Tuesday, December 30, 2008

The day finally came, we were taking my Mom hunting for her first time. When morning came she was the first one up. She told us to get up before she changed her mind and decide to crawl back in bed for more sleep.

She was ready to go.  Dad had her suited up to keep her warm, because it was very cold outside.  We got in the truck and headed out.  She said she really wanted to harvest a turkey first before a deer, but if the Big One steps out, it was hers.

We walked in the woods and found a great spot next to a tree.  Dad made sure Mom had the best seat.  He brought her a small folding chair to sit on so she could lean back on the tree and be comfortable.  She sat in the middle and Dad and I sat on each side.  We explained to her not to make quick movements if we heard something.  As the sun was coming up, Dad and I did some turkey calls trying to call in a turkey for her.  She heard something moving, but it was only a squirrel playing around.  She was getting excited!

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 10:59 PM | 3 COMMENTS | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 29, 2008

Large majorities of hunters and anglers say they are more likely to buy products from companies that support wildlife and fisheries conservation efforts, according to a recent survey. Hunters and anglers also perceive specific firms as being particularly strong in their support for conservation. 

In separate November 2008 surveys (one for hunters and the other for anglers), respondents were asked if they would be more or less likely to buy from companies that support conservation of wildlife and fisheries resources. A significant 67% of hunters and 52% of anglers stated that they are “much more likely” to buy products from conservation-supporting companies. A further 22% of hunters and 29% of anglers describe themselves as “slightly more likely” to buy products from such companies.
 
Only 7% of hunters and 14% of anglers stated that companies’ support for conservation had no influence either way on their purchasing decisions.

READ MORE...

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 10:21 PM | 2 COMMENTS | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 29, 2008

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Farley Hicks of Elko, Nev., was recently elected the Mule Deer Foundation’s (MDF) Chairman of the Board at their December meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. Hicks was first elected to the Board in 2007. He has been involved with MDF since the 1990’s as a committee member with the Great Basin Chapter in Elko and later served as banquet co-chair and chapter chairman. Hicks was elected as Nevada’s first State Volunteer Chair and also filled in as acting Regional Field Director for Nevada.

Farley and his wife Linda moved to Nevada in 1988 where he expanded his career in the mining industry. Employed by Barrick Gold Mining, Hicks commented, “I am very fortunate to work for an environmentally friendly and responsible company that strongly supports habitat conservation.”

READ MORE...

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 10:10 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 29, 2008

EDGEFIELD, S.C. - Tom Rodgers, founder of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), passed away Dec. 25 at the Edgefield County Hospital after a long battle with cancer. Rodgers, 64, was survived by his mother, his son Mark and two sisters.

As the NWTF ends its 35th anniversary celebration, it also remembers the man who started it all in Fredericksburg, Va.

"Tom is the reason the Federation is here, working daily to promote wildlife conservation and preserve North America's hunting heritage", said James Earl Kennamer, Ph.D., the NWTF's chief conservation officer."The organization is reflecting on its rich history and honoring the man who started it all. He was a great friend personally, a great asset for wildlife and he'll be greatly missed."

READ MORE....

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 09:59 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Hunting big game in America has changed over the last 30 years.  When I did my first big game hunt for Mule Deer in California the area we hunted was X-9 on the Eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.  X-9 at that time was a huge unit and the tag was an over the counter tag that anyone could get.  Today, that unit is a hard to draw lottery tag and the unit is broken into several sub units that if you are lucky, you can get drawn for every 5 to 6 years as a resident and every 7 to 10 years as a non-resident.

The reality is that if you want to get drawn in a Western state where you will have high opportunity at a trophy tag or you are looking to hunt a species like sheep, Mountain Goat or Moose you have to put in for the draw and build up preference points.  Even states like Iowa and Kansas are getting tough to draw in prime whitetail areas.  Elk and Deer in areas of certain states where the animals are big and known to be trophy units are almost impossible to draw without several years of preference points.

Every state has different rules and the application process is complex.  There are several agencies out there though that can help you navigate the Western application process. The reality is that if you want to hunt you have to apply

Garth and Jason Carter the entire team are some of the best  and their service is a breeze to use.  For the past 12 years Carter's Application Service and the team have put out The Huntin Fool magazine and provided advice to tens of 1000' of customers.  For the last several years, I have been a member of The Huntin Fool and I have used their team to apply for all of my Western big game draws.  Because of those preference points, during 2010 I am going to be able to have a real opportunity to start applying for some fantastic units to hunt Mule deer, Elk and Antelope and in the next several years, I might have a good shot at some Moose tags as well as Mountain Goat and Sheep.

The Truest Statement you will ever hear: 

If you want to hunt these units you MUST, APPLY, APPLY, APPLY!!!!

The Huntin Fool membership provides you with a one year magazine which in an of itself is worth every penny that you pay, coupled with that the magazine is filled Fantastic hunting stories, Great gear reviews.  Your membership provides you access to the application service and the costs are very reasonable for the work they do to ensure that your application is accurate and submitted on time.  Your membership also gets you a access to a drawing for some pretty great hunts and some nice gear.

Over the past serveral years the team at Huntin Fool has been very communicative with me, honest, open and extremely professional in working with me and I have been happy knowing that they are taking care of my applications with that same professionalism.  I have been happy to get their magazine and i read it every month......

I Fully Endorse....Huntin Fool

If you choose to use them to handle your Western Big Game Applications or just to get there magazine every year then please let them know that I sent you.  You will get a ticket into their drawing for a big game hunt and I will get a ticket as well.  I appreciate the ticket because any hunts I get the chance to win or any gear that I get to use is just more opportunity for me to write and share knowledge with all of you.  That being said, I am certainly not going to endorse someone just because they give me a raffle ticket, I endorse this service because after all of the research that I have done, THEY ARE THE BEST, Period.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 12:24 AM | 1 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 09:55 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Click on the link below and you can send a solider songs for their MP3 player.  It only takes a minute of your time and you can send more than one.

