Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Michigan DNR seeks partners in new hunting and habitat program

The Department of Natural Resources is looking for partners in a new hunting and wildlife management program called the Grouse Enhanced Management System (GEMS), in
which timber is intensively managed to improve ruffed grouse habitat and hunting opportunities. Seven GEMS are being formed in both the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula for a fall 2014 hunting season debut.

GEMS will be managed primarily for aspen and harvested on a shortened rotation. Normally aspen is cut every 60 years, but within the GEMS, aspen is intended to be young and thick – the best habitat for grouse and woodcock – and will be cut about every 40 years. Each GEMS area will contain gated roads, which will allow hunters to meander among different-aged aspen stands without concern for vehicle traffic.

Each GEMS area will have a parking lot, an information station and signs, as well as local community partners, and each will:
  • Provide unique, walk-in hunting opportunities.
  • Promote hunter recruitment and retention.
  • Expand local economies.
  • Accelerate timber harvest opportunities.
Groups or organizations interested in partnering with GEMS can contact Katie Keen at 231-775-9727.
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Thursday, June 5, 2014

NO ADDITIONAL DEER TEST POSITIVE FOR CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE

Identifying Animals at Risk from CWD. A raccoo...
Identifying Animals at Risk from CWD. A raccoon family feeds on a deer carcass staked out by researchers at the University of Wisconsin, in a study aimed at determining which species could be at risk of contracting CWD. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
A deer shot during the regular gun season in Allamakee County was the lone positive out of more than 4,000 samples collected from 2013/14 looking for the presence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Iowa.
That positive sample from a wild deer was the focus of three public meetings in April, where the DNR engaged Allamakee and Clayton County residents to work together to increase surveillance and the number of deer samples collected in a five mile radius from where the positive deer was harvested.
“This additional surveillance, along with more than 1,100 deer sampled in the past 12 years in this immediate area, will help us to determine if CWD has spread to other deer. If no further cases are found in the next three years, we will go back to routine testing,” said Dr. Dale Garner, chief of Wildlife for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.  “If additional cases are found, we will work with the public to decide how to proceed.”
Since 2002, the Iowa DNR has sampled nearly 51,000 wild deer and 3,500 captive deer and elk for CWD. A majority of samples came from 11 counties in northeast Iowa, which is the area closest to the CWD endemic areas in Wisconsin and Illinois, and Minnesota’s southeast containment area.
Sampling effort also concentrated on three areas surrounding captive facilities that had animals test positive in Iowa in 2012 and the area north of where Missouri’s positive CWD deer have been found.
No additional positive CWD results have been found in wild deer. The DNR is encouraging the public to report all road kill deer, and sick or severely emaciated deer found in the targeted area by calling563-546-7962 or 563-380-3422.
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Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Putting an End to Deer Poaching on Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge

Thanks to an anonymous tip and solid investigative work, a 17-year serial poacher from
Minnesota was sentenced in federal court today after pleading guilty to a Lacey Act violation for transporting wildlife that was unlawfully taken in violation of federal law. In October 2013, William Robert Welsh, age 41 of St. Cloud, Minnesota pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge.
A plea agreement outlines an admission from Welsh that, in October of 2011, Welsh shot and killed a deer in the closed area of Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge. The following day, Welsh sawed off the deer’s antlers and transported them to his residence, leaving the remainder of the carcass in the field. Welsh later transported the antlers and other evidence to another person’s residence and instructed them to hide the items.
As part of the sentence, Judge Franklin L. Noel of the Minnesota District announced that Welsh is barred from hunting “big game” anywhere in the United States for five years, banned from entering Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge for five years and forfeits his seized firearm and hunting equipment, along with trophy deer mounts and antlers from seven illegally taken deer. Judge Noel placed Welsh on two years of probation and 100 hours of community service, additionally banned Welsh from hunting small game during that time.   
This court case stems from a joint U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources investigation that documented what may be the most extensive poaching activity in the history of Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge. Welsh’s illegal deer hunting operation was located north of Zimmerman, Minnesota in an area of the refuge that is closed to all public access.
“This investigation revealed at least a decade of egregious poaching on the refuge and other areas throughout the state,” explained U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Zone Law Enforcement Officer Brent Taylor.
“While the loss to the resource cannot be undone, it is good to know that this poacher will not be able to continue his unethical behavior anywhere in the country,” continued Taylor.
The investigation started when Federal U.S. Fish and Wildlife Officer Scott Pariseau received a call in November 2011 through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Turn-in-
Part of the illegal poaching by William Robert Welsh
 of St. Cloud, Minnesota. Photo by USFWS
Poachers hotline. Based on that information, investigators located Welsh unlawfully hunting in the closed area of the refuge with his young son. Officer Pariseau, along with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation officers and Office of Law Enforcement special agents, identified five permanent tree stands in the closed area of Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge that Welsh used for hunting deer.
“We are pleased to see this poacher brought to justice,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Resident Agent in Charge Pat Lund, supervisor for Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri.
“Gluttonous wanton waste like this has no place on refuge lands and has a negative impact on legal, ethical hunting opportunities,” continued Lund.
Prior to this investigation, Welsh had been cited by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in 1996 for trespassing and illegally hunting deer in a Minnesota state game refuge, for which Welsh’s hunting privileges were revoked for three years. During an interview in December 2011, Welsh told investigators that, in 1998, while his hunting license was revoked, he hunted using his wife’s deer license and killed a deer and tagged it using his wife’s deer tag. Investigators found and seized this illegally taken deer during the execution of federal and state search warrants at Welsh’s residence in December 2011.
The investigative team discovered that Welsh illegally killed eight white-tailed deer in the closed area of the refuge from 2006 to 2011. Welsh had five of these deer mounted, and simply cut the antlers off the other three. Welsh referred to one of these deer mounts as his “big 8-pointer.” Welsh showed investigators a large tattoo on his back that depicted the skull and antlers of the deer. Welsh also admitted to killing three other deer off the refuge in violation of state law near St. Cloud, Minnesota. A witness told investigators about a fourth deer that Welsh shot at night from a vehicle while using a spotlight.
Investigators re-interviewed Welsh in July 2012, during which time he told investigators he had discarded the five remaining deer that investigators had determined were illegally taken in violation of federal and state laws. In the plea agreement, Welsh agreed to forfeit these five unlawful deer to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but failed to make them available to investigators. In all, Welsh forfeited four deer mounts and the antlers from three other illegally taken deer.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would like to recognize the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and their conservation officers, whose assistance in this investigation was instrumental in the successful outcome of this case.
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Monday, June 2, 2014

GFP Commission Proposes South Dakota Deer Hunting Seasons

With decreased deer populations across the state, the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission has proposed to reduce the number of licenses and tags for many of the state’s deer hunting seasons.

The proposed East River deer season would result in a reduction of 7,240 licenses and a reduction of 20,560 tags compared to 2013. A substantial decrease in antlerless tags is intended to increase deer populations in several management areas. This management response is being implemented where deer populations have declined over the past few years due primarily to outbreaks of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), habitat loss and weather.
The proposed West River deer season would result in 3,775 fewer licenses with a corresponding reduction in tags by 25,120 (56 percent). Similar to the East River deer season, the most significant reduction in tags for the West River season will be antlerless tags; which are proposed to decrease by 86 percent or 23,145 compared to what was available in 2013.
The Commission proposal for the Black Hills deer hunting season would have no
antlerless licenses for 2014. The Black Hills proposal calls for 200 resident and 16 non-resident any deer licenses and 3,000 resident and 240 non-resident any whitetail deer licenses.
The Department of Game, Fish and Parks recommended no changes to the Custer State Park deer hunting season and will again have 10 any whitetail licenses and 20 antlerless whitetail muzzleloader licenses.
The proposal for the 2014 archery deer hunting season would only allow the harvest of whitetail deer on antlerless deer licenses. Each hunter could only have one antlerless license. In addition, several management units in both the eastern and western parts of the state would be closed to antlerless archery deer licenses. 
Under the Commission proposal, the area used during the archery season east of the Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve would be modified and reduced in size. The number of access permits for the Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve will be reduced from 10 to 5.
As proposed for the archery season, only whitetail deer could be harvested with antlerless licenses during the muzzleloader season. A hunter would be limited to one antlerless license.
Youth deer hunters could have one antlerless license; which would be valid statewide under the Commission’s proposal.
The Commission’s proposal would reduce refuge deer licenses for residents by 15 and for non-residents by three for the Waubay National Wildlife Refuge. For LaCreek National Wildlife Refuge, licenses will be valid for any deer and no antlerless licenses would be issued.
View the full deer hunting season proposals here:http://www.gfp.sd.gov/agency/commission/archive/2014/May/info-materials.pdf.
View a video explaining updates to deer management and current research projects:
The Commission will finalize these proposals at their June 5-6 meeting in Yankton at Lewis and Clark Resort. Written comments can be sent towildinfo@state.sd.us To be part of the official public record, comments must be received by 12 p.m. on June 5. Please include your full name along with the city and state of residence. If you would like to comment in person, the public hearing will be held Thursday, June 5, at 2 p.m. CDT at Lewis and Clark Resort in Yankton.

