A hearing in Salem on proposed wolf management bills showed agreement from just about everybody involved on one issue — Oregon ranchers should be compensated for livestock losses.   SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A hearing in Salem on proposed wolf management bills showed agreement from just about everybody involved on one issue — Oregon ranchers should be compensated for livestock losses. But other issues may not be as easy to resolve. About 35 people showed up for the two-hour hearing Wednesday before the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources on five bills backed by the Oregon Cattlemen's Association. In addition to a pair of bills proposing a compensation plan, two other bills would authorize killing wolves — one when they attack livestock and another, without cause. A fifth bill would cut the state's population goal for wolf recovery in half, to four breeding pairs. Ranchers said they need the proposed changes to deal with livestock losses and threats to safety. But conservation groups said the proposals amount to a political end run around the current Oregon wolf management plan. "I am extremely disappointed to have to be here again today to discuss efforts to undermine Oregon's wolf plan and fragile wolf recovery that were proposed, discussed, debated, and soundly rejected in last year's extensive public process,'' Rob Klavins of Oregon Wild told the House committee. Opponents of the proposed management changes said the state should stick to the requirements for both wolf numbers and constraints on killing the animals outlined in the state wolf management plan updated last year. "The vast majority of Oregonians are proud of this compromise plan and the process that was used to create it, and it is important that state legislators defend it,'' said Randy Comeleo, of Corvallis. Suzanne Stone, with Defenders of Wildlife, said coyotes alone kill 10 times more livestock than wolves, while cougars, bears, bad weather, disease and birthing complications also take a toll. But ranchers told lawmakers that wolves are costing them money and peace of mind. Karl Patton, a rancher from Joseph in northeastern Oregon, said he was awakened last March by six wolves in the dark "coming full speed.'' He started shooting until they ran off. Wolves have killed his livestock twice, including two pregnant cows, one of which was carrying twins, he said. "When they were coming at me and the dogs, they were not coming to shake hands,'' Patton said. Ramona Phillips, also of Joseph, said wolves are changing the behavior of livestock and the members of her family. "Now we live the stress of wolf attacks 24/7,'' she said. Wildlife experts already are authorized to kill problem wolves, which can be killed if they are an immediate threat. But conservationists say easing protection for wolves as proposed by the bills could lead to poaching. "It would essentially take us back to the good old days where killing a wolf on sight was OK," Klavins said. "There's no way to prove after the fact that that wolf was, in fact, threatening your cattle or was within 500 feet of a house." Since wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in 1995, the animal populations in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana, eastern Washington and eastern Oregon have grown to nearly 1,500. The first wolf crossed into Oregon in 1999. Wildlife managers confirm 39 domestic animals have since been killed by wolves, whose population now totals at least 23. Another hearing by the committee is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday.

      Carl Zeiss Sports Optics Announces 2014 NRA Show Celebrity Signings         NORTH CHESTERFIELD, VA., (April 21, 2014) - Carl Zeiss Sports Optics, the world's leading manufacturer of high performance sports optics is pleased to announce that former professional cage fighter Matt Hughes, TV host of “Uncaged”, along with Larry Weishuhn, TV host of “Trailing the Hunter’s Moon”, and Ralph & Vicki Cianciarulo, TV hosts of “Archers Choice” & “The Choice,” will be appearing in the Zeiss booth (#6854) at the 143nd Annual NRA Meetings and Exhibits in Indianapolis (IN), April 25-27, 2014. ZEISS is a proud sponsor and optics partner of all three shows.  The “Uncaged” TV Show is hosted by 9-time UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes, and airs on the Sportsman Channel.  The show is an adventure series focusing on challenging, free-range hunts around the world.  Larry Weishuhn’s “Trailing the Hunter’s Moon” TV Show airs on the Sportsman Channel, featuring “Mr. Whitetail” who travels the world in search of exotic and popular trophy game.  Ralph & Vicki Cianciarulo are hosts of two of today’s top rated award-winning hunting TV shows.  These two have introduced millions of viewers to their very unique relationship and incredible hunting adventures on “Archers Choice” & “The Choice” TV shows that air on The Outdoor Channel. Carl Zeiss Sports Optics will showcase their innovative hunting optics at the NRA convention, including products from the premium entry TERRA line, the premium CONQUEST line and super-premium VICTORY line.  NRA attendees are encouraged to stop by the Zeiss booth (#6854) to meet Matt, Larry, Ralph & Vicki, and experience the latest offerings from the industry leader in optical technology.  See the full schedule of celebrity signing times below.  