Global and International Hunting and Fishing News

  • GUN SHOW SCHEDULE - BRATTLEBORO, VT.- MAY 16-17 DEALER INFORMATION IS THE SAME AS THE OTHER LISTING UNDER MY SCHEDULE. ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CALL: 802-875-4540 Email: moonman@vermontel.net
  • Vermont Moose Hunting Applications Are Available -- WATERBURY, VT – Vermont moose hunting permit applications are available on the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department’s website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com) and at license agents statewide. On Fish & Wildlife’s website, look under “Hunting and Trapping,” and then click on Lottery Applications. Lottery applications are $10 for residents and $25 for nonresidents. The deadline to apply is June 2. Winners of the permit lottery will purchase resident hunting permits for $100 and nonresident hunting permits for $350. Hunters also will have the option to bid on five moose hunting permits in an auction to be announced later. Proposed 2009 hunting season dates are October 17-22, or October 24 through November 1. A total of 1,230 hunting permits would be issued, and about 600 moose are expected to be taken. “We are managing Vermont’s moose population to keep it in balance with available habitat,” said Cedric Alexander, Vermont’s lead biologist on moose. “Carefully constructed hunting regulations enable us once again to enjoy having moose in Vermont on a sustained basis, while their numbers are maintained at levels that fit habitat capacity and the needs of people.” Vermont’s 2008 Moose Harvest Report is available on the Vt F&W website (vtfishandwildlife.com). Under “Hunting and Trapping,” click on “Big Game.”
  • O'Fallon hunter bags all 5 North American varieties of turkey-- Boente, a 42-year-old construction worker from O'Fallon, recently completed the Royal Slam of turkey hunting: shooting all five species of wild turkey -- the Eastern, Rio Grande, Merriam's, Osceola and Gould's -- common to North America. Boente and four of his turkey hunting buddies traveled to Chihuahua, Mexico, during the last week of April to hunt the Gould's bird, the fifth leg of the Royal Slam. Boente; his brother, Steve Boente, of O'Fallon; and Joseph Wrigley, of Collinsville, all completed the Royal Slam. Read the story »
  • Gray wolf: The predator pursued-- Though wolves have enjoyed federal protection from trapping and hunting since 1974, Hart and other federal wildlife agents killed 143 gray wolves last year alone. They have special permission to do so under the Endangered Species Act, as a controversial concession to farmers whose livestock occasionally fall prey to a protected predator. The population of gray wolves, now estimated at 3,000 in Minnesota, has grown so much that federal officials removed the animals from the endangered list on May 4. That puts management of the wolves in states' hands, and Minnesota law allows landowners to shoot wolves in the act of stalking or attacking livestock, guard animals or pets. Read the story »
  • Hunter seeks permission to hunt coyotes on your land-NC-- There have been a lot of people posting about coyote sightings. As at least one person has mentioned, coyotes are very dangerous animals and if coyotes are in your area and you have small children, please do not leave the children alone outside. Coyotes are not native to North Carolina. They were introduced to North Carolina to help keep the deer population down. One reason you don’t see hardly any large deer is because the coyote population has exploded. Coyotes will track pregnant doe deer and kill the fawns when they are born. Coyotes have no natural enemy. Coyotes are killing machines — that’s all they live for. For these reason and more, myself and a couple others I know have just recently started gathering data and are now starting to hunt coyotes. NC Wildlife Commission has given hunters permission to hunt coyotes all year long. Very few hunters actually hunt coyotes — at least that’s what I’ve seen. Due to the intelligence of the coyote, hunting will never eliminate them. I’ve spoken with NC Wildlife Officers in Chatham County and in Alamance County and they have confirmed that coyotes are a very large problem and that any farmer would probably give permission to hunt coyotes on their land. Read the story »
  • Wild turkeys make their move into New Brunswick-- Call them muskies with feathers. It wasn't all that long ago that muskies, a non-native fish, invaded the St. John River system to become a key sportfish and spawning a new recreational fishing industry. Now, wild turkeys are doing much the same thing, crossing the Maine border into New Brunswick and establishing, in the opinion of some, breeding populations that are now creating a population of wild turkeys that are native to the province. In the opinion of folks like Rob Wilson, who is starting a Saint John branch of the National Wild Turkey Federation, that's just great. On the day we chatted, Rob was packing his bags for a spring turkey hunt in Maine, money he'd rather spend in his home province, hunting our own turkeys just as soon as they are numerous enough to be hunted here without harming their population. But the province is having none of it, saying they can't afford the cost of managing another species of game bird and calling turkeys "exotic" species which they stridently discourage. Too late, Rob contends. "They're already here. They're growing naturally now. I would think within 10 years we'll have a spring and a fall turkey season, like Maine does now," Rob says. Wild turkeys can be found on the west side of this province, in parts of the St. John River Valley, near Chipman and elsewhere. And NWTF members say they've already done all the studies that show wild turkeys can survive this province's tough winters; in fact, the presence of reproducing flocks amply demonstrate that. They argue it would cost the province nothing to implement a season and in fact would bring precious revenues to the province. Read the story »
