Be Careful You’re Not Stepping Into Trouble

I think most of us would agree there is no room in the sporting world for folks mixing drugs with carrying guns. It’s a bad combination no matter how you look at it. But how aware are you of possibly walking up on a meth lab the next time you take to the woods? Worse yet, would you even recognize the potential signs and dangers associated with such an illegal operation?

Fact is, the production of methamphetamine is a growing law enforcement concern nationwide. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that it couldn’t or isn’t being produced where you live and hunt. Chances are you would be terribly wrong and and being ignorant of this insidious drug crisis could mean some dire consequences for your health and well-being.

Having worked in the emergency medical field for several years I do have some first-hand knowledge of the prevalence of these drugs. I also have worked closely with law enforcement officials who must deal with the problems created by these substances on almost a daily basis. The problem is real…and it behooves ALL sportsmen to have at the very least a fundamental understanding of the dangers and the threat.

Just last Thursday I was driving home from a trip to my local Cabela’s when I decided to go on some back roads that are not frequently traveled. As I was driving I glanced way up in the distance and I saw a glint of flashing emergency lights. My first impression was…oh great! I suppose there’s been an accident and I can’t get through now on the roadway. As I approached I could see the commotion was not confined to the road…rather, it was at a farmhouse near the road that was encircled with yellow crime scene tape. Immediately I concluded this can’t be good…I wonder if there possibly has been a murder or something?

As I slowly inched past the area around what I first thought was a rescue truck parked on the road…I glanced up and noticed this truck said Bloomington Bomb Squad. YIKES!!! What the hell was I doing anywhere close to a scene that would involve a bomb squad??!! I quickly accelerated past the area wondering later if the law officers might have wondered why my truck sped from the area.

Actually, that bomb squad truck answered my questions…there likely was no murder at this house. Nope, it was the scene of a drug bust that involved a methamphetamine lab. You see, the chemicals and the process for “cooking” or reducing down the drug is so dangerous that even the sheriff’s department relies on professionals experienced with deadly explosives. Consider this…what would happen if you and your hunting partners entered a woodlot and unknowingly walked into such an operation? Fact is, a meth lab can exist virtually anywhere and everywhere. They don’t have to be confined to a home or a building…and often times these labs are found in a remote wooded area where the criminals who have set up the site may also have “booby-trapped” the area to cause harm to any intruder.

So yes, if you want to consider yourself a savvy sportsman who is aware and on the look-out for dangers…you now must be observant for the tell-tale signs of meth production. Here’s a synopsis of what danger signs to watch for when taking to the woods:

Used as designed, these household products are generally safe. Mixed together, they can become explosive and/or give off toxic fumes.

Chemicals

Acetone

Alcohol (isopropyl or rubbing)

Common cold pills containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine

Drain cleaner (sulfuric acid)

Engine starter (ether)

Iodine

Heet/gasoline additives (methanol/alcohol)

Lithium batteries

Matches (red phosphorous)

Muriatic acid

Anhydrous ammonia

Red Devil lye

Salt (table or rock)

Sodium metal

Trichloroethane (gun cleaning solvent)

Toluene

Equipment

Aluminum foil
Blender
Bottles
Cheesecloth
Coffee filters
Funnels
Gas can
Hot plate
Jugs
Paper towels
Propane tank/thermos
Pyrex dishes
Rubber gloves/tubing
Strainer
Tape/clamps
Thermometer

Also keep in mind that the people who manufacture these drugs also have a big investment in the operation. These are folks who have proven they would risk their lives to either continue their habit and/or sell these highly addictive drugs. Don’t lose sight of the fact that methamphetamine is one nasty drug that will often kill the serious user within five years. These folks will act irrational and truthfully have little to lose in life. If an unwitting sportsman happens to find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time the trouble could escalate quickly.

If you suspect you have seen signs of a potential meth lab…get out of the area quickly!! Don’t touch anything as it could explode. And above all…carefully retrace your steps realizing that the area could be rigged to cause you harm. Finally, immediately call local law enforcement officials or the conservation officer for the area to disclose your concern. The best way to put these operations out of business is for law officers to deal with the dangers and the criminals.

