Breaking News: Federal Court Restores Protections for Great Lakes Wolves, Ends Trophy Hunting and Commercial Trapping | Keep Michigan Wolves Protected
Lola
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Supporting a Great Organization
I don't want my blog to turn into a beg for donations, but I'm making an exception this holiday season. The Keweenaw Land Trust (KLT) is doing such great work to preserve the natural areas of the Copper Country, the area where I grew up. KLT manages Lightfoot Bay, the cabin I visit every summer and now they are looking to restore another block of land. I feel so strongly about their mission, that I want to share this email I received from them recently.
This is the final email focusing on the major details of KLT's Land Slam fundraising campaign. We've already covered the Paavola Wetlands Expansion and Point Abbaye Initiative, which leaves our Princess Point Water Trail Campsite project for last. It may be small, but there's a lot of potential at this location and we need your help to make it happen!
This is the final email focusing on the major details of KLT's Land Slam fundraising campaign. We've already covered the Paavola Wetlands Expansion and Point Abbaye Initiative, which leaves our Princess Point Water Trail Campsite project for last. It may be small, but there's a lot of potential at this location and we need your help to make it happen!
The Princess Point property lies on the Keweenaw Waterway directly across from the Sturgeon River Sloughs. What the 4-acre property lacks in easy road access (it's a 40 minute drive from Houghton), it makes up for in its prime location for water-based activities. In addition to the Sturgeon River Sloughs, paddlers can explore the Snake River, numerous islands along the Portage River, and nearby Portage Lake, all within a short distance of their launch point. The majority of the shoreline in the vicinity is undeveloped, making this area ecologically rich and excellent for bird watching and fishing. Paddlers can visit for the day via the Sloughs boat launch off of US-41.
While 4 acres may not sound like much land, it's how we plan to use it that really matters. Princess Point is perfectly situated along the Keweenaw Water Trail and will make for an excellent rustic campsite for overnight visitors. The Copper Island Kayak Challenge recently highlighted the need for more public places along the Keweenaw's shoreline for camping or just a rest. With high and dry public land hard to come by in this area (most is wetland wildlife areas managed by the Michigan DNR), the Princess Point water trail campsite will fill an important need. The property has an old cabin that we plan to repair and allow visitors to stay in, similar to our offerings at Lightfoot Bay. With so many destinations within striking distance by canoe or kayak, paddlers can spend the night in a tent or inside the cabin and head out to visit more special places the next day.
The land, once a cherished family retreat, is generously being donated to KLT by a the current generation of a dispersed family that has local ties to the region. We are excited to share their vision for a public recreation area with the rest of the community. However, to accept the property we need to pay back taxes still owed - just a tiny fraction of the total project costs - before it's a done deal! Please donate to the Land Slam fundraiser to help establish the Princess Point Water Trail Campsite! We appreciate anything you can give to help make the Land Slam a reality.
-Keweenaw Land Trust Team
To give to the Keweenaw Land Trust, click on the Please donate link above or send your checks to
Keweenaw Land Trust
801 N. Lincoln Drive. Ste. 306
Hancock, MI 49930
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Science Daily - December 3, 2014
Featured Research
from universities, journals, and other organizations
Lethal control of wolves backfires on livestock
Date:
December 3, 2014
Source:
Washington State University
Summary:
Researchers have found that it is counter-productive to kill wolves to keep them from preying on livestock. Shooting and trapping lead to more dead sheep and cattle the following year, not fewer. Wildlife biologists say that, for each wolf killed, the odds of more livestock depredations increase significantly.
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Washington State University wildlife biologist Rob Wielgus is studying lethal and non-lethal methods to keep wolves from preying on livestock.
Credit: Kay Morris
Washington State University researchers have found that it is counter-productive to kill wolves to keep them from preying on livestock. Shooting and trapping lead to more dead sheep and cattle the following year, not fewer.
Writing in the journal PLOS ONE, WSU wildlife biologist Rob Wielgus and data analyst Kaylie Peebles say that, for each wolf killed, the odds of more livestock depredations increase significantly.
The trend continues until 25 percent of the wolves in an area are killed. Ranchers and wildlife managers then see a "standing wave of livestock depredations," said Wielgus.
Moreover, he and Peebles write, that rate of wolf mortality "is unsustainable and cannot be carried out indefinitely if federal relisting of wolves is to be avoided."
The gray wolf was federally listed as endangered in 1974. During much of its recovery in the northern Rocky Mountains, government predator control efforts have been used to keep wolves from attacking sheep and livestock. With wolves delisted in 2012, sport hunting has also been used. But until now, the effectiveness of lethal control has been what Wielgus and Peebles call a "widely accepted, but untested, hypothesis."
Their study is the largest of its kind, analyzing 25 years of lethal control data from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Interagency Annual Wolf Reports in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. They found that killing one wolf increases the odds of depredations 4 percent for sheep and 5 to 6 percent for cattle the following year. If 20 wolves are killed, livestock deaths double.
