The Hog Blog

Elk Hunt Preparation - for those lucky folks heading out for wapiti

Phillip Loughlin — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:43:19 +0000

Well, life and the economy conspired against me this year, and I’ve had to cancel my elk hunt for this coming fall. I know, shed no tears for me… I’ve shed enough already. Wah wah wah and all that…

But for those of you heading out for elk, particularly those who may be horsepacking for the first time this season, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has release a simple list of tips to keep your trip safe and enjoyable. Take a look at this list, and if you feel like it, share some of your own tips and recommendations for neophyte and experienced wapiti hunters alike!

Horse Riding, Packing Tips for Greenhorn Elk Hunters

MISSOULA, Mont.—If you’re a tenderfoot looking to use horses for your elk hunt this fall, do yourself—and your horse—a favor. Follow these 10 tips from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and longtime supporter Smoke Elser, who’s been guiding and outfitting in Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness for more than 50 years.

Consider taking a riding lesson before your hunt. Learn the basics of mounting and dismounting, reins, leg cues, proper balance and body position. A horse is not an easy chair—a little preparation and skill are required.

Be realistic. Even though your horse can carry you over difficult terrain, it cannot carry you over impossible terrain. You’ll need to hike across the steepest, roughest areas. Hopefully, you’re in shape.

Stirrup length should be adjusted at the trailhead. Don’t be bashful about insisting on a comfortable fit that allows you to stand up slightly in the stirrups. Having your knees hunched up can be miserable for you and your horse.

Horses are a means of transportation from point A to point B, not to the elk. Don’t expect to shoot from atop your pony like Buffalo Bill. In fact, firing a rifle anywhere near horses can be disastrous. Your actual hunt will need to be on foot.

Think about clothing. Bring boots that fit easily into stirrups and wear clothing that allows you to mount and dismount easily. For example, coveralls constrict motion and should be avoided. Keeping quiet and warm are factors, too, and wool clothing is both even when wet. Also bring a broad-brimmed hat to help ward off branches to the face and snow down the neck.

Let your guide do the saddling and unsaddling. Often hunters want to help but end up improperly cinching, dragging saddles through mud, disassembling bridles down to the last buckle, etc., causing extra work for the guide. Don’t pretend knowledge of horses and tack if you have none.

Always let your guide tie up your horse for you. Improper tying can result in a dead or injured horse if they get choked or tangled. More commonly, hunters return to find only the guide’s horse still there. That could mean a long hike back for one of you.

Bring a rifle that fits easily into a scabbard. Oversized scopes or bipods will require disassembly and are impractical. If in doubt, ask your outfitter to recommend appropriate rifles and other gear.

Bring what you need, but you don’t need the kitchen sink. Nearly every elk outfitter has funny stories about hunters who insisted on packing things like ice skates, bowling balls, bathrobes, business suits and other nonessentials. But it’s really not funny—overloading is hard on a horse’s loins and kidneys.

Wallets in pants pockets tend to work themselves out when you’re riding a horse. Keep your elk tags and personal identification inside your shirt pocket.

Information and tips about elk hunting are regular features inside the Elk Foundation’s bi-monthly member magazine, Bugle. An annual membership, which includes a subscription and base-level support for RMEF habitat conservation efforts, is $35. To join, call 800-CALL ELK or visit www.rmef.org.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.6 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at http://www.rmef.orgor 800-CALL ELK.

Good stuff, I think. Horses are wonderful animals, and I don’t think anything compares to the experience of riding horseback through elk country. However, lack of preparation can make a horsepacking trip into pure, physical torture. It’s not quite as simple as it looks on TV. Physical and mental preparation are requisite, or you’ll be aching in places you didn’t even know you had.

It can also be dangerous. They seem sweet and gentle, but horses are still 1000 pounds of bone and muscle, driven by a prey animal’s brain. Stuff happens fast, and a little prep time in a local arena can help prepare you for those sudden, trailside rodeos. Your guide or wrangler can help avoid the worst problems, but it’s also up to you to pay attention and do what they tell you.

A key point is to ask your outfitter BEFORE you go, and then pay attention to what he/she tells you! NEVER GUIDE THE GUIDE! They are the experts, and that’s what you’re paying your hard-earned money for… their expertise.

Good luck to all you wapiti hunters this year. I look forward to reading your stories and seeing your pictures, so please don’t be shy… send them to me here at the Hog Blog, and maybe I’ll even make you famous.

