MONDAY MASHUP: Where the (Great Lakes) wild things are

Many state natural resources departments in the Great Lakes region have interactive maps that illustrate wildlife areas.

Some are for hunters; others just show where common fish and animals are located

Note: Check each state’s hunting and fishing authority for rules and license information.

MINNESOTA

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has a neat feature called AniMaps, which lets users search for the locations of mammals, breeding birds and amphibians and reptiles. Users can see if animals are found in their county and who manages the species.

Here’s a list of all the department’s interactive and printable maps.

ILLNOIS

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources features an interactive map for the 2009-10 hunting season. Click on a particular region for species, season, hours and regulation information.

INDIANA

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources Web site features several hunting and fishing mashups. Users can find department and federal government properties as well as areas of natural conservancy in the hunting mashup. The department asks that hunters to verify rules with the property before going out on the field.

The fish finder allows users to search for public fishing areas. Each location contains information about fees, motor restrictions and types of fishing allowed.

MICHIGAN

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment has maps on public hunting lands, wildlife areas, coal mines, inland lakes and even oil and gas wells.

The public hunting lands mashup allows users to click on a county and download a detailed map of hunting areas. The state game and wildlife areas feature isn’t a mashup, but allows users to download maps that show the locations of various species in each country.

OHIO

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has an alphabetical listing and mashup of wildlife areas. Each location displays information on habitat type and which animals can be viewed or hunted there.

PENNSYVLANIA

The Pennsylvania Game Commission’s game land maps should be available by the end of the month, according to a commission representative. Look out for the quick link on the commission’s Web site.

NEW YORK

New York’s Department of Conservation has many interactive maps, including a nature explorer feature that allows users to search for birds, reptiles, amphibians and rare animals in areas of interest. And here’s a map of bird conservation areas.

Win a prize if you’re the first to suggest or create a Great Lakes mashup used on Echo’s Monday Mashup. What’s the prize? Well, it’s not a Great Lakes cruise.  But  we’ll send you a token of thanks AND publicly acknowledge your contribution in MONDAY MASHUP. Send it to Monday Mashups editor Rachael Gleason at GreatLakesEcho@gmail.com.