TROC Blog Rodeo II

Allright Folks,

Image: Matt Cohen

Here is another installment of the TROC Blog Rodeo! As many of you know, I try to link to Blogger's articles that I find particularly interesting or remarkable. The links certainly help bloggers get noticed, and these are some of the best I've seen in the last couple or three weeks.

Chad Love of Mallard of Discontent writes a great piece on new thinking and the economics of excess in the hunting industry in Freeganomics. Chad also writes for the Field and Stream blog and often refers to our very own The Suburban Bushwacker.

Dayne Shuda makes some great points on commenting in How to Create Marketing Pull by Commenting on Other Blogs. Dayne is always spot on with his observations and commentaries. His blog, Hunting Business Marketing with DayneShuda is a great asset for all bloggers not just the ones in business.

Wild Ed my Buddy over at Wild Ed's Texas Outdoors, has some great shots of deer on Texas Backyard Deer. Wild Ed's posts are always informative and interesting.

Nebraska Hunting Outfitters and J Scott Croner offer up some great answers in a frequently asked questions post on hunting Merriam's turkey. There's a Part I and a Part II with great advise for any turkey hunter not just those pursuing Merriam's in Nebraska.

Zack at The Next Chapter covers the Ruger SP101 in 357 in his usual thorough way. I really like his posts on guns, they are in depth, with great photos and usually include some top quality holsters too.

Kenny's Great Outdoors: Summer Time Bass- How Important Is The Thermocline? is a really good post on fishing the edges of temperature gradients. It's a big deal offshore, and it's a big deal on lakes!

Image Credit: Paladin

This is a recent article by The Reluctant Paladin. In Giving Up? RP points out that no matter what you might think, giving up isn't usually the best option. Though he refers specifically to the trials of many Conservative issues, it is good advise for anyone with an overall philosophy.

Does E-Bay Really Hate Wounded Soldiers? The gun toting, Net security Guru Bore Patch gives us a good explaination of WTF E-Bay and Pay-Pal might be up to. Me, I'm partial to explanation 2.b.

Tuesday's Tips & Techniques #49 at Whitetail Woods is a wonderful article that has nothing to do with Rick's usual outdoors and hunting fair, but it has everything to do with good Blogging!

The Suburban BushWacker continues his adventures in Italy with Part VI. Nuns, clean floors, and the seductive sounds from the soda machine make for one great tale that won't be forgotten soon.

Ok, here is one that I think is really good. I've been reading Jill Homer's blog Up in Alaska on and off for a year or two. This post Bikepacking Gear covers some of her equipment. She's a great writer, tough as nails, and comes from the same school of thought that I do: Work with what you got! Check it out!


Ok, remember to forward links to me on any posts that you think need some exposure!

Best regards,
Albert

Marlin Firearms Company Shooter Stimulus Package!

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From my friends at the Marlin Firearms Company:

"Marlin Firearms Company is offering a 2009 Fall Consumer Rebate program on many of their popular rimfire and centerfire firearms, beginning August 1, 2009. This promotional campaign features cash-back savings on select Marlin 22 bolt-action rifles; Model 795TM autoloading rimfire rifles; and Model 336TM lever-action centerfire rifles with valid retail purchases from August 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009.

The 2009 Fall Marlin Promo program features significant consumer savings of up to $35 on new gun purchases that meet the following rebate eligibility requirements: All mail in or online requests for these rebates must be received by 1/15/10; rebates are limited to one entry per offer per person, address or household unless otherwise stated on individual coupons; and a valid purchase receipt dated 8/1/09 through 12/31/09 must be provided.

2009 Marlin Fall Promo:

* Model 336 Lever-Action Rifles (336W, 336A, 336C, 336SS, 336XLR) - A $35 rebate applies to select models; does not include 338 or 308 Marlin Express.

* Model 795 Autoloading Rifles - A $20 rebate applies to all models.

* 22 Bolt-Action Rifles (925R, 925RM, 917VR, 980S, 981T, 983T) - A $20 rebate applies to select models.

National advertising campaigns, co-op advertising and point-of-purchase materials will feature the 2009 Marlin Fall firearms rebate offer. Please contact your sales representative or visit the Partners section at Marlin Firearms Company for additional information on this sales incentive program."

Best regards,
Albert

Ben G. Outdoors: It’s never too early to start getting ready for deer season.

Ben at Ben G. Outdoors, has 10 great tips for the start of deer season.

Give it a look see at Ben G. Outdoors: It’s never too early to start getting ready for deer season.

Best regards,
Albert

Florida Panther Killed in Geogia

© 2009 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
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Why am I Pissed and Disgusted?

