By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

A friend of mine has been having trouble with foxes lately. Seems his newfound chicken raising has something to do with it. Funny thing for me, too. When I seeded a field with alfalfa and clover, I reckon somebody must have slipped a few woodchuck seeds in the bag, because they sprouted soon after the vegetation appeared. I guess if you plant it, they will come.

For me, it’s not a big deal to have a few of them devouring portions of the food plot, because none of it is harvested for cash; however, for a hard-working farmer, it’s a pig of a different color.

For example, a single woodchuck has the potential to consume up to an acre of beans in one season! And, it’s this time of year when they can do tremendous damage, because it takes plenty of small, tender bean plants to satisfy the appetite of an appropriately named groundhog. If you have difficulty locating woodchucks, active holes can be determined by simply looking nearby for a lack of vegetation in an ever-growing radius. It’s also easy to ask a frustrated farmer.

In addition to crop predation in hayfields and bean fields, these hogs create potentially dangerous leg-breaking traps for livestock and unsuspecting humans by digging their holes. They’ll also dull the knives on a haybine, when excavation mounds of dirt are run over. And, losing a wagon-load of hay, when it hits unseen obstacles, doesn’t endear them to farmers, either.

Hunting them this time of year can provide an opportunity to help farmers, while getting in a little practice with your favorite rifle. Many people don’t believe it, but any high-power, centerfire rifle caliber is legal anywhere in Michigan. Yes, it’s true that your .30-06 is illegal for deer in Zone III, but for ‘chucks, it’s good to go.

Certainly, high-stepping varmint rigs may be better for the job with their flatter trajectory, but if you don’t possess one, fear not; a deer rifle can do the trick with deer-hunting ammo, too. And, chuckin’ with your deer gun can help make it more familiar in November.

Begin by making sure you have enough ammo – the same type you’ll typically use for deer. Get enough of the same lot number, which is printed on each box so that you can sight it in properly and have lots left for the wily whistle pigs and the whitetails later this year. Acquiring the same lot number is important, because even ammunition made by the same manufacturer using the same bullets, may not shoot to the same point of aim, if you purchase more at a later date.

So many hunters only use their favorite deer gun once a year, that weird, kick-yourself-in-the-pants stuff happens when that big buck appears. One of those things is familiarity with the safety. How many shots are never attempted, simply because the once-a-year hunter fumbles away an opportunity? We’ll never know. But, the mere act of handling the firearm in off-season mode, may just prevent your being among the hapless.

So, get afield with your favorite firearm and help the farmers, while helping yourself in the process.

For more information, contact Brent Lawrence at (803) 637-3106.

EDGEFIELD, S.C. — Landowners nationwide have the opportunity to recoup costs of habitat improvement on their land through a recently extended federal program. The sign-up period for the Conservation Stewardship Program has been extended through June 25, 2010.

The program, which is administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, was authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill. The voluntary program offers payments to landowners who exercise quality land stewardship and want to improve the effectiveness of their conservation efforts.

“This is a tremendous win-win opportunity for landowners and wildlife,” said James Earl Kennamer, chief conservation officer of the National Wild Turkey Federation. “By signing up for this program, landowners will be able to make critical habitat improvements, and can then be reimbursed for expenses. Improved habitat for wildlife is very important to many of our members and the CSP program is a valuable resource.”

Reimbursable expenses may include land management plans completed by NWTF biologists, and seed and seedlings purchased through the NWTF.

CSP pays participants based on conservation performance – the higher the performance, the higher the payment. Landowners get credit both for conservation measures they have already implemented and for new measures they agree to add.

CSP is available to all landowners, regardless of operation size, crops produced or geographic location. Eligible lands include cropland, pastureland, rangeland, non-industrial private forest land and agricultural land under the jurisdiction of a Native American tribe.

Potential applicants are encouraged to use the CSP self-screening checklist to determine whether CSP is suitable for their operation. The checklist, which highlights basic information about CSP eligibility requirements, contract obligations and payments, and additional information about CSP, may be obtained from the CSP website at www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/new_csp/csp.html.

To apply, call or visit a local USDA Service Center, listed online at offices.usda.gov, or in the telephone book under United States Government, Agriculture Department. For information on seed, seedlings or for habitat plans, landowners can contact their local NWTF biologist or call 1-800-THE-NWTF.

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 $306 million to conserve 14 million acres of habitat for all types of wildlife.

