Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
Goldfinch
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and a consortium of partners announced today that the fungus known to cause significant rates of illness and death in North American bats has been detected for the first time within the state’s borders. White-nose syndrome (WNS) has been found in three Michigan counties: Alpena, Dickinson and Mackinac. Read more
WEST POINT, MS – It’s the time of year for planting spring food plots and one way to ensure a successful crop is proper seed bed preparation. Many planting failures can be attributed to poor seedling survival or lack of germination due to incorrect planting depth and poor seed bed prep.
“If you’re planting small seeds like clover, chicory, brassicas or alfalfa, it’s especially important to have the correct seed covering,” said Jesse Raley with Mossy Oak GameKeepers. “These seeds only need to be covered with about a quarter-inch of soil. Many times when small seeds are broadcast onto a very finely disked and fluffy seed bed, even a moderately heavy rain can cause them to be buried too deep resulting in an uneven stand.” Read more
Despite having already suffered multiple defeats in his quest to ban mountain lion hunting in Nebraska, Senator Ernie Chambers has again surfaced with another attempt to ban the season.
With little more than a week to go in the 2014 legislative session, Senator Chambers filed a motion yesterday to yet again vote to over-ride the governor’s veto on LB 671, the mountain lion ban, despite previous attempts failing twice last week. Because the previous attempts to overturn the veto both failed, it’s up to Senate Speaker Greg Adams whether to suspend the rules to grant Senator Chamber’s another attempt. Read more
Washington, D.C. – Statement By Safari Club International President Craig Kauffman “Safari Club International’s advocacy team is alerting the international conservation community that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to soon announce a new policy to reject all elephant ivory imports from Zimbabwe and Tanzania. It is unknown precisely when the decision by the U.S. FWS will occur, but SCI will do everything in its power to fight this reckless decision that has no basis in law, science, or conservation policy. Read more
HSUS_Mailing_March2014
According to one nonprofit management expert, the Humane Society of the United States spends 70-75 cents of every dollar it raises via direct mail on more direct mail. It’s a factory fundraising outfit, despite HSUS’s promises to “rescue animals now.” Read more
On April 2, sportsmen-friendly legislators upheld Governor Heineman’s veto of Nebraska L 671, and, in so doing, protected the future of successful science-based natural resource management, while also upholding the integrity of Nebraska’s state constitution. While Nebraska L 671 would have done nothing to help the mountain lion population or any other species of wildlife in the state, it would have undermined the future of hunting and fishing in America’s heartland. Read more
Looking for an opportunity to get outside and give back to Michigan’s natural resources? On Saturday, May 3, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., volunteers will gather in Grayling to plant an acre of jack pine seedlings.
The jack pine forest provides the primary nesting habitat for the rarest member of the wood warbler family, the Kirtland’s warbler. Very restrictive habitat requirements result in nests in just a few counties in Michigan’s northern Lower and Upper peninsulas, in Wisconsin and the province of Ontario and, currently, nowhere else on Earth. Kirtland’s warblers are ground-nesters that prefer jack pine stands more than 80 acres in size, where the nest can be concealed in mixed vegetation of grasses and shrubs below the living branches of 5- to 20-year-old trees. Read more
In Mecosta County, acres of public land at Martiny State Game Area are being utilized to their fullest potential through management activities made possible by Michigan’s new hunting and fishing license structure, which took effect earlier this year.
Under the new license structure, one big change is evident when hunters buy their first license of the year. A one-time base license, which includes a small game license, must be purchased before hunters can buy any other hunting license. The base license cost varies based upon age and residency; what doesn’t vary is the investment (from base license-generated revenue) in Michigan’s wildlife habitat.
“We are doing some really exciting work at the Martiny State Game Area,” said DNR wildlife biologist Pete Kailing. “Timber sales are the best way to hit the reset button on a forest, which really maximizes the wildlife value to the area.” Read more
OKLAHOMA CITY – Attorney General Scott Pruitt on Wednesday issued a warning to Oklahomans regarding solicitations and advertisements by national animal welfare organizations. Attorney General Pruitt is concerned such groups are giving Oklahomans the impression their donations are assisting Oklahoma animal shelters, when in fact the donations of Oklahomans may go toward unrelated efforts like lobbying in other states or at the federal level. Read more