Salazar Announces Funding to States for Fish and Wildlife Projects

Image via WikipediaHunting and fishing industry, as well as recreational shooters, hunters,
boaters, and anglers, continue to fund conservation in the nation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today
the distribution of more than -$749 million in excise tax revenues
generated by sportsmen and women to state and territorial fish and
wildlife agencies through the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration and
Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Programs.

“Hunters and anglers have provided the foundation for wildlife
conservation in America for more than 75 years. They continue to provide
dedicated, critical funding for fish and wildlife agencies across the
nation, especially at a time when many state budgets are under pressure,”
said Secretary Salazar. “These funds will support important fish and
wildlife management and conservation, recreational boating access, and
hunter and aquatic education programs.”

Program funds come from excise taxes paid by manufacturers, producers, and
importers on sporting firearms, ammunition, archery equipment, fishing
equipment and tackle, and electric outboard motors. Recreational boaters
also contribute to the program through fuel taxes on motorboats and small
engines.

The Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Program apportionment for 2011
totals more than $384 million, of which more than $79 million is for
hunter education and safety programs. The Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish
Restoration Program apportionment for 2011 totals nearly $365 million, of
which nearly $55 million is for recreational boating access facilities.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration
Program reimburses up to 75 percent of the cost of each eligible project
while State fish and wildlife agencies contribute a minimum of 25 percent,
generally using hunting and fishing license revenues as the required
non-Federal match.

“Our partnership with America’s hunting, fishing and boating community
through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs is the
cornerstone for funding fish and wildlife conservation,” said Curtis
Taylor, President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and
Chief of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources’ Wildlife
Resources Section. “Fish and wildlife can be conserved, protected and
restored through science-based management and this year’s apportionment is
critical in order for state fish and wildlife agencies to continue their
work on behalf of everyone who values our nation’s natural resources.”

Please visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Wildlife and Sport Fish
Restoration Program Web site at http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/ for more
information on the goals and accomplishments of these programs and for
individual State, Commonwealth, and territorial funding allocations. Some
examples of activities planned by State fish and wildlife agencies in 2011
include:

Florida – The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will
construct a restroom facility and a pavilion at the Escambia County
Archery Park. They will also construct a trap and skeet range and a .22
plinking range at Tenoroc Shooting Range. This will provide more
recreational shooting opportunities for the public.
Rhode Island – The Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife will acquire
approximately 85 acres adjoining Carr Pond near North Kingstown, Rhode
Island. This property is a former Girl Scout property. The pond is the
site of an extremely productive herring and alewife run. The property will
provide protection of fish and wildlife habitat in the area and
recreational opportunities for the public.

Texas – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will construct a new
two-lane boat ramp, parking lot, courtesy dock, and lighting in Muenster,
Texas. The new facility will provide the only public access to the lake
for fishing and other recreational boating pursuits. This will be the
first public boat ramp in Cooke County.

Oregon – The agency will identify sturgeon population limiting factors,
develop responsive management strategies, and define pertinent monitoring
and evaluation activities as part of management plan development. They
will also measure juvenile recruitment through young-of-the-year sampling
in the lower Columbia River and carry out a pilot study of set line
sampling for adult and sub-adult white sturgeon. Sampling for
young-of-year white sturgeon will increase the effects of environmental
stressors on the population. A supplementary benefit of this task is the
opportunity to collect DNA tissue samples that represent fish in a single
year’s recruitment. DNA samples will be available for future
characterization of effective spawning population size and for genetic
stock comparisons with fish collected outside the Columbia River.

Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Program funding is available to all
50 states, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana
Islands, and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin
Islands. One-half of the 11 percent excise tax on bows, arrows, and
archery equipment and 10 percent excise tax on handguns, pistols, and
revolvers make up the funding for hunter education programs. The other
one-half of the excise tax are for wildlife restoration purposes,
including the 11 percent excise tax on firearms and ammunition.

Each state or territory receives a Wildlife Restoration Program
apportionment derived from a formula that incorporates its total land area
and number of paid hunting license holders. Each state or territory may
not receive more than 5 percent or less than one-half of 1 percent of the
total apportionment. Fish and wildlife agencies use these funds to manage
wildlife populations, conduct habitat research, acquire wildlife habitat,
enhance wildlife habitat, and public hunting access, carry out surveys and
inventories, administer hunter education programs, and construct and
maintain shooting and archery ranges.

The Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Program funding is available to
all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico
and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories of American Samoa,
Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. States receive funds through a formula
based on the land and water area of the state or territory and its total
number of paid fishing license holders. Sport Fish Restoration funds come
from excise taxes and import duties on sport fishing equipment, motorboat
and small engine fuels, and pleasure boats. No State may receive more than
5 percent or less than one-third of 1 percent of the total apportionment.

Fish and Wildlife agencies use the funds to pay for stocking sport fish;
acquiring and improving sport fish habitat; providing aquatic resource
education opportunities; conducting fisheries research; maintaining public
fishing access, administering the aquatic resource education program, and
constructing boat ramps, fishing piers, and other facilities for
recreational boating access.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs have generated a total of
more than $13.7 billion since their inception – in 1937 in the case of the
Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Program, and 1950 for the
Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Program. to conserve fish and
wildlife resources. The recipient fish and wildlife agencies have matched
these program funds with more than $3.4 billion. This funding is critical
to continue sustaining healthy fish and wildlife populations and provide

opportunities for all to connect with nature.

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46 elk captured, health protocols in progress

Catch includes spike bulls and several pregnant cows.

PINEVILLE, KY – Forty-six animals that will form the nucleus of Missouri’s restored elk herd are in a holding pen in Bell County, Kentucky, undergoing veterinary testing and treatment. By the end of the week, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will start the clock on a 90-day quarantine period designed to ensure they are healthy and ready for a new life in the Ozarks.

Crews made up of personnel from MDC and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources finished trapping operations Jan. 22, using two corral-type traps in separate locations. They baited the traps with alfalfa hay, corn and sweet feed. The traps were equipped with remotely controlled gates, allowing workers to watch the traps from a distance and close them when elk were inside.

MDC hoped to capture 50 elk this year. That challenge was complicated by the need to trap only cow elk, their calves and 1.5-year-old bulls, known as “spikes” because of their unbranched antlers. Spike bulls will be 2.5 years old next fall, when cow elk in Missouri are ready to breed.

“Mature wild bull elk are too strong to work with safely in captivity without sedation,” said MDC Elk Project Manager Ron Dent. “Sedation carries more risk for the animals, and without sedation big bulls pose a danger to workers and other elk in a confined space.”

Trapping crews had to experiment with techniques to exclude mature bulls from the traps. They also had to work through technical hitches with the automatic gates.

This year’s catch includes seven spike bulls, 21 adult cows, 10 yearling bulls, four yearling cows and four female calves. Nearly all the mature cows are expected to be pregnant.

State and federal officials conducted the first round of veterinary testing Tuesday. Elk were guided through a “squeeze chute” like those used for working domestic livestock. Once confined in the chute, each elk received an injection to kill internal and external parasites. Workers then shaved a small patch of skin on the animals’ necks for a tuberculosis skin test and to draw blood for other disease testing. Veterinary health protocols approved by the Missouri State Veterinarian are more stringent than any that apply to livestock brought into Missouri.

After veterinary health work-ups, the elk were fitted with ear tags and with passive integrated transponder (PIT) identification tags.

MDC workers will check the tuberculosis skin tests Friday. Then MDC can start the clock on a 90-day quarantine period. The holding pen is surrounded by a perimeter fence that prevents contact with free-ranging elk or deer.

A three-month quarantine leaves time for MDC to bring the elk to a holding pen at Peck Ranch CA in Carter County and let them acclimate to their new surroundings before being released to the wild. The acclimation period will allow biologists the opportunity to observe elk and fit them with them with GPS collars.

The elk are being protected from poaching or disturbance by curiosity seekers. This protection will continue at the holding site at Peck Ranch. Dent said this is critical to the success of the elk-restoration effort.

“These are wild animals,” he said. “They are highly susceptible to human disturbance. We stay away from the holding pen as much as possible, because the elk can become very nervous if they hear, see or smell humans nearby. They can injure themselves if they bunch up or try to jump the fence. That is why we do not allow news media or other visitors at the trapping site. The same will be true when we bring the elk to the holding pen at Peck Ranch.”

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Elk Restoration Effort Moves Forward in Missouri

Courtesy MDC

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Hunters shoot mountain lion near Macon

Hunters say animal posed threat. Fourth recent confirmed report brings total to 14 in Missouri since 1994.

KIRKSVILLE Mo – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has confirmed that a group of hunters killed a young male mountain lion west of La Plata, Mo., on Saturday, Jan. 22. According to conservation agents investigating the incident, the group was hunting coyotes on a landowner’s farm when several came within 20 yards of the big cat. None of the hunters had dogs. Members of the group immediately contacted conservation agents to report the incident.

At this time, no charges have been filed since it appears that the cougar presented enough danger to the hunters to warrant the shooting.

Mountain lions are protected under the Wildlife Code of Missouri. The Code does allow the killing of any mountain lion attacking or killing livestock or domestic animals, or threatening human safety. The incident must be reported to the MDC immediately and the intact carcass, including the pelt, must be surrendered to the MDC within 24 hours. 

The animal weighed 128 pounds. Members of the MDC Mountain Lion Response Team will examine the animal to gather additional information, including DNA, to help determine where the big cat came from.

