Pete Thomas Outdoors

Hornady offers Z-Max ammo...for vaporizing zombie varmints

The living dead are back -- but this time instead of human zombies lurching about it's those pesky varmints (who knew we had to worry about flesh-eating gophers!).

To be prepared for Zombiegeddon: when varmints attack, Hornady Manufacturing has introduced Z-Max bullets to its arsenal of offerings.

Following the introduction of Zombie Max ammunition last year, Hornady has augmented its line of green-tipped bullets by adding five calibers "specifically designed to vaporize zombie varmints."

Guess it's better to be safe than sorry ... just in case!

Z-Max image courtesy of Matt Hodtwalker / Hornady Manufacturing

Search continues for killer of Mt. Rainier park ranger

 

The "manhunt on the mountain" continued Monday for the man believed to have shot and killed a Mount Rainier National Park ranger on Sunday during a traffic stop inside the vast Washington state wilderness park.

[*Monday night update: Police find body of shooting suspect.]

Margaret Anderson was married with two young children and Benjamin Colton Barnes, 24, a veteran of the Iraq war known to possess survivalist skills, is "a strong person of interest" in the case. Barnes, a suspect in an earlier shooting that injured four people in Seattle, is said to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and prone to anger spells.

Police believe Barnes may have fled into the national park to hide out in the aftermath of the Seattle shooting.

Park officials evacuated 125 visitors and the manhunt involves about 200 personnel, searching from the ground and air.

Webcams installed throughout the park reveal the vastness of wilderness, and a mostly snowy landscape, with dark and threatening skies.  It's eerie to look at the webcams, knowing that a sick killer is on the loose.

Anderson, certainly, could not have known what kind of person she was contending with after the gunman sped past a checkpoint used to make sure visitors carried tire chains for the snow.

After a pursuit she was able to use her vehicle to block the road in front of the gunman—the road that leads to Paradise—and according to the Associated Press, Anderson was fatally shot before she stepped out of her truck.

She had worked at the park for four years. She and her family lived in the nearby small community of Eatonville. Above is an AP video news report about the incident. Below is an image showing a view of Mt. Rainier National Park from its "Mountain" webcam.

Bag limits for waters that have special regulations for trout?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Pete Thomas Outdoors, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly California Outdoors Q&A column:

Question: What are the bag limits for waters that have special regulations for trout? In some cases, specifically the middle fork of the Stanislaus River, the river is broken down into sections. For example, from the Beardsley Dam down to the Spring Gap Bridge there are certain restrictions and the bag limit is two fish of at least 14 inches. From the same bridge down to New Melones Lake there are no special restrictions and the bag limit is two fish.

If you fish on one side of the bridge following the special restrictions (only artificial lures and barbless hooks) and you keep two fish that are at least 14 inches, can you also be in possession of two fish from the other side of the bridge that allows any type of bait and hook? Meaning you would be in possession of four fish because they were caught essentially under the bag limit of the two different bodies of water based on the regulations. Also, how would you be able to prove to a game warden if they ask about the additional two fish that you caught up river beyond the bridge? (Larry G.)

Answer: You may not exceed the daily bag or possession limit for the location where you are currently fishing, regardless of where you caught the fish. In your example, the daily bag limit is two fish, and you cannot exceed that limit on the same day even if you fish multiple segments of the river.

For an alphabetical list of waters with special fishing regulations, see California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 7.50. In the current California Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations booklet, they can be found beginning on page 30.

Q: I was told recently by my gunsmith that it’s illegal to use a double gun -- a rifle/shotgun combo, like the Savage Model 24 -- when hunting birds in California. Do you have any knowledge of this or any idea of who to ask? (Dave and Jim M.)

