King’s Outdoor World Blog

Due to the heavy amount of comments that have been coming in lately, I have posted some comment guidelines. There are only three (so far) and they are:

1. If you include swear words/vulgar language, your comment will be deleted
2. If you attack somebody personally, your comment will also be deleted
3. If you have something beneficial to add, please carry on…Thanks!

If you want to rant and rave and include a bunch of derogatory remarks then go find a message board or start your own blog. I am looking for comments that actually add something to the post. Many of you have great things to say and comments that I think add to the information that is posted here. However, I will not tolerate bad language or personal attacks. My seven and ten year old daughters like to read my blog. Therefore, keep it appropriate.

Thanks to everyone who visit regularly and to the many new readers that are added each day.

This is actually a very tough one to report on. A New York father and son were elk hunting in Colorado this last week. The sling that was carrying the son’s rifle broke and as the son went to grab his rifle as it fell he accidently grabbed the trigger. The bullet hit the father and killed him instantly. My heart goes out to the family.

Link: Story

I received this press release and thought I would pass it along. There are a lot of promotions and prizes for the outdoor enthusiast to enter in and take advantage of. Here is a good one that the Outdoor Channel has put together and is giving away several high-end products including a Suzuki Grand Vitara, two Suzuki King Quad 700’s, his and hers bows from Bowtech, a Camp Chef Big Gas Grill, Scent Lok Camo BaseSlayers Gear, Eastman Outfitter Pro 360 Hunting Blind, a Buck Roar, Shot Gun Rests, Steal Blade Arrows and more.

Here is the official press release with more information and where to go to enter:

If you want to get right to it here is a direct link.

NEWS RELEASE
THE OUTDOOR CHANNELäGIVES VIEWERS A CHANCE TO “GEAR UP THEIR GARAGE”

WIN A HUNTER’S DREAM GARAGE FULL OF PRIZES!

The Outdoor Channel, the #1 supplier of outdoor lifestyle content, today announced the start of the “Gear Up Your Garage” promotion– an exciting new sweepstakes giving viewers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to win the products, goods and vehicles to fill the “garage of their dreams.”

Hunting, one of the most popular outdoor activities featured on TOC, has been chosen as the inaugural theme for this special promotion.

Regarding the “Gear Up Your Garage” promotion, Denise Conroy-Galley, VP of Marketing & Research for The Outdoor Channel, remarked, “Hunters are some of the most passionate outdoor enthusiasts, and we know that they are obsessed with all of the latest and greatest gear. Together with our sponsors, we’re glad to give outdoorsmen the opportunity to win the garage of their dreams this hunting season.”

The lucky winner of the “Gear Up Your Garage” package will be awarded a garage full of prizes, including a Suzuki Grand Vitara and two Suzuki King Quad 700’s. Other key sponsors for the hunting package include BowTech and Prestone.

This will be the first of three seasonal themes to be showcased in the “Gear Up Your Garage” promotion. Additional themed phases of the promotion will be launched in January and Spring 2007.

Consumers are invited to visit www.outdoorchannel.com to enter the sweepstakes and learn more. Once there, visitors will also have the chance to play a hunting-themed video game (a game of chance, not skill) which will give them the chance to win a variety of prizes.

For more information about the “Gear Up Your Garage” promotion or The Outdoor Channel, please visit the website at: www.outdoorchannel.com.

Fourteen year old Megan Kay was hunting in her home state of Iowa looking to bag her first buck. Seeing a small buck come out of the clearing Megan needing two shots and some coaxing from her father to lock down here first buck. However, as they started to approach the downed deer, things didn’t quite look like the expected whitetail buck they expected.

Megan’s deer ended up being a young mule deer buck. Apparently a mule deer that had migrated from either Nebraska or South Dakota. Now if we could just keep them going east. Wouldn’t it be nice to have mule deer actually encroaching upon whitetail country for a change?

Link: Teen’s first deer actually a mule deer

I would like to officially invite you all to the Western Hunting Expo. The Hunting Expo will be held January 17 – 20, 2007 in the Salt Palace Convention Center, downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. We here at King’s Outdoor World have come on as a major sponsorship to this convention. We think it will be a great opportunity to all who attend to have a chance at drawing a special limited entry tag. Here is some basic information about the Expo. If your questions are not all answered, simply follow the link at the bottom and you can find more information at the official expo web site. See you there.

The 2007 Expo has all the potential to be a HUGE success for sportsmen and wildlife for those – who love to hunt Mule Deer, Elk, Moose, Mountain Goats, Bighorn Sheep, Desert Bighorn Sheep, Stone Sheep, Dall Sheep, antelope, turkey, cougar and bear in the western United States, Canada and Mexico.

