Along with this depredation project, I started to do a little more research on hog traps. The last guy that was working on these pigs left behind a standard box trap, which is really the only one I was particularly familiar with. Unfortunately, with the plentiful food sources following this wet, late spring, the hogs [...]
Go to Depredation Journal – Hog TrapsAuthor Archive
July 4th, 2011
Happy Fourth of July!
Celebrate with abandon. Enjoy freedom. And sometime along the way, lift a glass to those who fought and died (and are still fighting and dying) to bring it to us. Enjoy this article? Check out these:Shot placement is not “everything”Porcine Press – Don’t “Taze” me, man!Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce – A review, of sortsHog [...]
Go to Happy Fourth of July!July 1st, 2011
NC To Remove Wild Boar From Big Game Listing
With CA archery season on tap for next weekend (July 11), I’m amping up for the deer season. I’ve been watching the NC Wildlife Resources Commission website for official announcement of the 2011 seasons back home, so I can start planning that trip. I didn’t find what I was looking for, but I did get [...]
Go to NC To Remove Wild Boar From Big Game ListingJune 30th, 2011
Porcine Press (From the “Well,duh!” files) – City Life Makes You Crazy
Thanks to the Outdoor Pressroom for, as always, providing content when I’m having a hard time coming up with new stuff… I’ve been known to rail, often for whole days, about how living in this city environment is making me nuts. Some have argued that it has less to do with the urban environment and [...]
Go to Porcine Press (From the “Well,duh!” files) – City Life Makes You CrazyJune 29th, 2011
Depredation – Part I
“The pigs are back.” It was the email I’d been waiting to see for over a month. Time to step out of the sport hunter role and into the role of exterminator… and time to put some theory to the test. It all started… Damn, isn’t that a cliché way to start the tale? Ah [...]
Go to Depredation – Part IJune 27th, 2011
Porcine Press – Michigan Madness
Unless someone steps up and does something by next week, possession of wild boar will become illegal in the state of Michigan. That means the state’s game preserves will have to divest themselves of remaining stock (although they’ll still be able to keep their bison, deer, elk, and various sheep and goats). I’m not sure [...]
Go to Porcine Press – Michigan MadnessJune 27th, 2011
Technical Difficulties… Please Stand By
It looks like the gremlins got drunk over the weekend and decided to crash the comments functionality here on the site. Damned gremlins. I’m hoping we haven’t lost any of your many and wonderful comments, and have crossed my fingers that we’ll soon be able to see new ones again. These things usually don’t take [...]
Go to Technical Difficulties… Please Stand ByJune 23rd, 2011
Gearing Up!
Apologies for the inconsistent posts of late. I wish I made enough off of this writing thing to spend more time working through stories and ideas, but as it is, it’s all I can do to get out for a hunt lately, much less testing gear. I’ve a couple of projects in the wings, though, [...]
Go to Gearing Up!June 21st, 2011
Nominate A Hunting Mentor
I got this press release last week, and have been meaning to do something with it here on the blog. Unfortunately, I just haven’t had the time or the gumption to do more than read it over a time or two. So while I don’t usually like to just throw up a press release with little [...]
Go to Nominate A Hunting MentorJune 20th, 2011
The Idiot Box Reviews – On Your Own Adventures
By now, I’m sure that when someone sees me post a topic about an outdoors TV show, they fully expect me to lambaste someone for something. Maybe I’m going to chew them up and down about long-range hunting, or taking bad shots in the name of getting footage, or maybe I’m just going to call [...]
Go to The Idiot Box Reviews – On Your Own AdventuresJune 16th, 2011
CA Big Game Draw Results Are Up!
Just a quickie for the evening… The CA big game drawing results are now posted on the DFG website. If you put in for the draw, the wait is over… Me? I got drawn for the elusive A-zone buck tag. I even doubled down, and got drawn for a B-zone tag too! Woohoo! I also [...]
Go to CA Big Game Draw Results Are Up!June 15th, 2011
Lead Ban Chronicles – A Call To Arms (of sorts)
I know that in the past I’ve harangued hunters about not getting involved in issues that affect our sport. I’m not stopping now. Far too often folks sit back and let the big organizations do the dirty work while they just contribute annual donations, attend a dinner or two, and call it “good”. Even worse, [...]
Go to Lead Ban Chronicles – A Call To Arms (of sorts)June 14th, 2011
Rifle Golf – A New Sport For Riflemen?
I just got a press release in my email this morning about this new “game” at a place called Spirit Ridge Rifle Golf. I bounced over to the website to learn more. Here’s part of what it says: Rifle golf is a new sport designed to help you practice your skills and become a better [...]
Go to Rifle Golf – A New Sport For Riflemen?June 7th, 2011
Michigan Asking For Citizen Help In Hog Wars
I’ve been (mostly) following the situation with wild hogs in Michigan, and it’s taken some twists and turns. Now the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy is calling on concerned sportsmen and non-hunters alike to help out. Here’s the press release: Michigan Wild Hog Removal Program Needs Citizen Help 2011-06-01 BATH, Mich. – The Michigan Wildlife Conservancy, a [...]
