Swans Stopping In Utah
November 7, 2008
More than 28,000 counted on Nov. 3
If you drew a permit to hunt tundra swans in Utah, you may want to grab your gun and head to the marsh.
Tom Aldrich counted 28,271 swans in marshes along the eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake during a survey flown on Nov. 3.
On Oct. 28, he counted 27,361 swans.
“Swans should continue to migrate into Utah this fall, but the storms we’re having could also push some birds out,” says Aldrich, migratory game bird coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources.
“If you have a swan permit, right now is a great time to head to the marsh.”
Where the swans are
Most of the swans Aldrich spotted on the morning and afternoon of Nov. 3 were on Unit one at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. He saw more than 23,000 swans on the unit.
The refuge is about 15 miles west of Brigham City.
“You can’t hunt on Unit 1, but the swans that are on the unit may fly over units 2, 1A, 3A and 3B, which are open to hunting,” Aldrich says.
The DWR usually flies its weekly swan surveys on Tuesday mornings. You can stay updated on where the swans are by logging onto the DWR’s Web site at www.wildlife.utah.gov/waterfowl/swan/swansurvey.php
.
Utah’s swan hunting season ends Dec. 14. Only those who drew a swan hunting permit earlier this fall can hunt swans.
Hunting tips
If you’re one of the 2,000 hunters who drew a permit, Aldrich encourages you to spend time watching the swans and learning their flight patterns. Tundra swans are very consistent in the times of day they fly and the routes they take. “If you learn these patterns, you’ll up your chance for success,” Aldrich says.
Factors that can change a swan’s flight pattern include hunting pressure, changes in the weather and the availability of food.
Ice-up is another thing to watch for. As the water starts to freeze, swans fly more as they search for areas that still have open water. “Being in the marsh during this time can also increase your chance of taking a swan,” Aldrich says.
Aldrich reminds hunters that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has closed all of the areas north of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and north of Forest Street (the road leading from Brigham City to the refuge) to tundra swan hunting.
“The USFWS has restricted tundra swan hunting in this area to try and lessen the number of trumpeter swans that hunters take,” Aldrich says. “Compared to tundra swans, trumpeter swans are much less abundant.”
Swan hunters are reminded about requirements that are designed to help the DWR and the USFWS obtain an accurate count of the number of trumpeter swans that are accidentally taken by hunters.
Within 72 hours of taking a swan, you must take your bird to a DWR office, or the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, so it can be examined and measured. You must also return your harvest questionnaire within 10 days after the season closes, even if you don’t hunt swans or take a swan.
If you don’t do these things, you’ll have to pay a $50 late fee to apply for a swan permit in 2009.
Changes in 2009
Applications for swan hunting permits for 2009 will be accepted next September. Three changes await those who apply next year:
- You and up to three of your family or friends can apply for permits together as a group.
- If you apply for a 2009 swan hunting permit, but you don’t draw one, you’ll receive a preference point. If you apply for a swan permit again in 2010, this point will help ensure that your application is among the first drawn for a permit.
- To give young hunters a better chance at drawing a permit, 15 percent of the swan hunting permits for 2009 will be set aside for hunters who are 15 years of age or younger when the 2009 swan hunt opens.
Related posts
Tips To Get Prepared For This Year’s Rifle Buck Deer Hunt
October 3, 2008
Deer hunters are eagerly awaiting the beginning of Utah’s general rifle buck deer hunt on Oct. 18.
Getting prepared now, by gathering materials and gaining knowledge, are some of the keys to having a safe hunt. And while taking a deer is usually the highlight of any deer hunt, remember to enjoy all of the experiences a deer hunt provides.
“Enjoy the entire experience of the hunt,” advises Gary Cook, hunter education coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. “Good friends, a good camp and a chance to see wildlife and the beautiful state we live in are all things you can enjoy during your time afield.”
Cook provides the following tips for an enjoyable and safe hunting experience:
- be familiar with the area you’re going to hunt. If possible, scout the area before the hunt.
- put a survival kit together. The kit should include:
- a small first aid kit;
- three ways to make a fire (e.g. matches, a cigarette lighter, firestarters);
- quick energy snack foods;
- a cord or rope;
- a compass;
- a flashlight;
- an extra knife and;
- a small pad of paper and a pencil (so you can leave information at your last location, about yourself and the direction you’re traveling, should you become lost).
