The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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As each day rolls on by this Summer, I can't tell you how ready I am for deer season to get here. Sure, maybe some of that cooler weather that goes with it, too! As we're looking forward to the upcoming months, one of the things many of us are doing is setting up Trail-Camera Surveys. Mr. Lindsay Thomas Jr. wrote an excellent article on this over on QDMA's website, and I'll break it down for you here. A Trail-Camera Survey is an incredibly useful tool to give you a look at your deer population,...
The Raccoon (Procyon lotor) is native to North and South America having a range that extends from Southern Canada to the northern reaches of Argentina. Raccoons have feral populations in Europe, especially Germany, where they escaped from fur farms and were set loose to be hunted for sport during the time of World War II. The raccoon gets its name from the Algonquin word arakun which means "one who scratches with his hands." Raccoons are plantigrade animals, walking on the entirety of their...
It may not be so well-known or prevalent down here, but when it comes to measuring up just how big and bad that buck you downed is, the go-to system for trophy hunters everywhere is the Boone and Crockett guideline. It’s a pretty darned detailed method for determining just how good that rack is on your buck! It requires a ¼ inch wide flexible steel tape in order to be up to snuff. After counting points, measuring beams, and a whole lot of other things, you can calculate just how many points yo...
By DAVID K. NELSON, Supervising Wildlife Biologist, Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries and DR. M. KEITH CAUSEY, Ireland Professor of Wildlife Science, Auburn University, Retired "This article was published in the Spring of 2001 in "Alabama's TREASURED Forests" True wild pigs are not native to Alabama or the New World. Wild swine in North and South America, which may include European wild hogs, feral hogs and hybrids between the two have been introduced. Pigs were domesticated...
I gotta tell ya, folks, I just got my final turkey hunting fix for the year up in lovely South Dakota! Dan Schofield, Hunter Smith, and myself had 8 tags between the three of us, and in 5 days managed to tag out! The weather was phenomenal; pretty every single day. I've been making this trip each May for 23 years now, and even compared to every other time I've been chasing down those Merriam's Thunder Chickens, this year stands as one of the best. Those birds never disappoint! Of course, good...
This month were are going to try to help you understand one of the most intelligent animals in the US. The raccoon. The Raccoon (Procyon lotor) is native to North and South America having a range that extends from Southern Canada to the northern reaches of Argentina. Raccoons have feral populations in Europe, especially Germany, where they escaped from fur farms and were set loose to be hunted for sport during the time of World War II. The raccoon gets its name from the Algonquin word arakun...
By the time you folks get to cast your gaze over this article, there will only be 6 days left in Turkey season! For some, it's been a pretty darn good year for turkey hunting, while others have found it to be a little on the slower side. Regardless, it's going to be wrapped up fairly soon, and as we approach the end of one season, my mind starts to steer towards the next season. And in this case, I've got fishing on my mind. I imagine y'all might be a bit more familiar with fishing down in the...
I felt this information would help everyone to see the wide picture and great wonders of this unique creature. So without further a due, this months fur baby is the Opossum lets pity the poor opossum. The oft-maligned marsupial definitely suffers from an image problem - it is frequently perceived more as a giant, dirty, scavenging rat rather than a cute creature of the wild. But whether you love them or hate them, North America's only marsupial has a set of unique characteristics that might...
Turkey season has kicked off now in Alabama, and even though I haven't held a gun yet this season, I've seen plenty of action while helping hunters and huntresses chase after those elusive birds. Now, while some folks have started the season with a big bang, knocking down turkeys well before the morning's really started, there are also folks out there who just can't quite get the rascals to fly down from the roost in the right direction. Some of these birds have been talkative, and sometimes...
The chipmunks are small, ground-dwelling members of the squirrel (Sciuridae) family known for their burrowing habits and love of nuts. Despite their size, chipmunks can cause significant damage to homes, yards, and farms. The average size of a chipmunk is: 2-6" long with a 3" tail; less than 1 lb. in weight. Their lifespan in the wild: 2-3 years Identifying Features: Shades of brown/ yellow/grey fur with white and black stripes down the back. There are 23 existing species of chipmunks all chipmu...
Hope everyone's having a good break so far! By break, I'm of course referring to the lull in hunting after the end of deer season! Naturally, as we hunters and outdoorsmen are back home, deciding what to do with that freezer meat, there are lots of folks whose jobs are really kicking into high gear The Conservation Advisory Board (CAB) is going to meet next month to discuss some major changes in deer, turkey, and small game hunting. The CAB is the governing body of sorts over season length, bag...
