A friend phoned me up a few days ago to tell me about a new program offered by the BC Wildlife Federation. The program is called “Outdoor Passport” and its intended to provide hunters easy access to private land provided the landowner participates in the program. Naturally, I wanted to learn more about it and asked my friend how it works. “Well, Othmar, it’s easy,” he said. “You take a course, and when you successfully graduate the exams, you get the Outdoor Passport.”

“How much does it cost?” I asked.

“Thirty dollars,” replied my friend.

That sounds like a good idea, I thought, and I checked the BCWF website for more information. After reading through all the information however, it didn’t sound like a good idea anymore. The BCWF Outdoor Passport program is basically a course that will cost you $30, and after the completion of the exam, you’re given an outdoor passport card. While everyone can take the course, only BCWF members are privileged to receive the card. The idea is that, as a hunter, you can take this card and show it to a participating landowner and you may get lucky and be able to hunt on his property. I say “may get lucky” because the landowner is not bound to any agreement and quite rightly so. Just because somebody takes a two-hour course does not guarantee that the cardholder is a respectful person.

After reading all the information about this program, I came to the conclusion that it is nothing more then a money-generating scheme, and I don’t like that for several reasons.

The initial course costs $30, and if for some reason the exam can’t be taken within a month’s time, you have to take the course again and pay the full amount again. The card is only valued for one year and then it needs to be renewed to the tune of $15.

This program does not entitle the cardholder to anything: you still have to knock on the landowner’s doors to ask for permission and risk being turned down. In short, you spend $30 for virtually nothing in return.

The bigger problem I see is that the BCWF eventually might get the bright idea to lobby the government to make this a mandatory course for every hunter, especially if there are not enough hunters enrolling in the program and, therefore, the hoped-for cash doesn’t roll in. I saw this happen in America years ago where organizations offered similar private land access programs on a volunteer basis, and after a few years it became mandatory for every hunter. After thinking it over, I have decided to stick to my way of gaining hunting access to private land, which I achieve by knocking on doors and politely asking the landowner(s) for permission to hunt. Once I gain access, I obey the landowner’s rules and behave in a responsible manner as his guest. This has worked very well for me in the past without having to show an “Outdoor Passport” as proof of some dubious course that doesn’t prove anything about my character.

On Monday morning at1:00 a.m. the alarm went off and an hour later I was on my way towards Kelowna to meet up with my good friend Rick. The sparkling stars in the sky promised a beautiful sunny day. “The perfect weather for turkey hunting” I thought as I drove along highway 79 in anticipation of hunting my favourite game birds.

At 4:00 a.m. I pulled into Kelowna and shortly afterwards Rick arrived too. I loaded everything into his truck and off we went toward Beaverdell. During the drive Rick kept telling me about his past turkey hunting successes in that region, which, he said, “is loaded with turkeys”. I had no reason to doubt him. Rick is an accomplished turkey hunter. We arrived at our first hunting spot right at dawn. It’s the perfect time to locate a male turkey. This is accomplished by using a raven or crow call, a few loud “caw-caw-caw” calls makes the toms gobble. In fact any sudden loud sound makes a male turkey respond with a thunderous gobble that can be heard from a far distance away. Once a tom is heard the hunter tries to get as close as possible without alerting the bird and then by using female turkey calls to “love talk” with the hopes of luring the tom to within shooting range.

“Caw-caw-caw”. No gobbling. Again I raised the call to my mouth, “caw-caw-caw” then listened intently for a gobble in the distance. Nothing! I looked at Rick. “What the heck is this?” I asked. Rick shook his head, “I don’t understand this. There are always turkeys here. Try again.” I decided to turn it up a notch as I put the call to my lips again. If a normal raven sound wouldn’t elicit a gobble then perhaps this will and with that I unleashed a cacophony of aggressive raven fighting calls, “caw-cawww-cawww-caw-cawwww-caw” No answer either. “Where are the turkeys?” No sooner did I utter those words when I got the answer. It started to snow. Not just flurries but thick and heavy chunks. As night made way to day big black clouds moved in and now it was snowing heavily. No wonder the turkeys didn’t answer. Mother Nature has equipped turkeys with their own built-in weather forecast system. When the weather turns nasty turkeys shut up, huddle together in the roosting tree and nap until the weather turns nice again.

