Waitsfield, VT – A 41-year old sportsman from Virginia is the lucky winner of a Vermont lifetime hunting and fishing license.

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department held its annual License of a “Lifetime Lottery” at the December 14th meeting of the Fish and Wildlife Board in Montpelier. A lifetime hunting and fishing license is awarded to one person per year.

John Malone of Waterford, Virginia won the license in a drawing of 625 lottery tickets.

“The License of a Lifetime Lottery gives anyone, resident or nonresident, an opportunity to win a Vermont hunting and fishing license that is good for the rest of their life,” said Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Patrick Berry. “Even if you don’t win the license, it is a good feeling to know you have contributed to fish and wildlife conservation in Vermont.”

You can enter Vermont’s License of a Lifetime Lottery by purchasing a $2.00 ticket available where Vermont hunting and fishing licenses are sold and from the Fish & Wildlife Department. Contact Fish & Wildlife by calling 802-241-3700 or by emailing fwinformation@state.vt.us. For more information on hunting and fishing in Vermont, go to their website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com).

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Virginia Man Wins Vermont’s Lifetime Hunting and Fishing License Lottery

Charles City, Va. – Quail hunters and conservationists in eastern Virginia have formed the state’s newest Quail Forever chapter. The Colonial Quail Forever Chapter is committed to creating and improving habitat for bobwhite quail and other wildlife, and providing youth an opportunity to experience the outdoors.

Quail Forever is the quail conservation division of the national Pheasants Forever organization. Pheasants Forever launched Quail Forever in 2005 to address the continuing loss of habitat suitable for quail and the subsequent quail population decline. “If you have habitat, the rest will fall into place,” says Briscoe White, the Colonial chapter’s newly elected president. White, who is a Virginia native, a conservationist, and owner of The Grower’s Exchange, an online greenhouse, notes, “I have been a Pheasants Forever supporter for years, and after noticing the resurgence of quail in certain areas, we knew that the time was right to reinvest efforts in Virginia’s quail population and boost the numbers back to historical highs.”

Less than a month old, the chapter has set a persuasive goal of converting fringe utility grass and forest lands into suitable quail habitat. “There is a significant amount of land throughout Virginia that we would like to see rehabilitated for habitat use,” notes White, “Quail are near and dear to the hearts of Virginians, and we are looking forward to working with our community to once again build adequate quail numbers for years to come.”

“Although Virginia quail have seen tough times in the past, there is a feeling of optimism throughout the state’s hunting community,” says Charlie Payne, Quail Forever’s Regional Wildlife Biologist in Virginia, “Both private land owners and state organizations, like the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, are becoming driving forces in quail management and are making great strides in providing ample opportunity for quail to regain a foothold in the Virginia countryside.”

Colonial Quail Forever Chapter

• The Colonial chapter has also elected James A. Tyler Jr. of Charles City as Treasurer, David S. Hennaman III of Lanexa as Habitat Chair, and Philip Innes of Richmond as Youth/Education Chair.
• For more information about the Colonial chapter, including upcoming meetings and events, email Briscoe White. The chapter’s first meeting will be announced shortly on Virginia Quail Forever’s Facebook page.

For more information on “The Habitat Organization” in Virginia or how to start a Quail Forever chapter in your community, contact Charlie Payne, Quail Forever’s Regional Wildlife Biologist, at (614) 632-8393 / Email Charlie. For all other information, contact Rehan Nana, Public Relation Specialist for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, at (651) 209-4973 / Email Rehan.

Pheasants Forever, including its quail conservation division, Quail Forever, is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have more than 130,000 members and 700 local chapters across the United States and Canada. Chapters are empowered to determine how 100 percent of their locally raised conservation funds are spent, the only national conservation organization that operates through this truly grassroots structure.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Virginia’s Charles City Home to New Quail Forever Chapter

FAIRFAX, VA- NRA’s Women’s Programs is excited to announce that Prois Hunting & Field Apparel has signed on to support the Women On Target® Hunting Programs and the Women’s Wilderness Escape. This partnership combines the best in hunting and shooting attire designed specifically for women with the best in women’s shooting and hunting programs.

“Working with the NRA is great, we believe in their programs and what they do for women,” said Kirstie Pike, CEO of Prois. “NRA acknowledges that there are a lot of women out there looking to get involved in the shooting and hunting arenas.”

