THE COVEY HEADQUARTERS Volume 6 Issue 2 Summer 2007

THE COVEY HEADQUARTERS Volume 6 Issue 2 Summer 2007 3915 Oakland Ave St. Joseph, MO 64506 jeff.powelson@mdc.mo.gov —The Covey Headquarters Newsletter is aimed at cooperators and sportspeople in the state of Missouri to provide information on restoring quail. Many recommendations often apply to other regions of the country. The newsletter is a joint effort of the Missouri Department of Conservation, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, University of Missouri Extension and Quail Unlimited. If you have suggestions for future articles please contact jeff.powelson@mdc.mo.gov or 816-232-6555 x122 or write to the address shown above.

The name of this newsletter is taken from an old concept.....that a quail covey operates from a headquarters (shrubby cover). If the rest of the covey's habitat needs are nearby, a covey should be present. We are encouraging landowners to manage their quail habitat according to this concept. Use shrubs as the cornerstone for your quail management efforts. Manage for a diverse grass, broadleaf weed and legume mixture and provide bare ground with row crops, food plots or light disking right next to the shrubby area.

Related Links Missouri Dept of Conservation University of Missouri Extension NRCS Email this article to a friend Print version RSS Web Feeds

Good Things Happening for Quail in Missouri!
Made possible by the Missouri Department of Conservation, Partners, and Missouri Landowners Keep up the good work!

Private Land Accomplishments:

Through a new cooperative agreement, the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) was expanded to parts of 79 counties in Missouri. The Farm Service Agency has partnered with the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the Missouri Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Missouri Department of Agriculture. The new CREP agreement will potentially impact 20,000 acres in Missouri. Under the new agreement, only native vegetation will be established and mid-contract management practices will be required on most CREP practices. In 2006, the Missouri Department of Conservation contributed $1,000,000 to this cooperative agreement. Many of the CREP watersheds also occur in bobwhite quail and grassland focus areas. Visit your local USDA office to see if you have land that qualifies for CREP.

As of April 26, 2007 a total of 21,900 acres of quail-friendly field borders have been established through USDA's CP33 field border program. Missouri was awarded an additional 10,000 acres to enroll into the program. Counties with over 1,000 acres enrolled include Caldwell, Cass, Saline, and Scott.

The Missouri Department of Conservation completed the second year of CP33 monitoring. Field researchers increased the sample size from 40 to 60 sites. As a part of the study, researchers are looking at quail and grassland bird responses as a result of CP33 buffers. Staff is also monitoring soil erosion within the buffer to determine if additional resource concerns are being addressed. We will publish some of this data in future issues.

In 2006, the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Association of Soil and Water Districts continued a three year CRP initiative focusing on creating shrubby cover adjacent to CRP fields, increasing plant diversity and requiring CRP cooperators to voluntarily sign-up for the mid-contract management. Through the CRP-BOB program, $240,000 in cost share has been allocated for edge feathering, food plot establishment, invasive vegetation control and management practices (prescribed burning, light disking or spraying).

In 2006, Missouri NRCS signed 63 new Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WHIP) contracts, for $849,193.86 in cost share which impacted 7,754.3 acres of habitat. In Missouri, WHIP focuses primarily on bobwhite quail management and prairie, savanna/woodland and glade restoration.

In 2006, active WHIP contracts completed 3,826.1 acres of quail and grassland bird-friendly habitat work. In 2006, existing Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) contracts applied 33,613 acres of quail and grassland bird habitat work. Quail and grassland bird-friendly conservation practices include (338) Prescribed Burning, (643) Restoration and Management of Rare and Declining Habitats, (645) Upland Wildlife Habitat Management, and (647) Early Successional Habitat Management.

In 2006, the Spring River watershed in southwest Missouri was chosen for the Conservation Security Program (CSP). A total of 356 contracts were approved for $2,850,206 in conservation payments. Of the 356 contracts, 344 were Tier 2 or 3 meaning these contracts will address wildlife concerns, primarily quail, on the entire operation.

Statewide, landowners and operators participating in CSP have already installed miles of native grass field borders, acres of shrub plantings and acres of unharvested grain plots as a result of the program. For example:

- In 2006, NRCS reported 2,846,825 linear feet of native grass field borders installed through CSP (basically a 30 foot field border on each side of I-70 from Kansas City to St. Louis).

- NRCS in Saline, Scott, Pemiscot, Mississippi and Dunklin Counties reported over 1 million linear feet of native grass field borders installed through CP33 or CSP field borders as a result of CSP. Over the past couple of years over 15 million linear feet of field borders have been installed statewide.

Through the Missouri Department of Conservation Landowner Cost Share Program, 803 landowners received approximately $1.3 million in cost share. Of that, an estimated $614,617 went towards quail and grassland bird-friendly practices, impacting 7,947.4 acres.cshadshadx60shady-60shadr0shado85 shadc0 shad0

Through a cooperative agreement with Quail Unlimited and the Missouri Department of Conservation at least 2,780 acres of private land were improved for quail and grassland birds in 2006. A total of 119 projects were completed with a total of $103,748 in cost share spent on quail and grassland bird-friendly practices. Since 2001, this cooperative agreement has administered $565,918 in cost share. Quail Unlimited and the Missouri Department of Conservation have also hired a Technical Service Biologist for three years to assist private landowners in northeast Missouri.

Numerous landowner workshops were conducted by Department of Conservation staff. Landowner workshops continue to focus on quail management, cost share programs, CRP management, and prescribed burning. In fiscal year 2006, the Private Land Services Division reported that 16,412 individuals attended workshops and training events sponsored by the department and partners.

Public Land Accomplishments:

A total of 67,436 acres of quail and grassland bird habitat were improved or disturbed on MDC Conservation Areas. Including 134 miles of edge development on Conservation Areas.

Department staff conducted spring bird surveys (9 species) and fall whistle counts on 19 Conservation Areas to track and monitor quail and grassland bird responses to management activities.

Completed a Quail and Grassland Bird management review and training session for area managers and department staff.

Direct Seeding Shrubs? How to seed future covey headquarters
Aaron P. Jeffries, Upland Game Coordinator, Jefferson City, MO

Landowners interested in creating good quail habitat should have 10 to 25% of each "quail unit" or field in shrubby cover. Shrubby cover can be created by edge feathering, creating downed tree structures, enhancing native shrub thickets and by planting shrubs. When planting shrubs, many people use bare root or container grown plants. However, shrubs can also be established by seeding if you follow a few critical steps.

The first step is to find a good seed source. Some native seed companies sell shrub seed. Wild plum, shrub dogwoods (roughleaf, gray, swamp, etc'c9), elderberry, and blackberry are all good choices. Only buy native shrub seed by the Pure Live Seed (PLS) pound. If you can't find a seed source you can also collect your own seed by harvesting the fruits when they are ripe. If you collect your own seed, realize you will not know the germination rate. The amount of PLS for hand collected seed may range from 20 to 90%.

If you collect your own seeds, harvest the fruits when they are ripe. Depending on the species, this can be from mid summer through early fall. Watch the fruits closely as birds and other animals are also waiting for the fruits to ripen. I have found that wild plum is usually ripe in August and the shrub dogwoods (depending on the species) ripen in August and September. If possible try to clean the pulp from the seed. Clean seed is easier to spread and will not attract rodents.

The next step is to choose a site for your covey headquarter. The covey headquarter should be located adjacent to diverse grassland or other early successional habitats such as food plots, crop fields or disturbed fields. Site preparation is critical when direct seeding shrubs. Choose a covey headquarter site that is at least 30'x50' in size (1,500 ft). New covey headquarter sites should be sprayed with an herbicide in the summer and then disked 2 or 3 weeks later to prepare a clean seedbed. Have the site ready to be seeded by late summer or early fall. I have found that many native shrub species should be seeded in the summer or early fall and not the spring.

