Mule Deer Foundation

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah --(Ammoland.com)- Mule deer hunters from across the country should applaud the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ (WAFWA) approval of new guidelines for balancing mule deer management with energy development, the Mule Deer Foundation announced today.

Released at the WAFWA annual meeting, which took place last month in Big Sky, Mont., “Energy Development Guidelines for Mule Deer” was prepared by the Mule Deer Working Group (MDWG), composed of biologists from state, federal and provincial agencies and created by WAFWA in 1997 to develop consistent, science-based information for management and research on mule deer.

The MDWG developed the guidelines based on the best available science and real world experience relating to energy development and mule deer, which have faced declines in recent years due to habitat loss and degradation, and displacement in part to certain energy development practices.

Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies

The report was authored by state biologists and reviewed by the energy industry, federal agencies and several non-governmental organizations. The guidelines are intended to help resource managers conserve mule deer populations during energy development through activities such as pre-project risk assessments, appropriate project designs, effective mitigation and reclamation, and adequate monitoring. Adaptive management techniques are a common theme throughout the document.

“If followed, these new guidelines will play a key role in sustaining mule deer populations during energy development activities,” said Miles Moretti, President/CEO of the Mule Deer Foundation. “Bringing together all the stakeholders before an energy project is initiated will reduce conflicts later during the development phase. We thank the WAFWA states for their forward-looking leadership in developing this important management tool.”

Mule deer and black-tailed deer populations have experienced range-wide declines in recent years. Habitat loss and fragmentation, especially on deer winter ranges, is one of the major causes of declining populations.

“Energy Development Guidelines for Mule Deer” focuses not only on traditional oil and gas development but also on geothermal, wind and solar energy development. The publication will be available in published form in the near future.

For more information about mule deer, visit www.muledeer.org or www.muledeerworkinggroup.com.

About MDF:
The Mule Deer Foundation is one of the key conservation groups in North America working to restore, improve and protect mule deer, black-tailed deer and their habitat. With a focus on science and program efficiency, MDF has raised millions of dollars and put countless man-hours on the ground for mission-critical projects. MDF acknowledges regulated hunting as a viable management component and is committed to recruitment and retention of youth into the shooting sports and conservation. Visit www.muledeer.org or call 1-888-375-DEER.

Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, WI --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources firmly supports the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in delisting the wolf in the upper Great Lakes states.

Wisconsin has exceeded its delisting goal eight times over and must have flexibility to manage problem wolves if any support for wolves by the public is to continue.

While the department is committed to long-term conservation of wolves in Wisconsin, it is critical that we be allowed to manage wildlife populations within our borders. Wisconsin has approximately 800 wolves; this is the most wolves ever counted in the state. Wolf numbers far exceed the federal delisting recovery goal of 100 wolves for both Wisconsin and Michigan, and are causing real problems.

It is time for management of wolves in Wisconsin to be turned over to us. The same is true for Minnesota and Michigan. For this to happen, the wolf must first be removed (delisted) from endangered or threatened status under the Endangered Species Act.

We support the USFWS in its current attempt to delist, but we also strongly disagree with its conclusion that a newly discovered and separate species of wolf exists in the Western Great Lakes. Wisconsin’s wolves are the same species that was listed in 1978, and are most closely associated with the gray wolf. Recent genetic analyses refute the existence of Eastern wolves as a separate species. Wisconsin’s wolves are of mixed genetics, but they are physically indistinguishable, readily interbreed, and occupy the same range.

Wolves in Wisconsin act and behave as a single population and must be managed as a single population. Accordingly, our message to the USFWS is clear and strong: Don’t muddy the waters with this indefensible two-population concept. We need a solid, defensible, delisting proposal, and we need it now.

Minnesota, Michigan, the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, Defenders of Wildlife, Timber Wolf Alliance, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, prominent scientists actively working with wolf genetics, and other organizations and government agencies support Wisconsin’s position: Wisconsin has a gray wolf population that has successfully recovered.

The public grows weary of the delays and government inaction. They need to know that their state DNR is pushing hard to get this done. The ball is in the USFWS’s court, again. It needs to make the right decisions and to publish an effective delisting rule that will withstand challenges from those opposed to the delisting of wolves.

I will not stop pushing on this issue until we have delisting of wolves and relief for Wisconsin residents who are seriously struggling with our unchecked and unmanaged growing wolf population. That’s a promise.

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

A presentation on the status of the gray wolf in Wisconsin by DNR wolf specialist Adrian Wydeven to the State Natural Resources Board at their August meeting. [VIDEO Length 18:54]

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- State wildlife biologist Trina Morris and interns Julia Nawrocki and Craig Bland found a bat honey hole on Cumberland Island last month.

The trio, with help from interns at the National Seashore, set up 20-foot-tall mist-nets over a small water hole on the island and caught and released more than 100 bats in one night.

“It was like Bat Central,” Morris said recently with a grin.

The processing of bat species, weights and other details that kept the researchers busy deep into the hot, buggy night is central to a State Wildlife Grants project focused on Georgia’s bats. For more than a decade, the federal grants program has been the main funding source to help states keep common species common and protect others before they become critically imperiled and more costly to recover.

Morris, of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section, and the interns visited seven islands, netting bats and setting up routes for the Anabat, technology that identifies bats by their echolocation calls. Netting helps confirm what the Anabat records.

“It’s the beginning of a long-term project to look at yellow bats specifically and Coastal Plain bats in general,” Morris said.

The No. 1 question for yellow bats is whether low catch rates mean they are elusive or simply “there aren’t many in the landscape,” Morris explained. Researchers caught one in the seven-island trip.

Ga. DNR intern Julia Nawrocki and a yellow bat netted on Cumberland. Credit: Katrina Morris/Ga. DNR

Northern yellow bats are a high-priority species in the State Wildlife Action Plan, the strategy guiding DNR efforts to conserve biological diversity. Scientists are working to learn more about this coastal bat in Georgia, including how rare it is. More information is also needed on the state’s other 15 bat species. Bats help control insects and fill other vital roles in healthy ecosystems. Yet these flying mammals face significant threats, from habitat loss to white-nose syndrome. White-nose has killed more than 1 million cave-dwelling bats and been documented in 17 states from Maine to North Carolina, but not Georgia.

The State Wildlife Grants project Morris is leading will build on previous surveys, plus the work of former DNR interns who examined yellow bat roosting habitats on Sapelo Island and the habitat associations of foraging bats on barrier islands.

Morris said the Anabat project also feeds into a national effort that could result in a citizen scientist monitoring network, much like the successful public-powered surveys for amphibians and birds.

STATE WILDLIFE GRANTS
Since 2000, the State Wildlife Grants program has been the main funding source to help keep common species common and protect others before they become critically imperiled and more costly to recover from the brink of extinction. Administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, these grants enable DNR and its conservation partners to protect wildlife and wild places to maintain the state’s natural heritage.

GIVING WILDLIFE A CHANCE
The sandhills project is another example of how buying a nongame license plate or donating to the Georgia Wildlife Conservation Fund through the state income tax checkoff and other ways supports wildlife conservation. Contributions benefit DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section, which receives no state general funds for its mission to conserve wildlife not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as rare plants and natural habitats in the state.

For more information, visit www.georgiawildlife.com/conservation or call Nongame Conservation offices in Social Circle (770-761-3035), Forsyth (478-994-1438) or Brunswick (912-264-7218). For details on The Environmental Resources Network, or TERN, a nonprofit advocacy group for Nongame Conservation, call the Forsyth office or go to http://tern.homestead.com.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced today a final rule to protect six foreign bird species found on islands in French Polynesia and in Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The rule implements federal protections provided by the ESA for the Cantabrian capercaillie, Marquesan imperial pigeon, Eiao Marquesas reed-warbler, greater adjutant, Jerdon’s courser, and slender-billed curlew. Populations of each of these species are small, fragmented, and declining, making them particularly vulnerable to genetic threats associated with small populations and extinction.

This determination follows a thorough review of the best available scientific information, comments from the general public, peer reviews, and any new information received during the public comment period following publication of the proposed rule to list these species.

Significant threats to these six foreign bird species include habitat loss, overutilization and inadequate existing regulatory mechanisms. Information on climate change was available for only one species, the slender-billed curlew; based on this information the Service found climate change to be a potential threat to this species.

Granting foreign species protection under the ESA means that the import or export of any of the species, or their parts or products, as well as their sale in interstate or foreign commerce, is prohibited. Permits for these prohibited actions may be issued for specific purposes consistent with the ESA.

The final rule will publish in the Federal Register on August 11, 2011, and become effective on September 12, 2011.

The ESA provides a critical safety net for fish, wildlife and plants and to date has prevented the extinction of hundreds of imperiled species, as well as promoting the recovery of many others. The Service is actively engaged with conservation partners and the public in the search for improved and innovative ways to conserve and recover imperiled species. To learn more about the Endangered Species program’s Branch of Foreign Species, visit: http://www.fws.gov/endangered/what-we-do/international-activities.html.

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. Connect with our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/usfws, follow us on Twitter 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.

Ruffed Grouse Society Commends Pennsylvania on its Ruffed Grouse Management Plan

Ruffed Grouse Society

Coraopolis, PA --(Ammoland.com)- The Ruffed Grouse Society commends the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) for its initiative to develop an individualized Ruffed Grouse Management Plan as defined in the National Action Plan of 2008.

“As the one international wildlife conservation organization dedicated to promoting conditions suitable for ruffed grouse, American woodcock and related wildlife to sustain our sport hunting tradition and outdoor heritage, the Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS) supports the PGC efforts to implement the National Plan for the conservation of this species, and offers its assistance in establishing the presence of the early successional habitat (ESH) component back to historic levels within the landscape for the benefit of ruffed grouse and all Pennsylvania wildlife,” said Mike Zagata, RGS President and CEO. “This is a step in the right direction, a step we urge other states follow.”

“However, we implore the PGC to establish a scientific based method to determine ruffed grouse population status rather than relying on various surveys and other trend analysis data. Using the current hunter flush rates is not always reliable as hunters generally go to the best covers. As a result, over-estimation of grouse numbers could lead to an inaccurate representation of the population status within the state. The PGC and the Pennsylvania sportsmen and women need reliable data in order to set harvest limits and season length and they need to know if they’re making progress towards their goal,” Zagata said. Adding that ruffed grouse hunting in Pennsylvania is a source of both social and economic significance in this state.

“Grouse hunting alone contributes to approximately $79 million of direct spending each year to the Pennsylvania economy. That number increases dramatically when all of the species that will benefit from this Plan are included. Much of this revenue is directed towards small businesses, especially in rural Pennsylvania. Continual decline in optimal habitat will adversely affect these businesses, and the social and cultural tradition of the grouse hunting heritage of both the Pennsylvania residents and those traveling to the state for the hunting experience will suffer” Zagata continued.

RGS Regional Biologist Linda Ordiway echoed Zagata’s comments, adding that the PGC could strengthen its initiative by offering added incentives to private landowners who actively manage their forested stands. Doing so will help create a mosaic design of forest age classes from brush to mature stands and therefore enhance wildlife diversity.

“Currently state and federal programs are available to landowners who manage their lands for timber and native grasslands, but not for the maintenance of the young forest habitat characteristics (high stem density). The history of removing only the high-value trees, known as high-grading, has resulted in many acres that would benefit from such incentive programs,” Ordiway said.

“ESH is not only essential to ruffed grouse and woodcock, but for other wildlife species, both hunted and non-hunted, during all seasons and multiple phases of their life stages. It benefits small and large hunted species and is important to license sales and the social aspect of the Pennsylvania hunting tradition. ESH also provides wildlife viewing areas for both hunter and non-hunter use of Pennsylvania’s rural areas. Reviving the balance of ESH within the landscape affords PA the opportunity to showcase one of its greatest resources, its wildlife, and increase tourism and the dollars that flow from it within these rural areas,” said Ordiway.

More information on RGS, its mission, management projects and membership is available on the web at: www.ruffedgrousesociety.org/.

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.

Food plots should offer deer nutritious food every month of the year.

