Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
Goldfinch
Michigan’s fishing, hunting and ORV licenses will change beginning March 1, 2014. The new license structure – authorized by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Rick Snyder in 2013 – makes buying a license easier and provides vital funding to improve outdoor recreation opportunities for anglers, hunters, trappers and ORV riders. Read more
By Glen Wunderlich
Long before animals had lawyers representing a small segment of society that values the lives of animals above humans, man existed by hunting. In fact, there are millions of traditional rural Americans that, in essence, hunt to subsidize their existence today. As a sportsman, I am among them.
Predictably, the leading anti-hunting organization in the world, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), based in Washington, DC and not connected to our local shelters, has ridden its gravy train into our small town with a plea to now save Michigan’s wolves from extinction by aid of petition – even though in the history of regulated hunting, no animal species has ever been in peril, as a result.
Their leaders, Wayne Pacelle and Mike Markarian have a plan for Michigan, and it doesn’t involve our wildlife biologists and scientists; it does involve suing us, however.
These extremists have a dream inconspicuously absent in a recent Argus-Press editorial: Wolf delisting isn’t based on best available science, by Mke Markarian, of The Humane Society Legislative Fund. So, sharing their vision for America is my pleasure. Read more
PHOENIX — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD) have initiated actions for the release of two Mexican wolves in Arizona to replace wolves illegally shot, as directed by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission in 2012 and to increase the genetic diversity of the wild population. Read more
(Sydney, NE) Richard N. Cabela, co-founder and Chairman Emeritus of the world’s largest outdoor retailer, Cabela’s, Inc. passed away today at the age of 77. Read more
A Nova Scotia trapper talked to a barred owl, he noticed in a tree as he checked his traps. Apparently, the owl didn’t like his tone and took it out on his face. Details and photo here…
In an effort to increase elk numbers, officials in Idaho want more wolves killed. Details of the proposal are here…
Pro-hunting group says lawsuit indicates that anti-hunters lack in-state support
LANSING— The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)-financed front group Keep Michigan Wolves Protected (KMWP) is suing the State of Michigan to allow out-of-state petition gatherers as the anti-hunting group tries to repeal a law that provides free hunting and fishing licences for active military members and authorizes the bipartisan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) to designate game species and issue fisheries orders using sound science.
“The anti-hunters wouldn’t be suing the state to allow out-of-state circulators if they had the support of Michigan citizens,” said Drew YoungeDyke, spokesman for Citizens for Professional Wildlife Management (CPWM), which is circulating a competing petition for a citizen-initiated law that would protect free military licenses, the NRC’s ability to name game species and issue fisheries orders, and establish a $1 million rapid response fund to fight Asian carp and other aquatic invasive species. Read more
A group called Trap Free Montana Public Lands is attempting to gather signatures to end trapping on Montana’s public land, which accounts for some 35 percent of total land in the state. Typical arguments are here…
New York, N.Y. and Ithaca, N.Y.-The 17th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) kicks off this Friday, February 14, and runs through Monday, February 17. Anyone anywhere in the world can count birds for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count and enter their sightings at www.BirdCount.org. The information gathered by tens of thousands of volunteers helps track the health of bird populations at a scale that would not otherwise be possible. Read more
By Glen Wunderlich
The traditional style, wood-framed Canadian snowshoes hung on a hook in the garage, since a 1997 predator hunt in the Cedarville area of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. However, a hankering to reacquaint myself with some favorite hunting grounds and the wildlife within had gotten the best of me.
Bear Paw Snowshoes
I’ve always considered the contraptions to be items of necessity and never donned them unless all other modes of mobility had become useless. The time had come.
The first thing I noticed on the same hook were the new rubber bindings that my brother in-law had given me a few years ago. I recalled how he claimed that the improved bindings were superior to the leather models, which were problematic to buckle up and to keep adjusted properly – especially after they got wet. Read more