Outdoors With Othmar Vohringer

New Ground Blind from Gorilla Gear

2009-07-14T11:55:00.001-07:00

The manufactures of the quality Gorilla Treestands have come out with a new ground blind. Gorilla Gear, a new line of hunting blinds and accessories designed to provide an undeniable advantage in the field, introduces the Smart Air ground blind. An enhanced camouflage shell provides 360° vision without relying on open windows. The realistic 3-D Leaf Cover conceals the entire blind. Eleven windows with silent hooks and loops allow hunters to change shooting ports without alarming game.

The blind is available in two Mossy Oak patterns - Mossy Oak Break-Up and Mossy Oak Treestand.

Features of the Pro 360° RS Blind are:

360° viewing without opening a window
Adjustable ShadowBlocker window panels
8" ground skirt for scent containment
Removable floor system for scent containment
Four spy windows for quick game detection when scent containment is a key
Realistic 3-D Leaf Cover
Gear Storage cargo net & cargo pocket included
Improved Carry Bag
Mossy Oak Break-Up and Mossy Oak Treestand

For more information about Gorilla Gear contact customer service at (810) 733-6360 or visit www.gorillablinds.com.

This new product introduction has been brought to you by:
Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Tags: Gorilla Treestands, Hunting Ground Blind, New Hunting Products

Merritt Outdoor Event

2009-07-09T16:36:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

In the aftermath of the mother of all nosebleeds I am still only running on a half full tank. Blood tank that is. I still can’t properly do all the things I would like without tiring quickly or get dizzy. Hence the lack of posting here. So when an opportunity came up to take part in an outdoor event right here in my won home town Merritt I thought that this is a good way to get back into the grove of things.

On Saturday the Powderkeg Sporting Supply Store celebrates its grand re-opening under new management and I have been asked to take part with my mini deer and turkey calling seminars . These seminars are specially designed for hunting product stores and will be held throughout the day. In between the seminars I will be on hand to answer all hunting related questions customers and visitors may have. From what I have been told by Fred Watson, the new owner of the Powderkeg, this is going to be one heck of an event for hunters and anglers of all ages. Believe me when i say that if you're in the area you do not want to miss this one.

It starts at 10 am with the Honorable Stockwell Day , the Federal Minister of Trade, cutting the ribbon. Of course the media represented by the TV, radio and local newspapers will be there too for the ribbon cutting. By the way, Stockwell Day is a committed supporter of hunting and fishing. It does not happen often that a member of the federal government publicly admits to that. He does and fir that alone my hat goes of to him. It's an added bonus that Stockwell Day is also one of the hardest working politicans in our country. He gets things done efficiently for our great nation. Sorry I degress, but I really like him and wish thre would more down to earth and hard working politicans like him.

Back to the grand re-opening of the Powderkeg.

There will be events going on throughout the day with some fantastic prices give away, from the fishing rod /reel combo, lures to a smoker and a air gun, there will be lots of prices for kids and adults available. Five hunting and fishing company representatives will be on hand with product demonstrations and useful advice and of course no event would be complete without music and BBQ and so we will have that too.

If you’re in or near Merritt tomorrow (Saturday July 9, 2009) please come by and say hello. It’s been a while since I took part in a store promotion event but it is always great fun and I get to meet many old friends and make new ones.

On a side note: Merritt, Canada’s Country Music Capitol, hosts the annual Country Music Festival over this weekend too. As usual the cream of North America’s country music artistes will take part on this three day event, starting today until Sunday, with all day concerts on the open air main stage. The town center is closed off to traffic to make room for the many vendor stalls, smaller street events and music performances of the local county music talents. In conjunction with the Country Music Festival there is the annual Bull Riding event at the Rodeo Grounds. This will be the first year that I have to miss out on the bull riding event. Rodeo is the only sport I am interested in and there was a time in my life when I seriously considered becoming a pro rodeo rider…but that is for another story. But hey, nothing is lost because in August Merritt does it all over again on the main rodeo event.

Boy am I spoiled or what? At heart I am a cowboy, a hunter and angler. I live in Merritt, one of the last real cowboy towns, surrounded by some of the best hunting and fishing British Columbia has to offer. Life can’t get any better than that. "Yeehaw", see you at the Powderkeg tomorrow.

Attention: If you would like me to attend your sporting goods store or any other hunting related event with one of my popular seminars visit my website or Email Me for more information.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Outdoor Store Opening, Store Promotion, Hunting Seminars, Powderkeg Merritt, Hunting and Fishing, Merritt Country Music Capitol, Merritt Rodeo

New bill introduced in Congress supports hunting

2009-07-02T11:12:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Between all the news about anti hunting lobbyist trying to stop hunting it is refreshing to learn about new legislation introduced in the Congress that supports hunting. From the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance I received the following press release.

Congress Introduces Legislation to Protect Hunting on Federal Lands

Hunting’s Importance Reaffirmed

(Columbus)-Companion bills, introduced yesterday in Congress, protect the rights of sportsmen to hunt on federal land while also recognizing hunting’s importance to all conservation.

The Hunting Heritage Protection Act, is made up of Senate bill 1348, sponsored by Senator Saxby Chambliss (R- GA) and H.R. 3046, sponsored by Representative Denny Rehberg (R-MT).
Both pieces of legislation require that federal land be managed in a way that supports, promotes, and enhances access for hunting and mandates that an annual report be submitted to Congress detailing any limitations that are imposed on hunting federal lands. It also will require a written notification be given to Congress prior to any agency action that limits hunting on large parcels of federal land consisting of 5,000 or more acres.

“Sportsmen across America owe Senator Chambliss, Representative Rehberg, and other member of Congress many thanks for the steps they are taking to preserve our hunting rights,” stated USSA President and CEO Bud Pidgeon. “In a time where access to suitable hunting land is becoming increasingly difficult, this legislation goes a long way towards curtailing that trend and guaranteeing current or increased hunting opportunities are available today and tomorrow.”

Sportsmen should contact their Congressional elected officials and ask them to support the Hunting Heritage Protection Act. Inform them that hunters and other sportsmen and sportswomen are great stewards of federal lands and should have full access to those lands whenever and wherever possible. To find your Congressional officials, go to the Legislative Action Center.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Hunting Legislation, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, Hunting Heritage Protection Act

Saying goodbye…

2009-06-29T18:33:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

…Is never easy. This is no different with a company, especially if that company manufactured and sold a product that had a good purpose and made hunting from treestands with a rifle safer. It came a bit of a shock to me when I learned that Gun Safety Innovations had to close its doors as another victim of the current economic situation. There have been rumors for a while that the company is considering calling it a day but somehow I hoped they would pull through.

I first became aware of Gun Safety Innovations around the middle of June in 2006 when I was surfing the Internet, as I often do, looking for hunting news. I somehow ended up on the Gun Safety Innovation blog Hunt Smart, Think Safety written by Kristine Shreve, Marketing Director of the company. After reading about the product called “Gunslinger” and later renamed to the much catchier and descriptive name “GunTriever” I knew that this was a winner of a product. You can read all about the GunTriever in my product review that I wrote after I field-tested the product.

Shortly after my review Gun Safety Innovation became one of my sponsors and I became one of their pro-staff members. I like to work with companies that manufacture useful quality products because it is such products that I can fully endorse and promote with confidence and still be able to look in the mirror at the end of the day. I wouldn’t have it any other way. It always has been my policy that I only promote products that I am convinced about. The GunTriever had been one of these products and I was sure that it would become a hot seller. But it seems with the economy faltering gun safety in a treestand seemed not to be first and foremost on the minds of rifle hunters.

