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1st and 10: Breaking down the openers
by Cris Carter
September 5, 2003
I am 1-0 after picking the Redskins on Thursday night. One down, 255 to go.
UPSET OF THE WEEK: Minnesota over GREEN BAY 1 p.m. ET (FOX) Preview
Opening up with this pick, I know a lot of you will want to call me Yahoo! Sports homer rather than Yahoo! Sports football analyst. But hear me out.
I know from experience that the Vikings play with a lot of confidence against the Packers. They could have won at Lambeau last year, and this year's team has the defense and the speed to win at Green Bay in the summer.
MAIL THIS ONE IN: Denver over CINCINNATI 1 p.m. ET (CBS) Preview
Welcome to the NFL head coaching ranks, Marvin Lewis. This game won't be a reflection of the great job that he will do with the Bengals. Mark my words, Jake Plummer will be a star under Mike Shanahan's great offensive mind.
TENNESSEE over Oakland 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) Preview
In this rematch of last season's AFC championship, Tennessee has three things: a healthy Steve McNair, a healthy Eddie George, and a fired-up Nashville crowd.
The Raiders will need to shore up their run defense if they want to start this season with a winning streak.
BUFFALO over New England 1 p.m. ET (CBS) Preview
How hot can a rivalry get? Now both Drew Bledsoe and Lawyer Milloy will try to beat their old team, the Patriots.
Plus, I like what Buffalo did in the offseason to improve its defense. If this game is close down the stretch, Bledsoe runs a mean two-minute drill.
KANSAS CITY over San Diego 1 p.m. ET (CBS) Preview
This game is enough to make me want to suit up again. A whole lot of young defensive backs should make for pyrotechnic passing. Plus, how will the Chargers stop a happy Priest Holmes?
Baltimore over PITTSBURGH 1 p.m. ET (CBS) Preview
I know I picked the Steelers to win the AFC North, and I'm sticking with that. But Pittsburgh has endured a difficult offseason and won't have standout linebacker Joey Porter, who was shot last weekend. Jerome Bettis isn't starting. Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala is gone. Things are in flux.
For the Ravens, Ray Lewis is healthy. With the right game plan, rookie quarterback Kyle Boller will be able to do just enough against a shaky secondary.
N.Y. GIANTS over St. Louis 1 p.m. ET (FOX) Preview
Eenie meenie miney moe? Not exactly, but this should be a great, high-scoring game. I think the grass will neutralize the Rams' speed just enough.
Atlanta over DALLAS 4:15 p.m. ET (FOX) Preview
OK, so Michael Vick is out. But Atlanta's defense is underrated, and Doug Johnson might throw a better deep ball than Vick. It adds up to a disappointing Dallas debut for Bill Parcells.
Tampa Bay over PHILADELPHIA M, 9 p.m. ET (ABC) Preview
Intensity. The Bucs are eager to show that the NFC title game was not a fluke. The Eagles are opening Lincoln Financial Field, and the Bucs would like nothing more than to ruin the festivities.
Extra points
Indianapolis over CLEVELAND 1 p.m. ET (CBS) Preview
New Orleans over SEATTLE 4:15 p.m. ET (FOX) Preview
SAN FRANCISCO over Chicago 4:15 p.m. ET (FOX) Preview
DETROIT over Arizona 1 p.m. ET (FOX) Preview
CAROLINA over Jacksonville 1 p.m. ET (CBS) Preview
MIAMI over Houston 1 p.m. ET (CBS) Preview
Cris Carter is Yahoo! Sports' NFL analyst. Send him a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
Good Grub, Ksquared. Your check is in the mail...Colt
When did Brittney Spears join the Cowboys Cheerleaders?
Nope...I'm much sneakier than Big Brother. You'd be surprised where some of my cameras are hidden. I learned this from the Best, good ol' churak. He is an Expert on being sneaky!
Colt
Should I also post the pics of you two in the shower? Just let me know...LOL
Colt
I have my cameras hidden just about everywhere. <g> Colt
Black Bear Applications Due September 30th - New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
08/25/03
An amendment to the 2003 Game Code has been adopted by the Fish and Game Council that will provide a six-day, black bear, special permit hunting season for the area of New Jersey north of Interstate Route 78 and west of Interstate Route 287 for December 8-13, 2003.
There is a bag limit of one bear of either sex and any age. Hunting hours will be ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset. Black bears may not be taken from dens or within 300 feet of a baited area. Black bears may be taken by stand hunting, still-hunting, or drive hunting with shotgun with rifled slugs or muzzleloader rifle. All black bears taken must be tagged and taken to a mandatory checking station for registration and issuance of a legal possession tag.
Permit Information
A total of 10,000 special black bear hunting permits will be available to properly licensed firearm hunters. A random lottery will be held if the number of applicants exceeds the special permit quota. Permit applications from interested hunters must be received no later than September 30, 2003.
The application forms provided by the Division are available at license agents and the Division's Trenton office as well as the following field offices: Northern Region (Clinton WMA), Central Region (Assunpink WMA), Southern Region (Winslow WMA), Pequest Trout Hatchery and Nacote Creek. See the Contact Us for office contact information.
