I suppose it’s not really news that BLM officials have been trapping wild hogs off of Fort Ord. I tried a couple of years back to get some information about the possibility of opening some of the Fort up for hunters, but never got a reply. Well, from the looks of things, it’s too late now…
Officials have success trapping wild pigs on Fort Ord
By LARRY PARSONS – Monterey County Herald
Posted: 02/28/2010 01:30:21 AM PST
The real battle began in 2006, after federal land managers for thousands of acres of Fort Ord back country realized wild pigs had invaded their space.
Since then, the Bureau of Land Management, employing a trapping program so as not to spook the feral pigs deep into hiding, have rooted out more than 100 of the animals, whittling their numbers down to about five to 10.
“They are getting harder and harder to get,” said BLM botanist Bruce Delgado, who oversees efforts to rid the bureau’s natural resource lands at the former Army base of the critters.
You can read the full article here, in the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
I wonder how long that investment will last? Anyone taking odds on when the hogs will be back?
Anyone ready for a Wild Boar hunt over in TURKEY? Our good friends at GONYE VENATORIA have some of the most beautiful specimens you can find. We should know, some of our very own Eurasian Wild Boar here at Native Hunt were purchased from over there!
You can contact them at: info@gonye.com Don’t forget to tell them that Native Hunt over here in the states sent you!!
Sorry for the copy and paste but all of us here at Native Hunt are extremely busy with our out of state shows, manning the booths at these shows and working out at the ranches.
We have also seen a HEAVY increase in the amount of WILD BOAR HUNT bookings (does this mean that the recession is finally over?) or could it be that people are truly ready for CHANGE! 
Sorry for the little pun there but I just simply couldn’t help myself considering how the Global Warming Alarmist’s, H.S.U.S. and our current Presidential Administration have all proven themselves to be….. Um! a little less than truthful shall we politely say!
Anyway, things are most certainly looking good for all of us and especially here at the N.H.E. Inc. headquarters. And as I have stated earlier, that with all of the booked hunts and newly leased properties we now have to take care of, we most certainly are seeing the worst of everything being put behind us. Now, for a little NEWS OF THE WORLD (for all you youngster’s whom are reading this, that was the title for one of the biggest selling albums to date from the highly acclaimed rock band QUEEN !)
T. Michael Riddle
— TOP STORY —
Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Chicago Gun Ban
Tuesday’s Supreme Court oral arguments in the case of Otis McDonald, et. al, versus the City of Chicago were not a Heller rematch. They were the next logical step in establishment of the base of legal precedents that will finally decide if the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States is really an individual right that may not be regulated out of existence by state or municipal governments.
On the surface, McDonald, et al, v. Chicago, et. al is set to answer a question that sounds simple: does the Second Amendment apply to state, county and local governments the way it does to the federal government?
For nearly 220 years, the lower governments have taken the position that the Second Amendment was a collective right -applicable to militias, not individuals.
In essence, they have ignored the individual right to firearms possession through the passage of firearms laws that range from unreasonable to ridiculous.
In this morning’s edition of The Shooting Wire, Jim Shepherd, who attended the Supreme Court arguments yesterday, writes on the case, the arguments, and the likely development of another major firearms case. You can read the entire report at www.shootingwire.com.
