Fantasy rankings: Tight ends
by Joey GAugust 31, 2009
Three clear divisions became evident as I compiled tight end rankings. The first tier is obvious — the top four. A decent second tier goes to about No. 11 or so, and a third tier — mostly quality backups — runs to about No. 20. After that, the talent is thin, but unless your league requires two starting tight ends, don’t be too worried.
TIGHT ENDS
1. Jason Witten, Cowboys
2. Antonio Gates, Chargers
3. Tony Gonzalez, Falcons
4. Dallas Clark, Colts
5. Chris Cooley, Redskins
6. Greg Olsen, Bears
7. Kellen Winslow, Buccaneers
8. Owen Daniels, Texans
9. John Carlson, Seahawks
10. Zach Miller, Raiders
11. Visanthe Shiancoe, Vikings
12. Jeremy Shockey, Saints
13. Dustin Keller, jets
14. Kevin Boss, Giants
15. Heath Miller, Steelers
16. Anthony Fasano, Dolphins
17. Brent Celek, Eagles
18. Tony Scheffler, Broncos
19. Vernon Davis, 49ers
20. Bo Scaife, Titans
21. Donald Lee, Packers
22. Marcedes Lewis, Jaguars
23. Brandon Pettigrew, Lions
24. Randy McMichael, Rams
25. Todd Heap, Ravens
26. Desmond Clark, Bears
27. L.J. Smith, Ravens
28. Shawn Nelson, Bills
29. David Martin, Dolphins
30. Robert Royal, Browns
31. Chris Baker, Patriots
32. Alge Crumpler, Titans
33. Brad Cottam, Chiefs
34. Chase Coffman, Bengals
35. Ben Watson, Patriots
36. Jeff King, Panthers
37. Jerramy Stevens, Buccaneers
38. Jermichael Finley, Packers
39. Daniel Graham, Brocnos
40. Dante Rosario, Panthers
41. Travis Beckum, Giants
42. Leonard Pope, Cardinals
43. Jared Cook, Titans
44. Derek Schouman, Bills
45. Steve Heiden, Browns.
Dove Season Opens Tuesday
by Desert RatAugust 31, 2009
Good luck to everybody! Have fun and be safe!! ~DesertRat
Dove season opens Tuesday
Wing shooting perfect for new hunters, lifelong tradition for seasoned hunters
Gather up your shotgun, birdshot, retriever, and ice chest because Arizona’s dove season opens on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
“With the continued drying conditions throughout the state this summer, dove hunters will find birds concentrated around traditional agricultural areas due to the dependable food sources,” said Randy Babb, Arizona Game and Fish Department biologist and avid upland hunter. “This will provide some very good hunting opportunities for those that spend time scouting.”
Given that, hunters are encouraged to wear some hunter orange when taking to the field. Hunting doves doesn’t require full camouflage, and if you hold still before taking your shot, the dove won’t even notice, but other hunters will see you — even in pre-dawn light.
Babb added, “There are some desert areas that do have reliable water sources and good drainage that provide roosting cover, food, water and resting areas for doves that can be productive. Hunting a distant stock tank in the upper desert can provide an exciting and private hunting experience.”
The weather forecast for the opener is for dry and hot conditions. Expect morning temperatures to be in the 80s and ramp up 100 before you know it. Dove meat is fantastic when gathered and prepared properly. With high temperatures, be sure to get your harvest on ice quickly, or your taste buds will suffer severely.
The season runs from Sept. 1-15, with shooting hours starting one-half hour before sunrise. The sunrise time for central Arizona on Sept. 1 is 6:03 a.m. Adjust accordingly depending on if you are in the west or east ends of the state, up to nine minutes in some cases. Legal shooting hour ends at noon in the South Zone. However, all-day shooting hours are open to juniors statewide and all hunters in the North Zone (see regulations for details).
Bag limits are the same as previous years, with a 10-bird total of mourning and white-winged dove, of which only six may be white-winged doves. There is no limit on collared doves. Be sure to leave one feathered wing on each bird until you reach your final destination.
Before heading to the field, be sure to pick up plenty of shotgun shells. The unspoken average of shots per bird harvested is five to one – so make it three boxes of shells. Shot size No. 8 or 7 ½ bird shot will do.
