Hunting News

Ex-NFL player tackles world-record wapiti

Former Green Bay Packer Shawn Patterson arrows a typical bull elk in Arizona that is set to eclipse the top Pope & Young Club standard
By Lynn Burkhead
ESPNOutdoors.com associate editor — Jan. 12, 2006

Why wouldn't Arizona archer Shawn Patterson be smiling? The former gridiron pro tagged a 7x7 typical elk in Arizona; the bull taped to 414 0/8 inches net and is poised to overtake the world-record standard of 409 2/8 inches.

Why wouldn't Arizona archer Shawn Patterson be smiling? The former gridiron pro tagged a 7x7 typical elk in Arizona; the bull taped to 414 0/8 inches net and is poised to overtake the world-record standard of 409 2/8 inches.

CHANDLER, Ariz. — Through his years as a defensive lineman at Arizona State University and with the Green Bay Packers, Shawn Patterson has grown accustomed to seeing things on a grand scale.

Big stadiums, big crowds, big offensive lineman and the challenge of winning big games.

But last fall Patterson found himself staring down his biggest challenge, yet — the chance to arrow a typical bull elk in northwestern Arizona that would rock the hunting world, if not the record books.

When the shot was loosed from his bow, the 41-year-old Patterson had done just that, harvesting a brute of a wapiti the likes of which no other bowhunter has ever tagged.

The Patterson bull, a clean 7x7 typical, has been given 60-day entry scores of 423 6/8 inches gross and 414 0/8 inches net.

Should that net score be upheld during panel scoring at the 2007 Pope & Young Club convention next April in Lancaster, Pa., the Patterson bull appears set to ascend to the wapiti throne by overtaking the current archery-elk standard — a 409 2/8-inch Montana monster tagged by legendary bowhunter Chuck Adams in 2000.

Patterson, who played in Green Bay from 1988-93 and now builds homes while residing in Chandler, Ariz., said he still sports a big grin on his face after tagging the bull of a lifetime.

"I'm a deer in the headlights," he laughed. "When I think about it, my eyes glaze over, my mouth is wide open, and I think, 'Wow, what an incredible experience.' "It never ceases to bring me to a place of total humility and awe to be able to harvest an animal like that."

While taking such a bull is indeed an unforeseen blessing, Patterson had reason to have his 2005 bowhunting hopes set high after drawing a prime Arizona elk tag, only his second in 12 years of trying.

"Last year was a great year of rain," Patterson said. "Actually, it was the second year of rain, so the animals were recovering from eight years worth of drought.

"With all of that moisture, their bodies (and antlers) were ready to explode. There were huge elk everywhere."

Patterson, a longtime hunting enthusiast who has been seriously bowhunting since bad knees forced his football retirement in 1993, knew that in most years there is no better place to hunt big bull elk than in his home state of Arizona.

But given last year's exceptional habitat conditions, he decided not to take any chances and hired the services of John McClendon & Son's Guide Service in Flagstaff, Ariz.

		"John and his sons, they're the best," Patterson said. "They spend months scouting beforehand, and they guide the governor's tag every year. They spend the time necessary in the field to know the elk and what they're doing." This is why Patterson found himself in elk heaven on opening morning Sept. 16, surrounded by several enormous bugling bulls that sported racks measuring 375 inches and greater. "That morning, every elk in the area was going ballistic," Patterson recalled. "It was that cold, misty autumn air that seems to kick everything up to the next level. "It was a perfect morning; they were really sounding off."
Shawn Patterson knows that in most years there is no better place to hunt big bull elk than in his home state of Arizona.

That included one particular bull that Patterson and his guide, Levi McClendon, knew was extra special in a locale chock full of mega-bulls.

"He bugled and bugled and bugled," Patterson said. "This guy was really vocal."

While Patterson and McClendon spotted the bull in a small clearing at about 200 yards, the pair could only see one side of the monster's antlers.

While the brief look left McClendon unsure as to which elk they had seen, Patterson was convinced of the bull's worth and the pair began to crawl their way into position.

After Patterson knocked an arrow, McClendon began calling to the massive wapiti, now about 100 yards away.

"All of a sudden, that raghorn came around a tree at 10 yards," Patterson said. "When he saw us, he scattered and made as much noise as he could and all of the bulls scattered at that point."

While most archers would succumb to a serious case of big-bull jitters, Patterson remained calm, he said.

"It might sound weird, but I loved it (the challenge)," he said. "The appreciation to me is higher the harder you have to work for something."

So, back to work McClendon and Patterson went.

"We saw which direction the bull had gone and we went after him," Patterson said. "But we went about 400 yards through the thick stuff and lost his tracks in the rocks.

"When that happened, I thought, 'We're done. There's no way of getting to him. He's in his hometown now and there's no way to get at him.'"

When the bull failed to respond to McClendon's symphony of cow calling and bugling, the pair decided to quietly slip out of the countryside to regroup.

But then the big bull suddenly decided to test his lungs once again.

"He bugled and, boy howdy, we both looked at each other and had smiles from ear to ear," Patterson said. "He had a distinctive bugle, so we knew it was him.

Something easier said than done, thanks to the area's rocky terrain filled with dense pinion-junipers and brush.

"There were rocks everywhere and it was noisy with a lot of deadfall," Patterson said. "Everything you don't want to have to walk through or go through was pretty much there on this hunt."

As the pair picked their way on hands and knees through the noisy terrain, the bull continued to sound off, giving them the cover necessary to close the distance.

Suddenly, the bowhunting opportunity of a lifetime knocked for Patterson.

"We literally saw him moving behind a tree and saw that it (the rack) was tall and long," Patterson said.

Unsure of exactly just how grand the bull was, Patterson came to full draw.

"I knew it obviously wasn't a raghorn when I saw the rack through the trees," Patterson said. "I couldn't identify the rack, but I knew from looking at the royals and fifths that it was a big bull."

As he steadied his sight pin on the bull's tawny hide, Patterson's intense offseason-bowshooting practice kicked in as the wapiti moved into a narrow shooting lane.

So, too, did years of learning to control his nerves gained on the collegiate and NFL gridiron stage.

"I put it on his breadbasket and let it fly," said Patterson, a husband and father of four.

Patterson was initially concerned that his medium-distance, quartering-away shot might have been too far back and too low. As it turned out, it was nearly perfect.

In fact, while Patterson and McClendon backed quietly out of the area to give the bull time to expire, the majestic wapiti traveled less than 100 yards before toppling over.

Patterson, a devout Christian, immediately uttered a prayer of thanks.

"'Praise God,' that's what went through my mind and came off my lips," he said. "It's the worst feeling that a hunter can have, in my opinion, to wound an animal and not be able to recover it."

If that would be the worst feeling, kneeling next to such a majestic creature must be the best feeling a hunter can have.

Patterson, whose record-elk story will appear in North American Hunter magazine this spring, doesn't disagree, noting that he is humbled by what has happened to him.

"I have got to give credit where credit is due," Patterson said. "I'm a believer in Christ, and I believe this is a gift and a blessing that God has given me and I give credit to Him.

"To me, being able to be in the field, that's the cake. To actually shoot something, that's the icing. And to actually harvest something like this, that's the cherry on top."

Hunters around the continent who have spent a starry night around the campfire dreaming of tagging such a heavenly bull can nod in agreement and say amen to that.

NRA Launches National Boycott Against ConocoPhillips

(IDABEL, OK) - Vowing to "spare no effort or expense," NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre launched an aggressive billboard advertising and national boycott campaign against energy giant ConocoPhillips, in response to the corporation's anti-gun policy and actions.

