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Run Guns On Your Website – Gun Rights News That Is

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Interior Secretary Ken Salazar Urges Americans to Connect with Nature

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Endangered Oregon Spotted Frogs Returned To Native Habitat

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Hotline To Report Dead Or Ill Swans Available

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

Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Sportsmen Working to Improve BLM Energy Leasing

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Outdoor Life Honors Elk Foundation Founders

New Jersey Fish and Game

Trenton, NJ --(AmmoLand.com)- The New Jersey DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife proudly unveiled the second edition of its New Jersey Wildlife Viewing Guide at the national Watchable Wildlife Conference in Avalon, New Jersey on October 7.

The completely revised Guide is a key to opening a window on the world of watching wildlife in New Jersey and provides detailed descriptions of 104 of the state’s best places to see wildlife.

NJ's 2nd Edition Wildlife Viewing Guide

The Guide leads readers on an exploration of New Jersey’s distinct landscapes, diverse habitats, and unique flora and fauna. Beautiful, full-color photographs proclaim New Jersey’s natural grandeur and provide snapshots of what awaits visitors at each viewing site. A three-tiered rating system alerts readers to those must-see locations throughout the state. Other features include driving directions, amenities, trail information, contact information and web addresses. A special section discusses tips and techniques to increase the likelihood of seeing wildlife.

The New Jersey Wildlife Viewing Guide makes a great gift for anyone who has an interest in the outdoors and is a perfect stocking stuffer for the holiday season. The guide retails for $14.95 plus $5.05 tax, shipping and handling and can be purchased online at www.conservewildlifenj.org/support/cwf/publications.html

or by sending a check or money order for $20.00 to: NJDFW, Wildlife Viewing Guide, PO Box 400, Trenton, NJ 08625-0400. Viewing guides can also be ordered by phone.

Wholesale pricing for Guides purchased by the case can be viewed at http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/prod_guide.htm .  Call 609-984-6012 for questions or to  order.

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NJ’s 2nd Edition Wildlife Viewing Guide

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

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

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

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

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Kansas Wildlife Federation Wants Conservation Award Nominees

Brown Pelican Removed from Endangered Species List

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Brown Pelican Removed from Endangered Species List

Center for Wildlife Health Research

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We suggest that the following actions should be encouraged.

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

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

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

Click Here to Read Complete Draft

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

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What Conservation Biologists Can Do Regarding Trap-Neuter-Return

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

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Natural Resource Managers for Future

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Wild Angles – News from the National Wildlife Refuge System

Grass Roots North Carolina for Firearms Education

North Carolina - -(AmmoLand.com)- As we were alerted by members in the Blowing Rock area months ago, the Town of Blowing Rock plans to turn over town-owned land that local hunters have hunted on for generations to the National Park Service.

The issue started nearly a decade ago when the North Carolina Land Trust purchased a 192 acre tract of land from a local hunting club outside the city limits of Blowing Rock. Local hunters, believing they were protecting a treasured hunting area, generously donated to the Land Trust for purchase of the tract. As testament to the past use of hunting on the land, the Land Trust wrote language into their deed which designated hunting as an allowable activity on the land for perpetuity.

A few years later however, the Town of Blowing Rock, unbeknownst to the general public, purchased the 192 acre tract from the land trust for potential trade to the National Park Service. In late 2005 the purchase revealed itself to sportsmen when police tried to close the area, including the NC Gamelands portion, to hunting.

Hunters and GRNC members, concerned with suddenly being told they were not allowed to hunt public lands, began questioning recalcitrant town officials. It was then that the questionable land trade was uncovered. Further investigation revealed that an influential town councilwoman’s expensive home overlooks the land, as well as the fact this very same councilwoman is an outspoken anti-hunting, anti-logging activist. Some grassroots members are even beginning to question the Town of Blowing Rock’s role in the Land Trust’s original purchase of the tract. Letters written to Mayor J.B. Lawrence regarding these and other questions have not been answered. The town maintains the trade is necessary to gain full control of the town reservoir located on Park lands between Boone and Blowing Rock. This does not seem plausible given the fact Blowing Rock already has water interconnection permits with Boone as well as an unused intake permit at the! confluence of Payne Branch and Middle Fork.

As a new twist, Mayor Lawrence recently declared the 190 acres as closed to hunting via a vague town code prohibiting loaded guns on town property (i.e. town hall). Coinciding with the Mayor’s announcement, National Park Service spokeswomen Shelia Dixon indicated that if NPS acquires the land, all hunting, trapping, and shooting will be prohibited as per NPS policy. This deal will cut in half the last public lands that Blowing Rock hunters, shooters and trappers can easily access. Hunters attempted to voice concerns with Mayor Lawrence during a March 10, 2009 town meeting, however the Mayor decided to convene an illegal closed meeting to discuss the issue. No recordings or minutes exist of this meeting.