A general hunting license is required for hunters ages 14 and up. The Arizona Migratory Bird Stamp is required for those 16 and older. However, for new and younger hunters there are two options. Young hunters under 14 may hunt without a license (2 maximum), when accompanied by a licensed adult – so take a youngster hunting. An apprentice license is available at no charge and valid for two days, allowing new hunters the chance to “try before you buy.” The license is valid for two consecutive days but must be issued to a licensed mentor. To hunt doves with the apprentice license a migratory bird stamp is required. To learn more about the new apprentice license, visit www.azgfd.govand select the license icon.
Ready? So where to go?
Arizona offers a plethora of public lands open to licensed hunters. The places to avoid are city limits (most have ordinances against discharging a firearm), and private property without written permission.
There are many agricultural areas in the central corridor of the state that border BLM or state trust land that will offer hunting opportunities.
Babb suggests, “Using Google Earth or the Delorme Gazetteer are great resources for identifying land ownership, topography (water holes, drainages, etc.) and other potential honey holes. Another great cross reference is to go online to http://rainlog.org(or similar site) and check out rainfall numbers to see up-to-date information for where the best crop and water sources may be.”
Lastly, to simplify learning how to dove hunt, the Arizona Game and Fish Department is hosting and teaming up with sportsmen’s groups to provide a number of designated hunts – some offering mentoring and equipment to help you get started. Schedule events are:
Sept. 1-3: Habitat fundraiser dove hunt (fee required), Texas Hill Farms, Roll (east of Yuma). To register, contact getoutsideaz@gmail.com.
Sept. 5-6: Juniors-only dove hunt, Robbins Butte Wildlife Area, near Buckeye (pancake and sausage breakfast provided by Chandler Rod and Gun Club). First-come, first-served, for details and directions, visit www.chandlerrodandgunclub.com.
Sept. 5: Juniors-only dove hunt, Texas Hill Farms, Roll (east of Yuma). To register, contact getoutsideaz@gmail.com.
Sept. 11-12: New hunters dove hunting seminar and hunt by AGFD and Chandler Rod and Gun Club. Seminar (required) on Sept. 11 at the AGFD Mesa Regional office, hunt on Sept. 12 in Queen Creek at Zimmerman Dairy. For additional information, contact David Carson (480) 987-4825 or Randy Babb (480) 324-3546.
Be sure to hunt in open areas, observe the ¼ mile rule when near a building (when in doubt, move further away), and always remove your trash from your hunting area (this includes your spent shotgun shells).
Of course, no matter where you go, remember to be safe. An easy lesson is the basic hunter’s safety rule T.A.B. +1:
T = Treat every gun as if it were loaded;
A = Always keep your muzzle pointed in a safe direction;
B = Be sure of your target and beyond;
+1 = Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.
To learn more about the hunting opportunities offered by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, visit www.azgfd.gov/hunting.
If you enjoyed this article you may enjoy these:
Dove Scouting
by dukkillrAugust 31, 2009
So after work I ran a ways west of town to look at the dove field I’ll be shooting tomorrow morning. I saw more than a few doves. Check back tomorrow for a report.
Cool Cool Grass
by MooseAugust 31, 2009
Judging by the shape of the head I’d guess this a button buck.
Charlotte North Carolina Bat Control Specialist Recognized As Certified Wildlife Professional
by Robb RussellAugust 31, 2009
A All Animal Control Announces its Newest AAAC Certified Wildlife Professional!
A All Animal Control would like to introduce Tim Terwilliger as its newest AAAC Certified Wildlife Professional in Charlotte, NC.
Through countless hours of study involving Field Operations, Safety, Client Service, Wildlife Biology, Office and Fleet Operations and Wildlife Regulations combined with a year’s worth of solid field experience, Tim Terwilliger has proven to have the skills and knowledge to excel in the field of Wildlife Management. This certification goes above and beyond the typical Wildlife Control Professional training and Tim Terwilliger is one of less than 20 people in the nation to receive this award.