There is something for everyone:

- 200 of the worlds best elk, deer, sheep, moose, goat, bison, cougar, bear and antelope permits to draw
- 550 Exhibitors providing the worlds best hunting products and hunting guides and outfitters
- Over 100 of the worlds best Auction permits
- Free Seminars from world renowned sportsmen and entertainers
- Friday night concert with Jeff Foxworthy and Montgomery Gentry
- Provide 10 Awesome Hunts for Heros – dream hunts for our combat veterans
- Look at some of the best animals and taxidermy every taken
- See lots of fellow sportsmen

The Exhibit Hall entry fees are family friendly. They are $20 per day per person, or $25 for the 4 day pass. The fees are $25 for a family of four for the day.

In December, sportsmen can pick up a 2 for 1 (two people in for $20 a day) pass at Cabela’s and Sportsmen’s Warehouse stores.

But perhaps, most importantly, the Three Conservation Organizatoins, MDF, SFH, and FNAWS AND our Major sponsors – King’s Outdoor World, Cabela’s, Sportsmen’s Warehouse, Toyota Dealers of Utah, and others – have a clear track record of working to see increased herds of elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, moose, goats and other species. The funds raised at this expo will go to invest in habitat, predator management, transplanting new herds, and other conservation activities to provide for phenomenal hunting opportunities in the future.

By uniting as sportsmen, like never before, it will give us the opportunity to address future issues like fencing highways, providing wildlife under or over passes, returning management of grizzly and wolves to the states, and the continued restoration of mule deer and elk habitat on the western united states public lands.

A lot of the 200 premium permits being offered at the Expo, are the direct investment of tens of millions of dollars in habitat, predator control, transplants and management by the sponsor organizations. Frankly speaking, without these groups, there would be a lot less hunting, and a lot less quality than is found today.

Become part of the team to keep hunting great for future generations. For further info look at www.huntexpo.com

I was reading the local paper on Sunday and read about the opening day of the deer hunt here in Utah. There was an article that talked about some of the success that happened on opening morning of the rifle hunt. Here is an excerpt from that article:

As of 1 p.m. on Saturday, hunters checking in at the Division of Wildlife Resources checkpoint in Spanish Fork Canyon had taken 12 deer, all but one mature, said Hadley [Mark Hadley of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources] . The information was reported by Scott Root of the Springville office of the DWR, who manage the checkpoint.

“Only one was a yearling, born in the spring of 2005,” Hadley said, “The other 11 were at least two-and-a-half years old, and most of the animals were three point or better.”

Hunters are happy to find mature animals because they are usually larger, he said.

I kind of had to do a double take, but did the Utah DWR just state that a 2 1/2 year old buck is considered a mature buck? What do you consider a mature buck?

A lot of hunters are going to be starting their rifle hunts shortly and the Colorado Fish and Game is sending out this press release to help spread the word about safety and making sure you know that what you are shooting is what you have a tag for.

HUNTERS CAUTIONED: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET

The Colorado Division of Wildlife cautions big-game hunters to always be sure of their targets, to be aware of the different types of animals that are in various habitats and to know what might be behind their targets.

The rifle season for big game starts Oct. 14 and a variety of big- and small-game seasons continue through December.

“If you are in doubt about what you’re looking at, or if you’re not sure what’s beyond the target, don’t shoot,” said Tony Gurzick, southwest assistant regional manager for the DOW, “When you’re firing a rifle, a mistake can have serious consequences.”

Hunters should not rely only on their rifle scopes. Use binoculars to scan areas and to get a positive identification of animals that can’t be seen clearly.

Before pulling the trigger, big game hunters must be certain to be shooting at an animal that is legal to kill. Hunters with cow elk tags must be careful not to shoot a spike bull. It is illegal to kill yearling males. But because the small, slender spikes can be difficult to see, these young bulls often are mistaken for cows. It is illegal to shoot a spike bull. In most units, for a bull to be legal, the elk’s rack must show at least four points on one side or one brow tine that is at least five inches long.

Look carefully before shooting at animals standing in a bunch. A bullet fired from a high-powered rifle can continue through one animal and hit another.

Hunters also are cautioned not to mistake a moose for an elk.

Be aware that lynx now live throughout Colorado’s mountain areas and are listed as a threatened species. Killing a lynx could result in a serious fine and possible jail time.

Lynx look similar to bobcats. The season for bobcats starts on Dec. 1.

“Be sure to look closely at whatever kind of small game you are hunting. Lynx are often confused with bobcats,” Gurzick said. “If you are shooting at a coyote, be absolutely certain that it’s a coyote.”

In late September, the DOW received a credible report about a possible sighting of three grizzly bears near Independence Pass. Colorado bear licenses are for black bears only. Grizzly bears are an endangered species.

Besides being aware of the variety of animals in the woods, hunters also must be sure that they aren’t shooting towards any buildings. More and more homes are being built in remote areas and many of them are well hidden.

Domestic livestock also are present throughout Colorado.

“A shot from a rifle can be lethal from more than a mile, so study your hunting area to know what’s there,” Gurzick said.