Friday, April 25th (all times Eastern Standard Time) 1 pm – 2 pm:  Matt Hughes, “Uncaged” 3 pm – 4 pm:  Ralph & Vicki Cianciarulo, “Archer’s Choice” & “The Choice” Saturday, April 26th 11 am – 12 pm:  Larry Weishuhn, “Trailing the Hunter's Moon” 1 pm – 2 pm:      Matt Hughes, “Uncaged” 3 pm – 4 pm:      Ralph & Vicki Cianciarulo, “Archer’s Choice” & “The Choice” Sunday, April 27th 11 am – 12 pm:  Larry Weishuhn, “Trailing the Hunter's Moon” 1 pm – 2 pm:      Matt Hughes, “Uncaged” The 143nd NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits will be held at the Indiana Convention Center in the center of downtown Indianapolis, IN, April 25-27, 2014.  Bring the whole family to enjoy the over 600 exhibitors covering over 400,000 square feet of exhibit hall space, educational seminars, celebrities, and fun-filled special events.  There will be something for everyone!  For more information on this event, visit http://www.nraam.org.    About Carl Zeiss Sports Optics   Carl Zeiss Sports Optics is a leading, international provider of premium sports optics and is part of the Consumer Optics Group of Carl Zeiss. Carl Zeiss Sports Optics, LLC is responsible for sales, marketing and distribution of its state-of-the-art binoculars, riflescopes, rangefinders and spotting scopes throughout the United States and Canada. Carl Zeiss Sports Optics’ North American headquarters is located in North Chesterfield, VA.   About the ZEISS Group ZEISS is an internationally leading technology enterprise operating in the fields of optics and optoelectronics. The company has been contributing to technological progress for more than 160 years. Founded in 1846, the company now has its headquarters in Oberkochen in southwest Germany and has representatives in over 40 countries.  

Republican Rep. Judy Boyle did her part Tuesday, successfully sponsoring a disaster emergency declaration that cleared the Idaho House on a 64-5 vote.   BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Tiffani Bowen waits tables and cooks at the Country Coffee Cabin in Midvale, a little western Idaho ranching community along U.S. Highway 95 near millions of acres of National Forest land. The mother of a 2-year-old has never seen one of the wolves that roam the mountains here, but when local talk turns to the big predators, residents are unified, she said. "Everyone wants to have them all gone," Bowen said. The local Republican Rep. Judy Boyle did her part Tuesday, successfully sponsoring a disaster emergency declaration that cleared the Idaho House on a 64-5 vote. It would allow Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter to enlist local law enforcement agents to help kill wolves if he decides they are a risk to humans, livestock, outfitting businesses or wildlife. It's similar to a measure in which Idaho County in 2010 unsuccessfully sought authority from Otter to allow wolves to be shot on sight. Wolves haven't attacked humans since their reintroduction to Idaho in 1995, but there's an almost archetypal fear in some of Idaho's rural communities that they are under siege from the big canine carnivores. Ranchers complain they're losing their livestock, hunters say wolves have made big game scarce. And Rep. Lenore Barrett, R-Challis, says she won't let her grandchildren play outdoors because wolves have been spotted on nearby Blue Mountain. "They're killers, they do it for sport, and then they leave their victim still alive for a lingering death," Barrett said. After Tuesday's vote, the measure moves to the Senate. The estimated 1,650 wolves now in the Northern Rockies — about half the population is in Idaho — are descended primarily from 66 wolves trapped in Canada and released into remote areas of Idaho and Wyoming in the mid-1990s by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Federal Endangered Species Act protections have been lifted twice, once in 2008 and again in 2009 when there were legal public hunts in Idaho and Montana. But the protections were reinstated last August by a federal judge after a lawsuit filed by environmental groups. Just last month, ten conservation groups that had sued reached an agreement with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove federal protections from wolves. There's also an effort in Congress by lawmakers from the northern Rocky Mountains to act. Still, Idaho lawmakers like Rep. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, are frustrated at the slow progress and hope to keep the pressure on with legislation like the disaster emergency declaration. Hagedorn, an avid hunter, complained it's been months since the Idaho Department of Fish and Game sought the go-ahead from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to kill dozens of wolves blamed for killing elk in northcentral Idaho. "That population of elk in that one zone is no longer sustainable," Hagedorn said. The five Democratic dissenters weren't convinced. Wolves have been spotted on golf courses near Sun Valley, said Rep. Wendy Jaquet, who represents the central Idaho vacation region. Still, she's more frightened of even bolder mountain lions that have also been sighted around town. Idaho already has the tools at its disposal to manage wolves appropriately without resorting to Boyle's bill, Jaquet said, including the likelihood of delisting, money to compensate livestock owners for losses and federal agents who can be called in to kill problem packs. "We do have lethal measures that take place right now," she said. "We should let the process go forward."