  • EBay will continue to allow postings of guided trophy hunts-- EBay has decided to continue to allow postings for guided trophy hunts of large predators, upsetting wildlife advocacy groups that have urged the Internet auction site to ban such listings. "EBay does have a detailed set of rules covering the sale of animal and wildlife-related goods and services, and has worked closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as well as several animal conservation and protection groups to craft our Animal and Wildlife Products policy," Cohen wrote. "We prohibit the sale of bear parts on eBay and additionally do not generally allow the sale of any live animals, and we worked with the U.S. Humane Society a few years ago to ban the sale of canned-hunt experiences where there is a guarantee of a successful hunt involving a fenced-in animal." Read the story »
  • Ammunition Shortage - Hornady-- The shooting sports industry as a whole is currently experiencing record sales. Here at Hornady Manufacturing we are breaking our own production records in an attempt to keep up with customer demand. We have added extra shifts, machinery and we are also in the process of expanding our manufacturing plant. We will continue to produce as much product as we can while still retaining the high quality control you’ve come to expect from us. With the demand for our products being as high as it currently is, we are forced to make some temporary changes. Until further notice we are only able to ship ammunition, bullets, cases and major reloading tools to our wholesalers and retailers. This means that we are not able to accept consumer orders for those products via telephone or our website. We will take telephone/web orders for reloading spare parts, press accessories and specialty dies. For a list of available products you can purchase on our website please Click Here. For ammunition, bullets etc., your favorite retailers and sporting goods chains have large orders placed with us so you will receive your product faster by purchasing through them than you would by ordering factory direct. We sincerely apologize for any inconveniences this may cause anyone and as soon as this situation eases we will return to accepting retail orders. Read the story »
  • Nationwide handgun ammunition shortage?-- Handgun owners, even some law-enforcement agencies, are having a hard time finding bullets. There is an ammunition shortage across the country, including in Southern California. Read the story »
  • NM gun owners notice ammunition shortage -- New Mexico gun owners are pulling triggers less and less as the nationwide ammunition shortage grows worse. It's getting to the point where Dan Rhoads can barely manage to keep his shooting skills sharp. He’s had a hard time finding ammo, just like everybody else who's looking for bullets these days. “We went to five stores yesterday with no ammo, couldn't find any that had any,” Rhoads said. Gun-owners like to blame it on politics, worrying that President Obama and the democratic controlled Congress might tighten gun restrictions and raise taxes on ammo, even though the White House says the president respects constitutional gun rights. But many are still not convinced. Americans are buying more guns in a hurry. And those who are buying guns are also buying ammo. “It's a nightmare trying to keep ammunition on the shelf, getting ammunition for the shelf is horrible. All the manufacturers that we deal with are weeks behind in filling orders," Read the story »
  • The USA state of Montana has signed into power a revolutionary gun law-- mean REVOLUTIONARY. The State of Montana has defied the federal government and their gun laws. This will prompt a showdown between the federal government and the State of Montana. The federal government fears citizens owning guns. They try to curtail what types of guns they can own. The gun control laws all have one common goal – confiscation of privately owned firearms. Montana has gone beyond drawing a line in the sand. They have challenged the Federal Government. The fed now either takes them on and risks them saying the federal agents have no right to violate their state gun laws and arrest the federal agents that try to enforce the federal firearms acts. This will be a world-class event to watch. Montana could go to voting for secession from the union, which is really throwing the gauntlet in Obamas face. If the federal government does nothing they lose face. Gotta love it. Important Points – If guns and ammunition are manufactured inside the State of Montana for sale and use inside that state then the federal firearms laws have no applicability since the federal government only has the power to control commerce across state lines. Montana has the law on their side. Since when did the USA start following their own laws especially the constitution of the USA, the very document that empowers the USA. Silencers made in Montana and sold in Montana would be fully