September 3-5, 2011
CHARITY CELEBRITY DOVE HUNT & SKEET TOURNAMENT

All of the proceeds from this event will go directly to The Wounded Warrior Project and Operation Ward 57, two charities that are dedicated to giving back to our troops. Native Hunt is “rallying the troops” to support the real troops. We need your help to sponsor this event. Donate directly and generate awareness and goodwill for your organization. Time is as good as money, take a second to pass on this information to people you think would like to help.

If you would like to sponsor and/or particiapte, please call Pamela Richard at 1.888.HUNT.321 or visit us at www.nativehunt.com now.

Reserve your spot with a 10% down payment. Space is limited so book today!!

California Fish and Game Commission
1416 Ninth St.
P.O. Box 944209
Sacramento, CA 94244-2090

Phone (916) 653-4894 fax (916) 653-5040
to email, go to www.fgc.ca.gov. Click on contact tab, scroll down & click on ” Submit comments to proposed regulations” link.

To view the text of the regulations changes: http://www.fgc. ca.gov/regulations/new/2010/ proposed regs10.asp.

Thanks,
KZ

This entire situation is all about politics and not about real wildlife management ( I hate it when lawyers think they’ve got a new publicity machine for their business)….This BS, taxes, open door policy to illegal immigrants (my mother had to learn to speak English to become an American citizen, why can’t the newcomers??)…I’m counting the days until this summer, when my legal residency is outside of what WAS the best state in the Union….!

Want to help the bears? Let hunters with hounds condition the bears to run at the sight of a human, instead of thinking of us as they did when I was a baby legally permitted to feed bears in Yellowstone fried chicken through the window of my parent’s station wagon…a free meal.

As for those biologists who think that hunting bears is a waste of time (they’re cannibalistic and eat their own)–NO it’s not a waste of time or bad conservation! Like all predators, when their food source is gone, they move to other areas in search of fresh meat: that’s why there’re so many more bear, and human and pets confrontations than before. Lions and bears don’t starve locally like deer, elk and moose: when there’s no food, they migrate big time. That’s why bears are ending up in pools of Santa Barbara’s multi-million dollar homes, and hungry coyotes and mountain lions are caught on camera in downtown LA and San Diego in the middle of the night, eating fido and fifi.

Want to learn about real bear behavior? Get a copy of Tom Hron’s book,  Fighting for Your Life: Man-eater Bears (as one who was as an Alaska resident, I enjoyed what he had to say about that idiot, Timothy Treadwell, who not only got himself killed, but his girlfriend…and what did his animal rights fanatic ex-girlfriend Palovak [enjoying the money of the bear organization she started with Treadwell] and the rest of the community do? Tried to hide the video that recorded the screams as bears did what they normally do when given the opportunity–eat humans, like everything else on their list of edibles). It’s refreshing to read something about wildlife management/conservation that’s not so politically correct that it’s not only dangerous but so self-serving to the writer’s image and so ignoring of helping sound wildlife management practices…In CA the only sound wildlife management practices are those occurring on private lands, where the public can’t get access to unless they pay. That’s not the case in OR, WA, MI, SD, ND, and WY.

It’s time for us as outdoors writers and bloggers, those of us who write about hunting, to educate ourselves fully and not just take PR from these animal right fanatics as gospel. Sadly that means going beyond the biologists of California DFG (except for a few like Sonke Mastrup who when I just starting as an outdoor writer was only a biologist…and loves to hunt–many biologists at CA DFG these days haven’t so much as picked up a fishing rod) and contact those from places where DFG is doing well and as a result, the animals game and non-game within their borders, such as OR, WA, ID, MT, WY, MI, UT, NM, TX, NY, ME. There’re are also a ton of documents that I originally had to get as large 8X11, 800 page volumes on bear, pig, deer and waterfowl research that have been released as PDFs in some cases. This is ALL FREE information, paid with your fishing/hunting license fees: please take advantage of it!

