From Boys to Men of Heart – Hunting As Rite of Passage

Is Hunting Good for Kids?
Is hunting good for kids? Why do they do it? Is it sport or
is it instinctive? Does hunting encourage violence or does it
teach empathy and compassion? Would it be a more peaceful
world if more men hunted? These are some of the questions
addressed in a new book entitled From Boys to Men of Heart:
Hunting as Rite of Passage. Award-winning author, Randall L. Eaton, Ph.D., is a behavioral scientist with an international reputation in wildlife conservation who has been studying hunting for 35 years. While producing “The Sacred Hunt” in the mid-1990s, he interviewed scores of recreational hunters as well as Native Americans. Eaton was surprised to discover that they all used the word “respect” to describe how they feel about animals they hunt . That prompted Eaton to conduct questionnaire surveys on thousands of mature hunters who
described their attitude toward animals they hunt as “respect, admiration and reverence.” Over 80% of the hunters claimed they prayed for the animals they killed or gave thanks to God.
Eaton’s survey also asked hunters what life event most opened their hearts and engendered compassion in them. The choices included death of a loved one, death of a beloved pet, becoming a
parent, taking the life of an animal, and teaching young people. The women hunters overwhelmingly chose “becoming a parent,” but nearly all the men selected taking the life of an animal.
“These results indicate the fundamental polarity of human life. Women are adapted to bring life into the world, but men are adapted to take life to support life,” Eaton said. The same survey asked respondents to choose those universal virtues they learned from hunting.
The top three choices were inner peace, patience and humility.
Eaton’s book contains interviews of leading authorities in several fields who corroborate his research. One is Michael Gurian, family therapist and best-selling author of several books on how to
properly raise boys. Gurian agrees that hunting does teach men compassion, and that it would be a more peaceful world if more men hunted. The Gurian Institute recommends Eaton’s book to parents.
“Hunting is counter-intuitive,” said Eaton, “because people who haven’t had the experience can’t imagine that it opens the heart and awakens a moral sense.” Taking calls on a national radio show, a distraught woman told Eaton, “You’re just teaching kids violence!” He responded, “What do you think Jimmy Carter and Nelson Mandela would say? They won the Nobel Peace Prize and both are avid hunters.”
Also mentioned in his hunter’s hall of fame are Teddy Roosevelt, greatest conservationist in the history of the world, and other exemplary Americans such as Thomas Jefferson, Audubon, Thoreau,
Aldo Leopold, John Steinbeck and Jimmy Stewart. His list includes contemporary celebrities whom he considers worthy role models for youth, among them Morgan Freeman, Kurt Russell, Ted Turner
and Shaq O’Neal. The book contains an interview of Dr. Don T. Jacobs, professor of education and author of Teaching Virtues Across the Curriculum. Jacobs concludes that, “Hunting is the ideal way to teach
young people universal virtues including courage, fortitude, patience, generosity and humility.” According to Jacobs, “humility is discovering that you’re part of something greater than yourself,” which Eaton considers an apt definition for spirituality. The book presents evidence that hunting is an inherited instinct in boys. A German scientist
who investigated 62 different cultures around the world found that in all of them boys start throwing rocks at the age of 4-5 years. Eaton said, “My survey of older hunters indicated that almost all the
men spontaneously had killed a small animal before the age of ten, but women hunters rarely had. Typically the boy cries, as 8-year old Jimmy Carter did when he threw a rock and killed a robin.”
Eaton believes that for boys at least, hunting definitely is not sport but an instinct. He compares hunting to sex. “Sex drives a young male towards a sexual encounter, but a surprise awaits him.
Sooner or later he falls in love. The instinct links up with the heart. It is a transformative experience with enormous consequences including marriage, parenting and providing. The instinct to hunt
propels a young man to pursue the animal, but a surprise comes when he takes its life and his heart is opened. That is how males fall in love with nature and why they are the leaders in conservation.”
He added that, “If sex is the bicep of love, hunting is the bicep of conservation.” The book presents compelling evidence from numerous disciplines that adolescent males need rites of passage to become responsible adults. Eaton argues that the original rite of passage was
hunting because it proved that a male could provide and qualify for manhood and marriage. He believes it still is the ideal path by which boys may become men of heart. He also recommends wilderness survival and vision quest, always with appropriate mentoring
“Without transformative rites of passage that open their hearts and connect them to nature and society males may become egotistical, self-centered and materialistic,” Eaton said. He added that
untempered masculinity is a factor behind the global social and environmental crisis, and it also promotes delinquency and gangs.
The book interviews Dr. Wade Brackenbury who for 13 years led groups of delinquent boys into the wilderness for two weeks where they had to survive on what they could forage. Brackenbury
is convinced that it was hunting small animals for food that had the most transformative influence. Follow-up surveys showed that 85% of the boys did not get in trouble after their survival experience.
Eaton’s book claims that hunting also develops character, values and virtues in girls and profoundly connects them with nature. If it so good for youth then why are the ranks of hunters declining?
“There are many contributing factors,” Eaton suggests, “and one of them is fear of guns. How many parents and teachers know that hunting is the safest form of outdoor recreation?”
The book refers to the work of Dr. Helen Smith, author of Scarred Hearts and the world’s leading expert on youth violence, who says that access to firearms does not cause youth violence. She
believes that teenagers need boundaries and responsibility, which shooting and hunting provide when mentored by adults. She suspects that the Columbine tragedy never would have happened had
the boys been properly mentored in hunting and shooting.
Adolescent neuropsyschologist, Dr. Jim Rose of the University of Wyoming, is interviewed in the book. He says that shooting and hunting teach kids self-control, self-restraint and sound
judgement. Eaton is glad about the “No Child Left Inside” movement, inspired by Richard’s Louv’s book, The
Last Child in the Woods. “It’s a good thing for kids to spend more time outside, but I doubt that the connection they make with nature is deep enough to promote a conservation ethic.”
In his opinion, “Not only are hunting and fishing better for kids, kids who hunt and fish are better for the environment.”
According to Eaton, hunting is justifiable in terms of its enormous economic impacts and benefits to environmental conservation. He said, “We all take life, but for those who participate directly in it, the food chain becomes a love chain. Look at Ducks Unlimited. They’ve permanently conserved over twelve million acres of wetlands throughout North America to the benefit of the
entire living community. In just a few years, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has conserved over four million acres for wildlife and successfully reintroduced elk to the eastern U.S.”
He sees most of the environmental community engaged in rear-guard actions while the hunting and fishing community are on the offensive. “How many people are aware that hunters and
fishermen are behind the National Wildlife Federation, largest conservation group in the world? “ Eaton concluded that the social justification for hunting lies in its positive influence on the
development of our youth into compassionate, virtuous and responsible adults who respect life and defend nature.
The 336-page book is available from OWLink Media at a discount before October 1, official publication date.
For more information contact Dr. Randall Eaton at 513-244-2826 or at reaton@eoni.com.
Visit www.randalleaton.com or www.owlinkmedia.com.
published by
OWLink Media
www.owlinkmedia.com

