By Chris Avena   Social media has become a large part of our every day lives. There is a type of social media for every type of interest. Now, social media has crept into the outdoors. Less than two years ago I launched SeeMeHunt.com, the interactive social network for hunters. It is a social media outlet where you can share your experiences and pictures of your outdoor adventures and meet other hunters and outdoorsmen from around the world.    This past August I was invited to join the World Wild Adventure Team to go to South Africa to co-host part of their Big 5 African Game Series.   This particular hunt really did peak my interest. We would be hunting a White Rhino. This was number one on my Big Five hunting list. This hunt would be a bit different than most. This was to be a “Green Hunt”. It would have all of the thrill and excitement of a big game hunt, but instead of using a 375 H & H, I would be hunting this great beast with a tranquilizer gun. The fact is, green hunting requires more skill and precision than hunting with a rifle because the animal must be shot at a much closer range. The darted animals can become very unpredictable. The animal could bolt or it could charge. The tranquilizer gun does not have immediate results like a conventional rifle which leaves a large margin of uncertainty.   After twenty hours of traveling, we finally arrived in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Our PH for this trip would be Stephan Tam, a young, confident and very competent professional. I must admit, I was a bit nervous to hunt my first Big Five animal, but all of that would change. We got settled in at the lodge and the hunt would begin the next morning. I was up before sunrise. I was overwhelmed with excitement. I watched the sun come up and I was in awe of just how beautiful it was. We discussed our strategy over breakfast and we set out about eight in the morning. The trackers were out about an hour before us looking for signs of rhino. Around mid day the trackers spotted a rhino going down into a creek bed. We carefully followed over the rocky terrain and down into the creek bed. It was a bit unnerving wading through the high reeds of the creek bed because rhino were not the only big game in the area. There are Lion and Cape Buffalo which are just as aggressive and just as dangerous. We followed the trail out of the creek bed and into the thick brush. My view was obscured by the thick thorny brush that adorns the plains. Our PH, Stephen was on point  and he silently moved us within thirty yards of this six thousand pound colossus. As I cleared the brush, the rhino came into view. My heart skipped a beat when I realized that not more than eighteen yards away were TWO huge rhino’s. There is a certain degree of uncertainty of how a rhino will react when it is shot with a tranquilizer. However, when two rhino’s travel together the risk factor increases considerably. Stephan’s calm demeanor put me at ease while we got set to take the shot. I raised the tranquilizer gun and took careful aim right behind its shoulder. Stephan whispered “Take em when you are ready”. I squeezed off a round and watched as the tranquilizer dart hit home. The time factor for the tranquilizer to take full effect is approximately fifteen minutes. Fortunately, both rhino’s bolted in the same direction away from our hunting party.   The two rhino’s ran for about a mile with our trackers in hot pursuit. We caught up with them in the truck only to come upon a very dangerous situation. The drug was starting to take effect on the darted rhino, however, his companion was not going to leave his side. With time at the essence, we needed to separate the two as quickly as possible. We tried to scare off the second rhino by beeping the trucks horn but it only seemed to agitate him. The rhino began to charge the truck. Only stopping yards from hitting us on three separate attempts. The situation was dicey to say the least. With the clock ticking, we were finally able to scare off the second rhino. We had to work quickly and efficiently to collect the DNA samples. The veterinarian drew a vile of blood while I took some hair samples and blood swatches. We were able to take some scrapings from the rhino’s horn. We took measurements of this prehistoric beast including its height, length and the length of its horn which measured 29.5 inches long. With our main task completed we still had a little time for our recap for SeeMeHunt.com and snap a few pictures for prosperity.   