The next step is to simply broadcast the seed or fruit on the prepared site. Again, plots should be seeded in late summer or early fall. Avoid seeding shrubs in the winter or spring. After broadcasting the seed, simply drag a harrow or cedar tree over the area. As a rule of thumb, the seed should be no deeper than twice the diameter of the seed (about uc0u189 to 1 inch deep for wild plum).

How much seed should you plant in each covey headquarter? If you hand collect seeds you will not know the germination rate. Use the chart below for general recommendations for seeding covey headquarters with Pure Live Seed (PLS) or hand collected fruits. The following seeding rates are for a 1,500 ft covey headquarter. Again, plots should be seeded in late summer.

Specie	Pounds of clean PLS seed per 1,500 ft covey headquarter	Pounds of fruit per covey headquarter
Wild Plum	3/4-1 lb	1-2 lb
Shrub Dogwood	1/8-1/4 lb	3/4-1 lb
American Elderberry	1/20 lb	4/10 lb
Blackberry	1/8-1/4 lb	3 lb

The following year, make sure to control annual grasses with a selective grass herbicide. Since most shrub seedlings will be less than 10 inches in height you might be able to high mow the plot. To provide instant brushy cover, add a few downed trees to the middle of the covey headquarter. Be patient, a direct seeding will take several years to provide adequate shrubby cover for quail. I have an elderberry seeding on our farm that is 3 years old and over 6 feet tall. We also have several wild plum seedings that are one year old and only about 6 inches tall. The low cost of hand collecting or buying seed makes this a fun project to try during the summer.

Quail Reproduction

The quail's reproductive capacity is large and their mating behaviors are impressive.

The nesting season is long, lasting from April to October.

Hens lay 12 to 18 eggs per nest.

Chicks are precocial, being able to follow adults soon after hatching.

Their breeding behavior is classified as both monogamous and polygamous, with the females sometimes leaving their mate and chicks to find another mate and start another nest.

With the females being so promiscuous, males end up incubating about 25% of the nests.

All of the above behaviors allow one hen to produce up to 3 broods of 10 or so chicks per brood. The end result of this is a tremendous ability to rebound from high mortality during winter. Make sure you provide good nesting habitat on your farm. Nesting cover consists of grasses such as redtop, timothy, orchardgrass, little bluestem, and broomsedge. There should be adequate litter from the previous year for the hen to build the nest.

Your nesting grass should also be located next to good brood rearing habitat. Brood rearing habitat consists of legumes and annual weeds with plenty of bare ground. This habitat is typically found in areas that have been left fallow one to two years after soil disturbance. A food plot that was left idle is a great example of brood habitat. The annual weeds that appear in an idled food plot provide an abundance of insects needed for rapid chick development and are often used by broods as feeding areas.

Did You Know???

Studies in Missouri, Georgia and Florida using radio-collared quail showed that hunting dogs usually find about half the coveys on a given farm. This doesn't mean the dogs aren't good. Many factors enter into a dog's ability to scent quail. In fact, it's not necessarily the quail they smell, but the bacteria on skin cells that the quail shed.

Summer Covey Headquarters Calendar

June
Quail hatch peaks this month. Conduct breeding bird surveys this month. Milo, millet, and forage sorghum food plots should be planted by June 30. Contact NRCS or MDC for burn plan assistance this month. Mow newly planted native grass fields to a height of 6-8 inches to control weed competition. Spray actively growing Johnsongrass.

July
Excessive June and July rains will shift the peak quail hatch into August. Mow firebreaks for fall burns several times over the summer to maintain. Spray sericea lespedeza through Sept. Mow newly planted native grass fields to a height of 8-12 inches to control weed competition. Disk or burn your CRP acres starting July 16super thnosupersub . Use herbicides to set back native grass CRP starting July 16super thnosupersub .

August
Quail and other grassland birds continue to nest stay off your mowers! Till firebreaks now to prepare for late summer and fall burns. Mow or burn fescue and brome to prepare for fall herbicide treatments. Hand collect plum and dogwood seed late this month and plant the seed to establish covey headquarters.

Build it and they will come
GOT EDGE?

My family owns a 270-acre farm in Cole County that consisted of cedar-infested hardwoods and fescue fields when we acquired the property about 15 years ago. Since then, we (dad and I) have randomly planted food plots and haphazardly planted 1,000+ mail order trees (mostly pine) from MDC annually. We permanently excluded cattle about 4 years ago to let the place "grow up."

Shortly after removing the cattle we started conducting prescribed burns. We have primarily targeted the cedar-infested hardwoods that were void of an understory and any valuable timber. The fire has killed many of the cedars and reduced woody cover at ground level. Sunlight, water, and nutrients previously allocated to cedars and other fire intolerant species has given birth to a dense understory rich in both food and cover.

Several successfyears of prescribed burning resulted in measurable improvements in habitat; however, we were still not seeing the wildlife we expected to. That's when we kicked our efforts into high gear with edge feathering and putting away the brush hog. I must admit I was very reluctant to commit to such a project, but was encouraged by habitat articles in The Covey Headquarters Newsletter and Missouri Conservationist. Dad did not warm up to the idea of sprayers and chainsaws and sat this one out.

In October 2003 we began by killing fescue along the woodland edge; 3 selected 30-60 foot wide strips several hundred yards each (4 acres total) were sprayed using an ATV with a sprayer attached. It was as easy as mowing grass! In May we disked up the dead fescue strips and sowed the plots. A mixture of big bluestem, little bluestem, Indian grass, native wildflowers, and lespedeza were sown by hand and rolled in by driving a truck up and down the rows to ensure good seed-to-soil contact. By August much of the grass was already over our heads. When walking through the strips insects scatter about and cling to your clothing, and are so loud you can hardly hear yourself think!

By September the weather began to cool and I grabbed the chainsaw. I started cutting trees along the woodland edge and dropping them into the warm-season grass strips. All cedars and most others were fair game. Only an occasional whopper-sized, mast-producing tree was spared. Remember that proper, fresh edge feathering will look messy and most people will think you're crazy if you show them what you've done. Remain calm, give it a few years and/or sweep a prescribed burn through there and let succession catch up. One afternoon was all it took me to edge out the trees in each of the 3 warm-season grass strips. I also purchased my own ATV sprayer and boom. In just two afternoons I sprayed the fescue around edges and odd corners of the fields over 10 acres in all. It paid for itself the first time I used it.

We've engaged in more meaningfwildlife habitat improvement in one year than the first 10 years combined! Better yet, costs were offset by enrolling in a Quail Habitat Initiative contract (cooperative cost share program funded by Quail Unlimited and the Missouri Department of Conservation) and recently the Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program. I've learned you can knock out an amazing amount of work with the chainsaw, ATV sprayer, or tractor in a few short hours. In fact, rounding up the gear and getting to the farm is my biggest obstacle; once I'm there the work melts away. Pack a lunch, put your nose to the grind, and break a sweat. In case you're as lukewarm about this as I was, consider that your efforts benefit quail but are not limited to them. You will be creating excellent habitat for both game and non-game species alike by creating/restoring something that has become extinct on many landscapes edge. Hey, I got edge, do you? Adam Doerhoff, Conservation Agent, Adair/Macon Counties

Did You Know???

By spending a little money and dedicating a few weekends each year you can get quail and grassland birds back on your property for the long haul. Flushing a covey of quail from habitat that you created is a very rewarding experience. Why spend $1,000's to buy a call-back system and release birds yearly to keep your quail artificially stocked? Create habitat and the birds will respond.

Make Your Fescue Pasture More Attractive to Cattle and Wildlife
Craig Roberts, State Forage Specialist, University of Missouri

Most of Missouri pasture is tall fescue. And nearly all of our tall fescue is common Kentucky 31, a cultivar that is usually infected with a toxic fungus. Infected Kentucky 31 causes fescue toxicosis, a livestock disorder that costs US livestock producers between $600 and $900 million each year. Without proper management, infected Kentucky 31 reduces steer gains, calving percentage, and milk production.

