Outdoors Guy Blog – Page 31 – The Outdoors Guy

June 23, 2011

Bass opener finally here got any plans

Bass enthusiasts will be out in hoards this weekend for the coveted bass opener.

And if you don’t think there’s anything special about Micropterus – be they salmoides or dolomieu – just ask one of the local bass fishing organizations.

Ottawa is slowly becoming a largemouth & smallmouth bass fishing Mecca, thanks to groups like Renegade Bass, Bass Anglers of Ottawa and Petawawa Bassmasters.

(Smiling Classic Champs showing off their new boat, well, a picture of it anyway)

(My buddy Ed Hand doing his thing)

Hey, if Bob Izumi and his son are willing to drive all the way from Oakville to fish bass up here, there must be something to it.

(Bob and his son with a hefty catch)

Speaking of fishing, where is your favourite bass water? Without giving away all your tricks, I invite all the bass nuts out there to tell us where you like to catch old bucket mouth!

As a converted bass guy myself (the 7-pound behemoth I landed last fall helped) I am slowly being ‘lured’ away from trout and muskie, and towards the elusive bass.

Drop me a line with your bass plans or send me tip, I’m not picky!

Outdoorsguy

June 21, 2011

Giant Canada goose cull in order

Ottawa and the NCC are scratching their heads for an answer to the burgeoning Canada goose population at local parks.

Anyone listening to CHEZ 106’s Doc & Woody Show this morning may have overheard my interview on the goose subject, where I used the expression:

“Massive Controlled Goose Cull”

Allow me to explain…for those who think it is widespread death and carnage I am speaking of.

By ‘Massive’ I meant a somewhat large scale operation as would be required – considering most area parks are inundated with Giant Canada geese and copious amounts of poop. This does not mean that every last goose should be eradicated; the population simply needs to be thinned out.

By ‘Controlled’ hunt, I am implying that CWS biologists and staff work with the City and NCC to establish a pre-determined number of birds which need to be harvested.

And harvested ethically I might add. None of this ‘oiling of the eggs’ stuff.

And finally, I realize that ‘Cull’ has become a somewhat evil 4-letter word in recent months, but really, is there any other feasible way of controlling birds capable of producing and depositing 1 KG of feces every day?

There has been some mention that ‘fish compost’ and allowing grass grow long, has had a small localized effect. But then what happens?

These opportunistic foul will simply get ‘bumped’ to another well manicured park in the area. It will be like musical chairs only with geese.

We are not getting to the root of the problem or addressing the real concern here.

As I mentioned this morning in my interview with Doc & Woody, these birds are not the ‘symbolic’ migratory variety of goose we have traditionally grown up with. Giant Canada’s are full-time residents and their numbers are only increasing.

Goose culls have taken place in other parts of Canada with success, but the question remains, is the City of Ottawa ready for such a bold (yet highly effective) tactic?

What do you think?

Outdoorsguy

June 16, 2011

F&G Club Match to benefit Military Families

Do yourself a favour next weekend and head down Smiths Falls way!

Next Saturday, June 25th, the Smiths Falls Fish and Game Club will host its Fourth Annual Community Challenge Match for the benefit of the Chief of Defence Staff Military Families Fund (MFF).

The Community Challenge Match is the club’s premiere event to raise money for the Military Families Fund. So far, the Club has 12 teams confirmed for Saturday including two Navy Combat Shooting Teams, four teams from the Ottawa Police Service and a team from the 30 Field Regt RCA.

It sounds like a ‘blast’ and some great competition too!

To date, the following teams have signed up to participate:

Navy Combat Shooting Team with two (2) teams
30 Field Regt RCA
Ottawa Police Service with four (4) teams
Arnprior & District Rifle & Revolver Club
Eganville & District Sportsman’s Club
Madoc Hunters and Anglers Club
Eastern Ontario Handgun Club/RA IPSC Team
Smiths Falls Fish & Game Club

These teams will compete in 3 different stages – each a different shooting discipline – and there will be trophies awarded for “Best Overall Score” as well as “Most Donations”.

Members of the public are invited to attend. There will be no charge but it’s a great opportunity to make a donation to the MFF.

Kudos to the SSFGC who have donated over $5,000.00 in the past three years and hopes to significantly improve on that total this year! So come out a join the fun, the entertainment won’t get any better and it’s a super great cause!

The event gets under way at 9:00 am and for more information contact Dugald Souter @ 613-258-0132 or [email protected] for more information. For more information on the Smiths Falls Fish and Game Club (SSFGC) check them out: www.smithsfallsfishandgameclub.ca/

The Smiths Falls Fish and Game Club is located at 354 Highway 15, south of Smiths Falls. Look for the fish over the mailbox, 900m south of Poonamalie Road, on the west side of the highway.

