Dead Trophy Bucks May Soon Father Fawns with Does Hundreds of Miles Away

An absolute monster of a buck harvested in Illinois successfully impregnated six does in Louisiana after his death. That sounds impossible, but with the help of a determined hunter and the brains and technology of a researcher at Louisiana State University, it’s very possible.

Hunter Mike Toney shot a trophy whitetail buck in Illinois last November. The buck’s antlers rated in the high 200s. Toney estimates that the buck weighed about 275 pounds, deer that weigh 170 to 180 are already considered pretty big in Illinois.

After the harvest, Toney thought back on a research project he had heard about conducted by Louisiana State University researchers at AgCenter Research Extension. He contacted the researchers to see if they could make use of the reproductive material from the monstrous buck and drove the semen down eight hours to Louisiana after properly packing the testicles to ensure the preservation of viable specimens.

Dearl Sanders, resident coordinator at the LSU AgCenter’s research station in Idlewild, Louisiana said breeding deer with big horns for hunters is just one of the many advantages of artificially inseminating does.

“It gives a whole new method of moving deer genetics from the wild into other herds of deer,” Sanders said in an interview with Grand View Outdoors. “Say you found a herd of deer in a state where you can’t move the deer – there are a number of those – that had an inherent resistance to a disease. This could be a way to move that genetic material to any area of the country.”

Toney reached Jesse Saenz who was a member of the LSU research team that successfully birthed three fawns in June 2006 through extracting semen from dead bucks. Saenz earned his master’s degree in 2007 with a thesis about the best techniques for extracting semen from dead bucks, but he was now working weekdays at the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species in New Orleans studying cat testicles for his doctorate. That Sunday in November, he extracted and froze the deer’s semen.

“I processed it, got the sperm out. They were still kicking pretty good,” Saenz said.

At the Baton Rouge and Genex Cooperative Inc., a supplier of dairy and cattle semen, the semen was loaded into 100 plastic straws and frozen in liquid nitrogen. Each straw held enough material to inseminate two does.

A total of 16 does were inseminated with semen from the trophy buck. Six became pregnant and are expected to give birth possibly next week.

LSU lawyers are looking to patent and license the insemination technique developed by Saenz for his master’s thesis. Although Saenz and Sanders say they do no plan on beginning semen sales, there is a thriving market for semen from pedigreed bucks. Straws containing half a cubic centimeters, or about one-tenth of a teaspoon, may sell for up to $10,000.

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“Swamp People” Star Mitchell Guist Dies After Falling from Boat

The History Channel has lost one of the stars of its hit show Swamp People. Mitchell Guist, half of the much loved, rough cut, alligator-hunting Guist brothers has died after falling out of his boat in Louisiana, reportedly after suffering some form of seizure. However, the official cause of death has yet to be determined by Louisiana officials.

According to a witness first quoted on News 2 (a local Louisiana television station), Guist fell just after his boat was launched. Other passengers on the boat waved for help and 911 was called, but attempts to resuscitate Guist were unsuccessful.

The History Channel has released the following statement regarding Guist’s passing:

“We are extremely saddened to report that our friend and beloved member of the Swamp People family, Mitchell Guist, has passed away earlier today. Mitchell passed on the swamp, doing what he loved. We appreciate your respect for the Guist family’s privacy and hope you join us in sending our thoughts and prayers to his brother, Glenn, and the rest of the Guist family.”

A spokesperson also said that all planned episodes of Swamp People would be aired as planned and that the History Channel was working on how to properly honor Guist’s memory.

Check out some clips of the Guist brothers in the video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6NteKbbCN0

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Louisiana to Participate in National Survey to Explore Dove Hunter Opinions

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries urges hunters to participate in an upcoming survey that will ask dove hunters from across the U.S. to share their experiences and opinions about dove hunting.

The National Dove Hunter Survey is scheduled to begin in late June 2012 and will be completed by the end of the year. Louisiana hunters will be randomly selected andreceive the surveys through the mail to complete and return in a postage-paid envelope.