Besides helping to promote the GunTriever I had the privilege to gain Kristine Shreve as a valued friend and supporter of my blogs and work. From a business point of view I learned a lot about promotion and marketing from Kristine. It was this friendship that ultimately led, together with a handful of other serious outdoor bloggers, to the founding of the Outdoor Blogger Summit (OBS). I think I speak for all founding members here if I say that it is in large part thanks to Kristine’s drive, determination and vision that the OBS today is the largest outdoor blogger organization.

I am sad to see Gun Safety Innovations closing but the friendships I made thanks to the company are continuing. Of course as the hopeless optimist that I am I have not given up hope that one day Gun Safety Innovations will be back again.

Thanks for everything! I wish all the employees and owners of Gun Safety Innovations nothing but the best of luck in the future.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Health update

2009-06-25T06:27:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Since my post About fishing, bleeding and surgery I received many comments on this blog, by email, on twitter and facebook with get well soon wishes, tips and general concern. I therefore think it is only right to update you on my health and thank you all for the outpouring of concern you have shown.

A few days ago my doctor phoned up to tell me that the results from the blood and urine tests are in and that he would like to speak to me about a concern he had. At my age you start to worry when you hear the word “concern” and so I didn't look forward to the next appointment.

As it turned out there where more good than bad news waiting for me. The good news is that all my inner organs and systems are in very good shape and working order. This, according to my doctor is better then above average for people in my age group. The blood and urine tests also showed that all the other things associated with age such as cholesterol and high blood pressure among a few other things are very good. In short to use the doctors words. “You’re an exceptionally healthy person.”

So what’s the concern then? My hemoglobin is in the basement, which according to the doctor is an indicator of how much blood I lost when I had the nosebleed. The doctor said that I lost just over a third of my blood and he was surprised that I didn’t get a blood transfusion. “Normally” the doc said, “people that loose that much blood go into shock and can slip into a coma.” Wow, that would explain why I still get dizzy spells and feel tired all the time. On the short walk with my dog to the post office, less than a mile, I have to rest three times to catch my breath.

“Yes” the doctor said, “and I advice you to take it very easy, as soon you feel dizzy or tired lay down and have a rest. If you’re not resting you still could send your body into shock. You have very little blood left in your body and it will take about a month to build up to normal. During that time don’t do anything that puts strain on you.”

The good thing is that I now get to eat more of the stuff that I like to eat and that makes most people go “yewww “. In order to build up my blood I have to eat iron rich foods, things like liver and spinach. Yummiii!

Food contains iron in two forms; heme and non-heme. Heme iron is better absorbed by the body than non-heme iron. Heme iron is found in meat, eggs, fish and poultry. Non-heme iron is found in beans, whole grains, nuts and some fruits and vegetables like spinach and string beans. To help the body to absorb the richer heme iron I will eat foods rich on vitamin C such as citrus fruits, cantaloupe, strawberries, broccoli ( I love broccoli it’s my favorite vegetable next to potatoes and spinach), sweet peppers and tomatoes.

To this end the doctor gave me a long list of foods I should eat more of in the coming weeks and he also prescribed iron pills for me. One aspect I like about my doctor is that he is not a pill pusher. I absolutely detest taking medicine. So much so that I rather ride my severe migraine attacks out than resorting to heavy painkillers that leave me nauseous and with upset stomach for days.

Now I am happy again knowing that I am not plagued by some old age ailment that needs non-stop medical attention, as I feared first when I realized that my strength has left and my heart pounded like a sledgehammer. I am looking confident into the future knowing that all is good.

Now I am tired and need a rest. I just happen to know the perfect place to rest. There is a beautiful lake near our house and that is where I will spend the rest of the day with the fishing rod.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

In North Dakota hunters come first

2009-06-23T22:17:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

In a press release from June 1, 2009 the North Dakota Game and Fish Department announced changes to the use of Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) effective immediately.

The changes involve treestands, painballing and geocaching. The deadline to remove treestands has been extended by three weeks to Jan. 31. Scott Peterson, wildlife resource section supervisor, said extending the archery season has allowed bowhunters to hunt WMA’s later into January than previous years. “This left very little time for archers to remove tree stands,” Peterson said. “We thought it was prudent to give hunters more time to remove tree stands.”

Paintballers and geocachers do not fare as well. The Game and Fish Department announced that these activities are now prohibited on all WMA’s in North Dakota. “While these types of activities may not always create a significant impact to an individual WMA, they do create a considerable amount of unnecessary disturbance to both wildlife and wildlife habitat,” Peterson said. “They also have the potential to create competition with hunters and anglers who help pay for managing WMAs.” said Peterson.

The lion’s share of funding to purchase and maintain Wildlife Management Areas comes directly from hunters through the special excise taxes generated by the sale of firearms, ammunition and other hunting related products. The funds are distributed to the states by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service each year. Peterson reasoned, and quite rightly so, that therefore hunters and fishers should be able to hunt and fish undisturbed by paintballers and geocaching activities.

I take my hat off to the North Dakota Fish and Game Department for putting hunters, fishers and wildlife habitat first. I hope that the North Dakota decision is adopted by other states and Canadian provinces with the same showing of respect toward hunters and fishers who finance the bulk for the management of WMA’s and other public lands.

This news has been brought to you by:
Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Tags: North Dakota, Fish and Game Department, Hunters, Geocaching, Paintballing, New WMA Regulations, In North Dakota Hunters come first

Sunday hunting in Saskatchewan is coming

2009-06-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Here is a bit of good news for hunters in Saskatchewan. According to the
Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment the Sunday hunting ban will be lifted.

Hunters will enjoy an additional day of hunting in Saskatchewan, with province-wide Sunday hunting for all game species and hunters beginning with the 2009 hunting season.
This will bring Saskatchewan in line with the vast majority of North American jurisdictions, which already have Sunday hunting.

"Sunday hunting will provide economic benefits to our rural economy and strengthen tourism and recreational hunting opportunities," Environment Minister Nancy Heppner said.
A 2006 economic evaluation of hunting done for the Ministry of Environment showed that the total hunting-related expenditure in the province was $107 million and hunting created the equivalent of 1,000 full-time jobs.

"Bringing in Sunday hunting will lead to an additional $9 million in total expenditures," Heppner added. That estimate is from a July 2008 survey and analysis contracted by the ministry.
The Ministry of Environment will continue to ensure that wildlife resources are managed to provide priority to First Nations and Métis people under their Aboriginal and Treaty rights, after conservation needs are met.

This news item is brought to you by:
Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Tags: Saskatchewan, Sunday Hunting, New Hunting Regulation, Sunday Hunting Ban Lifted, Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment

BC Family Fishing Day in Merritt

2009-06-22T14:23:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

On Fathers Day, June 21st the Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club (NVFGC) held their traditional BC Family Fishing Day event at the children lake located between the Kentucky and the Alleyne lakes. Despite the cloudy weather with the occasional rain and drizzle, it did not deter families from attending. By 11:00 am over 50 adults and 59 children had signed up at the registration booth.

While the weather might not have been the usual sunny and hot it certainly was perfect for fishing. By the end of the event over 120 rainbow trout had been weighed in with the heavier ones exceeding two pounds. Neither did the weather negatively impact on the excitement, joy and determination of the many young fishers. The enthusiasm of the children and the joy they felt spending quality time with their parents and family on the lake had everybody in a good mood.

According to Bill Otway, the organizer of the Family Fishing Day for the Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club, this year’s event has been one of the most successful since the club started to host the Family Fishing Day. Of course an event of this proportion would not be possible without the numerous hard working volunteers and members of the NVFGC and the many supporters from the Merritt business community. A big thank you to the Credit Union, Powderkeg Outdoor Supply Store, Ponderosa Tackle and Archery, Tim Hortons, McDonalds and many other individuals for donating prizes, tents, time and money to make this event possible and the success it was.