The DNA samples were sent to James Derr PHD, the director of the DNA technologies laboratory at Texas A&M University. Doctor Derr supplied us with the DNA kits so we would be able to log the DNA from the rhino into their global data base. We have a responsibility as hunters to assist with the conservation efforts so animals such as the rhino will continue to flourish in the wild for years to come.   You can find out more about our African adventures at www.SeeMeHunt.com the interactive social network for hunters or watch us on World Wild Adventures which airs on the Pursuit Channel. Our next adventure will take place in Costa Rica where we will team up with the wounded warrior foundation so we can show the men and women of our military just how much we appreciate their service, dedication and the sacrifices that they have made for our country to protect our way of life. We will take them on the trip of a lifetime to Crocodile Bay Resort where we will go deep sea fishing for Monster Marlin. These are not just any Marlin; these are 2-300 pound Marlin that you will be telling your children about some day. We will defy the laws of gravity while zip lining over a 1000 foot gorge, skimming the canopy of the rain forest and admiring the views below. If you are interested in attending one of these trips to Costa Rica or you are interested in becoming a sponsor, you can email me for details at  SeeMeHunt.com@gmail.com    

Beating Bucks With Offbeat Tactics 10/11/2011 Some bowhunters travel far and wide in search of big bucks. Johnny Webber hunts at   home—with spectacular results. by Richard Combs What bowhunter can fail to be impressed by a guy who consistently bags trophy whitetails? Nothing impresses me more than local hunters who score regularly near home, especially when home is not a nationally known hotspot for big bucks. Don’t get me wrong; you can’t take big bucks where there are none. The deer hunting is very good within the 40-mile radius of Johnny Webber’s southeastern Indiana home, but local harvest rates and success ratios haven’t reached the kind of numbers that bring trophy hunters to the area from far and wide. Webber has ventured outside that area to hunt whitetails on only a few occasions, and every one of the 14 trophies he has taken with his bow has come from inside that 40-mile radius. Webber has mastered the fundamentals and exercises a great deal of discipline applying them. At the same time, he has developed his own style of hunting that occasionally entails employing highly unorthodox tactics. The Sweat First, there’s the knowledge. Webber eats, drinks, and breathes deer hunting. He studies whitetails and is fascinated with their behavior. He once obtained a state permit and purchased a whitetail buck, which he kept in a penned area on his property, observing it for more than a year. He can bore a wildlife biologist to tears with his detailed knowledge of the natural history of whitetails, their habits, their preferences, their behavior. He scouts like a madman, year-round, constantly seeking information about the whereabouts of good bucks and property on which to hunt them. He concentrates on the late summer, when even big bucks in velvet can often be seen in crop fields or meadows during the late afternoon and evening hours. He knows when the deer will favor alfalfa, when they’ll go for soybeans, and when they’ll abandon the soybeans for white oak acorns. He does whatever it takes to gain access to prime hunting land, often doing favors for landowners, bartering his services as a guide, or leasing properties to hunt. Whenever possible, he puts in food plots. He studies sign, and can usually distinguish the tracks, and often the rubs, of individual bucks that interest him. By the time the season opens, Webber has normally identified half a dozen or so bucks he wants to go after come opening day. He has a good idea, if not certain knowledge, of where they bed and where they feed, and how they move between bedding and feeding areas. He hangs his stands early. “I never hang a stand in an area just because it looks good,” he once confided. “When I hang a stand somewhere, it’s because I have good reason to believe, from direct observations or from sign, that a buck I want is in that area and travels by that stand on occasion.” Webber hunts from opening day to the end of Indiana’s season in January, but he focuses his efforts on the first week of bow season and into the rut, concentrating on late October through mid-November. He’ll stay in a tree from first light until dark when the time is right and the conditions are promising. He plays the wind carefully and chooses different stands for early morning or late afternoon. He’s careful about scent control, but his regimen is usually limited to showering with non-scented soap, putting skunk or fox urine on his boots, and occasionally, sparingly using a doe-in-heat