• Big Consequences of Small Invaders

• Federal Wildlife Refuges Create $2b for Economy

• IGFA Hot Catches

• Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for Nov 15

• Cabela�s to build in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada

• Bass Pro to build in Kanata (Ottawa), Ontario

• Ohio Lake Erie Phosphorus Task Force Report

• Youth Goose Hunt

• Hunting and Fishing Regulations

• Schoolyard Habitat Action Grants

• Online Free Site Hunting Permits

• Spring Turkey Applications

• CWD Sampling

• Non-Resident Deer and Turkey Permits

• Resident Archery Deer and Fall Turkey Permits

• Transition begins of Detroit�s Belle Isle as a state park

• Looking for the right strain of brown trout

• Don Pereira named state fish chief

• N.Y. County Sheriff says Safe Act Position aided Re-Election

• DEC Rids Adirondack Pond of Non-Native Fish to Restore Native Brook Trout Fishery

• New US Topo maps for Ohio, feature Public Land Survey System

• Hunters Can buy and Use Antlerless Deer Permits through Dec. 1

• Hotline Hours Extended for Deer-Gun Hunting Seasons

• Hunting and trapping opens on state park properties Nov 15

• Deer hunters urged to report feral pig sightings to DNR

• Be aware of hitch hiking invasive plants while out hunting

• DNR offers five ways to find a place to hunt

• Other Breaking News

Big Consequences of Small Invaders

Adaptable spine helps spiny waterflea fend off predators

The spiny waterflea (Bythotrephes longimanus), an invasive zooplankton in the Great Lakes, is using evolution and adaptive plasticity to escape being eaten by fish. Like the bloody red shrimp, the spiny waterflea entered the Great Lakes through ballast water discharge. The spiny waterflea was first found in the Great Lakes in 1982 and negatively affects the ecosystem by competing with native zooplankton and small fish for food. This species can reach up to a half inch in length and has a rigid tail spine about twice as long as its body, which prevents it from being eaten by many small fishes. A recent project, funded by the commission and conducted by Dr. Andrea Miehls and collaborators Professors Scott Peacor at Michigan State University and Andrew McAdam at the University of Guelph, studied the spiny waterflea to understand how its spine might change in response to fish predators. The researchers found that this non-native species can adapt its defensive spine in several ways to thwart fish predators.

In Lake Michigan, Dr. Miehls and colleagues found that spiny waterfleas use increasing water temperature as a sign of greater risk of predation by young fish. Spiny waterflea mothers respond to this risk by giving birth to offspring with longer defensive spines. By increasing spine length of offspring, mothers help their offspring outgrow the mouth size of their young fish predators to increase their survival. The effect of temperature on spine length is called "adaptive plasticity," and research by Dr. Miehls shows that adaptive plasticity in spine length was likely important to successful invasion of spiny waterfleas into Lake Michigan.

In Canadian lakes, Dr. Miehls and colleagues identified another way that spiny waterfleas can thwart predation by young fish: evolution of spine length. In lakes where predators are mostly young fish with small mouths, researchers discovered that spiny waterfleas with longer spines survive better, which appears to be leading to evolution of longer spines through time. Because all lakes in the study were invaded less than 20 years previously, evolution of spine length occurred rapidly.

Longer spine length through evolution and adaptive plasticity makes the spiny waterflea a less available prey for young fish in the Great Lakes region that are already being starved by competition for food with the spiny waterflea and other invasive species. "Spiny waterfleas are a great example of why species invasions can be so devastating to ecosystems," said Dr. Miehls. "We have known for decades that the abundance of invasive species negatively affects food webs; we are now only beginning to appreciate the importance that evolution and adaptive plasticity can play in the negative effects of invasive species." This work is a novel discovery for how species adapt to environmental change. The findings have been accepted for publication in the journals Evolutionary Applications (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1752-4571.2011.00221.x/abstract) and Ecology (link not yet available).

