New study of Saginaw Bay walleye movement and reproduction starts soon

A new study begins this month on Saginaw Bay, using acoustic transmitters that will be implanted in walleye to help researchers with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan State University and several partner agencies obtain data about where the fish spawn.

Fish in such telemetry projects have acoustic transmitters affixed to them. Each transmitter then beeps a fish-specific code every few minutes. Acoustic receivers deployed in Lake Huron decode the tag beeps and log when fish tags are detected. The network of acoustic receivers in Saginaw Bay includes receivers in the mouths of rivers to listen for tagged fish moving to spawning grounds and receivers in Saginaw Bay to determine where walleye may be spawning.

Having a better understanding of relative sources of natural reproduction for walleye will help fishery managers determine which rivers and reefs to protect and, when needed, where to invest in actions that enhance and improve fish habitat.

Volunteer charter boat operations are assisting in the study by collecting the walleye hook and line in May while the fish from all spawning sources are mixed post-spawn, but before any leave the bay. Then when the fish return for spawning next spring, their locations will be logged in the receivers. There are at least 15 rivers and five offshore reefs that are likely sources of walleye spawning. Read more

Fishing

Leupold’s Project Hunt: Apply to Have Your Hunt Filmed

BEAVERTON, Ore. — Leupold & Stevens, Inc., provider of the world’s most rugged, lightweight, and clear sport optics, is pleased to announce the return of the Project Hunt contest, which offers hunters across the United States the chance to have an upcoming hunt filmed and shared across Leupold’s digital media platforms.

It’s your tag, your hunt, and your story. Leupold’s Project Hunt, presented by GOHUNT, is offering contest entrants the chance to star in a Leupold digital series. You plan the hunt; you call the shots. Leupold will provide a videographer to capture the story. A short film or limited series about your hunt will be produced by Leupold and released digitally in 2023.

Hunts must take place before March 1, 2023, to be considered. In addition to the provided videographer, selected entrants will also receive a prize package of Leupold optics, and an annual GOHUNT Insider membership.

“Last year we launched our first-ever ‘Project Hunt’ contest and it was a huge success,” said Bruce Pettet, President and Chief Executive Office of Leupold & Stevens, Inc. “This year we’re back and looking for another incredible story to tell. No one is more relentless than the members of the Leupold Core, and we’re asking you to help us prove it. Whether you’re going on the hunt of a lifetime or hunting close to home with your family, it’s time to tell your story.”

In 2021, Leupold chose two winners for the Project Hunt contest. Jesse Shiner and Matt Hicks will each have their stories unfold in upcoming short films to be released in 2022.

“I’ve been putting in 23 years for a bighorn sheep tag in Arizona…Couldn’t believe when I got drawn for it,” Hicks said. “It was an amazing experience, just a real trip of a lifetime. Leupold sponsoring this, they really went above and beyond, what a great company. Provided me tons of gear, the scope I used, binoculars, spotting scope, tripod, everything they provided we used. Couldn’t thank those guys enough.”

The deadline to enter is June 18, 2022. Entries must be submitted at Leupold.com/ProjectHunt. A 2-minute video explaining why your submission should be selected is required to enter. Read more

Hunting

Johnny Morris Donates Yet Again to Conservation

— Frank Sargeant
Frankmako1@gmail.com

Johnny Morris is a classic American success story, starting out in his 20’s selling a little tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield. Missouri in 1972.

Johnny Morris has built an empire on fishing, hunting and boating equipment sales, and has been remarkably generous with his wealth in supporting conservation and other worthy causes. (Bass Pro Shops)

Today, the company he built, based mostly on the Bass Pro Shops logo, has a value of about $6.5 billion and employs over 40,000.

It owns not only 152 Bass Pro Shops superstores nationwide and in Canada but also 50 Cabela’s stores as well as White River Marine Group, parent company of Tracker, Ranger, Triton, Mako and other well-known boating brands sold at hundreds of dealerships around the nation.