Hunters must provide their 2003 Hunting License Number on the application and present their license at the seminar.
All successful permit applicants will be required to complete a black bear hunting seminar - there will be no exemptions or exceptions. Seminars will be conducted statewide on selected Saturdays, Sundays and weekday evenings from October 18 through November 16. Successful applicants will be notified (in early October) and assigned to a mandatory training seminar at a location and time selected from preferences chosen on their application. Permits will be mailed to hunters after they complete the training seminar.
No walk-ins will be permitted at the seminars - permit applications must be received by September 30.
100 Residents Selected for Elk Hunt - Michigan Department of Natural Resources
08/25/03
Department of Natural Resources Wildlife officials today announced 100 Michigan residents have been selected from an annual, random drawing to participate in the Dec. 9-16, 2003 elk hunt.
The successful hunters were computer-drawn from a pool of 38,778 eligible applicants. Notification letters have been mailed to the 100 individuals selected for the December hunt. Of the 100, 30 will have the choice of taking an antlered or antlerless elk, and 70 will be allowed to take only an antlerless elk. This year's elk hunting areas will include Alpena, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego and Presque Isle counties. This year’s hunt goals are to maintain the estimated population within 800 to 900 animals in the winter herd and to better distribute elk within the designated management units.
Permits Still Available to Stalk Prehistoric Predator - Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
08/25/03
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has more than 300 permits remaining for hunters who want to take on the challenge of bagging huge reptiles that can clamp down 80 teeth with a ton of pressure per square inch.
Alligators look much like their reptilian ancestors looked 70 million years ago and are fair game for selected hunters in the FWC’s September/October public waters alligator harvest.
Participants say taking the powerful animals with harpoons, gigs or hooks may be the most extreme hunting experience in America. It is also one of the most tightly regulated.
“Hunters should apply soon, because we’re issuing permits every day, and when they’re gone, that’s it for a whole year,” said Harry Dutton, leader of FWC’s Alligator Management Section. “There is no application deadline, however, you should submit your application at least two weeks prior to the start of your harvest period. It takes at least two weeks to process your application.”
The FWC expanded the alligator hunt this year to allow hunting in areas that were previously off-limits, Dutton said. Countywide alligator management units where established, which made 750 additional permits available.
“Countywide permits should be especially appealing to private landowners who would like to harvest alligators on their property but who have not been able to qualify for the Private Lands Alligator Management Program,” Dutton said.
A person permitted for a countywide harvest unit will be allowed to take two alligators from any lands that they could legally access in the specified county, including public and private lands and waters, but excluding specific water bodies established as Alligator Management Units, private wetlands permitted for alligator management and other protected public properties.
Alligator harvest permits enable hunters to take two alligators each. To be eligible for a permit, applicants must be at least 18 years old by Sept. 1 and must not have been convicted of violating wildlife laws relating to alligator trapping within the past five years nor laws relating to endangered crocodilians within the past 10 years.
“At this date, if you would like to license agents to assist you with your hunt, you should submit the agent license applications with your harvest permit application.” Dutton said.
Alligator harvest applications and alligator trapping agent licenses are available at all FWC regional offices and on the Alligator section of the FWC Web site at http://www.wildflorida.org/gators/. The site also shows which areas still have permits available.
Applicants can check their selection status daily after 5 p.m. on the Web site. People who do not receive a permit through the selection process will have their fees returned.
“You won’t find a hunting experience like this anywhere else,” Dutton said.
Wolves Kill a Young Adult Elk - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
08/25/03
A predator-prey relationship absent from Wisconsin for more than a century played out last week when a wolf pack attacked, killed and consumed a young adult elk near Clam Lake.
What’s significant about this relationship, state officials say, is that both species, wolves and elk, were once extirpated from Wisconsin -- meaning there were no longer found in the state -- but that populations of both species have now recovered to the point where they can again interact in natural predator-prey relationship.
“I can understand how some people may be concerned that wolves have killed one of the elk we have successfully helped return to the state,” said Scott Hassett, secretary of the state Department of Natural Resources “but we’ve lost four of them to bears. As a conservationist, I recognize that our management efforts have helped restore a lost piece of our state’s natural heritage. Predator-prey relationships are a basic foundation of a natural ecosystem, and this incident is actually a sign of the growth and health of this ecosystem.”
This is the first time since the elk herd’s reintroduction in 1995 that wolves killed an adult-sized elk, though wolves are believed to have killed three elk calves in 1999, according to Laine Stowell, the DNR elk biologist at Hayward.. The elk killed this month had an attached radio transmitter that began emitting a “mortality signal” sometime last week, indicating the collar had not moved in at least a day. Stowell found the collar and the remains of the 450- to 500-hundred pound elk on August 14 in a wetland area near Noble Lake.
“The remains showed typical signs of wolf predation and we found the pack’s tracks leading to the kill site,” Stowell said. “With the growing elk herd and several wolf packs in the area we’ve known for years that we might lose a few elk to wolves.”
In addition to the elk killed by bear and wolves, nine others have been killed by vehicles, two were accidentally shot and others that have died from a variety of natural causes, Stowell said.
