Archive for April, 2006
The past week has definitely seen a rush of predator attacks on people. We first heard of the Black Bear in Tennessee killing a six year old girl, now we have news of a mountain lion stalking and attacking a seven year old boy in Colorado. The boy was apparently the last in a single-file line of seven other people taking a short hike Saturday at a scenic area of Flagstaff Mountain. Fortunately the the rest of the party aggressively defended the boy against the cougar and chased it off with rocks and sticks before it became fatal. The boy suffered scratches and puncture wounds, but should be alright. Wildlife officials tracked the mountain lion down and ended up killing it.
Here is the full story from the Colorado Fish and Game:
YOUNG BOY ATTACKED BY A MOUNTAIN LION WEST OF BOULDER
A seven-year-old boy was attacked by a mountain lion at approximately 6 p.m. on Saturday at Artist’s Point on Flagstaff Mountain, just west of the Boulder city limits.
The boy was walking hand in hand with his father at the end of a group of six other family members and friends. The attack took place on a trail 30 yards away from the parking lot to the popular scenic overlook. The lion bit the boy in the head and jaw area and also injured the boy’s legs, most likely with its hind paws. The family took the correct action in this very rare type of incident by aggressively fighting the lion with sticks and rocks in an effort to get the lion to release the boy. The boy was taken to the Boulder County Hospital and later transferred to Denver Children’s hospital. The injuries to the child are not considered life threatening.
The DOW officers on scene worked with a houndsman to track the lion with trained dogs. The lion was treed approximately a half mile away from the location where the attack took place. The lion was killed by a DOW officer just after midnight. Due to the proximity of the location of the attack and mountain lion behavior, the DOW officers are confident that this was the lion involved in the attack.
“When an attack such as this occurs, the DOW makes every effort to remove the animal involved,” said Tyler Baskfield, public information specialist with the DOW. “This type of incident is extremely rare, even in this particular area which is considered prime mountain lion habitat and very popular with outdoor recreationists. While such a removal is a very unpleasant task for wildlife officials, due to this lion’s behavior it was killed to prevent anyone else from being injured.”
The female lion will undergo a necropsy later this week to determine if there was any type of injury or disease that would have contributed to its aggressive behavior.
Several nearby residents were alerted to the situation by DOW personnel shortly after the attack. The area was also closed to recreation until after the lion was killed.
There are approximately 5,000 mountain lions in Colorado. There have been two confirmed fatal attacks on humans recorded in the state in the past two decades.
The DOW recommends people take a few simple precautions when in mountain lion habitat in an effort to keep both people and wildlife safe.
* When venturing into mountain lion habitat, go in groups and make plenty of noise in an effort to reduce your chances of surprising a lion. Make sure children are close to and under the supervision of adults. Teach children about mountain lions and what to do if they see one.
Do not approach lions. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give the lion a way to escape.
* Stay calm if you come upon a lion. Talk to it in a firm voice in an effort to demonstrate that you are human and not its regular prey.
* Back away slowly. Running may stimulate a lion’s instinct to chase and attack.
* Face the lion and make an effort to appear as large as possible. Open your jacket or lift objects to appear like a more formidable opponent. Pick up your children.
* If the lion behaves aggressively, throw rocks, sticks or whatever you can pick up, with out turning your back to the lion or bending down.
* If the lion would happen to attack, fight back. Lions have been driven away by prey that fights back. Remain standing and keep attempting to get back up if you are brought to the ground.
April 17th, 2006
Sneak peak of a new record typical mule deer taken by Myra Smith in Sonora Mexico January 2006. See great photos and read the story in an upcoming issue of Hunting Illustrated.
Myra Smith was hunting in Sonora Mexico and came across a mule deer of a lifetime. In fact, for a woman it is a mule deer for the top spot in the record books. Myra’s awesome typical mule deer is the largest taken by a woman. It has just been offically scored by Boone and Crockett at an incredible 213 5/8 gross and 210 2/8 net typical. There were only 3 3/8-inches of deductions. The only thing that could make it even better, is that Myra was wearing her favorite camouflage - King’s Desert Shadow Camo!
