• Evidence shows Grass Carp reproduction in the Great Lakes

• Nitrate Levels increase in Mississippi River

• Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for Nov 1

• First Evidence of Grass Carp Reproduction in the Great Lakes

• Cabela�s announces plans for Three New Stores

• Women in the Outdoors: Numbers on the Rise

• U.S. Deer-Vehicle Collisions Decline

• Goby helps steady population of Lake Erie water snake

• Webinar: Climate Change Impacts on Fisheries in Lakes Michigan & Huron

• Webinar: Climate Change Impacts on Fisheries in Lakes Michigan & Huron

• New law enhances hunting for Veterans

• Illinois Concealed Carry classes

• Federal report confirms naturally reproducing grass carp found in Lake Erie

• Background checks for bullet buyers to be delayed

• NY firearms company moves to S. Carolina

• Check Ohio's Fall Acorn Crop Results to Plan a Successful Hunt

• Ohio's Recreational Trails receive more than $2 Million of Funding

• Mandatory Life Jackets starts November 1

• Hunters urged to donate venison for food pantries

• Online survey will help shape the state�s future walleye stocking strategy

• Learn to Hunt Pheasant programs scheduled for early December

• Other Breaking News

SCI sues to Recognize Virginia�s Right to Hunt on Sundays

On October 23, 2013, Safari Club International (SCI) filed a lawsuit challenging Virginia�s ban on Sunday hunting.  The lawsuit argues that the ban is unconstitutional under the U.S. Constitution and the Constitution of Virginia, in particular because of Virginia�s constitutional right to hunt. 

�Sunday hunting bans should be a thing of the past,� said SCI President Craig Kauffman. �Hunters have to work during the week, and young hunters are in school, making weekends the primary time they can hunt.  The unconstitutional ban on Sunday hunting robs hunters of half their potential time afield, and has absolutely no basis in science or conservation.�

Kauffman noted that SCI anticipates debate over proposals to repeal the ban at least in part during the upcoming Virginia 2014 legislative session, and said, �As hunters, we are hopeful that state legislators support the Virginia Constitutional right to hunt and fish and pass meaningful legislation to repeal the ban.  SCI will not formally serve the Commonwealth of Virginia until state legislators have exhausted their efforts in Richmond. The filing of this lawsuit marks our promise to pursue this issue through any and all available means,� Kauffman concluded. 

In addition to the constitutional claims, SCI�s suit asserts that Virginia�s purported justification for the ban � to give wildlife a �day of rest� � is not

supported by sound scientific or wildlife management principles. This
misunderstanding of wildlife ecology was highlighted by Virginia�s Board of Game and Inland Fisheries when it stated , �the Virginia ban on Sunday hunting serves no biological purpose and is counterproductive to matters of game management.�

In polling conducted earlier this year an overwhelming 88.6% of SCI members supported full and/or partial repeal of Virginia�s Sunday hunting ban.

Eliminating the Sunday hunting ban will provide all hunters with an additional day to hunt, will encourage Virginia hunters to stay in state to hunt on Sundays, and will give out-of-state hunters the opportunity to visit Virginia to hunt on Sundays.  

Only 11 states, all on the East Coast, currently have some kind of ban or limitation on Sunday hunting.  Opponents of overturning the ban make baseless predictions of dire mayhem, but the existence of Sunday hunting in the vast majority of states proves that these wild predictions have no basis in truth.  SCI hopes that success in Virginia might encourage other states to eliminate their statutory bans or limitations on hunting on Sundays.  Professional wildlife managers should regulate hunting based on sound science and wildlife management principles, not archaic statutes that have no conservation value.

Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for Nov 1 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

Temperatures throughout the Great Lakes basin were below average throughout last weekend. These cooler temperatures lingered through the week until they rose to slightly above average on Wednesday.  The Great Lakes basin saw rain showers on Saturday, but precipitation was generally light last weekend and through the week until Wednesday night. Temperatures will range from average to slightly above average on Friday, but are expected to drop on Saturday and Sunday before rebounding to be near normal on Monday.  Precipitation is predicted over the weekend in nearly the entire basin.  There is a strong possibility that the Erie and Ontario basins could see rain on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

LAKE LEVEL CONDITIONS

Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are 10 and 11 inches, respectively, above their levels of a year ago.   Lakes St. Clair and Erie are each 5 inches above what they were at this time last year, while Lake Ontario is 11 inches above last year.  Over the next month, the levels of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Huron are predicted to decline 3 and 1 inches, respectively.  Lakes St. Clair, Erie and Ontario are projected to each drop 3 inches over the next 30 days. 

FORECASTED MONTHLY OUTFLOWS/CHANNEL CONDITIONS

Lake Superior�s outflow through the St. Mary�s River is projected to be above average for the month of November.  Lake Huron�s outflow into the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair�s outflow into the Detroit River are both

expected to be below average throughout the month of November.  The

outflow of Lake Erie into the Niagara River is expected to be near average while the outflow of Lake Ontario into the St. Lawrence River is predicted to be above average in November.

ALERTS

Official records are based on monthly average water levels and not daily water levels.  Lake Michigan?Huron is below chart datum and expected to remain below datum over the next several months. 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

Evidence shows Grass Carp reproduction in the

Great Lakes

Four grass carp�a species of Asian carp�taken from the Sandusky River in Ohio are the result of natural reproduction within the Lake Erie basin, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study.

If grass carp become abundant in Lake Erie, they may threaten native fish populations and could be detrimental to ducks, geese or other large aquatic birds. Grass carp were brought to the U.S. to control aquatic plants in the 1960s. They eat large quantities of aquatic plants, which could degrade areas important for spawning and early development of native fish.

