Jim Foster Outdoors

HUNTING -TURKEY TIME

2012-02-10T08:25:00.002-07:00

Driving around one of the ranches in South Texas, two things were very obvious. First, South Texas needs more rain badly and second, the Rio Grande sub-species of wild turkey are almost ready to begin their breeding season.

Many experienced hunters believe the wild turkey is one of the hardest of game to hunt one on one. Having eyesight that is 10 to 12 times better than ours, it’s hard to stalk an old gobbler. The turkey's eyes are located on the sides of his head, which gives him the ability to see both in front and to the rear at almost the same time.

The wild turkey has excellent hearing and can pinpoint a sound and can tell within a few feet where the sound is located. The turkey's hearing helps him keep tabs on other turkeys and also alerts him to danger.

Spring hunting with shotguns and calling the gobbler to within range is the most sporting and watching a gobbler come to you is tons of fun.

Scouting the area you plan to hunt is essential. Find areas having the most turkey sign, or areas where birds have been spotted. If you can't spend the time scouting before the season opens talk to other hunters or landowners. This will save you valuable hunting time on opening day.

Do some of your scouting late in the afternoon. Toms like to gobble on the roost in the evenings. If you can find a roost, try to start hunting several hundred yards away the next morning but stay clear of the roosting area.

A SPECIAL NOTE: It’s illegal and unethical to shoot turkeys on the roost. Not to mention the fact that if bothered, they might just move out of the area.

Any successful turkey hunter will tell you that the using full camouflage is a must. This includes your face and hands. Many hunters like the camo head nets while others use camo face paint. Don't forget to camouflage your shotgun.

Hunter’s Specialties Company makes a wide assortment of turkey hunting products starting with the very basics to the very fancy. One item is a hunting vest that has pockets for everything you could want to carry into the field. It also had a snap-off cushion, camo of course to make your time sitting on the ground more comfortable. It has a large pouch in the back with room for a full-bodied turkey decoy.

A decoy is not required but after more than twenty years of spring turkey hunting, I have found the decoy will help draw the gobbler’s attention away from you. This might give you the chance to get your shotgun up and ready if the big bird comes in too fast.

If you have comments or news for Jim Foster please Email him at: jimf06@gmail.com

JIM'S GEMS - I TOLD YOU SO...

2012-02-05T18:29:00.006-07:00

I TOLD YOU SO

By Jim Foster

When the U.S. tree police and park rangers spent thousands of dollars on tasers I predicted in an article that some total left brain, under-educated, mouth breather would actually use it on a human for one stupid reason or another. Well, it has happened – some have died.

Now it is reported a Montana man was walking two lapdogs off leash was hit with an electric-shock gun by a park service ranger another.

Gary Hesterberg with his two small dogs when confronted by this, and I use the word loosely, tent police lady used her electric-shock gun to knock down and arrest this vicious, highly dangerous dog walker.

The people hired and paid by “the people” leave a lot to be desired. It does seem most are self-serving nerds who have been given a little power and must show it off. Most of these “headline wannabes” seem to fit the pattern of those who ran amuck in Waco and Ruby Ridge. The words “Protect and Serve” written on police cars are just that, words.

These things kill people, the lady in the airport for example. Six large policemen couldn’t subdue a medium sized lady so they tasered her and she died. And, the death of a teen-aged boy caused by the police, happened only a short time before. It is estimating that 290 civilians have died from police using tasers since 2001. By now that number has increased drastically

Witnesses said the use of a stun gun and the arrest seemed excessive for someone walking two small dogs off leash. The witness went on to say that it was really scary saying she had seen the incident as she and her husband were walking their two border collies.

As Hesterberg tried to walk away the ranger never gave him a reason and shot him in the back with her shock weapon. It was reported that Hesterberg had repeatedly asked the ranger why he was being detained. She never answered

"We were like in disbelief," a witness said. "It didn't make any sense."

This ranger needs to be investigated and kicked off the “tent police” and not ever allowed to be in a position of authority again. This type of threatening behavior has become common in the law enforcement profession.

It’s no wonder that people, like me, don’t trust or even like the law enforcement people. All this, and we haven’t even started on county sheriffs department's mouth breathers.

It was reported the park service is investigating the incident, what a joke.

If you have news or comments for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

TRAVEL - HANGING AROUND

2012-01-28T11:44:00.003-07:00

HANG ‘EM HIGH

By Jim Foster

Texas has long been known as a “western state”, which is true except when you think of states like Wyoming, Montana, and even Idaho with it’s turn of the century Hawaiian cowboys, which is another story altogether.

Well before old Chris Columbus set foot on the North American Continent, the area around Dallas and even closer, McKinney was where the trees stopped and the prairie began. Land of the Comanche and other cultures prevailed. In short where the west began.

Moving into the present, there were never any bad Indians, or bad Europeans, but there were bad people including many races, cultures, and methods of accomplishing bad or evil deeds and activities. The worst of these activities was taking the life of another human being. Punishments for this offence varied over the years until the rope and hanging was the method of choice in the country, and in Texas.

As of this writing the last known hanging in Texas, outside the state prison in Huntsville took place on what was the “edge of civilization” at the time, in McKinney. This was one of the only known County Prisons in the state.

While most counties in Texas merely had a jail, Collin County had a prison, if only in name. Located only a half block off McKinney's Square, this simple, utilitarian fortress was the work of F.E. Ruffini and finished in 1880. Written in stone above the entrance is COLLIN COUNTY PRISON.

Several famous visitors, such as 19th century bad guy Frank James, and the cohort of Bonny and Clyde’s Barrow Gang, Ray Hamilton, and many years later Charles “Tex” Watson who was extradited to California and tried for murder with Charles Manson, (of Helter Skelter Infamy) inhabited the prison.

But none were as strange as the last hanging that took place at the prison in 1922. The date was 1922 and E. Stepp has been convicted of killing a man and hiding, or trying to hide, his body in a well. He received the death penalty and was scheduled to be, as the judicial line goes, to hang by the neck until dead.

However McKinney may have had a prison but what it lacked was a gallows and at the time very few trees so what took place was one of the last hangings outside of Huntsville and hung by walking the plank.

What happened was that the doomed Mr. Stepp was walked out a window on a small board and encouraged to leave the second story window with the appropriate rope and feel to his death.

His death ended the strangest exsiccation within the boundaries of the love star state. A short time later all executions were moved to the state prison in Huntsville, Texas.

For more information about Mckinney, Texas or some of the “ghost stories” which abound in the city, e-mail info@visitmckinney.com. Or call Toll-free 888-649-8499.

If you comments or news for Jim his Email is, JimF06@gmail.com.

BIRDING - Northern Flicker

2012-01-19T09:38:00.003-07:00

The Northern Flicker - (Colaptes auratus)

By Jim Foster

Northern Flickers are unusual among North American woodpeckers in that their general coloration is brown rather than black and white. Their backs are brown with black barring, and their chests and bellies are light tan with prominent clear black spots. Their tails are black, and they have white rumps. There is a broad, black band across the upper chest.

These are the red-shafted found in the west; the other flicker is the yellow-shafted found mostly in the east.

The flight feathers of red-shafted flickers have reddish-orange shafts, and their wings and tail are reddish-orange below. Red-shafted Flickers have gray heads, throats, and napes, and their foreheads are brown. Males have red moustaches; the moustaches of females are pale brown.

Northern Flickers can be found throughout most wooded regions of North America, and they are familiar birds in most suburban environments. They need some open area and do not nest in the middle of dense forests, but they breed in most other forest types.

Unlike other woodpeckers, northern flickers are principally ground feeders, though they also forage on tree trunks and limbs. They have a strongly undulating flight pattern, and they can be easily identified in flight by this pattern and their prominent white rumps.

Northern flickers are known to mostly feed principally on ants and some other insects, fruit, seeds, and berries. The flickers pictured here (taken January 20120 were more interested in my suet feeder and in many cases were aggressive toward competing sparrows.

These birds will typically excavate nesting cavities in dead or diseased pine, cottonwood, or willow trees for nesting sites. Males do most of the excavation with some help from females. Both incubate the 5 to 8 eggs for about 11 days, then brood the newly hatched young for about 4 days more. Both sexes feed the young, which leave the nest after 24 to 27 days. The parents continue to feed the young once they fledge, and soon the young begin to follow the adults to foraging sites and gather their own food.

Red-shafted flickers tend to over-winter on their breeding grounds or migrate short distances. Flickers have migrated to Washington from Alaska and the northern Rocky Mountains.

The spread of residential development, roads, and the increasing fragmentation of the forest have actually increased the amount of habitat for northern flickers. However slight declines have been observed recently, which may be due to competition with European Starlings for nest holes. This has been the case in my location. Keeping invasive starlings out of nest boxes is a major job.

To make comments or report news, Jim’s Email is JimF06@gmailcom.

NATURE - THE INVASIVE DOVE

2012-01-16T14:35:00.002-07:00

ANOTHER INVASIVE SPECIES

By Jim Foster

Anyone traveling from state to state will have noticed signs warning people about “invasive species”. Most of these are referring to plants and weeds, but ask anyone from Florida about pythons and iguanas. Now there is another feathered species that is spreading faster than wildfire or even fire ants.

The invasive is the Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) most often simply called the Collared Dove, also sometimes hyphenated, as Eurasian Collared-dove is a species of dove native to Asia and Europe, and also recently introduced in North America.

It is closely related to the Island Collared Dove of Southeast Asia and the African Collared Dove of sub-Saharan Africa, forming a super species with these. Identification from African Collared Dove is very difficult with silent birds, with the African species being marginally smaller and paler, but the calls are very distinct, a soft purring in African Collared Dove quite unlike the Eurasian Collared Dove's cooing.

The Collared Dove is not migratory, but has spread rapidly. Over the last century, it has been one of the great colonizers of the bird world. During the 20th century it expanded across Europe, appearing in the Balkans between 1900–1920, and then spreading rapidly northwest, reaching Germany in 1945, Great Britain by 1953, Ireland in 1959, and the Faroe Islands in the 1970s.

Later the spread was 'sideways' from this fast northwest spread, reaching northeast to north of the Arctic Circle in Norway and east to the Ural Mountains in Russia, and southwest to the Canary Islands and northern Africa from Morocco to Egypt, by the end of the 20th century. From there it was Egypt and China and now the U.S. in Florida in 1982. It has now become invasive with its the stronghold in North America in the Gulf Coast, but it is now found as far south as Veracruz, as far west as California, and as far north as Alaska.

Collared Doves typically breed close to human habitation wherever food resources are abundant and there are trees for nesting; almost all nests are within close proximity of inhabited buildings.

In many states, Texas and Idaho for certain, there is no closed season and no limit. All that is needed is a current hunting license and your trusty shotgun. Hunters need to check with their state fish and game agencies for specific regulations.

In Texas, the Eurasian Collared dove has been documented in 134 of the 254 Counties in the State, including Dallam, Deaf Smith, Hansford, Oldham, Parmer, Potter, Randall, Sherman, and Swisher counties. Currently, regulations concerning the Eurasian Collared dove are the same as for feral pigeons or Rock Doves. A hunting license is required, but there is no closed season or bag limit; however, local restrictions concerning discharge of a firearm do apply.

In Idaho, the regulations for dove conclude by saying, “Eurasian-collared doves will not count as part of your aggregate bag of mourning doves as long as they are identifiable. Eurasian-collared doves may be taken in any amounts and at any time by holders of the appropriate valid Idaho hunting or combination hunting license, provided such taking is not in violation of state, county, or city laws, ordinances or regulations.

So if you get hungry for some grilled dove when the regular dove season is closed, pay close attention and try and invasive species wrapped in bacon.

If you have comments or news for Jim his email is JimF06@gmail.com.

PEOPLE - A NEW COMPANY

2012-01-09T17:19:00.004-07:00

THE MARKETING GUY

By Jim Foster

Promotion, marketing, and public relations are really a matter of selling a product to the masses. A company may own the product or be hired by the owner to put their product into the public’s eyes and ears.

I met Tony Dolle more years ago than I care to remember. He was handling press and marketing duties for a small mail order company in Nebraska named after the owners the Cabella brothers. Many years passed and Tony found him working in Memphis for Duck Unlimited as their press and marketing man.

Leaving DU last year he started working for a harder boss – himself. Being self-employed for over 30 years I can say that new companies start up is hard and being your own boss is even harder.

Citing the need for more personalized marketing communication, public and media relation services, veteran communications professional Tony created The Consultants Group.

Headquartered in Nashville, TN, the company’s client base includes the conservation, outdoor television and soft goods industries. Dolle, the new firm’s CEO, said The Consultants Group will actively seek clients in the entertainment industry during the first quarter of 2012. The company provides digital and social media services and specializes in strategic marketing, public and media relations. Event planning and marketing are also among the company’s areas of expertise.

“We work with the best creative service professionals, photographers, videographers, web and digital media experts and writers around the country to meet our clients’ needs,” Dolle said.

Being headquartered in Nashville, TN, opens a lot of doors to the entertainment industry, which also provides many opportunities to pair the entertainment industry with the company’s current clients, he said.

“The outdoor industry and the entertainment industry go hand-in-hand,” he said.

Dolle said the company’s primary focus is providing outstanding customer service. “Companies should expect and get good customer service,” he said. “At The Consultants Group, we intend to make sure they do.”

He said along with outstanding customer service, companies are looking for firms with real world experience. The staff at The Consultants Group has more than 75 years of combined experience in marketing, public and media relations in a variety of industries.

If you are looking for a PR or marketing company give Tony and his Consultants Group a call at; 615-870-7700 or his Email is jadolle53@gmail.com.

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is - JimF06@gmail.com

TRAVEL - AMARILLO'S COWBOY EATS

2011-12-31T17:37:00.002-07:00

COWBOY UP

By Jim Foster

Many years ago my uncle - who was in the cow business - told his young tag-along nephew, “The bigger the hat, the smaller the herd”. It’s not one of the quotations of the century and it most likely wasn’t original but it has stuck with me.

I have attended many livestock and horse auctions over the years and know they are mostly located out of town or near a railway if one is available. A maybe downwind of town, that is if there is a prevailing wind.

So when Amarillo Convention and Visitors Bureau Eric Miller and I walked into the Stockyard Café the number of western hats was in no way out of place. Those not wearing cowboy hats were in the rural headgear of the day – the baseball hat. These guys knew cattle, trucks, and good food.

It took but a few seconds for a smiling waitress to appear at our table with order pad and a steaming coffee pot in hand. We ordered and were pleasantly surprised at the speed the steaming plates were served.

After two cups of really great coffee – and I know coffee – breakfast arrived and to say the portions are large would be an understatement. If you should go to the café for breakfast please be hungry they will feed you well. Oh yes, the fellow at the next table was having chicken fried steak and eggs that looked fantastic. I was later to learn that their chicken fried steak is nationally famous due to the TV show, MAN v FOOD.

