Ohio: DNR Sells $51,542 Worth of Forfeit Ginseng

The Division of Wildlife recently auctioned off $51,542 worth of ginseng and yellow root that was forfeited from illegal possession cases.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife recently auctioned off $51,542 of ginseng and yellow root that was forfeited from illegal possession cases. That total came from 59.7 pounds of ginseng and 3.1 pounds of yellow root from evidence collected following cleared Ohio court processes.

The money raised in the auction was added to the state’s Wildlife Diversity Fund, which supports projects for species of greatest conservation need such as sandhill cranes, trumpeter swans, and lake sturgeon.

The recent Division of Wildlife auction contained roots that were illegally harvested or possessed and were subsequently forfeited by the court of jurisdiction. During the auction, 23 lots of ginseng and one lot of yellow root were sold to licensed ginseng dealers, averaging a price of $861.52 per pound of ginseng sold and $35.16 per pound of yellow root. Read more

Wildlife

SAF Attorneys File Brief Opposing Minnesota’s Request to Stay Injunction

BELLEVUE, WA – Attorneys for the Second Amendment Foundation and its allies in a Minnesota case challenging the state prohibition on handgun permits for young adults aged 18-20 have filed a brief asking the federal court to deny a state request to stay the injunction issued last week which declared the permitting age restriction unconstitutional.

SAF is joined in the case by the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, Firearms Policy Coalition and three young adults, Austin Dye, Axel Anderson and Kristin Worth, the latter for whom the case is named. They are represented by attorneys Blair W. Nelson of Bemidji, Minn., and David H. Thompson, Peter A. Patterson and William V. Bergstrom at Cooper & Kirk in Washington, D.C. The case is known as Worth v. Harrington.

In her 50-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez wrote, “The Supreme Court’s recent decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Ass’n v. Bruen…compels the conclusion that Minnesota’s permitting age restriction is unconstitutional, and Plaintiffs are entitled to judgment as a matter of law.”

Judge Menendez subsequently added, “(T)he Court concludes that the text of the Second Amendment includes within the right to keep and bear arms 18-to-20-year-olds, and therefore, the Second Amendment ‘presumptively guarantees [Plaintiffs’] right to ‘bear’ arms in public for self-defense.’” Read more

Gun Control

Bird Migration Forecasts & Live Radar Maps

Most birds migrate at night, including many species of waterfowl, such as Northern Shovelers (photo by Paul Konrad).
A screenshot of a BirdCast bird migration map resembles a radar screen. This screenshot is dated April 1st at 4:20am EDT.

Spring migration brings a number of high-tech options for birders to use online when planning birding trips and to keep in touch with bird migration across the Lower 48 States. BirdCast provides migration forecasts that show predicted nocturnal migration activities for tonight and the next 2 nights. You can also see real-time BirdCast migration maps that show intensities of nocturnal bird migration as detected by the US weather surveillance radar network between sunset and sunrise each night.

Nocturnal Bird Migration Radar Maps – BirdCast real-time analysis maps show intensities of color-coded radar movements throughout the nighttime hours as detected by the US weather surveillance radar network from sunset to sunrise across the Lower 48 States. The migration movements progress with time, with a red line that moves east to west to show the timing of local sunset, followed by colored flight patterns detected by the radar, and a yellow line moves across the states to show the progression of sunrise.

Bird migration intensity is indicated on the maps with areas showing a range of colors from purple and blue for light migration rates and lighter colors where higher migration rates are detected. Brighter colors indicate a higher migration rate, expressed in units of birds per kilometer per hour. Orange arrows also show the directions birds were flying.

You can now monitor the maps daily, weekly, or whenever you think of it during this spring migration season at Live bird migration maps – BirdCast including access to the library of past migration maps for any date during present and past spring and fall migrations. Read more

Wildlife

The Midwest Crane Count is April 15

Many pairs of Sandhill Cranes will be on nesting territories, with other small flocks of younger cranes assembled in area wetlands during the Midwest Crane Count (photo by Paul Konrad).

Join the International Crane Foundation and more than 1,800 volunteers on Saturday morning April 15 from 5:30 to 7:30am for the annual Midwest Crane Count. Each year participants travel to their local wetlands and favorite birding locations to survey Sandhill Cranes, and possibly Whooping Cranes, then report their observations. The survey takes place in more than 150 counties in 7 states – including all of Wisconsin and portions of Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Read more

Wildlife

A Nesting Shelf for Robins, Doves, & More

One of our favorite backyard birds, American Robins will build their nest and raise young on a nesting shelf, as will phoebes, doves, and House Finches, thereby providing a fun opportunity to watch their activities at a location of your choice (photo by Paul Konrad).
Duncraft’s Best Nesting Shelf is an option to a DIY nesting shelf.

Not every bird nests in a birdhouse or nest box; actually, just a small percentage of birds are specialized cavity nesting birds, but some birds will build their nest on the edge or corner of buildings where they can fit a nest that offers a degree of protection and stability. The most obvious among these birds are robins, doves, phoebes, and House Finches. To attract these species, or to redirect them to a certain location, some years ago a creative birder tried building a simple shelf that proved successful, and over the years the design has been improved.

