| New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife |
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Wildlife Conservation Corps News
What's New in Books and Travel
Artists, Crafters and Photographers Wanted
Teaming with Wildlife
Hunter Education News
Is Buck Fever a Heart Hazard?
Law Enforcement News
Conservation Officer News
New Volunteer Orientation
Pequest Help Wanted
Volunteers Needed
Great Swamp Adventure Invitation
New Products
Becoming an Outdoors-Woman
Items For Sale, Wanted and Free
A huge thank you to all WCC volunteers for the many hours you've spent on Division projects. Those that have sent in worksheets include Pierre Benoist (helping with midges and nymphs); Bill Bossenberg (tortoise and corn snake transfer); Gerald Bracht (erecting signs for the deer hunt at Monmouth Battlefield State Park); Erin Fairbank (working the Chester Valley Texaco deer check station); E. Gilbert (permit management help); Rosemarie Hight (front desk help and issuing permits at Pequest); Carol Knapp and John Knapp, Jr. (presenting slide programs at Pyramid Mountain Visitors Center and Parsippany-Troy Hills Rotary; conducting the 1998 winter eagle survey); Edward Olson (fly casting instruction at Pequest); Edward Pinter (fishing instruction at Pequest); Al Troiunello (deer check at the Black River WMA).
We know that many more volunteers have generously donated their time, but unless you send in your time sheets, we can't print your name in the newsletters because we don't know who you are. When sending in your reports, please print your name clearly. Thank you.
Nappen on New Jersey Gun Law by Nappen (Gun Writes Press, Inc.) answers questions on dozens of topics in a question-and-answer format; refers to relevant federal gun laws; self-defense — all in an easy-to-read manner. If you plan to purchase a gun or own one, this book is a must. At bookstores or by mail for $24.95 from Gun Writes Press, Inc., PO Box 12, Oakhurst, NJ 07755.
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Now is the time to plan or add to your garden so order a free copy of the 1998 Park's Countryside Gardens Catalog for information on perennials, annuals, summer-blooming bulbs, vegetables, shrubs, vines, trees, and unusual tropical plants. It also contains useful information on what plants are best for wet spots, those that thrive in light shade, and much more.Call 1-800-845-3369 or write to Geo. W. Park Seed Co., Inc.., 1 Parkton Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29647.
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Vacation time is just around the corner and if you want to save lots of money, order a copy of Entertainment '98 now. I bought the Hawaii edition for $28 before leaving on my trip, and saved up to 50% on dining, shopping, sports, and much more in this expensive paradise. Call 1-800-374-4464 in advance of your trip to order; there's an Entertainment book for almost every state.
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Haven't gone hiking in a long time? Learn what to take and where to go within the Garden State when your editor presents a free 1-1/2 hour slide/talk at the Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center (247 Southern Boulevard, Chatham; 973-635-6629 on March 21 at 2 pm.
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Did you know that Steve Rajeff, a rod designer for the G. Loomis Company, has held the All-Round World Championship 13 times from 1973 to 1996? His greatest single-hand cast was an astounding 248 feet with a 9 1/2-foot rod, using a 50-foot shooting taper weighing 38 grams and a 6-pound test monofilament running line. Watch and get first-hand instruction from other fly fishing — and wingshooting — pros at the Northeast Fly Fishing & Wingshooting Show coming to the New Jersey Convention Center (Raritan Center, Woodbridge) on March 27, 28 and 29. For more information, call 732-892-1400.
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Teaming with Wildlife, the national campaign to establish a stable source of funding for nongame wildlife conservation, is now entering its fourth year with over 2600 coalition members. Although it is hoped that the right bi-partisan support can be obtained to introduce legislation in Congress this spring, the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (IAFWA) notes that a bill will not be introduced until there is a very good chance of its being enacted.
The TWW steering committee is meeting with the major manufacturers of outdoor products to explain how their companies will benefit from Teaming with Wildlife and, hopefully, to convince them to endorse this initiative since the future of these businesses depend upon the future of wildlife. Likewise, the future of wildlife depends upon sufficient funding to protect these species.