Based in Gunnison, Colorado, Prois features a line of performance and athletic hunting and shooting apparel for women. Made in the USA, Prios uses the latest materials and technology to provide their customers with the best in fit, style and function. Since their launch in 2008, female hunters and shooters have consistently turned to Prios to outfit themselves while afield.

“Our fabrics and features are what set us apart,” Pike said, noting that the fabrics Prois uses are a step above what women typically expect in traditional hunting attire.

As part of the agreement, Prois will supply gear for Women On Target’s® Field Hunt Coordinators based on terrain, season, and species being hunted. They will also provide items for participants of the 2011 Women’s Wilderness Escape this fall.

“We’re thrilled to have Prois as the official sponsor for the Women On Target® Hunting Programs and to have them join our industry partners in supporting the Women’s Wilderness Escape events,” said Women On Target® Hunt Program Coordinator Ann Marie Foster. “The quality and flattering design of their apparel is top -notch.”

Foster added that ladies can now get to the Prois’ website directly from the Women On Target® Hunting Program and Women’s Wilderness Escape websites.

“We wanted to make it as convenient as possible for our ladies to browse over quality gear for their next Women On Target® hunting excursion or shooting adventure, and Prois has made it easy to do just that!” Foster said.

To learn more about Prois Hunting and Field Apparel, visit www.proishunting.com. For more information on NRA Women’s Programs, visit www.nrawomen.org or call 1 (800) 861-1166.

Contact:
Kerrin Brinkman
kbrinkman@nrahq.org or (703) 267-1595

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Prois Hunting & Field Apparel Partners with NRA Women’s Programs

McLean, Virginia -FNH USA is kicking off the summer shooting season with a promotion that will put a smile on your face and plenty of free ammunition in your magazines! When you buy selected models of FN rifles, pistols and carbines between June 27 and August 31, 2011, FNH USA will reimburse you up to $150.00 for ammunition purchased at the same time from the same dealer.

It’s really that simple! Buy a new FN FNAR rifle, an FN SCAR™ 16S carbine or an FN FS2000 carbine and you’ll be reimbursed for up to a $100.00 in free ammo. Buy BOTH a new FN PS90 carbine AND a new FN Five-seveN® pistol and you’ll get up to $150.00 in free ammo. Today’s high price of ammo is no longer an excuse not to add that great FN firearm you’ve been wanting to add to your gun collection today.

Remember, this is a very limited time offer so don’t delay. Check out these great FN guns at your local FNH USA dealer today. Visit www.fnhusa.com/le/locate.asp to find an FNH USA retail dealer near you and www.fnhusa.com/ammodeal for full promotion information and rebate forms.

FNH USA is the sales and marketing arm of FN Herstal, S.A., Belgium. Its corporate mission is to expand its global leadership position in defense, law enforcement and commercial markets by delivering superior products and the finest in training and logistical support.

Contact:
Tes Salb 703.288.3500 X 125 or tess@fnhusa.com

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Buy a New FN Firearm and FN Will Buy Your Ammo

The Virginia Museum of Natural History’s new “Living Off the Land” exhibit will show the many ways in which humans depend on nature. The exhibit will include information about Virginia’s wildlife, modern and ancient hunting and fishing methods, and the evolution of the rifle.

VMNH staff members, educators and scientists developed the exhibit in partnership with the NWTF. It will be open from June 4 until Jan. 14, 2012. NWTF members will receive discounts on VMNH museum admission and in the museum’s gift shop. NWTF merchandise will be available for purchase during the course of the exhibit.

The “Living Off the Land” exhibit will include several fascinating elements, such as a collection of trophy deer mounts, a large collection of firearms, information and displays highlighting fishing, hunting, and other outdoor activities in Virginia. The NWTF, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Orvis and other individuals and organizations loaned items for the exhibit.

All NWTF members are invited to attend a reception to honor the opening of the exhibit from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. on June 2. If you plan on attending the reception please RSVP to charlotte.harter@vmnh.virginia.gov by May 31.

Opening Reception
June 2, 2011
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Virginia Museum of Natural History
Great Hall
21 Starling Avenue
Martinsville, VA 24112
(276) 634-4141
information@vmnh.virginia.gov

NWTF chapters are also able to schedule a behind the scenes group tour. Contact Ryan Barber at (276) 634 4141 for more information.

