usa - casting a new line

The Union Sportsmen’sJournal is the official

publication of theUnion Sportsmen’s Alliance.

Executive Director Fred Myers

[email protected]

Deputy DirectorMike d’Oliveira

[email protected]

Senior Communications ManagerKate Cywinski

[email protected]

Membership Services &Recruitment Manager

Amy [email protected]

Director of Recruitment& Special EventsNate Whiteman

[email protected]

The Union Sportsmen’s Journalis produced by Michigan

United Conservation Clubs’Communications Division.

EditorTony Hansen

[email protected]

Creative ServicesJeanne Esch

[email protected]

Has your mailingaddress or e-mail changed?

Call USA Membership Services at 1-877-872-2211 (toll-free)to let us know, so you keepenjoying all your benefits.

Membership questions:877-872-2211 or

615-831-6779

ContentsJune 2010

DEPARTMENTS 2 Around The USA

6 You Are The USA 7 Conservation Focus 12 Made In The USA

18 Take Your Best Shot

20 This Land Is Your Land

FEATURES 4 Classic Baits for River Smallmouth By Peter B. Mathiesen

4 Frozen in Time - The Magic Of Modern Taxidermy By M.D. Johnson

10 Three Best Bets For A Monster Buck By Tim Herald

14 The American Way Outdoors By Kate Cywinski

16 Fall Food Plot Primer By David Hart

144

16 20

You Are Union. You Are Sportsman. You Belong. Online: www.unionsportsmen.org Page 1

USA 3rd AnniversaryBrings Big ChangeAs we approach the third anniversary of the founding of the Union Sports-

men’s Alliance in July 2007, I’m happy to tell you the USA is healthy and growing, and it’s changing too. For proof, look no further than the first

issue of the redesigned Union Sportsmen’s Journal you’re holding in your hands. In little more than a year, the journal has evolved from a newspaper to a maga-zine containing more of what club members asked for: hunting and fishing tips, member stories, more U.S. made gear reviews, informative stories about your favorite pastimes and the latest news about your club, its members and USA ac-tivities around the country.

But the changes don’t stop there. The really big news is the USA is moving for-ward as a sportsman-centered organization independent of the Theodore Roos-evelt Conservation Partnership, which served as an incubator for the start-up program. Thanks to the guidance and support of the TRCP and our union partners, the USA has seen tremendous growth over the past three years in terms of our internal structure and our membership base. And the time has come for the USA to spread its wings and take its place in outdoor world.

We’re going to be our own non-profit group, with a separate vision, mission and goals to guide us. But that doesn’t mean we’re not going to continue to be a TRCP partner. Just like Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Whitetails Unlimited and many other groups, the USA will be an independent partner of the TRCP, lending support and the voices of thousands of union sportsmen and women on conservation issues of national importance to all hunters and anglers.

The USA’s new direction will allow us to do what we do best: serve America’s union sportsmen and women and ensure a bright future for all hunters and anglers of today and tomorrow.

The USA is off to one heck of a start. Our foundation is solid, our blueprint is complete, the crew is ready, and it’s time to build in earnest. With your help, we’ll make the USA one of the top hunter-angler based organizations in North America and make a real con-tribution for all who enjoy the outdoors now and for generations to come. Welcome to the new USA; I’m glad to have you onboard.

Happy hunting and tight lines,

Fred MyersExecutive Director, Union Sportsmen’s Alliance

The USA extends a special thank you to the International Union of Elevator Constructors for becom-ing our newest charter union and providing financial support to help us bring additional value to all USA members. From the start, the IUEC has helped promote the USA through its monthly journal, and

we’re proud to have many IUEC members within our com-munity.

“We are very pleased the IUEC has taken its support for the USA to the next level and look forward to working with their national leadership and locals across the country as we contin-ue to grow North America’s premier hunting and fishing club

for union members,” said USA Executive Director Fred Myers.We are also proud to welcome the United Transportation

Union for becoming a USA supporting union and making a commitment to help spread the word about the USA to their members. We are happy to have you onboard.

Welcome USA Partner Locals:UA Local 464SMWIA Local 33IBEW Local 160

The USA Partner Program gives Union Locals, Districts and Councils the chance to help build the USA and reward their members for attending meetings and events. Contact Nate Whiteman at [email protected] to learn more.

From the Director’s Desk

Special Thanks To Our Newest Partners

The Union Sportsmen’s Journal

Armed with a solid foundation, a growing membership base and strong partnerships with busi-

nesses and groups that appreciate its union and conservation focus, the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance will blaze a new trail as a non-profit organization separate from the Theodore Roosevelt Conserva-

tion Partnership.“We at the TRCP are proud of the

progress made by the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance since we started it in 2007,” said Jim Martin, TRCP board chair. “The USA program now is ready to grow to the next level. We look forward to continuing to work with the AFL-CIO and our other

union partners on the conservation pol-icy issues that matter most to American sportsmen.”

With the leadership and support of the TRCP, the AFL-CIO and many of its affili-ated unions, the USA made tremendous strides over the past three years. And the time has come for the union-dedicated hunting and fishing club to graduate to an exciting new phase, taking its place in the outdoor community.

The USA and its union partners will maintain a close relationship with the TRCP that will continue to give union hunters and anglers a voice in national conservation policy. At the same time, the USA will complement the TRCP’s ef-forts with its own mission to improve and expand hunting and fishing access for all through on-the-ground, place based con-

Around The USA

“The USA offers our nation’s union members the chance to organize, sus-tain and defend a uniquely American way of life – an outdoor heritage both for themselves and for their children and grandchildren to enjoy. The AFL-CIO is honored to have played a found-ing role in establishing the USA.”

— Richard Trumka, AFL-CIO Presi-dent, (center of photo in shooter’s shirt).

USA Casts A New LineBecomes non-profit organization guided by its own conservation mission

1. Will my membership change in any way? No. Your membership will not change.2. Will my membership still support conservation and

access? Your money will continue to support the day-to-day op-

eration of the USA and its efforts to increase and enhance access for hunting and fishing. The USA will continue to support TRCP’s national advocacy efforts while engag-ing in hands-on access projects at the local and regional level. Your membership will help fund these local access projects that will directly benefit sportsmen of today and tomorrow.

3. I am already a member of the USA. Will I still be a member of the TRCP?

Yes. TRCP membership is strictly electronic. Unless you opt-out, you will continue to receive the TRCP’s monthly Square Dealer as well as regular actiongrams.

4. Will I still receive a free membership in the TRCP when I join the USA?

While we will continue to work closely with the TRCP, we have not determined whether or not USA members will automatically become TRCP members. We encourage ev-ery union sportsmen to sign up for a free TRCP member-ship at www.TRCP.org.

5. What is going to happen with the TV shows Escape to the Wild and Life in the Open?

The USA continues to have an interest in producing award-winning outdoor television and will pursue the continuation of these or similar programs.

6. Will the USA be involved in Second Amendment issues? As a hunting and fishing organization, the USA sup-

ports the Second Amendment but will continue its policy of non-partisanship by not taking positions on political agendas, issues, parties or candidates. USA

You Have Questions - We Have Answers:


servation projects that engage USA mem-bers.

“We are very excited about the future of the USA and what this transition will enable us to accomplish for union mem-bers and all hunters and anglers in North America,” said USA Executive Director Fred Myers. “As a stand-alone entity, we can support the conservation mission of the TRCP on a national level, while or-ganizing hands-on access projects at the local and regional level that utilize the ex-pertise and diverse skill sets of our mem-bers.”