Simply throwing some seed down does not make a food plot. If you want action, you must take action and do it right. by Steve Bartylla It was amazing. I could glass the property line squatter’s stand. He was a mere 105 yards away from mine. Sitting along the edge on the hayfield, he was trying to intercept the deer coming off of my small lease. What I found amazing wasn’t that he’d put his stand in a tree that the property fence ran through or that it was situated to shoot into my lease. Unfortunately, such acts happen far too frequently. What was amazing was how effective my food plot strategy had been in foiling his attempts. During each sit on my half-acre food plot, I saw many deer, with the majority offering shot opportunities. Heck, from that stand I eventually arrowed the biggest buck in the area. However, a mere 105 yards away, the squatter saw next to nothing. That’s precisely how powerful food plots can be. Unfortunately, the majority aren’t effective. They are often slapped into the easiest locations, with little thought invested into how they can maximize hunting opportunities. To get killer results from food plots, one must do more than the minimum. Feed Plots, Kill Plots, And Size That starts with planning. Of course, sunlight, soil types, soils conditions, accessibility, and a host of factors need to be considered. For now, let’s focus on size, shape, and location assuming that the conditions are also suitable for planting. Before we can begin, we must first differentiate between feed or kill plots. As the names imply, they serve distinctly different purposes. Feed plots are designed to both help keep deer on the property and address their nutritional needs. Kill plots are for hunting.       Because they are designed to be a primary food source, feed plots must be larger in size to sustain prolonged feeding. Furthermore, one must account for the competition factor. Most prime 40-acre-plus properties have more than one doe family group spending some time on the land. Each family group can consist of multiple generations of does and young that can be traced back to the matriarch doe. These family groups struggle for dominance much like bucks do during the rut. If the feed plot is too small, family groups and individual bucks are often driven off by the dominant family group and buck in the area. To feed and hold the maximum number of resident deer on the property, one can approach feed plots in two ways. The least cost-effective method is to make feed plots large enough for the deer to share nicely. That size varies based on other available food choices and deer density, but requires comparatively more acreage. The other option is breaking the feed plot into several plots, with each containing the same plantings. For example, three completely separate feed plots, each containing 1 acre of alfalfa and 4 acres of double-planted grain can support a minimum of three mature bucks and up to six family groups. One 15-acre plot will most likely lose one or more family groups and, once the bachelor groups break up, risks trimming the mature bucks to 1. The younger, subordinate bucks will also compete and disperse less with the illusion of reduced competition that the multiple-plot option provides. Conversely, kill plots should be small. After all, as the name implies, their purpose is for killing deer. Since bow range is limited, smaller, horseshoe, and “L” plots maximize shot opportunities. Along with that, within reason, the smaller the food plot, the safer the deer feel. All else being equal, a narrow half-acre food plot, completely surrounded by cover, will receive more daylight feeding activity than a square 5-acre plot. Furthermore, orienting the plot so the outside apex of the horseshoe or L works with the prevailing fall wind direction is important in providing the maximum opportunities. With that, one can place stands on the outside and inside edge of the apex.     Because of the shape, size, and placement of the kill plot, the author realized great daylight buck activity, whereas just 105 yards away the line squatter saw nearly nothing.   Additionally, the shape naturally funnels deer to your stand. From the apex, deer can see the entire food plot. Because of that, they gravitate to that area. Finally, the kill plot should be no more than 30 yards wide. That further increases the odds of any deer entering the plot being within bow range. Though the shape and orientation isn’t important for feed plots, you can see why addressing both is extremely beneficial on kill plots. Minimizing near misses should be a priority, and these two factors do just that. Food Plot Location At first thought, the location of the feed plots may not seem overly important. After all, since hunting them isn’t a primary concern, who cares if the feeding occurs after dark? In fact, it works to our advantage if we can keep deer in the woods until after dark. Still, location means everything for both the feed and kill plot. Ideally, they work in concert with each other. We want the bucks to stage in our small kill plots before venturing out to the feed plots after dark. Maximizing location begins by determining where the bedding