— ARCHERY —
NASP Texas Tournament Draws 800 Shooters
Eight hundred -five students from thirty schools competed in the fifth annual Texas-National Archery in the Schools Program State Scholarship Program in Waco. | For More…
— BOATING —
Ranger Z521 Comanche Named to Top-10 Boating Magazine List
The March 2010 edition of Boating magazine unveils their list of the Top-10 boats of the year. The ten included Ranger’s all-new Z521 Comanche, praised for its running service and smooth ride as well as many features for competitive anglers and performance enthusiasts. | For More…
North Carolina Boating Changes Go In Effect
A new law goes into effect in 2010 for boaters in North Carolina, especially those under 26 years old. Beginning May 1, anyone younger than 26 operating a vessel powered by a motor of 10 horsepower or greater on a public waterway must meet the requirements for boating safety education. | For More…
— COMPETITIONS —
SIU Wins Murray State Kentucky Lake Invitational
The Southern Illinois University team of Ben DeBlois and Christopher Piha cranked their way to the top spot and $2,000 at the first Murray State Kentucky Lake Invitational, weighing 10 bass during the two day event for a total weight of 31.89 pounds. | For More…
Smith & Wesson Hosts 2010 IDPA Indoor National Championships
Smith & Wesson Corp., hosted the 3rd Annual International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) Indoor National Championships over the weekend, awarding five division titles during the three-day event. Despite inclement weather conditions that blanketed the northeast, over 250 competitors took part in the IDPA event, which is considered by many to be one of the premier matches of the season. | For More…
— EVENTS —
Sportsman’s Program Fed More than 200 Needy
Sportsman Channel’s Hunt.Fish.Feed national public affairs program to help feed the needy made a stop in the Twin Cities on February 28, feeding nearly 200 with venison and fish collected from hunting and angling sportsmen. | For More…
QDMA Lends Hand In Dixie Deer Classic
When the thirtieth annual Dixie Deer Classic kicks off March 5, the Quality Deer Management Association’s North Carolina State Chapter will be playing a major role in the development and delivery of hands-on education and entertainment at the event. | For More…
LDWF Teams With LWFF to Kickoff Tag and Release Tournament
The inaugural Louisiana Saltwater Series Fishing Tournament, hosted by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) and the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation (LWFF), will open March 6, 2010, in Lafitte, Louisiana at the SeaWay Marina. | For More…
— FISHING —
Redfish and Kayak Fishing Tours Headed to Punta Gorda
Anglers from across Florida and surrounding regions will converge on Punta Gorda, Florida, on March 6-7 for the first Florida West Coast Division regular-season tournaments for both the IFA Redfish Tour Presented by Cabela’s and the IFA Kayak FishingTour Presented by Hobie Fishing. | For More…
Spring Trout Releases Bring Ohio Fishing Opportunities
Public fishing opportunities will be enhanced this spring when more than 80,700 rainbow trout, each measuring 10-13 inches long, are released into 45 Ohio lakes and ponds. The releases will take place between mid-March and mid-May. | For More…
— GEAR —
VMC® Hooks Celebrates A Century Of Excellence
This year, renowned French hook giant, VMC®, celebrates its 100th anniversary of creating the world’s finest fish hooks. | For More…
— INDUSTRY —
Unexpected Resignation Sends NASGW Back to Executive Search
Citing “unforseen personal and family matters” Mark Kresser, president of the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers since January 1, 2010 has announced his resignation. The NASGW is now re-launching its search for a new president. | For More…
— MISCELLANEOUS —
Country Singer Will Return to NRA Bianchi Cup
Chart-topping country performer Mark Wills plans to once again compete in the MidwayUSA/NRA Bianchi Cup, in Columbia, Missouri, May 26-29, 2010. | For More…
— NEW GEAR —
Bond Arms Teams With Buck to Create a New Self Defense Knife
Bond Arms, best known for manufacturing the finest double barrel handguns in the world, has teamed up with Buck Knives to produce a Signature heavy duty, high quality knife perfect for self defense needs. | For More…
— NEW MEDIA —
Benelli USA Brands Launch Facebook Fan Pages
Benelli USA, an acknowledged leader in the firearms industry, has joined Facebook, the popular social networking site. Benelli USA brands, including Benelli, Franchi, Stoeger, Uberti and Stoeger Airguns now have their own dedicated fan pages. | For More…
— NEW PRODUCTS —
Hornady Releases Superperformance 308 Win Match Cartridge
Hornady® unveils the next generation of match ammunition – the Superformance™ 308 Win 178 gr BTHP Match. Achieving 2,775 feet per second from a SAAMI spec 24″ test barrel, this new load is approximately 175 fps faster than any comparable commercial load available today. | For More…
— ORGANIZATIONS —
Berkley Conservation Institute Honors New York Bass Federation Nation
The Berkley Conservation Institute (BCI) awarded the New York BASS Federation Nation Club Salt City Bassmasters the annual Berkley Angler Conservation Award. | For More…
Predator Camo Joins Whitetails Unlimited as a Partner in Conservation
Whitetails Unlimited welcomes a new sponsor, as Predator, Inc. joins WTU as a partner in conservation. | For More…
— SHOOTING —
Amateurs and Professionals Race for Targets on Shooting USA
It’s the second installment of a skins match from the past-the ProAm from Tulsa, this week on Shooting USA only on Outdoor Channel. | For More…
— WILDLIFE —
Pronghorn Released in Gunnison Basin
The Colorado Division of Wildlife has released 62 pronghorn in the Gunnison Basin to supplement the population in that area. | For More…
— YOUTH —
Indiana State NASP Tournament March 12
Indiana’s fourth annual National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) state tournament, which promises to be the largest indoor youth archery tournament in state history, will be held Friday, March 12, in Muncie, at Horizon Convention Center. | For More…
— AWARDS —
Melbourne Beach Women in the Outdoors Chapter wins national award
The Melbourne Beach Women in the Outdoors, from Melbourne Beach, Fla., was honored as the Best New Event Award winner during theNational Wild Turkey Federation’s 34th annual National Convention and Sport Show. | For More…
— BLOG NEWS —
Understanding Issues: It’s complicated
With so much fun subject matter to watch on TV or online, it’s easy to lose sight of the things we should know. While some of the issues surrounding wildlife management and hunting seem hopelessly complicated at first, Tammy Sapp seeks to show the benefits will outweigh the effort of digging into these topics.
