Category: Wildlife

Goldfinch

Wildlife Research Center Launches Trail Cam Photo Contest

Wildlife Research Center, the industry leader in the research and development of advanced hunting scent and human scent elimination products for hunters, is excited to announce the launch of the company’s 2024 Trail Cam Photo Contest. The contest runs from August 1 through December 31, 2024, so there is plenty of time to get your most outstanding trail cam photos entered for a chance to win bi-weekly prizes or the Grand Prize Package.

Entering the contest is easy. Simply submit your choice trail cam photos throughout the season that include one of Wildlife Research Center’s popular scent kits in use. These include the new Golden Rope Scent Rope Kit, the Active Branch Mock Scrape Kit, or the whitetail hunter’s perennial favorite, the Scrape Dripper.

The contest is hosted by Shoot ON, the industry’s authoritative source for firearm reviews, DIY gun tech, and all things shooting sports and personal defense. Just visit the Trail Cam Photo Contest page to enter and upload your photos. This contest allows participants to upload up to one photo per day throughout the contest period.

This year’s Grand Prize Package will include several products from Wildlife Research Center as well as products from other top brands in the hunting industry: Read more

Contests, Wildlife

Rise in Bear Populations Calls for Hunting

How hunting is key for responsible wildlife management

Many states throughout the continental U.S. are seeing a rise in black bear populations. Population growth pushes bears into human-dominated areas that are unsuitable for wildlife, precipitating a comparable increase in dangerous conflicts with humans, pets, and livestock.

Undoubtedly, this warrants a wholesale reevaluation of population management strategies. Bears play an essential and unique place in our ecosystem, but they must be managed at a level coincident with human populations.

Only feasible tool

Regulated hunting is the only feasible tool for this aspect of wildlife management. While most U.S. states have implemented regulated bear seasons, some have not and should strongly consider this as an option.

The state of Louisiana recently approved its first black bear hunting season in 40 years, a move supported by the SCI Foundation. Maria Davidson, SCIF’s Large Carnivore Program Manager,(pictured) has been instrumental in this decision, having previously worked for the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Department on black bear recovery. Read more

Wildlife

Yellowstone Grizzly Bear Trapping Announcement

As part of ongoing efforts required under the Endangered Species Act to monitor the population of grizzly bears in the Yellowstone Ecosystem, the U.S. Geological Survey, in conjunction with Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, is working to inform the public that pre-baiting and scientific capture operations are once again about to begin within eastern portions of the Custer Gallatin National Forest as well as private lands, east of the Yellowstone River and south of I-90, in Montana. Biologists with the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST) will begin the field captures July 17 and continue through August 9. Capture operations can include a variety of activities, but all areas where work is being conducted will have major access points marked with warning signs. It is critical that all members of the public heed these signs. Read more

Wildlife

Iowa’s 2024 Pheasant Nesting Outlook

Iowa’s pheasant population typically shows increases following mild winters with springs that are dryer and warmer than normal. While last winter was average to below average snowfall, spring was wetter than normal, with May coming in as the eighth wettest in 152 years of records.

Given the statewide information, the weather model is predicting pheasant populations will likely be lower for the 2024 hunting season.

“I expect there to be regional differences in the population this fall,” said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife biologist with the Iowa DNR. “Our best counts will still likely be in the northern and central regions, but likely lower counts in the southeast and south-central regions. With the severe cold and snow in south central and southeast regions, quail numbers will likely be the same or lower than last year, but perhaps higher in the southwest region.”

This prediction is based on weather data, Bogenschutz said, and it can be wrong. The DNR’s August roadside survey is the best gauge of what upland populations will be this fall. The survey is conducted between Aug. 1 – 15, and the results will be posted on the DNR webpage www.iowadnr.gov/pheasantsurvey around Sept. 15.

Hunting, Wildlife

Commission Action on Part of Wolf Trapping Regulations to Be Postponed

Furbearer and wolf hunting and trapping regulations for the 2024-2025 season are on the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission agenda for Aug. 16. To give Fish, Wildlife & Parks additional opportunity to assess wolf trapping dates and where those dates would apply, agenda discussion and decision on those specific aspects of the wolf trapping regulations will be postponed until the commission meeting on Oct. 10.

All other elements of the 2024 wolf harvest regulations including hunting dates, harvest quotas, bag limits, trap setbacks, harvest reporting and proposed amendments will remain on the Aug. 16 meeting agenda. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

MUCC Recaps Michigan Deer Hunting Changes

July 2024 NRC Recap
By Justin Tomei | July 11, 2024 | 
GW:  Changes always spark conversation and we sure got it now.  There are no perfect solutions but it’s still healthy to put our cards on the table.
The following is from the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC)

Commissioners adopted changes to deer regulations for 2024 at the July 11th Natural Resources Commission (NRC) meeting. 

After over 20 amendments to Wildlife Conservation Order #6 of 2024 were debated, commissioners landed on an order with most changes taking effect in the 2024 season.  

Among other changes for 2024, the commission adopted several amendments. Of the most notable changes, there are new expanded opportunities in January. The use of any legal firearm in zone 2 during muzzleloader season, and beginning in 2025 the youth and liberty hunt will be antlerless only. 

No statewide antler point restrictions, hunters’ choice, or lower peninsula baiting legalizations were approved. 

A more expansive summary of the 2024 regulation changes will come once a complete and accurate summation of the changes can be made. 

After the flurry of amendments, the final order passed on a 5-1 vote.  

Chair Baird assured Michigan hunters that this is not the closing chapter of deer regulations, and work on deer management will continue. 

Michigan Deer and Elk specialist Chad Stewart presented department responses to the proposed deer regulations, and amendments.  

Before the deer debate, there was a presentation on updates to the Brandon Road Lock and Dam project, and a pair of awards from the DNR.  

The commission approved Wildlife Conservation Order #5 of 2024, which sets up a framework for voluntary use of electronic kill tags for the 2024 fall turkey season.  

Wildlife Conservation Order #7 of 2024 was up for information and if adopted, changes the duck stamp regulations to follow modernized federal rules. This order will be up for action at the August meeting.  

The August meeting is Thursday, August 8, 2024, at the Cadillac Place in Detroit.  

Posted in Policy and tagged , , , , , 
Hunting, Wildlife

Man Hospitalized in Bear Encounter North of Columbia Falls

A man was hospitalized after an encounter with a grizzly bear on Thursday evening approximately 2 miles north of Columbia Falls in Flathead County.

A 72-year-old man was alone picking huckleberries on Flathead National Forest lands off the North Fork Road when he reported encountering a bear that charged and attacked him. The individual shot and killed the bear with a handgun.

FWP wardens and bear specialists responded to the incident and confirmed that an adult female grizzly bear was killed. FWP is working to verify if any cubs are present. FWP determined it to be a surprise defensive encounter. Read more

Wildlife

NWTF, Partners Allocate Nearly $6 Million to Wild Turkey Research Projects for 2024

(The above visual highlights where the NWTF has funded projects through its National Wild Turkey Request for Proposals program since 2022. The visual does not include the many research projects being funded by NWTF state chapters at a local level.)

EDGEFIELD, S.C. — Via its largest single annual investment in wild turkey research, the NWTF recently distributed $655,447 to nine wild turkey research projects for the organization’s 2024 allocation. Between NWTF funding and partner support, about $6 million will support the nine wild turkey research projects.

“Thanks to our volunteers, partners and staff, our National RFP program has become a powerhouse for energizing wild turkey research and infusing needed funding into projects with practical management applications,” NWTF co-CEO Kurt Dyroff said. “This third investment in just over two years represents the NWTF’s commitment to ensuring wild turkey managers and policymakers are using the best available science to manage and guide the sustainability of our beloved bird, while also increasing our understanding of wild turkey ecology in an ever-changing world.”

The boosted funding has brought the NWTF’s investment in wild turkey ecology research — in just over two years — to $1,597,821 through its National Wild Turkey Request for Proposals program.

Funding for this year’s RFP investment was made possible thanks to significant contributions from the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, Mossy Oak and NWTF state chapters. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Major Milestone Reached In The Recovery Of One Of North America’s Rarest Birds

As the sun rose over the central Florida prairie on July 16th, a tiny bird took a tentative hop into conservation history. If you blinked, you might have missed the release of the 1,000th conservation-bred Florida grasshopper sparrow into the wild, marking a major milestone for one of North America’s most endangered birds. Accompanied by nine other sparrows, the 1,000th sparrow joined its wild counterparts at Avon Park Air Force Range.

A decade ago the Florida grasshopper sparrow population was on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss and other threats. In response, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, White Oak Conservation, Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, U.S. Air Force and other partners launched a comprehensive conservation and recovery program.

“The recovery and release program diverted the extinction of the Florida grasshopper sparrow,” said Adrienne Fitzwilliam, lead sparrow research scientist at the FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. “The success of such a considerable effort has been possible due to continued collaboration.” Partners have dedicated substantial resources to the recovery of the Florida grasshopper sparrow, including funds from the foundation’s “Conserve Wildlife” license plate, and it’s having an impact. Read more

Wildlife

The Ultimate Birdhouse Reference

The new book, Making Bird-Friendly Birdhouses, provides a wealth of information about cavity nesting birds and the birdhouses they need.
An example of the detailed, step-by-step, photo-illustrated pages that make this book so helpful and informative.

A new book for all birders clearly describes the step-by-step process of building birdhouses and nest boxes using the best possible plans, plus so much more. The photo-illustrated “how-to directions” come in the form of the new book: Making Bird-Friendly Birdhouses, authored by Mel Toellner and Matt Maguire. Anyone interested in birds, especially cavity nesting birds, will find this book captivating and an essential part of their birding references. There are 88 species of cavity nesting birds in North America, and providing nest boxes is essential to their conservation and well-being as individual species.

As popular as birdhouses are, many are designed with aesthetics in mind rather than a given bird species’ requirements, safety, and preferences. Making Bird-Friendly Birdhouses will help anyone provide the right birdhouse for the birds you are trying to attract by providing an appropriately designed birdhouse. The authors provide step-by-step instructions for each of 15-plus projects to create bird-safe birdhouses, including nest boxes for bluebirds, wrens, chickadees, owls, purple martins, and more. Even if you aren’t interested in “building” a birdhouse, the information in this book will help you make the best selection when buying one. Read more

Wildlife
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