The USA will remain based in Nashville, Tenn., and continue its policy of non-par-tisanship by not taking positions on polit-ical agendas, parties or candidates. USA

“The IBEW, like many AFL-CIO unions, wants to improve the quality of life of our members both on and off the job,” said IBEW Construction and Main-tenance Director Jerry Westerholm (pic-tured above). “Because so many of our members hunt, fish and enjoy the out-doors, we feel the USA is a key ingredient in helping us do just that. We’re thrilled with all the USA has accomplished in three years and believe its transition to a non-profit organization will enable it to become one of the largest and most effec-tive hunter/angler conservation-based groups in North America.”

Knives ThaT FiT Your LiFe.

1. When exiting the woods or your favorite hunting spot, give yourself time to stop, double- back and wait. Deer are inquisitive and will sometimes come back and give you an opportunity you may not have had. – John Kuzuoka, SMWIA 110

2. When using a spinner bait, cast out and pull in about 10 ft., jerk three times and continue. It always works! – Steve Hilbert, UA 502

3. For easy tick removal, squirt liquid soap on a cotton ball and swab the tick for 15 to 20 seconds, then uncover. The tick will be stuck to the cotton. – Clayton Bolton, IAMAW 946

4. To make individual fire starters for pennies, fill each cup of a cardboard egg carton with lint from the dyer and cover it with hot wax. Then let it cool. – Keith Ludwick, SMWIA 88

5. Take a small, compact mirror when you go hunting and use it to see what’s behind you when sitting against a tree, so you don’t have to turn around every time you hear something. – Michael Gorman, IBEW 3

MeMber Tips:

Knife Sharpening Tips:Establish the correct angle of 13-16 degrees. Keep the blade on the surface and use an easy, clockwise motion with the edge facing right, until the desired sharpness is achieved. Then turn the blade over and use an easy counter-clockwise motion with the edge facing left. Spend the same amount of time on each side.

broughT To You bY bucK Knives

www.bucKKnives.coM

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Classic Baits forRiverSmallmouth

Baits find a way in and out of favor with bass anglers like coffee flavorings at a cappuccino stand, particularly with smallmouth fisherman.

Plastics like Slug-Go’s, tubes and even newer-designed worms seem to have dominated many smallmouth anglers’ boxes and for good reason. In the 90s, tubebaits raged across the country catch-ing impressive numbers of big fish. Topwater floating plastics have gained popularity in the last decade and are truly fun to fish. Even spinnerbaits in smaller sizes tend to be a popular choice, particularly for search baits.

But when you want to find what works on river smallmouth day in, day out and in all conditions, you need to talk to a guide who runs a lot of trips and fishes water that gets plenty of action.

On my annual trip to the New River in West Virginia, my go-to guide is a man who goes by the name “Squirrel.” He works for Class IV River Runners out of Fayetteville. One June morning, Squirrel and I had an all-day float scheduled with water at near-normal con-ditions, with river temperatures on the high side in the low 70s. As we launched from Thurmond, the air was misty. It was a classic New River morning with the promise of a 50-plus day catch.

A river raft with fishing gear is always an exercise in organization. When I tied on my favorite spinnerbait, my guide asked if I had any crankbaits. I was surprised because Squirrel is renowned locally as a tube bait pro. I’ve seen him work wonders delivering high catch rates and sizes constantly over three pounds.

He glanced over at me with an intimidating smile. Did I men-tion that Squirrel is 6-feet, 4-inches tall and strong enough to pick up a bus? When he says, “You’ve got to tie on a crankbait,” I’m betting you’ll stick with that all day.

I was tossed a reddish craw-colored Bagley bait. With one cast, I had a 2-pound smallie dancing on the water, taking out line and run-ning under the raft.

“That was a nice fish, have you gone tube free?” I asked.He explained that in the past year he resorted to tying on a crank-

bait for one of his customers who couldn’t work a tube properly. “I was going nuts because fish were chasing this tube bait like

When you walked into my grand-parents’ home, the first thing you noticed was a crappie on the wall.

This, my grandfather reminded us often, wasn’t just any fish. “That there,” he always said, “is a Berlin Lake black crappie. It mea-sured 19 1/2 inches.” Sure, we had heard the story before, but it didn’t matter. It was Grandpa’s story, and that was Grandpa’s fish.

Not only was it a tremendous crappie, but the taxidermy work done by my Uncle Jim was of the highest quality. Jim was an

artist and his tools were an airbrush, a scal-pel, paints, steady hands and incredible patience. He, like all talented taxidermists, welcomed the challenge of transforming the lifeless into everlasting re-creations.

“I want it to look as if it’s going to swim off the wall,” he said often. And his art did appear as if they were one tail-flick away from being the one that got away.

But what are the steps in this transforma-tion process? A taxidermist for more than a decade, Floridian Eric Blount is a graduate of Iowa’s noted Kindred Spirits School of Taxidermy.

“I’ve always been an outdoorsman,” said Blount. “And I’ve always been intrigued with Mother Nature, so taxidermy seemed a nat-ural thing.”

Eager to talk about his art, Blount of-fered these suggestions for those thinking about hanging that next lunker on the wall, as well as insight into what might best be called Taxidermy 101.

Q This fish is huge! You know it’s des-tined for the wall, so what’s your first move even before it’s out of the water? Won’t a net damage your prize?

A Yes, a net could cause some damage to the fins. However, no net, and you stand the chance of losing your fish. Typically speak-ing, a net isn’t going to damage a fish to the point a taxidermist can’t repair, if it does any damage at all.

•••Q It’s in the boat, but you want to prac-tice catch-and-release and go with a repro-duction mount. What’s next?

A Ideally, you’re going to take reference photos from several angles. Get the eyes, mouth and fins in great detail and note any oddities or unusual features. Next, take ac-curate measurements, including length and girth.

Frozen in Time – The Magic of Modern Taxidermy By M.D. Johnson

By Peter B. Mathiesen


crazy and this poor guy just couldn’t set the hook. So, I gave in and thought, okay…let’s try a crankbait. He cast and instantaneously slammed a nice 3-pounder, then a four,” he said. The day finished with a number close to 70 fish.

Squirrel reverted back to the tube bait habit and checked off the crankbait day as a gift. Ten trips later, when fishing was slow and an-other customer missed a best fish of the day, he went back to crank-ing.

“We put on a Bagley Big B, made a cast and caught another nearly 3-pounder just like the first time,” he said. That day turned into a slugfest, and the client emerged from a potentially difficult day of fishing.

This set Squirrel on the investigative crankbait track. He started interspersing hardbaits with both experienced anglers and some not -so-well-adjusted casters. The results were remarkable.

Crankbaits out-fished tubes, topwater and spinnerbaits by a wide margin. The classic baits were most effective in the middle of the day when fishing typically falls off because of the high sun and increased temperature.

Although color and size are clearly essential parts of the equation, depth and speed seem to be the keys that consistently unlock a re-sponse. Turbid water calls for brighter colors, whereas in higher vis-ibility, anglers should consider more natural baits. Once the sun gets just a little too high in the sky, Squirrel likes to increase the speed and drop the depth.

“With these baits, we’re fishing deeper pools than we used to. Besides with the easier strike skill set the crankbait can deliver, we cover a lot more water in the same amount of time,” he said.