The local Conservation Officer detachment was present during the entire event providing assistance and showing children how to clean fish. The Conservation Officers also provided over 40 rod and reel combos plus other smaller prizes and gifts to be given away to the children that took part in the fishing derby. There were other prizes to be had as well; making sure that no child was left out. In the cozy refreshment tent the ladies of the NVFGC were busy providing hot coffee, donuts, grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for the hungry fishers and spectators.

All in all this was a great event shared by many families and everybody had a good time. The BC Family Fishing Weekend purpose is to promote new fishing opportunities and British Columbia as a world-class fishing destination. For this special family event no fishing license was required and the lake had been stocked with additional fish. The NVFGC is proud to be the annual host of the Family Fishing Day and we look forward to next year’s Father’s day event. The NVFGC is a family orientated conservation and sportsman organization offering many events throughout the year for its members. Membership applications can be obtained at the Powderkeg Outdoor Supply Store in Merritt.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: British Columbia Fishing, Family Fishing Day, Nicola Valley fish and Game Club

Still taking it easy

2009-06-19T13:16:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

It’s almost a week since I had the nosebleed of all nosebleeds which landed me in the hospital. I still feel drained of all strength due to the severe blood loss and have no other choice but to take it easy. We took this opportunity to drive around the countryside, rather than hiking, and it gave me a good opportunity to put my new camera though it paces.

Here are the results. Enjoy.

Typical landscape around our home in Merritt.

A mule deer doe on the side of the street enjoying a nibble on the fresh green. There where four more a bit further back in the woodlot.

This is one of lakes I frequent with the fishing rod in the middle of a beautiful and tranquil landscape.

Gazu, our loyal dog and my good hunting partner, having a good time at the lake fetching sticks and chasing little fish in the shallow shoreline or anything else that moves.

A snapshot of my photography tutor, wife and best friend at work. She's hidden behind tall grass waiting of the shy Loon to get into position for her to take a picture.

All pictures are taken with a Canon Rebel XSi Digital SLR and various fixed and zoom lenses.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

It worked

2009-06-16T16:13:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

In all the excitement of last week I completely overlooked an email sent to me by Bill Otway regarding our “Poor Box” action in support of the British Columbia Conservation Officers (C.O's).

Since it appears that some of the information in the email is from confidential sources I am not going to provide names in the following post.

In the email Bill Otway informs me the he got an email from somebody at the BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF) to let him know that information has been received from someone in the BC government that more funding to cover Conservation Officers (CO) expenses and gas money for their duty vehicles has been "found" made available. In other words the CO’s are now able again to fulfill all of their duties and patrol their assigned territories.

It is interesting to note that the government “found” the money three days after our “Poor Box” action took place and two days after I posted on this blog. I check my blog stats every day and often see referring urls ending in “gov.ca” (Government of Canada), “gov.us” (United States Government) and “gov.bc” (Government of British Columbia).

Could it be that somebody in the BC government visiting this blog read about our “Poor Box” action and got the ball rolling to find money for our CO’S before more actions are taken around the province by engaged hunters? I don’t know but like to think so.

The media reported about it on the front page the day I went into hospital and the local TV station is still airing a segment on it. Thanks to everybody involved in getting our message out there.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

About fishing, bleeding and surgery

2009-06-15T20:54:00.000-07:00

© by Othmar Vohringer

The week started of quite pleasant and on Wednesday it got even better when my wife and I spent a relaxing afternoon fishing on the lake. I have to admit that I have to watch myself as Heidi recently seems to do better at catching fish then I am. If that keeps up I will be the one asking her for tips.

In the two hours we fished I caught one decent sized Pike Minnow that I released since I am not so keen on eating them. Pike Minnows taste nice but they have a lot of very fine bones that makes eating them a chore for me. In that same time frame Heidi caught five fish of which she released all but one cokanee salmon. For those that are not familiar with salmon. A kokanee is a sockey salmon that spends its entire life in freshwater.

We decided that we will have that fish for dinner and on the way home we discussed what side dishes we want to make with it. Arriving at home I cleaned the fish and then went downstairs to my office to check on my emails. I had a Fish & Game Club board meeting that evening and sometimes board members send last minute information.

I was just about to answer an email when I felt a funny sensation in my nose and before I had time to wonder what it is a stream of blood gushed forth with such violence that within seconds the desk, keyboard, my shirt and pants were totally covered in red. Pressing both hands firmly on my nose I run upstairs, leaving a copious blood trail behind me.

For an hour I tried to stop the bleeding but no matter what tricks I tried, and I tried them all, the bleeding had mo intention of slowing down. When the blood started to drip out of my mouth Heidi stepped in and said, “Like it or not but I am taking you to the hospital.” With both hands pressing towels on my nose and a mouth full of blood, spitting and swallowing at the same time I was hardly in a state to argue that it is no big deal and probably will stop at any moment now. So I followed her obediently to the car.

On the short drive to the hospital I was thinking at any time now the bleeding would stop and when we arrive at the hospital I would look like a fool for bothering a busy doctor with nothing. As it turned out the bleeding didn’t stop and by the time a doctor was called I created a sizeable puddle of crimson on the hospital floor. Finally, what seemed like an eternity a doctor showed up and when he said, “Oh my gosh” it dawned on me that the fish dinner may be delayed and that the club’s board meeting may have to commence without me.

As it turned out the doctor in the small hospital seemed a bit at a loss what to do to stop the bleeding. As a last resort he gathered up as much stuffing as he could carry in his hands and proceeded to shove it all up my nose. Up to that point I had no idea that a nose can expand to three times its normal size and that it could accommodate four large sized surgical sponges. But hey what do you know that seemed to do the trick. The bleeding stopped. With the doctors recommendation, “Leave the stuffing in the nose for at least two days” still ringing in my ears I began to wonder how on earth I am going to breath with my mouth while eating or drinking. Or I am supposed to quit eating and drinking for two days too?

The answer to that problem solved itself three hours into me trying to relax a bit in front of the TV and sipping on a cup of coffee in our living room. I heard a “plop” and then saw a little ring form in my coffee cup, like when one throws a stone in the water, the moment I set cup on my lips to take sip of my favourite beverage. “Plop” there is another one. “Plop” there goes another one. What the heck it that? I just wanted to tell Heidi that the stuffing starts to leak when I felt that said stuffing literary is been pushed out of my right nostril. I just made it to the sink when the stuffing vacated my nose followed by the Niagara Falls of all nosebleeds.

The same procedure followed as previously. I am getting a ride to the hospital while pressing towels against my face. It got interesting back in the hospital when the doctor, called out in the middle of the night and somewhat irritated inquired. “Did you pull the stuffing out?” and continued without pause in a distinctly reprimanding voice, “I told you it has to stay in your nose for two days.”

I explained what happened and the doctor reached for my pulse and then exclaimed, “no wonder your blood pressure is through the roof. We have to get you on medication.” An hour and a blood pressure lowering injection later my nose was bleeding like there would be no end to the supply but I started to feel a bit woozy. Upon telling the doctor that I start to feel a little “funny” it seemed to trigger an emergency button in his brain. He decided that perhaps now would be a good time to consult with a specialist. Great thinking. I would appreciate that. I started to worry a bit and looking at Heidi I sensed that she was about to make a decision for the doctor if he does not come up with an idea soon.

An hour from that phone call and with more stuffing up my nose, still blood tripping out my mouth, I was whisked off in an ambulance to the hospital in Pendiction, some hundred kilometres from Merritt, while Heidi was following us in the car. Arriving in Pendiction the nose specialist was awaiting me, an Iranian, he padded me on the shoulder while assuring me in a calming warm voice. “Don’t worry my friend I fix that for you.” Thank God finally somebody seems to know how to stop that bloody nightmare.

