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Many of the articles in this e-magazine are excerpts from the Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual, the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual, the Turkey Addict's Manual and the Elk Addict's Manual by nationally recognized author, writer and seminar speaker T.R. Michels. To learn more about whitetail biology and behavior, and more whitetail hunting techniques, tactics and tips, order your copy of these books in the Trinity Mountain Outdoor Products catalog today, and SAVE.

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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 white-tail deer, 4 years researching wild turkeys, 2 years researching ducks and geese, and 4 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 'T.R.'s Tips" Talk Forum / Message Board link in the left-hand column.

Good hunting,

T.R.

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

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

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

Feature Articles on White-tailed Deer

Feature Articles on Deer Management

Feature Articles on Turkey

Feature Articles on Elk

Feature Articles on Ducks & Geese

Featured 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

T.R., I would like to thank you for all your expertise on whitetail deer movement. I live in Illinois and the information on behavior and different season movement patterns has allowed me to score a pretty good-sized 8 point buck.

T.R., years ago you advised me to cull out some of the traditional 8 pointers, we had here. This was 13 pts and grossed 165 7/8.

Thanks, Bill

Hunting Dispersal/Transition Phase Bucks

By T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors

As summer rains decrease some food sources become dry and unpalatable to deer, and other food sources (such as nuts berries and agricultural crops) start to ripen, making them more palatable. Late September and October is also when temperatures may begin to drop and the wind speed increases, which means the deer may begin to look for core areas more suitable to colder, windier weather. The result of these seasonal forage availability and weather pattern changes is that the deer may have from one to four seasonal home ranges; spring summer, fall, and winter.

In areas above the 40th parallel, mid-September to mid-October is a time of transition, for both the deer and the habitat. South of the 40th parallel, and in areas where the does come into estrus earlier than mid-October, and where temperatures cause summer food sources to dry up or diminish, the deer may begin to shift from summer home ranges to fall home ranges much earlier.

Sometimes the deer (both bucks and does) will use the same core areas for different seasonal home ranges, but they use different portions of their home ranges for different seasons. To be successful as a deer hunter you need to find out where the core areas of the deer are during the time frame you are hunting them, what the deer are eating at that time, and determine when and where the preferred foods become available. Since the weather affects both the suitability of daytime core/bedding areas and the availability of preferred forage, you need to scout regularly to determine where the deer spend the day, where they forage at night, and which travel routes they use between those two areas, in both the morning, and in the evening. Then setup accordingly.

The Dispersal Phase

October is also the time when the deer are preparing for the rut. During late August and early September bucks often hang out in bachelor groups. Shortly before and after the bucks shed their velvet you may see them traveling or feeding together, and participating in sparring matches in preparation for the rut. But, within weeks of shedding their velvet the buck's testosterone levels rise to the point where they will no longer put up with each other.

Once this occurs the older bucks will start to become solitary, and begin moving to and/or establishing their fall breeding ranges. Depending on forage availability, whether or not deer use the same core areas in late summer as they use in the fall, and the distance between summer home ranges and fall home ranges, it may take a week or more for the bucks to move onto and establish their fall breeding ranges. When the bucks do move to different areas, be prepared to go looking for them.

If the deer in your area regularly breed from early to late November, the buck groups often begin to breakup between mid-September and mid-October. In many areas above the 40th parallel the bucks will be on their fall breeding ranges two to three weeks before the peak of the rut. If you want to know when peak breeding occurs in the area you hunt check the Rut Dates Chart at www.TRMichels.com.

You can usually tell when the bucks have moved onto their fall breeding ranges by the appearance of new or fresh rubs and scrapes, in areas where they have not previously occurred that year. Once you start seeing new rubs and scrapes after mid-October you can begin watching the area to see which bucks have moved into the area, which bucks are traveling near the rubs and scrapes you've found, and what time of day they are near them.

Pre-Primary Breeding / Scraping Phase

In the northern and mid-latitude states the first does may come into estrous as early as the middle of October, and scraping may peak from late October to early November, depending on the latitude and the age structure of the bucks in the herd. All of the deer should be on their Fall Home Ranges by this time, and the bucks should be on their Breeding Ranges. During the Pre-Primary Breeding / Scraping Phase the bucks may semi-regularly travel their rub routes and visit rubs and scrapes, and doe use, feeding, and staging areas.

Pre-Primary Breeding / Scraping Phase Hunting Techniques

This is when you should setup along a rub route or near a scrape in a wooded area that the bucks use during the day. When I am hunting a previously patterned buck during this phase of the rut, near a rub or scrape, I am confident of the trail the deer uses and I don't need numerous scent dispensers. Because I have patterned the buck, and I am hunting before the breeding period, I'm fairly sure the buck will come by me sometime within a 3-5 day period, unless it meets an estrous doe first, or is spooked by another hunter.

