The State of the World

 

Remember this: There is always room for improvement even in the current Global climate.

Social media allowed the world to keep up with the truth, lies, propaganda and rhetoric at mercurial speeds of different subjects and topics. People, put in power by vote or other, has become the bane of existence for countrymen around the world. The power elected by vote, or power grab have unscrupulously besieged nations with the adjective of our time: Absurdity. The world entered an Age of Absurdity that could rival Alice in Wonderland. The people following in behind this are drunk off of the Wine of Folly that Dionyses himself could not have squeezed from a grape cluster. 

Not unlike the novel, The Counte of Monte Cristo, you have a person in power fueled by his need to avenge himself at any cost; for he has been done a great wrong. If you have ever read this piece of literature, you find our good character, Edmond Dantes, set on the path of avenging false accusation and his subsequent incarceration in the French Chateau d'lf, against himself by his beloved friend, Fernand de Morcerf. 

There are people in this life that can't handle being turned on. The Would-be Sage would tell you to choose who you have around you carefully to remind you that social circles can influence your character and destiny. You do not want to suffer the fate of the unlucky, or unfortunate person.  When you have someone making decisions on your behalf without your input, you could be subject to the outcome of whatever that decision is and suffer the consequence in a most painful and violent way. Imagine if the leader does this and you get the brunt of it, how do you think you are going to feel? Trust is a very hard thing to get back once it is lost. Some people throw trust right out the window with little care of the boomerang effect it has.

Why do I bring this topic up on this particular page? 

The behaviors of one followed by the many have become a Great Nothingness that wants to gobble up the world as we know it. It is spilling over into the dominion of the hunter, the fisherman, the hiker, game warden, park ranger, traveler, camper, naturalist, animal activist, botanist, anyone who loves a national or state park, anyone living in the vein of an indigenous spirit, and so on. 

This is an army of people. We pay our state dues to government agencies to have a privilege that is a God given right, along with water. We know it is limited and thus require someone to monitor our intentions to make sure we do right by ourselves, our kids, and the Natural World. Greed and apathy are not options.

So yeah. I am making it my business-unasked and unannounced. I have seen a mass of videos, writings, news reports and the concerned citizen reporting the ever-spiraling news around the Natural World's present state. The bulk of this is influenced by human activity. We live in a stratum of existence where each level is living in its own bubble of affairs with little thought to the effect it has on the other. Within those bubbles are entities inflicting harm based on petty childish lick-backs. 

Power is great but can lose itself when over-extended by fear of being powerless. We must think of what drives the need to seek power and how power can go unchecked and out of control to become a destructive force. 

Do we have to get to a point where we are sitting in the rubble of our own existence before we think it might be a good idea to stop and reassess the trajectory that humanity is going?

The next question should be: where is the character of Jacopo when he faces Edmond on the road he is following? Who are these people that appear to let the misguided soul bent on revenge to destroy his own reputation, good standing, and legacy? Why do they not step in and make reason and commonsense a stop-pause to the potential devastation that there is no back-tracking from?

This is what Jacopo had to say to redirect Edmond from his own disaster:

Jacopo: "I understand you are mad."

Edmond: "My enemies are falling into my traps perfectly."

Jacopo: "Mad your Grace for ignoring this. You have a fortune, a beautiful woman who loves you. Take the money, take the woman, and live your life. Stop this plan. Take what you have won." 

Edmond: "I can't!"

Jacopo: "Why not?"

(Lots of stares)

Jacopo: "I am still your man Zatarra. I swore an oath to protect you. I will protect you even if it means I must protect you from yourself."

If you are a person that votes, now is the time to recognize that what you hold dear is in jeopardy.

 

We need more Jacopos.

Jacopo: "I swear on my dead relatives-and even the ones who are not feeling to good-I am your man forever!"

Adieu!

Developing Florida State Parks 2024

 

 

Remember this: Let Nature Be.

Recently, I have become aware of the issues Florida residences are experiencing in regard to developing infrastructure in Florida State Parks for tourism and entertainment. 

Historically, when you consider the weather and subsequent flooding alone, it makes you wonder who came up with this idea? I know the need for money has everyone squeezing the soul out of a lemon, but this gives new anxiety to humankind's progression to a nature-less dystopian reality. 

The executive office of Govenor Ron Desantis has proposed nine amendments to nine existing management plans of nine state parks in Florida. This is coming from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). 

The argument for this is economic growth, expanding public access, increasing outdoor activity, and to improve Floridian quality of life, but does it? Is it a great argument? Is this based upon what is best for the location, or what goes in the state, federal, or local coffers? What about the ecosystem and the biological participants existing in mostly untouched areas? When you are looking for the devil, it is usually county, state then federal. Everything follows suit. The county is all about progression and how it can expand town out into the country. The first sign is the infiltration of energy, cell service, and water companies into areas that are not on a grid. Once you are on a grid, then you become an unwitting hostage to its dictates. Not that those systems are directly bad, but it brings housing and structure that eats away at land and Nature like the Nothing. This is when you have human population growth because people need place to go. This needing a place to go out competes wildlife and Nature. The only predator(s) we seem to have is bad food choices, disease, virus, bacteria and human incompetence among other things. 

These are the state parks that are listed as targets for outdoor recreation economy. 

• Honeymoon Island State Park in Pinellas County (lodging, pickleball, and disc golf)
• Hillsborough River State Park (lodging, pickleball, and disc golf)
• Oleta River State Park
• Jonathan Dickinson State Park
• Doctor Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park
• Anastasia State Park
• Camp Helen State Park
• Topsail Hill Preserve
• Grayton Beach State Park 

There is a proposal for putting a golf course on the state parks. Why? Are there not plenty of those everywhere else?  Don't build another one because you are bored and unchallenged.

Let's look at a real-life golf course that is in the lowlands of South Carolina: The Witch Golf Links. The Witch Golf links was closed (2021-2022) due to excessive flooding that cause the course to be under-utilized or not utilized at all during its golfing seasons. One of the co-partners stated flooding would be a regular thing. This course has 38 acres of wetland and floodplain within its boundaries. Initially, the plan was to build 326-home residential development consisting of 115 townhomes, 211 single family dwellings, and six acres of commercial development. The county had plans to develop this property flood or no flood. At some point, someone made the good decision to not put structures over the wetlands. 

