Tom Lounsbury, Hearst MichiganDec. 30, 2021Comments8

https://www.manisteenews.com/sports/article/Predator-hunting-a-great-winter-pastime-day-or-16734614.php

Now that the year has come to a close and the annual deer seasons are over, it is time for the “other season” to begin, something I much enjoy and always look forward to. Predator hunting is a fast-growing pastime, and for good reason because it offers a unique and challenging atmosphere for enjoying Michigan’s great outdoors.

There is no doubt the coyote has become the star in regards to predator hunting in Michigan, because it is a highly prolific, adaptable and efficient predator, and I’ve watched how its numbers have spread throughout our state during the last four decades. (Not to mention all of North America as well, including regions it has never been in before, and now it has even crossed the Panama Canal and is moving into South America). The coyote can even do well in an urban environment.https://61a27945cb94c2b2dea2988d6d99761a.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

Also on the predator list are the fox (both red and gray) and, where legal (refer to the Michigan DNR Hunting Guide), the bobcat. While this is commonly referred to today as “predator hunting,” I, being old-school, still tend to call it “varmint hunting.” But whatever you wish to call it, Michigan offers excellent opportunities.

In my Thumb area, this entails strictly fox and coyote, because the bobcat hunting zone is further north. Whatever method you use, predator hunting is extremely challenging, and for me, it helps to shorten up a typical long winter.https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.493.0_en.html#goog_1486767918https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.493.0_en.html#goog_1486767919https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.493.0_en.html#goog_1486767920https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.493.0_en.html#goog_1486767921

One of the oldest forms of predator hunting is using hounds, a time-honored method steeped in tradition which goes back eons, with dogs and humans working constructively together. It is by no means a slam-dunk affair, and a case in point is a hunt I was on near Rogers City.

The hounds were pursuing a bobcat in a dense cedar swamp, and I was thrilled to the core when I could hear the baying of the hounds coming my way as I intently watched the gaps in the cover and the sound of the dogs came ever closer.https://61a27945cb94c2b2dea2988d6d99761a.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

Pretty soon, I spotted the dogs passing through the gaps as they went right on by me, but I never did see that bobcat. There is no question in my mind that it was like trying to spot a wisp of smoke whisking through the shadows. Such happens, and I do thoroughly enjoy listening to the hounds “singing,” which is always a major part of this atmosphere.

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• https://www.jweekly.com/2021/12/30/scientists-worry-an-avian-flu-killing-thousands-of-cranes-in-israel-could-spread-to-humans/

BY SHIRA HANAU, JTA | DECEMBER 30, 2021

As the Omicron variant of the coronavirus spreads across Israel, scientists in the country are worried about a new infectious disease threat: an avian flu that has killed thousands of wild birds migrating through Israel in the past month and has already spread to Israeli poultry farms.

Thousands of crane carcasses from birds infected with the disease have been found at the Hula Lake Reserve in the north of Israel, which becomes a major site for migrating birds to feed as they fly through the country twice each year.

The Israeli government is now killing off thousands of chickens in an effort to stop the flu from spreading unchecked through poultry farms, and to reduce the chances of the flu jumping from birds to humans.

Israel’s Environmental Protection Minister Tamar Zandberg said the flu caused “the worst blow to wildlife in the country’s history,” according to The Times of Israel. More than half a million chickens from Israeli farms have been killed thus far.

Amnon Lahad, chairman of Israel’s National Council for Community Health, told The Times of Israel that the spread of the avian flu was “very concerning.”

“It’s made the move from wildlife to stock animals, and I’m hoping it won’t make the next step to humans,” he told the publication.

Lahad noted that while avian flus do not tend to spread as quickly among humans as the coronavirus, the prospect of the virus jumping to humans is still concerning.

“Nevertheless, we don’t want to see this reaching humans. We have Omicron — we really don’t need another infectious disease,” he said.

Illinois man arrested for allegedly shining headlights to shoot deer outside hunting hours Posted: December 27, 2021 4:05 PM Updated: December 27, 2021 10:43 PM by Logan Reigstad WOODMAN, Wis. — Play Video spaceplay / pause qunload | stop ffullscreenshift + ←→slower / faster ↑↓volume mmute ←→seek . seek to previous12… 6 seek to 10%, 20% … 60% In a news release, the sheriff’s office said it got a complaint of someone hunting after hours around 6:30 p.m. on County Highway K in Woodman Township. A witness gave a deputy a vehicle description and an Illinois license plate number. Police in Fennimore saw the vehicle and another with an Illinois plate in the city. Officials spoke to the man, who reportedly admitted to using the headlights to shoot the whitetail doe after hours on private property. Officials seized the doe and the man’s rifle, according to the news release. The sheriff’s office said it plans to refer criminal charges of illegal shining and shooting of a whitetail deer, shooting a deer after hours and transporting a loaded firearm in a vehicle.

Posted: December 27, 2021 4:05 PMUpdated: December 27, 2021 10:43 PM by Logan Reigstad

WOODMAN, Wis. —Play Video

spaceplay / pause

qunload | stop

ffullscreen

shift + ←→slower / faster

↑↓volume

mmute

←→seek

 . seek to previous

12… 6 seek to 10%, 20% … 60%

In a news release, the sheriff’s office said it got a complaint of someone hunting after hours around 6:30 p.m. on County Highway K in Woodman Township. A witness gave a deputy a vehicle description and an Illinois license plate number.

Police in Fennimore saw the vehicle and another with an Illinois plate in the city. Officials spoke to the man, who reportedly admitted to using the headlights to shoot the whitetail doe after hours on private property.

Officials seized the doe and the man’s rifle, according to the news release.

https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d2915.4618214733114!2d-90.82869828425952!3d43.05275367914643!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x87fcf1811ae87589%3A0xe925f627b189a693!2s15247%20Cty%20K%2C%20Woodman%2C%20WI%2053827!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1640642535224!5m2!1sen!2sus

The sheriff’s office said it plans to refer criminal charges of illegal shining and shooting of a whitetail deer, shooting a deer after hours and transporting a loaded firearm in a vehicle.

By Staff | Dec 28, 2021

To the editor:

I am writing to express my concern regarding the recent (December) introduction of snare traps – presumably targeting coyotes – into our St. James City neighborhood by one of our fellow residents.

The snares present a potential hazard to not only children, but to domestic pets as well as Federal/Florida designated threatened or protected birds such as bald eagles, wood storks and roseate spoonbills and other birds frequenting the vicinity. Some may say that coyotes represent the same threats, however, humans should know better, where coyotes cannot be held to the same standard.

I have contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission regarding the legality of setting such snares in a residential area, however, my goal here is not to discuss the legality, but rather the appropriateness – or inappropriateness of doing so.

My task is simple – please do not set snare traps in our neighborhood. While I would prefer that the responsible party learn to co-exist with the coyotes, I realize that he/she/they have a right to disagree. I would ask that they do so in a respectful manner – and that does not include the selfish act of setting potentially hazardous snare traps in our neighborhood.

Concerned,

Jennifer M. Firlings

St. James City