Nashville, TN—The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s award-winning hunting and fishing TV show, Brotherhood Outdoors, will feature an Illinois waterfowl hunt hosted by cousins Larry Lucco and Dustin Ramage, proud members of Laborers Local 100, at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 3 on Sportsman Channel.

Avid waterfowl hunters, the cousins invited Brotherhood Outdoors Co-hosts Daniel Lee Martin and Julie McQueen to Lucco’s hunt club, Keck’s Marsh, for the peak of waterfowl season in Vandalia, IL. Hailing from long lines of union families, Lucco and Ramage were also brought up with strong ties to the great outdoors.

“Waterfowl hunting requires practice, patience and an understanding of waterfowl patterns and habits in different weather conditions,” said Brotherhood Outdoors Co-host Daniel Lee Martin. “Even in the midst of a blizzard, we found all of these things and more during our two day pursuit at Keck’s Marsh.”

Dedicated to their community, Lucco and Ramage have made conservation a priority at the hunt club. In addition to flooded timber and wetlands, the 2,500 acre property also houses a waterfowl sanctuary for the thousands of mallards, snow geese and Canada geese that seek refuge there prior to the long winter months.

“Not only have these guys lived together, worked together and hunted together over the years, they’ve also fought to keep their hunting and outdoor traditions alive through conservation efforts,” said USA Executive Director Fred Myers. “It’s a big part of what these guys do every day; they introduce their kids to the outdoors, they pass down the work ethic of the union, and they continue the tradition of hunting and spending quality time with family and friends.”

Winner of a 2012 Sportsman Choice award, Brotherhood Outdoors awards union sportsmen and women who are committed to preserving North America’s outdoor heritage with a guided trip or the opportunity to show off their guiding skills and local hunting or fishing destinations on national TV.

Presented by Bank of Labor, Brotherhood Outdoors is also sponsored by Employee Benefit Solutions, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, National Electrical Contractors Association, United Association/International Training Fund as well as Buck Knives and Burris/Steiner Optics.

To see what happens when outdoor traditions collide with Mother Nature, tune in to this episode of Brotherhood Outdoors at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 3 on Sportsman Channel.

For more information about Brotherhood Outdoors or a complete lineup, visit BrotherhoodOutdoors.tv.

# # #
About the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance:
The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) is a union-dedicated outdoor organization whose members hunt, fish, shoot and volunteer their skills for conservation. The USA is uniting the union community to expand and improve hunting and fishing access and wildlife habitat while passing on our national outdoor heritage. For more information, visit www.unionsportsmen.org  or www.facebook.com/unionsportsmen.

About Sportsman Channel:
Launched in 2003, Sportsman Channel, and Sportsman HD, is the only television and digital media company fully devoted to sportsmen and women in the United States, delivering entertaining and educational programming focused exclusively on hunting, shooting and fishing activities.  Sportsman Channel reaches more than 31 million U.S. television households and is available in HD, visit http://sportsmanhd.com for more information. Visit www.thesportsmanchannel.com, follow on Twitter, @SPORTSMANchnl

Jay Janecek was cleaning a mallard that he shot on Lake Roosevelt outside of Spokane, Washington when he saw a pretty ugly looking breast.

The duck was riddled with worms, a parasitic infection called sarcocystosis, also known as rice breast because the worms look like grains of rice. According to Oregon Live, the parasite is most commonly found in dabbling ducks, but can also be found in fish flesh, and it can be dangerous to humans.

“We don’t have a good estimate of prevalence in Washington, but I would say it’s relatively uncommon here compared to some other areas of the Pacific Flyway, such as Great Salt Lake,” said Don Kraege, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife waterfowl manager.

The danger to humans come if the meat is undercooked. If the duck is cooked more than 160 degrees, the parasites will die. But, many people who see the rice breast will discard the meat, which is technically a violation of Washington game law, though Kraege has never heard of anyone being cited for throwing it aside. All hunters are urged to cook their meat to at least 160 degrees to avoid any negative health complications. -Brian McClintock

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Hunters who frequent Big Lake, St. Francis Sunken Lands, and Dave Donaldson Black River Wildlife Management Areas for waterfowl season have some new regulations this year, and they’re not too happy about it.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission amended their regulations to not allow hunters to use permanent blinds while duck hunting, nor let them keep their decoy spreads out overnight at the WMAs. The St. Francis Lake Association didn’t really like those new regulations, so they sued the AGFC.

