Vintage Outdoor Gear Fills Pages of Calendar for hHnters and Anglers of Missouri
December 3, 2008
This companion to the Conservation Department’s popular Natural Events Calendar caters to those who pursue traditional outdoor activities.
JEFFERSON CITY—Split-bamboo fishing rods, vintage shotguns and the beaming faces of successful hunters and anglers mark the passage of seasons in the 2009 Missouri’s Outdoor Heritage Calendar from the Missouri Department of Conservation.
The first-ever calendar is a companion piece to the Conservation Department’s popular Natural Events Calendar, which has been published since 1986.
“Knowing how popular the Natural Events Calendar is, we think that hunters, trappers and anglers will enjoy having a calendar that focuses on their interests,” said Outreach Programs Chief Eric Kurzejeski. “The visual subject matter is long on nostalgia and making family memories.”
Images of modern hunting, fishing and trapping are interspersed with stunning wildlife photography and photos of antique equipment and scenes of outdoor activities from yesteryear.
Like the Natural Events Calendar, the Outdoor Heritage Calendar has day-to-day entries that mark the progression of the sporting year. January’s entries include the final portion of the youth firearms deer season, advice about turning Christmas trees into fish habitat and a reminder about winter stonefly hatches that create trout-fishing opportunities. Daily notes for August mention whitetail bucks rubbing velvet off their antlers, and October’s entries include a note that smallmouth bass are moving into deep holes for the winter in Ozark streams.
The Outdoor Heritage Calendar is available at conservation nature centers and regional offices statewide. You also can buy copies by calling toll-free (877) 521-8632 or through The Nature Shop, www.mdcnatureshop.com
. The price is $7 per copy, plus shipping and handling and sales tax where applicable.
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Highlighting Illinois DNR Programs and Upcoming Events for the Month of December
December 3, 2008
Illinois Department of Natural Resources Newsbits
Late-Winter Deer Season Application Deadline Extended: The IDNR has reopened the online application system for permits for the Late-Winter Antlerless-only Deer Hunting Season. Hunters may apply for the permits in select counties through the online DNR Direct Permit System through Mon., Dec. 8. (No paper applications for these permits can be accepted at this time). The Late-Winter Antlerless-only Deer Season is Jan. 16-18, 2009. Due to a change in designating some northern Illinois counties for the upcoming Late-Winter season, some hunters missed the previous application deadline on Nov. 14. To accommodate those and other hunters, the online application system has been reopened through Dec. 8. Hunters can access DNR Direct online through the IDNR web site at http://dnr.state.il.us. Click on the DNR Direct button on the right side of the home page. The Late-Winter Antlerless-only Deer Season is open to Illinois residents only.   Â
Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger:  The 2008-09 Illinois deer hunting seasons continue with the second segment of the firearm season, Dec. 4-7; the Muzzleloader-only Deer Season, Dec. 12-14; and, the Late-Winter Antlerless-only Deer Season in select counties Jan. 16-18, 2009. The archery deer season also continues through Jan. 15, 2009. Deer hunters are encouraged to support the Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger program by donating whole deer they harvest for processing into ground venison that is provided to Illinois food banks. A list of participating meat processors is available through the IDNR web site at http://dnr.state.il.us/legislation/isah/. Tax-deductible monetary donations to help pay for ISAH meat processing costs may be made through the Illinois Conservation Foundation, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271.
CWD Deer Season: Hunters in Boone, DeKalb, McHenry, and Winnebago counties and the portion of Kane County west of Ill. Rt. 47 can participate in the special Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Deer Season Jan. 16-18, 2009 to help control deer densities and the spread of chronic wasting disease. Special CWD season antlerless-only permits are available over-the-counter beginning in mid-December for $5 each at participating DNR Direct license and permit vendors. In addition, hunters with unfilled 2008 firearm, muzzleloader, youth deer hunt, or archery deer permits valid for one of the open counties may use those permits to hunt during the CWD season. Hunters using unfilled permits from the 2008 season may take deer appropriate for that permit (antlerless-only or either-sex). Check stations will be manned during the CWD season in the open counties. Successful hunters will be required to bring their deer to a check station prior to 8 p.m. on the day of harvest. Hunters who submit samples for CWD testing will be given an additional permit valid for the remainder of the season.
