Deer Hunting Safety Tips For Season Openers
November 5, 2008
LITTLE ROCK - Perhaps the most important aspects of deer hunting are safety and ethics. That’s especially true for the opening of Arkansas’s modern gun deer season this Saturday. If no one paid any attention to these, hunting of any kind would be too dangerous to continue. That’s why it’s so important to stress these factors about deer hunting.
Safe hunting is the responsibility of all hunters. Follow the tips listed below, and you will help make the Arkansas outdoors safer for all.
- Don’t rely on your gun’s safety. Treat all firearms as if they’re loaded and ready to fire.
- Never cross a fence, climb a tree or stand or jump a ditch with a loaded gun.
- Never hoist a loaded firearm into a stand.
- Never load or carry a loaded firearm until you are ready to use it. Always unload firearms before riding in any vehicle, including ATVs. Watch your muzzle so the other hunter doesn’t have to.
- Wear hunter orange so you can be seen. A blaze orange hat and at least 400 square inches of hunter orange above the waistline must be worn during all gun deer seasons. It must be worn at all times, not taken off once in the stand.
- Keep guns and ammunition separately and in locked storage.
- Don’t shoot unless absolutely sure of your target and what is beyond it.
- Know the range of your firearm. Remember, even a .22 rimfire can travel over 1-1/2 miles.
- Always be sure your gun barrel and action are clear of obstructions and only carry ammunition specifically intended for the firearm you’re using.
- Always carry handguns with the hammer down on an empty chamber.
- Avoid alcoholic beverages before and during shooting.
- Tell someone where you’re going and when you plan to return. If you move from one area to another advise someone.
- Dress for the weather. Take a GPS or compass to prevent getting lost.
- Carry a flashlight while walking through the hunting area before or after daylight.
Always follow these rules of ethics anytime you’re hunting:.
- Obey all the rules of safety and insist that those around you do the same.
- Obey all game laws and insist that those hunting with you do likewise.
- Do your best to acquire marksmanship and hunting skills that assure clean, sportsmanlike kills.
- Support conservation efforts that assure good hunting for future generations.
- Don’t be a slob. Keep your campsite neat and don’t offend others by openly displaying your kill on your vehicle.
- Pass along to other hunters, especially youngsters, the attitudes and skills essential to being a true outdoor sportsman.
- Make sure you have permission before hunting on private property.
 Most importantly, don’t forget to purchase your hunting license. Licenses may be purchased from dealers, and AGFC Regional Office, the Little Rock headquarters, online or over the phone. Online license purchasing is convenient, but make sure you don’t wait until the last minute to purchase your license online. When purchasing online, a receipt with a confirmation number will be produced. That receipt does not allow for big game hunting such as deer, turkey, bear, elk or alligator. The actual license must be in the hunter’s possession before they are allowed to hunt.Please allow for sufficient mailing time before processing on the Internet or by phone.Licenses may be purchase at www.agfc.com
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Delaware Youth Waterfowl Hunt Scheduled for October 4
September 29, 2008
The Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife is again providing young and disabled (non-ambulatory) hunters a special opportunity to hunt waterfowl Saturday, Oct. 4. Hunting is permitted statewide on private and public lands, including state wildlife areas and federal refuges. Check specific area regulations for lottery times and blind availability.
Young hunters must be between 10-15 years of age and accompanied by a licensed non-hunting adult at least 21 years of age. Hunters 13-15 years of age must have completed an approved hunter education course and possess a Delaware junior hunting license. Standard daily duck bag limits and regulations apply, with hunters also permitted to harvest snow geese and two Canada geese. Young hunters should be of sufficient size, physical strength, and emotional and mental maturity to safely handle a firearm.
The Division of Fish & Wildlife annually provides this and other special hunting opportunities to promote hunting and outdoor recreation among young hunters and provide additional opportunities for disabled hunters. Studies have shown that youngsters who participate in outdoor recreation activities are more likely to continue these pursuits as adults. In addition to the waterfowl hunt, a youth deer hunt is scheduled for November 1.
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Time for Preseason Scouting in West Virginia
September 25, 2008
The recent cool mornings are a sure indication that another hunting season is just around the corner. With the youth squirrel season less than a month away (October 4), it’s time to begin preseason scouting by checking out the local woodlot for mast and wildlife sign.
