Archive for the ‘Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors’ Category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Big Green verses CNBC

October 25, 2010

This week, CNBC aired an hour-long attack on the Remington 700 rifle, rehashing decades-old allegations about the popular rifle’s trigger system.  (Interestingly, the network’s “10-month investigation” aired just a few months after a press release went out from a Kansas City law firm that has sued Remington in the past, seeking plaintiffs for new cases against the gun maker.)  While CNBC and plaintiffs’ lawyers claim the rifle will fire without the trigger being pulled, Remington says that neither the company nor the plaintiffs’ expert witnesses have ever been able to cause such a discharge in a properly maintained, unaltered rifle.

The program also repeated the gun ban lobby’s longstanding complaint that the Consumer Product Safety Commission doesn’t have the power to order recalls of firearms and ammunition.  Congress’s wisdom in refusing to give CPSC that power was proven in the 1990s, when CPSC staff told the Clinton White House the agency “would love to get into the gun regulation business” and anti-gun Sen. Howard Metzenbaum (D-Ohio) introduced legislation to remove the restriction.

The NRA is second to no one in supporting and promoting firearm safety, and NRA publications have regularly published announcements of voluntary recalls by gun and ammunition manufacturers.   Yet since long before “Dateline NBC” used rocket motors to blow up pickup trucks in staged collisions, gun owners have rightly been skeptical of the mainstream media’s ability to report fairly and accurately on firearms issues.  These attacks on Remington are far from over, and NRA members who want to hear the company’s side of the story can visit Remington’s new website on the issue at www.remington700.tv.

SOURCE

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Economics, Editorial, Opinion, Education, Gun Control, Hoplophobia, Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors, Law, mysandry, News, Non Compos Mentis, Politics, States Rights, Wordpress Political Blogs | 1 Comment »

NRA Endorsements: Single issue organization fallacy

October 12, 2010

The National Rifle Association recently released it’s political endorsements for the upcoming elections. There is an excellent discussion about this HERE. Be sure to read through the comments as they are a bot more than enlightening. I had planned on an in depth posting on the subject, however Dave Kopel really beat me to it! 🙂

Now, speaking as a Life Member I have one thing to say about the NRA being a “single issue” organization. BOVINE FECES Mister Cox and Mister LaPierre. I seem to remember something about “It’s not about hunting ducks.” Yet, the NRA has an entire division devoted to hunting. Let’s not forget about the various marksmanship  and safety programs that are offered. Single issue? Hardly! Stop the hypocrisy, please!

Then we have the NRA rolling over time and time again; The NRA supported ex post facto law. The NRA has supported so-called “reasonable” restrictions on your Second Amendment rights on so many occasions that I won’t bother with citation.

Now, I happen to like many of the programs noted above, and believe that they are quite valuable resources. Just stop playing the game that, for all appearances, looks to simply be more pandering to high dollar donors. While at the same time going into damage control mode when the membership decides to take you to the wood shed over yet another action that is so clearly against their (the membership’s) wishes. And or dealing in appeasement politics.

Who will truly protect your rights on a national level? Gun Owners of America does. As does the Second Amendment Foundation and the National Association for Gun Rights. There are also regional and state organizations that refuse to kow tow to along the lines of the NRA. Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, and Wyoming Gun Owners come to mind, and there are others out there that I am not familiar with.

Sure, vote freedom first! Just make sure that is actually what you are doing, and support those organizations that truly defend your rights!

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Domestic Violence, Economics, Editorial, Opinion, Education, Gun Control, Hoplophobia, Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors, Immigration, Law, Local Politics Colorado, Local Politics Wyoming, mysandry, News, Non Compos Mentis, Politics, States Rights, Uncategorized, Wordpress Political Blogs | 1 Comment »

Range Report: Shooting minute of Elk

September 30, 2010

Today was sight in day at our local range, and, I just happened to have put together some Elk fodder for the Marlin XL7. Now, 270 Winchesters are known for fine accurate and for being pretty picky when it comes to what you feed them. The brand doesn’t seem to matter, you just have to hunt for the right load combination and or factory ammunition. Which can get pretty expensive.

