I know I know, its only January and I am already thinking about Spring Turkey season, Ive got a chance to hunt a place that hasnt been turkey hunted in several years! I am one excited dude!! I will be calling for a friends neice, she hunts but has never turkey hunted before, so Im really excited about it! I want to try to get her a good bird and then I would like to try to get a good one as well! How many of you guys hunt turkeys? Do you have a favorite call you use? I use a box and a slate call, Ive tried using a mouth call, but all I sound like is a dying cat! LOL I hope you guys are enjoying the off season so far!! Got lots to do before the weather changes and gets a bit warmer, then its time to chase turkeys and go hit the flats for some specks!!

So the bucks are finally on the move in South Alabama. We have been finding some rutting activity here at home. A buck finally showed up in the yard and made his presence know by tearing several limbs from one of our precious magnolia trees. It's funny how we travel all over hunting and the deer mock us by ravaging the yard at night. Chase, my nephew has been inviting Emily and I up to his dog hunting club. Emily can now call each dog by name and knows every club members name and what type vehicle they drive.Joe and Blake rode up and hunted with us Saturday and it was funny listening to Blake and Emily discuss the happenings. Our group saw several deer and one member killed an 8 pt. On Sunday evening 15 year old Matthew Hrabovsky went on his first deer hunting trip with us. Matthew has plenty of shooting experience and he put on a fine display of marksmanship in our yard. We set up a target and let him shoot the 17 to get a feel for using a scope before hunting. He got to see a few does on the food plot and a small buck chasing them close to dark. We really enjoyed the hunt with Matthew. A good friend, Rej Jones killed a fine buck in Butler Alabama on a private lease. He shot the deer at around 200 yards. The big 10 point was chasing a doe on a power line and Rej had to yell to get the deer to stop for the kill shot. Great job Rej on the buck and thanks for sharing the pictures.           Shelby Byrd South Alabama

Merry Christmas everyone!! Just curious what is on everyones Christmas lists?? I didnt ask for much this year...tried to play it a little more conservative! HA!! No, honestly wasnt much on mine, Just a new Double tree stand, and a I already got an early gift to ourselves...a new TV for our garage! We entertain alot so we needed a bigger TV so that we can watch football!! Other than that, I didnt ask for much!! Lets hear what you all ask the jolly man in the red suit for!!

