No Prairie Dogs

South Dakota Fish, Game & Parks

PIERRE, S.D. --(Ammoland.com)- The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) and Department of Agriculture (SDDA) remind farmers and ranchers with unwanted prairie dogs to ask for assistance.

The state’s prairie dog control program is cooperatively funded by GFP and SDDA; GFP manages encroachment issues stemming from adjacent public lands, and SDDA manages complaints between private landowners.

“GFP will control prairie dogs that have spread onto private land from adjacent public land,” said GFP Wildlife Damage Program Administrator Keith Fisk.

“Landowners with encroachment problems from nearby public land must be within one mile of that public land and have at least 20 acres of actual prairie dog colonies to be eligible for assistance.”

“Landowners must call in before Aug. 15, 2011, and inform GFP that they have unwanted prairie dogs,” Fisk added. “GFP provides assistance to many landowners scattered across western South Dakota, and the deadline allows gives us sufficient time to coordinate the logistics of our control program.”

If a landowner has a complaint about prairie dog encroachment from nearby public land, GFP must be contacted at (605)773-5913 to request control. Once eligibility has been verified, GFP field staff or a department representative will control the invading colony on the private land later this fall. All complaints must be received by the Aug. 15th deadline.

Landowners experiencing encroachment from adjacent private land should contact SDDA or local weed and pest supervisors. If a prairie dog colony is encroaching from private land, a signed written complaint must be made.

“Prairie dog control in encroachment situations will remain a priority to address producers’ needs,” stressed Walt Bones, Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Agriculture.

Landowners that are experiencing encroachment from adjoining private land need to contact SDDA or their local weed and pest supervisor. If the colony is encroaching from private land, a signed written complaint must be made. There are two methods to file a complaint, the first option is for the affected landowner to sign a letter of complaint and mail it to the local county Weed and Pest Board. The second method requires filing a formal complaint with SDDA. The complaint process can be started by calling 800-228-5254 or visiting http://sdda.sd.gov/Ag_Services/Plant-Protection/Weed%20and%20Pest. A copy of the complaint will be sent to the landowner with the invading colony. Encroachment complaints may be sent in throughout the year.

The South Dakota Prairie Dog Management Plan may be seen by visiting http://gfp.sd.gov/wildlife/docs/prairiedog-management-plan.pdf or by calling GFP at 605-773-3387.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Senate Bill 4213, sponsored by Sen. Mark J. Grisanti (R- North Buffalo), would permit the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to allow live cable restraints, commonly called snares, to be used by trappers. Currently, New York prohibits the use of all snares.

This bill has been approved by the Senate Committee on Environmental Conservation and is now pending on the floor of the Senate. Identical legislation, AB 6203 sponsored by Assemblyman Dennis H. Gabryszak (D- Cheektowaga), is currently pending in the Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation.

“If passed, these bills will give the DEC and New York trappers an additional method to manage wildlife,” said Evan Heusinkveld, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance director of state services. “Cable snares are used across the country and are a proven and effective way for trappers to harvest wildlife.”

Biologists from coast to coast rely on trapping as an essential aspect of wildlife management. It is particularly important for predator control and to minimize diseases such as rabies.

“Cable restraints are a vital tool needed for New York trappers to help control coyote and beaver populations,” said Dave Miller, Executive Director of the New York State Trappers Association. “These traps are very effective, especially in the late winter months when foothold traps may start to freeze.”

Take Action! Sportsmen should contact their state senators and assemblymen and urge them to support Senate Bill 4213 and Assembly Bill 6203. Inform them there is no reason for a ban on live cable restraints.

To find your state legislators’ phone number and other contact information, use the USSA Legislative Action Center at www.ussportsmen.org/lac.

About:
The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organizations that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

New Mexico Game and Fish

CEDAR CREST, NM --(Ammoland.com)-One person killed a black bear when it approached aggressively Wednesday night, and another person killed one that was attacking a llama near Placitas, the Department of Game and Fish announced Thursday.

State law allows individuals to kill wildlife when it is a threat to human safety, or is destroying crops or other property. As of early this week, the Department has handled 151 bear complaints since April 1, with more coming in each day.

More than 30 bears have been killed statewide since April 1, mostly males that were observed breaking into houses, attacking livestock, or involved in bear attacks on humans.

The bear killed in Cedar Crest by a citizen who felt threatened was a male roughly 200 pounds or more, shot once at about 15 feet. The llama attack was the work of an older male bear with worn teeth and about 175 pounds. The llama survived.

Game and Fish Conservation Officer John Martsh also caught a large male bear in a trap Wednesday night, and then had to respond to two additional bear calls.

