Head into the outdoors without worrying about pesky insects with Zone Protects Realtree Invisible Insect Repellent.

This two-pack features the Zone REALTREE Invisible Hunter Insect Repellent and Tightline Insect Repellent.

Both the Invisible Hunter and Tightline Insect Repellent are made from a 20% Picaridin, DEET-free formula. Odor-free and unscented, the formulas are designed for 12 hours of invisible protection from mosquitoes, ticks, flies, chiggers, gnats and no-see-ums.

Non-greasy and non-sticky, both versions comes in a convenient 4-ounce mist spray that will fit in your pocket, backpack, boat bag or tackle box.The repellents will not damage your hunting gear or fishing gear, stain your clothing or leave you feeling sticky or oily. They are safe for adults, children and pregnant/nursing women.

Features:

• 12 Hours + protection and invisibility from mosquitoes, ticks, flies, chiggers, gnats and no-seeums
• 20% Picaridin formula, EPA registered
• Non-oily, non-greasy, non-sticky formula goes on easy and clean
• Safe for adults, children, and pregnant women
• DEET-Free formula. Better chemistry, better results

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife recently auctioned off $51,542 of ginseng and yellow root that was forfeited from illegal possession cases. That total came from 59.7 pounds of ginseng and 3.1 pounds of yellow root from evidence collected following cleared Ohio court processes.

The money raised in the auction was added to the state’s Wildlife Diversity Fund, which supports projects for species of greatest conservation need such as sandhill cranes, trumpeter swans, and lake sturgeon.

The recent Division of Wildlife auction contained roots that were illegally harvested or possessed and were subsequently forfeited by the court of jurisdiction. During the auction, 23 lots of ginseng and one lot of yellow root were sold to licensed ginseng dealers, averaging a price of $861.52 per pound of ginseng sold and $35.16 per pound of yellow root. Read more

A screenshot of a BirdCast bird migration map resembles a radar screen. This screenshot is dated April 1st at 4:20am EDT.

Spring migration brings a number of high-tech options for birders to use online when planning birding trips and to keep in touch with bird migration across the Lower 48 States. BirdCast provides migration forecasts that show predicted nocturnal migration activities for tonight and the next 2 nights. You can also see real-time BirdCast migration maps that show intensities of nocturnal bird migration as detected by the US weather surveillance radar network between sunset and sunrise each night.

Nocturnal Bird Migration Radar Maps – BirdCast real-time analysis maps show intensities of color-coded radar movements throughout the nighttime hours as detected by the US weather surveillance radar network from sunset to sunrise across the Lower 48 States. The migration movements progress with time, with a red line that moves east to west to show the timing of local sunset, followed by colored flight patterns detected by the radar, and a yellow line moves across the states to show the progression of sunrise.

Bird migration intensity is indicated on the maps with areas showing a range of colors from purple and blue for light migration rates and lighter colors where higher migration rates are detected. Brighter colors indicate a higher migration rate, expressed in units of birds per kilometer per hour. Orange arrows also show the directions birds were flying.

You can now monitor the maps daily, weekly, or whenever you think of it during this spring migration season at Live bird migration maps – BirdCast including access to the library of past migration maps for any date during present and past spring and fall migrations. Read more

Join the International Crane Foundation and more than 1,800 volunteers on Saturday morning April 15 from 5:30 to 7:30am for the annual Midwest Crane Count. Each year participants travel to their local wetlands and favorite birding locations to survey Sandhill Cranes, and possibly Whooping Cranes, then report their observations. The survey takes place in more than 150 counties in 7 states – including all of Wisconsin and portions of Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Read more

Duncraft’s Best Nesting Shelf is an option to a DIY nesting shelf.

Not every bird nests in a birdhouse or nest box; actually, just a small percentage of birds are specialized cavity nesting birds, but some birds will build their nest on the edge or corner of buildings where they can fit a nest that offers a degree of protection and stability. The most obvious among these birds are robins, doves, phoebes, and House Finches. To attract these species, or to redirect them to a certain location, some years ago a creative birder tried building a simple shelf that proved successful, and over the years the design has been improved.

Today, a nesting shelf tends to be something of an open-ended box, but the best ones tend to be a little more open, with partly open sides so the birds can see more of the surrounding area. They have a slanted roof with a bit of an overhang, a drain hole drilled in each corner of the floor, and many nesting shelves have a low “curb” on the front. Read more

For more information, contact Pete Muller at (803) 637-7698 or pmuller@nwtf.net

Cross Charitable Foundation Grants NWTF Funding for Big Sky Forestry Initiative

EDGEFIELD, S.C. — The Cross Charitable Foundation, dedicated to supporting organizations actively promoting the conservation of wildlife and the environment, recently awarded a $10,000 grant to the National Wild Turkey Federation.

The grant from the Cross Charitable Foundation will be used for the Big Sky Forestry Initiative, a collaborative effort between the NWTF and the USDA Forest Service, in Montana. The project aims to reduce the threat of wildfire to keep our communities safe, improve wildlife habitat, offer accessible recreation opportunities with more healthy game animals and enhance water quality. Read more

MONTPELIER, Vt. – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s reclassification of the northern long-eared bat from threatened to endangered status came into effect Friday, March 31, 2023.

In Vermont, the northern-long eared bat received a state endangered status in 2011 due to rapid and drastic declines caused by the deadly fungal disease white-nose syndrome. It received federal threatened status in 2015 after the disease had spread throughout the Northeast, but not the entire range of the species. Read more

EDGEFIELD, S.C. — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., reintroduced the bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act. This legislation invests in proactive, on-the-ground conservation work led by states, territories and tribal nations to support the long-term health of fish and wildlife and their habitat across America. These locally-driven, science-based strategies would restore species with the greatest conservation need.

“The passage of RAWA would drive the conservation of our beloved natural resources at an unprecedented scale,” NWTF co-CEO Kurt Dyroff said. “The NWTF commends Senators Heinrich and Tillis for their bipartisan work and bringing this important piece of legislation back to the forefront of Congress, and we look forward to bringing this landmark bill into law in the very near future.” Read more

An example of a well-built nest box is the Duncraft Bluebird House, which can be referenced at Duncraft.com: Duncraft WSB Eastern Bluebird House

The North American Bluebird Society’s free downloadable publication: Get to Know Bluebirds: A Guide for Young Nature Lovers. This excellent new book is aimed at a young audience, but the messages are applicable for everyone.

North America is blessed with the only bluebirds in the world; 3 species, appropriately named for their respective ranges – Western, Eastern, and Mountain Bluebirds. These small colorful birds provide characteristic spring songs for many birders across the continental United States and southern Canada. Bluebirds are considered the most popular cavity nesting birds, and the standard birdhouse is built to suit bluebirds, while other models are smaller for wrens and chickadees, or much larger for kestrels and screech owls. Read more