Owned and operated by Jim and Vickie Youngblood, who also have a very successful catering service, that will many times outdo the café, although that’s hard to believe because of the café business during my visits.

Visiting with these good people was a true experience and I learned Jim was a trained chief in New York City but the call from Texas was too strong so he returned to open his own business. Vickie called my attention to the mounted bison head hanging on the wall. She raised the hairy monster from a calf and lost her to an unknown disease, she had the head mounted.

In short this is a good place to go if you are hungry and need to get filled up. Located in the Amarillo Livestock Auction at 101 S Manhattan Street in Amarillo, Texas.

NATURE- QUAIL IN TROUBLE- AGAIN

2011-12-26T18:17:00.005-07:00

RING IN THE NEW YEAR

By Jim Foster

I would like to wish all a VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.

There has been more than one New Years Day I have spent following one of my bird dogs in the quest for the quail named Bob White.

True, the thrill of watching a well-trained bird dog accomplish why it was bread, makes this writer feel alive and in control of my surroundings and yes even myself. A great feeling, that at times, will follow me back to the office.

Quail hunting across the country has been on decline for decades and some of the most brilliant minds have been at works to stop the decline with little success. In some states like Georgia, the Carolina's, and Tennessee, wild Bob White quail are almost non-existent.

In Texas the hard-hitting drought has taken a toll on all wildlife, but among the hardest hit is the bobwhite quail. State wildlife officials say the drought is exacerbating the problem.

The Breeding Bird Survey shows a decline in Texas bobwhite quail breeding numbers at a rate of 3.9 percent per year from 1970 to 2009. The bobwhite harvest has declined by 80 percent during the past three decades. Although this decline is not as steep as seen in southeastern states, it is still cause for concern.

“For all of us who care about the future of this prized game bird and the habitats it occupies around the state, complacency is not an option,” said Carter Smith, TPW Executive Director. “We need hunters, landowners, government agencies and non-profit groups all making this a priority in order to advance the recovery of this species. Rest assured, the department will do its part.”

However, as I reported several weeks ago TPW has fallen on hard times and has ask Texans to spend more time in state parks and public lands. But, most of the states quail live on privately owned land.

Answering the fact wildlife biologists are focusing their efforts on assisting landowners develop habitat-based management strategies that can benefit quail and other grassland wildlife, the department is also taking action in other areas, including possible changes in hunting regulations.

Adding to the problem it has been found that groups of unhunted songbirds depending on the same native grasslands habitats have recorded similar declines.

Over the next few months, the TPW’s upland game bird staff and technical committee will review season length, bag limits and the possibility of regional differences for quail season to determine if modifications to the 2012-13 seasons are warranted.

Texas is taking a proactive, partnership strategy to address quail declines in Texas through a coalition of state, federal and private stakeholders called the Texas Quail Conservation Initiative. By bringing all stakeholders to the table, the initiative can focus on landscape level conservation.

For more information on the growing problem go to: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/game_management/quail/

If you have comments or news for Jim Foster please Email him at: jimf06@gmail.com

TRAVEL - DENALI SPIRIT

2011-12-15T10:02:00.004-07:00

THE SPIRIT OF TRAVEL By

Jim Foster

The old Athabascan moved down the path. Weathered by age and the results of hard winters spent on the Alaska Range, he remembered caribou hunted in his youth and the miles of unspoiled land. Land that put on its white coat when the days became short.

The smoke from the few cabins in the small settlement the white man called Kantishna caught his nostrils. His head turned slightly, his gaze falling on the small creek winding along through the low hills. The sliver of water was Moose Creek; the land, named by the ones who had gone before was called Denali.

The water ran bubbling over the smooth rocks as it had for thousands of years. It was a historic place; one that held recollections of those that had gone before. These were not of the cold days of darkness but the time of the midnight sun.

The old figure moved quietly away from the creek and was gone. As I watched after him the present returned with the sound of the creek. With it came the job at hand, to catch another grayling. Stepping a little deeper in the water I made a cast to a small pocket of idle water. The little nymph with silver thread reflected the sunlight for a second before disappearing into the jaws of combative grayling trout.

The fish made a run to the faster water putting a bigger bend in the #4 weight rod. The grayling made a valorous effort before yielding to exhaustion and allowing itself to be guided into the calm shallows near the bank.

Glancing up I was once again being watched by the old Indian along the creek trail and began wondering more about this place called Denali.

The park was originally established to protect its large mammals, not because of majestic Mount McKinley.

Charles Sheldon conceived the plan to conserve the region as a national park. Naturalist, hunter, and conservationist, Sheldon first traveled here in 1906 and again in 1907 with a packer and guide named Harry Karstens.

Largely due to Karstens, Mount McKinley National Park was established in 1917. Its populations of Dall sheep and other wildlife were now legislatively protected. However, Mount McKinley itself was not wholly included within the boundaries.

Sheldon wanted to call the park Denali, but his suggestion would not be followed until 1980. That year the boundary was expanded to include both the Denali caribou herd's wintering and calving grounds and the entire Mount McKinley massif.

Predator-prey relationships exist in balance here as it may have existed elsewhere before human intrusions. Denali National Park and Preserve remains a subarctic wilderness of wildlife and glaciated mountains.

Several casts later another scrappy grayling found my lure and with the assistance of a bend in the creek and a large rock the line parted and the limp monofilament blew in the breeze. I looked in my shirt pocket for another lure. As I finished tying on the small-feathered lure, something caught my attention.

Looking down at the large track the reality of just exactly where I was sunk in. This was Denali, I was past the end of the road and right now I was looking at a very fresh bear track so fresh it was still filling with water.

Turning my head slowly I saw the bear on the other side of the creek. Another followed the first cold chill as her two cubs came into view less than 30 yards away.

A rather sticky situation - The large female was looking me over and acted like I was more of an irritation than a threat. She was correct. I slowly raised my camera and took her picture. She didn’t seem to mind so I took a few more. Why not?

The cubs were now moving away, their mother looked at them, checked me out one more time and slowly followed them over the rise. They were gone. I watched the empty hillside for a full ten minutes before moving.

Turning around I felt the old Indian watching as I retraced my steps up the small creek. Had the spirit of the Indian communicated with the spirit of the bear? Had he let her know I was not a threat to her young?

Surviving a close encounter with a female brown bear, and having experienced Denali. Fishing the little creek that has run over the gravel and rocks of the valley for years, the experience was beyond words.

As I strained my eyes at the far away hill, I thought I saw the old Indian smile.

If you have comments or news for Jim Foster please Email him at: jimf06@gmail.com

BIRDS - CATS - THE PROBLEM

2011-11-24T13:20:00.003-07:00

HERE KITTY KITTY

By Jim Foster

“Cat overpopulation is a human-caused tragedy that affects the health and well-being of cats, our native wildlife, and the public,” says Darin Schroeder, Vice President for Conservation Advocacy for American Bird Conservancy (ABC) in a letter to the mayors. “Numerous published, scientific studies have shown that trap, neuter, re-abandon programs do not reduce feral cat populations, and that outdoor cats, even well-fed ones, kill hundreds of millions of wild birds and other animals each year in the U.S., including endangered species. Birds that nest or feed on the ground are especially vulnerable to cat attacks.”

What few people seem to understand is that the domestic cat is an extremely effective predator that has been introduced by modern man into an environment whose species have evolved few, if any natural cat defenses. Non-native, well-fed, inoculated, healthy cats versus defenseless prey is about as fair in the world of nature as the proverbial shooting of fish in a barrel,” he said.

Studies indicate that there are 95 million outdoor and feral cats in the United States that kill at least 532 million birds, and possibly significantly more. Given the well-documented impacts of cat predation on wildlife, ABC urges the mayors to oppose TNR programs and the outdoor feeding of cats as a feral cat management option.

The ABC letter says that dog overpopulation problems aren’t solved by simply turning unwanted dogs loose onto the streets so reason demands the same should be true for cats. What is wrong with the following?

An example is Brownsville, Texas where their mayor, with an IQ well below the speed limit in a school zone, stopped euthanizing dogs at the city shelter. A good thought, a very bad practice. The shelters quickly filled and now the streets of that city are filled with stray and unwanted, and unfixed dogs and cats. Something must be added to “no-kill” shelters for dogs and a special “destroy law” for feral cats.

The loss of 532 million birds a year is quite a number and many of these kills are by domestic well-fed house cats when allowed to roam free. A problem that seems to be getting bigger not smaller.

In Florida the fight is warming up, and the lines have been drawn in the sand between the Sierra Club, the Audubon of Florida and the ever-ridiculous Humane Society of the U.S. A group known for its lies and questionable fund raising practices.

Here lies the rub – in an unusual move the otherwise non-kill Sierra Club has banded with Audubon Florida in favor of trapping and elimination the feral cats on the refuge. Of course the HSUS is doing its normal thing – raising money on the back of this problem without offering one red cent to help.

It has been brought to everyone’s attention that birds, and the endangered species of white-crowned pigeons, marsh rabbits, and woodrats are vanishing rapidly from the refuge, mostly due to feral cats.

I will write more on this growing problem as it becomes public as well as a few comments about the HSUS, in all their stupidity. If you love animals DON’T send the HSUS a dime.

If you have comments or news Jim’s Email is JimF06@gmail.com.

BIRDS - WHOOPING CRANES

2011-11-20T20:32:00.002-07:00

WHOOPING CRANE ARRIVAL 2011

By Jim Foster

Standing quietly on a fence line the three large birds paid me no attention as my camera clicked away at the approaching birds. One of the birds wore both a red and blue bands of a tracking equipped crane. These were a family of whooping cranes feeding in a field.

Their population reached a low 21 birds in the wild in the 1940s and again in 1954. The only remaining wild population now nests in northwestern Canada and spends the winter foraging in the wetlands and uplands of the central Texas coast.

Last year 283 were counted in Texas. This past summer there were 37 chicks fledged in Canada. Now biologists think that the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population might hit the 300-bird milestone in Texas for the first time this winter.

Whooping cranes are the tallest birds in North America, standing nearly five feet. They are solid white except for black wing tips that are visible only in flight. They fly with necks and legs outstretched. During migration they often pause overnight to use wetlands for roosting and agricultural fields for feeding, but seldom remain more than one night.

Whooping cranes always migrate in small groups of fewer than four or five birds, and at times are seen roosting and feeding with flocks of the smaller and much more numerous sandhill crane.

The whooping crane has made a remarkable comeback, primarily due to protection from unregulated shooting and habitat conservation, the species still faces daunting obstacles, especially in the 2,400-mile migration path traversed each spring and fall. Two-thirds to three-fourths of the annual mortality in the population occurs during the approximately nine weeks the cranes may spend in migration each year.

Radio-marked birds detected in Texas earlier this fall are two of 22 birds being tracked in a study being conducted by Felipe Chavez-Ramirez of the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory designed to help better understand habitat use and sources of mortality during migration.

Even on the wintering grounds, where private and public landowners in the stretch of coast between Port Aransas and Seadrift have collaborated to help protect whooping crane habitat

Of course thanks to the misinformation promoted by Al Gore some weaker minder biologists blame climate change on their slow recovery and as a future problem. It must me remembered that our climate has been changing for millions of years. Believing man has anything to do with it is vanity at it’s best and a real tragedy at worst. Messing with mother nature has backfired to many times so let’s do what we can and not mess with what we can’t.

Anyone sighting a whooping crane can help by reporting it to TPWD at 1-800-792-1112 x4644 or 1-512-847-9480. Sightings can also be reported via e-mail at leeann.linam@tpwd.state.tx.us. Observers are asked especially to note whether the cranes have colored leg bands on their legs.

FOR CRANE INFORMATION: Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/aransas/) or the Rockport Chamber of Commerce (http://www.rockport-fulton.org/).

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

BOOK - TOOTING MY OWN HORN

2011-11-13T07:35:00.004-07:00

Texas Birding Trails – Prairies, Pineywoods, Panhandle

By Jim Foster

Currently, there are over 48 million birders in the country of which 20

million travel an average of 14 days each year to pursue their birding passion.

Texas Birding Trails by Jim Foster is a “must” book for both Texas and non-resident birders who want to see and record the many unusual birds Texas has to offer.

Texas is one of the outstanding birding states, with over 400 species of birds. Texas Birding Trails features 220 birding trails and locations.

Jim Foster, a noted birder/wildlife photographer, describes each trail with a list of key birds, the best time of year to visit the site, directions, terrain and size of the area, and complete directions to each trail.

There are over 200 full-color photos of the key species of birds and

over 50 trail maps and a birder's check list for each region.

The Panhandle has 51 birding sites with a number of key birds:

golden-fronted woodpecker, bald eagle, sandhill crane, scissor-tail

flycatcher, pyrrhuloxia, burrowing owl as well as 20 species of ducks

and many more birds.

The Prairies and Pineywoods - West has 90 trails or sites with

many key birds such as the spotted towhee, yellow-throated vireo,

tundra swan, Bewick’s wren, orchard oriole, the western kingbird

and many more.

The Prairies and Pineywoods -East has 79 birding trails and an

opportunity to see the pileated woodpecker, red-shouldered hawk,

greater roadrunner, red-eyed vireo, greater-crested flycatcher and

many more.

Birding is big in Texas, with over 2.5 million resident birders and

thousands of non-resident birders who visit the state each year. Texas is one of the top five birding states in the U.S. with over 400 different species.

Contact:

Sandhill Crane Press - A Division of Wilderness Adventures Press, Inc. - 45 Buckskin Rd. Belgrade, MT 59714 - Or Call: Toll Free: 1-866-400-2012 Fax: 1-866-400-2013 - Email: books@wildadvpress.com -Web Site: http://store.wildadvpress.com

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

NATURE - THE STAMP

2011-10-26T08:11:00.003-06:00

THE STAMP YOU CAN’T MAIL By Jim Foster

It was only a short time ago when I was amongst a spread of full-bodied decoys watching a flight of the large variety Canada geese set their wings and begin floating into my spread.

As I lay in my ground blind watching, the large birds flared, acquired altitude extremely fast, and soon were well out of shotgun range. Looking over my shoulder I saw the reason the birds had left the area - one of those game warden type people walking in my direction.

After expressing my opinion of his timing and lack of manners, I showed my license. “How about a duck stamp?” was his next question. I produced the “stamp” and was told to have a good day and with somewhat of a sarcastic grin he left.

This rather poor example of law enforcement never checked my pump shotgun for a plug, or even if I was using no-toxic shot.

Never mind the lack of people skills exhibited by the game warden I am always ready to show my Federal Waterfowl and Conservation Stamp.

The Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, commonly known as “Duck Stamp,” are pictorial stamps produced by the U.S. Postal Service for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and are not valid for postage.

Originally created in 1934 as the federal licenses required for hunting migratory waterfowl, Federal Duck Stamps have a much larger purpose today.

