Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

DOVER, Delaware --(Ammoland.com)- The judges’ decisions are in: the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife’s first fishing and hunting photo contests each have first and second place winners and three honorable mentions.

Three judges – well-known professional photographer Kevin Fleming, and local photographers Tony Pratt and Freda Barrett, both DNREC employees – reviewed 53 fishing entries and 27 hunting entries, and then narrowed each category to the top five.

The contests specified that photographs must have been taken in Delaware and must depict youth participating in fishing or hunting activities. Judges were looking for photos that best portrayed “the promise of the future” as envisioned by the Division’s 2011 theme of “Celebrating 100 Years of Fish and Wildlife Conservation: Reflecting on the Past, Moving into the Future.”

“When we were judging the contest entries, we looked most importantly for photographs that portrayed our theme and ‘the promise of the future,’” said Ms. Barrett, who suggested the contest as part of the Division’s 100-year celebration. “We also considered technical criteria such as resolution, clarity, lighting and composition. Some entries fit the theme, but had flaws such as poor lighting, an undesirable background or out-of-focus. Our winners are crisp close ups of youth partaking in fishing or hunting activities.”

“We saw some very nice entries for a first-time contest, and the winners were all good,” said Mr. Fleming, adding, “I would encourage the Division of Fish & Wildlife to consider making this year’s special photo contest held on the anniversary of 100 years of fish and wildlife conservation an annual event – and in case they do, I hope more people will be encouraged to take their cameras with them on their outdoor Delaware adventures.”

Fishing contest winners are:

• First place: “Fishing with My Daddy,” toddler at Cape Henlopen, by Michele Reeder of Dover
• Second place: “Barefoot Basin,” Collins Pond, by Joey Melvin of Georgetown
• Honorable mention: Untitled photo of 8-year-old boy in waders holding big fish on White Clay Creek, by Brenda Rappa of Wilmington
• Honorable mention: “Got One,” 9-year-old boy fishing in Cedar Creek Mill Pond, by Kathy Sheldon of Lincoln
• Honorable mention: “Maddie Fishing Pic,” toddler fishing in Christina River, by James Brainard of New Castle

Hunting contest winners are:

• First place: Untitled photo of 5-year-old boy hunting at Broadkill Beach, by Tom Burke of Greenwood
• Second place: “Calling Them In,” 6-year-old boy hunting near Milton, by Amy Argo James of Milton
• Honorable mention: “Scanning the Skies,” teen boy hunting at Ted Harvey Wildlife Area near Dover, by Dave Sawicki of Magnolia
• Honorable mention: “Practice Makes Perfect,” 11-year-old girl hunting near Marydel, by Andrea Sergent of Marydel
• Honorable mention: Untitled photo of two 12-year-old boys hunting near Lincoln, by Joey Melvin of Georgetown

“When we announced these contests as part of our 100-year celebration, we wanted to feature images of young anglers and hunters in our hunting and fishing guides, since young Delawareans will become the next generation of Delaware conservationists. The response from our resident photographers more than met our expectations,” said Division of Fish and Wildlife Director David Saveikis.

“Moving into the next century of fish and wildlife conservation in Delaware, we are encouraged by the promise of the future represented by these photographs of young anglers and hunters enjoying the outdoors.”

The winning fishing photos will appear in the 2012 Delaware Fishing Guide, with Ms. Reeder’s first place photo on the cover and second place and honorable mention photos printed inside the guide. The fishing guide will be available online, at the DNREC license counter in Dover and at fishing license dealers statewide in March.

The winning hunting photos will appear in the 2012-2013 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide, which is not yet in production. The hunting guide is due out in July and will be available online, at the DNREC license counter in Dover and at hunting license dealers statewide.

For more information about future Division photo contests, please visit www.fw.delaware.gov.

Russell Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

Delaware --(Ammoland.com)- In 1911, when the first members of Delaware’s new Game and Fish Commission were appointed by the Governor and the state’s first game warden was hired, the state did not own wild lands for conservation purposes, the idea of educating the public on wildlife conservation was yet to take root, and few regulations were in place to properly manage the hunting and trapping of game animals.

However, within three years, the first Commissioners would list conservation, education and appropriate regulation among their recommendations – and these remain priorities today.

As the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife celebrates Delaware’s first 100 years of fish and wildlife conservation by reflecting on the past and moving into the future, here’s a closer look at how part of the old Board of Game and Fish Commissioners developed into today’s Wildlife Section.

In the history of Delaware wildlife conservation, several figures loom large, including Ted Harvey, Norman G. Wilder, and former Governor Russell Peterson – all familiar today from the wildlife areas that bear their names. Two of Gov. Peterson’s accomplishments in particular would shape the future of fish and wildlife conservation in Delaware. The first, in 1970, was the creation of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), which brought the state’s fish and wildlife-related functions together under the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife. The second, in 1971, was passage of the landmark Coastal Zone Act, which set the standard for other states and established the regulations that continue today to protect Delaware’s precious and fragile coastline from uncontrolled industrial and commercial development.

“Today we continue to build upon the strong foundation laid by generations of conservation pioneers to preserve and restore Delaware’s rich ecological diversity for the benefit of wildlife and all Delawareans,” said DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara. “Through our numerous habitat restoration efforts, including the Delaware Bayshore Initiative and the Nanticoke River watershed, we will honor past successes and leave our own legacy of stewardship and conservation for the enrichment of current and future generations.”

After working for the Commission since 1948, Wilder became the first director of Delaware’s fish and wildlife agency in 1957 and began actively pursuing the acquisition of wild lands. A few early acquisitions before Wilder’s directorship included the first state-owned wildlife area, Petersburg Game Management Refuge (now Norman G. Wilder Wildlife Area), established in 1941; Assawoman Wildlife Area lands, which were transferred from the federal government in 1945; and the C&D Canal Wildlife Area established by agreement with the U.S. Army in 1950. Wilder saw the need to acquire more lands for conservation and recreation purposes.

“[Norman Wilder] knew that if lands were going to be set aside for future generations of Delawareans to hunt, fish and play on, it had to be done as expeditiously as possible… He had a far-sighted vision, and spot-on, especially with regard to wetlands, the heart and soul of the magnificent Delaware estuary,” recalled Tony Florio, who was hired as a wildlife technician by Wilder and later became Wildlife Section administrator, working 40 years for the state agency that became the Division of Fish and Wildlife.

In 1961, Ted Harvey made his mark on land conservation efforts by founding a private, non-profit conservation group, Delaware Wild Lands, for the purpose of protecting coastal areas via land purchase, legislation and education. Over the years, Delaware Wild Lands has acquired, or partnered with the state and other organizations to acquire thousands of acres statewide, including the 10,000-acre Great Cypress Swamp conservation area in Sussex County.