“Lay on that table and tilt you head back,” the doctor said. Half here and half in la-la-land I felt a sharp sting shooting up my nose. The best I can describe the sensation is like someone stuck a burning torch up my nostrils. From somewhere distant I heard the doctors reassuring voice. “That will do it for now and tomorrow I will operate on your nose. Don’t worry everything will be just fine. You will sleep well tonight.” With more stuffing up my nose and that burning sensation an my confidence in the medical profession established the nurse wheeled me to my room.

The next day a nurse came the room to tell me that the operation had been rescheduled for the next day due to emergency overflow from a bad road accident. Well at least I did have a good night sleep and the bleeding did stop. I was in good hands and could wait a day.

On Saturday morning someone from the operating room came to tell me that I would be operated on in a few hours. Ah, that’s why dinner was missing last might. At 10 am I was carted off to a room full of strange instruments and lights a nurse smiled at me saying, “You will feel a bit dizzy in a minute” No kidding the world started to spin before me like a carousel. Just before it got dark around me I heard that by now familiar warm reassuring voice “You’ll be fine when …” the rest of the sentence faded away as the world got darker around me.

“Good morning Othmar you’re in the recovery room, everything went fine as I promised you.” I open my eyes and looking at the doctor mumbled something about how grateful I am and that I really would appreciate a coffee about now.” I am not familiar with all the medical terms but as I figured out there were a few bone fragments from an earlier nose bridge fracture- another one of these things I didn’t want to bother a doctor with and let nature take care of it instead- that had to be removed because they pierced through the nose membrane and that in turn caused the profuse bleeding.

I learned that the nose is a delicate organ with an intricate web of blood vessels and if several of them are cut it can results in severe bleeding and in rare cases can cause critical blood loss. I was just on the edge of reaching the critical stage. Heidi came to pick me up on Saturday afternoon and rather then admiring the beautiful countryside between Pendiction and Merritt I slept all the way home. Staggered in the house got comfortable on the couch and sleep sound until the next morning.

Today I feel still a bit woozy. Doctor said it will take a few days for the body to replenish all the blood I lost and I shall take it easy for a few days. Other than having a nose resembling that of a bulldogs face – that will go away to in a few days too – there is no visible sign on my body from that ordeal.

Oh before I forget! A big thank you to my lovely wife for standing at my side throughout the ordeal and remaining absolutely calm and having the situation under control even when the first doctor seemed for a moment to loose it. She drove several times back and forth between Merritt and Pendiction and spent a full day cleaning up the bloody trails I left behind throughout the house and on all the clothing, computer and the office desk.

One thing that had me worried is the high blood pressure but the Iranian doctor assured me. "Nonsense you do not need blood pressure regulating medicine. You have had an exiting experience and trauma it is normal for the blood pressure to go through the roof, you’re a human not a machine. I checked all your organs and systems and everything is in perfect condition.” At age 56 I guess that is a compliment.

What a weekend!

78 year old beats off attacking grizzly bear with stick

2009-06-09T12:38:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Breaking News:

Antler art artist, 78 year old Tom Wanyandie beat off a grizzly bear with his walking stick that attacked his son.

The father and son were looking for moose antlers sheds in the wilderness near Prairie Creek when they spotted a grizzly bear cub. A few seconds after seeing the cub the adult grizzly attacked Tom Wanyandie’s son James injuring him seriously.

Read the full story here how the courageous father fought off the bear with his walking stick and saved his son life.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Bear Attack, Grizzly Bear Attacks Man, Alberta

Taking Action

2009-06-06T13:28:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

As reported in an earlier article the government of British Columbia has again cut back the budget of the Fish and Wildlife Branch of the MOE (Ministry of Environment). This is a trend that unfortunately has become an annual ritual over the past several years while at the same time increasing the workload and duties of our Conservation Officers. The budget cutbacks are not about the lack of funding generated by hunters and fishers, which exceed the 400 million dollar mark, which would be more then enough money to finance the expenses of the Fish and Wildlife Branch. The cut backs are more about paying for an ever-expanding government bureaucracy and the multi-million boondoggle of the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics.

Unfortunately, unlike America, British Columbia does not have a law like the Pittman-Robertson Act that would guarantee that hunter and angler generated money flows back to the Wildlife department. Instead the millions from hunting and fishing flow into the general province budget to be used in any which way the government sees fit.

Letters from outraged hunters, fishers and organizations to the government, complaining about the budget cuts to the Fish and Wildlife Branch that leaves our Conservation Officers basically without enough funding to operate - There isn't even enough money to fuel up the CO service vehicles - remained largely unanswered. In the rare occasions where replies were sent they consisted of the usual political excuses why cutbacks to the Fish and Wildlife Branch were necessary. Well, if the government does not listen to reason and commonsense they can maybe be shamed into listening. With that in mind a few members of the Nicola Valley Fish and Game Club, spearheaded by well known and respected Canadian outdoor personality Bill Otway, got together and initiated a “Poor Box” initiative.

On June the 4th. Bill Otway, my wife and I visited the local sporting goods stores to set up donation boxes to collect money for the local Conservation Officers, so they at least can buy gas for their service vehicles. Of course we didn’t just go to the stores and set up “Poor Boxes” quietly. We invited the newspapers and the local television. They all attended the event and will report to the community about why we now have to help finance the Conservation Officers so they can continue to do their important work as the first line of defense against poaching and environmental pollution.

This “Poor Box” action initiated by the Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club has generated interest of other Fish and Game Clubs in British Columbia and soon it will catch on all over the province and generate a lot of public interest and that might be all that is needed to make the government rethink their short sighted budget cuts. Or as one store owner and former Conservation Officer put it eloquently. “With the recent budget cuts the government has cut the legs off of the guard dog.”

I leave you here with the official press release that we handed out.

Press Release –For immediate release
June 4, 2009

The members of the Nicola Valley Fish and Game Club are taking the action of setting up donation “Poor Boxes” in our local sporting goods stores today in recognition of the cutbacks our provincial government has made to the budget of the Fish and Wildlife Branch of the MOE.

Despite the fact that the licence fees paid by hunters, anglers and trappers in this province provide more than adequate funds to support fish and wildlife management and protection, funds for these purposes have been cut to the bone.

We find staff cut to below even minimum requirement levels. There is no money to carry out any real management programs including an almost total elimination of inventory of both fish and wildlife stocks.

We have been advised by the Acting Chief Conservation Officer that due to budget constraints Conservation Officers (C.O.s), are no longer allowed to have their government vehicles at home to allow quick response to emergency after hours calls. To add insult to injury we are also advised that C. O.s can only respond to after hour’s calls for incidents that are threats to human health or safety. So after hour’s pollution, poaching etc. will now go unchallenged. In short, the basic reason for the Conservation Officer Service being in existence is no longer on the charts.

The Conservation Officer is the first line of defence in the continuing efforts to maintain and enhance our fish and wildlife heritage. When you take away the first line of defence, you in fact erode the base and have begun the slide into oblivion for this heritage. This is why we have chosen to focus our efforts today on the plight of our Conservation Officer Service. Their plight is a clear indication of the current endemic problems that exist throughout the Fish and Wildlife Branch.

We have spoken with many of our sister clubs throughout the province and find that they are seeing the same problems with reduced enforcement and management as we are. They are supportive of our efforts and many are going to embark on a similar program in their own areas.

We, of course cannot provide funding to pay for the needed overtime and other costs of the Conservation Officers, but we felt that we and the community could contribute to the gas bill of the service. This we feel at the very least should free up some funds for government to be able to provide at least some after hours service. Moreover in many areas we are finding that in fact the current budget does not even provide for an adequate gasoline allowance to do adequate patrols in normal working hours.

We want to make it very clear that it is our experience that the staff in the Conservation Service are totally dedicated to their jobs and are committed to doing all they can to ensure we leave the best possible fish and wildlife heritage for future generations. We in the Nicola Valley Fishing and Game Club intend to do our part to aid these dedicated individuals to achieve their and our goals.

