The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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Summer's put the heat on us pretty hard this year, and I'm itching for college football to kick back into gear. Aside from the usual, though, I'm also looking into something new called SOA's, or Special Opportunity Areas. It's a concept being established by Alabama DCNR's Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division and the Forever Wild Land Trust. The problem being addressed is that, with the vast majority of land in the state of Alabama being privately owned instead of publically available...
I find that the most interesting things in the outdoors are the unexpected surprises. Those bits of knowledge you come across that you just plain weren't expecting. Ever since I started working with QDMA (Quality Deer Management Association), I've confirmed a lot of the things I already knew, but I've discovered a heap more of things I didn't! Today, I want to talk about trees. Pine trees, to be exact. I recently came across an article put out by Stephanie Mallory of Great Days Outdoors...
Elephants are the largest land animals on Earth and are also known to be extremely intelligent. They have characteristic long noses, or trunks; large, floppy ears; and wide, thick legs. A group of elephants is called a herd. The herd is led by a matriarch, which is the oldest female. Females, as well as young and old elephants, stick together in a herd. Adult males tend to wander. Elephants also have certain rules. For example, when they are meeting each other, they expect the other elephant to...
Folks, we've talked about coyotes before, and how they impact deer herds. The pack-hunting critters are always willing to make a quick meal of a fawn or any other animal it can get a hold of, and it's starting to really show with our state's deer population. Of course, the flip side is that this is all a part of the natural order; coyotes are predators, and deer are prey. That being said, it's important to understand their place in the woods and how they live. Coyotes are the kind of critter...
The Raccoon dog, also known as Magnut or Tanuki, is a type of Asian wild dog it is very much a member of the dog family. It is considered to be one of the earliest species that other dog species have evolved from. Neither a raccoon nor a dog, but it does belong to the canid family, which is a lineage that includes dogs, wolves, and foxes. They are the only Canid that hibernates in the winter. There are 5 subspecies of raccoon dogs that can be found in the eastern Asia and Europe. These animals...
I recently had lunch with Barry Estes with Alabama Hog Control, and we were talking about deer hunting and deer population. Barry made a point that really made me think. He said deer hunters spend tons of money on food plots, fertilizer and soil samples, but if they have a predator and hog problem, they are wasting money. He is dead on! Predators and hogs are knocking our deer and turkey populations down tremendously. Why not take some of your planting money and put it towards predator and hog...
Pronghorn is antelope-like animal that lives in North America. There are four subspecies of pronghorn that can be found in Mexico, Arizona, throughout the Great Plains and in the Canada. Pronghorn inhabits open grasslands and deserts. It can survive on the altitude of up to 11 000 feet. Main factors that decrease number of pronghorns in the wild are habitat loss, hunting and manmade fences for the livestock (they disturb natural migratory routes). Mexican population of pronghorns is critically...
Folks, it's been a pretty interesting turkey season this year! The Alabama thunder chickens were gobbling and thundering the first part of the season, but that quickly changed, as it always does. The first three weeks of the season were outstanding, with the toms running everywhere. If I had been just hunting for myself, I probably would have hit bag limit in the first two weeks alone. Of course, after those first three weeks, the season took a turn for the quiet, as the birds had had their...
Binturongs have a body length between 24 - 38 inches, a tail length between 22 - 35 inches and they weigh between 20 - 31 lbs. Their fur is thick, coarse and black in color and they have a long, bushy, fully prehensile tail. Their ears are small and rounded and they have tufts of hair on the end. They have small eyes that are reddish/brown in color. Binturongs are excellent climbers and they can rotate their hind legs backwards so they can still grip onto a tree when climbing down it head...
For the last five years or so, there's been a bill taking passes through the House and Senate in Alabama, and this year it's looking to come in with a little steam. The bill in question is House Bill 184, which would allow hunters to hunt both deer and feral hogs over bait. As it stands, the bill has passed the State House, and is looking to come up for consideration in the State Senate. Personally, I'm not a fan of hunting over bait. We can currently use bait, as long as it's 100 yards away...
Moose are the largest living member of the deer family. While mostly found in northern United States and Canada, they are also found in Europe. However, in Europe the animal is known as a Eurasian elk. Standing up to seven feet at the shoulders and weighing up to 1800 pounds, they have very few natural predators. Moose are able to run at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour and are capable of swimming up to 10 miles without stopping. Moose range in color from light brown to a very dark brown color....
This past deer season in Alabama's been pretty on and off, but aside from the weather, it's been plenty full of great hunts and greater stories! I've heard and read lots of stories and seen plenty of photos about folks bringing home the meat for the freezer as well as some really nice trophies for the wall. Here's to hoping the next season will be even better! As for me, my mind's preoccupied with Turkey Hunting. This year the fun kicks off for most counties in Alabama on March 15th, running...
There are many things we think of when the word bat is spoken; such as Vampires, Dracula, rabies and diseases. Yes diseases are true but not as dramatic as is put out. All mammals can contract and carry rabies; however bats are not asymptomatic carriers of the disease. In reality, bats contract rabies far less than other animals. Less than 1/2 of 1% of all bats may contract the disease. A variety of wild animals (rabies vector species) can catch rabies, including foxes, skunks, raccoons,...