Tubebaits, spinnerbaits and topwater lures still grace Squirrel’s tackle bag. However, his selection of crankbaits has tripled from two years ago.

I don’t know if it’s the simplistic presentation or the increased coverage or both, but as Squirrel said, “I’ll take a 3/8-ounce, white Bagley Kill’r B. any day.”

For more information or a day with Squirrel on the New River, go to: www.class-vi.com. USA

•••Q No reproduction for me! I want a tra-ditional skin mount, so what do I do?

A I wouldn’t suggest clubbing it or dam-aging it in any way. Don’t put it on a stringer or in a fish basket, either. Put it on ice, per-haps wrapped and protected in a damp tow-el in a cooler. Try to keep it flat and straight.

•••Q Now it’s into the freezer. Is there any-thing I should know here?

A Wrap the fish in damp, not wet, paper towel, being careful with the fins, and seal it tightly with heavy plastic wrap before put-ting it into a big Ziplock or garbage bag. Try to get all the air out; you don’t want to con-tribute to freezer burn. And get it to your taxidermist as soon as you can—still frozen.

•••Q You’ve researched local taxidermists and reviewed their work, credentials and references. You’ve made an appointment with the one of choice and you’re at the stu-dio. What’s step one?

A The taxidermist will inspect the fish, note any damage and choose what he be-lieves is the best side. Then, together, you’ll decide on a pose and mounting surface, be it a plaque, driftwood or a reproduction of natural habitat.

•••Q The actual mounting process then be-gins, right?

A Yes. The first thing I do is choose a form based on the size of the fish. The fish is then carefully skinned and tanned. Many artists use a preservative on the skin; per-sonally, I tan all my fish. It takes a bit longer, and every species is different, but I believe the finished mount looks better.

•••Q With the skin prepared, what’s the next step?

A I position the skin on the form and essentially reassemble the original fish. Then I set the mouth, separate the gills, close the wall-side incision and support or ‘card’ the fins, so they dry the way I want them. Then

I set the eyes.•••Q Once the mount has been assembled

and given time to set, is the paint right around the corner?

A That’s correct. I have an extensive ref-erence library here. However, it’s fantastic when my client can provide reference pho-tos of that particular fish. After the proper colors and patterns are applied, the mount gets several layers of automotive clear coat, both for protection and to impart a more natural ‘slimier’ look.

•••Q And finally, how do I keep my mount looking good?

A A quality fish mount shouldn’t need anything more than an occasional feather dusting. As for damages – maybe a fin gets chipped or broken – any capable taxider-mist should be able to repair minor damages quickly and easily.

•••Contact: blounttaxidermy.com941-725-1591; [email protected]


You Are The USA

USA MEMBER STORY

Where There’s A Will, There’s A TurkeyBy Carolyn JacksonUSA and AFSCME Local 425 Member

I couldn’t find anyone to go hunting with me -- perhaps because I’m a woman -- and when I asked questions,

I was laughed at. So I watched the hunting channel and asked my questions online.

It was opening day of turkey season in western New York. I was working on three hours of sleep because I was psyched about hunting and nervous about being in the woods alone. Dressed in a camou-flage shirt and pants, I clunked through the woods in men’s boots that were too big because the salesman told me I needed a larger size for hunting socks.

With a borrowed, much-too-heavy Remington 1100 on one shoulder, a cam-ouflage tent on the other and my kid’s backpack containing a ham sandwich, I started up a hill. The ground was wet and mucky and as I made my way to my hunt-ing spot, my oversized boot sunk in the

mud and catapulted me face-first in the muck. I was spitting mad when I saw that my new outfit, gun and tent were covered in mud. Obviously this was a sign from God. I’d had enough -- I was going home.

Once I calmed down and decided not to quit, I found a grassy spot to roll around in to get most of the mud off. I

looked like the creature from black la-goon with PMS—my sock was wet and I was muddy from head to toe. When I reached my destination, I attempted to put up my new tent. I say “attempted” be-cause it just wasn’t happening. My arms were too short to pop it out on the sides. After throwing it to the ground numerous times, I somehow gained super human strength and popped it open. I went inside and set my gun on the ground facing the back of the tent. It was then that I realized this dumb tent didn’t have a floor, so I laid my camouflage pillow on the wet ground and unzipped all my windows. That sure was loud!

I looked at my watch - 8:15 a.m. By 8:50, I was eating that ham sandwich. The way I was positioned, I was watching the area to my right. At some point, I decided to look to my left where I saw 10 turkeys

CAMO CALAMITIESBuck Knife Buck

The tailgate dropped and the hounds jumped 10 yards into the woods of southeastern Virginia hot on the trail of a deer. They ran the deer for about 45 minutes in this 150-acre block of pines. The deer made several passes before making a break to another block of woods. I watched him pass before heading to a spot of pines left standing in an area that had been cut. I made it there just as the old buck turned and looped back toward me. At 30 yards out, I took my shot, hitting him in the left shoulder and he went down. I ran over, laid my gun down and began checking him out. That’s when he got up and lowered his head like he was going to charge me.

My gun was on the other side of him. One hound was baying this buck, so while he was trying to attack the hound, I grabbed the buck by its horns. I wrestled with it for what seemed like forever, thinking that if I let go, it was going to kill me. Finally, we both fell to the ground. I managed to get my body between its horns, unclip my trusty Buck knife and finish him off. It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced.

Clifford Carr, Fire Fighters Local 3801Windsor, VA

OverboardEvery year, a group of about 14 IBEW Local 683 members char-

ter a boat on Lake Erie and have a great time. At the end of last year’s trip, I reached for my wallet to “pay up” for the big fish win-

ner and tip the first mate and discovered that it was gone. After everybody franticly searched, we finally gave up. When we got to land in Port Clinton, Ohio, I got busy cancelling cards and such. My brothers took care of me the rest of the trip, thankfully. Two days later, I got a call from a union steelworker in Wisconsin. He had found my wallet floating while on a fishing trip in Canada. He sent it back and even dried out my ticket, along with everything else. Now that’s a brother! Guess it wasn’t a calamity after all.

Dan Sime, Electrical Workers Local 683Williamsport, OH

Doe in Disguise Last October, by buddy Matt Roberts and I were hunting in Idaho’s

rugged whitetail country. We had been out for two-and-a-half days, when I saw two deer crossing a small clearing. They were uphill about 80 yards away. I could see horns on the uphill deer and that the other was a doe. Stepping back into the clearing, I had room to shoot over the doe to the buck’s shoulder. I made a perfect shot, and the deer dropped in its tracks. Upon reaching the deer, I realize that it was still in the velvet in mid-October. As it turns out, it was a rare doe with horns - a true 4x4 in velvet. Matt runs over only to start laughing at me. I’m having the he/she mounted just to prove to everyone the truth of the story. It was still great eating, and I’ll try again this year.

Bill Kemble, Retired Local 54 Roofer Snohomish, WA


For more than two centuries, American workers and sports-men-conservationists often traveled and toiled along par-allel tracks as they worked to improve their lives, the lives

of their fellow citizens, the state of the nation and to ensure a brighter future for all. At times these parallel tracks intersected. And that’s no surprise given their shared interests in the well-being of America’s fish, wildlife and the lands and waters that support us all and the fact that a high percentage of working peo-ple are avid hunters and anglers who love to be outdoors when they’re not a work.