Unfortunately for those hunters, though, the judge has determined that it wasn’t the venue for their law suit, and he tossed it out. So, for now, the duck and goose hunters who frequent these three areas are stuck with these regulations, according to Outdoor Hub. -Brian McClintock

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We shared the news of BP pleading guilty to felony manslaughter, environmental crimes and obstruction of Congress and agreeing to pay a record criminal settlement of $4.5 billion dollars. And it looks like more than half of that is going straight to the habitat.

According to Ducks Unlimited, nearly $2.4 billion of the money will go to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. NFWF, created by act of Congress in 1984, will be in charge of dispersing the funds to maximize benefits for fish and wildlife habitats in the Gulf Coast region.

“NFWF and DU, working with other conservation-minded partners, are committed to restoring, enhancing and protecting the Gulf Coast’s remaining coastal wetlands,” said DU CEO and former head of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Dale Hall. “These funds will go a long way toward achieving those goals for the region’s important wildlife resources, including wetlands and waterfowl.”

The area holds as many as 14 million waterfowl during winter, and roughly 1 million of the 3.1 million acres of Louisiana coastal wetlands that existed just a century ago have disappeared, and the continuing loss has been equated to losing a football field-sized area of coastal marsh every hour.

Hopefully this record settlement can lead to some real improvement in the Gulf coastal area for fish and wildlife. -Brian McClintock

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(Photo from Vanishing Paradise)

Canada geese are flying through the Pacific Flyway, and the city of Ridgefield, Oregon is making sure the high numbers of geese aren’t tearing up the area’s fields and crops.

According to OregonLive.com, the city has okayed the hunting of geese in the city limits. The city authorized six landowners to hunt on a total of roughly 500 acres within the city limits, City Council member Lee Wells says.

The practice of urban goose hunting is not widespread in Oregon, but this is the third year in a row that Ridgefield has allowed for the urban hunt. The population of geese has surged the past 10 years, with cackling geese expanding into the Oregon area. Hopefully this will keep hunters and landowners happy. -Brian McClintock

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The Robertsons took the world by storm last year with their show Duck Dynasty on A&E, and now, they are back. The Louisiana backwoods millionaires have been no strangers to the hunting media world with their well-loved Duck Commander and Buck Commander line of hunting gear. But their antics have made fans from non-hunters, and Uncle Si is probably most beloved bearded man in all of television.

Season two kicks off tonight at 10/9 central on A&E. Looks like lawn mower racing is on hand for the first show. -Brian McClintock

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It was supposed to be just a good day duck hunting in Aberdeenshire, Scotland but it turned into tragedy.

Matthew Will was out with his black labrador retriever, Fly, hunting ducks, but as Fly went out for a retrieve, a seal grabbed him. 

“This huge seal, more than twice the size of the dog, was flinging Fly around and pulling him under the water. I was horrified. The seal was enormous,” said Will, according to the Daily Mail. “Both his hind legs were completely crushed and mangled, his rib cage smashed and his left eye torn out. He was pouring with blood and in spasms of agony.”

Will is warning other hunters to beware, regardless of officials saying this kind of attack is very rare.

“I’m still trying to come to terms with it all. Now I just want to warn other dog-owners of the danger so that they won’t have to face the same anguish and horror that I have,” said Will. -Brian McClintock

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We have been tracking the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 all year, and the massive measure has just passed the U.S. Senate.

Introduced by Sen. John Tester of Montana, the 84-to-7 vote in favor of moving to vote on passage after recess reflects the broad support of these conservation, hunting and fishing provisions, writes Ducks Unlimited in their official release. Some of the highlights are better public lands management, increased fish habitat resources, improved billfish conservation efforts, extended fish and wildlife grants, clarified lead tackle and ammunition management, and many, many more.

In this bill are a lot of measures that many outdoorsmen have been fighting for over the course of years. You can read a full breakdown on everything in the bill on Tom Sadler’s Middle River Dispatches blog.

But, the Sportsmen’s Act now moves to the House of Representatives, where there is sure to be a fight.

“Now we must keep up the momentum to ensure this bill passes into law in November through working with both sides in the House of Representatives,” said Paul Schmidt, DU’s chief conservation officer. ”Fish and wildlife conservation and hunting and fishing have always had strong bipartisan appeal, and movement of this bill in the Senate is a reflection of that support.”

We’ll keep tracking it the bill’s progress. -Brian McClintock

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The National Wildlife Refuge System is one of the biggest government programs for hunters, with all of them doing great work in preserving wildlife, and many of them giving access to hunters.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has rolled out this year’s new regulations, and included in those regulations are expanding hunting in 16 different refuges in 14 states. 

