Three deer seasons open the New Year's first month

PRATT -- The regular Kansas firearm deer season is over, but many deer hunters still look forward to hunting in January. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) will conduct a firearm extended whitetail antlerless season Jan.1- 4, 2009 (open for Deer Management Units 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 19 only), a special extended whitetail antlerless season Jan. 5-Jan. 11, 2009 (open north of highways K-9 and US-24 in Units 7 and 8 only), and an archery extended whitetail antlerless season Jan. 5- 31, 2009 (in Unit 19 only).

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Dubuque, Iowa - December 22, 2008 - Pheasants Forever (PF) has announced a one-of-a kind partnership with Diamond Jo Casinos that will create funds for local habitat projects.

Donations to an account created by PF will be funded by a designated group of slot machines located at each of the two Diamond Jo Casino properties in Dubuque and Northwood, Iowa. Whenever a player hits the jackpot on one of the machines in the designated slot bank, Diamond Jo will match the jackpot with an equal donation to the Diamond Conservation Fund. The slot machines have specially designed signage and a conservation theme to promote the program to visitors at each casino.

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PIERRE, S.D –The 2009 mountain lion hunting season will begin on January 1st. The season will have two major several changes, including licensed landowners being able to harvest lions on their own land outside the Black Hills Fire Protection District year round with the 2009 Mountain Lion license. to previous years including a larger quota of lions.

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Helena, Mont. - December 22, 2008 - Starting in March 2009, Montana Pheasants Forever (PF) will be giving away 52 guns - one per week for an entire year - in an effort to increase funding for the organization's upland habitat work in the state. Tickets for the raffle, which is being supported by Sportsman's Warehouse stores, are on sale now for $50 each. Only 1,200 tickets will be sold, or one gun for every 23 tickets sold!

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The Christmas and New Year holiday season is almost here, and for most people that means time off from work to spend with family and friends. For outdoorsmen and women, it is also a special time to go afield in pursuit of their favorite game. Cool weather often makes game easier to hunt and competition for places to hunt is lighter than earlier in the seasons.

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SHERIDAN-- Hunters still have big game hunting opportunities this fall. Mild winters combined with good fawn production have produced an overabundance of white-tailed deer in some areas of the Sheridan region.

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An albino mule deer, well known by Casper residents, has died. The doe was found dead in a resident's backyard on Thanksgiving Day and was reported to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Game Warden John Lund believes the deer died of natural causes

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CHEYENNE-- If the numbers of ducks and geese in the northern marshes and waterways are any indication, waterfowl hunting could be good this year according to Wyoming Game and Fish Department waterfowl biologist Larry Roberts.

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PINEDALE-- Jeremy S. Zumwalt and Gregory L. Carter, both from the Salt Lake City, Utah area, were recently convicted in Sublette County Circuit Court for multiple violations associated with the illegal shooting of a trophy class mule deer buck out of season. Zumwalt was also convicted of interference with a peace officer and reckless driving associated the poaching incident that took place Nov. 16, 2007, near Big Sandy, south of Pinedale. Carter was convicted of taking big game from a vehicle, waste and abandonment and trespassing, in addition to taking an antlered deer during a closed season.

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CODY-- The Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the Shoshone National Forest are urging hunters and other backcountry users to carry bear spray for th...

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CASPER-- Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been discovered for the first time in elk hunt area 117 and deer hunt area 2 near Sundance.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department Laboratory analyzed a sample from a targeted cow elk from hunt area 117 and the sample tested positive for CWD. The elk was found at Solider Creek, just east of Highway 85 about 5 miles west of the South Dakota border. Elk hunt area 117 has been considered part of the endemic area for deer (hunt area 6) since 2003. "This area has long been positive for deer and we just now found a positive elk in this area," said Hank Edwards, wildlife disease specialist for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

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Budget constraints, low usage force belt-tightening move; target shooting prohibited on rest of wildlife area

On Dec. 15, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) shooting range on the north end of Cheney Reservoir will be closed to the public for the majority of the winter. The official closing dates will be Dec.15 through Feb. 28. The range will re-open to the public on Sunday, March 1. This will be the new annual closed schedule and will typically be the period from the end of the regular firearms deer season to the first weekend day in March.

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Testing, public information website part of continued monitoring effort
Deer hunters or anyone with questions about chronic wasting disease (CWD) can find the information they need on the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks website. The website shows locations of positive CWD detections, a list of CWD check stations, and a link to check their CWD test online.