There are many coffee shop suggestions for managing infected tall fescue. Some suggestions involve breeding, some involve feeding. However, most suggestions are only based on hearsay and don't even work. There are, however, some suggestions that have proven to be wise recommendations. They have been tested in controlled experiments and can partially reduce the effect of toxic tall fescue. Of these recommendations, there are three big ones. The "big three" are listed below. Note, two of the three recommendations call for anything but straight tall fescue.

The first recommendation is to have a summer pasture. Why a summer pasture? Because, infected tall fescue is most toxic during late May through June, so moving cattle onto another pasture can reduce the amount of toxin consumed. Moving to a summer pasture can also provide excellent forage, as warm-season forages are leafy. Some of those forages that provide excellent forage supply in June and July include native warm-season grasses, which are also ideal for wildlife. These would include big bluestem, Indiangrass, and eastern gamagrass. When added to a pasture system with cool-season grasses, each species should be utilized during the prime growing season, thereby enabling the producer to provide excellent nutrition throughout the year.

One other forage that provides excellent summer pasture is annual lespedeza. It does not require its own field, as it can be interseeded into the tall fescue sod and grazed as a near pure stand in late July and throughout August; during these months, it takes over a pasture as the tall fescue enters dormancy. Lespedeza is also good for quail, supplying bugging areas in the summer, and food (seeds) during fall and winter.

The second recommendation is to dilute infected tall fescue pasture with other forages. The easiest forages to interseed would be the red and white clovers. They are frost-seeded in late January and early February. After being broadcast, the clover seed find their way to the soil surface as the ice and snow melt and the ground cycles between freezing and thawing. Research has shown that interseeding clover into a tall fescue pasture will increase steer gains by at least 0.15 lb/day, though the increase is usually larger.

The third of the "big three" recommendation is to supplement the diet. Supplementation involves corn, whole soybean, soyhulls, or other byproduct feeds. The amount to supplement should be determined by a local Extension Livestock Specialist. If the supplement is starchy, as is the case with corn, too much supplement will cause the forage to be undigested.

In addition to the "big three" recommendations listed above, there are some other wise practices. One is to ammoniate the hay. Treating infected tall fescue hay with ammonia does two things'd1it renders the forage highly digestible, and it partly detoxifies the hay. It has been shown to improve animal gains significantly. Another practice is carefnitrogen fertilization. If a fescue-clover pasture is fertilized with high rates of N, the

grass portion will dominate the clover, eventually crowding it out. Also, the high rate of N will cause toxins to increase, because the fescue toxins require nitrogen.

So, is straight tall fescue good for cattle and wildlife? No, not if the fescue is common Kentucky 31. And most of Missouri is just that, which happens to be the kind of tall fescue that causes problems. So it is best to manage in a way that reduces fescue toxicosis. Two of the "big three" recommendations call for summer pastures to complement the cool-season pastures and interseeding other forages, including legumes. Both of these approaches also can be good for quail and other grassland birds.

Missouri Department of Conservation Receives National Quail Award

The Missouri Department of Conservation received the 2007 Northern Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI) Group Achievement Award at the North American Wildlife and Natural Resource Conference in Portland, Oregon. The award was presented by Quail Unlimited in cooperation with the Southeast Quail Study Group for the overall effort of the Department toward implementation of NBCI.'ca Among bobwhite quail progress credited to the Department was utilization of the CRP CP-33 acreage allotment for Missouri, establishment of a Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program for quail, and coordination with USDA to make quail a priority in the Environmental Quality Incentive Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program, and the Conservation Security Program.'ca All Department staff that have worked to implement'cathe NBCI plan share in this Group Achievement Award.

Strip Spraying Native Grasses for Diversity

For many landowners, spring is a very busy time of year. Sometimes even the most well planned prescribed burn doesn't get completed on the target date, often due to weather restrictions or logistical problems. This can be troublesome, especially when native grass stands are the target burn units. Native grass stands should not be burned after mid-March, if you are interested in wildlife habitat, because burning after then tends to stimulate the stand, essentially thickening it up. This would be a good practice for forage production, but not for wildlife management.

Instead of burning in late spring or postponing the burn until the following year, plan on strip spraying in the summer. Strip spraying is the practice of using reduced chemical rates to suppress or set-back dominant grasses, therefore providing openings in the stand for forbs, legumes and bare ground. It is a viable alternative to light disking strips through a grass stand and it doesn't leave rough ground.

Recommended spraying dates for native warm-season grasses are May 1-September 15. For CRP acres, do not spray until after July 15 through September 15. Cool-season grasses can also be strip sprayed from green- up through April 30 or in the fall green-up period. Use the label rates for suppression on which ever chemical you choose. For example, with Round-up original (glyphosate), use 8-16 oz. per 20 gallons of water for perennial grass suppression. Spray 25-75 ft. strips on the contour each year and alternate strips each year until all acres have been treated. Mowing can be used prior to spraying for more efficient chemical coverage.

Often times desirable annual forbs will be released from the sod-bound grass stand after spraying, but over seeding of legumes can be used for additional benefit. Many planted native grass stands are completely dominated by grasses and desperately need to be managed for higher plant diversity. Upland birds will use these pure grass stands at times, but they can be better managed through strip spraying. The end result is a field with higher plant diversity that provides nesting, brood rearing, roosting and heavy winter cover.

Did You Know???

Don't sweat it if you can't get your food plots planted this year, or what you do plant gets dominated by weeds and doesn't produce much grain. These areas will actually be ideal for quail broods. Fallow food plots serve as that "bare ground with a canopy of annual plants" component of quail habitat. Quail broods will use them throughout the summer and into the fall as brooding habitat. When fall and winter come they will have produced a diversity of quail foods and in some cases winter roosting cover.

CRP NEWS

USDA will not hold a general CRP signup in 2007 or 2008, but the Continuous CRP program will continue to take enrollments.

Dogwood Carbonsuper TM (a subsidiary of the Missouri Farmers Union), is purchasing CRP carbon credits. Opportunities exist for payments on grass and tree planted acres. Visit dogwoodcarbon.com for more information.

The Internal Revenue Service is considering charging self employment tax on CRP rental payments. Check Internal Revenue Service Notice 2006-108, or discuss with your tax preparer.

Control These Pesky Weeds This Summer:

Sericea lespedeza - treat with triclopyr or metsulfuron June through September.

Teasel - treat when actively growing with glyphosate, 2, 4-D amine, or triclopyr.

Multi-flora rose - mow during growing season and treat stumps with 50% glyphosate mix.

Johnsongrass - treat when actively growing with glyphosate.

Most weeds require several treatments over several years to completely control them. Herbicide labels constantly change. Always read and follow all label instructions.

Mark Your Calendar

July 19-22, 2007 "Flight to the Future" National Quail Unlimited Convention in Overland Park, KS. A habitat demonstration day is scheduled for July. Visit qu.org for more information.

Prairie Pothole Region not protected by Clean Water Act

World’s most productive duck breeding grounds in immediate danger

MEMPHIS, Tenn. June 5, 2007 - Most wetlands remain in jeopardy today. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, geographically isolated wetlands are not protected under the Clean Water Act. The two federal agencies issued a joint guidance Tuesday for how their field offices should interpret and implement the Rapanos-Carabell Supreme Court decision of 2006.

"The guidance issued today in response to the 2006 Supreme Court decision provides some clarity with respect to protection of a small subset of wetlands, but it excludes protection for tens of millions of acres of geographically isolated wetlands. These wetlands, typified by the prairie potholes, are the lifeblood of the breeding grounds and are the most important wetlands to waterfowl on the continent," said Ducks Unlimited Executive Vice President Don Young. "This guidance makes it clear that passage of legislation such as the Clean Water Restoration Act is vitally important if we are going to maintain the wetlands that waterfowl depend upon. Ducks Unlimited will work with Congress, with federal agencies, and with the White House to find ways to protect prairie potholes and other important wetlands."