A key acquisition and one of the largest was a 4,000-acre, seven-tract Kent County purchase including the Ted Harvey Wildlife Area, negotiated by the Division and Delaware Wild Lands in 1979, and turned over to state-administered public ownership to help tie together a missing piece in protected coastal habitat. Today, with more than 60,000 acres of wild lands owned and managed by the state through the Division of Fish and Wildlife, the emphasis on linking lands and habitats by acquiring missing pieces continues.

Early efforts at educating and informing the public included a 1931 program designed to stir interest in game bird hunting in which school children hatched and raised ring-necked pheasants; a 1933 film entitled “Hunting and Fishing: An Asset to Delaware,” which was shown to community groups and at various events; a natural science camp for teachers in summer 1942; and the first issue of the Delaware Conservationist (now Outdoor Delaware) in 1957. The statewide Delaware Hunter Education program began in 1970, and a facility dedicated to the program, the Ommelanden Hunter Education Center and Range in New Castle, opened in 1981. Ommelanden’s offerings currently include free firearms safety instruction and public-use ranges for rifle, pistol, shotgun and archery target practice.

Scientific research was a key function early in the history of Delaware’s fish and wildlife agency, from a test project planting pond vegetation to supply ducks with food in 1930 to early efforts at wildlife management and habitat restoration in the 1950s to the highly successful wild turkey restoration project in the 1980s. Today, the Division continues to manage game animals as well as non-game wildlife and native plants through the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, established in 1986.

Wildlife Section biologists perform a wide range of duties and research, from monitoring shorebird populations to banding owls to counting bald eagles to working with endangered and rare animals and plants, to tracking avian influenza in waterfowl, white nose syndrome in bats and chronic wasting disease in deer. White-tailed deer and wild turkey, both popular game species in Delaware today, are among the section’s significant species restoration success stories.

Today, applied science continues to be the basis by which the Division manages wildlife populations.

From estimating deer densities in order to maintain their populations within ecological and social carrying capacities to determining where suitable roosting sites exist or need to exist for migrating red knot populations, wildlife management decisions are based on data collected from carefully designed studies and through analysis. This basis on science is directly linked to the Division’s ability to manage sustainable populations of wildlife, allowing some species to be recreationally harvested through regulated hunting and trapping. As Delaware’s expanding human population and its needs put increasingly more pressure on wildlife and the habitat it depends on, the need to continue making wildlife management decisions based on science will become increasingly more important.

Since the Delaware Legislature granted regulatory powers over freshwater fish and resident game to the Game and Fish Commissioners in 1953, the state’s fish and wildlife agency has been responsible for planning, drafting, enforcing and modifying state wildlife regulations. Funding for many programs has come from a variety of sources in addition to the state, including federal aid from the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration fund through the Pittman-Robertson Act, authorized by the state legislature in 1938; the Delaware Duck Stamp program, started in 1980; hunting licenses – which in 1915 cost a resident hunter $1; nongame wildlife and endangered species tax check-off fund – which has dwindled from contributions of more than $80,000 per year in the 1980s in Delaware to less than $15,000 annually today as tax payers have more and more check-off programs to choose from; federal endangered species funding which also helps support management of federally listed plants; and most recently the state’s diversity of wildlife and habitats have benefited from funding via the federal State Wildlife Grant Program administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“We are looking ahead to our next century, in which we hope to make further progress managing our game wildlife, nurturing our endangered and rare species, restoring and connecting our wildlife habitat areas, learning more about the animals and plants with which we share our habitat, adapting to sea level rise and climate change and providing recreational opportunities that bring residents and visitors closer to our natural world,” said Division of Fish and Wildlife Director David Saveikis.

This history of the Delaware Fisheries Section is part of a series of press releases issued in honor of the 100th anniversary of fish and wildlife conservation in Delaware in 2011.

Delaware Honors Georgetown Farming Brothers & Longtime Conservation Professional As 2011 Wetland Warriors

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

HARRINGTON, Delaware --(Ammoland.com)- Today at the Delaware State Fair, Governor Jack Markell and DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara honored three men for their efforts on behalf of conserving and restoring Delaware wetlands.

“Wetlands contribute to the quality of life in Delaware by providing storage for floodwaters and protecting us from coastal storms, providing habitat for wildlife species, and purifying water by removing pollutants and nutrients from runoff. Efforts to protect and restore wetlands are critical to enable the continuation of the economically valuable services provided by wetlands,” said Secretary O’Mara.

“We are proud to recognize this year’s Wetland Warriors for their important contributions to our state.”

The Wetland Warrior Award, now in its fourth year, is presented annually to a citizen, organization, business or other group that has demonstrated exemplary efforts to benefit Delaware wetlands in the areas of outreach and education, monitoring and assessment, or restoration and protection. This year, three men are being honored as the 2011 Wetland Warriors.

Landowner brothers Mark and Charles Workman are fourth generation Sussex County farmers who operate almost 3,000 acres of cropland, with corn, soybeans and wheat as their primary crops. In 2010, they restored 26 acres of forested wetlands on their farm near Georgetown through the USDA’s Wetland Reserve Program (WRP). The hydrology restoration of the woodland complimented the existing shallow water area for wildlife they had installed with assistance from Partners for Fish and Wildlife and 11 acres of native warm season grasses installed through the USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The Workmans are planning to install several additional shallow water areas for wildlife this year on the same farm through the CRP.

When the Workman brothers first applied to the WRP in 2007, they had already begun to adopt conservation practices for their farming operation, noted Jayme Arthurs, Wetland Reserve Program manager with the USDA. “Mark and Charles Workman balance crop production with conservation practices, and they regularly do both in concert with each other,” said Arthurs, who nominated the Workmans for the Wetland Warrior Award because as farmers, hunters and avid outdoorsmen, they enjoy and support wildlife habitat as an ongoing commitment.

“Mark and Charles Workman’s volunteer participation in restoration programs available to landowners is a superb example of citizens making a difference. In Delaware, forested wetlands are the most vulnerable to loss due to conversion to other land uses. The work they have conducted on their property will benefit wildlife, water quality and flood control while providing carbon storage helping to mitigate climate change,” said Rebecca Rothweiler, DNREC Wetlands Team.

To the Workmans, protecting and conserving our natural resources simply goes hand-in-hand with their lives and livelihood. “We’re outdoors people, and we care about wildlife and we care about the Bay, and we like to hunt and fish and eat crabs,” said Mark Workman.

Ecologist Wayne Lehman of Dover is an accomplished conservation professional who has championed a number of wetland restoration projects throughout Kent County, where he is a regional wildlife manager with the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife. Since 1992, Lehman has led projects that created 170 acres of shallow water wetland areas distributed throughout several wildlife management areas under his supervision: Blackiston, Norman G. Wilder, Ted Harvey, Milford Neck, Little Creek, Woodland Beach and the Fortney and Urban Tract. These wetlands provide critical habitat to a variety of wetland wildlife species many of which are listed as species of conservation concern.

