Category: Hunting

Of Beavers and Photos

By Glen Wunderlich

Before getting into this week’s topic, a brief update is in order on the beavers’ dam building reported last week.  As you may recall, some beavers along the Osburn drain in Shiawassee County had constructed a dam in the culverts under our public road, threatening a flood.  The DNR issued a nuisance permit to me, and accordingly, a friend set two traps, as the only legal means of control.

A county employee returned my telephone call on Monday after the Friday message and, as promised, sent a backhoe and operator to clear the dam.

Shiawassee County on the job

Shiawassee County on the job

  A valiant effort cleared one culvert but was unable to get the adjacent side open.  The following day, a county pickup truck and workers finished the job manually.

 

 

 

 

Since then, a beaver has been spotted on camera

and the dam is being rebuilt.  Plans are to reset the traps when the trapping season begins November 10th and the nuisance permit expires.Eager and relentless beaver killing poplar trees

Eager and relentless beaver killing poplar trees

Photo Taking Tips

With firearms deer season a bit over a week away, there will be plenty of picture taking in the works.  How you prepare could make the difference between a tasteful remembrance and a tasteless afterthought.  Here are some ideas to put your trophy in the best light for the years to come.

It’s always best to get photos of any animal and hunter before field dressing.  Sometimes we don’t think about it, but once that knife does its work, it limits what can be tastefully captured.  Understand that a picture of an open chest cavity may be fine for your hunting pals, but it has no redeeming value to anyone.  Blood in the picture is to be avoided, as much as possible.

A field-dressing kit can be kept at the ready replete with paper towels, water, disposable rubber gloves, knives, etc – and, of course a camera.  A quick wipe down before field dressing that eliminates or minimizes blood or wounds is necessary.  Put the tongue back in the deer’s mouth and try to focus on the head of the animal, along with that of the hunter.  And, while you’re at it, get that baseball cap’s visor tipped back before snapping the shot.  Look for anything in the scene that detracts from the subjects. 

And, that brings me to why we want to capture the moment afield:  because the back of a pickup truck or hanging on a rope doesn’t measure up to quality.  Clean up your background or move to a better location.

The digital age allows us take as many photos as we wish.  A good trick used by pros is to use the “burst” mode on your camera.  Yes, it will take several pictures that appear to be the same.  However, merely pushing the button can cause movement in the camera and thus can mean blurred results in the first photo in the string, or the only photo without burst mode. 

Keeping your light source behind you and onto the subject is a good place to start.  Watch for casting your own shadow over scene.  Change perspectives and be sure to get some shots from low angles. 

If you’d like to include your firearm in the photo, make sure the action is open and that the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction.

Get close.  Filling the frame in your viewfinder with only your subject matter is always better than using the zoom feature.  In most instances, people don’t really want or need to see the entire body of the deer in the photo.  Concentrate photo composition on the hunter’s face and the head of the deer.  Even in daylight, using a flash can provide better pictures, so try it with and without the flash.

With a little forethought, a good photo can be enjoyed long after the venison vanishes.

Hunting

Michigan continues to battle chronic wasting disease

The discovery of an eighth free-ranging Michigan white-tailed deer with chronic wasting disease this summer was a disappointment to Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife officials.

However, DNR deer and elk specialist Chad Stewart said there was a little bit of good news associated with that discovery.

“DNA testing showed that the latest infected deer was related to four of the other previously identified infected deer,” Stewart said. “So far, all eight have been related to each other somehow, most very closely.

“The overall numbers are still very low, so we’re optimistic we can have some success in keeping this disease confined to a relatively small geographic area.” Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

2016 Michigan bear hunting season now complete

With more than half of Michigan’s counties open to bear hunting, bear harvest is an important management tool to maintain a healthy bear population that is in balance with its habitat.

Nearly 6,900 successful bear applicants received bear hunting licenses for staggered hunting seasons that started as early as Sept. 9 and ended as late as Oct. 26.

“Michigan’s black bear season is designed to provide a quality hunt,” said Department of Natural Resources bear specialist Kevin Swanson. “With many different hunting seasons kicking off in September, we spread out the effort of bear hunters and the end result is an impressive success rate.”

Bear seasons are set by bear management unit, with a quota of licenses available by area. Michigan has 10 bear management units, with the majority of bear licenses available in the Upper Peninsula, where the majority of the black bear population is found.

