It is more than
likely a new world record whitetail, but it is not what you might think. An
antlered doe, yes you read that correctly and antlered doe harvested by Iowa
hunter Eric Weymiller is likely the largest antlered whitetail doe ever
harvested by a hunter. With a green score in the mid 150’s this trophy is
believed to be the largest ever. Unfortunately no organization currently keeps
records on antlered does but this circumstance may inspire some record keepers
to change their minds. Whitetail Fanatic Magazine managing
editor Dan Pierce has spoken with the successful hunter and promises the full
story in an upcoming issue of Whitetail Fanatic. Stay tuned.
Important CWD Update
Researchers whose
work was published recently in the journal Science say they have found
infectious prions - the agents that are believed to cause chronic wasting
disease - in the leg muscles of infected mule deer, a finding that's likely to
raise concerns among deer hunters.
"This shows muscle
contains infected material," said senior author Glenn Telling, an associate
professor of microbiology at the University of Kentucky. "Anybody who may be
handling or eating infected deer may be inadvertently exposed."
The finding does
not change our recommendation for hunters, said James Kazmierczak, an
epidemiologist with the Wisconsin Department of Health. No part of an infected
animal should be consumed, and all animals killed in the chronic wasting disease
endemic zone should be tested for the disease, he said.
Since 2002, 99,308
deer in Wisconsin have been tested. Of that total, 557 deer have tested positive
for the disease, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.
The new report
suggests that all so-called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, ranging
from chronic wasting disease to mad cow disease, should be taken more seriously,
said Michael Hansen, senior scientist with the Consumers Union.
"No hunter should
eat anything until after an animal has been tested," said Hansen, a biologist.
"This finding, along with reports last year that CWD can move into primates,
should raise some serious questions for hunters."
Martin Helps Boost Handgun Sales
According to the National Shooting Sports
Foundation, Gun storeowners in Saskatchewan say that outgoing Prime Minister
Paul Martin’s announcement of a plan to further restrict handgun ownership in
Canada has triggered a boost in handgun sales in recent weeks, reports CBC News.
"Handgun sales have gone up, we heard, in some areas, 300 percent," said
storeowner Darryl Schemenauer. "The thinking is, it's going to be very hard for
government to come to your house and actually take that handgun away."
Martin's anti-gun antics are also believed to be a
primary reason he was unseated as Canada's prime minister in recent
elections
Pennsylvania Issues CWD Measured
Using newly-granted
emergency powers, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Vern Ross has
issued an order banning the importation of specific carcass parts from states
and Canadian provinces where CWD had been identified in free-ranging cervid
populations. For more detailed information please visit The Pennsylvania Game
Commission website.
Still Time To Enter and WIN Illinois Whitetail Hunt
To be eligible for
our annual membership contest you must purchase a new, or renew an existing
membership to the Whitetail Fanatic Magazine between May 1, 2005 and April 30,
2006.
For each membership
purchased during the specified contest dates, the following number of entries
will be awarded:
1 year – 1
entry 2 year
– 2 entries each year for 2 years 3 year – 5 entries each year
for 3 years 5 year – 10 entries each year for 5 years Lifetime – 100 entries each
year for life
According to the U.S.
Sportsmen's Alliance; despite comments from Pennsylvania Game Commission
spokesman Jerry Feaser that “hunting is the primary means of managing deer
populations,” animal rights activists are convinced that deer birth control, not
hunting, should be implemented to control deer herds.
Anti’s ignore that
the Food and Drug Administration has not approved deer fertility drugs for human
consumption and that there have been no findings to ensure that other wildlife
species are not adversely affected.
“Beyond the health
and safety issues, deer birth control programs are expensive and inefficient,”
said U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance President Bud Pidgeon. “Statistics show that
treatments average $2,943 per deer, and states that have tried the drugs,
including Connecticut, Minnesota and Ohio, all reported subsequent escalation in
deer numbers in target areas.” Feaser concurs. “There’s no scientific evidence
that birth control works in a free ranging deer herd,” he said.
Governor Ted Nugent?
Has four-term
National Rifle Association director and Whitetail Fanatic Magazine columnist Ted
Nugent leveled his crosshairs on a 2010 Michigan gubernatorial run? "I could
have won in '06 but I had too much going on with my TV shows and civic duties to
mount a serious run," said Nugent in a recent news report.
If Ted wants to be
Governor he surely gets our vote!
Girls Gone Wild
The April edition
of Whitetail Fanatic magazine will mark the second year of our annual Girls Gone
Wild issue. This is a very tasteful tribute to the female deer hunter. The April
issue will also announce our Editors Choice Awards for the past season.
Brittany Prins, (L)
her buck scored 168+. Kathy Coy’s (Middle) bow buck. Pam French, (R) and her
whitetail buck. See these stories and more lady whitetail hunters in the April
2006 Whitetail Fanatic!
Hunting Related Equipment Sales Soar
According to the
National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA), hunting-related equipment sales saw
the highest percentage increase of all athletic and sports equipment in 2005.
NSGA's report "The
Sporting Goods Market in 2005" estimates sales of hunting-related equipment
totaled $2.8 billion, up 8 percent from the previous year. The next-highest
category was tennis-related equipment sales, which rose 5 percent.
Within the
hunting-related equipment category, firearms saw a 9.5 percent sales increase to
$1.9 billion, Rifle sales ($722 million) showed a 16.5 percent increase, handgun
sales ($524 million) increased 10.4 percent, shotgun sales ($534 million) were
up 1.9 percent and air gun sales ($120 million) rose 3 percent. Archery
increased 4 percent. Particularly strong sales were seen in hunting-related
footwear. Sales increased 21 percent, an increase unmatched in any other
category of athletic footwear.
Winchester Model 70 and 94 rifle Production Ends
After 140 years in
business, U.S. Repeating Arms Company (USRAC) will close their New Haven,
Connecticut facility on March 31, 2006, ending production of Winchester Models
70 and 94 rifles and Model 1300 shotguns. For USRAC it came down to a business
decision after the plant lost money for almost a decade.
Winchester Firearms
will continue to offer the Select line of over and under shotguns, the Super X3
autoloading shotgun, their new Super X autoloading rifle and Limited Edition
rifles. The company also plans to introduce "new models" in the future, with no
changes in customer service.
Service and
warranty work will continue for the next ten years on discontinued models in
Arnold, Missouri.
