Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
A recent investigation by humanewatch.org has raised questions regarding the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and its use of funds raised for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. Documents show that HSUS has only given 33% of the money it raised to victims of the disaster. Read more
On July 2nd, animal rights groups launched a petition drive to stop the state from controlling the growing wolf population. If enough signatures are gathered, Michigan voters will decide on November 4, 2014, whether to overturn Senate Bill 288, which granted authority to designate game species to the state Natural Resources Commission. The anti-hunting coalition, called Keep Michigan Wolves Protected, is backed by the nation’s most powerful animal rights organization, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Read more
Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologists, staff and volunteers helped to round up and band over 1,000 Canada geese in Southeast Michigan last month.
The geese were banded as part of a national effort to track the population and movement of Canada geese in the United States. In North America, biologists band more than 200,000 ducks and nearly 150,000 geese and swans each year.
In the latter part of June, geese molt their primary flight feathers and are unable to fly, making them easier to capture and band.
“We banded 170 birds at three locations in Jackson and Hillsdale counties,” said DNR wildlife biologist Kristin Bissell. “We had 11 very enthusiastic, hard-working volunteers who helped make it a success! We’re happy that a sample of the geese from the south central portion of the state will be represented in the banding effort!”
During the banding process, Read more
Wolf hunting licenses go on sale starting Aug. 3, reminds the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Beginning Saturday, Aug. 3 at noon EDT until Oct. 31, or until the license quota is met, 1,200 licenses will be available for purchase . Read more
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters to purchase their fall turkey applications by the deadline of Aug. 1.
Hunters can apply online at www.michigan.gov/huntdrawings, at any authorized license agent or at a DNR Customer Service Center. Read more
PRATT- Duck populations are strong, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 2013 Report on Trends in Duck Breeding Populations. The preliminary estimate of total duck populations from the traditional survey area (northcentral United States, southcentral and northern Canada, and Alaska) is 45.6 million birds- a six percent decrease from last year’s estimate of 48.6 million birds, but a 33 percent increase from the long-term average. In addition to estimating duck populations, the survey also examines habitat conditions. Read more
Day 6 Outdoors, an industry leader in time-lapse cameras, is challenging you to stop guessing where to hunt and use its PlotWatcher Pro instead. With time-lapse technology, HD capability and an unmatched battery life, the PlotWatcher Pro is the only tool you need to take the guesswork out of choosing a location for your treestand or ground blind. Read more
Iowa’s pheasant harvest increased 45 percent in 2012, which was the first increase in harvest since 2005. Hunters harvested an estimated 158,000 roosters, lead by northwest Iowa, and followed by central and north central regions. Read more
There’s no wait for nonresidents wishing to purchase licenses to hunt deer and elk in Montana this fall.
A number of first-come, first-served surplus licenses, good for antlered deer and elk in most hunting districts, can be purchased online or over-the-counter at any Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks office. Read more
NORTH CHESTERFIELD, VA., July 24, 2013 – Carl Zeiss Sports Optics, the world’s leading manufacturer in high performance sports optics, is pleased to announce the launch of the new CONQUEST RIMFIRE 3-9×40 Riflescope. This new addition to the CONQUEST line is the perfect choice for various types of target plinking, small game or turkey hunting.
The product is based on the tried and tested, compact 1-inch CONQUEST line delivering bright images and generous eye-relief. CONQUEST RIMFIRE has ¼ MOA, is parallax adjusted for 50 yards, and features the Z-PLEX (#20) reticle in the second image plane for fast, precise shot placement on small targets. Read more