CHEYENNE - The number of people who hunt and fish continues to decline, both nationally and in Wyoming. But, as a percentage of total state population, more people participate in wildlife-oriented recreation in Wyoming than in most other states.
This is according to data recently released from a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey on hunting, fishing and wildlife watching. Conducted every five years, this study provides national and state-specific information on outdoor recreation participation and expenditures.
Over the past 10 years, the number of adult hunters in the United States dropped from 14 million to 12.5 million. The number of anglers dropped from more than 35 million to just under 30 million.
In Wyoming, the number of hunters dropped from 69,000 in 1996 to 52,000 in 2006. The number of Wyoming anglers declined from 114,000 to 98,000 during the same period.
Conversely, the study shows a dramatic and steady increase in wildlife watching, both nationwide and in Wyoming. From 1996 through 2006, the total number of people who feed, photograph and observe wildlife in the United States increased from 63 million to more than 71 million. In Wyoming, during that same period, wildlife-watcher numbers increased from 143,000 to 194,000.
The study also measures how much people spend on outdoor recreation. In 2006, hunters spent $138 million in Wyoming on goods and services related to hunting. Anglers spent $373 million. And wildlife watchers spent $392 million. Nationwide, hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers spent more than $120 billion.
Though hunter and angler numbers are declining, more people participate in outdoor recreation in Wyoming than in most other states. Wyoming ranks second in the nation for the percentage of residents who fish . Wyoming ranks fifth in the nation for percentage of hunters and third in the nation for percentage of wildlife watchers.
“If you care about our hunting and fishing traditions, and if you care about the future of wildlife conservation, you should be concerned about this study’s findings, because participation in these activities continues to drop,” said Terry Cleveland, director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. “In Wyoming, and in most other states, hunters and anglers are paying most of the costs for wildlife conservation through license fees, special taxes on hunting and fishing equipment and through voluntary participation in sportsmen-oriented conservation groups.”
“Declining numbers of hunters and anglers means declining revenue for state wildlife agencies, which means less money for the research, management and habitat work that helps keep our wildlife populations
healthy,” said Cleveland. “These declines are a reflection of broader changes going on in our society, and it’s a shame that fewer people are taking part in some of our most important outdoor traditions.”
“We need to encourage more people to participate in hunting and fishing. At the same time, we need to look for new ways to involve more people in wildlife conservation, beyond the traditional hunter and angler crowd.”
In Wyoming, about 90 percent of the Game and Fish Department’s revenue comes from hunters and anglers. In recent years, the Wyoming Legislature has appropriated some limited general-fund money for disease research, sage grouse conservation and capital facilities construction, but the department remains almost entirely self-funded through fees and taxes on sportsmen.
More specific data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service study is available at: http://www.fws.gov/.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife is opening 87,500 acres of private land in the southeast portion of the state for the public to hunt pronghorn and deer through the Big Game Access Pilot Program . The program begins with the opening of the archery pronghorn season on August 15.
This is the first year of the 3-year pilot program that aims to provide additional big game hunting access to the public. The property enrolled for this year is in Game Management Units 120, 121, 122, and 126.
To participate in the program, hunters need a valid pronghorn or deer license for one of the above mentioned GMUs and to purchase a $40 Big Game Access Program Permit from DOW offices or license agents throughout the state.
Youth hunters under the age of 18 can obtain the permit for free, but must be accompanied by an adult when hunting on a BGAP property.
The program is very similar to the very successful Small Game Walk-In Access Program which provides public access to private land for small game, waterfowl and turkey hunting.
Maps of the properties enrolled in the Big Game Access Program and the regulations can be found on the DOW Web site at: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/AccessProgram/ .
While many of the licenses for pronghorn and deer in these areas were only available through the license draw that took place earlier this spring, there are some over-the-counter archery pronghorn and leftover licenses available for these GMUs. The unlimited/over-the-counter pronghorn licenses valid in these GMUs are valid from August 15 - September 20.
“Judging by the amount and quality of the property enrolled, I believe that this pilot program is off to a strong start,” said Dave Lovell, assistant manager for the southeast region. “Landowners have shown interest in the program and been extremely cooperative when it comes to opening up some great habitat to the public. It is up to the hunters to take advantage of these opportunities and follow the regulations so this program will continue to grow and be successful in future years.”
In order to establish the program, the DOW has paid participating landowners to enroll their property. Payments ranged from $0.50 an acre to $1 an acre depending upon the size of the property, type of habitat, number of access days allowed and species allowed for hunting . The types of properties enrolled include primarily upland grass or prairie with a focus on pronghorn, but some properties also provide limited opportunities for deer.
After 3 years the program will be evaluated on:
landowner satisfaction
sportsmen satisfaction
game harvest by species
economic viability
overall participation in the program
success of the program
For more information contact your local DOW office.