Bloody red shrimp battle with Great Lakes fishes

New research, sponsored by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, suggests the bloody red shrimp lives up to its frightening name. The bloody red shrimp (Hemimysis anomala) was first found in the Great Lakes in 2006 and is related to the native opossum shrimp (Mysis diluviana), although it can be distinguished from the native species by its namesake red coloration. The species became established after foreign ship ballast containing live bloody red shrimp was discharged into the

Great Lakes. Fully-grown bloody red shrimp are only about a quarter- to a

half-inch long, but they colonize new areas quickly and have affected food webs in European waters. The species has been found in lakes Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, as well as inland waters in the Lake Ontario watershed. Should we be worried about damage to our Great Lakes

fisheries by this tiny crustacean with the horror-movie name?

With funding from the commission, scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Great Lakes Science Center and Cornell University recently completed a project to answer this question. The team, led by Dr. Maureen Walsh of the USGS Great Lakes Science Center.s Lake Ontario Biological Station, found that when the bloody red shrimp reaches large numbers they could easily compete with certain fish species. The invasive shrimp was an opportunistic feeder on zooplankton, which are important food for some fishes. The team also found that the bloody red shrimp tolerates a broad range of temperatures and depths and can reproduce multiple times per season. These conclusions suggest that the bloody red shrimp could become abundant in nearshore areas of the Great Lakes, where fish are abundant and where humans interact most frequently with the resource.

The researchers noted, however, that potential impacts of the bloody red shrimp are likely to be limited to areas where the shrimp are protected from fish predators. Several fish species that live in nearshore areas of the Great Lakes, including the recreationally important yellow perch (Perca flavescens), fed on bloody red shrimp. The non-native alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), which functions as the primary food source for salmon, also ate large numbers of bloody red shrimp when they were available. Lab experiments conducted by the scientists showed that the shrimp changed their behavior when threatened by the presence of a predator. "These results suggest that the ability of the bloody red shrimp to expand beyond areas that offer refuge from predation may be limited," said Walsh. "This information will be useful to help managers predict how this invasive species might affect the ecosystem if it expands across the Great Lakes or to inland waters." Findings from these studies have been published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research and Hydrobiologia.

See www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03801330/38/supp/S2 for more information.

Consequences

"Invasive species are the scourge of the Great Lakes," said Commission Chair Mike Hansen. "Not all of the 180-plus non-native species are harmful, but some inflict severe ecological and economic damage to Great Lakes ecosystems."

Hansen continued: "Small zooplankton, like the spiny waterflea and bloody red shrimp that exist at the bottom of the food web, are particularly insidious. When the bottom of the food web is disrupted, substantial effects ripple through the lakes. Ecosystem stability and sustainability are often the first casualties."

"Recent research on the spiny waterflea and bloody red shrimp add to our knowledge about harmful effects of these invasive species. This research demonstrates that these small organisms can alter the environment and thereby threaten valuable fisheries. This research should further support efforts to stop biological invasions into our Great Lakes," Hansen concluded.

Federal Wildlife Refuges Create $2b for Economy

America�s national wildlife refuges continue to be strong economic engines for local communities, pumping $2.4 billion into the economy and

supporting more than 35,000 jobs, according to a new national report released by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewel. Read both the press release on this topic and the actual Banking on Nature report.

IGFA Hot Catches

IGFA Hot Catches update covers one of the most impressive achievements we�ve ever received. In addition to potential world record carp caught in Japan and South Korea and a tropical gar caught in Costa Rica, the November Freshwater IGFA report includes the announcement of the fastest Trout Royal Slam ever achieved � and done so by a woman who is legally blind.

Freshwater

Japanese angler Hiroko Fuwa caught a 13.1 kg (28 lb 14 oz) common carp (Cyprinus carpio) while fishing Japan�s Lake Shoji on August 28^th that may land her the new Female Junior record. Fuwa was fishing with a bread bait and needed 10 minutes to land her potential record carp, which was released alive after it was properly documented. The current IGFA record is 7.37 kg (16 lb 4 oz).

While casting a Mepps Spinner in Costa Rica�s Rio Frio on November 7, 2012, native Costa Rican angler Mauricio Solis Salas landed a 8.64 kg (19 lb 0 oz) tropical gar (Atractosteus tropicus) that could earn him the new All-Tackle record. Salas was fishing with local guide Francisco Mejias Naranjo and needed 15 minutes to land the toothy fish after hooking up. The current IGFA record is 5.18 kg (11 lb 6 oz).  