And Morris has done an amazing amount of good with the money he and his team have earned. Just this month, as reported in yesterday’s TOW, he donated an added $1.5 million generated by the Bass Pro Shops World’s Fishing Fair and Concert in Springfield, Missouri

As with a number of other high-profile outdoors companies these days, the Bass Pro Shops empire has done its best to support the fish, wildlife and the outdoors fans that have made success possible. It all comes back to Johnny Morris, who has made a lifelong commitment to conservation.

The company has an ongoing effort to seek out and support worthwhile causes—see details here: https://about.basspro.com/community/support.

(In full disclosure, I worked for Outdoor World Television, a part of Bass Pro Shops, for eight years in the early 2000’s.)

More fishing news below… Read more

Fishing

Michigan: DNR Approves Land Gift Increasing Acreage at Craig Lake SP

Contact: Doug Rich, 906-353-6651

DNR approves land gift increasing acreage at Craig Lake State Park in Marquette County

The U.P. Land Conservancy has gifted nearly 1,300 acres of pristine highlands wilderness in Marquette County to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to protect the property from degradation and maintain public access.

“We are please to have this wonderful legacy donation to add to the very special Craig Lake State Park,” said Ron Olson, chief of the DNR’s Parks and Recreation Division.

The property includes three parcels that made up the conservancy’s Peshekee Headwaters Nature Preserve, which lies along the eastern edge of Craig Lake State Park.

Among its attributes, the property contains nearly 90% of the watershed that fills Indian Lake, which is headwaters of the West Branch of the Peshekee River, along with 10 miles of hiking trails that connect to the adjacent state park. Read more

Wildlife

NRA Joins Appeal of District Court’s “Erroneous” NWR Decision

NRA Appeals District Court’s Erroneous National Wildlife Refuge Decision

Fairfax, Va. – The National Rifle Association on April 15 joined with Safari Club International, Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to appeal an erroneous decision of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana denying the pro-hunting organizations’ efforts to intervene in and defend the expansion of hunting opportunities on federal lands.

In Center for Biological Diversity v. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the plaintiff challenged a 2020 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulation, that expanded hunting and fishing opportunities on almost 100 National Wildlife Refuges around the country. The plaintiff wrongly asserts that this expanded hunting and fishing threatens Endangered Species Act-listed species and challenges the use of lead ammunition and fishing tackle on National Wildlife Refuges. The pro-hunting organizations seek to defend the 2020 regulation, which is consistent with the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act’s directive to prioritize hunting and fishing on refuges.

In the appeal, the hunting organizations will demonstrate that the district court erred in ruling that hunter advocacy organizations do not have a legal interest in maintaining a rule that expanded hunting access. NRA, along with the adjoining groups, are leading hunter advocacy organizations and submitted multiple declarations of members who want to take advantage of expanded hunting and fishing opportunities provided in the 2020 rule.

“The NRA has always fought to ensure America’s sportsmen and women have ample access to this country’s great outdoors, and the district court’s ruling deprives them of the opportunity to be heard in this case,” said Amy Hunter, NRA spokeswoman. “On behalf of our five million members, we urge the appellate court to reverse this ruling.” Read more

Animal Rights, Hunting

Punch Paper and Win Prizes with Airgun Depot 10X10 Challenge

Draper, UT — Airgun Depot is excited to announce the launch of its 10X10 Challenge to encourage customers to hit the range and earn a chance at incredible prizes.

No purchase is necessary to enter, and anyone can download 10X10 Challenge targets or order a free (plus shipping) set at airgundepot.com/10×10-challenge-target.

Participants can then take 10 shots at the 10-inch target from a set distance and upload a photo of the completed 10X10 Challenge target at airgundepot.com/challenge. The farther the distance, the bigger the prize level. Read more

Firearms

Wicked Ridge Fury 410 De-Cock

NEW Wicked Ridge Fury 410™ De-Cock Features Safe De-Cocking and a 29” Long, Reverse-Draw Platform

Mogadore, OH. Wicked Ridge Crossbows NEW American-Built Fury 410 De-Cock is available for turkey season. Featuring safe de-cocking with the revolutionary ACUdraw De-Dock™, the reverse-draw Fury 410 is a perfectly balanced crossbow that measures an ultra-compact 29-inches long, 9-inches wide and shoots up to a lightning fast 410 feet-per-second.

“The Fury 410 De-Cock packs $2,000 worth of features into a price-point of $1,099.99,” said TenPoint CEO Rick Bednar. “Combining reverse-draw technology, safe de-cocking, and speeds up to 410 feet-per-second produces a crossbow never seen before at its price-tag.”

The NEW ACUdraw De-Cock silent cocking and safe de-cocking system features the company’s Auto-Brake Gear System that eliminates the potential of losing control which can lead to injury or costly bow damage during the de-cocking process. While de-cocking with the ACUdraw De-Cock, the user can remove their hand from the handle at any point and the handle will stop in place.

In addition, the easy-to-operate ACUdraw De-Cock reduces the effort required to cock the crossbow to just 5-pounds and is equipped with a 1,000-pound strength Nylon strap to reduce wear and abrasion. Read more

Archery

Michigan: Introduction to Wildlife Photography Workshop

Introduction to wildlife photography

Saturday, April 23
8 a.m. to noon
Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery Visitor Center
34270 County Road 652 in Mattawan (Van Buren County)

Get your feet wet with capturing wild critters on camera. Designed for those with little or no experience in wildlife photography, this class will introduce photography basics, equipment requirements, how to photograph wildlife, and managing and editing photographs.

Cost is $10. For ages 16 and older. Participation is limited to 25. Read more

Wildlife

Utah: Anglers Urged to Keep Small Lake trout Caught at Flaming Gorge

VERNAL — Several agencies are asking for anglers to keep any lake trout under 25 inches that are caught at Flaming Gorge Reservoir, in an effort to improve the health of the fishery. Several fishing tournaments will be held to incentivize anglers to help in this effort.

Currently, the popular reservoir in northeastern Utah — known for producing some of the largest lake trout in the U.S. — has too many small lake trout in it. In Flaming Gorge, lake trout larger than 25 inches primarily consume kokanee salmon and rainbow trout. If the abundant population of smaller lake trout (under 25 inches) is not reduced, there could be impacts on the salmon and rainbow trout populations, as well as fewer fish to feed the trophy lake trout.

“In the 1990s, an 8-year-old lake trout was about 30 inches long,” Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Flaming Gorge Lead Fisheries Biologist Ryan Mosley said. “Today, an 8-year-old fish is about 23 inches long. On top of the decreased length, the number of small lake trout in the reservoir has increased, and we’re concerned the situation is going to get worse. We’re managing for a balanced fishery of predators and prey, and currently, there are too many predators. Reducing the number of small lake trout now will mean healthier lake trout in the future, while also increasing the survival of trout and salmon that are highly sought after by anglers. They’re already growing slower and unless we can ‘thin the herd,’ it will only get worse.” Read more

Fishing

Forest Service: Urban Environments “Hotspots” for Invasive Insects

April 15, 2022 – About 82% of the U.S. population lives in urban areas, and that number is growing. People are drawn from near and far to cities for jobs, restaurants and entertainment. They also enjoy green spaces within a bustling cityscape. Parks, forests and tree-lined streets provide respite and recreation, places to pause and ponder. Trees in urban areas also benefit residents by lowering cooling costs and improving mental health outcomes.

hotspots map resized.pngSeveral U.S. cities, shown in yellow, may be hotspots for tree mortality from the invasive emerald ash borer beetle. The map also shows other locations in the insect’s path over the next 30 years. Dark blue areas have lower risk, while lighter blue and green areas may experience greater risks and costs. (Source: Hudgins et al. 2022 Figure 2d)

“Frequent travel to and from cities means that trees in urban areas have high rates of exposure to invasive species like the emerald ash borer,” said Frank Koch, a USDA Forest Service research ecologist and co-author of a new study about the impacts of invasive insects on urban trees.

The emerald ash borer is a wood-boring beetle native to Asia. First discovered in the U.S. in 2002, the beetle was brought here accidentally – likely on a wooden pallet filled with imported goods like toasters or electronics. The emerald ash borer is now found in 35 states and Canada and has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees. Read more

Wildlife
1 … 646 647 648 649 650 … 2,058