USGS scientists analyzed the fish, which were captured by a commercial fisher in October 2012, and determined that they were at least one year in age and had the capacity to become spawning adults. Bones in the heads of fishes, called otoliths, are useful to biologists because they provide a history of the chemistry of the water the fish inhabited over its life. Analysis of those bones indicates that the four captured grass carp had lived in the Sandusky watershed their entire lives. Scientists ruled out the possibility that the fish originated from a fish farm by comparing their otoliths to those from reference pond fish. The USGS study is published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research, and is available online.

"These findings are significant because they confirm recent USGS research indicating that shorter rivers, like the Sandusky, are potential

spawning sites for grass carp and other Asian carps as well," said USGS

scientist Duane Chapman. "The study may also provide resource managers an opportunity to address the spread of grass carp before it becomes problematic."

Successful reproduction of grass carp in the Great Lakes is an indication that other species of Asian carp�silver, bighead and black carp�might be able to reproduce there. Silver, bighead, and black carps have spawning and development requirements similar to grass carp. Bighead and silver carps have reached extremely high densities in the Mississippi River Basin and there is great concern that they may invade the Great Lakes Basin.

Scientists are confident that these grass carp are the result of natural reproduction for a number of reasons. The Sandusky watershed has a naturally occurring high ratio of strontium to calcium, and fish inhabiting the Sandusky River have strontium to calcium ratios in their otoliths that reflect this unusual chemistry. The otoliths of the Sandusky River grass carp were not only higher in strontium to calcium ratio than pond fish, but also reflected the Sandusky River�s natural fluctuations in this ratio, which are caused by rainfall. Pond fish otoliths reflected the stable and low strontium to calcium concentration of ponds.

This study was done in cooperation with Bowling Green State University and the Ohio DNR. 

Nitrate Levels increase in Mississippi River

Signs of Progress in the Illinois River

Although recent declines in nitrate in the Illinois River are promising, increasing nitrate levels at other sites throughout the basin are a continuing cause for concern.

Nitrate levels in the Illinois River decreased by 21% between 2000 and 2010, marking the first time substantial, multi-year decreases in nitrate have been observed in the Mississippi River Basin since 1980, according to a new USGS study.

Unfortunately, similar signs of progress were not widespread. "Nitrate levels continue to increase in the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, including the Mississippi�s outlet to the Gulf of Mexico," said Lori Sprague, USGS research hydrologist.   

"These results show that solving the problem of the dead zone will not be easy or quick. We will need to work together with our federal and state partners to develop strategies to address nitrate concentrations in both groundwater and surface water," said Lori Caramanian, Department of the Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science. 

"Expanded research and monitoring is absolutely essential to tracking progress in reducing nutrient pollution in the Mississippi River Basin," said Nancy Stoner, acting Assistant Administrator for Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and co-chair of the Hypoxia Task Force. "The federal agencies and states that are part of the Hypoxia Task Force greatly appreciate this work by USGS and how it advances the science in the Mississippi River Basin."

Excessive nitrate and other nutrients from the Mississippi River strongly influence the extent and severity of the hypoxic zone that forms in the northern Gulf of Mexico every summer.  This hypoxic zone, known as the "dead zone," is characterized by extremely low oxygen levels in bottom or near-bottom waters, degraded water quality, and impaired marine life.  The 2013 Gulf hypoxic zone encompassed 5,840 square miles, an area the size of Connecticut.

The reasons for increases or declines in annual nitrate levels are unknown. Reliable information on trends in contributing factors, such as fertilizer use, livestock waste, agricultural management practices, and wastewater treatment improvements, is needed to better understand what is causing increases or decreases in nitrate.

Nitrate trends from 1980 to 2010 were determined at eight long-term USGS monitoring sites in the Mississippi River Basin, including four major tributaries (Iowa, Illinois, Ohio and Missouri rivers) and four locations along the Mississippi River using methodology that adjusts for year-to-year variability in streamflow conditions. 

Key nitrate concentration trend findings at long-term USGS monitoring sites:

� Nitrate concentrations steadily decreased by 21 percent in the Illinois River from 2000 to 2010.  Decreases were also noted in the Iowa River during this time, but the declines were not as large (10 percent).

� Consistent increases in nitrate concentrations occurred between 2000 and 2010 in the upper Mississippi River (29 percent) and the Missouri River (43 percent).

� Nitrate concentrations in the Ohio River are the lowest among the eight Mississippi River Basin sites and have remained relatively stable over the last 30 years.

� Nitrate concentrations increased at the Mississippi River outlet by 12 percent between 2000 and 2010. 

Nitrate increased at low streamflows throughout the basin, except for the Ohio and Illinois Rivers. Groundwater is likely the dominant source of nitrate during low flows. It may take decades for nitrate to move from the land where it was applied, migrate through groundwater, and eventually flow into these rivers. Because of this lag time, it can take several years or decades before the full water-quality effects of either increased groundwater contamination, or of improved management practices, are evident in the rivers. 

The USGS report and additional information on nitrate trends in concentration and flux for each of the eight sites are available online.  Additional information on USGS long-term monitoring sites in the Mississippi River Basin is also available online (PDF). 

Research on nitrate trends is conducted as part of the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program. This program provides an understanding of water-quality conditions, whether conditions are getting better or worse over time, and how natural features and human activities combine to affect water quality. Additional information on the NAWQA program can be found online.

The illustrating graphic depicts the Mississippi River drainage in the central U.S. and indicates the geographic location of the eight permanent nitrate monitoring stations:

� Mississippi River at Clinton, IA

� Iowa River at Wapello, IA

� Illinois River at Valley City, IL

� Mississippi River below Grafton, IL

� Missouri River at Hermann, MO

� Mississippi River at Thebes, IL

� Ohio River near Grand Chain, IL

� Mississippi River above Old River Outflow Channel, LA

Evidence shows Grass Carp reproduction in the

Great Lakes

Four grass carp�a species of Asian carp�taken from the Sandusky River in Ohio are the result of natural reproduction within the Lake Erie basin, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study.