These guys have a better idea of wildlife management and ecology, and sustainable programs: http://www.perc.org/

Wayne Pacelle and Ingrid Newkirk haven’t won, yet, but they and their brethren are not wasting time rewriting the history of hunting’s relation to animal health and population to meet their needs…

Cheers,

Cork

If you have any questions or want to be part of the discussion just leave a comment here or visit me at my blog, Cork’s Outdoors.

Team Bertha Jr./McKenzie Take Opening IFA Redfish Event
Sam Bertha Jr., of Daytona Beach, and Gary McKenzie, of Bartow, Florida, weighed in a two-redfish limit that totaled 14.42 pounds to win the IFA Redfish Tour event at Jacksonville. | For More…

— ENVIRONMENT —
Watermen Collect Nearly 1,500 Abandoned Crab Pots
Maryland watermen have pulled nearly 1,500 abandoned crab pots from the West, Patuxent and Patapsco Rivers as a part of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Ghost Crab Pot Retrieval program. | For More…

— FACILITIES —
Alabama Forever Wild Opens New Horse Trail in WMA
The Alabama Forever Wild Land Trust has recently opened a new horse trail in the Freedom Hills Wildlife Management Area (WMA) located in Colbert County, 5 miles south of Highway 72 near Barton and Cherokee, Alabama. | For More..

— FIREARMS —
AWC Systems Introduces TurboDyne Suppressor for Compact, Effective .50 Caliber Suppression
When deploying a .50 BMG rifle in any trouble situation, silence is the key to keeping the operator safe and hidden. The TurboDyne suppressor from AWC Systems Technology was designed to be the most compact, effective and quiet .50 caliber suppressor on the market, designed to reduce the noise of a .50BMG to less than that produced by a .22LR. | For More…

— FISHING —
Bass Pro Shops Kicks Off Annual Anglers’ Legacy Promotion
To coincide with Bass Pro Shops’ 2010 Spring Fishing Classic, the sporting goods retailer kicked off an annual Anglers’ Legacy promotion designed to leverage their Spring Fishing Classic to introduce newcomers to the sport for a third consecutive year. | For More…

— HUNTING —
New York Deer Harvest Continues At High Rate
Hunters harvested approximately 222,800 deer in the 2009 season, virtually the same number as were harvested statewide the previous season. The annual deer hunting report also showed that nearly 16,000 14- and 15-year-olds signed up for the “Junior Big-Game License”. | For More…

— INDUSTRY —
Cabela’s Expands Management Team
Cabela’s Incorporated (NYSE: CAB) announces the addition of Doug Means to the executive team as Executive Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer. | For More…

Crosman Corporation Announces New European Distribution Center In Shannon, Ireland
Crosman Corporation announces the opening of a new warehouse and distribution facility in Shannon, Ireland. The state-of-the-art facility will serve as the company’s European distribution center (EDC) and warehouse. | For More…

Leupold Promotes Mundy
Leupold & Stevens, Inc. announces the promotion of Pat Mundy to communications manager. An avid hunter, shooter and handloader, Mundy oversees a staff of six in developing and implementing advertising, public relations, interactive and other marketing communications. | For More…

— MEDIA —
Outdoor Magazine Radio and Host Take Broadcast Excellence Awards
Veteran outdoor journalist Mike Avery has received a “Broadcast Excellence Award” from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB). | For More…

— NEW PRODUCTS —
Federal Premium Introduces New Black Cloud Snow Goose Offerings
Federal Premium® Black Cloud® ammunition announces new loads designed especially for snow goose hunters. The new 1-1/8 ounce, 3″ 12-gauge loads feature a muzzle velocity of 1635 fps for added effective range. Product now available. | For More…

— PARTNERSHIPS —
RMEF, ISE Partner for Stronger Expos, Elk Camps
For 35 years, no company has produced better consumer sportsman shows than International Sportsmen’s Expositions (ISE). Annual events in Denver, Phoenix, Sacramento, Salt Lake City and San Mateo, Calif., draw hundreds of thousands of hunters, anglers and conservationists. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) has announced an expanded partnership with ISE to promote RMEF’s annual national convention, called Elk Camp. | For More…