Work reported in PLOS ONE last year by Peebles, Wielgus and other WSU colleagues found that lethal controls of cougars also backfire, disrupting their populations so much that younger, less disciplined cougars attack more livestock.
Still, Wielgus did not expect to see the same result with wolves.
"I had no idea what the results were going to be, positive or negative," he said. "I said, 'Let's take a look at it and see what happened.' I was surprised that there was a big effect."
Wielgus said the wolf killings likely disrupt the social cohesion of the pack. While an intact breeding pair will keep young offspring from mating, disruption can set sexually mature wolves free to breed, leading to an increase in breeding pairs. As they have pups, they become bound to one place and can't hunt deer and elk as freely. Occasionally, they turn to livestock.
Under Washington state's wolf management plan, wolves will be a protected species until there are 15 breeding pairs for three years. Depredations and lethal controls, legal and otherwise, are one of the biggest hurdles to that happening.
Wolves from the Huckleberry Pack killed more than 30 sheep in Stevens County, Wash., this summer, prompting state wildlife officials to authorize killing up to four wolves. An aerial gunner ended up killing the pack's alpha female. A second alpha female, from the Teanaway pack near Ellensburg, Wash., was illegally shot and killed in October.
That left three breeding pairs in the state.
As it is, said Wielgus, a small percentage of livestock deaths are from wolves. According to the management plan, they account for between .1 percent and .6 percent of all livestock deaths--a minor threat compared to other predators, disease, accidents and the dangers of calving.
In an ongoing study of non-lethal wolf control, Wielgus's Large Carnivore Lab this summer monitored 300 radio-tagged sheep and cattle in Eastern Washington wolf country. None were killed by wolves.
Still, there will be some depredations, he said. He encourages more non-lethal interventions like guard dogs, "range riders" on horseback, flags, spotlights and "risk maps" that discourage grazing animals in hard-to-protect, wolf-rich areas.
"The only way you're going to completely eliminate livestock depredations is to get rid of all the wolves," Wielgus said, "and society has told us that that's not going to happen."
Story Source:
The above story is based on materials provided by Washington State University. The original article was written by Eric Sorensen. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
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Thursday, December 4, 2014
Wolf Poaching In the U.P. - Michigan Department of Natural Resources
If you have information regarding these poaching events, please contact the DNR.
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 4, 2014Contact: Debbie Munson Badini, 906-226-1352 or
Lt. Skip Hagy, 906-293-5131 ext. 4100
DNR seeks tips in two wolf poaching cases in Mackinac and Schoolcraft
counties; reward offered
Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers are seeking information on two separate wolf poaching cases that recently occurred in in Mackinac and Schoolcraft counties in the Upper Peninsula.The first case occurred near the Mackinac-Luce county line close to M-117 southwest of Newberry. The wolf was found near County Road 468 in Lakefield Township Nov. 26 and died of a gunshot wound as determined through a forensic examination. The wolf had been killed at another location and transported to where it was dumped.The second poaching occurred in Schoolcraft County near Gulliver in Doyle Township. In this case, a wolf, which was part of a wildlife study, was killed and the tracking collar was removed and disposed of. Evidence of this poaching was also located Nov. 26.A reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the subject or subjects involved. Anyone with any possible information on these cases is asked to call the Report All Poaching Hotline at 800-292-7800, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or to contact their local DNR office or conservation officer. Information may be left anonymously. Callers may remain anonymous and still be eligible to receive a reward.The maximum penalty for poaching a wolf is 90 days in jail or a fine of up to $1,000, or both, plus reimbursement of $1,500 to the state for the animal. Poaching convictions also usually include a suspension of hunting privileges for a period of four years.Wolves are a protected species in Michigan and cannot legally be killed except in the defense of life. For more information on wolves in Michigan, go to www.michigan.gov/wolves.
Dec. 4, 2014Contact: Debbie Munson Badini, 906-226-1352 or
Lt. Skip Hagy, 906-293-5131 ext. 4100
DNR seeks tips in two wolf poaching cases in Mackinac and Schoolcraft
counties; reward offered
Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers are seeking information on two separate wolf poaching cases that recently occurred in in Mackinac and Schoolcraft counties in the Upper Peninsula.The first case occurred near the Mackinac-Luce county line close to M-117 southwest of Newberry. The wolf was found near County Road 468 in Lakefield Township Nov. 26 and died of a gunshot wound as determined through a forensic examination. The wolf had been killed at another location and transported to where it was dumped.The second poaching occurred in Schoolcraft County near Gulliver in Doyle Township. In this case, a wolf, which was part of a wildlife study, was killed and the tracking collar was removed and disposed of. Evidence of this poaching was also located Nov. 26.A reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the subject or subjects involved. Anyone with any possible information on these cases is asked to call the Report All Poaching Hotline at 800-292-7800, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or to contact their local DNR office or conservation officer. Information may be left anonymously. Callers may remain anonymous and still be eligible to receive a reward.The maximum penalty for poaching a wolf is 90 days in jail or a fine of up to $1,000, or both, plus reimbursement of $1,500 to the state for the animal. Poaching convictions also usually include a suspension of hunting privileges for a period of four years.Wolves are a protected species in Michigan and cannot legally be killed except in the defense of life. For more information on wolves in Michigan, go to www.michigan.gov/wolves.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.