Stowell said the 2-year-old bull was at a vulnerable age where he would be adjusting to between hanging out with the cows to being accepted in a bachelor group. Other elk had been in the area where the kill took place.
The elk was most likely killed by a pack known as the Ghost Lake wolf pack, which during the most recent winter surveys was estimated at three to five wolves, according to Adrian Wydeven, DNR wolf biologist at park Falls.
“None of the wolves in this pack are radio-collared, so our information on the pack and their movement is somewhat limited,” he said. “We do have two other packs nearby with radio-collared wolves in them and neither of these packs have been detected in this area west of Clam Lake.”
Elk had historically been most abundant in southern and west-central portions of Wisconsin where they were associated with grassland/forest edges, open woodlands, and oak openings. Records indicate that elk were present in 50 of the state’s 72 counties. But over-hunting led to the extirpation of elk in Wisconsin in the mid to late 1800s
In 1993 the Wisconsin State Legislature authorized the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to evaluate the potential for reintroducing elk. In 1995, 25 elk were trapped from a Michigan herd, and after undergoing rigorous disease testing, were released near Clam Lake. Management responsibility of the herd was transferred from the university to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in May 1999. That herd has since grown to about 120 animals.
Gray wolves, also called timber wolves, occurred throughout Wisconsin prior to European settlement. Those new settlers perceived wolves as a menace to livestock, and the state legislature instituted a bounty in 1865. The last Wisconsin wolf was killed in 1959.
In 1973 wolves were protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. The Minnesota wolf population began expanding and eventually wolves began to migrate back into Wisconsin on their own, with a wolf pack discovered in the border area between Wisconsin and Minnesota south of Duluth-Superior in 1975. The state’s wolf population is now estimated at about 335 animals in approximately 94 packs in northern and central Wisconsin.
Resident Deer Permits Available - Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
08/25/03
For the 2003 deer seasons, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) again is offering a number of resident deer permits that may be purchased without going through a drawing. Purchase forms for these permits are now available.
Whitetail Antlerless Only permits ($31) and Whitetail Antlerless Only Deer Game Tags ($11) may be purchased over the counter at county clerks’ offices, Wildlife and Parks offices, and many vendors of hunting equipment. Hunters may obtain no more than one Whitetail Antlerless Only deer permit and no more than four Whitetail Antlerless Only Deer Game Tags. Only one game tag may be used in Units 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17, and 18. The game tags are not valid on land managed by the Department of Wildlife and Parks.
Perhaps the most popular permit that may be purchased without going through the draw process is the Whitetail Either Sex permit ($31, general resident; $16, landowner/tenant). This year, for the first time, the Whitetail Either Sex permits can be purchased at various vendors, in addition to Wildlife and Parks offices. However, hunters are urged to order by mail or buy early to avoid long waiting lines.
Copies of Kansas deer permit and tag purchase forms are available for download at the department’s website http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us by phoning (620) 672-5911, or by emailing feedback@wp.state.ks.us.
DWR to CWD Test Harvested Deer - Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
08/25/03
During the 2003 hunting seasons, the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) plans to sample as many harvested deer in central and eastern Utah as possible for evidence of chronic wasting disease, a disease of deer and elk which was discovered for the first time in Utah in 2002.
The statewide deer archery season began last Saturday and will continue through September 12. The DWR is asking all deer archery hunters to notify them after harvesting a deer by calling (435) 636-6731. Arrangements will be made for a biologist or conservation officer to collect lymph nodes from the head of the harvested animal. Lymph nodes will then be submitted for laboratory testing. Test results will be made available to the hunter after tests are run.
Chronic Wasting Disease is believed to be 100 percent fatal to deer and elk and may be transmitted from one animal of the same species to another. There is no evidence to indicate that transmission can occur from one species to another. Efforts are underway across the United States to isolate infected herds to prevent the spread of this contagious disease. Although devastating to a deer population, there is no evidence to suggest that humans could be affected by contact with the disease.
In the absence of conclusive proof, the DWR encourages deer and elk hunters to be cautious when handling a harvested animal. Hunters are encouraged to use latex gloves when handling and field-dressing their kill. Hunters are cautioned against cutting into the brain, spinal column, lymph nodes or bone marrow, where the disease occurs in an infected animal. Hunters should select only healthy, normal-looking animals, and avoid harvesting an animal which appears confused, emaciated, uncoordinated or abnormal in any way.
Mountain Lion Younger than First Thought - Missouri Department of Conservation
08/25/03
A detailed examination of a mountain lion killed near Fulton last week showed the animal was younger than first thought. Biologists learned what the big cat had eaten recently, and they took tissue samples for DNA testing.
The 105-pound mountain lion (also known as a cougar) died when it was struck by an automobile on Highway 54 shortly before midnight Aug. 11. Wildlife biologists, a veterinarian and a taxidermist gathered at the Missouri Department of Conservation's Resource Science Center in Columbia Aug. 13 to perform a necropsy -- the veterinary equivalent of an autopsy -- on the animal's carcass.