At Blackiston Wildlife Area near Clayton, for example, Lehman was instrumental in working with a number of partners to create and restore freshwater wetland complexes on marginal agricultural lands. These restored wetlands help with nutrient runoff and improve water quality in a watershed that flows into the Chesapeake Bay.

“Wayne has an easy going and non-confrontational style about him that has served both him and DNREC well when explaining to landowners the benefits of his wetland restoration work. As a landowner in this area, I have benefited from these projects and Wayne’s technical assistance. He is both a warrior and ambassador for wetland protection, education and restoration in Delaware,” said Andy Manus of Lehman’s nomination.

“It’s really rewarding to take poorly drained, marginal farmland that doesn’t produce crops well and doesn’t really provide anything for wildlife and create areas that are highly diverse in wildlife,” Lehman said of his work. “These areas also make a valuable contribution to improved water quality for the watersheds that link to the Delaware and Chesapeake bays,” he added.

Next year’s call for nominations will be posted next spring on the Delaware Wetlands website, www.dnrec.delaware.gov/Admin/DelawareWetlands.

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

Delaware --(Ammoland.com)- There’s still time to nominate that Delaware student who is working to make a difference for the environment for DNREC’s 2011 Young Environmentalist of the Year Awards.

Nominations must be based on actions or projects which have taken place between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011.

Nominations will be accepted from teachers, classmates, parents, club or group leaders and others between Sunday, May 1 and Wednesday, June 1, 2011. A winner will be chosen from each of the following categories:

• Elementary for students in grades 1-4
• Middle School for students in grades 5-8
• High School for students in grades 9-12

The Young Environmentalist program honors Delaware students whose actions have resulted in the protection, restoration or enhancement of Delaware’s natural resources. Judges will look for innovative projects that increase public awareness and demonstrate environmental ethics and stewardship.

Past honorees have included students who have organized tree plantings, a household hazardous waste community collection day and school recycling programs; students who volunteered their time with the Delaware Nature Society, DNREC’s Piping Plover Monitoring Program, the DuPont Nature Center, the Hooked on Fishing – Not on Drugs program, and the Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute, among other organizations; and a prolific poster artist, who worked to raise public awareness on a variety of environmental issues.

This is the 18th year for the award, which was established by DNREC colleagues and friends in honor of Dr. Edwin H. Clark II, who served as Secretary of DNREC from 1989 until 1993.

A $100 U.S. savings bond and a Delaware State Parks gift certificate will be awarded to each category winner in recognition of his or her contribution to the community. Winners will be honored in a special ceremony.

For more information, including nomination forms, please call Joanna Wilson/Beth Shockley, Public Affairs, at 302-739-9902, or visit www.dnrec.delaware.gov.

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

LEWES, Delaware --(Ammoland.com)- Volunteers who would like to learn more about Delaware’s endangered piping plovers and other beach-nesting birds.

Find out how they can join DNREC’s monitoring team are invited to attend a training session from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 14, at the Biden Center at Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes.

The session, which is free of charge, will begin with refreshments and a slideshow, followed by a discussion on the monitoring program and how volunteers can help to ensure that our beachnesting shorebirds are given the peace and quiet they need to successfully rear their chicks.

Weather permitting, the group will finish out the session by going out to the Point at Cape Henlopen to look for piping plovers and other shorebirds that will likely be out on the tidal flats feeding. A few birding scopes and pairs of binoculars will be available for use, but volunteers are encouraged to bring their own optics if they have them.

Wildlife Biologist Matthew Bailey hopes the session will draw both new and seasoned volunteers in good numbers to help DNREC staff in their efforts to protect beachnesters and educate the public.

“Volunteers are a critical component of our protection efforts. When posted at the boundaries of the nesting areas, they can help explain to the public facts about the breeding birds and the importance of keeping closed areas free of human disturbance. Without having volunteers to supplement the coverage that our staff can provide, many people might never have the chance to better understand how humans can make a difference in the breeding success of beach-nesting birds,” Bailey said.

Pre-registration is encouraged, but attendees also will be accepted at the door. Park entrance fees will be waived for volunteers attending the training by notifying the fee booth attendant. For more information, please contact Wildlife Biologist Matt Bailey at 302-382-4151 or email matthew.bailey@state.de.us.

North American Amphibian Monitoring Program

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

DOVER, Delaware --(Ammoland.com)- The sound of frogs calling in the night is more than just a sign of spring’s arrival.

Frog calls can also be an important way to determine where different species live and how populations are doing over time – and many scientists now believe keeping track of these small amphibians can provide valuable information about our natural world.

“Frogs, toads and other amphibians have received more attention over the last few years as scientists and the public have become increasingly alarmed over amphibian declines and deformities. Because amphibians are aquatic for at least part of their life cycle, they can serve as important indicators of water quality and other aspects of environmental health,” said Holly Niederriter, a wildlife biologist with the Delaware Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program.

Concern over declines in amphibian populations has prompted the initiation of amphibian monitoring programs in North America and around the world, Niederriter added. The Delaware Amphibian Monitoring Project (DAMP) is our local chapter of a national effort called the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program.

This spring, DAMP is seeking volunteers to conduct surveys of calling frogs around the state. Volunteers with DAMP are assigned a route in one portion of the state, and they conduct surveys by listening for calling frogs at stops along the route, where they record the species they hear and general number of frogs calling. A number of routes have yet to be assigned in Delaware, particularly in Sussex and Kent counties.

An orientation meeting will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 10 at the St. Jones Reserve in Dover, with a training CD and other information to be provided. Potential volunteers need to have a car, access to the internet and be willing to conduct surveys along a roadside at night. After volunteers learn the calls of Delaware’s 16 frog species, they conduct three nighttime surveys between February and July each year. Each survey takes between two to three hours, not including drive time to the start point. This is a long-term project and is best suited for volunteers who are able to commit to conducting surveys for at least a few years.

To find out more about volunteering for DAMP, please contact Vickie Henderson or Lauren Johnson, Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife, at 302-735-8651 or via e-mail Vickie.Henderson@state.de.us or Lauren.Johnson@state.de.us. Preregistration for the orientation is encouraged but not required. Information is also available by visiting the national project website, www.pwrc.usgs.gov/naamp/.

DAMP was started in 1997 and is part of the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (NAAMP), which helps to coordinate similar efforts in other states and provinces. The program is funded by donations to the Nongame and Endangered Species Fund on the Delaware state income tax form. You can donate all or a portion of your state tax refund to keep frogs singing in Delaware.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) report issued earlier this week has concluded that the eastern subspecies of the cougar is extinct; however, this has no bearing on cougars in Michigan, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment said today.

“The USFWS has determined the eastern cougar to be extinct, and this has no bearing on cougars in Michigan,” said DNRE Wildlife Chief Russ Mason. “The cougars present in Michigan are dispersing from the Dakotas, where the nearest established population exists.”