At this time, the IAFWA is asking each state to expand its coalition list to include more outdoor products retailers, chambers of commerce and nature-based tourism businesses. We, in turn, are asking you to solicit the support from the owners of businesses that you patronize. Or, if you are a member of a local chamber of commerce, ask that organization to sign an endorsement form because nature-related activities affect many ancillary businesses such as food and lodging establishments and other retail outlets. Just look at the incredible annual impact that visiting birders have on Cape May's economy.
Below is a copy of a TWW endorsement form for your use (if you need more than one, feel free to make copies or call (609) 292-1244). Please return completed forms to Kate McGuire, ENSP, PO Box 400, Trenton 08625-0400 or fax it to 609-984-1414.
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STATEMENT OF ENDORSEMENT TEAMING WITH WILDLIFE On behalf of the_____________________________, I hereby endorse Teaming With Wildlife. Our group is delighted to join the National Coalition and support a user fee dedicated to fish and wildlife conservation, outdoor recreation and conservation education in every state. Teaming With Wildlife is our natural investment in a future teeming with wildlife! Signed ___________________________ Please print: Name of Group: (company? organization? please circle) Signer & Office Held:
Address: Date: Phone: Fax/Email:
**If you are an organization, how many members do you represent? __________ |
Personal letters of support are appreciated and will be documented as testimony for the growing support for Teaming With Wildlife. Please mail with information about your group to the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 444 N. Capitol Street, NW., Suite 544, Washington, DC 20001.
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HUNTER EDUCATION FISCAL YEAR 1997 REPORT
by Patrick Carr, State Hunter Education Administrator
The goal of hunter education is to place a safe, responsible, knowledgeable, and involved hunter and trapper in the field. New Jersey law requires that all persons wishing to purchase a hunting or trapping license shall present a hunter education course completion card or a previously issued resident license from this or any state (NJSA 23:3-4.2, 3-7.1, 3-7.8). The curriculum stresses the hunter's obligations to the resource, to landowners, to other hunters, and to themselves. Courses are taught by volunteers selected and trained by the Division's professional staff. The unit has also provided remedial sportsman education training to 10 persons convicted of wildlife violations. In fiscal year 1997, 402 hunter education volunteer instructors donated 18,101 hours of time.
FY 97 |
BOW &
ARROW
|
SHOTGUN |
RIFLE/
MUZZLELOADER
|
TRAPPING |
TOTAL |
| COURSES | 77 |
128 |
73 |
4 |
282 |
| APPLICANTS | 4725 |
8638 |
5074 |
338 |
18775 |
| PASSED | 2248 |
4649 |
2824 |
78 |
9799 |
| FAILED | 67 |
127 |
40 |
0 |
234 |
| MINIMUM AGE | 10 |
10 |
14 |
12 |
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The unit also provided outreach services to the public, including teaching safe handling and instruction for firearms, airguns, and bows with arrows for novice shooters at Boy Scout day camps; 4-H events; various safety fairs, outdoor shows; community days; Ducks Unlimited Greenwing days; and at events celebrating Fish and Wildlife Conservation Week. In addition, the unit provided firearms training for the 190 participants taking the "Becoming an Outdoors-Woman" workshops, and coordinated the 400 youth hunters who participated in the "Take a Kid Hunting" pheasant hunt.
Northern Region News
by Paul Ritter
The Northern Region office is happy to announce the nomination of Mike Gary for the Winchester Instructor of the Year Award. Mike, a team player who will do just about anything it takes to make his class an enjoyable learning experience, began as a shotgun instructor in Warren County, and quickly rose to the position of team captain. However, he always prefers taking back stage position when it comes to his fellow instructors, is constantly updating his class material, and offering suggestions others may benefit from. Along with the Winchester Award, Mike has been nominated to receive this year's Outstanding Instructor Award and will be honored at the Volunteer Awards dinner on June 12. I hope everyone will attend and thank Mike for his outstanding work.
By this time, your group should have all classes scheduled for the year, as discussed at the county-wide team meetings. There was a tremendous response to these meetings, and having Natalie along to meet everyone was also a plus because I'm certain you'll agree that she's a very pleasant addition to the office staff.
