July 23, 2007

AUSTIN, Texas — With fall hunting seasons shaping up to be among the best in recent memory, according to state wildlife biologists, now is the time to begin making preparations. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will be conducting special drawings for hunts and applications for these quality, affordable hunting experiences are available now.

During the upcoming hunting seasons, more than 5,000 hunters will be selected through random computer drawings allowing access to some of the state’s high-quality managed wildlife habitat. Wildlife management areas, state parks and leased private property will be available for these quality supervised hunts for white-tailed deer, mule deer, pronghorn, javelina, alligator, exotics, feral hog and spring turkey.

(Columbus) - The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation has moved to defend sportsmen in a lawsuit that will eradicate vital wildlife management on federal land.

On July 19, the U.S. Sportsmen’s Legal Defense Fund, the litigation arm of the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation, and several other conservation groups filed to join a suit brought against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. Environmental groups are suing the agency claiming that it violated the National Environmental Policy Act and the Wilderness Act by constructing and restoring wildlife watering devices on the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The devices are critical to the survival of bighorn sheep and other desert wildlife.

Colbran - When it reportedly happened in Morocco five years ago, locals feared it signaled the end of the world. In Albania in 1994, it was thought to have unleashed the spawn of the devil on a small village.

But on a Grand Mesa ranch, the once-in-a-million, genetically "impossible" occurrence of a mule giving birth has only drawn keen interest from the scientific world. That, and a stream of the locally curious driving up from the small town of Colbran to check out and snap pictures of a frisky, huge-eared, gangly-legged foal.

The 2007 Farm Bill is being debated right now and Ducks Unlimited needs you to call your Representative and tell them to support conservation by voting NO on the amendments from Rep. Berry and Rep. Goodlatte. 

Tonight Just Killn' Time aired the episode of my bear hunt with Horns Whitetail Adventures on The Sportsmens Channel.  Wow is all I can say.  It was an amazing hunt to be on in beautiful Sled Lake, Saskatchewan and it was really cool to show my 3 kids the show tonight.  Seeing my son and daughters eyes light up as they watched their dad on this cool hunt was priceless to me.

As a sponsor of Just Killn' Time I am honored to be associated with this team and that sponsorship is one I will cherish for as long as I am in this business.   

We have had a lack of writing on the website as of late and we will get back to it starting this weekend.  The business of running HuntingLife.com has taken up a bit of time and work on our review section is the first priority as we believe it is a major element of the website.  We are hoping to debut this feature by no later then mid-August for all of you so that while you are all out on your hunts this fall, you will be able to come back and review the outfitters you were hunting with.

Preparing for your trip many of you are now shopping for better gear so we wanted to attach our current gear list that we use.     

(July 24, 2007), Wisconsin — The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation announced it will  fund 32 new conservation projects throughout Wisconsin this year that will make a critical difference in the organization’s efforts to conserve and enhance habitat for elk and other wildlife. The funding will also help the state manage its elk restoration program near Clam Lake.

AUSTIN, Texas — The results are in. Hunters for the Hungry had another banner season! Thanks to the generosity of participating meat processors and hunters throughout the state, 175,927 pounds of game meat was donated to over 90 food assistance providers to feed the hungry during the 2006–2007 hunting season.

I am pleased to announce that the CWD Alliance, in partnership with the National Shooting Sports Foundation, has completed a full revision and update to the "Questions and Answers on Chronic Wasting Disease for Hunters" brochure that was produced in 2005. The document addresses many of the main concerns that hunters would naturally have when hunting in a state where CWD has been found in wild cervid populations. It also provides information about CWD surveillance programs and the ongoing efforts to combat CWD. 

Oologah Wildlife Management Area’s quail habitat will improve thanks to a generous donation to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission voted to accept a donation of $2,500 from the Indian Territory Chapter of Quail Forever at its regular meeting July 9 in Oklahoma City.