Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

OLYMPIA, Washington --(Ammoland.com)- The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted a variety of new sportfishing rules and increased the number of multiple-season hunting permits for deer and elk issued each year during a public meeting here Feb. 3-4.

The commission, a nine-member citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), adopted new fishing rules for the 2012-13 season that will:

• Close fishing early for steelhead and other game fish in several river systems in Puget Sound and along the Strait of Juan de Fuca to protect wild steelhead. The early closures, ranging from mid-January to mid-February of 2013, apply to the Nooksack, Skagit, Stillaguamish, Snohomish, Green and Puyallup river systems, along with several streams along the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The proposal also includes closing the upper section of the Samish River on Dec. 1 and the lower section Jan. 1 to fishing for all species.
• Declassify northern pike as a gamefish and allow anglers to fish with two poles on the Pend Oreille River, where the non-native fish have been spreading. Anglers who purchase the required endorsement will also be allowed to use two fishing poles on the lower Spokane River.
• Close fisheries on a number of small coastal streams that drain into Washington’s ocean waters to protect juvenile anadromous fish.
• Change the opening day of the lowland lake fishing season from the last Saturday in April to the fourth Saturday in April.
• Limit sturgeon retention in Puget Sound, as well as its tributaries, to June 1-June 30 and Sept. 1-Oct.15. The new rule is designed to minimize impacts to Columbia River sturgeon that venture into Puget Sound to feed. Under the proposal, catch-and-release fishing will still be allowed year-round.

Summaries of those and other rule changes, as adopted, will be available on the department’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/rule_proposals/ by mid-February. Public comments on the proposed changes were taken by the commission during meetings in December and January.

In other action, the commission increased the number of multiple-season deer and elk permits issued each year to hunters. Those permits, awarded through annual drawings, allow permit-holders to participate in all general hunting seasons for deer and elk.

Without the special permit, hunters must choose among archery, muzzleloader or modern firearm seasons.

The commission approved WDFW’s proposal to increase the number of deer permits from 4,000 currently to 8,500, and the number of elk permits from 850 to 1,250. State wildlife managers have assured the commission that increasing permit levels will expand hunting opportunities without posing a risk to deer and elk populations.

In other business, the commission deferred action on a proposal by WDFW to acquire 165 acres for fish and wildlife habitat in Okanogan County. The commission re-scheduled consideration of the purchase for a conference call Feb. 17 to allow time for further review.

New Jersey Outdoor Alliance

TRENTON, NJ --(Ammoland.com)- Hooked on Fishing not on Drugs (A638), a bill that the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance has made a priority to become law was unanimously approved by the Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee last week.

NJOA (CF) council members present at the hearing and testifying in favor of the bill were New Jersey Outdoor Alliance, Jersey Coast Anglers Association, and New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs. Other groups also testified for the bill, including New Jersey Recreation and Parks Association.

Committee members:

• Albano, Nelson T. (D)
• Clifton, Robert D. (R)
• Wilson, Gilbert L. (D)
• Caride, Marlene (D)
• Dancer, Ronald S. (R)

Bill sponsors:

• Rumpf, Brian E. as Primary Sponsor
• Conaway, Herb, Jr. as Primary Sponsor
• Gove, DiAnne C. as Primary Sponsor
• Albano, Nelson T. as Primary Sponsor
• Wolfe, David W. as Co-Sponsor
• Diegnan, Patrick J., Jr. as Co-Sponsor
• McHose, Alison Littell as Co-Sponsor
• Moriarty, Paul D. as Co-Sponsor
• Chiusano, Gary R. as Co-Sponsor
• Rumana, Scott T. as Co-Sponsor
• Peterson, Erik as Co-Sponsor
• Burzichelli, John J. as Co-Sponsor

Bill A638 (HOFNOD) would establish a program within the Division of Fish and Wildlife to encourage children to avoid drug use. HOFNOD is a nationally recognized program developed by the Future Fisherman Foundation which has operated successfully in over a dozen states.

The program’s funding source would be the Drug Enforcement and Demand Reduction Fund (DEDRF) from which there would be a $200,000 appropriation to support the cost of implementing the program. This is a statutory account established to receive fines and penalties from convicted drug offenders that are used to support State authorized drug and alcohol abuse abatement programs.

Ed Markowski, President of NJOA (EP) and a long-time champion of the bill said, “HOFNOD is a uniquely designed approach to drug prevention among our youth. It is as effective with urban kids as it is with suburban and rural kids. HOFNOD consists of developing positive life skills while providing an appreciation of wildlife and the outdoors with the catalyst being the teaching of angling skills to school-aged children.”

The legislation is scheduled to be heard by Senate Environment and Energy Committee (S178) on Thursday, February 9, 2012. If approved, it would need to be passed by the full Assembly and full Senate to be sent to Governor Christie to be signed into law.

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

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

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Catching poachers and other wildlife violators often involved lengthy criminal investigations and require diligence and dedication on behalf of conservation rangers. Cpl. Michael Crawley, representing Washington and Johnson counties, was named Investigative Ranger of the Year for demonstrating tenacity and excellence in his work, which included a complex case with more than 18 violations in 2011.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division names an Investigative Range of the Year annually.

“I commend Cpl. Crawley for his drive and continued efforts to apprehend violators who damaged our natural resources,” says Col.

Eddie Henderson, chief of law enforcement for Wildlife Resources Division. “His commitment to the investigative work required for this case, as well as continuing to do all other required tasks, shows great multi-tasking skills and dedication.”

Cpl. Crawley’s investigation involved a poaching case in Washington County. The case began with a complaint about trespassing on private property. Assisting Cpl. Crawley was Storm, a canine who helped in the detection of evidence, including an injured deer and tire tracks. Over the next few weeks, Crawley gathered information on the suspected violator, and in January 2011, served the suspect with an arrest warrant.

The poacher was charged with 18 total violations including:

• possession of illegally taken wildlife
• taking game above the bag limit
• violation of a crop damage permit
• additional charges from other agencies.

He was fined $2,500 and loss of hunting privileges for two years.

Other WRD conservation rangers nominated for the award for their outstanding investigative work: Sgt. John VanLandingham, RFC Josh Chambers, Cpl. Lynn Stanford, RFC Tim Hutto and Cpl. Phillip Scott.

The Georgia Chapter of the Safari Club International sponsors this award. For more information about that organization, visit www.gasci.org . For more information about Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement, visit http://georgiawildlife.com/enforcement/law-enforcement-section .

Retired FWP employees, freed from the institutional FWP muzzle, tell that FWP-tolerated wolves are turning the Montana landscape into a biological desert...

Montana Shooting Sports Association

Missoula, MT --(Ammoland.com)- The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks is reported to be running out of money because of decreased hunting license purchases, and is considering asking the Legislature for license fee increases.

This is the first obvious symptom of something known as agency “death spiral” for FWP.

Over the past two decades, FWP has come to focus on wildlife and biology, when it should have been focused on fish and game.

This includes FWP’s shocking tolerance and support for large predators. FWP’s total, willing, even eager cooperation with fostering excessive populations of large predator has long been predicted to end in a financial crash for the agency, as word unavoidably spreads that there is no game left to hunt so there is no reason to buy a license.

For too long, FWP leaders have leaned on the scales of public policy by making excuses for the devastation wrought upon game herds by large predators, by fudging game counts and census numbers, and by blaming any game population declines that could not be covered up on climate change, sunspots, lazy hunters, or aliens – anything but the truth.

This coverup culture has been fostered by senior staff, always near retirement, who knew they’d be long gone from the hot seat when the FWP financial bus blundered off a cliff.

If the overall FWP attitude had not been so Hell-bent on “ecosystem management,” “biological diversity,” “natural balance” and other similar catchy but terminal “green” ideas destined to end hunting, FWP managers would have predicted the current agency financial crisis years ago. Nobody at FWP noticed or cared several years ago when the editor of the NRA’s nationwide American Hunter magazine published a feature article about his fruitless elk hunting trip to southwest Montana, a trip where the only tracks he saw were wolf tracks. Nobody at FWP noticed or cared about the other hundreds of warnings from Montana citizens.

Worse, those warnings were even ridiculed by FWP in mad pursuit of its own elite agenda.

The stock mantra from FWP managers has been: We’re the professionals. We know best. The outcome that concerned citizens predict will never come to pass. The “evidence” of crashing game herds citizens offer is just “campfire stories” and is without merit because it doesn’t come from paid FWP “professionals.”

Yet when retired FWP employees, freed from the institutional FWP muzzle, tell that FWP-tolerated wolves are turning the Montana landscape into a “biological desert,” FWP dismisses such comments summarily.

For the last two decades, FWP has been busy digging a hole for itself. As it sees daylight disappearing around the edges of the hole, it still won’t quit digging.

Of course, the obvious solution for the bureaucratic-bound and reality-disconnected FWP will be to announce,

“We’ve been managing wildlife for the general public (including the non-Montana public) for years. Now we need the general public to pay the bills.”

FWP has so fouled its nest by wasting the Montana hunting resource on predators and inadvisably removing hunters from the economic equation that it will now go to the Legislature asking for relief, including increased fees that hunters simply won’t pay to access a vanishing resource, and, ultimately, asking for tax increases on the general taxpayer seeking a bailout from the results of its bad decisions.

You can bet that when FWP approaches the Legislature demanding an allowance increase as a reward for having flunked Econ 101, MSSA and thousands of Montana hunters will be there to say “Absolutely no way.” FWP has not only ignored the many warnings from Montana hunters, it has mocked and disrespected them. Also ignoring a state law requiring it to control large predators to protect game herds, FWP has bulled its way down a path surrounded with warning signs.

What FWP needs is not more or alternate sources of money, but a total change in attitude and culture. Until that happens, let FWP starve! It is not serving Montana.

About Montana Shooting Sports Association:
MSSA is the primary political advocate for Montana gun owners. Visit: www.mtssa.org

Dallas Ingles of Shadehill Recreation Area

South Dakota Fish, Game & Parks

PIERRE, S.D. --(Ammoland.com)- After 34 years, park manager’s heart will always belong to Shadehill Recreation Area

“All it needed was some improvements,” said Dallas Ingles of Shadehill Recreation Area, recalling his first impressions of the park he was hired to manage in 1977.

In those early days, Shadehill had eight campsites, a vault toilet and dirt roads. Campers even brought their own push mowers to mow their campsites before setting up.

To most, it needed much more than “some improvements.”

But to Ingles it was a dream-come-true.

“Building has always been my thing,” he said modestly.

It’s that legacy that Ingles left Shadehill as he retired earlier this month from the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks after a total 44 years of service.

Shadehill Recreation Area now has 66 electrical campsites, six camping cabins, a comfort station, rental lodge, boat ramps, fish cleaning station and paved roads. Most of the construction work was completed by park staff and the generous support of locals who pitched in. Almost no work was contracted out.

When Ingles started his career, there was very little money for park development.

“I was told that if I wanted any improvements I was going to have to figure it out myself,” he said. “We had to beg, borrow, and improvise somewhat to get things accomplished, but they got done, and it worked out for Shadehill.”

Shadehill is a popular state park are and has many returning visitors.