Federal Duck Stamps are a vital tool for wetland conservation. Ninety-eight) cents out of every dollar generated by the sales of Federal Duck Stamps goes directly to purchase or lease wetland habitat for protection in the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Some of the local wildlife refuge personal should remember this when shutting hunters out of their private play grounds. The Federal Duck Stamp Program has been called one of the most successful conservation programs ever initiated. Waterfowl are not the only wildlife to benefit from the sale of Federal Duck Stamps.

Numerous other birds, mammal, fish, reptile, and amphibian species that rely on wetland habitats have prospered. An estimated one-third of the Nation's endangered and threatened species find food or shelter in refuges established using Federal Duck Stamp funds.

So the question is asked, I don’t hunt waterfowl why should I buy a stamp?

Birders and other frequenters of National Wildlife Refuges purchase a $15 Federal Duck Stamp each year in order to gain free admission to refuges. Conservationists buy Federal Duck Stamps because they know that the stamps are, dollar for dollar, one of the best investments one can make in the future of America’s wetlands.

Many states have now added duck stamps to their license requirements – a few of these states even use the money for conservation, but many just place the money in their general fund.

As the field quieted down another flight of geese took note of my decoys and set their wings sailing in my direction. At my side the German Wirehair Pointer fidgeted a little watching the incoming birds.

Just another minute and then …

To learn more about the “duck Stamp” contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - The Federal Duck Stamp Program -

4401 North Fairfax Drive - Mail Stop: MBSP-4070 - Arlington, VA 22203-1622 - Phone: 703-358 -1714 - Fax: 703-358-2009

Email: duckstamps@fws.gov

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

FISHING - NEW STRIPER RECORD

2011-10-21T08:40:00.004-06:00

THE NEW RECORD

By Jim Foster

The dam towered over our heads as we made our way along the rocks near the spillway. The long surf-type fishing rods didn’t make the trip easier. The reason for this hike was to cast for spawning stripers in the waters directly below the dam on Lake Texoma. My guide was Jody Griggs who at that time owned the Whopper Stopper Lure Company.

Striped bass are an anadromous fish and their spawning ritual of traveling up rivers to spawn led some of them to become landlocked during lake dam constructions. It was once believed that the first area they became landlocked was in the Santee-Cooper River during the construction of the two dams that impounded Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion, and because of this belief the state game fish of South Carolina is the striped bass. Now several lakes across the country have this species.

The striped bass (Morone saxatilis, also called Atlantic striped bass, stripers, linesiders, rock, pimpfish, or rockfish) is the state fish of Maryland, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and the state saltwater (marine) fish of New York, Virginia, and New Hampshire.

The striped bass is a typical member of the Moronidae family in shape, having a streamlined, silvery body marked with longitudinal dark stripes running from behind the gills to the base of the tail. The average weight is 30 to 40 lbs. Striped bass are believed to live for up to 30 years. Which brings us to this story.

McReynolds a former Atlantic City resident held the record, with a 78-pound, 8-ounce striper he caught on Sept. 21, 1982 until just recently when the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) approved an 81 pound, 14 ounce heavyweight from Connecticut angler Greg Myerson.

Jack Vitek, world-record coordinator, met with IGFA president Rob Kramer and conservation director Jason Schratwieser, to go over the details one more time, and then authorized the record.

Vitek said the IGFA recently requested what he called testimonials from Myerson and the weighmaster that certified the catch

Myerson's bass was caught August 4, 2011 from Long Island Sound. It also will be listed by the IGFA as an 80-pound test line record.

McReynolds stays in the record book because he caught his striper with 20-pound test line.

McReynolds caught his striper on an Atlantic City jetty, and was certified at then Campbell Marine in Northfield.

As stripers go this is a very big fish deserving of the IGFA records, however there has been a larger one caught.

There was a 92 pound striped bass was caught in a net by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Service in 1995. The fish now hangs on the wall of the Maryland DNR in Annapolis Maryland.

A hearty congratulation goes out to Myerson and the 81-pounder he caught that morning.

If you have comments of news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail

PRODUCT REVIEW -THE CUTTING EDGE

2011-10-19T08:08:00.003-06:00

THE CUTTING EDGE – IT’S YOUR CHOICE

By Jim Foster

Remembering back to my youth the idea was implanted in my mind that real hunters always carried a BIG hunting knife – a blade that would make Jim Bowie grin. This bigger-is-better knife logic stayed with me for a long time. If required to guess I’d say the middle to late 1960’s.

It was about this time the folding belt knife came into being moving up several notches from the common pocketknife. The lock blade-folding knife followed it closely. When it was perfected, I was hooked.

At the 1982 Outdoor Writers Conference I had the pleasure to share the dinner table with Al Buck. As was Buck’s habit I was given an engraved Buck knife of my choosing after attending my first conference. My choice was the Buck classic the Buck 101 Folding Hunter, a knife I still own and carry.

So what about those fixed blade-hunting knives? They are still around and have become liter and more compact such as the Buck #390 Fixed Hunter. Ever since I started hunting elk and larger game I have been carrying a fixed blade knife for reducing a large elk to meat. So which one is better? Here is a quick look at both.

People who want strength and stability prefer the fixed blade knife. These are mostly hunters who go after large game and have tough cutting projects and need the knife that gives them confidence. Some could say that fixed blade knives give a “macho” appearance. This may be coming from the lock-blade people but lugging a foot long frog sticker into town for lunch does seem a bit ridiculous - but to each his own. My fixed blade stays on my pistol belt and is only carried when I am in the field.

The lock blade knife of today is a whole different animal. Chosen for its compactness and ease of carrying into the field the lock blade-folding knife has become a common sight on the belts of many Americans. It’s not just hunters but fishermen and workmen find the folding lock blade a valuable tool.

So I guess the bottom line is the best knife is the one the person who will carry it prefers. As for me I chose both and in addition to my knives, I carry a small saw with both bone and wood blades. Between the knives and the little saw doing a big job in the field much easier.

New for hunters this year is the “PakLite FieldMaster”. This set contains the 141 PakLite Large Skinner, the 135 PakLite Caper and the 499 PakLite Guthook. Each knife is of a minimalist design, but is surgically efficient. All three items are carried in one lightweight, durable sheath.

New also is the 222 Silver Creek Versa® is an all-purpose mid-lock folding fishing/outdoor knife. Offered with a safe and reliable rubber handle and a Titanium coated 420HC drop point blade, this knife will safely serve your needs.

Al Buck once made the statement, “We design every knife with a purpose in mind, but in the final analysis, every knife is for whatever the guy who buys it uses it for.”

There are many quality knives on the market today and the selection process has not become easier. First, decide what jobs you want to accomplish and how the knife will be used, then and only then buy the knife you prefer and appeals to you.

If you have comments or news for Jim Foster please Email him at: jimf06@gmail.com

JIM'S GEMS - JUST SHOW ME THE GAR FAX

2011-10-17T10:49:00.003-06:00

JUST SHOW ME THE GAR FAX By Jim Foster

No, I didn’t use the wrong word in the title. I said. “Just show me the GAR fax”, as in spotted, and alligator gar type fish. There are actually four different sub-species of these survivors of the past or gar in Texas: spotted, shortnose, longnose and alligator.

In Texas gar of any four of the sub-species of gar are considered a trash fish and are not considered a game fish and thus pursued by bow-fishermen. So as the commercial says, “Where’s the beef”.

As fish tales go, one just heard in a Texas courtroom involving a former Palm Beach County entrepreneur was a big one that included an undercover sting, a Japanese corporation, and four large gar of the alligator persuasion.

Loren Willis (Photo above) was the object of a sting when he went out on the Trinity River in Texas in September 2010 to catch four alligator gar. Now here is where it gets interesting - the fishing guide who took him out was a paid government informant and another man on the boat was an undercover agent with the TPW. How could they miss?

After keeping the four fish in a tank for a few weeks, Willis had them shipped alive by a dealer to another dealer in Japan and was paid a reported sum of $15,000 dollars. Now here’s the rub.

Willis himself inadvertently set the investigation in motion. He repeatedly called the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in July 2010, asking questions about fishing alligator gar. He said he planned to ship the fish to a Japanese corporation that wanted monster fish.

Here is the question that comes to mind, why didn’t the USFWS tell him what he was about to do was illegal? Don’t the USFWS have an idea how to prevent crime? No wonder this country is broke and Texas is lacking the funds to operate. Even the popular Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine is cutting back. However, the “cop” mentality rules when a “bust” can be created.

So, back to the “gar fax” -

Looking at the smallest and the largest spotted gar are the smallest of the four species, obtaining a maximum size of four feet in length and 15 pounds. They range from the Red River south to the Rio Grande basin and are extremely common.

Alligator gar differs from the other three-gar species in several ways. The most obvious is their large adult size, short, blunt snout and the fact that they have two rows of teeth on both sides of the upper jaw instead of a single row. The alligator gar is the largest of the gar species and is one of the largest freshwater fishes in North America.

The alligator gar in Texas have healthy populations in inland reservoirs including Lakes Texoma, Sam Rayburn, Choke Canyon, Falcon and Livingston and in most coastal tributaries and bay systems. These populations are thought to be some of the best remaining in the world, and several research studies are under way by Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) to better understand and manage them.

No, the studies are not being done by game wardens. They are still trying to read the GAR FACTS.

To make comments or report news Jim’s Email is JimF06@gmail.com

CAMPING - THINGS THAT BITE

2011-10-13T17:07:00.003-06:00

THAT STINGING SENSATION

By Jim Foster

Once again it is that time of year when anglers, fly rod people, and wild life watchers head for their favorite spots and streams to enjoy just a small sampling of what our outdoors has to offer. Along with these outings comes the strong possibility, almost guaranteed, of being bothered by stinging and biting insects.

Several friends are now on their way to Alaska and other states like Montana and Wyoming searching for fish and game. Several years ago the following happened to me.

The first day of a spring turkey along the Clearwater River of Idaho ended in disaster for our little group. The gobblers had been somewhat standoffish due to the earliness of the season and the number of hens located on the mountainside. Things did change about 5:00 PM.

It was at that time when a group of mature hens with three gobblers in tow came in range from behind where we were sitting.

Seeing what was happening we all froze waiting for the birds to come under shotgun sights. As the gobblers past the last hunter something landed on the hunter to my right and without thinking a hand came up in a protective swat. As all may have guessed the turkey were gone in a flash without a shot being fired.

It was apparent - nothing was killed, not even that pesky mosquito.

Let’s face it bugs and flying insects are the nemesis of many outdoor endeavors. Preventing these problems has been difficult and at time dangerous. On a recent trip to Alaska my fishing was accomplished by the use of a liquid insect repellant that left me greasy and smelling to high heaven with a large dosage of DEET.

Fortunately, a compound called N-diethyl-meta-toluamide can keep these little buggers and their diseases at bay. Oh yes folks that is none other than DEET, and is proven to deter insects like mosquitoes, black flies, ticks, fleas, chiggers and no-see-ums. DEET is found in most store-bought insect repellents such as liquid sprays, wipes, sticks and lotions.

DEET is thought by many people to be dangerous and opt not to use it on themselves or their children. Considering that human skin will absorb much of what is applied to it there is a risk of side effects - some good and some not so good. For small children it should be completely out of the question.

The alternative is quite simple thanks to the ThermaCELL people. I have just used this product and found it not only good but quite enlightening as well. Pun intended!

It’s the ThermaCELL Outdoor Insect-Repellent Lantern. The lantern is both a powerful insect repellent device and a functional and portable, long-lasting outdoor LED lantern, with both functions being usable separately or together.

8 LED's provide the light from the lantern, which has two settings controlled by a switch that is located on the base of the lantern and is powered by 4 AA batteries.

Providing a 15x15 ft mosquito-free zone, it is 98% effective, making it the most effective insect repellent device on the market. It is also non-toxic, safe and non-intrusive, being DEET-free, silent, portable and odor free. Weighs only 13 ounces.

This product has many more uses for other than campsites. It is also great for patios, backyards, decks, picnics and barbecues. Rather than a harmful toxin, the unit utilizes allethrin, an artificial version of a natural insecticide found in chrysanthemum flowers.

The lantern retails for $31.99, or can be purchased online at www.mosquitorepellent.com, via phone at 866-753-3837 or at retailers throughout North America.

There is a great article about DEET on-line on the Natural News Web site go to; http://www.naturalnews.com/001586.html#ixzz1WWPHoFJp

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

JIM'S GEMS - A BAD TIME TO BE GREEN

2011-10-08T17:57:00.006-06:00

NOT A GOOD YEAR FOR GREENIES

By Jim Foster

Now that the Interior Department has come to it’s/his senses and stated they would approve Wyoming’s wolf management plan, it’s time to move on to more pressing matters, right?

Nope, those misguided souls in New York (NY) City are screaming foul and the NY Times is editorializing about the plight of the “poor wolf”. They just can’t stay out of Western Issues.

Part of the editorial implied that, Secretary Ken Salazar and the Fish and Wildlife Service have somehow betrayed the species they had worked so hard to recover.

After the editorial was published the new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director wrote a letter to the editor of the New York Times, stating the fact that, “the wolf IS recovered”, and the endangered species act had done its job, so let it go.

Maybe a few of the wolves would find a comfortable place in New York’s Central Park?

On a different topic the greenies took another jab to the kisser when the green energy plant took 500 million dollars from the government (U.S. taxpayers) then went belly up. Most rational thinkers are sure this company was a large contributor to the Obama campaign and thus reason for the stupid stimulus loan Obama signed off on.

The Obama administration is killing our real source of power of available power, oil, long before there is a viable replacement. IF, and that’s a large word, a refinery permit was issued today it would be 9 years before it would be on-line and productive.

And speaking of green energy, birders from near and far are letting the world know these monster wind mills being built all over the country are killing millions of birds each year. If you like birds you must hate those “wind farms” plus they can’t fill the need anymore than can the solar stations. On a small scale maybe, anything larger no way.

A war on terrorism is escalating in the United States, FBI says is the most serious type of domestic terrorism in the country today – involves radical environmentalists and animal-rights activists. Even in Oregon and Arizona.

In Arizona environmental groups tried to use the lead shot ban to curb hunting within two national monuments located in the Arizona Strip. The greenies goal was to require the BLM to pass a law requiring the use of non-lead shot ammunition by hunters in these areas.

Thank goodness a U.S. District Judge ruled against the greenies, in this case, the Center for Biological Diversity, which claimed that hunters using lead ammunition in the two areas threatened protected species like the California condor.

The judges ruling against the self-serving people-hating environmentalist was just another slap in the face of those boils on the butt of humanity.

However, the lawsuits will continue in this overly “politically correct” environment using the legal system to dilute the rights of the hard working taxpayers who pay for the rulings. Especially if the greenies have a judge in their pocket much like the judge in Montana.

