Dear Jerry

Thank you for having and keeping the passion to continue bringing all of us hunters the timely information on what's happening out west. I love your humor and your sarcasm. I know what I'm talking about because I was a charter subscriber to California Hunter magazine. I especially liked the way you KINDLY gave Mr. Jay Overholtzer a slap upside his hardheaded viewpoint !!! Even though Jay is correct according to Pope & Young and Boone & Crocket record keepers, he's missed the point on what truly makes a TROPHY BUCK. It's not what side of the highway you tag your buck, but rather the complete hunting experience, like who you were with, where you were at in GOD'S backyard and those wonderful campfires where we all relived each spectacular moment of our day. My best friend Tim Hall, shot a 7x7 buck on his property in Eldorado Hills, CA. But, because his BOW kill happened to be on the EAST side of I-5, he doesn't qualify for Pope & Young. HOW STUPID!!!!!!!! But Jay, you'll never tell Tim his 7x7 buck isn't a trophy.

Jay, take a chill pill and lighten up!!!!!

Sincerly,
Rodger Benadom
Owner of "BUCK" of the TV show "Ducks with Billy and Buck."


Likes the Winchester Bullet, too!

Hi Jerry,

Will agree with you that the Winchester poly-tipped bullet is a good bullet for coyotes and other critters. Most of my shots, however, do not exit. It is the only bullet (50-grain) that I currently shoot. It is fast and accurate in my 22/250, Remington 700 Varmint Rifle.

Don Jamroz@aol.com
Hunts Chairman for the Predator Callers of Orange County, California

They're Here!
Wolves in Oregon

The piece about wolves in Oregon was rather... interesting, I guess is how I would put it. Wolves aren't here now? Expect wolves to enter soon?

Sometime between 1998 and 2001, a collared wolf that belonged to one of the Idaho packs entered and was captured in Baker County, whose entire eastern border is the Snake River Impoundments with Idaho on the other side. To confirm the capture of this wolf in Baker County, check with the District Biologist, George Keister, in the Baker City office, or look through old articles in the Record Courier, Baker City. You have a captured animal and many documented sightings, so what else does ODFW need to admit that they're here NOW?

If you need more proof, try talking with some of the ranchers in eastern Baker County who are out there a lot more than recreational users; talk to tag holders for the Pine and Lookout Units that have camped there in the last five seasons and see how many of them saw and heard wolves. I think the weight of evidence is such that a reasonable person would conclude there is about a 99.99% chance that they're here.

So, of course, the "Wolf Advisory Committee," planning to be ready for wolves in Oregon, is meeting on the western side of the state to discuss it. How convenient for the east side; how typical of the politics of this state and ODFW's unfortunate sensitivity to them. Wonder if there is any representation from the border counties, and if there are, how many ranchers or hunters are included? I hope the planning takes into account the border counties' local government positions on this issue, but based on this piece, they won't. Big surprise.

Do we want these animals in Oregon? Are increased numbers of bear and cougar already limiting the opportunity to hunt a deer or elk on the east side? Want more predators?

Grant Young
Oregon

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