Category: Wildlife

Goldfinch

MUCC Files Suit Against Natural Resources Commission

By Justin Tomei | March 28, 2024 | 
On March 28, the nation’s largest statewide conservation organization filed suit against the Natural Resources Commission (NRC), challenging the three-month closure of the coyote hunting season.

At the March NRC, the commission, in a 4-2 vote, voted to close the coyote hunting season from April 16 through July 14 through the adoption of Wildlife Conservation Order #1 of 2024. Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) testified in opposition to the closure.

MUCC filed in Ingham County, arguing that the commission unlawfully closed Michigan’s coyote season, violating their responsibility and legal charge. The Michigan Trappers and Predator Callers (MTPCA) has also filed a lawsuit against the commission in Mackinac County.

The groups argue that the NRC relied on unsubstantiated claims of negative public perception and perceived potential loss of management control, said MUCC Chief Executive Officer Amy Trotter.

“The record is unambiguous: The commission has not heard or cited any scientific literature or rationale justifying the closure,” Trotter said. “Meanwhile, there were hours of public testimony on the practical benefits of coyote hunting during the spring season, while being reinforced with cited literature.” Read more

Animal Rights, Hunting, Wildlife

Forest Legacy Program helps ensure the future of forests; nominations due May 3rd 

Aerial view of a lake and forested landscapeHow are forest lands in Michigan protected for the future?

Michigan’s Forest Legacy Program offers several paths. This program provides funding to purchase or secure conservation easements on environmentally important forest lands to ensure they will be enjoyed by our next generations.

The Forest Legacy Program is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

“The Forest Legacy Program protects forest lands so they will provide the benefits of forests forever,” said Kerry Heckman, forest land administrator for the DNR’s Forest Resources Division. “Forests are critical for the renewable forest products we use every day, clean air and water and the places we love to hunt, hike and fish.”

Have a parcel that could benefit from Forest Legacy Program protection? Nomination applications for the nationally competitive program are due . Read more

Wildlife

DNR announces field trial for the study of vaccinating deer against bovine tuberculosis

view of the head and torso of a healthy, mature white-tailed deer standing in the forest, a few narrow trees directly behind itA field study is underway in Alpena County to evaluate the delivery of an oral bovine tuberculosis (bTB) vaccine for wild deer. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is collaborating with Michigan State University (MSU) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service-Wildlife Services (USDA-WS) to explore the development of a new, future tool to manage bTB, which could help to further protect wildlife, livestock and the public from this disease.

“We are very excited to explore a potential new tool that can facilitate efforts towards the long-term goal of bTB eradication in Michigan,” said Melinda Cosgrove, Laboratory Scientist Manager with the DNR. Read more

Wildlife

Michigan Government Land: Keep or Sell?

lush green wetlands spread out against a backdrop of tall, deep-green pine trees and a bright blue skyDNR’s nearly four-year intensive land review effort recently completed

By SARAH LAPSHAN
Senior Communications Advisor
Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Three and a half years, nearly 9,800 individual parcels and more than 167,000 total acres comprehensively evaluated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources – it’s all part of the DNR’s agencywide state land review process that concluded in February with approval of the final group of staff recommendations on which parcels to keep, swap or sell.

It was a massive undertaking prompted by Michigan’s Managed Public Land Strategy (initially developed in 2013), which directs the DNR to evaluate how well the lands under its care contribute to the department’s mission.

The review focused on two basic types of parcels: those that are either 200 acres or smaller in size or those irregularly shaped with a significant shared private-public boundary that makes them difficult to manage.

Just how much land are we talking about? Read more

Fishing, Hunting, Wildlife

Grizzly Bear Euthanized Due to Cattle Depredation in Teton County

A grizzly bear was euthanized Monday after a cattle depredation on private land along the Rocky Mountain Front.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks had previously captured and radio collared the young adult male bear weighing 375 pounds near Simms earlier this month, and it was relocated at that time by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS). Considering this, and in consultation with the USFWS, the bear was euthanized by U.S.D.A. Wildlife Services on March 25. Read more

Wildlife

Michigan DNR hiring conservation officers

Fishing, General, Hunting, Poachers, Wildlife

DU Receives $10 Million for Biodiversity and Habitat Restoration Efforts

Ducks Unlimited MEMPHIS, TN – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is funding the largest climate investment in history to connect forest landowners with emerging climate markets as part of the Investing in America agenda.

This investment includes $10 million awarded to Ducks Unlimited’s (DU) Flyway Forests program, which seeks to restore bottomland hardwood forests and wildlife habitat on private lands in the lower Mississippi River valley, tributaries and adjacent counties. The award will support the program’s dual objectives of increasing biodiversity and carbon sequestration across the region. This funding also enables novel approaches to biodiversity crediting schemes while reaching and assisting underserved landowners. Read more

Wildlife

Sea Turtle Nesting Season Arrives Along Florida’s Coasts

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is sharing the reminder that sea turtles are starting to nest on our beaches. Residents and visitors can play a big part in helping to protect vulnerable nesting sea turtles this spring and summer while visiting Florida’s coastal habitats.

Because our state’s shorelines provide important nesting habitat for several species of threatened and endangered sea turtles, beachgoers can have a significant impact on their nesting success. To help nesting sea turtles, people can take easy steps to protect them, including giving them space, minimizing disturbances and keeping beaches clean and dark. Read more

Wildlife

Create High-Quality Cover Screen with Antler King’s Barricade

Antler King provides an easy solution for hunters and land managers to develop all-season cover with Barricade plot seed.

Formulated with a blend of grain sorghum, forage sorghum, and sorghum sudangrass, Barricade grows up to 8 feet tall, thick and fast. The annual sorghums can create funnels and travel corridors, divide food plots, grow bedding cover, block poachers, conceal ground blinds, and provide cover for sneaking into hunting spots. Barricade growth also provides a cold-weather food source well into the winter.

Barricade should be planted in the summer for full growth by hunting season. A three-pound bag, which covers ¼ acre or 100 square feet, retails for $24.99, and a 40-pound bag retails for $199.99.

To learn more about Barricade and browse the full Antler King lineup, visit antlerking.com.

Wildlife
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