I am basically using the scent to position the buck for a clear shot. The scent also gives me a chance to bring in any other bucks in the area. I hang up one or two felt pads with buck urine or doe estrous scent, but I don't leave them out when I'm not there. If a buck comes to doe scent and doesn't find a doe it probably won't fall for it again. By taking the scent out every day you don't educate the buck.

You can also hunt near a scrape, or make your own scrape. I make a mock a scrape with the heel of my boot, rattling racks, or a stick, under an overhanging branch. I pour forehead scent on the branch and tarsal scent in the scrape. Then I hang an Ultimate Scrape Dripper with Golden Estrus or Active Scrape from Wildlife Research Center over the scrape, or near my stand in a shooting lane. This combination of buck infringement scents and doe in heat attract the buck out of the urge to exert dominance or to breed.

If you don't know exactly where the buck's bedding area is you can setup on the rub route at the first scrape the buck makes as it comes out of its core bedding area by using this same techniques. If you don't know where the core area is you can setup near a staging area or food source that the does are using. When I am not setup along on a rub route or near a scrape I use several film canisters spread about 10 yard apart to attract the buck over a wider area. If you know the buck is traveling after sunrise in the morning you can use this same technique on the rub route back to his bedding area.

Bucks may be traveling, scraping and looking for does during this time; so long loud rattling may attract these wide-ranging bucks.

This article is based on The Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual ($30 for computer readable CD) and Hunting the Whitetail Rut Phases ($9.95), by T.R. Michels, available in the Trinity Mountain Outdoor Products catalog.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist, outdoor writer and speaker. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Duck & Goose, and Turkey Addict's Manuals. His latest products are Hunting the Whitetail Rut Phases, the Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2006 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and the 2006 Revised Edition of the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual.

If you are interested in more deer hunting tips, or more deer biology and behavior, log on to Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s Hunting Tips at www.TRMichels.com. If you have questions about deer, elk, turkey or waterfowl log on to the T.R.'s Tips message board. To find out when the rut begins, peaks and ends in your area click on Whitetail Rut Dates Chart. For a catalog of books and other hunting products; or for information on a wide variety of Natural History Eco-Tours, viewing and photographing regional and national scenic areas, birding, big game animal, elk bugling, wolf howling, sandhill crane, swan, prairie chicken, sharp-tailed grouse, wildflower or other tours contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, E-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com, Web Site: www.TRMichels.com.

Whitetail hunters are learning that the place to hunt for trophies may not be wilderness areas or farms, but in and around major metropolitan areas. Many of the freeways surrounding these areas throughout the United States cut through old farm lots, agricultural fields, swamps ravines, and cross wooded creeks and river bottoms. These areas often remain undeveloped for years, providing excellent feeding and bedding areas for white-tailed deer. Some of the property may be purchased by large corporations that wish to build corporate headquarters in wooded areas. These corporations often fence the property for security purposes, in turn creating deer refuges. Deer use the fenced property as bedding areas but must often leave through gaps in the fence or jump it to feed in nearby undeveloped wooded areas and fallow farm fields, providing hunting for opportunistic hunters.

With the spread of metropolitan areas into surrounding farmland, the expansion of wooded subdivisions, and the banning of gun hunting in many municipalities deer populations continue to thrive and actually increase in both the suburbs and metropolitan areas. Wildlife officials in some urban areas estimate as many as 49 deer per square mile in high income subdivisions and city and county parks. The increasing number of deer causes complaints from city residents whose shrubs, ornamental plantings and vegetable gardens are being destroyed by deer searching for food in the winter and early spring. These complaints and increasing car/deer collisions have prompted wildlife many urban officials to offer deer hunters several deer permits each in an effort to reduce the herd.

Knowledgeable hunters are quick to take advantage of the abundance of deer and the excellent trophy hunting for bucks that often die from old age or a collision with a motor vehicle. Urban deer hunting opportunities are on the increase because many cities that previously prohibited deer hunting now seek help from wildlife officials and local hunting clubs to reduce their herds.

Urban hunters also learn that there are many trophy class bucks in metropolitan areas. There are no less than twelve bucks scoring over 160 points, including a 205 typical, listed in the Minnesota State Record book that have come from the five counties surrounding Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. There are also several others that have not been registered by hunters who wish to keep their success, and their hunting spots, secret.

Deer hunters who have hunted rural or wilderness bucks need to change their mind about the seemingly tame urban deer before they pursue them. Veteran urban deer hunters have learned that metropolitan deer are extremely adept at avoiding hunters and staying out of bow range. While many of the does and younger deer are seen during the day the trophy bucks, like their rural counterparts, seldom show themselves during daylight and avoid areas frequented by hunters.