"Across the country, we're going to make ConocoPhillips the example of what happens when a corporation takes away your Second Amendment rights," LaPierre said at a rally of hundreds of supporters. "If you are a corporation that's anti-gun, anti-gun owner, or anti-Second Amendment, we will spare no effort or expense to work against you, to protect the rights of your law-abiding employees. Their rights are worth more than your money!"

LaPierre spoke at a rally to support Idabel employees fired by Weyerhaeuser because they kept legally owned firearms safely stored in their locked vehicles in a public access company parking lot. Since the firings, the Oklahoma Legislature passed a bill to prevent such terminations, but ConocoPhillips filed a federal lawsuit to block the protective measure.

"ConocoPhillips went to federal court to attack your freedom," LaPierre said. "Now freedom is going to fire back!" At the rally, LaPierre unveiled a new billboard advertising campaign to target Conoco and Phillips 66 gas stations. The billboard reads, "ConocoPhillips is No Friend of the Second Amendment."

LaPierre called on all gun owners and consumers to boycott all Conoco and Phillips 66 products, and asked Conoco and Phillips 66 retailers to urge their corporate brass to get on the right side of freedom and withdraw from the federal lawsuit.

Most of all, LaPierre called on every state legislator in America to stand with NRA and protect the freedoms of law-abiding employees. "You can't say you support Second Amendment freedoms, then turn around and support anti-Second Amendment companies," LaPierre said in a message to state lawmakers. "Until ConocoPhillips supports the freedom of law-abiding Americans, we urge Congress and the state legislatures to turn a cold shoulder toward this corporation."

On behalf of the fired Idabel workers, LaPierre reported that the NRA Civil Defense Fund is fighting in court to get those jobs back. "Idabel, Oklahoma is a new Concord Bridge," LaPierre said. "Our forefathers didn't run from the redcoats in 1775 and we're not going to run from the corporations in 2005."

Two states try to ease hunting-age laws

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance - Dec. 14, 2005

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Two bills that will make it easier for youngsters to become involved in hunting advanced today in state legislatures. The bills are part of the Families Afield campaign, established by a partnership of sportsmen's organizations to aid in the recruitment of new hunters.

Ohio HB 296, a bill that creates an apprentice hunting license, was today approved 89 to 3 by the House of Representatives. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Stephen Buehrer, R-Delta, introduced the legislation to allow licensed, mentor hunters to take apprentice hunters into the field prior to the completion of hunter education certification.

"The progress of this bill is important for all sportsmen," said Tony Celebrezze, director of state services for the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance (USSA). "The more hunters in the field, young or old, the better the future for hunting and conservation in Ohio."

Families Afield legislation also advanced in Wisconsin today. Rep. Scott Gunderson, R-Waterford, the chairman of the Assembly Natural Resources Committee, amended AB 586 to create an apprentice hunter program for those 8 years of age and older. In the original bill, the apprentice program was only available to those 10 years of age or older. The committee approved the bill, 12 to 2. A floor vote is expected as early as Thursday.

Both bills are part of the Families Afield program. The USSA, along with the National Wild Turkey Federation and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, introduced Families Afield in an effort to stem the tide of hunters lost to other interests and increase hunter recruitment throughout the country.

The USSA 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 USSA and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website, www.ussportsmen.org.

Dec. 14, 2005

(Harrisburg) - The Pennsylvania Senate yesterday approved a measure that will encourage more young people to become involved in the state's rich hunting traditions. The bill is part of the Families Afield campaign, established by a partnership of sportsmen's organizations to aid in the recruitment of new hunters.

The Pennsylvania Senate unanimously passed HB 1690. The bill authorizes the Pennsylvania Game Commission to create a mentored youth hunting program. Rep. Bruce Smith, R-Dillsburg, originally introduced the bill to allow the hunting of coyotes over bait. Sen. Joe Conti, R-Doylestown, Chairman of the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee, attached the mentored youth hunting language to the bill.

House Bill 1690 will return to the House of Representatives for concurrence before it is sent to Gov. Ed Rendell.

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance worked with the Pennsylvania Mentored Youth Committee, led by the state chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, and others to rally sportsmen in the state to show support for the bill.

Similar bills in Ohio and Wisconsin also advanced yesterday. The bills are part of the Families Afield program. The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, along with the National Wild Turkey Federation and the National Shooting Sports Foundation introduced Families Afield in an effort to stem the tide of hunters lost to other interests and increase hunter recruitment throughout the country.

For further information about the Families Afield program, call Rob Sexton of the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance at (614) 888-4868, Tammy Sapp of the National Wild Turkey Federation at (800) THE-NWTF; Steve Wagner of the National Shooting Sports Foundation at (203) 426-1320.

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance 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.

N.J. bear hunt begins despite protests

By John Curran
Associated Press - Dec. 6, 2005

VERNON, N.J. - As opponents turned out to denounce them, hunters killed more than 50 bears Monday at the start of a state-authorized hunt aimed at thinning New Jersey's burgeoning bear population.

The hunt, restricted to the state's northwestern corner and open to about 4,400 hunters with permits, got under way in freezing weather after legal challenges by animal rights groups failed.

Black bears, once near extinction in the state, are now a common sight, menacing people, scampering through yards and rummaging in trash.

"Bears are beautiful animals, but they've got to be controlled," said Joe Giunta, 59, who bagged one Monday morning.

About a dozen hunt opponents gathered at a weigh station at Wawayanda State Park, confronting hunters and forming "bear rescue teams" with plans to tend to wounded bears and follow hunters in what they said was a mission of mercy. Many protesters wore bright orange shirts, the same color required of hunters.

"Today, for us, is a very sad day," said Lynda Smith, president of Bear Education and Resource Group, one of two groups that unsuccessfully sued to delay the hunt. "They're here to kill them, we're here to help them."

"It's an emotional issue," said Martin McHugh, director of the state Division of Fish and Wildlife, which estimates the bear population at between 1,600 and 3,200.

The state's last bear hunt was in 2003, when 328 were killed. That was the first since 1970, when hunts were suspended because the black bear population had dropped to about 100.

Proponents of the hunt rejected arguments that bear-proof trash cans and "aversive conditioning" _ such as using fireworks to scare bears away from populated areas _ would work better than a hunt.

"No matter where they eat, they're still going to reproduce," said Andy Romanelli, 36. "The facts are the facts. They're overpopulated."

State officials said 54 bears were killed as of 2:30 p.m. Monday. The total killed each day of the planned six-day hunt will not be available until the following day.

The number of paid hunting license holders in America has increased slightly over the previous year, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's recent National Hunting License Report. Numbers for 2004 rose less than one percent (.3 percent), from 14,740,188 to 14,779,071, but hunting advocates are hoping the uptick indicates stabilization following a long downward trend.

"Over the past 20 years, good news about hunter numbers has been hard to find, but now we've seen increases in two of the past six years. I believe that's a tribute to the many wonderful programs today that are designed to recruit and retain hunters. The hunting community is working together, making a difference, and it's beginning to show," said Jodi Valenta, director of recruitment and retention programs for the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF). NSSF administers a variety of programs to increase hunting participation, particularly among youth.

The number of resident licenses, tags, permits and stamps issued in 2004 increased 4.1 percent over the previous year to 33,111,202, while the non-resident quantity posted at 3,020,395, an increase of 5.6 percent over 2003.

Hunters continue to contribute more and more dollars in pursuit of their sport. The 2004 figures show gross cost paid by hunters for licenses, tags, permits and stamps-the primary funding source for wildlife conservation and management programs in America-was $703,794,135.24. That total represents an increase of 3.5 percent over 2003.

