A Pennsylvania Outdoor Weekend!

My Best Picture of the weekend! This little boy came around for a half hour or so and this is the only picture I got of him.
Registration at the Lehigh Valley Hunting and Fishing Extravaganza!

Cabelas sponsored this show.


Our troops were present showing off some of the great opportunities they present!

Some really great beagles!


Some young boy scouts learning how to shoot!


Team Extreme was there.
The outhouse at Timber Ridge Hunt Club.

I spent most of Saturday afternoon sighting in this baby. This is a browning A-bolt in 25 wssm scoped with a Leupold VX-III and it shoots like a dream.


110 yards from the bench to the target and I was an inch high. Ready for Antelope!!!

The fire pit we had burning hot most of the night! I really needed a great night by the campfire telling hunting stories and relaxing before the great launch coming in the next two weeks.

Timber Ridge Hunt Club.










Thank you to Dennis Brauchle for a wonderful much needed weekend of shooting and fun, I really enjoyed the escape!

Lehigh Valley Outdoor Show

Head on over to the Lehigh Valley Hunting and Fishing Extravaganza and check out the show.
This looks like a fantastic event!
Bob dropped me an email and asked me to enter the Outdoorsmen Competition. Not sure if I have the time for that but sounds like a fun competition!!

Pittsburgh Perrigrines and CliCKS

This picture was taken on the Gulf Tower in Pittsburgh, PA and was on the front page of The Pittsburgh Post Gazette! What is really unique here is that the company that I work for is CliCKS and the article here is all about conservation of Perrigrine Falcons.

Falcon Conservation Nesting Box!

I always knew the money we were spending for those custom boxes was worth every penny!!!!

A little bit of guerrilla marketing for CliCKS a little bit of conservation for some ChiCKS!!!

Pennsylvania Gun Registration? This has to be f!ought hard

A friend forwarded this to me this morning and I can barely believe it! What the heck are these people thinking! Hunters, Gun Owners, non-Gun Owners must fight this bill tooth and nail and stand up for our rights under the second amendment! I do not want the government to ever have the right to confiscate my guns, They should never even know how many guns I choose to own, or what kinds and I absolutely do not want a registry out there with my name on it for criminals to see and know that I have x number of guns in my house for the taking! I love our country, but I do not trust them to watch over my guns and protect my right to privacy! FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT this legislation with everything you have!



Pennsylvania Gun Registration Legislation Introduced!

Please Contact Your State Legislators Today! The Gun Registration Act of 2007, House Bill No. 760 , sponsored by State Representatives Angel Cruz (D-180), Rosita Youngblood (D-198), Cherelle Parker (D-200), Jake Wheatley (D-19), Lisa Bennington (D-21), and Lawrence Curry (D-154) has been introduced in Harrisburg. This misguided proposal would require every gun in Pennsylvania to be registered with the state, and each firearm would have to be re-registered annually. The registration would cost law-abiding gun owners $10 per gun each year. Of course, criminals won’t pay anything BECAUSE CRIMINALS DON'T REGISTER GUNS! In fact, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Haynes v. U.S. (309 U.S. 85 (1968)) that since felons are prohibited from owning firearms, compelling them to register them would violate their 5th Amendment rights against self-incrimination. However, if a law-abiding gun owner fails to register it, he or she will be jailed and lose his or her rights FOREVER. The measure would require each gun owner annually submit to fingerprinting, have a background check, and to include passport-style photos for the registration cards. The registration card for each gun would then have to be carried with that gun at all times. To make matters worse, if the state should reject your application for any reason, YOUR GUNS WILL BE CONFISCATED! Please call your State Representative today at (717) 787-2372 and your State Senator at (717) 787-5920 and ask them to oppose HB760! Enough is enough!

