Let’s Charge Deer Hunters For Deer/Vehicle Collisions

The latest recipient of the Black Bear Blog’s horse excrement award goes to Rep. John Quinn and Rep. David Pearce both of Minnesota. Quinn is the sponsor and Pearce the co-sponsor of HB2498, a bill that would pay anyone involved in an accident with a deer, the first $250 in damages. And, that money would come from the Department of Conservation. For those who might not quite understand what the Department of Conservation is, in your state it may be called the Department of Natural Resources or Department of Fish and Game, etc. Whatever it’s called, it appears these two guys want sportsmen to pay for deer accidents. Read the story »

For Sportsmen, Clean Water Restoration Act Goes Too Far

Peyton Knight of the National Center for Public Policy Research is warning sportsmen that the proposed Clean Water Restoration Act sponsored by Representative James Oberstar (D-MN), “would do more to threaten the cherished pastimes of hunters, fishermen and other outdoor enthusiasts than it would to ensure the cleanliness of our nation’s water.”

I’ve written a couple times over the past few months about the CWRA (here and here) but Knight brings to the attention of American sportsmen what could await us should this act be approved. Read the story »

Revamping Deer Hunting Seasons Or Catering To Special Interests

It seems everyday I learn of another bunch of unhappy deer hunters griping and complaining about them not getting the same “fair” opportunity as the next guy. Will it ever end? Nah! I don’t think it is something human nature can rise above, at least not on a regular basis.

Remember back to the days of Little League baseball? Having spent many of my earlier years coaching, organizing the local leagues and even a stint as county Little League baseball commissioner, dealing with the kids was a cake walk. The same could not be said for the parents. Sometimes I think the authorities at each state’s fish and game department wake up some mornings and think to themselves, “Ah, Geez! I got to go to work today and listen to another unhappy deer hunter who knows more about how to put all this information together and come up with a deer hunting season that keeps everyone happy - including the deer.” Read the story »

Through Better Men than I

By Master Sargent Mike Sibley

I can hear their whispers wherever I go. “Control your breathing, concentrate on the blade, and squeeze.” “Feel your way along with your toes instead of watching your feet.” “Work your way down through that black-growth and you’ll find ‘em in that stand of beech.” So persistent are they that I sympathize with a schizophrenic who feels as if he’s never alone. Unlike him, my voices are not a psychotic delusion created by chemical imbalances crying out for the saving grace of lithium. Real men spoke those words and no amount of time or distance will ever silence them. They are my last connection to a past that I crave but know I’ll never see. They define the man who hears them. And I pray they shape the lives of my sons. Read the story »