What's the history of the Tejon Ranch elk?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Pete Thomas Outdoors, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly California Outdoors Q&A column:

Question: I live in Stallion Springs, a rural community about 15 miles west of Tehachapi, and we have bands of elk that roam in the neighborhood. They move freely between the adjoining huge Tejon Ranch and the neighboring Bear Valley Springs community. I have been told by a born-and-raised Tehachapi native that the elk escaped in the early 1970s from a high fence operation located in the nearby Cummings Valley. Are they Rocky Mountain Elk or the Roosevelt subspecies? How does the Tejon Ranch conduct hunts for these elk when we never see anything in the hunting regulations about this? And, since their rutting season usually runs from late October into November in other areas, why do these animals go into the rut from the end of August to the very beginning of October? Furthermore, deer hunt zone D10 is all on private land and that zone is open to draw. Thanks for any light you can shed on these questions. (Ron A., Stallion Springs)

Answer: In 1966, the Department of Fish and Game issued a permit for the release of 300 Rocky Mountain Elk imported from Yellowstone National Park into a fenced compound on a game farm ranch in southern Kern County. By 1967, 290 elk had been shipped from Yellowstone, but due to the stress of transport and possibly other causes, only 277 survived to be released inside the ranch enclosure. Many elk died within the enclosure from several diseases brought on by stress induced by confinement, as well as a new and different diet. Later that year elk began escaping because of the lack of fence maintenance. It is not known exactly how many animals escaped to the wild (California Fish and Game, 61(4):239-241. 1975).

According to DFG’s Elk and Pronghorn coordinator, Joe Hobbs, approximately 200 animals currently reside in this area in an around the Tejon Ranch. Elk game farming is no longer allowed in California. The Tejon Ranch runs their elk hunting through the DFG’s Private Lands Management Program. In exchange for conducting habitat improvement projects on their land that benefit wildlife, landowners can receive special PLM elk tags each year. The numbers and types of tags correspond to the population level of elk and the current conditions on the ranch. Elk in this area may have an earlier rutting season due to the warmer weather in Southern California.

Q: I just bought two crabs and found one with black spots on the outside shell. I’ve seen these before and usually avoid them, but this time the seller sneaked it into my package. When I called him about it, he said he didn’t know what it is, but it doesn’t permeate the shell. This isn’t true—I’ve seen this stuff on the flesh at the joints. It looks like oil. Can you enlighten me? Besides being ugly, is it unsafe? (Mari V., Berkeley)

Can 'Alabama Rig' be used for freshwater fishing in California?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Pete Thomas Outdoors, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly California Outdoors Q&A column:

Question: A recent innovation on the pro bass-fishing trail is something called the "Alabama Rig" which is similar to what is called an "Umbrella Rig" by saltwater anglers. The Alabama Rig consists of five or six lures [usually plastic grubs or small swimbaits] radiating from a central attachment point by wires, imitating a school of baitfish. It looks very similar to a "mobile" that you might suspend above a baby’s crib. Since all the lures have hooks in them, would this rig be legal for inland/freshwater fishing in California for bass or other species? (Steve C., Chico)

Answer: With the amount of money available through tournament fishing these days, anglers are constantly looking for the next big thing to help them catch more and bigger bass. We have received a lot of questions recently regarding the "Alabama Rig" and whether they are legal to use in California. Unfortunately, regulations in California differ from those in Alabama and this type of fishing tackle is not legal.

According to competitive bass angler and Department of Fish and Game game warden Tim Little, the traditional "Alabama Rig" (see photo at right) is not legal to use because it contains five separate lures each with a hook. California law allows for a maximum of three lures to be used on an individual line (whether the lure has a single hook as shown in your photograph or uses three hooks as allowed by law.)

In California, "all fish may be taken only by angling with one closely attended rod and line or one hand line with not more than three hooks nor more than three artificial lures (each lure may have three hooks attached) attached thereto" (California Code of Regulations, section 2.00).

