STRATHAM — Stratham Hill Park will remain open to hunting after citizens at Town Meeting Friday voted down the article that would have banned the discharge of firearms in the park.

“We didn’t expect this to be too controversial because we didn’t think there was any hunting at the park. it turns out we were wrong,” said selectmen Chairman Dave Canada. “We concluded that it’s best up to you (the citizens of Stratham) to decide.”

Canada said voters could do nothing, which would allow hunting in the expanded park, or they could vote for the article to ban hunting in the original request to a point 300 feet east of the fire tower. He said the adjoining area, the Noyes purchase and Gifford property to the south, would be defined as compact areas that would have the effect of banning the discharge of firearms, except with selectmen and police chief approval.

Resident Bruce Scamman spoke first, arguing from a legal standpoint that banning hunting in the park would go against the original dedication of the park in 1905 by Edward Tuck of Paris, which reads:

“The conditions of this conveyance are … for the free use and enjoyment of the people of Stratham, Exeter and Portsmouth and … the town of Stratham to have control of said land with the power to make all necessary by-laws in regulating the use of the same, but no by-law shall be enacted depriving law abiding citizens from the above towns from the free use, enjoyment and occupation thereof.”

A follow-up paragraph stated if the land “ever ceased to be used for such purposes,” the conveyance and entire property shall be null and returned to a descendant of Edward Tuck.

“I am very concerned with the ownership of the park that if people sue the park about people not hunting, we could lose it,” Scamman said. “This needs to be researched.”

The issue was first brought up during a revision of the Stratham Hill Park ordinances late last year, and raised concerns from hunters and residents concerned about safety with the increased use of the park and the abutting school zone.

“The town is growing. we have more houses, more children, walkers, skiers, and I don’t feel that we should be hunting in these compact zones,” said Planning Board Chairman Marty Wool. “When the park was given to the town, there was 300 people in this community. Now we have close to 8,000 in our town and we have a school right on the edge of the Gifford property, within firing range. I really feel we need to restrict this.”

Complicating the issue is the federal Gun Free School Zones Act of 1990, which bans carrying a firearm without a license and discharging a weapon within 1,000 feet of a school zone. Police Chief John Scippa was called to speak to this issue, saying there will be a radius around the school that would not affect privately owned land.

“I’ve lived across the street from this park for 28 years,” said Chris Duffy. “During bow hunting season, I put my dog in bright colored jackets and I am careful in the woods. in shotgun season, I stay out of the area and I give them four weeks to hunt. I think they have every right to enjoy the park as I do.”

After questions about the seasons, rifles and species being hunted, Selectman Tim Copeland called forward Park Ranger Kim Woods to speak. this was blocked when Scamman argued the question was moved, or no longer able to be debated. the “nays” considerably outweighed the “ayes” and the article was voted down, only to be brought up again, with a motion to reconsider the article. the town went to a “division of the house” vote, where voters stood on separate sides of the room, to show their support or disapproval of the article. again, the article was defeated.

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<a href="http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120318/NEWS/203180334/-1/NEWSMAPtag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120318/NEWS/203180334/-1/NEWSMAPSun, 18 Mar 2012 06:53:20 GMT”>Stratham Hill Park to remain open for hunting

Aboriginal in Northern Territory communities waiting on Labor and Tony Burke to approve crocodile safari expeditions.

<a href="http://www.international.to/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5063:saltwater-crocodile-safari-hunting&catid=80:politics&Itemid=120tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.international.to/index.php?option=com_content”>Saltwater crocodile safari hunting

It is a phrase that stops conversation in its tracks, puts all senses on alert and starts the adrenaline flowing.

The quail hunter who hears, “we got one on point,” is the equivalent of the Daytona 500 fan who hears, “Gentlemen, start your engines!”

It is that moment a trained dog, running freely, never slowing and always sniffing abruptly freezes, its tail straight out and, on a good point, a front foot in the air, his nose pointed at the prey.

If a good shot follows you might remember it but over time it is the working of the dogs and the fellowship of the hunt that remains.

That was my experience a week ago after I was invited on a quail hunt at Hard Labor Creek Plantation by Ted Everett, who owns the 2,600-acre hunting and fishing preserve south of Chipley. he hosts Bobwhite Quail hunts, fishing, other activities like an annual dirt-bike race.

Though an avid deer, turkey and duck hunter, I didn’t know much about quail, had never hunted them and wasn’t ecstatic about the invite. But Everett’s enthusiasm was contagious even if I didn’t understand what he was so worked up about when we first talked.