June 15, 2011

Bounder Magazine Summer Issue

If you have not yet picked up the Summer(Vintage) issue of Bounder Magazine, I suggest you get moving.

Bounder is marketed as a Men’s Magazine, but its appeal transcends all gender lines. Whether you’re a ‘sitter’ or a ‘pointer’ who enjoys a good read, you will discover something of interest within the thick, high quality pages of this publication.

Thanks to the ongoing efforts of Publisher Brian Warren, Bounder is getting better and better with every issue. It can found ‘scattered like a shotgun blast’ throughout the Ottawa valley and across town, in a number of different outlets.

I usually pick mine up at Metro and Canadian Tire stores.

I would like to again thank Publisher Brian Warren for inviting me to be part of this Ottawa success story last summer. For features on classic cars, dogs, men’s health, music, fishing, comedy, hunting, local entertainment, and regular columns by such folks as Red Green, Randall Moore, John Switzer, Mark Papousek, Tom McLellan, Dave Brown, Delmer & Cecil and more.

In this issue, Dave Brown’s column gives you a glimpse into the life of a ‘young Bounder’ – his love of tradition and of the Great Outdoors. Hey Brian, all this makes sense now!

And if you just can’t get enough hunting and fishing here on the Outdoors Guy Blog and have a hankering for more, pick up a copy of Bounder and check out my column. (And just between you and me, the man plans to expand to even more issues next year!)

Outdoorsguy

June 13, 2011

Royals told by Animal Rights group to avoid Stampede

Prince William and Kate Middleton are being urged to avoid the Calgary Stampede, during their visit of that city in July.

The UK Animal Rights group called Fight against Animal Cruelty says if the Royals visit the famous Calgary Stampede; it would be like saying that rodeos, in general, are ok.

The Animal Rights group also sent Prince William and Princess Kate a short propaganda video(shot to the dramatic music of Olivier Stone’s movie Platoon) depicting the horrors of rodeo in North America, although none of the footage was reportedly taken at the Calgary Stampede.

According to the Calgary Herald:

“Every year, the Calgary Humane Society has animal protection officers on the grounds throughout the Stampede monitoring and enforcing provincial and federal animal protection legislation.

Executive director Patricia Cameron said the Stampede has been responsive to recommendations for improvements to animal safety. She said the Stampede has made at least 33 amendments to its practices based on consultation with the humane society in recent years.”

It remains to be seen whether Wil & Kate keep the Calgary Stampede as part of their 3-day itinerary. I would sure that, with the Royal Family’s long history of hunting and show horses, they do not cave to pressure.

According to Stampede Spokesperson Doug Fraser, the Royals are more than welcome in his fair city:

“If the royal couple has any intention of seeing the rodeo, we’ll give them the best show possible,” said Fraser.

Prince William and Princess Kate will be in Calgary from July 6 – 8, as part of their cross- Canada visit.

Outdoorsguy

June 8, 2011

Luskville bear collision a freak accident

Blame, in this unfortunate fatal bear collision near Luskville, it seems, is being cast in a number of areas, and we have several experts on hand to attest to that:

Here is a list I have compiled of factors identified by several experts as being to blame:

1) Hunters are to blame for pursuing bears over bait. 2) Three registered black bear outfitters are to blame – who operate in that area (between 70 – 100 km away) 3) A black bear sow’s maternal instincts are to blame 4)Gatineau Park is also to blame for having no bear season 5) Bear hunting itself could really be to blame, although stats show it is more popular in other areas of the province. 6) Bear populations are also to blame as stats show bear numbers are on the increase, and finally 7) Road conditions are to blame because of an 80 KM per hour speed limit along the 148 and poor visibility at that time of night.

When sifting thru the reasons why this terrible accident happened, there is something that keeps jumping out at me…this was a FREAK ACCIDENT and a terrible one; no doubt.

It was so rare; in fact, I could not find another case in North America where multiple fatalities resulted from a bear – vehicle collision. I couldn’t find a case where even one person died from hitting a bear on the road.

Sure, we can cast blame until we are blue in the face and it is human nature – don’t get me wrong – to look for a cause, or blame following such a terrible loss. The fact of the matter is, though, we have wildlife in our region and vehicle strikes do occur – usually not with such unfortunate outcome, but it happens.

The province of Quebec does their best to control bear numbers with 1, and in some cases 2 hunting seasons throughout the year.