Remember to pick up the phone or drop me a line if have any new ideas that you would like to see incorporated into our programs. As always, it is my pleasure to work with each and every one of you. I look forward to seeing you soon at the spring classes.
Southern Region Hunter Education
by Don Wilkinson
That unfamiliar voice you hear the next time you call belongs to Gayle Brawler. We're happy she's back from sick leave and hope her are problems are gone forever. If you feel you have to talk to me, first see if Gayle or Lucy can help you. Also, since I'm not in this office every day, please leave a message so I know what it is you're calling about.
By this time, you may have already had your mandatory training. Remember; you must attend one of these sessions to maintain active status. If you haven't received the training letter, call the office immediately and speak to Gayle or Lucy. With the many options offered this year, training won't be offered via video.
In our move to better serve the public and streamline operations, the Hunter Education Unit is aiming to consolidate the secretarial staff, which means that all the pulling of classes, duplicate request, updating of student and instructor hours, will be conducted from the southern region office. Paul Ritter and I will retain our present duties and will remain your contact for other problems. If and when this reorganization takes place, an official announcement will be sent to each of you.
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From Biomedicine Magazine
You don't need to struggle through a triathlon to endanger your heart. Deer hunting can put men with clogged arteries at risk of a heart attack, hints a second study reported at the 69th Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association in New Orleans. Susan Haapaniemi of William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, and her colleagues wondered whether the stress of a hunt could trigger hazardous changes in heart rate. They decided to find out by giving 25 men portable heart monitors to wear during a deer hunt. Seventeen of these hunters had previously been diagnosed with arteriosclerosis, a condition in which fatty plaque clogs the arteries. The researchers' data revealed that deer hunting puts rigorous demands on the cardiovascular system. For some men, the adrenaline surge occasioned merely by sighting a deer pushed their heart rate into the danger zone. One man's heart rate soared from 78 beats per minute to a whopping 168 - while he was sitting in a tree, Haapaniemi told Science News. Success in hunting also proved exceptionally strenuous. The American Heart Association recommends a target zone for exercising that puts the heart within 50 to 75 percent of its desirable maximum rate. Shooting a deer sent heart rates up to 118 percent of that level. Dragging a dead deer back to the road sent some hunters' heart rates up to 116 percent of the desirable maximum. Hunters often drag a deer for about an hour.
High heart rates strain the heart. For people with already clogged arteries, that strain could lead to a heart attack! The researchers urged hunters with heart disease to avoid dragging a deer, the hunting activity that makes the most sustained demand on the heart. Gerald F. Fletcher of the May Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, says that people who love to hunt should condition themselves ahead of time so they avoid triggering a high heart rate.
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Keep Watching and Reporting!!
The Division depends heavily upon its volunteers to assist the Bureau of Law Enforcement in the apprehension wildlife law violators. Each year, while vacationing at the shore relaxing, fishing, or boating, many Division employees and deputies are in a position to alert the Marine Unit to violators they spot. Potential callers should bear in mind certain key information that the Bureau requires to enhance the likelihood of an apprehension.
It's easy, too, if you follow the primary rules. Remember the five W's: who, what, where, when, why and...how. Who is getting necessary physical information about the violator, such as overhearing a first or last name; how the person is dressed; approximate height and weight; eye color; facial hair; identifiable clothing; hat style and/or color; vehicle descriptions and/or license plates; any coolers; and description of fishing poles. What is a description of the violation and what is being done which constitutes a violation. Where is a thorough description of the location of the violation and could include a complete boat description, including hull color; superstructure color; engine type (inboard/outboard); color and brand of outboard, and name or registration of the vessel. When is detailing the time or times of the violation, including the date. Why should include, if possible, any readily identifiable reason for their actions. How is the totality of all the other parameters, such as a detailed description of all the events that have taken place. Remember to paint a picture that law enforcement can peruse and refer back to in order to make an apprehension while the violation is in progress or at a future date. Some key places and things to watch for would be aboard party boats since, unlike personal recreational boats, party boats are allowed to fillet fish prior to landing at their dock if they have a special fillet permit allowing them to provide the fillet service to their patrons. However, certain rules apply. Specifically, party boats are required to retain all the carcasses of the fish they fillet; must not toss cut carcasses overboard until the boat has docked; and any filleted fish meat must have the skin attached to aid accurate species identification for fillet size inspections by Conservation Officers. If you see party boats throwing filleted carcasses overboard (except those species without a size limit), they are in violation.