scent. The Inspiration Many of Webber’s tactics would appear a little unconventional to most bowhunters, and some would seem downright bizarre to almost all of them. Like getting high, for instance. Many hunters believe in getting at least 15 feet off the ground, but Webber is a great believer in getting much higher than that, often climbing 30 feet or more. He’s comfortable with heights, and he’s convinced that the higher he is, the less likely deer are to see him or catch his scent. At the same time, the higher vantage point often enables him to effectively scout while hunting. More than once he’s spotted a buck in the distance from his lofty vantage point and placed a stand in that area to intercept the buck the next time it came that way. There are some disadvantages to climbing more than 25 feet, including the steep shot angle and increased safety concerns. Webber does it routinely, though, and he practices shooting his bow from an elevated platform in his yard to simulate the shots he expects to get from his stands. Webber observes rub and scrape lines, but he never hunts them, except incidentally. “The doe-to-buck ratio is just too high in this area,” Webber opines. “Bucks don’t need to visit scrapes regularly, at least during daylight hours, because there are so many does that as soon as the bucks start getting active near the rut, there are does going to them.” Instead he checks rubs and scrapes simply to get an indication of how and when big bucks are using an area. Similarly, he rarely uses attractants of any kind, and never rattles, believing these tactics are effective only in areas where doe-to-buck ratios are in good balance. He does grunt call frequently, especially when hunting the rut. If he doesn’t hunt scrapes or rub lines, and doesn’t bring bucks in with scent or by rattling, how does he get within bow range of trophy bucks? Grunting sometimes does the trick, but Webber says he hunts bedding areas or food sources. “Does often bed down in or very close to beans, alfalfa, corn, clover or other food sources. Close to the rut, bucks will stay close to them. I set up in thickets or other likely spots very close to the food sources in the evening during the rut. Mornings, I hunt trails or funnels in thick areas very close to bedding spots. I get there early and try to catch them returning to their beds at first light.”

Club's Black Rhino Hunt Awaits Federal Permit   Posted Tuesday, November 18th 2014 @ 5am by iHeartRadio's Nik Rajkovic   The federal government could force the Dallas Safari Club to scrap it's controversial Black Rhino hunt which fetched $350,000 at auction early this year.   The Club says it may have to return the money to the auction winner if his federal application to bring his trophy back to Texas is rejected. “We want to know what benefits will be provided to go back to the species,” says Tim Van Norman with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “So its not just an animal is taken, but is that provided something for the long term management of the species?”   “In the case of Corey Knowlton, he is contributing a large sum of money that will go into Namibia's wildlife management fund specifically providing resources for ongoing Black Rhino efforts,” he tells KTRH News.   Comments on the application are being taken through December 8. “We certainly are getting quite a few that are opposed to it, but these are more of just a letter-writing campaign expressing dissatisfaction with the idea of hunting Black Rhino,” says Van Norman.   Messages seeking comment from the auction winner were not returned. Read more: http://www.ktrh.com/articles/houston-news-121300/clubs-black-rhino-hunt-awaits-federal-12981146/#ixzz3JWu6vEaZ

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.

Hunters aiming to bag a gray wolf this year can once again buy a tag from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.   BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Hunters aiming to bag a gray wolf this year can once again buy a tag from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The state wildlife agency started selling tags for $11.50 Idaho residents Thursday, one day after the predators were taken off the endangered species list. Out-of-state hunters will have to shell out $186 for a wolf permit. The decision to delist puts wolves under state management, and Idaho officials are now setting quotas and rules for this season's wolf hunt. Hunters took the backcountry two years ago to hunt wolves after the predators were delisted the first time. Hunters killed 188 wolves during that first public hunt, short of the state limit of 220. Officials in Montana are also gearing up for a wolf hunt this fall.