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Five things that hunting has been doing, and can do, for you
Richmond, VA — Recent economic downturns have many people thinking about how to simplify their lives, how to stretch their dollars, put food on the table, let go of stress, and still somehow give to others. Reports on obesity, concerns about what food quality and the footprint we are leaving on the planet, has people wondering what to do. An activity that addresses all that and more is hunting.

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Virginia Wheelin' Sportsmen is sponsoring deer hunts through January 3, 2009 . For details on these and other events and hunt event applications visit the VA NWTF website. Are you interested in volunteering to assist with an event or have a friend that is interested? Visit the Virginia National Wild Turkey Federation website to find numerous links to opportunities and information.

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The Virginia Outdoor Writers Association, Inc. (VOWA) announces its 16th Annual Youth Writing Competition for 2008. The goal of the contest is to reward young people for excellence in communicating their personal experiences in the outdoors. The competition is open to all Virginia students in grades 9 through 12, including home-schooled students.

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A special late-season deer hunt will be held Dec. 27 through Jan. 11 in Permit Area 101 in northwestern Minnesota, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The hunt is part of the state’s ongoing bovine tuberculosis (TB) surveillance and eradication efforts.

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A youth hunting program is a highlight of the Governor’s Annual One-Shot Turkey Hunt, held in Butler County April 8-10, 2009, and six youngsters from around the state are selected to participate. Youth participants in this hunt must have successfully completed a state hunter education course, be 12 through 18 years old, have a current Kansas hunting license (if required), and be accompanied by a parent or an adult sponsor who will stay with them except when they are hunting with a guide.

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Trespassers bag nothing but stiff fines, damaged landowner-hunter relations

Firearm deer season is in full swing, and all hunters are reminded that it is illegal to hunt on private land without the owner's permission, posted or not. Whether a "hunter" actually enters private land without permission or shoots onto it from the road or another landowner's property without permission, it is illegal.

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NEW MEXICO For the first time ever, two lucky hunters will have the opportunity to hunt a Gould's wild turkey in New Mexico. The New Mexico Gould's wild turkey population represents the only native population in the United States. Two New Mexico Gould's wild turkey tags are up for grabs one via an online auction that ends March 1, 2009, and the other via a raffle with tickets available at the NWTF New Mexico State Chapter's exhibit hall booth at the NWTF's Convention and Sport Show in Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 19 to Feb. 22, 2009. The raffle drawing will be held on Monday, March 2, 2009.

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JACKSON-- This time of year the Wyoming Game and Fish Department always reminds hunters to know their target before they pull the trigger, but especially when it comes to bears and lions.

Both black bears and mountain lions are hunted species in Wyoming, and the Game and Fish Department encourages hunters to visit their website to take a quick voluntary online test before heading afield to pursue these species.

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After checking several dust-covered, sun-baked pronghorn at a check station shortly after I moved here 22 years ago, a veteran, salty game warden poised this rhetorical question: After going to the grocery store, would you open the packages of meat and cheese and strap them along with other perishables on top of the car and then drive around on dirt roads?

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Pierre, S.D. – While some hunting opportunities are drawing to an end, the Game, Fish and Parks Department reminds hunters that there are still many big game licenses still available.

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Hunters, meat processors, food banks, help provide thousands of meals to poor With the help of hunters, meat processors, and private donors, Kansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry (KSHFH) annually provides thousands of meals to those in need.

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Winter is just around the corner, and while many hunters pursue upland game birds, waterfowl, and deer this time of year, rabbits are an overlooked resource. Prolific breeders, they are found throughout the state, and many hunters find the lack of competition for these elusive mammals a welcome relief from the hustle and bustle of upland bird and deer seasons. Rabbit hunting is also a good way to put tasty wild meat on the table. And for those hunters who also love the early excitement of upland game bird and deer seasons, rabbit hunting provides the promise of continued good hunting throughout winter.

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Hunters anticipate camaraderie and full freezers during Dec. 3-14 firearm deer season The 2009 Kansas firearm deer season runs Wednesday, Dec. 3, through Sunday, Dec. 14, and it's time for hunters to sight in rifles and practice their shooting skills. While many hunters see this as an opportunity to fill the freezer with fresh lean meat, it is also a traditional time for friends and family to go afield in pursuit of Kansas white-tailed and mule deer.

