The wildflowers were out in full force in the Hoover Wilderness last weekend. These flowers were along the Little Walker River at about 9200 feet elevation. Lupines on the far bank, but I don’t know the name of the yellows ones. Butterflies were also out in numbers.

One the way home we discovered Levitt Falls along highway 108 on the east side of Sonora Pass.

Scouting for mule deer. What does that mean? When you’re looking at a huge area, you’ve got many different levels of scouting.

We’ve hunted CA deer zone X12 before and it has huge deer habitat. It seems as if the entire unit holds deer. We’ve concluded that the biggest bucks are in the most difficult spots to reach and as we approach the age of 60 those spots are really getting difficult. However, we’ve got a couple more years left, we hope.

The biggest advantage we have now is that we’re willing to pay a packer to get us back into fairly remote county - instead of carrying our packs in and using the remaining physical resources to get to where the deer are.

This weekend we hiked into a prospective site that we’ve not been to before. It holds plenty of remote ridges over 10,000 feet and plenty of places for big bucks to grow old. My brother, Rob, and cousin, Wes did spot one of those type bucks on the trip, but mostly we were just trying to figure out where to set up our base camp.

We have another spot we know well and it will serve as our backup. We had another spot that looked good, but the packer said he couldn’t reach it. I guess that means that it’s really good.

The Hoover Wilderness is one of the prettiest spots on earth. I’m always awed by the scenery.

I brought my fly rod and tested the fishing. The creek was loaded with eight in brook trout. If we use this site, we’ll be bringing some bread crumbs and vegetable oil.

We didn’t see a lot of bucks, but we believe that some of the deer have not reached the highest elevations yet and the moon was full. It was so bright out at night that one didn’t need a flashlight.

My South Africa trip ended last July and this week I picked up my final delivery of processed trophies from Golden State Tannery, Inc. located in Turlock. The last two boxes included the back hides from my kudu bull, back hide from my impala ram and complete hide from my black wildebeest.

Along with the hides I picked up three warthog skulls. The warthog skulls were the last item to be available. Ironically, there was nothing to be done to the skulls except to have them inspected by the USDA inspector and it took over six months for that to be done.

In the meantime my kudu and impala mounts have been completed by Aaron Armstrong of Western Wildlife Taxidermy. He did a very nice job and the two mounts are proudly on display in my family room. Even my wife, Linda, has accepted them.

On the trip I shot six animals, three warthogs, a kudu bull, an impala ram and a black wildebeest bull. The trophy fees totaled $2,700.

For some animals, like the kudu, the trophy fees are only the beginning. If you are interested in figuring out the elusive cost of processing, shipping, receiving, customs, tanning and taxidermy, here’s my account – for better or worse, exactly as I paid. You’ll probably not find this much detail in othe information provided in advance of trip. I’m sure some advance knowledge would help to reduce some of these costs.

Taxidermy                    kudu                                    $1,700.

Western Wildlife           Impala                                      895.

Tanning                        kudu                                         126. 

GST, Inc.                     impala  cape                               47.

                                    kudu backhide                            84.50

                                    impala backhide                          25.

                                    black wildebeest  full hide         162.50

Brokerage/Customs

Hunter International      Duty                                            2.

                                    Filing Customs             365.

                                    Delivery                                   175.

                                    Airline Storage              70.

Processing in SA (Salting, drying, etc.)

 Sitatung Safaris            Kudu                                       90.

                                    Wildebeest                               90.

Impala                                      90.

3 warthogs                             120.

Doc fee                                   250

Crating fee                               160

Shipping

Safari Cargo Systems

Johannesburg to SF                                                    760.99

Grand total of game processing, taxidermy and shipping:    $5,398.99

We did include a few purchased souvenirs in the crates and got the benefit of nearly free shipping for those items that would not fit into our suitcases.

On another front, Aaron Armstrong donated a $500 certificate to our Mule Deer Foundation fundraiser. Thanks Aaron.

If your budget is tight, you can save a bunch of money by just mounting skulls European style as I did with the wildebeest. I like it.

Date of Hearing:   July 2, 2008

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mark Leno, Chair

                    SB 1172 (Dutton) - As Amended:  June 25, 2009

          Policy Committee:                             Water, Parks & 
          Wildlife     Vote:                            12-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:              

          SUMMARY

          This bill restructures the process by which the Department of 
          Fish and Game (DFG) deposits and spends the revenue generated by 
          the sale of various hunting tags, stamps, and validations, and 
          requires DFG to propose adequate funding for implementing a new 
          specified program in the 2009-10 governor’s budget.

