Outdoors in RI: Pheasants on the Block, Dog Flu targets our best friends, 2A update – Jeff Gross

by Jeff Gross, contributing writer

Block Island Pheasant excursion with Chris Di Clemente

This being my first year pheasant hunting, I’ve had some great success on the mainland of Rhode Island, hunting stocked birds at the Great Swamp and Big River management areas. Upon hearing that Block Island has a population of wild pheasants, I gave some thought about trying to get to the island to do some hunting. After looking into the details of the dates for pheasant hunting and making a few calls to the Block Island Police and DEM about where to hunt, I came to the conclusion that I could actually make this happen. 

A split-second decision to buy a ferry ticket was necessary to make it for one of five days allotted for pheasant hunting. Upon arriving to the area of where I was going to hunt at sunrise of December 6^th, one could truly see the vastness of the fields I would be walking. While looking at this area without a bird dog, the thought occurred maybe I bit off a bit more than I could chew with regard to how much land to cover to flush some pheasants. These are truly wild pheasants, only Roosters or Male pheasants are permitted for harvesting. The first few birds flushed were hens, which didn’t make me too happy, but it sure was exciting to see those birds take off. After covering a few more miles of trails and fields I managed to flush two roosters. Both shots at both birds missed. It was truly a disappointing moment, though my head didn’t hang low for long. After a nice lunch break and regrouping, a solid game plan was made to cover some ground not previously gone through. Within the first area walked, I flushed a hen and a rooster that were just a bit too far and out of range. Looking to see where the rooster landed and came down was fruitless. I could not find him. On to the next field. 

The next field was a redemption, producing the most beautiful rooster and my truly first wild pheasant. After covering about 9 miles to harvest this amazing bird, I couldn’t have been more thankful and grateful to be out on Block Island doing something very few hunters get to do in their first year. With my rooster in my vest, I pushed on to get my daily limit of two males, but that limit would never come. About three more miles were covered and multiple hens flushed, I decided to pack it up and head for the truck with the one rooster.

Seeing that so many birds flushed without a dog, anyone would come to the conclusion that there are a healthy clutch of pheasants on Block Island. The pheasant population on Block Island is strong and thriving and will be enjoyed for many years to come, thanks to hunters and conservationists, alike. In the end I would have to say all those miles covered and obstacles overcome to harvest my first wild pheasant were absolutely worth it.

Photos courtesy Chris Di Clemente

Dog Flu?

Word to the wise:  There is a secondary Doggie Flu about and this one allegedly cannot be identified.  Recommendations from various officials are to stay away from dog parks, kennels and other areas where dogs congregate.  This writer normally keeps his dog away from other dogs to reduce hunting incidents while afield. With a 13 month old Golden Retriever, the need to continue that just became critical.  This Dog flu appeared just about the time the covert Chinese lab was discovered in California.  Coincidence? Rhode Island is one of only 10 states to be reporting this resistant flu targeting our best friends. Read more cautions from RIDEM – HERE.

Second Amendment update

OMG!  Government officials locked down the Honolulu airport because an anti-aircraft round was found in a checked bag. Or so it seems.  This is another clear case of the MSM spoon-feeding the uneducated public more BS by the shovel full. In a multi-pronged attempt to scare the public and turn same against gun owners they make any and all incidents sound like a world ending calamity.  Gun owners are decent hard-working folks that are the backbone of the USA.  Gun owners are not the type that hang out in a Garden City parking lot looking to key the SUV of an opponent.  (Yes, haven’t forgotten, wait until the House and Senate Judiciary hearings 2024 – make plenty of popcorn)

They shut down the airport as a .50 cal round was found in someone’s checked bag.  So what if there was a rifle round in someone’s bag?  A .50 cal round is nothing more than a rifle round as is a .30 cal round. Both are also used to shoot at aircraft. A well placed .22 round (Squirrel round) can also take down a Cessna type airplane. A .22 cal is one of the smallest rounds going. In Maine people hunt deer with a .30 cal. round in 20 round magazines. Odds are someone bought the .50 cal round at some antique shop or Army surplus store. Even if it were live, the round was no threat unless it was chambered in a .50 cal. rifle. 

I wouldn’t raise an eyebrow on any of this non-sense unless they discovered a 40mm incendiary or explosive round or a hand grenade. There was no mention of the .50 round being inert practice round or if it was live. The MSM then went into how guns are now rampant in airports and increasing in confiscated quantity. Sounds like airports are now either very unsafe or the MSM is embellishing the truth to scare the public. Fortunately, the constitution doesn’t change the rights of gun ownership on the whims of an uneducated public nor a corrupt anti-gun mob making it sound like the 2A is the coming of the apocalypse.

My prediction of the AR-15 and mag bans being ruled unconstitutional by Christmas just went out the window. Thanks to an inept SCOTUS, who declined to hear the 2nd NAGR Preliminary injunction vs Illinois.  SCOTUS has allowed Illinois to make Illinois’ 1.9 million gun owners actual felons as the gun owners have only a 0.01% gun confiscation compliance rate.  99% of Illinois gun owners refuse to turn in their AR-15 and “over 10” round magazines.  Does Illinois have enough prisons to house 1.9 million gun owners?  A writer always looks for an exclusive. I found this denial at 6 :30 pm Thursday night and no other gun folks or groups noticed the denial.  I had hoped to have an exclusive on something positive.  I hope I am in error as this resembles how 1776 started.

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Read more articles by Jeff Gross, here: https://rinewstoday.com/jeff-gross/

Jeffrey “Jeff” Gross spent 21 years as an Analytical Chemist at the USCG R&D Center in Groton, Connecticut, Woods Hole Laboratories, and Helix Technologies. Changing careers is a “great learning experience for everyone”, Jeff says, and I’m an avid outdoorsman and conservationist, a student of the sciences, and the world. The US holds too many wonders not to take a chance and explore them”.Jeff is the Model Train and Railroad entrepreneur. Proud Golden Retriever owner. Ultra strong Second Amendment Advocate and Constitutionalist. “Determined seeker of the truth”. Jeff is a RIFGPA Legislative and Legal Officer, Freshwater Chairman, NRA Liaison.His subjects include Outdoors, Second Amendment, Model Railroading, and Whimsical.