And, those are just a few of the misadventures of the anti-hunting/greenie crowd that have taken place so far this year. My comment – it’s about time.

If you have comments or news my Email address is, JimF06@gmail.com

OLD ITEM - NEW PRODUCT

2011-10-07T17:17:00.005-06:00

OUR NEED FOR FIRE

By Jim Foster

“Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. “

Somewhere in our far distant past man discovered fire and all the human blessings it provided. Food went down better and was used by the body more affectively and man nights, and winter months became much warmer.

Humans have used fire for cooking, generating heat, signaling, and propulsion purposes for centuries.

One of the most critical skills for all who venture into the outdoors is the ability to build a fire quickly. Fire allows you to cook food, boil water, provide heat and light; it is a companion that offers self-assurance and it can be your distress signal if needed.

But, there are times when a fire is considered out of the question or just not possible – or so we have thought until now – read on.

Enter the Industrial Revolution (IR)– no, not that revolution, IR, the company that today is making life much nicer for those of us who spend time in outdoors.

The simple fact is, when you least expect it – whether you are caught in an unpredicted rain storm, tip a canoe or leave the flow valve unlocked on your hydration bladder and lay your pack on top of it – your gear often is exposed to wetness in the outdoors. These things can and will happen to outdoorsmen and women. Some are prepared, and some are not.

In most of these cases the one thing that will help is a fire used to warm you and dry your cloths and gear. Here is where IR comes to your aid with waterproof matches and other helpful items. See their website at; http://www.industrialrev.com/matches/.

Unlike your traditional waterproof matches that can be difficult to light and burn out quickly, Industrial Revolution’s new Stormproof Match Kit contains their Stormproof Matches that are easy to light, have a 15 second burn time and have a longer length for added safety. The Stormproof Matches are so water resistant they even remain lit when submerged. The kit contains 25 matches, 3 strikers and the waterproof container that weighs less than one ounce.

Another product from IR is a handy to use and easy to carry flint and steel device all connected so it’s easy to find both parts. Now whether it rains or shines a fire is only a few minutes away.

I carry either just in case the need for cup of coffee becomes too strong or something unexpected happens. I will be ready, warm, and well lighted.

If you have comments or news for Jim his email is JimF06@gmail.com

CAMPING - CAMPING & FISHING

2011-10-05T16:27:00.002-06:00

LET’S GO CAMPING AND FISHING By Jim Foster

How many times have you said, “This summer we will do some camping”? Well it’s October and you say, the camping gear is still in the garage. The heat and dry weather may be an excuse, however fall is hear and the temperatures are falling, so let’s dust off the gear and get outside.

Yes Virginia, cooler weather just around the corner and cabin fever taking its toll on those of the outdoor persuasion, people are ready to start enjoying the outdoors again.

Traveling north to Meridian State Parks would be a good idea because they are offering fishing opportunities with excellent hiking and camping opportunities as well, along with cooler weather.

The lake has ample shoreline access for those who prefer to relax on dry ground while waiting for a bite. If you have a boat to float, both parks have boat ramps. (With drought conditions being what they are, call ahead to make sure the boat ramp is useable.) This lake is a “no-wake lake,” so boats with outboard motors must only idle while moving from spot to spot. This rule, however, makes these lakes ideal for paddle-powered crafts, so bring your canoe or kayak.

Meridian State Park’s 505 acres are located about three miles southwest of the city of Meridian off State Highway 22. The park is scenic and heavily wooded with many campsites. On weekends with good weather, the park can be a popular place, so call (512) 389-8900 to make reservations if you plan on camping.

You can also just access the park for the day and take advantage of a surprisingly diverse fishery. The 50-acre lake is surrounded by campsites on the lower end so respect the camps of others. Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) has placed large piles of brush within casting distance of some of the more accessible shoreline areas in order to improve angling opportunity and provide valuable fish habitat within the lake.

Bass, crappie, catfish and sunfish can be targeted and anglers will be pleasantly surprised by the quality of bluegill, redear, longear and redbreast sunfish. Here is a place where fly fishermen can shine in this fresh water lake.

My favorites are still the little plastic worms from CREME Lure Company in Tyler, TX – Yes Sir, made in the U.S.A. Drop me an Email and I will share how I use these with a fly rod.

Of course nightcrawlers (earthworms) or crickets under a bobber on light tackle can also set your kids up for some fast-paced fishing.

A few of the closer parks offering the chance of free fishing are, Benson State Park is listed as a free fishing park however with the establishment of the World Birding Center (Only in Texas’ World) camping and fishing have been reduced drastically. Calling ahead could avoid a long drive.

Lake Casa Blanca International State Park consisting of 371 land acres, and, Falcon State Park is 572.6 (144 developed) acres located north of Roma at the southern end of the 98,960-surface-acre International Falcon Reservoir in Starr and Zapata Counties

Anglers can fish without a license in lakes totally enclosed within a state park. Check the TPW website for a complete listing. However, it is important to remember that length, bag limits and other regulations still apply.

Park entrance fees must be paid in order to gain access to the lakes. Both Meridian and Cleburne State Parks charge $5 per day per person 13 and older; children 12 and under are free.

For more information on fishing in these and other state parks, visit http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/freefishing.

If you have comments or news for Jim Foster please Email him at: jimf06@gmail.com

NATURE - THE SANDHILL CRANE

2011-10-01T18:55:00.004-06:00

THE SANDHILL WAS A CRANE By Jim Foster

The sound is unforgettable and is closely related in my memory to hunting with newspaper writers now gone - along with the good times I had afield with the same. The place was the Blue Goose Hunting Club in Altair, Texas. The sounds were made by highflying birds enlisting the thermals to gain altitude. The birds were lesser sandhill cranes.

Sandhill Cranes are the most abundant of the world's cranes. They are widely distributed throughout North America, the far northeast, and Siberia.

The three migratory subspecies (Lesser, Greater and Canadian) are distributed across a broad breeding range in the northern U.S. and Canada as well as eastern Siberia, with wintering grounds in the southern United States and northern Mexico.

Sandhill cranes are primarily birds of open fresh water wetlands, but the different subspecies utilize habitats that range from bogs, sedge meadows, and fens to open grasslands, pine savannas, and cultivated lands. Sandhill cranes occur at their highest breeding density in habitats that contain open sedge meadows in wetlands that are adjacent to short vegetation in uplands.

Nests of all sandhill cranes are usually low mounds built out of the dominant vegetation in the nesting area. Typically nests are located in or close to wetlands. Females usually lay two eggs and incubation is accomplished both sexes that takes 29 to 32 days. The male takes the primary role in defending the nest against possible danger. Chicks will fledge at 67-75 days.

Sandhills are omnivorous and can be called generalists. They will feed on a wide variety of plant tubers, grains, small vertebrates and invertebrates such as insects or worms. Sandhills find these foods in uplands and in shallow wetlands. Like most cranes, flightless chicks forage primarily on a diet of insects and other protein filled foods during their early stages of rapid growth.

Though sandhill crane populations in the northern boreal forest and arctic have likely been stable for a decade or more, sandhill Crane populations in temperate regions of the U.S. and Canada have been expanding rapidly. This wildlife success story is possible because a recovering crane population has found available wetlands to nest in and agricultural lands that are suitable for foraging.

The sandhill crane is hunted in several states in much the same manner as geese are hunted in this country. The morning does become exciting at first light when several thousand cranes take to the air with their calls drowning out all other morning noises.

I have had the pleasure to observe and photograph these birds in Texas, Nebraska, and New Mexico.

On a cool clear morning the sound of these birds is the real sound of the wild - I will continue to enjoy them in the future.

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email address is JimF06@gmail.com

BOOK - DOG FIRST AID

2011-09-22T10:47:00.006-06:00

HELPING YOUR BEST FRIEND

By Jim Foster

The morning was crisp and cold with only a slight breeze. The high grass and brush looked like just the place an old rooster pheasant would choose as a safe spot to spend the night – good cover and close to the grain field, just across a nearby fence. For the small group of orange-clad hunters it was only the second walk of the morning.

On this morning I was hunting with a young dog named Bob. I had held him in my hands only minutes after his birth and spent time neutering the pup, and later introducing him to upland game. One of his favorites was the ring-necked pheasant of the vast fields of North Texas.

As we entered the grassy fence line two-hen pheasant rose, leveled off, and glided into the grain several hundred yards away. The hens were followed closely by a young rooster, that collided with a string of birdshot and tumbled to ground.

Walking close to the fence in the high grass and trying to keep an eye on my dog I almost tripped over him standing his point. I quickly called “point” to the others. Taking one more step closer to Bob and the ground erupted when two very mature long tailed roosters crashed through the high grass and into the air.

One of my friends took the first bird with a dead kill and I fired at the second which rolled on its side before falling into the grain - not dead by any means.

Now Bob was on the move after the rooster only to be stopped momentarily by the tightly stretched barbed wire fence that threw him over backwards. He recovered quickly and was under the fence and trailing the bird.

At an opening in the grain I could see blood on the ground and a blood trail entering the field. My heart sank, seeing all that blood and thinking Bob had slashed his throat. After several seconds Bob returned with the rooster and stopped at the fence. Taking the bird he was coaxed through the fence where it was a relief to see that his ear was slashed and not his throat.

The bleeding wouldn’t stop. As luck would have it, were close to the working barns and found a can of blood stopping powder used when cows were dehorned. After what seemed for ever the bleeding was stopped.

Caring for your hunting buddy and best friend is the job of every hunting dog owner. Knowing what to do when something like what was describer above happens is very important.

Which brings me to the subject of this article - a book on canine first aid.

FIELD GUIDE TO DOG FIRST AID by Randy Acker, DVM is a book all dog owners should have and study. In this small book there are many helpful hints on keeping your dog healthy as well as field treatments of some injuries such as, bleeding, pests, collapse, and many other conditions and injuries that might be experienced.

FIELD GUIDE TO DOG FIRST AID also covers preventive methods, how to apply a bandage, snakebite, supplies needed in your hunting first aid kit, as well as a dosage chart for over the counter drugs and remedies. I keep mine in my dog supply bag in the truck.

FIELD GUIDE TO DOG FIRST AID by Randy Acker, DVM is published by Wilderness Adventures Press, and is sold at many dog supply stores or directly from the publisher.

Contact them at: 45 Buckskin Road, Belgrade, Montana 59714 or http://www.wildadvpress.com or http://www.wildadvpress.com/store/

If you have comments or news for Jim he may be contacted at, JimF06@gmail.com

HUNTING - THE MOURNING DOVE

2011-09-19T14:02:00.003-06:00

THE MOURNING DOVE

By Jim Foster

It’s that time of year again when after renewing of our hunting licenses we look over out scatterguns and do an inventory of shotgun shells. Trips to the sporting goods store or department take on an urgency not felt only a few weeks ago. Dove season is almost upon us with the Texas South Zone opening on September 23.

OK, people this article is basically about dove hunting in the Lone Star State but dove are hunted all over the country - this year a new state was added, so keep reading.

The mourning dove is the most abundant dove in the United States; the mourning dove is also the most widely hunted and harvested game bird. The name comes from the familiar, although easily overlooked song, a low-toned moaning cooah, coo, coo, coo. This dove, found across the United States and southern Canada, is most common throughout the Great Plains in the Midwest. In warm climates, these doves produce up to six broods per year, the most of any native bird.

I would like to offer my congratulations to the Iowa Department of Fish & Game for holding their first annual fall dove hunt this month. And, in spite of tries by the Iowa anti-hunting faction hunters will be using lead shot undermining the recent lead-shot ban issued to stop many hunters.

Dove hunting prospects are slightly above average. Drought conditions have helped in weed production throughout most of the state and concentrate the birds around feed that is close to a water source. Reports from Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) have been excellent.

As in past years hunters are asked to be on the lookout for banded birds. As part of a research effort to monitor movements of mourning doves, some birds have been marked with metal leg bands containing a unique number. If a band is found contact TPW.

A white-winged dove stamp is also required to hunt white-winged doves in Texas and since the whitewing have expanded their range throughout much of state, it’s a good idea to invest in a stamp. The stamps may be purchased anywhere hunting licenses are sold and cost $7 if purchased separately along with the basic hunting license, however all stamps are included in the Super-Combo Hunting license.

To conserve your shells be sure to only shoot at doves within range, inside of 40-yards. Sky blasting is foolish and can move birds away from other hunters. It’s also a great idea to know who’s hunting around you, and be sure to alert anyone who moves too close to your position or who may not know you are near. Shooting at low flying birds is a very unsafe practice, especially in a field of sunflowers. Just use your head and keep shooting safety in mind at all times.

Dove hunting is many times a group or social hunting activity. If you will be hunting alone consider taking a youngster along. Most schools are out around three which will give you plenty of time for an afternoon hunt.

Here in South Texas the South Zone dove season will run Friday, September 23 through Sunday, October 30, reopening Friday, December 23 through Monday, January 23. The 2011-12 limits will be 15-birds as a daily limit with not more than two white-tipped doves.

If you have comments or news for Jim Foster please Email him at: jimf06@gmail.com

JIM'S GEMS - A DECADE AGO

2011-09-11T19:37:00.004-06:00

A DECADE AGO TODAY

By Jim Foster

A decade ago today my cell phone rang in the early hours of an Alaska morning. Being later in the Lower 48, the caller said we had been attacked and to find a television. Finding a TV from our cabin on the Kenai River wasn’t easy but it was accomplished.

Yes, as we listened and watched the news we learned it was the beginning of a strange and rare time for the United States of America.

The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center were in flames.

The afternoon before I had just flown in from a Lodge on the other side of Cook’s Inlet where I had been photographing Alaskan brown bear as they chased salmon in a small creek a short distance from the Johnson River.

In that short time our country and the world changed - some for the worse and some for the better.

Airlines were already in a real mess and the attack only made them worse. Many freedoms for Americans were lost on that day and in almost an instant new government agencies were born to add many employees to the government payroll – beginning our financial downhill slide.

On the good side, I don’t believe I have ever seen so many people displaying the Stars and Stripes, and a large number of people expressing patriotism were at an all time high.

I can’t fault the president and the administration for what they did or didn’t do – I doubt whether any of us could have done any better, most likely not. I am just glad it happened when it did and not while that Muslim jerk is in the White House.

We as a country had become lax thinking we were to smart, or “them” to dumb to pull off anything of this enormity. We were wrong!

Of course as a nation we have a great propensity to forgive whether we ever forget or not – that’s the politically correct way of behaving. Bur then being politically correct is just one of the reasons we are in the trouble we are in today – and why the under informed masses elected the guy in the White House. As I have heard say, “Somewhere in Kenya a village is missing an idiot”.

Today we remember those who fell trying to save themselves and others at several locations including Flight 99 and the souls that tried hard and stopped one group not acquire their target.

This is also a day to pay our respect to all our service men and women who fought in the Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan to maintain our freedoms. I have very little respect for anyone who could but refused to serve.

