T.R. Michels

As a professional writer, author and seminar speaker - one of the biggest problems I hear about or see - is that many hunters do not "scout" (actual field scouting or glassing) as much as they should prior to the hunt, so that they can gain as much information about the area, the game, the time the game move, and where the game moves in that area.

After scouting many different areas with several people, even accomplished hunters, and for many different species (whitetail, elk, turkey, pheasants, waterfowl, bear) - I've come to the conclusion that several different factors contribute to this lack of preparation for the hunt - as in "scouting".

One of those factors (problems) is obviously time. Many hunters do not have sufficient time in their hectic schedules to adequately scout, whether it be the first time in an area, or the first time in an old area that year (things can change from year to year, such as trails wash out or fallen trees make them unuseable; food sources change; development occurred).

If you want to be successful on a regular basis, give yourself enough time to adequately scout the entire area you have access to hunt, and use game cameras if you have to, so you know what animals are there, where they spend the day (rest), where they generally travel, where they eat and get water, and at what time they are in or near each of those places. If you have time, you should also glass the area, so you actually see the animals (I even glass for waterfowl). And I do a lot of listening for elk, turkeys and pheasants.

Even if the animals are not using the area you hunt, when you have a chance to scout, you still have the opportunity to learn where they sleep, eat, water and travel, if you look for sign - in the weeks before you hunt, during the weeks you hunt (which should continually do, because as the seasons, and weather changes, the habitat and food sources change; and as the breeding season progresses, the activities of the animals change, and where and when they are active may change), in the weeks after you hunt, and during the rest of the year. If it rains or snows, and lets up, get our the door, because the animals will move, and leave evidence of where they move. You should also either sit and watch, or place cameras in high activity locations to find out what time the animals move.

Another problem is that hunters do not see some signs (because they do not know where to look, or the signs are hard to see due to infrequent or one-time use, or due to vegetation); they do not read sign (interpret it) as well as they should, or they do not interpret it correctly. The cure to this is either learn it from someone who is not good - but great - at interpreting sign. You can do that by reading books and articles, going to seminars, watching TV or videos, or by actually going with them (which is generally the best).

This is one of the reasons why I started my Hunting University, because I've learned that even though I think I write fairly good descriptions of sign, and I have good slides (for seminars) and photos (for books, internet and articles), actual in-field experience, with someone to help you understand what you are looking at, and at what time of year the sing was made, and at what time of day it was made, is the best way to learn to interpret sign correctly.

If you think you are lacking in the "interpretation" of sign - find an expert - and learn from them. And scout the area, particularly at the time of year when you plan to hunt, and in the immediate weeks before you hunt (so you know where the animals are when you hunt), and glass the area or use cameras to find out what time of day the animals are most active at particular places where you can hunt them (blind/stand sites).

And then scout it some more. Scouting is not only the biggest part of the hunt, it can be the most fun and rewarding part of the hunt.

May God bless you and yours,

T.R.

I don't claim to know a lot about the practice of habitat conservation, other than to say I know we need it, for a variety of reasons. I've lost at least two good deer hunting areas to development since 1997 (obviously those areas also contained songbirds, small mammals, trees, shrubs, herbs, forbs (wildflowers), butterflies and other invertebrates. I've also noticed the destruction of good wildlife habitat (for housing or business development projects) in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico and many other states. As a result of this I find myself becoming more interested in, and hopefully more knowledgeable about, both wildlife and habitat conservation.

As I've traveled around the country during the past several years on our Natural History Eco-Tours and family adventures, I've had the opportunity to meet and talk to several different outdoorsman. I recently met the biologist for the "Northern Trail" at the Minnesota Zoo, who manages the wolf, tiger and other exhibits. Then I met the Outdoor Education Manager for the Three Rivers Park District in Hennepin and Scott Counties of Minnesota (which includes the recognized IBA [Important Birding Area] of Murphy Hanrahan Park), and an attorney with the state of Minnesota who writes legislation for threatened or endangered species. And with all of them - our conversation got around to habitat and wildlife conservation.

As a result of talking to Minnesota's State Farmland Wildlife Manager, Al Berner, about such various species as deer, ducks, pheasants, turkeys, sharp-tailed grouse and prairie chickens, I've come to realize that the loss of habitat for many game species also means loss of habitat for many non-game species, such as insects, fish, small mammals and songbirds. In other words what is good for the game birds, is also good for the songbirds and other types of birds.

While I was talking to Al he impressed upon me the need for habitat restoration such as Conservation Reserve Program lands, and other habitat conservation, such as preserving or maintaining existing prairie and wetland habitat. Many upland bird (game) species, such as pheasants, sharp-tailed grouse, prairie chickens, gray partridge, and even turkeys, need large areas of prairies, meadows, swamps, sloughs, fens, oak savanna, etc., for breeding and nesting habitat. Those areas also support dickcissel, bobolink, various species of sparrows, and meadowlarks. Many of those areas, because they are often on fairly level ground that might not be suitable for farming, are destroyed to make room for business complexes and housing.

To those outdoorsmen and nature lovers who don't hunt this might not seem like a concern, except that those areas are also prime habitat for many species of birds, small animals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, wildflowers and other plants. As I lead our natural history tours I've begun noticing the wide variety of native plants, wildflowers and birds that use wetlands, meadows and prairies. I've also begun to realize how much of their habitat is destroyed by human encroachment, in the name of progress.

After watching several programs on the Discovery, History and Animal Planet channels, I've come to realize the importance of wetlands (that serve as important habitat for birds) as barriers to the negative effects of storm surges and flooding. Cattail, saw grass, rushes and other wetland plants have the ability not only to reduce erosion due to flooding and storm surges, they also have the ability to reduce the harmful effects of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers on the water and plant life, which provides needed habitat for the wildlife (including birds).

When rain falls on land covered with natural vegetation, the plants can slow the flow of run-off until it has a chance to sink into the ground, resulting in only a 10 per cent run off. However, when rain falls on a parking lot, 55 per cent of the water can run off into local brooks, creeks and wetlands, and from them into larger bodies of water. Run-off water may contain a variety of contaminants including oil, grease, heavy metals and sediments, plus harmful herbicides and pesticides, and fertilizers containing phosphorus, which can promote the growth of algae, often resulting in mass of green scum floating on the surface of the water, and result in algae "blooms" which often turn the water red-brown or blue-green.

Any of these conditions can result in less sunlight entering the water, causing less photosynthesis by native aquatic plants, resulting in less oxygen content in the water, and the possible spread of less beneficial and /or non-native and invasive plants, which do not help maintain the balance of the eco-system.

The preservation or creation of shallow swamps, sloughs, ponds or lagoons, between run-of water and/or streams, and deeper bodies of water, with their native vegetation, can greatly increase the natural filtration of water. Plants such as cattails, saw grass and sedges that may have extensive root systems which survive in shallow water, not only slow the speed of the water, but also trap sediments, and can filter out and use some of the contaminants that may cause a negative impact on the ecosystem plants in deeper waters.

Destruction of prairies and meadows for the development of agricultural, business and residential property reduces grasses, sedges and forbes (wildflowers) that provide seeds, pollen, forage and nesting habitat for birds, habitat for small mammals, which in turn support raptors and predatory mammals. Without beneficial ground cover (used by ducks, geese, grouse, songbirds, small mammals, insects, etc.), much of the precipitation that falls on the ground (which would normally soak slowly into the ground) may run off, often eroding the land (which causes further destruction of the habitat) and form gullies that may quickly funnel the water, with any contaminants, into creeks, streams, rivers, sloughs, marshes, ponds, lakes and larger bodied of water.

The construction of even the most primitive of roads in any type of habitat often leads to this same type of erosion, and the same type of habitat destruction and surface and water pollution. Off-road vehicle use often destroys ground cover, which again results in water runoff, and the eventual erosion of the topsoil, and the creation of more gullies; and the cycle continues. I've seen the destruction that the development of gravel roads into the sagebrush flats and foothills of the Rocky Mountains near many towns creates.

Agricultural fields and livestock pastures often allow runoff of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and animal waste into creeks, streams, rivers, sloughs, ponds, lakes and rivers; which affects aquatic plants, fish and invertebrates; in turn affecting mammals and birds. This can easily be alleviated by creating buffers of natural vegetation to stop or slow the water from running directly into the water. These buffers can act as habitat for birds and other wildlife. Livestock also cause erosion of the banks of watersheds when they destroy natural vegetation and breakdown the banks. This can be avoided by erecting fences to keep the cattle away from the water

Al Berner informed that by law, the 33 feet on either side of the right of way on all section lines (four of them in on square mile, running from east to west and north to south surrounding the square mile) belongs top the state, and if it was left in natural conditions, would provide thousands of acres of habitat for wildlife in Minnesota.

Basically what this means is that the 33 feet on either side of many roads in Minnesota, plus all of the land on section lines without roads, could be left in natural habitat, But, farmers rarely recognize these lines, or honor the laws that forbid them from burning, plowing, mowing and planting those right-of-ways. And to top it off the city, county and state often mow the ditches, effective destroying the habitat, which is not only used by pheasants and ducks to raise young (which often gets the hunters and trappers up in arms), it also is used by many birds and small mammals.

Fires, whether from natural causes such as lighting, or caused by humans (intentionally or unintentionally) on prairies and meadows, and in brushy areas and forests, have been part of the natural process of plant regeneration for centuries. Even naturally caused wildfires can be beneficial as they reduce natural fuels, which in turn reduces the chances of wild fires in the near future. Wildfires also expose mineral soil for seedbeds for regeneration of wind-disseminated species, such as fungi, mosses, grasses, forbs and many tree species. The reduction in vegetation in turn helps in the control of insects, diseases, and competing vegetation. As a result of this wildfires often result in the improvement of natural ecosystems and wildlife habitat as varied as wetlands, prairies, brushy areas and forests.

Native Americans often deliberately set fires to clear the land for horticulture, to improve access to some areas, and to change the composition of the plant community to attract game animals (such as bison). Early settlers set fires to assist in preparing the soil for agriculture and to eliminate stubble from the fields in the fall.

However, because of the destruction of human life, property, and resources by wildfires, the general government policy for most of this century has been to utilize man-made fire for the suppression of wildfires. The use of media campaigns such as Smokey the Bear, and Bambi fleeing from a fire, combined with fire suppression practices has resulted in a build up of vegetative fuels in many areas. Fire ecologists expect it will take several years of wildfires to establish a natural fire regime in many ecosystems.