“By expanding hunting in our National Wildlife Refuge System, we are supporting a heritage that has been handed down from generations and helping to achieve the goal of President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors initiative to connect Americans to the natural world through outdoor recreation,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “Hunters have been a mainstay of conservation in America for more than 100 years, and expanding hunting opportunities helps ensure that we will have the resources to care for our wildlife and its habitat in the future.”

In addition to opening the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge in Michigan to migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting for the first time, there are more hunting opportunities at refuges in Oregon, South Carolina, Louisiana, Montana, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Tennessee, Washington, Texas, Idaho, Georgia, Indiana, and Missouri.

“The National Wildlife Refuge System, one of America’s greatest conservation success stories, is committed to offering quality hunting and fishing programs — for all Americans — wherever they are compatible with refuge purposes,” said Service Director Dan Ashe.

The rules didn’t have all good news though. They did shut down hunting in two spots. Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge in Hawaii is now closed to big game hunting. And migratory bird hunting has been shut down in Santee National Wildlife Refuge in South Carolina. -Brian McClintock

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This week on Shoot Straight TV with Chad and Marsha Schearer we are hunting ducks and wild hogs in Texas at the Hageman Reserve with our special guest CJ Buck of Buck Knives, Inc. It starts tonight on the The Sportsman Channel at 7:00 pm EST. Feathers are flying on this show tonight.

Check out airtimes on ShootStraightTV.com!

We have told you about the record waterfowl numbers, and the impact the drought might have on them, but the Jamestown Sun is rightfully worried about the future of duck hunting in the upper Midwest.

It’s not all the drought, either. Though much of the nation has been plagued heat and no rain, habitat loss is a real concern. Thanks to crop prices, many acres that were pristine habitat, wetlands and grasslands, are disappearing because farmers are not enrolling them in the Conservation Reserve Program.

“I’ve been traveling in this country my entire career,” said Dave Nomsen, director of governmental affairs for Pheasants Forever. “I’ve never seen the pressure on the landscape that’s happening right now.”

In their recent report “Plowed Under,” the Environmental Working Group and Defenders of Wildlife said that between 2008 and 2011, about 37,000 square miles of grasslands, wetlands and shrublands were converted into cropland across the country. The greatest losses have occurred in the Upper Midwest and the Great Plains.

Losing grasslands, vital to duck nesting, could not only threaten the hunting habitat, but also future duck numbers.

“Duck hunters are going to be surprised in a few years,” said Duluth wildlife photographer and author Michael Furtman, who recently wrote a history of Ducks Unlimited. “We’ve had this record-breaking fall flight forecast, and we’ve had liberal duck seasons for a few years. A lot of young duck hunters will think that’s the way duck hunting always will be. They’re going to be surprised because we’ve lost so much nesting cover. That can’t last. It won’t last.”

This year should be a good year, but we better do something to make the next 15 years just as good, if not better. -Brian McClintock

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Hey Buddy, I’m just waitin on you to get the job done! by Matt Clark

Do you have a great caption for this awesome photo?

Share it in the comment section below by the end of the day Tuesday, September 4. We will pick our favorite caption, and the writer of that caption will win a GoHUNTn Hat.

Winner: Matt Clark

Nashville, TN—The American worker and sportsman will be honored for his/her community spirit and volunteerism during the 2nd annual Brotherhood Outdoors Labor Day marathon, which will feature eight back-to-back episodes airing from 1 to 5 p.m. ET. on Monday, September 3 on Sportsman Channel.

A collaboration between the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA), Sportsman Channel and Bank of Labor, this one-of-a-kind marathon will give viewers an intimate glimpse into the lives of these hardworking, blue-collar characters as they set out on a dream North American hunting or fishing trip or choose to show off their skills as guides—taking viewers to their favorite honey holes.

“Brotherhood Outdoors isn’t just a great hunting and fishing series but a true testament to the American spirit,” said Sportsman Channel CEO Gavin Harvey. “We are excited to once again show American workers they have a home at Sportsman Channel—not just during Labor Day, but every day.”

Between episodes of Brotherhood Outdoors, Sportsman Channel and the USA will pay tribute to the men and women who are working to make America not only a better place to live and work but a better place to pursue their outdoor passions. Throughout the day, viewers will meet everyday heroes who are working to preserve North America’s wildlife habitat, protect public access to quality places to hunt and fish and educate a future generation of sportsmen and women.

