UTAH - Tips for applying for Big Game permits!

Big Game Hunting Applications Available by Jan. 17

A Division of Wildlife Resources official has some advice for those who apply for 2006 Utah big game hunting permits.

Beginning Jan. 17, applications for general buck deer, limited entry, once-in-a-lifetime and Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit hunts will be available from hunting and fishing license agents statewide, the Division of Wildlife Resources' Web site (wildlife.utah.gov) and DWR offices.

To be included in the draw for permits, applications must be received through the mail or an overnight mail service no later than 5 p.m. on Feb. 16, or through the DWR's Web site no later than 11 p.m. on Feb. 16.

Based on the number of applications received last year, DWR officials expect to receive almost 190,000 applications. Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing coordinator for the DWR, has some tips hunters can follow to help ensure their application is included in the draw:

* Apply Early

Applying early is the best thing hunters can do to ensure their application is entered in the draw and save themselves time and frustration in the process.

"Most of the hunters who apply on the Internet wait until the last week to apply. Thousands of people trying to apply at the same time really slows the system down," she said. "If you apply early in the application period, it should take less than five minutes to submit your application."

Tutorow encourages hunters to include an e-mail address when they apply online. "Having an e-mail address allows us to send a confirmation to you so you can double-check and make sure you entered your information correctly," she said. "Also, we'll send an e-mail to you in April, letting you know whether you drew a permit."

Hunters who submit paper applications also are encouraged to apply early. "It takes a few days for a paper application to arrive in their mail, so make sure you mail it far enough in advance that we receive it by 5 p.m. on Feb. 16," she said. "Also, if there's an error on your application, but we receive it by 5 p.m. on Feb. 9, you'll receive a correction letter and a chance to correct and resubmit your application."

* Write Your Credit Card Number Correctly

Incorrect credit card information is the biggest reason applications are rejected. Tutorow advises hunters to write their credit card number slowly and clearly (so the people receiving the application can read it) and to double-check that they wrote the number correctly. Also, credit cards must be valid through May 2006 to be used as payment.

Tutorow also wants to make hunters aware of the following:

* Fifteen percent of the general buck deer permits in each region have been set aside for youth hunters who will be 18 years old or younger on Aug. 19 (the start of Utah's 2006 general archery buck deer hunt). This should give youth hunters a better chance of drawing a Southern Region permit. Youth hunters who apply as part of a group will not be included in the 15 percent, however, so youths who want the best chance of obtaining a Southern Region permit are encouraged to apply individually.

* Lifetime license holders can now go the DWR's Web site (wildlife.utah.gov) to complete their lifetime license questionnaire and select the general season deer region they want to hunt. Lifetime license holders must submit their questionnaire and select their region hunt choice by Feb. 16 to be guaranteed a deer hunting permit for the region of their choice.

* Hunters who obtained a 2005 limited entry or once-in-a-lifetime permit, but did not report their harvest success, may not apply for a 2006 big game permit. Hunters who have questions about this requirement may call the Utah Wildlife Administrative Services office at 1-800-221-0659 for more information.

Contact: Mark Hadley, DWR Conservation Outreach Specialist (801) 538-4737

Utah - Bear Hunt News Release

Salt Lake City -- Fewer female bears should be taken in Utah during the 2006 hunting season after the Utah Wildlife Board approved a recommendation that will allow more of the state's black bear hunting to be held in the spring.

The spring portion of the hunt will run from April 8 to May 31. A total of 172 permits will be available for the spring hunt.

The fall portion of the hunt will run from Aug. 26 to Sept. 30 and Nov. 1 to Nov. 26. A total of 70 permits will be available for the fall hunt.

The 242 permits available for the spring and fall hunts are an increase of four permits over the 238 permits that were available for Utah's 2005 hunt. An additional 13 permits also will be given to several Indian tribes in Utah this year.

Applications for 2006 black bear hunting permits will be available by Feb. 1. Applications must be received no later than Feb. 28 to be included in the draw for permits. Draw results will be available by March 29.

Spring Bear Hunt

Switching more of Utah's black bear hunting to the spring should result in hunters taking fewer female bears.

"For the past five years, we've conducted an experimental spring bear hunt on three hunting units to compare the number of female bears taken in the spring with the number of females taken on four fall-hunting units," said Kevin Bunnell, mammals program coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. "The four fall units chosen for the experiment were close to the spring units and had bear populations that were similar in size."

