scooter
12-12-2008, 11:29 AM
In one month it will be Christmas, and most folks will have spent far more money on Christmas gifts than they should have, or will ever admit to.
Christmas is supposed to be a religious event, although within the last 150 years or less it has become a time of giving toys or other gifts to the children. Yet note the number of big-ticket items such as large-screen TVs that are being taken home, and it's obvious that Christmas is now being used as a reason for the adults to buy their toys.
For that person who "has everything" and is thus difficult to buy for, spend the money normally spent on that individual by making a donation to a local charity or other nearby non-profit organization. If possible select one that employs volunteers and does not have salaried staff. Some of the smaller organizations have not yet obtained official charity status with the government and thus cannot give receipts that can be claimed for income tax purposes. In such cases, merely send a card to that hard-to-buy-for (HTBF) individual stating that that's where their gift money was spent. If a tax-deductible receipt is issued, have it made out in the name of that HTBF individual and send it along with the card.
High on that list of charities should be the food banks, but before donating ask those who work there what they most need in the way of canned or other goods. Just a thought, but it's much more in line with what Christmas should be all about.
As to what is the ideal Christmas gift for the outdoor enthusiast, only that individual knows for certain what they would most like. The angler who is devoted to salmon fishing has a gift list of desirable items far different from the individual whose sport is ATVing. The solution is to simply ask the person what they would like for Christmas, and then from their short list buy one of those items. One should also include the receipt, especially if it is clothing that may need returning. Don't ask what an individual might like, and while the gift will be a surprise, it may be one that is not needed, or ever used. If you want it to be a surprise, should we not have a special day other than Christmas set aside for just that? (April 1 comes to mind!)
But enough about Christmas. The heavy snowfall on Saturday in the south and eastern parts of New Brunswick has deer hunters justifiably concerned. If this foot or more of snow stays on the ground and is the forerunner of the deep snows similar to what occurred last year, it's very bad news indeed for our deer.
In April, provincial deer biologist Rod Cumberland estimated that due to our deep snows of last winter that the deer winter kill in the province was approximately 14 per cent in the south, 24 per cent in the central region and 34 per cent in the north for an overall average province wide of 24 per cent. This fall the number of antlerless deer tags issued in each zone was based on these estimates.
While hunters in each of the zones in the province would very much like to have a breakdown of all the factors involved in determining the number of tags issued in their particular zone, we will look at but one, Zone 25 that includes the Sackville, Port Elgin area. Last year, 818 hunters applied for the 100 antlerless deer permits issued in this zone, with those 100 harvesting a total of 29 does and fawns. The total harvest including bucks for Zone 25 was 287.
Based on the data obtained from the monitoring of last winter's snow levels, the estimated winter kill was approximately 660 animals in this Zone, twice that of a normal winter.
In taking this into account, no antlerless deer permits were issued in Zone 25. While some complained, the majority of hunters in this zone that were asked were in agreement that deer in Zone 25 were fewer in number than those found in other parts of the province such as Zone 22, and that not issuing antlerless deer permits was necessary in order to grow the herd.
Other factors also taken into account included predation by bear, bobcat and coyote, road kills and those killed by hunters or poachers.
While it will be some time before the precise total harvest in each zone is sorted out, as of 3 p.m. yesterday the data collected for the entire province indicated a total harvest of 7,751, with two deer check stations yet to report. When they do, the final total will be within a dozen or two of 7,800 deer, very much in the centre of Cumberland's prediction earlier in the year of a harvest of 7,500 to 8,100 animals.
Being able to make such an accurate estimate on such a large variable as our deer herds that far ahead of time very much reinforces that our deer herd is being properly managed so as to grow the herd, with the severity of our winters the only wild card.
In a recent television broadcast, a meteorologist stated after consulting with other weather experts that it's likely that this December will have more snow and colder temperatures than normal, yet January and February will have warmer temperatures and significantly more rain.
The hope is that the weatherman is correct, and that those warmer temperatures and rain will remove much of the snow that has accumulated at that point. With rain forecast for tomorrow and Thursday much of the snow currently on the ground should disappear. It all depends on the temperature and how much rain we get.
The Moncton Fish and Game Association holds its 39th annual Sportsman Supper this Saturday at the Coverdale Recreation Centre starting at 6 p.m. It's roast beef and there will be $20,000 in prizes. For more information or to obtain tickets, contact Charlie LeBlanc at 386-3144 or Ed Sherrard at 382-7430. The money earned from this supper is used to send youngsters to youth camps who could otherwise not afford to go.
Everett Mosher is a Sackville-based writer and avid outdoorsman. His column appears Tuesdays.