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PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota’s wild turkey population continues to grow at a robust pace across the state, and that means more opportunities for hunters. At the same time, to balance safety concerns, the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Commission is considering further restrictions in the use of rifles and handguns.

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A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study on human lead levels of hunters in North Dakota has confirmed what hunters throughout the world have known for hundreds of years, that consuming game harvested with traditional ammunition poses absolutely no health risk to people, including children, and that the call to ban lead ammunition was and remains a scare tactic being pushed by anti-hunting groups to forward their political agenda.

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New Jersey deer hunters have always been our close allies in managing the state's deer herd. For perspective, in the early 20th century deer populations were virtually non-existent - in 1901, for example, a total of 20 deer were harvested. The state closed deer hunting 1902-1908. By 1915 the herd had rebounded enough to support the first either-sex deer season (four days); the harvest was 291 bucks and 190 antlerless deer. The bag limit of one antlered buck for all seasons has gradually grown to a potential 6 buck bag limit and liberal antlerless limits for hunters who participate in all seasons.

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Quail Forever (QF), a non-profit organization dedicated to quail conservation and education, will conduct organizational meetings at three locations in Kansas this November. Sportsmen and women are invited to attend the meetings, designed to launch QF chapters in Stafford, Jefferson, and Franklin counties.

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The whooping cranes are back. Each year, some of these birds -- the largest and rarest of North American cranes -- make a stop in central Kansas, at Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, near Great Bend, or Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, about 30 miles south of Cheyenne Bottoms.

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CONSOL Energy, headquartered in Canonsburg, Pa., has enrolled 5,000 acres of land in Kentucky in the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Energy for Wildlife Program and made the land available for public hunting.

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Amendment will generate estimated $300 million annually to protect and preserve Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minn. – November 5, 2008 – It's an exciting day for Pheasants Forever and the State of Minnesota as voters yesterday passed The Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. Over 1.6 million Minnesotans, or 56 percent, voted YES to positively impact the future of the outdoors in the state.

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Hunters asked to avoid standing crops; pheasant and quail seasons to change next year. The 2008 Kansas pheasant season opens on Saturday, Nov. 1, marking the beginning of upland bird seasons.

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Online identification test required before obtaining a crane permit

The sandhill crane hunting season opens Nov. 5, and hunters pursuing this large game bird should be aware that the endangered whooping crane may be present during the sandhill crane season. Whooping cranes use the same habitats as sandhill cranes, and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge and Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area are two of their favorite stops in the Central Flyway.

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PIERRE, S.D. - All good things, even a day of hunting, must come to an end. In South Dakota, that means when the sun sets, it's time for hunters to call in the dogs and call it a day.

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In Minnesota, the Department of Natural Resources has partnered with Pheasants Forever chapters across the state to host youth hunts. Across the state, they had 200+ kids out last weekend, enjoying time afield chasing the wily rooster.

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Light hunting pressure, solitude draw squirrel hunters out of fields and into woods

Early November may find most Kansas hunters dreaming of grassy fields and pheasants, but for the die-hard hunter who prefers woodlands and solitude, cool weather means squirrel hunting. The leaves have mostly fallen, making the hunter more visible and the challenge of squirrel hunting greater. It's a time for patience, quiet, and heightened senses.

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When you've got the smallest human population of any state in the Union on the ninth largest land area, the hunting forecast is always a pretty dang good one. But a variety of other factors: namely drawing a good license and favorable weather, enter in to make the trip complete.

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CHEYENNE-- As big game hunting winds down in many areas throughout the state, much of the interest of Wyoming's hunters turns to birds, with pheasants being among the most popular quarry.

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The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management's Division of Fish and Wildlife has announced that the 2008-2009 archery deer hunting season on Prudence and Patience Islands opened October 24 and runs through January 4. The harvest quota on state land has been reduced from 75 deer to 50 deer, to reflect the decrease in the number of deer in the management areas.

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Since 1998, the trend in deer-related vehicle accidents in Kansas has been stable or declining. Still, late October and November are when deer are most active. As a result, this is also the time when most deer-vehicle accidents occur. This is the mating season, called "rut," and while deer are generally nocturnal, they may move at all times of day and night during rut, paying little attention to motorists.

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Last June, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) hosted the 2008 Shooting Sports Summit in Colorado Springs. The summit gathered leaders from throughout the shooting, hunting, and outdoor industry, as well as key leaders from fish and wildlife agencies and conservation organizations (including the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks), to address key challenges that face the future of the shooting sports.

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Westar Energy and its volunteer Green Team will offer first-time youth deer hunters a guided opportunity at Jeffrey Energy Center near St. Mary's during this year's firearms deer seasons, Dec. 3-14 and Jan. 1-4. Using enclosed blinds on small, bottomland fields, guides will teach young hunters and their adult mentors all aspects of the hunt, including field dressing the harvested animal. A safety and orientation session will be held prior to the season's start and will include an opportunity to sight in rifles with expert help.

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The 2008 Kansas pheasant season opens on Saturday, Nov. 1, marking the beginning of upland bird seasons. Hunters asked to avoid standing crops; pheasant and quail seasons to change next year

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Hunters again can donate venison to food shelves at no cost this year because of changes to the venison donation program managed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), with assistance from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources urges hunters to follow safety rules when using tree stands, following five accidents this fall during the early antlerless deer season.

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With more than 475,000 firearms deer hunters in the state, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) encourages hunters to purchase their licenses early to avoid long lines and any system issues associated with the high sales volume. The 2008 Minnesota firearms deer season begins Saturday, Nov. 8.

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With fall in the air and mosquito populations dwindling, hunters and other recreationists are going to the forests in droves. But because some state forest roads and trails are saturated from recent heavy rains, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will temporarily close some areas.

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The South Dakota Office of Tourism has launched the South Dakota Pheasantennial, a celebration of 100 years of pheasant hunting in the state. The promotion will include special hunts, community celebrations and the Pheasantennial finale where enthusiasts will compete to win a hunt with television host, Ron Schara.

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PIERRE, S.D. – Resident hunters can beat the opening day crowds and sharpen their shooting skills during the three-day resident-only pheasant season set for Saturday, Oct. 11 through Monday, Oct. 13.

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With the “early antlerless” deer season opening Saturday, results of a preliminary study about how certain bullets break up and disperse on impact provide more information for hunters heading out to the field. The results add emphasis to previous venison safety messages from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recommending pregnant women and children under six do not eat any venison harvested using ammunition that results in deposition of lead particles in meat.

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Successful applicants for both lottery deer areas and special hunts are being notified this week via postcard, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

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Of the less-than-500 surviving whooping cranes in the United States, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters to watch out for at least four that are currently visiting southwestern Minnesota. These rare birds are on a temporary stopover during their fall journey to Texas.

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For the first time in more than 100 years, elk were legally hunted in Kittson County Minnesota in mid-September. The hunt opened the first of three nine-day elk seasons, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Three lucky winners of the once-in-a-lifetime Minnesota elk hunting permits filled their tags in three days of the first elk season. The holder of the single either-sex tag harvested an impressive 5×5 bull within minutes of the season opening.

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The best hunt is a SAFE hunt! Both novice and experienced sportsmen should continuously review basic safety practices. The fall turkey season requires different tactics and safety precautions from the spring gobbler season. Dressing right is the key to both safe and successful turkey hunting. While sitting still is most important, full camouflage helps hunters blend into the surroundings and elude the turkey's keen eyesight.

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EDGEFIELD, S.C. — In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt convened the Governors' Conference on Conservation, which was the beginning of the conservatio...

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Could the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) have convinced you to fish more in 2006? Could KDWP programs have made your experience more positive? Whether the answers were yes or no, the agency wanted to know what anglers thought about this and a wide range of other fishing-related topics. To find out, KDWP staff prepared the 2006 Kansas Licensed Angler Survey and distributed it to a randomly-selected number of 2006 Kansas fishing license purchasers in January of 2007.

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PIERRE, S.D. -- Updated rental rates are now available for new Conservation Reserve Program contracts. In many areas of South Dakota, average CRP rental rates have increased 10 percent to 20 percent, making them much more competitive with local cash rent.

“This increase in CRP rental rates will make enrolling environmentally sensitive lands such as wetlands much more attractive for landowners” said Game, Fish and Parks Private Lands Habitat Biologist Rocco Murano. “CRP has been vital in the maintenance and expansion of local wildlife populations.”

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PIERRE, S.D. -- Ducks Unlimited-managed properties in McPherson and Edmunds counties will be enrolled in S.D. Game, Fish, and Parks Department’s Walk-In Area hunting program. Enrollment will be in time for this year’s resident-only pheasant season set for Oct. 11 through Oct. 13 as well as the regular pheasant season that opens on Oct. 18.

These tracts, totaling 13,400 acres, were acquired by DU as part of its revolving land fund that targets for acquisition degraded waterfowl habitat in the prairie pothole region. Once acquired, the grasslands and wetlands are restored.

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LANDER – Game and Fish officers are seeking any information anyone may have regarding two male pronghorn antelope that were illegally shot and left to waste in the Rawlins area. The first buck was found near the 20 Mile Road south of Rawlins; the second buck was located south of the Red Rim-Daley Wildlife Habitat Management Area.

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CHEYENNE - A new Wyoming program helping beginning hunters to try hunting with a mentor before taking hunter safety is now available.

If you were born on or after January 1, 1966, you must complete a hunter safety course before hunting in Wyoming. Wyoming's new Hunter Mentor program, however, allows any person who has not yet received hunter education certification to apply for special authorization to hunt while being accompanied by a mentor. This allows a hunter to experience hunting before committing to the coursework required to complete hunter safety.

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CHEYENNE-- The drawings for the Springer and Glendo special pheasant hunts have been conducted and some openings are available for each hunt.

Openings are available for the Springer youth hunt on Oct. 25 (62) and Nov. 2 (59). The permits will be issued first come, first served to qualifying youth at the Springer Check Station located south of Yoder. Game and Fish regulation defines youth as any person who has not turned 18 by Oct. 1, 2008. Adults are encouraged to accompany all youth hunters and are required to be with kids under 14.

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With many duck hunters anxiously preparing for the Oct. 4 Minnesota opener, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds people to make sure they pack the one thing that could save their lives - their life jackets.

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A painting of roosters in a cattail swamp by Dean Kegler of Hutchinson was chosen as the winning design from among 22 entries in the 2009 pheasant habitat stamp contest, sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

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Participating Shoppers Eligible to Win Dream South Dakota Pheasant Hunt

Saint Paul, Minn. - September 24, 2008 - Pheasants Forever (PF) and Bass Pro Shops are partnering this October to celebrate the arrival of fall and raise awareness for the need to conserve wildlife habitat. "Pheasants Forever Month" at Bass Pro Shops nationwide will feature in-store promotions that will allow customers to participate in a sweepstakes for a dream South Dakota pheasant hunt and other valuable prizes.

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Today's green movement uses certain buzzwords -- organic, locavore, renewable -- to the wry amusement of 15 million to 20 million of us who've actually lived the eco-friendly lifestyle that these words describe.

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Deer hunters have a new opportunity this fall in Norman County. The Prairie Smoke Dunes State Scientific and Natural Area (SNA), which has only been open to occasional special management hunts in the past, is now open for all regular 2008 deer seasons including early antlerless.

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Two Johnson County families establish nearly 2,000-acre conservation easement The Kansas Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) recently signed an agreement on a nearly 2,000-acre conservation easement in the Flint Hills of Chase County. TNC acquired the easement from the C.E. and Lonah Birch and the Robert and Linda Mooney families, both of Shawnee.

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$18,175 allocated for specific projects; another $30,000 for outreach and education. The Kansas State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) recently announced selection of the following Hunting Heritage Super Fund proposals for funding 2009 projects in the Sunflower State.

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The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) will host an event to celebrate the contributions of hunters and anglers to fish and wildlife conservation. The National Hunting and Fishing Day observance is set for 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at KDWP’s Pratt Operations Office, 2 miles east and 1 mile south of Pratt.

The festivities will begin at 8 a.m. with the Great Race, in which teams assembled by KDWP and the Pratt community compete in a relay featuring casting, archery shooting, bicycling, and canoeing. Other events will include kids’ fishing derbies, prizes, free lunch, and more.

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NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The National Wild Turkey Federation's Wheelin' Sportsmen program and the Arkansas State Chapter of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to further help disabled veterans.

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RAPID CITY, S.D.—South Dakota’s short sage grouse hunting season is accompanied by a vigorous effort to collect data about the birds. That collection effort relies largely on the willingness of hunters to have their birds checked by Game, Fish and Parks.

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Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Commissioner Mark Holsten announced new restrictions for off-highway vehicles (OHV) to be in effect during part of the 2008 deer hunting season.

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Saint Paul, Minn. - September 22, 2008 - A shotgun blast that sounds as loud as a BB gun? You'll have to hear it to believe it on this week's episode of Pheasants Forever Television, airing on Outdoor Channel on Thursday, Sept. 25th at 10PM CDT / 11PM EDT. The episode will also air on Friday, Sept. 26th at 10AM CDT / 11AM EDT and again on Saturday, Sept. 27th at 5:30PM CDT / 6:30PM EDT.

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Any hunter age 12 to 14 with a Firearms Safety Certificate and valid Minnesota firearms deer license is eligible to participate in the northwest Minnesota Special Youth Antlerless Deer Season on Oct. 18-19.

Counties included in the special youth season include Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Pennington and Roseau. Youth can hunt on public as well as private lands with the permission of the landowners. The special hunt is located in Zones 100 and 200, but youth with a 2008 Minnesota firearms license from any zone may participate.

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Despite a cool, wet spring that caused a 24-percent drop in Minnesota’s pheasant index, the estimated number of pheasants in Minnesota remains at its 10-year average.

“The southwest likely will provide the best opportunities for pheasant hunters,” said Kurt Haroldson, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wildlife research biologist. “Minnesota’s west central, south central and east central regions also are likely to provide good pheasant harvest opportunities.”

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Did you know that only two states in the country do not allow the use of a crossbow for hunting? Did you know that only four states place an age restriction on crossbow use? Did you know that New Jersey is one of 17 states that allow physically challenged hunters to use crossbows? Did you know that a change is in the works?

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CHEYENNE-- The first episode in the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's new TV series will be all about sage grouse. On Sept. 7, Wyoming Wildlife TV will focus on the natural history and current status of these birds, as well as a variety of issues surrounding this landmark species.

"Wyoming has more sage grouse than any other state," said Eric Keszler, Pubic Information Officer for the WGFD. "But sage grouse populations in Wyoming and throughout their range have been declining due to a variety of factors. Our inaugural episode of Wyoming Wildlife TV will examine the reasons for this decline, what researchers are learning about sage grouse and some of the many efforts being undertaken to recover populations."

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Two of the five pronghorn herd units in the Bighorn Basin are below objective, two are considered at objective, while the fifth herd does not have a post-season population objective. Population trend in all five herds has been stable to slowly increasing the past 5 years. Hunting seasons were conservative in recent years when fawn production and habitat conditions were poor. Recognition of drought conditions and lowered habitat quality has also factored into management and hunting seasons, as populations have been intentionally managed to remain below carrying capacity. Slightly more liberal hunting seasons are proposed for a few hunt areas in 2008, in response to increased pronghorn numbers.

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"I want to hunt wild pheasants in Wyoming," the caller on the other end of the line was saying. "Where should I go?"

While on the surface this question might seem easily answered, it is not that cut and dried. Wyoming does have pheasants and does have wild pheasants in a number of areas. Those that have hunted pheasants for long in the state know that much of the public access hunting is supplemented through stocking of pheasants from the two bird farms operated by the Game and Fish. These farms release around 30,000 pheasants each year in Wyoming. Most releases take place on Game and Fish wildlife habitat units and walk in areas where the public has access for pheasant hunting. But, in answer to the question, there are wild pheasants in Wyoming, and some of the walk-in areas have wild pheasants. There are also wild pheasants in much of the private lands outside of walk-in areas, but to hunt these areas, permission must be obtained from the landowners.

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The Department of Environmental Management announces the hunting regulations for the 2008-2009 seasons. There are several changes this year, primarily regarding deer hunting. The DEM remains committed to managing the growing deer population by focusing on the harvest of female deer. Most of the other changes are strictly date changes reflecting the calendar shift.

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CASPER-- A project underway on the Thunder Basin National Grassland will remove cheatgrass and prickly-pear cactus to allow growth of native vegetation in an effort to improve wildlife habitat. The grassland provides habitat for pronghorn, sage-grouse, mule deer, elk, and a variety of non-game birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

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The Jackson Hole and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center was a flurry of activity earlier this month when Wyoming Game and Fish Department personnel banded 42 geese on the center's lawn, a project that specifically targeted members of the Rocky Mountain population of Western Canada geese. The visitor center is located on the National Elk Refuge, adjoining Flat Creek where Canada geese are frequently seen.

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The listing of hunt areas where certain types of big game licenses are still remaining has been available for more than a month now and by the time you read this, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department will have conducted the second drawing...If past history is any guide, most antelope licenses leftover after that drawing will be on areas where the land is predominantly private. Many of the deer hunt areas will be also on private land spots but there are usually some deer areas with public access on the leftover list.

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CASPER-- A day outside is a great way to learn new skills, have fun and connect with family, friends or just yourself. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department hopes you'll start your outdoor adventures at the Wyoming Hunting & Fishing Heritage Expo, Sept. 11-13 in Casper.

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CHEYENNE-- The supplemental drawing for limited quota elk, deer and antelope licenses has been completed and a number of licenses still remain in various hunt areas throughout the state.

A listing of areas with available licenses is on the Game and Fish Web site. Licenses could be purchased from any Game and Fish office and the more than 100 fully automated license agents throughout the state beginning Aug. 5. A listing of automated license agents can also be found on the Game and Fish Web site. Beginning Aug. 15, all remaining reduced price cow/calf elk and doe/fawn deer and doe/fawn antelope licenses will be sold at these same automated license agents.

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UPTON-- For 2008, you can call J.R. Grieves and Caleb Thompson the reigning champs of Wyoming hunting.

It's not because the Upton young men - age 14 and 16 - tagged 400-point elk, and got their picture in a national outdoor magazine. Rather, J.R. and Caleb displayed that outdoor expertise by besting other young hunters in trap shooting, .22 marksmanship wildlife identification and other hunting/outdoor skills at Wyoming's first annual National Rifle Association sanctioned Youth Hunter Education Challenge June 28 at the Upton Gun Club.

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JACKSON-- National Elk Refuge Manager Steve Kallin and Wyoming Game and Fish Department Jackson Region Wildlife Supervisor Tim Fuchs announce the initiation of a new online application process for obtaining elk hunting permits for the National Elk Refuge. Wyoming Game and Fish Department staff have worked closely with refuge personnel to expand the State's computerized system for its Private Lands Public Wildlife (PLPW) access program to include the National Elk Refuge.

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JACKSON- The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) is beginning a new research project on the Jackson Elk Herd that will involve collaring up to eleven elk along the southern boundary of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) this summer. The elk, which summer in YNP and winter on the National Elk Refuge (NER), are of particular interest to area sportsmen's groups who helped fund the project.

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CHEYENNE - Resident and nonresident moose and bighorn sheep hunters and nonresident elk, deer and antelope hunters are reminded that the preference point only application period is now underway. Applications for preference points will be accepted through Sept. 30.

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CHEYENNE - Hunters who missed the earlier application periods for elk, deer and antelope licenses could still have an opportunity to hunt this fall by participating in the upcoming drawing for hunt areas and license types that were under subscribed in the initial draws.

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KEMMERER-- Six highway underpasses are being installed on U.S. Highway 30 in Nugget Canyon to assist migrating mule deer cross the highway safely and protect motorists from colliding with game animals.

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"Summertime and the living is easy," - particularly if the kids are occupied and engaged. That can be a tough goal anywhere, but perhaps a little easier in Wyoming with the great variety of scenery, resources and activities is a great place to reach that goal.

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June seems like a strange month to be talking about hunting and getting ready for the fall season, but in Wyoming many hunters have been planning their hunts for months. For nonresidents, the drawing application period for elk was the month of January and nonresidents had from January until March 15 to apply for deer and antelope. For residents the application period for limited quota elk deer and antelope was the month of May.

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GREEN RIVER-- More than 100 volunteers assisted the Wyoming Game and Fish Department with the 15th annual western Wyoming mule deer mortality surveys held near Cokeville, Pinedale, Big Piney and Leroy.

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CHEYENNE-- The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has opened a public comment period on a number of proposed changes to regulations and seasons including Gray Wolf Hunting,hunters saftey, mountain lion hunting and more

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Hunters should be aware that the Beer Mug Hunter Management Area north of Medicine Bow has been closed to public access for 2008.

"Anyone hoping to apply for an elk area 16 license needs to be aware this HMA will not be available and plan accordingly," said Matt Buhler, statewide access coordinator for the Game and Fish Department.

