Liberte Austin’s Hunting Digest

From the state that doesn’t respect the right to bear arms, bear hunts . . . Connecticut lawmakers considering bear hunting season – “Opponents contend bears are a slow-to-reproduce species and would be susceptible to overhunting. But proponents note how bears are moving into more urban areas and can be costly for the state to handle. They say a regulated hunting season would save the state money.” So would eliminating all their stupid gun control laws.

Hey Rocky, watch me shoot a rabbit in my hat . . . ‘Bullwinkle’ elk shooting case dropped by judge; hunter wants trophy returned – “He’d lay in the middle of an alfalfa field and wouldn’t even bother getting up; he’d feed laying down. People would come by and take pictures. Some people would come by on a daily basis. He was famous. He was the tamest bull I’ve ever been around, and I’ve hunted for 40 years. There’s people who hand-fed him.“ Understandable indignation.

Struth! That’s some good shooting — and eating — in The Land Down Under. Notice this Australian hunting video shows the kill shot. And why not? Anything less is like those R-rated pay-per-view pornos they used to show in hotel rooms (or so I’ve heard). Here in The Land of the Free and The Home of the Brave, TV programs leave out the kill shot. PC madness. [Look for my blog post on the subject next week!]

Meanwhile, back in the Mittten State, hunting is big business . . . Hunters bring billions to Michigan’s economy each year – “Hunting Works for Michigan figures hunters spend $2.3 billion and provide an economic ripple effect of $3.9 billion to the state of Michigan each year. “28,000 hunters come from out of state to experience Michigan’s opportunities,” said Nate Prouty, coordinator for Hunting Works for Michigan. “At least half a million of hunters are residents. It all has a ripple effect on the economy.”

Talk about a target rich environment! I don’t know what language they’re using but we all speak hunting.

Steve’s Outdoor Adventures . . . “We have a client unable to pay his balance for a spring brown bear hunt in the ABC Islands the dates of May 1-11, 2017 – THIS SPRING – these hunts are usually $15,950 plus license, tag, and tax. If your able to go on a truly world class brown bear hunt you can save $4,000.00 on the cost of the package which will be sold only on a first come basis. (25% SAVINGS) The hunt will be done from our tented camp using zodiak boats to cruise the shorelines glassing for bears. 100% spot and stalk hunting this is a true coastal Alaskan adventure in the area that has the highest density of brown bears in the world.” Glassing. Say it softly and it’s almost like praying.

Now that is some kick-*ss marksmanship. As Romanians say, some of those pigs are la mama naibii (“at the devil’s mother,” far away). And moving fast.

I don’t know what’s more dangerous: hunting wolves on foot or riding in a Russian helicopter . . . Russia Plans to Attract Tourists with Helicopter Wolf-Hunting Trips – “Officials in Russia are making plans to start wolf-hunting trips for wealthy foreigners because a local authority cannot afford to pay for a cull of the animals itself. The animals would be shot from a helicopter, with each “trophy” costing $15,000. According to reports, the sport would plug a gap facing cash-strapped Yakutia, the country’s largest and coldest region in eastern Siberia. The wolves are thought to kill more than 9,000 reindeer and about 500 horses each year, costing the nomadic farmers who live in the region about $2.5 million. It is hoped that rich Chinese tourists in particular will want to hover over the wolf packs and take pot shots from the safety of their chartered helicopter. They would then be allowed to keep the pelts of wolves they slaughter. The $15,000 bill would cover the cost of each animal plus transportation, accommodation and food.”

One more — if you can bear it . . . Chocolate illegal to use as bait for bear hunting in Michigan – “It doesn’t matter how much they like it, chocolate is now illegal to use as bait for bear hunting in the state of Michigan. The Natural Resources Commission met Thursday in Lansing to vote on a handful of proposals dealing with updates to hunting seasons and regulations. Baiting for bear hunting is still legal in Michigan, but the use of chocolate or anything with cocoa in it is now against the law. Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine, which can poison bear, raccoons, dogs, some birds and other animals and possibly result in death.” Because we don’t want to poison a bear before we shoot it.