The Virginia state all volunteer leadership team put together a fantastic drawing in celebration of our 25th Anniversary of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.  We have 250 tickets for this drawing at $75.00 each or 2 tickets for $100.00 and this drawing will be held as soon we sell this raffle out.  We will be holding the drawing and I will personally be video taping the drawing so we can air the drawing here on HuntingLife.com.

The Prize package includes:

1st Prize: Prize package including Diamond tennis bracelet, Limited Edition Browning John Wayne 100th Anniversary Model 92 High Grade rifle, Swarovski SLC 10x42 Binoculars, Summit Rainier 23-Gun Safe, Kimber Custom II RMEF edition .45 cal Pistol and Bowtech Admiral compound bow, OR $2,000 cash.

2nd Prize: Prize package including Weatherby Vanguard Varmint Special .22-250 rifle, Browning T-Bolt Sporter .22 rifle and Pro-Ears hearing protection, OR $500

The volunteers for this fantastic organization here in Virginia are extremely excited about this raffle and we know this is going to sell out quickly.  If you are interested in getting tickets for this great drawing please contact me at kevin@huntinglife.com. 

Attached is the Flyer:  Download Flyer Here 

John C. Bach is a National Outdoor Champion and a certified NFAA Expert Level 4 instructor.  John developed the Loc-A-Peep the worlds first lockable peep site.  Now Loc-A-Peep has developed the Whisper Peep, the worlds first Vibration Damping Peep Site. 

I had the opportunity to test out the Whisper Peep over the last couple of weeks and this peep looks to be a winner.  The diameter is large enough to easily view the pins and it does seem to quiet the string a bit and help on vibration damping.  Now I am kind of a vibration and sound damping nut when it comes to keeping my bow silent.  

I have a pretty special relationship with this particular bow.  I picked it up about the time I started outfitting and chased an elk for 18 days with this Mathews Switchback(I never released a single arrow except for daily practice stump shooting).  I shot my first bear with this bow in Saskatchewan and the last two in Manitoba.  On that first bear, we studied the footage for over an hour and the bear jumped the string, not by much because it was a perfect shot into his heart and he ran 20 yards before expiring but just enough to make me a nut case about any kind of suppression technique.

The Whisper Peep is black and red  and once set it lines up well and offers great field of view through the peep.  If you are in the market for a new peep, then check out the Whisper Peep for a few dollars more then a standard peep site you can have one that will calm down your string vibration and may help you shoot better.

Whisper Peep by Loc-A-Peep

WASHINGTON - TRCP's Life in the Open begins its fifth season on VERSUS Country on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 9 a.m. EDT with a combination Sitka blacktail deer hunt and salmon fishing trip in the heart of Alaska's publicly accessible, 17-million-acre Tongass National Forest.

Brought to you by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership in conjunction with VERSUS Network and Orion Multimedia, this series of do-it-yourself adventures "where the road ends and life in the open begins" will air Sundays at 9 a.m. EDT with encore daytime airings on Tuesdays and Thursdays through the end of the year.

Inspired by the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, TRCP's Life in the Open explores today's pressing fish and wildlife conservation issues while venturing to some of the best hunting and fishing destinations that are both accessible and affordable to hardworking American sportsmen.

Each week, host Ken Barrett transports viewers from their living rooms into the wild to pursue stealthy big game, fast-flying birds and aggressive fish in inspiring destinations across the United States and beyond. This season, viewers will learn about stalking Montana's big bull elk, braving Alaska's elements and monster salmon, and calling in javelina in New Mexico. Other adventures will feature pheasants and bruiser bucks in western Kansas, kudu and hartebeest in Africa, striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay and ducks in California's famed rice fields.

I will be the first to tell you that this is the first year that I have had the opportunity to test out and use a Trail Camera.  We had a couple in Idaho when we did some bear baiting for the outfitting business and in the first week the bears had eaten the cameras as well as all of the baits and after spending what we did for those cameras, I have never been too excited to get some new ones for fear of them getting eaten or stolen.