Episodes Airing on September 3 include:

1 p.m.  Texas Whitetail with a Steamfitter

1:30 p.m. California Hog with an Ironworker

2 p.m.  Montauk Stripers with an Electrical Worker

2:30 p.m. Kansas Geese with a Machinist

3 p.m.  Montana Whitetail with an Operating Engineer

3:30 p.m. Michigan Pheasant with a Firefighter

4 p.m.  Montana Elk with an Electrical Worker

4:30 p.m.   (NEW!) Idaho Mule Deer with a Refrigeration Fitter

“There are so many sportsmen and women in the union community who are doing amazing things to further conservation efforts throughout North America,” said USA Executive Director Fred Myers. “I can’t imagine a more perfect day than Labor Day to honor and reward that commitment.”

A staple in Sportsman Channel’s ‘Made in America’ programming, Brotherhood Outdoors is presented by Bank of Labor and sponsored by the following union and contractor partners: International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, National Electrical Contractors Association, International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers and United Association/International Training Fund.

For more information about Brotherhood Outdoors, the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance or Sportsman Channel, visit www.BrotherhoodOutdoors.tv.

#  #  #

About the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) is a Union-dedicated outdoor organization whose members hunt, fish, shoot and volunteer their skills for conservation. The USA is uniting the union community to expand and improve hunting and fishing access and wildlife habitat throughout North America. For more information, visit www.unionsportsmen.org  or www.facebook.com/unionsportsmen.

About Sportsman Channel: Launched in 2003, Sportsman Channel, along with Sportsman HD, is a television and digital media company fully devoted to the more than 82 million sportsmen in the United States, delivering entertaining and educational programming focused exclusively on hunting, shooting and fishing activities. Sportsman Channel reaches more than 31 million U.S. television households and is available in HD (http://sportsmanhd.com). Visit www.thesportsmanchannel.com or follow on Twitter, @SPORTSMANchnl.

There are a lot of awesome posts on GoHUNTn throughout the week. Here are 10 of our most popular GoHUNTn updates from the past week:

Hunter Participation Up For First Time in Decades – Our sports are getting more and more important!

Bears Rip Down Cabin Wall and Pound 100-Plus Beers in Norway – This sounds like some real fairy tale crime

Man Goes to Extreme Lengths to Sooth German Shepherd – The most heartwarming story about man’s best friend

President of California Fish and Game Commission Loses Post over Mountain Lion Hunt – Ousted for legal hunt. The antis win…

8-Pointer Attacks Minnesota Man – When whitetails attack

Colts Kicker Shows Off Trophy Room – Adam Vinatieri has dead aim, on the field and off

Whitetail Deer Hunter. Catfish Noodler. Vice President? Romney Picks Paul Ryan – Could a real sportsman be in the White House?

Scout Leader Attacked by Rabid Beaver in New York – Don’t go in the water in upstate New York

Groups Sue to Stop Wisconsin Wolf Hunt to Protect Hunting Dogs? – The latest attempt to shut down the wolf hunt

Daring Rescue Video: Police Officer Frees Moose from Swing Set in Utah – Would you have done the same?

Within the sportsmen-conservation community, the constant battle has been how we can continue to develop our nation’s energy resources without causing unnecessary harm on fish and wildlife habitat. It’s not an easy task, but it’s one that the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership has been tackling since its inception.

Now, the TRCP is lauding a new plan to develop the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced the plan on Monday, August 13, in that plan, the Department of the Interior placed firm plans to ensure that development sites are properly assessed for fish and wildlife impact and that only sites that will not have a negative impact on the crucial habitat will get permits for development.

“America’s ‘last frontier’ can remain the wild and wildlife-rich place that so many sportsmen treasure while still providing for our nation’s energy needs through this responsible development approach,” said TRCP President and CEO Whit Fosburgh in their release. “It conserves the most important habitat in the reserve while sacrificing little in terms of oil production. In particular, it makes the Teshekpuk Lake Special Area unavailable for leasing.”

The areas conserved support millions of ducks, geese and other migratory birds that use the Teshekpuk Lake area around for nesting, molting and staging and migrate throughout the United States to winter in nearly every state. The Utukok River Uplands also provide key habitat for the Western Arctic caribou herd, the largest in Alaska, currently estimated at 348,000 animals.

