A wild black bear was captured alive in a south Del Rio, Texas, neighborhood Tuesday. The Del Rio police, city animal control officers and state wildlife officials converged on the 300 block of Plaza Avenue in the city’s San Felipe neighborhood about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The black bear, which had been sighted in the area since Monday afternoon, climbed a pecan tree on a vacant lot adjacent to Don’s Funeral Chapels, 307 Plaza Ave. Police armed with shotguns and rifles cleared a two-block area around the pecan tree into which the bear had climbed, ordering persons living in the neighborhood to stay inside their homes.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Wildlife Biologist Sylvestre Sorola, an experienced outdoorsman and veteran hunter, shot the bear with a tranquilizer dart shortly after noon Tuesday. Instead of leaving the tree, the darted bear scrambled about 10 feet higher,
forcing wildlife officials and Del Rio firefighters to use the fire department’s ladder truck to haul the unconscious bruin to the ground.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is proposing moving the South Zone second split of dove season deeper into January, but otherwise is recommending minimal changes to the 2008-09 Early Migratory Game Bird Proclamation. TPWD staff announced the proposed dove and teal season calendar during the Regulations Committee meeting of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, Wednesday, May 21.

The proposed dove season in the North Zone would run Sept. 1-Oct. 30, with a 15-bird bag and not more than two white-tipped doves; the Central Zone would be Sept. 1-Oct. 30 and reopen Dec. 26-Jan. 4, with a 12-bird bag and not more than two white-tipped doves; and the South Zone would run Sept. 20-Nov. 2, reopening Dec. 26-Jan. 20 with a 12 bird bag and not more than two white-tipped doves. Possession limit is twice the daily bag.

The Special South Texas Whitewing Zone, which now encompasses land west of I-35 and south of U. S. Highway 90, would open to white-winged dove afternoon-only (noon to sunset) hunting the first two Saturdays and Sundays in September and reopen Sept. 20-Nov. 2 and again from Dec. 26-Jan. 16. The daily bag limit is 12 birds, not more than four (4) mourning doves during the first two weekend splits and two (2) white-tipped doves. (more…)

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Upland Game Bird Advisory Board is recognizing the conservation efforts and contributions of two Texas-based chapters of Quail Unlimited. The Alamo Area Chapter of Quail Unlimited provided about $12,000 in funds that have been utilized in habitat enhancement activities and in the acquisition of equipment required to accomplish such. The most recent contribution went towards acquisition of a no-till drill to be used in providing enhanced habitats for upland birds; habitats that will not only benefit quail, but a diversity of other wildlife as well.

The South Texas Chapter of Quail Unlimited, since 2001, has contributed about $95,000 towards habitat enhancement activities and equipment purchases to accomplish such, including some $15,000 which was used toward purchase of a 4×4 tractor for use on the Daughtrey WMA.

“This level of participation and contribution represents the true spirit of the public/private partnership focus at Texas Parks and Wildlife,” said Deborah Clark, Upland Game Bird Advisory Council chair. “Specifically, these donations support improving habitat management efforts that are the foundation of providing prime hunting opportunities to a broader populace who might not otherwise have access to these and other WMA around the state. The Upland Game Bird Advisory Board is proud to recognize and publicize the generous contributions of these two Quail Unlimited chapters.”

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Denise Haldeman doesn’t blame the bear that attacked her in the darkness outside her Lycoming County, PA, home May 12, injuring her and killing her dog.

“It wasn’t her fault,” Haldeman, 44, said Wednesday. “It was the mistakes I made. She was just being a mother.”

Officials say they believe the bear that injured Haldeman is the one they trapped outside Haldeman’s home last week. The bear and three cubs had been seen in the area in the days before the encounter. Haldeman said she should not have gone out after dark to bring in three bird feeders, and she should have had Panda, her 12-year-old half Labrador retriever-half Australian herd dog, on a leash.

Haldeman said she went outside shortly after 9 p.m. to get the feeders, and Panda “tore into the yard.” She thought he was chasing a neighbor’s dog that at times runs loose. The next thing Haldeman knew, a bear was standing on its hind legs clicking its teeth at her. She turned to flee into the house, and the bear hit her from behind, knocking her face down on the patio. (more…)