— PEOPLE —
Longest Serving Wildlife Council Member Retires
Howard L. Calhoun of Akron, Ohio has retired from his position on the Ohio Wildlife Council His forty-six year tenure included nineteen years as chairman. | For More…

— PRODUCTS —
“Go Green” With Vita-Rack Seed Mixes
Rodney Dyer, certified wildlife biologist and consultant to Hunter’s Specialties®, recently explained how consumers can save money and reduce the amount of chemical fertilizer needed to maintain healthy food plots. | For More…

— RECRUITMENT —
Elementary School for Fishing, Hunting & Shooting Opens Its Digital Doors
The “elementary school” for America’s sporting traditions has opened at www.learnoutdoorsports.org. The School of Outdoor Sports is designed to be an outreach and educational site to help recruit and retain the next generation of outdoors enthusiasts. | For More…

— REGULATIONS —
PSA Says Fish And Game Commission “Betrays Recreational Anglers”
As part of the South Coast region’s Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) process, yesterday the California Fish and Game Commission (FGC) voted to only keep in consideration the alternative created by the Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF). The Commission’s action effectively terminates consideration of the three proposals created by the citizens selected to participate in the process. | For More…

North Carolina Approves Changes in Hunting, Fishing Regulations
After a yearlong process of gathering input from stakeholders, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has approved changes to state hunting, fishing and trapping regulations. | For More…

— SPONSORSHIPS —
Mission Archery Official Bow Sponsor Generationwild.com
Field & Stream announces that Mission Archery as the official bow sponsor of GenerationWild.com, the magazine’s youth-oriented blog and online destination dedicated to providing comprehensive information to young hunters and anglers on a wide range of outdoor topics. Mission will outfit the site’s four Junior Pro Staffers with archery equipment and accessories. | For More…

Brazos Custom Gunworks, Montana Gold Bullet and Shooters Connection Sign On as Area 6 Sponsors
The list of stage sponsors for the 2010 USPSA Area 6 Championship sponsored by Glock continues to grow as three more companies, Brazos Custom Gunworks, Montana Gold Bullet and Shooters Connection, sign on to support the match. | For More…

Gemini Increases Support for Collegiate Anglers
Careco Multimedia announcs Gemini Sport Marketing’s return as a sponsor of the 2010 BoatU.S. Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Series. | For More…

— TELEVISION —
Name Change For Timberline Wild Adventures
When GhostBlind’s Timberline Wild Adventures begins on Sportsman Channel in July, it will be a new name, reflecting the addition of sponsor GhostBlind to the show formerly known as Timberline Wild Adventures. | For More…

VERSUS Features Fishing Friday Night
VERSUS Country presents an entire night of the best fishing shows on television with premiere episodes of Hunt for Big Fish with Larry Dahlberg and City Limits Fishing with Mike Iaconelli on Friday, March 5, beginning at 7 p.m. ET. | For More…

— WILDLIFE —
FWC to Premiere “Living With Florida Black Bears”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will premiere its new, 15-minute, “Living with Florida Black Bears” video during a public workshop Saturday on Okaloosa Island. | For More…

— WORKSHOPS —
March 9 Workshop to Focus On Recovery Plan for North Bay Tidal Marshes
A sweeping but voluntary plan to restore the health of more than 17,000 acres of San Pablo and Suisun Bay tidal marshes will be the focus of a public workshop by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), on Tuesday, March 9 in the PRBO San Francisco Bay Center, Petaluma. | For More…

— YOUTH —
NRPA and Hershey’s Track & Field Games to Support More Active and Healthy Youth
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and The Hershey Company announce their 2010 partnership for the Hershey’s Track & Field Games program. Founded more than thirty years ago, Hershey’s Track & Field Games was created to promote physical fitness in a fun atmosphere for youth ages 9-14. It is the largest youth program of its kind, hosted by park and recreation agencies, schools, youth serving organizations and community groups in the United States and Canada. | For More…

FEATURE
McDonald v. Chicago: What constitutes a win?
Most of the conversational around the industry since Tuesday’s Supreme Court oral arguments in the McDonald v. Chicago case has been pretty optimistic. It seems a foregone conclusion that the Supreme Court will vacate both firearms restriction ordinances in Chicago and its suburb, Oak Park, lllinois.