Preparing your firearm:
- be as familiar as possible with your firearm — know how to load and unload it, and where the safety is and how to operate it.
- make sure the barrel of your firearm doesn’t have any obstructions in it.
- make sure you have the proper ammunition for your firearm.
- sight-in your firearm before the hunt.
- controlling your firearm’s muzzle is the most important part of firearm safety. Never let the muzzle of your firearm point at anything you do not intend to shoot, including yourself.
- never carry a loaded firearm in your vehicle.
- don’t put your finger on the trigger until your firearm’s sights are on the target.
- before shooting, make sure of your target and what’s beyond it.
Vehicle preparation:
- make sure your vehicle is in good mechanical condition.
- carry a shovel, ax, tire chains, jumper cables and a tow chain in your vehicle.
- if you experience mechanical problems with your vehicle or become snowed in, stay with your vehicle — don’t leave it.
Before leaving on your trip:
- let someone know where you’re going and when you expect to return.
While in the field:
- never hunt alone.
- wear proper safety clothing: 400 square inches of hunter orange on your back, chest and head.
Field dressing your animal:
- use a sharp knife. A sharp knife is safer than a dull knife.
- cut away from you - never bring a knife blade towards you while cutting.
Your physical well-being:
- know your physical limitations, and don’t exceed them.
- prepare yourself for weather changes by dressing in layers. Dressing in layers allows you to regulate your body temperature by adding or removing clothes as needed.
- drink plenty of water, no matter how cold it is. “You can become dehydrated, even in cold weather,” Cook says.
- hypothermia (the loss of body temperature) can occur in temperatures as warm as 50 degrees. Be aware of the signs of hypothermia. Some of the first are violent shivering, stumbling or becoming disoriented. “When you notice these signs, sit down immediately and build a fire,” Cook says. “Get yourself warm and dry.”
- frostbite. If you’re hunting in cold weather, watch for the signs of frostbite. White spots on your skin are the first sign. Check your face, feet and hands regularly. You’ll notice the first signs of frostbite on your face faster if you’re hunting with a companion who can alert you.
If you get lost:
- don’t panic. Sit down and build a fire, even if it isn’t cold. “A fire is soothing, and it will help you relax and think clearly,” Cook says.
After calming down, try to get your bearings and think your way out of the situation. If you think you know which direction you need to travel, use the pad of paper and pencil from your survival kit and leave a note at your location, indicating who you are and the direction you’re traveling. If you come across other hunters, don’t be embarrassed to stop them and ask for directions and help.
If you’re unsure about the direction you should travel, stay at your camp and build a shelter several hours before sundown, if possible. Build a smoky fire (which can be spotted from the air) or build three fires (a distress signal that also can be spotted from the air).
Remaining at your camp is usually a good option. “You can live without food and water for several days,” Cook says.
Alcohol and gunpowder don’t mix!
- do not handle a firearm if you’ve been drinking alcohol.
- do not give alcohol to someone who’s cold. Instead of warming the person, alcohol will actually make them colder.
Related posts
Three Utah Waters Might Have Quagga or Zebra Mussels
September 22, 2008
Each of these waters is in northeastern Utah
Division of Wildlife Resources biologists have been hunting for quagga and zebra mussels this summer.
They’ve gathered water samples from 42 waters in Utah. Those samples have been given to a Bureau of Reclamation lab in Denver, and test results are starting to come back.
Quagga and zebra mussels are also called Driessena mussels. Here’s what the biologists have found so far:
- Driessena mussels have not been found in samples taken from Bear Lake, Flaming Gorge and Lake Powell.
- Pelican Lake, Red Fleet Reservoir and Midview Reservoir might have Driessena mussels in them. The three waters are in northeastern Utah.
Larry Dalton, aquatic invasive species coordinator for the DWR, watched BOR personnel examine the samples under a microscope when he was in Denver last week. He says the samples contained what appeared to be juvenile Driessena mussels.
“But we won’t know for sure until we get DNA test results back,” Dalton says.
The samples have been sent to two separate laboratories for DNA testing. It could take as long as three weeks to receive the DNA results back.
Not taking chances
Even though DWR biologists don’t have conclusive evidence that the three northeastern Utah waters have Driessena mussels, they’re not taking any chances. They’ve put a containment program in place at all three waters.
