Due to a scheduling conflict, the season finale of Brotherhood Outdoors will now air this Sunday, April 14. Details below.

Nashville, TN—The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s award-winning hunting and fishing TV show, Brotherhood Outdoors, will feature a Texas quail and hog hunt with professional shooter and veteran, police chief Diane Sorantino, at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 14 on Sportsman Channel.

A proud member of PBA Local 59 in Cape May County, New Jersey, Sorantino is also a member of Team Beretta and the National Sporting Clays Association Team USA. She has two World Championship titles to her name—making her a quick shot when it came to pursuing quail at Wildcat Creek Resort in Detroit, Texas.

“While filming Diane’s adventure, we mounted a camera to her shotgun,” said Brotherhood Outdoors co-host Julie McQueen. “We discovered that she doesn’t even blink when she pulls the trigger. In fact, she keeps her eye on the target and only pulls her gaze away after the target has fallen.”

To level the playing field, the Brotherhood Outdoors crew added a wild hog hunt to the mix. Not only did Sorantino get to experience her first shot at a Southern hog but she got to pursue one of America’s most invasive species and help remedy the problem at Wildcat Creek Resort.

“In her more than 25 years on the force, Diane has dedicated her time to protecting people in her community,” said USA Executive Director Fred Myers. “We are honored to share her story and get people excited about hunting by marrying her unparalleled shooting skills and sportsmanship together in this episode.”

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 the coveys fly and the hogs run for cover, tune in to Sportsman Channel at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 14.

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

Nashville, TN—The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s award-winning hunting and fishing TV show, Brotherhood Outdoors, will feature a Texas quail and hog hunt with professional shooter and veteran, police chief Diane Sorantino, at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, April 7 on Sportsman Channel.

A proud member of PBA Local 59 in Cape May County, New Jersey, Sorantino is also a member of Team Beretta and the National Sporting Clays Association Team USA. She has two World Championship titles to her name—making her a quick shot when it came to pursuing quail at Wildcat Creek Resort in Detroit, Texas.

“While filming Diane’s adventure, we mounted a camera to her shotgun,” said Brotherhood Outdoors co-host Julie McQueen. “We discovered that she doesn’t even blink when she pulls the trigger. In fact, she keeps her eye on the target and only pulls her gaze away after the target has fallen.”

To level the playing field, the Brotherhood Outdoors crew added a wild hog hunt to the mix. Not only did Sorantino get to experience her first shot at a Southern hog but she got to pursue one of America’s most invasive species and help remedy the problem at Wildcat Creek Resort.

“In her more than 25 years on the force, Diane has dedicated her time to protecting people in her community,” said USA Executive Director Fred Myers. “We are honored to share her story and get people excited about hunting by marrying her unparalleled shooting skills and sportsmanship together in this episode.”

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 the coveys fly and the hogs run for cover, tune in to Sportsman Channel at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, April 7.

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

Nashville, TN—The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s award-winning hunting and fishing TV show, Brotherhood Outdoors, will feature an Arizona mule deer bow hunt with firefighter Michael McShane at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 24 on Sportsman Channel.

A proud member of IAFF Local 2909 in Dover, New Hampshire, McShane has dedicated his life to serving others and his community. For years he scrimped and saved spare change in an old water jug in order to afford his dream hunt—only to have it stolen when he was just pennies away from achieving his goal.

“Instead of becoming bitter, he just started over from the beginning,” said Brotherhood Outdoors co-host Julie McQueen. “That story seems to sum up Michael McShane; he is patient, and he doesn’t mind a little hard work to reach his goals. That’s why he was the perfect candidate for this grueling archery adventure.”

With the help of JP Vicente, a fellow IAFF member and owner of Big Chino Outfitters, McShane spent a week stalking and pursuing mule deer and javelina. Cold temperatures, altitude adjustments and 70-yard shots at moving targets kept the crew on their toes and on the move through Arizona’s rigorous terrain.

“Two of my favorite stalks were later in the week,” said McShane. “On one of them, we belly crawled for an hour, trying to sneak up on a buck and the other one was a stalk that we made after taking our shoes off. Sneaking up on a deer with stocking feet or crawling on your belly… now that’s hunting.”

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.

Tune in to Sportsman Channel at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 24 to see Michael McShane put his long-range archery skills to the test.

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

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

Nashville, TN—The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s award-winning hunting and fishing TV show, Brotherhood Outdoors, will feature a late-season New Mexico elk hunt with Dan Reyes, a proud member of United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 412, at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, February 10 on Sportsman Channel.

Also the owner of Ridgeline Outfitters out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Reyes challenges the Brotherhood Outdoors crew to pursue stealthy New Mexico elk with only a muzzleloader, comfortable hiking boots, high energy levels and a lot of patience.

“Traversing difficult terrain, scaling rock walls and mountainsides, all while keeping the cameras rolling was only half the battle,” said Brotherhood Outdoors co-host Daniel Lee Martin. “The real trick was to get the animal within range for a primitive weapon without using any sweet-talking or traditional calls.”

Nominated by former Brotherhood Outdoors guest Jake Lovato, Reyes is one of the only professional hunting guides in New Mexico who is also a member of the UA. Guiding professionally for the last 20 years, he is also a member of the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Mule Deer Foundation, NRA and SCI.

“My dad taught me to appreciate the great outdoors at an early age,” said Reyes. “My outdoor way of life is very important to me and I plan to hand all of this down to my kids.”

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.

Tune in at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, February 10 to Sportsman Channel to see if Reyes can lead Brotherhood Outdoors host Daniel Lee Martin to his first New Mexico elk.

For more information about Brotherhood Outdoors or a complete lineup, 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 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

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Director and President of America’s State Parks Foundation to speak about the importance of conservation in America.

Nashville, TN—More than 250 union partners, sponsors and friends will help celebrate the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s (USA) fifth anniversary on Tuesday, February 12 at the AFL-CIO Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Hosted by USA Board Chairman and AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and made possible by USA’s charter unions and sponsors, the event will highlight the USA’s milestones over the last five years; honor the unions, partners and individuals who have contributed to the organization’s success; and set the USA’s direction for coming years.

Designed in conjunction with Field & Stream, USA’s Walk of Fame display will provide guests with a visual representation of the organization’s achievements as they enjoy a wild game inspired menu provided by the Union Insurance Group.  Guests will also meet Brotherhood Outdoors co-hosts Daniel Lee Martin and Julie McQueen and go home with a U.S. made, commemorative Carhartt jacket.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Director Daniel Ashe will discuss the importance of conserving North America’s fish and wildlife populations and habitats while keynote speaker Joe Elton, Director of Virginia State Parks and President of America’s State Parks Foundation, will help introduce the USA’s Adopt-a-Park Program.

Sadly, America’s 6,624 state parks are continually faced with budget cuts and have a backlog of repair and restoration projects.  The USA is America’s only outdoor conservation organization whose members have the collective training, skills and equipment to take on construction projects to repair and refurbish America’s state parks. Through USA’s Adopt-A-Park program, coming in the 2nd quarter of 2013, USA members will lace up their boots and enlist the help of their families, friends and fellow union brothers and sisters to renew, rebuild and restore America’s treasured state parks.

“As we reflect on the amazing conservation work our members have done over the last five years, it’s also important to look towards the future impact we can have on America’s outdoor heritage,” said USA Executive Director Fred Myers. “Whether restoring a weathered visitors center or rebuilding the park ranger station, USA members will come together through Adopt-A-Park to exhibit pride, craftsmanship, dedication and unity while demonstrating to all park visitors the best of what being union in America really means.”

Launched in 2007, the USA is uniting union sportsmen and women and likeminded individuals to educate future generations of sportsmen, conserve healthy wildlife habitat and volunteer their time and skills for projects that improve access to quality places to hunt, fish and shoot. The USA is proudly supported by the AFL-CIO; Bricklayers; Boilermakers; Electricians; Elevator Constructors; Insulators; Machinists; Painters; Roofers; Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers; and Plumbers and Pipefitters.

# # #
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.

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Nashville, TN—The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s award-winning hunting and fishing TV show, Brotherhood Outdoors, will feature an action-packed Asian carp bowfishing adventure with Corfu, NY native and union elevator constructor Bill Schaber at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, January 13 on Sportsman Channel.

Vice President of IUEC Local 14, Schaber will join co-hosts Daniel Lee Martin and Julie McQueen in Illinois to help combat the growing population of invasive Asian carp—archery style. Faced for the first time with the challenge of flying fish, he’ll have the opportunity to combine his longtime love of angling and bow hunting while battling one of the Midwest’s most invasive species.

A former competitive shooter and Cub Scout Master, Schaber has always been inspired by a family legacy of outdoorsmen. Each summer he hosts the Marty Schaber Memorial Kids Fishing Derby on family land for dozens of children and teens. Named for his father, the derby is now in its fourteenth year and helps expose future generations to the Schaber family’s love of the great outdoors.

“Coming from a long line of anglers, my hope is that viewers get an understanding of just how invasive this species is,” said Schaber. “Before the show, I’d never been west of the Mississippi River. I learned quickly that regardless of where you live, it’s up to us—everyday sportsmen and women—to make sure something is to done to prevent Asian carp from spreading across America.”

Working intimately with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Brotherhood Outdoors crew was ecstatic to capture not only an exhilarating bowfishing trip but to shed a national spotlight on the threat posed by non-native Asian carp.

“Over the past two and a half years, the Illinois DNR has been able to work with the community to remove more than one million pounds of bighead and silver Asian carp from their rivers,” said Brotherhood Outdoors Co-host Daniel Lee Martin. “Our goal with this episode is to make this growing issue a part of sportsmen’s everyday dialogue.”

Winner of a 2012 Sportsman Choice award and a 2013 nominee, 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 the following union and contractor partners: Employee Benefit Systems, 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, and United Association/International Training Fund.

Don’t miss Bill Schaber’s wild, Asian carp bowfishing adventure on January 13. For more information about Brotherhood Outdoors or a complete lineup, 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 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

Nashville, TN – Wrapping up a year of beneficial Boots on the Ground conservation projects, Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) staff and union volunteers wrapped up the first phase of a youth shooting facility in College Grove, TN to help educate and mentor the next generation of shooting enthusiasts.