300,000 Ohio bowhunters expected to try for deer – toledoblade.com

Some 300,000 bowhunters, representing more than half of all Ohioans who hunt deer, are expected to participate in the statewide archery deer-hunting season, which opens Saturday for a four-month run.

The state’s deer managers are not necessarily forecasting another record bag this year, but it is altogether possible as seasons, bag limits, and permits remain liberal.

During last year’s four-month archery season, bowhunters killed 85,856 deer, an increase of 9 percent from the previous year. Crossbow hunters took a record 46,480 of that number and longbow hunters took a record 39,376. Overall, archers accounted for nearly 34 percent of 252,017 deer taken during Ohio’s combined archery, muzzleloader, and gun seasons.

Licking County led the state in both the vertical bow and crossbow harvest. Coshocton, Tuscarawas, Ashtabula, and Holmes rounded out the top five counties in crossbow harvest, and Coshocton, Tuscarawas, Knox, and Holmes made up the list of top five counties in vertical-bow harvest.

Again this year, hunters who purchase an Ohio hunting license and $24 deer permit will be eligible to buy the $15 antlerless-deer permit, which is valid Sept. 26 through Nov. 29. The $15 antlerless-deer permit will be valid through Dec. 6 in Zone C only. The $15 permit may be purchased only until Nov. 29.

“There is no doubt that progress toward reducing the statewide deer herd is being made,” said Mike Tonkovich, deer biologist for the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

“Bowhunters participating in our annual statewide survey have reported seeing fewer total deer from their stands for the past two years. Work remains, but there is certainly good reason to thank Ohio’s hunters for their hard work and continued support of our deer program.”

This fall’s preseason statewide deer population is estimated at 650,000, down 50,000 from a year ago. More larger bucks also seem to be available. But select regions, especially in the southeast and in urban zones, still are considered to be deer-heavy.

Ohio hunters again are encouraged to take more does using the $15 permit and to donate any extra venison to the needy. The state is collaborating with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry to help pay for the processing of donated venison.

While funds for the effort last, hunters who donate deer to a food bank are not required to pay the processing cost. More information about this program can be found online at fhfh.org.

After Nov. 29, archery hunters must use a $24 deer permit for antlerless deer. Using the $15 antlerless deer permit, hunters can take one additional antlerless deer in Zone A, up to two additional in Zone B, and up to three additional in Zone C.