At the July 31 Board Meeting, the Fisheries and Wildlife Board voted to promulgate the following new regulations relating to coyotes:
Expand the season for coyote hunting season by approximately 5 weeks , beginning on the first Saturday after Columbus Day and ending the following March 8, all dates inclusive.
Allow licensed Problem Animal Control agents to control coyotes, provided such agents meet certain standards of certification and training.
Clarifying the requirement that all furbearers taken during the hunting and trapping seasons or by PAC agents must be tagged.
Clarifying shot sizes permitted for coyote hunting.
These regulations will take effect for the updcoming 2007 fall hunting season. More details will be posted in the next few days on the MassWildlife web page http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/whats_new.htm.
For general information on coyotes, see the Living With Coyotes fact sheet at http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/wildlife/living/living_with_coyotes.htm.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will be accepting applications June 1-11 for quota permits to hunt on wildlife management areas next season.
On many WMAs, quota permits are required for hunters wishing to hunt during the first nine days of the general gun season as well as for other hunts, including the archery and muzzleloading gun seasons.
Worksheets are available at MyFWC.com/hunting. They also will be available from county tax collectors’ offices, license agents and FWC regional offices beginning May 23.
Applying for these permits is automated through FWC’s Total Licensing System. To apply, take a worksheet to any license agent or tax collector’s office or submit an application at MyFWC.com beginning 10 a.m. June 1 through midnight June 11.
Worksheets for recreational use permits will be available at MyFWC.com and at FWC regional offices June 15. Recreational use permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis beginning July 10. Also, worksheets will be available July 1 for hunts involving airboats, track vehicles, quail, youths, families and mobility-impaired persons.
Visit MyFWC.com/hunting for more information on how to apply for permits and application periods and deadlines.

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries announced today that it has initial results from its recent hunter survey on the topic of Sunday hunting. The results from the 2006 survey, when compared with the results from a survey conducted in 1996, indicate a significant difference in hunters’ opinions about Sunday hunting has occurred in the last ten years.
When hunters were surveyed on this subject in 1996, the overall response was close. Slightly more hunters opposed Sunday hunting versus those who supported Sunday hunting . It is worth noting, however, that of the 48% of hunters who opposed the concept of Sunday hunting in 1996, 45% were strongly opposed. Of the 45% supporting Sunday hunting, 39% strongly favored it.
The 2006 hunter survey results indicated that 62% of responding hunters expressed some level of support for Sunday hunting compared to 34% who were opposed. Of the 62% supporting Sunday hunting, 53% were strongly supportive. Of the 34% who opposed Sunday hunting, 28.5% were strongly opposed.
Regionally, there were minor differences in hunters’ support for Sunday hunting. Overall support ranged from 66% in northern Virginia to 58% in the south central Piedmont area of the state.
VDGIF Board Chairman John Montgomery said of the survey, “Many people incorrectly believe that Sunday hunting is regulated by the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries, but it is a Legislative matter. However, the Legislature does regard us as a source for information on hunters and hunting. Since our information on hunters’ opinions on the issue was a decade old, we undertook this survey to get current information which we are providing to members of the General Assembly.”
The 2006 survey was sent in November to 5,000 licensed Virginia hunters who were randomly selected. A second follow-up mailing was sent to non-respondents in early December. A response rate of 59% was obtained from these two mailings.
Board Member Jimmy Hazel, who chairs the Wildlife and Boating Committee of the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries, observed, “This survey was a necessary first step in determining the importance of this issue to Virginia hunters. Getting a response rate of almost 60% is impressive on any survey. In this case, it suggests that hunters have strong feelings about this issue and want to be heard.”
The survey consisted of 14 questions. Individual hunters were asked about their support or opposition to Sunday hunting. Other questions asked hunters how they felt about potential restrictions or limits placed upon Sunday hunting, the distance they traveled to hunt, the number of days they hunted, and types of land they hunted on. Hunters were asked their opinions about how Sunday hunting could potentially impact relationships with landowners, time and opportunity to hunt, and the number of animals harvested. Finally, a series of demographic questions were included to obtain information about the hunters’ age, gender, and place of residence.
VDGIF Director Carlton Courter said, “As Sunday hunting is considered by the General Assembly in this session and in the future, we will certainly gather additional input from other constituents, including landowners, other outdoor enthusiasts and state residents in general.”
The average age of hunters responding to this survey was 45.2 years and they ranged in age from 14 to 83 years of age. Ninety-seven percent of the respondents were male and 3% were female. Twenty-three percent of the respondents said they lived on farms, 43% lived in rural areas, 13% lived in towns with a population less than 50,000, 12% lived in the suburbs, and 9% lived in urban areas.
A Summary of Virginia Hunters’ Opinions on Sunday Hunting is now available on the Department’s Web site www.dgif.virginia.gov. A full report will follow after more in depth data analysis has been completed.
It is the mission of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to maintain optimum populations of all species to serve the needs of the Commonwealth; to provide opportunity for all to enjoy wildlife, inland fish, boating, and related outdoor recreation; and to promote safety for persons and property in connection with these outdoor activities.

