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If you've ever wanted to appeal the results of your credit union's NCUA examination to someone outside the agency, a bill moving through the House of Representatives would allow you to do that.
Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.) and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) have introduced a measure that would create an examination ombudsman within the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council that would field complaints filed by credit unions and other financial institutions.
A financial institution that is unhappy with the results of its examination would have the right to appeal it to an administrative law judge who would submit his or her findings to the ombudsman of the FFIEC. The FFIEC is made up of representatives of federal and state regulatory entities. NCUA Chairman Debbie Matz is the council's current chairman.
Under the measure, which has 14 co-sponsors in the 435-member chamber, the NCUA and other regulators would have to do a more thorough job of explaining the reasons behind their examination findings and give financial institutions more latitude on certain transactions.
The bill requires federal financial regulators to produce examination reports within 60 days of an examination's completion. In addition, if the financial institution wants it, the agency must include an appendix to the report listing all the facts that were used as a basis for the conclusions.
The Capito-Maloney bill also mandates that the NCUA and other agencies cannot put a commercial loan in nonaccrual status just because the collateral has decreased in value. It also requires the regulator to remove a modified or restructured commercial loan from nonaccrual status if the borrower demonstrates that it can regularly repay the loan.
Capito and Maloney are, respectively, the chairman and ranking Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee's subcommittee on financial markets and consumer credit. The panel is planning to hold a hearing on the bill on December 6.
"We have heard significant concerns about the fairness of the examination process for financial institutions and their ability to effectively appeal regulator decisions. This legislation provides financial institutions with a fair and impartial process to appeal examination reports for federal financial regulators and providing further clarity to regulators," Capito said in a statement.
Truliant FCU President/CEO Marc Schaefer said the NCUA and other regulators were caught off guard by the financial crisis and in some cases went too far the other way to compensate for their mistakes. But he expressed concern that trying to solve the problem politically could have unintended consequences.
"The intent sounds good but you have to be careful about whether changes have the unplanned result of making the NCUA or other regulators weaker. Healthy credit unions want the NCUA to be diligent," said Schaefer, whose Winston-Salem, N.C-based credit union has assets of $1.1 billion.
NCUA Director of Public and Congressional Affairs Todd Harper said the agency is reviewing the bill and doesn't have a position on it yet. He noted that in June, Matz wrote in her column in the agency's newsletter that there is an extensive appeals process in place within the NCUA if credit unions are dissatisfied with the results of their examinations. She also noted that the agency has a strictly enforced policy that forbids retribution against credit unions that appeal their examinations.
Lobbyists for CUNA and NAFCU praised the measure.
CUNA Senior Vice President Ryan Donovan said there is "much for credit unions to like in the bill." He added that giving credit unions more information about the basis for certain examination findings and increasing the opportunities to appeal examinations will be helpful.
NAFCU Vice President Brad Thaler said while they are still reviewing the bill, there is much in it that will be favorable for credit unions.
State Employees of North Carolina Credit Union President/CEO Jim Blaine said he would like the NCUA and state examiners to give credit unions more flexibility to offer nontraditional products that will help their members. Having more avenues for credit unions to appeal regulators' decisions might cause examiners to be more flexible.
"You don't want to do anything that jeopardizes safety and soundness. But for credit unions to be able to compete with banks they need to be able to offer nontraditional products because when it comes to traditional products, banks will always beat us on price because of scale," Blaine said. "We want regulators to look more favorably upon innovative products.
Blaine's Raleigh, N.C.-based credit union has assets of $22 billion.


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WILMINGTON, OHIO – Junior quarterbacks Ryan O'Rourke (Avon) and Andrew Dziak (Maple Heights/Padua Franciscan) combined for six touchdowns and the Yellow Jacket offense accounted for 580 total yards as the Baldwin-Wallace College football team shutout Wilmington College, 75-0, today (Saturday, October 22, 2011) in an Ohio Athletic Conference game on the Townsend Field in the Williams Stadium. This was the second straight season that B-W has shutout Wilmington (113-0).
The 75 points was the second time in school history during the modern era that the team has scored 70 or more points. B-W blanked Heidelberg 71-0 during the 1982 season. In addition, the Yellow Jackets defeated Kent State University 118-0 in the 1923 season.
With the victory, B-W improves to 6-1 overall and 5-1 in the OAC. The loss drops the Quakers to 0-7 overall and 0-6 in the OAC.
FOR MORE B-W Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at email@example.com. or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at firstname.lastname@example.com Fans can access the latest B-W athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.