The museum is also hosting a “Live Off The Land” Festival from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on June 4. Click here for more information on the festival.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - NWTF Partners with Virginia Museum of Natural History for New Exhibit

This is a warning to outdoor users about a potentially deadly biological event that could result from one’s curiosity to poke at and kick through scat from wolves, coyotes and foxes. Of course not everyone knowingly does this but many hunters, trappers and simply the curious, want to know what these animals have been eating.

Back in the end of November I gave you a link to a story, “Of Wolves and Worms”. That story introduced many of us to the subject of worms being found in wolves in the Greater Yellowstone area.

According to a new study out in the October issue of the Journal of Wildlife Diseases, three-millimeter-long tapeworms known as Echinococcus granulosus, are documented for the first time in gray wolves in Idaho and Montana. And the authors didn’t just find a few tapeworms here and there… turns out that of 123 wolf intestines sampled, 62 percent of the Idaho gray wolves and 63 percent of the Montana gray wolves were positive. (Ew!) The researchers wrote: “The detection of thousands of tapeworms per wolf was a common finding.” (Again… Ew!!) This leads to the interpretation that the E. granulosus parasite rate is fairly widespread and established in the Northern Rocky Mountain wolves.

There is discussion about how some think the worms ended up in the wolves in this region but the article tends to downplay any serious concerns people should have from coming in contact with these tapeworms and the eggs they leave behind.

In the comments section of the article, Will Graves, author of the book “Wolves in Russia: Anxiety Through the Ages“, left his thoughts on his own research discoveries about the dangers to humans of these parasites.

In the first paragraph in my letter to Mr. Bangs dated 3 October 1993 on the DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact Statement) which was titled “The Reintroduction of Gray Wolves to Yellowstone National Park and Central Idaho,” I warned about the damages and problems wolves would cause to Yellowstone and other areas by carrying and spreading parasites and diseases over larger areas. Some of these parasites are damaging not only to wild and domestic animals, but can also be dangerous to humans. One of these parasites is Echinococcous Granulosus and Echinococcus M. Since 1993 I have been working to tell people what I have learned from about 50 years of research on the characteristics, habits and behavior of Russian wolves. From that research I came to the conclusion that one of the most serious consequences of bring wolves into the US would be the wolves carrying and spreading around damaging/dangerous parasites and diseases. I did my best to explain this in my book titled, “Wolves in Russia – Anxiety Through the Ages” edited by Dr. Valerius Geist. Details about my book are in my web site: wolvesinrussia.com.

After several years effort, I finally recently obtained help from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Parasitic Research Center in Beltsville, MD. This research center will try to conduct research on the blood taken from wolves in our western states. Oneparasite they will be researching is to determine if wolves carry and spread the parasite Neospora Caninum around. It is established that coyotes and dogs carry this damaging parasite.

I remember that about two years ago there was a report about one wolf carrying Echinococcus Granulosus in Montana.

Much more research is needed about the danger wolves bring to our environment. Some of the parasites carried by wolves are dangerous to humans.(emphasis added)

Around this same time that Will Graves posted his comments, he contacted me by email and asked if I could somehow be of assistance to him in obtaining blood samples from wolves taken during the Idaho and Montana wolf hunts. The word went out quickly and hopefullyGraves gets what he needs to help him in his research. This can become extremely valuable information for all of us.

In the meantime, Dr. Valerius Geist, professor emeritus University of Calgary and Dr. Charles Kay, of Utah State University, who holds degrees in wildlife ecology, environmental studies and wildlife biology, exchanged thoughts on the discovery of worms in Yellowstone wolves in emails I received.

Well, Charles? What else is new? What did we warn about, how we were censored as alarmists………………………
And yes, a colleague assured us that all that is not a problem for us, but for some native types. Nothing to worry about, really. Remember how, early on, we put out a warning – do not kick dry wolf feces or poke about in such looking for evidence of food habits. Do not handle wolf feces as it will disturb the tiny Echinococcus eggs that float up like little dust cloud to envelop you, and you are very likely to ingest some of that “dust”. This know-how, which we older Canadian types carried away from our parasitogy lessons was poo-hood by some American colleagues. Wolves are after all, harmless! Remember the question we posed: is it really such a great idea completing ecosystems when the progression is herbivores, carnivores, finally diseases and parasites?

It is not my intention nor that of Drs. Geist and Kay to attempt to instill unnecessary fear in people but to educate, as it was back in the day before wolf reintroduction. There are very important lessons and warnings that all should heed and take into consideration when in the woods or maybe even in your own back yard.