Topics will include time spent hunting, demographics, constraints to hunting, and thoughts about potential effects of spent lead from hunting ammunition on mourning doves and other wildlife.  The survey is a cooperative effort involving state fish and wildlife agencies, all four flyway councils and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

“We are conducting this survey because hunter opinions and preferences are important and should be taken into account whenever possible,” says Dr. Ken Richkus of the USFWS’s Population and Habitat Assessment Branch.  “The Service and the states want to make sure we use the best science-based information for the management and conservation of our migratory bird resources.”

There are more than one million dove hunters nationally and seasons in 40 states.  Dove hunters in every state that has a dove season are being surveyed to collect opinions on a variety of topics.

For more information, contact Jeff Duguay at 225-765-2353 or jduguay@wlf.la.gov.

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Louisiana DWF to Hold Summer Day Camps in Baton Rouge

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is sponsoring two summer day camps for children 12 to 16 years old at the Waddill Outdoor Education Center in Baton Rouge this summer.

The camps will be held from June 25-29 and again from July 23-27.  Each camp is completely free of charge and will allow participants to receive their official boater and hunter education certifications.

LDWF will also offer a fish identification class, fishing and canoeing in the ponds at the Waddill Outdoor Education Center, skeet shooting, and other outdoor related classes and activities.

“Last year’s first ever summer camp proved so successful that we wanted to do two this year.  These camps provide a lot of time for learning classroom material that the children then get a chance to utilize with hands on activities immediately outside later that same day,” said LDWF Secretary Robert Barham.  “For a week, parents have the chance to let their kids become sportsmen and women in a safe, supervised environment.”

The Louisiana Wildlife Agents Association and Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation are providing a daily lunch free of charge for the five-day summer camps.  Cabela’s in Gonzales also donated rod and reel combo sets for each child that they can take home at the end of the camp.

The camps are open to 25 children per camp who have not completed a boater or hunter education certificate.

To register for the camps, parents must fill out the online application located at www.wlf.louisiana.gov/summerdaycamp2012 by May 25.  Parents must fill out a separate application for each child they wish to register and may only register their child for one of the camps.

Since the main goal of these camps is to introduce and teach kids about the outdoors, LDWF will choose the 25 kids for each camp based on the child’s lack of experience with fishing, boating and hunting.  LDWF will notify parents by either email or phone if their child has been selected for the camps.

“We want to teach children how much fun and exciting it can be by spending time outside enjoying all that Louisiana has to offer,” said Secretary Barham.  “These camps also get the kids out of the house away from their video games and computers for a week during their summer break.  They will catch some fish, paddle canoes and shoot skeet and for some this might be their first time ever doing any of these activities.”

Parents with children that have been selected for either camp, must drop off their child at the Waddill Outdoor Education Center located at 4142 North Flannery Rd., Baton Rouge, LA 70814 between 7 and 8 a.m., and then pick their child up between 4 and 5 p.m. each day.  Attendance every day of the week is mandatory in order to receive the boating and hunting education certifications.

The boating education course is mandatory for anybody born after Jan. 1, 1984 and proof of completion of the course is necessary to operate a motorboat in excess of 10 horsepower.  The course includes information on choosing a boat, classification, hulls, motors, legal requirements and equipment requirements.  The course also covers many navigation rules and charts, trailering, sailboats, canoeing, personal watercraft and more.  Completion of the course will result in the student being issued a vessel operators certification card.

The hunter education course is mandatory for anyone born on or after Sept. 1, 1969, who plans on purchasing a hunting license.  The hunter education curriculum includes sections on ethics and responsibility, wildlife management, firearms and ammunition, safety in the field, wildlife identification and wildlife conservation.  The major objectives of the hunter education programs are to reduce the number of hunting accidents, improve the image of hunting through ethical and responsible conduct and promote the shooting sports.

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Louisiana WFC Approves Notices of Intent for Future Hunting and WMA Seasons

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, during their May 3 monthly meeting, approved two notices of intent (NOI) that included two amendments for the 2012-14 hunting seasons and the 2012-13 Wildlife Management Area (WMA) hunting season.

Notable changes to the upcoming hunting seasons include modifying the primitive firearm definition by removing the pre-1900 designation, allowing the take of rabbits, squirrels, and outlaw quadrupeds with air rifles, modifying the hunting season for lands within the Morganza Floodway from I-10 south within the protection levees of the Atchafalaya Basin and providing increased deer hunting opportunity in Area 5. In addition, the season limit for deer for the 2013-14 season was changed to allow for the take of no more than 3 antlered deer or 4 antlerless deer.

