Lagan, Leveret Win Smallbore Pistol Selection Match

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado After two days of intense competition plus Finals today, the champions of the Smallbore (.22) Pistol Selection Match have been crowned in Women’s Sport Pistol, Men’s Rapid Fire Pistol and P3 (Mixed 25m Pistol SH1) at the Olympic Shooting Center in Colorado Springs.

Winning the Women’s Sport Pistol competition even before today’s Final with her cumulative score of 1167 was recent Championship of the Americas gold medalist Alexis Lagan (Boulder City, Nevada). Finishing in second place with a cumulative score of 1153 was 2012 Olympian Sandra Uptagrafft(Phenix City, Alabama) and taking bronze was 2018 World Championship Junior silver medalist Katelyn Abeln(Douglasville, Georgia) with a score of 1144.

In Men’s Rapid Fire Pistol, Jack Leverett III (Bainbridge, Georgia) also had his win sealed up before the Final with his dominating cumulative score of 1155. Henry Leverett (Bainbridge, Georgia) took silver with his score of 1141 and Ryan Yi (Diamond Bar, California) won bronze with a score of 1095. Cumulative scores for these events were based on two days of Qualification plus points earned by position in the Final (Eight points for first, seven for second and so on).

This event served as the selection match for the upcoming International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup next year in New Delhi, India. The 2019 World Cup season is of particular importance as each stop will have valuable Olympic quota places available to the top finishers. An Olympic quota is essentially a country’s ticket to participate in a specific event in the 2020 Olympic Games. Earning an Olympic quota in competition ensures the country a spot in that particular event, not necessarily the athlete. Athletes will earn Olympic Team slots via a trials system established by USA Shooting.

Women's Sport Pistol medalists (Left to right: Uptagrafft, Lagan and Abeln)

Paralympic athletes also competed at this match as it served as the selection matches for the World Shooting Para Sport (WSPS, formerly IPC) World Cup in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates early next year and Szczecin (Poland) Grand Prix, as well as part of the selection process for the World Cup in Osijek, Croatia. The World Cup in Al Ain will have 2020 Paralympic Games qualification slots available for top-finishing athletes (similar to quotas in the Olympic Games).

The top finisher in P3 (Mixed 25m Pistol SH1) was Marco DeLaRosa (San Antonio, Texas) with a score of 1080. Michael Tagliapietra (Fond du Lac, Wisconsin) won the silver medal with a score of 1077 and Tricia Downing (Denver, Colorado) won bronze with a score of 1055. These three athletes were all a part of the 2016 Paralympic Games Team and their scores were based only on two days of Qualification.

Complete Results from the Smallbore Pistol Selection Match

About USA Shooting: USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting's mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

Federal Premium, headquartered in Anoka, MN, is a brand of Vista Outdoor Inc., an outdoor sports and recreation company. From humble beginnings nestled among the lakes and woods of Minnesota, Federal Premium Ammunition has evolved into one of the world's largest producers of sporting ammunition. Beginning in 1922, founding president, Charles L. Horn, paved the way for our success. Today, Federal carries on Horn's vision for quality products and service with the next generation of outdoorsmen and women. We maintain our position as experts in the science of ammunition production. Every day we manufacture products to enhance our customers' shooting experience while partnering with the conservation organizations that protect and support our outdoor heritage. We offer thousands of options in our Federal Premium and Federal® lines-it's what makes us the most complete ammunition company in the business and provides our customers with a choice no matter their pursuit. Source: Federal Premium Media Press Release 

Pennsylvania: Preliminary Statewide 2018 Bear Harvest Results

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Hunters during the final day of Pennsylvania’s statewide bear season harvested 365 bears, raising the 2018 statewide season harvest to 1,993 – a 10 percent increase compared to the 1,796 taken during the four days of the statewide season in 2017.

Hunters took more bears on the season’s last day than on the third day – 211. On the season’s second day, hunters took 381 bears.

Archery and other early-bear season harvest data is not included in this report. Comprehensive bear harvest totals that include bears taken during the early and extended seasons will be released in the coming months.

During the statewide season, bears were harvested in 55 counties.

The top 10 bears processed at check stations were either estimated or confirmed to have live weights of 600 pounds or more.

The largest bear harvested was a 780-pound male taken with a rifle Nov. 19 by Michael J. Rubeo, of Mercer, in Howe Township, Forest County.