Oak Wilt - Michigan Department of Natural Resources - December 4, 2014
Showcasing the DNR
Michigan DNR and U.S. Forest Service partner to protect oak trees from killer fungus
Like American elm in the 1950s and ash trees in more recent history, Michigan’s red oak trees are facing potentially significant die-offs due to an exotic and largely invisible killer: oak wilt.
A deadly fungus that can kill previously healthy trees within a matter of weeks, oak wilt is spread by sap-feeding beetles – also known as “picnic beetles” – that introduce the disease to freshly wounded trees. The fungus then quickly moves through the underground root systems that connect entire stands of oak trees, rapidly increasing the impact of one infected tree.
“Oak wilt kills by interfering with the vessels that transport water throughout the tree,” said Roger Mech, forest health specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Forest Resources Division. “The fungus plugs up those vessels and is fatal; if a red oak tree is exposed to oak wilt spores, they are going to kill the tree.
“It just floors me how quickly it happens. It’s dramatic.”
Trees with oak wilt commonly begin dying from the top down, since the top is farthest from the roots and is the first part of the tree to suffer from lack of water. Red oaks shedding their leaves in June or July instead of during the late fall can be a sign of an oak wilt infection.
Although experts do not predict the loss of red oaks in Michigan will be on the same scale as ash trees lost to the emerald ash borer, the impact will still be significant in terms of losing forested areas that provide recreation, critical wildlife habitat and valuable timber.
“In our state parks and recreation areas in particular, it has become a huge issue,” said Heidi Frei, stewardship coordinator for the DNR’s Parks and Recreation Division. “P.J. Hoffmaster State Park is one example where more than 140 mature red oaks have been lost, resulting in a near clear-cut of the campground area.”
Many state parks, recreation areas, state forest campgrounds and other areas of state-managed land have been impacted by oak wilt, with the disease now widespread across much of the Lower Peninsula and parts of the southern Upper Peninsula.
Unfortunately, once oak wilt is present it is nearly impossible to entirely eradicate, but opportunities have been identified to help slow the spread of the disease.
“All signs point to the movement of firewood as a major culprit in the rapid spread of oak wilt,” Frei said, noting that when oak wilt is detected in a park or recreation area, it is typically first found in or near the campgrounds, where trees with vehicle- or camper-inflicted damage are especially vulnerable to infection from contaminated firewood.
“Cooperation from the public in using locally sourced firewood rather than transporting it will be critical in helping to protect valuable urban landscapes and rural forests from the devastating impacts of oak wilt disease and other forest diseases and pests, like the emerald ash borer,” Frei said.
Landowners are also advised to not prune oak trees between April 15 and July 15, when the beetles that spread the fungus take advantage of trees with fresh wounds to feed on sap. Planting trees that are resistant to oak wilt is also recommended.
Trees in the in the red oak group – those that have pointy-lobed leaves, such as northern red oak, black oak and pin oak– are most susceptible to the disease, Mech said. White oaks – those with rounded lobes – are much less susceptible, though they occasionally are also infected.
“We tell folks that if they’re looking to reduce the risk of losing entire stands of trees to oak wilt, increasing diversity in their landscaping and forested land is ideal,” Mech said. “If they want to plant oak trees, white oak is the best option.”
In addition to these preemptive means of preventing or slowing the spread of oak wilt, the DNR’s Forest Resources and Parks and Recreation divisions have partnered with the U.S. Forest Service to develop and implement a method of treating stands of oak trees that are already infected.
The new cooperative effort between the DNR and USFS focuses specifically on stopping the spread of oak wilt through underground root systems by
identifying stands of infected trees and then using specialized equipment to create narrow trenches between the trees, separating the root systems.
“We use a vibratory plow – equipment typically used for laying cable – and cut roots to a depth of 5 feet,” Mech said. “The DNR’s Forest Fire Experiment Station in Roscommon designed and built special blades to reach a sufficient depth to literally slice the roots, establishing a barrier between the infected and uninfected trees.”
Considering the highly contagious nature of oak wilt and the fact that root systems of large oak trees can spread 60 feet or more, all red oaks found within the trenched area must be removed for the treatment to be effective.
The removed trees are cut and chipped, burned, or sawed into lumber to help prevent any potential overland spread of oak wilt spores.
In 2014, the plow treatments were completed on state forest land in Alpena, Benzie, Charlevoix, Grand Traverse, Missaukee, Otsego and Roscommon counties, and national forest land in Iosco, Manistee and Wexford counties. Additional work will continue in 2015.