You will see more of Myra’s record buck in the pages of Hunting Illustrated.
April 17th, 2006
I was driving in my truck about an hour ago and heard on the radio that a black bear had just killed a six year old girl and injured her two year old brother and mother. They were staying in a park in Tennessee southwest of Great Smoky Mountains National Park when a black bear came out of the woods and snatched up the little boy first. Apparently the mother and others fended off the bear, while the six year old girl ran off. They later found the bear hovering over the dead six year old girl. The boy and mother have injuries, but they should recover.
What a very unfortunate event.
Click here to read the full story
UPDATE: (04/17/06) - There is news now that Wildlife Officials have captured the bear they believe to be the one who killed the girl. The bear has been terminated and is going to the lab for testing for confirmation, disease testing, etc.
UPDATE: (04/19/06) - Oops, wrong bear? Authorities are now wondering if they caught and killed the bear that actually killed the six year old girl. Testing shows no clothing or human remains in the bear’s stomach, but they will continue to do more testing. Meanwhile, a second bear has been caught and kept alive until further evidence. More can be found here.
April 14th, 2006
There was a bear spotted roaming the neighborhoods around Seminole County, Florida over the weekend that had many concerned for their safety. The black bear went through many yards and into garages destroying garbage cans, knocking down bird feeders and even damaging a car.
You can read the full story here and see a slide show of six photos of the bear.
April 14th, 2006
Troy Paxton holding the mount to his great trophy 400 class elk from Utah
I just got back from an opportuntiy to see firsthand another great Utah bull elk from the 2005 season. I have been fortunate to see many of these great bulls this year as I have been travelling around and getting some great photos and heads for our upcoming King’s elk calendar. Troy bagged this very sought after bull on the late season hunt. This perfect 6×6 elk has between 12 and 14 inches of broken tines. The left G-2 browtine is broken in half and the right G-3 has a few inches broken off as well. The matching G-2 tine on the right side is 23-inches long! One of the greatest features is the incredible fourth point, especially on the left side. The left royal (G-4) is 25-inches long.
Look for Troy’s great bull in the upcoming 2007 King’s Bull Elk Calendar coming out later this year.
April 13th, 2006
Todd Munford (Left) and Jeff Bishop with Todd’s Utah Turkey
(click image above for bigger image)
Saturday I got a phone call from Todd and Jeff that Todd bagged his turkey on opening morning of the Utah Turkey hunt. Todd is a Factory Rep here at King’s Outdoor World and drew a tag right here in our backyard so-to-speak and got into the turkeys big time. I was tied up and unable to tag along, but ended up tracking them down later so I could get some good pics. Todd and Jeff (along with Todd’s wife) were all wearing King’s Desert Shadow Camo and it worked awesome in the low to mid-level terrain they were hunting in.
I will now turn it over to Todd and let him give you some details about the hunt:
The 2006 Spring Turkey Hunt in Utah kicked off on Saturday April 8th. This was my first year for putting in and I was fortunate enough to draw a tag. I’ve experienced turkey hunting only through the eyes of other hunters on various hunting shows and was told how intense it is. Watching turkey hinting on TV has never got me real pumped but I am now a true believer in the excitement and Aura of Turkey Hunting.
Throughout the week I scouted an area above my ranch in Central Utah. I was with my good friend Jeff Bishop who is the Art Director for Kings Outdoor World. Our first evening out scouting we lucked out and located a flock. We let out a crow call which acts as a shocker call. The Toms respond. We had some Toms call back and knew this was the area we would hunt.
