U.S. eases land restrictions meant to protect sage grouse in West
The changes by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management will guide future efforts to conserve the ground-dwelling birds that range across portions of 11 Western states.
Associated Press
Murky waters for Pennsylvania’s mallard numbers
Ian Gregg, game management division chief for the Game Commission, said there isn’t one single cause that is responsible for the declining mallard population. Contributing factors include habitat changes impacting food reserves, competition from Canada geese on food sources and genetic issues resulting from hybridization with domestic mallards.
DATCP chief non-committal on taking over deer farm fencing
MADISON, Wis. — The state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection isn’t saying whether he thinks his agency should take over regulating deer farm fencing from wildlife officials. Deer farm fencing has become a hot outdoors topic as the state grapples with chronic wasting disease. According to DATCP, 26 farms have had an infected deer since 2001. DATCP currently…
Senate Republican grills Wisconsin DNR chief at hearing
Questions for new DNR Secretary-designee Preston Cole focused on his leadership style, signaling that the GOP is worried that the administration will take a firmer hand on regulation. And what’s the deal with CWD?
U.S. plans to lift protections for gray wolves
The government first proposed revoking the wolf’s protected status across the Lower 48 states in 2013, but backed off after federal courts struck down its plan for “delisting” the species in the western Great Lakes region states of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Dozens of ice anglers rescued after being trapped on Lake Erie ice floe
Forty-six people were rescued, including two fishermen who were hoisted by helicopter and medically examined. It ended up that no one was injured, authorities said.
Great Lakes see ‘Superior’ ice coverage
Lake Superior was 94 percent ice covered as of Friday, marking first time the largest of the Great Lakes had more than 90 percent coverage in four years. But warmer temperatures in the coming days will start to bring on a great melt.
Bobcat harvest up 8 percent to 343 in Illinois
The number of permits was doubled from 2017-18, and last year there were 318 bobcats harvested.
For first time, Asian grass carp larvae found in Great Lakes watershed
A crew from the University of Toledo working with the U.S. Geological Survey found the larvae during sampling last June in the Maumee River, a Lake Erie tributary.
Point of no return? Kansas seeing CWD surge in western part of state
The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism recently announced that 37 of more than 360 deer have tested positive for the fatal disease since the beginning of the fiscal year as it continues to become more prevalent in the western part of the state.
Study: Minnesota among leading states in bee, butterfly protection
(Minnesota DNR)ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota ranks among the top states in the country for its work to protect declining bee and butterfly populations, according to a new study. Damon Hall, an assistant professor at Missouri State University, examined every pollinator-related law that was passed by a state legislature between 2000 and 2017, Minnesota Public Radio News reported. Hall said…
4 Canadian wolves relocated to Isle Royale National Park
The translocation boosted the park’s wolf total to eight – four males and four females – including the last two survivors of a dwindling population that had occupied the park for about 70 years.
North Dakota seeing spike in angler, hunter spending – from residents and visitors
They contributed an estimated $2.1 billion in annual input to the state’s economy in 2017-18. That’s up by $290.2 million for residents and $41.4 million for nonresidents from 2011-12.
Major U.S. oil, gas lease-sale land includes important sage grouse habitat, big-game migration corridors
Disputed sale in Wyoming nets $88 million. Wyoming officials say they will implement state plans to protect sage grouse and migrating game, such as mule deer and antelope, should oil and gas development proceed in wildlife habitat.
Wild turkeys indeed: Hundreds of ‘nuisance’ gobblers rounded up in northern Utah
Drawn to the area by food, some of the wild turkeys who are caught are given GPS backpacks so scientists can track their behavior and hopefully better manage the herds. Most of them are moved to a rural area in the Book Cliffs near Vernal where a large flock lives.
CWD efforts all but forgotten in new Wisconsin budget
Budget doesn’t devote any additional funding or call for any new approaches for researching or slowing CWD. In fact, the budget doesn’t mention the disease even once. But new administration says it’s waiting for the DNR to come up with a CWD plan.
Survivor recounts grizzly bear attack in northwest Montana
Bears attack people in northwest Montana a few times a year. That’s enough for medical professionals and wildlife managers to have developed a special protocol that’s part treatment, part forensics to ensure both parties recover.
Evers appoints former legislator to DNR board
MADISON, Wis. — Gov. Tony Evers has quietly appointed a former legislator to the state Department of Natural Resources board. The board’s chairman, Fred Prehn, introduced Fred Clark as a board member at the board’s meeting Tuesday morning. He replaces Preston Cole, whom Evers appointed as DNR secretary in December. The DNR’s board liaison, Laurie Ross, said Evers appointed Clark…
Oregon seeing major camping boom
Oregon set a record for the number of campers at state parks last year, and the number of day-use visitors was the second-highest ever.
Forest Service to relaunch balky BWCA permit system March 4
The system didn’t work when it first went live Jan. 30. The 1,200 to 1,300 people who managed to make reservations back then lost them when the system failed and will have to try again with everyone else.
Nevada wildlife officials seek to criminalize moose killings
Wildlife officials are pointing to an increase of sightings of the big animals in the northeastern part of the state as they ask lawmakers to make it a felony to kill moose without a hunting tag.
Ambitious new plan to save Atlantic salmon has big price tag
The plan would take decades to fully implement, and it focuses on strategies such as removals of dams, installations of fish passages and increasing the number of salmon that survive in the ocean. It states that the estimated cost is about $24 million per year, not including money federal departments already spend on salmon recovery work.
Runner recalls desperate fight with mountain lion
A necropsy report said the cat that attacked Travis Kauffman was male, 4 or 5 months old and weighed 35 to 40 pounds. Kauffman eventually suffocated the animal.
Sports groups team up in bid to keep carp out of Great Lakes
They have formed the Great Lakes Conservation Coalition, which will push for funding of a strategy proposed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
World’s oldest-known wild bird hatches chick
Laysan albatross named Wisdom is at least 68 years old and has raised at least 31 chicks.
Wisconsin hunting ranch deer tests positive for wasting disease
MADISON, Wis. — A deer on a Forest County hunting ranch has tested positive for chronic wasting disease. State agriculture officials issued a news release Monday saying tests confirm the six-year-old whitetail buck was infected. The deer was born on a Marinette County breeding farm and moved to the ranch in 2014. Both the farm and ranch have been quarantined…
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