The antlerless-deer permits will also be valid for Division of Wildlife controlled deer hunts and for hunting deer in urban areas.

This year’s statewide archery season remains open through Feb. 7, including during the week of gun season for deer, Nov. 30 through Dec. 6.

Gun hunters will be able to enjoy an additional weekend of deer hunting Dec. 19 and 20. Archers may hunt one half-hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset, except during the statewide gun, youth, and muzzleloader seasons when they are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Archers hunting during the statewide gun, youth or muzzleloader seasons must meet the hunter orange requirements of those seasons.

To hunt deer in Ohio, hunters must possess a deer permit in addition to a valid hunting license. State law allows hunters to take only one antlered buck a year, regardless of the type of deer season, deer permit, or weapon used.

The 2009-2010 hunting licenses are not printed on weatherproof paper. Hunters are advised to protect licenses and permits by carrying them in protective pouches or wallets.

A detailed listing of deer hunting rules is contained in the digest, 2009-2010 Ohio Hunting Regulations, which is available where licenses are sold. It also may be viewed online at wildohio.com.

via toledoblade.com –.

The Morehead News – Deer tracking tips

By Hayley Lynch

I got lucky with my first deer. I took a shot with my .243 rifle and the deer ran straight towards my tree stand, dropping 20 yards away. That early dose of beginner’s luck was just what I needed to build my confidence and bring me back for my next hunt. But as I get ready for my fifth deer season, I’ve learned just how rare that scenario really is.

Even the best shots often result in the need to track a deer. A lethally shot deer can run 100 yards or more, leaving the hunter to pick through thick brush in search of tiny drops of blood. Avoid common mistakes and follow these guidelines to make deer tracking easier this season.

“The first big mistake people make is not paying very careful attention to where the deer was standing when they shot it,” said Tina Brunjes, a long-time deer hunter and big game program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “The second thing they do is jump right down after they shoot the deer and go after it.”

Immediately after you take a shot, memorize the spot where the deer stood by identifying trees or other landmarks close by. If bowhunting, you may even want to shoot a blunt-tipped arrow into the ground where the deer stood. The landscape looks different from the ground than it does from a tree stand.

Brunjes gets down from her stand soon after she shoots a deer – but she doesn’t begin tracking right away.

“Usually I come straight down and go to where the deer was standing,” she said. “I look at what I’m dealing with. I’m looking for evidence that I hit the deer, like blood and hair. Then I wait. I give the deer 30 to 45 minutes.”

Hunters who begin to track immediately risk pushing an injured deer farther into the woods. A well-hit deer may lie down soon after the shot, but it could jump up and run if it feels threatened by an approaching hunter.

Hunters should begin tracking from the spot where the deer was hit after waiting for a time.

“If you’re lucky there will be a blood trail and you can follow it; but you have to really search for those drops,” Brunjes said. “What you don’t want to do is just take off in the direction you think the deer went and stomp all over that trail. Follow it as closely and carefully as possible.”

Mark each drop you find with flagging tape, toilet paper wrapped around weeds or small limbs, or anything else you have in your pack that will stay put. If you lose the trail, you can return to your last marked place and begin again. If you’re having trouble finding the next drop, walk in increasingly large circles, like a bull’s-eye, around the last place that you found a drop.

The shape of a blood drop can tell you a lot. If the drop is round, that means the deer was standing still. But if the drop is teardrop-shaped, that means the deer was moving. The pointed end of the teardrop will point in the direction the deer traveled. Keep in mind the drops may be spread out quite a bit. Be patient. Also remember you must have permission to cross onto another landowner’s property if the track leaves the farm or wildlife management area where you are hunting.

Lastly, before you go afield be sure to pack a few things that will make deer tracking easier. Brightly colored flagging tape is a tremendous help in marking a trail. Some kind of light is a necessity in case you have to track at night. If you’re not familiar with the terrain you are hunting, consider taking a map, compass or GPS, since tracking a deer can take you much farther into unknown territory.

Kentucky’s statewide archery deer season is going on now. Youth-only firearms weekend is coming up Oct. 10-11, and early muzzleloader season is Oct. 17-18. For complete hunting regulations, pick up a copy of the 2009-10 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide, available at fw.ky.gov and wherever hunting licenses are sold. Hunters should also be sure to visit fw.ky.gov to print an updated page 3 of the guide. The updated page clarifies equipment regulations for holders of valid concealed carry deadly weapon permits.

Author Hayley Lynch is an award-winning writer and associate editor for Kentucky Afield magazine, the official publication of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. She loves deer hunting, shotgun sports and introducing women to the outdoors.

via The Morehead News – Deer tracking tips.

