Dog Hunting Declining Across the South East?
by MooseOctober 31, 2009
Deer in thick brush can be hard to hunt across parts of the south Hounds are used to push the deer.
I’ll admit that I’ve never hunted deer with dogs but I’m hopefully going to get out on a dog hunt this season and see what it is all about. In the local newspaper this week Fred Bonner talks about the decline of this sport. This is the second article I’ve seen this season about this topic and it is sad to see a local cultural hunting tradition go by the wayside and the poor economy seems to be hasting its demise.
For the deer hunters who chose to have their hounds chase the deer the conditions couldn’t have been more ideal. It was damp enough that the deer’s scent hung close to the ground and it was cool enough to make it comfortable for both the hunters and the dogs.
That’s why I was surprised to find relatively few deer hunters out there with their dogs on the opening day of the season. Ordinarily we’d see truck after truck loaded with dog boxes, two-way radio antennas, tracking antennas and elevated stands lining the roads in the more rural areas Down east. I started to wonder just what was wrong here.
He goes on a bit later in the article to point out some of the pressures on this sport.
The national economy is playing a large part in having a change in the way deer hunters carry out their sport. This seems to be particularly true in the case of the deer hunters who choose to hunt with the aid of dogs.
Dog owners who formerly owned several trained deer hounds found the price of keeping these dogs was getting really expensive. Between the price of dog food and the medications that keep the dog healthy the hunters simply found themselves in a financial pinch. When it comes down to a choice between feeding and keeping healthy their families versus several large hunting dogs, the families won out.
Dog hunting is a long standing tradition in this part of the country and it would be a shame if that tradition was to be lost. Even hunters like myself who don’t use hounds to hunt deer should tread lightly as dog hunters get squeezed out because we could be next. I realize that there are issues around the use of hounds. Most often conflict arises when the dogs get off the land they are suppose to be on and run on land they are not suppose to be. Unfortunately the hunters causing the conflicts are often the ones that draw the most attention and thus cause negative prejudices against this hunting tradition.
Read the whole article Fred Bonner wrote and see if you can learn a little bit about this tradition. I hope to get out an experience a hound hunt this season and I’ll report back here on my experience.
Related Articles:
Beer Bottle Cap Fishing Lures
by Desert RatOctober 31, 2009
This guy is gonna make a mint. What a cool idea. Too bad the breweries are being jerks – like they care about bottle caps! If they are that important maybe they should take responsibility for all of them. ~DesertRat
If you enjoyed this article you may enjoy these:
Obama-Scare; Flu Speed Ahead!
by Al RemingtonOctober 31, 2009
186 fatalities across nearly 37,000 confirmed cases of H1N1 with no vaccine available. Hardly a pandemic for our mates down-under.
The Australia 2009 stats for regular ’seasonal flu’ are not final yet, but their Health Dept literature cites annual flu-associated mortality historically has been between 2,500 and 3,000 in spite of universal vaccination programs for regular flu long being established.
A logical review of these results strongly suggests next year Australia should initiate a “flu vaccination holiday,” promote vitamin D supplements, long known to be effective for preventing Wintertime flu disease, and then compare the outcomes.
They are not into the Obama-scare – flu speed ahead-damn the vaccination studies.
Obama’s health advisor Harry Varmus, NIAID chief Tony Fauci, HHS Secretary Sebelius, CDC Director Thomas Frieden, CDC Commander Anne Schuchat are so zealously dedicated to Herd Control of Americans they willfully ignore the honest, financially independent, most available information on Planet Earth: Australia’s just ended Flu Season, and the study in Canada by Doctors Skowronski and De Serres (and other studies that reinforce their conclusion). U.S. health officials promoting unwarranted epidemic fears and manipulation of H1N1 flu deserve permanent mail room duty on the international space station – at best.
Canadian front page news on flu vaccinations has transfixed Canada health authorities, prompting official suspension of regular flu vaccination programs until further notice. This comes from a sweeping study of Canada by research Doctors Danuta Skowronski of the British Columbia Centre of Disease Control and Gaston De Serres of Laval University in Quebec concluding Canadians receiving flu vaccinations have twice the risk of coming down with the flu, compared to those who do not take the shot.
In a bizarre five-hour worldwide teleconference held by the World Health Organization October 4 on the Skowronski/De Serres Study, U.S. doctors offered the opinion that the Canadian doctors’ flu vaccination study was certainly wrong and must have used flawed study parameters, though the U.S. doctors admittedly could not identify anything specific. To paraphrase the U.S. attitude: ‘Damn the vaccination studies, flu speed ahead!’