— EVENTS —
Kentucky state park hosts woods lore weekend
Step back in time, when American Indians and European Americans lived closer to nature at a Woods lore and Tracking Weekend at Kentucky’s Carter Caves State Resort Park, March 19-21, 2010. | For More…
New Hampshire BOW program offers workshops this spring
New Hampshire’s Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program is offering three exciting new “Beyond BOW” workshops this spring, giving women a chance to explore turkey hunting; overnight backpacking; and map and compass skills. | For More…
Women’s Get-A-Way planned at West Virginia State Park
Girlfriends, mothers, daughters, aunts and sisters – West Virginia’s North Bend State Park has created a weekend to get away, just for women. Women’s Get-A-Way weekend is March 19-21 and offers options to relax, get pampered, or enjoy a craft, book and more. | For More…
— HUNTING —
Hunting open-field gobblers with Alpen binoculars and Preston Pittman
Preston Pittman shares his tips for using binoculars when he’s hunting gobblers in open terrain. A close-up look can tell Preston which way birds are headed and allows him to read their body language to determine if they’re nervous or at ease. | For More…
— INDUSTRY NEWS —
NWTF names Peggy Anne Vallery as its new chairman
The National Wild Turkey Federation’s National Board of Directors recently named Peggy Anne Vallery of Arizona, as its chairman. | For More…
— WOMEN WHO INSPIRE —
Tracey Cramer-Kelly: Author, businesswoman, wife, mom, biker chick and taiko dummer
Last April, Tracey Cramer-Kelly was featured in the Women’s Outdoor Wire, fresh from the adventure of writing and publishing a novel. She posted an update to her blog recently, catching everyone up on where she is with her life today. | For More…
FEATURE
What’s in your daypack?
By Judi Janofsky & Rich Steck
This is the last of a three-part series involving Wilderness Wildlife Week, an eight-day hiking and lecture event held each January in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
“Even for day hikes, I take enough stuff to keep me going for 72 hours,” says Lee Lewis, hiker, tracker and search and rescue expert and our lecturer on packing daypacks at this year’s Wilderness Wildlife Week. “You just never know what can happen and what you’ll need to survive.”
As he went down the list of what should be included in a pack, we got a little nervous. We often go for hikes in the nearby woods with only our lunch in our backpacks. Obviously we’ve been defying nature.
Here’s what we should have packed and what we’ll do from now on – ’cause you never do know what can happen.
Backpack
First, starting with the pack on your back, it should be 1800 – 2500 cu in – (a ping pong ball is one cubic inch so envision 1800 of them and that’s the minimum size you should have). Serious backpacks have frames; Lewis felt that an internal frame is better than an external frame because it carries better on your body, using your hip instead of your shoulders to support the weight.
Map & Compass
Learn how to use them together. Every year, lots of people are lost every yuea who have both but don’t know how to use them in combination.
Shelter
In case you are hurt or lost and have to spend the night, this is essential to have. It can be as simple as a nylon backpacker poncho or tarp. Also could be a tube tent or an all weather blanket and 15 meters of small rope, or small tent. Find multi-purpose things for your pack.
Rain Gear
Plastic poncho, coated nylon backpacker poncho (Gore-Tex), coated nylon jacket/pants.
Dry Clothing
You’ll be glad you have it In case you get wet. Lewis recommended layering: a dry base layer, fleece or insulation layer, and socks (a dry pair can change your whole attitude!).