Another violation commonly observed are recreational shore or boat fishermen filleting their fish prior to either landing (if in a boat) or prior to ceasing their fishing. Any marine fish with a size limit must be kept whole and unmutilated until after all fishing has ceased and/or, if in a vessel, the vessel has reached shore. You may also see recreational fishermen double tripping. which means that when a fisherman catches one day's limit of fish, returning to the dock or car, stashing the current limit, and then going back out to resume fishing. This can be one of the most difficult apprehensions for Conservation Officers to make without accurate public assistance and information.
Be aware of people who illegally harvest shellfish during your shore trips. Many areas of the NJ shore, particularly in Monmouth and Ocean counties, are closed to direct market/consumption harvesting of shellfish. During warmer months, many vacationers often harvest surprisingly large quantities of shellfish from closed harvest areas, thereby endangering both their health and possibly that of others.
If you spot violations, contact the Marine Enforcement Unit headquarters during business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 am-4:30 pm) at 609-748-2050. At other times, call the 24-hour Trenton dispatch hotline at 609-292-7172.
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Northern Region
The Bureau of Law Enforcement's Special Investigations Unit, created in July 1995, was active during the initial year recruiting, selecting, equipping, and training the group. By July 1996, the unit was fully operational.
Takedown teams for the first investigation - which was concluded successfully - included all northern region conservation officers, Captain Murza, Lieutenant Dobelbower, and Deputy Chief Greg Huljack. Officers were grouped into two search warrant teams consisting of three officers each, and four interview teams having two officers each. CO Cussen, who is the unnamed officer in an article appearing in a future issue of the NAWEOA, did an outstanding job infiltrating the band of outlaws.
The undercover investigation conducted by the SIU took place at 0700 hours on the morning of February 9, 1998 when fourteen conservation officers fanned out to close a net that had been set 19 months ago by a covert conservation officer. The serving of two search warrants yielded parts of at least 8 illegally killed deer. Initially, 174 charges were filed as a result of this investigation, which included 61 different contacts with the subjects of the investigation. Caught in the net were 27 persons who were charged with violations ranging from shooting from a vehicle, possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle, hunting deer out of season, killing a marsh hawk, hunting turkey and hunting deer out of season. The subjects were from New Jersey, New York, and Montana.
The value of covert investigations as a supplement to the uniform officer is demonstrated by the success of this investigation. While uniform officers have had success investigating some members of this band as far back as 20 years ago, it isn't until the covert officer has seen with his own eyes the total disregard for our wildlife laws and the frequency in which they were broken, that we can truly assess the impact of their actions.
As a result of the interviews, additional charges will be filed, and similar takedowns are expected in other regions before the end of the year.
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Training — required for new WCC volunteers or those who haven't yet had training — is scheduled for March 25 at the Southern Regional Office and on April 22 at the Stelton Community Center.
According to Coordinator Steve Toth, "The focus of this year's training is to provide each person with an understanding of the goals and objectives of the Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife; your role in the agency as a volunteer; the procedures the agency employs for dealing with its clients; and the benefits of being a WCC volunteer."
Orientation, starting at 7 pm, takes approximately 3 hours. Exception: If you're homebound or can't make it to these sessions, call the coordinator's office for a video training tape. If you can attend, you must notify the coordinator's office in advance and indicate which session you'll be attending.
Locations:
Southern Regional Office (220 New Brooklyn/Blue Anchor Road, Sickerville; 609-629-0555). Take Rt. 295 South to exit for Route 42 and go east to intersection of Route 322 (Blackhorse Pike). Continue east on Rt. 322 to Malaga Road (passing a diner on the left) and turn left onto Malage Road until the dead end. Turn right and continue about 1/8 mile to the fork in the road. Bear right at the fork onto New Brooklyn/Blue Anchor Road. The office is about 1/2 mile on the right.