Angler Phillip W. Richmond, Jr., who is currently stationed in South Korea with the US Navy, has been exploring the different fishing opportunities in his temporary home. While fishing the NakDong River from his kayak on October 4^th, Richmond landed a 4.6 kg (10 lb 2 oz) predatory carp (Chanodichthys erythropterus) while casting a swimbait into the chilly waters. Richmond needed five minutes to subdue the potential All-Tackle record fish, which has never before been submitted to the IGFA.

Trout Royal Slam

Australian angler Cynthia Stevens is the IGFA�s newest member of the Trout Royal Slam, which she completed in an incredible 15 days during a whirlwind trip through North America. Not only did Cynthia complete her Royal Slam faster than anyone in IGFA history, she did it without the use of her eyes, as Cynthia is legally blind.

Her quest began on September 15^th when she caught a brook trout in New Hampshire while fishing with Rick Holloran. Ten days later, and on the other side of the country, Cynthia caught her golden, rainbow, and brown while fishing the San Joaquin and Owens Rivers in California. After only two days of rest, Cynthia then traveled north to Oregon where she caught her lake, bull, and cutthroat over three consecutive days, while fishing Odell Lake, the Cougar Reservoir, and the Williamette River, respectively.

Given Cynthia�s passion for angling, her extreme determination, and her goal-oriented personality, the IGFA�s Royal Slams were a perfect fit. And although Cynthia accomplished her slam in record time, it was anything but easy. Because all IGFA Slam & Trophy Clubs must be caught by IGFA rules, Cynthia made sure she was completely unassisted in all of her seven captures � something she had to reinforce with the helpful guides, all of whom provided testimony to the legitimacy of Cynthia�s captures. Enthused and invigorated by her success, Cynthia is planning to tackle more IGFA Royal Slams, explaining that they �allow anglers of all abilities to achieve something extraordinary in their passion of fishing.� For more info: www.igfa.org

Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for Nov 15 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

Temperatures in the Great Lakes basin were below average last Friday, but were moderate by the end of the weekend. On Monday and Tuesday, temperatures dropped considerably, and most of the basin saw temperatures 10-15 degrees below normal. In addition, most areas of the basin experienced their first snow of the season on Monday. This Friday, temperatures will rise to moderately above average temperatures. Temperatures are expected to spike on Sunday, with some parts of the basin experiencing 20 degrees above average.  However, temperatures are predicted to plummet the next day; areas like Chicago and Grand Rapids could a see one-day drop of around 20 degrees. Almost all of the basin will experience rain over the weekend, and rain or snow showers on Monday.

LAKE LEVEL CONDITIONS

Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are 11 and 13 inches, respectively, above what they were at this time last year.   Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are 7, 3, and 12 inches, respectively above their levels of a year ago.  Over the course of the next 30 days, the levels of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Huron are predicted to decline 3 and 2 inches, respectively.  Lakes St. Clair, Erie and Ontario are projected to each fall 2, 2, and 4 inches, respectively during the next month. 

FORECASTED MONTHLY OUTFLOWS/CHANNEL CONDITIONS

Lake Superior�s outflow through the St. Mary�s River is projected to be near 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 at 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.

Cabela�s to build in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada

Cabela�s announced plans to build a 50,000-sq ft store in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. It is scheduled to open in 2015 and will employ 140 full-time & part-time employees. The store will be located in a new

development near the intersection of the Mapleton Parkway and Trans-Canada Highway. It will be Cabela�s first location in the greater Atlantic Canada area.

Bass Pro to build in Kanata (Ottawa), Ontario

Bass Pro Shops will locate its fifth Canadian store in Kanata, Ottawa, located at Highway 417 and Huntmar Drive, directly across from the popular Canadian Tire Centre hockey arena in Kanata. The new 150,000

sq ft store will be located at Highway 417 and Huntmar Dr, directly across from the Canadian Tire Centre hockey arena in Kanata. The new store will open midyear in 2015.

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

Ohio Lake Erie Phosphorus Task Force Report
Examines Progress, Makes New Recommendations for Controlling Nutrient Runoff

COLUMBUS, OH - A new report released November 13 will enhance Ohio�s efforts to control phosphorus loads in the state�s waters and increase the potential to reduce Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in Lake Erie.