“At these waters, we’ve switched from greeting boaters as they enter the water to visiting boaters as they leave,” Dalton says. “Boaters must do one of two things after they leave any of these waters: they must allow us to decontaminate their boat for them, or they must decontaminate their boat themselves before placing it on another water.”
If you want DWR personnel to decontaminate your boat, they’ll do it for free using special decontamination units. These units spray water that’s 140 degrees Fahrenheit. “For a 16- to 18-foot boat, this process takes about 20 to 30 minutes,” Dalton says. “Once we’re done, your boat is decontaminated, and you can launch it on another water.”
If you choose to decontaminate your boat yourself, Dalton says you must do the following:
- Clean plants, fish, mussels and mud from your boat;
- Drain the water from all areas of your boat and equipment;
- Dry your boat and equipment in the sun before using it again. In the fall, you must dry it 18 days in the sun.
Serious threat
Quagga mussels are a serious threat to Utah. Quagga mussels can:
- Jeopardize essential power and water infrastructures
- Destroy recreation areas and equipment
- Severely damage ecosystems, displacing native and sport fish species
- Cost millions of dollars to control
More information
More information bout quagga mussels is available at wildlife.utah.gov/news/07-03/quagga.php.
Related posts
Dusky (blue) Grouse Range Expanded to Mogollon Rim by Arizona Game and Fish
September 19, 2008
Chicken-sized bird offers upland hunters and bird-watchers a unique opportunity
PHOENIX — The dusky “blue” grouse’s population and range are increasing in Arizona due to recent translocation efforts by the Arizona Game and Fish Department to offer upland hunters, bird watchers, and outdoor recreationists another area to enjoy this unique bird.
Over a two-week-long effort in July, Arizona Game and Fish biologists, wildlife managers and interns worked tirelessly in the field to capture 20 birds near Moab, Utah, and then 12 more from the north Kaibab Plateau in Arizona. Thirty-two blue grouse in total were captured, banded, and some fitted with transmitters, and then released near the Rim Lakes on the Mogollon Rim.
“This first translocation went very well. Many thanks go to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, who allowed us to capture grouse from their state. Utah has a much more robust dusky grouse population, and we were able to capture a lot of birds in a short time,” states Ron Day, small game, predator and furbearer biologist for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
Dusky grouse, previously referred to as blue grouse, are the second largest of the grouse family. Males can weigh up to 3 pounds. They are a dusky blue-grey color and, like most grouse, exhibit the broad fan-tail with a distinctive band across the feathers. Their habitat consists of subalpine mixed conifer forests of Douglas fir, spruce, aspen and grassland meadow areas for foraging. Before this translocation, blue grouse could only be found on the North Kaibab Plateau, the highest peaks of the White Mountains, and a very limited range atop the San Francisco Peaks.
“Our research determined this area of the Mogollon Rim has a large amount of contiguous mixed conifer habitat that is very suitable for grouse,” says Day. “Our goal is to bring this unique bird into sustainable populations to offer sportsmen and wildlife watchers a closer location to enjoy these birds.”
In the second year of a five-year effort to expand the range of the blue grouse to this region, additional translocations may involve up to four different release sites and, when established, should provide for sustainable populations for years to come.
The project is funded through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife Restoration Program, which generates its funding through excise taxes on firearms, ammunitions, archery equipment and arrow components and then apportions the funding to state wildlife agencies.
However, grouse hunters should note that Unit 4A and 5A are closed hunting areas. There is no hunting allowed in the area of a translocation for five years after the last transplant date. For example, if this were the last translocation, these birds could not be hunted until 2013.
Also, turkey hunters in Units 4A and 5A are cautioned to be certain of their target. Blue grouse look very similar to a young turkey.
For future hunters, the prospect of hunting this challenging bird and then taking in some trout fishing on the Mogollon Rim will be well worth today’s efforts. Science-based translocation programs follow the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and are designed to increase diversity of wildlife populations throughout the state and beyond to the benefit of all citizens.
For more information about the Arizona Game and Fish Department, visit www.azgfd.gov.
Related posts
Bison Return to the Book Cliffs
September 12, 2008
14 bison reintroduced to eastern Utah Book Cliffs
As 14 bison ran for freedom, there were plenty of smiles on the faces of those who watched. After a long absence, bison are roaming on public lands in the Book Cliffs in eastern Utah.
This Aug. 30 reintroduction, plus another 30 bison scheduled for release later this year, are the start of a new free roaming herd in Utah.