This year we have a new farm leased and at over 700 acres, I have been testing out the new Bushnell Trophy Cam in various locations around the farm.  The learning curve for where to place this little camera has been the hard part as the camera itself is easy to use and simple in design.

Bushnell really thought about how a trail camera with their name on it should act, small in design at around 3 by 5 inches, 8 double batteries runs this camera for a full year, 5 megapixel pictures are standard, and you can shoot small video clips as well.  The unit I am testing has a built in view finder so you can check it in the field and you can strap this camera to just about anything while keeping a low profile.  As well with built in night vision LEDs the camera can take pictures at night with a clear date and time stamp.

CHATFIELD, MINNESOTA - The Pope and Young Club has announced its Conservation Program Grants for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. The Pope and Young Club Conservation Program, with a budget for the year of over $120,000.00, includes Grants awarded to the following projects and programs in areas of education, pro-wildlife management, pro-bowhunting, research and partnerships:

* National Archery in Schools Program
* Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance
* The American Wildlife Conservation Partners
* United States Sportsmen's Alliance - Bowhunting Rights Coalition
* Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation
* Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies
* Arizona Game & Fish Dept. / Purdue University - deer DNA research project
* Wyoming Game & Fish Department - Absaroka elk research project
* National Shooting Sports Foundation - public schools conservation videos
* The Archery Hall of Fame
* Hunting for Tomorrow Foundation
* Jack Creek Preserve Foundation - youth conservation & bowhunting education
* Youth Conservation Education Portal
* National Conservation Leadership Institute
* Sponsorship of the 75th annual North American Wildlife Conference
* A new P&Y / NASP Equipment Matching Grants Program
* National Bowhunter Education Foundation's Project STAND
* The Kicking Bear Foundation
* Conservation Leaders for Tomorrow
* Unallocated - defense of bowhunting and defense of bowhunting-only seasons

With these grants, the Pope and Young Club has given more than a half million dollars over just the last five years to conservation projects around North America.

Included in this year's P&Y Conservation Program plan is significant funding for a new partnership the Pope and Young Club is undertaking with the Boone and Crockett Club on their television program, Leupold's Big Game Profiles.

Established in 1961, the Pope and Young Club is a non-profit North American conservation and bowhunting organization dedicated to the promotion and protection of our bowhunting heritage, hunting ethics and wildlife conservation. The Club also maintains the universally recognized repository for the records and statistics on North American big game animals harvested with the bow and arrow.

For information on joining the Pope and Young Club, please contact: Pope and Young Club, Box 548, Chatfield, MN 55923, 507-867-4144, www.pope-young.org

WASHINGTON - As Americans head outdoors to celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day, hundreds of sportsmen-focused businesses and organizations are voicing their support of roadless area conservation by signing on to "Banking on the Backcountry," a letter emphasizing the economic value of backcountry lands, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership announced today.

The new sportsmen's coalition is urging the federal government to maintain the maximum acreages of roadless areas on public lands, thereby conserving valuable fish and wildlife habitat, upholding hunting and fishing activities and supporting the sustainable economy that relies on backcountry areas. The Banking on the Backcountry letter is being delivered today to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

"Fishing and hunting annually contribute more than $190 billion to our nation's economy," the letter reads. "Conscientious backcountry management can maintain strong economic engines in rural communities and continue to supply stable jobs associated with hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation."

Rick White of Cedar Rapids, Iowa recently finished first in the Iowa State Championship Turkey Calling Contest.
 
The annual contest draws competitors from Iowa and surrounding states. There are contest categories for Junior, Intermediate, Hunter, Owl Hooting, Friction calls, Seniors and Overall State Champion.
 
Rick not only took first place overall, he also placed first in the Senior Open and was second in the Owl Hooting event.
 
Rick has also won a number of other turkey calling contests including the Iowa Open (seven times), Wisconsin (1997) and Nebraska Open (Twice). He also won the Minnesota Owl Hooting Championship from 1994-1996 and the Iowa Owl Hooting Championship in 2001 and 2007.

COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio's youth hunters will again have several added opportunities to learn and practice their hunting skills this fall. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife offers several ways for families to hunt together and create lasting traditions in the state's outdoors.

