Everything Outdoors – Hunting, Fishing and Hiking

Archive for June, 2010

As reported in a June 8 WashingtonPost.com article, the National Park Service this week honored Ranger Scott Emmerich as the recipient of this year’s “Harry Yount Award,” the agency’s highest honor for park rangers.
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The New York State Senate is currently considering legislation, which would ban the sale of virtually all semi-automatic handguns in the state. Since the Senate could vote on this bill at any time, it is critical that you call your state Senator immediately and ask them to OPPOSE Senate Bill 6005.
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Today Governor Joe Manchin (D) signed NRA-supported Senate Bill 1005 into law in West Virginia. He had vetoed the original version of this bill (SB 515) earlier this year due to a drafting error. Recognizing the importance of this measure, Governor Manchin added SB 515 to his agenda for the 2010 Extraordinary Session and it was renumbered SB 1005. Both bills, introduced by State Senator Jeff Kessler (D-2), will make it a crime to knowingly solicit illegal gun sales and to conduct illegal sting operations like those conducted by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
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One of the very first dog breeds that I photographed for my Animal Antics series was a miniature poodle.  We shot him for the cheer leading poodles image.  You could tell he was smart…and certainly was a bit of a trickster.  He would race around the studio checking on what everyone was doing…until it came time to shoot him.  Each time we started to shoot he would suddenly come up with a limp and could hardly walk.  As soon as we would finish our session off he would race with no sign of difficulty!

The poodle is truly a wonderful breed of dog with some outstanding qualities. The breed is generally recognized as coming in three sizes, standard, miniature and toy…though teacup poodles are also available. They have hair rather than fur…so they are, in effect, hypoallergenic and don’t shed.

Poodles are extremely intelligent and take well to training.  They learn quickly…but because they also forget slowly an owner must be consistent or risk resentment. Poodles are a sturdy breed and live between 10 and 18 years and in some cases up to 21 years. They are, however, susceptible to a number of genetic health problems. Like most large dog breeds, Standard poodles need a good amount of exercise but are comfortable in pretty much any size of home. Of the three sizes, standard, miniature and toy, standards are considered the most adaptable.

The breed is an ancient one…there are likeness of Poodle-like dogs on Roman coins and Egyptian carvings.  There are references to Poodles as far back as the fifteenth century in France, Holland and Italy. The first reference to Poodles being good swimmers was in 1642 (the Poodle was originally bread as a water retriever).  The “Poodle Clip” was originated to help reduce resistance in the water.  The patches of hair left covering the vital organs and joints were left to help protect those areas. In France the Poodle is the national breed and is used for truffle hunting as well as the more expected duck Hunting.

The standard poodle is a truly a versatile breed and in addition to being excellent water retrievers they have served as guide dogs, in law enforcement…and even competed in the Alaskan Iditarod Sled dog race!  Miniature poodles are sometimes thought of as “one person” dogs, but are obedient, can be a child’s best friend and make good trial dogs.  They do tend to think they are bigger than they really are and one has to be careful of their protective   tendency…particularly around other dogs.  Toy poodles make great companions and are especially good when quarters are tight.

Poodles are too intelligent to be “part time” pets…but need to be a regular and consistent part of their owner’s lives.  Poodle’s coats need to be kept well groomed or their coats could become unpleasant to be around, and in extreme cases it can be a health hazard.  Poodles have a great disposition…are cheerful and confident and can make a truly great companion.

John M. Lund
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/poodle-breeds-have-some-outstanding-qualities-673562.html

Bend Oregon is home to several different species of trout. Rainbow Trout, German Brown Trout, Lake Trout, Bull Trout and Brook Trout are the primary species caught within a short drive from Bend.

Almost all lakes and streams in Central Oregon contain Rainbow Trout. The Deschutes River is world famous for it trout fishing. It begins in the Cascade Mountains Southwest of Bend. It is the source of water for Crane Prairie Reservoir and Wickiup Reservoir. It runs through the middle of Bend and eventually flows into the mighty Columbia River.

Crane Prairie Reservoir is known for its large trout (”Cranebows”). It is about a one hour drive from Bend. It was flooded in 1928 with most of the timber left standing. It is a relatively shallow lake with the deepest sections about 15-20 feet deep near the channels in the spring. The water level drops steadily all summer during the irrigation season.

