Hello and greetings from our new web site!  My name is Rob Shaw and I am the owner and creator of the Skull Hooker product line. I am married to a wonderful woman and have 3 beautiful girls. Like many of you, I am a hardcore hunter that relishes all that hunting has to offer.  Truth be told, this is my very first blog. I have to say, I had outlined some great topics and ideas we want to share with you as the year rolls on. Today, however, there is much more on my mind.

First, I can tell you with certainty, that I am not a political person whatsoever. For instance, when at a bar, if the topic of religion or politics comes up among some “experts”, I am the first to find a new table.  Don’t get me wrong, I do have opinions on the matter, but I choose not to spend my off time debating them. However, when it comes to my hunting, I am a bit more vocal…especially now.  As you all know there is a war brewing regarding our right to bear arms. I don’t know how this will all play out, but I can tell you that we all need to stand together and support every organization we can that is providing a voice for us. With the recent negative press, coupled with our national economic downturn, money is tight within these organizations. Thus,  the perfect storm building against every American who takes hunting and the right to bear arms for granite.

There has never been a more critical time to be involved and supportive of Hunting and Shooting related nonprofit groups that are actively working to preserve our hunting heritage.

To make matters worse, there is another problem steamrolling through the American West and beyond. The Wolf. I will not go into the well documented details of how wolves have decimated the Yellowstone Herd down from historic highs of around 19,000 elk to less than 5000 today.  I can tell you my eyes were first opened by a documentary (filmed by a non-hunter) which I believe is titled “Crying Wolf”.  In a nut shell,  it uncovered the real truth and showed just how smart the animal rights activists really are. First, they were smart enough to know that Yellowstone would be their best chance for wolf reintroduction. They were smart enough to know that wolves reproduce well and the objective of 300 breeding pairs would quickly be surpassed and eventually uncontrollable all within a few short years. Finally, they were smart enough to know that these wolves would not stay within the park and eventually they would expand out into other areas. They knew, that once the easy and plentiful prey in the park were reduced, they would wander and begin preying upon our huntable wildlife in neighboring states. The wolf has become their real life puppet or tool in their efforts to stop hunting.  In Montana, for instance, wildlife managers have been forced to reduce tag numbers and complete season closures have already happened because of the wolf’s expansion.  The wolf has rolled on and decimated herds through Idaho and is just now sinking its claws and teeth into other western states. Simply put, the ant-hunting groups are loving it and now the war to stop this highly efficient predator is an uphill battle.

The issues within our hunting and shooting world are at unprecedented levels. I support as many groups as I can. PLEASE do what you can to support groups like Wild Game Forever, RMEF, MDF, SCI, and of course the NRA.  Speaking of the NRA, here is some brutal honesty for you. I have been hunting for over 30 years. It took one passionate speech from Ted Nugent at a Mule Deer Banquet to help me realize, that now more than ever, I need to beecome a member of the NRA. Embarrassment would be  an understatement of how I felt that night.  I signed up and became a member the very next day and I can promise you, in good times and bad,  I will be a member in good standing from here forward.