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Alabama
Open-gate Weekends Improve Hunting Access on Four Forever Wild Properties
The Alabama State Lands Division announces a series of "open-gate weekends" on four Forever Wild Land Trust properties. These open-gate weekends are designed to increase access to hunting on public lands. During the weekends, the internal woods-roads gates will be opened to allow for easier access to hunting on the properties.
The properties listed below are open-permit public lands. Unlike hunting on private land or Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), the hunter only needs a hunting license to hunt the properties. All other hunting rules and regulations apply and the tracts will be patrolled and monitored by conservation enforcement officers.
Red Hills Tract - Monroe County October 31-November 1, 2014 December 13-14, 2014 January 10-11, 2015 February 14-15, 2015
Lillian Swamp Tract - Baldwin County December 13-14, 2014 January 10-11, 2015 February 14-15, 2015
Splinter Hill Bog Tract - Baldwin County December 13-14, 2014 January 10-11, 2015 February 14-15, 2015
Old Cahawba Tract - Dallas County December 13-14, 2014 January 10-11, 2015 February 14-15, 2015
During the open-gate weekends, the entire tract will be open to hunting and hunters are encouraged to practice hunter safety. More information about hunting safely can be found in the hunter education section of outdooralabama.com. All published rules and regulations for these specific tracts remain the same during the open-gate weekends.
For other periods of the hunting season, the tracts remain open under the routine designated means of access -- public roads and parking area points of entry. For more information about hunting provisions on Forever Wild properties, visit http://alabamaforeverwild.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/FW-tracts-hunting-provisions-2014-2015.pdf.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama's natural resources through five divisions: Marine Police, Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries.
CALIFORNIA
2014/2015 Waterfowl Hunting Opportunities Available in Alameda County
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is offering fall waterfowl hunting opportunities at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve (ELER) in Hayward. The reserve includes former salt ponds now managed by CDFW as low-salinity waterfowl habitat as well as areas that have been restored to full tidal action. Access to ELER for waterfowl hunting will be open for 100 hunters on a first-come, first-served basis for each hunt only on the dates listed below. There is no fee for these hunts.
2014 hunts:
Saturday, Nov. 22: Check-in at 5 a.m.
Saturday, Dec. 6: Check-in at 5 a.m.
Thursday, Dec. 11: Check-in at 5 a.m.
Saturday, Dec. 20: Check-in at 5 a.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 30: Check-in at 5 a.m.
2015 hunts:
Saturday, Jan. 3: Check-in at 5:30 a.m.
Thursday, Jan. 8: Check-in at 5:30 a.m.
Thursday, Jan. 15: Check-in at 5:30 a.m.
Saturday, Jan. 24: Check-in at 5:30 a.m.
All hunters must possess a valid California hunting license, federal and state duck stamps and complete the Harvest Information Program validation. Junior license holders must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older (hunter or non-hunter).
Vehicles may be driven on levees in designated areas to launch boats for waterfowl hunting, or to access approved parking areas. Vehicles are only allowed on the hunt dates specified above. Hunters must check in with CDFW staff and provide their license, stamps and validation as listed above. Hunters will also be required to check out upon leaving and allow inspection of any harvested game to evaluate hunter success and collect harvest data.
Improvements have been made to ELER which will affect hunters in the 2014-15 seasons. These include construction of a boat launch, newly graveled roads, improved pond access and blind refurbishment.
Hunters are responsible for avoiding closed areas. There is a 25-shell limit in the field. A small boat, canoe or other floatation device is highly recommended to access ponds, blinds and navigable sloughs, and for game retrieval. A hunting dog is also recommended for retrieval of birds. Hunters will receive additional information, including area rules and regulations and maps, at the time of check-in.
To access ELER from I-880, exit at Alvarado Blvd., continue west on Alvarado Blvd., turn right onto Union City Blvd., left onto Bettencourt Rd. (sign for Union Sanitary District), left on Whipple Rd., right on Horner St., then right on Veasy St. Enter at the yellow gate to check in.
Formal plans for public access opportunities at ELER in addition to hunting are being developed as part of the South Bay Salt Ponds Restoration Project. Please visit www.southbayrestoration.org for more information.
COLORADO
CPW issues 2014-15 Eastern Plains Upland Forecast
Colorado Parks and Wildlife Small-Game Coordinator Ed Gorman forecasts the 2014-15 pheasant and quail season. DENVER -- Colorado Parks and Wildlife's 2014-15 Eastern Plains Upland Forecast is just in time for pheasant and quail season opening Nov. 8. Across much of Colorado's core pheasant range, the effects of drought were clear and significant in terms of the total population of pheasants. Two successive years of drought have finally given way to above normal precipitation, and pheasant populations across the eastern plains of Colorado are slowly improving. In 2014 Northeast Colorado pheasant call count surveys were down approximately 44% from 2013, averaging approximately 17.5 calls per station, and down 66% since 2012. The 2014 crowing count survey suggests that pheasant populations were much lower than any year since 2003, which is not surprising considering the severity of the recent drought. In Southeast Colorado, counts were much lower, which is very typical for the area. It is important for hunters to note that crowing counts are simply an index of the cock pheasant population and represent an incomplete picture of the population. They provide a look at the population trend between years and over the life of the survey. The pheasant crow counts provide no information detailing or predicting nesting success or brood survival, both of which are critically vital to fall hunting populations. Measuring nesting success and chick survival is an imprecise estimate when done without the costly task of radio-marking hundreds of hens and chicks. Instead, some states conduct summer brood counts where the surveyor drives a predetermined route, counting and classifying all pheasants seen by age and sex. This method is occasionally used in Colorado and it provides a very unreliable index of the fall population because the method requires multiple replications during very specific weather conditions (high humidity resulting in dew, which forces birds to the roads to dry off in the morning). In Colorado's core pheasant range, the technique generally doesn't provide much value, because in seasons with high humidity, vegetation growth along roadsides often hides pheasant broods from detection. Conversely, in dry years with little humidity, there is little reason for pheasant broods to congregate along a road. That being said, it is a safe assessment that as weather conditions became nearly optimal in many locations on the eastern plains, pheasant populations are doing better than in 2012 and 2013. Hunters should not expect to see a complete recovery over a single year, as the level of the breeding population impacts recovery in addition to weather and habitat. NE Colorado (Yuma, Phillips, Sedgwick, Logan, Washington, Morgan and SE Weld Counties): Populations across the region are better than in 2013. During the initial stages of the nesting season, conditions ranged from poor to excellent across the region, suggesting that hunters would be wise to expect that the highest populations will be highly variable and spot specific this year. Beneficial precipitation continued throughout the summer in many areas, providing ample opportunities for unsuccessful hens to re-nest. There are some areas within this area that did not receive ample precipitation in 2014, or were subject to severe and widespread hail storms during the summer period, both of which contribute to the "spotty" nature of the forecast for 2014. Habitat is in much better shape due to optimum, in some cases record, levels of precipitation that large portions of the area received in 2014. However, it is also apparent that precipitation did not fall equally across this region, leaving some areas relatively dry through the summer period. Also, it is important to note that total CRP acres are declining across the core pheasant range, a trend which will likely continue as many CRP contracts will expire over the next 2 years. While drought concerns have moderated, fire danger is always a concern. Please be considerate where vehicles are parked. Refrain from smoking while in the field. Similarly, road conditions can deteriorate quickly when precipitation