activity occurs. Next, one can plot the feed plot locations. Inside corners of existing fields and remote areas of open grass lands are both great choices. Deer tend to feel safe in these locations, but the relative openness still promotes twilight and nighttime activity. With the bedding and feed plot locations identified, determine the most likely path deer will take between the two. Backing off around 100 to 200 yards from the feed plot is where our kill plot should be located. Determining the precise location is a balance between conditions suitable to grow the planting and the ability to keep disturbances to a minimum when hunting, accessing, and departing the plot. Luckily, two of best planting choices for the kill plots are clovers and brassicas. Both are relatively easy to grow and don’t require ideal conditions.   Pairing grains and greens helps feed plots provide nutrition throughout the entire year.   Of course, this type of placement will require some clearing work. A decent dozer operator can typically knock out three to five of these kill plots in a day, as well as complement each with a small waterhole. They can even pile the debris to form a barrier in front of the stand sites so the deer enter where you want them to. The costs generally fall under $500 for a day’s work. For those on a tighter budget, all one really needs is a chainsaw and an ATV equipped with a sturdy disc. Remember, we’re not cash cropping here. So, if the plots contain some stumps, it’s not an issue. Either way, carefully planning the location of the feed and kill plots can make the difference between arrowing the buck of your dreams and seeing virtually nothing. By then shaping and orienting the kill plot correctly, one stacks the odds for producing killer results. Devil In The Details The details often separate a thriving food plot from crop failure. Here are a few items that many overlook, but can prove to be real difference-makers. Match the planting to soil types and conditions: For example, because of a relatively shallow fibrous root system, clovers will do very well in comparatively moist areas and heavy soil types. However, they do poorly in sandy, comparatively dry areas. Because of a deeper tap root system, alfalfas are better suited for lighter soils and can tolerate significantly lower moisture content. Match the planting to amount of sunlight: Chicory, clovers, and even many brassicas can do well in as little as three hours of direct sunlight a day. Most grain crops, such as corn and soybeans, do much better with six or more hours. For the best possible food plot, matching the planting to the specifics of the location is critical. Test soil pH and nutrient levels: Soils tests are cheap and easy. Simply collect tablespoon-size scoops of topsoil from evenly dispersed areas of your food plot until you have filled about half a sandwich baggie. Most seed dealers or the county agricultural office can send it away for testing. A few weeks later, you will get a report that details the exact fertilizer and lime requirements for your particular planting.   Firm seedbeds are critical for broadcast seeds to realize high germination rates.   Use lime wisely: Speaking of lime, not all limes are created equal. Limes range from fine to coarse grain. Pelletized lime is an extremely fine lime that has been bonded to form pellets. It breaks down in the soils very fast. The effects can begin within weeks. Barn lime is the opposite extreme. It’s so course that as much as 50 percent may never break down into usable form and can take many months to make a significant difference. Frankly, it shouldn’t be used for food plots. The field lime that is sold most often to farmers strikes a balance between the two extremes. In either case, one should realize that lime is not a permanent fix. The finer the grain, the quicker the impact, but also the faster it leeches from the soil. With pelletized lime, one often must reapply every year. Most field limes are commonly good for two or more years. Prepare a proper seed bed: This is well worth the effort. Even the “no tills” that are available will do significantly better in properly prepared soils. After disking, the soil should be cultipacked to create an even and firm bed. This is mission critical for small seeds not meant to be drilled. If the bed isn’t firm, a high percentage of seed is often covered too deep to ever break the surface. For seeds that are drilled, all that is left is praying for rain, but broadcasted seeds should be cultipacked one last time. Doing so sinks the seeds into the soil and promotes a higher germination rate. Maintain your planting: Weed competition is often the greatest challenge. Most all seed blends these days can be sprayed with herbicides. The trick is selecting the right one for the specific planting. The seed dealers can point you in the right direction. Also, many greens can be mowed to knock back the weeds. Some plantings, such as clovers and alfalfas, need to be mowed to keep them in a highly digestible and nutritious state. When they reach 6 to 12 inches in height, knocking them down to approximately 4 inches does the trick. One can never control rainfall. However, following the steps above will help give your food plot its best chance to thrive

