The Kentucky Elk Restoration project conducted by the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Department and supported by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is considered one of the most successful wildlife reintroduction efforts ever conducted.  In December of 1997 seven elk were released at the Cyprus Amax Wildlife Management Area in Eastern Kentucky.  Through 2002 a total of 1500 elk were released at 8 different sites in a 16 county restoration zone.  To date the thriving elk herd of Kentucky has grown to over 10,000 animals and is the largest elk herd east of the Mississippi River.  In celebration of this great conservation effort MyHuntingandFishing.Com is pleased to introduce Kentucky Elk apparel.  We offer Elk T-Shirts in both short and long sleeve and a hooded sweatshirt.  Most designs are available from Small to XXXL and are printed on the highest quality of garments.  Check out the designs below.  All orders are shipped USPS Priority mail for just $4.99 per order regardless of the number of items.  Thanks for visiting.  If you are unable to see items below click here!

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Calling all elk hunters – the deadline to apply for Kentucky’s elk hunt lottery is fast approaching.

Lottery applications must be purchased online at fw.ky.gov by midnight (Eastern time) April 30.

New this year, hunters may apply for up to two of four permit types: bull firearms, bull archery or crossbow, cow firearms and cow archery or crossbow. Hunters may not, however, apply twice for one permit type.

“Offering separate permits is in response to hunter requests,” said Tina Brunjes, deer and elk program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “In the past, a significant number of hunters who drew cow permits chose not to hunt. Since hunters will now be able to apply for a cow permit, we feel like more of these will be filled.”

Lottery applications are $10 for each permit sought.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife will issue 800 permits in its general hunt lottery to successful applicants, including 80 permits for antlered elk (archery or crossbow); 120 permits for antlered elk (firearms); 240 permits for antlerless elk (archery or crossbow) and 360 permits for antlerless elk (firearms).

Additionally, hunters who will be younger than 16 years old on the first day of the hunt may apply for the youth-only quota elk hunt at Paul Van Booven Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and adjacent private lands (with landowner permission) for the weekend of Sept. 24-26. Five permits for either a bull or cow elk will be awarded in the youth-only drawing.

Also new this year, there will be a two-week archery-only (no crossbows) bull elk season Sept. 17-30.

Youth under 16 years of age, seniors 65 years of age and older, and persons with a crossbow exemption may hunt with a crossbow during the entire elk archery season.

Firearms hunters may only hunt during the seven-day firearms season for which they were drawn; they may not hunt with archery gear or crossbows outside of that week. An archery or crossbow hunter may not hunt during the four weeks of firearms elk hunts.

Only individuals, not groups of hunters, may apply for Kentucky’s elk lottery. A random computer drawing will be held in early May to select hunters for the quota hunts.

Hunters drawn for a bull elk permit will be blocked for three years from applying for another bull elk permit. For example, hunters drawn for a 2011-12 season bull permit are ineligible to apply for another bull permit until the 2015-16 elk season. Youth drawn for the youth-only elk hunt at Paul Van Booven WMA will be permanently blocked from applying for that hunt again.

The 16-county elk zone is 4.1 million acres and is divided into 10 Elk Hunting Units (EHUs) with a total of 576,994 acres open to public hunting. The EHUs have been established to manage the elk herd, spread out hunting pressure and provide hunters with a high chance of success.

Kentucky’s elk herd was first hunted on Oct. 6, 2001. Last season, hunters took 540 elk, including 198 bulls and 342 cows.

For elk season dates and other information on elk hunting in Kentucky, go to http://fw.ky.gov/elkfaq08.asp on the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife website.

Largest restitution for a poached deer ever imposed in Ohio

BELLEFONTAINE, OH – A Logan County man pled guilty to three wildlife violations stemming from the illegal taking of a trophy white-tailed deer in the Bellefontaine Municipal Court on Monday, January 3. As a result, he will be required to pay $23,816.59 in restitution, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

James C. Alspaugh, 39, of West Mansfield pled guilty to three charges including hunting by the aid of a motor vehicle, shooting from a roadway, and hunting without permission. The Honorable Judge John Ross presided over the case and ordered Alspaugh to pay $400 in fines, an additional $151.50 in court costs, and to forfeit the deer. Alspaugh was ordered to spend 48 hours in the Logan County Jail

In addition, Alspaugh will lose his hunting privileges for two years. He will be entered into the Wildlife Violator’s Compact and most likely will lose hunting rights in 36 other states.

The Division of Wildlife is also imposing restitution for the deer in the amount of $23,816.95. This is in accordance with Ohio’s revised restitution law for illegal taking of white-tailed deer. The law went into effect March 2008 and allows the Division of Wildlife to seek an increased recovery value on all illegally harvested wildlife.

The non-typical trophy deer, scored according to Boone & Crockett (B&C) guidelines, netted an impressive 218 7/8.

A concerned citizen contacted Ohio wildlife officers Adam Smith and Jeff Tipton about the questionable shooting of the trophy deer in December 2010. Officers were able to recover the deer and determine that it was unlawfully taken.

