MUSCATINE, Iowa — Five area men pleaded guilty this week to trespass and hunting violations on private property northwest of West Liberty on Dec. 13, 2008.According to a release from the Department of Natural Resources: Russell Stagg, 53, West Liberty, will pay a $182 fine and $1,500 civil penalty for unlawful possession of a deer.
Mark Stagg, 26, West Liberty, will pay a $182 fine and $1,500 civil penalty for unlawful possession of a deer.
Kenneth Meyer, 64, Lone Tree, will pay a $260 fine for trespassing. Andrew Meyer, 25, Lone Tree, will pay a $260 fine for trespassing.Eric Kirkpatrick, 39, Nichols, will pay a $260 fine for trespassing.
The men were charged by DNR following an investigation of hunters trespassing in Wapsinonoc Township during the second Iowa shotgun deer hunting season.
The Iowa Department of Public Safety and Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation.
Friday
* * * Deer hunting season opens
It is finally that time of the year again for Georgia hunters. Firearms deer season opened Saturday, Oct. 18 and goes through Jan. 1 in the Northern Zone and Jan. 15 in the Southern Zone. Last year, more than 276,000 licensed hunters harvested over 300,000 deer.
"Regulated hunting is the most cost effective and efficient means of managing the deer herd," says John Bowers, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division assistant chief of Game Management. "In addition, sportsmen and women provide more than $30 million each year to fund wildlife conservation in the state through license fees and selfimposed excise taxes collected on the purchase of firearms, ammunition, archery equipment and fishing equipment."
The division manages more than 90 wildlife management areas, comprising nearly one million acres of public hunting opportunities. For just $19/year, resident hunters can purchase a WMA license and hunt on these lands. Georgia's WMAs provide a variety of hunting options, including archery, primitive weapons, modern firearms, adultchild hunts, ladies-only hunts and hunts for the physically disabled.
"The annual WMA license is a bargain for deer hunters," says Senior Wildlife Biologist Brandon Anderson. "It is the best value hunting club in the state of Georgia - nearly one million acres of land for $19 a year."
All hunters should read the 2008- 2009 Georgia Hunting Seasons and Regulations annual guide, available
at www.gohuntgeorgia.com or
* * * from license agents, for any special
county regulations, including eithersex days and antler restrictions and for specific WMA regulations.
All of Georgia's public lands open to hunting are mapped out as a line map, topographical map and a color infrared map (with many larger areas divided up by tract for easier
viewing) and now are easily
* * *
accessible online at
www.gohuntgeorgia.com . Search for maps by their geographic location or alphabetically by the name of the Wildlife Management Area, Natural Area or Heritage Preserve. These newly updated maps should serve as an excellent resource for hunters looking to plan their trips.
The season bag limit remains at 10 antlerless deer and two antlered bucks. One of the two bucks must have at least four points (one inch or longer) on one side of the antlers. There are no other statewide antler restrictions. All deer hunters must wear at least 500 square-inches of fluorescent orange above the waist to legally hunt during firearms season, except on archery-only areas.
Deer hunters using modern firearms must possess a valid hunting license, a big game license and a current deer harvest record. If hunting on a WMA, hunters also must possess a WMA license. Hunting licenses are available online at www.gohuntgeorgia.com, at over 1,000 license agents or by calling 1-888-748-6887.
"Regulated hunting is the most cost effective and efficient means of managing the deer herd," says John Bowers, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division assistant chief of Game Management. "In addition, sportsmen and women provide more than $30 million each year to fund wildlife conservation in the state through license fees and selfimposed excise taxes collected on the purchase of firearms, ammunition, archery equipment and fishing equipment."
The division manages more than 90 wildlife management areas, comprising nearly one million acres of public hunting opportunities. For just $19/year, resident hunters can purchase a WMA license and hunt on these lands. Georgia's WMAs provide a variety of hunting options, including archery, primitive weapons, modern firearms, adultchild hunts, ladies-only hunts and hunts for the physically disabled.
"The annual WMA license is a bargain for deer hunters," says Senior Wildlife Biologist Brandon Anderson. "It is the best value hunting club in the state of Georgia - nearly one million acres of land for $19 a year."