New Mexico offers Youth Encouragement licenses to resident and non-resident hunters by Mia Anstine Good morning. I was just taking a moment to catch up on email and news letters that are sitting in the InBox waiting for me. I had to share this one because it is GOOD NEWS! From the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF), released August 1, 2012: "LOTS OF YOUTH ELK LICENSES, [...] Read more of this post

Bowfishing – Sharing the fun with friends by Mia Anstine Hank and I invited one of our friends and his wife to come to the lake with us for an afternoon of challenge and fun. Our friend is a very successful archery hunter and had never had the fun of shooting a fish. We had shared stories and he kinda shrugged when we would tell them. He thought [...] Read more of this post

Background on lion hunting   Facing a lion in the African savannah is an experience of a life time. From this day your life will change forever. Hunting a lion is traditional, fun, and dangerous. Lion hunt is a historical practice that played an important role in the Maasai culture. The practice is different from trophy hunting; it is symbolically a rite of passage rather than a hobby.The Maasai tribe sees lion hunting experience as a sign of bravery and personal achievement. In the past, when the lion population was high, the community encouraged solo lion hunting. However, over the last ten years,due to the decline of the lion population, mainly because of rabies and canine distemper virus, the community has adapted a new rule that encourages warriors to hunt in groups instead of solo lion hunt. Group hunting, known in Maasai as lamayio, gives the lion population a chance to grow. Lion hunting experience allows the Maasai warriors to show off their fighting ability on a non-human target. At the end of each age-set, usually after 10-15 years, the warriors must count all the lions hunted, then compare them with those hunted by the previous age-set. The success of lion hunting brings gratitude and excitement to the entire community. The achievement is perceived as individual bravery. The community will honour Olmurani lolowuaru (the hunter) with much respect throughout his lifetime. The hunter will also receive a nickname, for example, Miseyieki, from his colleagues. Miseyieki means no one will ever dare to mess with him. When the warriors attend ceremonies in other communities, they will praise their colleague through songs, so other warriors can acknowledge their member.  (Source The Massaai Association)   Social structure   Lions are predatory carnivores who manifest two types of social organization. Some are residents, living in groups, called prides. The pride usually consists of five or six related females, their cubs of both sexes, and one or two males (known as a coalition if more than one) who mate with the adult females (although extremely large prides, consisting of up to 30 individuals, have been observed). The number of adult males in a coalition is usually two, but may increase to four and decrease again over time. Male cubs are excluded from their maternal pride when they reach maturity. The second organizational behaviour is labeled nomads, who range widely and move about sporadically, either singularly or in pairs. Pairs are more frequent among related males who have been excluded from their birth pride. Note that a lion may switch lifestyles, nomads may become residents and vice versa. Males have to go through this lifestyle and some never are able to join another pride. A female who becomes a nomad has much greater difficulty joining a new pride, as the females in a pride are related, and they reject most attempts by an unrelated female to join their family group. The area a pride occupies is called a pride area, whereas that by a nomad is a range. The males associated with a pride tend to stay on the fringes, patrolling their territory. Why sociality - the most pronounced in any cat species-has developed in lionesses is the subject of much debate. Increased hunting success appears an obvious reason, but this is less than sure upon examination: coordinated hunting does allow for more successful predation, but also ensures that non-hunting members reduce per capita caloric intake, however, some take a role raising cubs, who may be left alone for extended periods of time. Members of the pride regularly tend to play the same role in hunts. The health of the hunters is the primary need for the survival of the pride and they are the first to consume the prey at the site it is taken. Other benefits include possible kin selection (better to share food with a related lion than with a stranger), protection of the young, maintenance of territory, and individual insurance against injury and hunger. Lionesses do the majority of the hunting for their pride, being smaller, swifter and more agile than the males, and unencumbered by the heavy and conspicuous mane, which causes overheating during exertion. They act as a co-ordinated group in order to stalk and bring down the prey successfully. However, if nearby the hunt, males have a tendency to