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Week of September 4, 2006 |
Product Review Daisy Air Guns, Sling Shots
National
Regional
Lake Michigan
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan
Ohio
Wisconsin
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National
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Coast Guard wants live firing ranges in Great Lakes � maps available Proposing 34 zones to accommodate 57 USCG units in the region Rep Pete Hoekstra gets comment period extended 60 days Great Lakes boaters will probably soon be hearing small arms fire as part of a US Coast Guard program to hone up for military preparedness.
In a 30 day Federal register announcement that expired on August 31 the Coast Guard is proposing 34 live-fire training zones on the Great Lakes to help guardsmen train in maritime defense on the lakes. However, The U.S. Coast Guard, at the request of U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, MI has extended by 60 days the public comment period on the proposal.
Uncharacteristic of the friendly relationship we have had with the Coast Guard, none of us were notified by them that they had posted an "Advanced notice of Proposed Rulemaking� in the Federal Register. Nor did they give adequate notice for comment, considering their original comment period was only 30 days.
Hoekstra also said that he intends to request public meetings as well to allow the Coast Guard to better explain the proposal and for area citizens to request information.
Basically, "the Coast Guard proposes to establish safety zones throughout the Great Lakes. These zones are intended to restrict vessels from portions of the Great Lakes during live fire gun exercises that will be conducted by Coast Guard cutters and small boats. These safety zones are necessary to protect the public from the hazards associated with the firing of weapons."
In their announcement, the USCG says three (3) zones will be in Lake Ontario, four (4) in Lake Erie, six (6) in Lake Huron, fourteen (14) in Lake Michigan and seven (7) in Lake Superior, and they also include coordinates of those zones.
The "Guard is proposing to establish these safety zones to conduct training essential to carrying out Coast Guard missions relating to military operations and national security. Accordingly, these proposed safety zones fall within the military function exception to the Administrative Procedure Act."
All this piece of Federal law means is they do NOT have to give 30 days notice or a starting date when they intend to |
begin their firing exercises. The Coast Guard presently has no plans to hold hearings. As part of the Department of Homeland Security, they are not required to seek comment, hold public hearings or develop an environmental impact study.
They add: "These safety zones will only be enforced during time the safety zone is actually in use. Furthermore, these safety zones are located in places known not to be heavily used by the boating public. Hence, this determination is based on the minimal amount of time that vessels will be restricted from the proposed zones and that the zones are located in areas which vessels can easily transit around."
They say they will give "notice to the public via a Broadcast on channel 16 to Mariners that the regulation is in effect."
In the April 3, 2006 online Weekly News segment, the GLSFC reported for the first time since 1817, U.S. Coast Guard vessels on the Great Lakes were being outfitted with weapons � machine-guns capable of firing 600 bullets a minute. Until then coast guard officers had been armed with handguns and rifles, but the vessels themselves hadn't been equipped with weapons.
The War of 1812 saw violent battles on Lake Erie and Lake Huron between U.S. troops and British forces, which were largely composed of militias from Britain's colonies in what is now Canada. After the war, the United States and Britain � and later Canada � agreed to demilitarize the Great Lakes waters. Both countries recently reinterpreted the treaty to allow more modern weapons by considering them weapons of law enforcement.
One news agency reported the guns would be .308 caliber, but we reported in April the vessels may be outfitted with machine-guns of sizes up to .50-caliber.
Maps of the proposed firing zones � by lake can be accessed at: www.great-lakes.org/cg_firing_ranges.html .
The full text can be found in the [Federal Register: August 1, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 147)], Pages 43402-43406.
or http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?position=all&page=43402&dbname=2006_register |
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Fatty Acids in Fish Might Save More Lives than Defibrillators, Experts Say By Michael Smith, MD Fish oils in fatty fish like salmon might be even better than heart devices called defibrillators at preventing sudden death from heart problems. "Choosing fish two or three times a week is a good idea," says researcher Thomas Kottke, MD, MSPH. "Grilled, baked, or broiled -- not fried," he adds. "Fried fish appears to lose all of its benefits."
The study by Kottke and colleagues will appear in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine's October edition. Kottke works in St. Paul, Minn., at Regions Hospital's Heart Center.