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

DailyNews daily-politics Remington CEO: SAFE Act impacted decision to expand--in Alabama BY KEN LOVETT NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Monday, November 17, 2014, 5:55 AM   Here is the expanded version of the second item from my "Albany Insider" column from Monday's editions:   Remington Arms has confirmed what many already long suspected — New York’s tough gun control laws played a role in the upstate gun manufacturer’s decision to expand outside the state.   Remington, which has operated in New York State since 1816, shifted 100 jobs down south in August. Another 126 people were laid off last week as a result of a decline in gun sales.   The company says one reason behind its decision to open a new plant in Alabama rather than expand in New York was “state policies affecting use of our products,” Remington Outdoor Company CEO George Kollitides wrote to some upstate officials Oct. 20.   The statement was taken by some as a direct shot at a tough gun control measure enacted by New York in early 2013 in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., school shootings.   Indeed, one part of the gun control measure, also known as the SAFE Act, banned AR-15 rifles in New York — the very gun Remington made at its plant in upstate Ilion.   Those assault guns will now be made in Alabama.   Kollitides also said workforce quality, business environment, tax and economic incentives, and existing infrastructure impacted the decision to open a plant in Alabama.   “What the letter is really saying to us is we need to take action as a state to solidify and recognize the businesses we already have here and make it hospitable for them to stay,” said Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney, a Republican who represents the upstate district that is home to Remington and who received the letter.   “I don’t think Remington was even given the courtesy of a phone call or a discussion when the whole (gun legislation) discussions were going on,” she added.   A Remington spokesman did not return calls for comment.   A Cuomo administration source denied that it played a role in Remington’s departure, saying the company “is consolidating from states all across the country.”   “The company has repeatedly stated that’s driven by national consumer trends,” the source said. “If anything, local politicians constantly playing politics only hurts."   New Yorker Against Gun Violence Executive Director Leah Gunn Barrett said she believes Remington’s decisions are based more on New York’s business climate than its gun control laws.   But regardless, she said, public safety should trump economic decisions.   Critics “love to use the New York SAFE Act as a whipping boy, but let’s face it, that law is keeping New Yorkers safe and keeping New York communities safe and our kids safe and guns out of the wrong hands, to me that’s more important,” she said.    

Air Force officials at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina are allowing turkey hunters to go for the gobblers on the Poinsett electronic combat range this spring. SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (AP) — Air Force officials at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina are allowing turkey hunters to go for the gobblers on the Poinsett electronic combat range this spring. Air Force officials say hunting will be allowed on Saturdays and Sundays when there are no mission conflicts from April 1 through May 1. Hunting will not be allowed on Easter Sunday, April 24. All hunters must have valid South Carolina hunting licenses and pay a $15 fee for each hunt. The hunts last from 30 minutes before sunrise until four hours after sunrise. Hunters will be transported to an assigned drop-off site after a mandatory safety briefing. To reserve a spot on a first-come basis, call 803-494-3239 by 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday before each hunt.

                                                                                                                            MEDIA ADVISORY                                               Outdoor Sportsman Group at SHOT Show 2016   DENVER (January 11, 2016) – Outdoor Sportsman Group brands – including premier outdoor lifestyle cable networks, Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel, as well as the industry-leading publishing and digital brands from Outdoor Sportsman Group – Integrated Media, such as Guns & Ammo, Petersen’s Hunting, North American Whitetail, Rifle Shooter and Game & Fish – are once again an integral part of this year’s National Shooting Sports Foundation’s (NSSF) annual Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show) and Conference. The Las Vegas, Nevada gathering, taking place from Tuesday, January 19 through Friday, January 22, is one of the largest and most comprehensive trade shows for hunting, shooting, military and law enforcement industries.   Fans of the brands are invited to stop by the Outdoor Sportsman Group booth #13923 on the show floor for giveaways – including branded buffs and camo stress balls – and to learn about the world’s largest multimedia portfolio dedicated to the outdoor lifestyle.   