In view of all this, America wakes up Sunday, Oct. 25 to headlines of President Obama proclaiming Saturday that H1N1 Flu is now under a National Health Emergency. Perhaps, Obama’s rhetoric is no coincidence as it is well known most Americans have been rejecting their invitations to show up for their shots. And maybe, American mothers and fathers realize there are indeed catastrophic risks associated with vaccinations, particularly since CDC says their kids should be marched in for shots, regardless of CDC admitting the shots contain full amounts of mercury preservative. And, I am not making this up: CDC astonishingly insists that the mercury in vaccines brings no risk whatsoever to kids.
President Obama illustrates perfectly the medically-ignorant political animal, craving to be seen as a Medical Hero in the national spotlight, while willfully ignoring abundant proof of brain damage and other permanent disabilities to millions of children by vaccines’ mercury and other toxic ingredients cavalierly injected in such as the H1N1 vaccine.
author David M. Burd has three related conclusions that come to mind:
Related Articles
A Grand Opening Day
by Jeff CashOctober 31, 2009
Today was the opening day of open firearms season for whitetail deer here in Maine for Maine residents. Non-residents start the season on Monday. With a lot of shared concerns for the health and vitality of the Maine deer herd having been discussed and bantered about over the last year or so I started this season with a great deal of uncertainty and in the face of the doom and gloom, I have held onto hope for the whitetail in Maine. If today is any example my hope will be fulfilled.
I awoke this morning at 3:30 AM remarkably more with it than I would normally be at that hour. The excitement of the start of my annual celebration clearly had me energized from the very beginning. By 4:40 I was showered, geared up and on the road to start my hour plus drive to my hunting grounds.
About 15 minutes into my drive I passed a small doe partially hidden in the darkness along the side of the road. This is good sign I remember telling myself.
Arriving where I typically park my truck I quickly noticed that I was the first of what I anticipated being a large showing of hunters in that area. I hunt state owned public land and with the ever increasing land grab here in Maine by wealthy, mostly non-resident, anti-hunters, available land to hunt on has been shrinking up for the last several decades. As a result this area and others like it tend to draw a good deal of hunting pressure, at least on the weekends.
A quick spray down of my outer clothing and gear and I was heading off into the woods hoping to reach my favorite hunting rock and to be in position and ready to go by legal hunting which on this morning was 6:42 AM. With an overcast sky the woods were a little darker than normal so I took along my handy mini-mag. I’m glad I did.
I soon found that the previous year had created some significant changes to the appearance of the area with many fresh blow downs and some significant growth of what had been very short evergreens that skirted and hid some of the pathway I take to get to my rock. This coupled with the unusually dense darkness made the hike in a little more challenging than normal.
By 6:30 or so I arrived in the area of my rock and began setting out my scent equipment. With that done I then tried to spot my rock. I probably spent 15 minutes walking all over that area even with the assistance of my mini-mag and could not find my rock! I soon spotted another faint light approaching and made a point to keep my mini-mag on so this fella would know I was there. He came upon where I was standing and after a brief friendly exchange and sharing the general area we would both be for safety he continued on his way. With the coming legal hunting time and my desire to get into position and remain still I chose a substantial blow down and planted myself there where I could see in two directions pretty well. I wondered if someone had come in and removed my favorite rock as I settled in and began focusing on my movement and my breathing. After a time check to confirm it was legal to load up I said a quick prayer and loaded my rifle.
About 15 minutes later I heard some cracking from behind me and spotted my uncle walking in. It was about this time that I also finally spotted my rock. It’s funny how the landscape in these woods can play tricks with your eyes. The area I watch over is a slight downward slope heading away but it is comprised of many many small mounded knolls from which the trees and other vegetation spring forth. I was ironically only about 30 feet from my rock and had not been able to spot it in the darkness. Humbled and somewhat embarrassed I greeted my uncle who spoke with me for a minute or two before heading on to his traditional hunting spot several hundred yards beyond my own. I then quietly relocated to my rock. Home sweet home.
The next couple hours were pretty uneventful except for hearing a series of four quick shots fairly close but in a direction other than what the other gentleman had headed towards. I did have some fun watching a fluffy tailed red squirrel digging in the fallen oak leaves for food as he scampered around just a few feet away apparently without any awareness of my presence.