Crossbows prove to be a quick draw | Dallas Morning News

By RAY SASSER / The Dallas Morning News

rsasser@dallasnews.com

When archery season begins on Oct. 3, traditional bowhunters will share the woods with a new-style archer – the horizontal bowhunter. Texas this year joined a growing number of states that have approved the use of crossbows during archery seasons.

The change came not from Texas Parks and Wildlife, but from the Legislature. In the past, a Texas hunter could not use a crossbow during archery season unless he could prove a disability that made it physically impossible to draw a traditional hunting bow.

One exception to the crossbow rule is Grayson County, an archery-only deer hunting county. In Grayson County, crossbows are legal only for a disabled hunter.

Even in a depressed economy, relaxing the rules on crossbows created a rush in sporting goods stores. Bass Pro Shops reports more than a 50 percent increase in crossbow sales for all its Texas stores. A spokesman for Cabela’s in Fort Worth reported triple the sale of crossbows over a year ago.

Crossbow prices range from $300 to more than $1,000. An average crossbow hunting package, including accessories, costs $500 to $700.

For the record, traditional bowhunters do not like crossbows and do not consider them archery equipment. A similar controversy evolved around compound bows more than 30 years ago.

Traditional archery hunters make a valid point that legalizing crossbows is really about increasing retail sales and the sales of archery stamp endorsements. Anyone hunting with either a crossbow or a traditional bow during the early season must pay a $7 archery stamp endorsement.

All hunting and fishing stamps endorsements are included on the Texas Super Combo hunting and fishing license.

Other states that have approved crossbows as legal archery equipment are Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and Wyoming. An Ohio hunter success survey indicated that the crossbow harvest rate was 3 percentage points higher than for traditional archery equipment.

Because they shoot like a short-range rifle and are usually fitted with rifle sights, crossbows are touted as being well suited for beginners who lack the time or dedication to practice with a vertical bow and for anyone who lacks the strength to draw and hold a traditional hunting bow.

Texas has one of the longest deer seasons in the nation, and it remains to be seen whether mixing crossbows into archery season will result in more hunter days or a larger deer harvest. Clayton Wolf, TP&W’s big-game program leader, said his staff was called to testify on what might happen with the new regulation.

“Our best guess is that legalizing crossbows will result in more hunting during the archery-only season,” Wolf said. “Crossbows will make archery hunting possible for more hunters, but we don’t believe that the change will result in many nonhunters taking up the sport.”

Whether a bowhunter shoots a horizontal or a vertical bow, the challenge remains the same – getting within 30 yards of a wary whitetail.

CROSSBOW VS. VERTICAL BOW

Effective range: About 40 yards for either style. Archery hunting surveys indicate most deer are shot at about 30 yards.

No advantage

Arrow speed: Most crossbows fire a short arrow (called a bolt) at about 300 to 375 feet per second, about the speed of the fastest compound bow.

No advantage

Ballistics: The shorter crossbow bolt loses velocity quicker than a traditional arrow, but the trajectory is roughly equivalent to that of a compound that shoots about 350 fps. At 30 yards, the longer arrow drops about 17 inches, two inches more than the crossbow bolt. At maximum range of 40 yards, the compound arrow drops about 30 inches, four inches more than the crossbow.

Slight advantage, crossbow

Noise: The crossbow is significantly noisier than a traditional bow, and hyper-alert white-tailed deer have a habit of reacting to any sound. It’s called “jumping the string,” but the usual reaction is to duck and gather to run, a motion that causes the arrow to miss high.

Advantage vertical bow

Aiming: Crossbows are shot like a rifle. A trigger pull releases the bolt. Many crossbows are even equipped with low-power telescopic sights that allow precise shot placement.

Advantage crossbow

Reloading: Crossbows are slow to reload, and some cocking mechanisms are noisy. If you miss the first shot, reloading for a second shot at an unspooked deer is unlikely.

Advantage vertical bow

Mastering accuracy: Because the crossbow is shot like a rifle, often with rifle-style sights, accurate shooting is easier to master.

Advantage crossbow

Ease of use: Women, children or men with physical disabilities may not be strong enough to draw a vertical bow with sufficient speed for deer hunting. Thanks to mechanical cocking aides and string locks, crossbows are easier to use.

Advantage crossbow

Expense: About the same entry-level expense for both styles, $300 to $1,000.

No advantage

Weight: Crossbows weigh two to three times as much as a compound bow. Because of the weight difference, some form of rest or support may be required for accurate crossbow shots.

Advantage vertical bow

Hunting effectiveness: An Ohio study indicated a 19.8-percent success rate for vertical archery hunters, 22.7 percent for crossbows.

Negligible advantage

via Crossbows prove to be a quick draw | Outdoors News | Sports News | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News.