Looking for a local project with a long term impact in the community, the USA teamed up with the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) and the Nashville Building and Construction Trades in early 2012.  After months of planning, they launched a Boots on the Ground project to construct the Harpeth Scholastic Shooting Complex on a 20-acre plot to benefit the shooting programs of nine middle and high schools near the USA’s headquarters in Nashville, Tenn.

Students who belong to these school shooting programs currently drive up to 1.5 hours to practice and compete—a burden both for the students and their parents.  The new shooting complex will make the shooting sports readily accessible to more than 200 student competitors each year.

In phase one of the project, Ironworkers Local 492 member Glen Sloan and Helmets to Hardhats apprentice Nathan May constructed a 36’ gate for the entrance of the new shooting facility.  Volunteers from IBEW Local 429, Insulators Local 86 and Ironworkers Local 492 installed the gate while several USA staff painted it on Dec. 1.  IBEW Local 429 also secured a donation of electrical materials from Conti Electric in Nashville, TN—part of the nationwide Conti Corporation—to wire the facility and install outdoor lighting.

“The shooting sports are a great way to get youth away from their electronics and engaged in an outdoor activity that teaches important life skills like hard work, dedication, awareness and safety,” said Gerald Grant, IBEW Local 429 Business Manager and Financial Secretary and one of the committee members for this Boots on the Ground project. “We’re proud to offer our support to help build a shooting complex that will benefit youth in our community, including the children of some of our own union brothers and sisters.”

The shooting range is just the first step in the development of the property.  The TWRA plans to raise additional funds to build a learning center for hunter safety and wildlife management, so students can complete the live firing portion of the course at the same location, and to refurbish an old barn on the site.  The Nashville Building and Construction Trades have offered labor for any other projects they undertake at the facility.

“Many members of the Nashville Building Trades are avid hunters and shooters, so we were thrilled to get them involved in USA’s Boots on the Ground project,” said Anthony Nicholson, President of the Nashville Building Trades and Business Manager of Insulators Local 86.  “It’s up to today’s youth to carry on our outdoor sporting traditions, and this new shooting complex will introduce more school-age children to the shooting sports, which may also spark their interest in hunting.”

“The hardest part of building anything that isn’t monetarily motivated is finding funding and skilled volunteers,” said Williamson County Wildlife Officer Joe Fortner.  “We’ve been able to raise a significant amount of money but not enough to write a contractor a quarter million dollar check.  That’s where the USA stepped in.  Skilled union volunteers are able to do things the average volunteer couldn’t do.  Without the help of the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, we wouldn’t be able to build this facility at this time.”

# # #

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.

The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s award-winning hunting and fishing TV show, Brotherhood Outdoors, will feature an exhilarating Vancouver Island black bear hunt with Kalama, WA native and HVAC mechanic Mark Spreadborough at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, January 6 on Sportsman Channel.

A member of United Association Local 290, avid outdoorsman and proud father, Spreadborough will battle the terrain and wilderness outside of Port Alberni as he attempts to harvest his first bear with his great-grandfather’s 1895 Winchester rifle ‘Big Medicine’—named after one of Theodore Roosevelt’s favorite firearms.

“Putting your hopes and dreams into a situation that’s guarded with a primitive weapon can be intimidating,” said Brotherhood Outdoors co-host Julie McQueen. “Mark never once seemed nervous about carrying around the rifle and iron sights. In fact, we all felt a sense of pride each time Mark took the gun from its case and an air of nostalgia as we glassed the mountains of Vancouver Island.”

Inspired by a 1930’s picture of his great-grandfather with ‘Big Medicine’ and the large black bear he killed on the family homestead, Spreadborough dreams of walking away from the hunt with a picture of his own to pass on to future generations.

Still residing on his family’s 60-acre homestead, Spreadborough carefully manages the timberland and stream to maximize food and shelter for wildlife, while also practicing sustainable wood harvesting methods. At just 14 years old, he harvested his first bull elk on the homestead and is now working to pass on his family’s hunting traditions to his son, as well as his nieces, nephews and co-workers.

“Mark has a big laugh, a strong handshake and is always up for a good time,” said McQueen. “This hunt was one of our most challenging, and Mark certainly held his own, both on and off camera. Even when we were 1,000 yards from a bear, he never gave up hope that we’d get within range to fulfill his dream and live out his heritage.”

Winner of a 2012 Sportsman Choice award and a 2013 nominee, 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 the following union and contractor partners: Employee Benefit Systems, 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, and United Association/International Training Fund.

Don’t miss Mark Spreadborough’s quest for a Vancouver Island black bear on January 6. For more information about Brotherhood Outdoors or a complete lineup, 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 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 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 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 (www.twitter.com/SPORTSMANchnl) and Like on Facebook, www.facebook.com/sportsmanchannel

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As part of a Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) Boots on the Ground project, nearly 80 union members and their families planted more than 300 native plants and groomed a considerable length of a popular hiking trail at Bolsa Chica Ecological Preserve—one of the last standing wetlands ecosystems in Southern California—on December 1.

Coordinated by Rene Thorn, a Journeyman Member of United Association Local 250, the project brought together volunteers representing the UA, IBEW, IUPAT, Ironworkers, IUEC, IOUE, Roofers, IAMAW and Orange County and LA County Building Trades.  Thorn, who regularly volunteers with her daughter as part of the Bolsa Chica Land Trust’s Stewards and Jr. Stewards program, hoped to get 60-100 volunteers to participate in the event to make a positive difference in the community while learning about the importance of the area.

“It doesn’t matter if you live in the city or the country; there are tons of conservation projects in your backyard. And whether big or small, they all make a difference,” Thorn said.  “Not only did union volunteers have a big impact during this Boots on the Ground project, they also used the opportunity to teach their children about conservation and the spirit of volunteering.”

In the 1980′s, 90% of California’s wetlands were lost to development and farming.  One of California’s most significant coastal wetlands, Bolsa Chica, was purchased by the state in 1997 and is now managed by the CA Department of Fish and Game.  There is limited public funding to restore the area to its natural and native state, so the non-profit Bolsa Chica Land Trust relies heavily on private donations and volunteers.

“Our staff and Board were very impressed and thrilled with the skill and positive attitude of the union volunteers and how much they were able to accomplish in a short amount of time,” said Bolsa Chica Land Trust Executive Director Kim Kolpin. “They made great strides in widening more than a quarter mile of the Mesa Trail to make it handicap accessible and improved habitat vital to local and migrating wildlife by planting 342 native plants.”

The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s Boots on the Ground program brings together union members from around the country, who are willing to volunteer their time and expertise to tackle conservation projects, like the Bolsa Chica Wetlands Trail Maintenance Day, which improve and enhance public access, wildlife habitat and outdoor experiences for communities across America.

For more information or to find out how you can help, contact Tim Bindl at timb@unionsportsmen.org or 608-397-1023. To learn more about the Bolsa Chica Land Trust and ways you can get involved, visit www.bolsachicalandtrust.org.

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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.

We’ve really enjoyed building GoHUNTn, and we’re very pleased to have so many devoted fans, including you.

But we’re sorry to say that business is tough, and we have regrettably decided to dial back. There won’t be any more weekly emails, and we will not be posting as much on the site and on Facebook. But, since we launched the site, our best posts have been from our fans!

We encourage you to continue sharing your story on GoHUNTn. We’re always open to that and here to help, so please let us know if we can help. In the meantime, we will do our best to post the best hunting content from our bloggers on our almighty Facebook page. We have had so much fun creating and sharing some of the best content in the hunting world.

Keep the faith and by all means keep hunting. -Ned Desmond and Brian McClintock

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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Parker Savard was born with a wrist, but his right hand never developed. But, the 14-year-old wanted to start shooting archery, so his friend, outfitter Evan English, president of Olde English Outfitters in Tipp City, Ohio, decided to make his bow hunting dreams come true.

English is a close family friend, so he decided a new forearm, a carbon sleeve common of many prosthetics, but what’s different is instead of a hand, they attached a bow to the end of that forearm. The Bowtech Assassin is also supported with a sling goes from the thumb to the forefinger and keeps the bow from jumping out of the hand, according to Outdoor Hub.

“None of us are scientists,” English said.”When we got it all right, he shot five or six shots, and I was standing there and I said, ‘Well?’ And this great big smile came over his face and I said, ‘that’s the payoff right there! That’s what we were shooting for!’”

‘Tis the season when I start getting emails of all the great whitetails downed near my hunting grounds in central Pennsylvania.

I’m still waiting on my brother-in-law to post his update about his 9-pointer that he killed opening morning, so I won’t include that photo. But here are the highlights.

White deer are off limits to the residents of Sauk County, Wisconsin, but some out-of-towners didn’t know that rule.

Two hunters each shot an albino deer during opening gun season on November 17 and 18, according to Outdoor Hub.

“As far as the DNR is concerned, this was a legal harvest, that’s really the end of the story,” said DNR spokesman Bob Manwell. “There’s nothing illegal about it. The deer was taken and registered and that’s it. Whether local area sentiment is involved, well, it is what it is.”

The local community is outraged, and these hunters are not welcomed back in Sauk County. -Brian McClintock

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The town of Mountain Air, North Carolina, 35 miles north of Asheville, is sad and mad over the death of a 3-legged bear.

According to the Daily Mail, the bear first showed up with his arm nearly completely off in November 2011. After a hibernation, it reappeared in the spring with his leg completely gone. Some construction workers took pity on the skinny bear that could only scavenge for food, and started feeding the little bear. Then, the bear got a little more ambitious and started breaking into homes, and some people got upset.

The bear became a nuisance, and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has a simple policy about nuisance bears, kill them.

The bear wasn’t hard to catch, and the commission did just that. Now, some citizens in Mountain Air are upset they did. The community tried to get the bear sanctuary, but in the end, the solution was the cheap, efficient way out. And while some are upset, others are glad the bear is no longer destroying property. -Brian McClintock

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The Minnesota wolf season withstood a lot of controversy, and hunters receiving death threats, but the early season has ended with 73 percent of the quota met.

According to Outdoor Hub, 147 wolves were harvested in the season that lasted from November 3 to 18. The goal for the early season was 200 wolves. The late season kicked off on November 24 and runs through January 31. In the early season, only bows or guns were allowed to be used for harvesting wolves, in the late season, trappers get their chance. The quota for the late season is 400 wolves, and, there is no word if the 53 wolves left over from the early season will rollover into the late season.

