https://www.miningjournal.net/sports/local-sports/2021/08/workshop-introduces-animal-trapping-to-beginners/

LOCAL SPORTS

AUG 18, 2021

Jim Fornetti shows both beginning and experienced trappers some of the equipment and methods for trapping weasels. He’ll be holding a workshop during the U.P. Trappers’ Beginning Trappers Workshop on Aug. 28 in Hermansville. (Photo courtesy Mike Lewis)

HERMANSVILLE — The south-central district of the Upper Peninsula Trappers Association will hold its annual Beginning Trappers Workshop on Saturday, Aug. 28, at the William Anderson Sportsman’s Club in Hermansville.

Running from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT, the event is free and open to the public and put on by the group’s District 3 that includes Menominee, Delta and Dickinson counties.

There will also be trapping demonstrations for children of all ages, free weasel boxes, dog-proof raccoon traps and muskrat colony traps for appropriate-aged youngsters. The muskrat traps will be built on-site by older kids under guidance of District 3 members.

The group’s annual workshop has been held in February for a number of years, organizers said in an email, with this being an additional summertime workshop with trapping seasons coming soon.

“I am sure the kids will be anxious to try out their new traps and ideas they get from this workshop,” said workshop coordinator and U.P. Trappers Secretary Mike Lewis.

“A lot of trapping — particularly muskrat — is done in water, and early fall is a great time to capture the water dwellers, (which include) beaver, muskrat, otter and even raccoon, which frequent the water as well.

“The youngsters won’t have to wait very long to get out and use their new free trapping equipment and knowledge.

“There will be a lot of free stuff for the kids, including free tips and advice from not only the presenters, but from any of the ‘old trappers’ in attendance. These veterans love to help kids — or anyone — with any questions they may have. They also readily share their tips and trapping stories to anyone interested.

“With all that experience, these guys can provide a wealth of knowledge sure to shorten the learning curve for any trapper.”

He added that each youngster will win a prize along with the free traps and magazines that will be handed out. Kids will also have the opportunity to sign up for upcoming trapper education courses.

Food and refreshments will be available with food prepared by the William Anderson Sportsman’s Club.

The day’s schedule — all times EDT — opens with a weasel-trapping demo by Jim Fornetti at 10:30 a.m., “Trapping for Beginners” by John Gunville at 11:30 a.m., colony trap building at 12:30 p.m., lunch at 1:30 p.m., raffle and door prize drawings at 2:30 p.m., weasel box-trap and dog-proof coon traps to be given out at 3:30 p.m. and a coyote trapping demo by Randy Johnsen at 4:30 p.m.

Trevor Barnes of Barnes Hide and Fur Co. will be on hand buying fur, stretched and dried only. He will also have trapping supplies for sale. Potential workshop attendees can call Barnes before the show at 517-741-3595 to let him know how much fur you have to sell or to make sure he brings the supplies you need.

The William Anderson Sportsman’s Club is located near the Hermansville Pond west of Hermansville and can be reached by turning south at the blinking traffic light on U.S. 2, onto County 388 and going about a quarter mile west on Third Street to its end.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.

https://www.nbc11news.com/2021/08/17/colorado-parks-wildlife-presents-its-third-annual-take-friend-hunting-contest/

By Madelynn FelletPublished: Aug. 17, 2021 at 4:37 PM PDT

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) – For its third consecutive year, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is rewarding hunters for sharing their expertise and love of hunting with others.

CPW is encouraging hunters to take a friend hunting by entering their contest. Experienced hunters who take the time to pass on their knowledge to novice hunters and submit a photograph and brief story about their experience will be entered to win prizes. Photograph and story submissions will be judged by their ability to inspire.

“I often run into people wanting to hunt but they just don’t know how to start. Most of them just need a mentor to help out,” said CPW Hunter Outreach Coordinator Bryan Posthumus. “It is so easy to ask your friends, co-workers, or family if they want to hunt and help them get started. Quite a few started out small game hunting. Many of the hunters last year are planning on hunting with their new hunting buddy this year.”

How it worksADVERTISEMENT

Mentors can take a beginner hunter out or mentees can encourage an experienced hunter to teach them how to hunt and enter to win some great prizes by submitting a photograph and brief story of their time out in the field. Registration opens Aug. 1, 2021 and will remain open until Feb. 28, 2022, submissions are due on the same date. Prize drawings will be made March 31, 2022.