Contact Ducks Unlimited to join and make a difference in this very important issue!

BP America $2 million donation helps DU secure wetlands grant

Louisiana coastal wetlands restoration is the focus

LAFAYETTE, La., June 2, 2007 – A new North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant awarded to Ducks Unlimited will fund conservation activities on 11,024 acres in southwest Louisiana. Ducks Unlimited used a $2 million donation by BP America to match federal dollars to earn the grant.

“Ducks Unlimited is grateful to have BP as a partner on this project, and we commend their commitment to wetland conservation along the Louisiana coast,” said Bob Dew, Ducks Unlimited (DU) regional biologist.

The restored wetlands will provide wintering and migration habitat for several waterfowl species including northern pintails, mottled ducks and mallards. BP’s contribution to this grant came from a $40 million conservation donation it gave Louisiana in 2002.

The objective of the project is to restore and protect coastal wetlands on public and private lands damaged or at risk of damage from human-caused saltwater intrusion. Saltwater intrusion kills vegetation and exposes marsh soils to severe wave erosion.

DU will manage the installation of two water control structures on Rockefeller State Wildlife Refuge. DU and several private landowners will also share the cost of replacing at least 13 inoperable water control structures. The new structures will allow control of water levels and help reduce saltwater intrusion and excessive flooding.

Managing water and salinity levels that mimic natural fluctuations will prevent conversion of vegetated wetlands to open water.

“In some situations, elevated freshwater conditions for extended periods are just as harmful as high salinity saltwater,” Dew said. “Adequate management of fresh and saltwater is necessary to achieve desirable habitat conditions in these situations in southwest Louisiana.”

BP America donated the 71,130-acre White Lake Wetland Conservation Area to Louisiana for conservation purposes in 2002. The property containing fresh marsh and associated uplands was valued at $40 million. The property’s value has provided key matching funds for eight North America Wetlands Conservation Act grant projects. These projects have restored or enhanced thousands of wetland acres in southwest Louisiana.

“We realize the benefits wetland conservation has for wildlife, people and the oil and gas industry,” said Marti Gazzier, general manager of BP government and public affairs for the Gulf Coast. “By restoring marshes and maintaining a sustainable ecosystem we can ensure the commercial, recreational and ecological functions of coastal Louisiana remain intact.”

The project will also benefit several commercially and recreationally important species including brown and white shrimp, blue crabs and red drum.

Additional partners providing funds to help secure the grant were the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources and several private landowners.

The Ducks Unlimited Governmental Affairs staff works with Congress in support of annual funding for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. Louisiana’s delegation has been very supportive of the Act, including U.S. senators Mary Landrieu and David Vitter and representatives Rodney Alexander and Charles Boustany, whose districts are where the project will occur.

For more information on the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, go to www.ducks.org/nawca

Contact: Jennifer Kross
(601) 206-5449
jkross@ducks.org

With more than a million supporters, Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest and most effective wetland and waterfowl conservation organization. The United States alone has lost more than half of its original wetlands ¬- nature’s most productive ecosystem - and continues to lose more than 80,000 wetland acres each year.

Bruce Lewis elected Ducks Unlimited President

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MEMPHIS, Tenn., June 4, 2007 - Longtime Ducks Unlimited volunteer and national officer Bruce Lewis of Natchez, Mississippi, was elected president of Ducks Unlimited at the 70th Annual Ducks Unlimited Convention in Anchorage, Alaska. Lewis succeeds Dr. Jim Hulbert, who is now the wetlands and waterfowl conservation organization’s chairman of the board.

“To be standing here as president is an incredible and humbling experience,” Lewis said to a crowd of more than 1,200 Ducks Unlimited (DU) supporters.

“We all know of the imminent conservation needs of waterfowl and habitat. Our staff of biologists has prioritized those landscapes of greatest threat, and we will focus on those priority areas. We have the right team, the necessary tools and a noble mission,” Lewis said. “We will not deviate from our mission, and we will always remain true to our singleness of purpose to conserve, restore and manage wetlands and associated habitat for North American waterfowl.”

Lewis served as DU’s first vice president since May, 2005. He also served DU as an at-large board member, treasurer, regional vice president for the South Mississippi Flyway, sponsor chairman, district chairman, South Mississippi assistant state chairman and state chairman. In addition, Lewis served on both the Arts and Decoy Committee and Finance Committee and presently serves on the board of directors of DU Canada.

In his acceptance speech, Lewis outlined several goals during his tenure, which include focusing on DU’s conservation mission, while preserving its waterfowling heritage. Lewis also emphasized the importance of communication and education.

“What a heritage we have inherited. What a passion we have developed for that resource and this organization, which gives each of us the opportunity to give something back – to collectively make a meaningful and perpetual difference on the landscape when one person, working alone, cannot,” Lewis said. “Those of us who have been around this organization a long time don’t leave it, because we have been educated in what DU has accomplished and what we do so well. If we do a good job in educating our members and youth, it will pay dividends for Ducks Unlimited.”

Lewis, 57, received his B.A. and M.S.S. degrees from Mississippi State University and a J.D. from the University of Mississippi. He is a practicing attorney and partner in the law firm Gwin, Lewis and Punches in Natchez, where he resides with his wife Karen. They have three children, Grayson, Scott and Elizabeth.

Contact: Laura Houseal
(901) 758-3764
lhouseal@ducks.org

With more than a million supporters, Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest and most effective wetland and waterfowl conservation organization with almost 12 million acres conserved. The United States alone has lost more than half of its original wetlands - nature’s most productive ecosystem - and continues to lose more than 80,000 wetland acres each year.

Delta Waterfowl's First Duck Program

What a great program... Great Job Delta Waterfowl!

Funding for the First Duck Pin was provided by the Oregon Waterfowl Festival. Young hunters can receive a First Duck pin by sending a letter detailing their first duck to:

Worth Mathewson
PO Box 130
Amity, Oregon 97101

Photos are much appreciated! You can also send your story and photos to : firstduck@deltawaterfowl.org.

Check out this link to really get the full effect of this great program....

FIRST DUCK with Delta Waterfowl

Respected Waterfowl Scientists Say Predator Management Critical

Respected Waterfowl Scientists Say Predator Management Critical

JAMESTOWN, N.D. - A group of retired scientists says land-use changes on the North American breeding grounds may force waterfowl managers to choose between controlling predators and watching duck populations plummet.

One reason for their concern, the experts say, is an ethanol-fueled demand for corn that's likely to result in a reduction of grass nesting cover across the U.S. side of the region.

Arnold Kruse, John Lokemoen, Ray Greenwood and Alan Sargeant were part of the prestigious team of researchers who literally wrote the book on North America's "duck factory" while working at the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center (NPWRC) in Jamestown, North Dakota. The NPWRC was formed in 1965 when U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Harvey Nelson assembled an all-star team of researchers charged with unraveling the mysteries of the prairie ecosystem.

One of the things they learned is that mammalian predators take a big bite out of duck production. In an interview that appears in the current issue of Delta Waterfowl magazine, they expressed concern about the impact of predators on populations of ducks and other ground-nesting birds.

"Our research showed there's a big problem with predators out there," says Sargeant. "The problem has not gone away. There are still lots of things eating lots of other things out there."

Since 1985, millions of acres of CRP cover have buffered hens from nest-raiding predators like fox, raccoons and skunks. Research conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service showed that CRP added 2 million ducks to the fall flight each year since 1992.

Unfortunately North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana, three states that since 1994 have produced as many ducks as prairie Canada, are expected to lose a minimum of 930,000 acres of CRP by 2010, more if the ethanol-driven demand keeps corn prices at current levels. An additional 434,000 acres of land was converted from native prairie to cropland between 2002 and 2006.