In some areas where fire has been prevented from conducting its natural role in the environment, private and governmental agencies and scientists are setting controlled fires to mimic natural fire and improve landscape health and community safety. "One of the hard lessons we've learned is that eliminating or suppressing all fires actually increases the risk to people, damages natural habitats and drives up fire fighting costs" said Susan Harris, state director for the Nature Conservancy of Missouri.

Years of forest management practices that have eliminated wildfires has resulted in many forests becoming choked with thick undergrowth and small trees, that naturally occurring fires would normally eliminate. After years without fire, these forests become tinderboxes that are prone to hotter burns that are harder to control and pose a greater risk to communities than normal. These intense fires can have the ability to severely damage plant and wildlife species.

Many plant and animal species need fire to reproduce and thrive. Plants that need fire to reproduce and thrive are referred to as "burn-species". Some of the "burn species" plants are ephemeral annual herbs and forbes that have found an unusual means of adapting to environments that are for the most part unfavorable to their survival.

In the first year after a fire has temporarily diminished dominant forms of vegetation these herbs and forbs may appear and flourish, and upon maturation, they leave their sees behind. Although these plants may disappear from the landscape within a few years of a fire, the seeds can remain viable for up to 100 years or more. The goal of the seeds is to re-colonize the area after another fire. The plants may also appear from time to time in areas disturbed by other means, such as along sections of recently cleared trails, on land slides, and even along the areas of new road construction.

White-tailed deer, doves, quails, turkey, sharp-tailed grouse and prairie chicken are game species that benefit from prescribed fire. Habitat preferences of several endangered species, including the Florida panther, gopher tortoise, indigo snake, and red-cockaded woodpecker, are also enhanced by burning. The benefits to wildlife from fires can be substantial; fruit and seed production is often stimulated; herbage, legumes, and browse from hardwood sprouts may increase in both quality and quantity; and openings are created for feeding, travel, and dusting.

After years of fire suppression in many areas, land managers now have to go back and ignite fires to mimic the natural fires these species depend on. Prior to settlement by the Europeans, occasional fires were an integral part of many ecosystems, and native plants and animals had adapted to the occurrence of wildfires. Forests were a more varied blend of old and young trees, and some forests were more open in character. Fire recycled the nutrients of the dead wood for use by growing plants, and conditioned the forest floor for the regeneration of species that are dependent on disturbance of the forest floor.

Pine trees of many species are a prime example of species that benefit from fire. During high intensity burns, the sealed cones of many pines open up, allowing dispersion of seeds over the fire-cleared ground. Anyone who has visited Yellowstone Park since the latest wildfires there has seen the abundant re-growth of not only the pine trees, but of many grasses, wildfires and shrubs; which have provided new habitat for many species or birds and mammals. In many areas pine trees are failing to regenerate due to past fire control practices.

The federally endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker is a fire-dependent species. It nests only in mature pine trees that are free of surrounding underbrush. Researchers believe the Red-cockaded Woodpecker colonies in many areas have been abandoned because the sites have become too brushy. Periodic fires would control the brush, which may provide predators with access to woodpecker nests.

Entire ecosystems often need fire to maintain their natural diversity of plants and animals. Many pine-oak, oak forests, and oak savanahs have poor reproductive success without occasional fires. Little or no oak regeneration has occurred in some areas as a result of fire suppression. Oaks provide acorns in the fall, which are an important food source for black bear, white-tailed deer, turkey, and other wildlife.

Part of the problem with "the idea of conservation" is that we humans may have begun to realize too late that in order for this planet, and us, to survive, we must conserve, and preserve, much more of the native habitat of the entire world, than we ever realized - until just the last century, after much of the important and needed habitat has already been destroyed - by us. We need to look at not only saving a particular wildlife or plant species, but saving the surrounding habitat and other species that are all dependent on each other for survival and reproduction.

What is an Ecosystem?

In recent years conservationists have begun to realize that in order to properly maintain and manage wildlife habitat, they need to look beyond just the immediate area or species of concern, to a much broader area, in which the microbes, animals, plants, and geology of the habitat interact as an entire system, that interacts within itself.

The Glossary of Forestry Terms for the Province of British Columbia defines an ecosystem as "a functional unit consisting of all the living organisms (plants, animals, and microbes) in a given area, and all the non-living physical and chemical factors of their environment, linked together through nutrient cycling and energy flow. An ecosystem can be of any size-a log, pond, field, forest, or the earth's biosphere - but it always functions as a whole unit"

Most Americans are familiar with the term "Yellowstone Ecosystem" which the US Government uses to define the interaction of microbes, plants and animals of the area surrounding Yellowstone Park. This area encompasses not only the caldera or crater of the Yellowstone volcano, but also stretches of the Bechler, Fall, Firehole, Gallatin, Gardiner, Gibbon, Lamar, Lewis, and Yellowstone rivers. One of the original descriptions of the "ecosystem" of Yellowstone took into account the range of the endangered grizzly bear. The Yellowstone Ecosystem was later defined as the range of the cutthroat trout in the area, and later still to the range of the antelope, bison, elk, whitebark pine and other species - until the ecosystem has grown to what it is today, a large part of northwestern Wyoming, and smaller parts of southern Montana and eastern Idaho.

One definition of ecosystem management was expressed by J. Stan Rowe in 1992. "Ecosystem management is the application of the ecosystem approach in the conservation, management, and restoration of regional and local landscape ecosystems. It means that everyone attends to the conservation and sustainability of ecosystems, instead of sharply focusing on the productivity of individual or competing resources -- which has been our traditional mode of operation." An ecosystem can be as small as a backyard or small watershed, or as large as the planet earth.

By Chuck Miller

Most types of terrain are suited to using a ground blind for deer hunting - from thick timber to field edges and everything in between. You can even place a blind in the middle of a soybean field with great results. There are two major factors to consider when determining whether a ground blind is right for a specific hunting area - sight and scent.

The most important rule in terms of sight is to be able to place the blind in a location where it won't spook a deer. You don't want a wise old doe to turn the corner of a trail and see a ground blind right in front of her. I try to place my blinds 15-20 yards off the trail and never in a location where a deer comes upon it suddenly.

You should also "brush out" your blind. This is important in wooded areas where the blind is surrounded by mature trees, saplings, and deadfalls. I try to place my blind among saplings or next to a deadfall, and then lay brush and branches around and over the top of it.

When you use a ground blind you don't want the deer to detect you by scent, because there will be days when the wind will not be in your favor. To get the most out of a blind use it in locations where the wind will be in your favor most of the time; such as in heavily wooded areas, low-lying areas, and on the downwind side of hills and woods.

How to choose a Ground Blind
You may not have to buy a blind in order to hunt from the ground. You can make a natural blind out of what nature has already provided. I know a hunter who took a 170 class buck from the ground in North Dakota by studying the buck's routine and hiding in a deep draw near a soybean field. He cut small shooting lanes through the weeds and grass and put an arrow in the buck at less than 10 yards; he was wearing jeans and a duck hunting coat. However, he did take the necessary precautions to reduce or eliminate any human or unnatural scents.

If you do choose to buy a blind, there are several different types available- from pop-up style blinds that stay upright using a steel hoop structure, to hub-style blinds that expand by using a sturdy framework of poles; hub-style blinds tend to be larger and have more options. I would not suggest buying a blind unless you can set it up in the store first and practice drawing inside of it to see if it feels comfortable. Depending on your draw length, you'd be surprised at how confining some of the blinds that claim to have "plenty of room two bowhunters" may only have room for one person.

Once you have determined you are comfortable shooting from a particular style and size blind you want, it is a matter of choosing which options you want with it. The most important option to me is having "shoot through" mesh windows all the way around the blind, and window flaps that can be opened and closed silently from the inside during the hunt. The second most important option is not having an outer covering that shines like a Las Vegas marquis when the sun hits it.

How to setup a Ground Blind
Once you've chosen a blind, take it home and practice shooting out of it before actually hunting from it. Set the blind up in your back yard and shoot through a mesh window you don't plan on using too often at a 3D target. Practice using broadheads to see how the mesh affects them. I've never had a problem with fixed-blade broadheads hitting their mark through the mesh, but I have heard that cut-on-contact broadheads are most accurate through mesh(,) and that you shouldn't use expandable broadheads when you shoot through mesh). You should also practice shooting from sitting, kneeling, crouched, and standing positions. After you've mastered this, you're ready to set it up in the field.

Because I hunt private land a lot I try to set my blinds up at least a few weeks prior to the first hunt. It gives the deer a chance to become accustomed to the blind and think that it is part of the natural landscape. However, I have set my blinds up on the same day on WMA(')s (Wildlife Management Areas) and (have) seen deer shortly afterward. All deer are different; some may be spooked into leaving the area, but many others will just be a little leery the first time they see a blind and continue on their normal travel path.

It is also important to rake away any debris from the inside of the blind so you are absolutely silent when you move around inside the blind. Then "brush out" the blind and cut any shooting lanes you need around the blind. Remember to bring a comfortable stool, bucket, or folding chair; they make your stay easier if you have to spend long hours in the blind.

How to hunt from a Ground Blind
I get a kick out of all the ground blind photos in the hunting catalogs. In many instances, all of the windows are open and the hunter is at full draw inside. If you leave all of the windows open while you are hunting, you might as well build a screened in gazebo in the woods and enjoy a glass of lemonade; because the deer will see you if you're not absolutely still. You are better off opening the windows that are most likely to allow you to take a shot. That way The inside of the blind stays dark and your shadow is much less noticeable - especially if you're dressed completely in black, which blends in nicely with the interior coating of any blind. Camouflage patterns that match the rest of the blind will also work.

Since it is important to take scent and wind direction into account when you hunt from a ground blind, as well as noise. I prefer to use the silent windows that open and shut from the inside of the blind; because it is very easy to make adjustments when you see a deer approaching from a distance.  

Ground blinds definitely have their place in whitetail deer hunting. While I like to use my treestands, I find I am hunting from ground blinds more and more. They are a safe and convenient, a quick way to fit in an after-work hunt, and a quiet, easy way to hunt near a bedding area in the morning.  

By T.R. Michels

When you hit fifty you realize that life is catching up with you. You begin to wonder if you can still make it anymore. How many more days will you be able to get up at 3 AM? How many more mornings will you spend in anticipation, waiting for the sound of a tom turkey echoing down the canyon, or the bugle of a bull elk on the next mountain. How many more evenings will you wait for a bear or a whitetail buck to appear out of the woods? How many more mornings will there be spent listening to the sounds of the forest awakening around you; the small stirrings as the woods come to life; the tapping of a Downy Woodpecker in the oak, looking for it's first meal of the day; the questioning call of a Chickadee, the scolding of a Blue or Steller's Jay; the call of a Cardinal and a squirrel rustling leaves or throwing pine cones down from the top a spruce tree.

