Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest
Local Pond 09-19-2006 09:07
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
Whacked one on a local pond yesterday afternoon. Not much moving in the heat of the day.
[Edited By PJ-Perea on 2006-09-19 09:08]
Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest
House Moves to Extend Critical Wetlands Program 09-19-2006 09:06
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2006 – In a year when wetland conservation experienced setbacks in the Supreme Court, the U.S. House of Representatives lent a helping hand to conservation by acting to reauthorize the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). Since 1989, NAWCA has successfully fostered over 3,000 partnerships, both public and private, and have implemented more than 1,500 projects to conserve more than 22 million acres of wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl, other migratory birds and wildlife.
“This is great news,” said Ducks Unlimited Executive Vice President Don Young. “All of us benefit from wetlands. Every duck hunter and person interested in the outdoors and water issues should support continuing this incredibly successful wetlands program.”
NAWCA is a landmark investment in wetlands conservation. The proposed reauthorization bill asks for a five-year extension for NAWCA and authorizes up to $375 million in funding during that time. DU governmental affairs staff will work with senators and staff to expedite the passage of the bill through the Senate.
NAWCA projects are funded after assessing their benefit to continent-wide waterfowl conservation in accordance with the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Since its inception, the partner match has actually been $3 for every $1 in federal money, even though the requirement is only 1-to-1. These partner contributions have totaled more than $2 billion during the past 16 years.
Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo (Calif.) and Ranking Member Nick Rahall (W.V.) have been joined by Representatives John D. Dingell (Mich.), Thelma Drake (Va.), Wayne Gilchrest (Md.), Mark Kennedy (Minn.) and Curt Weldon (Pa.) as original co-sponsors of the legislation, which also garnered 13 other sponsors.
“The strong bipartisan support for NAWCA is indicative of the program’s record of achievements and potential for the future,” said Scott Sutherland, director of DU’s governmental affairs office. “We appreciate the leadership by the Resource Committee’s senior members and their introduction of this important bill. We also thank the members of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission for their continued strong support.”
Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest
2006-2007 Waterfowl Season Regs 09-05-2006 08:32
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Late-season migratory bird season approved by Natural Resources Board—The S.C. Natural Resources Board, the policy-making body of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, recently approved the 2006-2007 late-season migratory bird seasons and regulations during its Aug. 18 meeting in Bluffton from a framework set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Copies of the regulations booklet and migratory bird hunting regulations brochure are available by writing to S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR), PO Box 167, Columbia, SC 29202; or by calling (803) 734-3886 in Columbia. Find out more about hunting season and regulations at http://www.dnr.state.sc.us/regulations.html.
PDF available at http://www.dnr.state.sc.us/regs/MigratoryBird/regulations.html
Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest
Savannah River 09-05-2006 08:06
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
9/1 Took two in the morning with my buddy. Saw only six flying. Lots of boats.
Posted By:
J-GREIDER
Guest
Clarks Hill 09-02-2006 07:53
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Hunted yesterday, 9 less long necks on the lake. Didn’t hear any shooting around. Plenty of birds, seen around 200-300?. Have to work this weekend. I’m going to let the amateurs clear from this weekend and hit it hard this week.
Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest
Waterfowl for Schools 08-29-2006 08:22
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* Frozen, mounted waterfowl needed for DNR Education—The S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) needs mounted waterfowl, or carefully frozen waterfowl, in good mountable condition. Mounts will be loaned to S.C. schools to help students better compete in the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Program. Please contact the DNR Education Staff at (803) 734-3885 or email South Carolina’s Junior Duck Stamp Coordinator Steve Bates at BatesS@dnr.sc.gov for more information. Find out more about the S.C Junior Duck Stamp Program at http://www.jrduckstamp.com/. #06–230
Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest
Good Luck Friday! 08-29-2006 08:21
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* Early Canada goose season set to open September 1—The S.C. Natural Resources Board set the early 2006-2007 hunting seasons for migratory game birds at its July 21 meeting in Charleston. This included a September 1-30 special season on resident Canada Geese. This is a statewide season, and the daily bag limit for Canada Geese during this early season has been increased to 15 birds. Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. The seasons were approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and will be published in the Federal Register. One of the components of the new regulations allows the states to provide expanded hunting methods during the September season, such as use of electronic calls, unplugged shotguns, and expanded shooting hours. These expanded methods have not been evaluated by DNR staff, nor considered by the DNR Board, and WILL NOT be in place this year. #06–229
Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest
Bird Flu Testing 08-24-2006 13:16
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The public can now view a Web site showing current information about wild
bird sampling for early detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza
(HPAI) in the United States: http://wildlifedisease.nbii.gov/ai/ .