To add to the confusion, brands that you think would match up sometimes don’t really function all that well. I’ve owned several Remington rifles, and, for an example; none of them shot Remington ammunition worth a hoot! They all shot extremely well using Federal products though.

My Marlin has been not to kind to Nosler bullets, which I happen to really like. But Sierra? They all seem to shoot like a dream. Since I don’t have a lot of time to work up an Elk load, I popped open the Sierra loading manual, and had a go at it. Please note that what follows is safe in my rifle, but may not be in yours. Work up loads cautiously, and never exceed maximum loads. Also, this was not really a reloading situation, as this was new unfired Remington brass.

Components are as follows. Brass, as noted above, was new unfired Remington, fully prepped including deburring the flash holes, and sizing the primer pockets. Cases were full length sized using an RCBS X-Die.

Primers were Federal Large Rifle, and the chosen bullet was the Sierra GameKing 150 grain. Cartridge overall length was set at 3.316 inches, and the powder used was Reloader 22.

My particular rifle has a history of shooting better with the hotter loads, but I also had not tried any 150 grain bullets in it yet, so I stuck with the book recommendations. The best accuracy load was listed at 53.7 grains of powder, with the hunting load at 55.2 grains. I used Remington Core-Lokt 150 grain ammunition as a control.

The range was pretty crowded with people waiting for a shooting station, so this had to be brief. Allowing the barrel to completely cool just was not possible.

Range, 100 yards for all loads, with the temperature in the upper 70’s and the humidity was right around 50 percent according to The Weather Channel. Winds were variable, but nothing really serious, maybe an occasional gust at 10 mph. All shots were from a bench using rests, and I had the luxury of a spotter this day. 🙂

Control group: 5 rounds of Remington Core-Lokt 150 grain. After a fouling round had been shot. 1.5 inches.

The lighter Accuracy recommended load of 53.7 grains of R 22 powder came in at just under 1 inch. 🙂

The heavier charge , same bullet and powder. Came in at 1/2 inch! I am sighted three inches high at one hundred yards, and should be able to shoot using no adjustment out to 250 yards.

That friends, is minute of Elk, and then some!

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Education, Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

DOW RESEARCHER PRESENTS PLANS FOR MULE DEER STUDY

September 28, 2010

If only other agency’s from more state’s were this thoughtful, and informed. Yes, I know, Whitetail Deer are the number one game animal hunted, but, I am, and always will be a dyed in the wool Mule Deer fan!

KREMMLING, Colo — The Colorado Division of Wildlife is preparing for a large study of buck mule deer survival in Middle Park to improve the Division’s ability to manage deer populations around the state through more informed modeling and harvest decisions.

The study plan will be explained by lead researcher Eric Bergman at a meeting of the Blue Valley Sportsman Club on Wednesday, Oct. 6. The public is invited to attend the meeting which will begin at 7 p.m. at the Blue Valley Sportsman Club.

Management of deer populations has become more complicated since the state responded to mule deer population declines by moving from over-the-counter deer licenses to limited licenses in 1999.

During the initial two to three years of the study, the Division will establish a baseline by monitoring mule deer in Middle Park. Then the Division will temporarily adjust the allocation of hunting licenses in the area in an effort to change the ratio of bucks to does in the herd. During this period, Bergman and his team of researchers will monitor the population to assess how the license allocation actually affects the population of deer in the area.

“It’s extremely important for managers to know if there are differences between survival rates of bucks, does and fawns when we manage herds for different objectives,” said Bergman. “For instance, in some areas we may be managing for a post hunt ratio of 45 bucks per 100 does while in other areas we may be managing for a post hunt ratio of 25 bucks per 100 does. We’ve learned that we can effectively accomplish this, but we don’t know if the over-winter survival of bucks under these two conditions is different.”

