Agencies Ask Boaters to “Clean, Drain and Dry” for Labor Day Weekend - Help to Prevent Spread of Invasive Mussels
August 29, 2008
California state departments are asking boaters to clean, drain and dry their boats to stop the spread of harmful invasive mussels. Properly cleaning and drying boats will also help them avoid quarantines or being turned away from a water destination.
“Quagga and Zebra mussels pose a serious threat to our waters and fisheries,” said Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Director Donald Koch. “The spread of these mussels threatens water delivery systems, hydroelectric facilities, agriculture, recreational boating and fishing, and the environment in general. Boaters should be prepared for inspections throughout the state that will help ensure California’s water bodies remain mussel-free.”
In addition to being sure to clean, drain and dry watercraft, the Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW) urges boaters to plan for possible launch restrictions and inspections by calling water bodies before leaving home. Programs and requirements vary and can change rapidly.
“Anyone planning to go boating should contact their destination about local restrictions or requirements,” said DBW Director Raynor T. Tsuneyoshi. “At some locations, potentially contaminated vessels - those not properly cleaned, drained and dried - could be turned away.”
Quagga and Zebra mussels can cause severe problems for boaters and water enthusiasts. They can:
- ruin the engine by blocking the cooling system - causing overheating
- increase drag on the bottom of the boat, reducing speed and wasting fuel
- jam steering equipment on boats
- require scraping and repainting of boat bottoms
- colonize all underwater substrates such as boat ramps, docks, lines and other underwater surfaces requiring constant cleaning
To help prevent the spread of these mussels, boaters should inspect all exposed surfaces, wash boat hulls thoroughly, remove all plants from boat and trailer, drain all water, including lower outboard units, clean and dry livewells and bait buckets and dispose baitfish in the trash. Watercraft should be dried for at least five days between launches in different fresh bodies of water. These steps are designed to thwart spread of the invasive mussels, safeguard boats and preserve high quality fisheries.
“We are strongly encouraging boaters to arrive at State Park reservoirs with clean and dry vessels to ensure they are granted access,” said Roy Stearns, spokesman for California State Parks (Parks). “Boaters should be prepared to have their boats inspected and we hope that people understand and cooperate to stop the spread of this destructive invasive species.”
California law makes it illegal to possess or transport Quagga or Zebra mussels and gives DFG authority to stop, detain, search and quarantine boats suspected or determined to be contaminated with mussels. Additional agencies have been granted this authority including the Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and Parks.
“Vehicles with watercraft are being stopped at many of the California border stations for inspection,” said Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura. “From January 2007 to July 2008, we have inspected more than 140,000 vessels crossing into California. While more than 13,000 needed cleaning, we have confirmed adult mussels on nearly 170. Each of those finds meant we saved a California lake or reservoir from exposure to the mussels.”
Zebra mussels inhabit water depths from four to 180 feet, while Quagga can reach depths more than 400 feet. Both mollusks can attach to and damage boat trailers, cooling systems, boat hulls and steering equipment. Mussels attached to watercraft or trailers can be transported and spread to other water bodies. Water in boat engines, bilges, live wells and buckets can carry mussel larvae (called veligers) to other water bodies as well.
Quagga mussels were first detected in the Colorado River system in January 2007 and were later found in San Diego and Riverside counties by state and local water agencies. Zebra mussels were discovered in San Justo Reservoir in San Benito County in January 2008.
A multi-agency taskforce that includes DFG, the Department of Water Resources, DBW, CDFA, Parks and multiple federal partners is currently working to determine the extent of the Quagga and Zebra mussel threat and to educate watercraft users. As part of the public education effort, the state continues to facilitate Quagga/Zebra inspection and decontamination trainings with more than 400 individuals in San Diego, Redding, Fresno, Stockton, Monterey, Los Alamitos, Ontario, Lake County, Sacramento and Yountville.
A public toll-free number hotline has been established for boaters and anyone involved with activities on lakes and rivers seeking information on the invasive and destructive Quagga mussels at 1-866-440-9530.
For more information on the Quagga/Zebra mussel response, please visit the DFG Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/invasives/quaggamussel
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Learn what boaters can do to stem the spread of the invasive Quagga mussel (PDF).
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Cleanup Finished on Popular Blatz Pavilion Lagoon in Milwaukee
August 29, 2008
MILWAUKEE – The popular Blatz Pavilion lagoon in Milwaukee’s Lincoln Park has reopened for boating and fishing after mud containing PCBs was removed from it as part of a collaborative project between the Department of Natural Resources and Milwaukee County. Planning continues for a larger effort to clean up the adjacent Lincoln Park Lagoon and channel.