Now it seems that Senator Richard Burr and Congresswoman Virginia Foxx are on board with this deal as well. Burr’s and Foxx’s offices purport that their support stems from the dubious water issue. Locals are skeptical about this and again point to the councilwoman’s home which overlooks this land. Several times GRNC members have requested from both Burr and Foxx to have a voice in the questionable land deal, but that has not happened.

What Sen. Burr has not addressed is if this is part of a larger bill. If so, he can introduce a floor amendment to remove the land grab and protect the rights of hunters in this area. Remember, this could be your county where this happens next.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED
* Call Senator Burr and ask him to remove the Blowing Rock land grab: (202) 224-3154

About:
Grass Roots North Carolina/Forum for Firearms Education is a non-profit, all volunteer organization devoted to educating the public about trends which abridge the freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, and engaging in grass roots activism to preserve those freedoms. Formed in 1994 to conduct a highly successful rally for the Second Amendment, GRNC has gone on to conduct projects like “Remember in November: A Gun Owner’s Guide to Voting,” bringing concealed carry to North Carolina.

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Senator Burr Supporting National Park Land Grab Eliminating Hunting Access

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

Pheasants Forever

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Pheasants Forever Adds Four Farm Bill Experts to Staff

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When the rifle spoke, the elk was hers.

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

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

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

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

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Tennessee Elk Huntress Hopes to Inspire More Women

Natural Resources Conservation Service

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Bruce Taylor Wins NRCS Excellence in Conservation Award

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn –-(AmmoLand.com)- According to the most recent Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Collection Report, released by the Department of the Treasury, firearm and ammunition manufacturers report excise tax obligations to be more than $122 million in the second calendar quarter of 2009, up 52 percent over the same time period reported in 2008.

This dramatic increase follows a 43 percent increase in excise tax obligations from the previous quarter (1Q, 2009) and 12 straight months of significant increases in FBI background checks – another strong indicator of firearm sales. Excise tax obligations over the last reported 12 months (July 2008 through June 2009) were more than $419.8 million, an increase of $105.9 million (33.7 percent) over the preceding 12–month period (July 2007 through June 2008). The year’s substantial increases in background checks and federal excise tax obligations began just prior to the 2008 elections and flourished despite a worsening economy.

Manufacturers of firearms and ammunition pay a federal excise tax — a major source of wildlife conservation funding — on all firearms and ammunition manufactured (11 percent on long guns and ammunition and 10 percent on handguns).

The report, which covers the time period of April 1, 2009 through June 30, 2009, shows that $33.5 million was due in taxes for pistols and revolvers, $42.3 million for long guns and $46.1 million for ammunition. Compared to the same quarter in 2008, excise tax obligations were up 44.4 percent for handguns, 51.3 percent for long guns and 57.5 percent for ammunition.

Translation to sales:
Using the latest reporting data as an indication of retails sales, a projection of $1.14 billion was generated in the second quarter (calendar year) of 2009. Please keep in mind that although excise taxes are one of the best indicators of industry performance, they only reflect what excise taxes the manufacturers have filed and do NOT reflect retail mark-up and final retail sales.

• Pistols and revolvers: $33,552,785.73 / .10 = $33,552,857.30 = $335.5 million for handguns
• Long guns: $42,373,696.86 / .11 = $385,215,426.00 = $385.2 million for long guns
• Ammunition: $46,157,400.88 / .11 = $419,612,735.27 = $419.6 million for ammunition

Total retail sales estimation for the quarter: $1.14 billion

Firearms & Ammunition Excise Tax Collections

About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 4,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

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USA Buys $1.14 Billion Dollars Worth of Firearms in 3 Months

Texas Bison Association

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

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

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

The 2009 Texas Bison Expo seminars include:

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

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

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

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

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

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Texas Bison Expo Delivers Bison Ranching Seminars

New Jersey Fish and Game

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Sen. Lautenberg Secures Funding for White Nose Syndrome Research

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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DNREC Urges Motorists To Watch Out For Deer Crossing Roadways

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

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

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

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

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

Here’s how to get involved:

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

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

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

Sooner the better.

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

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How to Volunteer for a Conservation Organization

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Elk Foundation Funding Tops $190K for Michigan Initiative

Wisconsin DNR

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

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

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

Wolf and Carnivore Tracker Training sessions are scheduled:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Volunteers Needed To Help Monitor Wolf Populations In Wisconsin

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

California Waterfowl

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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SPI and California Waterfowl Announce Wetland Conservation Easement Agreement with NRCS

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Elk Foundation Grants for Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma

California Outdoor Heritage Alliance

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

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

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

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

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California Conservation Bills Signed

Ohio Department Natural Resources

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Ohio School to Be Named the 100th Wild School Site

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

WAKEENEY KS —-(AmmoLand.com)- Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) staff have verified that a mountain lion was photographed by a deer hunter northwest of Wakeeney. The sighting is the first ever live wild mountain lion documentation in Kansas although many other reports have been received in the past.

The hunter who took the photographs was setting in a tree stand when the mountain lion materialized near a pile of corn the man was hunting over. The hunter grabbed his camera and took multiple photos as the lion approached within 10 feet of the tree stand. The animal looked up at him, then moved out of site. The entire encounter lasted less than a minute, and the lion never stopped walking.

“KDWP received photographs of the animal, and staff were able to verify that the location was in Kansas, and the story seemed legitimate,” said Matt Peek, KDWP furbearer research biologist.

Although the origin of this mountain lion is unknown, mountain lions have appeared with varying frequency in other Midwestern states since the 1990s, presumably moving from western populations that have increased for decades. Most of these animals have been young males, which are capable of moving hundreds of miles in search of females and suitable habitat.

This is the second apparently wild mountain lion verified by evidence in Kansas in modern times. In November, 2007, a young male mountain lion was shot by a landowner in Barber County. Prior to that, the last documented occurrence was in 1904.

“KDWP receives numerous reports of mountain lion sightings annually,” Peek added, “but almost all have either been cases of mistaken identity or lacked physical evidence indicating a mountain lion had been present.”

There is no open hunting season for mountain lions in Kansas. Landowners may kill wildlife on their premises, including mountain lions, for damage to property or for being in or near buildings, but such animals may not be possessed with intent to use.

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Hunter Photographs Mountain Lion In Northwest Kansas

Pheasants Forever

Saint Paul, Minn. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Tech Mix, Inc., makers of energy recovery and performance products for sporting dogs, have joined Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s wildlife habitat conservation efforts as a new sponsor.

For each Tech Mix product sold bearing the PF/QF logos, including K9 Restart™ Energy Bars, K9 Restart™ Chewables, K9 Restart™ Natu-Joint and K9 Performance Tabs™,Tech Mix will make a donation to support Pheasants Forever’s conservation work.

“Sporting dogs need instant energy and the proper hydration to be their best,” said Mike Nelson, President of Tech Mix, Inc., “But they also need wild spaces to do what they do. It’s exciting to develop this relationship with Pheasants Forever and all its loyal supporters who value their dogs not only as companions but working partners in the field.”

“Sporting dogs help create and keep conservationists, as evidenced by the 70 percent of Pheasants Forever members that are dog owners,” said Joe Duggan, Pheasants Forever Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Relations, “Keeping that companion happy and healthy is a must, and we’re proud to call Tech Mix, Inc. partners in conservation.”

Tech Mix Pheasants Forever – Quail Forever Licensed Products

• K9 Restart™ Energy Bars – Designed specifically for sporting dogs and canine athletes. With its unique blend of carbohydrates, it will provide your best friend with sustained energy throughout the day.
• K9 Restart™ Chewables – Provide an ideal blend of energy sources and in-the-field performance enhancers to keep your hardworking dogs on top of their game throughout the day.
• K9 Restart™ Natu-Joint – Natural support for joint function and lubrication.
• K9 Performance Tabs™ – A fast-dissolving hydration supplement used to help support the health of active dogs.

To purchase Tech Mix sporting dog products with the Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever logos, shop Pheasants Forever’s online store at www.PFstore.org or call toll free at 1-877-209-5353.

For more information on Tech Mix sporting dog products, visit www.techmixinc.com.

For additional information please visit www.PheasantsForever.org and www.QuailForever.org

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Tech Mix Joins Pheasants Forever Conservation Efforts

Washington. DC --(AmmoLand.com)-Global warming alarmists want Americans to believe that humans are killing the planet. But Not Evil Just Wrong, a new documentary by Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney, proves that the only threats to America (and the rest of the world) are the flawed science and sky-is-falling rhetoric of Al Gore and his allies in environmental extremism.

The film drives home the realities of that extremism. “Turn off your lights. Turn off your heat when you get cold. Turn off your air when you get hot,” one man on the street says. “And then think about that.”

Not Evil Just Wrong warns Americans that their jobs, modest lifestyles and dreams for their children are at stake. Industries that rely on fossil fuels will be crippled if the government imposes job-killing regulations on an economy already mired in recession. Small towns in the heartland, like Vevay, Ind., will become bastions of unemployment and poverty. Breadwinners like Tim McElhany in Vevay will lose their jobs — and will have to start borrowing money again just to buy bread for their families.

The damage that would be wrought is unjustified by the science. Not Evil Just Wrong exposes the deceptions that experts, politicians, educators and the media have been force-feeding the public for years. Man-made pollution is not melting the polar icecaps. The ocean will not rise 20 feet in a flash. And the only polar bears dying because of man are the ones who try to eat men.

McAleer and McElhinney debunk what for a time was the environmental movement’s most powerful weapon of disinformation, the infamous “hockey stick” graph that attributed a supposedly unique burst of warming in the 20th century to humans. They also shatter the myth that the hottest years in the United States were 1998 and 2006. The hottest year was 1934, and the hottest decade was the 1930s — when there were half as many people and no SUVs or jumbo jets.

But environmentalists like actor Ed Begley Jr. and Leo Murray of Plane Stupid, who appear in the film, won’t tell you that. Instead, Begley sheds phony tears for ex-cons who are offered “green” jobs, and Murray decries air travel as the modern world’s worst indulgence. Their hysterical claims have fooled many people into believing that carbon dioxide, an element that is essential to life, is poison.

Organizations like Greenpeace, whose excesses are roundly condemned in Not Evil Just Wrong by founding member Patrick Moore, persistently push the same kind of propaganda that prompted world leaders to ban DDT. They believed environmentalist Rachel Carson’s doomsday scenarios about the mosquito-killing chemical, and millions of children in the Third World may have been infected by malaria and died as a result.

The documentary notes that the World Health Organization lifted its ban on DDT in 2006, but Al Gore and his allies will not accept that verdict any more than they will accept the science that discounts theories about global warming. They are determined to blame humans for everything.

People all across the world will be watching Not Evil Just Wrong starting 8pm ET.

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Conservation vs. Preservationists – Not Evil Just Wrong

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

Delaware --(AmmoLand.com)-At DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Annual Acorn Collection Day, 91 volunteers joined with agency biologists to collect more than 790 pounds of acorns that will be scattered in reforestation areas or transplanted on public and private lands to establish new wildlife habitat.

In addition, more than 400 pounds were collected by landowners on their properties and donated to the Division’s reforestation program – the Landowner Incentive Program.

“This was a bumper crop of acorns, and we had a great turnout of volunteers to assist with the collection,” said Lynne Staub, Division of Fish and Wildlife coordinator for the event. “Between collection day volunteers and landowner donations, this year’s collection was a great success with a final count of 1,191 pounds of acorns. The oak trees produced from these acorns will expand wooded areas and provide valuable habitat – food and shelter – for many native wildlife species.”

This year marked the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s 5th annual event with more than 2,300 pounds of acorns collected since the event was introduced in 2005.

This year’s collection day was made possible by volunteer support of people from throughout the state and by assistance from DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation – Lums Pond and Trap Pond State Parks – and DelDOT – Smyrna Rest Area – for the collection sites.

Volunteers collected acorns from areas at each site where seedlings would not generally be able to grow, including mowed areas along trail edges, open spaces and roadsides. The acorns will be scattered in reforestation areas to grow on their own, or with the help of program partners, grown into oak seedlings that will be transplanted on both public and private lands throughout the state.

This year, more than 400 pounds of acorns were donated by landowners, including Betty Ann Cooper, who collected 150 pounds on her property in Frederica and donated the acorns to the Division of Fish and Wildlife for the program.

“I don’t like to waste things,” said Cooper. “This is a good way to use acorns so they aren’t wasted or run over by our mower. I do it because we need it – it’s for Delaware!”

For more information on the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Landowner Incentive Program, visit www.fw.delaware.gov/dplap or contact Lynne Staub, (302) 735-3600 or Lynne.Staub@state.de.us

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Volunteers Collect A Bumper Crop Of Acorns To Restore Wildlife Habitat

Arizona Game and Fish Department

Arizona - -(AmmoLand.com)- Make the web work for you with these exciting new resources!

1) Find us on Facebook
Focus Wild Arizona, the Department’s environmental and wildlife education program, has joined the social networking movement. we now have an active presence on Facebook. Visit http://www.facebook.com/focuswild and become our fan today!

As a fan, you will be kept more current about upcoming events and new resources, be able to network with other educators passionate about wildlife, and participate in discussions to improve our programs and resources. Stop by and introduce yourself!

2) Live FishCam has launched
Earlier this year, the Department launched a live fishcam. This underwater camera is streaming live video of native fish 24 hours a day from the Bubbling Ponds Fish Hatchery near Sedona. The camera is periodically moved to highlight different fish. You never know what you might see. Is that a razorback sucker “kissing” the camera? Was that a loach minnow darting across the screen? Visit http://www.azgfd.gov/fishcam now to find out for yourself.

In the near future, suggested activities will accompany the fishcam so your students can study animal behavior. In the meantime, you can test your student’s observation and identification skills by having them watch the video for specific amounts of time, noting the different actions of the fish. You can also have them watch video archives.

Be warned: logging on to http://www.azgfd.gov/fishcam has been known to suck hours from your day, patiently waiting for the next “big thing” to happen!

3) High school science and social studies teachers needed
The environmental education section is putting the finishing touches on the first draft of a brand new curriculum unit. This unit will focus on what is now being termed the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. Put simply, it addresses the history of wildlife management and conservation in the United States. Currently, it is designed for high school science or social studies classrooms. Students will have the opportunity to study famous conservationists and the major events that kept North America’s wildlife heritage thriving.

This unit has generated interest at a national level and will likely play a large role in other state and national wildlife management agencies. Starting around November, we will want a few teachers to pilot the 5-lesson unit. Reviews will be due to us by February 1. So, if you are a high school science or social studies teacher and are interested in participating, please send an email to eproctor@azgfd.gov expressing your interest in this program.

4) Wildlife Center Open House is back
Come see what we are all about! The Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center, the Department’s animal rehabilitation facility, is bringing back its highly popular Open House. And the best part: it’s FREE!

Join us on Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22 from 10am to 3pm for an opportunity to learn about native Arizona wildlife and some of the education programs offered by the Department. Watch live wildlife education programs. Try your luck casting at a fishing activity. Talk with Department staff at the numerous booths and displays. Take a self-guided tour of the facility.

The Wildlife Center is part of the Adobe Mountain Juvenile Center complex located at the northwest corner of Pinnacle Peak and I-17 in north Phoenix. To get there, take I-17 to Pinnacle Peak (exit 217). Head west. Turn right into the Adobe Mountain Juvenile Center. Proceed to the special event parking.

Parking and admission are free and food will be available for purchase.

For more information, download the flyer, visit http://www.azgfd.gov/wildlifecenter, or call 623-582-9806.

5) New season of television show available online
Did you know that the Department has its own television show that airs on many local PBS and other government access stations? But, you don’t have to wait to catch the latest episode. You can watch them whenever you want.

All 13 episodes of the upcoming season of Arizona Wildlife Views are now available online through YouTube. Visit http://www.azgfd.gov/tv to watch them. In addition, every past episode back to 2005 can be found in the archives.

The Emmy-winning television show features Arizona wildlife, outdoor recreation activities, and the Department’s management activities. You won’t be disappointed. And it is a great way to bring wildlife into your classroom.

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, 2221 W. Greenway Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85023, (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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AZ Game and Fish Offers New Education Resources and Opportunities

California Outdoor Heritage Alliance

Sacramento, CA –-(AmmoLand.com)- Despite garnering near unanimous support in the State Legislature, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed Senate Bill 589, which would have prevented hunting license tag/stamp monies from being misused for non-game conservation or non-hunting purposes.

The bill was authored by Senator Tom Harman (R-Huntington Beach) and sponsored by the California Outdoor Heritage Alliance (COHA), a political advocacy organization representing more than 30 hunting and conservation organizations.

“The issue of tag fees being used inappropriately is not going away and I will continue working to address this problem,” said Senator Harman. “For years sportsman have sat by and watched money – that was supposed to go to species preservation – be used for anything but. Senate Bill 589 would have added much needed transparency and honesty to how the Department of Fish and Game uses our tag money. It is a shame the Governor missed an opportunity to set things right and help protect the rich heritage of outdoor sports in California.”

“Hunters are sick and tired of seeing their tag and stamp fees siphoned off for unrelated purposes. The Governor’s failure to sign this bill, along with his recent efforts to raid $30 million from the Fish and Game Preservation Fund, will only feed the longstanding cynicism within the hunting community that many of their dollars are being wasted” stated Mark Hennelly, Vice President of COHA.

Since the 1980s, a portion of hunting license tag and stamp monies has been redirected away from game species conservation to other unrelated purposes. Loopholes in state law also allow for a significant portion of deer tag monies and all bear tag monies to be used for non-game purposes, while a large percentage of pig tag funds have also been redirected or simply gone unspent.

According to California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) data from 2006, only 62% of deer tag revenue was actually used for deer-related projects, while only 64% of wild pig tag money and 48% of wild sheep auction tag money was expended for related conservation work.

To more fully address these problems over the long-term, SB 589 would have mandated that all user fee revenues (about $9.5 million total) from the sale of bear, elk, wild sheep, antelope, wild pig, deer and upland game bird tags and stamps be used for related conservation activities and public hunting purposes.

In addition, DFG would have been required to consult with non-profit sportsmen’s organizations on all proposed conservation projects funded from the fees, while facilitating the cost-effective assistance of the nonprofits in completing the projects. DFG would have also been required to post a description of each completed project on its website, allowing hunters to see how their monies are used on the ground.

The Governor’s veto message stated that “The creation of more dedicated accounts and reserving more funds for those accounts will only increase the complexity of the Department’s fiscal management…as well as reduce the Department’s flexibility to appropriately administer hunting programs.”

However, rather than creating more accounts and increasing budget complexity, SB 589 would have in reality simplified DFG’s budgeting by consolidating several existing big game species fiscal accounts into one single account. And, contrary to the Governor’s statement, the bill would have actually given DFG greater flexibility to benefit all big game species by allowing big game tag funds to be used interchangeably.

COHA will continue to maintain as a top priority the passing of legislation which prohibits inappropriate redirection of hunter generated game revenues to non-related uses.

“The Governor missed an opportunity to gain back the confidence of the outdoor community by providing much needed transparency and accountability over the state expenditure of hunter generated dollars,” said Bill Gaines, COHA President. “As a result, the hunting community is likely to overwhelmingly oppose any future effort to address budget shortfalls via the raising of existing hunting related fees or the creation of new hunter related revenue streams.”

About:
The California Outdoor Heritage Alliance (COHA) is a 501(c) 4 non-profit political advocacy organization founded by the California Waterfowl Association (CWA) to protect our hunting heritage and promote wildlife conservation. For more information, visit www.outdoorheritage.org/

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Hunting Funds Accountability Bill Vetoed

RICHLAND, Tx.–-(AmmoLand.com)- Texas landowners had the opportunity last week to hear from a variety of experts on sustainable agriculture. Staff representing Syngenta, Texas Prairie Wetlands Project (TPWP), and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) conducted workshops to increase awareness of and participation in sustainable agricultural programs and practices.

Almost 100 private landowners and rice producers attended the workshops, held successively in Winnie, El Campo and Eagle Lake October 6th, 7th, and 8th, respectively. The objective of these workshops was to present area landowners with information regarding conservation opportunities as well as the latest in crop protection products from Syngenta.

“Landowner workshops are a great way to provide a diverse group of stakeholders with information on available products and services,” Matt Kaminski, TPWP Coordinator said. “These workshops stimulate questions and give us the opportunity to address a variety of concerns landowners may have.”

Ducks Unlimited, Inc., Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the USDA NRCS partnered to create the Texas Prairie Wetlands Project in 1991.

The TPWP provides cost-share assistance to private landowners for habitat enhancement, levee construction, and the installation of water control structures. It also provides biological and engineering assistance and a detailed management plan to private landowners.

The primary goal of TPWP is to restore, enhance, and protect shallow, seasonal wetland habitat on private lands within a 28-county focus area along the Texas Gulf Coast. Each year, these projects provide critical staging and wintering habitat for thousands of waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds and other wetland dependent species.

The TPWP works closely with rice producers to improve fields and infrastructure for water conservation, production, and habitat management. Recently, piggy-backing TPWP with USDA Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) has provided great incentives to producers to bring retired fields back into production. Adding Syngenta to that partnership was a logical step to increase effort and success.

Syngenta provided funding for the workshops, and new TPWP participants will be eligible for a rebate on Syngenta crop protection products Quadris and Quilt.

“This partnership creates a win-win situation for everyone,” Kaminski said. “An increase in rice production will increase waterfowl habitat on the Texas Gulf Coast.”

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Texas Landowners And Sustainable Agriculture

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

JONESBORO, AR – -(AmmoLand.com)- Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Dave White announced last week that the NRCS has received 21,300 applications to participate in the new Conservation Stewardship Program. These applications cover an estimated 33 million acres, nationwide.

“NRCS has received enough applications to carry out conservation activities on more than twice the number of acres Congress authorized for CSP this year,” White said. “This incredible response shows that conservation-minded producers and landowners want to attain higher levels of conservation stewardship.”

David Long, private lands coordinator with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said that the new revamped conservation program in the 2008 Farm Bill has tremendous opportunity to conserve and increase farmland conservation. “This program rewards farm producers for addressing resource concerns, including wildlife. The program rewards farmers for undertaking additional conservation along with maintaining and managing existing conservation practices on the farm,” Long says.

Farmers can also receive enhancement practice payments, Long said. “Practices such as extending riparian forest buffers, patch burning pastures, creating shallow water habitat, establishing native grasses and legumes in 15 percent or more of their pastures, grazing management to improve wildlife habitat, extending filter strips and field borders, establishing pollinator habitat, prescribed burning, forest stand improvement, deferring crop production on temporary and seasonal wetlands, and flooding harvested grain fields, all providing significant wildlife benefits are eligible for payments,” he explained.

Payments are based on the complex of existing conservation practices maintained along any new enhancement practices implemented and are estimated to range from $12 to $22 per acre of cropland, nonindustrial private forestland $6 to $12 per acre and pastureland at $7 to $14 per acre.

More farm wildlife benefits possible from the new conservation stewardship program in ArkansasFarmers need to know that installing conservation practices like filter strips, quail buffers, riparian forest buffers and other practices under the FSA’s Continuous Conservation Reserve Program will increase their competitiveness in CSP in the future, Long said. “In addition, the Conservation Reserve Program provides yearly rental payments for 10 to 15 years along with other significant incentives to increase farm income,” he added.

The CSP should cause farmers to look not only at the CRP, but other USDA conservation programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentive Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentive program and the Wetland Reserve Program to establish a total conservation system on their farms that addresses all resource concerns which will increase their competitiveness in the CSP in the future. “CSP can offer an additional income stream on every eligible acre of the farm plus allow farmers to address all resource concerns to include wildlife,” Long says.

Congress capped the annual acreage enrollment nationally at 12,769,000 for each fiscal year. The final national and state-by-state numbers on acreage nationwide will be available in November 2009.

CSP provides financial and technical assistance to eligible agricultural and forestry producers to conserve and enhance soil, water, air and wildlife resources on their land, and encourages farm producers to voluntarily implement more conservation practices and improve, maintain, and manage existing ones.

Lands accepted into CSP include cropland, pastureland, rangeland and non-industrial private forestland. Individual landowners or operators, legal entities, corporations and Indian tribes are eligible to apply for CSP assistance.

Those who are not approved for funding through this first sign-up will have the option to participate in the second sign-up period, which is Oct. 1 through January 2010.

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Farm Wildlife Benefits Possible From The New Conservation Stewardship Program

Quail Forever

Boelus, Neb. --(AmmoLand.com)- A group of Howard County residents have formed the nation’s newest chapter of Quail Forever (QF). The group, called the Central Nebraska Chapter of QF, plans to improve area habitat as they help the local population of bobwhite quail continue its rapid growth.

“Considering the tough times bobwhite quail are having due to habitat losses across much of the U.S., all of us in central Nebraska are pretty fortunate to have the growing quail numbers we’ve seen in the last decade. This chapter wants to make sure those bird numbers continue to improve and this is our way of giving back,” said George Burgess, the new chapter’s president, a Boelus resident, and a lifelong hunter. “Our chapter is also focused on making sure opportunities continue to exist for young hunters interested in taking up our outdoor traditions.”

“Howard County is actually surrounded by Pheasants Forever chapters that have spent the last two decades doing tremendous projects for wildlife habitat,” explained Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s Regional Field Representative Scott Smathers. “There was a void in Howard County and these individuals saw the opportunity to join forces with fellow PF folks and help improve the land for quail at the same time.”

QF was formed in 2005 by Pheasants Forever to help reverse the rapid decline of quail populations across their U.S. range. QF applies the unique and successful Pheasants Forever model of empowering local chapters with the responsibility to determine how 100% of their locally raised conservation funds will be spent. To date, four chapters of QF have joined the “cornhusker state’s” 60 PF chapters.

“There is no doubt the state’s 60 PF chapters have been creating the habitat necessary to help Nebraska’s quail,” explained Burgess. “Our new Central Nebraska QF Chapter’s mission is to accelerate those efforts.”

The new Central Nebraska Chapter of Quail Forever will hold Howard County’s first ever QF banquet on Friday, November 20th at the Boelus Civic Center beginning at 5:30PM. The chapter is planning a hog roast for the dinner. Tickets for the event are $40.00 and are available by calling Pete Berthelsen at (308)754-5339, Ryan Lodge at (308)750-1215, or George Burgess at (308)390-0583.

Joining Burgess as new chapter officers and committee members are Gale Larson of St. Paul, Pete and Laura Berthelsen of Elba, Pamela Johansen of St. Paul, Ryan Lodge of St. Paul, Virginia Burgess of Boelus, Kraig Beck of Coatsfield, Keith and Christy Brus of Wolbach, and Jerry Woodgate of St. Paul. To learn more about helping the chapter, please contact Burgess at (308)390-0583 or via email at gwizburgess@gmail.com.

“One additional thing that’s really neat about this chapter is the fact that four current and former Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever employees living in Howard County have volunteered their free time to be a part of this chapter,” reported Smathers. “I’m truly honored to be servicing this chapter of co-workers who are spending their free time to continue the cause of conservation during their personal time.”

To join a Quail Forever or Pheasants Forever chapter in Nebraska, learn more at www.NebraskaPF.com or call toll free 877.773.2070.

