Default Mono Sans Mono Serif Sans Serif Comic Fancy Small CapsDefault X-Small Small Medium Large X-Large XX-LargeDefault Outline Dark Outline Light Outline Dark Bold Outline Light Bold Shadow Dark Shadow Light Shadow Dark Bold Shadow Light BoldDefault Black Silver Gray White Maroon Red Purple Fuchsia Green Lime Olive Yellow Navy Blue Teal Aqua OrangeDefault 100% 75% 50% 25% 0%Default Black Silver Gray White Maroon Red Purple Fuchsia Green Lime Olive Yellow Navy Blue Teal Aqua OrangeDefault 100% 75% 50% 25% 0%

By Austin Morton and Matt Heilman

Published: Dec. 19, 2023 at 4:19 PM PST

https://www.kwch.com/2023/12/20/avian-flu-blamed-deaths-more-than-1000-snow-geese-cheyenne-bottoms/?fbclid=IwAR2ekSxu8m42nmq2T4tUvkDLklfVbsGNc7rNuK32ZQ44dW1xmNUUDtbZbaI

BARTON COUNTY, Kan. (KWCH) – Testing revealed more than 1,000 migrating snow geese have died of avian influenza at wetlands in central Kansas. Wildlife officials want to bring awareness to protect other birds at Cheyenne Bottoms where dead geese line the shores of its pools.

While the avian flu impact raises alarm, compared with the overall population at the wetlands, the impacted snow goose population is a small portion.

“Here at the Bottoms, we’ve estimated about 1,200, maybe 1,500 at-most snow geese have died. And again, that’s a pretty low percentage of the actual number of birds we have on the property,” said Kansas Wildlife and Parks Manager Jason Wagner.

Wagner said about 4,00,000 snow geese are at the Bottoms and there are many more throughout the state of Kansas.

“It’s kind of scattered, any place with a large concentration of snow geese is kind of where we’ve been noticing the die-off,” he said.

Wagner emphasized that there are ways to protect other birds from avian flu.

“Don’t handle the sick ones, then don’t bring your hunting clothes to your flock. Change your clothes, especially your shoes, disinfect your tires before driving back to your flock, (and) don’t let your flock free range,” he advised.

Wagner said he expects the number of avian flu deaths at Cheyenne Bottoms to decrease as the migration season ends.

You can see a map showing the impact of avian influenza across Kansas here: https://www.agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/division-of-animal-health/animal-diseases/avian-influenza.

Default Mono Sans Mono Serif Sans Serif Comic Fancy Small CapsDefault X-Small Small Medium Large X-Large XX-LargeDefault Outline Dark Outline Light Outline Dark Bold Outline Light Bold Shadow Dark Shadow Light Shadow Dark Bold Shadow Light BoldDefault Black Silver Gray White Maroon Red Purple Fuchsia Green Lime Olive Yellow Navy Blue Teal Aqua OrangeDefault 100% 75% 50% 25% 0%Default Black Silver Gray White Maroon Red Purple Fuchsia Green Lime Olive Yellow Navy Blue Teal Aqua OrangeDefault 100% 75% 50% 25% 0%McNair has a long road to recovery and will possibly need surgery. He said he’s grateful his family knew where to find him.

By Jay Harrison

Published: Dec. 19, 2023 at 5:45 PM PST|Updated: 16 hours ago

https://www.wdam.com/2023/12/20/collins-man-recovering-injuries-after-tree-stand-accident/

COLLINS, Miss. (WDAM) – As hunting season continues across the Pine Belt, long-time hunter Ricky McNair is now spending more time in his recliner.

McNair had just left work on Dec. 8 when he decided to stop by one of his tree stands and hunt for a few hours.

After reaching the top, McNair said he was preparing to enter the stand, before his foot somehow slipped and he fell 16 feet, landing on his back.

McNair said he was on the ground for two hours, unable to move, before his wife realized something was wrong and used Life360 to find him.

https://e31d363b2f81978a10d6bbfae216b808.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

“It’s always good to tell whoever you’ve got that you’re hunting with or your family where you’re going. She knew where I was at and the area I’d be at,” said McNair. “And of course she also knew that sometimes I stay until it gets completely dark, and then I’ll come out.”

“So, it wasn’t nothing unusual for me to be out past dark.”

After being taken to the hospital, McNair was told he had a small brain bleed, as well as multiple broken ribs and back fractures.

His family has set up a GoFundMe to help with future medical costs. To support the McNair family, click HERE.

https://e31d363b2f81978a10d6bbfae216b808.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

Here are some additional tips from Mossy Oak for staying safe while hunting:

• Inspect tree stands.
• Replace tree stand straps often.
• Wear a harness.
• Use a lifeline.
• Avoid excessive heights.

Want more WDAM 7 news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Lisa Schnirring

December 18, 2023

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/poultry-losses-mount-more-avian-flu-us-farms

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

User2547883c_812

SHARE

Over the past week, highly pathogenic avian flu outbreaks struck poultry flocks in 12 states, hitting seven more commercial farms, including one in California that houses more than 1.3 million layers, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said in its latest updates.

Detections of the H5N1 virus started ramping up in early October, with the events exacting an especially high toll on layer facilities and turkey farms in multiple parts of the country.  Last month, outbreaks led to the loss of more than 8 million birds, and so far this month poultry owners have lost more than 7.2 million birds.

Since the outbreaks began in early 2022, poultry outbreaks across 47 states have wiped out a record 75.4 million birds, according to APHIS.

Layer and turkey farms continue to feel brunt

In the most recent outbreaks, California is the latest state to report an event at a large layer farm, which occurred in Merced County.  Outbreaks also struck a broiler producer in Merced County and a duck breeding operation in San Joaquin County.

Two other states reported new outbreaks involving layer farms—a location in Kansas’ Rice County that houses 700,000 birds and a site in Ohio’s Darke County that has 560,000 birds.

Minnesota and South Dakota reported more outbreaks on turkey farms, and New York reported an outbreak at a game bird producer that has 4,200 birds.

Also, seven states reported more detections in backyard flocks, including Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Minnesota, and Oregon.

More outbreaks in Asia and Europe

Meanwhile, over the past week, several countries have reported fresh H5N1 outbreaks in wild birds and poultry, according to the latest notifications from the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). Germany, China, and Moldova reported detections involving wild birds.

Among locations reporting outbreaks at commercial farms, Taiwan reported a detection of the 2.3.4.4b clade—currently circulating widely across multiple parts of the globe—at a layer farm. The virus also struck more facilities in Germany and Hungary.