All hunters should read the 2008- 2009 Georgia Hunting Seasons and Regulations annual guide, available
at www.gohuntgeorgia.com or
* * * from license agents, for any special
county regulations, including eithersex days and antler restrictions and for specific WMA regulations.
All of Georgia's public lands open to hunting are mapped out as a line map, topographical map and a color infrared map (with many larger areas divided up by tract for easier
viewing) and now are easily
* * *
accessible online at
www.gohuntgeorgia.com . Search for maps by their geographic location or alphabetically by the name of the Wildlife Management Area, Natural Area or Heritage Preserve. These newly updated maps should serve as an excellent resource for hunters looking to plan their trips.
The season bag limit remains at 10 antlerless deer and two antlered bucks. One of the two bucks must have at least four points (one inch or longer) on one side of the antlers. There are no other statewide antler restrictions. All deer hunters must wear at least 500 square-inches of fluorescent orange above the waist to legally hunt during firearms season, except on archery-only areas.
Deer hunters using modern firearms must possess a valid hunting license, a big game license and a current deer harvest record. If hunting on a WMA, hunters also must possess a WMA license. Hunting licenses are available online at www.gohuntgeorgia.com, at over 1,000 license agents or by calling 1-888-748-6887.
Tuesday
Ready, Set, Hunt!
With a variety of gun season opening days in South Carolina, deer hunters are in different stages of preparation now. But it's never too early -- or too late -- to get ready for your deer hunts.
By Terry Madewell
North American Whitetail's Gordon Whittington shot this nice velvet buck in a Jasper County bean field last August. The hunt will be shown on an upcoming episode of North American Whitetail TV on the Outdoor Channel.
The opening of deer season means different things to different deer hunters across different parts of South Carolina in terms of pre-season preparation. The structure of the South Carolina deer season is designed to offer several different "opening days" for deer hunting, depending on the portion of the state you hunt. While it's essential to your deer hunting success that you be actively preparing right now, the type of preparation will vary depending on the area in which you plan to hunt.
For example, a 15-county area consisting of game zones 3 and 6 will open for gun season on Aug. 15. These hunters will currently be in a much different stage of their preparation for hunting than will gun hunters in the Piedmont and Upstate portion of South Carolina in game zones 1 and 2 for their Oct. 11 gun season opener. Plus there are 'in-between' gun season opening dates of Sept. 1 for Game Zone 5 and on Sept. 15 for Game Zone 4.
When you add in bowhunting season openings in the various game zones, as well as muzzleloaders in game zones 1 and 2, a lot of different strategies are being implemented by deer hunters right now.
Let's take a look at what hunters need to be doing in the different portions of the state, based on when your specific hunting season opens.
For the purpose of consistency, we'll be discussing gun season opening dates and associated preparations. By checking the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Rules and Regulations booklet, you can determine the opening dates for archery tackle or muzzleloading weapons and plan for those specific openers as you desire.
We'll begin in game zones 3 and 6, where the actual gun hunting season opened August 15.
The counties in Game Zone 3 include Aiken, Lexington and Richland. Game Zone 6 includes Orangeburg, Hampton, Colleton, Bamberg, Allendale, Berkeley, Charleston, Barnwell, Calhoun, Jasper, Dorchester and Beaufort counties. If you're hunting any of these areas, get your rifle sighted in now.
While it's never too late to begin preparation, most hunters in this sector of the state have pretty much finished with the season preparation grunt work. In most cases, serious deer hunters in these counties will have their stands already built, repaired or moved and ready for hunting.
We're down to scouting, and for those using bait (legal in this section of the state), ensuring that the deer have plenty to eat.
Most veteran Lowcountry deer hunters know that the first few days of the season can mean a golden opportunity to take a big buck. At this early point in the season, only bucks can be harvested, so obviously figuring out what the bucks are doing an essential part of the hunting strategy. It's not just about where you locate deer: The key is locating bucks. Plus, after the first few days of hunting pressure, the early season hunting success can slow for a few weeks until the pre-rut phase begin to crank up.
By Terry Madewell
North American Whitetail's Gordon Whittington shot this nice velvet buck in a Jasper County bean field last August. The hunt will be shown on an upcoming episode of North American Whitetail TV on the Outdoor Channel.