CA Deer Season Looming On the Horizon - July 11 A-zone Archery Opener

Phillip Loughlin — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:23:39 +0000

Hog hunting has been going on all year, but this weekend marks the beginning of the season many Californian hunters have been waiting for… the deer season!

On July 11, bowhunters can take to the field in the A-zone (one of the largest zones in the state). It’s one of the earliest seasons in the country, which is a mixed blessing. As I’ve mentioned before, it’s not at all unusual to find the early season hunters sweltering in 100+ degree heat. Yeah, but it’s a dry heat.

Seriously, I know I’m eagerly awaiting my first opportunity to get out there with the Mathews (my recurve is in semi-retirement) and see if I can put some blood on it. I’ve locked in the weekend of July 24-26 at the Hedgepeth Ranch (a Golden Ram property), and look forward to getting a rematch with the smart-aleck buck that grinned at me multiple times while hog hunting in the post-season.

I know where you live, Mr. Buck.

The CA Seasons that I’ll be hunting this year are as follows:

A-zone Archery - 07/11-08/02
A-zone rifle - 08/08-09/20
B-zone Archery - 08/15 - 09/16
B-zone Rifle - 09/19 - 10/25

I may choose to get an “Archery Only” tag for my second tag this year. If I do, I’ll technically be able to hunt from this coming Saturday through December (although, realistically I’d be hunting through November 1… the remainder of the zones are too far away for me to hunt).

If you don’t have the CA Mammal Hunting Regulations booklet, you can find a downloadable version right here!

Lead Ban Chronicles - CA Lead Ammo Ban Updates from Fish and Game Commission

Phillip Loughlin — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 04:59:48 +0000

Before I even start, I really want to say that for all the griping that we do about the State of California’s government, they’ve got some things right. By putting the Fish and Game Commission meetings on video, and providing them immediately through the Internet, they enable interested constituents (like me) to catch up on the events first-hand… to hear the commentary from the horse’s mouths, so to speak.

And when it comes to the Lead Ammo Ban issue, trust me, you don’t want to rely on the information being passed along by the NRA, NSSF, any more than you want to rely on the messages from the Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of Wildlife, or Action for Animals. The propaganda is overwhelming, and the slanted interpretation is hard to overcome without your own decoder ring.

So after saying all of that, be aware that what I’m gonna provide is my own interpretation of what I saw, and it is filtered through my own set of biases. I’ll try to be level and fair, but you really should review this stuff for yourself and form your own opinions. You can see the all on the Cal-Span website: http://www.cal-span.org/cgi-bin/media.pl?folder=CFG

First the factual stuff:

The meetings from June 24 and 25 had two key lead ammo issues on the agenda. The first, on June 24, was a report on the blood-lead levels of condors during 2008. This report is required as part of the lead ban law, AB821, and should enable the FGC, the legislature, and the condor advocates to see the results of the lead ban.

Dr. Eric Loft of the DFG Wildlife Branch presented the report findings, but buried his comments in disclaimers. To begin with, the report apparently had to be wrangled out of the hands of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, since they are the actual lead on Condor recovery. Without benefit of having collected the data internally, Loft was careful to point out that the DFG did not perform their own analysis of the findings, and relied instead on the USFWS analysis.

I haven’t seen all of the actual data myself, but from what I saw in Dr. Loft’s presentation, the information is pretty sketchy. The testing was irregular, and the sample sizes were very small. While there appears to be an overall reduction in the amount of lead found in the birds after the lead ban was enacted (June 30, 2008), it’s hard to make any kind of valid statistical determination as to cause and effect. In f act, Loft himself stated that the information is not conclusive of a cause and effect relationship. The source of lead is assumed (hunters’ ammunition), but not known.

The official position of the CA DFG is that it is too early to tell if the regulations are having an impact (which pretty well sums up what I expected).

The bright side is that this initial report provides a baseline for the following reports. There was a lot of discussion about how best to get accurate and consistent data for the next round of reporting, and how to work with the USFWS to get the information in a more timely manner. You can read the report as approved by the Commission on the FGC website.

The second agenda item had to do with the proposal to expand the lead ammo ban to include small game. There are actually two options in the proposal. The first, in essence, is to expand the ban to native small game mammals, which would cover tree squirrels, rabbits, and hares. The second option goes a step further to include all upland game, to include birds as well as mammals. The third, unlisted option, is to make no changes. Here are the options as they’re listed on the FGC website.

