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Bird Dog Training

Piper GSP Piper, the 5 month old German Shorthair, shows how her retriever training is going. In this video I introduce the whistle and retrieving from the “crate” command. Enjoy! Check out more at http://huntnewengland.blogspot.com/

Ticks… Nature’s Asshole

With only two weeks left to fill my last spring turkey tag, I was spending a lot of time in the woods. On top of that I was spending a lot of time taking the dogs out and doing a little training. Living in this part of the country I have become so accustomed to finding ticks on myself and my dogs that I would simply give them a flick if they were not attached or just pinch them off it I found them attached. I had heard about Lyme disease but never really took any serious consideration about getting it. I am constantly checking myself and my dogs. I was told once that a tick needs to be attached for 24 hours in order to transmit Lyme disease. Since I never really found any ticks attached to me I didn’t think much about it. Both my dogs have the vaccine for Lyme, I however, do not… Check your Pets! Gross. Don’t get me wrong, if they offered a human version of the Lyme vaccine I would get it in a heart beat. Living in south-eastern New England I am among the most dense area of tick populations in the world. With 50% of deer ticks, (black-legged ticks or Ixodes scapulars) carrying Lyme’s or one of the other forms of diseases it has, calling this area high risk is an understatement.  Lyme disease is an epidemic. The CDC reports that the number of CONFIRMED cases of Lyme has practically doubled from 2000 to 2010, going from 17,000 to 30,000 in a matter of 10 years. The tick population is on the increase and the disease is spreading. In Massachusetts alone there was over 4,000 confirmed cases in 2010. The scary part is that there are probably 10 times the number of people with Lyme disease that go undiagnosed. This year, spring of 2012 I have become a statistic. I was diagnosed with having Lyme disease, and let me tell you first hand, my experience has not been a pleasant one. To think that such a small bug could cause such problems. I want to share my experience to give people an insight into what to look for and help prevent the same thing from happening to them. In fact there are some people out there who are suffering with debilitating symptoms that are going misdiagnosed. The reason is that Lyme affects everyone differently and has a wide range of symptoms. If someone goes untreated their immune system becomes weaker and this invites other diseases to come in. Luckily, (in a general sense of the word) I was diagnosed in the first stage of Lyme. I was sitting in on a training for work when I started to get the chills. This progressed to an uncontrollable shiver with an extreme headache. I was tired and extremely foggy. I went home, put on the warmest clothing I could find and hid under the covers. I began to warm up, really fast. Before I knew it I was on fire. I was sweating uncontrollably and realized I probably had a fever. I quick check with a thermometer, (the one that goes under the tongue of course) and I figured I had the flu… it read 103.6. I took some ibuprofen and it went down. I did what they always say, rest, drink lots of fluids, etc, however three days later and I was in the same routine. Chills, headache, fever, body ache continued over and over. I decided to go to the E.R. After 16 hours, two bags of fluids taken intravenously, blood work, urine test, flu test, and an unsuccessful attempt at a spinal tap, (I should add, fuck spinal taps. That shit hurts. I would rather be tazed) I left the E.R. feeling worse than I had the day before. They tested for Lyme, but told me it would take a few days. They told me that I probably had a viral version of spinal meningitis. I went home and let the onset of really feeling like shit take place. My fever subsided, which was good news, but I could not stand up without shooting pain in my head and eyes. I would get dizzy and want to throw up. Also I called the E.R. to see if my Lyme test came back yet and it had…NEGATIVE. As soon as I heard that I erased it from my thoughts. I must have something else then.  I pretty much laid flat for three more days before I decided to go back to the E.R. One of the reasons I was persuaded by my girlfriend to go back was because she noticed a rash on my back that seemed to be getting worse. My ears were also bothering me and my jaw hurt… I figured that my situation would probably end up as the next episode on House. My “Bulls eyes” I went to a different hospital this time. Within an hour I was examined and told that I had Lyme disease. The E.R. doctor told me that my rash was consistent with erythema migrans, also known as disseminated Lyme disease. The disease was going into my body and that is what was producing all the rashes. This was typical in stage 1 Lyme. He told me that my headaches were caused by the spinal tap and they would go away within a week, (once again, fuck spinal taps.) I left feeling better, probably due to the fact that I knew what was wrong with me. I was prescribed amoxicillin for 3 weeks and started my dosage that day. I was told by the E.R. doctor to see my primary care physician, so the next day I made an appointment. I went and was seen by a nurse practitioner. She told me I did not have Lyme disease because my blood test from the first E.R. visit was negative and that the rash I had, (now all over my body) did not look like Lyme, (according to her book.) She told me to stop taking the antibiotic because that was causing the rash. She made me make another appointment to see the doctor the next day. Well after doing some research on the internet I pretty much self diagnosed myself with Lyme. I did not take the advice of the nurse. I kept taking the antibiotic and saw the doctor the next day. He told me he was not convinced it was Lyme. I continued taking amoxicillin anyway. Three days later the E.R. doctor who had diagnosed me with Lyme called and told me the blood results were in. I tested POSITIVE for Lyme Disease. I am not telling this story to make my primary care doctor, or the other E.R. doctors look incompetent, although they might be? My reason behind this is to show how difficult it is to be diagnosed with Lyme, even with all the tell-tale signs. I can only imagine what would have happened to me if I did not break out with the “bulls eye” rash. I would have gone on undiagnosed which leads to serious medical issues down the road. People in stage two and beyond are affected with serious nervous system issues, cognitive problems, arthritis, and vision problems. This all comes from going undiagnosed and untreated. Being an outdoorsman here in New England has its risks.  I know now that I will take more precautions when entering the woods, or doing anything outdoors for that matter. Using Permethrin on my clothing, tucking pants into my socks, using the dryer on clothing when I come home (the heat kills ticks) checking and double checking. Using all the pesticides on myself and the dogs probably has side effects too… but I guess that’s when you have to weigh the risks. If you live in an area with a dense population of deer ticks, first of all make yourself informed. There are quite a few articles and documentaries on the issue. “Hidden in the leaves” is a good video, and you can find it on youtube. hidden in the leaves. Then take proper precautions to keep from getting bit. But since ticks are tiny, and they numb the area where they bite it makes it almost impossible to see or feel them. Having said that, you should know the warning signs of Lyme disease. The earlier it is diagnosed and treated, the better chance you have of beating it.      The fact that this tiny bug exists sucks enough, excuse the pun. They are creepy bugs that want to crawl on you and suck your blood. That in itself is gross and makes me hate ticks for simply existing. However then you add to it that they can give you a debilitating illness that could in fact ruin your quality of life. Can it get much worse? I want to know why there isn’t more being done about it. You see Bird Flu and Swine Flu making all this crazy hype in the media and the government responds by mass producing a vaccine for it. This is for only a few hundred cases being reported. Lyme disease is reporting almost 40,000 in a year and growing, and its widespread through the entire continental U.S. not just here in the North East. If a vaccination for dogs it available where is the one for humans?      Until a solution is found, stay informed, be safe and check twice. Find more at huntnewengland.blogspot.com

