Dear Fishermen and Fisherwomen;

I’d like to invite you to compete in the Upper Andro Two Fly Contest and Drift Boat Competition scheduled for June 12 and 13. This is the Upper Andro Anglers Alliance’s primary fund-raiser for the year. Our sponsors, Kittery Trading Post, L.L. Bean, the Orvis Company, Caddis and Cane, Sun Valley Sports, and Clackacraft have donated over $5,000 worth of prizes.

Information and registration is available on line at www.upperandro.com. The releases below give an overview of the events.

If you are a guide, invite two of your best sports to join you for the event and introduce them to the trout fishery on the Upper Andro. Did you know that Maine’s record rainbow trout was caught last June on the Upper Andro? If you are an avid angler but a mid-week 9 to 5’er, perhaps your employer would sponsor your team. We’d be happy to post any banners or posters from you company to give them recognition.

Many of our lodging members have special overnight rates. Just mention that you are competing in the Two Fly Contest to receive the rates. May we suggest The Bethel Inn-$133 per night for a double occupancy room including tax (800-654-0125) or The Bethel Hill B&B- $230 for 2 nights exclusive of tax or bring your friends and stay at the Village House sleeping 6 for $375 for 2 nights (207-824-2461). Information about other UAAA lodging and camping members is available at www.upperandro.com

The final day of registration is Wednesday, June 11 at Sun Valley Sports. Pick up your registration kit, rules, and barbecue coupon early so you can get out on the water at the crack of dawn. Any questions, give me a call at 207-824-7533.

Yours truly,

Rocky Freda
Sun Valley Sports
UAAA Director

Upper Andro Two Fly Contest

Set for June 12 and 13

The Upper Andro Anglers Alliance is sponsoring its Annual Two Fly Contest on June 12 and 13 in Bethel, Maine.

The Two Fly contest will test the skills of anglers to fly fish for the most and the largest of the three trout species, brown, rainbow and brook found in the Upper Androscoggin River from the New Hampshire border to Rumford.

Contestants may use only two flies during the event, which starts early Thursday morning and ends at noon on Friday. A fly is defined as made from natural or synthetic materials tied to a single pointed hook. No tandems or treble hooks are allowed. Teams of three including two anglers and a referee/oarsman must fish from an open boat-drift boat, row boat or raft. All fish must be released live.

Prizes include rods and fishing gear supplied by Kittery Trading Post, L.L. Bean, Caddis and Cane, Sun Valley Sports and the Orvis Company.

Official contest rules and a registration form are available on line at www.upperandro.com or by phoning 1-877-851-7533. The entry fee is $375 per team and includes an outdoor barbecue at the Bethel Inn. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Upper Andro Anglers Alliance.

Northeast Drift Boat Championship

The First Annual Northeast Drift Boat Championship will be held Friday afternoon, June 13 on the Upper Androscoggin River in Bethel Maine. Designed as a spectator event, the competition will test oarsmen’s skills at launching, navigating a course and rowing speed. Each drift boat must carry at least one angler, who must remain standing throughout the timed race. The launch will be from Bethel Outdoor Adventures on Route 2 and the finish line is at Davis Park in Bethel-a distance of a quarter mile.

Prizes include drift boat equipment provided by Clackacraft. A registration form is available on line at www.upperandro.com or by phoning 1-877-851-7533. The entry fee is $50 or is included in the Two-Fly Contest fee if the drift boat is competing in both events.

Tom Remington

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Direct TV Programming Note:

Contributing writer for U.S. Hunting Today, Scott Ellis, was part of a filming crew for turkey hunting with Chad Brock and Chris Bell. The show will air on Direct TV, channel 608, at the following times:

Tuesday, April 8, 2008 @ 7:00 p.m.
Friday, April 11, 2008 @ 10:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 13, 2008 @ 9:00 p.m.

Scott Ellis has been hunting all game species in the southeast for over 25 years. He is a member of Quaker Boy Game Calls Pro Staff and represents Therma-cell insect repellent, Tru-glo and CVA muzzloaders and is on the staff of Realtree Camo. As well, he is a three-time Florida State Turkey Calling Champion, two-time Florida State Gobbling Champion and 2006 Southern Open Turkey Calling Champion. He has place in over 20 other competitions. Scott is also a contributing author for Woods and Water Magazine and a free lance outdoor writer.

