Excerpt from today's Washington Post
"It might sound strange to think of deer SWAT teams in the suburbs," said Norman, 50, a soft-spoken pastor with wire-rimmed glasses. "But if we don't do something pretty soon the deer will be stampeding down the streets."
Desperate to control exploding deer populations, some Washington area communities have turned in recent years to organized hunts -- often by recreational hunters -- to thin the herds. Now they are relying more and more on sharpshooters and police SWAT teams to hunt the animals even in some densely populated neighborhoods.
The District and Fairfax and Montgomery counties --not to mention private citizens -- have hired professional sharpshooters to kill the animals.
Even in an area where development often collides with nature, the rise of the suburban sharpshooter stands out as problematic. But deer control experts say the use of sharpshooters is often a safer or most efficient way to reduce the number of animals in densely populated residential areas.
Earl Hodnett, Fairfax County's wildlife biologist, said the county realized in 1998 that it had to take drastic steps when it found as many as 400 deer per square mile in some parks, more than 20 times the ecologically desirable level. Members of the police SWAT team have been assigned to hunt deer, shooting from the back of an olive drab pickup truck in parks near homes in such places as Great Falls and Clifton.
In Montgomery, which also uses police tactical officers as deer sharpshooters, the number of deer killed in organized hunts in county parks has skyrocketed from 19 in 1999, the year the program began, to 535 this year.
Friday, May 05, 2006
Thursday, May 04, 2006
ILLINOIS NEWS: Special hunt at rest area includes bucks, helps migratory birds
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will hold a special deer hunt during the 2006 firearm season at the Baldwin Lake Rest Area, but with a couple of changes.
"This year, permittees will be able to purchase an additional either-sex permit at the site office after they have harvested an antlerless deer on the rest area," said Mic Middleton, site superintendent. "In the past, only antlerless deer could be taken.
The changes are necessary to manage the deer herd in and around the rest area, according to Brian Mahan, IDNR district wildlife biologist.
"The number of deer is making it difficult to maintain the food available for migrating and resident waterfowl," Mahan said. "We believe hunter interest and deer harvest will increase by offering the chance to take a nice buck, a lot of which frequent the rest area."
"This year, permittees will be able to purchase an additional either-sex permit at the site office after they have harvested an antlerless deer on the rest area," said Mic Middleton, site superintendent. "In the past, only antlerless deer could be taken.
The changes are necessary to manage the deer herd in and around the rest area, according to Brian Mahan, IDNR district wildlife biologist.
"The number of deer is making it difficult to maintain the food available for migrating and resident waterfowl," Mahan said. "We believe hunter interest and deer harvest will increase by offering the chance to take a nice buck, a lot of which frequent the rest area."
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
NORTH DAKOTA NEWS: Captive Deer Escape, Wild Deer at Risk
Eleven captive white-tailed deer escaped from a landowner's enclosure south of Bismarck over the weekend, leading to concerns about the potential spread of disease among wild deer inhabiting MacLean Bottoms.
State veterinarian Susan Keller alerted North Dakota Game and Fish Department biologists about the escape by an e-mail sent on Monday.
"(One) of the deer has returned," Keller wrote in the e-mail. "The owner has ordered CWD sample cups by overnight air and hopes to be able to destroy the escaped deer and test them for CWD."
Keller and deputy state veterinarian Beth Carlson were attending meetings on Tuesday and were not available for comment.
Keller's e-mail identified the landowner as Gerald Landsberger.
"I'm trying to find the problem," he said Tuesday. "It was caused by a stray dog, and I'm trying to find the owner. If word gets out, nobody will 'fess up."
Asked how many whitetails still were missing, he said, "I have nothing else to say at this time."
The concern is having deer that have been confined get loose and mix with wild deer. "That's why the Board of Animal Health has regulations regarding that," said Bill Jensen, a NDGFD big-game biologist.
"Those deer are in a prime river bottom area. It's scary when penned deer mingle with wild deer, especially in an area where we have a pretty high deer density," said Jeb Williams, NDGFD outreach biologist.
Chronic wasting disease is just one concern.
"There are so many unknowns," Williams said.
Ten of the captive deer have small tags in their ears, and one doe has a large white dangle tag in the ear, Keller wrote in her e-mail.
Under current Board of Animal Health policies, the owner of the loose deer has 10 days to recover them, said Greg Link, NDGFD assistant wildlife division chief, who also sits on the nontraditional livestock advisory council.
After that, the Board of Animal Health notifies NDGFD or USDA Wildlife Services that the 10 days are up, and "if you see these deer with the ear tags, dispatch them," Link explained. Tissue samples for CWD testing are taken from any of the deer that are found and killed.
There is no fine unless the owner was not in compliance, Link added.
State veterinarian Susan Keller alerted North Dakota Game and Fish Department biologists about the escape by an e-mail sent on Monday.
"(One) of the deer has returned," Keller wrote in the e-mail. "The owner has ordered CWD sample cups by overnight air and hopes to be able to destroy the escaped deer and test them for CWD."
Keller and deputy state veterinarian Beth Carlson were attending meetings on Tuesday and were not available for comment.
Keller's e-mail identified the landowner as Gerald Landsberger.
"I'm trying to find the problem," he said Tuesday. "It was caused by a stray dog, and I'm trying to find the owner. If word gets out, nobody will 'fess up."
Asked how many whitetails still were missing, he said, "I have nothing else to say at this time."
The concern is having deer that have been confined get loose and mix with wild deer. "That's why the Board of Animal Health has regulations regarding that," said Bill Jensen, a NDGFD big-game biologist.
"Those deer are in a prime river bottom area. It's scary when penned deer mingle with wild deer, especially in an area where we have a pretty high deer density," said Jeb Williams, NDGFD outreach biologist.
Chronic wasting disease is just one concern.
"There are so many unknowns," Williams said.
Ten of the captive deer have small tags in their ears, and one doe has a large white dangle tag in the ear, Keller wrote in her e-mail.
Under current Board of Animal Health policies, the owner of the loose deer has 10 days to recover them, said Greg Link, NDGFD assistant wildlife division chief, who also sits on the nontraditional livestock advisory council.
After that, the Board of Animal Health notifies NDGFD or USDA Wildlife Services that the 10 days are up, and "if you see these deer with the ear tags, dispatch them," Link explained. Tissue samples for CWD testing are taken from any of the deer that are found and killed.
There is no fine unless the owner was not in compliance, Link added.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
NEW JERSEY NEWS: Hunting controversy at National Wildlife Refuge
If deer hunting was outlawed at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, the 8,000-acre site would be a harsh, deforested place for many creatures. Deer hunting is vital to the health of the 8,000 acres in the southeast Morris County, said refuge manager William Koch.
So, while he couldn't comment on the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance effort to block a lawsuit that seeks to ban hunting on some other refuges, Great Swamp manager William Koch is quick to praise the efforts of hunters at Great Swamp.
"Deer can have a very negative impact on the habitat, which is not only habitat for deer but also for many other species," he said.
In a lawsuit, The Fund for Animals/Humane Society of the United States asserts the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service cannot allow hunting on 37 wildlife refuges without first creating an environmental impact statement (EIS) for each site. This would entail embarking on expensive and lengthy studies the Sportsmen's Alliance argues are unnecessary and not required by law.