As a veteran of the Viet Nam era I wish the same greetings and help had been offered to the veterans returning for that fight, whether you believed it was right or wrong. “Baby Killer” is not what a returning Vet needs to be called.

So stand up America this is a day to show the flag and remember those who have fallen. And yes, God Bless America!

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is; JimF06@gmail.com

BOATING -THIS IS NOT CORNY?

2011-09-06T14:01:00.005-06:00

OUTBOARD OWNERS BEWARE

By Jim Foster

It has not been that long ago when I was zipping over the water headed out for a day of fishing. Getting out to the fishing water and back depends on basically one thing – that’s the dependability of the outboard motor mounted on the stern of your fishing boat.

Anyone who has ever been stranded on a bay or lake, because of a broken down outboard will do what it takes to keep this important equipment in good working order. Until now the major worries were keeping the oil reservoir filled and using unleaded gas.

Like I said until now.

All over the country I see anglers stopped at corner quick stop type stores filling up or just topping off with gasoline. Here lies the rub. Most of the gas pumps are marked with the amount of ethanol or stating that no ethanol is added to the fuel.

The fact is that corn producers in addition to ethanol producers are working hard to have more of their product added and it is suspected that major damage to the engine could result. As an owner of a pickup older than 2007 (216,000 miles) and still a well running vehicle, I am concerned with these changes. Outboard owners should be concerned as well. . Just look at how many outboard motors were made before 2007 and are still in use.

A coalition of ethanol producers, Growth Energy, is working to increase in the amount of ethanol blended into a gallon of gasoline up to 15 volume percent (E15). The coalition has submitted an application to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that would waive the current Clean Air Act limitation on ethanol content in gasoline, authorizing the use of higher ethanol blends.

Most marine and other small gasoline-powered engines are designed, calibrated and certified to run on not more than 10 percent ethanol, and higher concentrations of ethanol in fuel pose serious mechanical problems for these engines. Other factors affecting consideration include vehicle and engine warranties and the effects on gasoline distribution systems. Additionally, an increase in ethanol allowances carries serious environmental concerns, since corn production requires significantly more water than most other crops and leads to greater runoff of nutrients and other pollutants into watersheds.

In addition gasoline with ethanol makes most engines get worse gas mileage than regular unleaded gas without the corn bi-product, and finely, it raises the cost at the pump, as if marina gas prices weren’t high enough.

On October 13, 2010, the EPA announced that it will approve Growth Energy’s petition and allow an increase of the amount of ethanol in a gallon of gasoline to as much as 15 percent for use in vehicles made since the 2007 model year.

The agency is expected to decide in December whether E15 can be used in cars built from 2001 to 2006. The ruling leaves open significant questions and concerns about how EPA will address anticipated problems with consumer confusion and the risk of miss fueling this year or next.

There may be nothing that can be done about the present changes but contacting your congressman or senator and tell them they need to get the corn out of our fuel. There are much better uses for the grain and the water it takes to make ethanol.

For more information, visit www.followthescience.org

If you have comments or news for Jim Foster please Email him at: jimf06@gmail.com

HUNTING - LATE SUMMER NILGAI

2011-09-06T08:42:00.003-06:00

BLUE COWS OF SUMMER

By Jim Foster

My favorite large game to hunt in Texas is the Indian nilgai. Aoudad from the Barbary Coast of Africa comes in a close second, but the nilgai stands out as a challenge and worthy quarry. In the many years I lived in South Texas, it is the one big game hunt that is never predictable.

A few years ago some friends and regular customers and I set out on the H. Yturria Ranch north of Raymondville, Texas to spend three days hunting and stalking these big creatures of the brasada.

On Wednesday morning, Joe McGlynn, Dave Smith and I left camp before daylight hoping to find a bull near a wet area about a half-mile away.

Parking the Jeep downwind several hundred yards, we walked to a point of brush near the little nearly dry lake. There we set up in a good hiding spot and waited for daylight to catch up. Gradually the day brightened and we glassed the open areas on both sides of the point.

Our plan was, if we didn’t find a bull coming into water or crossing the point by eight, we would slip along the brush line and glass several large pastures on the far end of where we had set up. Both methods would give us a good chance at a mature bull. We would hunt until just before lunch. The rest of our group would arrive later that afternoon.

The nilgai is an antelope native to India and came to South Texas with a traveling circus in the early 1930’s. The show fell on hard times and the King Ranch purchased two pair of the big animals.

The ranch soon learned that a fence is only a minor distraction to a nilgai.

The antelope took to the South Texas brush like a duck takes to water and found many plants quite tasty. Unlike India there are no tigers here, so they made themselves right at home. They multiplied rapidly and extended their range south along the coast.

The nilgai has senses far better than the whitetail deer and will both browse and graze. Survival is the animal’s middle name and it is as tough as it is wary. Hunters have discovered the challenge of hunting nilgai and have also found that the meat is very tasty.

As the three of us watched the open areas around us, a pair of young bull eland came into view a hundred yards to our north. A short time later something caught my eye in the other direction. It was a very mature bull nilgai.

The bull moved steadily in our direction until he spotted the two eland. This seemed to unnerve the big animal and he trotted to a spot 50 yards from where we were sitting. He was concerned with the other animals. The bull moved several times then would move again. Both hunters were ready. The bull moved closer.

When the animal was inside 40 yards, Dave Smith brought up his rifle and took the shot just as the bull was turning to leave. The .338 magnum 220-grain Winchester Fail-Safe bullet was placed perfectly. The animal made a 360-degree turn and ran 80 yards before going down for the count. The bull’s horns measured 9 plus inches.

We saw very few animals early that afternoon. However, later that evening we were driving on the South side of the ranch when we spotted a large bull. He was feeding in an opening over one thousand yards away. Now it was Joe Mitchell’s turn to try for a bull. Joe was wearing his “nilgai" hunter” hat so off we went.

Some time later we had closed the distance to inside 300 yards. There was more cover so we moved on until we were 150 yards away from the bull. Joe used my shooting sticks, took his time and made a good shot. The animal went down after a short run. Joe’s bull was also a big mature bull with a good pair of horns.

Two mature bulls in one day are quite rare but the hunt would go on. The other hunters would fare as well, maybe a little better.

Wayne Hummel from New Jersey and David McGuire of North Carolina were hunting with another guide in search of their own bulls. Their guide put them each on a very good bull. Wayne’s bull’s horns stretched the tape to ten inches and were one of the best bulls to be taken on the hunt.

Joe McGlynn was the only hunter remaining to take his bull. In spite of several very successful stalks, luck had not been on his side. We did get close to several bulls but they were young and were declined so they might grow up.

During the lunch break on the last day of his hunt Joe was getting some kidding because he had not taken a bull. Much to Joe’s credit he took the good-humored jabs without rebuttal. His was to be an eleventh hour bull.

It was nearly 6:30 that evening when we stalked into a large mostly dry Laguna surrounded by thick brush. After a short walk through the brush Joe and I spotted several bull nilgai. The problem was we could not go any further without being spotted. We backtracked and looked for a better approach.

Crawling through heavy brush on your hands and knees on a very warm day is not an activity I do voluntarily unless it might produce an eleventh hour bull. We came out of the brush and in behind a leaning mesquite tree.

A hundred yards in front of us were nine bulls in one group. One bull was feeding and the rest were bedded down. To our right several hundred yards away was another group of fifteen bulls. The clock was ticking.

Joe decided on a mature bull in the closer group and his .338 did its job. Our hunt was over. I must say of the five bulls this group killed over their three days of hunting, Joe hunted the hardest for his bull. It was my pleasure to have helped him take his nilgai. Good friends and good sportsmen are hard to find. I’m a lucky guy.

Nilgai hunting in South Texas has become very popular and hunters come from all over the country to pit their skills against this outstanding animal. The bonus is that the meat is as good as any wild game available to hunters today.

For information on hunting bull nilgai contact the H. Yturria Land & Cattle Company at 956-542-4212.

To make comments or send news Jim may be reached at; JimF06@gmail.com

RIGHT NOW - BAT vs WAL-MART

2011-09-03T13:08:00.012-06:00

WAL-MART vs THE BAT

By Jim Foster

We have all heard of Batman, the bat mobile, the bat cave, and of course his ward Robin, but have you heard of the bats of North Branch, Minnesota? Well, maybe not.

North Branch is not to be confused with Northfield, Minnesota where on September 7, 1876 the James Younger gang tried to rob the bank. History tells us that ended in disaster.

So 135 years later and 80 miles north of Northfield another attack occurred on September 3, 2011 in North Branch and in the local Wal-Mart Store.

As reported first by WCCO television, 5 – year old Zoe Zachrison had an encounter with a bat, the flying kind, while sitting in the “for kids only” section of her mom’s shopping cart.

Of Course it was Zoe's mother, Holley Townley, who reported the encounter and she is reported saying, "The bat flew down the pizza aisle, flew back at us, flew down and landed on her, attacking her and bit her leg." She went on to say that poor little Zoe was barely able to move after the attack.

As a precaution the little girl has undergone the series of rabies shots juts to be safe. This would be the same procedure that should take place if someone was bitten by a stray dog on the street with an unknown owner.

The mother says the little girl was running a 103-degree temp and very achy, and sore joints. Humm… the flu has the same symptoms I believe. Holly also complained she made three trips to the emergency room; doesn’t Mrs. Townley have a family doctor?

Of course Holley wants Wal-Mart to pay out the nose for the “attack” and the resulting medical bills and I would assume for pain and suffering if she can end up with a Wal-Mart hating judge who has a 5-year old granddaughter.

As is many times the case she has blown this way out of proportion, as mothers have been known to do, especially in a business having so called deep pockets.

Holly was quoted saying, "I think Wal-Mart needs to step up and take responsibility for what happened to her," Townley said. "This was their store, their responsibility."

It should be noted that the key question here is was it a Wal-Mart bat? Or maybe one sent over from K-Mart?

My heart goes out to little Zoe and it is my wish she is fully recovered soon and ready to continue with those wonderful times only a five-year old can have.

AUTHORS NOTE: To think I am pro Wal-Mart would be untrue but I do shop there from time to time. However, for the month of September 2011 I am going to look at everything I buy and if it was made in China or Hong Kong I will put it back and buy a product that was made in this country. In a small way I hope to promote buying more American made products and thereby creating a few more jobs. JF

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

A JIM'S GEMS GUEST ON "him"

2011-08-24T11:21:00.003-06:00

This was twice blocked by Congress!  

The nation needs to know what this "president" is doing!

Written by Gil Guignat Border & Immigration, Breaking News, Featured Jun 23, 2011

Last Friday, with no fanfare, no press coverage, and with every effort made to hide his actions from the American people, President Obama enacted the DREAM Act by executive order.

Opposed by a majority of the American people and twice defeated in Congress, the DREAM Act grants amnesty to any illegal alien residing in the United States if s/he agrees to enlist in the U.S. Military or enter college.

The Obama administration memo from the John Morton, Director of I.C.E. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) directs I.C.E. Agents now to use prosecutorial discretion with regard to enforcing immigration laws.

Director Morton says that Obama Administration policy directs border patrol agents not to enforce immigration laws: When ICE favorably exercises prosecutorial discretion, it essentially decides not to assert the full scope of the enforcement authority available to the agency.

You read that right. According to the Obama administration favorable enforcement means NOT enforcing the law!

According to one of the first press reports to break this important story, the new Obama policy is cut and dry: federal immigration officials do not have to deport illegal aliens if they are enrolled in any type of education program, if their family members have volunteered for U.S. Military service, or even if they are pregnant or nursing.

Arizona and the voter ID law

Just recently Obamas Department of Justice (DOJ) blocked Arizona from enforcing its voter ID law. Arizona is one if not the biggest portal of illegal immigration in the nation with half a million illegal aliens coming through the sate annually. Arizonas Attorney General Tom Horne recently stated that he believed that blocking of the law facilitated massive voter fraud by illegal aliens.

Attorney General Tom Horne accused the Obama administration Tuesday of trying to thwart Arizonas voter-ID laws in a bid to get more illegal immigrants to the polls presumably to cast ballots for the president and Democrats.

Horne acknowledged that a brief filed by the Department of Justice in a case to be heard next month by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals centers around the agencys argument that Arizonas law requiring proof of citizenship to register is pre-empted by federal law. But Horne, a Republican, told Capitol Media Services he sees something more sinister.

First we have amnesty passed by executive order then we have President Obamas DOJ blocking voter ID in Arizona . What could possibly be the presidents motive?

If you have comments or news for Jim his email is; JimF06@gmail.com

FISHING - BEWARE - INVASIVE SPECIES

2011-08-12T14:08:00.004-06:00

TO SPREAD OR NOT TO SPREAD

By Jim Foster

It’s not for me to complain, when the outfitters have lost thousands of dollars on cancelled river trips due to the extremely high water in a large number of western rivers. Now that it’s nearing the middle of August and summer is all but over, the rivers leave flood stage and the fishing begins.

The Salmon River runs through some of the prettiest country in the Rockies, and support populations of two species of salmon (chinook, sockeye), rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, steelhead, and other species of coldwater fish including large sturgeon. The Salmon is the longest undammed river in the United States flowing over 400 miles till it reaches the Snake River below Hell’s Canyon.

The Salmon River historically produced 45% percent of all the steelhead (salmon) and 45 percent of all the spring and summer chinook salmon in the entire Columbia River Basin. The Salmon River basin contains most (up to 70 percent) of the remaining salmon and steelhead habitat in the Columbia River Basin. Despite the abundant salmon habitat in the river, these fish have been declining, in large part because of the effects of four federal reservoirs and dams on the lower Snake and Columbia rivers.

But the fishing has been good the last few weeks and the fishing pressure on the river between the Persimaroy River and the city of Salmon keeps growing daily. With this many anglers the chance of contamination grows in purporting to the angling numbers.

Most are now aware of Zebra mussels and that type of invasive species but there is one major problem that is now worldwide and growing, whirling disease.

Whirling disease is a parasitic infection caused by the non-native microscopic parasite, Myxobolus cerebralis. Its common name comes from the characteristic swimming behavior that results from the disease. Affected fish suffer reduced mobility and fertility, posing a risk to population health. It attacks juvenile trout and salmon.

But wait – no I’m not going to double the order or pay for shipping, but I do like to use felt soles on my wading boots. There are several surveys telling us that felt boot soles are one of the ways the disease is spread from one stream to another. And, to make the point further several states have banned the use of felt bottoms for wading boots and I was told the Simms Company took felt bottomed boots out of their line.

However, after visiting with Sam Houser with the KORKERS Company I learned that basically the felt soul agenda is mostly a “witch hunt” and with proper care felt bottoms are as safe as anything now being used. Care must be taken of course but they are safe never less.

