[Editors Note:Here is another very clear illustration of the combined power of outdoor sportsmen. This example shows where enough people applied enough pressure to overcome anti hunting and fishing interests. The public service announcement in question was about animal trapping. However, as said in the earlier article, hunters and anglers should understand this animal rights group has repeatedly stated that a ban on trapping is merely a means of softening public sentiment to clear the way for a ban on all hunting and fishing.]

Updating the preceding article, Fox Sports Net will no longer air an anti-trapping advertisement produced by the nation’s largest animal rights group, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Thousands of angry sportsmen nationwide have sounded off to the network after the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA), the nation’s leading sportsman advocacy organization, exposed the network’s decision to air the political advertisement as a gratis public service announcement.

Fox Sports Net told USSA that the 15-second, anti-trapping commercial has expired and will not run again. “Sportsmen delivered a message to Fox Sports that they want the network to scrutinize the public service announcements it receives so that anti-trapping, fishing and hunting political advertisements like this HSUS spot do not receive approval in the future,” said Rick Story, USSA senior vice president. “Based on discussions between USSA and the network, we anticipate in the future the network will pay much closer attention to ads reflecting such political viewpoints.”

The Humane Society of the United States opposes all animal use, including trapping, hunting and fishing. It has a multi-million dollar budget that it invests in legislative and ballot campaigns to ban trapping and hunting. It also has a legal arm to challenge sportsmen’s rights in court.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website, www.ussportsmen.org.

Fox Sports Net, which provides regional sports programming to 85 million households, has refused to cancel a gratis anti-trapping advertisement produced by the nation’s largest animal rights group.

News Corporation, the parent company of Fox Sports Net and other Fox Cable Networks, approved a 15-second anti-trapping commercial, produced by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), as a public service announcement. Fox Sports rejected a request by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, the nation’s leading sportsmen’s advocacy organization, to immediately pull the spot. The company will run the ad through the end of December at no cost to the anti’s.

The advertisement features HSUS leader Wayne Pacelle and a second animal activist urging viewers to support trapping bans. To add to the sensationalism, the spot opens with a loud clank as a foot hold trap with teeth – a trap that has been banned throughout the country for decades – snaps shut.

A senior official for Fox told the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance that he and other associates had reviewed the ad and believe the content meets their criteria for public service announcements.

“This is not a public service announcement; it is a free political advertisement for a movement that wants to eliminate trapping, hunting and all other forms of animal use,” said U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance President Bud Pidgeon. Hunters and anglers must understand that the Humane Society has repeatedly stated that a ban on trapping is merely a means of softening public sentiment to clear the way for a ban on all hunting and fishing. Hunters, trappers and anglers should generate a flood of complaints from friends, family and everyone they can reach out to.

Trapping is recognized by every wildlife agency at the state and federal level as a viable and important conservation tool. It helps keep furbearer populations at healthy levels and is important in stemming the spread of wildlife diseases that threaten animals and humans.

The Humane Society of the United States opposes all animal use, including trapping, hunting and fishing.? It has a multi-million dollar budget that it invests in legislative and ballot campaigns to ban trapping and hunting. It also has a legal arm to challenge sportsmen’s rights in court.

Sportsmen can make a difference in this fight. Jeep raised the ire of sportsmen when it aired a blatantly, anti-hunting commercial called the “Deer Hunter.” After a flood of sportsmen contacts, Jeep pulled the commercial in three days.

Sportsmen nationwide should contact News Corporation and demand that the spot be canceled. Let the company know that outdoorsmen object to the network acting as a mouthpiece for the animal rights movement. Explain that state wildlife professionals support trapping and see it as a necessary tool for managing furbearers. Inform News Corporation that trapping has proven to be a critical element in the comeback of waterfowl populations, and that managers see it as extremely important in protecting the public from outbreaks of diseases such as rabies.

Contact Rupert Murdoch, Chairman/CEO, News Corporation, 1211 Avenue of the Americas, 8^th Floor, New York, NY, 10036. Phone (212) 852-7000. Fax (212) 852-7147.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs.? For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website, www.ussportsmen.org.

For more information about how you can protect your rights as a sportsman, contact The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, 801 Kingsmill Parkway, Columbus, OH 43229. Phone (614) 888-4868. E-Mail us at info@USSPORTSMEN.org

An elderly Louisiana gentleman had owned a large farm for many years. Over the years, he had sold much of his land holdings. However, he kept a sizable acreage around his home site. Near the back of what was now his current property line, he had a large pond. He had built the pond years earlier when his children enjoyed swimming. Now it was there for the Grand and Great Grand Children.

One afternoon the farmer decided to take a walk. To make better use of his walk, he grabbed a five gallon bucket to bring back wild blue berries he knew he would find growing along his intended route.

As he approached the swimming hole, he heard water splashing, laughter and raised voices. As he came closer still, he saw it was a bunch of young women skinny-dipping in his pond. He cleared his throat to make the women aware of his presence and they promptly fled to the deep end.

One of the women shouted, “We’re going to come out until you leave!” The old man frowned, “I didn’t walk all the way down here to watch you ladies swim naked or make you get out of the pond.” Holding the bucket up, he said, “I’m here to feed the alligators.”

This story once again proves – the skill and cunning of old age trumps the enthusiasm and impulsiveness of youth. The farmer even mentioned just how enthusiastic those young women were when they ran past him.

We as American’s are blessed to live in the very best of times. Today is eclipsed only by the promise of an even better tomorrow. I’m very thankful we, as a culture treasure both the wisdom of age and the enthusiasm of youth.

Here’s wishing you the very best of everything in 2007.