Personally, I can’t emphasize enough that sportsmen need to understand that methamphetamine is not your ordinary recreational drug…unlike marijuana or even cocaine. Meth kills, ruins families…and can quickly ruin your day, too, if you don’t accept the fact it can be found anywhere in your travels. Last Thursday I was shocked to see the sights at that farmstead…especially since I’ve driven by the house dozens of times in recent months. It did, however, reinforce in my mind that we live in a different world where dangers are ever-present and need to be better understood by all of us.

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March 25, 2006
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TomI01

Just a quick reminder that we encourage everyone to leave their comments to the content you find on this blog. I don’t expect everyone to agree with me…but a healthy exchange of ideas is always welcome and appreciated. As an incentive, I pick out my favorite comment entry each month and send that person a special Sportsman’s Blog cap. Don’t be shy…let’s hear from you today!!!!

Are We Too Enamored With World Records?

Unless you’ve been hiding out with the Taliban during the past several days…by now you most certainly have heard the buzz of a potential new world record bass caught in California. But what good would a new world record be if it didn’t have at least some controversy attached to it? Let’s face it…the scrutiny that every potential world record fish goes through leads one to wonder if it’s really all worth it?

Indeed, there’s a novelty factor that goes along with any world record achievement whether it be a fish, a deer rack, a bear skull…you name it. And I suppose there will always be those sportsmen among us who are so fascinated with the oddity that the event will make big news…and do so like wildfire. Yet, as sportsmen do we put too much emphasis on the potential freaks of nature? Moreover, what does this quest for the ultimate trophy tell the non-sporting public about our true sporting intentions when most of us hunt and fish merely for relaxation purposes?

I’ve often heard it said that a sportsman who shoots a world record deer or catches a world record fish (of certain popular species) is an instant millionaire. Most of this money comes by way of endorsements, appearances, etc. Yet how many of us are really prepared to hit this fish or fauna jackpot? Honestly, if you were faced with bagging a world record buck or boating a record-breaking fish…would your actions that follow pass scrutiny for justifying fame beyond the typical 15 minutes we’re all supposedly given, so to speak?

Maybe we should strike a big distinction here between game records and fish records. That’s not to say big game records are completely immune from controversy. In fact, it’s not unusual for a trophy deer, for instance, to come under question whether it was shot legally. But in hunting, unlike fishing, the trophy itself is always in-hand and available for careful inspection. Even decades later…in most cases, the measurements can be checked and re-checked to add credence to the record claim. That isn’t always available for a fishing record. Sometimes we need to take a person’s word…and we all know how fishermen have a legendary propensity to stretch the truth when it’s convenient to do so.

Don’t get me wrong…I’m not questioning whether or not we should honor and recognize great achievements like John MacArthur Weakley’s catching the trophy bass this past Monday. Instead, I’m suggesting that perhaps we put too much importance on the whole record-breaking novelty. Oh sure, it’s fun to see just how big a fish or a deer can get. It’s also fun to wonder where the next trophy might be shot or caught. My concern, however, stems mostly from the public’s perception of our behavior when each potential new record that hits the news is met with such rampant skepticism by fellow sportsmen.

Let’s give these fishermen their due. The photo clearly shows they have one exceptional fish to certainly be proud of no matter where they take things from here. Let’s not distract from their excitement just because they may have “foul-hooked” the fish or didn’t follow the rules precisely enough to be recognized by the International Game Fish Association in their record books. Instead, the picture certainly serves as photographic evidence to me that they had a rewarding day as anglers this past week…and I applaud that extraordinary effort.

A name printed on a record book is quite an honor…but it only punctuates the critical measurements of the event and not the lasting memories of the accomplishment. As sportsmen, let’s try harder to keep things in their proper perspective and not grow overly concerned about record books. I’d sure hate to see the achievement of catching this bass on Monday diminished in any way thanks to a bunch of fellow sportsmen nit-picking solely with the intent to disqualify it from some record book.