Sam also was very direct as to their product KORKERS in relation to wade fishing footwear. As it happens I use their product and can recommend it highly. My wading boots are what Korkers named their “MUDDER DUCKER” Fishing Boot. This company makes the only fishing boot with adaptable traction. Offering interchangeable soles for their line of fishing boots accomplishes this. They offer 5 snap-on soles for wading boots. Changing can also be done while in the water with their snap on designs.

KORKERS supports the Clean River Angling Pledge which if followed will prevent the spread of all pathogens and invasive species.

For more information go to www.korkers.com or call 800-524-8899.

If you have comments or questions about this Blog Jim’s Email is JimF06@gmail.com

HUNTING - TEXAS DOVE - THE BEGINNING

2011-08-04T21:57:00.004-06:00

HUNTING SEASON ARE HERE

By Jim Foster

In the Lone Star state and in just about a month the lead will fly and some of it will connect with the fast flying, zig-zaging little missiles we have grown to love, those being the mourning and white-winged dove.

“Big Brother”, otherwise known as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has given there blessing on the migratory bird seasons for the 2011-2012 hunting calendar.

Texas petitioned the USFWS unsuccessfully this year to allow for an earlier season opening framework for the South Zone. The hope was to open the South Zone the Friday after the Special White-Winged Dove Area closed, which would result in two full weekends of dove hunting in the South Zone in September. The USFWS denied the proposal for fear that it would negatively impact late nesting mourning doves in the South Zone.

I wonder how they know better than Texas biologists who suggested the plan? Could this be the same USFWS whose biologists were caught planting evidence to create “critical habitat” for the lynx, or whose scientist is now on administrated leave for scientific misconduct concerning the myth of global warming and putting the polar bear on the endangered species list. Oh yes, I do trust their science - NOT!

Anyway, the seasons are now set.

Texas dove season in the North and Central Dove Zones will run from Thursday, September 1 through Sunday, October 23 and reopen Friday, December 23 through Sunday, January 8, with a 15-bird daily bag and not more than two white-tipped doves.

The South Zone dove season will run Friday, September 23 through Sunday, October 30, reopening Saturday, December 23 through Monday, January 23 with a 15-bird daily bag and not more than two white-tipped doves.

The special white-winged dove season will open to white-winged dove afternoon-only (noon to sunset) hunting the first two full weekends in September running from September 3-4 and 10-11 and reopen when the regular South Zone season begins on Friday, September 23 through Sunday, October 30 and again from Saturday, December 23 through Thursday, January 19.

During the early two weekends, the daily bag limit is 15 birds, to include not more than four mourning doves and 2 white-tipped doves. Once the general season opens, the aggregate bag limit will be 15.

Waterfowl hunters will be able to set their decoys and break out the shotguns and steel shot this year on September 10–25. In addition to teal hunters will have an early Canada season in the eastern goose zone that will run concurrent with teal season. The bag limit on Canada geese is three per day, while the bag for teal is four. Possession limit is twice the daily bag for these species.

Texans are reminded that all hunting and fishing licenses expire on August 31 so to be able to hunt on September 1 a current 2011-2012 license must be in the their possession.

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

TRAVEL- THE CAVE

2011-07-31T16:27:00.004-06:00

BIRD HUNTER FINDS CAVE By Jim Foster

What started out as an average grouse hunt for Edward Arnell, ended in a discovery of a geological wonder – Minnetonka Cave.

Edward was out for morning of hunting when he flushed a grouse. He downed the bird and when he went to retrieve the bird that had fallen below him he felt a cold wind from under the ground.

Telling friends about his find they returned the next day with torches to explore the cave.

After nearly three decades of waning interest and vandalism the cave was taken over and improvements were added to improve the site in hopes it would attract tourist and visitors, which it did. Last year over 34,310 people took one of the guided tours. There have also been a few weddings within the depths of the cave.

Dellene Rigby, who has guided visitors through the cave for over nine years, is now the manager and knows the cave like the back of her hand.

The cave is cool and a bit damp and a light jacket is advised. At times the natural rock steps can be slippery however the footings are good and the walk is safe for all ages. Visitors walk from room to room where mineral formations resemble the Seven Dwarfs, a black bear and a small dove.

At the halfway point, the largest room in the cave is called the Ballroom. Attached to the majestic ceiling is a rare feature cave officials call Minnetonka Bacon. A 20-foot-long strip of reformed rock hangs 18 inches from the ceiling with a gentle wave.

More recent developments, Rigby explains, adorned the cave with its decorations of stalactites, stalagmites, delicate soda straws and drapery that hang from a ceiling teeming with life.

The site is closed nine months of the year to preserve the natural habitat of the five different species of bats that live in the cave. It's not uncommon to see a small-footed myotis or Townsend's big ear bat hugging the cave walls.

Promoted by Utah tourism the cave is actually located just across the border in neighboring Idaho on the west side of Bear Lake. As the story goes Edward may have been the first white man to enter the cave.

This was just one of the stops on my Utah trip that I would like to revisit. A big thank you to Dellene Rigby and her staff at the cave. This is a fee area and well worth the cost.

Directions: Take U.S. 89 north from Garden City, Utah, or south from Montpelier, Idaho, to St. Charles. Drive 11 miles west from St. Charles along Forest Road 412. The road is paved to its end at Minnetonka Cave.

For more information contact Montpelier Ranger District 208-847-0375, Email: info@sceniccanyons.com. On The Internet; http://www.bearlake.org/cavexplore.html or, Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau, 69 N. Paradise Parkway Bld. P.O. Box 471

Garden City, UT 84028 Phone: 435-946-2197 or 1-800-448-BEAR (2327)

A NOTE FOR ANGLERS - St. Charles Creek flows down the canyon and offers good fishing for cutthroat trout. Bear Lake State Park Marina is in Garden City, Utah, and offers access to the boating and fishing opportunities on one of the Intermountain West's largest natural lakes.

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

FISHING - IDAHO STATE RECORD RAINBOW

2011-07-29T16:38:00.004-06:00

A NEW RECORD BOOK RAINBOW

By Jim Foster

It’s a hearty CONGRATS to American Fall Reservoir angler Mark Adams for his record-breaking catch. Mark hooked and landed a rainbow trout that tipping the scales at a whopping 34.74 pounds and measuring 41 and 1/8 inches long. This crunched the previous state record by 14.72 pounds.

Dave Teuscher, Idaho’s regional fisheries manager was quoted as saying, “…three good water years in a row helped to make for large fish this season in the reservoir”. Teuscher went on to say, “Carry-over water this year is perfect.”

Really big trout are not that common in rivers but lakes and reservoirs can grow some whoppers. Even for lakes this fish is a real trophy.

Again, Congratulations Mark, you are giving us a number to shoot for.

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

JIM'S GEMS - ENDANGERED WHAT?

2011-07-28T20:30:00.006-06:00

ENDANGERED OR NOT ?

By Jim Foster

There are many things I will never understand, for instance my nephew’s explanation of why “global warming” is a farce, it’s not real and never will be, trigonometry, or several other subjects I tried in college. However, the biggest and most puzzling of all is the workings of the U.S. government.

Just last week I had the opportunity to meet and chat with the new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Dan Ashe. (Top Photo) Luckily I recorded his words and have been going back over what he said – that being, some good, some bad, and some pure political garbage. It is very clear that cutting budget is something none of these protectors of the wild want to hear.

In today’s times a person must be blind, deaf, or confined to a large box buried ten feet in the earth not to know our country is having a major money melt down. Printing more money just doesn’t work, as that brain dead mouth-breather in the White House is learning the hard way and at the countries expense.

So why then is the USFWS spending tax dollars on the endangered species act concerning animals that are not endangered in this country?

Does the anti-hunting faction come to mind?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced a proposed rule to eliminate a regulation that authorized certain otherwise prohibited activities under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) with U.S. captive-bred live wildlife and sport-hunted trophies of three endangered African antelope species.

The species are all from the desert regions of Northern Africa, and are the dama gazelle, addax, and scimitar-horned oryx. These species are considered critically endangered in their native habitats while some are plentiful here in the US. It is assumed there are thousands of the animals in zoos, on game ranches, and in other such facilities in the United States.

In an effort to support captive breeding of these critically endangered species, “the service” granted special exemptions at the times these species were listed allowing owners of these animals to continue carrying out breeding and other activities, including hunting for herd management, without issuing an individual permit.

I believe the key word in the previous paragraph is “owners”.

Following publication in the Federal Register, the proposed rule will be subject to a 30-day comment period during which all interested persons are invited to comment on the proposal. Information received will be reviewed and evaluated relative to the development of a final decision.

Comments may be submitted online through the Federal Rulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov; follow the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-R9-IA-2010-0056) or through U.S. mail or hand-delivery to Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R9-IA-2010-0056; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203.

If you are tired of our government using our tax dollars for frivolous purposes please make a comment to that effect and let’s stop this waste of our money. Our ESA, no matter how bad the act is, was never meant to go beyond our borders. Make your voice heard.

If you have news or comments Jim’s Email is JimF06@gmail.com

GUEST WRITER - Senator Sylvia Allen

2011-07-22T10:29:00.005-06:00

In my writings I have always been a great fan of Arizona – capturing a Trogan on film two years ago was a real thrill in spite of the signs telling me I could be in danger that close to the Mexican border. Then came their the Arizona law that could help stop the flow of law breaking Mexicans streaming into our country and costing the taxpayers millions and you heard the liberals scream at the thought their fresh supply of voters might be cut off. Of course the sheriff with his tent jail and pink clad inmates is a good start – but I digress. Please read what an Arizona Senator has to say – and of course I agree 100%. The letter is printed with her permission. JF

To Jim Foster,

Yes, you have my permission to post my letter on your blog. Thank you for getting that message out.

Senator Sylvia Allen

GUEST WRITER - June 3, 2011

My heart goes out to those families in Alpine and Nutrioso, Arizona, who had to evacuate last night (June 2) because of the Wallow fire, which swept down from the ridge above Alpine. This is the community where my father was born and where some of my family still live. Sadly, there will be some who will have no home to go home to. I know what it is like to be forced to leave your home on a few hours notice. In 2002, we were forced to evacuate our home due to the Rodeo/Chediski Fires.

I once again must express my anger at the lack of forest management that, for the last 20 years, has turned our forests into a tinderbox of undergrowth, small trees, brush, and downed trees. In some areas of the forest around Alpine, the undergrowth was so thick that you could not even walk across the forest floor.

In 1990, Arizona had a thriving forest industry with 15 sawmills bringing $550 million a year to the Arizona economy and employing thousands of rural Arizona citizens. Many rural ranching families ran cattle across the forest land, helping to keep keep the undergrowth down and cleaned out. Over the years, their allotment numbers have been cut to the point that many have gone out of business.

Living through the “timber wars” of the 1990s, I know that the Forest Service was knee deep in lawsuits brought by environmentalist groups pushing for efforts to list the Mexican Spotted Owl and the Goshawk. The timber companies hung on as long as they could, spending thousands of dollars defending their legal contracts in court. Eventually, one by one, they went out of business, and their infrastructure was sold at auction.

There was a time when the Forest Service operated in the black with a very healthy return on their investment. The natural resources that were developed on Forest Service lands created jobs and products benefitting the American people. They were the only federal agency that accomplished such things.

All that changed when misinformation, faulty science, lawsuits, and downright lies were used to shut down our forests by those environmental groups that built multi-million-dollar businesses putting families out of work. These flawed environmental philosophies have made their way into federal policies that have now resulted in an unhealthy forest environment.

The castastrophic fires of the last few years are an indication of the health and vitality of our forests. This overgrowth of trees has depleted our watersheds. If the current disastrous Wallow fire burns for the next 15 days, it will put as much pollution into our air as 700 million cars running 24 hours a day for a year.

We must return to common-sense forest management. The federal government held 12 western states hostage and only agreed to grant us statehood if we gave up control of 60% of our land, assuring the states that they (the states) would have use of the land and be able to use the resources within the boundaries of our respective states. The federal government has broken its word.

To Contact Arizona Senator Allen; Sylvia Allen, Senator Sylvia Allen, President Pro Tempore

602-926-5219 sallen@azleg.gov

To Comment or report News Jim May be contacted at JimF06@gmail.com

PHOTOGRAPHY - A CONTEST

2011-07-20T21:42:00.004-06:00

PHOTO CONTEST

For all my regular readers and for you who may have just joined the enlightened throng, starting today and ending on July 31, I will be holding a PHOTO CONTEST, so send me your best image and let’s se what happens. Here are the rules.

1. Images must be in the JPEG format and no larger than 400KB.

2. The Image size is up to you but images over 400K or to small to be seen clearly will not be judged.

3. No nudity or unacceptable subject images will be allowed. Let’s keep it clean.

4. The deadline is midnight July 31.

5. Only one (1) entry per person for this contest.

6. Email entries only sent to JimF06@gmail.com and put the word CONTEST in the subject line.

7. There will only be a first and second place as well as 5 Honorable Mentions.

8. Prizes are; 1^st Prize: Publication on the JIM FOSTER OUTDOORS BLOG and a copy of Jim’s Photo CD with over 100 Images of birds across the U.S. and a special prize to be announced. 2^nd. Prize will be Publication on the JIM FOSTER OUTDOORS BLOG and a copy of Jim’s Photo CD with over 100 Images of birds across the U.S.

9. Get out and have some fun with your cameras.

For comments or new contact Jim at, JimF06@gmail.com

TRAVEL -UTAH- BEGINNING IN LOGAN

2011-07-19T21:59:00.006-06:00

LOGAN, UTAH - JUST THE START

By Jim Foster

Driving through Utah has always been exciting. During my travels south each year my favorite route has been through the habitats of Utah by way of the Moab route. Of course travel by air out of Salt Lake City opens up other sights and sounds. These were again experienced as I pointed the suburban south to attend the 84^th gathering of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, better known as OWAA.

As the article title suggests my drive into Utah began in the neat and thriving town of Logan, Utah. Allowing 2 full and one partial day to see the sights and experience the area was not enough time.

However, between Rebecca Katz with the Utah Office of Tourism, Julie Hollist with the Cache Valley Visitors Bureau, and Judy Hollbrook with the Bear Lake Visitors Bureau they made sure my time was not only filled, but well accounted for, the weather exempted.

Visitors to Logan should really take the time and spend a morning or afternoon strolling around historic Logan and then out to the American West Heritage Center.

The American West Heritage Center is a living breathing tribute to past generations and their way of life. This would include the Native American, early settlers, farmers, and ranchers. Discover a century of the past at this 160-acre living history center. Each day is dedicated to celebrating and preserving the history of the Old West from 1820 to 1920.

The next morning as I began my drive through Logan Canyon it was clear the rains, and a better than average snowfall, had done a great job adding green and an explosion of flowers to the hills and meadows.