Pennsylvania Hunters Set New Safety Record in 2006

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The PennsylvaniaGame Commission today announced that 2006 was the safest hunting year in

the more than 90 years that records have been kept. Last year, there were
46 hunting- related shooting incidents (HRSIs), including two fatalities.
In addition, the incident rate of 4.81 per 100,000 participants was the
lowest on record.
   In 2005, the year the previous records were set, there were 47 hunting-
related shooting incidents, including three fatalities, and the incident
rate was 4.92 per 100,000. In 2004, there were 56 hunting-related shooting
incidents, including four fatalities, and the incident rate was 5.56 per
100,000.
   "While even one incident is one too many, we are pleased that hunters
continue to improve on their safety record," said Carl G. Roe, Game
Commission executive director. "However, we must continue to strive to do
better.
   "One of the issues that most concerns us is that 35 percent of the
incidents -- or 16 out of 46 incidents -- were self-inflicted, including
one fatality. This tells us that hunters must remember to practice the
basic rules of firearms safety while afield."
   There were 30 incidents involving people who were shot by another
hunter, including one fatality.
   Roe noted that there has been a marked decline in these incidents that
can be attributed to the success of hunter education training, which began
as a voluntary course in 1959, and mandatory use of fluorescent orange
clothing, which began in 1987. Also, he added that hunters deserve credit
for working with the agency to stress safety when afield.
   A hunting-related shooting incident is defined as any occurrence in
which a person is injured by a firearm or bow and arrow discharged by an
individual hunting or trapping. These incidents often result from failure
to follow basic safety rules.
   In 2006, the incident statistics by species hunted were: deer, 17
(including two fatalities, of which one was self-inflicted); small game,
16; wild turkey, 9; bear, 3; and waterfowl, 1.
   Sporting arm in a dangerous position was cited as the cause of the
incident for 13 of the HRSIs. The second most common cause for shooting
incidents was that the victim was in the line of fire, which accounted for
10 incidents. Shot in-mistake-for-game (failure to properly identify
target), and unintentional discharge each registered 8 incidents, as well
as one fatality for each. Other causes included: ricochet, 2; hunter
slipped and/or fell, 2; a defective sporting arm, 1; stray shot, 1; and
other, 1.
   Shotguns accounted for 25 (54 percent) of the HRSIs, followed by:
rifle, 17; handgun, 2; and muzzleloader, 2.
   The Game Commission has posted information about hunting-related
shooting incidents dating back to 1991 on its website at
http://www.pgc.state.pa.us (select "Education" then scroll down and click
on "Hunting-Related Shooting Incident Statistics").
   Created in 1895 as an independent state agency, the Game Commission is
responsible for conserving and managing all wild birds and mammals in the
Commonwealth, establishing hunting seasons and bag limits, enforcing
hunting and trapping laws, and managing habitat on the 1.4 million acres of
State Game Lands it has purchased over the years with hunting and furtaking
license dollars to safeguard wildlife habitat. The agency also conducts
numerous wildlife conservation programs for schools, civic organizations
and sportsmen's clubs.
   The Game Commission does not receive any general state taxpayer dollars
for its annual operating budget. The agency is funded by license sales
revenues; the state's share of the federal Pittman-Robertson program, which
is an excise tax collected through the sale of sporting arms and
ammunition; and monies from the sale of oil, gas, coal, timber and minerals
derived from State Game Lands.
   Note to Editors: If you would like to receive Game Commission news
releases via e-mail, please send a note with your name, address, telephone
number and the name of the organization you represent to:
PGCNews@state.pa.us
   For Information Contact:
   Jerry Feaser
   717-705-6541
   PGCNEWS@state.pa.us

Lehigh Valley Hunting and Fishing Extravaganza

The title makes me want to scream, "Sunday, SUNDAY, SUNDAY!" With that small bit of humor this looks like it could be one heck of a show and something I am know I will be personally attending!

Mark your Calenders for June 22rd - 24th, 2007 and get yourselves to The Lehigh Valley Hunting and Fishing Extravaganza!

The Budweiser Clydesdale/RMEF Story!

When I talk about great people and I get emotional about conservation these are the kinds of stories that I am talking about! There is no question that the North American Model of Conservation raises tremendous funds for wildlife and makes a dramatic impact on the ground in increased animals, habitat and funds for science and the future. There is also no question that the process of doing all of these great things is truly making individuals lives so much richer for doing so! Thank you to everyone out there doing their part in this model. We are all richer for the process, richer for the animals we love so much, and the world is a better place because of it all!