The journey for this first group of bison started early on Aug. 26. That’s when helicopter pilots working for the Ute Tribe Fish and Game (UTFG) lifted off a ridge in the Hill Creek Extension and began herding bison into a trapping and sorting facility. As the day progressed, many bison, some in small herds and others with their families, were pushed towards the trap. None of them wanted to go, but by the time the day ended, more than 200 of them were standing in the corrals.
“The Hill Creek bison roundup is a yearly event,” explained Karen Corts, wildlife biologist working with the UTFG. “We’ve been doing it for about 10 years now to monitor the health of the herd.”
There was a new twist this time, however: the roundup was being watched by a handful of biologists with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR). Some of the bison that were in the pens that night would start a new herd on public lands in the Book Cliffs.
The following day, the DWR biologists helped the UTFG crews sort through the herd.
“We herd the bison out of the main corrals and into chutes where each animal can be handled individually,” Corts said. “We record the age and weight of each animal. Then the state veterinarian looks at its health, takes blood samples and checks for diseases, such as brucellosis. Our herd has remained disease free.”
As each animal passed its health inspection, it was given ear tags and released back into the wilds of Hill Creek. All but a few, that is. Nine females and six males, all but one of them yearlings, were selected to take a different journey.
“We offered them a few more [than that],” said Carlos Reed, director of the UTFG. “We feel returning bison to public lands in the Book Cliffs is a good thing. We’ve been helping the state any way we can.”
“We’ve appreciated the help we’ve received from the Ute Tribe, and we wish we could have taken more bison. But our management plan called for only 15 bison from the Ute Tribe this year,” said Charlie Greenwood, regional wildlife manager for the DWR.
“The tribe was extremely helpful,” Greenwood said. “They have not only provided bison, they also arranged a tour of their lands and shared their knowledge of managing bison in the Book Cliffs with us.”
The 15 bison that were selected by the biologists were given additional disease tests and a different color ear tag. Radio collars were also placed on a few of them. Then they were loaded into trailers and transported to a new set of corrals where they waited in quarantine for 72 hours. Sadly, one of the bison was gored during the trip and didn’t survive.
On the morning of Aug. 30, after the state veterinarian had declared the entire group of 14 bison disease-free, Greenwood gave the go-ahead to load them back into the trailers.
“We’re being extra careful with disease testing,” Greenwood said. “Any bison we reintroduce in the future will also receive extra disease testing, even though they’re coming from a herd that was testing disease free.”
Eight long hours later, while standing in the cool green hills of the Bogart Canyon area of the Book Cliffs, Greenwood asked Dave Olsen to do the honors and release the first group of bison.
“Dave has worked longer and harder on this than anyone,” Greenwood said. “With those 14 bison, we begin a new story: bison roaming free on public lands in the Book Cliffs.”
Note: The Aug. 30 transplant is considered a reintroduction as there is ample evidence that bison roamed freely in the northeastern corner of Utah, including both the road and roadless areas of the Book Cliffs. Besides the verbal stories that have been handed down, hard evidence includes Native American rock art on canyon walls and bison skulls, several of which have been found in the Book Cliffs. Early explorers, like Father Escalante, also recorded seeing or killing bison as a food source while crossing the Uinta Basin.
Related posts
Youth Chukar Hunt Was a Hoot in Utah
September 12, 2008
Five hunts held on Sep. 6
Nearly 20 youngsters enjoyed hunting chukars recently at the Gordon Creek Wildlife Management Area west of Price.
The Gordon Creek WMA was one of five sites in Utah that hosted special youth chukar hunts on Sep. 6.
Youngsters bag a few birds
The Division of Wildlife Resources stocked the Gordon Creek WMA with 150 birds just before the hunt. Even with that many chukars on the ground, the quail-sized birds proved to be pretty cagey. They ran far ahead of the shot shooters and often flushed out of range, or to one side of the shooters or the other.
Hundreds of shot shell blasts later, the youngsters had bagged only a fraction of the birds stocked on the WMA.
The important thing was that everyone had a great time and did a lot of wing shooting. Every boy and girl was able to shoot and take home one or more birds.
It’s your turn: chukar hunt opens Sep. 27
Most of the birds that eluded the youth hunters should be available on or near the Gordon Creek WMA when Utah’s general chukar hunt opens on Sep. 27. The hunt runs through Feb. 15 across Utah. The daily bag limit is five birds.