In the current state of our nation with its gridlock, stalemate, endless berating and posturing, the time has come for those tracks to once again align. Now is the time for each and every working person, especially union members who understand the power of working together, to volunteer their energy and skills for an hour, a day or a weekend to do what our leaders increas-ingly seem unable or unwilling to do…put this country back on track.

With our diverse skills and interests, we can accomplish a great deal through our collective volunteerism, generosity, com-munity spirit, and responsible citizenship, which are all expres-sions of true patriotism. And each act—each project will help unite us and move us toward a better and more sustainable coun-try and one worthy of passing on to our children.

As members of the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, we have a common interest in access for hunting, fishing and outdoor rec-reation. What if we stepped up and volunteered to build and rebuild boat ramps, foot bridges and campgrounds; plant buffer zones along streams to improve water quality and fish habitat; or recover and enhance trails on public hunting lands? What if we organized a volunteer conservation corps to tackle access issues

at the community level?As our own non-profit organization, that is just what the

Union Sportsmen’s Alliance will do to re-instill a sense of pride and hope in our communities and build a brighter future for America’s traditional outdoor pastimes and generations of sportsmen and women to come.

A union-based volunteer conservation corps makes perfect sense, after all, because there’s no better group of people with more skills, interest and know-how to help put things back on track and to show our leaders, firsthand, how to get things done.

The USA will work with various groups across the country to identify volunteer conservation projects for USA members and their families to participate in and directly benefit from. Watch for details. USA

USA To Launch ‘Boots on the Ground’ ProgramTackling access through place-based conservation projects

casually walking across the field. I gasped and got my head out of the window. When I composed myself, I looked out of the window again to find all 10 looking at me. My heart pounded as I fumbled for my gun, which was pointed toward the back of the tent. My 1100 was longer than the tent, so I had to battle the tent to get the gun in a position to actually shoot a bird. I can only imagine what the turkeys saw from the outside as long poke marks came through at all angles.

When I finally got it rotated and load-ed, I fumbled for my rangefinder, which said 58 yards. I read somewhere that 25 yards was what I wanted, so I waited for them to come closer. There were seven hens and three with red necks and I knew I wanted one of those. I kept peeking out the window, but the turkeys didn’t seem closer. When my rangefinder said 41

yards, I decided to go for it. I fixed my gun on the biggest male,

held my breath and took a shot. BOOM! The gun had a real nice kick to it, which came as a surprise. I flew out of the tent to the downed bird and stood over him, hyperventilating as he flipped around like a...wounded bird. I had to take a shot of my asthma inhaler.

“I wonder which of us is going to die first—me of an asthma attack or you with a shotgun blast to the throat,” I said to the bird. I couldn’t watch him suffer, so I raised my gun and, saying “sorry, sorry, sorry” under my breath, shot him again in the neck.

After I was back to a normal sinus rhythm, I gathered my gear and attempt-ed to get my two-man tent into a bag the size of a Triscuit. I threw it to the ground several more times and managed to get it

half in the bag. Then I threw it over my shoulder and put my gun over the other shoulder along with my backpack. Only then did I realize I had to touch a dead bird. After several wincing attempts, I managed to pick him up by his feet. He had an 8 1/2” beard and was 20 pounds, but he felt like 50.

There I was traipsing through the woods covered in dried mud, tripping over my big boots, holding this bird as far away from my body as possible. When I finally reached the car, I had to take an-other shot of my inhaler. I was so proud of my bird I wanted to strap him to the top of my car and show off. Instead I sent the picture of him to everyone who said I was crazy to think I could go out open-ing day and come home with something. To everyone who said I couldn’t do it, “WHOSE YOUR MAMA NOW?” USA

Conservation Focus


Today’s youth are the sportsmen and women of

tomorrow – the future of our hunting and fish-

ing heritage. Help the USA honor youths who

have worked hard to reel in that first fish or

make that shot count on their first deer, turkey

or other game animal with a special USA First

Harvest certificate of achievement.

USA First HarvestUSA First Harvest

First Harvest Certificate Request Form

Youth’s Name:____________________________________ Youth’s Age: ______Address: _________________________________________________________City:________________________________ State:_______ Zip: ____________Your Name: ______________________________________________________Your E-mail: _____________________________________________________Your Phone: ______________________________________________________Details about harvest: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mail form and a photo to:USA – First Harvest • 3340 Perimeter Hill Dr. • Nashville, TN 37211

You can also request a certificate by email:[email protected].

Please provide the same details and a photo.

Coleman Maher, grandson of retired Sheet Metal Worker Dick Cronstrom, with his first Lake Superior salmon.

Marrissa Marshall harvested her first doe in January 2009 at 75 yards with a junior model 223.

Kyle Brittain proudly holds his Columbia River Chi-nook. At 22 lbs., it was Kyle’s biggest catch ever.

Seth Aurelio shows off his first buck taken on Pennsylvania’s 2009 opening day.

Evie Turney is all smiles with her first turkey, which might just outweigh her.

Page 8 The Union Sportsmen’s Journal


Where do union electrical workers, sheet metal workers, painters, roofers, pipefitters, boilermakers, elevator constructors, machinists and members of all different trades intermingle in the spirit of the outdoors?

At USA events, of course! Look at the great time we had at our sportsmen’s dinners in Louisville and Minneapolis and our sporting clays shoot in Houston. Then check out the list of upcoming USA events and sign up for the one nearest you. Can’t wait to see you there.

USA EVENTS

Building Community on the Ground

The USA kicked off its 2010 events season with a Sports-men’s Dinner at IBEW Local 369 Hall in Louisville, Ky. It was attended by more than 100 union members repre-senting 15 union locals

Melvin Santiago of NALC Local 3867 teamed up with Lacy Bucy (left) and Suny Robinson (right), representing American Income Life, at the USA Sporting Clays Shoot in Houston on April 24 where more than 70 Houston area union members gathered at the Rio Brazos Hunt-ing Club.

IBEW Local 66 members Eddie Riddle, Kenny Nail, Spike Nail and Hugo Kraft were the top shooting team at the USA Sporting Clays Shoot in Houston.

Members of Roofers Local 96 shared a table sponsored the Roofers International at the USA Sportsmen’s Dinner in Minneapolis on April 30. The event was hosted by In-ternational Union of Operating Engineers Local 49 and attended by more than 130 union sportsmen.

USA Director of Recruitment Nate Whiteman (orange) poses with three of the night’s lucky gun winners: (left to right) Paul Arnold of IBB Local 40, Jim Kincaid Jr. of IBT Local 89 and Anthony Herbert of SMWIA Local 110.

USA Regional Coordinator Jim Klatt (left) congratulates Wyatt Reed of Operating Engineers Local 49 on winning a Remington 870 rifle at the USA dinner in Minneapolis.