This makes you wonder. How can you look at a property and think this is a bad idea and do it anyway? This is the resonating thought in the Floridian brain pan when this was put on the table for them to eat and it was a definite no go meal. 

The golf course was sold to which the Horry County Council decided it would be developed into a multi-family housing to give a wider birth to the wetlands and swamps where the front nine ran through it. Here you have a property that went from golf course to housing development. 

Who did Horry County decide would be desperate enough to market to and those people would buy an expensive house on a flooded area? Then live with taxes, debt and consequences.

The lesson/idea here for Florida is once DeSantis plunders the state parks with the upgrades and it fails then will it be turned into a housing development? Is it really just a prep for this sort of thing. Gives new meaning to buying Swampland in Florida. 

Not to be a bad cookie, sometimes you can mesh lodgings with state parks. Santee state park has yurts that you can stay in, but they are on the bank of the lake with a pier. People stay there because its down in the woods and they don't want to stay in a hotel. You do have to come to God on the fact you will be visited by insects and snakes. There can be a good balance to the situation where the money goes back to the park. This park has a sink hole problem so that would go to repairing the road system inside the park. When you think of lodging you get into the realm of the wastewater management that comes with people. When you have natural disasters and rising water tables the issues are real.

The pickle ball activity should be left to the towners because you would have to build a court and that takes up surface area and needs to be built to withstand increment weather, as does disc golf. Is anyone going to use it regularly? Upgrades to parks tend to not be used as often and fall into disrepair. Now it is money in and lost. 

Of course, there is always gateway development. What is that? When the local governance decides they want to ease development on constituents and do a little then when that fails go all in and put a bigger spread down because you have now accepted the buildings, gardens, and structures that are there. What you see every day becomes unseen in the long run. You get desensitized to the reality of it because you don't see the minuscule damage going on under the surface.  

The most pressing issue with having our state parks developed is that it falls into the hands of corporations that will see the area as a cash cow or moneymaker on its way to being privatized.  

If you are going to develop over an area, get creative and build things that are engineering feats, work with the nature ecosystem and can withstand a Category 5 hurricane. When you think of life over dollar, dollar is going to win depending on who wants it in their pocket.  

Ultimately, the concern of Floridians on their state parks is the gentrification towards a house development through cherry picked alterations onto the landscape of the park. It is the impact these alterations have on the now existing residents, wildlife and surrounding ecosystems. 

We know our state parks as a place that we can go to get away from the ever-increasing dystopian quality of human life. We resound with Nature by unplugging from it all. Now, someone wants to push an aspect we do not want in that landscape for availability's sake. That is something we already have at home, work, or our daily lives. When you look at human population growth or even migration from other countries, I am surprised that there are not tent camps up everywhere.  Why does everything have to have the life squeezed out of it till all that is left is empty casings with nothing left to give? 

If you would like to learn more, click the link and head over to the Florida DEP page to keep current on breaking news for this situation. 

https://floridadep.gov/about-dep

Just remember, if it is worth it, it is worth fighting for. Once it is ruined, that is a struggle to get it back to a semblance of what it once was. 

~Courtesy of the AOFH~

  

Opportunity Awaits...

Remember this: When faced with an opportunity and good judgment, take it, for it will not last. 


I decided guiding hunters in the woods was not for me where I live. I don't want to be responsible for people in that regard. There are three categories of hunting participants: Those that love to be surrounded by death, neutral people, and those that are surrounded more by life, but death touches them ever once in a while. I choose not to be around death mongers.

What I did decide, if anyone was interested, is to offer people the opportunity to visit a location, with a local person guiding them, to do whatever legally they want to do, and go see. 

I have a webpage in the works. It is not going to have a lot of information on it. I prefer people discussing their needs with me, then trying to compromise or accommodating them. Hopefully, your itinerary will be no stone unturned.  

I will most likely start with five or ten individual people or small groups. Families can apply. 

I lived and worked in a resort setting for ten years. I have visited, and know what to avoid, and where to find the good stuff. Depending on what you are into, for a fee, I can help you plane a vacation or excursion to do whatever it is you want to do that is available. If there is something in a near-by state, I can try to make that happen for you.

I was hoping to get this rotating before the spring hits, but winter activities can be had if you like camping in the cool air, wanting to scout without hunting, birding, etc. 

Right now, I will be building my website and configuring the legalities of the work.

If you are interested, please e-mail: aestheticfemalehunter@hotmail.com. 
Serious inquiries only.

Written by: Angelia Y Larrimore

Boat Ramp Shenanigans with Space Chimp.

Remember this: Poke a measuring stick in it. That hole might be deep.

Yesterday, my son and I went to a boat landing way in the woods on a WMA area. We weighed ourselves before setting out. Humans do not learn anything valuable unless through intrepidity and caprice.

My God, I could have been on the internet looking at naked men, fighting faceless strangers, and looking at mindless crap. But no...I was out in the world.

The state has been under drought watch. The water was low and the road was driveable two days ago. Going in we saw one turkey, then a second. I told my son, “Wait for the third. That will be a show.” The third time we saw turkey there was a herd of about thirteen standing on the sandy road sides, wings a flapping, then strolled nonchalantly in the woods. This was the point I realized the road scraper had loosened the dirt up too much. The boat and truck was at risk to getting stuck. I put her in a different gear and drove on through. We got down to the boat landing after the scenic drive.

The reason I am writing this is for newbie people or anyone that hasn't gotten the details of going off as unseasoned people. This can include people that lack a mentor or just another person. Think before you act. At the very least try to avoid a metaphoric tar pit of nature.

We got the boat down to the landing. There was one truck and it was parked in such a way as to block anyone pulling out. I walked down to the river's edge. The water was low. There was nothing in the water to indicate the end of the boat ramp or the depth of the bottom a ways out. The boat ramp is actually a big canal shoot with disappearing gravel road. Just looking at the water, you can't tell if you back the trailer and boat out, if the trailer is going to fall into a hole you can't see.

I backed the truck up. After the boat came off my rear driver's side wheel found that one place and slide off of what looked to be a traction panel. I had one job and failed. No need spinning wheels in the mud and getting nowhere. You have to learn when to stop. If you don't stop, you make it worse.

It appears someone stuck a piece of pig panel down in the water. I was stuck. I keep finding myself stuck. Yet, if it weren't for me being stuck I wouldn't get great ideas for this blog posts. Other people with their squinty eyes tell me, “You are stuck.” I think it should be an Olympic sport. I would be devastatingly good at it; an unpaid life's career.