Big game hunters: grab your shotguns!
To hunt upland game, you must have a hunting license or a combination license.
“If you’re a big game hunter, you probably already have one of these two licenses,” says Brent Stettler, regional conservation outreach manager for the DWR. “If you do, you don’t need to wait until your big game hunt starts to get out and enjoy some hunting. You can grab your shotgun and start chasing chukars on Sep. 27!”
Related posts
Take Your Kids Waterfowl Hunting in Utah on Sep. 27
September 12, 2008
Shooting starts at 6:50 a.m. that day
A great way to introduce your kids to waterfowl hunting awaits Sep. 27 as Utah hosts its annual Special Youth Hunting Day.
All of Utah’s state waterfowl management areas and federal refuges will be open to hunters 15 years of age and younger that day. To qualify for the hunt, young hunters must complete the state’s Hunter Education course, have a current hunting license and be accompanied by an adult.
Shooting starts at 6:50 a.m. on Sep. 27. You can learn more about the hunt by obtaining a copy of the 2008–2009 Utah Waterfowl Guidebook. The guidebook is available now at www.wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks
A fun day
“The youth hunt is a great way to get young people excited about waterfowl hunting,” says Tom Aldrich, migratory game bird coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. “There’s always plenty of ducks for the kids to shoot at, and the kids have the marsh all to themselves.
“And, since adults can’t hunt that day, they can focus all of their attention on these young hunters. The youth day gives adults more time to teach the kids how to be safe, responsible and ethical hunters.”
Related posts
View Migrating Birds of Prey in Utah
September 12, 2008
Raptor Watch Day happens Sep. 27
Thousands of birds of prey fly through Utah’s clear, crisp skies every fall.
You can see and learn more about these migrating birds of prey during Utah’s annual Raptor Watch Day.
This year’s event will be held Sep. 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Orem overlook along Squaw Peak Road, east of Orem.
You can access Squaw Peak Road from the Provo Canyon Road. To reach the Provo Canyon Road, exit I-15 at Exit 275 and travel east on 800 N. in Orem.
The Division of Wildlife Resources hosts Raptor Watch Day every year. The event is free.
“The fall colors will just be starting to flirt with your eye, and the temperature at our high elevation watch site should be crisp,” says Bob Walters, Watchable Wildlife coordinator for the DWR.
“With any luck, the skies will be clear,” he says. “If the skies are clear, you’ll be treated to up-close glimpses of harriers, vultures, eagles, hawks and falcons as they continue their annual migration to the south.
Walters says experts will be on hand to help you identify passing birds of prey and to answer any questions you have about raptor migration. “Raptor Watch Day is usually one of the best times of the year to spend a few hours relaxing and watching raptors,” he says.
Related posts
Catch Fish, Shoot Targets at the Utah State Fair Sept. 4-14
September 2, 2008
Your kids can catch fish and shoot pellet guns at this year’s Utah State Fair.
The two activities are just some of the things your family can enjoy at the historic Division of Wildlife Resources building. Located on the south side of the Utah State Fairpark, the building is close to 100 years old.
The following are among the things you and your family can do at the building and the surrounding area:
Your kids can catch and release bluegill, crappie, catfish and bass at the fish pond. The pond is on the south side of the building. It will be open from 4–7 p.m. every day of the fair except Sep. 4. The DWR will provide all of the fishing equipment and instruction your kids will need to catch fish.
Your kids can shoot at targets at the DWR’s shooting trailer. The trailer will be open every day of the fair.
You can learn about various outdoor topics at a series of seminars. Black bear and OHV safety, the rocks that make up the Wasatch Mountains and wildlife art are among the topics that will be presented. The seminars will be held on the west side of the fish pond. Most of the seminars will be held in the evening.
You can learn more about Utah’s outdoors at various information booths inside the building. The divisions of Oil, Gas & Mining, State Parks and Recreation, Water Resources and Wildlife Resources, as well as the Utah Geological Survey and the Department of Natural Resources, will be represented.
“Because so many DNR divisions will be involved this year, those who attend the fair can learn more about conservation efforts and Utah’s outdoors than ever before,” says DNR Executive Director Mike Styler.
The Utah State Fair runs Sep. 4–14 at the Utah State Fairpark. The fairpark is at 155 N. 1000 W. in Salt Lake City.