Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss Rifle question

Probably no worse than a stun gun, although the effect might last a bit longer.

Here's what he said: "Wanted to get you an update. I have your barrel fitted, threaded, chambered and installed on the receiver. Next week I will be switching over to stock work and will get your rifle stock bedded, then muzzle brake and finish work. Getting near the end of the road now"

Whoo Hoo!!! We started down this road June of last year.

I'll do what I can to protect the wildlife from slaughter.

The only slaughter will be various sized metal plates at varying distances, out to 1K yds. Natures bounty will only be harvested using the State's biologists guidelines. Not slaughter; rather harvest one, then make sure that it's properly taken care of to ensure it will be prime table fare.

If anti-hunt people want to see suffering and misery, go check out a late winter deer yard where many deer die of starvation due to overpopulation. I've seen it happen up here in the Adirondacks.

Aldo,

If you are trying to save the wildlife how about you send Fatty McButterpants several thousand dollars to repair the mess that I beaver made to his dam. Maybe the next time one comes back we can just repair the dam and not have to kill it.

Aldo,

I'm confused as to why you are even here on Pond Boss. You have not made one comment about ponds. Your 3 posts have been anti hunting posts on a forum dedicated toward ponds.

Most folks here know me, I'm an easy going guy, but I must tell you that you are trying my patience. Thankfully for you I do not have the power of a moderator or you would be blocked.

But let me educate you a little. If you subscribe to Pond Boss magazine you are aware of the fact that much of each issue is dedicated to providing habitat for wildlife. In fact, each and every issue contains an article written by Dan VanSchaik - a nationally known wildlife biologist. These articles are specifically designed to educate pond owners on various topics related to the heath and care of wildlife in general and he rarely even mentions ponds or fish in his articles.

As pond bosses we are well aware of the benefits and beauty of all of nature's creatures. In fact we have created habitat for wild creatures to obtain water, shelter and food. I'm not discussing fish here, I'm talking about various types of birds, deer, squirrel, bear, bobcat, mountain lion, reptiles, many aquatic and terrestrial types of amphibians - and these are just creatures that benefit by the pond on my property. Imagine how this is magnified by all of the forum participant's ponds across the United States, in Canada and yes even in Thailand.

Your attitude seems to be condescending and is to the wrong crowd. Yes some people on this forum hunt. Educate yourself on wild life management practices and you will find that in order to ensure a healthy wild population some culling must occur.

Please refrain from posting your dogma. You are on the wrong forum.

Moderators feel free to remove this post if you deem it inappropriate.

+1

Add back 3.5 for Jeff.

Jeff,

That may be your very best post ever!

Thanks,
Ken

Jeff-

Exactly what I was feeling, though I couldn't have expessed it so clearly.

Maybe there's more to these green sunfish than I'm seeing? Am I blind to their more subtle aesthetics and advantages? Can you strip away my prejudices by such concise and precise deployment of the English language?

Probably not. But great post anyway.

Well done Jeff.

Pond Boss = conservationist

Individual private landowners are the best conservationists !

The early conservation movement included fisheries and wildlife management, water, soil conservation and sustainable forestry. Some say the conservation movement is part of the broader and more far-reaching environmental movement, while others argue that they differ both in ideology and practice. Chiefly in the United States, conservation is seen as differing from environmentalism in that it aims to preserve natural resources expressly for their continued sustainable use by humans.

In 1937, hunters successfully lobbied Congress to pass the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act, which placed an 11% tax on all hunting equipment. This self-imposed tax now generates over $700 million each year and is used exclusively to establish, restore and protect wildlife habitats.


On March 16, 1934 President Roosevelt signed the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act, which requires an annual stamp purchase by all hunters over the age of sixteen. The stamps are created on behalf of the program by the U.S. Postal Service and depict wildlife artwork chosen through an annual contest. They play an important role in habitat conservation because 98% of all funds generated by their sale go directly toward the purchase or lease of wetland habitat for protection in the National Wildlife Refuge System. In addition to waterfowl, it is estimated that one third of the nation's endangered species seek food and shelter in areas protected using Duck Stamp funds. Since 1934, the sale of Federal Duck Stamps has generated $670M and helped to purchase or lease 5.2 million acres (21,000 km�) of habitat. The stamps serve as a license to hunt migratory birds, an entrance pass for all National Wildlife Refuge areas and are also considered collectors items often purchased for aesthetic reasons outside of the hunting and birding communities. Although non-hunters buy a significant number of Duck Stamps, 87% of their sales are contributed to hunters.

The Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act, commonly referred to as the Dingell-Johnson act, passed at the request of fishermen , on August 9, 1950, and was modeled after the Pittman-Robertson Act to create a parallel program for management, conservation, and restoration of fishery resources.

The Sport Fish Restoration program is funded by revenues collected from the manufacturers of fishing rods, reels, creels, lures, flies and artificial baits, who pay an excise tax on these items to the U.S. Treasury.

An amendment in 1984 (Wallop-Breaux Amendment) added new provisions to the Act by extending the excise tax to previously untaxed items of sport fishing equipment.

A major element of the W-B Amendment established a new Trust Fund, named the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund. Funds are also received from import duties on sport fishing equipment, pleasure boats and yachts. Another source of revenue is a tax from motorboat fuel sales. These motorboat fuel taxes are collected by the U.S. Treasury and then transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service for distribution among the States and territories.

Under the Wallop-Breaux amendments to the Sport Fish Restoration Act, about a half-billion dollars are doled out to the states each year. Sixty percent of each state's share is based on the number of licensed anglers, 40 on land and water area. No state can get more than five percent or less than one percent of available funds.

JHAP, You can't see it but I'm standing on my chair applauding you. Great post and nicely said.

Don't forget all the private conservation organizations like Trout Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ruffed Grouse Society, Quail Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, Dove Sportsman Society, International Game Fish Association, Quality Deer Management to just name a few of the many privately funded organization. They spend millions of dollars a year on habitat improvement which not only helps out game birds, animals and fish but many other species. If it weren't for sportsman and the BILLIONS of dollars they spend a year, I'd hate to see what America's wildlife populations would be life...

You know what's also interesting about private groups -- at least here in my state? All our important fish programs were started by private groups and then taken over by our DNR. Musky program, trout program, steelhead program, Walleye etc etc. Why is that?

Note: This is not a knock against our DNR that does an outstanding job. I just find it interesting the a lot of good ideas have been initiated by private groups, at least in our state.

Another interesting tidbit. SDSU, AKA Dave Willis's playground, received a grant from the Boone and Crocket organization for the study of fisheries.

Eloquently put JHAP. And much more tactful than if I had said it.

Great Job.

X2

Jeff,

Congratulations on a finely worded and well balanced post. I can tell that you see both sides of the issue, and have carefully thought them through. Some rights and values trump other's, and we must always try to err on the side of the greater.

What no mention of the GSA? We spend 10s and 11s of dollars each year preserving the habitat of our beloved fish. The rest of our budget goes toward weapons research and tracking infidels.

Thank you all for the kind words regarding my response. As you all know I am a huge fan of this site. I really enjoy the interaction amongst members and the discussions and obviously the humor.

I've been asked a couple of times so I'll publicly answer, I'm not a hunter. This is not because I have any objection towards hunting. It's because I grew up in the city and sneaking around housing developments and shooting at stuff is reserved solely for gang members.

I completely understand that the need to cull wild populations is a vital part of wildlife conservation. Although this has not always been true, it is my belief that the inhabitants of the United States have reached a very balanced view regarding the wildlife with which we share this glorious land. Here in the United States we have some of the best, if not the best, wildlife protection laws and regulations in the world that, as Ewest and others have pointed out, in many instances have been instigated and/or funded by hunting and fishing organizations. Further I believe that anyone that zealously hates hunting has not taken the time to study some of the very principals of wildlife management. They see only a hunter standing beside a dead animal and become enraged not realizing that if culling did not occur entire populations of animals would be at risk of extinction.

At the last Pond Boss conference Ewest spoke very eloquently about how each one of us is a custodian of our land, improving and preserving our own individual slices of heaven for future generations to enjoy. It is my belief that everyone of us here share that philosophy and, in fact, is why we participate in this great forum.

But I know I'm preaching to the informed and so I'll stop.

Thanks again for the kind words.

JHAP, Since Aldo's posts were directed toward me, well I've been thinking about responding directly to his remarks, but could never find the right words. IMHO, you have found the right words.. Thank you ...du

david u:

I thought it was me Aldo was directing his comment at.

How's the new toy working out? I'm about to go out and slaughter some paper with my .223 to try and figure out a load for it. A friend gave me a good selection of bullets, from Barnes 36g Varmint Grenades to 60g Hornady V-Max. Monday a couple of friends and I are taking a trip to the 1K yd range that I'm a member at to see how the guns shoot at a distance.

Keep that friend.

Jeff, you pulled a very good one off there, but can you type that smoothly when the tele-prompter fails?





Yolk, I was afraid you were leaving me all alone for a second there!