First Aid Kit — including:
Personal medications
Wound management items
Fire Starter (even steel wool and a battery can start a fire)
Toilet Paper – doubles as fire starter also
Knife
Duct Tape
Pen, pencil, sharpie. If necessary, the pencil can be burned; the sharpie can be used to write and leave a note (before you go you should always let friends/family/rangers know where you’re going and when you expect to return).
Mirror – for signals
Food
Anything high in carbs
GORP (stands for Good Ole Raisons and Peanuts)
Energy Bars
Dried Fruit or food in case you plan to cook a meal
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
Water
Minimum 2 liters per person per day
Water Treatment System
There are several ways you can treat water from streams or rivers to make it safe to drink.
1. Bleach (2 drops per quart) of 5-6% chlorine (Clorox) for 2 minutes.
2. Iodine for 30 minutes or longer. People with auto-immune problems or allergies may have problems with iodine which was banned by EU for use as water treatment. Iodine makes water taste tinny.
3. Boil 3-5 minutes in rolling boil
4. Filter – must be 0.4 microns bacteria or lower (at 25 microns you can get tapeworms). It must be cleaned every day and kept warm. If it freezes, it will break. Most filters on market are 99.9% effective. For 100% effectiveness, use chlorine.
5. Ultraviolet light (90 seconds per quart). Water still needs to be strained but it is safe to drink.
Cooking Equipment
Isobutene stove
Pot
Fuel
Utensils
Flashlight
Look for extended burn time, powerful wattage
Extra bulb, batteries
Whistle
It can be heard up to 2 miles away compared to your voice which may carry only a few hundred yards. Focus the sound with your hands and give three strong blasts – universal signal for help – and repeat often.
Cell phone – take it with you but keep it turned off to conserve battery.
According to Lewis, with a good pack, warm lunch and dry socks you can take on the world.
Next year’s 21st annual Wilderness Wildlife Week will be January 8-15, 2011, when over 100 experts will offer nearly 60 hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains National park, plus over 125 lectures, seminars and demonstrations. Participation is free. For more info about Pigeon Forge special events, visit www.mypigeonforge.com. For Great Smokey Mountains National Park, see www.nps.gov/gsm.
Mar 4-7 Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Elk Camp & Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Expo Reno/Sparks Convention Center, Reno Nevada
Mar 5 Alabama State Championships Steel City Ranges, Hoover, AL
Mar 10-12 Pairs Conventional Pistol Shooting Camp U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit’s Phillips Range, Fort Benning, Georgia
Mar 12-14 World Ice Fishing Championships Boom Lake, Rhinelander, Wisconsin
Mar 19-21 STI International Double Tap Championships Double Tap Ranch, Wichita Falls, Texas
Mar 26-28 23rd annual California Association of Taxidermist’s, Western States Taxidermy competition and show Red Lion’s Sacramento Inn, 1401 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA
THE OUTDOOR WIRE DIGITAL NETWORK > FISHING WIRE : SHOOTING WIRE : TACTICAL WIRE : DEALER WIRE : WOMEN’S OUTDOOR WIRE © Copyright 2010 The Outdoor Wire. All Rights Reserved.
Things are kinda slow around the Native Hunt Blog these days. It’s been literally weeks since I’ve been out to the ranches, and while I know Sam has had a fairly regular flow of clients out there killing hogs and such, it just seems like all the rain and weather lately has muted the activity.
February is gone now, and if things go as they usually do, the sun will start shining longer, the temps will start rising, and the hills will soon take on that shining green quality that preceeds the harsh yellow of summer. The barley will be popping up, lush and emerald. Mushrooms are already bursting out. The ground is soft, and pliable, and the hogs will be taking full advantage… rooting and digging for the tasty morsels buried by the rain and wind of winter. They’re already fat and shiny, and it’s only gonna get better over the next couple of months.
It won’t be long now. I can feel the sap rising and the blood flowing. Prime time is coming!
The morning hunt had been ugly. The rain had turned the roads to gooey mush, bringing an icy fog that often limited our visibility to less than 25 yards. Fresh tracks littered the steep hillsides. Unfortunately, for all we could tell, the hogs could have been strolling around just a few yards away. We’d have never seen them.
After a few hours of futile hill-humping, we both realized we were wasting our time. We rolled back to camp to consider plan B. For the immediate present, as best we could tell, Plan B consisted of hot chocolate and a nap as the rain pattered down on the roof of the camper.