When I locate areas that look productive while scouting from the roads in late summer I talk to the local residents, asking them when and where they see deer. In particular I ask if there are any big bucks in the area. I find a resident who is a hunter and has seen deer including one or more big bucks. By asking a few more questions about where they were seen, and at what time, I get a good idea of where to look for deer. Then I setup where I can observe the buck from a distance without disturbing it to figure out the best place for an ambush.

Urban deer hunters have learned that the spot and ambush technique work well on metropolitan trophy bucks. These hunters do very little scouting of the land itself, preferring to glass known feeding areas to spot the bucks. They use a topographical map of the area and Record the places, times and sightings of each buck in a journal. Once they determine an individual buck's travel route they setup along the route and ambush the buck when it appears. Because the older bucks are extremely wary the conditions must be perfect before hunting an individual trophy buck.

One hunter, who wishes to remain anonymous, with 10 Pope and Young and two Boone and Crockett urban bucks to his credit says he gets only one chance at a trophy. If he misses or alarms the buck he may not see it again for the entire season.

I use the spot and ambush method, especially if I have access to only a small part of the buck's territory, which is often the case when hunting urban areas. Many of these deer frequent city, county or state parks and sub-developments where they can't be hunted. But there are often nearby undeveloped wooded properties that can be hunted, or individual landowners in the subdivisions that do allow hunting.

Because many of these areas consist of 5-40 acre plots the deer may use them infrequently as travel routes, where they can be hunted only at dawn and dusk, and only when the weather conditions are right. If I have access to larger parcels of land, especially small farms that continue to operate in the city limits, I often walk the buck rub routes on a daily basis, checking rubs and scrapes to see how active they are.

Obviously I leave scent behind while I scout but I am actually familiarizing the deer to my scent. After a week or two of smelling my scent and seeing me without being hunted the deer soon become accustomed to seeing me and smelling my scent. Then when they smell me while I am actually hunting they don't become alarmed.

Urban deer are susceptible to rattling, scents, calls and decoys because few hunters have used these techniques on them. Because the deer are accustomed to the sounds, scents and sights of the city, and may never have been hunted before, they are more apt to respond to many of the techniques hunters use to attract deer than heavily hunted rural or wilderness whitetails.

By scouting and patterning the deer in the winter and spring you can cut down the time needed to scout and hunt in the fall. If you have time during the fall to observe the rub routes of bucks you should be able to determine the size of the bucks (several bucks often use the same rub route in urban areas) and what time they arrive at particular areas. This will make it easier for you to choose a hunting site in the fall.

Patterning is a favored technique of many successful deer hunters in their efforts to locate bucks. What many hunters don't realize is that the deer, especially older bucks, will in turn pattern them. We know that bucks avoid hunters and their hunting areas, especially if they have previously detected the hunter or been shot at, but most hunters don't realize how good bucks are at patterning them. So what do you do to keep the deer from patterning you? Obviously the first thing is to avoid using deer trails (unless you have previously Familiarized the deer). Avoid crossing deer trails on the way to your stand, and keep your scent from blowing across trails and high use areas as you approach your stand. Stalk your stand as if you were stalking a deer. Remember your stand is, or should be, in a high use area. Deer frequent the area. There may be deer there every time you go in. Be especially careful crossing trails that show little use.

Take precautions to eliminate scent. Wear rubber boots and gloves, don't work up a sweat on the way to your stand, use odor eliminating products, shower with antibacterial soaps and use a cover scent; fox, raccoon, or cow urine. Dr. Juice cover scent works well in many areas that have cattle; deer are accustomed to human and cow scent together. The best way to reduce/eliminate human scent is to use a Contain anti-bacterial suit or a Scent Lok charcoal suit. I won't leave home a Contain suit. Be acutely aware of the wind direction at all times and remain down or crosswind to the approach of the animals.

It's also a good idea not to over-hunt your area. While many hunters feel they should hunt an area three days, because deer may not appear regularly, studies by James Kroll in Texas show that if you hunt the same area three days in a row the number of deer seen will steadily decrease. The deer will learn you are there. Change your stand sight every two to three days to keep the deer from patterning you. You can always go back later. While you are out there trying pattern the deer, they are patterning you. Take steps to Avoid Detection and don't over-hunt the area. Stalk your stand and be aware of every trail in the area, and which deer use them. If you think you have been detected don't be afraid to move your stand to a better area. It's better to move and have a chance than to stay and have none.

Do they work? Have hunters and the hunting industry been duped?