Those who are interested in hearing more about the research project are encouraged to attend the meeting on Oct. 6. The Blue Valley Sportsman Club is located 11 miles south of Kremmling at milepost 128.1 on Colorado Highway 9.
More information about the Division’s mule deer research may be found at:
http://wildlife.state.co.us/Research/Mammal/Deer/

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Education, Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors, News, Politics | 4 Comments »

MARKSMANSHIP CLASSES SCHEDULED FOR SAN LUIS VALLEY

August 28, 2010

MONTE VISTA, Colo. — Hunters who are interested in sharpening their shooting skills and improving their chances of harvesting big game this fall are encouraged to sign up for one of three upcoming marksmanship classes.
Rick Basagoitia, area manager for the Colorado Division of Wildlife in the San Luis Valley, is teaching three classes during the next month: Sept. 7-9, one evening classroom session and two evening range sessions; Sept. 23 and 25, an evening classroom session and a morning range session; Oct. 4, a full-day class.
“Good shooting is not a natural skill,” said Basagoitia. “By learning more about your rifle and ballistics you’ll be a better shot and a more effective hunter.”
There is no charge and each class is open to 10 people.
Class participants should bring their rifles and know the caliber, barrel length, action type; specifications of their rifle scopes; and the type of ammunition that will be used while hunting. For the range session, participants should also bring 30-40 rounds of ammunition; appropriate clothing,  lunch and water; shooting sticks, backpacks, bipods or sandbags — whatever is normally used to shoot off of in the field. Participants will not use the shooting benches.
For more information or to register for the class, please call the Monte Vista DOW office at (719)587-6900.

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Education, Gun Control, Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors, News, Uncategorized | Comments Off on MARKSMANSHIP CLASSES SCHEDULED FOR SAN LUIS VALLEY

DOVE HUNTING USHERS IN COLORADO’S FALL HUNTING SEASONS

August 28, 2010

I might suggest Wellington State Wildlife Area, and not just the most accessible area.

DENVER, Colo. –After months of anticipation, hunters can celebrate the beginning of Colorado’s small-game hunting seasons when dove season opens statewide Wednesday, Sept. 1.  An abundant dove population coupled with nearly 170,000 acres of “free” walk-in hunting access will offer ample opportunities for eager wing shooters.

“This year’s dove season looks very promising,” said Ed Gorman, Division of Wildlife small-game manager.  “Bird numbers are good and we haven’t had any significant cold weather in August to expedite migration.   If this trend continues, there should be an excellent number of doves out there for the season opener.”

Approximately 14,000 hunters participate in Colorado’s dove season annually, making the small, fast-flying birds one of the state’s most popular and sought-after small-game species.

“Doves pose a significant challenge for even the most experienced and skilled shotgun enthusiast,” said Mark Cousins, DOW hunter education coordinator.  “In most cases, people miss more birds than they bring home, but a little practice goes a long way to improving success.  There is still some time for hunters to get out there and shoot a box or two of shells at the local sporting clays course before opening day.”

Colorado is home to three species of doves: the native mourning dove, the native white-winged dove, and the nonnative Eurasian collared-dove.

In addition to their popularity among hunters, doves are also Colorado’s most plentiful game bird and are widely dispersed throughout the state. Doves are most abundant in the plains areas east of I-25, and according to annual harvest surveys, hunters in Weld, Morgan, Adams, Arapahoe, Logan, Larimer, Yuma, Pueblo, Otero and Prowers counties harvest the greatest number of birds.

Although plentiful, doves are affected greatly by changes in the weather. One major cold front can trigger migration, causing the fair-weather birds to flee south to New Mexico, Arizona, Texas and Mexico.  Therefore, Gorman offers the following caveat to hunters:

“Hunt early and often, particularly in northeast Colorado where doves typically begin migrating by late August,” Gorman said. “Hunters should also pay close attention to the weather in the upcoming days and weeks.  While it is rare that a cool front will result in a mass migration, extended cool weather can reduce the numbers of doves and, more commonly, change distribution in certain areas.”

As the season progresses, Gorman says hunters should follow the birds as they move south.