The official Story provided by Budweiser:

Group of 27 Pools Money to Post Winning Bid at Auction of Budweiser Clydesdale Filly to Benefit Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

    RENO, Nev., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Twenty-seven members of the Rocky
Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) pooled their money to place the winning
$20,000 auction bid on a filly bred from World Famous Budweiser
Clydesdales. Budweiser and RMEF teamed up to offer the eight-month old
filly, named Kindred, during the RMEF's Elk Camp annual conference to help
raise funds to support elk restoration work.
 After the auction, the winners announced they will donate Kindred to
the RMEF's Elk Mountain Homestead, in the Village of Benezette, Pa. Kindred
will be one of many attractions to help raise awareness about the
organization's mission to conserve the future of elk.
 "The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and its members are overwhelmed by
the gracious gesture the winning bidders have made by donating Kindred to
the Elk Mountain Homestead," said Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation President &
Chief Executive Officer Peter J. Dart. "Having Kindred will serve as an
ongoing reminder of the great partnership we have with Budweiser and allow
us to share this beautiful filly with the public."
 The Homestead property covers 245 acres surrounded on the south and
west by the 200,000-acre Elk State Forest. The site attracts approximately
75,000 visitors annually. Rawley Cogan, Elk Mountain Homestead Land's
Project Manager, will be Kindred's caretaker.
 "It is an honor to have a filly bred from World Famous Budweiser
Clydesdales at the Homestead," said Cogan. "Kindred will no doubt be a
premier attraction for the Homestead and draw in visitors from across the
country."
 "Budweiser is thrilled to know Kindred is going to such a good home,"
said Paul Simmons, Budweiser brand manager. "It's an added bonus to know
she will play a significant role in helping raise awareness on the
importance of elk and other wildlife conservation issues."
 Professional Clydesdale handlers will deliver the filly to the
Homestead and provide instructions on the proper care and maintenance of
the animal. A fully mature Clydesdale can stand at 18 hands high (about 6
feet) at the shoulder and can weigh 2,000 pounds. In two daily meals, a
Budweiser Clydesdale horse will consume 20 to 25 quarts of feed, 50 to 60
pounds of hay and up to 30 gallons of water. Kindred is registered with the
Clydesdale Breeders of the U.S.A., the breed registry for the Clydesdale
horse in the United States.
 Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Missoula, Mont., the Rocky
Mountain Elk Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring
the future of elk, other wildlife and their habitat. The Elk Foundation and
its partners have permanently protected or enhanced more than 5 million
acres, a land area nearly twice as large as Yellowstone National Park. More
than 500,000 acres previously closed to public access are now open for
hunting, fishing and other recreation. To help protect wild elk country or
learn more about the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, visit
http://www.elkfoundation.org or call 800-CALL ELK.
 Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer,
holding a 48.8 percent share of U.S. beer sales. The company brews the
world's largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser-Busch also
owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico's leading brewer, and a 27
percent share in Tsingtao, the No. 1 brewer in China. Anheuser-Busch ranked
No. 1 among beverage companies in FORTUNE Magazine's Most Admired U.S. and
Global Companies lists in 2006. Anheuser-Busch is one of the largest theme
park operators in the United States, is a major manufacturer of aluminum
cans and one of the world's largest recyclers of aluminum cans. For more
information, visit http://www.anheuser-busch.com .
                         CLYDESDALE FACT SHEET

