Wildlife

Michigan offers hunting information on cell phone app

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Have any spring hunting plans in Michigan? Well, there’s an app for that. In 2010, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, or DNR, launched the Mi-HUNT website,www.michigan.gov/mihunt, that allows hunters and outdoor lovers to view about 10 million acres of land available for hunting and other outdoor recreation. Now, just in time for the spring turkey hunting season, you can get the same information on your cell phone or tablet. It works directly with a device’s global positioning system, allowing users to view maps of 10 million acres of public and private land open for public hunting.

Recreation

National Wildlife Refuges expand hunting

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Three national wildlife refuges in the Great Lakes region will expand hunting opportunities and two more will open to hunting for the first time, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge and Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge in Illinois and thePatoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area in Indiana will expand migratory bird, upland game and big game hunting. The ones opening hunting for the first time are Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge in New York for big game hunting, and Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Pennsylvania for migratory bird, upland game and big game hunting. Hunting and wildlife observation is a big economic boost to the local area, said Bill McCory, the manager of Indiana’s 7,398-acre Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge. A lot of money is spent locally on hunting licenses, guns, clothes, tackle, bait and more.

Wildlife

Illinois, Wisconsin differ in culling deer to control disease

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By Elizabeth DagresGreat Lakes EchoHunting combined with the controversial practice of culling can help control chronic wasting disease (CWD) in white-tailed deer better than hunting alone, according to a recent study done in Illinois and Wisconsin. Culling removes breeding animals to minimize reproduction. It’s been used in both Illinois and Wisconsin to control the spread of the contagious neurological disease that infects deer, elk and moose. CWD causes a spongy degeneration of the brain and results in emaciation, abnormal behavior, loss of bodily functions and death, according to the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance. Illinois and Wisconsin are among the Great Lakes states experiencing an increase of white-tailed deer amid continued concern about the fatal disease.

Land

Stop invasive species: Wash your dog

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Meet comedian Marty Milfoil, one of the stars of a campaign to teach waterfowl hunters how they can help limit the spread of invasive species.

The Wildlife Forever campaign includes billboards and public service announcements.

Recreation

Hunting for a hunting spot? There’s an app for that

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Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources upgraded its Mi-HUNT computer app for the 2012 fall deer hunting season. Users will be able to view 7 million acres of public hunting lands and print hunting maps.

The other improvements include detailed information and printable maps of Hunting Access Program lands and state game and wildlife areas, and capacity to load that information directly into the user’s personal GPS.