Faces of Freedom - Wounded Veterans' Hunt Gives New Hope

The explosion changed Darrell Rostek’s life in an instant. The Improvised Explosive Device (IED) abruptly ended the Master Corporal’s tour in Afghanistan. He returned to Canada suffering from severe injuries to his head, back and knees. His battle now became personal. He had to find a way to recover, build strength and make a healthy return to society. It wasn’t easy.

“When I first came back, I was in total denial,” says Rostek. “It took a whole year to come out of my shell. The toughest thing was telling myself, ‘Go get some help; you’re not a sissy’.

The long road back for Winnipeg-based Rostek includes participating in the Faces of Freedom - Wounded Veterans’ Hunt September 28 to October 1, 2011. Three Canadian and three American veterans will attend the four-day waterfowl hunt near Minnedosa, Manitoba. The event is hosted by the Manitoba Wildlife Federation (MWF), Delta Waterfowl Foundation and Cabela’s.

Chris Heald, MWF Vice President, says the goal of the hunt is to express gratitude and respect for our soldiers and let them know they are not forgotten. “Bringing Canadian and American veterans together to share in the joy of the outdoors provides an opportunity for friendship, healing and adjustment to civilian life,” says Heald.

MCpl. Rostek, a life-long outdoors enthusiast, says time spent in the outdoors, away from the distractions of the city, is one of the best environments for healing. “There’s something about sitting with other wounded vets, fishing or just enjoying the outdoors. You start talking about what’s so wrong and how to get over it. Many people don’t understand what we go through.”

The Canadian and American veterans will be introduced to waterfowl hunting in Manitoba’s renowned ‘pot hole’ country. It’s a rare opportunity for soldiers from two countries, who fought in the same conflict, to help each other deal with personal challenges back home.

Rob Olson, President of Delta Waterfowl, will be one of several guides helping with the hunt. “I can’t imagine a better thing I’ll do all year,” says Olson. “This is about people making a sacrifice that I can’t even comprehend. I couldn’t have more respect for these guys."

Rostek is considering a new career in social work, aimed at helping wounded veterans make the difficult transition back into society. “Afghanistan is winding up,“ says Rostek. “But for us it never ends.”

The Faces of Freedom - Wounded Veterans’ Hunt itinerary includes four days of hunting, September 28 - October 1; a fundraising dinner hosted by Winnipeg Blue Bombers stars Buck Pierce and Glenn January in Portage la Prairie - September 28; and a pre-game salute to the veterans at the Winnipeg Blue Bombers home game Vs. the Montreal Alouettes, September 30.

Thanks to Delta Waterfowl for this release.  Be sure to visit www.sooutdoors.ca regularly:

For more information contact

Chris Heald
Chair, Faces of Freedom
Vice President, Manitoba Wildlife Federation

heald@highspeedcrow.ca

Pre-season Southern Ontario Turkey

The sloppy month of March is half over already and the first signs of spring are in the air. It's time for thoughts to turn to from ice fishing to turkey hunting. Now is a great time to beat the March doldrums by heading out to do some early season scouting. But remember that if you actually locate birds they may not be there at the end of April when our Southern Ontario turkey season opens. Birds often move as much as two to three miles from their winter roosts to mating and nesting habitat.

What you're looking for right now is that prime nesting habitat; don't be as concerned about where the birds are as you are with where they're likely to be at the end of next month. Look for a stand of mature hardwoods that blend with large clearings or open fields. This will provide ideal protection, food, and roosts for spring gobblers. Pay attention to natural and man-made obstacles like creeks, dense undercover, and fences, that are likely to stop even a determined gobbler dead in his tracks.

Take your GPS along and mark all likely setups and obstacles. Later you can transfer that data to a topographical map of the area and get a good idea of the overall lay of the land. If you stumble across a likely looking bush or field try to find the owner and ask permission to hunt his land this spring. If you gain nothing else you'll beat the winter doldrums by getting out in the bush and filling your lungs with some great Southern Ontario fresh air.