A All Animal Control specializes in resolving wildlife conflicts in residential and commercial structures. Not only are we capable of removing the nuisance wildlife, we can also follow through by de-odorizing, cleaning up waste, repairing damage, and preventing potential future problems. We stand behind our work by offering a warranty on our repairs against animal re-entry. We take pride in being prompt, professional, informed and courteous. To contact us, call our office at (704) 256-3148 or visit our website at www.AAllAnimalControl.com
For Immediate Release
Contact: Mark E. Dotson
304-345-1511
Info@aallanimalcontrol.com
www.AAllAnimalControl.com
August 24th 2009
Hazards to Game Cameras
by dustyvarmintAugust 31, 2009
Let me get this out of the way, “POOH!!!!” That is as strong a language I suppose I should use here on the blog. Why POOH? Below are pictures of the auxiliary battery and solar panel after a recent check of my Moultrie D40 game camera. Some varmint, likely a deer judging from the pictures although the battery and solar panel were located too close to the camera to capture the action, shredded the cables. Previously something chewed the solar panel connector off that cord, but I was able to apply a “field-expedient” fix with some electrical tape. This time there was no field-fixing. I’ll have to obtain new cables and a new connector. It will give me the opportunity to add the second 1.5 watt solar panel I’d been dragging my feet on.
Shredded solar panel and battery pack cables.
The following sequence of pictures shows a rascally raccoon or raccoons pulling the D40 off the tree it was mounted on. Although the camera was fixed to the tree with bungee cords and a Master Lock Python cable the raccoon’s weight was enough to dislodge it and ensure any future pictures would be of a single plant.
Several young raccoons approach a mineral block.
The raccoons abandon the mineral block and head towards the game camera.
A raccoon dislodges the game camera.
This next picture shows Camp Pug member Hunt Master’s game camera after the outer case was infested with ants. The folks over at Chasingame have indicated that ants can sometimes get into the internal portions of the camera and ruin the electronics. Luckily the ants stayed in the outer case. I was able to brush them and their eggs out with fern fronds as I despise being bitten by these little Herculean pests.
Ants in a game camera – not your pants…
Two-legged scum bags and large predators pose a much greater threat to game cameras. Below are security boxes I’ve made for my two cameras from relatively inexpensive materials. First is a security box for a Moultrie D40 game camera (see my review here). It is fashioned from a surplus 7.62 NATO ammunition box that cost about $5.00. I chopped the box in the appropriate places using an angle grinder fitted with a metal cutting blade. Two eye-bolts were added (the ends of the threads were “peened” over to prevent removal) for the addition of a chain or Master Lock Python cable and two riser blocks were added to the back for proper camera positioning. I primer painted the box to mitigate rust and added camouflage tape. I like the look of the tape, but over time it starts to peel off. In the future I’ll stick to my “compost” camouflage shown below. A major detriment to this arrangement is that the box must be removed from the tree to swap out SD cards.
A security box made for the Moultrie D40 game camera.
The completed security box along with some un-shredded cables.
The diminutive size of the HCO ScoutGuard 550 (see my review here) required a much smaller box than that of the D40. I modified an air conditioner electrical cut-out switch box to fit this camera. A Dremel tool was used to cut and grind the opening, hardware cloth was wired in to position the camera correctly and an eye bolt was installed to aid security with a chain or Python cable. Foam buttons and a small bungee applied to the camera also helped position it correctly. I also pop-riveted some small “L” brackets to the sides for use with bungee cords. I primer painted the box and used sticks and grass from my compost pile along with three colors of paint for camouflage. This set up allows me to swap out SD cards without removing the box from the camera.
A security box made for the SG550 game camera.
A close up of the foam buttons and hardware cloth.
The finished security box.
I am sure I haven’t encountered all the things that pose hazards to game cameras, but I’ll tell you I enjoy this hobby very much.
happy hunting, dv
If you liked this blog you may like the following:
Feedback, Questions & Comments
I’d like to hear your tips, feedback, comments or questions. Please leave them below.
Subscribe
Like this blog? Want to be notified of updates? Subscribe via RSS feed by clicking here.
Idaho wolf tags went on sale monday
by John MartinAugust 31, 2009
Hunters already were waiting when Idaho Fish and Game started selling wolf tags at 10 a.m. Monday, August 24.
The first ticket at the Fish and Game headquarters was sold to John Dennis of Kuna. But the very first ticket, Monday morning, was sold to Adrienne Peterson at Jim’s Pawn Shop in Middleton.
