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Run Guns On Your Website – Gun Rights News That Is

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

LITTLE ROCK, AR –-(AmmoLand.com)- Biologists from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission are taking to the skies this week as part of their periodic aerial waterfowl surveys.

The AGFC is surveying Arkansas’s waterfowl habitats to size up the state’s waterfowl population for this weekend’s opening.

With all of the water in the state, duck concentrations are widely scattered.

Wetland conditions across the entire state are much better than last year. The heavy rains over the past few months kept many farmers out of the fields, AGFC waterfowl program coordinator Luke Naylor said. “Some farmers have allowed water to drain from fields and are trying to catch up on the soybean harvest, for others, crops are a lost cause. Many duck clubs have already captured water and many fields are ready for the season opener,” Naylor said.

Nearly all public areas in the state are at or above target flooding levels. As far as duck numbers are concerned, there are widely scattered reports of concentrations of ducks around the state, Naylor said. “Due to all of the water in the state, ducks have a lot of options to choose from, so we might see ducks in large concentrations in isolated areas,” he said. “They’re probably hoping from hot spot to hot spot,” he added.

Large concentrations of mallards are not being reported in the state at this time, but large numbers of mallards are being reported in South Dakota, Naylor said. “States to the north of Arkansas were flooded as part of the same weather systems that moved through here. There are still lots of flooded fields in other states that are holding ducks to the north of Arkansas,” he explained. Naylor said the additional duck habitat to the north of Arkansas may slow the migration into the state. “A minor migration may have occurred in the last few days, but there’s not a large migration entering the state as they take advantage of that habitat,” he said.

As soon as waterfowl survey results are collected, the information will be available at www.agfc.com.

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Waterfowl Habitat Best In Years

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

LINCOLN, Neb. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Gov. Dave Heineman intends to appoint Norris Marshall of Kearney to represent District IV on the Nebraska Game and Parks Board of Commissioners.

“I look forward to serving on the Commission and the opportunity to contribute to making our Commission one of the best of its kind in the U.S.,” Marshall said.

“Nebraska is a great state with a lot of resources to offer. Together with the rest of the commissioners and staff we can continue improving the quality of recreation opportunities.”

Marshall said he is a avid waterfowl hunter and a student of the Platte River and endangered species.

“Along with owning Marshall Engines, my wife, Lori, and I are engaged in cow/calf production and next June will host the Cattlemen’s Ball of Nebraska on our property along the Platte River near Kearney.”

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Marshall in Line to Become New Nebraska Game Commissioner

Wisconsin DNR

Wisconsin --(AmmoLand.com)- The Cougar Tracking, Ecology, and Behavior Workshop at the Crex Meadows Center, Grantsburg, WI on December 2 – 3, 2009. Dr. Halfpenny will be instructing a focused training relative to cougar management, but the workshop is available to members of the general public with a genuine interest in cougar ecology.

The workshop fee is $115. This includes registration, afternoon luncheon each day and workshop materials. Payment must be received in full before confirmation of registration is made.

This two-day workshop will begin at 9:00 a.m. on December 2 and end at 4:00 p.m. on December 3. A complete agenda will be sent after payment is received. Registration is limited to 40 people and is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Recommended lodging is at the Lodge on Crooked Lake in Siren, twelve miles east, phone: (715) 349-2500, with a block of rooms reserved at the rate of $65.00 single or double occupancy. When making a reservation refer to the “DNR Cougar Workshop” for these reduced rates.

Registration must be received by November 30, 2009. Payment can be made by sending a check along with completed form to: WI Department of Natural Resources, ATTN: Shawn Rossler, P.O. BOX 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921.

Cougar Tracking, Ecology and Behavior Workshop
Crex Meadows Center, Grantsburg, WI December 2-3, 2009

As western cougar populations saturate and dispersal occurs, the Great Lakes region will continue to experience the occasional “visitor”. As wildlife professionals, additional knowledge is needed regarding this species.The public, both rural and urban, will demand it. Therefore, Dr. Halfpenny will be instructing a focused training relative to cougar management. This two-day workshop will cover details on population ecology, biology, identification and detection, collecting quality evidence, the cougar pet trade, and human-cougar interactions. The workshop format includes classroom lectures and indoor training.

The workshop fee is $115. This includes registration, afternoon luncheon each day and workshop materials. Payment must be received in full before confirmation of registration is made.

This two-day workshop will begin at 9:00 a.m. on December 2 and end at 4:00 p.m. on December 3. A complete agenda will be sent after payment is received. Registration is limited to 40 people and is on a firstcome, first-served basis.

Recommended lodging is at the Lodge on Crooked Lake in Siren, twelve miles east, phone: (715) 349-2500, with a block of rooms reserved at the rate of $65.00 single or double occupancy. When making a reservation refer to the “DNR Cougar Workshop” for these reduced rates.

Registration must be received by November 30, 2009. Payment can be made using WI DNR budget code or sending a check along with completed form to: WI Department of Natural Resources, ATTN: Shawn Rossler, P.O. BOX 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921

For more information contact Wisconsin DNR at (715) 685-2934 or (608) 261-6452

Instructor

Dr. James C. Halfpenny (A Naturalist’s World) is one of the world’s foremost experts on finding rare carnivore species. His work on Human/Mountain Lion encounters is featured in A Beast in the Garden by David Baron and the November 2003 Reader’s Digest.

This professional-level workshop is designed for finding and documenting the signs of rare carnivore species, not just cougars. The focus will be cougars and differentiating their sign from those sign of other species, wild and domestic. Emphasis will be placed on collecting and preserving quality evidence to document field track scene and facilitate analysis.

Biographical Sketch

Dr. James C. Halfpenny, Ph.D., President of A Naturalist’s World, tracker, carnivore ecologist, educator, and writer. Jim is author of many books and videos including Tracking Cougars: The Basics, A Field Guide to Mammal Tracking, Tracking: Mastering the Basics, Tracking Elk for Hunters, Yellowstone Bears in the Wild, Yellowstone Wolves in the Wild, Scats and Tracks Regional Series, and Winter: An Ecological Handbook, among others. See www.tracknature.com for more information.

Jim specializes in finding signs of cougars, lynx, bears, wolves, wolverine and other carnivores. He trains professionals on a worldwide basis in the skills of finding carnivores. Dr. Halfpenny knows what level of skills it takes to find signs that will “stand up in a court of law.” Jim will share his personal experience and pass on valuable tracking skills that have helped him locate mountain lions.

Schedule: (variable depending on number of participants, and whims of instructor)

Day 1 – Setting the Stage: The Cougar from Myth to Reality

• 9:00 – Registration and Introductions – Ecology

Morning Lectures

• The Gestalt: Ecology and Verification
• Cougars: Biology, Ecology, and Behavior

Afternoon Lectures

• Cougars and People: Pets
• Cougars and People: Confrontation
• Cougars and People: The Neighborhood and Confrontation Time Line
• Trails: Carnivore Gaits, Behavioral Stories, and Blood

Day 2 – Track Scene Identification: Field Knowledge and Skills

• 9:00 – Programs start

Morning Lectures and Laboratories

• Footprints: Clues, Criteria, and Measurements
• Signs: Scats, Burials, and Sounds
• Lab A – Footprint Interpretation and Track Preservation
• Lab B – Cougars in Wisconsin: Research, Laws, and Management

Afternoon Lecture and Laboratories

• Predation: Events, Signs, and Case Studies
• Lab A – Cougars in Wisconsin: Research, Laws, and Management

Lab B – Footprint Interpretation and Track Preservation

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Wildlife Management Will Host A Cougar Training Program

Chronology of Wisconsin Gun Deer Hunting

Wisconsin DNR

FITCHBURG, WI --(AmmoLand.com)- Wisconsin’s 158th regulated deer hunting season kicks off Saturday, November 21, with a long and storied tradition going back to 1851.

There have been many changes over the years, but none more dramatic as those experienced by hunters during the 1990s and early twenty-first century.

• 1834 – Lafayette County, first reported crop damage by deer.
• 1851 – First closed season for deer, Feb. 1 – June 30; Indians permitted to hunt anytime.
• 1876 – Hunting with dogs prohibited statewide.
• 1887 – Two game wardens appointed by governor at a monthly salary of $50; night hunting prohibited statewide.
• 1888 – Game laws published in pamphlet form.
• 1890 – First chief warden appointed.
• 1892 – Lawful to kill any dog running or hunting deer.
• 1895 – Sheboygan first county closed to deer hunting; deer cannot be transported unless accompanied by hunter; last October deer season in state.
• 1897 – First bag limit for deer, two per season; resident license costs $1, nonresident license costs $30; estimated license sales total 12,000.
• 1900 – Twelve hunters killed by firearms.
• 19003 – Estimated 78,164 licenses sold.
• 1905 – Salt licks prohibited.
• 1909 – Season 20 days long, limit one deer; first civil service exam given on a competitive basis for prospective wardens.
• 1910 – Deer populations drop to record low numbers due to unregulated hunting and market shooting.
• 1914 – Twenty-four hunters killed, 26 injured; license sales at 155,000
• 1915 – First buck only season.
• 1917 – Shining deer illegal while possessing a firearm; Conservation Commission delegated some powers related to deer season, but legislature retains authority to set seasons; deer tags (paper) required for the first time…they cost 10 cents.
• 1919 – Estimated kill is 25,152.
• 1920 – First use of metal deer tags…they cost 10 cents.
• 1921 – Wardens are instructed that “all deer found in possession…with horns less than three inches in length, is a fawn and should be confiscated.”
• 1924 – Estimated kill is 7000.
• 1925 – Legislature passes law closing deer season in alternate years.
• 1927 – No open season.
• 1928 – Deer hunters required to wear official conservation button while hunting; Game Division formed with Conservation Department; estimated kill is 17,000 with 69,049 deer tags sold.
• 1929 – No open season.
• 1930 – Estimated kill is 23,000 with 70.284 deer tags sold.
• 1931 – No open season.
• 1932 – Deer tag price is raised to $1; estimated kill is 36,009 with 70,245 deer tags sold.
• 1933 – No open season; Conservation Congress, an advisory group representing public opinion registered at annual county hearings, begins to assist the Conservation Commission in establishing a deer management policy.
• 1934 – First bow deer season; estimated gun kill is 21,251 with 83,939 deer tags sold.
• 1935 – No open season.
• 1937 – Shortest deer season on record, three days.
• 1938 – Use of .22 rifle and .410 shotgun prohibited.
• 1939 – Licensed children between ages 12 and 16 must be accompanied by parent or guardian; buckshot prohibited statewide.
• 1941 – Deer predators rare, timber wolves nearing extinction; estimated gun kill is 40,403 with 124,305 deer tags sold.
• 1942 – Back tags required while deer hunting.
• 1943 – First doe and fawn season in 24 years.
• 1945 – First year of ‘shotgun only’ counties; wearing red clothing required while hunting deer.
• 1950 – First ‘any deer’ season since 1919; estimated gun kill is 167,911 with 312,570 deer tags sold.
• 1951 – Deer hunting license and tag cost $2.50; orange clothing now included under red clothing law; Wisconsin leads nation in whitetail deer kill for third consecutive year.
• 1953 – First season gun deer hunters required to register deer at checking station.
• 1954 – Two-thirds of bucks harvested are less than three years old; portions of Walworth and Waukesha Counties and all of Jefferson County open for the first time since 1906.
• 1956 – 100th established gun deer season; registered gun kill is 35,562 with 294,645 deer tags sold.
• 1957 – Legislature authorizes party permit.
• 1958 – Longest deer season since 1916, 16 days; Rock County open for the first time since 1906; first harvest by deer management unit (in northwest and northeast only); registered gun kill is 95,234, of which 44,987 taken by party permit; 335,866 deer tags and 58,348 party permits sold, respectively.
• 1959 – First statewide deer registration by unit; Game Management Division of Conservation Department assumes responsibility for coordinating the state’s deer program; first open season in Kenosha County since 1906.
• 1960 – Hunter not permitted to buy a license after opening day of gun season; Green and Racine Counties open for the first time since 1906; all counties now open except Milwaukee; registered gun kill is 61,005, of which 25,515 taken by party permit; 338,208 deer tags and 47,522 party permits sold, respectively.
• 1961 – Resident big game license increased from $4 to $5; first use of SAK – sex-age-kill population-reconstruction technique for estimating deer numbers; hunters required to transport deer openly while driving to registration station; legislation authorizing unit specific quotas for antlerless harvest established.
• 1962 – Deer population above 400,000; deer management unit specific population goals established.
• 1963 – First year of quota party permits in eight management units; assassination of President Kennedy lessens hunting pressure.
• 1964 – Party permit quota extended to 32 management units.
• 1967 – Hunter Safety Education Program begins.
• 1970 – Registered gun kill is 72,844 with 501,799 licenses sold; 13 hunters killed.
• 1973 – No deer season fatalities.
• 1978 – Record registered gun kill is 150,845 with 644,594 licenses sold.
• 1980 – Blaze orange clothing required; first season of Hunter’s Choice permit; new law prohibits shining wild animals from 10pm to 7pm, Sept. 15 – Dec. 31; coyote season closed in northern management units to protect nascent wolf population.
• 1981 – Record registered deer kill of 166,673 with 629,034 licenses sold.
• 1982 – Another record registered gun kill of 182,715 with 637,320 licenses sold; three deer season fatalities.
• 1983 – Harvest continues to rise with another record registered gun kill of 197,600 with 649,972 licenses sold; experimental antlerless deer shunt in six southern management units to relieve crop damage.
• 1984 – Big jump in registered kill, fourth record harvest in a row of 255,726 with license sales totaling 657,969; handgun deer hunting allowed in shotgun areas; group hunting legalized.
• 1985 – Fifth consecutive record kill of 274,302 with 670,329 licenses sold; deer season extended in 21 management units; legislature further strengthens road hunting restrictions.
• 1986 – Gun deer season now nine days statewide; landowner preference program begins for Hunter’s Choice permits.
• 1987 – First year of bonus antlerless permits; seven fatalities and 46 hunting accidents.
• 1988 – Handguns permitted statewide.
• 1989 – Record registered harvest of 310,192 with 662,280 licenses sold; pre-hunt herd estimate of 1.15 million deer; two fatalities and 37 hunting accidents.
• 1990 – Another record kill of 350,040, including 209,005 antlerless deer; record license sales of 699,275; pre-hunt herd estimate of 1.3 million deer; season extended for seven days in 67 management units.
• 1991 – Third consecutive year of record harvest, 352,330; hunters allowed to buy more than one antlerless permit; season extended to 72 management units, mostly in the north; first year of separate, seven-day muzzleloader season.
• 1992 – Though kill fourth highest on record, 288,820, many hunters voice discontent over lack of success and claim DNR raised expectations by pre-hunt harvest prediction of around 370,000; hunters allowed to apply for bonus antlerless permits in more than one unit; Natural Resources Board approves Secretary’s recommendation to keep the gun season at nine days; new metro management units established around La Crosse, Madison and Milwaukee.
• 1993 – Harvest drops to 217,584, including 100,977 antlerless deer; pre-hunt herd population at 1 million with many units well below prescribed goals; 34 units, mainly in the north, designated as buck-only units; one fatality, 17 hunting accidents.
• 1994 – Hunters Choice permit availability jumps to 177,340 from 103,140 in 1993; six northwest management units remain buck only; herd beginning to build-up in southern agricultural range.
• 1995 – Harvest totals 398,002, a new state record; 32 accidents, one fatal; over 577,000 antlerless permits available with 414,000 plus applicants with 163,000 bonus permits offered to hunters; for the first time hunters can use their bonus or Hunter’s Choice permits in either the gun, bow or muzzleloader seasons.
• 1996 – ‘Earn a Buck” requirement placed on hunters in 19 deer management units situated in agricultural range where existing deer seasons and permit systems aren’t controlling herd growth; special four-day antlerless only season, state’s first October hunt since 1897, takes place in 19 ‘Earn a Buck’ units, resulting in a kill of 24,954 deer.
• 1997 – ‘Earn a Buck’ provision scuttled; early Zone T season in seven management units and three state parks results in over 7000 deer killed; the safest gun season even with one fatality and 10 accidents.
• 1998 – An early October gun season for third year in a row held in one management unit, 67A; harvest of 332,254 is fifth highest; accidents total 19 with two fatalities; most units in all regions of the state estimated to be above prescribed goals due to the mild winter of 1997-98.
• 1999 – Early antlerless Zone T deer season held in seven mainly east-central management units and one state park; early archery season is extended through Nov. 18 in Zone T units; pre-hunt herd estimate is 1.5 to 1.6 million deer; 33 management units in the central and southern part of the state are designated ‘watch unit’s that are above population goals and may be designated as Zone T units next year if quota numbers aren’t filled; resident deer license costs $20; non-resident license costs $135; record harvest of 402,204 deer.
• 2000 – Early four-day Zone T antlerless hunts produces kill of 66,417 deer; 97 of the state’s 132 deer management units listed as Zone T; two free antlerless permits given to all hunters buying deer-related licenses; hunters kill a record 528,494 deer during the early antlerless only, nine-day, muzzleloader and late antlerless only gun seasons; nine-day gun harvest totals a record 442,581 (170,865 antlered, 271,573 antlerless); 694,957 licensed gun hunters.
• 2001 – Wisconsin’s pre-hunt population estimated at 1.5 million deer; free antlerless permit given to all hunters buying deer-related licenses; 67 deer management units and nine state parks designated as Zone T; October and December four-day, Zone T antlerless hunts results in kill of 58,107 deer; nine-day gun harvest is the state’s fifth largest, totaling 361,264 (141,942 antlered, 219,260 antlerless); chronic wasting disease (CWD) later identified in three deer harvested in the Dane County Town of Vermont.
• 2002 – Herd estimate at 1.34 million deer; DNR samples about 41,000 deer during the early Zone T antlerless hunt (Oct. 24-27) and opening weekend (Nov. 23-24) of the nine-day gun season to determine if CWD is present anywhere else in the state besides the Disease Eradication Zone in southwest Wisconsin; expanded hunting opportunities set-up in the CWD Management Zone and a gun deer season slated for Oct. 24 to Jan. 31 in the CWD Eradication Zone; October and November four-day, Zone T antlerless hunts in 25 deer management units produce a harvest of 36,228 deer; hunters register 277,755 deer during the traditional, nine-day season; number of licensed gun hunters drops about 10 percent with much of the decrease attributed to concerns about CWD.
• 2003 – Fall deer population estimated at 1.4 million; landowners in CWD Disease Eradication Zone (DEZ) can request free permits to harvest deer without a license and receive two buck tags per permit; earn-a-buck (EAB) rules in effect and no bag limits on deer in the CWD management zones; deer hunting license sales up 14 percent over 2002, but down 13 percent when compared to 2001; overall, DNR collects 15,025 samples for disease surveillance with 115 wild deer testing positive for CWD; all but two positives are from the Disease Eradication zones (DEZ) of southwest Wisconsin and Rock County; hunters killed 388,344 deer during the early antlerless only, nine-day gun, muzzleloader and land antlerless only deer seasons.
• 2004 – Many deer management units (DMU’s) in all regions of the state estimated to be above prescribed management goals with 48 DMU’s designated as Zone T and 26 units as EAB; fall deer population estimated at 1.7 million deer; hunters issued one free antlerless permit for each license type (archery or gun) up to a maximum of two; during all seasons, hunters in the CWD DEZ and much larger Herd Reduction Zone (HRZ) are required to kill an antlerless deer before harvesting a buck; hunters kill 413,794 deer during the early antlerless only, nine-day gun, muzzle loader, late antlerless only and CWD zone deer seasons; eight gun deer hunting accidents documented with two fatalities; all accidents are either self-inflicted or shooter and victim were in the same party; hunters set a new record of venison donations by giving 10,938 deer yielding nearly 500,000 pounds of venison for food pantries to feed needy people across the state.
• 2005 – Forty-five DMU’s designated as Zone T units with unlimited antlerless permits and expanded gun hunting opportunities; hunters issued free antlerless permits for both archery and gun licenses; permits valid in any Zone T and CWD units; hunters in CWD units could get an unlimited number of antlerless permits at the rate of four per day; hunters harvest 387,310 deer during the early October, regular gun, late December and muzzleloader seasons combined, the eighth highest kill on record; 195,735 deer harvested during the opening weekend (Nov. 19-20) of the nine-day gun season; gun deer sales total 643,676, down one percent from 2004; DNR conducts CWD surveillance survey in the agency’s Northeast Region where 4500 deer are tested and CWD not detected; 14 accidents, including three fatals, during the nine-day season (Nov. 19-27); top five gun deer harvest counties – all located in central Wisconsin – are Marathon (15,871), Clark (13,918), Waupaca (12,260), Shawano (11,748) and Jackson (11,461).
• 2006 – Statewide harvest quota totals 469,385 antlerless deer; over 1 million antlerless deer permits issued to reach this quota; all hunters issued one free antlerless permit for each license type (bow and gun) with permits valid in any Herd Control, EAB and CWD units; hunters kill the fifth highest gun total (393,306) during the youth, regular gun, late December and muzzleloader seasons combined; 10 accidents, one fatal, with five self-inflicted and five with shooter and victim in the same party.
• 2007 – Again, over 1 million antlerless deer permits issued and all hunters again get one free antlerless permit for each license type valid in any Herd Control, EAB and CWD units; nine-day gun season (Nov. 17-25) earliest possible opening day under the current season structure; 402,563 deer killed during all gun seasons is the third highest total on record, surpassed only by 2000 (528,494) and 2004 (413,794).
• 2008 – 57 DMU’s under EAB regulations and hunters must “earn” a buck sticker authorizing them to shoot a buck by first killing an antlerless deer; 51 DMU’s are on the EAB “watch list” meaning they could be designated as EAB units in 2009 if a sufficient number of antlerless deer aren’t harvested; most of southern Wisconsin lies within the new CWD-Management Zone (CWD-MZ) boundary and rifles can be used to hunt deer in previously shotgun only areas of the CWD Zone; traditional gun season runs from Nov. 22-30, the second latest possible opening day under the current nine-day season; hunting conditions considered above average throughout the state for most of the nine-day season; over 642,000 licensed hunters kill 352,601 deer during all gun seasons (103,845 antlered & 248,756 antlerless); nine accidents, one fatal, all either self inflicted or shooter and victim in the same party, during the nine-day season.
• 2009 – The 158th deer season: no EAB except in CWD-MZ; 13 DMU’s in northern Wisconsin will have an old fashioned buck only gun season due to units being below overwinter goal; all deer baiting & feeding banned in 28 counties; wildlife officials predicting a lower deer harvest than in 2008; movement of whole deer carcasses and certain parts of carcasses restricted from the CWD-MZ to elsewhere in the state; new Mentored Hunting Program permits a licensed hunter 18 years or older to take out anyone 10 years and older for a hunt.

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Chronology of Wisconsin Gun Deer Hunting

Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, WI – Wisconsin’s 600,000 deer hunters provide land managers and law enforcement officials with something no amount of survey or police work can replace, more than a million additional eyes pushing out into remote areas of the state.

In recent months, law enforcement officials have cleaned up marijuana growing areas or drug making operations hidden in several remote areas on public lands across the state. Some of these illegal activities were discovered and reported by hunters.

“Hunters should be alert, and if they see something that doesn’t look right, they should leave the area the way they came in, record their observations and report the find to local law enforcement authorities,” said Randy Stark, chief conservation warden for the Department of Natural Resources.

Some things to look for include signs of summer habitation such as huts, tents or other makeshift structures; equipment; watering jugs; chemical containers; or signs of disturbed vegetation including abnormal cuttings or clearing of small areas.

If problems are found on private land, notify local law enforcement authorities. If hunters are on public land, “We operate a 24/7 confidential tip line for reporting suspected or observed illegal activity. The number is easy to remember, 1-800-tip-wdnr (1-800-847-9367 or cell #367),” Stark says.

“Under no circumstances should anyone put themselves in danger in a suspected illegal situation,” adds Stark. “First leave the way you came in the area and then record any easily obtainable information that you observed such as vehicle descriptions, license or registration numbers from vehicles, GPS coordinates if you have a unit with you and back tag numbers if a person is wearing one. It is not recommended that you make contact with people who you believe are violating the law, instead report what you observed to law enforcement authorities.“

DNR works closely with local authorities to keep drugs and illegal activities off our state’s recreational lands to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for outdoor recreation.

“Our public lands are heavily used, and we are grateful that law abiding citizens care enough about their public lands to be aware and report problems,” says Stark. “We want everyone to be safe and enjoy Wisconsin’s outdoors and traditions, and we want to work with the public to ensure that public lands are used for their intended purpose.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Engfer – Conservation Warden, (608) 266-0859

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Hunters Asked To Report Suspicious Activity While Out On Wild Lands

Wisconsin DNR

Wisconsin --(AmmoLand.com)- Television and radio host Dan Small of Outdoor Wisconsin and Outdoors Radio has teamed up with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to give hunters a heads-up on important deer season information and the latest season forecast as opening day approaches.

The opening greeting to hunters and the five regional forecasts are available for viewing on the DNR Web site.

The Deer Season Forecast is also available in text format.

“On the eve of Wisconsin’s 158th deer hunt I want to wish hunters, their families and friends my best wishes for a safe and enjoyable season,” said DNR Secretary Matt Frank. “The traditions and the meaning of the season are as varied as the individuals and families holding them. Deer season is something special in Wisconsin.”

The DNR information line 1-888-DNR INFo (936-7463) is staffed 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week for last minute questions. The 2009 Wisconsin Deer Hunting Regulations also are available online for hunters. Wildlife and law enforcement officials at the DNR encourage hunters to check the regulations for the unit they hunt to be sure they understand the rules and have the correct tags.

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Regional Deer Hunting Forecasts Available by Video

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA –-(AmmoLand.com)- The Pennsylvania Game Commission counts on hunters to provide information on the deer they harvest.

And, to make reporting a deer harvest easier, the Game Commission reminds hunters that they can now file their harvest reports through the agency’s new online system.

To report a deer harvest online, go to the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), click on the blue box in the upper right-hand corner of the website, select “Harvest Reporting,” then click on the “Start Here” button at the bottom of the page, choose the method of validating license information, and click on the checkbox for the harvest tag being reported.

A series of options will appear for a hunter to report a harvest. After filling in the harvest information, click on the “Continue” button to review the report and then hit the “Submit” button to complete the report. Failing to hit the “Submit” button will result in a harvest report not being completed.

“Hunters may report one or more harvests in a single session,” Roe said. “Responses to all harvest questions are required.”

Roe noted that hunters still have the option to file a harvest report postcard, which are included as tear-out sheets in the annual digest they received when they purchased their licenses.

“We certainly are encouraging hunters to use the online reporting system, which will ensure that their harvest is recorded and save the Game Commission money on postage and data entry costs,” Roe said. “Either way, the more important point is that all hunters who harvest a deer report it to the agency.”

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Don’t Forget To Report Deer Harvest

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA –-(AmmoLand.com)- The state’s biggest draw for hunters is set to begin the Monday after Thanksgiving, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe, when the two-week firearms deer season opens.

“Fluorescent orange and camouflage clothing soon will be in fashion across the Commonwealth, and cars parked on the shoulders of roads that cut through forested areas or farming communities will be a common sight,” Roe said. “Deer season has a dramatic effect on the Pennsylvania; it provides hundreds of thousands of hunters a chance to put venison in the freezer, as well as stimulates a multi-million dollar economic surge that local businesses rely on.

“Deer season is the most important method that the Game Commission has been using for more than a century to manage Pennsylvania’s whitetails. The efforts of hunters are far-reaching, and they help to keep deer populations in check and enable the agency to meet deer management goals that benefit almost everyone who resides, visits or travels through this state.”

The Game Commission manages deer for a healthy and productive deer herd that provides recreational opportunities within acceptable ecological impacts and human conflicts. It’s a never-ending job, and one that will always be influenced by Pennsylvania’s changing landscape and the varying viewpoints of its residents. But, the agency is committed to providing sound deer management.

Dr. Christopher Rosenberry, Game Commission Deer Management Section supervisor, noted that hunters will need to make sure that they have done their pre-season scouting, as fall food conditions will impact deer movements.

“Deer will respond to food availability and hunter pressure, both of which can vary from year to year, and from one area to another,” Rosenberry said. “Our fall food survey suggests that almost all hard and soft mast species produced well this year. As a result, wildlife may be more widespread in forested areas. As always, pre-season scouting can improve a hunter’s chance for success this year.”

For the second year, deer season will open with a five-day, antlered deer-only season in Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) 2D, 2G, 3C and 4B, from Nov. 30-Dec. 4. It is followed immediately in these four WMUs by seven days of concurrent, antlered and antlerless deer hunting beginning Dec. 5 and continuing through Dec.12. The rest of the state follows the two-week concurrent, antlered and antlerless season – Nov. 30-Dec. 12 – that has been in place since 2001.

The changes to these four WMUs are being studied by Game Commission biologists and the Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Penn State University to learn more about the relationship between antlerless allocations and season length.

The Game Commission will use a four-year study to determine the impact and effectiveness of the five-day antlered/seven-day concurrent season before additional WMUs may be considered for this season configuration. It also will assess hunter satisfaction with the modified season structure in the four WMUs.

Hunters must wear 250 square inches of fluorescent orange material on the head, chest and back combined at all times while afield during the seasons. They also are advised that it’s illegal to hunt, chase or disturb deer within 150 yards of any occupied building without the occupant’s permission if they are using a firearm, or 50 yards if they are using a bow or crossbow.

All hunters who take a deer must fill out their harvest tag and attach it to the deer’s ear before moving the carcass. The tag can be secured to the base of the ear with a string drawn very tightly, if the hunter plans to have the deer mounted. Cutting a slit in the ear to attach the tag will require additional work by a taxidermist.

Deer hunters in certain Wildlife Management Units with an unused bear license also are reminded they may take a bear in the state’s extended black bear season. Bear licenses must be purchased prior to Nov. 30 to participate in these hunts. For more information, including hours and locations for bear check stations during the extended season, please see the bear section of the 2009-10 Digest on pages 34-36.

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Countdown To Pennsylvania Deer Season Has Begun

Arizona Drawing Results For Spring Hunts

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ –-(AmmoLand.com)- The more than 35,000 hunters who applied for a tag to hunt spring turkey, javelina, buffalo or bear in 2010 can find out if they were drawn by visiting the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/draw or by calling (602) 942-3000 (option 2).

Game and Fish officials said that hunt permit-tags will be mailed out to successful applicants no later than Dec. 4. Unsuccessful or rejected applicants will have their refund mailed out by Nov. 27.

There are plenty of remaining tags available on a first-come, first-serve basis for those individuals who forgot to submit an application or were unsuccessful in the 2010 spring drawing. Remaining tags include more than 10,000 javelina tags (328 juniors-only), nearly 200 turkey tags, and just over 70 tags for archery-only bear hunts. For a detailed listing of leftover permits, visit www.azgfd.gov/draw or call (623) 236-7702.

There are now two systems to obtain a leftover tag. Paper applications will be accepted by mail only starting on Monday, Nov. 30 at 8 a.m. (MST). However, beginning on Monday, Dec. 7 at 8 a.m. (MST), hunters can also obtain a leftover tag in person (over-the-counter) from any of the seven Arizona Game and Fish Department offices. A list of office locations is available at www.azgfd.gov/offices.

For those who qualify, there are military hunts available. For additional information on Camp Navajo, call (928) 773-3306 and Fort Huachuca call (520) 533-2549.

Juniors-only hunts
Youngsters interested in hunting have many choices and special seasons that are only open to kids. These hunts offer an outdoor family experience and a memory of a lifetime.

There are more than 300 juniors-only spring javelina tags remaining from the draw for $22.50 (by mail or from department offices only). Juniors-only spring turkey hunts (shotgun shooting shot) are available over-the-counter from any license dealer or department office for just $10. A unique December hunt for sandhill cranes still has several tags (good for three birds) available for $22.50 (by application sent via U.S. mail only).

Both javelina and turkey are big game animals and the minimum age to hunt them is 10 years old. Kids age 10 to 13 must complete an Arizona certified hunter education course to hunt big game which includes turkey and javelina.

The anticipated drawing deadline to apply for a 2010 pronghorn antelope and elk tag is the second Tuesday in February 2010. Winter drawing information and regulations should be available on the department’s web site, www.azgfd.gov, by mid to late December 2009.

Sidebar:
With small game season in full swing, now is a great time to get out in the field and do some hunting and scouting for your upcoming hunt. Most of the habitat that javelina occupy is also good habitat for quail (Gambel’s, scaled and Mearns’), cottontail rabbits, jackrabbits, dove, squirrel and even ducks. Not to mention, all of these species make great table fare when cared for properly.

Other great hunting opportunities
Young hunters can hone many of the same skills needed to hunt javelina when pursuing rabbits and squirrels with a .22 rifle including, using their binoculars to discover game, identifying habitat, stalking, marksmanship, and proper field care for dressing harvested game.

Small game season offers big fun, with plenty of pursuits and long seasons, including:

• Year-round – cottontail rabbits and jackrabbits
• Oct. 2, 2009 – Feb. 7, 2010 – Gambel’s and scaled quail
• Oct. 2 – Dec. 31, 2009 – Squirrel season
• Oct. 9/23, 2009 – Jan 17/31, 2010 – Waterfowl season (mountain/desert zones)
• Nov. 20 2009 – Jan. 3, 2010 – Dove season
• Nov. 27, 2009 – Feb. 7, 2010 – Mearns’ quail

To learn more about the fun hunting small game, including events, tips and outlooks, visit www.azgfd.gov/h_f/small_game.shtml.

Note:

Hunting and fishing continues to be the cornerstone and a primary source of funding for wildlife management and conservation in North America. In Arizona alone, more than 418,000 hunters and anglers spend $3.8 million a day, or $1.3 billion per year, participating in these activities to the benefit of local economies. Regardless of whether one chooses to actively participate in hunting or angling, people interested in wildlife and its future should understand the role sportsmen play in conservation.

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 Deputy Director, 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 Deputy Director as listed above.

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Arizona Game And Fish Announces Drawing Results For Spring Hunts

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

LINCOLN, Neb. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Deer hunters encountered decent weather overall but were challenged by a large percentage of corn standing in fields during the opening weekend of the firearm season Nov. 14-15, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Expect hunting to improve as the corn harvest, which was set far behind schedule by a wet October, progresses. The state has an ample deer population, including many older bucks.

“We are seeing an older age class of deer being taken in the south-central district,” said Jerry Pecha, District VI law enforcement supervisor. “It appears the 2½-year-old-class buck numbers have been growing in numbers for the past few years. Many of our hunters realize that with the ample numbers of deer we have, they don’t need to shoot the first buck they see and are becoming more selective.”

The most common complaints received by conservation officers over the weekend were hunting without permission and shooting from the road. Officers wrote citations for those violations, as well as others, including: hunting without a permit, spotlighting, hunting in the wrong unit, failure to cancel a permit, harassment of game, taking game in a closed season, no Nebraska Habitat Stamp, no hunter orange, borrowing a permit, and taking antlered deer with an antlerless-only permit.

No hunting accidents were reported.

The firearm deer season closes Nov. 22. The electronic checking system is not available during this season, but the Deer Exchange is available for all deer seasons.

Here is a region-by-region roundup of the opening weekend:

Northwest
The season opened Saturday with normal hunting pressure. Hunters had good success, with some good bucks taken. Light snow fell periodically throughout the region over the weekend.

Conservation officers in District I seized about a dozen deer. Two Californians were arrested for falsifying permit applications to obtain deer and turkey permits.

There were 262 deer checked at the District I office in Alliance over the weekend and 310 as of midday Monday.

Northeast
Some officers reported a good number of does taken with season choice permits. Hunters reported seeing good numbers of deer, with most of them passing up deer so they could have a chance to shoot a bigger one.

Hunters are making good use of the Open Fields and Waters lands. Officers reported high activity on most of the areas checked. One area had 11 vehicles parked on it opening morning and another had eight.

There were 19 citations and 13 warnings issued in District III.

There were 470 deer checked at the District III office in Norfolk over the weekend and 544 as of midday Monday. There were 242 deer checked at the District II office in Bassett over the weekend and 296 as of midday Monday.

Southwest
Several officers indicated there was a large harvest of mule deer and whitetails still were in the corn. One District IV conservation officer checked 16 deer but seized five.

Hunting without a permit was an issue. A person shot a deer without a permit, then said he intended to purchase a permit if he could hit a deer. Another person shot a buck and dumped it in a ravine, stating the deer was not as large as he thought it was when he shot it.

There were 275 deer checked at the District IV office in North Platte over the weekend and 317 as of midday Monday.

Southeast
Open Fields and Waters Program lands were busy Saturday, with some complaints of hunters driving onto these walk-in-only sites.

There were 149 deer checked at the District V office in Lincoln over the weekend and 182 as of midday Monday.

South-central
Hunter success in District VI was down somewhat from last year. Out of 310 hunters checked by mid-afternoon Sunday, officers observed 70 deer in the bag.

The weekend was a memorable for one young hunter, who was checked with his first deer, a 7-by-7 whitetail.

There were 390 deer checked at the District VI office in Kearney over the weekend and 450 as of midday Monday.

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Firearm Deer Season Opens in Nebraska

• The West Virginia firearm buck gun season is Nov. 23 – Dec. 5. It is open in all counties except Logan, Mingo, McDowell and Wyoming.
• Approximately 280,000 licensed hunters will be in West Virginia’s woods during this season.
• Hunters should review the 2009-2010 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary for detailed instructions concerning bag limits and season dates. The regulations are online at www.wvdnr.gov
• A list of deer checking stations in West Virginia can be found online at www.wvdnr.gov/hunting/check_stations.asp
• The firearm antlered deer bag limit during the two-week buck season is two (one on the base license and one on an RG [resident] or RRG [nonresident] stamp). A hunter may take no more than three antlered deer per calendar year in all archery and firearms seasons combined.
• The last day to purchase an additional deer gun tag (Class RG/RRG Stamp) is November 22. Class RG and Class RRG additional buck stamps can only be used to take an additional antlered deer in firearm buck season. Unused Class RG and Class RRG stamps may not be used in antlerless or muzzleloader seasons.
• All private land in counties having a firearms antlerless deer gun season (Class N for residents and Class NN for nonresidents) will be open Nov. 23 – Dec. 12 and Dec. 29 – 31. All public lands having an antlerless deer season will be open Nov. 25 – Dec. 12 and Dec. 29 – 31. Bag limits vary among counties and will be one, two or four antlerless deer. Hunters may take only one deer per day; therefore, a buck and an antlerless deer may not be taken on the same day. Class N and Class NN antlerless stamps are no longer county specific. See the 2009-2010 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary for county and public lands specific regulations.
• All deer must be field tagged and checked in within 72 hours of the time of kill or within 24 hours of the close of the season, whichever comes first. Additional deer may not be taken until all previously taken deer have been checked. Only one deer may be taken per day during the buck season.
• Deer hunting in West Virginia generates a total annual economic impact of $233 million, much of it in the rural areas of the state that depend upon the deer seasons for a large portion of their annual income.
• In 2008, deer hunters in West Virginia harvested 67,365 bucks during the two-week buck season, an increase of less than one percent from the 2007 harvest. The 2008 antlerless season deer harvest increased by 29 percent from 2007 with a total of 56,221.
• Based upon scouting reports and mast production, DNR is looking for the buck kill to be slightly higher than last year. Poor weather conditions last year during the first week of buck season resulted in a large number of antlered deer carrying over to this hunting period, meaning more and bigger bucks will be harvested. Poor mast production this year means deer will be more accessible in field areas where food is more likely to be found. Hunters who have done their pre-season scouting and have located food sources for deer will have the best chance of success.
• Sunday hunting is legal in the following 14 counties on private land only: Boone, Brooke, Clay, Hancock, Jefferson, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Marshall, Mingo, Ohio, Wayne, Wetzel and Wyoming. The only Sunday that is open in these counties during the buck season is November 29. Hunters are reminded that deer gun seasons are closed in Logan, Mingo, McDowell and Wyoming counties.
• Hunters are required to wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange (about the size of a vest) as an outer garment for visibility and safety. Blaze orange camouflage patterns are legal as long as 400 square inches of blaze orange are displayed on the garment. A blaze orange hat is not required, but the hunter must have blaze orange visible from both the front and the back.
• Hunting licenses may be purchased online at any time and printed out on a home computer printer. Go to the goWILD! Web site at www.wvhunt.com, fill out the application, and purchase it over a secure server with a credit card.
• Hunters who wish to donate deer meat or dollars to the Hunters Helping the Hungry program, which distributes deer meat through the Mountaineer Food Bank and the Huntington Food Bank, should call (304) 558-2771 or visit the DNR Web site at www.wvdnr.gov to find a participating meat processor.

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2009 West Virginia Deer Gun Seasons Fact Sheet

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

Delaware --(AmmoLand.com)- DNREC Fish and Wildlife Enforcement agents on Nov. 13 arrested a Seaford man who is prohibited from carrying weapons on hunting-related violations.

John W. Whitby Jr., age 39, of 28510 Dot Avenue, Seaford, was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a person prohibited/prior violent crime, possession of ammunition by a person prohibited/prior violent crime, possession of a deadly weapon by a person prohibited, and no hunter orange.

Whitby was taken to Justice of the Peace Court No. 3 in Georgetown and released on $15,100 unsecured bond, pending a trial date.

Citizens are encouraged to report fish and wildlife violations to the Delaware Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Section at 302-739-4580.

For further information, contact Sgt. Gregory Rhodes, Fish and Wildlife Enforcement, at 302-542-6102 or 302-739-9913.

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Delaware Seaford Man Arrested For Hunting Violations

Ohio Division of Wildlife

COLUMBUS, OH --(AmmoLand.com)- Ohio’s popular deer-gun season opens statewide on Monday, November 30, offering hunters a full week to harvest a whitetail. The upcoming season will again include an extra weekend of gun hunting on December 19-20, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

Deer can be hunted with a legal muzzleloader, handgun or shotgun from one half-hour before sunrise to sunset through December 6 and December 19-20. With a pre-hunting season population estimate of 650,000 white-tailed deer, the ODNR Division of Wildlife anticipates 115,000 to 125,000 deer will be killed during the nine-day season. Approximately 420,000 hunters are expected to participate in this year’s season, including many out-of-state hunters.

The white-tailed deer is the most popular game animal in Ohio, frequently pursued by generations of hunters. Ohio ranks 8th nationally in annual hunting-related sales and 10th in the number of jobs associated with the hunting-related industry. Each year, hunting has a $859 million economic impact in Ohio through the sale of equipment, fuel, food, lodging and more.

Ohio is divided into three deer hunting zones. Beginning on the opening day of gun season and continuing through December 6 a limit of one deer may be taken in Zone A (20 counties) and two deer in Zone B (30 counties). A total of six deer may be harvested in eastern and southeastern Ohio’s Zone C (38 counties) through the week long gun season. The antlerless deer permit will be valid for deer-gun week only in Zone C.

Beginning on December 7, the bag limit is three deer in Zone C and antlerless deer permits are no longer valid. Any time a hunter is allowed to take more than one deer, they must purchase an additional permit.

Those hunting in urban units and at Division of Wildlife-authorized controlled hunts will have a six-deer bag limit, and those deer will not count against the hunter’s zone bag limit. Antlerless deer permits can be used for the entire season in urban deer units or Division of Wildlife-authorized controlled hunts. Antlerless deer permits must be purchased by November 29.

Hunters may take only one antlered deer, regardless of zone, hunting method or season. A deer permit is required in addition to a valid Ohio hunting license.

Hunters are encouraged to kill more does this season using the reduced-priced antlerless deer permit and donate any extra venison to organizations assisting Ohioans in need. The Division is collaborating with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry to help pay for the processing of donated venison. Hunters who donate their deer are not required to pay the processing cost as long as the deer are taken to a participating processor. Counties being served by this program can be found online at fhfh.org.

Additional hunting regulations and maps of the state’s deer zones are contained in the 2009-2010 Ohio Hunting & Trapping Regulations. This free publication is available wherever hunting licenses are sold, online at wildohio.com or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.

The 2009-2010 licenses will not be printed on weatherproof paper. Sportsmen and women should protect their licenses and permits from the elements by carrying them in a protective pouch or wallet.

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’s Popular Deer-Gun Season Opens November 30

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(AmmoLand.com)- Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced that the agency is again participating in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves’ “Toys for Tots” program by opening the doors of the Game Commission’s Harrisburg headquarters to serve as a drop-off collection site.

The Game Commission’s office is at 2001 Elmerton Avenue in Susquehanna Township, just off of Progress Avenue. (For those using mapping devices, the mailing address is Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797.) Donations will be accepted until noon on Friday, Dec. 11, at which time all items will be taken to the USMC’s central collection facility for distribution to area children.

“The Pennsylvania Game Commission, past and present, has had many men and women serve in the United States armed forces, including the U.S. Marine Corps,” Roe said. “It is in their honor that we have decided to serve as a collection site for the Toys for Tots program.”

“We recognize at this time of year, it is important to share with those in need.

“Much like our hunters support programs to help feed their fellow Pennsylvanians through the Hunters Sharing the Harvest, we want to support a program that has been around for 60 years to make sure that disadvantaged children are not forgotten at Christmas time.

“And, as we will see hundreds of hunters come through our doors to purchase their licenses prior to the bear and deer seasons, we encourage them to consider bringing a toy to donate to deserving children.

“We also are surrounded by many other state agencies and private business along Elmerton Avenue and surrounding roads. We welcome them to stop by and drop off their donation.”

In addition to serving as a collection point for the program, for the third year, Roe announced that the agency was donating stuff black bears to the Toys for Tots program.

“Each of these 50 stuffed animals has a small tag with a bit of information about our black bears,” Roe said. “The black bear is just one of the more than 460 species of wild mammals and birds that the Pennsylvania Game Commission is responsible for managing. We hope that these stuffed animals will provide those who receive them some joy this season, as well as help them learn about this important part of Pennsylvania’s wildlife community.”

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PA Game Commission Participates In USMC ‘Toys For Tots’ Program

Arizona Game and Fish Department

Arizona --(AmmoLand.com)- The Arizona Game and Fish Commission’s work session scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 19, will be expanded to include commission consideration of two additional agenda items.

The commission will receive an informational briefing on a draft Cooperative Agreement with the Hopi Tribe to facilitate cooperative management and continued elk and antelope hunter access on sovereign Hopi Trust Lands in Game Management Units 4A, 5A and 5B. This agreement includes allocation of permits to Hopi tribal members based on suitable habitat.

The commission will then consider proposed amendments to the hunt guidelines governing the 2010-11 and 2011-12 hunting seasons in Game Management Units 4A, 5A and 5B to reflect the proposed permit allocation in the Hopi Trust Lands Cooperative Agreement. The commission may vote to take action or provide the department direction on this item.

The meeting, held at the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s headquarters at 5000 W. Carefree Highway in Phoenix, begins at 8 a.m. with an executive session, followed by the public session beginning with the two items above. The public is invited to attend the meeting in person or can view it over the Web at www.azgfd.gov/commissioncam.

In keeping with current department practice for commission workshops (as opposed to regularly scheduled commission meetings), those wishing to submit “blue slips” to present oral comment must attend the meeting in Phoenix.

The remainder of the agenda consists of the commission work session. The public is invited to attend the work session, but it will not be Webcast. Work session agenda items are:

Budget/planning update, including preparation and planning for development of the 2012/2013 biennial budget process.
Proposed director’s goals and objectives for 2010.
Demonstration for the commission of an approach to allow for the development and future use of paperless commission meeting books.
For a complete agenda, visit www.azgfd.gov/commission and click on the commission agenda link and the link for the Nov. 19 agenda.

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 Commission To Consider Amendments To Hunting Guidelines

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

Pennsylvania Elk Hunting Pic: www.lone-pineoutfitters.com

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA –-(AmmoLand.com)- Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced that 44 of the 60 licensed elk hunters were successful during the 2009 elk season. Of that total, 20 were antlered elk and 24 were antlerless elk.

“Elk are one of North America’s premier big game animals,” Roe said. “Pennsylvania is privileged to offer this unique hunting opportunity, a product of successful wildlife management that helps to finance wildlife conservation and supports Pennsylvania’s rich hunting heritage. It’s an unparalleled experience for hunters, particularly those who can’t afford to go on an expensive one- or two-week guided elk hunt out West.

“This year’s overall success rate was 73 percent, which is down slightly from the past year, which I believe that this can be attributed to the improved food conditions this year throughout the elk range, thanks in large part to the decline in gypsy moth defoliation.”

Along with extracting samples needed for disease testing, the agency also collected samples necessary to examine food preferences and habitat use by elk. Also, hunters collected liver samples that will be evaluated for mineral contents.

The largest antlered elk was taken by Reed Bamburger, of Graysville, Greene County. He took a 652-pound (dressed weight), 8×9 on Nov. 2, in Covington Township, Clearfield County.

Those hunters rounding out the top five heaviest antlered elk harvested, were: Lisa Banasick, of Connellsville, Fayette County, took a 643-pound, 9×11 on Nov. 5, in Gibson Township, Cameron County; Ronald Werkheiser Jr., of Hellertown, Northampton County, took a 617-pound, 7×7 on Nov. 4, in Karthaus Township, Clearfield County; Kenneth E. Hunter, of Muncy, Lycoming County, took a 604-pound, 8×8 on Nov. 3, in Jay Township, Elk County; and Alvin Hubler, of Munson, Clearfield County, took a 589-pound, 6×7 on Nov. 3, in Benezette Township, Elk County.

The heaviest antlerless elk was taken by Larry Davis, of Fairborn, Ohio, who harvested a 474-pound (dressed weight) antlerless elk on Nov. 3, in Benezette Township, Elk County.

Those hunters rounding out the top five heaviest antlerless elk harvested were: Gary Weikert, of Arendtsville, Adams County, who harvested a 444-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 4, in Covington Township, Clearfield County; Randolph Maus, of Halifax, Dauphin County, who harvested a 413-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 5, in Gibson Township, Cameron County; Ronald VanDyke, of Harrisville, Butler County, who harvested a 403-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 2, in Gibson Township, Cameron County; Scott Hite, of Port Republic, Maryland, who harvested a 398-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 5, in Gibson Township, Cameron County; and Adam Palyo, of Jefferson Hills, Allegheny County, who also harvested a 398-pound antlerless elk on Nov. 6 in Grove Township, Cameron County.

Roe also noted that Jim Nyce, of Green Lane, Montgomery County, who was the successful bidder for the first-ever Elk Conservation Tag, harvested an antlered elk, as well. Nyce harvested a 6×6 on Oct. 14, in Benezette Township, Elk County. Nyce purchased the Conservation Elk Tag during the National Wild Turkey Federation’s national conference in early 2009, and was able to hunt from Sept. 1-Nov. 7.

For more information on elk in Pennsylvania, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), choose “Hunting,” and then click on the photograph of an elk.

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Pennsylvania Elk Hunters Harvest 44 Elk In 2009

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Annapolis, Maryland --(AmmoLand.com)- The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that Maryland’s Atlantic Population Canada goose hunting season will kick off next week. These geese can be hunted November 21 through November 27 and December 17 through January 30, 2010. The daily bag limit is two Canada geese.

“The Atlantic Population is the largest Canada goose population in North America,” said DNR Waterfowl Project Leader Larry Hindman. “However, prolonged snow and ice cover due to cold spring temperatures resulted in few young being produced. Nevertheless, Hunters and non-hunters alike can look forward to seeing large numbers of Canada geese returning to Maryland this year.”

Information on waterfowl hunting and a detailed map of the Canada goose hunting zones is online at http://www.dnr.state.md.us/huntersguide/lwfchart.asp. The 2009-2010 Maryland Migratory Game Bird Hunting Seasons flier is also available online and at most licensing agents.

Hunters are encouraged to report banded migratory game birds by calling toll-free 1-800-327-BAND (2263). For added convenience, banded migratory birds may also be reported online at www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/homepage/call800.htm

Contact: Josh Davidsburg
410-260-8002 office 410-507-7526 cell
jdavidsburg@dnr.state.md.us

About:
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 461,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland’s forests, fisheries, and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic, and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland’s effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state’s number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov

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Maryland Canada Goose Season Opens November 21

Cougar Hunting Permits Available

Utah Division of Natural Resources

Utah --(AmmoLand.com)- Another cougar hunting season starts in Utah on Nov. 18. And even if you didn’t obtain a limited-entry permit for the hunt, you can still participate.

Permits are now available to hunt on cougar harvest-objective units. Utah’s cougar hunt starts Nov. 18.

Permits to hunt on harvest-objective units are now available.

What’s a harvest-objective unit?

Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, says there are three major differences between harvest-objective units and traditional limited-entry units.

“There is no limit on the number of permits we can sell for a harvest-objective unit. And you can buy harvest-objective permits on the Internet or over-the-counter,” Tutorow says.

“The hunt on a harvest-objective unit can close before the season ends, however, if hunters take the number of cougars biologists want taken,” she says. “For example, let’s say the harvest objective on a unit is 10 cougars. The hunt on that unit will close when 10 cougars are taken, even if the date when the season is supposed to end hasn’t arrived yet.”

The chance a unit might close early shouldn’t be a big challenge for you, though. Harvest-objective hunting is allowed on 38 units in Utah. If the unit you want to hunt closes, you can still hunt on any harvest-objective unit that’s still open to hunting.

Reminders:
Utah’s 2009–2010 cougar harvest-objective season begins Nov. 18, 2009 on some units and March 6, 2010 on others. “The dates for each unit are available on pages 24, 25 and 26 of the 2009–2010 Utah Cougar Guidebook,” Tutorow says.

The guidebook is available at wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks. You can also get a copy at hunting and fishing license agent locations and DWR offices statewide.

Tutorow reminds you that you may not buy a harvest-objective permit if you’ve already obtained a limited-entry cougar permit for the 2009–2010 season.

Before each hunting trip, you must call 1-888-668-LION (5466), or visit the DWR’s Web site, to verify that the unit you’d like to hunt the next day is still open to hunting. The phone line and the Web site are updated by noon with information for the following day.

For more information, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR’s Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

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Cougar Hunting Permits Available

Wisconsin DNR

Wisconsin - -(AmmoLand.com)- The white-tailed deer rut, or mating season, continues to be going on strong across the state with many reports of bucks being active throughout the day.

Archers are reporting seeing some very nice buck deer, and there have been several recent reports of record or near record bucks being taken. Leaf drop is now nearly complete statewide, so visibility has increased greatly.

An albino deer that escaped from a game farm in Winnebago County was recently shot with state approval, because it was an escaped captive deer. Wild albino deer are protected species in Wisconsin.

Albino deer
An albino deer that escaped from a game farm in Winnebago County was recently shot with state approval, because it was an escaped captive deer. Wild albino deer are protected species in Wisconsin.

An albino buck that escaped from a Winnebago County game farm has been shot with state approval because it had escaped from a game farm and needed to be tested for chronic wasting disease, but there are other reports of albino deer in that area and hunters are reminded that wild albino deer are protected species. Game farm deer are marked either by ear tags or bands.

Hunting has pretty much replaced fishing as the main form of outdoor recreation in the Northwoods. Inland water temperatures have been near the low 40s on northern lakes with the temperatures slowly decreasing and ponds and bays continuing their trend toward ice up; however, warmer temperatures this past week are slowing this process considerably.

Die-hard musky anglers have mostly been dragging suckers around and action has been fair. This is generally known as trophy time for musky, but there have been no recent reports of any exceptionally large fish. Walleye fishing has become very slow and most anglers have winterized their boats and just waiting for first ice to begin trying their luck again. There has been a large influx of whitefish into the Lower Menominee River at Marinette.

Fishing on Lake Winnebago has been slow, and there have been some large numbers of dead gizzard shad in the bays due to falling water temperatures. The Winnebago system is at the northern most range of their habitat, so many of the fish become stressed and die off in colder temperatures.

Lake Michigan anglers have been catching rainbow and brown trout and coho salmon on both spawn and crank baits in harbors. Fair numbers of coho, browns, and steelhead are also still being caught on the Sheboygan River and Sauk Creek. Some coho have also been caught in the Milwaukee River and steelhead have been holding in the deeper pools on the Root River.

Waterfowl reports improved this past week with greater numbers of migrating birds now in the state. This week’s warm temperatures will more than likely keep these birds here for a while.

Grouse have been receiving some attention but with the deer about in full rut right now, a lot of bow hunters have really been targeting the woods. Turkeys are not yet exhibiting winter flocking behavior and there are good numbers being observed.

There have been reports of ducks and coots dying again this year in sizable numbers along the Mississippi River. The die-offs are due to infestation by large numbers of flukes they acquired by eating exotic snails. Dogs, eagles, people and other animals are in no danger from the flukes. Tundra swan numbers have increased greatly along the Mississippi and will continue to increase until the river freezes over. Bald eagles are now also abundant along the river. Snow buntings have been reported in numerous areas across the state.

Following a fairly dry summer in the north, measurable rain over the last couple months have some northern rivers in better condition for paddling than they have been most of the summer, but paddlers should be prepared for cold water conditions if they venture out. Waterfall viewing should also continue to be great, with the rivers running high.

A three-minute audio version of this report can be heard by calling (608) 266 2277.

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Wisconsin Outdoor Report as of November 12, 2009

New Jersey Fish and Game

Trenton, NJ --(AmmoLand.com)- Special memories will be made across the state as young hunters take to fields and forests with parents and mentors on New Jersey’s youth firearm deer hunt day on November 21.

The youth firearm deer hunt is the most popular of New Jersey’s eight special youth hunt days provided each year through the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Take a Kid Hunting Program. Youth hunt days are designated for upland game, waterfowl and turkey in addition to a youth archery deer hunt day and the youth firearm deer hunt day on November 21.

Youth hunt days are meant to provide high quality hunting experiences and fond memories for both the youth hunter and the adult hunter who must accompany and supervise them. Although valid hunting licenses are required for both the youth hunter and the supervising adult, only the youth hunter is allowed to hunt on the youth hunt day. This allows adult hunters to focus solely on the safety, learning and hunting experience of their young hunting partner. Another contribution to the quality of youth deer hunts is holding the youth hunt prior to the regular firearm deer season when there are more deer for youth hunters to pursue and less hunters to compete with for prime hunting locations.

The youth firearm hunt is an extension of the Six-day Firearm Season so no special season deer permit is required. The hunter must have a valid youth hunting license and be under the direct supervision of a person who is at least 21 years old and who has a valid firearm license. Direct supervision is defined as the youth hunter and parent / guardian set up together at the same location and hunting as a unit – not hunting independently.

Youth hunters may use a shotgun or muzzleloader on this day, but if a muzzleloader is used, both the youth hunter and adult mentor must possess a valid rifle permit. The adult cannot hunt or possess a firearm, but may grunt, call or rattle for the youth hunter.

One deer of either sex may be taken by youth hunters on November 21. Antler point restrictions do not apply on this day for the youth hunter. Successful hunters must tag their deer with a homemade transportation tag or cut out the deer transportation tag provided in the August 2009 Issue of the NJ Fish and Wildlife Digest (page 33.) No supplemental tags are issued when youth hunt deer are checked.

For more information on the Take a Kid Hunting program visit http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/takekidhunting.htm .

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Youth Firearm Deer Hunt Set for Nov. 21

New Mexico Game and Fish

SANTA FE, NM --(AmmoLand.com)- Tens of thousands of hunters stormed the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Web site Tuesday, buying all 350 available late-season cow elk licenses in fewer than 10 seconds.

Hunters with quick fingers, fast Internet connections and a lot of luck bought the licenses shortly after the sale began at 10 a.m. From 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. the Web site sustained about 250,000 hits. The average is 200,000 a day. The site remained operational, although it seemed slow for some as thousands filtered through state firewalls.

In the Game Management Units or areas where State Game Commission establishes these late season elk hunting opportunities, the Department assesses population and harvest information, herd management objectives and additional harvest needs before making decisions about where and how many late-season licenses are made available. Because the assessments require information gathered during fall aerial surveys and regular fall hunts, the licenses are made available via an online, first-come, first-served Web sale. Distributing them through normal draw processes is unrealistic as it requires significantly more time than is available to ensure all successful hunters receive their licenses prior to the start of their hunt.

The next hunting license application deadline is 5 p.m. Feb. 3, 2010. Applications for 2010-2011 oryx hunts, limited-permit turkey hunts, population-reduction hunts and bear permits for some wildlife management areas are due at that time.

The State Game Commission will complete setting the 2010-2011 big game regulations at its Dec. 3 meeting in Hobbs. Hunters can expect a complete copy of the rules and information booklet to be posted on the Department Web site in mid-December.

For more information about this or any other Department related matter, please contact the Department of Game and Fish at (505) 476-8000 or visit www.wildlife.state.nm.us.

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Hunters Storm Web Site For 350 Cow Elk Licenses

Beaver Trapping Season

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA ––(AmmoLand.com)- Many of the state’s furbearer trapping and hunting seasons are underway and, based on comments from Pennsylvania Game Commission field officers, hunters and trappers should have a good year. The general trapping season – for coyotes, foxes, raccoons, opossums, skunks and weasels – opened Oct. 25 and runs through Feb. 21. The season for mink and muskrats is Nov. 21 to Jan. 10; beavers, Dec. 26 to March 31.

Raccoon hunting season began Oct. 24 and closes Feb. 20, and the season for skunks, opossums and weasels runs from July 1 to June 30, except for Sundays. Red and gray foxes hunting season opened Oct. 24 and runs through Feb. 20, including Sundays. Coyotes have a year-round season (July 1-June 30) and can be hunted on Sundays, too.

Pennsylvania also has bobcat hunting and trapping seasons in 12 Wildlife Management Units (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4D and 4E) for the 1,780 individuals who were selected in the Game Commission’s annual bobcat permit drawing. The bobcat hunting season started Oct. 24 and closes to Feb. 20, except for Sundays. The bobcat trapping season opened Oct. 25 and runs through Feb. 21.

Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe pointed out that the Keystone State is lucky to have trappers, houndsmen and predator callers, who all play an important role of the Commonwealth’s wildlife management program.

“Furbearer trappers and hunters annual efforts afield have helped to reduce Pennsylvania’s susceptibility to wildlife diseases such as rabies and mange, and its problems with crop- and property-damage caused by furbearers,” Roe said. “Many Pennsylvanians benefit directly from the services of trappers, hound-hunters and predator-callers, because these specialized sportsmen and sportswomen manage everything from weasels to coyotes. They rescue farmers and other landowners both directly and indirectly from the damage and costly repairs furbearers can daily cause to homes and businesses throughout the state.”

Variable fur prices spurred a decline in the ranks of fur-takers nationwide in the 1990s. Trappers had difficulty recovering their expenses, and inflation further compounded the problem. The result was a reduction in furbearer harvest and an increase in conflicts. To get a feel for the drop off in harvest that occurred, consider this: In 1996, more than 200,000 raccoons were taken in Pennsylvania; in 2007, the raccoon harvest totaled about 121,500.

In 2006, there was a noticeable increase in trapping pressure and furbearer harvests corresponded. License sales increased from 23,941 in 2005 to 26,589. Then, last year, license sales rose again to 28,033. But the harvest of most furbearers dropped, excepting raccoons, gray foxes, skunks and opossums.

“There seems to be a general increase in interest among people to trap or hunt furbearers; there’s a great deal of excitement associated with trapping and predator hunting,” explained Dr. Matt Lovallo, Game Commission Game Mammals section supervisor. “Both are positive signs for furbearer management in Pennsylvania, because they stimulate an increased harvest of furbearers, something our state, roadways and residents would surely benefit from.

“In 2008, trappers and furbearer hunters utilized about 350,000 surplus furbearers from the Commonwealth’s rural and suburban areas. Maintaining an annual harvest of this size would benefits thousands upon thousands of Pennsylvanians by reducing home, crop or property damages and the number of after-dark roadway obstacles motorists encounter.”

Increased furbearer harvests reduce the damages and encounters that residents – and their pets – will have with these animals.

“Right now, many trappers, and particularly those in southern tier counties, are waiting to set and run their traplines until the pelts on the furbearers they intend to trap become more prime,” explained Lovallo. “Fur primeness for raccoons, foxes and coyotes usually is about right in most areas of the state by the first week of November. It’s always better to start trapping for these furbearers no sooner than early to mid-November to improve their pelt value on the market.”

The 2008 Game-Take and Furtaker Surveys estimated that fur-takers took 142,808 raccoons (121,446 in 2007); 74,059 muskrats (72,174); 54,273 opossums (41,168); 44,745 red foxes (52,000); 23,699 coyotes (28,974); 20,845 gray foxes (18,613); 12,331 skunks (9,818); and 8,621 mink (10,004).

“Our furbearer harvests for many species have remained relatively stable over the past few years, although trapping pressure has risen over the past two years,” Lovallo said. “But given the amount of trapping territory available in the state, and the relatively limited number of Pennsylvanians pursuing furbearer hunting or trapping, there’s plenty of places for new and veteran trappers alike.”

Most furbearers – excepting muskrats – in Pennsylvania and other neighboring states remain underutilized. In fact, hunters and trappers are taking a fraction of the renewable fur resource Pennsylvania historically has provided. It’s a trend that likely will not be reversed because of the difficulties associated land access, increased equipment and transportation costs, and the free-time/commitment complexities that often dominate the lives of many Pennsylvanians.

Over the past 30 years, beavers and coyotes have been expanding their range, primarily from northern counties south. Left unchecked, beavers would cause tremendous property damage and could adversely affect the quality of drinking water for municipalities. Coyotes would cause even more problems for livestock and pets.

“Trappers play a major role in managing Pennsylvania’s beavers and coyotes,” Lovallo noted. “They are our first line of defense in attempting to keep these furbearer species in check locally and they do it for free. Anyone who has suffered from the damages these species can inflict knows what a relief it is to have a trapper remedy the situation.”

Beaver trappers are reminded that they no longer are required to have harvested beavers tagged by Game Commission personnel. There are, however, beaver bag limits for each Wildlife Management Unit.

Licensed trappers may use cable restraints for coyotes and foxes, upon completion of a four-hour certification course provided by agency-certified instructors, from Jan. 1-Feb. 22. The cost of the course is $15. Students receive various educational materials and one legal cable restraint, and a permanent certification card will be mailed following completion of the course.

Trapping is a highly regulated activity in Pennsylvania. A furtaker license – or combination license – is required to trap in the Commonwealth. All traps must have an identification tag that provides the trapper’s name and address or a number issued by the agency. Body-gripping traps must be set within a watercourse. It is unlawful to set a trap with bait visible from the air, or to disturb the traps of another. Traps cannot have a jaw-spread exceeding 6.5 inches. Traps must be visited at least once every 36 hours and each animal removed.

GAME COMMISSION OFFERS LOCAL FURBEARER INFORMATION

Each year, Pennsylvania Game Commission field officers and foresters develop game and furbearer forecasts for the areas they work to share with interested hunters and trappers. Observations on local furbearer populations are always a part of this annual offering. The Pennsylvania Game Commission’s “Field Officer Game and Furbearer Forecasts” can be found centered on the homepage of the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us). Developed to share field officer perspectives and observations on game and furbearer trends in their respective districts and to help hunters and trappers get closer to the action afield, this information helped many sportsmen and sportswomen have more enjoyable days afield last year.

“Our field officers spend a tremendous amount of time afield, often in the areas hunters and trappers are most interested in learning more about,” said Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe. “Their observations have value to hunters and trappers, so in 2006 we set up a cyber-clearinghouse where anyone who enjoys hunting and trapping in Pennsylvania – resident or nonresident – can access game and furbearer forecasts from every county of the state. It’s the detailed field reporting hunters and trappers seek out, and part of our longstanding commitment to be the first and best source of hunting and trapping information in the Commonwealth.”

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Pennsylvania Trapping And Predator Hunting Seasons Underway

Ohio Division of Wildlife

COLUMBUS, OH --(AmmoLand.com)- Ohio bow hunters killed 53,959 deer during the first six weeks of the state’s archery season. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife, this year’s early archery season harvest is 4 percent higher than last year’s kill of 51,976 deer.

Pursuing deer with a bow continues to grow in popularity among Ohio hunters. The season started September 26 and will carry on through February 7, 2010.

Counties reporting the highest numbers of deer brought to check stations were: Licking – 2,334, Holmes – 1,969, Tuscarawas – 1,770, Coshocton – 1,451, Ashtabula – 1,348, Harrison – 1,278, Trumbull – 1,251, Stark – 1,204, Knox – 1,175 and Fairfield – 1,142.

The statewide deer population was estimated to be 650,000 in early October. Approximately 345,000 bow hunters are expected to participate in the statewide deer-archery hunting season.

Bow hunters harvested a total of 85,856 deer during last year’s four-month Ohio archery season.

Hunters can share photos of their success in the field online by visiting wildohio.com and clicking on Photo Gallery. The photo submission process is easy and posted photos may be e-mailed to a friend.

A detailed listing of deer-hunting rules can be found in the 2009-2010 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest that is available wherever licenses are sold, and online at wildohio.com.

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.

NOTE: Following is a list of deer checked and tagged by hunters during the first six weeks of the current deer-archery hunting season. The number taken during the 2008 season is marked in ( ): 2009 (2008)

Adams –785 (727); Allen –463 (356); Ashland -1,139 (1,235); Ashtabula –1,348 (1,434); Athens –845 (915); Auglaize –243 (235); Belmont –619 (606); Brown –614 (668); Butler –623 (460); Carroll –570 (452); Champaign –526 (529); Clark –434 (406); Clermont –1,007 (1,019); Clinton –283 (296); Columbiana –975 (1,010); Coshocton –1,451 (1,391) ; Crawford –490 (375); Cuyahoga –362 (346); Darke –165 (148); Defiance –383 (299); Delaware –509 (586); Erie – 359 (394); Fairfield –1,142 (1,037); Fayette –90 (111); Franklin –451 (310); Fulton –208 (228); Gallia –362 (432); Geauga –767 (890); Greene –232 (210); Guernsey –1,134 (1,145); Hamilton –802 (709); Hancock –294 (205); Hardin –197 (112); Harrison –1,278 (1,286); Henry –124 (114); Highland –802 (734); Hocking –731 (795); Holmes –1,969 (1,593); Huron –598 (550); Jackson –848 (855); Jefferson –682 (808); Knox –1,175 (1,047); Lake –504 (430); Lawrence –389 (527); Licking –2,334 (2,046); Logan –552 (396); Lorain –774 (770); Lucas –412 (400); Madison –116 (80); Mahoning –601 (622); Marion –196 (170); Medina –666 (562); Meigs –585 (656); Mercer –191 (154); Miami –126 (116); Monroe –330 (487); Montgomery –354 (297); Morgan –393 (495); Morrow –554 (464); Muskingum –1,052 (847); Noble –621 (573); Ottawa-60 (47); Paulding –223 (222); Perry –584 (551); Pickaway –285 (229 ); Pike –322 (371); Portage –767 (691); Preble –258 (235); Putnam –386 (338); Richland –814 (735); Ross –857 (876); Sandusky –216 (206); Scioto –491 (587); Seneca –547 (393); Shelby –415 (355); Stark –1,204 (1,082); Summit –774 (723); Trumbull –1,251 (1,302); Tuscarawas –1,770 (1,991); Union –374 (359); Van Wert –158 (153); Vinton –449 (471); Warren –687 (637); Washington –760 (786); Wayne –410 (473); Williams –492 (476); Wood –311 (272); Wyandot –265 (265); Total –53,959 (51,976)

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Ohio’s Licking County Archers Lead in Number of Deer Killed

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

LINCOLN, Neb. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Three Merriman men have been convicted of poaching deer in Cherry County.

Nathan Chappell, 27, Kip Castellaw, 22, and Ernie Bennett, 57, have been ordered by the Cherry County Court to pay a combined $15,000 in fines and $5,000 in liquidated damages for the Sept. 19 illegal killing of five mule deer near Merriman.

The $20,145 in fines, damages and court costs are the largest penalties assessed by a Nebraska court against individual poachers in a single, noncommercial case since electronic records were first kept in 1996.

The men originally were charged with 30 counts each for game law violations, including hunting during a closed season, hunting without permission, hunting with artificial light, game harassment, criminal trespass, and wanton waste. One count of game harassment and four counts of criminal trespass were dismissed in a plea agreement. Cherry County Judge James Orr accepted guilty pleas from each of the men on the remaining 25 charges on Nov. 2 in Valentine.

Judge Orr sentenced each defendant to pay a $200 fine for each of 25 violations. He ordered the men to be responsible collectively for the $5,000 liquidated damage penalties for the five deer and to each pay $48 in court costs. All three will have their hunting and fishing privileges suspended for three years.

The case began when five mule deer were shot, with four left in a field to rot, south of Merriman early on Sept. 19. The largest of the five deer, a 5-by-5 buck, was taken into Merriman before sunrise and left hanging on display on a flatbed trailer. The buck had an inside spread of 19 ½ inches. If the buck had measured 24 inches on the inside of the main beams, a mandatory $5,000 fine would have been assessed for trophy penalty status.

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Conservation Officer Heath Packett of Gordon investigated the case, with assistance from Conservation Officer Dan Kling of Sioux County.

“The Law Enforcement Division of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission would like to commend the private landowner where the illegal killings occurred, as well as Cherry County Attorney Eric Scott and Cherry County Judge James Orr for their work on this case,” Packett said. “It is extremely gratifying when landowners, prosecutors and judges work together with law enforcement to bring poachers to justice.”

Anyone observing a game law violation is encouraged to call Nebraska Wildlife Crimestoppers toll free at (800) 742-7627.

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Three Nebraska Men Convicted of Poaching Deer

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

Ohio Department Natural Resources

COLUMBUS, OH – -(AmmoLand.com)-Individuals seeking information about the upcoming youth gun and white-tailed deer hunting seasons, or to report violations of state wildlife laws, can take advantage of extended call center hours from November 21 to December 6, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

The 1-800-WILDLIFE (945-3543) general hunting information hotline will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22, for the seventh annual youth deer-gun season.

Staff will also be available to answer calls prior to and during the regular deer-gun season, which begins Monday, November 30, and ends Sunday, December 6. Special call center hours prior to and during the state’s popular deer-gun season are as follows:

• 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, November 27
• 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, November 28-29
• 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, November 30-December 4
• 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, December 5-6
• The hotline will be closed on Thanksgiving Day

“Deer gun season is the most popular period for Ohio’s hunters and the Division of Wildlife will be ready and available to assist them,” said David M. Graham, chief of the ODNR Division of Wildlife. “We encourage hunters to contact us with any question that may arise.”

Ohioans also are encouraged to help enforce state wildlife laws by reporting violations to the division’s Turn-in-a-Poacher (TIP) hotline at 1-800-POACHER (762-2437). The TIP hotline will also be open extended hours during the upcoming hunting seasons. Established in 1982, the TIP program allows individuals to anonymously call toll free from anywhere in the state to report wildlife violations. The 1-800-POACHER hotline will be open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. the week of deer-gun season.

Tipsters may be eligible to receive a cash award and are urged to leave a message during closed hours with as much information about the suspected violation as can be provided. Tips can also be submitted online at wildohio.com.

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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Wildlife Division Extends Hotline Hours During Deer-Gun Hunting Season

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

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

LINCOLN, Neb. – -(AmmoLand.com)- Many opportunities await Nebraska hunters as the opening of the November firearm deer season nears, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Large numbers of deer are in the field and plenty of permits remain available for this season. A new access program is available, opening thousands of acres to walk-in hunting. A popular program that allows deer meat to be distributed to those who want it is in its second year.

The upcoming firearm season runs Nov. 14-22. One major change affects deer hunters; a new regulation this year allows turkey hunting during that season. Like the deer hunters, those turkey hunters must wear hunter orange.

The following are key reminders concerning the season:

• Checking – Deer must be checked at manual check stations. Electronic checking is not available for the firearm season.
• Deer Exchange – Hunters may take advantage of this program and provide deer meat to anyone willing to accept it. Donors and recipients of meat may register for free at ngpc.state.ne.us/hunting/programs/deerexchange/. They search a database for participants in their area, and then make contact by telephone to set up the transfer of meat.
• Open Fields and Waters Program – More than 36,000 acres of private land in the first year of this pilot program are available for public walk-in hunting access. Check the 2009 Public Access Atlas for tracts in each county.
• Remaining Permits – As of Nov. 4, the remaining firearm deer permits, by unit and quantity, are: Buffalo Whitetail, 511; Calamus East, 590; Calamus West, 899; Frenchman Whitetail, 806; Keya Paha, 1,331; Loup West, 576; Pine Ridge, 1,303; Plains, 731; Platte, 100; Platte Whitetail, 1,090; Sandhills, 1,092; and Upper Platte, 651.
• The list of remaining permits may be found at OutdoorNebraska.org. Click on Licenses and Fees, then Purchase a Permit, then Remaining Permits.
• Purchasing Permits – They may be purchased at Commission permitting offices and at OutdoorNebraska.org. A habitat stamp is required of all deer hunters, except residents age 15 or younger.

Game Law Violations – Call Nebraska Wildlife Crimestoppers toll-free at (800) 742-7627 to report game violations.

More Information – Visit OutdoorNebraska.org or read the 2009 Nebraska Big Game Guide.

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Firearm Deer Hunting Season Opens Nov. 14

New Mexico Game and Fish

SANTA FE, NM –-(AmmoLand.com)- A total of 350 cow elk licenses will be available online at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, to hunters who did not already hold an elk license this season.

Licenses will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, only on the Department of Game and Fish Web site, www.wildlife.state.nm.us .

Hunters are encouraged to visit the Web site before the sale date to review hunts available and to create or verify an online account, user name and password.

Every second counts once the licenses appear on the Web site, as the licenses usually sell out in minutes.

The licenses are for antlerless elk in five game management units. All hunts are for any legal sporting arm. Three hunts are limited to portions of units. Maps for those hunts will be available Nov. 4 on the Department Web site.

The special late-season cow elk hunts are designed to achieve harvest goals and provide additional elk hunting opportunities. License fees are $62 for residents, $337 for nonresidents. License fees will be charged at the time of successful online application.

Only hunters who did not hold elk licenses for hunts this season are eligible for the late-season hunts. It is illegal for any hunter to hold more than one elk license in the same license year.

To be eligible for the late-season hunts, applicants who held 2008-09 deer or elk hunting licenses must have submitted mandatory harvest reports. Those who did not submit harvest reports still may do so for an $8 late fee. Late reports may be filed at Department offices in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Raton, Roswell or Las Cruces, or by calling (505) 476-8038.

Licenses will be mailed to successful applicants as soon as possible after Nov. 10.

Licenses available (online only, www.wildlife.state.nm.us):

Any legal sporting arm:

• Unit 9 — Dec. 12-16, 100 licenses.
• Unit 34 — (portions of unit open), Jan. 1-31, 100 licenses.
• Unit 51 — (portions of unit open), Jan. 2-10, 50 licenses.
• Unit 52 — Dec. 5-9, 50 licenses.
• Unit 53 — Dec. 5-9, 50 licenses.

For more information about the late-season cow elk hunts, please call (505) 476-8000.

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Late-Season Cow Elk Licenses Available Online Nov. 10

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ —-(AmmoLand.com)- The Arizona Game and Fish Department wants to continue to improve and expand public shooting ranges across the state by providing grant funding to qualified applicants involved in the development, improvement or maintenance of public shooting and archery ranges.

The department is accepting grant applications now through Jan. 15 by 5 p.m. (MST). Shooting clubs, sportsmen’s groups and government agencies operating public shooting ranges are encouraged to apply. Privately owned for-profit ranges are not eligible for this program.

“This program has been instrumental in the vitality of shooting ranges across the state,” said Game and Fish Shooting Ranges Administrator, Anthony Chavez. “It has afforded ranges the opportunity to expand safety barriers; add capabilities to include clay target shooting and archery shooting; improve ADA accessibility; as well as update and modernize these facilities.”

Examples of projects that could be eligible for funds include shooting range development and redevelopment, construction of noise abatement structures and safety berms, installation of shooting pads and stations, and construction or improvement of access roads and parking lots.

Grants are available through a competitive application process each year. The Arizona Game and Fish Commission determines how much money is available, but generally the total is about $100,000. The maximum grant award is $50,000 per project.

Application packets are available online at www.azgfd.gov/shootingsports (select “range development grants” link on the left side of the page), or contact Anthony Chavez, statewide shooting ranges administrator, at (623) 236-7395 or aechavez@azgfd.gov.

Chavez added, “Public shooting ranges are critical in the preservation of recreational and competitive shooting, they support hunter education and youth programs, and facilitate law enforcement training.”

The Arizona Game and Fish Department does not receive general funds from the State of Arizona. Most department funding results from user-pays user-benefits sources of funding including sales of hunting and fishing licenses, stamps and tags. The benefit for allocating revenue for this grant is it supports the department’s hunter education, hunter recruitment and shooting sports programs, and it promotes and provides Arizona residents with safe shooting areas – all important elements of the department’s mission.

Note: Shooting sports and hunting are rated among the safest forms of recreation. Some 40 million people of all ages safely participate in these activities. However, research shows there are nearly 48 million men and women who are interested in shooting sports and are simply waiting for an invitation. Grants of this kind will assist the department’s already successful shooting and hunter education programs.

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 Deputy Director, 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 Deputy Director as listed above.

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Grants Available For Public Shooting Ranges In Arizona

Ohio Division of Wildlife

COLUMBUS, OH --(AmmoLand.com)- Ohio’s youth deer-gun hunting season will be held Saturday and Sunday, November 21-22, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

“The youth deer-gun hunting season provides young hunters the chance to experience the challenge of hunting and enjoy the outdoors with their families,” said David M. Graham, chief of the division.

Young hunters killed 9,852 deer during last year’s two-day season. The Division of Wildlife anticipates more than 40,000 young hunters will participate in the upcoming hunt.

Hunters can share photos of their success in the field online by visiting wildohio.com and clicking on Photo Gallery. The photo submission process is easy and posted photos may be e-mailed to a friend.

The youth deer-gun season is open statewide to hunters 17 years old and younger. Hunters may take one deer of either sex during this season, in accordance with existing bag and deer-zone limits. Plugged shotguns, muzzleloaders, handguns and bows are legal. All participants must wear hunter orange, possess a valid Ohio hunting license and a $12 youth-deer permit, and must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult in the field.

All other regularly scheduled hunting seasons will continue during the two-day youth season. However, other hunters, including deer-archery hunters, are required to wear hunter orange during this period.

This year, Ohio’s deer-gun season runs November 30 through December 6, and the weekend of December 19-20. Details regarding Ohio’s various hunting seasons, including those exclusively for young hunters, can be found in the 2009-10 Ohio Hunting Regulations or by visiting wildohio.com.

Youth hunters that want to donate venison to the needy can do so at no cost. The Division of Wildlife is collaborating with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) to help pay for the processing of donated venison. All hunters who donate their deer to a food bank are not required to pay the processing cost as long as funding for the effort lasts. More information about this program can be found online at www.fhfh.org

The 2009-2010 licenses will not be printed on weatherproof paper. Sportsmen and women should protect their licenses and permits from the elements by carrying them in a protective pouch or wallet.

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’s Youth Deer-Gun Hunting Season Set For November 21-22

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA –-(AmmoLand.com)- Interested in learning more about what’s going on with black bears in your county? Please consider visiting the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s “Field Officer Game Forecasts” found on the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us).

Developed to share field officer perspectives and observations on game and furbearer trends in their respective districts and to help hunters and trappers get closer to the action afield, the field reports have been warmly received by many hunters and trappers since they were added to the website.

“Our field officers spend a tremendous amount of time afield, often in areas hunters and trappers are eager to learn more about,” said Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe. “Their observations have value to hunters and trappers so we decided to make them accessible to anyone who enjoys hunting and trapping in Pennsylvania – resident or nonresident.”

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Local Black Bear Information Available On-Line

Pennsylvania Black Bears

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA –-(AmmoLand.com)- Last year’s black bear harvest was the second highest on record, and weather permitting, the Pennsylvania Game Commission expects hunters to have similar opportunities afield in the upcoming bear seasons.

“Pennsylvania’s black bear population has numbered near 15,000 for almost a decade,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. “Because our bear population now covers more than three-quarters of the state – and includes a number of world-class trophy bears – Pennsylvania is recognized as one of the top states for bear hunters. Every year, we have a number of bears exceeding 500 pounds included in the harvest.”

The 2008 bear harvest of 3,458 is second only to the 2005 bear harvest, in which hunters took a record 4,164 bears. Other recent harvests were: 3,075 in 2000; 3,063 in 2001; 2,686 in 2002; 3,000 in 2003; 2,972 in 2004; 3,122 in 2006; and 2,360 in 2007. Over the past nine years, hunters have taken more black bears than in any other decade since the Game Commission began keeping bear harvest records in 1915.

“Our black bear population is a remarkable resource,” said Mark Ternent, Game Commission black bear biologist. “Every year since 2000, more than 100,000 hunters have headed afield in pursuit of bears, with harvests exceeding 3,000 bears most years, yet many local bear populations across the state have remained stable or increased. It’s a good time to be a bear hunter.”

Pennsylvania’s primary bear season is three days, statewide, just prior to Thanksgiving, Nov. 23-25. There also is a two-day archery bear season – Nov. 18 and 19 – in Wildlife Management Units 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 4A, 4B and 4D. Additionally, concurrent with the first week of the firearms deer season, there is an extended season that is open Nov. 30-Dec. 5, in portions of WMUs 3B, 2G and 4E; and Dec. 2-5, in all of WMUs 4C, 4D, 4E, 5B and 5C. (For details, please see pages 34-36 of the 2009-10 Digest.)

“We expect bear population levels to be comparable to last year or possibly higher in areas where the harvest was down last year,” Ternent said. “The exception may be in parts of the state’s northeast, where we have been trying to reduce local bear populations through the use of an extended season. Hunters should take around 3,500 bears if good weather prevails, maybe more if there is snow-cover in the upcoming bear seasons.”

Since 1992, six bears with an estimated live weight of 800 pounds or more have been taken in Pennsylvania. The possibility of another 800-pounder being taken by a hunter is always in play when Pennsylvania’s bear season opens.

The heaviest bears taken in Pennsylvania typically come from the state’s Northeast Region. And, in 2008, the largest bear taken was a 716-pound (estimated live weight) male taken in Tobyhanna Township, Monroe County, by Morgan C. Neipert, of Tobyhanna, on Nov. 25. In all, 12 bears were taken in 2008 by hunters weighed 600 pounds or more, continuing to reinforce Pennsylvania’s status as a major bear hunting destination.