Most streams and creeks in the canyon were running full as I neared the Beaver Creek Lodge, aptly named for the nearby creek. The hills around the lodge were dotted with yellow, blue, and white flowers just coming to life. A few miles further there was a corral and an assemblage of well cared for horses lined a long hitching post as wranglers went about their jobs of saddling and bridling. This was to be my first stop.

A short time later I met the owner of Beaver Creek Lodge, Bryan Lundahl, and it became quite clear why the animals and workers seemed to all be in good shape and happy – this guy loves what he does.

Bryan’s love of horses led to the trail rides and horse rental business, then the lodge and snow machines, and now it’s a full time year round business combining lodging, horses, machines, and family fun. The lodge doesn’t operate a restaurant during the summer but opens the food portion of the business during the winter.

As I was leaving the lodge storm clouds were building over the mountains and as I neared Bear Lake and the town of Garden City I was driving in a real storm. The storm prevented my boating on the lake and it was on to the Minnetonka Cave and it’s knowledgeable manager Dellene Rigby. The tour was great and very informative in spite of the chilly cave and my old legs going up and down hill. Don’t miss this site for a Rocky Mountain adventure.

Watch this BLOG site for more on all of these places in and around Logan, Utah and an article on the Snowbird facility in Salt Lake City, Utah.

If you have news or comments about Jim's articles his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

TAKE A GULP - A LURE THAT IS

2011-06-28T18:24:00.001-06:00

THE GULP – A REAL LURE

By Jim Foster

It’s just like a favorite rifle, bow, or pistol – if you have faith in the equipment you will find it will work better in short, it will do what you want it to do. Whether you are after a trophy buck or a wall hanger fish, confidence is an essential part of the process.

A few years or so ago I was introduced to the GULP artificial saltwater bait by some of the staff of the Berkley Company. Now, when you consider where the Berkley Company is located, Spirit lake, Iowa, it may give you pause for a bait designed to be used in the warm waters of the shallow saltwater water bays along the Texas coast. Yep, the Berkley Company is headquartered in Sprit Lake, Iowa – one of the coldest places in the U.S.

In spite of the weather at Berkley, for the last couple of years I have relied almost exclusory on the tout looking bait they named Gulp. The reason is the smelly little lures work like a champ. Smelly means that you don’t want to leave a bag unnoticed in your car on a hot day.

Berkley’s Gulp Saltwater baits are made from natural ingredients that release 400 times more scent into the water than other plastic baits. Formulated especially for saltwater gamefish, Gulp’s saltwater scent is so potent it can actually out fish live bait on a regular basis. As an added feature the Gulp is one hundred percent biodegradable for a cleaner environment.

The Gulp looks, feels, and smells like live shrimp! Rig and fish using any technique appropriate for live shrimp. Extremely durable and long lasting accept maybe when the piggy perch are on the prowl and given some time they will eat the tail off the shrimp. Even tailless the bait still caught a couple more trout and an oversized redfish.

On my last trip fishing as one of the famous “Fishing Coyotes” our guide Herbert Bode show us all a new trick. He fishes the four inch Gulp 18 inches behind a Mansfield Mauler. This method not only allows the bait to be worked slower and with a bit more swimming action in very shallow water. Capt. Bode’s method worked like a champ and produced both redfish and speckled trout including two trout past the famous 25-inch mark.

Pausing my bait and as it sank a redfish sucked it in and started heading south rather quickly. Catching up and setting the hook I watched the little Mauler float zip through the shallow water. When the red torpedo realized she was hooked the fun began. It lasted until the rod, reel, and several trips around the boat wore her out and she yielded to the net. It was a great fight and the 2007 Coyotes proved once again to be great fishing companions.

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

CANADA - A NO FISH ZONE

2011-06-26T12:13:00.004-06:00

TO THE NORTH – NO NEIGHBOR THERE

By Jim Foster

Anyone who owns a television or reads newspapers should know the Mexican border is not a safe place to visit. Whatever the problem may be – I say corruption – the Mexican government cannot or just flat won’t stop the mayhem along its border with the United States. Of course, the corrupt Mexican government blames it on the US. So what’s new?

In the past year several American citizens have been killed, one man on Falcon Lake and his body never recovered. The one Mexican police official with guts tried to help was beheaded by the dopers. So much for our “buddy” to the south!

Several years ago I wrote an article concerning the almost non-existent security on the Canadian Border and wondered why we were still on a semi-friendly basis with a country that has harbored our draft-dodgers, criminals and cowards of the first degree. Canada is now ripping off U. S. citizens when the try to take firearms through the country to Alaska for legal hunting endeavors. Whoa unto the misguided soul who would spend good money hunting and fishing in the land of the red-coated cops. Let’s face facts, Sergeant Preston their not!

Now they, The Canadian government are fining and confiscating U.S. sport boats when they cross into Canadian waters. This just happened on the St. Lawrence River and could have happen, or will happen, to anyone who may accidentally drift into Canadian waters.

Roy M. Anderson, found out the hard way on May 30 that the long-believed notion of where it's OK for United States citizens to fish in Canadian waters, no longer applies.

"I was told, 'If you are in Canadian waters, you should be running toward a port of entry. If you're not running toward a port of entry, you are in violation of the law,'" he said. This comes from our “neighbors” to the north, however like they say on those TV ads, “but wait”, there’s more.

It was reported the boat was searched for contraband and then rudely seized. He was then informed it would cost him $1,000 to get it back. If he could not immediately come up with the money, he would be placed in handcuffs and made to lie on his stomach while his boat was towed to shore in Canada, where he could face a fine of up to $25,000 under the Canadian Customs Act.

As for US citizens getting information or where to register it’s a real problem. After trying 5 times to reach Canadian customs nobody was there to answer the phone. Then after actually reaching two people by phone they gave different and conflicting information.

My feeling on this matter is Canada does NOT want U.S. anglers, which is fine with me because I wouldn’t spend a penny in Canada.

I do love shooting Canada geese. They are lucky there are no Canada turkeys – oh excuse me - it would seem Canada is full of them.

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

BINOCULARS 101

2011-06-19T09:45:00.003-06:00

TAKING A GOOD LOOK

By Jim Foster

To get the most out of birding, hunting, or just watching wildlife, it is essential that you have a good pair of binoculars. Shopping for a good pair of binoculars can be frustrating with all the different brands and sizes.

General requirements: The problem for most beginning birders is simply finding the bird. Look for binoculars that have a wide enough field of view to locate a bird and then follow its movements. The instrument must provide a bright enough image to allow you to distinguish subtle features, particularly in dim light, and also focus quickly so that you can get a sharp image of a fast-moving bird. If you wear glasses, look for binoculars that have a long enough eye relief to provide an unrestricted view.   

Taking a quick look at binocular specifications: Most binoculars are, rated by two numbers, such as 8x32, or 10x45. The first number tells you the magnification while the second tells you the size of the objective lens, in millimeters. The old rule is that binoculars having a larger ratio between the magnification and the objective lens size should provide a sharper, brighter image than ones with a smaller ratio. (For instance, 8x42 provides a brighter sharper image than an 8x32 or 10x42.) Today there are 10 power and up that are just as sharp and bright and the lower powers.

Most birders agree that 7 or 8 power is about right for most birding. However, I have been using 10 power binoculars for years and find them the most useful in the field and for picking out the subject I am trying to find, lately that has been small birds.

An example came a few weeks ago when I was trying to photograph some yellow-bellied marmot on a rocky hillside. The problem was I was having a problem finding the critters with my Canon 400mm 2.8 super telephoto lens. The solution was using my 10.5x45 Vanguard Endeavour binoculars to find the marmot then transferring the location to my camera. It worked like a champ. I have used this same method to find birds and other animals I am trying to photograph. The Vanguard binoculars are always found around my neck when I am working. I must add that what some say about clarity and brightness of the 10, or in this case the 10.5, is just not true.

It is true that binoculars with a wide field will also be much easier to hold steady; higher magnification also magnifies the movement of your hands however this is where practice comes in the more you use the higher power the steadier you will become in a very short time.

Before you go birding, make sure you know how to use your binoculars - practice! Don't try to locate the bird with your binoculars. First find the bird with your unaided eye, and then keep your eyes on the bird while you raise the binoculars to your face. Focus and enjoy.

If shake or holding them steady is a problem for you then consider purchasing mid-size binoculars, such as 8x32s with their being bright and easy to carry and pack.  

Pricing: You get what you pay for. Always spend as much as you can afford when buying binoculars; you will never be sorry to have purchased high quality binoculars.

Pay attention to what experienced birders around you are using. Better yet, ask to look through their binoculars and question them about the pros and cons. Never buy a binocular before trying out the actual instrument you plan to purchase. You need to be certain that you are comfortable using a particular brand and model, and individual instruments do vary within a brand and model.

Don't buy binoculars until you have tried them. Make sure they feel comfortable in your hands. Look through them and be sure you get a clear, unobstructed view. Different models suit different people, and each instrument varies.

To see the whole line of Vanguard Binoculars and other products go to; http://www.vanguardworld.com/index.php/os/products/sporting-optics.html

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

THE GATOR AND THE JUDGE

2011-06-02T12:33:00.001-06:00

QUICK SHOOTING COPS – THE GOOD JUDGE

By Jim Foster

Most of responsible hunters have always been taught to make sure of your target before you shoot – This however is not the case with the hasty, fast to shoot, police in Independence, Missouri this week. When a wandering alligator in the woods was reported the, local donut eaters brushed off the powered sugar and responded with guns drawn. It could have been a sugar rush but as soon as they saw what they thought was a gator one of them opened fire.

Needless to say they were on private property owned by Rick Sheridan who was working in his garage when he heard gunshots. Running outside Rick said he found officers lined up on the bank, shooting at the large reptile. There was only one problem – it wasn’t an alligator.

"The officer fired two rounds, and killed my concrete, ornamental alligator," Sheridan said.

When police contacted Sheridan, they apologized for shooting his concrete gator. That’s it?

It would seem apparent the Independence, Missouri cops need to lay off the donuts and restudy their firearms instructions.

In a totally unrelated story an Idaho judge in Sandpoint, ID has recused himself from the sentencing of Albert H. Nichols II, who pleaded guilty to reduced charges in the 2009 poaching of a trophy whitetail deer.

Judge Quentin Harden admitted to the court that he doesn't believe there should be a season for whitetail in Idaho, because "they're like rats."

Nichols, 41, is scheduled to be sentenced in the magistrate division of 1st District Court on July 27.

Charging papers alleged Nichols killed and possessed one white-tailed buck worth $400 in November 2009 and repeated the offense the following month by poaching a uniquely-horned buck worth as much as $2,000.

Both animals were taken in the Priest River area, according to an Idaho State Police investigation.

I am sure the new judge will give this admitted poacher – to me the same as a game thief – a stiff fine and the loss of a few of his possessions.

Anyway it is rather encouraging to see a judge who will stand down on an issue he feels strongly about and not let his personal feeling affect his judgment like the greenie, wolf loving judge in Montana.

If you have comments or new for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

BOOKS - Wildlife Stalker

2011-05-31T17:04:00.005-06:00

TALES OF THE MAN, THE CAMERA, THE WILD By Jim Foster

In spite of my feelings about some wildlife reintroductions, I do understand there are those who still believe it was a good thing. Knowing what I do and also being a respecter of wildlife as well as a photographer of wildlife and nature, it is my belief that things should have been left alone back in the 90’s when man created a radical change that should never have happened and it being felt decades later.

At this point I will say that I will agree to disagree.

But this article is not about the reintroduction of a species it’s about a man recording nature on 16mm film and then later by digital means and methods. It’s about the book telling his story by an old friend who has experienced the wild and now committed it to words in the book titled, Wildlife Stalker – Days in the Life of Filmmaker Bob Landis written by Kevin G. Rhoades.

Landis’ new biography, Wildlife Stalker – Days in the Life of Filmmaker Bob Landis By Kevin Rhoads, is comprised of his life’s chronicle and a depiction of days afield with a wildlife cinematographer who has filmed and co-produced stories about Yellowstone’s iconic species – the bear, the wolf, the bison – films that have aired on PBS, Nature and on National Geographic Television.

Kevin Rhoades wrote the 200-page account after writing about the filmmaker for his master’s thesis at The University of Montana. Rhoades also worked as a wildlife researcher in Yellowstone in the early ‘80s and returned to America’s first national park to spend days afield with Landis, to write his life’s chronicle.

The Landis biography also is a collection of flashbacks to the cinematographer’s past – growing up as a small-town Wisconsin boy where he followed his destiny to become sheep hunter, football player, teacher, diehard Green Bay Packers fan, and wildlife filmmaker. He has created more than 20 wildlife films, many of them winning awards and airing on television around the world.

When Kevin was asked about why he wrote this book his answer was as follows.

“While a graduate student at The University of Montana’s school of journalism, I was searching for a topic for my thesis. Plus I have always been a photographer and for a long time had been interested in wildlife and wildlife films, and had attended a Bob Landis’ filmmaking seminar years before. It was sort of natural to put him at the top of my list. The original idea was to make my thesis into a book, but my advisor recommended “a paper” might help me finish school rather than a full-blown book”.

To review this book I carried it with me each evening to my tree stand in the Salmon National Forrest and read each night waiting for a black bear to invade my area. Even after showing themselves on the trail cam the bear never arrived. I did however finished the book and reread many of the chapters while sitting in the stand.

The Book, Wildlife Stalker – Days in the Life of Filmmaker Bob Landis is available at booksellers, Amazon.com, and from the publisher Five Valleys Press, Email the at:  info@FiveValleysPress.com Phone: 406-274-0881 and On the Web: www.BobLandisBook.com 

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com/

PRODUCT REVIEW -NEW TRAIL CAMERA

2011-05-29T09:42:00.004-06:00

DIGITAL EYES IN THE WOODS

By Jim Foster

As a hunter/photographer I have found myself at times wanting to know what has been going on at my stand while I was gone. The answer to this dilemma has been, for the last few years anyway, a trail camera. Beginning with film and now using digital technology to record events in my absence.

The results from these different trail cameras has been anywhere from good too extremely disappointing. Knowing what was there during the times when it was either legal to shoot or there was enough light for photography was bittersweet.

So, when I received an email from a firm representing a new type of trail camera I jumped at the chance to give it a try. The quest would be photographing black bear coming to bait in Idaho.

After several tries with no luck I finely read the directions, downloaded the software for my Macintosh computer and was happy with the results. The camera was from DAY SIX OUTDOORS and the camera was their Day 6 PlotWatcher time-lapse video camera.

Take it from me this is NOT your traditional game camera, the PlotWatcher videos daytime game activity around your location several days prior to your arrival. When you review the footage, you can see what you would have seen had you been sitting there. Using the information the video provides you can make an educated decision on when you should be in the stand and which spot offers you the best opportunity.