“As dove populations decrease in northern Colorado, dove numbers in the southeast are building, offering great late-season opportunity into October,” said Gorman.

The DOW has opened more than 170,000 acres of private land to hunters through its early-season Walk-In Access program to provide even greater opportunities and land access to dove and other small-game hunters.

Beginning this year, small-game hunters are no longer required to purchase permits to hunt Walk-In Access properties.  WIA properties are now open to all hunters who possess a valid small-game license.

“Removing the barrier of the access fee makes this already successful program even better,” said Gorman.  “In addition, hunters who plan accordingly and do some pre-season scouting could be well rewarded on some of these WIA properties.”

Early-season WIA properties open Sept. 1, and many offer good opportunities for dove hunting. For best results, hunters should search for properties supporting food crops, including wheat stubble, proso-millet stubble and sunflower fields.  Areas located near water and roosting sites should also hold good numbers of doves, helping hunters to fill the generous 15-bird daily bag limit.

Colorado’s dove season runs from Sept. 1 through Nov. 9, statewide.

Small-game and upland hunters can also look forward to the debut of the following hunting seasons in the upcoming days and weeks:

Turkey
Sept. 1-Oct. 3 (West of I-25 and Game Management Units 140)
Sept. 1-Oct. 22 (East of I-25, excluding Game Management Unit 140)

Blue (Dusky) Grouse
Sept. 1-Nov. 21 (all Game Management Units west of I-25

Teal
Sept. 12-20 (Lake and Chaffee Counties and east of I-25

Chukar
Sept. 1-Nov. 28 (statewide)

Pheasant and Quail
Nov. 13 (season ending dates vary, please see 2010 Small Game Brochure for details)

The Colorado Division of Wildlife reminds small-game hunters to have a safe 2010-11 hunting season and to be mindful of the following regulations and advisories before heading into the field: 

Walk-In Access Program Atlas

The 2010 “early-season” Walk-In Access Program Brochure/Atlas is available at any authorized license agent or DOW office.  An electronic version is also available on the DOW website at:
http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/SmallGame/WalkInAccess/

The Walk-In Atlas provides detailed descriptions of each property, including the type of cover crop (corn, grass, wheat stubble, etc.) and offers other useful information and tips for hunters.

Eurasian collared-doves

Beginning this September, hunters may shoot Eurasian collared-doves year-round and enjoy unlimited bag and possession limits for this species.

Native to Asia, Eurasian collared-doves are a relative newcomer to Colorado and are considered an invasive species in the United States.  In the mid-1970s, Eurasian collared-doves were introduced to the Bahaman Islands, spread to Florida and have expanded their range across the United States during the last three decades.  The doves migrated to Colorado in the mid-1990s and have adapted well to Colorado’s variable climate.  Unlike native dove species, Eurasian doves remain in Colorado year-round. Unlimited bag and possession limits and a year-round season have been established to help control their population.

Photos of Eurasian collared-doves are available here:

http://wildlife.state.co.us/apps/ImageDB/ImageDownload.aspx?ImageId=25319&ImageSize=Print&ImageType=jpg

Harvest Information Program (HIP)

All small-game hunters must register with the Harvest Information Program before hunting anywhere in Colorado.  The HIP is a joint effort between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the DOW, and it is designed to improve small-game migratory bird-harvest estimates. Colorado requires all small-game hunters to sign up with HIP to help the Division better estimate harvest for species that are difficult to address through a general small-game survey.   Hunters may obtain HIP numbers by calling 1-866-COLOHIP (265-6447) or by going to the Colorado HIP website at:
https://www.colohip.com/.

HIP numbers must be written in the space provided on small-game licenses.

2010 Small Game Brochure

For further information on dove and all other small-game hunting seasons, including bag and possession limits, please obtain a copy of the 2010 Colorado Small Game Brochure.  Brochures are available at any DOW office, license agent or may be viewed on the DOW website at:

http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdonlyres/780A905D-8639-4EB1-BBA0-20BBE1F915A8/0/smallgame.pdf

Mourning Dove Banding Program

The DOW, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 12 other states are participating in a mourning dove banding project. This effort is part of a nationwide program to help biologists determine annual survival rates, harvest rates and distribution of the harvest, as well as to refine techniques for future dove-banding programs.  Throughout the summer, doves were trapped, fitted with aluminum, individually numbered leg bands and then released.

