THE 2015 NRA convention, held in Nashville, is now history. I haven't seen the official numbers, but I understand it was the best ever in terms of attendance. Because my motel was a few miles from downtown, I took cabs. It was interesting to note the reaction of some of the drivers. They wanted to know what went on inside that building. Were there lots of guns there? Why did people go there anyway?
... Continue ReadingMost hunters are aware that we have far more big game species now than we did at the turn of the 20th century, when market hunting, subsistence hunting, and habitat destruction took a huge toll on wildlife. That being said, we're now experiencing a profound downward spiral of many species of upland birds, primarily due to encroachment of civilization where rural acres are lost, and habitat alteration or changes due to different farming practices and varying land uses that are detrimental to wildlife species.
... Continue ReadingToday is the official start of the Iditarod, called The Last Great Race on Earth. This dogsled race, with some 50 mushers competing, runs about 1100 miles, ending at Nome. Because of poor snow conditions, the restart begins in Fairbanks instead of Willow today. You can follow the race on the Iditarod homepage.
... Continue ReadingPicture this: a hunter is stalking a herd of elk, but they disappear in the timber. He has no idea where they are. He lifts a small camera-equipped drone out of his belt holster, activates it, and sends it up over the trees. The tiny aircraft transmits video back to him, or he retrieves it when it lands, and he spots the elk in the footage. With that knowledge, he continues his stalk to the unseen animals.
... Continue ReadingThis animal is an example of the enormous number of deer struck by vehicles each year. The toll is mind boggling. According to recent statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are one and a half million collisions with deer each year. Some 150 people are killed in those collisions. Vehicle damage is more than one billion dollars annually. According to State Farm Insurance, Pennsylvania leads the states with 115,000 collisions; Michigan is second with 97,000, and New York follows with 80,000 These figures are low, since many collisions are unreported. The number of deer struck is low also, since many run off into the woods and die.
... Continue Reading