Option #1: establish that it is unlawful to possess any projectile containing lead in excess of the amount permitted and a firearm, pellet gun, or air rifle capable of firing the projectile while taking or attempting to take jackrabbits, varying hares, cottontail rabbits, brush rabbits, pigmy rabbits, and tree squirrels within the area described in 3004.5 of the Fish and Game Code; or

Option #2: establish that it is unlawful to possess any projectile containing lead in excess of the amount permitted and a firearm, pellet gun, or air rifle capable of firing the projectile while taking or attempting to take any resident small game species (the same species as in #1, plus resident game bird species) as defined in Title 14, CCR, Section 257, within the area described in 3004.5 of the Fish and Game Code.

The following species would be included in Option #2:

·         jackrabbits and varying hares (genus Lepus);

·         cottontail rabbits, brush rabbits, pigmy rabbits (genus Sylvilagus);

·         tree squirrels (genus Sciurus and Tamiasciurus);

·         Chinese spotted doves, Eurasian collared-doves, ringed turtle-doves, of the family Columbidae;

·         California quail and varieties thereof;

·         Gambel’s or desert quail;

·         mountain quail or varieties thereof;

·         blue grouse and varieties thereof;

·         ruffed grouse, sage grouse (sage hens), white tailed ptarmigan;

·         Hungarian partridges, red-legged partridges, including the chukar and other varieties;

·         Ring-necked pheasants and varieties

·         Wild turkeys of the order Galliformes

Doug Updike of the DFG Wildlife Branch opened the discussion with the DFG’s recommendation to make no changes, based on the lack of compelling data. Updike noted the reports introduced in the earlier agenda item, and also earlier discussions to the effect that there is no solid information on the condor’s feeding habits that would link small or upland game to condor lead toxicity.

Common sense, right? Then why is it that folks, including Commissioner Michael Sutton, insist that the lead ban needs to be expanded, not only to small game, but across the entire state? You can listen to the audio yourself, but what I’m hearing is, “who cares if there’s an actual connection between the ammo and the death of the condors, I just want to make this grand gesture that really won’t impact me anyway.”

It’s like he didn’t listen to any of the previous discussion… either the report data, the arguments put forth during public comment periods, or the recommendations of the Department of Fish and Game. This isn’t about his personal opinion. The lead ban decisions impact a lot of folks, including many who are far more dedicated hunters and shooters and far less economically stable than any of the commissioners. Regulations have to be based on some kind of compelling rationale, not simply some elitist opinion.

Speaking of the public comment, I picked up on an interesting trend amongst the NRA and California Rifle and Pistol Association (CRPA) speakers. Walt Manzelle of the CRPA asked for the Commission to include the “big picture” in all reports released to the public. For example, when listing the causes of condor mortality, the issues of microtrash, electrical wires, and other sources should be included. This made sense to me, since the focus on lead toxicity makes it seem as though the only threat to condors is lead ammo. There are a lot of issues out there.

They also asked the Commission to work with them to provide all of the raw data. This will enable independent research. It’s another idea I kind of liked. Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure that any results coming from the NRA or CRPA will be met with pretty extreme skepticism from the non-hunting public. Even so, it would be interesting to see what they come up with.

A good bit of the public comment was also pretty ignorant, including that from a few folks I really thought should know better. One example is ex-Commissioner, Judd Hanna. For those who don’t remember, Hanna was the Commissioner who was forced to “step down”, allegedly due to pressure from the NRA. Hanna held the belief that the lead ban is simply “the right thing to do”, and I generally agreed with him on principle. Unfortunately, he’s also bought into the idea that the lead ban doesn’t represent any kind of significant hardship on hunters. Despite his claim that he’s a hunter too, he showed his true colors with the following statement. “If it takes a box of ammunition to fill your deer tag, you ought not to be hunting.”

In order for a hunter to make those clean kills, he needs to practice. I know all hunters don’t shoot hundreds of rounds per year at the range, but many shoot at least a box or two… at least they did until a box of ammo started costing close to $50. A lot of hunters are going to give up that range time before they quit hunting, and that’s a shame.