Take Aim: Introducing American Marksman Tuesday, January 19 to Friday, January 22 ▪ During Show Hours | Sands Expo & Convention Center ▪ Booth L218, Level 2   In 2016, Outdoor Sportsman Group will be launching a groundbreaking new target shooting competition called American Marksman, which gives amateur shooters the chance to compete and earn their way to a national championship. Throughout the year, competitors in four categories – Men’s Open, Women’s Open, Junior (ages 12-17) and Military/Law Enforcement – will participate in local and regional events and a national championship that will be filmed for a network television series.   If you think you have what it takes, stop by the American Marksman booth #L218 to sign-up for a local qualifying event near you. For more information about the nationwide shooting competition, go to www.ammarksman.com, or join the conversation on Twitter and Facebook by using: #AmericanMarksman.   SHOT Show Retailer Seminar: Merchandising to Women Hunters Thursday, January 21 ▪ 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. PT | The Venetian Hotel & Casino ▪ Lando Ballroom, Room 4302   This year, several Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel all-stars will be featured on an educational panel targeted towards helping endemic retailers attract and retain female customers. From merchandising to store layout and marketing initiatives, this session will address the specific needs of women hunters.   The panel will feature: Tiffany Lakosky, co-host of Outdoor Channel’s Crush with Lee & Tiffany; Melissa Bachman, host of Sportsman Channel TV show Winchester Deadly Passion; Shannon Reaser, a young hunter and TV personality; Judy Rhodes, founder of the DIVA Women Outdoors Worldwide; and panel moderator Barbara Baird, publisher Women’s Outdoor News. To register, visit your dashboard at www.shotshow.org after applying to attend the 2016 SHOT Show and add this event to your shopping cart.   And the Outdoor Sportsman Award Goes to… Thursday, January 21 ▪ 8 - 11 p.m. PT | The Venetian Hotel & Casino ▪ The Venetian Theatre   Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel are joining forces for the 16th Annual Outdoor Sportsman Awards Powered by RAM (OSA) to honor the networks’ notable talent and production teams. The invitation-only signature event will be co-hosted by Michael Waddell of Outdoor Channel’s Realtree Road Trips with Michael Waddell and Michael Waddell’s Bone Collector. Joining him as co-host this year is Tom McMillan of Sportsman Channel’s McMILLAN. Kristy Lee Cook, country singer, seventh place American Idol finalist and co-star of Sportsman Channel’s The Most Wanted List, is kicking off the ceremony with The Star-Spangled Banner. The star-studded red carpet event also will include a musical performance by a legendary rock & roll singer, songwriter and guitarist whose music helped shape a generation.   This year, 17 accolades will be handed out, including the Fan Favorite Best Host/s for Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel as voted on by loyal viewers. Among the OSA presenters are Taya Kyle, wife of the late U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, the most prolific sniper in American history and frequent Outdoor Channel guest star; Krissy Wejebe, daughter of the late legendary angler and Spanish Fly star Jose Wejebe; Willie Robertson, star of Duck Dynasty and Buck Commander protected by Under Armour on Outdoor Channel; Eva Shockey co-star of Outdoor Channel’s Jim Shockey’s Hunting Adventures; Louie Tuminaro, host of Outdoor Channel’s The Gunfather presented by Brownells; Jana Waller, star of Sportsman Channel’s Skull Bound TV; David and Karin Holder of Outdoor Channel’s Raised Hunting; National Rifle Association Vice President Pete Brownell; and Bass Pro Shops Director of Conservation Rob Keck.   For fans at home, the Outdoor Sportsman Awards will be streamed live at www.OutdoorChannel.com/OutdoorSportsmanAwards, starting at 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT. Live updates from the awards ceremony will be posted on the networks’ respective Facebook and Twitter platforms. Viewers can join the conversation by using: #OutdoorSportsmanAwards. Moreover, key moments from the OSA red carpet and SHOT Show will be available live on Periscope. Check the networks’ Twitter feeds for direct Periscope links.   Live from SHOT Show: Down Range TV Live Stream Tuesday, January 19 to Thursday, January 21 ▪ 1 - 3 p.m. PT | Sands Expo & Convention Center   For the first time ever, Outdoor Sportsman Group will be live streaming directly from the SHOT Show floor on Down Range TV Live Stream. Hosted by Outdoor Channel personality Michael Bane, the program will provide an inside look at what's new and trending within shooting sports, hunting and personal defense. Swing by booth #L218 or tune in online via www.OutdoorChannel.com/SHOTShow to see Bane interview a surprise lineup of Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel talent, as well as makers of firearms, ammunition, outdoor apparel, optics, and related products and services, throughout the week.