Bill Otway, Communications Chair
Nicola Valley Fish and Game Club

Image courtesy of Bill Otway

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

HSUS Fundraising under the Spotlight

2009-06-04T15:38:00.000-07:00

News provided by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has recently become the subject of scrutiny after an Atlanta based news station’s investigative report raised questions over millions in donations to the HSUS.

The report, done by WSB-TV channel 2, focused on concerns that the HSUS may engage in fundraising tactics in which donors believe their contributions predominately go to help local animal shelters.

The report highlighted certain controversies surrounding the HSUS such as the public disclosure of only $7 million in expenditures for reuniting pets displaced during Hurricane Katrina with their owners, despite having raised $34 million to accomplish the task. At that time, the Louisiana Attorney General’s office launched an investigation into the matter.

A Channel 2 reporter also attended a local HSUS meeting, where the discussions were reportedly focused on activism, not animal care. It was also stated in the report that the Georgia Director for HSUS admitted that she spends most of her time working on lobbying rather than working to coordinate the care of animals.

“We have long believed that many HSUS donors think they are helping local dog and cat shelters,” said Bud Pidgeon, president and CEO of the US Sportsmen’s Alliance. “We think this confusion actually diverts funds away from that purpose and actually funds campaigns to restrict hunting rights and common farming and livestock practices.”

Those confused are not just locals. USSA and other sportsmen and agriculture organizations believe that conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh mistakenly believes that HSUS is primarily involved in caring for dogs and cats. Limbaugh recently produced two advertisements for HSUS endorsing a couple of its programs. Sportsmen fear that the conservative icon’s collaboration with the animal rights organization will help whitewash its agenda in the eyes of other conservatives.

The USSA recently had the opportunity to discuss the ongoing controversy surrounding Rush Limbaugh’s support of the HSUS with Greg and Dan on 1470 WMBD in Peoria, Illinois on May 19.

Read more

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Knight Rifles closes doors

2009-06-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

For weeks I watched the news with a pounding heart hoping against all hope that General Motors (GM) would pull through. Then came the bad news that GM has filed protective bankruptcy. My heart skipped a beat. Yes I admit it, I am a GM fan. I don’t care about Ford, Toyota or Ram. For me the ultimate in comfort and quality is a GM truck.

In all the hoopla surrounding General Motors and completely overlooked by the mainstream media a reputable hunting company quietly closed its doors. Today Knight Rifles announced that they close their gun factory. Tony Knight, the founder of Knight Rifles, was an revolutionary inventor when it came to muzzleloaders and always was a nose length ahead of the competition. Knight was the first to offer an in-line muzzleloader in 1985 and it created a lot of controversy back then. Today in-line muzzleloaders are the norm for most serious black powder hunters and it is thanks to Tony Knight and his far reaching vision.

Later Tony Knight produced another first when he came out with a black powder gun that used shot shell primers as ignition instead of percussion caps. The shot shell primers provided a hotter and more reliable ignition and muzzleloader hunters love it. I still remember my very first muzzleloader, a Knight Wolverine .50 cal, I liked the simplicity, sleek design and out-of-the-box accuracy of that gun and henceforth became a loyal follower of Knight Muzzleloaders.

Over the years Knight Rifles came to be known and respected as trusted quality workhorses that didn’t break the bank. It is thanks to Tony Knight that muzzleloader hunting made the leap from a small niche interest to a hugely popular hunting method that ranks right up there with bowhunting. So what makes such a successful and all around respected company fall down?

According to Toby Bridges, Editor of Knight Rifles Muzzleloader Magazine, it is Knights departure from their original simple design. I think Toby is on to something, because I changed from Knight to Thomson Center for this very reason. It’s sad to see a innovative hunting company go that changed the world of muzzleloader hunting for the better as much as Knight Rifles did.

I wish Knight Rifles the best of luck for the future and sincerely hope that sometime in the future we see them again.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Knight Rifles, Knight Muzzleloaders, General Motors, Thomson Center, Bankruptcy

Magnet gun caddy

2009-05-30T15:03:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

One of the perks of being an outdoor writer is that we get new products to field test and then write about our findings. In the past I have field-tested and reviewed many products. Some of the products leave me scratching my head and asking myself “What were they thinking?” (Such products will never make into my reviews). While I have found that the majority of products I’ve tested to be useful there are other products that make me go “Wow, why didn’t someone think of that a long time ago?”

The Magnet Gun Caddy is one of these rare “Wow” moments and as with most of these exceptional products the genius lays in the sheer simplicity of the design that fulfills a real need. I lost count of how many times I came back to the truck from a hunting or fishing trip with both hands full of gear. I would have to lean the rifle, gun or fishing rod against the truck to free one hand up to get the key out of my pocket and unlock the truck.

More times than I care to remember the firearm or rod slipped and fell to the ground scratching the paint on the truck in the course of it. With the Magnet Gun Caddy this will never happen again. What is it? The Magnet Gun Caddy is a magnetic gun holder that will, due to a padded magnetic plate, stick to any metallic surface. The Magnet Gun Caddy can be placed on the side of the truck or the gun cabinet and holds your gun, rifle or fishing rod firmly in place.

Measuring 2 ¼” x 1¾ “ x 2 ¼ “ the Magnet Gun Caddy fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. When I leave my truck I put the Magnet Gun Caddy in my pocket or carry it in my pack. On returning I take the Magnet Gun Caddy and stick it on the side of my truck and hey presto! I have a handy gun or rod holder and don’t need to worry about scratching the paint or the gun falling over. The high-density rubber foam clamp holds most single barrel and over/under shotguns, rifles and all fishing rods.

I now take the Magnet Gun Caddy on all my hunting and fishing trips and wonder how I did without one for so long. This is without a doubt the handiest gadget I have come across in a very long time. To learn more about the Magnet Gun Caddy or find out where to buy it visit www.magnetguncaddy.com

To order the Magnetic Gun Caddy click on the banner below.Thank you.

Dealer inquires are welcome. Contact me for special pricing and product information.

Photo courtesy:
Othmar Vohringer Product Photography

If you would like to have your product reviewed here read my review policy or contact me.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: New Hunting Products, Magnet Gun Caddy, Product Field Test, Gun Rack

Bear hunting book and video

2009-05-29T15:05:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

I am a whitetail deer and turkey hunter and since moving here to British Columbia eight years ago I have been thinking of taking up bear hunting as well. British Columbia has a bear population of over 170,000 which makes it the bear capitol of North America. In recent years it has come to the point that people can’t avoid running into bears sooner or later in the big cities and in rural communities.

Recently I was given bear meat and surprisingly it tasted very nice. I wanted more bear meat! But rather then having meat given to me I want to hunt it myself.
From a conservationist point of view bear hunting aids in keeping the exploding bear population in a healthy balance with it’s natural habitat.

One way to be successful at bear hunting is to learn more about bears and hunting tactics. I just happen to have read a good book written by someone who knows a thing or two about the subject. A fellow British Columbian, Justin Ott, has just published a book called “The Black Bear Hunting Encyclopedia” and I was lucky to get a copy to review.

The first unique impression about the book is that it comes with a free complementary DVD that visualises what’s written in the book. This is the first time I have seen a book/ DVD combination and I must admit it is a brilliant idea. Seeing is often very different from just reading and gives a greater understanding

The DVD goes into great detail on how to field dress and skin out a bear. Another segment that I liked very much is the step-by-step procedure of how to prepare and make your own European bear skull mount. These two aspects alone make the DVD well worth having and it will be a great tool for a hunter to refer back to time and again.