Each year the mast conditions vary from species to species. Mast conditions are some of the main factors determining where wildlife will be found. West Virginia wildlife biologist and avid squirrel hunter Keith Krantz, stresses that “Large numbers of squirrels may be hard to locate due to the abundance of hickory we have this year. However, in areas with fewer hickories, squirrels may be either concentrated or have completely consumed the nut crop. In most areas, the oak mast seems to be spotty and sparse.”
September is one of the most pleasant and beautiful times to be afield in West Virginia. It’s a wonderful time to take the whole family for an afternoon walk. It’s also a great opportunity to introduce youngsters to the outdoors. Identifying wildlife sign and learning tree species can be very beneficial for these future sportsmen. Take the time to explain the reasons for buck rubs and scrapes you may find on your journey. Be sure to check for soft mast also. Soft mast is sometimes overlooked when searching for available foods. However, when hard mast is scarce, many animals rely on the berries of these species. Turkeys and bears are especially fond of grapes, gums and dogwood berries. In areas where other food sources are scarce, soft mass can sometimes carry animals through the difficult winter months to come.
“The fall hunting season is soon approaching and the time for scouting is now. It’s quite simple to find the wildlife – follow the food,” Krantz advises. “And just remember that taking youngsters afield may spark their interest in nature and lead them toward a career in forestry or biology.
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Hartford Beach State Park Hosts Annual Archery Shoot
September 8, 2008
MILBANK, S.D – Grab your bow and head to Hartford Beach State Park to show off your skills. The annual 3-D Archery shoot, sponsored by the Milbank Valley Archers, is Sept. 13-14. Contestants can register between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., and must complete their rounds by 5 p.m. on Saturday and 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Participants can shoot in competition or just for fun. Competition categories are based on equipment used, age, and gender. Youngsters are welcome and will shoot the same targets as adults, but from closer locations. A “Tough Man” option is also available, in which shooters must shoot from difficult locations. Families can shoot a round together, even if competing in different categories.Â
“The steep wooded landscape of Hartford Beach lends itself to some interesting shooting opportunities,” said Jeff Nodsle, park manager. “The course consists of 40 three-dimensional, life-size animal targets. The first 20 targets are along the Prehistoric Village Trail, and the second set of targets is along the Beach Trail.”
This tournament is sanctioned by the National Field Archery Association. The cost is $15.00 per person, and a park entrance license is required to get into the park. Food and refreshments will be available.
This event is held each year the second weekend in September. Hartford Beach State Park is located 15 miles north of Milbank off SD 15. For more information contact the park at (605) 432-6374.
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Colorado DOW Schedules Three Free Archery Clinics In Lamar
August 14, 2008
The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) will hold three free archery clinics at the DOW Office at 2500 S. Main in Lamar for adults or youth interested in learning more about the sport of archery.
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The dates are Aug. 26, Sept. 9, and Sept. 23.
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The Aug. 26 clinic is for experienced archers. It offers an opportunity to get in some practice before hunting this fall. DOW staff will provide coaching upon request.
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The Sept. 9 session is beginning archery for adults. The Sept. 23 session is beginning archery for youth 8 and up. Boys and girls are invited to attend the youth session, but must be accompanied by a parent.
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Archery clinic hours are 6 - 8 p.m. each night. Activities include instructions and practice shooting at traditional and 3-D targets.
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Instructors from the DOW will teach the finer points of shooting bows. The DOW will furnish the equipment, including bows that are designed for youngsters and are used with the National Archery in the Schools Program.
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“These events are a great opportunity for people to learn more about this rapidly growing type of outdoor recreation and try their hand at using a bow,” said Linda Groat, an education coordinator with the DOW. “Archery is one of the world’s oldest sports. It is safe and fun when done properly.”
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This event is limited to 35 each night, so register early. To register, or get more information, call (719) 336-6608.
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New Year Underway For Mentored Youth Hunting Program In Pennsylvania
August 12, 2008
HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today reminded experienced hunters, who have historically helped pass along the state’s rich hunting heritage, that the new license year means another year to begin introducing youths to hunting through the Mentored Youth Hunting Program (MYHP).