The plan allows about 87 percent of the National Petroleum Reserve to be developed, with the rest set aside for fish and wildlife habitat. Sounds like that compromise sportsmen-conservationists have been waiting for. –Brian McClintock

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There have been millions of fish killed thanks to the heat and drought this year, and waterfowl might be next.

According to MSNBC, authorities believe that the losses from the worst drought in 56 years could run into the millions of dollars, devastating the corn and soybean crops and forcing ranchers to cull their herds due to scorched pasture. This could lead to a lack of forage for for ducks and geese as the migrate through drought-riddled areas.

“Nationwide we are talking tens of millions to hundreds of millions (of dollars in losses). It just depends upon how long it lasts and how widespread it becomes,” said fisheries biologist Dan Stephenson of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

“If this drought persists into fall, when the duck and other waterfowl pass through on their way south, there could be a larger problem,” Stephenson told Reuters.

Some have thought that the drought could help the duck hunting season. With record numbers coming through, habitat managers have been able to use the droughts to do a lot of improvements to bird habitats. But, unless the heat breaks and we get a lot of rain, we might be in for a rough fall too. –Brian McClintock

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According to all estimates, there has been a lot of this happening this year. And Delta Waterfowl is giving us an inside look at what it looks like when a mallard duck hatches.

According to their YouTube post, they captured the video during nest checks with Delta Waterfowl research students near Minnedosa, Manitoba on July 10.

“This mallard had a better chance to survive because it hatched in an area where Delta is conducting predator management studies,” wrote Delta Waterfowl. “Historically, nest success has been very low there, but early results are showing increased hatch rates on grass cover blocks where trapping is taking place.”

It’s an amazing video of how important hunters are to waterfowl enhancement. –Brian McClintock

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(Via American Hunter’s Dogs, Shotguns, and Other Vices)

We already know that there will be more ducks migrating around the United States and Canada this year than ever before. We also know that most of the country is riddled with drought that is the largest, worst natural disaster in U.S. history. But those two things could lead to some great waterfowl hunting this year, especially in the Illinois River Valley wetlands.

According to the PJStar.com, the dry weather has helped managers create ideal waterfowl habitat along the Illinois River, and now hunters can wait for seasons to start and ducks to show up.

“It’s going to be fabulous up and down the Illinois River for moist soil plant production,” said Doug Jallas, site superintendent of the Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area near Chandlerville, Illinois.

The lack of rain has lead to a drawdown of water, which has them at levels that allow soil plants to seed and grow, which provides forage for traveling ducks in the fall. This is the first time since 2005 that managers have been able to do this kind of work.

But, while this drought has allowed for good management now, they still need to make sure the rains returns in the fall.

“All we need is water in the fall and we’ll have the perfect storm come together. I guess time will tell,” said Jallas. –Brian McClintock

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Our friends at Garden & Gun magazine have great readers with great gun dogs, and they often share those great photos, and this one caught our eye.

The photo is of Ollie, a yellow Labrador from Salters, South Carolina, who is clearly very eagerly waiting for some ducks to fly in.

Thanks to the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership’s Facebook post, we are passing this one on to you, but the entire photo gallery is worth checking out. –Brian McClintock

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The brandt cormorant is not threatened nor endangered, but its protection under the migratory bird act forced the town of Depoe Bay, Oregon to cancel their Fourth of July firewarks.

The town, which hails itself as the “World’s Smallest Harbor” is home to many of the seabirds who nest in the area. In 2010, a resident complained to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that after the fireworks, the cormorants flew away from their nests. So, in 2011, the service employed some aerial surveillance and found that the towns very popular display did indeed force the birds from their nests, which made their eggs vulnerable to predators.

That was enough for the Federal Agency to shut down the town’s celebration this year.

We don’t know how their celebration went this year, but hopefully no birds were harmed. –Brian McClintock

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Here’s some good news for waterfowl hunters: there are more ducks in North America than there ever have been before.

The Fish and Wildlife Service teamed up with Canadian officials to figure out that in 2012, there are approximately 48 million ducks overhead at any given time. According to Delta Waterfowl, mallards and blue-winged teals are the most abundant, but numbers are up across the board. Of the ten species surveyed, only two suffered a decline since 2011 (pintails and redheads), and overall there are seven percent more ducks than there were last year.

Here’s hoping this is a sign of a great waterfowl hunting season to come this year, and even as these populations are growing, habitat continues to shrink. So, hopefully this year’s Farm Bill will help create some more space. – Rick Bach

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There are a lot of awesome posts on GoHUNTn throughout the week. Here are 10 of our most popular GoHUNTn updates from the past few weeks:

Probable Drunk Person Taunts Black Bear – This guy deserves to be mauled…

Snake Vomits Up Frog: Graphic Video – Do NOT watch this if you have a weak stomach.