Conservation Department Resource Scientist Dave Hamilton said a thorough external examination showed that the big cat still had dark spots on its flanks and hindquarters, and barring on the inside of its front legs.
"Those markings are very prominent on kittens, and they fade slowly as the animal matures," said Hamilton. "They disappear entirely by the age of three. Judging by this animal's appearance, we think it was between a year and a year and a half old."
Ticks from the mountain lion's skin have been sent to a laboratory for identification. If any of these are not indigenous to Missouri, they could provide clues about where the cat came from.
Investigators also conducted an internal examination and concluded that the mountain lion died instantly. Hamilton said the impact separated several of its neck bones and broke both front legs.
The mountain lion seemed to have been in good health before the accident. Hamilton said it had ample fat deposits around its internal organs. It wasn't fat, however, as many captive animals are. The teeth were clean. Captive animals sometimes have plaque deposits on their teeth and gums from eating commercially prepared food.
Investigators found a gray squirrel in the cat's stomach. The squirrel carcass carried numerous fly eggs, indicating the animal had been dead some time before it was eaten. In the lower intestines, they found hair, which also has been sent to a lab for identification.
Hamilton said the necropsy didn't answer the question of whether the mountain lion was strictly wild or if it might have been kept in captivity at one time. "It showed no signs of captivity. That's about all we can say."
Researchers took tissue samples for DNA testing. This will determine whether the mountain lion is more closely related to North American mountain lions or to those from South America. Most captive mountain lions come from South American stock.
The mountain lion's pelt will be mounted for display at a nature center.
Mountain lions were believed to be extirpated from Missouri in 1927, when the last known individual was killed in the state's Bootheel region. The Callaway County mountain lion is the seventh verified sighting in recent years.
The first recent sighting was in 1994, when a man shot a small adult female cougar in Carter County. There is considerable evidence that this was the same animal whose pelt turned up in Texas County four years later.
Mountain lions were video-taped in Reynolds County in 1996, in Christian County in 1997 and in Lewis County in 2000. In 1999, a rabbit hunter saw a mountain lion in Texas County, and the discovery of fresh cougar kills nearby confirmed the sighting. The sixth sighting came last October, when a motorist killed a cougar in Clay County.
The increasing incidence of mountain lion sightings in Missouri parallels neighboring states' experience. Mountain lions used to be rare in South Dakota, but they have a well-established population there today. Nebraska is seeing them more often, and there have been verified sightings in Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa.
Hamilton said Missouri almost certainly has a small population of mountain lions, "a handful." It is impossible to know whether these have migrated into Missouri, which he considers the most likely case, if they are escaped or released captive cougars or if they are descended from native Missouri stock that survived for decades undetected.
So far, said Hamilton, the Conservation Department hasn't seen evidence of cougar reproduction in Missouri, but he said this probably is only a matter of time.
Hamilton said the Conservation Department isn't stocking mountain lions and isn't doing anything to encourage the species' return to Missouri. He said their resurgence is partly a result of Missouri's success in restoring deer, which are cougars' primary food.
Mountain lions are classified as endangered in Missouri, so they are protected by law. However, it is legal to kill mountain lions or other wildlife that threaten people, livestock or pets.
Cougars sometimes attack pets or livestock, and attacks on people are rare. They are shy of humans and normally stay away from areas frequented by people. Missourians who think they see mountain lions are encouraged to contact the nearest conservation agent or Conservation Department office. The agency's Mountain Lion Response Team investigates every report.
"It's natural for people to wonder if they should be afraid for their children or themselves, now that we have seen several mountain lions here," said Hamilton. "I try to encourage them to keep their worries in perspective. More people are killed by bee stings every year in the United States than have been killed by mountain lions in the past 100 years. Your chances of being struck by lightning are better, and children are much, much more likely to be attacked by someone's pet dog than by a mountain lion. We shouldn't let those worries keep us indoors."
Experts say that mountain lions are ambush predators and avoid fights. The best way to avoid attack if you encounter a mountain lion is to appear large and threatening. Standing tall, raising a shirt or jacket over your head with your arms, talking firmly in a loud voice and throwing objects all can help deter an attack. Don't lean over or turn your back on a threatening cougar.
If attacked, fight back. People have stopped mountain lion attacks by hitting them in the face, stabbing them with sharp objects and gouging their eyes.
Big Game Regulation Summary Flyers Available - California Department of Fish and Game
08/25/03
The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has released the 2003-2004 Big Game Mammal Hunting Regulations in the form of a double-sided, legal-sized flyer. Due to budget reductions, only the most commonly referenced hunting regulations and information will be included.
The condensed format will provide open season dates for deer and bear, along with selected hunting provisions. Hunters are reminded, however, that they must comply with all other applicable state and federal regulations, including method of take and shooting hours.
The summary flyer can be found at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/fg_comm/2003/mammalflyer.pdf. Anyone wishing to view the full regulations can log onto DFG’s website at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/fg_comm/regs.html.
DFG will print 300,000 copies of the flyer which will be available at DFG offices and license agents, at the Internet link mentioned above, or by requesting a copy at (916) 227-2245.