J. Wayne Fears

Pottstown PA --(Ammoland.com)- “Why is it our farm does not seem to have as many deer especially bucks, on it as our neighbor’s farm?

The only difference in our management style is that our neighbors plant food plots, spring and fall and we plant food plots just in the fall.”

This is one of the questions we get most often from not only Whitetail Unlimited members, but deer hunters in general. Quite frankly, it is one of the easiest deer management questions to answer. It is, in part, about having a dinner plate full, on a year around basis.

Holding deer, specifically bucks, on a year around basis requires a combination of habitat requirements. First is security. There must be areas where the deer feel safe. Bedding areas and escape routes are a must. Then comes water. Deer require surface water to be available all year. Next is diversity. They like diversity so there is a need for openings, dense brush, open woods and corridors offering cover. And last, but by far not least, comes food. Deer require a variety of food including young twigs, buds, and leaves of certain trees and shrubs. They like certain grasses, sedges, legumes, forbs, fruits and nuts. Their consumption of these food plants varies seasonally, based on when they are available. It is here that the food plot plays a role in helping create the ideal year round habitat, or falls short.

As long as there is an ample supply of good food in the food plots and all other factors are met, the deer, bucks and does, are likely to stay in an area. Take away a choice food supply and they may start to wander in search of a new food source.

Plant warm season food plot crops with the same planning and care given cool season crops.

Advantages of Warm Season Food plots
As a wildlife manage, I have always found it easy to get hunting clubs and rural landowners to plant fall food plots as they are considered an attraction to bucks looking for choice food, a place to sit in a blind or stand and see deer. But the spring/summer food plots are not grown for hunting and they are more often than not considered of little value.

We all know that deer need all the help they can get in the way of food for the winter. A food shortage can be life threatening. We do not think, however, of the spring and summer as being a time of need, the woods and fields are green and wildlife appears to be healthy. In high quality habitat during years of ample rainfall and mild summer temperatures, this may be so; but these are becoming rare due, in part, to climate change.

The warm and hot months of summer are a stress period for deer and especially deer found in low quality habitat. Bucks are growing antlers. If food is insufficient, bucks will not develop antlers to their age and genetic potential. Does are pregnant, having fawns and producing milk. Fawns are growing and being weaned. The deer population is at its highest numbers. There is a sudden need for high quality food and lots of it. Now that some of the U.S. is suffering from higher summer temperatures, less rainfall, and drought or near drought conditions, much of the food available to deer is lower in moisture content than usual and often lower in quality. Deer are under stress and in the warmer parts of the country. The hot summer is the period of highest stress.

Planning is a Must
High quality year-round, cool season and warm season, food plots require planning to offer deer a dependable, highly nutritious food source on a 12 month basis. By now, most food plot growers know that in order to get top crop production on any food plot a soil test must be taken and the resulting recommendations for lime and fertilizer followed. Since most food plots are planted in annual crops for the fall and spring, it is necessary for the warm season crops to be listed on the soil test information sheet as well as the cool season crops. Far too many hunters list only the plants they are going to plant in the fall and omit the spring plants. To get healthy summer crops they must have the proper lime and fertilizer as well. This crop rotation information must be a part of the soil test.

Planning the crops to plant in your food plots for both cool and warm seasons requires some thought and advice from an agricultural expert with experience in the area where your land is available. Just selecting a highly advertised plant mix at a hardware store and scattering it in your food plots won’t produce the food source you want to keep the deer on your property happy. Each crop has certain requirements. Some do well on dry well drained sites while others do well in moist bottomland type soil. Some are hardy during low temperatures, while others do well under drought conditions. Some do well in the warm south, while others do best in the cooler north. Where there are high deer populations, you will want to select crops that can tolerate heavy grazing and keep coming back with new growth.

Consider Perennial Crops
There is a growing interest in planting food plots in green browse perennial plants. You plant this crop one time and, with management, it provides a green food plot on an almost year around basis for five years or more. Crops that fit this category include Durana clover, Ladino clover, Alsike clover, red clover and alfalfa. It sounds like a “magic bean” for food plots, but it isn’t quiet that. The advantages are obvious, plant it once in five years and you have wildlife food. However, it requires some effort. Like annual crops, it requires annual fertilization. It must be mowed to keep weed competition down during the warm months. It does not do well in all sites and regions, and, depending upon weather conditions, it can go through periods where there is little plant growth. Companies like Hunter’s Specialties, Pennington Seed and Whitetail Institute, however, continue working to prefect some of these perennials and they look very promising as long term food plot crops for some regions of the country.

Like the annual crops, the perennials must be selected with care, considering the soil and other conditions of your property.

Consult With County Agricultural Agent
One of the best sources of free advice for selecting both cool and warm season annuals and perennials is the local Cooperative Extension Service county agent. Almost every county in the U.S. has one. Ask at any farm supply store and they can tell you how to find him. Spend an hour with the county agent and you can plan your year around food plot crops and get free advice on soil testing, planting recommendations, and planting dates. Follow his recommendations and your food plots will reflect it. This may be the best free advice you will ever get!

Plan Replanting
On large properties with numerous food plots, the planting dates for planting annual crops can be crucial especially during the late summer plantings. All summer, the deer and other wildlife on your property have counted on the food being in the food plots. Then suddenly you come in and plow up the remaining food and replant a fall crop. This shock period can be reduced by planning your food plots so that it takes place gradually over a period of weeks. You want it so when the last food plots are being plowed up, the first ones plowed are coming back in green growth. The same thing needs to apply to the spring plantings. I never want all my food plots to be non-productive at the same time.

Keep Records
Having worked with food plots for over 40 years I have learned that food plots have their own personalities and you can learn how to get the most out of a food plot by keeping annual records on it. Such facts as how much lime and fertilizer is applied and the date applied need to be recorded as well as when it was plowed and when it was planted, what was the crop and seeding rate? How many bucks/does do hunters see on the plot and the dates? Rain dates and amounts are important. Deer and turkey taken on a food plot, their size and date taken is valuable. Reviewing records such as this, especially over a period of years, allows the manager to see what works best on a specific plot and what changes may be necessary to make it more productive. The more available highly nutritious food that is available on a food plot, year around, the more likely it is going to be in holding those bucks you want to see.

Year around food plots alone are not going to guarantee that your property will attract and hold mature bucks, but when it is a part of a totally managed habitat, you put the odds in your favor.

FOOD PLOT CROPS

Annual Cool Season

• Wheat
• Rye
• Corn
• Chicory
• Ryegrass
• Oats
• Crimson Clover

Perennial

• Durana Clover
• Ladino Clover
• Alfalfa
• Alsike Clover
• Red Clover
• Orchard Grass
• Redland Ii Clover

Annual Warm Season

• Cowpeas
• Soybeans
• Sunflower
• American Jointvetch
• Alyceclover
• Buckwheat
• Lablab

When selecting seeds for your food plots, get seed that is recommended for your area and soil type.

For more advice check out Jay Wayne Fears book the Ultimate Deer Hunters and Land Managers Pocket Reference Guide.

No Prairie Dogs

South Dakota Fish, Game & Parks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

—

June Issue Wisconsin Wildlife Management Bi-Monthly Report

New Mexico Game and Fish

SANTA FE, NM --(Ammoland.com)- Wildlife across New Mexico may have become stressed or displaced because of wildfires, but although animals may appear to be lost or abandoned, that does not always mean they need to be rescued.

The Department of Game and Fish is urging people not to pick up deer fawns, elk calves, bear cubs or other wild animals that may appear to be injured or abandoned. Usually, the wild mothers are nearby and will return for their young shortly. Removing the young animals – even with the best intentions – decreases their chances of survival.

“It may seem like the right thing to do, but you’re not ‘rescuing’ a young animal when you take it from its mother,” said Chris Neary, the Department’s Northeast Area Chief in Raton. “In almost all cases, the best thing to do is just leave it alone and quietly leave the area.”

People who pick up wild animals also risk picking up diseases and parasites such as fleas and ticks the animals may be carrying.

It’s very difficult to successfully return wild animals – especially bears – to their natural environment once they have been closely associated with humans. Only licensed wildlife rehabilitators can legally care for injured or abused wildlife in New Mexico. Rehabilitors statewide have reported an increase in animals brought to them this summer, many related to wildfires.

The Department encourages people to report wild animals that are injured or could be considered safety threats. Reports can be made at offices in Santa Fe, (505) 476-8000; Albuquerque, (505) 222-4700; Raton, (575) 445-2311; Las Cruces, (575) 532-2100; or Roswell, (575) 624-6135.

For more information about how to keep wildlife alive and you safe, please visit www.wildlife.state.nm.us and click on the “publications” tab in the top-left corner of the page.

NM Keeping Wildlife Alive Brochure

New Mexico Game and Fish

LOS ALAMOS, NM --(Ammoland.com)-The Las Conchas fire displaced the residents of Los Alamos, and now that they’re returning home from a forced evacuation they are encountering a number of displaced bears.

The Department of Game and Fish and the Los Alamos Police Department have agreed to distribute Living With Large Predator brochures to residents of Los Alamos who are reporting the influx of animals to the community.

The highly mobile nature of black bears is making it impossible to determine how many bears are in town at this time.

“The natural food supply in the Las Conchas Fire area has been reduced by this fire, and the bears are on the move looking for food,” said Shawn Carrell, Cuba District Wildlife Officer for the Department of Game and Fish. As often happens with or without forest fires, bears turn to eating trash and garbage when natural foods are not available.

“We are asking the residents to remove anything that may attract bears like bird feeders, outdoor pet food, and trash,” Carrell said. “This will encourage these bears to move on and locate themselves back in the forest away from town.”

Only one bear has been euthanized due to injuries experienced in the Las Conchas Fire, the Department reported Tuesday. It was an average-sized female found off State Route 4 near the Valles Caldera, not far from where the state’s largest blaze started.

For more detailed information on how to keep bears alive and you safe, please visit the Department of Game and Fish website at www.widlife.state.nm.us and click on the publications tab in the top-left corner of the page. If you have any questions regarding this or any other Department issue, please contact the Albuquerque office at (505) 222-4700.

Pennsylvania Game Commission Seeks Public Comment On Ruffed Grouse Plan

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- The Pennsylvania Game Commission is seeking public input on a draft ruffed grouse management plan, which can be reviewed on the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by clicking on the “Draft Grouse Management Plan” icon under the large photo in the center of the homepage.

Public comments on the agency’s ruffed grouse management plan will be accepted until Sept. 1, via the website or by mail to: Ruffed Grouse Management Plan, Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797.

“We are seeking public comment on this draft ruffed grouse management plan to ensure the resulting final management plan considers the thoughts and concerns of Pennsylvanians about this species,” said Calvin W. DuBrock, Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management director.

“As written, the plan is science-based, progressive and promotes responsible management of ruffed grouse. We’re interested in hearing from Pennsylvanians who would like to offer comments, and to see if we’ve missed something or if they share our management vision for the future.”

The overall goal of the ruffed grouse management plan, drafted by staff of the agency’s Game Bird Section, is to increase grouse populations for hunting and viewing by improving the condition and distribution of young forest habitats in Pennsylvania, and to support the implementation of the national Ruffed Grouse Conservation Plan.

To support this goal, the plan identifies supporting objectives and strategies for guiding management decisions over a 10-year horizon, 2011-2020. These are grouped under population, habitat, and human dimensions categories.

Forest inventory data were used to ascertain ruffed grouse population deficits between 1980 and 2007. Pennsylvania has lost over 29,000 breeding male grouse in that time. Because grouse population densities are strongly dependent on the proportion of young forests on the landscape, the plan documents the overall annual acreage treatments required to restore grouse populations to near 1980 levels by 2025 – the objective of the national Ruffed Grouse Conservation Plan. Within the time horizon of the PA plan, the population objective is to increase grouse numbers to 215,000 males by 2020. A more rigorous evaluation of state-level harvest management is also recommended.