“We’ve got Dez Young, you know about Dez, right?” Everett said. “His dog Hank had his own show, the first dog to ever have his own show, ‘Hunting with Hank,’ you’ve heard of it, right?”

I hadn’t. I learned that Hank was a Llewellin Setter who did in fact have a hunting show with Dez Young that ran for six seasons, that Hank is in the National Bird Dog Museum Hall of Fame and that he died in 2004 but his Dash carried on the tradition.

And it was Dash, Everett told me, that we would be “hunting over.”

It still didn’t resonate as being the treat it would turn out to be. But every time I mentioned my upcoming trip with my older hunting buddies, I was educated.

“I’m going on a quail hunting trip with this guy who had a dog named Hank that had its own show and he’s bringing Hank’s son,” I told my friend Allen.

“what? I remember that show. Hank’s dead you idiot, what are you talking about?”

I explained about Dash. “You’re still an idiot, but a lucky one,” Allen said.

So a week ago Friday I showed up with a borrowed Remington 1187 semi-automatic 12-gauge shotgun (Allen said showing up with my pump 870 would be an “embarrassment”), two boxes of shells and a knot in my stomach the size of a quail I was sure I’d shoot at and miss.

Everett greeted me first (actually he drove out and found me after I got lost) and he had Young riding with him.

Young hopped out of Ted’s truck, introduced himself and asked if he could ride with me back to the barn, the first sign of why he is so respected in his field. he began unknowingly teaching me why they call quail hunting a “gentleman’s sport.” he didn’t talk about himself, he talked about his dogs. he asked about me and my son. he told a joke. we didn’t talk about killing birds.

It was more of the same at the barn where we loaded up. on this day I was joining Bob Hasiuk, who traveled from Clemson, S.C. for a quail hunt.

“really?” I asked. “is it really worth that?”

“I’ve hunted with Dez before and I wasn’t passing up a chance to do it again,” he said.

Hasiuk and I chatted but didn’t get deep into financial matters. My impression was that he wasn’t some independently wealthy guy who can afford to travel the world chasing famous hunters. if I remember correctly, he’s semi-retired and moved to Clemson, S.C., to be near his daughter who is attending school there, apparently because the University of Georgia was full  (college joke). he works part-time at a golf course there, which allows him free golf. and if I understood correctly he’s been saving that part-time job money for this trip.

We set out riding on a small trailer that carried Dash and the other dogs we’d be working with that day and arrived in the quail hunting area. Controlled burns helped nurture the right vegetation for quail — high alfalfa-like plants, undergrowth and bushes interspersed between planted pines in some sections.

Jerry Strickland was our guide, mixing his knowledge of the sport with plenty of humor and good-natured ribbing.

Dash was released and followed Young’s commands, working the area in a grid-like fashion while we followed behind, talking about family, hunting, the weather, and the tips I would need to survive the day as a novice quail hunter.

They really only had two instructions for me: Don’t shoot any person or any dog. we walked in a loose line and it wasn’t long before Young called out the magic words: “He’s on point!”

It is a beautiful sight if you can appreciate the work that goes into a good bird dog. Dash was nearly frozen, the only movement being the quiver of excitement coursing through him as he fought the instinct to pounce and flush.

We moved in, side by side — I took the left and Hasiuk the right — and walked up to and then past Dash until we “flushed” the quail. as feared, it flew in my direction and I missed.

No one cared. as we moved along Young worked his way over to me and put his hand on my shoulder.

“Caz,” he said quietly, “I noticed you approached with your barrel low and you put the gun too high on your shoulder. You always want to walk in with the tip of the barrel right below eye level — it’s a natural flow from there to your shot — and put the butt of the gun lower on your shoulder. Your reaction time was great, try that.”

On the next flush I followed his instruction and walked toward Dash, the bird again busted low and to my left and I fired, knocking down my first Bobwhite Quail, a beautiful male that will join my wood duck, green-wing teal and bucks in our hunting room. (see video online at newsherald.com)

We walked and talked for hours and shot our share of quail and missed our share, too. we took as much pride in the shots we DIDN’T take — the ones where the bird was too low near the dogs, or flying toward someone — as the ones we did.

We took quail close, we knocked some down at a distance. Young took some turns, hitting just about everything he shot at.

But what he really reinforced for me is the bond between a good man and a good dog. My chocolate lab, Jordan, is a trained duck and dove dog but first he’s our family pet, and so it is with Young and Dash.

He carried water for Dash, taking breaks when needed, and spent time tending to his paws to make sure they weren’t getting roughed up in the thorny undergrowth.