Stelton Community Center (328 Plainfield Avenue, Edison; 732-985-0443). From Route 1 South, make a right turn after Wick Plaza. (sign reads Plainfield Ave., Piscataway all turns). Go to the stop sign, turn right onto Plainfield Avenue, go through 2 traffic lights and, after the 2nd, proceed for 2 blocks. The Stelton Community Center will be on your left (just before the church). Turn into the parking lot and park in the rear of the building.
From Route 1 North go to Plainfield Avenue (landmark is the Raritan Oil Co., Mac Trucks, Amoco Station), make a right at light and follow U-turns sign (sign reads Plainfield Ave., Piscataway U-turn) and follow the U-turn sign to the YIELD Sign. Make a right at the yield sign onto Plainfield Ave., cross over Route 1 and go through 2 traffic lights. After the 2nd light proceed for 2 blocks. The Stelton Community Center is on the left (before the church). Turn in to the parking lot and park in the rear of the building.
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by Paul Tarlowe
The Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center (Rt. 46 west of Hackettstown, Warren County) is not only one of the foremost hatchery and education facilities in the nation, but a place where volunteers are always needed and definitely welcome.
If you're a people person, we need you year-round for staffing the visitor center desk. Come meet other volunteers, greet the public, answer questions about the hatchery and other division programs, sell licenses and merchandise, answer phones and assist with other activities. Hours are 10am-4pm, but the schedule is flexible. Help is needed primarily on weekends; however, we're open seven days a week and, during summer, we're happy for any day you can spare.
If you want to share your enthusiasm for fishing with novices, fishing education instructors are needed here from April through October. You'll be assisting beginners learn casting technique, and hooking and landing fish at the Fishing Education Pond. Classes are approximately 2 hours and you need not be an expert to be of great value.
Help is also needed in the Urban Fishing Program. Last year's programs were conducted in Bayonne, Perth Amboy, Newark and other cities along the Newark Bay complex. We also have two wildlife gardens that are always in need of attention, plus there's a trail network you can help monitor and maintain.
To become involved in the action at Pequest, contact Paul Tarlowe at 908-637-4125.
If you're able-bodied, can carry nets of fish to streams (often over uneven, slippery ground), volunteer to assist full-time personnel stocking trout for the spring trout distribution. Stocking is from mid-March through the end of May, Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4 pm., but you can sign up for as many or as few days as you like. If interested, send the days and dates you can help and which counties you'd like to work in (with the exception of counties south of Hunterdon, Somerset and Union), to Joseph M. Penkala, Regional Superintendent, Whittingham WMA, 150 Fredon-Springdale Road, Newton 07860; 973-383-0918; FAX 973-383-2304.
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Are you willing and able to speak in front of an audience? If so, you're needed throughout the state — particularly in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Salem and Somerset counties — to present a slide program for the ENSP's Speakers Bureau. Previous public speaking experience is not necessary; you'll receive a basic written script to follow. If interested, contact Terry at the Tuckahoe Office; 609-628-2103.
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Reserve June 6. That's when the 6th annual regional Delaware Bay Day family festival will be held, rain or shine, from 10 a.m.-11 p.m. at sites located along the Maurice River in historic Bivalve, NJ. Admission and parking is free. Hosted by the Delaware Bay Schooner Project, this fun day for all ages is dedicated to the rich maritime history, vibrant culture and phenomenal natural resources of the Delaware Bay. The celebration includes children's games and activities, a street parade, the state's only commercial fishing boat parade, crab races, an oyster shucking contest, fresh seafood, homemade fare, music throughout the day, an evening concert, artisans and craftsman, wetland walks, schooner tours, and fireworks at dark. The event is co-sponsored by Commercial Township, PSE&G, The Nature Conservancy, Citizens United, NJ Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife and many local businesses.