Dr. Geist emailed me the other day and asked me if I would be kind enough to post this information so that anyone and everyone will be aware of the potential for some very serious health issues.

Urgent: could you make a point of it that now, that we know that the majority of wolves are infected with Echinococcus, that all hunters control their curiosity and not poke about in wolf or coyote feces to find out what these predators ate. these feces are saturated with tiny, lightweight Echinococcus eggs that rise like dust plume from the disturbed feces and envelop the poking hunter. If the air-born eggs are ingested, the an infection is possible, and having Echinococcus cysts grow inside oneself is not a desirable condition. Trust me!

He followed that up with more information about the dangers.

As to the pathogenicity of Echinococcus granulosus: Yes, I noticed that Foayt, leaning on Raup’s research in Alaska, toned down the dangers from this northern form. My understanding based on what we learned from an old, experienced parasitologist at the University of British Columbia is that it’s nothing to fool around with. It’s serious! In my career as a biologist in touch with the north, I have heard nothing else. I have not, however, done a recent literature search. Foayte’s assessment may be on even though it conflicts with mine. Either way, getting an Echinococcus cyst of any kind is no laughing matter as it can grow not only on the liver or the lungs, but also in the brain. And then it’s fatal.

There is however, another much more alarming angle. Echinococcus multilocularis is a nightmare, and much more virulent than Echinococcus granulosus of any strain. We cannot encapsulate this cyst, and it grows and buds off like a cancer infecting different parts of the body incessantly. Were some of the wolves infected with multilocularis? Coyotes and foxes carry it and it has been spreading. Do canids in Idaho, Montana, etc. have it? It’s found in Alberta. Regardless, now is the time to send out an SOS to ALL outdoor users. Hold your curiosity in check, do not poke into the feces of wolves, coyotes and foxes. If you do you will release clouds of Echinococcus eggs which will envelop you, and you may ingest the eggs, bring the eggs home and endanger your family. This is nothing new to me and I have lived with this constraint on my curiosity for over 40 years. This is just a know how that maintains your personal and your family’s safety. Also, never feed uncooked offal to your dog as it may become infected with Echinococcus and infect you and your family. Echinococcus cysts love to be in lung and liver, and if consumed by dogs you have a health hazard on your hands. And such cysts now grow in deer and elk where you live. Somebody should take a second look searching out Echinococcus multilocularis.

You and I probably have no idea in the world whether these worms exist in the woods we hunt, trap, hike, etc. but good advice given by Dr. Geist should tell us it’s not something we should mess around with. Squelch the curiosity to dig in the poop and just assume there could be hidden danger.

I want to take a moment to thank Will Graves, Dr. Val Geist and Dr. Charles Kay for caring enough about the rest of us to be willing to share their findings and experiences.

Things I am looking for, but not limited to.

•    Gear: Clothes, utility tools, ATV’s…
•    Favorite weapons: guns, bows, sticks, stones…
•    Best Duck Blind or Hide…
•    You, family or friends dressed for the hunt…
•    Where you hunt

All I need is a digital picture in any PC compatible format and a description of the picture.  You can make the description as long or short as you would like.  If there is a story behind the picture we would love to hear about it.

Send Pictures to:

Todd Krater
U.S. Hunting Today
Managing Editor
todd@ushuntingtoday.com

Note: If you want a picture posted and do not have a digital copy I would be willing to scan it for you.  Please contact me for details.

US Hunting Today reserves the right to refuse any picture for any reason as well as edit it where appropriate.

I’m temporarily filling in for Susan Wolf, who is recovering from surgery. The Humane Society of the U.S. HB538 “commercial” breeder measure passed the Virginia House on 2/12/2008. It will clear our Senate within days. HSUS is about to gain in Virginia what it couldn’t in years of Washington lobbying the Santorum Pet Animal Welfare Statute – (AKA PAWS). VAPAWS (HB538) requires hobby dog breeder licensing and inspection for anyone selling puppies at retail as well as wholesale, if they’re over a certain size. Virginia has an early, very short and frenetic legislative session. Its 2008 agenda included over 30 animal rightist supported bills. HB538 was HSUS’s top priority.