Currently, hunting license holders represent about 5 percent of the U.S. population.

The number of hunters in America peaked in the mid-1980s at 16.8 million. At the time, hunters represented just over 9 percent of the U.S. population.

The table below provides a snapshot of hunting license sales over the last three years:

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A copy of the full report is available at http://federalasst.fws.gov.

NSSF is the nonprofit trade association for the shooting, hunting and outdoor industry. Founded in 1961, it administers a variety of industry-service programs, with an emphasis on keeping hunters and shooters safe and active.

Nov. 29, 2005

(Trenton) - Animal rights groups have filed suit to stop the 2005 bear hunting season in New Jersey. Two New Jersey-based anti-hunting groups, on Monday, sued in the Appellate Division of Superior Court to stop the bear hunting season scheduled to begin Dec. 5.

The case is scheduled for hearing on Friday, Dec. 2.

The groups contend that the black bear management plan composed by the New Jersey Fish and Game Council (NJFGC) and approved by Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bradley Campbell is flawed and invalid. The groups claim that the NJFGC overestimated the number of black bears in the state, their impact on people and property, and also failed to explore alternatives to manage bear-human contact.

Named as defendants in Monday's lawsuit are Campbell, Ernest Hahn, chairman of the NJFGC and Martin J. McHugh, who heads the state Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Campbell approved the upcoming hunt in a Nov. 15 letter to the NJFGC chairman. "I would expect the black bear hunt authorized by the 2005 New Jersey Game Code to proceed as adopted," he wrote.

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, along with its Sportsmen's Legal Defense Fund, is now analyzing the anti-hunters' suit and will take appropriate action to ensure that sportsmen's interests are best served.

(Salt Lake City, Utah, November 2005) - Easton introduces the next technological advancement in carbon arrows-the all-new Axis Full Metal Jacket™ with Hidden Insert Technology-HIT®.The new and revolutionary Carbon Core™ Axis Full Metal Jacket™is so new, so different it will turn the bowhunting world inside out. Easton engineers have taken A/C technology-the most advanced arrows ever made-and turned them inside out, by pushing the envelope of innovation to create patent-pending Carbon Coreäconstruction. Axis FMJ features a small diameter, thick-wall carbon arrow armed in a bone-piercing full metal jacket, giving serious bowhunters just what they need-magnum big game stopping power. The new Axis FMJ provides even more durability and awesome penetration, yet delivers tight broadhead groups due to the accurate design of HIT®. The unique, patent-pending metal jacket helps Axis FMJ pull easier from high-density 3D targets, and fully encapsulates the carbon arrow to prevent carbon splinters when shot into game animals. Easton Bowhunting TV host, Fred Eichler has been hunting with Axis FMJ™ prototype arrows the entire 2006 hunting season with fantastic results. "Just when I thought my Axis arrows couldn't be improved, Easton engineers design the 'Full Metal Jacket.' It's like an Axis arrow on steroids, and it performs like one!" said Eichler. "From Alaskan brown bear, to mountain caribou, to big whitetail bucks, the kinetic energy and penetration I've experienced with the FMJ's are absolutely incredible. FMJ's knockdown power turns marginal hits into devastating, lethal shots." Fellow Easton Prostaff hunter, Phil Phillips had this to say about the revolutionary FMJ. "My reoccurring shoulder problems made it difficult to shoot because of the pain in pulling my Axis carbon arrows out of 3D targets. But the 'Easy Out' target removal feature of the Axis Full Metal Jacket makes shooting painless and fun again."

Axis Full Metal Jacket™ is the best of all worlds-the straightness and consistency of an aerospace metal jacket, the durability and speed of carbon, and the ultra-small diameter benefits of Hidden Insert Technology. Check out the Axis Full Metal Jacket™ carbon arrow revolution today at your local archery pro shop, and feel the difference of a metal-jacketed Axis carbon arrow. You may also call or write Easton Technical Products at 5040 Harold Gatty Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah 84116, 801-539-1400 for a FREE Easton product guide. Or, visit Easton Technical Products at www.easton.com.

Posted 11/21/2005

By Dan Vergano

Whodunit? The big, bad wolf? Old Man Winter? A scientific mystery starring wolves, adversarial weather and a declining elk herd is playing out at Yellowstone National Park.

Oh, and people - hunters - are possible suspects, too.

The elk population in North Yellowstone has dropped to about 8,000 from almost 17,000 in 1995. That was the year wolves were reintroduced into the 2.5-million-acre federal park in Wyoming, which overlaps the border of Montana and Idaho.

The northern herd contains just a fraction of the 120,000 elk believed to dwell in the park region, and Yellowstone's Northern Range is just 204,000 acres. But this region is of particular interest to scientists because it has the largest wolf population, about 106 of the park's 171 wolves in 2004, making the elk there the most vulnerable herd.

The wolves' return, which is seen by the National Park Service as a success in restoring natural balance, has drawn fire from ranchers and residents. A plan by Wyoming officials to allow unregulated hunting of wolves in some areas outside of the park - hunting is not allowed on Yellowstone lands - has been rejected by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

The wolves were expected to take a bite out of the northern herd, but the decline is greater than expected, says biologist John Vucetich of the Michigan Technical University in Houghton.

Hunters, who target elk that leave the park, have blamed the wolves. But researchers, including Vucetich, say the problem isn't that simple.

In an analysis in the current edition of the ecology journal Oikos, for example, Vucetich and park service colleagues examined weather, hunting and wolves as factors in the elk decline. Yellowstone has had seven years of drought and a severe winter in 1997 that killed many elk.

They found that weather and hunting are mostly to blame.

Biologist Mark Boyce of Canada's University of Alberta and colleagues reach similar conclusions in an upcoming paper in the journal EcologicalModeling. Montana increased the "hunter harvest" quota on elk that leave Yellowstone grounds, issuing a higher-than-ever 2,882 hunting permits in 2000. A decline in the elk herd was thus guaranteed, Boyce says, even if wolves were not present.

A review in the September Biological Conservation journal comes to a somewhat different conclusion. Authors P.J. White of the park service and Robert Garrott of Montana State University in Bozeman say wolves and hunters share the blame.

And the wolves influenced the behavior of Yellowstone's northern elk, Boyce says. For example, they have adopted protective strategies, such as moving more often and in larger groups.

In the park, some biologists have suggested that increases in aspen, willows and cottonwoods may be the result of fewer elk foraging less often in areas where wolves lurk, White says.

Like every good mystery, a little-suspected culprit may be hiding in plain sight: bears.

In the Yellowstone Science journal, U.S. Geological Survey ecologist Dave Mech and his colleagues concluded this summer that "grizzly and black bears, rather than wolves, are having a greater impact on neonatal elk calf mortality than any other predator."

Zigzagging through fields where young elk lie, bears kill roughly six times more calves than wolves do, the ecologists found. Elk calves are uniquely vulnerable: They tend to stay in place near danger instead of running. In May and June, bears hunt through Northern Range calving areas for them, looking for an easy meal.

Grizzly bears are another Yellowstone-area success story that might have come at the expense of elk, Mech says. Since 1987, the predators' numbers have increased from 150 to more than 600 in the region, according to federal estimates, and many converge on the park's northern calving areas.

In fact, the grizzlies have done so well that the Interior Department has proposed taking the Yellowstone region's bears off the threatened species list under the Endangered Species Act. They've been on that list since 1975.

More years of watching wolves are needed to get a handle on the elk's decline, says Ken Hamlin of Montana's Fish, Wildlife & Parks department. He's inclined to blame the wolves, noting that elk in areas with few, or no, wolves, seem to do better. And species that wolves prey on far less often, such as mule deer and bison, haven't seen big drops in numbers, he says, despite going through the same drought and severe winters.