“The bear activity is not slowing down,” Martsh said.

Thursday’s trapped bear was approximately 300 pounds and is the second one to be caught this year at the same residence on Juniper Hill Loop in Cedar Crest.

Although food shortages typically create bear problems each spring and summer, the aggressive nature of bears this year also may be a sign of an expanding bear population in some areas of the state, Department officials said.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

MALTA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- Hunters interested in taking part in any game-damage hunting opportunities on private land this year must register between June 15 and July 15 with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP).

Game damage occurs when animals such as elk, deer or antelope concentrate on private farms and ranches and damage crops and property. FWP’s game damage hunt rules are designed to respond to the needs of landowners who provide public hunting during the general hunting season, yet who could nevertheless suffer losses due to wildlife damage without this additional management tool.

In addition to game damage hunts, those who register will also be eligible for special management season hunts. Special management seasons are called for in response to concentrations of big game due to seasonal migrations, extreme weather conditions, restrictive public hunting on adjacent or nearby properties, and other factors.

The 30-day roster sign-up for such hunts will run from June 15- July 15. A final hunt roster, randomly generated from all the online registrations, will be posted by Aug. 1.

Hunts could take place anytime from Aug. 15 through Feb. 15, 2011. Officials stress however, that game-damage hunts and management seasons are only offered when needed and the need for such hunts may or may not develop. FWP will contact hunters on the game damage rosters if hunting opportunities arise.

Prospective hunters must register for the hunt rosters online at fwp.mt.gov . On the Hunting page, click Seasons for the Game Damage And Management Hunt page. The Internet-based registration can be completed on personal computers, at most public libraries, and at any FWP office.

To register, hunters will need their ALS number. They will be prompted to enter a preferred hunting district for potential deer, elk, and antelope game damage hunts. Prospective hunters may choose to participate in all three species lists. Hunters are urged to print the confirmation page after completing the registration process.

The effort to create hunter rosters is specifically intended to decrease game damage response time and to streamline the game damage process.

New Jersey Outdoor Alliance

TRENTON, NJ --(Ammoland.com)- As many of you know, the 150′ Bow Perimeter bill will be heard in the senate committee on Thursday.

This bill is good public policy and sound ecosystem management in that it helps to cull habituated deer. Better access to deer will not only provide food for families but will also help reduce car/deer accidents and improve the health of our forests and landscapes.

NJOA will have two representatives testifying on behalf of the bill. There will be other conservation organizations that will testify for the bill. Currently, there are more animal extremists (antis) than conservationists contacting committee members in an attempt to defeat the bill.

We are not asking that anyone take off from work to attend the committee hearing, we simply ask that you make a phone call to each committee member. Here’s what NJOA Legislative Liaison, Tom Connors, recommends:

A phone call is superior to an email. Five phone calls should take about three minutes. Here’s your script:

Good day. I’d like to leave a message for Senator XYZ. I’d like him/her to support Senate bill S1181, the bow perimeter bill, when it comes up for a committee vote on June 3rd.

You may possibly be asked for your name and phone number.

NOTE: You can decline to give them either and it will not affect the validity of your support of the legislation.

Say Thank You and move onto the next call.

• Senator Bob Smith (732) 752-0770
• Senator Robert Gordon (201) 703-9779
• Senator Jennifer Beck (732) 933-1591
• Senator Jim Beach (856) 429-1572
• Senator Chris Bateman (908) 526-3600

Thanks to all of you for your support. A united group of +800,000 anglers, hunters and conservationists have proven they can make a difference!

JOIN NJOA: http://www.njoutdooralliance.org/support/njoa.html

About:
NJOA – The mission of New Jersey Outdoor Alliance is to serve as a grassroots coalition of outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen dedicated to environmental stewardship. We will champion the intrinsic value of natural resource conservation – including fishing, hunting and trapping, among opinion leaders and policy makers. We will support legislation, and those sponsoring legislation, that provides lasting ecological and social enrichment through sustainable use of the earth’s resources. Visit: www.njoutdooralliance.org

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)-  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced $1 million in grants that will be distributed to 10 states under a new demonstration program designed to help livestock producers undertake proactive, non-lethal activities to reduce the risk of livestock loss from predation by wolves, or to compensate livestock producers for livestock losses caused by wolves.

These grants will be provided to Arizona, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, and will support the states’ highest priority needs in assisting livestock producers.

“Wolf populations are expanding in several parts of the nation, and this grant program gives us another tool to help states minimize conflict where wolves and human activities overlap,” said Rowan Gould, acting Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “The true value of the program lies in its ability to both provide compensation to producers and support non-lethal activities to minimize their livestock-losses from wolves.”

The Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-11) authorized the Wolf Livestock Demonstration Project, and Congress appropriated $1 million to support this project as part of the FY 2010 Interior and Related Agencies appropriation.

The Wolf Compensation and Prevention Program, as described in P.L. 111-11, provides funding to states and tribes, with federal cost-share not to exceed 50 percent. Funds will be expended between proactive and compensatory activities. States and tribes will be able to use the funds to support qualifying non-lethal projects that reduce the risk of livestock loss from predation by wolves, or to compensate livestock producers for livestock losses caused by wolves. Tribal funding for the program will be announced at a later date.

The funding allocation was determined by considering depredation of livestock by wolves, the number of wolves in each state, and need in each state. The FY 2010 allocation is shown below. For additional information, interested parties should contact the state agency responsible for this program.

State Proposed Allocation MN $100,000 MI $90,000 WI $140,000 ID $140,000 MT $140,000 WY $140,000 AZ $60,000 NM $60,000 OR $15,000 WA $15,000

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

South Dakota Fish, Game & Parks

PIERRE, S.D. --(AmmoLand.com)- After receiving several complaints last year, the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department anticipates more complaints this spring about muskrat damage to township roads in the northeastern part of the state.

To better handle the problem, the department is streamlining the process local government authorities can use to deal with troublesome muskrats.

A large population of muskrats and high water levels are at the root of the problem. Muskrats seeking high ground near roadways will dig and tunnel with destructive results.

This year, GFP will again allow township, county and municipal authorities to remove muskrats in specific areas where roads and other infrastructure are being damaged. However, instead of requesting approval from GFP headquarters in Pierre, local government officials are asked to contact area conservation officers, wildlife damage specialists or the nearest GFP Regional Office for instructions and authorization.

Working through local GFP field staff or regional offices will shorten the process and allow local authorities to more quickly address muskrat problems.

Phone numbers for conservation officers and area Wildlife Division offices can be found in the most recent edition of the Hunting and Trapping or Fishing Handbooks. Otherwise, calls about muskrat problems in northeast South Dakota should be directed to the Watertown GFP office at 605-882-5200. In the southeastern part of the state, calls may be directed to the Sioux Falls GFP office at 605-362-2700.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

OLYMPIA, Wa --(AmmoLand.com)-  Hunters got a preview of changes proposed in special-hunt permit drawings and new hunting regulations for the fall 2010 season at a public meeting held here March 12-13 by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission.

State wildlife managers also briefed the commission and others in attendance on new proposals for addressing public concerns about property damage and other conflicts related to Washington’s wildlife.

The commission, which sets policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), allotted time for public comments on all three issues as a prelude to voting on those proposals at public meetings scheduled over the next two months.

On a separate issue, the commission directed WDFW to analyze options for increasing recreational crabbing opportunities in Puget Sound. With a stated goal of adopting a new crab-allocation policy by October, commissioners established a time-line for assessing the effects of various fishing options, meeting with advisory boards and providing opportunities for public review of their plans.

Special-hunt permit drawings
In recent years, some hunters have expressed dissatisfaction with the selection process used to issue special-hunt permits, which give successful applicants hunting options beyond those authorized by a general hunting license.

Many of those frustrations stem from the fact that all special-hunt permits are randomly drawn from the same pool of applications, said Dave Ware, WDFW game manager. As a result, applicants often face a choice between applying for popular deer and elk hunts or settling for less-popular hunts with better odds of being drawn, he said.

Under a new plan Ware outlined for the commission, WDFW would create separate applications for seven different categories of popular deer and elk permits, ranging from buck or bull hunts to senior permits. Hunters could apply in as many categories as they choose.

“This plan is designed to give hunters more options for getting the special permits they really want,” said Ware, noting that the proposal was developed with broad public input and support from the WDFW’s Game Management Advisory Committee.

Under the new plan, “points” accrued by hunters toward special permits in previous years would be applied to each of the new permit categories created under the new plan, Ware said. All funds raised by the sale of additional permit applications would be used to expand hunter access to private lands.

The commission is scheduled to take action on WDFW’s proposal at a meeting set April 9-10 in Leavenworth. The proposed rule changes are contained in WAC 232-28-291 on the department’s website at http://bit.ly/d3a41n .

Changes in hunting regulations
WDFW is also proposing some new hunting rules for the upcoming season, based on changes in state game populations observed since the current three-year hunting plan was adopted last year. Proposed changes for the fall season include new conservation measures and hunting opportunities for species such as deer, elk, black bear, cougar and small game.

