blacktailslayer

I just started to go through some pics and video's people are posting from the 2015 ATA show. Pretty impressed with the new Athens bows. They sound like top of the line bows while coming in under all big companies prices. The bows look amazing and have great finishes. The Solace looks like a great hunting bow and sounded really quit in a video I found. Has anyone shot this bow and can share what they thought about the draw cycle? It looks like the closes dealer is in WA which is a bummer. Anyone else see or hear about some great new products from the 2015 ATA show?

"Catch us (going back to 80's technology) if you can" Maybe I should look into this new Retro/Throwback No Cam bow. Just having fun. I own a Mathews. Is anyone worried about the cable rubbing the cam and needing a guard on some of these bows? Isn't a wheel with an off center hub used in this manner be called a CAM? A cam does not have to have changes in it's curvature by definition. An eccentric wheel on a bow is a cam is it not? http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cam Definition of CAM : a rotating or sliding piece (as an eccentric wheel or a cylinder with an irregular shape) in a mechanical linkage used especially in transforming rotary motion into linear motion or vice versa. So it is a round dual-cam. A regular cam is oval shaped and rotates on a dead center. (Spin a football from its dead center) The "No" cam is circular shaped, but it does not rotate on a dead center. (Spin a basketball, but off center) Both will function the same, they just achieve it through inverted means.

This is the only site that I know the edit button changes. Why don't they change that?

Where the heck is the edit button?

Yes but block the roads or at least non mainline roads after logging and leave a strip of trees along road if possible to allow game to escape when humans travel along road system.

Revisions of rump fat and body scoring indices for deer, elk, and moose http://webmesc.cr.usgs.gov/Products/Publications/23371a/23371a.pdf Effects of density dependence on diet composition of North American elk Cervus elaphus and mule deer Odocoileus hemionus: an experimental manipulation http://naes.agnt.unr.edu/PMS/Pubs/566_2012_07.pdf Effect of Archer Density on Elk Pregnancy Rates and Conception Dates http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1223&context=usdafsfacpub& sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fscholar.google.com%2F scholar%3Fas_ylo%3D2010%26q%3Dstarkey%2Bdeer%2Belk %26hl%3Den%26as_sdt%3D0%2C5#search=%22starkey%20de er%20elk%22 Spatial Distributions of Mule Deer and North American Elk: Resource Partitioning in a Sage-Steppe Environment http://www.cabnr.unr.edu/stewart/publications/Stewart%20et%20al.%202010.pdf Birth-site selection and predation risk of Rocky Mountain elk http://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/research/docs/ELKBirthsiteselectionandpredationriskofRockyMtnelk .pdf A Brief Review of the Scientific Literature on Elk, Roads, & Traffic http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01491/wdfw01491.pdf Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) Behavior and Movement in Relation to Lunar Phases. http://scholarsarchive.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/19546/WoodsideGailJ2010.pdf?sequence=1 Roosevelt Elk Habitat Assessment in the Skokomish Game Management Unit http://archives.evergreen.edu/masterstheses/Accession86-10MES/Wirtz_EMESthesis%202011.pdf (List of High Quality Forage Species) Cougar Predation Study https://sites.google.com/site/mtemil...ey-composition