A steep drop in elk-hunting permits triggered by the herd's decline seemed to offer a chance to ascertain to what degree hunters have been responsible, Hamlin says. But wolf numbers also have dropped steeply in the park this year because of disease, throwing off the experiment.

"Nature just sticks her foot in there every time," Hamlin says. "We may never have any really final answers."

New Jersey - 11/18/2005

As New Jersey sportsmen prepare for the recently approved black bear hunt, anti-hunters may be recruiting an army of saboteurs to stir up the woods and disrupt the hunt.

The New York-based Win Animal Rights (WAR) posted the following message on its website: "WANTED: WARRIORS. Now Recruiting Bear Hunt Saboteurs." The site says the primary target will be New Jersey's bear hunt in December, but claims it will use Pennsylvania as a training ground since that state's hunt begins the month prior.

"Hunter harassment is illegal, so sportsmen should contact law enforcement officials immediately if an activist intentionally interferes with your hunt," said U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance President Bud Pidgeon.

The WAR supports the work of underground groups like the Animal Liberation Front (ALF). ALF is known by the FBI as one of the most dangerous domestic terror organizations.

For more information about how you can protect your rights as a sportsman, contact The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, 801 Kingsmill Parkway, Columbus, OH 43229. Phone (614) 888-4868. E-Mail us at info@USSPORTSMEN.org.

November 15, 2005

Ravenswood, W.V. - Move over Daniel Boone - here comes ten-year-old Cody Bailey.

The West Virginia fifth-grader has bagged his first bear. It was 330-pound black bear shot in Boone County with a .30-30 lever-action rifle. Young Cody is already quite the hunter and marksman. He killed his first squirrel at the age of four and says he has ten deer so far.

His dad says hunting is Cody's reward for good grades. But Cody is also wise to the ways of the world, saying hunting is his anti-drug.

Cody says getting out into the woods keeps him away from things that might not be good for him.

Published Online November 7, 2005

By REBECCA MABRY

VILLA GROVE - One can find wild elk roaming in Michigan, Minnesota and northern Wisconsin, but not in central Illinois.

In fact, the official line of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is that there are no wild elk in Illinois - period.

But several have been sighted this fall in Champaign County and also Douglas County. A farmer reported seeing an elk run out of his cornfield when he was combining southeast of Urbana, and rumors abound of a big bull elk being spotted near the Frito-Lay plant east of Sidney and of an elk being seen north of Urbana and southeast of Urbana.

"If an elk was running around, it was farm-raised elk that had escaped," said DNR spokeswoman Melanie Arnold. "There are no wild elk in Illinois."

But Daryl Vandeventer of Villa Grove has some elk in his freezer today, and it's because he helped butcher a 700-pound bull elk that was struck and killed by a car on Interstate 57 near Tuscola about three weeks ago.

"I don't know where it came from," Vandeventer said. "But it didn't have any tags on it and no holes in its ears like it had been tagged."

Farm-raised elk in Illinois are required to be double-tagged, according to University of Illinois veterinarian Cliff Shipley, who raises elk at his home near St. Joseph.

He chuckles at DNR's insistence that the dead elk couldn't have been wild.

"I think the Department of Natural Resources also told us there were no mountain lions in Illinois, and there are," he said. "And there have also been wolves found, and maybe some bears in southern Illinois," Shipley said.

"But I think it's doubtful the elk was a wild elk," he said. "But it is possible. There are wild elk populations in Kentucky, Arkansas, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, and elk can travel large, large distances, and it's possible that the (dead) elk traveled here from one of those herds."

A wandering bull moose could travel 50 to 75 miles a day if he hustled, Shipley said.

"They have long legs and can really go if they want to. But it is also very possible it escaped from here in Illinois. There are between 30 and 40 elk farmers in Illinois and quite a number of elk farmers in Indiana, so it easily could have wandered this way."

Vandeventer said the elk killed on I-57 weighed between 600 and 700 pounds.

"It was a three-by-three," he said. "Three points on each side" of the rack.

Vandeventer, who is a deer hunter, said he was invited to help butcher the elk by a relative who's also a Douglas County sheriff's deputy. The elk was struck at 11:26 p.m. on Oct. 9, at milepost 212 near Tuscola, according to the Illinois State Police, by a car driven by Shklqui Zendli, 21, of Charleston. Zendli was not injured, but the car was towed from the scene.

Vandeventer said compared to a large buck, which typically weighs 200 pounds, the elk was monster-sized. He got a friend with a forklift to help get the elk off the trailer, and they raised the lift on the front as far as it would go in order to hang the elk to clean.

"A couple stopped and thought we had a cow hung up," Vandeventer said. "They couldn't believe it."

Shipley said within the past month he'd heard of elk being sited near Catlin, then Ogden, St. Joe and most recently near Philo Road at Windsor Road, southeast of Urbana. In fact, his wife saw the elk near Urbana.

"Elk could travel 400 miles," he said, "When crops are in you couldn't see an elk in a standing cornfield, but it would be hard to hide one now."

Vandeventer said the elk roasts and steaks were shared with many friends and relatives. "He's in a lot of people's freezers around here now," he said.

Nov 3, 2005

By BRODIE FARQUHAR

LANDER -- State and now tribal game managers have detected three new cases of chronic wasting disease, a fatal brain disease that can affect all members of Wyoming's deer family.

The new locations are in the Owl Creek drainage, north and west of Thermopolis. The disease had not previously been detected in this area.

"We're always concerned when we have a geographic expansion of this disease," said Terry Cleveland, director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

Conservation groups immediately worried about the fact that chronic wasting disease is moving ever closer to northwest Wyoming and the elk feeding grounds south of Yellowstone National Park. Wyoming has 22 elk feedgrounds, plus the National Elk Refuge outside Jackson.

"It's clear that CWD is moving west across Wyoming, right towards the elk feedgrounds," said Lloyd Dorsey, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition representative in Jackson. "We've known for years that CWD is expanding its range, and unfortunately for our elk populations little has been done to alleviate the extreme wintertime densities of elk on feedgrounds which are perfect conditions for this disease and others to erupt. The time to phase out elk feedgrounds is now, before CWD hits."

On Friday, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department announced that two mule deer bucks, taken just north by northwest of Thermopolis in the lower Owl Creek drainage, had tested positive for the disease. On Wednesday, the Shoshone and Arapaho Fish and Game Department announced that a whitetail buck, taken one mile east of the Arapaho Ranch headquarters, had also tested positive. Ranch headquarters are in the upper Owl Creek drainage, in the northeast quadrant of the Wind River Indian Reservation.

The case on the reservation, about 20 miles due west of Thermopolis, is the most western case in the state. The most northern case was reported two years ago, south of Worland.

Larry Makeshine, director of the tribal department, said the whitetail buck appeared to be healthy when it was shot and killed by a tribal hunter. The lymph nodes of the deer were among a batch of 30 tissue samples sent for testing at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's laboratory in Laramie.

Game and Fish Deputy Director Gregg Arthur directed Game and Fish personnel in the Cody region to remove up to 50 deer within a five-mile radius of where the two Thermopolis-area deer were killed.

He said that surveillance in other states has shown that it may be possible to slow down the spread of the disease if new cases are identified early.

Game and Fish Director Cleveland said 15 more deer in the area had been shot and tested since Oct. 27. "We haven't had any more cases in that hunt area."

According to Arthur, the additional sampling serves three purposes.

* First, it allows Game and Fish to determine the prevalence of chronic wasting disease in an area.