Before I left my father told me if I got bogged down to call him. He knew where I was going. Being my dad's child, I trust him. I fell prey to one of my dad's booby traps meant for would-be thieves.

I swamped the boat as well.

Never let it be said that there is nothing man can build that women can't tear apart. Yet on the positive side, we build just as much. It's the weird balance scale of the universe. You never know when it will strike with its shits and giggles. My father and the Universe were having a laugh-fest on me.

My son and I pulled the boat up on the bank. We figured out what he had done. While waiting I noticed a white and black bird flying over the area. It was a swallow-tailed kite. I could hear babies squawking somewhere close by but couldn't visualize the nest. If you see these birds please report a siting. It is an endangered species and of the highest conservation concern. The swallow-tailed kite winters in Brazil. You can call or go to The Avian Conservation Center and The Center for Birds of Prey (1-843-971-7474) websites to report sightings.

On to the debacle.

My father shows up unable to talk. He is humored by my state of affairs. My son was not amused. I thought I was going to die.

We pulled the truck and trailer out. It wasn't that bad. It was just off the track in a soft spot. It could happen to anyone at this ramp.

We pulled the boat up. Fixed it and used the bilge pump to get the excess water out. This was the second time I took this boat out. My dad had just purchased it and kept nudging me to take it out. I thought this odd behavior. I should have known. Send the test chimp to see if she can make it to outer space or watch her spaceship blow up and fall from the sky.

The first time I took this boat out I turned around because the gas line would not stay in the motor. I didn't think it prudent to spew gas into the river, strand myself or anyone with me. I am here not to put the fear of going outdoors in a person. I would rather have them enjoy life. Sometimes invisible and human gremlins decide they do what they want at your expense. Their evil plans know no bounds.

I looked at my dad and said, “Daddy, I don't think this is meant to be.” He didn't look at me and said, “Yes it is.” He might have realized to some degree this was a discouraging situation. He was never one for worry over my feelings. I traded the hitches off the two vehicles. He drove in a truck with 4WD and left it with me. My dad goes back and test drives this boat down the river, leaving it running. I was dubious. My son and I got in the boat then drove off. My dad left. I drove off with the boat. I liked it actually. It maneuvered easily. I could sit up in a seat. I can tell you when you drive your first car you are worried about wrecking into someone. When you drive your first boat on open water with no problems, it just feels awesome.

I looked down at the water. It had debris in it and looked nasty.

We went a ways but then I felt the boat motor kick. My son wanted to know if we hit something. I told him it was either air or water in the line. After the second or third bump, I just got this feeling to turn around because we were heading for this lake. I thought to myself, “There is no way I am stranding my baby and me on this river this day.” I made a U-turn right in the middle of the river and went straight back to the dock. There is no need in letting stupidity overrun common-sense. I got back to the boat ramp. The motor dies. Not to be deterred, I plopped the trolling motor in the water and thought Land Ho. Always have paddles or a back-up.

The problem with driving someone else's used purchase is there is a reason someone sold it. I figured out all the quirks in that boat but I am sure there will be more to come. It is better to do a test run with equipment without unknowing individuals aboard, instead of getting people out on a river then scaring them half to death. I can imagine if this were someone who had never been acclimated to river life. Probably would have shit their pants. If you are not somewhat concerned for yours or others safety and plight....you have a serious problem.

The boat would not crank. I didn't call my dad back either. I backed the Cherokee with the trailer down the slew to the river to float the boat up to hook it then cranked the boat up enough to pull it out the water without busting the motor. The boat motor wouldn't tilt. I wanted to (RAWR!) and gnaw on something, I tell you. I laugh now.

I drove up to a hill and used gravity to slide the boat up to the top where the crank handle was. Once we anchored it down, my son drove us out. He looks at me and says, “Mom, we go camping in a couple of weeks. It will be better. This was one hiccup.”

We got back to the house and weighed ourselves. Everything I do with my son is to teach him something. I told him if you wanted to lose some pounds go down to that particular river and just sit or walk around. He lost 4 pounds in less than 2 hours. I lost 6 pounds. We were constantly drinking water.

I have a reason for writing this. Prior to this, I had talked to several old timers or seasoned boat landing people. There was a pivotal theme traveling through these conversation. That theme was the avoidance of utilizing boat ramps in the area I am from and local areas. I traveled around to look at the landings. Some are great, some hellish.

I learned from working with the public that consumers will avoid bad service and places that provide dreadful experiences.

This is the growing case with some boat landings, their ramps, and engineering. The complaint on ramps were: the steepness of the ramp itself, low-maintenance or upkeep to the ramps, especially out of the way boat ramps. There was a complaint of visualization of where the ramp ended or erosion maintenance at the water's edge to keep boaters from bogging or sliding in. Also the lack of traction in a wide enough area at the mouth of the boat ramp. Some landings have a floating dock where others have nothing but a dirt hill. This doesn't provide a place to tie the boat. I got this from people on the river all the time. These outdoors people are being blocked by the thought of the boat landings being unsafe in some way as to warrant avoidance. There is the issue of once questioned by officials, the landing users will declare no problem. No one wants to be seen as ungrateful or a complainer. Wait until some gets hurt then everyone is bad mouthing the area.                                                                      

You begin to understand why some people die right at the ramp. They are in the water or struggling with the boat somehow. If you lost fluids at the rate my son and I did, compounded with some physical problem you are not aware of, I could see how someone could die. One landing near me is notorious for people dying. It is a steep drop off into the water you can't see. Back a boat up, walk in the water around the motor after you pull it out some and in the drink you go, sucked down. You don't know where the edge is. The person assumes it is naturally there. It could easily happen when you think beyond yourself.

One ramp I went to looks like a ledge when you stand at the top even though from the side it is a gradual incline. Most people do not own a Dualie trucks or a 4 X 4 to pull a trailer. They have little small or mid-size vehicles with questionable brakes and motors two steps from fried. They go fishing to enjoy themselves and get food. I could see where fishermen would be afraid of watching their truck roll back into the river. Some smart person would say, “Don't go down there then.” Yet the landing is there for everyone. There was a section on the other side of the river that was lower.  A decent ramp could have been built there. It would be great if the water were high, but most people do not go when the water is high.