Go to Michigan Asking For Citizen Help In Hog WarsJune 6th, 2011
Simple CPR Instructions
The other day, something came up about CPR and the person I was talking to mentioned that he wasn’t sure he could remember the procedure. It occurred to me that this is probably what stops people from stepping in to help when CPR is necessary… they’re unsure that they know how to help, and that [...]
Go to Simple CPR InstructionsJune 4th, 2011
ARs as Hunting Rifles?
I’ve brought this up before, I think, but just thought I’d revisit the topic. What about the AR or tactical-styled rifles as hunting firearms… and why is the issue so divisive? I just read Michael Waddell’s paean to the AR platform over at Petersen’s Hunting, along with the comments. While the column itself read like [...]
Go to ARs as Hunting Rifles?June 2nd, 2011
USFS and BLM Plan To Eradicate San Diego Area Hogs
If you want to make a wild pig smile, tell him your plans. Sorry, but that’s kind of how I feel about the news I just read. According to this piece in the San Diego Union-Tribune, the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management are putting together a plan to eradicate the rapidly [...]
Go to USFS and BLM Plan To Eradicate San Diego Area HogsJune 1st, 2011
Lead Ban Chronicles – More Dead Condors = More Calls For Lead Ban
This shouldn’t come as a surprise anymore. Neither should the skepticism that I’m sure will follow. In fact, when I first received this press release from the Peregrine Fund, I almost decided not to write about it. It’s really just wearing me down. But there it is, making the newspaper rounds as we speak and [...]
Go to Lead Ban Chronicles – More Dead Condors = More Calls For Lead BanMay 31st, 2011
The Great Ground Squirrel Conflict
I’m on a mission. OK, actually, I’ve been on this mission for a couple of weeks now. My domicile has recently come under attack, and I’ve chosen to counter the invasion myself and to prosecute these villains with extreme prejudice. Ground squirrels. “Squeaks.” Ground grizzlies. A pest by any other name will still destroy your [...]
Go to The Great Ground Squirrel ConflictMay 30th, 2011
Celebrate Memorial Day –
It’s Memorial Day, and if you can get out from under the inundation of sales and barbecues, remember what this day is really about. Take a few minutes, at least, to give a thought and thanks to the men and women who’ve served our country through the years. If you know a veteran, offer your [...]
Go to Celebrate Memorial Day –May 25th, 2011
Finding The Forgotten Feast – Hank Shaw’s New Book Is Finally Available!
I know a lot of you who visit here are also familiar with Hank Shaw, the Hunter Angler Gardener Cook. His blog has been a joy to read as well as a great source of info, whether you’re an aspiring chef or want to learn more about the smorgasbord of edible wild things, both flora and fauna. [...]
Go to Finding The Forgotten Feast – Hank Shaw’s New Book Is Finally Available!May 24th, 2011
Gear Review – Vanguard Equalizer 2QS
A couple of weeks ago, amidst the flurry of work and travel, I received a package from Vanguard products. Vanguard isn’t a new company, necessarily, but one I hadn’t really heard much about. With a little research, it turns out that they’re a pretty large supplier of sports optics, cases and bags, and a few [...]
Go to Gear Review – Vanguard Equalizer 2QSMay 23rd, 2011
Hog Blog Video – Back From Texas
OK, so technically I was back from Texas on Thursday, but I’m just about to get caught up enough to share the story and edit the video (what there is of it). In a nutshell, the trip was a blast… even if I did try to cram two weeks into a few days. The hunting [...]
Go to Hog Blog Video – Back From TexasMay 19th, 2011
Lead Ban Chronicles – Misinformation In The Audubon Magazine
I know there’s a lot of myth and misinformation out there on both sides of the lead ammo debate. But I really think it’s fair to hold certain publications and sources to a higher standard. Audubon is one of those sources. Unfortunately, what we see in place of real education is a perpetuation of the [...]
Go to Lead Ban Chronicles – Misinformation In The Audubon MagazineMay 19th, 2011
Hog Hunting Seminar Coming Up In SoCal
My friend Ron Gayer and long-time hog hunting guru, Durwood Hollis are putting on another one of their hog hunting seminars! I just got this in my email while I was in Texas. Meant to post it up yesterday while in transit back to CA, but it just didn’t happen. Anyway, plenty of time between [...]
Go to Hog Hunting Seminar Coming Up In SoCalMay 17th, 2011
Going Primitive – Too Much Of A Good Thing?
Color me ambivalent. This article from the Wall Street Journal was forwarded to me by a half-dozen friends and acquaintances over the weekend. The piece features Mike “Hawk” Huston, a pretty well-known traditional archer and bowhunter, who uses flint broadheads and trad gear to hunt big game. According to the article, Huston is part of [...]
Go to Going Primitive – Too Much Of A Good Thing?