falls making unimproved roads virtually impassable. Also note that WIA sprinkler corners are closed to WIA hunting when the landowner is harvesting the associated crop. This closure is in effect to allow harvesters to work efficiently and to minimize safety concerns for hunters and harvesters. Corners are posted with closure signs in addition to WIA boundary signs. As of November 3, 2014, corn harvest ranges from 30-60% complete depending on the area, so hunters should expect to find some standing corn present on the opener. South Platte River (eastern Morgan, Washington, Logan, Sedgwick): Bobwhite quail populations remain a question mark for 2014 due to the impacts of higher water during the spring runoff period. Cover will be greatly improved from what hunters observed in 2013, but that will also impact hunting success because in some areas, cover may be too tall and dense to effectively hunt. Landowner reports have been highly variable in 2014, while CPW staff has reported some bobwhite broods and coveys on State Wildlife Areas. Hunter reports from the upcoming opening weekend will provide another clue as to bobwhite numbers in the South Platte corridor in 2014. East Central Colorado (Southern Yuma, Kit Carson, Cheyenne, Kiowa Counties): Pheasant populations should be higher than in 2012 and 2013. Expect similar conditions in the NE portion of Colorado with very site-specific conditions in terms of habitat and pheasant population recovery. While precipitation levels were much improved over the recent past, some areas experienced severe hail storms and populations will be lower in these areas, although the habitat may look very good. Expect to find drier conditions in Cheyenne County, where conditions have improved but not to the degree that Kit Carson County has. Pheasant densities will increase within the areas that provide sprinkler irrigation fields. Hunters should note that many areas in WIA in Kiowa County are enrolled primarily for their value for light goose hunting, including some fields that will offer little cover for pheasants and quail. Extreme SE Colorado (Baca & Prowers Counties): Populations of pheasants were severely impacted by drought from 2010 through the spring of 2013. Conditions have improved this summer to nearly normal precipitation in some areas, but recovery of the habitat and population will require additional years of good conditions. Even so, CPW observed a fair number of quail broods this fall. Expect that pheasant populations will be low across the area, although a bit higher in areas with sprinkler irrigation systems. Some late hatches of quail have been observed, although both bobwhites and scaled quail breeding populations were reduced by the severe 2010-2013 drought. The general feeling is that quail populations are improving but not yet recovered from the recent drought, with some areas that will be better in terms of habitat and population. Find out more about pheasant hunting at http://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/Pheasant-Hunting.aspx and http://coloradooutdoorsmag.com/category/small-game-hunting/. Not sure where to go? Search more than 215,000 walk-in access acres available at http://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/WalkInAccessProgram.aspx.
A reminder to hunters:
Hunting on private land requires permission. With the exception of land enrolled in Walk-In Access (Colorado Parks and Wildlife has leased WIA lands opening them to hunting), you must obtain permission to hunt private land, whether that land is posted or not. Landowners are very perceptive to the actions of hunters, whether on their land, WIA properties, or their neighbor's property. Trespassing, leaving trash, carcasses or damaging property leaves a poor image with landowners, while courteous and respectful hunting gives a good image. Fall harvest is a very stressful period for landowners. Interrupting harvest or stopping a combine to ask for hunting permission is not a good idea. Standing at the end of the field waiting for the combine to flush birds is not recommended. Both are likely to draw the ire of the landowner and are questionable activities at best when considering how important landowner relations are to gaining and maintaining access. Be respectful of other hunters.
Florida
Give thanks for hunting opportunities galore
Outta' the Woods
November means the 2014-15 huntin' season is in full swing. In this month's column, I cover almost everything you need to know about general gun, fall turkey, quail, snipe and the second phase of mourning and white-winged dove season.
The first thing you need to do is pick up a $17 Florida resident hunting license. Nonresidents pay $46.50 for a 10-day license or $151.50 for 12 months.
If you plan to hunt one of Florida's many wildlife management areas (WMAs), you'll also need a $26.50 management area permit, but don't forget to study the brochure for the specific area you plan to hunt, because dates, bag limits and rules can differ greatly from area to area.
You can get these brochures at the tax collector's offices in close proximity to the WMA, or you can download them from MyFWC.com/Hunting.
You can buy your license and permits by calling 888-HUNT-FLORIDA or going online at License.MyFWC.com. But have your credit card ready. You also can purchase them from a tax collector's office and most retail outlets that sell hunting and fishing supplies.
The general gun season runs Nov. 1 " Jan. 18 in Zone C; Dec. 6 " Feb. 22 in Zone B; and in Zone A, the second phase of general gun season runs Nov. 22 " Jan. 4. In Zone D, it always starts Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27) and lasts four days until Nov. 30. Two weeks later, the season reopens Dec. 13 and runs through Feb. 22.
Regarding deer, hunters may take only legal bucks, and they must have the $5 deer permit. On private lands, the daily bag limit for deer is two, but during some quota hunts on WMAs, the bag limit is only one deer, so read the particular WMA brochure before you hunt.
On private lands, hunters can take wild hogs year-round with no bag or size limits. On most " but not all " WMAs, there's also no bag or size limit on wild hogs, and hunters can take them during any hunting season except spring turkey. Again, check the WMA brochure to be certain.
On private lands only, the highly anticipated antlerless deer season is Nov. 22-28 (Thanksgiving week) in zones A and C, and it always runs Dec. 26 " Jan. 1 (Christmas week) in Zone B. But this year in Zone D, there's been a change. The antlerless deer season used to run seven consecutive days, but now it's been changed to a Saturday-Sunday (weekend) format. North of Interstate 10 in what is now called Deer Management Unit (DMU) D2, these new antlerless deer weekends are Nov. 29-30 and Dec. 6-7, 20-21 and 27-28. In DMU-D1, which is south of I-10, the doe weekends are Nov. 29-30 and Dec. 27-28.
During antlerless deer season, the daily bag limit is one legal buck and one antlerless deer, or two legal bucks. You may not take two antlerless deer in one day like you can during archery season, and spotted fawns are never legal game. By the way, WMAs do not have an antlerless deer season, so this opportunity applies to private property only.
Fall turkey season in Zone A is Nov. 22 - Jan. 4. In zones B and C, it runs Dec. 6 - Feb. 1 and Nov. 1 - Dec. 28, respectively. And in Zone D, fall turkey season is Nov. 27-30 and Dec. 13 - Jan. 18, except for Holmes County, where there is no fall turkey season.
Only bearded turkeys and gobblers are legal game; you must have a turkey permit ($10 for residents; $125 for nonresidents) to hunt them. You may now take up to two turkeys in one day on private lands, but there's still the two-bird fall-season (archery, crossbow, muzzleloading gun and fall turkey seasons combined) limit. And on WMAs, you may still shoot only one turkey per day.
Quail season runs statewide Nov. 8 - March 1, and the daily bag limit is 12.
Shooting hours for deer, turkey and quail are a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. All legal rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, bows, crossbows and pistols are legal for taking these resident game animals during the general gun, antlerless deer, fall turkey and quail seasons.
Snipe hunting in Florida ranks second in the nation in number of birds harvested each year, and the season always runs Nov. 1 - Feb. 15 statewide. The second phase of the mourning and white-winged dove season also comes in this month and runs Nov. 8 - Dec. 1. Shooting hours for migratory game birds are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. The bag limit for snipe is eight; for doves, the bag limit is 15.
You must get a no-cost migratory bird permit if you plan to hunt snipe, doves or any other migratory game birds.
The FWC even provides an online "Dove Hunters' Hotline," which gives up-to-date information on Florida's public dove fields. The address is MyFWC.com/Dove, and it is updated every Thursday throughout dove season. Information includes dove densities, previous week's harvests and field conditions.
Whether small-game hunting with friends and family or hunting solo, going after that monster buck, boar hog or big tom, November brings loads of great hunting opportunities.
Here's wishing you a happy Thanksgiving and a successful hunting season.
Idaho
Ducks left to waste in Buhl
Idaho Fish and Game needs information on a case where poachers left 15 ducks to rot in the alley in Buhl. The ducks were discovered in the alley between 11th and 12th Ave. North in the 800 block, which is between Pine Street and 1400 East in Buhl. "There are seven hen mallard, six drakes and two pintails," said Meghan Roos, Idaho Fish and Game Senior Conservation Officer. "The ducks were likely killed and left sometime between October 11 and 12 and discovered on the 14." People with information, leading to a conviction on this or other crimes are eligible for a reward through Citizens Against Poaching (CAP) and callers can remain anonymous. People can either contact CAP at 1-800-632-5999 twenty four hours a day, the Fish and Game Regional office at 208-324-4359 or officer Roos directly at 208-539-4428.
Illinois
Upland Hunting
For information on prospects for the 2014-15 pheasant, quail and rabbit seasons in Illinois, check the IDNR web site for the annual hunting prospects reports prepared by the IDNR Division of Wildlife Resources. The links to the reports are available through the IDNR web site at: http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/uplandgame/Pages/PheasantQuailAndRabbitAnnualStatusReports.aspx
Central Illinois Youth Goose Hunt
Youth interested in participating in the 15th annual Central Illinois Youth Goose Hunt, sponsored by the IDNR, can register now for the hunt, which is scheduled for Dec. 26-27. To register for a drawing to participate in the hunt, youth hunters must phone in to the IDNR at 217-785-8060 by the registration deadline of Friday, Dec. 5. The youth goose hunt will be held at private waterfowl hunting clubs in Peoria, Fulton and Knox counties. A lottery drawing involving all youth who phone in to register will be conducted on Monday, Dec. 8, and youth hunters selected will be notified by mail. First-time applicants will be given a priority over previous participants in the drawing. The hunt is open to youngsters ages 10-15 at the time of the hunt. All applicants must have successfully completed a hunter safety education course, possess a valid Illinois hunting or sportsman's license, have a Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration number, and have a 20 gauge or larger shotgun. Youth hunt participants must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who must possess a valid firearm owner's identification (FOID) card. To register for the hunt or for more information, call 217-785-8060.
Youth Pheasant Hunt: Johnson-Sauk Trail SRA in Henry County near Kewanee will host a Controlled Pheasant Hunt opportunity for youth ages 10-15 on Sat., Nov. 8. To reserve a free Johnson-Sauk Trail Youth Pheasant Hunt Permit, go online at www.dnr.illinois.gov and follow these navigation instructions: Click on "Upland Game" from the drop down menu under the "Hunting/Trapping" button on the toolbar, then click on "Controlled Pheasant Areas" under the "Quick Links" heading. Check-in for Reserved Youth Permit holders will from 8:00 - 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 8 at the Red Earth Café Marina Building Check Station in the lower level. If the Reserved Youth Permit hunter quota is not filled, stand-by Youth Permits will be issued via a drawing at 8:30 a.m. at the check station until the daily hunter quota is full. For more information, phone 309-853-2425.
IOWA
Outdoor Notes Posted
Prairie Chicken Update Chad Paup, wildlife biologist for the Wildlife Bureau's Grand River Unit in southern Iowa, said he is happy to report the greater prairie chickens seem to be doing quite well.
"We can confidently report that we observed 10 to 12 broods this summer and the Nature Conservancy folks at the Dunn Ranch have observed 4 or 5 broods," Paup said. He said probably the biggest contributing factors to the prairie chicken success the past couple of seasons are the habitat and the drier weather in June and July.
The DNR released 105 prairie chickens collected from western Nebraska in April on the Kellerton Area in Ringgold County to increase the local population.
Cabin Season Is Here
Looking for a getaway in Iowa's late fall beauty that won't cost an arm and a leg? Rent a cabin in a state park.
Go online to iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com to see availability and what the cabins have to offer. There are many weekend dates reserveable.
Trout Are on the Way
The DNR releases 1,000 to 2,000 rainbow trout at select locations as part of its cool weather trout program that brings trout to areas that cannot support them during the summer months.
Trout will be released at 1 p.m., Nov. 5 in Moorland Pond, Fort Dodge; at noon, Nov. 8 in Scharnberg Pond, Spencer; at 2 p.m., Nov. 12 in Bacon Creek, Sioux City; at 10 a.m., Nov. 14 in Prairie Creek Park (Cedar Bend), Cedar Rapids; at noon, Nov. 20 in Ada Hayden, Ames; at 1 p.m., Nov. 21 in North Prairie, Cedar Falls; and 11 a.m., Nov. 26 in Blue Pit, Mason City.
Anglers will need to have a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout. The daily limit is five trout per licensed angler with a possession limit of 10.
Harvest Update The latest crop report from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship showed 61 percent of corn and 91 percent of soybean harvest has been complete. That's good news for pheasant hunters.
Upcoming Basic Shotgun Coach Trainings
The following Basic Shotgun courses are accepting registrations.
November 15, Clinton County Sportsman's Club, DeWitt
November 22, Shelby County Trap and Skeet, Harlan
February 28, Ottumwa Izaak Walton League, Ottumwa
March 14, Yarmouth Gun Club, Yarmouth
March 21, Cedar Falls Gun Club, Cedar Falls
KANSAS
NOVEMBER STARTS WITH A BANG AND YOUTH SEASON
Youngsters 16 and younger can hunt pheasants and quail Nov. 1-2
November is a busy month for hunters in Kansas, and it starts on Nov. 1 and 2 with the youth pheasant and quail seasons. A variety of seasons in Kansas are designated for young hunters, including spring turkey, deer, waterfowl, pheasants and quail. All youth seasons are part of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism's (KDWPT) Pass It On program, which focuses on recruiting new hunters and getting youth involved.
Youth seasons are usually scheduled to give young hunters the first crack at game, and they provide mentors the opportunity to teach without giving up hunting time during regular seasons. During the youth seasons, public lands and Walk-In Hunting Access areas are open and uncrowded. Odds are high that young hunters will have quality experiences and ample opportunities to see game.
During the youth pheasant and quail season, youth 16 and younger may hunt while under the supervision of an adult 18 or older. Resident youth age 16 and all nonresident youth, irregardless of age, must have a hunting license. All youth age 16 must also have a hunter education certificate. The daily bag limit during the youth seasons is two rooster pheasants and four quail. Supervising adults may not hunt.
The percentage of Kansans who hunt dropped significantly in the late 1990s, and in 2000, KDWPT developed Pass It On to reverse that trend. Over the past 14 years, in addition to the establishment of special youth hunting seasons, KDWPT has conducted hundreds of special youth hunts, outdoor skills events and advanced hunter education courses. All of these programs are aimed at providing safe, convenient events for youngsters to learn outdoor skills and experience hunting.
The youth pheasant and quail seasons can provide youth with great outdoor experiences, and they allow mentors to not only pass along their passion and knowledge of the outdoors, but also the opportunity to scout and work hunting dogs ahead of the regular season. Young hunters won't require long hunts and limits of birds to enjoy a hunting experience they'll remember the rest of their lives. Never underestimate the power of passing it on.
Minnesota
Your ideas can help improve pheasant populations!
Governor Mark Dayton will convene the state's first-ever Minnesota Pheasant Summit on Saturday, Dec. 13 in Marshall. This working meeting will bring together hunters, farmers, conservationists, key members of the Governor's Cabinet and others. Together, they will focus on strategies to increase the state's pheasant population, improve pheasant habitat, and help ensure future generations of Minnesota hunters have the opportunity enjoy this popular and important species.
DNR grants give trap shooting ranges a boost
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has approved nearly $400,000 in expedited small range trap shooting grants to expand, improve or upgrade trap shooting ranges across the state.
The grants are the result of a $2.16 million legislative appropriation earlier this year that aims to increase shooting range capacity for youth trap shooters by providing matching funds to recreational shooting clubs open for public use.
"These grants will be a shot in the arm to the trap shooting community and help provide more opportunity for youth trap shooters, whose numbers have swollen since the inception of the Minnesota High School Clay Target League," said Maj. Roger Tietz, DNR Enforcement Division operations support manager.
The number of clay target league youth shooters jumped from 3,400 in spring 2013 to around 6,100 in spring 2014.
There were 55 grant applications received and 40 approved totaling $389,000. Grant applications were scored based on project location and need, financial contributions of funding partners and the applicant and the feasibility of the project.
The program provides grants for projects ranging from $2,500 to $25,000. The grants must be matched in a ratio of one-to-one.
Groundwork for a new round of funding for larger and smaller grants will be announced later this year.
Public hunting land dedicated during Governor's Pheasant Hunting Opener helps protect Worthington's municipal water
More than 150 outdoor supporters and hunters gathered Saturday during the Governor's Pheasant Hunting Opener to dedicate a recently acquired wildlife management area (WMA) near Worthington.
The 147-acre Worthington Wells tract of the Lake Bella WMA provides public hunting land and protects highly vulnerable soils in the center of Worthington's municipal water supply.
which supplies the majority of water to the city of Worthington. The soils on 97 acres of the WMA are permeable, meaning they rapidly absorb surface water. Covering the site with undisturbed grassland provides habitat for many species of wildlife and helps protect groundwater from contamination.
The parcel is part of a 1,000-acre complex southwest of Worthington that allows users to walk a 12-mile loop without leaving public property.
"Setting this land aside for the enjoyment of Minnesota hunters is an investment in the future of our state," said Gov. Mark Dayton. "It also provides critical habitat for wildlife and helps support the local hunting economy. "
The parcel was purchased for $842,000 by a partnership of seven entities that included Nobles County Pheasants Forever, Pheasants Forever Build-A-Wildlife-Area, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Reinvest in Minnesota Critical Habitat Program, E.O. Olson Trust, Worthington Public Utilities and Okabena-Ocheda Watershed District. Approximately $30,000 was spent to restore the parcel to prairies grasslands and forbs.
An additional $30,000 in private dollars was raised for Pheasants Forever Build-A-Wildlife-Area through donors sponsoring a granite monument on the WMA, which was unveiled at the dedication.
The land dedication was part of the 2014 Minnesota Governor's Pheasant Hunting Opener. Dayton led the weekend festivities, which highlighted the many hunting, recreational, travel and local opportunities the Worthington area has to offer visitors.
Mississippi
Mississippi's Goose Season Starting Soon
Mississippi's goose hunting season opens Thursday, November 13, 2014 and is a great time to participate in waterfowl hunting before the duck season opens later this month. Late-season Canada, snow, blue, Ross's, white-fronted goose, and brant seasons will occur from November 13, 2014 - January 25, 2015. Canada geese will have a 3-bird daily bag limit and brant will have a daily bag limit of 1 bird. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit for Canada geese and brant. Snow, blue, and Ross's geese will have a daily bag limit of 20 birds during the regular hunting season. White-fronted geese will have a daily bag limit of 2 birds. The possession limit for white-fronted geese is 6 and there is no possession limit for snow, blue, and Ross's geese.
Hunters ages 16 to 64 must obtain a hunting license and be Harvest Information Program (HIP) registered for Mississippi. All hunters over the age of sixteen are required to have both a state and federal duck stamp. If hunting on a WMA, hunters will also need a WMA User Permit. Hunters should carefully read the regulations for all public lands prior to hunting to ensure they are in compliance.
For more information regarding waterfowl in Mississippi, visit our website at www.mdwfp.com/waterfowl or call us at (601) 432-2199.
New Youth Waterfowl Hunting Opportunities on Pearl River WMA
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks is providing new youth waterfowl hunting opportunities on Pearl River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) this hunting season. For the first time, youth hunters will have the opportunity to waterfowl hunt within selected waterfowl impoundments on the WMA. The hunts will be only for permitted youth hunters that are 15 years of age or younger. Youth hunters must be accompanied by a Mississippi licensed adult who is 21 years of age or older. To apply for the new hunts, applications must be submitted online at www.mdwfp.com/draws.
There will be four separate draw periods available to youth hunters. Each draw period will allow applications for a specific set of hunt dates and will close at least two weeks prior to the first hunt date in that period. Applications may be submitted during the following dates:
1st Draw Period: October 20 - November 16 for hunts November 22 - December 14
2nd Draw Period: November 17 - November 30 for hunts December 15 - 28
3rd Draw Period: December 1 - December 14 for hunts December 29 - January 11
4th Draw Period: December 15 - December 28 for hunts January 12 - January 31
For more information regarding wildlife management areas in Mississippi, visit our website at www.mdwfp.com/wma or call us at (601) 432-2199.
Missouri
MDC seeks public input for Redman Conservation Area
Redman Conservation Area
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is in the multi-year process of updating Conservation Area Management Plans and is seeking public input on how conservation areas are important to Missourians. A draft plan for the Redman Conservation Area (CA) is available for public review from Nov. 1 to Nov. 30.
To preview the draft management plan and to share comments online, visit mdc.mo.gov/areaplans.
The MDC manages Redman CA " a 120-acre area comprised of native grass plantings and wooded draws " to improve wildlife habitat, increase plant and animal species diversity, and for the proliferation of native plants that are rare in the Northeast Region.
Statewide, MDC conservation areas cover almost one million public acres for the purpose of restoring and conserving forest, fish and wildlife resources, and for providing opportunities for all citizens to use, enjoy and learn about these resources. Most Missourians are within a 30-minute drive of a MDC conservation area.
"Missourians care about conservation and use conservation areas for many different reasons," said MDC Director Bob Ziehmer. "These areas help people discover nature through various activities, and help make Missouri a great place to hunt, fish, and enjoy other outdoor activities. We want to know how conservation areas are important to Missourians. Encouraging public comments on Conservation Area Management Plans is part of MDC's ongoing efforts of working for and with Missourians to sustain healthy forests, fish and wildlife."
Conservation Area Management Plans focus on natural resource management and public use on conservation areas. The plans do not address regulations on hunting, fishing and other area uses, which are set by the Conservation Commission and enforced under the Wildlife Code of Missouri. MDC will consider all ideas received and will work to balance the issues and interests identified with the responsibility of managing areas for the present and future benefits to forest, fish, wildlife, and people.
Decisions on which ideas to incorporate into area plans and on how to best incorporate them will be based on the property's purpose, its physical and biological conditions and capabilities, the best roles of the property in its local, regional and state-wide context, and on the professional expertise of MDC staff.
Nebraska
Pheasant Success Good Across Much of Nebraska
Hunters in several areas of the state enjoyed good success during the opening weekend of Nebraska's pheasant and quail seasons, Oct. 25-26.
