Wild About Trapping

The Spammer "jaclinto"

2007-03-21T08:15:00.000-07:00

Now, it is a fact of life that there will be ruthless individuals out there that try to subvert the intentions of honest people. Spammers are one example of this. Spammers are those morally corrupt miscreants that send e-mails asking you to buy pills, pornography, or pre-approved mortgages(!) or any number of other items that their little scams are trying to hawk to unsuspecting consumers.

When you are running an internet bulletin board such as the forums at http://www.Wild-About-Trapping.com/forums/, it is a fact of life that spammers will also attempt to post on your site. As a Site Administrator, I have the forums set up to manually approve all new members. It only takes a few seconds to approve or reject someone, which is not really that big of a deal. It is just something that needs to be done, like a cost of doing business.

What I do have a problem with is someone that poses as a genuine member of our fraternity in order to push a product. A prime example of this was a member, going by the handle "jaclinto," who registered a few days ago. Jaclinto's registration threw up no red flags so I approved him.

Well, Jaclinto's first post was in the form of a question something along these lines-- "Anyone have experience working with this stuff? www.camo4u.com - I was wanting to camo my rifle." Seems like a legitimate question, right? Well... it threw up a red flag for me for a number of reasons which I will not divulge here. Still giving him the benefit of the doubt I did a Google search for his user name.

Guess what? 2,940 results.

Nearly all of them for message boards.

After clicking a few of the links I figured out his little game. Jaclinto has some kind of interest in an outdoors equipment company and is spamming message boards in order to drive up his own business.

Now you might say "What is wrong with a link in a forum post?" In most cases, nothing. I have no problems with someone providing a link in a post. I do have a problem with someone that poses as a legitimate member of our community in order to boost his or her own profits. Folks, it is in our Forum Rules and Guidelines-- "Don't post any message that even hints at advertising." If you wish to contact me about advertising, go right ahead, I would be happy to accomodate your enterprise.

When someone makes an attempt such as this, for the sole reason of fooling us into clicking to his websites, when the Forum Rules and Guidelines so obviously state otherwise, this really raises my hackles. After doing a little research into "Jaclinto", I have found out that his name is Jim Clinton, he works for an enterprise known as the "American Association of Christian Counselors" (ironic, isn't it?), he sells CamoClad items for profit on eBay, his e-mail address is jim@aacc.net and through his message board spamming, he hawks items for these known companies and/or products (among others)--

CamoClad
Camo4U
Bosshead-Lite
Head-Lite
FreedomCampfire

Please DO NOT patronize these companies as they are, through Jaclinto's spamming, contributing to the endless string of drivel that we, as legitimate internet users, have to wade through to find helpful information.

If Jaclinto would like to e-mail me to apologize, he can go right ahead. I am waiting.

(To read more about this idiot, click here-- http://www.wild-about-trapping.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1053.)

Springtime is near

2007-03-16T07:24:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a while since I posted on the blog. Trapping season is nearly over and spring turkey hunting season is right around the corner. The Wild-About-Trapping forums (http://www.Wild-About-Trapping.com/forums) are all set up and going strong, and we have recently added state-by-state forums to let trappers contact and converse with other trappers from their own areas. I invite you all to come on over to the forums and join in the fun.

Yours in the outdoors- Keith

Happy Halloween!

2006-10-31T17:47:00.000-08:00

Howdy everyone, it's been a while since I posted here. Here's hoping you all are having a safe and fun Halloween today.

Well, the whitetail bucks up here in northern Wisconsin are on the verge of the rut, every day now I see a buck or a doe or two running full-bore across the road, trying to put off the inevitable mating season for another week or two. I have been bowhunting a bit, I arrowed a fine antlerless deer a week and a half ago which is now in the freezer. I'll hit it hard in the next couple of weeks while the rut is on. By that time gun deer season will roll around and this fine Wisconsin tradition will be put into the camp journal for yet another year.

The furbearing critters are beginning to prime up now and in the next couple of weeks trapping season should be going full bore also... it is time to hit it, to take to the fields and woods in pursuit of the fur we so like to see... the raccoons, mink, beavers, etc. The sights and sounds this time of year are a wonder to behold.

So, to close, let me wish you all a happy trapping and hunting season this fall and winter, I will check in and write a bit every now and again, so please check back in every so often and see how things are progressing.

Happy Trapping- Keith

P.S. Don't forget! You can get current trapping conditions and chat with trappers from around the world on our trapping forums-- http://www.Wild-About-Trapping.com/forums/

WI Trappers Association Convention

2006-09-14T06:12:00.000-07:00

Well, I was able to make it to the WTA Convention last weekend at the fairgrounds in Marshfield, Wisconsin. There were lots of vendors, lots of people and the demos were great. I particularly enjoyed the beaver snaring demo by Rally Hess. Rally packs a lot of information into a short time frame and his tips and hints will sure help me on the beaver 'line this winter.

I recommend that if you can make it to a trapper's convention or rendevous, go for it. You will not be dissapointed.

-Keith

New trapping forum

2006-08-31T08:20:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to announce that I have added a new trapper's forum to Wild-About-Trapping. So come on, join the community and let's chat! The Wild-About-Trapping.com forums.

I hope to see you there! -Keith

The Trapping Judge

2006-08-17T05:56:00.000-07:00

Howdy everyone! I hope your trapping preparations have gone well this summer, by now I'll bet most of you are chomping at the bit to get out to your favorite trapping areas.