Oklahomans don’t have to hang up their hunting vests and gear yet. Rabbit and squirrel seasons are still open and offer endless hunting opportunities at wildlife management areas across the state.
Rabbit season remains open statewide until March 15, and squirrel until Jan. 31. Resident hunters only need a hunting license and a fishing and hunting legacy permit unless exempt, and residents age 15 and under are exempt from having to purchase a hunting license and fishing and hunting legacy permit. For complete license information, see the “2006-07 Oklahoma Hunting Guide” or log on to wildlifedepartment.com. After obtaining the proper license, hunters only need a place to hunt. But when you consider that the Wildlife Department offers public hunting areas all across the state that often have minimal small game hunting pressure, having a place to go is not a problem.
“With so many wildlife management areas open to small game hunting, a hunter can just grab a gun, boots and a warm jacket and be well on his way to a great day in the outdoors,” said Lance Meek, hunter education coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “Not only that, but chasing small game is a great way to introduce a child to hunting and to teach hunter safety.”
Generous bag limits on both rabbit and squirrel allow hunters to take plenty of game home from a day in the woods or field. Young hunters who are not used to sitting for long hours have a chance to move about and talk with their friends and family, and longtime hunters have a chance to sharpen their shooting skills. A shotgun or .22 rifle are both great for small game hunting.
“Small game hunters often get to shoot more often than when hunting big game, and doing so can help make them more confident with a big game rifle. One thing to remember, though, is to always be sure of your surroundings and your target when shooting,” Meek said.
For bag limits and regulations on rabbit and squirrel, see the “2006-07 Oklahoma Hunting Guide” or log on to wildlifedepartment.com.
Perhaps one of the most rewarding benefits of small game hunting comes after the hunt. Rabbit and squirrel make excellent table fare, and can often be substitutes for chicken in many recipes. For a simple way to prepare squirrel and rabbit, cut the meat into quarters, roll it in flour and dust it with a favorite spice. Then quickly brown the meat in a skillet filled with ¼ inch of vegetable oil until it is golden on all sides. Finally, add water until the meat is about half submersed, then simmer 45 minutes or until the meat is tender and a gravy is formed. Serve hot with mashed potatoes and buttered rolls.
Rabbit and squirrel seasons on public lands may vary from statewide seasons, so hunters should consult wildlife management area regulations beginning on page 37 of the “2006-07 Oklahoma Hunting Guide” before hunting. For more information on small game hunting in Oklahoma, log on to wildlifedepartment.com.

Glenn Capdepon now holds the Louisiana record for the largest “farm retrap” alligator ever captured after hauling in a 12 and a half footer on Sept. 10 in Tensas Parish.
Capdepon, of Youngsville, noticed a notch in the tail scutes following the harvest. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries personnel had notched the tail and inserted a tag between the alligator’s toes on Aug. 28, 1993 at an alligator farm. The male alligator was just 44 inches long at the time and part of the department’s alligator management program.
“Often in larger alligators, the small web tags placed between the alligator’s toes on the hind feet can be lost with time,” said LDWF Alligator Biologist Ruth Elsey. “This alligator, however, retained the tag, providing valuable data for the program.”
LDWF biologists said the alligator grew well over eight inches a year in the 13 years between release and recapture. It was released about eight miles north of where it was later harvested.
In most years, LDWF marks some 40,000 to 50,000 juvenile alligators at farms around the state to be released in wetland areas. These controlled releases ensure population recruitment for future generations. Like duck bands recovered by duck hunters, the web tags reported by alligator trappers help department biologists monitor alligator growth, survival and dispersal.
“We encourage all trappers to report any marked alligators they harvest,” said Elsey. “Even if the foot/web tag has fallen out with growth of the alligator, it is still helpful to the department to receive information on the tail notches on the alligators, which indicate the year of release.”
LDWF has managed the state,s American alligator population since the 1960s. Over the years, carefully designed research projects have led to successful “sustained use” harvest programs of wild sub-adult and adult alligators, as well as alligator eggs which can be collected by licensed alligator farmers from suitable wetland habitats statewide.
These programs benefit the many Louisiana citizens who choose to participate, including private landowners, alligator trappers, alligator farmers, alligator buyers, dealers and their employees. In 2005, the value of alligator hides and meat was approximately $40 million. Despite the devastating hurricanes of 2005, the resilient alligator remains a valuable resource for our state. Conservative harvest quotas were set for the 2006 season after careful review of survey data.
Louisiana alligator trappers have caught dozens of re-traps in the 10-foot size class, and several re-traps in the 11-foot size class; but the Tensas Parish alligator is the first to attain 12 feet in length.
One of the most important parts of the alligator program involves the mandatory release of alligators from farms to the wild. Because alligator farmers are allowed to collect eggs from the wild, which helps avoid natural mortality factors such as flooding, predation and desiccation, LDWF must replace the portion of juvenile alligators to the wild that department estimates would have survived on their own had the eggs not been collected.
Extensive research suggests this is about 14 percent of the eggs hatched. Thus, the alligator farmer may keep 86 percent of the hatchlings obtained from collected eggs, grow these to harvestable size and sell the valuable hides and meat. The other 14 percent must be released back to the wetlands from which the eggs were collected within two years of collection, when the alligators are around 4 or 5 feet in length.
In addition to citizens who participate in the harvest programs, many non-consumptive users benefit from the wild alligator resource. The mystique and aesthetic value of seeing a large wild alligator is of value to locals and visitors to our state. Many tourists and photographers travel long distances for the opportunity to get a glimpse of this unique species in the wild.
The LDWF alligator program has evolved from the first small, very limited, wild harvest back in 1972, to the highly regulated multi-million dollar industry it is now. LDWF hopes to continue improving the alligator program for the future benefit of Louisiana’s citizens.
Ruth M. Elsey is a Biologist Manager in the Office of Wildlife, Fur and Refuge Division. An LDWF employee since 1991, she works in the department’s alligator management and research programs.