With the number of birds seen up throughout much of the state, prospects for success improve as hunting conditions improve. Opening-weekend temperatures were unseasonably warm and unharvested crop fields gave pheasants ample cover.
Some of the best opening-weekend success was on wildlife management areas (WMAs) where pheasants had been released for the Oct. 18-19 youth pheasant season. Those areas are: Pressey; Sherman Reservoir; Oak Valley; Branched Oak; Twin Oaks; Hickory Ridge; Wilkinson; Peru Bottoms and Yankee Hill.
The opening weekend also had an economic impact on Nebraska. Tyler Loop, owner of a brewery and restaurant in McCook, said he had several out-of-town and out-of-state customers all weekend. He also took his family hunting in the area.
"Bird numbers seemed to be up quite a bit this year compared to last year thanks to all the rain we have received," Loop said. "There's still a lot of uncut corn, which made it tougher. But we still saw more birds, which was a good sign. It was hot, but I plan to go out again now that I know the birds are around. It was a good hunt. "
A summary of district law enforcement reports from the opening weekend:
SOUTHEAST
A conservation officer checked 34 hunters with 22 pheasants and seven quail harvested on the opening day at Twin Oaks WMA. Another officer checked 35 hunters at Peru Bottoms WMA. Hunters contacted at Yankee Hill WMA reported seeing birds and getting several shots. At Oak Valley WMA, 80 percent of the birds shot had been stocked. Many birds were seen in the Rainwater Basins in Fillmore County. Staff on WMAs reported good quail numbers and said harvest was twice what it was a year ago.
SOUTHWEST
Hunters averaged about .75 birds per hunter in the district. Other than Pressey WMA, where hunters commented on how good the habitat appeared, and Sherman Reservoir WMA, where hunters averaged 1.39 harvested pheasants per hunter, the southwest part of the district had the most birds. South Lincoln, southeast Perkins, north Hayes, Hitchcock, Chase, Dundy were the best. Most of the hunters in the southwest part of the district were nonresidents. Hunters on Sacramento-Wilcox WMA averaged .5 to .75 harvested pheasants per hunter on opening day.
NORTHWEST
While hunting pressure was light throughout the district, an officer working Box Butte County on opening day reported seeing more pheasants than he had seen in 24 years of working the area. He said the 19 hunters he checked averaged nearly two harvested birds per hunter. Pheasant numbers also were excellent in Cheyenne County. Landowners reported seeing more pheasants than they had in many years.
NORTHEAST
An officer working Dixon County checked 28 hunters with 39 pheasants, with most of that success at Audubon Bend WMA. In addition, numbers of quail seen and in the bag were higher in Nance County than a year ago. An officer working Stanton, Platte and Colfax counties checked 65 hunters with 44 pheasants. Most of that success was at Wilkinson WMA. Hunters in Knox County saw good numbers of birds as 18 hunters were checked with 22 pheasants.
No hunting-related accidents were reported to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
The hunting season for pheasant, quail and partridge is open through Jan. 31. Game and Parks reminds hunters to keep safety as their top priority.
Hunters should be aware of the following safety tips:
• Never point the muzzle of a shotgun at anything you do not intend to shoot.
• Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire.
• Always use the safety on a firearm but never depend on it.
• Be sure of your target and what lies beyond it.
• Know where each person in your party is at all times.
• Know your safe zone of fire.
• Although not required for upland bird hunting, blaze orange should be worn by everyone in your party.
Hunters accessing private land must first get permission and should leave the area as they found it. Do not litter or leave gates open.
The Open Fields and Waters program allows private land to be open to hunters for walk-in access. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org and search "Public Access Atlas" to view the most up-to-date printable maps.
New Jersey
NJ Upland Bird Small Game Season Opens Saturday, November 8
The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife reminds hunters that the 2014-15 small game seasons for pheasant, chukar and Hungarian partridge, bobwhite quail, ruffed grouse (south of Route 70) and woodcock (south of Route 70) will open at 8:00 AM this Saturday, November 8. Small game seasons for several other species have already opened. Hunters are reminded that quail hunting is limited to commercial and semi-wild shooting preserves and the Peaslee and Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), as the wild quail hunting season remains closed.
Hunters should review current regulations, season dates and bag limits in the 2014-15 issue of the 2014-15 Hunting and Trapping Digest (specifically page 65) for information regarding the specific season (s) they wish to hunt. A summary of small game hunting season information can also be accessed at www.njfishandwildlife.com/pdf/2014/smgame_summary14-15.pdf (pdf, 68kb).
A current and valid hunting license (bow and arrow, firearm or all-around sportsman) is required to pursue any small game species. Properly licensed hunters may hunt small game with shotgun, muzzleloader or bow and arrow (including crossbow). Archers must use flu-flu type arrows or bolts when attempting to take birds in flight. Hunters pursuing pheasants on state WMAs designated as Pheasant and Quail Stamp Areas and/or bobwhite quail on the Peaslee and Greenwood Forest WMAs must also possess a Pheasant and Quail Stamp while hunting.
SMALL GAME SEASON INFORMATION AND UPDATES
Small game species such as coyote, eastern gray squirrel, gray fox, opossum, raccoon, red fox and woodchuck remain at healthy population levels throughout New Jersey, and should provide excellent hunting opportunities for Garden State sportsmen and sportswomen. Rabbit populations, while healthy, may have been subject to increased mortality due to significant spring rainfalls and exposure. Prospects for rabbit hunters may therefore not be as good as in recent years.
Air guns may be used for taking cottontail rabbit, hare and gray squirrel using ammunition not smaller than .177 caliber or larger than .22 caliber producing projectile velocities of not less than 600 feet per second measured at the muzzle. Air gun BBs are not legal for hunting. A rifle permit is not required to hunt with an air gun. For more information, see the Air Gun Hunting in NJ page.
The Rockport Pheasant Farm has had an excellent year and has 55,000 pheasants ready to be stocked for hunters this season. These birds will be stocked on 24 Wildlife Management Areas throughout New Jersey, and hunting opportunities should be excellent for Garden State sportsmen and women. The stocking schedule is linked from the Small Game Hunting in NJ page.
Northern bobwhite quail are native to the southern half of New Jersey. In recent years, quail populations have declined throughout their range including New Jersey. As part of a comprehensive effort to reverse this decline, the bobwhite quail season was closed statewide in 2011 except for the Peaslee and Greenwood Wildlife Management Areas where the Division of Fish and Wildlife purchases and releases 11,000 birds in total (the stocking schedule is linked from the Small Game Hunting in NJ page). Quail may also be pursued at properly licensed semi-wild and commercial shooting preserves. Hunters are reminded that the quail season remains closed except as noted above.
Quail are an integral part of New Jersey's natural landscape and their decline should be of concern to everyone. Therefore, as part of an ongoing educational effort the Division of Fish and Wildlife has posted the updated Bobwhite Basics brochure on its website. Originally published in May 2003, the updated version is a handy reference tool on Habitat Basics, Nesting, Brood Habitat, Fall/Winter Activities, Foods, Management and Bobwhite Facts.
A print copy of the brochure can be obtained by sending a self-addressed, stamped ($0.46) #10 envelope to NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife, Bobwhite Basics Brochure, PO Box 418, Port Republic, NJ 08241-0418, or view or download the pdf version at www.njfishandwildlife.com/pdf/bobwhitebasics.pdf (pdf, 1.0mb).