The book covers everything a beginning bear hunter needs to know and I am convinced that even advanced and veteran bear hunters will be able to pick a few things up they have never known or need to be reminded of. In 13 chapters the book covers information about the black bear and conservation and then moves on to important things like where and how to find bears. In other chapters different hunting tactics are knowledgably explained. There are sections on hunting bears with rifles and archery equipment. Hunting bears from the ground, over bait, from treestands and stalking bears is all covered in subsequent chapters.

The book provides unbiased information on different gear and products essential for bear hunters. There are even complete checklists for equipment needed in a base camp, a bivouac camp or a day camp. There are check lists specific to bow hunters and rifle hunters.

The book even contains a chapter on how to take a “trophy” picture and ensure a lasting pleasant memory of the event. Another chapter provides information about taking care of the meat and how to store it properly. There are even a few bear meat recipes included.

The only small complaint I have about the DVD is that I would have liked to see more footage on bear behaviour, the various food sources and bear sign. These things are very well covered in the book with pictures, but still it would be good to see it on video too.

The Black Bear Hunting Encyclopaedia is just that; an encyclopedia, covering everything worth knowing about black bears and bear hunting, richly illustrated with photos, lists and charts. Justin Ott has left nothing out and he tells it all in an easy to understand language using professional or hunter jargon only where it is absolutely necessary. Novice bear hunters will appreciate that very much. I know I did.

What makes Justin Ott an expert on bear hunting? How about shooting a bear for himself and then helping three other hunters finding and shooting bears all in one single day for starters. Justin eats, sleeps and I am sure dreams bear hunting. He started hunting bears a few years ago and according to his own admission has been addicted to it ever since. Justin Ott is a man that will go to extraordinary lengths- like renting an airplane to fly over a new hunting area to get a birds eye view of the land and structure before he heads into the area on foot to scout it for weeks. The author hunts bears on foot and from treestands with rifle and bow and is so successful at it that he has been featured in several hunting magazines.

If you have been thinking of taking up black bear hunting or have not quite had the success you wish then you need to read Justin Otts’s “The Black Bear Hunting Encyclopaedia”. For more information or to purchase the book visit Black Bear Hunting.com

I am going to apply some of the things I learned from the book in this years spring bear hunting season and I am convinced it will get me a few giant steps closer to a black bear rug for our living room floor and some fresh organic bear meat in the freezer.

Photo courtesy:
Author portrait: Justin Ott
Product: Othmar Vohringer Product Photography

If you would like to have your product reviewed here read my review policy or contact me.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Black Bear Hunting Book, Justin Ott, Hunting Book Review, British Columbia

Anti’s Using Religion to Advance Cause

2009-05-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

Religion is being used by animal rights groups to advance a radical agenda according to an ordained Baptist Minister.

Dr. Wes Jamison, an ordained Minister as well as a professor of Communications at Palm Beach Atlantic University, spoke at the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s eighth annual stakeholder summit, held May 12-13 in Virginia. Dr. Jamison boldly stated, "Animal rights activists are using religious messages to recruit a segment of the millennial generation that has little doctrinal anchor in order to advance their vegetarian agenda."

He went on to explain that there are two factors pushing animal rights’ groups in this direction:

Religiously devout individuals often are generous donors; and
Religiously devout individuals maintain high levels of devotion to causes for long periods of time.

Dr. Jamison warned that animal rights’ groups are intentionally selecting certain biblical passages that focus on individuals’ compassion and guilt. He concluded by cautioning, “people against buying in to such messages and encourage people to do their own review of Biblical scripture and literature.”

To hear more, please Click Here for an interview with Dr. Jamison courtesy of the Animal Agriculture Alliance.

This news has been provided to me by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Animal Rights Using Region to Advance Cause, Animal Rights Agenda, U.S.. Sportsmen’s Alliance, News

Chores in and around the house and computer problems

2009-05-26T15:58:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

It’s been a while since I wrote anything on this blog, two weeks to be exact, and in that time tings piled up. My birthday came and went without much fuss. I guess at 55 years of age much of the excitement about birthdays is gone. But what I really wanted to write about, rather sooner than later, was the turkey hunting trip and a few new products that I had the pleasure of field testing over the past few weeks.

There is a long list of reasons why my blog posts got delayed. Finally spring has arrived here in the Nicola Valley and with that the garden became a priority and still will be for a few weeks. Inside the house a new staircase needed to be built and while I was at it we laid a new floor in the entry hall too. My wife and I finally got sick of the wall-to-wall carpeting and ripped it all out. The carpet is now replaced with a beautiful natural wood floor and a matching staircase. Next we will tackle the living room floor that at the moment also has wall-to-wall carpet. The wood for the living room floor is currently climatzing in our basement.

What really prevented me from writing are the computer troubles I am experiencing lately. The darn machine is in and put of the “computer clinic” and is still not working right. I guess, like me, the computer is showing its age and probably soon needs to be replaced. But in the meantime I writing as much as I can to meet deadlines and get the posts for this blog written.

By tomorrow I will have the post up, hopefully, about my turkey hunting trip that turned out to be much more than just a ordinary hunting trip. You will have to come back and read all about the experiences and good folks we meet on that trip. I also hope that I get the product reviews written and posted here. It does not often happen that I come across a product that makes me go “WOW” but it happened in the last two weeks not once but twice.

As you can see a lot has happened worth to write about, so make sure to stay tuned and check back frequently.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Great youth turkey hunt event

2009-05-14T14:03:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Richard Warden form the Hunters Helping Kids Organization sent me the following media release that I will be only to happy to pass along.

The Northern New York Hunters Helping Kids held their fourth annual Youth turkey weekend event at the Sandy Pond Sportsman’s Clubhouse on April 25 & 26th with 34 youth registering this year. Eighteen youth harvested a bird this year with one weighing in at twenty four pounds,9,1/2 beard. A first for our chapter, we had a youth with his dad from Canada register from the Watertown Sports Expo and he harvested a bird. Plus there was several double bearded birds taken by the youth hunters. One youth harvested two birds with one shot. Troy Miller, from the Mason/Dixon PA HHK Chapter, was one of mentor/callers and also photographed our youth hunters. His family also helped out for the weekend event.

All enjoyed a lunch of hot dogs, hamburgers with soft drinks furnished by SPSA. Then they enjoyed the laser shooting game furnished by the Oswego Co 4-H program and telling their hunting experiences of the morning.

On Sunday, more birds were weighed in and everyone enjoyed a chicken barbecue furnished by the NNY HHK chapter members. After the meal, awards were given out. Each hunter was asked to write an essay about his/her weekend hunting experience and the best essay was won by Justice Ames of Watertown and the runner up was Matt Glowfeskie of Henderson. The winner of a turkey mount provided by Don Miller of Lakeside Taxidermy in Fulton was Zach Kirksey of Dexter.

Door prizes for the youth were drawn and a bingo board game awarded each youth hunter in attendance, two prizes. Also a prize was given to all the underage youth in attendance.

Everyone enjoyed the festivities and looking forward to next year.
A big thank you goes out to the Sandy Pond Sportsman's Assn, the Oswego Co 4-H, NRA, Troy Miller family from the Mason-Dixon, PA HHK chapter, Jefferson Co Journal, Oswego County Weeklies, also the various sportsmen's clubs, the mentor/callers, the local businesses and the community for their support so NNY HHK can keep this a free event for the youth of our north country.

As any organization the HHK needs your help to continue the important work they do in passing the hunting heritage on to the next generation. One way to create support is a fundraising events. We are having a display table built like a glass top coffee table with a drawer under the top for displaying a assortment of unique Turkey calls preferably made by D.I.Y. craftsman, hobbyist, not major call manufactures. As soon as we get this completed tickets will be offered to the public and at all HHK show booths and events by all chapters.

