Letters

A Joy to Read

The story by Gary Kramer, "Driven Days with the Royal Habsburgs," in Septem-ber/October, was a joy to read. It is without question one of the best articles I've seen in Shooting Sportsman. Not only did it convey the ambiance of the shoot, but it also was a mini history lesson and was accompanied by first-rate photographs. Keep up the good work!

Victor Bryan
Seattle, WA


A Pleasant Surprise

What a pleasant surprise to see John Taylor writing for Shooting Sportsman. "The Pump" (Sept/Oct) is a good read. I was a fan of John's when he wrote for Petersen's Shotguns. I hope to see more of John's fine articles in SSM in the future.

Buddy Marson
Virginia Beach, Virginia


"P" Is for Predator

"Sage Grouse Blues" (Conservation, Sept/Oct) stated a multitude of reasons for the decline of the sage grouse. However, none of the reasons mentioned the sacred "p" word-"p" as in predator.

From July 1989 to June 1991 the Nevada Dept. of Wildlife (NDOW) conducted a study of sage grouse production and mortality. In one study area 1,400 eggs were placed in 200 simulated sage grouse nests with seven eggs per nest. This was during the 15-day period when sage hens lay their eggs.

The results of this survey are unbelievable. At the completion of the 15-day period, all 1,400 eggs (100 percent) had been destroyed. Ravens were believed to have been the chief nest predators.

Then during the 1991 Nevada legislative session, a bill was introduced to do some raven control with aircraft. The NDOW did not show up to testify regarding its own survey. After being requested to testify by a legislator, the NDOW failed to appear in support of raven control.

Somewhere along the line, the NDOW and the Wildlife Commission decided that this study was invalid. The reason (hope you're sitting down) was that the nests had been marked with flags. The ravens must have seen the flags, realized that they were marking nests, and eaten all the eggs! No doubt, the NDOW and the Wildlife Commission believe in the tooth fairy and Santa Claus. Sportsmen in our state don't blame the hard-working biologists. It is the leadership in the NDOW and the Wildlife Commission who don't have a clue as to what they are doing.

There are two reasons why the NDOW and the Wildlife Commission will not acknowledge that we have a predator problem. First, if there is a problem, there must be a cure, like work. Second, it is not politically correct to kill one species to enhance another. For these reasons, the sportsmen and the sage grouse will be the losers in Nevada for many years to come.

Cecil Fredi
Las Vegas, Nevada


Tom Reed, indeed, did considerable homework in preparing "Sage Grouse Blues." His own knowledge plus the input from his biologists/experts make a compelling case.

However, as in so many textbook offerings, he did not test the territory. All of the factors named in the piece-i.e., fragmentation, drought, fences, power lines, etc.-are players. And if you ask wildlife biologist Kevin Doherty of the University of Montana, West Nile is not to blame. Kevin and his team spent the summer of '04 in the field here in Wyoming. Telemetry, grids, all the up-to-date stuff-including dirty boots.

Please allow me to say that Mr. Reed and the authorities missed the culprit-so did Kevin Doherty: It is the red fox. Not just grouse, but other upland birds and waterfowl, all have been decimated. State fish & game departments and well-meaning conservation organizations choose to ignore the fox factor. It is more politically proper to blame some acceptable environmental entity-including the rancher!

Habitat allows creation-foxes kill.

Question: How can a grouse partnership organization with a PO Box address in Maryland get its boots dirty in Wyoming?

Roger Mohns
Buffalo, Wyoming


The Hunting Factor

I read with interest Vic Venters' recent articles concerning quail restoration efforts in Florida and Georgia ("Quail Hunting's New Good Old Days," May/June & July/August). The programs discussed certainly can be applied to practically any holding large enough to support bobwhites. Yet, I feel that the hunter has to enter the equation, and his entrance may contribute a decided negative. Here is but one small example.

A number of years ago during the last week of the bird season, I took the dog out for an afternoon run at a wildlife management area west of town. We did not arrive until 3 pm, so we had perhaps an hour and a half to hunt. Snow lay in the shady areas of the woods. It felt good to walk with the dog quartering before me. Jack, the pointer, was an Elhew; he was a pleasure to hunt with, and when he pointed, one could be reasonably sure that he had every reason to do so. For an hour we hunted through a tilled bottom bordered by a wooded creek; this area held birds as well as woodcock. We wound our way around an abandoned home site and then headed back to our starting point. Within sight of the Jeep, along a hedgerow bordered on both sides by fallow fields, Jack pointed, flagged, corrected in three steps and froze. I stepped in, and three birds erupted from the cover angling slightly to my right. I mounted the gun, sloppily, and fired the right barrel and then the left. The birds flew away unharmed.

As I removed the shells from the Model 21, I had the strangest reaction. I was glad I had missed. What if I had hit two of the three? What chance would that lone survivor have had? Indeed, what chance would the three birds have to survive January, February and March in Virginia?

It just seems to me that people who have kept bird dogs have felt compelled to shoot birds over their dogs' points. Yes, of course. But how many of us have hunted a covey down to three, or two, or one bird? How many of us have followed the singles after the covey rise and wiped out covey after covey-just as I almost did, or could have done, that late-winter afternoon west of town?

Frank Childrey Jr.
Richmond, Virginia


Vintage Thoughts

On a recent three-week trip to your country, I had the privilege of participating in the Vintage Cup, in Millbrook, New York. I spent a very memorable two days at this well-organized event, speaking to many knowledgeable fellow gun enthusiasts. The atmosphere was terrific, and everyone was very friendly and most helpful. It was good to see so many English guns at the event and to realize that most Americans appreciate English guns, too.

I was well looked after during the competition by the other competitors, and I would like to express my grateful thanks to those who shot the competition with me.

I also wish to thank, most sincerely, Mr. Kirby Hoyt of Vintage Doubles for sparing his valuable time and for the loan of his guns for my use in the competition. Without Kirby's help, I would not have been able to take part in this wonderful event, and I will always be grateful to him for giving me the opportunity. I have found Kirby to be an honest and sincere dealer and have no hesitation recommending Vintage Doubles to anyone.

I also would like to mention how much I enjoy Shooting Sportsman Magazine. I find it most informative, interesting, well illustrated and, overall, a splendid magazine. Keep up the good work.

Rod Sykes
West Yorkshire, England

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