To legally use the Alabama Rig in California inland waters, the rig must be attached to one rod with one line and no more than three of the attached lures containing hooks. Those lures containing hooks may have no more than three hooks attached to each lure. The other two could have hookless teasers. Some people locally have even developed a modified three wire rig (now called a Cali-rig), which is legal.

Q: I live in Southern California and maintain private fish tanks for my clients. I have a client that has a 5,000-gallon shark tank with a black tip reef shark. After hearing about other Requiem Sharks being seized (CCR Title 14, section 671 (c)(6)(A)), my client would like to know what he can do to have permits or if this shark has been grandfathered in as he bought the shark in 2008 with verifying receipts. Please let me know what we can do regarding this matter. (Ryan C.)

Hunting safer than bowling, cheerleading

Hunting is one of the safest recreational pursuits in America, at least for the hunter.

According to recently released data from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, hunting ranks third in safety when compared to 28 other recreational activities.

"Many people have the misconception that hunting is unsafe, but the data tells a different story," said Jim Curcuruto, NSSF's director of industry research and analysis.

Compared to hunting, a person is 11 times more likely to be injured playing volleyball, 25 times more likely to be injured cheerleading or bicycle riding and 105 more times likely to be injured playing tackle football. Based upon injuries by number of participants, only recreational camping and billiards offer less risk.

The number of hunters who went afield in 2010 is estimated to be 16.3 million. Of that, approximately 8,122 injuries were sustained, or 50 per 100,000 participants. Interestingly, the vast majority of hunting accidents -- more than 6,600 -- did not involve guns but were instead reportedly tree-stand related.

"Comprehensive hunter education classes that emphasize the basic rules of firearm safety and a culture of hunters helping fellow hunters practice safe firearms handling in the field are responsible for this good record," Curcuruto said.

The 2010 data NSSF used to compile the report comes from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System of the Consumer Products Safety Commission as well as from the International Hunter Education Assn. Hunter Incident Clearinghouse. Activity participation figures are from the National Sporting Goods Assn. Sports Participation report.

Image of a hunter and his son courtesy of Colorado Division of Wildlife

Laws or permits for venomous snake rescue and relocation?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Pete Thomas Outdoors, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly California Outdoors Q&A column:

Question: I am considering venomous snake rescue and relocation and am hoping you will direct me to the proper department. What laws or permits are involved in such a hobby? Are there designated release locations for rescued snakes? Do I need a permit? (Anonymous)

Answer: All native reptiles and amphibians are protected under California Fish and Game laws and may not be taken except as authorized by those laws. The laws do not include take for the purposes you describe. But, a limited version of the business may legally be conducted under the Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations (www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations/FreshFish-Mar2011/).

According to retired Department of Fish and Game Capt. Phil Nelms, some species, including rattlesnakes, may be taken under the authority of the regulations. Under the provisions of these regulations, any person with a current sport fishing license may take the number of snakes provided as the "bag limit" for that species each day (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 5.60). However, if you are taking rattlesnakes only, no fishing license is required and the bag limit is two rattlesnakes per day.

Additional regulations protect native reptiles and amphibians taken from the wild, as well as those held in captivity, from being sold or released back into the wild. Live snakes that are immediately released in the area where taken are not considered to be captive (CCR Title 14, section 40).

It is permissible to conduct a snake removal business as long as you operate within the parameters of these sport fishing laws. You may also need to have a local business license.

Q: I have contacted three sporting goods stores in my area asking about the purchase of state and federal duck stamps and how they relate to the Automated License Data System. They don’t know and do not have individual state stamps as in the past. Please help a bunch of duck hunters. (Bill A.)

Club offers chance to pose with Santa 'and his machine guns'

The Scottsdale Gun Club in Arizona is inviting residents to have photos taken with "Santa and his Machine Guns." The club's website announces, "Santa's back with his bag of goodies," which are mostly high-powered automatic weapons. 

 

One photo opportunity was Nov. 26. The next is Dec. 10. from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. (cost is $5 for members; $10 for non-members.)