“Pennsylvania’s hunters have a remarkable opportunity to introduce those under the age of 12 to hunting,” Roe said. “Hunting is deeply woven into the cultural fabric that is Pennsylvania, and it is important that we recruit new hunters to carry on this tradition.”
Roe noted that the logic behind the Mentored Youth Hunting Program is simple and clear: create expanded youth hunting opportunities without compromising safety afield.
“This program paves the way for youngsters to nurture their interest in hunting early and allows them to take a more active role in actual hunting while afield with mentoring adults,” Roe said. “The program accommodates hands-on use of sporting arms and can promote a better understanding and interest in hunting and wildlife conservation that will help assure hunting’s future, as well as reinforce the principles of hunting safely through the close supervision provided by dedicated mentors.”
Under the program, a mentor is defined as a properly licensed individual at least 21 years of age, who will serve as a guide to a youth while engaged in hunting or related activities, such as scouting, learning firearms or hunter safety and wildlife identification. A mentored youth is identified as an unlicensed individual less than 12 years of age who is accompanied by a mentor while engaged in hunting or related activities.
The regulations require that the mentor-to-mentored youth ratio be one-to-one, and that the pair possesses only one sporting arm when hunting. While moving, the sporting arm must be carried by the mentor. When the pair reaches a stationary hunting location, the mentor may turn over possession of the sporting arm to the youth and must keep the youth within arm’s length at all times.
The species identified as legal game for the 2008-09 license year are woodchucks (groundhogs), squirrels, spring gobbler and antlered deer. At its June meeting, the Board of Game Commissioners gave unanimous approval to add coyote hunting to the list of species that mentored youth hunters can pursue. For the addition to take effect, the proposal must be approved at a subsequent meeting of the Board.
Those youths participating in the MYHP are required to follow the same antler restrictions as a junior license holder, which is one antler of three or more inches in length or one antler with at least two points. The program also requires that both the mentor and the youth must abide by any fluorescent orange regulations, and that the mentored youth must tag and report any antlered deer or spring gobbler taken by making and attaching a tag that contains his or her name, address, date, WMU, township, and county where it was taken. The youth must submit a harvest report card, which is available on page 33 of the 2008-09 Pennsylvania Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations, within five days for any antlered deer or spring gobbler he or she takes.
For more information on the program, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) and click on “Mentored Youth FAQs” in “Quick Clicks” box in the upper right corner of the homepage. Information also is included on page 15 of the 2008-09 Pennsylvania Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations, and a sample harvest tag can be found on page 33 of the Digest.
To continue hunting once a youth reaches the age of 12, they will need to and pass a basic Hunter-Trapper Education course and purchase either a junior hunting license or a junior combination license. For a listing of HTE courses, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) and click on the “Hunter Education” calendar in the right-hand column of the homepage.
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Bluefield/Moultrie Hunt Unit Youth Hunts This Fall
June 30, 2008
A series of youth draw deer hunts conducted jointly by Santee Cooper and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources will be continued this fall.Â
Applications will be available August 20. The deadline for applications is 5:00 p.m. September 19. Call the Dennis Wildlife Center in Bonneau at (843) 761-8820 or (843) 825-3388 to request an application.
Past participants are encouraged to tell their friends about their experience to spread the word about this opportunity. Participants must be 17 years or younger and capable of safely handling a firearm. They must also be accompanied by an adult at least 21 years old. While the youth and adult sit together in the stand, only the youth may actually hunt. All hunts take place in the afternoon from 2-person stands located along the edges of wildlife openings that have been planted in oats, wheat, soybeans, or peas. The areas hunted on youth draw hunts are located within Sandy Beach and Cross Generating Station, both part of the Santee Cooper-owned Moultrie Hunt Unit.Â
Last year, 108 girls and boys participated in the youth hunts at Sandy Beach and Cross, 26 of whom were fortunate enough to take home a deer. This hunting program has steadily grown since it’s inception in 1998, when 23 youth hunters took to the field.
Wildlife Management staff based out of Bonneau, including biologists Will Carlisle and Elliott Shuler and technician Blake DuBose, work in partnership with Santee Cooper to manage the Moultrie Hunt Unit for wildlife of all descriptions, and to provide recreational opportunity for the public, especially youngsters who might be new to the outdoors. S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Santee Cooper staff give a hunting safety talk to all participants upon their arrival, “We want to promote safe, ethical hunting practices in a quality hunting environment in hopes of energizing young people into responsibly carrying on the hunting tradition,” says Carlisle.
