Ripple Outdoors Hunting and Fishing Podcasts

Deer food plots for fall plantings need to be planted soon depending on your intended crop.

While it is a tad late for a spring plot all that rainy weather delayed planting this Do It Yourself Deer Food Plot. It will work fine for the fall and beyond.

We planted  a few rows of Sweet Success on the north side with Upland Game around the perimeter to give this DIY food plot some cover.

I also had some sugar beet and turnip seeds to plant along the gobbler grass (Upland Game) edge for late season hunting.

The Sweet Success will get the deer feeding within weeks and the other crops will mature later in the fall.

I emptied a bag of Rack Stacker Blaze Mineral onto a rotted stump to keep the deer curious about those new aromas.

The Kunz Till Ease made quick work of this new food plot  after round up was applied last week. Dead grass and weeds were cut down then tilled.

Got my tree picked out for this location on the north side of the plot. A south west west or north west wind will do nicely for bow hunting.

A Lindsay man has been fined a total of $5,000 for illegal hunting-related offences.

Martin Ham pleaded guilty and was fined $1,000 each for unlawfully using an illegal firearm during the deer season and providing false information to a conservation officer. He was also fined a further $3,000 for allowing flesh suitable for food to spoil. He has been suspended from hunting in the province of Ontario for two years.

Court heard that on December 6, 2009, Ham unlawfully shot and killed a trophy buck with a 20-gauge shotgun during the open, muzzle-loader season for deer. He then entered the buck into a Big Buck contest and won.

Following up on a complaint made to the MNR Tips line, a conservation officer interviewed Ham about the acquisition of the buck. After numerous false statements, Ham admitted that the deer had been shot illegally. Though he removed the head of the deer and had it professionally mounted, the carcass was unlawfully permitted to spoil.

Justice of the Peace John Oates heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, City of Kawartha Lakes, on June 25, 2010.

For further information on hunting regulations, please consult the 2010-2011 Hunting Regulations Summary, available at ServiceOntario/Government Information Centres, from licence issuers and at ontario.ca/hunting.

To report a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) toll-free any time or contact your local ministry officer during regular business hours.

You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Ontario is seeking input on proposed rules for off-shore wind turbine.

Plan to include keeping them at least five kilometres from the shoreline.

A shoreline exclusion zone would be comparable with proposals by many U.S. states that border the Great Lakes.

In addition the Ministry of Natural Resources is undertaking a review of Ontario’s current process for making Crown land available for off-shore wind projects.

If you hunt, fish or spend time on crown land this may affect you.

This review will include consideration of where, when and how the government makes Crown land available.

Another proposed rule would require turbine developers to complete a comprehensive application process. This would include addressing potential impacts to endangered and threatened species and their habitat, significant wildlife habitats, users of Crown land, flooding and erosion.

The public and industry can comment on the proposal on the province’s environmental registry (Registry number 011-0089) for the next 60 days. Public and industry consultation sessions will also be held starting in the fall. Dates and locations will be available soon at www.ontario.ca.

For additional information check out http://wp.me/pmgPI-3kX

O.F.A.H. Mario Cortellucci Heritage Centre Program Facilitator Jenn Bush was a great help.

I was there to do some interviews about this newest addition to the  O.F.A.H. Heritage Centre.

Heritage Education Representative Jenn Bush answered all my questions.

I had previously toured the centre prior to the grand opening last month.

An update to activities to kick things off, a fly tying workshop was held on June 23, and the Ministry of Natural Resources Canine Unit gave a demonstration on June 24. Also scheduled are: the Shimano Night, Kawartha Lakes Bass Fishing Seminar on June 28; a seminar on Gearing up for Family Fishing Week on July 8; an Introduction to Food Plotting on July 14; and a Moose Calling seminar on July 19.

Check out Ripple Outdoors’s interview #210 to find out what the Heritage Centre has to offer you!

I talked briefly with Executive Director Mike Reader between interviews and he mentioned “There are over 100 people every day visiting the centre”.

I learned there so much to see and do and it’s all free!

The air-conditioned venue seats approximately 70 people, and parking is free. There is no charge to visit to the centre, including the speaker series, until September 1. In addition to the speaker series, the centre is open to the public for tours daily and a series of day camps are being run for O.F.A.H. youth members during the month of August. Group and school tours are also available by appointment.

For more information,

visit www.hfhc.ca

OR call

705-748-6324 ext 102.

Black bears don’t like surprises and are nothing like friendly cartoon bears.

Bears are smart, curious, powerful and potentially dangerous to humans.

If you are a hiker, cyclist, jogger, berry picker, or you plan to spend some time in “bear country,” you need to know how bears behave so that you can avoid an encounter.

The MNR suggests in a life-threatening emergency with a bear, call your local police or 911.

Becoming BEAR WISE might be a better plan BEFORE that happens.

The MNR  also suggest the following tips.

ontario.ca/bearwise

Bears usually avoid humans. Generally you won’t see a bear even if one is close by. Remember, you are a visitor in the bear’s home range, so do all you can to avoid encounters.

Make noise as you move through wooded areas – especially in areas where background noise is high, such as near streams and waterfalls.

Singing, whistling or talking will alert bears to your presence, giving them a chance to avoid you.

Travel with others if possible.

Be aware of your surroundings:

Do not wear headphones.

Keep an eye out for signs of bears, such as tracks, claw marks on trees, flipped-over rocks or fresh bear droppings.

Carry and have readily accessible a whistle or an air horn, and bear spray.

Know how to use this spray – practise on a stationary object to get the feel for how the canister sprays, and to know its limitations.

Consider carrying a long-handled axe, particularly if you are in “back country.”

Avoid strong fragrances that may cause a bear to be curious; put any food you are carrying in sealed containers in your pack.

If you are out with a dog, control it. Uncontrolled, untrained dogs may actually lead a bear to you.

While berry picking, occasionally scan your surroundings to check for bears, and rise slowly from your crouched position so you don’t startle any nearby bears. They may not recognize you as a human when you are in a crouched position.

Ministry of Natural Resources

I might add

Stay Safe and Be Aware, you cell phone isn’t going to stop a bear attack.

Peter – Ripple Outdoors