“We know that trappers are likely to be more successful than hunters so we expect to see a fair number of wolves taken through trapping,” Steve Merchant, the DNR’s wildlife population and regulation program manager, told Detroit Lakes Online. “I think we’ll see the same kind of trend here in Minnesota for the late season.” More wolves were taken by trapping than firearm or bow in nearby Wisconsin. -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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It seems like every year another person finds proof of a Sasquatch roaming somewhere in the world, this time it’s Siberia.

According to the Daily Mail, Russian scientists claimed back in October that a hair found in Siberia is to “unknown mammal closely related to man.” They found the hair in a cave last year, and after significant analysis, they are saying it’s a Yeti.

“We had ten samples of hair to study, and have concluded that they belong to mammal, but not a human,” said Professor Valentin Sapunov, of the Russian State Hydrometeorological Institute.

Whether or not it is actually a Yeti has yet to be determined, but research at three universities, including one in the U.S., show that this very well could be proof that Big Foot is real. -Brian McClintock

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(Via Outdoor Hub)

When you’re in a survival situation, you’ll eat just about anything. But actually hunting tarantulas?

That’s what British photographer George Nickels got to experience in Cambodia, where he’s lived for the past year, according to the Daily Mail. Basically, children as young as 5 years old, go out, snatch the tarantulas with their fingers, drown them, and then fry them in butter or oil. Dinner is served.

“The spiders are caught using a very primitive simple yet effective technique, where the hunter will tease the creature from its den by the ways of using a stick to tickle its web to entice the tarantula to the surface,” says Nickels.

The thai zebra tarantula that are the delicacies in the area are poisonous, but not deadly. Nickels compares their bite to a bad bee sting.

“They are taught to catch many creatures, sometimes venomous and sometimes not. They are also skilled in catching snakes, scorpions, rats, frogs, and lizards,” says Nickels. -Brian McClintock

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Turkeys don’t get a pardon from us here at GoHUNTn, and now PETA doesn’t want them pardoned at all?

This, sadly, does not mean that the PETA folks are putting real meat on their Thanksgiving table this year instead of their Tofurkey. Instead, they are urging President Obama to skip the pardoning ritual because they think it makes light of all the innocent fowl that will be on dinner tables across America tomorrow, according to USA Today.

“This year, we encourage you to forgo this event, which so many Americans find offensive, and choose a delicious, healthy Tofurky roast for your family’s holiday table. Thank you for your consideration. We wish you, your family, and all Americans a happy, violence-free Thanksgiving,” writes PETA President Ingrid Newkirk.

Thankfully, President Obama is not letting PETA sway the presidential tradition. The White House is using Facebook to let the world decide whether Cobbler or Gobbler to the turkey will be pardoned this year, with polls closing yesterday night. No official word, but it looks like Cobbler is free this year. Sorry Gobbler. -Brian McClintock

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After hunting the morning, I decided to return to my truck briefly, and txting my dad letting him know I was going to take a short walk and return after lunch to meet up with him and his neighbor. I went down into a thick clearcut, and once about 100 yards into it, thought it was to thick to continue, so, I turned to walk back out and heard a crashing sound and leaves rustling out in front of me about 20 yards as it went away from me. About 15 minutes later my dad texts me and informs me his neighbor just shot a bear, and they found blood. I heard the shot, but wasnt sure of the direction it came from. I was back to my truck and headed down in where they were. We tracked blood for about 40 yards when it stopped, but, all we could go with were the leaves had been rusteled up , we followed what looked like the bears path, with no more blood to follow.
After scouring the area and halfway down the mountain, we knew the bear wasn’t hit hard, possibly in the leg or shoulder. We stopped our search and ended the late afternoon hunt with chalking one up for it getting away…Theres still a couple days left of the season, so stay connected here on GoHuntn for more updates…Which by the way…I was sporting the GoHuntn Hat!

This must have been the shock that was felt in the outdoor media industry when Field & Stream and Outdoor Life became part of the same company.

Outdoor Channel and InterMedia Outdoors (owners of The Sportsman Channel) have announced a merger, bringing the Outdoor Channel into the larger holding of IMO. InterMedia, publishers of magazines like Petersen’s Hunting, GunDog, and InFisherman, will now be the home of the two biggest cable channels completely dedicated to hunting, fishing, and the outdoors.

According to the release from Fishing Tackle Retailer, there isn’t a lot of detail about how the merger will impact business. But it’s a pretty huge shakeup in the outdoor media world.  -Brian McClintock

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Coyotes are handled like a nuisance species in just about every state. Meaning there are few regulations in hunting them. In New Mexico, you don’t need a license and there is no limit, as the coyote population is exploding and feeding on many game animals and livestock in the state.

So, Gunhawk Firearms in Los Lunas, New Mexico announced a contest where the person who brings in the most coyote carcasses would win a high-end gun. That hasn’t gone over well with the animal rights crowd.

According to Outdoor Hub, Josh Waters, an employee of Gunhawk Firearms, told KRQE that they received letters “threatening us with explosives, burning down the shop, Molotov cocktails, and following you home to pick you off one by one.”

The contest officially kicks off this weekend, and the store has no plans to stop their coyote kill, even though there is a petition with about 23,000 signature on it. -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)

There are a lot of people who can credit my grandfather, Ned McClintock, with getting them into hunting, fishing, and/or trapping, including my father, brother, and me, and the spry 78-year-old who had bypass surgery last year has a personal trapping best.

The man, known lovingly as Trapper Pap by many, found this monster red fox in one of his traps yesterday. He believes it’s the biggest red fox he has ever trapped. Trapping is a lost art in the outdoors world, but this is certainly a central Pennsylvania trophy!

Thanks to declining habitat, the grizzly bears in the Yellowstone area are running out of prime habitat to support their growing numbers, and it’s hurting the bear population.

According to Examiner.com, there have already been 50 grizzly bear deaths in Yellowstone National Park, which ties the record high from 2010. Of course, with two months left in 2012, there is a good chance that number could float above that 2010 record number.

The article is vague on what is causing the deaths, but it does seem like some of them have come from state game departments managing the herds and cutting down on grizzly bear interactions. The average number of Yellowstone grizzly deaths has doubled from 21 per year for 2001-2006 to 42 per year for 2007-2012.

It seems like there needs to be a serious look at how many bears Yellowstone can hold, and how we can solve this management problem. -Brian McClintock

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Everyone needs some venison for the freezer, but this guy decided to take the illegal way out.

A 24-year-old man from Paul Smiths, New York has been found guilty of stealing a cleaned whitetail deer carcass that was hanging on another man’s front porch. 

Police were conducting interviews near Timothy D. Coventry’s house when they found a deer in his house. They asked Coventry for a tag, and that’s when he said that he found the deer on the side of the road. But, the deer had the same characteristics as the stolen deer. The deer’s value is $520, which makes stealing it a misdemeanor in New York. According to Outdoor Hub, he was officially charged this past Sunday with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, which is a class A misdemeanor. He is awaiting processing.  -Brian McClintock

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With mountain lions attacking hunters in Nebraska, it’s no surprise that they’ve moved east of the Mississippi into Illinois, and now there is some trail camera proof.

According to Outdoor Hub, there have only been four confirmed cougar sightings in Illinois since 1870. And the latest came on October 28. Hunter Mark Cobb of Sherman was checking his trail camera photos when he came across this photo.

”Sunday afternoon, I got the SD cards out of the cameras and was sitting at my sister’s kitchen counter and was checking them out,” Cobb told The State Journal-Register. “I just kind of went, ‘Oh, my God,’ and everybody thought I had a big deer on there.”

It wasn’t a big deer, but it was something a lot cooler. There was another confirmed cougar sighting in the state near the Wisconsin boarder in September that authorities believe may be the same cat. -Brian McClintock

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The letter of the law allows hunters in Nebraska to kill mountain lions if it “stalks, attacks, or shows unprovoked aggression toward such person or another person,” or if it is in the act of preying on livestock. And that sign of aggression was exactly what happened to a hunter in Nebraska.

The unidentified hunter was out deer hunting during Nebraska’s November rifle season when the cat came within 35 yards of his hunting blind. The mountain lion then made eye contact with the hunter and circled around in front of him. Once the cat came face to face with the hunter, he made the decision to shoot and kill it.

Unlawful killing of a mountain lion is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and up to three months in jail, but the investigation found that the Brown County hunter was justified in protecting himself from this mountain lion.  -Brian McClintock

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Hunters were out to flush some pheasants at Tumbleweed Lodge in Harrold, South Dakota when they drove up to two eagles picking on a dead deer, the problem is that there was a whitetail deer alive attached to the corpse.

The pheasant hunters were able to get the live deer free, and video the awesome rescue. -Brian McClintock

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(Via Outdoor Hub)

It’s been a bad couple of years for North Dakota mule deer, and the numbers are the worse ever.

North Dakota Game and Fish Department conducted an aerial survey in the western part of the state in October found a fawn-to-doe ratio of 0.59, according to The Jamestown Sun, that ties the record low number from last year’s survey. The state has been conducting the survey since 1954.

“The three consecutive severe winters from 2008-11 were devastating to our mule deer and pronghorn populations,” said Bruce Stillings, big game supervisor for Game and Fish. “These winters not only greatly reduced overall mule deer abundance due to winter-related mortality, but led to poor fawn production. Three years of few young animals entering the population has resulted in an aged population with few prime-aged breeding females.”

While last winter was mild, the herd is still reeling from bad winters of years past. Officials are hoping for another mild winter to hopefully get the mule deer numbers back on track. -Brian McClintock

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The bear population is growing in New York, and we’re not necessarily talking about raw numbers.

For the second time this season, already, a hunter has come into a checkpoint with a 600-plus-pound black bear. Most recently, Joe Roman arrowed a 630-pound bruin in Cornwallville in the Catskills area of the Empire State. According to the Register Herald,  the bear, which was nicknamed One Ear Willie because it had lost an ear at some point, had a 30-inch neck and a 70-inch girth.

Many are crediting the quality deer management land improvement with the increase in the size of bears in the area. If it’s making 630-pound bears, I’d love to see how big those deer are getting. -Brian McClintock

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Here at GoHUNTn, we always think that antlers are appropriate home decor. And while many posh hipsters have followed our rural chic vibe, some places are starting to take this a bit too far.

