Wildlife Wall Decor

The origins of much of the wildlife wall art produced in the United States raises concerns of both hunters and politicians in all of the continent of North America.  Most migratory birds find food, water, and nesting areas from Mexico, all the way into the protective wetlands of the United States and Canada.

Here is an article with beautiful photography about the migration of Mallard and Pintail ducks published in the magazine, Ducks Unlimited, November/December 2009, pages 48-55, interestingly and informatively written by Mike Anderson, PH.D.

The article is “Conservation in Canada,” but the focus is on the harvesting of ducks in the States . . . of a natural product, waterfowl . . . that find their origins in the bountiful water marshes, lakes and natural resources of Canada.  Good reading!

Each year we bring out and display Christmas decorations stored in our trunks, attics, garages, and basements.  We celebrate holy holidays with indoor and outdoor wildlife wall decor . . . to be festive! . . . maintaining special memories of celebrations gone by.  Trees, lights, wreaths, table settings, and outdoor welcome signs are dusted off to please each other and our families, friends and neighbors.  In America we can worship God openly with religious, free expressions.

With all the poverty, hatred, bitterness, and unforgiveness that’s in the world today, let this holiday be the beginnings for peace, love, and forgiveness.  This holiday can generate true joy that brings about happiness for every hurting and lonely soul.  Let there be a launching of love and laughter in our lifetime!  Now!  Come build a special memory that starts growth towards newer and more lasting relationships between everyone, every race, and in every country . . . for the good of all.  

The urgency of this call is great because thousands perish daily because of greed, ignorance, and stupidity!  Desire for power and fame is a strong force sweeping generations from the face of the earth.  A waste of human life . . . and for what?

Wildlife Wall Decor might be the answer for the hunter who lives by the myths of hunting and never brings home the deer.  I never even knew there were myths in hunting, until I read this article by Andrew McKean in one of the outdoor magazines on hunting white-tail deer.  The magazine article is titled, HUNTING, and is sub-titled, “Myth Busters,” November 2009, pages 23-25.

Here is a list of Andrew McKean’s ten hunting myths: 1)  The rut is constant; 2)  Rut-dumb Deer; 3)  Scrapes mean Trophies; 4)  Only Big Boys breed; 5)  Hunt early and late; 6)  Find Does - Find Bucks;  7)  Rattling Rules;  The Second rut is best; 9)  The moon matters; 10)  Rutting Bucks stink.  After each myth, Andrew writes his REALITY checkup.

It seems that creative technology has become the modern day hunter’s edge over the survival instincts of wildlife.  The big game hunter has become crafty in developing clever instruments that call the wild game out of their safety zone and into the line of fire.  The killed animal meets its destiny to become still life trophies as wildlife wall art in someone’s cabin, as a focal point over a beautifully designed rock-faced fire place.

“Calls of the Wild,” is an entertaining article written by John B. Snow and Andrew McKean, published in the Outdoor Life magazine, pages 73-79.  This article describes some of these calls of unique technology used in hunting wild game.

One of the most memorable vacation trips my wife and I made formed a circle in the great outdoors.   The trip included the 4 Corners of New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and the panhandle of Texas.  The National Parks that we visited were the Mesa Verde, in northeastern New Mexico, Bryce Canyon and Zion in southern Utah, and the Grand Canyon in North Arizona.  These beautiful red rock formations and canyons not only broadened the historical appreciation of our American history, but also expanded our vision of the awesome scenery provided by our North American National Parks.

Reciently, I picked up the Highways magazine, May 2009, and read pages 32-36.  There in print was an article about the National Parks that we visited on our Red Rock Vacation.

Do you have the desire to travel and fish for you dinner along the way?  Outdoor Life magazine, May 2008, pages 36-43, lists 12 open-road great fishing spots in the U.S. that will bring you fishing experiences you’ll remember.  The requirement is a rod and reel, assorted bait and fishing gear, and one tank of gas.  For more information in your area, refer to the magazine. 