Among the commenters was attorney Shaun Brady. Brady didn’t say exactly who he represented, but he addressed something I’ve wondered about… the state’s requirements that any regulation must meet certain criteria. Before a regulation can be enacted,the State must show “necessity”, especially if the regulation will have a negative financial impact on the State, business, or private individuals. Brady argued (rightly I think) that this requirement was never met in the first place, and isn’t being addressed in the proposed regulation changes either. Of course the words “law suit” were never mentioned, but I can see where groundwork could be put in place. And as much as I hate a lot of the litigiousness in our culture, maybe that is the answer.

Which brings up one other thing… don’t ever forget that the whole lead ban came about as a result of a lawsuit against the State. It was never about the FGC “doing the right thing”… it was about avoiding a costly court battle.

There was a lot more worthy of comment in the meeting, but I’ve already wandered all over the place. Bottom line is that the DFG has recommended against making any changes to the current lead ban regulations. The report was inconclusive, and didn’t really offer any kind of indication that the lead ban was or was not working. The proposed regulation changes will be determined at the August 5-6 FGC meeting, which will be held again at the Yolo Flier’s Club in Woodland. See the agenda and further information at the FGC website.

Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Say, “Monster Pig”

Phillip Loughlin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:29:31 +0000

I hesitate to even bring this story back into the daylight, but I do so now mainly in the interest of fairness. Here’s the deal…

Most of you probably remember the fiasco around the Monster Pig, or Pigzilla… which I also referred to in previous posts as “Jamison’s Folly”. In those earlier write-ups, I referenced a website called “Stinky Journalism“, and the efforts of that site’s owner, Rhonda Shearer, to uncover the facts behind the big pig and the “hunt” on which it was taken.

If you don’t recall, or if you want to read all that Shearer wrote, you can view it on her site. In short, though, she takes the adults to task for using the youngster (Jamison Stone) as publicity pawn. She also suggests that animal cruelty laws should be brought to bear on the adults for the unnecessarily protracted suffering of the hog.

Anyway, I received an email last week from one of the principals at the Monster Pig website. The writer suggests that Rhonda Shearer’s information is inaccurate. I’m reprinting his email here, so you can see what he has to say for yourselves:

I just wanted to drop you a note, I found your blog today while doing some searching. The information your refer by a certain “journalistic ethics advocate” is inaccurate. The truth was posted on the monsterpig.com website. The hog has been studied by a well known hog scientist who says the pig was feral and was no pet. All the negative stories about this hunt came form this one “ethics” person and people took it as truth because she posted it on her website. I would appreciate you removing the inaccuracies or the story all together if it is not going to be the truth. Jamison NEVER faced possible criminal charges, there was NO crime committed. You can verify this with the Clay County, AL District Attorney. This is just one of the many of mistruths that was published about this hunt on the “ethics” website. I know this is old news but it is important to us.

As with most of these things, I’m happy to let you, the Hog Blog readers make up your own minds. The Monster Pig website doesn’t appear to have their story online any longer, but I do remember reading it when the issue was still current. There was a lot of justification and rationalizing, but not a lot that the reader could “take to the bank”, so to speak.

As far as removing anything I’ve written about this issue so far, that’s not gonna happen. To me, this is nothing more than a he-said/she-said argument, and I’ll not take down or retract anything I’ve posted to date without something more compelling than an email. I’ve provided a platform for both sides of the argument, and that’s about as much as I “owe” anyone.

If I had the resources and motivation to try to track down all the parties involved here, I’d certainly chase this story to ground. (I wish someone would pay me a living wage to write about hog hunting!) In lieu of that, I’ve checked around a bit on other sites that have reported on this story, including ESPN, and seen nothing that disputes Shearer’s accounting of the event. If national news takes up this story again, I’ll be certain to provide coverage.

What I wrote in the previous posts is my own opinion of the events, and that really hasn’t changed. I still think that the guys who turned this whole story into a worldwide news story manipulated the facts and did an extreme disservice to both the boy (Jamison) and the hunting community in general. It was a foolish and ugly publicity ploy that was destined to blow up in their faces.

I don’t know if there were grounds for criminal charges, but that’s not a determination for me to make anyway. If the Grand Jury didn’t find reason to indict the participants, then that says all I need to know.

Beyond that, the best thing that could happen right now would be for the folks involved to shut up and let this story die the death it should have died a long time ago. It’s really just not that worth it.

Porcine Press - The Latest HogZilla?

Home again, home again, jiggety jog..