Check station locations for the CWD Deer Season, Jan. 16-18, 2009 are listed below
- Boone Co. - Boone County Fairgrounds, Rt. 76 and Business Rt. 20, Belvidere
- DeKalb Co. and Kane Co. (west of Ill. Rt. 47) - Shabbona Lake State Park, 4201 Shabbona Grove Rd., Shabbona
- McHenry Co. - McHenry Dam Day Use Area, Moraine Hills State Park, east of McHenry on River Road, 2.2 miles south of Route 120
- Winnebago Co. - Rock Cut State Park, 6425 Hart Road (one mile east of Perryville Rd. on Hart Rd.), Loves Park
Deer Pins: Hunters successful in taking a deer during the 2008-09 deer seasons in Illinois can pick up a free deer pin at one of the hundreds of IDNR license and permit vendor locations throughout the state. For deer pin locations, check the IDNR web site at the following link: http://dnr.state.il.us/admin/harvest/. Deer pins are also available during regular business hours at the IDNR Headquarters in Springfield, the IDNR Regional offices in Sterling, Bartlett, Clinton, Alton and Benton, and the IDNR Chicago office.
Spring Turkey: Applications are being accepted for the second lottery for 2009 Illinois Spring Wild Turkey Hunting permits. The deadline to apply for the second lottery is January 12. For more information, go to the Hunting link on the IDNR web site home page. The 2009 spring turkey hunting dates are:
South Zone
1st Season:Â April 6-April 10
2nd Season:Â April 11-April 16
3rd Season:Â April 17-April 22
4th Season:Â April 23-April 29
5th Season:Â April 30-May 7
North Zone
1st Season:Â April 13-April 17
2nd Season:Â April 18- April 23
3rd Season:Â April 24-April 29
4th Season:Â April 30-May 6
5th Season:Â May 7-May 14
2009 Calendar: The IDNR 2009 wall calendar, produced in conjunction with OutdoorIllinois magazine, is available as part of the December issue of OI. The traditional favorite among readers measures 17 by 11 inches and includes seasonal photography from Illinois’ great outdoors by OI photographer Adele Hodde. The calendar grids feature information on fishing and hunting seasons, activities in state parks, reminders about license/permit/grant application deadlines and much more. Each month features a text-free image you’ll be tempted to save even after the calendar becomes history. Single copies of the December issue are $3 and are available at the License and Permit counter at the IDNR Springfield headquarters, at various Illinois booksellers and selected IDNR sites. Call 217/785-0975 or send a check or money order payable to OutdoorIllinois to IDNR, P.O. Box 19225 Dept. NL, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271. An even better value, especially as a gift for that outdoor enthusiast on your gift-giving list, is an annual subscription to OutdoorIllinois for $15 for a one-year (12 issues) subscription. Call 1-800-720-3249 or visit www.dnr.state.il.us/OI to subscribe. VISA and MasterCard are accepted. OutdoorIllinois is an indispensable guide to Illinois’ natural, cultural and recreational resources.
