I just received an article from one of our Up North Journal Pro Staffers about trail cameras being illegal in the state of Montana! I was sure this was a joke, but after reading the story I was blown away with the fact that this is 100% true!
According to the Field & Stream blog article by Scott Bestul Montana’s Dept. of Fish and Wildlife has decided that trail cams or game cams as they are often called are subject to the following:
“It is illegal for a person to possess or use in the field any electronic or camera device who’s purpose is to scout the location of game animals or relay the information on a game animal’s location or movement during any Commission adopted hunting season.”
What bothers me even more is the chatter that this has created on F&S’s comments below the article. Once again we see an elitist faction criticizing anyone for using a camera. If you don’t want to use one that is fine, but don’t slam someone for choosing to do so. If it is legal then I have no problem with it. What I do have a problem with is the groups of so called hunters attacking each other! This serves no good what so ever. Once again something as simple as a camera is coming between us and dividing us! Instead of banding together for the common good we find it necessary to tear each other apart! When is this bull going to stop? Our outdoor heritage is slipping away right through our fingers and we are the ones to blame! There is no one else to point the finger at!
Back to the law at hand, how can the state tell someone on their own land that they cannot use a camera to catch a trespasser, keep an eye on predators that might be killing their livestock, tell biologists that they cannot use them to do studies, see if a deer you took a shot at and couldn’t find is still around the area, watching the progression of growth on a deer’s antlers, or simply taking photos to enjoy them, etc…..? This stupid law has more far reaching ramifications that I feel no one has even given any consideration to see what ill affects this might have on good law abiding outdoors men!
For more information on this law, NRAhuntersrights.org has their take on it as well!
The Michigan DNRE issued a press release Feb. 11th about wanting the public’s help with sightings of gray wolves in Michigan’s lower peninsula. Below is the statement issued by the DNRE!
Contacts: Jennifer Kleitch 989-785-4251, ext. 5430 or Mary Dettloff 517-335-3014 DNRE Asks for Help From Public to Detect Presence of Wolves in the Lower Peninsula The Department of Natural Resources and Environment today announced it will conduct a survey in the northern Lower Peninsula Feb. 16 through March 12 to detect the presence of gray wolves in this area of the state. Survey teams will be searching areas where the public reports observing a wolf or wolf tracks during the survey period. Priority will be placed on the most recent reports and reports with potential wolf evidence. “The purpose of the survey is to both verify the presence of wolves where we have previously confirmed animals and to detect new occurrences in other areas,” said DNRE Wildlife Biologist Jennifer Kleitch. “Given the low probability of observing a wolf or tracks in the Lower Peninsula it’s helpful to have as many eyes looking as possible. That’s why public reports are important.” The DNRE is asking the public to report wolf sightings that occur during the survey period to the Gaylord Operations Service Center at 989-732-3541, ext. 5901. Observation reports can also be submitted online year-round at www.michigan.gov/wolves. The Web site also contains identification information for wolves. “It’s imperative that observations are reported in a timely manner so we can work with fresh evidence. If the public finds what appear to be wolf tracks, they should preserve the physical evidence and disturb it as little as possible or take a photo of the tracks with a ruler,” Kleitch said. “If someone has a photo or video of a wolf in the Lower Peninsula, we’re interested in that as well.” Wolves began naturally returning to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula via Canada and Wisconsin in the early 1990s. Since that time populations have increased and continue to expand their range. Evidence of range expansion into the Lower Peninsula came when a gray wolf was accidentally killed in Presque Isle County in 2004. More recently, the DNRE verified two wolf observations in 2009 in the northern Lower Peninsula as a result of a video and trail camera photo taken by Michigan citizens. The DNRE is partnering in this survey effort with USDA Wildlife Services, the Little Traverse and Grand Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, and Central Michigan University. The DNRE is committed to the conservation, protection, management and accessible use and enjoyment of the state’s environment, natural resources and related economic interests for current and future generations.
I’m proud to announce that episode 6 of Beyond The Wild is now on the network. You can view our latest installment at: http://www.upnorthjournal.com/ and simply click on the video player. This episode we take you to the frozen waters of the Saginaw River in Michigan for a little walleye action. After spending a day on the ice we then take our catch to the table with a recipe your sure to enjoy!
Nancy Jo Adams who is one of the newest members of the Up North Journal staff has teamed up with Marti Davis to form Team Artemis for the Whitetail Challenge! Be sure to follow Nancy Jo’s and Marti’s adventure by checking out the daily blog entries to see if they arrowed the big buck! You can check it out by going to Nancy Jo’s Up North Journal bio page and clicking on her blog link. Nancy Jo is the hunter for this team and Marti is the videographer capturing all the exciting footage of the hunt! Good luck to the first all female team to take on the Campbell’s Outdoor Challenge!
