The AuCoin Report
News Briefs from the Great Outdoors
June 2010
Oil leak may wreck Gulf ecosystem for decades
Marine biologists say the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico could create low oxygen zones below the surface that upset the ecology of the Gulf for many years. Rick Steiner said even if the leak were stopped long-term damage to the Gulf ecosystem would occur. Frank Muller-Karger, professor of biological oceanography at the University of South Florida, said oil-consuming microbes would thrive and deplete the oxygen that other species need. (Business Week)
Attacking grizzly shot in Denali National Park
A backpacker shot and killed a grizzly bear in Denali National Park and Preserve when it charged a fellow backpacker. It is believed the first such incident involving a gun since federal law changed to allow visitors with the proper licenses to carry loaded guns in national parks. Park officials are investigating. (Fairbanks Daily-News Miner,OutdoorPressroom.com)
Idaho asks outfitters to kill 20 gray wolves
Idaho game and fish officials have authorized four hunting guides to kill up to 20 gray wolves in the Lolo Wolf Management Zone because the decline in the number of elks. Some opposed to shooting wolves say there are other reasons, perhaps less ground level forage, that account for the decline. (Idaho Mountain Express and Guide)
Cougar attack in Wisconsin
A hunter in Juneau County, Wisconsin watched a mountain lion attack and maul a year-old heifer then drag the 400-pound cow into the woods. The hunter fired a shot, spooking the cougar, and the heifer survived. Wildlife officials believe the wild cat migrated to Wisconsin from South Dakota. They say Wisconsin does not have a mountain lion breeding population. (The Scene Newspaper)
Girl, 17, youngest to sail the globe solo
Jessica Watson, 17, became the youngest person to sail solo around the world. She docked at Sydney Harbor May 15 after a 215-day expedition during which, she said, she became a "master chef" preparing freeze-dried foods. (Sydney Morning Herald)
Boy, 13, youngest to climb Mount Everest
Jordan Romero of Big Bear, California, 13, became the youngest person to climb Nepal’s Mount Everest, 29,035 feet. Romero phoned his mother in California on a satellite phone and said, “Mom, I’m calling you from the top of the world.” Mount Everest is just one of seven tall peaks Romero has or will climb, a goal inspired by a painting of the Seven Summits in his school’s hallway. He has already climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. Next? The Vinson Massif in Antarctica. (Telegraph)
Oh say can you squint?
Few things look as awkward as a person wearing two pairs of glasses at the same time. But this is not an uncommon sight in the great outdoors as people with poor close up vision wear, simultaneously, sunglasses and “drug store readers.” To eliminate such awkward outdoor scenes, Ono’s Trading Company has pioneered polarized sunglasses, with or without a prescription, with built-in bifocals for close-up vision. They are sold online, over the counter and in catalogs. Visit www.onostradingcompany.com or phone 866-865-4695. (Ono's Trading Company, Media contact: Bill AuCoin, wmaucoin@verizon.net. 727-522-2371)
New wild turkey champ: Wisconsin
Wisconsin didn’t have any wild turkeys just 50 years ago but, thanks to the state’s ongoing and successful wild turkey reintroduction program, the Badger State was the Spring 2009 wild turkey harvest champ. Wild turkey hunters bagged 52,581 turkeys, besting Missouri (44,713), Pennsylvania (43,680), Michigan (41,000), Alabama (36,600), New York 34,664), Kansas (33,350), Kentucky (29,066) and Texas (19,155). (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via OutdoorPressroom.com)
Haiti relief: Birdcall app for iPhones
Here’s another app for your iPhone. This one lets you look at and listen to 48 of the 300 birds found in The Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. All proceeds are donated to Habitat for Humanity and Partners in Health to support disaster relieve in Haiti. (Princeton University Press)
Georgia Bulldogs win college bass title
University of Georgia bass fishing team won the BoatU.S. Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship on Texas’ Lake Lewisville. Other teams, in order of finish, were University of North Carolina-Charlotte, Western Kentucky, University of Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky University, Tarleton State University, Texas A & M, Georgia College and State University, Oklahoma University and Louisiana State University. (Collegiate Bass Championship)
Injured puppy has 3,300 Facebook friends
Riley, a yellow lab puppy, was run over by a car in Eastern Tennessee. As vets worked to repair his head wound, a broken leg and a fractured spine, they discovered that he had also been shot. In spite of his multiple wounds Riley is recovering and more than 3,000 friends on Facebook are cheering. Riley’s medical care is being taken care of by Labs4Rescue. WBIR, OutdoorPressroom.com)
Rhesus roams loose in Clearwater-St. Pete
A stressed-out rhesus monkey has been roaming loose and lonely in the backyards of the Clearwater-St. Petersburg area for 18 months. Nobody knows where the adult male monkey came from. A speculation is that he was one of the monkeys that live on the Silver River near Ocala and that he left on his own or, perhaps, was rebuffed from the troop by a more dominant male. St. Petersburg Times
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May 2010
Oil spill threatens fishing, wildlife.