The ramp itself is an obstacle to the river and enjoyment when no appropriate. I wonder if landings are reassessed?

When going to a landing, tell someone where you are going. You might need to send out an S.O.S. If you have no one, become acquainted with the DNR and who to call, if in trouble. Get out your truck and walk down to look at the ramp. Look for hazards. If you find some report them. If it looks shady, don't go in. Go on the premise: out of sight, out of mind. Take electrolytes and water. You don't want to get dehydrated. When in doubt, turn around. Have a back-up. Check your boat with a mental checklist. Someone might have done something to it. On the trip in, something might have become ajar or loose. Talk to people and find out what the potential problems are you might be facing or unaware of. It is worth the oxygen to ask.

I could go on.

Read other people's experience and learn from it. It could happen to you. Just because things go wrong doesn't mean you have to give up your plans to enjoy yourself or experience something new. There are always obstacles that get in the way. It is your job as a human being to use your brain and heart to dodge or make the best of things to get over a hump. There might be a reason for this. You might be laboring under some plight for the sake of someone you don't know who will benefit. Take classes provided by the local DNR or other organizations. Every little bit of experience helps. You might even save a life. You never know.

Go forth River Noob and be awesome.

Written by: Angelia Y Larrimore, the Undaunted.

Preferential Treatment: Resident Hunter vs. Tourist Trophy Hunter

Remember this: Eventually, you will come to the moment where someone will decide who makes it into the life raft while the ship be-a-sinking.

I knew somewhere this would happen. Where non-resident hunters would get preferential treatment over resident hunters via guided outfitters because of legislative and governmental decisions and policies.

This issue is much deeper than bear decimation out the Pitt Valley Region in the British Columbia area. This is a symptom of the disregard for legal matters, the residents as a whole, and the manipulation of legal matters for self-serving purposes on the part of local and foreign outfitters with or without the knowledge of the trophy hunting tourist. There is probably more as is always.

What I have read thus far in my on-going read-a-thon on this matter is: On  10  Dec 2014, the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations decided to allocate an increase in the proportion of licenses available to the 'industry'. It seemed to imply from further reading, the outfitter guiding services. The implication of putting the guided outfitter's service business needs over the resident hunter in British Columbia, who walks out his yard in his home country to do his business of bringing fare home for the table.

Why the special treatment?

I read there was legislation that allowed guide outfitting operations to be own by foreign corporations. This is being done off the backs of local British Columbians and her resident hunters. I wondered how exactly is this done  off the BC residences backs? Why and What?! Capitalism, go figure.

In  February 2013, the Forests, Lands, and Natural Resources Operations Amendment Act, 2014 removed the requirement that a guide outfit can only be owned by a citizen of British Columbia. I guess someone let the door open for outside foreign entities to establish a business, like so many other foreign business that come and use up local resources,  do their damage, close up shop and move on to the next honey hole. It is very rare that these groups leave things in pristine shape. These types of businesses leave a wake of destruction that takes years to repair when left to nature. They are there for the money, will do the song and dance of the locals to win them over, while robbing them blind.

Here is the trouble. Canadian Government is advancing the Hunting industry or something else, and not the resident hunter or non-hunter per se.  When you encourage people to learn to hunt, then restrict existing and new hunters or show preferential treatment to business entities such as outfitting guides for the sake of trophy hunting tourism and charging insane monetary amounts towards non-residential hunters for the life of a animal, in trade for what takes a short period of time for a bullet to fly and the animal to die, is potentially unsanitary in thought and action.

Add on top of this the public reports of Canadian residents, both hunter, non-hunter, tourists, and fisherman, etc that in localized areas wildlife are being removed from the landscape over an extended period of time by unscrupulous outfitters, who commit crimes in other locations and are not penalized in their home country or elsewhere for existing offenses. 

An individual willing to do bad things will do bad things again...and elsewhere.

Is it that easy to work around Canadian laws and shove the bear meat under the rock and walk out the wood with the hide? Is this what is being taught to non-resident hunters? As long as you have the money and the ability to keep your mouth shut and not get caught, we can get away with it. When we are done we will  move to the next territory, fly under the radar, kill again, shove it under a rock and walk out without anyone noticing. What if some hunting tourist has his/her kids there hunting with him/her? Is that something ethically and morally to learn?  

Wildlife management should first benefit the wildlife and the landscape not the politician or the outfitters pocket. If an outfitter charges the rate of $3000 to $5000 per bear shot, then shoots the area clean, that outfitter has the money to move on. Whoever lives there is left with nothing. Unless someone is going to be relocating animals to empty areas, it does take a while for new ones to come in. That outfitter already knows from his buddies on the Outfitter Grapevine and all these great people posting the trophy photos, where the bear are. Thus they move on...

I read one pdf that referred to individuals and groups as black bear stakeholders, as if black bears are some kind of stock on Wall Street.  When you think about it black bear stock is high at four figures, not including hunting fees, and setting up incidentals such as food and lodging. Black bear can become a five figure stock bond hanging on your wall that you will never be able to cash in. 

I have snake oil I would like to sale...

Once you have certain groups that are given more say in the care, handling and harvesting of a beast, while the rest of a country is disregarded in their intellectual or emotional input is disturbing. It speaks to the lack of respect of countrymen and women, the environmental habitat and the creatures themselves. It's an affront to your humanity.

This is a very good case to explore on how a non-resident with money and privilege can walk into someone else's country and be given preference over the resident hunter living there by the country's own legislation. This legislation should be working for the habitat, wildlife, and resident constituent and not the visitor-tourist.  

There is also the concern that the Hunting establishment, which is run by unnamed individuals  or groups with privilege, power and  money can hold sway over the political regime. These people, you will never meet, will establish an influencing force over hunting policies in countries and other states that are not their home location. What happens when that self-serving agenda causes the residential hunter the loss of rightful privileges and hunting quarry due to money, greed, the desire of a specialized group or hunting tourist for a animal body part to look at on a wall, access to that desire and selling out the animals for nothing more than a picture and a skin?

When you think about it, you are a resident living in an area where you feel the security of a particular animal, stream, or plant being there and then it is gone. This usually indicates change of a negative nature, so you think or feel. The feeling you get is suspicion, anxiety, loss, anger and then helplessness because someone or something came along and took away that thing you held as a constant in your life away without remorse at doing so. All because the stranger you would never meet or know...could.

