Biologists Set to Begin Bear Trapping for Research in Yellowstone National Park

BOZEMAN – As part of ongoing efforts required under the Endangered Species Act to monitor the population of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the USGS and Yellowstone National Park would like to inform the public that biologists with the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST) and Yellowstone National Park will be conducting scientific grizzly bear and black bear research operations in Yellowstone National Park from May 7 through July 30.

Team members will bait and trap bears at several remote sites within Yellowstone National Park. Once trapped, the bears are anesthetized to allow wildlife biologists to radio-collar and collect scientific samples for study. All trapping and handling are done in accordance with strict protocols developed by the IGBST. Read more

Wildlife

MI DNR investigation results in charges against Bay County resident

Officers seize more than 87 pounds of illegally harvested pike

A Michigan Department of Natural Resources investigation has resulted in charges against a Bay County man for illegally harvesting more than 87 pounds of pike.

The 55-year-old suspect recently was charged after conservation officers responded to a citizen’s tip and conducted surveillance in Mt. Forest Township.

Conservation Officers Mark Papineau and Phil Hudson of the DNR’s Roscommon Customer Service Center spearheaded the investigation. After pinpointing the location of the activity and observing the suspects tend to their illegal net on several occasions, the officers obtained a search warrant and discovered the stash of pike with support from Lt. Jeremy Payne and Conservation Officers Chad Foerster and Jill Miller of the Bay City Customer Service Center. All of the fish were illegally netted or speared in violation of state laws. Read more

Poachers

American woodcock – Michigan’s leading the nation

American woodcockSpring means many things to many people – morel mushrooms, trout fishing, turkey hunting or viewing migrating birds overhead. The American woodcock is one of those migrating, part-time Michigan residents that split time between the southeastern United States and Michigan.

“For decades, Michigan has helped gather information on woodcock populations, which spend time in numerous states and provinces from Canada to the Gulf,” said Michigan Department of Natural Resources upland game bird specialist Al Stewart. Read more

Wildlife

Calling All Birders: Global Big Day is May 13

Ithaca, NY–A “big day” is a big deal for people who love to watch birds. The term traditionally applies to any effort to identify as many bird species as possible in a single day. The third annual Global Big Day takes place on May 13, 2017. Bird watchers around the world are invited to watch and count birds for any length of time on that day and enter their observations online at eBird.org.

“The past two Global Big Days have set back-to-back world records for the most bird species seen in a single day,” says Chris Wood at the Cornell Lab. “During last year’s Global Big Day bird watchers from more than 150 countries tallied more than 60 percent of the world’s bird species.” Read more

Wildlife

Brownells Honors “FedEx Guy” With All American Dream Gun

GW: Way to go, Pete, for recognizing Matt Uhrin and the country’s symbol of freedom!

ATLANTA, Georgia – Brownells’ NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits special guest Matt Uhrin – also known as the famous flag-saving “FedEx Guy” – was honored by Brownells CEO Pete Brownell during a presentation in the Brownells booth on Saturday, April 29, 2017.

Uhrin, an Iowa City, Iowa-area package delivery man, was recognized for his patriotism and courageous actions for intervening in a late-January 2017 protest where demonstrators were preparing to burn American flags. A U.S. Army combat veteran, Uhrin, who had sent fallen brothers and sisters home from the Mid-East under America’s symbol of freedom rushed into the crowd of protestors, bravely saving three American flags.

In recognition of his actions, Brownells CEO Pete Brownell presented Uhrin with the one-of-a-kind Brownells/Smith & Wesson® All American Dream Gun®. The firearm is a highly-customized Smith & Wesson M&P® M2.0™ 9mm pistol and features, most appropriately, an American Flag paint scheme.

“Matt is a shining example of a patriot, local hero and a real American,” said Brownell. “Too many times we see indifference in society; it’s just great to see someone bold enough to do the right thing. I want to thank Matt for his service to our country both at home and abroad and I’m proud to give him this fantastic firearm.” Read more

Firearms

MI Elk and bear hunting applications now available; videos explain drawing process


The 2017 bear and elk hunting application period is open now through June 1. A total of 200 elk and 7,140 bear licenses will be available for the 2017 hunting seasons.The Michigan Department of Natural Resources encourages applicants to take a few moments to watch the videos explaining the bear and elk drawing process:

Hunting

Boone and Crockett Club: The Second Amendment and Conservation


MISSOULA, Mont. – The oldest conservation organization in North America has released its position on gun ownership and its historical influence on wildlife conservation.”Sportsmen have known for a long time that hunting supports and funds wildlife conservation and management programs,” said Ben B. Hollingsworth Jr., president of the Boone and Crockett Club. “What is often overlooked is that the most successful system of wildlife conservation ever devised – the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation – would not have been possible without sportsmen and their right to own and use firearms.” Read more
Firearms

Anyone can hunt wild turkey during Michigan’s spring season


Michigan’s long-awaited guaranteed spring turkey hunt – Hunt 234 – started Monday.”The intent of the spring turkey season is to provide opportunity to all hunters while maintaining high-quality turkey hunting,” said Department of Natural Resources upland game bird biologist Al Stewart. “Hunt 234 is a great way for anyone to get out hunting this spring, with a month of hunting and the ability to buy your license over the counter without an application.”

Hunt 234 is a statewide hunting license valid for all open areas, except public lands in the southern Lower Peninsula (Hunt Unit ZZ). The Hunt 234 license can be purchased at any time throughout the May 1-May 31 season. Read more

Hunting

Proper disposal of pets or aquarium items very important to protect Michigan’s waters


Each year the Michigan Department of Natural Resources receives numerous reports of unique species showing up in waterbodies throughout the state. While oftentimes these reports consist of a single animal being found, occasionally they point to large populations of non-native species where you wouldn’t expect to find them.Screenshot ofHow these species got into the water can be a mystery, but there is one method that’s often the culprit and it’s 100-percent preventable.

Pet and aquarium owners often face the dilemma where they no longer want to keep their various organisms, so they sometimes opt to release them into the wild. Read more

Fishing
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