Dead Florida Panther

They confirmed that a panther killed last year in Georgia was a Florida Panther.
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"On Sunday, November 16, 2008, a sportsman observed a mature panther or cougar while he was hunting deer in the woods of Troup County, Georgia. The hunter observed the cat from his stand and shot it, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GDNR). The hunter who shot the panther reported the incident to the Department of Natural Resources and has not been charged in the case." (Columbus Ledger-Enquirer) Further more,"DNA tests show the cougar a Newnan man shot in Troup County last November was a Florida panther, and apparently not, as authorities initially suspected, an animal that had been held captive."

Alright, correct me if I am wrong. Panthers are near extinct in Florida, non-existent in Georgia. Everyone knows that they are an endangered species here in Florida. Georgia is just north of Florida. Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know, when you are deer hunting in Georgia, your license says "DEER," not panther, elk, buffalo, or passenger pigeon.

So explain to me why this "sportsman" shot the panther, and why he isn't being charged?

I don't know about you guys, but I was taught never to point a firearm at something I didn't intend to kill, never to kill something unless I had a good reason, and to always know the law. This kind of irresponsibility is exactly why we have to constantly explain why we have a right to hunt. This is what makes activists of all stripes jump up and down and say "SEE we told you so; all they care about is killing something!

The 140-pound, 88-inch cat was shot by David Adams of Newnan while deer hunting on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers land near the Georgia-Alabama border on November 16, 2008. When Adams, up in a treestand, got a scared, he decided to shoot the cat... with a muzzleloader.

I can't help myself. I'm pissed that he shot the Florida Panther for no better reason than he claims he was scared. I don't know about you guys, but I might have waited for that panther to pause at the base of my tree and actually threaten me before I decided it was time to kill him. I probably would have growled first and then maybe hollered at the cat. Hell, I've come face to face with oversized bobcats, manhandled seven foot gators, and relocated cottonmouths, rattlers, and turtles.

For the love of Pete, I'm from New York City, not rural Georgia!

Years ago my wife and kids swear that a panther was on our property, sitting at the base of a tree staring right at us. Two things about that: I have seen a panther twice on highway 301 within a couple of miles of the Hacienda, and I can't deny what they claim to have seen. They have far sharper eyes than I, and Bubby in particular seems to have x-ray vision because nothing escapes his bright blue eyes. As they nervously tried to point him out, I took a blocking position and herded them back towards the house, all the time walking backwards and wondering where my good for nothing dogs where.

To this day they still get shivers when they bring it up.

I don't know... I'm disgusted is what I am... I want the Florida Panther to reclaim his territory, I want him to roam the cypress swamps, hickory swales, and oak hammocks again. I want him to ghost around the palmetto stands and through the scrub and tangles of the ranchlands I hike and hunt.

I want to tread the wilds with the certain knowledge that there are still creatures mightier than I. Creatures that can pounce on you and plunge their dagger like canines into you reducing you to nothing more than fresh cuts of red meat. I don't want a sanitized and safe walk through the woods. I want to feel the hairs on my neck raise when that panther's gaze locks with my eyes, where I feel the same emotion my distant relatives felt when confronting that same panther with nothing more than a hickory stick and pointy piece of glassy rock.

Now I know, what you're thinking. "Albert dang it, you weren't there! How do you know if he was threatened or not?"

That is true, I wasn't there. I don't know the exact details, and I probably wouldn't buy the "I feel threatened" defense unless you were damn near disemboweled. But by golly I am entitled to my opinion, and in my opinion being scared isn't a good enough reason to kill a Florida Panther. Either master your fears, or stay out of my woods!

Damn you David Adams, for stealing that from me, my kids, and ultimately yourself.

What do you think?

We Paid How Much in Taxes?

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From the National Shooting Sports Foundation:

Firearm and Ammunition Excise Taxes Jump 43%
$109.8 MILLION GENERATED FOR CONSERVATION IN 1ST QUARTER

Firearm and ammunition manufacturers paid $109.8 million in excise taxes in the first quarter of 2009, up 43 percent over the same period last year. Released by the U.S. Department of Treasury, excise tax figures are one of the industry's best indicators of performance. Manufacturers pay the tax -- a major source of wildlife conservation funding -- on all firearms and ammunition sold (11 percent on long guns and ammunition and 10 percent on handguns).

Between Jan. 1 and March 31, $33 million was collected for pistols and revolvers, $38.9 million for long guns and $37.8 million for ammunition. Compared to the same quarter in 2008, collections were up 65.5 percent for handguns, 42.9 percent for ammunition and 28.3 percent for long guns. Using the latest collections as an indicator of sales, a projection of $1.03 billion was generated in the first quarter. These statistics do not reflect retail markup or final retail sales and are based solely on U.S. civilian sales.

Now someone tell me... how much money did the HSUS put into wildlife conservation this year...

Albert