To be eligible to enter:

• Mentors must be at least 18 years of age or older at the time of entry and must hold a valid 2021 Colorado hunting license (the “hunting license”).
• Mentors must have held a Colorado hunting license in at least 3 of the last 5 years (2016-2020).
• Mentees must also be 18 or older at the time of entry and hold a valid 2021 Colorado hunting license.
• Mentees must also either have:
  • Never had a hunting license until 2021,
  • Only had a hunting license in 2020 (e.g., a second-year hunter) or
  • Not had a hunting license in the past five consecutive years (i.e., since 2016).

Both individuals must follow rules and regulations in the 2021 Colorado Hunting Regulations; this includes possession of all appropriate licenses. Employees of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and their immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members of each such employee, are not eligible.ADVERTISEMENThttps://016bfe33ed152f9a16051a124e8e2e20.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

Contest participants must follow all applicable Colorado hunting regulations.

Prizes

Prizes will be awarded at the end of the contest to winners of the photo/story competition. All prizes are non-transferable. No substitution may be made except as provided. The winner is responsible for all taxes and fees associated with prize receipt and/or use.

For more information and to register for the contest, please visit cpw.state.co.us/takeafriendhunting.

Media Contact: Jordan Rutter, Director of Public Relations|
jerutter@abcbirds.org <mailto:jerutter@abcbirds.org> | @JERutter
<https://www.twitter.com/JERutter>

<https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Baltimore-Oriole-by-Agami-P
hoto-Agency_Shutterstock_News.png>

The Migratory Bird Protection Act has been introduced to restore safeguards
for birds, like Baltimore Oriole. Photo by Agami Photo Agency/Shutterstock

(Washington, D.C., July 29, 2021) Today, Representative Alan Lowenthal
(D-CA) joined with Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and 46 original
co-sponsors to introduce the Migratory Bird Protection Act (MBPA)
<https://lowenthal.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressmen-lowenthal-fitz
patrick-introduce-legislation-permanently-protect> to reaffirm
long-standing protections for migratory birds against industrial take – that
is, unintentional but predictable killing of birds. Bird populations in
North America are plummeting – a stunning 3 billion birds
<http://3billionbirds.org/> have disappeared from the continent since 1970
– and federal law is essential to conserving and recovering these
populations.

The MBPA reaffirms the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), one of our nation’s
first conservation laws, which was enacted to implement our international
treaty commitments to protect populations of migratory birds. Unfortunately,
the Trump administration finalized a regulation that cancelled protections
for migratory birds by declaring that the law no longer protects birds from
unconstrained incidental take by oil and gas developers and other
industries.

“The MBTA has been a critical tool for bird conservation for over 100
years,” Congressman Lowenthal said. “Democratic and Republican presidential
administrations since the 1970s have interpreted and applied the law in a
similar way, which has saved countless numbers of birds. Our Migratory Bird
Protection Act would prevent future federal executive action that may apply
a flawed interpretation to the MBTA, and once and for all reaffirm and
formalize all of the MBTA protections. We must prevent future
reinterpretations that might let commercial interests off the hook when it
comes to killing birds.”

“We must take the necessary steps to protect and conserve migratory bird
populations,” Congressman Fitzpatrick said. “We must ensure that
longstanding protections for birds are fully maintained while providing
greater regulatory certainty. I am proud to join Rep. Lowenthal in
introducing the bipartisan Migratory Bird Protection Act, which takes
important steps to protect millions of migratory birds.”

“Americans love migratory birds and want to see them protected,” said Jamie
Rappaport Clark, President and CEO for Defenders of Wildlife. “Stripping
away longstanding protections from birds to buffer unsafe industry practices
is irresponsible and reckless. Rep. Lowenthal’s bill puts our nation back on
track to support and protect birds for all of us to enjoy and celebrate.”

The Migratory Bird Protection Act ensures durable protections for migratory
birds from industrial activities and provides regulatory certainty to
responsible developers in managing incidental take, so long as they follow
best management practices to avoid bird deaths. This important and
reasonable approach gives industry clear and consistent expectations for
protecting birds without jeopardizing our international commitments and
conservation legacy.

“Birds have inherent value and are an economic driver along with providing
essential services necessary to people, from natural pest control to crop
pollination. This Act provides the certainty industry needs while also
ensuring birds receive the protections they deserve,” said Jennifer
Cipolletti, Director of Conservation Advocacy for American Bird Conservancy.

