ThinkingAfield.org

April 23, 2026
Contact: Cheryl Nelson, 231-287-1714, or Joanne Foreman, 517-284-5814

Balsam woolly adelgid, a tiny, sap-feeding insect that attacks true fir trees, has been detected at the Backus Creek State Game Area in Roscommon County. The Michigan departments of Agriculture and Rural Development and Natural Resources have been managing isolated balsam woolly adelgid infestations in Clare, Missaukee and Oceana counties since 2023. A small infestation found in Kent County in 2021 is believed to be eradicated.

The DNR manages the 4,378-acre Backus Creek SGA, located east of Houghton Lake for forestry and wildlife including waterfowl, upland game birds and deer, and the area is widely used by hunters. Signs of a potential infestation were noted by a DNR forest technician in early March while conducting initial preparations for a prescribed harvest planned for 2028 to 2030. An insect sample was sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, then forwarded to Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History, which provided final verification in late March.

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In response to the catastrophic wildfires that have swept across Nebraska, Hornady® is proud to announce a t-shirt fundraising campaign – “Nebraska Strong,” benefiting the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Disaster Relief Fund.

Recent wildfires have burned nearly 1 million acres of Nebraska ranchland, an area larger than the state of Rhode Island. The fires have heavily impacted the Nebraska Sandhills, one of the most productive and globally recognized beef-producing regions in the world.

The destruction extends far beyond grazing land. Ranchers have suffered significant losses including fences, hay supplies, buildings, equipment, and livestock infrastructure. Compounding the crisis, Nebraska has been enduring years of drought, making recovery even more difficult. The long-term effects of this disaster will be felt for years to come.

“As a Nebraska-based company, this hits close to home for all of us,” said Jason Hornady, Vice President at Hornady. “These ranchers are not only our neighbors, but they play a critical role in feeding our country. We felt a deep responsibility to stand alongside them and provide support during this incredibly challenging time,” he added.

The limited-edition t-shirts are now available for purchase, with 100% of profits donated directly to the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Disaster Relief Fund. The fund provides vital assistance to ranchers working to rebuild and recover from natural disasters.

Supporters can purchase shirts and learn more about the initiative at: https://hornadygear.com/products/nebraska-strong-black?variant=48004342513908 Read more

The Maine Warden Service and the Maine Air National Guard rescued a severely hypothermic hiker who got caught in the April snow atop Bigelow Mountain.

On Monday night, April 20th, the Maine Warden Service was notified that there was a 24-year-old female hiker on the Appalachian Trail on Bigelow Mountain that was severely hypothermic.

At approximately 9:30 p.m. April 20th, David Piccioni, age 35 of Cumbola, Penn., contacted emergency services and notified them that his hiking partner, Anna Troxell, age 24 of Drums, Penn., was severely hypothermic and needed help. She had slurred speech, her lips were blue and she was losing muscle coordination and was unstable walking.

Troxell and Piccioni were located on the Appalachian Trail between the West Peak and Avery Peak on Bigelow Mountain. There was approximately 3-5″ of fresh snow on mountain from a recent storm and temperatures were in the mid-teens.

Game Wardens, alongside members of the Eustis Fire Department, local EMS, and search and rescue volunteers, coordinated a multi-agency response. The initial rescue team began ascending the Fire Warden Trail, a 4.5 mile trail over steep terrain, at the Stratton Brook Pond Road at approximately 10:45 p.m. on April 20th while additional teams mobilized to assist.

Rescuers reached the patient around 01:45 a.m. on Tuesday, April 21st and immediately initiated warming efforts under extreme cold and wet summit conditions, wrapping the two hikers in heavy sleeping bags, providing warm drinks and starting a fire. Read more

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources photo

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources currently has 15 desert tortoises available for adoption and is accepting applications.

Mojave desert tortoises, native to areas north and west of the Colorado River in Arizona, Utah, Nevada and California, were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1990. As such, desert tortoises are protected under federal and state laws. In Utah, it is illegal to collect or remove desert tortoises from the wild. It is also illegal to release captive tortoises back into the wild or to transport them into Utah without the proper certifications.

“Removing tortoises from the wild can harm wild populations by reducing their ability to reproduce and sustain themselves on the landscape,” DWR Native Herpetology Coordinator Alyssa Hoekstra said, “Tortoises that are removed from the wild cannot be returned, due to the risk of introducing diseases, especially if they’ve been kept in a home with other animals. We are concerned primarily about the upper respiratory tract disease, spread by the release of sick captive tortoises and associated with population declines in the wild. This disease causes symptoms similar to pneumonia.” Read more

Whitetails Unlimited has granted $334,536 to various mission-related projects in the state of Michigan over the past fiscal year. More than 130 different organizations received grants pertaining to outdoor education, habitat enhancement, and hunting and shooting sports preservation. This was done in large part with the help of Whitetails Unlimited’s 47 Michigan chapters.

A large portion of these funds were spent through WTU’s Preserving the Hunting Tradition Program, which focuses on increasing hunting opportunities and providing outdoor experiences for youth, women, veterans, and those with a disability. Whitetails Unlimited supports hunter rights, the Second Amendment, and that hunting is a wholesome family activity that provides outdoor recreation and healthy food for millions of people.

About Whitetails Unlimited: Since our beginning in 1982, Whitetails Unlimited has remained true to its mission and has made great strides in the field of conservation. Thanks to more than 475 chapters, 120,000-plus members, chapter volunteers, and corporate sponsors, Whitetails Unlimited has earned the reputation of being the nation’s premier organization dedicating its resources to the betterment of the white-tailed deer and its environment. Our mission is to raise funds in support of educational programs, wildlife habitat enhancement and acquisition, and preservation of the shooting sports and hunting tradition for future generations. To date, Whitetails Unlimited has expended more than $159.3 million on program services and activities that continue to enhance, and ultimately foster, our mission. Stay connected with us: Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, WTU Website