"CRP has kind of lulled everyone (into a false sense of security)," Kruse says. "If we lose this CRP, the predator thing is really going to stare us in the face. Corn's gone up a dollar a bushel over the last year. That means we're going to lose a lot of CRP nesting cover."

"We've been blessed with CRP for quite a few years, but now what are we going to do for ducks?" asks Sargeant, who is considered one of the continent's foremost authorities on the impact of fox and other predators on nesting ducks. "Either you're going to do intensive management or ducks are going to take it in the shorts."

Countless studies have confirmed that predation is the cause for most nest failures, but waterfowl managers have shied away from predator management because it is viewed as politically incorrect. Greenwood says concerns about predator management as a tool are nothing new.

"Predator management was on the outs before us too," Greenwood says. "Before we came along, it was believed predators only took the sick and incompetent birds. We found that wasn't the case, that predators are a very important part of the ecosystem, preying on vulnerable breeding hens and ducklings. We kept the pot stirred with new findings and new research. But it's really not in vogue to kill, so I think the emphasis on predators has slid."

"It's always difficult when you want to kill one animal to defend another," admits Lokemoen. "It's easier to do something like buy potholes and plant cover. Those are good things, but maybe we have to take the next step."

"Predator management works," says Sargeant. "You get rid of predators and things start to happen. Yes, it costs money to manage predators, but it costs money to pay taxes, it costs money to burn, it costs money to start your truck and drive out to see if your habitat is in place and your fences are up."

All expressed frustration that their findings on the impact of predators haven't been put to work on a large scale, saying intensive-management practices like predator removal are a cost-effective way to supplement habitat.

"If you're going to pump money into habitat, crank it against what you're going to get out if it (in terms of ducks)," Sargeant says. "The fact is, if you want to make the habitat work, you better think about some teeth."

When asked how important it is to manage predators, Greenwood answered: "How many ducks do you want? Do you just want to see them, or do you want some to shoot? If you just want to see them, you don't have to do anything."

Delta Waterfowl and Mossy Oak® team up for waterfowl research

Delta Waterfowl and Mossy Oak® team up for waterfowl research

BISMARCK, ND - Delta Waterfowl is pleased to announce a new partnership with Mossy Oak to support Delta’s decades-long commitment to waterfowl research on behalf of North American waterfowlers.

For the first time this spring, Mossy Oak has donated grant money to bolster Delta’s ongoing predator-management research in North Dakota by Louisiana State University student Matt Pieron, who is seeking his Ph.D.

For the last two years, Pieron has been using Delta’s numerous predator-reduction blocks in North Dakota to test for density dependence in ducks, a natural force that scientists say tends to regulate population size. In short, Pieron’s work will test for the effects of duck density on duck production.

“Mossy Oak is proud to not only support this important waterfowl conservation issue, but also to support Matt as he expands his knowledge and education regarding something so important to waterfowl hunters and outdoorsmen in general,” said Bill Sugg, President of Mossy Oak. “Delta Waterfowl’s work is extremely valuable and we’re thrilled to be associated with such an upstanding organization.”

An Ohio native, Pieron received his undergraduate degree from Mount Union College and his master’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University. An avid waterfowler, Pieron says he is fulfilling a lifelong dream conducting research on the all-important prairie breeding grounds. He is working closely with Delta Scientific Director Frank Rohwer.

“There’s no better place to conduct waterfowl research than in the duck factory,” says Pieron. “I couldn’t be happier.”

Delta Waterfowl has been managing predators in North Dakota since the early 1990s, in targeted areas where duck breeding densities are highest. This year Delta has expanded its predator-management research program into South Dakota and Saskatchewan. Countless studies have demonstrated that predator control is a cost-effective management tool to offset nest failures and supplement existing habitat.

“I’m extremely excited about our new partnership with Mossy Oak,” says Delta Senior Vice President John Devney. “Mossy Oak’s donation will go a long way towards our understanding of duck breeding ecology. Matt’s research is very important, and Mossy Oak deserves credit for stepping up to the plate.”

For more information:
John Devney, Sr. Vice President
Delta Waterfowl
701-222-8857

Delta Waterfowl Supports Effort To Save Steller's Eiders

Delta Waterfowl Supports Effort To Save Steller's Eiders

BISMARCK, ND - Delta Waterfowl has donated funding to help with the ongoing predator-management effort aimed at reversing the decline of the threatened Alaska-breeding population of Steller's eiders.

The funding will help the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) continue arctic fox removal on the birds' primary U.S. breeding area around Barrow, Alaska.

The goal is to recover the Steller's eider population so that it no longer needs Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection. It was listed as threatened by the USFWS in 1997.

"While Delta is happy to step up with a small contribution to help this important effort, the people doing the really important work are those in the APHIS and the USFWS," says Delta Senior Vice President John Devney.

A colorful sea duck that spends most of the year in shallow, near-shore marine waters, the Steller's eider is the smallest (it averages 18 inches in length and weighs roughly two pounds) and least abundant of the four eider species found in Alaska.

"It's a very mysterious bird," says Karen Laing, USFWS Eider Recovery Coordinator in Anchorage, adding that very little about it is well understood.

Once considered "locally common" in coastal areas in western and northern Alaska, the U.S. Steller's eider population, estimated today in the hundreds, breeds primarily near Barrow, a small whaling village on Alaska's northernmost tip.

In the spring of 2005 and 2006, and as part of the USFWS-led Steller's Eider Recovery Plan, APHIS officials controlled artic fox throughout a 60-square-mile area of the birds' tundra breeding grounds. Arctic fox are found in high densities around Barrow, where human settlements provide the opportunistic predators with multiple food sources.

"The tundra doesn't grow much more than two inches, so there is very little cover from them (Steller's eiders) to hide from predators," says Corey Rossi, assistant state director for the USDA's Wildlife Services Program. "What we're trying to do is suppress fox numbers during the breeding season so they can make it off the nest."

While the relationship between arctic fox control and Steller's eider reproductive success requires additional scientific research, Service officials say, Steller's eider nesting and fledging success increased the last two years when arctic fox were controlled.

From 1991 to 2004, Steller's eider nesting success averaged 16 percent. In 2005 and 2006, when arctic fox were controlled, nest success increased to 22 and 74 percent, respectively.

For three years in the 1990s (1995, 1996, 1999) when nesting was monitored, fledging success (the proportion of nests that fledge at least one duckling) was 7 percent. In 2005 and 2006, fledging success was 67 and 57 percent, respectively.

"One problem with the Steller's eider is that we don't know for sure why the population has declined over the years," says Laing. "With most threatened populations often found in the lower 48 states, for example, it is very clear there was habitat loss, or a contaminate, or something else that very clearly caused the decline. With the Steller's eider, we don't know for sure, but we can look to see what appears to be threatening the population now and focus on that."

One such focus is controlling arctic fox numbers.

"The current evaluation has very clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of predator management to benefit a waterfowl species that is fairing poorly," says Devney. "It has been well understood in the waterfowl management community that sea duck populations are in decline, and predator management is one way to potentially offset the decline of this breeding population."

Controlling predators to improve the breeding population of an at-risk waterfowl species isn't unprecedented in Alaska. A case in point: the amazing recovery of Aleutian Canada goose, now called the Aleutian cackling goose, which went on the endangered list in 1967.

The birds' problems with predators began decades earlier when fur farmers and trappers released two fox species (arctic and red) on roughly 190 islands within the goose's breeding range in the Aleutian Islands.

Not surprisingly, the goose population began to plummet, and no geese were observed from 1938 until the early 1960s when USFWS biologists discovered a small population on a remote island in the Aleutian chain.

In 1975, with the spring goose population estimated at 790 birds, a formal recovery program was implemented, including fox removal from the birds' breeding grounds. Geese were also relocated to fox-free islands. In 1984, successful breeding began on one restored island. By 1999, the Aleutian Canada goose population exceeded 30,000, more than four times the original recovery goal; in 2001, the bird was removed from federal protection.

