Category: Wildlife

Goldfinch

Learn more about DNR state land review at virtual meetings Oct. 24 and 25

Public invited to offer feedback on proposed actions by Nov. 3

If you spend time hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, birding or otherwise enjoying public lands, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources wants your feedback.

In 2013, the DNR developed a public land strategy aimed at guiding public land ownership and maximizing benefits to residents and the state’s natural resources. As part of its multiyear state land review process, the DNR has completed review of the ninth and final group of parcels and is now determining which ones best meet its goal of delivering broad public access to quality outdoor recreation opportunities, while protecting natural and cultural resources on those lands.

The state land review covers approximately 240,000 acres of public land statewide to determine their contributions to meeting the DNR’s mission. Those 240,000 acres include parcels that are 200 acres or smaller in size, or difficult to manage due to irregular shape, resulting in a significant shared private-public boundary.

The nearly 4,000 acres of land throughout the state reviewed in this ninth and final group were not captured in previous reviews due to their small size or the need for additional research to verify the accuracy of the parcel location or ownership.

The public is invited to share input on the outcomes of that review Oct. 24 and 25 during virtual meetings. Read more

Wildlife

Interior Department Announces Establishment of Two New National Wildlife Refuges in Wyoming and Tennessee

Wyoming Toad Conservation Area and Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge will conserve important habitat, expand outdoor recreation access

WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior today announced the establishment of the Wyoming Toad Conservation Area in Wyoming and the Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge in Tennessee as the 569th and 570th units of the National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service). The announcement comes as the nation celebrates National Wildlife Refuge Week, which commemorates the important role the Refuge System plays in providing vital habitat for wildlife species, offering outdoor recreation access to the public, and bolstering climate resilience across the country. Read more

Wildlife

WSF Directing $7.815 Million for Wild Sheep

Bozeman, MT. – For its fiscal year 2023-24, the Wild Sheep Foundation’s (WSF) will direct a record $7.815 Million for wild sheep conservation, management, and advocacy.

On August 31, WSF’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a record $1.6 Million in Grant-In-Aid funding requested through its chapter and affiliate network for wild sheep conservation and management projects.

“Our Grant-in-Aid allocations keep growing every year,” said Gray N. Thornton, President and CEO of the Wild Sheep Foundation. ” This $1.6M represents 68% of WSF’s budgeted $2.302 Million in total Grant-In-Aid for the fiscal year and 45% of our planned $3.495 Million in Mission Programs Funding in addition to state, provincial, and tribal conservation permits sold at the Foundation’s annual Sheep Show® convention. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

RMEF Announces Agreement with Ruffed Grouse Society, American Woodcock Society

MISSOULA, Mont. — Help is on the way for elk, ruffed grouse, woodcock, turkey, whitetail deer and many other wildlife species across the Great Lakes and Appalachian States.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society (RGS & AWS) entered into a three-year conservation agreement to maintain and enhance habitat within priority areas across Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin, while improving hunting opportunities. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Roundup Mule Deer Management Hunt Scheduled to Begin Late November

Licenses go on sale November 1 at 5 a.m.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the City of Roundup have scheduled an archery-only mule deer hunt in and around Roundup to reduce the number of urban deer. Fifty either-sex mule deer licenses for this hunt will go on sale Wednesday, Nov. 1, beginning at 5 a.m. online and at any FWP license provider and will be limited to two per person. The licenses are available for residents and non-residents. A current Conservation License and Bow & Arrow License is required for purchase. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

31 communities to share $22 million in Michigan Spark Grants for outdoor recreation projects

Nearly $22 million in Michigan Spark Grants will benefit 31 of the state’s communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, critical funding to pave the way for the creation, renovation and redevelopment of public recreation opportunities for residents and visitors.

This final round of Michigan Department of Natural Resources-administered Spark Grants follows the February distribution of $14.2 million in first-round grants to 21 communities. Program dollars stem from an infusion of American Rescue Plan Act funding.

“It’s gratifying to know that even more Michigan communities will see tangible benefits from this unparalleled federal funding opportunity to expand outdoor recreation,” said DNR Director Scott Bowen. “Michiganders of all ages deserve the chance to discover the outdoors, enjoy new recreation experiences and relax with family and friends. These Spark Grants will help make that possible by funding a variety of public recreation projects across our state.”

Some of the funded projects in this round include: Read more

Wildlife

Thousands of Birds Dead After Suspected Avian Botulism Outbreak; What Waterfowl Hunters Should Know

After a recent suspected avian botulism outbreak killed thousands of birds in northern Utah, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is providing some safety reminders for waterfowl hunters this fall.

DWR biologists first discovered dead and sick birds in mid-September in the Willard Spur and Harold Crane waterfowl management areas. Many birds have been collected and submitted for disease testing. The birds tested negative for highly pathogenic avian influenza. (Cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza have decreased in Utah this year.) While final test results are still pending, biologists suspect the birds died of avian botulism.

Avian botulism is a paralytic, often fatal, disease of birds that results from the ingestion of a toxin produced by a bacteria, Clostridium botulinum. The toxin is produced under certain environmental conditions in the summer and fall when there are low oxygen levels and warm water temperatures. Botulism mainly occurs in stagnant pools where there is no water flowing, and sick and dead birds are most often found along the shoreline.

Waterfowl, gulls and shorebirds are the bird species most often affected by avian botulism. Signs of avian botulism include the inability for a bird to hold its head up and a bird flapping its wings, but not having the strength to take off.

Avian botulism occurs almost yearly in Utah — typically between July and September — particularly during periods when the weather is really hot and after periods of rainfall. Those conditions often create stagnant pools of water that hold and grow the anaerobic bacteria that causes avian botulism. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

USDA Forest Service Christmas Tree Permits Available Online through Recreation.gov

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is selling Christmas Tree permits through Recreation.gov, which makes it more convenient for visitors to find and purchase permits to cut holiday trees from their favorite national forest. Permits will be available beginning on October 12, and sale dates may vary by national forest.

“Venturing into a local national forest to find that special tree is an experience that creates treasured family memories and stories,” said USDA Forest Service Chief Randy Moore. “It is through these experiences that people establish important connections to the forest that can lead to a lifetime of adventures and instill a commitment to stewardship.”

Marcina B. expressed their gratitude when visiting the Tahoe National Forest in California: “Our family loves getting Christmas tree permits and cutting down our own tree. Thank you for making this possible and allowing me and my family some unforgettable memories.” Read more

Wildlife

POMA Announces New Executive Director

GW: Welcome aboard, sir. Sure can’t hold it against you for being a Buckeye
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The Professional Outdoor Media Association is thrilled to announce its new Executive Director, Robert Sexton! He began October 1, 2023.

“Members of the Outdoor Media are the essential ambassadors of our great outdoor heritage, fostering interest in hunting, fishing and the shooting sports, while providing a window to our way of life to the general public. I’m proud to serve them in building a strong POMA to support their important work,” said Rob Sexton.

Rob is one of the most seasoned non-profit consultants and issues management professionals in the country. Following early training working for the Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives and a key committee chairman, Rob joined the staff of the Sportsmen’s Alliance in 1995. Over the next 17 years he rose through the ranks to Senior Vice President, responsible for federal and state legislation, litigation and ballot issues as well as forging strategic partnerships for the organization.

In 2012 Rob launched RTS Strategies, and works as a consultant for non-profit organizations, with a specific focus on executive management and public policy on behalf of organizations related to hunting, fishing, firearms, and the shooting sports. Clients of RTS Strategies have included the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Sportsmen’s Alliance, Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, American Kennel Club, and more.

Rob is a 1990 graduate of The Ohio State University. He and his wife Beth have been married for 30 years and have four grown children and two grandchildren. An avid hunter and angler, Rob enjoys fishing on Lake Erie and hunting wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, pheasant, quail and doves, along with shooting sporting clays when time permits.

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