Since we were out we tried a few other spots in the hopes of seeing a turkey that was hardy or foolish enough to brave the snow in search for love. Fat chance of that. Turkeys are smarter. They know better than to strut around looking for love in the cold snow. So we called it a day. The hunting season is still open until the middle of May. My brother Roland is coming on May 8th from Switzerland for a visit. I plan on going turkey hunting with him. He’s never seen a wild turkey and I am sure it will be a thrill for him, just as it was last year when he saw his first wild black bear. By then the weather will improve too and with that the chance of bringing home the main ingredient for Thanksgiving dinner.

Every year like clockwork anti hunting and animal rights groups get together to launch a “ban grizzly bear hunting” lobbying assault on the public and the political parties. These operations are based on little more then myth. Not only is British Columbia home to a healthy and thriving grizzly bear population, in some cases grizzly bears have populated near towns and cities where they pose a thread to people, pets and livestock.

Grizzly bear hunting in BC is subject to strict regulations and only possible through a limited entry hunting (LEH) system. This means that only very few grizzly bears can be hunted each year. This system has proven to be of great benefit for the bears as current population growth are evident across the province.

When anti hunting groups claim to protect wildlife and nature, in this case protecting grizzlies from hunters, it is worth mentioning that most of the money they collect from people is used to pay for the salaries of their leaders and very little if anything of that money is spent on the cause/s they proclaim. To verify where your donations actually go check this link. You will be surprised what happens to the money you thought is used for wildlife conservation.

To help bears please sign the petition in support of bear hunting. Hunting is a vital important ingredient of sound wildlife management based on science. It is this wildlife management system that has made British Columbia one of the wildlife richest regions in North America and the World.

If you’re a resident of British Columbia you may also contact your local NDP MLA and tell him/her how you feel about the NDP’s continued anti hunting stance. We’ve a provincial election coming up in 2013, and with all likelihood the NDP will be voted into power. Should that happen hunting for some species would be banned imminently. Among them are grizzly bears, black bears, mule deer and can you believe it even coyotes are on a long list of animals that according to the NDP need “urgent protection”.

March and April are for several reasons great times for me. The first is knowing that the winter soon will be over. Although having grown up in cold, snowy Switzerland I never liked it and I still don’t. As a hunter it also means that the spring hunting season is soon upon us.

March and April are also the two months where I do quite a bit of traveling to various hunting sports events with my seminars. The “seminar tour” kicks off with the BC Boat & Sportsmen’s show in Abbotsford, which is BC’s largest hunting and fishing sport show. It is at such events where I meet fellow outdoor enthusiasts from all walks of life and regardless of social backgrounds they’re like one big family sharing a common bond between each other that is not encumbered by state borders, language, race, age or gender.

It is at these tradeshows and gatherings that I often meet people that leave a lasting impression on me and this year was no exception. I meet two fascinating people from British Columbia that I will introduce to you here in the near future. One of them has an extraordinary skill at building bows that are not only functional but also pieces of art. The other person possesses a special talent in the training of hunting dogs and happens to be the only women in her professional field. Both individuals are exceptional in their commitment and passion for their chosen vocation.

As you read this I am getting ready for another seminar over the weekend and after that it is time to get prepared for the opening of the spring hunting season. Besides whitetail deer, turkeys are by far my favourite game species and so I look forward to heading a bit eastwards of my hometown Merritt toward Kelowna and beyond in the pursuit of the main ingredient for the Thanksgiving dinner. Turkeys are not very common around Merritt and the Nicola Valley but that may change in a few years. A few months ago Conservation Officer Jeff Hanratty sent me a picture of two Merriam’s turkeys he photographed not to far outside of Merritt. There are no domesticated or feral turkeys of that subspecies in our area, at least not to my knowledge. This means that the wild turkeys have spread into the Nicola Valley too.