Over the last few years several questions have arisen as to whether or not activated carbon clothing suits work as advertised to keep hunters from being detected by deer (that might smell the odors given off by humans or any unnatural odors associated with the humans while they are hunting). The questions asked include: Is there enough activated carbon in the scent-elimination suits for them to work as the manufacturers claim? How long will activated carbon continue to work? Can the suits be re-activated as the manufacturers claim they can be? Are activated carbon suits adversely affected by humidity?

Activated carbon is used as a filter medium because it has an affinity to "volatile organic compounds". When humans perspire they emit volatile organic compounds and other chemicals, such as hydrogen sulfides, which can be trapped by activated carbon. The manufacturers of activated carbon scent-control suits claim their clothing works because the activated carbon (which is glued to or impregnated into the fabric of the clothing) blocks the release of human odors, or "traps" the odors by a chemical bonding process called "adsorption".

Adsorption occurs when activated carbon grabs and holds other compounds, including gases, scents and odors, at the molecular level. The amount of odor that an activated carbon filter medium holds is determined both by the amount of activated carbon in the entire medium and by how thick the layer of activated carbon on the fabric is. In the case of a scent-elimination suit, the carbon layer is very thin, which means there is very little activated carbon in the suit. In fact, the scent elimination suits are so thin that they hold relatively small amounts of activated carbon, and the activated carbon is so widely spaced in some suits that the suits allow air and odors to go through the suit without coming into contact with and being trapped by the small amounts of carbon in the suit.

One of the problems with trapping odors by adsorption is that adsorption continuously occurs, unless the activated carbon is kept in an airtight unscented bag from the moment it is first activated. Since activated carbon will eventually become full of odors, it cannot work any great length of time. If activated carbon clothing is not put into a sealed bag the moment it is activated, and kept that way until it is used for hunting, it will have adsorbed numerous odors. Depending on how thick the layer of activated carbon is in the suit, it may not work to stop human odors the very first time it is used.

In an attempt to bring some legitimacy to their products, the manufacturers of scent-control clothing have acknowledged this to some extent. Many manufacturers recommend that the clothing should be immediately washed, and then "re-activated" by placing the suits in a clothes dryer as soon as they are purchased.

When the laboratory at Purification Process was asked to test a popular activated carbon scent-control suit they found there wasn't enough in the suit to even test. In a test with search dogs, by JA Shivik, Ph.D., forty-two people were hidden from Colorado search and rescue dogs. Twenty-one of the people wore activated carbon suits; twenty-one did not. The dogs found all twenty-one people who didn't wear activated carbon suits, and twenty of the people who wore activated carbon suits. There was no noticeable difference in the time it took the dogs to find the humans. It took the dogs 2.7 minutes to detect the humans who were not wearing activated carbon, and 3.4 minutes to find the humans who were wearing activated carbon suits.

Shivik's report states, "That the dogs detected humans wearing the suit indicates that the system failed to prevent detection of human odors." Since deer have a sense of smell equal to if not better than dogs, it is safe to assume that deer would have detected the humans too. The report adds, "The suits are probably not worth the cost to researchers or managers who want to approach canids undetected." They probably aren't worth $150 to $300 to hunters either, if they can't keep deer from detecting the hunters.

The military also uses activated carbon clothing, commonly referred to as Chemical Warfare Suits, but they are limited-use, disposable garments, not intended for multiple use, because, according to the paper The War Next Time: Countering Rogue States and Terrorists Armed with Chemical and Biological Weapons, the new JS-LIST suits worn by the armed services "provide 45 days of wear versus 22 days for the BDOs." These chemical warfare suits have several times more activated carbon in them than the suits currently being offered for hunting purposes; and they only last for 45 days! This document can be viewed on-line at this address.

An interesting comment in the document states, "In addition they can be washed up to six times without losing protective qualities." This suggests that clothing made with activated carbon becomes less effective every time it is washed. It also suggests that after six washings, the Chemical Warfare Suits, which are made to US Government specifications, and have more activated carbon in them than the activated carbon suits worn by hunters, are ineffective after six washings! And yet, the loss of activated carbon due to washing, and the eventual ineffectiveness of the suits due to washing, is not clearly stated by the manufacturers of the activated carbon scent-elimination suits in any of their literature, or on their web sites. Note the reference to heavy perspiration in the following article, which will be talked about later.

In 2005, the Scent Lok web site at www.scentlok.com stated:

(begin quote)

"When and how to wash: During warm weather when only a T-shirt is being worn as an undergarment and heavy perspiration is occurring, it is advised to wash your suit periodically. During cool weather when heavier undergarments or layers are worn, there is no need to wash the suit. Washing does not have anything to do with reactivation, but does get rid of unwanted body oils (caused by perspiration), blood, and dirt. Washing a Scent-Lok suit can be done 1-4 times per season without fear of losing carbon from the suit. The permanent ClimaFlex treatment, that is on all Scent-Lok branded suits made during and after 2001, aids in the extraction of unwanted body oils in high perspiration areas when washed. Use only non-scented liquid clothes wash or preferably carbon wash. Once a garment is washed per label instructions it should be put in the dryer on a no heat setting until dry. Once the garment is dry, follow the reactivation instructions. ClimaFlex treatment is also a wicking agent, which adds to the overall comfort of the suit during warm weather."