"In simplest terms, Congress ... expressly recognized the legitimacy of hunting on units of the (refuge system) and directed the (Fish and Wildlife Service) to facilitate and increase these opportunities whenever they are determined to be compatible," says an Alliance motion. It asks a federal judge to dismiss the Fund for Animals/Humane Society lawsuit.
Koch said specific rules are followed by each refuge's management when it comes to allowing hunting. "There is a set process for opening areas to hunting that might include an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement," he said. "Each specific refuge has a purpose, and it has goals and objectives on how it's going to achieve those goals. Hunting could enter into it, as it does here at Great Swamp, where deer hunting is a management tool."
Forcing each refuge to write an EIS might not satisfy the Humane Society's desire to ban hunting on wildlife refuges. Since hunting is widely considered the most effective way of controlling deer, the environmental impact of banning hunting could be terrible.
He said Great Swamp's main purpose is to provide habitat for migrating waterfowl. Because of that waterfowl hunting isn't allowed. "This isn't a large refuge," said Koch. "If we put waterfowl hunters out there, these birds wouldn't have much resting and feeding. A few would be harvested by hunters, but the rest would be chased out."
Hungry, overpopulated deer herds are another story. "Exotic, invasive species of plants tend to take over where deer eliminate the natural understory (of plants)," said Koch. "That's a very undesirable situation. It sets the stage for the invasive plants to move in and take over."
Nevertheless, the Humane Society refers to such habitat-centered arguments for deer hunting as "plausible, but not necessarily true." So bring on the deer deforestation, because -- even if the observations of guys like Koch are valid -- the Society still insists hunting "is fundamentally at odds with the values of a humane, just and caring society."
So, while he couldn't comment on the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance effort to block a lawsuit that seeks to ban hunting on some other refuges, Great Swamp manager William Koch is quick to praise the efforts of hunters at Great Swamp.
"Deer can have a very negative impact on the habitat, which is not only habitat for deer but also for many other species," he said.
In a lawsuit, The Fund for Animals/Humane Society of the United States asserts the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service cannot allow hunting on 37 wildlife refuges without first creating an environmental impact statement (EIS) for each site. This would entail embarking on expensive and lengthy studies the Sportsmen's Alliance argues are unnecessary and not required by law.
"In simplest terms, Congress ... expressly recognized the legitimacy of hunting on units of the (refuge system) and directed the (Fish and Wildlife Service) to facilitate and increase these opportunities whenever they are determined to be compatible," says an Alliance motion. It asks a federal judge to dismiss the Fund for Animals/Humane Society lawsuit.
Koch said specific rules are followed by each refuge's management when it comes to allowing hunting. "There is a set process for opening areas to hunting that might include an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement," he said. "Each specific refuge has a purpose, and it has goals and objectives on how it's going to achieve those goals. Hunting could enter into it, as it does here at Great Swamp, where deer hunting is a management tool."
Forcing each refuge to write an EIS might not satisfy the Humane Society's desire to ban hunting on wildlife refuges. Since hunting is widely considered the most effective way of controlling deer, the environmental impact of banning hunting could be terrible.
He said Great Swamp's main purpose is to provide habitat for migrating waterfowl. Because of that waterfowl hunting isn't allowed. "This isn't a large refuge," said Koch. "If we put waterfowl hunters out there, these birds wouldn't have much resting and feeding. A few would be harvested by hunters, but the rest would be chased out."
Hungry, overpopulated deer herds are another story. "Exotic, invasive species of plants tend to take over where deer eliminate the natural understory (of plants)," said Koch. "That's a very undesirable situation. It sets the stage for the invasive plants to move in and take over."
Nevertheless, the Humane Society refers to such habitat-centered arguments for deer hunting as "plausible, but not necessarily true." So bring on the deer deforestation, because -- even if the observations of guys like Koch are valid -- the Society still insists hunting "is fundamentally at odds with the values of a humane, just and caring society."
Monday, May 01, 2006
WEST VIRGINIA NEWS: Four more cases of CWD
Preliminary testing has detected the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) agent in four more free-ranging white-tailed deer recently collected in Hampshire County as part of an ongoing and intensive CWD surveillance effort, it was announced by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR). This brings the total of CWD-positive deer found in Hampshire County since last fall to nine. These most recent samples were collected in March and April by DNR's deer collection teams working in Hampshire County. The CWD laboratory testing was conducted by the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, which is located at the University of Georgia's College of Veterinary Medicine in Athens, Georgia.
When CWD was first confirmed last September in Hampshire County, DNR immediately implemented its CWD - Incident Response Plan. As part of that plan, DNR has been engaged in intensive CWD surveillance efforts designed to determine the distribution and prevalence of the disease. From September 2005 through April 2006, a total of 1,317 Hampshire County deer was tested for CWD. These samples consisted of 1,016 hunter-harvested deer taken during the 2005 fall hunting season, 216 deer collected by DNR in the fall of 2005, and 85 additional deer most recently collected by DNR in 2006. CWD was not detected in any of the hunter-harvested deer collected last fall. Four of the 216 deer collected by DNR in the fall of 2005 were confirmed to have the CWD agent, and now, preliminary tests indicate that 4 of the 85 deer collected by DNR in 2006 have the CWD agent. The disease has now been detected in a total of 9 deer in Hampshire County (i.e., 1 road-killed deer, 4 deer collected by the DNR in 2005 and 4 deer collected by the DNR in 2006).
"Analysis of this initial CWD surveillance data indicates the disease appears to be found in a relatively small geographical area located near Slanesville, West Virginia," noted DNR Director Frank Jezioro. "From a wildlife disease management perspective, we consider this to be encouraging news. Based upon these CWD surveillance findings, we are taking the steps necessary to implement appropriate management actions designed to control the spread of this disease, prevent further introduction of the disease, and possibly eliminate the disease from the state," Jezioro said.
The following disease management options are being evaluated by the DNR for use within the affected area of Hampshire County:
* Lower deer population levels to reduce the risk of spreading the disease from deer to deer by implementing appropriate antlerless deer hunting regulations designed to increase hunter opportunity to harvest female deer;
* Establish reasonable, responsible and appropriate deer carcass transport restrictions designed to lower the risk of moving the disease to other locations;
* Establish reasonable, responsible and appropriate regulations relating to the feeding and baiting of deer within the affected area to reduce the risk of spreading the disease from deer to deer.
"Landowner cooperation throughout this entire CWD surveillance effort in Hampshire County has been just terrific," Jezioro noted. "As we strive to meet this wildlife disease challenge and implement appropriate management strategies, the support and involvement of landowners and hunters will continue to be essential. DNR remains committed to keeping the public informed and involved in these wildlife disease management actions."
CWD is a neurological disease found in deer and elk, and it belongs to a family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.
CWD was first recognized in 1967 in Colorado, and it subsequently has been found in captive deer and elk herds in nine states and two Canadian provinces and in free-ranging deer and elk in 11 states and two provinces. In 2005 the disease was found as far east as New York and West Virginia.