New Deal: “The New Deal in Illinois Archaeology” is the subject of the monthly program on archaeology at the Illinois State Museum Research and Collections Center in Springfield on Wed., Dec. 10 from 7-8:30 p.m. The year 2008 marks the 75th anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration (WPA) program, which included more than a dozen large-scale archaeological excavations in Illinois.  Presenter Mary R. McCorvie of the U.S. Forest Service will provide an overview of the program, highlighting some of the people involved in the projects and the sites at which they worked.  Designed to provide work for Illinois’ unemployed rural work force, the WPA investigations also established field methods and techniques that are still used today.  The program is free and open to the public. For more information, call 217/782-0061. The ISM Research and Collections Center is located at 1011 E. Ash, Springfield.Â
Holidays Around the World: The Illinois State Museum in Springfield celebrates “Holidays Around the World” as part of the monthly Super Saturdays programs for children at the museum in Springfield on Sat., Dec. 13 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Activities are ongoing throughout the day and feature take-home crafts.  Parents and families are encouraged to participate. For more information, call 217/782-6044. The Illinois State Museum is located in the State Capitol Complex at the corner of Spring and Edwards in Springfield.Â
Fort Massac Olde Tyme Christmas: Celebrate the holiday season at the Olde Tyme Christmas program on Sun., Dec. 14 from 1-4 p.m. at Fort Massac State Park in Metropolis. The Olde Tyme Christmas is a celebration with fort re-enactors representing the French, early American and Civil War traditions of Christmas, along with music and refreshments in the visitor’s center. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, phone 618/524-4712.
Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant Program: The deadline to apply for Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grants from the IDNR Division of Education is Jan. 31. An application form can be downloaded through the IDNR web site at www.dnr.state.il.us. The grant popular program offers funds for teachers to take students out of the classroom to study Illinois’ biodiversity. Â
The program makes awards of up to $500 per teacher available. For more information, contact the IDNR Division of Education at 217/524-4126. Funding for the program is administered by the Illinois Conservation Foundation.
Arbor Day Poster Contest:Â The annual Arbor Day Poster Contest instruction and curriculum packet was recently mailed to Illinois schools with fifth-grade classes. Additional copies are available from the IDNR through the online ordering system at
http://www.idnrteachkids.com.  The deadline for the Illinois poster contest is February 20, 2009. For more information, phone 217/785-8771.
Junior Duck Stamp: The 2009 Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest rules, information and entry form are now available. To download a copy, go to the following web address:  http://www.fws.gov/juniorduck/ArtContest.htm. Teachers should note that the brochure was not printed for 2009 and they will not receive one by mail. Get started with this program now to ensure there is plenty of time for students to complete the artwork. Entries must be received by March 15, 2009. The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest is a program for students of grades K-12 that uses the fine arts to teach about waterfowl, wetlands and wildlife conservation. Illinois co-sponsors are the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the IDNR. For more information, email dnr [dot] teachkids [at] illinois [dot] gov or call 217/524-4126.
Pere Marquette Bald Eagle Programs: Visit Pere Marquette State Park near Grafton this winter to enjoy an informative program on bald eagles. Eagles may be spotted in the tree tops along the Illinois River in the months of December, January, February and March. The site interpreter at Pere Marquette presents informative programs about bald eagles on select dates throughout the winter, beginning with programs on Dec. 22 and 23. Visitors will learn to distinguish between immature and mature bald eagles, what eagles eat, why they spend winter months in the area, and much more. All programs will begin at the park’s visitor center at 8:30 a.m. There will be a short video presentation followed by an observational drive to view the wintering bald eagles. Pre-registration is required for the free programs. Phone 618/786-3323 for the complete schedule and to register.
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Great Lakes Compact Goes Into Effect Dec. 8
December 3, 2008
MADISON – The Great Lakes Compact takes effect Dec. 8, ushering in a new era of cooperation and conservation among those states that border the five Great Lakes, which hold one-fifth of the world’s fresh surface water.
The historic agreement binding Wisconsin and seven other Great Lakes states largely prohibits water from being diverted outside the Great Lakes basin (pdf) while committing residents and businesses within the basin to sustainably use that water.
“This is a great day for Wisconsin, the Great Lakes region and the world community,” says Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank. “The Great Lakes are an international treasure. The compact assures they’ll be the foundation for a healthy economy and a healthy environment for generations to come.”