WATERFOWL: Youngsters age 15 and younger wanting to pursue waterfowl may do so, statewide, on Saturday and Sunday, October 3-4.

SMALL GAME: Hunters age 17 and younger may hunt statewide for rabbit, pheasant and all other legal game in season during two designated weekends, October 24-25 and October 31 and November 1. Quail also may be taken in 16 designated open counties.

Pheasant releases for young hunters will occur prior to these dates on the following state wildlife areas: Resthaven, Oxbow, Berlin, Killdeer Plains, Camp Belden, Grand River, Spencer, Wellington, Delaware, Dillon, Caesar Creek, Rush Run, Fallsville and Darke, as well as Charlemont Metropark in Lorain County.

WHITE-TAILED DEER: A youth deer-gun season will be open statewide, November 21- 22. Young hunters age 17 and younger who are accompanied by a non-hunting adult may take one deer of either sex during this season, in accordance with existing bag and deer zone limits.

WILD TURKEY: It is not too early to be planning to participate in the spring youth wild turkey hunting for 2010. A statewide spring youth wild turkey season will be offered on Saturday and Sunday, April 17-18. This hunt is open to youths age 17 and younger.

CONTROLLED HUNTS: The Division of Wildlife also offers several controlled hunts for young hunters throughout the hunting season. Applications to participate in these hunts are accepted June 1 through July 31. Applications are available at the division's five district offices and on wildohio.com, and may be completed by mail or online. There are controlled youth hunts for white-tailed deer, wild turkey and waterfowl.

To participate in the upcoming youth hunts, all young hunters must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult, and must abide by all regular hunting hours and bag limits. A valid 2009-2010 youth hunting license, along with the appropriate permits, are required. For complete details on all of Ohio's youth hunting seasons, refer to 2009-2010 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations booklet, call 1-800-WILDLIFE (1-800-945-3543) or go online to wildohio.com .

The 2009-2010 licenses will not be printed on weatherproof paper. Sportsmen and women should protect their licenses and permits from the elements by carrying them in a protective pouch or wallet.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.

BenchMaster, an Altus Brands, LLC company, the quality leader in Rifle Rests, has now designed a sturdy, easily transportable Shooting Table for the avid marksman.

Charles Ricci, EVP Sales & Marketing, made the announcement from their corporate office in Traverse City, MI;

"We are excited to offer the shooting public the strongest, most stable shooting table available today. The BenchMaster Shooting Table comes fully assembled right out of the box with no bolts or nuts to worry about. It is portable, easy to take down and set up in minutes. To transport, one simply folds the legs and seat assembly into the table where it may then be easily carried via the convenient carry handle."

Ricci continued, "The BenchMaster Shooting Table is made here in the USA and is guaranteed forever. The table is constructed with powder coated steel and a powder coated aluminum top for a lifetime of use to withstand even extreme weather conditions with out rusting or corroding. The comfortable seat and retractable legs feature 12 adjustment points for the perfect shooting position."

Altus Brands, LLC Co also owns Pro Ears, electronic and passive hearing protection/amplification products, Rifleman HP, BenchMaster Rifle Rests, Concealer® Boonie Bug Hats and CrossFire Slings brands.

ALTUS BRANDS 

MISSOULA, Mont.—The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has announced its 2009 grants for conservation education projects in Florida, and scheduled a fundraiser for Oct. 3 in Ft. Lauderdale.

The Elk Foundation’s Everglades Chapter will hold its annual big-game banquet Oct. 3 at the Miami Showman’s Association, 3391 Griffin Rd., in Ft. Lauderdale. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The event features food, fun, games, prizes and an auction. For reservations, call Shelly at (954) 953-5312 or register online at www.rmef.org.

RMEF chapters and partners across Florida since 1997 have completed conservation and education projects valued at more than $166,000.

Highlights have included workshops, clinics and programs to introduce youth and other newcomers to the outdoors, promote hunter safety and responsibility, provide physically challenged individuals with a hunting experience, and engage kids in conservation.