dave524

I too, grew up in Niagara. My experience farming, hunting and as a naturalist go back to the fifties, my dad an avid hunter go back further. During the 50's and early 60's, reports of coyotes or as they were reported then, brush wolves, were about like the cougar reports of today. They were almost non existent. Deer populations then were but a fraction of what they are today, same with Canada Geese, resident Mallard populations were a fraction of today. Possums even were a rarity, though they seemed to spike in population in the 80's and now levelled off. On the other hand, populations of Ruffed Grouse, Woodcock and Ringedneck Pheasants in Niagara have plummetted. Controlled hunter number shotgun deer hunts in WMU 89 did not start till the mid 70's, when the population could support it. I tramped the countryside extensively during my teens from my parents house in Pelham Township, the same woodlots now have deer and coyotes were there was none back then. The increase in the deer, coyote and Canada Goose population in Niagara probably surpasses the increase in human population in the past 50 or so years. Even beavers are returning to Niagara, so much has changed in my years. The biggest change, is the in the behaviour of the animals themselves, far bolder, little fear of man. This combined with expanding human population into previously open areas and the increase in the population of deer, goose and coyote at the same time has created today's problem. The coyote explosion is very similar to the cormorant explosion, historically they may always have been here, but never in the numbers of today. I bet some of those who question the ethics of those hunting coyotes would be first in line calling for a cull of cormorants when they decimate the fish stocks of one of their favourite lakes.

Curiously, one of the commentators mentioned that the Leafs lead or are very close to leading the league in shots on goal per game, now what does that tell you? Looked like a replay of the opening game of the season. Out shot them that game too and still lost

You generally have the option of recording anywhere from 2 to 6 hours on a DVD RW with a DVD recorder. The 2 hour option will be indistingushable from the original TV program, the 4 and 6 hour option will be more on the quality of your VHS machine, increasing image degradation with increased time. If you can afford it , the hard drive option would be nice though.

Maybe you could cut a hole with a Slap Chop ? Why have a boring life ?

Try TSC, Tractor Supply Company not The Shopping Channel

I was faced with the same problem several months ago, our old Panasonic DVD recorder died. I actually have a Bell HD receiver that all you have to do is add a external hard drive to and it becomes a PVR. I went for another DVD recorder instead of the hard drive, specfically this one http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetai...8436&catid= because.... 1. Still have a bunch of commercial and recorded DVD's I want to watch 2. I can transfer my digital pictures to a DVD/CD for viewing on the HD TV, it also has a usb port so you can transfer them to a usb thumb drive as well 3. Sometimes we miss recording a program or 2 come on at the same time, I will download a DivX .avi of the show we need on the internet and put it on the thumb drive or a rewritable DVD for viewing on the TV 4 Got a video camera? You can record the camera to a DVD to save the video, even if you make the DVD of the camera material on the computer you can't play it on a PVR if you want to watch it on the TV 5 I like to save some TV programs, specifically concerts, with the DVD I can bring them to a computer to edit commercials or add menues, can't do that with a PVR, even one with an external hard drive as a computer will not recognize the format. 6. Of specific concern to me was the ability to play PAL formatted DVD of European origin in addition to NTSC format standard here, this machine will play them. 7. Got your sound system hooked up to the TV, need it to play cd's and mp3 disks Most people still will need a good DVD machine.

My high school had a rifle range, know of another that did as well. Mine was only used by cadets but the other school had a rifle club for students.

No, in addition to the other boat issues I think I see a dent just above one of the guide bunks, any more? For example, here is a similar vintage hull, somewhat larger, looks to be in far nicer shape, well cared for, well equipped with lots of extras, something someone took a little pride in. OK, there is a known issue with the main power, but with months till spring and 12G's of wiggle room for repower or rebuild, you could come off with a much nicer package IMHO. For that money, I would be looking for a hull in this shape. http://forums.quintefishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7951

I've been using one of the STH Cassette Reels for 5/6 weight outfits that I've been quite happy with. Little heavy but the cassettes make line change convenient and cost less than spare spools, won't break the bank either.

I had a rat that would come and pick up seed under my bird feeders this summer, often in the daylight, sucker was getting bold. Wife wanted it gone and I was none too impressed with its presence as well. Got one those big Victor rat traps, baited it with bacon first, then peanut butter, kernel corn, balogna, tried lots of stuff. Only put it out at night when the birds were gone but you could still see the darned rat in the back light, he never touched it. Eventually I stopped feeding the birds till he gave up and left, then crossed my fingers and resume feeding, luckily for me he did not return. Bet it is a rat, sorry.

I'd really like a 22-24 foot walk around cuddy sportfish boat with all the toys parked in the harbour in town, Grimsby. Would maybe move it to Erie for a couple of weeks during prime walleye time. My wife would get an equal $ amount to remodel the inside of our smallish home with maybe a sunroom addition out the back. I'm already retired but investing the rest would enable us to do a few things with more cconfidence in these economic times .