I have been watching this for some time now and extremely excited to see this study finally conclude in the Pacific NW! This study used with all the studies done at Starkey Experimental http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/starkey/along with mandatory reporting will hopefully allow ODFW to better manage our wildlife. Maybe we will get a better understanding what the carrying capacity is in Oregon for elk and deer. Here are some of the main findings from the study if people don’t want to read the entire paper. Scientists from state, federal, private, and tribal entities, led by the Pacific Northwest Research Station of the U.S. Forest Service, are developing and evaluating new elk nutrition and habitat use models for management use in Oregon and Washington. These next-generation models: Reflect key research findings from the last two decades, especially involving elk nutrition and foraging dynamics; Include a nutrition and habitat use component; Use innovative approaches, combined with large radio telemetry data sets from GPS collars, to predict where elk will occur across large landscapes; Benefit land management plan revisions and habitat management and restoration for elk across all land ownerships in Oregon and Washington; and Target summer range habitats, considered a key driver of elk productivity. http://oregonforests.org/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/OFRI%20managed%20forests%20elk%20deer_for_web.pdf How do deer and elk interact with intensively managed Douglas-fir plantations? Overall, herbicide applications reduced both total and palatable biomass in1- and 2-year-old units and, while biomass of unpalatable species remained suppressed after 10years, biomass of palatable species was no different from that found in untreated stands. Also in this study, forage biomass in treated regenerating stands was compared to that in mature (>60 years old) forest stands: results indicated that young treated stands contained, on average, twice as much biomass as mature stands, and in some cases biomass of palatable species was six times higher.[/font] How important is thermal cover to deer and elk populations? In studies conducted from 1991 to 1995 at the Starkey Experimental Forest and Range in northeastern Oregon, researchers found no measurable benefits of thermal cover in either winter orsummer. Instead, biologists found that elk held in dense cover stands during the winter lost more weight than elk held in clearcuts. Also, biologists found that during the summer there was no[/font] difference in growth of yearling elk among the different thermal cover treatments. Similar studies were conducted for mule deer and white-tailed deer in Maine and Colorado. These studies also found that thermal cover has little influence over animal energy balance and performance. How important are winter and summer forage for elk? The requirements of elk vary depending on the season of the year. According to work conducted by John Cook (2002), elk require the most energy and food from midsummer through fall. During the winter their nutritional requirements drop and don’t pick up again until the summer. In moist west-side forest ecosystems, the average digestibility of forage was highest in the early years, although even during some of the early years of this study, forage in some geographies was inadequate to provide high-quality nutrition. Given the importance of summer forage, land managers may also want to consider using seed mixes in disturbed areas. Many seed mixes are available, and choosing a deer and elk-friendly mix could go a long way toward providing much-needed forage. How has the change in management on federal forestlands impacted deer and elk distribution? Limited timber harvest on USFS lands since the implementation of the NW Forest Plan and social, political and legal mandates associated with late successional species have resulted in less early seral habitat on large contiguous tracts of USFS lands. Deer and elk rely on these young forest habitats for foraging opportunities. The most recent elk population survey flights by ODFW were completed in most of Oregon by late February 2012. Although national forest lands account for approximately half the land base, only (13 percent) counted elk were observed on national forest lands. The rest (87 percent) were seen on privately owned timber lands (ODFW 2012). Some biologists think that there is a distribution problem in both deer and elk herds, and that deer and elk are found too often on private lands and not often enough on federal and state lands (Don Whittaker, pers. comm., 2012). Elk habitat selection and modeling Excerpts from USFS-PNW Research Station summaries by Rachel White [Land managers will be the first to admit that managing the landscape with elk is challenging. Elk have multimillion-dollar effects on recreation and land management. The Elk Modeling Team, made up of multiple collaborators from the U.S. Forest Service, BLM, ODFW, WDFW, NCASI, local tribes, OSU and others, has developed new habitat-selection models in conjunction with new elk nutrition models. These new models incorporate