subset: commoncrawl


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You hear Gore Vidal long before you see him, the steady tap-swish-tap of foot and cane on an upstairs landing in his sunny Spanish Colonial house in the Hollywood Hills; then there's the slow whir of a mechanical chairlift carrying the novelist-essayist-playwright-screenwriter downward. Vidal is 80, with an artificial knee, and in 2003 he left his Mediterranean aerie in southern Italy overlooking the Amalfi Coast -- not far from where the sirens sang, and Odysseus sailed on -- and returned to his sometime home in Los Angeles to live out the rest of his life.
The 1-kilometer trek from the house in Ravello to the piazza became difficult, Vidal explains once he's settled into a floral print armchair in a drawing room that brims with books yet to be shelved, paintings wrapped in brown paper leaning against naked walls. "I could walk it," he says, "but it takes me half a day. Also, I have diabetes. Also, the Cedars-Sinai years are here."
Vidal pauses and gazes out across the high-ceilinged room to where a tall window reveals sunlit greenery atop an adobe wall. It's a comfortable silence; Vidal is in no hurry to recollect, but he's in no hurry to finish recollecting either. He has been drawing deeply upon his memory in the last few years as he puts the finishing touches on his second memoir, "Point to Point Navigation," due out in November from Doubleday, the sequel to 1995's "Palimpsest."
"I always knew that we were going to need a house for the Cedars-Sinai years," he says. "Which is indeed what happened. But we always rented it out, until the last few years, when Howard got sick. And here I am." Vidal rarely mentions Howard Auster, his companion for half a century, when in the company of the press. It was Auster's cancer, as well as Vidal's bad knee, that spurred the move from Ravello. And then Auster died less than a year after they arrived.
These explanations make sense; but there remains something odd about Vidal's choosing Los Angeles as his final home, his patrician demeanor and deep sense of history clashing with the never-ending reinvention that pop culture requires of this city. Why did he and Auster not return to Rome, say, where for two decades they lived in a grand penthouse atop a palace in the Historic Center, and where the hospitals are just as good as they are here? Vidal adored Rome, he has said and written, but he does not by any means love Los Angeles. A writer lives in his head, he says, and so place is mostly immaterial. But then a writer is also human and hardly oblivious to his context.
In a 1985 essay for Architectural Digest magazine, Vidal contrasted his home in the "unfashionable Hollywood Hills," near Runyon Canyon, with his idyllic Roman penthouse: "In Los Angeles we live in our cars," he wrote, "or en route to houses where a pool is a pool is a pool and there are only three caterers and you shall have no other. A car trip to Chalet Gourmet on the Sunset Strip is a chore not an adventure. But a trip down our street [in Rome] is a trip indeed."
So why not Rome? Or London, where he buys most of his books from Heywood Hill?
"Come to my funeral and ask," Vidal answers, and pauses for a long time. The only sound is the rattling of ice as Vidal sways his tumbler of whiskey. "One hospital could kill you just as easy as another."
Old wounds
VIDAL grips his brown wooden cane, lets it go. His maternal grandfather, the blind senator T.P. Gore, holds a similar cane in a black-and-white studio portrait, published in "Palimpsest." A 10-year-old Vidal stands alongside, his arm over the senator's shoulder, his eyes gentle, his posture reverent, protective. Vidal has called the Washington, D.C., estate that his grandfather built at Rock Creek Park, where he spent the happiest moments of his childhood, his "true home." When at Rock Creek, Vidal's gentle eyes stood in for his blind grandfather's useless ones. Reticent no more, Vidal enthuses -- but slowly, with aristocratic poise -- about reading the Congressional Record aloud to the grandfather he idolized. These are good memories, and warm.
Why not settle in Washington, then? The Malaysian ambassador has moved into the old Rock Creek house, sure, but there are other estates nearby.
"God, no," Vidal says. "Unless you hold office, there's no point in being there." That was the plan, in the beginning. To live in Washington and hold office. Vidal knew this as he wrapped his arm around his grandfather and his grandfather leaned proudly upon his cane and the flashbulbs popped. But now Vidal is a year older than his grandfather ever was, and he's a long way from the capital.
A clue to this mystery of place sits on the brown rattan table, here in the Hollywood Hills. A pile of books, titles like "Extreme Islam," "Did George W. Bush Steal America's 2004 Election?," "Worst Pills, Best Pills." Among them, Vidal's own novel, "The City and the Pillar," the first serious literary work by an American author to deal openly with homosexual themes. It was a death knell for a politician at the time (although Vidal ran for Senate in 1982, coming in second to Jerry Brown in the California primary) and it forced a change of course. Vidal knew the consequences, he says now; it was a calculated decision, the right decision. "It's probably the only worthwhile thing I ever did in public life," he says. "Assuming that publishing is public life. Which is a great leap."
Vidal was just 23 when he published "The City and the Pillar," but it was his third novel and he was already a literary star. He dedicated the book "For the memory of J.T.," initials that remained mysterious for years. Today, Vidal speaks openly of Jimmie Trimble, a fellow pupil at St. Albans School in D.C., and Vidal's first love. "He was an athlete," Vidal says. "Now we think of athletes as just dumb-dumb boys, they're all muscle and no brain. But our athletes, at least of the class we came from, the political class, from Kentucky -- he was from Kentucky -- they were not only body boys, they were brain boys."
Trimble and Vidal were inseparable for a while, sexually and otherwise, and then fate intervened in the guise of Vidal's shrill and beautiful mother, Nina, who, concerned about her son's mediocre grades, transferred Vidal from St. Albans into yet another boarding school, Exeter, near Boston. Vidal saw Trimble one last time, at a dance in 1942, and they fled the hall together briefly, doing what teenagers in love are apt to do, leaving behind Vidal's fiancee, a young woman named Rosalind. Of course, Vidal never married Rosalind. And Trimble joined the Marines at the height of World War II and was killed in the Battle of Iwo Jima.
Vidal has written that he never again felt unity with another sexual partner -- at least, he hasn't yet. "It's not something you look for," he says sharply. "Things happen or they don't." He's been sliding down into the comfort of his armchair during conversation, and now a bit of his midriff peeks between his white button-down and his slacks. He's dallied with plenty of men, and some women, over the years -- more than plenty -- but none, except that first, was of lasting import. His relationship with Auster was platonic; which is exactly why it endured, says Vidal.
"In any country on Earth but the United States, people would understand this," he says. "For grown people, [sex] is something apart from living with somebody; it's just a disturbance." But people in the States "want total fidelity from the other person, and as much sex as they can get on the side. Preferably in a massage parlor. We are not," he says, turning for emphasis, "regarded as brilliant by other people."
It wasn't a marriage with Auster, nor a partnership. Vidal doesn't like to name what they were, just as he hates being pigeonholed as homosexual. No, they were Gore Vidal and Howard Auster, two men who decided to spend their lives together. "He's a private person," Vidal demurs. "There's not much to tell."
He must feel Auster's absence? "It was only 55 years," he says. "I don't know. It's.... Everyone handles it in their own way." He stares into a distance beyond the room. "I'm at the age where I'm asked to dinner parties with numerous widows and widowers, and they're all kind of cheery in a macabre kind of way. One illustrious lady said to me, don't you hate it when people tell you that time will heal all wounds? Of course I hate it. Time just reminds you of what is lost and not coming back again."
The old Hollywood
VIDAL shares the house with his Filipino cook, Norberto Nierras, while his 23-year-old assistant, Daren Simkin, lives in an apartment above the garage. He goes out very occasionally -- he enjoys, for instance, the acoustics and architecture of Walt Disney Concert Hall -- but mostly he stays at home. Work remains the constant throughout his days, as it always has been. He reads and writes in an upstairs study, where three windows look out onto swaying palm fronds; beyond, fancy cars speed too quickly around the curves. He prefers a typewriter or pen and paper to the computer, which he calls "that machine," but he respects the Internet and has published several political essays on his friend Robert Scheer's website, Truthdig.org. He rarely writes letters, because "practically everyone I know is dead." What friends remain do come calling fairly often. He abhors the telephone.
Today, when his tumbler runs dry, Vidal glances down at leftover ice. "Where's my Filipino gentleman?" he asks, fiddling with an intercom on the table in front of him. Daren has left on an errand, so for the moment Norberto is doling out the whiskey. The intercom doesn't seem to be working; "Norberto!" Vidal bellows, and back comes an indiscernible guttural shout. "It's an ancient Philippine folk song," Vidal says, half-smiling, and then Norberto arrives, middle-aged and in street clothes, and hands over a fresh tumbler, filled to the brim. Vidal has been drinking like this for years, but there's no noticeable effect on his formidable oratory and wit.
Norberto seems relaxed with Vidal, comfortable. After Auster died, he took the liberty of installing a chair in front of the door leading from Auster's room into Vidal's study; atop the chair he placed a large wooden puppet. "It's something superstitious," says Vidal, smiling. "He's a Filipino, and they have all sorts of meanings. I intend to get rid of it. Maybe it's to ward off the evil eye."
So. About Los Angeles?
"Rosebud," he says, echoing Charles Foster Kane's dying whisper in "Citizen Kane," and the idea that a single object or place can unlock the mystery of a life. He's joking, of course, hinting at the ridiculousness of this vein of inquiry. Vidal is in this city but not of it, he accepts but does not embrace it. "Rosebud" adds another wrinkle, however -- it is born of the movies, which are born of Los Angeles. And Vidal's language, if you listen closely, is run through with references to the product and process of film.
About the way memory works, he says: "When you were 10 years old, which in my case would be 60 or 70 years ago, you broke your leg. Trauma. Duly recorded, somewhere, on the tapes in your head. But if you recall it, the moment when your leg broke at the age of 10, you're not summoning up that movie, it's not as though you can just get the experience going in your head again. What you do, which is much more interesting and strange: You remember the last time you remembered it."
And it begins to make sense, now, to ask Vidal to remember remembering his first days as an adult in Los Angeles, the days when, he says, "the magic of the movies got through to me." Perhaps here lies the anatomy of his choice of home: It was 1945, and Vidal, the 19-year-old first mate of an Army freight-supply ship, was trying to jump from the ship to the dock at Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands. He could not; his knees simply wouldn't spring. He had been drenched with icy water from the Bering Sea more than once, and osteoarthrosis was the result. Many years later it would require an operation, an artificial knee, but at the time it delivered him to a hospital in Anchorage and left him pondering "home."
The Army sent soldiers to convalesce close to their hometowns; for most of them, that was an easily locatable destination. Not so for Vidal. His mother, Nina, was living at the Beverly Hills Hotel after two divorces and the death of her third husband. "I much preferred my father to my mother," Vidal says, "but I much preferred Hollywood, or the notion of it, to either of them. So, 'L.A. is where I come from,' I said." He was delivered to Birmingham General Hospital in Van Nuys. "It was pretty wonderful. Charles Laughton used to come over and read poetry and act plays. But only for the guys who were interested; he didn't want the ones who were just in it for autographs."
Nina's friend Jules Stein, head of MCA, gave Vidal a pass to all of the studios, and he would hitchhike in and watch the movies being made. The first set he breached was that of "Marriage Is a Private Affair," written in part by his dear-friend-to-be Tennessee Williams. Vidal remembers Bette Davis, on the set of "The Corn Is Green," standing in front of a manor house "in a riot of Harris tweed" and struggling to mount a horse. "You don't need an actress," Davis was saying. "You need an acrobat!" Vidal, now in his armchair, chuckles.
New York stole Vidal for a few years, which is where he met Auster, who had given up a career as a singer and was pursuing work in advertising. "He was having trouble getting a job in a New York advertising agency, despite an NYU degree," Vidal remembers. "The agencies, in general, did not hire Jews. So I said change the 'r' to an 'n.' He did, and was promptly hired by an agency that had turned him down the previous year." (Auster was thus known as Austen, in some circles.)
Then Hollywood wooed Vidal back; he signed a screenwriting contract at MGM and he and Auster lived with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward in Shirley MacLaine's old house in Malibu. He worked on "Ben-Hur," among other movies, but was ultimately dissatisfied with the studio system. It was too rigid; fluid collaboration seemed impossible. Europe beckoned; he answered. Rome. Ravello.
"I was fascinated by the movies," he says. "We all were, my generation." Fascinated, in past tense. "The problem with movies is that they're not for encouraging argument, for the mind," Vidal says. "It's for emotions. And you can excite people to a point.... Well, a medium that has that trouble is in deep trouble. And I think one of the problems of today is that literature has no prestige, while movies have all the prestige. And movies cannot do argument, they cannot do the mind, they cannot do anything -- except get your pulses going a little faster."
Despair and dreams
MOVIES, in other words, cannot do change, or at least cannot do it effectively enough. It was change that Vidal was after through politics, as well; in one way or another, he's always been after changing society, under many auspices, wearing his many hats. He is credited as the first to label the United States an empire, back in the 1970s, and has long been an outspoken critic of what he sees as American stupidity, greed, reliance on archaic moral structures. It's as bad now as it ever was, Vidal says, with Bush and the neoconservative agenda running the White House. "Did you see that story in the New York paper?" he asks. "All the money that Halliburton owes the government, and they're being forgiven this vast debt, because it's Cheney. In a well-run country, that wouldn't happen, a country of law. But we're now lawless."
"I don't see any optimistic signs on the horizon," Vidal says. "It's just, how much money can we wring out of the public, before all the oil has dried up and before soybeans can be properly processed? So we're at a curious point; obviously there are intelligent people who do have solutions, but not one of them will ever get inside the White House, not one of them is going to get to Congress, and God help you if you take on the bench. So all doors are shut at the moment."
Even in liberal Hollywood, after a year in which gay sheepherders fell in love, a preoperative transsexual reunited with her son and CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow took a stand against Sen. Joseph McCarthy, all in front of audiences' eyes, even after this, Vidal sees little reason to rejoice. After all, "Brokeback Mountain" failed to win the Oscar for best picture, exactly as Vidal predicted. "Nobody believed me," he says, relishing his prescience. "I said there's not a chance in the world the older members of the academy, the carpenters, the grips, the this's, the thats, living over in Van Nuys, they're not going to vote for that."
It seems hopeless, really, and yet, at 80 years old, Vidal continues the fight. "I have no choice," he says. "I have no selfish interests. All of my selfish interests are public interests." Under the weight of the world, at the apex of his frustration, Vidal is wont to smile. There is satisfaction in the muck, somewhere. "I'll never forget the joy," he says, and trails off, and pauses, and sips. "The four greatest words on Earth are 'I told you so,' " he says. "I have seen to it that I'm able to say that at period intervals, like a cuckoo clock."
One of the few people Vidal speaks with regularly on the telephone is Barbara Epstein, his longtime friend and editor at the New York Review of Books. "Like many people in Los Angeles, he's in exile," she says of Vidal. "Los Angeles is a place of exile. In a way, I think the one fits in the other very nicely."
Perhaps home, for Vidal, is exactly that -- exile -- a home that is not a home, from which he spies, somewhere in the nowhere of the distance, a better world.
But Vidal is not sentimental. The closest he comes is in his dreams. On good nights, as he sleeps in a second-floor bedroom down the landing from his study, he dreams of his father. "I'm always happy to see him again," Vidal says. "He starts climbing up a hill, and I follow him up, and it gets more and more full of bushes and so on. And then he vanishes." The landscape is not Los Angeles and not Ravello. "It's placeless," he says. "It's just a hill. It's wild country. When you dream of your father after a certain age, you're having a death dream. Any more of these doctors, and it won't be a dream."