Presumably, the promotion is designed to inspire interest among families and children in guns, and to stand up against proponents of gun control.

Richard Jones, a member of the club, told Phoenix news station KSAZ:  "Whether you’re a gun advocate or you’re not, you should have a lot of fun with it."

It might be fun for some, but others are bound to find this campaign, and the accompanying video report, a bit unsettling.

Is it legal to shoot or hunt from a mountain bike?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Pete Thomas Outdoors, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly California Outdoors Q&A column:

Question: I will soon be taking off to the mountains from the valley floor to do some mountain quail and tree squirrel hunting. In past years, after arriving at hunting camp, most of my hunting was done on foot and so I couldn’t cover much ground in a day. Last year I took my grandson with me to start teaching him a little about gun safety, hunting and camping in the wild. After walking for a while he got tired though and wanted to rest. We were walking along a logging road and he told me that he wished he had his bicycle with him. This got me to thinking that with a bike I could cover much more area, be basically silent, use no fossil fuel and get some much needed exercise to boot. So, for my hunting trip this year I purchased a mountain bicycle and got it geared up with saddle bags and a handle bar gun rack for my shotgun.

Now I’m all ready to go but can’t find any hunting laws, rules or regulations concerning guns and bicycles on logging roads. Here are my questions:

■ Can I legally shoot from my bicycle while stopped with my feet on the ground or do I have to completely dismount the bicycle to shoot?
■ Can I have a shotgun shell in the chamber while on my bicycle (like while walking) or must I have the chamber empty and action open like when in a motor vehicle?
■ Can I carry a holstered six shot, black powder pistol with five rounds capped on my bicycle or do all the nipples have to be uncapped as in a motor vehicle?

I don’t want to do anything illegal or get into any trouble, so I would appreciate any help with these questions. (K. Broberg)

Answer: Shooting or taking game from a bicycle, whether on it or straddling it, is not specifically prohibited in California Fish and Game laws. However, section 374(c) of the Penal Code prohibits shooting a firearm from or upon a public road. A logging road is not a highway but it may be a public road depending on multiple factors, including who owns and/or maintains the road. But, in any case it is advisable to always be off any road before shooting even if it is not expressly prohibited by law.

Is a hunting license required when geocaching?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Pete Thomas Outdoors, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly California Outdoors Q&A column:

Question: I was stopped by a game warden on a dirt road while out geocaching. He told me that if I am in a hunting zone when the season is open and I have a method of take (I always have a rifle with me), I must not only have a hunting license and tag for that zone, but I also have to show them to the game warden. All of this even though I said I was NOT hunting! Is this true?

If it is true, would this not deny everyone that uses the forest, and even land owners, their second amendment rights if they didn’t have a hunting license?

I thought this was ruled on and settled years ago. Have there been new laws enacted? The only new law I’ve heard of allows us to take our guns into national parks. This seems contrary to that new law. (Randy S.)

Answer: Fish and Game law does not require a person to have a hunting license and/or harvest tag while carrying a firearm in any area at any time of the year where access by the general public is otherwise unrestricted. A hunting license is only required if you are taking birds and mammals (Fish and Game Code, sections 22, 54, 86 and 3007).

According to retired DFG Capt. Phil Nelms, anyone who is traveling in these areas, especially persons carrying firearms during an open hunting season, can expect to be stopped by a game warden and questioned as to the nature of their activities. And, for some species of animals the season is open all year.

Game wardens have the authority to inspect any firearms, licenses, tags or game you may have in your possession (FGC, sections 1006 and 2012). This authority in the Fish and Game Code is in addition to that provided for all peace officers to inspect any firearm that is being carried in any area that is otherwise not open to the discharge of firearms, such as from or upon any public road (Penal Code, sections 374(c) and12031(e)).

Q: Are there any restrictions on the collection of crayfish? Any bag limits? Do I need a fishing license? (Kathleen J.)