I could see why Young is known for not just his ability to train a dog but his likeability, his attitude, his treatment of his dogs as partners and pets, not equipment. one of the most popular segments of his show was his satirical take on spoiled dogs.

“on each episode I’d have a part where I’d warn people to never, ever spoil their bird dog,” Young said. “It started as kind of ribbing dog trainers who think you have to keep your dog in a kennel and only get it out to train or hunt. we treat our dogs like family.”

Later in the morning as Dash tired, Strickland brought out three of his dogs, two short-haired and a Llewellin Setter, and I learned even more. when one dog went on “point” and froze, the other dogs running around would see that and would also freeze. I thought all three dogs had found quail, but Strickland explained the second and third dogs were “honoring the point” of the first dog, stopping so as not to flush the quail too soon.

“That’s what they’re trained to do,” Strickland said. “It’s something, isn’t it? the self-control?”

 Those kinds of conversations carried the day. Within a week of the hunt Young had contacted me twice to check in and Hasiuk had sent me a hand-written letter saying how much he enjoyed hunting with me and included a DVD with pictures and video he took of us during the hunt.

That speaks of a sport of gentleman as much as anything, and I’m an official convert.

<a href="http://www.newsherald.com/articles/quail-99850-hears-holy.htmltag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.newsherald.com/articles/quail-99850-hears-holy.htmlSun, 22 Jan 2012 04:46:47 GMT”>Hunt for the holy quail

AFTER two near scrapes with the police, killer Malcolm Naden has moved out of the bush around Nowendoc – and the officers hunting him are following.

The tent city erected after Naden shot an officer in dense bushland nearby on December 7 will be pulled down today, with police expected to move out by the weekend.

As Naden continues to evade capture, a smaller contingent from Strike Force Durkin will take up residence 80km away in Gloucester, putting the search headquarters closer to resources and, in all likelihood, closer to Naden as well.

Living in fear of Malcolm Naden

Police warn people to secure their properties as they hunt for Naden

The move will also mark a dramatic shift in tactics – for the past four weeks police have focused on heavily armed foot patrols, supported above by PolAir helicopters.

A police spokeswoman said the new focus would be on detailed investigation and information gathering.

"The search-based operation will change to an investigation-based operation," she said yesterday.

It is understood the search so far has cost almost $3 million, much of it on helicopters in the air each day and dozens of officers on the ground.

Officers almost had their man after tracking him down on December 7 and came close again two weeks later after Naden was found holed up in a hut on an isolated property. but each time he managed to escape.

The new HQ will be Gloucester’s Rural Fire Service station.

<a href="http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/hunt-for-killer-malcolm-naden-moves-base/story-e6freuy9-1226236949940tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/hunt-for-killer-malcolm-naden-moves-base/story-e6freuy9-1226236949940Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:16:47 GMT”>Hunt for killer Malcolm Naden moves base

9:07am Tuesday 20th December 2011 in News

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A GANG of six men and a youth were found guilty of hunting and killing badgers in what was described by an RSPCA inspector as the worst case of animal cruelty he had seen in 20 years.

the men, all but one of them from York, were all found guilty of offences under the Badgers Act and Hunting Act following a two-week trial at Scarborough Magistrates’ Court.

the judge praised the bravery of wildlife artist Robert Fuller, who managed to take pictures of the men in the act, and police sergeant Paul Stephenson, who investigated the crime.

Judge Christina Harrison said mr Fuller, had been particularly courageous in taking the photographs secretly before he was spotted by the men on land at Paradise Farm, Howsham, near Malton, last January.

Speaking after the case yesterday, mr Fuller, said: “I am glad it has come to an end and come to a conviction.

“Badgers have been persecuted for hundreds of years. This is the first time I have seen it happening. It was a sense of disbelief that it was on a Sunday afternoon at 1pm, and next to a footpath.

“It was just a horrendous thing to see happening on the day, but there are not many better people to be placed there than me.

“I have watched badgers on hundreds of nights and I was brought up on a farm so know about shotguns, so I knew straight away what they were up to by the noises.”

Alan Alexander, 32, of Bramham Close, York, William Edward Anderson, 26, of Hillside, Cropton Lane, Pickering, Richard Simpson, 37, of Wains Road, York, Paul Ian Tindall, 33 of Bramham Grove, York, and a 17-year-old York youth, were all found guilty having pleaded not guilty to charges of wilfully killing two badgers, digging out a badger sett, interfering with a sett, and hunting a wild animal with dogs.

two others, Christopher Martin Holmes, 28, of Bell Farm Avenue, York and Malcolm David Warner, 28, of Princess Drive, York, pleaded guilty at the start of the trial to the charges, and all seven had their cases adjourned for sentence until January 10.

another man, James Henry Doyle, 34, of Westfield Avenue, Knottingley, was cleared of all the charges.

the court heard how the men had laughed as they watched a badger being ripped apart in a “tug of war” by dogs. They were also told of the discovery of a pregnant badger, also savaged to death, and two foetuses.