Over at the fashion retailer Anthropolgie, they’ve decided to take antler decorations and deface them. They are taking naturally shed antlers and covering them in acrylic paint. Unfortunately, the product is not available at this time, so we’re not sure how much people are paying for these antlers to place them in their 800-square-foot Brooklyn apartment. -Brian McClintock

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The benefits of having friends who live in great whitetail states is you get to see some awesome bucks on Facebook.

This is certainly one of them. I don’t have a ton of details on this guy, but John Sutton downed the monster near Sargent, Nebraska. There is no official scores, but the family is guessing that it will score in the 190-range, looks a bit bigger to me. If we hear about this final score, we’ll let you know. -Brian McClintock

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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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Colorado hunters looking forward to tomorrow’s upland bird season are going to be facing a tough opener on November 10.

According to the Journal Advocate, as pheasant and quail seasons open tomorrow, hunters are going to have a “complicated” season.

“Populations across the region are much lower than in 2011,” said Ed Gorman, small game manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. “This area was stricken by a dry winter in 2011-12, and extreme heat and drought during the primary nesting and brood rearing season in the summer of 2012. Hunters in northeast Colorado will see impacts of drought in the fields this season, in terms of bird numbers and cover availability, but may find better populations of pheasants in the irrigated croplands of the South Platte River valley in 2012.”

This summer’s drought caused wide-spread devastation throughout much of the West. And hunters everywhere other than in the southeast Baca and Prowers Counties, where there was good rainfall, could be facing a rough year in Colorado.  -Brian McClintock

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Young hunters are having big success in Minnesota this season.

On opening day of deer season, Josh Hill, 11, was hunting with his father, Jeff, on his first ever deer season opener in Northome, Minnesota. Josh was so excited that he and his father scouted and set up a ground blind, and he even saved up to buy half of his first gun, a Tikka .270 (his parents ponied up the other half).

The Hills were out on that opening day when an 11-point whitetail walked up, and Josh was ready, according to the St. Michael Patch.

“After seeing no deer opening morning, we went in for lunch and then he wanted to get right back out to his stand,” said Jeff. “(Josh) said, ‘I’m going to shoot an 8-pointer today.’ Well, he was wrong.”

Josh spotted the buck first, and remained frozen until the buck was 50 yards away and made a true shot. His dad bagged a 10-pointer the next day. -Brian McClintock

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Dylan Beach-Bittner, 12, can’t avoid the jokes of the turty-pointer, and that’s a good thing.

Beach-Bittner was hunting on his aunt’s farm with his stepfather near Sebeka, Minnesota when he downed the 27-point non-typical with his .270. He downed the deer at about 50 yards, dropping him in his tracks, according to Outdoor Hub.

Beach-Bittner has been out hunting before, and has had some success with a few spikes before, but this is easily his biggest trophy, and probably will be for life. -Brian McClintock

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Brucellosis is an elk killer, and while it’s been eradicated from many places, it is still a problem in the Yellowstone area, and Montana officials are contemplating every option to get rid of the disease, including killing elk.

According to the Missoulian, the Montana wildlife commissioners are going to weigh in on the brucellosis problem for the first time on Monday, November 12, and one of those plans could be to reduce herd numbers and haze elk to keep them away from livestock, which spreads the terrible disease.

Bison are already being slaughtered to prevent the spread of brucellosis, and as elk and livestock interactions increase, the methodic killing elk is likely coming to Montana. -Brian McClintock

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A 5×6 mule deer is a wall-hanger in anyone’s book, but this one is currently evidence.

According to the Idaho State Journal, the buck was poached sometime in the late night or early morning on November 3. For some reason, the poachers let this monster buck lay, and never went to recover the trophy they stole from the wild.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is searching for those who poached this deer, and they’re getting some help. Citizens Against Poaching is offering a minimum $250 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible. -Brian McClintock

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After only 4 days from recovering my Pennsylvania 7 Pt, I put my son Jarrett to the test, by placing him in the area I harvested my buck. We stopped at WalMart Friday evening to pickup a can of Buck Bomb doe estrous, and some jerkey mix, I told Jarrett the rut report was saying November 3rd forcast for buck activity was high, and explained what that all meant.
My alarm went off at 5:00am, I woke Jarrett, and we were soon on our way to the mountains. I decided to take the ground blind this time and set it up along a blowdown tree top near the deer trail where a few fresh buck scrapes were freshly made. I pulled out a half empty can of Buck Bomb doe estrous, and sprayed our boots to make a scent trail to our spot. We setup the blind, and I brushed it in with some of the remaining oak leaves from the tree top. We were finally settled into the blind, with daylight upon us and Jarrett asks if he could use the rangefinder to mark trees for shot distance. I handed it to him, and started to rummage through my backpack for the full Buck Bomb doe estrous can I bought at WalMart, to spray outside the blind. Jarrett said, as he was pointing to a small tree, that it was 25 yrds, and I looked to see what he was pointing at, just as peered out the blind in the direction he mentioned, I saw a deer 15 yards from what he descibed to me, I said Jarrett there’s a deer, and it’s a buck!
Now, prior to this happening, I used a bungee cord, and hooked one end to the rods that held up the blind, and the other end to the scope to aleaviate the weight of the crossbow, for Jarrett to hold. Once the buck was in a clear opening, Jarrett was able to get the crossbow up, but could put the crosshairs on the deer, he said it would’nt go down, the bungee cord was holding the bow to high for him, so I unhooked it from the scope, and had him sit on my lap, as I held the forarm of crossbow in my lefthand, as Jarrett was trying to sight through the scope, the buck started to walk, I had to stop him, by making a grunt, the buck stopped and glared over in our direction, then, walked a few more steps before stopping again to have another look. From my view, all I could see of the deer was his hindquarter, Jarrett was back and forth from looking through the scope to beside it, I told him to stay on the deer by looking through the scope. Again, from my view he had a 30 yard shot, with 2 trees that seemed to be 1 foot apart, and just then he shot, without saying a thing, all I could see was the buck quickly turning, and as he did, I could see a good portion of the arrow shaft sticking out of the deer. I thought he had hit him in the hindquarter from what I could see, but Jarrett insisted he was aiming behind his front shoulder, so, I went with his word and all I could tell him was You hit him!, You hit him!…Hugs and smiles and atta boys were all I could do…As I turned the camera on, which I had setup to try to video him shooting a deer, I wasn’t able to, due to how fast everything happened.
In my mind I was still questioning his shot, but, all I could do was think about was the arrow, and which way the deer had went. When I tracked my 7 point, it went down the same direction on the mountain side, so, I could only assume I was in for a long track job, and if a recovery was to be forseen, a long drag out. We waited about 20 minutes before walking over to the spot he shot him at. With video camera in hand we scanned the area, and by the glory of God, found the broken shaft lying on the ground with blood halfway up it. My thoughts began to shift to where did he actually hit that buck, there were spots of blood on the ground everywhere, then as we followed it, it started to turn into puddles, I then knew he could have possibly made a good shot, I turned to him and said, he’s going down over the hill, and that we should back out, and give it some time. He was so anxious to want to follow the blood trail, but I didn’t want to push the deer. I made a few more steps towards more blood, and could see the direction the deer went down over, and just then, I could see him about 60 yrds down, lying there, but, he was still alive. We watched him for about 15 minutes, and every few minutes, the buck would try to get up on its front legs, but, his back legs would remain on the ground, I then knew he hit him in the spine.
I told Jarrett to stand there and watch him, as I went back to the blind to get my crossbow, upon returning, I asked Jarrett if he wanted to finish him off, but, he said no, I then went down and put a final shot on him, and went back to Jarrett and waited for him to expire.
We finally made our way down to him, and I left Jarrett walk up to his buck, so that he could put his hands on him. The look on his face, was that of astonishment, excitement, remorse, he was a mixed bag of emotions. I, on the other hand, was ready to jump outta my skin with excitement. I kept knuckle bumping him, and just congratulating him. I had Jarrett carry some items back to the blind, as I gutted his deer, when he came back, I asked him if he knew what initiation meant, he said No!, and that’s when I got to show him what was done to me, 30 years ago. I was initiated by my father with him smearing the blood from the deer onto my face without warning, and Jarrett got a facefull of it, It was something I have been waiting for, since I had my boys, to be able to pass along the tradition. He gave me a “Dad”, “What’d you do that for?”, and I told him the reason, He left it on his face, he resembled a indian warrior, none the less.
It took me 2 1/2 hrs to drag him out, and when we reached the top of the mountain, where I was parked, I thought it would be nice, that he have a go at it, he struggled, but, was able to drag it a mere 40 yrds, before I took over and drug it another 100 yrds to the truck.
I took more photos there, and we were then loading him into the truck to head to the butcher to pickup my deer meat.
It was a ride home with smiles ear to ear, and the conversation of the morning all the way home. I couldnt believe that the morning would take place the way it did, Jarrett harvesting his first deer, a 6 point to boot, and in the same area I harvested mine just a few days earlier. To be tagged out in Pennsylvania archery season is the best feeling in the world, when it comes to hunting State Game Lands, doing it together, made it that much more a memory to last forever.

Three young men went out for hike to prepare for Marine Corps boot camp, but it ended in a shocking tragedy.

According to Outdoor Hub, Joshua Ruzsa and his two friends were hiking on Monday, October 29, climbing up a cliff face at Camelback Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona when they got too close to hive of Africanized bees. The bees are known to be aggressive, which is why they have earned the nickname of killer bees. Ruzsa tried to out-climb the bees, but ended up falling 150-feet to his death. At this time, it’s unclear whether the fall killed him or the bees.

