New USDA-NRCS partnership with Wyoming will focus on conserving big game migratory habitat on private lands.

On Friday May 20, USDA announced a new partnership that uses diverse Farm Bill investments to support voluntary conservation of private working lands and migratory big game populations in Wyoming. Using lessons learned from this pilot, USDA seeks to scale up this model across the West as part of President Biden’s commitment to support voluntary, locally-led conservation efforts to reach the administration’s national conservation goals.

USDA participated in extensive engagement and listening sessions with stakeholders throughout Wyoming and developed this pilot in response to their feedback. Those listening sessions helped guide the pilot’s concepts and principles: recognition of the large scale of this issue in key landscapes, coordination with state agencies, consistency with state policy and direction and support of existing partnerships wherever possible. Read more

Enjoy ‘Three Free’ Weekend June 11-12

“Three Free” weekend – two full days when residents and visitors can fish, ride Michigan’s off-road trails or visit state parks and state-managed boating access sites at no cost – is set for Saturday, June 11, and Sunday, June 12.

PHOENIX — Eleven genetically valuable captive-born Mexican wolf pups have been placed into wild dens to be raised in the wild by their surrogate parents after another successful fostering season. Now in its seventh year, the Mexican wolf fostering program continues to help boost the genetic diversity of this endangered subspecies.

Over a three-week period this spring, 11 pups were fostered into five wild packs across New Mexico and Arizona. The pups traveled from captive facilities across the U.S. as part of a coordinated effort to place genetically diverse wolves into the wild population in support of recovery efforts.

Fostering is a proven method used by the Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team (IFT) to increase genetic diversity in the wild Mexican wolf population. It begins with carefully managed breeding by the Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan (SSP) program to produce genetically diverse pups within the captive population. Within 14 days of whelping (being born), the captive-born pups are transported to the wild and mixed together with similarly aged wild pups.

Once all of the pups are placed back into the wild den, the breeding female’s maternal instinct kicks in. She will feed and care for both the wild and captive-born pups. With the help of her pack mates, the pups will be raised with the skills and knowledge needed for a life in the wild. The IFT has documented that fostered pups have the same survival rate as wild-born pups in their first year of life (about 50%). Read more

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)

Cameras are everywhere!  They’re in the sky, in our vehicles, in doorbells and in our pockets.  Ordinary citizens routinely capture images we normally would not see – or, for that matter – believe.  Wireless phones that double as cameras do an incredible job, as millions of us already know; however, dedicated digital cameras may be a better choice.

Today’s phones are versatile devices but like so many multi-purpose gadgets, certain functions are compromised.  Take for example their size, which I find quite cumbersome.  Locating controls can be frustrating, as well.  Picture resolution is outstanding with phones but zooming the lens is limited for quality long shots.

After researching various dedicated digital cameras, I wanted to keep things simple and opted for a point-and-shoot Canon Power Shot ELPH 360.  It’s designed for the photo novice that wants to capture moments quickly on a budget of $250 or so.

Usually, when outdoors, there is plenty of gear to tote along when hunting or fishing but the slim and compact design of this little gem means it’s no ordeal to slip it into a shirt pocket.  Unlike other cameras of the past, there are no detachable lens covers to fumble with, either; the lens has an automatic cover that operates when the camera is turned on or off.

The 12x optical zoom can really bring wildlife up close, but at full magnification, resolution suffers.  But, if one wants to count antler points or locate bullet holes in a target downrange, it will suffice.

The 20.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor and image processor deliver detailed photos thanks to the optical image stabilizer, which separates it from the shakiness of a phone.  With a little practice and technique, it can make panning appear to have been done on a tripod!

No matter what type of camera is chosen, here are a few tips to make viewing your videos a more enjoyable experience.

*  When panning, do so slowly.  Begin by facing the end of the pan and then without moving your feet, twist into the beginning position.  Start the pan by holding the camera still for a few seconds, then slowly and steadily move it to the ending position – again with a good pause at completion of the shot.

*  To improve resolution, compose shots by getting closer to the target image rather than using a zoom mode.

*  Minimize movement with the camera by allowing the motion of the shot to tell the story.  Nobody wants to watch never-ending camera movement by the operator.

There are many dedicated, point and punch cameras on the market and YouTube has comparisons so that one can decide what options suits one’s needs and budget.  Like many technological marvels, having access to the internet is crucial, because there are no written instruction manuals in most cases.  But, having the ability to watch product demonstrations is a good way to make decisions before spending that hard-earned cash.

May 27, 2022 – The National Deer Association (NDA) is offering six-month internships that will run from July 1 to December 31, 2022. The intern(s) will work with the Conservation Department on research, education, advocacy, mission events, hunting, grant writing and/or certification program issues.

The selected individual(s) will assist the Conservation Department on identifying research funding opportunities, developing educational materials, engaging in legislative efforts and R3 programs, and/or helping with NDA’s certification programs. Read more

Adult male Baltimore Orioles are the quintessential American orioles that add the richest hues of orange to your yard.

The new grape jelly fan was a Yellow Warbler that regularly visited the primary oriole feeder last week. How many different birds eat grape jelly at your feeder?

We have long promoted adding grape jelly to your feeding station, this year and other years. We knew grape jelly is the primary gourmet interest of orioles, but last week we realized that grape jelly was driving all the birds to our feeding station – Baltimore Orioles, Orchard Orioles, Yellow Warblers, House Finches, Gray Catbirds, American Robins, and yes, even Ruby-throated Hummingbirds check out the jelly offerings for small flying insects before or after they stop at the nectar feeder. These are really exciting birds to observe and to attract to your yard this spring, and maybe through the summer. Read more

Forest management basics sessions to help landowners set and meet forestry goals

Have you considered managing your forested property but aren’t sure where to start? Would you like to learn more about the benefits of forest management? Do you wonder what happens to logs once they are harvested?

Join the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Michigan State University Extension to have your forestry questions answered.

Two free, virtual webinars and two half-day field tours are designed to help you effectively set and meet goals for your forested property. Read more

Washington, D.C. – May 23, 2022 – The American Petroleum Institute (API) and Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever today announced a new partnership to deliver on the significant habitat enhancement potential of an estimated 12 million acres of pipeline rights-of-way and facilities. Designed to advance ongoing conservation and community engagement efforts, the partnership will launch pilot programs along pipeline routes and in communities surrounding industry operations to help deliver the wildlife habitat goals of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s Rights-of-Way & Energy (ROWE) Habitat Program. Marathon Pipe Line and Shell Pipeline Company are among the first to pilot programs under this partnership this summer.

“We are thrilled to join forces with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever to deliver on the tremendous opportunity that thousands of miles energy rights-of-way present for wildlife habitat enhancement,” API President and CEO Mike Sommers said. “Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have a wealth of wildlife habitat management experience that American energy operators can use to advance our industry’s environmental stewardship – from cultivating native species for bobwhite quail or monarch butterflies to protecting endangered wildlife to preventing soil erosion.” Read more

Photographing hummingbirds in flight is not an exact science, but the possibilities of getting action photos are best when the tiny birds hover for a moment, which often happens as they approach a nectar feeder or a perch (Ruby-throated Hummingbird photos by Paul Konrad).

Stopping all the motion of a flying hummingbird is not always possible, but some wing motion can be pleasing in hummingbird photos. A dark background provides an interesting option, but lighter-colored backgrounds are usually preferred. Try your hand at hummingbird photography when you next encounter them – it’s easier than you may think.

Hummingbirds create a lot of interest among birders, and with hummingbird migration and nesting in progress, depending on where you are located this may be the best time of the year to see hummingbirds at your nectar feeder and flower garden. This year, consider investing a little more time hummingbirding by trying to take a few simple photos of these flying dynamos. Start simple when they are perched at your nectar feeder, then try some flight photos – we bet it will open up a new area of interest in backyard birding for you. Read more

Members of the Boone and Crockett Club were key players in laying the groundwork for both conservation of game species and generating the funds to pay for it—a system that we still use today. 

There used to be quite a bit of money in duck meat and plumage from wading birds. At the turn of the twentieth century, an enterprising killer could turn a pile of feathers or breast meat into a bag of cash. In fact, giant shotguns—called punt guns—were mounted to boats so shooters could blast hundreds of birds at a time. The meat would supply restaurants with cheap table fare, while the feathers were used to adorn the hats of fashionable ladies. The supply of birds over North American’s skies seemed endless. It wasn’t.

Early members of the Boone and Crockett Club worked to put an end to the wholesale slaughter of birds by pushing legislation like the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1918, which established federal control over the hunting of those birds. For bird populations, Club members had stopped the bleeding. Yet without a way to replace the birds that had been lost, it was unlikely populations would recover on their own. It would take more than laws. Restoration was going to take money.
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