Friday’s Video…

Below is my buddy Jimmy taking a New Jersey Winter Bow Doe. Enjoy your weekend and be safe. Also, a story he wrote about a tough encounter with two nice NJ public land bucks can be found here.

Press Releases Maine, N.H., VT., Conn., NY, Pa., NJ.

Maine Road Signs to Help Maine’s Endangered Turtles Augusta, Maine – Late May through early July in southern Maine is a critical period when female turtles undertake risky overland forays to reach nesting areas. During this time, turtles often cross roads, sometimes with fatal consequences. In response, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) and The Nature Conservancy are cooperating to install new road signs warning motorists of endangered turtle road crossing locations in the towns of Wells, South Berwick and York with the hope of reducing collisions with two of the states rarest species. For more…. http://www.maine.gov/ifw/news_events/pressreleases/2012/05-21-12.htm New Hampshire Reminder: Saturday, June 2, 2012, Is Free Fishing Day in New Hampshire! CONCORD, N.H. – New Hampshire’s Free Fishing Day is almost here! Saturday, June 2, 2012, is the statewide Free Fishing Day, when you can fish any inland water – or saltwater – without a fishing license. Take advantage of this special event and plan to get out and enjoy the day fishing with your family and friends. Both state residents and nonresidents may participate. For more… http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Newsroom/News_2012/news_2012_Q2/free_fishing_day_reminder.html Be Aware of Endangered Piping Plovers on N.H. Beaches Six plover pairs nesting at Hampton and Seabrook CONCORD, N.H. — Be aware of endangered birds on the beaches this holiday weekend and beyond as the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department reports there are six pairs of piping plovers nesting along the sandy shores of Hampton and Seabrook. Piping plovers are endangered in New Hampshire and threatened nationally. Their breeding habitat is fenced with yellow roping to indicate the birds’ presence to beach-goers and to allow the mating pairs space to nest and raise their young. For more.. http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Newsroom/News_2012/news_2012_Q2/piping_plovers.html Vermont Vermont Moose Hunting Applications Are Available Statewide Vermont Moose Hunting Applications Are Available Statewide WAITSFIELD, VT — Vermont moose hunting permit applications have been available on the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department’s website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com) since early May, but printed applications are now at Vermont license agents statewide.  For more… http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/Detail.cfm?Agency__ID=2021 Hunter Education Instructor Training Offered Hunter Education Instructor Training Offered There is no more powerful way to give back to what you love than with a gift of your time. If you love to hunt in Vermont, there’s few better ways of giving your time than becoming a volunteer hunter education instructor. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department Hunter Education program has scheduled a New Hunter Education Instructor Training for Friday, June 29, and Saturday, June 30. Instructors will receive certification in both Bowhunter and Basic Firearm Education. The training will be held at The Buck Lake Green Mountain Conservation Camp in Woodbury from 7:00 p.m. Friday to 4:00 p.m. Saturday. Food and lodging will be provided. For more… http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/Detail.cfm?Agency__ID=2022 Conneticut DEEP Completes 2012 Catfish Stockings Catfish stocked early to provide additional fishing opportunities on Memorial Day weekend Six additional lakes & ponds stocked as catfish stocking program expands to new areas The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced that 20,000 channel catfish were stocked into eighteen lakes and ponds located throughout the State on Monday, May 21.  These stockings mark the sixth year that the DEEP has released catfish into state waters.  Included among the lakes and ponds stocked this year are five waters that are currently part of DEEP’s Community Fishing Program and two new areas also located in urban areas.  For more… http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?A=4173&Q=504838 DEEP Announces Measures to Protect Shorebirds and Wading Birds:  Charles Island and Duck Island Closed for Nesting Season The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today announced measures to protect birds that live in coastal and offshore areas and is asking for the public’s cooperation in ensuring the safety of these species.  