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Cool water, big fish: a perfect summer combination
Striped bass, rainbow trout and walleye, three of Oklahoma's most successfully introduced fish, have found their niche in the lower Illinois River.
"The stripers are doing really well right now," said Jim Burroughs, northeast region fisheries supervisor for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "I think they are doing better than they have in several years and anglers have reported some very nice catches this year of both stripers and walleye."
The Lower Illinois River is one of two year-round trout fisheries in Oklahoma. Water, drawn from the depths of Lake Tenkiller, flows into the lower Illinois River, keeping it at a fairly constant temperature range in the 50s and 60s. This cool, oxygen rich water serves two purposes, it keeps trout comfortable year round and the cooler water attracts stripers, white bass, walleyes and other fish when the nearby Arkansas River becomes too warm for their liking. This makes it one of the state's best year-round striper fisheries, particularly in the hottest part of summer.
"Those big stripers will lay up in deep holes in the Lower Illinois during the summer, just waiting for a gizzard shad or a trout to get a little too close," Burroughs said.
This is no fish story, and the numbers support the facts. The unique fishery consistently produces bragging size fish of 20 pounds or more. In fact, several of the last state record striped bass have come from the 10-mile stretch of river. The current record stands at 47-pounds, 8-ounces for a monster striper that Louis Parker horsed from the Lower Illinois River in June of 1996. The record fish measured a full four feet in length and 30 inches in girth.
When going after the big fish, bring some big tackle. Stiff rods, heavy-duty reels and strong line are a necessity when fighting one of the lower Illinois bruisers. A big striper can make quick work of mismatched tackle.
Although artificial lures such as jerk baits and topwater plugs can be effective in early morning hours, live bait is often the best way to catch stripers. Shad and trout are two of the most common bait fishes used by anglers. Trout are legal bait as long as they are caught using legal equipment or purchased from a licensed dealer. Be sure to keep the bait lively and remember that the daily limit on trout is 6 per person, regardless of whether you are keeping them to eat or you are using them for bait.
Anglers can go after the big stripers by themselves or they can go along with one of the several excellent guides in the area. Delmar Shoults ((918) 773-5213) has an excellent reputation for putting visitors into big stripers. Other sources of guides and local information can be obtained by calling Dave Sullivan at Dave's Bait and Tackle in Gore at (918) 489-2424.
There is no need to go to the Lower Illinois River without all the proper information, and the Internet offers all sorts of resources to interested anglers.
Both wildlifedepartment.com and okiefish.com offer excellent, up-to-date fishing reports so that you can time your trip when the fish are biting.
There are plenty of great places to stay while in northeast Oklahoma. Check out greencountry.com or laketenkiller.com to find a place to stay or to find out about special events during your visit.
One of the states premier private campgrounds, Marval Family Resort, is located right on the banks of the river. The resort offers log cabins, swimming pool, fly-fishing lessons and many other amenities. To find out more information, log on to marvalresort.com or call (918) 489-2295.
According to Sheryl Townsend with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, there are no ramp closures or river closures on the Arkansas River due to the I-40 bridge collapse last May.
To fish the river for any species, anglers must have an Oklahoma fishing license and those fishing above the Highway 64 bridge also need a trout stamp. For a complete list of regulations pick up a copy of the "2002 Oklahoma Fishing Guide."
Cutline: Fish over 20-pounds not only provide an adrenaline-inducing fight, they also provide a great meal of fresh fish.
Cutline: Louis Parker caught the current state record striper in the lower Illinois River, this fish weighed an impressive 48-pounds, 8-ounces.
Wildlife Commission elects new officers
Dr. Lewis Stiles was unanimously elected as the new chairman of the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission at the Commission's regularly scheduled meeting held Monday, July 1.
"It is a real honor to serve as chairman," said Stiles, who represents District 3 in southeast Oklahoma. "I look forward to working with others in managing the great wildlife resources of this state."
Raised in Broken Bow, Stiles earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Oklahoma State University. He worked as a veterinarian in Holdenville until 1969 and then served 27 years as a veterinary medical officer with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"I think one of the goals for the upcoming months will be to continue to operate the Department as efficiently as possible with the available funds," Stiles said.
Dr. Stiles also pointed to the need to recruit young hunters and anglers to outdoor sports.
"We need to continue to look for ways to enhance opportunities and access for the next generation," Stiles said.
Dr. Stiles will serve a one-year term as chairman, he replaces Harland Stonecipher who served two terms as chairman. During the meeting Dr. Stiles presented Stonecipher with a plaque to commemorate his service as chairman of the commission.
Mac Maguire, representing District 5 in central Oklahoma, was elected as vice-chairman, and Douglas Schones, representing District 7 in western Oklahoma, was elected as Commission secretary.
In other business, the Commission approved hunting regulations for dove, snipe, woodcock and other early migratory birds. No changes were made to season dates or bag limits compared to previous years. Dove season will run from September 1 and run through October 30 with a daily limit of 15 birds. Complete regulations can be found in the upcoming "2002-2003 Oklahoma Hunting Guide," available at hunting license vendors and Department installations in mid-August.
The Commission approved the implementation of a state purchasing card. Pending approval by the Office of State Finance, the cards will be used by selected employees for supply purchases or emergency repairs.
Director Greg Duffy presented a tenure award to John Skeen, senior biologist in Wildlife Division. Skeen has served 20 years with the Department, most recently at the McCurtain County Wilderness Area.
"John has been a real asset to the Department over the years, particularly in his efforts in working with the red-cockaded woodpecker," Duffy said.
Skeen often climbs pine trees up to 75 feet tall to check on nesting woodpeckers. He has worked to bring birds into the state to re-establish populations and has also shared his expertise and knowledge about the endangered species to other states.
The Wildlife Conservation Commission is the eight-member governing board of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Wildlife Commission establishes state hunting and fishing regulations, sets policy for the Wildlife Department, and indirectly oversees all state fish and wildlife conservation activities. Commission members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.
Cutline: Dr. Lewis Stiles, District 3 representative, will serve as the new chairman of the Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Cutline: New Chairman of the Wildlife Conservation Commission, Dr. Lewis Stiles presents a plaque to outgoing chairman Harland Stonecipher.
Now is the time to get ready for archery season
Every time fall rolls around and the early archery season opens you lament the fact that you aren't in the woods and on the lookout for a big buck.
It is never too early to begin preparing and with a small investment of time and equipment, you'll be ready for the Oct. 1 opener.
The first of Oklahoma's big game seasons, the archery deer season is one of the most popular activities available to Oklahoma hunters. The season occurs in two segments, from Oct. 1-Nov. 22 and Dec. 2-Jan. 15, allowing three full months of hunting opportunity. Rich Fuller, information supervisor for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, said the archery deer season allows hunters an excellent chance of success at a more relaxing pace than firearms deer seasons.
"The best thing about archery season is that it allows hunters nearly 100 days in the field. Unlike the primitive or modern gun seasons, the long archery season allows most hunters plenty of opportunity without necessarily taking vacation days," Fuller said. "I know of several experienced bowhunters who annually harvest multiple deer by just hunting weekends."
According to Fuller, some would-be archery hunters may shy away from getting started in the sport because they believe it will cost too much. Not the case, says Fuller.
"If you spend a little time prowling around pawn shops or looking through catalogs, you would be surprised by the great deals you can find," Fuller said. "Although archery companies are making constant improvements to bows to make them lighter and faster, many older bows are suited for hunting. A razor sharp broadhead placed on an arrow traveling at over 150 feet per second from a 40 pound bow should cleanly harvest any white-tailed deer in Oklahoma, provided that the shot is made through the vital organs."
Shooting an arrow accurately and consistently is a skill that is earned through practice.
"The key is to have a few minutes in the morning or in the evening for disciplined practice," Fuller said. "The ethical hunter will do his best to duplicate hunting situations in his practice sessions to make sure he makes as clean a shot as possible when the opportunity presents itself."
In addition to the extra opportunities, many hunters enjoy bowhunting because it presents a greater challenge than hunting with modern firearms. Shots are usually limited to less than 20 yards, and getting that close to an animal requires exceptional woodsmanship and concealment skills, not to mention advanced abilities at reading and interpreting deer sign. Harvesting a deer with bow and arrow is considered an ultimate test of skill, and successfully harvesting an animal requires a perfect blend of many elements.
The basics of getting started in archery hunting is the subject of an upcoming episode of "Outdoor Oklahoma" TV show which will air Sunday, July 14 at 8:00 a.m. on OETA-The Oklahoma Network.
Also featured on the show will be tips on improving your wingshooting skills. With dove season right around the corner, now is the perfect time to grab a few friends and spend an afternoon shooting clay targets.
Along with honing their shooting skills, dove hunters will also need to obtain a free Harvest Information Permit (HIP). An explanation of the HIP program and information on how to get a permit will also be a part of the upcoming episode of "Outdoor Oklahoma."
"Outdoor Oklahoma" features such topics as fishing, hunting; and fisheries, game and non-game wildlife management. The 30-minute program can be seen on OETA-The Oklahoma Network Sundays at 8:00 a.m. and Saturdays at 6:00 p.m. "Outdoor Oklahoma" can also be seen on the following television stations: KSBI Network (greater OKC metro area), Mondays-5:00 p.m., Thursdays-10: 30 p.m., Saturdays-1:30 p.m., KTEN (south-central and southeastern Oklahoma) Sundays-5 a.m., KWEM (Stillwater), Wednesdays-8:00 p.m., Fridays-7:00 p.m. and Sundays-8:00 p.m.
For a complete listing of show times and channels in your viewing area, consult the Department's Web site at www.wildlifedepartment.com or your local TV guide.
NRA supports Department shooting programs
Whether you enjoy the challenge of shooting clay targets or stalking game in the field, the National Rifle Association (NRA) has made it easier to brush up on your shotgun skills.
The Oklahoma chapter of the NRA recently donated $4,100 to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's Shotgun Training and Education (STEP). The program, designed for all skill levels, offers seminars for shooters to learn more about shotgun shooting, from the basics to shooting tough doubles on a clay target course.
"We are proud to support this program," said Darrin Delong, chairman of the Oklahoma Friends of the NRA. "The shooting sports are great ways to not only improve your skills, but they also provide great camaraderie with friends and family."
Through banquets and other fund-raising events the Oklahoma Friends of the NRA has raised over $112,000 for programs such as STEP that promote shooting and outdoor sports in the state.
The shotgun seminars are offered free of charge for groups of 25 people. Guns, ammunition and targets are provided through the program. There is a different seminar for every skill level whether you have never picked up a gun before or you are a skilled shooter. Since all the classes use non-toxic shot, waterfowl hunters can improve their wing shooting by attending one of the seminars.
For more information about STEP or for information on how to set up a program call (918) 744-1039.
Eufaula anglers catching fish night and day
Sleep in, take an afternoon nap, just make sure you are on the water as the sun goes down. After hours angling is picking up across Oklahoma.
"Fishing at night can really be a lot of fun," said Barry Bolton, assistant chief of fisheries for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "As it cools down in the evening many fish become more active and are out looking for a meal."
When heading out after dark, under water structure is the place to be for crappie and catfish, bass often move up into shallower water looking for unsuspecting baitfish. Whether in a lawn chair or in a boat, just about any lake or pond can produce good stringers of fish, but year in and year out Lake Eufaula in southeast Oklahoma has proven to be one of the best.
With over 600 miles of shoreline it is no wonder the sprawling reservoir has been dubbed the "gentle giant."
"One of the neat things about Lake Eufaula is the diversity of habitats that are present, there are rocky cliffs, submerged forests and aquatic vegetation. All these different types of habitat make it an excellent place to catch a wide range of fish species," Bolton said.
