UplandFeathers

I hope you have patterned that 3-1/2 incher since May 1 is the start of the NY spring turkey season. The weather played havoc with nesting in 2008 and consequently there was a slight decrease in harvest rates. Based on brood surveys from the last two years and harvest data, the spring ‘09 season is looking in line with the five-year average. Expect a harvest of about 29,500 birds. During this past winter, the state started the first standardized winter flock survey program. Like the spring and early summer when weather can have a big impact on turkey nesting and poult survival, winter conditions, like temperature and snowfall, can stymie the turkey population. The goal of the survey is determine long-term trends in turkey populations.

Posted by SwampYankee at 05:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Jon Michael McGrath is 17-year old with golden aspirations for the 2012 Olympics, but with the cost of travel, ammunition, training, and more are smoking those aspirations just like what McGrath does to clay pigeons. To defray the cost, Fish and Hunt the World is hosting an Upland Hunt this October in Nebo, IL. The event package costs $1,813 and includes 3-nights lodging at the Orvis-endorsed Harpole's Heartland Lodge, all meals, 2 full days of limitless birds, a round of sporting clays, all applicable taxes, and the opportunity to hunt with Jon Michael McGrath. McGrath holds 14 Junior World Skeet titles and 4 U.S. National titles. He currently holds the 2008 United States National Champion International Skeet title, which earned him a spot on the U.S. National Team. If you would like the opportunity to support this young Olympic hopeful contact Fish and Hunt the World at 918-407-2586.

Posted by SwampYankee at 07:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Even though my passion and experience for many years was advocating for abused children, I never thought I would find another passion that could make me feel as fulfilled. I am talking about being a first time dog owner, GSP gun dog owner to be exact. It’s only been a year and a half, and since then I have become an active member of the ASPCA and the Home Again program that helps find lost dogs. I was inspired to adopt our rescue, Bella, who was a victim of abuse and neglect and was adamant about rescuing a female dog after becoming aware of the inhumane treatment and shorter life span. I also advocate to family, friends, and neighbors about the need for adopting pets especially at a time when pet owners, due to financially difficulties, are not able to care for their dogs and are abandoning them to fend for themselves. Some abandoned pets have been found tied in the backyards of foreclosed homes or left to forage on their own in parks. It is never a pet's choice who takes them home. Here’s a story about an abused and abandoned dog, Honey, who will soon be ready for adoption. Click on the image below to view the video.

Posted by deborah at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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For 40 years IN hunters have been talking turkey and shooting turkey. Today is the opening day of their sring season. Last year spring turkey hunters harvested 12,204 birds, which was the second-highest total since the state instituted turkey hunting in 1970. The record was set in 2006 with 13,193 birds taken. This year’s forecast looks like a repeat of ’08 according to the state.

Posted by SwampYankee at 06:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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The PA game commission’s preliminary harvest data indicates that wild turkey hunters had a great season this past fall. Hunters took 26,485 turkeys, which is a spike compared to 2007 when 21,900 birds were killed and 2006 with only 21,500 birds. For those of you who like statistics that’s a 19% increase over the previous three-year average for fall seasons. The state says that turkey reproduction increased slightly boosting the population size. The above average number of turkey and the poor fall mast—acorns and beechnuts were scarce in many forested areas—forced the birds to forage for food. That meant they became a bit easier for hunters to locate and find their roosts. The harvest hot spots were located in three of the state's largest Wildlife Management Units (WMUs). WMU 4D was lead with 2,856 birds, followed by WMU 2G with 2,637, and WMU 2D with 2,183.

Posted by SwampYankee at 05:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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There were tea parties staged around the country yesterday, not the kind hosted by the Mad Hatter or the Queen, but groups of people fed up paying taxes that go to bail outs. It, too, rubs my fur the wrong way that we, the tax payers, are bailing the poor management practices of banks and manufacturers. Why should we pay for other’s mistakes or greed? But I digress. The tax you pay when you buy a box shotshells for skeet or new shotgun for pheasant hunting or a lever-action deer rifle goes to the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act, which was passed in 1937. The funds you pay in the form of excise tax go to states based on land area and paid hunting license holders, among other criteria. Safeguards written into the act prevent the government from redirecting these funds away from state wildlife agencies. Last year some $336 million was collected. That’s a lot green backs to fix the woes of some states. Be vigilant that your state does not try to divert funds or cut programs that are funds by the excise tax. Maybe some legilslators should be thrown in Boston harbor along with the tea.

Posted by SwampYankee at 05:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Kids are great and I have dealt with them personally and professionally. I thought that dogs would be much easier. Was I ever wrong. The similarities between dogs and children are uncanny, and quite comical. Here’s what I’ve observed with our two GSP hunting dogs. See how close it is to children:

• Love to play with things that are not their toys
• They can have phobias / fears
• They are vocal when they want something
• When they’re hurt they cry for you
• They try to put everything in their mouth
• Can struggle with them sitting still for family photos
• Playtime is on their minds 24/7
• They can turn a room upside down in seconds
• Can have separation anxiety
• They can be fussy eaters, but love cold cuts, hotdogs and cheese-sticks
• After a long day of playing, they will fight to stay awake and fall asleep in your arms or lap in the case with Bella and Cooper

I’ll bet you have some stories, too.

Posted by deborah at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

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You never expect these things to happen in your own backyard. Once were the days you could sit on the porch with a good cigar and two-fingers of a nice sipping whiskey and talk about the birds missed and ones bagged from earlier in the day—wait we still do that. The point I’m trying to make is: Be aware of the bills being sponsored in your state and then take action because if you sit around puffing and sipping your rights will be pulled out from under you. Here in CT we recently defeated three anti-gun/anti-hunting bills, SB 353, SB 839 and HB 5798, and one pro-hunting bill, HB 5209, is heading to the House Floor. Here’s what can happen right under your nose:

• Senate Bill 353 would have banned the sale of all semi-automatic pistols not equipped with so-called “micro-stamping” technology. It was defeated on Friday, April 3, in the Judiciary Committee.
• Senate Bill 839 would have transferred operations of the currently independent Board of Firearm Permit Examiners to the Department of Public Safety. This action, if approved, would have taken away the autonomy of the Board, and would mean that if an applicant was denied a license, he/she would have had to appeal to the very body, the Department of Public Safety, which rejected the application in the first place. SB839 was defeated on Monday, March 30, in the Government Administration and Elections Committee.
• House Bill 5798 posed a threat to hunters by prohibiting the "unreasonable confinement or tethering of dogs." It could have negatively impacted hunters by limiting their ability to kennel, transport, and house dogs bred for the purpose of hunting. HB 5798 was defeated on Friday, March 20, in the Environment Committee.
• House Bill 5209 passed out of the Environment Committee on Wednesday, March 18, and is now heading to the House Floor. This critical pro-hunting bill would ensure hunters in CT that public hunting acreage will never decrease. Known as "no-net-loss,” HB5209 would require that the state maintain the current level of available public recreational lands, including public hunting lands. If enacted, additional lands would have to be opened to hunting when land currently open to hunting is closed.

Be sure to contact your lawmakers and urge them to support your rights. Be polite but be firm and hit the Politian where it will hurt them the most. Tell them you will not vote for them or support their re-election. And you will tell all your friends to do the same. And so on and so on. Remind them that word-of-mouth is best form of advertisement. I won’t name any names here, but if you want to find out who proposed the CT bills click the links above. Find your State Senators and State Representatives.

Posted by SwampYankee at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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