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Quail Forever Growing Chapters and Coveys in Nebraska

Rescue Our Outdoors Rally

New Jersey Outdoor Alliance

New Egypt, NJ --(AmmoLand.com)- It’s more than a rally; it’s OUR stand for the future prosperity of angling, hunting and all forms of conservation. It is a future that was given to us by past generations – by people like Teddy Roosevelt, Aldo Leopold and many more. Will we make the same pledge to our descendants?

How will we be remembered by posterity? Will it be for fighting to preserve access to the great outdoors – or will history record that OUR generation turned its back on those that followed?

Attending the R.O.O.R. Rally is OUR generation’s statement about OUR commitment to fishing, hunting and the principles of conservation. OUR attendance will reflect the degree of obligation WE feel to the outdoors. It will be an HONEST measure of OUR commitment.

It’s not about the rally; it’s about the future of angling, hunting and conservation in New Jersey. Will we allow our great outdoors to be dismantled by Trenton?

Read how it’s being dismantled under “Conservation Report Card.”

http://www.njoutdooralliance.org/chairmans/christie/endorsement.html

Attend R.O.O.R. – it will reflect your commitment to the outdoors!

Tell Trenton you’ve had enough. R.O.O.R. and be heard!

Rescue Our Outdoors Rally
Saturday, October 24, 2009 * 2:00PM
New Egypt Speedway * Free Admission!
720 Pinehurst Rd, Rt. 539 New Egypt, NJ 08533

Music, Food, Fun, Vendors: Bring the family. Guest speakers to include: Chris Christie

Visit our link to learn more about the rally:
http://www.njoutdooralliance.org/where/rescueour/outdoorsrally.html

Visit our link to review the dismantling of our outdoor interests:
http://www.njoutdooralliance.org/chairmans/christie/endorsement.html

About:
NJOA – New Jersey Outdoor Alliance is the state’s first major political action committee devoted to the task of electing outdoor-minded candidates to public office. NJOA has formed with the support of leaders of major pro-hunting, pro-angling, and pro-trapping organizations. We are not a hunting, fishing, or trapping “club” or “group,” and do not compete with the interests of such organizations. NJOA helps to ensure that strong wildlife and natural resource protection laws are produced by outdoor-minded elected officials. The best way to ensure a “conservation presence” in Trenton is to support the election campaigns of representatives who understand the relationship between a balanced ecology and hunting, fishing, and trapping.

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It’s More Than A Rally It’s Our Stand For The Future of Angling, Hunting And Conservation

Pheasants Forever

Washington, DC --(AmmoLand.com)- The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that one of their policy options under consideration is to drop Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) enrollment to 24 million acres nationwide.

In Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s view, this is completely unacceptable and we urge all of our members and supporters to take immediate action by contacting the USDA in opposition of this proposal.

Additionally, Pheasants Forever considers the current 32 million acre CRP cap a short term goal, and recommends the USDA request Congressional authority to expand the program to a minimum of 40 million acres.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has asked the public for comments on the Conservation Reserve Program. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have some simple suggestions for what to communicate during the public comment period:

• Request USDA implement CRP at its maximum acreage of 32 million acres, and that
• USDA request additional authority for an expanded CRP of at least 40 million acres from Congress.
• Call for a new CRP General Signup.
• Call for new authority for Continuous CRP programs such as CRP SAFE and CRP Upland Bird Habitat Buffers.
• Ask that all Continuous CRP including CRP SAFE and CRP Upland Bird Habitat Buffers, be made available to all expiring contract holders.
• Call on USDA to implement a CRP “Open Fields” Public Access program immediately.
• Encourage USDA to enroll expired CRP into the Grasslands Reserve Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program.

Public Comments on CRP Due by October 19, 2009

• Email comments to CRPcomments@tecinc.com
• Submit comments online at the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov
• Mail comments to: CRP SEIS, c/o TEC Inc., 8 San Jose Dr., Suite 3-B, Newport News, VA 23606
• Fax comments to: (757) 594-1469

Help continue CRP’s wildlife habitat and environmental legacy by voicing your support of the program this week.

CRP Benefits

• CRP produces an estimated 13.5 million pheasants annually.
• CRP in the Prairie Pothole Region produces 2 million ducks per year.
• CRP boosts populations of bobwhite quail, prairie grouse and non-game grassland birds.
• CRP reduces the amount of sediment released into the environment by 200 million tons.
• CRP reduces sheet, rill and wind erosion.
• CRP sequesters carbon, helping stop more than 50 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the environment.

About:
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are non-profit conservation organizations dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant, quail, and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have more than 125,000 members in 750 local chapters across the continent.

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Final Week for Public Comments on CRP