President Lyndon B. Johnson was on hand to dedicate the Eufaula Dam in 1964 and since then the lake has been a favorite among anglers and other outdoor recreationists. According to a recent survey, Oklahoma is home to over 774,000 anglers and many of these fishermen make a trip or two each year to Lake Eufaula. All these anglers have a significant economic impact on communities around the lake.
"Fishing has had a tremendous effect on our town," said town of Eufaula Mayor Bill Day. "People come from all around to fish in the many tournaments on the lake or just to relax for a few days. All these people need a place to stay, something to eat and this has a big impact on our local economy."
There is certainly no need to limit your trip to Lake Eufaula to a single day, there are plenty of places to rest up after a long night (or day) of fishing. For those who like to rough it there are spacious, well-maintained campsites scattered all along the lake shores. For those who prefer a bit more luxury, the lake boasts an outstanding resort. Fountainhead Resort Hotel ((918) 689-9173) is located at the north end of the lake offers not only great amenities, but also friendly Oklahoma hospitality.
The internet is a great place to learn more about Lake Eufaula and the communities around it. The Lake Eufaula Association, at www.lakeeufaulaassoc.org, offers information about what to do and where to stay while in southeast Oklahoma. If you would like to do some shopping or would like to go out with a Lake Eufaula fishing guide, log onto www.shopoklahoma.com/fishingg.htm. For up to date fishing reports or to find out about fishing regulations check out www.wildlifedepartment.com.
Cutline: After hour anglers enjoy some great fishing as well as cool summer breezes.
Controlled hunt results coming soon
The moment of truth is drawing near for applicants in the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's Controlled Hunt program. The results of the drawing will be announced on July 22. Hunters will be able to find if they were drawn by logging onto www.wildlifedepartment.com or by visiting a regional Department office.
The opportunity to harvest an animal from some of the best managed lands for wildlife have made the controlled hunts one of the most popular programs the Department offers. Several changes were made this year in an effort to ensure that the program remains as efficient and equitable as possible.
The chance to harvest an antelope or elk in Oklahoma is truly a special opportunity and beginning with 2002 it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience through the controlled hunt program. Hunters who are drawn for an elk or antelope hunt will not be eligible in the future. This change was made in an effort to provide as many people as possible the chance to participate in these limited opportunity hunts.
In past years some lucky hunters were drawn for two or even three deer hunts in separate categories, while others were not selected. With the changes instituted this year, there is one comprehensive deer category instead of several different categories (gun, archery and primitive firearm ). Hunters had the opportunity to apply for five individual hunt choices. A hunter's preference points in the new comprehensive deer category will be equal to the highest number of preference points the hunter had accrued in any one of the previous deer categories.
For the first time a progressive draw for big game will be instituted. Elk hunts will be drawn first, followed by antelope, then deer. If a hunter is selected for an elk hunt, they will receive preference points in the other big game categories they have applied for (antelope and deer) but will not be eligible to be selected in those categories. Similarly, if they are not selected for elk but draw an antelope permit, they will receive a preference point in the elk and deer categories, but will not be eligible to draw a deer hunt.
A $5 fee was authorized by the 2001 Legislature in order to offset rising costs for administering the program. The fee was required of all applicants including lifetime hunting or lifetime combination license holders.
Additional information about the controlled hunt program can be found on an upcoming episode of "Outdoor Oklahoma" TV show which will air Sunday, July 21 at 8:00 a.m. on OETA-The Oklahoma Network.
Also featured on the program will be information about an exciting archeological find in northwest Oklahoma. A Clovis point, one of the oldest types of native American arrowheads, was recently discovered in the area.
For a complete listing of show times and channels in your viewing area, consult the Department's Web site at www.wildlifedepartment.com or your local TV guide.
Oklahoma hunting and license fees remain steady
The Missouri Conservation Commission has recently approved a permit fee increase in an effort to maintain a strong voice from hunters and anglers in the Missouri Department of Conservation's activities.
At its May meeting, the Conservation Commission approved permit fee increases ranging from 50 cents to $2. Conservation Department Deputy Director John Smith said the increases are the first since 1999, when resident permit fees increased by $1 to $4.
"It has been three years since we had a permit fee increase," said Smith, "and the cost of doing business - even conservation business - does go up a little every year. And like everyone else, the Conservation Department has been affected by the recent economic downturn."
On the other hand, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) has not seen a general license increase in since 1994.
"It has been a long time since we have had an increase," said Richard Hatcher, assistant director for the ODWC. "We work hard to be fiscally responsible and to conserve funds where ever we can, but right now we are struggling to maintain the staff and areas that we have. We do our best to make the sportsman's dollar go as far as we can, but in order to improve our services we need to find additional financial support."
Oklahoma remains a bargain for hunters and fishermen, Oklahomans pay only $12.50 for either a fishing or hunting license. Minnesota charges residents $18 for an annual fishing permit. The fee is $19 in Texas, $20 in New Hampshire and $30.45 in California.
The Missouri increases will go into effect March 1, 2003, the beginning of the 2003-2004 permit year. Missouri is raising permit costs across the board. The price of Daily Fishing Permits will increase from $5 to $5.50. The price for Resident Fishing Permits will increase from $11 to $12.
A one day hunting permit will increase from $10 to $11, a resident firearms deer permit, as well as a spring turkey license will rise to $17.
The Missouri Conservation Department is generally considered one of the best funded state wildlife agencies in the country. A one-eighth cent statewide sales tax provides stable, reliable income. This funding, in addition to license sales, allows the department to maintain and increase the high standard of wildlife management in Missouri. The department's fiscal services section projects that the increase in resident permit fees, along with increases in nonresident fees approved earlier, will boost agency revenues by $185,000 this year, and by approximately $1.1 million in Fiscal Year 2003. After the price increases go into effect, approximately 23 percent of the agency's revenues will come from permit sales.
"The concern has been that more and more of the Conservation Department's funding would come from the sales tax, and as their permit fees made up less and less of our budget, their interests would get less and less attention," said Smith.
Oklahoma receives no such sales tax funds or general appropriations from the state legislature, but depends primarily on license sales to support the Wildlife Department.
"Our deer herd is growing, we have turkeys like never before and I would put our fishing opportunities up against just about any other state," Hatcher said. "I am proud to say it has all been done on a relatively tight budget. If we want to continue to provide excellent hunting and fishing, we need to find additional sources of revenue."
180-pound fish caught in Red River
A prehistoric creature nearly eight feet long and mostly teeth and temper, not exactly what Deryl Landers had in mind when he set out for a leisurely evening of catfishing on the banks of the Red River.
Landers broke the Oklahoma state record last week for alligator gar when he pulled in a 180-pound, seven feet nine inch monster using cut fish for bait.
"I couldn't believe my eyes when it surfaced the first time," Landers said. "When it splashed it looked like someone drove a car off into the water."
Landers' feat would have been impressive enough if he was using a small crane and steel cable, but he landed it using just 20-pound test line and a rod that was a foot shorter than the fish. This puts Landers into contention for a new world line class record for alligator gar. He is in the process of sending the paperwork to the International Game Fish Association, the sanctioning body for world angling records.
The record didn't come easy for Landers, of Bokchito. He fought the fish, which measured 35 inches in girth, for a full hour and 45 minutes before bringing it to shore.
"I was absolutely wore smooth out," Landers said. "My arms felt like jelly after fighting that fish and I burnt my thumb on the spool trying to keep a little drag on it."
A long time taxidermist, Landers plans on making a reproduction of the monster fish.
"I think it will be really neat once I get it finished, the only problem may be finding enough wall space to hang it," Landers said.
Lander's fish smashed the previous alligator gar record by 27 pounds. Terry Dean Busby set the previous record a 153 pound fish also caught from the Red River in 1991.
Although certainly the biggest, this is not the first alligator gar he has caught. Landers said he normally releases the gar when he hooks them, a practice supported by Barry Bolton, assistant chief of fisheries for the Department.
"Alligator gar are truly unique fish and the Red River is one of the few places left where they can be found," Bolton said. "With shrinking habitat and increasing fishing pressure it is important that we look for ways to conserve their habitat."
For a complete list of record fish and the procedures regarding state record fish consult the "2002 Oklahoma Fishing Guide." If you think you may have hooked a record fish it is important that you weigh the fish on a Oklahoma State Department of Agriculture certified scale and the weight is verified by a Wildlife Department employee.
For more information on other state record fish, log on to www.wildlifedepartment.com.
Cutline: Deryl Landers of Bokchito sets new state record with 180-pound alligator gar taken by rod and reel from the Red River.
Top hunter education volunteer recognized
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's Hunter Education program recently honored Mike Wingfield as the Instructor of the Year. Wingfield was recognized and presented with a Knight in-line muzzleloader at this year's instructor conference.
"I enjoy the opportunities to teach young people in hunter safety," said Wingfield. "I always try to teach them to practice safe firearm handling until it becomes second nature with them."
Wingfield has certified more than 2000 hunters and taught more than 60 classes in his 21 years as a volunteer. He also contributes to the program by teaching instructor workshops in Bryan County, which is necessary in order to certify new instructors. He is also active in aquatic education.
"Mike is a sparkling example of what you want in a volunteer," said Danny Clubb, Oklahoma Game Warden stationed in Bryan County. "He can do it all, from setting up courses, teaching classes and certifying students."
Oklahoma's hunter education volunteers are given several opportunities each year for continuing education and training, as well as using new and improved teaching aids.
Last year, more than 14,000 students were certified in 354 classes throughout Oklahoma. At least two classes are held in every county in Oklahoma each year, with as many as 40 classes in Tulsa County and 53 classes Oklahoma County. Classes are administered by Game Wardens and volunteers and coordinated through the Department's central office.
Persons born on or after January 1, 1972 must be able to prove that they have completed a hunter education course in order to buy a hunting license. Oklahoma's certification is accepted in all fifty states, Canada and Mexico.
"Most hunters were introduced to hunting by their father or grandfather," said Clubb. "Today's youth aren't exposed to the same opportunities we had, so it's harder for them to take up a lifelong sport like hunting. This is especially important when you consider that most hunters cut their teeth on squirrel or quail before the age of 12. If they don't start hunting before that age, there's a strong chance they never will."
Volunteer instructors are trained to coordinate and instruct hunter education classes and other events. The standard hunter education course runs ten hours in length and consist of a variety of segments including firearm handling and safety, survival, wildlife conservation, water safety and sometimes live fire. Hunters wishing to pass on their heritage by becoming a Hunter Education instructor should contact Lance Meek at (405) 522-4572 or log onto www.wildlifedepartment.com.
Study focuses on Pushmataha Elk
Oklahoma's largest game animal recently received an infusion of new blood. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation recently relocated eight elk to the Pushmataha Wildlife Management Area (WMA) located in southeast Oklahoma.
According to Jack Waymire, senior southeast region wildlife biologist for the Department, elk were first reintroduced into the area over 30 years ago. As the herd expanded and time passed, the population had lost some of the genetic diversity that is so important to the health of the herd. This relocation is an effort to improve the herd's genetic variability.
"We had approximately 40 animals in the Pushmataha herd. Our herd is isolated and unlike the large herds in western states, does not have the capability to mix with other elk and ensure genetic variability." Waymire said. "Genetic diversity promotes greater immunity to certain illnesses and also results in better reproduction. These eight new animals should help restore some diversity back to the herd."