You begin to wonder how long the hearing will hold out. How long will the eyes that have served you so well still be able to pick out the flick of a deer's ear in the dim light of a fall morning? How long will you still be able to see an elk at the forest edge a mile away, or a pronghorn, scarcely visible on the prairie?

Then one day something wonderful happens, you have a new set of eyes and ears, a new appreciation of everything around you. You have a new hunting partner. He doesn't have the experience you have, or the memories you have, but he stirs the old memories in you, a hunting partner like so many hunters before you have had. Not a friend or a dog but something much more wonderful, a son or daughter.

When my son Dallas turned five he went on his first goose hunt. The geese didn't fly that day but he had fun playing in the "tunnel" between the cornrows. Just like I did when I was his age. To me a cornfield is a place to hunt pheasants. Or to hunt geese after it has been picked. To him it is a fort where uncertain heroes and villains reside.

We set out a hundred decoys in family groups and faced them into the wind. He asked about the worn Remington 1148 I was using and wondered when he could have his own goose call. I gave him one of my old calls. The sky was clear, the wind didn't blow and we didn't even see a goose. Still he had fun in his fort. I was hoping to shoot a goose so he could experience the thrill of the hunt, so he would understand one of the reasons we were there.

The next hunt was for ducks. Before the hunt he helped me check the decoys for broken cords and lost weights, and we patched a few holes He made me promise to wake him up early for hunting the next morning. He helped pull the canoe through the jungle of cattails on the way to the slough. He dug excitedly into the decoy bag as I threw the blocks into the water and he laughed when the young lab jumped overboard and got tangled in the decoys.

He was proud of his new camouflage outfit, an old Hodgeman raincoat with sleeves rolled up and pockets that reached to his knees. He felt pretty important when told he was in charge of the dog so t wouldn't jump back in the water and mess up the decoys. Again nothing flew and nothing was shot. He got a little more impatient this time, asking the age-old question, "Is it time to go home yet?" and "When are you going to shoot something?" That was the extent of his hunting the first year.

The next year I took him with on the first day of day of the goose season. I had sixteen hunters going out with three guides. He played with the Labradors, set out the decoys (reminding me to face the into the wind) and he made some new friends. By this time he had learned to use his goose call and he helped bring in the first flock of geese to the decoys. As the geese swung low there was a pounding of guns and he watched in amazement as they fell. "Dad, they dropped right out of the sky!" he said.

I watched as he tried to drag a 10 pound goose into the alfalfa so he could get his picture taken with the hunters. He had finally seen something get shot and we had some meat to take home. Now he understood what we were doing, why we hunted. I felt his excitement and it made me happy, even made me feel young again.

I began to remember my hunting experiences. The first duck I remember being shot landed in the canoe I still use many years later. When my dad fired, the hen mallard crumpled and plummeted from the sky, almost taking my head off as it landed six inches behind me. Even at five you're not likely to forget such and experience.

I remember the excitement of opening the box of Herter's decoys Dad got for Christmas. I helped tie the cords to the decoys and the strap weights to the cords. I remember sitting on Dad's shoulders as he sloshed through the cattails and "loonstuff" with a gunny sack full of decoys in one hand and the automatic in the other.

The next year Dallas went scouting with me for the archery deer season. There were still too many leaves on the trees, and the wind was blowing too hard, but I had promised, so we went anyhow. We didn't see any deer and because we were scouting nothing was shot. He did learn how to walk quietly through the woods and whisper when he wanted to say something. he learned to recognize the tracks of deer, fox, rabbit and raccoon. I pointed out deer droppings and he saw his first rub and scrape. I showed him how the deer walked inside the first row of corn or skirted the edge of the meadow, just inside the trees. I showed him a trail crossing and where the deer stand was, and I explained why the stand was in that particular location.

Later that year he sat on a stand with me as a big eight point buck followed the does into the cornfield, and he watched in amazement as I blew a fawn distress call and a doe left her fawns to come to our stand to investigate. He was there when I brought the first deer home that year. He held the legs while I skinned the animal, explaining how to hold the knife and pull the skin away from the carcass as I went. I showed him where the different glands where and told him how they were used by the deer. Then he watched as we pan fried the back straps in butter. Later that night he enjoyed his first taste of venison.

I realized that I was teaching him and he was learning, but not just to hunt. He was learning to understand the ways of nature, learning how animals survive, where they eat, sleep and drink. he learned that we don't hunt during the summer so that the young animals have a chance to mature and why we don't over harvest so that we leave animals for the future. He was learning to respect nature and the animals, and the laws that govern them, both natural and manmade.

He also learned to enjoy hunting for the same reason I did. He made new friends and enjoyed their company and their experiences. he learned to enjoy the sport of hunting because it brought him closer to nature and the Great Creator. And he learned enjoy sharing his hunting experiences with his new friends.

He learned that hunting is not about shooting something, it is about the love of nature, sharing and tradition, a tradition that has been passed on from father to son from the beginning of time; the rites of passage. I'd like to thank my father and my son for sharing nature, and their hunting experiences with me. I hope it's something we never lose. Thanks Dad, thanks Son.

This article is an excerpt from the book Musings and Memories; A Hunter's Thoughts by T.R. Michels, available in the Trinity Mountain Products catalog.

By T.R. Michels

One of the things you may be required to do on a western hunt, especially on a drop camp hunt, is get on a horse and ride it several miles to camp. You may even ride horses on the daily hunts. Therefore you should know something about how to ride properly, and you should probably ride a few times before the hunt to get the muscles you will use during riding intro shape. I say this because I've seen people who have not ridden before get fatigued muscles after a few hours of riding. And they've been so sore they could barely walk. Which obviously affected how they walked, how fast they walked and where they could walk while they were hunting. Before I go farther let me say that I spent several years on horse ranches as a horse trainer and riding instructor.

The first step in riding properly is to adjust the length of the stirrups to fit your legs. Get on the horse and have someone set the stirrups so that you clear the saddle by 2-3 inches when you stand up with the balls of your feet on the stirrups. This clearance allows you to "post" properly while the horse is trotting. Posting is the up and down motion western style riders do to keep from bouncing in the saddle. A rider who posts while a horse is trotting makes it more comfortable for both himself and the horse. When you check your stirrups, be sure to check both sides, because people often have one leg longer than the other. If the stirrup adjustments don't allow you to have both legs feeling comfortable, have someone punch additional holes in the stirrup leathers, so that you do feel comfortable.

When you get on a horse properly you should do it from the left side of horse, facing the rear of the horse, not facing the side of the horse. Stand just in front of the saddle, next to the horse's shoulder, and take the reins in your left hand while you grab the saddle horn, so the horse can't get away from you, and so that you can balance yourself while you mount the horse. Then grasp the stirrup and turn it around so that the backside of the stirrup is facing you, and place the ball of your left foot on the on the stirrup.

Next, grab the back of the seat, shift your weight to the left foot in the stirrup, and pull yourself up while swinging your right leg over the horse in one easy, fluid motion. Don't jump into the saddle or sit down hard because it may "spook" or scare the horse. Once you are in the saddle put your right foot in the other stirrup. You may have to lean over and grab the stirrup to get your foot placed properly in the stirrup, with the ball of your foot on the stirrup. Do not put your foot all of the way into the stirrup because it may get stuck, and riding on the ball of your foot is the best way to use your muscles as shock absorbers while you are riding.

You are now on the horse. But are you in control? This is the time when, unless you keep the reins running to the bit in the horse's mouth tight, it may decide to walk off. This is why you get on the horse form the front. If the horse does decide to move, the movement should help to throw you up and into the saddle, If you are facing the rear of the horse if it does decide to move, you will be standing, or lying in the dust. Be sure to maintain complete control of your horse at all times, especially when you get on and off.

When you are in the saddle you should not hold the reins in your dominant hand; you want your dominant hand free to hold a rope, your weapon, or push branches out of the way when you go through the woods. This is why most people do not hold on to the saddle horn. If you are right handed, hold the reins in your left hand. You can run the reins through your closed fist, with your thumb up and pointing toward the horse's neck or slightly sideways, or you can run the reins between your first and second finger with your thumb pointing forward. The reins should be loose enough between your hands and the bit in the horses mouth to allow the horse to bob its head up and down as it walks, but not so loose that the horse feels you are not in control.

Most western horses are taught to "neck rein" which means you don't pull on the left rein to make the horse go left; you pull both reins lightly to the left, and the slight touch of the rein on the right side of the horse's neck causes it to move away from the pressure, meaning that the horse turns left. To make the horse go right, lightly pull both reins across the horse's neck so that the left rein touches its neck. When you want to turn you should also shift your weight slightly toward the side you want to turn to, while pressing your leg against the side of the horse you want it to turn away from. If you want the horse to go left you press both the reins and your leg against the right side of the horse. To stop the horse pull straight back on the reins, lean slightly back in the saddle and say "whoa". To get the horse to go let the reins go slightly loose, lean forward in the saddle, and say "get up" or cluck with your tongue, and squeeze the horse's sides with both legs. If the horse doesn't move, kick it with both of your heals.

As I mentioned earlier you should ride with the ball of your foot on the stirrup, with your toe level or pointing slightly up. Riding with the toe pointing down puts a lot of strain on the lower leg muscles. On the other hand, riding with your toe pointed up allows your lower leg muscles and Achilles tendon to act as shock absorbers. It also pus much of the pressure on your upper leg muscles, which are stronger and better able to handle the pressure and strain.

When you are traveling downhill, lean back in the saddle, and swing your legs and stirrups forward, toward the horse's front legs. If you are traveling up hill, lean forward in the saddle in the saddle and swing your legs toward the back of the horse. Shifting your weight in the saddle will help both you and the horse keep your balance. You want your horse to keep its balance, at all times.

When you are traveling on rough terrain, crossing streams or rivers, or going up and down hill loosen up on the reins and let the horse have its head, so it can see what is ahead of it, and use its head and neck to balance itself. Usually a horse can pick its way through rough terrain and woods by itself best, but if it heads into some place where you won't fit you may want to use the reins to guide it to a more suitable path. If the horse gets too close to a tree you can usually push on the tree with your hand to give you enough room to clear your leg. When you come to stream crossings and have other horses behind you, and all of the horses need a drink, move your horse to one side or all of the way across the stream, so the other horses can drink too. If you don't move your horse out of the way the horses behind you may move into you and create a wreck.