Ruffed grouse populations face problems similar to those of bobwhite (i.e., lack of suitable habitat) and may be challenging to find, particularly in the southern region. Grouse prefer young forest habitat (less than 20 years old) and although New Jersey contains nearly 2 million acres of forest, only 4% of forests fall into the young forest category. The Division has undertaken several habitat projects designed to increase young forest acreage on several northern WMAs. Frequent spring rainfalls this year may have reduced nesting success and increased hen mortality from predation.
For more information about small game hunting in New Jersey visit the Small Game Hunting page on the Fish and Wildlife website, or pick up a copy of the 2014-15 Hunting and Trapping Digest wherever hunting licenses are sold.
North Carolina
Home from the Hunt Campaign Turns Attention to Waterfowl Hunting
The Home From The Hunt, campaign reminds waterfowl hunters to boat and hunt safely.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission's Home From The Hunt‚ campaign is reminding waterfowl hunters who use boats to exercise boating safety and hunting safety.
The Wildlife Commission has set dates, bag limits and applicable regulations for the 2014-15 waterfowl seasons, with tundra swan (by permit only), duck and geese hunting segments opening on Saturday. Learn more here.
"Statistics show more waterfowl hunters die from hypothermia and drowning than gunshot wounds," said Maj. Chris Huebner, the state boating safety coordinator. "Hypothermia is the loss of body heat and, left untreated, can prove fatal. Exposure to extreme cold, such as being in cold water or wearing wet clothes in cold conditions, can increase the chance of hypothermia. "
Wear protective clothing and watch the weather, he said. Let someone know where you are hunting and an approximate return time. Additional boating safety tips include:
• Always wear a life vest.
• Don't overload the boat, especially with passengers.
• Keep hunting dogs prone in the center of the boat.
In the event of capsizing or swamping, stay with the boat. It will provide some flotation and will be the initial focus of a rescue attempt.
Waterfowl hunters should handle shotguns in a safe manner. Be aware of muzzle direction at all times. Never shoot while standing in an unsecured boat or move about a boat with a loaded shotgun.
Go to www.ncwildlife.org/hunting or call 1-800-675-0263 for additional waterfowl hunting information.
North Dakota
Hunting from Duck Boats Requires Safety
Waterfowlers hunting from boats are encouraged to wear properly-fitted life jackets while on the water.
North Dakota Game and Fish Department boat and water safety coordinator Nancy Boldt said there are hunting jackets available with life jackets already built in.
"There are no excuses, they are light and comfortable to wear," Boldt said.
Eight people have drowned in state waters since 1998 while hunting from a boat, and none were wearing life jackets. Boldt wants to make sure a duck hunter doesn't become another statistic.
"Capsizing and falling overboard from small boats are the most common types of fatal boating accidents for hunters," Boldt added. "With all the gear in the boat, including dogs, it can quickly become unbalanced. "
In addition, wearing a life jacket will not only keep the overboard hunter afloat, but also slow the loss of critical body heat caused by exposure to cold water.
Oklahoma
Surveys Yield Good News for Quail Season Outlook
Annual roadside quail surveys have been completed for 2014, and the results are good news for quail hunters in Oklahoma. The statewide quail population index increased 66 percent from the previous year. Quail counts conducted in August and October showed higher numbers of birds in all of Oklahoma except the South-central region.
"We documented outstanding reproduction, and it looks like it will be one of the best seasons in a decade," said Richard Hatcher, director of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Scott Cox, upland game biologist with the Wildlife Department, said the weather plays an important role in quail production. The past two years, Oklahoma has seen model years for rainfall and cooler temperatures during the spring and summer months, after previous years of hot and dry conditions.
The recent favorable weather conditions helped more birds carry over into the nesting season, and allowed those birds to have a chance for multiple nesting attempts and some late-season hatches, Cox said.
Quail season will open Nov. 8 statewide, and bird hunters are invited to share their field reports and photos on the Wildlife Department's Facebook page at facebook.com/wildlifedepartment. To read the full 2014 Quail Season Outlook, go online to wildlifedepartment.com.
Northern bobwhite populations have improved significantly in most areas of Oklahoma this year, according to annual roadside surveys conducted by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. (Photo by Larry Smith/Flickr CC BY)
Pennsylvania
GAME COMMISSION TO RELEASE NEARLY 220,000 PHEASANTS
Opportunity awaits Pennsylvania hunters with Saturday opener of small-game season.
With small-game hunting seasons set to kick off this weekend, Pennsylvania's state game lands are being stocked with pheasants in a year what Game Commission officials describe as an excellent year for pheasant production.
Nearly 220,000 pheasants will be produced this year by the Game Commission's game farms to be stocked on game lands and other public lands to provide hunting opportunities for Pennsylvania hunters.
About 17,000 pheasants were released ahead of the weeklong junior-only season, which ended Oct. 18, and beginning this week, there will be several consecutive weekly releases of pheasants, as well as a late-season release of hen pheasants. In all, 103,540 roosters and 82,190 hens have been allocated for release statewide ahead of and within the early small-game season, with an additional 6,620 hens allocated for release for the late season. The best pheasant-hunting habitat and hunter access occur on more than 230 tracts of state game lands and other public lands under cooperative management with the Game Commission, and about 75 percent of the pheasants are stocked there.
The remaining 25 percent are released on private lands enrolled in the Game Commission's Hunter Access Program.
But Robert C. Boyd, who oversees the Game Commission's pheasant propagation program, said a yet undetermined number of surplus birds also will be released this year, driving the total number released toward 220,000.
"This has been a very good year for pheasant production, and it's Pennsylvania's pheasant hunters who will reap the rewards," said Boyd, who heads the Wildlife Services Division, within the Game Commission's Bureau of Wildlife Management. "Our survey work has shown that Pennsylvania's hunters strongly support our pheasant propagation program and the hunting opportunities it provides and this should be a banner year for pheasant hunting." Pennsylvania's small-game season, which includes pheasant and rabbit seasons, kicks off on Saturday. Saturday also marks the opener for fox, raccoon and bobwhite quail hunting, and the trapping seasons for foxes, raccoons, coyotes, opossums, striped skunks and weasels kick off on Sunday.
Meanwhile, seasons for squirrels and ruffed grouse, as well as the archery deer season have already begun. And the fall turkey season opener in many Wildlife Management Units begins Nov. 1.
It's that magical time of year when all of Pennsylvania's hunters and trappers have something to get excited about, said Game Commission Executive Director R. Matthew Hough.
"By this weekend, prime time for Pennsylvania hunting will have certainly arrived," Hough said. "At no other time of year do so many opportunities await hunters and trappers, and I hope they make the time to get out there and enjoy all that fall has to offer."
Hough said pheasant hunting is a great way to introduce young people to hunting. Through stocking efforts, many birds await hunters, and the hunts often are action-packed.
Game Commissioner James J. Delaney Jr., who represents several northeastern counties on the Board of Game Commissioners, said the opening of the small-game season is something to which avid bird hunters like himself look forward for most of the year. "It doesn't get any better than spending a day hunting pheasants with your trusty bird dog, and I'd encourage any hunter to give it a try," Delaney said. "Tracts all across Pennsylvania hold numbers of pheasants just waiting to be flushed. It's exciting just thinking about it."
A wealth of information on ring-necked pheasants, the Game Commission's pheasant management program, and stockings statewide can be found at the Game Commission's website, www.pgc.state.pa.us by placing the cursor over the "Hunt/Trap" tab, then selecting "Hunting," then "Ring-necked Pheasant." The general pheasant hunting season closes on Nov. 29, and the late season opens on Dec. 15. Only roosters may be hunted in many WMUs, check Page 20 of the 2014-15 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest for details.