More information on CWD can be found at the DNR's Web site: www.wvdnr.gov and the CWD Alliance website: www.cwd-info.org
When CWD was first confirmed last September in Hampshire County, DNR immediately implemented its CWD - Incident Response Plan. As part of that plan, DNR has been engaged in intensive CWD surveillance efforts designed to determine the distribution and prevalence of the disease. From September 2005 through April 2006, a total of 1,317 Hampshire County deer was tested for CWD. These samples consisted of 1,016 hunter-harvested deer taken during the 2005 fall hunting season, 216 deer collected by DNR in the fall of 2005, and 85 additional deer most recently collected by DNR in 2006. CWD was not detected in any of the hunter-harvested deer collected last fall. Four of the 216 deer collected by DNR in the fall of 2005 were confirmed to have the CWD agent, and now, preliminary tests indicate that 4 of the 85 deer collected by DNR in 2006 have the CWD agent. The disease has now been detected in a total of 9 deer in Hampshire County (i.e., 1 road-killed deer, 4 deer collected by the DNR in 2005 and 4 deer collected by the DNR in 2006).
"Analysis of this initial CWD surveillance data indicates the disease appears to be found in a relatively small geographical area located near Slanesville, West Virginia," noted DNR Director Frank Jezioro. "From a wildlife disease management perspective, we consider this to be encouraging news. Based upon these CWD surveillance findings, we are taking the steps necessary to implement appropriate management actions designed to control the spread of this disease, prevent further introduction of the disease, and possibly eliminate the disease from the state," Jezioro said.
The following disease management options are being evaluated by the DNR for use within the affected area of Hampshire County:
* Lower deer population levels to reduce the risk of spreading the disease from deer to deer by implementing appropriate antlerless deer hunting regulations designed to increase hunter opportunity to harvest female deer;
* Establish reasonable, responsible and appropriate deer carcass transport restrictions designed to lower the risk of moving the disease to other locations;
* Establish reasonable, responsible and appropriate regulations relating to the feeding and baiting of deer within the affected area to reduce the risk of spreading the disease from deer to deer.
"Landowner cooperation throughout this entire CWD surveillance effort in Hampshire County has been just terrific," Jezioro noted. "As we strive to meet this wildlife disease challenge and implement appropriate management strategies, the support and involvement of landowners and hunters will continue to be essential. DNR remains committed to keeping the public informed and involved in these wildlife disease management actions."
CWD is a neurological disease found in deer and elk, and it belongs to a family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.
CWD was first recognized in 1967 in Colorado, and it subsequently has been found in captive deer and elk herds in nine states and two Canadian provinces and in free-ranging deer and elk in 11 states and two provinces. In 2005 the disease was found as far east as New York and West Virginia.
More information on CWD can be found at the DNR's Web site: www.wvdnr.gov and the CWD Alliance website: www.cwd-info.org
Thursday, April 27, 2006
BRITISH COLUMBIA NEWS: Deer population rising, more drivers crashing
If you think you are seeing more deer in the area, you are probably right.
The RCMP say there is an increase in the deer population, which in turn means an increase in vehicle collisions with the deer.
Over the past three years there has been an increase in the number of motor vehicles collisions reported to the RCMP involving a wild animal, said Cpl. Mel Callander in a press release. Most of these collisions are with deer and occur on the Highway 97 corridor and Highway 20.
There were 75 collisions on these highways in 2003, 79 in 2004 and 102 in 2005. Mild winters, no disease and fewer predators have caused the increase in the deer population throughout the Cariboo Chilcotin region, said Callander.
Motorists are reminded that springtime is the season for collisions with wild animals and most occur at dawn or dusk when the deer are feeding alongside the roadways. Motorists should be driving accordingly by slowing down so they have more time to react to these wild animals.
There has been a change in the Motor Vehicle Act regarding reporting collisions with wild animals. Currently if you are in a collision with damage over $1000, the Motor Vehicle Act requires the driver to report the incident to the police within 48 hours if the collision occurred outside a city or municipality.
The officer in charge of E division traffic services has given direction to the RCMP detachments that they will no longer be required to investigate or report motor vehicle collisions involving wild animals. Motorists are to report directly to ICBC when filling a claim involving a collision with a wild animal unless there are injuries to the occupants of the vehicle, said Callander. This will give the officers more time to be strategically focused on their detachment and unit priorities.
The RCMP say there is an increase in the deer population, which in turn means an increase in vehicle collisions with the deer.
Over the past three years there has been an increase in the number of motor vehicles collisions reported to the RCMP involving a wild animal, said Cpl. Mel Callander in a press release. Most of these collisions are with deer and occur on the Highway 97 corridor and Highway 20.
There were 75 collisions on these highways in 2003, 79 in 2004 and 102 in 2005. Mild winters, no disease and fewer predators have caused the increase in the deer population throughout the Cariboo Chilcotin region, said Callander.
Motorists are reminded that springtime is the season for collisions with wild animals and most occur at dawn or dusk when the deer are feeding alongside the roadways. Motorists should be driving accordingly by slowing down so they have more time to react to these wild animals.
There has been a change in the Motor Vehicle Act regarding reporting collisions with wild animals. Currently if you are in a collision with damage over $1000, the Motor Vehicle Act requires the driver to report the incident to the police within 48 hours if the collision occurred outside a city or municipality.
The officer in charge of E division traffic services has given direction to the RCMP detachments that they will no longer be required to investigate or report motor vehicle collisions involving wild animals. Motorists are to report directly to ICBC when filling a claim involving a collision with a wild animal unless there are injuries to the occupants of the vehicle, said Callander. This will give the officers more time to be strategically focused on their detachment and unit priorities.
WISCONSIN NEWS: Deer population grows in CWD Eradication Zone
There has been a setback in the fight against chronic wasting disease in the state's deer population. Despite an aggressive effort to control the disease in a 210-square-mile area of Dane and Iowa Counties, the deer population has actually increased.
The Department of Natural Resources has lengthened hunting seasons in that region and loosened bag limits in an effort to kill more deer over the past four years.
DNR officials briefing members of the Natural Resources Board in Stevens Point, say aerial counts show the number of deer per square mile increased from 23 last year to 33 this year.
DNR coordinator Alan Crossley says they haven't been able to figure out a reasonable strategy for combating CWD, but he says the DNR is still committed to its policy for controlling the disease.
The Department of Natural Resources has lengthened hunting seasons in that region and loosened bag limits in an effort to kill more deer over the past four years.
DNR officials briefing members of the Natural Resources Board in Stevens Point, say aerial counts show the number of deer per square mile increased from 23 last year to 33 this year.
DNR coordinator Alan Crossley says they haven't been able to figure out a reasonable strategy for combating CWD, but he says the DNR is still committed to its policy for controlling the disease.
MICHIGAN NEWS: Eastern UP Deer Thrive After Mild Winter
Despite a cold and snowy start to the 2005-06 winter season, the Upper Peninsula had a relatively mild season overall, according to figures compiled by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
In crunching the numbers, Wildlife Biologist Rex Ainslie, speaking from the district headquarters in Newberry, painted a rosy picture.
“It appears,” he said, “there are yearlings out there in pretty good numbers.”
