Dumping in the Great Lakes

Considering the awareness of conservation we supposedly have in the U.S., it is shocking to hear that we still participate in such barbarian acts as dumping masses of our waste into one of our greatest natural wonders: the Great Lakes.

The overflow of sewage ends up in drinking supplies and shuts down beaches because of risk of bacterial contamination.

How disgusting is that?

Not only does this ruin the water for humans, but it ruins the habitats of many fish and animals that thrive in and around the Great Lakes.

The problem seems to be stemming from outdated sewage systems in many of the old northern cities. Maybe it is time for the government to start putting money back into the environment by updating these sewage systems.

Plus, why wasn’t this done long ago?

Exotic hunting in Florida

Feeling a little left out this hunting season after hearing from my friends and family in the Midwest talking about the deer they harvested, I decided to look into hunting something I have never hunted before.

Florida is typically known as “the fishing capital of the world,” but it seems to hold its own in the hunting community as well.

A simple Google search will return a number of outfitters and guides that can take you to animals found only in foreign countries.

Now of course you can hunt a multitude of domestic game as well, but being able to hunt African game right here in the states is a awesome opportunity.

If you’re looking to hunt something different, keep Florida on your list of hunting destinations. Right now I can’t afford to hunt African game, but I am making plans to go on a hog hunt in the spring.

Donate excess deer meat

If you’re a hunter and you don’t like the taste of deer meat or just don’t want the meat consuming your entire freezer, meat donation programs, such as Hunters Sharing the Harvest, are an excellent way to provide deer meat to the hungry.

A number of states, including Missouri and Pennsylvania, often times are overpopulated with deer, allowing hunters to harvest multiple deer.

I remember years where I purchased as many as four tags for one season in Missouri. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t kill a single deer that season.

Deer meat is nutritious and depending on your taste buds, it’s also delicious. So if you are lucky enough to shoot more than one deer, consider donating.

Many states offer these programs, and if you are interested in donating you should contact your local conservation department or ask your butcher about donating.

Homosexual animals?

Does anyone actually believe that homosexuality exists outside of human society?

Ok, ok so maybe that was a rhetorical question. Maybe a better one would be: How in the world is money being spent on studying homosexuality throughout the animal kingdom?

Obviously someone buys into it considering the University of Oslo’s Natural History Museum opened a whole exhibit, called “Against Nature?” on the subject.

I’m guessing some scientists are just running out of good ideas, so they must have resorted to oddity to gain interest and the almighty grant money.

How can anyone suggest that animals have any concept of sexuality or sexual pleasure?

I’ve seen my male beagle get humped by other male dogs, and I have seen him sniff other male dog’s genitals. Does that make him a homosexual? These notions of animal homosexuality just seem plain ridiculous. And I can’t believe anyone buys into it.

Norway kills whales too

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Iceland resuming the killing of whales in the waters surrounding their country.

I, being obviously uninformed, thought this was something new and bizarre. But it looks as though I was wrong.

Norway has actually been hunting minke whales since 1993. People are worked up over Iceland killing a few whales, while the whale hunters in Norway are upset because they were only able to harvest 546.

Now I’m sure some of the explanation can be found in the types of whales that are being hunted, fin whales versus minke whales. But doesn’t it seem strange that Iceland is portrayed and uncouth and barbaric when really whale hunting has been going on all this time?

I don’t know the answers to the whale hunting issue. I’m not a scientist, and I don’t know the true number of whales. But maybe we need to open our eyes before we jump to conclusions on this whale hunting issue. Because frankly, unless someone is willing to start a war over it, I don’t think these countries are going to stop.

Hunting season set to open

With today being the last day until gun season opens in many areas, hunters across the nation will be preparing for the hunt.

Unfortunately, I still have not found a way to hunt in Florida that doesn't cost a fair amount of money. But in reality that is probably a good thing.

Wildlife management areas, such as the ones in Florida, are an excellent way to give people a chance to hunt, even if they don't own property to hunt on.

However, being a poor college student I can't afford to put any money up to hunt or fish, so I only do what I can do on the cheap.

But if you are hunting tomorrow, remember to only use unscented soaps and wash your hunting clothes with a detergent that is odor free.

Scent can mean the difference between a quick productive season, or a long unproductive one.

Fishing Blues

As I gaze at my fishing poles in the corner and my tackle box collecting dust, I am already longing for spring fishing.

Sure I live in Florida, the fishing capital of the world, where the weather usually stays decent enough to fish all year, and don’t forget our friends up north who seem to love the cooler weather for walleye, trout and salmon. But to me, nothing seems to compare to the rush of spring and summer fishing.

So what should we out-of-work fishermen do in our down time? Well I suppose we could catch up on all those chores that got put off because of those weekend-long fishing trips, or we could do something productive like learning how to be a better angler for the spring.

During the summer the tackle shops are packed with people, and an angler can be hard pressed to find time to fully research fish species and new fishing locations. Take this time to talk with local experts, rent videos and do online research about fish species and fishing structure.

And don’t forget to give the tools of the trade some attention, so they work when you pick them up in the spring.