“There is nothing worse than throwing a party and no one comes. But in all my years, we haven’t had that problem here. People can’t wait to come to this park,” Ingles said.

More than 180,000 people visited Shadehill last year, and the park hosted more than 4,500 camping units.

Shadehill holds a special place in many people’s hearts, just as it does for the man who devoted 34 years of nights, weekends, and holidays to its upkeep and improvement.

“Shadehill Recreation Area has a clean lake, miles of shoreline and picturesque beauty,” Ingles said. “We have an abundance of wildlife, excellent hunting, good fishing and great people to work with. Then you take in the history of the area with its old stage routes, towns, homesteads, and prehistoric remains along the Grand River system. With such diverse recreational opportunities, there is something here for almost everyone.”

Upon retirement, Ingles and his wife, Jan, plan to continue to live in the Shadehill area, travel some, do a little fishing, and perhaps even some camping.

And no, he will not be mowing his own campsite.

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.

Utah DWR officer Josh Carver shows what wildlife officers and volunteers are trying to stop this winter: The illegal killing of mule deer in Utah. This 6x5 buck was shot in Iron County in November.

Utah Division of Natural Resources

Utah --(Ammoland.com)-  This winter, Division of Wildlife Resources conservation officers and members of sportsman’s groups are carrying out the largest winter range patrols ever conducted in the state.

“As Utahns celebrate the holidays and usher in a new year, our officers will be busy protecting the state’s mule deer herds from poachers—thieves who steal wildlife from present and future generations of ethical sportsmen,” says Mike Fowlks, chief of the DWR’s Law Enforcement Section.

“We won’t tolerate deer poaching in Utah,” Fowlks says. “We’re pulling out all the stops and using all the means we have to protect Utah’s deer herds.”

The following are among the things the DWR is doing:

• Patrolling winter ranges at night. Officers are conducting these patrols on land and from the air.
• Conducting saturation patrols that put several DWR officers on the same piece of winter range at the same time.
• Enlisting volunteers from sportsman groups to serve as additional ‘eyes and ears.’

The volunteers patrol the winter ranges. They have the means needed to report what they see and hear directly to the nearest DWR officer.

Patrols are underway across Utah. The patrols will continue through the winter.

Fowlks says most of the on-the-ground and aerial patrolling is focused on areas where deer are most at risk.

“But those aren’t the only areas our officers and volunteers are watching,” Fowlks says. “Far from it. We’re watching winter ranges across the state.”

Fowlks says five areas in Utah are receiving special attention:

• The desert areas on the western side of Utah
• The southwestern corner of the state
• The Paunsaugunt deer unit in southern Utah
• The Henry Mountains unit in southeastern Utah
• The Book Cliffs unit in eastern Utah

Turn-In-a-Poacher hotline
As you travel through Utah’s backcountry this winter, Fowlks encourages you to keep your eyes and ears open. “You don’t have to be part of this patrol effort to make a difference,” Fowlks says. “If you see something suspicious, let us know as soon as possible.”

Utah’s Turn-in-a-Poacher hotline is the most efficient way to contact a DWR officer. The UTiP number is 1-800-662-3337. The hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Winter a critical time
Much of the deer poaching that happens in Utah happens in the winter. And for good reason—winter is the time of year when mule deer are concentrated on their lower elevation winter ranges. The bucks are also less wary because the breeding season is underway or it just finished.

Fowlks says poachers usually target the biggest bucks they can find. In addition to stealing opportunity from legal hunters, taking the bucks can also result in too many deer being taken during hunts that upcoming fall.

Fowlks says DWR biologists count the number of bucks per 100 does in December.

“In December, the deer are bunched together on lower elevation areas where it’s easier to get an accurate count,” he says. “But if poachers kill bucks after the biologists have counted them, the data that’s used to set permit numbers in the spring won’t be correct—it will show more bucks than there actually are. And that can lead to too many hunting permits being issued.”

Poachers take a big toll
So far in 2011, wildlife officers have investigated the illegal killing of 189 mule deer in Utah.

Most of the deer were bucks. The antlers on 22 of the bucks were big enough to place the deer in a trophy category.

“Hunters would haven been thrilled to take any of these bucks,” Fowlks says.

The monetary value of the animals to Utah’s citizens is $242,800.

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

PRATT, KS -–(Ammoland.com)- The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) — the organization that represents North America’s fish and wildlife agencies — has honored the Alexander Ranch of Barber County with the 2011 National Private Lands Fish and Wildlife Stewardship Award.

The award recognizes an individual- or family-run farm, ranch, or forest operation that has incorporated proactive conservation and environmental protection measures into its operation. The Alexander Ranch is owned and operated by Ted, Brian, and Mona Alexander.

The Alexander Ranch became eligible for the national award by winning the 2011 Kansas Wildlife Habitat Conservation Award. The national award program receives one nomination from each of the 56 states and territories represented by AFWA.

“The Alexanders’ decades of dedication to the improvement of native grasslands in an area once over-grazed and degraded by the encroachment of eastern redcedar deserves statewide recognition,” said Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) wildlife biologist Chris Berens, who nominated the Alexander Ranch for the award. “Their management efforts created a diverse grassland that benefits livestock and a wide variety of wildlife species.”

The ranch covers more than 7,000 acres and has flourished as a custom grazing operation for the past 27 years. Partnering with several agencies, the Alexanders have leveraged resources to optimize the land’s environmental capabilities. Through these partnerships, the ranch operated on a rotational grazing system with three grazing cells, each split into many smaller paddocks, allowing 40-45 days post-grazing recovery time for the grass in each paddock. However, in the past two years, the Alexander Ranch experimented with a higher stocking rate, higher stock density, and herd impact along with a shorter grazing seasons — resulting in longer periods of grass recovery — which seems to be a success.

Additionally, a cooperative effort with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and KDWPT was key to many of the accomplishments on the ranch, which is home to several wildlife and aquatic species considered at-risk or in need of conservation. This partnership helped the Alexanders interseed forbs on old cropland acres previously converted to native grass, enhance water developments, restore riparian areas, and expand the grazing system.

The ranch has also entered into a “Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances” with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. This voluntary agreement guarantees to address the conservation needs of a species before they become listed as endangered or threatened by specifying actions that will remove or reduce threats to the species.

“Any number of landowners could have won the National Private Lands Fish and Wildlife Stewardship Award based solely on habitat enhancements and other stewardship accomplishments on their ranches,” said Berens. “However, it’s the off-the-ranch activities that make the Alexanders stand out.”

One of the most notable is their willingness to share what they have learned throughout the years with other ranchers, either through one-on-one mentoring or through one of the many conservation organizations to which Ted and Brian belong or serve on the boards. Additionally, they have opened their ranch to training opportunities for public, state, and federal agency staff and have allowed many university students to conduct wildlife research, including the interaction of wildlife and grazing practices.

“The Alexander Ranch is a great example of how excellent ecosystem management can benefit both the producer and Kansas wildlife,” Berens added. “Congratulations and many thanks to the Alexander Ranch for their contributions to promoting wise working-land practices in Kansas.”

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

Louisiana --(Ammoland.com)- A New Iberia man was sentenced in Federal Western District Court in Lafayette on Dec. 21 for illegally killing a Louisiana black bear.

Federal Judge Patrick J. Hanna sentenced Cory R. Ronsonet, 39, to three years of supervised probation, three years of no hunting privileges, a $3,000 fine and 300 hours of community service. If the fine is paid and community service completed within six weeks, then the probation will be reduced to unsupervised.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division agents initiated the investigation during the 2008-09 hunting season after receiving a public tip that a black bear had been shot then skinned and stored in a fashion to mount it in the future. Agents then found a black bear skin and its decapitated head on May 19, 2011 off of Daniel Lane near a subdivision in New Iberia.

During the investigation, Ronsonet admitted to LDWF Enforcement Division agents on May 31, 2011 of taking the black bear in question. Ronsonet pleaded guilty for violating the federal endangered species act for illegally taking a black bear in Federal Western District Court in Lafayette on Aug. 17.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joe Mickel and Howard Parker prosecuted the case. LDWF Senior Agent David Boudreaux was the lead investigator on the case and was assisted by Sgts. James Rhodes, Mitch Darby, Brian Theriot and Senior Agent Jason Romero. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent Phillip Siragusa also assisted with the investigation.

The bear had been a part of LDWF’s black bear program and was first tagged in 2000 when it was estimated to be six years old. The passive integrated transponder implanted during the initial capture was left in the hide when the bear was skinned and provided positive identification. LDWF had never received a nuisance call about this older male bear that lived mostly in the Weeks Island area of lower Iberia Parish.

The Louisiana black bear has been listed on the Federal Threatened and Endangered Species List since 1992. Citizens are reminded that killing a Louisiana black bear is a violation of both state law and the federal Endangered Species Act.

Jim LePeak (center) of Munith was named the 2011 Michigan Hunter Education Instructor of the Year at a recent Natural Resources Commission meeting. Congratulating LePeak are Natural Resources Commission Chair Tim Nichols (left) and Department of Natural Resources Director Rodney Stokes (right).

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Natural Resources Commission recognized Jim LePeak of Jackson County as the 2011 Hunter Education Instructor of the Year at the commission’s Dec. 8 meeting in Lansing.

A resident of Munith, Mich., LePeak has volunteered his time to the DNR’s Hunter Education program since 1999, serving as an instructor as well as a coordinator – equipping and providing training to other instructors – for Jackson and Hillsdale counties.

“Volunteer hunter education instructors like Jim LePeak are vital to developing knowledgeable, safe and responsible hunters, and we are grateful for all that they do,” said DNR Director Rodney Stokes. “Jim goes above and beyond in his efforts to carry on Michigan’s rich hunting heritage.”

LePeak volunteers his time as a proctor for the annual Michigan Youth Hunter Education Challenge and participates as an instructor and range safety officer for the DNR’s weeklong Hunter Education Academy each year. He also helped in facilitating a first-aid and CPR class for hunter education instructors in Jackson County.

“Jim tirelessly promotes the hunter education program – participating in local parades and community events, providing incentives to students who take his class and even including information about upcoming classes on his answering machine,” Stokes added. “He has also recruited many new instructors to the program, including his two sons and his grandson.”

LePeak serves as treasurer of the Michigan Hunter Education Instructor Association and was instrumental in the dissemination of donated computers to instructors throughout southern Michigan. He is also certified as an International Bowhunter Education Program instructor, offering his knowledge and expertise to prospective archery hunters in his area.

Hunter education in Michigan has taught thousands of people safe hunting techniques, firearm handling and hunter ethics and has had a dramatic impact on reducing hunting incidents in our state. To learn more about the DNR’s hunter education program, visit www.michigan.gov/huntereducation.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn --(Ammoland.com)- The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry, is now accepting proposals from state and regional wildlife agencies for Hunting Heritage Partnership (HHP) grants.

In its tenth year of helping agencies fund projects that create new and expanded opportunities for hunting, NSSF has awarded 109 grants to 38 state agencies and one regional association. For this new 2012-2013 grant period, the Hunting Heritage Partnership program will make up to $500,000 available to agencies for qualifying projects, bringing the grand total of awards to approximately $4.8 million since HHP was started in 2003.

