#catch-and-release

Gotcha!

One recent evening the woodchuck that has been trying to destroy the foundation beneath our front porch grazed among the varied vegetation that comprises our so-called lawn, then stood on its haunches and surveyed the above-ground part of its estate.

I can’t prove it, but I’m pretty sure it was taunting me.

So I set a trap, baiting it with apple slices, and swore that if I ever caught the beast, I would send it into that other tunnel - the long one at the end of which, according to some who have survived a near-death experience, a bright light glows.

I would have been on firm legal ground to do so. Michigan law gives property owners the right to terminate, with extreme prejudice, “coyotes, raccoons, skunks and woodchucks “ ... when they are doing or about to do damage on private property.’

Well, we got home from a high-school graduation party Saturday night and there it was (top photo) looking contrite and calmly awaiting its fate.

And do you know what ...? It looked so helpless - so totally at my mercy - that I kept my .22 rifle in its case. I loaded the lucky critter, cage and all, into the trunk of our car and took it for a ride, then released it into a wooded area far from the nearest house.

Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com The turquoise waters of the Bahamas beckon, promising not just a fishing trip but an adventure of a lifetime. \In this guide, we’ll navigate the ins and outs of Bahamas charter fishing, uncovering the treasures that await anglers in this tropical paradise. Benefits of Bahamas Charter Fishing Embarking on a Bahamas charter fishing trip opens doors to a host…

As DHS releases hundreds of illegals into U.S. daily, it’s become obvious Trump must take drastic measures

By Jon Dougherty

As Democrats and activist federal judges continue to block POTUS Donald Trump from building new border walls and other security measures along the U.S.-Mexico border, the Department of Homeland Security has been forced to release hundreds of illegal immigrants into the country daily because officials have no other choice.

And there appears to be, at this point, no end in sight.

IDFG ADDS CATCH-AND-RELEASE CHAPTER TO FISH RECORD BOOK

If your New Year’s resolution doesn’t include catching a state-record fish in Idaho, maybe you should change it, or add it, because a state record may be easier than you think.

Idaho Fish and Game is now accepting record-book entries for fish caught and released, and there are other exciting changes to the state-record program for 2016.

Catch and release is a new category based only on length, so there’s a blank page of records waiting to be filled. The previous records for harvested fish are the same (based on certified weight) and will be a separate list.

Here are guidelines for submitting a catch-and-release record:

Fish must be released alive.

They are judged by the total length from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail, with lobes of tail squeezed together. Sturgeon should be measured upside down along the belly from the snout to tip of the upper lobe of the tail fin.

To break a catch-and-release record, a fish must be at least one-half inch longer than the existing record, except for white sturgeon, which must at least 2-inches longer.

Anglers must submit at least one photo of the fish directly next to a ruler/tape or an object of known verifiable length.

Entries must include at least one photo of the angler with the fish.

To reduce handling stress, salmon, steelhead and white sturgeon must be measured and photographed in the water.

Entries must include at least one witness to the measurement and release.

All applications must be submitted within 30 days of the catch date.