When you are hunting with a guide, it is usually best to follow the he picks. Stay close enough to communicate with the guide, but far enough back to avoid swinging branches as your guide and his horse push them out of the way. If you need to go under a branch, lean forward along or beside your horse's neck. Be as quiet as possible as you go, because game animals may be accustomed to the sound of horses, but they may become alarmed at the sound of human voices.

Be aware of your horse's actions and reactions at all times. If it suddenly stops, raises its head, and pricks up its ears it has noticed something. It may be the elk or mule deer you are looking for. IF the horse seems nervous or edgy, trembles or jumps sideways it may have just spooked at a piece of paper or a ground squirrel, or it may have sensed a bear, mountain lion or rattle snake.

If the horse's ears go back flat against its neck, it is mad. If it is near another horse it may be getting ready to kick or bite. It's time to take control of the situation and head off a dangerous situation. Giggle the reins, talk to the horse, or slap its neck to get the horse's attention and let it know you are still in control. If the horse's eyes open wide and you can see the whites of its eyes, it is afraid. If it swishes its tail from side to side it is annoyed. If the tail goes around in a circle the horse is mad. If you feel the horse hunching its back it may mean the horse is getting ready to wake you up with a few playful hops; get ready to hang on. If the horse's head goes down between its legs when it hunches its back, get ready to bail out or grab leather, because it is probably getting ready to "come unglued" and do some serious bucking to get you off it's back.

This article is an excerpt from the book Hunting Northern & Western Game ($9.95+ $5.00 s&h), by T.R. Michels, available in the

Trinity Mountain Outdoor Products catalog.

By T.R. Michels

The sun was already high in the sky when Bill Barzydlo and I saw our first Nebraska turkeys. They weren't in the wooded ravines where I expected them to be; they were just off the highway that ran through the Sandhills Region of north central Nebraska. I had just commented on the lack of trees, except for those around the numerous abandoned and occasionally occupied farmhouses. Then I saw the two tom turkeys, strutting 20 yards from a highway department sand pile, 50 yards from a farmhouse, complete with a dog lying in the dust near the front porch and several cats. Because of the amount of white on their tail feathers and rump I thought they were domestic turkeys. But, when we passed a flock of fifteen turkeys walking across the prairies 15 miles down the road I realized I was seeing my first Merriam's turkeys.

(Read the rest of this article, click here: Turkey Articles)

By T.R. Michels

I've often been asked why I spend so much time researching game animals. The simple answer would be because my research on the seasonal behavior, daily behavior, calls, scents and breeding activity of game animals is the basis for many of my books, articles and seminars. Without the research, and my experience as a hunting guide, I wouldn't have much of that information. But, the truth of the matter is I do it because I want to find out all I can about the animals. I attended St. John's University in Collegeville, MN, to become a wildlife researcher; it's what I've always wanted to do. Although I didn't graduate from college, my research papers have been read by many top game biologists.

Noted deer biologist Dr. Larry Marchinton recently told me he gave my seven year scrape studies to one of his university students, and she has gone on to do her own scrape studies. She is now doing elk research, and I hope to be exchanging research findings with her. Dr. Valerius Geist (who is one of the top deer and elk researchers in the world) told me he would like to have my research papers published in the Canadian Field Naturalist or the American Midland Naturalist; two of the top biological reviews in North America. I feel honored that these two men respect my work.

The downside to not having graduated from college is that it's hard to get funding for my studies. It costs me about $5000 per year to do my research. Thankfully the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association funded part of my 2002 elk research project. If you know of an organization that would be willing to fund all or part of my elk research for 2004, please provide me with information on how to contact them. Meanwhile I'll keep doing what I love to do; researching game animals, and writing and telling you about it.

May God bless you and yours,

 T.R.

By T.R. Michels

Hunters across America are recognizing that the anti-hunters and animal rights people are out to stop animal use and hunting. Some of these hunters are joining conservation groups and organizations supporting the right to hunt. Others are actively trying to recruit more hunters through women's outdoor groups, and trying to involve more children in outdoor sports. There is no question that all hunters, fishers and trappers need to become more involved and take a stand in order to save our hunting, fishing and trapping rights.

As a group we have been complacent too long, too willing to sit on the sideline and let others do the work that should be done by all of us, and we are paying the price. In recent years bear hunting, and goose relocation have been banned in many states. If we don't do something to get more people involved in our great sport and in stopping the anti-hunters and animal rights groups, we will lose our rights, and there won't be enough of us left to stop those groups.

One of the best resources we have for new hunters are our children. Parents used to pass on the hunting tradition to their children, but with many families headed by a single-parent, and being raised in urban areas instead of the country, parents no longer have the time to hunt. Consequently the children of these urban families spend very little time interacting with nature. Instead, they play video games, watch television and have a lot of spare time on their hands. In order to change this trend, those of us who enjoy our hunting heritage and would like to preserve it, need to actively find ways to involve today's youth (our own children and others) in experiencing the outdoors and hunting. Summer camps, the Boy Scouts, 4 H, FFA and outdoor learning centers are one way to get children involved, and there need to be more opportunities. Another way to get children involved in the outdoors is by spending more time with them, and ourselves.

As the the son and daughter of an outdoor writer and hunting guide my son Dallas and daughter Tawnya are obviously subjected to more hunting than the average child. There isn't a day that goes by in our house when hunting isn't talked about. At seven Dallas had already hunted ducks, geese and squirrels and been on scouting trips for deer and turkey. Scouting trips are an excellent way to get a child interested in the outdoors. They are also an excellent time to teach children about nature, animal behavior, ethics and morals. These trips can be fun and still educate the child, and they are a great way to get children interested in hunting.

On one of our trips Dallas and I scouted a new area for turkeys, deer and squirrels. As we walked through the woods I pointed out the trees and plants I knew. There were red and white oak, and I explained to him that acorns are an important food source for the animals in the fall and winter. I showed him an aspen grove, and told him that elk in the west often leave tooth scars in the bark, and that aspens, cottonwood and willow often meant water nearby. We found raspberry, gooseberry, cherry grape and strawberry plants. I explained that grouse often eat the fruit of these plants. I showed him poison ivy, stinging nettle and thistle and pointed out the dangers of each. He saw deer feeding at the edge of a field, heard a turkey answer my call, and was fascinated at the abundance of land snails. He learned the call of the crow, barred owl, squirrel, cardinal and wood duck.

By his second trip he knew the difference between red and white oak, and knew what wild grape, gooseberry and raspberry looked like. On his first trip he wasn't too interested in exploring, but this time he spotted a hill and decided he wanted to climb to the top. I wasn't sure he could make it up the steep 700-foot slope, but he was determined, and after falling and slipping a number of times he made it. I was more proud of his accomplishment than he was.

Normally while scouting I wouldn't have climbed that hill, but after seeing the beautiful view I was glad we made the climb. It gave me a whole new perspective of the valley I would not have seen had it not been for my son. Not only is he becoming more inquisitive because of our scouting trips, but I am too. When he sees a plant I can't identify we go home and look it up. When he spots a deer trail and wants to follow it I gladly go with him. The last time I let him lead we jumped two deer out of their beds. These trips are teaching us both new things, and they are a great way to spend quality time with a child without worrying about the job, phone calls, television or other intrusions. If you are concerned about the animal rights and anti-hunting movement, join a conservation group or pro-hunting organization that is politically active. But, don't forget to involve your children and recruit others to our hunting heritage if you want to save our hunting rights.

This article is an excerpt from Musings and Menories; A Hunters Thoughts ($9.95 + $5.00 S&H), by T.R. Michels, available in the Trinity Mountain Products catalog. 

By T.R. Michels

I have learned a lot about game animal research over the last few years: 1. Researchers are learning about game animals so fast that the only way to keep you up to date is to do it in a regular newsletter. The problem with magazines is that by the time the article gets printed the information is probably a year old, and the writers who get hold of research seldom do research themselves or have access to other sources to verify the research they are writing on. The article often leads you to believe that the research project and researcher's findings and conclusions are gospel, and they aren't. 2. Not all game animals react alike. Animals of the same species react differently in different areas and different habitats. 3. Animals of different sexes react to environmental conditions and predatory pressure, especially hunting, differently. Males of most prey species, because they look different from females, are more susceptible to being chased, killed and eaten, therefore they are more wary. The older the animal, especially males, the warier they are and the more they react differently than other animals in the same area.

(Read the rest of this article, click here: Feature Articles) 

By T.R. Michels

Through my studies I have learned that not all animals of a given species sound alike. Not all cow, calf or bull elk sound alike. Not all whitetails sound alike; different bucks use different Tending Grunts; different does use different Social Contact Grunts. A goose doesn't sound like a gander, and goslings don't sound like adult geese. Flying geese have a slow measured honk; landing / backpedaling geese use a fast call. When a goose is chasing another goose its calling is louder than when it stands still.

There is no "feeding call" that you can use to ask other ducks to come down and feed with you. The feeding "chuckle" of the mallard is actually a hen telling the drakes to leave her alone. The "hail call" is a "come on over here" call, but not like most hunters think. When it is used in the fall, the hail call is a hen mallard announcing to any drake within hearing distance that she is ready to get engaged, but he is not going to reap the benefits until next spring. The keys to calling are using the right call at the right time; and using the right pitch, duration, and loudness of the call.

I've written a book, Wild Game Calling, which will tell you everything you need to know about calling whitetails, turkey, elk, ducks and geese, If you are interested in this book contact me at TRMichels@yahoo.com.

To view more hunting tips click here: T.R.'s Tips.

By TR. Michels

Through my 10 years of game research I have found no correlation between the daily activity of deer, elk and turkeys with the overhead / underfoot position of the moon. I've come to the conclusion that daily game activity tables are unreliable.

It has also been found (by a top whitetail biologist) that there is no correlation between peak breeding of white-tailed deer and any moon phase. Rut date charts that predict peak breeding of whitetails by using the moon as an indicator are unreliable! If you want to know when peak whitetail breeding occurs in your area check out the Conception Dates Graph and Peak Breeding Dates on my Whitetail Rut Dates Chart.

However, I did find (and so have other researchers) a correlation between daytime sightings of deer and turkeys (and scraping and gobbling activity) with the amount of light, monthly gravitational pull, and monthly biomagnetics associated with the moon. My Moon Indicator is quite accurate at predicting peak monthly deer sightings and scrape activity of whitetails; and peak monthly gobbling activity of turkeys. The Moon Indicator is available in the Trinity Mountain Outdoor Products catalog.

This article contains excerpts from the book Whitetail Notes & Activity Factors ($24.95 + $5.00 s&h), by T.R. Michels.

