By Glen Wunderlich

The well-drained, sandy loam soil in my remote vegetable garden has been the perfect full-sun location – a place where melons and root crops have flourished over the years. But, this wet and cool spring weather was not favorable to the pumpkin and melon plants, which thrive in warmer ground temperatures. Those early plants that managed to sprout lived for a week or so only to succumb to the uncooperative conditions. With our relatively short growing season, it remains unclear if the effort to replant them will result in anything fruitful. It’s been that kind of season.

At the same time, however, I was able to seed a few small food plots last week and the brassicas have already germinated. The tropical conditions we’ve experienced recently have been ideal and, if the sugar beets follow suit, these plantings should be deer magnets by fall.

With the rains have come mosquitos in large numbers, but interestingly the number of dragonflies is astonishing. Routine trail riding on an ATV kicks them into action at every turn by bunches. Dragonflies, which are similar to mosquitos in that they require standing water to hatch from eggs, are Mother Nature’s answer to mosquito control.

Perched Dragonfly Carrying Eggs

These bug-eyed, aeronautical acrobats are every outdoor person’s friends, because they have a voracious appetite for up to 100 mosquitos per day. That may not sound like much, but when one considers the sheer number of these predators this season, it has to make a difference.

Dragonflies possess extraordinarily sharp vision aiding them to detect movement of potential flying fast food. Courtesy of two huge compound eyes, the dragonfly has nearly 360° vision and can move their four wings to maneuver in any direction. Much like a bluebird, they’ll hunt from a perch for prey and can strike and return in less than 2 seconds.

Another friendly inhabitant of the area is the monarch butterfly. Monarchs are dependent on milkweed plants, which the butterflies’ larvae eat nearly exclusively. It is for this reason that I’ve left a section of land with weak soil to grow indigenous milkweed plants.

The soil is simply too sandy to produce anything but weeds, but the symbiotic relationship between the poisonous milkweed and the similarly poisonous monarchs is reason enough to let nature take its course.

The late-summer versions of monarchs are born to fly – all the way to Mexico or California and back! The monarchs begin to return north in the spring, feeding on nectar along the route home. Eggs are subsequently laid only on milkweed plants, and a new generation hatches. They flutter about without fear from birds which instinctively know to leave the poisonous beauties to themselves.

If that’s not enough reason to leave some milkweed to grow in selected areas, consider the fact that milkweed seed is in demand. In fact, a recent check of milkweed seed for sale on Ebay found that a half pound goes for $150.

Once the flowers are finished blooming, they form a pod of milkweed floss with the seeds attached. A piece of tape wrapped around the pod will keep it intact until it’s time to use it afield. That white floss material (with seed removed) is the perfect wind indicator for any hunter concerned with air currents. Better than any store-bought puffer or smoking iteration, the floss can be seen for a hundred yards or so giving the wise hunter an edge over scent-sniffing game.

Sometimes we have to look for that silver lining but it’s here among us.

Funding proposals for 2019 now are being accepted through the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program, with an anticipated $3.6 million available to applicants. The program – a joint effort of the Michigan departments of Natural Resources; Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; and Agriculture and Rural Development – is part of a statewide initiative launched in 2014 to help prevent, detect and control invasive species in Michigan.

An invasive species is one that is not native and whose introduction causes harm, or is likely to cause harm to Michigan’s environment, economy or human health.

“From our old-growth forests and inland lakes and streams, to the unmatched sportfishing opportunities and thousands of miles of trails, Michigan is home to some truly world-class outdoor recreation opportunities,” said DNR Director Dan Eichinger. “Unchecked invasive species pose serious threats to those resources and the outdoor economy. Michigan’s Invasive Species Grant Program is a valuable tool that allows us to work with community partners around the state to better fight and contain these land and water pests.” Read more

New Federal Duck Stamp and Junior Duck Stamp Soar Into Their Debut by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Hunters, birders and stamp collectors celebrated as the 2019-2020 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp – commonly known as the Duck Stamp – went on sale. The new Federal Duck Stamp and its younger sibling, the Junior Duck Stamp, debuted at a special event hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Bass Pro Shops flagship store in Springfield, Missouri.

Painted by artist Scot Storm of Freeport, Minnesota, the new Duck Stamp will raise millions of dollars for habitat conservation to benefit wildlife and the American people.

The 2019-2020 Junior Duck Stamp, which also went on sale today, raises funds to support youth conservation education and this year features a harlequin duck painted by Nicole Jeon, 16, of Scarsdale, New York. Read more

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Python Action Team has removed the program’s 500th invasive Burmese python from the wild. Team members Beth Koehler and Peggy van Gorder captured the snake at 1:15 a.m. on Tuesday, June 25 at Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area. It was a 9’ 10” long female and weighed 20 pounds, 14 ounces.

“Thanks to the hard-working men and women of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, hundreds of invasive Burmese pythons have been removed from the Everglades and our ecosystem,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “As we celebrate this significant milestone, my administration will continue to prioritize the protection of our environment, natural resources and wildlife, which are at the heart of our economy and our way of life here in Florida.”

