Category: Wildlife

Goldfinch

Urban and Suburban Feeder Havens

During cold snaps and periods of snowfall, bird seeds provided at backyard feeding stations become even more important resources for American Tree Sparrows, one of the 14 common backyard species studied (photo by Paul Konrad).

When Arctic air and blowing snow send winter temperatures plunging, backyard bird feeders can provide safe havens for wintering birds, especially in northern latitudes. A new research study shows that these kinds of observations are no coincidence: Some birds flee the countryside and find refuge in urban and suburban neighborhoods – utilizing bird feeders provided there – to survive extreme winter weather. The study focused on 14 common backyard species, from birds like Northern Cardinals and Tufted Titmice that have historically lived in more temperate areas to cold weather birds such as Red-breasted Nuthatches and American Tree Sparrows.

Using data from more than 3,500 Project FeederWatch sites in the eastern United States, Ecologists Chris Latimer and Benjamin Zuckerberg studied the connections between winter weather patterns and where birds were being reported. Latimer explained that “FeederWatch is great because it provides a huge dataset of information going back decades, and you can get data from the exact same sites across a large geographic area for nearly 5 straight months over winter. So you can really start to compare when birds are in a certain region and when they’re not.” Read more

Wildlife

Hunter Nation to Sue Wisconsin DNR for Ignoring Law to Schedule Wolf Hunt

DNR is required by 2011 state law to hold wolf hunt between November and February

Madison, WI – The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL), on behalf of Luke Hilgemann and Hunter Nation, filed a lawsuit in Jefferson County Circuit Court against Wisconsin DNR Secretary Preston Cole, the Wisconsin DNR, and the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board, for ignoring a state law requirement to schedule a wolf hunt season this winter. The gray wolf was delisted from the Endangered Species Act on January 4, 2021, triggering a 2011 state law that requires Wisconsin’s DNR to schedule a grey wolf hunting season between November and February. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

2020 Whitetail Report Condensed for Michiganders

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

Condensed from the QDMA 2020 Whitetail Report

Once again, the Quality Deer Management Association has gathered and assembled data from the 2018/2019 season from state and provincial wildlife agencies to provide a “State of the Whitetail” account relative to deer numbers and how hunters are affecting the balance of the collective herd.  Overall, positive trends have been established and we’ll see just how Michigan’s hunters stack up to states across the whitetail range.

Countrywide, yearling (1½) year-old buck harvest rates are at the lowest ever recorded, and the percentage of 3½-year-old and older bucks in the harvest is 37% of the total antlered buck harvest, which is the highest percentage ever recorded. Hunters are clearly reaping the benefits of more naturally balanced age structures in herds across the whitetails’ range. In addition, the antlered buck harvest (those 1½ years or older) is at near record level, and last season’s buck harvest was 5% above the previous 5-year average.

On the contrary, antlerless harvest was down slightly from the prior year, and it was 4% below the 5-year average. The antlerless harvest has now declined nearly 20 percent in the past decade.

Michigan hunters shot the most antlered bucks per square mile (PSM), and Delaware hunters shot the most antlerless deer PSM.

Crossbows, which have been a relatively new option for hunters, exceed the vertical bow harvest in 11 of 25 states (44%). Over half of the wildlife management units east of the Rocky Mountains have deer densities at the established goals, while 23% have densities above goals and 22% have deer densities below goals.

The biggest issues and trends include the continued spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD). Twenty-eight states reported a combined CWD budget of just under $11 million ranging from $500 in Massachusetts to $3 million in Pennsylvania.

Overall, Texas shot the most bucks (508,155) and Rhode Island shot the fewest (994). Michigan, South Carolina and Pennsylvania more than doubled the national average and shot 3.3 to 3.7 bucks per square mile (PSM), while North Dakota shot the fewest (0.3 PSM). Michigan hunters shot nearly 2½ times the national average of bucks PSM, Texas alone shot nearly as many bucks as the entire Northeast region, and the Southeast region dominated the buck harvest per deer hunter category.

*  Top states antlered buck harvest:  Texas 508,155  with a distant toll – yet second place from Michigan of  211,754 .

*  Top states antlered buck harvest per square mile:  Michigan at 3.7  and South Carolina at 3.6.

*  Michigan antlered buck harvest:  211,754 –  down 17 percent.

*  Top states with lowest percentage of yearling bucks taken:  Arkansas at 9 and  Florida and Mississippi at 11.

*  Top states with highest percentage of yearling bucks:  Wisconsin at 53 and Maryland at 42.   Although Michigan’s figures for yearling bucks were not made available, it should be noted that its numbers were right up there (or, down there, if you will) at approximately 47 percent the previous two seasons.

*  Top states with highest percentage of 3½-plus bucks:  Mississippi at a whopping 77, Louisiana at 75 and Arkansas at 72 percent.  Again, Michigan did not report figures for this report but the two previous years show a meager 27 and 22 percent totals.

*  Top states antlerless harvest:  Texas at 375,408 , Pennsylvania 226,940, Wisconsin 175,168 and Michigan 155,898.  Although Michigan’s numbers are comparatively high, our DNR indicates we need to take more bald deer.  To put these figures in perspective, Maryland took 75 antlerless deer per 100 hunters (75 percent), while Michigan posted a mere 27 percent per 100 hundred hunters.

*  Top states with lowest percentage of fawns in antlerless harvest:  Texas at 2 percent, and Louisiana and Mississippi at 7 percent.  Michigan is still taking too many fawn, although down minimally over the past three seasons at 21 percent.

So, there you have it:  the good, bad and ugly of it all.  Michigan’s tallies continue to reflect a huge herd, but with better management by hunters has room for improvement when it comes to balancing the herd for a more natural state of bucks and does.