          FISCAL EFFECT

          1)Major reallocation, in the range of $3 million annually 
            starting 2008-09, of revenue generated by various hunting 
            tags, stamps, and validations, from the Fish and Game 
            Preservation Fund (FGPF) to newly-created accounts to benefit 
            the hunting of various types of game animals.

          2)Major GF cost pressures, starting in 2008-09, to replace 
            funding no longer available to support DFG’s general 
            activities as a result of the above reallocation.

          3)Moderate GF cost pressures, in the range of $500,000 in 
            2009-10, to develop plans to implement the strategies in the 
            already-adopted California Comprehensive Wildlife Action Plan 
            (CalCWAP).

Specifically, this bill:

          1)Reallocates revenue generated by the sale of various hunting 
            tags, stamps, and validations and the use of hunting areas 
            operated by DFG to the following proposed accounts:

                                                                 SB 1172
                                                                 Page  2

             a)   Antelope Tag Account.
             b)   Elk Tag Account.
             c)   Wildlife Management Areas Hunting Programs Account.
             d)   Upland Game Bird Account.
             e)   Deer Tag Account.
             f)   Wild Pig Account.
             g)   Bear Tag Account.
             h)   Bighorn Sheep Account.

          2)Allows DFG to make grants or enter into contracts with 
            nonprofit organizations for the use of the funds in each of 
            the accounts listed in #1, and exempts funded projects from 
            the State Contract Act and provisions encouraging the use of 
            small business enterprises run by disabled veterans.

          3)Requires DFG to annually maintain on its Internet website, and 
            include in the governor’s budget, a fund condition statement 
            that displays information on the condition of revenues and 
            expenditures for each of the accounts listed in #1.

          4)Requires DFG, as part of its 2009-10 budget proposal, to 
            include adequate funding to begin the process of developing 
            plans to implement CalCWAP strategies.
         
          COMMENTS

          1)Rationale .  This bill’s sponsor, the California Outdoor 
            Heritage Alliance, a private organization comprised of 
            wildlife conservation and hunting groups, contends that 
            revenue generated by the sale of hunting tags, stamps, and 
            validations for particular game animals should be dedicated 
            exclusively to the management of those individual animals and 
            to providing hunting opportunities.  The sponsor also believes 
            that funding should be identified to begin implementing the 
            CalCWAP’s recommendations to protect and conserve non-game 
            wildlife species.

          2)Background .   The FGPF, the primary funding source for the 
            DFG, receives most of the revenue generated from hunting and 
            fishing related fees.  Total revenue deposited into the FGPF 
            is projected to be $85.2 million in 2008-09, with $72.8 
            million of this amount generated from hunting and fishing 
            licenses, tags, and permits.  The FGPF is composed of both 
            dedicated and non-dedicated accounts, the latter being 

                                                                 SB 1172
                                                                 Page  3

            available to support DFG’s general activities related to fish 
            and game programs.  DFG’s non-game programs are required to be 
            paid from the General Fund or other available sources.

            This bill shifts a significant portion of the $13.3 million of 
            revenue generated from the sale of specific tags, stamps, and 
            validations from the FGPF to the proposed dedicated accounts.  
            While most of this revenue is already being used to support 
            programs directly related to individual game species, this 
            bill dedicates that revenue in statute and removes the 
            department’s discretion to use it for other purposes.

          3)CalCWAP .  The State Wildlife Grants Program, enacted by 
            Congress in 2000, requires states, as a condition of receiving 
            federal grant funds, to prepare and submit a comprehensive 
            wildlife conservation strategy or wildlife action plan to the 
            U.S. Fish and Game Service.  The grant program supports state 
            programs that provide broad wildlife and habitat benefits.  
            The DFG submitted CalCWAP in 2006 and is in the process of 
            implementing plan provisions.

Prop 84, approved by voters at the November 2006 statewide 
            election, authorized the issuance of $5.388 billion worth of 
            state general obligation bonds for various resources-related 
            projects and programs.  Prop 84 earmarks $135 million to the 
            Wildlife Conservation Board to develop, rehabilitate, restore, 
            acquire, and protect habitat that, among other things, 
            implements the recommendations of CalCWAP.

          Analysis Prepared by :    Steve Archibald / APPR. / (916) 
          319-2081

Opening day is always good. This year was unique as I hunted alone with little fanfare. As my blind was set up for afternoon and evening winds, I didn’t get up early. Arriving about 2:00 PM, the weather was warm, but not unbearable. An appropriate sweat kept me cool enough and as usual, animal activity kept me from being bored.

