Crossbow talk brings both sides together – The Buffalo News

By Will Elliott

Hunting activities and gear options spark lively discussions among hunters and non-hunters alike. But one mechanism triggers more high-strung discussion than all other hunting devices—the crossbow.

Legislation last year finally legalized its use during big game seasons not open to archery hunting in much of New York State. While some hunters took advantage of the new season, considerable debate continued as to legalizing the crossbow for use during other game seasons and the early archery season.

State Sen. Patrick M. Gallivan received much input from a variety of sources on crossbow legalization issues— particularly of season setting and use designation— that he and his staff arranged for a “Sportsmen and Crossbow Roundtable,” which was held at Allied Sportsman’s Club on Clinton Street in Alden Thursday evening.

Rain, not snow or high winds, could not dampen spirited attendance at the Allied clubhouse. When discussion began, 128 visitors had signed in, other onlookers put total attendance at 150 to 160 people at this well-managed gathering.

Despite the many, varied, strongly-held opinions, beliefs, and presumptions visitors and presenters brought to this roundtable, discussions were polite, respectful, and informative throughout more than two hours of presentations.

As with virtually all political and social discussions, participants did not head home that evening with totally changed attitudes and assumptions about issues. But Sen. Gallivan and fellow legislators brought together nine selected speakers and about a dozen audience commentators who brought to light facts and feelings about the sport of hunting, the functions of this shooting device and the people who love and hope to perpetuate their outdoors pursuits.  Click Link Below for Full Story!

via Crossbow talk brings both sides together – Outdoors – The Buffalo News.

Louisiana deer season in need of adjustment | thenewsstar.com

By Richard Price

Well, here we are in the “two-minute warning” of deer season. I will personally be glad to see the sun set Sunday. Last Saturday, Margaret Ann and I got up and made our usual morning hunt. As usual, we didn’t see anything. As a matter of fact, I had quit even loading my rifle.

Anyhow, back at the camp, we fried fish for dinner. Mike, Terry, Margaret Ann and I ate about five pounds of river catfish. Then my sugar went up. Remember last Saturday evening, about 80 degrees and the wind blowing right outta somewhere? Boy, I sure was glad when Margaret Ann remembered she had to make church bulletins for Sunday. I brought the big ol’ “jinxed” Four-Fifty-Eight home.

I have got to hunt a good bit this year, I reckon, but have seen fewer deer, bears and turkeys than any other year that I can recall. Looks like we might have to start huntin’ with deer dogs again. Maybe a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule. I just really believe that our deer, under so much hunting pressure, are literally becoming seasonally nocturnal. And most everyone I’ve spoke with has come to grips that deer season in Louisiana is too long. Most concur that deer season in Area I should open the Friday after Thanksgiving and close 60 days later. Open and closed case. Archery season should open Nov. 1 and close the Sunday after the 60th day.

We have too many tags per person. This has no bearing on those hunters who take 15-20 deer a year anyhow, but a limit of two bucks and a doe would suffice. There ain’t no way me and Margaret Ann can eat six deer, much less process them and store that many. So who else can either? Of course, the powers that be will see this as a reduction in sales of licenses that will therefore dwindle the bank account. Go figger. Remember when we started hunting outa “tree stands?” A deer would not hardly look up.  Click Link Below For Full Story!

via Louisiana deer season in need of adjustment | The News Star | thenewsstar.com.

Kentucky Afield Outdoors: Trapping Is The Most Effective Way To Control Wild Pigs

FRANKFORT, Ky. – In Kentucky, wild pigs may be hunted with firearms year-round with no daily bag limit, but wildlife biologists believe trapping is the most effective way to control the feral pests.

“In established populations, hunting often educates more pigs than it removes,” said Chad Soard, a wildlife biologist with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “Research has shown that relying too heavily on hunting will not control pigs and may hasten their spread.”

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife is working with landowners to help them deal with the destructive, unwanted swine which pose serious ecological, economic and disease threats.

“We’ve had verified sightings of wild pigs in 37 counties,” said Soard. “For many of these sightings there’s no evidence of established populations. They’re just isolated occurrences of free-ranging pigs living independent of humans.”

Soard said he gets regular reports from landowners about their ongoing efforts to remove pigs from areas of Kentucky with established populations. “You have to adapt your strategy to completely eradicate wild pigs,” said Soard. “You have to understand the species. Shooting them on sight isn’t always best.”

Wild pigs live in maternal groups called sounders, usually made up of several related sows with their offspring. Several maternal groups may come together to forage so there could be as many as 20 to 30 pigs on a food source.