The results from the five-year experiment are encouraging. On the four spring units, 21 percent of the bears taken by hunters were females. On the four fall units, 31 percent of the bears taken were females.

"Switching more of Utah's black bear hunting from the fall to the spring should result in hunters taking fewer females, and that should lead to an even healthier bear population in Utah," Bunnell said.

Spring hunting reduces the number of females taken by hunters two ways.

"Male bears usually come of their dens in the spring earlier than females, so it's more likely hunters will encounter male bears in the spring," he said. "Also, a female bear's cubs stay close to her in the spring. When hunters see cubs close to a bear, they know they've found a female."

For more information, contact the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

Contact: Kevin Bunnell, DWR Mammals Program Coordinator (801) 538-4758 (office) or (801) 673-5806 (cell phone)

Mark Hadley, DWR Conservation Outreach Specialist (801) 538-4737

Minn - Opening dates announced for 2006 Minnesota hunting seasons

Opening dates for many of the 2006 Minnesota hunting seasons were announced this week by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The dates are being announced now for the benefit of those who must establish vacation or hunting plans well in advance. Although these dates are tentative, pending final approval in June, it is unlikely they will change.

SMALL GAME

General small game opener, including grouse gray partridge, rabbits and squirrels, Sept. 16

Pheasant, Oct. 14

Prairie chicken season, Oct. 21-25

Spring wild turkey (first season begins), April 12

Fall wild turkey (first season), Oct. 18-22

Fall wild turkey (second season), Oct. 25-29

BIG GAME

Bear, Sept. 1

Deer - archery, Sept. 16

Deer - firearms, Nov. 4

Deer - muzzleloader, Nov. 25

Moose - northeast zone, Sept. 30

FURBEARERS

Fox, raccoon, badger, opossum, Oct. 21

Mink, muskrat, beaver, otter, Oct. 28

Fisher, marten, bobcat, Nov. 25

MIGRATORY BIRDS

Waterfowl, (to be announced)

Early Canada goose, Sept. 2 (tentative)

Mourning doves, Sept. 1

Take A Kid Hunting Weekend, Sept. 23-24

General duck and goose, (to be announced)

Rails, snipe, Sept. 1

Woodcock, Sept. 23 (tentative)

Crow, March 1-31; July 15-Oct. 15

The waterfowl season opener will not be finalized until the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service publishes proposed migratory bird hunting frameworks this summer.

The DNR will be taking comments on wildlife hunting and trapping seasons during February and March at meetings across the state.

Details and meeting dates will be announced in late January. Additional details on season lengths, quotas and bag limits will be announced this summer, after the 2006 seasons are finalized.

Out-of-state deer hunters pump $30 million into Missouri’s economy annually

The Show-Me State’s white-tailed deer herd contributes more than recreation and lean red meat on the table.

JEFFERSON CITY-With the 2005 firearms deer season winding down, the picture of how much white-tailed deer are worth to Missouri is coming into focus again. Statistics from the Missouri Department of Conservation show that nonresident deer hunters alone brought more than $30 million into the Show-Me State this year.

As of Dec. 1, the Conservation Department had sold 15,548 nonresident firearms any-deer permits, 13,746 nonresident antlerless permits, and 5,061 nonresident archery permits. The more than $2.9 million these hunters spent on permits is a boost to the state’s economy, but it is only a small part of the benefits Missouri reaps from its deer herd.

David Thorne, public involvement coordinator for the Conservation Department, said out-of-state deer hunters each spend an average of 4.6 days hunting in Missouri. While here, they spend approximately $15 million on food and $4 million on lodging.

Add ammunition, equipment, motor fuels, taxidermy and other goods and services, and expenditures by nonresident deer hunters total nearly $28 million annually. This activity supports 550 jobs with earnings totaling more than $13 million.

Using economic calculations, Thorne says that nonresident deer hunter expenditures have a total business impact of $57.9 million in the Show-Me State annually.

"One of the things I find most remarkable about this, " said Thorne, 'is that the relatively small number of nonresident deer hunters spent almost as much on food and lodging in the state as resident hunters. Missourians and businesses in Missouri really benefit from that spending by nonresidents."

Only about one of every 20 deer hunters in Missouri is a nonresident. Nonresident deer hunters are also likely to be hunting with friends or family in Missouri. About nine of 10 of the nonresident deer hunters from Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma report that they have friends and family in Missouri and that they have long-standing hunting traditions with friends and family here.