The agreement was signed by President George Bush on Oct. 3, 2008 following its passage by eight state legislatures and a swift ride through the U.S. Congress. A companion agreement with two Canadian provinces takes effect Dec. 8 . Conventional wisdom had put passage of the agreement at five to 10 years or more, if ever, but the compact is going into effect barely three years to the date after it was signed by Gov. Jim Doyle and his counterparts in the seven other Great Lakes states, Frank said.
The compact prohibits long-distance, large-scale diversions from the Great Lakes with a few carefully regulated exceptions that allow communities near the basin boundary to apply for Great Lakes water. It also directs the Great Lakes states to develop water conservation and efficiency programs, and promotes the sustainable management of the groundwater and surface waters of the Great Lakes Basin.
Wisconsin and other Great Lakes states and the two Canadian provinces are racing to enact its provisions. DNR has pulled together veteran drinking water and groundwater staff into a new section to focus on implementing the compact and Gov. Doyle’s statewide water conservation initiative, both of which will require years of administrative rulemaking.
The compact’s Dec. 8 effective date brings immediate requirements for more than 1,500 existing municipalities, manufacturers, irrigators and other operations in Wisconsin that have the capacity to withdraw large volumes of water under existing permits.
For now, users within the Great Lakes basin with the capacity to withdraw 100,000 gallons per day or more in any 30 day period need to register with the DNR and start reporting their annual water use as part of the compact’s requirement that states track Great Lakes water use.
These high volume uses will be reviewed for possible impacts on lakes, streams and other waters if the proposed new or increased water withdrawal is more than 1 million gallons per day for 30 consecutive days.
Eventually, residential water users in Wisconsin and other Great Lakes state will likely see changes aimed at spurring them to save water and use it more efficiently.
“Transforming the compact from a paper agreement into a working system will be challenging, but we think the benefits to Wisconsin and the region will be well worth the effort, and will help us all be good stewards of the great treasure that is the Great Lakes,” Frank says.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric Ebersberger (608) 266-1722; Shaili Pfeiffer (608) 267-7630
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Tag A Holiday Gift To Help Florida’s Wildlife
December 2, 2008
A different idea for gift-giving this holiday season can help save Florida’s unique and varied fish and wildlife, and it can be used year-round. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles offers gift certificates for any specialty tag in Florida.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has five different specialty license plates. The purchase of any of these plates helps in the efforts to preserve and conserve Florida’s wildlife and natural habitats. Specialty plates currently available through the FWC are the:
- Conserve Wildlife plate with the black bear logo ($15);
- Go Fishing plate with the largemouth bass logo ($25);
- Protect the Panther plate ($25);
- Helping Sea Turtles Survive plate ($23); and
- Save the Manatee plate ($20).
An additional $4.50 will be added at the time of purchase for administrative and certificate costs.
The FWC’s specialty tag gift certificates may be purchased at any authorized motor vehicle office, such as a state motor vehicle office, local tax collector’s office or a licensed tag agent. A credit will be issued in the name of the gift recipient. When recipients renew their license plates and pay the regular registration fee, they can use the gift certificate to buy the specialty tag.
Since most tags are renewed on the birth date of the registered vehicle owner, these gift certificates make great birthday presents also.
To learn more about the FWC’s specialty plates, visit www.WildlifeFlorida.org, or call 800-988-4889.
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Georgia DNR Seeks Details on Eagle Shooting Near Tifton
December 2, 2008
Wanted: Information on the shooting of a young bald eagle last month near Paradise Public Fishing Area.
Matt Henry of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources found the wounded bird caught in a fence Nov. 19 at the PFA near Tifton. He and Paradise manager Charles West used fishnets to carefully capture the eagle, a large juvenile that had not developed the characteristic solid white feathers on its head and tail. Natural resources technician Chris Carlisle transported it to Auburn University’s Southeastern Raptor Center.
Center Director Jamie Bellah recently described the eagle’s condition as stable but said “it’s going to take some time” before it’s known whether the injuries will heal enough so the bird can be released.