All proposals for consideration are due to NSSF by February 1, 2012. Projects must begin by March 1, 2012. See complete application guidelines for HHP grants. In response to applicants’ suggestions, an additional month has been provided for completing awarded grant proposals.

New to the HHP grant program are features designed to help applicants develop their best ideas into on-the-ground, results-oriented initiatives. The HHP website now displays a new map featuring descriptions of all funded projects since the inception of the program. The projects map complements case studies that have been available on the website and that explain the successes, shortfalls and status of various projects. Together the interactive map and case studies serve as an idea-factory for applicants looking to develop new and creative programs.

“Hunting Heritage Partnership grants have helped states develop projects vital to increasing hunter participation,” said Melissa Schilling, NSSF’s manager of recruitment and retention. “This funding has helped many creative projects get off the ground that may not have because of state budget cutbacks.”

Schilling pointed out that some state agencies have never applied for grants and are missing a valuable funding source for efforts that could potentially bring recognition to the department. “This grant period we’d like to particularly challenge those states that haven’t applied for grants to do so,” she said.

Three recent HHP-funded projects demonstrate the type of programs that are working to benefit the future of hunting:

• Oregon launched an integrated online database and map resource to help both new and experienced hunters plan their trips, allowing for searches by species, unit and distances; displaying property boundaries and harvest statistics; and interfacing with Google search to assist hunters in finding lodging, camp sites and restaurants. The website is generating high traffic and many map downloads. The state estimated this project’s benefit to its economy as $1,473,000, with 662 new hunters and fish and wildlife agency revenue of $52,488.
• Wyoming’s project is designed to enhance its Private Lands Public Access Program for hunting by enrolling private landowners into either a walk-in hunting or hunter management area. The project has enrolled 2.9 million acres since its inception.
• Alabama’s project focuses on mentored youth dove hunting. With 43 percent of youth in the program being first-time shooters, the program has been recognized by experts as one of the most successful new hunter recruitment programs in the nation.

As these projects illustrate, Hunting Heritage Partnership-funded programs work to ensure the future of hunting by increasing hunter access to public and private lands, keeping current hunters hunting, recruiting next generation hunters, creating more opportunities to hunt and funding communications programs geared toward recruiting and retaining hunters.

NSSF encourages state agencies to apply for a Hunting Heritage Partnership grant today at www.nssf.org/hhp.

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 6,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

California Rifle and Pistol Association

Sacramento, CA --(Ammoland.com)- Public comments are now being taken on the strategic vision for the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and the California Fish and Game Commission (F&GC).

If you have not commented on the Draft Interim Strategic Vision, it is not too late. Comments are most effective if received by December 16, 2011, but may still be submitted after that date.

There are fifty-one stakeholder groups represented in the CFWSV process, and the hunting community is in the minority.

The stakeholder groups include commercial fishing, recreational fishing, hunting, non-profit conservation, non-consumptive recreation, aquaculture, landowners, science, education, labor, agriculture and ranching, water supply and delivery, forestry, water quality, business/industry and environmental justice.

Your personal comments are important to the future management of California’s fish and wildlife resources. It is important that the strategic vision promote sport hunting as a recreational opportunity, as well as a wildlife management tool in California. Please take the time to review the draft at www.vision.ca.gov/ or call (916) 653-5656 for a copy of the draft.

Send your comments by email using an online public comment form: StrategicVision@resources.ca.gov), or by mail:

Background:
In September 2010 Assembly Bill 2376 (Huffman) was signed into law, requiring the California Natural Resources Agency to convene a committee to develop and submit to the Governor and California State Legislature, before July 1, 2012, a strategic vision for the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and the California Fish and Game Commission (F&GC). The California Fish and Wildlife Strategic Vision Project is intended to establish a strategic vision for DFG and F&GC that addresses, among other things, improving and enhancing their capacity and effectiveness in fulfilling their public trust responsibilities for protecting and managing the state’s fish and wildlife.

As part of the project a blue ribbon citizen commission and a stakeholder advisory group are supporting the executive committee in developing three deliverables: A draft interim strategic vision in November 2011, an interim strategic vision in February 2012, and a strategic vision by July 1, 2012.

The California Fish and Wildlife Strategic Vision Executive Committee has released the draft interim strategic vision for public review. This document is the first draft of potential recommendations for a strategic vision for the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and the California Fish and Game Commission (F&GC) that will be presented to the Governor and California State Legislature in February 2012.

This first draft of the strategic vision contains two important elements that give the public a chance to further engage in a dialogue about the future of DFG and F&GC:

Chapter 3 is a draft interim framework for a strategic vision, where potential core values, underlying principles, goals, and objectives are identified and intended to initiate a public conversation. Reviewers of the draft interim strategic vision are encouraged to focus on chapter 3 as it will form the foundation for a future strategic vision and such review will best inform the reader’s understanding of the direction of the visioning process.

Appendix B presents diverse preliminary ideas about improving the function and structure of DFG and F&GC. The numerous and sometimes conflicting ideas in the tables emphasizes the draft nature of the product intended to initiate public dialogue.

The ideas in this draft document have not been finalized in any way and are meant for discussion purposes only. For more information on the California Fish and Wildlife Strategic Vision Project visit www.vision.ca.gov/.

The California Rifle and Pistol Association “CRPA,” founded in 1875, is dedicated to defending the rights of law-abiding citizens to responsibly use firearms for self-defense and the defense of their loved ones, for sport, and for all other legal activities. CRPA is the official state association of the National Rifle Association. A California non-profit association, CRPA is independently directed by its own Board of Directors. CRPA’s members include law enforcement officers, prosecutors, professionals, firearm experts, the general public, and loving parents. CRPA has always worked to reduce the criminal misuse of firearms and firearms accidents, while actively promoting and organizing the competitive shooting sports and Olympic training programs in California. We are proud to say that many CRPA competitors are among the best in the world.

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ – -(Ammoland.com)- Gov. Jan Brewer today announced the appointment of Kurt R. Davis to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission.

“Kurt possesses a wealth of expertise in government, communications and business,” said Gov Brewer. “In addition to an eclectic professional background, Kurt is both well-liked and well-versed in issues affecting the Arizona outdoors. He will be a tremendous asset to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission.”

An avid hunter and fisherman, Davis is currently a founding partner at FirstStrategic Communications & Public Affairs, where he specializes in strategic public policy development for non-profit clients, issues relating to rural Arizona, and government relations. He also is on the board of directors of Great Hearts Academies, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, and ASU’s Ramsey Executive Program for Public Policy.

Prior to forming FirstStrategic, Davis served as the vice president of public affairs & marketing at Northern Arizona University. Earlier, he was vice president of public affairs & corporate communications at Rural/Metro, a company that provides fire and ambulance services to communities across the country.

Before joining Rural/Metro, Davis was a deputy chief of staff and executive assistant in the office of former Arizona Gov. Fife Symington. In that role, he had direct oversight of executive agencies such as the departments of Transportation and Corrections. He has also served as director of intergovernmental affairs & issues analysis at the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, and executive director of the Arizona Republican Party.

Davis has held a variety of state and federal appointments, including with the Arizona Board of Regents and Arizona State Board of Charter Schools, as well as with the administration of President Ronald Reagan, the U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Small Business Administration. He received a Bachelor of Science from Northern Arizona University in 1984.

Davis awaits confirmation by the Arizona State Senate before joining the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. His appointment was made to fill the upcoming vacancy that will be created by the departure from the commission of Robert Woodhouse, whose term is expiring.

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

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Washington --(Ammoland.com)- OLYMPIA-Larry Carpenter, a Mount Vernon boat dealer and long-time sportfishing enthusiast, and Jay Kehne, an Okanogan County conservationist and hunter, have been appointed by Gov. Chris Gregoire to two vacant positions on the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission.

The commission is a nine-member citizen panel that sets policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Members are appointed by the governor to six-year terms. The commission holds public meetings that provide an opportunity for citizens to participate in management of Washington’s fish and wildlife. Three members must reside east of the summit of the Cascade mountains, three must reside west of the summit and three may reside anywhere in the state.

“We’re extremely pleased to welcome these great additions to the commission,” said Miranda Wecker, commission chair. “These are two strong individuals and we are looking forward to seeing their perspectives brought to the table.”

Carpenter, appointed to a western Washington position on the commission, is owner of Master Marine Services, Inc., in Mount Vernon. He also serves on the Southern Panel of the Pacific Salmon Commission, the body formed by Canada and the United States to implement the Pacific Salmon Treaty. He has been a long-time, active participant in the North of Falcon process, which is used to plan annual salmon-fishing seasons. Carpenter, who resides in Mount Vernon with his wife, Eileen, also has been a member of the Northwest Marine Trade Association’s Fish Committee, which works to increase sportfishing opportunities and participation in the Northwest.

Kehne, appointed to an eastern Washington position on the commission, serves as Okanogan outreach associate for Conservation Northwest. He previously had 31-year career with the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, including serving as resource conservation and development coordinator for Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan counties and providing conservation assistance to farmers, ranchers and other landowners. He has collaborated on an Okanogan County conservation-easement working group with county officials, land trusts and WDFW staff. Kehne, a member of both the Rocky Mountain Elk and Mule Deer foundations, lives in Omak with his wife Rita and two children.

The commission’s next meeting is scheduled Jan 6-7 at the Natural Resources Building in Olympia. For more information on the commission visit http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/ .

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason has been honored with the Professional Award of Merit from the North Central Section of the Wildlife Society.

Mason was presented his award Dec. 5 at the 72nd Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference in Des Moines, Iowa.

Mason, who took over as head of the wildlife division in 2008 after a lengthy career in wildlife management with USDA Wildlife Services, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the State of Nevada, is the third Michigan recipient of the award.

Michigan DNR Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason

Former DNR biologists Lou Verme and Ed Langenau were honored in1989 and 1994 respectively.

The award -– which is not given out every year – honors an active wildlife professional who has contributed to knowledge, enjoyed an outstanding accomplishment, or displayed leadership over a number of years.

“It is truly humbling to receive such an honor from my peers,” Mason said. “I’d like to thank former DNR Director Becky Humphries, who gave me the opportunity to come to Michigan to work in state wildlife management, current Director Rodney Stokes for continuing to provide that opportunity, as well as the dedicated DNR staff and an army of conservation-minded hunters, trappers and anglers, who make everything we’ve accomplished in Michigan possible.”

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

LINCOLN, Neb. --(Ammoland.com)- Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Director Rex Amack today announced his intent to retire in April 2012, at the end of his current term.

Amack’s 24 years at the helm of the 475-employee agency distinguishes him as the longest-serving director in Game and Parks history.

“I am so grateful for the opportunity afforded me by the Commission to serve the citizens of this wonderful state,” Amack said. “It is hard to imagine a more rewarding and meaningful career. After nearly 45 years of service to the Commission, it is time to give another their opportunity of a lifetime.”

Amack thanked Commissioners for instilling in him their trust and lending him their support and friendship. “I also want to acknowledge and thank those who I have been blessed to work shoulder to shoulder with each day. Our employees are results-oriented professionals who work hard to meet the Commission’s mission of stewardship of the state’s fish, wildlife, park and outdoor recreation resources. It has been an extraordinary honor,” he said.