If grass carp become abundant in Lake Erie, they may threaten native fish populations and could be detrimental to ducks, geese or other large aquatic birds. Grass carp were brought to the U.S. to control aquatic plants in the 1960s. They eat large quantities of aquatic plants, which could degrade areas important for spawning and early development of native fish.

USGS scientists analyzed the fish, which were captured by a commercial fisher in October 2012, and determined that they were at least one year in age and had the capacity to become spawning adults. Bones in the heads of fishes, called otoliths, are useful to biologists because they provide a history of the chemistry of the water the fish inhabited over its life. Analysis of those bones indicates that the four captured grass carp had lived in the Sandusky watershed their entire lives. Scientists ruled out the possibility that the fish originated from a fish farm by comparing their otoliths to those from reference pond fish. The USGS study is published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research, and is available online.

"These findings are significant because they confirm recent USGS research indicating that shorter rivers, like the Sandusky, are potential

spawning sites for grass carp and other Asian carps as well," said USGS scientist Duane Chapman. "The study may also provide resource managers an opportunity to address the spread of grass carp before it becomes problematic."

Successful reproduction of grass carp in the Great Lakes is an indication that other species of Asian carp�silver, bighead and black carp�might be able to reproduce there. Silver, bighead, and black carps have spawning and development requirements similar to grass carp. Bighead and silver carps have reached extremely high densities in the Mississippi River Basin and there is great concern that they may invade the Great Lakes Basin.

Scientists are confident that these grass carp are the result of natural reproduction for a number of reasons. The Sandusky watershed has a naturally occurring high ratio of strontium to calcium, and fish inhabiting the Sandusky River have strontium to calcium ratios in their otoliths that reflect this unusual chemistry. The otoliths of the Sandusky River grass carp were not only higher in strontium to calcium ratio than pond fish, but also reflected the Sandusky River�s natural fluctuations in this ratio, which are caused by rainfall. Pond fish otoliths reflected the stable and low strontium to calcium concentration of ponds.

This study was done in cooperation with Bowling Green State University and the Ohio DNR. 

Cabela�s announces plans for Three New Stores
Cabala�s has announced plans to expand in three new markets �

Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada; Garner, N.C.; and Sun Prairie, Wis.

Women in the Outdoors: Numbers on the Rise

The traditional image of men escaping for the weekend to experience the thrill and challenge of outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing and shooting may be as antiquated as the gender make-up in the boardroom in scenes from television�s Mad Men. Annie it seems has definitely got her gun, and hunting license and fishing rod and reel. In fact, according to Women in the Outdoors in 2012, an in-depth report on women�s participation in outdoor recreation compiled by Southwick Associates, women now make up more than a quarter of all anglers and represent the fastest growing segment within the hunting and shooting communities making up as much as nearly 11 percent of all hunters.

�Many people may be surprised to learn the traditional view of the outdoors person is changing, but to anybody who hunts, fishes  and shoots, the presence of women on the water, in the woods and at the

range is anything but new, and certainly not surprising,� says Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates.

The Women in the Outdoors in 2012 report is a comprehensive snapshot of women�s participation in outdoor sports ever published. It examines the level and rate of participation of females in freshwater and saltwater fishing, hunting and shooting and compares women and men�s purchasing habits for hunting, shooting and fishing equipment. It also offers a unique glimpse at their outdoor media consumption, providing invaluable insight to advertisers, manufacturers and retailers into where today�s outdoorswoman gets most of the information that affects her purchasing decisions.

The report available at http://www.southwickassociates.com/portfolio-view/women-in-the-outdoors-in-2012/

U.S. Deer-Vehicle Collisions Decline

State Farm Survey shows Trend More Pronounced in Nation�s Mid-Section

There's so much to think about when driving: surrounding cars, your speed, pedestrians, reckless drivers. It hardly seems fair that we have to worry about animals too. But it's a danger we can't ignore. There are about 1.5 million animal-car accidents each year that cause 10,000 injuries, 150 deaths, and an average of $2,500 in property damage.

The odds that an individual driver in the United States will crash into a DEER during the next year have declined by 4.3 %.  Using its claims data and state licensed driver counts from the Federal Highway Administration, STATE FARM, the nation�s leading auto insurer, calculates the chances of any single American motorist striking a deer over the next 12 months at 1 in 174, compared with 1 in 167 the year before.* 

Among the 41 states where these confrontations are most likely, the decline in likelihood is particularly notable in North Dakota (24.8 %) and Nebraska (22.0 %). The probability of DEER-VEHICLE COLLISIONS dropped by 12.6 % in South Dakota.  Michigan had the fourth largest descent (11.4 %).  Kansas (11.3 % decline) rounds out the top five. 

For the seventh year in a row, deer-vehicle confrontations are most probable in West Virginia.  The chances of any single licensed driver in that state hitting a deer between now and a year from now are 1 in 41.  That�s an 8.3 percent improvement from the West Virginia likelihood ratio of a year ago. 

Montana, (1 in 65) remains second on the likelihood list.  Iowa (1 in 73) moves up one spot to third.  South Dakota (1 in 75) drops from third to fourth.  Pennsylvania (1 in 77) is still fifth.  In each of the top five states, the probability of a deer-related collision for any given vehicle is less than it was a year ago.

The state in which deer-vehicle mishaps are least likely is still Hawaii (1 in 6,787).  The odds of a driver in Hawaii colliding with a deer between now and 12 months from now are approximately equal to the odds of a middle-of-the-pack National Football League team running off 13 wins in a row. 

Enlarge map here

State Farm estimates 1.22 million collisions caused by the presence of deer between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013, a 3.5 percent decrease from a year ago.  And while the number of deer-related collisions in the U.S. over the last five years has increased by 2.0 percent, when you account for the increase in the number of drivers on the nation�s roadways over that period, the likelihood of any one of those drivers being the victim of a deer-vehicle confrontation has dropped 2.5 %. 