So if any of you make turkey calls or know of someone who does please approach them with this idea
All donors will be shown on any literature we have for promoting this fundraiser along with a tax-deductible receipt if requested. For more information visit: Northern New York Hunters Helping Kids

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Taking the hunting agenda to the people

2009-05-06T12:57:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

Every Sunday begins for me with watching the Canada in the Rough hunting show. I usually do not watch hunting shows on TV but I would have to have a very good reason to miss this particular one.

There are a number of reasons why I like Canada in the Rough. First would have to be that this show is an all Canadian production. The producer and host Thomas Pigeon is a Canadian and so is his crew. Plus all hunts take part in Canada. But there has to be more to a show then just national pride to make it my favorite and that is where Thomas Pigeon comes in to play.

Besides being a down to earth guy, as in a hunter like you and me, and showing hunts as they happen even if that means that no trophy, or no game at all, is taken, he is also a tireless advocate of all legal hunting methods. Each show segment Pigeon is shown hunting with a compound bow, or a crossbow, perhaps with a rifle, shotgun or a muzzleloader. He does not favor or promote one hunting method or game animal over another one. To him it’s all about hunting regardless of what legal choice the hunter uses to pursue his or her passion. I like that attitude because that is exactly how I feel too.

In each show he will go out of his way to explain how important it is that all hunters unite and the good hunting does for wildlife and habitat conservation. “Okay” you may say, “so do other TV hunting shows”. Yes that is true but the difference here is that Canada in the Rough does not air on a hunting or outdoor channel where it is save by preaching to the congregation. Canada in the Rough is aired on Global TV, which is the public channel watched not only by hunters but by everybody. With this public platform Canada in the Rough takes the hunting agenda to the very people that need to hear our message – the non-hunters.

Thomas Pigeon has a solid track record of being one of Canada’s most avid amd vocal hunting promoters in public. Pigeon is the founder and chairman of the Canadian Outdoor Heritage Alliance (COHA). This is Canada’s first and as of this writing still only organization with the sole purpose of promoting and lobbying hunting, fishing and trapping to the public as a viable and important Canadian heritage.

This past Sunday found me as usual in front of the TV in anticipation of another exiting Canada in the Rough show taking the viewer to another of Canada’s many stunningly beautiful places on a hunt for our rich and diverse wildlife. But instead of a hunt Thomas Pigeon, sitting on a campfire, announced that this show, named “Politics of Hunting”, would be dedicated solely to the important role the Canadian hunting heritage plays in the wildlife/environment conservation sector and the economy of Ontario and Canada.

For this Thomas invited a special guest. The guest it turns out was a high profile politician. To say I was surprised is an understatement when I heard Frank Klees, the Progressive Conservative MPP (Members of Provincial Parliament) for Ontario, speak openly and positive about hunting. It does not happen often, or make that never, that a politician is brave enough in these politically correct times to go on public record with a full endorsement statement for hunting, fishing and trapping. But that is exactly what Klees did. For a full half hour he talked about how important it is to support this Canadian heritage not only as a important wildlife management and conservation tool, but also as an important multi million dollar part of Ontario's economy.

Ontario's hunters, fishers and trappers contribute millions of dollars in license sales alone plus further millions and employment through guide / outfitters and sporting goods stores. I couldn't find the exact figures but the talk is of around 45 million dollars overall. Yet the current Ontario government is ragley ignorant of this important contribution by flirting with animal rights to gain city folks votes they try to cut back on that economy and with that ultimately on wildlife and habitat conservation too.

In these politically correct times where for the most part politicians are more concerned with what a largely ignorant city people think it takes courage for a politician like Frank Klees, running for Premier in the election, to speak out publicly on behalf of hunters, anglers and trappers. Klees was also brave enough to say very clearly what he thinks of the animal rights and anti hunter movement. It’s an opinion that surely won’t go down well with the city folks in Toronto that have for the most part been brainwashed with the lies of animal rights, but it is a message that needed to be told and needs to be told many times more. If hunting is to survive into the future we have to carry our message to the people on the street and that is exactly what Pigeon and Klees did masterfully on "Politics of Hunting" last Sunday.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Tags Canada in the Rough, Thomas Pigeon, Global TV, Canadian Outdoor Heritage Alliance, Frank Klees, Progressive Conservative Party, Politics of Hunting

Is this for real?

2009-04-30T17:54:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

This image is making the rounds on the Internet for quite some time now. It was only a matter of time until it would end up in my email inbox. Yesterday someone sent me this picture titled: Best bowkill on camera. But is it real or is the image made up in photoshop or some other photo-manipulating program?

Whenever I cam across this image on the Internet I discovered that it unleashed a hot discussion of real versus fake. Lucky me I am married to a photographer and graphic design artist. My wife knows a thing or two about manipulating images so I asked her to take a look at it.

Here verdict after close examination. This image is one hundred percent fake.

The buck looks dead as in laying on the ground and then has been cut out and placed into a background that might be taken my a game cam. Notice the pile of corn at the bottom right corner of the image.
The blood splatters have been painted in. I had no clue but I am told by my wife that photo draw programs come with a variety of “brushes” that let you paint anything from a house to a tree and mountain, or in this case, blood into an image.

Knowing an animal’s anatomy I paid close attention to the muscles. If a buck jumps up in the air, as this one appears to be doing, you wpuld see the hind leg muscles bulging from the strain and force needed to leap that high. But I can’t see any muscle strain. In fact all the muscles are relaxed as they would appear on a dead deer.

There seems to be also something wrong with the buck’s eyes. Usually the color of the eye is black when you take a picture of a life deer but will reproduce white on a dead deer. These eyes are white.

Then there are the other factors to consider. When a deer jumps up like that it happens very fast so fast in fact that the camera cannot capture the movement without blur unless the photographer uses what’s called a fast lens with a wide aperture and the camera is set at around 800 to 1000 ISO. No game camera is capable of "freezing" fast movement not even with a flash.

With all these observations and my wife’s professional opinion I came to the conclusion that this image is as fake as a water turtle in the Sahara.

What’s your take on it?

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance News -The good and the bad

2009-04-30T13:32:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

I am glad to see that sportsman take action against the governments continued efforts to infringe upon our rights. We all need to get more involved like these gun owners in New York.

New York Sportsmen Have a “Gun Day” in Albany
Sportsmen in New York rallied on Wednesday, April 29, at the state capital in order to raise awareness and demonstrate their opposition to a litany of anti-gun bills being pushed through the state Assembly.
Empire State sportsmen and gun enthusiasts flocked to the “Gun Day” rally organized by the New York based, Shooters Committee on Political Education (SCOPE, Inc.). The rally was coordinated in response to a wave of anti-gun bills making their way through the New York Assembly.
Read More

It looks like that Michigan finally decides to use common sense in the wolf management but as things progress in a positive way the antis lay in waiting ready to pounce.

Anti’s Lurk as Michigan Delists Wolves from Endangered Species List
The long, winding path to delisting the gray wolf from the endangered species list in Michigan is moving closer to an end, at least for the moment. However, animal rights groups are already waiting to swoop in from the wings and slam the brakes on the effort.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has determined the number of gray wolves in the Upper Peninsula have made a tremendous recovery. Consequently, the state announced on April 27 that the gray wolf was removed from its endangered species list.
Read More

I am really concerned about the sanity of PETA founder and president, Ingrid Newkerk. I guess the self admitted “media slut” will do what ever it takes to stay in the media no matter how insane it may be.

No “CloFu” for PETA
George Clooney declined to sweat for PETA when he rebuffed an offer by the group to use his perspiration to spice up tofu, or, more accurately, “CloFu.”
After receiving a towel claiming to have some of George Clooney’s sweat on it, PETA President and founder, Ingrid Newkirk fired off a letter to the actor asking for permission to use his sweat to make Clooney flavored tofu. The letter stated, “The technology actually exists to take your perspiration and make it into George Clooney–flavored tofu (CloFu).”
Read More

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Secret memo announces cutbacks for conservation services

2009-04-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

If you live in British Columbia and contact the conservation services because you have bears in your back yard, or trying to break into your home, good luck to you if you get a response.