©2011 Lloyd Fridenburg – All rights reserved click here for copyright permissions

Long Gun Registry Survives – for Now

If you want to raise the hackles of Canadian farmers, hunters, and trappers just mention the long gun registry. I have watched with biased interest over the past several weeks as we edged closer to the vote and what I saw was just plain ugly. In the end the vote was no longer about the long gun registry; it was about fear. Nobody was concerned with the facts and from the numerous articles and posts that I've read far too many Canadians are completely unaware of just how tightly firearms are controlled in Canada, even without the registry.

There are two extremist camps in the fight and neither one wants to see the registry live. On one side you have the anti gun, anti hunting, animal rights types whose objective it is to see all guns in Canada confiscated and firearms ownership made illegal. On the other side you have the gun lobby who feels that we should have the American right to bear arms. What you saw during the debates leading up to the vote was these two groups firing missiles at each other. If you listened closely to the rhetoric you would think that the survival of the human race hung in the balance.

And the media, always hungry for a controversial issue to latch onto was no better. Stories were written in newspapers and aired on TV and radio. Objectivity – the foundation of good reporting – ceased to exist as reporters were forced to follow the personal views of their editors and producers.

Everyone that was opposed to the registry was classed as a fanatical right wing Conservative. I suggest that the only link to Conservatives for a vast majority of those in favor of shutting down the registry is in the fact that the Conservative Party were the ones to bring forth and support the bill. Personally I am non partisan and vote in favor of good legislation, no matter what party brings it forward, but I simply cannot abide "feel good / do nothing" legislation. This was bad legislation when it was first introduced, it is bad legislation now, and it will continue to be bad legislation until the day that it is finally scrapped.

©2010 Lloyd Fridenburg – All rights reserved click here for copyright permissions

Time your Southern Ontario Turkey Hunt

So every astute turkey hunter knows that the best way to put that spring gobbler in the bag is to learn where the birds roost, hit the bush well before dawn, and get ready to bag your bird soon after. We'll let me be the one to admit that getting up at 4:00 a.m., driving to the bush, stumbling another km or more in the dark, and sitting quietly in the predawn darkness has never been one of my favorite things to do. I tend to be an early riser but I do like to see the sun up before me. Watching and listening to the woods awaken around you is an experience that is never forgotten, but I for one don't need that experience every time I go hunting.

If you know your territory, there is a great chance of bagging Mr. Gobbler before he gets the sleep out of his eyes and is looking for his early morning mating partner. But they don't simply vanish for the rest of the day after that; they're still out there looking for love, but there are some peak times to keep in mind.

Personally I love heading to the bush during the mid morning. The hens that were attracted to the gobbling toms first thing in the morning have started to disperse to feed or find nesting spots. That leaves the amorous toms looking for love in all the wrong places and often starting to gobble up a storm in an attempt to find his girl…or another one. Another bonus of heading to the bush a bit later is that the diehard early morning hunters have often packed it in by mid morning, leaving the entire bush and all the birds to you.

Although they may not gobble quite as much as in the morning, mid-afternoon is another good time to head out. The birds are again actively looking for mates and often come quickly to calls or to a hen decoy. Be on guard though because they are more likely to run in without signaling their approach with a round of gobbles and can often sneak up on unwary hunters.

So don't get into the rut of thinking that just because you didn't hit the bush before dawn that all is lost. Some of the best hunting, with the least pressure, can be had later in the day. Above all practice a safety first policy and have a great spring turkey hunt.

©2010 Lloyd Fridenburg – All rights reserved click here for copyright permissions

A Tale of Two Canadian Hunting Shows

For all you hunting enthusiasts that are well into withdrawal symptoms with the passing of yet another hunting season you’ll be happy to know that Canada now boasts not one but two great national hunting shows on the Global TV network.