Other regulations due out this year, including small mammal, upland game, and waterfowl, will be provided in a similarly condensed format. Alternate communication format is available upon request. If reasonable accommodation is needed, call the Fish and Game Commission, (916) 653-4899, fgc@dfg.ca.gov or the California Relay Service for the deaf or hearing-impaired from TDD phones at (800) 597-9823.
Mule Deer Hunting Outlook - Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks
08/18/03
A wet spring and lush forage in many parts of the state through spring and early summer gave mule deer a good start this year before hot, dry weather moved in drying out forage in some parts of the state.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ spring 2003 population surveys showed mule deer numbers at average to above average in most of Montana.
By mid-summer, hot and dry weather in most of the state provided less than optimum conditions and may have increased the likelihood of fall game-damage problems.
“Mule deer fawns, born in June, experience better growth in years marked by good spring and early summer rains,” said Jeff Herbert, FWP Wildlife Division assistant administrator. “Usually, they’ll enter winter in better condition and are more apt to survive.”
“I’d anticipate that in spite of this summer’s hot, dry conditions forage will hold up and fawns will still be going into the winter in fairly good condition, however, a lot depends on what happens weather wise through the remainder of the summer and into fall,” Herbert said.
The number of fawns that survive their first winter is a significant factor in the population trends FWP observes year-to-year.
“Tracking the number of fawns that survive through the winter in relationship to the total number of adults give us important information. Coupled with buck-to-doe ratios collected in early winter, our surveys help us to spot population trends and adjust our hunting regulations accordingly,” Herbert said.
The surveys are conducted across the state on 13 census areas and 67 trend areas. And, while most showed promise in last spring’s surveys, there are some areas of concern.
“In a few areas we’re seeing what may be early indications that mule deer numbers have peaked and started down,” Herbert said.
In the Bridger Mountains, for example, some populations have declined a bit even with relatively favorable conditions. In other areas near Bozeman dry conditions last year combined with heavier, late winter snow reduced fawn survival, in some cases for the second year.
“How these situations play out depends a lot on how dry it is late summer and early fall in these areas and how harsh this coming winter is,” Herbert said.
Here is a regional look at Montana’s mule deer populations:
In FWP Region 1, Kalispell and the surrounding northwestern area mule deer populations are holding steady and there is a satisfactory age structure of bucks. Fawn survival this winter should be helped by the good forage in summer. There are no hunting season changes planned for mule deer in the northwest at this time. Hunters can expect hunting opportunities to be similar to those in 2002.
In FWP Region 2, Missoula and the surrounding area, western Montana’s wet spring and improved quality and quantity of forage gave mule deer a good start though that was followed with dryer, late summer conditions. Hunters can expect hunting opportunities to be similar to those in the past couple of years.
In FWP Region 3, Bozeman and the surrounding area biologists believe mule deer produced a healthy fawn crop as a result of a favorable growing season through mid-July. The onset of hot, dry weather during mid to late summer could reduce forage quality and impact the physical condition of deer entering winter. This fall, hunters can expect to find average to slightly above average numbers of mule deer in most habitats. Buck to doe ratios and buck hunting opportunities should show noticeable signs of improvement in most areas, reflecting the above average survival of fawns in recent years.
In FWP Region 4, Great Falls and the surrounding area, a favorable spring this year should help increase winter fawn survival and maintain mule deer populations depending on how late season forage holds up. The number of adult females remains strong and the prognosis is good for maintaining populations previously limited by drought. Hunters can expect the coming hunting season to be similar to the 2000 and 2001 seasons, with no substantive changes in the hunting regulations. The liberal number of antlerless “B” licenses in many hunting districts, reflecting abundant antlerless deer, will continue this season.
In FWP Region 5, Billings and the surrounding area, both prairie and mountain mule deer populations show signs of stress from consecutive years of drought followed by this past harsh winter and now a dry summer. Biologists expect mule deer populations to remain stable. Biologists are recommending a hunting package that supplies an average number of hunting opportunities in the plains habitats. In the mountains, a more restrictive hunting package, with less than average hunting opportunities, will help stabilize these populations.
In FWP Region 6, Glasgow and the surrounding area, overall mule deer numbers are 23 percent above the long-term average and 16 percent above the numbers observed in 2002. Forage has been good throughout the region since the spring of 2002, with obvious positive impacts on mule deer. The mule deer picture is bright.
In FWP Region 7, Miles City and the surrounding area precipitation in April, May and June dramatically improved wildlife forage. The outlook for mule deer populations in FWP Region 7 is good to excellent. Hunters can expect to see good hunting opportunities for both older aged and younger bucks, while doe hunting opportunities will vary by area depending on late summer and fall moisture.
Special Deer Hunt at Sandhill Wildlife Area - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
08/18/03
Two weekend deer hunts will be conducted by special permit this year at Sandhill Wildlife Area near Babcock.
Both hunts will be two-day events and each will be for antlerless deer. The hunts will be on Nov. 8-9 and Nov. 15-16. The hunts are conducted by the Department of Natural Resources to reduce the deer herd within the 9,150-acre wildlife area, located about 20 miles west of Wisconsin Rapids in Wood County.
