Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
Goldfinch
GW: Just heard about this the other day and it’s only been happening a few miles from my home. Good job DNR! Anti-hunters like this get a special place on my site: Poachers!
Brian Birchmeier, 51, of Shiawassee County’s Owosso Township, was arraigned today in Shiawassee County District Court on 125 misdemeanor charges related to poaching deer and turkey in Michigan. Read more
| Message from Brent Rudolph, the Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources: ” The number of deer listed on the map and in the table is a MINIMUM number, since not all deer that die are reported. The DNR is VERY thankful to the many hunters and volunteers that are working with us to provide this information. This is a horrible disease for hunters, the public in general, and DNR personnel to see impacting the deer. But, while nobody is pleased to be dealing with this, we’ll get through it, these local deer populations will rebound, and we can at least be thankful this is not a disease with human health concerns or permanent impacts on the health of our deer.” Brent is the Wildlife Research Specialist – Deer and Elk Program Leader Office: (517) 641-4903 (ext 248), rudolphb@michigan.gov Read more |
For many years, Michigan restricted hunters to a bucks-only harvest in order to protect the reproductive capacity of the herd. This approach sustained deer populations that, at times, were scarce but still allowed recreational opportunity and a chance to put food on the table. As deer became increasingly numerous and widespread, however, it became obvious to wildlife managers that a continued focus on maximizing deer production was no longer the best approach. Read more
Ithaca, NY-The 26th season of Project FeederWatch begins November 10, and participants are needed more than ever. By watching their feeders from November through April and submitting their observations to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, bird watchers make it possible for scientists to keep track of changing bird populations across the continent. New or returning participants can sign up anytime at www.FeederWatch.org. Read more
Fox and coyote trapping season: Statewide Oct. 15 – March 1 Coyote may be taken on private property by a property owner or designee all year if they are doing or about to do damage on private property. A license or written permit is not needed. See Winter Fox and Coyote Non-lethal Cable Restraints for regulations governing the trapping of fox and coyote.
Gray and red fox hunting seasons: Statewide Oct. 15 – March 1 See Nighttime Raccoon and Predator Hunting for specific regulations governing the hunting of these species at night.
And a reminder that coyote hunting season is in full swing until April 15. Residents possessing a valid small game license may hunt coyote during the established season. Read more
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently released Michigan’s annual survey information indicating the population of Kirtland’s warbler, a federally endangered bird, has reached an all-time high. Read more
(Columubs, OH) – On Monday, October 15th, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and its Fund for Animals filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over the removal of the Western Great Lakes region wolves from the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). 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. Read more
For several years award winning author J. Wayne Fears has written his comic tall tales about growing up poor around Tater Knob Mountain in north Alabama. They have been hits in magazines such as Progressive Farmer, GunHunter and Great Days Outdoors. Now he has compiled many of the folksy tales, which have the outdoor humor similar to Pat McManus with the rural nostalgic, philosophical rural touch similar to Ferrol Sams, into an e-book entitled Chipmunk, Punky, Sometimes Jenny and Me. Read more
The brassica plots are better than ever in mid-Michigan and the two freezes earlier this month have sweetened the turnips. Recently, I have found entire turnips pulled out of the ground and chewed up by the deer.
Jumbo samples from the brassica plot. On the left is a giant Japanese radish and on the right is a purple top turnip.
We planted on July 30th, after a long, drought-ridden summer, and it turned out as good as any “farmer” could hope. The fertilizer (19-19-19) was mixed into the soil, along with a good dose of lime months ahead of planting day. Mother Nature has done the rest.
By Glen Wunderlich
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was designed to help the recovery of endangered or threatened animal species. One of the success stories has landed home – literally – as one of the world’s rarest birds, a lone whooping crane, has been spotted recently in Shiawassee County. In year 1941 only 23 of these birds were known to exist in the entire world, but today some 437 of North America’s tallest birds are alive.
Although there’s room to debate how taxpayer dollars are spent, who’d argue against such a noble endeavor to save one of our most magnificent species? Certainly, no politician would risk the ire of voters by diverting funds meant to save animals from extinction, but behind the scenes, legislation to introduce transparency in accounting for such funds has stalled without ever coming to a vote in the U.S. Senate, led by Harry Reid (D-Nevada). Read more