"It's an amazing story," says Rossi of APHIS, who also worked on the project. "We went from federal protection to a hunting season."

While long-term predator management and other research on the Steller's eider population needs to be conducted, Laing says, USFWS operational budgets are thin, and research beyond 2007 is up in the air.

"I'm writing grant proposals and looking for partners," she says. "This is expensive research, but it is important research, and we hope to continue it."

Editors: For more information, contact John Devney at 888-987-3695.

Have you contacted Microsoft yet?

The way I see it as hunters we support conservation, we get the joy from the wilderness, we get very few opportunities to stand up for our rights and do something to stem the flow of money to Anti-Hunting organizations. Microsoft is as close a monopoly as any company is ever going to get in America! I know that Bill and Melinda Gates are going to do great things with their money, and it is there money... I am all for them putting it to whatever cause they want. But Microsoft is a a publicly traded company and as a public company they should be listening to the public and we must get out there and yell and scream until they hear us! Without hunters conservation stops and we need conservation and habitat more now then ever before....

Take 5 minutes and contact Microsoft and tell them how you feel, write them a letter and fax them as well... IS 5 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME WORTH PROTECTING YOUR RIGHTS AS A HUNTER!!!! I KNOW IT IS!!!!



Contact Bill Gates, Chairman, Microsoft, 1 Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052. Phone: (425) 882-8080. Fax: (425) 936-7329.

Outdoor U

Craig from Outdoor U dropped me a note. I had seen his blog a month or so ago and had added it to my bookmarks but life gets busy and away from you sometimes. This blog is a great little blog filled with small tidbits that can teach you little things one day at a time.

I am going to add this to the blogroll on the side...

Craig,
Keep up the good work!

Idaho Early Rifle Bugle Elk Hunt #65

IDAHO EARLY RIFLE BUGLE ELK HUNT #65 Hunt Idaho Unit #17 Mid-Sept thru Early Oct, in the Selway Wilderness Region during PEAK RUT SEASON. Our outfitter had better than 60% shooting opportunity on decent Bulls, in the 2006 season, which is exemplary for Idaho Wilderness hunts! These are 8 days, with 6 FULL DAYS of guided horseback hunting, from a classic outfitter wall-tent camp with meals and trophy care included for $3950. You will access camp after a 7 hour ride. Your outfitter has over 20 years of combined experience outfitting, guiding and packing in both Idaho and Montana. Outfitter Allocated Elk Licenses are AVAILABLE NOW, There are only 15 licenses available! 1st Come, 1st Served, at $372.50 plus $141.50 for your Non-Res Hunting License, the outfitter will handle this, for you! As an added incentive, for you to move quickly, you can purchase an Idaho Deer Tag, which will allow you to harvest ONE of the following: Mule Deer, White-Tail, Black Bear or Mountain Lion, while you're Elk Hunting, at no add'l charge!!! We can take TWO hunters each, in the following dates: Sept 14-21, Sept 24-Oct 1 and Oct 4- 11, GREAT DATES!!!


ask for Bill or Wally.
email: bmoahunts@bresnan.net
phone: 307-637-5495
web: http://www.worldwide-hunts.com

I am Sick

I am sick today... Here's a fun fact... I have Strep and I am a really big whiney baby when I am sick... so for the next two days.. very little blogging and I am getting tons of sleep

8 things about me......

1. I smoke too much and desperately want to quit and get into a real fitness plan. This last couple of years I have begun the process of feeling winded and out of breath while out hunting and it scares the crap out of me. At the same time I am also scared to quit because it is the one thing that can calm me down on a really stressful day.
2. I love to sleep! I like a good nap better then most I know...
3. I could drink Coca Cola all day, almost every day... I have been known to pack Coca Cola into back country camps and carry two of them in my backpack to get me through the day. I am also partial to double shots from starbucks.
4. I have almost zero tolerance for drunks. I rarely drink and am now a pretty lightweight drinker and at one time I was a heavy weight drinker but chose to give up drinking the first time I had a hangover and the kids were screaming and yelling and I just could not take the pounding in my head and so I made a choice... NEVER AGAIN.
5. When I die, I want people to remember the donations I made to wildlife conservation more then they remember that I was a hunter. My lifetime goal is to find a way to donate, cause to donate, or raise over $5 million dollars for conservation that goes directly to wildlife conservation and the purchase of habitat for wildlife. I am creating the Huntinglife.org website so that people can choose to donate to wildlife conservation organizations and I can document the revenue that is generated from our website for wildlife conservation. It may take about a year to get developed but it will be done. I love auctions........
6. I desperately want to hunt the and complete the North American Grand Slam including the Polar Bear! In fact Big Horn Sheep, Musk Ox and Polar Bear are the 3 species I am most interested in hunting for.
7. I love working with people to grow their careers or businesses and to see them succeed.
8. I am absolutely addicted to blogging and the analytics part of my website...Every day I check the statistics page to see how many of you are reading and commenting on the blog.. I love nothing more then knowing that I am in some way making you think.
8.1 I DON'T WEAR UGLY SHOES!!!!!!!!!!


Now since all the bloggers I know have completed this MEME... I am asking you the readers to contribute 8 things about yourselves that are little known facts...Just add your comments below... You don't have to include your name if you don't want to but I would love it if you would include where you are from.

Paul sends these great photos to share from Montana.

Paul,
It looks like you and your friends are making some great memories! Great Photos!

Everyone,
Send in your pictures and we will add them to the blog and ultimately add them to our galleries on the new site! Share your great photos of wildlife, the success of the hunt, and good friends enjoying the outdoors......Email them to me at kevin@huntinglife.com!!!!!!!!

Hunters Criticize Microsoft

Microsoft... What the hell are you doing? Think about it.. 10 plus percent of Americans go hunting. Over 50% of our society believes in allowing hunting and yet you are choosing to support an organization that is clearly against hunting. I am appalled at your actions Microsoft. I am all for corporate giving, corporate responsibility but the reality is that the Human Society of the United States is against hunting! I urge every one of you to contact Microsoft and let them know how displeased you are.

Then contact the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance and find out how you can help. We absolutely need companies to understand that supporting organizations that do not support hunting and wildlife conservation are not wise decisions.

We live in a world where anti-hunting groups have the money and the power to hurt hunting, conservation and the wildlife we live to pursue... Each one of you has power... CHOOSE TO USE IT TO PROTECT WHAT YOU LOVE!!!!!!!! DO SOMETHING!!!!

North Dakota hunters criticize Microsoft

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

FARGO, N.D. -- Some North Dakota outdoorsmen say Microsoft Corp. is linking one of its new programs with an anti-hunting organization, and they are not pleased.

The Humane Society of the United States is one of 10 organizations that will receive donations from the software giant through its "i'm" initiative launched in March. Computer users who join the program are asked to select a cause-related organization to benefit from donations generated from their conversations on Windows Live Messenger.

Microsoft, sharing a portion of the program's advertising revenue, will make a minimum $100,000 donation to each of the 10 organizations during the first year of the program.

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance already has asked Microsoft to abandon its affiliation with the Humane Society, the nation's largest animal protection organization.

Chris Hustad, owner of Nodak Outdoors, an online hunting and fishing magazine, and Mark Mazaheri, an avid outdoorsman from Fargo, now are encouraging North Dakota outdoorsmen to voice their disapproval with Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Wash., and the company's campus in Fargo.

"We would like to make Microsoft aware that we do not support their endorsement for this particular cause," Mazaheri said.

Microsoft spokesman Lou Gellos said the company plans to continue working with the all the organizations that are part of its "i'm" initiative. "We are excited about partnering with these dedicated causes and do not plan to make changes to our relationships," he told The Associated Press on Saturday.