Kottke's team created a computer model to check sudden death risk in a fictional group of people aged 30-84 in Olmstead County, MN testing several scenarios. In one scenario, people ate adequate amounts of omega-3 fatty acids from fish or fish oil supplements (in reality, the typical Western diet is short on omega-3 fatty acids). In another scenario, automated external defibrillators (AEDs) were available in people's homes and in all public areas.
AEDs are used to shock the heart back into action if it develops a fatal rhythm problem that can result in sudden death. In a third scenario, people who needed implantable defibrillators because of heart failure got those devices. Heart failure greatly increases the chance of sudden death. All three scenarios lowered sudden death risk. But omega-3 fatty acids yielded the best results -- even in healthy people.
Sudden death risk dropped 6.4% with adequate omega-3 fatty acid intake, compared with 3.3% for implantable defibrillators, and less than 1% with easy access to AEDS, the study shows.
What's more, about three-quarters of the imaginary lives saved in the omega-3 group were healthy people, note Kottke and colleagues.
The researchers aren't saying defibrillators don't work. Those devices can save lives, the research team says. In fact, sudden death risk was reduced most by combining all three scenarios - getting enough omega-3s, distributing AEDs, and giving appropriate patients implantable defibrillators. But when it comes to omega-3 fatty acids, the old saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure may sum up the |
study's findings.
Kottke's computer model was based on omega-3 fatty acids from fish. But omega-3 fatty acids aren't just in fish. Other sources include walnuts, flaxseed, canola oil, broccoli, cantaloupe, kidney beans, spinach, grape leaves, Chinese cabbage, and cauliflower. Still, "fish oil has a lot more omega-3s than flax, and that's the same with � walnuts," says Kottke.
Fish oil supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids are another option. If you eat fish two or three times weekly, do you still need supplements? "Probably not," Kottke says. "It appears that that's adequate and that the benefit actually comes at fairly low levels of consumption." Supplements aren't regulated as strictly as prescription drugs. So, if you opt for that source of omega-3, do your homework and choose a high-quality supplement from a reputable company.
If you do decide to take fish-oil pills, tell your doctor. That way, your doctor can keep track of all the medicines and supplements you're taking. Kottke stresses that his study didn't directly test omega-3 fatty acids in actual people to prevent sudden death. Such studies are being done in Italy and the U.K., he notes.
Eating fish or taking fish oil pills won't make up for smoking, inactivity, and other heart hazards, Kottke warns. "We need to prioritize nutrition and physical activity right up there with brushing our teeth," he says.
His short list of lifestyle tips: ● Don't smoke ● Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables ● Limit saturated fat ● Get enough physical activity - for example, taking 10,000 steps per day (a pedometer can help you keep count) ● A limited amount of alcohol may also be healthy (maximum one drink a day for women, two drinks for men) ● Eat a small amount of nuts regularly
Kottke says he sprinkles almonds, banana, and peaches on his breakfast cereal. His evening snack is a glass of wine and some almonds instead of cheese and crackers. �Nuts are very good for you," Kottke says. But nuts are high in calories, so don't overdo it.
The bottom line: Your daily habits -- including what you put on your plate -- matters. "It makes a huge difference," Kottke says |
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National Hunting and Fishing Day September 23, 2006 National Hunting and Fishing Day is always observed the fourth Saturday in September September 23rd will be the 35th annual National Hunting and Fishing Day and plans are underway for a nationwide celebration. One of the best ways all of us can create a better public understanding of hunting and fishing is to create a better public awareness of the important role that outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen have played in conservation and improving our natural resources.
President Bush encouraging Americans to participate in the outdoors and hunting and fishing, said: �As in many families, my parents introduced me to the outdoors, and my dad is one of my best hunting and fishing partners. Hunting and fishing are a good way to pass on to our children and grandchildren |
our respect for the splendor of America and the importance of conservation.�
Country music star Tracy Byrd has been named honorary chairman for National Hunting and Fishing Day 2006. Byrd also served that role in 2005.
National Hunting and Fishing Day, formalized by Congress in 1971, was created by National Shooting Sports Foundation to celebrate the conservation successes of hunters and anglers. From shopping center exhibits to statewide expos, millions of citizens learned to appreciate America�s sportsman-based system of conservation funding. That system now generates more than $1.7 billion per year, benefiting all who appreciate wildlife and wild places. http://www.nhfday.org/ |
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Researchers Find That Sunscreens Can Damage Skin New York AP) --Are sunscreens always beneficial, or can they be detrimental to users? A research team led by UC Riverside chemists reports that unless people out in the sun apply sunscreen often, the sunscreen itself can become harmful to the skin.
When skin is exposed to sunlight, ultraviolet radiation (UV) is absorbed by skin molecules that then can generate harmful compounds, called reactive oxygen species or ROS, which are highly reactive molecules that can cause "oxidative damage." For example, ROS can react with cellular components like cell walls, lipid membranes, mitochondria and DNA, leading to skin damage and increasing the visible signs of aging.
When sunscreen is applied on the skin, however, special molecules - called UV filters - contained in the sunscreen, cut down the amount of UV radiation that can penetrate the skin. Over time, though, these filters penetrate into the skin below the surface of the epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, leaving the body vulnerable to UV radiation.
Led by Kerry M. Hanson, a senior research scientist in the Department of Chemistry at UCR, the researchers report that three UV filters which are approved by the Food and Drug Administration and widely used in sunscreens, generate ROS in skin themselves when exposed to ultraviolet radiation, thus augmenting the ROS that is naturally produced. The researchers note that the additional ROS are generated only when the UV filters have penetrated into the skin and, at the same time, sunscreen has not been reapplied to prevent ultraviolet radiation from reaching these filters.
Study results will appear in an upcoming issue of Free Radical Biology & Medicine. An advance copy of the paper is available online on the journal's Website.
"Sunscreens do an excellent job protecting against sunburn when used correctly," said Hanson, who works in the laboratory of Christopher Bardeen, an assistant professor of |
chemistry at UCR. "This means using a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor and applying it uniformly on the skin. Our data show, however, that if coverage at the skin surface is low, the UV filters in sunscreens that have penetrated into the epidermis can potentially do more harm than good. More advanced sunscreens that ensure that the UV-filters stay on the skin surface are needed; such filters would reduce the level of UV-induced ROS. Another solution may be to mix the UV-filters with antioxidants since antioxidants have been shown to reduce UV-induced ROS levels in the skin."
In their research, Hanson and colleagues used epidermal model tissue and applied sunscreen to the surface to test the effect of sunscreen penetration on ROS levels in the deep epidermis. A two-photon fluorescence microscope allowed them to visualize ROS generation occurring below the skin surface. The ROS activity was detected using a probe molecule whose fluorescent properties change upon exposure to ROS. On comparing images taken before and after the skin was exposed to UV radiation, they found that ROS generation in the skin increased after sunscreen penetration.
About 95 % of the visible signs of aging are associated with UV exposure. About 90 percent of a person's total life-time UV exposure is obtained before the person is 18 years of age. Only a few UV-filters are available that block "UV-A," the wavelengths that penetrate more deeply into the skin, all the way into the dermis where collagen exists.
"For now, the best advice is to use sunscreens and re-apply them often - the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends every two hours, and especially after sweating or swimming, which can wash away sunscreen - to reduce the amount of UV radiation from getting through to filters that have penetrated the skin," Bardeen said. "This, in turn, would reduce ROS generation."
The research was funded by grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. |
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USFWS to award more than $3.5 million in grants to 54 countries Will help conserve imperiled wildlife The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will award more than $3.5 million in international conservation grants to 54 countries to help conserve imperiled wildlife throughout the world.
Matching funds and in-kind contributions from nearly 100 partners, including American and international not-for-profit |
organizations and foreign governments, will raise the total to nearly $9 million.
Near the top of the list are grants of nearly $2 million under the Great Ape Conservation Fund, with matching funds of more than $2.3 from 20 partners that will promote the conservation of chimpanzees and gorillas in Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, Gabon and Rwanda, and gibbons in Vietnam and Bangladesh, and orangutans in Sumatra and Indonesia. |
Regional
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Great Lakes Ballast Management Conference Sept 27, 28 The US Coast Guard is hosting a Great Lakes Ballast Water Conference on September 27, 2006 in Cleveland, Ohio at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The theme of this binational conference is Targeting Technology. Speakers will present on research into ballast water exchange, current enforcement efforts and results, technology for shipboard treatment, available grants for ballast water treatment, and the search for a standard. For further information please contact CDR Karen Phillips, [email protected] or 216-902-6049.