Look into it yourself.

http://www.bcwf.bc.ca/

http://www.vancouverobserver.com/news/trophy-hunters-decimate-bears-bc-valley-under-abysmal-policy?page=0,1

Written by: W Harley Bloodworth

~Courtesy of the AOFH~

Coyote Confessions: Cologne Bandit Part 2

Remember this: Wait for it and milk it.

I decided I would visit the first person on my Cologne Bandit list. I didn't have to go far. I pulled up in the yard. When the guy came out, I pointed to the steps, told him to take a seat, and that I had business with him.  The wife was on her way out the door to work.

He sat down. I asked him, "Do you rent or own the land behind my deer stand?" He told me, he owned it.

I said, "Yesterday, I heard an ATV down there." He seemed annoyed and said, "I was down there and heard a lawnmower."

Of course, I was on the golf cart initially and he didn't know I was there. I timed him an hour or so before the sound of the lawnmower. He kinda told on himself.

I could now place him in the area, yet I had not relayed the cologne smell. I looked him in the eye, with as much mischief as I could muster and said, "Wow, we were cutting the grass down at the pond. I drove into some cologne. It went right in my mouth. Did you smell anything like that?"

My inner demon was belly-rolling with laughter. Of course, this doesn't explain the Cigarette Smoking Man.

He lowered his eyes and stared at me under his ridges. I told him I thought someone was back in the woods. To be fair to his daughter, who sunbathes in the yard, I wanted to let him know, he might have a pervert spying on his house. He didn't seemed bothered by this and then tried to shift the blame off onto the surrounding neighbors. I relayed further information. The pressure was on.

I relayed one of his relatives said to me, "You have a secret admirer in the woods."

I did say to him, I couldn't tell him what to do on his property. He couldn't tell me what to do on the one I was haunting. I wanted to help him pass on my concerns to his little group on that corner road, who lives with the idea I am unaware of their doings.

I also gave him a way out by diverting the questions off to something else. I told him I didn't feel like I should have to worry that someone is menacing me in my area. I did say that it could be someone else just to be fair but he was in the area at the time. He did tell me there were other people that rented property that abutted his. I told him these things only happened during deer season.

I felt I should warn whoever it was in advance that walking in the treeline on property they are trespassing on could get them seriously hurt or worse.  It is bad enough I could be walking on my father's property and someone shoot over in his area; wounding or killing me.

I was just taking precautions. There are times in life when you have to let people know you are not the idiot child of the stick people tribe.

He finally dodged me and walked to the door proclaiming, "Let's go get some supper."

I backed out the yard and drove away; with a plan. The only thing playing in my mind was Mikey and Mouth, from Goonies, yelling at Data, "Slick shoes? Are you crazy?"


Written by: W Harley Bloodworth

~Courtesy of the AOFH~

To Catch A Cologne Bandit.

Remember this:  Never underestimate a person who is up to no good.

I went to the small patch of woods to ascertain if the ground was too wet to cut the grass in a field. On the way up the path, I heard the sound of an ATV of sorts. I crept through the woods. I determined no one had driven in from the main entrance. I thought about going up one of the fire breaks, but it was downed by some trees. I decided to push some oak logs with my foot while I waited. The motor stopped. I waited a while but then decided to take the golf cart and head down the dirt road. I wanted to visualize the person behind this noise. I never found them. I went out to the main road and passed the church. The church was just beginning to take on worshippers for the nightly service.  I went back to the house.

I decided I was being silly. When I thought about all the crappy things done to me last year, I decided to shake it off. I devised a different plan.

I wanted to cut the grass thinking the person was gone. I trolled down the lane with the dog. I cut half the road but when I got back to the area where I was previously, a shadow darted into the trees. A taste filled  my mouth that almost made me gag. I could not hear retreating footfalls due to the lawnmower motor.

This gave me two clues. The first clue was the expensive cologne taste lacing my tongue and hitting me in the face. The second clue was the darting shadow.

I stopped the lawnmower. Someone must be getting an early start skunking stands, because gun season for deer starts September 1. I thought about the people who were probably bow-hunting back across the field.

The only way I would have a cologne taste in my mouth were if the person, in the wind against my face,  poured out an expensive bottle of oily cologne or wore it.  Given the rain constantly hitting the ground, someone wasted a bottle of cologne. When the deer came out of the woods, I should have known someone was walking in them.

As for the identity of the culprit, the only telltale clue is: the perpetrator has to come from the abutting cow pasture that is less than five steps from beneath my deer stand.  This person has to have access to that field in order to trepass onto the property that I stood on. I saw one of them coming from that corner yesterday.

Given I should be worried some man is stalking me in the woods, I thought this wasn't the motive for the day. Usually, the Creeper stands in the trees at the edge of the horse pasture smoking a cigarette. I think the person didn't know I was in the woods, but decided to do a walk through while spraying Hi-Karate.

When I considered who these guilty people or persons might be, they are the kind of crazy folks that will kill a deer just to hang its guts on the ladder of your stand. It is one-hundred fold if one of them has a liking for you and you rebuff his advances. If they are willing to spray perfume, they might be willing to tap me in the back of the head. You never know.....

I sat wondering what I could do about this. This happens all the time to hunters. A neighbor or stranger cases your property to determine when a good time would be to trespass. The thought doesn't strike them that they might get caught.  When they do, if you turn them in, they are worse when they are released from jail. There are people that like to tempt fate. They think they will never get caught or hurt. Last year, one man was so ballsy he came right out and asked me, did I quit hunting yet.

What was I to do? I have one old game camera with a night flash. I need something with night vision that can't be detected, no matter what time. I am not sure what to do about these people. I don't want to fight with neighbors but they seem to want to spite me. I entertained the idea I should not hunt this year. I am tired of it always being a bad experience; usually caused by men. I laugh at this but.... I have decided I don't think much of men.

It did bother me someone was in my woods, either spraying or wearing cologne; probably on their way to sit in church to worship God for the night. I hope God teaches them a lesson.

What do I do?

The silver lining is my habitat, in all its unkempt glory, has finally become a home for wild duck. Took it almost five years but if you build it, they will come.



Written by: W Harley Bloodworth

~Courtesy of the AOFH~

The Jungle Cat

Remember this: The jungle cat is on the prowl.