updated research and provide a foundation for setting future management direction and habitat restoration guidelines for elk in landscapes across the Pacific Northwest. Models have been developed for both east-side (Blue Mountains) and west-side landscapes. The elk models focus on summer, a critical time for elk productivity, because summer conditions affect year-round animal performance. For example, the amount and quality of available summer forage directly affect elk pregnancy rates. Management of summer forage areas for elk is thus critical to the management of healthy elk herds, and providing foraging opportunities in summer helps elk survive winter. This big-picture approach is designed to help landowners work to integrate management objectives and habitat treatments for elk across ownerships. The models were tested across several land ownerships including tribal, Forest Service and BLM lands in order to test real-life management scenarios. Biologists working on the model found: • The needs of elk are compatible with active silvicultural management. Elk generally benefit from management practices that reduce overstory cover. Use of the forage base resulting from silvicultural actions is based on the availability of nearby cover and on human disturbance levels. • In general, forests with less-dense canopies and located at higher elevationshave more high-quality forage species for elk. Elk need high-quality summer forage to increase their body fat in order to survive the winter. • Biologists found that most elk forage in the Coast Range and in many areasof the Cascades is relatively poor nutritionally. Even in clearcuts, where oneexpects to see more deciduous growth, forage is often below maintenance levels for lactating elk. • Biologists found that in western Oregon and Washington, elk select gentle slopes close to forest edges that contain both hiding cover and forage, andthat are away from open roads. If you have elk on your land, these models can help predict where the elk will be during the summer and what the available nutritional resources are like. Managers can then apply their professional judgment to manipulate these areas to increase or decrease elk use consistent with overall management objectives. For more information or to obtain the models and the user guide, visit the project website: www.fs.fed.us/pnw/research/elk How do deer and elk respond to fuels reduction projects on federal land? The results from this study: • Female mule deer did not change their use of treated stands following the fuels reduction management. Female mule deer used and avoided all stand types in proportion to their availability during spring and summer months. • During spring, female elk selected treated stands and avoided untreated stands. But during summer, female elk selected untreated stands and largely avoided treated stands. • Female and male elk use stands differently. Biologists found that during spring, females selected older burns, but males avoided all treated stands. Additionally, untreated stands were avoided by females but selected by males during spring. During summer, however, untreated stands were selected and treated stands were avoided or used in proportion to their availability regardless of sex. • Biologists found that both quality (in terms of nutritional value) and quantity of forage for elk were lower in summer than spring across all stand types. In particular, the reduction in canopy cover associated with fuels reduction increased the growth of quality forage in spring, but led to a more rapid aging of important forage species in summer. Responses of individual forage species to fuels reduction varied, but the total abundance of forage was higher in treated than untreated stands during spring months. The opposite was true for summer months. Summary Early seral vegetation provides forage and habitat for deer and elk as well as many of the other wildlife species associated with young forest habitats in Oregon. Land managers whose objectives include providing habitat and forage for deer and elk may want to consider the following silvicultural treatments: • Where thinning is prescribed, thin timber stands to or below 50 percent crown closure to allow sufficient sunlight to reach the ground surface for early seral vegetation to become established. • Retain any natural meadows and openings and remove encroaching conifers from these open areas. Note that power-line easements make great openings and often provide habitat for deer and elk. • In thinned stands, create gaps of 1 to 5 acres on sites with east, south or west solar aspect and slopes less than 30 percent and away from open roads. • In created gaps, plant a few native shrubs that provide fruit, nuts, berries or browse for wildlife. • Seed all disturbed soil including skid trails, yarding corridors, landings and decommissioned roads with a seed mix of native grass and forb species that will provide high forage value for deer, elk and other species. These management prescriptions may not make sense for all landowners or all landscapes, but they will work in some areas to help provide habitat for deer and elk.