Kudu Kills Poacher in Self Defense – If only all poachers met the same fate.

Mass Grave of Giant Wombats Found in Australia – Imagine seeing one of these guys on a walkabout.

5,000 Ducks Shut Down China Highway– Who wants to help clear the road?

Stray Bullet Hits Police Chief at Tampa Bay Rays Baseball Game – How’d a bullet get through a domed stadium in Florida?

Australia Looking to Allow Hunters to Start Targeting Nuisance Species – Who’s ready for an Australian hunting trip? Don’t worry there are no more giant wombats!

Black Bears Brawl in Suburban Florida Front Yard – ‘Tis the season for bears acting crazy…

Walker and Wyatt Named First Ever Buck Knives Jr. Pro Staffers – The Schearer Boys, poised to take over the hunting world!

Summer Hunting: Wild Boar Style – Are you hunting this summer? This will make you want to if you’re not.

Ducks Unlimited CEO, Dale Hall, knows a little something about what it takes to conserve habitat to improve hunting opportunities, since he was the head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from 2005 to 2009. And now Hall is not pleased with the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations, as they are looking to slash $13 million in funds for wetlands conservation.

The subcommittee recently released their recommendations, which includes a $22.3 million appropriation for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), a more than $13 million cut from last fiscal year.

“While we understand the spending constraints the House Appropriations Committee is operating under, we are disappointed with the spending level recommended for the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund in the subcommittee’s bill,” said Hall in DU’s official release. “NAWCA leverages a modest investment of federal dollars with significant non-federal dollars from partner organizations like Ducks Unlimited to deliver exemplary on-the-ground wetlands conservation across the nation. This appropriations plan is not good for conservation or the economy, which is strongly benefited by outdoor recreationists.”

NAWCA was enacted in 1989, and since then the program has put in just over $1 billion in federal grants have been leveraged to collect an additional $3 billion in matching and non-matching funds. This has gone to improve habitat at 2,000 locations. The federal funds are really just the spark that ignites a much larger source of support. Already 25 million acres of critical waterfowl and wildlife habitat across North America through NAWCA, imagine what even just $8 million would accomplish.–Brian McClintock

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This just in, the U.S. Senate has passed the newest version of the Farm Bill. Why should hunters, anglers, and outdoorsmen care? Because there are quite a few very important programs to enhance our natural resources, like the Conservation Reserve Program, Open Fields, Wetlands Reserve Program, etc.

In a close 52-47 vote, the 2012 Farm Bill has taken the next step to become law, with the House of Representatives set to tackle the bill next.

“Waiting only increases budget pressures, while rural landscapes continue to be diminished and fish and wildlife populations and the economies they support suffer,” said Jennifer Mock Schaeffer, Farm Bill coordinator for the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies. “The Farm Bill has helped conserve and enhance millions of acres of fish and game habitat, and we urge the House to follow the Senate’s lead and finalize its version of the bill without delay.”

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership did note in their release that three sportsmen’s bills were not included in the Senate version of the bill. The TRCP had come out in support of those bills. But, don’t be fooled, this is still a great win for sportsmen. Lets hope it moves quickly through the house.

For more on the Farm Bill, check out the TRCP’s Agriculture issues page. –Brian McClintock

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Well, this makes the Peabody’s duck parade just look silly.

Video has emerged of an estimated 5,000 ducks taking to the streets when a Chinese farmer decided to take his flock for a walk to a different body of water. No one really knows why this farmer chooses to do so, but it clogged up traffic for quite a bit. –Brian McClintock

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(Via Outdoor Hub)

On February 11, 2002, a juvenile duck was banded at Kaituna Wildlife Reserve near Tauranga, New Zealand. Brian Rogers was kayak hunting less than a mile away 10 years later when he downed the duck.

According to officials, in the 15 years that the Fish & Game’s Eastern Region has kept records, this is the oldest duck ever shot in the area. 

“It’s an area that gets a lot of hunting pressure and to go through so many hunting seasons, it must have been a pretty wily old bird,” said Senior Fish & Game Officer Matt McDougall. “I think it’s fair to say however that this harvest could be considered a humane act, as from the description of the bird’s flying, it was nearing the end of its life.”