The digest is issued to all hunters at the times they buy their licenses, and also is available online through the Game Commission's home page.
Hunters also should note that pheasant hunting is closed in all Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas, where the Game Commission is attempting to restore self-sustaining wild pheasant populations. Maps of Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas begin on Page 21 of the digest.
As of this release, all hunting and trapping activity remained closed on all lands public and private within Price, Barrett and Paradise townships, Monroe County, due to the ongoing search for a fugitive wanted in the ambush-shooting death of a state trooper.
Information on the closures will be updated regularly at the Game Commission's website..
South Dakota
Details on south dakota's 2014 pheasant opener from across the state
With the annual pheasant brood survey up 76 percent (statewide pheasants-per-mile index) from last year, today was filled with excitement for upland bird hunters across the state for the opening day of South Dakota's traditional pheasant hunting season.
"Today is a day when resident and nonresident hunters, both women and men of all generations, take to the fields and share in an annual tradition," stated Jeff Vonk, Secretary of the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks. "For many friends and family, it becomes a tradition or ‘holiday' where more than just field experiences are shared; conversations, meals, ammunition, laughs and comradery are all a part of this opening day. "
Soon after the 2014 pheasant brood survey was released in late August, upland bird hunters from across the country and world began gearing up for this weekend. Survey results showed pheasant numbers rebounded the strongest in central South Dakota; especially in the Pierre, Chamberlain, Mobridge and Winner areas. This year's results also indicated higher pheasant numbers throughout much of eastern South Dakota as compared to 2013.
Reports from the fields across the state indicate the following:
Central Region, Nathan Baker, GFP regional game manager
• For most areas in central South Dakota, hunters averaged 1.5 birds each.
• In Hughes, Sully, Potter and Stanley counties, hunters averaged 2-2.5 birds each.
Northeast Region, Jacquie Ermer, GFP regional game manager
• In northeast South Dakota, Spink county reported hunters averaging 2 birds each.
• In McPherson, Faulk and Edmunds counties, hunters averaged 1 bird each.
• There were 12 violations reported at the time of this release in the northeast.
Southeast Region, Julie DeJong, GFP regional game manager
In Beadle, Aurora, Hutchinson and Bon Homme counties, hunters averaged 1-1.5 birds each.
Hutchinson county reported the highest numbers of hunters checked due to the abundance of CREP ground.
Western Region, John Kanta, GFP regional game manager
In Bennett and Perkins counties, hunters averaged 1.5 birds each.
In Ziebach county, hunters were limiting out, with 3 birds per hunter.
There was also one violation for trespassing and one dog death from a snake bite.
At the time of this release, there was one accident report of a minor injury to a young child who took one BB to the shin in McPherson county. At this time, the report is still being compiled. No other accidents were reported.
"We know bird numbers are higher this year due to excellent reproduction in parts of the state where quality habitat conditions still exist, primarily on grasslands including those enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program as well as fields of cereal crops such as winter wheat. We continue to work in cooperation with the Governor's Pheasant Habitat Workgroup on their final report recommendations as well as partner organizations and landowners to provide an improved future for habitat so that the availability of pheasants along with pheasant hunting opportunities in our state are sustained for generations to come," concluded Vonk.
South Dakota's traditional statewide pheasant hunting season began today and runs through Jan. 4, 2015. If individuals have yet to purchase their hunting license, they can do so online or at any local licensing agent.
For more information, please visit http://gfp.sd.gov/hunting/small-game/pheasants.aspx or http://gfp.sd.gov/licenses/general-hunt-fish/default.aspx. See what memories are already being made by visiting our SDintheField page. Hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to share their photos and videos using #SDintheField and take part in the tradition; not only in the field, but in the online conversations as well.
- See more at: http://gfp.sd.gov/news/news/october/18.aspx#sthash.uxg2EE3b.dpuf
Tennessee
Hand-Held Waterfowl Blind Drawings Nov. 15 for Gooch (Unit E), Shelby-Forest, White Oak
The first hand-held drawing for vacant waterfowl blind site dates at Gooch (Unit E), Meeman Shelby Forest State Park, and White Oak (Lebanon Pond area) will be conducted on Saturday, Nov. 15.
All of the locations are in the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency's Region I in West Tennessee. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. and the drawing will take place at 10 a.m.
Drawings will be held at the following sites:
*Gooch (Unit E) will be at the Kenton School Gym, 206 West College St., in Kenton. For information contact Larry Armstrong at (731) 749-5587.
*Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park and Natural Area, near Millington, will be at Shelter 6, which is located behind the park's swimming pool. For information contact Chris Park at (901) 876-5169.
*White Oak (Lebanon Pond area) will be at the Milledgeville City Park, located behind the Milledgeville Fire Station off of Tennessee Highway 22A. For information, contact Pete Creech at (731) 687-3444.
Utah
Swans are flying into the marshes
More than 12,600 counted on Nov.4
Tundra swans are starting to migrate through Utah in good numbers.
Tundra swans are migrating through Utah in big numbers. If you drew a swan hunting permit for this fall's hunt, now's the time to head to the marshes.
During an aerial survey on Nov. 4, Blair Stringham spotted more than 12,600 swans on marshes on the northeastern shore of Great Salt Lake.
During a survey on Oct. 28, he spotted just under 1,600 swans.
"If you drew a Utah swan hunting permit," says Stringham, migratory game bird coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, "now is the perfect time to head to the marsh. The fall migration is underway."
The DWR usually flies its weekly swan surveys on Tuesday mornings. You can keep track of the swans by visiting wildlife.utah.gov/waterfowl/swan/swansurvey.php.
Utah's swan hunting season ends Dec. 14.
Bear River Refuge is a good choice
To protect trumpeter swans, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Utah Wildlife Board have closed some areas to swan hunting. The closed area includes all of Utah north of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and north of Forest Street (the road leading from Brigham City to the refuge).
Most of the swans Stringham saw on the morning of Nov. 4 were on the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.
Most of the swans on the refuge " more than 7,900 " were spotted on Unit 1. Unit 1 is a rest area that's closed to hunting. But when swans leave the unit, they often fly over areas at the refuge that are open to hunting.
If you visit the refuge, please remember that Bear River is a federal refuge. Some of the rules at the refuge are different than rules at areas managed by the state.
More information is available on pages 23 and 24 of the 2014 " 2015 Utah Waterfowl Guidebook.
Hunting tips
If you're one of the 2,000 hunters who drew a swan permit, Stringham 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.
Ice-up is another thing to watch for. As the water starts to freeze, swans will be in the air more, searching for areas that still have open water.
Three factors " hunting pressure, changes in the weather and the availability of food " can change a swan's flight pattern, though.
Swan hunting reminders
If you drew a swan permit, please remember the following. These requirements help the DWR and the USFWS obtain an accurate count of the number of trumpeter swans that hunters accidentally take:
Within 72 hours of taking a swan, you must take your bird or its head to a DWR office, or the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, so it can be examined and measured.
You must complete a harvest questionnaire no later than Jan. 14, 2015. The questionnaire must be completed, even if you don't hunt swans or take a swan.
You can access the questionnaire online. You can also complete it by calling 1-800-221-0659.
If you don't do the items above, you can't apply for a swan permit in 2015.
DWR to release 11,000 pheasants
Utah's general pheasant hunt opens Nov. 1
If it's been years since you hunted pheasants, it's time to grab your gun and head afield. More than 11,000 pheasants will be released on 56 public hunting areas during Utah's upcoming pheasant hunt.