Wisconsin authorities visit Facebook to find evidence of illegal deer hunting | Los Angeles Times

Shining deer, or placing a light on them at night and shooting them, is one of the most cowardly forms of hunting, er, poaching.

It’s illegal for a glaringly obvious reason: Deer freeze in spotlights or car headlights and, thus, are extremely vulnerable and can be shot at close range.

Fortunately for authorities, poachers of wildlife aren’t known for their smarts. Case in point: Adam M. Frame, 25, and Dustin J. Porter, 24, of Sullivan, Wis., have landed in hot water after Frame allegedly posted a video of deer-shining exploits on Facebook.

Authorities with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel it was its first-ever arrest based on a Facebook video.

Frame reportedly stated in the criminal complaint that he and Porter were driving to Sullivan from a tavern when they spotted deer. Frame added that Porter said he wanted to go home, get his rifle, and use it to shoot deer.

Frame later posted this message on Facebook: “I just posted a video from us hunting at 4 a.m. drunk in a subdivision with my headlight lighting it up.”

Frame and Porter were charged in April with one misdemeanor count each of shining, and being party to a crime for the 2007 incident. Frame, as part of a plea agreement, pleaded guilty last month to shining while in possession of a firearm. His fine amounts to a slap on the wrist, however: $354.

The case against Porter is pending.

– Pete Thomas

via Wisconsin authorities visit Facebook to find evidence of illegal deer hunting | Outposts | Los Angeles Times.

The San Juan Worm

By John Berry

Last week, I finally got a chance to wade fish Rim Shoals on low water with my wife, Lori, and my yellow lab, Ellie. I caught a lot of good fish including a twenty inch rainbow on a grasshopper. The biggest fish of the day, a much fatter twenty inch rainbow that put me into the backing before I finally landed it, was caught on a red San Juan worm. It came as no surprise that I landed my biggest trout on this particular fly. Earlier in the month I had guided a client to a twenty six and a half inch brown while he fished with a hot pink San Juan worm. In fact, I have caught a substantial portion of my bigger fish on them. It is a fly that I personally fish every time I am on the river.

The San Juan worm has earned a major spot in my fly boxes. One of its appealing characteristics is its ease of fishing. The most effective way to fish it is to dead drift it under an indicator. If you are fishing a zebra midge, scud or other nymph and you want to try a worm, all you have to do is clip the nymph off and tie the worm on. Make sure you have a perfect drag free drift and set the hook when you detect any take. Fish on! You will notice that fish will hit a worm pretty aggressively. This represents a reliable food source and a big bite.

Our local rivers have aquatic worms. They tend to be small and either red or worm brown. Most of the worms available to trout come from the shore. Whenever it rains, worms are flushed out of the ground and washed into the river. Just after a rain is the best time to fish San Juan worms. The trout have seen plenty of them and they are keying in on these large tasty morsels. These worms are a bit larger and generally brown. We get the same effect when we have a period of high generation after the river has been down for a while.

When I first started tying them, I used long shank streamer hooks. Then, when I was on vacation in Yellowstone a few years ago, I saw some San Juan worms tied on an English bait hook (Mustad 39160) at a fly shop. I was drawn to the heavy wire and wide gap. I began tying all of my worms on that hook. The down side was the very large barb on this hook and with its wide gap it tends to grab the bottom. Recently, I began tying them on size fourteen scud hooks (Tiemco 2487BL) and I have not noticed any difference on hook ups. This hook is factory barbless and penetrates well. For high water, I tie them on 1/32 ounce jig heads. These hooks offer a couple of distinct advantages. Their extra weight helps get the fly to the bottom and they naturally drift with the hook point up rendering them weedless.

The weak point on San Juan worms is the thread lashing the chenille to the hook. It can easily be cut by a trout’s teeth or a pair of clumsily handled forceps. You can significantly increase the life of your worms by carefully removing them with just your fingers. You can increase the durability of your worms by using a heavier thread (6/0) and by tying a whip finish at both ends of the fly, at the eye and at the bend of the hook. I experimented with tying them with Kevlar thread but found it difficult to work with.

For years, I only tied worms in red and worm brown. They worked well and they are still my favorite colors for low water. A couple of years ago I began experimenting with bright colors for high water. I have found cerise and fluorescent hot pink to be my most productive colors. San Juan worms in these two colors have become my got to flies for high water. I have also found them to be productive for moderate flows.

The preferred material is ultra chenille, which is synthetic chenille. The advantage of this material is that you can singe the tips of the worm with a cigarette lighter and create a tapered body which is more realistic looking. Great care must be taken because this material, like many others, is flammable. You do not want a uncontrolled blaze going through your fly tying materials. Ultra chenille comes in two sizes, regular and micro. The most useful is regular, which I use for most of my San Juan worms. I also tie micro worms with the micro chenille. The micro worms are very effective in certain situations, particularly on the Norfork River.