Santee Cooper not only owns the land on which these hunts are held, but provides funding for the property’s management, personnel to assist with the logistics of the hunts, and t-shirts for hunt participants.Â
In addition to the draw youth hunts, youths are encouraged to hunt on the 800-acre Bluefield WMA, also part of the Moultrie Hunt Unit. Each youth must be 17 or younger, and accompanied by an adult who is at least 21. The youth must carry a firearm and hunt. Unlike the strictly youth draw hunts mentioned above, on Bluefield, the adult may also carry a firearm and hunt. See the 2008-2009 “Rules & Regulations” booklet for specific season dates and limits.Â
DNR protects and manages South Carolina’s natural resources by making wise and balanced decisions for the benefit of the state’s natural resources and its people.
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Division of Wildlife Looking for a Few Younger Hunters
June 24, 2008
The Colorado Division of Wildlife is looking for some young hunters to participate in a special big game hunting event Oct. 3-5 in Hesperus.
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Young hunters, ages 12-17, can gain valuable experience by participating in the annual doe deer hunt at the 7,000-acre Colorado State University Research Center. The hunt is limited to 10 youngsters. Rifles will be provided to those who need them.Â
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Prospective hunters must have a hunter safety card.
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“This is a great environment for kids who have never hunted or for those with limited hunting experience,” said Drayton Harrison, district wildlife manager in the Durango area. “It’s a controlled environment, every kid is accompanied by a guide and they’ll have a great chance for success. There are a lot of deer at the research center.”
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The event starts on Oct. 3 with shooting practice and instruction from DOW staff. The youngsters then hunt during the next two days.
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A hunter education course is scheduled for Durango on Aug. 27.
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The deadline to apply for the hunt is July 31. For an application and for more information, contact Harrison at 375-6754.
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Glen Elder Youth Fishing Tournament May 31
May 21, 2008
Prizes for all kids; special awards for biggest, smallest, and most fish
BELOIT — The 4th annual Glen Elder Youth Fishing Tournament will be held Saturday, May 31, in association with Glen Elder State Park’s OK Kids Day. On this day, approximately 20 local anglers volunteer their time and boats to take the youth fishing from 9 p.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Lunch will be provided by the Waconda Lake Association. Numerous prizes have been donated by local merchants, and all youth attending will receive at least one prize, a t-shirt, and fishing tackle. In addition, the youngsters who catch the biggest fish, most fish, and the smallest fish will receive a new rod-and-reel combination.
If high winds make boating unsafe, kids will fish from the shoreline. Any youth ages 7-14 are encouraged to attend. For more information or to pre-register, phone the park office at 785-545-3345. The tournament will be limited to the first 70 youngsters who apply.
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Weekend Fun Bargain: Free Fishing Days June 7-8
May 21, 2008
No fishing license required; time to explore a great sport
PRATT — The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) has announced its annual Free Fishing Days — June 7-8. In coordination with National Fishing Week, on these days, anglers of all ages may fish without a fishing license. Ordinarily, nonresidents 16 or older and residents age 16 through 64 must have a fishing license to fish in Kansas.
This is the ideal time to introduce youngsters to a healthy, challenging pastime that offers a lifetime of pleasure. Kansas has hundreds of lakes and streams, including numerous conveniently-located community lakes. Finding the ideal fishing location is as simple as visiting the KDWP website, www.kdwp.state.ks.us, and typing “Where to Fish” in the search box.
Public fishing waters also are listed in the 2008 Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary, available on the website or in printed form at KDWP offices and license vendors around the state. The summary also provides a fish identification guide, length and creel limits, and a variety of additional information for anglers.
For information on fishing prospects, reservoir ratings for all sportfish may be found on the website’s Fishing Forecast. In addition, the most currently-recorded biologists’ fishing reports may be found on the Fishing Reports web page, and anglers can report their own experiences and read those of others on the department’s Public Fishing Reports page.
June 7-8: mark these dates on your calendar. There’s no better time to take advantage of Kansas angling opportunities.
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