For more information, visit www.nwtf.org or call 1-800-THE-NWTF.

GW: This from Nebraska Game and Parks Commission; it’s good advice for us all. However, everyone knows (except Nebraska’s Game and Parks Commission) that animals can never have “babies.” Only humans are capable of that.

It is never a good idea for people to disturb or rescue young wildlife. These wildlife babies do not make good pets, and though they may appear to be abandoned, their parents frequently are not far away.

Most people are not equipped or knowledgeable enough to raise wildlife species, so taking them out of the wild is typically a death sentence for these creatures, despite the good intentions of the rescuer.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission offers other reasons for leaving wildlife babies alone:

— Some wildlife babies may appear to be abandoned, orphaned or injured, but their parents usually are feeding or drinking nearby.

— A doe will leave its fawn to keep it from being detected by predators. A fawn is well-camouflaged and difficult for predators to see when it is still. The doe is much larger and can be seen easily by predators as she feeds. She keeps the fawn hidden and leaves the area to draw attention away from the fawn’s location.

— The longer a young animal is separated from its mother, the slimmer the chance it will be reunited with her.

— Trying to raise a wild animal as a pet is a poor idea. As an animal matures, it becomes more independent and follows its natural instinct to leave and establish its own territory. Rescued animals are poorly prepared for life in the wild.

— Most wild animals are protected by state or federal law, and it is illegal to possess them.

— Wild animals may carry disease that can be transmitted to humans or pets.

— Once wildlife babies mature, they may become aggressive toward their handlers, such as deer during the rut.

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Assoication

On a recent trip to West Virginia, my hunting partner, Steve McComas, and I spent most of the day in search of groundhogs (aka woodchucks). But, wherever we went, the consensus was the same: Coyotes got ’em all. Judging from groundhog numbers I have seen in the past in the wild and wonderful fields and hills of the Mountain State, there may be some truth in what the good ‘ol boys believe. The only one we spotted after searching high and low most of the day was in a field off limits to us. Too bad for Steve’s wife, Tiny, who wanted a “half-old” one for the skillet.

Steve and I agreed to give coyote hunting a try the next time around but still wanted to have a little fun before the end of the day. So we packed a couple of .22 caliber pistols in his 4-wheel drive pickup truck and headed up the mountain behind his house in Lincoln County along One Mile Creek Road for some target practice. I thought it would be a good idea to take a few photos, so I made sure to take my camera with me.

The truck muscled its way across the washed-out, rock-laden trail toward the top, where we were to plink away near his cabin site overlooking a small orchard on some rare flat ground. When we reached the top, Steve spotted a lone, mature doe standing broadside some 30 yards from us, which led me to comment that she probably had fawns nearby. We stopped briefly to get a good look and proceeded to the cabin, where we noticed a couple of wild turkeys feeding in the tall grass. We waited for them to clear the area and I began unloading gear on a picnic table for the shooting session, when Steve said, “Look! A couple of fawns!”

I swung into action with my camera hoping to get a photo before they rejoined their mother that we had seen just minutes before. They were partially obscured by a camper, so I slowly began to approach them for a clear photo angle. As I moved closer, one of the two fawns began to come directly toward me! I couldn’t believe my good fortune and clicked the shutter as fast as it would allow.

We were both in amazement, as the buck fawn came right up to me, while its sibling had lain down nearby in the open behind the cabin – still only 30 feet from us. I realize I probably shouldn’t have touched the little critter, but I couldn’t help but pet its head and back for a brief moment and took more close-up photos and even a short video clip. In short order, the youngster wobbled beyond me, as if it had been sampling a bit of local moonshine. There was no question that merely walking was quite a chore for the newborn, as the deer without fear joined its sibling in a bit of a crash landing.

Steve put the gear back into the truck and wondered aloud how we could get back down the mountain with the two at the edge of the trail, so I stood by the pair to make sure they wouldn’t get in the way, as he inched past us. I jumped in the passenger seat and our aborted plinking session was convened near the house far from our exciting encounter with nature.

A word to the wise: Confronting fawns in the wild this time of year is not uncommon and the best course of action is to assume that mother is near and that she will care for them when you leave.

SANDUSKY, OH – Three Tennessee men and three Georgia men appeared in Ottawa County Municipal Court in Port Clinton Wednesday for sentencing for taking 141 more than the legal limit of smallmouth bass on Lake Erie last April, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife.