“We’re very pleased to complete this important first step in restoring recreational opportunities in Lincoln Park,” says DNR Secretary Matt Frank. “The park has long been an important recreational spot for the local community, and this work allows people to enjoy it again.”
Contact with Milwaukee River water is no longer a problem for people boating in the lagoon as a result of the project. People fishing from 1-acre lagoon who want to eat their catch should follow the fish consumption advice for that stretch of the Milwaukee River.
Frank says that the $1.3 million project was possible because of state Great Lakes Program Funds that Gov. Jim Doyle and the Wisconsin Legislature provided to address the significant sources of toxic chemicals that have contaminated fish in Wisconsin’s major tributaries to the Great Lakes.
“This project, like the Kinnickinnic River cleanup announced last week, demonstrates Governor Doyle’s commitment to providing the resources to successfully address the contaminated sediment sites in the state and restore our natural resources for people to enjoy,” Frank says.
On July 20, Doyle announced a $24.4 million project to clean contaminated sediment from the Kinnickinnic River in Milwaukee. The state is leveraging about $7.7 million of state funds, earmarked in the current state budget, to secure $14 million in federal funds for the cleanup. The city of Milwaukee also is contributing money.
The Blatz Pavilion site was identified as a priority cleanup site by the DNR and the local community following a 2005 report on PCBs in the Estabrook Impoundment in Lincoln Park in Milwaukee, according to Ted Bosch, project engineer from the DNR Southeast Region. The risks posed by the site included skin contact and potential water ingestion by park users, and the consumption of too many contaminated fish from the river. Infants and children of women who have eaten a lot of PCB-contaminated fish may have lower birth weights and delayed physical and learning development. PCBs also may affect reproductive function and the immune system and are also associated with cancer risk.
The department conducted an environmental investigation of the river but was not able to determine a source that was responsible for the PCB contamination.
The Blatz project removed an estimated 300 pounds of PCBs in nearly 4,000 cubic yards of mud from the lagoon bottom. About 2,000 tons of the mud with higher concentrations of PCBs were shipped out of state to a chemical waste landfill. About 3,500 tons of low level sediment were disposed in a local solid waste landfill, Bosch says.
The lagoon bottom was restored with sand and gravel and improvements were made to the lagoon waterfront, Bosch says. The DNR, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Milwaukee County, and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sanitary District all provided supervision for the contractor performing the work.
The experience DNR staff gained on other sediment remediation projects, including the Lower Fox River project, resulted in the success of the Blatz Pavilion lagoon project, according to Greg Hill who leads the DNR’s statewide contaminated sediment management program.
That expertise will be important as the DNR and Milwaukee County tackle the larger clean up project the must be done in the adjacent Lincoln Park Lagoon and channel. The DNR is developing a project plan with Milwaukee County to design and implement this next project.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Hill - (608) 267-9352
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Dove Hunting Regulation and Safety Reminders
August 29, 2008
Doves are migratory birds so hunters must use a plugged shot gun with a capacity not to exceed three shells in the magazine and chamber combined.
Dove hunters must be registered with the federal Harvest Information Program (HIP). HIP registration is free and available at all locations where hunting licenses are sold. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service randomly selects a sample of HIP registered hunters and asks them to participate in a harvest survey.
Remember to avoid shooting at doves near power lines and horizontally at low-flying birds where other hunters may be present.
Dove hunters are encouraged to be sure to pick up all litter, including spent shell casings, while hunting. DNR wardens report some dove hunters are leaving behind large numbers of shell casings on public lands and that they will be increasing enforcement of litter laws this season.
“Take a moment to think about how you’d like to find a hunting spot – clean, picked up and with only boot prints left hehind,” said Mike Dickhoff, DNR Rock County conservation warden. “Then extend that same courtesy to the next hunter.”
Always remember the basic rules of firearms safety: TAB-K:
- Treat every gun as if it were loaded.
- Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.
- Be sure of your target and beyond.
- Keep your finger out of the trigger guard until you’re ready to shoot.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Kent Van Horn (608) 266-8841
Mourning dove season opens on Sept. 1 In Wisconsin / 2008 season extended by 10 days
Hunters participating in the 2008 mourning dove season in Wisconsin will enjoy an extra 10 days of hunting opportunity, and those hunters hunting on state and federal lands will only be able to use nontoxic shot.