These deer hunters also are not likely to be looking for hunting spots on conservation lands, since about nine of 10 say they hunt exclusively on private land.

Approximately one third of nonresident deer hunting permit sales are to residents of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma. More than one-third of those nonresident deer hunters have lived in Missouri in the past.

Conservation Department Resource Scientist Lonnie Hansen oversees the state’s deer management program. He said the total economic value of deer hunting is far greater than the $30 million that nonresident deer hunters pump into Missouri’s economy each year. Economic activity generated by the state’s more than 450,000 resident deer hunters totals more than $800 million annually.

Missouri - Conservation Department sets meetings to hear Missourians' ideas on deer, turkey management

Antler-point restrictions are among the topics to be discussed.

JEFFERSON CITY-Are you content with Missouri's spring and fall turkey hunting regulations? Do you like the idea of antler-point restrictions to control the state's deer herd? Would you like to see that experimental approach to deer management extended to the area you hunt? You can tell conservation officials about it at a series of meetings set for two parts of the state in January.

The Missouri Department of Conservation will hold six public forums focusing on deer and turkey management in southeast and south-central Missouri. Half of each two-hour meeting will be allocated for discussing turkey management, and half will be set aside for talking about deer management.

One item on the agenda is the possibility of expanding the four-point rule now in effect in 29 counties to seven counties in west-central Missouri and eight in the southeastern part of the state. The rule is an experimental attempt to shift more of the harvest to female deer, providing more effective control of deer numbers.

One side effect of the experimental regulation is expected to be a larger percentage of mature bucks with large antlers. This has caused some hunters to ask for antler-point restrictions in their areas. However, some hunters in the area where the restriction already is in effect dislike it. The meetings will give hunters in the new area under consideration a chance to express their preferences.

Counties where the Conservation Department is considering expanding the experimental antler restriction are Bates, Benton, Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Cedar, Henry, Hickory, Madison, Perry, St. Clair, Ste. Genevieve, Scott, Stoddard, Vernon and Wayne.

Each of the meetings will be from 7 to 9 p.m. and begin with a presentation by Hansen, who leads the Conservation Department's deer management program, and turkey program leader Jeff Beringer. The meetings are set for the following locations.

•Piedmont, Jan. 9 at the Clearwater Youth Center, Highway 34, adjacent to Clearwater High School.

•Marble Hill, Jan. 10 at the Methodist Church, Highway 34 East.

•Perryville, Jan. 12 at the Perryville Community Center, corner of Spring and St. Joseph streets. For more information call (573) 290-5730.

•Cape Girardeau, Jan. 18 at Conservation Campus Nature Center, North Cape County Park.

•El Dorado Springs, Jan. 23 at the American Legion building on Broadway, one block east of Main Street.

•Clinton, Jan. 24 at the K-BLE building, 1606 N. Water St. For more information call (660) 885-6981

Colorado Majestic Ram Dies of Natural Causes

Colorado Bighorn Sheep Ram Among the Largest Ever Recorded

A world-class bighorn sheep ram that lived along the Arkansas River was found dead in late November. Over the past few years, the ram was spotted in a small herd of sheep that lived on private property west of Pueblo Reservoir.

Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) biologists estimate the ram was between 12 and 13 years old and was driven from the herd by younger males. At that point, he traveled north onto property owned by Fort Carson where it died of old age. A necropsy indicated heart and lung problems along with arthritis and a chest infection.

“This old guy is one for the record books,” said Allen Vitt, a terrestrial biologist from Pueblo. “Based on the initial measurements, the ram will score among the largest in the world.”

The current Boone & Crocket world record ram is 208 and three-eighths. Scoring is done by taking a series of standardized measurements. Boone & Crocket requires that horns dry for at least 60 days before measuring, so a final score will not be calculated until February.

One thing that might prevent this sheep from becoming a new world record is that fact that one of its horns was broken off at the tip. “Brooming” is the name for the chipping and fraying of the horns. It is usually caused by fighting.

Regardless of the final score, the ram was one of the most majestic bighorn sheep recorded in Colorado.

One of the reasons this ram’s horns grew to such massive proportions is because he lived a long time in relative seclusion. There is no public access to the portion of the Arkansas River where it lived. The rocky cliffs adjacent to the river provided ample protection from predators and there was good access to forage and water.