UPCOMING EVENTSJune 10 Capital Area Sporting Clays Shoot Pintail Point Welcome Center 511 Pintail Point Farm Ln. • Queenstown, MD 21658 7:30 a.m. registration • 9:30 a.m. shoot June 19 Salt Lake City Sporting Clays Shoot Details to be determined.June 22 Juneau Trap Shoot Juneau Gun Club Montana Creek Road • Juneau, AK 99801 5:30 p.m. registration • 6:30 p.m. shootJune 26 Anchorage Sporting Clays Shoot Grouse Ridge, Inc. 6967 E. Tex Al Drive • Wasilla, AK 99654 8 a.m. registration • 9:30 a.m. shoot

Watch for details on the following events at:www.UnionSportsmen.org/events Aug. 15 Reno, NV ShootAug. 28 St. Louis, MO ShootSept. 18 Northeast IL ShootSept. 26 Green Bay, WI DinnerOct. 1 Kansas City, MO ShootOct. 9 Bucyrus, OH Pheasant Hunt & FeedOct. 9 Las Vegas, NV ShootInterested in sponsoring or helping organize a USA event near you, contact the USA Regional Coordinator in your area:

Atlantic & Missisippi Flyways - Nate Whiteman440-867-8229 • 440-867-2732 • [email protected]

Central Flyway - Jim Klatt612-331-0270 • 952-221-9787 • [email protected]

Pacific Flyway - Tim Bindl608 -788-0043 • 608-397-1023 • [email protected]

In today’s world of quality deer manage-ment, great food plot mixes and a doz-en other factors that help us grow and

harvest great whitetails, it’s still difficult to harvest a really big whitetail buck. Picking the right hunt at the right time is the most important factor by far. For most of us, a 150-inch whitetail is the deer of a lifetime and a great buck anywhere in the world. So let’s use 150 as our baseline.

I once read a report from a wildlife bi-ologist that said only 1 in 10,000 whitetails ever grew a 150-inch rack. True or not, a 150 is hard to come by, and if you want to travel in search of a deer of this caliber or better, you should hedge your bets and plan your trip to a place that regularly produces such animals.

I’ve been fortunate to travel all over pursuing big whitetails. Though there are a number of great areas to hunt big bucks, if I had to pick my top three locales, I would say Saskatchewan, Texas and Kansas. All of these places are famous for big whitetails and deservedly so.

Twenty years ago, Saskatchewan was all the rage as the world’s best location to hunt big deer. Over the years, a couple things took a lot of the spotlight away from this whitetail destination.

First, deer management took a firm hold on many places in the U.S., and big deer were being harvested in much higher numbers in the Lower 48. Secondly, with the popularity of Saskatchewan, a lot of outfitters popped up and, in many situa-tions, it became a quantity instead of quali-ty situation. Much of this has been resolved as those outfitters looking for easy money have fallen by the wayside, and the high-quality operations have sustained and con-tinue to produce big deer for their clients.

If you hunt Saskatchewan, you must go into the trip prepared—with gear and men-tally. You’ll need to be ready to sit daylight until dark and, for some of us, that’s the toughest thing to overcome. Deer popula-tions aren’t super high, so don’t expect to see huge numbers of deer and stay alert at all times. I’ve taken two deer in the mid to high 170s the past two seasons with Safari River Outdoors (www.huntcanada.com). One was at noon and the other was with two and a half hours of daylight remaining. The big boys can show up any time.

You must also be ready for extremely cold temperatures if you go in November and that’s when your best chances are to take a mature trophy buck. Temperatures can be well below zero, so taking quality layering systems like Under Armour cold gear and Ridge Runner outerwear is a great way to start. I highly recommend the Heat-er Body Suits for extreme cold days because

By Tim Herald

Three BestBets for aMonster Buck


if you are comfortable, you can stay on stand, and if you stay on stand, your chances of scoring are much higher.

Good outfitters in Saskatchewan produce lots of big deer, so do your research. Barry Samson and his Safari River Outdoors usually have a 95 percent success rate, and his bucks generally average in the low to mid 150s with lots of hunters having op-portunities at 160- and 170-class or bigger bucks.

Down in the States, Kansas and Texas are both top destina-tions. I believe Iowa is just as good, but drawing a tag can take one to three years. Texas has over-the-counter licenses, and these days, as long as you apply by the deadline, you will receive a Kan-

sas tag.Texas is great from the Panhandle through the Hill Coun-

try and down into the southern Brush Country. If you’re on a well-managed ranch, you’ll see multiple bucks a day and be able to take a good mature deer. To kill a really big buck, especially free range, you need to research the specific property and region and make sure they have a history of producing the kind of deer you’re looking for.

Cal Ferguson of 4F Outfitters (www.4foutfitters.com) is based in the Panhandle, and his hunters average bucks in the low 150s with much larger bucks roaming his properties. Mike Stroff runs SOE Hunts (www.soehunts.com), and I took a low 150s buck with him on the Canyon Ranch last year, and one of the Primo’s crew took a 180-class buck from the same property. My group saw numerous bucks in the 150 to 160 class.

Last but not least is Kansas. From northeast to southwest, huge bucks are harvested each year. Muzzleloader hunting in late September can net huge bucks still on late-summer feeding patterns. After that, the November rut period is the best bet for bow hunters. The entire month can provide very hot action for archers as the pre rut and peak rut will run during this month. Finally, the December rifle season can be good if weather is cold and big bucks need to feed heavily to build back up from the rut and get ready for the coming winter.

Good outfitters can put you on quality deer during any of these time periods. Two outfitters that don’t take a lot of hunters but provide high quality hunts focusing on big bucks are Born Outfitters (www.bornoutfittersofks.com) and Back Rhoads Out-fitters (www.backrhoads.com).

You have to hunt where big bucks live to kill one, so do your research with diligence and you should have a real chance at that trophy of a lifetime. After 30 years of traveling to hunt whitetails, I’ve found these destinations as top producers for monster bucks. I am putting my money where my mouth is and have hunts planned to all three locales. Now is “the good old days” of trophy buck hunting, so get out there and pursue your dream. USA

To take a world-class whitetail, hedge your bets and hunt areas that regularly produce mega bucks.



Made In The U.S.A

Lincoln Donates Welders to USA EventsIn today’s highly-competitive society, it pays to stay above the curve. Lincoln

Electric, the world leader in the de-sign, development and manufacture

of arc welding products, robotic welding systems, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equip-ment, is helping many unions do just that.

Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Lincoln Electric is commitment to the edu-cation and training of skilled labor through its involvement in apprentice training pro-grams, instructor training programs and local and national training centers.

“Lincoln is in it for the long run,” said Dan Klingman, a technical trainer in Lin-coln’s technical training department and the company’s liaison with unions on a national scale. “We are here to help the Unions be the safest, highest quality and most productive labor out there.”

Adding to its dedication to the union trades, Lincoln has partnered with the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance to donate Lincoln Electric AC/DC 225/125 stick welders to the USA shoots and dinners this year.

“A lot of union trades involve welding in one aspect or another, and many union members do small welding projects at home,” Klingman said. “These welders will definitely come in useful for those projects and show Lincoln Electric’s support both on and off the job.”

“Dan and I have been hunting buddies for a couple years,” said USA Recruitment and Special Events Coordinator Nate Whiteman. “When I explained the nature of the USA and how important U.S.-made products are to our members, he didn’t hesitate to bring Lincoln to the plate. They really hit it out of the park for our special events.”