Sportsmen and hobby breeders here lost to HSUS’s five paid Richmond professional lobbyists, its DC personnel and numerous very well coordinated local semi-pro anti activists. HB538 duplicates and supplants the federal licensing system that registers and inspects all large dog breeders and investigates any dog breeder with four (4) or more females about whom a tip or a legitimate complaint has been received. USDA-APHIS has 5700+ Class A breeders that it monitors and inspects at least once per year, including 14 in Virginia. The federal government did 10,000 inspections last year, checking compliance with 60 pages of detailed dog care standards.

HSUS personnel used the public firestorm over Michael Vick’s despicable dogfighting and created their own inflammatory anti-dog breeder hyped press. Horton’s Dogs in Carroll County, Virginia, the HSUS “Virginia is for Puppy Mills” cause célèbre, was well known to local authorities and the animal control officer (ACO) for years. He had a business license, a 500 dog kennel permit, five employees, bought dog food by the ton and advertised puppies in newspapers and on the Internet. He sold both retail and to pet stores and should have been federally licensed and inspected by law, but wasn’t. On that there’s no dispute.

That situation was a local political problem, not a federal law or enforcement shortfall. Someone could have brought Horton to the USDA’s attention at any time. Three months after the well-publicized HSUS November “raid,” there still hasn’t been a complaint lodged with USDA, nor has the local ACO returned to that facility, which continues to sell puppies. Horton remains in business and still meets the USDA definition of a licensed “dealer.” The fourteen USDA licensed and inspected VA dog breeders are listed on the USDA-APHIS website. This isn’t some mysterious, unknown or unaccountable animal welfare service, just one the State Veterinarian’s Office and ACOs need to learn about, rather than being asked to supplant, or duplicate the federal program at great cost to local taxpayers and risk to responsible dog owners.

HB538 requires local county ACOs to review pet store records and to enforce both new state dog kennel inspection standards and those of USDA-APHIS. This is totally absurd, as the bill has internal self-contradictions, as well as numerous conflicts with federal animal care regulations. Further, the new inspection system will cost $ millions to implement, none of which has been budgeted. The counties and cities have been saddled with another unfunded mandate from Richmond. The bill’s precise details may be found at http://vhdoa.uplandbirddog.com/stater.html Suffice it to say that Virginia’s new “commercial” breeder definition includes many hunt clubs, those with co-owned dogs and other responsible breeders that aren’t “puppy mills.”

One of my disappointments while lobbying against this bill over the last three weeks was the refusal of top USDA-APHIS management to take position on HB538. Even more discouraging, a few dog owner groups supported HB538, to the point they joined the animal rightist speaking panels and heavily lobbied members one on one. Included among these individuals was the fired professional lobbyist of the AKC Virginia Federation of Dog Clubs and Breeders (VFDCB) and another Richmond lobbyist representing a MFH hunt club. The Legislative Chairman of the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association also supported this anti-dog breeding measure. Unfortunately, the American Kennel Club’s HB538 opposition letter arrived too late to be useful.

Despite all of this opposition, it’s usually easier to stop a bill than it is to pass one. That didn’t happen in Virginia, for the second significant time in three years. We lost the crucial committee vote (9-Y 8-N). The Old Dominion dog groups opposed to HB538 failed to cooperate with each other, coordinate their efforts, or compensate for the adverse actions of VFDCB’s dismissed lobbyist. Our lobbying effort was very frankly embarrassing. The lessons learned during our 2005 PAWS opposition fight were forgotten. HSUS announced last year that it was taking its PAWS anti-breeder effort to the states and that Virginia was its first target. Please learn from our mistakes and prepare to better defend your sport and your dogs.

Freely forward and cross post.

Sincerely,

Bob Kane, President
Virginia Hunting Dog Owners’ Association
Chairman Emeritus, Sportsmen and Animal Owners’ Voting Alliance
http://vhdoa.uplandbirddog.com http://saova.org

Posted by Tom Remington

I’m a hunter and a strong supporter of gun rights. I fish and I love the outdoors. I grew up poor in a rural area of Western Maine. So what does that make me? Am I from a red or blue state? Am I left or right? Right or wrong? Am I common folk or a member of the elite? Progressive or relegated to always being backward? Am I smart or dumb? And what determines that? Or more accurately, who?

In all honesty, I could care less what people say and think about me. As a matter of fact, I sort of pride myself in keeping people guessing. I have no problem talking with a country boy from Maine or the head of the United Nations. They’re just people.