A day later, a 708-pound male was taken by Timothy J. Weaver, of Dallas, Pa., with a rifle in Harvey’s Lake Borough, Luzerne County.

Other large bears taken over the season’s first two days – all but one taken with a rifle – include: a 704-pound male taken Nov. 17 in Goshen Township, Clearfield County, by Mickey L. Moore, of Clearfield; a 697-pound male taken Nov. 19 in Chapman Township, Clinton County, by Scott Yorty, of Bloomsburg; a 681-pounder taken Nov. 17 in Coal Township, Northumberland County, by Robert L. Britton III, of Coal Township; a 680-pounder taken Nov. 19 in Chest Township, Clearfield County, by Douglas D. Routch, of Curwensville; a 679-pound male taken with a handgun Nov. 17 in Farmington Township, Warren County, by Jordan Tutmaher, of Warren; a 666-pound male taken Nov. 20 in Snyder Township, Jefferson County, by Earl F. Timothy, of Brockway; a 627-pound male taken Nov. 19 in Snyder Township, Jefferson County, by Wayne C. Kline, of Reynoldsville; and a 623-pound male taken Nov. 17 in Newport Township, Luzerne County, by Corrina M. Kishbaugh, of Nanticoke.

More bears are yet to be taken in extended seasons in many Wildlife Management Units. The overall 2017 bear harvest was 3,438, the ninth-largest in state history. In 2016, hunters took a total of 3,529 bears – the fifth-largest harvest all time. The largest harvest – 4,350 bears – happened in 2011, when preliminary statewide season totals numbered 3,154.

Source: Pennsylvania Fish and Game Media Press Release

Online Registration Shows Deer Hunters Had Best Year Since 2002

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

AUGUSTA, Maine - With the regular firearms season for deer including on Saturday, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s new online registration system showed that deer hunters had a very good year in Maine, likely the best in over 15 years.

The numbers are still preliminary, but as of this Monday, November 26, hunters in Maine had taken 30,299 deer, the most since 2004 when the deer kill was 30,926. With the muzzleloading season beginning Monday throughout the state, it is likely the 2018 deer kill will surpass that 2004 total, but will fall short of the 38,153 deer taken in 2002.

“With rain the first two Saturdays, the deer harvest was lower than expected,” said MDIFW Deer Biologist Nathan Bieber. “However, better hunting conditions including tracking snow throughout the state for the last two weeks of the season compensated for the slow start.”

With the new online registration system, MDIFW biologists monitored the season and harvest. While the number of deer taken the first two Saturdays was close to 2,000 deer lower in 2018 compared to 2017, the last two Saturdays of the season showed the exact opposite, with hunters taking a little over 2,000 deer more than 2017. Weekday totals the last week and a half of the season were higher than last year as well.

MDIFW biologists expected to see a higher deer kill this season due to the increase in the number of any deer permits issued. A total of 84,745 any-deer permits were issued in 22 of the state’s 29 wildlife management districts, an increase of 28% from the previous year. One reason for the permit increase is that the 2017-18 winter was more moderate in central and southern Maine, while up north the winter was a little more severe than years past. 

Deer hunting in Maine provides many Maine families with wild game meat that is high in nutrition, sustainable, free range, and organic. On average, a 150-pound field dressed deer will provide close to 70 pounds of meat. It is estimated that this year’s deer kill will provide over 1.5 million pounds of meat to hunters and their families.

The department manages white-tailed deer through regulated hunting, and manages the deer population in parts of the state to limit vehicle crashes, reduce instances of lyme disease and reduce property damage complaints. In other areas of the state, the department manages the deer population to increase opportunities for hunting and viewing.

Deer seasons began the Saturday after Labor Day and will continue until December 8. These structured seasons, along with controlling the harvest of female deer in the 29 wildlife management districts across the state through the Any Deer permit system, allows biologists to manage deer population trends.

Killington , VT. again hosts world’s best women ski racers this weekend

File photo by Bob LoCicero /VTDigger

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Killington, VT again hosts world’s best women ski racers this weekend.

Women’s World Cup ski racing returns to Killington Ski Resort for the third consecutive year this weekend with a crowd of about 40,000 spectators expected to attend.

The Killington event — which attracts the best women’s alpine racers in the world — is the third stop on the International Ski Federation’s women’s circuit, following events in Austria and Finland.