“The Western Basin of Lake Erie remains a prime location for anglers from around the country, and wildlife officers are working hard to keep it that way,” said Gino Barna, supervisor of the Division of Wildlife’s Lake Erie Law Enforcement Unit. “The 1-800-POACHER hotline is an important source of information for protecting this valuable natural resource.”

The six men pled guilty to 30 charges on May 3, 2010, and Magistrate Lou Wargo ordered a pre-sentence investigation. The six fishermen appeared in Ottawa County Municipal Court on June 2, 2010 for sentencing. Magistrate Wargo ordered them to pay a combined total of $16,290 in fines, court costs and restitution.

The restitution included $50 for each fish taken illegally in accordance with legislation that places a value on wild animals unlawfully held, taken, bought, sold or possessed. The men were also ordered to forfeit three bass boats, three trailers and two freezers, which have an estimated value of $32,000. Including the forfeited items, the total cost for the six men was $48,290.

A total of 900 days in jail was handed down between all six men. Magistrate Wargo suspended the jail time pending completion of a probationary period of three years of good behavior. Their fishing licenses were revoked for three years and they will be entered into the Wildlife Violator’s Compact and most likely will lose privileges in 33 other states.

During a surveillance project by Division of Wildlife investigators in the Bass Islands area of Lake Erie between April 25 and April 30, investigators observed the men “double and triple tripping.” (“Double and triple tripping” refers to catching a limit of fish, returning to shore, then returning to the water the same day to catch an additional limit of fish.) The legal limit for smallmouth bass on Lake Erie is five fish per day from the last Saturday in June through April 30 with a minimum size limit of 14 inches.

Individual sentencing included:
Freelan C. Leffew, 66, of Soddy Daisy, Tennessee – $1,500 in fines, $348 for court costs, three years license revocation, $1,300 in restitution, and forfeiture of a bass boat, a trailer and a freezer.

Freddie Warren, 63, of Wildwood, Georgia – $1,250 in fines, $290 for court costs, three years license revocation, $1,250 in restitution, and forfeiture of a bass boat and trailer.

Charles H. Burkhart, 67, of Ringgold, Georgia – $1,250 in fines, $290 for court costs, three years license revocation, $1,250 in restitution, and forfeiture of a freezer.

Samuel J. Carroll, 65, of Ringgold, Georgia – $1,000 in fines, $232 for court costs, three years license revocation, $1,000 in restitution, and forfeiture of a bass boat and trailer.

Herbert S. Stephens, 58, of Soddy Daisy, Tennessee – $1,000 in fines, $232 for court costs, three years license revocation, and $1,000 in restitution.

Michael T. Leffew, 38, of Hixon, Tennessee – $1,500 in fines, $348 for court costs, three years license revocation, and $1,250 in restitution.

Contact:
Gino Barna, ODNR Lake Erie Law Enforcement
419. 625. 8062

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

In real estate lingo, three words of wisdom apply to value: location, location, location. When it comes to hunting turkeys, no truer words were ever spoken. Extra-full chokes in big-bore barrels, innovative calling devices, camouflage clothing, face paint, magnum loads, concealment, decoys and any other trick one may employ to bust a bird mean nothing, if the turkeys dance the two-step in the next county.

Speculating why gobblers were not roosting where they had been for years made for good conversation but did little to satisfy my penchant for glazed drumsticks. Within our controlled environment, we even tried moving the portable blind; however, that proved as fruitful as moving the boat around in Lake Huron, when the goal was to land a tarpon. I wanted to believe that a gobbler would come looking for love, but time was running out in this late season.

Finally, I caught movement from the corner of my eye. No, it wasn’t ol’ Tom, but none other than neighbor John Buck, who I spotted walking across my home’s lawn. It turned out that John was looking for me to discuss business. Once we got the details ironed out, I asked him if anyone was hunting the turkeys on his land, which I had been observing in drive-by mode for several months. It was as if John had read my mind and when he offered the opportunity, I reacted in typical child-like delight, as his eyebrows jumped in response.

Never having the opportunity to hunt his land, I surveyed the situation from the road, purposely avoiding any chance at spooking anything while scouting for a hideout the evening before. A lone hickory tree surrounded by knee-high weeds in the newly planted field would be my backdrop. My plan was to call a bird within range from the field’s edge.