Ainslie observed that, in visiting the local deer yards during the critical period, there was an absence of “fuzzy-faced” fawns - a precursor to winter-kill. Reports continue to show the deer herd appears to be moving back into its summer range in good condition.
Using words such as “encouraged” and “pretty optimistic,” Ainslie said the survival of yearlings also indicates that pregnant does should be carrying healthy fawns.
“We've still got a whole summer season ahead of us,” he said, adding that it certainly would appear as though hunters could expect to see more deer in the fall.
The DNR annually measures winter severity using a mathematical formula derived from snow depth, snow compaction and temperature. When computations approach the 100 mark, wildlife officials expect to see population declines as the deer struggle to survive through the harsh winter conditions. While the 2005-06 season got off to a fast start with harsh conditions in November on into December, a tepid January helped to lessen the overall impact.
Although the official calculations will continue through the month of April, Ainslie indicated that the cumulative total will likely fall somewhere between 78 and 79, making the 2005-06 winter one of the more mild ones experienced in recent years.
Things were much worse 10 years ago, coming out of the 1995-96 winter. A decade ago, a harsh winter saw readings in the 120 range and up into the 130s throughout the Eastern Upper Peninsula. With deer numbers at an all-time high going into the 1995 hunting season, the stage was set for a massive die-off, and when the ice and snow finally receded it was estimated that approximately 40,000 deer perished in our region.
Most deer have already left their yarding areas, returning to their summer ranges; stopping to feed on new growth and rapidly growing plant life along the way. Ainslie indicated the deer herd will not be fully-dispersed until the fawning season sometime in mid-May.
In crunching the numbers, Wildlife Biologist Rex Ainslie, speaking from the district headquarters in Newberry, painted a rosy picture.
“It appears,” he said, “there are yearlings out there in pretty good numbers.”
Ainslie observed that, in visiting the local deer yards during the critical period, there was an absence of “fuzzy-faced” fawns - a precursor to winter-kill. Reports continue to show the deer herd appears to be moving back into its summer range in good condition.
Using words such as “encouraged” and “pretty optimistic,” Ainslie said the survival of yearlings also indicates that pregnant does should be carrying healthy fawns.
“We've still got a whole summer season ahead of us,” he said, adding that it certainly would appear as though hunters could expect to see more deer in the fall.
The DNR annually measures winter severity using a mathematical formula derived from snow depth, snow compaction and temperature. When computations approach the 100 mark, wildlife officials expect to see population declines as the deer struggle to survive through the harsh winter conditions. While the 2005-06 season got off to a fast start with harsh conditions in November on into December, a tepid January helped to lessen the overall impact.
Although the official calculations will continue through the month of April, Ainslie indicated that the cumulative total will likely fall somewhere between 78 and 79, making the 2005-06 winter one of the more mild ones experienced in recent years.
Things were much worse 10 years ago, coming out of the 1995-96 winter. A decade ago, a harsh winter saw readings in the 120 range and up into the 130s throughout the Eastern Upper Peninsula. With deer numbers at an all-time high going into the 1995 hunting season, the stage was set for a massive die-off, and when the ice and snow finally receded it was estimated that approximately 40,000 deer perished in our region.
Most deer have already left their yarding areas, returning to their summer ranges; stopping to feed on new growth and rapidly growing plant life along the way. Ainslie indicated the deer herd will not be fully-dispersed until the fawning season sometime in mid-May.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
NEW JERSEY NEWS: Dept. Agriculture to Provide Deer Fencing to Farmers
New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Charles M. Kuperus has announced that a deer fencing program will be run cooperatively by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension.
The cost-share program will provide fencing material, plus up to 30 percent of the line posts at no cost to qualified farmers who were not awarded fencing in the 2004-05 program.
"The deer fencing program is part of our effort to partner with the agricultural community to ensure the viability of New Jersey's farms," said Kuperus. "The fencing is an effective tool in keeping deer from damaging crops and allows farmers to benefit from higher yields."
This is the second year of the department's deer fencing program. In 2005, fence, accompanying wire and posts were distributed to 100 farmers throughout the state.
A Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension survey of farmers who participated in previous deer fencing programs indicated that almost 70 percent of wildlife crop loss is attributable to deer. The New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station estimates the economic loss to farmers to be between $5 million and $10 million annually.
To participate in the program, farmers must meet these eligibility criteria:
+ Farmers who were awarded fencing and materials in the 2004-05 program are not eligible to participate.
+ Must be a New Jersey farmer having documented proof of a minimum of $40,000 in sales of agricultural commodities produced by the applicant on a New Jersey farm.
+ Must be a New Jersey certified organic farmer having documented proof of a minimum of $20,000 in sales of agricultural commodities produced by the applicant on a New Jersey farm.
+ Must be the owner of the land or have documented proof of renting preserved farmland or farmland that is enrolled in an Eight-Year Farmland Preservation Program.
+ Complete a mandatory deer fence installation workshop sponsored by the Department of Agriculture and Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension.
Farmers who receive fencing and materials will be required to use the material solely for the purpose of keeping deer off their land and are prohibited from using the fence to contain equine, livestock, poultry, or other animals.
The cost-share program will provide fencing material, plus up to 30 percent of the line posts at no cost to qualified farmers who were not awarded fencing in the 2004-05 program.
"The deer fencing program is part of our effort to partner with the agricultural community to ensure the viability of New Jersey's farms," said Kuperus. "The fencing is an effective tool in keeping deer from damaging crops and allows farmers to benefit from higher yields."
This is the second year of the department's deer fencing program. In 2005, fence, accompanying wire and posts were distributed to 100 farmers throughout the state.
A Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension survey of farmers who participated in previous deer fencing programs indicated that almost 70 percent of wildlife crop loss is attributable to deer. The New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station estimates the economic loss to farmers to be between $5 million and $10 million annually.
To participate in the program, farmers must meet these eligibility criteria:
+ Farmers who were awarded fencing and materials in the 2004-05 program are not eligible to participate.
+ Must be a New Jersey farmer having documented proof of a minimum of $40,000 in sales of agricultural commodities produced by the applicant on a New Jersey farm.
+ Must be a New Jersey certified organic farmer having documented proof of a minimum of $20,000 in sales of agricultural commodities produced by the applicant on a New Jersey farm.
+ Must be the owner of the land or have documented proof of renting preserved farmland or farmland that is enrolled in an Eight-Year Farmland Preservation Program.
+ Complete a mandatory deer fence installation workshop sponsored by the Department of Agriculture and Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension.
Farmers who receive fencing and materials will be required to use the material solely for the purpose of keeping deer off their land and are prohibited from using the fence to contain equine, livestock, poultry, or other animals.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
MICHIGAN NEWS: Hunters give DNR an earful
Deer management has been difficult for the DNR... and frustrating for hunters across the U.P. Saturday, the DNR coordinated a workshop meeting to let the hunters know, they're listening to their concerns.
"We're responding to the public, basically say we heard you and we're here to talk more about how we do deer population management," said Bill Moritz of the DNR Wildlife Division.
Hunters say they want to see the DNR to do more to create a bigger and better deer herd, that means adjusting some of the current regulations, reducing the 2 buck limit, and dealing with predator populations. Around 50 hunters came to participate in the sometimes heated discussion.