Read more

Hunting

Reminders for those who hunt deer in areas of Michigan that also have wild elk

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds deer hunters hunting in the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan that wild elk are also found in this area and cannot be harvested without an elk hunting license.

“Unfortunately, in the past we have had deer hunters who make the mistake of harvesting a young male or a calf elk thinking it’s a white-tailed deer,” said Shelby Hiestand, DNR wildlife biologist. “Although a mistake, this would be an illegal take of game, which is a serious wildlife offense.” Read more

Hunting

Anti-Trapping Ballot Initiative to go Before Montana Voters on Election Day

Washington – On Tuesday, November 8, Montanans will decide the future of trapping in the state when they go to the polls to vote on Initiative 177 (I-177), which would ban trapping on public lands in Montana, subverting the science-based fish and wildlife management model in the United States.

As written, I-177, “generally prohibits the use of traps and snares for animals on any public lands within Montana,” with very narrow exemptions given to state and federal wildlife managers in certain circumstances. Passage of I-177 would effectively decimate legally-allowed fur trapping in Montana and create significant hurdles for both municipalities and state fish and wildlife managers needing to utilize trapping to mitigate animal damage and/or excessive predation in certain instances. Read more

Hunting

Michigan: Important Changes for Fur Harvesters During 2016 Seasons

For those who hunt or trap furbearing animals in Michigan, there are some changes to 2016-2017 licenses and regulations that are important to be aware of. Changes were made to simplify and clarify regulations as well as increase opportunities for fur harvesters.

Important License Changes:

2016 fur harvester licenses are valid until April 30, 2017. However, those who have not yet purchased a 2016 license MUST first buy a 2016 BASE license prior to March 1, 2017, in order to purchase a 2016 fur harvester license in the months of March and April 2017. Fur harvesters do not need to buy a 2017 base license to continue to use the 2016 fur harvester license in April. Read more

Hunting

If You Imported/Exported Wildlife Into/Out of the United States, Take Action Now

On November 1, 2016 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) published a notice in the Federal Register announcing that information related to records for the import and export of all wildlife specimens to and from the United States may be disclosed to Humane Society International (HSI), based on Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests made by HSI. The Notice informs submitters of such information of their ability to object to disclosure. The information potentially includes the identity of any U.S. and foreign importers and exporters of hunting trophies for the years 2002 through 2010, 2013 and 2014, and the declared value of the trophy. In response to four FOIA requests made in 2014 and 2015, FWS previously released some information but refused to disclose other information. FWS relied on three exemptions to the agency’s duty to disclose information in response to FOIA requests.

Earlier this year, HSI sued to obtain the withheld information. SCI intervened in the lawsuit to help defend the FWS’s decision to withhold the information. Subsequently, the FWS informed the court that it is obligated to notify the submitters of the requested information of the fact that their information is the subject of a FOIA request and that the FWS may decide to release the information.

The notice informs those who are the subject of HSI’s request that the FWS will presume that anyone who does not object within the time-period allotted for responses has no objection to the disclosure of his or her information. Submitters will have 21 days from the date of the publication of the notice in the Federal Register (i.e., today) to send their written responses to the FWS’s Office of Law Enforcement Freedom of Information office. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Centerfire at Night on NRC Agenda

Late last week, the DNR released the agenda for the upcoming November 10 Natural Resources Commission meeting in East Lansing, and a significant Michigan United Conservation Clubs policy priority was included in the agenda, albeit with restrictions. On the agenda is a draft order which would allow the use of centerfire firearms for nighttime coyote, raccoon, opossum and fox hunting. MUCC members passed a policy resolution sponsored by the Michigan Trappers and Predator Callers Association calling for a lifting of the restriction on centerfire firearms for nighttime predator hunting at our Annual Convention this summer.

However, the proposed DNR order contains two significant restrictions that were not recommended in our policy resolution: a restriction to calibers .229 and under; and a requirement that the firearm must be equipped with Generation II optics, such as electronic night-vision scopes. The background memo included with the order, however, shows that surrounding states including Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin all allow centerfire firearms for nighttime predator hunting without these restrictions. The inclusion of this order on the agenda, though, is a significant step forward in a movement that began with the grassroots efforts of a group called Michigan Predator Hunters for Centerfire at Night and engaging the larger conservation community through the MTPCA and MUCC. If you would like to attend the meeting, the agenda is linked below and, as usual, we will be live-streaming the meeting through a link we will share on MUCC’s Facebook page.

Hunting
1 … 159 160 161 162 163 … 387