The rainy weather being predicted overnight for my new “opening day” compelled me to set up a portable chair blind in the 5-am darkness about 30 yards from my lone hen decoy. Attached to my Mossberg’s barrel was an innovative gadget called the V-Pod, by Hunter’s Specialties. The telescoping monopod with bipod feet attaches to the barrel, while a holster holds the gun’s stock hands-free at the ready. All of this allows the muzzle to be pointed to the target while calling. It was just the ticket.

My call for the trickery was a special one, too. I met inventor Jim Moss last year in St. Louis, Missouri at an outdoor media event and he explained how he used an oscilloscope to measure sound waves of his new Ring Zone ceramic call marketed by Hunter’s Specialties. He then opened a brand new package, took out a felt marker, signed the friction surface, and handed it to me. It was the only call chosen for this day.

Still dark, the gobbling commenced. So did the thrill, as the hairs on the back of my neck involuntarily responded. They kept it up; I smiled.

At first light I could make out movement on the ground 150 yards east of my ambush site. It was so dark, I couldn’t be sure they were even turkeys, let alone if a gobbler was one of the two in sight. The Ring Zone call established someone was interested, as a hearty gobble broke the silence of the misty, still air. I filled the heavy, moisture-laden air with notes of love and the two birds began their fateful stroll.

At 100 yards I could see that one bird’s beard was decidedly longer than the other’s and his dominance kept his subordinate pal behind him. The big fella was on a mission and his stretched out neck pointed the direction to my deceitful decoy. My heart pounded, while the slow-motion approach was now greeted with purposeful silence from the blind – that is, until the magnum load of 5s interrupted the solitude of the peaceful paradise.
I realized ol’ Tom was no lightweight, as I changed carrying positions several times while departing the field. And, my digital scale confirmed what I had already suspected: A hefty 21.13 pounds of feathers, breast meat and drumsticks. The beard measured just over 10 inches and ruler indicated a bit over 1-inch spurs – enough to minimally qualify as an entry into Commemorative Bucks of Michigan’s record book, if I choose to make it official. (Commemorative Bucks compiles records for not only bucks, but turkeys, too.)

Unlike fish, however, I can keep the evidence and still enjoy a wild-game dinner. And, that’s just what I’ll do.

Licensed hunters and landowners may now take feral hogs at any time, since a package of bills has been signed by Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment announced today.

Hunters or individuals with concealed-carry permits may take swine running loose on public land or on private land with landowner permission. Landowners may take hogs on their property at any time.

The law also authorizes animal control officers and law enforcement officers to shoot hogs running loose on private or public property.

“Feral swine are known vectors for diseases that are transmissible to humans, livestock and wildlife,” said DNRE Director Rebecca Humphries. “This change in the law gives us another weapon for dealing with this unhealthy situation.”

The Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) is in full agreement with the new law.

“Three years of hard work by many partners has paid off,” said Dr. Nancy Frank, MDA deputy director. “The joint resolutions by both the Natural Resources and Agriculture Commissions sent us in this direction. This legislation is key to preventing an environmental and animal health disaster.”

The new laws take immediate effect.

By Glen Wunderlich

Remember to support our veterans in any way you can. Join a veterans’ organization; plenty exist even for those who have not served. Or, support your local VFW, or any of their many affiliates when they have dinners or other events.

A perfect example will be June 18th at the Perry, MI VFW/Amvets club at 601 N. Main 48872, Ph: 517-625-3154. (If you don’t know where it is, drive on Main Street and keep an eye on the west side for a most beautiful front yard with a howitzer pointing across the road. Honest, nobody else in the neighborhood has one. You really can’t miss it.)

The Perry Sons of Amvets will host from 5 pm to 8 pm a remarkably priced $8.00 dinner consisting of a 12-ounce Angus N.Y. Strip steak grilled to order for you. The dinner also includes a huge baked potatoe, several vegetables, salad and roll, coffee, tea and water (and sometimes even homemade desset but we never promise it.) The fact is that the Ladies Auxiliary often provides donated baked goods and such out of the goodness of their hearts and they only last so long. Hint: Get there early!

And, there’s a great tie-in to carrying on the great Michigan tradition of deer hunting with the annual Perry Youth Hunt Extravaganza. I won’t go into details of this event now, but 10 percent of the proceeds of the Perry Sons of Amvets dinners and other events go directly for funding prizes given to licensed youth hunters immediately following the close of the two-day Youth Hunt season in September.