legal and not registered. As a note silencers were first used before the 007 movies as a device to enable one to hunt without disturbing neighbors and scaring game. They were also useful as devices to control noise when practicing so as to not disturb the neighbors. Silencers work best with a bolt-action rifle. There is a long barrel and the chamber is closed tight so as to direct all the gases though the silencer at the tip of the barrel. Semi-auto pistols and revolvers do not really muffle the sound very well except on the silver screen. The revolvers bleed gas out with the sound all over the place. The semi-auto pistols bleed the gases out when the slide recoils back. Silencers are maybe nice for snipers picking off enemy soldiers even though they reduce velocity but not very practical for hit men shooting pistols in crowded places. Silencers were useful tools for gun enthusiasts and hunters. There would be no firearm registration, serial numbers, criminal records check, waiting periods or paperwork required. So in a short period of time there would be millions and millions of unregistered untraceable guns in Montana. Way to go Montana. Read the story »
  • Wild boar - huge rise in big issue in Sweden-- An explosion of the wild boar population has become a major and divisive conservation issue in Sweden, according to one wildlife expert. Numbers have spread across the heart of central and southern Sweden since the government recognised the wild boar as a re-introduced species in 1980. Wild boar expert Goran Bergqvist, who is based at the national headquarters of the Swedish Association for Hunting and Wildlife Management, said that the numbers are increasing at a rapid rate. According to some calculations, it was thought that about 35,000 wild boar are shot each year by the country's 270,000 registered hunters. Mr Bergqvist, who welcomed a group of more than 50 farmers on the 2009 Vaderstad tour to Sweden to the 1,100 ha estate about 50 miles from Stockholm, was the association's authority on wild boar. He said that the numbers of boar "shot" or "harvested" have been rising sharply. He said that by the 1970s, the country's population was thought to be about 1,500 - mainly kept in secure enclosures or captivity. And at that time, the Swedish government planned to set up a secure and contained wild boar herd on a remote island for research purposes. However, some wild boar, which had been "farmed," either escaped or were released, accidently or deliberately at that time. It is now thought that the wild boar population in Sweden could easily exceed 100,000 and there was acute pressure in some areas became farmers, who rent land to grow crops, cannot legally shoot them. By law, wild boar belong to the landowners, who then sell shooting rights. Mr Bergqvist said that the current rate of increase, the national population was expanding at a rate of 2.7 times a year. As a result, there was growing interest in "hunting" always with dogs, which would drive boar to the gun. He was currently drawing up a protocol or code of practice on artificial feeding of wild boar because there has been growing concern at the use of excessively tempting foods including macaroni, bread and even swedes. This was another source of friction because the wild boar were drawn by such highly desirable treats. The aim is to allow landowners to use limited feeding of natural food including some broadcast grain, sugar beet or some potatoes, he said. There was widespread support for "hunting" in Sweden and the country is host to the densest elk (moose) population in the world, which can be shot in the early to mid autumn. And in the past decade, other big carnivores including brown bear and lynx had been added to the list for controlled hunting. Mr Bergvist, who also shoots badgers regularly because they are regarded as a pest, was surprised at the protected status of these creatures in Britain. He has also shot beavers, which are difficult to skin, and it once took him 13 hours after one kill. The national association, which was formed on April 3, 1830 and today has a total membership of about 190,000, also runs courses, conferences and carries out research into wildlife. It manages the practical aspects of hunting and wildlife management for the government. It had an annual budget of about £13m, which was funded about one-third by subscriptions and a similar amount by a national levy on hunting. Mr Bergqvist said that hunting of other species, especially brown bear in northern Sweden, was highly regulated and there were strict penalties if the privilege was abused. About 200 licences to hunt bear were issued as well as for 200 lynx but all shooting of wolves was forbidden unless there were truly overwhelming reasons. Although moose was a popular target and about 80,000 were killed each year, there was also strict control on the numbers to be "harvested" each year based on study of the county or region. There was pressure from forest companies to kill more because of the damage caused but this was largely resisted by the wider population. A record total of 174,000 were shot in 1986 but numbers had been held in balance since. It can cost about £6,000 for eight rifles to shoot moose but it depends on the size and scale of the bull's antlers. Mr Bergqvist said at Oster Malma, which extends to about 2,000ha with additional leased land, about eight moose were hunted each year, with 20 wild boar, 25 roe deer and between six and eight red deer as well as fallow.