In the beginning, there was grass. In the grass crawled a predator with keen senses like a black panther. Stalking its prey near a flowing sea of green, the beast slowly made its way across the grasslands. Thunder echoed from miles away. Danger was at every turn. The horses stared at the simpleton in the grass, wondering why their owner was scurrying so low to the ground and pretending to be a mouse. With every twitch of the doe's ear, the predator knew that it could be discovered. It lowered itself along the dirt like the black snake then moved as silent as the grave to the strike zone. The beast realized the grass was giving her the mad itch. She let out a low growl. Maybe a painful groan, before proceeding. Stretching her body out and moving with silent agility, the black panther finally reached a point to spy the prey. The deer were standing to attention. The tattletale horses had given the beast away. The horses ran away laughing, while the deer stood by the trees pointing at the idiot in the grass. The beast was bested this day and shook her fist, "I shall get you."

I wanted to get some photographs of the deer herds before local hunters mobilized , guns ablazing, for the upcoming deer hunting season. I went about my rounds but the day was humid. I could hear thunder and periwinkle clouds were above the trees. I didn't realize till much later that I had left the only battery to my camera in the house. I went to feed the dog when I stared off near the trees. Out in the field were a small  herd of deer. I didn't have time to go and get the battery. I decided to be a sneak thief and take these photos with my cell phone. If the quality is not that good let us chalk it down to Barney's shakey trigger finger.

I thought I would be slick and just walk out there to them. The wind was blowing away from me. I strolled straight out to the field and hid along side a paint mare. I had her walk towards the deer. The deer seem too enthralled in eating the soybeans. I moved closer. I realized I would not be able to hide behind this horse much longer. I got to the edge of the pasture then dropped down on my stomach.  I wanted to get as close to them, without spooking them, as possible. I crawled on my stomach for what I thought was three or five long minutes.  It could have been eternity. It felt like it. I would stop and look over the soybeans to see if they were still there. I was sweating bullets because it was getting more humid by the minute. The wind began to blow up my back toward the deer. I figured this would compromise me and drift my smell over to them. I laughed about this, snorted and thought, "I smell like roses." I crawled on.  Old horse poop land mines lay at every turn. I chalked this one down to my doctor prescribing exercise and this helped me to the pain medicine hours later. Crawling should be in your exercise regime for hunting. You never know when you have to stop, drop, crawl, or roll. Unfortunately, I can't ever run again. I would have to just sit there and be eaten by a bear; maybe dash salt and pepper on myself for good measure.

I stood up and took some photos, which I was closer than these appear. I chuckled all the way back to the house. I am definitely paying for it now. I thought I would share my shenanigans and give you a laugh because I am tons of fun. I think there might be some leprechauns hiding out in all that green. No one shall find my gold.

Written by: W Harley Bloodworth

~Courtesy of the AOFH~

Cyber-bullying; A Hunting Task Force.

Remember this: Commend those that look for solutions to problems. Be wary of those that instigate their own problem then act like the victim.

I was reading a post on Google plus. The post stated the U. S. Sportsmen Alliance met on 23 July 2014 to discuss acts of cyber-attacks towards outdoor sports participants by creating a Hunter Advancement Task Force to address these issues. My first thoughtful question: Was this the SWAT of hunting or what? I looked at the list of people. It was a who’s who of important people in the outdoor sports industry; so much for the little man. No money, no opinion. 

I did look for a detailed transcript of these talks to see what exactly was on the menu, as far as meat and taters. Nothing but vagaries. I felt this posting was publicity for the appearance of doing something, when in fact it was a loose interpretation of, what appeared to be, looking for solutions to cyber-bullying against the average hunter, when it fact it is for specialty groups or high profile individuals.

I commend this group for finally admitting a hunter-generated problem existed and needed some address. After reading this, I recognized the common theme penned of shared targeting by animal rights activists or people on the internet that didn’t like seeing dead animal pictures.

This task force group started to read like an initial coalition formed for the self-serving purposes of protecting high profile members and entities such as non-profits and foundations based around outdoor sports that were more important than the rest of us; not the little man. People like me that can’t afford membership fees, with no status or connections, do not seem to be invited to that party. Yet the question loomed. Exactly who is this supposed to benefit again?

I did see the wordage of ‘the average hunter’. The wording was to indicate average hunters are not of importance to animal activists because we are a bunch of little nobodies. It seemed slightly dismissive. The argument for hunting is hunter money makes the world go around. There is a sense of exclusion when certain things don’t serve specific purposes. Am I lead to believe that only television personalities, CEOs, non-profits and other entities are more important than the rest of us because they put themselves on display in the public more often? Is this really a small group of people trying to figure out how to protect their interests as industry elite, while publicizing this information as an attempt toward protecting all hunters? Good question.

The possible issue making birth is a governing body made of industry entities and people, pushing their agenda like lobbyists on capital hill, settling on a course of action for self-serving reason while dictating to excluded portions of outdoorsmen to form policies or procedures without including the average hunter. Then dictating how judgments will be doled out, to whom, why, and what constitutes speaking against hunters.

I see nothing wrong with protecting participants of the outdoor sports. What happens when these exclusive groups turn on the average hunter to squelch any kind of dialogue that goes contrary to their dictated storyline? I have been attacked by hunters before and it does happen. They don’t like what you say because there is some weight to your words that can’t be denied. Instead of taking your suggestion in as pertinent information to be regarded for problem-solving, you are instead referred to as a trouble source that must be ignored, made into a social pariah, or de-characterized within a social group and excluded.

I also thought of the key players in this little canto. I had followed Bachman and Waller on social media for a long time. Neither was my flavor of person but I wanted to keep abreast of folks in the industry. What I gathered from watching them and seeing how they or whoever was posting for each carried themselves was this: Negative actions should bear the weight of bad behavior. Bachman garnered more attention because of its inflammatory nature.

After so many posts, you begin to see people getting on the band wagon of advertising their abuse by anti-hunters. Some probably went as far as to find someone to fight with to make their promotion of this idea valid. There is nothing like bad press. It puts you right in the limelight. Look to Hollywood for examples.

If you are doing things to make your condition worse, how can anyone like that be included in a brightest minds meeting? The root of the problem is behavior. Yes, Bachman and Waller should be included in cleaning up the mess of their own making, as does anyone else. There should also be some degree, on their part, of admitting to antagonizing the situation for the promotion of their television personas. There are also male hunters that act the same way. So this is not strictly a female issue.

