MISSOULA, Mont. — The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation furthered its financial commitment to defeat a Colorado ballot proposal (formally known as Initiative 107) driven by environmentalists ignoring what is going on around them.

“We have said this from the beginning and nothing has changed. Using the ballot box to circumvent professional wildlife managers and create wildlife management policy is reckless. On top of that, now more than ever, it’s fiscally irresponsible,” said Kyle Weaver, RMEF president and CEO. “Proponents continue to push for millions in new public spending for a forced and totally unnecessary wolf introduction even though wolves are already confirmed on the ground and taxpayer money to fund it simply is not available.”

The Colorado legislature recently made a series of drastic spending cuts to deal with a $3 billion budget shortfall triggered by the coronavirus. Those cuts included $448 million from K-12 education and $493 million from higher education. It also made other significant cuts and cancelled four planned tax breaks even as legislators say the outlook for the state’s 2021 budget looks bleak.

“Dollars aside, a lot of people don’t realize the impact this measure would have on wildlife. Of the state’s 64 statewide elk and deer units that are already under population objective, 54 of those are west of the Continental Divide, ground zero for the proposed wolf introduction. Colorado’s outdoor industry would absolutely see a significant negative financial impact. It currently generates $1.85 billion annually,” added Weaver. Read more

Bozeman, MT — The Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) today announced a historic day for wild sheep in Montana. Two new trap and transplant projects were approved by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (MTFWP), as well as a conservation easement agreement in prime bighorn sheep habitat.

“This was a big day for us and all our partners and supporters who work tirelessly for wild sheep,” said Kurt Alt, Conservation Director for Montana and International Sheep and Goat Programs for WSF. “We thank MTFWP and the Fish and Wildlife Commission for moving forward with these reintroduction efforts that will begin this fall in Montana’s Little Belt Mountains, and wild sheep restoration in the Tendoy Mountains.

The Commission also approved the Lone Tree Conservation easement in bighorn sheep Hunting District 680. With this 11,285-acre conservation easement, the land will remain in private ownership and agricultural management, while preserving critical habitat for wild sheep and other species and ensuring public hunting access for future generations. Read more

MISSOULA, Mont. — Colorado’s wildlife is receiving a $2,571,838 boost thanks to funding provided by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and its partners. RMEF directly granted $611,000 and leveraged an additional $1,960,838 in partner dollars.

“These funds assist three research projects including one that helps biologists learn more about why elk recruitment is ailing and another focusing on how elk are impacted by human recreational activity,” said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer. “Habitat enhancement projects include forest thinning, prescribed burning and repairing water developments, all to help elk, deer and many other species of wildlife.”

Fourteen projects will benefit 18,911 acres across Archuleta, Costilla, Custer, Delta, Eagle, El Paso, Fremont, Garfield, Grand, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Jackson, Las Animas, Mesa, Moffat, Montrose, Ouray, Pitkin, Pueblo, Rio Blanco, Routt, Saguache and San Miguel Counties. There are two additional projects of statewide benefit. Read more

For landscapes plagued by autumn olive or entangled in oriental bittersweet, a new website offers help identifying and managing woody invasive plants like these.

Across the eight Great Lakes states and Ontario, 28 woody plant species are regulated as invasive by at least one jurisdiction. Invasive species are those that are not native and can cause harm to the environment, economy or human health. Read more

No matter what you call them – pumas, panthers, mountain lions or cougars – these mysterious mammals, and suspected sightings of them, get people talking. The DNR wants residents to know the department is listening and keeping a careful eye on where cougars reportedly are turning up.

This year, the DNR has six confirmed reports of cougars in Michigan, all in the Upper Peninsula: one each in Chippewa, Ontonagon and Schoolcraft counties and three in Delta County. In February, DNR Wildlife Division staff confirmed two of those reports after finding cougar tracks while conducting the U.P. winter wolf track survey. Four additional sightings were confirmed after residents submitted trail camera photos of cougars.

The confirmed reports are rare. Since 2008 there have been 55 confirmed reports of cougars in Michigan and all but one have been in the Upper Peninsula. It’s also important to note that the reports could be multiple sightings of the same animal.

Though originally native to Michigan, cougars were driven from the state’s landscape due to several factors, including habitat loss, around the early 1900s. Despite the occasional reported sightings, wildlife experts say there’s no evidence of a breeding population in the state.

“DNA analysis of two cougars poached in the U.P., for example, showed the animals likely dispersed from their established populations in South Dakota, Wyoming and Nebraska,” said Cody Norton, large carnivore specialist with the DNR. Read more

The seabird made history after popping up along the Current River in Ripley County.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri welcomes numerous flying visitors throughout the year, but the state recently made history after a seabird was spotted in the Ozarks. Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) staff have confirmed a Brown Booby has shown up along the Current River in Ripley County.

The bird was first spotted by Debbie Prance-Orosz this past Saturday while she and her family were out enjoying the river. Not knowing what the bird was, she snapped a photo and posted it to her Facebook page.

“We first got word of it after it was posted to Facebook this past weekend wondering what it was,” said MDC Forester and avid birder Steve Paes. “We didn’t know where it was, other than somewhere on the Current River. After asking around, I got a tip on its location. On Monday, I set out on the river with Cindy Bridges with the Missouri Birding Society and we eventually found it perched on a dead tree.”

Brown Boobies are large, long-winged seabirds that are often seen from southern Florida south on the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of Central America to northern South America.

According to MDC State Ornithologist Sarah Kendrick, this is the first recorded sighting of a Brown Booby in Missouri. Read more

Michigan Department of Natural Resources trail officials are asking off-road vehicle riders traveling the East Marble Head Trail Route on Drummond Island to use extra caution.

Over the next couple of months, timber harvesting and road building, with heavy equipment use, will be taking place.

“We are not closing the routes at this time, but if conditions change, closure may be necessary,” said Paul Gaberdiel, eastern Upper Peninsula trails specialist with the DNR’s Parks and Recreation Division. “We are asking riders to please be patient and courteous. Give heavy equipment operators extra space and consideration, as there is no room for them to get off the roads.” Read more

Dogpatch USA, a derelict theme park in northern Arkansas, has been bought by Bass Pro Shops founder and conservationist, Johnny Morris.

While specific plans for the property – Dogpatch USA – remain in the early stages, Bass Pro says that the future development will be an extension of the group’s signature experiences that help families connect with nature. These include its award-winning Johnny Morris Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium, Big Cedar Lodge and Top of the Rock Ozarks Heritage Preserve.

“We are very excited to have the opportunity to restore and share this crown jewel of Arkansas and the Ozarks so that everyone can enjoy the wonderful region we call home,” said Morris, a lifelong resident of Springfield. “We are going to take our time to restore the site, dream big and imagine the possibilities to help more families get back to nature through this historic and cherished place.”

The property is near the 135-mile Buffalo National River, the first national river in the USA, and a 35-minute drive from Big Cedar Lodge, a resort developed by Morris.

Dogpatch USA was built in 1967 and operated as a theme park that featured a trout farm, horseback and amusement rides and attractions. The park attracted 300,000 visitors annually at its height in the late 1960s before closing its doors in 1993 after years of decline.

No purchase price has been disclosed, but a local paper reported in June that the site had been sold for $1.2m.

EDGEFIELD, S.C. — The National Wild Turkey Federation supports and applauds the introduction of a bipartisan bill in the U.S. Senate to improve active forest management practices in the West and reduce catastrophic wildfire potential on national forests.

In response to growing threats of more intense and frequent catastrophic wildfires on the nation’s national forests and the communities that surround them, Sens. Steve Daines (R-MT) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced the Emergency Wildfire and Public Safety Act of 2020.

Key elements of the bill that the NWTF supports include:

• Directing the USDA Forest Service to identify three landscape-scale collaborative forest projects to restore forest health and reduce wildfire risk. The projects will benefit from streamlined environmental reviews, allowing for timelier project implementation, and a higher threshold to meet for a judge to impose an injunction if they are litigated.
• Establishes a categorical exclusion in the National Environmental Policy Act for constructing fuel/fire breaks.
• Creates grant programs to build biomass energy conversion facilities, help develop markets for biomass (plant-based waste from forestry practices) and support forestry workforce development, all important factors that typically limit large-scale forest management and fuels-reduction treatments.

“The National Wild Turkey Federation thanks Senator Daines and Senator Feinstein for introducing this important bipartisan legislation,” NWTF CEO Becky Humphries said. “Forest health and wildfire prevention are important to all Americans. It is also an issue of safety for wildland fire fighters and the numerous communities around and within these forests. We need well-thought-out solutions that everyone can support.” Read more