As you sit warm and safe by the fire this Christmas, give a soldier in Afghanistan or Iraq a small gift at no cost to you and a short message of thanks!!!  

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/specials/soldier/sendasong.shtml

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS AND SHOW THEM WE CARE!!!!

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 10:38 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 22, 2008

Cody, Wyoming USA - December 22, 2008
   
Wild Sheep Need Your Help!For more than 30 years the Wild Sheep Foundation has been engaged in federal land policy issues that promote restoration of wild sheep and to their native habitats.

The most important piece of policy that could ensure the future existence of wild sheep on federally managed lands is being considered in Idaho. The U.S. Forest Service, through the Payette National Forest Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS), is considering reducing domestic sheep grazing in wild sheep habitats – to further enhance the recovery of wild sheep. However, new policy will not be decided until the public comment period has ended, which has been extended to March 3, 2009.

It is extremely important that you let the Payette National Forest know about your support for bighorn sheep. Your comments are needed – this is your chance to help “Put & Keep Wild Sheep on the Mountain!”

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 10:33 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 22, 2008

Helena, Mont. – December 22, 2008 – Starting in March 2009, Montana Pheasants Forever (PF) will be giving away 52 guns – one per week for an entire year – in an effort to increase funding for the organization's upland habitat work in the state. Tickets for the raffle, which is being supported by Sportsman's Warehouse stores, are on sale now for $50 each. Only 1,200 tickets will be sold, or one gun for every 23 tickets sold!

The impressive gun list includes firearms by Weatherby, Benelli and Browning retailing in the $700 to $1,500 range. Winning ticket numbers will be placed back into the pool of tickets, so by purchasing just one ticket, you'll have a chance to win every week! To purchase tickets for the Montana PF 52-gun raffle, contact Dan Hare, PF Regional Wildlife Biologist in the state, at (406)465-8126 or via e-mail at dhare@pheasantsforever.org or Jon Lee, President of the Five Valleys Chapter of Pheasants Forever in Missoula, Montana, at (406)396-1800 or Jon@MontanaPF.org. For more information and a complete gun list, log onto www.MontanaPF.org.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 10:25 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 22, 2008

One of the nation's leading outdoor magazines has for the second straight year identified 25 exceptional individuals as nominees for their prestigious Conservationist of the Year Award.

This year, Shane Mahoney, B&C Professional member and one of the voice talents for the Boone and Crockett Club’s television series, Leupold Big Game Profiles has the honor of being one of the nominees. Not only has Shane's voice talent enhanced the show, but his input as a man of science and conservation has added greatly to the show’s overall success.

Through his professional life as a biologist, researcher, and lecturer, Shane’s contributions to conservation are unique in that his teachings emphasize the importance of hunting in shaping our essence as human beings and that the issue of conservation should be on par with that of justice, civil rights, poverty, and education.

Click here to read Shane Mahoney's bio as well as the bios of the other nominees, and vote for your favorite.

It has long been known that we at HuntingLife.com are huge fans of Shane Mahoney and we encourage you all to get out there and vote for him.  I know he is the not the most popular in this great list of people but he has done a tremendous amount of work for conservation and for teaching the North American Conservation Model

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 10:09 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 22, 2008

MISSOULA, Mont.—Five coveted Wyoming Governor’s Elk Permits will be sold at Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation fundraisers in 2009, beginning with a live auction in Emmetsburg, Iowa, on Jan. 31.

The permits allow hunters to access any open area at any time during 2009 seasons. Guide service is not included. Hunting equipment must be legal for the season hunted.

Phone bids will be accepted at the Iowa auction. For information, contact Doug Vlasman, chairman of the Majestic Heartland chapter of the Elk Foundation, at 712-852-3398.

“It’s a big deal to have this tag at an Iowa banquet. This is a highly sought-after opportunity to hunt trophy-class Wyoming elk in 2009. Hunters have taken a number of 400-class Wyoming bulls in the last few years,” said Kurt Flack, RMEF regional director.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 09:26 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 22, 2008

Have you considered the costs of a medical evacuation? Domestic air medical transports average $20,000 while international transports can easily exceed $100,000. As a Medjet member, your membership fee is the only expenditure as your annual low-price membership fee covers all of the transportation costs. This is not insurance – there are no co-pays, deductibles or claim forms, the membership fee is the only expenditure and there are no health questions up to age 75.

Medjet, the banquet sponsor of the Friday Night “Sheep Night” Banquet at our 2009 convention, has protected hunters since the 1990s and they have transported more than thirty hunters who were injured during their hunt or while on their vacation.

As our official medical evacuation provider, Medjet is offering Wild Sheep Foundation members a special rate: $215 for an individual and $335 for a family (2009 retail rates will be $250 and $385 respectively.) And, in addition to supporting WSF as a Corporate Sponsor, Medjet will contribute a portion of your new membership and annual renewal to the Foundation to help us continue to “Put and Keep Sheep on the Mountain.”

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 09:14 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 22, 2008

AUSTIN, Texas – Join the American Deer  & Wildlife Alliance (ADWA) in Alabama –  starting on January 15, 2009  through January 18, 2009 – for what promises to be a great way to start off  the new year at the Outdoors Without Limits (OWL) Ultimate Adventure Deer  Hunt. There are a few open participation opportunities left, and will be  filled during a final drawing January 4, 2009. Please register for the drawing  now by calling the OWL national office at 706.788.9878.
 
OWL’s  Troy Chapter will host the hunt, consisting of approximately 100 disabled  participants and their non-disabled guides in the deer woods surrounding Troy,  Alabama. Approximately 31 different landowners will be supporting the hunt as  well, by hosting approximately one hundred hunting teams. A scheduled  mandatory safety meeting is held before the first hunt for participants,  guides and landowners. Participants must also complete shooting exercises at  the firing range before the first hunt. “We place safety first and foremost.  With a hunt this big you certainly can’t be too careful, you have to take the extra step with every detail. For example, our guides carry our participant’s  guns to and from the hunting location,” says Kirk Thomas, Founder and CEO of  OWL.