Phillip Loughlin — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:35:20 +0000

I’ve been down in Mexico where I ate like a hog…

Yeah, I know that rhyme probably gets a little old every time I come home, but it’s one of those things that got ingrained during my childhood and never went away. It runs through my head everytime I return from a trip and if I have to live with it, so does everyone else.

So anyway, the point is, I’m home… back in the land of fruits and nuts… returned from the sunny beaches and heady bars of Cancun.

To those who wished me well on the trip, many thanks. It was a blast, even though it really started out looking like one disaster after another. We were able to overcome the worst of the obstacles (including a last-minute hotel change), and turn it into a great vacation.

I won’t run down the entire litany of events, which wouldn’t be that tough since we spent most of the time lounging around the poolside bar, or splashing in the warm, Caribbean sea. We did one fishing trip, and all I can really say about that is that Kat probably won’t be starting up a blog called NorCal Pescadora.

We also took the time to drive with our friends down to Tulum, to visit the Mayan ruins there. No, of course they’re not as impressive as Chichen Itzla, but it’s still pretty danged cool to see this place. It wasn’t so much a spiritual kind of place, rather a key business center (import/export, so to speak), but there’s something I find really stimulating about being in ancient places like this.

I can’t help but start to wonder what it must have been like when the place was thriving… or when it was built. Who else walked here? What kinds of things did they think about? What did they have for lunch?

Anyway, it was hotter than blazes with that sticky, tropical humidity, so the majority of our party wilted quickly. Thankfully, back at the tourist trap area outside the park, a lovely little bodega served Mexican beer and premium tequila under a ceiling covered with spinning fans. By the time we got on the van to head back to Cancun, we were all pleasantly cooled down and rehydrated.

The other thing of note is that this was my first vacation at an “all-inclusive” resort. In short, it was a great way to go! It was sort of like being on a cruise ship, with food available almost any time you wanted it. The big difference was that all the drinks were free too (on my last couple of vacations, the bar tab was almost as high as the cost of the trip itself)! It seemed like my glass never got empty!

A tip, though… all-inclusive is only a money-saver if you plan to stay close to the resort most of the time like we did on this trip (actually, we could eat and drink at any of the resorts owned by this company on the same plan). If you want to go out to dinner and clubs, then you’re better off to book your stay on the “European plan,” which only includes your room and on-site activities.

For the first time in ages, I spent a full week without any access to the Internet or my email. When I rolled back into range as I made my flight connection in Phoenix, I logged on to find that the HogBlog has actually been kind of busy. In addition to my many regular friends, I had several messages from folks I haven’t ever seen here… several of those in response to some older threads. Hopefully, my lack of responsiveness didn’t seem inhospitable.

In fact, through the last couple of weeks I haven’t really kept up with responses and comments very well at all. I want to apologize for that, even though I’ll blame it on some fairly hectic times of late. I’m hoping to get things back to normal soon.

Several commenters and some emails also brought me a ton of interesting material, and I look forward to sharing some of that with you over the coming days. Still a good bit of sorting through to do, and I don’t want to inundate the blog with a half-dozen posts all at once, but I’ll get it online soon. Many thanks to the readers who send me stuff. It’s totally appreciated.

Among other topics, I’m planning to do a follow-up on the CA Fish and Game Commission’s latest meeting. As I understand it, a couple of reports were introduced that addressed the initial results of the lead ammo ban. I don’t think there were any surprises, but I need to get all the info before I go off half-cocked. I’m sure some of you have already seen the email blasts from the NSSF and NRA, but I’d like to read the reports and review the video of the Commission meeting to make my own interpretation.

So, back to the grind! Thanks for hanging around! And to all the new readers, welcome to the HogBlog!

Hog Blog Is Flying South

Phillip Loughlin — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:07:49 +0000

Way south… all the way to the land of the Mayans and margaritas! Yupp, Mexico!

While I’m gone, the site may languish a bit, but I’ll be right back… I promise. (The thought of expatriation has occurred to me, but there’s no pig hunting down there (that I know of), so I guess I’ll stay in the country for now.) Didn’t have time to preload a bunch of posts, so the fresh content will probably have to hold until I get home. Hopefully there’ll be pictures and videos and such… but sometimes when you get busy having fun, you forget you even have a camera.