"As an avid hunter I think it's my responsibility to try to understand how the DNR is managing the heard rather than just complain about what's going on," said Tom Carreher of Ishpeming.
While the DNR described in detail how they manage and estimate trends in the deer population...hunters voiced a lack of credibility in the DNR's numbers and claim mis-management in the field.
The friction between the hunters and the DNR has gone on for years but both sides are hoping that meetings like todays workshop will help create positive action and improve understanding.
State Senator Mike Prusi also expressed their concern at the meeting.
"I'm here to listen to what my fellow sportsmen and women are talking about and encourage the DNR and the commission, not to just spend time listening but to actually take some action," said Senator Prusi.
A call to action on what is a complicated and complex issue.
"We're responding to the public, basically say we heard you and we're here to talk more about how we do deer population management," said Bill Moritz of the DNR Wildlife Division.
Hunters say they want to see the DNR to do more to create a bigger and better deer herd, that means adjusting some of the current regulations, reducing the 2 buck limit, and dealing with predator populations. Around 50 hunters came to participate in the sometimes heated discussion.
"As an avid hunter I think it's my responsibility to try to understand how the DNR is managing the heard rather than just complain about what's going on," said Tom Carreher of Ishpeming.
While the DNR described in detail how they manage and estimate trends in the deer population...hunters voiced a lack of credibility in the DNR's numbers and claim mis-management in the field.
The friction between the hunters and the DNR has gone on for years but both sides are hoping that meetings like todays workshop will help create positive action and improve understanding.
State Senator Mike Prusi also expressed their concern at the meeting.
"I'm here to listen to what my fellow sportsmen and women are talking about and encourage the DNR and the commission, not to just spend time listening but to actually take some action," said Senator Prusi.
A call to action on what is a complicated and complex issue.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
VIRGINIA NEWS: Mystery Ailment Strikes Deer in Northern Virginia
A MYSTERIOUS AILMENT has been afflicting deer in Loudoun and Fauquier counties and state wildlife officials are grappling for answers.
Most of the deer brought to Dr. Jonathan Sleeman for necropsy were killed because they exhibited signs of severe illness, including diarrhea and emaciation. With concerns running high over preventing Chronic Wasting Disease from entering Virginia, the sick deer rapidly became a priority, according to Jerry Sims, regional biologist for the DGIF.
Chronic Wasting Disease has not been detected in any of the deer tested, according to Sleeman, a wildlife veterinarian for the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
The problem was first discovered a couple of months ago and both fawns and adult deer have exhibited sickness, with nearly 10 examined in detail post-mortem.
"At one point, there was a thought that this may be related to an element deficiency, such as selenium, but that isn't bearing out," Sims said.
Added Sleeman: "I am seeing emaciation with chronic enteritis [inflammation of the gut]. Some cases also have pneumonia. We have not determined the exact cause, but I am suspicious that it is caused by an infectious agent such as a parasite or bacteria.
"However, we have established that these deer appear to be on marginal nutrition, and high deer densities may be a factor," he said, also explaining that people feeding deer may also be contributing to this problem by concentrating deer in the same area.
Sleeman said the illness appears localized to western Loudoun County and northern Fauquier County and doesn't seem to be a threat to the region's entire deer herd. Sleeman also explained this doesn't appear related to any deer farming activities since there aren't any captive facilities nearby.
Sims wonders if these may be deer that normally would have died during a rougher winter, but made it through this recent mild winter.
"We don't want to give the perception that deer are sick or dying in significant numbers," he said. "But, we are finding scattered deer with this condition in areas with dense deer herds. These may be the poster children for over-populated deer herds."
Sleeman said the department will continue to investigate additional cases and is awaiting results of diagnostic tests. Officials are also planning to meet to discuss management options relative to the situation.
While there is no evidence that this disease is transmissible to humans, Sleeman advises anyone seeing a sick deer not to disturb nor kill the animal. Quickly report it to the nearest DGIF office and someone will investigate the report, he said.
Most of the deer brought to Dr. Jonathan Sleeman for necropsy were killed because they exhibited signs of severe illness, including diarrhea and emaciation. With concerns running high over preventing Chronic Wasting Disease from entering Virginia, the sick deer rapidly became a priority, according to Jerry Sims, regional biologist for the DGIF.
Chronic Wasting Disease has not been detected in any of the deer tested, according to Sleeman, a wildlife veterinarian for the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
The problem was first discovered a couple of months ago and both fawns and adult deer have exhibited sickness, with nearly 10 examined in detail post-mortem.
"At one point, there was a thought that this may be related to an element deficiency, such as selenium, but that isn't bearing out," Sims said.
Added Sleeman: "I am seeing emaciation with chronic enteritis [inflammation of the gut]. Some cases also have pneumonia. We have not determined the exact cause, but I am suspicious that it is caused by an infectious agent such as a parasite or bacteria.
"However, we have established that these deer appear to be on marginal nutrition, and high deer densities may be a factor," he said, also explaining that people feeding deer may also be contributing to this problem by concentrating deer in the same area.
Sleeman said the illness appears localized to western Loudoun County and northern Fauquier County and doesn't seem to be a threat to the region's entire deer herd. Sleeman also explained this doesn't appear related to any deer farming activities since there aren't any captive facilities nearby.
Sims wonders if these may be deer that normally would have died during a rougher winter, but made it through this recent mild winter.
"We don't want to give the perception that deer are sick or dying in significant numbers," he said. "But, we are finding scattered deer with this condition in areas with dense deer herds. These may be the poster children for over-populated deer herds."
Sleeman said the department will continue to investigate additional cases and is awaiting results of diagnostic tests. Officials are also planning to meet to discuss management options relative to the situation.
While there is no evidence that this disease is transmissible to humans, Sleeman advises anyone seeing a sick deer not to disturb nor kill the animal. Quickly report it to the nearest DGIF office and someone will investigate the report, he said.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
PENNSYLVANIA NEWS: Deer regulations approved
LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - No comeback for Pennsylvania’s deer next year.
Tuesday’s meeting of the Game Commission was expected to be a showdown between hunters seeing too few deer and others who want to see more native plants, new trees in forests and less farmers’ crops devoured.
Despite increasing howls of protests from many hunters, the Game Commission voted in Harrisburg to carry on with its commitment to a downsized deer herd for a more balanced ecosystem.
While many had expected a tumultuous, closely divided series of votes, the eight commissioners were fairly united in key decisions on the agency’s controversial scientific-based deer-management plan.
The number of antlerless deer licenses that will be available to hunters for 2006-07 was reduced only slightly, from 879,000 to 859,000
Tuesday’s meeting of the Game Commission was expected to be a showdown between hunters seeing too few deer and others who want to see more native plants, new trees in forests and less farmers’ crops devoured.
Despite increasing howls of protests from many hunters, the Game Commission voted in Harrisburg to carry on with its commitment to a downsized deer herd for a more balanced ecosystem.
While many had expected a tumultuous, closely divided series of votes, the eight commissioners were fairly united in key decisions on the agency’s controversial scientific-based deer-management plan.