By T.R. Michels

In August of 2002 I continued the elk research project I began in 2001, watching and listening to 70+ antlered, and 55+ de-antlered 3.5 year-old and older bulls; approximately 60 one and two year old bulls; and approximately 210 cows and their calves, for 2-4 hours in the morning and 2-4 hours in the evening. The herd had grown from 600+ to 700+ elk. One of the things I wanted to find out was whether or not the moon was correlated with bugling, breeding or daily behavior. In order to do that I have to be there at various times of the day, week and month.

I've even been there during the night, when the moon was directly overhead. And, just like whitetails, most of the time the elk were bedded while the moon was directly overhead; not moving around like some of the of the lunar game tables predict. I've found that the overhead/underfoot position of the moon has very little to do with any animal I have researched so far. If you want to see more game, hunt in the morning and evening, when the animals are most active.

It doesn't appear that bugling or breeding is correlated with the full moon phase. In 2002 the second and third bugling peaks occurred at almost the same time as they did in 2001.

However, the peaks weren't correlated with the moon. It did appear that bugling was affected by temperature/windchill. The warmer it got, the more frequently the bulls bugled, until temperature/windchill got to 70-80 degrees; then they bugled less frequently.

My studies shows that bull elk of different ages begin bugling at different times of the year, and that some bulls bugle more frequently than others. Bugling activity also depends on whether or not the bull is with cows without other bulls nearby; with cows with other bulls nearby; or without any cows or bulls nearby. I found that spike bulls bugle much less than older bulls; if they do bugle they don't usually use the "Full Bugle Sequence" (the roar, bugle and chuckle all strung together), and they usually begin bugling later in the year than older bulls. Two year old bulls often bugle, but they don't' roar or chuckle as often as older bulls do. They also begin bugling later in the year than older bulls.

During my studies I heard two calls I don't remember reading about in any scientific report; both of these call appear to be threats between bulls. After watching several cows get bred over the past two years I have never heard a cow-estrus call. There doesn't seem to be one!

I have found no correlation with the moon and peak breeding or with peak bugling. It doesn't appear that the full moon affects breeding or bugling activity. As with whitetails elk may come out later than normal in the evening when there is a full moon, and they may go back to the woods earlier in the morning.

It is pretty difficult to make a mistake when you are using a mouth diaphragm to call elk, because no two bulls, cows or calves sound alike, and they don't all sound like you'd think they should. I should learn a lot more after we get the calls analyzed in early 2003, and it should help when you and I are hunting elk. There's more information on elk behavior, vocalizations, calling, and hunting techniques in the 2003 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual, available through the Trinity Mountain Outdoor Products catalog. I guarantee this book will make you a better elk hunter.

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WI, 8/3/2010 - Researchers look at predators, such as coyotes and wolves, and survival rates of whitetail bucks

The state WDNR wants to know if coyotes, wolves and other predators wreak havoc on Wisconsin's deer population and what affects survival rate of whitetail bucks.

Two major research projects spearheaded by the department and being discussed 7 p.m. Monday at Navarino Nature Center, Shiocton, will dissect those questions and help appease hunters who claim DNR counts are inaccurate.

The studies—which will include researchers from the DNR, University of Wisconsin-Madison's Department of Wildlife Ecology, UW's Applied Population Laboratory and UW-Stevens Point — are part of the most comprehensive and expensive deer research ever undertaken in the state. Deer from Outagamie, Shawano and Waupaca counties will be at the heart of both studies.

About $2 million in Federal Wildlife Restoration Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. money from Pittman-Robertson (money from excise taxes on the sales of ammunition and firearms) will be used to pay for the studies. Of that, $400,000 will be used to hire University of Wisconsin graduate students to assist with the research, said Dr. Chris Jacques, DNR deer research scientist and coordinator of both studies.

Many of the state's hunters have questioned the DNR's ability to accurately calculate deer populations, particularly after the DNR said it miscalculated the overall population by about 50 percent after a severe winter in 2007 and 2008.

At hearings the past two years throughout the state, hunters have reported seeing far fewer deer in most deer management units, and some have threatened to close their land to all hunters and boycott the 2010 season.

The buck mortality study will eventually seek help from hunters and sportsmen's groups to keep it going, Jacques said.

"The hunters have been, shall we say, less than happy about the past few seasons," he said. The last two seasons were the "straw that broke the camel's back."

Although an international panel of experts in 2006 reviewed the DNR's techniques in measuring the herd size and concluded the state's sex-age-kill methods were "the best in the country to date" in terms of accuracy, there is room for improvement, Jacques said.

The SAK formula first determines the number of bucks surviving prior to the deer season, then extrapolates data to determine the number of does, then the number of fawns surviving.

"If we miss (the count) on bucks, it snowballs," he noted.

The state's Winter Severity Index "needs some work," he said. It measures both the number of days when the temperature is at or below 0 degrees and the number of days the snow cover is 18 inches deep or more.

"But what is the effect of 15 inches or 12 inches on the ground?" Jacques said. "There's some work to be done. It's pretty crude."

In 2009, the DNR began asking hunters to report how many deer they saw while deer hunting. Hunters were eager to comply, providing information on more than 300,000 deer registration stubs and observations from 20,000 hunts on the DNR website.

The $1.14 million buck mortality study will use radio telemetry and ear tags to follow 150 bucks in each study area. Box traps, netted cage traps and netting by helicopter will be used to capture the bucks, he noted. It will begin in January 2011.

Eventually, hunters and sportsmen's groups will help keep the four-year project going, possibly even longer.

The $360,000 fawn mortality study will trap 50 fawns per spring and see what their survival rates are until the deer season begins. The two-year study will begin in May 2011.

Some hunters have argued that wolves, coyotes and other predators are devastating the state's herd, and the fawn study will help determine if this is a significant factor in the overall fawn study. Fawns are defined as any deer 6 months old or younger.

Other major factors in the mortality of deer include car-deer collisions, relative health of the mother (in the case of fawns) and hunting, Jacques said.

More information about these and other ongoing and future deer research projects is available in this PDF file: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/hunt/deer/ investing.pdf.

Trinity Mountain Outdoors, formerly of Wanamingo, MN, has moved. Owner T. R. Michels, states that while the organization was in Wanamingo, it mainly catered to hunters, booking hunting trips across North America, selling Michels' hunting and cook books, and managing the Trinity Mountain Outdoors Magazine and T.R.'s Hunting Tips on the internet at www.TRMichels.com. With the move; and as a result of his personal interest in game animal research, bird watching, wild flower collecting and outdoor photography Michels has expanded the business to include Trinity Mountain Outdoor Adventures.

The new Natural History Tour company will offer one two to three day Natural History, Bird Watching & Photography Tours to State Parks and other destinations in greater Minnesota and western Wisconsin; and seven to fourteen day tours to several North American Parks such as Canada's Riding Mountain, Banff and Jasper National Parks, Denali Park in Alaska, Yellowstone and Teton Parks in Wyoming, Badlands National Monument and Custer State Park in South Dakota, Glacier Park in Montana, Everglades Park in Florida, and the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas.

Michels, who is a nationally recognized big game researcher and naturalist, states that he loves to share his passion for the outdoors with other outdoor enthusiasts, and enjoys teaching others what he has learned in his 40 years of hunting, animal research, bird watching, wild flower collecting and outdoor photography. He adds that he will personally guide many of these tours, and that he has partnered with one of the major tour companies in the state in an effort to provide a full service outdoor adventure.

In addition, Michels states that Trinity Mountain Outdoor Adventures will offer one to two day Natural History Tours, Game Animal Tours, and Bird Watching and Photography Tours to State Parks and other sites in southeast Minnesota, and to several State Parks and scenic areas of Minnesota and Wisconsin. "There is a lot to see in Minnesota." Michels explains. "Many of Minnesota's residents don't realize the diversity of flowers, plants animals and birds we have in our state.

In the southeastern corner of the state bird watchers can see the brilliant blue Indigo Bunting, the sizzling hot scarlet Tanager, the giant Pileated Woodpecker, and several species of woodland birds and waterfowl, including Trumpeter and Tundra Swans. They may hear the lyrical whistle of the rare Upland Sandpiper on it's nesting ground in the spring. In addition, they can view wintering Bald Eagles soaring, spinning and wheeling over the Mississippi River, and visit the National Bald Eagle Center at Wabasha on beautiful Lake Pepin. In the summer they may be able to see Bald Eagle chicks stick their heads up above the edge of a huge eagle's nest.

Outdoor lovers can also tour the largest privately owned elk herd in the nation, which is just north of Rochester. The farm has over 600 head of elk, including several world record class bulls. Outdoor lovers can see newborn elk fawns in June, and hear hundreds of elk bugles from late August through early November. They can also watch and listen to tom turkeys strutting, gobbling spitting and booming as they try to impress the hens

In the southwest corner of the state, nature lovers can enjoy American Buffalo, and the birds and flowers of the tall grass prairie at Blue Mounds State Park. Or they can visit Pipestone National Monument, where the stone used to make Native American Peace Pipes was quarried. In the northwestern corner of the state they can watch and listen to Prairie Chicken on their booming grounds and Sharp-tailed Grouse on their dancing grounds, plus they can see moose, elk and a variety of waterfowl and northern birds. In north central Minnesota outdoor lovers have a chance to see dozens of black bears at the Bear Refuge, and hear the lonely howl of a Timber Wolf a the Wolf Research Center.

In the northeast corner of the state bird watchers can visit the north shore of Lake Superior and Voyageurs National Park to see one of the most diverse populations of woodland warblers and woodpeckers in North America. They may even see the rare Piping Plover along the St. Louis River Valley. Or they can join the annual "hawk watch" on Hawk Ridge overlooking Lake Superior, where hundreds of bird watchers gather each year to watch several species of hawks during their fall migration.

In western Wisconsin they can visit Krech's Meadows to see listen to the guttural calling of Sandhill Cranes as they perform their mating dance in the spring, or visit the International Crane Institute in Baraboo, where they can see cranes from around the world."

For more information: Trinity Mountain Outdoor Adventures, E-mail TRMichels@yahoo.com  

While giving seminars at the hunting shows over the last several years I have been asked about guide schools. Our new location offers the perfect place to run a hunting and guide school. We have plenty of land, several types of habitat, plus deer, elk, turkey, pheasants and geese that are easy to watch, and to learn from. The course will include instruction on goose, duck, elk, mule deer and bear hunting. It will also provide information on how to become a guide, outfitter or hunting consultant; and assist in job placement after graduation.