�This data is encouraging,� said Chris Mullen, Director-Strategic Resources.  �We would like to think the attention we call to this issue each fall has had an impact.  Obviously there are other factors at play as well.�

When do deer-vehicle collisions occur?

State Farm�s data shows that November, the heart of the deer hunting and mating seasons, is the month during which deer-vehicle encounters  

are most likely.

Approximately 18 percent of all such mishaps take place during the 30 days of November. 

Deer-vehicle collisions are three times more likely to occur on a day in November than they are on any day between February 1st and August 31st.  October is the second most likely month for a crash involving a deer and a vehicle.  December is third.

The average property damage cost of these incidents during the final half of 2012 and the first half of 2013 was $3,414, up 3.3 percent from the year before. 

Avoiding Deer-Vehicle Mishaps

�State Farm has a long history of supporting auto safety,� said Mullen.  �From the time in the mid-1940s when we distributed a brochure that warned of the most dangerous times of the day to be driving to our present-day efforts to study the impacts of distracted driving, calling attention to hazards like this one has been part of our culture.�

Here are tips from the Insurance Information Institute on how to reduce the odds of a deer-vehicle confrontation:

� Keep in mind that deer generally travel in herds � if you see one, there is a strong possibility others are nearby.

� Be aware of posted deer crossing signs.  These are placed in active deer crossing areas.

� Remember that deer are most active between 6 and 9 p.m.

� Don�t rely on car-mounted deer whistles. 

� Use high beam headlamps as much as possible at night to illuminate the areas from which deer will enter roadways.

� If a deer collision seems inevitable, attempting to swerve out of the way could cause you to lose control of your vehicle or place you in the path of an oncoming vehicle.

What May Help

►Stay alert. Pay attention to "deer crossing" signs. Scan down the road and off to each side. Be especially watchful in areas near woods and water. If you see one deer, there are probably several others nearby.

►Be especially vigilant during peak season. Though collisions can happen any time of year, fall is peak time for deer-car crashes because it's both hunting and mating seasons, forcing deer to roam outside their normal territory.

►Use headlights smartly. At night, use high-beams when possible to illuminate the road's edges. If you see a deer far ahead, flick the brights on and off multiple times: Deer tend to fixate on headlights, so flashing them may cause the animal to scurry away.

►Watch out at mealtime. Pay particular attention at dusk and dawn, when these animals usually venture out to eat.

►Brake as necessary. If you think you have time to avoid hitting the animal, reduce speed, tap the brakes to warn drivers behind you, and sound your horn. If there's no vehicle close behind you, brake hard.

►Don't swerve. If a collision seems inevitable, don't veer off to avoid the animal. Your risk of injury may be greater if you do. Maintain control of the vehicle. Report the accident to the police and your insurance company.

Report undermines anti-gun rhetoric

New Justice Dept. stats confirm firearms 'victimizations' lower than in 2003

A new statistical report from the federal government says that violent crime is surging for the second straight year while firearm violence remains essentially at the same level as it was in 2003.  The data could undercut Barack Obama�s ongoing campaign to control guns.

As recently as a few days ago, he said at a memorial service for victims of a crazed killer at the Washington Navy Yard that there ought to be some sort of mass weapons restriction imposed across the United States as in other countries.  �If we really want to honor these 12 men and woman, if we really want to be a country where we can go to work, go to school and walk our streets free from senseless violence without so many lives being stolen with a bullet from a gun, then we�re going to have to change,� he said.

The report, called �Criminal Victimization, 2012,� was released by the U.S. Department of Justice�s Bureau of Justice Statistics.  It said there �was no measurable change in the rate of firearm violence from 2011 to 2013 and from 2003 to 2013.�

�In 2012, firearms were used in about seven percent of all violent crime incidents. This percentage has been relatively stable over the past decade. In 2012, about 66 percent of all serious violent crimes that involved a firearm were reported to police. There was no measurable change in the rates of firearm violence reported and not reported to police from 2011 to 2012.�

An accompanying table said there were 460,720 �firearm victimizations� in 2012, down from 467,930 in 2011 and even down from the 467,350 in 2003.  The report, however, showed that the rate of violent crime increased from 22.6 victimizations per 1,000 persons age 12 and older in 2011 to 26.1 in 2012.

The report is based on interviews with 92,390 households and 162,940 people in 2012.

It says the rate of property crime rose from 138.7 per 1,000 households in 2011 to 155.8 in 2012.

While violent crime rates rose for blacks, they remained stable for whites and Hispanics.

Residents in urban areas continued to experience the highest rate of violent crime, and residents in the West had higher rates of violent victimization than residents in other regions of the country.

The report is the largest data collection on criminal victimization independent of crimes reported by law enforcement agencies to the FBI�s Uniform Crime Reporting Program, the nation�s other key measure of the extent and nature of crime in the U.S.

Other findings in the report:

�Rape and sexual assault reports surged from 244,190 in 2011 to 346,830 in 2012.

�Robberies rocketed from 557,260 to 741,760.

�Simple assaults soared from 3.9 million to 4.7 million.

�Domestic violent actually dropped from 1.3 million to 1.26 million.

�Serious violent crimes involving all weapons � not just guns � rose from 1.2 million to 1.4 million but still remained below the level of 1.7 million from 2003.

The report said the majority of the increase in property crime involved thefts.  �The rate of theft victimization increased from 104.2 per 1,000 households in 2011 to 120.9 in 2012, while no measurable change occurred in the rates of burglary and motor vehicle theft during the same period.�

The report said that from 1993 to 2012, overall violent victimization declined from a rate of 79.8 per 1,000 persons age 12 or older to 26.1 per 1,000.  �All types of violent crime (rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated and simple assault) declined during this period. � While the rates of violent victimization have changed over time, the general composition of violent victimization has remained relatively stable.�

Goby helps steady population of Lake Erie water snake

PUT-IN-BAY � Two years after the Lake Erie water snake was removed from the federal Endangered Species List, its numbers are robust and holding steady, and the snake can thank an invasive fish for a large role in its comeback.