Check it out: www.lincolnelectric.com

Summit Run-N-GunGround Blind Series

Whether looking for a mate or a new food source, animals are al-ways on the move. Pop-up blinds give hunters the freedom to move with the game. If you’ve written off pop-up blinds as complicated and time consuming, you can put those excuses to rest thanks to Summit’s Run-N-Gun series. Comprised of three models – Deluxe, Standard and Lite — the blinds have an inverted, high-tension framework that works like an inside-out, upside down umbrella that you open with your feet. Each blind goes up in 10 seconds and down in five. With a removable, shoot-through mesh window in the front; quiet, adjustable side window flaps; and a vented roof, the series is ideal for hunting big game, turkey or waterfowl. www.summitstands.com

Tightlines UltimateVision “UV” Color Lures

When it comes to fish and humans, bait is the in the eye of the beholder. Hu-mans and bass don’t see things the same way because bass eyes don’t have the UV filters of human eyes, which is one of the reasons bass prefer shade. TightlinesUV Lure Company developed an infusion process that causes its lures to reflect the light underwater, so bass see them sta-tistically four to seven times better than traditional lures. While traditional lures absorb all the light underwater, Tight-linesUV lures reflect the UV component s of the sunlight. And with 80% of the light underwater being UV, it’s no wonder these baits catch more and bigger fish.

Check it out: www.UV-Tackle.com

USA members get a discount

of more than 30% on direct

purchases. Look for Summit

in USA Deals & Discounts at

www.UnionSportsmen.org.

Nate Whiteman, left, and Dan Klingman with donated stick welder.


Plotmaster Hunter SeriesJust as the name implies, the folks at

Plotmaster had the hunter in mind when they designed this ultimate food plot planting machine. Versatile enough to get into tight spots. Durable enough to use in the roughest environments, in-cluding virgin soils that have never been cultivated. And affordable enough for the average sportsmen, even in today’s tough economy. With its custom-designed elec-tric Versa Seeder, you can plant virtually any type of seed from native grasses to corn, and you save money because it dis-penses seed directly behind the cultivated area rather than spreading it in areas you don’t intend to plant.

Check it out: www.theplotmaster.com

“USA members are our customer base, and we’re proud of this association,” said Bentz of Triton’s affiliation with the USA. “Our boats are made in America, the Mer-cury engine is made in America and these union members are here in North Ameri-ca.”

Who is going to benefit? Whether buying a truck, picking out

a new fishing reel or manufacturing more than 100 models of freshwater and saltwa-ter boats, that’s the question Triton Boat Founder and President Earl Bentz continu-ally asks himself.

“In today’s economic environment, we have an obligation to look out for each oth-er because nobody else is going to,” Bentz said. “When we make purchases, we should consider how they will affect the economic well-being of our country.”

Widely acknowledged as one of the most creative individuals in the fiercely competi-tive sports-fishing boat industry, Bentz is equally as patriotic. That’s one of the rea-sons he partnered with the Union Sports-men’s Alliance in 2008 to reward one USA member with a Triton bass boat powered by a union-made Mercury engine.

Now Bentz is at it again, bringing special offers to USA members and great value to all Americans on the market for a fishing boat.

Bentz acknowledged that the cost of fish-ing boats across the industry has crept high-er and higher in the past five years, making it more difficult for fishermen to afford a boat. That is precisely the reason Triton recently introduced the TR-18 SE and 16 Storm, both fully-equipped fishing boats that won’t break the bank.

The TR-18 SE is a fiberglass tournament bass boat packaged with a Mercury 150HP engine, and it rings in at just $21,995. The 16 Storm aluminum boat is equipped with a Mercury 20EL, MotorGuide trolling motor and Lowrance electronics for $7,995, and it can be towed with a compact vehicle. Both water-ready boats maintain the legendary quality and handling consumers expect from Triton and are backed by a limited life-time hull warranty.

“We pulled off some of the bells and whistles and got back to the basics, so the average working man can still afford to get a boat to enjoy fishing,” Bentz said. “Dur-ing this economic downturn, the number of fishermen has actually increased. More peo-ple have been laid off and more are reaching retirement age and have time to fish, so we

want to make it affordable to them.”As an extension of its Local Heroes and

Veterans/Armed Forces program, Triton is sweetening the deal for any union mem-ber who purchases a Triton boat package. They will receive a free USA membership or a 1-year extension of their membership, a custom engine cover featuring the USA logo and a $300 gift certificate to spend on Triton merchandise.

“Union members have made conces-sions to keep American companies competi-tive within the international market,” Bentz said. “They have made sacrifices and fought hard to keep jobs in this country, and that’s what keeps our employees working. When someone has a job in Thailand, that person isn’t going to buy one of my boats, but when that job stays here in America, that guy in Cookeville [Tenn.] is.”

Triton manufactures approximately 4,000 freshwater and saltwater fiberglass boats in its Ashland City, Tenn., facility each year, and most of its suppliers are located within an 80-mile radius

Triton also is donating another boat as part of a union member giveaway. The win-ner will visit the Triton facility in Tennessee and spend the day fishing with Bentz, a for-mer race boat driver and avid fisherman, on his 35-acre private lake before going home with a new boat (details on back cover).

While it may be unconventional for a company president to spend the day fishing with a customer, it’s nothing new for Bentz who looks “for any excuse to go fishing.”

“When we go fishing, we will catch bass – that I can guarantee,” Bentz said. “And it won’t be because of my expertise but be-cause there are so darn many of them.”USA

Quake Industries Claw SlingTired of your gun sling slipping or be-

coming a sponge in inclement weather? Quake Industries Claw Sling utilizes a durable, odor resistant, non-slip poly-mer pad molded directly onto the sling webbing to allow approximately 1/2” of stretch. The stretch capability absorbs bounce and spreads the weight of the fire-arm across the shoulder area to increase comfort, while the pad’s unique gripping action eliminates the rolling and sliding you experience with other slings on the market. The Claw will last as long as you do in anything from miserably hot to arc-tic cold weather, and it will not hold water like foam urethane or leather slings.

Watch the USA website for a special USA member discount.

USA members get a 15%discount on purchases made by Aug. 15. Look for Plotmas-ter in USA Deals & Discounts at www.UnionSportsmen.org.

Triton Boats Fiercely Competitive, Fiercely PatrioticBy Kate Cywinski


Sitting in the cab of an excavator, it occurred to Tony Walker that he could produce an outdoor TV show to shed a positive light on unions and show non-union

sportsmen that they have a lot in common with their union counterparts – a shared love of hunting, fishing, family and country.

That idea didn’t come from out of the blue; it was a wel-come collision of Walker’s lifelong passions to become a skilled outdoorsman like his grandfather, Adam Dobson, and a journeyman operator and Local 150 union man like his father, Charlie Walker.

“I’m proud to say I didn’t let either of my heroes down,” Walker said. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed the hunting, fishing and trapping heritage handed down to me, and for the last 22 years, I’ve been a proud member of

one of the greatest operating engineer locals in the country, Local 150.”

That outdoor heritage is something Walker shares with his wife, Angie, and his three children. They spend so much time hunting together that, four years ago, they decided to film their hunts on a professional level. As their hunting suc-cess and the quality of their footage improved, the idea of a TV show began to take shape.

That’s when Walker realized he didn’t want to create just another hunting or fishing show. He wanted to produce a working-class, blue-collar program that would give a voice and much needed recognition to America’s working men and women.

Coming up with the idea was the easy part. Finding the money and support to make it a reality was much trickier.

Operating Engineer Hopes to Change the Face of Unions through Outdoor TV


The American Way Outdoors By Kate Cywinski

You Are Union. You Are Sportsman. You Belong. Online: www.unionsportsmen.org Page 15You Are Union. You Are Sportsman. You Belong. Online: www.unionsportsmen.org Page 15

The American Way Outdoors But after his first meeting with Local 150 President-Busi-ness Manager James Sweeney and Financial Secretary Da-

vid Fagen, Walker knew they “got it.” And that meeting was followed by a discussion with USA Executive Direc-tor Fred Myers, who saw great potential in Tony’s dream.