No matter what, one thing is clear. America lost one of its future finest. -Brian McClintock

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I guess a story of my hunt would be nice to go along with the photos…

As I was leaving the house Tuesday afternoon around 2:30pm, I had this sence , you know, the feeling that you get when you have a flash of a moment in the future, well, mine was a vision of running the knife up the belly of a deer and being able to smell the oder of the hocks as they laid against my knees while standing over the deer. At that point as I came back to reality, calling to my son Jarrett to see if he wanted to go hunting with me, and hearing him say not tonite, I found myself shutting the door behind me and driving off to the mountains.
I already planned on sitting in the blind that sat atop the rocks overlooking an acorn flat on a bench that the deer were using as a feeding area. When I arrived, the wind was blowing about 15 mph, with a light misty fog looming on the ridge, Sandy was still inching her way north into New York, and dumping snow in western Md, & Pennsylvania, there was a wet snow on the ground as I slipped on my hunting boots. It was 100 yrds from my vehicle to where the ridge dropped over to the acorn flat, and I had already covered that distance in a matter of minutes. I eased down over looking out in front of me, the now grown up clearcut made things easy to pick out, the fog started to clear as I got closer to the flat, and out about 30 yrds I could see a newly rubbed laurel tree, one that I believe was made Saturday evening when Jarrett and I sat in the blind and could hear commotion right as light was fading comming from this spot.
I eased into the blind, and the first thing that caught my attention, as I removed the crossbow from my shoulder, was the chair Jarrett used to sit in was not where I placed it Saturday when we Left, I guess someone else thought this was a great spot too!! Well, atleast they left his chair there to be used again by him. The past 2 weeks Jarrett & I have hunted this area, produced deer sighting each time, but, the times Jarrett wasnt with me, were the times I got to see the bucks frequenting the area, like the small 7 pt I missed last week and captured on video…
The deer movement was usually around 4:45 to 5:15pm, and as I peeked at my watch it was already 5:30. I took a quick glance around, and thought, the storm we just had may have the deer beded, I made a split decision to slip out of the blind and walk over to the area that fresh rub was at, and be alittle closer to the scrapes that were there.
I pulled out my BuckBomb doe estous can after clearing out a spot on the ground, and gave 2 sprays in the air, one for the wind direction, and another for added luck, and put it back into my pocket, with the wind to my face, and the fog blowiing in and fading away from me, I thought a few grunts from my Bonecollector call wouldn’t hurt, and so the sequence began.
I could see up the hill to the ridgeline and down to my left, and an occasional glance behind me in the direction of the blind. As the minutes were quickly going by, so was the light of day. I made a quick look from behind me, and about 20 yrds I coulkd see this very light colored deer walking, in a sneak-like approach, angling towards me from my left. My eyes instantly saw what was on its head, but I had no time to focus, I just knew it was big, and was a legal to harvest. As I’m standing there with this buck within 15 yrds moving to my right, I realized I needed to take the scope covers off, to be able to see, quickly and effortlessly, I eased them into my jacket pocket and brought the crossbow to my shoulder, having a rest on the tree that angled to the tree I stood beside I was now waiting for him to walk into my sight. The dot was placed right behind his shoulder and I sqeezed on the trigger. I could see the arrow impact his midsection, and him turning to bolt off through the scope. I looked away to see him running out to my left, until he dissapeared over the flat.
My watch read 6:15pm, and all I could say was I busted him, I busted him, I couldn’t hold my emotions, fist pumping, and a smile from ear to ear along with a slight pace back and forth realizing I just shot a good buck.
I pulled out my cell phone and called home, Jarrett answered and I said, “I just shot a wopper” his response was ” Oh my God” lol…then the phone went silent to the call being dropped. I calmed my adrenaline down enough to walk over to where I shot him, I could see hair and a drop or two of blood, that was enough, along with knowing I had seen the arrow sticking out of his side to back out and give him time. It was also a good reason to bring along a companion to make the excitement that more memorable.
I made it to my truck and sent out a txt to all my friends on Facebook, that, I, Gene Bakner just shot a bruiser. I made a few phone calls and got through to my cousin Cory, who, without a doubt was sure to come along. I picked him up and on our way back, stopped at Wal Mart to pickup a brighter flashlight, SuperStorm Sandy sure did generate revenue for Flashlight manufacturers, There were none on the shelves, well, a few that were left were $4.00 9V, so I grabbed 2 and we were soon back on the road, with stories to share along the way.
Cory and I made our way to the spot I had marked, I pointed to the direction he exited and we started to track, now it was starting to get alittle wet as the drizzle turned into a light rain, with occasional wet snowflakes, so I knew trailing blood was going to be difficult, I forgot to mention, Where the hair was along with the 2 drops of blood was some green matter, suggesting a gut shot, I knew the angle was back but, it looked alittle high, I couldnt think that I had made a gut shot. It was alittle discouraging, but we went with the punches, we had scoured the area upto where I believed he disappeared from my view, and I began to worry, since we couldn’t find a single drop of anything but water.
Cory about 30 yrds to my right, yells, “Over here” ” Good blood! It didn’t take but a split second for me to be there. we marked it, and then our eyes were trained on what to look for. every 5 to 10 feet were blotches of blood, then finally the broken off fletching to my arrow. Now I knew how mucj shaft was embeded into him.
Every 10 yrds we marked a spot on the ground, until we realized the buck was going down along the side of the mountain off of the acorn flat. I told Cory, “we need to back out”, he agreed, after another 10 yrds of blood, and a final marking spot.
After dropping Cory off, being he had to be at work at 3:00am, It was now after 9:00pm, I sent a txt to my dad informing him of my evening, and I needed his help for the morning recovery, if that was in the forcast. He said he’d be down at 6:00am. Finally home and messages back and forth with Freddie “Nat Dad”, about shot placement and marking the area, I felt comfortable about the nxt days adventure. I also did a little internet surfing on gutshot deer, and how you can increase your success rate of recovery by 100% by just backing out, and giving the animal atleast 12 hrs to bed down to expire. I also learned that a gutshot animal will almost alway head for water, as the animals blood is being contaminated by its inerts, it starts to get fevers, and by bedding near, or, in water it lowers its temperature to a more comfortable level.
I woke up around 3:00am, thinking I was already tracking the buck, funny how your mind works while your sleeping, well, I tried going back asleep, burying my head under the pillow, but, to know avail, I was up making coffee, and waiting for that 6:00 hr.
Dad arrived and again, driving to the mountain, sharing stories along the way, we were parking, to wait for daylight. It was 7:00am, and we headed back in, only it was a light rain falling on our backs and chilly 37 degrees. Comming upon the last marked location, I could see the blood was washed away, but, there you could easily see his hoof tracks digging into the leaves as he angled down the hill. We followed his tracks another 400 yrds down until it started to level out down in the hollow. We came to a spot that was infested with deer tracks in the leaves and we couldnt tell his direction of travel, so we split apart a few yards and painstakingly eyed the ground, I came across another portion of my arrow, only, the Muzzy 100 broadhead was broken off. We were then back on his tracks, every once in awhile, we would come across blood, that was covered by leaves, that was protected from the rain. We could see there was some heavy cover out in front of us, and we knew he was headed for it.
The bucks tracks lead right to it, and on the outside edge of the thick cover flowed a 2 foot wide stream, this was my becconing, My dad said he was going to make his way up through this thicket of white pines and now dormant ferns and sage, it looked marshy in there from what I could see, a perfect spot for him to lay to die. As my dad dissapeared into it, I found a spot where the buck looked as if he had wiped out next to the stream and rolled, I figured if he did, he would have crossed there, as a deer trail came from the cover to this spot, I stepped across the water, and found a few blood soaked ferns, and knew this was his intention, my dad reappeared out to my left and said he could smell that gut oder in the thicket, he told me to walk in there a few yards, so I did, I caught a good wiff of it, and peered to my right, about 35 yrds I could see a light tan color, and as my eyes focused on it, I could see the tines sticking up from the ground, I yelled to my dad ” There he is Baby!”, “There he is!”, I couldnt run fast enough, it was marshy and a perfect spot for him to lay to rest. “Thank You Lord!” Thoughts were racing through my mind, reliving ever ouce of the moments that lead up to his recovery. High fives and hugging, is all we could do…That moment when I thought I felt the future as I was walking out the door the evening before, was now in the NOW, and I smelled those tarsal glands for all I could smell as the laid against my legs, as the knife eased its way up the white of his belly, smiling from ear to ear, and the occasional gag reflex, you know, the one everyone has to endure when the smell hits your face.
With the camera in hand, photos were capturing, what memories will be forever told throught the story that I tell now and in the future. I started to drag him alittler ways before I told my dad, We got along ways to go, and It wasn’t gonna be quick, we decided to take him out on a pole we constructed from a small tree. After frequent breaks, and watching my 66 year old dad do this like he did it many times in his past, found ourselves on top of the mountain, and a short walk for me to get the truck to bring down along the road for the pickup. What a hunt, what a way to spend it with family, in what we love to do, to share it together, and to make the best of it, for what it was worth, the burned vacation day, the countless hours of discouragement, the sleepless nite, but yet the desire and motivation, the encouragement from others, and the knowledge gain in the recovery of what some would have just given up. My hunt ended with a memory that will be forever told, again, and again.

Kyle Camp, 10, is suffering from Down syndrome, and he went missing from his home at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 30. After three hours of his family searching, they called in the officials, but it’s not the rescue crews getting the credit.

Camp was missing for 18 hours, overnight, but he had four puppies to keep him company, and their warmth might have kept him alive. According to NBC News, they believe that the boy followed the family dog and her puppies out to the woods. Somehow, Camp and the puppies got separated from the mother dog. And that’s how they found the boy.

“Those puppies kept him company, they kept him warm and comfortable,” Jamie Swinney of Hackleburg, Ala., told NBC News on Thursday. “We don’t know what would have happened to him had the puppies not been with him. And credit goes to the mother dog for leading me to the boy.”

When Swinney found Camp, the boy’s feet were in a creek, he was soaking wet, and the four puppies were piled up on top of him. -Brian McClintock

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This video is all sorts of crazy. First of all, the very off-color commentary is not appropriate for anyone under the age of 18. So, for our younger fans, please watch this on mute, I don’t want to get in trouble with your parents.

This video is a year old, but, it’s a pretty unlikely scenario where a cat seems to befriend a fawn, and a doe seems to take out all her agression on a dog. I have no idea what was going in their animal heads, but the video is hilariously shocking. -Brian McClintock

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Arizona has some amazing elk herds, and there are plenty of trophy bulls if you are lucky enough to be able to hunt them.

At the White Mountain Apache Reservation, though, Manuel Quintero Jr. downed the elk of the year. Quintero downed a 445-inch non-typical bull, that green scored 465 inches. He shot the elk at about 50 yards, and it broke a couple points as it crashed to the ground, which reduced his score.

The bull qualified for the Boone & Crockett record books. -Brian McClintock

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While the bulk of the damage from Hurricane Sandy has impacted the Mid-Atlantic, there is damage elsewhere. And while Florida escaped most of the storm, there was enough damage in Nassau County, Florida to get the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission worried.