Mature boars tend to be solitary and don’t tolerate the presence of other males.

Hunting in general, and sport hunting in particular, is ineffective for controlling or eradicating wild pigs because boars are targeted.

“The removal of all age classes concurrently is critical to any successful control or eradication plan,” said Soard. “Reproduction often outpaces the most intensive hunting efforts. Juveniles can breed at six months so you have to concentrate your efforts on maternal groups, continually trapping over a long period of time.”

Shooting into a group of pigs forces them to search for sanctuary. “You’re going to spread out the population and push them onto neighboring properties,” said Soard.

“Wild pigs are not prone to wandering. They’re not overly territorial, except when boars are fighting over breeding rights,” said Soard. “Populations tend to stay in a small area unless they are pressured.”

Wild pigs make their presence known by the sign they leave such as rooted up areas in woods and fields and wallows around small ponds or wet areas.

Trail cameras are a good way to assess wild pig numbers and find suitable trap sites. “You can’t just trap anywhere; you have to locate the trap on fresh sign, where the pigs are actively feeding or traveling,” said Soard.

Large box traps can be used to catch wild pigs, but corral traps are better. “They allow non-targeted species to escape and are capable of catching entire maternal groups of pigs at one time,” said Soard.

Corral traps are made from wire and typically have a swinging, saloon-style gate which lets the pigs enter, but blocks them from leaving the trap. A good strategy is to establish the trap site at an area where pigs can feed unmolested. Then, monitor the site with trail cameras and set the trap when the largest numbers of pigs are feeding at the site.

In Kentucky, it is illegal to possess wild pigs. Any captured pig must be killed at the trap site. They may not be removed from traps alive.

Corral traps are commercially available or can be homemade. “We have a cost share program to help landowners offset the cost of the traps,” said Soard.

Winter is the best time to trap. Food is in short supply and pigs readily come to bait piles. The best trap sites for pigs are located along travel routes between bedding and feeding sites.

Trapping works. “The staff at Bernheim Forest corral trapped steadily for three years and reduced the population to the point where damage and observations have ceased,” said Soard. “You can’t trap for a while and quit. You’ve got to stick with it.”

Outdoors: With one careless shot, a life is lost | The Columbus Dispatch

By  Dave Golowenski For The Columbus Dispatch

That on occasion hunters and nonhunters die at the hands of hunters is not reported in timely news releases by the Ohio Division of Wildlife. The explanation for that is not entirely clear, though it’s likely decision-makers have never thought of a compelling reason to do so and found a number of reasons, including sensitivity to victims’ families.

Vicki Ervin, the division’s communications manager, said she can’t remember hunting incidents ever being routinely reported. The division issues an annual report, though the 2010 report is not yet complete.

Stories about busted poaching rings still make the wildlife reports, no doubt as cautionary tales aimed at would-be scofflaws, as well as demonstrations that the public’s license and permit money gets results.

Not reported by the division was the untimely death of Nikolas J. Neric, 26, of suburban Cleveland. Neric, who lived in the suburb of Brooklyn, died from a gunshot wound at the Grand River Wildlife Area in Trumbull County on the afternoon of Jan. 10, the final day of the four-day deer muzzleloader season.

Here is what a friend posted last week about Neric on a Web page provided by the funeral home:  Click Link Below For Full Story!

via Outdoors: With one careless shot, a life is lost | The Columbus Dispatch.

Birmingham deer hunter finds spirit in the hunt, taking huge buck | al.com

By Jeff Dute

By his own account, most of 2011 will not stand out as a stellar year for Birmingham’s Adam Burt.Laid off and unemployed for nearly five months, Burt landed a new job around the first part of October.Still, hamstrung financially and mentally by the long search for work, Burt was also concerned getting on with a different company would limit the amount of time he’d have to make the 90-minute drive to his hunting club near Haleyville in northwest Alabama.  So it was on Dec. 29 that Burt climbed into his stand to enjoy a little Zen time and maybe take a fat doe if the opportunity arose.Euphoric would best describe how he felt leaving those woods a couple of hours later. Riding to camp with a massive 14-point buck on the back of your ATV has a way of doing that.Burt’s stand was set up overlooking a hardwood bottom that ran uphill and through a thick transition zone before it ran into a stand of planted pines.Earlier scouting had revealed that a buck under the spell of an early breeding urge had left behind several scrapes and rubs along the thick area between hardwoods and pines.Hoping to lure the buck within shooting distance of his rifle, Burt walked in that day with some Top Secret Hot Mama.  Click Link Below For Full story!

via Birmingham deer hunter finds spirit in the hunt, taking huge buck | al.com.

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