While getting ready to wash my hunting clothes last week I made a discovery on one of the new energy efficient front loader washing machines. It was something that could have ruined my efforts to make my camo scent free! Read the rest of this entry »
About four months ago the Up North Journal crew launched a new website to prepare for the new outdoor show Beyond The Wild.That new web site was the beginning of the transformation that we as the UNJ crew were about to make.Since that time we have added several new staff members to give you a view of the outdoors from all over this nation.We didn’t want to just focus on the Michigan area, we wanted this new adventure to encompass what hunting, fishing and the outdoors looked like from several different perspectives as well as from several different states.
With that goal in mind we knew it was time for a new look and feel for the UNJ experience, so we came up with a new logo to showcase what we were about.The logo you’re looking at is fresh as well as bold.It completes what we are focused on, a broad range of animals as well as a wide range of the outdoors.The whitetail deer is hunted all across this nation and is well recognized, the Canadian goose has flyways from east to west and the Trout is fished all across this country.These three species cover the nation and are pursued by many outdoorsmen and women, and that is why we chose them for our new logo.The circle that surrounds these animals on the logo completes the circle of seasons that gives us the opportunity to pursue them.The black and white color scheme is simple yet bold, which explains who we are. We are simple everyday outdoorsmen and women but we are also bold in what we stand for, the right for all to enjoy the outdoors.Right in the middle of it all is the Up North Journal name which is right where we want to be, in the middle of it all!
Take a moment to stop by and look at the new layout and if you’ve never been to our website www.upnorthjournal.com, stop by and spend a few moments to see what we have to offer.We have 13 active blogs from fellow staffers who want share their outdoor experiences with you.Featured on our front page is our weekly podcast “Up North Journal” which can be played directly from our site along with our new outdoor show “Beyond The Wild” which is a monthly show that can also be played right off of our front page.The Up North Journal staff is “Changing Lives One Outdoor Adventure At A Time”!
WINCHESTER® 17 HMR AMMUNITION
DO NOT USE WINCHESTER® SUPREME® OR SUPER-X® 17 HMR RIMFIRE AMMUNITION IN SEMI-AUTOMATIC FIREARMS. No other calibers of rimfire ammunition are subject to this warning.
Winchester 17 HMR ammunition is manufactured in accordance with standards issued by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI). Winchester has been notified by its supplier that 17 HMR rimfire ammunition is not suitable for use in semi-automatic firearms. The use of this ammunition in a semi-automatic firearm may cause firearm damage, rendering the firearm inoperable, and subject the shooter to a risk of serious personal injury. 17 HMR ammunition is suitable for use in quality firearms in good condition that are not semi-automatic.
If you have any questions concerning this warning notice please contact your firearm’s manufacturer or call Winchester toll-free at 866-423-5224 (U.S. & Canada), write to the address below, or visit our website at www.winchester.com.
We apologize for this inconvenience.
WINCHESTER AMMUNITION August 21, 2009
600 Powder Mill Road
East Alton, IL 62024-1273
In the last few years there has been much ado about nothing over the fear that a new tool would destroy our outdoor heritage. Much of what we heard was due to fear of the unknown, we tend to be afraid of what we don’t know instead of investigating and then making an informed decision or opinion on the subject. The famous quote “we have nothing to fear, but fear itself” stands true in this situation! Read the rest of this entry »
I just finished producing the video for Lynch Mob Calls newest inovation. It is a device called the “Dog Cam”, which allows you to view your hunt from man’s best friends’ perspective!
The device allows you to put a small micro camera on the dogs head for videotaping his every move. It allows you to see the hunt through his eyes, which gives you a whole new perspective and appreciation for man’s best friend. Below is a 10 minute music clip with a hunt from New York and one from Iowa that George Lynch, his crew and more importantly his dog Buck went on last year with the new gear.
If you would like more information on the device you can contact George Lynch through his website at www.Lynchmobcallsinc.com.
The Up North Journal Team has launched their new website and they invite you to stop by and check out the new digs! You can find it at the same ‘ol place: www.upnorthjournal.com you will find a new interactive video panel that will play their most current video and will eventually have the most current episode of their upcoming new video show. You will also be able to click the link to take you to the archive page of all their videos. Not only does it have the video player but it also offers an audio panel that has the most current episode of their podcast with a scrolling banner with an outline of the current show. The link below the player also takes you to an archive page of past episodes for download or playing right from the site. At the bottom of the page you will find all the Up North Journal Pro Staff members. By clicking their photos you will be taken to each members personal bio page which will host a video of each member talking about themselves and the game they like to persue. Included on their personal bio page is all the links to their own blogs, and other internet links they are associated with such as facebook, twitter, and email address’.
The site is not 100% completed but the important items are there, so keep looking for further updates to the site and bios on the prostaff pages. When your finished taking the tour, be sure to drop them an email and let them know what you think about the new digs!
The Michigan DNRE issued a press release Feb. 11th about wanting the public’s help with sightings of gray wolves in Michigan’s lower peninsula. Below is the statement issued by the DNRE!
While getting ready to wash my hunting clothes last week I made a discovery on one of the new energy efficient front loader washing machines. It was something that could have ruined my efforts to make my camo scent free! 
The Up North Journal Team has launched their new website and they invite you to stop by and check out the new digs! You can find it at the same ‘ol place: