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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Washington, DC --(AmmoLand.com)- Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced the launch of an extensive public service radio campaign urging Americans to connect with nature and visit a National Wildlife Refuge.

“Americans can take pride in the tremendous beauty and diversity of refuge lands dedicated to the protection of wildlife habitat,” Salazar said. “By visiting these places and encouraging their children to forge a connection with nature, they can help ensure vital wildlife conservation efforts will continue for generations to come.”

The public service radio campaign consists of eight professionally recorded 60-second spots extolling the sights and sounds of refuges and their efforts to preserve some of these species. Over 3,500 radio stations will receive the first four of these educational messages in November.

“This is another National Wildlife Refuge minute,” begins each segment, before moving to one of these four locales:

• “Every winter, thousands of sandhill cranes fly to Merced National Wildlife Refuge in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Thousands of acres of wetlands provide these cranes with a natural source for food and shelter. Maintaining these wetlands is crucial for their survival.”
• “Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge in Florida is home to a myriad of species, but there’s one in particular for which it’s known: the West Indian manatee. Manatees inhabit these sheltered waters year-round, and Crystal River Refuge was created specifically for their protection.”
• “Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge is one of the biggest and most remote stretches of wildlife in the country, but that doesn’t stop the Fish and Wildlife Service’s research vessel Tiglax from exploring the refuge’s cold waters to count and monitor sea otters.”
• “In Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge in northern New Jersey that hammering sound could be only one thing: the pileated woodpecker in search of a meal. And maintaining healthy forests in the wildlife refuge helps the beat go on.”

The National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the Service, represents the world’s premier system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America’s fish, wildlife and plants.

Comprising hundreds of thousands of miles and landscapes ranging from southwest desert to Alaskan tundra and nearly every conceivable ecosystem in between, the Refuge System represents the last best hope for survival for many endangered and threatened species. These include the ocelot, manatee, spotted owl, California jewelflower and polar bear.

There are 550 refuges — one within an hour’s drive of most major cities — offering people a welcoming, safe and accessible place to nourish their spirits and reconnect with the land.

Wildlife refuges are home to more than 700 species of birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 reptile and amphibian species and more than 200 species of fish. Nearly 40 million people visit National Wildlife Refuges each year, generating almost $1.7 billion in sales for regional economies. In additional to wildlife observation, many refuges provide rich opportunities for hiking, canoeing, hunting and fishing.

To learn more about the National Wildlife Refuge System, visit http://www.fws.gov/refuges/. You can learn more about the endangered species that many refuges protect at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/.

About:
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

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Interior Secretary Ken Salazar Urges Americans to Connect with Nature

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

OLYMPIA, WA – -(AmmoLand.com)- In an ongoing effort to recover native Puget Sound wetland species, some 500 endangered Oregon spotted frogs were released into the wild after spending the first nine months of their lives in a captive-rearing program.

Biologists from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), Woodland Park Zoo, Oregon Zoo, and the U.S. Army released the frogs this fall into Dailman Lake on the Fort Lewis Military Reservation in Pierce County in a collaborative effort to return the endangered frog to a portion of its historic habitat.

The frogs, most weighing less than two ounces, were collected as fertilized eggs last spring, and “head-started” in captivity at the zoos and the Cedar Creek Corrections Center near Olympia to improve their chance of survival once they return to the wild.

The frog release is the second in a five-year collaborative effort led by WDFW to establish a self-sustaining population on the Fort Lewis site. Approximately 600 frogs reared at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and Oregon Zoo were released at the same location last year, 28 of which received radio transmitters for tracking.

This year, two Cedar Creek inmates raised a number of the young frogs through the Sustainable Prisons Project, a partnership between The Evergreen State College and the Washington State Department of Corrections that allows incarcerated men and women to participate in science-based conservation projects.

The Dailman Lake area was chosen for the reintroduction because it contains diverse wetlands that can sustain a frog population, said Jim Lynch, Fort Lewis wildlife biologist.

All of the frogs tracked last year during a radio-telemetry study appear to have survived predators.

“We were encouraged with these findings, but direct observation was limited because the frogs are very effective at concealing themselves,” Lynch said.

This year, to improve data collection, about a quarter of the released frogs will be equipped with a tiny microchip that can be scanned by a wand reader.

In 2010, biologists will begin looking for egg masses to determine if the frogs have established breeding populations.

The Oregon spotted frog historically ranged from southwestern British Columbia to northeastern California, but is now known only in Klicikitat and Thurston counties in Washington. Loss of habitat, predation by non-native species such as the American bullfrog, and disease have decimated its numbers, which prompted its listing as a Washington state endangered species in 1997.

“Frogs worldwide are known as sentinel species that play an important role in ecosystems,” said Marc Hayes, senior research scientist and project lead for WDFW. “When they disappear from their habitat, these ecosystems can be disrupted.”

The U.S. Department of the Interior recently awarded WDFW a grant to coordinate range-wide recovery projects for the Oregon spotted frog and associated species. A portion of the grant supports the Fort Lewis project.

“Restoring native wetland species such as the Oregon spotted frog and protecting habitat over broad areas are examples of an ecosystem approach that WDFW and its partners are taking to help restore the state’s biodiversity,” said Phil Anderson, WDFW director.

Partners involved in the reintroduction program at Fort Lewis include WDFW, Fort Lewis Military Reservation, Woodland Park Zoo, Oregon Zoo, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Washington State Department of Transportation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Evergreen State College, Washington State Department of Corrections, Port Blakely Tree Farms, Washington Department of Natural Resources, NW Zoo & Aquarium Alliance, U.S Geological Survey, Mountain View Conservation & Breeding Centre and The Nature Conservancy.

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Endangered Oregon Spotted Frogs Returned To Native Habitat

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

OLYMPIA, WA – -(AmmoLand.com)- In a continuing effort to monitor trumpeter swans that have succumbed to lead poisoning, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has re-established a hotline to report dead or ill swans in Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish counties.

People can call (360) 466-4345, ext. 266, to report dead or sick swans. Callers should be prepared to leave a message including their name and phone number, and the location and condition of the swans. The hotline is available 24 hours a day through the end of March.

Some trumpeter swans in Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish counties, and in southwestern British Columbia, die each winter from lead poisoning after ingesting lead shot in areas where they feed.

Lead shot has been banned for waterfowl hunting in Washington and British Columbia for more than a decade, but biologists believe swans are likely reaching shallow underwater areas in fields and roosts where spent lead shot is still present.

People who see sick or dead swans are advised not to handle or attempt to move the birds, said Jennifer Bohannon, WDFW wildlife biologist. WDFW and Puget Sound Energy employees, as well as volunteers from the Washington Waterfowl Association and the Trumpeter Swan Society, will pick up the birds, she said.

The collected swans also will be among the thousands of wild birds WDFW is testing for avian influenza.

Since 2001, WDFW and other agencies and organizations have been working to locate sources of toxic lead and remove it from the environment.

For the past three years, hazing crews have worked to scare swans away from Judson Lake, a source of lead poisoning on the U.S.-Canada border in Whatcom County. During that effort, the average number of lead-related swan mortalities significantly dropped to 67 a year, about 70 percent less than the previous five-year average, said Bohannon.

This year, biologists have placed bamboo poles and plastic fences in portions of the lake to keep birds from landing or swimming in areas with concentrations of lead shot. Swans that do access those areas will be hazed from the lake, said Bohannon.

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Hotline To Report Dead Or Ill Swans Available

A hunter with his mule deer, taken from public lands in Montana. Changes to federal leasing practices on these lands would benefit fish, wildlife and our sporting traditions. Photo courtesy David Thorstenson.

Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

Washington, DC --(AmmoLand.com)- In recent years, sportsmen across America have spoken loudly in urging the Bureau of Land Management to pursue energy development on our federal public lands that is balanced with the needs of fish, wildlife and our outdoor traditions.

Unique hunting and angling destinations such as Utah’s Book Cliffs and Wyoming’s Atlantic Rim demand a new and smarter development approach that will safeguard these areas invaluable sporting opportunities.

Now your hard work is paying off. Sportsmen’s voices are being heard in Washington. The Secretary of the Interior recently has announced changes to the way energy resources will be developed on public lands – changes that could better sustain other land uses such as hunting and fishing.

But hunters and anglers must speak up once again to ensure that these changes benefit America’s sporting community and our outdoor heritage.

Take a moment right now to contact Interior Secretary Ken Salazar – urge him to develop a smarter leasing and development process that guarantees the future of hunting and fishing.

About:
Inspired by the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, the TRCP is a coalition of organizations and grassroots partners working together to preserve the traditions of hunting and fishing. Visit: www.trcp.org

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Sportsmen Working to Improve BLM Energy Leasing

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont.—-(AmmoLand.com)- Outdoor Life has named two founders of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to a list of 25 people who’ve had the greatest positive impact on hunting, fishing and conservation.

RMEF icons Bob Munson and Charlie Decker are part of the magazine’s third annual “OL 25” list honoring leaders, innovators, conservationists and unsung heroes.

Photos and bios appear in the December/January 2010 edition of Outdoor Life.

Online voting for fan favorites lasts through late December at www.outdoorlife.com.

Outdoor Life Editor-in-Chief Todd Smith said, “When we step into the woods or wade into a clear mountain stream, we rarely stop to think about the many people who have made enjoying that experience possible. Yet there are thousands who devote their time, talents and energies to building this way of life we call hunting and fishing. Most are just ordinary sportsmen who’ve done extraordinary things—and Bob Munson and Charlie Decker are perfect examples.”

In 1984, Munson and Decker led a charge to launch a conservation organization focused on habitat for elk and other wildlife. Now 25 years later, RMEF is one of the nation’s most effective wildlife outfits, having conserved or enhanced more than 5.6 million acres and helped restore elk herds to historic range across the country.

RMEF has over 150,000 members in 500 chapters nationwide and a volunteer force that donates countless hours each year to fundraising and on-the-ground conservation efforts.

“We owe it all to Charlie and Bob,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “They started this movement, took personal risks and made sacrifices to see it through tough times, and continue to serve on our board.

They are the Elk Foundation’s heart and soul.”

Munson works in sales for MunsonWorks, a Lynnwood, Wash., firm specializing in inclined elevators. Decker owns and operates Decker Logging of Libby, Mont.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.6 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

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Outdoor Life Honors Elk Foundation Founders

PRATT, KS — -(AmmoLand.com)- The Kansas Wildlife Federation (KWF) wants nominees for its Conservation Achievement Program (CAP) awards, given annually to individuals or groups who are actively involved in programs to conserve the environment and promote environmental education and outreach. Any conservation-minded citizen may nominate someone who has done such work.

Dedicated groups and individuals often go unnoticed, so the CAP awards honor Kansans who have devoted themselves to conserving the state’s natural resources. Whether through education, communication, or on-ground habitat work, such dedicated people are eligible for CAP awards.

KWF honors those who have made special efforts in the areas of land and soil conservation, youth conservation, conservation communication, conservation education, wildlife conservation, water conservation, conservation legislator, conservation farmer/rancher, forestry conservation, stream team conservation, outdoor skills, and conservation organization. A Conservationist Of the Year award is presented as the top prize.

Nominations are due by Dec. 1. For more information, phone Ken Brunson at 620-672-0792 Visit: www.kswildlife.org

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Kansas Wildlife Federation Wants Conservation Award Nominees

Arizona Game and Fish Department

Arizona --(AmmoLand.com)- In a news release distributed today (Nov. 13), the Center for Biological Diversity announced a settlement agreement between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and several environmental advocacy groups concerning Mexican wolf management.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department offers the following response:

In its role as the state’s wildlife management authority, the Arizona Game and Fish Department has a vested interest in continuing its participation and leadership in Mexican wolf conservation.

The department has actively participated in wolf recovery going back more than 30 years. Since 1977, the department has spent an estimated $5.3 million for wolf recovery efforts.

The department advocates that Mexican wolf management decisions will continue to be based on sound science and to provide opportunities for participation by local and tribal governments, nongovernmental organizations and individuals from all segments of the public. The department looks forward to redefining how it can best participate in wolf management, to represent the state’s interests based on state statutory authority as well as its authority granted under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Consistent with previous Arizona Game and Fish Commission guidance, the department supports the development of an updated Mexican wolf recovery plan with measurable recovery goals based on science. The current plan was completed in 1982 and the department has asserted for more than 10 years that failure to revise the plan has been a considerable impediment to wolf conservation.

The department believes that the development of a mechanism for addressing financial impacts of wolf depredation on private interests is an important step in addressing long-standing social challenges associated with wolf recovery and may in fact be a crucial component in ensuring that the program moves forward in full compliance with the impacts and management commitments identified in the original (1996) environmental impact statement and final 1998 rule on Mexican wolf reintroduction.

The department’s endangered species coordinator, Terry Johnson, currently chairs the Mexican Wolf Adaptive Management Oversight Committee (AMOC).

The press release sent by the plaintiff organizations is misleading in that AMOC is not and never has been the deciding authority on whether or not a wolf stays in the wild. AMOC reviews situations in which management response is needed and when removal is one of the options considered makes recommendations based on an approved procedure and forwards those recommendations to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Prior to 2008 the USFWS Mexican Wolf Recovery Coordinator, per the 1998 final rule, made the final decision on removal. Since then, the Region 2 director of the USFWS has consulted on such recommendations with the directors of the other five lead agencies participating in AMOC, but ultimately is the sole deciding authority on wolf removal.

About:
The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Director’s Office, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Director’s Office as listed above.

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Arizona Game And Fish Response To Court Settlement Agreement On Mexican Wolf Management

Custer State Park To Hold Annual Bison Auction

South Dakota Fish, Game & Parks

CUSTER, S.D. –-(AmmoLand.com)- The 2009 Custer State Park Fall Classic Bison Auction will be held on Saturday, Nov. 21 at the park corrals. This year’s offering includes six mature cows, 10 two-year old heifers, 20 yearling heifers, 65 heifer calves, 85 bull calves, 40 yearling bulls, 12 two-year old breeding bulls, and 12 burros.

The auction will begin Saturday morning at 10 a.m. (Mountain Standard Time) at the Custer State Park corrals, located 15 miles east of Custer on Highway 16A and then 9 miles south on the Wildlife Loop Road. Signs will be posted to assist in locating the corrals. A buyer’s reception will be held prior to the auction on Friday, Nov. 20 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Creekside Lodge, located next to the State Game Lodge in Custer State Park.

For the past 44 years, the park has made its surplus bison available for sale to the private sector. Revenue from the park’s bison herd is a significant amount of the capital generated by the park and goes toward continued operations of the state park system.

For additional information about the upcoming bison auction, contact Custer State Park at (605) 255-4515 or e-mail questions to CusterStatePark@state.sd.us

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Custer State Park To Hold Annual Bison Auction

Brown Pelican Removed from Endangered Species List

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. --(AmmoLand.com)- Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Tom Strickland and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Sam Hamilton today announced that the brown pelican, a species once decimated by the pesticide DDT, has recovered and is being removed from the list of threatened and endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.

“At a time when so many species of wildlife are threatened, we once in a while have an opportunity to celebrate an amazing success story,” Salazar said. “Today is such a day. The brown pelican is back!”

The brown pelican was first declared endangered in 1970 under the Endangered Species Preservation Act, a precursor to the current Endangered Species Act. Since then, thanks to a ban on DDT and efforts by states, conservation organizations, private citizens and many other partners, the bird has recovered. There are now more than 650,000 brown pelicans found across Florida and the Gulf and Pacific Coasts, as well as in the Caribbean and Latin America.

The Fish and Wildlife Service removed the brown pelican population in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and northward along the Atlantic Coast states from the list of endangered species in 1985. Today’s action removes the remaining population from the list.

“After being hunted for its feathers, facing devastating effects from the pesticide DDT and suffering from widespread coastal habitat loss, the pelican has made a remarkable recovery,’ Strickland said at a press conference in New Orleans to announce the delisting. “ We once again see healthy flocks of pelicans in the air over our shores.”

The pelican’s recovery is largely due to the federal ban on the general use of the pesticide DDT in 1972. This action was taken after former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Rachel Carson published Silent Spring and alerted the nation to the widespread dangers associated with unrestricted pesticide use.

Hamilton praised the Gulf and Pacific Coast states for their constant efforts to restore this iconic coastal species. “Brown pelicans could not have recovered without a strong and continuing support network of partnerships among federal and state government agencies, tribes, conservation organizations, and individual citizens,” said Hamilton. “This is truly a success story that the whole nation can celebrate.”

In the southwest, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, The Nature Conservancy and numerous other conservation organizations helped purchase important nesting sites and developed monitoring programs to ensure pelican rookeries were thriving.

Louisiana, long known as the “pelican state,” and the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission jointly implemented a restoration project. A total of 1,276 young pelicans were captured in Florida and released at three sites in southeastern Louisiana during the 13 years of the project.

Past efforts to protect the brown pelican actually led to the birth of the National Wildlife Refuge System more than a century ago in central Florida. German immigrant Paul Kroegel, appalled by the indiscriminate slaughter of pelicans for their feathers, approached President Theodore Roosevelt. This led Roosevelt to create the first National Wildlife Refuge at Pelican Island in 1903, when Kroegel was named the first refuge manager. Today, the system has grown to 550 national wildlife refuges, many of which have played key roles in the recovery of the brown pelican.

With removal of the brown pelican from the list of threatened and endangered species, federal agencies will no longer be required to consult with the Service to ensure any action they authorize, fund, or carry out will not harm the species. However, additional federal laws, such as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Lacey Act, will continue to protect the brown pelican, its nests and its eggs.

The Service has developed a Post-Delisting Monitoring Plan, designed to monitor and verify that the recovered, delisted population remains secure from the risk of extinction once the protections of the ESA are removed. The Service can relist the brown pelican if future monitoring or other information shows it is necessary to prevent a significant risk to the brown pelican.

The monitoring will be done in cooperation with the State resource agencies, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico, other federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and individuals. Further, the Service is working with state natural resource agencies where the brown pelican occurs to develop cooperative management agreements to ensure that the species continues to be monitored.

The final rule removing the bird from the list of threatened and endangered species will be published in the Federal Register and will take effect 30 days after publication.

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Brown Pelican Removed from Endangered Species List

Center for Wildlife Health Research

Pownal, ME --(AmmoLand.com)-We applaud the recent essay by Longcore et al. (In Press) in raising the awareness about trap-neuter-return (TNR) to the conservation community. TNR has gained a great deal of traction in recent years as an accepted form of feral cat management, but it has not lived up to the ideal it proffers. We concur with the authors’ thoughts and findings on TNR, but we also believe that there are several additional points that need to be highlighted concerning feral cat management and TNR in regards to environmental conservation.

First, TNR is often presented to policymakers and the public as a scientifically valid and humane way of controlling and managing homeless and unwanted cats that are typically found in colonies. Proponents of TNR are well organized and push for TNR-friendly policies in communities and shelters around the US, often with little opposition from the conservation and wildlife communities. It is imperative that we now begin speaking out.

By way of example, those of us who are conservation biologists should look to the evolutionary biology community. When local policies or regulations are put forth that promote the teaching of creationism or intelligent design, the evolutionary biologists have responded in force from across the nation and world. Such responses have been successful in defeating attempts to favor the teaching of creationism or intelligent design, and serve to remind the public that the scientific evidence overwhelmingly supports the theory of evolution. We the conservation community should consider the issue of TNR in the same light, and challenge such propositions when they are raised. Without such challenges by those who are knowledgeable about the subject, we simply allow the use of TNR to grow, and thereby gain further acceptance.

Second, the conservation biology and wildlife ecology communities need to build bridges with the animal welfare, veterinary, and public health communities. Many organizations within these communities oppose TNR, cat colonies, and outdoor cats in general, since cats living in these conditions tend to have shorter lives, higher levels of parasites and disease, and generally poorer health.

In fact, in Maine, cats are the leading domestic rabies vector. While proponents of TNR assert that they are providing services that allow cats to live full and healthy lives, the facts show that free-roaming and feral cats are often in very poor condition (Jessup 2004). The animal welfare community opposes ‘cat hoarding’ whereby people care for more pets than they can adequately support, because it is considered inhumane. TNR is essentially cat hoarding without walls. Considering that most communities have laws banning animal hoarding, we should consider the same standard for outdoor cats as those that are in a person’s home.

What then to do about the problems of outdoor cats, cat colonies, and unwanted cats?
The owned cat population is growing and likely mirrored by a growing population of feral cats (Schmidt et al. 2007). This problem almost certainly has been exacerbated by the current economic recession, whereby increasing numbers of pets are being abandoned or surrendered to shelters (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 2009).

Concurrently, there are increasing efforts to convert animal shelters into “no kill” facilities. As a result, we face the conundrum of how to humanely deal with more and more feral cats. There is no simple answer that will please all parties, in large part because we now find ourselves in the unpleasant position of having far too many feral cats in the environment with no single solution that is acceptable to all.

Ultimately, the issue of feral cats is a social problem and one that many find uncomfortable due to the highly charged emotions associated with it. No one wants to euthanize animals and no one likes to see them suffer. But unfortunately, the consequences of allowing cats to roam wild or live in colonies with extremely poor health conditions are less humane than euthanasia.

We as a society do not allow dogs, ferrets, livestock or other domestic animals to roam free or live in the wild in colonies, and the same should be true for cats. Cats deserve the same humane treatment and legal regard as dogs and other pets.

We suggest that the following actions should be encouraged.

• First, conservation biologists, wildlife ecologists, and the like should have open dialogues with the animal welfare, sheltering, veterinary, and public health communities. These communities are generally on the same ultimate page of desiring to promote animal welfare and reducing cat overpopulation. If we do not begin to work together, we will face strong obstacles in reducing the numbers of feral cats present on our landscapes. Second, the wildlife and conservation communities need to challenge policies that are put forth to allow and/or promote feral cat colonies and TNR. Conservation biologists have just as much opportunity to make their points at local meetings, through the news media, and at outreach events as do TNR proponents.
• Second, although feral cats may not be the issue we are most interested in or want to pursue with our time, we should remind ourselves of our responsibility to provide scientific information to the public with regard to the environment.
• Third, the wildlife and conservation communities should advocate for policies that encourage responsible pet ownership as well as for the enforcement of existing policies. This includes requiring licenses for cats, substantially decreasing unwanted breeding of pet cats through mandatory and/or subsidized spaying and neutering, and requiring cats to be kept under their owners’ control at all times when outdoors. In many cases, local ordinances requiring owners to keep their domestic animals under control are enforced for dogs, but not for cats. In these cases, such policies are already in place but require increased enforcement in order to be effective.
• Fourth, “releasing cats into the wild and supporting feral cat colonies is a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Endangered Species Act, as well as laws prohibiting animal abandonment (Winter 2003).” Thus, it may become incumbent upon us to take legal action against colonies and/or colony managers, particularly in areas that provide habitat for migratory birds or endangered species.
• Fifth, we should seek laws making it illegal to maintain cat colonies on public lands.
• Finally, we need to increase public awareness about being a responsible pet owner, not just for the benefit of cats (and other domestic animals as well), but also for the environment. The issue of feral cats is not going away any time soon, and no matter what options are utilized, it may well be a generation or more before we can expect changes in human actions regarding outdoor cats.

Further delays will amplify the problems. The sooner we take action, the better.

Acknowledgments
We thank Steve Hess for fruitful discussions on the draft manuscript.

Click Here to Read Complete Draft

About:
The Center for Wildlife Health Research was created to help engage citizens in stewardship of wildlife through choices they make in their daily lives. We strive to empower people by showing the direct connections between individual action in ways that help them appreciate the interconnectedness between our actions and those of the wild animals around us.

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What Conservation Biologists Can Do Regarding Trap-Neuter-Return

The Wildlife Society

Erie County, PA --(AmmoLand.com)- The Humane Society of Erie County, like many municipalities, has adopted Trap, Neuter and Release as a method for managing feral cats, even though science tells us that TNR is ineffective in reducing feral cat populations, exceptionally cruel for the cats in question and that such programs take a tremendous toll on native wildlife, including migratory birds and small mammals (see Langhorn, T., Rich, C., and Sullivan, L.W. 2009. Critical assessment of claims regarding management of feral cats by trap-neuter-return. Conservation Biology 23: 887-894).

When are municipalities and their local humane societies going to get a clue?

When will they have the courage to make the hard decisions?

When are state and federal wildlife agencies responsible for conserving our native wildlife going to take municipalities to court under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Migratory Bird Act and other federal legislation protecting native wildlife? Predation by managed feral cat colonies on protected species should be considered a “take” under the ESA and other legislation. From this perspective, what cat colony mangers are doing is illegal and should not be tolerated.

When are conservationists going to take action against this ill-advised practice, which has shown to be ineffective in reducing the numbers of feral cats?

The Human Society of Erie and the Humane Society of the United States (that also supports TNR) should be ashamed of themselves for promoting a failed policy which, although it may make them feel good about themselves (and helps them raise money from unsuspecting donors who also want to feel good about themselves), is an unmitigated disaster for our native wildlife. TNR is a policy that helps people avoid the hard decisions regarding feral cats, but in the end, is actually less compassionate and less humane than the alternative.

Conservation organizations and individuals who truely care about the future of life on this planet must come together to oppose TNR as anti-conservation and inhumane. Feral cats are non-native predators which exact a tremendous toll on native wildlife. Combined with other factors, such as habitat loss and pollution, they have the potential to push many species to the brink of extinction.

About:
The Wildlife Society (TWS), founded in 1937, is an international non-profit scientific and educational association dedicated to excellence in wildlife stewardship through science and education.

Our mission is to represent and serve the professional community of scientists, managers, educators, technicians, planners, and others who work actively to study, manage, and conserve wildlife and its habitats worldwide.

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Humane Society Ignores Science Chooses The Failed Policy of TNR

American Deer & Wildlife Alliance

AUSTIN, Texas – -(AmmoLand.com)- Education is key in getting today’s youth motivated to turn off their electronics and venture into the outdoors. The American Deer and Wildlife Alliance (ADWA) supports the mission of getting kids motivated and interested in the outdoors and is proud to announce its sponsorship of the Deer in School educational program, a joint venture that brings live whitetail deer to more than 20,000 public school children in Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin.

Founded by Steve Porter from Lake Bronson, Minn., the Deer in School program features live trophy whitetail to educate students about deer behavior, antler development, life cycles of the whitetail deer and hunting techniques. By turning kids onto the deer and wildlife industry, he firmly believes that it will keep kids out of trouble by giving them positive things to do in their free time. Porter believes that young adults who participate in outdoor activities are less apt to get into trouble and is willing to take his vacation time to motivate kids to get outdoors.

The Porter family and their trophy bucks are on the road for four weeks visiting schools in the three states during the months of September and October. The Porter project gives a presentation about the deer industry and provided an antler collection that was impressive even to the most cynical of 16-year-olds. Porter’s presentations touches on a wide range of deer and hunting topics, including deer behavior, antler development and the family bonds formed when families hunt and farm together

The Deer in School program provides students with a rare chance of seeing a whitetail buck up-close, ask questions and touch the vast antler collection. The live bucks provided an excellent learning experience for the students and left them memories they will not soon forget.

“This was the coolest presentation I’ve ever seen done at a school,” says Tracy Hudin, a high school teacher in Eden Valley, Minn. Hudin noted that many teachers were simply amazed by Porter’s ability to hold the attention of high school students for the full 50-minute presentation since they know all too well how difficult a task it really is.

The Deer in School program visits 20 schools which receive grant money from the Cervid Livestock Foundation, Whitetails of Wisconsin, Minnesota Deer Breeders Association, North Dakota Ranchers Association, the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance and several other deer farming associations. Even some of the local sportsmen’s clubs donated money for the project to come to their nearby schools! These groups focus on and realize the importance of introducing kids to the outdoors at a young age.

The Porter project helps facilitate the missions’ of ADWA and the Cervid Livestock Foundation of educating the general public and youth about the deer and wildlife industries. The Cervid Livestock Foundation (CLF) is the research and education foundation of the North American Deer Farmers Association (NADeFA). For more information on the CLF visit www.nadefa.org.

For more information on the American Deer & Wildlife Foundation and/or the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance and/or to become a member, please call 877.331.8607 or visit www.deerwildlifealliance.org.

About:
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to the growth of the deer and wildlife industry, and to help educate consumers and the youth on the conservation issues which effect deer and wildlife as well as the industry. For more information on the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance, call 877.331.8607 or visit www.deerwildlifealliance.org.

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Whitetail Deer Excite Youth About the Outdoors

The National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is the world’s premier system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America’s fish, wildlife and plants.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Washington, DC - -(AmmoLand.com)- Two famous refuges in Alaska are planning milestone celebrations during 2010, when both the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and Izembek National Wildlife Refuge reach the mid-century mark.

The remote Arctic Refuge, the northernmost in the National Wildlife Refuge System, encompasses a vast 19.3 million acres famed for its polar bears, grizzlies and caribou herds. Plans for its anniversary are being made on a commensurate scale. They include releasing a feature-length documentary film, staging a play about Arctic explorers Olaus and Mardy Murie and mounting a photo exhibit by noted landscape photographer Jeff Jones. A companion book, Arctic Sanctuary, featuring photos by Jones and poetry and essays by Fairbanks writer Carolyn Kremers, is slated for publication next fall by the University of Alaska Press.

Izembek, the smallest of Alaska’s refuges at about 400,000 acres (300,000 of them designated as wilderness), plans a series of events culminating in a celebration on December 6, 2010, the anniversary of its founding. Visitors, including hunters and anglers, can reach the refuge only by state ferry (which now runs once a month May through October) or by air, weather permitting. The refuge, near the tip of the Alaska peninsula encompasses Izembek Lagoon, a world-renowned wetland and a pivotal stopover for hundreds of thousands of migratory waterbirds. The Izembek Refuge protects a range of species, including salmon, caribou, sea otter and brown bears.

The Eisenhower administration established the Arctic National Wildlife Range in December 1960. In 1980, the range was expanded and renamed the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Izembek was also first established in 1960 as a national wildlife range and renamed a refuge in 1980.

Next year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, a sweeping land conservation measure that protected more than 100 million acres of federal lands in Alaska and doubled the size of the Arctic Refuge.

For more information, contact: Jimmy Fox, Refuge Manager, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, 907-456-0250 or http://arctic.fws.gov/.

Nancy Hoffman, Refuge Manager, Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, 907-532-2445 or http://izembek.fws.gov/.

Natural Resource Managers for Future

Growing up in urban Atlanta, Gabriel Harper, 23, had an interest in wildlife but little opportunity to indulge it. Until, that is, the Morehouse College senior was recruited last summer as a paid student intern in a diversity internship program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, working at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia. Now he’s seeking a career with the Service, with the strong backing of his refuge manager.

If he and his cohorts succeed, that will also mark a success for the Conservation Intern Program (CIP), conceived to increase racial and ethnic diversity in the natural resources ranks.

National recruiting for summer 2010 CIP internships throughout the Northeast Region is expected to begin again in December. Just as last year, there will be 30 slots to fill.

Harper, who graduated in May with a degree in psychology, calls his 12-week internship “a great experience in opening my eyes to different methods of conservation and wildlife management.”

CIP, now entering its third year, is a joint program of the Service’s Northeast Regional Office and the Student Conservation Association ( http://www.thesca.org), a nonprofit organization that matches high school and college students with conservation service opportunities. This partnership is targeted toward freshman and sophomore students. Students selected for refuge internships on the basis of teacher and mentor recommendations receive a one-week orientation. For the next 11 weeks they get a taste of activities from biological monitoring and habitat restoration to refuge maintenance and recreational public-use programs. They live in refuge housing and are mentored by refuge staff.

“We look at this as a feeder group for future leaders of the Service,” says Joe McCauley, manager of the Eastern Virginia Rivers National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

Funding from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act has permitted more openings in other refuge internship programs. These include Youth Conservation Corps positions, for students age 15-18, and the Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP) and the Student Career Experience Program, both for students age 16 and up. Postings for some of these positions can be found at http://www.usajobs.opm.gov or http://www.studentjobs.gov.

For more information, contact: Rita Corliss, Assistant Director, Conservation Internships, Student Conservation Association, rcorliss@thesca.org, or 603-543-1700 ext. 398.

Lamar B. Gore, Assistant Refuge Supervisor, Northeast Regional Office, USFWS, lamar_gore@fws.gov or 413-253-8542.

About:
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

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Wild Angles – News from the National Wildlife Refuge System

HunterSurvey.com

Southwick Associates - -(AmmoLand.com)- In an October 2009 survey, Southwick Associates asked anglers and hunters which type of organization they trust the most for accurate information regarding fish and wildlife conservation.

The results of the monthly AnglerSurvey.com and HunterSurvey.com poll show that state fish and wildlife agencies are considered the most trustworthy source of conservation information among hunters and anglers.

Of the 2,771 anglers surveyed, 54.4 percent reported state fish and wildlife agencies were their most trusted source. Of the 3,378 hunters surveyed, 50.7 percent agreed.

The second most trusted source, with 25.1 percent of anglers and 29.5 percent of hunters, was sport-fishing and hunting non-profit conservation groups.

Other sources of conservation information were presented to hunters and anglers. Non-profit conservation groups not focused towards fishing or hunting were preferred by 5.3 percent of anglers and 7.4 percent of hunters.

Federal fish and wildlife agencies were rated as the most trusted source by 5.0 percent of anglers and 4.3 percent of hunters. Non-outdoor television programming and magazines ranked even lower.

”The results indicate that sportsmen and women want to hear from their state fish and wildlife agency when it comes to fish and wildlife conservation issues,” reported Donna Leonard.

“Efforts to increase conservation awareness or behavior will have better success if state fish and wildlife agencies are involved.”

About:
Launched in 2006, AnglerSurvey.com and HunterSurvey.com help the outdoor equipment industry, government fisheries and wildlife officials, and conservation organizations track consumer activities and expenditure trends. The information above represents only a small sample of the vast amount of data that is available from the complete survey results. The results are scientifically analyzed to reflect all U.S. anglers.

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State Fish and Wildlife Agencies are the Most Trusted Source for Conservation Information

California Outdoor Heritage Alliance

Sacramento, CA - -(AmmoLand.com)- After more than 3 years of lobbying efforts, the California Outdoor Heritage Alliance (COHA) has succeeded in including $110 million for waterfowl and wetland habitat conservation efforts in a statewide bond measure that, with the Governor’s expected signature, will appear on the November 2, 2010 ballot.

COHA was pleased to work with its founding member, California Waterfowl, as well as its conservation partners, Ducks Unlimited and the Grasslands Water District, to include this important funding as part of an overall $11.14 billion water bond package.

The measure, entitled the “Safe, Clean, and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2010″, includes language COHA helped draft which calls for “at least $100 million” to be allocated to the Wildlife Conservation Board for the purchase of water rights and water conveyance infrastructure for wildlife refuges and habitat areas under the federal Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA). These waterfowl habitat areas include Central Valley National Wildlife Refuges, state Wildlife Management Areas and private duck clubs within the Grasslands Resource Conservation District in Merced County – areas which provide significant hunting opportunity for waterfowl, pheasant and other game birds.

The measure also includes COHA written language which would provide an additional $10 million for private lands wetland conservation programs administered by the Department of Fish and Game – including the California Waterfowl Habitat Program (i.e. Presley Program) – that offer financial incentives to duck clubs and other private landowners to protect and enhance the wildlife values of their property.

COHA wishes to thank Senator Dave Cogdill (R-Fresno), the author of the bond measure, as well as Senator Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) and Assembly Members Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) and Tom Berryhill (R-Modesto), for their considerable efforts to include our funding provisions. To take effect, the measure must be approved by the California electorate on November 2010 statewide ballot.

About:
The California Outdoor Heritage Alliance is a 501(c) 4 non-profit political advocacy organization dedicated solely to the promotion of wildlife and the protection of our hunting heritage. COHA professional staff is active at the California State Legislature, Congress, State Fish and Game Commission, State and Federal resource agencies and all other political arenas where decisions are made which may impact wildlife management, habitat conservation, wildlife program funding, hunting access and opportunity, and your ability to purchase and possess sporting arms and munitions. COHA was created in early 2006 by the California Waterfowl Association. For more information on COHA and its efforts, visit their website at www.outdoorheritage.org

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$110 Million For Waterfowl Included In Water Bond Ballot Measure

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

PRATT, KS —-(AmmoLand.com)- Twelve endangered whooping cranes were spotted by Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) staff at Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, near Great Bend, the evening of Nov. 4. Central Kansas is one of the most popular annual stopover points for migrating whooping cranes. In addition to the 12 birds reported from the Cheyenne Bottoms office, and another three were spotted on The Nature Conservancy property nearby.

In response to the sightings, Bottoms staff have closed the goose firing line. Pool 1B, where the birds are staying, is a refuge area. However, waterfowl hunters should be aware that other pools may be closed if the birds move.

At Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, about 30 miles south and east of Cheyenne Bottoms, another 14 whoopers were spotted by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff. In response, the entire refuge is closed to hunting until further notice. For daily updates on Quivira’s whooper status, go online to www.fws.gov/quivira.

Although most whooping cranes usually have migrated through the Kansas by the opening of sandhill crane season — Nov. 11 this year — whoopers are sometimes sighted into early December. Sandhill crane hunters — and all migratory bird hunters — should expect to see whooping cranes throughout central Kansas and be sure of their targets before shooting. All sandhill crane hunters are required to take an online crane identification test before purchasing a sandhill crane permit. The test may be found by going to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) website, www.kdwp.state.ks.us, and typing “sandhill crane” in the search box at the top of the home page.

Hunters who see a whooping crane are asked to report it to the nearest KDWP office. All hunters should check with public hunting areas before planning a hunt. The Cheyenne Bottoms phone number is 620-793-3066, and the Quivira number is 620-486-2393.

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Whooping Cranes Spotted At Kansas WMA

Land and Water Conservation Fund

WASHINGTON, DC –-(AmmoLand.com)- Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Max Baucus (D-MT), today introduced legislation to permanently provide $900 million to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the federal government’s main program to protect land and provide outdoor recreation opportunities.

The legislation, S. 2747, is supported by a broad coalition of conservation and recreation organizations.

“Even in difficult economic times, open space protection and outdoor recreation are top priorities for Americans. Two out of three American voters continue to offer strong support for public investments in conservation – and that support has held steady despite the economic downturn and in this week’s elections, 64 percent of state and municipal ballot initiatives authorizing land conservation funding passed,” stated Mark Tercek, President and CEO of The Nature Conservancy. “Senator Bingaman and Senator Baucus clearly understand this, and are taking that crucial step towards making a dependable investment in the future of this country’s communities.”

The LWCF, created in 1965, has helped protect land at some of America’s most famous and popular places including our country’s iconic national parks, national forests, wildlife refuges and National Landscape Conservation System Lands where millions of Americans recreate; beaches on the Gulf Coast and Atlantic seaboard; as well as cultural and historic places like Civil War battlefields and Native American sites.

The program also includes grants to support state and local parks. Those grants help develop park facilities and recreational amenities – creating jobs and supporting the quality-of-life factors that allow communities to attract employers and a strong work force.

“We get to protect places like La Cienega Area of Critical Environmental Concern and Petroglyph National Monument at the same time that we improve parks, trails, ball fields, and pools – that’s a win for everyone. It’s heartening to see Senator Bingaman taking steps to fully fund this program and enrich our communities,” said New Mexico House Majority Leader Kenny Martinez.

Every year, $900 million goes into the fund from oil and gas leases on federal lands. But Congress has often spent the money for other purposes and only once in the history of the fund has all the money gone for the original intent of the LWCF. This year, the fund saw its greatest allocation in many years at more than $300 million – but that is still only one third of what it is supposed to be.

Because only a fraction of the funds dedicated to the purpose have actually been spent, there is a backlog of more than $30 billion worth of lands that federal agencies would like to protect. In addition, states say they have a huge unmet need for local parks and recreation resources totaling more than $27 billion in eligible projects.

“The irony is that billions of dollars are collected every year from existing offshore oil and gas leasing revenues – the designated revenue stream for LWCF – and yet that money is regularly diverted for other purposes,” stated Will Rogers, President of The Trust for Public Land. “We need to make sure the money is spent for the purposes for which it was originally collected and to ensure that our children and grandchildren have a place to play.”

Federal and state public lands as well local parks and recreation facilities greatly enhance communities’ quality of life, which in turn helps large and small localities to attract new residents and businesses and to generate tourism-related jobs and revenues. Outdoor recreation including hunting, fishing, Camping, climbing, hiking, paddling, backcountry skiing, mountain biking, wildlife viewing, and other activities contributes a total of $730 billion annually to the economy, supporting 6.5 million jobs (1 of every 20 jobs in the U.S.) and stimulates 8 percent of all consumer spending according to the Outdoor Industry Foundation.

“The outdoor industry has long held a goal of ensuring every child in America has access to a trail or park within one mile of their home. Many studies show that this type of commitment to our nation’s recreation infrastructure would easily pay for itself in the resulting reduction in health care costs and the increase in the mental well-being of our children,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president of Outdoor Industry Association.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition is an informal partnership of national, state and local conservation and recreation organizations working together to support full and dedicated funding for LWCF.

About:
The Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition members include: Access Fund w American Canoe Association w American Hiking Society w American Whitewater w Appalachian Mountain Club w California State Parks Foundation w City Parks Alliance w Civil War Preservation Trust w Defenders of Wildlife w Eastern Forest Partnership w Highlands Coalition w International Mountain Bicycling Association w Land Trust Alliance w National Association of State Outdoor Recreation Liaison Officers w National Association of State Park Directors w National Parks Conservation Association w National Recreation and Park Association w National Wildlife Federation w National Wildlife Refuge Association w New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation w Northern Forest Alliance w Outdoor Alliance w Outdoor Industry Association w Outdoors America w Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests w Sonoran Institute w Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition w The Conservation Fund w The Nature Conservancy w The Trust for Public Land w The Wilderness Society w Western Rivers Conservancy w Winter Wildlands Alliance

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Senate Bill Would Fulfill Longstanding Promise for Conservation and Recreation Program

Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever

Saint Paul, Minn. –-(AmmoLand.com)- An unusually wet autumn to date across the core of the pheasant range means that late-season pheasant hunting in November and December will be “Prime Time” for hunters.

And after a day afield, hunters that make it “Miller Time” with Miller High Life will help Pheasants Forever raise funds for local wildlife habitat projects.

Miller High Life, the Official Beer of Pheasants Forever, is being sold in special camouflage cans for the hunting season, available through December 31st. Participating establishments that are purveyors of Miller High Life will be helping Pheasants Forever chapters raise funds through the Miller High Life Rooster Promotion.

Miller High Life Camo Cans

Hunters, conservationists and patrons will be able to purchase “roosters” at participating establishments for $1 and $5. Then, sign your name on the paper rooster, and it will be displayed at the business. A large covey of roosters will not only demonstrate patrons’ support of Pheasants Forever, the net funds raised through this promotion will be used by local Pheasants Forever chapters to fund their wildlife habitat projects!

“A great day pheasant hunting followed up by a Miller High Life just goes together,” said Chris Gotziaman, Field Marketing Manager with MillerCoors, “That perfect combination, however, is dependent on having wild places and spaces to enjoy the great outdoors. Nobody understands that better than ‘The Habitat Organization,’ and we’re proud to call Pheasants Forever a partner in conservation.”

“Miller High Life has always recognized the effectiveness of Pheasants Forever’s unique fundraising model, and this fall’s Rooster Promotion is yet another example of their commitment to conservation,” said Joe Duggan, Vice President of Corporate Relations & Marketing with Pheasants Forever.

Miller High Life, the Official Beer of Pheasants Forever, has been the long-time sponsor of Pheasants Forever’s annual wildlife Print-of-the-Year, which has resulted in well over $1 million in revenue for Pheasants Forever’s conservation efforts. Pheasants Forever was also the first conservation partner in Miller’s “Friends of the Field” program, which was established to support wildlife habitat conservation and promote responsible outdoor recreation.

About:
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are non-profit conservation organizations dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant, quail, and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever has 125,000 members in 700 local chapters across the continent.

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Miller High Life & Pheasants Forever Partner For Wildlife

Pheasants Forever

Saint Paul, Minn. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have expanded its Farm Bill Biologist program into the state of Iowa with the hiring of four new positions. The new Farm Bill Biologist positions cover nine counties and will improve how conservation programs are delivered to landowners and producers.

The positions come at an especially critical juncture for Iowa, where over 450,000 acres have expired from the wildlife-friendly Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in the past five years.

Pheasants Forever’s Farm Bill Biologist program is designed to educate farmers and landowners – through one-on-one consulting – about the benefits of conservation programs (such as CRP), as well as assist those farmers and landowners after programs have been implemented. Pheasants Forever first began employing Farm Bill Biologists in 2003 and now has over 40 Farm Bill Biologists working in seven states – Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Farm Bill Biologists have contacted and consulted over 28,000 landowners, resulting in the improvement of over 1.3 million acres of land for wildlife.

Iowa’s first Farm Bill Biologist positions are the initial results of Pheasants Forever’s “Reload Iowa” campaign, a three-year statewide effort to improve 1 million acres of wildlife habitat on private and public land in the state. Pheasants Forever plans to establish 50 such positions across Iowa in the coming years.

“Many times, landowners don’t even know what conservation options are available to them,” said Jim Inglis, Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Biologist Coordinator, “These four new biologists – all Iowa State grads – care about the state’s natural resources and will work for what’s in the best interest of landowners and wildlife.”

Tyler Bass – Adair and Madison Counties. Bass joins Pheasants Forever after a year as a private lands wildlife habitat specialist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. A native of Madison County, Iowa, Bass earned his B.S. in Animal Ecology from Iowa State University. Contact Bass at tbass@pheasantsforever.org.

Matthew Allen – Pottawattamie and Harrison Counties. Allen joins Pheasants Forever after working previously as a private lands wildlife specialist and a natural resource aide with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Allen earned his B.S. in Animal Ecology from Iowa State University. Contact Allen at mallen@pheasantsforever.org.

Josh Divan - Winnebago and Hancock Counties. Divan joins Pheasants Forever after working previously with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Iowa’s Boone and Green Counties. Divan grew up on a family farm in Winnebago County, and holds a B.S. in Animal Ecology from Iowa State University. Contact Divan at jdivan@pheasantsforever.org.

Robert Patterson - Lyon, Osceola and Dickinson Counties. Patterson has been a habitat specialist with Pheasants Forever and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources since 2007. He earned his B.S. in Animal Ecology from Iowa State University. Contact Patterson at RPatterson@pheasantsforever.org.

For more information on Pheasants Forever’s Farm Bill Biologist program, contact Jim Inglis, Pheasants Forever’s Farm Bill Biologist Coordinator, at (419) 569-1096 or via email at jinglis@pheasantsforever.org

About:
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are non-profit conservation organizations dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant, quail, and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever has 125,000 members in 700 local chapters across the continent.

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Pheasants Forever Adds Four Farm Bill Experts to Staff

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

ATLANTA, Ga. –-(AmmoLand.com)- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Sam Hamilton announced today the selection of Cynthia K. Dohner as regional director for the Southeast Region.

“Cindy is an outstanding choice with a proven track record when it comes to solution-oriented conservation in the Southeast region,” Hamilton said. “She has built a rich career in fish and wildlife conservation with experience that cuts across both the public and private sectors that will benefit us greatly.”

Dohner, who has been with the Service for 16 years, has served as the deputy regional director since 2004 providing leadership in the daily operations of Service activities in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This includes overseeing the management of 128 national wildlife refuges covering more than 3.2 million acres, 14 national fish hatcheries, five fishery assistance offices, and 17 ecological services field offices.

Prior to becoming deputy regional director, Dohner was the assistant regional director for ecological services in Atlanta managing more than 325 employees in 16 field offices. She was responsible for implementing numerous programs, such as the Endangered Species Act, Coastal and Partners for Fish and Wildlife programs, Federal water resource development activities and the Environmental Contaminants program. Before coming to the Southeast Region, she worked with the Service’s Division of Fish Hatcheries in Washington, D.C.

“I am looking forward to working even more closely with our states and other partners in the conservation community here in the Southeast as together we address the unprecedented 21st century challenges to our mission, including the threat of accelerating climate change,” Dohner said. “Continuing to build upon these strong, collaborative relationships is critical to our success in conserving landscapes capable of sustaining abundant, diverse and healthy populations of fish, wildlife and plants.”

In this role, she will directly oversee a $484 million budget and more than 1,500 employees.

Prior to joining the Service, she worked a variety of environmental jobs within the private sector and environmental groups, as well as with a few states and other federal agencies.

Dohner earned her Bachelor of Science degree in marine biology from the University of Millersville in 1982, and a Masters of Science degree in fisheries and aquaculture from the University of Rhode Island in 1984.

About:
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Visit the Service online at http://www.fws.gov or http://www.fws.gov/southeast.

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Cynthia Dohner Chosen As Regional Director Of The USFWS’s Southeast Region

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Montelimar, Nicaragua --(AmmoLand.com)-This week in Montelimar, Nicaragua, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Fauna & Flora International are jointly conducting a precedent-setting workshop aimed at developing a cadre of conservation professionals in Latin America.

More than fifty top conservation practitioners from over thirty countries in Latin America and the Caribbean will be meeting to formulate a state-of-the-art, multidisciplinary program to train the next generation of conservationists in the region.

“By bringing together the region’s most highly effective conservation practitioners we will begin to develop a new, innovative training program to produce future conservation leaders with the experience and skills necessary to address the complex conservation challenges facing Latin American species, many of which spend part of their lives in the United States,” said Sam Hamilton, Service Director.

An estimated 40 percent of the world’s biological diversity can be found in Latin America and the Caribbean, making it one of the most environmentally significant regions on the planet. But compared to the richness and complexity of its natural resources, the number of natural resource professionals in the area is disproportionately small. This is due, at least in part, to a lack of available conservation training opportunities. In contrast, the United States, for example, contains approximately 10 percent of the world’s biological diversity, yet the U.S. is estimated to have twice the number of higher education conservation programs as Latin America.

“Fauna & Flora International is proud of its close partnership with the Service in support of effective international conservation. With the high-caliber team assembling in Nicaragua, we look forward to putting in motion with the Service an innovative approach to developing the next generation of conservation leadership – based solidly on the experience and expertise of the region’s top conservation practitioners,” commented Katie Frohardt, FFI Executive Director.

The Service’s Wildlife Without Borders regional program for Latin America and the Caribbean (WWB-LAC) is working to address this critical need by supporting in-country efforts to build capacity for professional management of wildlife and other natural resources. For more than 20 years, the program has supported training throughout the region with a focus on protected area managers, park guards, community leaders, and graduate students. With the convening of this week’s workshop entitled Preparing Highly Effective Conservation Professionals for the Future, the program has begun to sharpen its focus on cultivating future environmental leaders.

Renee Castellón from Nicaragua’s Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MARENA, as it is known by its Spanish acronym), is scheduled to join participants today for a discussion on conservation challenges facing the region. Christopher Nyce, from the Office of Environment and Science at the U.S. Embassy in Managua, will accompany Mr. Castellón .

For more information about the Service’s international grants programs, visit http://www.fws.gov/international/DIC/dic_home.html.

About:
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

Fauna & Flora International was founded in 1903 as the world’s first international conservation organization. The pioneering work of its founders in Africa led to the creation of numerous protected areas, including Kruger and Serengeti National Parks. Expanding beyond its African origins, Fauna & Flora International works to give conservation a voice on the international stage, drawing worldwide attention to the plight of rare and endangered species. For more information about Fauna & Flora International, visit http://www.fauna-flora.org

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Latin American & Caribbean Conservationists Gather To Formulate Innovative Conservation Training Program

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont.—-(AmmoLand.com)- She used to cry when her father came home with a dead deer.

Now she’s the first woman hunter to bag an elk in Tennessee in at least 144 years. Tami Miller of Franklin, Tenn., hopes her story will inspire other women to take up hunting.

“It’s hard to get a babysitter at 4:30 in the morning but the experience of hunting is worth the trouble,” laughs Miller. “My husband introduced me to hunting. It has definitely enhanced our marriage and our family life. It’s something we can share, something that brings us all together in the outdoors. I wish more women would try it.”

She added, “Hunting is exciting. It’s empowering and it’s beautiful. When you’re out there at sunrise, and it’s so quiet you can hear a leaf falling from a tree, it’s priceless.”

Miller and her husband, both avid conservationists and supporters of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, in October participated in the state’s first elk hunt in modern times.

Elk disappeared from Tennessee in 1865 following years of habitat changes and unregulated hunting. In the 1990s, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and RMEF began an historic effort to restore a wild herd to the Volunteer State. By 2009 the population had expanded enough for hunters to take five surplus bulls. Four permits were awarded via random drawing, one via auction on eBay.

Knowing that auction proceeds would fund elk and habitat conservation, Andrew Miller didn’t mind paying $17,700 for the permit—or giving the permit to Tami as a special gift.

“My husband and I scouted together through September and October and I grew more and more excited about the hunt. The historical aspects were always on my mind. I thought about the women who walked these hills a long time ago, hunting for elk so their families could survive. I felt honored to represent them,” said Miller.

When the hunt day arrived, Miller joined the four other hunters—all male—in a group elk camp co-sponsored by RMEF and staffed by volunteers.

“I was a little worried about being accepted. I wondered if the men would think I was pushing my way into their fraternity. But everyone was supportive and wonderful. I met so many great people who really wanted me to succeed,” she said, adding, “I was actually surprised at how many people were watching to see how the woman hunter would do. In my hometown, girls and women that I didn’t even know were coming up and wishing me luck.”

When all four of the men killed their bull on the first day, but Tami hadn’t even seen an elk yet, anxiety simmered as she worried about letting people down.

“Hunting isn’t all about getting an animal but I didn’t want to be the only hunter who didn’t get an elk. I probably should have prayed for help finding a big bull. But, the next morning, as my husband and I hunted together in a beautiful place, with the colors of fall all around us, the stress melted away and I just thanked God for this day,” she said.

At dusk, after a long stalk, with her husband and two friends by her side, Miller finally steadied crosshairs on a bull elk, an animal many times larger than her. She was nervous. As her husband had taught her years before, she drew two deep breaths, then held the third and squeezed the trigger.

When the rifle spoke, the elk was hers.

“When I started hunting, I knew it would be fun to get outdoors with my husband and watch him doing something he loved, but I wasn’t sure I could kill an animal. Since then, I’ve learned that I can be a provider, too. I can bring food home to my family,” she said.

Miller’s 5×6 certainly wasn’t the biggest bull in the Tennessee woods but it will always symbolize an enormously important part of her life:

“Marriage is about sharing things, and, for us, hunting has become one of those things.”

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.6 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

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Tennessee Elk Huntress Hopes to Inspire More Women

Natural Resources Conservation Service

SALEM, Oregon --(AmmoLand.com)- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that Bruce Taylor, the Oregon Biodiversity Program Director of Defenders of Wildlife and the Director of the Oregon Habitat Joint Venture, is this year’s winner of the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Excellence in Conservation Award.

“Excellence in natural resources conservation is achieved when people put their commitment to conservation into action,” Vilsack said. “Bruce’s outstanding leadership in bringing together private landowners, conservation organizations and state and federal agencies proudly displays that commitment.”

Vilsack’s announcement was read at an award ceremony held at the Oregon State Capital. A tireless advocate for biodiversity, Taylor is known nationwide for partnership efforts that have protected and restored thousands of acres of wetlands and other native habitats in Oregon.

NRCS Oregon State Conservationist Ron Alvarado and leaders of state agriculture and natural resource agencies joined Secretary Vilsack in recognizing Taylor’s leadership and accomplishments.

“Bruce has an amazing gift for bring people together,” Alvarado said. “The benefits that have come from the partnerships that he has put together are absolutely invaluable.”

“USDA, NRCS and the entire state of Oregon owe Bruce Taylor their gratitude,” said NRCS Chief Dave White. “Because of his efforts, conservation in Oregon and the entire region is thriving.”

The NRCS Excellence in Conservation Award honors those outside the Federal government for their work in conservation.

For information on NRCS programs and projects, and its nationwide conservation partnership, stop by your local USDA service center or visit NRCS online at www.nrcs.usda.gov.

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Bruce Taylor Wins NRCS Excellence in Conservation Award

Outdoor Industry Association

BOULDER, CO –-(AmmoLand.com)- Congress has approved a 17 percent increase in total funding over last year’s level for the Department of the Interior (DOI) which manages a vast majority of the nation’s public lands. The final bill H.R. 2996,

http://www.outdoorindustry.org/pdf/ConferenceReportDOI2010.pdf

designates over $32 billion to the DOI, an increase in $4.66 billion compared to last year. Notable victories for the outdoor recreation community include invigorated funding levels for the federal and stateside Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) as well as authorization and support for the FLAME Act which is aimed at managing the escalating costs of wildfire.

Systematically underfunded in the past, the LWCF received revived attention from lawmakers this year. The conference committee approved $265.3 million for federal LWCF, a figure that exceeds last year’s funding level by $100 million. The committee has designated $40 million to stateside LWCF, twice the amount specified in last year’s appropriations.

The bill also creates the FLAME Fund which sets aside resources for fire suppression emergencies to avoid drawing from non-fire operations such as the budgets that fund campgrounds and trails. The conference report allots $474 million to the fund for FY2010, $61 million of which will go to the Bureau of Land Management and $413 million will be allotted to the Forest Service.

Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) appreciates the leadership that congressional members have shown for outdoor recreation and land stewardship throughout the appropriations process.

“The vast majority of outdoor recreation occurs on our magnificent public lands and in order for the recreation economy to continue to grow as well as for Americans to enjoy the health and spiritual benefits of outdoor recreation, we as a nation must invest in the management of these wonderful resources. This budget reflects that priority,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president and CEO of OIA.

Here is a brief list of additional highlights from the spending bill:

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Resource Management Planning program will receive nearly $50 million this year, a $2 million increase over last year and slightly below the $52.5 million recommended by OIA.

The BLM’s National Landscape Conservation System will receive a nearly $8 million increase over last year’s funding, just shy of the OIA recommendation.

The National Park Service’s (NPS) operating budget was approved at $130 million more than last year’s level, exceeding the OIA recommendation of a $100 million increase.

The committee approved the NPS’s Centennial Initiative for $15 million, $10 million below both the House request and the OIA recommendation.

The Forest Service’s Recreation, Heritage & Wilderness program was approved for $285 million which is a $7.5 million increase over last year.

The committee allotted $85.4 million for the Forest Service Trails program which is a $4.4 million increase over last year.

The final version of the spending bill will go to President Obama for his signature.

Click here (http://www.outdoorindustry.org/pdf/ConferenceReportDOI2010.pdf) to be directed to the full text of the conference committee report.

About Outdoor Industry Association
Outdoor Industry Association® (OIA) is a national trade association whose mission is to ensure the growth and success of the outdoor industry. OIA provides trade services for over 4000 manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, sales representatives and retailers in the outdoor industry. OIA programs include representation in government/legislative affairs, market and social research, business-to-business services and youth outreach initiatives. Educational events include the annual Rendezvous®, Outdoor University® and the Capitol Summit. Outdoor Industry Association is based in Boulder, Colorado, and is the title sponsor of the Outdoor Retailer tradeshows. For more information, visit http://www.outdoorindustry.org or call 303.444.3353.

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Outdoor Industry Association Thanks Congress for Funding for Public Lands

Texas Bison Association

FORT WORTH, Texas — Buffalo are a true American icon that hold a special place in the hearts of all Texans, and the Fifth Annual Texas Bison Exposition hosted by the Texas Bison Association (TBA) will deliver informative seminars to help Texas ranchers and landowners learn to raise and care for these majestic animals. Admission is free.

The Texas Bison Expo will be held on November 7, 2009 at the Stockyards Station in Fort Worth, Texas. The annual event features a trade show, live animal sale, the World Championship Buffalo Burger Challenge, and much more.

Preserving the legend of the North American Bison, the TBA welcomes some of the industry’s most renowned authorities on bison.

The 2009 Texas Bison Expo seminars include:

• John Hurd, general manager of Bluestem LLC (Bison-Bluestem-Burns & Bucks), provides an intensive review of bison grazing behavior in the tall grass prairie and bluestem grass, and the benefits of burning to grazing behavior and bison production bottom lines. Part B of Hurd’s segment is “Protocol for Profit,” a look at large-scale humane bison handling.
• Dr. Gerald Parsons will give a ‘Bison 101’ discussion that will help bison enthusiasts get started in buffalo ranching. He will also speak to the importance of the North American Bison Registry to the bison species and the industry overall.
• Rob Denkhaus of the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge will share an inside look at the management and programs built around the star attraction of the Refuge, the bison herd owned by the Friends of the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge.

“Buffalo ranching is an extremely dynamic industry which is growing in popularity,” says Tim Frasier, president of the Texas Bison Association. “For anyone wanting to learn more about buffalo and how to raise them for as a hobby or business, the Bison Expo offers great opportunities to meet and talk with some of the state’s most experienced and knowledgeable breeders and ranchers.”

The Texas Bison Association is a nonprofit organization founded in 1994 by bison owners and individuals concerned with the preservation and promotion of the North American Bison. Today, the TBA provides assistance in raising and producing bison and promotes the nutritional health aspects of the North American Bison to consumers.

For membership or sponsorship information, visit www.TexasBison.org.

Headquartered in San Antonio, the Texas Bison Association is a non-profit organization of producers, ranchers and bison enthusiasts. For more information on Texas bison, bison ranching or membership in the Texas Bison Association, call Tim Frasier at 940.594.1169 or Ronny Wenzel at 254.386.5069; or visit www.TexasBison.org.

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Texas Bison Expo Delivers Bison Ranching Seminars

New Jersey Fish and Game

Washington, DC --(AmmoLand.com)- Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) has announced that funding to protect bat populations in New Jersey and throughout the region has been increased from $500,000 to $1.9 million for FY 2010.

The senator successfully fought to increase the funding for research into a mysterious and deadly illness called White Nose Syndrome (WNS) that is destroying bat populations in New Jersey and the Northeast Region.