The elk, composed of three adult bulls and five adult cows were released on the Pushmataha WMA in late March. In addition to providing new bloodlines to the existing herd, biologists will also use the new animals to learn more about elk movement and habitat use on the area.
Six of the eight animals have been affixed with radio telemetry collars so biologists can determine their location and whether they have mixed with the existing herd.
"The collars have been a great tool in tracking and patterning elk movements, in fact, one bull traveled over 80 miles in about a week," Waymire said. "The more we understand these animals, the better we can ensure they have what they need to thrive."
Additionally, the collars will help biologists determine if the new bulls have been successful in acquiring a dominant position as a breeding bull and what types of habitat they prefer at different times of year.
"The new elk are doing really well right now," Waymire said. "They are beginning to mix in with the main herd and this will be really important as the fall breeding season approaches."
Through donations by the Oklahoma Station of Safari Club International, six elk were purchased from Timberline Ranch, a private commercial elk ranch in Cushing and the ranch donated an additional pair. The elk have been inoculated for tuberculosis and brucellosis and are determined to be in good health by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture.
"We want to extend our greatest thanks to the Safari Club and Timberline Ranch for making this restoration project possible," said Waymire.
More information about Oklahoma's elk herd can be found on upcoming episode of "Outdoor Oklahoma" TV show which will air Sunday, August 3 at 8:00 a.m. on OETA-The Oklahoma Network.
"Outdoor Oklahoma" features such topics as fishing, hunting; and fisheries, game and non-game wildlife management. The 30-minute program can be seen on OETA-The Oklahoma Network Sundays at 8:00 a.m. and Saturdays at 6:00 p.m. "Outdoor Oklahoma" can also be seen on the following television stations: KSBI Network (greater OKC metro area), Mondays-5:00 p.m., Thursdays-10: 30 p.m., Saturdays-1:30 p.m., KTEN (south-central and southeastern Oklahoma) Sundays-5 a.m., KWEM (Stillwater), Wednesdays-8:00 p.m., Fridays-7:00 p.m. and Sundays-8:00 p.m.
For a complete listing of show times and channels in your viewing area, consult the Department's Web site at www.wildlifedepartment.com or your local TV guide.
Gar fishing can be great fun
It sounds like a fisherman's dream. A fish that routinely grows to ten pounds or more, fights hard and is not picky about what is thrown in front of them - it sounds too good to be true.
Anglers are discovering that gar can produce plenty of fast-paced action.
"There is not really that many people fishing for them, but it can be a lot of fun and they fight just about as hard as any fish out there," said Steve Burge, southeast information specialist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife. "Sometimes other fishing slows down a little in late summer, but it seems like the hotter it gets the more the gar are ready to bite."
According to Burge, no specialized equipment is needed to go after the long scaly fish. He said a standard bass rod will do and many local bait shops sell gar lures or you can use just about any lure with a long shank hook.
Gar fishing will be the focus of an upcoming tournament in southeast Oklahoma. The annual Lake Wister Gar Rodeo will take place on August 17.
"Everyone always has a good time, people seem to really enjoy the tournament," said Robert Borden with Lake Wister State Park.
It is a bargain at only ten dollars to enter the contest and winners with the big fish and most pounds win cash prizes.
"It is something a little different and we have several families that come back every year to fish the tournament," Borden said.
Lake Wister State Park is also running a gar tournament special. For only $20 visitors not only get a ticket to dine at the tournament awards banquet and stay in air conditioned cabins Saturday night, they also receive a tournament hat.
For more information about the Lake Wister Gar Rodeo call Lake Wister State Park at (918) 655-7886.
New state record grass carp
Oklahoma bowfishermen have a new high mark to shoot for. The state record grass carp was easily toppled July 13, when a pair of archers took a 68-pound, 6-ounce lunker. The big fish, taken from Arbuckle Lake, dwarfs the previous record by more than 18 pounds.
But perhaps the bigger story is that two men share the honor. David Carter of Seminole and Steven Edgar of Sulphur were bowfishing from a boat along the water's edge when they spotted the huge fish.
"We had been bowfishing since about 10 o'clock that night and had both missed a pretty big fish earlier. At about 3:30 in the morning, Steven and I were ready to pack it in so I started to turn the boat around for deeper water. That's when we both saw this monster at the same time. I'd like to say we timed out our shots, but actually we just instinctively drew our recurves and shot at the same instant," said Carter.
With the perfect timing of a Swiss watch, both bowfishermen hit their mark and the fight was on. The only close call during the 10-minute retrieve was when their lines got tangled in the trolling motor.
"When we first saw the fish in the water, we knew it was a good one, but it really didn't hit home how big it was until we tried weighing it on a 50-pound digital scale. We tried it a couple times, but it just read zero," said Carter.
The men said they knew the current state record for the unrestricted division was in the 50-pound range and that they had a possible contender. But little did they know how right they were. The previous record grass carp, also taken from Arbuckle Lake in 1993, weighed 50 pounds, was 43 1/2 inches long and a girth of 32 1/4 inches. The Carter/Edgar record weighed 68-pounds, 6-ounces and was 48 3/4 inches long and had a 35-inch girth.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation recognizes two divisions of state record fish. Restricted division records are limited to those fish legally caught with a rod and line and played by no more than one person. The unrestricted division records are for fish legally taken by methods other than rod and line and can be played by more than one person.
"This is actually unprecedented to have two anglers submit a record fish together," said Barry Bolton, the Wildlife Department's assistant chief of fisheries. "We're excited for them both."
Carter and Edgar want to have the fish mounted but discovered that taxidermy supply manufacturers don't make a grass carp form big enough.
For a complete list of state record fish and for instructions on what to do if you think you have caught a record fish, log on to wildlifedepartment.com.
Cutline: David Carter of Seminole (left) and Steven Edgar of Sulphur set a new unrestricted state record with 68-pound, 6-ounce grass carp taken by bow and arrow from Arbuckle Lake.
Sharpen your shooting skills this summer
It may be hard to envision north winds and cold mornings right now, but the fall hunting seasons will be here before you know it.
While many hunters begin checking their equipment and planning hunting trips months in advance, too many hunters neglect their shooting skills between hunting seasons. A lack of practice can translate to frustrating days afield and if you really want to improve your wingshooting success, one of the best things you can do is practice at a local skeet or sporting clays range.
In addition to sharpening your shooting skills, practicing on clay targets is an excellent way to relax, as well as to socialize with hunting buddies or to introduce friends to shooting.
When shooting skeet, shooters fire at a total of 25 targets from eight different stations. Depending on the station, a shooter will face clay targets, or "birds," going away or incoming, as well as passing shots and overhead shots.
Sporting clays, on the other hand, is often called "shotgun golf." A typical round of sporting clays consists of 50 targets in a variety of settings designed to mimic actual hunting situations. Shooters will face "birds" launched to imitate flushing quail, fast-flying doves, high-flying mallards and scampering rabbits. Many stations feature a combination, requiring quick reflexes and the ability to make snap decisions.
You don't have to travel far to find a place to shoot. A Web site sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, www.wheretoshoot.org, lists over 25 locations where Oklahomans can go to hone their shooting skills. Shooting sports articles, fact sheets and links to other conservation organizations can also be found on this useful site.
While shooting skeet or sporting clays is generally inexpensive, shooters can usually get considerable discounts by joining a skeet or sporting clays league. Many ranges host fall, spring and summer leagues through which shooters often meet new friends, fellow gun enthusiasts and new hunting partners.
If you own land in an area where shooting is permitted, you can also practice on your own with equipment available at many retailers. You can buy a hand held thrower for just a few dollars and a box of clay targets usually costs less than $5.
What better way to spend a summer afternoon than to practice your shooting while enjoying the company of friends and family.
Cutline: Check www.wheretoshoot.org for a list of more than 25 shooting location locations in Oklahoma.
Bollenbach quail symposium slated for Aug. 9
An Oklahoma morning without a bobwhite's whistle just wouldn't be the same. Wildlife professionals from Oklahoma and surrounding states are gathering to ensure that the quail's call will be heard for many mornings to come. The third annul Bollenbach Quail Symposium will be held August 9 in Kingfisher, to educate landowners, sportsmen and wildlife professionals on what can be done to improve bobwhite habitat and populations.
Population surveys show historic quail numbers are down over most of the state, a trend observed throughout the entire southeastern United States. Even with recent declines, Oklahoma is one of the few remaining states where hunters can pursue relatively large numbers of wild quail. The symposium is designed to ensure Oklahoma remains one of the top quail states in the nation through sound management and cooperation with landowners.
Mike Sams, upland bird biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, will be one of the many wildlife professionals on hand to discuss the future of quail. Sams will outline the state's new 10-point quail initiative which focuses on maintaining healthy quail populations in Oklahoma. Parts of the plan include seeking funding to provide incentives to landowners to enhance habitat, identifying key areas for habitat improvements, educating the public about quail and working with public utilities and the Department of Transportation in developing right of way management practices that conserve nesting habitat for quail and other grassland birds. Sams will also discuss programs that are available to landowners to improve quail habitat on their property.
Sams will be joined by quail experts from across the country who will be on hand at the Kingfisher County Fairgrounds. Through the symposium professionals will share knowledge and advise landowners and bobwhite enthusiasts on what works and what doesn't in increasing quail numbers.
Additional speakers include:
Roger Wells, national habitat coordinator for Quail Unlimited, will give management particulars for the Kansas farm he manages. He has good densities of bobwhites.
Reggie Thackston, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, will address Georgia's quail initiative, which is showing early indications of success.
Butch Taylor, Texas A&M University and Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, will speak about landowner cooperatives in Texas. These cooperatives have waged successful campaigns against cedar encroachment through prescribed burning and other methods. Cedar, which invades native prairie, is a major problem for both livestock and quail production in Oklahoma.
Wade Anderson from the Natural Resource Conservation Service will focus on how to manipulate habitat by using livestock.
Stephanie Harmon, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. USFWS has been assisting landowners with habitat development in western Oklahoma. Harmon will review some of the successes and discuss assistance from USFWS.
Fred S. Guthery, Oklahoma State University, will discuss the latest scientific research on quail and quail habitat.
The Bollenbach Symposium will be held at the Kingfisher County Fairgrounds, Kingfisher, OK, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, August 9. Registration is $25. Students 18 or younger do not have to pay the registration fee, but need to register. Mail registration checks to Fred S. Guthery, Dept. of Forestry, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078 or call (405) 744-9431 for additional information.
Wildlife Department scores high on plan
"If you fail to plan, then you to plan to fail."
This old saying may be true, but it doesn't apply to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Department was given a near perfect score on it's five-year strategic plan.
In 1999 the Oklahoma Legislature passed a measure requiring each of the 170 state agencies to increase the efficiency of state government and provide a method for reviewing how services are being provided and how they can be improved.
"I think it really helped that the Wildlife Department already had a long-term plan in place before it was even required," said Amanda Storck, budget analyst for the Office of State Finance. "I could tell that there was a lot of thought and effort put into this strategic plan."
The plan considers a wide range of factors such as employee effectiveness, outreach goals and fiscal responsibility. The Department received 219 point out of 222 possible points and was awarded a rating of excellent.
"We are pleased that the Office of State Finance recognizes the hard work and vision that went into this strategic plan from all levels of Department employees," said Richard Hatcher, assistant director of the Wildlife Department.