Although the trenching method works well in forested areas, Mech said there are challenges to using it in urban or residential areas.
“In some cases, the plow can’t be used due to buried utilities, septic and sewer lines, small lot sizes and other limitations,” Mech said. “This method is effective where we can use it, but it isn’t a fail-safe. Response treatments have their limitations.”
“Long-term success in combating the spread of this devastating forest disease will depend heavily on the public’s support for taking the necessary proactive measures. The two approaches go hand-in-hand.”
To learn more about preventing the spread of oak wilt disease in Michigan, visitwww.michigan.gov/foresthealth.
Like American elm in the 1950s and ash trees in more recent history, Michigan’s red oak trees are facing potentially significant die-offs due to an exotic and largely invisible killer: oak wilt.
A deadly fungus that can kill previously healthy trees within a matter of weeks, oak wilt is spread by sap-feeding beetles – also known as “picnic beetles” – that introduce the disease to freshly wounded trees. The fungus then quickly moves through the underground root systems that connect entire stands of oak trees, rapidly increasing the impact of one infected tree.
“Oak wilt kills by interfering with the vessels that transport water throughout the tree,” said Roger Mech, forest health specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Forest Resources Division. “The fungus plugs up those vessels and is fatal; if a red oak tree is exposed to oak wilt spores, they are going to kill the tree.
“It just floors me how quickly it happens. It’s dramatic.”
Trees with oak wilt commonly begin dying from the top down, since the top is farthest from the roots and is the first part of the tree to suffer from lack of water. Red oaks shedding their leaves in June or July instead of during the late fall can be a sign of an oak wilt infection.
Although experts do not predict the loss of red oaks in Michigan will be on the same scale as ash trees lost to the emerald ash borer, the impact will still be significant in terms of losing forested areas that provide recreation, critical wildlife habitat and valuable timber.
“In our state parks and recreation areas in particular, it has become a huge issue,” said Heidi Frei, stewardship coordinator for the DNR’s Parks and Recreation Division. “P.J. Hoffmaster State Park is one example where more than 140 mature red oaks have been lost, resulting in a near clear-cut of the campground area.”
Many state parks, recreation areas, state forest campgrounds and other areas of state-managed land have been impacted by oak wilt, with the disease now widespread across much of the Lower Peninsula and parts of the southern Upper Peninsula.
Unfortunately, once oak wilt is present it is nearly impossible to entirely eradicate, but opportunities have been identified to help slow the spread of the disease.“All signs point to the movement of firewood as a major culprit in the rapid spread of oak wilt,” Frei said, noting that when oak wilt is detected in a park or recreation area, it is typically first found in or near the campgrounds, where trees with vehicle- or camper-inflicted damage are especially vulnerable to infection from contaminated firewood.
“Cooperation from the public in using locally sourced firewood rather than transporting it will be critical in helping to protect valuable urban landscapes and rural forests from the devastating impacts of oak wilt disease and other forest diseases and pests, like the emerald ash borer,” Frei said.
Landowners are also advised to not prune oak trees between April 15 and July 15, when the beetles that spread the fungus take advantage of trees with fresh wounds to feed on sap. Planting trees that are resistant to oak wilt is also recommended.
Trees in the in the red oak group – those that have pointy-lobed leaves, such as northern red oak, black oak and pin oak– are most susceptible to the disease, Mech said. White oaks – those with rounded lobes – are much less susceptible, though they occasionally are also infected.
“We tell folks that if they’re looking to reduce the risk of losing entire stands of trees to oak wilt, increasing diversity in their landscaping and forested land is ideal,” Mech said. “If they want to plant oak trees, white oak is the best option.”
In addition to these preemptive means of preventing or slowing the spread of oak wilt, the DNR’s Forest Resources and Parks and Recreation divisions have partnered with the U.S. Forest Service to develop and implement a method of treating stands of oak trees that are already infected.
The new cooperative effort between the DNR and USFS focuses specifically on stopping the spread of oak wilt through underground root systems by
identifying stands of infected trees and then using specialized equipment to create narrow trenches between the trees, separating the root systems.“We use a vibratory plow – equipment typically used for laying cable – and cut roots to a depth of 5 feet,” Mech said. “The DNR’s Forest Fire Experiment Station in Roscommon designed and built special blades to reach a sufficient depth to literally slice the roots, establishing a barrier between the infected and uninfected trees.”
Considering the highly contagious nature of oak wilt and the fact that root systems of large oak trees can spread 60 feet or more, all red oaks found within the trenched area must be removed for the treatment to be effective.
The removed trees are cut and chipped, burned, or sawed into lumber to help prevent any potential overland spread of oak wilt spores.
In 2014, the plow treatments were completed on state forest land in Alpena, Benzie, Charlevoix, Grand Traverse, Missaukee, Otsego and Roscommon counties, and national forest land in Iosco, Manistee and Wexford counties. Additional work will continue in 2015.
Although the trenching method works well in forested areas, Mech said there are challenges to using it in urban or residential areas.
“In some cases, the plow can’t be used due to buried utilities, septic and sewer lines, small lot sizes and other limitations,” Mech said. “This method is effective where we can use it, but it isn’t a fail-safe. Response treatments have their limitations.”
“Long-term success in combating the spread of this devastating forest disease will depend heavily on the public’s support for taking the necessary proactive measures. The two approaches go hand-in-hand.”
To learn more about preventing the spread of oak wilt disease in Michigan, visitwww.michigan.gov/foresthealth.
Saturday, November 22, 2014
UP Supplemental Feeding Permits - Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Upper Peninsula DNR News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 19, 2014
Contact: Craig Albright 906-786-2351 or Debbie Munson Badini 906-226-1352
Upper Peninsula supplemental feeding permits will be available beginning Dec. 15
Since the arrival of heavy snowfall across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the Department of Natural Resources has been monitoring accumulated snow depths for potential impacts to wildlife and assessing the possibility of allowing early supplemental feeding of deer.
With the current forecast indicating snow will continue to accumulate at accelerated rates in the coming month, DNR officials have determined that supplemental feeding by permit will be allowed across the entire Upper Peninsula starting Monday, Dec. 15.
“The snow in the U.P. just keeps coming and it appears that we will be hitting the snow depth triggers for supplemental feeding about a month earlier than normal,” said DNR Wildlife Division chief Russ Mason. “The U.P. has had record low temperatures and ridiculously heavy snowfall, with all indications pointing toward the onset of a third difficult winter for deer. Continuously severe winter conditions of this magnitude haven’t occurred in the region since the early 1970s.”
Supplemental feeding of deer is usually allowed on private land in the northern U.P. counties along Lake Superior beginning in early January and in the southern counties if accumulated snowfall meets established minimum depths by mid-January. However, with snow accumulating so quickly across the entire peninsula, the DNR’s Director Keith Creagh will issue an emergency order allowing feeding to begin at an earlier date for the 2014-2015 season.
According to Mason, the DNR is working to create additional natural food sources on public land, and the Forest Resources Division is working with timber jobbers to leave tree tops at logging sites for deer browse this winter.
Private landowners who wish to help in these natural food source efforts are encouraged to cut firewood now and leave the downed trees as forage and cover for deer and other wildlife.
“We understand that citizens want to help deer during difficult times, however, it is important to receive a permit and follow the feeding guidelines,” Mason said. “The potential of disease spread and the creation of predator sinks are of special concern. Landowners who apply for permits will receive detailed information and instruction from DNR staff on the feeding regulations and guidelines.”
Easily digestible food sources most beneficial for feeding deer include grains, second-cut alfalfa, clover, and pelletized deer food. Although deer make use of apples, potatoes, sugar beets, carrots, and many other foods during summer and fall, these provide little benefit for deer during winter conditions and are not legal for supplemental feeding under permits.
The recreational feeding of wildlife is also allowed on private land in the Upper Peninsula year-round, provided the feed is placed within 100 yards of a residence and the total amount of feed does not exceed two gallons at any time. The feed must be scattered on the ground and must be at least 100 yards from areas accessible by livestock.
Full details on supplemental and recreational feeding rules and regulations can be found online atwww.michigan.gov/dnrlaws.
Nov. 19, 2014
Contact: Craig Albright 906-786-2351 or Debbie Munson Badini 906-226-1352
Upper Peninsula supplemental feeding permits will be available beginning Dec. 15
Since the arrival of heavy snowfall across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the Department of Natural Resources has been monitoring accumulated snow depths for potential impacts to wildlife and assessing the possibility of allowing early supplemental feeding of deer.
With the current forecast indicating snow will continue to accumulate at accelerated rates in the coming month, DNR officials have determined that supplemental feeding by permit will be allowed across the entire Upper Peninsula starting Monday, Dec. 15.
“The snow in the U.P. just keeps coming and it appears that we will be hitting the snow depth triggers for supplemental feeding about a month earlier than normal,” said DNR Wildlife Division chief Russ Mason. “The U.P. has had record low temperatures and ridiculously heavy snowfall, with all indications pointing toward the onset of a third difficult winter for deer. Continuously severe winter conditions of this magnitude haven’t occurred in the region since the early 1970s.”
Supplemental feeding of deer is usually allowed on private land in the northern U.P. counties along Lake Superior beginning in early January and in the southern counties if accumulated snowfall meets established minimum depths by mid-January. However, with snow accumulating so quickly across the entire peninsula, the DNR’s Director Keith Creagh will issue an emergency order allowing feeding to begin at an earlier date for the 2014-2015 season.
According to Mason, the DNR is working to create additional natural food sources on public land, and the Forest Resources Division is working with timber jobbers to leave tree tops at logging sites for deer browse this winter.
Private landowners who wish to help in these natural food source efforts are encouraged to cut firewood now and leave the downed trees as forage and cover for deer and other wildlife.
“We understand that citizens want to help deer during difficult times, however, it is important to receive a permit and follow the feeding guidelines,” Mason said. “The potential of disease spread and the creation of predator sinks are of special concern. Landowners who apply for permits will receive detailed information and instruction from DNR staff on the feeding regulations and guidelines.”
Easily digestible food sources most beneficial for feeding deer include grains, second-cut alfalfa, clover, and pelletized deer food. Although deer make use of apples, potatoes, sugar beets, carrots, and many other foods during summer and fall, these provide little benefit for deer during winter conditions and are not legal for supplemental feeding under permits.
The recreational feeding of wildlife is also allowed on private land in the Upper Peninsula year-round, provided the feed is placed within 100 yards of a residence and the total amount of feed does not exceed two gallons at any time. The feed must be scattered on the ground and must be at least 100 yards from areas accessible by livestock.
Full details on supplemental and recreational feeding rules and regulations can be found online atwww.michigan.gov/dnrlaws.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Wolves and Moose of Isle Royale - Moosewatch 2015
Join a Moosewatch Expedition
WHAT IS A MOOSEWATCH EXPEDITION?
Moosewatch Expeditions are an incredible opportunity for you to be a part of the wolf-moose research project. Each expedition involves a week-long trek though the boreal forests of Isle Royale. The basic purpose of each expedition team is very simple - to carefully search as much area as possible for moose bones. The expedition will also record other important observations and collect other valuable data. You’ll learn about the natural history of Isle Royale and its wilderness ecosystem. Your group will be completely on its own, and out of contact with other people. You will see Isle Royale in a way that very few other people do, and you'll come away with a new understanding of the natural world and how it works.
On the expedition, your team will be guided by a seasoned expedition leader. The team will hike on and off trails through the northern wilderness of Isle Royale, surrounded by the deep blue waters of Lake Superior. This island oasis of spruce and fir is the most remote and least-visited national park in the lower 48 United States. Surrounded by the deep, blue waters of Lake Superior, with no roads or land vehicles, it is a haven for hikers who want to "get away to it all." It also happens to be the best place in the world to learn about moose and wolves.
You will travel through rugged backcountry, using aerial photos, topographic maps, and compasses as your guide, and search for and collect moose bones from winter wolf kills and starved animals. Each moose bone tells a story—of the size, age, and health of the victim and, by extrapolation from many kills on our database, of the moose population at large.
These expeditions are for experienced backpackers only, as you will be hiking up to 16 kilometers a day with a backpack that grows even heavier with moose bones near the end of your hike.
After a challenging hike on and off trail, you'll be glad to set up your tent and cook a simple meal over a single-burner stove. Double tents are encouraged to minimize pack weight, and foods are limited to typical backpacking fare. Despite the lack of variety, it is remarkable how good instant noodles Stroganoff can taste in the waning light of the north woods. At campsites and along the way you may catch glimpses of ospreys, bald eagles, loons, otters, and, of course, moose.
You can be part of this classic study to understand the driving forces behind population booms and crashes. Results of this research have helped turn around public attitudes toward wolves and revolutionize wildlife-management and wolf-reintroduction policies worldwide.
PURPOSE OF THE WOLF-MOOSE PROJECT
The wolf-moose project of Isle Royale is the longest running study of any predator-prey system in the world. The project celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008.
For more than 50 years, the central purpose of the wolf-moose project has been to better know the wolves and moose of Isle Royale – how they live and die, from day-to-day, across the seasons, and through the years. We aim to better know the behavior, population dynamics, and ecosystem influences of wolves and moose.
The project also works hard to share these discoveries. In doing so, the project also goes far beyond the boundaries of conventional science. The wolf-moose project includes a traveling museum exhibit, art, extensive educational outreach, and a unique opportunity for people like you to be involved in the research.
PURPOSE OF MOOSEWATCH
The wolf-moose project is comprised of both a winter and summer field season. Moosewatch expeditions are a critical component of the summer field season. During the past two decades more than 400 people have contributed to the project by participating in an expedition.
The central objective of Moosewatch is to hike and search as much area as possible for moose bones. The bones of these moose provide a great deal of information: cause of death, age at time of death, year of death, and the condition of the moose at the time death. More that 4300 Isle Royale moose have been discovered and examined. The project curates the world’s largest collection of moose bones. A great deal of what we know about Isle Royale’s moose come from these bones.
Other objectives of Moosewatch expeditions vary, and include observing moose to estimate spring-time, hair loss (which is an indication of ticks having impacted moose), collecting wolf scat for DNA analysis, and more.
In addition to all this activity, you’ll also have time to learn much about the natural history of Isle Royale and its denizens and time to simply enjoy the beauty of nature.
Special note on wolves. – It is very important that you understand that Moosewatch is not intended to be an opportunity to observe wolves. Seeing a wolf during MooseWatch is extremely unlikely. We go out of our way to avoid any kind of interaction with wolves. Isle Royale wolves face a daily struggle in summer to raise growing pups and to stay alive themselves. For these and other reasons, human contact is not desired.
You will, however, be traveling through and living in country where wolves travel and live. Moosewatchers often see wolf tracks, dropping, and other evidence of their presence.
THE NATURE OF MOOSEWATCH
A. Basic Itinerary
On the first day of your expedition you will take a ferry to Isle Royale. You will be greeted at the dock by the Vucetichs and/or the Petersons. Together, we will spend the next several hours at base camp for orientation, training, and packing food and equipment. Then, for one week, you will explore the backcountry in search of moose bones with your team leader. On the afternoon of the eighth day, you will return to base camp where your expedition began. Here you will debrief, record data, shower and enjoy a celebratory banquet. On the final morning, you will board a ferry back to the mainland.
B. Daily Schedule
While traveling through the wilderness, the team will hike together, camping each night in the wilderness. Most daylight hours will be spent moving relatively slowly through the forest, following animal trails and examining areas where moose skeletons are expected to be found. There will be ample time for observing nature and appreciating the wilderness during the course of each day.
The team will travel together with their team leaders, often spread out a bit for maximum coverage. Under the leader’s direction, groups may split briefly (e.g., to cover both sides of a pond). When moose bones are found, the area is searched to find and gather the dispersed bones for examination. A preliminary analysis of the remains will be made at the site. Several bones, including the skull, mandible, and a leg bone, are collected and carried back by the Moosewatchers.
Activities and conditions will vary by expedition. Teams I, II, and III will find somewhat easier hiking because the ground vegetation will just be emerging. This also means greater success in finding moose skeletons. Participants on team IV will encounter much thicker ground vegetation. The earlier expeditions are often challenged by cold temperatures, and the later expedition is often challenged by hot temperatures.
Daily schedules can vary substantially, depending on research needs. Flexibility in this regard is essential.
On some occasions, the team will return to the same camp after a day of hiking. This allows a participant, if they choose, to remain in camp for rest.
Navigation through the wilderness is by topographic maps, aerial photos, and compass. We purposely route Moosewatchers through regions of the island where we’ve not been before or haven’t visited in years. For this reason, it is good to be prepared for the insecure feeling of making mistakes in navigation. Even with decades of experience in this, Rolf and John still manage to get lost at times.
In general, the success of the expedition depends on genuine group effort and a strong team spirit.
C. Low-Impact Backpacking
Isle Royale is a federally-designated wilderness and National Park. According to official, federal policy all activities in such places are expected to adhere to the principles of Leave No Trace. Before the beginning of your expedition, you should familiarize yourself with these principles by visiting the Leave No Trace website.
DIFFICULTY OF EXPEDITIONS
These expeditions are NOT routine backpacking trips.
The Weight of Your Pack
Usually a pack will weigh somewhat more than 40 pounds when the trip begins. In addition to whatever you put in your pack, we will add 15 to 20 pounds of food and equipment to your pack upon arrival at Isle Royale. Unlike most backpacking trips, these expeditions often end with packs that are considerably heavier than they were at the beginning, because of all the moose bones collected. From a single adult moose skeleton, Moosewatchers may pack up 15 pounds of bones.
Climate and Bugs
Moosewatchers have to deal with whatever conditions Mother Nature brings on. The weather at Isle Royale is variable, so prepare for extremes. When it rains we usually keep walking, so sturdy rain gear (NOT ponchos) is a must. The combination of wet and cold can be pretty uncomfortable! We have timed the expeditions to avoid the heavy insect swarms of mid summer, but expect to see some blackflies and mosquitoes.
Terrain
Most hiking is conducted off-trail. It will be constantly necessary to go over and under fallen trees, work your way through thick vegetation when you can’t see your feet, climb up and down rock ridges, and negotiate bogs and numerous wetlands, all the while keeping a sharp look out for moose bones.
Physical Fitness and Condition
It is absolutely essential that participants be in excellent physical condition. Signing-up for an expedition will require your doctor to sign a form that describes the nature of this expedition and indicates that you are in appropriate physical condition for such a trip.