Here is the list:  (1) Seattle to Portland, 173 miles . . . king salmon, small mouth bass, steelhead, muskies, and sturgeon;  (2) Las Vegas to San Diego, 333 miles . . . stripers, bass scallpin, calico and barracuda;  (3) Orlando to Miami, 350 miles . . . bass, crappie, tarpon;  (4) Dallas to Houston 239 miles . . . catfish, crappies, stripers, redfish, white bass;  (5) NYC to Buffalo, 396 miles . . . small mouth bass, steelhead, salmon, walleyes, pike, and trout;  (6) Phoenix, AZ to Show-Low, AZ . . . trout, bass, crappie, and walleyes;  (7) Milwaukee, Wis. to Minneapolis, Minn. . . . steelhead, bass, pike, walleyes, tiger muskies;  (8) Huntsville, Ala. to Gulf Shores, Ala. . . . smallmouth bass, crappies, blue catfish, spotted bass, redfish, king mackerel, groupers, red snapper, tarpon, and cobia;  (9) Ft. Smith, Ark. to Memphis, Tenn. . . . crappies, catfish, bass;  (10) Bismarck, N.D. to Pierre, S.D. . . . salmon, catfish, sauger, large and smallmouth bass, walleye, pike, and perch;  (11) Boise, Id. to Salt Lake City . . . crappies, bass, and catfish;  (12) Washington, D.C. to Raleigh, N.C. . . . shad, stripers, red drum and spade fish, large and smallmouth bass.

Bow hunting with a cross-bow, long-bow, or compound-bow demand different styles of hunting, and each have their own set of problems and type of equipment.  It seems there’s a revolving technology shift during the previous centuries, from long bow, to cross-bow, to compound-bow, and today . . . back to cross-bow.  This paradigm shift is connected and/or influenced by political, social, physical, and economical events, each having their own place in history’s archives.

For example, not all states in America have the same hunting and fishing seasons, and each state has special requirements for licensing, as well as age limits.  Available materials and the cost of equipment also create changes through the generations.  For more information, read the article in Outdoor Life magazine, May 2009, pages 46-52.

Fishermen, hunters, vacationers, hikers and bikers, be on the alert . . . ! The wolf population is on the rise.  According to Field & Stream magazine, June 2009, pages 36-38, the count of “Canis Lupus” (gray wolf), in the USA has risen to 5500, and in North America 65,000.  The roaming area of a pack of wolves in the USA is approximately 25 to 150 square miles, whereas in Alaska and Canada, it’s 300 to 1000 squares miles. 

Other interesting facts are:  the largest gray wolf (male) recorded is 175 lbs.  The bite strength of an adult is 300 pounds per inch (psi); a German shepherd is 750 psi; and the adult wolf is 1500 psi.  The numbers of humans recorded killed in North America is ONE . . . ! Yet, the estimated deer and elk kills in the 48 states each year are 80,000.

Something to think about . . . when the goverment takes away our guns . . . rest assured these kill numbers will change radically.  When gun control takes over, only criminals, terriorists, and law officers will have weapons for control.

It’s a blessing to me to hear that there are still areas in North America that allow the wild herds of Buffalo to roam freely in the same way they have for centuries.  One of the areas is in and near the Yellowstone National Park.  Each year the Buffalo roam the range areas surrounding Yellowstone and must be rounded up and placed back into the park’s protective reserve.  The purpose of the roundup is to prevent burcellosis and other diseases carried by bison that could affect the health of range cattle, and then spreading out of control among domestic cattle herds. 

Cowboys from ranches in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming all join in the spring roundup in order to protect their investments by guarding their cattle herds.  The article written by Jim Overstreet, with photos by Mark MacLeod, is published in the Western Horseman magazine, May 2009, pages 22-28.

Rustic metal looks great on the exterior of a log cabin or wooden fence. If you’ve finished building your dream cabin hideaway but the outside looks a little too plain, consider outdoor metal wall art to complete the look. Hanging a welcome sign is a classic way to warm up a home, making it appealing to both residents and visitors, but signs made of laser-cut steel also offer the beauty of intricate designs. Mr. Ed’s Wild Frontier offers laser-cut welcome signs that will weather naturally when hung outside, so they become even more beautiful over time.

The “welcome” message can be the main attraction in beautiful cursive script, with chickadees or a hummingbird accompanying it to add a touch of wildlife. Or nature can dominate the design, featuring pine cones along with a moose, bear or fish and the “welcome” message. Yet another design includes the image of a cozy cabin tucked away in the woods, with smoke spiraling out of the chimney. Add this rustic touch to your hideaway, and you’ll never want to leave.