To enroll in the hunt(s), individuals must send in their name, address, customer ID number, daytime phone number and email address (if available) to Sandhill Wildlife Area.
Hunters will need to indicate whether they want to hunt Week A (Nov. 8-9), Week B (Nov. 15-16) or both weekends (Nov. 8-9 and 15-16). Each participating hunter will receive two bonus antlerless permits valid only within Sandhill for the weekend indicated on the permit. Hunters with valid permits for both weekends may be allowed to use their unfilled fist weekend permits during the second weekend hunt.
All hunters are required to attend a one-hour clinic on Oct. 25 or 26 at the Sandhill Outdoor Skill Center located on the wildlife area. Clinic fees are $20 for adults and $10 for youths 15 and under.
Registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis by either mail or walk-in (M-F 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.). No telephone or e-mail registration will be accepted. Two hundred applicants will be allowed to hunt each weekend. Only individuals with valid permits for the indicated weekend hunt will be allowed to enter during the hunts.
Applicants for the hunt can mail their registration information and clinic payment to: Antlerless Hunt, Sandhill Wildlife Area, PO Box 156, Babcock, WI. 54413. Payment for clinic fees should be made payable to Wisconsin DNR. Checks received after the Sept. 12 deadline will be returned.
Successful applicants enrolled will receive an email or letter of notification with the time and date of their assigned clinic. Once times of clinics are assigned there will be no changes will be made. Participants will be issued their bonus permits free of charge at end of their clinic.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandhill Wildlife Area office, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. – (715) 884-2437 .
Wanted: Owners of Big Bucks - West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
08/18/03
The West Virginia Wildlife Federation, in cooperation with the Division of Natural Resources, will be recognizing hunters who own trophy deer that were legally taken in West Virginia with either bow or gun and have a Pope & Young or Boone and Crockett score of 155 or greater. This recognition will involve participation in a West Virginia Big Buck Display at West Virginia’s Celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Day, September 27- 28, 2003 at Stonewall Jackson Lake State Park near Weston in LewisCounty. This is the largest event held at a West Virginia state park, attracting 12,000 to 15,000 visitors annually.
Interested hunters who have qualifying head or antlers mounts should contact Arthur Mullins of the West Virginia Wildlife Federation at (304) 925-3753 between 6 and 9 p.m. for additional information or a registration form. Additional information and registration forms may also be found at http://www.dnr.state.wv.us.
Participation will be limited to the first 30 trophy entries received. Those hunters whose trophy deer are chosen for display at the 2 (two) day event will be entered into an exclusive drawing for three separate prizes. Two Knight muzzleloaders, one with a scope and one without, and a guided deer or turkey hunt, which will be filmed for the hunter’s home video library.
First Bobcat Hunting Season in 25 years - Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
08/18/03
The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission accepted a declaration of emergency to establish a bobcat hunting season to run concurrent with the 2003-04 deer season. The rule presented to the commission at their August 6 meeting, states: "Properly licensed big game hunters may take a bobcat during the open deer hunting season. The season limit on bobcats taken by recreational deer hunters shall be one. Legal shooting hours and methods of take shall be the same as those for deer in each area of the state." The rule will go into effect on September 13, the first opening day of archery season in the state.
Prior to 1978, the bobcat was classified as an outlaw quadruped and could be harvested by a licensed hunter at any time except at night. They were reclassified in 1978 as non-game furbearers. This made them legal to be harvested only by trappers during the trapping season. Their harvest numbers peaked in the early 1980s. Since the mid 1980s, reforestation programs have greatly enhanced the bobcat habitat and their population has increased. Act 1248 of the Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature authorized the commission to create the season.
For more information, contact Tommy Prickett at 225/765-2348 prickett_te@wlf.state.la.us
September 1 Opener Offers Plenty of Opportunities - Ohio Department of Natural Resources
08/18/03
September 1 marks the opening day of fall hunting season in Ohio, providing outdoorsmen and women with a variety of excellent hunting opportunities, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
"There has always been a lot of anticipation leading up to Ohio's opening day and this year is no exception," said Steven A. Gray, chief of the ODNR Division of Wildlife. "Whether it be an early morning goose or dove hunt or an afternoon in the woods pursuing squirrels, Ohio has a lot to offer starting September 1."
September 1 kicks off the state's hunting seasons with the opening of squirrel, dove, Canada goose, teal, rail, moorhen and snipe hunting seasons. Cool, crisp mornings coupled with warn afternoon of sunshine make September an ideal month to be outdoors in Ohio's woods, fields and marshes.
All hunters must possess a current Ohio hunting license. Those hunting waterfowl must also have a current state wetlands habitat stamp endorsement, a federal duck stamp and a new Harvest Information Program (HIP) certification.
Squirrels can be hunted from one half an hour before sunrise to sunset. Hunting hours during the seasons for rails, moorhens, snipe, woodcock, teal, doves and Canada geese are sunrise to sunset. The only exceptions will be on wildlife areas that have special posted hunting times for dove hunting.
The Ohio hunting digest and the 2003 Migratory Game Bird Hunting Seasons brochure is available at license outlets statewide, Division of Wildlife district offices or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.