The report was a routine review of status of the cougar species. The review included the most recent genetics, ecology and sightings of this subspecies. Because no evidence for the subspecies could be found, the status review determined that the subspecies is extinct and recommended its status be changed from endangered to extinct.

The status review does not change the status of cougars in Michigan, which would occur as a federal rule change at some time in the future. For more information on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report.

Cougars were originally native to Michigan, but were extirpated from Michigan around the turn of the century. The last known wild cougar taken in the state occurred in 1906 near Newberry.

“There is little agreement among cougar researchers as to the number of separate subspecies, and whether to separate them by genetics or appearance,” said Christopher Hoving, DNRE endangered species coordinator. “The eastern cougar (Puma concolor couguar) was known to occur only in the Lower Peninsula. A separate subspecies was described in the Upper Peninsula and Wisconsin, called Puma concolor shorgeri. Other subspecies of cougar exist in the western United States, where populations continue to grow and expand eastward. However, many researchers now consider all cougars in North America to be one subspecies.”

Regardless of subspecies, DNRE biologists have verified five sets of tracks and two trail camera pictures of cougars in the Upper Peninsula since 2008. These sightings probably represent dispersing cats from western populations.

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report has little effect on cougar conservation in Michigan because the entire species is listed, regardless of subspecies,” Hoving said. “All wild cougars in Michigan will remain state endangered until the population is viable and self-sustaining.”

For more information on cougars in Michigan, visit the DNRE website at www.michigan.gov/cougars. The website contains an online observation form to use to report sightings. Sightings with physical evidence, such as tracks or pictures, are most useful in verifying a potential cougar sighting.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment is committed to the conservation, protection, management, and accessible use and enjoyment of the state’s environment, natural resources, and related economic interests for current and future generations. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/dnre.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are seeking information regarding a wolf poaching case in Luce County.

The wolf was found south of Newberry on Friday, Feb. 11, and had died of an apparent gunshot wound.

A reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the subject or subjects involved. Anyone with information is asked to call the Report All Poaching hotline at 800-292-7800, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or to contact their local DNRE office or conservation officer. Information may be left anonymously.

The maximum penalty for poaching a wolf is 90 days in jail or a fine of up to $1,000, or both, plus reimbursement of $1,500 to the state for killing an endangered species. Poaching convictions also usually include a suspension of hunting privileges for a period of three years.

Wolves are a federally protected species in Michigan and cannot legally be killed except in the defense of human life. For more information on wolves in Michigan, go to www.michigan.gov/wolves.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment is committed to the conservation, protection, management, and accessible use and enjoyment of the state’s environment, natural resources, and related economic interests for current and future generations. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/dnre

This bald eagle, injured from a gunshot, was rescued in Genesee County's Gaines Township on Feb. 17. DNRE officials are seeking information about the shooting.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Several DNRE employees led the team that rescued an injured bald eagle in Genesee County’s Gaines Township last Thursday. Medical examination and x-rays revealed that the eagle has been shot, and DNRE officials are seeking information about the shooting.

The eagle was recovered on the Gaines Township/Argentine Township line near Ray and Van Vleet Roads. It likely did not fly far from the location it was shot.

“We urge anyone who knows anything about this shooting to help us find whoever is responsible,” said DNRE Law Enforcement Chief Gary Hagler. “The injured eagle was rescued thanks to a call from a concerned citizen, and we hope others step forward with information that leads to the arrest of the person who shot one of our national emblems.”

Anyone with information pertaining to this investigation is encouraged to call the DNRE’s Report All Poaching (RAP) line at 800-292-7800. Information can be provided anonymously. Those providing information leading to an arrest and conviction are eligible for a cash reward funded by the Game and Fish Protection Fund. An online form to report poaching violations is available on the DNRE’s Web site at www.michigan.gov/conservationofficers.

Last week, a Genesee County resident contacted the local DNRE office after he spotted the injured bald eagle near his property. DNRE wildlife biologists Julie Oakes and Jon Curtis, along with Conservation Officer Mark Papineau, responded and located the bald eagle, a male estimated to be approximately five years old. Despite its broken wing, the eagle was still very mobile and eluded capture.

The DNRE called upon several individuals with expertise in birds of prey, including sport falconer Jeff Alkire, wildlife rehabilitator Dave Hogan, and Bonnie VanDam and Tom Schneider, avian experts from the Detroit Zoo. With their assistance, the bald eagle was successfully rescued and turned over to Hogan, who examined it and discovered it had been shot.

“We want to thank the team that helped us rescue this majestic bird,” said Hagler. “We hope that it can be rehabilitated and returned to the wild.”

Bald eagles first received federal and state protection in Michigan in 1940 and 1954, respectively. They continue to be protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and the Michigan Endangered Species Protection law. Under these laws, a person may not kill, harass, disturb or otherwise harm bald eagles.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment is committed to the conservation, protection, management, and accessible use and enjoyment of the state’s environment, natural resources, and related economic interests for current and future generations. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/dnre.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Those who buy hunting, fishing and ORV licenses and snowmobile trail permits online will soon see improvements to the E-License system (www.mdnr-elicense.com), as the Department of Natural Resources and Environment begins revamping the license-buying experience with upgrades to E-License.

The DNRE – in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget and in partnership with HP Enterprise Services – is upgrading E-License’s hardware and software to modernize the 16-year-old license-buying system. Starting with the new license year on March 1, improvements to the system’s look and feel will include easy-to-read onscreen displays, item selection layout grouped by species with expandable categories, larger font and compatibility with currently available readers for the visually impaired.

“These enhancements are part of our renewed focus on improving customer service, and will make it easier for the online user to quickly find a license or application. The behind-the-scenes upgrades will enable us to deliver licenses reliably to Michigan citizens well into the future,” said Department of Natural Resources Director-Designate Rodney Stokes. “We had the first automated license-buying system in the U.S. when we launched the current system in 1995, and now it’s time to renovate it with new technology.”

Online buying on E-License will be unavailable on the morning of Feb. 24 and will resume at noon that day. Customers will be able to buy licenses at any retail agent without interruption.

“This is an important first step in making it easier for our customers to get out and enjoy Michigan’s natural resources, and we have many more improvements planned over the next five years,” said Stokes. “Next up are improvements to license-buying hardware and software in our retail locations.”

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment is committed to the conservation, protection, management, and accessible use and enjoyment of the state’s environment, natural resources and related economic interests for current and future generations. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/dnre.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources and Environment announced today that a Saginaw- based railroad company will reimburse $274,209 to the state and other agencies for fire suppression costs and damages resulting from wildfires occurring along its rail tracks in April of 2008.

The Four Mile fire – the largest among those for which the Attorney General brought charges — threatened the city of Grayling, burned several structures and charred 1,300 surrounding acres. That wildfire also closed Interstate 75 and cut off power to much of the area.