dominate the kill once the lionesses have succeeded. They are more likely to share with the cubs than with the lionesses, but rarely share food they have killed by themselves. Smaller prey is eaten at the location of the hunt, thereby being shared among the hunters; when the kill is larger it often is dragged to the pride area. There is more sharing of larger kills, although pride members often behave aggressively toward each other as each tries to consume as much food as possible. Both males and females defend the pride against intruders. Some individual lions consistently lead the defence against intruders, while others lag behind. Lions tend to assume specific roles in the pride. Those lagging behind may provide other valuable services to the group. An alternative hypothesis is that there is some reward associated with being a leader who fends off intruders and the rank of lionesses in the pride is reflected in these responses. The male or males associated with the pride must defend their relationship to the pride from outside males who attempt to take over their relationship with the pride. Females form the stable social unit in a pride and do not tolerate outside females; membership only changes with the births and deaths of lionesses, although some females do leave and become nomadic. Sub adult males on the other hand, must leave the pride when they reach maturity at around 2-3 years of age.  (Source http://en.wikipedia.org)   Subspecies Traditionally, twelve recent subspecies of lion were recognised, distinguished by mane appearance, size, and distribution. Because these characteristics are very insignificant and show a high individual variability, most of these forms were probably not true subspecies, especially as they were often based upon zoo material of unknown origin that may have had "striking, but abnormal" morphological characteristics. Today only eight subspecies are usually accepted, although one of these, the Cape lion, formerly described as Panthera leo melanochaita, probably is invalid.Even the remaining seven subspecies might be too many. While the status of the Asiatic lion (P. l. persica) as a subspecies is generally accepted, the systematic relationships among African lions are still not completely resolved. Mitochondrial variation in living African lions seemed to be modest according to some younger studies and therefore all sub-Saharan lions sometimes have been considered a single subspecies. However, a recent study revealed, that lions from western and central Africa differ genetically from lions of southern or eastern Africa. According to this study, Western African lions are more closely related to Asian lions, than to South or East African lions.These findings might be explained by a late Pleistocene extinction event of lions in western and central Africa and a subsequent recolonisation of these parts from Asia. Previous studies, which were focusing mainly on lions from eastern and southern parts of Africa already showed that these can be possibly divided in two main clades: one to the west of the Great Rift Valley and the other to the east. Lions from Tsavo in Eastern Kenya are much closer genetically to lions in Transvaal (South Africa), than to those inthe Aberdare Range in Western Kenya. Another study, revealed, that there are three major types of lions, one North African-Asian, one Southern African and one Middle African. Conversely, Per Christiansen found that using skull morphology allowed him to identify the subspecies krugeri,nubica, persica, and senegalensis, while there was overlap between bleyenberghi with senegalensis and krugeri. The Asiatic lion persica was the most distinctive, and the Cape lion had characteristics allying it more with persica than the other subsaharan lions. He had analysed 58 lion skulls in three European museums.The white lion is not a distinct subspecies, but a special morph with a genetic condition, that causes paler coloration. They are not albinos, having normal pigmentation in the eyes and skin. White Transvaal lion(Panthera leo krugeri) individuals occasionally have been encountered in and around Kruger National Park and the adjacent Timbavati Private Game Reserve in eastern South Africa, but are more commonly found in captivity, where breeders deliberately select them. The unusual cream colour of their coats is due to a recessive gene. How we hunt A canned hunt is essentially a trophy hunt in which the animal is kept in a more confined (cages) area or space.* We do not hunt lion kept in a cage or in confined space anything smaller than their natural range or pride area.* We only hunt lions on foot (Walk and Stalk).* We do not hunt drugged or injured lions.* We will only hunt matured lions. Hunting area and accommodation The hunting area is situated in the western parts of the Kalahari between Vryburg and Kuruman. If travelling by road it will take approximately 5 hours from OR Tambo International Airport. The nearest landing strip is just outside Vryburg, from there it is a 45 minute drive to the 4000 hectare ranch with a beautiful luxury lodge and 7 comfortable chalets. Each can sleep 2 people with the choice of double or 2 single beds with an on suite bathroom and private lounge. Early morning clients will wake up with a spectacular sunrise while enjoying a cup of fresh coffee and muffins before the hunt starts. Approximately 11 o’clock hunters will return to the lodge for breakfast / brunch. In the evenings clients are treated with a great and well-prepared three course dinner with table wine.   