In Major Setback for Anti-Hunting Efforts; FWS Rejects Attempts to Stop Lion Hunting For Immediate Release:   October 27, 2014 Washington, D.C. -- Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) rejected the claim that the African lion merited listing as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. After a long and comprehensive review of the species status, which included information from the foremost lion researchers in the world, the FWS concluded that the African lion simply is not on the brink of extinction and did not merit listing as an endangered species.   The FWS concluded “[s]port-hunting was not found to be a threat to the species at this time.” This conclusion is a blow to the anti-hunting rhetoric put forward by organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States and International Fund for Animal Welfare. The FWS's conclusion contradicts the assertions made by these anti-hunting organizations in the petition they filed with FWS to have the lion listed as endangered. The on the ground facts and the science simply did not support their position.   “By rejecting an endangered listing, the FWS has officially recognized the reality that the African lions are not actually on the brink of extinction. More important, today’s decision will likely help further the cooperative efforts of the African nations, and the many organizations and individuals who are working to study and ensure lion populations are sustainable today and into the future.” said Safari Club International Foundation (SCI Foundation) President Joe Hosmer. “Given the outstanding efforts of African governments in creating and maintaining protected strongholds for a large majority of the lion population, it is doubtful that the Service will be able to defend its conclusion that the lion is threatened with extinction in the foreseeable future.”   “The simple fact is the majority of lions live in protected areas. Efforts like that of the SCI Foundation play a critical role in assisting African range states utilizing best management efforts to ensure the lion has a bright future, not glossy advertisements and hyperbole. We will work with SCI Foundation to ensure the FWS is accountable to the facts and the law going forward,” said David Bernhardt, former Solicitor of the Department of the Interior. The U.S. FWS will now collect comments from the public in response to their proposed new regulations. Conservationists around the world should be encouraged to participate in the public comment period. As the regulatory proposal moves forward, we can expect the anti-hunting and animal rights organizations to continue their calls to ignore the on the ground reality and to push for an endangered determination, which Safari Club International (SCI) and SCI Foundation will oppose.   "SCI raised over $1 million for SCI Foundation to combat the listing of the African lion as endangered. We will continue to ensure funding is available for science-based conservation of the African lion in the future,” said SCI President Craig Kauffman. “SCI is proud of our Foundation which has won this battle against anti-hunting activists.   As the FWS moves forward, the concerns of American voters must be addressed. Eighty percent (80%) of voters agree that while we care about the future of the African lion, there are higher priorities that need to be addressed in the United States.* The FWS should focus on those species found here, that the government actually has the ability to manage.   While voters recognize the importance of protecting endangered species through science based management, 81% of voters want the FWS to focus its efforts and taxpayers dollars on protecting domestic species. And for those non-domestic species, two-thirds of voters agree that we should be working under international treaties to ensure protection and global cooperation. Voters clearly want the U.S. government to work within existing international agreements instead of squandering precious resources by implementing unnecessary regulations of foreign species.   * Current Lion Facts: 1. Recent comprehensive studies of the conservation status of the African lion conclude that there are between 32,000 and 35,000 lions living in the wild in Africa. 2. According to Riggio et al. 2012, a significant 24,000 lions, which is at least 68% of the estimated total population, live in what the study terms “strongholds.” “Strongholds” are areas that are legally protected as lion habitat or where hunting is managed and that meet “the necessary requirements for [the] long-term viability” of the lion populations living there. There are at least 10 such “strongholds” in Africa, covering an area almost as large as the United States east of the Mississippi River. Riggio affirms with science that lion populations living in these areas are “large, stable, and well protected,” and the populations are therefore “likely to persist into the foreseeable future.” 3. SCI Foundation has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into the development of regional and national science-based lion management plans across east and southern Africa. 4. For twelve years, SCI Foundation has supported the African Wildlife Consultative Forum, where the African lion has been a leading conservation issue, with a total investment approaching US $750,000.   * The Tarrance Group was commissioned by the Safari Club International Foundation to conduct a telephone survey with N=1,013 registered likely voters nationally. Live interviews were conducted April 28-30, 2013. Respondents were selected at random and were part of a fully representative sample reflective of the latest voter registration figures. A random sample of this type is likely to yield a margin of error of + 3.1% with a 95% confidence level. ###   MEDIA CONTACT: Media@safariclub.org   Safari Club International – First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page http://www.safariclub.org or call (520) 620-1220 for more information. Safari Club International Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that funds and directs worldwide programs dedicated to wildlife conservation and outdoor education. Any contribution may tax deductible under Internal Revenue Code section 170(c) as a charitable contribution to the extent permitted by law. Tax deductible amount of gift is reduced by the “Fair market Value” of any goods, services, or advantages that a sponsor receives for the donation. EIN #86-0292099