DNR Continues Extensive CWD Testing - Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
08/18/03
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced plans today to nearly triple the number of wild deer tested for chronic wasting disease (CWD) during this fall’s hunting seasons.
No positive results were found last year in tests on about 4,400 deer. This fall, the goal is to test 13,000 hunter-harvested deer for CWD. The intensified effort is part of a plan to test wild deer throughout the state in the next two to three years, said Lou Cornicelli, big game coordinator for the DNR Division of Wildlife.
Samples will be collected at 135 big-game registration stations in 60 permit areas located in the northwest, northeast, east-central and west-central portions of the state. A map detailing the permit areas can be found on the DNR Web site.
Like last year, DNR staff, with the help of volunteers and tribal authorities, will ask firearms hunters to submit their deer for sampling as they bring the animal in for registration.
Cornicelli said a streamlined sampling process will help staff collect the additional samples this year, although weather and hunter success will still play a large role in the effort’s success.
"We made several refinements that should make the process more efficient this year," Cornicelli said. "Deer permit areas have been clustered so more deer that arrive at a DNR staffed registration will be sampled. We have also streamlined the data collection process, which should allow hunters to get in and out of the registration station quickly."
Also different from last year’s procedure will be the type of test run on samples, Cornicelli said. This year a lymph node will be removed from the harvested deer’s head for testing rather than brain stem tissue. The deer’s head will still need to be removed at the registration station.
Cornicelli said the DNR encourages archery hunters who harvest a deer at least one year old in a targeted permit area to contact their local wildlife office so a sample can be collected. A list of wildlife offices is available on the DNR Web site. Fawns will not be tested because the prevalence rate of the disease is so low it can’t be detected with reliability at that age.
Hunters who volunteer a sample this year will receive a DNR cooperator patch and be placed in a drawing to win one of several firearms being offered by the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association and Bluffland Whitetails Association.
Cornicelli reminded hunters that they must present the deer at the time of registration to legally comply with the registration requirements.
Hunters who harvest deer outside areas where the DNR is collecting samples and who are interested in getting their deer tested will again be able to submit a sample through their local veterinarian. The University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory is currently updating a list of participating veterinarians. The list will be available on the DNR Web site.
So far, CWD in Minnesota has been found only in farmed elk. One elk tested positive for CWD after it died on an Aitkin County farm in August 2002. A second elk, which was part of a herd where the Aitkin elk originated, tested positive after it was quarantined and killed for testing on a Stearns County farm in January 2003. While CWD has not been found in Minnesota’s wild deer, hunters should follow these precautions:
Do not shoot an animal that is acting abnormally or appears to be sick; contact the local DNR conservation officer or DNR wildlife office immediately so an attempt can be made to find and dispatch the animal for testing
Wear durable rubber gloves when field dressing carcasses and wash hands and instruments thoroughly after field dressing
Bone out the meat from the animal; don't saw through bone and avoid cutting through the brain or backbone
Do not consume brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils or lymph nodes. The normal process of boning meat will remove most, if not all of these tissues.
Testing results will be available at the DNR Web site at http://www.dnr.state.mn.us once the sampling for the permit area is completed.
Comprehensive Deer Management Survey Initiated - Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department
08/18/03
The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department will ask five-thousand Vermont hunters their opinions on antler restrictions in a survey being mailed out this week. The intent of the survey is to assess the opinion of resident hunters regarding possible changes to the deer seasons that would increase the number of two-and-a-half year old and older bucks in the annual deer harvest.
“The information we received from our public deer meetings this past spring indicated hunters were interested in having the department seriously explore changes that would allow more bucks to grow to an older age before they could be legally harvested,” explained Fish and Wildlife Department Commissioner Wayne Laroche. “We are calling such a change in our deer seasons, Comprehensive Deer Management. If we believe there is enough hunter interest, the department will propose some experimental changes to the deer seasons. Any experimental change will be monitored to see if the change meets both the biological needs of the herd and hunter satisfaction.”
Any experimental changes would require that the department designate proposed wildlife management units as experimental. Within the defined area, hunters would be limited on the size of the bucks that could be harvested through antler point restrictions designed to protect younger bucks. The restrictions would be in effect during archery, rifle and muzzleloader season. The department would likely issue additional antlerless permits within these zones. The restrictions would likely be proposed to be put in place for five years. After five years, the department would evaluate the results of these changes and determine success or failure. Hunter satisfaction will be key in determining success or failure.
“Of course, any change to our deer seasons would have to receive legislative approval,” said Laroche.
The department hopes to have the majority of the surveys returned by September 2. Based upon the results of that survey and other public input, the department will draft a Comprehensive Deer Management proposal.
Results tallied from the approximately 450 surveys returned to the department by hunters who attended the March deer meetings showed strong interest in a change. The meeting survey included questions that ranged from legal antler size for harvest to what makes a deer hunting experience special.
