Ice fishing season arrives, better late than never

(A minimum 5” of solid ice is needed for snowmobiles or ATV’s while 8” – 12” is required to adequately support a car or small truck.)

After some snowmobiles plunged through the ice recently, winter anglers who ventured out on the hard top this month need tell someone where they will be fishing, and when they plan to return. Appropriate clothing and equipment are also vital to safety and comfort. Some winter fishermen prefer survival suits and should carry a set of ice picks, while others go to the extent of using modified ice vehicles with the doors removed, in case of an untimely plunge. Ok, so tearing the doors off your car may sound extreme but the point is well taken. Please remember the rule that ice does not freeze at a uniform thickness, especially NOW at the start of the winter season where near-shore ice is undoubtedly thicker than ice further out.

Go catch those big ones this winter but for goodness sake be careful out there!

Negligent dog owners

A reminder to dog owners who allow Fido to run wild in the deer woods during wintertime, their actions can be devastating for whitetail populations at a fragile time of year. Conservation Officers must deal with feral animals each winter and, in case you did not know, are authorized to destroy any dogs observed chasing or injuring deer in areas where herds gather for the winter. Penalties for allowing your animal to be at large during the closed season for deer, range anywhere from $155 up to $25,000. With the high density of coyotes in our region it is also in your dog’s best interest to remain under wraps during the winter months.

Farewell to Alfred

Although I never met Mr. Alfred Beck, I feel as though I knew and understood the man on a deeper level. Prior to my becoming the Outdoors Guy with this publication that responsibility and honour was all Alfred’s. You may not know this but it is actually Mr. Beck’s writings that brought me to the Daily Observer three years ago. The man was a consummate outdoorsman, hunter and conservationist and possessed one attribute I quite envied – a vast life experience!  After moving to Canada in the early 60’s, Beck quickly made this new country his home. Some of us were aware that his Germany was a country that enjoyed game hunting; however, few of us knew it was activity reserved mostly for the country’s elite. Alfred discovered quickly his new homeland in Canada boasted a plethora of natural resources, and he shared much of his experiences afield within the pages of this paper.

Thank you Mr. Beck for all that you brought to the sportsmen of the Ottawa Valley, may you continue to pursue your elusive wild game in the Great Hereafter.

Pembroke fish stocking!

A special thanks to Pembroke MNRF’s Resource Supervisor, Karen Handford, for the recent heads-up on a new tool which replaces the annual Pembroke District Fish Stocking Program. Instead of having to request the list of Valley lakes teaming with juvenile brook trout, rainbows, browns or splake, the MNRF have set-up a new page in this regard. The same information is now available as a digital map and printable summary. Check out the following site: http://www.web2.mnr.gov.on.ca/fish_online/fishing/fishingExplorer_en.html

Great Outdoors Trivia – Question #1

Put your thinking caps on people, here is question # 1 in the 2016 Great Outdoors Trivia Contest. The first person to correctly answer all three questions wins a prize package courtesy of Brecks fishing tackle and Tinks hunting Scents. Question #1: Yours truly is Editor-in-Chief of an exciting new seasonal hunting & fishing magazine called A) Fish & Hunt Ottawa B) Valley Outdoor Life C) Outdoors Guy Quarterly or D) Fish, Hunt & Ride. Keep track of your answers and send them to: [email protected] .