(end quote) Note: This article has since been removed from the web site.

The comments in the US Government document mentioned above suggest that it is likely that the actions of both household washers and dryers may result in the loss of some of the activated carbon in the scent-elimination clothing worn by hunters.

Scent-Lok, one of the largest producers and the only licensor of activated carbon suits, states that their suits can be re-charged by placing them in the clothes dryer for 20 to 30 minutes to re-activate the carbon. On their web site in 2005 they also stated that heat from a clothes dryer causes "Brownian molecular motion" causes the scent to move very fast, which breaks the molecules free from the activated carbon particles, which supposedly re-activates the suits.

In 2005 the Scent Lok web site stated:

"How are odors released?
It is common knowledge that heat makes molecules move more rapidly. Reactivation is only obtained by using a clothes dryer. Reactivation is achieved by placing the suit in a dryer for twenty to thirty minutes on a medium to high heat setting or according to the label instructions. The heat from the clothes dryer creates what is scientifically known as Brownian molecular motion, which causes the scent molecules to move rapidly. This movement breaks the molecules free from the surfaces of the activated carbon particles and interior pores of the carbon, and allows them to eventually exit out of the dryer vent."

(end quote)

Note: This article has since been removed from the site.

In order to re-activate activated carbon a process referred to as "Pyrolysis" is used. To completely re-activate an activated carbon suit saturated with human perspiration it has to be heated to about 800 °C; or 1472 °F. And it would have to be done in a controlled atmosphere with low oxygen concentration to reduce the possibility of combustion. This is clearly stated in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Engineering and Design, Adsorption Design Guide, Design Guide No. DG1110-1-2, which can be viewed on the internet. At 500 degrees F the suit will be nothing but carbon. Even if desorbtion was possible most household clothes dryers do not reach temperatures over 200°F, which is not high enough to release the trapped odors in the scent-elimination suits. It is highly unlikely that activated carbon suits for hunting use can be recharged, with the result that the suits will eventually become full of odors, to the point where the charcoal will no longer trap odors.

In defense of their statements that their suits can be re-activated Scent Lok maintains that the word "reactivation" is a loosely used term. In reality "reactivation", as it applies to activated carbon, means that the adsorption capability of the carbon has been totally and completely re-activated. They have stated that the garments aren't "totally reactivated" after they are first washed and put in the dryer, but that they are partially "regenerated" or "desorbed". Supposedly this partial regeneration is enough to allow the clothing to again adsorb more odors.

While some desorption can occur when activated carbon is exposed to temperatures lower than 750 to 1500 degrees F, there is a point when the temperature is too low to desorb activated carbon. A Virginia Technical University study shows that activated carbon can be partially desorbed between temperatures of 100 to 649 degrees Celsius. One hundred degrees Celsius is 212 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the extreme low temperature during which "partial desorption" of odors and gases may occur. However, as stated above, most household clothes dryers produce less than 150 degrees Fahrenheit; which suggests that the activated carbon suits sold to hunters cannot even be "partially regenerated or desorbed". (The above-cited study is study was originally available on the Internet by logging on to this page.

The use of the term Brownian molecular motion on the Scent-Lok web site is also inaccurate. The use of this scientific term seems to add some credibility to the claims about activated carbon. There is no reference to Brownian "molecular" motion, because Brownian motion does not involve molecules, but rather small particles.

This web site states, "Brownian motion (or Brownian movement) can be defined as 'the random movement of microscopic particles suspended in a fluid. " Brownian motion has nothing to do with the re-activation or de-adsorbtion of activated carbon, because the term is only used only in reference to "particles suspended in a fluid," not to the motion or activity of gaseous odor molecules released by activated carbon that is subjected to heat in a clothes dryer.

One of the statements on the Scent Lok web site in 2005 mentioned "heavy perspiration", which may occur as a hunter walks to their hunting site, and may result in high humidity between the hunter's skin and the suit for several hours after the hunter stops walking. The Army Corps of Engineers document cited above also states: "Relative humidity above 50 percent may result in adsorbed and condensed water vapor blocking the pores of the particles and interfering with the diffusion of the contaminants to the adsorption pores."