In addition to hurting commercial and recreational fishing, spreading oil from the BP rig in the Gulf of Mexico threatens wildlife species including the brown pelican and the critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, both entering their breeding/nesting season. (Scientific American, Voice of America)
Gulf recreational and commercial fishing closed
The oil spill from the April 22 rig explosion has prompted National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to close recreational and commercial fishing May 2 for 10 days, possibly longer, in federal waters from the Mississippi River to Pensacola Bay. American Sportfishing Association noted that 6 million saltwater anglers take 45 million trips a year and contribute $41 billion in economic output for the Gulf Coast. (American Sportfishing Association)
Florida manatee makes it to Maryland then dies
A Florida manatee was discovered dead on the banks of the Patuxent River. Biologists believe it died this winter and that its body floated to the surface as waters warmed. (Southern Maryland Newspapers)
Florida highway death: 600-pound black bear
A black bear weighing more than 600 pounds was struck and killed on a highway in northern Florida. It is the third largest bear ever recorded in Florida. Before it could be winched from the road and removed another vehicle hit the hulk and overturned but there were no injuries. (Northwest Florida News)
Should wolves be delisted?
Wolf lawyers have a big day in federal court June 15 in Missoula, Montana. U. S. District Judge Donald Molloy will hear arguments about whether Rocky Mountain wolf populations are large enough and diverse enough to be removed from the list of animals protected by the Endangered Species Act. (Helena Independent Record)
Outdoor recreation firms more upbeat
Outdoor recreation firms are more positive about the economy than in previous surveys according to the Outdoor Industry Association. However, retailers were less optimistic in the survey, conducted in January and February. (Outdoor Industry Association)
St. Pete: Robin capital of America
For the third year in a row St. Petersburg, Florida was the robin capital of North America, judging by Audubon’s annual Great Backyard Bird Count. Tampa Bay Birders reported 1.45 million robins during a four-day weekend in February. Only 400,321 robins were counted in the rest of the U.S. “…it took more than two hours for the entire flock to pass overhead,” said Lorraine Margeson, who lives near the robin’s mangrove habitat. (St. Petersburg Times)
New Kansas crappie record
Gerald Rausch caught a 4.34-pound white crappie, possibly a new Kansas record. Keeping the fish alive, he drove 172 miles to Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, MO so the fish could be kept alive in a tank. If certified as a state record Rausch’s crappie will replace a 4.02-pounder. (Kansas City Star, Outdoorpressroom.com)
Cost of prescription sunglasses go down
Mobile, Alabama – Ono’s Trading Company, which pioneered sunglasses with bifocal readers, introduced affordable, ophthalmic-quality sunglasses that correct for distance and close up vision, too. Orders are submitted online at onostradingcompany.com or by fax (1-205-338-0414). Ono’s Chris Nelson said the prescription sunglasses, with or without bifocal magnification, are priced at only $169.95 with amber or grey lenses and $189.095 for blue mirror over amber or green mirror over amber lens. This is just slightly more than the price of Ono’s non-prescription sunglasses, saving customers as much as $400 compared to prescription sunglasses sold by optometrists. Visit http://onostradingcompany.com/or phone 866-865-4695. Media contact: Bill AuCoin, wmaucoin@verizon.net. 727-522-2371)
Popular Mosquito Repellent Goes Green
Mosquitoes, horse flies, no-see-ums and other biting insects have a new enemy. Bugband, the brand that introduced natural, safe Geraniol to the repellent wars, has added a new weapon-delivery system to the battle. The new 6-oz pump spray bottle – it is green, naturally – and does not contain any artificial propellants. Instead it relies on a metered pump spray to dispense a fine mist directly on vulnerable areas, including exposed skin. Bugband repellent is also available in wristbands, ideal for children for everyday use and towelettes for heavy-duty applications as well as various commercial applications Visit www.bugband.net or phone 800-473-9467.