Hunters were asked whether the department should adopt a three points or greater antler description to restrict the number of young bucks that are harvested. Sixty percent of hunters favored such a change, while 40 percent favored leaving the legal antler size at three inches. When asked what qualities they valued most about their deer hunting experience, hunters ranked the following qualities by order of importance: 92 percent being in the woods; 78 percent seeing a deer; 71 percent being with friends; 32 percent harvesting a big buck; 27 percent harvesting a deer; and 26 percent harvesting a buck.
On the questions of deer baiting, 74 percent of respondents said they did not place food near their hunting stands to attract deer, while 26 percent did. While the department’s policy of discouraging winter deer feeding was supported by 62 percent of the respondents, hunters had mixed feelings about imposing a ban on the practice. Fifty-six percent of hunters favored implementing a regulation to ban artificial feeding of deer during the winter, while 44 percent opposed such a ban.
On September 13, the department will participate in a Whitetail Symposium at the Pavilion Building at the Champlain Valley Fairgrounds in Essex, Vermont. The symposium is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will feature department presentations on Comprehensive Deer Management. A gun show also will be held at this time. The cost to attend both the show and the symposium is $7. The public is invited to attend and is urged to provide feedback to the department on deer management issues.
Game & Fish Commission Approves Wolf Plan - Wyoming Game and Fish Department
08/18/03
Although delisting the gray wolf and placing it under state management came a step closer with the recent approval of the Wyoming Gray Wolf Management Plan, the animal is still protected by federal law, reports the Game and Fish Department.
With the much discussed provision of the plan which classifies wolves as predators in most of the state, the G&F has received several inquiries from citizens ready to go wolf hunting. The G&F alerts prospective wolf hunters that the G&F Commission only approved a plan that will guide state management when wolves are formally delisted. A regulation that will permit hunting will be adopted after delisting occurs.
“The wolf is still a federally protected species,” said John Emmerich, G&F assistant Wildlife Division chief. “Although the plan and the associated legislation has received considerable attention and hopefully in time will shape Wyoming wolf regulations, for now they are just steps in the process to have wolves delisted.”
The plan stipulates if more than seven wolf packs occur outside Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway when delisting occurs, wolves would be classified as a trophy game animal in the parks and parkway and adjoining U.S. National Forest wilderness areas. Wolves would be classified as predators in the rest of Wyoming.
If the number of wolf packs outside the parks and parkway fall to seven or fewer, the trophy game animal classification will be expanded to a larger area to ensure wolf harvest is regulated sufficiently to maintain seven packs outside the parks and parkway.
The plan allows Wyoming to maintain at least 15 packs in the state, with a commitment to manage for seven packs outside the national parks and parkway.
Hunter Education Law Revised - Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks
08/18/03
Revisions to the wording of Montana’s hunter education law made last spring by the Montana legislature go into effect Oct. 1. The new wording states all residents and nonresidents born after Jan. 1, 1985 must take a hunter education course and present the hunter education certificate the first time they buy a Montana hunting license.
Until Oct. 1 the law’s wording differs, stating that resident and nonresident youth ages 12-17 must present a hunters education certificate to purchase a hunting license the first time they buy a Montana Hunting license.
A small group of young 18-year old hunters are caught in the transition. Those born after Jan. 1, 1985 who have never purchased a hunting license and who have not taken a hunter education course must have a hunter education certificate in order to purchase a license after Oct. 1. They need to present the certificate only the first time they buy a license. The information will be input and stored in FWP’s Automated Licensing System.
If they purchase a hunting license before Oct. 1 of this year, these individuals can do so without a hunter education certificate and the license will be valid for the entire 2003 hunting season. However, in 2004 they must present a hunter education certificate to buy a hunting license.
For questions on the new law, contact the nearest local FWP regional office, or call: 406-444-2535.
Yep, pretty hard to NOT agree on the Cheerleaders. LOL
Well other than the fact I am a Harley man and Matt is into them pedal bikes from Japan. Other than that we pretty much agree on everything else, including NFL Cheerleaders! <GGG>
Colt
HEY, I MAY BE DUMB BUT, I AIN'T DEAF AND BLIND! LOL I do answer some of Matt's posts. It's just that he and I agree 99% of the time. He ain't like you Canukkkkks! HARR!
Colt
LOL, I believe in 'Stacking' the deck! Colt
Which post of his did I miss? I haven't been able to post for over a week.
Colt
Yep, OneBgg...and being corrupt doesn't stop at the national level. We've had more than our share of crooked politicians down here in the local offices. Lots of money passed under the table. Money and Power is rampant in local races here. A real shame but, it has gone on for at least a hundred years or more.
Colt
Damn, he is lucky to be alive. e/
Me Picks The Dallas Cowboys...both the team and the Cheerleaders...
Colt
Okiedokie! Matt, Churak and I DEMAND our Fair Share! How's that, Churak?
Colt
LOL, I agree, OneBgg. I can't stand him or Cochran. Both are jerks.
Colt
Yep...they are few and far between but, there are a few good ones left.
Colt
Agreed, OneBgg...e/
Does Matt pay for grabbing Grubs on his board?
M-M, we now have OneBgg, admitting his guilt in writing. We may have to get Geraldo Rivera on this scoop. LOL
Colt
Yep!