Using time-lapse video technology, the PlotWatcher takes a picture every 5 to 10 seconds and saves these individual pictures as an HD video. The GameFinder video player software comes free with the PlotWatcher or is downloadable from their web site and has been developed to give you the ability to watch an entire days video in just a few minutes.

The images along with this article show just a part of what was coming to my bait and allowed me the convince of going at the correct time to shoot my images. Quite a great advancement I must say.

After a telephone interview with one of the owners and innovators of this product I learned their leadership team is made up of three avid hunters/outdoorsmen who, like most outdoorsmen, never seem to get to spend enough time in the woods. It is for those reasons; they try to develop products that will make the time we do have outdoors as enjoyable as possible. That requires that our products be designed and built to the highest standards of quality, function and value.

Take a good look at this product and then give it a try. For less than $200 dollars you really can’t go wrong.

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

PHOTOGRAPHY - THREE LEGS WORKS

2011-05-03T16:23:00.001-06:00

THREE LEGS DOES A TRIPOD MAKE

By Jim Foster

Some years ago - in my youth - I hunted quail with a Southern Minister – we all called “The Rev.” who, from time to time, would remind me how He works His will in astounding ways. In truth, for the first hour of the hunt he would repeat almost verbatim his entire sermon from the preceding Sunday.

At the time another friend and fellow hunter had an exceptional bird dog with one small handicap – it was born with only three legs, it was missing one back leg. Although I can’t remember the dog’s real name I remember very well what the group named him – Tripod.

As a photographer I knew the importance of the tripod so I was always ready to say a good word or a scratch the ear when old Tripod made a good point or did some other bird-doggie thing other canines, (the 4 legged kind) were having trouble pulling off.

On one rather slow morning the Rev was just getting warmed up with his message when old Tripod made one of his 3-legged points, his first of the day, and the only find of the hunt. Tripod skidded sideways and locked down hard.

As we all walked in for the flush the Rev, looking at Tripod said, “ You know boys God doesn’t make mistakes”.

I believe only one gun was raised as the rather large covert took wing fanning out before us in the brush. The rest of us just stood looking at the Rev and collectively said, “WHAT?”

“Well”, began the Rev, “Don’t you know how old Tripod finds all these birds so rapidly and most always first?”

“It’s the timing boys the timing. As I said, God doesn’t make mistakes. Watch the dogs, Tripod saves time when nature calls and he needs a tree - Tripod never has to raise a leg.” Finished the Rev smiled and went to pick up his downed quail.

“Sermon over boys”, he said, “let’s hunt quail.”

So my friends if you see I have a well-established affinity for the 3-legged tool that holds my big cameras steady, now you know why.

Early this week I had the pleasure to give two of Vanguard’s latest photo products a try. They were the new Auctus-Plus 283AT tripod and their SBH-300 ball head.

The Auctus-Plus 283AT tripod is a top-of-the-line product having the stability and flexibility to make a photographer love using his heavy equipment. Designed to go from the studio to an outdoor shoot it features a Extreme Support Height Positioning (ESHP) Wheel System that is a dual-function wheel gear adjusting the central column height securely while supporting heavy lenses.

Setup is quick, with one-twist-to-loosen locks. Unique All-terrain Feet convert from anti-rust spikes to angled, textured rubber for use on an array of terrains. This tripods legs adjust to 25, 50 and 80-degree angles for use on uneven terrain and for very low-angle photography. This product is a real winner and I recommend it highly as I have done for Vanguard products for years.

Sitting atop of this three-legged giant is Vanguard’s SBH-300 ball head that is sturdy as well as lightweight. The precision-cut ball head moves swiftly and steadily to catch the action and help get the image. The large camera plate has outstanding loading capacity for professional gear; supports up to 70 pounds. The head also includes a sliding quick shoe that comes in handy for quick set ups.

For more information on these two products click the Vanguard hot link on the first page of this blog.

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

JIM'S GEMS - THE DEEPWATER GULF SPILL + ONE

2011-04-25T09:50:00.006-06:00

A YEAR LATER – THE SPILL

By Jim Foster

"The well is blowing out ... [one of the technicians] is shutting it in now." That call was made aboard the Deepwater oil rig at 21.45 on 20 April, but was fatally optimistic. Within four minutes, two giant explosions had set the rig ablaze, killing 11 people and injuring 17 more. The "nightmare well", as it had been dubbed by some workers, had become a real world horror.”

So was it as so many news sources reported? Is it even worse now as many of the “eco” groups say in their fund raising efforts? Is the Louisiana coast ruined forever and does God really hate New Orleans as bad as he does trailer parks or mobile homes?

The answer is not a simple one and the statements run the gambit of our comprehension. In other words, no, yes, and maybe. NO, God does not hate anyone except the devil – I think.

In several news reports not long ago and after some badgering from reporters the liberal CNN owned up to the truth and admitted that all federal water closed to fishing, 88,522 square miles of it, in the Gulf had now been reopened. In fact no surface oil or slicks have been found in the area since August 4, of 2010. That’s about four months following the blowout and spill.

Ducks Unlimited (DU) biologist Jerry Holden, in a telephone interview, told me that continued watching of the marshlands is needed to make sure more damage does not occur. Of course he also told me that there is really nothing that can be done to stop the oil that has reached the bottom and may be moving just below the surface.

Then there is the printed information that states the Gulf Area is losing a large amount of habitat each year. My question was, did the oil spill add to this amount of loss? The answer was a candid no.

My experience with DU tells me that if anyone is working to prevent more damage they are. DU had boots on the ground from the beginning.

The facts are clear that birds along the Gulf Coast were affected at the time but as we know now that has passed rather quickly and even if the rescuers will not admit, or even know the truth, the largest percentage of the birds cleaned of oil did live long enough to make the trauma to each of them worthwhile. The cleaning of oil from birds must be classified as well meaning torture. Think about the following.

The oiled birds are captured, a terrifying experience in itself, then a tube is shoved down their throats in order to feed them. At times they are stuck with hypodermic needles to draw blood – all in the name of science, and lastly, then big predator like humans handle them repeatedly. Finally, they are held in captivity for days, weeks or months before some expert rules they can be released. Wow! Talk about trauma.

What data is available on the survival of oiled birds after treatment and release is grim. Alaska and other locations have had their share of spills and the attempted rescue of oiled birds.

Let’s face another fact, the sight of an oil soaked bird, or wet puppy, in a TV commercial is a great way to have people reaching for their cash, when used as a fund-raiser.

The vessel Sea Empress leaked 70,000 tons of light crude oil into Miflord Haven Harbor, Wales, in 1996. Rescuers collected 3,100 oiled birds. About 800 of those suffered and died on their way to treatment centers. That left 2,300 birds to be treated.

Of those, about 40 percent -- slightly more than 900 -- suffered until they finally died at bird treatment facilities. Of the 1,400 who survived the torture of oiling and treatment, most are believed to have died shortly after release.

British scientists didn't keep track of them all. But they did monitor the guillemots that survived oiling and treatment to be returned to the wild. Seventy percent of them were dead within 14 days, scientists later reported. Only 3 percent -- yes, only 3 in every 100 -- lived as long as two months.

The numbers will be startling only to those unfamiliar with a study done after the Exxon Valdez smeared Prince William Sound with 11 million gallons of crude in 1989.

A few less than 1,900 oiled and suffering birds were collected in the wake of that spill. Only 800 of them survived treatment. Of those released back into the wild, most were dead within two weeks.

Ornithologist Brian Sharp later calculated that the average Alaska guillemot lived 9.6 days after release. Oiled birds spent more time enduring the horrors of treatment than they did in freedom.

And for this, the cost was $41 million.

These bird rescues and cleaning operations aren’t doing anything for the environment. All that is being done is making it look like someone is doing something for the environment. This is just one more activity that can be chalked up to being “politically correct”.

Oh one final item – check your science books friends – why? Because OIL IS BIODEGRADEABLE.

If you have comments or news Jim may be reached at, JimF06@gmail.com

HUNTING - LET'S BUY THOSE WOLF TAGS!!!

2011-04-21T12:57:00.003-06:00

IT’S ABOUT TIME By Jim Foster

It took an attachment to the Bill regarding the budget to get the gray wolf OFF the endangered species list in Idaho and Montana. I haven’t heard from Montana but according to the Idaho Governor, Butch Otter, a wolf tag will be in the pockets of many Idaho hunters this year – this writer included.

The Fish and Game folks in Boise have said the meeting with the Governor will determine whether the state can use the plan devised and used for the 2009 wolf hunt. Currently there are an estimated 800 wolves living in Idaho. It is believed by many that these numbers are way short of the actual number.

In a newspaper article, Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in Helena, Montana, told reporters that officials in the two states would monitor the hunts and file reports to the federal agency.

A question: If the gray wolf is off the ESL why will the states be required report to the USFWS. It seems like these USFWS guys were what got us into this mess in the first place.

It was last August when the U.S. District judge Donald Molloy in Missoula, Montana rejected the delisting rule and faulted the Fish and Wildlife Service for the 2009 decision that took wolves off the endangered list in Montana and Idaho but not neighboring Wyoming.

Our greenie judge (no capitol letters for this jerk) ruled that the decisions on the ESA should be based on science and not on political boundaries, such as state lines - this is coming from a judge who most likely had to go to the dictionary for the correct spelling of the word “science”. He had been presented all the science by the USFWS during the first go around but chose to reject the facts. Of course it was the wolf-loving environmental groups who cried the move made by Congress amounted to politics over science.

Sounds like liberal sour grapes to me.

Of course we all know how much science lawyers know. They can’t even spell mesothelioma, unless it’s written on the back door of an ambulance they happen to be chasing.

But enough of the past – now we must wait and see what Idaho and Montana will offer hunters in the way of a season, a limit, tag cost, and the number of gray wolves to be killed in each area.

I for one am ready and will buy a tag just as soon as they go on sale. The first wolf I shoot will be dedicated to old Molloy. I can’t wait to see what he has to say on this subject as fall grows near.

LET THE HUNTS BEGIN!

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com.

JIM'S GEMS - THE TIME IS NOW

2011-04-16T12:33:00.002-06:00

SOMETHING MUST BE DONE - NOW

(This was Emailed to me from a reader and I thought I should pass it on here – I did a bit of editing for space and layout only – and I agree 100 percent.)

No one has been able to explain to me why young men and women serve in the U.S. Military for 20 years, risking their lives protecting freedom, and only get 50% of their pay, while politicians hold their political positions in the safe confines of the capital, protected by these same men and women, and receive full pay retirement after serving one term. It just does not make any sense. 

Monday on the news it was reported that it had been learned that the staffers of Congress family members are exempt from having to pay back student loans. This will get national attention if other news networks will broadcast it. When you add this to the below, just where will all of it stop?  

Thirty-five States file lawsuit against the Federal Government. Governors of 35 states have filed suit against the Federal Government for imposing unlawful burdens upon them. It only takes 38 (of the 50) States to convene a Constitutional Convention.    

This will take less than thirty seconds to read. If you agree, please pass it on to all your friends asking them to support this idea. This is an idea that we should all address. These guys are taking our money and getting a free ride – not to mention all the earmarks and kickbacks.

For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform... in all of its forms. Somehow, that doesn't seem logical. We do not have an elite that is above the law. I truly don't care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever. This self-serving behavior must stop.

The Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution: "Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States.”

Friends it’s time to write those letter to “the hill” these guys have been self-serving enough.

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

HUNTING - DUCK HNTERS AND DU WIN

2011-04-14T17:07:00.001-06:00

WILDLIFE REFUGES WAKE UP

A release from DU with Comments By Jim Foster

In a report from Washington, D.C., Ducks Unlimited and waterfowl hunters across the nation have a reason to celebrate the federal district court ruling supporting the opening of waterfowl hunting on a number of public lands.

Today’s ruling from the Northern Federal Court District of Ohio will help ensure that our country’s waterfowl hunting heritage will be protected. DU joined with Safari Club International and others to intervene in this action on behalf of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service as they attempted to open waterfowl hunting on almost 70 national wildlife refuges around the country. The action was opposed by anti-hunting interests in a lawsuit.

After the ruling, Ducks Unlimited CEO Dale Hall said he supported the decision and reaffirmed DU’s support of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “Ducks Unlimited and its members have always been strong supporters of the National Wildlife Refuge System, whether it is through participating in the purchase of duck stamps or through directly partnering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” Hall said. “I’m pleased this ruling will allow the USFWS to continue its mission of managing and conserving waterfowl and other wildlife along with offering quality wildlife-related recreation opportunities to the American public.”

The lawsuit, which was originally filed in 2003 by organizations philosophically opposed to hunting, attempted to end hunting activities on multiple public lands in the National Wildlife Refuge System by alleging that the refuges had not gone through the proper environmental review process. Another gross waste of the taxpayer’s dollar.

Due to the serious implications this lawsuit could have on the ability of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to manage waterfowl and hunting on refuge lands, Ducks Unlimited joined efforts to defend the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s position. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages lands in the National Wildlife Refuge System, Sort of.

Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 12 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever.

It’s a good thing Montana judge Molloy wasn’t involved, he would shut down all hunting anywhere and at anytime. Now, if the guys on the “Hill” will keep their sticky little fingers off conservation money it will be a good day for all.

If you have comments or news for Jim his Email is JimF06@gmail.com

FISHING - A BIG THANKS

2011-04-03T11:49:00.002-06:00

A CRABBY STORY

By Jim Foster

There have been several emails asking why a guy living in Idaho is concerned with derelict crab traps along the Texas Gulf Coast. Well because I lived in Texas most of my life and there were two memorable days I spent hours cutting the wire from an unmarked crab trap off of my outboards lower unit. These were not good days.

So far 29,000 traps, is the count following this past Februarys trap removal programs 10th anniversary of the Texas Abandoned Crab Trap Removal Program by the Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW)

So even after 10 years of the program, the annual cleanup still has an enthusiastic set of volunteers that are not afraid to get wet and muddy removing what they see as a form of marine debris that doubles as both an eye sore and dangerous killer of aquatic life.

Each February since 2002, a small army of volunteers has descended on the coast to remove derelict crab traps and other trash. In the beginning more than 8,000 traps were removed, but in subsequent years, less and less traps were located. This year yielded 1,491 traps removed, the second fewest since the program began.

In celebration of the 10th anniversary, a drawing was held this year among all the participants to receive one of two TPWD saltwater stamp prints as a token of appreciation. Due to the luck of the draw, both winners were from Rockport. One was Philip Durst, who removed traps from the upper portion of Aransas Bay. The other as Chet Cloudt, who removed eight traps by kayak in a St. Charles Bay adventure from Big Tree to the HWY 35 bridge on Cavasso Creek alongside a couple of TPW biologists.

A hearty congratulation goes out to all those concerned anglers and boaters who keep making this program a success. It looks like there will be a lot less boaters with the old wire traps wrapped around their props.

If you have news or comments for Jim he may be Emailed at JimF06@gmail.com.