Hunting, Wildlife

Virtual Miles for Monarchs Athletes Aim to Raise Awareness and Money to Recover Monarch Butterflies

St. Paul, MN – Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, and the Monarch Joint Venture have joined forces to support declining pollinator populations, including the iconic monarch butterfly. From February to October 2021, athletes from across the country will run, walk, bike, hike, or paddle to see how many miles the group can log as part of Miles for Monarchs.Will it compare to the tremendous 3,000-mile journey that monarch butterflies endure each fall during their migration? Through staying active and getting outdoors, this year-long campaign aims to increase awareness about pollinators, inspire action to protect them, and raise funds to support recovery efforts.

Monarch butterflies, which weigh about as much as a paper clip, undergo an annual migration of thousands of miles across North America. To most of us, this seems unfathomable without the aid of modern-day transportation. But, while monarch populations have drastically declined, they continue to endure this magical migration. To protect this phenomenon for future generations, monarch butterflies need us to act fast. Eastern monarchs, which overwinter in the mountains of central Mexico, have declined by more than 70 percent over the past few decades. The western population finds refuge along the California coast during the winter, and preliminary estimates suggest that fewer than 2,000 butterflies are overwintering on the coast this year, a greater than 99 percent decline. Read more

Wildlife

Public Lands Oil and Gas Leasing Paused by Biden Administration

Existing operations can proceed under administration plan, which continues rollback of previous administration policies and attempts to address climate change

MISSOULA, Mont. – New public lands oil and gas leasing has been temporarily halted by the Biden administration in an executive order released this week, reflecting the administration’s continued review of controversial natural resource policies enacted by the previous administration as it maps out a plan to address the impacts of climate change and more balanced management of public lands and waters. Read more

Wildlife

Michigan: help remove invasive plants from state parks

Several state parks in southern Michigan will host volunteer stewardship workdays in February. Volunteers are needed to help with removing invasive plants that threaten high-quality ecosystems in the parks.

Please note that preregistration is required for all volunteer workdays, and participation may be limited due to social distancing requirements.

Although these are outdoor programs and proper social distancing of at least 6 feet is required, participants still are encouraged to wear face coverings as an added precaution. Read more

Wildlife

Great Backyard Bird Count is Near

Worldwide birdwatching event starts on February 12

New York, NY, Ithaca, NY, and Port Rowan, ON—Lots of people turned to birdwatching during the past year, seeking enjoyment and relaxation. Chickadees, cardinals, finches and other birds are doing their part to lift human spirits. The 24th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is a great opportunity for all budding birdwatchers and bird-count veterans to use their skills. People from around the world count the birds they see for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count, and then enter their checklists online. Read more

Wildlife

Michigan DNR accepting applications for Wolf Management Advisory Council

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is now accepting applications for the Wolf Management Advisory Council, an advisory body that is being re-established in light of federal delisting (which went into effect Jan. 4) of gray wolves as a threatened or endangered species.

The purpose of the council is to make recommendations on wolf management in Michigan. It will be comprised, at minimum, of representatives from conservation, hunting and/or fishing, agricultural and animal advocacy organizations, as well as tribal government, as specified in state statute.

Applications for the council will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 4. Request an application by emailing DNR-Wildlife@Michigan.gov or calling the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453.

On Nov. 3, 2020, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided to remove gray wolves from the federal list of threatened and endangered species in the lower 48 states. The action took effect Jan. 4, 2021.

With the federal delisting of wolves, two state laws – Public Act 290 of 2008 and Public Act 318 of 2008 – became effective. These laws allow residents to use lethal control on wolves that are in the act of killing or wounding livestock or a dog.

Wolves in Michigan are still a protected game species, and the taking of a wolf that is not in the act of killing or wounding livestock or a dog is illegal. The mere presence of a wolf near livestock or a dog does not authorize the use of lethal control.

From an estimated survey of 140 wolves in 1998, to more than 600 every year since 2011, gray wolf populations in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula have recovered, based on goals set by state and federal governments. Wolf management in Michigan is guided by Michigan’s Wolf Management Plan, which currently is being updated. There will be opportunity for public input as work to refresh the plan continues. Read more
Hunting, Wildlife

RMEF Seeks Regional Director-Michigan

Regional Director

Reports to: Director of Field Operations

Department: Fundraising & Marketing

Classification: Exempt

Date: November 2020

Job Summary:

Field Operations is a primary fundraising division of RMEF. Regional Directors organize local volunteer chapters to hold fundraising events, principally banquets, and perform major gift development activities to support the continued operation of RMEF and finance elk and wildlife conservation projects.

In addition to event-related fundraising, Regional Directors solicit donations of major gifts directly from donors or through RMEF members, volunteers and other contacts. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Stealth Cam Reactor Wireless Trail Camera

Irving, TX– Stealth Cam® is excited to be expanding their wireless trail camera line in 2021 with the all new Reactor! This new camera is easy to setup, requires less batteries, captures premium quality images and videos with class-leading performance and program customization anywhere/anytime.

The Reactor wireless trail camera features the latest in wireless data transmission technology to provide fast image and video transfer from remote camera locations to anywhere you have a network connection. With this technology, users can employ the free Stealth Cam App to download photos and videos on demand, set transmission schedules, delete data from the memory card, and control all camera functions and image management features without having to be on-site.

Boasting 26-megapixel photo and 1080P video recording, the Reactor delivers superior imaging day or night! It is compatible for AT&T users in the US, Canada, and Mexico and available as a 4G Verizon network compatibility model, also in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Both camera models are 100% verified through the wireless service providers! Read more

Hunting, Wildlife
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