So why is it that we, the human, not all but some, have a need to label and profile, done in a way that demeans, criticizes, ridicules and belittles others?

Most of you probably have already heard the supposed comment that was overheard in an elevator coming from the mouth of Sen. Richard Saslaw, D-Fairfax, Virginia concerning a congressional debate over gun issues.

You can tell we’re debating a gun bill today. Half the cast of “Deliverance” is in town,

I suppose there are those who are not familiar with the movie “Deliverance”. The movie is based on a novel by James Dickey in which some businessmen from Atlanta go on a canoe trip in the northern part of Georgia and have an encounter with the likes of some “backwards”, “backwoods” people in which murder and rape ensues.

Obviously, a pretty dumb thing to say if you are a politician hoping to keep your job. Frankly, I’d get a kick out of it and if I had gotten on the same elevator with Saslaw, I’d of had him thinking he was in the back hills of Northern Georgia. Probably wouldn’t take much to scare the prejudiced be-jeepers out of him.

Now everyone is tap dancing around the issue scared to death to say or write the wrong thing about the comments. This same article linked to above says that the Washington Post published a comment later made by Saslaw.

“How do they know I was referring to them and not the other side? … Some of those people must have one hell of an inferiority complex.”

Saslaw really does believe that not only are those in support of gun rights ignorant and backwards but so are those in support of gun control. Who’s side is he on? This response is typical of today’s society never able to assume responsibility but turn the blame around. He says that if I take offense to his comment, I have an inferiority complex. Nice! What do you expect from a moron gun toter?

Even a spokesman for the Virginia republican party doesn’t want to admit that the whole world knows what Saslaw meant by his comment.

“When a member of the Virginia General Assembly makes a comment like that, I thought that it would be appropriate for him to explain himself,” spokesman Josh Noland said in an interview.

“Is he meaning the supporters of these stricter [gun] laws are like the cast of ‘Deliverance’ or the people that want to protect gun rights are like the cast of ‘Deliverance,’ and what did he mean by that?”

Are you kidding me? It makes a difference? And, “what did he mean by that?” Please. It’s clear what he meant by his comment. He believes that supporters of our Second Amendment are back woods hicks – all of us! That’s what he meant. Why pretend we don’t understand? If Saslaw isn’t careful, some of those in the halls of the Virginia Congress may grab him and tie him up and make him start squealing like a pig. That’s all we know isn’t it?

The other question I have to ask is if Josh Noland, spokesman for the Virginia republican party, was actually serious when he asked to which side of the debate was the Deliverance comment directed?

But this kind of stereotyping isn’t relegated to the state of Virginia and its politicians. Over the weekend I was reading an article in The Olympian about Montana sportsmen who were speaking up against the business practices of Cabela’s, one of this nations biggest outdoor equipment suppliers.

Some sportsmen are angry because Cabela’s has branched off into the real estate business and some think their sales practices are taking away the land access they use for hunting, fishing, etc.

In the article, it begins by setting the tone as to what the newspaper must think of Montana sportsmen. (They probably don’t care because they think Montana hunters can’t read.)

It’s a lot like a David vs. Goliath story, except that in the case of Montana sportsmen vs. Cabela’s, the underdog isn’t aiming to kill.

After all, the Cabela’s catalog might be the only “book” many of the sportsmen have read this year, and it cost them significantly more than a library card.

In case you didn’t catch that, Montana sportsmen, at least those who frequent Cabela’s, are illiterate. Now I know why Cabela’s and other hunting and fishing retailers put pictures in their catalogs.

And we can’t forget the recent rant that took place between Chris Matthews of MSNBC and NBC reporter Andrea Mitchell. This display of love and tolerance was about presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee going on a pheasant hunt in Iowa prior to the caucuses.

Matthews has probably never been out of his cement-walled office and discovered that illiterate, Deliverance-type, manhood proving, backward, common, rural, dumb people hunt. Gasp! Once he finishes his rant about republicans having to prove their manhood and pointing out that now republicans believe you have to show that you have a big gun to become president, he asked Andrea Mitchell if she is upset by this.

“Absolutely. You don’t see any women out there with a gun.”

So, to that list I created in the title to this piece, we should add Man/Woman because we now see that women are far above the red, right, rural, wrong, common, dumb, backward men who use guns.

Maybe I’m just too sensitive!

Tom Remington