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Ohio Department Natural Resources

COLUMBUS, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Overlooked wildlife will be the focus of the 2012 Ohio Wildlife Diversity Conference, which is scheduled for Wednesday, March 7, at the Aladdin Shrine Center in Columbus.

The conference, titled “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” is sponsored by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife and is open to the public.

“We hope many people are able to attend this conference to learn more about the interesting wildlife we have in Ohio,” said Director Jim Zehringer, director of ODNR.

The Wildlife Diversity Conference has steadily grown in popularity. The first conference, held in 1985, drew 40 people. Last year, 975 people attended the day-long gathering.

The keynote speaker this year, Cindy Hale of the University of Minnesota, will discuss earthworms and their impact to the environment in her presentation, “Dances with Worms: The Great Lakes Worm Watch.”

Other conference topics include discussions of freshwater mussel restoration, aquatic invasive species, a Lake Erie pelagic bird survey, terrestrial crayfish, wildlife orphans, wetland restoration, as well as beavers, porcupines and fishers in Ohio.

The third Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp, which features the spotted salamander, will be available to conference attendees.

Proceeds from the sale of the stamp will be used to support:

• endangered and threatened native species;
• habitat restoration, land purchases and conservation easements; and
• educational products for students and wildlife enthusiasts.

Anyone who pre-registers online for the conference may purchase this collectable stamp at a discounted price of $12, which is a 20 percent savings. Details about the Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp are available at wildohiostamp.com.

Representatives from a range of conservation and natural resource organizations, such as the Black Swamp Bird Observatory, Columbus Audubon and Ohio Biological Survey, will present displays and be available to answer questions.

Doors open at 8 a.m. for registration on March 7. The conference begins at 9 a.m. and lasts until 3:30 p.m.

For more information or to register for the conference online, go to http://bit.ly/WildlifeDiversityConference or call 800-WILDLIFE. The registration cost prior to Feb. 26 is $25. After that date, the admission cost is $35.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. For more information, visit the ODNR website at www.ohiodnr.com.

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Oregon Cougar Hunting Closed In Coast & North Cascade Region For Rest Of Year

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

SALEM, Ore --(Ammoland.com)- ODFW is closing cougar hunting through the end of this year in the Coast/North Cascades region, after reaching the zone’s quota of 120 cougars.

Since Jan. 1, 2011, 120 cougars have been killed by sporthunters or in response to damage or public safety concerns in Zone A (Coast/North Cascade). ODFW closes sport hunting if a zone’s quota is reached.

The closure only applies to sport hunting. Cougars may still be killed if they are threatening livestock, pets or human safety.

This is only the third year that cougar sport hunting has been closed in Oregon. Previous closures occurred in 2001, with one zone closed, and 2002, when two zones closed.

Most of the increased take of cougars in Zone A this year is from “non-hunter” kill, or cougars taken due to damage, public safety concerns, roadkill or other reasons. So far, 59 cougars were killed in this category in 2011, compared to 48 in 2010 and 38 in 2009. Sporthunter harvest of cougars was 61 in 2011, 55 in 2010 and 61 in 2009.

ODFW closely tracks the take of cougars. Sporthunters and any landowner that kills a cougar due to damage or public safety issues must check in the cougar’s skull and hide (with proof of sex) at an ODFW office within 10 days of harvest. During the check-in, ODFW collects data to estimate the cougar’s age.

The data is used to estimate the overall cougar population in Oregon, which is about 5,700 cougars today. To keep the cougar population healthy, ODFW closes sporthunting zones when a certain quota is reached as it was today in the Coast/North Cascades.

Cougar sport hunting in the Coast/North Cascade region will resume on Jan. 1, 2012, when the 2012 season begins with the same quota for the new year.

Find a map of zones and each zone’s quota at the link below: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/hunting/big_game/cougar/quota.asp

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