To assist with this research, the DOW is asking dove hunters to look for leg bands on the mourning doves they shoot. Hunters are a critical link in this mourning dove banding study. By checking all harvested doves for bands and reporting banded doves, hunters help biologists manage this important migratory game bird. Because dove bands are small, hunters can easily overlook the bands, so all birds should be checked carefully. Hunters may encounter doves banded by other states as well.

Hunters who harvest banded doves are asked to report the band number to the Federal Bird Banding Laboratory (www.reportband.gov or 1-800-327-BAND).

Rattlesnake Warning

Early-season hunters need to be aware of rattlesnakes.  Hunters with dogs should be particularly mindful of their surroundings. If a dog is bitten by a rattlesnake, take the dog to a veterinarian immediately.  A veterinarian can perform the appropriate medical analysis, treatments and inject anti-venom if needed.  Dogs can now be vaccinated against rattlesnake bites. But if bitten, even vaccinated dogs should be taken to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

###

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Economics, Editorial, Opinion, Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors, Law, News, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

BIG GAME HUNTING SEASON STORIES NOW AVAILABLE AT DOW WEB SITE

August 28, 2010

The Colorado Division of Wildlife has posted its annual story package for the 2010 Big Game Hunting Season on its Web site. All media outlets are invited to use these for specials sections, on Web sites or in regular publications. Photos from the DOW image database are also available.

These are general stories that provide basic information to big game hunters. Topics include: care of big game meat; what hunters should do if they make a mistake in the field; proper use of off-road vehicles; common violations; tips for hunting deer and elk, and more.

Go to this web site to access the stories:
http://wildlife.state.co.us/NewsMedia/BigGameHuntingStories.htm.

Following is the list of the stories available this year.
–          Caring for Your Campsite
–          Don’t Shoot a Moose
–          Essential Hunting Gear Check-list
–          High Altitude Survival
–          DOW Offers Many Information Resources for Hunters
–          What to do if You Make a Mistake While Hunting
–          Know Where You’re Hunting
–          Preference Point System Explained
–          How to Hunt Pronghorn
–          Ranching for Wildlife Program Unique
–          Colorado’s Wildlife Conservation History
–          How to Hunt Deer
–          Avoid These Common Hunting Violations
–          How to Hunt Elk
–          Taking Care of Game Meat
–          Hunting Ethics Critical to Sport
–          How to Hunt Safely
–          Hunting with Horses
–          Know the Rules of Hunting
–          Poaching a Constant Problem
–          Staying Found in the Mountains
–          Use ATVs Properly
–          Wildlife Management in Colorado

If you need photos for your publication or Web site, photos from the DOW image database can be downloaded from http://wildlife.state.co.us/NewsMedia/ImageDB/. You can browse images by category or search by keyword. Once you’ve found the image you want, simply copy and paste the image or the image URL to your computer. Caption information is included with most photos. Unless otherwise noted, please credit Colorado Division of Wildlife.

For details about hunting in specific areas in Colorado, you can contact one of the DOW’s public information specialists:
Northeast region: Jennifer Churchill (303) 291-7234
Southeast region: Michael Seraphin (719) 227-5211
Northwest region: Randy Hampton (970) 255-6162
Southwest region: Joe Lewandowski (970) 375-6708
Statewide: Tyler Baskfield (303) 291-7468
Statewide: Jerry Neal (303) 291-7161

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Gun Control, Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors, Law, Local Politics Colorado, News, Uncategorized | Comments Off on BIG GAME HUNTING SEASON STORIES NOW AVAILABLE AT DOW WEB SITE

Brady Campaign’s slipping relevancy underscored by NRA convention

May 21, 2010

Adhering to a pattern of behavior that has developed over the years, a tiny contingent of gun prohibitionists paraded outside of the Charlotte Convention Center while the National Rifle Association was hosting its record-breaking members’ meeting, but they remained only long enough to get some camera time with local news crews.

Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, came to that North Carolina city in order to grab some face time and get his name in the local newspapers. Where the NRA can pull more than 70,000 members, the Brady bunch could barely muster two dozen protesters to parade around for perhaps an hour, probably less, and then leave satisfied that the 5 o’clock news would carry their images.

For several years, right up to the devastating 1994 mid-term elections that turned dozens of Congressional anti-gunners out of office, the Brady Campaign and other gun control groups enjoyed media and public support. But when gun rights organizations began fighting back with facts, and developed a strategy of education through legal journals, their influence began to wane. That influence continued to erode as time tested their rhetoric and found it not simply wanting, but totally preposterous.

Their dire predictions in state after state that concealed carry reform and state preemption statutes would spawn Wild West gunfights at fender benders, bloody shootouts in restaurants and cocktail lounges, and skyrocketing murder rates in which perpetrators would be citizens who were licensed to carry all were false. Influential people, including prosecutors and county sheriffs, recognized this and went on the record to say so.

These days, Brady’s Helmke is reduced to spouting platitudes on the steps of the Supreme Court, verbally bashing important civil rights cases like District of Columbia v. Heller and the Second Amendment Foundation’s pending McDonald v. City of Chicago.

His organization has desperately resorted to attacking Starbucks Coffee to gin up support while pandering paranoia; an effort that anti-gunners have developed into an art form, albeit a lousy one.

They have attacked the most anti-gun president in the nation’s history, giving Barack Obama an “F” grade because he is not anti-gun enough to suit their extremist philosophy.

The Brady Campaign has not managed to push through a single piece of federal legislation in more than 15 years. Their attempt to sue the gun industry into bankruptcy using anti-gun mayors as their puppet proxies failed on legal merit and in the court of public opinion.

If it weren’t for the fact that pro-gun rights groups are so active, the Brady bunch would not even have events to attend. In short, gun prohibitionists have become irrelevant, and in their desperation for attention, they appear to be in a state of denial, reaching out to a shrinking audience that still believes in public safety through demagoguery and surrender to the criminal element.

Just like some politicians, Helmke and the Brady Campaign do not know when it is time to retire.

Alan Gottlieb is the Founder of Second Amendment Foundation. Dave Workman is senior editor of Gun Week. They are co-authors of Assault on Weapons: The Campaign to Eliminate Your Guns.

SOURCE: SAF Newsletter

Op-Ed By Alan Gottlieb and Dave Workman

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Education, Gun Control, Hoplophobia, Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors, Law, mysandry, News, Politics, Wordpress Political Blogs | 6 Comments »

Volunteers Needed for Endangered Species Study‏

May 9, 2010

SALIDA, Colo. – The Division of Wildlife is looking for volunteers interested in searching for boreal toads in Colorado’s high country.

Training for interested volunteers begins on Thursday, May 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the DOW office in Salida.

“We need folks willing to hike into some of our high mountain lakes and ponds to determine which locations might have boreal toads,” said Tina Jackson of the DOW.

Boreal toads are small amphibians that were once common throughout the Southern Rocky Mountains.  Their population has steadily declined over the past two decades and now they are considered an endangered species in Colorado and New Mexico, as well as a protected species in Wyoming.

Boreal toads live at elevations between 7,000 – 12,000 feet above sea level.  Due to the short summer season in the high country, volunteers are needed to assist researchers gather data from as many locations as possible.

Volunteers are trained over two sessions.   The first session, May 13, is indoors.  It teaches how to identify boreal toads, or their tadpoles, and where to look.

The second session talks place Saturday, May 22 when Jackson will lead a field trip to a location where boreal toads are known to exist and provide hands-on training on how to identify the species and collect data.

