Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
Goldfinch
Although early winter snow in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula was mild compared to the past few years, precipitation late in the season resulted in above-average snow depths that are continuing well into spring. These conditions are challenging deer in the region, and are expected to lead to lower survival and fawn recruitment rates than seen during the last few years. Read more
By Glen Wunderlich
When we think rodent, most of us may envision mice, rats, squirrels or 10-pound groundhogs. But, what if rodents grew to 50 pounds or more and lived right here in Shiawassee County? Well, lock your doors; they’re here!
Castor Canadensis is even known to kill humans, as evidenced this month when a fisherman in Belarus, Russia bled to death after being attacked and bitten by one, which severed an artery in his leg. If you’ve yet to picture the beast, it also goes by the moniker of North American beaver.
Weeks ago I discovered a poplar limb cleanly stripped of its bark lying alongside the Osborn Drain near home. Closer inspection revealed it had been chewed off by a beaver. I walked the edge of the waterway looking for more clues such as a dam or lodge but none was found, so I blew it off.
Weeks later, when a number of poplars were found chewed off at the water’s edge, my concern grew.
Poplar cut by beaver
We’ve got enough flooding already with all the spring rain and a beaver dam would be less than welcome. Oh, I know how useful the busy buggers are to the ecosystem by maintaining wetlands, but aren’t humans already required to do so by law?
A few years ago, the DNR had to remove them from the same drainage, because some homeowners’ needed a boat to get to their front door. Read more
A Montana college student, not paying attention in bear country, was mauled by a grizzly. Turns out he was too close to a sow with cubs and landed in the hospital, as a result. Details here…
An unsuspecting fisherman in Russia bled to death after getting too close to scrappy beaver. Details here…
When walking around in the woods in the spring or fall, you might come across a wicked big puddle, and if you look closely you’ll see that it is teaming with life! Look for egg masses of frogs (like the ones seen in the photo on the left) and salamanders, tadpoles swimming around or salamander larvae hiding under leaves. If you just bend down and look close, you will be amazed at what you see. Read more
It happens every spring. Someone finds an “abandoned” fawn and takes it upon themselves to “rescue” it.
The Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Division staff has a word of advice: Don’t.
“When young fawns are born, they’re not very mobile and don’t appear to have much scent to them so their best defense is to just stay still, on their own, apart from their mother,” explained Brent Rudolph, the deer and elk program leader for the DNR. “Predators can’t track them down by following mom around, so she stays away and the fawns stay alone – that’s their best defense during their first few days of life.” Read more
We have one chance to defend the right to hunt, fish and trap from out-of-state anti-hunters for good.
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. – A joint investigation by Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has concluded with the convictions and sentencing of eight men for their roles in illegal hunts that took place in the King Mountain area of southern Routt County in Colorado.
Ole Thorson, 35, of Prescott Mich., entered his guilty plea on March 28, bringing the two-and-a-half year joint investigation and prosecution to an end. His brother, Travis Thorson, 40, and their father, 64-year-old Jerome Thorson, all from Prescott, had previously pleaded guilty. Read more
By Glen Wunderlich
With spring turkey season upon us, every hunter would like to be able to pattern the birds’ activity before deciding on an ambush site. Scouting is a great way to begin, but finding time to hide and watch is difficult for anyone attempting to make a living. That’s where assistance from the Day 6 PlotWatcher Pro camera comes in.
This compact trail camera is designed to perform surveillance work during daylight hours and is just the ticket to scout in absentia. And, so far, I like what I’ve seen.
Imagine watching an entire field from sunrise to sunset through a review process that takes mere minutes. Time is money and this camera pays dividends after the one-time retail price of approximately $250 is paid plus the cost of an SD memory card of $15 to $30 and eight AA batteries.
The PlotWatcher is a time-lapse camera Read more
The Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) recently helped establish three wildlife management cooperatives that unite public and private hunting lands for better deer habitat and hunting thanks in part to a $50,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). The three cooperatives – two in Oklahoma and one in Michigan – are built on and around National Wildlife Refuges and encompass nearly 65,000 acres of public and private hunting land.
Wildlife management cooperatives (WMC) are groups of neighboring landowners or property lessees working together to improve wildlife and/or habitat management programs. The grant to establish the three new WMCs was announced last September, and as of late March, all three Cooperatives have now been launched:
· The Shiawassee Flats QDM Cooperative, which surrounds the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Michigan, was formed on March 12 and includes 25 individual landowners and 12,039 acres.
· The Washita River Deer Management Association, which surrounds Washita River NWR in Oklahoma, was formed on March 26 and includes 12 individual landowners and 40,311 acres.
· The Deep Fork Deer Management Association, which surrounds Deep Fork NWR in Oklahoma, was formed on March 28 and includes 15 individual landowners and 12,484 acres. Read more