Say Anything Blog

with all the fear mongering about salmonella in lettuce, tomatoes, salsa...you name it. I dont’ hear those kind of concerns about highly processed and preserved foods. I’ll pass on those veggies and have me some Funions instead. Nothing wrong with Doritos and M&M what I can find either.

I’ve never been a fan of captive animals or ‘captive wildlife’. Hard to refer to the animals as wildlife if they are behind a cage, but you get the drift, animals shouldn’t be side shows. So it’s no surprise to hear I’d rather not visit a zoo. Seriously, even with three young children my wife takes the kids to the zoo each summer and if at all possible I’m not in the mix. I’m not going lie, I’ve been to zoo’s, have taken my son to the zoo as a last gasp resort for a 3 year old a couple years ago. But the simple fact these animals are 1) exotic 2) not in their home area 3) captive all bothers me. full post at outdoornewsguy.com

here’s a cross post from http://www.outdoornewsguy.com

Air conditioning is a blessing, and a curse.

Yes, I have and use our central air conditioner. But I understand now how this device has changed how, and how much, time we spend outdoors. Listen to your next conversation when debating what to do outdoors. Is it too hot or humid? If you think it is, you can blame the air conditioner.

full post here at outdoornewsguy.com

I read Tony Bender on the web each week. I’ve read his books, listened to him on the radio and named my childrens pet fish after him (okay that’s not true) but he’s got a wit that tickles my funny bone. Here’s part of this weeks Tony Bender column, That’s Life.

3. Retired Green Bay Packers legend Brett Favre has announced:

A. He plans to spell his name phonetically from now on: Farv

B. He has given everything he has to retirement and no longer has the will to sit around and be overrated

C. “There are plenty of interceptions left in this arm.”

D. He never did like cheese

full story here

as always check out http://www.outdoornewsguy.com

here’s a cross post from http://www.outdoornewsguy.com

But here in line lies the dilemma for conservation organizations. The energy industry for decades has been scrutinized for it’s impact on other natural resources of land, water, and the animals which use them. So now that our nation’s energy hunger in the form of wind is being fed, you can just hear the chorus begin when the possible impacts on whooping cranes are brought into the discussion on wind powered energy, “is there anything that is okay?” Essentially pointing out that any possible energy development will be met with opposition from extreme environmental groups.

full post at outdoornewsguy.com

here’s a cross post from http://www.outdoornewsguy.com

Like a fighter that’s been kicked, punched dropped to the mat and staggering back — venison donation programs are standing back up in the ring against a 6 month (round?) match where health concerns over lead found in ground venison handcuffed successful programs while officials fought hard to ensure the health concerns were addressed and the hunter donated venison would continue to feed the fight against hunter in food pantry’s across the nation.

full post here at outdoornewsguy.com

here’s a rundown with Doug Leier on The Valley Today with Michelle Turnberg on pheasant issues.

don’t forget outdoornewsguy.com

Outdoors Live takes the 10PM-11PM slot on Saturday night on AM 790 KFGO. We’ll join Randy Kreil for a look inside the deer lottery and Jason Durham of Go-Fish guide service takes us into the heart of summer and lakes of Minnesota fishing.

Listen live on http://www.kfgo.com
podcast at http://www.outdoorslive.podcastpeople.com
more news at www.outdoornewsguy.com

Fundamentally I’ve always scratched my head in wonder at the philosophy of saving one at the expense of another. What I mean is managing one population to the detriment of others, such as the practice of trapping all duck nest predators like skunks and raccoons to increase the waterfowl nesting success. I’m not sure I’ll ever agree with that philosophy.

full post here are outdoornewsguy

send your wife away for the weekend, and teach her how to field dress a dear....good luck on that...but....seriously.

Space Available for BOW

Registrations are being accepted for women interested in attending the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshop, held Aug. 8-10 at Lake Metigoshe State Park near Bottineau. The cost is $135 for those 18 years or older with an Aug. 1 registration deadline.

The workshop, sponsored by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, offers 26 different seminars, ranging from fly-fishing to archery to shotgunning, each of which lasts more than three hours. Classes are held outdoors, and each session includes 45 minutes of lecture with the remainder dedicated to hands-on instruction. Each session has room for 12 women. Participants are limited to four sessions.

New classes offered this year include basic boating skills, field dressing big game, and tracking and trapping. Other classes include archery, wild backyards, basic birding, canoeing, fly-fishing, kayaking, plant identification and predator calling.

Participants will stay in dorms and must provide their own bedding and towels. All camp facilities are handicap accessible. Equipment will be provided unless noted in the course description.