But there’s been very little said about Otis McDonald, the 76-year old retired maintenance engineer who’s the primary name on a lawsuit that may become yet another fundamental rib in American jurisprudence.

McDonald and his wife live in the far South side of Chicago where they’ve watched their neighborhood deteriorate from familial to downright dangerous. Despite having his home wired with burglar alarms “wired right into the police station” and owning a legal firearm (a shotgun), McDonald said he felt he would be better protected if he also had a handgun. His rationale was simple: a handgun would be easier for an aging husband or wife to handle.

Despite the fact that Chicago police point out the fact that it’s mainly property crimes in his neighborhood, they can’t deny the fact they’ve gotten worse. Burglaries and thefts in McDonald’s area risen from 881 in 2006 to 1,215 in 2008 (the latest figures available). Murders have remained steady at 17 per year.

So, Otis McDonald joined the Illinois State Rifle Association, hoping to find an answer. What he found was attorney Alan Gura, looking for Chicago residents to bring a challenge to the city’s handgun ban – and a broader interpretation to the Heller decision.

For Gura, McDonald was a perfect case, an elderly black man seeking to protect himself and his neighbors in a neighborhood going downhill. McDonald, on the other hand, saw the situation as an answered prayer. Today, he still maintains his reason for wanting the ban overturned was a simple one, “I was doing this for me.”

As expected, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against McDonald and the other defendants, holding that the Supreme Court had ruled -more than 100 years ago – that the Second Amendment applied only to the federal government.

Chicago, like other cities with a liberal political philosophy, believes, unlike Otis McDonald, that allowing law-abiding citizens to possess handguns will create a wave of handgun violence, firearms accidents and suicides that trump any possible good a handgun could bring.

In a city where handguns were used in 410 of 412 murders in 2008, it would seem that the criminal element had empirically proven that handguns were more than present in the city. Overwhelmingly by the criminal element.

And as has been pointed out many times, the criminal element isn’t concerned with the law. They are unmoved by boundaries adhered to by law-abiding citizens.

Speaking with the NRA’s special counsel, former Solicitor General Paul Clement, following the oral arguments, he said the argument he presented to the court on behalf of the National Rifle Association (accorded a portion of Gura’s time) was pretty simple “Does,” Clement asked, “a citizen in Chicago have the same right as a citizen in Washington, D.C. We believe the only answer is ‘yes’”.

In presenting the only argument of the morning that wasn’t constantly interrupted by the sometimes sarcastic justices, it would seem Clement made a compelling case for a simple argument.

If the Supreme Court were to find that they didn’t, Clement said, it would be equivalent of the court saying “our decision on Heller really wasn’t all that big a deal.”

No one thinks that likely.

That unlikelihood is despite the fact that the three remaining justices who dissented on Heller still worked – energetically at times- to make the case for gun regulations. As Justice Stephen declared flatly during one of his more vocal points, “guns kill.”

That’s where the philosophical divide between gun owners and gun opponents seems irreconcilable.

To those who oppose firearms, it’s the tool that ultimately makes the decision to act, not the person using it.

To gun owners, that’s simply absurd.

Unfortunately, in situations where, as Chief Justice Roberts pointed out, “politics will still decide” emotional parades of weeping relatives will influence enough voters to keep the issue at a rolling boil.

