Rhino's killed in South Africa

A routine ranger patrol from Tshokwane (Kruger National Park) found suspicious tracks while on patrol in March 2008. Shortly after the rangers found the tracks, gunfire was heard. A team from CIS flew into the area by helicopter and, combined with the Tshokwane rangers; they quickly located and arrested three poachers.

The carcasses of two white rhino cows were discovered nearby and further investigation showed that these animals had been shot earlier that day. Footprints in the area suggested the presence of a calf, the carcass of which was found. The calf had been killed by lions. The ranger team confiscated two rifles and four freshly harvested rhino horns. Kruger National Park (KNP) Managing Executive Dr Bandile Mkhize praised the quick reaction of the anti-poaching team: “We are proud of the combined team made up of Tshokwane Rangers, SANParks Corporate Investigation Services (CIS) and SANParks Air Services who all contributed to the successful arrest of these poachers,’ he said.”

Conference of the Southern African Wildlife Management Association

“Biodiversity Conservation:
The Science-Management
Interface“
at the 2008 Conference of the
Southern African Wildlife
Management Association
(SAWMA)
SAWMA Conference 2008, 16-19 September at
Mpekweni Beach Resort, Eastern Cape.
For details please contact Elma Marais, Southern African
Wildlife Management Association, P.O. Box 217
Bloubergstrand, 7436 South Africa, Tel: +27-21-5541297
elma@mweb.co.za; http://www.sawma.co.za/

RHINO HORN

ScienceDaily reported that Scientists have discovered new details about the structural materials that form the horn and the role those materials play in the development of the horn’s characteristic shape. The horns of most animals have a bony core covered by a thin sheath of keratin, the same substance as hair and nails. Rhino horns are unique, however, because they
are composed entirely of keratin. Scientists had been puzzled by the difference, but an Ohio University study has revealed an interesting clue: dark patches running through the center of the horns.
The team examined the heads of rhinos and conducted CT scans on the horns. They found dense mineral deposits made of calcium and melanin in the middle. The calcium deposits make the horn core harder and stronger, and the melanin protects the core from breakdown by the sun’s UV rays. The softer outer portion of the horn weakens with sun exposure and is worn into its distinctive shape through horn clashing and by being rubbed on the ground and vegetation. The structure of the rhino horns is similar to a pencil’s tough lead core and weaker wood periphery, which allows the horns to be honed to a sharp point. Thus, the horn is not simply a clump of modified hair and most closely resembles the structure of horses’ hoofs, turtle beaks and cockatoo bills. The study also found that the melanin and calcium patches appear in yearly growth surges but the effects of temperature, diet and stress on the growth are still unknown. The research findings were published in the Journal of Morphology.

An African Elephant mugging

I received this remarkable image in my inbox and dispite every effort to find the photographer and the occupants of the vechicle, I decided to share this with my readers as it is possibly the "The Greatest Escape" ever recorded. Just imagine the sheer terror of those in the car. If you look closely,you can see the roof of the car actually "caving" in.

Also note how small the gap is between the tusk of the Elephant and the top of the female passengers head. It would only have required a small amount off pressure by the elephant,and she would have been seriously injured.

As to the outcome, who knows. Nothing has been reported in the South African newspapers and I am really dying to get the full story.

Phliny the Elder said:
"There is always somethig new out of Africa"

Apart from the 83 year old madman,Mugabe, we also have our own
"great escapes"

Which is the Top 5 Hunting Towns in America?

This article from the Realtree Newsletter.

By Amy Hatfield

Man, you hate to rank stuff sometimes. Take college football, for instance. What makes one team better than another — TV time, a killer schedule, wins and losses? Rankings and choices concerning numero uno lend themselves to loopholes, weak arguments and plenty of opinions.

So what exactly qualifies a town as one of the BEST hunting towns in America? To find out, I polled hunters who frequent the woods for work and play. Here’s what they said:

1. Every great hunting town needs a variety of game.
2. It needs cafés, hole-in-the wall restaurants, inexpensive hotels and meat processors.
3. Tons of public hunting land within an hour’s drive.
4. Interesting stuff to see when you tag out early or get tired of hunting.