A native of Red Cloud, Neb., Amack began his career with the Commission as a University of Nebraska intern in June 1967 working in the Information and Education department. Upon graduation with a bachelor of arts degree in May 1968, he joined the Commission as a full-time employee in the same department. In collaboration with the Nebraska Educational Television Network, Amack helped develop the Commission’s Outdoor Nebraska television program, which he hosted for several years.

In 1975, Amack was promoted to chief of the Information and Education Division. His responsibilities included overseeing NEBRASKAland Magazine and all Commission publications and broadcast information programs. He made youth education programs a high priority and developed the “Know Nebraska Tours” travel program. In 1980, then Commission Director Gene Mahoney promoted Amack to assistant director for administration. Following Mahoney’s retirement in 1988, the Commissioners appointed Amack to a six-year term as director of the Commission. He was reappointed to successive six-year terms in 1994, 2000 and 2006.

Amack said the development of Eugene T. Mahoney State Park was a significant achievement during his tenure. “Mahoney State Park was the largest capitol development project the Commission has ever undertaken. Gene led the charge with the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation and together they raised the money to build the park. We all pulled together to develop, dedicate and open the park 36 months after Gene’s retirement. The park was dedicated in May 1991.”

Amack also pointed to the development of the Calamus Reservoir Fish Hatchery, the Commission’s second largest capitol development project ever. The hatchery was completed and dedicated in September 1991.

Amack said other Commission achievements that stand out during his tenure as director include:

• –Bighorn sheep project
• – Ongoing elk hunting opportunities
• – Strong wild turkey and deer populations
• – $5 youth turkey and deer permits
• – Development of Smith Falls State Park on the Niobrara River
• – Fish and wildlife instream flow rights on portions of the Platte River
• –Development of Internet permit and information services
• – Ponca State Park makeover
• – Cornhusker Trap Shoot
• – Open Fields and Waters hunting and fishing access program
• –Recruitment, Development and Retention Program for youth
• –Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Program

Amack also has been immersed in conservation and parkland issues on regional and national platforms. He has twice served as president of the Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and has served as president of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Amack is currently president-elect of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Regarding his retirement plans, Amack said, “The first thing I plan to do is plant a tree at my home that will stand as a constant reminder to stay involved and contribute when and where I can to wildlife conservation, wild spaces and parklands. Growing up on a farm on the banks of the Republican River near Red Cloud, my father taught me that we have a responsibility to care for our land, water, wildlife and all other natural resources for future generations. That was his legacy, and I hope it is mine.”

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ – -(Ammoland.com)- The Arizona Game and Fish Commission has a busy agenda including setting the 2012 hunts for elk and antelope and discussing wolf recovery efforts during its Dec. 2 and 3 meeting at the Game and Fish Department headquarters at 5000 W. Carefree Highway in Phoenix (1.5 miles west of I-17).

The Friday, Dec. 2 portion of the meeting begins at 8 a.m.

Among the items on the Friday agenda are:

* The commission will be provided a briefing on the department’s involvement in Mexican wolf reintroduction in Arizona and New Mexico and related Mexican wolf recovery and conservation issues. The commission may vote to reaffirm existing policy guidance and/or to provide new or additional policy guidance to the department on any or all aspects of Mexican wolf conservation, including reintroduction and range-wide recovery (time certain at 10:30 a.m.)

* The department will request commission approval of the notice of exempt rulemaking to amend R12-4-304 (addressing lawful methods of take) to implement House Bill 2396.

• * The department will provide the commission with a proposed objective for the Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center Project and a briefing on the project timeline and approach.
• * The department will request commission approval to enter into five conservation easement agreements with private landowners along the Upper San Pedro River and to approve the accompanying memorandum of understanding with The Nature Conservancy for monitoring each conservation easement.
• * The department will request commission approval of a cooperative agreement for livestock operations at Horseshoe Ranch, which will facilitate the required federal base property lease for livestock operations based out of the commission-owned Horseshoe Ranch.
• * The department will request commission approval of the draft notice of exempt rulemaking to amend Article 8 (addressing wildlife areas and department property).
• * The department will request commission approval of a notice of docket opening, notice of proposed rulemaking, and economic impact statement amending rules within Article 1 addressing management unit boundaries and Article 3 addressing taking and handling of wildlife to implement HB 2543 and SB 1334.
• * The department will request commission approval of a notice of final rulemaking and economic impact statement amending R12-4-422 to ensure compliance with amendments made to federal sport falconry regulations.
• * The department will request commission approval of a revised department mission statement.
• * The commission will conduct hearings on license revocations for violations of Game and Fish codes and civil assessments for the illegal taking and/or possession of wildlife (time certain at 2 p.m.).
• * The department will provide the commission updates on federal and state legislation; information/education and wildlife recreation activities; recreational access issues; lands and habitat program activities; Sonoran pronghorn recovery activities; and law enforcement program activities.
• * The commission will consider approval of several consent agenda items.
• The Saturday, Dec. 3 portion of the meeting begins at 8 a.m. Among the items on Saturday’s agenda are:
• * The commission will consider proposed commission orders 3 (pronghorn antelope), 4 (elk), and 26 (population management) establishing seasons and season dates, bag and possession limits, permit numbers or authorized limits, and open areas for the respective 2012 fall hunting season.
• * The commission will be presented with the proposed hunt permit-tag application schedule for the elk/antelope 2012 hunts.
• * The commission will consider proposed amendments to the hunt guidelines process schedule and the 2012-13 and 2013-14 hunt guidelines governing hunting seasons to accommodate Hopi Trust Lands located in Units 4A, 5A, and 5B and allocation of permits to Hopi tribal members.
• * The commission will consider amendments to commission orders 10 (mountain lion), 11 (tree squirrel), 12 (cottontail), 13 (predatory and furbearing mammals), 14 (other birds and mammals), 16 (quail), 19 (dove), and 21 (waterfowl) for 2011-12 hunting seasons to incorporate changes to open areas as authorized by SB 1334 and changes to method of take as authorized in R12-4-304.
• * The department will request commission approval of acquisition of a federal patent from the BLM Kingman office for the development of the Tri-State Shooting Range.
• * The department will request commission approval of the transfer of the Adair Shooting Park in Yuma County from the Bureau of Reclamation to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission.

The public can view the meeting any of three ways: (1) attending the meeting in person in Phoenix; (2) viewing it via video stream at any of six Game and Fish regional offices; or, (3) viewing it over the Web at www.azgfd.gov/commissioncam.

Those wishing to submit “blue slips” to present oral comment during the meeting must do so either at the Phoenix meeting or at any of the regional Game and Fish offices (Pinetop, Flagstaff, Kingman, Yuma, Tucson and Mesa). For office addresses and contact information, visit www.azgfd.gov/offices.

For a complete meeting agenda or to learn more about the Game and Fish Commission, visit www.azgfd.gov/commission.

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

This 7x7 bull elk was shot and killed by poachers last week off Clear Creek Road south of Chinook. (Photo courtesy Montana FWP)

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

CHINOOK, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- State wildlife investigators are seeking help from the public regarding the illegal shooting of a large bull elk south of Chinook in Blaine County, MT.

Havre-area Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Warden Ron Howell said the

7×7 bull was shot sometime between 5 p.m. on Sun., Nov. 6 and 7 a.m. on Mon., Nov. 7 off the Clear Creek Road. The elk’s head and antlers were left intact, and all of the meat was left to rot.

Anyone with information about the poaching case is asked to call Howell directly at 406-262-2407, FWP Region 6 Warden Sgt. Shane Reno at 406-262-3133, or FWP’s 24-hour TIP-MONT hotline at 1-800-847-6668.

Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward up to $1,000.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe today named Wendi Weber as the new Regional Director for the Service’s Northeast Region. Weber, a 13-year career Service employee, has served as Deputy Regional Director for the region since 2007.

In her new capacity as Regional Director, Weber will oversee Service activities in the 13-state Northeast Region, which ranges from Maine to Virginia. From the regional office in Hadley, Mass, she will lead more than 900 Service employees working in more than 130 field offices across a region ranging from Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge in northern Maine to the Southwestern Virginia Field Office in Abingdon.

“Wendi Weber is a dynamic and passionate leader who has continually proven her ability to work with others to achieve great things for conservation. She’s a tremendous asset to the Service, and I look forward to having her on our leadership team,” said Ashe.

As Deputy Regional Director, Weber oversaw the day-to-day operations of the region, coordinating and directing activities to ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and Departmental policies. She also advised and consulted with members of Congress, the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of the Secretary, and other Federal and State agencies and Departmental Bureaus on matters pertaining to Service programs.

Weber is a national leader in the Service’s effort to create a more diverse workforce. She also leads a national team of more than 100 government, non-profit, and academic partners responding to white-nose syndrome, a disease that has killed more than a million bats since it was first documented in New York in 2006.

Prior to coming to the Northeast Region, Weber served as Assistant Regional Director for Ecological Services in the Service’s Midwest Region in Minneapolis from 2004 to 2007. In that capacity, she managed that region’s programs for endangered species, the national wetlands inventory, environmental contaminants, natural resource damage assessment, coastal conservation and review of federal projects. She managed multimillion-dollar budgets for programs that were subject to rapidly changing initiatives and shifting priorities.

From 2002 to 2004, Weber served as Chief of Endangered Species in the Service’s Northwest Region, based in Portland, Ore. She also worked for the Service’s endangered species and international affairs programs in Washington, D.C., for three years.

Prior to joining the Service in 1998, Weber worked for the states of Florida and Georgia as a field biologist. She lives in Hadley with her husband Jon and sons, Bailey, 14, and Clayton, 12.

Originally from Rochester, New York, Weber has a bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of Rhode Island and a master’s degree in fisheries from the University of Georgia.

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.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

MACON, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division recently selected Sgt. Tim Kendrick of the Macon Law Enforcement office as the 2011 Supervisor of the Year.

Kendrick currently serves as a Sergeant Supervisor for the DNR Law Enforcement office located in Macon, Georgia. This office oversees operations in 28 middle Georgia counties. Sgt. Kendrick supervises rangers in Monroe, Butts, Jasper and Lamar counties. He is a 24-year veteran of the department, serving nine of those years in his current supervisory position.

“Sgt. Tim Kendrick shows exceptional leadership skills and is a true asset to the Law Enforcement Section and to the Department,” says Col. Eddie Henderson, Chief of the Law Enforcement Section of Wildlife Resources Division. “He is a respected leader and trusted supervisor that fosters an atmosphere of teamwork within his work section and often inspires others through his actions.”

Sgt. Kendrick is a supervisor that leads by example. As a supervisor, one of his most important responsibilities is training and enhancing the capabilities and skills of other Rangers in his work section and Region. Kendrick often uses his experience, both successes and failures, to help grow and mentor those that work for him. He maintains a positive work ethic, professional presence, compassionate demeanor and a spirit of public service that is contagious to those around him.

Sgt. Kendrick has previously received the James R. Darnell Award and also was awarded an Award of Valor by the Peace Officer Association of Georgia. Fellow law enforcement officers nominated for this award this year include Sgt. Stan Elrod, Sgt. Lee Brown and Sgt. Keith Byers.