A few hours later, we awoke to find that the fog had lifted enough to see across the camping area. It was still fairly early afternoon, but it looked like we could go ahead and make a go of it. It was the last evening hunt, not really down to the wire, but it could be the last, best chance.
Because the roads up onto the ridges were pretty much impassable, I decided we would walk into my favorite area from the bottom. It would be a tough climb, but I knew there’d be hogs there.
About a quarter mile in, we decided to split. I’d go high, and Michael would walk the bottom and then sidehill up across from me. We’d be able to watch the hills below one another, and direct each other to the hogs when they came out. I headed up an old road, and less than 200 yards in I caught movement across the canyon. A hog stepped out of the brush, and stood broadside on the opposite hillside, maybe 250 yards away. I couldn’t see Michael down below, but there was no way he’d be able to see these pigs. I decided to take the shot.
But first, let’s go back a day. We’d arrived at Tejon before noon on Friday, following an extended, pre-hunt orientation by one of the ranch personnel. Once everyone had camp set up, folks started rolling out. Never mind that it was still mid-day, this group of 12 hunters was stoked and ready for the hunt. Michael and I followed my buddy, Scott, out to our favorite area and set up.
We were on a high ridge that overlooked some primo bedding areas. A quick time-check showed that it was barely noon, so I suggested we just get comfortable and glass the beds for a while. The wind was blowing an icy chill, so we settled down in the lee of the ridgeline, and started looking for movement. It didn’t take long before the comfortable perch on the hillside combined with the lack of sleep over the previous couple of days to make my head start nodding. “Hey, Michael,” I mumbled. “Wake me up before you shoot.”
I was only half-kidding, as I leaned back and closed my eyes.
The next thing I knew, something exploded. My eyes popped open as I recognized the sound of a gunshot… a very large gun. Scott was hunting with his new .375 H&H, and I had no doubt that was his shot. A moment later, the radio crackled. “There are about six hogs coming right toward you,” he said.
As I stood to look for the hogs, I heard two more shots from a different direction. My friends Bob and Keith were hunting with Keith’s 12 year-old daughter, and I was pretty sure that was where they were located. I told Michael I hoped the young lady had whacked her first hog (she did), and stood vigilant to see what came next.
A group of about six or eight hogs came trotting over the hillside from the direction of the last shots. We both ran downhill to get into position for a shot, but they wouldn’t stop long enough between the chaparral to give us an opportunity. We watched as they disappeared into the bottom of the canyon, and then listened as they started to work their way up our side of the ridge. My heart was racing as the shuffle of two dozen hog hooves rustled the leaves and grass, just out of sight below. Unfortunately, they turned and kept to the thicket.
We were getting ready to take off across the hillside in hopes of catching the group in an open spot when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. There, not 50 yards away, a sow stood broadside, looking at us. I looked at Michael, and he looked at me. The hog looked at both of us. Michael and I looked at the hog. Then, since we didn’t shoot, it trotted off to catch up with the rest of the herd.
It occurred to me then that I wasn’t guiding a paying client. I think the same thought occurred to Michael. What had we been waiting for? Why didn’t I shoot?
We held tight on the end of the ridge until the cold wind finally had me shivering pretty hard. I knew I should have put on an extra shirt, but hindsight wasn’t keeping me warm. I decided we should move back up the ridge, and find another warm spot to glass. As we moved along, I caught hogs coming out at the bottom of another ridge, across the canyon to our west. I checked the time, and saw that we had about an hour of shooting time left. We could make it if we hurried.
So we did.
We raced back up the ridge, arriving back at my little Samurai, Petunia, breathless and aching. I pushed the little 1.3 litre engine as hard as it would run up and down the hills to get around the canyon and to a spot that I thought would put us on top of the hogs. We bailed out, loaded up, and started the long, steep descent.
Unfortunately, ground that looked so open from across the ridge wasn’t quite the same once we got there. The chaparral and scrub oaks were much taller, and the brush thicker. I knew we couldn’t have been more than 100 yards above the hogs, but we couldn’t see 20 yards. Undeterred, we continued the stalk until, just as shooting light was beginning to fade, we ran into a small group of cattle. At first, I thought we’d get away with it, but then one calf took off at a fast trot. The others followed shortly afterward, and there was no doubt the hogs would be long gone.
It was a long crawl back up to Petunia, but we were a couple of pretty happy hunters.