Other species available on the ranch include: Sable, Kudu, Oryx, Red Hartebeest, Black Wildebeest, Zebra, Blesbuck, Impala, Jackal, Warthog and baboon.   Special Terms and Conditions on lion hunting    No lion hunting or any hunting will start before the trophies have been paid for. We accept USD and EURO. Should a client not find the lion, he or she will be refunded (The price minus CITES permit cost - 1000 USD) - I have a 100% success rate.   I will get the client in a comfortable range which will allow him/her to place a perfect shot but should the lion charge, myself and back-up team will start shooting from 15 meters. Should we kill the lion under these circumstances the trophy still belong to the client and he will be responsible for the trophy fee.   Safety always comes first. Should a second or other lion attack, we will protect the client at all cost. Unfortunately the client will be responsible for the cost of such lion. It never happened before but I think it is important to know before the hunt.   Hunting is done on foot.      Costing   Costing are mainly done based on the lion's sex, age, sub specie and size. You are more than welcome to send me an email. Hunting packages on male lion prices start from 22 000 USD / 16 000 EURO and can go up to 45 000 USD / 36 000 EURO pending on lion size, age and sub specie, lioness packages from 7 500 USD / 6 000 EURO .   We do have pictures of all the lions available in various price ranges and we can work a deal out to match a hunter's requirements and budget.   General Terms of business: 50% deposit is needed to confirm reservation, the balance is payable 14 days prior to commencement of the Safari by electronic Transfer.  Please Note only Cash in camp. Prior to the commencement of your safari, clients will be requested to complete and sign a Safari contract as well as our own indemnity form as prescribed by the Professional Hunters Association.  Any client wishing to fly between areas is responsible for their own and one PH’s airfare. In case of cancellation within a period 30 days prior to the commencement of the hunting season, no refunds can be made. Loss of hunting days due to illness, lost luggage, delayed flights, etc. is at clients expense. Liability: Hennie Viljoen Africa Hunting Safaris will take the utmost precautions to ensure your safety. Hennie Viljoen Africa Hunting Safaris and agents, is not and cannot be held responsible for illness, injury or death of any client, or for any reason whatsoever. It is the discretion of Hennie Viljoen Africa Hunting Safaris to terminate any agreement with immediate effect, if found necessary due to willful damage to private property, or due to any clients endangering the life or lives of any other person or persons. Our website www.hennieviljoensafaris.com

A great day of bow fishing and a new huntress added by Mia Anstine We left in the late morning with a friend and his wife. We set out for a day of bow fishing at the lake. As we floated away from the marina I gave our friend a bow and explained to him the jug and reel. (read about his day here) The wife examined the arrow and [...] Read more of this post

  Microstamping in New York Senate Codes Committee Tuesday   Anti-gun legislators from New York City continue to seek passage of firearms microstamping legislation S. 675B, that would result in banning firearms in the Empire State. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Jose Peralta, filed a Motion to Consider microstamping, which requires the bill to be on the committee agenda. The Senate Codes Committee will address S.675B on Tuesday, March 13 at 10:30 a.m. If microstamping were to become law, firearms manufacturers would be forced to employ a patented, sole-sourced concept that independent studies, including those from the National Academy of Sciences and the University of California at Davis, found to be flawed and easily defeated by criminals. Passage of this bill could result in layoffs of factory workers throughout New York as manufacturers, already being heavily lobbied by tax and gun friendly states, consider moving out of New York. Furthermore, firearms manufacturers could be forced to abandon the New York market altogether rather than spend the astronomical sums of money needed to completely reconfigure their manufacturing and assembly processes. This would directly impact law enforcement, firearms retailers and their law-abiding customers. Please politely contact members of the Senate Codes Committee and urge them to oppose this flawed, easily defeated concept. The last thing New York needs is another failed concept (ballistic imaging) costing tax-payer money, forcing manufacturing jobs out of the state and impacting only lawful firearms owners and retailers. Learn more about microstamping by viewing the NSSF Microstamping Fact Sheet.