For more information on the 2011 Supervisor of the Year Award, call the Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Headquarters office at (706) 557-3311.

West Virginia DNR

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – -(Ammoland.com)- Hunters need to obtain landowner permission for their outings before they begin heading to the fields and woods this fall, according to Frank Jezioro, director of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

Asking permission to hunt is not always an easy thing to do, especially if the landowner is a total stranger.

The recent issue of the Ducks Unlimited magazine (July/August 2011) published several tips on getting permission to hunt.

• Don’t wait until the day you want to hunt to ask for permission. Ask landowners well enough in advance to give them time to consider your request so they can make an informed decision without undue pressure.
• Show up at an appropriate time of the day to ask for permission. Don’t inconvenience them because it was convenient for you. Take into consideration their work day and schedules.
• Ask them while they are outside. People are typically more comfortable talking to others they don’t know outside their homes.
• Give the landowner as much detail as you can; for example: what you would like to hunt, where you would like to hunt and when you plan on hunting. Ask the landowner if they would like a phone call the day before you plan to hunt.
• Ask permission only for yourself. If your group wants permission to hunt, everyone should meet the landowner and get permission together. If the group cannot all get together, make sure the landowner knows exactly how many hunters you are asking permission for. Make sure you tell the landowner how many vehicles to expect and ask where to park.
• If the landowner gives you permission, make sure you know the property boundaries and if there are any restrictions and places you shouldn’t be. Take a map of the area so the landowner can point these areas out.
• Show your appreciation to the landowner for allowing you to hunt and show respect for them and their land. Remember, hunting on private land is a privilege.
• Keep in contact with the landowner throughout the year, especially if it is a place you would like to keep hunting. Send a thank you card and even a Christmas card. Little gestures of appreciation go a long way.
• If a landowner says “No,” be polite and thank them for their time and consideration.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- The beginning of squirrel season is just around the corner, are you ready? Often revered as a celebrated American fall tradition, squirrel hunting provides the perfect opportunity to introduce youth or a novice to the sport of hunting.

Unlike some big game hunts, the pursuit of bushytails often involves more action for energetic youth, providing a greater level of interaction with the outdoors.

Georgia Squirrel Hunting Season Opens August 15Th

Beginning August 15, 2011 and lasting through February 28, 2012, hunters can pursue both gray and fox squirrels. The maximum daily bag limit is 12 per hunter.

“Prior to the successful restoration of white-tailed deer, pursuing squirrels in the fall became a significant cultural hunting tradition in Georgia,” says John Bowers, Wildlife Resources Division’s Game Management assistant chief. “Squirrel hunting provides one of our best opportunities to introduce youth to hunting, instill in them our responsibilities to wildlife conservation and provide exposure to the outdoors. Additionally, it’s fun, inexpensive and provides constant action.”

Squirrel hunting, especially with squirrel dogs such as feists, terriers and curs, is a great way to introduce youth to hunting and the outdoors. In terms of number of hunters and harvest, squirrels are the second most pursued small game species in Georgia, behind doves.

Georgia’s wildlife management areas offer access to nearly one million acres of hunting opportunity for only $19 a year, and squirrel hunting is allowed on WMAs at specified times during the statewide squirrel season. Hunters are advised to check the hunting regulations for specific WMAs and dates.

The two species
Both the gray and fox squirrels can be found throughout Georgia. The gray squirrel, abundant in both rural and urban areas is the most common species. Though mostly associated with hardwood forests, grays also can be found in mixed pine/hardwood forests. Predominantly gray, with white under parts, gray squirrels appear more slender-bodied than fox squirrels, weighing anywhere from 12 ounces to one-and-a-half pounds.

Fox squirrels have several color phases, varying from silver-gray with a predominantly black head, to solid black, to a light buff or brown color tinged with reddish-yellow. Generally larger than grays, fox squirrels range in weight from one pound to nearly three, and are more closely associated with mature pine and mixed pine/hardwood habitats and especially in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions.

For more information on the 2011-2012 squirrel hunting season or other small game hunting seasons, visit www.gohuntgeorgia.com . To renew or purchase a hunting license, visit www.georgiawildlife.com/recreational-licenses .

New Jersey Fish and Game

Trenton, NJ --(Ammoland.com)- The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife is informing the public that the NJ Fish and Game Council has approved all proposed amendments to the 2011 – 2012 Game Code.

The Game Code governs the activities relating to the taking of wildlife classified as game animals, game birds, or furbearers.

The approved amendments included, but were not limited to, the following:

• The addition of five days to the rabbit and hare hunting season
• A statewide closure of the bobwhite quail season, with the exception of the Greenwood and Peaslee WMAs and existing semi-wild and commercial shooting preserves
• The elimination of separate black bear hunting seminars as bear hunting will now be included in the regular hunter education classes
• The creation of special black bear farmer permits
• The addition of a second Saturday to the fall turkey hunting season
• Expansion of the early bow and arrow-only coyote and fox season, and regular coyote and fox season dates
• Removal of the requirement for youth hunters to take an antlerless deer before an antlered deer during the early fall bow deer season
• Inclusion of five additional deer management zones (DMZ) into the Antler Point Restriction program
• Creation of a new deer regulation set, 3a
• Boundary changes to DMZs 19, 23, 25 and 65

The Game Code amendments will be incorporated into this year’s hunting season regulations which are published in the Hunting Issue of the NJ Fish and Wildlife DIGEST. The 2011 Hunting Digest will be available at license agents the first week of September and on this website at the end of August.

For more information on the Game Code amendments, including a link to the full proposal document, visit http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/news/2011/gamecode11-12_approved.htm on the division’s website.

Ohio Department Natural Resources

COLUMBUS, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Nominations are now being accepted for the Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

For the past 45 years, the Hall of Fame has been the state’s top honor for individuals who have improved the quality of life in Ohio through natural resources management, environmental education or scientific achievement.

Selection criteria and a nomination form are available at www.ohiodnr.com or by calling 614-265-6842. Nomination forms must be returned no later than August 26 to ODNR Communications, 2045 Morse Road, Building D-3, Columbus, OH 43229.

Created by ODNR in 1966, the Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame has proudly honored 155 individuals to date, including John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed), explorer John Wesley Powell, conservationist/novelist Louis Bromfield, pioneering botanist Lucy Braun, and farming conservation advocate Bob Evans.

Successful nominators of this year’s Hall of Fame selections will be notified by September 12. Award presentations will be made this fall with a date and location to be announced.

The ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR Web site at ohiodnr.com.

Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, WI --(Ammoland.com)- The first year of an online site developed to collect reports of black bear and bobcat sightings from citizens produced more than 800 reports.

This information has been valuable in documenting presence and range expansion for both species, according to wildlife biologists.

“Given that black bears are common in the northern third of Wisconsin, we are taking a special interest in sightings within areas designated as ‘occasional’ or ‘rare’ on the distribution map,” said Brian Dhuey wildlife surveys researcher with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Black bear population and distribution in Wisconsin information is available on the DNR website.

Black bears have been reported in 51 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties in 2011 via the online reporting site. Of those 51 counties, 23 lie in the rare or occasionally sighted areas on the black bear distribution map.

“Many times these southern bears are young males that are dispersing after being emancipated from their mothers,” said Linda Olver, DNR bear biologist. “However, we have also had reports of sows with young in both Iowa and Sauk counties.”

Of the 550 black bear observations reported so far this year, 76 percent were lone bears. Only 24 percent of observations reported multiple bears; typically these groups are sow with cubs, sow with yearling, or multiple yearling bears seen together. Of the total observations, 81 percent occurred in April, May, or June.

In addition to location information, observers are asked about the observation site habitat. Most black bears are reported along roads/roadsides or in residential areas.

Play It Safe
Black bears are powerful wild animals. They can move with astonishing speed and should be treated with caution and respect. But wildlife officials say attacks by black bears on humans are very rare.

Olver has the following advice for people who may encounter a bear: “If a bear is near your home, wave your arms and make noise to scare the bear away from a safe position. If you find yourself unexpectedly close to a bear, back away slowly, do not turn and run. Go inside or take refuge in a vehicle and wait for the bear to leave. In most cases bears are attracted to homes because of easily available food found in bird feeders, pet dishes and garbage cans. If the bear has found food one or more times, it will likely return. When food is no longer available, the visits will likely stop.”

Bobcat
More than 300 bobcats have been reported via the online reporting site by 170 individuals. Unlike black bears, bobcats are to be reported statewide. Bobcats have been reported in 56 of 72 counties (pdf). Only 8 percent of observations report sightings of multiple bobcats. Bobcats were observed in upland forests (30 percent of observations) followed by roads/roadsides (15 percent of observations) most frequently.

Trail cameras — often placed in the woods as scouting tools or as a hobby – accounted for 47 percent of bobcat observations. These photographs are especially valuable for documenting bobcats as they are secretive animals and tracking their distribution is often difficult. Photos of bobcats or black bears can be sent to wildlife management directly from the reporting form. All photos can be viewed on the department’s trail camera gallery.

People can continue to report bobcat sightings statewide and black bear sighting in the southern one-third of Wisconsin. These reports are adding to biologists’ knowledge of where these animals are calling home in Wisconsin.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Dhuey (608) 221-6342 or Jes Rees (608) 221-6360.

Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, WI --(Ammoland.com)- Warm temperatures have continued to dominate the weather scene in Wisconsin this week, with most of the state also receiving some much needed rainfall, including some locally heavy rains in central and southern Wisconsin, which have lead to some rapidly rising and falling water levels on streams and rivers.

The warm weather continues to bring out large numbers of boaters to lakes and rivers, and conservation wardens are receiving many complaints of boats and personal water craft traveling too close to other boats. Water levels had dropped significantly on the Rock and Crawfish River and boaters are urged to use caution as several boats have been damaged by hitting rocks, but levels have risen some with recent rains. Water levels on the lower Wisconsin State Riverway also rose this week. The north has received just light and scattered rainfall in last few weeks and most streams and rivers are near their typical summer low levels. Most natural lakes are also at a low level and many of the flowages are beginning to experience a drop in water levels as well.

Angling success continued to be erratic, with bass providing the most consistent action. Largemouth were being found in thick cover, in the down wood, near the bog edges, in the thick lily pad beds and under mats of vegetation, with smallmouth a little more inconsistent as dropping water levels and warmer temperatures keeping theme on the move. Walleye success has been fair. With water temperatures still in the 80-degree range, many musky anglers have heeded the warnings and let up on fishing pressure. Panfish action has been generally good, with some decent catches of crappie, perch and rock bass reported, but bluegill retreating to deeper water and tough to find. In the south, anglers are having some luck on Beaver Dam area lakes with perch and walleye. Wisconsin River area anglers have been doing very well on catching northern pike, and anglers have still been catching channel catfish throughout the upper Rock and Crawfish rivers .