That too, has been my favourite for small stream specks, often with a bit of orange in the feather dressing too along with the black.

Seems the Blue Pickerel that my dad recalls was called a Blue Pike on the US side of Lake Erie, this link has a few stories of other oldtimers, both anglers and commercial fishermen. Quite the story, a collapse of a species almost on the order of the magnitude of the collapse of the passenger pigeon, prior to 1955 it would seem they were the most important commercial fish on Erie with a seemingly inexhaustable supply, then a sudden collapse. http://www.outdoorsniagara.com/bluepikeindex.htm

From what I understand from my Dad and others his age that had an opportunity to fish the Lake Erie Blue Pickerel is that they were somewhat like a Sauger in that they were small 1-2 pounds with a 3 pounder being a big one and they lacked the white spot on the tail that the Yellow Pickeral/Walleye has. The Blues were caught in large numbers in similar water to fishing for jumbo perch today, they were also a staple of ice fishing too.

I think its all a result of these Regional Governments, those in the country, instead of being Lot X concession Y in Anywhere Township, in Chris's case he is probably now in the City of Barrie, but still out in the country without the benefits of living in the city like regular snow plowing , sidewalks and such but they make him pay a big city mill rate based on his assessment. Lot of rural residents were dragged into Regional Government kicking and screaming because they were going to get hit with higher taxes with no increase in services. Can't say that I blame them. Chris , your rant is heard a thousand times everywhere there is regional goverments.

I've noticed over the years that oldtimers spell the Canadian pickerAl with the A whereas the American pike related species is spelled pickerEl with the E. I'm a few months from 60, dad is 83 and he tells of catching the blue pickeral in the 40's out of Port Colborne and Port Maitland, my first recollestions of fishing where the late 50's there and by then they were gone/extinct. There is a bluish phase of Walleye native to some lakes but the true Blue Walleye was a separate species.

Curiously almost all sightings seem to occur during the warmer months when visibility is obscured by foliage and tracking a soft padded animal is difficult. You would think that like other animals, sightings and tracks would spike during the winter months with better visibility and snow to hold tracks. If there is a sighting in winter I can't see why its tracks have not be followed and the animal confirmed, cats are not a long winded animal that could outdistance a determined tracker or hounds.

Quite some time ago I used to hunt them with a loosely organized group, drivers and blockers, when fur prices were high. Later, individually, with a predator call or driving a vehicle and glassing , then a short stalk. It has been my experience they only use a den when they have pups. Often in the winter on a sunny day they will bed down in an open field in deep snow, glass dark bumps for telltale fur. I feel they like to have good visibility when they bed down. One corridor for movement that I have seen here is the set of railroad tracks running through town, I also suspect that they might use the railway embankment as a den site. Groundhogs are quite common in these embankments and coyotes usually enlarge existing burrows for their own use. if you want pictures, I would suggest getting a predator call, it will work for a while but they will get smart to that quickly, they are not stupid.

If you look hard there is some hiding between the blades of grass and in the cracks of the sidewalk here, bit of rain now. Looks like the weatherman had another case of premature accumulation

Curiously, I just noticed this morning , I have only to hit the back arrow once to go back, ever since I joined here , which isn't that long I have always had to hit it twice to move back one page. Is the recent or perhaps I've just not been paying attention ? I beleive I wasn't the only one that had to double click back, there was some discussion about it. Nice Christmas details this morning, hope the change over goes smoothly for you Rick, that kinda stuff can be a bear sometimes.

It would have to be Rainbows/Steelhead. It is the one species that I can target every month of the year with a good success rate. River fishing, October through to May, there is no doubt they are my favourite. Out on Lake Ontario, May through to Sept, they can consistently be caught, however would rather fish for them on a float rod with a nice night crawler as bait in a river.

Not a problem, minor inconveniance. As anyone who goes back far enough to remember the usenet , newsreaders and moderated groups like rec.hunting because of the antis where every post had to be approved before it would show up will attest. We got it good here, hats off to the mods

Very nice looking fresh fish, 6 for 6 is a good day in anybodies' log. Nice pictures too.

For an offshore Great Lakes boat, I would second the recomendation for the Starcraft Fishmaster, they are a much deeper hull than the Lunds, fine multi species boat that they are and of very good quality. The Starcraft with a greater floor to gunwale height just makes me feel more secure setting riggers and netting fish in rough water, might not be quite as easy to reach down and lip a bass though. I run a mid 80's vintage Sylvan 18 foot centre console that has 29" of floor to gunwale height, that 196 Fishmaster would have more than that judging by how far the motor is notched down below the gunwale height at the back. Fished out of several comparable Lunds and always felt nervous like if I slipped and lost my balance the gunwale would hit me just above the knees and over I would go. Sorry, but I just like an offshore boat with sides up around my waist.

Lew, you gotta remember this was on Bloor St. in downtown Toronto, high priced establishments. Almost forgot, Rochdale College was on that walk to Honest Ed's, but we'll leave that part of the 60's back there