The Ohio Lake Erie Phosphorus Task Force II report assesses the latest nutrient research and data, tracks the progress of current nutrient reduction efforts and makes 20 new recommendations for controlling nutrient runoff. This report identifies strategies that could provide a significant reduction in phosphorus loading from the lake�s watershed and potentially reduce the HABs that annually threaten Ohio�s economy and water quality.

The report builds on the work of the first task force report, which was released in 2010. That report highlighted research that showed dissolved phosphorus, rather than particulate phosphorus, was driving the growth of algal blooms in the Western Lake Erie Basin.

�Ohio is a national leader and making significant strides toward controlling both phosphorus and nitrogen runoff from our urban and rural areas,� said Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director Scott Nally. �This report

is another tool the state can use as we continue our work to engage the

numerous stakeholders we have in the public and private sectors.�

�The biggest benefit of this report is the hours the task force spent collecting and pouring over the latest research and data,� said Ohio Department of Agriculture Director David T. Daniels. �Their work provides policymakers with a valuable snapshot of the current progress being made in the development of best practices and also identifies where additional research is needed.�

�Doing nothing is not an option,� said Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director James Zehringer. �The state of Ohio is committed to improving water quality, and any research, recommendations or ideas that help us reach that goal are encouraging.�

In 2012, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, in partnership with the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Ohio Lake Erie Commission, reconvened the task force to build upon the findings of the 2010 task force report and assess new research and information. The task force includes participants from a wide range of disciplines in the public and private sectors.

The Ohio Lake Erie Phosphorus Task Force II report is available online at cleanlakes.ohio.gov.

Illinois Youth Goose Hunt

Registration deadline Dec 6

Interested youth can register now for the 14th annual Central Illinois Youth Goose Hunt, sponsored by the IDNR on Dec. 26-27 at private waterfowl hunting clubs in Peoria, Fulton and Knox counties.

Youth hunters must phone in to 217-785-8060 to register for a drawing to participate in the hunt.  The registration deadline is Friday, Dec. 6.  The drawing will be conducted on Dec. 9, and youth hunters selected will be notified by mail.  First-time applicants will be given a priority over previous participants in the drawing. 

The hunt is open to youngsters ages 10-15 at the time of the hunt.  All applicants must have successfully completed a hunter safety education course, possess a valid Illinois hunting or sportsman's license, have a Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration number, and have a 20-gauge or larger shotgun. Youth hunt participants must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who must possess a valid firearm owner's identification (FOID) card.  To register for the hunt, or for more information, call 217-785-8060.

Hunting and Fishing Regulations

For information on Illinois hunting seasons and regulations, click here for the Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations 2013-2014:  http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Documents/HuntTrapDigest.pdf

For info on ILL waterfowl hunting seasons:

www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Documents/DigestWaterfowlHunting

Regulations.pdf

For information on fishing regulations and places to fish in Illinois, check the 2013-2015 Illinois Fishing Information guide online here:  www.dnr.illinois.gov/fishing/Documents/IllinoisFishingInformation.pdf

Schoolyard Habitat Action Grants

Applications are due by Nov. 30

Applications are being accepted for the Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant.  Teachers and youth-group leaders may apply for up to $1,000 to develop or enhance wildlife habitat in the schoolyard or other public place.

Sponsored by the IDNR and the Illinois Conservation Foundation, funding for this program is provided by the USFWS, Jadel Youth Fund, and the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation. Visit http://dnr.state.il.us/education/CLASSRM/grants.htm for details.  Applications are due by Nov. 30.

Online Free Site Hunting Permits

Hunters are reminded that Free Site Hunting Permits (windshield cards) to hunt upland, forest game and waterfowl at IDNR sites are available online from the IDNR website at  

/www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Pages/PublicHuntingAreas.aspx.

Hunters are encouraged to view the link to hunter fact sheets also available at the site. For information or assistance, hunters should contact the site where they intend to hunt.

Spring Turkey Applications

Application deadline Dec. 1, 2013

Resident hunters may now apply for the first lottery for 2014 Illinois Spring Wild Turkey Season permits online. Go to the IDNR website for more  

information at this link:  www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/turkey.  The application deadline for the first lottery for 2014 resident spring turkey permits is Dec. 1, 2013. 