The number of antlerless deer licenses that will be available to hunters for 2006-07 was reduced only slightly, from 879,000 to 859,000
OHIO NEWS: No bowhunting in Oakwood, Ohio
Ed. smartass remark: I'm sure this issue will resolve itself.
By Bill Duffield, Editor, Kettering-Oakwood Times
There will be no deer hunting in the city of Oakwood.
Oakwood's city council voted down an ordinance that would have allowed licensed bow hunters to hunt the city's growing whitetail deer population.
That ordinance went down by a 4-1 vote during the April 10 council meeting.
The ordinance was originally brought to council in December of 2005 for its first reading. But subsequent complaints from citizens made council decide to table it.
By Bill Duffield, Editor, Kettering-Oakwood Times
There will be no deer hunting in the city of Oakwood.
Oakwood's city council voted down an ordinance that would have allowed licensed bow hunters to hunt the city's growing whitetail deer population.
That ordinance went down by a 4-1 vote during the April 10 council meeting.
The ordinance was originally brought to council in December of 2005 for its first reading. But subsequent complaints from citizens made council decide to table it.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
PENNSYLVANIA NEWS: Controversial 2006 season to be set today
By P.j. Reilly, Intelligencer Journal Staff
Intelligencer Journal
HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania Game Commission's board of commissioners got an earful Monday. And the main topic of discussion was deer.
The commissioners heard from several foresters and farmers who urged them to "stay the course" with the agency's deer management program. Deer populations are finally starting to decline in parts of the state, making it easier to grow crops and trees, the farmers and foresters said. "We want to be able to grow a forest without having to build fences to keep the deer out," said McKean County forester Blaine Fuller. "We're just beginning to be able to do that."
The commissioners also heard from several hunters and two state lawmakers who recommended drastic changes to the agency's deer management program, which they blamed for cutting deer numbers too much over the past several years. "Some people think we want to see a deer behind every tree," said Greg Levengood, president of the Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania. "All we want is a reasonable chance of seeing a deer when we go out hunting."
Today, the commissioners will vote to establish the hunting seasons and bag limits for the 2006-07 hunting year. They also will vote to set the antlerless deer license allocations for the year.
Chris Rosenberry, director of the Game Commission's deer management team, said the antlerless allocations and seasons recommended by his team are designed to "stabilize" deer populations across the state. "Our goal is to manage for healthy deer and a healthy forest," Rosenberry said.
That's exactly what should drive the agency's management program, said Jim Grace, director of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry, which manages state forests across Pennsylvania. "In many areas of the state where hunters are saying they're not seeing many deer, it's because the habitat can't support any deer there," Grace said.
Intelligencer Journal
HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania Game Commission's board of commissioners got an earful Monday. And the main topic of discussion was deer.
The commissioners heard from several foresters and farmers who urged them to "stay the course" with the agency's deer management program. Deer populations are finally starting to decline in parts of the state, making it easier to grow crops and trees, the farmers and foresters said. "We want to be able to grow a forest without having to build fences to keep the deer out," said McKean County forester Blaine Fuller. "We're just beginning to be able to do that."
The commissioners also heard from several hunters and two state lawmakers who recommended drastic changes to the agency's deer management program, which they blamed for cutting deer numbers too much over the past several years. "Some people think we want to see a deer behind every tree," said Greg Levengood, president of the Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania. "All we want is a reasonable chance of seeing a deer when we go out hunting."
Today, the commissioners will vote to establish the hunting seasons and bag limits for the 2006-07 hunting year. They also will vote to set the antlerless deer license allocations for the year.
Chris Rosenberry, director of the Game Commission's deer management team, said the antlerless allocations and seasons recommended by his team are designed to "stabilize" deer populations across the state. "Our goal is to manage for healthy deer and a healthy forest," Rosenberry said.
That's exactly what should drive the agency's management program, said Jim Grace, director of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry, which manages state forests across Pennsylvania. "In many areas of the state where hunters are saying they're not seeing many deer, it's because the habitat can't support any deer there," Grace said.
Monday, April 17, 2006
WISCONSIN OPINION: Keep the politics out of conservation science
By Ed Culhane
Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers
This column is an open letter to 10 members of the Wisconsin Legislature, those who serve on the the Joint Committee for the Review of Rules and Regulations:
Dear Sir or Madam:
On Tuesday, you will hear testimony and be called upon to make a decision, I believe, will have a profound impact on the future of hunting, fishing and trapping in Wisconsin.
I am writing — and please consider this my personal testimony — to ask that you restore common sense and wisdom to the process of setting deer hunting seasons.
Of even greater importance, perhaps, is the approach legislators take in making decisions that affect all of us. I am begging you to set an example. Please show us your vote doesn't belong to a single interest group, no matter how politically powerful. Please don't let this be about Democrats vs. Republicans.
We, have been fortunate in Wisconsin, especially those of us who, like Aldo Leopold, cannot live without wild things. Among Leopold's legacies is an enlightened system for establishing natural resources policy, a system that relies heavily on strong public involvement and on science-based resource management.
Programs for restoring fish populations, reintroducing extirpated species like elk or restoring habitat can take 10 or 20 years to prove themselves and don't lend themselves to the two-year cycle of election politics or to 180-degree turnarounds based on sudden bursts of public emotion.
That's why great Wisconsin leaders, including Leopold, advocated the creation of the Wisconsin Conservation Commission in 1928, now known as the Natural Resources Board. The board's citizen members, each appointed by the governor and confirmed by the legislature, serve long, staggered terms.
The board works with the state's biologists and other resource professionals to effectively manage and preserve fish and game populations and their habitats.
The board also works with hunting, fishing and conservation clubs across the state and with the Conservation Congress, which was specifically created as a means for hunters and fishermen to advise the board on policy.
It's not a perfect system, but it's the best damn system ever created.
It's the reason Wisconsin has some of the best deer hunting in the world.
It's the reason we can hunt wild turkeys in the spring and fall.
It's the reason Trout Unlimited, after a two-year study, named Wisconsin's trout management program the best in the nation.
It's the reason muskie fishing keeps getting better.
It's the reason we in Wisconsin are the proud stewards of the largest self-sustaining population of lake sturgeon in the world.
The system provides for checks and balances. The natural resource committees in the house and senate have oversight authority. These committees can object to a rule and negotiate changes.
But when the two committees, meeting jointly, objected to the 2006 deer season framework based on a power play by the Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs and refused a reasonable compromise, they did a disservice to all Wisconsin hunters.
The snowmobile organization argued — without evidence or logic — that four-day Zone T gun hunts during the second week of December would interfere with snowmobiling north of U.S. 8.
This argument would be laughable if it wasn't being used to take our rights away. First of all, there's no evidence hunting interferes with snowmobiling. Beyond that, only twice during the past 15 years, has there been enough snow on the ground that week to open snowmobile trails.
The board offered to limit the Zone T hunts to a bit more than half of the management units north of 8, but there was no appeasing the powerful snowmobile lobby.
So the committees suggested moving the late Zone T hunt to the week immediately following the traditional gun deer season. Not only would this not work in terms of deer herd reduction, but it would interfere with the muzzleloader season and make rule enforcement by wardens an impossible nightmare.
Wisely, the Natural Resources Board rejected this.