Back at camp, the final tally for Friday’s hunt was six hogs. Our group was at 50% success with another day and a half to hunt.
Which brings us back to Saturday.
I settled into a prone position, resting my rifle on a dirt berm. It was as comfortable as a bench rest, and I felt perfectly solid when I started squeezing the trigger. At the report, hogs started running everywhere! There must have been 15 or 20 hogs bedded under the bushes.
There was one more shot, and Michael and I were both done… tagged out by 2:30 pm, with the rest of the day to skin hogs and relax around camp.
Written By: Diane Amble
CAVA – California Animal Voters Alliance
California Highway Patrol
Capitol Protection Section
1801 9th Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Attn: Keith Troy
Dear Sir:
Thank you for your gracious handling of the situation on February 8th whereby your officers removed me and my film crew from the Animal Protection Caucus meeting. There are many details I would like to discuss with you if you are so inclined after reading the law on open meetings pertinent to legislation AT ALL LEVELS within our State. I have also attached the original invite (see PDF attached) sent to all legislative offices according to my information.
The Animal Protection Caucus is a bi-partisan caucus so is NOT exempt under Grunsky-Burton Act.
The Brown Act (local level), Bagley-Keane Act (state agency level) and Grunsky-Burton (State legislative level) Act (http://sunshinerevi ew.org/index. php/California_ Open_Meeting_ Act )were ALL put into place to follow up on loopholes of the original Brown Act addressing abuses by elected officials in regards to transparency in government (open meetings). Therefore, all legal interpretations* such as this one regarding the definition of “meetings” below apply to all three. Keep this in mind while reading the law.
Ask yourself why would this Caucus event evoke exclusion of the press and public? Is your Department aware that the U.S. Dept of Homeland Security named the Humane Society of the United States as well as its subsidiary affiliate organization Fund for Animals as domestic terrorist support groups? Does it seem correct to allow them to have private meetings with legislators/ bi-partisan caucus WITHIN the Capitol? Approved by your Dept.? For reference to this document visit: http://www.floridaanimallaws.org/dhs_ecoterrorism.htm ( http://www.scribd.com/doc/12251436/DHS-Eco-Terrorism-in-US-2008 See pages 9, 10).This is a Presidential Directive Executive Summary Order and cannot be rescinded by any individual in an agency. Email to follow on authority of Executive Directive.
This is a security issue, as well as a violation of Public Access laws and 1st Amendment violation (Freedom of the Press) is it not? As stated, this is a misdemeanor. These actions also violate the State of California Constitutional Amendment known as the Sunshine Amendment**. I respectfully ask for a formal investigation by your department of all the above mentioned violations and I hereby request under the rules of FOIA access to all documents, communications, including but not limited to emails, regarding the Legislative sponsorship, permits (if any) issued for the above event as well as details leading to the removal of members of the press seeking to cover the event.
Thank you very much for your continued cooperation.
Respectfully,
Diane Amble
160 10th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
(650) 296-2169
Written By: Diane Amble
CAVA – California Animal Voters Alliance
CAL. GOV. CODE § 9029 : California Code – Section 9029
CAL. GOV. CODE § 9027 : California Code – Section 9027
AL. GOV. CODE § 9028 : California Code – Section 9028
CAL. GOV. CODE § 52055 : California Code – Section 52055
CAL. GOV. CODE § 54952.2 : California Code – Section 54952.2
Written By: Diane Amble
OK, here is the link for this proposal : http://www.sheepusa.org/user_files/file_608.pdf PERMISSION TO CROSS POST
And here are just a few of my objections to this path they are taking which is really seemingly a fearful reaction to recent publicity of a rare hiker versus guardian dog incident:
1. You don’t give away what you already have because it will be twice as hard to get it back once you realize
you just became the sacrificial lamb (no pun intended).
2. Livestock Guardian/Protection Dogs think on their own. Their intelligence is among the highest in the dog kingdom.
Trying to tell them what to do when they can see/hear a predator or intruder far before you do speaks volumes on ignorance of
how these noble dogs work, and have worked for 1000s of years with herders. And they are still working while YOU are asleep!
3. What happens when a really good dog fails a part of the test? It becomes useless? a rescue? discarded?
4. What happens when the rancher/herder de-certifies3 times for whatever reason (health, personal, finances), they can no longer
apply for re-certification? Is that the American way? Even those convicted of drunk driving usually get to drive again. How can
this program cause such a restriction on a rancher’s ability to do his work? his business? Support his family and his ranch? Is that American?