On Green Bay, walleye fishing continued to be good off Geano Beach on the west shore and Bayshore Park on the east. Perch fishing has improved some in Sawyer Harbor at Sturgeon Bay. On Lake Michigan, west winds last week dropped water temperatures as low as 45 degrees north of Two Rivers. But by the weekend, temperatures rose to 60 degrees at piers to 65 degrees in some lakeshore areas. Angler success out on the lake from most ports continued to be slow, with some chinook reported out of Manitowoc and Two Rivers and a mixed bag of coho, chinook, and lake trout out of Sheboygan and Port Washington. Racine and Kenosha trollers have been catching fewer coho, but more chinook, and rainbow trout.

Some very small spotted fawns are being seen again, indicating some late birthing still taking place. Similarly, some turkeys broods are being seeing with very small poults, indicating there was probably some late re-nesting. The fall shorebird migration is going strong with the peak of adults moving through the Wisconsin at this time. Good numbers of yellowlegs, least sandpipers, and other species are being seen at various wetlands.

Good numbers of swallowtail butterflies are being seen in some areas, while some are reporting fewer monarchs. Black caps are reaching their peak in southern Wisconsin, but large swarms of deerflies continue to make picking difficult.

Pennsylvania Game Commission

FRANKLIN, Venango County, PA --(Ammoland.com)- Pennsylvania Game Commission officials today announced the beginning of a three-year, 700-acre habitat improvement project on State Game Land 314 in the western portion of Erie County to provide “early successional” habitat for species such as the American woodcock and the blue-winged warbler.

“Young forests with dense seedlings and shrubs are needed to benefit early successional dependent species such as the American woodcock and blue-winged warbler,” said Howard Wurzbacher, Game Commission Northwest Region Forestry Supervisor.

“These species, as well as other early successional species have exhibited dramatic declines related to habitat loss in recent decades. Over the next three years, the habitat project will involve timber harvesting on about 700 acres, or around 20 percent of the State Game Land.”

Formerly known as the USX Property, U.S. Steel Property or Conneaut Farms, SGL 314 is in the extreme northwest corner of the state and borders Lake Erie and the Ohio state line. This property was acquired by the Game Commission in 1991, and contains about 3,400 acres. Many farms on the property were abandoned in the 1940s and 1950s. Through succession over the last 60 to 70 years, many old farm fields have reverted into red maple, aspen and shrubs. A variety of hardwood tree species, such as white ash, red oak, hickory and sugar maple are found in areas that were not previously farmed. They are forest stands that contain large trees with a dense shrub understory.

“To benefit wildlife, we conducted commercial timber harvesting, along with ‘cut and drop’ non-commercial cutting, and there has also been mechanical mowing of shrub and sapling areas treated in the past,” Wurzbacher said. “All past cutting has regenerated very successfully.

“As part of the contract, the Game Commission will realize nearly $177,000 to be used for other wildlife management programs and habitat improvement projects throughout the State Game Lands system.”

The goal is to create a large amount of early succession habitat for species dependent on this habitat type. American woodcock and the blue-winged warbler are currently recognized as priority species in numerous management plans including the Pennsylvania Wildlife Action Plan, the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, and Partners in Flight.

Additionally, the Nature Conservancy and the National Audubon Society have identified woodcock as a crucial species of management concern because it is an important species to the public.

“Hunters enjoy pursuing woodcock with dogs, and non-hunters are awed each spring by the courtship displays of males,” Wurzbacher said. “They are a cryptic bird, preferring young forests and other early successional habitats for cover.

“This preferred habitat also is shared by other important animal species, and, subsequently, managing habitat for woodcock benefits a plethora of birds, mammals and reptiles, including popular species such as deer and wild turkey.”

American woodcock are habitat specialists, preferring early forest stages, they regularly seek scrub/shrub or seedling/sapling habitat, comprised of dense cover. This range of cover on proper soils provides the habitat needs for woodcock, and it is the quality and availability of these habitats that determine population densities. Research has indicated that creating early successional forest habitat on suitable soils is beneficial in increasing populations of woodcock.

Timber harvesting is expected to begin on the area in the late summer of 2011. This will involve cutting of trees within 17 blocks, which are areas marked and designated for cutting. Logging will be done using a whole-tree harvest and chipping method. The cut trees will be moved to areas near the roadside, where they will be sorted by size and species. Sawlogs, good quality large logs of desirable species, will be moved from the site to provide raw material to sawmills for the production of hardwood lumber.

All other trees will be chipped on site, and the chips will be loaded onto trucks and transported to facilities for use in papermaking and manufactured panels. Harvesting is to occur during dry or frozen conditions, so work on the State Game Land can be expected during the summer and winter seasons, with the possibility of activity during periods of the spring or fall if conditions are appropriate.

“It is important to note that the Game Commission has inserted restrictions into the timbering contract to prohibit timbering-related activity on SGL 314 on all Saturdays from October through January, and all Saturdays during spring gobbler seasons,” Wurzbacher said. “This was done to avoid conflicts with the peak hunting seasons.

“Other days that timbering activities will not be permitted are the first two days of regular firearms deer season, and Saturdays of all deer seasons, including muzzleloader and late archery, as well as junior hunting days.”

Wurzbacher said visitors to this area may, at first, be concerned about the initial visual impact to the area. However, he urged visitors to remember that re-vegetation and growth on the sites is expected to occur quickly after cutting.

“The use of whole-tree harvesting for the project is designed to maximize the use and removal of woody material such as logs, trees and limbs from the site,” Wurzbacher said. “This will enable land mangers to have easier access to treat areas with equipment so that the desired seedling, sapling, and shrub habitat conditions can be re-cut at 10- to 15-year intervals to maintain early successional habitats.

“Also, we plan to avoid cutting in many sensitive areas, such as streamside corridors, the Lake Erie shoreline north of Lake Road, and locations of unique habitat features.”

Wurzbacher also emphasized that this project is unique from a number of perspectives: first, it is occurring on a State Game Lands identified as a critical habitat area for American woodcock, blue-winged warbler and other early successional dependent birds and animals; second, it is ambitious, and planned to impact a large landscape scale; and third, the use of whole-tree harvesting should allow for the maintenance of this important habitat type on a perpetual basis.

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today approved agreements with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) to purchase 195 acres of land to add to State Game Land 294 in Mercer County, and 81.5 acres of land to enhance State Game Land 314 in Erie County.

In Mercer County, the 195 acres of land in Cool Spring Township adjoins SGL 294, and are subject to an existing reservation of oil, gas and mineral rights, excluding peat. The option price is $90,000, with the Game Fund obligation limited to $62,487.89 and the remaining $27,512.11 coming from a donation from the Estate of Margaret Metcalfe.

The property is mostly wetlands with about 130 acres in emergent, scrub-shrub and forested wetlands. The upland portion of the property is 60 acres of woodland comprised of oak, maple, cherry and ash. The remaining five acres are reverting farmland.

Otter Creek flows through the property, as well as an unnamed tributary to Otter Creek. A Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory review indicates the presence of the eastern massasauga rattlesnake, a state-listed endangered species within the vicinity of this property.

Acquiring this property will fill in gaps between two separate tracts of SGL 294. This contract is contingent upon the WPC being able to secure an option with the owners of the property and approval by the WPC Board of Directors. If the WPC is unable to secure an option on this property, a cooperative agreement between the Game Commission and the WPC will allow the $90,000 to be used to acquire other lands acceptable to the Game Commission.

In Erie County, the 81.5 acres in Springfield Township are adjacent to SGL 314, and will be paid for through a partnership with the WPC. The Game Commission’s cost-share amount for the purchase of the land is $400 per acre, and related survey costs.

The acquisition is subject to the WPC purchasing the property, which is mainly forested with sugar maple, red maple, red ash, American beech, white pine and black cherry, with small pockets of open wetlands and old fields reverting back to early succession. Raccoon Creek flows through the southern portion of the property, and public access is from Old Lake Road.

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- With Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) nearly 10 miles south of the Pennsylvania-Maryland line, the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave preliminary approval to a revised set of emergency powers to enable the agency’s executive director to take actions to mitigate risk factors and to determine the prevalence and geographic distribution of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

“For more than a decade, the Game Commission has been monitoring our CWD status and striving to prevent CWD from coming to our state,” said Carl G. Roe, agency executive director.

“While I hope that I never have to use these new tools, it is imperative that this agency’s executive director be properly empowered to contain the disease to one area and prevent, or at the very least, slow the spread of this disease.”

Under the emergency authority, if the executive director concludes the spread of CWD poses a threat within or adjacent to this Commonwealth, he will have the emergency authority to: prohibit the importation of high-risk cervid parts from areas that are known to harbor CWD; and define and designate Disease Management Areas (DMAs) in this Commonwealth.

Once a DMA is designated, the executive director will be able to use his emergency authority to take several actions, including: allowing the taking of cervids without regard to established seasons and bag limits and methods of take; requiring mandatory checking of hunter-killed cervids; prohibiting the removal of high-risk cervid parts; prohibiting the rehabilitation of cervids; prohibiting the use, collection, possession and exportation of cervid urine-based attractants; prohibiting the feeding of cervids; and prohibiting any new permits to possess or transport live cervids.

In such situations, it will be unlawful for any person to violate any provision of an Executive Order issued by the executive director.

First identified in 1967, CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that affects cervids, including all species of deer, elk and moose. It is a progressive and always fatal disease of the nervous system. Scientists theorize CWD is caused by an agent called a prion that is capable of transforming normal brain proteins into an abnormal form, in turn causing the death of brain cells. Prions are present in and shed into the environment by infected animals through blood, urine, saliva and tissue of the central nervous system.

There currently is no practical way to test live animals for CWD, nor is there a vaccine. Clinical signs include poor posture, lowered head and ears, uncoordinated movement, rough-hair coat, weight loss, increased thirst, excessive drooling, and, ultimately, death. There is currently no scientific evidence that CWD has or can spread to humans, either through contact with infected animals or by eating meat of infected animals. The Center for Disease Control has investigated any connection between CWD and the human forms of TSEs and stated “the risk of infection with the CWD agent among hunters is extremely small, if it exists at all” and “it is extremely unlikely that CWD would be a food-borne hazard.”

As a preventative effort, the Game Commission prohibits hunters from importing specific carcass parts from members of the deer family – including mule deer, elk and moose – from a growing list of states and Canadian provinces. The importation ban applies to hunters heading to: Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland (only from CWD containment area), Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York (Oneida and Madison counties), North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia (only from CWD containment area), West Virginia (only from the CWD containment area), Wisconsin and Wyoming; as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Details on the importation ban are available on the agency’s website and on page 52 of the 2011-12 Digest, which is provided free to each Pennsylvania hunting and furtaker license buyer.

For more information on CWD and the state’s CWD-prevention plan, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), click on “Wildlife” in the menu bar in the banner at the top of the page, then click on “Wildlife Diseases Home,” and choose “Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).” Additional information on CWD can be found on the CWD Alliance’s website (www.cwd-info.org).

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners recently approved a resolution to support repeal of the statutory prohibition on Sunday hunting.

The vote on the resolution, which was proposed by Game Commissioner Jay Delaney Jr. and seconded by Game Commissioner Ralph A. Martone, was four in support, three opposed and one abstention. Those voting in support of the resolution were Game Commissioners Delaney, Martone, David J. Putnam and Robert W. Schlemmer. Those voting in opposition were Game Commissioners Thomas E. Boop, David W. Schreffler and Ronald A. Weaner. Game Commissioner Gregory J. Isabella abstained.