The Cranebows spawn in the upper Deschutes in early spring and then return to the reservoir and are scattered around the shallower water. As the water warms in early summer the fish start congregating around the channels. Twenty to thirty inch rainbows are common.

All methods of lake fishing work on this strong fighting fish. Fly fishing is very popular once the fish move into the channels. Trolling flies, spoons or spinners is a popular method early in the season. Early summer brings on weed growth which makes it difficult to troll without fowling you lure.

There are numerous campgrounds and one resort on Crane Prairie. The resort provides rental boats, licenses and anything you might need for trout Fishing. The owners are always helpful in pointing new anglers to where the fish are biting the best. It is difficult to fish here without a boat.

The Deschutes flows out of Crane Prairie and a few short miles into Wickiup Reservoir. Wickiup has large Rainbow and German Brown Trout as well as a large population of Kokanee Salmon. The Kokanee and Browns are the primary targeted fish.

Early spring brings out the die hard Brown Trout fisherman. They concentrate near the dam and generally troll Rapalas or similar minnow type lures. Ten pound fish are common in the early spring. Since Brown trout are nocturnal you’ll find the serious fisherman on the water at first light. Wickiup is best fished by boat but some large browns are caught from shore along the dam in the spring.

During the summer the Kokanee start congregating along the river channel. Jigging, bait fishing or trolling are the preferred methods for catching the Wickiup Kokanee. The Kokanee spawn in the fall with the Browns following them up the Deschutes channel.
Early morning and late evening is the best time to target the large Browns.

Wickiup only has one improved boat ramp which is located at Gull Point. There is not a boat dock so it makes it somewhat difficult for launching and boarding your boat. There are a couple of improved camp grounds as well as many unimproved places to camp.

The Deschutes River continues below Wickiup dam and flows through Bend. This section contains some smaller Rainbows and some nice sized German Browns. It runs through the Deschutes National forest. There is a good drift from the dam down to the Pringle Falls area.

Pringle Falls is dangerous and cannot be drifted. Watch for signs and be prepared to take out above the falls. This is a beautiful drift. The river from Pringle Falls to Bend has several different water falls that cannot be drifted. Check the numerous books available that discuss this section of river in detail.

The section of river that runs through Bend does not produce many fish as it is not stocked with hatchery fish and receives substantial fishing pressure.

The Deschutes flows from Bend into Lake Billy Chinook which is located between Redmond and Madras. Lake Billy Chinook is actually a reservoir that is backed up by Round Butte dam. “Round Butte” reservoir is filled by the Deschutes River, Crooked River and the Metolius River.

Lake Billy Chinook is known for its native Bull Trout population. Bull Trout are close to extinction in many parts of Oregon but not in Lake Billy Chinook. The state record Bull Trout was caught here in 1989. It weighed 23 pounds and 2 ounces. Ten to fifteen pound fish are still common with several being caught every year.

The best time to catch a large Bull Trout is in March and April. The Metolius arm of the reservoir boarders the Warm Springs Indian reservation and is closed from the end of October to March 1st every year. Early in the season the larger trout come into the shallows (10-20 feet) to feed on the abundant Kokanee salmon.

If you find the Kokanee you will find the Bull Trout. A boat is necessary to catch these fish. They are caught by casting the shore line with silver minnow plugs, trolling plugs, fly fishing with a sink tip line or jigging the deeper water if the fish have not moved up into the shallows yet.

If you are interested in pursuing Bull Trout check the authors’ web site for more helpful information, links and pictures.

The trout fishing in this article is all located within a one hour drive from Bend. There are many other lakes, reservoirs and streams within an hour of Bend that are not mentioned in this article.

Bend Oregon is a great place to live if you like the outdoors. There are many good trout fishing spots close by. The lower Deschutes below Bend is world famous for its Salmon Fly hatch but that is the subject of another article.