You will have the opportunity to participate in the on-going going deer, turkey and elk research in the spring and fall, which will help you understand how the weather and the moon influence seasonal behavior and breeding activity of the animals. You will also have the opportunity to walk rub routes, scrape lines, locate buck bedding areas; watch and listen to turkeys, elk and geese; and pattern and photograph deer, turkeys and elk. Sessions will include instruction on how and when to use scents, calls, rattling and decoys, and the right time to use them based on the progression of the rut/hunting season.

You will learn how to choose hunting sites based on seasonal and daily use by the animals; how to locate feeding and breeding/strutting areas and preferred bedding/roost sites; and the best times, locations and techniques to hunt deer, turkey and elk during the different phases of the breeding/hunting season. Turkey sessions begin in early April, deer and elk sessions begin in early September. For more information contact TRMichels@yahoo.com, or log on to Whitetail / Turkey / Elk / Waterfowl University & Guide School

Trinity Mountain Outdoor Publishing announces the release of the newest edition of T.R. Michels' Elk Addict's Manual. Written by outdoor writer, professional guide and deer researcher T.R. Michels, the 2006 edition of the Elk Addict's Manual contains the latest findings of T.R. Michels' two-year research project on elk; should contact including how elk react to meteorological conditions and lunar factors; when the elk rut starts, peaks and ends; how age affects the breeding behavior of bulls and cows; and the 21 different vocalizations and sounds elk use to communicate with each other.

Originally introduced in 1994, the Elk Addict's Manual also discusses the biology of North American elk; how to read elk sign; locating the best places to hunt; choosing the right times to hunt; and several highly successful techniques for hunting elk with a bow or gun; including the use of scents, calls, rattling and decoys for hunting trophy class bull elk.

For more information contact: Triinity Mountain Outdoors, Website: www.TRMichels.com.

T.R. Michels now offers in-field hunting seminars. If you want to understand deer, turkey, elk, duck and goose biology and behavior; learn how the animals use scents, calls and body language to communicate; be able to read and interpret game animal sign; learn the hunting techniques of calling, decoying, flagging, rattling and use of scents, used by top guides and outfitters; and become a better hunter, why not learn from one of the top game researchers, outdoor writers, seminar speakers and hunting guides in North America? T.R. Michels has been guiding and researching game animals since 1989. And he is now using his knowledge of game animals to help hunters become more familiar with game animals, and to become more successful as hunters.

You'll spend 2-4 hours in the field and/or in the classroom each day with T.R Michels, watching, listening to, and scouting for game; or learning game biology, behavior and hunting techniques from his books. You'll learn to call, rattle, flag, and use scents and decoys to attract the game. You'll also learn to read and interpret sign, and learn the best places to setup for that monster whitetail, long-bearded tom, big bull elk, or the winging waterfowl.

For deer and turkey you will actually go scouting on our nearby research and hunting properties. You'll see all sorts of sign, and learn to understand what it means.

For ducks and geese you will go to the Rochester Goose Refuge to watch and listen, and you could actually hunt in area goose fields.

For elk you will visit the nearby 1500 acre elk farm, with over 700 elk, including over 40 antlered bulls scoring over 280, you'll hear hundreds of bugles and cow/calf sounds, and you will often see bulls fighting. You could actually hunt fenced elk along with this.

Dates:

Turkey and deer from April 1 to May 30.

Whitetail from August 15 to Dec 30.

Elk from September 1 to October 30.

Ducks and geese from November 1 to December 15.

Turkey; arrive one hour before daylight.

Whitetail; arrive two hours before sunset.

Ducks and geese; arrive one hour before daylight. You can combine this with a goose hunt (during season) for $75 per day.

Elk you can arrive either an hour before daylight or sunset. You can combine this with a fenced elk hunt (archery or shotgun) for bulls scoring between 225 and 400 (prices vary).

$25 per day per person for turkey, elk and duck & goose; $30 per day for whitetail.

We guarantee you will learn a lot during T.R.'s seminars. If you are interested write, e-mail or call for seminar dates. 

Trinity Mountain Publishing announces the release of the 2009 Revised Edition of The Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual, which contains the latest information on whitetail biology and hunting techniques from T.R. Michels, a well-known whitetail researcher/animal behaviorist, writer, seminar speaker and professional guide. The result of Michels' years of research on how the weather, the moon and the rut influence whitetail deer movement helps hunters determine the right times and places to hunt deer. His years of experience as a professional hunting guide helps hunters choose the right techniques to use when they are pursuing trophy white-tailed deer. Contact: Trinity Mountain Outdoors, e-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com, Internet: wwwTRMichels.com. 

National Geographic News reports that independent researchers in Great Britain have concluded that hunting and shooting are positive aspects of wildlife conservation.

Scientists from University of Kent in southeast England published a study in Nature saying that farmers who hunt and shoot can help restore Britain's lost wildlife. The study found that hunting and shooting provide an extra incentive for landowners to voluntarily get involved in environmentally sustainable farming practices.

"According to our research, it's people involved with country sports who take up these subsidy schemes," said Nigel Leader-Williams, professor of biodiversity management at the University of Kent. "They plant new woodland because they want foxes and pheasants to live in it." 

The Associated Press reports Alaskan authorities are investigating a series of poaching incidents which began along the Knick River approximately two months ago.

A $4,500 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for poaching more than six Dall sheep, a moose, and a mountain goat. According to wildlife officials, there are no leads yet in the investigation.

Anyone with information concerning these incidents should contact their local law enforcement officials or Alaska Fish & Game's Wildlife Conservation Division.

Thursday, January 07, 2010 1:27:00 PM

Wayne Pacelle, the president and CEO, of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) decided he needed to hit back after a recent column in the Washington Times truthfully outlined the reality of HSUS' mission.

Gene Mueller, a longtime columnist with the Washington Times recently picked up on a previous blog post where I wrote about Rush Limbaugh winning the Field & Stream online sportsmen's "villain" contest. It was a fair piece that made clear that HSUS' main mission is to raise money to, and I quote, "lobby against hunting and/or medical research in which animals are used to test medication and surgical procedures."

In a December 29 letter to the editor at the Washington Times, Pacelle goes off and attempts to defend the HSUS' anti-hunting agenda by stating:

"When it comes to hunting issues, we work to curb the most inhumane abuses, and that's what has led us most recently to campaign vigorously against canned hunting, Internet hunting and the use of steel-jawed leg-hold traps - practices that the HSUS and many rank-and-file hunters agree are abusive and unacceptable."

Unfortunately for Mr. Pacelle, while his grammar may be fine, his facts are off the mark. In particular, his claims against "inhumane" traps are ridiculous. Groups such as the Fur Takers of America, National Trappers Association, and many state and local groups and individuals have spent thousands of hours researching and testing traps and methods to make sure traps being used are the most effective and humane for any animal caught. Thanks to these efforts, modern trappers have the ability to release nearly every catch unharmed. These modern trapping practices are supported by state wildlife professionals from coast to coast. Those experts consider trapping one of the most important management tools.

The bottom line is while HSUS claims it is only against "extreme" forms of hunting and trapping, some recent examples of their campaigns make that an entirely dubious claim. In fact, HSUS:

· Opposed Sunday hunting, despite there being no practical difference between hunting on that day and any other day of the week.

· Opposed a legitimate deer hunt in Westchester county New York, despite a well thought out proposal from a panel of experts;

· Pushed to get New Jersey's black bear hunt stopped which has led to a large increase in potentially dangerous human to bear interactions in the state and ignoring calls from legislators for action to prevent the increased incidences.

· Led the charge to stop dove hunting in Michigan. Doves are America's most popular game bird and hunting has no effect on the population.

· Criticized and opposed the joint effort by the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, National Shooting Sports Foundation and National Wild Turkey Federation to lower barriers to entry in the field for new hunters through the Families Afield program

Seriously. These actions do not look like they are designed to go after only the "worst of the worst" unless your definition of worst is "all".

HSUS knows it can't stop all hunting in one shot, but these actions illustrate that it will go after those it thinks it can stop on a case by case basis. Over time, it is clear that HSUS expects these "wins" will make all hunting and trapping a thing of the past.

Kudos again to Gene Mueller and others in his arena for standing up and telling the truth.

HSUS Pushes For Animal Rightist in The White House
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the largest anti-hunting group in the country, is urging its followers sign a petition urging President Obama to appoint an "Animal Protection Liaison" in the White House. This liaison would undoubtedly be promoting HSUS's radical animal rights agenda.

Targeted Executive Fights Back Against Animal Rightists
This past summer, animal rights activists targeted Dan Vasella, the CEO of Novartis, a large European pharmaceutical company, with several acts of vandalism and arson. Rather than slip into the shadows, Vasella decided to "stand up" and push for more aggressive action against these activists throughout Europe.

Bullseye Blog: HSUS: Is The Mask Slipping Off Over Fundraising Pitch?
Is the mask used by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to cover its agenda slipping a bit lately?

"Hunt Of A Lifetime" is a nonprofit organization with a mission to grant hunting & fishing adventures and dreams for children, age 21 and under, who have been diagnosed with life threatening illnesses. We are doing what we can to make a difference in their life, a dream come true. To make all their dreams come true, we need your help. If you are interested in helping a child live their dream, please contact us for more information. Www.HuntOfALifetime.org  

The United Special Sportsmen Alliance (USSA), a non-profit organization, coordinates hunting and fishing trips for disabled and terminally ill children. Since 2002 the organization has coordinated over 400 trips for children. It has already coordinated ten deer hunts and three guided bear hunts for 2003, and is working on many more for the fall of 2003. Two of the 2003 bear hunt participants are in wheel chairs, one is recovering from a lung transplant. The trips have all been at little or no cost to the participant; and a parent, family member, guardian or caretaker is encouraged to participate with the child.

All of the hunting and fishing trips are donated by independent landowners, game ranchers, large and small guide outfitters and caring individuals. Current major sponsors include Northland Cranberries, the Safari Clubs of Kansas-Minnesota-Missouri, Buckmasters and Bass Pro Shops. Past hunts have included Bear, Hog, Turkey, Deer, Elk and Bison. The USSA continues to receive donated trips, and is striving to match them up to special children as quickly as possible.

The USSA is looking for more terminally ill or disabled children interested in hunting or fishing trips. Persons Interested in donating fishing trips, hunting trips, funds; or in referring children who would like a trip, should contact Brigid O'Donahue, biotec@tds.net 1-800-518-8019, or log on to the USSA web site at www.deerfood.com/Elizabeth%20hunt.htm.