Posted by Tom Remington

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Official ceremonies will be today in Bethel, Maine to introduce the world to the World’s Tallest Snow Woman. Now this fine lady of the frozen tundra has a name - Olympia, named in honor of Maine’s senior U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe. We will also be given all the particulars but I have it on pretty reliable sources, he, he, that she is 122′ and 1 inch tall.

Here’s what she looked like at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, February 29, 2008 (Leap year/day) Gee, I wonder if she will ask Angus, King of the Mountain to marry her? That’s an acceptable practice on Leap Year you know.

I don’t know how much longer the web cam will remain operational but you can check it out here.

Tom Remington

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Here’s a photo of the World’s Tallest Snow Woman taken this morning at about 9:15 a.m. Plans are to have this girl dressed and ready for public scrutiny by Friday. She should have her other arm on this morning sometime.

*Update - 9:44 a.m.*

I just learned the World’s Tallest Snow Woman officially has a name - Olympia, named in honor of Maine senior U.S. Senator, Olympia Snowe.

Tom Remington

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

*Scroll for Updates* I will continue to update this site. I was told I would get a call right after the height was certified.

For those interested, the world’s tallest snow woman is being built in my hometown of Bethel, Maine. You can watch the progress at this link. It’s a webcam.

I just received a telephone call from Gary Inman. He’s a longtime friend and a local surveyor. He owns his own company called Points North Survey. He is standing by with his instruments to certify the final height for the record books. His report said that they were at just about 110 feet with a few feet left to go.

FYI - This is the construction of the snow, the basic shape. They are in hopes to reach the top height with snow this morning and then they will begin dressing the ole girl.

In the photo, Jim Sysko, one of the engineers for the project, is in the lift truck in the right of the photo. Lanie Cross, is somewhere at the top filming the effort for the local public access television station.

The deadline is to get this finished before Friday as official ceremonies etc. are planned to take place.

A major snowstorm is predicted for later today and tonight. This may hamper efforts.

*Update 10:07 a.m.*

I just need to clarify that although I am extremely privileged to be able to get a call from Gary Inman, the surveyor recording the height, it will not be an “official” recording of the height. That has to come via the proper channels. Nonetheless, I am honored to be privy to that information perhaps before millions of other people worldwide.

*Update - 11:55 a.m.*

Just got a call from Gary Inman. They had tried placing a substantial chuck of ice and snow on the top to try to shape but when it got placed, it got broken into two pieces. Currently they have taken the bucket off the crane and are preparing another large chuck of snow and ice and are going to attempt to place it on the top.

If that seems to go well, Gary will take an initial reading on height. He is going to let me know when and if that happens.

*Update - 12:15 p.m.*

Below is the picture taken just moments ago when Gary Inman of Points North Surveying took a measurement of the height. Unofficially, the current height is 117 feet. That’s unofficial and tomorrow the will come back in the morning and take some more measurements before certifying the exact height down to the nearest inch.

*Update - 7:56 a.m. Feb. 27, 2008*

The official - you didn’t hear it from me - height of the World’s Tallest Snow Woman is 122 feet and 1 inch. This surpasses the World’s Tallest Snowman record also held by the town of Bethel, Maine. Angus, King of the Mountain was 113 feet and 7 inches. Congratulations!

Tom Remington

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Rex Rammell, who most of you know as the Idaho veterinarian whose elk escaped his ranch and were needlessly slaughtered by the state, is running for the U.S. Senate seat to be vacated by Sen. Larry Craig. I have spoken with Mr. Rammell on several occasions, covered the elk story and conducted a one-hour interview(click on Nov. 21, 2007 link) with him on my Open Air with Tom Remington, Skinny Moose Radio show.

Dr. Rammell has decided to air some television ads statewide in Idaho during this Sunday’s Super Bowl that are being promoted as something that will “get your attention”. Below are previews of three of those ads.