Another material for San Juan worms is pearl cord braid. This is a synthetic cord that has an outer braid made of shiny pearlescent fibers. This material has sheen to it and it comes in a variety of colors. Some local anglers swear by it but I have had mixed results.

A number of anglers tie their worms with chamois. This is a natural leather product that has good movement in the water. It is very inexpensive. They just buy a chamois, like you would use to dry your car, and cut it into thin strips and then lash a strip to a hook to create a fly. I have had a bit of luck with chamois worms and carry a few in my fly box.

The San Juan worm is easy to tie and it catches fish. If you haven’t tried them, you should. If you already use them, you know what I am talking about.

John Berry
(870) 435-2169
berrybrothers@infodash.com
www.berrybrothersguides.com

Tax-free shopping brings out hunters in Louisiana | The Town Talk

By Jeff Matthews • jmatthews@thetowntalk.com • September 5, 2009

Louisiana Archery and Sports Center in Pineville was supposed to open at 9 a.m. Friday.

But the customers couldn’t wait that long.

“We normally open at 9, but we had customers outside looking to get in at 8,” said manager Beth Thomas. “So I let them in. I didn’t want to keep people waiting. I know some folks were stopping by before they had to get to work.”

Friday marked the opening day of the first “Louisiana Second Amendment Weekend Sales Tax Holiday,” a three-day period when purchases of firearms, ammunition and hunting supplies are exempt from state and local sales and use taxes.

If business at Louisiana Archery and Sports Center on Friday was an indication, it should prove to be popular locally. The crowd stayed steady into the early afternoon at the store on La. Highway 28 East, and was expected to stay strong into today. The store is not open Sunday, although the holiday extends into that day.

“Accessories, guns, stands, bows,” Thomas said. “We’re selling a lot of everything. Anybody wanting to purchase big-ticket items, this is the time to do it.”

Liz Meyer of Ball was birthday and Christmas shopping with her mother for her husband and son. She bought a floating shotgun case, a pair of shotgun shell belts and Thermacell mosquito repellent.

“I’m here to cash in on no sales tax like everybody else,” she said.

Sean Lacombe of Deville bought two deer stands priced at $200 each, saving him close to $40.

“I’m here strictly because of the tax-free weekend.” he said. “It definitely helps when you’re spending $400. I was going to purchase them a couple of weeks ago, but I decided to wait until today to save some money.”

Hunting is big business in Louisiana, with more than 250,000 estimated hunters spending hundreds of millions of dollars a year on the sport. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported that more than $200 million in hunting equipment was purchased in Louisiana in 2006. The FBI conducted gun checks on roughly 250,000 firearms purchased in Louisiana in 2008.

Unlike the general sales tax holiday on Aug. 7-8, which waived state taxes but not local taxes, this weekend’s holiday covers both. That can add up to as much as 9 percent of purchase price.

The bill establishing the event makes it an annual event to run the first Friday-Sunday in September.

“I think a lot of people have been waiting for this weekend,” Thomas said. “We had the one a few weeks ago, even then people were saying, ‘I’m going to wait until September to get the full effect.’”

via Tax-free shopping brings out hunters in Louisiana | thetowntalk.com | The Town Talk.

Maine Outdoor Journal | Deer-hunt permits get swapped on the Web

TRAVIS BARRETT

Proof positive once again: Necessity is the mother of invention.

Jeff Zimba didn’t invent DoeTagSwap.com because he was looking for a get-rich-quick scheme or a loophole in the system. The Master Maine guide from Fairfield simply found himself in a pickle.

“Last year I got drawn (for an any-deer permit) in a district I had no intention of hunting in,” Zimba said. “I’d purchased a piece of land in a different district. I’d scouted it, and I’d spent all my time there.

“It’s where I was going to hunt.”

Zimba had the same problem that hundreds of Maine whitetail deer hunters face every season. His name had been pulled in the lottery for a permit, but in a district where he didn’t want to hunt.

“In my case, I had a landowner permit in District 23. I wanted a landowner permit in District 16,” Zimba said. “I had to find somebody who wanted to trade for that, and it’s very, very, very specific.”

Which means it could be both costly and time-consuming to locate one other deer hunter out there willing to swap for the precise requirements Zimba wanted – and vice versa. Advertisements could be placed in newspapers, trade publications, swap and sell guides and even on Internet message boards with no guarantees.

“That’s a needle in a haystack,” Zimba said.

So he started DoeTagSwap.com with a friend of his, introducing a database in which hunters could find people who wanted to swap their permits with others in different districts.