The bullet, apparently from a rifle, partially fractured the bone closest to the body in the left wing, said Liz Crandall, a technician at the center. A CT scan planned this week will show whether the pectoral girdle also has been fractured. If so, Crandall said these injuries could limit the wing’s range of motion and threaten the eagle’s ability to fly freely again.
The healing process will take months, she said.
In the meantime, officials are encouraging anyone who knows details about the shooting to speak up. “Someone has committed a crime,” said Col. Terry West, law enforcement chief for the DNR Georgia Wildlife Resources Division. “But without any further information, we would have no other leads to go on.”
Bald eagles are protected by state and federal law. Anyone with information about the shooting can call the Turn In Poachers hotline, 1-800-241-4113, or e-mail TurnInPoachers [at] dnr [dot] state [dot] ga [dot] us. Callers can remain anonymous. Rewards are paid for calls that lead to an arrest.
Conservation laws, restoration work and a ban on the pesticide DDT have helped the bald eagle recover from near-extinction through much of its range 40 years ago. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took the species off the federally threatened list in August 2007. This American symbol and subject of one of Georgia’s nongame wildlife license plates is still protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and other federal and state legislation.
Bald eagles have steadily increased in Georgia, surging from fewer than 10 pairs in the 1980s to more than 110 this year. They have been seen for years at Paradise, which features 68 lakes eight miles east of Tifton.
“We normally begin seeing eagles in September at Paradise PFA,” said West, the area manager. “Sightings are more frequent in the winter months, although eagles can be spotted all the way into early summer.”
The hope is that the young bald eagle recuperating at Auburn can one day join them.
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Draft Plan to Address Contamination in San Pablo Bay is Released Richmond Meeting to Inform Public on Dec. 17
November 26, 2008
Public comment period is open through Jan. 9, 2009
State and Federal agencies working on the restoration of natural resources injured by wastewater discharges in Castro Cove, and the resulting sediment contamination, today released a Draft Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan, opening a 45-day public comment period.
An open house to provide information to the public is scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 17 in the Point Richmond Community Center, 139 Washington Avenue in Richmond, CA. Public comments may be submitted at the meeting and on through Jan. 9, 2009.
The restoration plan is designed to restore equivalent habitats to those injured by the long-term wastewater discharge and resulting sediment contamination from the Chevron refinery into Castro Cove, a small inlet on San Pablo Bay. The discharge was relocated in 1987 and the company is now cleaning up the most contaminated areas in the isolated bay, an effort that the agencies estimate will cost the firm more than $20 million when completed.
Under federal and state law, the company also is liable for the amount needed to fund restoration of resources which are equivalent to those injured due to the discharges. The agencies determined that the contamination injured intertidal and subtidal mudflats, salt marshes and the wildlife which relies on those habitats. Their analysis concluded that the restoration of 203 acres of salt marsh, mudflat and sub-tidal habitat is needed to compensate for the injuries to these natural resources.
The natural resource agencies have negotiated a tentative agreement in which the company will pay $2.65 million, beyond the cost for cleanup of Castro Cove, to fund the restoration of 203 acres of equivalent habitats. The draft Restoration Plan proposes to use funds from the tentative settlement to restore 173 acres of the Cullinan Ranch wetland in the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge and 30 acres of tidal wetlands in the East Bay Regional Park District’s planned Breuner Marsh Park in north Richmond, just south of the Point Pinole Regional Shoreline.
The natural resource agencies involved in the settlement are the U.S. Department of Commerce (represented by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), U.S. Department of the Interior (represented by the Fish and Wildlife Service), and the California Department of Fish and Game?s Office of Spill Prevention and Response. As a designated natural resource Trustee, each agency is authorized to act on behalf of the public under state and/or federal law to assess and recover natural resource damages which they may use only to plan and implement actions to restore, replace, or acquire the equivalent of the natural resources injured by the contamination.