Key actions include:

Deer: Significant reductions are proposed in the harvest of antlerless white-tailed deer in the Selkirk region, hard-hit by two harsh winters, and on the northern end of the Olympic Peninsula, where the herd continues to have low reproduction rates.
Elk: General hunting opportunities for antlerless elk would be reduced on the Yakima herd, although new hunting opportunities would be allowed in Game Management Unit 346.
Black bear: Fall hunting seasons would be delayed in parts of northeast Washington, south central Washington and the Okanogan region to reduce harvest and conserve female bears. Spring hunting opportunities would be expanded in northeastern Washington and in private timberlands west of Centralia to allow the harvest of more males.
Hunting equipment: Archers and muzzleloaders would no longer be required to possess a concealed weapons license to carry a handgun for personal protection in the field.
Specific proposals are posted on the commission’s website at http://bit.ly/d3a41n under “March 5 revisions.” The commission is scheduled to take action on WDFW’s proposals for the 2010 hunting season at its April 9-10 meeting in Leavenworth.

In a related issue, the commission denied a petition to amend existing white-tailed buck deer seasons in northeastern Washington by adopting special antler restrictions for hunts in Game Management Units 117 and 121. The commission did, however, commit to a public review process and consideration of the proposal for the 2011-12 hunting seasons.

Controlling property damage
Another proposal presented to the commission would give landowners more flexibility to prevent and address property damage caused by wildlife.

A new approach proposed by WDFW would encourage landowners to forge agreements with the department that set out a clear course of action for dealing with damages caused by wildlife on their property. Those rules would establish specific requirements for both lethal and non-lethal actions, and identify new sources of technical assistance for property owners.

Under the department’s proposal, claims for crop damage would be paid only after an assessment by a professional crop insurance adjuster.

The commission is expected to take action on WDFW’s proposal during a conference call scheduled May 7. The proposed “Wildlife Interaction Rules” are posted on the commission’s website at http://bit.ly/db1aCT .

Also at the meeting March 12-13 in Olympia, the commission:

Extended the current allocation policy for the non-tribal Columbia River summer chinook fishery by one year.
Received a briefing on 2010 salmon forecasts, conservation needs and fishing opportunities.
Approved the purchase of a 369-acre conservation easement and two properties to benefit wildlife in Okanogan County.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

New Hampshire --(AmmoLand.com)- A new bill introduced in the New Hampshire House of Representatives is a backdoor attempt to ban the trapping and hunting of furbearing animals.

House Bill 1514, introduced by Representative Steve Vaillancourt (R- Hillsborough), prohibits the sale, purchase, possession, and transportation of all raw skins or unskinned carcasses of furbearing animals.

The bill does make an allowance for the transportation or possession of raw pelts or unskinned carcasses, but only when the pelt will not be used as fur. If passed, the bill would effectively eliminate trapping in New Hampshire. Likewise, the bill would equally limit sportsmen who hunt furbearing animals like coyote, fox and raccoon.

“This bill bans the use of fur harvested from any animal,” said Jeremy Rine, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) associate director of state services “By doing that, it in essence ends all trapping and hunting of furbearers unless you’re OK with wanton waste of animals…something that sportsmen are not OK with in any instance. This is simply a very bad bill.”

HB 1514 is currently scheduled for a hearing Wednesday, January 20 at 10 a.m. in Room 307 of the Legislative Office Building in Concord before the House Fish and Game and Marine Resources Committee.

Take Action!
All sportsmen that can attend the hearing on January 20 are encouraged to do so and speak out against this bill. For those unable to attend, please visit the USSA Legislative Action Center. Simply enter your ZIP+4 Code and you will be able to send a letter to your legislator.

About:
The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website, www.ussafoundation.org.

Center for Wildlife Health Research

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We suggest that the following actions should be encouraged.

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

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

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

Click Here to Read Complete Draft

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

The Wildlife Society

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

OLYMPIA, WA --(AmmoLand.com)- Washington hunters who own cougar-tracking dogs, and are interested in assisting the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) with public-safety cougar removals, have until Oct. 19 to apply for special permits.

The requests are being taken in accordance with rules adopted by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission that allow the use of dogs to remove cougars in limited areas where cougars have been judged to be a threat to human safety.

Permit applicants must have a valid state big game hunting license, with cougar as a species option, and must own cougar-tracking dogs as defined in WAC 232-12-243 (http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=232-12-243 ).

WDFW wildlife biologists have determined that a total of up to six cougars should be removed from two specific areas of the state, based on safety concerns raised by the public. The two areas are in western Washington.

Permit applications must be submitted in writing by Oct. 19 to WDFW Enforcement Program, Attn: Sean Carrell, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA. 98501-1091. Application forms are available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/enforcement/public_safety_cougar.html on the WDFW website. Permit requests must include the applicant’s name, address, phone number, and the WDFW administrative region in which the applicant would like to participate.