* Second, it may eliminate the disease in an area and prevent its spread to other areas.

* Third, it may allow Game and Fish to locate an area of infection that it can manage aggressively.

"Should more positives turn up, we will expand our efforts," Arthur said.

Makeshine said no decision has been made as of yet on how the tribes will respond to the case on the reservation. Cleveland said that whatever the tribes decide, Wyoming Game and Fish will fully cooperate.

Conservationists said the new cases show the agency should move quickly to protect elk in feedground areas.

"When this kind of threat occurs, specific proposals like closing elk feeding grounds, reducing competition between wildlife and cattle grazing on public land and checking all slaughter cattle for signs of mad cow disease should be seriously heeded," said Meredith Taylor of the Wyoming Outdoor Council. "This is a wildlife time-bomb waiting to go off."

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological disease that has been diagnosed in wild deer and elk in 10 states and two Canadian provinces. Animals show no apparent signs of illness throughout much of disease course. In terminal stages, animals typically are emaciated and display abnormal behavior.

Tom Roffe, an infectious disease expert for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the death toll among elk, after chronic wasting hits the feeding grounds, would be far greater than starvation losses from simply closing elk feedgrounds.

The closest comparison would be what has happened on commercial game farms, which have sustained 50 to 70 percent mortality when the disease hits, he said.

"But you can't say what will happen on a feedground, based on game farm experience, because as soon as they noticed chronic wasting disease, they depopulated the game farms," Roffe said.

Dave Gowdy, executive director of Wyoming Wildlife Federation, said closing the feedgrounds is highly controversial. But eventually, he said, Wyoming must acquire enough conservation easements or properties surrounding the feedgrounds to allow them to be closed and the elk both dispersed and well fed through harsh winters. The big question, he said, is whether Wyoming can achieve that goal before the disease hits the feed grounds.

Posted on Thu, Oct. 20, 2005

RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. - A man died after being attacked by a 6-foot-tall deer that he encountered in his back yard, officials said.

Ron Dudek stumbled onto the deer Sept. 25 when he went outside to pick tomatoes. The buck struck him in the face, ripping a hole in his cheek and ramming an antler into his mouth.

Dudek, the 73-year-old president of an electric company, died Monday of his injuries. The Medical Examiners Office said an autopsy revealed that the deer's blow caused a blood clot that went to his lungs and killed him.

"This was a startled deer that tried to get out any way it can and ended up hooking the victim," said Steve Martarano, a spokesman for the state Department of Fish and Game.

U.S. Department of Agriculture personnel located two bucks matching the description of the one that injured Dudek Wednesday night and shot them both. The San Diego County Veterinarian's office was testing the carcasses to determine whether the animals were diseased. The results were pending Thursday.

Some neighbors said the buck that gored Dudek had become increasingly bold in recent weeks. While other deer run when people approach, this one stood his ground, they said.

Dudek's widow, Joanne, said she and her husband of 54 years never feed the deer that came into their yard, which offers a panoramic view of a river canyon about 17 miles northwest of San Diego.

"He was my life," she said, looking out on the canyon.

The attack on Dudek was the third violent deer encounter reported in California during the last four weeks, Martarano said.

On Sept. 29, a deer pinned a man against his house and bit a chunk out of his wife's arm in Mendocino County in Northern California.

On Oct. 11, a deer killed one dog and attacked three others in Orinda, near Oakland.

But deer attacks are rare nationwide, said Larry Hawkins, a legislative and public affairs officer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

A deer killed a 5-year-old boy in 1977 at Yosemite National Park, he said.

President Bush expected to sign common-sense legal reform to stop "junk" lawsuits against firearms industry

Oct 20, 2005

NEWTOWN, Conn.-Congress took a historic step today toward ending "junk" lawsuits. With a 283-144 bi-partisan vote, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a landmark bill to block lawsuits that seek to hold firearms manufacturers liable for the criminal misuse of their lawfully sold products. The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (S. 397) will prevent wrongful civil liability lawsuits against law-abiding companies and end years of abuse of America's legal system by industry opponents.

The bill will now head to President Bush, who has said he would sign it if it reached his desk. The U.S. Senate passed the bill in July with a 65-31 bi-partisan vote.

The overwhelming bi-partisan support of this bill in both the Senate and House demonstrates Congress's ability to work together when it comes to protecting America's law-abiding businesses, in turn protecting thousands of jobs nationwide. Our industry sincerely thanks Sen. Larry Craig and Rep. Cliff Sterns for introducing this much-needed legislation and President Bush, who has continuously promoted legal reform in order to protect our nation's businesses and economy," said Doug Painter, president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association representing firearms and ammunition manufacturers.

Painter praised the National Rifle Association for its tireless efforts in helping to secure passage of the legislation. "The NRA made this bill its number one priority over the past two years. For that dedication, the firearms industry is very grateful to the NRA and its many members who voiced support for the bill. The results are far-reaching, protecting law-abiding companies from financial ruin and, by extension, ensuring a positive future for our hunting and shooting traditions and our firearms freedoms."

The bill provides protection for manufacturers, distributors, retailers and importers of all legally sold firearms and ammunition.

Since 1998 more than 30 municipal lawsuits have been filed against the makers and sellers of firearms by anti-gun organizations and anti-gun politicians. The misguided efforts attempted to blame firearm companies for the illegal actions of criminals-the equivalent of attempting to hold a car manufacturer liable when a criminal uses an automobile in a crime. These illegitimate suits have cost the firearms industry hundreds of millions of dollars in legal defense fees and threatened to bankrupt companies.

"No industry should be threatened by 'junk' lawsuits based not on established legal principles but driven by extreme political agendas. This legislation restores and reaffirms the common-sense notion that no manufacturer should be held liable for the criminal misuse of its products. We are pleased that the House of Representatives has passed this important reform measure," Painter said.

Even though 30 states have passed similar legislation preventing such lawsuits, the federal legislation will provide the full protection sought by the firearms industry and nullify pending lawsuits and prevent future illegitimate lawsuits from being filed. Among those cases nullified are suits from New York City and Washington, D.C., the latter filed under the onerous District of Columbia's Assault Weapon Manufacturing Strict Liability Act that, incredibly, assigns automatic and absolute liability to a manufacturer whose firearm is used in a crime in the District.

"These lawsuits put thousands of jobs at risk and attempted to drive an entire industry out of business. Such abuse of our judicial system invited this historic legal reform," said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF's senior vice president and general counsel.

Opponents of the bill attempted to scare the public into thinking it would no longer have the right to file civil liability actions, but the bill's language is very clear on the subject, allowing legitimate lawsuits to be filed against companies that sell defective products or against firearms dealers who break the law.

As pointed out by many elected officials, the lawsuits represented a serious threat to the industry that provides America's military with small arms and ammunition.

"While many of these suits have been rejected in court, just one verdict for the plaintiffs could bankrupt our small industry and destroy those companies that arm our law enforcement and our military for defense against terrorism at home and overseas," said Keane.

Realizing that any industry, not just the firearms industry, could be the target of such harassing lawsuits, America's business community weighed in strongly for the bill, with letters of support coming from the National Association of Manufacturers, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Businesses, National Association of Wholesalers-Distributors, National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers, United Mine Workers of America and other business groups and unions. The Department of Defense also encouraged passage of the bill because of national security concerns.

MI DNR Officials Confirm Three Additional Cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis

October 5, 2005

The Department of Natural Resources, collaborating with Michigan State University, has confirmed two additional cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in deer from Kent County and one case in a deer from Montcalm County. This brings the total of EEE-positive deer in Kent County to four and statewide to five.