This season might be the perfect season to hunt pheasants in Utah. Thousands of pheasants will be released on public hunting areas before the hunt opens on Nov. 1.
The hunt opens on Nov. 1. But you don't have to hunt that day to get in on the action " pheasants will be released before each weekend of the hunt.
The one exception is the week of Thanksgiving. That week, birds will be released early in the week so plenty of pheasants will be available to pursue over the Thanksgiving holiday.
The Division of Wildlife Resources and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife bought the birds. The birds will be released in areas that have good pheasant habitat and good access for public hunters. "Birds will be placed on wildlife management areas, waterfowl management areas and Walk-In Access areas," says Jason Robinson, upland game coordinator for the DWR.
You can see where the birds will be released, and how to get to those areas, on an interactive map.
On 14 of the areas " 13 waterfowl management areas and the Utah Lake Wetland Preserve " you must use nontoxic shot (for example, steel shot) when hunting. Lead shot may not be used.
More information about Utah's Walk-in Access areas is available on our website.
Birds released throughout the hunt
Utah's general pheasant hunt runs Nov. 1 " 16 across most of the state. However, on state and federal land, the hunt runs Nov. 1 " Dec. 7.
DWR biologists, members of Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife and those who participated in Utah's day-old pheasant chick adoption program will release the birds. Since pheasants will be released throughout the hunt, you don't have to hunt on the opening weekend to find birds. "If you hunt after the opening weekend," Robinson says, "you should still have a great experience and find plenty of birds."
If you decide to hunt during the opening weekend, know in advance that lots of other hunters will be hunting too. You can still have a good experience, though, by being courteous and respectful to others.
"Ask other hunters where they plan to hunt and try to give each other space," Robinson says. "Also, if you have a dog, make sure to keep your dog under control. Please remember that everyone is there to have a good time."
And make sure to wear plenty of hunter orange.
"Wearing hunter orange is extremely important," he says, "especially when you're hunting in crowded conditions. You want to make sure other hunters can see you."
How to find birds
If you decide to hunt on private agricultural lands, please remember that you must have written permission from the landowner before hunting on his or her land.
No matter where you're hunting in Utah, Robinson describes what perfect pheasant habitat looks like:
The center of the area will have a field of wheat or corn that provides the birds with food. The wheat or corn field will be surrounded by stiff, stemmed grass that provides pheasants with good nesting cover.
Outside the stemmed grass, you'll find a strip of sparse grass with lots of forbs mixed in. (Forbs are any herb that is not grass or grass like. Forbs are an important food source for pheasant chicks.)
On the other side of the sparse grass, you'll find thick, woody cover, or a wetland with cattails. This cover protects pheasants during the winter.
"This type of habitat provides pheasants with everything they need to eat, hide, breed and raise young," he says. "Even if an area doesn't have all of these features, it can still hold birds. But the more an area matches this description, the better chance you'll have of finding birds in it."
Hunting tips
Pheasants are excellent at hiding. Hunting with a trained bird dog can often help you find them. "If a pheasant has cover to hide in," Robinson says, "you can be standing only a foot or two from a bird and not know it's there. A good bird dog can make a huge difference in finding hidden birds."
You can still find pheasants without a dog, though. Robinson suggests the following tactics:
Walk slowly. Take your time. The biggest mistake many pheasant hunters make is walking too fast. Simply slowing down, and stopping and standing still from time to time, can cause more birds to flush. "Pheasants will often hide and wait for you to walk past them," Robinson says. "Slowing your pace down, and stopping and standing still from time to time, makes birds that are close to you nervous. In many cases, they'll think you've spotted them. They'll try to get away by flushing into the air."
Driving and blocking. A group of hunters is needed to execute this maneuver. One or two hunters are quietly placed at the end of a field to "block" any pheasants the remaining hunters (the drivers) push to the blockers. Then, the drivers enter the field on the opposite side from the blockers, and start walking towards the blockers. Pheasants that are pushed by the drivers will often run to the end of the field, see the blockers and then hold tight until continued pressure from the drivers causes the birds to flush. When this happens, all of the hunters " blockers and drivers " can usually get shots. "If you're going to try this tactic," Robinson says, "it's absolutely vital that every hunter in the group knows where the other hunters are. It's also vital that each hunter wears plenty of hunter orange."
Walking ditch banks. This is a good strategy if you're hunting alone or with a friend. If you're hunting with a friend, place your friend on one side of the ditch bank and you on the other. Then, walk together down the bank. Robinson says it's important to walk to the very end of the ditch bank, fence row or whatever cover you're hunting. "Pheasants would much rather run than fly," he says. "You might be pushing a pheasant ahead of you and not even know it. But once you reach the end of the cover, the pheasant won't have any other places to hide. At that point, the bird will usually flush."
More information
If you have questions about hunting pheasants in Utah, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR's Salt Lake City office at 801-538-4700.
Wyoming
Wyoming Waterfowl Looking Good for 2014
Duck numbers are up this year by an average of eight percent in key waterfowl nesting areas and goose numbers are about the same as last year which should mean good opportunities in the coming months for Wyoming waterfowl hunters. Game and Fish Waterfowl Biologist Larry Roberts said counts indicate that numbers are up for Wyoming's most popular duck species. The increase from 2013 to this year includes a five-percent bump for mallards,
18-percent increase for widgeon, 14 percent for gadwall and more than 10 percent for teal in the traditional nesting areas of Alberta, Montana and the western Dakotas. "The good water year Wyoming experienced in 2014 in most of the state was also good for resident duck and goose production," Roberts said. "We did get some cold wet weather during the key nesting period this year, but many of the birds re-nested and we still had good production. In addition to an increase in water in ponds and marsh areas, the good moisture conditions provided improved cover, which was very beneficial to nesting birds." Goose hunters should also see good hunting opportunities this year. According to Roberts, goose production is about the same as last year. "There are lots of young birds which is good for hunters," Roberts said. "Our resident goose production is about average, but there should be good numbers of geese around both for early hunters and later on when the northern marshes freeze up." Ice-up in the northern marshes in Canada, the Dakotas and Montana, is still some time away, but resident birds, as well as early migrants like teal, should provide decent hunting opportunities for Wyoming hunters. "It is difficult to predict the weather a month in advance," Roberts said. "But the icy water conditions and snows that typically occur in Canada and Montana in November will eventually push the birds our way." Another plus of the good water year is that both resident birds and migrating birds are likely to stay in Wyoming longer. Birds tend to stay in Wyoming as long as the state has an abundance of open reservoirs and ponds. This year the added moisture in the state and improved habitat conditions are giving Wyoming a better chance of keeping resident birds longer and holding migrant birds. "But, the importance of the weather cannot be overlooked," Roberts said. "The ideal situation for us would be harsh weather and an early freeze-up in the states to the north and Canada and more mild conditions here that would keep the birds in the state once they enter Wyoming." In general, the birds are distributed quite well across the state around waterways. Wyoming's most popular waterfowl hunting areas are the Bighorn Basin and Goshen County. Both are expected to be good again this year. Seasons vary depending on the flyway and zone, but most hunts for ducks and geese run into early to mid January. Hunters are advised to check the waterfowl regulations for seasons and bag limits for the different zones and the various species they will be hunting. Complete waterfowl regulations are available at Game and Fish license agents and on the Game and Fish website wgfd.wyo.gov. (Contact: Al Langston 307-777-4540
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