To receive an information brochure and enrollment form, contact Nancy Boldt, North Dakota Game and Fish Department, at 701-328-6312; ndgf@nd.gov; or visit the Game and Fish website at gf.nd.gov.

and don’t forget http://www.outdoornewsguy.com

here’s a cross post from http://www.outdoornewsguy.com

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released its preliminary report on mid-continent breeding ducks and habitats, based on surveys conducted in May and early June. Total duck populations were estimated at 37.3 million breeding ducks on the surveyed area. This estimate represents a 9 percent decline over last year’s estimate of 41.2 million birds, but remains 11 percent above the 1955-2007 long-term average.

full post at outdoornewsguy.com

cross post from http://www.outdoornewsguy.com

East of a line formed by the Missouri River to the eastern end of Lake Sakakawea, and then east of U.S. Highway 83 to the Canadian border, wolves in North Dakota are now classified as a furbearer protected with a closed season. Their designation is similar to that of black bear and river otter, which are also occasionally seen in the state, but do not have a population high enough to allow for a regulated hunting and/or trapping season. Furbearer status, however, does not protect wolves if they threaten livestock or on rare occasions present a threat to humans.

West of the Missouri River-U.S. Highway 83 line, wolves remain a federal endangered species that can only be killed after repeated instances of depredation, and then usually only by designated federal authorities.

To better understand the disparity, consider a wolf that is causing problems for a livestock producer. In Richland County in southeastern North Dakota, a landowner could justifiably shoot a wolf harassing cows and calves, even though it hadn’t attacked any livestock. In Divide County in the northwestern part of the state, a landowner could face federal charges for shooting a wolf without specific approval or authorization, even if it had just killed and was still in the process of eating a calf.

North Dakota’s pheasant harvest in 2007 was the highest in more than 60 years, according to statistics released by the state Game and Fish Department.

“To sum it up, we had an outstanding hunting season last fall,” said Stan Kohn, upland game management supervisor. “We carried a large breeding population into spring. We predicted a good number of broods and chicks last summer, and they were there. And good fall weather brought out the hunters.”

In 2007, North Dakota had 107,574 pheasant hunters, the first time the state has surpassed the 100,000 mark. Resident and nonresident hunters were both at all-time highs. The number of resident hunters increased to 71,870 (up from 68,216 in 2006) and the number of nonresident hunters increased to 35,704 (up from 31,633).

The total bag was 907,434 roosters, compared to 750,787 in 2006. The record harvest was 2.4 million in both 1944 and 1945. Birds bagged per hunter increased from 7.5 to 8.4, and each hunter spent on average six days afield last year.

Counties with the highest percentage of pheasant harvest by resident hunters include McLean (9.7 percent), Burleigh (9.3 percent), Dickey (5.1 percent), Ransom (4.9 percent) and Sargent (4.6 percent). Top counties for nonresident hunters were Hettinger (18.4 percent), Dickey (7.8 percent), McIntosh (5.7 percent), LaMoure (5.5 percent) and Bowman (5.4 percent).

Following a relatively mild winter with minimal mortality, 2008 spring counts indicated a 36 percent increase statewide in the number of pheasants heard crowing compared to last year.

“Crowing counts were up from 31 percent in the southwest to 53 percent in the northeast,” Kohn said. “These increases in the crowing count index do point to a strong spring breeding population.”

Pheasant crowing counts are conducted each spring by observers driving standardized routes throughout North Dakota. The number of rooster pheasants heard crowing is recorded and compared to previous years’ data. The index does not measure actual numbers or population density, but is an indicator of the population trend of breeding roosters in the state.

While crowing counts identified an increase in spring numbers, Kohn said the fall pheasant population largely depends on reproductive success and survival of young birds in June through mid-August. “The month of June offered almost ideal conditions for egg hatch and chick survival,” he added.

North Dakota’s pheasant population has been strong the last several years thanks to mild winters, good nesting and brooding cover, and improved winter cover. “But the loss of Conservation Reserve Program acreage may have an impact on pheasant populations and land available to hunt on in the future,” Kohn said.

i’ll have more soon on http://www.outdoornewsguy.com

here’s a cross post from http://www.outdoornewsguy.com

First off is to begin scheduling a few fishing excursions. Short or long, near or far don’t just pencil them in, fill every calendar slot you see with a half day, short evening or full weekend. Sure it sounds a bit elementary but mental notes are easily deleted and shuffled through to the recycle bin. Think back to last August and the empty frustrating feelings of not getting your spouse, kids, dad or grand-father back casting or boating alongside you. Don’t tell yourself, “we’ll see…something might work” pick up the phone and get a date scheduled. You’ll thank me later. And one last point on summer fishing trips. Make an oath to yourself and all involved you’ll hold fast to the date and not look for a weak reason to cancel. If you’d rather not fish, don’t schedule it. Reason’s NOT to do something are easily picked out of the clouds. Following through will server all better.

Doug Leier with Michelle Turnberg on The Valley Today with cameo by Matt-Rawk-Granite..life jacket model for the next millenia…