Vermont Becomes 30th State to Join Families Afield Ranks

I just got back from a signing cerimony for H 243, the Vermont Mentored Hunting License bill. Governor Jim Douglas thanked everyone involved in passing the bill, especially Representative Steve Adams. I testified two times in favor of the bill based on my work at the national level with the Families Afield partners and safety research while at the International Hunter Education Association.
Thanks to the VT Traditions Coalition, DU and TU for backing the bill and the support of the VT Fish and Wildife Dept. This "Learners Permit" for hunting was one of the goals set at the Future of Hunting in VT conference held several years ago in Castleton. It will go into effect in 2011 and is open for people of all ages and residence.

From the US Sportsman's Alliance web site:

Vermont Becomes 30th State to Join Families Afield Ranks
Today, Vermont became the 30th state to pass Families Afield legislation aimed at reducing barriers for the next generation of sportsmen.

VT Fish and Wildlife Positions Saved

From the VT State Employees Assn, a bit of god news from this year's legislature :

Fish and Wildlife Positions Saved

Despite their positions being almost 75% federally funded, VSEA members in Fish and Wildlife were surprised to hear their positions were being eliminated to balance the Department’s budget. Thanks to our friends at the Vermont Natural Resources Council (who testified several times on this issue) the Appropriations Committees added a section to the budget that would preserve their jobs with the Landowner Incentive and Community Wildlife programs:

“It is the intent of the general assembly that the fiscal year 2011 budget provides funding to fill five (5) game warden positions that are vacant as of January 1, 2010, and funds two (2) limited service Fish and Wildlife Scientist II positions (position numbers 640148 and 640150). The Scientist II positions shall continue to implement the Landowner Incentive Program and Community Wildlife Program.”

The Department also just filled my old position with Hunter Education. This should be good news for hunter education instructors and new hunters.

UW hunter promotes eco-conscious behavior

Orion and Responsive Management have submitted a letter of intent for a multi-state grant to look at the connection of locavors and hunting. From what I see and read these folks have a strong respect for the land and animals, as do ethical hunters.

From Madison. Com

Locavor Hunters

...
Malcolm declared himself a hunter and environmentalist. He explained how those interests help him obtain "healthy, organic food in an ethical, eco-conscious manner." In fact, Malcolm appreciates hunting more than ever as he and his wife try to separate themselves from the industrial food chain that links our supermarkets to factory farms and petroleum-based agriculture that's making family farms obsolete.
Malcolm's no rebel. If you spend much time around serious gardeners, mushroom pickers and wild-berry pickers, as well as farmers' markets and community support agriculture -- CSA farms -- you've probably heard the term "locavore."
Locavores are do-it-yourselfers who try to obtain most of their food from local sources. They also like to "put up" as much food as possible through canning, smoking, pickling, vacuum-sealing and pressure-cooking.
In other words, they're food-gatherers who can often be nudged toward the "hunter-gatherer" lifestyle by folks like Malcolm. And he's more than happy to push. When he's not hunting deer, turkeys, waterfowl and small game, Malcolm is arming college students with guns and bows while teaching them to hunt.
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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Poaching $23,000 Trophy Buck

This news item from the Outdoor Wire. Interestingly, when this guy gets out of jail he could come to VT (and 16 other states) and hunt legally. So far Vermont has shown no interest in entering the interstate wildlife compact. Why? I have heard thru inside sources that Vt FWD doesn't want to lose any license sales. Sounds like we aught to put up some bill boards (outside the state lines of course- bill boards are illegal in VT) "Poachers Welcome"!

Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Poaching $23,000 Trophy Buck

After pleading guilty to four charges including taking a deer in a closed season, hunting without permission, no license and no deer permit, a Scioto County, Ohio man has been fined $23,572.05 in restitution - the largest fine ever for a poached deer in Ohio. Beginning today, the confiscated deer will be available for photographing at the ODNR District Five office in Xenia. 

In addition, Clay will lose his hunting privileges for life. Clay had 10 prior wildlife convictions for deer violations and has spent time in jail for several of those offenses. He will be entered into the Wildlife Violator's Compact and most likely will lose hunting rights in 33 other states.

The Division of Wildlife is also imposing restitution for the deer in the amount of $23,572.05. This is in accordance with Ohio's revised restitution law for illegal taking of white-tailed deer. The law went into effect March 2008 and allows the Division of Wildlife to seek an increased recovery value on all illegally harvested wildlife.

The typical trophy deer, scored according to Boone & Crockett (B&C) guidelines, netted an impressive 197 2/8. This deer was the largest typical white-tailed deer harvested in North America during 2009. In Ohio, this deer would rank fourth all time in the Buckeye Big Buck Club records.| For More...

Jim Posewitz Awarded Montana Federation's first Heritage Award

Technology and fair chase

Terrific video from the NSSF about the AR-15 and its use in hunting. They make the point that virtually ALL conventional sporting arms started out as "military guns."



My thanks to Cagey for passing this along.