Oregon Mt Emily Cougar Predation Study https://sites.google.com/site/mtemilycougarstudy/results/prey-composition

Here is some great information that shows just how much hunters help out our communities, states, and country. I would like to see the number on how much animal rights/anti hunting group put back. Wish this information could get out to everyone in this country. Maybe it would help to change some peoples view on hunting. Economic Impact by Hunters - Total economic impact by hunters in the country: $87 Billion - Total Jobs Created: 681,000 - 55% increase since 2005. http://www.nssf.org/PDF/research/HuntingInAmerica_EconomicForceForConservation.pdf

They would have to check the persons house for meat in the freezer, hide, antlers to match what was found in the woods/mountains. There is an interesting story about a poacher and how he got busted with DNA soil. Google: "Soils, Seeds and super bucks By Brad Herndon"

Groundbreaking DNA Tests Could Trap Poachers We all know how hard it is for law enforcement to identify poachers with the crimes sometimes happening in remote areas, little physical evidence, and little human DNA left behind. The University of Strathclyde have found a method to pick up these low levels of DNA to identify the poachers. This could be a new way for law enforcement to protect our wildlife.

The USFWS now wants to reintroduce wolves in CO. Make sure to fight this by sending in your comments. Just remove the "(dot)" and replace with"." http://www.bowsite(dot)com/BOWSITE/features/articles/usfwswtf/ http://capwiz(dot)com/biggameforever/mailapp/

PUBLIC COMMENT Before finalizing the draft policy, FWS and NOAA Fisheries are seeking public comments on the proposal. A 30-day extension of the public comment period has been announced. The public comment period on the draft policy will now close on March 8, 2012. You may submit written comments and information through: Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments to Docket No. [FWS-R9-ES-2011-0031]; or U.S. mail or hand delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: [FWS-R9-ES-2011-0031]; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM; Arlington, VA 22203.

This is an urgent message about what may happen to the ESA that could negatively affect hunting and fishing. The federal government is allowing public comment until March 8th on if they should be able to list a species if it is endangered or threatened in a “significant portion of its range,” even if that species is not endangered or threatened throughout all its range. Under the proposed policy, a portion of the range of any given species would be defined as “significant”. Does anyone see any predators getting on the ESA under this possible new proposed policy? Get in your comments NOW!!! For Release on February 1, 2012 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA’s Fisheries Service Extend Comment Period on Proposed Policy to Improve Implementation of Endangered Species Act The Interior Department’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries), the two federal agencies responsible for administering the Endangered Species Act (ESA), today announced a 30-day extension of the public comment period on a draft policy interpreting the phrase “significant portion of its range” (SPR) in the ESA’s definitions of “endangered species” and “threatened species.” The public comment period on the draft policy will now close on March 8, 2012. Information about this policy and how it will improve administration of the ESA can be found athttp://www.fws.gov/endangered/improving_ESA/spr.html. Considering the complexity of the issues addressed in the draft policy and the level of public interest, FWS and NOAA Fisheries determined that additional time for public comment will be particularly valuable for this action. The draft policy and supporting materials are available for review, and comments can be submitted for consideration, at http://www.regulations.gov under the docket number [FWS–R9–ES–2011–0031]. Information already submitted does not need to be resubmitted. The notice will publish in the Federal Register on February 07, 2012. Comments must be received on or before March 08, 2012. The Service will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means the agency will post any personal information provided through the process. The Service is not able to accept email or faxes. America’s fish, wildlife and plant resources belong to all of us, and ensuring the health of imperiled species is a shared responsibility. To find out more about the FWS Endangered Species program, go to http://www.fws.gov/endangered/. NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Visit us at http://www.noaa.gov or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/usnoaagov. To learn more about the NOAA Fisheries Endangered Species program, go to http://www.nmfs.gov/pr. The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov. Connect with our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/usfws, follow our tweets at www.twitter.com/usfwshq, watch our YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/usfws and download photos from our Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq.

[TABLE] [TR] [TD=class: header, colspan: 2] We need you at tomorrow's meeting with Utah's Governor Gary Herbert [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=class: mainbar, colspan: 2][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=class: mainbar, colspan: 2] Folks, Tomorrow night at 6:45pm (Weds, January 18th) Governor Gary Herbert is holding a town hall meeting in Cache county, Utah. We would like to have at least 300 sportsmen attend the meeting in hunter orange. What a great way to communicate our support for fixing Utah's Mule Deer herd. If a picture is worth a thousand words, we want to paint that picture with a room full of hunters wearing orange or camo. Many sportsmen have offered to attend this meeting from all over the state. We are working to make sure there is a good attendance tomorrow night. If you are planning to attend, or are available to attend, please send me a quick note at [email protected]. This way we can make sure enough people are able to attend. Attending this meeting is a great way to make our collective voices heard. The address is: Wellsville Elementary School 90 East, 100 South, Wellsville, Utah Thank you for your support of Mule Deer Restoration in Utah. -- Ryan Benson [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]