The first amendment to the original NOI for the 2012-13 General-WMA Hunting Regulations allows for changing the firearm language specific for the take of raccoon and opossum to be consistent with the firearms legal to take small game, making .22 caliber or smaller legal.

A second amendment will allow for a bird dog training area in Kisatchie National Forest, on that portion of the Vernon Unit of the Calcasieu Ranger District known as the “dove field”, to allow for bird dog training year round, except during turkey season.

Included in the Commission approvals is the list of primitive firearm calibers, smaller than .38, that will be legal for deer hunting beginning with the 2012-13 season. Those calibers include the .38-55 Winchester, .375 Winchester, .357 S&W Magnum, .38 S&W Special, .35 Winchester SL and .351 Winchester SL.

To view the full notices of intent, as presented Feb. 2, 2012 by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and subsequent amendments, please visit http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/action-items.

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Louisiana Man Arrested for Allegedly Shooting a Hiker

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents arrested a Flatwoods man for allegedly shooting a hiker in Natchitoches Parish on April 12.

Agents arrested Jerry Merrill, 63, for negligent injury and booked him into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center.

Merrill was turkey hunting on the Red Dirt Federal Refuge around 9 a.m. when he allegedly mistook a hiker for a turkey shooting him with a shotgun.  The hiker received minor injuries and was treated and released by emergency workers at the scene.

Negligent injury carries a fine up to $500 and up to six months in jail.

Hunters are reminded that positive target identification is critical for hunter safety and a basic component of legal game harvest.

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Waterfowling Reality TV Show Hits the Big Time

The reality-ish TV show Duck Dynasty that airs on A&E is one of those outdoor-industry niche shows that is viewed by many more than just waterfowl hunting enthusiasts. The show follows the Robertson family who lives in the Louisiana bayou. They operate a highly successful waterfowling business, but stay true to their family values and lifestyle at the same time.

The owners of Duck Commander hunting calls and the TV show that preceded Duck Dynasty met with such success, so it’s no wonder the show has done so well with a wider audience. Take a look at clip of one episode, affectionately called, “Yuppies.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k560-bb-1mY

A review on WildFowlMag.com says the show is “all it’s quacked up to be.” The center of attention of the show is Phil Robertson, the father whose antics are hilarious yet his duck hunting skills are undeniable.

Skip Knowles, the review writer says, “Part of the instant admiration was the ground-breaking, in-your-face and honest style of hunt video, and part of it was senior bad ass Phil Robertson’s personal commitment: He walked away from an amazing career to kill ducks. The old man talked about his teammate Terry Bradshaw—he of the four Super Bowl rings—and how he started at quarterback over Terry at Louisiana Tech. ‘Terry chose the bucks, I chose the ducks,’ Phil said.”

And he must be doing something right because his show is taking off the ground right alongside the ducks he’s hunting.

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Bass Pro Shops is Calling all Turkey Callers

The National Wild Turkey Federation and the Salmon River Strutters Chapter will sponsor a sanctioned Turkey Calling Contest for adults and youth, ages twelve years and younger, at 1 p.m. April 15 at Bass Pro Shops in Auburn.

All members of the NWTF may register? non-members may join NWTF on April 15 upon registration. Registration closes at 12:30 p.m. Cost is $25.

The winner of the open will be elgible to participate in the 2013 Grand National Calling Contest.

Emceeing the event will be Jim Montanaro from NWTF. The winners of the open division will be awarded cash prizes; youth division winners will receive prize awards provided by Empire Calls.

Exact cash awards will be determined by the number of registered callers (entry fees). The cash award split will be as follows:
First Place- 50%
Second Place- 30%
Third Place – 20%

Five open contest calls:

1). Hen Yelps
2). Kee-Kee Run
3). Fly Down Cackle
4). Cluck and Purr
5). Callers best Call

Youth contest calls:

1). Hen yelps
2). Cluck
3). Cutting of a Hen Turkey
4). Callers Best Call

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Former Ducks Unlimited President Inducted into Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame

Dr. L.J. Mayeux has received numerous awards for his conservation achievements, but being inducted into the Louisiana Hall of Fame is an achievement culmination of sorts.