For a copy of the Draft Restoration Plan go to: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/ospr/spill/nrda/nrda_castro.html or http://www.darrp.noaa.gov/southwest/castro/index.html. A copy also is available at the Richmond Library, Main Branch, 325 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, Calif., 94804.
The public comment period is open through Jan. 9, 2009. The trustees will hold an open house at the Point Richmond Community Center at 139 Washington Avenue in Richmond on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2008, from 4 to 7 p.m. The trustees will provide information about the Draft Restoration Plan and on how to provide input into the process.
Written comments may be sent until Jan. 9, 2009 to: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Attn: Carolyn Marn, 2800 Cottage Way, Rm. W-2605, Sacramento, CA, 95825; or by facsimile to Carolyn Marn at 916-414-6713; or by e-mail to castrocove [at] noaa [dot] gov.
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DEC Warns Against Feeding Waterfowl After Finding Dead & Dying Geese
November 21, 2008
Birds Afflicted with a Fungal Disease After Ingesting Moldy Grain
Recently, a dozen Canada geese were found sick or dead on a pond in northern Clinton County by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Wildlife staff responding to a report from a concerned citizen.
The sick geese were disoriented and unable to fly, and all are expected to die. A necropsy of the dead geese determined that they were infected with Aspergillosis, a fungus that grows in the birds’ lungs and air sacs causing respiratory distress and, eventually, suffocation.
Aspergillosis is transmitted to waterfowl by the ingestion of moldy grain, such as bread or livestock feed. It has been known to cause large-scale mortality events in waterfowl, and for every one dead bird recovered, many more may die in remote locations or go unnoticed. Aspergillosis is not contagious and does not present a health risk to humans.
DEC is attempting to locate the food source that contains the fungus. Once located it will be removed and disposed of (or covered) to prevent any further waterfowl deaths.
DEC is asking the public to not feed geese, ducks, and other waterfowl to help prevent this disease and other negative impacts on waterfowl populations. Feeding causes poor nutrition, overcrowding, unnatural behavior, delayed migration, and facilitates the spread of diseases, like Aspergillosis, that may result in death.
DEC recommends that anyone feeding waterfowl, stop before winter sets in, and remove any food, such as bread or corn, that is or may become moldy. In recognition that some insist on feeding, despite the negative impacts on waterfowl, DEC urges the following precautions to prevent the spread of Aspergillosis:
- Only provide enough food that will be consumed in less than a day.
- Remove all food and food remnants from the feeding area at the end of each day.
- Check the food while putting it out and remove any moldy food items.
- NEVER feed moldy bread to any birds - throw it out.
Farmers should keep grain piles covered and dispose of moldy grain or silage by burial or tilling into the soil. Ducks and geese must be discouraged from using areas where moldy agricultural products have accumulated.
Please report diseased or dead waterfowl to your nearest Department of Environmental Conservation Wildlife Office. The phone number of the nearest DEC wildlife office may be obtained from the DEC web site.
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N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Renovates, Expands Shooting Range
November 21, 2008
ELLERBE, N.C. – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has expanded the shooting range at the John Lentz Hunter Education Center, adding 100- and 50-yard ranges to the popular site for hunters and other sportsmen.
The range, which is part of the John Lentz Hunter Education Center at the Millstone 4-H Camp in Richmond County, also now has shelters with wooden roofs and cement floors to protect shooters from the weather.
“This expansion reflects our commitment to the commission’s Hunting Heritage Program Strategic Plan, which includes key focus areas intended to increase opportunities for hunters by reducing barriers to participation,” said Gordon Myers, executive director of the commission. “In addition to year-round shooting opportunities, the John Lentz Hunter Education Center provides unique programming opportunities such as the Fur, Fish ‘n Game Rendezvous, a five-day, six-night camp that draws young people from across the state to learn about and participate in a wide range of conservation-related activities.”
The range includes two