It's nice to see a big-box store giving back. Wal-Mart and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) have granted $1 million to Pheasants Forever (PF) and Ducks Unlimited (DU) to help protect more than 10,785 acres of habitat for birds in North and South Dakota. Wal Mart takes a lot of flack but this is an instance where the mammoth retailer gets slap on the back.
Ducks Unlimited and the US Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency reached a milestone with the enrollment of the one millionth acre into the popular Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program recently. That reminds me of an old Chinese proverb about a beach is built one grain of sand at a time. That also reminds me I have a great recipe for Peking Duck.
You've read that the turkey hunting is great up north (New England's Revisited Fall Turkey Hunting Tradition), the quail populations on the other hand are not so good—especially in PA according to the Pittsburg Tribune-Review. In fact, QF didn’t even bother to mention PA in their 2007 quail outlook. Qual season this year runs from October 20 to November 24, which is a nice one-month long season with a bag limit of four birds per day. You’ll need a lot of luck and a really good dog to reach that limit. The cause of so few quail is a lack of habitat. Quail love brushy farmland and that is almost as rare as the quail themselves. But don’t give up the faith. QF and its chapter in PA are trying to convince the Fed to pay farmers to let some of their land grow bushy. Not only will it help the quail it will help other wildlife.
Continue reading "Pennsylvania Quail Get No Respect, but the Grouse" »
MassWildlife’s Landowner Incentive Program is accepting grant applications from October 26 to December 21 of this year from private landowners, sportsmen's clubs, land trusts and non-profit groups interested in improving wildlife habitat on their properties. The state will reimburse landowners up to 75% of the cost of managing lands to improve wildlife habitat. It has been awarding grants since 2005 and in total 7,100 acres have received funding on properties that range from Cape Cod to the Berkshires. If you are landowner or have a rod and gun club it makes cents (sense) to apply. The state goal is to identify and reclaim appropriate sites for management of declining habitats, particularly grasslands, old field and early-successional forests, wetlands, coastal habitats and pine barrens. The wildlife benefits. Landowners benefit. Money does grow on trees in MA, well at least .75 cents on the dollar.
Have a conversation with anyone who hunts grouse and the subject of diminishing habitat comes up. The increase in mature forests has a direct correlation to lower grouse populations. And fewer farms mean that less land is being cleared. Grouse and woodcock, as well as other wildlife, depend on forest habitat that has been clear cut.
Continue reading "Caterpillars Help Out Grouse and Woodcock" »
The Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS) along with three other Vermont forestry groups are giving a thumbs-up to the U. S. Forest Service decision to re-think the Green Mountain National Forest Plan. The crux of the problem that RGS and others had with the Green Mountain National Forest Plan was a "potentially significant" error in the calculation of the allowable amount of timber to be cut. The plan failed to document why it chose a 150-year timber cut rotation instead of a 120-year cycle. Timber harvest reductions as outlined in the proposed plan would hinder the development of young or early successional habitats needed by ruffed grouse, American woodcock, whitetail deer and 43 species of migratory songbirds. Early successional habitats develop only after timber has been harvested. Bottom line is clear cuts aren't pretty but they sure are useful.
This is a little out of Uplandfeathers.com’s range, but really encouraging news. The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department reports that the 2006 season for pheasant was the second-best in 40 years; some 1.85 million birds were harvested by pheasant hunters. In 2005 about 100,000 more pheasants were bagged. Anyone who has ever hunted pheasant knows that South Dakota is a sweet spot for pheasant hunting. Some people think of visiting Paris—and it is a beautiful city—or traveling to the Caribbean to lay on white sand beaches—and that’s nice, too, but give me cut cornfields in October. Other upland game species have also benefited from SD’s habitat management such as sharp-tailed grouse and prairie chickens. It’s been stated the central and northeast parts of SD re reporting some of the highest grouse numbers in the past 15 to 20 years. Yes habitat management works. The grouse harvest totaled 41,000 birds, partridge was 9,000 birds, and 1,800 quail were taken.
Over the next 30 days, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Forest Service will hold an online public forum to solicit comments on the proposed annual work plans for Green Ridge, Pocomoke, Potomac-Garrett and Savage River State Forests. You can review and comment on the proposed plans by going online from June 25 through July 24, 2007. Here’s your chance to comment and make a difference all from the comfort of your home. So after you are done reading this blog and your other favorites go the DNR website and add your $.02.
When you hear about land grabs it is usually bad news. Some developer buys your favorite covey grounds and once again you need new spots to hunt old ruff. Well this land grab in PA benefits bird hunters. The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners approved funding four options that could increase the State Game Lands system by more than 340 acres. The four areas include:
The Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS) will hold its 6th Annual New York Sporting Clays Challenge in Millbrook, NY on Friday, July 13. For $250 you get 100-target, 15 station shoot. Plus four boxes of shells, lunch, and complimentary raffle ticket on a shotgun.
According to the Green Bay Press Gazette, this is the second straight spring that grouse drumming counts have increased with the central, southeastern and northern management regions showing the biggest spikes. New this fall, grousers will have only two hunting zones. Zone A season will start September 15 and end on January 31, with a five-bird daily bag. Zone B season will run October 20 to December 8 with a two-bird daily limit. Looks like those in Zone A get an extra month of hunting.
MassWildlife’s Landowner Incentive Program is enlisting the help of farmers to assist private landowners manage their lands for wildlife habitat. MA is matching landowners who own old farm fields and meadows but don’t have the expertise or equipment for mowing hay with farmers to maintain the grasslands for nesting birds. If left uncut, grasslands revert back to forest in a relatively short period of time. This a win-win situation for wildlife, private landowners and farmers. Applications are available at the MA DEP website.
It's still not too late to take part in the the Ruffed Grouse Society's (RGS) New England Sporting Clays Championship at Addieville East Farm, Mapleville, RI on Sunday, June 10. Warm-ups are from 8:30 - 10 a.m. and t main event begins at 10 a.m. Proceeds from the event will be used to restore and protect grouse and woodcock habitat. This National Sporting Clay Association sanctioned event 100 targets, four boxes of shells, continental breakfast, traditional New England style lobster dinner, one-hour open bar after the shoot, RGS membership and RGS shooters favors. What a nice package for $175 per shooter.
