Outdoor Life Newswire

If you can't beat 'em, nominate 'em. At least, that seems to be the approach of the Bush administration, based on its pick for Secretary of the Interior. Republican officials indicated that Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne will be the President's choice, according to an AP report. Kempthorne sued the Bush administration in 2000 for their proposal to reintroduce grizzlies to the Bitteroot range. Ultimately the proposal was withdrawn. Kempthorne also worked on a four-year salmon restoration project in the region.

In case you didn't read the comments on Todd Smith's recent post "OL Editor Responds to Quail-Gate," take a look. Today, Smith replies to specific points made by Ron.

Ron, et al.—

Thanks for weighing in on Cheney.

No, I wasn’t commenting on Mr. Cheney’s wealth, rather that the man has been hounded for nearly two weeks over this whole incident, which is still being dissected by the media.

In regards to getting the facts straight, an article by Steve Tuttle in this week’s edition of Newsweek speaks directly to the fact that reporters, particularly in the initial coverage of this story, really made some bogus errors.

In speaking with my contacts at the National Shooting Sports Foundation last week, I was told that they have fielded hundreds of phone calls from reporters wanting technical information surrounding this story. Not surprisingly, none of them have devoted any ink or airtime to speaking to the positive aspects of hunting, which is happily pursued by some 20-million Americans.

Your comment about a celebrity coming in the door and the facts fleeing out the back is right on. America has always been infatuated with the lives of public figures (particularly when they stumble). This is just another example.

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By Todd Smith

Since the news broke about Dick Cheney's unfortunate hunting accident in Texas, the media has been nothing short of ravenous. Reporters are having a field day, using this story as an opportunity to take cheap shots at the Vice President and the Bush administration. Give the poor man a break!

This is an unfortunate sporting accident. People are injured in sporting accidents (hockey, baseball, football) every day. What makes this story so irresistible to the press is that it happened to the Vice President and it involved a firearm. Is it news? Of course, and the press has an obligation to
cover the news. But reporters also have an obligation to get their facts straight.

Why does the press use words like "weapon" instead of "shotgun" or "firearm"? Because weapon sounds more sensational. Same thing with interchanging "buck shot" for "bird shot." Who's fact-checking this stuff?

What happened is a hunter's worst nightmare and we certainly wish Mr. Whittington  a speedy recovery. But despite all our efforts to stress safety, accidents in the field do happen. I just wish the press would stick to the facts and leave the politics out of it.

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By now you've seen the reports on TV, you've heard the jokes from late-night comedians and you've probably watched reporters pretend like they know guns (some are confusing buck shot with bird shot). Though the real story involves the importance of hunter safety, as well as the condition of the victim, it seems that the news cycle is revolving around administration haters taking cheap shots at Cheney.

So, how is Harry Whittington doing? Not well. Today he suffered a minor heart attack when a piece of shot moved into his heart. Though it's been difficult to get a straight story with all the details of the shooting, it appears that Whittington was hit hard at 30 yards. Several pellets were lodged in his face and upper body. At the moment Whittington is in intensive care and expected to be in the hospital for up to seven days. Cheney was, of course, cleared of any charges of malicious intent, though he was found to be hunting without the proper bird stamps.

Hanback's Opinion

Our whitetail guru, Michael Hanback, offers his analysis of the incident and the media's handling of it on his blog, the Big Buck Zone. Take a look.

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When the orcas put on a show slaughtering seals and salmon, it might cost you. And when a moose goes strutting down a wilderness path, get ready to shell out a few bucks. This is all hypothetical, of course, but if a controversial bill in the Alaska senate passes, wildlife watchers will be required to buy a permit much like hunters have licenses. The idea is to alleviate some of the budget belt-tightening that game agencies feel.

The wildlife conservation tag, as it's known now, could generate as much as $4.6 million for the state annually. That's a sizable shot in the arm for an agency that has to manage the largest land mass in the United States. Tour operators want nothing to do with the licenses, though. Many have spoken out against the proposal, claiming the logistical nightmare that would ensue.

Most fish and game agencies watch their bank accounts like a college student. There's not much money to go around, and creative fundraising sounds like the way to go. In Maine, for instance, the IFW is responsible for all wilderness rescues, which includes hikers on the Appalachian Trail. But the IFW budget comes almost entirely from hunting and fishing license sales. The campers aren't paying a dime into the coiffures, but still benefit from the services. What do you think? Is it time for granolas to pay their share?

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So, most hunters are of the red-state mentality...or so say the polls. This story is a great read on how liberal politicians might have a better solution to the future of hunting than conservatives. Hopefully I'll have more time to post on this later.

You never know what stunts PETA will pull. They've harassed former President Jimmy Carter, telling him to stop fishing. They posted a billboard in Texas that simulated a dog with a hook in its mouth. And most recently they compared chicken farms to concentration camps. Now one of their own is after the Colonel, and he's attacking America's favorite fried chicken with its blend of 11 herbs and spices in an unorthodox way. He changed his name from Chris to Kentuckyfriedcruelty.com (and started a website with the same name, how industrious). Read about it. My guess is he's not planning a run for president with a name like that.