Category: Wildlife

Goldfinch

Gardening for Late Summer Birds

It’s berry season for birds; does your yard offer native foods for a variety of species, such as this California Scrub Jay? (photo by Paul Konrad)
This manicured yard provides a beautiful space for the homeowners, while providing attractive cover and foraging space for birds.
A bird bath is an essential element in this garden area and in any birder’s landscaped yard.

Our gardens and landscaping add color and a wealth of natural elements to our yards, and these areas attract birds that infuse action, color, songs, and behavior into our yards. As another change in seasons approaches, it’s an opportunity make a few easily improvements for local and migrant songbirds and hummingbirds that will be the first wave of fall migration. With a little thought, planning, and effort, you can attract and benefit birds on their way south, including species you haven’t seen before in your yard.

At this time our gardening activities can also benefit recent fledglings as they disperse, along with dispersing yearlings, adults, and family groups. Some migrants are already making their way south, and many more will follow. Bird populations are at an annual high now after the nesting season, so if we can increase the resources they find in our yards, we can improve the potential for survival among birds during this important time of the year.

First of all, consider the way you provide water. A dependable fresh water source will draw birds like a magnet while providing all important drinking and bathing water. One or more bird baths will do, as simple or as ornate as you please. Some people like to have one as part of their feeding station, plus one in a garden area or as a centerpiece in their backyard or front. The motion and sound of the dripping water is irresistible to many birds too, and it helps birds locate a water source, bringing birds to your yard that might otherwise pass by. And a mister will attract some enjoyable hummingbird action as they fly through the mist. Read more

Wildlife

LWCF Coalition Celebrates Two Year Anniversary of GAOA and Impact of Permanently Funding LWCF

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Coalition released the following statements in recognition of the Great American Outdoors Act’s (GAOA) second anniversary and the benefits of permanently funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund at least $900 million yearly.

“While efforts to protect, conserve and improve our public lands, waters and outdoor recreation opportunities continue, it is important to pause and celebrate victories along the way, and today on the 2nd anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act is one such time,’ said Lesley Kane Szynal, co-chair of the LWCF Coalition. “With that one act, the Land and Water Conservation Fund is forever guaranteed to be funded at least $900 million per year ensuring there are conservation and recreation projects in every state and in communities large and small. We look forward to building on this win and continuing the fight to conserve the outdoors that make our nation great and ensure equitable access to outdoor spaces for all Americans no matter where they live.”’

“In the early stages of 2020 when the pandemic was raging, stores and business were shuttered, and many treasured outdoor locations closed to the public, it was hard to imagine we would pass one of the most significant pieces of outdoor legislation in decades,” said Jessica Turner, President of Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. “Fast forward two years and GAOA is already a huge success, permanently funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund with at least $900 million each year and ensuring substantial resources for federal land and water management agencies to fix and maintain our parks, forests, trails, campgrounds, lakes, and rivers.

The positive impact of the Great American Outdoors Act on our nation’s public lands and waters is immense. From coast to coast, more Americans have access to the outdoors because of this legislation, and LWCF continues to applaud the legislators, advocates and outdoor enthusiasts who work every day to preserve and protect the wild places that make America so special. Examples of projects funded through GAOA include the following: Read more

Wildlife

New Research to Address Declines Linked to Roost Sites

(Photo Credit: Darcy Daniels)

New Research to Address Declines Linked to Roost Sites

The NWTF is funding a new wild turkey research project in the Texas Rolling Plains Ecoregion, located in the north-central part of the state.

The project will help the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department better understand changes in available roosting habitat over the last 20 years and how roost sites are negatively impacted by encroaching invasive vegetative species, like Russian olive and salt cedar. The research will utilize state-of-the-art imaging techniques to classify over 20 years of landscape-scale data. It will also provide insight into future management needs, helping slow the spread of invasive species and bolstering Rio populations in the region.

“TPWD, NWTF and Texas A&M University are collaborating to take a closer look at larger landscape habitat changes,” said Jason Hardin, TPWD wild turkey program leader and co-chair of the NWTF Technical Committee. “The focus of this work is on the potential loss of wild turkey roosting cover, primarily cottonwood trees in the Rolling Plains, which may have been exacerbated by the 2011 drought. These partners will examine changes in brush cover along the riparian corridors where wild turkeys are primarily found in the Rolling Plains. TPWD and NWTF have a keen interest in finding answers so that we can provide management options to landowners in this historic stronghold for wild turkeys.”

(Photo Credit: Darcy Daniels)

The Rolling Plains region is characterized by its gently rolling open-country landscape, interspersed with rivers and streams. The waterways (riparian areas) provide essential habitat for the Rio Grande wild turkeys that inhabit the area. These riparian areas, however, are where much of roosting habitat is diminishing.
With no shortage of predators in the region, Rio Grande wild turkeys are particular about their roost sites. Rios like to roost in large trees, both in diameter and height. Previous research found the birds’ average preferred roost tree size was about 45 feet tall and about 23 inches in diameter.

What’s more, even if trees fit the size preference for Rios, if invasive brush has taken hold, Rios will often avoid roosting in those trees, likely to avoid predators lurking in the brush. The brush is also poor for the overall health of trees like the cottonwood. The woody vegetation encompasses the tree, competing for water and nutrients and making the trees more susceptible to damage from fire and other disturbances. Read more

Wildlife

Tactacam Releases 6.0

Caledonia, MN – Let the Tactacam 6.0 become the pride of your self-filming arsenal, providing you with superior performance for any hunt. With a newly-integrated touch screen display, 4K resolution, image stabilization, and lightweight waterproof body, the 6.0 never compromises on quality or convenience.

Easily view and edit your 6.0 footage with the Tactacam Connect app and relive the action and excitement with the camera designed by hunters for hunters. Read more

Optics, Wildlife

NWTF, Forest Service Sign New Agreement in Arizona National Forest

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

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

EDGEFIELD, S.C. — The National Wild Turkey Federation is working alongside the USDA Forest Service on the newly formed General Springs Stewardship Agreement, a collaborative endeavor set to restore wildlife habitat, reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and improve water quality and quantity for millions of Arizonans.

The project is set in the Mogollon Rim Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest, near Happy Jack, Arizona. One of the most diverse forests in the country, the Coconino National Forest has landscapes ranging from the famous red rocks of Sedona, to Ponderosa pine forests, deserts and alpine tundra.

In response to the increasing threat of uncharacteristic wildfire, the Forest Service and the NWTF have identified priority areas for management to provide wildfire protection and increase forest health. One of these areas, the General Springs Project, is part of the larger Cragin Watershed Protection Project, a concerted effort with interested partners and stakeholders to protect an area of over 63,000 acres of critical wildlife habitat that is also a municipal watershed for the Town of Payson. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Vermont: Annual Rabies Bait Drop Set to Begin

Photo: Example of a rabies bait blister pack Image courtesy Vermont Department of Health

Distribution of baited rabies vaccine for wildlife to take place August 5 – 13

BURLINGTON, VT – The annual Rabies Bait Drop is scheduled to begin on August 5, 2022. The week-long bait drop is part of a nationally coordinated effort between the State of Vermont and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to prevent the spread of rabies – a fatal disease.

Rabies vaccine — in the form of a sweet-smelling oral bait that is attractive to raccoons and skunks — will be dropped in rural areas of Vermont from low-flying aircraft and placed by hand in residential centers. Pilots are able to control the release of bait in order to avoid residential areas. When an animal bites into the bait, it takes in the oral vaccine and will develop immunity to rabies. Approximately 450,000 quarter-sized blister packs containing rabies vaccine will be distributed in nearly 100 Vermont communities across 8 counties.

State Epidemiologist Patsy Kelso with the Department of Health said the annual bait drop represents the best in state and federal cooperation. “This is public health at work,” said Kelso. “The bait drop is an important part of our work to curb the risk of rabies in animals and humans. We value this years-long partnership with the Fish and Wildlife Department and USDA Wildlife Services in protecting the health of Vermonters.”

Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the brain that infects mammals. Rabies is most often seen in raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats, but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also get the disease. The virus is spread primarily through the bite of an infected animal. If a rabies exposure is left untreated, the disease is almost always fatal in humans and animals. However, treatment is 100% effective when given soon after a person is bitten by a rabid animal. Read more

Wildlife

Montana: Wolf Report Shows Stable Population Numbers Through 2021

HELENA – Wolf numbers and distribution continue to be stable across Montana, according to numbers released Monday in the 2021 Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Wolf Report.

“What the data shows us really isn’t surprising,” said FWP Director Hank Worsech. “Our management of wolves, including ample hunting and trapping opportunities, have kept numbers at a relatively stable level during the past several years.”

In understanding this report, people must keep in mind that population trends are monitored by the calendar year, in this case 2021, which is consistent with how FWP and other agencies have tracked wolf populations since the 1980s and how wolf populations are tracked in other areas. However, the wolf hunting and trapping season ended March 15, 2022. The harvest realized during this first three months of 2022 isn’t reflected in the 2021 wolf population estimate.

Another interesting aspect of the data is that wolf trapping efforts were down this license year from past years. This means fewer trappers were on the landscape. Potential reasons for this include unfavorable weather conditions during the trapping season. Read more

Wildlife

‘Lodge and Learn’ on Higgins Lake for a summer camp-like experience

Find your favorite people and come explore the great outdoors, learn new skills and make memories that will last a lifetime with Lodge and Learn at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center, on the northern shore of Higgins Lake in Roscommon.

Designed for multiple generations to enjoy, this all-inclusive package for up to 12 people – offered Aug. 12-14, Aug. 19-21 and Aug. 29-31 – is like a private summer camp for your friends and family. Your group can lodge at the RAM Center and learn about local wildlife, Michigan ecosystems and outdoor skills.

The package includes three days filled with your choice of summer-camp style programs provided by your own nature educator, two nights of lodging for your group, an evening bonfire with s’mores, use of kayaks for those over 16, and all your meals for one rate of $2,200 for the stay!

Select your favorite Lodge and Learn programs when you register. Read more

Wildlife

Michigan DNR has Fall Employment Opportunities

Fall is a busy season for the Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division.

We hire seasonal employees to work at various locations throughout the state, including DNR field offices, customer service centers and state game areas.

These positions involve duties like chronic wasting disease surveillance, conducting drawings for waterfowl hunting areas, entering database information, assisting the public with questions and more. The jobs are perfect for college students, those looking to reenter the workforce and seniors or retirees interested in getting more involved in the outdoors.

Get more details (including contact information) on these seasonal wildlife job opportunities by visiting Michigan.gov/DNRJobs and looking for the seasonal wildlife positions section.

The application period is open through Aug. 14. 

 

Wildlife

Coons in Can

Found these guys in my feed can this morning.

Nice Place to Visit

They’re all young ones but ingenious enough to lift the lid on the feed can.  They sure didn’t want to leave but I convinced them they couldn’t stay there.

Wildlife
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