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Here’s what’s worth reading today, Monday, September 9, 2019:
Hunter mauled by brown bear near Eureka: A hunter was mauled by a sow brown bear Friday night in the Eureka area northeast of Anchorage, the Alaska State Troopers said. The injured person’s hunting partner ended the attack by shooting the bear dead. The two moose hunters were in the Gunsight Mountain area, about 120 miles northeast of Anchorage off the Glenn Highway, when they surprised a brown bear with two cubs Friday evening. “The sow attacked one of the hunters causing serious injuries,” according to troopers. The uninjured hunter shot and killed the bear. Troopers did not name the hunters.
Texas fishing calendar: In September head to Aransas Bay for flounder
Texas hospital accidentally creates haven for venomous caterpillar: A Texas hospital’s attempts to deter birds have accidentally created a haven for North American’s most venomous caterpillar species, whose painful sting has been compared to breaking a bone. Nets were put up on the oak trees that line the sidewalks of Texas Medical Center in Houston to stop birds like grackles and pigeons—which can carry diseases and create a mess—from gathering. But by putting the birds off from landing on the trees, the institution created a new problem. With no birds to eat them, the population of bugs commonly known as “asps” exploded. After studying the area for three years, researchers found the caterpillars were 7,300% more abundant on netted trees compared to those without protection. Also known as Megalopyge opercularis or puss moth caterpillars, the insects are the most poisonous caterpillars in North America. The creatures are covered in spines linked to a sac filled with poison. If someone brushes against an asp, the protrusions break off and stick into the skin, releasing venom.
Organizations work to elevate Latino voices in conservation and the outdoors in Utah: Being outside has historically been a part of Latino culture for generations. While Latinos are not always represented in mainstream conservation groups and movements, groups around the state and the nation are working to change that. For State Rep. Mark Archuleta Wheatley, D-Murray, the outdoors has always been a part of his life. His mother’s family had lived in New Mexico for generations, and hunting and fishing were a regular pastime. Conservation was a natural extension of that. Wheatley now serves as a board member for HECHO, or Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting and the Outdoors, an organization that works to get more Latinos involved in the outdoors and conservation policy. One challenge to Latinos specific to Utah, Wheatley said, is that, particularly for those who moved here from another country and are new to the state, they may have barriers that others may not have. “A lot of families new to Utah, their families are so busy working,” Wheatley said. “And there’s a cost issue. A lot of the equipment is very expensive.”
Man reels in rifle while fishing at Texas lake: It’s not the usual catch of the day. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that a man who was fishing on Saturday at a North Texas lake reeled in something unusual: a semi-automatic rifle. Police say the man had been fishing with relatives at Lake Arlington, about 13 miles west of Fort Worth, when he caught a Galil ACE rifle on his hook. After reeling in the weapon, the man went to a park in Fort Worth and called police. Authorities took possession of the weapon and now have it in their property room.
Take a new hunter afield this fall: One of the most amazing experiences in hunting is taking a new hunter to the field. I have mentored new hunters for some time and encourage any of you who hunt to join our cadre. Mentoring apprentice hunters should start with our own family or friend networks. However, be on the lookout for aspiring hunters in all sorts of unexpected places. There are more incentives than ever before to get an avid hunter to take a new hunter to the field. Unquestionably, taking a newcomer to the field should be a top priority for each hunter. It not only represents an investment in the future of our hunting heritage and conservation of our natural resources, but you will discover that it is more rewarding than you could ever imagine.
Colorado boy describes fighting off mountain lion who had his head in its mouth: An 8-year-old boy from Colorado recovering from a mountain lion attack described how he fought off the animal with a stick as it pinned him underneath a tree. Pike Carlson was playing with his brother in the backyard of their home in Bailey when he went down the hill to talk to a neighbor, according to NBC affiliate KUSA in Denver. Pike said as he was walking, he was suddenly attacked by a lion. “I was just punching, trying to grab anything that I can,” he said about the Aug. 21 attack. “I did find a stick and I tried to get it in the eye but the stick snapped.” As Pike fought the lion, his brother, Gage, ran to get their father. When Ron Carlson, armed with a knife, arrived at the scene he saw his son pinned under a tree with his head in the lion’s mouth, he told KUSA. Eventually, Ron Carlson was able to scare the animal away.
Georgia man bags biggest alligator in state history on hunting trip: A Georgia man may have gotten more than he bargained for when he bagged a 14-foot alligator on a recent hunting trip. Derrick Snelson knew the gator was big, but it wasn’t until he got it into his boat that he realized just how big, Channel 2 Action News reported. The alligator was 14 feet, 1¾ inches, and it weighed 700 pounds. Snelson, who lives in Meriwether County, was hunting on Lake Eufala in Quitman County when he caught the gator, according to Channel 2. “It was just unbelievable,” he said. “You really can’t describe it … It was just wild.” It took the five-person crew more than five hours to reel it in.
The most important tool for deer hunting: With the fall deer seasons fast approaching, someone asked me a question the other day: “If there is one thing you can’t live without in the treestand, what is it?’ “My reply was simple and swift — my safety harness. I think they expected me to ponder over which call I had to have or which cover scent or gadget was a must-have. Although I can feel lost if I forget binoculars or favorite call, if I forget my Hunter Safety System vest, I don’t get in the tree. And you shouldn’t, either. When I was younger I got lucky hundreds of times, hanging and hunting from stands without wearing a fall-restraint system. I had some close calls during those times, but it never seemed to bother much. I almost laughed them off. Not anymore. A fall while hanging a stand years ago changed all that.
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