 THE CLYDESDALE BREED
 Farmers living in the 19th century along the banks of the River Clyde
in Lanarkshire, Scotland, bred the Great Flemish Horse, the forerunner of
the Clydesdale. These first draft horses pulled loads of more than 1 ton at
a walking speed of five miles per hour. Soon their reputation spread beyond
the Scottish borders.
 In the mid-1800s, Canadians of Scottish descent brought the first
Clydesdales to the United States where the draft horses resumed their
existence on farms. Today, the Clydesdales are used primarily for breeding
and show.
 THE BUDWEISER CLYDESDALES
 They were formally introduced to August A. Busch Sr. and Anheuser-Busch
on April 7, 1933, to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition. August A. Busch
Jr. wanted to commemorate the special day. To his father's delight, the
hitch thundered down Pestalozzi Street carrying the first case of
post-Prohibition beer from the St. Louis brewery.
 HITCH REQUIREMENTS
 To qualify for one of the six hitches (five traveling and one
stationary), a Budweiser Clydesdale must be a gelding at least four years
of age. He must stand 72 inches, or 6 feet, at the shoulder when fully
mature, weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds, be bay in color, have four
white stocking feet, a blaze of white on the face and a black mane and
tail.
 FEED
 Each hitch horse will consume as much as 20 to 25 quarts of whole
grains, minerals and vitamins, 50 to 60 pounds of hay and 30 gallons of
water per day.
 HITCH LOCATIONS
 Five traveling Budweiser Clydesdale hitches are based in St. Louis,
Mo.; Menifee, Calif.; San Diego, Calif.; Merrimack, N.H.; and San Antonio,
Texas. The Budweiser Clydesdales can be viewed at the Anheuser-Busch
breweries in St. Louis, Merrimack and Ft. Collins, Colo.
 The Budweiser Clydesdales also may be viewed at Grant's Farm, the
281-acre ancestral home of the Busch family, in St. Louis and at the
following Anheuser-Busch theme parks: Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va.,
and Tampa, Fla., and at the SeaWorld theme parks in Orlando, Fla.; San
Diego, Calif.; and San Antonio, Texas.
 CLYDESDALE OPERATIONS
 Based in St. Louis, Clydesdale Operations is responsible for
maintaining and scheduling the five traveling hitches. Events are typically
sponsored in part by the local Anheuser-Busch wholesalers and thousands of
requests for the "gentle giants" are received each year. Each request is
evaluated on the type of event, dates, history of appearances in that
particular area and other input from Anheuser-Busch management
representatives.
 STABLES
 The official home of the Budweiser Clydesdales is an ornate brick and
stained-glass stable built in 1885 on the historic 100-acre Anheuser-Busch
brewery complex in St. Louis. The building is one of three located on the
 brewery grounds that are registered as historic landmarks by the
federal government.
 HANDLERS
 Expert grooms travel on the road with the hitch. They are on the road
at least 10 months every year. When necessary, one handler has night duty
to provide round-the-clock care for the horses, ensuring their safety and
comfort.
 TRANSPORT
 Ten horses, the famous red, white and gold beer wagon and other
essential equipment are transported in three 50-foot tractor-trailers.
Cameras in the trailers (with monitors in the cabs) enable the drivers to
keep a watchful eye on their precious cargo during transport. The team
stops each night at local stables so the "gentle giants" can rest.
Air-cushion suspension and thick rubber flooring in the trailers ease the
rigors of traveling.
 DRIVERS
 Driving the 12 tons of wagon and horses requires quite a bit of
strength and skill. The 40 pounds of reins the driver holds, plus the
tension of the reins, equals 75 pounds. All hitch drivers are put through a
rigorous training period before they are given the reins.
 HARNESS
 Each harness and collar weighs approximately 130 pounds. The harness is
handcrafted from brass and leather. Pure linen thread is used for the
stitching. The harness is made to fit any horse, but the collars come in
different sizes and must be individually fitted like a suit of clothes.
 NAMES
 Duke, Captain, Mark and Bud are just a few of the names given to the
Budweiser Clydesdales. Names are kept short to make it easier for the
driver to give commands to the horses during a performance.
 HORSESHOES
 Clydesdale horseshoes measure more than 20 inches from end to end and
weigh about 5 pounds -- more than twice as long and five times as heavy as
the shoe worn by a riding horse. A horse's hoof is made of a nerveless,
horn-like substance similar to the human fingernail, so being fitted for
shoes affects the animal no more than a manicure affects people.
 WAGON
 Turn-of-the-century beer wagons have been meticulously restored and are
kept in excellent repair. The wagons are equipped with two braking systems:
a hydraulic pedal device that slows the vehicle for turns and descents down
hills, and a hand brake that locks the rear wheels when the wagon is at a
halt.
 DALMATIANS
 Dalmatians have traveled with the Clydesdale hitch since the 1950s. The
Dalmatian breed has long been associated with horses and valued for their
speed, endurance and dependable nature. Dalmatians were known as coach
dogs, because they ran between the wheels of coaches or carriages and were
companions to the horses. Today, the Dalmatians are perched atop the wagon,
seated next to the driver.

http://www.anheuser-busch.com

http://www.rmef.org

Pennsylvania Bear Harvest Impressive

Release #156-06
Nov. 29, 2006

HUNTERS POST IMPRESSIVE HARVEST
First-ever archery bear hunt results in a harvest of 73

HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania Game Commission bear check stations recorded
a preliminary harvest of 2,553 bears during the recently completed
three-day season, and an additional 73 bears during the state's
first-ever, two-day archery bear harvest.

The three-day season, held Nov. 20-22, preliminarily ranks as the
eighth highest statewide harvest. When adding the archery take, the
total preliminary harvest of 2,626 moves up to seventh place. However,
Mark Ternent, Game Commission bear biologist, noted that with the
extended bear season in certain Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) running
from Nov. 27 through Dec. 2, the total preliminary harvest is likely to
approach 3,000, which would put this year's combined bear harvest in
line with the previous five years' harvests.

"While this year's bear harvest, so far, pales in comparison to last
year's season, hunters still are on course to register a impressive
harvest," Ternent said. "So far, this looks to be a typical season for
bear hunters."

Last year, hunters set a record harvest of 3,331 bears during the
three-day season and, by the end of the extended season, had pushed the
record to 4,164. The combination of record license sales, high bear
population estimates, abundant fall foods and favorable weather
conditions aided in reaching that mark. Preliminary total bear harvest
figures - two-day archery, three-day statewide and six-day extended -
are expected by Dec. 6, but official total bear harvest figures for all
three seasons won't be available until early 2007.

A printing error in the 2006-2007 Pennsylvania Hunting and Trapping
Digest incorrectly lists on a detachable pull-out card found between
pages 28 and 29 that the extended bear season (Nov. 27-Dec. 2) is open
in WMU 4C. The extended bear season is not open in WMU 4C.

Bear licenses had to have been purchased prior to the start of the
two-week rifle deer season on Nov. 27.

The top ten bears processed at check stations for the three-day bear
season all had estimated live weights that exceeded 600 pounds. The
largest was a 693-pound male taken by John D. Eppinette of Adamstown, in
West Branch Township, Potter County, at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 20.

Other large bears taken during the three-day season were: a 677-pound
male taken by Donald L. Stear of Sagamore, in South Mahoning Township,
Indiana County, at 7:15 a.m. on Nov. 20; a 661-pound male taken by
Samuel I. Fisher of Loysville, in Southwest Madison Township, Perry
County, at 8:49 a.m. on Nov. 20; a 649-pound male taken by Leon L.
Bonczewski of Glen Lyon, in Newport Township, Luzerne County, at 9:30
a.m. on Nov. 20; a 622-pound male taken by Rick A. Warfel of Lancaster,
in Cummings Township, Lycoming County, at 8 a.m. on Nov. 20; a 621-pound
male by Steven J. Craig of Montgomery, in Shrewsbury Township, Lycoming
County, 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 20; a 621-pound male taken by Jonathan E. Kio
of Ulysses, in Allegany Township, Potter County, 3:15 p.m. on Nov. 20; a
607, Clinton County, 9:15 a.m. on Nov. 20; a 604-pound male taken
by J.E. Allgyer of Kinzers, in Burnside Township, Centre County, at 7:12
a.m. on Nov. 20; and a 601-pound male taken by Andrew M. Miller of Mill
Hall, in Greene Township, Clinton County, at 7:10 a.m. on Nov. 20.

The preliminary three-day bear harvest by Wildlife Management Unit was
as follows: WMU 1A, 12 (9 in 2005); WMU 1B, 37 (37); WMU 2C, 253 (308);
WMU 2D, 98 (127); WMU 2E, 97 (114); WMU 2F, 203 (258); WMU 2G, 680
(900); WMU 3A, 225 (284); WMU 3B, 208 (288); WMU 3C, 90 (115); WMU 3D,
120 (237); WMU 4A, 114 (147); WMU 4B, 32 (41); WMU 4C, 69 (104); WMU 4D,
281 (297); and > WMU 4E, 34 (60).

