January, 2009 - Wildlife Management Pro

Video of Moutain Lion Killing Deer

Mountain lions are known to kill deer, but it’s not very often that anyone gets to see a cougar killing its prey. In fact, it is a special occassion to even have the opportunity to see a mountian lion in the wild. The persons filming the video below were not only fortunate enough to see a mountain lion, but they were lucky enough to witness the animal killing a mule deer and capture the whole thing on camera.

Most mountain lion sightings are unreliable, but a video can substantiate just about anything. The following event was filmed in August 2008 and was captured on video by local hiker Jen Kulier, who wrote to to describe how she and her friends captured this video in the Crags on the backside of Pikes Peak:

“Some friends (Mark Lee, Keith Emmons, Jackson Solway) and I were getting an early start to summit Pikes Peak from the Crags last August. We were driving up the road to the trailhead at about 6 am. I was riding shotgun and holding a video camera, because we planned to film some of our hike. Just before we got to the Mennonite Camp, a deer walked into the road and stopped, so I started filming the deer. At the same time the camera started filming, the mountain lion jumped out from the trees on the side of the road and attacked the deer.”

Continue reading Video of Moutain Lion Killing Deer

Feeding Mule Deer in Colorado – Don’t!

When the snow begins to pile up again in Colorado, mule deer will show up at the feed sites established last winter by the Colorado Division of Wildlife. However, citizens should not provide any type of feed to deer or attempt to get close to them. Feeding big game is illegal unless authorized by the Colorado Department of Wildlife (DOW). The 2008 feeding operation was an extraordinary event because of the unusually deep snow and extremely cold temperatures. In an average winter, mule deer can be expected to find enough natural forage. But even average winters are tough on healthy mule deer. Deer usually lose about 20 percent of their body weight during winter and that decline in body mass means that weaker animals will not make it to the spring. Even during average winters, 15 to 20 percent of the deer herd may die. Survival depends greatly on the health of the deer going into the winter. Continue reading Feeding Mule Deer in Colorado – Don’t!

Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting

The University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) is pleased to announce the annual Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting (TBEM) for 2009. The meeting will focus on work being done in the bays, estuaries and near-shore Gulf of Mexico. It provides an opportunity for Texas scientists working in the coastal zone to share information, results and insights into our diverse coastal environment. Both natural and social science research is welcome. There will be awards for the best student presentations. The meeting will be held at the Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, Texas.

Talks will be held in the Auditorium located in the Visitor’s Center, and there will be a limited number of poster slots available. Information on the Institute and directions can be found at their website. Abstracts and registration are due 31 March 2009. Registration will open in mid February at URL to be posted in the 2nd announcement. Housing and registration costs will be similar to 2008.

Kansas’ Young Deer Hunters Head to the Field

Kansas Youth Doe Hunt

What’s better than deer hunting? How about taking some aspiring young deer hunters to the field for a shot at their first white-tailed deer? Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) drawn five young hunters from more than 20 applicants for the first Youth Doe Hunt held January 2. All five young hunters successfully harvested an antlerless deer. KDWP employees Jared Eatmon, Alan Midcap, Rob Riggin, James Svaty, and David Jenkins assisted the young hunters, along with a parent of each youth.

The day began with lunch at Claythorne Lodge, where Jenkins and Riggin spoke to the hunters about safety and rules of the hunt. The group then adjourned to the shooting range to sight in their guns. After sighting in, hunters went to designated areas provided by Claythorne Lodge, Sam and Frieda Lancaster, Hugh Sosebee, Sam Dismuke, and John Parsons. John’s Sports Center of Pittsburg was also a sponsor. Claythorne provided meals, the shooting range, and organization of the shooting areas. Continue reading Kansas’ Young Deer Hunters Head to the Field

Texas Duck Hunting Report

The High Plains Mallard Management Unit is reporting reat goose hunts near Dumas. Excellent decoying action has been had over corn and plowed ground. Many outfitters say they are getting their limit of dark geese with equal numbers of snow geese. Lots of young snows have helped decoying action. Duck action has been steady on playa lakes, but few hunters have taken advantage. Those who have hunted have taken limits of mallards. Teal, wigeons, gadwall and a few wood ducks have been taken as well. Haskell County hunters have seen the same results. Pheasant hunters continue to bag their birds. Prospects are good according to the latest duck hunting reports from the area.

Lots of holiday hunters kept birds moving on lakes and reservoirs in the North Zone Duck region. Recent rains have helped fill sloughs and backwaters where acorns and other forage were plentiful. Timber hunters say wood ducks are steady in the morning and afternoon. More mallards have been taken in the past two weeks around the Red River. Lake Wright-Patman has been good for gadwalls, teal and mallards. Lake Palestine has been steady for gadwalls, teal and a few mallards. Sam Rayburn has yielded limits for most puddle ducks and wood ducks for hunters able to hunt lay-out blinds in coves. Toledo Bend, Caddo Lake , Lake O’the Pines and Lake Fork have plenty of ringed-necks, scaup and canvasbacks. A few mallards have been taken in isolated pockets of water. Hunting along IH-10 has been fair to good around Winnie and Anahuac . Wood ducks have been taken in small timber ponds. Gadwalls and green-winged teal have been harvested near Nome . Prospects are fair to good. Continue reading Texas Duck Hunting Report