I’ve been hunting turkey for many years and they are very challenging. Their eyesight is akin to that of an eagle and they are constantly scanning their surroundings for any danger. A hunter has to be well camouflaged and keep very still otherwise he will be detected in no time from a long distance away by these highly alert birds. Turkeys respond well to calling but they are not easily fooled. Every year hunters go home empty handed because their calling skills are not up to par with real turkey sounds. As with any hunting, knowledge of the game animal’s habits and routines is important in order to have a chance at success. For those of you who would like to give turkey hunting a try, head east of Kelowna and you will find turkeys. The further east you go the better it gets. The areas around Grand Forks and Christina Lake are currently the wild turkey hotspots.

Once again PeTA and other notorious animal rights groups use the celebrity status of hunters to launch their usual misguided media frenzies against hunters and hunting.

The following news has been supplied to me by US Sportsmen.org

Have you noted the growing trend in America and Canada? Citizens who go legally hunting and find success are finding themselves in the crosshairs of the animal rights lobby including groups such as PETA, Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), or other “public opinion police” groups. You have to ask yourself “when did someone put PETA or HSUS in charge of what you do on vacation?” Read on.

When TV personality Donald Trump’s sons, Donald Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump, went hunting in Africa, they found success. Included among their memory makers were photos of them with a killed elephant and crocodile. They also reportedly killed a kudu and a waterbuck. It’s important to note that none of these species are endangered, and when taken by hunters the local residents obtain an instant source of food and a major economic boost. Hunting actually ensures that villagers value animals such as elephants which often do terrible damage to crops. Donald Trump, Jr. stated that the animals provided needed food in many Africa villages.

When videos of the successful hunters appeared on YouTube, it seems that PETA and other groups made many attempts to discredit the hunters—and hunting. Even more bizarre is that one article that reported on the Trump brothers’ hunt switched gears and began reporting on rhino poaching and international black market trafficking of rhino horns. The Trumps did not hunt rhinos. This was a blatant attempt to confuse the public and reflects very poor journalism standards.

Again, this begs the question, of what concern is it to PETA what you do on your own vacation? These were just private citizens on vacation, legally hunting.

A similar firestorm erupted last year when Go Daddy CEO Bob Parsons also went hunting in Africa and legally killed an elephant.

And more recently when California Fish and Game Commission president Daniel Richards legally and successfully went mountain lion hunting in Idaho, HSUS tried numerous sensationalized efforts to have him removed from his position. The HSUS move and demands were highly suspect after numerous reports surfaced that HSUS had in fact given money to California’s Fish and Game Department in an effort to develop close ties there. Appearing at a public hearing to speak in favor of removing Richards were HSUS, Audubon, Sierra Club, and other groups.

With the facts out, it continues to be clear that donations to HSUS, PETA and other animal rights groups are used less and less to help dogs and cats and more and more to push the groups radical animal rights agendas. Worse, these campaigns reveal a bigger agenda by the animal rights lobby to co-opt the mainstream media into reporting these stories of legal hunting trips in a fashion that suggests to the American people that those involved have done something wrong or illegal. Instead the media should be reporting on the incredible positive impact that hunting has on conservation, the economy, and bringing families together. That’s a story sportsmen need to tell more often too.

When the bill to end the long-gun registry passed in the House of Commons there was a big cheer in the ranks of the Conservative party and from law-abiding firearm owners around the nation. Finally, the two billion dollar feel-good-legislation that did absolutely nothing to prevent firearm related crimes but, as Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said, “turned a whole way of life (hunting and sport shooting) into some kind of criminal conduct.”

I sat tensely on the edge of my chair as the news was read out on TV. The bill passed by a margin of 150 to 130 and now has to go to the Senate for final approval, where a Conservative majority will make sure of that. As expected, the Liberal MPs voted against the legislation and so did all but two MPs of the NDP. I’ve no doubt that these two brave NDPers will get a stern talking to from their party whips. As much as I wanted to celebrate the outcome of that positive result I couldn’t. The long-gun-registry may be dead and soon to be buried by the senate, but gun control will not be gone. In fact, there are a few loud and persistent voices that now demand that firearm licensing should be made much tougher to obtain. The gun registry is dead but gun control may get worse. At least that is if Dan Albas, the conservative MP of Okanagan-Coquihalla, the Liberals and the NDP have a say in the matter. Of course the new measures of gun control being put forward will do as little to keep guns out of criminals hand’s as the firearm registry did.