In the meantime, most of the folks on my blog roll are still pretty active, so hop on over and give them a read. But watch out… Rex over at the Deer Camp Blog seems to think there’s something going on down in the land of the agave. Silly, gringo… conspiracies are for kids!

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Raffle Opportunity for a Great CA hog hunt!

Phillip Loughlin — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:51:25 +0000

Take a look at this hunt opportunity!

The Carrizo Plain is an incredible piece of CA, and a hunt here offers the opportunity to get out and view antelope, tule elk, and all sorts of wildlife in addition to the hogs, doves, and rabbits that are included in the hunt.

Sept 12 & 13, 2009 Raffle Hunt

By Chimineas Ranch Foundation and San Gabriel Valley Quail Unlimited

North half of Chimineas Ranch - Hunt is for Dove, Rabbit and Pigs

Enhanced Drive on Hunt for two people for two days on the DFG Chimineas Ranch, the ranch is
west of the Carrizo Plains National Monument near Cuyama, CA, east of Santa Maria 40 miles,
west of Taft 40 miles. The hunts will be held the same weekends as the scheduled Chimineas
Ranch Drive on Hunts for the 2009-2010 season, which are scheduled by California Dept. of Fish
& Game (Chimineas Ranch falls within the condor area, nontoxic ammunition is required for the
taking of pigs) Proceeds from the raffle to benefit Chimineas Ranch as well as SGVQU habitat
work.

Hunt Enhancements:
In addition to the normal privileges extended to the winners of the drive-on hunt drawings, the
following enhancements are added for raffle winners;

Access to the headquarters area Saturday after the conclusion of the days’ hunt through
Sunday morning for 2 persons

Overnight stay at the Chimineas Ranch House (Saturday night only)
Hunters shall bring their own sleeping bag, towel, toiletries, snacks and beverages (the ranch
house has full bed and bath facilities)

Hosted BBQ Saturday night

Hosted continental breakfast Sunday morning

Raffle tickets are $10 each or 6 raffle tickets for $50, available at all meetings.(raffle winner need not be present)

Winning ticket will be drawn at San Gabriel Valley QU Dove Tune-up and BBQ,Wednesday August 12 6pm at:
Triple B Clays
831 Rosemead Blvd
South El Monte, CA 91733

Send your check to:
San Gabriel Valley Quail Unlimited (raffle hunt)
c/o John Forgy
3907 Lewis Ave
Long Beach, Ca 90807
Please include your mailing address and phone number so you can be notified
call 866-206-9070 extension 6715 or email sgvqu@onebox.com for more information

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Gone Hunting!

Phillip Loughlin — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:00:18 +0000

Outta here for a couple of days to see if NorCal Cazadora and I can find a pig or two down in Cholame.

I’ll pop back in on Friday, and then I’m off again to Mexico for a week. Ya’ll don’t go away, and I promise I’ll be back soon!

Lead Ban Chronicles - Lead Ammo Back On CA Fish and Game Commission Agenda

Phillip Loughlin — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:51:06 +0000

June 24-25. Get it on your calendar! The CA Fish and Game Commission is meeting in Woodlands, CA on these dates, and high on the agenda are two key topics.

First, there is supposed to be a report on the levels of lead found in the CA condor since the lead ammo ban was enacted. While I have my doubts as to the statistical significance of data collected so far, I’d be real interested in hearing what they do have to say, particularly since the two sick condors were found earlier this spring and winter. Of course, this case will be blamed on someone who broke the law, but watch and see if it isn’t used by at least a couple of commissioners to justify the expansion of the lead ban to include upland birds and small game.

And that’s the second hot topic… proposed regulation changes that will bring small game and upland birds under the lead ammo ban. Why? Are condors eating tree-squirrel gut piles, or feasting on the remains of hunters’ quail? Not bloody likely. Then what is the purpose of the expansion to a bill that is specifically intended to protect the California condor?

Here’s a look at what the proposed regulations say.

From the proposed regulations change announcement:

The existing regulations provide for methods to be used to take small game, including rabbits, squirrels and resident upland game birds. Traditionally, projectiles (bullets) containing lead and lead shot have been used. The regulation changes proposed as options would require non-lead projectiles for resident small game hunting in the geographic area determined by the Fish and Game Commission (Commission) to reduce risk of indirect lead toxicity to free-ranging California condors. Lead-alternative projectiles are considered effective for hunting and are not considered to be toxic to the California condor.