A tree fell on the he fence of their enclosure at the White Oak Conservation Center which held two sibling panthers. The panthers decided to use that broken fence to escape. The panther kittens that escaped were found after a 24-hour exploration and returned to their pen.

According to the Daily Mail, Kipp Frohlich, head of the Imperiled Species Management Section at the FWC, said: “We are happy to report that the two are back safe and sound. The cats were pursued by panther dogs, darted and moved back into their enclosure.” -Brian McClintock

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It’s a prop from a spy movie, but someone thought hiding a pistol inside of a hallowed-out book was a good idea. Unfortunately, someone decided to donate that book to the Valparaiso branch of the Porter County Public Library in Indiana.

According to the ValpoCommunity.com, the weapon was described by police as a gold, wooden handle, A.S.M. brand, .31-caliber, single shot, black powder gun. It was hidden inside a book titled Outerbridge Reach. It’s not certain if this is a real antique or a replica, or if it was stolen, but police are currently keeping it as evidence. -Brian McClintock

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Just yesterday we shared Boone & Crockett’s top 125 counties for shooting a record animal. Nevada’s Washoe County landed at number 13 with 114 record pronghorns. That number might hit number 115.

Stan S. Jaksick was hunting in Washoe County in 2011 when he downed a pronghorn that scored 95-6/8 points B&C. Two Arizona pronghorn are currently tied at the top of the B&C books at 95 points. A panel needs to verify Jaksick’s pronghorn, but if everything is on the up and up, it looks like a Nevada antelope is heading to the top of the B&C books. -Brian McClintock

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(Via Outdoor Life)

Election day is less than a week away, and Congressman Paul Ryan may have a new job next Wednesday, that of Vice President. Whether or not he gets a few days off after election day to hit the end of the rut is yet to be seen, but Ryan, a very avid outdoorsman, might just wait to do some handgun hunting.

The Washington Times talked to Rep. Ryan’s brother-in-law and hunting buddy Mark Olcott to get some insight as to what’s in the Congressman’s arsenal. According to Olcott, Ryan’s choice rifle is a Remington Model 700 in .30-06, his shotgun is a Benelli Super Black Eagle 12 gauge, and one of his favorite guns is a .357-caliber handgun.

“He likes hunting with a handgun,” Mr. Olcott said of his brother-in-law.  “He’ll carry his .357 in the stand — in a holster — and wait for a deer comes in range for a handgun, which is more like bow range, 30 yards or closer,” said Mr. Olcott. “He’s shot a lot of deer with his handgun. He really likes that.”

The Congressman also owns a 9mm Glock for home protection in Wisconsin. Luckily, the Olcott’s live in Frederick, Maryland, just 30 minutes outside of Washington, D.C. and very close to Camp David. So, if the Ryans need to move to Washington, D.C. fulltime in early January, where it’s illegal to possess a gun, his in-laws can keep his guns nearby.  -Brian McClintock

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Viterbo University in LaCrosse, Wisconsin is a pretty decent place to go to school if you like to hunt and fish, but one deer decided to come straight to the campus and had some trouble getting out.

Baseball players were walking to practice when they saw a buck trapped in one of the campus soccer nets. The buck had gotten its antlers tangled, and could not get itself freed. The baseball players made a call for help, which eventually landed on the desks of Warden Supervisor Tyler Strelow of the Mississippi River Team and Conservation Warden Ed McCann of La Crosse.

Using a combination of a knife, a trap-stick, and a zip-tie, they were able to fashion a long enough handle to cut the net and free the thrashing, 200-pound deer. 

“He was free, but he ran to the fence and it became clear he must have jumped the fence to get into the field to begin with,” McCann said. “The deer was too tired to jump out.” So the wardens got some people to help open the field fence. It wasn’t too long before the deer found the opening and dashed off to freedom, according to the official release. -Brian McClintock

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(Via Outdoor Hub)

If you’re a hunter looking for a trophy animal, there is no bigger measurement than that of Boone & Crockett. This year marks the 125th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt starting Boone & Crockett, and they are celebrating with sharing the counties where the most of their trophies have come from. 

“Consistent trophy production over time is proof that conservation measures are working exceptionally well, and the 125 counties on this list stand out as historic models of success,” said Boone and Crockett Club President Ben Wallace. “But the good news extends well beyond the list. Trophy production appears to be trending upward with many species and across much of North America. In fact, last year our records program had 979 new entries, compared to 372 just 30 years ago.”

Here’s their top 10.

1. Wyoming, Carbon County—282 pronghorn in B&C records
2. California, Mendocino County—190 typical Columbia blacktail deer in B&C records
3. California, Trinity County—185 typical Columbia blacktail deer in B&C records
4. Wyoming, Sweetwater County—183 pronghorn in B&C records
5. Wyoming, Fremont County—153 pronghorn in B&C records
6. Nevada, Clark County—142 desert sheep in B&C records
7. Wyoming, Natrona County—142 pronghorn in B&C records
8. Montana, Granite County—134 bighorn sheep in B&C records
9. South Dakota, Custer County—134 bison in B&C records
10. Montana, Sanders County—132 bighorn sheep in B&C records

Hopefully one of these counties will produce a record this year. -Brian McClintock

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Companies have all sorts of promotional videos on YouTube. Most of them are pretty boring, but this one is awesome.

The folks at G5 Outdoors are in love with their 7000 series aluminum riser on their new Prime bows, and they’re showing how tough they are by suspending an SUV from on straight from the box. It’s a pretty impressive field test. -Brian McClintock

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(Via Outdoor Hub)

This week the Outdoor Channel National Deer Contest is giving away TWO (2) brand new Bushnell Trophy Cams in a random drawing! Any and all valid pictures uploaded to National Deer Contest (no matter the buck’s size) qualifies you to win.

There is no limit to the number of photos you can enter and no entry fee.

Winners will be announced in next week’s newsletter and on the Buckcore Facebook Page this coming Monday November 5, 2012.

So what are you waiting for? Login Here and start uploading photos today!

Branson, Missouri is home to a lot of attractions, like Yakov Smirnoff and Bass Pro Shop’s Big Cedar Lodge, and now, archery hunters have a new urban destination.

According to the release on the Archery Wire, the Branson, Missouri Board of Aldermen voted to allow archery hunting within city limits starting this year. Hunting will be allowed on parcels two acres or larger and not within 150 yards of any structure or property line, and only from an elevated treestand. -Brian McClintock

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West Virginia is a beautiful state with great hunting, but it doesn’t get a lot of respect outside of a John Denver song. But for the sixth year in a row, the state has found itself on the top of a list…State Farm’s list of the states that you have the biggest chance of hitting a deer with your car or truck.

According to the official release on the Archery Wire, there is a one in 40 chance that you will hit a deer in the next 12 months in West Virginia. State Farm compiles the information from their claims to come up with the rankings. Deer collisions were up 7.7 percent this year over last year.

Here’s the top 10 from State Farm’s list:

1. West Virginia
2. South Dakota
3. Iowa
4. Michigan
5. Pennsylvania
6. Montana
7. Minnesota
8. Wisconsin
9. Arkansas
10. North Dakota

Hawaii is the state where you’re least likely to hit a deer, which doesn’t come as much of a surprise.  -Brian McClintock

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There were a lot of people, us included, who were impressed by this buck, but it appears we’ve been duped.

The buck was initially posted on Heartland Outdoors, but soon-after reports surfaced that this buck was actually from Wilderness Whitetails Ranch in Wisconsin, which the popular outdoor website was able to confirm.

Yes, This deer was shot at our place.  Not sure where you got the info that it was shot near Tuscola as I am sure our hunter would not have represented it that way. I am guessing that often times people get a hold of picture and start rumors.  I have seen it several times before, wrote Wilderness Whitetails Ranch owner Greg Flees.

Heartland initially posted that this buck was bagged in Tuscola, Illinois. -Brian McClintock

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Thanks to GoHUNTn all-star Billy Voudrie for the headline!

A colossal whitetail from Worth County, Georgia is getting some major attention.

Fletcher Culpepper, 27, was hunting on Monday, October 22 when he downed the 260-pound, 22-point deer with an unofficial green score of 233 and two-eighths inches, according to Outdoor Hub.

The deer was aged at four and a half years old, and many believe that after the 60-day mandatory drying period, the buck should land in the top 5 of biggest bucks ever bagged in Georgia.

Culpepper downed the deer with his Remington .30-06 rifle at 80 yards away. We’ll let you know where this falls in the Georgia books. –Brian McClintock

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A five-hour stake out and three years of searching have lead to the capture of one of Florida’s most elusive creatures, a 40-pound rhesus monkey.

The monkey was first spotted in 2009 near Tampa Bay, and it has been spotted on and off in the area since then. According to Time.com, no one knows where the monkey came from, but believe it may have escaped from a colony in Silver Springs, residents of which were used in Tarzan movies.

Officials got a good tip, though, and spent five hours staking out the area, getting ready to trap the monkey. Officials were able to dart the monkey, and then they had to chase it through the wilds. The wicked, wicked monkey attacked a 60-year-old woman earlier this month, which intensified plans to try to find it.

The monkey, named Cornelius after the Planet of the Apes character, is with a veterinarian for observation.  –Brian McClintock

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There is a code among sportsmen that you do everything to recover your animals, and you use as much of that animal as you possibly can. That makes the person or people who shot these elk poachers.

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officials are currently searching for leads in the poaching of two 6 x 6 bull elk. The elk were killed before the season opened on the same any-elk management area earlier this month, according to the official release.

“The bull elk hunts weren’t even open yet,” Bryan Clyde, a conservation officer with the Division of Wildlife Resources says. “The only hunts in the area were the muzzleloader deer and an antlerless (cow) elk hunt.”

There are plenty of fun bear encounters in Alaska, but this one would be pretty startling.

In a reverse-Goldilocks scenario, a black bear found a house open in Ketchikan, Alaska. The homeowner woke up to find the bear trapped in the house. Evidently, as the bear came in, it knocked over a garbage can, which lodged a door shut. The bear couldn’t get out of the house, and proceeded to trash the room he was in, knocking over a freezer and clawing at the windows, according to the Anchorage Daily News.