The four Kent County infected deer originated in Cannon and Plainfield townships just north of Grand Rapids. The positive deer in Montcalm County was from Fair Plain Township east of Greenville. Montcalm County is adjacent to Kent County. The Michigan Department of Agriculture also recently confirmed three cases of EEE in horses in Michigan, including two in Kent County.

The deer specimens were submitted for testing by the public after some deer in Kent County were observed behaving abnormally. A media report speculated that the deer had Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), but all have tested negative for CWD. Testing by DNR and MSU scientists at the Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health have confirmed EEE in five of the seven deer presented for testing, according to DNR Wildlife Veterinarian Steve Schmitt. Michigan becomes only the second state in the country to document EEE in free-ranging white-tailed deer. The first case was documented in 2001 in Georgia.

EEE is transmitted by mosquitoes, much like West Nile Virus. There is a human health risk to EEE, as humans who are bitten by mosquitoes carrying the disease can become fatally ill, cautioned Michigan Community Health Department Director Janet D. Olszewski. It is possible that a person could become infected with EEE by getting brain or spinal cord matter from an infected deer in their eyes, lungs, or in skin wounds. The last case of EEE in a human in Michigan was documented in 2002. While rare, state health officials urged citizens to take extra precautions against EEE by taking action to reduce mosquito populations; using insect repellents for personal protection from bites; keeping tight screens on windows, doors and porches; and using protective clothing.

"It is encouraging that citizens have an increased awareness of wildlife disease and, with the help of county sheriff's deputies were willing to bring these deer to our attention," said DNR Director Rebecca Humphries. "We encourage any citizen who observes a deer that is obviously sick and behaving abnormally to contact the closest DNR field office during business hours or the DNR Report All Poaching (RAP) Line after 5 p.m. and on the weekends to provide critical information so we can continue to monitor EEE in this region."

Click here for a list of Wildlife Offices. The DNR RAP Line is available 24 hours a day at 800-292-7800. Reports of deer that appear to be sick also can be made online at the DNR Web site.

DNR officials urged hunters entering the fall hunting season to exercise extra caution while hunting in Kent and Montcalm Counties. Hunters should observe the following safety procedures recommended by the DNR since 2002:

• Hunters should not handle or consume wild animals that appear sick or act abnormally, regardless of the cause.
• Always wear heavy rubber or latex gloves when field dressing deer.
• Minimize contact with brain or spinal tissues. Do not cut into the head of any deer that behaved abnormally even to remove the rack. When removing antlers from healthy deer, use a hand saw rather than a power saw, and always wear safety glasses.
• Bone out the carcass, keeping both the head and spine intact.
• Wash hands with soap and water after handling carcasses and before and after handling meat.
• Thoroughly sanitize equipment and work surfaces used during processing with bleach solution (1 tablespoon of bleach to 1 gallon water). Consider keeping a separate set of knives used only for butchering deer.

Humphries noted that hunters and the general public should not dispatch any deer that they suspect might be infected with EEE but instead report abnormally-behaving deer to the DNR immediately. It is critical that these deer be properly euthanized to preserve organs for testing. "Timely and proper collection of deer specimens is crucial to accurate diagnosis," Humphries said.

EEE is transmitted by mosquitoes that usually frequent hardwood swamps. Mosquitoes that have fed on birds carrying EEE can transmit the disease to horses, deer and humans. The state has documented cases of EEE in horses in southern Michigan for at least 40 years, and a vaccine to protect horses is available. Horses, and probably deer, do not develop high enough levels of EEE virus in their blood to be contagious to other animals or humans by direct contact alone.

Moose tests positive for CWD

By Todd Hartman, Rocky Mountain News September 30, 2005

A moose killed in north-central Colorado has tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the first known case of a wild moose contracting the deadly neurological illness.

CWD is typically a disease of deer and elk. But wildlife officials have long wondered whether a moose would contract CWD because all three creatures are in the deer family.Since 2002, hunters submitted 288 moose for CWD testing in Colorado, and none was found to be carrying the disease. The Colorado Division of Wildlife required moose to be tested for CWD beginning in 2003.

"I don't think we were necessarily expecting it," said Kathi Green, disease management coordinator for the DOW. "But we felt like we needed to be looking."

The only other instance of a moose contracting the disease came in captivity. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department intentionally infected a moose with CWD to determine whether it would become ill, said Tyler Baskfield, a division spokesman.

Moose, numbering fewer than 1,300 in Colorado, are far less prevalent than deer and elk, which each number in the hundreds of thousands in the state.

The solitary social habits of moose probably provide some protection from the disease, DOW officials said.

Unlike deer and elk, moose don't form herds or social groups, and are more likely spared transmission of the disease through saliva or contact between live animals, Green said.

The infected moose was taken by an archer in Jackson County, south of Cameron Pass. It was killed in a game management unit with just two known cases of CWD-infected animals since 2002, Green said. But the area, just west of Larimer County, is adjacent to the state's northeast region, traditionally a hot spot for the disease.

The hunter submitted the animal for CWD testing on Sept. 12. Because it was the first moose to show infection, wildlife officials said they would run a second test to confirm the results. It has yet to be done.

It's not clear how the moose may have contracted the disease. Scientists are still studying transmission, but say it's likely animals pass it on through feces, urine, direct contact with infected animals or through infected animals that die in the wild and leave infectious material on the ground.

Overall, rates of infection among deer and elk have fluctuated in recent years, Green said. But the numbers haven't shown any significant changes that allow division scientists to draw conclusions about whether the disease is growing more or less prevalent in the population.

"We need more years of data before you can draw a conclusion like that," Green said.

Animals often don't show signs of CWD until late in the disease's course, when they might stumble when walking, appear emaciated or show other unusual behaviors, scientists say.

The disease has been diagnosed in wild deer and elk in 10 states and two Canadian provinces, according to the DOW. Elk in many captive herds have also been found to carry the disease.

2003: The year the Colorado Division of Wildlife began testing moose for CWD.

By Lisa Gentes

A Northboro grandfather out for a hike yesterday tackled an attacking coyote to save his grandson's life.

The 76-year-old man was first attacked from behind by the wild animal and then put it in a choke hold when it lunged for his neck.

Police say Arthur Cole's bravery allowed his 4-year-old grandson to run to safety.

The boy then alerted family nearby. The boy told everyone "a wolf"' got "Grampy."'

Family members called 911 and they all descended upon the path along the Assabet River a quarter-mile away from the grandfather's home.

"We got there and found the guy on top of the animal," firefighter Jamie Desautels said. "The guy basically saved his grandson."

Firefighters used an animal snare to restrain the female coyote, which was still biting Cole, fire officials said.

"He stayed pretty calm; he did well," said Desautels. Police then killed the coyote.

"We basically choked the animal to death," Northboro Police Sgt. James Bruce said, adding they couldn't shoot the animal because Cole's arm was under the coyote's head.

The grandfather suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the 4:30 p.m. attack, according to police.

He was taken to Marlboro Hospital.

The dead coyote was taken to Tufts Veterinary School in Westboro for testing to determine whether it was rabid.

Cole, a lifelong Northboro resident and chairman of the town's trail committee, sustained about eight bites and needed some stitches, family members said.

"He is going to be fine," his son, Peter Cole, said.

"It was traumatic but we survived."

By JULIUS STRAUSS

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

MARATHON, ONT. -- At the municipal dump, huge claw marks scar the walls of the small site office. Some days the sole administrator sits inside in near terror, protected only by faith and a can of pepper spray.

On the grounds of the School of the Holy Saviour, a few hundred metres away, teachers carry air horns and scan the four-metre-high perimeter fence as the children play. Students who go on cross-country runs outside the fence wear whistles around their necks.