You can also volunteer to help out before, during, and after this event with placing flyers in public places; setting up tables and tents the day before; staffing information and activity tables, and the division's information table. After the festival, there's also lots of cleaning up and storing of tents. If you can provide assistance, please call The Delaware Bay Schooner Project office at 609-785-2060
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If you have computer skills, a willingness to help out other volunteers, and can spare just 7 hours a week, please lend a hand. Your services are urgently needed at the Wildlife Conservation Corps Coordinator's Office at 501 East State Street in Trenton. (Parking isavailable) You'll be assisting in the operation of the program's support functions, including mailings, record keeping, processing of applications, and a host of other jobs essential the maintaining the operation of the WCC program. If interested, please call program coordinator Steve Toth at 609-633-3616 immediately.
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Assistance is needed during March and April to inventory and make bands for use in a banding study of shorebirds along Delaware Bay. Volunteers who work at least 10 hours will be invited to participate in shorebird banding during May. In addition, help is needed in assisting with radio-telemetry project of migratory shorebirds during May. Please contact Sherry Meyer at the Division's Endangered and Nongame Species Program, 2201 County Route 631, Woodbine, NJ 08270 or call 609-628-2103.
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Participate in a trawl survey and have an opportunity to go to sea, work aboard a commercial fishing vessel, and observe the diversity of marine life in New Jersey's coastal waters. What does it involve? Assisting in the sorting and measuring the fish and invertebrates caught in bottom trawl samples for the Bureau of Marine Fisheries along the New Jersey coast aboard the F/V Olympia, a chartered 82 ft. commercial fishing trawler, Samples are collected during survey cruises (scheduled for April 15 - 20; June 17 - 22; August 12 - 17 and October 14 - 19), and take about six days to complete starting on Wednesday through Monday, or whenever all samples have been collected. All work is performed during day trips which are long, often from 5 am to 10 pm, and leave from the ports of Point Pleasant, Atlantic City, and Cape May. Prospective volunteers may request scheduling for one or multiple days, depending on crew requirements. The vessel crew complement is three, the scientific party six to eight. Transportation to and from the boat, meals, boots, foul weather gear, and overnight lodging, when necessary, is provided. Sampling locations range up to 20 miles offshore. Call Don Byrne at 609-748-2027 if you're interested.
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Barbara Wingel has arranged for all Division volunteers to attend a behind-the-scenes 2-hour tour of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge located in Basking Ridge, NJ on May 9 at 9:30 am. This unique tour, focusing on the Swamp's nature trails, will be hosted by the Swamp's volunteer Coordinator, Tom McFadden. Space, limited to 25 individuals, is on a first-come, first-served basis, so sign up now by contacting Debbie Zook at 609-292-6685.
Ladies: Forget about wearing men's clothing or fishing with a rod that doesn't fit your hands because now there's a company — Sassy Sara's —that caters to the outdoor woman. Buy a Sassy rod specifically designed to fit a woman's hand and proportions more comfortably; a bug suit guaranteed to keep out tiny pests when you're in the field; great hunting gear, and a variety of terrific merchandise just for women. Send to Sassy Sara's Inc., 13540 E. Boundary Road, Suite 206, Midlothian, VA 23112; 804-744-9359 for a free catalog.
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If you're fussy about your vehicle and tired of having the paint finish ruined from fuel spills when you gas-up, get a GasBib Paint Shield. This handy, one-time installation, no tools or adhesives required devise folds out of sight into the car's fuel fill compartment, remains attached at all times; and is made of a special synthetic polymer designed to catch and absorb normal fuel spillage, allowing it to evaporate harmlessly. Guaranteed to last the life of the car, it fits all cars and trucks, foreign or domestic, and is available at auto supply stores or from GasBib Corporation, 1147 E. Broadway, Glendale, CA 91205; 1-800-240-2BIB.
