Search
Close this search box.
Join For Free

Category: Conservation News

Wyoming Inches Closer to Grizzly Bear Hunt

wyoming-grizzly-bears

With last year’s de-listing announcement, Wyoming officials are taking the necessary steps to properly manage the budding population by proposing possible hunting seasons.

Look Up! It’s Elk Survey Season in Michigan

With another successful season in the books for Michigan’s elk hunters, the state’s Department of Natural Resources is getting fired up for survey season. With hunter harvest data compiled, officials with Michigan’s wildlife management department are gassing up aerial vessels and are ready to once again assess the elk population. It Wasn’t Always Done This Way We’ve come a long way since the early 1900s in many ways including the way in which we account for big game animals such as elk. Tracing reintroduction efforts back to 1918, Michigan has worked diligently to not only ensure these animals survive, but thrive. Back then, biologists were dependent on track counts, personal encounters with elk and the information gathered from hunters and residents. As the process evolved, pellet counts were introduced throughout the 1960 to try and determine size and distribution of elk herds. The technique, still employed by many departments across America, was found to be useful but was not believed to be terribly reliable. Between the years of 1975 and 2001, Michigan’s DNR employed the use of both air surveys and snowmobile surveys to aid them in estimating density and populations. In 2006, the DNR went all-in on aerial surveys and to this day rely on fixed-wing aircraft paired and corrected using a sightability model. The Counting Season Aerial surveys of this nature are almost always reserved for the month of January as the conditions on the ground make for great animal spotting conditions. Yesterday, Michigan’s DNR once again took to the skies on the first aerial survey for elk of the 2018 season. Marking the 100-year anniversary of elk in the Wolverine State, biologists hovered around 800 feet and performed the first grid search of the season. Early reports indicated that the crew on board of this year’s inaugural flight spotted roughly 100 elk in its first grid search. Each and every year, DNR personnel cover about 1,000 square miles aboard aircraft during elk survey season. The Numbers In order to plan and allow for the state’s first elk hunting season, officials set a population benchmark of about 1,000 elk. Elk hunts are occurred on an annual basis in Michigan since 1984, albeit, with very variable seasons. Last year’s surveys produced 800 elk sightings and based on the model used by the DNR, led officials to peg the population at around the 1,100-animal mark. This year, officials are looking for more animals, hoping to increase that number of sightings to 900 animals. Total fly-time is estimated to be about nine and a half days and will give DNR researchers the data they need to determine the number of tags allotted for 2018 hunting seasons.

With another successful season in the books for Michigan’s elk hunters, the state’s Department of Natural Resources is getting fired up for survey season. With hunter harvest data compiled, officials with Michigan’s wildlife management department are gassing up aerial vessels and are ready to once again assess the elk population. It Wasn’t Always Done This […]

“Santa Claus” Delivers an Unbeatable Gift to the QDMA

qdma-gift-signing

Depending on your behavior over the preceding 12 months, you and your loved ones likely received a visit from the fella in the big red suit. While some gifts may be incomparable in nature, the gift bestowed upon our friends at the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) was one for the ages. Santa Came Early […]

LSU Scientist Makes CWD Testing Breakthrough, Paves Road for Vaccine

lsu-scientist-frank-bastian

Chronic wasting disease has dominated headlines since its initial discovery roughly 30 years ago and does not show much sign of slowing down. With new cases popping up in places such as Montana, where the disease had yet to be found, scientists, biologists and hunters alike are scrambling to contain the deadly condition. Last week, […]

Seven Deer Poached in Utah

poached-mule-deer-utah

KANE COUNTY (RELEASE) — During the months of October and November, within about a two-week period, seven deer were poached and left to waste in Kane County. The first incident occurred at the end of October. Four deer were found poached within approximately 200 yards of one another. The deer included a doe, a fawn, […]

Mouth Disease Infiltrating Yellowstone Bighorns

Bighorn-sheep-mouth-disease-in-Yellowstone-NP

Scabbed lips and exposed teeth are taking away from the beauty of some of Yellowstone’s most majestic residents. Five bighorn sheep in the park have been sporting the frightening appearance after an outbreak of sore mouth disease in the region. Officials with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the National Park Service have stated that […]

Montana CWD Hunt Sells Out in 3 Hours

mule-deer-doe

If there was ever a doubt Montana and area hunters would pass up an opportunity to extend their hunt while aiding in the fight against chronic wasting disease, it’s long since passed. As part of a special CWD hunt, set to kick off on Friday, Montana officials released 1,200 special B hunting licenses for sale […]

Special CWD Mule Deer Hunt Proposed by Montana FWP

mule-deer-does-bridger

Following two confirmed cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD), Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has released the details on a special CWD mule deer hunt. Awaiting the approval of the Fish and Wildlife Commission, the hunt is a key piece of Montana’s chronic wasting disease plan that is still in the draft process. Labelled as […]

Minnesota Buck Harvested with Ear Tags Reading ‘Don’t Miss’

buck-with-red-ear-tags-dont-miss

Shrouded in mystery, Minnesota officials are looking for the person or persons who placed large red ear tags on a 10-point buck that read “Don’t Miss.” The deer was shot a week ago in the Lanesboro area by a licensed hunter inside the state’s special disease management zone for chronic wasting disease. Over the course […]

join over 20,000 hunters & anglers

The outdoors straight to your inbox.