To support the desired population increase, the Pennsylvania plan includes a habitat objective of having about 2.75 million acres of early-successional habitat by spring of 2020. To achieve this objective, this plan calls for increasing the proportion of Pennsylvania’s forest comprised of young age classes from 11.6 percent to 17.3 percent. To provide maximum benefit to grouse, stepping down this landscape-level increase in young forest to the local level will require both the active pursuit of proven techniques, as well as testing the efficacy of new management strategies. The overarching goal of these activities is to improve the availability of young forest habitats across the state’s landscape.

In addition to population and habitat objectives, the plan includes a human dimensions objective which involves conducting surveys and outreach to assess and increase the knowledge and satisfaction of hunters, habitat managers, and other stakeholders regarding the ruffed grouse resource and its management.

The plan contains information on grouse biology, habitat needs, populations, and recreation, and can be used as a reference for other planning purposes, such as development or implementation of comprehensive State Game Lands plans, development of private lands plans, planning activities on other public lands. Achieving the ambitious objectives for ruffed grouse populations, habitats, and the human dimensions of grouse management will require coordinated planning, research, and management efforts among state and federal agencies, large-scale landowners, and other stakeholders such as non-governmental conservation organizations and sporting groups.

The ruffed grouse is North America’s most widely distributed resident game bird. It is the most popular small game bird in Pennsylvania, as well as the official state bird. Each year, slightly more than 100,000 hunters harvest anywhere from 75,000-100,000 ruffed grouse, and grouse hunting results in the direct spending of about $79 million. Grouse are of significant social and economic value as a game bird in Pennsylvania.

Ruffed grouse populations have declined since 1980. Numbers of hunters and their harvests also have fallen. Although grouse can be present in most forested areas, they are abundant only where young forest habitats (5-15 years old) are common. In Pennsylvania, seedling/sapling stage forest cover, referred to as “young forests” (stands up to 20 years old) or “early-successional habitat,” has gone from 19.6 percent of total forest acres in 1980 to around 11.6 percent today.

For more information about the ruffed grouse, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) and put your cursor on “Hunt/Trap” in the menu bar at the top of the page, click on “Hunting” in the drop-down menu list and then click on “Ruffed Grouse” in the “Small Game” listing.

Missouri Department of Conservation

SHANNON COUNTY, Mo --(Ammoland.com)- SHANNON COUNTY, Mo. — All 34 elk and five new calves at the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Peck Ranch Conservation Area are sporting new jewelry, specifically radio collars, which are part of a cooperative research project with the University of Missouri.

According to MDC Resource Scientist and Elk Biologist Jason Sumners, the cooperative research project will provide critical information to help the MDC track the success of the elk restoration project, determine when management through hunting is appropriate, and guide future habitat and harvest management.

Sumners said the GPS (Global Positioning System)-enabled collars, provided by the university, may also assist MDC in deterring poachers.

Joshua J. Millspaugh, professor of Wildlife Management at the University of Missouri’s School of Natural Resources, said it’s critical that MDC has adequate information about what the elk do after their release from the holding pen.

“Close monitoring leads to effective management, and using radio collars is the most effective and efficient way to do this,” Millspaugh said.

He said the university hopes to gather a full spectrum of information on Missouri’s new elk herd. A big portion of that information will go toward a population model of the elk herd that researchers hope will assist in projecting the growth of the herd and potential harvest, document possible physiological stress responses after the release, and observe movement patterns and resource selection.

MDC Research Biologist Jason Sumners shows collars used to track adult elk (left) and calves (right) as part of a research project with U of M.

By resource selection, Millspaugh said he means to observe what management practices specifically attract or discourage elk population growth. This is where Geographic Information System (GIS) data layers will come in handy by showing researchers what vegetation types are preferred by the elk.

Millspaugh said information collected each day will help the biologists understand where the elk go during different times of the day and why.

Elk survival data will also be collected to help determine when, where, and why elk die, which will help in predicting the rate of growth of the restored elk herd.

Arial surveys to develop elk census techniques and fecal sample collections to assess stress levels will accompany the information gathered from the radio collars. The elk will wear the radio collars as long as the research project is active.

Millspaugh said it’s important to note that, although this sort of research has been done for other restored elk populations, it hasn’t been accomplished to the same scale or with this level of technology. Although radio-collars have been a component of other elk restoration programs, such as those in Kentucky, Tennessee and Wisconsin, this project is unique in that each and every elk in Missouri’s new herd is collared.

“The MDC should be given credit for their progressive and forward-thinking related to technology used in this project,” Millspaugh said. “It is not only the most efficient, but also the most cutting-edge available, and it will pay strong dividends in our ability to effectively manage the herd.”

Sumners said the MDC is fortunate to have a strong cooperative relationship with the university, and the experience and expertise that Millspaugh brings to the project.

Like others involved in the historic restoration of elk to Missouri, Millspaugh said his involvement has had a personal impact.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am thrilled to be involved,” he said. “Although I’m involved in many other wildlife projects around the country, the opportunity to study elk in my backyard is special and exciting.”

The 346-square-mile elk restoration zone covers parts of Shannon, Carter and Reynolds counties and is home to Missouri’s newly restored elk herd. Sumners said catching sight of elk in the vast restoration zone may be a challenge for the public.

“These several dozen animals have more than 221,500 acres of habitat in the rugged terrain of the restoration zone,” Sumners said. “As we learn more and as the herd grows, public viewing opportunities will increase.”

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation provided funds for the initial purchase of radio collars, and the entire research project is supported by the Wildlife Restoration Program, administered through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

For more information on Missouri’s elk restoration efforts, visit www.MissouriConservation.org and search “elk restoration.”

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Last week, Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted to remove the state’s black bears from its list of threatened species.

This decision came following a comprehensive biological review conducted by the FWC staff.

Before the threatened designation is finalized, and the bears are officially taken of the list of threatened species, the FWC must adopt a bear management plan. Once complete, the move will give the FWC greater flexibility and more management options in dealing with the state’s growing bear population. This could include allowing bear hunting as a management tool.

The FWC’s black bear study found that the species no longer met any of the criteria required to remain on the state’s threatened list. It also found bear numbers in the state have increased for the past 24 years and continue to increase, that bears are widely distributed throughout the state, and that current bear populations are sustainable.

“USSA and its members strongly support science-based wildlife management and conservation,” said Walter “Bud” Pidgeon, Jr., President and CEO of the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance. “We applaud the Commission for relying on these principles when reviewing the bears’ status instead of succumbing to emotional rhetoric from animal rights activists.”

Animal rights groups have long sought to disrupt the ability of the FWC to manage Florida’s bear population. In 2006, a lawsuit brought by the Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, the Fund for Animals among others, sought to take management authority away from the state by having the bears listed on the federal Endangered Species List. The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation, along with the Central Florida Bear Hunter’s Association, Safari Club International and others intervened in the lawsuit and were successful at stopping this attempt to usurp state wildlife management.

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

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

BRUNSWICK, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Some brown pelicans rescued from the Gulf oil spill last summer and released in Georgia not only returned to the state this spring, they are nesting and raising young here.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources biologist Tim Keyes recently spotted eight of the pelicans nesting in a large pelican colony on Little Egg Island Bar, a state-managed natural area in Glynn County. The birds originally from Louisiana are marked by colored leg bands.

At least seven of the nests have chicks. “So far, they look great,” said Keyes, who works with DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section.

A brown pelican rehabilitated from last year’s oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico watches over chicks on Georgia’s coast. A Georgia DNR biologist is monitoring eight nests involving rescued pelicans released last summer in the state. The birds originally from Louisiana are marked by colored leg bands. Photo credit: Tim Keyes/Georgia DNR

Efforts to clean and relocate the pelicans once soaked with oil from the BP spill raised questions about whether the large waterbirds would survive and whether they would fly back to contaminated areas in the Gulf of Mexico. Oiling can also affect reproduction.

While the pelican sightings are a hopeful sign for those particular birds, Chuck Hunter with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said there are still many unanswered questions about the impacts of the oil on the pelican population in general, as well as specific questions about the pelicans spotted in Georgia.

“These birds, no matter how clean, likely still have some oil in their internal systems and females especially may pass this contaminant on to the chicks,” said Hunter, chief of the Service’s Division of Planning and Resource Management for the National Wildlife Refuge System in the Southeast. “But this does tell me that it’s possible for some oiled birds to reproduce. Whether or not these chicks will fledge and survive to reproduce successfully themselves is also unknown and would take many years to determine.”

More than 1,200 birds were rehabilitated and released in Georgia, Florida, Texas and upstate Louisiana. Of those, 699 were brown pelicans, 140 of which were released in Georgia last June and July.

In the months during and after the BP oil spill that began April 2010, more than 7,000 other birds were collected dead, or died soon after. Hunter said an unknown number of additional birds were most likely exposed to oil and never recovered, either because they died at sea or in remote locations on the coast.

Keyes said the Georgia nests have two to three chicks each – normal for brown pelicans – and at least one parent sporting a leg band. The chicks have been given a health checkup and biologists are awaiting results of blood work. Keyes also banded some of the chicks so they can be tracked after leaving the nest.

“We’ll be visiting each of the eight nests weekly and monitoring the chicks, hopefully to the point we can say if they successfully fledged,” he said.

The young birds will start flying in about five weeks.

Of the pelicans released in Georgia, Keyes documented about 25 in the state this year. None were seen in December or January. It’s likely the pelicans migrated out of the area and returned to Georgia by mid-March.

Georgia DNR’s mission is to sustain, enhance and protect Georgia’s natural, historic and cultural resources. The Nongame Conservation Section, part of the DNR Wildlife Resources Division, is charged with conserving the native diversity of nongame animals, rare plants and natural habitats, including endangered and threatened species. The Nongame Conservation Section receives no state appropriations, depending instead on fundraisers such as the bald eagle and hummingbird license plates, as well as grants and direct contributions. Learn more at www.georgiawildlife.com . The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to work with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service is both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for its scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on the Fish and Wildlife Service’s work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

South Dakota Fish, Game & Parks

PIERRE, S.D. --(Ammoland.com)- The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department reports that wildlife is being displaced due to flood waters, and the public should keep a healthy distance from these animals.

The number of calls about fawns and other wildlife from woody areas now filled with flood waters have increased tremendously.

“The best thing people can do is leave wildlife where they find it, even if it appears to be displaced by flood waters, as there is a very good chance the mother will be back for it” Ron Schauer, GFP Regional Wildlife Manager in Sioux Falls, said.

The number of calls about “abandoned” fawns is on the rise in GFP offices, he said.

There may be health risks from handling wildlife, including rabies from animals like skunks. In addition, it is illegal for individuals to remove and possess deer fawns from the wild, he said, even if they look abandoned or displaced.

“Due to the very low chances of surviving in the wild after being raised in captivity, the best care they can receive is from their own parents or in the wild,” he said.

American Marten Management Plan Available For Review And Comment

Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, WI --(Ammoland.com)- Two or more self-sustaining populations of American martens would be maintained in northern Wisconsin with an ultimate goal of upgrading the species status from its current endangered species classification, under a draft management plan currently open for public comment.

The Department of Natural Resources has drafted an American marten (Martes americana) conservation and management plan that updates the status of the species in Wisconsin and replaces an original Marten Recovery Plan in Wisconsin.

“The goal of this plan is to ensure that American martens remain a viable member of Wisconsin’s natural heritage today and for generations to come,” says Jim Woodford, a conservation biologist with the Department of Natural Resources in Rhinelander.

American martens have cultural significance to the Ojibwe Indians of Wisconsin. In addition they are one of the best indicator species for a contiguous, diverse, and healthy northern forest ecosystem.

In states and provinces where American martens are harvested, marten furs received the second-highest in total dollar sales of all wild furbearers sold in North America in 2010. In the western Great Lakes states, martens are legally trapped in northern Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Woodford says martens were found nearly statewide throughout the forested regions of Wisconsin prior to European settlement, but their numbers and distribution decreased due to unregulated trapping, habitat loss, and subsequent wildfires. Even though marten trapping was prohibited in 1921, martens were considered extirpated from the state by 1925.