The idea put forward is simply a means to make the paranoid fringe group in our society feel better about themselves. Dan Albas writes in his column “MP Report” in the Merritt News from February 23, 2012, how he envisions a “more comprehensive” firearm licensing system with increased firearm education and tougher licensing obligations. This makes me think that Dan Albas and others echoing his vision never owned a firearm or tried to own one. If they had they would know how comprehensive the current firearm training and safety courses are.

The firearm education courses are only one part of becoming a gun owner. The last step to own a firearm is to apply for a PAL (Possession and Acquisition Licence). There are numerous hoops to jump through and background checks akin to that for a convicted criminal. The questionnaire that is part of the licensing process contains many questions about a person’s private life, relationships, mental health condition, financial affairs and many other things that any person would regard as severe intrusion of privacy. In addition you have to provide all the names and addresses of former spouses, if you have any. Should a former spouse have reservations for whatever reason then you will not get a licence.

So not much has changed. Firearms and firearm owners are still unjustifiably serve as scapegoat for failed justice and political agendas. Perhaps politicians should start to tackle the real issue, rather than vilifying firearms owners. Until courts start to hand out harsh punishments without but and if to violent criminals nothing will change.

Animals communicate in one of two ways with each other; vocally and using body language (non-verbal), but unlike humans they do not have conversations with each other. Animals only “talk” when they have to. A hunter who understands the verbal “language” of animals can use that knowledge to his advantage by mimicking the various sounds to attract ducks, deer, elk and turkey among a variety of other animals.

To have any success at calling animals it is important to “say” the right things at the right time and pay close attention to the animal specie’s communication etiquette. As an animal behaviourist I’ve always been fascinated with animal language and have studied it at great length. As a young man I had a rather large collection of books on the subject and spent many hours each week studying domestic and wild animals. Over these many years of meticulous study and observation I have become an expert on turkey and whitetail deer vocalization and calling tactics.

I pride myself on the fact that through my articles and seminars I am able to assist other hunters to understand the importance of good animal communication skills. My favourite saying is: “A deer knows the difference between a real deer sound and something that sounds almost like a deer.” Of course the same goes for turkeys and any other animal too. It is important for the hunter attempting to call an animal to know exactly what “words” to use, when to talk, and when it is better to shut up. Making a mistake in animal communication will invariably lead to a misunderstanding that will either be ignored by the animal or worse, scare or anger it.

As knowledgeable as I am about animal communication I have to admit that my human communication skills are nowhere near as perfect. I think we all could benefit from improving our communication skills. How often have we said something to another person without thinking, out of ignorance or because we didn’t pay attention to what the other person was saying, and by doing so tainted a relationship or came across as mean without wanting to. Miscommunication may not be so severe when you have a strong relationship with friends, your spouse or children but even so, saying the wrong thing at the wrong time can cause unnecessary problems and anger.

I take part on Internet communications and have found that in these anonymous places where people do not see and know each other personally miscommunication occurs quickly and all to frequently results in angry exchanges that could be avoided if people just would think before they “open their mouths”. One of my goals this year is to spend as much time training my human communication skills as I do with animal communication. I am told there are as many books and seminars available on these skills as there are about animal communication. Maybe I will read a few of these books and even take part in a seminar. We could achieve a lot more in life and feel better about others, and ourselves, if we all would make more effort to improve our communication skills.

It’s that time of year again, were I am getting ready for the seminar and trade show tour. Starting of with the BC Boat & Sportmen’s Show on March 2nd to 4th in Abbotsford. This years seminars are on how to get better results with calling whitetail deer and in the second seminar we will replace commonly held whitetail deer rut myth with scientific facts. Keith Beasley from Canada in the Rough Television will also be there with seminars and talk about the Canada in the Rough television show.