[TABLE] [TR] [TD] U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation 801 Kingsmill Parkway, Columbus, OH 43229 Ph. 614/888-4868 • Fax 614/888-0326 Website: www.ussportsmen.org • E-mail: [email protected] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Mike Faw (614) 888-4868 x 214 December 21, 2011 Doug Jeanneret (614) 888-4868 x 227[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD] [h=2]Wolf Delisting Decision a Big Win for Sportsmen[/h] (Columbus, Ohio) – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that gray wolf populations in the Western Great Lakes region have exceeded recovery goals and should no longer be protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Once official, this move will return wolves to state management in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and some portions of adjoining states. In an even bigger victory for sportsmen, the Service also announced that it has reversed its previous view that two wolf species exist in the Western Great Lakes region. This previous stance by the Service, that two separate wolf species were present in the region, could have easily derailed any delisting of the wolves. The announcement recognized that the scientific evidence submitted during the comment period was crucial in reversing its position. In July and September, the USSAF submitted extensive comments supported by wolf and genetics expert Dr. Lisette Waits refuting the two wolf theory. A two wolf position, which was not based on leading research, could have led to additional lawsuits from animal rights organizations aimed at preventing wolves from being returned to state management. “This announcement is a major victory for sportsmen, conservation, and wildlife management,” said Rob Sexton, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation senior vice president. “We applaud the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their decision to recognize the scientific facts regarding wolves in the Great Lakes region. This is how the Endangered Species Act is supposed to be implemented. When animal populations recover, those species should be removed from the list and returned to state management. This has been a long, hard fought battle and is not likely over as we expect the animal rights lobby to turn to the courts to stop the delisting. We will be ready.” Wolf populations have far exceeded recovery goals and have become an increasing threat to other wildlife, livestock, and hunting and other dogs. The delisting rule will become effective 30 days after it has been published in the Federal Register. Official publication in the Federal Register is expected to take place next week. The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation has been on the front lines working to ensure that wolves in the Western Great Lakes region were removed from the ESA and rightfully returned to state management. In May of 2010, the USSAF and its partners petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to delist wolves in the Western Great Lakes region. After the Service failed to respond to the request as required by law, USSAF notified the Service that if it did not act on the wolf petition USSAF and our partners would file a lawsuit. Subsequently, the Service started the delisting process which led to today’s announcement of its intent to delist gray wolves in the Western Great Lakes region. Joining the USSAF in these efforts are the Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association, Dairyland Committee of Safari Club International Chapters of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Hunters Rights Coalition, Whitetails of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Firearms Owners, Rangers, Clubs, and Educators, Inc. [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]