The resilient snakes have turned to the massive numbers of the round goby, brought to the Great Lakes through ocean-going cargo ships� ballast water, as their main source of food, said Kristin Stanford, Ohio State U Stone Laboratory education and outreach coordinator, research scientist and herpetologist.

And the result has been a population boom of water snakes that grow faster, bigger and produce more young, she said.

Lake Erie water snake populations have thrived since the mid-2000s and are holding steady at 10,000 to 12,000 snakes, she said.

�That�s probably where they�ll stay,� said Stanford, who led a recovery plan to rebuild the snakes� numbers. �We have been seeing kind of a leveling off of the population.�

The Lake Erie water snake lives only on the Lake Erie islands and is related to northern water snakes often seen along mainland shores. Lake Erie water snakes can be gray or have a banded brown and gray skin.  Their numbers dwindled to 2,000 in 1999. Development took over rocky shoreline habitat they prefer, and they were often killed by people who did not want them around.

The snakes are not venomous. If startled, they can be aggressive. Females are bigger than males. They grow to an average of 3.5 feet in length, a foot longer than the males� average. Lake Erie water snakes� average life span is eight to 10 years, but they can live 15 or more, said Stanford, who also is known as �the Island Snake Lady.�

Before the gobies invaded the Great Lakes in the 1990s, Lake Erie water snakes ate other bottom-dwelling fish such as sculpin, catfish and darters.  �We just really don�t see those food items in their diet anymore,�

Stanford said.

Those fish are still found in Lake Erie�s Western Basin, but their numbers are much smaller since the goby invasion. Gobies are the dominant bottom-dwelling species in Lake Erie�s Western Basin, said Jeff Reutter, director of OSU�s Ohio Sea Grant College Program.

Stanford, citing a 2006 population estimate, said there are about 9.9 billion gobies in the Western Basin. Lake Erie water snakes eat about a million of those each year.

Predators of the adult Lake Erie water snakes are large birds, including herons, egrets and bald eagles. Smaller snakes are eaten by smaller birds, raccoons and other animals, Stanford said.   The Lake Erie water snake recovery is considered a huge success for endangered species. In 2011, the snakes were the 23rd species to be removed from the federal list, Stanford said.

�It is pretty uncommon,� she said. �That�s why we are very proud of the work we were able to accomplish in such a short period of time to recover the (snake) and also why the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uses it as an example of success.�  But that doesn�t mean Stanford�s work is done. She and her fellow researchers are in the third year of the five-year post-delisting monitoring plan for the snakes.

They continue to tag and monitor the snakes to make sure the population is not threatened and that returning the snakes to the Endangered Species List is not necessary. They also continue to educate people about the snake and its role in the Lake Erie ecosystem.

�After the plan is up, we will still likely continue to monitor the snakes because we have such a huge data set � one of the largest for any snake in the world � and we would like to keep that going,� Stanford said.

Webinar: Climate Change Impacts on Fisheries in Lakes Michigan & Huron

February 12, 2014, 12-1 p.m.

Great Lakes fishery managers and stakeholders have little information regarding how climate change could affect the management of recreationally and commercially important fisheries, which have been valued at more than $7 billion USD annually. Research has focused on how climate change could influence fish habitat (including water temperature, ice cover, and water levels), phytoplankton production, and ultimately fish production.

Focusing on lakes Michigan and Huron, this webinar will provide information about:

- Whether we can detect climate signals in long-term data on fisheries and phytoplankton

- Preliminary climate (e.g. water temperature and ice cover) forecasts for 2043-2065

- How future climate could influence growth and consumption of key fish species, such as Chinook salmon, lake trout, yellow perch, and lake whitefish

About the Speaker

Trained as an Aquatic Ecologist, David �Bo� Bunnell is most interested in trophic interactions occurring between fish and their prey, particularly how these interactions are influenced by anthropogenic stressors, such as nonindigenous species and climate change. He is also interested in life history strategies and how these can evolve to influence the population dynamics of managed fish species. Within the USGS Great Lakes Science Center, Bunnell is assigned to the Lake Michigan section, but has had the opportunity to collaborate on research questions across the Great Lakes basin.

Click here to register: Webinar: Climate Change Impacts on Fisheries in Lakes Michigan & Huron

Webinar: Climate Change Impacts on Fisheries in Lakes Michigan & Huron

February 12, 2014, 12-1 p.m.

Great Lakes fishery managers and stakeholders have little information regarding how climate change could affect the management of recreationally and commercially important fisheries, which have been valued at more than $7 billion USD annually. Research has focused on how climate change could influence fish habitat (including water temperature, ice cover, and water levels), phytoplankton production, and ultimately fish production.

Focusing on lakes Michigan and Huron, this webinar will provide information about:

- Whether we can detect climate signals in long-term data on fisheries and phytoplankton

- Preliminary climate (e.g. water temperature and ice cover) forecasts for 2043-2065

- How future climate could influence growth and consumption of key fish species, such as Chinook salmon, lake trout, yellow perch, and lake whitefish

About the Speaker

Trained as an Aquatic Ecologist, David �Bo� Bunnell is most interested in trophic interactions occurring between fish and their prey, particularly how these interactions are influenced by anthropogenic stressors, such as nonindigenous species and climate change. He is also interested in life history strategies and how these can evolve to influence the population dynamics of managed fish species. Within the USGS Great Lakes Science Center, Bunnell is assigned to the Lake Michigan section, but has had the opportunity to collaborate on research questions across the Great Lakes basin.

Click here to register: Webinar: Climate Change Impacts on Fisheries in Lakes Michigan & Huron

Illinois Concealed Carry classes

Planning to take a concealed carry class in or around Chicago or in the northern Illinois area?