I was armed not only with my Mathews bow, but also my Nikon digital camera and 200mm lens which is quite adequate for taking some good photos. The elderberry  bush next to my blind provided ample attraction to the local birds and I got some good shots. I’ll publish them later this week, but for now I’ll just show the legal buck that came in.

He was not worth writing home about, but if he’d approached inside 35 yards, I would have had to make a decision. Fortunately he didn’t so he’s still out there and will be a shooter for sure next year.

He was cautious, but not looking for me. He stood overlooking the pond for several minutes before heading down to drink.

Western bluebirds in their drab summer plumage were frequenting the elderberry bush next to my Double Bull blind. I took several photos with my Nikon D40X camera which is proving to be a good investment.

Saturday it starts, deer season 2008. I’ve got my ground blind set beside a pond that typically attacts bucks during hot weather. I’ve missed a couple from this spot, but never put my tag on one yet. But this may be the year.

My blind is commercially made and has several ports to shoot through. I must shoot from a stool, which is the biggest issue with shooting well. I’ve got the stool at home and I’ll be practicing this week. I set my block target up beside the pond and did some practicing first hand. My shooting was poor relative to how accurate I am while standing.

After the A zone archery will come a trip to Nevada to hunt mule deer during the Nevada archery season. I can’t imagine how hot it will be, but maybe I’ll know if I hunt the ground blind near home when it’s 105 degrees as predicted.

The Nevada hunt will be via the landowner tag program. I bought a tag that will allow me to hunt archery, muzzleloader and rifle seasons. I’m hoping that other than archery the rest will be irrelevant.

Then comes the California inland season. We were drawn for the X12 zone on the eastern slope (first timeI’ve ever hunted mule deer in California with a rifle). It will be a chance to bag a relatively nice California buck. We know there are bucks up to 26 inches and that would be fine.

As a bonus, we’ve got a few pigs on the local ranch and they’ve been using the same pond where my blind is set, so you never know, I might end up with some pork as well. It will be a fun season and anticipation is half of it, the fun that is. Kind of like opening day in baseball. Everybody’s in first place.

Mergansers thrive at Butt Lake and when we’re fishing, the large broods often swim by within a few yards of us. They seem to be searching for pond smelt which can be numerous.

During the day they lay in the sun along the bank and rest.

Here’s another offering from Jim Lopresto.
Rich, 

I just was notified of a Nevada Antelope tag available in Units 114 -
115.
Tag Only cost is $2100 and Guided is $3750.
These are premium zones.
Season - Aug 22

Also Utah Elk Tag $8300 / guide $5500 - 340 + Bulls
Dates September 13 - 23 and Late - Nov. 8 - 14

Let me know if you might know of anyone interested.

Regards,

Jim Lopresto
Aim Adventures
PO Box 1398
Oakley, CA 94561
PH: 877-374-4868 (Toll Free US only) or 925-679-0974
Fax: 925-679-8675
www.aimadventures.com

The kingfisher was perched upon a stump protruding four feet above the lake surface. From this lake location near the mouth of the river which fed the impoundment, he commanded an excellent view of the water below, where smallmouth bass minnows hid amongst rocks of the lake bottom. His gaze was unyielding as he remained motionless.

The morning light exposed his target and in an instant, like a thrown spear, he plunged headfirst into the water, but his quarry was too quick and the fisher extracted himself from the water, shaking water from his wings, as he maneuvered back towards the perch.

Out of nowhere, a more ominous predator streaked towards the kingfisher. Barely avoiding the falcon, the flying fisher dove back towards the water and disappeared into the safety of the lake waters, beyond the peregrine’s reach.

Unable to remain in the water, the kingfisher leaped skyward again and flew at full speed up the river in search of an escape route. The faster peregrine circled and attacked again and once more the kingfisher dove. The kurplunk of the bird hitting the water caught the fisherman’s attention and he gazed at the two birds astounded by the scene in front of him - one bird maneuvering to escape and the other with bloodshed on its mind.

The kingfisher appeared over matched as it climbed and dove only to climb back into the air again. The fisherman was certain the kingfisher’s demise was imminent, but after a series of dives and recoveries by the kingfisher, the peregrine became perplexed by the its inability to catch the long billed diving bird and gave up the pursuit to seek a better opportunity for the acquisition of breakfast.