I'm glad to see groups like the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance and others can put a stop to things like this. That would have been a sad day for hunters if animal rights groups would have been able to close down Wildlife Refuges to hunting. U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation Sportsmen Win Major Courtroom Battle Over Hunting on Public Lands (Columbus, OH) – The lengthy battle over hunting access on dozens of units of the 100 million-acre National Wildlife Refuge system has ended—and hunters can declare VICTORY! In April 2011, federal Judge James S. Gwin ruled for sportsmen across America by granting summary judgment in favor of the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other defendants while denying a lawsuit aimed at closing hunting on National Wildlife Refuge System parcels. After this ruling, an appeal process was opened, and the appeal clock began ticking. On Monday, that appeal period came to an end with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) failing to file any appeal. “This long sought win is a great victory for hunters everywhere, and reinforces the process of keeping national wildlife refuges open for hunting, by hunters,” said Bill Horn, the US Sportsmen’s Alliance director of federal affairs. This long-running case began in 2003, when the Fund for Animals, which later merged with the HSUS, filed a lawsuit to stop hunting on 39 refuges. The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation (USSAF), along with other organizations, intervened on behalf of sportsmen. Anti-hunting groups later expanded the lawsuit to nearly 60 refuges. USSAF defended this case for eight years, through many rounds of hard-fought and costly briefing, providing stability in the defense as the U.S. attorneys assigned to the case changed frequently over that time. Judge Gwin’s April 2011 ruling stopped HSUS' attempt at using the National Environmental Policy Act to close hunting on these refuges. In making the decision, the judge noted that “Plaintiffs, however, are not entitled to an inviolate sanctuary for their preferred uses – Congress has determined that, to the extent possible, hunters, fishers, observers, photographers, and educators must share the refuge.” The 1997 Refuge Improvement Act, championed by the USSA, made hunting, fishing and other wildlife oriented activities priority uses on refuge units. The Act also mandated hunting and fishing activities be "facilitated". Now, 14 years after passage of the Act, Judge Gwin’s ruling firmly rejects Plaintiffs’ attempt to “end run” the Act. "The majority of national wildlife refuges were created to be open to hunting, and now hunters everywhere can continue to legally pursue their interests on these great public lands," said Walter “Bud” Pidgeon, USSA president and CEO. "With the end of this prolonged battle, this solidly reaffirms that hunting is a priority use of refuge land wherever and whenever compatible with wildlife management." The U.S. Sportsmen’s Legal Defense Fund (SLDF), the legal arm of the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation, has worked since the beginning of this case to defend the rights of hunters and has collaborated with other groups including Safari Club International (SCI). Together, the SLDF and SCI are co-counsels and also represent Ducks Unlimited, the National Rifle Association, Izaak Walton League, Delta Waterfowl Foundation, and California Waterfowl Association. National Wildlife Refuges provide vast opportunities for hunters seeking waterfowl, big game, furbearers, and much more. Refuge hunting provides countless hours of public recreation while also helping maintaining optimal wildlife populations. The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 empowered the Fish and Wildlife Service to open refuges to hunting when compatible with the purposes for which the refuges were established. Today, hunters can continue to enjoy these benefits thanks to this important win.

Here is an interesting study in Norway with moose. I’m wondering if the same affect will happen in Wyoming. The study was to see why moose in southern Norway are in significantly worse health than those further north and in eastern Norway, with lower carcass weights and lower reproduction rates. There are also several reported cases of osteoporosis and toxic nephrosis, a kidney disease. Analysis shows that there is enough cadmium in the moose organs from southern Norway that hunters should think twice before they eat large amounts of foods made with moose liver or kidneys. There are higher levels of air pollution and higher levels of heavy metals in southern Norway than in the rest of the country. Heavy metals may influence moose health So now I have read that Wyoming's smog exceeds Los Angeles' due to gas drilling. Wyoming's smog exceeds Los Angeles' due to gas drilling - Green House - USATODAY.com So does anyone think we will see any changes with the game in Wyoming?

I missed the date. I wonder what ever happened.

Thanks for the link!

Please click on the link, scroll down, and sign the petition to have PETA's tax-exemption status removed. http://www.consumerfreedom.com/article_detail.cfm/a/154-take-a-bite-out-of-peta

Oregon is looking at combining several agencies into the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). I was wondering with people from the states that have a DNR or people that travel and hunt in states that have a DNR think of the positives and negatives of a states dropping their Fish and Wildlife agency and combining it with several other agencies to establish a Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Here is what I just found out about Oregon: The Oregon Legislature will hear bill SB 521, the bill that establishes the Oregon Department of Natural Resources, on March 1 at 3PM in Hearing Room A at the State Capitol. This bill abolishes the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and puts it under one agency the Oregon Department of Natural Resources. Here are all the agencies that would be combined under the Department of Natural Resources if this bill were to pass: * State Department of Fish and Wildlife, State Fish and Wildlife Commission, * State Parks and Recreation Department, State Parks and Recreation Commission, * Department of State Lands, * Department of Land Conservation and Development, Land Conservation and Development Commission, * Land Use Board of Appeals, * State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, * Water Resources Department, Water Resources Commission, * Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, * State Forestry Department, State Board of Forestry and * Oregon Forest Resources Institute.