The legislation will now head to the White House where it is expected to be signed into law.

WNS is named for white fungal growth around the noses and on the bodies of affected animals. It first appeared in caves near Albany, New York in February 2006 and was confirmed in New Jersey in 2009. Over the last two winters, more than one million hibernating bats have died.

On July 8 Lautenberg, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, highlighted the threat of WNS on bat populations during a Senate hearing that he called for to examine threats to native wildlife species.

For more information, including a link to a map showing the disease’s spread, see the news release on Senator Lautenberg’s website at http://lautenberg.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=319502 .

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Sen. Lautenberg Secures Funding for White Nose Syndrome Research

Ducks Unlimited

RICHMOND, Tx –-(AmmoLand.com)- Limited water resources in the Highland Lakes are driving the Lower Colorado River Authority to propose reductions in “interruptible” water, the lifeblood of rice farmers and other producers that rely on LCRA’s irrigation districts in Matagorda, Colorado and Wharton counties. Ducks Unlimited (DU) representatives expressed their concern over the proposed restrictions at a public meeting on October 20 in Matagorda.pintails depend on rice fields for winter foraging

“Ducks Unlimited is sensitive to the issue of water availability within the Colorado River watershed and realizes that there are many competing interests for water, but we urge the LCRA to recognize the importance of this water to agriculture and waterfowl conservation efforts on the Texas Coast,” Todd Merendino, manager of conservation programs, said.

Rice growers and other producers depending on that water for irrigation and waterfowl conservationists depending on it to provide crucial wintering habitat await the LCRA decision and the impacts it will have on families, economies, communities, and the wildlife that depend on LCRA’s irrigation system.

The Texas Gulf Coast provides critically important wetland habitat for millions of migrating and wintering waterfowl, waterbirds, and shorebirds, including resident species like the mottled duck, which is in a long-term decline due to loss of wetland habitat.

In 1991, with the assistance of private landowners, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, DU launched the Texas Prairie Wetlands Project. TPWP is a cost-share program for private landowners to restore and enhance wetlands on their properties along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Collectively, TPWP has restored and enhanced over 43,000 acres of wetland habitat with over 14,000 acres in Colorado, Wharton and Matagorda counties. Approximately one third of these acres rely on canal water from the LCRA irrigation system.

“Without the availability of canal water, our conservation programs are severely hamstrung, and rice production, the breadbasket of food and habitat for waterfowl, is also lost,” Merendino said. “This loss of rice production will wipe out 20 years of conservation efforts by DU, private landowners, TPWD, USFWS, NRCS, and our many other partners.”

To date in the three counties, private landowners have invested $1.1 million in conservation projects, and DU and partners have invested another $2.7 million.

Current waterfowl habitat sustainability estimates provide an already gloomy picture for waterfowl, projecting a 150,000-acre deficit of habitat on the Texas mid-coast. Without rice production, approximately 50,000 additional acres will be lost, pushing the deficit to 200,000 acres.

“That is additional habitat loss for waterfowl and crop losses for rice producers that neither can afford,” Merendino said.

Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved nearly 13 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow, and forever.

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Water Restrictions Threaten Waterfowl

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

Delaware --(AmmoLand.com)- DNREC urges motorists to watch out for deer crossing roadways, especially at dusk.

The end of daylight savings time means more 9-to-5 workers will be driving home at dusk, and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Division of Fish and Wildlife would like to remind drivers to remain alert for deer crossing roadways.

“We might be heading home to relax at the end of our day, but deer are just beginning their busiest time around dusk,” said DNREC Game Mammal Biologist Joe Rogerson. “Twilight hours, especially from sunset to midnight and shortly before and after sunrise, are when motorists need to be especially alert and watch for them.”

The average white-tailed deer in Delaware weighs about 130 pounds, with larger bucks tipping the scales at 180 pounds or more. Hitting an animal that size can do serious and expensive damage to your vehicle. Such a collision may also cause injury to you or your passengers or trigger an accident involving you and other motorists.

In 2007, Delaware police departments logged a statewide total of 1,349 animal-vehicle crashes – the overwhelming majority involving deer – which resulted in one fatality, 43 personal injuries and 1,305 major and minor property damage-only cases. In 2008, a total of 1,474 crashes were reported, resulting in one fatality, 44 personal injuries and 1,429 property damage-only cases. For 2009 so far, up to the third week of October, 942 crashes have been reported, with no fatalities and 43 personal injuries. Many more crashes may have gone unreported to the police or were reported only to insurance companies.

National statistics also show that about half or more of all deer-vehicle collisions occur during October, November and December, with most concentrated in October and early November.

“Fall is mating season for deer, and in Delaware this year, we’re expecting the rut to begin in early November,” Rogerson said. “Because of this, deer are more active, with bucks single-mindedly pursuing does – sometimes right into the path of your car.”

“Although in the last three years Delaware’s deer population has finally stabilized and started to decrease, there are still numerous areas in the state that have significant deer populations,” added Rob Hossler, DNREC Game Species Program Manager. “Combine a high deer population with decreasing deer habitat and increased commuters, and you have a recipe for a high number of deer-vehicle collisions.”

Attentive driving is the best way to avoid deer collisions. Keep these tips in mind:

• Turn your headlights on at dawn and dusk and keep your eyes on the road, scanning the sides of the road as well as what’s ahead of you. When there is no oncoming traffic, switch to high beams to better reflect the eyes of deer on or near the roadway. To reduce your risk of injury in a collision, always wear your seatbelt.
• Watch for deer crossing signs that mark commonly used areas, and be aware that deer typically cross between areas of cover, such as woods or where roads divide agricultural fields from forestland.
• If you see a deer crossing the road ahead, slow down immediately and proceed with caution until you are past the crossing point. Deer usually travel in groups, so if you see one deer, there are likely to be others.
• Slow down and blow your horn with one long blast to frighten deer away. Do not rely on devices such as deer whistles, deer fences and reflectors to deter deer, as these devices have not been proven to reduce deer-vehicle collisions.
• Do not swerve to miss a deer – brake and stay in your lane. Losing control of your vehicle, crossing into another lane, hitting an oncoming vehicle or leaving the roadway and hitting another obstacle such as a tree or a pole is likely to be much more serious than hitting a deer.
• If you hit a deer, stop at the scene, get your car off the road if possible and call police. Do not touch the animal or get too close.

“A frightened and wounded deer can cause serious injury to a well-meaning person trying to ‘help.’ You could be bitten, kicked or even gored by a buck’s antlers. It’s safer to keep your distance,” said Rogerson.

If you would like to keep a deer killed on the road, the Delaware State Police can issue a vehicle killed deer tag.

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DNREC Urges Motorists To Watch Out For Deer Crossing Roadways

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont.—-(AmmoLand.com)- Whether they work individually or as part of a group, volunteers are essential to conservation today—even more so tomorrow.

That’s the consensus of conservation professionals who predict that fish, wildlife and habitat, as well as the future of America’s sporting traditions, will depend more and more on devoted souls whose only paycheck is the personal reward of preserving traditional values and passing on a cherished way of life.

Volunteerism spans from teaching a neighbor kid to cast at a nearby pond to serving on a board that directs policy for international wildlife habitat initiatives.

A conservation organization can be an effective channel for many volunteer passions.

Here’s how to get involved:

1. Consider why you’re interested in volunteering. Do you want to make a difference in the world, or in your own corner of the outdoors? Is it about building your own skills and social network? Or are you simply inspired to give something back to a special place, species or heritage? These questions can help you choose the right organization.
2. Select an outfit that represents something special to you. If your pulse quickens at the thought of mallards over decoys, an elk bugling from a golden stand of aspens, a bass exploding on a topwater lure, there’s a group for you. Ditto if you’re concerned about Second Amendment issues. Maybe you believe that youths in your community should know more about handling firearms safely, or how hunting and angling pay for conservation. Or perhaps you’re just worried about the kudzu infestation in the back pasture of your hunting club. Whatever your interest, there’s probably a good fit for you somewhere out there. If not, start something new.
3. Speak with staff or volunteers from the organization and ask what opportunities exist for newcomers as well as experienced volunteers. Attend a meeting to see how the group interacts. At its best, volunteering is a selfless act for a greater good, but everyone wants to feel appropriately appreciated—find out how the outfit says thank you.
4. Seek out volunteer tasks that suit you. Conservation always needs money but if soliciting donations isn’t your cup of tea, consider helping setup for a fundraising event or even a back -office gig stuffing envelopes. Maybe you’d rather install aquatic habitat or remove decrepit fencing from a big-game migration corridor. Of course, it’s fun to learn new things and there’s real satisfaction in completing less pleasant tasks, but it pays to ensure your core duties will be compatible with your time and talent.
5. Start small. If you already have a busy schedule, commitments at home or unpredictable work hours, you can still get involved. In fact, most organizations want volunteers who are busy people because busy people know how to get things done. See about working for only an hour or two per week or perhaps one day per month. Later, if you find you enjoy the work and have more time to pursue it, gradually take on more.
6. Ask, don’t demand. People in charge of organizing volunteers are often volunteers themselves, but, invariably, they’re working to meet certain goals with a bigger mission in mind. Especially if you’re just starting out, the best bet is simply assimilating into their system. Later on, if you see that it could work better, make suggestions on how to fix it.
7. Ask questions and do research, but until you get your feet wet, you won’t know if volunteering for a particular organization is really right for you.

Volunteering allows a person to make a lasting mark on conservation, leave America’s outdoors as—or better than—they found it, and hand down a meaningful personal legacy to their children and grandchildren.

It matters not whether you get involved individually or as part of a group. The important thing is just getting started.

Sooner the better.

About:
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation: Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.6 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

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How to Volunteer for a Conservation Organization

Ruffed Grouse Society

Coraopolis, PA –-(AmmoLand.com)- In what one sportsman described as better odds than his state lottery, the Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS) is limiting the number of sold tickets for its 2009-2010 national fundraiser gun raffle to 1,500.

And this isn’t a plain ordinary field gun! Valued at $32,000, this year’s prize is a “Baby Frame” Model 21 28 gauge side by side made by Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Co. in the Winchester tradition.

This one-of-a-kind shotgun features 28-inch barrels choked IC/M with two beads, a straight English stock crafted from fancy AAA feathercrotch walnut to a checkered butt and a 14 1/2-inch LOP. The beavertail fore-end has an ebony insert in the tip. It has a single selective trigger and the RGS logo is hand-engraved in real gold on the bottom of the receiver.

Donation for each ticket is $100 and can be purchased from RGS by calling 1-888-564-6747 and speaking with Rudy between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. EST. The drawing will be held at RGS headquarters on June 30, 2010.

Established in 1961, the Ruffed Grouse Society is the one international wildlife conservation organization dedicated to promoting conditions suitable for ruffed grouse, American woodcock and related wildlife to sustain our sport hunting tradition and outdoor heritage.

Information on the RGS, its mission, management projects and membership can be found on the web at: www.ruffedgrousesociety.org.

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RGS National Raffle Features Unique Winchester Model 21

Ruffed Grouse Society

Coraopolis, PA – -(AmmoLand.com)- The Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS) announced today the hiring of Andrew P. Weik as its New England Regional Wildlife Biologist. Scheduled to start in January, 2010, Weik will be responsible for implementing RGS’ on-the-ground forest management and landowner and land manager education programs in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.

A New England native Weik, 45, has been employed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Northeast Region at Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge – the only National Wildlife Refuge dedicated to woodcock management – for the past five years. He serves as technical expert in USFWS Region 5 on early successional forest habitat management and its impact on American woodcock population dynamics.

In addition to providing technical training regarding forest management techniques that benefit wildlife to public and private resource professionals and landowners at workshops and meetings, Andrew was responsible for developing the Refuge’s Habitat Management Plan, Annual Habitat Work Plan, and assisting with the development of the Comprehensive Conservation Plan which will guide refuge programs for the next 15 years.

Prior to working with the USFWS, Weik was the Waterfowl and Upland Game Bird Program Leader for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife where, among other projects, he coordinated the development and implementation of programs and surveys to assess the status of game birds.

Married with two sons, Nolan (5) and Collin (3), Andrew, together with his wife Angela (also a wildlife biologist), enjoys hunting with their two setters and one Labrador for grouse, woodcock and waterfowl. One of Andy’s favorite quotes from the father of wildlife management, Aldo Leopold, when talking about grouse hunting, is “There are two kinds of hunting: ordinary hunting, and ruffed grouse hunting”.

