Deerfly Diaries

Archery big game and blue grouse openers make this woman a happy hunter

We kicked off our archery big game season on Saturday morning here in western Colorado. Glenn and I were hunting for elk on Saturday and Sunday and were very aware that it was getting up in the '80s by midday. Not so bad if you stay out of the sun...hmm, dark timber sounds like a good idea. We didn't have any luck yet, but sure had fun.

Tomorrow morning we'll be out in the field hunting Colorado blue grouse, or dusky grouse as the wildlife biologists have renamed it.  I'll confess- there were a few times over the weekend that I wished I was bird hunting.  It had a lot to do with the dogs.  It's just hard for me to leave them behind. They are my best four-legged hunting buddies and there is something missing when I'm hunting without them. But then again, I'd be a hungry hunter if I had to live off of the few blue grouse I shot on the wing last year.  

So I'll thank my blessings that I am able to go hunting every chance I get, any way I can. Whether I am in the thick of the action or quietly waiting under a tree for it to happen, it's never a dull moment hunting. I am blessed to live in a beautiful country filled with God's creatures. They keep me on my toes, keep me honest, and if I'm lucky, keep me fed. 

Sue Melus owns Melus Outdoors, LLC- public relations and new media communications for hunting, fishing, shooting sports and resource conservation.

Video: Pan & Fork 4-H Youth Shooting Club blasts their way to the state finals

Each Monday night in Basalt nearly a dozen local youths from the Pan & Fork 4-H Shooting club practice their skills at the trap and skeet range at the Roaring Fork Valley Sportsman's Association. This year several of these youths qualified for the state competition.

Last weekend in Pueblo local Jesse Wagner took 3rd place in the individual .22 rifle hunt class and overall the team took 3rd place in the Junior .22 rifle open class.  Congratulations to all who competed!

Good luck to the shooters who will compete on September 5, 6, and 7 in Colorado Springs in the shotgun events: skeet, 5-stand and trap. 

Read more about the program in the August 27 edition of the Carbondale Sopris Sun. Article by Sue Melus of Melus Outdoors, LLC, public relations and new media communications.

Forbes names Glenwood Springs, Colorado as Top 10 Trout Town

The secret is out again. Our local waters here in the Roaring Fork Valley in Colorado rank among the best trout fishing in the country. Forbes.com just ran a story, In Pictures: North America's Top 10 Trout-Fishing Towns. Glenwood Springs, CO was listed among the top fishing town. And to boot, they included the image above from local angler and photographer Copi Vojta of cbv photographics. Way to go, Copi. Other locales included Asheville, NC, Roscoe, NY, and Missoula and West Yellowstone, MT.

If you are interested in a fantastic fishing experience in Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, Basalt or Aspen, CO, remember to book guide Glenn Melus.

Improve your Shooting game with Lanny Bassham's Mental Management System

I've been shooting a lot of skeet and shooting my bow more recently.  My skeet "coach", Bob Perigo, told me about the book, With Winning In Mind, by Lanny Bassham.  Bassham is an Olympic Gold medalist and World Champion shooter who developed his Mental Management System to master his sport.

Bassham explains in laymens terms how anyone can use his simple mental training tools to improve his or her performance in sports and in business.  His system teaches how to focus on the positive and balance the conscious, subconscious, and the self-image to succeed at anything you want.

I highly recommend this book.  It's a quick read and can help you reach your goals whether it be on your next hunt, on the shooting range or in your business ventures.

Sue Melus is owner of Melus Outdoors, LLC, a public relations and new media communications agency that specializes in hunting, fishing, shooting and resource conservation.

Oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle warns of the devastation to our oceans

On Sunday evening I was lucky to get a seat at a sold-out lecture presented by world renowned oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle.  The lecture was hosted by the Roaring Fork Cultural Council at the Thunder River Theater in Carbondale, Colorado.

Dr. Earle is currently Expolorer in Residence at the National Geographic Society and was formerly the Chief Scientist at NOAA.  She has impressively led more than 70 marine expeditions, logged over 6,500 hours underwater and she hold the worlds record for the deepest untethered walk on the ocean floor at a depth of 1,250 feet below the ocean surface.

Her "Deepness", Dr. Earle illustrated the devastation to our oceans and explained why it matters to humanity.  I've listened to a lot of scientists speak over the years, and the talk on Sunday was exceptional to say the least. Albeit, the information Sylvia presented was very scary and real, her passion and dedication to the oceans was undeniable.