Deer season is entering the final stretch, and it's finally getting to the real chase! The rut's kicking into full swing, so if you've been keeping the pressure off certain little spots, now's the time to lock 'em down and snag you that buck! I like to remind folks that patience is key to deer hunting. Outside of the obvious "wait and see" approach to deer hunting in general, what with waiting in a box, blind, or ladder stand, that patience extends to the deer we harvest as well. Entering the...
Ringtail cats are not related to the cat family but are members of the raccoon family, Procyonidae which also includes Kinkajous, and Coatimundis. Ringtails are cat sized animals that resemble a mix between a fox and a raccoon. The face is fox-like, with a pointed snout, and the body is raccoon-like and elongated. The top side of the animal is yellow to dark brown or black, and the underside is a whitish buff. The ears and eyes are large and the eyes are ringed by white fur. The tail is very...
I hope everyone had a great start to the New Year! I know I've gotten my year off to a solid start with some quail hunting down at GSO this past Monday. This time the posse of hunters was from Florida, making their way up to our neck of the woods to enjoy a little bird hunting. All the fellas had a great time, and, of course, the dogs did too. They love a good day's work on the field. The birds were flying great and the hunters were shooting straight! We managed to pick up 129 quail, so...
The reclusive cougars — also called pumas, catamounts, mountain lions or panthers and, perhaps most fittingly, “ghost cats, is the second largest cat in North America. Unlike other big cats, however, the cougar cannot roar. Instead, the large feline purrs like a house cat. Cougars also have similar body types to house cats, only on a larger scale. They have slender bodies and round heads with pointed ears. They vary between, 5-9 ft from head to tail. While males can weigh up to 150 lb, fem...
This week, I want to talk about how to anticipate tracking a deer after it's been stuck with an arrow. There are some tell-tale signs to keep an eye out for when the arrow hits that can give you a good idea of where you hit it and how long you need to wait before tracking it. Of course, I can right out tell you that shots to the head and neck aren't really what you want. Sure, they're pretty vital, but with all the bone, skin, muscle, and fur in the way, you're more likely than not just going...
Disabled animals don't realize that they are handicapped: "I want to tell you a little bit about special needs raccoons (wildlife) and our disabilities. I have several handicapped raccoons, some are blind, and some are amputees, deaf and six with neurological (brain damage) from mild to severe. While working with these animals all these years I have come to the conclusion that we are a lot like them except it's harder for a human to accept disabilities and overcome them. The difference I see is...
Summer’s been shown the door, and the weather’s certainly gotten a little bit cooler. Sure, we could use some rain, but you better believe we’ll get some more of that sooner rather than later. Bow season kicks off Saturday in Alabama for buck hunting, with Zone B getting to harvest does starting the 25th of October. Of course, scouting is in full swing, and part of that is studying trail camera photos. One topic that’s always up for debate is how to properly age a buck, and just like anythin...
The Ring-tailed lemur (Lemur Catta) is a large prosimian (representing forms that were ancestral to monkeys, apes and humans), belonging to the family Lemuridae'. The name 'lemur' comes from the Roman festival 'Lemuria', during which ghosts were exorcised. It is descriptive of some lemurs' nocturnal habits, noiseless move-ments, reflective eyes, and ghost like cries and appearance. Today lemurs are known as 'ghosts of the forest.' Like all other lemurs, it is found only on the island of...
It may just be me, but it feels like everything's settling into place. The air seems just a hint cooler, college football is kicking off, and the anticipation of another round of deer hunting keeps on building. Up first, of course, is bow season, and before we get too excited and just stomp off into the woods, there's a few things you wanna keep in mind so that you don't ruin your season before it even begins! For starters, you need to know the lay of the land. Sure, you know how to get in and...
The coati is a medium-sized mammal only found on the American continent. The coati is found widely distributed across North, Central and South in a number of different habitats. The coati is primarily found in dense forests and wet jungles as the coati will spend a great deal of its life in the safety of the trees. However, there are also coati populations inhabiting grasslands, mountains and even deserts across the continent. Coatis are members of the Procyonidae family, a group of New World...
I know a lot of you folks have deer on the brain for just about every waking moment, and I can say that I'm no different. I'm always thinking about all the different things that go with it, and with my work at QDMA, I'm also looking at what hunting means to us as both individuals and as members of society at large. Ultimately, I'm also thinking about what will lead to maintaining deer hunting as one of our great heritages that we can proudly pass down to the next generation. For starters, we...
The kinkajous are from Central and South America, they primarily live in trees, hang by their tail, and love to eat fruit and honey. However, the kinkajou (Potos flavus) is not a primate. Actually more closely-related to raccoons, coatis and lemurs. Kinkajous are one of only two members of the Carnivora order with prehensile tails, the other being the binturong. Fully-grown kinkajous weigh 8-10 lbs and have a total body length of 16-24 inches. In addition, their powerful tails may equal or excee...