The Great Lakes Ballast Water Conference will be held Sept |
27, 2006, 8 to 6 p.m. The Great Lakes Regional Waterways Forum will meet Sept 28, 2006, 8 to 4 p.m. Both the conference and meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 777 St. Clair Ave, Cleveland, Ohio.
Registration information for the conference should be mailed to Commander (dpw-1), Ninth Coast Guard District, 1240 E. 9th Street, Room 2069, Cleveland, OH 44199, or faxed to 216-902-6059.
For more info and to view agenda(s): www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/mso/estandards.htm . |
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Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels September 1, 2006 Lake Level Conditions: Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are 4 and 2 inches lower, respectively, than they were a year ago at this time. Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are higher than the levels of a year ago by 2, 4, and 3 inches, respectively. Lake Superior is expected to remain level over the next month while the levels of Lakes Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are all projected to drop 3 to 8 inches during the next month. All of the lakes are in their period of seasonal decline. Over the next few months, Lakes Superior is expected to remain below last year�s levels, while Lake Michigan-Huron will remain similar to the levels of a year ago. Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are predicted to remain near or slightly above the water levels of a year ago.
Current Outflows/Channel Conditions: The Lake Superior outflow through the St. Marys River into Lake Huron is expected to be below average in September. Flows in the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers are also expected to be below average during September. Flow in the Niagara River is expected to be near average in September, while flow in the St. Lawrence River is expected to be above average in |
September.
Alerts: Users of the Great Lakes, connecting channels and St. Lawrence River should keep informed of current conditions before undertaking any activities that could be affected by changing water levels. Mariners should utilize navigation charts and refer to current water level readings
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Lake Michigan
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Help needed for Lake Michigan Coho Plants The State of Michigan plans on reducing the stocking of Coho Salmon into Lake Michigan by 1,000,000 fish in 2008 due to budgetary constraints. This represents a 40% reduction from the lake-wide total of 2,600,000 Coho Salmon. Michigan plans on returning to their normal stocking levels again in 2009.
Coho Salmon are the mainstay for many anglers during the spring months on Lake Michigan. In many ports, Coho Salmon make up to 85% of the creel up until mid-June.
Local sportfishing clubs, interested anglers and charter captains are teaming up to donate money to supplement the 2008 stocking. In a plan developed by Indiana sport fishing clubs, an agreement has been made with the state of Michigan to rear and stock fish that with the monies generated.
How can you help? You can donate money to help support the project. Although it would take $200,000 to fund the complete 1,000,000 Coho Salmon reduction, a realistic goal has been set of $60,000 which would fund approximately 300,000 fish. If more money is raised, it will be put towards the stocking |
program. Any money not used for the project will be returned.
Tax deductible donations in the form of a check should be made to Salmon Unlimited of Illinois Conservation Trust Fund. Note that the donation should state �funding for Coho Salmon planting�.
Mail To Donations to: Salmon Unlimited of Illinois 5936 Manton Ave Chicago, IL 60646
We must act fast. The eggs for the fish to be stocked must be collected in the fall of 2006. At that time, Michigan needs to know the number of eggs to collect in order to ensure adequate stocking numbers.
Thanks for your support President, Salmon Unlimited of Wisconsin 262-598-8954 |
Illinois
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World Shooting Complex opens to public Sept 1 Offers fishing, camping, various shooting opportunities SPARTA, IL - The new World Shooting and Recreational Complex (WSRC) in Sparta in Randolph County opened to the public for trap shooting and camping on Sept. 1, Illinois DNR Acting Director Sam Flood announced.
"Illinois' new world-class World Shooting and Recreational Complex drew rave reviews from competitors and spectators alike during this summer's major trap shooting and single-action shooting sports events," Flood said. "We are now pleased to be able to open to recreational shooters and campers those parts of the complex that are completed and ready for use."
The state-of-the-art 1,600-acre complex features 120 trap fields extending along a 3 � mile shooting line. Public shooting opportunities will be provided on trap fields nearest the WSRC Events Center and vendor mall for the convenience of recreational shooters. Open trap shooting will be available from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily at a cost of $5 for each 25-target round.
The camping facilities at the WSRC include 746 RV campsites with electric and water hookups and sanitation services available, along with more than 260 additional campsites with electrical service. Campsite fees are $20 per day, the same |
as at other IDNR Class AA/A Premium campsites. Discounts are available for seniors, campers with disabilities, and qualifying veterans with disabilities and POWs, as they are at other IDNR campgrounds.
Construction of the WSRC sporting clays courses continues with completion scheduled for late September. Skeet fields will be constructed beginning later this year with completion scheduled for early 2007. The complex also includes 250 acres of water where fishing opportunities will be provided beginning in 2007.
Shooters and campers should enter the complex at Main Event Drive (the Events Center access drive) off of Randolph County Highway 18. Fees for trap shooting and camping will be collected at the Events Center. Also open daily in the Events Center building is the popular Heartland Range restaurant and Shooter's Saloon.
The complex will be closed to the public during major shooting sports events. The next scheduled event closing will be Oct. 6-16 for the Amateur Trapshooting Association's October Shoot. http://dnr.state.il.us/worldshooting/home.htm
For more info: 866-850-2564 or [email protected] . |
Indiana
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Indiana's fall turkey-hunting season will run Oct 1 - Oct. 22, 2006 Archery equipment can be used the entire season. Firearms will be allowed from Oct. 18 to Oct. 22. New this fall is the addition of all or portions of 13 counties to the fall turkey-hunting range for hunting with archery equipment.
New counties or portions of counties are highlighted within parentheses below. Counties open to fall turkey hunting with firearms remain the same as for last year's season. Spring turkey hunting licenses are not valid for fall turkey hunting.
Hunters must have a resident or non-resident fall turkey license and a gamebird habitat stamp privilege unless exempt from needing a license. Indiana comprehensive lifetime hunting or comprehensive youth hunting licenses can also be used to hunt fall wild turkey. Some farmland owners or active military personnel on leave are eligible for resident license exemptions.
Non-resident hunters from states that require an Indiana resident to purchase an additional license to hunt turkeys must also purchase an annual non-resident hunting license to hunt turkeys in Indiana.
This means residents of the adjacent states of Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio need an annual non-resident hunting license, a non-resident fall turkey license and a gamebird habitat stamp privilege. Wisconsin and Michigan residents are OK with a non-resident fall turkey license and a gamebird habitat stamp privilege.
The fall turkey bag limit is one wild turkey of either sex per fall. Shooting hours are one half hour before sunrise to sunset. Hunters must immediately tag their turkey with a paper stating the hunter's name, address, date of kill and sex of bird. |
Turkeys must be taken to a check station within 48 hours. The tag issued by the check station must be affixed to the leg of the turkey through a section of skin or flesh until processing.
Some DNR properties with high hunter use or high spring hunter demand may limit fall turkey hunting. All other spring turkey hunting regulations, such as restrictions on shot sizes, legal weapons, baiting, dogs and electronic calls and decoys, will be in effect for the fall season.
Counties where bow hunting will be allowed are: Bartholomew, (Benton), Brown, (Carroll), Cass, Clark, Clay, Crawford, Daviess, Dearborn, Decatur, Dekalb, Dubois, (Elkhart), Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Fountain, Fulton, Gibson, (Grant - west of Interstate 69), Greene, Harrison, (Howard), (Huntington - north of State Road 124 or west of Interstate 69), Jackson, Jasper - north of State Highway 114 or east of Interstate 65, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Knox, (Kosciusko), LaGrange, (Lake), LaPorte, Lawrence, Marshall, Martin, (Miami), Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton - north of State Highway 114, (Noble), Ohio, Orange, Owen, Parke, Perry, Pike, (Porter), Posey, Pulaski, Putnam, Ripley, St. Joseph, Scott, Spencer, Starke, Steuben, Sullivan, Switzerland, Tippecanoe, Union, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, (Wabash), Warren, Warrick, Washington, Wayne, and (White).
Counties where fall wild turkey hunting with a firearm will be allowed from Oct. 18 through Oct. 22, 2006 are: Brown, Clark, Crawford, Dearborn, Dubois, Floyd, Franklin, Greene - east of the White River, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Ohio, Orange, Owen, Perry, Pike, Ripley, Scott, Spencer, Switzerland, Warrick and Washington.
Link to Indiana fall turkey hunt range map at: |
Michigan
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Cormorant Control program on fast track Michigan's Governor Jennifer Granholm last week signed a DNR Budget of $150,000 for Cormorant Control.
