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Make yourself aware of 'The Armed Citizen'

Before I begin today’s column — about guns — I promise that in the future I will not beat this subject to death. It seems that just about everything in the news today is about guns and the Second Amendment.

WILTZ: Is it possible that both the GF&P report and my opinion were correct

Two weeks ago in this column, I stated that the pheasant count for the SD 2012 season, as reported by the media, was not the truth.

WILTZ: Other than the enjoyment derived, have your guns been a good investment?

My sister-in-law, Joyce, gave me a Barnes & Noble gift card for Christmas.

WILTZ: These points are as sensible as anything I've heard in the media

I wish today’s column could be “’Tis the season to be jolly” and Christmas cookies, but the recent Connecticut tragedy has overcome my yuletide spirit.

WILTZ: New experiences mean new friends

In last week’s column, I described our stay at The Lodge at Chama. Today, I’ll discuss the actual hunt.

WILTZ: Roger, did you see anything unusual during you East River deer hunt?

When it comes to what should be a very ordinary hunt, I’ve had the great fortune over the years to stumble over a number of unusual circumstances.

WILTZ: With what we've been through, an EHD discussion would be appropriate

I’m not Dr. Roger, and I don’t have a degree in animal pathology, but over the years, I have kept my eyes open and my ears to the ground with respect to EHD. I have discovered countless victims, and I feel qualified to make some observations.

WILTZ: A deer hunt with my grandkids - it will be awesome if half my expectations are met

I don’t know how important deer hunts are in the world scheme of things, but if I had to choose a personal most significant deer hunt, I’d have to pick the one that’s about 10 days away, for it will include three of my Wisconsin grandchildren.

WILTZ: Please don't wish me a happy 25th anniversary

I have a 25th anniversary coming up in a few weeks for an event that I wish had never happened. I’m not proud of it, but writing about it today may help me stay on the straight and narrow for another 25 years. At the root of all the things I did wrong that day, we find one of the Seven Capital Sins — Anger.

WILTZ: What will I find come Saturday?

Never before have I stepped into a field on the opening day of pheasant season without knowing what we were going to find bird-wise. This year will be different.

Columns

WILTZ: The Randall tailrace- it's what fishing is all about

When we moved to Parkston in 1966, I fished the Platte Creek area hard without giving any thought to the Fort Randall Dam tailrace. The year of 1971 found us moving to Burke, where I switched my Francis Case Reservoir attention to the Snake Creek area.

WILTZ: What can we do to stop the Asian carp?

When my phone rang last February, the man on the other end said we had briefly visited at the Randall boat ramp last summer. His name was Larry Waterbury, an Armour citizen, and he wanted to know if he could stop by the house to discuss a concern. I told him to come on by.

WITLZ: You'll learn something about pronghorn antelope

Not all good stories make the news. With regard to so called “assault rifles,” the people recently spoke loud and clear, and we all need to know what happened.

WILTZ: We’re in the midst of spring turkey season!

Mid-April finds us in the peak of our South Dakota spring turkey season, and the outdoor TV channels have named South Dakota the best place in the nation to hunt turkeys. Fortunately for hunters, many ranchers see their turkeys as vermin, and they actually encourage the hunting of these big birds! With a courteous request, hunting privileges can be had by knocking on doors.

WILTZ: I feel like a kid with a new toy

In my column two weeks ago, I suggested that the growth stimulation drugs used in the livestock industry and the herbicides and insecticides applied in crop production might be causing a negative effect on the water we drink, the air we breathe and the food we eat.

WILTZ: If you hand load of your own ammo you've learned lessons along the way

A good friend recently told me about his latest handgun acquisitions. The new guns included a Taurus “Judge” revolver that handles both .44 mag and .410 shotgun shells, not to mention a 9 mm Glock semi-automatic. He went on to say that today’s demand for handgun ammunition is so great that he was having trouble finding ammunition.

WILTZ: Are we literally poisoning ourselves?

Having lost good hunting friends in the not-so-distant past, and having current friends who are suffering, the subject of cancer has more than touched me.

WILTZ: Have you ever heard of Pheasant City

It’s part of the wisdom that comes with age. When I’m going to spend some time outdoors, I pay attention to the weather forecast, and I put considerable thought into appropriate dress. Our vehicle is also equipped for a worst case scenario.

WILTZ: International hunters experience some big-time stress

Last night on The Outdoor Channel, I watched Jim Shockey hunt gazelle and sheep in Iran.

WILTZ: Hoping a fishing magazine calls

Like all of you, I have my dreams. In one of them, the In-Fisherman magazine people call me about a fishing technique they read about in my column.