The 2008 season opens Sept. 1 and runs through Nov. 9, which is 10 days longer than previous seasons. In a June 2008 decision, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided for states to select an additional 10 days of dove hunting. In August, the state Natural Resources Board approved extending the Wisconsin mourning dove season to Nov. 9. Because the change was made so late, the 2008 Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlet does not reflect this increase of 10 additional hunting days.
Also new this year is a requirement for nontoxic shot for hunting mourning doves on all DNR managed lands in addition to the previous requirement for nontoxic shot on National Wildlife Refuges and federally owned Waterfowl Production Areas.
Between 10,000 and 15,000 hunters have taken to the fields in pursuit of mourning doves in recent years, according to Kent Van Horn, migratory game bird ecologist with the Department of Natural Resources.
“During this same period, mourning doves have shown a 1 to 5 percent increase in population, while hunters were harvesting 100,000 to 200,000 doves annually,” Van Horn notes.
The mourning dove is a fast flying game bird, which Van Horn says, presents a challenging target but fine food on the dinner table. Additional information on dove hunting is available on the DNR Web site.
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Deer Population Task Force Schedules Public Meetings
August 29, 2008
Panel reviewing options for improvements in deer management, reduction in deer vehicle accidents
SPRINGFIELD, ILL. – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the state’s Joint Deer Population Control Task Force will conduct a series of public meetings to discuss and seek public comment on proposals for changes and improvements in deer management in the state.
The task force was established by the Illinois General Assembly to examine and make recommendations on ways to manage the Illinois deer population, including maintaining and increasing deer hunting opportunities, reducing deer-vehicle accidents and examining how those accidents affect insurance rates, reducing crop and other property damage, and maintaining and increasing the health of the Illinois deer herd.
“The open house public meetings will allow those attending to review information on the Illinois deer management program, deer-vehicle accidents, and proposals the task force is reviewing for changes in hunting seasons and related issues regarding deer in Illinois,” said IDNR Acting Director Sam Flood.
Staff from the IDNR Division of Wildlife Resources and members of the Joint Deer Population Control Task Force will be available to answer questions, discuss deer management, and hear comments from those attending the meetings. Following the public meetings, the IDNR will also accept public comments through a link on the IDNR web site at http://dnr.state.il.us
Members of the public are invited to attend any or all of the series of meetings listed below. Each session will be open from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- Sept. 2 – Peru Eagles Lodge, 830 Harrison St. (just off U.S. Rt. 6), Peru
- Sept. 3 – Rockford Public Library, 215 N. Wyman, Rockford (use Mulberry St. entrance)
- Sept. 4 – Scripps Park Community Building, U.S. Rts 67 & 24, Rushville
- Sept. 9 – Olney City Park Community Building, Ill. Rt. 130, Olney
- Sept. 10 – World Shooting and Recreational Complex, Spart
- Sept. 11 – Bethany Fire Station, 530 E. Main, Bethany
For more information on the open house public meetings of the Joint Deer Population Control Task Force, contact the IDNR Division of Wildlife Resources at 217/785-2511.
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Interactive State Shooting Range Map Now Available Online
August 29, 2008
RALEIGH, N.C. – Looking for a shooting range? You can now visit the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Web site to find one virtually anywhere in the state. The commission has launched an interactive map of more than 75 public and private ranges and other opportunities across North Carolina.
Search by county or view the entire state to see where ranges are located. The map is part of the commission’s new Hunting Heritage Program, which aims to remove obstacles to hunting and increase hunter recruitment and retention.
“There are more shooting ranges out there than people may be aware of, and we wanted to make that information easy to find for the public,” said Walter “Deet” James Jr., the commission’s Hunting Heritage biologist. “We hope men and women of North Carolina use this information to find ranges and that it helps lessen one of the barriers to hunting and shooting in our state.”
To find the interactive map, click here.
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Michigan Recreational Fishing Report - 8/28/2008
August 28, 2008
As we approach the end of August, we begin to move into the fall fishing patterns. Cooler weather will bring the salmon in close to shore but warmer weather will push them out deep. Salmon action will only intensify as we move into September.
Southeast Lower Peninsula
Lake Erie - Fishing has been slow as strong wind and wave action has left the Michigan waters weedy and muddy. Walleye fishing was slow with a few fish caught near the Fermi Plant. Perch fishing was also slow but slowly improving with fish caught near the E Buoy, Stony Point and by the Toledo Harbor Lighthouse. Minnows were the choice bait. A few largemouth bass were hitting near Bolles Harbor.
