The Ontario Ministry of Natural resources has made some changes to the 2010 hunting regulations. These amendments are in response to efforts to ensure that Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) does not impact Ontario deer herds.
According to the Ontario MNR website, the changes are as follows:
Prohibits the use of natural attractants that contain parts or bodily fluids of a member of the deer family for the purposes of hunting in Ontario (e.g., natural deer urine/by-products)
Restricts the possession of certain higher risk carcass parts (e.g., brain, spinal column, antlers, etc.) of moose and caribou that were killed outside the province. This regulation is the same as the existing regulation that applies to the carcasses of all other members of the deer family which came into effect in 2005.
I am somewhat skeptical over the need to ban deer urine attractants especially since no apparent CWD case has been linked to any these products. Perhaps when more is known about the actual transmission vectors of CWD – this could be re-evaluated. The synthetic products are cheaper anyway.
“Unfortunately, these half measures fall far short of what actions should have been taken, and not only fail to address the problem, they leave outdoors retailers on the cusp of hunting season with inventories of natural deer attractants that can be sold, but no longer be used by hunters, at least in Ontario.”Entire OFAH Press Release Here
The Globe and Mail and CBC news sites have reported that RCMP Chief Superintendent Marty Cheliak will leave his gun registry position for some french language training. Both articles suggest that this is a muzzling attempt by Harper’s Federal Government before a serious debate about scrapping the gun registry moves forward in debate.
Once you get past the fact that the CBC is against anything Harper does, and reports as such, this is a hype over matter issue.
Marty Cheliak will still get a sweet pay check at the end of each day. Some french language training might be seen as break from the the long-gun registry and dealing with the names on that list. I mean, I could name 10 Canadian citizens (plus myself) who are on that list and who work to contribute positively to Canadian society. It must be tough finding all of us who have registered their guns and have our addresses listed on this ‘crime-reducing’ registry. At the click of his fingers, Marty Cheliak could send officers to ‘visit’ farmers, hunters and other law-abiding, rural citizens to ensure our guns are locked up and not being used in any crimes.
Meanwhile, back in the real world (strangely overlooked by urban Liberals, NDP and the CBC), the criminal element could care less if the long-gun registry gets scrapped or not.
Fish Warrior is one of National Geographic’s newest extreme fishing shows airing Monday nights. The extreme fishing host took some time to answer this blogger’s questions about his new fishing show. It seems being shocked by electric eels and encountering hostile tribes is all part of the catch.
1. It is quite obvious that you have a love and excitement for the fish you catch. What has helped develop your enjoyment of extreme sport fishing?
I have been fishing since I was five years old. I was always trying to catch more, and bigger, fish. My biggest passion as a young fisherman was fishing for Wels catfish, the biggest and strongest freshwater fish in Europe. I was fishing for Wels catfish more than 300 days a year as a fishing guide. I fished many different and exotic places, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, the delta of the River Danube in Romania and every other places you could find Wels catfish. This fueled my quest to pursue the largest freshwater fish on the planet. I made a list of 24 freshwater giants and set out to find them, catch them, and study them in their natural habitat.
2. How has fishing traditional freshwater species prepared you for the monsters you face on the show?
If you want to catch a big fish, you first have to learn how to catch a small fish. Choosing the diameter of the line and the size of the hook, choosing the right bait, casting the lines, feeling the fish on the other end; making all of these decisions and gaining experience with smaller fish all have prepared me to take my fishing to the next level and to go after the really large fish. It was really difficult to target these big fish when I started my project to catch the 24 freshwater giants, because I didn’t yet know where to go to find them, what their behavior would be, and how to successfully catch them. Since I couldn’t find information on how to catch them in books or online, I wound up spending much more time in the field doing my own research and teaching myself what I needed to know to catch these fish. For example, I spent more than 17 months in the Amazon in order to find and catch large specimens of arapaima and piraiba catfish. But every time I catch a fish, I learn about the behavior and it is easier to go on and catch the next.
3. Besides catching some of the world’s largest and most exotic fish species, what excites you most about hosting Fish Warrior?
I have always loved fishing and am so happy that my passion has turned into my life’s work. It was always my biggest dream to have a show on National Geographic Channel, and now through Fish Warrior I can show the world these fish. People will know they exist and will care more about them. Hopefully a new, young generation of fisherman will see my work and be inspired to study and save these amazing creatures.
4. Is it the thrill of the catch or something else that sustains you while you travel to remote areas and survive between catches?
l love travel, I love meeting the native people and experiencing their traditions. They know about survival better than any of us so I am learning survival techniques from them as well. They live in the most remote places on our planet, and that’s why they are the best teachers in these extreme environments. I love the thrill of the catch, holding the fish and experiencing these living dinosaurs up close. I am a firm believer in the catch-and-release method of fishing. I love when the fish is swimming away after I release it, because I know I may have a chance to see it again and other people may have that chance as well. The fish spawn new generations and the cycle of life will go on.
5. How do you feel that Fish Warrior contributes to the conservation of the fish species you target?
As I said, there are more than 24 freshwater giants that can grow over six feet long and way more than 220 lbs. We know a lot about ocean giants like whales and sharks, we know a lot about land giants like elephants, rhinos, and hippos. But these freshwater giants are for the most part unknown to the world, including experienced fisherman, and still at least half of these 24 species will disappear before the end of the century. Overfishing, climate change, deforestation and other issues jeopardize these fish populations and we have limited time to search for and study them, and try to save at least some of them before they are lost forever. Just because these fish are in far away places doesn’t mean their survival isn’t important to all of us. Fish Warrior shows these magnificent fish to the world and lets the audience know that we need to act now in order to save those fish that we can.