Wesley Slade

It has been a year since I decided to test and review digital scouting cameras. Through doing these tests I’d hoped to give hunters some good information that would help them as they shopped for a digital scouting camera of their own. I think I have accomplished this and fortunately for me, I’ve had a lot of fun doing the tests.

I’m not sure exactly how many pictures I’ve taken but it is over 10,000. I received the first bobcat picture in the last batch and have yet to get a picture of a coyote, but sooner or later I’ll get one. It’s still exciting to get each group of pictures.

So far I have used eleven digital scouting cameras and am currently trying to decide which one I will try next. There are still plenty to choose from.

What have I learned over the past year?

For the most part you get what you pay for. Although there are some expensive cameras in the $300 plus range that aren’t much better than the cheaper ones there aren’t any in the under $200 range that come close to those in the $400 plus range.

You can’t beat a real digital camera for good picture quality. There are some hunters out there that do not care an ounce about picture quality but there is a difference. The higher mega pixel scouting cameras that have come out are an improvement over their predecessors but their prices are higher and they do not match the picture quality.

If the possibility of your camera being stolen is a factor you have a tough decision to make. The cheaper cameras are lacking in their ability to be locked to a tree whereas the better cameras come with much more secure locking capabilities. This makes for a tough decision. Buy a cheap scouting camera that is easy to steal or buy a more expensive one that is harder to steal. Whatever you do, don’t buy an expensive one that does not have good locking capabilities.

The latest is an infrared model and I’m not completely sold on it although it is still early in my testing. I’m not sure about the pink black and white (can this be) pictures, I’ve been somewhat spoiled by good quality nighttime pictures. I’m not convinced that these cameras are less susceptible to thievery either. An intruder would definitely see the flash but the red IR lights are very noticeable as well and they stay lit for a few seconds. I’m thinking a flash could possibly be mistaken for lightening whereas the red IR lights are a real eye catcher. As far as your digital scouting camera being stolen the IR versus flash may be a wash. The real advantage with the IR may be the distance issue.

For me batteries are a difference maker. The cameras I have that use AA rechargeable batteries and/or get six months plus from a single 9-volt battery are head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd. One of the major advantages of digital scouting cameras is how cheap they are to operate as compared to 35mm models. If you are buying a lot of batteries the advantage of a digital camera is lessened somewhat and more importantly it is a pain in the rear end.

In 2006 I’ll continue to purchase and test digital scouting cameras, have the enjoyment of viewing another 10,000 pictures and hopefully help the hunting community in the process.

You can read all of the digital scouting camera reviews at www.whitetaildeer-management-and-hunting.com.

Many deer hunters only give tree stand safety a passing thought, thinking an accident won’t happen to them. But falling 30 feet out of his deer stand, crushing the bones on the right side of his body and crawling a quarter-mile for help during the 1996 deer season was enough for Dee Dee Garvin to become a vocal advocate for hunter safety.

“Safety is something you should never take for granted; it’s something you put first in everything you do, whether it’s driving a car or climbing a deer stand,” said Garvin, a regional coordinator for the National Wild Turkey Federation’s (NWTF). “In a matter of 35 minutes from the time I got out of the bed that morning, I came to the realization that hunting, fishing or anything else, for that matter, is not worth risking your life for.”

After a hospital stay and months of rehabilitation, Garvin was able to resume the outdoor activities he loves. Through his duties at the NTWF’s Wheelin’ Sportsmen program, which helps people with disabilities to get outside to participate in a more active lifestyle through local chapter events nationwide, he tells his story and explains the importance of tree stand safety.

Like Garvin, Carl Brown, Chief Operating Officer for the NWTF, is an avid deer hunter. A fall from a tree stand several years ago changed the way he now prepares for all of his hunts.

“The idea of safety first really hits home after an accident,” said Brown. “I never hunt without making sure all safety measures are in place. It’s something I wish I had always done.”

In many hunting situations, tree stands allow the hunter to see game better, and help reduce the amount of human scent on the ground. While positioning yourself in a tree sometimes gives hunters a better view, serious injury and even death can occur when all safety precautions aren’t taken.

As CEO of the NWTF, Rob Keck has hunted many different species in many different places. But regardless of the game he’s after, his main focus is always hunting safely.

“Being safe in the woods is something we can’t stress enough,” said Keck. “A hunter must be a good defensive hunter, just like being a defensive driver. Don’t put yourself in harm’s way by careless decisions.”

To help hunters stay safe, the NWTF has compiled a list of useful tips for hunting out of tree stands.

• Understand the stand: Manufacturers’ warnings and instructions should be read before using the stand. Practice climb before the season, and use all provided safety devices. If there are any questions, call the manufacturer.
• Wear a Fall-Arrest System/Full Body Harness: These devices are the best method to keep you from being hurt in a fall. Single strap belts and chest harnesses are no longer the safest restraints available; in fact, single-strap belts can cause internal injury when the wearer’s weight suddenly jerks them tight. Furthermore, the pressure from a single strap or chest harness on the abdomen or chest can cause rapid loss of consciousness.
• Climb with care: When a hunter is climbing and getting into or out of the stand are the most dangerous times. Always put on a full body harness before climbing.
• Use a pull rope:Sometimes called a haul line, this is used to pull gear, including firearms and bows, to the tree stand once the hunter is safely positioned.
• Don’t load your firearm until you are secure in your stand.
• Always let someone know where you are. Leave a note at the house or on the windshield of your vehicle stating where you will be and what time you expect to return. Also, take your cell phone. You never know when you will need it.

For more information about the NWTF, call (800) THE-NWTF or visit the web site at www.NWTF.org.