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This past weekend, my husband and I went up to San Luis Obispo for my ShareSLO Ambassador Contest Interview. Being that we needed a room on somewhat short notice, we decided to look into what hotels we should stay at. La Cuesta Inn was at the top of my list. We have stayed there three or four times before and have been very satisfied with our experience. If you are looking to be close to downtown, it is in a great location (right at the northernmost point of Monterey near the freeway entrance). There are many restaurants and shops within walking distance including Pappy McGregor's Irish Pub, Apple Farm, Splash Café, Pepe Delgado's, Frank's Famous Hot Dogs, Steynberg Coffee & Tea and of course, Cal Poly. Those are just the ones within about a quarter mile! It also has a stop for the SLO trolley right across the street which runs downtown constantly and is only 50 cents! Downtown Higuera Street (the main drag of shops and restaurants) is only about 2 miles away.
OK- so location is great…Check!
Next is affordability and amenities. La Cuesta Inn is very reasonably priced for the quality of the hotel. We stayed on a Saturday night (during non-peak time) for $120 with taxes. It is an older building, but has recently been renovated and has nice upgrades such as granite counter tops in the bathrooms and flat screen TVs. They also have DVD players in the room with a TON of DVDs available to rent in the lobby for free. My hubby and I ended our night on the town on Saturday by cuddling up to "He's Just Not That Into You." It was a lovely way to end our day! I didn't eat at the continental breakfast because we were headed to Big Sky Cafe, but I saw that they had the standard cereal, bagels, fruit, and yogurt, etc.
Service – I was very pleased with the service I received during my stay. The staff was very friendly and accommodated my request for early check in. I was also upgraded to a deluxe king room overlooking the pool with a nice patio, which was very cool. They also were willing to give me recommendations on where to eat and what to do while I was in town. The other thing I love, is that you get a cute little rubber ducky in your room every time you stay. It's the little things people! I now have a small flock of ducks in my bathroom at home reminding me of the memories I had while on vacation. The cookies in the lobby are also a nice touch!
I definitely recommend this hotel for people looking for great convenience, good value and excellent service! I will be back. See you next time!
Please see below for some of the photos I took during our stay. Thanks for reading!