Hemorrhagic disease has killed a number of deer in the Sheridan area this summer, but the Wyoming Game and Fish Department believes the disease has run its course and does not anticipate this should cause any concern for hunters this fall.
Beginning in mid-August, white-tailed deer carcasses were reported along the Tongue River in the Dayton and Ranchester areas northwest of Sheridan. The carcasses displayed the symptoms of hemorrhagic disease - either epizootic hemorrhagic disease or blue tongue. Blood tests conducted the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory in Laramie verified hemorrhagic disease as the cause.
Since the disease was confined to a relatively small area, the die-off will not impact upcoming white-tailed deer hunting in most of the Sheridan Region, said Lynn Jahnke, Game and Fish wildlife management coordinator in Sheridan. He believes there are still plenty of white-tailed deer hunting opportunities in the region.
“We believe the outbreak is largely over for 2006,” Jahnke said on Sept. 25. Hemorrhagic disease outbreaks are not unusual in the Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska region.
“Conditions were ideal for an outbreak of the disease during August,” Jahnke said. “Recent cold temperatures slowed the spread of the disease as frost killed the ‘no-see-um’ gnats which spread the disease. Reports of dead deer declined after the first frost in early September.”
The viruses can cause spontaneous hemorrhaging in the muscles and organs five to 10 days after an animal is infected. Even with a hard frost the disease will continue to claim some animals that were previously infected for a couple of weeks.
Jahnke explained that during late summer, white-tailed deer were concentrated around water sources in the lowland environment of the gnats. The gnats spread the virus by biting infected and then uninfected deer. The last documented outbreak of the disease near Sheridan was in 1998. Although the disease has probably been in the region for decades, the first documented Wyoming outbreak was 1959 in Weston County.
Jahnke assured hunters they do not have to worry about getting the disease from eating their deer meat. “There is no human health concern from the hemorrhagic disease,” Jahnke said. “Humans can’t get it and neither can most other wildlife.”
He added mule deer and antelope occasionally get the disease but are generally insulated from the infection because those species tend not to inhabit the environment of the gnats.

PIERRE, S.D. - South Dakota’s Walk-In Area Program surpassed last year’s record enrollment of 1.03 million-acres.
“Our long-term goal was to reach 1 million acres by 2006, but due to the hard work of our conservation officers and dedicated landowners, we hit our million-acre goal last year,” said Game, Fish and Parks Walk-In Area Program Coordinator Bill Smith. “2006 was again a record-setting year, enrolling 1.08 million acres.”
While the program continues to grow, the long-term success of the program relies heavily on partnerships between the department and landowners and the future of the Conservation Reserve Program, with more than 400,000 acres of CRP expiring in 2007.
To help ensure these new areas will remain enrolled in the program in future years, hunters must also play a vital role. “Hunter behavior and ethics plays an important part in a landowner’s decision to re-enroll a Walk-In Area,” Smith said. “All it takes is one hunter littering, shooting up signs, spooking livestock, damaging crops or otherwise acting in an unsafe manner to insult landowners and keep them from re-enrolling their land.”
Hunter involvement extends beyond the field, all the way to Washington, D.C. “Hunters should also be active in getting CRP renewed in the upcoming 2007 Farm Bill,” said Smith.
Hunters wishing to know more about the locations of these new Walk-In Areas can now access that information online via the Game, Fish and Parks Web site at www.sdgfp.info. The link can be found under the subheading “What’s New.” Printed Hunting Atlases should be available at most license agents by about Sept. 1.