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SPRING HUNTS   by Al Langston, Information Specialist   It's no secret that March is often thought of as one of those waiting months. Y...

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LARAMIE-- Two local chapters of Pheasants Forever in Wyoming recently donated to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's AccessYes program. The Chug Creek Chapter from Wheatland and the High Plains Chapter from Pine Bluffs donated $2,500 each to the program.

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SHERIDAN -- Spring is the time to observe Wyoming's native sharp-tailed and sage-grouse on their leks, or courtship areas. Male members of these grouse families are competing for mates. This display takes place from March through early May.

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CASPER-- The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is asking hunters for help collecting data for a research project that will help biologists learn more about wild turkey movements and mortality in the Black Hills. The four-year study is being done in partnership with several funding agencies, and carried out by graduate students from South Dakota State University in cooperation with the Game and Fish Department.

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Spring 2008 turkey seasons in Areas 3, 5 and 7 (Sheridan, Johnson and Campbell counties) opened April 1. Most turkeys in these areas are found on private land so hunters are reminded to obtain access permission from landowners prior to hunting. Area 1, includes the Black Hills area (Crook and northern Weston counties) has more public land available to hunters and opens on April 12.wy

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Considering hunting for shed antlers this winter? Make sure you understand and obey antler and horn possession laws that are enforced by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

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You can apply for a big game or turkey license in the traditional manner (through the mail) or through the Internet. And you can take hunter education in the traditional manner (classroom with an instructor) or through the Internet now.

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The Department of Environmental Management's Division of Fish and Wildlife has released preliminary deer hunting figures for the 2007-2008 deer hunting seasons. According to data collected from the Division's vendors and biological check stations, 2,540 deer were taken, 225 more than last season.

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BLACK HILLS HAS POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SPRING SEASON AND FOR SIGNIFICANT WINTER KILL YET

Wyoming's premier turkey range the Black Hills has the potential to offer excellent hunting this spring but also the potential to endure substantial winterkill if winter doesn't loosen its grip on the northeast corner of the Equality State.

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The Department of Environmental Management announces the seasons and general rules for shotgun deer hunting in Rhode Island.

All hunters, including archers, are required to wear 500 square inches of fluorescent orange during the shotgun season. Throughout the shotgun deer season, all other users of state management areas must also wear at least 500 square inches of solid, daylight fluorescent orange material; thereafter, the requirement drops to 200 square inches through the end of February, and during the spring turkey-hunting season.

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SHERIDAN - As many big game seasons wind down in northeast Wyoming, it is time to take advantage of the many bird-hunting opportunities available in this part of the state. Many upland bird, duck and goose seasons are open or will be open soon.

Pheasant season will open Saturday, Nov. 3 in Hunt Area 3 (Sheridan and Johnson Counties) and will close Dec. 31. Pheasant season opened Oct. 1 in Hunt Area 10 (Campbell County) and will close Dec. 31.

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CHEYENNE – As hunting winds down in some big game areas, some of Wyoming is gearing up for pheasant season, and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department has selected the walk-in areas that will be stocked with pheasants.

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CHEYENNE - A pair of ring-necked ducks - a diving duck with a white stripe on its bill - will find their way to the back of the bird licenses of 6,000-plus Wyoming waterfowl hunters in 2007.

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The Department of Environmental Management announces that, in an effort to further manage the state's deer population as well as reduce the over 1,200 annual auto-deer collisions that affect public safety, it is encouraging more private landowners to allow hunters to hunt deer on their property during deer-hunting seasons.

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The Department of Environmental Management announces that there are several changes to the hunting regulations for the 2007-2008 season, primarily regarding deer hunting. The DEM remains committed to managing the growing deer population by focusing on the harvest of female deer. Most of the other changes are strictly date changes reflecting the calendar shift.

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CASPER - The vast majority of Wyoming duck hunters approve of the bag limit and season length of the last five years and would continue hunting if the bag limit were reduced to as low as three birds a day.

Those sentiments were revealed in the National Duck Hunter Survey 2005 sponsored by the National Flyway Council and the Wildlife Management Institute.

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YODER -With the goal of providing the best pheasant hunting opportunity and maximizing the number of stocked pheasants ending up in hunters's game vests, the Game and Fish Department has selected the Goshen and Laramie County walk-in areas that will be stocked with pheasants this fall.

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