Most of you are familiar with Canada in the Rough and host Thomas Pigeon and you are likely familiar with Taylor Wright who started off as Hunt Coordinator and then to host some of the CITR episodes over the past few years. Well Taylor has departed from Canada in the Rough and has started his own national show aptly called The Canadian Tradition.

Canada in the Rough has taken on a new format this year with a distinct country flavor and a new theme song sung by country singer Larry Berrio. Also, there are three new hosts – the Beasley brothers; Paul, Keith, and Kevin – who are now co-hosts of the show and will be sharing in the hunting adventures across Canada. Gone are the Rough Gear and Rough Cooking segments and there seems to be more focus on the hunt. Thomas created a show that many scoffed at, saying that there was no market for a national Canadian hunting show. He proved them wrong an continues to produce an entertaining, conservation focused hunting show.

Following in his mentor’s footsteps is young Taylor Wright who grabbed another national spot for The Canadian Tradition with the Global TV network. Taylor has come far in terms of camera presence and production over the past several years and has put together a great show in The Canadian Tradition. With veteran Doug Vopel behind the camera the camera work is first class. It seems that The Canadian Tradition is a little lower key and that will certainly appeal to many viewers. The show also provides viewers with consistent spots for outdoor gear and hunting tips and still manages to focus on the journey.

Hunting shows are always a work in progress and I recommend making time for both shows. Each has its own unique flavor but both uphold the high standards that Canadian viewers demand in a hunting show.

Canada in the Rough airs Sunday mornings at 8:00 eastern time on Global.
The Canadian Tradition airs Saturday at 9:30 eastern time on Global.

©2010 Lloyd Fridenburg – All rights reserved click here for copyright permissions

Climate Change and Wildlife Habitat

These days we often here talk of climate change and the potential impact that global warming will have on our society. But what about the affect of climate change on wildlife and wildlife habitat.

According to Dr. Paul James, Director of Environmental Monitoring for the Province of Saskatchewan and a research fellow at the University of Regina, many of our wildlife species are completely dependant on a very narrow band of acceptable climactic and environmental conditions in order to survive. Serious study of the effects of climate change on habitat must be undertaken and planning models must be tuned to reflect the new reality.

In short, when an ecosystem undergoes a dramatic change it can no longer sustain resident and migratory wildlife populations. New species of plant and animal life take over and indigenous species disappear.

So why don’t animals and birds simply move as their habitat changes? The fact is that they do, and much can be learned by the studying the slow migration of species into regions where they were previously unknown. But what happens if they can’t move? Take the animals and birds of the northern tundra for example. They rely on food sources that are only produced in regions of permafrost. As the permafrost vanishes due to sustained periods of higher than normal temperatures new types of vegetation will take over. These species simply cannot move further north to find food sources because it will simply cease to exist.

Species like the ptarmigan, arctic fox, and polar bear will simply cease to exist. And guess what? It is very likely to happen in our lifetime. Many scientists firmly believe that this is a “when”, rather than an “if” scenario.

There are other fragile ecosystems like the prairie pothole region that runs from the north central US through Southern Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and into Southern Alberta. This ecosystem provides a stopover for almost every migratory bird along the Mississippi flyway accounting for 80% of the waterfowl in North America. This ecosystem is already at risk due to improper farming and development practices. Over the next 50 years the potholes that provide a safe secure stopover for a wide variety of waterfowl will simply cease to exist.

Don’t take my word for it! Do your own research and form your own opinion, but you will find that in spite of government rhetoric many of these changes are inevitable. Dr. James stated “Wildlife studies must now focus on how to plan for the new reality and forget about sustainable management models of the past.”

While governments dither, wildlife habitat disappears!

Visit Southern Ontario Outdoors. Your source for news, information, and destinations related to your favorite outdoors activities throughout Southern Ontario.