Around 8:30 I heard some very faint crunching from behind me to my right. I slowly turned to look in that direction and immediately spotted two small deer approaching my location. I say small as the one in front I estimated to be around 90 to 100 pounds dressed weight and the second one perhaps in the 120 or 130 pound range. The smaller of the two continued towards my rock turning to parallel me about 15 feet away. It looked right at me and then continued walking. The second came up to the same spot poking her head just around a tree and looked straight at me. This one clearly saw me but must not have known what I was as she began a series of head movements up and down attempting to make me move I expect so she could better identify what she was looking at. When I didn’t react to her prompts she continued on as well. Debating in my mind whether or not I would try to shoot this second doe, as I have an any-deer permit again this year, I shifted, turning so as to position my Remington Model 8 in a “ready” position. The bigger of the two doe unfortunately spotted this move on my part and bounded off into the protection of the thick stuff with the little one in tow.
I spent the next several minutes scanning the area from which the two does had come hoping that a buck would appear on their trail but no such luck. No big surprise there considering the high ratio of does to bucks in this area of the state along with the limited number of buck sightings on my part that seem to corroborate that information.
I did see another deer that was nearly completely concealed behind a wall of evergreens that made it difficult to identify let alone to get a clear shot at. There was no sound and with it’s dark grayish coat it appeared almost ghostly as it slowly passed by and disappeared from my view completely.
By 10:00 my uncle wandered back by on his way out so I gathered my things and walked out with him. He reported also seeing two doe but indicated they were somewhat larger than the two I had seen.
So, with the first day of my new spiritual year nearing it’s completion I am inspired by my observation of more deer in this one day than I saw all of last year’s season. I am enriched by the interaction with the wildlife that presented themselves to me today and I am thankful for the opportunity. I may not have come home with venison today but I certainly came home with a reassurance for the health of the whitetail herd here in Maine, a powerful appreciation for the hunt and a charged anticipation for next week when I will get the opportunity to continue that celebration.
Jeff Cash
How To Pack A Hunting Pack
by Desert RatOctober 31, 2009
From friend Pat McHugh:
HOW TO PACK A
DAY PACK FOR HUNTINGThis is only an outline, your specific style of pack and your “on the trail” needs are unique to your destination and personal requirements. Listed below is a basic packing formula that hopefully will help you visualize your individual arrangement needs. It is important that you take the time to experiment with your packing arrangement at home, well before you go outdoors, as you will be more comfortable and know exactly where things are, when needed, on the trail.
• Layer your extra clothes on the bottom of the pack. Carefully fold and stack, this takes up less space and makes it easier to get to when you want or need an item. This also helps provide a good base while cushioning all other items in the pack. With the majority of the weight above this gives a stable yet flexible base when you set your pack down.
• Place heavy gear items like tree pegs, extra ammo, cooking gear etc. in the next upward layer. Cushion loose items with clothing or wrap tightly in poly bags with rubber bands.
• Distribute your food items, rope, your first aid kit, etc. on the next layer.
• Place your raingear, camera, personal hygiene items and survival kit and any other trail need items on the top layer where they are quickly accessible.
• Keep water bottle, map, compass/GPS, knife and extra fire starting kit in the outside pockets of your pack along with any small snack items.
• Lash or secure your coat to the outside of the pack, as the day gets warmer. Some packs come equipped with bottom lashing straps, if these are not on your pack then consider rolling it bedroll style and carry some cord to tie it off and then lash it to the “haul handle” on top of the pack. This keeps it out of the way and easily available if the weather changes quickly.
• Don’t hang items off any of your pack webbing, the zippers or from the shoulder straps. This tends to abrade the material from bouncing around; they make noise, pull on the material and can catch on branches or underbrush. The only exception to this is wearing “bear bells” if you are traversing through bear country.
• Always try and place the heavier items in the center of the pack toward your center of gravity. For MEN, this tends to be higher in the pack and forward towards your body
For WOMEN, it tends to be lower and centered on the small of the back and put items towards the center of the pack. Experiment with a full pack for the best positioning before you go outdoors by climbing up and down your steps, jog and run in place to find the best and most stable comfort position for your frame size.• Wear your pack as low on your back as is comfortable for you to walk and maneuver. Let the “hip belt” (it is not a waist belt) secure the majority of the weight of the pack on your hips. The shoulder straps should only stabilize and balance the weight of the pack. Your hips are much stronger than your neck or shoulder muscles; so let them do the heavy work.