  • WOLF -- On Monday the gray wolf was removed from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in Idaho and Montana, two states that have protected the wolf for decades. According to the federal government the decision to remove those wolf populations was based on sound conservation science—a fact greatly disputed in conservation circles. For unlike the bald eagle, whose population is still rising after being delisted in 1995, when the wolf is removed from the ESA it will face guns blazing and an inevitable decline. Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar decided to delist the wolves in March after meeting with scientists from the Fish and Wildlife Service. This followed a decision in January 2008, when former President George W. Bush decided to take the gray wolf off the ESA in the Rockies, namely Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. The removal angered conservation organizations, who argued that wolf populations were not yet large enough to sustain the hunt that would follow. Subsequent months proved them right. Read the story »
  • Wolf delisting rule becomes final-- The federal rule that removes gray wolves in Idaho from the endangered species list became final today, Monday, May 4. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's delisting rule affects wolves in Idaho, Montana, parts of Washington, Oregon and Utah. Wolves in Wyoming will remain on the endangered species list. Idaho has again taken over managing wolves under state law adopted in 2008 and under a wolf population management plan also adopted last year. "We have to move on and manage them similar to other big game animals," Fish and Game Director Cal Groen said. "This is good news for wolves, elk, rural communities and hunters. I believe this action will help defuse the animosity and anger associated with wolves when we can manage wolves in concert with our other big game species." Under state law, wolves that are molesting or attacking livestock or domestic animals may be killed by livestock or animal owners without a permit from Fish and Game. But the incident must be reported to the Fish and Game director within 72 hours. The wolves killed would remain the property of the state. Livestock and domestic animal owners may take all nonlethal steps they deem necessary to protect their property. A permit must be obtained from Fish and Game to control wolves not molesting or attacking livestock or domestic animals. Fish and Game would apply the same professional wildlife management practices to wolves that it has applied to all big game species, which all have recovered from low populations during the early 1900s. The Idaho Fish and Game Commission in March set wolf hunting seasons for the fall of 2009. Seasons will be from September 1 through March 31 in the Lolo and Sawtooth wolf management zones; from September 15 through December 31 in the Selway and Middle Fork zones; and elsewhere from October 1 through December 31. Commissioners will set harvest quotas in August. Tags are not yet available. Wolves were all but extirpated in Idaho by the 1930s. They were declared endangered in 1974, and a federal recovery effort brought 35 wolves to central Idaho in 1995 and 1996. Wolf population numbers have grown steadily since then. The wolf delisting documents are available at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/wildlife/wolves/. Read the story »
  • Application period for controlled hunts is open - IDAHO-- The application period for this fall's deer, elk, pronghorn and black bear controlled hunts is open and runs through June 5. Note to hunters: An error in the big game rule book left out a portion of three controlled elk hunts. Hunts 2021, 2090 and 2116 include all of Units 45 and 52. The 2008 harvest statistics and drawing odds for controlled hunts are now available on the Idaho Fish and Game Website at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov and in the Hunt Planner. Hunters can use harvest statistics and drawing odds from the past 10 years (1998-2008) to search for similar controlled hunts for this year. Hunters may apply for controlled hunts at any hunting and fishing license vendor, Fish and Game office; with a credit card by calling 1-800-55HUNT5 or 1-800-824-3729; or online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov. An additional fee is charged for telephone and Internet applications. Hunters must have a 2009 Idaho hunting license to apply. Those who apply early also have a chance to win cash. Fish and Game's annual early application contest for 2009 for those controlled hunts will be handing out one $550 prize and one $450 prize to two lucky winners. Hunters who get their applications in by May 12 will be eligible to win $550 in the May 15 drawing. Those who get their applications in by May 19 will be eligible to win $450 in the May 22 drawing. Applications in by May 12 also will be eligible for the May 22 drawing, except for the winner of the May 15 drawing. Others not applying for a controlled hunt may submit their name, age, address, and telephone number on a 3- by 5-inch piece of plain paper to: IDFG Early Application Contest, P.O. Box 25, Boise, ID 83707. The drawing is funded by Outdoor Central, a part of Active Network, and sponsored by the Idaho Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The drawing encourages hunters to apply early and helps avoid last-minute congestion on license vendor computer terminals. Read the story »