They have the Carryall Buddy Game Cart website set-up now. Thought I would let everyone know with some people maybe getting some money back from taxes. Just google "Carryall Buddy".

National Wildlife Refuge Association Are you wondering what's happening to Refuge System funding on Capitol Hill? Watch this video for an update from Desiree Sorenson Groves, NWRA Vice President of Government Affairs, and find out how you can help! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhz8LNpclfs

Welcome to Conserving the Future: Wildlife Refuges and the Next Generation The Hunter’s Role in the National Wildlife Refuge System By Wayne LaPierre in February 11th 2011 The National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) is the world’s most effective network of public lands and waters created to manage and conserve fish and wildlife. The National Rifle Association believes that the NWRS must expand upon its longstanding partnership with hunters for the System to gain ground in the next generation. Hunters continue to be some of the strongest supporters of conservation and the NWRS (image: FWS). The hunter’s role in the NWRS has been ingrained since 1903, when President Theodore Roosevelt, a hunter and visionary conservationist, established the first wildlife refuge at Pelican Island, Florida. Since then, hunters have played a key role in funding the system and in ensuring that refuges maintain healthy, sustainable wildlife populations. Refuges safeguard wildlife populations through habitat management. There must exist a balance between a refuge’s wildlife population and the habitat needed to support it. That’s where hunters come in. Hunters are often called the first conservationists. And hunting is the most important, most effective tool for striking that imperative balance between the wildlife on a refuge and its carrying capacity. In terms of funding—Sales of the Federal Duck Stamp have raised more than $750 million since 1934, enabling the purchase of more than five million acres of wildlife habitat for the NWRS. The typical buyer of a Duck Stamp is a hunter—indeed, every waterfowl hunter in the country is required to have one. This citizen-based revenue for land acquisition is unparalleled in Federal and state land systems and exemplifies the unique role that the hunting community plays in wildlife conservation throughout the country. It is no exaggeration to say that America’s 12.5 million hunters are among the best friends the NWRS has. Hunters must continue to be a vital part of its vision, and more efforts made to increase hunting opportunities. Loss of accessible hunting land due to development and fragmentation is the main cause of declining hunter numbers, and refuges need to help reverse that decline by providing prime areas for Americans to hunt. While NRA’s mission is to defend the Second Amendment, 80 percent of our members hunt. We are committed to protecting hunters’ rights, promoting hunter safety, and defending hunting as a key to the wise use of our renewable wildlife resources. What’s Next? By Greg Siekaniec in February 24th 2011 February 24 is a milestone for the Refuge System. Today is the day when the single, cohesive Conserving the Future draft vision is available on this website for everyone – Refuge Friends, partners, employees and the general public – to tell us what you think. American oystercatcher at Cape May National Wildlife Refuge helps its young. Credit: Steve Greer. The draft is the culmination of the work and ideas of more than 70 members of five Core Teams, who wrote the individual documents that fed into this one piece. We are taking comments until Earth Day, April 22 – lots of time for everyone who cares about the Refuge System to help set the direction for the next decade or so. I hope you will comment directly on the draft document. We have made the comment area easy to find, and you can always email your comments directly to [email protected]. We have also added an exciting, new feature: the bold ideas section. Don’t hold back. Articulate new ways of conducting conservation business. Tell us if we are poised to meet the conservation demands of the 21st century. Here is a place where you can get a little wild; intellectually.