There is a growing trend to prostrate women out as shields. Shields are the protective armor from the attack of arrows and slings, etc. The shield takes all the punishment while the person or issue hiding behind it is kept from harm. Eventually the shield is broken, dropped, or tossed aside once the battle is over. If it is a sturdy shield then it may be used again and again until demolished. By pushing women out into the fray is to compound a terrible situation and make it escalate into something far uglier; which it already has turned into. Women have been perceived in the past as weaker and easier to beat down. If you were not weak then you were mistreated because no one could manage you and beating the crap out of you didn’t work.  

The other problem I see is the possibility of a Monsanto of Hunting. Monsanto has been documented to take drastic action against farmers that are opposed to the way Monsanto goes about doing their business. 

When a group tries to monopolize information, control meaningful content from their perspective only, and as a publicity release to clean up messes, then turn around an issue educational information control by them is disturbing. Now you are being sat down like a three-year-old that needs to be explained the potty because you are clueless. The more educated person with status and power must guide you over the cliff of their choosing. This harkens to the educated elite controlling the poor stupid casts who trust they are being lead to prosperity, when it is only a life of indenture to support their cause.  

How best to educate the public? Thanks for taking it upon yourselves to determine that for hunting participants. Undoubtedly, we can’t find that information, translate and interpret the facts ourselves. If I want education about my hunting, I go straight to the SCDNR. They govern my hunting license, write the tickets, and dictate my actions when out in the field. I don’t go to anyone else.

As an example of how I would deal with cyber-bullying when it comes to hunting is this: I can attest that I had some people using a fake profile on google plus in my early use. I use a faux name because there are people that seem to find it an enjoyment to stalk me in the past. They were also on my Facebook page. When this group began to disturb my calm, I realized early they were not who they said they were. I investigated the name then called the local sheriff’s department in that area. I found out the persons on the internet were frauds with harmful intent.  I was then told to fill out a complaint at my local sheriff’s department and provide all the information to investigate these people, even though the profile said they were less than four hours away in the same state. Now if someone makes a profile with a pen name, then bothers no one while minding their business or cause harm, I don’t care about those. As an average hunting participant, this is what I must do. Turn it in to the cops. There will be no task force or governing body to intervene on my behalf. I am naked an on my own but I am not afraid.

I read how this task force would attempt civil and criminal action against harassing non-hunting participants. When you think of the number of people online that get cyber-bullied over hunting, it could be financially overwhelming. There is no feasible way to pay a lawyer for that many people. Shorting my field of view, my eye went back to special individuals or groups.

I thought, what could be the short term goals? Putting a cap on imminent threats to industry elite so they can continue their cycle of livelihood and public profiles, unmolested came to mind. Another short reaching goal is to advertise the initiation of a task force to put fear in the minds of people who are vehemently against hunting to see if they back off. This is a form of false posturing.

Long term goals would be to lobby legislation against non-hunting participants who use the tactic of cyber-bullying to threaten people as a form of localized terrorism.

Reader beware, the animal activist machine will shadow this with their own form of task force. The road runs both ways. If a hunter gets on the internet and harasses a non-hunting participant because they feel protected under the wing of a task force against hunting cyber-bullying, don’t think you can’t get nailed if you instigate a fight. Evidence is evidence.

When it comes to controlling and monitoring individuals on the internet, this is an expedition to a place called Failure, to some extent. Entities such as Facebook and Google are not under the thumb of the outdoor establishment. They are only policed and sanctioned by their self-serving interests from within.

If I weren’t a thinking person, I would have read this and said, “Yeah! Great, someone is doing something.” When you break it down and mark your questions in the margins, you become quickly skeptical about the content and what it truly means long term and who it applies to. When it doesn’t apply to you in the collective, it’s pretty much another empty proposition.

People are too busy being reactionary and not thinking through things they read, see, or hear. We put all our trust into federations, foundations, non-profits and government to deal with our problems. They are problems of our making because of our behavior. We pass our decision-making abilities off on other people, then try to hold them responsible when things don’t work out. We stand idly by while people form groups to make decisions without including a larger portion of the group which gives them monopoly. There are too many people in positions of power that lack common sense when sensible people who are poor get locked out then suffer for it.

In my early blogs, when I wrote that hunting needed reform stands true just as the source I got it from stated. When I wrote about people getting threatened to the point of murder, the machine is driving it in that direction because of the activists showing up at Bachman’s door. When I wrote about the blurry face of hunting, it meant all hunters, not just outdoor industry teacher’s pets. When I wrote about abuse, it was the female hunters who have online strangers trying to molest them. This also went to the behaviors of both sides of the fence acting less than civil. My blog started looking like a self-fulfilling prophecy. When I see posts that indicate a divergence from my storyline, I think for a moment that there might be some positive change. I read, digested, and realized no such luck.

Written by: W Harley Bloodworth (a.k.a) the woman with no pot to piss in and no window to throw it out of.

~Courtesy of the AOFH~

Female Hunter; Social Stigma

Remember this: All motives do not end in sex (esp. with un-sexy people) but stupidity runs rampant.

The truck was stopped on the road by the sign-in box at the mouth of the wildlife managed area. I stared down the road at what looked like flooding in two spots; one deeper than the other. The little voice in my head said, “Turn back Lewis and Clarke; turn back.”

I pulled over into the new, rock covered parking area by the sign-in box, got out and walked down the road to the small tea colored stream making its way from one side to the other. River water was everywhere. The first hole didn't look deep but I could tell that second one was a doozie. I later tried the first but backed right up out of there on the second. I wasn't feeling lucky.

I was reading the list of people who were turkey hunting since the first of April. Only two male gobblers where taken over a period of 23 days. The weather has been uncompromising while cold yet today it was extremely hot and humid. As I was perusing this information an SUV came rolling by. It backed up and a younger black man asked me if this was the sign-in station. I told him it was and carried the book over for him to pen their names in. He told me they had been there the year before with no luck. I told him he probably wouldn't have good results because it was so flooded and where he might go to find one. He eyeball rolled me and I could tell he did not believe me. Maybe he thought I was trying to send him on a wild goose chase so I could have all that WMA turkey for myself.

They went into the first hole but backed right back out the second to stop and ask me what they could do. I told them there was another access point but I couldn't guarantee the road would be any better. I gave them directions and off they went. I would later drive down to the other access point and find several crater like holds filled with water and flooding across the area. I doubt they went in.