Tom Remington

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

200 music students from Noble High School in Maine are getting creative in trying to find a way to raise $100,000 for a trip to New York City. Bake sales just aren’t getting the job done, so Rick Varney, a grandfather of one of the kids and Master Maine Guide, thought it would be a great idea to sell chances for a Maine Black Bear hunt.

Varney describes the hunt.

The winner gets lodging and meals for two at one of the family’s bear camps in northwestern Maine for the first week of the 2008 bear-hunting season. Hot and cold running water, “a flush toilet,” bedding and meals — including a lobster bake and “trash can turkey” dinner — are included. A Ragged Lake Guide Service guide is part of the prize and winners are warned their cell phones won’t work at the remote camp.

Winners who don’t want to hunt can photograph bears and other wildlife in the remote area between Mt. Katahdin and the Canadian border, said Varney, or take $1,000 cash.

For a chance at a Maine bear hunt, all you have to do is send an email to: noblesro@sad60.k12.me

Tom Remington

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Sacramento, CA
January 17-20, 2008 (Thursday to Sunday)

Cal Expo, California State
Fairgrounds
1600 Exposition Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95815
www.calexpo.com

This is the grand-daddy of Northern California sportsmen shows and it just gets better and better. For 2008 there will be more exhibitors with more fishing, hunting and outdoor equipment. The halls will be brimming with adventure travel destinations and show priced gear.

Come out and discover all that’s new at this year’s show. With nearly 600 exhibitors, ISE Sacramento has all the gear, travel and experts you need.

Show Dates:	January 17-20, 2008 (Thursday to Sunday)
Show Hours:	Thursday and Friday, Noon to 9:00 pm Saturday, 10:00 am to 8:00 pm Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Location:	Cal Expo, California State Fairgrounds 1600 Exposition Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95815 www.calexpo.com
Tickets:	$12.00 General Admission Free - Children 12 years and under Get your tickets online now! Buy tickets in advance for you, family and friends. All tickets are valid for admission on one day only.
Parking:	$7 per car
Seminars & Events:	Learning is just part of the fun at ISE Sacramento. Now you can share your opinion on both hunting and fishing, too. Here are several show highlights: NEW Plight of Our Fisheries Summit. Join us Saturday at 1pm in the California Sportsmen Theater to learn how you can fight for fishing’s future! Panelists include: Assemblyperson Lois Wolk; Jim Martin, former Oregon Chief of Fisheries; John Beuttler, CA Sportfishing Protection Alliance; Dan Bacher, Editor of the Fish Sniffer, and Dick Pool, Water4Fish. USAfishing.com’s Mike Aughney will moderate. NEW Hunting Under Fire Summit, with former Senator Rico Oller, Moderator, and panelists: Senator Dennis Hollingsworth; Assemblyman Doug la Malfa; California Fish & Game Commissioner Jim Kellogg; Bill Gaines, President, California Outdoor Heritage Alliance; and Sam Perades, Executive Director, Gun Owners of California. Help preserve your hunting heritage: 2:30 on Saturday at the Eastmans’ Journals Adventure Theater). NEW GPS and sportfishing-gear classes, presented by Garmin and hosted by Johnson Hicks, in Building D. Scheduled for Friday from 1-2, and Saturday from 11-noon. NEW Taste of the Outdoors cooking theater, also in Building D. NEW Survival 101 tips and stories from survival and outdoor-safety authority and author Greg Davenport. Dutch oven cooking demonstrations, classes and new contest, located outside near Building D (white tent). Rock-crawler demos on the giant mountain, presented by 4Wheel Parts. New faces and topics at the California Sportsmen Theater, hosted by Sep Hendrickson; at the Eastmans’ Journals Adventure Theater; and at the Fly-Fishing/Tying Theater, too. Get your fishing and hunting licenses–5% savings–and expert information at the California Department of Fish & Game pavilion. The Ultimate Bass Demonstration Tank, hosted by Kent Brown of Ultimate Bass radio, features seminars by California’s top professional anglers. Splash Dogs jumping contest is back with great entertainment for the whole family and includes ISE’s new Western Championship Series. Bring the kids to the Youth Outdoor Sports Fair (opens Friday at 3pm), presented by Western Outdoor News. This giant special event is located at Expo Center, near the show’s West Entrance. This year’s Fair offers new interactive displays from California Fish & Game. Check out the show schedule.
Contests & Competitions:	And whether you like to watch the experts, or test your own skills be sure to catch all the exciting competitions this year. See the exciting Best of the West Distance Fly Casting Competition Elk callers can participate in ISE’s Elk Calling Competition, presented by Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. The Splash Dogs are back. Get full details and schedule at Splashdogs.com. Get contest details and rules.
Exhibitors:	You’ll find the gear, adventure and information you need at many of the nearly 600 exhibitors at the ISE Sacramento show. If you’re interested in selling your outdoor product or service, click for more information on becoming an ISE ExhibitorView the alphabetical list of this year’s exhibitors.
Promotional Partners:	Check out our promotional partners. These sportsman-related businesses provide valuable prizes, gifts, incentives and other promotional items for ISE shows. We thank each one for their support. Please visit these partner websites for more information about their products and services.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