Michael Markarina, executive vice president of The Humane Society, said the organization does oppose trapping but that the only hunting the group objects to is unsporting types such as canned hunts inside fences. He said the society has no position on fishing.

"We have 10 million members, and you don't build that type of support unless you have a mainstream mission," Markarina said.

"We believe many sportsmen agree with our position," he said. "We believe we are representing beliefs that most Americans share."

Bigger than Hogzilla, The rest of the story

I so want to comment on this story but the best thing I can say is that I do not think my comments would in any way help the hunting world. I really really hope this young man learns to hunt fair chase and that this is not his only experience in the hunting world!!!!!!!

Farmers: 'Monster Pig' Not a Wild Hog, But Was Their Pet Pig 'Fred'

FRUITHURST, Ala. — The Mystery of the Monster pig appears to have been solved. The 1,051-pound hog, shot and killed by 11-year-old Jamison Stone and the subject of a world-wide Web firestorm over the photo's authenticity, really is...Fred. That's "Fred" the pig, and according to Rhonda and Phil Blissitt their humongous hog escaped on April 29, four days before it was killed, according to the Star newspaper.

Late Thursday evening, their claims were confirmed by Andy Howell, Game Warden for the state of Alabama. I didn't want to stir up anything," Rhonda Blissitt said. "I just wanted the truth to be told. That wasn't a wild pig."

Her husband agreed.

"If it went down in the record book, it would be deceiving, and we'd know that for the rest of our lives."

The monster hog gained worldwide acclaim after he was bagged by 11-year-old Jamison Stone, a Pickensville native, with a .50-caliber pistol on May 3 at the Lost Creek Plantation, LLC, a hunting preserve in Delta. The big boar was hunted inside a large, low-fence enclosure and fired upon 16 times by Stone, who struck the animal nearly a half-dozen times during the three-hour

unt.The saga of young Jamison's hunt spread as the family posted the story and photos on their Web site, monsterpig.com.

The Blissitts said they were unaware that the hog generating all the media attention was once theirs. It wasn't until Howell spoke with Phil Blissitt that the pieces of the puzzle came together.

Phil Blissitt recalled Howell asking him about the now-famous hog.

"Did you see that pig on TV?" Phil Blissitt recalled Howell asking him. "I said, 'Yeah, I had one about that size.' He said, 'No, that one is yours.'

"That's when I knew."

Phil Blissitt purchased the pig for his wife as a Christmas gift in December of 2004. From 6 weeks old, they raised the pig as it grew to its enormous size.

Not long ago, they decided to sell off all of their pigs. Eddy Borden, owner of Lost Creek Plantation, purchased Fred.

Attempts by The Star to reach Borden were unsuccessful.

While Rhonda Blissitt was somewhat in the dark about the potential demise of her pet, Phil Blissitt said he was under the understanding that it would breed with other female pigs and then "probably be hunted."

Many other of their former pigs — like their other farm animals — had been raised for the purpose of agricultural harvest.

As the Blissitts recounted the events of the last two days, they told stories and made many references to the gentleness of their former "pet."

From his treats of canned sweet potatoes to how their grandchildren would play with him, their stories painted the picture of a gentle giant. They even talked about how their small Chihuahua would get in the pen with him and come out unscathed.

"But if they hadn't fed him in a while," Rhonda Blissitt said, "he could have gotten irate."

Phil Blissitt said he became irritated when they learned about all the doubters who said photos of Fred were doctored.

"That was a big hog," he said.

The information of the pig's previous owner came out on the same day that officials from the Fish and Wildlife concluded their investigation of the hunt. They concluded that nothing illegal happened under the guidelines of Alabama law.

Allan Andress, enforcement chief for the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, said they learned the hog's origin as the investigation unfolded.

"We were able to determine that he came from a domesticated environment," he said. "So, he was not feral to start with. Therefore, he would not violate our feral swine trapping and relocating rule."

Mike Stone, Jamison's father, contends that he was unaware of the origin of the pig. Before, during and after the hunt — and until late Thursday night, when contacted by The Star — Mike Stone was under the impression that the hog was feral.

"We were told that it was a feral hog," Mike Stone said, "and we hunted it on the pretense that it was a feral hog."

Dreaming of bad shoes in the Rock and Roll City!

So I arrive in Cleveland and everywhere I look there is this ugly pair of shoes...I am pretty sure I have a hunting buddy that I tried to rescue from an ugly pair of shoes like this once...... I am not sure where they came in from but they have appeared like a nightmare of fashion !

If your hunting buddy was wearing these.... Would you warn them that these are an ugly pair of shoes?????????

I know I know this has nothing to do with hunting...

Microsoft Funds Anti-Hunting Movement

Microsoft Funds Anti-Hunting Movement

Sportsmen nationwide called to take action

May 31, 2007 (National)

(Columbus) – Microsoft has rejected a U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance request to abandon its partnership with the nation’s leading anti-hunting organization.

Microsoft, the software giant, will make a $100,000 donation to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and is partnering with the group on a pilot program called the i’m Initiative. Through the new program, whenever a Windows Live Messenger user has a conversation using i’m, Microsoft will give a portion of the program’s advertising revenue to one of ten organizations selected by the user. The HSUS is one of the choices, and there is no limit to the amount of money that can be donated.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, the nation’s leading sportsmen’s advocacy organization, has urged Microsoft to end its support of HSUS, but the company refused. According to Microsoft representative Tara Kriese, Microsoft believes the i’m Initiative is “a great way to enable people to help causes that are important to them.”

“Microsoft is going to pour hundreds of thousands of dollars, probably more, into an organization that recently issued a manifesto that targets hunting for extinction,” said USSA President Bud Pidgeon. “If there was ever a time for sportsmen to take grassroots action, this is it.”

Sportsmen should contact Microsoft and demand that its financial support of HSUS be terminated. Contact Bill Gates, Chairman, Microsoft, 1 Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052. Phone: (425) 882-8080. Fax: (425) 936-7329.

The Humane Society of the United States opposes all animal use, including trapping, hunting and fishing. It was a key player in the campaigns to outlaw dove hunting in Michigan, trapping in California, and black bear hunting in Colorado. The organization has created a hit list of hunting traditions that it hopes to dismantle, including bear hunting and hunting with hounds.

“The HSUS already has a multi-million dollar budget that it invests in legislative and ballot campaigns to ban trapping and hunting,” said Pidgeon. “The partnership that it has formed with Microsoft, the maker of the Xbox, will allow the organization to make money hand over fist, and continue to fund efforts to ban outdoor sports.”

Sportsmen can make a difference in an issue like this. Companies such as Iams, General Mills, Accor Hotels, Pet Safe, Sears, and Ace Hardware ended relationships with HSUS after thousands of sportsmen levied strong protest.

In 2002, Jeep raised the ire of sportsmen when it aired a blatantly, anti-hunting commercial called the “Deer Hunter.” After a flood of sportsmen’s contacts, Jeep pulled the commercial in three days.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organization that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website, www.ussportsmen.org.

The Sportsmen's Voice

Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Website


CSF Brings Hunting and Shooting Industry To The Hill
Representatives from the hunting and shooting industry were in Washington, DC recently to meet with USDA Under Secretary Chuck Conner and Senate Caucus Co-Chairs Max Baucus (D-MT) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) for a briefing on the reauthorization of the Farm Bill.

CSF President Jeff Crane introduced the industry representatives by noting, “In the room we have representation from the leading gun and ammunition manufacturers, as well as the leading retailers and distributors of hunting and fishing equipment. But more importantly, we have a room full of conservationists. We are looking to the industry to weigh-in to make this the strongest conservation title possible."

NSSF President Doug Painter added, “Given that nearly $20 billion dollars come out of the conservation titles of the Farm Bill, this legislation far and away has the greatest impact on providing for quality habitat. And in the end when the habitat is good, hunting is good and when hunting is good, hunters hunt more often and spend more money on gear. There is a direct connection between the Farm Bill and the bottom line of outdoor industry."