5. Who gains from the AVID chip promotion? the low-cost mandatory insurance offered? The usual suspects?
6. Herders will have to have cell phones? Where do they plug them in to charge them IF THEY COULD get reception in the middle of nowhere?
7. The adequate water and food mandate is also ignorant. Even on small operations, where does one put the food while the dog follows the grazing animals?? On a robotis food tray? And what will eat it? The dog? varmints? or predators?
And IF that is not done to the “inspectors” or “animal rights activists” liking, will the dog owner be a BAD ABUSIVE dog owner?
8.Intact dogs become “inadvisable” even prohibited? ALL THESE 1000s of years these dogs have performed their services in the NATURAL STATE WITH All THEIR ORGANS
How is it that suddenly everything will be better if they are sterilized? JUST WHO IS BEHIND THAT IDEA? And there are studies PROVING aggression issues in sterilized dogs, reduced immune system function, and
a myriad of other growth issues since removal of the reproductive organs means removal of critical hormones for growth. What about the reduced stamina and drive seen in sterilzed working dogs?
9. Mandating shearing or clipping of livestock dogs is also IGNORANT. Nearly all these breeds have developed special coats for all seasons. Often clipping a coat causes the natural guard hairs to never return and the coat
no longer functions as nature intended. So, if one does not clip down their dog, THAT WILL BE ABUSE?????
10. And finally the coup de gras (definition: means a death blow intended to end the suffering of a wounded creature. …) :
LPD owners should not breed unless…… .
sounds like someone wants an end to LPD more than to protect these magnificent dogs.
Please write to mary@usasheep. org and ask just HOW placating to AR agendas will protect ranchers and their dogs?
Thank you,
Diane Amble
CAVA – California Animal Voters Alliance
Written By: Diane Amble
Every now and then, you get into a Boar that we like to call “Runners”. A “Runner” is typically a boar hog that bests your dogs. He is a boar in the 150lb range and is rangy, and full of piss and vinegar. A mature boar will typically urinate on the run, thus, stopping a dog or confusing him because the odor from boar urine is so strong. The dogs get in this scent and believe the boar has stopped or is near by when really he is runnin’ his ugly ham into the next county.
Seems you get these sometimes, and all “dog men” have struck the “one that got away”. I struck one with my catahoula (Bubbles) yesterday morning, about 5 to 6 hundred yards out from where we cut her loose. She opened up in the bottom of a creek area down in some nasty, steep, Sonoma County country. Within about 30 seconds it sounded as if she was in solid bay as she had her back up, my 9 month old McNabb(Cornbread) with her. With sound of solid bay ringing through the canyon I sent in the calvary, ie. the Bulldogs. I thought we had a good solid bead on this bugger, down in the creek, standard operating procedures dictate sending in Gus and Honeybunch (APBT’s) to seal the deal.
Well shortly after they were sent in, and about the time I figured they should be at the bay, the barking went from the solid bay bark to a running bark. The old up and over a hill into another canyon kind, and finally out of hearing range. The only thing to do was to get up high and listen. You guessed it, way over the abyss! The Bulldogs were back to me, for they are seasoned and seem to know when its a lost cause. We waited out Bubbles and Cornbread, and they finally came back with tongues draggin’. Yup, a Runner!
Good fun, however, but its always sweeter to seal the deal. We went back to the initial crime scene and found the tracks of where the bay started, the hoof print indicated about a 150lber, a typical runner. I believe he broke when he saw the Bulldogs charging down at the bay, and he picked up a head of steam and did not stop. In this scenario, the dogs did all they could do, hard to blame them. In turn, they ate well last night, and Gus and H.B. got a good rub down for there effort! Like old T. Michael used to tell me, “the big hogs don’t get big from being stupid!
“cut em loose”
Written by : Chuck Bridges
For a while it looked like the HSUS wasn’t going to show — I even checked the event board at the Hyatt to see if they’d moved the event across the street. But, no, the lure of free rental at the Capitol was too much (or perhaps it was just the sun going down — the first person we saw scuttling across the Capitol rotunda was Judie Mancuso of SCIL), and the HSUS’ caterer finally appeared to set up.