Frog gigging: newest college sport
Virginia Tech excels in football and…frog gigging. Psychology students join engineering students for these late night gigs and frog leg feasts. (Collegiate Times via outdoorpressroom.com)
Peek online at the Loon Family
With the ice out on Central Minnesota Lakes, TV producer and host Ron Schara has linked to the Loon Cam which now gets close to 500,000 looks a month as viewers watch for the eggs to arrive and hatch. (Minnesota Bound)
Best bass fishing lake in America
The best largemouth bass lake in America is in Pintlala, Alabama, near Montgomery, according to Outdoor Life magazine. Don’t get any bright ideas, though. It’s a private lake created and owned by Ray Scott, the man who founded Bass Angler Sportsman Society, now part of ESPN. (The Outdoor Wire, Outdoor Life)
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April 2010
Hybrid Wolf Packs Running Wild in Ohio
A hunter shot and killed a wolf-dog that was running with a pack near Bellevue in Ohio’s Sandusky County. The hybrid was genetically 98 percent wolf and weighed about 120 pounds. It is believed to have been somebody’s pet but then released into the wild. Ohio wildlife officials worry that wolf-dog hybrids in the wild are increasing in numbers and could threaten livestock. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
Wolves to Blame for Drop in Elk Numbers
Declining elk populations in parts of Idaho will mean more wolves for hunters this fall. Cal Groen, Idaho’s Director of the Department of Fish and Game, released a statement that preserving elk remains a top priority. He wrote that wolves are the main reason the elk population in one management zone dropped 57 percent since 2006. (Idaho Reporter)
Alaskan Teacher Thought Killed by Wolves
The body of Candice Berner, 32, an itinerant Alaskan teacher originally from Slippery Rock, Pa., was found on a remote gravel road in rural Alaska. Authorities said she was killed by animals, probably wolves. Before her death Berner told co-workers she was going out to get some fresh air. (NewsOXY, Little Chicago Review)
Anglers Worried about Fed Plan
U.S. Anglers are worried that the Obama Administration Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force is about to come down hard on recreational fishing. Pro-angling organizations, including the Recreational Fishing Alliance, complained plan administrators would not listen to their recommendations. (New York Post)
When the Warblers Return to St. Petersburg
April 15 is tax day in the U.S. but in the St. Petersburg-Clearwater area it is also known as Warbler Day. Birders gather round the increasingly famous Mulberry Tree on Fort DeSoto Park near Tierra Verde, to celebrate the return of warblers, grosbeaks, buntings, vireos, tanagers, orioles and other migrant songbirds. Lush purple berries are breakfast, lunch and dinner for the migrant songbirds, arriving hungry after flights of up to 5000 miles from their winter homes in Central and South America. (Canadian Geographic)
Alabama May Lower State Park Fees
Alabama legislators are debating a tourism-stimulus that would cut in half summer entry fees at state parks and room rates at state park lodges. However, park officials say the parks need the summer revenue to continue operating at current levels, and some parks would close if such a bill were passed. (Muscle Shoals Times Daily)
Fossil of Cockroach-Eater Found in Pittsburgh
Scientists in Pittsburgh have uncovered the fossil of a new species, a two-foot, amphibian with tusks that used to kill and eat giant cockroaches. The fossil is 300-million-years old. The extinct animal is being called Fedexia strieglei to recognize FedEx, which owns the land where the fossil was found, and Adam Streigei, a University of Pittsburgh geology student who found the fossil on a 2004 field trip. (National Geographic)