Martens (a member of the weasel family) were listed as a state endangered species, and a recovery plan was developed in 1986. Three major reintroduction projects have occurred since then to reestablish martens to the forests of northern Wisconsin.

Marten populations in Wisconsin are monitored annually by winter track surveys in two core population areas. These surveys have not provided definite population trends, in large part due to low density of animals. Researchers estimated between 160 and 282 martens in one core area in 2005. A partnership between DNR, the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, and the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission are currently completing a three year project that reintroduced 90 martens into the other core area.

The draft management plan calls for, among other things, developing a more accurate population estimate of martens in Wisconsin, maintaining the established two marten protection areas, developing and implementing forest management guidelines to protect and improve marten habitat, and protecting and enhancing corridors for marten movements between isolated groups of martens.

The Draft Management and Conservation Plan for American Martens in Wisconsin (pdf) is available on the DNR website or by request to: Jim Woodford, Conservation Biologist, 107 Sutliff Avenue, Rhinelander, WI 54501, (715)365-8856, james.woodford@wisconsin.gov. Interested individuals or groups can submit comments on the draft plan to Woodford via written, e-mail, or oral comments through July 5, 2011.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Woodford – (715)365-8856

Coyote Sightings Increase

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- The distinctive call of the coyote or “song dog” echoes across our state, from the more welcoming rural areas of wooded forests and open fields, to the less inviting environments of major cities and neighborhoods.

Rapid human population growth across the state coupled with the coyote’s unique ability to adapt and thrive, contributes to today’s increased observation of coyotes in urban settings.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division encourages residents to educate themselves and take the proper precautions essential to co-existing with coyotes.

“Historically, coyotes were most commonly found on the Great Plains of North America. However, their range has expanded greatly. They are one of the most adaptable species on the planet. In fact, coyotes have adapted quite well to living in suburbs and cities like Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta,” says John W. Bowers, Wildlife Resources Division assistant chief of Game Management. “Preventive actions are the best solutions for residents to reduce the potential for human-coyote conflicts.”

Though the coyote’s principal diet typically consists of small rodents and fruit, they are characterized as opportunistic and will prey on small, domestic animals if given the opportunity. Because of this, small house pets (such as cats and small dogs), young or small livestock and poultry are vulnerable and susceptible prey. The Division advises landowners and homeowners to heed the following precautions to ensure the safety of their animals:

• Take pets indoors during the night, as this is the coyote’s primary hunting time. (In addition to coyotes, small pets may fall prey to free-roaming dogs and great horned owls.)
• If the pet must be kept outside, install fencing and motion-activated flood lights to discourage predators.
• Small livestock or poultry should be kept in an enclosed or sheltered area. Coyotes rarely bother larger livestock although they are often blamed for such nuisance instances. (It should be noted that free-roaming dogs, rather than coyotes, are notorious for harassing, injuring or killing livestock.)

The Division encourages residents to also heed the additional following tips in an effort to minimize coyote habituation to humans and ensure public health and safety:

• NEVER, under any circumstances, feed a coyote.
• Keep items, such as grills, pet food or bird feeders off-limits. Clean and store grills when not in use, keep pet food indoors or feed pets indoors and refill bird feeders infrequently and in small amounts.
• Make trash cans inaccessible. Keep lids securely fastened or store trash cans in a secured location until trash pick-up.

Additional solutions for managing coyotes and the problems they may cause include trapping and/or hunting. Coyotes are not native to Georgia and may be hunted/trapped year-round. The Division does NOT provide trapping services, but maintains a list of licensed trappers permitted to provide this service across the state. To access this listing, visit www.georgiawildlife.com (Select “Permits and Other Services” and then select “Nuisance Wildlife Trapper List”).

“The Division receives numerous calls each year. Most callers report the sighting of a coyote or request coyote relocation,” says Bowers. “Relocation is not a solution. Relocating coyotes only moves the problem into someone else’s backyard. It also may result in a slower death from the stress of being released into unfamiliar territory. Trapping and killing habituated or problem coyotes is the only reasonable way to keep them out of backyards.”

While coyotes closely resemble a small dog in appearance, the distinctive characteristics that set the species apart are upright, pointed ears, a pointed snout, low forehead, a mottled color fur pattern ranging from black to reddish-blonde and a bushy tail that is generally carried straight out below the level of the back.

For more information regarding coyotes, visit www.georgiawildlife.com , contact a Wildlife Resources Division Game Management office or call (770) 918-6416.

Wolves in Michigan One Step Closer to State Management

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) today announced a proposal to remove gray wolves in the Western Great Lakes area – which includes Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin – from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife because wolves have recovered in this area and no longer require the protection of the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Wolves in the Western Great Lakes area have exceeded recovery goals and continue to thrive.

Wolf numbers total more than 4,000 animals in the three core recovery states. Minnesota’s population is estimated at 2,922 wolves; there are an estimated 557 wolves in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and another 690 in Wisconsin. Each state has developed a plan to manage wolves once federal protection is no longer needed.

“Wolves in the Western Great Lakes have achieved recovery,” said Fish and Wildlife Service Acting Director Rowan Gould. “We are taking this step because wolf populations have met recovery goals and no longer need the protection of the Endangered Species Act. We are asking the public to review this proposal and provide us with any additional information that can help inform our final decision.”

The proposal identifies the Western Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of wolves, which includes a core area of Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin, as well as parts of adjacent states that are within the range of wolves dispersing from the core recovery area. After reviewing the latest available scientific and taxonomic information, the Service now recognizes the presence of two species of wolves in the Western Great Lakes: the gray wolf (Canis lupus), the wolf species currently listed under the ESA, and the eastern wolf (Canis lycaon), with a historical range that includes portions of eastern Canada and the northeastern United States. Recent wolf genetic studies indicate that what was formerly thought to be a subspecies of gray wolf (Canis lupus lycaon) is actually a distinct species (Canis lycaon). To establish the status of this newly recognized species, the Service is initiating a review of C. lycaon throughout its range in the United States and Canada.

The Service is seeking information from governmental agencies, Native American tribes, scientific community, industry and any other interested parties on threats, population size and trends, and other data that could affect the long-term survival of the Western Great Lakes DPS of the gray wolf. The Service is also seeking information on the status of the eastern wolf (Canis lycaon) throughout its range in the United States and Canada.

Written comments may be submitted by one of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments to Docket No. [FWS-R3-ES-2011-0029]. U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. [FWS-R3-ES-2011-0029]; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM; Arlington, VA 22203.

The proposed rule was delivered to the Federal Register today and is expected to publish within the next two weeks. Comments must be received within 60 days from publication in the Federal Register. The Service will post all comments on www.regulations.gov. This generally means the agency will post any personal information provided through the process. The Service is not able to accept email or faxes.

Following the close of the comment period, the Service will consider all new information and other data and make a final decision on the proposal to delist the Western Great Lakes DPS of wolves. In the meantime, gray wolves in the Western Great Lakes area will remain classified as endangered, except in Minnesota where they will remain threatened.

More information on the recovery of gray wolves in the Western Great Lakes can be found at www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/.

The ESA provides a critical safety net for America’s native fish, wildlife and plants. We are working to actively engage conservation partners and the public in the search for improved and innovative ways to conserve and recover imperiled species. To learn more about the Endangered Species Program, visit www.fws.gov/endangered/.

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

Where To Hunt And Shoot - That Is The Question

Bass Pro Shops

Springfield, Missouri - -(Ammoland.com)- One of the biggest challenges to most hunters is just finding a place to hunt.

If you don’t own land or lease land, it probably means finding a good spot on public land. The time to start looking for it is right now.

Your state wildlife agency can provide information on areas close to home and those with the best opportunity for deer, turkey, upland game, or waterfowl. Other sources include National Wildlife Refuges, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land management.

Large timber companies are also a possibility. Some allow hunters to purchase passes to hunt company-owned land. Some military bases and federal installations also allow hunting opportunities.

Another great resource is Hunt and shoot.org.

Hunt and Shoot.org, developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the shooting, hunting and firearms industry, helps new or experienced hunters and shooters find the information they need.

Hunt and shoot.org provides access to helpful resources and links to searchable state-by-state databases that will help hunters and shooters connect with where to go and how to stay involved with hunting and shooting.

Now is the time to get out and find your next place to hunt and shoot.

Larry Whiteley is host of the award winning Outdoor World Radio. For more tips, log onto www.basspro.com

About Bass Pro Shops Group:
Bass Pro Shops -56 retail stores in 26 states and Canada visited by over 109 million people annually, international catalog and internet retailing, American Rod & Gun wholesale division selling to over 7,000 independently owned retail stores worldwide, Outdoor World Incentives also selling Bass Pro Shops gift cards through over 132,000 retail outlets across America and a restaurant division with 26 locations.  For more information regarding Bass Pro Shops store locations, products or special events, please visit www.basspro.com.  To request a free catalog call 1-800-BASS PRO

What You Should Know If You Find A Seemingly Abandoned Fawn

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- As spring brings the season for wildlife to give birth, the Department of Natural Resources reminds Michigan residents to resist the instinct to try to help seemingly abandoned fawns or other baby animals.

“The truth is, the animal doesn’t need help – even if a fawn appears to be abandoned, its mother is almost always nearby,” said DNR wildlife biologist Sherry MacKinnon.

“We appreciate the good intentions of those who want to help, but the animals are better off left alone than removed from the wild.”

MacKinnon said it’s not uncommon for does to leave their young unattended for up to eight hours at a time, an anti-predator mechanism that minimizes scent left around the newborn animals. “The same holds true for rabbits, ground-dwelling birds and other wildlife,” she said. “Even avian parents will continue to care for hatchlings that have fallen from a nest.”

The DNR advises that:

• Many baby animals will die if removed from their natural environment, and some have diseases or parasites that can be passed on to humans or pets.
• Some “rescued” animals that do survive become habituated to people and are unable to revert back to life in the wild. It is illegal to possess a wild deer in Michigan, and every day a deer spends with humans makes it that much less likely to be able to survive in the wild.
• Eventually, habituated animals pose additional problems as they mature and develop adult animal behaviors. Habituated deer, especially bucks, can become aggressive as they mature, and raccoons are well-known for this, too.

“If you know of a deer or other animal that has been orphaned, early in the year – for example, if a doe is dead nearby – please call your local DNR office, they can refer you to a licensed rehabilitator,” said MacKinnon. “Licensed rehabilitators are trained to handle wild animals and know how to release them so that they can survive in the wild.”

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.

South Dakota Fish, Game & Parks

PIERRE, S.D. --(Ammoland.com)- Government personnel have been investigating a large mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) die-off located approximately 16 miles northwest of Pierre, South Dakota.

A recent update by the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) indicates respiratory fungal infections caused the deaths of more than 8,000 mallards.

The South Dakota Department of Game Fish and Parks and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service first responded on January 27, to a mallard die-off on the Okobojo Creek arm of Lake Oahe.

A total of 360 mallards were found dead on the lake ice and were removed.

The following day, approximately 7,000 additional dead mallards were discovered at an open artesian pond on private land located 3 miles north of the first die-off site. In an effort to keep birds away from the water source, hazing techniques including use of propane canons, scare streamers, and other activities were initiated at the pond after all dead mallards were removed on January 29. An aerial survey of the area on February 3, found more than 600 additional dead mallards at a third site consisting of several small open beaver ponds.

A sample of thirteen mallards either found dead or euthanized were sent to NWHC for diagnostic necropsy. Initial results indicated that at least two of eight mallards necropsied died due to aspergillosis, a respiratory tract infection caused by the inhalation of spores produced by fungi of the genus Aspergillus. Asperillosis has been known to cause previous mallard die-off events, including an event that occurred at the Oahe Seep near Pierre in 1985 (Bair et al. 1988). Further testing, including histopathology analysis of lung tissues, later confirmed that two of the other six mallards necropsied also died from a fungal respiratory infection, possibly caused by a different genus of fungi. Scientists at NWHC are continuing tests to try to identify the fungal pathogen associated with disease in these birds. Fungi can also cause avian morality by producing toxins (mycotoxins) that target the liver; however, lab results did not indicate mortality from liver disease.