Fort Carson military and wildlife officials discovered the ram on the southern end of their property in late August and kept a close eye on it to ensure its safety. The ram was showing signs of old age including decreased muscle mass, fatigue, and had become seemingly unafraid of humans. “We were very fortunate that personnel at Fort Carson found the ram,” said Shaun Deeney, an area wildlife manager from Colorado Springs. “Due to their vigilance, we will be able to preserve this majestic animal for future generations.” The DOW plans to have the ram mounted to use in an educational display.

“Our records indicate that bighorn sheep were first documented along the Arkansas River between Pueblo and Cañon City in the early 1990’s, said Bob Davies, a senior biologist with the DOW. “We believe the sheep migrated into the rugged cliffs along the river after transplant operations along Hardscrabble Creek in 1988.”

Bighorn sheep are the official state mammal in Colorado. They are an extremely popular animal both for hunting and for wildlife viewing. Many areas of the state have developed wildlife viewing areas specifically for bighorns including Georgetown west of Denver and along the Arkansas River west of Cañon City.

At the time of the arrival of European settlers, bighorn sheep were very common throughout Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West. By the end of the 19th century, however, populations of bighorn sheep declined.

Although the exact cause of the decline is not fully understood, wildlife biologists believe that parasites and diseases, such as lungworm and pneumonia, may have been key factors. Other reasons included market-hunting to feed a growing population in the gold mining camps.

Over the past 50 years, the Colorado DOW has taken a proactive role in sheep management and today there are approximately 8,000 sheep roaming the mountainsides and canyon lands in the state. “Intensive management efforts began in the 1970”s and bighorn sheep populations have been on the rise ever since,” said Davies.

In 1962, there were at least 52 known herds of bighorn sheep in Colorado ranging from the Continental Divide to Mesa Verde National Park. Today the number of herds in Colorado has more than doubled.

Michigan - Spring Wild Turkey Hunting Application Period Begins Jan. 1

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources today announced the 2006 spring wild turkey application period will run from Jan. 1 - Feb. 1, 2006. All turkey hunters must apply for a license or purchase a Guaranteed Hunt Period license (Hunt No. 234, May 1-31) between Jan. 1 and Feb. 1 to be eligible to participate in the spring turkey hunting season.

The spring turkey season will run from Apr. 17 - May 31 and will last from 7 to 31 days, depending on the hunt unit.

A total of 114,190 licenses will be made available through a lottery during the hunter-limited hunt periods. This license total includes 46,690 general licenses and 67,500 private land licenses.

Hunters again have the option of applying for Hunt Unit ZZ, which includes all private-land units in southern Michigan. Hunters who draw this license may hunt the first two weeks of the season on private land anywhere in the unit.

Hunters may apply for or purchase a turkey hunting license at any authorized license dealer, at DNR Operations Service Centers or online at www.michigan.gov/dnr using the E-License system. Those who apply must pay a nonrefundable application fee of $4, which does not include the cost of the license.

During the application process, it is important that hunters verify their customer ID (Michigan Driver License, DNR Sportcard or state of Michigan ID card) numbers. An incorrect customer ID number will cause individuals to become ineligible for a license.

Hunters may use MasterCard, VISA, American Express and Discover when applying or purchasing a license online at the DNR E-License system, available 24 hours a day during the application period.

Applicants may check drawing results online beginning March 1. Applicants who did not apply online will be notified of drawing results by mail before March 7.

If licenses are still available after the drawing, the remaining licenses will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis to unsuccessful applicants in the license lottery. These individuals may purchase one leftover license in person at any license-issuing agent beginning March 8 at 10 a.m. (EDT). Hunt No. 234 also is available to all unsuccessful applicants.

“Hunters looking for the greatest hunting flexibility should consider Hunt No. 234, which includes all open areas except public lands, in Unit ZZ (southern Michigan),” said Al Stewart, DNR upland game bird specialist.

Hunt No. 234 licenses may be purchased online or from license agents during the application period. Individuals who select this option will not be charged the $4 application fee. Hunters also may select this hunt as a second choice on their application.

“The current hunting regulations are established to maximize hunting opportunity while maintaining high quality hunting experiences. We are able to expand hunting opportunities based on the success of Michigan’s wild turkey restoration program,” said Stewart.

There are 46,305 square miles open to hunting in Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas for 2006, as compared to 45,525 in 2005.