Could more be do to thin the bear numbers in western QC and eastern ON?

Possibly, but what the stats don’t show is that bruin numbers in the Pontiac and Outaouais are actually lower today than they were a few years back, before expended hunting opportunities were introduced in that region.

I feel very very sad for the families and loved ones, but we need to keep things in perspective here. This type of accident could easily have been called ‘an act of God’ as the way things unfolded on that hwy the other evening is perhaps the biggest fluke in big-game collision history.

I can’t even imagine one of my family or friends being involved and you hate to say such a tragedy could be chalked up to bad luck, but really that is the truth of the matter.

Outdoorsguy

June 7, 2011

WFN Ultimate Fishing Town Winner

Congratulations to the town of Chapleau, Ontario on being named Canada’s Ultimate Fishing Town for 2011!!

More Than 500,000 Votes Cast as Chapleau Succeeds Port Alberni, BC as 2011 WFN’s Ultimate Fishing Town Canada

After casting more than 500,000 online votes at www.wfnfishingtown.com, Canadian anglers have selected Chapleau, Ontario as the 2011 WFN: World Fishing Network’s Ultimate Fishing Town Canada. The small village of nearly 2,500 residents succeeds Port Alberni, BC which earned the title last year. The announcement was made by Mark Rubinstein, President and CEO of World Fishing Network, North America’s only 24/7 fishing channel.

Representatives of Chapleau, ON will receive a $25,000 community donation to be used towards a fishing-related cause(s) and 10 WaveSpin Reels at a local ceremony emceed by Mariko Izumi, host of WFN’s popular fishing and travel show Hookin’ Up. The town will also receive national recognition from the honour and have a feature produced about fishing in Chapleau to air on WFN.

“The drive and determination of the community and its supporters across the country won the fishing crown for Chapleau. I am overwhelmed with excitement and pride that our community has been named WFN’s Ultimate Fishing Town Canada,” said Charley Plourde of the Chapleau Fishing Advisory Committee. “Chapleau has been hard hit by the downturn in the forestry industry and is working hard to rebuild itself through economic diversification. Being named WFN’s Ultimate Fishing Town puts Chapleau on the map as a fishing destination for anglers around the world and creates an opportunity for Chapleau’s tourism industry to thrive.”

Chapleau, ON, is home to the Chapleau Crown Game Preserve one of the world’s largest wildlife preserves. Located in central northeastern Ontario, Chapleau is geographically isolated with the nearest cities, Sault Ste Marie, Timmins and Sudbury nearly two hours away. It is best known for walleye, smallmouth bass, lake trout and northern pike fishing.

After more than 240 towns throughout Canada were nominated in March, a preliminary round of voting in April narrowed the field to 20 finalists. The competition quickly became a two-town race between a pair of Ontario towns more than 11 hours apart. Chapleau and Port Colborne traded places atop the leader board on a daily basis, but in the end Chapleau earned the title by the slimmest of margins.

“We commend all of the towns for their enthusiasm, passion and pride and wanting to invite anglers all across Canada to experience everything their town has to offer,” said Mr. Rubinstein. “WFN’s search for Ultimate Fishing Town was not just about finding the place to catch the most fish. As any angler will tell you and as Chapleau proved, the people are just as important a factor. Chapleau’s passionate angling community stepped-up to prove that their pride and passion is second to none.”

As the runner-up, Port Colborne, ON will be awarded $5,000 while the third place finisher, Port Hardy, BC will receive $2,500. WFN also partnered with four cable affiliates to award a cash prize to the town receiving the most votes in the areas they service. These include: Miramachi, NB receiving $2500 from Rogers Cable; Campbell River, BC being awarded $2,000 from Shaw Cable; Hastings, ON earning $1,000 from EastLink; and St. Catharine’s receiving $1,000 from Cogeco Cable. WFN also awarded $1,000 to Port Renfrew, ON, who is serviced by Bell, as the town receiving the most votes that is not serviced by any of these affiliates.

The 2011 WFN Ultimate Fishing Town Canada contest was supported by a trio of sponsors including: Oak Bay Marine Group, owners and operators of several world-class BC fishing resorts; Spectacular Northwest Territories, offering vacation ideas in magnificent wilderness surroundings in the Northwest Territories; and Prizing Sponsor WaveSpin Reels, the only reel with a tangle-free guarantee.

For more information, visit www.WorldfFishingNetwork.com.

June 1, 2011

Bells Corners bear becoming a problem

For those of you who didn’t catch Larissa Cahute’s article in yesterday’s paper:

A bear has taken up residence in Bells Corners.

A number of community members have reported sightings of the oversized visitor.