Huron River - Smallmouth action continues on crayfish and leeches. Largemouth bass are still hitting on crawlers. Freshwater drum and carp can still be taken.
Detroit River - Anglers are jigging for walleye in the Trenton Channel in front of Humbug Marina and down to Celeron Island. Perch are being taken between Round Island, Celeron Island and Sugar Island.
Lake St. Clair - Has good muskie action off Stony Point.
Lexington - Perch fishing is slow. Anglers are marking lots of fish but can’t get them to bite. For salmon and lake trout, try fishing 130 to 150 feet deep in order to find the thermocline. Smallmouth bass fishing remains good in the harbor.
Saginaw Bay - Perch are being caught in small to moderate numbers a mile east and a mile north of the Spark Plug, near Buoy #18 along the shipping channel, just south of the Black Hole, and 2 miles north off the mouth of the Quanicassee River. The action is not fast and furious but the fish being caught are running 8 to 11 inches. Walleye action continues fair at most locations, with angler effort concentrated around the Spark Plug, off Spoils Island, and in the Slot northeast of Quanicassee up to the outside of the islands off Bay Port. Bass are still hitting in Wildfowl Bay.
Southwest Lower Peninsula
St. Joe - Good numbers of chinook are being caught when trolling in waters 90 to 120 feet deep. Steelhead and lake trout are also being caught.
Kalamazoo River - Look for steelhead between the mouth and the Allegan Dam. Try fishing near the mouth of the feeder creeks and rivers. A few walleye were still being caught on crawlers and the catfish are hitting on live bait.
South Haven - Look for chinook northwest of the piers in 90 to 100 feet of water.
Grand Haven - Pier anglers were starting to catch salmon when using large alewife hooked just once behind the dorsal fin. Skamania were hitting at night off the south pier when fishing 3 to 4 feet off the bottom. Perch were hitting on small alewife, but the bite was slow.
Grand River at Grand Rapids - A few salmon have been caught up near the dam and a couple of those fish were dark in color. Anglers are using crawlers or yarn flies. Steelhead were hitting on spawn and crawlers. Lots of pike have been caught on large pike minnows and the catfish are hitting on cut up suckers, crawlers or live suckers. A few walleye were taken on small jigs with red heads.
Grand River at Lansing - About the only thing to report is the good catfish action. Try floating live or cut bait along the bottom. Try crawlers or corn for carp.
Red Cedar River - Has some large carp for the taking. Those fishing from the park in Williamston have hooked some nice carp however none have been landed.
Northeast Lower Peninsula
Rogers City - Good fishing continues straight out of the port and north towards Forty Mile Point however most are heading towards Swan Bay and Adams Point. Fishing is best in the top 40 feet, but as the water warms fish deeper. Good colors have been orange and silver, orange glow, blue and silver, green and silver, white, pearl or anything that glows early and late. Smaller spoons have been working best.
Presque Isle - The cold water has made the fish more willing to bite. Try trolling downriggers in 45 to 80 feet of water straight out in front of the Red Can, between the lighthouses, and past the big lighthouse going into North Bay and Black Point. Dipsey divers in multiple colors and small spoons about three or four inches long are taking fish. J-plugs along with flashers or attractors are working well with the better colors being white on white, pearl, blue or green glow.
Rockport - Walleye and steelhead were being caught in 35 feet of water while salmon and lake trout were taken about halfway down in 120 to 160 feet of water.
Harrisville - Salmon fishing has picked up as boats report taking fish in shallow waters around the harbor and out to waters 80 feet deep. Try yellow tails and similar colored flies. Lake trout are still out deep and will probably stay out there. They are aggressive and hitting on anything silver.
Oscoda - Lake trout are still being caught in 120 to 150 feet of water. The fish are suspended off the bottom and are hitting on yellow tails and silver.
Au Sable River - A few salmon have been reported at the mouth. It won’t be long before they start heading into the river. Smallmouth bass and catfish are still being caught but the walleye have moved out to deeper waters.
Tawas - Walleye action improved slightly with best action in 15 to 20 feet of water.
Au Gres - Walleye fishing has slowed just as it always does in late August. A few catches were reported in 15 to 30 feet of water southeast of Point Au Gres.