Sen. Baucus’s message to the industry representatives was clear and resounding, “You must get involved and make your voices heard to ensure conservation titles stay on the front burner. Being here today and delivering your message is important. But more important is to stay in touch when you go back home, keep calling us and reminding us. If we are not hearing from you, your issues won’t stay on the front burner. It is the follow up that counts.”

SCI Recognizes Sportsmen’s Caucus Legislators
Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus Vice-Chair Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) and California Outdoor Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair State Senator Dennis Hollingsworth have been named SCI’s Legislators of the Year. The award recognizes leadership and vision on the federal and state levels on behalf of sportsmen and women and for the promotion of sound wildlife and conservation practices.

Upon presentation of the awards, Ralph Cunningham, President of SCI, said, “Senator Nelson is one of the finest stewards of natural resources on Capitol Hill. His dedication to conservation and the hunting heritage is unparalleled.”

Merle Shepard, Chairman of SCI’s Governmental Affairs, said, “Sen. Hollingsworth is arguably the premier defender of hunting, fishing, and shooting sports in the Golden State."

SCI Stampedes the Hill
During SCI’s week in Washington, more than 200 SCI members from around the country met with members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus and other Members of Congress to discuss priority hunting and conservation legislation. In total, SCI had more than 180 meetings. Speaking to the SCI members, CSC Vice-Chair Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) reminded them that “CSF is your [sportsmen’s community] staff on Capitol Hill, make sure you continue your strong partnership with them.” He went on to say, “The Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus will be instrumental in protecting landowner-friendly conservation in the Farm Bill."

Sportsmen and Wildlife Close To Landing A Victory
The House version of the Defense Authorization Act recently passed with language inserted by Reps. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) and David Price (D-NC) that would prevent the Navy from building an airfield on an Eastern North Carolina site near a wildlife refuge. For the prohibition to go through, the Senate must include the language in its version of the defense bill.

“We are getting closer to landing a victory for sportsmen and wildlife,” commented Jeff Crane, CSF President. “It has been a real team effort with local sportsmen leading the charge to rally the support of national groups.” CSF sent a letter to President Bush opposing the proposed site and joined a press conference earlier this spring highlighting concerns over the site.

Sporting Conservation Council Meets with Departments of Interior and Agriculture
The third meeting of the federal advisory Sporting Conservation Council took place in Washington, DC last week and included frank discussions with the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior, as well as senior staff from the respective departments. Key issues included: Endangered Species Act reform, energy development and wildlife, management of game species in National Parks, Farm Bill reauthorization and Forest Service planning and sportsmen’s access.

The Council concluded the two-day meeting with the following recommendations to the Secretaries: a) encouraging the departments to use landscape scale assessments to better identify and protect important wildlife corridors; b) consulting with the state wildlife agencies on management decisions on federal lands; c) utilizing hunters in lieu of contract sharpshooters on National Park lands to reduce overpopulations of wildlife; d) supporting manmade water developments on federal lands where those developments can deliver positive benefits to the wildlife; and e) outlining the conservation priorities for the Farm Bill while encouraging the department to support those in discussions with Congress.

Legislation Introduced To Ease Undue Regulations on Recreational Boaters
As the nation’s 73 million recreational boaters celebrated the start of the 2007 boating season during Memorial Day weekend, Congress took action to preserve recreational boating as we know it. Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus Members, Representatives Gene Taylor (D-MS) and Candice Miller (R-MI) have introduced legislation to prevent commercial shipping regulations from expanding and burdening family boaters. Unless Congress passes this legislation, boaters could spend future Memorial Day weekends waiting in long lines to pay for expensive new permits.

H.R. 2550, “The Recreational Boating Act of 2007,” would permanently codify the longstanding exemption for incidental recreational boat discharges under the Clean Water Act. It would grant EPA authority to reinstate its 34-year exemption for recreational boats, which a U.S. District Court nullified in Sept. 2006. Boats will continue to be heavily regulated for sewage, oil, garbage and other pollutants under existing statutes.



Sportsmen Access To Time-Honored Hunting Lands Protected
With the final gavel of the Missouri 2007 General Assembly, sportsmen had cause to celebrate with the passage of the “Hunting Heritage Protection Areas Act.” Supported strongly by the Missouri Sportsmen’s Caucus’s, the legislation prohibits taxpayer-financed development projects within the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers 100-year flood plain, mandating that these areas be open to hunting and remain that way. The bill also prohibits localities from banning lawful hunting and sport shooting in the protected areas.

This bill was signed by the Governor on May 1 after a letter of support was sent by the Missouri Caucus that read “Our caucus is here to consider sportsmen’s issues and ensure that the sportsmen’s voice is heard in Jefferson City. Arguably the most pressing issue for sportsmen is access to quality habitat. We have worked hard with our many partners to protect Missouri sportsmens’ ability to access the outdoors and hunt on our lands.” This precedent-setting legislation will protect Missouri’s time-honored hunting heritage and critical wildlife habitat for current and future hunters and sport shooters.

Another victory for law-abiding sportsmen was the defeat of legislation that would have made it a crime if a person did not store his firearm in a locked safe if a minor was capable of gaining access to the firearm.

Texas Caucus Wins Victories for Hunters and Anglers
Texas sportsmen are thankful that the Texas legislature was listening to their expressed concerns as the newly passed budget initiates a process to fully allocate license and stamp monies collected by the Texas Park and Wildlife Department. Historically, the legislature has used these funds to balance the state budget. As a result, the legislature has built up a $50 million dollar "unappropriated" balance in the hunting and fishing license and stamp fund. The sporting community has expressed real frustration that these dollars are not being appropriated for their intended use -- putting conservation, hunting and angling on the ground -- and organized to lobby for the release of these monies to be used for their intended use. With the passage of the new budget which allows for the TPWD to use these funds over the next five years, many needed projects will now be able to be funded.

In addition, the new Texas Outdoor Partners, a coalition of 45 Texas hunting, fishing and conservation organizations, supported the Texas Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus on several other issues including extensive and needed Park funding, comprehensive water legislation addressing environmental flows, water conservation and land stewardship in water management, as well as resolving potentially detrimental animal cruelty legislation. Sportsman Caucus Chairman Carl Isett, Representative Harvey Hilderbran, Representative Sid Miller, Senator Kip Averitt, and Senator Craig Estes were leaders in ensuring victories for the sportsmen and -women during the just completed legislative session.

South Carolina and Oklahoma Open Youth Hunting Days
Supported by the South Carolina Sportsmen’s Caucus, including Caucus Co-Chair Mike Pitts, legislation passed and has been signed by the Governor to reduce the age restriction for participation in Youth Hunting Days. The legislation allows all youth under the age of 18 to enjoy Youth Days, provided they are accompanied by a licensed hunter 21 years of age and older. Prior, only youth ages 10 to 18 could participate. South Carolina hosts numerous Youth Hunting Days for dove, deer, turkey and other game throughout the year.

In Oklahoma, legislation was approved by the legislature and signed by the Governor to allow youth under 16 to hunt small game without taking hunter safety education if they are accompanied by a licensed hunter over 21. New hunters from ages 16 to 35 may also purchase an apprentice license which will allow them to hunt all game, but they must be accompanied by a licensed hunter at least 21 years of age.

Internet Hunting Now Banded in More Than 30 States
Introduced by members of the Illinois Sportsmen’s Caucus, including Co-Chairs Representatives Dan Rietz and Brandon Phelps, state lawmakers have approved a ban on hunting live game by computer. The Nebraska legislature has also passed legislation banning internet hunting. These states join the more than 30 states that have now outlawed remote hunting via the internet.

The Sportsman's Link to Congress and State Capitols
Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation and National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses
110 North Carolina Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20003

Battle at Kruger

A really interesting battle between some Lions and Cape Buffalo! A bit long but worth watching until the very end!