Michigan DNR honors long-time hunter education instructors


For nearly 70 years, Michigan has conducted hunter education classes for new hunters, teaching firearms safety and the regulations behind having a safe and successful hunt. This year, during special recognition ceremonies at a series of Natural Resources Commission meetings around the state, the Department of Natural Resources is honoring its long-time instructors who have been with the program for more than 40 years.
“Our hunter education program has trained over 1 million hunters since its start in 1946 and currently trains about 20,000 students a year,” said DNR Director Keith Creagh. “We could not do this without the help of our hunter education instructors who volunteer because of their love of the outdoors and their passion for passing along that love to the next generation of conservation leaders. We are proud to honor them for their longtime commitment to making sure everyone has a safe experience in the woods.”

At least 42 active hunter education instructors have given more than 40 years of service to the program, including Charles Duncan of Bay City who is the longest-serving instructor, having volunteered for over 49 years. Other instructors honored at the May 8 NRC meeting include:
 
  • Jack W. Cox, Battle Creek
  • John W. Dicks, Saline
  • Glenn C. Duncan, Bay City (son of Charles Duncan)
  • Paul C. Hayes, Flushing
  • Carl D. Holsinger, Holland
  • Wayne L. Hoyt, Commerce Township
  • William Johnston, Alto
  • Cloyse Lundie, Durand
  • Larry E. Martin, Ovid
  • Dennis D. McMahan, Freeland
  • William G. Osladil, Utica
  • Gary L. Pawlitz, Macomb
  • Allan G. Smith, Westphalia
  • Verne Spiekerman, Reese
  • Larry L. Whitney, Dimondale
While having a crop of seasoned, veteran instructors is an advantage for Michigan’s hunter education program, there also is a need to recruit new instructors in all regions of the state, according to Lt. Andrew Turner who manages the recreation safety program for the DNR's Law Enforcement Division. 
“We greatly appreciate our veteran instructors who have been with the program for more than 40 years," said Turner. "If you have an interest in passing along your experience in hunting to new hunters, we need you in our program. This is a great way to ensure that the sport you enjoy today is enjoyed by future generations.”

For more information on Michigan’s hunter education program, visit www.michigan.gov/recreationalsafety.
 
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Sunday, June 1, 2014

North Dakota Deer Gun Application Deadline is June 4

North Dakota deer hunters are reminded the deadline for submitting applications for the 2014 gun season is June 4. Hunters are encouraged to apply online at the State Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov.
The deadline applies to muzzleloader, regular gun, gratis and nonresident landowner, and youth antlered mule deer applications (specifically for antlered mule deer in units 3B1, 3B2, and 4A-4F).
Gratis applications received on or before the regular deer gun lottery application deadline (June 4) will be issued an any-legal-deer license. As per state law, applications received after the deadline will be issued based on licenses remaining after the lottery – generally only antlerless licenses remain.
A new state law requires residents age 18 or older to prove residency on the application by submitting a valid North Dakota driver’s license number or a North Dakota nondriver photo identification number. Applications will not be processed without this information. 
The deadline for regular statewide youth deer licenses is Sept. 1.
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