Over the years if people heard Wolf they would shutter with fear, because of the stories and urban legends we were brought up to believe such as Little Red Riding Hood, Three Little Pigs, and don't forget the greatest urban legend the Werewolf. The fear of getting bit by a wolf would surely turn you into a blood thirsty murderous werewolf preying on humans. So as you can see the wolf has lived with these stories and legends for centuries. The truth of the matter is wolfs are non aggressive by...
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...
Well ladies and gentlemen, the weather hasn't exactly been top-notch this season so far. We're finally starting to see some weather that resembles December, but to this point in the season, the deer haven't done much moving. Unseasonably warm weather means that there's still browse in the woods, so the deer don't have to move far to get their grub. On top of that, deer are a prey animal. They're conditioned to stay as safe as possible, meaning that when the weather gets cold and chilly, the...
Many wild animals are cute, especially babies, and it might be tempting to try and care for one on your own. This is not a good idea! Wild animals can be aggressive and can carry parasites and diseases that may be transmissible to you or your companion animals. Wildlife rehabilitators have the facilities and knowledge to address the very specific needs of various wildlife species. These tips can help you decide whether to take action: 1. Signs that a wild animal needs your help. 2. Presented by...
As I type up this article, we're counting down the days, hours, and minutes till the start of gun season! With bow and muzzleloader seasons underway, there's already been plenty of action for the avid outdoorsman, and the best part is still yet to come! I've had a few folks hunting with me during muzzleloader season, and they're seeing deer everywhere! Average field count is almost 40 deer a hunt! Between the cold weather, the lack of pressure, and a great crop of acorns this year, we should hav...
Grizzly bears have concave faces, a distinctive hump on their shoulders, and long claws about two to four inches long. The grizzlies have a life span of 20-30 years. The grizzly stand 6-8ft tall and males weigh 300-850 lbs and the females weigh 200-450 lbs. Both the hump and the claws are traits associated with a grizzly bear's exceptional digging ability. Grizzlies are often dark brown, but can vary from very light cream to black. The long guard hairs on their backs and shoulders frequently...
You know, it's getting later and later in the year, but that doesn't mean the fishing has let up any. In fact, right now is the perfect time to get out there and do some in-shore fishing for Speckle Trout, White Trout, and the big old Bull Reds! Just this last Thursday, myself, along with Bruce Lieberman and AB Smith, loaded up and made the 3 hour drive down to the Fowl River Bridge for a full day of fishing with Captain Chad Palmer. The Captain is a former blimp pilot who decided that life on...
Fishers, found only in North America, occur in the northern coniferous and the mixed forests of Canada and the northern United States. Their range extends from the mountainous areas in the southern Yukon and Labrador Provinces southward to central California and Wyoming, the Great Lakes and Appalachian regions, and New England. The fisher lives in thick coniferous or mixed coniferous and hardwood forests. It prefers habitats with lots of tree cover and lots of hollow trees for dens. The fisher...
It's that time of year when the weather's finally cooled off a little, the leaves are making a mess of the yard, and deer season has started again. On October 15th, the Northern Zone of Alabama began its bow season. And on the 25th, the Southern Zone, including Montgomery County, will start its bow season. As I've mentioned before, there's more than a few changes that have been made for deer season this year. Obviously, we've got the change in starting date between zones. Another big change is...
The wolverine is the mascot for the University of Michigan's football team and Michigan's state mammal. Wolverines look something like a mixture of a dog, a skunk, and a bear with short legs, long hair, and elongated snouts. Wolverines also have a distinctive mask of dark fur around their eyes and forehead, and a stripe of blond or ivory fur that runs from each shoulder to the base of the animal's tail. Wolverines are the largest of the weasel family. They are normally 26 to 34 inches from head...
For far longer than we've been around, man and dog have been a team in hunting as well as life itself. The bond of loyalty and trust between the two is a privilege and a joy that only those who raise a dog can know. Dogs are beyond clever and loyal when brought up with good hand, and their skills are definitely on display when hunting. For starters, there are a whole lot of ways to go hunting with dogs. Be it duck hunting, squirrel hunting, raccoon hunting, hog hunting, deer hunting, rabbit...
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...
Yes, it’s July, but that’s all the more reason to start getting ready for the hunt. And by getting ready, I’m talking about pre-season scouting, and I don’t mean just waiting till one week before the season gets started! Pre-season scouting, of course, is how you figure out where the best places to hunt ought to be. Remembering where signs were through-out the various hunts from last season, seeing different things while turkey hunting, or even just passing by and seeing the deer out feeding...
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,...