So now it's up to you. As members of the joint committee, you have the ability to end this nonsense. You can overturn the objection and allow the rule to stand.
You'd be voting in favor of science over innuendo. You'd be telling the state's hunters and anglers their rights are not for sale, not even for the votes the powerful snowmobile lobby can deliver.
I'm told such a vote would be unusual. But if it were to happen, it would be like opening the windows on a gorgeous April day and letting a fresh, cool breeze blow away weeks worth of stuffy, hot air.
Ed Culhane writes for The Post-Crescent of Appleton.
Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers
This column is an open letter to 10 members of the Wisconsin Legislature, those who serve on the the Joint Committee for the Review of Rules and Regulations:
Dear Sir or Madam:
On Tuesday, you will hear testimony and be called upon to make a decision, I believe, will have a profound impact on the future of hunting, fishing and trapping in Wisconsin.
I am writing — and please consider this my personal testimony — to ask that you restore common sense and wisdom to the process of setting deer hunting seasons.
Of even greater importance, perhaps, is the approach legislators take in making decisions that affect all of us. I am begging you to set an example. Please show us your vote doesn't belong to a single interest group, no matter how politically powerful. Please don't let this be about Democrats vs. Republicans.
We, have been fortunate in Wisconsin, especially those of us who, like Aldo Leopold, cannot live without wild things. Among Leopold's legacies is an enlightened system for establishing natural resources policy, a system that relies heavily on strong public involvement and on science-based resource management.
Programs for restoring fish populations, reintroducing extirpated species like elk or restoring habitat can take 10 or 20 years to prove themselves and don't lend themselves to the two-year cycle of election politics or to 180-degree turnarounds based on sudden bursts of public emotion.
That's why great Wisconsin leaders, including Leopold, advocated the creation of the Wisconsin Conservation Commission in 1928, now known as the Natural Resources Board. The board's citizen members, each appointed by the governor and confirmed by the legislature, serve long, staggered terms.
The board works with the state's biologists and other resource professionals to effectively manage and preserve fish and game populations and their habitats.
The board also works with hunting, fishing and conservation clubs across the state and with the Conservation Congress, which was specifically created as a means for hunters and fishermen to advise the board on policy.
It's not a perfect system, but it's the best damn system ever created.
It's the reason Wisconsin has some of the best deer hunting in the world.
It's the reason we can hunt wild turkeys in the spring and fall.
It's the reason Trout Unlimited, after a two-year study, named Wisconsin's trout management program the best in the nation.
It's the reason muskie fishing keeps getting better.
It's the reason we in Wisconsin are the proud stewards of the largest self-sustaining population of lake sturgeon in the world.
The system provides for checks and balances. The natural resource committees in the house and senate have oversight authority. These committees can object to a rule and negotiate changes.
But when the two committees, meeting jointly, objected to the 2006 deer season framework based on a power play by the Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs and refused a reasonable compromise, they did a disservice to all Wisconsin hunters.
The snowmobile organization argued — without evidence or logic — that four-day Zone T gun hunts during the second week of December would interfere with snowmobiling north of U.S. 8.
This argument would be laughable if it wasn't being used to take our rights away. First of all, there's no evidence hunting interferes with snowmobiling. Beyond that, only twice during the past 15 years, has there been enough snow on the ground that week to open snowmobile trails.
The board offered to limit the Zone T hunts to a bit more than half of the management units north of 8, but there was no appeasing the powerful snowmobile lobby.
So the committees suggested moving the late Zone T hunt to the week immediately following the traditional gun deer season. Not only would this not work in terms of deer herd reduction, but it would interfere with the muzzleloader season and make rule enforcement by wardens an impossible nightmare.
Wisely, the Natural Resources Board rejected this.
So now it's up to you. As members of the joint committee, you have the ability to end this nonsense. You can overturn the objection and allow the rule to stand.
You'd be voting in favor of science over innuendo. You'd be telling the state's hunters and anglers their rights are not for sale, not even for the votes the powerful snowmobile lobby can deliver.
I'm told such a vote would be unusual. But if it were to happen, it would be like opening the windows on a gorgeous April day and letting a fresh, cool breeze blow away weeks worth of stuffy, hot air.
Ed Culhane writes for The Post-Crescent of Appleton.
PENNSYLVANIA NEWS: Zeroing in on measures of a healthy deer herd
By Bob Frye, TRIBUNE-REVIEW OUTDOORS EDITOR
Some hunters and others have wondered: How will the Pennsylvania Game Commission know if and when its deer management program is working? They now have their answer ... at least in part.
The commission has announced some of the measures it's going to use to analyze things like deer and forest habitat health.
Analyzing deer health will involve using reproductive data -- embryos per doe and fawn pregnancy rates -- from each wildlife management unit to evaluate trends in deer health.
"Reproduction was chosen as a primary measure for deer health because research has repeatedly shown there are differences in the reproductive rates of females in good physical condition and those in poor physical condition," said Chris Rosenberry, supervisor of the Game Commission's deer management section.
"Research also has confirmed that as a deer population's size increases, its reproductive rates decline. In fact, female fawns often stop breeding when deer populations are high."
Deer health will be gauged as good when 30 percent or more of fawns are bred; when 2-year-old females have 1.5 fawns or more; and when females 3 years or older have 1.7 fawns or more.
Habitat monitoring will examine forest sustainability. Forest habitat health would be gauged as good when at least 70 percent of sampled plots had adequate regeneration to replace the current forest canopy.
Some hunters and others have wondered: How will the Pennsylvania Game Commission know if and when its deer management program is working? They now have their answer ... at least in part.
The commission has announced some of the measures it's going to use to analyze things like deer and forest habitat health.
Analyzing deer health will involve using reproductive data -- embryos per doe and fawn pregnancy rates -- from each wildlife management unit to evaluate trends in deer health.
"Reproduction was chosen as a primary measure for deer health because research has repeatedly shown there are differences in the reproductive rates of females in good physical condition and those in poor physical condition," said Chris Rosenberry, supervisor of the Game Commission's deer management section.
"Research also has confirmed that as a deer population's size increases, its reproductive rates decline. In fact, female fawns often stop breeding when deer populations are high."
Deer health will be gauged as good when 30 percent or more of fawns are bred; when 2-year-old females have 1.5 fawns or more; and when females 3 years or older have 1.7 fawns or more.
Habitat monitoring will examine forest sustainability. Forest habitat health would be gauged as good when at least 70 percent of sampled plots had adequate regeneration to replace the current forest canopy.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
MICHIGAN NEWS: The end of a wildflower festival
The Grand Rapids Press
In wooded groves across Michigan, the forest floor each spring transforms into a brilliant carpet of white.
White is the symbol of light, signifying joy and glory. The trillium no doubt inspired joy among Jesuit priests sent to Canada to teach Christianity to the native people.
According to legend, the three white petals were used to teach them about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the little star-shaped green leaves behind the flower were used to explain the miracle of Christ's birth.
Good luck finding one today. White-tailed deer are devouring trillium out of existence in some areas of Michigan. An annual trillium festival at P.J. Hoffmaster Park in Muskegon, launched in 1985, was renamed Spring Blooms in the Dunes last year because few trilliums were left.