  • Hunting Out of Control -ARGENTINA-- Some 7,000 foreign hunters visit Argentina each year, setting their crosshairs on deer, antelope or puma. Controls for protected species are scarce. BUENOS AIRES - Argentina has become a magnet in recent years for sports hunters, not only because of the relatively inexpensive access to a broad variety and quantity of animals, but also because of the lack of effective regulations to protect the hunted species. The head of wildlife monitoring at the National Wildlife Directorate, Marcelo Silva Croome, told Tierramérica that since 2002 he has seen "very big" increase in hunting tourism from abroad, and admitted that it has proved "very difficult" to prevent abuses. The rise in hunters coming from the United States and Europe is evident in the data gathered by the Aeronautical Police, which tracks entry of weapons into Argentina carried by people traveling by plane. There has also been an increase in hunting trophy export permit requests. An estimated 7,000 foreign hunters come to Argentina each year. In addition are the unknown numbers of local sports hunters and even poachers who pursue their prey for commercial reasons, or for survival, in all provinces of the country. Read the story »
  • Assembly approves hiring city bear cop -Alaska-- The resolution had been kicked around for months, prompted by a high number of bear attacks and encounters in Anchorage last summer. Starr said the Department of Fish and Game is mainly focused on managing wildlife, and that the city needs to focus on protecting its citizens. "I don't get a sense that in the management of wildlife, the citizens' safety will come first," Starr said. Read the story »
  • Cougars, moose enter new territory-- Orest Sawitsky woke up to a surprise on April 1, but what he saw was anything but an April Fool's joke. In fresh snow alongside a quonset on his farm just outside Wakaw Lake were several large animal tracks unlike any he has seen in his almost 50 years on the land -- and he believes they belong to a cougar. "Those tracks weren't from a cat or a coyote; I've seen those before. They were much larger and farther apart," Sawitsky, 76, said Tuesday. Font:****This is only the latest incident involving new types of animals on Sawitsky's land. Just last fall, he says he saw a moose on a gravel road near his home. Never without his camera, Sawitsky got out of his truck and snapped a photo, not noticing he had stepped right between the moose and its calf. "I was really lucky because I was warned it could have attacked me," he said. Sawitsky's sightings are consistent with an increase in the number of reports of wildlife encroaching populated areas. Read the story »
  • Ban fears, recession boost gun sales-- With some fearing the possibility of another assault-weapons ban like the one issued in 1994 by former president Bill Clinton, guns are becoming a hot commodity. According to a new report from the Sports One Source Research Firm, more people are executing their right to bear arms. Firearm sales are up 39 percent from last year across the country and FBI background checks, which are required every time a federally licensed gun dealer makes a sale, rose 29 percent. "Firearms sales have been brisk for the last several quarters," said spokesman David Ewald with Salisbury-based Gander Mountain. "Items are moving faster and there are periods of time when we run out of stock." Last month, President Barack Obama's administration said it wants to reinstate Clinton's ban. In the short-term, that's good news for area gun dealers. "It's good for us now because we were dying last summer ... sales were awful," Steele said. "But now, dealers' costs are going up and we're having trouble keeping guns in stock." While he believes the new president has a lot to do with the increase in business, he said the recession has also made sales jump. "With all the break-ins, people are getting paranoid and want guns in their homes for protection," he said. Read the story »
  • Maine Wildlife Park opens for season-- GRAY, Maine (AP) The Maine Wildlife Park in Gray opens for the season Wednesday, offering the public a chance to view native creatures ranging in size from turtles to a moose. The Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife says the 200-acre park off Route 26 is home to more than 25 different species of wildlife, including white-tailed deer, black bears, coyotes, owls and trophy trout. Many of the animals live there because they were injured or orphaned, or have become dependent on humans after being raised in captivity. New this year is a porcupine exhibit, the first of six new settings that will be devoted to small mammals.