Some key points from her lecture:

• We are consuming species from the top of the ocean's food chain at an alarming rate.  Tuna, mackerel, swordfish, shark, etc. take many, many years to grow and cannot be replaced at the rate at which we are removing them from the oceans.  It can be compared to eating lions, tigers, polar bears and other animals from the top of our food chain.
• There are currently over 400 dead zones in the oceans, none of which existed 50 years ago.  The dead zones do not support life because they are deplete in oxygen from high levels of contaminates like fertilizers and pesticides that are dumped into the oceans.
• Over half the coral reefs in the ocean are dead.  The good news is that half are still alive and can be saved if we act now.
• Sylvia has not gone on a single deep sea dive to any depth without seeing plastics that were dumped into the ocean.
• The oceans are the life support system of our atmosphere. They control CO2 cycling, precipitation and wind currents.  Healthy oceans keep our planet healthy.

Dr. Sylvia Earle asserted how much is still unknown about our oceans and how important it is to keep studying them.  Earle was the recipient of the the prestigious TED Award in February 2009. Recipients of the TED Award are granted a wish, which they must present in 18 minutes.  The below video is Earle presenting her wish to the public.

Sue Melus is the owner of Melus Outdoors, LLC, a public relations and communications firm that specializes in resource conservation, hunting, fishing and shooting.  Contact Sue to see how she can help you.

Colorado Leftover Big Game Licenses on Sale August 11th

Don't despair if you missed the annual big game lottery for Colorado, it's not too late to get a great tag for the big game hunting season in a limited draw unit.On Tuesday August 11th leftover tags will go on sale to the general public.  

Hunters may purchase tags beginning at 9:00 am from a qualified vendor or on the phone by calling the Colorado Division of Wildlife at 1-800-244-5613.  The next day, on the 12th, leftover tags may be purchased online at https://www3.wildlifelicense.com/co/start.php.

Be ready before you go to purchase your Colorado leftover big game license:

The best thing to do is to download the list of leftover licenses ahead of time and be familiar with the coding system.  You'll want to know what unit you want to hunt and what the hunt code is before you go to purchase.  You'll also need your hunter safety card, your driver's license, and a method of payment. 

Colorado Big Game season dates:

Archery: August 29-September 27

Muzzleloader: September 12 - 20

Rifle:

Season #1: Elk only, October 10-14

Season #2: Combined elk & deer, October 17-25

Season #3: Combined elk & deer, October 31- November 6

Season #4: Combined limited: November 11-14

Cost:

Resident elk tag is $46

Resident deer tag is $31

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Sue Melus is owner of Melus Outdoors, LLC which specializes in PR and communications for natural resource conservation, hunting, fishing and shooting.

POMA (Professional Outdoor Media Association) 2009 Conference in St. Louis was huge success

I just got back from four days of information packed business sessions at the 2009 POMA Conference in St. Louis, MO.  Outdoor communicators including writers, editors, photographers, videographers and artists convened together to strengthen their skills and to network within the industry.  The conference was generously supported by a long list of POMA Corporate Partners who also attended.

Despite the fact that print media is hurting in our current economy, it was a real boost to see the largest conference registration since POMA had its first conference in 2006 (I think it was 2006). Spirits were high among everyone and there was a real sense of family among the participants.

The business sessions included two popular ones called, "I Suck at Negotiating" and "Website Marketing," by Detroit photographer Blake Discher.  "Legal Do's and Don'ts," by Texas copyright lawyer, Hank Jones and "Video Saved the Magazine Star," by videographer Perry Trest who owns POSTDIGITAL, Inc.  There were many more valuable business sessions on the four day agenda.

It was great to catch up with some familiar faces like Jay Cassell and Peter Mathiesen of Field & Stream, and Tom Opre from Tahoe Films Ltd.  I was psyched to hang out with some of the other ladies in the industry like Tammy Sapp of the Women's Outdoor Wire, Keli VanCleave of PinkOutdoors.com, Lisa Metheny of Outdoor Inspirations, and Cara Peebles of Otis Technology, and Kirstie Pike of Prois performance women's hunting apparel.  And I can't forget Laurie Lee Dovey, the POMA Executive Director who made it all happen.  A huge thank you to LLD. 

I have started my own business, Melus Outdoors, LLC.  As a freelance PR Pro, outdoor writer, and photographer, the POMA conference was invaluable to me for the networking, business skills, and friendships I took home with me.  I'm happy to answer any questions about POMA or the annual conference or get you in touch with the right person.