“Tony represents the heart and soul of what the USA is all about; he’s a hardworking union man who loves his family, his country and the outdoors,” Myers said. “That made it easy for us to commit to help him get his show off the ground by introducing him to potential sponsors and letting all the union members we reach through our pro-gram know about this exciting outdoor show that involves one of their own union brothers.”

With the help, support and belief of IUOE Local 150, the USA and outdoor industry sponsors, a dream born in the cab of an excavator will become reality as The American Way. The show will be-gin airing in July 2010 on Pursuit Chan-nel on Fridays at 6 p.m. and Saturdays at 4 p.m. Eastern.

Walker and his wife and co-host, Angie, will bring viewers an upbeat and exciting show each week as they hunt whitetail in the Midwest to bear in Canada. But most importantly, they will “keep it real,” embracing the fact that they are blue-collar, work-ing-class folks like most viewers.

Each episode will showcase one of America’s hardworking men or women, whether an operating engi-neer from Indiana or a waitress in

Mississippi, and the work that person does to keep this country running. Along the way, the show will spread a positive union message and give America a new under-standing of what unions are all about.

“If we can make even a little difference, it will be worth all the hard work and effort to ensure that another gener-ation will have the opportunity to belong to a union and enjoy the benefits it provides,” Walker said. “With support from the IUOE and our friends at the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, we are on our way to recognizing this dream. And it truly is The American Way.”

The USA and Connecticut Valley Arms are teaming up to give one lucky USA member the chance to win a hunt with Tony Walker and appear on an episode of The Ameri-can Way. Watch the USA website for details. USA


By David Hart

Fall Food Plot Primer



It’s summer and deer season may be months away, but it’s time to start thinking about food plots. In fact, hunters who live in the northern reaches of whitetail country need to start turn-

ing dirt and preparing the seed bed right now. Southern hunters have a little more time, but it’s never too early to kill the existing vegetation with a dose of herbicide in anticipation of the planting season. Whitetail Institute vice president Steve Scott says what you choose to plant and where you live will determine when you should plant your food plots.

“Some plants, like clover, should go in on the early side of the recommended planting dates, so they have time to establish a good root system before winter,” he notes, “Others, like oats, should go in a little later so they don’t over mature and become less attractive to deer.”

He adds that plants like brassicas, which include turnips, rape and kale, need time to mature so they can produce a high yield. Wait too long and they won’t grow more than a few inches, which ultimately means less food to last through the season. Plant too early, especially in the South, and the plants might “bolt” and produce a seed head and become unpalatable to deer.

So how do you know? The best way to determine the prime planting season for a specific plant is to check the product’s label. Every manufacturer includes a list or map of planting zones and the recommended dates. Follow them, insists Scott.

“I know some guys who take that risk and plant early, but it doesn’t always pay off,” he says. “If you get a hot, dry spell after the seeds germinate, they’ll dry up and die and you’ll have to start over. If you plant too late, the plants won’t have time to es-tablish a strong root system.”

Top Fall PlantsExperts agree there’s no better single food plot plant than

white clover. Whitetails devour it as long as it’s green, and it makes a perfect hunting spot during the early bow season in the North and a great all-season plot in Southern regions where it can stay green all winter. It grows well in a variety of soils and climates, and a well-maintained plot can last for three, four, even five years. Turkeys and rabbits love it, too. The only problem with clover, particularly in the North, is that it can go dormant dur-ing prolonged cold snaps. Deer won’t touch it then, so a patch of clover that looked great during bow season isn’t a viable hunting

option later in the season. That’s why it’s vital to give your white-tails at least one more option.

“The various brassicas are excellent late-season choices,” says Scott. “They’ll stay green all winter and in most cases, deer won’t touch them until after the plants have been subjected to a hard frost. The cold changes the structure of the plant and produces a high sugar content in the leaves, which deer convert to energy.”

Wheat is another all-around great choice. It’s inexpensive, it has a high germination rate and it remains attractive to deer throughout the winter. Wheat also grows in a variety of climates, including the more arid regions of the western range of white-tail country. Scott says deer prefer forage oats over wheat, but oats won’t survive cold weather. How long it lasts depends on the region, of course, but forage oats have been engineered to last longer than the generic oats available at farm supply stores.

“You need to make sure you are buying a seed designed spe-cifically for deer,” warns Scott. “Forage oats are more palatable to whitetails than generic oats, and the alfalfa farmers plant for cattle is much more coarse and woody than the varieties sold by food plot manufacturers.”

Not sure what to plant? A variety of seed manufacturers sell blends, a mix of plants that grow well together and provide a va-riety of food choices that last through hunting season. Some, like Whitetail Institute’s Pure Attraction, include forage oats, which draw deer in the early season, and brassicas, which keep whitetails on your property later in the season, and winter peas. BioLogic’s Perfect Plot includes red and white clover, brassicas, peas, alfalfa and chicory. If one of those plants doesn’t take to your soil or climate, it’s a safe bet the others will. USA


The USA Photo Contest Has Gone Weekly! Now you have 52 chances to win a #110 Buck knife engraved with the USA logo when you share your best shots with your brothers and sisters of the USA. Check out the USA member photo gallery at www.UnionSporstmen.org and submit your own photos to [email protected].

Take Your Best ShotWIN ABUCKKNIFE!

A $70 VALUE!

William Wazelle, a member of Steel Work-ers Local 1299 from Westland, MI, caught this largemouth bass on Michigan’s Newburg Lake in June, 2009.

Bill Lambert, a member of Electrical Workers Local 683 in Columbus, OH, caught this 53-inch muskie in Ontario’s Lake St. Clair.

Ron Schaft, a retired Local 2834 Journeyman Millwright from Denver, CO, harvested his an-telope in eastern Colorado after waiting eight years for a tag.

Dale Meyer, a member of Office and Professional Employees Local 277 from Waukon, Iowa.

Edward A. Ridgeway, a member of Electri-cal Workers Local 743 from Willow Street, PA, caught this 21-inch rainbow trout in Pennsylva-nia’s Lititz Creek.

Brett Johnson, an organizer with Electrical Workers Local 22 from Omaha, NE, shot this nice buck in Nebraska from a ground blind.

Bill Staton, a member of Electrical Workers Lo-cal 2100 from Crittenden, KY, shot this coyote during a hog hunt on an island of Lake Texoma.

Mike Hruby, a member of Electrical Workers Lo-cal 66 from Rosenberg, TX, shows off the hand-some sea duck he took while on a hunt in Valdez, AK, with Alaska Wildfowl Adventures.

Chris Daily, a member of Fire Fighters Local 344 from Redford, MI, took his mule deer on the last day of his hunt around Montana’s Fort Peck Lake Reservoir. One shot from his .300 Weatherby dropped the buck at 610 yards.


You Are union. You Are SportSmAn. You Belong.

Join the USA!At the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, our bond with each other runs as deep as our love of the great outdoors. We are an exclusive community of hunters and anglers who share the union brotherhood. That’s what makes the USA so special. It is your club. So join us today and help spread the word. As a dedicated sportsman and a proud union member, you’re more than welcome. You Belong.