In the bar of the Zero 100 Motor Inn, the evening conversation is of close calls with ursine intruders. A local hotline has been set up to report on the marauders in the region.

Welcome to Marathon. The town of less than 4,000 people is perched on the roof of Lake Superior in a remote and rugged corner of Northwestern Ontario. Once best known for its paper mill and gold mines, Marathon is fast becoming the bear capital of the province.

Like other local communities, Marathon has always had a lot of black bears. For years they have congregated at the municipal dump to rummage for food.

But this year, residents say, the numbers have exploded, sparking a vigorous debate about how to deal with the threat they pose. Some people report seeing as many as 18 bears at the dump at a time.

The bears are not only more numerous, but also bolder. Scores have been sighted in back gardens and one was spotted lounging in the sun outside a Canadian Tire store in the middle of town. A local official told how one black bear stood and watched from the tree line as children made their way to school.

In one case, a bear pushed through an open window at the house of Richard Lesarge, the local justice of the peace, and clambered into his kitchen.

Friends of Mr. Lesarge recount how he thought the noises were being made by his wife; wanting to surprise her, he flipped on the light, calling out playfully, only to be confronted by a huge and equally surprised bear.

Nobody in Marathon is sure why there are so many bears around this year. An unusually hot summer that killed the blueberries they like to feed on is one contributing factor.

Doug Vincent, a municipal bylaw officer who wears a yellow T-shirt with Bear Control written on it, is on the front line in the battle to stop the bears from taking over.

"I've never seen as many," he said. "On the back roads you used to see maybe one bear a week. Now you can sometimes see five or six a day."

Mr. Vincent prefers to use a tranquillizer gun when dealing with the animals. An immobilized bear is transported to the forest up to 100 kilometres away, tagged with a plastic clip and released. If a tagged bear returns to town more than once, it is usually shot.

Mr. Vincent also has a beanbag gun -- it shoots small packets of lead pellets -- and special traps that are fitted with bait and can be towed behind a truck.

This week he watched from his truck as a huge black bear began rooting through fresh garbage at the dump. He took aim and fired a beanbag shot into the animal's rear end. Lazily, and apparently annoyed but far from cowed, the bear sauntered off.

Pauline Wright has worked the afternoon shift at the dump for more than 10 years. The shack in which she works has been clawed on all sides. About a month ago, a bear broke in during the night and ransacked her small office, tearing down shelves and cupboards.

In recognition of the risk she faces, she was recently given an air horn, a can of bear spray and a cellphone.

"Twice this year I've looked up and seen a bear just staring at me through the door. I was never afraid before. But now there's no fear in them," she said.

"My son has two little girls. They were told to put their garbage in the shed. But when they did the bear came and ripped the door off the shed."

At the School of the Holy Saviour, bears sometimes come to the edge of the perimeter fence and watch the children play. At such times, teachers let off blasts on an air horn and the pupils -- as they've been taught in drills many times -- file into the school and assemble in their classrooms.

Teachers record bear sightings on special forms in the main office. "Bears have always been a fact of life here. But this year the numbers are very high," said principal Clayton McCarthy.

"We've offered all pupils a ride on the bus to school regardless of where they live. Most of them have taken up the offer."

Spurred by the growing threat, many have called for a return of the spring bear hunt in Northern Ontario, a cull that used to kill up to 5,000 animals a year until it was banned at the end of the 1990s.

Experts point out that bears have a six-year breeding cycle and speculate that the ban could be one of the reasons for the spike in population.

Mayor David Bell thinks the hunt would help, although he opposes the use of bear bait, which is popular among some northern outfitters.

"We should have a cull this year before the bears begin to hibernate," he said. "Otherwise next year, if there is no food again, the problem could be even worse."

Other residents are muttering about taking matters into their own hands, blaming the hunting ban on ill-informed residents of Southern Ontario who do not under stand the needs of the North.

"We should ship all these bears to Toronto and see how they like it," said Louise McGuire, who works as a receptionist. "This summer our kids couldn't even play outside."

One of her colleagues, when asked what should be done, gave an even saltier reply. "It's the three S's," she said. "Shoot, shovel and shut up."

Such opinions have mounted since the death of a 30-year-old doctor, Jacqueline Perry, who died after being mauled by a bear in Chapleau this month.

"I'm against killing animals unnecessarily. But we need to bring back the hunt," said Rob Woito, a boiler engineer who works at the Marathon mill. "Banning it was a purely political decision that had nothing to do with the biology of bears."

Trophy Ridge Wins Preliminary Injunction in Patent

BOZEMAN, MT, September 28, 2005 - Trophy Ridge of Belgrade, Montana today announced it has won a preliminary injunction against Vital Bow Gear, Inc. and other defendants in a patent infringement case. Magistrate Judge Carolyn S. Ostby of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana ruled that Vital Bow Gear and the other defendants are preliminarily enjoined from making or selling their allegedly infringing in-line vertical pin bow sights including the "3-Ring Trapper" and "5-Ring Trapper" sights in the United States.

After Trophy Ridge, a leading innovator in the field of archery sights and accessories, introduced its proprietary bow sights to the market in 2001, four competitors began marketing sights similar to the patented features of Trophy Ridge's sights. Trophy Ridge filed suits for patent infringement against each such competitor. Two of the cases settled when the competitors agreed to cease selling the accused products. The cases against the other two competitors, including the case against Vital Bow Gear, remain pending.

Chris Rager, president of Trophy Ridge, said the ruling reflects the originality and determination that define his company. "Trophy Ridge is powered by innovation, and we will do whatever it takes to protect our intellectual property," said Rager.

Jon Trembath, a partner with Merchant & Gould's Denver office and lead counsel for Trophy Ridge, said, "The ruling affirms our continued belief in the validity and enforceability of Trophy Ridge's patents." The litigation team also included Rachel Zimmerman from the firm's Minneapolis office.

Attacks on Dogs Increase as Wolf Population Grows

By Jim Lee
For Central Wisconsin Sunday

PARK FALLS - As Wisconsin's timber wolf population expands, attacks on hunting dogs have become more frequent, particularly in the northern half of the state where the bulk of wolf habitat lies.

"Since 1986, when the first claim was filed, we've had 82 dogs killed by wolves and 27 injured that we know of," said Adrian Wydeven, Department of Natural Resources wolf expert.

"We paid for most of those claims, but there were a few cases when people did not request payment.

"As of the end of June, we had paid $144,200 for the 82 dogs killed and about $10,000 for veterinarian bills, most of it for dogs but for other animals as well."

Hunting dog fatalities were infrequent until the mid-1990s.

"It seems like every year after 1996 - when the wolf population exceeded 100 animals - that we've had dogs killed," Wydeven said. "Since then, it seems to have become an annual event. The number of dogs killed has been higher in the past four or five years."

Seventeen dogs were killed by wolves in 2001, the highest number of fatal attacks to date. Fifteen dogs were killed in 2004, the second highest total on record. Five dogs have been lost to wolves thus far in 2005.

Hounds pursuing bear, bobcat or coyote have been the target in almost every wolf attack, Wydeven said. Hounds noisily track their targets well ahead of hunters, often into deeply wooded areas where wolves are the dominant predator and view the dog as an interloper in their territory.

"We've had four or five beagles killed by wolves," Wydeven said.

"But we haven't had any bird dogs attacked by wolves while in a hunting situation. The human presence is a deterrent. Grouse hunters stay close to their dogs. Their whistling and calling is usually enough to prevent wolves from hanging around.