Lake State Railway pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of operating equipment without a spark arrestor in both Arenac and Crawford counties. A more serious charge of willfully setting fires was dismissed. Judges in each county imposed fines which together totaled $1,250 and placed Lake State on probation for one year while also ordering them to follow fire prevention guidelines laid out in a plan designed to reduce the chances wildfires will occur through future railway operations.

“We are pleased with the outcome,” said Lynne Boyd, chief of DNRE’s Forest Management Division Chief “Each fire department and police agency responding to the Four Mile fire will recover their costs. The DNRE will receive compensation of $155,000 in suppression expenses and $76,000 for a destroyed vehicle and timber damaged on state land.”

Boyd went on to point out the importance of the wildfire prevention plan, saying, “The preventive actions agreed to include a number of measures which will reduce the risk of wildfires starting along the railroad tracks.” She added, “Lake State Railway has shown an increased dedication to preventing wildfires by implementing many portions of the plan even prior to the courts’ final rulings.”

A separate civil case against Lake State involving additional private property damage is still pending in Crawford County.

For more information about wildfires in Michigan, including prevention tips and information, go to www.michigan.gov/firemanagement.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment is committed to the conservation, protection, management, and accessible use and enjoyment of the state’s environment, natural resources, and related economic interests for current and future generations. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/dnre.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources and Environment will once again offer a cooperative funding program designed to support deer habitat improvement projects in the Upper Peninsula, DNRE officials announced today.

Now in its third year, the Deer Habitat Improvement Partnership Initiative fosters cooperative projects between non-government organizations and the DNRE that will enhance habitat for white-tailed deer.

The initiative is funded by the state’s Deer Range Improvement Program (DRIP), and in 2011, a total of $50,000 will be made available through a competitive application process. Proposals for deer habitat improvement projects in the Upper Peninsula seeking from $2,000 to $10,000 in cooperative funding will be considered.

Organizations, either independent or affiliated with larger groups, with a formal mission to promote wildlife conservation and/or hunting, will be eligible to apply for the cooperative funding. While the habitat improvement projects can take place on privately-owned land, Commercial Forest Act-enrolled land, or other non-state-owned land, projects that provide public access through foot traffic will be prioritized. Representatives of sportsmen’s groups or conservation organizations are encouraged to contact their local DNRE wildlife biologist for help in developing acceptable projects.

“There are three primary goals applicants should strive to meet,” said DNRE wildlife biologist and DHIPI coordinator Bill Scullon. “The projects should produce tangible deer habitat improvements, build long-term partnerships between the DNRE and sportsmen’s clubs or other groups, and be good candidates for publicity and showcasing to the public.”

In 2010, six deer habitat improvement projects were funded in the Upper Peninsula. The projects included the planting of red oak seedlings in Gogebic and Mackinac counties; small clover plot plantings on 50 acres in Delta and Menominee counties; wildlife orchard plantings in Dickinson County; rehabilitation of an historic wildlife opening with clovers and other forage in Ontonagon County; and 300 acres planted with 50,000 red oak seedlings in Alger and Schoolcraft Counties.

“These deer habitat improvement projects are good examples of how sportsmen’s clubs and other organizations can help improve or create vital deer habitat in their local area, while working with the DNRE’s wildlife biologists to make sure the best available science is utilized,” Scullon said.

Project applications are due by March 31, and successful applicants will be notified by April 15. Proposed projects will be evaluated and competitively scored on a range of criteria by a multi-disciplinary selection committee. For an application package, contact Scullon at 906-353-6651, by email at scullonh@michigan.gov, or at the DNRE Baraga Operations Service Center, 427 US Hwy 41, Baraga, MI, 49908.

The DRIP, begun in 1971, is funded with a $1.50 allocation from each deer license sold, except for senior licenses, equaling $2.2 to $2.8 million in funding annually. For more information about deer management in Michigan, go online to www.michigan.gov/deer.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment is committed to the conservation, protection, management, and accessible use and enjoyment of the state’s environment, natural resources and related economic interests for current and future generations. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/dnre.

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

MILFORD, Delaware --(Ammoland.com)- DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement agents assisting Delaware State Police in an accident investigation on Dec. 26 arrested a Milford man on charges of hunting and weapons violations.

Gary M. Messick Jr., age 28, of Milford, was arrested and charged with three counts of possession of a firearm/ammunition by a person prohibited and four counts of possessing unlawfully taken waterfowl. Three shotguns were seized as evidence.

Messick pled not guilty to the charges in Justice of the Peace Court No. 3 in Georgetown and was released on $7,500 unsecured bond pending trial in Superior Court.

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

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

Delaware --(Ammoland.com)- DNREC Fish and Wildlife Enforcement agents this week arrested two Dover men in separate incidents on hunting-related violations.

On Oct. 10, Robert Burns, age 28, of 6032 Center Road, Dover, was arrested and charged with hunting without a license, trespassing to hunt and not wearing required hunter orange.

Burns pled guilty to all charges and was fined at Justice of the Peace Court 6 in Harrington.

On Oct. 13, John L. Flick, age 39, of 13 Turning Leaf Court, Dover, was arrested and charged with providing hunting guide services without a license.

Flick pled guilty to the charge and was fined at Justice of the Peace Court 3 in Georgetown.

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

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

Wolves in Michigan One Step Closer to State Management

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) today announced the results of an initial review of petitions they received to remove grey wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan from the federal endangered species list, saying the information in the petitions may warrant delisting species.

This finding was in response to petitions submitted in spring 2010 by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Safari Club International. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE) supported these petitions, and DNRE Wildlife Division officials are pleased that the USFWS has moved one step closer to removing wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan from the list of endangered species.

The recovery goals established by the USFWS have been met since 1999, and the current wolf population in Michigan and Wisconsin exceeds the recovery goal by more than 10 times.

“Wolves are fully recovered in the Great Lakes region and we urge the USFWS to move forward in a deliberate process to delist wolves,” said DNRE Director Rebecca Humphries.

The wolf remains federally endangered, but this finding is an important step in toward delisting, Humphries said. The next step after this 90-day finding will be a full status review by USFWS. The full status review will determine whether delisting is warranted or not. Over the next 60 days, the DNRE will provide scientific data regarding Michigan’s wolf population to the USFWS to help support delisting.

A similar series of events occurred after Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota petitioned the USFWS to delist in 2006. A full status review determined that delisting was warranted, and the wolf was removed from the list in 2007. Federal courts overturned the delisting and the wolf was placed back on the list in 2008.

“Since the 2008 we have learned more about wolves in Michigan,” said Chris Hoving, DNRE’s endangered species coordinator. “The next delisting effort will incorporate the most recent science on the genetics, distribution and number of wolves in the Great Lakes.”