Game Commission staff will present the resolution to the House Game and Fisheries Committee, which has been holding public hearings on the topic of Sunday hunting.

The text of the resolution is as follows:

“The Board of Commissioners for the Pennsylvania Game Commission declares its support for a repeal of prohibitions on Sunday hunting by the amending of Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statues in Hunting and Trapping.

“Whereas, Pennsylvania has experienced consistent declines in hunting participation by both resident and non-resident hunters over the past several decades, with both the number of license sold and revenues generated experiencing steady declines, and

“Whereas, youth participation is vital to maintaining the long-standing tradition of hunting in Pennsylvania, we can effectively double the number of hunting days for youths during the school year by offering Sunday hunting, and

“Whereas, Sunday hunting is an effective means of recruiting new hunters and retaining current hunters by increasing the value of the hunting license through offering additional opportunities to spend time in the field, and

“Whereas, many Pennsylvania residents seek hunting opportunities and hunting leases in neighboring states that offer Sunday hunting; Sunday hunting will keep Pennsylvania hunters in Pennsylvania, and

“Whereas Pennsylvania has a long-standing tradition of hunting camps and clubs, Sunday hunting will effectively double the number of hunting days for camp owners and club members, and

“Whereas, Sunday hunting is expected to generate a substantial increase in out-of-state license sales and the accompanying revenue for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and

“Whereas, hunting license sales and their associated federal matching funds are the primary revenue source for the Pennsylvania Game Commission in carrying out its mission, including maintaining 1.5 million acres of state game lands and acquisition of additional public lands, research and management of wildlife and providing information and education to the public, and

“Whereas, Sunday hunting will provide substantial economic benefits to rural areas and businesses by increasing money spent by hunters on lodging, food, gas and other incidental items, and

“Whereas, Sunday hunting is expected to generate $629 million in additional spending and create 5,300 new jobs, resulting in $18 million in additional sales and income tax, and

“Whereas, the mission of the Pennsylvania Game Commission is to manage wildlife and its habitat for current and future generations, and

“Whereas, Sunday hunting, which is currently permitted to control a growing population of coyotes, will provide the biologists of the Pennsylvania Game Commission a new tool to manage wildlife populations, and

“Whereas, the forty-three states that currently permit Sunday hunting have not experienced any discernable impact on the health or vibrancy of game populations, and

“Whereas, the Board of Commissioners recognizes the authority to permit Sunday hunting lies entirely with the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, and

“Whereas, if the General Assembly repeals the restrictions on Sunday hunting thus giving authority to regulate Sunday hunting to the Board of Commissioners, the Board recognizes the many stakeholder groups any action on Sunday hunting will effect and will endeavor to engage these stakeholders before passing any new regulations in regard to Sunday hunting.

“NOW, THEREFOR, we the Board of Commissioners for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, do hereby urge the General Assembly of Pennsylvania to REPEAL the PROHIBITION ON SUNDAY HUNTING IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA.”

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ – -(Ammoland.com)- Let the planning begin.

The drawing results for Arizona’s 2011 fall big game hunting permits are now available at the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s website at www.azgfd.gov/draw. Draw results are also available by telephone at (602) 942-3000 by selecting option two.

The more than 107,000 applicants, an increase of 3 percent from last year, can find out if they were issued a permit-tag for deer, fall turkey, fall juniors-only javelina, bighorn sheep, fall buffalo, or pheasant by providing their sportsman’s ID and date of birth.

Game and Fish officials report that hunt permit-tags will be mailed out to successful applicants no later than Aug. 12 (archery deer tags will be mailed out earlier). Refunds for unsuccessful and rejected applicants will be mailed out to applicant “A” no later than Aug. 23 (less application fees).

For those individuals who missed the drawing application deadline or were unsuccessful in getting a permit-tag, there are more than 5,767 hunt permit-tags remaining. These remaining tags will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and include more than 4,600 deer tags, more than 700 fall turkey tags, and nearly 400 tags for the juniors-only fall javelina hunts.

There are two methods to obtain a leftover tag. Applications will first only be accepted by U.S. mail (U.S. Postal Service) beginning at 8 a.m. (MST) on Aug. 1. Starting on Aug. 8 at 8 a.m. (MST), hunters can obtain a leftover tag in person at any of the seven Arizona Game and Fish Department offices. A list of office locations is available at www.azgfd.gov/offices.

For a detailed listing of leftover permits which includes hunt number, number of permits available and unit number, visit www.azgfd.gov/draw and click on the “Leftover Permits for 2011 Fall Hunts” link under the “2011-12 Arizona Hunting and Trapping Regulations, season dates and drawing information” section.

Hopi hunts with leftover tags are available to everyone, tribal and non-tribal members. For those who qualify, there are military hunts available for Fort Huachuca. Call (520) 533-8763 for additional information.

For those that applied for a fall turkey permit in unit 1 (hunt number 4501) or unit 27 (hunt number 4518), there was a reduction in permitted tags issued through the draw compared to what was listed in the regulations. On July 8, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission voted to reduce the number of permit-tags by 1,075 permits due to the Wallow Fire. The commission action was taken after the application deadline, but before the draw was processed.

Hunter clinics and seminars
Getting prepared and planning for an upcoming hunt is almost as fun as the hunt itself. It’s also the most important. Many of the local hunter conservation groups are hosting hunting clinics to teach the basics, all the way up to how to score a trophy. Many of these clinics offer biology and ecology of the species; hunting tips and techniques; knowledgeable guest speakers, and other great information from experienced hunters. The popular hunting clinics are open to all, not just tag holders, and include:

• July 30: Arizona Elk Society Elk Hunting Clinic
• Aug. 13: Arizona Deer Association Hunting Clinic
• Sept. 24: Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society Clinic

For more details on these clinics, upcoming hunting camps for first-time hunters, and events hosted for families and juniors-only hunts, visit www.azgfd.gov/outdoorskills.

Note: The Arizona Game and Fish Department does not receive any of the state’s general funds to operate. Wildlife conservation and management of the state’s game animals, which also benefits many non-game species, is made possible through a user-pay, user-benefit system. Funding from the direct sale of hunting and fishing licenses, big game tags, and matching funds from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act (a federal excise tax that sportsmen pay on a variety of hunting and angling related equipment) remain the primary sources for funding wildlife conservation in North America.

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

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- July 11 marks 100 years of conservation in Georgia, where outdoor recreation packs a $3 billion-plus economic punch each year and biological diversity ranks among the richest in the U.S.

A century ago, concerns about declining wildlife populations fueled a national conservation movement. Georgia lawmakers responded by approving legislation on July 11, 1911, to create the state’s first wildlife agency.

What was then the Department of Game and Fish was envisioned as a network of county game wardens and regulations aimed at protecting and restoring populations of “game, fish and birds … for the enjoyment of all the people.”

What is now the Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division is fulfilling that vision, and more.

“As one of the fastest-growing states in the country, Georgia faces the enormous task of balancing increasing demands on our land and water with the conservation and management of important wildlife habitats and species,” DNR Commissioner Mark Williams said. “For 100 years, DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division has done an outstanding job of protecting our natural resources while also providing abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation.”

The Wildlife Resources Division regulates hunting, fishing and boating, protects nongame and endangered wildlife, provides conservation education, manages habitat, and enforces laws for the protection and use of Georgia’s natural resources.

Division Director Dan Forster said that with “roots firmly embedded in law enforcement,” the agency has “effectively evolved over time to meet the new and varying challenges of the day.”

The evidence is easy to find. Georgia’s deer herd has boomed from about 12,500 animals in 1937 to nearly 1 million. Sport fisheries are thriving in lakes, trout streams, rivers and public fishing areas. Some 200 conservation rangers patrol woods and waters, safeguarding wildlife and the public. Wildlife management areas provide almost 1 million acres of public hunting opportunity. A State Wildlife Action Plan guides conservation of nongame wildlife, helping preserve Georgia as a top-six state in biological diversity while also grappling with significant challenges such as habitat loss.

The division’s work helps fuel an annual economic impact estimated at $3.3 billion alone from hunting, fishing and wildlife watching, according to the most recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey.

Yet, suggested Forster, the impact reaches even further, to clean air, clean water and the conservation of wildlife and wild places that enrich all Georgians’ everyday quality of life.

Now and for the next 100 years.

JOIN THE 100 DAYS OF CONSERVATION

The public is invited to join the celebration with the 100 Days of Conservation at http://gawrdcentennial.com , and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/WildlifeResourcesDivisionGADNR , and Flickr, www.flickr.com/wildliferesourcesdivision .

Check out the:

• Daily walk through wild history, from the first state hunting license to the first turkey stocking.
• 100-year timeline of highlights, including deer re-stockings and the original black bear season.
• Photographs to remember, such as a 1940 shot of ranger Dan Royal checking quail bagged by Spurgeon “Spud” Chandler, a Georgia native and New York Yankees star pitcher.

HOW TO HELP

Georgians can also help support the next 100 years of conservation through:

• Hunting and fishing. License sales and equipment taxes contribute to wildlife management
• Buying or renewing a bald eagle, hummingbird, Bobwhite Quail Initiative or Trout Unlimited license plate. A share of the fees for these plates goes to DNR conservation efforts.
• Details: www.georgiawildlife.com

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe announced today that Jerome Ford has been named as the Service’s Assistant Director for Migratory Birds.

Ford, who began his career with the Service in the late  80s as a co-op student, has served as Deputy Director of the Migratory Bird Program since 2008.

As Assistant Director, Ford will oversee the diverse activities of the Migratory Bird Program, which administers the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and other federal migratory bird laws, implements and oversees bird management and conservation programs across North America, and coordinates the monitoring and assessment of both game and nongame migratory birds.

“Jerome Ford has been a valuable asset to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service throughout his career, and I welcome the outstanding leadership and dedication he brings to this position,” said Ashe.

“I am confident his many years of dedicated service will serve him well as he continues his efforts on behalf of the nation?s migratory bird and waterfowl resources.”

Ford will also be responsible for the management of two multi-million dollar grant programs, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) and the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA). The program also administers the ?Duck Stamp? program, which is an internationally recognized program that generates more revenue to help continue the conservation of the migratory bird?s habitat.

Ford grew up in rural Homer, Louisiana (Claiborne Parish) farming, fishing and hunting. He holds a bachelor?s degree in wildlife biology from Grambling State University. While at Grambling, he participated in the Service’s student co-op program, working at multiple refuges in Louisiana.

Ford’s first full-time position with the Service was as the Assistant Refuge Manager at Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge, located in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. He later became the Deputy Project Leader at the Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge, which was established to provide winter and feeding habitat for migrating waterfowl.

In 1994, he became the Project Leader at Bayou Cocodrie NWR in eastern Louisiana, where he spent six years managing habitat for neo-tropical songbirds and the threatened Louisiana black bear. In 2000, he transferred to the nearly 70,000 acre Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge as Project Leader. This refuge is dedicated to migratory waterfowl, neo-tropical songbirds, Louisiana black bear and providing recreational opportunities for the public. In 2006, he moved to Washington, DC to serve as the Special Assistant to the Director.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service.