Hunters Helping Hunters provides assistance to hunting families that have had an interruption in the family structure or support system due to medical problems or a death in the family. Through contributions, donations and other financial aids, the goal of Hunters Helping Hunters is to provide funds to help alleviate financial issues such as medical bills and housing payments during stressful situations. The organization began accepting applications for financial assistance in late 2002, and has assisted four families with grants totaling $2500.

Hunters Helping Hunters is the result of an idea formed by a group of members from a hunting club. Through friendships and acquaintances within the club, the members were made aware of a fellow hunter or a hunter's family who were in temporary need due to unforeseen circumstances. While there were already charities to help with other problems, the group recognized the need for an organization to help fellow hunters get back on their feet. As a result of their association the club members founded Hunters Helping Hunters.

Hunters Helping Hunters is comprised of 31 Founding Members and several Honorary Members from the hunting community. The organization offers individual and corporate Honorary Memberships to the hunting community and associated businesses. Hunters Helping Hunters applied for 501(c) Non-Profit Organization status, and it was recently incorporated under the statutes of the State of Iowa.

Hunters Helping Hunters completed its second fundraising raffle (when?) with plans for another fundraiser in mid-2003. A membership drive is currently underway, and individuals or corporations interested in helping families in need are invited to become members or make donations. For more information contact: Dustin White, President, (866) 444-0338, dustin.white@hhh-usa.org; Darren Gibson, Vice President of Media and Fundraising, darren.gibson@hhh-usa.org; or visit the Hunters Helping Hunters website at http://www.hhh-usa.org.

Exotic Wildlife Association Fights to Save Exotics During the Dallas Safari Club

KERRVILLE, Texas - Promoting wildlife conservation through commerce, the Exotic Wildlife Association (EWA) will promote its Save the Species Campaign during the Dallas Safari Club's convention on January 7-10 at the Dallas Convention Center. The EWA is fighting to preserve the legal hunting status of the Scimitar-Horned Oryx, Addax and Dama Gazelle antelope and ultimately many other exotics like Blackbuck and Axis deer.

During the show, EWA will promote the "Save the Exotic Species" fund raiser through a special give-away that includes a Gold Medal Fallow Deer Hunt at the Texas Hunt Lodge, a premier destination for exotic and whitetail hunting. Attendees at the show can register to win the hunt at the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance booth (#A18) by either joining the Exotic Wildlife Association or by making a donation to the EWA's Save the Species Fund.

Although the Scimitar-Horned Oryx, Addax and Dama Gazelle are classified as an endangered species, the special rules by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service enacted in September 2005 made it possible for owners of captive herds to engage in activities including the purchase and sales of the animals and to breed these animals on ranches across the United States. In fact, the program has been so widely successful that it now fuels a $1.3 billion industry and thousands of jobs mostly in rural America.

However, a Federal judge ruled earlier this year that the three species, which are born and raised in the United States, will no longer be exempted from their listing on the endangered species list. As a result, ranchers who have owned and cared for these animals for years will be required to cease all culling and other management activities without special permits by the Federal government.

The EWA has filed an appeal regarding this judge's ruling which overturned a special rule put in place by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Department that allowed three antelope species to be born, raised and freely traded in the United States without the USFWD permitting process.

"Without the special rule, these rare animals which have rebounded by the thousands because of our conservation efforts will decline and pass from the face of the earth," says Charly Seale, executive director of the Exotic Wildlife Association. "We encourage all sportsmen attending the show to come by the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance booth and show their support for these animals and the future of our industry."

To learn more about the Exotic Wildlife Association or to donate to the Save Exotic Wildlife Fund, call 830.367.7761, email saveanimals@exoticwildlifeassociation.com or visit www.exoticwildlifeassociation.com.


Headquartered in Ingram, Texas, the Exotic Wildlife Association is dedicated to encourage and to expand the conservation of indigenous and non-indigenous hoofstock animals, and to foster development of the alternative livestock market through agricultural diversity. For more information on EWA, call 830.367.7761 or visit www.exoticwildlifeassociation.com.

T.R.'s Hunting Tips for Whitetail, Turkey, Elk, Ducks & Geese

Daily Updates on Hunting and Fishing News

I first met David Block, owner of Outdoor edge, at a Deer Classic show in the early 1990's. He was just beginning to market his innovative new knife, the Whitetail Skinner, which seems to have caused a revolution in the hunting knife industry. The Skinner combined the best aspects of a push knife, an Eskimo ulu, and a gut hook, with a pistol grip style handle (that is extremely easy to use).

I have used the Whitetail Skinner on several whitetail and elk over the years, but seem to need to get a new one every two or three years, because after watching me use it, many of my hunters want to buy it from me; so, I have to order a new one.

Due to the different way this knife is held, as an extension of the arm, rather than an extension of the hand, and due to its large cutting radius, I've found that I can easily skin out any animal I've tried it on, even with my carpal tunnel. It is much easier to use than a conventional straight blade knife.

For gutting an animal you simply hold the knife upside down, push the tip through the skin until the gut hook drops through the skin, and pull back, opening up the animal as if you were pulling on a zipper.

There is also a larger version of this knife called the Game Skinner, which is excellent for working on larger animals like, elk, moose and bear.

Outdoor Edge also offers the Sportsman's tool, a multi-function pliers with a knife, saw punch, small game and bird gut hook, and a full set of screw driver and hex head attachments. That fit neatly into a belt pouch.

Outdoor Edge also offers several other hunting and fishing knives, game saws and shears, hunting tools, butchers kits and DVD's on game skinning. For more information log on to www.outdooredge.com.

I've covered many, many miles in my studies of deer, turkey and black bear in the woods, swamps, hills and ravines of Minnesota, and many more miles walking in high meadows, rock-strewn slopes, blow-down covered woods, and steep mountains looking for elk, mule deer and black bear in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. And I've worn out several pairs of boots along the way.

Notice I said boots, not shoes. Although I've worn shoes on birding and wildflower trips, I generally put on a good pair of waterproof hunting boots, with soles that can grip anything from loose sand to lose or wet rocks, because I usually find myself wanting to look over the next hill or across a stream to see what is there.

Hunting boots are made to support your arches, and provide you with comfort when you walk long distances. A good pair of hiking boots can also provide the ankle support many people need when they ascend or descend steep terrain. And, if nothing else, boots cover your socks, which means you won't get them covered with burrs and stickers.

I've been wearing La Crosse and Danner boots for a long time. In fact, I've never worn anything else since the late 80's. My latest pair of La Crosse boots are their Broadside GTX models with Gore Tex and leather uppers, and 400 grams of Thinsulate. They are, without a doubt, the lightest, most comfortable boots I've ever worn.

I have two pinched nerves in my left leg, one is the sciatic nerve, which causes me pain in the left buttocks and hamstring. The other is the femoral nerve, which causes me extreme pain in the inner thigh and the heel of my foot. Normally when I stand or walk for a long time I am in a lot of pain. I don't know how many hours I've worn my Broadsides or how many miles I've covered in them since I got them, but it has been a lot. But, not once have I been in pain, and not once have my feet felt sore.

If you do a lot of hiking or walking in the outdoors I strongly suggest you invest in a good pair of hunting boots, because, unlike many hiking boots, they are made to be quiet, which if you are looking for birds or big game, is a must.

To view the wide variety of boots that LaCrosse and Danner offer click on their links.  

Years ago I received a Heat Exchanger face mask from Polar Wrap. The mask, which contains a coiled breathing tube which goes through a small radiator-type heat exchanger, is designed to keep the person wearing it warm, by warming cold outside air before it got into the wearer's lungs; thereby keeping the lungs and the blood flowing through the lung warm.

I was skeptical at first, but after I took a 45 minute walk, dressed in jeans, shirt, a medium insulated jacket, baseball cap and no gloves, in a 15 degree windchill, I was absolutely amazed. Although my hands were exposed to the cold air, and the skin was cold I did not feel the cold. And my entire body was warmer than if I had not been wearing the mask.

After years of wearing the mask I believe it is the single most important piece of gear a person can wear if they want to stay in temperatures below 40 degrees F. It comes in several different colors and camo patterns, and in both face mask and fool hood designs.

Another important aspect of the mask is that it has proven extremely helpful for anyone who suffers from respiratory diseases, such as asthma. My daughter has chronic asthma, which causes her lungs to stop functioning when the temperatures are below 40 degrees.

Polar Fleece recently sent my daughter a Warm Air Mask, a neck sleeve containing the heat exchanger coil designed for non-hunters; and a Health Mask, a surgical style mask, designed with electro-static material to keep the wearer warm.

Tawnya can now enjoy the outdoors and her passion for wildlife photography worry-free.

Ron Reiber, Ballistics Manager and Master Class Sporting Clays shooter, today announced a powerful new addition to the Winchester® Smokeless Propellants lineup. Super-Handicap®, -- this is the identical powder loaded in Winchester's Super-Handicap 12 gauge shell and nick named, by experienced clay target shooters, the "silver bullet". Load Super-Handicap powder for a lightning fast 1345 feet per second 1 ounce load or duplicate the factory loading of 1250 feet per second with an ounce and an eighth. Handicap shooters, race game shooters, or Annie Oakley shooters who want to duplicate the venerable Winchester Super Handicap shell can load it at home and come to the club armed for success. Super-Handicap powder will be available early this spring in 1-pound cans, 4-pound caddies and 8-pound kegs. Join the team that shoots Winchester powders and go long with Super-Handicap! For 288 additional loads visit www.powder.com.  

 Tri-Tronics welcomes Junior to the Family!!

Tucson, AZ (July, 2009) - Tri-Tronics, the industry standard in electronic dog training equipment, is excited to announce the latest addition to its product line, The Sport Junior.

The rugged design and 1/4 mile range of the Sport Junior makes it the ideal remote trainer for yard drills or working with hunting dogs. The remotely-activated collar light is the perfect safety feature allowing you to see your dog during evening or early morning walks. The compact waterproof receiver and collar strap fits dogs of all sizes. The Junior features 7 levels of continuous stimulation and 7 levels of momentary stimulation.

"Our engineers wanted to design a compact, simple, and affordable collar system that would meet Tri-Tronics' rugged quality standards. They succeeded with the Junior," stated Gary Williams, sales and marketing manager.

Novice dog trainers will welcome the Junior's simple dual stimulation design and affordable price ($188.00 MSRP). "We wanted to offer a training system especially suited for first time trainers. The Junior is perfect for hunters who may be new to dog training," exclaimed Williams.

Experienced trainers will enjoy the same high quality and flexibility that they have come to expect from Tri-Tronics. Both the transmitter ($121.00 MRSP) and receiver ($98.95 MSRP) of the Junior can be purchased separately. Each can be married to work with a G2 or G3 EXP training system.