READ MORE...

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 10:24 AM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Cruising around the web in the world of Social Media, I am constantly referred to individuals or websites that lead me into interesting corners and some amazing conversations with people who are filled with talent and inspire me in some way.  This last month I touched base with the great folks at AEG Media and they sent me three great DVD's to preview and I can't wait to purchase the fourth video in their collection.

AEG Media, LLC is short for Angling Exploration Group and these guys really understand what the word exploration means.  The first trip to Mongolia for these boys took them from thier homes in the Pacific Northwest to the wilds of the far east chasing the Taimen, a fish of legendary myths and proportions. They rode in Russian 4 x 4's, Horseback, Camel and wore out several sets of Hiking boots all in the name of exploration for the best fly fishing in the country for trout and the elusive Taiman.  This DVD and the other two are absolutely amazing...

READ MORE...

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 11:02 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Friday, December 19, 2008

Please share this with everyone and help spread the word!

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 05:00 PM | 8 COMMENTS | LINKS TO THIS POST

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Madison, Wis. – December 17, 2008 – Looking for the perfect last-minute gift? Tickets for Pheasants Forever's National Pheasant Fest 2009 are on sale now, and are sure to satisfy the hunter, dog lover or outdoor enthusiast in your family. National Pheasant Fest 2009 presented by Cabela's will be held February 6, 7 & 8, 2009 at Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin. To purchase advance tickets to the event - available only online - log onto the PF Marketplace (www.pfstore.org) and search "2009 Pheasant Fest Weekend Admission Package."

For the special price of $30, a National Pheasant Fest advance ticket package includes:

•  Entire three-day weekend admission to National Pheasant Fest 2009 ($30.00 value)
• 1-year membership to Pheasants Forever ($30.00 value) which includes a subscription to the Pheasants Forever     Journal of Upland Conservation (5 issues), membership card and decal
• Free Pheasants Forever hat ($16.95 value) which you can pick up at National Pheasant Fest
• A chance to win a $500 Cabela's Gift Card

READ MORE...

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 10:46 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Thursday, December 18, 2008

MISSOULA, Mont.—Leaders from both the wildlife and livestock camps see two main obstacles to solving the brucellosis problem in the Yellowstone area. The first is simply getting everyone to the table to work collaboratively. Second, no one agency or person is in charge.

Overcoming these barriers was the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s primary goal in hosting and facilitating the recent Greater Yellowstone Area Brucellosis Workshop.

The educational workshop, held in Billings, Mont., Dec. 8-9, brought together representatives from state and federal wildlife and agricultural agencies, Montana Stockgrowers Association, Montana Cattlemen’s Association, Idaho Cattle Association, Wyoming Stock Growers Association, Yellowstone National Park, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and others.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 10:24 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Thursday, December 18, 2008

if your looking to score on a buck like this one check out Horn's Whitetail Adventures.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 09:59 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Washington, D.C. – Safari Club International (SCI) today expressed its support for President-Elect Barack Obama’s choice of Colorado Senator Ken Salazar as his Administration’s next Interior Secretary. Senator Salazar is currently a member of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus and has been a consistent pro-sportsman vote since he came to Washington, D.C. in 2004.

With this appointment, President-Elect Obama has made the logical choice of an Interior Secretary who understands the sportsmen’s legacy of hunting and conservation on America’s public lands.
 
“We are pleased that President-Elect Obama has resisted the pressure from anti-hunting groups to name an anti-hunting extremist to this important post,” said SCI President Merle Shepard. “Senator Salazar’s pro-hunting votes over the past four years in Washington, and his support for access to federal lands for hunting throughout his entire career in Colorado will prove to be invaluable for sportsmen and women during this Administration.”
 
Shepard continued, “SCI looks forward to working with Senator Salazar in the Obama Administration to make sure the hunter’s voice is heard on every issue that affects hunting, hunters or science-based wildlife management.”

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 09:43 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

James Earl Kennamer, Ph.D.(left), was recently promoted by NWTF CEO George Thornton (right) to NWTF's first Chief Conservation Officer

The announcement reflects both the importance of conservation to the NWTF and the commitment that Dr. Kennamer has shown toward the NWTF and conservation.

Kennamer has spent 28 years at the helm of the NWTF's conservation programs department working with wildlife agencies to restore wild turkey populations in the United States and Canada. Before coming to the NWTF, Kennamer was a tenured professor of wildlife biology at Auburn University.

"I've worked with only a few people during my career who I would call exceptional, and James Earl is one of them," said NWTF CEO George Thornton during the announcement at the Winter Sales Meeting. "His commitment to conservation and the National Wild Turkey Federation is unparalleled in the conservation world."

Kennamer, who held the title of NWTF senior vice president for conservation programs, was surprised by the announcement.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 08:01 AM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

MISSOULA, Montana -BowTech's new top-of-the-line compound bow, the "Admiral," headlines a bowhunter's wish list of prizes to be won at select 2009 fundraising events for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

The fundraisers support the Elk Foundation's conservation work. The organization now has topped 5.4 million acres of habitat protected or enhanced for elk and other wildlife.

"Our banquets, auctions, raffles and games always offer great prizes like guns, art, outfitted hunts, trips, jewelry and hunting gear. More and more, we're also offering top archery equipment," said Steve Decker, director of field programs for RMEF.

He added, "For 2009 we're featuring BowTech's hot new 'Admiral' as part of a flagship progressive raffle. Hundreds of these bows will be won, and everyone who wins will be entered into a drawing for an awesome Montana elk hunt for two."

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 07:57 AM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Ted, White, and Blue - The Nugent Manifesto by Ted Nugent is an absolutely interesting book.  I am certainly not going to recommend it to my patchouli loving, tree hugging friends, but it is a book worth reading and my conservative friends are going to love it!!!!