6. Can you share a fish encounter or have you faced a particular set of circumstances (while filming) that could have resulted in a serious injury?
We are in these situations all the time. When we started the show, my producer asked me if it would be possible to make a show with incredibly huge fish that were never filmed before. I said yes, but we have to push our limits and travel into the middle of nowhere to get the chance to find the “Last of the Mohicans” of these species. We camp all the time, we eat and drink with locals. We don’t sleep in hotels, or lodges. For the most part we are days and days from hospitals and towns. If you have a toothache or stomach pains out in the wild, it can be a much bigger deal than if you were close to civilization. The crew and I battled malaria in Kenya; I was bitten by poisonous snakes in the Amazon and in Congo; I have been shocked by electric eels and I have dealt with numerous parasites and infections along the way. I have also encountered hostile tribes in some of the locations we have traveled to, who were not always happy to see us in their country. For all the dangers though, this is what must be done to catch and film these very special fish.
7. Have you ever found the “Holy Grails” of artificial lures? Do you know of a lure that will catch any fish species?
The short answer is…no. If we were able to find such a lure, fishing would be too easy and would be boring. A few times, I thought I found a secret technique or lure that could catch any fish, but there is always that next fish that shows you you are wrong. If you want to catch a fish, your bait has to be in the water. If you are always trying to find a reason to stay home…the moon is too full or the water is too high…you will never catch a fish. That’s why I fish all the time. The time I spend fishing doesn’t count as time off of my life, so that is why I am going to live and fish forever.
You can catch Jakub on Monday nights on the National Geographic Channel at 9 PM Eastern. Here is a scene from last week’s episode:
Thanks for your time Jakub! Looking forward to next week’s show.
Over halfway through 2010 and one could argue that bears are trying to destroy their teddy bear image through various bear attacks and snarling close encounters.
For or against, these occurrences have many people talking about the cancellation of Ontario’s spring bear hunt. A lost hunting opportunity that many hunters felt was politically motivated. It was a management tool that developed a healthy fear of man in bears and helped to minimize encounters like those shared in this post. It did NOT mean the end of Ontario’s bears. Nobody wanted that!
Black Bear Photo: HBarrison from Wikipedia
Those against a bear hunt are being ‘treated’ with more bear sightings, bear attacks, property damage and other close encounters.
Anecdotally, through sources close to Muskoka Outdoors, some Huntsville residents have been having some close encounters.
One man was working outside his house when he came face to face with a bear. After repeated attempts to scare the bear off, the man went back inside his house, with the bear following, to get his firearm. When the man exited his house with gun in hand – the bear bolted away.
In a second, different encounter, one woman returned back into her kitchen to find a bear in her kitchen. It had come in through a screen door.
Then, there was this past spring. In less than one month, three separate aggressive bear encounters have been reported in the area of Orillia, ON. One of the attacks was nearly fatal, while the other two were ‘charges’ and acts of aggression.
Listed below are accounts of the encounters from various sources:
It’s getting more difficult to buy into the ‘rarity’ of hostile bear encounters and attacks. Clean BBQ grills, bear ‘proof’ garbage containers and call lines might fool humans into a sense of safety, but ‘Smokey’ the bear’s identity is lost in the reality of the Canadian rural setting.
Live trapping bears might make sense – until they end up in your back yard or mine. If we are going continue with this tool – I hope those involved are getting DNA samples of the bears that are re-released to make sure they are not repeat offenders. It will also give human victims a means to trace who released a potential risk to back to the wild.
At some point, increasing hunting opportunities, in conjunction with a science-based management plan, will need to be considered to start minimizing risks to humans. It could be a tough pill to swallow for anti-hunting groups.
It is more heart breaking for me to see a human become a causality of the ‘business-end’ of a bear.
Consider tuning in to National Geographic’s new, epic fishing shows this summer! Monster Fish and Fish Warrior will hook your attention and will not let it go as the hosts of the shows haul in some huge freshwater fish.
Monster Fish episodes will feature Zeb Hogan on research expeditions to bring awareness to unique freshwater fish that swim the waters of our incredible planet. Watch Monster Fish on Monday nights (10 PM eastern) on the National Geographic channel. This video captured my full attention about Louisiana’s Alligator Gar:
Fish Warrior particularly baited the angler within me. The show’s host is accomplished angler, Jakub Vagner. His fishing adventures will take viewers to remote and exotic locations (across the globe) on quests for large fish. You will see fish and fishing tactics that are not normally seen on other fishing shows. The show will start airing on Monday nights beginning July 26 at 9pm eastern. I loved this “Sneak Peak” video:
Remington has recently released details about a ‘re-genesis’ in the effectiveness of waterfowl shotshells. They call it HyperSonic Steel and this new steel shotshell can launch shot at a deadly 1700 fps.
The increase in velocity speeds should equate to an 8-inch lead distance at 40 yards if you shoot as you normally would. This will help insure that your shot hits more of your flying target’s vital areas.
A patent pending Xelerator Wad is the key behind this breakthrough in firepower. Developers from Remington explain the science this way:
“The primer ignites a small portion of the powder charge captured in the “Ignition Chamber”, this captive charge accelerates the wad and payload forward until the remainder of the powder charge is ignited. The increased volume behind the wad allows for the remainder of the propellant to burn, driving the shot to 1700 fps without causing excessive pressure – all in just a fraction of a millisecond.” Kevin Cross – Remington Researcher
According to the Ontario MNR website, the changes are as follows:
