It's been a long, strange and litigious trip, but it looks like Phil Bourjaily can finally go dove hunting in Iowa with whatever ammo he wants to use, thanks to an executive order from Iowa governor Terry Branstad From this story in the Sioux City Journal: Gov. Terry Branstad fired a shot at his executive-branch agencies by issuing an order Friday rescinding a ban on lead ammunition by dove hunters. Branstad said he would not let them trump actions of elected officials by using “administrative fiat” to set rules that go beyond a law’s intended effect. “We need to make sure that we stop this practice of agencies going beyond what’s been delegated to them and their responsibility,” Branstad said.
Here's an interesting philosophical question: Are you more inclined to care about animals that are cute than ones that are ugly? Probably, according to this story in the Montreal Gazette:
For endangered species, it pays to be a large mammal with sad eyes that cuddles its babies. Glamorous animals, big predators and, above all, the extremely cute and fuzzy stand a chance of getting people to protect them and their habitats. Ugly animals - as judged by human eyes - are far more likely to be left aside when humans draw up conservation plans. Anyone care to save Ontario's rattlesnakes? Canadian ecology experts say such thinking means we're in danger of re-shaping nature to beautify it according to human notions of what's pretty, saving the mammals but letting the reptiles and amphibians disappear.
Despite recent declines in sage grouse in northeast Wyoming, a three-day hunting season will continue this fall. Dozens of people came to the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission meeting Wednesday protesting a proposal to close the sage grouse hunting season in northeast Wyoming. After hours of debate, largely from falconers and other groups, the commission ultimately voted to keep the season open. Game and Fish biologists proposed closing the season because of declines in the population and because some members of the public worry hunting a species that could be placed on the endangered species list isn’t a good idea, said Tom Christiansen, sage grouse program coordinator for Game and Fish.
Anyone who follows the news knows that the saga of dove hunting in Iowa has been a long, strange trip (that's still not quite over). But now there's a new state organization with the express goal of promoting and advancing pro-hunting issues and reversing declining hunting interest in the Hawkeye state.
Outdoor enthusiasts and business groups on Wednesday announced the formation of a new organization to promote hunting in Iowa, hoping to reverse years of declining interest in the activity. Hunting Works for Iowa will stress the economic boost hunting provides. The organization estimates that hunters spend more than $288 million in the state annually and create 6,200 jobs, said Jim Henter, president of the Iowa Retail Federation, which is taking part in the effort.
Outside of animal rights organizations that routinely block attempts to control or eliminate it, you won't find many fans of the mute swan, an invasive species that adversely affects native waterfowl and shorebird populations wherever it spreads. It's an altogether nasty, ill-tempered and destructive bird. But now it appears you can add murder to its list of negative attributes.
An angry swan is being blamed for knocking a man out of his kayak in a Chicago pond and then continuing to attack until the man drowned. Anthony Hensley, 37, of Villa Park, Ill., worked for a company called Knox Swan & Dog which used swans and dogs to keep geese off the condominum’s properties.
Washington is one of three states that ban their use, and after a recent vote of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, it looks like Washington will remain one of three states that ban their use.
New hunting rules approved by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission for the 2012-14 seasons will expand hunting opportunities for elk and cougar, but leave intact the statewide ban on using electronic decoys to attract waterfowl.
The state of Wisconsin is currently embroiled in a debate over sandhill crane hunting, but according to numbers released by the state department of natural resources, Wisconsin residents overwhelmingly support the idea.
Outdoor lovers overwhelmingly endorsed the idea of hunting sandhill cranes, according to a tally state wildlife officials released Wednesday. The Wisconsin Conservation Congress asked everyone who attended its annual statewide spring hearings Monday whether they support a sandhill season. Attendees approved the idea by more than a 2-1 margin, according to a count the state Department of Natural Resources released Wednesday afternoon.
A large, excited and ultimately delusional turkey, convinced that he held the winning lottery ticket in last week's Powerball drawing, crashed through the front window at the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission on Tuesday while trying to claim the jackpot.
A large turkey burst through a window at the offices of the Massachusetts State Lottery in Braintree on Tuesday. “It was crazy,” Beth Bresnahan, a Lottery spokeswoman, said. “It was a 40-pound turkey that came crashing through a double-paned glass window with such force that it crashed through the window and then hit a brick wall at the back of our lobby.”
Remember last month, when the EPA was petitioned (once again) to ban lead ammo and fishing tackle? Well, guess what? The EPA has (once again) rejected the petition...
The Environmental Protection Agency today rejected a request for federal regulation of toxic lead in hunting ammunition, again abdicating its responsibility to protect the environment from toxic substances. Earlier this year, 150 organizations in 38 states petitioned the EPA for federal rules requiring use of nontoxic bullets and shot for hunting and shooting sports to protect public health and prevent the lead poisoning of millions of birds, including bald eagles and endangered condors.
Now this is what I call a hood (or in this case, grill) ornament. A British pheasant survived not only the initial impact with a car, but the ensuing 40-mile journey...
Talk about a game bird - this pheasant survived a 40-mile ride stuck to the front grille of a car. The bird - nicknamed Silver - is now making a miraculous recovery at a Cotswolds wildlife rescue centre. Silver is now strutting his stuff and feasting on bird seed, crumbled fat balls and the delicacy of mealworms at Oak and Furrows Wildlife Rescue Centre near Cirencester. On Wednesday March 12 it looked as though Silver’s number was up when he was hit by a car near the A46 on the road coming out of Bath. The owner of the car didn’t stop, carrying on his journey to work in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire. Silver was wedged in the car grille and remained there until lunchtime when someone out having a cigarette break noticed the distressed bird.