“The capture of the 500th snake by our Python Action Team marks a significant milestone for this program,” said Eric Sutton, Executive Director of the FWC. “Governor DeSantis has been instrumental in keeping this topic a priority. We’re proud of the great work that these men and women do every day, and it would not be possible without support from the Governor and Legislature.” Read more

COLUMBUS, Georgia, — Built for ultimate sun protection, the BUFF CoolNet UV+ Realtree Xtra Camo Multifunctional Headwear can be worn 12 different ways — from cap, to balaclava, to neck gaiter, to hair tie.

The headwear is 95% recycled and engineered with REPREVE® performance microfiber, HeiQ cooling technology and Polygiene® odor control. It has a 4-Way, seamless, ULTRA STRETCH fabric construction that features UPF 50+ sun protection. This multifunctional headwear is approved and recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation. Read more

Wichita, Kansas – At its 14th annual conference the Professional Outdoor Media Association awarded its top national book award to J. Wayne Fears new book The Scouting Guide to Survival, published by Skyhorse Publishing. The 2019 Pinnacle Award for books was announced by Kevin Tate, Vice President of Media Productions at Mossy Oak, the presenting partner of the Pinnacle Awards since the program’s inception. This is the third book written by J. Wayne Fears to win the coveted award.

The Scouting Guide to Survival is a 168 page full color illustrated book which teaches the reader over 200 essential skills to staying alive when lost or stranded in the backcountry. The book is a Boy Scouts of America licensed book and a detailed guide to earning the wilderness survival merit badge. The book was written to be a survival guide to outdoor travels of all ages.

For more information on this award winning book go to www.ruralsportsman.com

By Glen Wunderlich

It can happen at any time – even in broad daylight, as one unlucky motorcycle driver has learned. With a loud bang, attention was turned to the dirt road, where an unfortunate young man came sliding by. He had just demolished a whitetail doe, a motorcycle, and parts of himself. The slide measured some 150 feet and concluded in front of me.

After the paramedics left with the driver and the county police did their paperwork, a dead deer lay mere feet from the road’s edge. It was time for me to “carry on” with the clean-up detail, because leaving the animal in place was not a good option for various reasons.

I dragged the carcass to an open field, where it could be spotted from the air, and that’s exactly what happened. As I motored to inspect the site a week later, several turkey vultures were spooked and landed atop a hunting shack waiting for me to clear the area. They were doing the dirty work of recycling the spoiled meat.

According to one of our abundant governmental agencies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some quarter million crashes annually are blamed on animals – certainly not oblivious drivers. That’s a lot of road kill and that’s a good enough reason for increases in numbers of turkey vultures – sometimes referred to as buzzards.

They are easily recognized up close by their bald red heads, although juveniles have black heads. When in flight, one can distinguish them from other large birds, such as hawks, by a tipping or rocking motion when soaring with their outstretched wings in a V-shape. One can also notice that the outline of their wing tips against the sky appears similar to fingers.

Interestingly they are well designed for doing the work of consuming rotted meat by poking their bald heads well inside body cavities. The head comes out virtually clean, because not much can stick to the skin; that which does is easily baked off in the sun.

They are not birds of prey and are the only scavenger birds having no ability to kill for their meals, although I have seen them picking off insects in newly mowed hay fields.

In a 1986 study in Panama, Turkey Vultures found 71 of 74 chicken carcasses within three days. There was no time difference between finding concealed and unconcealed carcasses, and the only carcasses the vultures seemingly had trouble finding were the freshest ones. Even though the older carcasses emitted a stronger odor, the vultures showed a definite preference for eating fresher carcasses.

Before you write off vultures as disgusting oddities, hear out our last fun fact. Dead animals are a breeding ground for infectious disease, including those that can pass to humans. Vultures, all species, not just turkey vultures, have strong acid in their stomachs that destroys these toxins. By eating carrion, vultures prevent the spread of rabies, botulism, anthrax, cholera, and more.

They are large birds measuring up to 32 inches in height with a wingspan of six feet and have a life expectancy of 20 years or more. However, what makes them such fantastic soaring birds is their light weight of only three pounds. They will find thermals and soar for hours without flapping their wings at heights beyond 4 miles. When migrating, they have been known to travel 200 miles in one day.

With faces only a mother can love, the vultures’ dirty work is the epitome of recycling – even if we can’t stomach the thought.

City and township officials and others from across the state interested in learning about options to reduce the negative effects of deer in their communities are invited to attend an urban deer management workshop Monday, July 22. Hosted by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the city of Rochester Hills, the free workshop will run 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm, located at 1005 Van Hoosen Road.

The workshop will include an overview of various methods other communities have used to manage deer populations, and attendees will hear from city leaders who have used those methods.

Attendees also will be able to take part in broad discussions with DNR staff members and others on how to address deer management in urban areas.

“We understand that deer management in communities can be extremely polarizing and challenging,” said DNR deer management specialist Chad Stewart. “By engaging in a broader conversation on this topic, we hope to not only highlight some of the options currently available to communities, but also identify some of the obstacles they may face so that we can evaluate our approach toward deer management in these areas.”

Lunch will be provided. Space is limited, so registration is required. Read more