Daily Archives: August 6, 2014

Photos from Outdoor Adventure Camp 2014

This past June (2014) the Kansas Wildlife Federation hosted the 26th year of  its Outdoor Adventure Camp for kids 12-14 years old at Rock Springs Ranch, Kansas 4-H Conference Center.

Many organizations assisted in its success including: Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism, the Milford Nature Center, the Environmental Protection Agency, Extension 4-H, Geary County Fish & Game, 4-H Sport Fishing & Shooting Sports, Riley County Fish & Game, the Flint Hills Job Corps, the Clay County Conservation District, and Field & Stream – Hero’s of Conservation.

A random selection of photos taken by Carl Conley can be viewed at the bottom of the Kansas Wildlife Federation homepage or by clicking here.

Congress should support ‘Waters of the U.S.’ rule

By Chris Macaluso, Center for Marine Fisheries

   Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Baton Rouge

A recent article in The Times-Picayune detailed the National Oceanic and Atmo­spheric Administration’s esti­mate that the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico this year will be about the size of the state of Connecticut.

Decomposing algae in deep waters depletes oxygen in the lower water column. The fish and shellfish die if they cannot move to areas with more oxygen. These algae blooms are caused by high nutrient levels coming from the Mississippi and Atch­afalaya rivers. The bulk of the nutrients causing the dead zone come from farm and urban runoff well upstream of Louisiana. A key fix to limiting nutrients in the Mississippi River and other watersheds across America is in protecting the headwaters and wetlands that can filter nutrients.

Unfortunately, many in Congress are opposing a rule developed by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Corps of Engineers that would make the Mississippi River a healthier waterway. Called the “Waters of theU.S.,” the proposed rule pro­tects critical headwaters, streams and wetlands needed for healthy rivers and lakes, even the Gulf.

A healthy Gulf of Mexico is essential to having a healthy Louisiana. This state’s congres­sional delegation should be sup­portive of the laws and rules needed to make our wetlands and waters healthier.

Size of low-oxygen dead zone measured each July along Louisiana's coast since 1985, in orange. Estimated size of this year's low-oxygen area, in red, based on the amount of nitrogen carried by the Mississippi River in May, is more than 5,400 square miles. That's about average, and the same size as the state of Connecticut. (Dan Swenson, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

Size of low-oxygen dead zone measured each July along Louisiana’s coast since 1985, in orange. Estimated size of this year’s low-oxygen area, in red, based on the amount of nitrogen carried by the Mississippi River in May, is more than 5,400 square miles. That’s about average, and the same size as the state of Connecticut. (Dan Swenson, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

Poachers hitting deer near Cedar Bluff Reservoir

By Molly Hadfield

Ksn.com

Deer hunting season doesn’t start until December, but that’s not stopping some poachers near Cedar Bluff Reservoir.

State wildlife officials found six deer off the highway near Cedar Bluff Reservoir, all killed by poachers in July.

“Well, the unusual part about it is that, in the middle of summer it’s just something that usually doesn’t happen. Occasionally in deer season you’ll have some issues with people shooting stuff, and taking parts and just leaving other parts, but with this it’s in the middle of summer and they haven’t taken anything,” said Owen Johnson, a Game Warden with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.

The poachers didn’t take any meat or antlers from the deer.

“They’re just being shot and wasted. They’re not doing anything with them. They’re just driving by and shooting them and driving off and leaving them to waste there in the grass,” said Johnson.

Several of the deer were shot in this field. You can see the shine of their eyes at night. As people drive down the highway, it’s easy to shoot the deer from a truck.

“It only takes a few seconds to stop, roll your window down and shoot at one or two and keep going down the interstate. The whole act only takes fifteen to twenty seconds before the person’s going back down the road again,” Johnson said.

The worst part is that these deer are being killed in fields reserved for youth hunts. They are for kids to hunt with mentors who otherwise wouldn’t get the opportunity to go hunting.

“The fields are protected all year round from all other hunting. And then for someone to come along and just kill them and not do anything with them. They’re essentially taking away from those kids who are counting on that as a place to hunt,” said Johnson.

If you know anything about the deer poachers, you can report them anonymously to Operation Game Thief at 1-877-246-3843.

To see the video report from KSN News TV, go to:

http://ksn.com/2014/07/24/poachers-hitting-deer-near-cedar-bluff-reservoir/