CWD Sampling

Deer hunters statewide in Illinois are encouraged to allow samples to be taken for chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing from adult deer they harvest.  For locations serving as CWD sampling stations, taking samples

from entire deer or deer heads through Jan. 20, 2014, check the IDNR

website at this link: http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/news/Documents/CWDsamplinglocations-STATEWIDE-2013.pdf

IL-Non-Resident Deer and Turkey Permits

The remaining non-resident Illinois combination archery deer permits, as well as non-resident antlerless-only archery deer permits and non-resident archery fall turkey permits, are available over-the-counter (OTC) from DNR

Direct license and permit vendors.  The season continues through Jan. 19, 2014.  Find a license and permit vendor near you at this link: http://dnr.illinois.gov/DNRDirectMonitor/VendorListing.aspx

Resident Archery Deer and Fall Turkey Permits

Season open thru January 19

Illinois Archery Deer and Illinois Archery Fall Turkey seasons are open through Jan. 19, 2014.  Resident combination archery deer permits,

resident antlerless-only archery deer permits, and resident archery fall

turkey hunting permits are available over-the-counter from DNR Direct license and permit vendors.  Find a vendor near you: http://dnr.illinois.gov/DNRDirectMonitor/VendorListing.aspx

Hotline Hours Extended for Deer-Gun Hunting Seasons

COLUMBUS, OH �The Ohio DNR toll-free 800-WILDLIFE (945-3543) general hunting information hotline will offer extended hours during the youth deer-gun season and prior to and during the deer-gun season.

The white-tailed deer-gun hunting seasons are when many of Ohio's hunters have last-minute questions, and ODNR Division of Wildlife staff will be ready and available to assist. Special call center hours include:

� 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 23-24 for youth deer-gun season.

� 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 30 to Sunday, Dec. 8, for deer-gun season.

� The hotline will be closed Thanksgiving Day.

Ohioans are encouraged to help enforce state wildlife laws by reporting violations to the division's Turn-In-a-Poacher (TIP) hotline by calling 800-POACHER (762-2437). Established in 1982, the TIP program allows individuals to anonymously call toll-free to report wildlife violations. The 800-POACHER hotline is open for calls 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.

Tips concerning wildlife violations can also be submitted at wildohio.com. Tipsters may be eligible to receive a cash award.

Ohio Hunters Can buy and Use Antlerless Deer Permits through Dec. 1

COLUMBUS, OH � Ohio white-tailed deer hunters can still purchase and use antlerless deer permits through Sunday, Dec. 1, according to the Ohio DNR.

Hunters can tag and check antlerless deer with an antlerless permit through Dec. 1. After Dec. 1, hunters must possess or purchase an either-sex deer permit to pursue bucks and does until Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014. Either-sex permits can be purchased online at ohiogamecheck.com or at a license vendor.

Deer bag limits are now determined by county. The statewide bag limit is nine deer, but a hunter cannot exceed a county bag limit. Hunters may

harvest only one antlered deer in Ohio regardless of hunting method or season. Only one antlerless deer may be checked per county using an antlerless permit. Ohioans are again reminded that antlerless permits will not be valid after Dec. 1.

Ohio offers many opportunities to deer hunters in the coming months. The youth deer-gun season is Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 23-24. The deer-gun season is Monday, Dec. 2, through Sunday, Dec. 8. Deer-muzzleloader season is Saturday, Jan. 4, through Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014. Deer-archery season is open through Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014.

Find complete details in the 2013-2014 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations or online at wildohio.com. Hunters with questions can also call 800-WILDLIFE (945-3543).

New US Topo maps for Ohio, feature Public Land Survey System

Now available online for free download

The USGS, in cooperation with other Federal agencies, has posted new Ohio US Topo quadrangles (748 maps) which include partial Public Land Survey System (PLSS). Ohio is the first state east of the Mississippi River to have PLSS data added to US Topo maps, joining Wyoming and Colorado in the west.

"It is great to have these 748 updated US Topo maps for our state available online at no charge," said Charley Hickman, the Geospatial Liaison for Ohio. "We appreciate the continuing improvements in this product, including the availability of PLSS township, range, and section information." 