Jim Johnson
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/bend-oregon-home-to-great-trout-fishing-73640.html

When police caught up to a fleeing drug suspect early Thursday, they had little problem arresting him. They found him in a private home he had entered, wounded in the chest by a resident with a handgun.
The shooting occurred about a week after an 80 year old Army veteran used a handgun to shoot and kill an armed burglar who had broken into his home. In both cases, the weapons violated the city’s 28 year old handgun ban, but police so far have declined to press charges.
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Without debate, the House voted 61 30 Friday night to override Gov. Phil Bredesen’s veto of a bill that allows people with handgun carry permits to take their weapons into businesses selling alcoholic beverages.
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While most hunters tend to think the biggest bucks are to be found in the farthest reaches of the wilderness areas, many are realizing that the deer they were after might have been right there at home all along.

Of course it is true that unhunted places harboring really big bucks do exist in some of the less accessible, out-country areas. These places become less and less of a haven each season as the motorized hunter enters the wilderness.

Many a buck has crouched low to watch the ATV go by and gone back to the normal routine after the noisy intrusion passed by.

A stand of pines, a blackberry thicket, or a honeysuckle thicket right behind a house which is cut off from the rest of the woodlands by a cow field or other fields is ideal for deer.

You might find big bucks next to urban areas in the most unexpected places. These bucks have chosen these places to hide from hunters. There are fewer natural predators here also. Here they feel safer. The sounds of farm activity intrigue them. They like to keep tabs on the enemy. Regular activity is unalarming. Some like music and will take up residence near a regularly-played radio. Although dogs can be a formidable enemy to deer, deer might feel more at ease bedded down near dogs they know won’t bother them. These dogs will keep other dogs away.

Campfire stories at any deer camp will eventually include some story about a deer being encountered in an unsuspected, nearby place. An example is one I heard about a farmer who headed off in early morning to the wilderness in search of a buck. When he returned worn-out and empty-handed, his wife said, “You should have stayed at home; that old buck got his horns stuck in the cow feeder.”

WATERHOLES

During periods of drought, watering places are choice places to hunt. They are not the best selection when water is plentiful. Wounded or sick deer will go to water often, but healthy deer can do without it awhile, finding needed moisture in vegetation or snow.

Deer have definite water preferences and are quite choosy about what they drink when they can be. A mineral spring is the choice type of water source. A valley spring is ideal for a stand. The minerals found in these sources make the antlers large and firm, a fact which the bucks seem to instinctively know. Big bucks will frequent such places just as body builders go for protein supplements to health-food stores. Deer prefer sulphurous water to clear water. Water can be quite dingy in appearance yet be delightful to deer.

Deer do not hang around ponds, lakes, streams, or waterholes long because of the steady animal traffic to these locations. Does searching for bucks or vice-versa may prove an exception to this rule, but if they do hang around they will be concealed and on the alert with choice escape routes handy. Generally they just drink and leave. All the predators frequent the water, so any deer here exhibit an unmistakable wariness. Their ears move endlessly, and they spend several minutes waiting, looking, and scenting the air before each drink. In groups, one will drink and then the other.

Swimming deer are easy prey for boaters. Harassing swimming deer is strictly forbidden by law. Taking a swimming deer is subject to a strict penalty. The hunter can, however, position himself on land and harvest a deer which has reached land fully. This method of Hunting is productive at some larger lakes and on rivers of larger size. The hunter positions himself across river from prime deer habitat which is certain to be invaded with hunters on opening day. This prime deer habitat is usually the low-lying side of the river, the flood plain. The hunter takes a vantage point on the high bank opposite and glasses the water for deer. When spotting his prey he plots a possible landing point for the deer and while disguising his movement positions himself for a telescopic shot.

A 200-pound live-weight deer will drink two to three quarts of water daily at average weather temperatures.

A deer which has drowned does not make good eating. Drowning can be avoided by allowing the deer to fully clear the bank before shooting.

A deer disease commonly called “blue tongue” dehydrates deer and sends them to water continuously. When deer are affected by this disease, it is usually publicized by state officials. The tongue of such a deer will be swollen and blue. These thirsty deer are discovered drowned as they died while attempting to quench their thirst. It is said that the meat of such an animal is still consumable, but I suggest that no diseased deer of any kind be eaten unless you are desperate.