October 2012, World’s Largest Land Mammal & Most Dangerous Hunt;   The Tuskless Cow Elephant! By~Marti Mace    The drive down the escarpment into the Zambezi Valley was superb.  Soon we were on our way through the thorn bush, on a drive to camp.  On way we saw a pride of lion’s, parade of elephants, herd of cape buffalo, rank of impala, leopard, bushbok, warthogs, etc.  This was definitely big game country, having seen 4 of the Big Five on 1st afternoon.  We reached camp just at nightfall.  There is no real twilight in Africa, it’s bright and sunny one minute and dark minutes later.      The next thing we took off at 0400 hrs every morning and only ran into tusk elephant’s for 5 days straight with boots on ground going appx 5-8 up to 10 km’s a day, then day 6 and just within the 1st couple of hours…we ran into many spoors and followed them, 3 elephant’s, then found out they were with tusk, so walked a little further and ran into another herd.  Again, they were with tusk, so we were on our way back to the bakke…then appx 25 elephant’s appeared…we glassed the herd and 1 of them was tuskless…wow, what’s the chance…the big grey tuskless cow elephant seemed huge as I peered through my Bushnell binoculars, so here I go…wiping sweat off my hands…pouring on some powder (wind check powder) at appx 1030 hours this 21 Oct 2012.  Appx 25 tusk elephants were all around and I cautiously waited for the clean shot on only 1 was tuskless.  PH, APH, X 3 Trackers and game scout were a little irritated that I didn’t make a shot when they wanted me to.  I had 25ish elephant’s all around the only tuskless cow and I only shoot when I know it will be a clean shot.  Appx 6-8 elephant’s were grouped around a Mupani tree and my elephant would go forward, then back and then another elephant was right in front of one I wanted to shoot.  So I was waiting for either the one in front of mine to move or mine had to move forward a waise for me to make a clean shot.  It was a scorcher of high temp of 129 degrees F.  I had practiced daily with my Hoyt Alphamax 32" bow, pulling 74 lbs, using a 675.7 grain arrow that I had made with a ACE 550 arrow inside of the Gold Tip Big Game hunting 100+ arrow with electrical tape every few inches around ACE 550 arrow so that it would fit tightly inside of the Gold Tip Arrow, then I added weight to front and back to get as much weight on arrow as possible.  I looked into the most suitable options with regard to arrow & broadhead choice for my particular bow set up, a crucial factor when hunting elephant in this manner.  I had specially ordered in the 180gr German Kenetic broadheads out of Alaska as I couldn’t get them at home in Wyoming.  With my bow set up and tuned to perfection, I spent some much needed time at the range from 10-100 yards daily.  I take this to heart to try and eliminate all possible human errors before going on the hunt.  My arrows were shooting through my chronograph at 267 fps.  I did the calculations and was very happy with the outcome of kinetic energy and a momentum value, which gave me a piece of mind.   I felt surprisingly confident.  Here I was standing on a pile of rocks in the Zambezi Valley with a firm grip on my right hand fingers holding the string of my bow…thinking to myself…is my arrow heavy enough as a couple other’s told me that I needed a 900gr arrow at a minimum or it would riquichet off elephant.  No matter what, I added all the weight I could on my arrows that I made, so I was still ok with it.  Then thinking…about my poundage of my bow…was it going to be good enough.  Other’s told me that I need to pull 80-100 lbs and 66 was pushing it for me, then daily pushups, body lifting, pec’s, etc to build up to the 74 lb pull and it is very hard for me even now to pull this bow.  I have to pull it high in the sky to get the bow pulled fully, then I just bring it down to sight in.  I felt this is ok for a hunt of a lifetime for the World’s Largest and Most Dangerous of all.  At 51 yrs old, I feel I was ready to find out if I could do this.  If not, then it would just be another plan to make it happen later.  I studied the African animal vitals and the required shot placement everyday since the beginning of 2011.  Closing my eyes and visualizing the elephant at various distances and standing in different positions…still thinking what struck me about these elephant’s when you are on foot; their size alone is more than enough to make you doubt your equipment, let alone their reputation as the toughest big game to hunt in the world…Anyway, everyone stayed quiet, the wind was in our favor blowing toward us as we approached, then my PH said, ok, you ready to shoot, you can do it, you’ll be fine.  He kept saying, are you going to shoot?  I said, I’m waiting for clean shot.  I did knock my arrow although…I don’t shoot anything unless I’m confident with the position and with 25 elephant’s in front of me…I’v gota make sure as only one of these are tuskless and it must be the tuskless cow or it’s a $5000 fine if I shoot a tusk cow.  I am the hunter, so I just made all of them impatiently wait for me to make the shot.        