The area is thick with oak and cedar trees which is untraditional compared to the wooded areas lining fields that I was use to seeing on hunting show. I went to the same area the night befor the opener and set up on a slope across canyon from where we’d heard the Toms the night before. I glassed and listened right up until dark. I located the flock. I saw a big red object in a clearing next to some thick oak trees. After bearing down with my spotting scope I identified object as being the head to a nice Tom. I actually watched the birds fly up into the Cedar Trees right before dark to roost.
I went home and told my wife, Laudi, that I put ‘em to bed. The next morning Laudi and I met Jeff about one hour before sunrise. We hiked up the same slope I glassed from the night before and set up about 150 yards above the roost I’d glassed the night before. Anticipation was so high. We had a Tom and Hen decoy set up on an old logging road above the roost. As the sun started to tinge a little light on the landscape we heard our first Tom of the morning. That gobble from a mature Tom is so distinct and I was so pumped. Jeff is a great caller and has hunted turkey’s many times. It was awesome listening to him communicate with these birds. We heard them fly off their roost and it was game on. We called back and forth and sat very quietly awaiting their arrival. The gobbles were starting to get faint, like the flock was moving away and then we heard a couple of hen s calling. Not a good sign. The Toms had hens with them so were content. Sometimes you will pull a hen into you and the Toms will follow. Not to be this beautiful morning. We decided to leave our stand to try to get ahead of the birds which were on the move. They did not have us at all but were in their natural morning feeding movement. We set up two more times and had a hen come in at about 65 yards but the Toms didn’t show face.
We were about ready to head back to the truck to go have some lunch and come back in the evening to set up near their roosting area, when we heard a gobble about 50 yards below us. We immediately set up under a pinyon pine and started to call. We were all sporting King’s Desert Shadow Camo. It was a perfect stand. The birds were working towards us when out of th3e corner of my eye I saw movement. There stood two nice Toms fully fanned out working up the slope adjacent to our stand. I signaled to Jeff and Laudi that I was going to make a move on them. I had pretty good cover between me and the birds. Jeff kept calling to keep them interested as I snuck in on them. I got about 30 yards from them and decided not to take one. It was still early in the hunt and I wanted Mr. Longbeard. The Toms I was looking at had about 3” birds. Then I decided, no way I’m not passing them up. I looked back up and they were gone. I wanted to kick myself for not taking the shot. I crawled over to where I had last seen them. Gone. All of a sudden I looked below me about 50 yards. There stood another Tom, full strut, full fan and I was on it. I snuck down closer behind some Larb bushes. In the meantime I looked up to where I had crawled from and there stood the first two Toms, I had birds everywhere. I remained motionless. None of them had me. Yeah! Desert Shadow. I got to me knees and squeezed the trigger on my Remington 870. I was using 3” 4 shot. The Tom went right down. Next thing I knew two other Toms and three Hens converged around my Tom who was down. Jeff and Laudi had heard the shot and were on my bird before I was. There were turkeys flying everywhere.
My Tom measured in with a 3 ½” beard. We guessed it to be a two year old bird. I was so happy and was even more delighted that I was able to share my first turkey hunt with my wife Laudi and good friend Jeff Bishop. Now as I watch turkey hunting on TV I am much more psyched than ever before. It is a wonderful hunt. Hats off to the Turkey Federation and all those volunteers that have made turkey hunting in Utah very viable. I put it up there with bugling in Big Bullies and can’t wait until I draw out again.
We love to hunt!!!
Todd Munford
April 11th, 2006
I have some good news to report about the latest happenings here at King’s Outdoor World. For all of you who have been waiting patiently for the next issue of Hunting Illustrated to arrive, it is coming soon. The issue will be printed on Tuesday the 11th and will be sent out hopefully by Friday at the soonest. That means that most of you will be seeing it at your doorstep within the next two weeks. Because of the delay on this issue, we are going to be sending out the following issue, the Best of 2005, shortly after. It will come out next month in May. This will help us get back on track and closer to our normal schedule.
Things are happening and I am excited about finally moving forward and getting some good things going and accomplished.
April 8th, 2006
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