Robins Return to Michigan
Just saw a large flock of robins in Brighton this morning. They had converged on ornamental pears along a road eating the small fruits.
Category: Wildlife
Goldfinch
USFWS Reopens Comment Period on Wolf Proposal
Independent scientific peer review report available for public review
Following receipt of an independent scientific peer review, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reopening the comment period on its proposal to list the Mexican wolf as an endangered subspecies and remove the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List. The Service is making that report available for public review, and, beginning Monday, February 10, interested stakeholders will have an additional 45 days to provide information that may be helpful to the Service in making a final determination on the proposal. Read more
DNR announces 2014 Black Lake season harvest results
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials announced the 2014 Black Lake sturgeon harvest season ended after less than 90 minutes on Saturday, Feb. 1, with six fish being harvested. The fishing season, which included spearing or hook-and-line fishing, was scheduled to run Feb. 1-5, or until the harvest quota had been reached.
“The 2014 allocation of Black Lake sturgeon for the State of Michigan was six fish, although DNR officials imposed a voluntary quota of five fish for recreational anglers,” said Todd Grischke, Lake Huron Basin coordinator. “Establishing this one-fish buffer before the fishing season allowed us to stay within our allocation of six fish. This year is a great example of how our harvest allocation model and on-ice communication effectively reduce the chance of overharvest of lake sturgeon in Black Lake.” Read more
QDMA Offers Student Scholarships to Attend Deer Steward Courses
The Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) will award deserving students with scholarships to attend a Deer Steward course in 2014. Read more
MI DNR Fisheries Division’s annual report now available
A report highlighting the various activities of the Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Fisheries Division during Fiscal Year 2013 has been produced and is now available online at www.michigan.gov/fishing. Read more
HSUS Gets Testy in Palm Beach
This from www.HumaneWatch.org…
The Humane Society of the United States held a fundraising benefit last Thursday at the fancy Club Colette in posh Palm Beach. We had been educating residents, via a mailing and a TV ad, that HSUS gives only 1% of its budget to pet shelters, that it gets a “C-minus” grade from the independent watchdog CharityWatch, and that it is in federal court facing a racketeering lawsuit.
We decided it would be best to show up in person to the event, too. Read more
Arizona-New Mexico Mexican Wolf Population Grows in 2013
GW: If only an animal-rights activist would ever agree on the definition of recovery…
PHOENIX — During its annual year-end population survey, the Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team (IFT) counted a minimum of 83 Mexican wolves in the wild in Arizona and New Mexico at the end of 2013. This number demonstrates a 10 percent increase in the known population of Mexican wolves in the wild compared to the 2012 minimum population count of 75 wolves. Read more
Polar Bear Population Increasing?
Northern Canada’s Hudson Bay region has been noted as the area of the most threatened Polar bear population, but new evidence shows estimates as much as 67 percent higher than suggested. Details here…
An Alaska scientist, Charles Monnett, whose observations of drowned polar bears helped galvanize the global warming movement has been forced out of his position as part of a settlement with a federal agency. Turns out he made things up and left other fact out of his argument to support an animal-rights agenda. More here…
Hat tip to John Lott.
Spring turkey hunting applications on sale until Feb 1
The Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters that spring turkey hunting applications are on sale until Saturday, Feb 1. The application fee is $4. Applications and licenses may be purchased at any authorized license agent or online at www.michigan.gov/huntdrawings. Read more
Wisconsin Eliminates Deer Check Stations
New Wisconsin rules eliminate all check stations and replace the old system with a mix of phone and online registration by 2015. DNR officials indicate the modernization could save the agency as much as $182,000 a year. Here is how the system is being sold.