“License sales indicate that the number of bear hunters may be up this year,” Ternent said. “Couple that with what appears to be at least a stable, and possibly larger, bear population and it could translate into good bear hunting.”

Ternent noted that the two most important factors for big game hunting, such as bear, are weather and the availability of fall foods.

“While weather predictions are too difficult at this time, our fall food survey suggests that almost all hard and soft mast species produced well,” Ternent said. “The lack of gypsy moth defoliation this past spring has improved acorn production this fall, which should wildlife to be more widespread in forested areas. Pre-season scouting will be important.”

Last year, bears were taken in 54 of the state’s 67 counties. The state’s top three counties were: Potter, 294; Lycoming, 252; and Tioga, 236. A majority of the bears – 2,951 – were taken in the three-day firearms season before Thanksgiving. In addition, 69 bears were taken in the archery season, and 438 were taken in the extended seasons.

The bear harvest by WMU for all three seasons combined (archery, 3-day, and extended), including 2007’s harvest results in parentheses, were: WMU 1A, 21 (7); WMU 1B, 67 (29); WMU 2A, 1, (1), WMU 2C, 227 (238); WMU 2D, 166 (94); WMU 2E, 117 (50); WMU 2F, 246 (224); WMU 2G, 729 (545); WMU 3A, 313 (186); WMU 3B, 392 (214); WMU 3C, 177 (145); WMU 3D, 199 (193); WMU 4A, 145 (100); WMU 4B, 43 (42); WMU 4C, 105 (54); WMU 4D, 456 (184); WMU 4E, 53 (54); and WMU 5C, 1 (0).

Bear licenses must be purchased prior to Nov. 30. Licenses must be displayed while hunting.

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A Season Of Promise For Pennsylvania Black Bear Hunters

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

Delaware --(AmmoLand.com)-The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife wants to remind hunters that lottery applications for six-day turkey hunts on state wildlife areas next spring must be received in the Division’s Dover office no later than Friday, Dec. 18. Applications will be drawn at random to allow hunters to participate in one of three six-day hunts on state lands during turkey season in April 2010.

For the first time, a limited number of permits will be available for the C&D Canal Wildlife Area, bringing the total number of wildlife areas open during Delaware’s spring gobbler hunt to 20. To be considered for the lottery, hunters must have completed the Delaware Turkey Hunter Education Class and must hold a valid Delaware hunting license unless exempt from state licensing requirements.

“We have been offering this spring hunting opportunity for several years, and it has been very successful,” said Ken Reynolds, a Wildlife program manager with the Division. “Last year, 31 birds were harvested on public land – a new record that also accounted for 10 percent of the state’s total turkey harvest.”

An application form for the hunts can be found on page 46 of the 2009 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide, or hunters can print the form online at www.fw.delaware.gov/Hunting/Pages/Wildlife.aspx. Applications should be mailed in time for the Dec. 18 deadline to Wildlife Section, Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901.

For more information about Delaware’s spring gobbler hunt or the lottery, please call the Wildlife Section at 302-739-9912.

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Delaware Opens Lottery Applications For Six-Day Turkey Hunts

Boone and Crockett Club

MISSOULA, Mont.—-(AmmoLand.com)- Courts in a growing number of states are using the Boone and Crockett scoring system to slap poachers with more felony charges, stiffer fines and longer revocations of hunting privileges.

Game animals with large antlers and horns aren’t just trophies, but valuable conservation resources that warrant harsher penalties for abuse, say Boone and Crockett Club officials.

“I can’t think of a better use for Boone and Crockett’s scoring system than assessing trophy-class fines for poaching trophy-class animals. All wildlife violations are setbacks for conservation, of course, but we’re especially pleased to see stiffer penalties for illegally taking an animal that is larger, has lived longer, is worth more as a benchmark of good management—and would have been a rare and cherished prize for a legal, ethical, license-buying hunter,” said Lowell E. Baier, president of the Club.

Idaho, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and other states now use all or parts of the Boone and Crockett scoring system for wildlife law enforcement.

Ohio, for example, is in the second year of a new penalty structure that is “based on the Boone and Crockett Club scoring system to calculate restitution values of illegally taken or possessed deer,” said Ken Fitz, law enforcement program administrator for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

The penalty structure includes a formula that is somewhat complex, but for illegally killed deer with a Boone and Crockett gross score of 125 or greater (without drying time), the result is an exponential increase in restitution charges. In fact, the new regulation increased Ohio’s penalty for poaching a 200-class whitetail buck from $400 to $17,000!

“Last year we had two deer with restitution values ordered in the area of $13,000,” said Fitz. “From a deterrent point of view, the law is still too new to evaluate, but I believe it’s having an effect. Under the old law, some people thought $400 in restitution was a gamble worth taking for a trophy buck. Under the new law, the stakes are much higher and not worth it for most folks.”

He added that the new law seems very popular with both the hunting and non-hunting public in Ohio.

In Idaho, the Boone and Crockett scoring system helped up the ante after Idaho poacher Frederick R. Schoenick of St. Maries killed a trophy mule deer prior to the season opener. Schoenick took only the head and cape, leaving the meat to waste. A game warden collected a DNA sample from the headless carcass. Later, when Schoenick entered the antlers into a local big buck contest, wardens used DNA to positively match the antlers to the carcass.

Because Schoenick’s illegal buck scored over 150 Boone and Crockett points (actual score was 214-3/8), it was considered a trophy animal by Idaho statute and therefore subject to a more severe civil penalty—a $2,000 fine instead of the normal $400.

Jon Heggen, enforcement bureau chief with the Idaho Fish and Game Department, explained, “In 1998, a group of concerned sportsmen believed that stiffer penalties would create a bigger deterrent to poaching. Their work transformed into Senate Bill 1499 which passed into law that same year. One aspect of this new legislation was increasing civil penalties on trophy big game animals.”

Idaho law actually cites Boone and Crockett standards as the official definition of “trophy” for several species, and states that the highest of the typical or non-typical scores shall be used to assess penalties.

“The 1998 law also established a felony violation when accumulated civil penalties surpass $1,000 within a 12-month period, so trophy status soon became a mechanism that helped elevate certain fish and game violations from misdemeanors to felonies,” said Heggen.

This felony clause, in turn, increased the ability of Idaho courts to revoke a poacher’s hunting privileges for more than three years and up to a lifetime.

Schoenick pleaded guilty to taking a trophy mule deer during closed season as well as wasteful destruction. He received a $3,158 fine, 5 days in jail or 120 hours of community service, 2-year probation and 2-year loss of hunting privileges.

The Boone and Crockett scoring system originated early in the 20th Century as a means of recording details on big game species that were thought to be disappearing. Conservation efforts led and funded by hunters took those species from vanishing to flourishing. Today the Club’s records book remains a valuable tool for measuring the success of ongoing management programs.

Baier said, “Healthy fish and wildlife represents an investment by state conservation agencies on behalf of all citizens. The Boone and Crockett Club has always stood behind law enforcement professionals and programs, and today we’re especially proud that our trophy concept is adding more teeth to the laws that help protect public fish and wildlife.”

About the Boone and Crockett Club
Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair-chase sportsmanship and habitat stewardship. Member accomplishments include protecting Yellowstone and establishing Glacier and Denali national parks, founding the National Forest Service, National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System, fostering the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the cornerstones of modern game laws. The Boone and Crockett Club is headquartered in Missoula, Mont. For details, visit www.booneandcrockettclub.com.

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Poachers Feel Sting from Boone and Crockett Scoring

Ohio Division of Wildlife

COLUMBUS OH --(AmmoLand.com)- Ohio hunters and trappers preparing to pursue furbearers will find good populations of these animals during the 2009-2010 season, which begins November 10.

“Food sources and habitat conditions for furbearers have been good this year across Ohio,” said Suzie Prange, wildlife biologist with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. “Fur takers can expect a good season.”

For the fifth year, 43 counties will be open for river otter trapping from December 26 to February 28. River otters were reintroduced into four Ohio watersheds between 1986 and 1993 and have increased their range in the state. They were removed from the state endangered species list in 2002. Full details of open counties, checking and permit requirements can be found in the Ohio River Otter Trapping Regulations.

In most regions of Ohio, hunting and trapping seasons for fox, raccoon, opossum, skunk and weasel open November 10 and close January 31, 2010. The trapping season for mink and muskrat is open November 10 through February 28, 2010.

Exceptions are Erie, Ottawa and Sandusky counties, and in Lucas County east of the Maumee River where raccoon, opossum, skunk, weasel, mink and muskrat trapping seasons will remain open through March 15, 2010.

Ohio’s beaver-trapping season runs December 26 to February 28, 2010, statewide.

There are no daily bag limits or restrictions on hours when furbearers may be hunted or trapped, with the exception of river otters where bag limits are dependent on the county where the trapping occurs. Special hunting regulations for coyotes apply during the one-week statewide deer-gun season November 30-December 6, and the deer-gun weekend of December 19-20.

A fur-taker permit is required in addition to a valid Ohio hunting license to hunt or trap fur-bearing animals, except for coyotes, which may be hunted or trapped year round without a fur-taker permit. A special ODNR Division of Wildlife permit is required to trap beaver and otters on state public hunting areas.

Otters that are accidentally captured, either in excess of bag limits or in closed counties, must be released unharmed. Otters that cannot be released must be turned over to the Division of Wildlife.

Beaver trappers in particular, are advised to watch for otter sign and modify set placements where necessary. The Ohio State Trappers Association and the Division of Wildlife have published a guide on how to recognize otter sign and use various otter avoidance techniques while trapping for beaver in areas closed to otter trapping. A copy of the publication and reports about observing otters in Ohio can be ordered by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.

Ohio is among the nation’s leading producers of raw furs. Currently, there are 52 licensed fur dealers and over 17,000 licensed fur takers in the state.

The 2009-2010 licenses will not be printed on waterproof paper. Sportsmen and women should protect their licenses and permits from the elements by carrying them in a protective pouch or wallet.

Additional hunting information is contained in the 2009-2010 Ohio Hunting Regulations brochure, available where Ohio hunting licenses are sold, on the Internet at wildohio.com calling toll-free 1-800-WILDLIFE.

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 Hunting & Trapping Seasons for Furbearers Opens

Maryland Black Bears

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

OAKLAND, MD —-(AmmoLand.com)- The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the conclusion of the 2009 black bear hunting season.

The season opened Monday, October 26 in Garrett and Allegany counties. The hunt was officially closed Thursday, October 29, at 9:00 p.m. with 68 bears reported to mandatory check stations in Western Maryland.

Harry Spiker, Game Mammal Section Leader for DNR’s Wildlife & Heritage Service, said “The 2009 bear hunt was an unqualified success. Despite marginal weather conditions most of the week, our harvest range of 60-85 bears was met in four days. The hunt remains a safe, effective, well-regulated and scientifically sound tool for sustainably managing our bear population.”

Spiker added, “The new permit application preference point system proved effective this year. More than 3,600 hunters applied for one of the 240 available bear hunting permits and 81% of the permits were awarded to applicants with one or more preference points”.

The average estimated live weight of the bears taken this year was 140 lbs. The largest bear of the season was a 409 lb. male taken by Wayne Chenoweth of Westminster, MD.

The hunt by the numbers:

• Harvest goal: 60-85 bears
• 68 bears taken
• 60 from Garrett County, 8 from Allegany County
• 140 lbs. average weight
• 74% of the bears were taken on private land
• 4 bears were previously tagged and treated as nuisance bears
• 552 hunters participated in the hunt and 3,608 hunters applied for a permit

For more information about Maryland’s black bears visit www.DNR.MD.gov/Wildlife.

About:
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 461,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland’s forests, fisheries, and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic, and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland’s effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state’s number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov.

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Maryland Black Bear Hunt Closed

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

LINCOLN, Neb. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Hunters harvested a record 66 bull elk this fall, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. That compares with 57 taken in 2008.

Elk populations continue to expand in the state, and so do the number of permit applicants and permits sold.

The success rate of the 82 bull elk permit holders was 80 percent.

The Hat Creek Unit had the highest success rate at 100 percent, followed by Niobrara River, 84; Bordeaux, 81; Ash Creek, 78; North Platte River, 68; Box Elder, 67; and Boyd, 0. The auction permit holder also was successful.

The bull elk season closed Oct. 25.

Forty cows were taken during the first half of the antlerless elk season, which also closed Oct 25. The second half continues Dec. 1 – 21. A record 123 cow permits have been issued, with 24 still unsold.

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Record 66 Bull Elk Harvested in 2009