What this means is that if a hunter wears activated carbon clothing while hunting, when the relative humidity conditions are above 50 percent, or if he sweats, the suit won't work. No matter what the relative humidity conditions are outside, activated carbon clothing may not work, because the act of walking alone will cause the human body to sweat, resulting in a relative humidity of 50 percent or more between the body and the suit. By the time the hunter arrives at their hunting site the activated carbon in the suit will be saturated with moisture, and it will be useless. Hunters can find this government document on the Internet, and so can the manufacturers of activated carbon clothing. But, neither it, nor the information in it, is mentioned by any of the activated carbon clothing manufacturers in their advertising, nor is it mentioned on their web sites.

Conclusion: If there is not enough activated carbon in the suits to trap human odors; if the suits used for Chemical Warfare lose effectiveness after six washings and are effective for a maximum of 45 days; if activated carbon scent-elimination suits do not keep dogs from detecting humans; if the effectiveness of activated carbon is affected by humidity above 50 percent; then it is unlikely that scent-elimination suits using activated carbon can work to keep hunters from being detected by deer during hunting situations, especially if the clothing is worn more than 45 days, or washed more than six times. Many hunters use their suits more than 45 days in a year, and wash it more than six times in a year, which means they will probably have to buy a new suit every one to two years.

Fortunately for hunters there are other types of clothing designed to reduce or eliminate human odors on the market. No-Trace and Eliminator use cyclodextrene (the same active ingredient used in some popular new air fresheners) to trap human odors. The manufacturers claim that placing their clothinr in a washing machine with unscented hunter's detergent can recharge their clothing.

Hunters can also use anti-bacterial type suits work for the reduction or elimination of odors caused by bacteria when used for hunting purposes. These suits include Contain, which uses anti-bacterial ingredients in the fibers of the fabric of the clothing, and X Scent, which uses silver threads in the fabric of the clothing. Both products reduce or kill the bacteria or microbes that produce the odors associated with human perspiration, thus they reduce the amount of human odors that might be detected by deer and other big game animals.

In the early 1990's Scent-Lok applied for and received a patent on the use of activated carbon for several different applications and/or articles of clothing used in conjunction with the control, reduction or elimination of scents, including human related or human produced odors, while hunting. Since the granting of that patent Scent-Lok has done what any company holding a patent does; they have aggressively protected the patent, warning several companies not to produce clothing meant to control, reduce or eliminate unwanted odors while hunting, whether the clothing contained activated carbon or not.

Recently some questions have arisen as to whether or not the Scent-Lok Patent is valid. On May 11, 2005, the United States Patent and Trademark Office mailed a document to Scent-Lok, notifying them that "Claims 1-10" of their patent were temporarily "subject to reexamination" and were temporarily "rejected". According to the document, Scent-Lok had until July 11, 2005 to respond to this document. Failure by Scent-Lok to respond "will result in termination of the process and issuance of an ex parte reexamination certificate in accordance with this action." The document cites "Popper" and "Floyd" as previous patent holders and may imply that Claims 1-10 of the Scent-Lok patent are invalid, because either Popper or Floyd covers the claims under previous use. Previous use of those claims would invalidate the portion of the Scent-Lok patent making those same claims. The Patent Office document states, "The clothing of Popper is capable of being used to avoid detection of wildlife through the senses of smell as the clothing in its normal use is worn on the body." This seems to suggest that several of the claims in the Scent-Lok patent were already patented in the Popper patent.

The document further states, "The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the 'right to exclude' granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees." As of June 2006 the Patent claims 1-10 of the originally applied for Scent Lok patent on activated carbon suits used for the purpose of eliminating human scent or odors hunting have been rejected. However, Scent Lok has resubmitted a claim for a new or revised patent, using different terms, but still using the same general ideas.  

To Read More About Scent Lok and how Science shows it cannot work click here.

It has recently come to my attention that Scent Lok has placed a testimony I sent to them in the early 1990's on the top of their "Testimonies" page at http://www.scentlok.com/testimonials/. The properties of this page indicate it was present on their site as of 9/26/2006. They may have put my testimony at the top of the page in an effort to refute my (above) article on the ineffectiveness of activated carbon clothing, which I wrote after years of research in 2005.

I asked them to remove my testimony from their site on 9/26/06. Let's see if they do it.

Here is the testimony I wrote in the early 90's, before I knew better.

"I thought I would write you and tell you of some of my experiences with your clothing. First, having been a biology student in college and having worked in the medical industry, I know charcoal is one of the best filter mediums known. However, I was skeptical about its use in clothing. But not now. My first experience was in October when early in the morning I walked through a group of bedded does and fawns in an open field on the way to my stand. The deer heard me and spooked. When they snorted I held still, snorted back and they snorted again. I took out my grunt call and grunted, as I alternately grunted and snorted to the deer they approached me downwind. This was with an eight mile an hour wind with 80% humidity. These were optimal conditions for the deer to scent me. They actually came back to me within 15 yards. All the time I expected them to wind me and spook but they didn't. They finally moved slowly away. I would like to say it was because of my camouflage but I know better, it was your Scent-Lok.