The PLSS is a way of subdividing and describing land in the United States. All lands in the public domain are subject to subdivision by this rectangular system of surveys, which is regulated by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Other selected states will begin getting PLSS map data during the next respective revision cycle.

The new design for US Topo maps improves readability of maps for online and printed use, while retaining the look and feel of the traditional USGS topo map. Map symbols are easy to read when the digital aerial photograph layer imagery is turned on. 

Figure showing available PLSS

areas on the new Ohio US Topo map

�  Other re-design enhancements and new features:

� New shaded relief layer for enhanced view of the terrain

� Military installation boundaries, post offices and cemeteries

� New road classification

� A slight screening (transparency) has been applied to some features to enhance visibility of multiple competing layers

� New PDF legend attachment

� Metadata formatted to support multiple browsers

US Topo maps are created from geographic datasets in The National Map, and deliver visible content such as high-resolution aerial photography, which was not available on older paper-based topographic maps. The new US Topo maps provide modern technical advantages that support wider and faster public distribution and on-screen geographic analysis tools for users.

The new digital topographic maps are PDF documents with geospatial extensions (GeoPDF^�) image software format and may be viewed using Adobe Reader, available as a no-cost download.

These new quads replace the first edition US Topo maps for Ohio. The replaced maps will be added to the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection and are also available for free download from The National Map and the USGS Map Locator & Downloader website. 

US Topo maps are updated every three years. The initial round of the 48 conterminous state coverage was completed in September of 2012.  Hawaii and Puerto Rico maps have recently been added. More than 400 new US Topo maps for Alaska have been added to the USGS Map Locator & Downloader, but will take several years to complete.  For more info: http://nationalmap.gov/ustopo/

DNR offers five ways to find a place to hunt
MADISON - If you are still looking for a place to hunt this fall, or if you have questions about public land you frequent, check out the following links for information on public lands and private lands open to public

hunting. Additionally, Department of Natural Resources experts will host

 a live online chat to answer your questions about accessing these hunting lands, including state parks, and using DNR�s open lands mapping tools, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, starting at noon.   -  Read Full Article

Be aware of hitch hiking invasive plants while out hunting
MADISON -- This fall, hunters may inadvertently be taking home more than deer and good memories. The Department of Natural Resources is

asking hunters to be aware of a few steps that can be taken to help keep invasive plants from hitching a ride on their gear or their vehicle.   -  Read Full Article

Hunting and trapping opens on state park properties Nov 15
MADISON � Visitors to Wisconsin State Parks are being reminded they may encounter hunters or trappers on park properties beginning Nov. 15

through Dec. 15, under a new state law that went into effect in 2013.  Read Full Article

Deer hunters urged to report feral pig sightings to DNR
MADISON � State wildlife officials are encouraging hunters heading out for Wisconsin�s traditional nine-day gun deer hunting season to keep an eye

out for feral pigs. Feral pig sightings and harvests should be reported on the DNR website www.dnr.wi.gov by searching for keyword �feral pigs.�  -  Read Full Article

(Click on title or URL to read full article)

Crackhead Toronto Mayor Has A Higher Approval Rating Than Barack Obama ï¿½
Rob Ford, the scandal-plagued Toronto mayor who admitted this week that he recently purchased illegal drugs, has a higher approval rating among his constituency than President Barack Obama has among Americans.

EDITORIAL: Time to fish or cut bait on silver and bighead carp
It's time to stop treading water and take action to prevent the devastation of the fishing industry. Unfortunately what stands between the Great Lakes and the Asian carp is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a bureaucracy that prefers studies to shovels in the ground.

Biologists begin searching Sturgeon Bay for Asian carp evidence
Government biologists took water samples from Sturgeon Bay (Wisconsin) to search for the DNA of Asian carp in the hope of gaining a better understanding of whether the destructive fish could be lurking in these reaches of Lake Michigan.

Texas calls for aid to put science into the Endangered Species Act

it�s time to improve the science that determines which animals get listed under the Endangered Species Act, calling on Congress for independent research that also would factor in the economic damage to communities when a species is.

Michigan officials fighting Ontario's nuke site get support from feds
Canada�s federal review panel wrapped up its public hearings on Ontario Power Generation�s request to build an underground nuclear waste site on the coast of Lake Huron last week, but not before hearing from the feds on this side of the border