The Division of Wildlife is encouraging citizens to report any illegal activity they observe by contacting the TIP line. Tips may be phoned anonymously to 1-800-POACHER.

Editor’s Note on Restitution: The recovery value for an individual white-tailed deer is derived from the formula listed in 1531.201 of the Ohio Revised Code. The value is determined by measuring the antlers and using the following formula plus the value derived for wildlife. The formula for white-tailed deer may be applied to all illegally taken deer whose gross antler score exceeds 125 Boone and Crockett (B&C) inches. The formula is:

Recovery Value = [(gross score - 100)2 x $1.65] + the value derived in the Wildlife Value Formula ($500 as of 3/08).

For further information contact:

ODNR Division of Wildlife Law Enforcement

614. 644. 3925

Heidi Hetzel-Evans, ODNR Communications

614. 265. 6860

via ODNR News Releases – Man Pleads Guilty to Poaching Near $24,000 Trophy Buck.

Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review

The Fly Fishing Film Tour is making its fourth annual winter run through Spokane on Thursday, bringing the pulse of rivers, saltwater flats and heart-thumping music to the Bing Crosby Theater.

Ten new films have been compiled into two hours of drama, savage strikes and humor set to start at 7 p.m.

The tour – booked in more than 90 cities in 31 states and Canada so far this year – showcases some of the best independent outdoor filmmakers focused on fly fishing from saltwater flats to high mountain ranges.

“The goal of the Fly Fishing Film Tour is to energize the industry and inspire filmmakers to create new cutting-edge films to both entertain and educate outdoor enthusiasts,” said Thad Robison, tour co-owner.

The films, presented in high definition, often feature the first public looks at new footage from across the globe. The evening revs up with audience prize giveaways.

After previewing the films, it’s clear that the filmmakers are getting much more sophisticated at going beyond the fish-strike action and “That’s a good fish!” dialogue to telling the stories behind the fishing adventures.

“Filmmakers really stepped up this year,” said Doug Powell, tour spokesman. “Great stuff. Our main problem is there’s too much good stuff,” he added, noting the difficulty in honing the tour to two hours. Click Link Below For Full Story

via Fly Fishing Film Tour brings 10 cutting-edge flicks to The Bing – Spokesman.com – Feb. 13, 2011.

By Beth Musgrave — bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Lawmakers peppered staff of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Thursday about a potential ethics violation involving lucrative elk hunting permits that are used as fund-raisers for non-profit groups.

Legislators also raised questions about an agreement that calls for Kentucky to give Missouri 150 elk over the next three years in exchange for crappie to restock Kentucky lakes. The Government Contract Review Committee has never seen a contract between the two states allowing the wildlife exchange.

Marcheta Sparrow, secretary of the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, confirmed after Tuesday’s meeting that there is a complaint before the Executive Branch Ethics Commission regarding the awarding of charitable elk hunting licenses.

Lawmakers had questioned why the nine-member commission that oversees Fish and Wildlife decided to award three elk hunting permits to a non-profit group with ties to current and former commissioners when state regulations appear to say a non-profit may receive only one elk hunting permit.

The elk hunting permits can generate as much as $100,000 in raffles and auctions. Click Link Below for Full Story!

via Questions raised about handling of charitable elk hunting permits | Politics and Government | Kentucky.com.

By Marc Murrell

SPECIAL TO THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Cabin fever has a bad grip on many anglers about now.

Sure, there’s some ice fishing to be had but the masses really want the option of open water. So if you find yourself daydreaming of warmer prospects while surfing the Internet, you might want to check out some fantasy fishing prospects.

The FLW Fantasy Fishing is kicking of another year in 2011. Grand prize is $100,000 and other top prizes include Ranger and FinCraft boats, a Chevy truck, an ATV and lots of other gear.

“Fantasy fishing is something we’ve put a lot of time and effort into and feel it is one of our best undertakings,” said Irwin L. Jacobs, chairman and chief executive officer of FLW Outdoors and creator of FLW Fantasy Fishing. “The participation from the fans is unbelievable, and with the game being played all over the world, it has helped build the sport and bring recognition to the anglers and our partners.”

The 2011 Fantasy Fishing Season will consist of 10 tournaments surrounding the Walmart FLW Tour. Presented by Straight Talk in 2011, FLW Fantasy Fishing fans can go to www.fantasyfishing.com to get set up for the season and to select a team. A team will automatically be selected for you but you have the option of editing that team and choosing 10 anglers you think will place highest in the next tour event. You then select an angler to win the tournament and try to predict their winning weight, which will serve as a tie-breaker.

Fantasy Fishing is free to play, but fans can gain an edge by purchasing Player’s Advantage for $5. Player’s Advantage is a unique tool that offers additional resources and information, and those with Player’s Advantage have won past years at a rate of four to one. In addition, you receive access to the FLW Outdoors Magazine e-edition. Click Link Below for Full Story!