The Sticky Bag provides convenient storage for a GPS unit, fishing tackle, clothing, tools and more when on board your craft, yet it's out of the way. Attach it via three suction cups to any clean, smooth boat surface or with fasteners if you prefer permanent installation. In two sizes (12"x12" or 18"X12", it can also be used in RVs, vans, cars or trucks. Order from Davis Instruments, 3465 Diablo Avenue, Hayward, CA 94545
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Outers®, one of the oldest and best-known names in gun care products, has now made gun cleaning neater and more convenient with the introduction of the Deluxe Gun Universal Cleaning Kit. It looks beautiful enough to keep on a shelf or table, and consolidates everything you'll need for cleaning rifles, pistols, and shotguns in all calibers and gauges inside. It contains a three-section brass cleaning rod with swivel handle, gun oil, nitro solvent, cleaning patches, siliconized flannel cloth, 5 phosphor bronze bore brushes, brush-to-rod adapters, and slotted and jag cleaning tips — and, amazingly, everything fits back into the designer walnut finish wooden case with a plush lined accessory tray and instructions so you know where every piece is the next time you have to tackle your cleaning chores. Available at all sporting goods stores for under $30 or Outers, PO Box 39, Onalaska, WI 54650; 1-800-635-7656.
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If you spend time walking in the field, you need the new Tracks Compact Staff. I find it indispensable when walking over uneven terrain or when exercising and, since it's only 7 ounces, I hardly know I'm carrying it. The top section is push-button adjustable; two other pieces are collapsible; with shock-corded sections for compact storage (16") in a backpack or suitcase for travel; and it features a large rubber foot for stability, a wrist loop, foam grip, and is available at your favorite sporting goods store or from Cascade Designs, 4000 1st Avenue S., Seattle, WA 98134; 12-800-531-9531.
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The 3-day "Becoming an Outdoors-Woman" and 1-day "Beyond B.O.W." workshops, designed to provide women with a welcoming environment in which to learn outdoor skills, are a huge success. Offered by the Division, the 3-day workshop includes accommodations, meals, and all equipment necessary for sessions such as birdwatching, canoeing, kayaking, deer or turkey hunting, wilderness camping, fly fishing, surf fishing, crabbing and clamming, preparation and cooking of game or seafood, and much more. The 1-day workshops offer a full day of hands-on instruction in one area, such as the shooting sports, kayaking, fly fishing, fly tying, or deer hunting. Instructors are experienced, and anyone 18 years old and over — particularly if you've never tried these activities and want to learn; if you're a beginner who wants to improve your skills; or you want to expand your abilities in the outdoors; and you want to network with other outdoor enthusiasts — is welcome to join.
Due to the popularity of the BOW workshops, a new organization, the New Jersey Outdoor Women's League (NJOWL) has recently been formed. Working hand-in-hand with the BOW program, supporting and enhancing the program by providing learning opportunities, outings, networking, information, and by promoting stewardship for New Jersey's natural resources, it is open to women and men over the age of 18 who are interested in the pursuit of outdoor recreation related to wildlife. The cost is only $15 a year.
For further information on the workshops or NJOWL, contact BOW coordinator Laurie Pettigrew, N.J. Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife, 220 Blue Anchor Road, Sicklerville, NJ 08081; 609-629-7214.
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Camptrails External Frame backpack, bright orange. Used only 3 times. Holds loads of stuff, has lots of pockets, terrific for hiking or backpacking. Excellent condition. $50 or best offer. Call 732-494-9258.
8' trailer, metal frame. Can be folded for storage; $100. Call 732-388-9272..
Make an offer for Board games of your choice, including Touche, National Geographic Global Pursuit, Guinness Game of World Records, Camping Trivia Game, Yahtzee, Farm & Country Rivia, and Advertising; Or, make an offer for a Two-Way Voice-Operated Communication System by Realistic; a Micronta 4003 Deluxe VLF Metal Detector; a Model 6003 Associated Battery Charger for 6-12 volt battery; and a Smith-Corona Manual Typewriter. Or purchase a Saylor-Beall's Gas Engine-driven Air Compressor, $500; a brand new Remington 50,000 BTU Portable Forced Air Heater, $250; or brand new catcher/sweeper for Sears riding mower, $200. Call 908-996-6463.
Free:
Two rabbit hutches, wood frame and wire construction. Pick up and they're yours! Call 732-388-9272.
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