Take our approved curriculum for the 8- or 16-hour concealed carry class authorized by the new Illinois Firearm Concealed Carry Act HB 183. Classes are $125 a day plus range fees; and if you show your current fishing or hunting license, you will get a $10 discount. 

Illinois Concealed Carry Part 1

Illinois Concealed Carry Class Part 1 is scheduled for Nov 12, 16 & 24

Price:  $125.00 plus range fees

Illinois Concealed Carry Part 2

Illinois Concealed Carry Part 2 is scheduled for Nov 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 23 & 26.  (You must have 8 hours of prior approved training or be Active or Honorably discharged from the military prior to taking this class.)

Price:  $125.00 plus range fees.

No refunds, credit for future classes only.

Call or e-mail [email protected], 708-233-0211, Cell 708-212-3067 for a registration form

More Classes are being scheduled as the need arises

If you have a class of 10 or more, we will travel to your hall or meeting location and give the class in your neighborhood.  The criteria for an Illinois law to determine whether you take 16 or just the 8 hour class is determined with the following Illinois schedule.

The credit list of instruction classes authorized by the Act is here: Illinois CCW Prior Training Credit

Also, veterans with an honorable discharge and a DD214 or active service military members will only be required to take the one-day class.

The full law can be read here - Illinois Concealed Carry Act

Questions? Contact Mike Slevnik:  [email protected], 708-233-0211, Cell 708-212-3067

 www.privatedetectivechicagoillinois.com

For digital finger printing:

Williams, James

630-715-2760

[email protected]

www.biometricimpressions.com

188 Industrial Dr, Suite 214 B

Elmhurst, IL  60126

ISRA Success in securing Concealed Carry Law

Are you a member of the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA)?

The ISRA was diligent and instrumental in working with the state legislature to secure our Concealed Carry law. Join now

For online individual memberships and renewals: Click Here!

For online family memberships and renewals: Click Here!

Download ISRA Membership Application

More Info:

►Digital printing is an additional fee, but those prints are only good for 60 days, so hold off on getting them till November or December.

►Veterans with an honorable discharge and a DD214 will only be required to take the one-day class.  Be sure to bring a copy of your prior training or DD214 to class.

►Active service military members will only be required to take the one-day class

►Concealed Carry License apps will be available on the Illinois State Police web site January 5, 2014

New law enhances hunting for Veterans

Other laws enhance hunting statewide

With the support of Governor Pat Quinn and the General Assembly, legislation that cuts bureaucracy and clarifies regulations for veterans, and sportsmen were approved and signed into law.  Some had immediate effective dates and are already in place, while a couple of other bills will become law on Jan. 1. 

Among the new laws already in effect is Senate Bill 50, allowing veterans who complete the online portion of Hunter Safety Education requirements in Illinois to receive a hunter safety card without having to take the field day portion of the course.   To obtain the hunter safety card, the veterans need only provide IDNR with the online hunter education certification, as well as military service verification

House Bill 1003 is also now in effect, clarifying the definition of deer and turkey baiting.  It makes clear that pure water is not bait � meaning farmers putting out water for livestock, for instance, can legally hunt deer and turkey on their property.

House Bill 1651 allows hunters to shoot furbearing mammals (including coyotes) with a shotgun loaded with a deer slug.

Senate Bill 1620 � our so-called Wanton Waste Law � prohibits the waste of wildlife meat and the dumping of wildlife carcasses.  For years, the IDNR and our Conservation Police officers have been contacted by ethical

hunters and landowners concerned that some hunters, for example, retrieve a deer, take the head or antlers, and leave the rest of the carcass

in the field or along a roadside.  We hope this law will end the practice of dumping carcasses and perhaps boost donations of meat to programs like Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger, which provides donated venison from hunters to food banks and food pantries throughout the state.  It becomes law Jan. 1, 2014.

Senate Bill 1170 will enable our IDNR Conservation Police officers to recover some of the costs of investigating illegal hunting activity involving Illinois residents that occurs in other states. Our CPOs frequently assist other state conservation agencies in investigations of illegal hunting by Illinois residents, without the ability to seek recovery of some of the costs of those investigations.  This legislation makes it unlawful to possess wildlife killed illegally in other states or countries, and then transported to Illinois.  Violations will allow for fines and restitution to be imposed on poachers by the court � funds that will assist Illinois DNR law enforcement efforts.  It becomes law Jan. 1, 2014.

Finally, Senate Bill 1538 allows using a sling shot bow and arrow to take rough fish such and shad and carp, providing more bowfishing opportunities in Illinois.

For more details, including full texts of the new laws, check the Illinois General Assembly website at www.ilga.gov.

Ohio's Recreational Trails receive more than $2 Million of Funding

COLUMBUS, OH � The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) announced that 15 recreational trails in Ohio have been selected to share in $2,015,156 in federal funds through the Recreational Trails Program (RTP).

�Trails are an important part of Ohio because they let residents spend time outside enjoying a wide variety of activities,� said ODNR Director James Zehringer. �Maintaining our existing trails and adding new ones allows greater recreational opportunities for all Ohioans.�

RTP funding goes to projects that create and maintain trails and trail support facilities, improve access for people with disabilities and provide education about trail safety and the environment. The projects are

evaluated on merits, which include justification of trail need, trail linkages and public participation.

ODNR administers federal grants, which includes the RTP non-motorized and motorized trails. RTP is a reimbursement grant program that provides up to 80 percent of a project�s funding. ODNR received 42 RTP grant applications, and the agency awarded funding to 15 projects statewide. More than 185 local trail projects across the state have received more than $23 million in federal funds through ODNR since RTP began in 1993.

Funding for RTP comes from the U.S. Federal Highway Administration and a portion of the federal motor fuel excise tax collected from non-highway recreational fuel use.

Check Ohio's Fall Acorn Crop Results to Plan a Successful Hunt

COLUMBUS, OH � The 2013 Ohio acorn mast survey conducted at 36 wildlife areas showed a decrease in production from the previous year, according to the Ohio DNR. Ohio�s fall crop of acorns is an important food source for more than 90 forest wildlife species, and mast crop abundance can influence hunting plans.

The overall number of white oak trees producing acorns decreased 30 percent after an almost banner year in 2012, and the number of red oak trees producing acorns decreased by 32 percent.

Hunters can expect to find white-tailed deer, wild turkeys and squirrels concentrated near areas with heavy crops of white and chestnut oak acorns. In areas with poor acorn production, these animals are more likely to feed near agricultural areas and forest edges. Acorn production is cyclical, with some trees producing acorns nearly every year, and others rarely producing. Wildlife prefer white oak acorns because red oak acorns contain a high amount of tannin and taste bitter.

ODNR employees scanned the canopies of selected oak trees on 36

state wildlife areas to determine the percentage of trees that produced acorns and the relative size of the acorn crop. An average of 21 percent of white oak trees and 34 percent of red oak trees bore fruit in 2013. Thirty-three wildlife areas reported a decrease in white oak acorn production, and 31 wildlife areas showed a decrease in red oak acorn production. In 2012, 52 percent of white oak trees and 67 percent of red oak trees bore fruit, nearly matching the exceptional production in 2010.

Although the 2013 survey shows acorn mast production is below average, it has oscillated during the past five years. Anecdotal reports of above average crops of walnuts, hickories and beech nuts may offset the acorn decline in 2013. Hunters may find this information online at bit.ly/2013fallohioacornresults/.

The ODNR Division of Wildlife is currently participating in a multi-state research project to estimate regional acorn production throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. Wildlife biologists hope to use the acorn production information gathered in the study to forecast wildlife harvest and reproductive success rates on a local and regional basis.

Mandatory Life Jackets starts November 1

HARRISBURG, PA--The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is reminding boaters that beginning November 1 and lasting through April 30, they are required to wear a life jacket while underway or at anchor on boats less than 16 feet in length or on any canoe or kayak. The requirement applies to all Pennsylvania waters.

�Life jackets are the most important piece of safety equipment on a boat,� says Laurel Anders, director of the PFBC Bureau of Boating and Outreach. �According to Pennsylvania�s boating accident reports, almost 80 percent of all boating fatalities happen to boaters not wearing a life jacket. A disproportionate number of the fatalities occur during the months of November through April. During these cold weather months, boaters are especially at risk due to the water temperature and the risk of sudden cold water immersion.� 

When a person is unexpectedly plunged into cold water below 70�F, the body�s first response is usually an involuntary gasp. Without a life jacket, a victim may inhale while under water and drown without coming back to the surface. If an individual does make it back to the surface, his ability to swim is usually restricted because of a shortness of breath or hyperventilation.

Individuals who plan to fish, boat or hunt from a boat this fall or winter are encouraged to follow these cold water survival safety tips:

• Always wear a life jacket, even when not required. Many models also offer insulation from cold air. Read the life jacket�s approval label to be sure it�s appropriate for your boating activity.

• Never boat alone.

• Leave a float plan with family or friends and know the waters you plan to boat.

• Bring a fully charged cell phone with you in case of emergency.

• Wear clothing that still insulates when wet, such as fleece, polypropylene or other synthetics.

• If you are about to fall into cold water, cover your mouth and nose with your hands. This will reduce the likelihood of inhaling water.

• If possible, stay with the boat. Get back into or climb on top of the boat.

• While in cold water, do not remove your clothing.

• If you can�t get out of the water, get into the Heat Escape Lessening Posture (HELP). In this position, individuals bring their knees to their chest and hug them with their arms.

• Once out of the water, remove wet clothes and warm up as soon as possible.

• Seek medical attention when necessary. Some effects of exposure to cold temperatures can be delayed.

To learn more about life jacket wear and cold water survival, visit

• PFBC      website - http://fishandboat.com/safety.htm

• PFBC      website - www.wearitpennsylvania.com

• Safe      Boating Campaigns website - http://www.safeboatingcampaign.com/new-jacket-pages/angling-hunting-jackets.htm  

For more information about fishing and boating in Pennsylvania, please visit our website at www.fishandboat.com.

Hunters urged to donate venison for food pantries

MADISON � Hunters can donate deer to help feed the hungry through a partnership that over the past 13 years has provided food pantries across the state with 3.7 million pounds of ground venison, state wildlife officials say.

The Wisconsin Venison Donation Program and its affiliates, Hunt for the Hungry and Target Hunger, along with more than 120 participating meat processors, are ready to accept and distribute venison donated by hunters during this deer hunting season, according to Dan Hirchert, the Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist coordinating the venison program.

�There has been great interest this year from hunters who are anticipating a productive season� Hirchert said. �We need your help again this season to share the harvest and help families in need.�

In the past 13 years, hunters have donated 83,120 deer which were processed into more than 3.7 million pounds of ground venison and distributed to food pantries across the state.

Two separate programs for donation are available for hunters, one in the chronic wasting disease zone and another in the rest of the state. Be sure to view the list that applies to your area. Both lists of participating meat processors, and instructors for donating, are available on the DNR website: dnr.wi.gov (keyword, �Deer Donation�).

Hunters can donate a deer by following a few simple steps:

• Field dress the deer and register it at a Wisconsin DNR registration station before donating the deer.

• Call first! Contact one of the participating processors before dropping the deer off to verify the processor has space to accept your deer.

• Deer legally harvested outside the CWD zone are registered with a silver metal tag. These deer can be dropped off at a participating processor by Jan. 5, 2014.

• Deer legally harvested and sampled for CWD outside the CWD zone will be marked with a round medal medallion. Processors that will accept CWD sampled deer, in addition to regular silver tagged deer, are identified with an asterisk (*) on the Wisconsin Deer Donation 2013 poster. Not all participating processors are equipped to process CWD sampled deer.

