Whitetails Unlimited recently granted more than $11,000 to Quest Ministries of Michigan. The group focuses on providing hunting and fishing experiences for special needs youth and Purple Heart recipients. All of Quest Ministries events take place at Two Hats Ranch located in Big Rapids, Michigan. In addition to the hunting and fishing excursions, participates also partake in many other natural exploration activities.

Quest Ministries was founded in 2000 by Skipper Bettis. Bettis identified a need to provide outdoor activities for youth who otherwise would not have the opportunity. In 2003, the inaugural Billy Ray Parnell Memorial Purple Heart Hunt took place. The hunt was created in honor of Billy Ray Parnell, who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Vietnam. The group has been offering hunts to Purple Heart veterans ever since.

To learn more about Quest Ministries, please visit their website at www.questofmichigan.com. Read more

PHOENIX – Partners in Mexican wolf conservation are pleased to announce the successful fostering of 16 genetically valuable Mexican wolf pups this spring. The pups traveled from four captive facilities across the country and were placed into six wild dens in eastern Arizona and western New Mexico. This is the eighth year of fostering into the wild population of Mexican wolves, bringing the total number of fostered captive-born
pups to 99.

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 selective breeding by the Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) 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 with similarly aged wild pups in the dens of wild Mexican wolf packs, which have been identified and selected by the IFT to provide the greatest chance of survival of the captive-born pups in the wild.

“Fostering is like a relay race for conservation,” said Agapito Lopez, a wolf technician with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “These pups start at SAFE zoos and wolf centers, are handed off to be flown on donated private flights arranged by LightHawk, then given health checks and tube fed by our trained veterinarians, and finally are hiked into their new wild dens by IFT field staff. It’s a carefully orchestrated process involving dozens of dedicated individuals.” Read more

PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds the public to protect themselves and their pets by keeping a safe distance from wildlife, especially animals that may be behaving abnormally, such as those that appear overly aggressive and/or lacking a fear of humans.

The reminder comes after a recent incident in which a dog infected with the grey fox strain of rabies bit a child in the town of Whiteriver on the Fort Apache Reservation in eastern Arizona.

“The weather is warming up and people are outside,” said Dr. Anne Justice-Allen, AZGFD wildlife veterinarian. “At this time of year, we often see an uptick in the number of wildlife submitted for rabies testing as a result of contact with people or their pets.” Read more

May 26, 2023 – The National Deer Association (NDA) has announced an exciting Deer Steward Module scheduled for July 14-16, 2023 in Jamestown, Missouri. The Module will feature experts like Dr. Craig Harper from the University of Tennessee and Kip Adams from NDA and will benefit new and veteran landowners alike. The module will provide attendees with a foundation of skill covering everything from the management of ground level vegetation to meeting wildlife management goals. The course also focuses on mechanical and chemical treatment methods in forests, fields and food plots.

“This is an amazing opportunity for landowners and managers to gain access to valuable expertise and hands-on training from some of the best brains in wildlife and habitat management,” said Ben Westfall, NDA Conservation Coordinator. “Since 2015, we have been hosting these modules as a way to give landowners access to the valuable information they need to generate a positive impact on their local habitats and wildlife. This event is a one stop shop for attendees to take any property to the next level and create a noticeable impact on deer populations.”

The Habitat Enhancement Module at Clay Farms will be led by Dr Craig Harper, Kip Adams, and Ben Westfall. Attendees will learn everything about habitat including early succession management, forest stand improvement, prescribed fire, plant identification and much more. Read more

Thanks to sponsors, more than $30,000 up for grabs at the 2023 Florida Python Challenge®

Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, participants of the 2023 Florida Python Challenge® have the opportunity to win a share of thousands in cash prizes! The event, which is hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), features an Ultimate Grand Prize of $10,000 sponsored by Inversa Leathers. There is also a prize of $7,500 for the Grand Prize Runner Up, sponsored by the Bergeron Everglades Foundation.

“This year we’re going to have $30,000 worth of prizes,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. “We want to thank the private sector. Without them we couldn’t offer such great incentives.”

Prizes will also be awarded in the professional, novice and military categories courtesy of Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida.

Under the leadership of Gov. Ron DeSantis, the FWC, SFWMD and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida host the Florida Python Challenge® to raise awareness about invasive species in Florida and their impacts. The event, which runs Aug. 4-13, encourages people to get directly involved in Everglades conservation through invasive species removal. Read more

Ripening mulberries attract many migrating birds in the southern half of the United States, such as a Scarlet Tanager (above) and a Cedar Waxwing (below). Everyone needs a “magnet tree” in their yard.

Planting a tree is a long-term proposition, but trees are key to attracting many birds to our yards, and the right trees can create a special attraction in the form of foods. Fruits or berries, flower nectar, small insects attracted to flowers, and small caterpillars among the foliage create a buffet for migrating birds and local nesting species. Each tree also provides cover, nesting sites, and shade – all so important in creating backyard habitat.

A single tree can make all the difference in your yard; one that flowers in the spring can attract orioles, tanagers, waxwings, hummingbirds, warblers, and other birds looking for flower nectar, small insects, and caterpillars they need during a migration stopover, or throughout the nesting season. The same tree may also produce fruit later in the year that benefits robins and other thrushes, waxwings, tanagers, and catbirds. Read more

This makes the seventh MI county with an HWA detection

LANSING – The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) recently verified the detection of invasive hemlock woolly adelgid at Nichols Arboretum in Washtenaw County on May 9, 2023. This detection makes Washtenaw County the seventh county in Michigan to have a confirmed infestation.

“Our team of invasive species specialists is currently working with the arboretum to determine an appropriate treatment and response plan,” said Mike Philip, MDARD’s Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division Director. “There isn’t a way to determine how long hemlock woolly adelgid has been there or how it got there, but it’s possible HWA has been there for a number of years.”

Previously HWA detections have been found in Allegan, Benzie, Mason, Muskegon, Oceana, and Ottawa counties and have been within five miles of the Lake Michigan shoreline.

“Unlike western Michigan, where the other infestations are located, hemlock trees are not native to this region of the state,” added Philip. “Although the pest still poses a problem for homeowners who may have planted hemlock trees or where they may have been planted in other landscaping, this HWA detection does not pose a significant threat to Washtenaw’s natural resources and environment.”

Read more

MUSKEGON, MI – The U.S. Centers for Disease control estimates that 7,000 to 8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes annually. (Note: snakes can be venomous, not poisonous – there’s a difference.) Few deaths are attributed to the venomous bites, however, but the aftermath can be miserable, even life changing.

Rattlesnake venom is largely composed of hemotoxins. So, beyond the initial unfathomably painful bite, and after the instant bleeding and swelling, you can experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and labored breathing. Left untreated, the strike can lead to organ failure, and in some instances, death.

Water and marsh-oriented cottonmouth snakes – colloquially referred to as water moccasins – also carry hemotoxic venom. And past the bodily effects listed for rattlesnake bites, both cottonmouth and rattlesnake bites can cause necrosis, which breaks down blood cells and can lead to temporary or permanent tissue and muscle damage.

The widely distributed copperhead snake also carries hemotoxins, but bites are generally not considered deadly. Yet, a strike is wickedly painful, and you can expect swelling, throbbing, and possible nausea. Read more