If you enjoyed this article you may enjoy these:
New promotion At Pop’s Authentic
by Desert RatOctober 31, 2009
Awhile back I did a review on snack sticks from Pop’s Authentic.
Well, they are running a new promotion – buy 2 boxes of (12) and you get a box FREE! Yummmy.
You can enter the promo code “OSCAR” when ordering online.
Try some – you won’t regret it!
If you enjoyed this article you may enjoy these:
Weekend Music With Frank Turner
by Greg L JohnsonOctober 31, 2009
A few weeks ago a group of us were out to catch The Gaslight Anthem at The Cabooze. There were three opening bands, a situation that normally doesn’t portend good for any of them, but the quality was surprisingly high, and the stand-out was a british guy with a guitar, Frank Turner. When you’re stripped down to one instrument like that, what overwhelmingly counts are the songs, and Frank had a pocketful of good ones. definitely someone to keep an eye on.
So, on this Saturday morning, a few good songs from Frank Turner, with the expectation that there will be many more to come.
Environmentalism is corporate fascism
by Greg FarberOctober 31, 2009
Interesting how a historical perspective on a little thing called “fascism” relates to SCIENCE … Creationists have proved Biology and Evolution, a specific scientific field, are Nazism, a specific Fascist Ideology, it is a logical syllogistic conclusion then that Science, and environmentalism based science in general, is Fascism, in general. It is implemented by elites not voted on by peoples..
“Fascism is a genuinely revolutionary, trans-class form of anti-liberal, and in the last analysis, anti conservative nationalism. As such it is an ideology deeply bound up with modernization and modernity, one which has assumed a considerable variety of external forms to adapt itself to the particular historical and national context in which it appears, and has drawn a wide range of cultural and intellectual currents, both left and right, anti-modern and pro-modern, to articulate itself as a body of ideas, slogans, and doctrine. In the inter-war period it manifested itself primarily in the form of an elite-led “armed party” which attempted, mostly unsuccessfully, to generate a populist mass movement through a liturgical style of politics and a programme of radical policies which promised to overcome a threat posed by international socialism, to end the degeneration affecting the nation under liberalism, and to bring about a radical renewal of its social, political and cultural life as part of what was widely imagined to be the new era being inaugurated in Western civilization. The core mobilizing myth of fascism which conditions its ideology, propaganda, style of politics and actions is the vision of the nation’s imminent rebirth from decadence.”
Fascism is an authoritarian, anti-democratic, anti-communist system of government in which economic and environmental control by the state, militaristic nationalism, propaganda, and the crushing of opposition by means of secret police emphasize the supremacy of the state over the individual. There are three main areas that define the characterization of a Fascist state—a heavy dose of Nationalism, Corporatism, Totalitarianism, Environmentalism and Militarism. ( Once this cap and trade is fully in effect get ready for environmental police to inspect your homes and property and fine you for violations, as well get ready to have a tax put on your travels via motorized vehicles taxing your carbon footprints, it will get so bad you will prefer to walk, I’m not kidding around, that is environmental fascism.)
These well known Fascist leaders no doubt had those type aspirations—Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler, José Antonio Primo de Rivera y Sáenz de Heredia, Plínio Salgado, etc. But these hidden Roundtable leaders such as DAVID ROCKEFELLER, Harry Oppenheimer, Baron Eric de Rothschild, Karl von Habsburg, Juan Carlos, Edgar M. Bronfman, Sr., Lord Peter Carrington, etc., are the ones behind the American Fascist agenda, in reality, it is their agenda to continue to place invisible chains around all of humanity. Thus, unlike the above Fascist dictators these Roundtable dictators are not using military tanks and armament to subject and capture and overpower their enemy, but these invisible rulers do not have to raise a national flag, as a symbol of occupation by a superior military force over a weaker nation. The Roundtable has clandestinely colonized the entire planet and is much more dangerous than all past, present and future Fascist put together.
AND WHO FINANCED THE MAJORITY OF ENVIRONMENTAL NGOs ? DAVID ROCKEFELLER.
Environmentalism is corporate fascism.
Lets look at the 9th plank of the communist manifesto.
Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; Gradual abolition between town and country; More equitable distribution of population.
We call it the planning reorganization act of 1949, zoning (title 17 USC 1910-1990) and Super Corporate Farms, as well as executive Orders 11647 and 11731 (Ten Regions) and public “law” 89-136 (de-facto-meaning in violation of natural law, the constitution) the main plank for reduction of town and country; Agenda 21 for the 21st century, sustainable development, smart growth; The Fourteenth Amendment accomplished this. Non-city land is subject to property tax.