The next day, under the same conditions a doe and fawn approached me when I was just glassing my area. I was not wearing Scent-Lok and when the doe got downwind she literally turned inside out. She didn't see me but reacted to my smell.

Since then I have had nine more deer in 11 days within 150 yards downwind, including one eight point buck I grunted in within 18 yds and another that I rattled in to within five yards. When I attempted to take his picture he spotted me. He spooked but I grunted to stop him then rattled him back in again to within seven yards. During this time I had about a ten mile an hour wind and the buck was at all times downwind. He definitely should have smelled me. There is no question in my mind that Scent-Lok is the reason for my success. This is a GREAT product and it should be part of every big game hunter's wardrobe.

Thanks for a great product, I wish I had though of it." T.R.

www.trmichels.com
T.R. Michels - Minnesota

(end quote)

Within 4 years of when I wrote that testimony I had done extensive research on activated carbon, and realized that it could not work the way many manufacturers say it can.

My mistake was in not doing the research first - if I had I would not have written the above testimony.

I now know that because I spend a lot of time researching deer on the very same properties where I hunt, the deer become accustomed to my scent. They often stand and watch me when I walk by, and unless I come upon them suddenly, they rarely run away. In fact, I've often had deer on my research sites come looking for me if they heard or saw me; and they generally try to come in from downwind if they can.

I had been walking all over the property I refer to above for over 20 days by the time I first tried Scent Lok. It is now clear to me that the deer would have reacted the same whether I had been wearing a Scent Lok suit or not.

Here is another piece of information from the Scent Lok web site:

"Pristine Material:
This is material that is in perfect condition. Greater amounts of scent is exposed to the fabric to the point where it is virtually saturated.

Regenerated Material:
This is the same material as in the pristine material test only it has been regenerated in a drying cycle at 160° F. for 45 minutes. Then after regeneration exposed to greater amounts of scent until virtually saturated.

Conclusion:
As the test data shows, after a regeneration cycle the regenerated performs equally as well as the new pristine material. This confirms that like a sponge, scent can be virtually wrung out to give our fabrics the capacity to adsorb odors time and time again."

(end quote)

My question is this: "What test data? Was the exact same fabric, with the exact same amount of activated carbon that is used on clothing for sale used in the test? Whose fabric was it? Was the test done by an independent laboratory; or by Scent Lok or someone paid by Scent Lok? If it was an independent laboratory please provide the results to us.

My understanding is this: (from my article) While some desorption can occur when activated carbon is exposed to temperatures lower than 750 to 1500 degrees F, there is a point when the temperature is too low to desorb activated carbon. A Virginia Technical University study shows that activated carbon can be partially desorbed between temperatures of 100 to 649 degrees Celsius. One hundred degrees Celsius is 212 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the extreme low temperature during which "partial desorption" of odors and gases may occur. However, as stated above, most household clothes dryers produce less than 150 degrees Fahrenheit; which suggests that the activated carbon suits sold to hunters cannot even be 'partially regenerated or desorbed'.

(The above-cited study was originally available on the Internet by logging on to this link.)

My Conclusion:

Of course the "regenerated material performs equally as well as the new pristine material". If, according to all the data I have, the original material worked poorly in the first place, or didn't work at all; then the regenerated material would perform similarly to the pristine material.

In addition, the statement that "in a drying cycle for 45 minutes" could regenerate the material flies in the face of the research from the Virginia Technical University study, because, according to their study, the material would have to be heated to at least 212 degrees F before it could be partially desorbed or "regenerated".

And, if I remember correctly, Scent Lok originally stated their product could be re-activated by placing the clothing in a household dryer for 10-30 minutes: not 45 minutes. And now they are using the word "regenerated" instead of re-activated. Simply semantics, possibly. It might be they are using those terms to re-word their patent proposal.

My latest information is that at least one chain of retail stores refuses to carry Contain clothing because it competes with Scent Lok -Heaven forbid!

I don't understand this philosophy, because Contain uses a completely different process to help hunters reduce human odors, by using an anti-bacterial to kill bacteria and microbes, which produce the odors associated with human perspiration. Contain in no way infringes on the supposed patent of Scent Lok. I'd think retailers would like to offer the newest, best products to their buyers.

I've also learned that a US senator or congressman has made an inquiry about the case to the Commissioner of the Patent Office. It is my understanding that after such an inquiry the Patent Office has 30 days to respond, and then some kind of final decision should be made as to whether or not some of the Scent Lok patents are valid and enforceable.