The proposal will allow the Commission to consider whether to establish that it is unlawful to possess any projectile containing lead in excess of the amount permitted and a firearm, pellet gun, or air rifle capable of firing the projectile while taking or attempting to take resident small game.

The proposed rulemaking is intended to provide the Commission with two options to consider in addition to the recommended “no change” option:

Option #1: establish that it is unlawful to possess any projectile containing lead in excess of the amount permitted and a firearm, pellet gun, or air rifle capable of firing the projectile while taking or attempting to take jackrabbits, varying hares, cottontail rabbits, brush rabbits, pigmy rabbits, and tree squirrels within the area described in 3004.5 of the Fish and Game Code; or

Option #2: establish that it is unlawful to possess any projectile containing lead in excess of the amount permitted and a firearm, pellet gun, or air rifle capable of firing the projectile while taking or attempting to take any resident small game species (the same species as in #1, plus resident game bird species) as defined in Title 14, CCR, Section 257, within the area described in 3004.5 of the Fish and Game Code.

The following species would be included in Option #2:

jackrabbits and varying hares (genus Lepus);

cottontail rabbits, brush rabbits, pigmy rabbits (genus Sylvilagus);

tree squirrels (genus Sciurus and Tamiasciurus);

Chinese spotted doves, Eurasian collared-doves, ringed turtle-doves, of the family Columbidae;

California quail and varieties thereof;

Gambel’s or desert quail;

mountain quail or varieties thereof;

blue grouse and varieties thereof;

ruffed grouse, sage grouse (sage hens), white tailed ptarmigan;

Hungarian partridges, red-legged partridges, including the chukar and other varieties;

Ring-necked pheasants and varieties

Wild turkeys of the order Galliformes

You can view or download the entire proposal at the CA Fish and Game Commission site.

The opportunity to comment at the Commission meeting is passing (although if you can attend, it would be great to show some solidarity), but you can comment on the proposed regulations change until August 3. Please take the time to send your comments to the commission. Let them know that you disagree with the expansion of the lead ban because there’s no evidence at all that lead used for small game and upland birds presents any risk to condors. The expansion places undue burden on hunters, due to the cost and lack of availability of lead-free ammo for many small game rifles. In your letter, demand that objective, scientific proof be provided prior to any expansion of the lead ammo ban.

It would be helpful as well to send comments to the Governor, since he’s the only “boss” the Fish and Game Commission reports to. Remember that the Commission has no accountability to the citizens of the state. No matter how much you disagree with them, they are not elected officials. Let the Governor know that some of the Commissioners, particularly Rogers and Sutton, are pushing their personal agenda without due consideration of the facts or science, and that, as a voter, you’re fed up with the misrepresentation.

I doubt we’re going to turn the lead ban around, but it’s time to take a solid stance and work toward sensible legislation. Get busy, and take an active role in the process… because the process will certainly have an active role in the future of our sport.

Big Fun at Native Hunt

Phillip Loughlin — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 15:13:30 +0000

Just got back from a great visit with Michael and crew down at Native Hunt this week.

This time, I was actually helping out as a guide. There were 10 hunters on the ranch, and in order to keep the hunter-to-guide ratio as low as possible (they always strive to keep it at 2:1 or 1:1), they needed an extra hand. Since I’m particularly available these days, and any work is good work, I jumped at the opportunity to share what I know of the ranch and the animals with Michael’s clients.

At the end of the second morning, the clients had taken nine hogs (several feral hogs and a few pure eurasian boar) and one big-bodied management ram.

This hunt was part of a summer-time special Michael has been offering for groups of eight or more. The deal is a fully guided, two-day hunt for either a management ram or a wild boar, at a great price of $500 per hunter. It includes lodging and meals, as well as transportation on the ranches, basic field care, and skinning. There’s a walk-in cooler on-site, and the ranch staff can recommend processors or taxidermists as needed.

This is really an excellent opportunity for the hunters, both the price and the quality of the hunt. It’s also a good deal for Michael as he has some areas where the animals need to be thinned a bit, and these hunts will accomplish that goal neatly.

The special price was offered initially to the existing clients, but it looks like there may be room for one more of these hunts this summer (the other spots are already booked). If you’re interested, give a call at 888-HUNT-321 (888-486-8321) and talk to someone about getting your group in on this great deal, or you can learn more about other packages at Native Hunt.

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