Mayeux’s conservation efforts to restore waterfowl habitat in Canada and Louisiana began almost 30 years ago. He has held many titles at Ducks Unlimited including state chairman, national president and chairman of the board. During his tenure, he helped to increase state membership by 30 percent in 1993/94, implemented educational classrooms, locally and internationally and has authored 32 weeks of teaching guides that focus on environmental and wetlands conservation for waterfowl. Just to name a few.

This June, he will be one of a few honorees to be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

Original press release issued by Ducks Unlimited on March 29th, 2012

Dr. L.J. Mayeux of Marksville, La., former national president and chairman of the board for Ducks Unlimited, is the 2012 recipient of the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award presented by the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. He will be among the 11 honorees at the 2012 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Dinner and Ceremonies on June 23, at the Natchitoches Events Center.

“Dr. L. J. Mayeux, widely known across DU as ‘Dr. Duck,’ is a consummate example of the passion and commitment of the DU volunteer,” said DU President John Newman “He has held virtually every volunteer position in DU. Starting as a Marksville, La., committee member in 1980, he rose through the ranks of Ducks Unlimited to become national president and board chairman, and an innovator in environmental education and promotion.”

Dr. Mayeux, a Marksville physician, has achieved marked success in myriad capacities for local, state, national and even Canadian DU organizations. As the Louisiana DU state chairman in 1993 and 1994, he increased state membership by 30 percent and state income by 25 percent, as well as receiving recognition for leading Louisiana DU to number one among the states in increasing Greenwing (youth) membership and sponsors. Mayeux took the helm of Ducks Unlimited Inc. as national president in 2000. After his two-year term, he took over as DU chairman of the board for three years.

Mayeux founded an Adopt-A-Classroom program for children in grades 3-5 at parish/county, state, national and international levels in 1994. He received DU’s Wings of Innovation award 11 years later for the Cygnet curriculum he wrote.

“DU is pleased to see Dr. Mayeux honored in this way for his years of service and support of continental conservation work,” Newman said.

In 2010, DU hosted a tribute dinner in honor of Dr. Mayeux, which generated more than $450,000 in one evening for the organization. Those funds were leveraged to accomplish more than $2 million of conservation work in Canada and the United States, including a 1,400-acre conservation area dedicated to Dr. Mayeux in Saskatchewan, Canada, and a 1,200-acre project in his honor at Grand Cote National Wildlife Refuge in Avoyelles Parish.

The Dave Dixon Award is presented annually by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s 30-member Hall of Fame selection committee to an individual who has played a decisive role as a sports leader or administrator benefiting Louisiana and/or bringing credit to Louisiana on the national and international level. Dixon Award winners are enshrined as Hall of Fame members and will be recognized in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame museum.

The award is named in honor of Hall of Famer Dave Dixon, the driving force behind bringing the National Football League to Louisiana with the creation of the New Orleans Saints franchise. Dixon, who passed away in 2010, is also considered the “father” of the Louisiana Superdome, developing the concept for the innovative domed structure and pushing state officials for its construction in the late 1960s. His wife, Mary Dixon, will present the Dave Dixon Award to Dr. Mayeux at the June 23 ceremonies.

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Louisiana Man Cited for Turkey Hunting Violations

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents cited a man for alleged turkey hunting violations on March 24 in the Atchafalaya Basin.

Agents cited Ted A. Lewis, 67, of Pride, for taking over the limit of turkeys and failing to tag turkeys.

Agents working in the Atchafalaya Basin on opening day of turkey season on Jakes Bayou in St. Martin Parish heard gun shots.  After investigating the shots, agents found Lewis in possession of two turkey gobblers that were untagged.  The legal limit for turkeys is one per day and two per season.

Possession of over the limit of turkeys carries a fine of $250 to $500 and up to 90 days in jail.  Failing to tag turkeys brings a fine of $100 to $350 and up to 60 days in jail.  Lewis was also assessed a civil restitution penalty for the value of the two turkeys totaling $3,079.

Agents participating in the case were Sgts. Brian Theriot and Ronald Hebert and Senior Agent Donnie Bozeman.

For more information, contact Adam Einck at 225-765-2465 or aeinck@wlf.la.gov.

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