The recovery wasn’t an easy one for Rogers, who thought the duck looked like a juvenile, and was not in good shape when he shot it. The bird landed on some loose sand, and he had to crawl on his belly to recover the old bird.

“I said to my mate Tony that so far I’d only shot young and stupid birds, and now I can add geriatric to that. I am stunned to hear it was that old,” said Rogers.–Brian McClintock

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Herons are vicious predators, as this mallard can tell you, and we’re not so sure a gosling was able to escape the clutches of a hungry heron.

A Getty Images photographer was able to snap some startling images of a heron gobbling down a gosling that must have gotten away from its protective mother in Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, London, England. If the heron did finish this baby goose off, the photographer didn’t share that image.

–Brian McClintock

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Animals definitely were harmed in the making of this post (which can be said for most posts here on GoHUNTn).

Photographer Paul Hughes was at Herbert Park in Dublin when he saw a hungry heron, unable to fish thanks to some flooding. But, the bird of prey found some new forage: a mallard duckling. The duckling tried to hide in a cage, but could not avoid the heron’s evil clutches. 

The baby bird almost got completely consumed, but thankfully its mother swooped in to save the day.

There’s no word if the duckling survived the ordeal. –Brian McClintock

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With a mild winter, many are believing that this will be a year with a lot of ticks, which means a lot of Lyme disease.

SportDOG’s Regional Sales Manager Josh Miller’s chocolate lab Easton was diagnosed with the disease just a month ago, and they have laid out steps to prevent your pup from contracting Lyme disease. According to their blog post, “in these high-risk zones, 1 in every 5 ticks collected was infected with Lyme disease.” These states include Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the entire northeastern United States.

Their four steps to preventing disease: Get your dog vaccinated, use flea and tick repellent, brush your dog often (I recommend the FURminator), and to check for ticks daily. Check out all of their tips here. –Brian McClintock

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The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission is considering permitting no more than 50 hunters the opportunity to hunt sandhill cranes in two counties in The Centennial State. But hundreds of signatures have been gathered to try to stop the hunt.

The PWC opened the issue up for discussion on April 25, and the bird rights movement has been active in drumming up support to squash the hunt.

According to Outdoor Hub, “though the bird is historically known to be overhunted, its populations have seen a fairly dramatic recovery since the mid-20th century, according to Parks and Wildlife Avian Research Leader Jim Gammonley. He said that the number of birds staging to migrate in Northwest Colorado has been estimated to be greater than 20,000 for the past five years. Still, there would only be up to 50 permits issued in the first two seasons with the number of permits increasing modestly over the seasons to account for hunter success ratios (it’s rare that hunters enjoy a 100 success rate).”

There is a growing movement of initiation hunts for sandhill cranes throughout the United States, and they’ve been said to be the “filet mignon of the sky.” We’ll let you know how this pans out. –Brian McClintock

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Photo credit: Associated Press

This is sad: A goose in the vicinity of Old Lyme, Connecticut, is wandering around with an arrow in its head. The good news is that it’s been wandering around like this since February and has evaded capture and veterinary treatment because it can fly just fine, thank you very much.

Click here to read the story in the New Haven Register. Click here to see video of it walking around.

Everyone loves a good quip about hunting. Here are some of our favorites. If you have one that you love that you don’t see on this list, please put it in the comments section below

“I am happy now, to recall that I was no only his son but his companion, and whenever there was a hunting expedition or any other pleasure, I was always with him.” –John Philip Sousa

“Mr. Janet Reno? I think Mr. Janet Reno… I think he’s one of the best hunting dogs in the world.” –Ted Nugent

“Pa did not like a country so old and worn out that the hunting was poor. He wanted to go west. For two years he had wanted to go west and take a homestead, but Ma did not want to leave the settled country.” –Laura Ingalls Wilder

“The perils of duck hunting are great – especially for the duck.” –Walter Cronkite

“When he was young, I told Dale Jr. that hunting and racing are a lot alike. Holding that steering wheel and holding that rifle both mean you better be responsible.” –Dale Earnhardt

“You see I’m against hunting, in fact I’m a hunt saboteur. I go out the night before and shoot the fox.” –Tim Vine

“One of my favorite clothing patterns is camouflage. Because when you’re in the woods it makes you blend in. But when you’re not it does just the opposite. It’s like ‘hey, there’s an asshole.’” –Demetri Martin

“If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the Gods must clearly smile on hunting.” –Aristotle

“Civilized life has altogether grown too tame, and, if it is to be stable, it must provide a harmless outlets for the impulses which our remote ancestors satisfied in hunting.” –Bertrand Russell

“There is a passion for hunting something deeply implanted in the human breast.” –Charles Dickens

“Use enough gun.” –Robert Ruark

“One does not hunt in order to kill. On the contrary, one kills in order to have hunted.” –Jose Ortega y Gasset

“There ain’t many troubles that a man can’t fix with seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six” – Lindy Wisdom.