"Cocked, Locked and ready to rock, the Motor City Madman, the thinking man's Abraham Lincoln, has unleashed the ultimate high-octane political manifesto for the ages in Ted, White, and Blue - the most important patriotic statement since the constitution."   This is the opening line from the book and to be honest it never really lets up.  This is a stinging no-holds-barred attack on Democrats, Republicans, Congressmen, Politicians and The Washington Establishment.

Uncle Ted takes on Big Government, Energy Independence, Success, illegal Immigration, Congressional Dignity, Health Care(taking care of your health), The Death Tax, The Lessons of Old Yeller, Criminal Aliens, Nuclear Energy, Sunday Hunting, gun control... You name it, the Nuge has a comment about how to change the world and if he ever got into office...I don't doubt he would be a leader.  He might b

I am the first to admit that I am never going to become as vocal as Ted Nugent and I will never be as radical.... That being said, I am glad he is out there stirring up the pot and making people think.   I read his book and it got me thinking and isn't that the point...

Go buy yourself a copy of this book and give it out as a gift to your friends!!!!

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 10:45 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 15, 2008

Sitka Gear has hit another home run with the Celsius Gear: Geared for Cold Weather.  This last month, I had the opportunity to test out that gear as well as the new Sitka Stormfront GORE-TEX® Jacket and Pants and that week I spent in comfort and warmth all week.  This gear is lightweight, comfortable, easy to move in  and filled with the kind of details that you just would not expect on hunting gear.

Sitka Gear is best in class gear built for hunters who understand that everything from their socks to the gear they wear on their backs, the pack they use all the way to the ammunition they choose for their gun is a part of their gear.  When choosing to hunt trophy class animals this what you should be choosing to wear when you head out into the outdoors.Whether you are headed to the stand in cold windy Manitoba or into the back country on a DIY Elk hunt Sitka Gear now has a system of clothing to cover your every need.

READ MORE FOR THE FULL REVIEW.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 04:59 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 15, 2008

Scott Hed, Director for the Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska sends out his December Newsletter and I thought you all might like to read it....

READ MORE... For the Entire Newsletter

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 04:58 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 15, 2008

MISSOULA, Mont.—Elk season is over, leaving you with another autumn’s worth of memories. While you’re reminiscing, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation asks you to think about the country where you hunted, how it’s changed through the years and how it’s likely to change in the future.

Here are the Elk Foundation’s Top 5 signs that your elk hunting area may need serious habitat stewardship:

1. Habitat Fragmentation—New subdivisions and ranchettes are eliminating and cutting off key habitat, particularly in winter range and migration corridors. Increased human activity and vehicular traffic compound impacts to elk.

2. Weeds Amok—Knapweed, yellow starthistle, leafy spurge and other invasive weeds are consuming the West. These noxious exotics kill or displace native forage that elk and other species depend on for grazing.

3. Sick Forests—Years of suppressing wildfire has led to dense, choked timber piled high with deadfall. These conditions lead to massive beetle infestations, threaten catastrophic wildfire and offer little benefit, other than escape cover, for elk. Yet overgrown forests are becoming more rule than exception.

4. Vanishing Meadows & Aspen Stands—Fire suppression has also allowed pinion, juniper, fir and other evergreens to overtake meadows and aspen stands. The resulting shade shrivels understory plants, cutting available forage for elk by up to 90 percent.

5. Lack of Water—Many traditional watering holes are drying up earlier and earlier in the year. Elk are forced to abandon historic ranges and follow the water to survive.

READ MORE...

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 04:31 PM | 1 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 15, 2008

Tucson, AZ – On Tuesday evening, Jan. 20, 2009, some 1,200 homeless, under-housed, and hungry people from the Reno, Nevada area will again enjoy a feast of ground venison and all the accoutrements thanks to over 500 pounds of meat donated by hunters attending Safari Club International’s 37th Annual Hunters’ Convention in Reno. This Sportsmen Against Hunger contribution of wild game meat by SCI’s Northern Nevada Chapter is an example of how the 18-year-old SCI Foundation program shares nature’s bounty worldwide.  

The Sportsmen Against Hunger Feed the Hungry Feast, held in conjunction with The Salvation Army, will take place downtown, courtesy of the Reno Events Center on the corner of Fourth and Center Streets, and with the help of sponsors including C & M Food Distributing, Model Dairy, SportServices, Truckee Sour Dough, Carson Valley Inn, SYSCO, and the Washoe County Sheriff's Dept. SCIF’s 45-foot Sensory Safari trailer, which provides a tactile exploration of wildlife, will also be on hand for participants and volunteers to experience, thanks to the generosity of the SCI Redding Regional Chapter in California.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 03:38 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 15, 2008

With a new president, a new congress and changes in state governments it is even more important for all of us to stand together in defense of our rights and our industry.

Through its Legislative Action Alert system, the National Shooting Sports Foundation stands ready to alert industry members and Second Amendment advocates in all 50 states of legislative threats to our industry and our firearms freedoms on the federal, state and local levels.NSSF encourages you to forward this e-mail to a friend to help strengthen our network even more. To subscribe to NSSF action alerts, simply click here or visit www.nssf.org .

NSSF's alert system was crucial last year in combating legislation aimed at our industry, most notably in helping to defeat bullet serialization bills in more than 20 states. Several bill sponsors withdrew their legislation immediately following public outcry stemming from the NSSF alerts -- in the case of Kentucky, this was within 48 hours of the bill's introduction.

When the next president and 111th Congress take office, NSSF will be there to oppose anti-gun legislation and regulations and to alert all of its members and alert subscribers of potential threats. Together, we will continue to make an impact.