Muriel Inglis, who lives on Evergreen Dr., thought raccoons were rummaging through her bird feeders when her motion lights came on Saturday night. When she got out of bed to check, it was “a hell of a shock.”

“There was this nice, great, big, hunk of a black bear,” said Inglis.

Inglis said it was in the backyard for about 15 minutes. He trailed through her backyard, tearing down grass, plants and bird feeders.

According to Inglis, the Ministry of Wildlife and Natural Resources said they’ll only take action if the bear becomes aggressive.

“As far as I’m concerned the ministry should do more about it,” she said Tuesday.

“Behind our hedge, the walk is all kinds of paths — a path to Bell High School where kids walk back and forth to school.

“It’s a good 250-to-300 lb. bear — it was no cub,” said Inglis.

Guy Duxbury lives nearby on Foothills Dr. He spotted the bear Monday just before 6 a.m. — but he said the bear is not new to the neighbourhood.

Apparently, a neighbour reported a sighting last year.

“And it’s a regular visitor now,” said Duxbury.

He said his visit from the bear lasted about three minutes. “It ripped down the bird feeder and it rambled off.”

Duxbury believes the bear is in the swampy area behind Bell High School, which is why he was quick to call the police.

“Being so close to Bell High School … it wasn’t good for the kids going in the morning,” he said.

Laura Sandvold lives on Evergreen Dr., and although she hasn’t spotted the animal, she’s worried for her family’s safety.

“I’ve got two children,” she said. “We don’t let them go out in the backyard anymore — and it’s summer, the weather just started getting nice.”

Sandvold has called the ministry as well and said they only gave her tips for when confronted by the bear. She was told to make noise, look big and walk backwards, slowly.

“That’s useful if you’re in bear country — but I don’t feel that we’re in bear country,” said Sandvold.

“That’s a whole other level of wild life.”

June 1, 2011

Asian Carp – MNR Rapid Response Plan

(Giant Asian Carp caught in American Midwest)

Thanks to Heather Visser of the MNR for sending me details on the Ministry’s Rapid Response Plan – a report for dealing with the dreaded Asian Carp in the Great Lakes.

Here’s the line I like: “only a week earlier a fish importer had been fined $50,000 for trying to truck 1,800 kilograms of live Asian carp across the Windsor/ Detroit border to sell in the Greater Toronto Area.” Ok, what was that imbecile thinking???

Here is a copy of that MNR document:

Asian Carp rapid response plan

If you fish in the Great Lakes or their tributaries, your favourite catch may be walleye or bass, or perhaps muskie or lake trout. So how would you feel if you came home empty-handed because nine out of ten fish out there were plankton-eating bighead or silver carp – AKA Asian carp?

That’s the reality now in parts of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. And that’s why Ontario, Canada and the U.S. want to keep the voracious, invasive Asian carp out of the Great Lakes.

The need for a coordinated plan to fight Asian carp led the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, with support from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, to host a “table-top exercise” in March. The exercise simulated an incident where Asian carp get into Ontario waters. The aim was to test if the agencies involved are ready to respond quickly to stop their spread.

“Preventing Asian carp from spreading into the Great Lakes is the most cost-effective control measure we’ll ever have,” says Ontario Minister of Natural Resources Linda Jeffrey. “This exercise was about making sure all the agencies involved work together, and identifying areas where we’re vulnerable.”

For the March 11 exercise, participants rehearsed how they would respond if an accident on a bridge over the Thames River in southwestern Ontario caused a truckload of live Asian carp to be dumped in and near the river. It was a timely choice – only a week earlier a fish importer had been fined $50,000 for trying to truck 1,800 kilograms of live Asian carp across the Windsor/ Detroit border to sell in the Greater Toronto Area. It’s illegal to possess live Asian carp in Ontario.

The term “Asian carp” includes four species – bighead, silver, grass and black carp. The bighead and silver carp currently pose the biggest threat. They weigh up to 45 kilograms and can grow to more than a metre long. As filter feeders that can eat 20 per cent of their body weight a day in plankton, they’re able to grow and multiply faster than native species. In some areas of the U.S. carp populations are doubling every year.

After escaping from aquaculture ponds in the southern U.S. in the 1970s and 80s, Asian carp spread northward, raising fears they could enter the Great Lakes through waterways in the Chicago area. Today in parts of the Mississippi River Basin they have outcompeted native fish and make up as much as 90 per cent of all fish by weight. Yet their commercial value is very low compared to native species.