The top five bear harvest counties in the state's three-day season
continue to hail from the Northcentral Region. The leading county was
Clinton with 213, followed by Lycoming, 196; Potter, 180; Tioga, 142;
and Clearfield, 130.

County harvests by region for the three-day season, followed by the
three-day 2005 preliminary harvests in parentheses, are:

Northwest: Warren, 78 (78); Forest, 46 (67); Venango, 42 (38);
Clarion, 36 (30); Jefferson, 28 (62); Butler, 10 (10); Crawford, 5 (10);
Erie, 2 (0); and Mercer, 2 (4).

Southwest: Somerset, 122 (108); Fayette, 59 (73); Indiana, 46 (65);
Armstrong, 31 (33); Westmoreland, 22 (44); and Cambria, 13 (30).

Northcentral: Clinton, 213 (227); Lycoming, 196 (238); Potter 180
(211); Tioga, 142 (217); Clearfield, 130 (157); McKean, 129 (146);
Centre, 92 (138); Elk, 83 (109); Cameron, 67 (170); and Union, 40 (33).

Southcentral: Huntingdon, 95 (127); Bedford, 72 (94); Mifflin, 42
(29); Blair, 36 (44); Fulton, 16 (21); Snyder, 15 (11); Juniata, 14
(11); Perry, 8 (7); Franklin, 4 (6); and Cumberland, 1 (0).

Northeast: Sullivan, 67 (80); Wayne, 56 (74); Pike, 48 (94); Luzerne,
46 (75); Susquehanna, 38 (53); Bradford, 33 (55); Monroe, 30 (69);
Wyoming, 24 (24); Carbon, 21 (50); Columbia, 17 (36); Lackawanna, 13
(18); and Northumberland, 4 (2).

Southeast: Schuylkill, 14 (28); Dauphin, 13 (14); Lebanon, 8 (4); and
Berks, 4 (4).

The largest bear harvested during the two-day archery season was a
458-pound male taken by Christian Landis of Lancaster, in Cogan House,
Lycoming County, at 8:25 a.m. on Nov. 15. Other large bears included: a
457-pound male taken by Michael Rapsky of Cairnbrook, in Shade Township,
Somerset County, at 4 p.m. on Nov. 16; and a 407-pound male taken by
Shane Emel of Mill Hall, in Bald Eagle Township, Clinton County, at 4:30
p.m. on Nov. 15.

The two-day archery season harvest by WMU was: WMU 2C, 9; WMU 2D, 3;
WMU 2E, 2; WMU 2F, 2; WMU 2G, 32; WMU 3A, 8; WMU 4A, 2; and WMU 4D, 15.

County harvests for the two-day archery season by region was:

Northwest: Butler, 2; Venango, 1; and Warren, 1.

Southwest: Indiana, 4; Fayette, 3; Cambria, 1; and Somerset, 1.

Northcentral: Clinton, 12; Centre, 8; Potter, 7; McKean, 5; Tioga, 5;
Clearfield, 4; Elk, 3; Lycoming, 3; Union, 3; and Cameron, 1.

Southcentral: Huntingdon, 4; Blair, 2; Mifflin, 2; and Fulton, 1.

Created in 1895 as an independent state agency, the Game Commission is
responsible for conserving and managing all wild birds and mammals in
the Commonwealth, establishing hunting seasons and bag limits, enforcing
hunting and trapping laws, and managing habitat on the 1.4 million acres
of State Game Lands it has purchased over the years with hunting and
furtaking license dollars to safeguard wildlife habitat. The agency
also conducts numerous wildlife conservation programs for schools, civic
organizations and sportsmen's clubs.

The Game Commission does not receive any general state taxpayer
dollars for its annual operating budget. The agency is funded by
license sales revenues; the state's share of the federal
Pittman-Robertson program, which is an excise tax collected through the
sale of sporting arms and ammunition; and monies from the sale of oil,
gas, coal, timber and minerals derived from State Game Lands.