Harrisburg, PA -(Ammoland.com)- With small-game hunting seasons set to kick off this weekend, Pennsylvania’s state game lands are being stocked with pheasants in a year what Game Commission officials describe as an excellent year for pheasant production. Nearly 220,000 pheasants will be produced this year by the Game Commission’s game farms to be stocked on game lands and other public lands to provide hunting opportunities for Pennsylvania hunters. About 17,000 pheasants were released ahead of the weeklong junior-only season, which ended Oct. 18, and beginning this week, there will be several consecutive weekly releases of pheasants, as well as a late-season release of hen pheasants. In all, 103,540 roosters and 82,190 hens have been allocated for release statewide ahead of and within the early small-game season, with an additional 6,620 hens allocated for release for the late season. The best pheasant-hunting habitat and hunter access occur on more than 230 tracts of state game lands and other public lands under cooperative management with the Game Commission, and about 75 percent of the pheasants are stocked there. The remaining 25 percent are released on private lands enrolled in the Game Commission’s Hunter Access Program. But Robert C. Boyd, who oversees the Game Commission’s pheasant propagation program, said a yet undetermined number of surplus birds also will be released this year, driving the total number released toward 220,000.   “This has been a very good year for pheasant production, and it’s Pennsylvania’s pheasant hunters who will reap the rewards,” said Boyd, who heads the Wildlife Services Division, within the Game Commission’s Bureau of Wildlife Management. “Our survey work has shown that Pennsylvania’s hunters strongly support our pheasant propagation program and the hunting opportunities it provides and this should be a banner year for pheasant hunting.”   Pennsylvania’s small-game season, which includes pheasant and rabbit seasons, kicks off on Saturday. Saturday also marks the opener for fox, raccoon and bobwhite quail hunting, and the trapping seasons for foxes, raccoons, coyotes, opossums, striped skunks and weasels kick off on Sunday. Meanwhile, seasons for squirrels and ruffed grouse, as well as the archery deer season have already begun. And the fall turkey season opener in many Wildlife Management Units begins Nov. 1. It’s that magical time of year when all of Pennsylvania’s hunters and trappers have something to get excited about, said Game Commission Executive Director R. Matthew Hough.   “By this weekend, prime time for Pennsylvania hunting will have certainly arrived,” Hough said. “At no other time of year do so many opportunities await hunters and trappers, and I hope they make the time to get out there and enjoy all that fall has to offer.”   Hough said pheasant hunting is a great way to introduce young people to hunting. Through stocking efforts, many birds await hunters, and the hunts often are action-packed. Game Commissioner James J. Delaney Jr., who represents several northeastern counties on the Board of Game Commissioners, said the opening of the small-game season is something to which avid bird hunters like himself look forward for most of the year. “It doesn’t get any better than spending a day hunting pheasants with your trusty bird dog, and I’d encourage any hunter to give it a try,” Delaney said. “Tracts all across Pennsylvania hold numbers of pheasants just waiting to be flushed. It’s exciting just thinking about it.”   A wealth of information on ring-necked pheasants, the Game Commission’s pheasant management program, and stockings statewide can be found at the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s website by placing the cursor over the “Hunt/Trap” tab, then selecting “Hunting,” then “Ring-necked Pheasant.” The general pheasant hunting season closes on Nov. 29, and the late season opens on Dec. 15. Only roosters may be hunted in many WMUs, check Page 20 of the 2014-15 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest for details. The digest is issued to all hunters at the times they buy their licenses, and also is available online through the Game Commission’s home page. Hunters also should note that pheasant hunting is closed in all Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas, where the Game Commission is attempting to restore self-sustaining wild pheasant populations. Maps of Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas begin on Page 21 of the digest. As of this release, all hunting and trapping activity remained closed on all lands public and private within Price, Barrett and Paradise townships, Monroe County, due to the ongoing search for a fugitive wanted in the ambush-shooting death of a state trooper. Information on the closures will be updated regularly at the Game Commission’s website. About the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) The Pennsylvania Game Commission is legally mandated to manage wildlife for the benefit of all Pennsylvanians, as well as all wildlife and the habitat that supports their existence. Pennsylvania’s Constitution and Game and Wildlife Code direct the Game Commission to protect, manage, and preserve wildlife and their habitat within the Commonwealth for the benefit of all people, including generations yet to come. Based on this direction, the Game Commission adopted the mission statement “to manage all wild birds, wild mammals, and their habitats for current and future generations.” Read more: http://www.ammoland.com/2014/10/pennsylvania-game-commission-to-release-nearly-220000-pheasants/#ixzz3GzqEr8C9 Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Follow us: @Ammoland on Twitter | Ammoland on Facebook

                                          2013 Year in Review   2013 was an eventful year for myself, SeeMeHunt.com and the World Wild Adventure Team. SeeMeHunt.com has hit some new Milestones with our membership enrollment as well as activity to our ever growing social network for hunters. In July, the World Wild Adventure team took our act on the road. We attended the iCast fishing show in Las Vegas. We were able to partner up with Garmin and Native Outfitters for product sponsorship. While we were in Vegas, we paid a visit to our friends at Flightlinez to Zipline our way through Bootleg Canyon. It was an amazing way to combine a work trip with another adrenaline surging adventure. It was a fun bonding experience for the whole Adventure team   This past October, I took my first Bear ever. It was even sweeter that I was able to take it with my Bow. I do have to say that it was a beautiful shot on a moving animal. In November I attended the Hunt for Hope. The Hunt for Hope grants terminally ill children the opportunity to go on an amazing hunting weekend at the Lone Star Ranch. I consider myself very fortunate to be able to participate. We were able to teach these incredible children how to shoot and hunt. It was a successful weekend for everyone. All of the children filled their tags and all of us had the time of our lives. We did get to hunt some wild hogs while we were there. I took a wild hog with my bow, then everyone had the opportunity to hunt them with the dogs. Once the dogs had the hogs at bey, we had to finish them off with a very large knife. Hunting with a knife was another first for me. The hunt was fast, furious and  a truly exhilarating experience.  Another first was filled with heart pumping excitement, I was able to go up in a helicopter and hunt the wild hogs from the air. Words can not describe the thrill watching a pack of wild hogs on the move while you try to zero in on them from above.    I did not fill my deer tag this season. It was not for lack of opportunity. I just did not see what I wanted. Over all, I would have to say that this was one of my favorite hunting seasons. I hunted quite a bit this season and there was a lot of first time experiences that filled my bucket list. I can only hope that 2014 exceeds my expectations like this year has. 