For less than a $10 annual membership, DoeTagSwap.com members can search databases broken down by districts and find hunters who want to hunt in districts other than where they were drawn for any-deer permits.

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife endorsed the project, having last year issued a press release encouraging hunters to use the Web site once it debuted.

This year’s any-deer permits will be chosen Friday.

“The big picture for them is that the harvest is balanced,” Zimba said.

“You are allowed to swap your tags (by a certain date), and all this does is provide a mechanism for that. You enter what district you have (a permit in), where you are and what district you want to hunt. When you find what you’re looking for, all we do is facilitate that swap through a link.

“And when you’re done with that, it takes you directly to the IF&W site to complete the transaction.”

Zimba believes that one of the things IF&W likes best about DoeTagSwap.com is that it is not a site for bartering or auctioning off permits among hunters. It’s simply for direct trades of permits from district to district.

Last year, Zimba said he started the site late and found himself with less than a month’s lead time to get word out about the site and facilitate permit swaps. He’s hoping that last year’s success – coupled with getting the early word out about the Web site – will allow more hunters to use it.

“It was just a trial balloon that we launched, and it all came from the necessity of me needing a tag for the area I wanted to hunt,” said Zimba. He said there has already been interest expressed in a MooseTagSwap.com, and interest from other states looking to set up similar databases for their own permit systems.

“It’s the perfect example of necessity being the mother of invention,” he said. “I needed a permit, and there was no mechanism out there for me finding one.”

But it wasn’t all flowers and tea for Zimba.

“The funny back story in all of this is that I never did get anybody to swap with me,” he said with a laugh. “I helped people all over the state get theirs, but I never got my own.”

Staff Writer Travis Barrett can be reached at 621-5648 or at:

tbarrett@centralmaine.com

via Maine Outdoor Journal | Deer-hunt permits get swapped on the Web.

Program will help deer hunters – Morning Journal

By JEFF FRISCHKORN

jfrischkorn@MorningJournal.com

An innovative match made possible only through the Internet is destined to tie the knot between prospective hunters and farmers eager to reduce deer on their property.

Spearheading the new web-based initiative as match-makers are the Ohio Division of Wildlife along with the Ohio Farm Bureau, Whitetails Unlimited and the Quality Deer Management Association.

Hunters have the opportunity to go online and answer 17 questions about themselves and their hunting patterns and desires.

Farmers can access some of the basic information, mull over the replies and then dig a little deeper, ultimately making e-mail contact and then telephone contact for a final going over. After that the two parties can come to terms on hunting deer.

The program is an off-shoot of a questionnaire conducted by the Wildlife Division earlier this year. That survey was designed to assess hunter willingness to participate in such a program, given the profile they’d have to complete.

More than 2,600 responses were received, encouraging the Wildlife Division to proceed with the project.

The program was developed by a private firm and will cost the Wildlife Division about $25,000 to administer in the first year, says Mike Tonkovich, the agency’s chief deer biologist.

“It’s a comprehensive program and one that I don’t think any other state has done as a web-based system,” Tonkovich said.

This new pilot program is being organized in four of Ohio’s 88 counties: Harrison, Jefferson, Tuscarawas and Carroll. All are among the top-ranked in the state for producing numbers of deer.

Importantly the program is not just intended to find a place on private property for hunters to hunt deer but also as a mechanism to help reduce crop damage through the removal of antlerless deer, state officials say.

“I have no idea how many hunters will sign up nor how many farmers will participate but the (Ohio) Farm Bureau will be conducting a marketing campaign, especially for farmers suffering from crop damage because of deer,” said Luke Miller, a Wildlife Division assistant program administrator.

“I like to refer to it as ‘deerharmony-dot-com.’ ”

Miller said the online questionnaire will pose a series of questions to be completed by a hunter. Such questions as choice of hunting implement, whether one is willing to shoot does, which season the hunter desires to participate in, and the like are asked.

A farmer then refines the search, first seeing if any hunter desires to travel to a certain county. Then the farmer can see if a hunter is only interested in participating in the firearms season or whether the hunter can hunt on weekdays or weekends and is agreeable to the taking of does, for example.

At the refined point the farmer can access the hunter’s name and e-mail address and make the initial contact.

Of critical concern, says Miller, the information is confidential. Hunters cannot directly access farmers while farmers must follow protocol.

“One of things we’ve found is that farmers don’t want to be on a list and be bothered by calls. Under this system the farmer is the one who begins further discussions,” Miller said.

Miller said also that the Wildlife Division has liberalized hunting seasons about as much as the agency possibly can. Now it wants to provide a way for responsible hunters to connect with land owners who want to see more antlerless deer taken.

“It’s a pilot program. Maybe we’ll expand it other species like Canada geese and coyotes,” Miller also said.