Subscribe now to NSSF Action Alerts in your state.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 03:35 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 15, 2008

One Thousand Posts, Stories, Messages, several thousand photos......It all seems a bit surreal.  We started on July 7th, 2007 with a few readers carried over from our blog on Blogger at huntinglife.blogspot.com and we started with stories of conservation, hunting and sharing our traditions with the youth of today.  i can find no better way to share this honor of 1000 entries then to share the picture of young Brendan Walker out of Manitoba.  Brendan is a good kid and has a passion for hunting.

We will keep working hard and with the growth of our team and the passion we all have for conservation, outfitters, hunting and the traditions of the outdoors expect some really great stories and expect them to keep these pages full of great content.

Join our site, sign up for our newsletter, submit your pictures to our Trophy Gallery and log into our forum....

Brendon Walker, Manitoba Whitetail....

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 00:08 AM | 1 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Would you like the chance to hunt moose in southwest Alaska in 2009?  How about a new Kimber rifle topped with a Leupold scope?  What if we threw in a sweet set of hunting outerwear from Sitka Gear and some base layers from Polartec?

Would you believe there is a promotion going on right now that will offer you the chance to take home ALL of those items?  Combined retail value is about $12,000!

Seriously, this might be one of the greatest promotions going right now.  And it’s all for a tremendous cause. 
The Bristol Bay region in Alaska is truly a sportsperson’s paradise.  Anglers and hunters from across the globe travel there to partake in the bounty of the world’s largest runs of wild salmon, trophy rainbow trout, herds of caribou, brown bears, and monster moose.  There’s a threat facing this region and sportsmen and women are coming to the defense of one of the world’s top hunting and angling destinations.

One way to help the cause is to make a donation to the Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska to help educate and mobilize anglers and hunters in this important campaign.  For a suggested donation of $50, you will be entered in the drawing for:

•     A 10-day moose hunt for 1 hunter with Alaska Wilderness Trips, Inc.;

•     A Kimber 84M or 8400 Montana rifle in your choice of caliber;

•     A Leupold VX-II 3-9x 40mm scope;

•     A 90% Jacket and Ascent Pant from Sitka Gear ; and

•     The Polartec base layer set

The companies supporting this donation should be recognized for their commitment to conservation of our hunting heritage and wild places.

Only 500 eligible donations will be accepted on this promotion, and there is a maximum of 4 entries per person for the drawing.  With odds like that, a modest donation toward a great cause could have you packing your bags for Alaska in the fall of 2009 with some new gear in tow.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 09:07 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Sunday, December 14, 2008

MISSOULA, Mont.-Following presentations by some of the nation's leading wolf authorities, the Boone and Crockett Club yesterday reaffirmed its position that gray wolves should be delisted and managed as a game species by the states.

Experts, including the biologist directing wolf recovery efforts in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, spoke at the Club's annual meeting, which concluded Saturday in Houston.

Presenters included Ed Bangs, national wolf recovery coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Valerius Geist, emeritus professor, University of Calgary; Carolyn A. Sime, wolf program coordinator, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks; Bob Model, Mooncrest Cattle Ranch in Cody, Wyo.; Cristina Eisenberg, Ph.D. candidate and Boone and Crockett fellow, Oregon State University; Dan Pletscher, director of wildlife biology program, University of Montana; and Paul R. Krausman, Boone and Crockett professor of wildlife conservation, University of Montana.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 08:53 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Thursday, December 11, 2008

I have been hunting with our dad for many years, leaving mom at home to sleep.

She has always been excited for us and has enjoyed listening to the tales of our hunts!This past spring, she took the Hunters Safety Course and found it very educational and fun!    

Well, now she gets to join in on the fun! This Saturday, my dad and I will take her hunting. I am looking forward to taking her hunting this Saturday and hopefully if all goes well, we will have great memories of this hunt.

So, watch for my next article to see if my mom will harvest her first deer or turkey.

Good Luck Mom!!

Taylor Rather

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 10:39 PM | 1 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Thursday, December 11, 2008

NEWTOWN, Conn. -- When it comes to gift giving, there's hardly a gift that can compare to enjoying an outdoors experience with a family member or a friend. Now you can deliver that gift in the form of an invitation to go hunting or target shooting by sending an e-mail postcard through www.stepoutside.org.

Visitors to www.stepoutside.org can choose from nine photo-illustrated cards that showcase various types of hunting and target shooting. After choosing a card, you simply fill in a personalized message and enter the recipient's name and e-mail address. The postcard is then automatically sent to your hunting or shooting partner's inbox.

"Every one of us -- every target shooter and hunter -- and anyone that carries a passion in their hearts for the great outdoors was once asked to STEP OUTSIDE," said Dave Miles, marketing director for the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), which developed the STEP OUTSIDE program. "We all remember that first hunt or day at the range and the many more memories of days in the field we've enjoyed. For every potential new hunter and shooter out there, it all begins with an invitation. Our Web site was designed with one goal in mind: to help and encourage all of us to extend that all-important invitation."

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 05:33 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Next March, two lucky hunters will win the hunt of a lifetime for Gould's wild turkeys in New Mexico.

NEW MEXICO — For the first time ever, two lucky hunters will have the opportunity to hunt a Gould's wild turkey in New Mexico. The New Mexico Gould's wild turkey population represents the only native population in the United States.

Two New Mexico Gould's wild turkey tags are up for grabs - one via an online auction that ends March 1, 2009, and the other via a raffle with tickets available at the NWTF New Mexico State Chapter's exhibit hall booth at the NWTF's Convention and Sport Show in Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 19 to Feb. 22, 2009. The raffle drawing will be held on Monday, March 2, 2009.

The lucky winners will have the option of arranging to hunt with members of the NWTF's New Mexico State Chapter for five consecutive days. The hunting arrangement includes lodging in a comfortable tent camp, meals during the hunt and ground transportation to and from El Paso International Airport in El Paso, Texas. The winners will be responsible for travel to El Paso. The tent camp will be set up within minutes of gobbling Gould's wild turkeys.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 05:16 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Thursday, December 11, 2008

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), through the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has announced the final amended version of its changes to rules on carrying of firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges. DOI's move will restore the rights of law-abiding gun owners who wish to transport and carry firearms for lawful purposes on most DOI lands, and will make federal law consistent with the state law in which these public lands are located. NRA led the effort to amend the existing policy regarding the carrying and transportation of firearms on these federal lands.