Higgins Lake - Lake trout fishing remains good for those trolling cowbells and live bait just off the bottom in waters 80 to 100 feet deep. For perch, try 40 to 50 feet of water on the north end of the lake around the Sunken Island and along the drop-offs. A few smallmouth bass were taken by those trolling along the drop-offs.
Houghton Lake - Walleye and bluegill are still being caught along the weedbeds in 7 to 10 feet of water. Early morning or late evening is best due to heavy boat traffic.
Northwest Lower Peninsula
Petoskey - Salmon are starting to stage and there is a fair number of steelhead in the area. Plenty of fish in the 15 to 18 pound range have been caught anywhere from the surface to 70 feet down in almost any depth. A few are casting from the piers at night. Some 9 to 12 inch perch were caught off the pier.
Charlevoix - Salmon are staging here as well so boat and shore anglers are catching fish. Some are fishing off the piers at night while others are fishing the waters near the Cement Plant. Those trolling in 70 to 90 feet of water are also taking some lake trout.
Elk Lake - Smallmouth bass fishing has been excellent for those fishing in 5 to 30 feet of water with crawlers, leeches, tube baits, crank baits and rapalas. No report on muskie and the perch anglers were not having much luck. Look for rock bass in 10 to 15 feet of water.
Skegemog Lake - Effort for smallmouth bass is still high in the flats between the Torch River and Baggs Road and the Narrows. Those targeting muskie are trolling large rapalas in 8 to 20 feet of water in the same area. Pike fishing has increased in the southern part of the lake where anglers are trolling or casting crank baits, rattle traps, stick baits and bombers in 3 to 20 feet of water. Bluegills are hitting on crawlers and red worms in 10 to 12 feet of water.
Glen Lake - Perch are still the favorite. The bigger fish are in 30 to 40 feet of water and the bait varies. Try worms, shrimp, minnows and wigglers.
Manistee - Some are reporting limit catches of salmon in the harbor and around the piers when using glow or chrome J-plugs. Those fishing in 80 to 120 feet of water are catching both young and adult salmon. Pier anglers are using small glow spoons.
Hamlin Lake - Fishing activity is slowly picking up as the waters cool. Anglers targeting panfish are having success using worms in 8 to 12 feet on water. Good bass fishing can be found around any kind of structure.
Ludington - Boat anglers had success between the Bath House and the Point in 80 to 120 feet of water when using green or white flies. Pier fishing slowed with the warmer water but anglers are catching salmon on glow spoons early in the morning.
Upper Peninsula
Keweenaw Bay - Fishing in the bay has slowed but those trolling for lake trout in 130 to 170 feet of water off Point Abbay reported good action. In Traverse Bay, target 140 to 180 feet of water off Big Louie’s Point and the gray smoke stack. Some are jigging in 220 to 240 feet of water.
Marquette - Lake trout activity was slow due to windy conditions. The salmon are starting to come in now, with some nice size chinook and coho being caught when trolling in the upper harbor. A nice steelhead was also caught.
Green Bay - Trolling 60 to 70 feet down in waters 90 to 100 feet deep around the Whalesback produced some fish when using multiple colored spoons.
Little Bay De Noc - Walleye action was best trolling in front of the mouth of the Escanaba River and close to shore at Kipling. Use crawler harnesses or top water lures in 13 to 15 feet of water. Perch were caught in front of the launch at Kipling and along the drop-off while smallmouth bass were taken in the weeds off the launch. Channel cats and freshwater drum have been caught off the docks.
Big Bay De Noc - Off Fairport, chinook salmon were caught about seven miles out. The better fishing was in the early morning. Fish were caught 70 feet down in waters 100 feet deep.
Au Train - Limits of lake trout are still being caught when boats can get out.
Munising - Has good lake trout action east of Trout Bay when using meat hooks and jigging with cut bait. Salmon activity should begin soon.
Grand Marais - Has good lake trout action along the drop-off which is three to five miles out in 130 to 240 feet of water. Dark colored spoons seem to be working best.
St. Mary’s River - Perch were caught off Four Mile Road near Lake Nicolet and the Township Park in Sault Ste. Marie. Best times for fishing are between 5 and 8 pm. Limits of walleye are being taken at Nine Mile Road and on the Michigan side of Little Lake George when trolling a crawler harness. In Raber Bay, anglers are taking walleye and yellow perch when trolling near the rock piles. A few walleye were taken at the mouth of Carlton Creek on a purple or blue crawler harness. Maud Bay has been good for pike, smallmouth bass, walleye and yellow perch.