This sucks, but you will have to click on the link to read the full article but it is well worth it

Click here

News from Africa

South Africa
Black and blue wildebeest are ecologically similar and
diverged from a common ancestor 1 million years ago. Today
they are being kept side by side at numerous localities in southern
Africa. Artificial management could lead to disrupted social
structure which may result in hybridization. The hybrids are fertile
and while F1 hybrids are morphologically identifiable, the
identification of backcrosses is problematic. This will cast doubt
on the level of purity of numerous black wildebeest populations
on public and especially private land. The problem has been
acknowledged since the 1980’s but remains unresolved. South
African researchers and conservation managers have started a
concerted effort to pool resources and expertise to find markers
and criteria for the identification of hybrid herds. Some researchers,
however, maintain that sufficiently large properties with a
good balance between open grassland and open woodland
could allow for the coexistence of both types of wildebeest without
competition, since distance to shade determines the separation
of the habitat of the two types of wildebeest.

Is Global Warming in reversal?

From UK Daily Mail – February 21, 2008

Excerpt: In light of such similar news from so many places round the world, it may not seem surprising that U.S. satellite data for January shows the extent of snow cover in the northern hemisphere as reaching its highest level since 1966, 42 years ago - and that temperatures were lower than their average for the whole of the 20th century. Furthermore, it is not only in the northern hemisphere that records are being broken. Following last year's freak snowfalls in such southern cities as Buenos Aires and Sydney, satellite observations from the other end of the world have this winter shown ice cover round the Antarctic at easily its greatest extent for this time of year since data began in 1979, 30per cent above average. […] Global warming "sceptics", on the other hand, are inevitably pointing to these record snowfalls as evidence that global temperatures are no longer rising as the CO2 theory predicts. We may, they suggest, be seeing the start of a period when temperatures reverse their generally upward trend over the past 30 years, as we did in those decades before 1978 known to climate scientists as "the Little Cooling". […] The truth is that it is still much too early to draw any long-term conclusions from 2008's great freeze. But it is one of the most startling developments to have emerged in the world's weather patterns for a long time - not least in that it was so unexpected. At least it raises important questions over how our global climate is evolving which the scientists will have to try to explain. To the millions of people whose lives have been seriously disrupted by this year's freeze, the concept of global warming must seem awfully remote.

China's Plastic Bag Ban Will Save 37 Million Barrels of Oil

Olivia Zaleski from thedailygreen reports the following:

China has never been considered an environmental role model. Given a population of 1.3 billion, unprecedented carbon emissions and a slew of recent lead-toy scandals, many would say the country stands as a — if not the — prime example of environmental failure.

Yet, in a bolt from the blue, it looks like the red has embraced green.

Yesterday, China’s State Council put a nationwide ban on plastic bags. The cabinet has demanded all stores (from major supermarkets to small shops) go plastic bag-free after June 1.

According to the Daily Mail, China uses more plastic bags than any other country. China squanders 37 million barrels of crude oil on plastic bag production every year. The nationwide ban will no doubt help correct China’s tarnished image, especially before the Beijing Olympic Games.

With nations from Ireland to Uganda — and now China — topping the bag-ban list, lets hope the United States will make moves to follow the trend.

New Forum

ANNOUNCEMENT
Huntersouthafrica and The Gun Geek have entered in a partnership and The Gun Geek
is now the official Forum for HunterSouthAfrica readers.
Visit the Forum. Join the Forum