“All of us here at RGS are very excited about the addition of Andrew to our team,” says RGS President and CEO Mike Zagata. “Andy’s background and experience as a wildlife biologist with the USFWS, as well as his work with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, will help us continue our mission of enhancing the environment for ruffed grouse, American woodcock, and other forest wildlife that utilize or require thick, young forests created through ecologically sound forest management practices”.

“I’m really excited about working for the Ruffed Grouse Society,” says Weik. “The organization was founded on the principle that sound scientific management is essential in today’s landscape for thriving populations of grouse, woodcock and other wildlife. I look forward to building on the accomplishments of the other RGS biologists, raising awareness of the habitat needs of grouse, woodcock, and other wildlife that depend on young forest, helping incorporate successional forest habitat management in municipal, state, federal, corporate, and non governmental organizations’ management plans, incorporating wildlife habitat needs into the development of woody biomass technology to help meet our energy and wildlife habitat needs, and working with landowners and RGS chapters on habitat improvement projects,” Weik said.

One specific project that Weik hopes to see through to its conclusion in 2010 is revising the RGS-published “A Woodcock in the Hand” (Sepik 1994) — a publication that provides tips on examining, aging, and sexing American woodcock as well as information on population monitoring and conservation.

The booklet is currently out of print.

To assist Weik in his goals, RGS is currently seeking a regional director for the New England area. The position involves working with local chapter volunteers to create and host chapter events including fund-raising sportsman’s banquets, shoots, educational activities and youth events. Interested individuals should contact Mark Fouts at 715-399-2270 or by e-mail at rgsfouts@centurytel.net .

About:
Established in 1961, the Ruffed Grouse Society is the one international wildlife conservation organization dedicated to promoting conditions suitable for ruffed grouse, American woodcock and related wildlife to sustain our sport hunting tradition and outdoor heritage.

Information on the RGS, its mission, management projects and membership can be found on the web at: www.ruffedgrousesociety.org.

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RGS welcomes Andrew Weik as its New England Wildlife Biologist

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont.—-(AmmoLand.com)- New grants from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will fund conservation and education projects in eight Michigan counties, and swell total RMEF support for the state’s Pigeon River Habitat Initiative to more than $190,000.

The 2009 RMEF grants will affect Cheboygan, Delta, Montmorency, Muskegon, Oakland, Otsego, Ottawa and Presque Isle counties.

“Our volunteers in Michigan devoted themselves to the 2008 fundraisers that made these grants possible. This is where Elk Foundation banquets, auctions and other events transform into on-the-ground conservation work, and it’s part of the payday for all of our supporters who are passionate about giving something back to the outdoors,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO.

RMEF has been a major supporter of the Pigeon River Habitat Initiative in each of the past four years and in 2003. Contributions have helped secure conservation easements, develop forest stewardship management plans, provide technical assistance for landowners, offer cost-share programs to help with wildlife plantings, and more.

Collectively, these efforts have impacted hundreds of acres for elk and other wildlife.

“RMEF has been a great partner and supporter for this project. There is no way we could accomplish the goals of this project without partners such as RMEF. Funding from RMEF also helps us leverage additional funding for conservation efforts in Pigeon River country,” said Eric Nelson, habitat specialist for Huron Pines, which manages the Pigeon River Habitat Initiative.

Elk Foundation 2009 grants for Michigan, totaling $19,544, will help fund the following projects, listed by county:

• Delta County—Sponsor the Delta Youth Archery Initiative to introduce young people to archery instruction, equipment, competition, safety, sportsmanship, ethics and leadership.
• Montmorency County—Renovate an elk display with a new life-sized mount of a bull elk to be used for educational purposes by the City of Atlanta, “Elk Capital of Michigan.”
• Oakland County—Sponsor the Sherman Middle School National Archery in the Schools Program to introduce youth to archery in a school environment.
• Otsego County—Promote long-term land protection, improve habitat for wildlife, discourage invasive species and develop sustainable forestry management as part of the Pigeon River Habitat Initiative (also affects Cheboygan, Montmorency and Presque Isle counties).
• Ottawa County—Sponsor the Ottawa County 2009 Youth Hunter Safety program (also affects Muskegon County).

Partners for 2009 projects in Michigan include Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Huron Pines, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, other agencies, schools and organizations.

Since 1984, the Elk Foundation and its partners have completed more than 80 conservation projects in Michigan with a value of more than $4.6 million.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.6 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

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Elk Foundation Funding Tops $190K for Michigan Initiative

Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, Wisconsin - People interested in volunteering to help locate and count gray wolves and other forest carnivores in the coming year can learn how at a series of upcoming training sessions.

In Wisconsin wolves are a protected wild animal under state law, and due to court action on July 1, 2009, are again an endangered species under federal law.

Volunteer trackers are assigned survey blocks in forest portions of northern and central Wisconsin, and are asked to conduct three or more surveys in their assigned block each winter. Information they gather can be compiled with that of other volunteers to aid Department of Natural Resources biologists in evaluating wolf populations.

Wolf and Carnivore Tracker Training sessions are scheduled:

• Nov. 7, Ashland, Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, Highway 2 & G, west of Ashland.
• Dec. 5, Babcock, Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center, 1 mile north of Highway 173 along County Road X.
• Dec. 5-6, Grantsburg, Crex Meadow Visitor Center, along County Highway D, 1 mile north of Grantsburg.
• Dec. 12, Tomahawk, Treehaven UW-Stevens Point Field Station on Pickerel Creek Road off County A.

Training sessions will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Applicants should register as soon as possible because space is limited. Please try to register at least two weeks before each session. There is a small fee for the classes. The training at Crex Meadows near Grantsburg on Dec. 5-6 will be by world renowned tracker, Dr. James Halfpenny. Cost of the workshop has yet to be determined.

Details about the volunteer tracking program and the wolf ecology and tracking training sessions are available on the Department of Natural Resources Web site.

In late winter 2009 DNR biologists counted between 626 and 662 wolves in the state, including 599 or more outside Indian reservations. As of early fall, 62 wolves were being radio tracked by Wisconsin DNR pilots. Normally about one-third of the state packs are monitored by radio-telemetry, the remaining packs are monitored by DNR and volunteer trackers.

In 2009, 174 volunteer trackers surveyed 88, 200-square-mile survey blocks covering 8,062 miles of snow-covered roads and trails. Volunteers averaged 4.2 surveys per block, covering 91.6 miles, conducting 15 hours of tracking per block, and detected more than 367 different wolves.

“With the continued spread of the state wolf population and reduced funding for surveys, the volunteer carnivore tracking program is critical for us to obtain accurate counts of the state wolf population,” said Adrian Wydeven, DNR mammal ecologist who coordinates the state wolf program. “These surveys will continue to be important for long-term conservation of wolves and other forest carnivores in Wisconsin.”

Volunteers are also helpful in other ways, Wydeven said. Last fall, several volunteers conducted hunter outreach in the field and made contacts with deer hunters across several northern counties. During the spring volunteers helped with wolf trapping, radio collaring, donations of radio collars, and howl surveys as well as staffing educational booths at sport shows and other events.

Volunteers are also strongly encouraged to take a wolf ecology course if they have not done so already, and biologists recommend taking the ecology course before signing up for track training workshops. Wolf ecology courses will be offered next year on the following dates at the locations listed.

• Jan. 23-24, Babcock – Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center, Babcock, $75 (includes 2 meals & dorm lodging). Contact Dick Thiel at Richard.Thiel@wisconsin.gov
• Jan. 30-31, Fall Creek – Beaver Creek Reserve, cost $70 contact the Beaver Creek Reserve at bcr@beavercreekreserve.org
• Jan. 30-31, Tomahawk – Treehaven, cost $105-$140 (includes meals; opt. lodging), contact Treehaven at treehaven@uwsp.edu
• Feb. 20-21, Babcock – Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center, cost $75 (includes 2 meals & dorm lodging), contact Dick Thiel at Richard.Thiel@wisconsin.gov
• Feb. 27-28, Tomahawk – Treehaven, cost $105-$140 (includes meals; opt. lodging), contact Treehaven at treehaven@uwsp.edu

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Adrian Wydeven – (715) 762-1363

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Volunteers Needed To Help Monitor Wolf Populations In Wisconsin

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Washington, DC –(AmmoLand.com)- At an event held in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution’s National Zoo in Washington, DC, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced 6 grant awards totaling $800,000 going toward research efforts to explore the cause and control of white-nose syndrome, a wildlife health crisis of unprecedented proportions that has now killed more than a million bats in the Northeast and remains unchecked.

“These grants will provide critical funding to help the Service and our partners find the cause, find a cure and stop the spread of this deadly disease,” said Interior’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Jane Lyder. “Bats are an incredibly important component of our nation’s ecosystem, and the loss of even one species could be disastrous for wildlife, agriculture and people.”

One of the bat species currently affected by white-nose syndrome is the endangered Indiana bat.  White-nose syndrome has been documented in six counties in Virginia and West Virginia and is now within the range of two additional endangered bat species, the Virginia big-eared bat and gray bat. The Endangered Species Act protects six bat species in the contiguous United States.

Federal and state biologists, academia, researchers and non-governmental partners have been overwhelmed by the unanticipated effects of this wildlife health crisis, but are committed to finding answers before species are lost forever.

The Fish and Wildlife Service provided the grants through the Preventing Extinction program. The Service selected recipients from among 41 grant proposals totaling $4.8 million for research into WNS. “We are very pleased and hopeful about the work funded by these 6 research grants.  Our only regret is that we were unable to fund many more of the project proposals that could lead us to answers about what is killing our bats and how to control this devastating problem,” said the Service’s Jeremy Coleman, Ph.D., national white-nose syndrome coordinator.

One of the grants was awarded to the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park to establish a captive population of the Virginia big-eared bat at the Conservation & Research Center near Front Royal, Virginia. There are only 15,000 Virginia big-eared bats remaining in a few caves in West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina. White-nose syndrome has already infected some of the caves in this area, and if it continues, this bat subspecies could likely become extinct.  The Conservation & Research Center to the National Zoo has developed a multidisciplinary team of scientists, veterinarians, nutritionists and curators who are working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and West Virginia Division of Natural Resource to establish this insurance population of Virginia big-eared bats, thereby buying time to determine the cause of, and cure for, this disease.  Bats in this population may eventually be needed to re-establish the subspecies in the wild.  Virginia big-eared bats have never been kept or bred before in captivity, so lessons learned from this project will be of broad interest to agencies and organizations if white-nose syndrome in wild bat populations makes it necessary to consider captive breeding of other bat species.

The other recipients of the white-nose syndrome funding include the following:

Analyzing Indiana bats to determine their susceptibility. Sybill K. Amelon, Ph.D., USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station; Guy Knudsen, Ph.D., University of Idaho; Sara Oyler-McCance, Ph.D., U.S. Geological Survey, Rocky Mountain Center for Conservation Genetics and Systematics; and Lori Eggert, Ph.D., University of Missouri. This project focuses on assessing the impact of white-nose syndrome on the genetic viability of Indiana bats.

Identifying compounds to stop the fungus associated with white-nose syndrome. Hazel A. Barton, Ph.D., Northern Kentucky University, and Kevin Keel, DVM, Ph.D., University of Georgia. This research is on the propagation and decontamination of white-nose syndrome in the environment.

Examining immunity and body composition in white-nose syndrome affected bats versus bats unaffected. Thomas H. Kunz, Ph.D., and Michael D. Sorenson, Ph.D.; Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology, Boston University, Massachusetts. This project will focus on Immune function, body composition and genetic correlates of bat white-nose syndrome.

Developing a rapid WNS diagnostic test. Alison Robbins, MS, DVM, and Donna E. Akiyoshi, Ph.D.; Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Massachusetts. This funding will support the generation of Geomyces destructans specific monoclonal antibodies.

Identifying the genetics of white-nose syndrome affected little brown bats to predict at-risk populations before white-nose syndrome hits. Deborah D. Iwanowicz, Ph.D., and Tim King, Ph.D.; U.S. Geological Survey, Leetown Science Center, West Virginia. This project will expand our understanding of white-nose syndrome in the Northeastern Vespertilionidae with emphasis on the little brown bat.

Additional information about WNS may be found at http://www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html.

About:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and a trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service. For more information about our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov.

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USFWS Awards $800,000 in Grants to Cure the Devistating White-Nose Syndrome in Bats

California Waterfowl

Anderson, CA –-(AmmoLand.com)- Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) and California Waterfowl today announced that SPI has signed an agreement with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to place a conservation easement on 2,870 acres of wetlands, commonly called White Horse Flat Reservoir, in Sisikyou and Modoc Counties.