The Wild Turkey Grand Slam
Florida’s one-month spring turkey season opens March 27 and, for many hunters, the focus will be on the Osceola turkey, the elusive fourth member of the wild turkey family. The tough-to-get Osceola can be found in Florida’s Dixie, Gilchrist, Alachua, Union, Bradford, Clay and Duval counties. Others in the “grand slam” of the four American turkeys are Eastern, Rio Grande, and Merriam turkeys. (St. Petersburg Times)
Get out! April's average temperatures
St. Petersburg, Florida – 64-81
Tahneta Pass, Alaska – 19-38
Canyon Lake, Texas – 57-79
Rhinelander, Wisconsin – 29-52
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona – 32-60
Pagosa Springs, Colorado– 24-59
Mobile, Alabama – 57-78
Death Valley, California – 60-89
Millinocket, Maine – 30-51
Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina – 49-70
Wanted: More anglers, boaters.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will provide a grant of more than $13 million to the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation to recruit more boaters and anglers. (RBFF)
Do Big 3D Eyes Attract Fish?
MirrOlure, famous for its record-producing “hard” lures, continues its expansion into the “soft” lure category. The brand has recently introduced Provoker®. This is a 5-inch soft plastic twitch bait with big 3D eyes, also a signature feature of the brand’s hard baits. Provoker has something hard lures do not – a secret scent. “I’m not talking,” said MirrOlure’s Eric Bachnik. Provoker has a large belly pocket for different hook-in-plastic configurations. Provoker follows the successful introduction last year of four other Mirrolure soft plastic lures, Soft Mullet, Soft Minnow, Soft Shad and Soft Sardine. For information call 727-584-7691 or go to www.mirrolure.com
Bifocal Sunglasses Styled for Narrow Faces
Ono’s Trading Company, the pioneer of polarized sunglasses with bifocal magnification, introduced three models styled for narrow faces or small facial features. The new ophthalmic-quality sunglasses have low profile bifocal magnifiers for reading and other close up tasks. The upper portion of the lens is for normal distance vision or for distance vision corrected by bifocals. The new models have reader powers of 1.5, 1.75, 2.00, 2.25, and 2.50. New models are Ocracoke™ with tortoise frames/amber lens, Grand Lagoon™ with black frames/grey lens, and Tuscadero™ with pink frames/grey lens. Visit www.onostradingcompany.com or phone 866-865-4695. (Ono's Trading Company, Media contact: Bill AuCoin, wmaucoin@verizon.net. 727-522-2371)
Florida by Water Website
Boaters are always looking for waterfront restaurants, campgrounds, marinas and hotels. Now boaters in Florida have a new website – FloridabyWater.com -- listing more than 1,500 such places, including GPS coordinates. (Floridabywater.com)
Popular Mosquito Repellent Goes Green
Mosquitoes, horse flies, no-see-ums and other biting insects have a new enemy. Bugband, the brand that introduced natural, safe Geraniol to the repellent wars, has added a new weapon-delivery system to the battle. The new 6-oz pump spray bottle – it is green, naturally – does not contain any artificial propellants. Instead it relies on a metered pump spray to dispense a fine mist directly on vulnerable areas, including exposed skin. Bugband repellent is also available in wristbands, ideal for children for everyday use and towelettes for heavy-duty applications as well as various commercial applications Visit www.bugband.net or phone 800-473-9467. (Bugband)
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March 2010
Block St. Lawrence Seaway to Protect Great Lakes?
Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox is suing to shut the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal so invasive Asian carp cannot get into Lake Michigan. Now, Eric Sharp, outdoors writer for the Detroit Free Press, blogs that it is also time to close off the Great Lakes from ocean going vessels using the St. Lawrence Seaway. (Freep.com)
VanDam Wins 2010 Bassmaster Classic
Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., won the 2010 Bassmaster Classic on Birmingham’s Lay Lake, weighing-in largemouth bass totaling 51 pounds, 6 ounces in three days of cold weather and water fishing. (Montgomery Advertiser)
Wolves-Elk Argument Escalates
Conservation organizations are going to verbal war on the wolf-elk
battleground. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, in a letter to legislators and editors, accused Defenders of Wildlife and Western Wildlife Conservancy of cherry-picking its data to claim, wrongly, that restored wolf populations have helped increase elk herds in the northern Rocky Mountains. (ESPN)
Exotic Snakes in Hunters’ Sights
Licensed hunters with special permits will be taking aim on Burmese python snakes and other exotics reptiles in the Everglades March 8 through April 17. They are authorized to use pistols, shoguns and traditional rimfire rifles to shoot the snakes, which have been crowding out and feeding on native animal species. (Miami Herald)
Successful Wisconsin Sturgeon Spearing Season
Ice anglers speared 1820 sturgeons on Wisconsin’s Lake Winnebago and its system lakes in the 2010 six-day season which ended Feb. 18. One sturgeon speared on opening day weighed 212.2 pounds, a new state record. Biologists will analyze the harvest but preliminary indications are that the fish stock remains healthy. (Wisconsin DNR, (JS online)
Outdoor Recreation Sales Dip
Retail sales of outdoor recreation gear and garments dropped two percent in 2009 compared to the previous year, according to a report released by the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA). Sales totaled $5.075 billion. Best categories included camping items, climbing gear, and hiking boots. Paddle sports stores were down seven percent. (OIA)
Boating Biz Restart in 2010?
The National Marine Manufacturers Association is predicting recreational boat sales will remain flat in 2010 at 140,000 to 150,000 units, essentially the same as 2009 which showed a significant decline from the year before. (Wall Street Journal)
Gone Fishing…back in ? years.
The number of people buying fishing licenses increased in the U.S. in 2009. The 12-state index managed by the American Sportfishing Association showed a 4.7 percent increase. (New York Post)
Migrating Robins Get Drunk
Robins migrating north along Florida’s Atlantic Coast are eating over-ripe berries and many are exhibiting signs of drunkenness. Ken Gieli with the Cooperative Extensive in Fort Pierce said the birds are eating the berries of an invasive plant, Brazilian Pepper, which are toxic to humans. (Tampabay.com)
Orphaned Eaglet Has New Home
Dunedin, Florida -- Hoover the eaglet, orphaned at three ounces, now has a new home with a mother and daddy, plus two younger siblings who are also very hungry, as baby bald eagles are supposed to be. On Monday, Feb. 15, members of Audubon’s birds of prey center placed Hoover in his new nest, situated near the top of a slash pine tree in Dunedin. So far, the parents seem to be okay with the family addition. Hoover’s natural parents abandoned him when their nest, built on rotten limbs, fell to the ground. (St. Petersburg Times)
Outdoor gear and destination spotlight
Bifocal sunglasses for narrow faces
Ono’s Trading Company, the pioneer of polarized sunglasses with bifocal magnification, introduced three models styled for narrow faces or small facial features. The new ophthalmic-quality sunglasses have low profile bifocal magnifiers for reading and other close up tasks. The upper portion of the lens is for normal distance vision or for distance vision corrected by bifocals. The new models have reader powers of 1.5, 1.75, 2.00, 2.25, and 2.50. New models are Ocracoke™ with tortoise frames/amber lens, Grand Lagoon™ with black frames/grey lens, and Tuscadero™ with pink frames/grey lens. Visit www.onostradingcompany.com or phone 866-865-4695. (Ono's Trading Company, Media contact: Bill AuCoin, wmaucoin@verizon.net. 727-522-2371)