“Our beloved birds need our care and protection more than ever,” said Noah
Greenwald, Endangered Species Director at the Center for Biological
Diversity. “Habitat loss and climate change are accelerating rapidly, so
it’s urgent that Congress pass this bill and give birds a fighting chance at
survival.”

“With over one-third of America’s native species at increased risk of
extinction and a loss of more than 3 billion birds in the past half century,
now is the time for Congress to act,” said Dr. Carol Chambers, President of
The Wildlife Society. “Through Congressmen Lowenthal’s and Fitzpatrick’s
leadership, the Migratory Bird Protection Act will provide support for
wildlife biologists and managers to work collaboratively towards the
proactive conservation successes America is capable of.”

On a parallel track, the Biden administration decided to rescind
<https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wildlife-only-on-ap-billings-birds–
3a70c8432db631dce7df4f9050f1b013> a Trump-era legal memo that justified
cutting bird protections and announced a replacement rule recognizing
incidental take protections for migratory birds. The Biden administration
also formally dropped an appeal
<https://defenders.org/sites/default/files/2021-02/MBTASecondCircuitWithdraw
alAppeal.pdf> of a federal district court ruling that rejected the Trump
administration’s attempt to strip protections for birds under the MBTA.
However, the near-gutting of the MBTA by the Trump administration and the
potential for inconsistent federal court decisions highlight the fragility
of migratory bird protections. Congress should now act to assure migratory
birds have protections.

“This Act will guarantee bedrock protections for birds and the communities
who rely on and support them,” said Katie Umekubo, a senior attorney at NRDC
(Natural Resources Defense Council). “It will build upon and modernize a law
that has protected both iconic and backyard bird species for over 100 years,
right when our feathered friends need it most.”

“We have lost 3 billion birds in North America since 1970 and climate change
threatens extinction for two-thirds of bird species. It is critical that we
strengthen this baseline protection for birds and that is what this bill
will do,” said Sarah Greenberger, Senior Vice President of Conservation
Policy at National Audubon Society. “Birds are telling us they are in
trouble and we are running out of time to act. As Congress looks to build
toward America’s future, it should also help bring birds back.”

“Since 1970, we have lost 3 billion birds
<https://www.nwf.org/Latest-News/Press-Releases/2019/09-19-19-3-Billion-Bird
s-Lost> in North America – a devastating crisis for biodiversity, wildlife,
and all those who enjoy birdwatching. The Migratory Bird Protection Act
ensures durable protections for iconic migratory bird species like the
Little Blue Heron and Wood Thrush,” said Jim Murphy, Director of Legal
Advocacy for the National Wildlife Federation. “We applaud Congressman
Lowenthal’s leadership on this issue and look forward to working with
policymakers to save migratory birds.”

<https://act.abcbirds.org/a/take-action-mbta/> Please ask your U.S.
Representative to co-sponsor the Migratory Bird Protection Act and
strengthen protections for migratory birds.

###

American Bird Conservancy <http://abcbirds.org> is a nonprofit organization
dedicated to conserving wild birds and their habitats throughout the
Americas. With an emphasis on achieving results and working in partnership,
we take on the greatest problems facing birds today, innovating and building
on rapid advancements in science to halt extinctions, protect habitats,
eliminate threats, and build capacity for bird conservation. Find us on
abcbirds.org <http://abcbirds.org> , Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/AmericanBirdConserve/> , Instagram
<https://www.instagram.com/americanbirdconservancy/> , and Twitter
(@ABCbirds <http://twitter.com/abcbirds> ).

https://www.mtpr.org/montana-news/2021-08-16/26-000-public-comments-debate-future-of-wolf-hunting

By Nick MottPublished August 16, 2021 at 5:33 PM MDT

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LISTEN • 1:08

A state committee dedicated to regulating Montana’s wildlife is expected this week to finalize regulations that could expand wolf hunting to levels not seen in Montana in decades.

The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission will vote on what tools are allowed to reduce the state’s wolf population, which could include neck snaring, night hunting and trap baiting. The commission was mandated to decrease the number of wolves by a suite of bills passed by the Montana Legislature earlier this year.

According to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the agency received more than 26,000 public comments about the changes to the wolf season. About three-quarters of those were in opposition to wolf hunting.

Greg Lemon is spokesperson for Montana FWP.

“People around the country are obviously looking at how Montana manages wolves, and that’s proven, I think, by the volume of comment we’ve received on this issue,” he says.

The Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet at 8:30 a.m. on August 20. The meeting can be streamed online, and those who wish to comment must register by Thursday.