Posted: Wednesday, May 7, 2014 8:00 am | Updated: 10:19 am, Wed May 7, 2014. 0 comments Forest Lake-area physician Betty Maloney doesn’t think enough attention has been paid to preventing Lyme disease. So Maloney, well-versed on tick-borne illness through close association with the Minnesota Lyme Association (MLA), wrote the following prevention handout, released just last month. The information is courtesy of Partnership for Healing and Health Ltd., of which she is president. It is intended for educational purposes only and not to replace or supersede care by a health care provider. The MLA meets in White Bear Lake the second Tuesday of every month. See mnlyme.com. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that may develop after a bite from a Lyme-infected deer tick. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that more than 300,000 new cases of Lyme disease occur each year in the United States. Here’s how to prevent and recognize Lyme disease: Avoid ticks Stay out of tick habitat, especially areas with long grass, lots of brush or leaf litter. Stay in the center of hiking and biking trails; don’t sit on fallen logs. Many people become infected around their home. Clear away brush and fallen leaves, keep your grass short. Place lawn furniture and play structures in sunny areas of the yard. Bird feeders and wood piles attract tick-carrying mice so keep them far from the house. Don’t feed deer or use plants that attract them. Pets that go outdoors can bring ticks indoors; perform tick checks and ask your veterinarian for a list of appropriate tick products. Use insecticides and repellents Insecticides and repellents reduce the risk of a tick bite. Insecticides kill ticks; repellents encourage them to leave before biting. Look for products with: • Permethrin, an essential insecticide. Apply it to clothing, sleeping bags and other gear, but not skin. It remains effective for two-six weeks and through multiple washings. • DEET, the best-known repellent. Use concentrations of 30 percent or higher. DEET is safe to apply to unbroken skin, wool and cotton, but it can damage other fabrics and materials. The EPA considers DEET to be safe for children older than 2 months old, but Canada’s health department recommends against using DEET on children. • Picaridin, a newer repellent that’s as effective as DEET. Use concentrations of 20 percent. Apply it to unbroken skin and fabrics. It is non-toxic and safe for children. • BioUD, a newer repellent derived from wild tomato plants. A concentration of 8 percent is two to four times more active than 98 percent DEET against deer ticks. It can be used on clothing but doesn’t last as long as permethrin. It’s only available online at www.homs.com. Tick checks are vital Check for ticks frequently while in tick habitat and for 1-2 days after exposure. Promptly remove and save attached ticks in a resealable container so your doctor can examine them. The risk of contracting Lyme disease depends on how long the tick was attached and how likely it is to be infected. Few infected ticks transmit Lyme in less than 24 hours. At 48 hours, roughly 20 percent will transmit; at 60 hours, 50 percent pass on the infection and when infected ticks feed until full, 94 percent will transmit Lyme disease. In many high-risk areas, half of the deer ticks are infected with Lyme. Ticks may be infected with other diseases and these infections, often called co-infections, are also transmitted through bites. Anaplasmosis and babesiosis are known co-infections and bartonellosis may also be a tick-transmitted disease. Tick removal Don’t put anything on the tick; irritants like liquid soap don’t make the tick release its bite but do make it harder to grasp. Specialized tick removers work well, but so do finely pointed tweezers. Grasp the tick close to the skin (avoid squeezing its body) and use a steady motion to pull it straight out. Wash the bite site with soap and water. Antibiotic treatment Certain antibiotics may reduce the risk of Lyme disease if taken within two days of a bite. Contact your doctor to discuss this strategy. Following a “wait and see” strategy is risky because 30 percent of patients never develop a Lyme rash. Basing treatment decisions on blood tests done shortly after a bite isn’t a good idea because the results are unreliable. Antibiotic approaches are changing; ask your doctor to review a paper published in April 2011 in the Wisconsin Medical Journal and available at: www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/_WMS/publications/wmj/pdf/110/2/78.pdf or Prescribers’ Letter from June 2012. Lyme disease symptoms Lyme disease causes a wide variety of symptoms. Symptoms come and go, vary in intensity, change over time and differ from patient to patient. These variations sometimes make it difficult to recognize the infection. • Early Lyme disease occurs within 2-30 days of a bite. In 70 percent of CDC-reported cases, patients developed a rash at the site of the bite. Rashes are usually oval-shaped and solid-colored. The classic bull’s-eye is seen in less than 20 percent of cases. Patients may also have fever, chills, muscle and joint pains, neck stiffness, headaches, fatigue and sore throat. When the rash is absent, these flu-like symptoms may be the only clue of infection. Some patients are asymptomatic in early disease. • Early disseminated disease develops weeks to months after a bite. In this stage, the infection has spread beyond the skin to other body sites. Multiple rashes, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, generalized pain, severe headaches and stiff necks (indicating meningitis), Bell’s palsy, sleep and/or concentration difficulties may be seen. A small percentage of patients experience abnormalities in their heart rate. • Late Lyme disease occurs months to years after the bite. Patients may notice several seemingly unrelated problems, including: arthritis, nervous system abnormalities or nonspecific problems with fatigue, headaches, generalized pain or muscle pain, recurrent fevers, difficulty thinking or and changes in mood. A tricky diagnosis Because symptoms are variable and lab tests are not always reliable, Lyme disease can be a tricky diagnosis to make. If you spend time in tick habitat or areas known to have Lyme disease or co-infections and develop symptoms of these infections, be sure to let your doctor know about your exposures.   © 2014 Your local online newspaper. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.