The Michigan Steelheaders tell us the money will go to Pete |
Buchko (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Wildlife Services). This is the program that Michigan sportsmen fought for & wanted. Legislators & Senators were called and asked to support the proposed program, and without the sportsmen's efforts this wouldn't have happened! |
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Volunteers Needed for Stewardship Workdays in SE Michigan State recreation officials today announced the schedule of volunteer stewardship workdays to be held throughout September in southeast Michigan state parks and recreation areas.
Volunteers are needed to cut and pile invasive, nonnative shrubs at most locations and to plant native grass plugs at Sterling State Park Sept. 30, in honor of National Public Lands Day. These efforts will help restore the unique natural areas in these state parks.
Dates, times and locations of the workdays are as follows:
* Saturday, Sept. 2 Island Lake Recreation Area (Livingston Co.), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. * Saturday, Sept. 9 Bald Mountain Recreation Area (Oakland Co.), 9 a.m. to noon * Sunday, Sept. 10 Algonac State Park (St. Clair Co.), 1 to 4 p.m. * Saturday, Sept. 16 Waterloo Recreation Area (Jackson Co.) |
, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. * Sunday, Sept. 17 Pinckney Recreation Area (Washtenaw Co.), 1 to 4 p.m. * Saturday, Sept. 23 Brighton Recreation Area (Livingston Co.), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. * Sunday, Sept. 24 Highland Recreation Area (Oakland Co.), 1 to 4 p.m. * Saturday, Sept. 30 Sterling State Park (Monroe Co.), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Volunteers should bring appropriate clothing for their outdoor work, including long pants, boots, gloves, eye protection and drinking water. For more info: www.michigan.gov/dnrvolunteers. All volunteers are asked to register online using the form that is available on the Web site.
All motor vehicles entering a Michigan State Park or Recreation Area must display a Motor Vehicle Permit, available for purchase at the entrance. Cost is $24 for a resident annual and $6 for a resident daily. A nonresident annual is $29 and a nonresident daily is $8. |
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Annual Waterfowl Festival Returns to Pointe Mouillee The annual Pointe Mouillee Waterfowl Festival returns Sept. 9-10 at the Pointe Mouillee State Game Area. Activities are scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.
Located at the mouth of the Huron River separating Wayne and Monroe counties at Lake Erie, the Pointe Mouillee State Game Area is one of the largest freshwater marsh restoration projects in North America and one of Michigan�s premier waterfowl hunting destinations. All proceeds from the annual festival benefit wetland restorations and wildlife habitat improvements at the game area.
The weekend includes the 59th Michigan Duck Hunters� Tournament, sponsored by Cabela�s, where hunters compete in sneak boat shooting, layout boat shooting and marsh shooting events. Punt boat and rowing races also are included in the river events. The Midwest Decoy Contest includes decoy and bird carvers from Canada and the U.S. competing for blue ribbons and prize money. The Wildlife Art Show hosts wildlife artists and suppliers from all corners of the U.S. and Canada. The �Greatest Outdoor Trading Post� features more than 200 exhibitors� booths -- selling and trading all kinds of outdoor fishing, hunting and camping equipment and supplies. Vendors interested in participating should contact Don Tarry at (734) 848-4826.
Kids� games and activities include a BB gun shoot sponsored by Crossman, an archery shoot, face painting, clowns and |
waterfowl-related games. There also will be daily demonstrations in chainsaw carving, fly-tying and small-boat building. Dog retriever events are slated for both days.
The Midwest Goose Calling Championship is Saturday and the Midwest Duck Calling Championship is Sunday. Both events begin at noon and are sponsored by Cabela�s. Winners of the duck calling championship are eligible for the World Duck Calling Contest in Stuttgart, Arkansas. Cabela�s also will host duck hunting and goose hunting seminars and demonstrations all weekend, and the annual auction will be held Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in the decoy tent. Food for this year�s festival is being supplied by Kola�s Food Factory of Riverview. The Huron River �Jump Dog� competition, open to everyone, will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. There also will be waterfowl seminars on Saturday by World Goose Calling Champion Shawn Stahl, 2000 Michigan State Goose Calling Champion George Lynch, 2004 and 2005 Michigan State Duck Calling Champion Paul Hinnman, Lock Stock & Barrell owner Lou Tisch and Michigan Department of Natural Resources Waterfowl and Wetland Specialist Faye McNew.
