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Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Report July 28th 2011

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.

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Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division Celebrates A Century Of Conservation

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now and for the next 100 years.

JOIN THE 100 DAYS OF CONSERVATION

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

Check out the:

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

HOW TO HELP

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

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

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