The variables and elements to sustain wildlife through a Midwest winter haven’t changed. Food, water, shelter and space – the four components of good habitat – are all required to varying degrees, depending on the species and climatic conditions. Wildlife management has changed over time. One prime example is the historical practice of feeding wildlife – deer, birds and just about everything in between, especially during winter when people perceive a shortage of food. Food, water, shelter and space – the four components of good habitat Food, water, shelter and space – the four components of good habitat This practice was once embraced by most wildlife professionals, and the traditional thought process made sense to biologists, hunters and citizens. But over the course of time, what was once the standard has been reviewed. New research produced new knowledge that prompted questions future wildlife management decisions.   http://www.uplandgameadventures.com/four-components-of-good-habitat/

Before Butterball, a fat wild turkey taken in fall was the centerpiece of many Thanksgiving tables. This year, honor the holiday’s heritage by playing Pilgrim and hunting a fall bird of your own. The basics to harvesting a Thanksgiving Turkeyaren’t all that complicated, but I’ve learned a few moves over the years that’ll help give you an edge. Here’s how to bring home a turkey dinner for your whole family to enjoy. http://www.uplandgameadventures.com/harvesting-a-thanksgiving-turkey/

I’ve spent the past two weekends in the thickest, nastiest, aspens I could find. Pushing through pines so dense that I couldn’t see an inch in front of my face. My elbows are scratched and stuck with tiny bits of thorns. My knee is swollen with a bruise the size of a baseball. It’s late September. When pain and ice packs mark the new season as much as that first trip to the cider mill. Most feather-chasers laugh when I say I’m hitting the northern Michigan woods for the grouse and woodcock openers. They tell me they don’t hunt until the leaves are down. The forest is too thick. The odds are stacked against hunters. They tell me they don’t waste the time. - See more at: http://www.uplandgameadventures.com/the-good-hurt/#sthash.DyRkRzt4.dpuf

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 30th, 2013   Krieghoff International Teams With Hunters, Boy Scouts In Fundraiser Shoot    Washington, DC – Safari Club International Foundation (SCI Foundation) and the Boy Scouts of America Foundation (BSAF) will host their second annual sporting clays shoot on February 4, 2014 at 9:00 am.  This event precedes the kickoff of the 2014 Safari Club International Convention in Las Vegas, Nev. and all proceeds from the shoot benefit the programs of both SCI Foundation and BSAF.   “I am extremely thankful to be working again with the Boy Scouts for our 2014 Sporting Clays Fundraiser,” said SCI Foundation President Joe Hosmer. “Krieghoff International’s generous donation of a world-class K-80 Pro Sportermakes it that much more special for our second year. If you are a supporter of SCI Foundation’s mission of wildlife conservation or the Boy Scout’s mission of developing future leaders, then we know you’ll be with us on February 4th.”   A variety of celebrity sporting clays experts will be in attendance.  Participants will even have a chance to take pointers from Olympic bronze medalist Corey Cogdell.    “Both SCI Foundation and the Boy Scouts know that the future of hunting and shooting depends on developing the next generation of participants and at Krieghoff we have always had a passion of bringing more shooters into the field,” said Alex Diehl, Chief Operating Officer of Krieghoff. “When we were approached to sponsor the 2014 Sporting Clays fundraiser, not only did we want to field a team, we donated a top-tier sporting clays shotgun.”   As the lead sponsor for the 2014 shoot, Krieghoff International has donated a new Krieghoff K-80 Pro Sporterover/under, 12 gauge shotgun with 32-inch barrels.  A sweepstakes drawing for the gun will be one of the highlights of the Second Annual SCI Foundation & BSAF Sporting Clays Fundraiser. Every shooter who registers for the competition will receive one ticket to the drawing, with additional tickets available for $100 apiece. A maximum of 300 tickets will be sold, so register soon to secure your team for February 4th.   The Boy Scouts serve nearly three million youth annually through their leadership driven programs and award more than 200,000 shooting sports achievements yearly. SCI Foundation promotes wildlife conservation and education worldwide and has donated well over $50 million in support of its vital projects and programs since 2000.   Make your reservation to join SCI Foundation and BSAF for the Second Annual Clays Shoot by contacting Kimberly Byers at the SCI Foundation Headquarters at (520) 620-1220, ext. 322 or email to kbyers@safariclub.org   MEDIA CONTACT: Nelson Freeman; Nfreeman@safariclub.org   Like SCI Foundation on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SCIFOUNDATIONCONSERVATION Join SCI Foundation on Twitter: http://twitter.com/SCIFoundation Learn more today at http://FirstForWildlife.wordpress.com   Safari Club International Foundation (SCI Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that funds and manages worldwide programs dedicated to wildlife conservation, and outdoor education. Since 2000, SCIF has provided over $50 million to these causes around the world.   Visit the SCI Foundation’s website at www.safariclubfoundation.org for more information on how you can contribute to international conservation.