This year�s festival is dedicated to Richard Ciacelli Sr., of Monroe, a dedicated volunteer, avid waterfowler and strong supporter of Pointe Mouillee, who passed away in 2005.
For more info: Pointe Mouillee Waterfowl Festival Ex. Dir Dick Whitwam at (734) 379-4292 or www.miwaterfowlfest.org. |
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Dead Fish Wash Up on Shoreline Near Alpena Michigan DNR fisheries managers are asking for the public�s help in collecting samples of fish that are visibly ill along a 16-mile stretch of Lake Huron shoreline south of Alpena, following reports received by the DNR Aug. 29 that dead fish were washing up on shore.
DNR Fisheries Division personnel surveyed sections of the shoreline to determine species and numbers of fish killed. Investigators found that most fish were in an advanced state of decay indicating they had been dead for approximately 5-6 days.
The highest density of dead fish was located along a seven-mile stretch from Partridge Point south, where investigators estimated 1,500 adult dead fish along the shoreline. Wind direction, which has been from the east, is likely responsible for the observed distribution.
Most of the dead fish were identified as lake whitefish, with a few freshwater drum and carp observed. Indications are the |
mortality was a relatively localized event, overall mortality was not extensive and the event appears to have subsided. Because of the decay of the fish observed, it is still unclear what caused the mortality.
�Fish kills are not uncommon to Great Lakes waters, and may be caused by a number of naturally occurring factors and by stress-mediated diseases,� said David Borgeson, supervisor of the DNR�s Northern Lake Huron Management Unit. �The water quality of Thunder Bay remains very good.�
DNR fisheries officials are trying to collect samples of live fish that are visibly ill, or very fresh dead fish to send out for laboratory analysis to accurately determine the cause of death.
Citizens may assist in this effort by reporting any observations of sick fish or fish that have recently died. Contact DNR Fisheries Manager David Borgeson at (989) 732-3541 to report new occurrences of fish mortality in this area of Lake Huron. |
Ohio
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Autumn Steelhead Trout Angling Seminar Sept 21 Ohio Sea Grant to host a Steelhead Angling Seminar September 21 at the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center in Bay Village
Fall is here and this year promises some fantastic steelhead fishing in Lake Erie tributary streams. Where did these Lake Erie steelhead come from? How and where can you catch steelhead in northeast Ohio? What kinds of bait and equipment should you use for varying water conditions? Where can you learn spinning and fly fishing techniques for catching a trophy steelie this fall?
Learn all of this and more at Ohio Sea Grant�s Autumn Steelhead Trout Angling Seminar to be held Thursday, September 21, 2006, 6:30 to 9:00 P.M., in Bay Village at the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center, 28728 Wolf Rd.
This seminar is co-sponsored by Ohio Sea Grant and the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center. Seating is limited! Pre-registration and payment of $5.00 per person (to help support the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center) will be necessary to guarantee seating; registration at the door will be accepted only if seating is available. Call the Nature and Science Center |
at (440) 871-2900 to register and pre-pay for the seminar. For other questions regarding the seminar, please contact Kelly Riesen, Ohio Sea Grant, (440) 808-5627.
This seminar will feature Kelly Riesen, Ohio Sea Grant Program Coordinator, Dave Kelch, Sea Grant Specialist and local steelhead spin fishing expert, and Monte Casey, noted fly fishing expert and local guide.
Riesen will teach participants the basics about steelhead biology, why they are stocked in Ohio�s Lake Erie tributary streams, and will give an overview of this extremely successful Ohio DNR program.
Kelch will reveal his secrets regarding where, when and how to catch steelhead trout in local Ohio Lake Erie tributary streams using spinning gear with live bait, trout/salmon egg spawn bags and artificial lures.
Monte Casey, noted local fly fishing expert and owner/operator of The Steelhead Guide local guide service, will teach participants the ins and outs of catching steelhead trout with fly fishing gear. |
Wisconsin
Near record chinook catch may be sign of trend toward larger fishKEWAUNEE -- Fisheries biologists hope the massive Chinook salmon caught in the port of Kewaunee in August is a sign of things to come: bigger Chinooks.
The fish measured 42 inches and weighed 36.4 lbs after being out of the water for more than five hours. That�s still shy of the state record for �kings� set in 1994: a 44.15 lb 47.5-incher caught in Door County. Information on record fish can be found on the DNR Web site.