A hunter may buy only one tag at a cost of $11.50 for residents and $186 for nonresidents. A tag is good for one wolf, which may be taken in any one of the 12 wolf hunt zones in Idaho.
Fish and Game had sold 1,825 wolf tags in the first hour. By mid-afternoon Monday, about 4,000 tags had been sold.
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission earlier in August set a statewide wolf hunt limit of 220 wolves. When that number, spread over 12 wolf zones, is reached the hunt will end. There is no limit on the total number of tags sold.
Hunters can buy those tags at any Fish and Game office, license vendor, by telephone at 800-554-8685, or online at https://id.outdoorcentral.us/. The process is the same as buying a license or big game tag for other species, including deer, elk, black bear or mountain lion.
The hunter must have a valid 2009 Idaho hunting license to buy a tag. A printed brochure containing the 2009 wolf hunting rules and seasons is available from license vendors. The rules also are available on the Fish and Game Web site at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/hunt/wolf/.
Because of potential legal action, however, some hunters may be unable to hunt wolves for which they bought tags in Idaho. A request for an injunction has been filed with a U.S. District Court in Montana. If granted, the injunction would block the wolf hunt in Idaho.
The timing is still unknown.
If the wolf season is blocked before September 1, hunters who have bought a wolf tag would be eligible for a refund. If the season is blocked on or before October 9, hunters who can show in good faith they did not hunt may be eligible for a refund.
The hunter must submit a request for refund by December 31 on a Fish and Game form along with the original wolf tag. Requests received after December 31 would not be eligible for a refund.
This refund process applies to the 2009 wolf hunt season only.
All refunds will be for the amount paid for the tag. Refunds can be in the form of a check or an Idaho Fish and Game gift certificate. Requests must be submitted to: Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Wolf Tag Refund Request; P. O. Box 25; Boise, Idaho 83707.
The refund policy and refund request forms are available from Fish and Game and on the Fish and Game Web site at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/hunt/wolf/.
Idaho wolf hunt is on – for now
by John MartinAugust 31, 2009
Fraught with uncertainty, Idaho’s first regulated wolf hunt will get under way as planned, opening in the Lolo and Sawtooth wolf zones Tuesday, September 1.
Late Monday, August 31, U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy of the U.S. District Court in Missoula had issued no decision on a preliminary injunction that would have returned the wolf to federal endangered species protection.
Following a three-hour hearing, Molloy took the issue under advisement. He said he would rule soon.
“By taking the issue under advisement, Judge Malloy today gives Idaho an opportunity to further demonstrate that we are and will continue to successfully manage the species,” Idaho Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter said Monday. “We have a sound, data-driven management plan in place, and we keep our promises. As the Idaho Department of Fish and Game implements that plan, which includes a hunting season, I am confident the judge will recognize that our sportsmen, ranchers, farmers – and indeed, all Idahoans – are responsible stewards of Idaho’s wildlife, including wolves.”
If the judge issues a ruling that affects Idaho wolf hunts, Idaho Fish and Game will notify hunters. Hunters are asked to check the Fish and Game Web site at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov, or call the toll-free wolf hunt information number 1-877-872-3190 before their hunt.
The injunction was sought by parties to a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to remove gray wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains from the endangered species list earlier this year.
If legal action closes the season before October 9, Idaho Fish and Game would issue refunds to hunters who bought tags and can show they didn’t hunt. The wolf tag refund policy and request form are available from Fish and Game and the agency’s Web site at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/hunt/wolf/.
First Day of Preschool for Little Bit: Round 2
by Daddyshack RSSAugust 31, 2009
Desert Rat Needs Bling
by Desert RatAugust 31, 2009
So, I don’t really do this gig for money but it does have some perks here and there. Now I’m a hat guy, and have never seemed to have a shortage of hats in the past. I liked my Eastman’s hat, and am particularly partial to my Natural Predator hat. Periodically, manufacturer’s will send me goodies, especially hats.
This year, though, my stockpile of hats is running pretty low – which is unusual. So I’m challenging all the manufacturers that stop by my blog. Hook me up, and if your hat is coolest – it will be my hat of choice this fall. That means if I actually happen to kill anything this year – I’ll take a picture. If I take a pic, your hat will be in it.
And there you have it. Not convinced this economy sucks?
Desert Rat <----------- Will work for hats.
Sad.