The split moment came…I pull my bow up and back and then focus in on my elephant’s heart, My focus stays on my 20 yard pin at same time as keeping eye on other close elephants just to her mid section.  I had to be quick as another elephant was just behind her front leg, so I had to make an exact shot for the heart.  I controlled my breathing and squeezed the trigger of my tru ball cyclon release.  I released the arrow and elephant did a 360 pivoting in place then dropped to the ground, in the shade under a Mupani Tree.  Mupani and Baobab trees and Wooley Kaper bushes were in abundance at this location.  I knew I had the right shot placement and I was so proud at that point.  Her hind legs immediately went down, then front and then boom…all the way down on her left side.  The matriarch of the Parade came to see if she could help her up…well, the tuskless cow never got back up and the matriarch left and all elephant’s went North up the ridge and away from us.  I had been determined that the 1st shot would count, as not only the PH, then the APH and 1 of the trackers had their .458 Winchester rifles with them.  The PH told me afterwards that the trackers were itching to get a shot & were somewhat disappointed that their marksmanship was not required.  Then subsequent inspection, the arrow was right on target and fletching’s were all that was sticking out, so I knew it hit the heart.  When she fell, the ground rumbled and I heard her make her last bellows and within just a few minutes, she had expired.  The thrill of shooting this ele flowed through me…over me, etc.  It was such an awesome thrill that neither my 1st solo flight in a Cessna 150 or my 1st parachute jump out of a C130 could match this feeling!  This was the ultimate experience as a 1st solo doesn’t make you a pilot, nor one jump a parachutist, neither does an elephant make you an expert big game hunter.  Never less, this was my elephant as well as my Alligator for another one of my most dangerous hunts.  I have achieved another one of my childhood ambitions!  My PH said congratulations with a hug and I was just so excited that finally I got the World’s largest and most dangerous down with a bow and arrow.  I am so proud of myself and blessed that I didn’t let the other people get to me telling me, I can’t, cause I’m a girl, or I needed more poundage or heavier arrows to get in the way.        I walked away from the crowd to the nearest baobab tree and took a moment of silence, I took off my hat, kneeled, closed my eyes to thank our creator for allowing me this amazing opportunity to hunt the World’s largest and most dangerous animal and blessing the Shona Tribe as now they can nourish their bodies.        After a quick photo session, the Shona Tribe came out of the bush to begin the slaughtering.  The African Sun was hot at 129 degrees F.  So the Shona had to work fast.  Machetes and knives flying and sticking out of their pockets, so a quick switch when the other blade got dull.  I went out to tell them in their Shona Language, Tatenda, Maita Balsa (thank you very much) for all the help and now you all are blessed with meat and they danced and sang for me the song that you are the one, you are the best hunter & shooter.        Then Women, kids, elderly and men all formed up line’s to receive a bag of meat.  They all bring their gunnysack to fill up with meat.  3 different lines are formed.  One with elderly, one for women with children and other for women & men.  The elderly are given 1st so they can get walking back to their villages as most take longer & to get back before dark, then women with children.  Women with babies strapped to their backs, put a bag of meat on top their heads and walk to their village and some many kilometers away.        Furthermore, we all hop into the PH’s Toyota diesel land cruiser with the PH dressed in bush hat, chukka boots, the epitome of a professional hunter as well as the apprentice PH  and rest of crew.  We all were drenched with sweat, smiles and singing.        Got back to camp and we gathered by the bush fire with celebratory drinks of gin and tonic’s, grouse whiskey shots, and we chatted about the bush university that we all attended at some point in our lives.        The next few days, we listened to the camp Motorola 2 way radio with Dande North on the frequency as well.  They didn’t have any luck getting a tuskless elephant down on Dande North, and as many tries I’ve had, this is the very first tuskless elephant that’s came across me in 2 years of searching.  Only 3% of tuskless are left in the world and they want to reduce it to zero as these are the most dangerous elephant’s on the face of the earth.        Meanwhile, I make video’s, make calendar’s, cards, etc. on my awesome elephant hunt & prepare going back to the U.S.A.  After I’ve been here since end of July managing a Safari in Zimbabwe near the boarder of Zambia and Mozambique.   They say if you hunt Africa you will keep on returning again and again.   Blessings to all, MSG Mace (Soon to be retired) I promise!