The mallards most likely developed the fungal respiratory infections after being exposed to moldy corn; however, lab findings did not definitively determine the source of fungi that infected the mallards. Moldy corn was found in a silage pile at a feedlot located near the site where most of the dead mallards were found and in the digestive tract of several mallards examined. Observations also indicate that mallards are drawn to the feedlot when snow cover keeps them from foraging elsewhere.

The fungal disease identified from the mallards that were tested is not considered contagious (does not spread from bird to bird) and humans are not considered susceptible unless they have an immune system deficiency or develop an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions are rare and generally found in individuals working directly with the fungi and not from exposure to infected bird carcasses.

For more information contact one of the agencies named in this release. More information on aspergillosis and other fungal diseases is available in the National Wildlife Health Center “Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases” available at http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/publications/field_manual/index.jsp).

Bair W.C., Simpson S.G., Windingstad R.M. 1988. Acute aspergillosis in mallards at Oahe Seep near Pierre, South Dakota. Prairie Naturalist 20(3):153 – 156.

Pennsylvania Game Commission Looking For Reports Of Dead Barn Owls

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- Pennsylvania Game Commission wildlife biologists are seeking information from the general public about dead barn owls that may have succumbed to starvation during the long periods of snow and ice that covered much of Pennsylvania this winter.

Information can be submitted to the Game Commission’s Region Offices. (For a list of region office contacts and the counties that each serves, please scroll to the bottom.)

“Because of the length of time that much of the Commonwealth has had snow on the ground with a hard crust, barn owls have had an extremely difficult time attempting to catch meadow voles, which are their primary prey,” said Dan Mummert, Game Commission Southeast Region Wildlife Diversity Biologist and regional coordinator of the agency’s Barn Owl Conservation Initiative.

“Therefore, we currently are in what is likely the highest annual period of mortality for these owls. We need landowners’ cooperation in reporting any dead barn owls, especially those barn owls that have been banded, so we can learn more about such things as fledgling dispersal, habitat usage, causes of mortality and average lifespan.”

To reinforce the Game Commission’s concerns, Mummert cited studies that show “prolonged snow, especially when it covers the ground uniformly and at depths greater than about 2.5 to 3 inches and when accompanied by exceptionally low temperatures, has often been identified with increased owl mortality.”

“The most carefully researched study of this was in Utah over the winter of 1981-82,” Mummert said. “As part of this study, between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28, 74 severely emaciated barn owls were found dead. Most perished during a period of two weeks when there was snow cover 7.8 to 9.8 inches deep and mean daily temperatures of 16 degrees Fahrenheit. The overall mortality rate during this period was unknown but the breeding population fell by 40 percent from 1981 to 1982.”

Mummert pointed out that the conditions noted in the Utah study existed over much of Pennsylvania this year. However, Mummert also noted that 65 to 75 percent of barn owls die within their first year, and starvation is likely the main cause of death.

“During the first Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas (PBBA), which was partially funded by the Game Commission, barn owls were found in 56 of the state’s 67 counties,” Mummert said. “By the Second PBBA, the barn owl distribution had steeply contracted, especially from the two southern corners of the state, and they were found in only 30 counties. Additionally, there was a 53.4 percent reduction in number of occupied blocks between the two atlas data collection periods.

“The really unfortunate point is that there were only 20 years between atlas periods, which means that there has been a steep decline in barn owls in Pennsylvania. And, even more unfortunate is the fact that we have seen other species with even steeper declines.”

Since 2006, Game Commission Regional Wildlife Diversity Biologists have banded 781 barn owls and have confirmed nesting at 138 different nest sites throughout the state. So far, agency biologists have had 32 band recoveries, of which, half were returned during winter.

“Many of the barn owls were recovered soon after conditions we recently experienced; long lasting snow cover with icy crust,” Mummert said. “A good percentage of the remaining band returns were from young fledglings recovered dead near their natal nest site.”

Barn owls have large clutches, with an average of five chicks, while some have as many as 10 in one clutch.

“It appears to be nature’s strategy of having large clutches to overcome high mortality rates,” Mummert said. “The barn owl has not been well studied in Pennsylvania and band returns are a cost effective way to learn about such things as fledgling dispersal and life expectancy.”

Game Commission biologists have learned from the 32 banded barn owls that have been returned that:

• The average fledgling dispersal was 58 miles;
• The furthest dispersal was 325 miles where the band was recovered in the northeast corner of North Carolina;
• The average lifespan was 14 months;
• The longest surviving owl recovered was nearly six years old; and
• Two of the banded barn owls were found in New Jersey by a barn owl researcher. These owls were alive and actively nesting in barn owl nest boxes in New Jersey.

Barn owls stand about 10-15 inches tall and have a wingspan of 41-47 inches. Their distinctive long heart-shaped facial disk has caused this owl to be referred to as the “monkey-faced owl.” They have a nearly pure-white to dusky breast with small spots, small dark eyes, and have a hissing or scream-like vocalization. They are found in agricultural fields, grasslands, and other open areas. They nest in cavities of large dead trees, rock crevices and even burrows in riverbanks. More often, as their name implies, they nest in barns, silos, abandoned buildings and artificial nest boxes. Because barn owls feed primarily on rodents, they are beneficial to farmers. An average family of barn owls can consume up to 3,000 rodents during the course of a single year.

For more information on barn owls, visit the Game Commission website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), and click on “Wildlife” in the menu bar at the top of the homepage, then click on “Barn Owl Conservation Initiative” in the “Wild Birds and Birding” section.”

• Northwest Region Office, P.O. Box 31, Franklin, PA 16323. 814-432-3188. Butler, Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties.
• Southwest Region Office, 4820 Route 711, Bolivar, PA 15923. 724-238-9523. Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland counties.
• Northcentral Region Office, P.O. Box 5038, Jersey Shore, PA 17740. 570-398-4744. Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Tioga, and Union counties.
• Southcentral Region Office, 8627 William Penn Highway, Huntingdon, PA 16652. 814-643-1831. Adams, Bedford, Blair, Cumberland, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, Snyder and York counties.
• Northeast Region Office, P.O. Box 220, Dallas, PA 18612. 570-675-1143. Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties.
• Southeast Region Office, 448 Snyder Rd., Reading, PA 19605. 610-926-3136. Berks, Bucks, Chester, Dauphin, Delaware, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia and Schuylkill counties.

Volunteers Sought For Arizona Ferret Spotlighting Effort

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ – -(Ammoland.com)- The Arizona Game and Fish Department is offering a rare opportunity for people wanting to assist in the recovery efforts of the endangered black-footed ferret.

Game and Fish will conduct its annual spring spotlighting effort from March 17-21 and needs volunteers to help document black-footed ferret numbers throughout the Aubrey Valley, just west of Seligman.

“Volunteers have always played a vital role in this recovery effort,” said Jeff Pebworth, wildlife program manager at the Game and Fish Kingman office.

“We don’t have the personnel available to fully staff these events and the program’s continued success depends on people remaining involved.”

This elusive, nocturnal animal was once the most endangered mammal on the planet. Twice thought to be extinct, a small population of black-footed ferrets was discovered in 1981. A mere 18 were left when captive breeding efforts began in 1985. In 1996, Arizona’s Aubrey Valley was selected as a reintroduction site.

In just the last nine years in Arizona, black-footed ferrets in Aubrey Valley have reached a population high enough to be considered self-sustaining, meaning no captive-bred ferrets are released. In 2009, the ferret reintroduction crew documented 60 individual ferrets, followed by a record 96 in 2010. The reintroduction in Arizona was possible because of the state’s Heritage Fund which, when matched with federal dollars, accounts for the project’s funding.

Individuals can volunteer for one or more dates. Volunteers must be able to stay attentive from sunset to sunrise, be able to carry up to 30 pounds while backpack-spotlighting for two-hour durations, and they must be willing to learn how to use a Global Positioning System (GPS). A parent or guardian must accompany any youth under 18.

Those wishing to volunteer, or needing more information, should e-mail azferret@azgfd.gov by March 11 with “March Spotlighting” in the subject line. Individuals should indicate which night(s) they are available to help; include a first and last name, a contact number, and if anyone else will be attending with them.

Additional information will be sent following contact, including meeting location and times.

Volunteers should also note any of the following equipment they can bring: GPS, clipboard, backpack (to carry a 30-pound battery), headlamp, pen, compass, binoculars, walkie-talkies, 4×4 vehicle (please list passenger capacity), compass, spotlight (that can plug into a cigarette lighter), or a cordless rechargeable spotlight. It can be cool during the March event, so please dress appropriately.

This herd of pronghorn antelope in the Hinsdale area is using a paved highway to escape record-deep snow. (photo courtesy Montana FWP)

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

GLASGOW, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- Continued bouts of bitter Arctic air and record-breaking snowfall in many areas of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) Region 6 are taking their toll on wildlife, especially pronghorn antelope and deer.

With harsh winter conditions potentially continuing for weeks longer, FWP biologists are predicting substantial impacts to white-tailed deer, mule deer and antelope populations, which in some areas had reached near-record numbers in recent years.

In fact, many of these animals are starving already after more than two months of heavy snows and especially harsh winter weather. Elk numbers across the Hi-Line are not expected to see big declines, in part because these animals are larger and can battle deep snow a bit easier.

“The biggest impacts will probably occur to antelope since they are ill-equipped to deal with deep snow conditions,” said FWP Region 6 Wildlife Program Manager Mark Sullivan. “Antelope are traditional migrators, but human developments have blocked some key migration routes. The Milk River Valley itself presents many formidable obstacles, such as U.S. Highway 2, the railroad tracks and tightly spaced fences. Antelope stack up against these developments and are forced to try to survive in less-than-suitable winter range.”

Mule deer are another species that are typically more heavily impacted by winter, but they usually don’t have as much difficulty migrating to winter ranges, nor are their migrations as long. In most years, Sullivan said, whitetails are not as impacted by winter as they primarily occupy agricultural areas that offer more options for finding nutrition.

“However, this winter is taking a toll on them as well, and ranchers are starting to report dead deer in or near their haystacks,” Sullivan said.

High deer numbers in many Region 6 hunting districts allowed harvest quotas to be sharply increased over the past several years, and substantially more licenses and permits have been available to hunters.

Now state biologists say they’ll likely have to reduce the number of licenses and permits where deer and antelope have been most impacted by the harsh winter of 2010-11. How much these numbers will be adjusted depends on a variety of factors, including hunting harvest surveys from last fall and upcoming aerial surveys.

“Biologists will be flying deer surveys this April to determine what impact winter had on populations, and antelope surveys will be flown in early July,” Sullivan said. “Even though our big game regulations come out before these surveys are flown, license quotas can still be changed from what is shown in the regulations, based on what we find during our surveys.”

Many people wonder what they can do to help wildlife and ask why FWP isn’t feeding animals. While some people think FWP should feed wildlife that is starving, Sullivan explained that the agency cannot treat deer, elk and antelope like domesticated livestock.

“While it is difficult to watch wild animals suffer and die, weather and habitat have always determined whether wildlife populations expand or decline,” he said.

“Feeding wildlife typically causes more problems than it solves. Feeding will increase the number of animals in an area. That brings a greater chance of spreading disease, and it teaches wildlife to rely on humans for food. In addition, the ruminant bacteria in a deer and antelope’s stomach are specific to breaking down certain food types, such as sagebrush and other browse. Animals that are stressed and already starving often cannot adjust fast enough to a new food type if fed hay or alfalfa. They may eat whatever is in front of them but then die with full stomachs.”

The best thing the public can do is try not to bother wintering wildlife at all. Give antelope herds a wide berth if you are snowmobiling, and try not to push deer out of winter cover. If animals are moving away from you in these situations you’re contributing to their stress.

“Unfortunately, this is one of those times where the declines in populations are likely to be steep,” Sullivan said.

“Winters on the Hi-Line and in northeastern Montana have their own way of sorting wildlife numbers out. Wildlife populations typically run in cycles, and we’re now probably going to see a major downturn in some of our numbers of pronghorn antelope and deer.”

