Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
Goldfinch
Howling for Wolves and the Center for Biological Diversity are protesting Minnesota’s wolf hunt but it’s all in vain, as hunters have killed some 109 wolves in the first eight days of the season. Thanks for the heads up from Outdoor Wire. Details are here…
With firearms deer season only days away, it’s time for all hunters to perform a self-evaluation of their own abilities. Once sighting-in sessions have been completed, each of us has a practical barometer of personal expertise at a given range. However, punching paper from a stable platform under controlled conditions is one thing; when hunting, the moment of truth afield can be far different. Read more
Nov. 15 is a much-anticipated date for deer hunters: opening day of firearm deer season. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the regulations before the big day. Visit www.michigan.gov/deer or the White-Tailed Deer website for everything you need to know, including deer check station locations. Best of luck to all hunters this season!
On Wednesday, Nov. 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., DNR staff members – including Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason and Assistant Chief Doug Reeves – will be available for questions at some of the busiest retail stores in southern Michigan. Read more
When Congress reconvenes on November 13, one of the first items the U.S. Senate could vote on is S. 3525, “The Sportsmen’s Act of 2012.” S. 3525 is an essential piece of legislation focused on the expansion and enhancement of hunting, recreational fishing and shooting on federal public land. Read more
Most Michigan deer hunters are well aware that epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) has reared its ugly head at historic levels in Michigan this year. So, what does it mean for our upcoming firearms deer season and should hunters still kill does? Read more
The results from grass carp environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling done in Marrs and Washington lakes in Lenawee County was negative, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division. These samples were collected as a result of earlier observations and collections of grass carp in Marrs Lake in May and June 2012. Read more
By Glen Wunderlich
We’ve got wolves – plenty of them but that all depends on who is being asked. The DNR’s goal is to ensure the wolf population remains viable and above a level (about 200 wolves) that would require either federal or state reclassification as a threatened or endangered species.
On the other hand, on October 15th, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the Fund for Animals filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over the December 2011 delisting. A 60-day notice of intent to sue is a required procedural step before filing a lawsuit against the Service under the Endangered Species Act. HSUS’s press release stated that “[i]f the agency does not reconsider the delisting rule over the next 60 days, The HSUS and The Fund for Animals will ask a federal court to reinstate federal ESA protection for gray wolves in the western Great Lakes region.” Read more
Bang! You’re dead. Er….maybe not. Definitely not! An Oregon man learned a valuable lesson: Make sure an animal is dead before assuming it is. After shooting a bear, Alex Machado approached it, only to have it begin mauling him. The lesson is here…
An Arkansas man will have five months in a jail cell to ponder his scheme to sell live Asian carp to people in Michigan. He tells prospective buyers that the fish will eat nuisance plants; what he doesn’t tell them is that what he’s doing is completely illegal. The fish story is here…