Visit Galapagos Islands without Leaving Home
Renowned nature photographer Tui De Roy has produced the tenth anniversary edition of Galapagos: Islands Born of Fire. Published by Princeton University Press, the dramatic table-top collection has 245 of her most stunning scenes and images of the diversity of animals, birds and sea-life. Nature is endlessly fascinating and often cruel, as De Roy’s essays and images attest. Iguanas, seeking warmth from volcanic flows, explode in the advancing lava. Pelicans die feeding on scalded fish. But the real threats, she points out, are man-made. (Princeton University Press)
How to be an Outdoor Writer
Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) will host its first Goldenrod Writing Workshop Aug. 1-7 at the University of Montana in Missoula. The $995 fee includes tuition and room and board at the university. (OWAA.org)
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February 2010
No Snow for Winter Olympics The Winter Olympics opened in Vancouver but there was a problem: no snow except on the highest slopes. One way or another, there will be snow, officials said. Convoys are trucking it in from mountains across British Columbia. (ABC News)
America’s Cup Racing. Finally Valencia, Spain—Races for the 33rd America’s Cup races between two super –fast, high tech sailing vessels were re-scheduled to start Feb. 10 after too-light winds postponed the Feb. 8 start. Veteran America’s Cup journalist Eric Sharp calls it for the U.S. entry, BMW-Oracle, over the Swiss entry, Alinghi. (Examiner, Detroit Free Press, AP, Sail-World)
Is Bad Corn Killing Quail? Are whitetail deer hunters accidentally killing quail with bad feed corn? Quail hunters in Texas, disappointed in a succession of poor quail seasons, are asking for a study. Deer hunters put out many millions of pounds of corn for the deer, but quail and other birds eat it, too. The suspicious substance is aflatoxin, which is produced by fungus. (Dallas Morning News, outdoorpressroom.com)
Interior Strikes Back at Pythons
The U.S. Interior Department proposes an import ban on Burmese python and other constrictor snakes that are overwhelming the Everglades ecosystem. (DOI)
Manatee Count Up. St. Petersburg, Florida – A Sunshine State cold snap early in 2010 took a toll on the manatees but the cold snap, which sent manatees to places with warmer water, also helped produce a record manatee population count, 5000+. That’s at least 1,200 more than ever. Cold stress in early January was blamed for 77 manatee deaths. (St. Petersburg Times)
Whooping Cranes Now in Florida It took 89 days but the whooping crane “Class of 2009” has landed, safely, in Florida for the winter. Following an ultra light aircraft, they learned the route from Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Central Wisconsin. Ten whooping cranes will winter at St. Marks NWR in north Florida and ten will winter at Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in West Central Florida. (FWS)
Boating Biz Recovery? Reeling from the recession, the boating industry looks to the Miami International Boat Show for signs of a recovery. Meanwhile “Bail Out” and “On the Rocks” make the top ten list of popular boat names. (Miami Boat Show, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Who’s the best bass angler? Birmingham, Alabama – Fifty-one bass anglers compete Feb. 19-21 in the 2010 Bassmaster Classic on Lay Lake near Birmingham. The field includes female angler Pam Martin-Wells who earned a berth by winning the 2009 Women’s Bassmaster Tour. (ESPN)
College Bass Tournament Registration Registration started Feb. 1 for college anglers to register to compete in the 2010 tournament season. Registration closes May 1. The final field for the 2010 BoatU. S. National Colleague Bass Fishing Championship will be announced May 3. (Collegiate Bass Championship)
Next High School Sport? Bass Fishing The Alabama High School Bass Fishing Club Tournament Series starts March 6. About 20 high schools are expected to enter angler teams for the event on Wheeler Lake near Florence. Backers are asking the Alabama High School Athletic Association to make bass tournaments an official high school sport. (Florence Times Daily, OutdoorPressroom.com)