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PUBLICATION: Times & Transcript (Moncton)
DATE: 2008.11.25
SECTION: Sports
PAGE: B5
BYLINE: Everett Mosher Outdoor life
WORD COUNT: 1061
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2008 deer harvest projections prove bang on
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Christmas is supposed to be a religious event, although within the last 150 years or less it has become a time of giving toys or other gifts to the children. Yet note the number of big-ticket items such as large-screen TVs that are being taken home, and it's obvious that Christmas is now being used as a reason for the adults to buy their toys.
For that person who "has everything" and is thus difficult to buy for, spend the money normally spent on that individual by making a donation to a local charity or other nearby non-profit organization. If possible select one that employs volunteers and does not have salaried staff. Some of the smaller organizations have not yet obtained official charity status with the government and thus cannot give receipts that can be claimed for income tax purposes. In such cases, merely send a card to that hard-to-buy-for (HTBF) individual stating that that's where their gift money was spent. If a tax-deductible receipt is issued, have it made out in the name of that HTBF individual and send it along with the card.
High on that list of charities should be the food banks, but before donating ask those who work there what they most need in the way of canned or other goods. Just a thought, but it's much more in line with what Christmas should be all about.
As to what is the ideal Christmas gift for the outdoor enthusiast, only that individual knows for certain what they would most like. The angler who is devoted to salmon fishing has a gift list of desirable items far different from the individual whose sport is ATVing. The solution is to simply ask the person what they would like for Christmas, and then from their short list buy one of those items. One should also include the receipt, especially if it is clothing that may need returning. Don't ask what an individual might like, and while the gift will be a surprise, it may be one that is not needed, or ever used. If you want it to be a surprise, should we not have a special day other than Christmas set aside for just that? (April 1 comes to mind!)
But enough about Christmas. The heavy snowfall on Saturday in the south and eastern parts of New Brunswick has deer hunters justifiably concerned. If this foot or more of snow stays on the ground and is the forerunner of the deep snows similar to what occurred last year, it's very bad news indeed for our deer.
In April, provincial deer biologist Rod Cumberland estimated that due to our deep snows of last winter that the deer winter kill in the province was approximately 14 per cent in the south, 24 per cent in the central region and 34 per cent in the north for an overall average province wide of 24 per cent. This fall the number of antlerless deer tags issued in each zone was based on these estimates.
While hunters in each of the zones in the province would very much like to have a breakdown of all the factors involved in determining the number of tags issued in their particular zone, we will look at but one, Zone 25 that includes the Sackville, Port Elgin area. Last year, 818 hunters applied for the 100 antlerless deer permits issued in this zone, with those 100 harvesting a total of 29 does and fawns. The total harvest including bucks for Zone 25 was 287.
Based on the data obtained from the monitoring of last winter's snow levels, the estimated winter kill was approximately 660 animals in this Zone, twice that of a normal winter.
In taking this into account, no antlerless deer permits were issued in Zone 25. While some complained, the majority of hunters in this zone that were asked were in agreement that deer in Zone 25 were fewer in number than those found in other parts of the province such as Zone 22, and that not issuing antlerless deer permits was necessary in order to grow the herd.
Other factors also taken into account included predation by bear, bobcat and coyote, road kills and those killed by hunters or poachers.
While it will be some time before the precise total harvest in each zone is sorted out, as of 3 p.m. yesterday the data collected for the entire province indicated a total harvest of 7,751, with two deer check stations yet to report. When they do, the final total will be within a dozen or two of 7,800 deer, very much in the centre of Cumberland's prediction earlier in the year of a harvest of 7,500 to 8,100 animals.
Being able to make such an accurate estimate on such a large variable as our deer herds that far ahead of time very much reinforces that our deer herd is being properly managed so as to grow the herd, with the severity of our winters the only wild card.
In a recent television broadcast, a meteorologist stated after consulting with other weather experts that it's likely that this December will have more snow and colder temperatures than normal, yet January and February will have warmer temperatures and significantly more rain.
The hope is that the weatherman is correct, and that those warmer temperatures and rain will remove much of the snow that has accumulated at that point. With rain forecast for tomorrow and Thursday much of the snow currently on the ground should disappear. It all depends on the temperature and how much rain we get.
The Moncton Fish and Game Association holds its 39th annual Sportsman Supper this Saturday at the Coverdale Recreation Centre starting at 6 p.m. It's roast beef and there will be $20,000 in prizes. For more information or to obtain tickets, contact Charlie LeBlanc at 386-3144 or Ed Sherrard at 382-7430. The money earned from this supper is used to send youngsters to youth camps who could otherwise not afford to go.
Everett Mosher is a Sackville-based writer and avid outdoorsman. His column appears Tuesdays.
--------------------------------------------------
PUBLICATION: Times & Transcript (Moncton)
DATE: 2008.11.25
SECTION: Sports
PAGE: B5
BYLINE: Everett Mosher Outdoor life
WORD COUNT: 1061
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2008 deer harvest projections prove bang on
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------