Cougar removal permits will be drawn at random and will be valid for use from Dec. 1 to March 15. Individuals selected for permits will be notified by mail. The notice will include the boundaries in which the permit is to be used.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

OLYMPIA, WA --(AmmoLand.com)- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) officers are searching for a cougar that reportedly attacked a child yesterday in Stevens County.

A 5-year-old Canadian boy reportedly was attacked and injured while he was hiking with his family on the Abercrombie Mountain Trail, along Silver Creek in the Colville National Forest east of Northport.

His parents, of Rossland, British Columbia, reported a cougar suddenly jumped out of a brushy area onto the boy, who was near his mother on the trail. The mother reportedly fought off the cougar and the parents took the child to Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in Trail, B. C., about 25 miles away. The boy’s parents have asked that their names not be made public.

The parents said their son was treated for head wounds at the hospital and released, and is expected to recover completely.

After WDFW was notified of the incident by the boy’s father this morning, WDFW officers contacted local hunters with hounds trained to tree cougars, to assist in searching for the cougar. If the animal is found, it will be killed.

“When human life is threatened in this way, we take no chances,” said WDFW Regional Enforcement Capt. Mike Whorton. “Cougars that have attacked people clearly pose a continuing public-safety risk and are euthanized if they are captured.”

Colville Forest officials, contacted by WDFW, are posting the trailhead with signs advising users that cougars and other potentially dangerous animals are in the area, and offering advice on how avoid or deal with an encounter.

The last cougar attack in Washington was last year in Douglas County. Since records have been kept, there have been 18 reported cougar attacks in the state, including one fatality in 1924 in Okanogan County.

WDFW estimates the state’s cougar population at about 1,900-2,100 animals.

To reduce the risk of a cougar attack, Whorton noted that small children should be closely supervised in cougar country. For more information on cougars, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/living/cougars.htm .

Bear Finds Itself In A Pickle, Pickle Jar, That Is

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. – -(AmmoLand.com)- Bears in Georgia, a more common sight in spring and summer, sometimes find themselves in unfortunate circumstances in the pursuit of an “easy” meal. According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division, there have been at least four North Georgia bears with their heads caught in a variety of objects in recent years – from a tin milk can to a plastic pickle bucket.

“While at first the incident seems somewhat humorous, depending on the object and the bear itself, it can be a life-threatening situation,” says Division Region Supervisor Ken Riddleberger. “Bears that grow accustomed to finding non-natural food sources, such as pickle remnants or other garbage, often become labeled a nuisance bear and lead to problems for homeowners, business owners and the animal.”

One young male bear, head encased in a plastic pickle bucket, received a lot of attention this year as it traveled more than 48 miles in 90-degree heat. He was sighted multiple times over a four-week period, beginning in June, in the following locations: Dawsonville, Dahlonega, Cleveland, Clarkesville and just outside Unicoi State Park in Helen. Division personnel responded multiple times in an effort to free the bear from the jar, but he proved most elusive. Finally, in early July two Division personnel were able to locate the animal and tranquilize it. The jug was successfully removed and the animal was released alongside a creek in Union County.

In almost all of these cases, it is believed that the bear sticks its head into a container to investigate smells or eat edibles left inside. These recent events have prompted the Division to issue these reminders should a bear be sighted in your area:

• · Never, under any circumstances, feed a bear.
• · Keep items, such as grills, pet food or bird feeders off-limits to bears. Clean and store grills when not in use.
• · Keep pet food indoors and take bird feeders down if bears are in the area.
• · Convert to “bear-proof” garbage containers, or store garbage in the garage or other enclosed areas until pick-up day.
• · Do not approach a bear. Bears are wild animals and therefore unpredictable.
• · If a bear has been sighted in your area, be sure to strictly observe all of the above tips to make sure your activities are not contributing to the issue.

For more information on bears and bear-proofing in Georgia, visit www.georgiawildlife.com or call the Game Management office at 770-535-5700.

About:
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is comprised of six divisions which carryout DNR’s mission to sustain, enhance, protect and conserve Georgia’s natural, historic and cultural resources. As one of six divisions within DNR, the Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) is charged with conserving, enhancing and promoting Georgia’s wildlife resources, including game and nongame animals, fish and protected plants. WRD is comprised of four sections – Game Management, Fisheries Management, Law Enforcement and Nongame Conservation, which regulate hunting, fishing and boat operation, protect nongame and endangered wildlife, provide conservation education and enforce laws for the protection and use of Georgia’s natural resources.