HOLDERNESS, N.H. - Just in time for the fall crow hunting season, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is offering hunters a free workshop on “Crow Hunting: The Forgotten Pastime” on Saturday, August 5, 2006, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Owl Brook Hunter Education Center in Holderness. The seminar will be led by crow hunting enthusiast and hunter education instructor Pete Lester. Pre-registration is required. To sign up, call Sean Williamson or Patty Marcum at 536-1290.
The crow-hunting workshop covers the basic pursuit of these challenging birds, from the use of a mouth call to high-tech electronic calling and decoying. Participants also will learn about crow behavior, crow-hunting safety issues, gaining permission to hunt/landowner relations, clothing choices, set-up location, shotgun and ammunition options, creature comforts for an enjoyable hunt and what to do with them after the hunt. The session will include a shooting component using Owl Brook’s remote-controlled target throwers to simulate field shooting conditions.
Crow hunting has a split season in New Hampshire. It opens August 15 and runs through November 30; in addition, there is a short spring season from March 16-31.
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department works in partnership with the public to conserve, manage and protect the state’s fish, wildlife and marine resources and their habitats. Visit http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us.

During the 2005-06 hunting season, hunters voluntarily took blood samples from nearly 900 elk in western Wyoming. Hunters were asked to take part in studies to determine brucellosis seroprevalence rates, or if the animal has been exposed to the disease, in herds of interest around the Jackson/Pinedale region and as part of the Governor’s Brucellosis Coordination Team’s recommendation to increase sampling throughout the state.
Last year the Wyoming Game and Fish Department surveyed the southwest quadrant of the state by mailing approximately 5,000 sampling kits to hunters with licenses in that region. Of those kits, 343 were returned with useable elk blood samples and a single elk was determined to be seropositive.
The positive elk was found just east of Lander. “This elk was very close to the brucellosis endemic area,” said Hank Edwards, Game and Fish wildlife disease specialist. “Historically we haven’t found any seropositive elk outside of the brucellosis endemic area in northwest Wyoming.”
Elk in southwest Wyoming are not supplementally fed on feedgrounds as the animals are in the Jackson/Pinedale area, where brucellosis rates are much higher. Historically, seroprevalence has ranged from 2-3 percent in elk outside of feedground areas, presumably because these are elk that have interchange with the brucellosis endemic region. In 2004, for example, 1,500 sampling kits were sent to hunters in northeastern Wyoming and all samples that were returned tested negative.
An elk is determined to be seropositive through multiple blood tests that indicate that an animal has been exposed to Brucella abortus, the bacteria causing brucellosis, through antibodies found in the blood. Seropositive results do not necessarily mean that an animal is currently infected or can transmit the disease to other elk or livestock.
Elk and bison were again tested around Jackson, as part of ongoing disease surveillance. This past year, successful hunters in Grand Teton National Park and the National Elk Refuge were asked to participate in a voluntary brucellosis surveillance program.
In bison, brucellosis seroprevalence continues to remain high. Of the hunter-harvested bison in 2005, 66 percent were seropositive, as compared to the five-year average of 60 percent.
“We were really successful in obtaining a large sample size this year,” said Jill Miller, Game and Fish brucellosis feedground habitat biologist, who led the Jackson portion of the surveillance effort. “I would like to thank all the agency personnel who were involved, and especially hunters for their efforts. Without their cooperation, we would be unable to survey the health of this herd.”
The seroprevalence of this portion of the Jackson Elk Herd was found to be 14 percent of all animals surveyed. The animals targeted in this hunter surveillance included those that would likely spend the winter on the National Elk Refuge.
Brucellosis transmitted to cattle herds from elk caused Wyoming to lose its brucellosis free status in 2004. Ongoing research and surveillance is part of the effort to eliminate brucellosis and gain brucellosis free status back to the state.

North Dakota ’s spring crow season opens statewide March 18 and continues through April 30.
Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. There is no daily or possession limit on crows.
Hunters can use last fall’s 2005-06 small game and general game and habitat license, or combination license, or may purchase a new 2006-07 combination license.