As well as causing the catastrophic decline of native fish populations and the economic devastation of sport and commercial fisheries, silver carp in particular are a hazard to people on the water. When they’re disturbed by boat motors the fish jump as much as two metres out of the water. Boaters and waterskiers on the Illinois River have already been hit and injured.

Canadian and U.S. experts agree that Asian carp would thrive in the Great Lakes, and that quick action is the only way to prevent Asian carp from spreading if they are found in the Great Lakes Basin.

During the table-top exercise, local MNR staff described how they would place nets upstream and downstream to catch and identify fish in the river, test the fish to find out if they could reproduce, and confirm if the river habitat was suitable for Asian carp. The agencies involved also had to decide if any local species at risk might be harmed by the control measures, and keep governments, partners, the public and the media informed.

“Ontario’s recreational fishery contributes $500 million to the province’s economy each year, our commercial fishery is worth up to $215 million a year, and the Great Lakes ecosystem is priceless,” says Minister Jeffrey. “With so much at stake, we have to be prepared.”

How You Can Help:

If you believe you have seen or caught an Asian carp, or you have found one in your bait bucket, DO NOT release the fish. Humanely kill it and report your sighting. Please visit www.invadingspecies.com to fill out an online Invasive Species reporting form, or call 1-800-563-7711 toll-free.

Check your bait and don’t dump your bait bucket in the water.

May 31, 2011

Outdoors Guy with an Edge

A FORD Edge that is…….

(Me nestled comfortably in the cockpit of a 2011 Ford Edge Sport)

Thanks to Kristine Simpson of Ottawa’s Marketing Agency Thornley Fallis and the good folks over at Campbell Ford for putting me in one sweet ride last weekend.

Over the years I have reviewed and field-tested pretty much every gadget under the sun including: spotting scopes, trail cameras, GPS units, hunting apparel, sunglasses, fishing tackle, rifle scopes, remote control fishing boats, digital range finders, field binoculars and even boots, but I can honestly say I have never tested out a vehicle.

And considering the 2011 Ford Edge Sport is my very first, I’d say I’m kicking things off in style!

My time with the Edge over the May long weekend included a trip up the Ottawa Valley to our trailer in Cobden. I found the Edge to be roomy enough, and the automatic lift gate was a play toy I would never tire of. Press the button hatch goes up, press the button again the hatch goes down. I was like Homer Simpson with a donut….a big shiny silver donut….mmmmm donuts!

The Edge’s interior is a must see. It is laid out in a functional yet extremely modern and stylish manner. Once you have mastered the ‘voice command system’, you simply press a button and tell the car what you want.

“Radio….106.1 FM, please” Your system seamlessly switches over to Ottawa’s Classic rock, and all that’s left is to control the volume; which is conveniently located on the steering console.

Pretty much every aspect and feature of the Edge can be monitored from the control panel: the navigation system, heating & cooling, sound system and so on. You can use the touch screen, or live life on the ‘edge’ and go with the soothing voice command system.

It even tells you how many KM’s you have before you need to fill up, I thought that was neat, and the kids really enjoyed the MP3, USB and SD memory card slots.

As far as performance and practicality goes, the Edge was top notch. We flew up the Ottawa Valley like a ‘Bat out of Hell’..I actually had a Meatloaf CD playing, in case you were thinking something else.

As a member of the Crossover Utility (CUV) Class, the Ford Edge provided an ideal ‘apples to apples’ comparison for me since my regular vehicle is a Highlander – Toyota’s popular crossover a direct competitor.

But this was certainly a fancier machine than I’m used to driving.

With perhaps the most aggressive looking grill I’d ever seen, a beefy 305 horses purring underneath the hood and 22 inch wheels, the Edge is a real head turner. Even the lad at the McDonald’s drive-thru in Arnprior was smitten with it. (And once you’ve impressive the younger generation, you know you’ve made it big time)

“Hey man, you got 20’s on that?” he inquired. “No my friend, 22” actually” I replied proudly.

I have never been a particularly ‘showy’ type, but when it came to this vehicle I did feel somewhat like a show-off. Was it the big wheels, mean looking grill or all leather interior, I wasn’t quite sure but I did feel rather pompous and important whilst driving it.

As far as outdoor utility goes, I can see how the Edge would fit in; although I would go with the standard 18″ wheels for heading off road to the hunt camp. The Edge’s AWD system handled very nicely on the wetter days that weekend and having owned a Subaru I say that with experience.

In the end, the Ford Edge Sport was a great long weekend diversion and a vehicle I was very sad to return. Recently named the 2011 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year, as well as the Top SUV/CUV in the $35,000 to $50,000 price range, the Edge has evidently attracted a lot of people’s attention.