"Today's announcement by the U.S. Department of the Interior brings clarity and uniformity for law-abiding gun owners visiting our national parks," said NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox. "We are pleased that the Interior Department recognizes the right of law-abiding citizens to protect themselves and their families while enjoying America's National Parks and wildlife refuges."

DOI announced the rule change today and will publish the new regulations in the Federal Register. The new regulations allow right-to-carry permit holders to exercise their Second Amendment rights on national park and wildlife refuges in those states that recognize such permits. The move will provide consistency across our nation's federal lands and put an end to the patchwork of regulations that governed different lands managed by different federal agencies. In the past, Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service lands allowed the carrying of firearms, while lands managed by DOI did not.

NRA has long held that amendments to those regulations were needed to reflect the changed legal situations with respect to state laws on carrying firearms. Earlier this year, fifty-one U.S. Senators sent a strong bipartisan letter to the DOI supporting the move to make state firearms laws applicable to national park lands and refuges.

"These changes respect the Second Amendment rights of honest citizens as they enjoy our public lands," concluded Cox. "We applaud the Interior Department's efforts to amend these out of date regulations."

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 04:21 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Thursday, December 11, 2008

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND- Governor Martin O'Malley has launched GreenPrint, Maryland's new, interactive mapping tool designed to help the State, local governments, conservation organizations, and individual citizens guide land conservation and growth. First conceived under the Governor's BayStat Initiative, GreenPrint is an innovative, first of its kind planning tool, and centerpiece of Maryland: Smart, Green & Growing, a multi-agency, statewide initiative to create a more sustainable future for Marylanders by linking community revitalization, transportation improvements, economic development, smart growth and natural resources restoration.

"We live in times of great possibility and progress," said Governor O'Malley. "Using the latest technology and harnessing the achievable hope of our great State's potential for a more sustainable, healthy environment and economy, we've designed GreenPrint to help escalate smart growth and maximize our resources."

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 04:16 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Thursday, December 11, 2008

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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

FAIRFAX, VA - The newly redesigned NRAblog.com, going online later this week, serves as a one-stop news hub for the National Firearms Museum,NRA Competitive Shooting, NRA Firearms Education and Training, Hunting Programs, Women's Programs, Youth Programs, NRA Range Services, Friends of NRA banquets, NRA Clubs and Associations, and the NRA's LawEnforcement Activities Division.

NRAblog.com will report live from events including the National Rifleand Pistol Championships at Camp Perry, the NRA Bianchi Cup, the NRA Annual Meeting, the National Police Shooting Championships, several popular industry shows, and a variety of state competitions and clinics.The site will offer exclusive interviews with NRA officials and Board members as well as world-class competitive shooters and industry leaders.

Additionally, NRAblog.com offers readers a calendar of upcoming events, the chance to submit photos of themselves at their local Friends of NRAbanquets, and the opportunity to learn about NRA programs.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 03:59 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

MISSOULA, Mont.—Opened for hunters, protected from developers—permanently. An extraordinary new conservation easement has accomplished exactly that on the 2,800-acre Flying A Ranch in the Big Horn Mountains 50 miles northwest of Casper, Wyo.The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation helped make it happen by teaming with two other funding partners led by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

“This was a special project because the written agreement with the landowner ensures public hunting access from September through December each year. This, in turn, enhances public access to several thousand more acres of BLM lands that adjoin the Flying A Ranch,” said David Allen, Elk Foundation president and CEO.

The ranch is year-round elk habitat. Biologists estimate 300 head consistently use the property and about 100 calves are born there each year. Approximately half of the ranch is considered crucial winter range.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 01:04 AM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

EDGEFIELD, South Carolina The National Wild Turkey Federation's (NWTF) Hunting Heritage Super Fund distributed more than $126,000 across North America in November to further its mission of wild turkey conservation and protecting our hunting traditions.

The Hunting Heritage Super Fund supports the NWTF's multitude of conservation and education programs, with money raised from NWTF Hunting Heritage banquets, donated by corporate sponsors and given to benefit wildlife conservation.

The NWTF is a national nonprofit conservation organization that was founded in 1973 and has worked with wildlife agencies to restore wild turkey populations from 1.3 million wild turkeys to nearly 7 million today. Now, NWTF's volunteers raise funds and work daily to improve critical wildlife habitat, increase access to public hunting land and introduce new people to the outdoors and hunting.

To date, the NWTF and its partners have spent more than $279 million upholding hunting traditions and conserving nearly 14 million acres of wildlife habitat. Some of the Federation's Hunting Heritage Super Fund projects include improving wildlife habitat, supporting hunter education and providing opportunities for women, youth and people with disabilities to experience outdoor fun through outreach programs.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 01:01 AM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Hearing protection for me has always been something that I took for granted unless I was on the range sighting in my rifle or shooting skeet. This year I began to notice that my hearing just has not been what it used to be. I no longer have the ability take my hearing for granted. I had to find some options to protect my hearing every time I fired a rifle or a shotgun before my hearing began to deteriorate even worse.

I started shooting seriously I was 5 years old with a BB gun and worked my way up to dove season at the age of 11. I never wore ear protection while dove hunting and we would shoot a couple of boxes of shells a night between my father and I. At the age of 16, I shot on my high school rifle team for Robinson Secondary School and was shooting 500 rounds a week. I always had ear protection on the range but the with that protection you could not hear range instructions and using that kind of hearing protection in the field just would not work.

In hunting situations I have never worn hearing protection while hunting big game because I have always wanted to hear the world around me and listen to the sounds of nature. With the Pro Ears Predator Gold, now I can protect my hearing and still listen to the world around me at an enhanced level.