De Tour - Spawning chinook are coming in and a few were in the 19 to 20 pound range. Spoons such as white and black with a black eye, watermelon, gold and green were good choices along with squid and flies on dipsies. The lake trout are close to the bottom but no word on the atlantic salmon. A few pinks were caught.
Cedarville and Hessel - Still have good pike fishing. Those fishing off the pier at the Hessel Marina are taking pike, smallmouth bass and perch on crawlers or minnows. Yellow perch action picked up in Hessel Bay in 9 to10 feet of water. Musky Bay has slow yellow perch fishing and the fish are small. Moscow Channel is good, and Cedarville Bay is fair. Smallmouth bass fishing is fair but should be picking up soon. Salmon are reported in 60 to 70 feet of water or less but fishing is slow.
St. Ignace - Large chinook salmon have been caught by those using white and black spoons with a white eye. Squid and flies with flashers as well as yellow spoons with black dots are also working well. Lake trout were caught on the backside of Bois Blanc Island. Chinook salmon were spotted near the mouth of the Carp River.
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Iowa’s Becoming an Outdoors Woman Workshop Set for Sept. 19 - 21
August 28, 2008
Iowa’s annual Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) workshop will be held September 19-21, at the Springbrook Conservation Educations Center, approximately 1 ½ hours west of Des Moines.
The 2 ½-day workshop provides women a comfortable environment and beautiful setting to learn outdoor skills they may not normally try. BOW is an international program aimed primarily at women, but is an opportunity for anyone 18 years and older to learn outdoor skills usually associated with hunting and fishing, but useful for many outdoor pursuits. Classes offered throughout the weekend include introduction to firearms, basic shooting, basic fishing, knot tying, river fishing, fly fishing, archery, turkey and deer hunting basics, Dutch oven cooking, canoeing, kayaking, bird watching, map and compass, and much more.
“We have been providing BOW workshops in Iowa for nearly 15 years and they continue to be very popular, well-attended events,” says Julie Sparks, BOW coordinator. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for participants to get enough instruction and hands-on learning to feel confident pursuing these activities. We have a great team of dedicated instructors and an awesome location for the workshop.”
Registration continues, but the workshop is filling fast, she said. A registration form is available online at http://www.iowadnr.com/bow/index.html.
For more information, contact Julie Sparks at 515-281-6159 or Julie [dot] sparks [at] dnr [dot] iowa [dot] gov.
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Banner Shooting Range in Iowa to Host Three Days of Competition
August 28, 2008
The Banner Shooting Range at Summerset State Park is hosting two events on Sept. 5, 6 and 7 that are open to shooters of all skill levels.
The range will host a pistol shooting competition on Sept. 5, from 3 to 7 p.m., and Sept. 7, from 2 to 5 p.m. The competition consists of :45 second rounds and each round costs $2. Shooters may enter as many times as they wish. Shooters under age 21 must be accompanied by a person 21 years of age or older. The pistol competition is for centerfire, open iron sites only, and no .44 Mag., or 50 caliber pistols will be allowed.
The range will host a 5-stand sporting clay shootout from on Sept. 6, from 2 to 5 p.m. There will be no limit to the number of entries or targets shot per day provided time and space are available. Individuals must shoot their targets in 50 target increments; youths shoot in 25 target increments. The cost is $12 for adult or juniors for rounds of 50 and $6 for youths for rounds of $25.
Prizes will be awarded for both competitions. For more information, go to www.bannershootingrange.com or call 515-961-6408.
Preceding each competition, the Banner Shooting Range will offer a free introduction to shooting, sponsored by National Shooting Sports Foundation through their program called “FIRSTSHOTS.”
This free, 3-hour class is geared for first time shooters interested in learning about shooting handguns, rifles, and shotguns. Participants will learn about firearm safety and will take their first shots with .22 handguns, .22 rifles, and shotguns.
Classes are offered Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, September 5, 6 & 7, at 10 a.m. Registration is required. Just choose which day works best and call the range 515-961-6408 to register.
For more information, go to:
http://www.bannershootingrange.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/firstshots.pdf
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Iowa Fishing Report - 8/28/2008
August 28, 2008
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will be releasing the weekly fishing report on Thursdays in an effort to provide the latest information heading into the weekend. The weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys, and county and state parks staff.
For current information, contact the district fisheries office. Phone numbers are listed with each district report.
Report for August 28, 2008
Northeast