That was just a small sample, below is more Dicta from the Communist Manifesto—
1. ” There are, besides, eternal truths, such as freedom, justice,etc., that are common to all states of society. But communism abolishes eternal truths, it abolishes all religion, all morality, instead of constituting them on a new basis; it therefore acts in contradiction to all past historical experience.”
2. ” Abolition of the family ! Even the most radical flare up at this infamous proposal of the communists.”
3. ” The Communists are further reproached with desiring to abolish countries and nationalities.
These definitions should sound familiar. What has the 14th Amendment done, destroyed state sovereignty first, as well the United Nations has combined 178 nations under the umbrella of that charter. The goal is a global government, the destruction of all national sovereignty. Agenda 21 is being implemented in all 178 Nations which have surrendured to the United nations governmental panel.
Environmentalism is fascism…
If you look to the Democratic Socialists of America web page you find a photo of a fist holding a rose. The fist is the symbol of communism, the rose is symbolic of socialists, the rose is RED, which is symbolic of communism. The Iron Fist of Communism with a gentle touch.. That velvet glove will come off some day.. And they care not who or what they kill off while stealing for the collective group.. Nations, other peoples, all in the name of spreading Democracy.. Sound familiar ?
Most Commented Posts
Hello!
by staciecmOctober 31, 2009
Welcome to Techativity – a place where technology and creativity mix and match! I am so excited to be your main author of this blog! I hope to touch on tools, such as Photoshop; photography; social media; and other technologies for your creative mind.
If you have any suggestions about what you would like me to cover, please leave a comment. I can’t wait to get started.
Happy Halloween!
by Phillip LoughlinOctober 31, 2009
Nothing here about hunting, I’m afraid… I’m still out at Coon Camp Springs, wrapping up the first two clients of the season. By now, I sure hope we’ve got two big mule deer sent off to the taxidermist, as there’s a full moon rising and the next hunter will arrive tomorrow. Anyway, hope this tides you all over… one more week before I’m home. Enjoy!
Halloween was such a blast when I was a kid. Between trick-or-treating, hay rides, and haunted houses, it was a pretty magical time to be a youngster. Even into my teens, while there were more tricks than treats, it was still a lot of fun. We tried to keep it harmless, of course, but we did get wild from time to time.
One of the big events in my little hometown was the annual, Halloween egg war.
I spent most of my teen years in a little fishing and farming village in southeastern, NC. The local high school I attended served not only our little community, but also the nearby beach towns of Surf City and Topsail. I don’t know when this all started, but somewhere along the line the tradition of an annual egg war between the communities was born.
Again, I’m not sure how it all began, but what I remember is that the beach kids would come riding into town, loaded with eggs, and begin the bombardment. Tradition held that we’d be waiting in ambush, hiding along the highway or even on the roofs of the local businesses. I don’t remember the exact layout now, but there were only about eight or nine businesses in our little town… most of them lining Highway 17. On the southbound side, the first building coming into town was the fish packing house. Next door was the auto parts place, a shop, and the IGA grocery. Across the street were a couple of other buildings and private residences… it formed the gauntlet. As soon as the “enemy” rolled into town, the eggs went airborne in a messy, exciting barrage.
The battles often left the main drag, as we’d load into the vehicles and go “Mad Max”, with running egg fights down the highway or into the side roads. The combatants generally kept the melee between us, but I know that innocent bystanders were occasionally caught in the crossfire… collateral damage, as it were.
And, of course, the whole thing was done with one eye out for the local deputies. Anyone who was caught (and someone was always caught) spent the next several weekends cleaning up the neighborhood.
Eventually, the whole thing got a little too out of hand. There were a couple of injuries. One that stands out was a crazy friend of ours who decided he could leap from the fish house to the auto parts store… across a two-lane street. He didn’t make it. After he got out of the hospital, he was often seen using his one, good arm to wipe dried egg yolks off of the windows and walls of the IGA.
Beyond that, some folks decided they couldn’t wait for the “enemy” to show up from the beach, and just started egging every vehicle that drove through town. That didn’t go over well, as you might imagine. By the time I was a senior in high school, the IGA and local convenience stores stopped selling eggs to minors for a couple of days leading up to Halloween. The Sherriff’s Department and Highway Patrol stepped up their presence as well, and made the penalties tougher. The fun finally went out of it, and the tradition died in a couple of years.
What sorts of things did you guys and gals get into on Halloween?