Today, a nesting shelf tends to be something of an open-ended box, but the best ones tend to be a little more open, with partly open sides so the birds can see more of the surrounding area. They have a slanted roof with a bit of an overhang, a drain hole drilled in each corner of the floor, and many nesting shelves have a low “curb” on the front. Read more

Wildlife

Arizona: Apply for Limited-Entry Permit-Tag Seasons Beginning April 15

Dale Hajek, Community Relations Specialist
623-236-7215, dhajek@azgfd.gov

PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) will accept applications for limited-entry permit-tag seasons beginning at 8 a.m. (Arizona time) Wednesday, April 5.

These new big game hunting opportunities give hunters a chance to draw an additional elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and pronghorn permit-tag, while generating revenue to help support wildlife conservation efforts across the state.

To apply, visit www.limitedhuntentry.azgfd.com/. The deadline is 5 p.m. (Arizona time) Tuesday, April. 11. Read more

Hunting

Magnum Research Introduces Viking L5 Desert Eagle

Pillager, MN: Magnum Research introduces its third handgun influenced by Norse warrior culture, the “Viking L5 Desert Eagle”! If Thor had a handgun, there is no question that it would be anything other than a mighty Desert Eagle pistol. Viking cultural traditions have been a powerful influence on modern warrior culture, with their devotion to battle, and to the weapons they carried. Norse long swords taken from archeological digs inspire the Viking L5 Desert Eagle. Each of these custom handguns has a weathered finish that is hand distressed to resemble ancient blades, and protected by a clear coat finish to be both unique and durable. The result is a visually striking and unique firearm that combines the rugged, sophisticated design of the Desert Eagle with the ancient, mythic imagery of Norse culture. Without question, the Viking L5 Desert Eagle is the perfect collectible piece for gun enthusiasts with an interest in Norse history and culture. The Mark XIX L5 in .50 AE features a 5-inch barrel with integral muzzle brake. The black frame is hard-coat anodized with a Hogue® finger grooved rubber grip. Overall length is 9.75”, height is 6.25” and the slide width is 1.25”. All lightweight Desert Eagle L5 models are New York State compliant. One seven round magazine is included. The Viking L5 Desert Eagle is exclusively available from Davidson’s at Gallery of Guns. MSRP is $3007. Read more

Firearms

Delta Waterfowl Duck Hunters EXPO to Host Callmakers Championship

BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA — Presented by Chêne Gear, the newest attraction of the Delta Duck Hunters EXPO is the Delta Waterfowl Callmakers Championship. The Duck Hunters Organization is adding the tribute-style callmaking contest to the excitement July 28 to 30 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, Arkansas.

“It is our great pleasure to introduce the merger of the World’s Championship Callmakers Contest with Delta Waterfowl, specifically the Delta Waterfowl Duck Hunters EXPO,” said James Miller, founder of the contest. “After the success of our contest last year we began looking for ways to improve the contest and make it bigger, more prestigious, and bring in more people.”

Chêne Gear—known for high-quality waterfowl gear and apparel—is the presenting sponsor for the Delta EXPO event.

“Chêne Gear is proud to be a part of the Callmakers Championship,” said Jeff Jones of Chêne. “The art of taking a historical piece and putting today’s technology and touch on it is something that is near and dear to our company. The past will always point the way to the future, paved by way of technology and craftsmanship—this callmaking contest embodies just that.” Read more

Hunting

Barnett’s Models of Youth Bows for Young Hunters

Tarpon Springs, FL – Archery hunting success starts with a foundation in good shooting, and for young hunters, that means a bow suited to their size and strength. Barnett® understands the needs of the aspiring archer and builds compound and recurve bow models for kids, big and small.

Parents looking for the perfect gift for their young hunter should consider a compound or recurve bow. Barnett builds the gift kids will never forget; their first bow!

Vortex™ Compound Bow

With a customizable draw weight from 19–45 pounds (with 60–70% let-off) and draw length from 22–27-inches, the Vortex Compound bow grows with the teenage hunter’s needs. The right-hand bow features a three-pin fiber optic sight, capture arrow rest, and three-arrow quiver. The compound bow is clad in Mossy Oak® Break-Up Country camo to hide from the wary game.

  • Draw Weight – 19–45 lbs
  • Draw Length – 22–27 in
  • Pattern – Mossy Oak Break-Up Country
  • Age – Teen+

Vortex™ Lite Compound Bow

This ‘lite’ version of Vortex includes many of the same features Read more

Archery

Michigan: Sturgeon for Tomorrow seeking volunteers to protect sturgeon along Black River

Volunteers are needed in Cheboygan County now through early June to stand guard as mature lake sturgeon head upstream to their spawning sites along the Black River.

The Black Lake Chapter of Sturgeon for Tomorrow is working in partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and various tribes to protect the fish from being illegally harvested during the six-week spawning season.

Sgt. Mark DePew, who leads DNR Law Enforcement Division’s efforts on the river, said, “This program, that protects this iconic species when they are most vulnerable, is a model of how agencies and the public can cooperate to get needed work accomplished.”

The lake sturgeon, which can weigh up to 200 pounds and live to be 100 years old, is listed as a threatened species in Michigan, with any sport fishing being closely regulated.

“For over 20 years, the annual Sturgeon Guarding Program has proven that people serving as sturgeon guards watching over the river have virtually eliminated poaching, while helping to ensure the protection and reproductive success of the species,” said, Mary Paulson the program’s volunteer coordinator. “It’s a unique and rewarding experience to witness these majestic fish swimming up the Black River, and to be a key player in safeguarding one of Michigan’s most valuable natural resources.” Read more

Fishing
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