For more information on wolves in Michigan, go to www.michigan.gov/wolves.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment is committed to the conservation, protection, management, and accessible use and enjoyment of the state’s environment, natural resources, and related economic interests for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnre.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources and Environment today announced it will offer free eight-hour basic archery instructor (BAI) courses for physical education teachers who wish to join the DNRE’s Archery in the Schools program.

Archery in the Schools introduces international-style target archery to students in 4th- through 12th-grade physical education classes.

The in-school curriculum’s core content covers archery history, safety, technique, equipment, mental concentration and self-improvement. To date, more than 400 schools across Michigan have implemented the program.

Classes are scheduled for the following dates and locations:

• Hartland Middle School at Ore Creek, Livingston County
  8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  Sept. 18, Oct. 16, Nov. 13 and Dec. 18
  Contact: Robert Jellison, 248-877-5883
• Waverly Middle School, Eaton County
  8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  Sept. 18, Oct. 2 & 23, Nov. 6 & 13 and Dec. 4 & 11
  Contact: Michelle DeBrabander, 517-321-7240 x 2224
• Eisenhower School, Genesee County
  8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  Oct. 16, Nov. 20 and Dec. 18
  Contact: Mike Maienbrook, 810-240-4622
• Gaylord Family Fellowship, Otsego County
  8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  Sept. 16, Oct. 21 and Dec. 9
  Contact: Mark Copeland, 989-705-1339
• Rockford Sportsman’s Club, Kent County
  8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  Sept. 14 and Dec. 5
  Contact: Jeff DeRegnaucourt, 616-977-7750
• Portage Central Middle School, Kalamazoo County
  8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  Oct. 2, Nov 6 & 13 and Dec. 11
  Contact: John Dunlop, 269-323-5665
• Location TBD, Delta County
  9 a.m.-5 p.m.
  Oct. 16
  Contact: Erick and Karen Kestila, 906-786-0957

“Target archery is a safe sport, in which students of all skill levels can be successful regardless of age, size or physical ability,” said Mary Emmons, coordinator for the Archery in the Schools program.

“Incorporating archery as a school sport choice in the physical education curriculum creates an opportunity to engage students who otherwise may not participate in traditional athletics, and it is an individual sport they can enjoy throughout their lifetime.”

For more information on Archery in the Schools, contact Mary Emmons at 517-241-9477 or emmonsm@michigan.gov. Information is also available at www.michigan.gov/dnrarchery.

Additionally, the DNRE is offering archery equipment grants to schools – both public and private – that enroll in the Archery in the Schools program.

The DNRE is committed to the conservation, protection, management, and accessible use and enjoyment of the state’s environment, natural resources and related economic interests for current and future generations. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/dnre.

Coyote Sightings Increase

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

Delaware --(Ammoland.com)- Just 10 years ago, the First State had very few – if any – resident coyotes. Even now, coyotes remain rare, so rare that even Delawareans who spend a lot of time outdoors probably will not encounter one. However, the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife has documented that these animals can now be found in each of Delaware’s three counties.

Because of this, residents are no longer being asked to report sightings to the Division.

“In the past, we have asked people to contact us if the saw an animal they believed to be a coyote. These sightings helped us document their distribution but now that we know they are here, we do not need sighting reports from the public,” said Joe Rogerson, Deer and Furbearer Biologist.

Coyotes resemble medium-sized dogs, with erect pointed ears, a long, slender muzzle and a bushy tail held low to the ground. Typically, they are brownish or reddish gray with a lighter-colored belly and rusty ears and legs, weighing between 20 and 50 pounds. Highly adaptable to change and able to thrive in suburban as well as rural areas, these opportunistic predator-scavengers will eat practically anything, from garbage to small mammals, berries and even deer on some occasions.

As with all wild animals, Rogerson urges residents to use caution if they do spot a coyote in their area. “Remember, all wild animals are unpredictable and caution is the watchword when they are around. If you want a closer look, use binoculars and observe from a distance. Never put food out to lure them closer. Nearly all bites or attacks occur when people attempt to feed wild animals or to treat them like domestic animals,” Rogerson said. “The chances of being attacked by a domestic dog are approximately one million times greater than being attacked by a coyote. In a given year, there are usually fewer than five coyote attacks on humans across the entire United States, and no one has ever reported a coyote attack on a person in Delaware.”

To make your property less appealing to coyotes, take the following steps:

• Do not leave food outside, and eliminate standing sources of water.
• Elevate bird feeders so that coyotes can’t reach them. Coyotes are attracted by bread, table scraps, and even seed. They may also be attracted by the birds and rodents that come to feeders.
• Put all food waste in secure garbage containers.
• Keep pets safely confined and provide secure nighttime housing for them.
• Discourage coyotes from “cohabitating” with humans. If you see them around your home, chase them away by shouting, making loud noises or throwing rocks.

For information or questions concerning coyotes in Delaware, please contact Joe Rogerson, Wildlife Section, at 302-735-3600, or visit http://www.fw.delaware.gov/Hunting/Pages/Coyotes.aspx .

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

Delaware --(AmmoLand.com)- Over the last two decades, more than 3,000 Delawareans of all ages have joined the Delaware Adopt-A-Wetland Program to care for thousands of acres of our state’s treasured wetlands. On Saturday, May 8, DNREC staff and some of those adopters gathered at the site of the program’s 100th adoption in Frederica to celebrate the continuing success of Adopt-A-Wetland.

“The Delaware Adopt-A-Wetland Program began as a way to encourage grassroots environmental stewardship in our communities to help care for one of Delaware’s most vital natural resources. It was developed to increase public awareness about the many benefits our wetlands provide and to enlist volunteers to help monitor and protect them for the future. Today, the program is one of DNREC’s great success stories, and a wonderful example of what a public-private partnership can achieve,” said DNREC Deputy Secretary David Small.

Delaware Adopt-A-Wetland Program

Delaware Adopt-A-Wetland got its start in the late 1980s as the inspiration of a retired chemist and small farmer named Dot White. Concerned about the impact of her farm on the environment, Ms. White drew on her scientific background to research the best way to reduce that impact – and discovered the importance of wetlands.

Wetlands maintain and improve water quality by removing chemicals, filtering sediments and absorbing organic pollutants. These areas between land and water also control flooding by absorbing excess water; hold water in times of drought; stabilize soil with marsh plant roots to reduce erosion; provide habitat and breeding grounds for fish, birds and other animals; provide us with a rich harvest of products, from timber and salt hay to food gathered from hunting, fishing, crabbing and trapping; and offer recreational opportunities such as canoeing, kayaking, hiking, birdwatching and photography.

Ms. White launched her idea in 1989 with the adoption of a site at Records Pond near Laurel by a local school and soon gained the support of DNREC to start the Adopt-A-Wetland program. Since then, individuals and families, youth groups such as schools, scout troops and 4-H, service clubs and organizations, homeowners associations, and businesses of all sizes have adopted wetlands. The program’s 100th adoption, of a wetland on the edge of the town of Frederica, was made by a group of DNREC employees in the Division of Water Resources’ Subaqueous Lands Section.