While at the Sign-in box, I heard the soft sound of what could have been a female turkey. I wondered into the brambles to find the origins of the sound but then realized this pitch-black crow was the culprit. I wasn't sure if the crow was bad news or what. There it was, hanging around, trying to punk me in the swamp. I then left.

I stopped by the grocery store on my way home but met a guy in passing who I was familiar with. I asked him did he go turkey hunting. He told me no, but started to talk about it. He was more of a deer hunter. I asked him did he know where in the WMA people actually hunted. He shrugged no.

A pause in silence while I heard mental crickets because I wasn't sure what to say next. Good fortune for me because this little man pulled up in a kidnapper van and started to talk to the guy. I walked off and went to shopping. Guy was still there with the old dude when I got back. I was about to open my door when he walked to the other side of the truck bed and began talking. He told me of several places where I could find a place not on the WMA that would not be so water logged but on the edge of it. He told me about this man that lived down the street who he proclaimed was a Gobbler Calling King. Of course he did direct me, upon calling this Gobbler Calling King, to excessively compliment him while blowing his head up and giving him the credit for pointing me in the general direction.

I was listening intently when he seemed somewhat nervous. I thought, “Uh oh. Here it comes.”

He then looks me square in the face with nervous hands and said, “The only problem you might have is the fact that you are a single unattached female. If you go with any of the men down here, people will probably say you are having sex with them.” In my mind the snotty voice was thinking, if I set foot on the WMA then I am making out with everyone even the game wardens. Oh happy day! I would be exhausted when I got home.

I told him I already new this to be a true statement. All of the people including relatives  I spoke to were showing me their backs or politely directing me to a dead-end.

My reputation is pretty spotless unless someone were to spread common gossip about me. I can't account for every little comment said or unsaid as to my person. Who does? I don't have time for that. Its emotionally draining and counter-productive to my goals and objectives.

We spoke a little longer but I did get some information from him on the turkey. I excused myself then went home to cook dinner and dial up the Gobbler Calling King. I finally got in touch with him and explained what I was asking for. I also told him what the guy said about people talking and how I wanted to work right past this particular issue. He told me he would have to ask his wife. I said that would be fine. His wife knew me. He will probably come back to say no. They always do.

While on the telephone he did relay to me that he went hunting several times but he wasn't impressed with the low show of turkey. The DNR forecast was listing 'fair'. He thought this was because of predators, people shooting gobblers who were not old enough to even have good spurs, the weather, or some other problem. He did tell me some of the turkey taken were young jakes instead of older birds. We were both in agreement in the past 2 to 3 years the amount of turkey seemed to be slowly dissipating. I felt at times he was discouraging with this information like I should give up but yet he was hunting and it wasn't stopping him. He was going with other people. He complained a lot about younger men shooting underling jakes for the sake of getting a turkey tag filled while not considering emptying out the herd when all that is left is hens with no males to breed with. The two men at the sign-in box had this same attitude through conversation of just getting a turkey regardless of it being too young or gobblers per hens. A lot of people want to get a turkey for turkey sake, a photo, and the experience even if the turkey bird is not mature enough. I have spoken to a lot of people that feel the same way in regards to low turkey numbers and this year if the breeding isn't improving or poults don't survive, next year will be no better. There is always a stand-by answer for this.

All men like to say, “There are turkey everywhere.” This may be true to them in their mind but when you see something dwindling down to nothing and a person who has hunted long before you were born is telling you what you've seen in the past 2 to 3 years is parallel to their observation, then I would think someone needs to rethink their hunting habits or do some research. No wonder turkey season only lasts a month. Most people don't even know turkey here were re-introduced because the population got so low and the DNR does their research through surveys based on hunting participants' observation and honesty to determine what is going on each year due to lack of funds or man power. I guess the turkey biologist has got to be pulling his hair out with tied hands.

After this conversation, I sat on the porch with a long face. Why do people have to think of stupid things and act that way when in reality there is not a lot of people that look that good to want to steal their husband or boyfriend. Men picked their wives and married them; I say suffer thy wife and let me turkey hunt. People's personal suspicions are not my problem. If nameless people have to worry that much maybe divorce is in order.

I then pondered over the questions: Is it more relevant for me to be married to justify hunting? Would this make another married woman or man feel safe if I had a wedding band on my finger?

No. Legal papers and wedding bands do not keep a person from straying. The only thing that would usurp this migration is the person's strong moral compass and the ability to say no because the individual actually loves their significant other. No compromises.

On the other hand after deliberating over crazy mind thought shenanigans; I laughed.

I have solved a problem. Turkey hunting with a single female is the litmus test of whether you are in a bad relationship!! Run, hide your husbands because no sheep is safe tonight. The only beacon of light was the guy was dead honest with me and reaffirmed my suspicions. I wondered how long it would take him before he asked me out? Yes, I chuckle at myself sometimes.

In reflection to this stigma of being a single female who hunts, this impairs your access to opportunity while demeaning the person you really are. The idea of someone making comments in regard to your morals, while constructing some fallacy as to your true reason or nature for going to an area to hunt, is one of the lowest common denominators of humanity I can think of.

There are a lot of under-conditioned men and women in the hunting world. The last time I looked some couldn't even crawl up in a deer stand or the side of a mountain. Thinking bad thoughts of innocent people is wrong. If you have to worry that much over someone else maybe you need cognitive therapy to question all those crazy thought.

Once again in the spirit of informing women not so much in a rant, as to what goes on in the minds of other people, so you'll be aware of things that could impede your hunting; this is one of them. I was planning on going into the WMA later this week whether the people in the community help me or not. I have come thus far without their help and will go on to do whatever it is to reach my goals. Its better to be eaten by hogs otherwise the gossip hounds will drive you into a hole then tear you apart; unfounded rumor by unfounded rumor. Common gossip based in fiction destroys lives and makes the people spreading it appear to be stupid cumquats.

Go do your hunt. If the game warden wants to burn you, it might be better to eat a ticket than be put off because somebody can't control themselves while in the woods with you or their wife doesn't trust their husband.

I will say while everyone was trying to get into the WMA, I drove ten minutes away and found this.  Besides, I did not know I was that much of a temptation.

Click on image to Enlarge.

Written by: W Harley  Bloodworth

~Courtesy of the AOFH~