Islands are good places to find deer, for they are isolated from dog packs and have fewer predators. Often island deer seem to have a generally happier attitude about things and roam more freely as a result. Islands with agricultural crops bordered by tree-lines or other cover on the banks are particularly productive. Willow thickets are great food in themselves. Farmers who take advantage of the fertile flood-plain silt soils carry their machinery by ferry to such places.

Deer are excellent swimmers. A big river or lake is no obstacle, but rather a pleasure for them to swim. Deer have been known to cross considerable distances in the water, such as the Great Lakes. The hollow hair makes them buoyant, as when a person swims with a life preserver strapped around his chest. Nature’s equipment for the deer allows it to exert minimal effort to stay afloat and transfer its energy to movement. Deer can swim at a speed of 13 MPH.

When hunting pressure hits, large concentrations may flee to island retreats. Big bucks particularly favor islands for security. There are islands which are traditionally used for the rut that generations of deer instinctively head to for breeding.

Deer like to cut off their scent paths by crossing water and placing a barrier between themselves and their predators. Of course, islands are not fool-proof protection from coyotes and dogs since these animals can swim also, but they will swim reluctantly. For all these reasons, islands are good places to find deer which other hunters cannot reach. Predators do sometimes invade island herds and chase them away, but this is the exception and not generally true.

Islands in the Atlantic Ocean have sub-species of deer which are found nowhere else. These islands are generally fairly far from the mainland, making commuting by deer unlikely.

Remember that rifle bullets can travel long distances when glancing across the water in ricochet unobstructedly.

Albie Berk
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/backyard-bucks-and-waterholes-699408.html

Everyone knows the basics of fishing. There’s a rod, reel, fishing line, hook, bait; you cast the line, wait for a bite, and reel in your dinner. Experienced fishermen know there is more to it than that, but for most of us that description appropriately sums it up. However, there are many types of fishing, such as salt water and fresh water, and perhaps the most artful of them all, fly fishing. You have probably heard of fly fishing – it has been in recorded history for nearly 2000 years – and you probably know that it does not involve fishing for flies, but if that is all you know then a primer in fly fishing basics can bring you up to speed.

Unlike other forms of fishing, fly fishing does not typically use any kind of organic bait, live or dead. Instead, fly fisherman use artificial flies – ribbon, string, hair, feathers – as a lure to attract fish. The artificial flies are attached to the hook and line, and the fisherman attracts fish with movement that makes the fly look like an insect that is moving on or above the surface of the water. The nature of that artificial bait is the first and most important element to understand when examining fly fishing basics.

Another aspect of fly fishing basics, an aspect that separates fly fishing from most other variations of fishing, is the way the line is cast. Other kinds of fishing rely on casting a line and attracting fish with the bait, but fly fishing requires a much more skillful method of luring the fish. A fly fisherman casts his lure toward the fish and uses rhythmic movements to make the lure fly above the water, skimming the top, or even diving under the surface, all in an effort to replicate the movements of an insect that might entice a hungry fish to strike.

If you understand fly fishing basics, you might wonder what you need to give it a try. Fly fishermen usually use rods that are longer and lighter than typical fishing rods. The reel used is typically quite simple because it is generally used only to retrieve the hook and lure – and hopefully a fish! Before casting, fly fishermen usually create slack in the line by pulling some from the reel. That slack allows the lure to fly freely to the targeted area. Choosing the proper lure is another aspect of fly fishing basics that one should understand before setting off to cast their line.

Fly fishing implies that the lure is intended to resemble the characteristics of flies, but fly fishing is hardly limited to that. The sport has evolved in recent years, and many fly fishermen now choose lures and casting techniques that mimic the primary prey of the fish they are attempting to catch. However, specific baits and the eating characteristics of various species of fish are beyond the realm of fly fishing basics.

An understanding of fly fishing basics is not enough to prepare one to head off to the nearest lake or stream. If you are interested in expanding your knowledge, or trying fly fishing yourself, spend some time reading on the subject, and if possible seek the tutelage of an experienced fly fisherman. Only then can you begin to understand more than fly fishing basics, such as specific recommendations on rods, reels, line weight, lures, and most important, the great places where fly fisherman must make a pilgrimage.

Michelle Bery
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/fly-Fishing-basics-are-the-gateway-to-understanding-an-ancient-technique-118476.html