READ MORE...

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 03:10 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Thursday, December 4, 2008

My friend, Courtney, has never been hunting before. She asked if she could go on a hunt with my dad and I . So, this past week my friend got to go hunting.     

Right after school, dad picked us up and we headed to my house to get our gear. After getting our gear we headed to my grandma’s house. We decided to sit about 100 yards away from the spot where my brother, Josh, had gotten his first buck a week ago.   

Courtney was very excited! We were sitting in a good spot. Rubs and trails were all around us. We sat quietly and watched several squirrels playing and running up and down the trees. One squirrel came within a few yards of us and was staring at us!     

We thought we heard something walking down the ridge in the thicket. Courtney started to get excited and was breathing rapidly, thinking it was a buck coming. We heard a lot of noise right over the ridge and I too was getting excited! Suddenly out of nowhere several squirrels appeared. Courtney then turned and looked at me and said “I think we are sitting in a squirrels nest!” We started giggling and dad told us we needed to be quiet.
    

After dark we met up with Josh and headed to a nearby field to predator hunt. Once we arrived, dad placed the electronic call in the field and we all sat under some pine trees. Dad turned the predator call on and we waited. After waiting for about an hour, unfortunately, nothing appeared, we packed up and headed home.    

Even though Courtney has not harvested a deer or turkey yet. She can’t wait till’ the next hunting adventure we go on. She told me that she learned a lot about hunting and had a great time while being with us.   

I enjoy introducing new people to the outdoors and teaching them new things about nature. Also, I encourage everyone to spend time in the outdoors with family and friends.

We are taking Courtney on another hunt tomorrow after school and whether she harvests an animal or not, we will always have a great time!

Taylor Rather

The date on this photograph is incorrect.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 11:24 PM | 1 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Family, Food, and Fun.  That’s what most people think of when Thanksgiving Day comes around.  Although I think of the same things, I also think of blaze orange jackets and a full morning of hunting!  Here in Wisconsin, I am not the only one that thinks this way.  Every year Thanksgiving falls on the sixth day of the nine day gun deer season.  Of course, some have their deer by now and some have given up by this point in the season, but this is the point in the season where you need to give it everything you’ve got.  Living just a half hour away from the famous Buffalo County, known for its big bucks, we knew there was big ones out there!

READ MORE...

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 11:19 PM | 2 COMMENTS | LINKS TO THIS POST

Thursday, December 4, 2008

MISSOULA, Mont.—The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and 18 other conservation organizations have submitted a joint letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in support of delisting gray wolves in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.

Delisting would remove gray wolves from the federal Endangered Species List and turn management over to state wildlife agencies.

Read the full letter by clicking here or pasting the following URL into your browser:

http://www.rmef.org/Conservation/WhereWeWork/FreshTracks/

“The 19 organizations that signed onto the letter represent millions of outdoorsmen and conservationists. We’re gratified that they share our concern about wolves in the northern Rockies,” said David Allen, Elk Foundation president and CEO. “Wolf populations are well above federal recovery goals and it’s time to manage them like other game animals.”

He added, “This letter is another way for us to express our longstanding support of state-based wolf management. It’s a system that works for elk, deer, turkeys, bears, cougars and other keystone species, and it will work for wolves, too.”

Allen urged Elk Foundation members and others to make their voices heard individually by contacting their state and federal legislators.

The letter, submitted within a recent public comment period on the issue, also offered six conservation principles to help guide the actions of federal and state agencies.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 11:06 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

The update was this bull was taken on September 30th, 2008 and the Spider Bull came with a ton of opinion about the hunt. 

I am going to quickly share my opinions and they are my own opinions and not that of my PROSTAFF TEAM.  I have not had the pleasure to hunt with Team Mossback but if I had the opportunity I would do it in a second.  I have met Doyle and I believe him to be a man of integrity and a hard working hunter for his clients.  What he charges clients and what clients are willing to pay him for the opportunity to take large bulls in trophy units is amazing and it is a private matter between Doyle and his clients.

He does have guides and scouts out looking for bulls all summer and I respect that fully.  As an outfitter once, I wanted nothing more then to have my guides out scouting before the clients ever got there.  They are doing what most clients expect only they do it for a much longer time period and they do it all with really high tech cameras and film the entire process.  I do not know or have personal knowledge of any of the tactics of Team Mossback in regards to their scouting or pushing of bulls.  I do know there are laws in the state of Utah that regulate this and I highly doubt that Doyle Mossback would condone those kind of tactics or risk his business and reputation by breaking any laws.

Clients who pay $100,000 or more for conservation tags are men who committed to conservation and are willing to put there money towards the lands and the animals that they so love.  That money goes to the conservation of all animals and the habitat protection and opening of land for all hunters.  I respect Doyle and I respect this client for working hard, hunting hard and I really respect the animal that they took.  Congratulations Denny Austad, what an amazing trophy.

Kevin Paulson

READ MORE FOR PICTURES...

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 08:01 AM | 4 COMMENTS | LINKS TO THIS POST

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

WASHINGTON - In response to widespread objections and numerous official protests, including one filed by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, the Bureau of Land Management withdrew vast tracts of prime fish and wildlife habitat from its December 2 lease sale, the TRCP announced today. The federal agency abandoned plans to allow oil and gas development on more than 50,000 acres of big-game winter range and migration corridors, native trout waters and sage grouse habitat in southwest Wyoming; all of these acres were protested by the TRCP. The BLM took no action on an additional 150,000-plus acres included in the sportsmen's protest.

The deferred leases include 16,000-plus acres in the Little Mountain region, a popular outdoor destination located east of Flaming Gorge Reservoir. The proposal to open the area to additional drilling elicited sharp criticism from stakeholders, with a diverse coalition of local residents, sportsmen and conservationists advocating for the responsible development of Wyoming's natural resources.