Illegal Traps Removed from State Capitol They had a mole problem on the grounds of Washington state’s capitol, so the lawn maintenance people put out traps. The problem was, the traps were illegal. They’ve since removed the traps, but the moles are still in place. Wildlife officers said they would not issue a citation. “The irony is if I’ve got coyotes killing my sheep, I can’t put a trap out. But if you’ve got a mole on the Capitol Campus, you can,’’ said Joel Kretz, a Republican legislator. (The Olympian, outdoorpressroom.com)
How to Skydive from 120,000 Feet If skydiving is an extreme sport, then what do you call it when you leap into the thin air of`120,000 feet, break the sound barrier and, hopefully, remember to pull the ripcord before you hit earth. Felix Baumgartner calls it The Red Bull Stratos.” (Popular Science)
Frozen Iguanas? Oh, Good Cold weather takes a toll on many wild birds and animals. And sometimes it’s a good thing. In south Florida, people rather prefer it when Mother Nature takes aim at iguanas (Biscayne Times)
OUTDOOR GEAR AND DESTINATION SPOTLIGHT
Awkward Outdoor Scenes Few things look as awkward as a person wearing two pairs of glasses at the same time. But this is not an uncommon sight in the great outdoors as people with poor close up vision wear sunglasses and “drug store readers” at the same time. To eliminate such awkward scenes, Ono’s Trading Company has pioneered polarized sunglasses with built-in bifocals for close-up vision needs. No prescription is necessary. Ono's sunglasses are sold over the counter, in catalogs, and online. One just needs to know his or her reader number such as 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5. Visit www.onostradingcompany.com or phone 866-865-4695. (Ono's Trading Company, Media contact: Bill AuCoin, wmaucoin@verizon.net. 727-522-2371)
When binoculars are too heavy… Optics manufacturers are noting an uptick in monocular sales. Monoculars are light and easy to carry. They are your everyday optics on duty anytime you don’t want binoculars around your neck. Retailers report that monoculars are increasingly popular with hikers, birders, fly anglers, hunters and cyclists. (Alpen Optics)
Paul Brown’s Lures Go National Paul Brown’s lure revolution is going national. After years of producing his successful Original series of lures for Texas anglers in his Houston “Shop,” Brown has turned over manufacturing and national marketing to the company that has made Mirrolure into a national success. Mirrolure’s Eric Bachnik said Fishing Tackle Unlimited, Academy and other stores will carry the “Original” series -- Paul Brown’s Original, Paul Brown’s Floating Original, Paul Brown’s Fat Boy, Paul Brown’s Floating Fat Boy, and Paul Brown’s Devil. (MirrOlure.com)
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January 2010
Michigan et al Versus Asian Carp
Michigan is suing to make Illinois close the locks from Lake Michigan to shipping canals so Asian carp, a voracious, invasive species, will not get into Lake Michigan and crowd out native species. Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin and Indiana are backing Michigan's suit. (NY Times)
America's Cup Races Start Feb. 8. Maybe
America’s Cup sailing competition between America’s BMW-Oracle, the challenger and Europe’s Alinghi is supposed to start Feb. 8 in Spain. But will it? The U.S. team may file a protest claiming the European boat has sails made in the U.S.A., which is against the rules. (Detroit Free-Press)
Japan Shares World Record Bass Record
The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) ruled that a largemouth bass caught in Japan this year ties the 77-year old record of a 22 pound, 4-ounce bass caught by Georgia'a George Perry. The new co-record holder is Manabu Kurita who caught his bass on Lake Biwa, a reservoir northeast of Kyoto. (IGFA)
World Bass Angler Championship
The 2010 Bassmaster's Classic to determine the bass angler in the world will be held on Lay Lake near Birmingham Feb. 19-20 with 51 anglers competing for top honors and big bucks. BASS has dropped the Women's Bassmaster Tour, citing a drop in participation. (latimesblogs)
Hunters killed 200 Gray Wolves
With wolves no longer on the endangered species list, hunters stalked and killed more than 200 gray wolves in the Northern Rockies in 2009. Another 300 were killed by government agents, ranchers defending their livestock, and poachers. Biologists will now evaluate the impact of hunting season on gray wolf populations in the region. (AP)