Police were able to pry the door open just wide enough for the bear to escape. In all, the bear caused about $1,000 in damage, but didn’t eat anything. –Brian McClintock

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(Via Outdoor Hub)

Well, it was bound to happen. Pennsylvania had its first confirmed case of Chronic Wasting Disease, and, as with most states that have the deer-killing disease, it started at a deer farm. And, also like most of those states, a deer has escaped from that farm.

Once the disease was discovered at the farm in Adams County, they set out to euthanize the other 10 deer. The problem is they only could kill nine, and the 10th is still at large. According to Outdoor Hub, “as shooters from the United States and Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture worked on eliminating the deer from the farm on Thursday, October 18, Pink 23 broke through the fence and ran free.”

With the rut picking up, Pennsylvania whitetail deer expert Kip Adams is particularly worried that if this deer, Pink 23, does have CWD, there could be a wide-spread infection.  –Brian McClintock

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October 27 in Theodore Roosevelt’s 154th birthday, and the museum his father helped to found is celebrating in a big way.

The American Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side in New York City, New York is reopening the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial on Teddy’s birthday. The reopening ceremony  will kick off a year-long celebration of Roosevelt’s love of nature and his instrumental role in the American conservation movement, both inspired by his lifelong association with the Museum, according to the museum’s official release.

Included in the renovated Theodore Roosevelt Memorial and the Hall of North American Mammals are going to be at least five animals that T.R. shot and stuffed himself. It will include a snowy owl that Roosevelt shot near his family’s vacation home on Oyster Bay, Long Island, when he was 17 or 18 years old and stuffed himself. He donated it to the museum in 1911.

“Some people sense a contradiction,” Michael J. Novacek, the museum’s provost, said in an interview, according to the New York Times. But he noted that Roosevelt, from his earliest years of collecting, was interested in studying nature, not wanton killing, and that he loved live animals: “He wasn’t just a hunter who was out there to get game.”

Also included are going to be some plovers that Roosevelt shot on a family vacation to Egypt. Most of the larger trophies are in storage at the museum, but hopefully some of those African trophies make their way on display as well. –Brian McClintock

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There are plenty of hunting accidents out there every year, but this one is a little different.

According to Gawker, a 9-year-old girl was dressed up as a skunk in New Sewickley Township, Pennsylvania for a Halloween party. A male relative of the girl, was not drunk but carrying a shotgun, saw the girl and thought it was a real (presumably giant) skunk. He thought he was getting rid of the skunk when he shot his relative in the shoulder.

There’s no report on how the girl is doing or if charges will be filed. –Brian McClintock

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We have shared Mike Cottingham’s alligator once, and now we get to share it with you again.

The 13-foot, 3-inch alligator is now officially the biggest ever bagged in Arkansas. Cottingham was below the dam at Millwood Lake when he nabbed the gigantic gator.

“It’s the largest individual alligator in the state and the largest to date to have been harvested in the sport hunt we’ve had since 2007,” said Kelly J. Irwin, herpetologist for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, which oversees the hunt to control the gator population, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

It bests the standing record by only 3 inches. –Brian McClintock

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We’re not entirely sure if this is a record, but according to North Carolina Sportsman, this is the biggest buck ever bagged in North Carolina.

Chris Campbell was hunting in Bladen County, just hoping to find a doe for the freezer, when he downed a 150-inch, 10-point whitetail buck. It was opening day of rifle season, but Campbell opted for his .50-caliber muzzleloader instead. He found a spot full of acorns and deer signs, and set up his stand for the night. He didn’t have to wait long for a doe to walk out, and he was just about to shoot when he saw antlers.

“Just before I shot, a big deer came into the picture further up the ravine, trotting towards the does and dispersing them like a covey of quail.” He says. “I saw his crab claws and his width and knew that it was him!”

The green score has the buck at 150 3/4 inches. According to Dixie Deer Classic, the muzzleloader record for the state is 170 5/8, so maybe this is a county record. Either way, it’s an impressive Tarheel buck. -Brian McClintock

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Another monster from the folks at Heartland Outdoors.

According to the website, Erin Johnson of Villa Grove, Illinois was bowhunting near Tuscola when he downed this wild 22-point whitetail buck. -Brian McClintock

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Thanks to GoHUNTn all-star Billy Voudrie for the headline!

Wisconsin’s short wolf season has seen a lot of action, and now one of those early successful hunters is getting a lot of heat from animal rights activists.

According to Outdoor Hub, Dennis Nitz of Boyd, Wisconsin was one of the lucky hunters to draw a permit. On opening day, October 15, he made a distressed rabbit call and a wolf came in. He was one of four successful hunters on opening day, and, like many hunters, he posted his success on Facebook. That’s where things get messy.

In minutes, Nitz was receiving death threats because he shot the wolf, but he’s not regretting his hunt.

“It might have been my only chance, I don’t know,” Nitz told the Journal Sentinel. “For me, this was the ultimate hunting opportunity in Wisconsin. These are the top predators and their population is growing and needs to be controlled.” -Brian McClintock

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Wisconsin is off to a fast start to its wolf season, but not as fast as Wyoming.

According to Outdoor Hub, just 17 days into the state’s wolf season, 24 wolves have been harvested, but only 20 count toward the 52-wolf quota. The other four wolves were killed in the predation area, where wolves can only be killed if they’re a threat to livestock, humans or property.

The wolf season ends on December 31, but at this rate, that quota might be met a lot sooner. -Brian McClintock

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We told you that there has been some success already in Wisconsin’s wolf hunt, but here’s a set of hunters that have faced tragedy.

According to Petersen’s Hunting, Ron Hill was hunting on October 6, tracking a bear. Using their hound dogs, they set off to find the bear, but a 1.5-year-old female Treeing Walker, valued at $3,000, got separated from group. They heard the wolves howling, and started tracking the dog with her GPS collar. Unfortunately, they started seeing serious blood spatter. The hound ran into the wolves, and it was no match.

“I understand some people’s sentimental notion about wolves, but a lot of that is misconception,” Hill said. “Over the years I’ve spoken to many people about wolves, and most of them who oppose wolf hunting live in cities where they don’t see the real damage that the wolves are capable of doing. They don’t understand that as a farmer or landowner, they’re destroying your livelihood and income.”

It is the third dog killed by wolves in the area this year. We’re guessing Mr. Hill is pretty happy there is some early success this wolf season. -Brian McClintock

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It’s already been a successful wolf hunt in Wisconsin.

There have been a lot of problems plaguing the season, and animal rights groups suing to stop the hunt. But, Wisconsin hunters hit the woods on October 15, and they’ve already had quite a bit of success.

According to their daily updates, there have been five wolves harvested in the state. The season’s quota is 116 wolves, so there are now 111 left for Badger State hunters to harvest. -Brian McClintock

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We shared the image of this cat’s tail and a bit of its leg, and we, along with Arizona Game and Fish, have been wondering what kind of wild cat this is.

Well, officials now believe it is a jaguar.

“Analysis of the spot pattern on the tail as well as the animal’s size when compared to the surrounding vegetation and to other animals led us to believe the photo showed a jaguar. Without biasing the results by announcing our in-house conclusions, we asked others that work with large cat conservation to weigh in because of the limited information the photo provided,” said Game and Fish Nongame Branch Chief Eric Gardner, according to the release on the Archery Wire.

The cat was captured on a hunter’s trail camera just southeast of Tucson. Jaguars were first confirmed in the United States in 1997. -Brian McClintock

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We’re not sure that Congressman Paul Ryan is going to have a lot of time to hit the whitetail woods this fall, but he has geared up his daughter for her first hunting season.

And while Rep. Ryan might not be in the woods, he was the obvious choice for Honorary Chairman for the Sportsmen for Romney coalition, which the Romney for President campaign announced yesterday. But, Rep. Ryan isn’t doing the heavy lifting. The National Co-Chairs are some of very famous faces in the fishing, hunting, shooting, and in popular culture. They are:

• Johnny Morris, Internationally Renowned Conservationist
• Wade Boggs, Hall of Fame Major League Baseball Player
• Kimberly “Kim” Rhode, Five-time Olympic Medalist
• Melissa Simpson, Safari Club International
• Richard Childress, Richard Childress Racing
• Jeff Foxworthy, Entertainer

“Mitt Romney has a proven track record of turning around dysfunctional enterprises,” said five-time Olympic medalist Kim Rhode. “For me, his greatest accomplishment remains his successful effort to save the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Governor Romney took the Games from scandal to glory, and he did so in the shadow of 9/11, at a time when every American needed something to rally around and something to believe in. Today we face similar challenges. Our economy is hurting, and the American people are looking for someone to lead us back to prosperity. Mitt Romney is that man. We have a choice in this election. We can have another four years like the last four. Or we can join Mitt Romney, turn a corner, and head down a new path. I’m with Mitt, and I hope people across this country will join me.”

The list of other members of the coalition also includes 215 governors, senators, representatives and other politicians. The National Advisory Board is made up of 43 conservation leaders including Rob Keck, Pete Brownell, and Rob Nosler. -Brian McClintock

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Tomas Puerta got on the skiff to head in and grab some groceries for his friends, but the forester never made it home.

Boaters found the skiff abandoned in Poison Bay on Chichagof Island. As soon as they went to the shore, a brown bear and her sows showed up. Police were then called in. They found signs of a struggle and human remains.

“It looks like he had engine problems and he wound up on the beach,” said Sitka police Lieutenant Barry Allen. “They found where he built a fire on the beach, and some groceries.” -Brian McClintock

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Before this year, there wasn’t a lot that could be done to trespassers in Washington state. They got a $250 fine and could keep their trophy. That’s changed. According to KIROTV.com, the new Hunt While Trespass law carries a penalty of up to 90 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000, and two men are getting to feel the full force of that law.

Two men set up their elk camp nine miles in on private property East Pierce County without permission. They were able to sneak one of the bulls out, but the wildlife cops were on them when they tried to sneak the second one out around 2 a.m. 

In addition, upon conviction, the Department of Fish and Wildlife will revoke hunting licenses and suspend hunting privileges for two years. They also have lost their animals. -Brian McClintock

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The idea of trapping wolves created a lot of controversy in Montana this year, and now, trapping wolverines is in the crosshairs of animal rights activists. 

There are between 100 and 175 wolverines in the state, which is about half of the entire population of wolverines in the United States. Each year, Montana allows trappers to nab no more than five in the state. And while the suit calls the science behind the trapping season flawed, the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks says it’s sustainable. -Brian McClintock

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It’s hard to believe this is true, but according to Buzzfeed, none of these photos are doctored.