Meanwhile, I have no way of knowing if the U.S. Supreme Court will take a look at a decision last week from the Supreme Court of the state of Washington regarding Second Amendment rights. But they should.
In that opinion, Justice Richard B. Sanders wrote a paragraph in his decision that could prove to be a critical point:

“Supreme Court application of the United States Constitution establishes a floor below which state courts cannot go to protect individual rights. But states of course can raise the ceiling to afford greater protections under their own constitutions.”

(pg 18. No. 82154-2, State of Washington v. Christopher William Sieyes. http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/821542.opn.pdf)

That simple bit of writing may go a long way toward establishing states’ recognition of the fact that a Supreme Court decision is not the far limit of a law; it’s the minimums for protection. This decision says the decisions from the high court establish a broad-brush national minimum – one designed to work in all jurisdictions.

It also says that while states may go further to guarantee rights. That recognizes -at least in Washington’s State Supreme Court – that it may be necessary to do more to protect individual rights.

That would seem to reinforce recent legislative measures passed by Tennessee and Montana that extend firearms rights. Their new laws say firearms made, sold and kept only in those respective states are exempt from all federal laws.

On Wednesday, the Wyoming legislature passed a similar measure that actually assigns fines and sentences for any state or federal official trying to any federal gun law on firearms and sold in Wyoming. Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal says he’ll sign the bill into law.

That extension of rights is admittedly, not much more than a symbolic push back at the federal government’s current tendency to try and regulate, well, everything, but it is a definite message that residents of these states will vigorously protect their constitutional rights.

Finally, the Washington State decision establishes an instance of twenty-first century law with a lower court recognizing the intent -and appropriateness – of the Supreme Court in most instances.

It is especially significant for the Heller ruling, recognizing a first step in guiding the states in creation of jurisprudence at all levels of the court systems that will provide a web of overall guidance on the Second Amendment and firearms rights.

It wouldn’t be accurate, however, to say that the individual interpretation of the Second Amendment is now written in stone.

Earlier this week, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg -one of the three remaining dissenting justices in Heller- comment that perhaps a “future court” would reverse the Heller decision.

For those who hold an individual right the founding fathers considered to be “granted by the Almighty” can’t be taken away by the stroke of a pen, we can only hope that the comment was Ginsberg’s wish and not a prophecy. Regardless, barring something sudden change in the makeup of the court, it seems unlikely she will serve long enough to vote on that reversal.

But there is only one rule regarding the Supreme Court that seems to always be quoted and believed: the court will do what the court will do.

That’s why it’s the Supreme Court. It’s also why we’ll be watching, and we’ll keep you posted.

–Jim Shepherd

Mar 4-7Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Elk Camp & Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Expo Reno/Sparks Convention Center, Reno Nevada
Mar 5Alabama State Championships Steel City Ranges, Hoover, AL
Mar 10-12Pairs Conventional Pistol Shooting Camp U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit’s Phillips Range, Fort Benning, Georgia
Mar 12-14World Ice Fishing Championships Boom Lake, Rhinelander, Wisconsin
Mar 19-21STI International Double Tap Championships Double Tap Ranch, Wichita Falls, Texas
Mar 26-2823rd annual California Association of Taxidermist’s, Western States Taxidermy competition and show Red Lion’s Sacramento Inn, 1401 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA

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.

Read Blog Post

— 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.

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.

There are several classes of hog dogs or should I say styles!  These are  not breed specific, and any dog may posess one or more of these desired styles.

Bay dog: a dog who will keep distance yet agitate and hold a hog with its barking and movement.

Strikedog: a dog who will find a scent, track and trail a hog and open up as soon as it has “struck the hog”.

Catchdog: a dog who will physically hold a boar until you have arrived to dispatch it.

Open up: to bark on a trail, or at the site of a hog.

Run dogs: not at the park, out in the woods.

Cut ‘em loose: to release or unsnap the dogs when in some fresh sign, or a good area.

Bayed Solid: dogs have that hog in a solid bay, hog is not going anywhere.

Good God: You have chased your dogs over too many canyons and draws and killed a big pig, you say “Good God” now how do we get this thing outta here.