  • Crazy Bear, Buckinghamshire: Hotel Guru-- There’s a staircase decorated with foliage covered with 24-carat gold leaf. There’s Persian pony skin on the walls of the bar, which feels like an opulent Napoleonic den; there’s velvet fabric, embossed leather or chequerboard tiles on other walls, fur on ceilings, white plastic studded with crystals for upholstery, dripping chandeliers, a creepy mirrored chill-out room, loos that are deliberately unmarked, impossible to find and astonishing once inside. Across a courtyard there’s an Arab tent, a “hunting lodge”, a hot tub and a swimming pool that glitters at night, and a private dining room with a massive, specially made marquetry table fit for a king. There are two restaurants, one English and one, a few doors along the road, Thai. Read the story »
  • Research using ferrets-- Ferrets are energetic, curious, playful little animals. They love the company of humans and other ferrets, exploring, and getting into everything. Life with a ferret is never dull. Ferrets have been working animals in the past, hunting rodents and rabbits. The modern ferret may also be a working animal, in a research laboratory. Ferrets are used to research canine distemper, spine injuries, reproduction, ulcers, viral diseases, and gastric infections (www.hsus.org/animals_in_research/ferret1.htm) Ferrets are particularly useful for testing anti-nausea drugs, as they do actually have nausea and vomiting similar to what humans experience. The Humane Society claims that while the lifespan of a domestic pet ferret may be as long as twelve years, the laboratory ferret typically lives only five or six. The Humane Society is also concerned because ferrets, being fairly intelligent and very active animals, generally don't get enough exercise or mental stimulation in laboratories. Personally, I believe that laboratory research involving non-human animals should be very, very. rare. And I use the word 'rare' meaning 'I don't believe in it at all, but there is an exception to almost every rule, so 'rare' will cover that. I'm aware that there are decent people who interpret 'rare' more liberally. But can we at least agree that the laboratory ferret's non-working hours be under reasonable conditions for the species? Ferrets, when not downing anit-nausea drugs, should have socialization and a stimulating environment. We need to think about just how badly we need to do animal experimentation - the vast majority of animal research is not about lifesaving cures for human diseases. I admit that mandating the additional effort and expense of decent working conditions for laboratory animals would have a side effect that I do support, making animal research so expensive and inconvenient that we really could believe animals are used only when there is no other way to get fairly important information. Read the story »
  • Preparing wild game-- After the bombs drop, you’re on your own. No more supermarkets. No more KFC. No more Sunday dinners at your parent’s house. Time to put those countless lost hours watching Man vs. Wild on the History Channel to good use. Or, if you’re like me, and were very, very drunk and/or high whilst watching the whimsical adventures of Bear Grylls, consider the following Tip a helpful reminder. Okay kids… so you’ve built your very own fire. Perhaps you’ve even drunk your own urine, which is irrelevant, but amusing nonetheless. Point is, you’ve got a fire. Now you’ve got to put something in it. Unfortunately, you can’t just go around tossing slain deer and enormous mutated sewer rat corpses into open fires, and then expect to chow down on the results. It’s a little more complicated than that. There’s a process, people- and it pays to follow it to the ‘t’. Read the story »