"But we have had a couple of bird dogs attacked while just roaming near homes. One was a Brittany spaniel in central Wisconsin that was running on dikes near a cranberry bog."

Wydeven said 80 of the state's 108 wolf packs are located where bear hunting with dogs is practiced, and three packs have been responsible for most of the recent attacks. "It seems some packs are more prone to attacking dogs," he said.

Minnesota saw its wolf population increase from an estimated 2,450 in 1998 to 3,020 wolves in 2004 while wolf range remain unchanged. That means wolves are occupying smaller territories.

"I think we're starting to see some of that here, too," Wydeven said. "In the last few years, wolf territories have been averaging about 40 square miles. It used to be 50 to 60 square miles. Still, some territories are as small as 20 square miles, and others are as large as 80 to 100 square miles."

A large deer herd can sustain more wolves on less land, he said. Where deer are in shorter supply, a wolf pack needs a larger territory to sustain it.

As wolf packs evolve into tighter territories, the odds of hunters and their dogs encountering wolves increases.

"We're starting to see wolves moving into more developed areas," Wydeven said.

Wolf packs have established residence at Mead Wildlife Area and Dewey Marsh Wildlife Area, both tracts of public land in the midst of farm country north of Stevens Point, "places that we had considered only marginal habitat for wolves," he said.

The 1999 Wolf Management Plan set a goal of 350 wolves for Wisconsin outside Indian reservations. The most recent estimate - not including 2005 production - put the state wolf population at 414 to 442 outside reservations.

Wisconsin has downlisted the timber wolf to protected species status, but the federal government still considers it an endangered species and thus entitled to full protection.

"If a hunter encounters a wolf attacking his dog, he can shout and try to scare it off, but currently you can't shoot the wolf itself," Wydeven said.

If the federal government delists the timber wolf and restores management authority to the state of Wisconsin, private landowners might be allowed to kill a wolf attacking livestock but that authority is unlikely to be given a hunter defending his dog on public land, Wydeven said.

Hunter Harassment - It's Not a Matter of Free Speech

Thanks to Indiana's hunter harassment law, two anti-hunters could now do jail time for harassing and intimidating bowhunters.

On July 21, a jury found Frederick and Rosanne Shuger of Beverly Shores guilty of two counts of hunter harassment. Frederick was also convicted of intimidation. The couple claimed that Indiana's hunter harassment law, which is based on a draft model written by the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, violated their rights to free speech. The prosecutor successfully argued that the First Amendment does not give them the right to threaten sportsmen and disrupt legal hunting activities.

The Shugers were accused of harassing bowhunters by driving through the community honking their horn and allowing their dog to bark in an admitted effort to disturb the deer. Frederick was accused of further confronting and threatening hunters Jeff Valovich and Jim Meyers.

Valovich told the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance that Frederick had, on at least three earlier occasions, interfered with hunters without formal charges being brought.

The couple faces up to 60 days in jail for each misdemeanor harassment charge and Frederick could be behind bars for up to a year for the intimidation charge. Sentencing will be July 25.

Hunter harassment laws have been enacted in all 50 states and upheld in several court rulings. The jury's verdict is in line with a 2002 decision by the Connecticut Supreme Court that ruled 5-0 that its hunter harassment law does not infringe upon the right to free speech and assembly.

Scent Lok Debuts new TV Show - Gettin' Close!

With the fall programming lineup of hunting televsion shows debuting this month, viewers are offered a wide array of shows to choose from. One of the most highly anticipated shows for this year comes from the production team at Scent Lok. Starring newlyweds and veteran hunters Lee and Tiffany Lakosky, Scent Lok's Gettin' Close with Lee and Tiffany offers a whole new look on the world of hunting - and marriage.

Join Lee and Tiffany as they not only hunt together, but experience life together as only newlyweds can. From caribou and moose hunting in the far North, to chasing the monster whitetails of the Midwest, Lee and Tiffany bring you a faced paced and lively hunting style that only they can. With their youthful zest for hunting, the outdoors, and each other, they bring a fresh appeal to the world of reality hunting television.

When asked about their time spent outdoors together, Tiffany said "We absolutely love our time in the woods, its something that we do day after day. If we are not practicing with our bows, we are managing food plots, scouting for good stand set-ups and just spending time outdoors together."

Gettin' Close is the second video production from the Scent Lok team, following up their popular show "Wildlife Point Blank", hosted by Phil Phillips.

"At Scent-Lok, we believe that all hunters should enjoy the excitement and satisfaction of getting real close to critters and big game animals in the field. Having Lee and Tiffany adds the close relationship that they bring to the program and will be very natural and a lot of fun," reported Mike Andrews, Scent-Lok's marketing executive.

For more information on Scent Lok's Gettin' Close with Lee and Tiffany, visit www.gettinclose.com and be sure to check out them out on the Outdoor Channel now!

Hunters Win! New Jersey Bear Hunt Reinstated

(Columbus) - In spite of having cancelled last year's hunt, the head of New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection announced yesterday that the state will likely resume hunting black bears in 2005.

The decision comes in the wake of months of sportsmen's protest over the bear hunting cancellation, the airing of a documentary that showed the dangers of overabundant black bears in the state and a near attack on a three-year-old at his home in northern New Jersey.

Bradley Campbell, commissioner of the New Jersey department which is the parent of the state wildlife management agency, told Newark Star-Ledger columnist Tom Moran that, "We need to reduce the (bear) population...All indications are there will be a hunt this fall, and it probably will be an annual feature thereafter."

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection reports that it has fielded 398 black bear damage and nuisance complaints since the first of the year. It had received 234 complaints during the same period in 2004.

In the wake of Campbell's last-minute cancellation of the 2004 bear hunt, the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance brought suit to force the hunt to go forth. In the wake of a decisive victory for hunting before a state appeals court, Campbell appealed to the Supreme Court, where he won an injunction against the hunt. The Alliance and state sportsmen's groups including the New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, United Bowhunters of New Jersey and others saw the decision as damaging to the future of wildlife management in New Jersey in that the court ruled that the politically-based decision of a member of the governor's cabinet took precedent over the rules established by the statutorily established New Jersey Fish and Game Council.

"The integrity of fish and wildlife management has in a sense been reestablished in the state," said Rob Sexton, vice president for government affairs for the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance. "Campbell's 2004 political decision to stop the hunt has been trumped by political pressure brought to bear in the wake of that decision.

"It's not the victory for the science of wildlife management that we would have liked to have seen, but at least the best interests of wildlife and the people of New Jersey will be served," he added.

In June, a television documentary, "Bears: Too Close for Comfort" aired in New Jersey and nationwide on the Outdoor Channel. The production, the airing of which by New Jersey Public Broadcasting had been weeks earlier cancelled due to intensive animal rights protest, made a strong case that New Jersey black bears were overabundant and in need of management. The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance worked with producer Tom Phillips and the Outdoor Channel to bring the documentary to a television audience.

"There is no doubt that public sentiment in favor of hunting was sharpened by Bears: Too Close for Comfort," said Alliance Senior Vice President Rick Story, who appeared in the documentary. "Coupled with the anger generated among New Jersey residents who live in bear country and the disappointment of hunters who take seriously their role in wildlife management, it is obvious that public pressure became too much for Campbell to bear."

The final straw may have come last week near the northern New Jersey town of Fredon. Three-year-old Sammy Francavilla was rescued by his mother from a hostile black bear who had cornered him in his backyard. The incident made news up and down the East Coast.

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, through the legislative process in the states and in Congress. For more information, call (614) 888-4868, visit its website at www.ussportsmen.org or write to: U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, 801 Kingsmill Pkwy, Columbus, OH, 43229-1137.