A Yard: Where you keep your dogs, ie. “How many dogs are on your yard Mike?”

Load ‘em up: to kennel your dogs in your truck or quad, beginning, during or at the end of your hunt.

Feed out: to go out and feed your dogs, ie, “I am gonna go and feed out!”

A Dud: a dog who will not work out as a hog dog, better off as a pet.

Dog Broke: a term we all use, a lot of time and money goes into these dogs, but it is absolutely worth it!

Hogdogaholic: a guy like me who sleeps, eats, breathes hog hunting with dogs.  For this there is NO known cure.  If your wife lets you go, she is an enabler, so she too is guilty.  Once you start you can not quit, so maybe getting into hog hunting with dogs is not for you.

These are a few terms we like to use, hope they were fun and informative, I am sure there are a ton more, some are custom to the particular guy using them, but these are some common terms.  As always “Cut ‘em loose”!

the Native Hunt Team. First there is Criss Hampton and yes, you may recognize her

last name, as she is the wife of my very dear old friend and long time music partner,
Jon Hampton. Next there is Ngan (Kathleen) Do. Both girls are very beautiful, friendly
and people oriented; and they will be in the office Monday – Friday, 9:00 am to
5:00 pm PST (1-888-HUNT-321) answering your questions and ensuring that your adventure
with Native Hunt is exciting, successful and memorable.

Speaking of successful, we are still standing at a 100% success rate on all of our
hunts and this past years success can be directly attributed to our lead guide Sam
McGuire and his leadership abilities & woodsman’s skills. Many thanks also go
out to Sam’s great staff of guides: Colby Williams, Sid McGuire, Bob Nicholson,
Phillip Loughlin, Kyle O’dell, Ken Hutchinson and Chad Gay. These boys know how
to hunt and they always get our clients up close and personal with the best animal
on the hoof out at any of our ranches!

The Guide Sam and Ming Li

We recently finished our
offsite company meeting, and while away, we decided on some “gifts” to give our
valued clients in 2010. What better gift is there than a wider array of hunts? We
have added pistol and muzzle loader hunts and blinds for
archery hunts. We have also made the ranch a little more family friendly by
offering Tracking and Nature Awareness classes and spa discounts at local
resorts for those that aren’t keen on hunting.

There is one other
addition which I will be anticipating with baited breath! Native Hunt is
re-introducing our exiting BEAR HUNTING opportunities up in the Plumas, Nevada and
Lake county areas.

I used to run bear hunts up in those areas about 12 years ago and as you can see by the picture here (Cinnamon Bear, 450 lbs. Sierra Nevada Range National Forest), those hunts produced some mighty fine specimens. All of these hunts will be a 3-5 day adventure with us providing all drop camp facilities and meals. These will be primarily spot and stalk hunts with extremely limited dog usage (the dogs will only be used to retrieve wounded animals). As always, these hunts will be a one on one guide to hunter ratio in order to maximize your outdoor experience.

Mike Marticorena With His Prize

Bear Hunting with Native hunt is the closest thing to an actual Alaskan bear hunting adventure as you could possibly get without actually booking a bear hunt in the state itself!  The High Sierra country in California is just as beautiful and picturesque as an Alaskan landscape, and the experience will surely give you a lifetime of lasting memories!

Space will be limited to only 10 bear hunts for 2010 and the deadline for signing up will be April 1st. We are, however, offering a special to hunters that book early. If you book your hunt before March 1st, you will be entered to win 1 of 3 FREE head and shoulder mounts of your harvested California Black Bear!  Let me repeat that… If you book your Bear Hunting Adventure between now and March 1st, you will have a chance to win a completely FREE head and shoulder mount, arranged through our exclusive taxidermist, the award winning WEST COAST TAXIDERMY located in San Bruno, CA. Once again, the number to call to book your hunt is: 1-888-HUNT-321.