Post-mortem results concluded another badger had “suffered a severe and sustained” attack.

RSPCA Inspector Geoff Edmund said after the hearing: “It was without question the worst case I have seen in 20 years.

“It was horrific. these men went to the farm with the intention of baiting and killing the badgers with dogs. It was barbaric.”

For Sgt Paul Stephenson it was the third time he had been commended by a judge in his career and believed it was his experience in the CID and road traffic patrolling which had enabled him to pursue the case, some of it in his own time.

Read these News stories

<a href="http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/9428833.Seven_guilty_of_badger_cruelty/tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/9428833.Seven_guilty_of_badger_cruelty/Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:08:27 GMT”>Seven guilty of badger cruelty (From York Press)

I was invited to a hunting lease this past weekend for a fish fry and a little hunting in the afternoon. This particular lease is known for its bear population. tell someone we have a thriving bear population within 20 miles of Panama City and usually they don’t believe you.

We do have a large bear population in the northeastern part of the county. Where these bears came from I do not know. some people think they migrated from the National Forest across the river to the east. if they did, they sure had a long walk and did a lot of swimming.

The fish fry was very enjoyable and the company even more so. I got to see some people I hadn’t seen for a while and there also was a range where I could sight my rifle in. Of course all the conversation was about bears. The hunters who went out that afternoon either were supposed to come back by camp or call and report the number of bears they saw.

I went up there with Jamie, who has a lease along with several other hunters. They wanted us to be on the lookout for bears. They didn’t have to tell me to be on the lookout. I felt sort of like Chat Holley when some guys came by his house to see if he wanted to go bear hunting many years ago. He said, “Don’t think so boys, I’m afraid we might find one.”

I had gone up to this particular lease some years back to video bears and I saw all I wanted to see then, and from a good high blind. when we reached Jamie’s lease we put out attractant and corn for deer and we also wanted to pull his cameras and see what had visited there.

Something had eaten all the corn and I noticed the first camera wasn’t on the tree it was supposed to be on. after some looking around we found it on the ground with the strap broken that held it on the tree. Whatever tore that camera from the tree was very strong.

All the pictures on the camera were of clouds and trees swaying in the breeze. The culprit that tore it from the tree was missing from sight. on the next food plot the camera also was absent, and for a while it looked as if we would not find it.

These cameras are not cheap. They are designed to last for an entire hunting season without running down the batteries. The camera comes on every 15 seconds and takes a video of whatever is in front of it for five seconds.

Most all other cameras come on when they sense heat or motion, but like I said this one was set to come on automatically during daylight hours. It also works in darkness, but was not set to do so. Whatever pulled it off the tree did so at night. we knew what was doing it.

Stan Kirkland says bears are very inquisitive and when they see something that is unusual they will investigate. They also smelled or tasted the salt off Jamie’s hand when he put the cameras on the tree. He said he sprayed them down with some of that stuff that is supposed to kill the human scent. So much for the effectiveness of that spray.

After replenishing the feeders we decided to come back following the fish fry and hunt until dark. The plan was for Jamie to hunt out of a tree stand of considerable height so he could see down the road looking directly at the feeder.

I was to use my climber and sit over the other feeder. The plan didn’t exactly work out as my shoulder had been aggravated earlier while trying to sight in a rifle so I couldn’t use the climber to get up a tree.

I decided to lean against a tree and hunt from the ground, until I got a call from Jamie that a bear of about 100 pounds was under his stand sniffing the air.

That changed everything as far as I was concerned. Things really changed when Jamie called back saying a bigger bear of more than 500 pounds had run the smaller one off. Now I was beginning to get concerned. It was getting dark and bears are hard to see in the dark.

I was hoping that Jamie was one of those hunters who come down early and go home. He wasn’t, but he was having the same concerns that I was. It was dark and he didn’t know where that big bruin he had seen earlier had gone.

Jamie had a pretty long walk back to the truck and he didn’t want to stumble over that big bear. after awhile I heard the truck crank up and I finally saw the headlights coming my way. in the meantime, everything seemed to move in the dark and every tree stump looked like a bear.