We had arranged to meet where the two main corridors in the Capitol office building cross. Our first contingent, including a film crew from The Animal Herald, and members of We the People for Pets and California Animal Voters Alliance (“CAVA”), had moved on to the event site, and Jan Dykema was handing out our new “George Washington was a dog breeder” brochures while we waited for stragglers, when a CHP sergeant asked us to follow him to his office. The sergeant advised us that it was against the rules to hand out materials on Capitol grounds without a permit. So much for First Amendment rights in The People’s House. Undeterred, we handed off our unused materials to other members of the team.
When Jan and I arrived at the event site in the basement rotunda, our first contingent (who had arrived before the caterer and was seated on benches) were being peacefully escorted out of the event site by the CHP and the HSUS event coordinators were hastily putting up screens between the event and the public. Outdoorsmen (and women) from Native Hunt, dressed in utility shirts and camo hats, also received the bum’s rush from the HSUS thugs. Jan and I attempted to enter the HSUS event, but were detained at the registration desk. (A flyer, with an RSVP telephone number, had been sent to each member of the Assembly and Senate announcing the event. However, no where on the flyer did it indicate that the event was by invitation only. Earlier, we had contacted a number of Assembly members and Senators seeking help getting on “the list.” In each case, we were told that they had not received a call back. Hmm, do you think the HSUS might have wanted to discourage less-than-friendly legislators from attending?) We were finally told by “Crystal” whose identification still remains a bit of the mystery (she doesn’t work for the legislature or the HSUS, or so she said) that we would not be allowed into the event. She also said, “I’ve seen all of your emails, Chuck, so I know what you’re up to.” Well, nice to meet you, too, Crystal!
I know it sounds like it was a melee, but it was all very peaceful – except for the sweating on the other side! It turns out that between 15 and 20 protesters showed up. We had the chance to watch each HSUS attendee as they arrived. And we got it on film. (Oh, yes, it turns out that one of the entrees served at the reception was Chicken.) It was hard to gauge the attendance at the HSUS event. I suspect that they were disappointed – hey, they were competing with a “find a cure” rally on the north side of the Capitol and a speech by Sara Palin in Redding.
At 6:00 all of us repaired (well, actually, the Capitol closes at that time and we were asked to leave – booted yet another time!) to the Pyramid Alehouse to debrief and share some fellowship. I was right about one thing, hefeweizen washes away the bad taste left by AR glitterati.
All in all, I would declare our protest a success. We showed Pacelle and his cronies that Californians are not pushovers, and perhaps more importantly, we solidified our friendships by breaking bread and raising a glass in common cause together.
Written by :Chuck Bridges
Prologue: After the event the Native Hunt Crew (after Sam and Michael jumped up and down several times) broke the elevator in the parking garage and were stuck between floors for an hour until Sacramento fire crews came and rescued them! (them boyz obviously don’t get to go to the city much) 
When I first learned of Sasha Siemel I was about 15 years of age and thoroughly enraptured with any Peter Hathaway Capstick or Hemmingway story which I could get my hands upon.
One day while visiting back home I was laying across my bed on a lazy afternoon during one of those frequent sunny day downpours of which the State of Florida is well known for, and I was quite thoroughly engrossed in reading a Capstick book entitled: Death In The Silent Places.
It was within this book that I started reading about the exploits and adventures of whom I consider the greatest big game hunter ever to walk the face of this earth: Alexander “Sasha” Siemel
Mr. Siemel was employed by South American Cattle Ranchers down in Pantanal to help keep the Jaguar numbers down (depredation to us Americans) and to keep their stock numbers from suffering too greatly from the big cats which number very high in that particular area. Now this in itself does not sound like such a great feat until you read about HOW he achieved his nickname: EL TIGRERO’
You see Sasha only hunted the big cats with a single Spear, and a pack of trained Hound’s! And he is credited for killing over 300 of the beast’s in this very fashion. I am not saying that killing big cats with a rifle is not challenging and as a matter of fact I have killed several big cats myself using a rifle or my 44 mag. pistol, and some of those situations were very up close and very personal if you get my drift concerning the, shall we say “moisture factor”!
But, a spear and dog’s? Now that is an entirely different situation altogether and although I have done my fair share of “Live Catching” wild boar armed with nothing more than my dogs and a roll of duct tape, skewering a ferociously maddened Jaguar with a only a 7′ spear and a few baying hounds as “protection?” I would have to think long and hard before embarking upon that adventure!
Click upon this link and go read about the Greatest Hunter of our recently past century: Alexander “Sasha” Siemel
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