Adopters may apply with a site in mind or ask that one be chosen for them. With guidance and support from the AAW Program, adopter activities can include cleanups, trail work, plantings and restoration work, plant and animal surveys, wildlife and bird watching, erecting nest boxes, monitoring water quality, removing invasive plants, monitoring reptiles, amphibians, fish and other invertebrates, habitat enhancement projects and more.

To learn more about the Adopt-A-Wetland Program and how you can adopt a wetland, please contact Program Coordinator Marlene Mervine at 302-735-8652 or email marlene.mervine@state.de.us.

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

DOVER, Delaware --(AmmoLand.com)- The Delaware Association of Conservation Districts (DACD) presented House Speaker Robert F. Gilligan, D-Sherwood Park, with the Association’s Legislative Award on Jan. 13.

The award is presented annually to a legislator for outstanding service, loyalty and devotion to conservation efforts in the state of Delaware. Representative Gilligan has been a member of the House of Representatives since 1972.

During his 37 years as an elected official he has had an ongoing relationship with the New Castle Conservation District (NCCD). He has worked closely with the District to install conservation practices for constituents. He has been a long-time supporter of and provided funding for collaborative urban and community stormwater management and drainage projects by the NCCD, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), New Castle County and the Department of Transportation.

Representative Gilligan has served as the House representative on the Joint Finance Committee and as Chair of the Bond Bill Committee. He has been a leading advocate of state funding for the state Conservation Cost-Share Program, the Tax Ditch Program and the 21st Century Fund RC&D appropriation. During the past three years he has provided funding in excess of $278,000 for numerous conservation projects in New Castle County.

Throughout his career, he has always made it a priority to promote conservation. Representative Gilligan’s leadership and support have produced countless changes in public policy that have benefited not only his constituents, but Delaware as a whole. Because of the commitment and support of legislators such as Representative Gilligan, Delaware’s three conservation districts can continue their efforts in conjunction with their partners and landowners to conserve Delaware’s precious natural resources.

“As a member of the Board of Supervisors for the New Castle Conservation District, I know firsthand of Speaker Gilligan’s strong support for Conservation Districts and the environment. I was honored to present Representative Gilligan with the DACD Legislative Award on behalf of our Association,” DACD Vice President Paul Morrill Jr. said. “The continued support of legislators is critical to getting conservation work done in Delaware. We are very fortunate to have his support.”

Past recipients of this DACD award include Senators David McBride, Thurman Adams, Jr., Nancy Cook, and Gary Simpson and Representatives Bobby Quillen (deceased) and George Carey.

The DACD is a statewide organization for the supervisors of the State’s three conservation districts. DACD is a voluntary, non-profit alliance which provides a forum for discussion and coordination among the state’s Conservation Districts as they work to ensure the wise use and treatment of our natural resources.

For more information about the Delaware Association of Conservation Districts, please call 302-739-9921.

Delaware Bald Eagles

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

DOVER, Del - –(AmmoLand.com)- In past years, the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife’s annual Mid-Winter Bald Eagle Survey – conducted as part of a nationwide survey – has found fewer than 40 birds in the state.

However, in the just-completed 2010 survey, DNREC Wildlife Biologist Anthony Gonzon tallied a record 120 bald eagles – 77 adults and 43 immature birds, including resident nesting birds as well as winter visitors. The survey also located two new eagle nests, increasing the number of eagle territories in Delaware to 60.

“The Division had been receiving recent reports from the public of up to 40 eagles in one place at one time, and the numbers we observed during the mid-winter flight further support that Delaware can be a great place for bald eagles during the winter,” said Gonzon. He also noted that the actual number of bald eagles currently in Delaware could be higher, as more eagles are likely overwintering in parts of western Sussex County and north of the C&D Canal in New Castle County, both areas not covered by the survey.

Federally de-listed as an endangered species by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 2007, bald eagles remain listed as endangered in Delaware. Although they are not as rare as in the last century, bald eagles continue to face many threats such as disturbance, pollutants and habitat loss. Coordinated through the United States Geological Survey and the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the mid-winter survey produces data that allows state and federal agencies to examine population trends in our national bird.

During the winter, Delaware is second home for some bald eagles whose breeding grounds are farther north. These visitors come south to take advantage of food resources ranging from fish to carrion that may not be as plentiful in their northern territories in the winter. Because many birds will feed on road-killed animals and may not perceive the threat of an oncoming vehicle, winter can be a dangerous time.

“In October 2009, a bald eagle was struck and killed by car while feeding along a roadside near Seaford, so motorists need to be especially aware of their possible presence on the roadways,” Gonzon said.

In January, Delaware’s resident bald eagles are conducting nest maintenance, preparing to nest and defending their nesting territories from the northern invaders and each other. Once numbering as few as two to four nesting pairs during the 1980s, bald eagles continue to rebound in Delaware, largely due to federal protections.

Delaware’s mid-winter survey also marks the beginning of the Division’s annual nest monitoring program. From January through May, the Division conducts monthly aerial surveys of all known bald eagle nest sites. In 2009, the Division monitored 56 active bald eagle nesting territories in Delaware.

“In these territories, 48 eagle pairs attempted nesting and successfully raised 60 young. That was nine fewer than 2008 when Delaware’s eagles produced an astounding 69 young,” Gonzon noted. “During the mid-winter survey, we observed a number of our birds that are already close to laying the first eggs of 2010,” he added.

With the high number of wintering and resident bald eagles, Delawareans could potentially see a bald eagle perched in a tree or soaring high overhead in many locations throughout the state. As part of the annual monitoring program, the Division encourages citizens to report such sightings to help track our resident bald eagles and locate possible new nest sites.

Here are some tips for reporting bald eagle sightings:

• Note the number of eagles observed and whether each eagle is an adult or immature.
• Adults display the distinctive completely white heads and tails. Immature bald eagles have mostly brown heads and tails, often with some white on their breasts and bellies, as well as under the wings.
• Note what the eagle is doing. Is it flying or sitting? Is it carrying something or eating on the ground?
• If the bald eagle is flying, please note the direction that it flew from and the direction in which it was headed.
• Note the time, date and location of the observation. Use nearest towns and intersections or prominent landmarks as reference points (for example, on Route 6, a half mile west of the intersection with Route 9).
• If you believe you have located a bald eagle nest, please contact the Division as soon as possible. Please do not approach nesting eagles, as some pairs may be highly disturbed by innocent spectators.

The Division of Fish and Wildlife also receives many calls about possibly injured eagles, often sitting in fields or yards for long periods of time. In most cases, the eagles are perfectly healthy. Bald eagles may remain in a single location for hours as they recover from a territorial battle with other adult eagles or as they feed, rest and conserve energy.