©2009 Lloyd Fridenburg – All rights reserved click here for copyright permissions

5 Important Pre-season Tips for Hunters

Even though hunting is one of the safest outdoor activities you can participate in, every year we hear lots of media hype about gun related accidents. What we don’t hear are reports about the hundreds of hunters that will suffer a heart attack, stroke, or other preventable injury.

Why; because too many of us are complacent about the physical demands of hunting. An early morning trek into a duck blind or tree stand, carrying decoys, guns, ammo, a pack, and dressed in clothing that is better suited for sitting than walking can raise the heart rate of unconditioned hunters to dangerous levels in a very short period of time. If you’ve done little other than cut the lawn over the summer you are susceptible to pulled muscles, strained black, or a sprained ankle.

As a martial arts and fitness instructor that specializes in programs for older adults I know how to help you ease into better physical condition that will drastically reduce the odds of you becoming a hunting statistic this fall. Now is the time to get your body in shape for the coming hunting season.

The extent to which you need to do some pre season training largely depends on the type of hunting you do and the distance you need to haul yourself and your gear. Here are a few muscle groups to pay attention to and some exercises that will help make your hunt safer and more enjoyable.

1. Abdominals
Crunches are a great strengthening exercise for your upper abs. Lay flat on your back with your knees bent and you hands on the side of your head near your ears. Keep your eyes focused on a point on the ceiling as you raise your shoulders about 8” off the floor and lower again. Work up to about 5 sets of 20 reps.

For the lower abs leg raises are very effective. Lay flat on the floor and support your lower back by placing your hands under your lower back; then with your legs straight raise your legs about 1 ft off the floor. Work up to 5 sets of 10 and remember, don’t let your feet touch the floor until you’re finished a complete set.

2. Back Muscles
Back muscles are a key component of core strength and yet the most overlooked. Strong abs and weak back muscles can cause poor posture and walking form. To strengthen your back muscles, lay on your stomach with your arms and legs extended in front of you. Keep your arms and legs straight; lift your arms and legs off the floor at the same time. Work up to about 5 sets of 10.

3. Quadriceps and Hamstrings
The quads are the large muscle group on the upper front of your leg while hamstrings are the large muscles at the back of the upper leg. Both are a key component of your forward motion and must be kept strong and flexible. Squats are a great way to work your quads and hamstrings. Stand straight with your feet a bit more than shoulder width apart. Keep your back straight and squat down until your thighs are parallel with the ground (or as far as you can comfortably manage) then return to a standing position. Work up to 5 sets of 20 and remember to do these slowly.

4. Calf Muscles
Even if you’re just strolling a groomed rail trail calf muscles can take a real beating. Strengthening your calf muscles is an important aspect of your overall hiker’s workout. Stand flat with your back straight. Lift your heels off the floor and lower. Work up to about 5 sets of 10.

A more advanced exercise would be to place your toes on a step and lower your heels as far as you can, then rise up on your toes for one complete rep. This exercise provides the added benefit of stretching the Achilles tendon as well.

5. Arms and Shoulders
Although there are many exercises that target specific muscles you just can’t beat the simple push-up for overall arm, shoulder, and upper body strengthening. Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders (palms down). Keeping your back and legs straight push up with your arms until they are fully extended. Lower again until your chest is about 2” off the floor and repeat. Work up to about 5 sets of 10. For a less strenuous push-up you can keep your knees on the floor.

6. Bonus Tip
Turn your preseason scouting into a workout. Take the long way to the bush and carry a pack with you. Emulate the weight you’ll need to carry when the season starts. Get out a few times a week and walk at a pace of 2 – 3 steps per second for a half hour. You’ll really feel the difference on opening day.

Start a simple exercise routine now and you’re muscles will be in prime shape for the rigors of this year’s hunting season. You may have the added benefit of improving your overall fitness and health in the process.

Drop by http://www.sooutdoors.ca/ for information about all your Southern Ontario outoors activities. If you want more information about overall fitness and health visit http://www.waterloofit.com/.

©2009 Lloyd Fridenburg – All rights reserved click here for copyright permissions