While you have hunting on your mind, take a look at our Blog www.NativeHuntBlog.com and follow up on the latest from the field. Two stand out articles of particular note are: The Trophy At The Table – More Than A Mount by: Phillip Loughlin and Robert J. Stevens, Portrait Of A Good Friend And Martyr by: T. Michael. We will be featuring some articles on Bear Hunting coming up in January so keep an eye out for it.

Don’t forget to visit www.NativeHunt.com and ask about our Holiday Specials. There are some opportunities in the works that you won’t want to miss.

Mt. Shasta

Good Hunting To You All,
and hope to see you out here soon

T. Michael Riddle

The first thing I would recommend is contacting a reputable guide or outfitter and express your interest in hunting “behind dogs”.  Keep in mind “running dogs” is physically demanding, and you will be pushing your body to extreme limits, so one must be in above average cardio shape!  After lining up a guide, book a hunt and try it out, see what its all about!  If this goes well and you enjoyed it, then it might be time to start a pack!

To start a pack I don’t mean go run out and get ten dogs.  Start with a pair, do your research before buying a “hog dog”.  Where a lot of guys go wrong, is they look in the local want ads and by the first Catahoula puppy they find!  I know, Catahoula’s are bred for hog hunting, but realistically any pure bred dog is watered down and has been bred only for confirmation (looks, AKC  standards) and for money!  So I would advise against purchasing any so called papered or registered “pure bred this or that”!  You are gonna want a performance dog, a working dog from proven working parents, yes I said parents.  This means that the sire and dam are active (not were or are gonna be) hunting stock, and thats means just that, avoid “hunting lines” too, hell, a “Labradoodle” is from “hunting lines”.  The only “pure bred” dogs I have found to be reliable are the American Pit Bull Terrier, but these dogs are not for beginners and I recommend not getting one if you have never owned one!

I like to look at crosses with a few or several bloods in them, some great crosses to consider are cur (catahoulas, leopards, mountain, blackmouth), plott, hearding dog (mcnabb, collie, heeler, kelpie), and of course there is bull dog blood!  So look to get a pair of pups from a guy who hunts actively, and keep some of these crosses in mind!  If you find a purebred dog of hunting parents, then by all means go for it!  Ask the person who has the pups what his or her dogs do. Do they strike good (find a hog)?, do they bay?, do they catch?, are they gritty?, Questions like these will be helpful in determining what your pups might wind up being like!  A good honest breeder loves his dogs and the sport of hog hunting, will more than likely charge you what shots and worming cost him, or hell he might even give the pups too you, knowing they will be used to hunt!

From here, let your pups get to be about 6  months old, and I recommend not spaying or neutering (YES I said that, sorry HSUS), let your pus mature and develop intact!  You may wind up with some stellar dogs and might want to breed and pass their blood down!  Find a mentor, or somebody who has a ton of experience on the subject, and stay close with them.  Pick their brain, hell, most dog guys are always willing to talk dogs, so don’t be shy!  You should keep in contact with the person who you got the pups from, ask if you could start your pups with his dogs!  You’d be surprised, dogmen like that, we like to see what we produced!  Another option is if you have a good guide or outfitter you have hunted with, ask him if you could book a hunt and bring your pups!  Don’t get discouraged either if they don’t turn on right away, these things take time and lots of patience, trust me!

There are lots of styles and breeds to choose and try and pick what would work for you!  When your pack is clicking and working well its like you are one of that pack, it is the most satisfying feeling in the world to load YOUR dogs up, hit the woods and come home with bacon.  Sit by the fire with your feet up, and lookin’ at your favorite dog laying there in sweet dreams!  Remember, what you put into your dogs is what you will get out of them, feed ‘em quality chow, keep up on their health, keep ‘em in clean and quality shelter kennels, and be a responsible hunter!

Hopefully I answered some basic questions, obviously there is a ton more to it, but these are some basic guidelines to get started! I as always, am up to talkin’ dogs anytime, contact me with any concerns or questions at catchdogfarmer@gmail.com!  “Cut ‘em loose”