I've just added a new article to the website called "The Trapping Judge" . Well, two new articles really. Melvin Liston from New Hampshire really outdid himself this time and provided me with a great article about John Yazinski, his life and how he was able to turn trapping into a way of connecting with his son. It's a bit lengthy so I split the article into two sections. It's well worth your time to read. You can check it out at this link-- The Trapping Judge.

Be safe, have a great time on the trap line and check back often.

-Keith

New additions to the website

2006-07-06T14:54:00.000-07:00

Howdy folks! Here's hoping that all of you had a safe and fun Fourth of July weekend.

I have added a new feature article to the website- "A visit to the fur shed" by Marty Harmon. Marty relates a meeting he had with two seasoned trappers, and the lessons he learned from them. You can check out the article here.

Steve P. from Glenallen, Alaska sent me a picture of himself and his daughter Kara with a nice lynx they trapped last year. The picture is posted in the Lynx and Bobcat Gallery here.

That's all for now, please stay tuned for new updates real soon.

Happy trapping! -Keith

World "Hunting" Association?

2006-06-15T08:51:00.000-07:00

Not your father's version of fair chase

Last week saw the announcement of a new organization billing itself as the "World Hunting Association". The WHA has aspirations of becoming the hunter's version of the Bassmasters tour, with a competitive hunting tour and prize money in the $600,000 range offered to "hunters" that can shoot the biggest deer with tranquilizer darts. The WHA has five of their ten contestants signed on for the show and is currently "looking all over the country for professional hunters who are strategic, intelligent and adaptive, and who ideally have been in front of the camera before", according to David Farbman, a Michigan real estate developer and commissioner of the league.

This non-fatal hunting "tour" will initially be held at the Lost Arrow Ranch in Gladwin, Michigan and will consist of a number of "major tournament events" in which contestants will earn points for darting the biggest deer, which will then be given a thorough examination by a veterinarian before being revived and sent on its way. Viewers will be able to learn more about the hunters and the animals they shoot by visiting the WHA's website. Farbman, founder of the WHA and also billed as its CEO, states that negotiations are under way with television networks for broadcast and Pay-per-View rights to the competition.

The WHA is imagining itself as a professional sports league of sorts, with sponsors, branded advertising and major prize money. Are they kidding? Do they really believe that today's hunter would have any interest in this program? Do I want to utilize my precious time to watch so-called "hunters" shoot deer with tranquilizer darts behind high fences? Heck no. And I am not the only one. Archery and hunting sites on the internet have been abuzz with negative comments about the WHA since the first press release came out last week, leading some of the WHA's initial sponsors, including G5 Outdoors, Eastman Outdoors and Gorilla Treestands to rethink their sponsorship of the WHA in a "Uh-oh, better do it now before its too late" type of damage control.

Hunting is not a spectator sport, nor is it catch and release. To make an attempt at applying these philosophies to deer hunting just shows how out of touch with reality some people in the hunting community have become. The pressure to produce quality footage of large bucks for the outdoors television and video markets has caused many an ethical hunter to prostitute him or herself for the almighty dollar by passing off high-fence captive deer hunts as real-world fair chase events. The WHA smacks of pomposity and indifference to today's ethical, conservation-minded hunter.

While the organization insists that "The WHA will enhance the image and experience of hunting today and for the generations of tomorrow", nothing could be further from the truth. Enhancement of a positive hunting image will come from ethical, thoughtful programming and ideals that remind the viewer of the true motivations behind hunting- conservation, ethics, fair chase and the common-bond fellowship that all true hunters share.

Website updates

2006-06-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

Today I posted a couple of photos that were sent to me by Tom S. from Maine. Be sure to check them out in the Mink Gallery and Overall Season galleries. The mink picture is pretty neat, the mink has a frog in it's mouth.

I also updated the eBay shopping pages, now you can search for items on eBay right from the pages on my website. It's a handy little feature. I also created a page that highlights trapping books from Amazon.com. You can check that page out here.

The other thing I did was to create a new header graphic for the website. I came across a great picture of a feeding beaver and used that as the background. I hope you enjoy it. -Keith

New York anti-trapping bill

2006-06-03T09:09:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems as though it is politics as usual on New York. The New York Assembly has approved a bill to strip the state of it's authority to regulate trapping. The bill would enable trapping to be regulated on a county by county basis.

What is the purpose of this bill? I have no idea. County governments do not have on-staff wildlife biologists or professionals trained in wildlife management. This bill will cause enormous disparities in wildlife populations from county to county, and the related human/animal conflicts associated with overpopulation problems, not to mention the wildlife diseases associated with overpopulation.

This bill is a BAD IDEA. All trappers should help support our fellow New York trappers in opposing this bill.

To learn more about this bill and who to contact to voice your opposition, go to http://www.ussportsmen.org/interactive/features/Read.cfm?ID=1794.

Trapping in the modern age

2006-05-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

Howdy everyone! Summertime is just around the corner and the trapping and hunting gear has given way to boats and fishing rods.

After much trial and error I think I am beginning to get the hang of this blogging stuff. I decided to create this blog in order to keep you up to date with what's happening at Wild-About-Trapping.com, so please take a moment to bookmark this page and visit us often to see what's new.

Whenever I post new articles or pictures I'll post a note here with a link so ya'll can check out the new stuff right away. To start things out right, I'm posting a photo of myself from a few years ago. These beavers were causing major problems on my neighbor's property, taking down quite a few trees on the lakeshore. I'm happy to say that we were able to take care of the problem.

-Keith