PIERRE, S.D. - Last year was likely one of the best year’s for hunting pheasants. It was also one of the most dangerous.
“The recent hunting accident involving Vice President Cheney highlights the level of awareness everyone must have for the potential of a hunting accident while in the field,” said Game, Fish and Parks HuntSAFE Coordinator Curt Robertson.
“2005 saw a significant increase in hunting incidents in the state of South Dakota,” Robertson said. “In fact, there were more injuries while pheasant hunting during the first three weeks of the 2005 pheasant season than were total hunting-related incidents reported for all of the 2004 hunting seasons.”
The highest number of hunting-related accidents for a year, since South Dakota began keeping records in 1988, is 40, which includes all hunting-related incidents. As of Oct. 30, 2005, 32 incidents were reported for pheasant hunting alone, and by the end of the 2005 seasons, 54 accidents had been reported. This is an increase of 22 from 2004, and 14 more than the previous high mark of 1988.
“While none of the injuries were fatal, the increase in injuries is a cause for concern,” Robertson said. “We need to take every step necessary to make sure that 2005 is an anomaly and not the start of a long term trend.
Game, Fish, and Parks compiles hunter safety statistics every year using the definitions outlined by the International Hunters Education Association , the preeminent hunter safety organization worldwide. Only those reported injuries that occur during hunting, whether a gun is discharged or not, are recorded to ensure accuracy.
A majority of the reported incidents happened during the latest pheasant season. “There were two basic reasons why these incidents occurred,” Robertson stated. “The number one reason was when hunters were swinging on birds, while at the same time ‘covering’ a person who was behind or near their target.”
The second major reason for incidents this year was that the victim was completely out of the line of sight of the shooter. “There were several incidents where one person in the party had bent over to retrieve a downed bird and was out of sight of the shooter,” Robertson noted. “The reports would indicate similar circumstances contributed to Vice President Cheney’s hunting incident. Being aware of the location of all party members at all times is essential to a safe hunt.”
Remembering the basics of safe hunting can help alleviate the problems of safety when you are out in the field. The four basics are:
* Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
* Be sure of your target and what is beyond.
* Keep the action open and unloaded when not actively hunting.
* Keep your finger outside and alongside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.
“As hunters,” Robertson states, “we must always be mindful of our situation and surroundings. If there is any doubt to the safety of a shot, don’t take it. Only take the no risk shot. Safe Hunting is no accident!”

OLYMPIA — Hunters who want a chance at one of 305 spring black bear hunting permits must submit an application to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife by midnight on March 12, 2006.
A drawing for the permits, which are for hunts in western or eastern Washington, will occur in mid-March. Permit winners will receive notification in the mail by March 21.
In western Washington, two pilot spring black bear damage hunts are scheduled from April 15 to June 15. The hunts will occur southwest of Olympia in Capitol Forest and on the Kapowsin Tree Farm in eastern Pierce County. WDFW will issue 100 permits for each hunt.
Hunters selected for the Kapowsin Tree Farm hunt must purchase an access permit from Hancock Forest Management by calling 879-4200.
In southeast Washington, a spring bear hunt also will occur in seven game management units in the Blue Mountains. WDFW will issue 30 permits for the Wenaha Unit; 15 permits each for the Blue Creek, Dayton, Mountain View and Lick Creek units; 10 permits for the Tucannon Unit; and five permits for the Grand Ronde Unit. The spring bear season in these units runs from April 15 to May 31.
Access to the Tucannon Unit may be limited, however, after a wildfire burned a portion of the area last year. For more information on access restrictions due to the wildfire visit http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/newreal/release.php?id=feb1606a.
To apply for a spring bear permit, hunters must purchase a special permit application and a hunting license that includes bear as a species option. Hunting licenses, bear transport tags and bear permit applications can be purchased at any license vendor in the state or by calling 246-9453.
Applications for the spring black bear hunt require a correct hunt choice number, which can be found at any license vendor or on page 44 of the 2005 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet .
Hunters can only submit a spring bear application by calling 945-3492.
Any legal weapon used during the modern firearm, archery or muzzleloader seasons can be used for spring black bear hunts. Bait or hounds are not allowed for bear hunting.

The Montana Trappers Association’s annual Tri-Agency Youth Trapper Camp will be June 9 — 11 at Beaver Creek Park, South of Havre.
The camp is open to all youth. Those 10 years and younger, and youngsters with special needs, must be accompanied by an adult. Attendees will learn about trapping methods, fur handling, safety and health on the trap line, furbearer identification, trapping ethics, regulations and equipment.
The fee is $40 per camper. The first 60 youngsters that register will receive a $20 scholarship from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Additional scholarships will be furnished by YTC, Inc.
For information and a pre-registration packet, contact Jim or Fran Buell, P.O. Box 133, Gildford MT 59525, call: 406-376-3178, or email 7mbuell@ttc-cmc.net , or visit the MTA website at www.montanatrappers.org.