Scientists are now using the newly developed database and Web application
called HEDDS (HPAI Early Detection Data System) to share information on
sample collection sites, bird species sampled, and test results.
The database is available to agencies, organizations, and policymakers
involved in avian influenza monitoring and response. Scientists will use
the data to assess risk and refine monitoring strategies should HPAI be
detected in the United States. Public access is more limited, but shows the
states where samples have been collected and includes numbers of samples
collected from each state.
HEDDS is a product of the federal government’s NBII Wildlife Disease
Information Node (WDIN) housed at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center.
With financial support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S.
Geological Survey, and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service, and participation by State wildlife agencies,
universities and nongovernmental organizations, the HEDDS Web site provides
a current picture of where sampling has taken place and the results of
testing.
“HEDDS provides a critical comprehensive view of national sampling
efforts at a time when the demand for this type of information is
increasing, along with the growing interest in HPAI surveillance efforts in
wild birds,” said WDIN Project Leader Joshua Dein.
Between April 1 and August 18, 2006, 9,590 samples from wild birds tested
for avian influenza have been entered into HEDDS. Scientists have tested
over 10,000 wild birds so far. No HPAI H5N1 has been detected to date. The
Eurasian strain of H5N1 avian influenza virus has caused 141 human deaths
elsewhere in the world, as well as the death of millions of domestic and
wild birds. Low-pathogenicity strains of avian influenza are commonly found
in waterfowl and shorebirds; such strains do not cause significant disease
in wild birds or in people.
Many federal, tribal, and state agencies are involved in the U.S.
Government’s national surveillance plan for the potential introduction of
HPAI into the United States from wild birds. Within the federal government,
the Department of the Interior (DOI) has the main responsibility for wild
migratory birds and thus, the primary responsibility for HPAI in wild birds
should these birds be found to be carriers of this disease.
Since the release of the wild bird surveillance plan in March 2006, DOI and
the U.S. Department of Agriculture have worked collaboratively with the
four North American Migratory Bird Flyway Councils (Pacific, Central,
Mississippi, and Atlantic) and many states to develop local and regional
wild bird surveillance plans. As part of the surveillance and early
detection effort, HEDDS will show sample numbers in each state where
testing occurs. Most current testing is in Alaska where many of the wild
bird species targeted for surveillance nest.
Sampling has begun in many of the lower 48 states and will continue as
birds begin migrating south from their northern nesting grounds. Data from
three of the wild bird surveillance plan’s five strategies for early
detection of HPAI are now viewable on HEDDS: sample numbers from (1) live
wild birds tested, (2) subsistence hunter-killed birds, and (3)
investigations of sick and dead wild birds. The other two strategies are:
(4) surveillance of domestic birds as sentinel species; and (5)
environmental sampling of water and wild bird droppings.
The National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII)
increased access to data and information on the nation’s biological
resources. The NBII links diverse, high-quality biological databases,
information products, and analytical tools maintained by NBII partners and
other contributors in government agencies, academic institutions,
non-government organizations, and private industry. A fact sheet with more
detailed information about HEDDS is available at
http://wildlifedisease.nbii.gov/ai/HEDDS_FactSheet.pdf
The USGS serves the Nation by providing reliable scientific information to
describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from
natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources;
and enhance and protect our quality of life.
**** www.usgs.gov ****
Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest
My Backyard 08-24-2006 13:15
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Counted 32 blackfeet on my pond this morning. If I’m lucky I might get 4 or 5 on opening day and never see them again for the rest of the season. I agree it will be tough, but I’ll sure as hell try! 🙂
Posted By:
J-GREIDER
Guest
08-19-2006 04:25
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Anyone have anything up there sleeve for early goose season. It’ll be hard to get a limit this year. They must think we have a serious problem with geese, raising the limit to 15! Or am I just out of my mind thinking the limit was just 5 last year?