Return of the Winchester Model 70

Winchester has released a press release announcing the return of the Model 70 bolt action rifle for 2008.
The news is so fresh, in fact, that Winchester's website still refers to the Model 70 as a "historic firearm" and states "We are often asked when the great historic products such as the Model 70, Model 94, Model 1300 and others will be reintroduced into the marketplace. At this time there are no definite plans or announcements."
Winchester had ceased production of the Model 70 bolt-action and the Model 94 lever-action in 2006, putting an end to two legendary American rifle designs.
The Model 70 had fallen out of favor with American shooters after a 1964 redesign that was regarded as cheapening the quality of the guns. The quality of Model 94s had similarly been degraded -- I sold my 30-30 Model 94 years ago, very disappointed with the quality of the rifle.
The re-born Model 70 will be made in America, will feature a new trigger, pre-'64 style controlled-round feed, and an improved version of Winchester's great 3-position safety.
All indications are that the re-born Model 70 should be a great rifle, offered in 4 different grades in a variety of calibers yet to be specified.
There's currently no word on any plans for a Model 94 re-birth.

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Free Yuwie referral Splash page

If you need a Yuwie referral splash page,I have one for you courtesy of a fellow Yuwian,Warren.See what it looks like here:www.traffictornado.com/x/splash.cgi/18145 If you like what U see,message me with an e-mail address,and i WILL SEND u the HTML code for the pageEnjoy

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3 Important Points To Consider When Buying Your Hunting Equipment

I often get asked the this qustion especially from new hunters joining the established ranks. Hunting equipement, apart from rifles. can be very expensive and buying the wrong equipment can lead to a very thin wallet in the end
I found this article recently and in very simple terms explains the points to consider when buying hunting equipment .(ed)
3 Important Points To Consider When Buying Your Hunting Equipment
Hunting, though fun, can be a complicated sport. It get even more complicated when it comes to buying hunting equipment as there are a wildering selection of hunting gears and whatnots waiting for you at stores nationwide. Various hunters have various requirement so not every hunter wants to buy the same equipment. With time, a hunter will have his/her own customised collection of gadgets and gears to have.

To help ease your burden in shopping for hunting equipment, this article gives you 3 pointers you should remember. They are : where to buy your stuffs, where to get advice and opnions, what to buy for your best friend - your hunting dog!

1) Where should you buy your hunting equipment and such?

Should you buy your hunting gear at a department store or a sporting goods store? In a specalist, outdoor sporting goods store, you can find a greater variety and quality of items not found anywhere else. But these tend to be more expensive so it is most suitable for those with big budgets.

The sporting good section of a department store, on the other hand, offers a general selection of items at more affordable prices. Department store are great for those on a tight budget. The downside is that you may not find the specialized or high quality equipment you want.

Therefore it is best to shop for your gear at both types of stores, keeping in mind the cost savings offered by the department stores.

2) Where do you find advice on what and where to buy hunting stuffs?

With so many brands on the market, choosing a piece of hunting equipment is like choosing a new TV or coffeemaker. You just don't know which one is the real Mcoy! Luckily, there is the internet and you can easily find a website which offers opinions and reviews of certain hunting product or equipment.

There are also forums where hunters share your experiences, tips and secrets too. The honest and open opinions of other hunters can help to narrow down the available choices and make your shopping a little easier. Simply do a search on Google for hunting reviews or forums and you should be able to find some good ones.

3) What about your best friend, the hunting dog? What should you buy?

You are most likely not hunting alone. Your best friend will likely tag along and I'm not talking about the human kind. He is your favorite hunting dog. There is hunting equipment made just for hunting dogs, for example, a blaze orange hunting vest can keep Bingo safe when flushing out pheasants in the field. Doggy booties can help keep the pads of his feet from getting frostbite on those cold, cold, wintry hunts.

Another important piece of gear for the hunter is a canine first aid kit. Accidents can happen for a dog during hunting just as it can happen for a hunter. Nothing is worse than having one's best hunting buddy injured and you have no way to help him! Many of these dog first aid kits come complete with not only first aid items but booklets that show how to effectively deal with different types of injuries.

So there you have it. Remember these 3 points when you go shopping for your hunting gears. They could save you a ton of headaches later.

Article Source: http://www.myarticlemall.com


Gary T is the owner of GuideForHunters.com, a website dedicated to helping hunters realize their dream hunts. Get this FREE ebook on how to plan for your perfect hunting trip Or get this amazing hunting guide for all the answers you are seeking

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