The agreement is intended to restore wetlands to improve wildlife habitat and provide other environmental benefits. Under the agreement, timber harvesting, grazing, and other land uses will be curtailed or limited during the 30-year life of the easement.

Sierra Pacific spokesman Mark Pawlicki said “The purpose of this easement is to restore, manage, maintain, and enhance the functional values of wetlands and other lands, and for the conservation of natural values.” He added that “this includes benefits for fish and wildlife and their habitat, water quality improvement, flood water retention, groundwater recharge, open space, aesthetic values, and environmental education.”

California Waterfowl Vice President of Conservation Programs Jake Messerli stated that the conservation easement will offer a significant enhancement to waterfowl habitat in California.

“This project will benefit spring and fall staging habitat for waterfowl and is an excellent demonstration of how cooperative efforts between private landowners, conservation organizations, and the government can benefit wildlife, water quality, and outdoor education,” noted Messerli.

The NRCS has prepared a conservation plan for restoration activities that will occur in the first two years of the agreement. The area, which is approximately

20 miles North of Fall River Mills, will be fenced to help manage grazing. “We are very pleased to be able to work cooperatively with SPI on this project” said NRCS spokesperson Jessica Groves. “We believe it is a key wetland area that will provide tremendous benefits to waterfowl and other wildlife for the next 30 years” Groves said.

Sierra Pacific Industries is a third-generation family-owned forest products company based in Anderson, California. The firm owns and manages nearly 1.9 million acres of timberland in California and Washington, and is the second largest lumber producer in the U.S. Sierra Pacific is committed to managing its lands in a responsible and sustainable manner to protect the environment while providing quality wood products for consumers. For more information, please visit www.spi-ind.com

About:
California Waterfowl is an award winning nonprofit, hunter-supported conservation organization with a mission to conserve the state’s waterfowl, wetlands, and hunting heritage. In the last 20 years, we’ve completed more than 700 individual projects to protect, restore, and enhance more than 360,000 acres, providing habitat for millions of birds and animals. Our Youth and Education Programs have reached more than 250,000 children and young adults to help to create a better understanding of biology, conservation, and outdoor heritage. All efforts are supported largely by donations and the work of over 1,500 dedicated and tireless volunteers.

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SPI and California Waterfowl Announce Wetland Conservation Easement Agreement with NRCS

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Washinton, DC --(AmmoLand.com)- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced a proposal to designate critical habitat for the polar bear, and will open a 60-day public comment period on the measure. The critical habitat proposal identifies habitat in three separate areas or units: barrier island habitat, sea ice habitat and terrestrial denning habitat.

“This Administration is fully committed to the protection and recovery of the polar bear,” said Interior Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks Tom Strickland. “Proposing critical habitat for this iconic species is one step in the right direction to help this species stave off extinction, recognizing that the greatest threat to the polar bear is the melting of Arctic sea ice caused by climate change. As we move forward with a comprehensive energy and climate strategy, we will continue to work to protect the polar bear and its fragile environment.”

The total area proposed for designation would cover approximately 200,541 square miles and is found entirely within the lands and waters of the United States. Barrier island habitat includes coastal barrier islands and spits along Alaska’s coast, and is used for denning, refuge from human disturbances, access to maternal dens and feeding habitat, as well as travel along the coast. Sea ice habitat is located over the continental shelf, and includes water 300m and less in depth. Terrestrial denning habitat includes lands within 32 km (about 20 miles) of the northern coast of Alaska between the Canadian border and the Kavik River and within 8 km (about 5 miles) between the Kavik River and Barrow.

Polar bears evolved for life in the harsh arctic environment, and are distributed throughout most ice-covered seas of the Northern Hemisphere. They are generally limited to areas where the sea is ice-covered for much of the year; however, they are not evenly distributed throughout their range. They are most abundant near the shore in shallow-water areas, and in other places where currents and ocean upwelling increases marine productivity and maintains some open water during the ice-covered season.

Polar bears are completely dependent upon Arctic sea-ice habitat for survival. They use sea ice as a platform to hunt and feed upon seals, as a habitat on which to seek mates and breed, as a platform to move to onshore maternity denning areas, and make long-distance movements, and occasionally for maternity denning. Most populations use onshore habitat partially or exclusively for maternity denning.

Throughout most of their range, polar bears remain on the sea ice year-round or spend only short periods on land. There are two polar bear populations that occur in the U.S.; the Chukchi Sea population and the Southern Beaufort Sea population. Internationally, they also occur throughout the East Siberian, Laptev, and Kara Seas of Russia; Fram Strait and Greenland Sea; Barents Sea of northern Europe; Baffin Bay, which separates Canada and Greenland; through most of the Canadian Arctic archipelago; and in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas located to the west and north of Alaska.

The polar bear was listed as threatened, range-wide, under the ESA on May 14, 2008, due to loss of sea ice habitat caused by climate change. Other threats evaluated at that time included impacts from activities such as oil and gas operations, subsistence harvest, shipping and tourism. No other impacts were considered as significant in the decline but minimizing effects from these activities could become increasingly important for polar bears as their numbers decline.

The ESA requires that, to the maximum extent possible, the Secretary of the Interior designate critical habitat at the time the species is listed. However, the Service determined additional time was needed to conduct a thorough evaluation and peer review of a potential critical habitat designation and thus did not publish a proposed designation concurrent with the final listing rule. As part of the settlement of a subsequent lawsuit brought by a group of conservation organizations, the Department of the Interior agreed to publish a final rule designating critical habitat for the polar bear no later than June 30, 2010. Today’s announcement is a step toward fulfilling the terms of that agreement.

Critical habitat identifies geographic areas containing features considered essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and that may require special management or protection. The designation of critical habitat under the ESA does not affect land ownership or establish a refuge, wilderness, reserve, preserve, or other conservation area. It does not allow government or public access to private lands. A critical habitat designation does not affect private lands unless federal funds, permits, or activities are involved. The areas of proposed critical habitat do encompass areas where oil and gas exploration activities are known to occur. Section 7 of the ESA requires federal agencies to ensure that the activities they authorize, fund or carry out are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the species or to destroy or adversely modify its critical habitat. If a federal action may affect the polar bear or its critical habitat, the permitting or action agency must enter into consultation with the Service. This applies to oil and gas development activities, as well as any other activity within the range of the polar bear that may have an adverse effect on the species.

For more information about this critical habitat proposal and other issues on polar bear conservation, please visit http://alaska.fws.gov/fisheries/mmm/polarbear/criticalhabitat.htm or www.fws.gov.

•Comments on the critical habitat proposal will be accepted for 60 days following its publication in the Federal Register. You may submit comments by one of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov (follow the instructions for submitting comments).

• U.S. mail or hand-delivery to Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R7-ES-2009-2042; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203. These methods will be available upon publication of the rule in the Federal Register. We will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov.

About:
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Polar Bear Critical Habitat

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont.—-(AmmoLand.com)- Elk and other wildlife in the nation’s breadbasket will benefit from $31,343 in new grants from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. The grants will help fund conservation and education initiatives in Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

Grant amounts are based on RMEF fundraisers held in the respective states.

“Elk Foundation volunteers drove the 2008 banquets, auctions and other fundraising events that made these grants possible. This is where their work begins to transform into on-the-ground conservation benefits, and it’s part of the payday for our supporters who are passionate about giving something back to the outdoors,” said David Allen, Elk Foundation president and CEO.

RMEF grants will help fund the following projects, listed by state:

Kansas
Received RMEF 2009 grants totaling $15,250. Projects include reducing depredation on private land by managing about 200 forage plots covering 750 acres for elk and other wildlife at Fort Riley military reservation in Riley County; enhancing riparian habitat by treating noxious weeds and planting cottonwood, willow and native shrubs on 777 acres at Cimarron National Grasslands in Morton County; and sponsoring Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshops statewide, Big Brothers Big Sisters Pass It On Outdoor Mentors programs statewide, and Ninnescah Valley Archery Club youth education programs in Pratt County. RMEF partners include the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and other conservation groups.

Nebraska
Received RMEF 2009 grants totaling $8,075. Projects include developing methodology for aerial elk surveys in the western panhandle of Nebraska including Dawes and Box Butte counties; and funding two scholarships for wildlife conservation students at Chadron State College. RMEF partners include the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Oklahoma
Received RMEF 2009 grants totaling $8,018. Projects include creating forage openings for elk, rejuvenating water impoundments and maintaining firebreaks at Spavinaw Wildlife Management Area in Delaware and Mayes counties; and enhancing forage for elk and other wildlife by prescribe burning 8,195 acres at Pushmataha Wildlife Management Area in Pushmataha County. RMEF partners include the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and other conservation groups.

Since 1984 in these three states, the Elk Foundation and its partners have completed 155 conservation and education projects with a value of more than $9.8 million.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.6 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

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Elk Foundation Grants for Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma

California Outdoor Heritage Alliance

Sacramento, CA --(AmmoLand.com)-Two other wildlife conservation bills supported by COHA were also recently signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger.

AB 94 (Evans) extends the “Natural Heritage Preservation Tax Credit Act” for five years and deletes the monetary limit on the award of tax credits pursuant to the Act. The bill maintains important financial incentives offered through the Act for private property owners to voluntarily contribute lands to the State of California, local governments or nonprofits at a reduced cost to the public. Such lands not only have significant wildlife conservation values, but may also provide much-needed recreational opportunities for the public, including hunting and fishing.

SB 448 (Pavley) creates the “California Safe Harbor Agreement Program Act” to encourage private landowners to voluntarily manage their property for the benefit of threatened and endangered species without being subject to additional regulatory restrictions. This is an appropriate legal approach in COHA’s view, since additional take regulations would hinder conservation efforts in many cases by compelling landowners to not participate in habitat protection programs. By ensuring that the program creates a “net conservation benefit” without jeopardizing the continued existence of a particular species, COHA believes the bill will improve land management practices in a landowner-friendly manner.

About:
The California Outdoor Heritage Alliance is a 501(c) 4 non-profit political advocacy organization dedicated solely to the promotion of wildlife and the protection of our hunting heritage. COHA professional staff is active at the California State Legislature, Congress, State Fish and Game Commission, State and Federal resource agencies and all other political arenas where decisions are made which may impact wildlife management, habitat conservation, wildlife program funding, hunting access and opportunity, and your ability to purchase and possess sporting arms and munitions. COHA was created in early 2006 by the California Waterfowl Association. For more information on COHA and its efforts, visit their website at www.outdoorheritage.org

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California Conservation Bills Signed

Ohio Department Natural Resources

BEREA, OH – -(AmmoLand.com)- Berea High School in Cuyahoga County will soon be dedicated as an official WILD School Site according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The school will be the 100th site dedicated in Ohio.

The fourth in Cuyahoga County, Berea High School has completed many projects to learn about and benefit wildlife and the environment while enhancing habitat. Projects include artificial and natural bird feeding and watering stations and native plantings such as Northern spicebush, maple-leaf viburnum, bee balm and purple coneflower. The efforts benefit a variety of birds, mammals, insects, reptiles and amphibians.

Nearby Coe Lake, owned by the City of Berea, has been enhanced as well to benefit Berea students and residents. Several projects have taken place with help from school staff and students, City of Berea personnel and donations from private individuals and local businesses. Projects include the implementation of an osprey nesting platform, native prairie and a walking trail lined with signs educating visitors on the environment.

“I applaud the staff and students of Berea High School for recognizing the importance of stepping outdoors and connecting with the environment,” said Vicki Mountz, information and education administrator with the ODNR Division of Wildlife. “It’s been proven that when youths connect with the environment and learn about the needs of wildlife, they also learn about the needs of people and build a life-long appreciation for nature.”

Unplugging televisions and computers and plugging into the outdoors improves the physical, mental and emotional well-being of us all, added Mountz.

“Berea High School’s WILD School Site offers students and staff a transportation-free, fund-friendly field trip that is interesting and engaging,” said Mary Draves, science teacher at Berea High School. “My students work hard on these outdoor projects and get their hands dirty. They certainly take pride in what they’ve accomplished. We have plans for more habitat development on the school property.”

The school will be dedicated on October 21 during a ceremony for the school community and others involved with the enhancement projects.

The WILD School Sites program is considered an action extension of the national Project WILD program. Any school property used by students, teachers and the school community as a place to learn about and benefit from wildlife and the environment can be certified. The sites function within the premise that every school, regardless of size and location, can provide outdoor educational opportunities that can and should be part of an integrated environmental education program. WILD School Sites that demonstrate program development and site enhancement consistent with the premises outlined in this program are eligible for certification as an official Ohio WILD School Site.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.

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Ohio School to Be Named the 100th Wild School Site