I just got off the telephone with John Stabley, V.P. of Global Operations at Skinny Moose Media, who is covering the ATA trade show in Indianapolis, Indiana for us. He gives us an update about the show, some information on new products and prospects for the coming year.

Listen to our conversation now!

Tom Remington

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Raised in the western mountains of Maine on the banks of the Androscoggin River and the village of Bethel, Carter Davidson is an avid fly fisherman, a producer of outdoor adventure television programs, documentaries and most recently executive producer of Gray Ghost Productions fly fishing film titled “The One.” Beginning in 2000, Carter first got his start with Maine PBS, producing and editing a long list of Emmy nominated magazine series and documentaries. Later, he traveled across the globe to locations such as New Zealand, France, Argentina, Chile, and British Columbia to film all sorts of outdoor adventures from extreme skiing, whitewater rafting and kayaking, skydiving, mountain biking and of course fly fishing. In 2007 Carter founded the video production company Gray Ghost Productions and began his search to film and capture the essence of fly fishing.

“Follow the dream team of Gray Ghost Production’s first adventure as they travel through New England, Patagonia and British Colombia in search of The One. Come explore the untouched terrain of Argentina with Michael Jones. Or hop in the jet boat for a wild ride hunting for steelheads. New England’s most prominent trout guru and director of the Green Meanie’s takes us into the back country of Maine and trophy brook trout water. Take a look back in time to rediscover the Rangeley lakes region and the famous trout flies originated in this area. Tag along with Luke Gray and Charlie Davidson as they hear the scream of the reel on some of New England’s large and small tributaries. Join these fly fishing junkies and their quest for, The One.”

Executive Producers: Matt Stanton, Carter Davidson
Producer: Charlie Davidson
Director of Photography: Luke Gray
Narration: Joe Perham and Carter Davidson

Movie trailer:

A movie premier will take place in Bethel in February. The release of the full length movie will be available to the public shortly after that.

Tom Remington

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Here is something you can do that could make a GI happy. Not only is it free but it’s also nonpolitical. Any member of our Armed Services who has a valid military ID number can visit CD for the Troops and download a free copy of a music CD that is comprised of several top recording artists songs.

Some of the artists featured on the album and these are their original recordings, are Billy Joel, Montgomery Gentry, Josh Groben, Five for Fighting, Melissa Etheridge, Sarah McLachlan, Brooks and Dunn, Goo Goo Dolls, Jewel, Neville Brothers and more.

This is a fantastic effort spearheaded by the lead singer for Five for Fighting, John Ondrasik. If you have family or friends that are military members, let them know about this. Visit the website I linked to above and follow the instructions to get a free copy of the hits of these 13 top recording artists.

Tom Remington

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

If you’re interested in elk in the state of Montana, you probably ought to plan to attend a free elk summit on the campus of the Montana State University on December 8, 2007. The summit will be held in the Strand Union Ballroom at the University in Bozeman.

According to the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department, highlights of the event look like this:

Elk Summit Highlights:

* Video on the current state of Montana’s elk
* Presentations from FWP biologists and other staff on:
o elk management history;
o what FWP legally can and can’t do;
o changes in the elk environment;
o survey data and trends;
o the state’s latest elk management plan;
o what other states are doing, and more.
* Forum discussion among summit participants, including outfitters, landowners, biologists, hunters and lawmakers.