So, there you have it. A great way to help out the community and a great deal for you. Also, mark your calendar because there will be a repeat performance on the Fourth of July.

POTTSTOWN, PA – The planting of food plots has become a big part of deer habitat management. Each year millions of dollars are spent on the planting of food plots. However, many hunters and landowners overlook the naturally occurring deer food plants already on their property that with a little care will produce an abundance of food for deer at little cost. The guidebook How to Manage Native Plants for Deer gives the reader the information he needs to locate and manage a wide range of native and naturally occurring plants that deer love.

Deer hunting is always better, and attracts deer from greater distances, when the total habitat is managed. Selecting and fertilizing native and naturally occurring plants is an easy way to improve land for deer, and compliments the planting of food plots.

Designed to be pocket sized and easy to read, this little guidebook makes an ideal gift for the beginning hunter or master of the woods. It’s everything needed to know about managing the food sources you already have on your property and in a 101-page guidebook that will fit in your hunting pack or in the glove box of your truck.

For more information about the J. Wayne Fears series of guidebooks, or to place an order, visit the Pro Tool Industries web site atwww.protoolindustries.net or call 800-708-5191 where you can also request a free catalog. Pro Tool Industries’ web site now offers a new retail store locator where visitors can find a nearby retail location carrying the company’s brands including the J. Wayne Fears guidebooks, Pro Tool Utility Knife Collection and the Woodman’s Pal.

Contact: Donna M. Uncapher
President & Marketing Dir.
Astraea Marketing Group, LLC
Phone: 484-686-8760
donna@astraeamarketing.com

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

Hunting for turkeys affords the birdwatcher in me an opportunity to digest the many sights and sounds of spring. No matter how early I rise to take a position afield for gobblers, the robins are already providing a feast for the ears with their merry melodies. I sure cannot think of a friendlier sound than the serenade of Michigan’s State bird, as I make my way along the trail. But, the undisputed king of the most magnificent of all bird calls has to be the Greater Sandhill Crane.

Their raucous trumpeting trill is unmistakable and can be heard for over a mile. Mated pairs of sandhill cranes call in unison, which explains why the sounds are so rapid. With their heads thrown back and beaks pointed upward, the female begins with two, higher-pitched calls for each of the male’s. The display provides a unique opportunity to distinguish the male from the female – an otherwise impossible task. As part of the calling session, the female raises her beak about 45 degrees, while the male does so at a vertical position.

With an average height of four to five feet and a wingspan of seven feet, the Greater Sandhill Crane is Michigan’s tallest bird. The adults, after the summer molting period, are gray with a red forehead; the young do not have the colored forehead markings. Sandhills that appear to be a reddish brown have actually tainted their feather color by preening with plants and mud rich in iron and lose the color variation after the summer molt and return to the all-gray color.

Believe it or not, hunting of Sandhill Cranes is permitted in nine states of the Central Flyway in spite of opposition from the usual suspects. What makes hunting these magnificent creatures controversial is their similar appearance to Whooping Cranes – an endangered species. To help combat the possibility of accidental shooting of whooping cranes a more-than-substantial penalty is in place: A fine of up to $100,000 and/or a year behind bars. In Kansas, for example, an online examination must be successfully completed before a license to hunt is given. For your own enlightenment and amusement, the website is https://secure.ksfishandwildlife.org/crane.

In Michigan, we also have the all-gray Great Blue Heron, which is similar in appearance. In flight, however, the heron’s neck has a distinct bend in appearance, while the Sandhill Crane’s neck is straight.

In addition, Great Blue Herons are typically found in or near water, while the Sandhill Cranes can be seen in farming fields satisfying their omnivorous craving for young plants, grains, and small animals like mice and snakes. The Sandhill Cranes love the wetlands adjacent to short vegetation allowing for sight-hunting. Large feeding flocks can totally devastate newly planted fields of grain and are often seen later in the season cleaning up waste grain after harvest.

In 1934 only 17 nesting pairs were in Southern Michigan. By 1987 a total of 630 nesting pairs were reported in the Lower Peninsula and an additional 175 pairs in the Upper Peninsula. They winter in southern Georgia and northern Florida.

I have found them to be quite wary of humans but was able to capture several photos, as I was leaving my turkey hunting location this past week and neared their nesting site.