For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov. Connect with our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/usfws, follow our tweets at www.twitter.com/usfwshq, watch our YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/usfws and download photos from our Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq.

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.

Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, WI --(Ammoland.com)- The June issue of the Wildlife Management bi-monthly report is now available on the DNR’s website (http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/wildlife2.pdf).

In this issue, you will find information about potential changes to the duck zones, an increase in the ruffed grouse population, a summary of the deer season framework, and elk assisted dispersal, among many other things.

Keep up to date with the activities of the wildlife biologists and property managers of the Wisconsin DNR’s Bureau of Wildlife Management.

The following reports have been contributed by staff from the WDNR wildlife management and research programs, is compiled and edited by Bill Vander Zouwen, and designed by Meaghan Proctor.

This report is intended to raise awareness of DNR staff and stakeholders regarding wildlife management activities, accomplishments, challenges and plans. We are hoping that these reports will help build a broad coalition working toward our shared vision of producing abundant wildlife for all who appreciate how wildlife contributes to their quality of life.

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June Issue Wisconsin Wildlife Management Bi-Monthly Report

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Minnesota --(Ammoland.com)- As of midnight, June 30, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will be shutdown due to a state budget impasse

Frequently Asked Questions about the State Government Shutdown for DNR Customers can be found on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources home page.

The 2011 legislative session ended without a budget agreement and unless an agreement is reached on June 30, large portions of state government will shutdown.

This shutdown will include the majority of the Department of Natural Resources, including the DNR’s primary website resources. Please visit BeReadyMN.com for more shutdown-related information.

About:
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is the agency of the U.S. state of Minnesota charged with conserving and managing the state’s natural resources. The agency maintains areas such as state parks, state forests, recreational trails, and recreation areas as well as managing minerals, wildlife, and forestry. The agency is currently divided into sections Ecological Resources, Enforcement, Fish & Wildlife, Forestry, Lands and Minerals, Waterways, Parks and Trails, and Waters. Visit www.dnr.state.mn.us

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced that the Board of Game Commissioners will hold its upcoming meeting on June 27-28, in the auditorium of the agency’s Harrisburg headquarters at 2001 Elmerton Ave., just off the Progress Avenue exit of Interstate 81 in Harrisburg.

On Monday, June 27, the Board will gather public comments and hear Game Commission staff reports beginning at 8:30 a.m. Doors will open at 7:45 a.m. Registration for those interested in offering public testimony – limited to five minutes – also will begin at that time.

On Tuesday, June 28, beginning at 8:30 a.m., the Game Commission will take up its prepared agenda, which will be posted on the agency’s website prior to the meeting. Doors will open at 7:45 a.m.

For those unable to attend this meeting, the Game Commission will webcast the meeting beginning with the Game Commission staff reports on Monday, immediately following the conclusion of public comments. The full Board meeting on Tuesday will be webcast beginning at 8:30 a.m. An icon will be posted on the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) on Monday and Tuesday to access the webcasts.

Roe also announced the minutes from the Board’s April 12 meeting were posted on the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us). To view the document, click on the “Resources” section in the menu bar under the banner, then select “Reports/Minutes,” followed by “Commission Board Meeting Minutes,” and then choose “April 2011 Minutes.”

West Virginia DNR

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – -(Ammoland.com)- Applications are being accepted for 14 open Natural Resources Police Officer (NRPO) positions statewide, according to Lt. Tim Coleman of the Law Enforcement Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR).

NRPOs in the WVDNR Law Enforcement Section are responsible for the prompt, orderly and effective enforcement of all laws and rules of the state and have full law enforcement authority statewide. Of primary importance is the protection of West Virginia’s wildlife to the degree that they are not endangered by unlawful activities

To be considered for this position, candidates must be willing to relocate and work in any county in the state; must be willing to work all shifts and be on call; and understand that this is a statewide position, and as such, that the county of assignment may not be guaranteed.

Minimum qualifications include graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with preference given to majors in natural sciences, law enforcement, criminology, or criminal justice, or candidates may substitute previous employment as a law enforcement officer under certain circumstances.

All candidates are required to pass a Physical Agility Test (PAT) at West Virginia State University in Institute, W.Va., on Friday, June 10, 2011, or on Saturday, June 11, 2011. The tests start at 8 a.m. each day. Walk-ons will be accepted.

The PAT consists of three parts: a 37.5 yard swim; an agility test consisting of completing a minimum of 18 pushups in proper form in one minute and completing 27 sit-ups in proper form in one minute; and a 1.5 mile run in 15 minutes, 20 seconds or less. Failure to satisfactorily complete any part of the test is cause for disqualification and will eliminate candidates from further consideration.

Directions: Take Exit 50 (Institute) off I-64; turn left onto Route 25; turn right at the first traffic light onto Barron Drive; turn left onto Academic Drive and park in Lot G. Enter Fleming Hall through the Chester Burris entrance.

Full details about the job description and an online job application form can be found at www.wvdnr.gov/lenforce/employment.shtm. For more information, contact the WVDNR Law Enforcement Section at 304-558-2784 or email DNR.Law@wv.gov .

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division recently honored RFC Tim Butler with the Rocky Wainwright Waterfowl Officer of the Year Award for his outstanding efforts regarding waterfowl conservation over the past year.

Butler is a Conservation Ranger assigned to Bleckley and Pulaski counties. The award is named in memory of Conservation Ranger Cpl. Rocky Wainwright, who was dedicated to the conservation of waterfowl.

“RFC Tim Butler takes pride in both his enforcement of waterfowl laws and regulations as well as his ability to educate the public on the same,” says Division Chief of Law Enforcement Col. Homer Bryson. “He is an asset to the Department and the hunting public and has contributed immensely to the success of Georgia’s waterfowl management program.”

RFC Tim Butler has been with the Division since 2005. Here are some of his accomplishments this past year:

• Conducted an impressive 34 waterfowl-related information/education presentations, making contact with more than 1,100 elementary, middle and high school students. During his presentations, Butler introduces students to waterfowl biology, food habits, migration patterns, species identification and hunting laws.
• Exhibited ability to be a team player in organizing the observation of hunting areas, including bringing in conservation rangers from many other counties and agents of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Conducted multiple morning/evening operations to detect and address illegal hunting activity in Bleckley, Houston, Pulaski and Twiggs counties.

Other conservation rangers nominated for this award include RFC Jeff Phillips of the Southwest Georgia Region, RFC Tim Hutto of the Southeast Georgia Region and RFC Chris Moore of the Coastal Region.

For more information on the Rocky Wainwright Waterfowl Award, call the WRD Law Enforcement Office at (770) 918-6408.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

MALTA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on a draft Upland Game Bird Enhancement Program (UGBEP) strategic plan. FWP will present the plan’s highlights and accept comments at a meeting in Missoula on Wednesday, May 18, beginning at 7 p.m., at the Missoula FWP Office (3201 Spurgin Road).

The plan was developed in the past 18 months with the help of a citizens’ advisory council and was recently approved for public review by the FWP Commission.

The UGBEP allows FWP to work directly with landowners—and other individuals, groups and organizations—to improve private and public lands for game birds. Landowners can apply to enroll in the cost-share program to develop, enhance, and conserve upland game bird habitats if the land in the project area remains open to reasonable public hunting.

To view information on the plan and submit comments electronically, go to the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov on the Hunting page and click “Opportunity for Public Comment.” Address written comments to: FWP – Wildlife Bureau, Attn: Public Comment, POB 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701.

All comments must be received by June 6. The FWP Commission will make a final ruling on the UGBEP strategic plan at its July 14 meeting. Contact the FWP Wildlife Bureau at 406-444-2612 for more information.

Even as this post aims to highlight the central importance of the states to the future prospects for restoring bobwhites, our thoughts and prayers go out to those in many of those states – including Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, Mississippi and Arkansas — who have lost family members or friends, or have seen their or their neighbors’ homes and businesses destroyed during waves of violent weather this spring. In fact, 328 people across those seven states died just last week in the nation’s deadliest tornado outbreak since the Depression. While my family has spent a lot of time in our own “fraidy hole” ducking multiple close tornadoes in central Arkansas, the impact personally has otherwise been limited. Rising waters forced the evacuation of my office and equipment storage areas. My brother watched helplessly as a giant tornado gutted his hometown of Tuscaloosa. So many other others have not been as fortunate. Let’s all keep those folks in our thoughts.

National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative

Knoxville, TN --(Ammoland.com)- Bobwhites are the legal authority and responsibility of the state wildlife agencies. That’s just the way it is for resident (non-migratory) species of wildlife.

The federal government has no formal role or responsibility … unless bobwhites get listed under the Endangered Species Act. No one wants to go there.

The NBCI started out in 2002 as a strategic plan of the states, but has become much more. The plan started the ball rolling in earnest; since then, collaborations have made it snowball to the national level. At first glance, the NBCI now may appear to have developed a life of its own – a national operational center, a national staff, and a national Management Board – like a free-standing organization, maybe even poised to compete with other quail organizations.

The reality, however, is fundamentally different. The state fish and wildlife agencies across the bobwhite range are the core of bobwhite conservation responsibility and leadership. The NBCI remains an initiative of those states. I state this so clearly not because my position as NBCI Director is funded by those states; rather, my position is funded by those states because the NBCI is their initiative.

The NBCI currently has united 25 states; in addition, all three of the main regional associations of state fish and wildlife agencies —the Southeastern, the Northeastern and the Midwest— have formally endorsed the NBCI. This scale of state engagement for quail is unprecedented. Without that active state core, the NBCI is nothing. In fact, without that core of state responsibility, leadership, engagement, capacity and drive, nothing else and no one else matter much in the big picture.

There always will be a few hotspots where bobwhites thrive due to the good work of other dedicated conservationists at local or district levels. However, from a range-wide perspective, the states are the key. Restoration on anything bigger than a hotspot scale requires two basic things to happen:

• (1) the states must rise to the challenge, en masse and within their own states; and
• (2) all other bobwhite conservationists must rally to catalyze, support and strengthen the states.

The NBCI’s mission is to restore bobwhites across their range. However, the NBCI exists, first and foremost, to serve the collective states in pursuit of that mission. In the process, the NBCI occasionally may urge, nag and nudge; and sometimes will be perceived by the states as an annoyance or even as a burden. But in the end, the NBCI exists to help raise their game – our game – and will succeed only to the extent that it adds value to the states in restoring quail. Likewise, the big-picture success of all our other valuable quail conservation partners are linked to the engagement and the success of the states.

As we strive to build our long-term capacity to restore bobwhites range-wide, strategic thinking is essential. Every single bobwhite conservation partner—whether state, federal, non-government organization, corporate or private—has strengths; but no partner has every strength or enough strength, and no single one of us can restore bobwhites by ourselves at anything much beyond local levels. Coming articles will outline some highlights of how the bobwhite world can assemble its strengths to strategic advantage, to maximize synergy and minimize competition.

About:
The National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI) is the unified strategic effort of 25 state fish and wildlife agencies and various conservation organizations — all under the umbrella of the National Bobwhite Technical Committee — to restore wild populations of bobwhite quail in this country to levels comparable to 1980. Visit: www.bringbackbobwhites.org