Boreal toads are not the only amphibian to start disappearing.  Amphibians around the globe are experiencing alarming declines. Of the over three thousand amphibian species in the Americas, 39 percent are threatened with extinction.

Researchers believe the declines are related to infection by a fungus.  The fungus invades the thin, permeable skin of amphibians and appears to kill them by interrupting their ability to absorb oxygen through their skin.  The fungus is not dangerous to humans, but deadly to amphibians.

For more information about becoming a volunteer, contact: Raquel Stotler, DOW Area Wildlife Conservation Biologist in Salida at 719-530-5526, (raquel.stotler@state.co.us); or Jena Sanchez, DOW Volunteer Coordinator in Colorado Springs at 719-227-5204, (jena.sanchez@state.co.us).

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Education, Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors, News, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Volunteers Needed for Endangered Species Study‏

A day without fishing… Or blogging? Say it isn’t so!

May 8, 2010

Global warming struck my small slice of Wyoming today, and the snow stopped… For a few minutes anyways.

I’m not really much of a cold footer when it comes to fishing. Today though, I simply could not resist. Although I absolutely loved the fishing opportunities that Colorado offered? I never had an active trout stream literally within walking distance of my home.

I set the reloading things aside. The 270 can wait, at least for today… After all, last evening I had loaded up twenty precision rounds of Sierra GameKing. Deer, and Pronghorn are accounted for, and only the Elk loads remain to be loaded, both Accubonds and Partitions. Sometimes the inexpensive out performs the standard of the line. Be that Marlin XL7 Rifles, or Orvis Green Mountain Fly Rods.

The Orvis came out as if by magic, as did my waders, vest, and the various flies that I had tied across this rather extended period of man made global warming, or, as it is known in Wyoming, winter.

Men, and yes, women too have addictions, as noted elsewhere on this blog. They include, but are not limited to; Turkey Hunting, Fly Fishing, Elk Hunting, bass fishing, Fly tying, gun dog work and Upland Game Hunting, shooting of all disciplines, and the list is apparently never ending. Chili cooking addiction is, in particular, a very devastating addiction that get little attention. Entire families get hooked, for generations on Chili Verde and how it is best prepared.

I cleared the recently reduced three feet of snow from before the Ford Ranger. No small feat for a man well over fifty with a bad back, and started the trucks engine… Then I cleared the way onto the road, which, was actually dry pavement thanks to the the City Snow Plow Driver that works for us tax payers… No small feat for that group of Boy Scouts next door that were doing their civic duty clearing off the driveway and sidewalk of that astonishingly well endowed young “lady” that lives next door… Anyways…

I made it down the street that I exist on… I mean live at, to another side road. I progressed as it were, behind yet another tax paid truck driver with a big pusher thingy on the front of the truck to my point of embarkation. Satisfied, I pulled off my ultra light hiking shoes; known in most of the world as sneakers, and white cotton socks. Replacing the with my wool “Not Quite Perfect” full length socks. ( Yes, that is a brand name folks, and they are very good for the price paid! ) Opened up the door of my truck, and the following tax paid truck gave me a dose of global warming Wyoming style…

Any ways… After digging myself, my Fly Rod, and other gear out, I made my way down to Clear Creek.Where I was, uh.. Joined, by other town folks. Actually they were there waiting for me… Brothers of the outdoors!

Nancy said something like; “Don’t you wear your waders on the outside, and with a sinister look in her eye, proceeded to dress me more appropriately… Nooge, a retired Firefighter and Guardsman made the comment that he also might be in need of such training in proper dress. Michael, Donald, and Jimmy were all subjected to Nancey’s expert servicing…

Nancy did ask me something along the lines of “What ya’ think  I need to learn about fishing for flies…”

Preparation for fishing completed, I was asked to cast the first fly. I chose the Nancy Biot Midge pattern, stringed it up, and, drifting it through the eddies, and soon latched up with a decent Hofer Rainbow! Must have went all of  nine inches!

Then I woke up…

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Humor, Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors, Law, Politics | Comments Off on A day without fishing… Or blogging? Say it isn’t so!

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »