DNR, MDARD update Michigan’s plan for managing chronic wasting disease

GW:  The revisions in the newly modified CWD response plan are focused more on affected areas, rather than the broad, far-reaching actions in the previous plan – no doubt resulting from hunter outrage.  But, now, if neighboring states are found with CWD, Michigan’s plan may swing into action.

The Natural Resources Commission adopted changes to chronic wasting disease baiting and feeding regulations, as outlined in the state’s newly revised CWD response plan, at its regular monthly meeting Thursday in Lansing. Read more

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No Asian carp found in western Lake Erie

After a week of intensive electrofishing and gill netting activities in Sandusky Bay, Maumee Bay and their main tributaries, officials have found no bighead or silver Asian carps in western Lake Erie. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) continue to work together to assess the current status of bighead and silver carp within western Lake Erie bays and select tributaries. Read more

General, Wildlife

HumaneWatch and HSUS at Conference

HumaneWatch was in sunny San Diego last weekend at the 2012 American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Convention. We had an exhibit booth in the main hall along with a plethora of companies promoting products to a few thousand veterinarians who attended the event. And to stir things up a bit, a Humane Society of the United States group had a booth, too.

AVMA Convention

It didn’t take long for our first visitor to stop by and say a kind word. It was an exhibitor, a few minutes before the hall opened on Saturday. He was from the veterinary technician field and said his company worked with a lot of hands-on local shelter, and was already “in the know” about the confusion between the Humane Society of the U.S. and local shelters and how little HSUS gives to shelters.

We figured it would be a fairly friendly crowd, but it definitely exceeded our expectations. Read more

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Whackos File Suit to Stop Wisconsing Wolf Hunt

GW:  Really?  Not that I didn’t expect the relentless whackos to fire away at game management based on science.  No, that’s not it.  But, “animal cruelty?” as a basis to stop the control of wolves?  How ’bout cruelty to livestock?  Oh that’s right, it’s better that the wolves eat the meat before we do.

This from my friends at The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation…

On Wednesday, August 8th a coalition of animal rights groups filed a lawsuit against the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) in an attempt to stop the state’s upcoming wolf hunt.

The hunting season, which was passed by the state’s legislature earlier this year and was recently approved by the WDNR, allows the use of dogs to track wolves.  The anti-hunting groups are claiming that the use of dogs to hunt wolves is a violation of the state’s animal cruelty laws and are seeking to stop the issuance of wolf hunting licenses. Read more

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Natural Resources Commission to meet Aug. 9 in Lansing

GW:  Remember how so many hunters squawked about closing down artificial baiting when we had that one case of CWD in a captive herd?  The DNR was acting on its approved plan, that’s all.  So, here’s your chance to be heard.  It could be very interesting.  There’s other good stuff to be discussed, as well.

Just read the whole post, because not much of it relates to baiting, but it’s in there.

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) will hold its regular monthly meeting Thursday, Aug. 9, at the Michigan State University Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, 4125 Beaumont Road, Lansing. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Historic “witness tree” removed from Kalkaska County

 

200-Year Old Sugar Maple cut down after dying

Trees are cut down every day in Michigan, but not all of them have the rich history of a sugar maple that was removed from Rapid River Township in Kalkaska County on Tuesday. According to Department of Natural Resources foresters who examined the rings of this particular tree — an original “witness tree” from the 1850 resurvey of northern Michigan — the tree is believed to have been more than 200 years old.

Witness trees serve as reference points, or accessories, used to locate land corners in surveying. In rural areas, trees are often used as witnesses. This tree, which died last year, was originally marked by a U.S. government surveyor named Lucius Lyon on Sept. 26, 1850. Lyon served as Michigan surveyor general from 1845 to 1850. The tree was 10 inches in diameter at the time of that marking, and was 36 inches in diameter when it was cut down. Read more

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