<a href="http://www.newsherald.com/articles/hunting-99141-population-bear.htmltag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.newsherald.com/articles/hunting-99141-population-bear.htmlSun, 18 Dec 2011 14:04:43 GMT”>Outdoor Life: Counting bears keeps hunters awake

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Published: October 13. 2011 4:00AM PST

Please email Hunting & Fishing event information to sports@bendbulletin.com or click on “Submit an Event” on our website at bendbulletin.com. Items are published on a space-availability basis, and should be submitted at least 10 days before the event.

seminar on Steelheading the lower Deschutes: Saturday at 1 p.m.; free seminar at Orvis in Bend, hosted by Damien Nurre, owner of Deep Canyon Outfitters; includes an introduction to spey casting and information on tactics, techniques and gear for steelhead fishing; 541-312-8200.

Deschutes Chapter of Trout Unlimited: Meets on the first Monday of each month at the Environmental Center in Bend; meeting starts at 6:45 p.m. for members to meet and greet and discuss what the chapter is up to; 541-306-4509; communications@deschutestu.org; www.deschutestu.org.

Bend Casting Club: the Bend Casting Club is a group of local fly anglers from around Central Oregon who are trying to improve their casting techniques; club meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Orvis Casting course in Bend’s old Mill District; 541-306-4509 or bendcastingclub@gmail.com.

The Sunriver Anglers Club: Meets on the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Sunriver fire Station; contact: www.sunriveranglers.org.

The Central Oregon Flyfishers club: Meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Bend Senior Center, 1600 S.E. Reed Market Road; contact: www.coflyfishers.org.

Free Hunting Dog Training Clinic: Sunday at 1 p.m.; free seminar at Orvis in Bend, hosted by Roger Hess of Tailgunner Kennels and Deep Canyon Preserve; information on choosing a puppy, raising and socializing, obedience training, transition to electronic collars, retrieving, field work and nutrition; 541-312-8200.

WOMEN-ONLY BIG BUCK CONTEST: Through Nov. 4; for eastern and western Oregon deer rifle hunts; bring buck to Cowgirl Cash, at 924 Brooks St., in downtown Bend, Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., or Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.; win $100 to spend in store; buck must be legally tagged and ID is required; www.getcowgirlcash.com.

The Bend chapter of the Oregon Hunters Association: Meets the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the King Buffet at the north end of the Wagner Mall, across from Robberson Ford in Bend; contact: Bendchapter_oha@yahoo.com.

The Ochoco chapter of the Oregon Hunters Association: Meets the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Prineville fire Hall, 405 N. Belknap St.; contact: 541-447-5029.

The Redmond chapter of the Oregon Hunters Association: Meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Redmond VFW Hall.

DeShoots Youth Sports: Free clay target shooting, instruction and shot shells for Central Oregon youths 17 and younger at the Central Oregon Sporting Clays and Hunting Preserve; Tuesdays and Sundays from 2 p.m. until dusk through February; safety class required; contact Hap Blackmer at 541-420-4332 or deshootsyouth@gmail.com.

Bend Trap club: Trap shooting, five-stand and skeet shooting are all open Thursdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m; located east of Bend off U.S. Highway 20 at milepost 30; contact Bill Grafton at 541-383-1428 or visit www.bendtrapclub.com.

Pine Mountain Posse: Cowboy action shooting club that shoots at the Central Oregon Shooting Sports Association range on U.S. Highway 20 at milepost 24; second Sunday of each month; 541-318-8199 or www.pinemountainposse.com.

Horse Ridge Pistoleros: Cowboy action shooting with pistols, rifles and shotguns at the Central Oregon Shooting Sports Association range on U.S. Highway 20 at milepost 24; first and third Sunday of each month at 10 a.m.; 541-408-7027 or www.hrp-sass.com.

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Why you think people decided to quit hunting and start farming? Advantages/disadvantages to hunting? Advantages/disadvantages to farming? which way of life would you prefer? why?

Why you think people decided to quit hunting and start farming?

If i don't want to go hunting with my beagle what would be a god substitute?

As long as a beagle has another dog to play with that is all he will need. I have owned beagles for 12 years and have never hunted with them. I just let them run in my yard together or I walk them on a leash.

Agility
Dock jumping
Obedience
Rally O
Field trials
etc.

Hide and seek treats, toys, people etc.

What are some subsitutions for hunting with beagles?

I go hunting a lot for rabbits behind my house and rarely see them. I want to hunt and kill a few a hunt. Any advice or tips.

Rabbits like carrots, right? right?

What are ways to attract rabbits in Louisiana for hunting?