• Deer legally harvested in the CWD zone are registered with a red metal tag. Red-tagged deer can only be donated to a processor participating in the Target Hunger program. Donated red-tagged deer are tested for CWD and only deer that test negative will be distributed to pantries.

• Donate the entire deer to receive the processing for free. (Head and/or antlers may be removed for mounting.)

• When dropping a deer off at a processor, sign the log sheet indicating your desire to donate the deer and the deer will be processed and the venison will be distributed to charitable organizations to help feed Wisconsin�s needy.

Online survey will help shape the state�s future walleye stocking strategy

MADISON -- Walleye anglers and others interested in walleye management are invited to take an online survey to help shape the state�s future stocking strategy for walleye now that a $13 million investment to upgrade facilities and increase operating funds is expected to significantly boost the number of larger walleye stocked in Wisconsin.

�The Wisconsin Walleye Initiative has the capacity to increase seven, eight, even 10 times the number of larger walleye for stocking in Wisconsin waters where natural reproduction isn�t getting the job done,� says Ron Bruch, a Department of Natural Resources fisheries section chief co-leading public involvement efforts.

�That increase is significant, and we need to take a look both at our walleye stocking strategy and our walleye management plan in general. We want to hear what the public thinks are the most important considerations for how we manage walleye fisheries in the future and for where we put these fish.�

The survey is found on DNR�s Wisconsin Walleye Initiative Web page, which contains a variety of materials relating to the walleye initiative. It can be reached from DNR�s home page by searching for �walleye� and clicking on the �take the survey� link.

The survey is part of DNR�s ongoing efforts to reach out to walleye enthusiasts, tribes and business interests with a stake in walleye fishing

in Wisconsin to help chart the future, Bruch says. Earlier this month, the same survey was shared with people who attended public meetings in Hayward, Rhinelander and Oconomowoc and with participants in two business focus groups.

Bruch says that results from the survey will be incorporated into the stocking strategy that state fisheries officials present to the state Natural Resources board in December. That stocking strategy needs to be determined soon for DNR to figure out logistics for where to raise the fish, how many of particular strains, and where to deliver them next year.

The Wisconsin Walleye Initiative is a two-year investment of fishing license fees and state tax dollars to help produce for stocking in more waters more of the larger walleye that have better survival rates in the wild. In addition to DNR hatcheries receiving $8.2 million for repairs and upgrades and more money to raise more fish for the next two years, the initiative provides for a one-time, $2 million competitive grant program for municipal, tribal and private fish hatcheries for upgrades to increase their capacity to raise fish, and $500,000 for the state to purchase fish from non-state hatcheries.

Get the latest stocking reports, videos, and other information about the walleye initiative, walleye management and walleye fishing in Wisconsin by signing up for free email updates or mobile alerts. From the Wisconsin Walleye Initiative Web page, click on the subscribe button and enter your email address or cell phone number for mobile alerts.

Learn to Hunt Pheasant programs scheduled for early December

POYNETTE, Wis. � Youth and novice hunters age 10 and older are invited to sign up for free Learn to Hunt Pheasant programs sponsored by the Friends of Poynette Game Farm and Pheasants Forever. Two programs at two different locations are offered; Dec. 7-8 at the Department of Natural Resources MacKenzie Center near Poynette and Dec. 13-14 at the Wern Valley Sportsmens Club in Waukesha.

All food and equipment will be provided. Adults and family members are encouraged to attend. Program applications can be found at: www.friendsofwihunting.org (exit DNR) or 608-635-8120. Programs are limited to 20 participants and applications should be mailed to Friends of Poynette Game Farm, PO Box 606, Poynette, WI 53955 by Nov. 22, 2013.

The Dec. 7-8 program at the MacKenzie Center will focus on the basics of pheasant hunting in a fun and relaxing atmosphere. Overnight lodging is provided in the MacKenzie Center dormitories.

The Dec. 13-14 program at Wern Valley Sportsmen Club will include a

Friday evening classroom discussion followed by outdoor activities on Saturday.

Programs include classroom instruction on pheasant biology and management, dog training demonstrations, trap shooting, and a mentored pheasant hunt. The MacKenzie Center program will include a tour of the Poynette Game Farm.

Friends of Poynette Game Farm is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing pheasant hunting opportunities, promoting the strong tradition of upland bird hunting in Wisconsin and in supporting the game farm�s mission. In 2013, 75,000 pheasants from the Poynette facility will be released on more than 91 public hunting grounds across the state.

In addition to support for the pheasant stocking program, FPGF promotes pheasant and small game hunting as a family activity. FPGF organizers are passionate about their time spent hunting with family and friends.

"We have many fond memories of hunting trips and want new hunters to make memories of their own", said Vic Connors, FPGF president.

(Click on title or URL to read full article)

The Supreme Court Could Be Ruling On The Safety Of All American Rights
The DOJ is arguing before the Supreme Court that government should be allowed to invoke international treaties as legal basis for policies that government officials are unable to put into place because they conflict with the Constitution. The Constitutional question is whether the Federal government can use treaties that Congress has ratified as Federal policy.

Asian carp breeding near Great Lakes is bad news for Indiana
This week, scientists confirmed for the first time that the invasive Asian carp is breeding in the Great Lakes watershed. A Purdue University professor says that�s likely going to change the way Indiana deals with the growing Asian carp population in its waterways.

Asian carp breed in Great Lakes, threaten fishing
Scientists said Monday they have for the first time documented that an Asian carp species has successfully reproduced within the Great Lakes watershed, an ominous development in the struggle to slam the door on the hungry invaders that could threaten native fish.

Lake Erie perch rules change to West
Lake Erie perch anglers can still bag or box a 50-fish limit any day of the year they can get on the water or ice. But states on the south side of Lake Erie, to the West of New York, have made some changes in daily creel totals and length limits at certain times of the year.