Weather Considerations
Your Expedition will deal with whatever conditions Mother Nature brings on. The weather at Isle Royale is variable, so prepare for extremes. When it rains, we usually keep walking so sturdy rain gear (NOT ponchos) is a must. Typical temperatures in May are in the mid-50s F (12-14C) during the day and the mid-30sF (0-3C) at night. Average temperatures in June are slightly higher. In August, high temperatures are in the upper 60sF (19-21C) and typical lows are in the mid 50s (12-14C). Normal precipitation in May/June is around three inches (7.6 cm), usually in the form of rainfall, though snow is possible. Average August precipitation is slightly higher. Humidity can be very high or very low. Volunteers on all teams must be prepared to experience all types of weather – hot, cold, dry, snowy, wet, and windy. We have timed the Expeditions to avoid the heavy insect swarms of mid-summer, but expect to see some black flies and mosquitoes.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Food
All the food that you will need, while on Isle Royale, will be provided. Moreover, there will not be an opportunity to purchase food on Isle Royale. Most food is shipped to the island weeks in advance. Cook kits, stoves, all food, and a water filter will be provided. Meals will be simple. You will be carrying all of your food and the equipment necessary to prepare it. Meals will also be heavy in carbohydrates, soy protein, and high energy foods, such as nuts, raisins, chocolate, cheese, etc. You will be filtering (or boiling) all of your drinking water. Breakfasts and dinners are cooked over single burner gas stoves. Breakfast and dinner also include a hot beverage (coffee, cocoa, tea). Breakfast also includes Tang (orange-flavored, powdered drink mix).
Below are examples of the food you can expect in the field. This list only provides a general idea of food types. It is very important to be flexible.
Breakfast: Granola and flavored, instant oatmeal
Lunch: Usually a mix of cheese, peanut butter, raisins, crackers, chocolate, & “gorp” (granola, oats, raisins, peanuts, M&Ms)
Dinner: Usually involving something like Lipton “instant” meals, supplemented with dehydrated vegetables, soy protein, and powdered milk, plus instant pudding
Lunch: Usually a mix of cheese, peanut butter, raisins, crackers, chocolate, & “gorp” (granola, oats, raisins, peanuts, M&Ms)
Dinner: Usually involving something like Lipton “instant” meals, supplemented with dehydrated vegetables, soy protein, and powdered milk, plus instant pudding
Regrettably, we are unable to accommodate volunteers who cannot eat dairy products. Milk powder and cheese are major sources of protein and calories in the field and are included in the premixed meals. Accommodating special diets is not guaranteed; indicate any dietary restrictions on the application form.
How to Pack
Bring two bags. One bag must be a backpack suitable to carry everything needed in the field. A second bag is for clean clothes and items you will leave behind at base camp. Do not bring more luggage than you can carry and handle on your own.
All your food and equipment must be carried in a single backpack, so choose light weight items. Bring clothing that can be layered to suit the conditions. Plan carefully so you have what need, but no more.
For a detailed check list of all that you should bring, click here.
Accommodations and Facilities
You will be traveling in the wilderness and accommodations will be primitive. You will be working and camping apart from other people and all modern facilities. You will not have electricity, running water, flush toilets, internet access, telephone access, or cell phone reception. Do not expect flush toilets. Even outhouses will be largely unavailable.
While in the backcountry (Days 1-7), opportunities to clean-up are modest. Soap and other products must not be used in or near any bodies of water – even so-called biodegradable products. Consequently, cleaning-up is limited to splashing off with small containers of water brought up and away from shorelines.
On day 8 of the Expedition, when you return from the backcountry, you will be able to take a “country shower” upon return from the trip – water will be heated on a stove and taken into a tarped enclosure. You should bring your own towel and soap.
Additional information is also provided when we receive your application.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Wolf Management Plan - Michigan Department of Natural Resources
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Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 12, 2014
Contacts: Kevin Swanson, 906-226-1357 or 906-458-1889
Comments sought for update of Wolf Management Plan
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is updating the 2008 Michigan Wolf Management Plan and is seeking comment on the implementation of the plan. The plan, and more specifically the four principal goals within the plan, has guided wolf management in Michigan for the last six years.
During this time, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service determined that the wolf population in the western Great Lakes region (including Michigan) had recovered and the species no longer required the protection of the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). After the removal from the ESA, the State of Michigan had full management authority for wolves.
The Wolf Management Plan was created using extensive public input to identify important issues and assess public attitudes towards wolves and their management, as well as a review of the biological and social science on wolves. The four principal goals within the plan are:
- maintain a viable wolf population;
- facilitate wolf-related benefits;
- minimize wolf-related conflicts;
- and conduct science-based and socially acceptable management of wolves.
These goals will remain the same in the updated plan. The update will include reviewing scientific literature and including of new information, evaluating implementation based on the action items in the plan, updating action items, and addressing outdated information or clarifications that may be needed.
The DNR is seeking comment from those interested in wolf management to aid in the evaluation of plan implementation so far. Review of the plan update will occur in two distinct phases. The first phase will consist of a 30-day period in which interested parties, DNR staff members and Natural Resources Commission members can provide comment on the implementation of actions in the 2008 Plan. The second phase will be a 30-day period to comment on the Draft Updated Plan before it goes to the Natural Resource Commission for endorsement and the DNR director for signature.
The Phase 1 electronic survey is now open (www.surveymonkey.com/s/
The DNR hopes to have the wolf plan update completed by spring of 2015.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.
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