Anglers and hunters headed for the Wooten Wildlife Area will be able to pursue spring fishing and hunting opportunities despite a temporary safety closure in place because of salvage logging operations, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife .
Public access for the March 1 opening of the fishing season at Tucannon impoundments and the April 15 opening of the spring turkey and black bear hunting seasons will not be affected by the closure, which has been in place since January. The closure is necessary to ensure public safety during helicopter salvage-logging operations in the wildlife area, where last summer’s School wildfire burned thousands of acres.
The Tucannon River valley floor, seven man-made lakes along the river that open for fishing on March 1, and the two lowest-lying campgrounds remain accessible, said Shana Winegeart, assistant manager of the wildlife area for WDFW. State land along the main Tucannon Road that was not damaged in last summer’s wildfire, north of the Tumalum-Tucannon confluence, also remains open.
Vehicle traffic through the wildlife area is periodically delayed while helicopters are overhead.
Other campgrounds, hillsides and uplands in most of the 11,778-acre wildlife area remain closed during helicopter logging. The closure is scheduled to last through April 7, and is necessary to protect recreationists from hazardous situations during the logging operations.
The closure also will minimize disturbance to elk, and keep the animals on the wildlife area and off adjacent private lands where they can cause damage. About 14 miles of elk fence was lost in the fire and is still under re-construction.
Campgrounds and portions of the Wooten Wildlife Area will be opened as logging is completed around each site. Updated access information will be posted regularly on WDFW’s website , on the area headquarters phone message system and at an on-site kiosk.

To get a fix on the number, health and range of Delaware’s whitetail deer herd, the state Division of Fish and Wildlife will be partnering with hunters on a deer reproduction study that will run from Saturday, Jan. 14, the opening day of shotgun season, through Saturday, Jan 28, the end of the muzzleloader season.
Hunters are asked to help with data collection by bringing does that have not been field-dressed to Redden State Forest Headquarters in Sussex County, Norman G. Wildlife Management Area in Kent County or Augustine Wildlife Management Area in New Castle.
The check stations will be open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. daily. Hunters will field-dress their deer while Division personnel collect age and reproductive data from each animal.
“We understand that this is a bit of a sacrifice of time and energy on the part of the hunters, but the information will be invaluable to the long-range deer management planning effort the Division has undertaken,” said deer biologist Ken Reynolds. “Most hunters know that habitat is the key to the survival of any species. But many are unaware that knowledge of populations and what affects populations is the key to successful wildlife management.”
A sample of 600 does is required for a scientifically-valid study. If that number is not reached with hunter participation, the Division will seek the assistance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture deer management team to collect the additional animals.
Hunters can also drop off deer that they want to donate to the Sportsmen Against Hunger Program at those locations, participating butcher shops or at new walk-in coolers located at Assawoman Wildlife Area Headquarters, Trap Pond State Park, the Aquatic Resources Education Center at Woodland Beach Wildlife Area, and the Augustine Wildlife Area Headquarters.
“We hope these additional drop-off sites will encourage more hunters to help feed the less fortunate people in our state,” said State Wildlife Administrator Greg Moore. “It’s a very worthy cause.”
For more information about these programs, contact Ken Reynolds at 302-653-2883 or the Division of Fish and Wildlife main office at 302-739-9912.

PIERRE, S.D. - A great Christmas gift option will become available on Thursday, Dec. 15. On that day, people will be able to purchase South Dakota’s 2006 general hunting and fishing licenses as a gift for that special outdoor enthusiast.
“General licenses are those hunting and fishing licenses not sold by lottery drawing,” said License Office Supervisor Scott Simpson of Pierre. “General licenses include the various resident and nonresident fishing licenses, small game licenses, combination licenses, predator/varmint licenses, resident furbearer license, nonresident shooting preserve and spring light goose licenses, as well as the state migratory bird certification.”
Licenses can be purchased with a credit card via the GFP website at www.sdgfp.info. Once there, hold the cursor over the subheading “Licenses and Reservations,” then click on the link to “Buy General Hunting and Fishing Licenses.” From there, follow the directions and remember to print the license.
Licenses are available at license agents across the state.
“The 2006 licenses cannot be sold until Dec. 15. Licenses are now being distributed to license agents around the state, so one should check for license availability in advance before visiting an agent,” Simpson noted. People can find the link to South Dakota’s license agent listing on the GFP website by holding their cursor over the same subheading “Licenses and Reservations.”
Last year’s general licenses will no longer be available as of Dec. 15.