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Broadcasts directly from the National Theatre, Royal Opera House and other famous theatres around the world onto a big screen. Most broadcasts are of live performances but "Encore" screenings of previous famous productions are also given.
When an old adversary threatens Rome, the city calls once more on her hero and defender: Coriolanus. But he has enemies at home too. Famine threatens the city, the citizens' hunger swells to an appetite for change, and on returning from the field Coriolanus must confront the march of realpolitik and the voice of an angry people.


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Seating & Reclining
Accent Tables & Storage
Porter Quality
Barn Door
Rustic mango wood planks and metal accents inspired by the American Farm.
Big Sur
Elegant, contemporary gray wash finish over sheesham wood grain.
Route 66
Retro-chic reclaimed wood featuring colorful distressed paint in a fun vintage style.
Dramatic natural grain sheesham solid wood that goes well with a traditional / transitional style.
Clean-line styling perfect for the modern home. Sheesham solid wood shows the natural grain.
More Global Goods
Unique, One-of-a-Kind Pieces Hand Crafted by Artisans.
1 Item
Barn Door SBA-5300 Coffee Table with Cast Iron Wheels - LIMITED SUPPLY


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Red Hat Launches a 3-fer for Enterprise BPM Users
Mar 4, 2014 5:39 PM PT
Red Hat on Tuesday unveiled Red Hat JBoss BPM Suite 6, an open source business process management suite that combines business process management, business rules management and complex event processing technologies in a single product offering.
JBoss BPM Suite 6 includes all the capabilities of the next version of Red Hat's business rules platform, JBoss BRMS 6, along with support for modeling, automation, simulation, and monitoring of business processes.
JBoss BRMS is used to host an organization's business rules and to make business decisions based on those rules. It can be used as an alternative to coding those rules directly into applications, potentially saving time and money and helping companies quickly incorporate changes into their application infrastructure.
A Choice of Deployment Options
The new software "combines BPM, business rules and complex event processing in a single package," Phil Simpson, principal product marketing manager with Red Hat, told LinuxInsider. "Businesses typically need all three technologies to fully automate their operations, and having them tightly integrated together in a single product is a unique advantage."
JBoss BPM Suite 6 is also lightweight and offers a choice of deployment options: either embedded within an application or as a standalone BPM service accessed via APIs -- REST, JMS or Java, Simpson added.
"Most BPM solutions offer a standalone deployment model only and are too complex to embed within an application," he explained.
'There Is No Vendor Lock-In'
JBoss BPM Suite now can be deployed in Platform as a Service (PaaS) environments such as OpenShift.
"Over the course of this year, we are working to make it very easy to provision a PaaS environment with JBoss BPM Suite and ultimately to consume BPM as a service," Simpson added.
The open source nature of the software means that "there is no vendor lock-in," he pointed out. "Our subscription-based business model results in significantly lower total cost of ownership."
Not only that, but the open source software also enables users to collaborate more closely with development teams to deliver new functionality, Simpson added.
Advanced Business User Tools
JBoss BPM Suite helps organizations grow their business by providing visibility, business agility and consistency, Red Hat said.
Highlights of the software include advanced business user tools such as a drag-and-drop BPMN2 process modeler, a graphical data modeler and business activity monitoring dashboards and reports; integration of the runtime rule engine and CEP features from JBoss BRMS with a business process execution server capable of supporting a variety of workload needs; and flexible deployment options.
Red Hat's new release is in part the result of its acquisition back in 2012 of Polymita, Carl Lehmann, research manager for enterprise architecture, cloud integration and business process management with 451 Research, told LinuxInsider.
'Some Competitive Differentiation'
The addition of that technology not only brings Red Hat's BPM offering on par with other BPM suites, but also "adds some things to make it interesting," Lehmann said, including a planner and scheduling engine that "help with constraint-based decisions and scheduling."
Also new is open sourced business process simulation, he added.
The combination of those things "gives Red Hat some competitive differentiation in the market," Lehmann pointed out. "I think they did a pretty good job there."
In short, "many organizations approach business process automation as a singular event," he concluded. "Industry leaders pursue it as the beginning of a continuous improvement program. Such efforts require process modeling that includes rules management and decision support, simulation to test assumptions, and performance feedback upon execution to prove results."
That in turn "requires integrated frameworks such as Red Hat's JBoss BPM Suite," he said, "to enable consistent and reliable outcomes."


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Just hours after the Boston Red Sox signed free agent Stephen Drew away from Oakland, the A's filled their gaping infield hole Monday by agreeing to terms with Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima, according to two baseball sources.
Nakajima, 30, reportedly agreed to a two-year contract for $6.5 million with a club option for a third season at $5.5 million. The A's had met with Nakajima's representatives in early December, even though they had entertained hopes of retaining Drew, who agreed to a one-year deal with the Red Sox for a reported $9.5 million plus incentives.
The A's called a news conference for Tuesday afternoon at the Coliseum to announce the signing of Nakajima, although the club would only confirm that general manager Billy Beane would be in attendance along with a "special guest."
Nakajima could turn out to be an upgrade over Drew or the departed Cliff Pennington even though he has never played in the U.S. major leagues. During the past six seasons with the Saitama Seibu Lions in the Japanese Pacific League, the infielder has posted a .310 batting average with a .381 on-base percentage.
In 2012, the right-handed-hitting Nakajima had a .311 batting average and .382 OBP in 136 games with 13 homers and 74 RBIs. He has hit 20 or more homers in four different seasons for Seibu, and also drove in 100 runs in 2011. He stole only seven bases in 13 attempts last season, ending a stretch of four straight years in which he stole at least 15 bases.
Nakajima has been a seven-time Nippon Professional Baseball all-star after making his debut in the Japanese league as a 19-year-old in 2001. He has a career average of .302 with 162 home runs, 738 RBIs and 141 stolen bases. Defensively, he has improved over the course of his career, and he won Japanese league Gold Gloves at shortstop in 2008 and 2011.
Nakajima also played a major role as the starting shortstop on Japan's World Baseball Classic team that won the gold medal in 2009. Batting second behind Ichiro Suzuki, he hit .364 with a .516 on-base percentage.
The A's appeared to be in a bind at shortstop when Drew came to terms with Boston, considering they had traded Pennington to Arizona in October. The only players in the organization with major league shortstop experience were utility infielders Adam Rosales and Eric Sogard and recently acquired Andy Parrino.
Nakajima appeared to be headed to the New York Yankees last offseason after they won the rights to negotiate with a $2 million bid, but the player and team couldn't come to terms, and he decided to play in Japan for another season.
The announcement of Drew going to the Red Sox came early Monday morning. Just last week there was speculation that Drew probably would return to the A's.
Shortly after the 2012 season, Drew declined a $10 million mutual option that the A's more than likely would not have exercised anyway. Drew was paid a $1.35 million buyout by Oakland.
Drew hit .250 for Oakland and played well defensively after arriving in a deal with Arizona in August. But his overall 2012 batting line was just .223/.309/.348 (batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage) in 327 plate appearances.
The signing of Nakajima will allow the A's development time for the player they believe is their shortstop of the future, 19-year-old Addison Russell, their top 2012 draft pick.


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Kids Swimming
Swim Lessons
Children love to swim, and it's one of the most important lessons they can learn in life. Swimming lessons teach children self-confidence, encourage physical fitness and cut the risk of drowning.
Swim Levels (Progression)
Perfect for all ages — from 4 months to 12 years — and abilities, our progressive swim lessons make it fun and easy for your child to advance quickly at a pace that is right, not scary, for him or her.
Kids Swim Clinic
When school's on break, bring your kids to our Swim Clinic. Our 2- to 3-hour clinic is made for kids ages 5–12 and includes swim lessons, healthy meals, water safety skills and fun water sports.
Kids Stroke Clinic
If your kid is a warrior in water, get him or her into our Stroke Clinic. He or she will improve specific swimming skills or strokes in preparation for our competitive USA Swim teams.
Swim Play
Let your kid have fun longer. Swim Play adds 30 minutes to your child's 30-minute lesson to give you a full hour to work out. We'll even transfer your child from Swim Play to lessons when it's time.
Pool Hours
Ready to get in? Our pools are waiting for you. Just check the pool hours at your Life Time to see what's happening when.


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The annual International Food Fair at Hope College will be held on Saturday, Feb. 16, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Maas Center auditorium.
The public is invited. The food will be available in exchange for tickets that will be sold at the door.
The International Food Fair has been sponsored by the college's international students for more than 25 years, and celebrates the many cuisines and cultures of the nations represented by members of the Hope community.
For the event, Hope students, alone and in small groups, get together to cook a dish from home. They will wear traditional attire in presenting their dishes, and individual tables will feature the food and educational displays concerning the cuisine and cultures.
Admission is $5 for five tickets. The money raised will support a low-income area of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
The Maas Center is located at 264 Columbia Ave., on Columbia at 11th Street.


