Category: Wildlife

Goldfinch

2015 Outdoor Life/Field & Stream Deer & Turkey Expos’ Schedule

PEWAUKEE WI- A host of new features and activities highlight the 2015 Outdoor Life/Field & Stream deer-and-turkey-hunting consumer expos. In addition, Louisville, Michigan and Illinois expos have been moved to more favorable dates, but otherwise it is steady-as-they-go for these popular events.

The 2015 schedule:

• Jan. 30-31 & Feb. 1 LOUISVILLE DEER & TURKEY EXPO (2nd), Kentucky Exposition Center (State Fairgrounds), Louisville, KY

• February 13-14-15 MICHIGAN DEER & TURKEY EXPO (29th), The SUMMIT Sports & Ice Complex, Dimondale, MI (SW side of Lansing).

• February 20-21-22 ILLINOIS DEER & TURKEY EXPO (25th), Prairie Capital Convention Center, Springfield, IL.

• March 13-14-15 OHIO DEER & TURKEY EXPO (23rd), Bricker Bldg, Ohio Expo Center (State Fairgrounds), Columbus, OH

• April 10-11-12 WISCONSIN DEER & TURKEY EXPO (31st), Alliant Energy Center of Dane County, Madison, WI Read more

Ammunition, Archery, Cutlery, Firearms, Fishing, Hunting, Self Defense, Wildlife

Public Land Predator Hunt Permit Yanked

A coyote hunting contest, or derby, if you will, has drawn lawsuits from the usual suspects in Idaho and a public land permit has been rescinded by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

Idaho for Wildlife Executive Director Steve Alder said, “We worked very hard with the local BLM to be granted the permit,” he said. “After the BLM refused to grant us a permit last year, they advised us to start the permit process early and we jumped through every hoop they required. They issued us a permit and then the D.C. bureaucrats revoked it. The BLM policies need to be changed, and we will push for more legislative oversight of this out-of-control agency that is now caving to the radical anti-hunters.”

The hunt will go on and details are here…

Hat tip goes to the Outdoorpressroom

Animal Rights, Hunting, Wildlife

Montana hunters find booming waterfowl numbers

In the Prairie Pothole region, wildlife biologists had estimated the duck numbers up 8 percent since last year’s record numbers – a total of a 43 percent increase over the past 60+ years.

This spring, biologists estimated the duck population to slightly top 49 million birds. That was an 8 percent increase over the record numbers of ducks seen just the year before.

That population represents a 43 percent increase over the long-term average of ducks that have been counted the past seven decades.

Thank you hunters and your conservation contributions in the form of licenses and excise-taxed gear over the years!

Hat tip from The Missoulian here…

Hunting, Wildlife

Enter Cornell Lab’s BirdSpotter Photo Contest

Gary Mueller of Missouri submitted this photo of a Lego feeder that was the Judge’s Choice during the first week of the contest.

Ithaca, NY-The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s BirdSpotter photo contest is underway! The contest is sponsored by Vanguard and offers weekly prizes for the photos that receive the most votes on the contest website. Special “Judge’s Choice” photos are also recognized.

Gary Mueller of Missouri submitted this photo of a Lego feeder that was the Judge’s Choice during the first week of the contest.
BirdSpotter is being run through the Project FeederWatchcitizen-science project at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada. FeederWatch participants keep track of their feeder birds from November through April and report what they see online. This information helps scientists learn more about the changes in bird distribution and population numbers in North America over time.

Each Wednesday from now through February 11, 2015, a new BirdSpotter photo theme will be posted, such as “birdbaths” or “chickadees only.” You can upload one entry per week and then vote for your favorite photo. The winners will be announced on Monday morning. Each weekly winner receives a prize pack from Vanguard that includes binoculars, plus gifts from the Cornell Lab. Read more

Wildlife

Michigan Deer Habitat Improvements

Upper Peninsula – Western Mackinac County

Two DNR staff doing habitat workOver 1,300 oak saplings were planted in western Mackinac County this spring to increase hard mast for deer.  The plantings were focused on areas that have been hit hard by beech bark disease (BBD), and also in deer wintering complexes.  BBD areas will see a large loss of beech nuts, and the oak acorns that are produced in the future will help to mitigate some of the loss from BBD.  “We were able to get saplings planted to help avoid problems with deer browse, and as a bonus they’ll also throw acorns sooner,” said DNR wildlife biologist Dave Jentoft.  “We had great cooperation with our sister division, the Forest Resources Division, in making these plantings happen.”

Northern Lower Peninsula – Kalkaska County

Field work being done on a tractorThe Fletcher area in southern Kalkaska County is a great destination this fall for deer hunters. Over 1,600 acres of public land is available to set up camp during firearm, late archery or even muzzleloader season. This spring over 470 acres were prescribed-burned in an effort to kill woody plants that are closing in on this large grassland complex. Over 120 acres were mowed, and numerous acres were planted to winter wheat, rape and turnips. Visit Mi-HUNT to explore this area from home, and make plans to visit in person to hunt the fall and early winter seasons.

Southwest Lower Peninsula – Cass County

Fields where habitat work was completedOver the past year, staff members at the Crane Pond State Game Area have installed over 200 acres of food plots and other plantings for the benefit of wildlife on the game area. Food plots are placed in strategic locations to enhance recreational opportunities. The picture to the left shows a field border adjacent to a corn food plot. Such practices allow species such as deer, turkey and pheasants to have transitional and security cover adjacent to important high-calorie winter food sources. Field borders also provide valuable nesting and bedding cover and can greatly enhance the number of bird species using an area. This is just one example of the many habitat management practices implemented at the game area over this past year.

Southeast Lower Peninsula – St. Clair County

Funds from the license restructuring are helping the DNR Wildlife Division make habitat improvements for deer and other wildlife around the state. Port Huron State Game Area is no exception. With an increased budget for habitat work, more seasonal wildlife assistants were hired this year, allowing 9 additional acres at Port Huron SGA to be converted to food plots of corn and small grains. This brings the total acreage planted with food plots to 20. These employees also worked on improving parking lots and posting additional signage around the area to improve hunter accessibility.  Check out Port Huron State Game Area for an enhanced hunting experience this fall.

Hunting, Wildlife

Ithaca, N.Y.-This list of holiday gift suggestions from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology will appeal to the bird and nature lover on your list. These are gifts that improve the mind, create fun, and highlight the beauty of the natural world. A portion of the proceeds from all these items will support the Lab’s bird education and conservation efforts. To learn more about these and other “birdy” gifts visit www.birds.cornell.edu/BirdGifts. Read more

Wildlife
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