This is the second young male mountain lion killed in Missouri this month and the fourth confirmed report of a mountain lion in Missouri since November.

“These four reports bring our total number of confirmed reports over the past 16 years to just 14,” said Rex Martensen of MDC’s Mountain Lion Response Team.

Martensen added that, like in this situation, it appears that mountain lions seen in Missouri are young males roaming from other states in search of territory.

“Young male mountain lions go in search of new territories at about 18 months of age and during this time of year,” he explained. “To date, we have no evidence to suggest that a breeding population of mountain lions exists in Missouri.”

He added that mountain lions are nocturnal, secretive and generally avoid contact with humans.

Mountain lions (Puma concolor), also called cougars, panthers and pumas, were present in Missouri before pioneer settlement. The last documented Missouri mountain lion was killed in the Bootheel in 1927. The closest populations of mountain lions to Missouri are in South Dakota and a small population in northwest Nebraska.

Martensen added that MDC has never stocked or released mountain lions in Missouri and has no plans to do so. 

To report a sighting, physical evidence or other mountain-lion incident, contact a local MDC office or conservation agent, or email the Mountain Lion Response Team at mountain.lion@mdc.mo.gov.

For more information on mountain lions in Missouri, visitwww.MissouriConservation.org and search “mountain lion.”

Chesterfield sighting confirmed to be a mountain lion

Image via Wikipedia

This third recent confirmed report brings the total to 13 in Missouri since 1994.

JEFFERSON CITY Mo – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has confirmed a mountain lion sighting in western St. Louis County. Garrett Jensen, of Chesterfield, recently contacted MDC with photographs taken Jan. 12 from a trail camera showing a mountain lion in a wooded area.

“We have examined the photos and visited the location,” said Jeff Beringer, MDC resource scientist and member of the Department’s Mountain Lion Response Team. “While we did not find further evidence, such as tracks, we can confirm that the photos are of a mountain lion at the reported location. We don’t know anything else about this cat other than it was here.”

This is the third confirmed report of a mountain lion in Missouri since November.A landowner in Platte County contacted MDC in late November with photographs of a mountain lion in a tree on his property. On Jan. 2, a hunter shot a mountain lion while hunting raccoons in rural Ray County.

“The three reports over the past several months bring our total number of confirmed reports over the past 16 years to just 13,” said Rex Martensen. Martensen is on the Mountain Lion Response Team and supervises MDC’s wildlife damage control program. He has hunted mountain lions in Colorado and has worked with cougar biologists in South Dakota and New Mexico.

“We get hundreds of calls and emails from people who claim to have seen a mountain lion,” said Martensen. “When there is some type of evidence we investigate. More than 90 percent of these investigations turn out to be bobcats, house cats, or dogs. Our investigations involving claims of pets or livestock being attacked by mountain lions typically turn out to be the work of dogs. We have no documented cases in Missouri of mountain lions attacking livestock, people or pets.”

He added that mountain lions are nocturnal, secretive and generally avoid contact with humans.

“To date, we have no evidence to suggest that a breeding population of mountain lions exists in Missouri,” added Beringer, “In states where even small populations of these big cats exist, there is plenty of hard evidence. Florida, for example, has a population of only 100 mountain lions, yet several are killed  by automobiles each year.  They also have other clear, hard evidence like tracks, scat, and kill sites.”

Beringer explained that mountain lions seen in Missouri are probably young males roaming from other states in search of territory.

“Young males seek new territories at about 18 months of age,” explained Beringer. “With most births peaking in the spring, young males typically begin roaming in their second fall and winter. And it makes sense that these big cats could roam into Missouri from the west and use the Missouri River corridor to cross the state without being easily detected. These three recent confirmed reports, along with one in Callaway County in 2003 and one in Clay County in 2002, have all been pretty close to the Missouri River.”

Mountain lions (Puma concolor), also called cougars, panthers and pumas, were present in Missouri before pioneer settlement. The last documented Missouri mountain lion was killed in the Bootheel in 1927. The closest populations of mountain lions to Missouri are in South Dakota and a small population in northwest Nebraska.

Beringer said that MDC has never stocked or released mountain lions in Missouri and has no plans to do so. 

He added that there are 32 people in Missouri with permits to keep captive mountain lions and MDC maintains records of these animals’ DNA and identifying microchips.

Mountain lions are protected under the Wildlife Code of Missouri. The Code does allow the killing of any mountain lion attacking or killing livestock or domestic animals, or threatening human safety. The incident must be reported to the MDC immediately and the intact carcass, including the pelt, must be surrendered to the MDC within 24 hours. 

To report a sighting, physical evidence or other mountain-lion incident, contact a local MDC office or conservation agent, or email the Mountain Lion Response Team at mountain.lion@mdc.mo.gov.

For more information on mountain lions in Missouri, visitwww.MissouriConservation.org and search “mountain lion.”

Elk restoration effort moves forward in Kentucky

Missouri’s first elk is in a holding pen, awaiting company.

HAZARD, Ky.–Missouri’s elk-restoration effort took a significant step forward Jan. 7 with the delivery of its first elk.

Photo Courtesy of Missouri Department of Conservation

Workers with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFW) captured a juvenile bull. Of the bulls captured as part of trapping efforts, only calves and spike bulls will be used for Missouri’s restoration program, because mature bull elk with branched antlers are more difficult to handle and more likely to injure themselves or other captured elk.

Before elk trapping could begin, a construction crew made up of workers from KDFW and the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) had to build a corral capable of holding 50 elk in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Kentucky. The pen was built using funds from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Despite challenges posed by single-digit temperatures, repeated heavy snowfall and freezing rain, they put finishing touches on the holding pen just days before the first elk’s arrival.

Kentucky’s deer and elk herd coordinator, Tina Brunjes, said the operation has shifted from construction to trapping.

“The holding facility is complete, we have the pens to hold the elk, and we have the handling facility where we can do all the disease testing,” Brunjes said. “It’s all ready to go.”

The first MDC trapping team arrived in Kentucky last week. MDC Wildlife Management Biologist Travis Mills is supervising the four-person team. Mills has a special interest in the project, since he is the wildlife management biologist for Shannon, Carter, Ripley and Oregon counties, which encompass much of Missouri’s elk-restoration zone.

Mills said the assistance from the KDFW is vital to the success of his team.

“We couldn’t do this project successfully without help from the Kentucky team,” Mills said. “They’ve been through their own elk reintroduction in Kentucky and they’re putting their expertise to work helping us to take every precaution to ensure we bring in a healthy elk herd to Missouri.”

The trapping process, according to Brunjes, starts with laying out bait where the elk regularly travel, then letting that bait lead the elk into the trap through a series of fencing. 

“We’ve got bait out in areas where we’re trying to get a significant group of elk to start coming and feeding so we can trap them in the corral,” Brunjes said. By Jan. 10, two elk herds, totaling around 60 animals, were using the bait, setting the stage for trap deployment.

The trapping process is simple, according to Brunjes.  She said the team found an area where they have seen elk and knew they are traveling through that area.  After placing bait to lead the animals into the corral trap, it is just a matter of waiting.

Once elk are in the trap and the corral gate is closed, the trapping team will transfer them to the holding pen as quick as possible to minimize stress on the animals. Health testing will begin when 50 elk have been captured. Veterinarians from several agencies will cooperate on the health assessment and sampling process according to Brunjes.

If all goes well, MDC hopes to have 50 elk in holding pens by the end of January. When trapping ends and the initial health testing is completed, the clock will start running on a three-month quarantine period in Kentucky.

After arriving in Missouri, the elk will undergo another quarantine period in holding pens at Peck Ranch Conservation Area. These measures are intended to protect the health of Missouri’s domestic livestock and wildlife. The holding period also will allow imported elk to acclimate to the area, reducing the likelihood of their wandering far.

Mills said being part of the elk trapping and restoration team is an exciting assignment.

“To me, this is a career highlight,” Mills said. “I’ve spent over 20 years professionally in conservation and I’m excited to play such an integral part in this chapter of history where we’re restoring an important species to Missouri.”

The Missouri Conservation Commission decided to restore elk in a 346-square-mile area covering parts of Carter, Reynolds and Shannon counties for several reasons. These included citizen requests, ecological benefits from restoring a native species and economic benefits to Missouri through tourism and hunting. Before making the decision, the commission gathered citizen comments at public forums and by e-mail, mail and telephone. More than 70 percent of the 2,953 comments received expressed support for elk restoration.

The limited elk-restoration zone was chosen because it has extensive public lands, minimal agricultural activity, low road density and public support.

All elk brought to Peck Ranch CA will be fitted with microchips and radio collars. This will permit tracking their movements after they leave the holding pen as part of a cooperative research project with the University of Missouri.

The elk-restoration plan includes provisions for protecting Missouri wildlife and livestock and dealing with elk that wander onto private land where they are not welcome. The Conservation Department will use hunting to maintain the elk herd at a manageable size.

-Candice Davis-

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Seeks Comments on Draft Environmental Assessment on Farming and the Use of Glyphosate-tolerant Corn and Soybeans on National Wildlife Refuge System Lands

Image via WikipediaThe Midwest Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is inviting public comment on a draft Environmental Assessment that considers two issues: 1) the use of row crop farming as a technique to manage National Wildlife Refuge System lands in the Midwest Region, and 2) the use of glyphosate-tolerant corn and soybeans on these lands.