USA Membership Benefits:• USA-logoBuckknife($30 value)

• 12ChancestowininourGun-A-Monthgiveaway• Outdoormagazinesubscription ($32 value)• 4IssuesoftheUSAjournal($15 value)• Berettagiftcertificate ($25 value)• Money-savingdiscountsonoutdoorgear• My-Topo.commappingsubscription($30 value)• Chancestowinexceptionalprizesallyear• AccesstoUSAwebsite“Members-Only”section

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This Land is Your Land

I love hunting public lands, but I’ll be the first to tell you, hunting them can be a mixed bag. If you’ve ever seen an epi-

sode of the TV show Life in the Open, you may remember a few occasions where my hunts were interrupted or ruined by anoth-er hunter. And I’m sure I’ve interrupted the hunts of other public land hunters over the years, though never intentionally. Of course, I’ve never complained when a hunter inad-vertently kicked a buck or bull my way, and I’ve had guys actually thank me for sending a critter right into their laps. That’s the way public land hunting goes.

Public lands belong to all of us, and hunt-ing on them is an exercise in democracy, championed by Teddy Roosevelt, who was instrumental in setting aside hundreds of millions of acres for us all to enjoy.

Here are a few facts to put public lands in perspective:

•There are more than 643 million acres of public land in the U.S.—that’s one million square miles!

•More than 25 percent of the entire U.S. land mass consists of public land.

•More than 450 million acres are man-aged by the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service and most are open to hunting.

•California, our most populous state with nearly 35 million people, is comprised of 44 percent public lands.

While the vast majority of our federal public lands are out west or in Alaska, every state has both state and federal public land, much of which afford hunting opportuni-ties. Google “New York and public lands” and you’ll probably be surprised; for one thing, New York’s Adirondack Park is the largest park in the lower 48, more than twice the size of Yellowstone and much of it can be hunted.

The best way to learn about our public lands and the hunting and fishing opportuni-ties they offer is to go online. The informa-tion available on the Internet is seemingly endless, but I recommend the following three sites as a good place to start: The National Wildlife Refuge site at www.fws.gov.Refuges/profiles, the U.S. Forest Service site at www.fs.fed.us and the Bureau of Land Manage-ment site at www.blm.gov. Unlike the Forest Service and BLM, whose lands are mostly west of the Mississippi, the Refuge system

has lands in every state and many offer good hunting opportunities. And don’t forget to check out your state’s public lands as well.

I have successfully hunted mule deer, antelope, whitetail, black bear, javelina, elk, caribou and mountain goat on public land as well as upland birds, waterfowl and turkeys, most of them with over-the-counter licens-es… and you can too!

When you do, you’ll be participating in a great American tradition, an exercise in de-mocracy and the joy of doing it on your own. You won’t be paying trespass fees and spend-ing a lot of dough on outfitters and guides. Best of all, you’ll have a real adventure, while enjoying the kind of hunt Teddy Roosevelt had in mind when he set aside these lands for all of us. USA

Hunting Public Lands: An Exercise in DemocracyBy Ken Barrett

Ken’s Do-it-Yourself TipsBig Game Hunts on Public Lands1. Study a Map

You can tell a great deal about an area from reading a U.S. Geological Survey Map: elevation, distance between points, private land borders, location of water and more. And they exist for every square inch of the U.S. Visit www.usgs.gov/ or your local outdoor store to get maps of the areas you plan to hunt and study them carefully.2. GPS Your Home Base

Mark your truck or camp location on a GPS unit before beginning a hunt to help find your way back at the end of the day. With more powerful units, you can download maps, determine your location and more. Take extra batteries and a backup map and compass, especially if you’re hunting in big, isolated country.3. Carry a Day Pack with Essentials

Though its contents depend largely on where you’re hunting and weather conditions, carry a day pack with essentials, such as water, snacks, GPS, knife and game saw, extra socks, matches and a map. Also consider a survival kit, sleeping bag and space blanket. 4. Contact Agency Personnel

Call the local office of the agency that manages the land you’ll be hunting on and talk to a biologist, forester or somebody who knows the area. You’d be surprised how much information they can provide, and they may even point you to a real honey hole. 5. Check Road Conditions

Many public land roads are not for all-season travel and can become impassable fol-lowing a small amount of precipitation. Check the roads and the weather conditions they can handle beforehand and be prepared to get out fast or stay put for a while if the weather goes south on you.6. Game Plan

Always have a game plan. Know where you’re going and when you plan to return… and tell a family member. Even in hunting camp, tell your buddies your plan for the day and ask them what their plans are. If anything unforeseen happens and you or a hunting buddy needs help, others should know when and where to look for you. 7. Packing Out Game

Even a small animal like a pronghorn antelope, shot miles from the nearest road, has to be brought back to your truck or camp. I’ve used horses, ATV’s, snowmobiles, game carts and pack frames to transport antelope, elk, deer, caribou, bears, mountain goats and bison. On many public lands, especially in designated Wilderness Areas, you’re limited to the use of a horse or pack frame. As the saying goes: “When the animal is down, the real work begins.” Think about that before you begin your hunt and be prepared to get your critter out by the best possible means available to you. And remember, nobody drags a 6-point bull elk out of the mountains whole, like one drags a 100-pound white-tailed doe 200 yards across a food plot! USA

Whether fishing for a living or for fun, maintenance is the key for long life and top performance of your reel. The following Reel Kleen™ Reel Care tips are good for any reel make or model, including casting, spinning and saltwater reels.

• Disassemble the components of your reel. Coat each part with a liberal amount of a degreaser like Ardent’s Reel Kleen™ Degreaser. Let it set. The degreaser will break down debris on the critical components of your reel. Reel Kleen™ Degreaser is citrus-based and environmentally friendly. It dries clean, so you don’t have to worry about residue affecting your reel performance.

• Once you’ve let the degreaser set for a minute, use a brush (similar to a toothbrush) to clean the loosened debris from the gears. The brush allows you to scrape out old debris and grease in those tiny crevices of the gears with ease.

• Use a synthetic swab to clean those hard-to-reach places on the spool shaft, bearing and worm shaft. Natural fibers from cotton swabs can get caught in the components of your reel.

• After removing the debris, apply grease, like Ardent’s Reel Butter™ Grease, to your worm shaft and gears. The pin point applicator tip makes it easy to get into the crevices of each part. Reel Butter™ Grease is a 100% full synthetic product with specially engineered additives to provide long-lasting lubrication for any model fishing reel.

• Finish your reel maintenance by applying Ardent’s Reel Butter™ Oil to your bearing spool, spool shaft and frame. Reel Butter™ Oil is 100% synthetic oil that doesn’t inhibit performance and penetrates into the rare areas of your reel.

With your reel re-assembled, you’re back on the Water!

reel care tipsBy: Team Ardent Pro Pete Ponds, a BASS Elite 100 Angler

www.ArdentOutdOOrs.cOm

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We want to know how you show the world that you are union, you are sports-man, and you are proud to be a member of the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance! So send us a photo of yourself in a USA hat or shirt, putting your USA-logo Buck knife to work, driving a vehicle with a USA decal, showing off your USA membercard…you get the picture. Send us your photo by July 31, 2010, and you could win a USA-branded prize package worth $140.

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To Enter: Email your photo, name and contact information [email protected] with “USA Pride” in the subjectline or mail your photo to:USA – Pride • 3340 Perimeter Hill Dr. • Nashville, TN 37211

win this bass boat!

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CEO Of tritOn BOats

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