“These are large, strong birds that are capable of injuring a would-be rescuer, so we encourage the public not to approach or attempt to capture any potentially injured eagle. Instead, observe the bird from a distance and note whether it appears to be in distress or having difficulty flying, before contacting someone with the proper training to help,” Gonzon said.

To report observations, potential nests or possible injuries, or to ask other questions, please contact Wildlife Biologist Anthony Gonzon, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, at 302-653-2880, or by email at anthony.gonzon@state.de.us.

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

Sussex County, Delaware --(AmmoLand.com)- The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, in collaboration with the University of Delaware, will begin research projects on white-tailed deer and wild turkey this month, focusing on Redden State Forest and surrounding areas in Sussex County.

During the month of January 2010, deer hunting on Redden’s Jester and Townsend tracts will be prohibited. Hunting activities on Redden State Forest for the 2010-2011 hunting season should remain unchanged.

The purpose of the deer study is to fill information gaps about habitat use, survival and movement of deer in Delaware. This research will help the Division more effectively manage our deer population in a manner that addresses concerns related to agricultural production and public safety, while still providing for the recreational enjoyment of this popular wildlife species.

“White-tailed deer are an important species in Delaware because of their popularity for hunting and wildlife viewing. However, due to issues such as crop damage, habitat degradation and the potential for deer/vehicle collisions, we must manage Delaware’s deer herd at appropriate levels,” said Deer Biologist Joe Rogerson.

The reintroduction of the wild turkey back into Delaware, nearly 200 hundred years after it became locally extinct, remains one of the Division’s greatest success stories. Today, the popularity of turkey hunting in Delaware continues to grow and consecutive record harvests have been reported for the last three years, noted Wildlife Biologist Matt DiBona.

“To maintain public demand for quality hunting experiences while ensuring the long-term health and sustainability of wild turkeys in Delaware, we will be collecting scientific data on turkey survival and reproduction within the state,” DiBona said. “This project will help identify potential factors limiting turkey population growth and will provide management strategies for maintaining and increasing wild turkey abundance in Delaware.”

For maps of Redden State Forest, including the location of the Jester and Townsend Tracts, please visit http://www.dda.delaware.gov/forestry/maps.shtml.

For more information, please contact Matt DiBona or Joe Rogerson at 302-735-3600.

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

Delaware - -(AmmoLand.com)- The DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Harbor Reserve, a DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife facility, today announced its new winter hours. Beginning Dec. 1 and continuing through March 1, 2010, the center will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Perched on the edge of Mispillion Harbor at the intersection of the mouths of the Mispillion River and Cedar Creek, the center offers a variety of interactive exhibits, school tours and educational programs. In the spring, its location offers wildlife watchers a front-row seat for the spring spectacle of spawning horseshoe crabs and migrating shorebirds including the red knot that depend on horseshoe crab eggs to help fuel their 9,000-mile journey.

Several special programs are on the calendar this winter:

• What’s the Reason They’re Not Freezin’? (hibernation and migration) – 11 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2010
• Shorebird Identification 101 – 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24
• What Lives in a Shell? – 11 a.m. to noon, Saturday, March 6
• Barbels, Scutes and Caviar: Learn About the Atlantic Sturgeon – 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 10
• Programs are offered free of charge with no preregistration required.

The center is located at 2992 Lighthouse Road, east of Milford. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information about the DuPont Nature Center and its programs, please call 302-422-1329 or visit www.dupontnaturecenter.org.

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

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

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

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

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

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

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

GUMBORO, Del. –-(AmmoLand.com)- State officials joined representatives from local charities today to highlight the Delaware Sportsmen Against Hunger program and to thank the Quality Deer Management Association and Sussex County Council for funding the purchase of a walk-in cooler for donated deer at the Gumboro Community Center.

“Delaware Sportsmen Against Hunger is a small program with big benefits – it helps feed those less fortunate, provides job training and benefits wildlife. With a public-private partnership between state agencies and hunters, charitable groups and butcher shops, Sportsmen Against Hunger provided nearly 115,000 meals to Delawareans in need last year alone,” said Patrick J. Emory, director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Since its formation in 1992 by a coalition of sporting groups with DNREC as the primary sponsor, Delaware Sportsmen Against Hunger has distributed more than 270,000 pounds of venison – more than one million meals – to Delaware families in need. This year, 24 charitable organizations located throughout the state are signed up to receive venison through the program.

Hunters are the key to the program, as they donate extra deer they harvest. Field-dressed, registered deer can be dropped off at one of eight coolers located throughout the state. Division of Fish and Wildlife staff check coolers periodically; however, hunters are asked to call the phone number on the cooler when dropping off a deer to ensure that it will be picked up and processed in a timely manner.

Deer are transported from the coolers to the Sussex Community Corrections Center in Georgetown, where the Department of Correction operates a venison processing center for DSAH donations.

Since joining DNREC in support of the Sportsmen Against Hunger Program in 2005, the corrections facility has processed more than 1,000 deer into 34,469 pounds of venison, including 7,216 pounds last year and 2,700 pounds so far this year. Offenders involved in the venison processing program are serving sentences in the facility’s Violation of Probation Center. Nearly 50 so far have completed 40 hours of training in basic butcher shop operations and meat processing.

Another positive aspect of the program is that the opportunity to donate extra deer to a good cause encourages hunters to harvest additional deer. Increasing the deer harvest in turn supports deer management, helping to keep herds at a manageable size.

In 2006, Delaware Sportsmen Against Hunger had a record year: hunters donated 44,500 pounds, equal to 175,000 meals. Donations were down last year, with 28,731 pounds.

“We wish Delaware hunters great success during the 2009-2010 deer season, and we look forward to their participation in Sportsmen Against Hunger,” Emory said.

DNREC’s eight walk-in coolers are located at the Augustine Wildlife Area in Port Penn, New Castle County; Woodland Beach Wildlife Area east of Smyrna and Norman G. Wilder Wildlife Area near Viola in Kent County; and five locations in Sussex: Fish and Wildlife’s Mosquito Control Office in Milford, Redden State Forest Headquarters near Georgetown, Assawoman Wildlife Area near Bethany Beach, Trap Pond State Park in Laurel and the Gumboro Community Center.

Hunters may also take their deer to one of nine participating private butcher shops throughout the state. They can choose to donate an entire deer or just a portion of their harvest. Monetary donations are also accepted to help cover processing costs.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Wayne Lehman at 302-284-1077 in New Castle and Kent counties, or in Sussex contact Rob Gano at 302-539-3160. For brochures, contact Michael Friel at 302-836-2541. Organizations interested in receiving donated venison may call 302-739-9912.

For additional information on the Sportsmen Against Hunger Program, including the list of butcher shops that process venison for the Sportsmen Against Hunger Program, please visit www.fw.delaware.gov/Hunting/Pages/SportsmenAgainstHunger.aspx.

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