Jeff Hagener, director of FWP in Helena says that everyone who has a passion for elk should attend.

“Everyone who has a passion for elk—ranchers, hunters, outfitters, conservationists, business and community leaders, educators and more—will benefit from the knowledge and insight provided by the summit’s statewide perspectives,” Hagener said.

The summit is being sponsored by FWP, the Montana Bowhunters Association, the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association, the Montana Wildlife Federation, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

For more information about this event, click here or here, or call this number - Ron Aasheim at: 406-444-4038.

Tom Remington

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

The following Veterans Day Tribute is from all of us at Skinny Moose Media and U.S. Hunting Today. It was created by chief photographer, Milt Inman.

Tom Remington

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

I just can’t wait to get on the road again and here I go. Sometimes my trips seem arduous but today I’m on the road headed for Maine. I’ll be traveling today and tomorrow and should arrive in Maine by Friday afternoon. I’ll be gathering my hunting gear but first on my agenda will be to awaken in the wee hours of the morning on Saturday and head to West Paris for the annual hunter’s breakfast held on Main Street at the Historical Society, just across the street from the library.

The hunter’s breakfast has been going on for many, many years but I began showing up to help friends three years ago and certainly enjoy the good time. Maybe this year I’ll win the raffle!

After the breakfast, I’ll head back to my camp and finish packing my gear. Early Sunday morning I drive to hunting camp where during the day my hunting buddies all begin to arrive often bringing their families with them and weather permitting, we all have a great time.

Hunting camp is out in the woods with no electricity, telephone or Internet service. Sometimes we can find a spot with a strong enough cell phone signal to get out but we don’t count on it. I will be writing short articles daily and will send them in town with anyone headed that way. They will then email the articles to my son Steve and he’ll post them here.

So don’t shy away from the Black Bear Blog while I’m away. You’ll want to check in and see what I’m up to.

For now, enjoy the Open Air broadcasts I have lined up and read some of the articles and stories that will be appearing as well. When I get out of the woods, I’ll be checking in as regularly as I can.

Tom Remington

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Representatives from 23 states and four Canadian provinces gathered recently in Flagstaff, Arizona to discuss recruitment and retention of hunters and fishermen. The event was hosted by the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Many things were discussed and those in attendance reviewed facts and figures provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on downward trends in license sales.

Here’s what AZCentral.com listed as the major reasons discussed as to why recruitment and retention was low.

Some of the reasons discussed at the meeting were complex rules and regulations, reduced hunting opportunities, age restrictions, a lack of encouragement or help for older hunters, increasing urbanization of the population, rising license and permit costs, difficult access to recreational lands and a perception that hunting and fishing is cruel and inhumane.

One in attendance had this to say and I couldn’t agree more.

“We try to placate the public by becoming invisible,” Keck told the group.

“And hunters are passive as to why they hunt. We are terrible at selling the product we have. We need to sell the sizzle of hunting and conservation.”

Maybe that has something to do with why I do what I do. But all too often I feel like I am talking to myself out in the wilderness somewhere. Hunters are for the most part passive and are difficult to engage in conversation, particularly in a public forum.

I think for too long we have felt the need to “placate the public by becoming invisible” but those days are history. We are being forced out of our silence by those active enough to want to shut us down. We can’t continue down this same path or it will be too late.

No longer should we have to remain quiet or apologize to people because we hunt and fish. We have much to be thankful for and proud of. Our billions of dollars over the years and conservation efforts have provided this country with a bountiful wildlife population and that’s something we should be telling the world about. Our entire package of monetary support and understanding the need to conserve our wildlife for the future is what has gotten us to where we are today. Tell that to the wildlife viewers, some of whom seem not to understand or care.

Thank God for the few activists we have that have worked diligently to keep hunting and fishing alive and well. But they can’t do it alone. We all must speak up now. We all must get involved and no longer remain “out of sight, out of mind”. We’ve done a lot. Let’s let the rest of the people know what a great contribution we have made to our country.

Tom Remington

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!