SHOT Show expects 45,000
The 2010 SHOT Show for the shooting and hunting trades starts a four-day run Jan 19 in Las Vegas, attracting more than 45,000 buyers, media and exhibitors from all U.S. states and 75 foreign countries. The Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show and Conference is owned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. (Shot Show)
Ambitious lion study planned
Safari Club International Foundation said it help raise money and provide data to support one of the most ambitious African lion conservation projects ever undertaken. The project will include collecting data in Tanzania and helping produce a new lion management plan based on science. (Safari Club Foundation)
Why skiers die
Skiers absorb more than their share of bumps and bruises, not to mention loads of knee injuries. Deaths are few but, when they occur, a new study shows, the reasons are speed, poor visibility, old snow, new equipment, and alcohol consumption. (Montreal Gazette)
Census report: 17 million boat owners
The U.S. Census Bureau reports there are almost 17 million boat owners who spend $37 billion a year on boats. (Trade Only Today)
Angler protest Feb. 24 at US Capitol
Organizations representing recreational and commercial fishers have organized a "United We Fish" march on the U.S. Capitol Feb. 24 to protest new bans on fishing for red snapper, grouper, amberjack, sea bass and other saltwater fishes. Jim Donofrio of the Recreational Fishing Alliance, one of he leaders, said fishery science is weak and management is broken. Organizers want legislators to address the unintended, negative impact of the Maghuson Stevens Conservation and Management Act, the federal fisheries law. (Recreational Fishing Alliance)
Feds Want to Contact Salt Anglers
U.S. fishery managers are building a contact list of saltwater anglers so they can ask them what and how many fish they are catching. The goal of the National Saltwater Angler Registry is to help get angler information so fishery managers can better assess fish stocks, measure economic impact, and write regulations. Saltwater anglers in Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Virginia or the U.S. Virgin Islands need to register by phone, 888-674-7411, or online by clicking on Angler Registry at countmyfish.noaa.gov (Houma Daily Planet)
OUTDOOR GEAR AND DESTINATION SPOTLIGHT
Farsighted eyewear for the great outdoors
Mobile, Alabama – "Drug store readers" are a presbyopic's best friend…indoors. But outdoors few things look as awkward as a person trying to wear drug store readers and sunglasses at the same time. Ono's Trading Company has a solution, sunglasses with built-in bifocal magnifiers. No prescription is necessary; you just need to know your magnification number such as 1.5, 2.0, 2.5. Ono's sunglasses are sold over the counter, in catalogs, and online. The latest model, Longitude, features titanium frames, 100 percent polarized protection, and grey lenses. Visit www.onostradingcompany.com or phone 866-865-4695. Prices range from approximately $60 to $160, depending on the model. (Ono's Trading Company, Media contact: Bill AuCoin, wmaucoin@verizon.net. 727-522-2371)
Top Peacock Bass Rivers
For some anglers – and Larry Larson is exhibit one -- the peacock bass makes for angling’s pound-for-pound best rod and reel battle. It's even better than the tarpon, he reports. Alas, one has to travel to South America to pick a fight. Larson polled members of the Peacock Bass Association. They have voted their top peacock bass rivers. Brazil's Negro, Agua Boa, Xeriuini, Tapera, Unini, Jufari, Matupiri/Igapo Acu, Madeira, Uniueixi, Cuini, Caures, Preta, Preto, Urabaxi and Araca rank highest, as do the Pasimoni and Paciba in Venezuela. Destinations and guides are listed in PBA's World Peacock Bass Directory. (Peacock Bass Association)
Fishing lure with colored tail snaps
Tulsa, Oklahoma – Aquatic science suggests that color contrast, more than other factors, is what helps a bass see a lure. Now, a Tulsa company is marketing a plastic worm with a slot in the tail that accepts a two colored snaps. Snap Tail Lure's Robb Line says the extra color or colors – the angler can pair up snaps of six different colors – increases the chances that bass will see and strike the lure. (Snap Tail Lures)
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