To participate in the program, a hunter can access the program at huntohiofarms.com and complete the questionnaire.

While on the subject of deer hunting access, the Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves will conduct a random drawing in order to select hunters for a special controlled at the agency’s Lake Katherine State Nature Preserve in Jackson County.

The hunt will be during the first two days of the general deer firearms hunting season, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. Successful applicants will receive a permit good for two hunters.

To participate in the drawing, submit a 3×5 post card with your printed name, complete address and daytime telephone number along with the caption “Lake Katherine Gun Hunt” and a $5 check or money order, non-refundable processing fee. Entries should be sent to: ODNR Division of Natural Areas and Preserves, 2045 Morse Road, Bldg. F-1, Columbus, Ohio 43229 by Oct. 10.

Also, the Ohio Division of Wildlife anticipates posting on its web site starting Sept. 4 the results of the various controlled deer hunt drawings and Sept. 11 for the various controlled waterfowl hunts.

The web site can be accessed at www.wildohio.com, then click on controlled hunts.

via Program will help deer hunters Morning Journal: Serving Lorain, Erie, Huron and western Cuyahoga counties.

Kentucky archers preparing for upcoming deer bow season – The Herald Dispatch

2009/The Herald-Dispatch

Herald-Dispatch.com

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Around this time of year, I glance up at my calendar and suddenly realize archery deer season is almost here. Rifling through a closet full of camo, boots and hunting equipment, I pull out my compound bow and feel guilty that I haven’t shot it since last year.

I’m not the only one. Lots of hunters pick up their bows just before deer season. Thankfully, I work with some dedicated bowhunters who remind me not to just dust it off and climb into a tree stand. Hunters like Jennie Richardson. The world champion archer’s competition bow is honed like a well-tuned sports car year-round, but in late summer she tunes up her family’s hunting bows before they all take to the woods.

The first thing she checks is the string and cables. “The more heat in the area where you store your bow, the more the string and cables can stretch,” Richardson said.

“One of the things I check is the nocking point, to make sure it hasn’t changed since last year,” she said, referring to the point where a shooter places the arrow on the bow string. “If it has changed, that means the string or cable has stretched.”

Bill Mitchell, the foreman for Taylorsville Lake Wildlife Management Area and a frequent bowhunter, advises hunters to check for frays, separated strands, and excessive wear on the serving – the nylon string wrapped around the bow string for protection. Ideally, he said, hunters should have let off the draw weight at the end of last season before putting their bows away. This takes some of the stress off the limbs during storage. He recommends hunters change their bow strings every three years for safety. Year-round shooters, he said, might want to change their strings every year.

“Before you change the string, take some measurements: where on the string the nocking point is – how far above or below center – and the same with the peep sight,” Mitchell said. “You want to be able to emulate those measurements on the new string.”

For hunters who don’t have a bow press or don’t feel comfortable changing their own string, archery shops will usually do this as a free service or for a small fee. While the string is off the bow, ask the technician to pull the axles out of your bow and re-grease them.

After checking the string and cables, Richardson looks for splinters on the bow’s limbs, and loose screws where the sights, stabilizer and arrow rest attach to the bow.

“I’m going to do a visual observation to make sure the limbs are intact, the rest is secure, the bolts are tight,” she said. “Due to the warming and cooling of the weather, if you don’t store your bow in a constant temperature, things can move.”

Next, wax the string and cables to protect them from moisture and wear. Go ahead and crank down your bow’s draw weight if everything else appears in good working order. You may need to start with a lower draw weight than you ended with last year – it often takes a few weeks of practice to re-build muscle. Start out slowly to prevent soreness and poor shooting form.

“For the person like me who pulls the bow out of the closet each year, you don’t want to over-indulge in practice,” Mitchell said. “The old saying is ‘practice makes you good; good practice makes you perfect.’”

Shoot just a few arrows at a time, and stop before you get tired. Ending on a good note is not only good for your confidence, but also for your accuracy.

“You don’t want to end when you’ve missed the target and your arrow has gone out into the field,” said Mitchell. “You want to end with a group of arrows inside the space of a tennis ball, and say ‘Now, it’s time to go in for supper.’”

Kentucky’s statewide archery deer season opens Sept. 5. For complete hunting regulations, pick up a copy of the 2009-10 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide, available at fw.ky.gov and wherever hunting licenses are sold. Hunters should also be sure to visit fw.ky.gov to print an updated page 3 of the guide. The updated page clarifies equipment regulations for holders of valid concealed carry deadly weapon permits.

Author Hayley Lynch is an award-winning writer for Kentucky Afield magazine, the official publication of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. She is an avid hunter and shotgun shooter.

via Kentucky archers preparing for upcoming deer bow season – The Herald Dispatch.