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Review matches, message staff, edit your profile, add photos, enter your criteria and more in our private client area.
Client Login
We are the only nationwide professional matchmaking service that is licensed, accredited, verified and secured. We subscribe to the highest ethical standards of professional conduct and personal service. With thousands of satisfied customers over the years, we aim to please everyone we represent.
Dating can be tough. With guaranteed* matches and date feedback we do whatever it takes to guide you into a relationship.
Complete our Get Started form and you will be contacted to discuss your matchmaking and coaching options.
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Speak with a representative to determine the right level of service. Each experience is customized to suit a client's needs and budget. We exchange your pictures and profile with potential matches and do our best to create interest. If you each accept the match we exchange numbers and expect you to get acquainted before you meet.
I was a busy executive focused on work. It was difficult to find the time to meet quality people. I want to thank JoAnn, Steve, Kim, and the staff at Master Matchmaker for introducing me to Mike. We lived only 90 miles apart. I frequently worked in areas close to his home but we would have never met without their help. We enjoyed each others company in the beginning, then quickly fell in love. Later in the relationship we had difficulty blending our lives together. I entered into the coaching program. The coaching helped me in not only in my relationship but in other areas of my life as well. Now, Mike and I are engaged to be married in November of this year. It never would have happened without the help of Master Matchmakers
Thank goodness for MM or else Larry and I may have never met. Him from New Jersey and me from NYC, our parallel life paths were most likely never to cross. However, they did and in one short year we met, dated, uprooted our roots and moved to Philadelphia together! Now on to the next phase of our lives as we most recently got engaged! The team at MM took care of us both. They were responsive, supportive, and genuinely wanted both of us to meet someone special. I always felt safe in their hands and knew that they had our best interests in mind. The coaching was also truly valuable as it enabled me to move forward from some challenges I was facing and supported me in remaining open and positive about dating. They knew that Larry and I had similar values and interests and would connect ... And we sure did! Larry and I continue to challenge each other and grow in our relationship and in love. Nothing but great things to come. Thank you MM!


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Associated Press
Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013 | 10:45 p.m.
NEW ORLEANS — In the Super Bowl of brotherly love, neither the 49ers nor the Baltimore Ravens have fired salvos at one another this week.
The one possible exception is the low-boil, long-distance chippy exchanges between Ravens running back Ray Rice and the 49ers defense, specifically the linebackers, whom Rice says won't be able to keep up if he happens to get isolated against them on pass patterns.
"I've heard that (Rice) has been saying a lot of good stuff about us," Patrick Willis said Thursday with a wry grin. "I'm being sarcastic right now."
Rice, the 5-foot-8, 212-pound dynamo, set the stage for one of the most crucial matchups in Super Bowl XLVII earlier in the week. A loquacious sort, Rice complimented Willis and his fellow linebackers for being one of the best units in the NFL, but then maintained they probably won't be able to handle him in the open field.
"This game will come down to matchups," Rice said. "In the run game, the linebackers, they might get their fair share of plays. They might make some tackles. But there comes a point in the game when you have to cover me."
And then?
"I don't think a lot of linebackers can cover me, not just the 49ers," he said. "Linebackers are built a different way. They're built to tackle. They're not built to cover, so when I've got them man-to-man, I'm going to win my fair share. Let's pad up. We've got to pad up to see."
Even though the 49ers lost to the Ravens 16-6 in 2011, they did a decent job of containing Rice. He gained just 59 yards on 21 carries and, perhaps more important, he was limited to three catches for 24 yards. Consequently, they're not sure where he's coming from with all his talk.
"Let Ray Rice say what he says," Willis said. "He's a good football player. But we believe we can cover any back in the NFL. In the Super Bowl, the best cornerbacks cover the best receivers. The best safeties cover the best tight ends, and the best linebackers cover the best running backs. Watch the game tapes. We've been covering more elusive backs than him."
NaVorro Bowman was even more direct in his comeback.
"Obviously, he's underestimating us," he said. "We'll have to go out and show him on Sunday. I'm looking forward to it."
In addition to rushing for 1,390 yards and 11 touchdowns through 19 games this season, Rice has caught 65 passes for 547 yards. Although he scored only one touchdown as a receiver, many 49ers defenders recalled the play he made in the Ravens' improbable comeback victory in San Diego in Week 12. On fourth-and-29, Rice caught a pass in the right flat and zigzagged for 29 yards to help set up the field goal that sent the game into overtime, where the Ravens won 16-13.
Some 49ers were quick to note the breakdowns in the San Diego defense. "We don't play like that," Bowman said flatly.
Cornerback Carlos Rogers, alluding to the team's film study of the Chargers game, said: "Their angles to the ball carrier were unbelievable. We just said, 'Oh, my God. What y'all doin'?"
Still, 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who spent two seasons in Baltimore, knows how lethal Rice can be. And he said his defense must be at the top of its game to deal with him.
"He's extremely quick and fast, No. 1," Fangio said. "He has the ability to jump cut and cut the ball back at any moment. He's only 5-8 but he's a very strong 5-8. He's very tough to cover. Joe Flacco likes to throw it to him, and he has been one of their leading receivers every year since he's been in the league. So he's a dual threat, and he doesn't have a weakness."
Fangio said every player on defense will need to keep an eye on Rice. Linemen will play a pivotal role when Rice runs. Linebackers must watch for him on pass plays. And the secondary will need to be alert to Rice breaking through the first two lines of defense.
One thing is for sure: Rice's words got around to the entire defense, so he won't sneak up on anybody.
"He's a good player, so of course he's going to be confident in his talents," said end Ray McDonald. "But we have good players, too. I'm pretty sure whatever guys we have on him will be up to the challenge of stopping him."
"First, our D-line, whoever's in the ballgame, has got to stop the run," said linebacker Ahmad Brooks. "And the linebackers have just got to cover him when he comes out of the backfield. That's all you can do. There's nothing scientific about it. Get up there and cover him. He runs hard. I played against him last year. I hit him and felt the hit. But just like any running back in the NFL, you have to wrap up, drive through and bring him down."


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Rebecca Martinez
Rebecca Martinez produces WUNC's broadcast of Morning Edition, and occasionally fills in as host.
Before coming to North Carolina, Rebecca was a reporter and host at Wyoming Public Radio, where she created the "Upstarts" entrepreneur profile series and reported on environmental and cultural issues. She won a PRNDI award for soft feature reporting in 2012 and has edited and produced several PRNDI award-winning stories and episodes of "Open Spaces."
Rebecca has reported on agriculture and community issues at The News Leader in Staunton, VA. She spent two years cutting tape, booking interviews and running scripts at NPR's Washington, DC headquarters. As an intern at Team Group Media in DC, she was charged with ordering stage blood and vintage furniture for a documentary that aired on A&E.
A New Jersey native, Rebecca is a graduate of James Madison University's School of Media Arts and Design. She plays roller derby. Yes, really.


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de Mondion Restaurant
Set atop Mdina's centuries-old bastions, within the Xara Palace Relais & Chateaux, the de Mondion offers a unique fine dining experience, enhanced by truly spectacular panoramic views of the island from the terraces and charming features served in elegant surroundings.
Consistently rated amongst the top restaurants in Malta for the soul nourishing cuisine, refinement and excellence, the de Mondion promises discreet yet impeccably attentive service allowing patrons the time and privacy to savour the cuisine, the company and the view.
With an exquisite cuisine combining the finest seasonal produce with innovation and expertise to create tantalizing dishes, the award winning kitchen brigade ably lead by talented Chef de Cuisine Kevin Bonello have and continue to delight the palate of a multinational clientele.
Throughout the warmer starry nights, dining Al Fresco on the Mdina bastions, surrounded by frequent colourful firework displays, the de Mondion Restaurant adds a whole new significance to eating out.
The de Mondion Restaurant is open for Dinner from Monday to Saturday, from 19:30 hours until 22:30 hours. The restaurant is closed on Sundays.
Group Lunches are available on request. We also welcome enquires for Private Functions and Special Celebrations.


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Taking advantage of the new, improved FSX terrain engine, this product will take your terrain detail to new heights. These terrain files are also P3D-compatible, with manual configuration
Compiled from The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Global Deigital Elevation Model (GDEM) V2. One caveat of this dataset is the presence of often numerous artifacts and "outliers" that require manual repair, which FSGenesis has done with detailed precision and years of expertise!
Featuring 19.2m resolution for the entire country, border to border, with a 0.1 degree border buffer (default resolution is 612m), FSGenesis ASTERMesh will bring familiar simulated detail to all those spectacular topographical features known by the native people. Anywhere in the country, go there on your desktop. Simply add to cart, checkout, download, install, and you'll soon be on your way to new adventures through spectacular terrain!
Technically, this product has been derived from the 30m ASTER GDEM V2 (corrected in-house where anomalies were found).then compiled into multi-resolution (LODs 6-11) BGLs, An auto-installer will easily install the files onto your hard drive, then go fly and enjoy!
What is Terrain Mesh?
The world is not flat…it comprises mountains, valleys, rolling plains, etc. I.E. topographical features. These bumps, dips, and flat areas all need to be translated into a surface understood by your flight simulator. Terrain Mesh is the name given to the Digital Elevation Model, (DEM), that represents these topographical features. This is the surface of the earth over which the user flies in the simulator (or crashes into!) For more than a decade, FSGenesis has been the leader in highly realistic, high resolution terrain mesh for flight simulator. So to make your simulator world and scenery as realistic as possible, you need terrain mesh!