Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
Goldfinch
Published on Tuesday, 05 November 2013 18:15
Overland Park, Kan – Bushnell Outdoor Products, an industry leader in high performance sports optics for 65 years, has launched the Picture Perfect Savings Event. Any Trophy Cam purchased from November 1 to December 31, 2013, is eligible for a $30.00 mail-in rebate. Read more
Sept. 30 – Oct. 14, 2013
Conservation officers are fully commissioned as state peace officers, with full power and authority to enforce Michigan’s criminal laws. They are a unique class of law enforcement officer, whose duties include enforcing regulations for outdoor recreational activities such as off-road vehicle use, snowmobiling, boating, hunting and fishing. For more information about the work of conservation officers, visit www.michigan.gov/
CO Doug Hermanson located a pile of trash on public land and located a shipping label mixed in with the garbage. He tracked the subject down who turned out to be living in a camper. The subject was unemployed with no source of income. He was given the option of returning to the area and cleaning up the entire site instead of a ticket. He agreed and cleaned up the site.
COs Trey Luce and Jason Wicklund checked a well-used bear bait on state land. They located a non-resident hunter sitting over the bait while not wearing hunter orange. The hunter tried to hide the rifle in the brush but Read more
GW: Some interesting info toward the bottom of this relative to phones…
With Michigan’s rich tradition of fall hunting getting under way, conservation officers at the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have offered their top 10 tips for a safe outdoor experience. “Hunting in Michigan is a time-honored activity, rich in tradition, when families and friends come together to enjoy our great outdoors,” said Lt. Andrew Turner, who leads the DNR’s Recreation, Safety and Enforcement Section for the Law Enforcement Division. “Making your hunt a safe and responsible experience is key to having an enjoyable and memorable time. By following these safety tips, hunters can help us all have a good season.” Turner said the top 10 safety tips for hunters to remember are as follows: Read more
While out in the field in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, hunters and trappers might come upon a denned black bear. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is looking for locations of denned bear in order to fit them with a radio collar for ongoing bear research. Read more
The Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Division is leading response efforts to control a new aquatic invasive plant, European frog-bit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae). Until recently, this free-floating plant had only been reported in a few localized sites in the southeastern Lower Peninsula. Through recent statewide monitoring efforts, this species has been detected in Saginaw Bay, Alpena and Munuscong Bay in Chippewa County.
This new invasive species was detected as a result of an Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR) pilot project funded through a federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant. The project relies on collaboration with partners, including Michigan State University and Cooperative Weed Management Area groups. Read more
Sometimes it’s hard for me to believe that some adult hunters frown upon special youth hunts. I’ve heard the bellyaching from some old codgers. Guess they’ve never been a part of it and want the rest of us to feel sorry for them. Take this, you ol’ geezers:
Hawke Sport Optics is expanding the Sport HD IR family with a scope specifically designed to improve downrange accuracy with your rimfire rifle. Delivering out-of-the-box 200-yard accuracy, the Hawke Sport HD IR Rimfire scope marries the most popular rifle in the world with innovative yet simple reticle design. When sighted in at 50 yards the Sport HD IR Rimfire provides 25-yard aim points from 50 to 200 yards, giving the user downrange accuracy never expected from a .22 rifle. As a bonus, there is no need to memorize aim points, as the yardages are etched directly onto the glass of the reticle. Read more
Michigan residents aren’t the only ones enjoying football this fall. It turns out that osprey in northern Michigan like football, too – football lights, that is.
Marion High School sits just outside of town, overlooking agricultural fields and Middle Branch River, which – with its many feeder streams – winds its way through the Osceola County countryside. A large mill pond near town holds a nice supply of fish.
“The osprey will drop fish right on the football field,” laughed Beth Robb, the Marion High School principal.
Marion High School had a historic problem with a pair of osprey nesting on its football stadium lights. Together, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Consumers Energy and Marion High School formed a plan to provide the osprey with a different location to call home. Read more
By Glen Wunderlich
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has earned the number three ranking on the United States Sportsmen’s Alliance’s (USSA) dirty dozen list and for good reason: PETA steadfastly encourages its members to break established hunter harassment laws and to interfere with hunts by protesting, blowing horns, and other unlawful acts. Recent headlines indicate the group is striving to become number one on the dirty dozen list by its overt action to purchase drones to stalk hunters afield.
According to USSA, the drones will be sold in PETA’s catalog for $324.99. Based on the drone description in the catalog, PETA members can receive instant to-your-phone video from the drones, which can be streamed live via the Air Angels page on PETA.org.
PETA says it aims to specifically seek out hunters “drinking while in the possession of a firearm, injuring animals and failing to pursue them so that they die slowly and painfully, and using spotlights, feed lures and other hunting tricks”.
While PETA claims to be spying on “hunters”, the actions it seeks to exploit – to further its agenda by changing man’s relationship with animals – is actually directed at anti-hunters. That’s right. Anti-hunter is the only term for those that intentionally skirt the law by cheating ethical hunters. The “by-any-means” practice reminds me of how our own government relied upon the same tactics. Read more
A young male peregrine falcon returned to the wild Monday along the banks of the Kennebec River, thanks to the efforts of the Maine Warden Service, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and Avian Haven. The bird, estimated at about a year old, immediately took flight and was soon out of sight. Read more