"Decisions being made today could catastrophically affect our ability to enjoy southwestern Wyoming's great outdoors in the future," said Joshua Coursey, chairman of the Muley Fanatic Chapter of the Mule Deer Foundation, "and the BLM made the right decision in withholding these valuable public lands from its December auction.

READ MORE...

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Tuesday, December 2, 2008

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Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Gerhard Damm puts together one of the best Conservation Newsletters in the world in regards to anything and everything having to do with hunting, conservation and all things Africa.  The best news in the world is he lets us offer it to all of you and he offers it to the world FREE.

Download AFRICAN INDABA Here..

AFRICAN INDABA VOLUME SIX, ISSUE SIX

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 08:00 AM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Bath County Virginia is a very special place to me and my family. Beautiful mountain views, gorgeous trout streams and plenty of game make for an adventure that I look forward to every year. My father has been making the trip for over fifty years to hunt grouse and turkey. Over the years close bonds have been made with friends and family in this very special area of the Allegheny’s.

Each year my father plans a three week trip with Roy Gutshaw who is from Bath County. Roy is a straight shooting country wise individual who will keep you on your toes with a sharp intellect and a wealth of knowledge in a plethora of topics from tapping maple trees for sweet syrup to how to find water in a drought. Being a very successful owner of a real state firm, Roy, spends quite a bit of time in the woods looking at properties and keeping tabs of the local game population. His keen woodsman ship and accommodating nature makes for a great trip year after year.

I had planned to hunt with my dad, Roy and my brother Greg four five days. We stay at Roy’s wife Karen’s family farm that overlooks the town of Monterey. This is a classic piece of highland property with steep slopes, huge maples and the ever difficult to negotiate laurel thickets that are common in the area. Good populations of grouse, deer and the occasional turkey roam the farm.

READ MORE....

POSTED BY CHRISTOPHER WOODS AT 08:00 AM | 3 COMMENTS | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 1, 2008

READ MORE FOR THE DECEMBER 2008 Barnes Bullet Newsletter

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 09:19 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 1, 2008

The impact of this gift was maximized through two special matching gift opportunities. August A. Busch, III is helping the NRA raise a total of $750,000 to benefit the YHEC program by matching $1 for every $2 given to the YHEC program by December 31, 2008. Additionally, Joe and Cindy Gregory are matching gifts or pledges of $25,000 or more with $1 to NRA Voice of Freedom programs for every $2 given to any NRA program by May 18, 2009.

Since 1985, the YHEC program has positively influenced more than one million young people, averaging nearly 50,000 participants nationwide each year. YHEC is recognized as the most comprehensive youth hunting program in North America. The program, hosted by volunteer NRA-certified instructors, is conducted under simulated hunting conditions. It provides the best practical environment for reinforcing and testing a young hunter's skills. YHEC encourages young people to learn about hunting and wildlife conservation through hands-on instruction and competition.

READ MORE...

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 09:08 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 1, 2008

NASHVILLE, Tennessee-- Expert wild turkey callers from across the country will pull out all the stops as they putt, purr and cackle their way to more than $25,000 in cash and prizes at the National Wild Turkey Federation's Grand National Calling Contest Championships, sponsored by Wild Turkey Bourbon.

The championships will be held during the NWTF's 33rd annual Convention and Sport Show at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Feb. 19 to Feb. 22, 2009. After a pressure-packed minute on stage in which contestants must mimic various sounds of a wild turkey, callers will nervously await the final verdict from a panel of judges.

The championships contain multiple divisions, including Senior, Gobbling, Friction, Owl Hooting and the Rare Breed Champion of Champions.

"A year's worth of practice comes down to a one minute performance," said Mark Prudhomme, 2008 NWTF Grand National Owl Hooting Champion. Prudhomme, who also won last year's coveted Team Challenge Calling Championship with his partner Kerry Terrell, added that calling real wild turkeys is actually easier than calling in front of the judges.

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 09:04 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 1, 2008

NEWTOWN, Conn. -- The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) -- the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry -- has launched a blog aimed at hunting down and correcting inaccuracies about firearms and the firearms industry. The blog, titled "Aiming for Accuracy," is updated regularly with news, links and other helpful resources designed to promote accurate communications about firearms issues in the media, among bloggers and with all firearms enthusiasts.

"Tomorrow is here," said NSSF President Stephen L. Sanetti. "In order to fully represent one of the oldest industries in the world, it is incumbent upon NSSF to utilize new communications tools. NSSF is dedicated to using every medium at its disposal to set and keep the record straight. We encourage readers to bring inaccuracies in the media to our attention, and we ask NSSF members and other readers of the Aiming for Accuracy blog to forward relevant postings to their local media and their favorite bloggers."

A link to the Aiming for Accuracy blog is displayed on the NSSF homepage (www.nssf.org).

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 08:59 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 1, 2008

WASHINGTON - Management of Colorado roadless areas was on the agenda at the recent Roadless Area Conservation National Advisory Committee (RACNAC) meeting in Washington, D.C., where staff of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership was in attendance to advocate for sportsmen and Colorado's backcountry. During the Nov. 18-19 gathering, the RACNAC continued to formulate recommendations for the Colorado roadless rule, which is being finalized by the U.S. Forest Service and state of Colorado and should determine the future of more than 4 million acres of federal public lands.

"The RACNAC is charged with developing recommendations for refining the Colorado rule, but the federal push to get this plan done before the end of the current administration could undermine both the RACNAC's utility and the final product," said TRCP Roadless Initiative Manager Joel Webster. "If Colorado wants its state-based roadless rule to be successful, we need to slow down and do this the right way."

Sportsmen maintain that the Colorado roadless rule can sustain healthy habitat, secure fish and wildlife populations and uphold hunting and fishing traditions if common-sense revisions are made to the draft plan. Revisions to the Colorado rule discussed by the RACNAC include the following:

POSTED BY KEVIN C PAULSON AT 08:49 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Monday, December 1, 2008

MISSOULA, Mont.</