ANNAPOLIS — Maryland’s most popular deer hunting season opens Saturday, Nov 26. Fifty-five percent of all deer taken by hunters occurs during the firearm deer season.
Deer Management Region A, which consists of Garrett and Allegany Counties, firearm bag limit is two deer- 1 antlered and 1 antlerless. Only antlered deer may be taken during Nov 26 — Dec 9. Antlered or antlerless deer may be taken on Dec 10. See chart accompanying this release.
Deer Management Region B, which includes Washington and all counties east, white-tailed deer firearm bag limit is 2 antlered deer and 10 antlerless deer during the season that opens on Nov 26 and runs through Dec 10. Two antlerless deer must be taken before a second antlered deer is pursued. See chart accompanying this release.
Sika deer firearm season is Nov 26 through Dec 10 in Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties. The sika bag limit is 1 antlered and 1 antlerless sika deer. An antlered sika deer is a sika deer with at least one antler visible above the hairline.
The first Sunday of firearm season is open for deer hunting on private lands in Allegany, Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Garrett, Kent, Queen Anne’s, St. Mary’s, Talbot, and Washington counties. Deer hunters took 1996 deer on Sunday last season, 9% of the two-week firearm harvest for these 12 counties.
The top ten counties for 2004-05 firearm deer harvest were as follows: Washington ; Frederick ; Carroll ; Worcester ; Allegany ; Montgomery ; Garrett ; Dorchester ; Baltimore ; Kent .
Successful Maryland deer hunters register their deer by calling 1-888-800-0121 or through the internet www.gamecheck.dnr.state.md.us. Before moving the deer from place of kill, hunters must immediately attach a field tag on the deer’s head and record the harvest on their Maryland Big Game Harvest Record portion of their hunting license. Both forms must be completed in ink. Upon registering the deer, hunters will be given a confirmation number that is recorded on the Big Game Harvest Record. Detailed instructions for this registration process is located on pages 28 -29 of the “2005 — 2006 Guide to Hunting & Trapping in Maryland”.
Successful Junior deer hunters are eligible to receive a “Junior Hunter Game Certificate” from designated Junior Hunter Game Certification Agents. Just check page 55 of the “2005 — 2006 Guide to Hunting & Trapping in Maryland” for the local participating business. Visit the local agent and receive an attractive certificate commemorating the bagging of any deer.
Landscapes with deer hunting programs contain fewer deer and more diverse wildlife species than non-hunting areas. Deer browse on woodland plants, such as under story shrubs, wild flowers, vines and forbs. Therefore, forests with deer numbers more in balance with the habitat contain a greater diversity of plants. Plant diversity creates wildlife diversity. This diversely vegetated forest contributes to the health of the Chesapeake Bay by absorbing nutrients before they reach the Bay’s tributaries.
Deer hunters should inspect their permanent tree stands and portable tree stands before using them. Safety belts should be used while climbing into a tree stand, hunting from a tree stand and while climbing down. There were 12 deer hunting accidents in Maryland during the past hunting season and 9 involved accidents related to the tree stand.
Maryland’s Firearm Deer Hunting Season is one component of DNR’s deer management project. Firearms deer hunting combined with archery and muzzleloader deer seasons provides outdoor recreation for over 80,000 Marylanders, manages white-tailed deer and sika deer populations, and contributes over $150 million to the state’s economy.
Complete bag limits, season dates and other deer hunting information can be found at the DNR website www.dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide. The Hunting & Trapping In Maryland 2005-2006 guide, issued with each hunting license, contains detailed information about all of Maryland’s hunting seasons.

ANNAPOLIS — Hunters reported taking 23,114 deer during the early bow, crossbow, and muzzleloader hunting seasons in September and October. A total of 3,138 antlered deer and 5,987 antlerless deer were reported during the bow season from Sept. 15 to Oct. 29. Hunters reported taking an additional 206 antlered deer and 476 antlerless deer with crossbows during the Oct. 1 — 15 crossbow season. Deer hunters finished out the early seasons by reporting 4,401 antlered deer and 8,906 antlerless deer during the October muzzleloader season.
Fall turkey hunters reported taking 137 wild turkeys during the 1-week season that ended on Nov 5. Fall turkey hunting is only permitted in the 3 westernmost counties. Allegany County reported the highest harvest with 54 turkeys, followed by Garrett and Washington . Over 34 percent of the turkeys were reported harvested on public lands.
The 2005-06 hunting season marks the first year that DNR has used a telephone and Internet check-in system. Maryland hunters are credited with adapting to the new system and complying with its requirements. Telephone and Internet check-in is more convenient for most hunters, allows faster retrieval of the harvest data, and can be operated at a reduced cost.
Complete bag limits, season dates, new deer and turkey registration procedures, and other hunting information can be found at the DNR website, www.dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide. The Hunting and Trapping In Maryland 2005-2006 guide, issued with each hunting license, contains detailed information about all of Maryland’s hunting seasons.