Top skiers from the U.S., Switzerland, Norway, Germany, France and Canada are expected along with spectators from around the globe.

Last year, a crowd of 34,000 spectators descended on Killington, but communications director Courtney DiFiore says that with the presence of live music and the overall festive feeling of the event a turnout of around 40,000 is more likely.

All eyes will be on 23-year-old Mikaela Shiffrin, who learned to ski at Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont, and has become arguably the most dominant female skier on the planet.

Last year, Shiffrin celebrated a first-place slalom race performance and a second-place finish in the giant slalom discipline at Killington.

She will be looking to build on that strong performance in what has been billed as a homecoming for the ski racer.

Killington has been hard at work preparing for this premier ski event, with employees making snow nearly around the clock since Oct. 1, DiFiore said.

In addition to the man-made snow operation, Killington has also received an early winter gift this year in the form of more than 30 inches of natural snow.

The giant slalom race is slated to start at 9:45 a.m. Saturday and continue into the early afternoon. On Sunday, the slalom race will get going at 10 a.m. Further details on the Word Cup event can be found here.

Source: Kit Norton VT. Digger

Early Ice Safety Tips

Connecticut Bobcat Information....

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

4 E-Mails on todays program on trappers catching Bobcats in Connecticut.

NO Trapping Season  !

 I think we will find there is more Bobcats in Connecticut than last year.

Connecticut Bobcat Project

The DEEP Wildlife Division initiated a bobcat study in 2017 to investigate bobcat habitat use in different housing densities in Connecticut. Biologists want to determine how the state's bobcats meet their needs in both rural and suburban areas, as well as how successful bobcats are at reproduction and survival.

Methods: With the assistance of local trappers, the Wildlife Division live-trapped bobcats from fall 2017 into early winter 2018. All live-trapped bobcats were marked with yellow ear tags and 50 were fitted with GPS (Global Positioning System) collars. Biologists also collected important data from each bobcat, including weight, age, and sex.

Telemetry and GPS Collars: Radio telemetry is a valuable tool that allows biologists to track animals from a distance. In general, biologists are able answer questions related to the location, dispersal, migration, activity patterns, and home range of the target animal.

Inside the Stomach: To help determine the diet of bobcats, biologists are collecting road-killed bobcats so the stomach contents can be examined.

Anyone who finds a ROAD-KILLED BOBCAT is urged to call the Wildlife Division at 860-424-3011 and provide location details. (Please DO NOT report sightings of live bobcats at this number -- see below on how to report sightings.) To ensure the bobcat carcass remains until DEEP staff are able to collect it, we additionally ask (if the situation is SAFE) that you move the bobcat further from the road and cover it with branches or a bag.

NEW! The DEEP Wildlife Division Needs Your Help! GPS collars like this one have been placed on 50 bobcats throughout Connecticut to collect important data. All of the collars are programmed to automatically detach from the bobcats on August 1, 2018, and DEEP is asking state residents to contact the agency if they find one of these collars. Wildlife Division staff will be working diligently to recover the collars (which will still be transmitting signals) from throughout the state. If anyone happens to find a collar in their yard or while walking in the woods, please contact the Wildlife Division at 860-424-3045 or deep.ctwildlife@ct.gov, and we will make arrangements to retrieve it from you.

Make your own Suet !

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

With this vegetarian version of suet (traditionally it's made from rendered animal fat) you can provide the perfect winter substitute for birds that normally feast on insects. This lipid-rich treat can help prepare year-round residents for the long winter and is quite the draw for birds such as woodpeckers, wrens, chickadees, nuthatches, and titmice. Check out this recipe, inspired by "The Misfit Baker" blog.

Materials:

• 1 1/2 cups shortening (look for palm oil free options)

• 3/4 cups nut butter (any kind)

• 3 1/2 cups wild bird seed

• 1 cup quick oats

• 1/2 cup corn meal

• Ice cube tray

Steps:

1. Mix the dry ingredients of bird seed, oats, and corn meal together and set aside.

2. Combine the shortening and nut butter in a separate bowl and melt. Stir until completely combined.

3. Pour the melted mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until combined.

4. Spoon mixture into the ice cube tray. 

5. Freeze for one to two hours and place in your suet feeder!

Source: Audubon Society Tips !