But state fish biologists believe its size underscores their contention that better balancing the forage base with the number of chinook in the big pond will lead to bigger, healthier fish. And they hope it marks the start of a trend that will continue as a result of reduced stocking by Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Indiana starting this past spring.
Last summer biologists from around the lake were concerned that there were actually too many chinooks in Lake Michigan for the forage base to support. Although chinook were caught in record numbers, they were considerably smaller than anglers have come to expect and there were some health concerns, too. This summer, although there are still good numbers of chinook being caught, they are running bigger.
�Fewer Chinooks and more food equals bigger fish,� says Paul Peeters, DNR fisheries biologist in Sturgeon Bay. �We don�t have the official data yet, but the tournaments have had bigger fish this year and the fish I�m catching on my own boat are bigger and healthier.� |
Peeters says the larger fish this year are definitely not due to the 25 % lakewide reduction in stocking that the states agreed to and started carrying out this spring. Fish stocked in 2006 are only a few inches long and don�t compete for the same forage that larger Chinooks chase. �There is STILL concern over the forage base in Lake Michigan,� he says. �The fact that the chinook growth jumped in a single season supports our contention that forage base was limiting chinook length and weight at age.�
The fish that anglers are catching this summer are primarily fish that were stocked in 2003 and 2004. Those year-classes of fish were regarded as a little weak, meaning fewer fish hatched and survived through their first winter. With fewer predator fish and more prey fish as a result of the larger alewife year class from the summer of 2005, chinook size appears to be larger.
�We think anglers are catching fewer fish but bigger fish in 2006, but we won�t know for sure until the creel surveys are in and we weigh and measure the Chinooks at Strawberry Creek.� Throughout the fishing season, DNR creel clerks measure and weigh samples of the fish anglers catch, and DNR crews collecting eggs at the spawning weirs weigh and measure thousands of the chinook each fall.
�Last year, tournaments were hard pressed to come up with 20 lb fish. This year, they�re getting multiple 20-pounders in a tournament,� he says. In 2005 anglers in Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan caught more chinook than ever before � nearly 419,000 fish � but the average weight of chinook was 8.6 lbs in 2005, down from 9.8 lbs in 1995 and 13 lbs in 2001. |
First of fall hunting seasons opened Sept 1MADISON � Hunters eagerly anticipating the start of fall hunting seasons have reason to smile this week as the first of the fall game bird seasons opened Sept. 1.
Hunters should review baiting regulations prior to hunting seasons. Deer hunters who hunt over bait should review Wisconsin�s deer baiting and feeding rules prior to the opening of deer hunting seasons, according to state wildlife managers and conservation wardens.
�Currently 26 Wisconsin counties do not allow baiting or feeding of deer at any time of year due to wildlife disease concerns,� said Keith Warnke, big game ecologist for the state DNR. �In the remaining counties baiting and feeding of deer is allowed with a two gallon limit.� �The way in which hunters place their two gallons of legal bait, what is allowable as legal bait, and timing are important.� �The rules in the hunting regulations apply to both public and private lands.�
All baiting and feeding of deer is prohibited in: Adams, Calumet, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Lafayette, Manitowoc, Marquette, Milwaukee, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Sheboygan, Vernon, Walworth, Waukesha and Waushara counties. |
But there are other options for attracting deer in counties closed to baiting and feeding say wildlife officials. Hunters may use scent to attract deer as long as it is placed in a way that it is not accessible to deer, although up to 2 ounces of scent may be placed in any manner, even if accessible to deer. It is also allowable to hunt over naturally deposited materials such as acorns, crops planted and left standing as wildlife food plots, and food made available as a result of normal agricultural planting and harvesting operations in those counties. Details on amounts of scent and how it may be placed are available in the 2006 Deer Hunting Regulations.
In counties where it is legal to bait deer for hunting, it is also legal to feed deer for recreational viewing near residences and places of business say wildlife officials. Each owner occupied residence or a business may place up to two gallons of feed within 50 yards of the residence or business. Also, no bait or feed may be placed within 100 yards of a roadway with a posted speed limit of 45 miles per hour or more to reduce the chance of car � deer collisions.
Details on amounts of scent, bait or feed and how it may be placed for hunting or recreational viewing purposes are available in the 2006 Deer Hunting Regulations or in a special Wisconsin Deer Baiting and Wildlife Feeding Regulations publication (pdf 244kb |
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