There's no festival this May; the deer took care of the wildflowers, too.
In wooded groves across Michigan, the forest floor each spring transforms into a brilliant carpet of white.
White is the symbol of light, signifying joy and glory. The trillium no doubt inspired joy among Jesuit priests sent to Canada to teach Christianity to the native people.
According to legend, the three white petals were used to teach them about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the little star-shaped green leaves behind the flower were used to explain the miracle of Christ's birth.
Good luck finding one today. White-tailed deer are devouring trillium out of existence in some areas of Michigan. An annual trillium festival at P.J. Hoffmaster Park in Muskegon, launched in 1985, was renamed Spring Blooms in the Dunes last year because few trilliums were left.
There's no festival this May; the deer took care of the wildflowers, too.
Friday, April 14, 2006
SMART-ASS COMMENT: Is the number of hunters really declining?
Sure, the real deer hunting population is aging and recruitment into hunting is dropping. But this ignores the large influx of virtual hunters! Look at the glass more closely--it is half full!
SCS Software today announced that their action hunting game - Deer Drive - will enter digital distribution channels in April. Deer Drive will be made available for PC systems as trialware - a system of 'try before you buy' with online purchasing.
Deer Drive is an exciting stage-based 3D action hunting game, tailored for casual players, but with elements appealing to hardcore gamers. With only a firearm for protection, the player must take stand in an environment full of wild animals - whitetail deer trot and gallop, grizzly and moose charge and attack!
Deer Drive takes the hunting genre back to basics. The essence of hunting gameplay - accurate shooting, has been distilled into a game with emphasis on exciting action with short gaming sessions suitable for all ages - if the player has ten minutes or two hours - Deer Drive is the perfect game to satisfy the hunting urge!
SCS Software today announced that their action hunting game - Deer Drive - will enter digital distribution channels in April. Deer Drive will be made available for PC systems as trialware - a system of 'try before you buy' with online purchasing.
Deer Drive is an exciting stage-based 3D action hunting game, tailored for casual players, but with elements appealing to hardcore gamers. With only a firearm for protection, the player must take stand in an environment full of wild animals - whitetail deer trot and gallop, grizzly and moose charge and attack!
Deer Drive takes the hunting genre back to basics. The essence of hunting gameplay - accurate shooting, has been distilled into a game with emphasis on exciting action with short gaming sessions suitable for all ages - if the player has ten minutes or two hours - Deer Drive is the perfect game to satisfy the hunting urge!
ONTARIO NEWS: Urban deer control needed
Kawartha Lakes, Ontario--City council wants the Province to help control the deer population in the municipality. However, council debated how it wants the Province to do this at its meeting on Tuesday.
Coun. Ric McGee, Ward 2, revived a resolution he brought forward at the community and emergency services committee meeting last week, despite the fact the committee did not pass it.
The resolution provides figures to support the need to control the deer population.
For example, it states there were 287 automobile collisions involving deer in the City of Kawartha Lakes OPP jurisdiction in 2005, accounting for 26 per cent of all collisions.
The resolution requests Minister of Natural Resources David Ramsey be notified of the high deer population and asked to take necessary steps to reduce the number of automobile collisions with deer in the province. It recommends the minister improve publication of provincial policies regarding deer removal and protection of property.
Coun. Dave Marsh, Ward 16, said the resolution needed to be more specific and request an extension of the deer-hunting season by four weeks.
Coun. Ric McGee, Ward 2, revived a resolution he brought forward at the community and emergency services committee meeting last week, despite the fact the committee did not pass it.
The resolution provides figures to support the need to control the deer population.
For example, it states there were 287 automobile collisions involving deer in the City of Kawartha Lakes OPP jurisdiction in 2005, accounting for 26 per cent of all collisions.
The resolution requests Minister of Natural Resources David Ramsey be notified of the high deer population and asked to take necessary steps to reduce the number of automobile collisions with deer in the province. It recommends the minister improve publication of provincial policies regarding deer removal and protection of property.
Coun. Dave Marsh, Ward 16, said the resolution needed to be more specific and request an extension of the deer-hunting season by four weeks.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
WISCONSIN NEWS: Support for restricting deer feeding and baiting
BY ROBERT IMRIE
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WAUSAU, Wis. - Outdoor enthusiasts at annual conservation hearings split on whether the state should outlaw the baiting of whitetail deer, though they strongly supported restricting the practice before and during the fall hunt.
The issue came up in five questions posed to about 5,300 hunters and anglers who attended the annual spring Conservation Congress hearings in all 72 counties Monday night. The state Department of Natural Resources released results of the questions Tuesday.
The change that got the most support -- 62 percent -- was posed by the Natural Resources Board.
The question asked hunters whether they would support legislation to ban deer baiting and feeding across the state 10 days before and during the nine-day deer gun hunt in late November. It also asked whether the board should submit the proposal to the state Legislature for consideration before next fall's hunt.
The vote -- 3,198 yes and 1,977 no -- gets forwarded to the Natural Resources Board.
"I'm very pleased to see that one pass," said HerbertBehnke, the longtime board member who proposed it before his recent retirement. He said legislative opponents of restrictions on the practice are prone to listen to special interests, including feed sellers who have a profit motive.
The vote was closer for a question on whether the state should outlaw deer baiting all the time. The DNR said 2,785 voted yes and 2,233 voted no.
Jim Otto, 50, a deer hunter from Harshaw, said that vote probably broke down along lines of hunters who hunt on public land supporting the ban and hunters who hunt on private land opposing it.
Hunters stalking deer on public land say they don't see as many deer as they used to and blame baiting and feeding on private land for holding the deer there, Otto said. "It is a never-ending debate. I don't expect much will change."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WAUSAU, Wis. - Outdoor enthusiasts at annual conservation hearings split on whether the state should outlaw the baiting of whitetail deer, though they strongly supported restricting the practice before and during the fall hunt.
The issue came up in five questions posed to about 5,300 hunters and anglers who attended the annual spring Conservation Congress hearings in all 72 counties Monday night. The state Department of Natural Resources released results of the questions Tuesday.
The change that got the most support -- 62 percent -- was posed by the Natural Resources Board.
The question asked hunters whether they would support legislation to ban deer baiting and feeding across the state 10 days before and during the nine-day deer gun hunt in late November. It also asked whether the board should submit the proposal to the state Legislature for consideration before next fall's hunt.
The vote -- 3,198 yes and 1,977 no -- gets forwarded to the Natural Resources Board.
"I'm very pleased to see that one pass," said HerbertBehnke, the longtime board member who proposed it before his recent retirement. He said legislative opponents of restrictions on the practice are prone to listen to special interests, including feed sellers who have a profit motive.
The vote was closer for a question on whether the state should outlaw deer baiting all the time. The DNR said 2,785 voted yes and 2,233 voted no.
Jim Otto, 50, a deer hunter from Harshaw, said that vote probably broke down along lines of hunters who hunt on public land supporting the ban and hunters who hunt on private land opposing it.
Hunters stalking deer on public land say they don't see as many deer as they used to and blame baiting and feeding on private land for holding the deer there, Otto said. "It is a never-ending debate. I don't expect much will change."
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