On the fishing seminar stage we will see Brian Chan, a true BC flyfishing icon, plus others. I always look forward to the BC Boat & Sportsmen’s Show and not only because it is my home turf but this show is getting from year to year better and bigger. It going to be a great show highlighting all the aspects of what makes British Columbia the avid outdoors enthusiast number one destination. The readers of  BC Outdoors magazine and the fans of the BC Outdoors Sport Fishing TV will be able to chat wit the cast,  staff, editors and writers on on the BC Outdoors booth.

I am looking forward to meeting with my fellow hunters, so come on by the hunting stage and say hello.

As you read this the 2011 fall and winter hunting season is closed with the exception of geese and coyotes. The reports I received from across North America suggest that this will be another of “those seasons”. It seems that the experiences of most hunters reflected my own observations, namely that deer movement was somewhat erratic and sporadic compared to previous years. While some hunters managed to shoot respectable mule and whitetail deer bucks, some of which were taken right here in our backyard, for the most part very few bucks of either species were seen during legal hunting hours.

That dilemma extended to other game species too like bears, waterfowl and small game animals. Nobody seems to know why this was one of those seasons where wildlife behaved “strangely” but of course we all have our opinions… some say it’s global climate change while others suggest that the La Niña weather system moving though the northern hemisphere was to blame. Despite it all I had a very successful and rewarding hunting season. As I wrote about in an earlier column my brother from Switzerland, whom I haven’t seen in over 20 years, came to stay for a month. Besides showing him the beauty of British Columbia I also took him hunting. On our very first hunting trip my brother saw the first real live black bear in his life. It was a young animal and we were quite close. I could feel the tension building up in my brother at the sight of the bear, but a week later as we encountered a big black bear for a brief few seconds my brother was much more relaxed and even suggested we go and see where the bear had run.

Besides bears we saw other wildlife such as mule deer and whitetail deer. We managed to stalk quite close to a big mule deer buck but unfortunately he never got in a position for a safe and ethical shot. We saw many other animals like coyotes, eagles and salmon among others that Europeans only know from books or TV. As my wife and I played willing tourist guides and witnessed my brother’s amazement of the vastness and breathtaking beauty of our seemingly untouched wilderness something began to dawn on me. It was the fact that we live in one of the most beautiful places on earth with more wildlife variety and numbers then anywhere else in the world, with the exception of Africa, and yet we take it for granted. My brother’s visit has reminded me again of this fact and how very fortunate we are to call this unique place on earth our home. At the end of the hunting season it didn’t matter to me that, apart from a coyote, I had not taken any other animal. My biggest trophy of the season was spending time with my brother and being reminded by his amazement of what he saw here that we are a truly privileged people to be able to go hunting and enjoy the vastness and diversity of nature in all it’s wild untamed beauty.

Q: Hi Othmar, I currently own two .30-06 caliber rifles. They both have served me well over the years for all of my deer and elk hunting. However, recently all my hunting partners carry 7mm Rem. Mag, and 300 Win. Mag when we go elk hunting. Now I am wondering if my reliable .30-06 is outdated and perhaps it is time for me to upgrade to a bigger and faster gun like my hunting buddies. What is your opinion? Thank you in advance for your valued advice.
(Name withheld by author)

A: The magnums your hunting buddies carry for elk hunting are very popular right now, another word for it would be “fashionable”,  and yes they are good calibers for elk but so is the .30-06. Consider this 7mm Rem. Mag, and 300 Win. Mag are very big calibers and they have some serious recoil that not every hunter handles well. I spend quite a bit time on the shooting range and see it time and again that after three or four shots with a magnum people start to flinch in anticipation of the kick they are about to receive. If you can handle a magnum fine but you really don’t need one for elk hunting or just to keep up with your friends fashion trend.  The .30-06 is around for many decades and has remained a favourite with the majority of hunters and quite rightly so. The good old .30-06 has taken just about every big game animal in North America, including grizzly bears and bison. It is more important to determine what caliber you can shoot well rather than how fast a gun can shoot. A big caliber does not make up for average or lousy shooting. In short. A well-placed 180-grain Nosler Accu-Bond retains plenty of energy and speed within 200 yards, were most elks are shot, to drop the biggest bull elk and keep it on the ground.

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If you have a hunting related question send it to me at: atacov[at]yahoo.ca