One especially troubling problem is that because these areas are free of snow, large herds of antelope are congregating on railroad tracks across the Hi-Line. Hundreds of the animals have been hit by trains in recent weeks. Others are in danger of getting hit by cars and trucks as they travel on or bed down along plowed highways and county roads. Where they are able, white-tailed and mule deer have moved to hay stacks and other agricultural feeding sites, all waiting for a break in the weather.

On the positive side, Sullivan noted that heavy precipitation last year led to abundant food and cover for wildlife across much of FWP Region 6. That means most deer, elk, antelope and upland game birds went into the winter in the best possible physical condition.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- A series of three workshops will be held in southern Michigan to provide more information to property owners on Michigan’s new pheasant restoration initiative.

Three areas of southern Michigan will be the focus of the initiative, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment announced.

The three priority Pheasant Recovery Areas for this initiative are: 1) Huron, Sanilac, and Tuscola counties; 2) Hillsdale, Lenawee, and Monroe counties; and 3) Gratiot, Saginaw, and Clinton counties. To participate in this cooperative initiative, a group of property owners must agree to work together to improve pheasant and small game habitat on their collective acreages.

For participating coalitions, local wildlife biologists and Conservation District staff will provide advice and assistance on habitat prescriptions; project partners will aid in securing seed for grass plantings; and federal resources may be leveraged to provide financial incentives for participating landowners. Also, for land that meets habitat restoration objectives, the DNRE may provide seed and/or materials for plantings, the use of equipment, and in some cases, the release of wild pheasants to initiate population response.

To learn more about the Pheasant Restoration Initiative and how to form a cooperative, property owners are invited to attend any of the following workshops. There is no fee for attending. Various partnering organizations and agencies will be present to help with questions.

Feb. 12, 9 am to noon
Ashley Sportsmen Club
8554 S. Mason Rd.
Bannister, MI 48807

Feb. 26, 9 am to noon
Cabela’s
110 Cabela Blvd East
Dundee, MI 48131

March 5, 9 am to noon
Brentwood Lanes Bowling Alley
178 Park Drive
Caro, MI 48723

On Jan. 15, the Pheasant Restoration Initiative was officially announced at the annual Pheasants Forever State Convention in East Lansing.

The kick-off event was attended by several state leaders, including Senator Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Department of Agriculture Director Keith Creagh, Michigan Department of Natural Resources Director Designate Rodney Stokes, Michigan United Conservation Clubs Executive Director Erin McDonough and Howard Vincent, Pheasant Forever CEO.

“The excitement was brewing in the air as news of this partnership was highlighted throughout the press conference,” stated Mike Parker, Pheasants Forever regional biologist and event organizer. “Pheasant Forever volunteers wanted to know how they could sign up to help with such a great partnership idea.”

The Michigan Pheasant Restoration Initiative is a conservation initiative with many groups working together to focus on the restoration of pheasants in Michigan. This initiative will benefit a suite of migratory birds and other grassland species. Primary partners include Pheasants Forever, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE), Michigan Department of Agriculture, Michigan United Conservation Clubs, local Conservation Districts, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The group of partners is expected to expand as the initiative moves forward.

An initiative such as this has the potential to increase wildlife populations and small game hunting opportunities, improve hunter satisfaction and help Michigan’s economy.

“We’ve heard only positive comments related to this initiative.” said DNRE Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason. “There is an opportunity here to not only change pheasant numbers but create a social movement: large groups of neighbors and partners working together to help wildlife. It is about individuals wanting to help be part of the solution, and not waiting for others to do the work for them. We keep hearing from our partners asking how they can participate.”

Mason added this initiative is going to help not only restore the high quality pheasant hunting tradition but will help create new hunters and return hunters who have left the sport. Small game hunting is the area where Michigan is losing the most hunters; but is the best way to introduce new people into the sport of hunting, Mason said.

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

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

LINCOLN, Neb. --(Ammoland.com)- The Nebraska Game and Parks Board of Commissioners on Friday voted to expand the grouse-hunting season starting in 2011.

This year’s grouse season will be Sept. 1 through Jan. 31, 2012. Regulations previously called for the season to open on the Saturday nearest Sept. 15.

By making the change, Game and Parks is providing more hunting opportunity for a lightly hunted species and is aligning the dove and grouse season openers on a common date.

The board also approved a revised Focus on Pheasants plan. The plan seeks to create new focus areas and incentive programs to promote habitat improvements and to work with biologists to maximize effectiveness of habitat program delivery within those areas.

Also, the plan hopes to continue researching the amount of habitat needed to establish and maintain a huntable pheasant population, and it will try to secure more pheasant habitat through U.S. Department of Agriculture conservation programs.

Commissioners also approved the funding of $254,383.60 for eight grants through the State Wildlife Grant (SWG) program, which addresses the needs of declining fish and wildlife populations. Game and Parks allocates part of its annual SWG funding, distributed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to other conservation entities on a competitive basis, with awardees required to provide a one-to-one match. The awarded projects must be deemed a priority in assisting Game and Parks in implementing the Nebraska Natural Legacy Plan.

In other action, the board approved:

• Six grant applications for $658,350 in federal funding from the 2011 Recreational Trails Program (RTP) apportionment. The funds will be used by Game and Parks to administer the RTP and for educational projects, for trail signage by the City of Wayne, trail construction by the City of Deshler, Game and Parks’ renovation of the Cowboy Trail near Norfolk, and renovation of the Bison Trail by the City of Lincoln.
• Rankings of two 2011 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant applications totaling $90,000. Final approval would come from the National Park Service. Projects include a park renovation by the City of Bellevue and a swimming pool renovation by the Village of Hildreth.
• An easement to the Rural Healthcare Network of Nebraska at Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area for designing and building a fiber optic network that will connect several hospitals and healthcare clinics and provide technology and capabilities to the hospitals and residents of rural Nebraska.
• Changes to the policy and procedures of the Nebraska Hunter and Bow Hunter Education programs.
• The relocation of 100 black-tailed prairie dogs from Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge to Hutton Niobrara Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary in Rock County.
• Elected Mick Jensen, Chairman; Ron Stave, Vice Chairman; and Norris Marshall, 2nd Vice Chairman.

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- Landowners interested in developing “backyard habitats” beneficial to wildlife are encouraged to check out the “Landscaping for Wildlife in Pennsylvania,” available from the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Written by Marcus Schneck, a noted outdoor and nature writer from Hamburg, Berks County, the 160-page book comes complete with descriptions, drawings and photos of ideal habitat for a variety of species, from hummingbirds to bats, as well as construction plans for a number of wildlife nesting boxes.

The book also contains a chapter on nuisance wildlife and steps to address certain situations, as well as the importance of planting native species and a listing of recommended plants.

“While spring garden plantings may be several weeks away, now is the time to begin drawing up plans,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director.

“If you are interested in seeing and helping wildlife on your property, then this book is a must. It can help guide any first-time backyard habitat planner, as well as an experienced hand, in helping to create an oasis for wildlife.”

To order the book, which costs $9.43 (plus state sales tax and shipping and handling), visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), put your cursor over “General Store” in the menu bar at the top of the homepage, click on “Visit the Outdoor Shop” in the drop down menu listing, then choose “Pennsylvania Game Commission Outdoor Shop” in the lower left-hand corner, choose “Merchandise” from the banner listing” and then click on “Books” in the categories in the left-hand column. Orders also are being accepted at 1-888-888-3459.

New & Expanded Rockport Game Farm In Warren County NJ

New Jersey Fish and Game

MANSFIELD TWP, NJ --(Ammoland.com)- Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin today officially dedicated a newly expanded pheasant rearing complex at the State owned Rockport Pheasant Farm in Mansfield Township, Warren County.

The new complex, expected to raise more than 55,000 pheasants annually, was created at no cost to taxpayers, with the $1.3 million project financed by sportsmen’s fees and stamps, the Commissioner said.

The new complex at Rockport, where pheasants have been raised by the State since 1923, replaces an outdated facility that was long overdue for a major overhaul.

The pheasant complex unveiled today includes a new brooder house, egg incubators and hatching room. These upgrades create a modern operation that includes automatic egg turning in forced-air circulating incubators, and automated feeding.

Funding for the project was provided through the Hunters and Anglers account within the Division of Fish and Wildlife; no state tax dollars were used. The cost of raising and stocking pheasants is also entirely borne by hunters who purchase pheasant stamps in addition to their hunting licenses. This makes the Rockport facility a prime example of a “user pays” system.

“This is a great example of the transformation taking place at the DEP,’’ said Commissioner Martin. “This incredible new facility will allow us to continue doing an important job for our sportsmens’ community, but in a more efficient and less costly manner.’’

“Significant energy and labor cost savings will be realized with the new building and state of the art equipment,” said Commissioner Martin. “This modernization will pay dividends for hunters now, and well into the future, and has been done during tough economic times at virtually no cost to the residents of the State.”

DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife Director David Chanda said the upgrades will ensure reliable annual production of superior pheasants for the same or lower cost than if birds were purchased from suppliers.

“This is a major milestone at the historic Rockport Pheasant Farm, and good news for New Jersey hunters who purchase Pheasant and Quail Stamps,” said Chanda. “New energy efficient, automated systems for egg incubation and chick care have replaced hand operated equipment and labor intensive chick handling and care regimes that date back to the Farm’s creation nearly a century ago.”

Chanda noted the Rockport Pheasant Farm will continue to upgrade and modernize as technology improves and funding becomes available.

The Rockport Pheasant Farm is a 492-acre facility located within the 1,200 acre Rockport Wildlife Management Area. It is operated by the DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, and first began producing pheasants for Garden State hunters 87 years ago. Today, more than 55,000 pheasants are raised annually for stocking on 25 Wildlife Management Areas statewide.

In addition to serving the sporting public, Rockport also provides a significant economic boost to New Jersey’s economy. Based on the 2007-08 NJ Firearm Hunter Harvest Survey, nearly 12,000 hunters spent more than $4,300,000 (excluding license and permit fees) hunting “Rockport Rockets” — so-called because the state-raised pheasants have a reputation for being extremely fast in flight. That includes income to local businesses, such as gas stations, diners and restaurants, convenience stores, sporting goods stores and taxidermists.

The Rockport Pheasant Farm is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to dusk, and is located on Rockport Rd. (Rt. 629) roughly 3.5 miles south of Main St. (Rt. 46) in Hackettstown, Warren County.

It is a popular destination for families and school groups seeking to learn about wildlife, or to simply enjoy nature. The historic Morris Canal, its towpath intact, also passes through the farm. Picnicking is allowed, but there are no food or toilet facilities available.

For more information visit http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/rockport.htm

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- White-nose syndrome (WNS) has killed more than a million bats in the Northeast and has spread to 11 or more states in less than four years since its discovery near Albany, New York.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in collaboration with other federal and state agencies, and tribal governments, is proposing a coordinated national management plan to address this critical environmental issue. The proposed plan is available for review and comment beginning October 28, 2010.

The proposed plan, a joint federal-state effort, provides a framework for WNS investigation and response. A subsequent implementation plan will identify specific actions, the entities responsible for implementation of each action, and estimated costs.

“More than 50 agencies, organizations and individuals are working in concert on the white-nose syndrome response,” said WNS National Coordinator Jeremy Coleman, Ph.D., of the Service.

“The national management plan will help guide our use of limited resources wisely and efficiently in addressing this urgent threat to bats and to our environment.”

The Service will accept public comments on the proposed plan through December 26, 2010, to gather additional scientific and commercial information for consideration before the plan becomes final.

Little brown bat with white-nose syndrome, New York Credit: Al Hicks, NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation

The document and additional information about WNS are available online at http://www.fws.gov/WhiteNoseSyndrome/. Comments may be submitted by e-mail to WhiteNoseBats@fws.gov, by mail to WNS National Coordinator, New York Field Office, 3817 Luker Road, Cortland, NY 13045-9348, or by fax to 607-753-9699.