For more… http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?A=4173&Q=504996 New York National Archery in Schools Program Growing in New York More Than 15,000 Students from 122 Schools around New York Participate School districts from across New York State are invited to enroll in the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP), which is sponsored by DEC, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. “The National Archery in the Schools Program is growing rapidly in New York,” said Commissioner Martens. “This cooperative effort between conservation agencies, school systems and private organizations is a great way to bring the sport of archery to millions of students across the United States and other countries.” For more… http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/82260.html DEC Re-Opens Sag Harbor Cove for Harvest of Shellfish and Carnivorous Gastropods Re-opening Follows Extensive Testing of Shellfish for Biotoxins Approximately 490 acres of shellfish lands in Sag Harbor Cove, Town of Southampton, is re-opening for the harvest of shellfish, the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today. These areas were closed on April 26, after DEC’s Bureau of Marine Resources detected saxitoxin, a naturally occurring marine biotoxin that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning, in shellfish in Sag Harbor Cove. For more…. http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/82369.html Pennsylvania GAME COMMISSION ADVISES MOTORISTS TO WATCH FOR DEER HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today urged motorists to stay alert and slow down when driving after dusk and before dawn to reduce their risk of colliding with a white-tailed deer. “Each spring, deer congregate on the grassy areas along the state’s busy highways, and cover greater distances in search of food,” Roe said.  “This activity makes vehicle collisions with deer all but inevitable. “For the sake of public safety, the Game Commission is asking motorists to watch for deer and to drive defensively after dark and before sunrise, which is when deer are most active.  Your efforts can help to keep accidents to a minimum, which, in turn, will reduce or eliminate hardships to your family and other Pennsylvanians.” For more… http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=12775&PageID=648010&mode=2&contentid=http://pubcontent.state.pa.us/publishedcontent/publish/marketingsites/game_commission/content/resources/newsreleases/newsrelease/articles/release__053_12.html BOARD OF GAME COMMISSIONERS TO HOLD OPEN WORKING GROUP MEETING HARRISBURG – Following up on his commitment to make the workings of the Board of Game Commissioners more open and transparent, Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners President Ralph A. Martone today announced that the Board will be holding a public working group meeting on Tuesday, May 29.  The meeting, which will begin at 8 a.m., will be held in the auditorium of the Game Commission’s Harrisburg headquarters, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, just off the Progress Avenue exit of Interstate 81. For more…. http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=12775&PageID=648010&mode=2&contentid=http://pubcontent.state.pa.us/publishedcontent/publish/marketingsites/game_commission/content/resources/newsreleases/newsrelease/articles/release__054_12.html New Jersey Opening Day Angler Survey Results May 22, 2012 The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife has been conducting angler (or sometimes referred to as “creel”) surveys since 2004 on the opening day of trout season in April. This type of survey also referred to as an “On-Site Creel Survey” because surveys or interviews are conducted at the time and location the angler is fishing. Angler surveys enable the Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries to gather information about angler success, fishing preferences, interests, and attitudes not only about trout stocking but also about the Division’s Freshwater Fishery program. The intent of this type of data is to provide the Division with information to better understand anglers, provide better service, and ultimately improve fishing throughout New Jersey. For more… http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/news/2012/trt_survey_4-7-12.htm CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF HACKETTSTOWN STATE FISH HATCHERY TO BE CELEBRATED AT OPEN HOUSE ON JUNE 2-3 (12/P59) TRENTON - The 100th anniversary of the Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery in Warren County will be celebrated with an open house for the public on June 2-3, with visitors to get a behind-the-scenes look at the storied facility that for the past century has raised a wide variety of species to benefit anglers across the state. For more… http://www.state.nj.us/dep/newsrel/2012/12_0059.htm

Friday’s Video….

Here is Team Knockout out of Pennsylvania. Their website is http://www.teamknockouthunting.com . Enjoy your weekend, be safe.