It is my understanding that he has done this because Scent Lok appears to be re-submitting their old patent, using new and more inclusive "words" and "terms" in an effort to keep some of their current patents (which may be no good), to delay the patent rejection (so they can continue to collect high royalties), or in order to receive new, more inclusive, farther reaching patents (which they may use to keep other companies from developing, designing, manufacturing, promoting and selling other competing "scent reducing or elimination clothing" that uses better and newer technology).

T.R. Michels

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.

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 T.R. Michels

Through my ten 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.

Bull elk engaging in a dominance display

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 400+ to 500+ 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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Ground Blinds for Deer Hunting*

The Rites of Passage*

Horsemanship on the Hunt*

Hunting Merriam's Turkeys on the Nebraska Plains*

Game Research*

Take A Child Scouting *

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Game Calling Research*

Does the Moon Affect Game Animals? *

Elk Research*

 

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FREE Hunting & Fishing Trips For Disabled Children*

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Elk Addict's Manual*

Daily In-Field Game Animal Biology/Behavior & Hunting Techniques Seminar with T.R. Michels*

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Guide Reviews*

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T.R. Michels' Whitetail / Turkey / Elk / Waterfowl University & Guide School *

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

T.R.'s articles at Adventures in the Outdoors on Bowhunting.Net

Daily Updates on Hunting and Fishing News

Greg Boehmer, T.R.'s son-in-law, with a triple on giant Canada geese.  

T.R. Michels Guide Service

I'll be doing some turkey hunting in Missouri (eastern turkeys), Nebraska (Merriam's turkeys) and Kansas (Rio Grand turkeys) in the spring. I should have openings for 4 people per week, at between $450 and $600 per week, plus room and board.

We also offer Whitetail hunts in Missouri. We have access to about 3,000 acres, near the Kansas state line, and a 5,000 acre Game Refuge. This gives us access to lightly-hunted game. If you are interested in hunting with us contact me ASAP; I don't expect these hunts to last. If you time it right you can even hitch a ride with us. These are guided hunts; no food or lodging, hotels and restaurant nearby.

We offer 5 day pre-baited unguided black bear hunts in East-central Minnesota, $500 per person. Hotel and restaurant nearby.

We also offer hunts for Canada geese near Rochester, MN; early October through mid December; $75-$140 per person for a half day hunt.

If you are interested in joining us on any of these hunts click here T.R Michels Guide Service or contact me direct. E-mail: trmichels@yahoo.com

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 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 at 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

Click this link to read our NEW Trinity Mountain Outdoor Adventures Natural History & Travel Magazine

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.

Attendees 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 click here:

Whitetail / Turkey / Elk / Waterfowl University & Guide School

TRMichels@yahoo.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.

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.

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MyOutdoorTV.com Announces Outdoor Adventure Contest

Winner Will Hunt or Fish with Favorite Outdoor Show Host

September 26, 2007 (Nashville) - If you've ever imagined yourself hunting or fishing with your favorite professional outdoorsman when you watch him on television, you could be the lucky viewer who gets to bring the fantasy to life. MyOutdoorTV.com, the world's largest online network for outdoor programming, announces its "Outdoor Adventure Contest" that will allow the winner to join a popular outdoor TV or radio host for a hunting or fishing adventure.

One Grand Prize winner and a friend will choose a personal adventure guide from these hunting and fishing legends to share a once-in-a-lifetime outdoor experience:

* Bill Miller of North American Hunter
* Steve Pennaz of North American Fisherman
* Babe Winkelman of Babe Winkelman's Outdoor Secrets
* Mark Sosin of Saltwater Journal
* Jimmy Houston of Jimmy Houston Outdoors
* Roland Martin of Fishing with Roland Martin
* Angelo Viola of Fish'n Canada
* Ron Schara of Backroads with Ron and Raven
* Wade Bourne of Pro's Pointers Radio
* Jim Ferguson of Great American Outdoor Trails Radio Magazine
* Jim Solomon of Xplor the Outdoors Radio

Entries are accepted through December 31, 2007. No purchase is necessary. To enter or to learn more about the contest, go to MyOutdoorTV.com.

MyOutdoorTV.com is the world's largest internet network for outdoor TV programming, currently streaming over 100 show titles on the shooting sports, fishing, boating, and conservation. In addition, it hosts radio shows, outdoor videos, the new State Explorer section, The Showroom product video section, MyOutdoorWiki, and sections for cooking, travel, guides, outdoor news, and much more. Use of MyOutdoorTV.com is always FREE to viewers, 24/7. Visit our website at www.myoutdoortv.com.

"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, t