A secret memo leaked two week ago announces further financial cuts to the Wildlife Service. This is not the first time that budget cuts have been made but rather the last in a series over the last two to three years.

With the latest cutbacks there is serious concern that the Conservation Officers (Game Wardens for my American readers) will no longer be able to do their jobs. While the money has been steadily cut back over the years, the duties of the conservation officers have increased.

At one time the conservation officers were in charge of enforcing the hunting and fishing laws and responding to nuisance wildlife calls. That was a long time ago, now conservation officers are also in charge of enforcing environment pollution laws and a host of other duties pertaining to the environment, hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreational activates including vehicle/wildlife accidents.

Just how bad the current situation is has become evident when a memo was leaked to the public that among other things recommended. Conservation officers should not answer anymore phone calls from public made to the local office or the CO’s home, thus forcing the caller to call the central hotline from where the call will be assessed and forwarded to the conservation officer. Provided if the dispatcher deems the call urgent or not this could take from several hours to days.

Here is how this is intended to work. In the past if I encountered a wildlife act or environmental violation in progress I could just phone up the local conservation officer and inform him of my observation. The officer could make the decision based on his knowledge of the area and the people living there and if needed act upon my call within minutes.

With the new system I would have to phone the hotline in a faraway city where a bureaucrat will make the decision if the call is urgent or not and then, at his/her discretion, passes the message on to the local conservation officer. In the case of poaching or environment pollution minutes can make all the difference in apprehending an offender. The same is true if a bear creates havoc in my backyard or threatens my family. I want the problem to be dealt with in a timely, speak swift, fashion. I do not want to waist time talking to a bureaucrat somewhere far away that most likely has no clue of the area, or probably doesn’t even know it existed until now.

But it gets worse. In the leaked memo conservation officers are asked to hitch a ride with the RCMP when ever possible (That is police or sheriff for my American readers). Yep you read that right. The conservation service has no money to fuel up the patrol vehicles. In fact the conservation service is 500,000 dollars short of what is needed to maintain a basic service according to acting-chief conservation officer Lance Sundquist. British Columbia is a huge province. About three times the size of California, but only about 10% of California’s population, the rest is semi to total wilderness. Yet there are only 64 conservation officers in this province. That means that these officers have to drive hundreds of miles each day to patrol their territory and respond to calls, but with 500,000 dollars in the hole the vehicles stay in the parking lots with empty gas tanks.

Shan Simpson, NDP, said that with the latest cutbacks front-line officers would no longer be able to do their jobs. No kidding. Some of the conservation officers were so disgusted with this latest cutbacks that they left the service because they felt that they could not continue to uphold their oath any longer under the current conditions. The remaining officers struggle on as best as they can and a few, so I heard, even pay out of their own pocket to maintain some mobility. Imagine that! Pay so you can work!

All this comes on the back of BC Premier Gordon Campell’s, time and again, voiced commitment to environment, hunting and fishing. Looking at the facts this commitment seems nothing more than cheap lip service. As I said before this is not the first time the conservation service budget was cut back. In that same timeframe the government awarded itself, not once but twice, with a salary increase amounting to more that a 130% increase plus many other financial incentives and benefits. I am not even going into the millions that have been squandered or got “lost” in the 2010 Winter Olympics fiasco.

If we have to make cutbacks on the budget because of the economic situation, according to Gordon Campell, may I suggest to start on the over the top salaries and benefits of our government officials. I am sure with that alone a million or so could be saved. Clapping down on the 2010 Winter Olympics money squandering, fraud and corruption surely would save a few millions too. All that saved money could then be given to the conservation service, education department and health care department where the money is badly needed to keep up with the publics demand and needs.

A life lived for the outdoors

2009-04-24T11:36:00.000-07:00

© By Othmar Vohringer

With sadness I report today the passing of Frank (Len) Rich, one of Canada’s most active outdoor enthusiasts and conservationist. Unfortunately, I was not able to get to know Len all that well before he passed away. Before I joined the Outdoor Writers of Canada (OWC) we exchanged a few emails and a couple of phone calls. It had been his enthusiasm about everything to do with fishing, the outdoors and writing, plus his tireless commitment to recruiting new outdoor writers that made me join the OWC.

Below I copied the official obituary released by the OWC. My heartfelt condolences go to Lens family and many friends in the outdoor community to whom he has given so richly and never asked for anything in return. The legacy he left behind will be carried on in his memory. May you rest in peace Len.

OBITUARY Len Rich 1938-2009

We regret to announce the death of Leonard Frank (Len) Rich on April 13, 2009, in North Bay, ON following a brief courageous battle with cancer. He was 71.

Len was born and raised in the small Upstate New York town of Whitehall. After eight years of US military service he settled in Newfoundland in 1966. His careers spanned more than four decades, from sales rep and sales manager to automotive dealer and entrepreneur in the field of tourism.

His greatest passions were fly fishing and writing and as a columnist, author and advocate for responsible stewardship he left a profound legacy, touching the lives of many throughout the writing and fly fishing worlds.

Len discovered and later developed a fly-in sportfishing lodge in Labrador he named Awesome Lake Lodge. He operated that business for 10 years before semi-retirement.

He authored several books, including Newfoundland Salmon Flies and how to tie them, Best of In The Woods, Fly Fishing Tips and Tactics, Rivers and Woods, So you want to be an outfitter, Memoirs of a fly fisher, Tales of Christmas (Editor), and his latest Bill Bennett: Pioneer Bush Pilot and Outfitter. He also wrote hundreds of magazine articles for various national and International publications.

During his careers he was employed by the Newfoundland government as Hunting & Fishing Development Officer and by the Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) as manager of Special Events. Len was also employed by Corona College in Grand Falls-Windsor as Director of Communications and Tourism Training. He and his late wife Ruby developed and operated businesses in Clarenville, NL, known as Whitehall Country Inn and The Grapevine. He was predeceased by Ruby in 2004.

He served three terms as President of the Labrador Outfitters Association and three terms as Eastern Director of the Outdoor Writers of Canada (OWC). An award winning writer, he was recognized by the New England Outdoor Writers Association and the Outdoor Writers of Canada for his books and articles and in 1991 received the coveted Canada Recreational Fisheries Award for “writing that influenced a generation of recreational fishers.” In 2007 he was selected to receive the OWC’s Jack Davis Mentorship Award for his work with up and coming writers. He led the OWC Mentorship Program and for a decade he hosted the Creative Writing forum on the Sympatico Internet site.

Throughout his adult life he made Newfoundland his home, but recently lived in Orangeville and North Bay, sharing his life and love with his partner Susan Buckle. He is survived by brothers Wayne, Shrewsbury, Vermont; Keith, Hoosick, NY; sister Dawn in Massachusetts; Susan and her children Cameron and Lianne Honeyborne; sons Len Jr. (Chantel) of Lewisporte, NL and Ken of Summerside, NL; daughters Lori (Tony) of Fort Nelson, BC, and Tammy of Summerside, NL; stepson Tony Blackmore and stepdaughter Roxane Bailey (Chris) of St. John’s, NL; and grandchildren Cassidy, Alicia, Evan, Tyson, Tyler, Mallory, Morgan, Rebecca, Daniel, Kennedy, and Andrew.

Funeral will be held in Clarenville, NL Saturday April 25 at Fewers Funeral Home, Clarenville. 709-467-2468. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Margaree Salmon Museum, NS. Margaree Centre, NS B0E 1Z0 or the charity of your choice.

Images courtesy of Outdoor Writers of Canada.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
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