Evidently, Casey Anderson first adopted Brutus the Grizzly Bear as a cub, when he was born in an over-crowded bear sanctuary. Anderson moved Brutus to his own sanctuary, Montana Wildlife Grizzly Encounter Wildlife Sanctuary, and since then, they’ve been close. So close, in fact, that Brutus was Anderson’s best man at his wedding to actress Missi Pyle, and the bear has sat at Anderson’s dinner table.

Most wild animal-human friendships don’t end well for the human. Hopefully this one is different. -Brian McClintock

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Today in the daily amazing buck dispatch from Heartland Outdoors, this, according to the site, is a 238-inch colossal non-typical downed in Hamilton County, Ohio. If what they’re hearing is true, the hunt was captured on film, and could be the biggest bow buck ever filmed.

If we find that film, we’ll be sure to pass it on to you. -Brian McClintock

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Thanks to GoHUNTn all-star Billy Voudrie for the headline!

We have seen some crazy non-typical racks this season so far, but this one might win in the widest category.

A.J. Downs tagged this impressive whitetail on opening day of archery season in Texas on September 29. The more -than-20-pointer has an estimated score of 200 inches.

“I was actually very calm,” the 39-year-old said of his first live encounter with the buck, besides a glimpse of him a week before the season began, according to BaseCampTexas.com. “I think there is just something inside of me that prevents buck fever. For some reason, I’m able to stay calm, at least until it’s over.”

He made a true 15-yard shot and downed the monster. –Brian McClintock

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(Via Deer and Deer Hunting)

Well, it’s official, the worst disease to plague whitetails has hit Pennsylvania.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Chronic Wasting Disease was found in a south-central Adams County private deer farm during a routine check. There have been no signs that the disease has spread to wild deer, but in every other state where CWD has been found in wild deer, it’s started in farmed deer.

“Pennsylvania has an aggressive chronic wasting disease surveillance program and a strong response plan,” Agriculture Department Secretary George Greig said. “Steps are being taken to prevent further spread of this disease to the state’s captive and wild deer populations.”

No word on what that program will entail. But Pennsylvania is going to have to be even more diligent. –Brian McClintock

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Well, we just told about a grouse hunter who had to kill a wolf to protect himself and his dog, and now, it looks like the actual wolf hunters are going to have their shot in Minnesota.

According to Outdoor Hub, the Minnesota Court of Appeals has given the state the go-ahead on their planned wolf hunting and trapping season this fall. 

“We are pleased with the court’s decision,” said DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr. “It resolves any uncertainty that hunters and trappers might have had about the upcoming season.”

The management plan calls for 400 wolves to be harvested this year. I’m sure the fights not over, but, at least for this year, hunters and trappers are going to have their way. –Brian McClintock

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There’s been a lot of controversy surrounding the Minnesota wolf hunt, but there’s one less in the wilds already.

According to Outdoor Hub, an unnamed hunter was out grouse hunting near Park Rapids when a wolf came up on him and his dog.

“The dog ran back to the hunter with the wolf on its heels,” State Conservation Officer Sam Hunter told the Star Tribune. “The hunter shot the wolf at about eight yards as it was coming directly at him and his dog.”

The hunter immediately reported the kill, and it is legal to kill a wolf in self-defense or to protect pets and livestock. –Brian McClintock

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Steve West is no stranger to big game, and he now has his grizzly record.

We told you back in August about his massive grizzly bear, and now, it’s officially a record. West got that his bear is officially Muzzleloader World Record grizzly bear, eclipsing the previous score by a full three inches, at 26 2/16″ B&C, according to the release on the Outdoor Wire.

West was hunting in British Columbia, using a CVA .50 Caliber ACCURA V2, when he made a true, 49-yard shot on the  monstergrizzly bear. West’s grizzly was scored at 26 1/16 inches, eclipsing the standing record by almost three inches.  You can watch the entire hunt on YouTube.

“I am extremely grateful to my sponsors and fans for making this hunt and my amazing hunting career possible,” said West. “Hopefully, public awareness from this hunt will encourage more people to pick up a CVA muzzleloader, start hunting and join the Longhunter Society.”  –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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A world record moose was downed in Alaska, and while this one is quite a bit smaller, but it’s good enough for the North Dakota record.

According to the Bismark Tribune, Aaron Folk was hunting on September 11 when he downed the 10 by 11 bull with a spread of 53 and three-eighths inches and a green score of 166 and one-eighth inches.

Folk spotted the bull in a sunflower field, got permission from the landowner, and stalked the record within 20 yards before making a successful shot with his bow. After the 60-day drying period, Folk should have the new North Dakota record, which was set in 1994 when Curt Michaelson of Beulah downed a 9 by 11 bull in Bottineau County that had a 47 and five-eighths-inch spread. -Brian McClintock

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This guy was downed on September 3, but this is the first we’re seeing its crazy velvet-covered rack.

Thad Cartwright of Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, a junior engineer major at the University of Kentucky, is headed into the BuckMasters Trophy Records Book in the Velvet Irregular category. The official score of his 50-point non-typical 273 2/8 inches, beating the standing record by 38 inches, according to SurfKY.com.  -Brian McClintock

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Bob Condon could fit inside his moose’s antlers, which means it’s likely a monster, and in this case a record.

The Soldotna, Alaska hunter downed the massive bull while hunting in the famed Brooks Range. The moose weighed more than 1,500 pounds and had an antler spread of 73 inches. 

“I knew he was a real shooter, but I didn’t know the true caliber of animal he was until I got up on him. I’ve hunted and guided nearly all my life and never gotten one over 950 (pounds), so getting one weighing 1,500 was a real treat, and it’ll be in the all-time books for sure,” Condon said, according to The Redoubt Reporter.

Using a Browning A-bolt .375 Holland and Holland magnum rifle, he sent his 270-grain bullet more than 400 yards to down the moose.

“The first time I measured it in the field, it had a score of 731 with all the points, palm width and antler width measurements, but back at home it came out to 706,” Condon said. “The score should be finalized by November, but right now it’s coming in second in the world for size by Safari Club measurements, and I’m waiting to have it measured for Boone and Crockett, but I know it’ll make their books, too.” -Brian McClintock

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The Globe Building was the epicenter for Detroit’s industrial, housing the Detroit Dry Dock Engine Works, where Henry Ford was an apprentice. Since then, though, times have been tough at the Globe Building, falling into disrepair on the Detroit Riverfront.

Well, instead of tearing the building down, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has decided to turn it into an interactive outdoors wonderland, according to Outdoor Hub.

“As far as we know, there is nothing like it in other states,” said Vicki Anthes, planning section chief for the Parks and Recreation Division of the DNR. “We believe that what we’re building is unique since it will embed a lot of natural and culture resource education within. While enjoying a kayaking experience, users also have opportunities to learn about clean water and about being a good steward and what makes a river healthy.”

In addition to learning resources, there will be an archery range, salmon fishing simulator, and rock climbing wall. It will be free to the public and will hopefully be opened in late 2013 or early 2014. -Brian McClintock

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There are black, yellow, chocolate even red and silver labs, but a green lab? That’s what one breeder in Clayton-le-Moors, Lancashire, England found when their 2-year-old yellow labrador retriever, Buttons, gave birth to eight puppies.

“It wasn’t totally obvious at first, but when we put him down next to the others you could really see it. Hulk is definitely one of a kind,” said Sandra Grimes, who owns Buttons, according to the Daily Mail.

The greenish tint lead them to name the pup Hulk, after the Incredible one, and it’s a rare condition that happens when a pup’s mother is exposed during pregnancy to a substance called biliverdin, which can be found in the placenta. Their light-color-coated offspring can get a green tint to it, which fades over time.

It’s not the first time a yellow lab has come out green. In 2010, a puppy in Brazil was also named Hulk when he came out green.

No word if the British Hulk is going to stay with its breeders or who will get to make him the newest addition to their family. -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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Heartland Outdoors is a bevy of big buck photos, and this guy is a monster.

According to their post, the whitetail is from Baxter Springs, Kansas, and they’re estimating a score of 263 inches. -Brian McClintock

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Thanks to GoHUNTn all-star Billy Voudrie for the headline!

Some homeowners in Arizona were sound asleep when they heard a commotion coming from downstairs.

They did not expect to come upon a black bear cub chomping down on some chocolate cake. 

“Homeowners awoke to find a bear cub had entered their home through an open kitchen window and eaten some chocolate cake,” Arizona Game and Fish Department officers said in a statement, according to the Daily Mail. “Since there was no sign of an adult bear in the area, Game and Fish removed the cub and transferred the orphaned bear to the Heritage Park Zoo in Prescott.”

Authorities fear that because of the wild fires, more bear-human interactions. -Brian McClintock

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A man was minding his own business in Bushy Park, England when a rutting stag had a different idea.

The Orange News shared the video of a man running up a tree for his life, screaming for help. 

A witness who filmed the incident explained: “He was just walking along the path and stopped, but the stag took his choice and went after the bloke instead.

“He just shouted “help, help” but you couldn’t get close because the stag was just too hyped up.”

The man was not harmed. -Brian McClintock

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Thanks to GoHUNTn all-star Tom Slaughter for the link!

It’s not a strange scene in the African wilds. A lioness goes out and kills an impala. But, when she finds its calf right there, well, it seems that she’s a little nicer to the younger animal.

According to the Daily Mail, Photographer Adri De Visser had just seen a lioness devour a Ugandan Kob, which managed to break the skin of the lioness. Then, its fawn popped out. 

“The fawn just stood there before running into the lioness. It went between its legs like it was trying to get its milk, said De Visser. “The lioness was really confused and they stood there for around 45 minutes. So the lioness picked the fawn up by the neck and carried it off like one of its own. We heard from a group of tourists that the fawn was later spotted alive and well.”

The photos are pretty amazing. -Brian McClintock

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Michael Waddell’s Bone Collector Facebook page is a must-follow if you like great hunting photos. But this one has us scratching our heads more so than smiling.

Waddell posted this photo of 13 does and three bucks from Pennsylvania and New Jersey. I’m sure everything is on the up-and-up, as Waddell is one of the most ethical guys on television. But, we’re going to have to watch this whitetail episode just to see how this is even possible. Some of those bucks are monsters too! –Brian McClintock

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