“When some of my friends have asked me anxiously about their boys, whether they should let them hunt, I have answered yes–remembering that it was one of the best parts of my education–make them hunters.” –Henry David Thoreau

“All the sounds of this valley run together into one great echo, a song that is sung by all the spirits of this valley. Only a hunter hears it.” –Chaim Potok

“There is a solitude, or perhaps a solemnity, in the few hours that precede the dawn of day which is unlike that of any others in the twenty-four, and which I cannot explain or account for. Thoughts come to me at this time that I never have at any other.” –George Bird Grinnell

“This scenery already rich pleasing and beautiful was still further heightened by immense herds of Buffaloe, deer Elk and Antelopes which we saw in every direction feeding on the hills and plains” –Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.

“The firing began in earnest after my first shot, and grew into such a cannonade as I never heard before or since on a hunting field. We killed and brought to bag nineteen fine turkeys.” –Gen. William E. Strong

“The wild life of today is not ours to do with as we please. The original stock was given to us in trust for the benefit both of the present and the future. We must render an accounting of this trust to those who come after us.” –Theodore Roosevelt

“We cannot but pity the boy who has never fired a gun; he is no more humane, while his education has been sadly neglected.” –Henry David Thoreau

“Voluntary adherence to an ethical code elevates the self-respect of the sportsman, but it should not be forgotten that voluntary disregard of the code degenerates and depraves him.” –Aldo Leopold

“The pleasure of the sportsman in the chase is measured by the intelligence of the game and its capacity to elude pursuit and in the labor involved in the capture.” –John Dean Caton

“The more I see of the people’s representatives, the more I like my dogs.” –Comte Alfred D’Orsay

“Your heart grows tired of waiting, and suddenly–but only sportsmen will understand me–suddenly in the deep stillness comes a special kinda of whirr and swish, year hear the measured stroke of swift wings–and the woodcock, with his long beak drooping gracefully down, comes swimming out from a dark birch tree to meet your fire. This is what is meant by ‘waiting for the flight.’” –Ivan Turgenev

“The land comes alive through its wild creatures.” –Charles Fergus

“Hunting has opened the earth to me and let me sense the rhythms and hierarchies of nature.” –Charles Fergus

“Man…can understand a lion, because a lion is life in its simplest form, beautiful, menacing, dangerous, and attractive to his ego.” –Robert Ruark

“A lion has always been the symbol of challenge, the prototype of personal hazard. You get the lion, or the lion gets you.” –Robert Ruark.

“I knew, coldly and outside myself, that I could shoot a rifle on game as well as any some of a bitch that ever lived. Like hell I could.” –Ernest Hemingway

“Riflemen are made, not born.” –Col. Townsend Whelen

“Unless a man has considerable skill with and reliance in his weapon, he will not remain cool in the presence of dangerous game close by.” — Col. Townsend Whelen

“I speak of Africa and golden joys’ the joy of wandering through lonely lands; the joy of hunting the might and terrible lords of wilderness, the cunning, the wary, and the grim.” –Theodore Roosevelt

“I don’t regard nature as a spectator sport.” –Ed Zern

“What an absurd time to be a hunter. Yet has there ever been a more vital one?” –Thomas McIntyre

“God doesn’t count the hours you spend afield with friends.” –Gene Hill

“In a civilized and cultivated country, wild animals only continue to exist at all when preserved by sportsmen.” –Theodore Roosevelt

“If there is a sacred moment in the ethical pursuit of game, it is the moment you release the arrow or touch off the fatal shot.” –Jim Posewitz

“I’m not sure where in my anatomy the hunting impulse resides–in my genese, some would say, or in my soul–but it’s certainly there as, I’m convinced, it is in all of us.” –William G. Tapply

“It boils down to this: Accept your hunting partners like your mate–for better or worse.” –Joel Vance

“At a minimum, a good gun must be useful, beautiful, and well-made enough to last a lifetime.” –Stephen Bodio

“Well you better think twice on it Jack, you’re better off buyin’ a shotgun dead off the rack.” –Bruce Springsteen

“A vote is like a rifle: its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.” –Theodore Roosevelt