Tri-Tronics manufactures a full line of electronic dog training equipment. Tri-Tronics training collars are backed by a 30-day money-back, 2-year warranty. The Junior is proudly manufactured in the USA.

Since 1994 I've had several of my clients hunt with Dick and Mike Ray of Lobo Outfitters. I also guided elk hunters for Dick for a couple of years. If you are looking for trophy elk, mule deer, mountain lion or black bear, on good property, with good guides and good accommodations Lobo Outfitters is what you are looking for. Contact Dick or Mike Ray, Lobo Outfitters, 4821A Hwy. 84, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147, Phone: 970-264-5546, FAX: 970-264-9249, www.lobooutfitters.com.

Ohio Television Stations Refuse to Run PETA's KKK Ad April 29, 2008 (National)

Sandusky and Cleveland, Ohio-area television networks and cable stations have refused to broadcast a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) advertisement featuring the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).

The commercial shows a KKK member attending an American Kennel Club (AKC) meeting. A PETA official says it is meant to show similarities between the two organizations and that "the AKC is a shameless promotion of pure bloodlines and against mixed breeding."

According to the PETA official, the advertisement in question has run in other areas, including on stations in the New York City area during the Westminster Dog Show.

Susan Kehoe, a New Jersey anti-hunting activist, has been charged for deliberately feeding bears.

Kehoe has in the past presented herself as a member and leader of Bear Education and Resource (BEAR), a group that protested New Jersey bear hunts in 2003 and 2005. The group blames humans and their improperly secured garbage for the state's bear troubles.

She denies the claims that she has been feeding the bears and now says she is not a member or a leader of the group and does not pay dues to the organization.

According to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Kehoe was videotaped providing bags of sunflower seeds to bears in her backyard.

After receiving tips from several neighbors that Kehoe was feeding the bears, Department officials began investigating and say that conservation officers have repeatedly watched her feed bears since late March.

The charge of creating a public nuisance is a disorderly persons offence that carries a maximum penalty of a fine of $1,500 and a presumption against jail time. There is also a 2002 state law banning the feeding of bears that includes a $1,000 fine, but Kehoe received only a warning under that regulation because the wording stipulates that a warning must be given before a fine can be levied.

For more information about how you can protect your rights as a sportsman, contact The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, 801 Kingsmill Parkway, Columbus, OH 43229. Phone (614) 888-4868. E-Mail us at info@USSPORTSMEN.org

(Washington, DC) - America's premier sportsmen's rights organization today testified before U.S. Senators on the key connection between hunting and successful wildlife conservation.

United States Sportsmen's Alliance (USSA) Director of Federal Affairs William P. Horn testified before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and why the proposed listing of polar bears as threatened throughout its range will prove detrimental to healthy and presently sustainable polar bear populations.

Horn was invited to testify by Senator Barbara Boxer, Chairman of the Committee and Senator James Inhofe, the ranking Republican on the Committee. Horn served as Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the agency responsible for the ESA, from 1985 to 1988, before joining USSA. He is considered one of America's top lawyers on endangered species law, and also serves on the Board of Environmental Sciences and Toxicology of the National Academy of Sciences.

Environmental organizations want polar bears listed as threatened because of projections that Arctic sea ice will diminish in 50-plus years as a result of greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.

In his testimony Horn pointed out that listing polar bears as threatened based on a 50-year prediction would produce adverse consequences, not only for polar bears, but for all wildlife. Environmentalists plan to use the listing as a means to force reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles and power plants among other things. The groups will likely bring lawsuits to force the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to enforce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions regulations. The enormous costs of overhauling and fundamentally changing the FWS mission will leave little if any money for actual endangered species or other traditional fish and wildlife programs.

"The USSA is committed to making sure that lawmakers are aware that sportsmen continue to be the key element in the conservation of wildlife," said USSA president Bud Pidgeon. "Listing the polar bear as threatened will stop limited hunting, and cut off key revenues that fund vital polar bear research. We are proud to represent sportsmen before Congress on this critical issue."

Science shows that many polar bear populations are at historic highs and that there are no imminent threats to the healthy, huntable populations.

It is well established that many polar bear populations are at or near record highs, have increased substantially since the 1960s, and sustain carefully managed subsistence and sport hunting programs. The latter programs, conducted primarily in Canada, generate important local income and ensure that Native communities are vested in polar bear conservation. The partnership between these communities and Canadian wildlife officials has yielded effective scientific bear conservation and management resulting in improved sustainability of 11 of 13 polar bear populations in Canada.

American sportsmen comprise approximately 90 percent of the foreign hunting clientele in Canada, pouring millions of dollars into polar bear conservation and management, not to mention the financial benefits to the local communities. American hunters are the primary source of essential funding for conservation and research that allows for continued success of the populations.

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen's organization 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.

Two People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) employees have been arrested and charged with multiple felony counts of animal cruelty for allegedly dumping dead puppies and other animals into a dumpster and driving a PETA-owned vehicle that contained the remains of other animals.

If these allegations are not shocking enough, official records show that PETA, a national animal rights group based in Virginia, has killed over 10,000 dogs and cats since 1998.

On June 16, police in Ahoskie, North Carolina arrested People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) employees Andrew Cook, 24, and Adria Hinkle, 27, for allegedly picking up dogs and cats from shelters and dumping their dead bodies in the garbage. Authorities found 18 dead dogs in a dumpster and another 13 in a van that was registered to the animal rights organization.

Police say the animals were picked up from two local animal shelters and were reportedly alive when they left. Veterinarian Patrick Proctor said that one of the dogs was a healthy six-month-old puppy that had been killed that day. He also spoke about a female cat and two "very adoptable" kittens, also found dead.

Cook and Hinkle have each been charged with 31 felony counts of animal cruelty and eight misdemeanor counts of disposal of dead animals.

The Center for Consumer Freedom, an organization that works to protect consumer choices, reports that in 2003, PETA euthanized over 85 percent of the animals its took in, finding homes for only 14 percent. By comparison, the Norfolk SPCA found adoptive homes for 73 percent of its animals and the Virginia Beach SPCA placed 66 percent of its animals.

"PETA claims to be uncompromising in its stance against animal cruelty, which its members cite as an excuse to harass hunters, anglers, researchers and others who legally and ethically use animals," said U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance President Bud Pidgeon. "Its actions show the same hypocrisy of which it has been accused by a growing number of the public in recent years."

PETA continues to show a total lack of sensitivity and propriety. Its new Canadian billboard campaign leverages the horrific acts allegedly perpetrated by accused British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton. According to news reports, Pickton allegedly mixed his victims' remains with pig meat from his farm. The PETA billboard depicts a girl and a pig, with the statement "Neither Of Us Are Meat".

SCI sends condolences to the family members of the murder victims ruthlessly exploited by the shocking anti-meat campaign. To sign a petition calling for greater IRS scrutiny of PETA's tax-exempt status, visit: www.petitiononline.com/rvkptaex.  

USSA Charters Permanent Coalition to Protect Bear Hunting - (05/20)

Unyielding attacks on their sport have led bear hunting organizations to form a permanent coalition to fight back.

At a May meeting in Green Bay, Wisconsin, 40 bear hunting organizations from across the country met with U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance (USSA) representatives to establish a permanent bear hunting protection group.

The new group is named the Bear Hunter Rights Coalition (BHRC). Many of the coalition's members were also part of USSA's National Bear Hunting Defense Task Force formed in 2003. Task force members ensured the defeat of federal legislation introduced that year by U.S. Rep. Jim Moran, D-Virginia, and Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-California, which would have banned bear hunting with bait on federal land. The group also thwarted antis' efforts to sneak the ban through as an amendment to the Department of Interior spending bill.

The task force went on to help defend bear hunting at the 2004 ballots in Maine and Alaska, and in legislatures nationwide.

"The USSA's initial coordination of the bear hunting community two years ago defeated anti-bear hunting attacks, but our partners wanted to make sure the effort would be continued over the long haul," said Rob Sexton, USSA vice president for government affairs. "Attacks on bear hunting have not subsided and members agree that formalizing the organization and running it out of the USSA office will provide even greater support to stave off the antis' attacks."

Michigan Bear Hunter's Association, the Upper Peninsula Bear Houndsmen and the Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association were among the first to sign on in 2003 and continue to recruit members under the BHRC flag.

"The Alliance's success over the years has been attributed to our ability to organize," said Sexton. "That was evident in the formation of the National Bear Hunting Defense Task Force and will be recreated with the BHRC."

For more information about how to join the Bear Hunter Rights Coalition, call the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, (614) 888-4868 or e-mail info@ussportsmen.org.   

While the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation is a leader among charities, the nation's largest anti-hunting organization has missed the grade.

Charity Navigator gives the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) a two-star rating. The organization's fundraising spending is inefficient, and according to Charity Navigator's overall rating, the group "needs improvement."

The HSUS has received other negative ratings by charity watchdog groups. The American Institute of Philanthropy gave the group a D rating for spending over 50 percent of its expenses on fundraising. The December issue of Smart Money Magazine calls HSUS a "laggard" for putting barely 60 percent of its expenditures toward programs in 2002.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has a new anti-meat campaign that instructs people to "Go Vegetarian and Be Saved."

According to the PETA website, the group has created a billboard that depicts an "ample" woman eating a hamburger and turkey leg with the headline "Gluttony Is One of the Seven Deadly Sins - Go Vegetarian and Be Saved." PETA says the ad will be erected along I-35 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

"PETA tries to elicit emotional responses through publicity stunts including this insulting billboard," said Tony Celebrezze field director for the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance. "The organization has a political agenda to end all animal use and will use any tactic to achieve its goal."

"As a Christian I resent PETA relating eating meat to not being saved. While gluttony may be a sin, gluttony is not eating meat. It is eating too much of anything, including vegetables." T.R.

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation has received a Four Star Rating from Charity Navigator and was ranked #1 most efficient animal focused nonprofit--as reported in Petersen's Hunting, August, 2004.

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance is a national organization representing over 1.5 million sportsmen through its member clubs and individual constituents. The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance provides legislative, legal defense and public education services to defend and advance sportsmen's rights in Washington, D.C. and in all 50 states.

Contact Information:

Phone: (614) 888-4868 Fax: (614) 888-0326

Website: www.ussportsmen.org

Doug Jeanneret, Director of Communications: djeanneret@ussportsmen.org

Beth Ruth, Associate Director of Communications: bruth@ussportsmen.org

Sportsmen who are considering a donation to the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation can review the Charity Navigator rating by clicking here.

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