In addition to its online availability, the proposed plan may be viewed during weekday business hours by appointment at the New York Field Office by calling 607-753-9334. Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.

The proposed plan includes an overall strategy for investigating the cause of WNS and finding a way to manage it. The plan identifies key actions and the roles of federal and state agencies and other entities in addressing WNS nationally. It identifies seven focus areas of responsibility — communications, scientific and technical information dissemination, diagnostics, disease management, research coordination, disease surveillance, and conservation and recovery of affected species.

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

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.

Volunteer Wolf Trackers Needed in Wisconsin

Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, WI --(Ammoland.com)- People interested in volunteering to locate timber wolves and other forest carnivores in the coming year can learn how to track wolves during a series of upcoming training sessions.

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

Wolf and Carnivore Tracker Training sessions are scheduled:

• Nov. 6, Ashland, Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, Highway 2 & G, west of Ashland
• Dec. 4, Babcock, Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center, 1 mile north of Highway 173 along County Road X
• Dec. 11-12, Tomahawk, Wildlife Tracking with Dr. James Halfpenny, Treehaven UW-SP Field Station on Pickerel Creek Road off County A.

Training sessions at Ashland and Babcock will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Applicants should register as soon as possible because space is limited. There is a small fee for the classes. Training run at Treehaven near Tomahawk will be held on Dec. 11-12 will be presented by world renowned tracker, Dr. James Halfpenny. Cost of the workshop has yet to be determined.

People interested in the training should register at least two weeks before each session.

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

In late winter 2010 DNR biologists estimated there were between 690 and 733 wolves in the state, including 655 or more outside Indian reservations. About one-third of the state packs are monitored by radio-telemetry, the remaining packs are monitored by DNR and volunteer trackers.

In 2010, 140 volunteer trackers surveyed 78, 200-square-mile survey blocks covering 7,055 miles of snow-covered roads and trails. Volunteers averaged 4.2 surveys per block, and detected more than 363 different wolves.

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

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

Volunteers are also strongly encouraged to take a wolf ecology course if they have not done so already, and biologists recommend taking the ecology course before signing up for track training workshops.

Wolf ecology courses will be offered next year on the following dates at the locations listed:

• Jan. 22-23, Babcock – Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center, Babcock, $75 (includes 2 meals & dorm lodging). Contact Dick Thiel at Richard.Thiel@wisconsin.gov
• Jan. 5-6, Tomahawk – Treehaven, cost $105-$140 (includes meals; opt. lodging), contact Treehaven at treehaven@uwsp.edu
• Feb. 19-20, Babcock – Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center, cost $75 (includes 2 meals & dorm lodging), contact Dick Thiel at Richard.Thiel@wisconsin.gov
• Feb. 26-27, Tomahawk – Treehaven, cost $105-$140 (includes meals; opt. lodging), contact Treehaven at treehaven@uwsp.edu

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

Letters to the AmmoLand Editor: Got something on your mind? Let us know and you can see it here.

Manasqaun, NJ --(Ammoland.com)- Many hunters are rightfully angry that a federal judge has put the gray wolf back under federal protection based on legal technicalities.

Taking management away from state authorities allows wolves to multiply and spread.

Wolves are already so plentiful they are cutting down herds of elk, moose, and deer, and are also killing livestock and pets. Wolves need to be controlled and we must continue toward that goal in an orderly fashion.

We sportsmen want to bring wolves under state management because this will sustain wolves, control the problems that wolves cause, and protect wolves from poachers. To do so, we look forward to working with other affected citizens, government, and other allies to clear up the legal technicalities and finalize the transfer to state management. This way wolves will be managed the same way as other wildlife based on the best available science with protections against illegal killing.

State management of wolves is best for the wolves and people, and wolf populations are so large now that the time is past due.

State management will be the best deal wolves have ever had. Wolves have never been managed sustainably in the lower 48 states. State and federal governments purposefully eradicated wolves, and then restored them under complete federal protection. This full protection has restored wolf numbers far beyond recovery goals: all 6 states with gray wolves in the lower 48 have at least doubled the number of wolves beyond their recovery goals. Idaho is at least 8 times over its goal. There are about 3,000 wolves in Minnesota, 600 each in Wisconsin and Michigan, at least 800 wolves in Idaho, 500 in Montana, and 300 in Wyoming.

Switching to state management will not be easy: federal and state managers have tried it 3 times in the last 7 years, having each effort struck down either because the law was fuzzy on how it could happen or too strict about why it cannot. These interpretations in federal district court are the latest examples of judges second-guessing government experts – an error for which the next highest appeals court has admonished its judges.

To achieve state management, hunters need to turn their anger into passion, speak up, and ask for hard but fair commitments from state and federal government. We need passion the way Theodore Roosevelt had passion in creating American conservation, which is our legacy and heritage to perpetuate. We need to stay in the arena of debate and decision and stay out of the bogs of blame and bad-mouthing. It is self-defeating to blame or antagonize federal and state officials. They agree with us on what needs to happen and we need their help. We need hard commitments from them to try new approaches within current law and, ideally, to change law and policy to close loopholes.

This complex task is already underway through a cooperative partnership between the state and federal governments. The Obama Administration has already filed an appeal of the recent federal court ruling. States have petitioned for greater management authority. Legislators from Montana, Wyoming and Idaho have begun meeting to devise a solution and have invited the federal government’s participation. We appreciate these straight-up attempts that demonstrate the resolve of our government. We acknowledge the sovereign authority of each state to manage its own laws and budgets.

Finally, as we seek hard commitments from government, we also need to draw a hard line for ourselves: we are sportsmen, not wolf-haters.

Statements on the Internet about poaching wolves are an affront to the American conservation ethic. Illegal killing is wrong, self-defeating, and exactly opposite of how sportsmen created conservation and the privilege of ethical hunting in the first place. Hunters in America fought poachers and pushed for laws to regulate hunting. Later, sportsmen paid fees and taxes on our own licenses and equipment to fund wildlife restoration that brought wildlife back to abundance, including the game we hunt. Ours is a history of self-restraint and respect for wildlife.

Today we are asking for wolves to be brought under modern state management. We will pursue this goal with the diligence we take to hunting itself, working professionally with the agencies, seeking allies, and pushing forward the policies that will prevent this tragedy from happening again with other wildlife.

• Boone and Crockett Club
  Lowell E. Baier, President
• Mule Deer Foundation
  Miles O. Moretti, President/CEO
• Pope and Young Club
  Roger Atwood, President
• Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
  M. David Allen, President/CEO
• Safari Club International and Safari Club International Foundation
  Dr. Larry Rudolph, President
• Wild Sheep Foundation
  Gray N. Thornton, President/CEO
• Wildlife Management Institute
  Steven A. Williams, President

Bighorn sheep. Photo courtesy of CDOW.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

MALTA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) officials report that pneumonia continues to persist in the Lost Creek (Anaconda) bighorn sheep population in west central Montana. The usually fatal respiratory disease was first detected in the herd on Aug. 20.

FWP spent the rest of August and all of September monitoring the Lost Creek herd and killing diseased sheep in an effort to protect healthy animals from exposure.

“Some of our helicopter surveys in mid September gave us hope that we might have killed enough sick sheep to get ahead of the disease, but as the weeks continue we’re still observing more symptomatic sheep and seeing some advanced cases of pneumonia in the samples we collect,” said Ray Vinkey, FWP wildlife biologist.

“We’re also seeing pockets of healthy sheep, which is telling us that there is still some potential to keep the disease from reaching all the sheep, so our efforts aren’t over yet.”

There are no known vaccines to prevent pneumonia in wild sheep, or medications that can be practically applied to prevent the death of sick individuals. Instead, potential relief lies in protecting healthy animals from exposure.

FWP crews now have plans to mobilize efforts to intensively monitor the herd through the fall season and to continue killing sheep exhibiting symptoms of the disease.

This means that big game hunters and others can expect to see occasional helicopters monitoring sheep in Lost Creek and West Valley and Blue-Eyed Nellie and Garrity Mountain Wildlife Management Areas this fall.

“We’re also asking hunters and others that plan to cover a lot of ground in these areas over the next few months to give us a call with their reports,” Vinkey said. “All of these public observations are important to us as we work to get a complete picture of the spread of the disease and condition of the animals.”

Vinkey said that twelve hunters drew coveted licenses to hunt bighorn rams in Hunting District 213 this fall, and their hunt will continue.

“We have enough rams to sustain the population and that’s a good thing for ram hunters,” said Mike Thompson, FWP regional wildlife manager. “Many hunters never draw a ram license, and most who do may never get another chance. Right now, it looks like we can manage the disease along with ram hunting, and still have enough rams left over for some to survive a full blown pneumonia outbreak.”

Another 30 hunters drew ewe licenses and were given a chance at a license refund or to start the hunting season knowing that an early season closure was a possibility. Hunters that opted to start the season had a few weeks in the field, and then FWP made the decision to close the ewe season on Sept. 24 after continuing to detect more diseased sheep.

Thompson says that the closure was necessary because ewes are essential to the recovery of the population in the event that a large die-off occurs later this fall and winter.

FWP cautions sheep hunters across western Montana to cook harvested sheep meat well and contact FWP with any questions about the suitability of the meat for consumption. There have been no known cases of humans or pets contracting pneumonia from wild sheep, but FWP cautions anyone who finds dead or sick bighorn sheep to leave the animal alone. FWP also encourages the public to immediately report any observations of sheep exhibiting symptoms of an illness or strange behavior.

For more information or to make a report, call FWP in Missoula at 406-542-5500

Wolf Pup, another example of healthy Wolf Populations in need of science based management.

National Wild Turkey Federation

EDGEFIELD, SC --(Ammoland.com)- The National Wild Turkey Federation has officially adopted a position supporting the science-based management of wolf populations.

“Science has been the backbone of every conservation project we have ever conducted,” said James Earl Kennamer, Ph.D., the NWTF’s chief conservation officer.

“Managing wolf populations is no different.”

The NWTF has long supported the North American Conservation Model, including the management of fish and wildlife resources under the authority and responsibility of the various state agencies.

This support holds true for wolf management, as the Federation believes that state agencies are best suited to manage wildlife inside their borders that are not on the endangered species list.

NWTF Position Statement on the Management of Wolves

“The National Wild Turkey Federation supports the sound, science-based management of wolves by the appropriate state agencies. The NWTF recommends that management authority for wolves remain with state agencies when wolves are no longer on the endangered species list. The NWTF further supports our state wildlife partners in their efforts to provide for a sustainable, huntable population of wolves while maintaining healthy, huntable populations of ungulates. This must work in conjunction with balancing the habitat needs and conservation of all wildlife.”

About the NWTF:
The National Wild Turkey Federation is a nonprofit conservation organization that works daily to further its mission of conserving the wild turkey and preserving our hunting heritage.

Through dynamic partnerships with state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies, the NWTF and its members have helped restore wild turkey populations across the country, spending more than $331 million to conserve 15.9 million acres of habitat for all types of wildlife.

The Federation works to increase interest in the outdoors by bringing new hunters and conservationists into the fold through outdoor education events and its outreach programs – Women in the Outdoors, Wheelin’ Sportsmen, JAKES and Xtreme JAKES.

The NWTF was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Edgefield, S.C. According to many state and federal agencies, the restoration of the wild turkey is arguably the greatest conservation success story in North America’s wildlife history. To learn more, visit www.nwtf.org or call (800) THE-NWTF.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) will hold its 100th Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids starting Monday, Sept. 27, through Thursday, Sept. 30.

More than 600 fish and wildlife professionals, including the directors of most state fish and wildlife agencies, will be on hand to discuss current and emerging natural resources issues.

On Monday, a plenary session will feature special guests Dr. Douglas Brinkley, author of The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America; and Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of Interior for Fish, Wildlife and Parks and Chief of Staff to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.

Convened primarily as a business meeting for member agencies and staff, the Grand Rapids conference will feature formal committee sessions to discuss topics such as bird conservation, climate change, energy and wildlife policy, and conservation education among many others.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment Director Rebecca Humphries chairs the AFWA Executive Committee, as well as the Fish and Wildlife Health Committee. “I’m very excited to showcase our state to colleagues from across the U.S. and Canada who are as passionate about fish and wildlife conservation as our own DNRE professionals,” Humphries said.

Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Several Michigan agency directors have served as past presidents of AFWA, including P.J. Hoffmaster from 1942-46. AFWA held its first annual meeting in 1902 in Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park when eight game wardens from six states met to discuss early conservation issues. Over the years, the AFWA grew to represent all U.S. state fish and wildlife agencies to advance science-based fish and wildlife management. Today, AFWA represents its state agency members on Capitol Hill and before the Administration to advance favorable fish and wildlife conservation policy and funding.

“Grand Rapids was the host city of AFWA’s 29th meeting in 1936,” said Ron Regan, AFWA executive director. “While the city has changed a lot since then, one thing that hasn’t is the hospitality that is pure Michigan. We thank you for hosting us.”

To learn more about AFWA and the Grand Rapids conference, go to www.fishwildlife.org.

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

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Washington --(Ammoland.com)- A gray wolf pup recently trapped and radio-collared near the Canadian border in northeast Washington indicates the state may be home to a third breeding wolf pack.

A wolf specialist hired by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) caught the 50-pound young wolf earlier this month in northern Pend Oreille County, just south of the Canadian border. Attempts are under way to locate and radio-collar adult wolves in the area.

The presence of the pup, and photos of other wolves captured on a remote camera in the area, indicate there is a pack in the area, said Harriet Allen, who heads WDFW’s endangered-species section.

“We don’t know at this point whether the den where the pup was born was in Washington or British Columbia,” Allen said.

“We plan to monitor the pack next spring to determine the den location. If the den is in Washington, the pack can be considered a Washington pack; if the den is in British Columbia, it is a Canadian pack. Our Canadian colleagues are aware of wolf activity in that area, and will assist with monitoring on their side of the border.”

A successful breeding wolf pack is documented by locating a breeding pair of adults with two or more pups that survive until Dec. 31, Allen said.

Washington’s first documented wolf pack was found in July 2008 in western Okanogan County. By December 2009 that pack, named the “Lookout Pack,” included seven animals-two adults, a 2-year-old wolf and four pups born in 2009.

“The status of the Lookout Pack is uncertain at this time,” Allen said, adding that WDFW has been unable to locate the female wolf since mid-May. The male is still being monitored and no new pups have been found.

Gray Wolf - Canis lupus Photo by Gary Kramer, USFWS

Washington’s second documented wolf pack was found in July 2009 farther south in Pend Oreille County. Two adult wolves in that pack produced six pups in 2009 and six this year. At least four of the pups born in 2009 survived until the end of the year. The pack moves between Washington and Idaho.

Allen said there also may be a wolf pack in the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness Area of the Umatilla National Forest in southeast Washington, although wolves have not yet been confirmed there. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife radio-collared a yearling wolf south of the area in Oregon earlier this year.

“We know from reports that individual wolves have been roaming in and out of the state in various locations for years,” Allen said, “but documenting and maintaining packs as successful breeding pairs is necessary achieve conservation objectives and move toward eventual removal of the gray wolf from state and federal endangered-species lists.”

The gray wolf (Canis lupus) was eliminated from Washington as a reproducing species by the 1930s as a result of trapping, shooting and poisoning, and later was listed for both federal and state protection as an endangered species.

Gray wolf populations in nearby Idaho, Montana and Wyoming have rebounded in recent years as a result of federal recovery efforts in the northern Rocky Mountains. In 2009 gray wolves were removed from the federal endangered-species list in those areas and the eastern third of Washington, but earlier this year a court decision returned them to federal endangered status.

Since 2007, WDFW has been drafting a gray wolf conservation and management plan with a 17-member citizen working group composed of ranchers, hunters, conservationists and others. Public review and scientific peer review of the draft environmental impact statement and plan was conducted last year and earlier this year. WDFW is currently addressing the public and scientific comments on the draft plan, to develop a second draft for review with the working group. A final Environmental Impact Statement and recommended plan is scheduled to be presented to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission for review next year.

• More information about wolves and the WDFW plan process is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_wolf/ .
• Reports of possible wolf sighting or activity can be made through a toll-free wolf reporting hotline at 1-888-584-9038.

Those with concerns about possible wolf-caused livestock depredation should contact the USDA Wildlife Services office in Olympia at (360) 753-9884 or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office in Wenatchee at (509) 665-3508.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

MALTA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) announced today that pneumonia was confirmed in a sixth bighorn sheep population in west central Montana.

The latest occurrence of the usually fatal respiratory disease was confirmed in a bighorn that FWP wildlife biologist, Ray Vinkey, collected late on Aug. 20 from the Lost Creek population west of Anaconda.

Other pneumonia outbreaks affected bighorn populations in the East Fork of the Bitterroot late last fall and in the Bonner area and Lower and Upper Rock Creek herds in January and February. Most recently FWP detected pneumonia in the Skalkaho population east of Hamilton on August 9.

Once bighorns contract pneumonia they usually die within a few weeks. There are no known vaccines to prevent pneumonia in wild sheep, or medications that can be practically applied to prevent the death of sick individuals.

A hunter, Wayne Estay of Butte, first reported signs of sick sheep west of Anaconda during a preseason scouting trip on Aug. 17. Vinkey and another FWP wildlife biologist, Jay Kolbe, responded and shot four sheep that exhibited clinical signs or behavior suggesting pneumonia. They collected blood and tissue samples for further analysis at the FWP wildlife lab in Bozeman. Field necropsies showed everything from early to advanced infection in the lungs, which in the worst case had also compromised the heart and liver. The varying stages of infection suggest that the disease is spreading over time.

“We’re too early in this to know everything we’d like to know. But, until we are able to survey and collect more sheep, we have to proceed as if we are dealing with a pneumonia outbreak,” Vinkey said.

“We can’t afford to miss the chance of removing the last sick sheep before they infect the rest of the population. Right now we’re taking it one day at a time.”

Last fall, FWP undertook experimental aggressive campaigns to kill diseased animals from the East Fork and Bonner populations to try to protect healthy animals from exposure to the fatal disease. However, officials allowed the disease to run its course in Lower Rock Creek, due to the treacherous terrain and difficulty in finding and approaching the bighorns there. The disease also ran its course in Upper Rock Creek, where it was too widespread to try to control. Bighorns wandering to or from Rock Creek could have spread the disease to the Anaconda herd this summer, but the source may never be proven, according to FWP.

“Our experience so far in the East Fork of the Bitterroot demonstrates that killing sick sheep can succeed in saving the rest of the population,” said Mike Thompson, FWP Region 2 Wildlife Manager.

“This kind of work is hard on everyone. But, the key is early detection and a quick, aggressive response.”

Chris Anderson, a student volunteer with FWP from the University of Minnesota, documented the survival of 32 lambs per 100 ewes in the East Fork this summer, where FWP removed 80 sick individuals last fall and winter, and at least 87 seemingly healthy sheep remain. But where FWP let the disease run its course last winter, Anderson was unable to find any lambs that had survived exposure to the pathogens persisting in Rock Creek bighorns, and landowners have been finding dead lambs and sick adults in that area this summer.

The Lost Creek (Anaconda) herd was established in 1967, with help from the Anaconda Sportsmen’s Club, when 25 bighorns were transplanted from the Sun River herd. Over half of the population was lost to pneumonia in 1991, but has since recovered to number at least 297 sheep. Twelve hunters hold either-sex licenses and thirty hold ewe-licenses for this hunting district (HD 213), which are valid beginning Sept. 5. FWP will contact hunters as more becomes known about the outbreak.

There have been no known cases of humans or pets contracting pneumonia from wild sheep, but FWP cautions anyone who finds dead or sick bighorn sheep to leave the animal alone. FWP also encourages the public to immediately report any observations of sheep exhibiting symptoms of an illness or strange behavior.

“Reports from the public were responsible for the first detection of pneumonia in most of our recent outbreaks,” said Vinkey. “These reports from the public help us determine how widespread the sickness is and give us a chance at catching it in its early stages.”

For more information or to make a report, call FWP in Missoula at 406-542-5500.

USFWS Proposes Reintroduction of Whooping Cranes into Louisiana

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today in the Federal Register it is seeking public comment on a proposed rule to reintroduce the endangered whooping crane into habitat in its historic range on the state-owned White Lake Wetland Conservation Area in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana.

The Service and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will attempt to establish a non-migratory flock that lives and breeds in the wetlands, marshes and prairies of southwestern Louisiana. If this proposal is approved, the reintroduction effort could begin during early 2011.

“With just under 400 birds in the wild, the vast majority of which winter along the Texas coast, whooping cranes are among our nation’s most threatened species. Our proposal to reintroduce a population in Louisiana would not only help protect this iconic species from extinction but would also help us take another big step in our campaign to restore the Gulf Coast’s wildlife, marshes, and coasts to health,” said Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior.

The reintroduction is being proposed as part of an ongoing recovery effort for this highly imperiled species, which was on the verge of extinction in the 1940s and even today has only about 395 individuals in the wild (550 worldwide); none in Louisiana. The only self-sustaining wild population of whooping cranes migrates between Wood Buffalo National Park in the Northwest Territories of Canada and Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas and, like those in the eastern populations, remains vulnerable to extinction from continued loss of habitat or natural or man-made catastrophes. Multiple efforts are underway to reduce this risk by increasing populations in the wild, including ongoing efforts to establish a migratory population in the eastern United States.

The Service proposes the new, reintroduced, non-migratory population of whooping cranes be designated as a non-essential, experimental population (NEP) under the provisions of the Endangered Species Act. This proposed designation and its implementing regulation are developed to be more compatible with routine human activities in the reintroduction area. The designation allows for take of whooping cranes when such take is accidental and incidental to an otherwise lawful activity, including agriculture practices, recreation, and hunting. The intentional take (including killing or harm) of any NEP-designated whooping crane would still be a violation of federal law punishable under the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

There are approximately 1.3 million acres of marsh, open water, and Chenier habitat in southwestern coastal Louisiana. The cranes would be reintroduced to the White Lake area and are not expected to be affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Whooping cranes historically occurred in Louisiana in both a resident, non-migratory flock and a migratory flock that wintered in Louisiana. The proposed release area is the location where whooping cranes were historically documented raising young in Louisiana.

LDWF Secretary Robert Barham praised this lofty proposal to reintroduce whooping cranes back into the wetlands of the Chenier coastal plain. “Crane species around the world depend on coastal wetlands, and the proposed efforts would reunite this indigenous species back into some of the most productive and expansive coastal freshwater wetlands left in America,” he said.

Today’s Federal Register announcement includes the proposed rule. The Service has drafted an environmental assessment (EA), which evaluates several alternatives for establishing a new non-migratory population of whooping cranes. The Service is seeking comments on both documents, and also specifically the following: (1) the geographic boundary for the NEP; and, (2) effects of the reintroduction on other native species and the ecosystem.

To allow adequate time to conduct this review, the Service requests that information be received on or before October 18, 2010. You may submit written information on the proposed rule by one of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R4-ES-2010-0057; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203. E-mails or faxes will not be accepted. All comments will be posted on http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that any personal information provided will be posted.

You may submit comments on the draft environmental assessment (EA) by one of the following methods:

E-mail to: LouisianaCranesEA@fws.gov. U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Lafayette Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 646 Cajundome Boulevard, Suite 400, Lafayette, LA 70506.

The Service and the LDWF will hold public hearing at the following locations: Gueydan, Louisiana, on September 15, 2010, at the Gueydan Civic Center, 901 Wilkinson St., Gueydan, LA 70542; and in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on September 16, 2010, at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, 2000 Quail Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70808. Each public hearing will last from 7:00-9:00 p.m. Before each hearing, an open house will be held to provide an additional opportunity for the public to gain information and ask questions about the proposed rule. All comments we receive at a public hearing, both verbal and written, will be considered in making a final decision.

Visit the southeast regional website to learn more at http://www.fws.gov/southeast.

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.