The opening of deer season means different things to different deer hunters across different parts of South Carolina in terms of pre-season preparation. The structure of the South Carolina deer season is designed to offer several different "opening days" for deer hunting, depending on the portion of the state you hunt. While it's essential to your deer hunting success that you be actively preparing right now, the type of preparation will vary depending on the area in which you plan to hunt.
For example, a 15-county area consisting of game zones 3 and 6 will open for gun season on Aug. 15. These hunters will currently be in a much different stage of their preparation for hunting than will gun hunters in the Piedmont and Upstate portion of South Carolina in game zones 1 and 2 for their Oct. 11 gun season opener. Plus there are 'in-between' gun season opening dates of Sept. 1 for Game Zone 5 and on Sept. 15 for Game Zone 4.
When you add in bowhunting season openings in the various game zones, as well as muzzleloaders in game zones 1 and 2, a lot of different strategies are being implemented by deer hunters right now.
Let's take a look at what hunters need to be doing in the different portions of the state, based on when your specific hunting season opens.
For the purpose of consistency, we'll be discussing gun season opening dates and associated preparations. By checking the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Rules and Regulations booklet, you can determine the opening dates for archery tackle or muzzleloading weapons and plan for those specific openers as you desire.
We'll begin in game zones 3 and 6, where the actual gun hunting season opened August 15.
The counties in Game Zone 3 include Aiken, Lexington and Richland. Game Zone 6 includes Orangeburg, Hampton, Colleton, Bamberg, Allendale, Berkeley, Charleston, Barnwell, Calhoun, Jasper, Dorchester and Beaufort counties. If you're hunting any of these areas, get your rifle sighted in now.
While it's never too late to begin preparation, most hunters in this sector of the state have pretty much finished with the season preparation grunt work. In most cases, serious deer hunters in these counties will have their stands already built, repaired or moved and ready for hunting.
We're down to scouting, and for those using bait (legal in this section of the state), ensuring that the deer have plenty to eat.
Most veteran Lowcountry deer hunters know that the first few days of the season can mean a golden opportunity to take a big buck. At this early point in the season, only bucks can be harvested, so obviously figuring out what the bucks are doing an essential part of the hunting strategy. It's not just about where you locate deer: The key is locating bucks. Plus, after the first few days of hunting pressure, the early season hunting success can slow for a few weeks until the pre-rut phase begin to crank up.
Thursday
New Deer Hunts In Maryland-Delaware
True enough, many hunters grumble about the complexity of today’s deer management. But many related practices have produce added hunting opportunities.
The challenge of keeping deer numbers in balance with available habitat -- and also within acceptable social levels -- has a way of opening previous off-limits areas to hunting.
Added hunting days and weapon-specific hunts are also part of the current trend.
Yes, hunters may joke about the need for legal counsel to help keep them on the straight-and-narrow in the deer woods.
But there’s no doubt that avid sportsmen and women -- those are willing to explore the ever-evolving options -- now have more opportunities than ever.
Following is a look at Maryland and Delaware’s deer programs, the added hunting opportunities they’ve created and what’s in store for this season.
MARYLAND The past decade or so has witnessed a significant increase in deer-hunting opportunities in the Free State. The establishment of zones, each with separate bag limits, has been a prime component of this positive development.
Sunday deer hunting has gradually crept into the picture. Crossbows have expanded from being an urban-deer management tool to being acknowledged with specific seasons.
And the Free State sportsmen still also enjoy some of the lengthiest bow seasons anywhere.
Even so, there’s reason for Maryland hunters to expect even more deer options this coming year.
Among the most significant items are additional public hunting lands.
“In Cecil County, the Bainbridge Wildlife Management Area came on line late last year,” notes Brian Eyler, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) deer project leader. “It’s a cooperative WMA. We would expect to have that property again for this season.”
Beginning in late December of last year, the DNR’s Wildlife and Heritage Service partnered with the Bainbridge Development Corporation (BDC) to expand archery hunting opportunities in Cecil County.
The BDC will allow archery hunting for deer on their 1,200-acre property near Port Deposit.
Interested hunters must obtain a free seasonal permit and make a daily reservation to access the property through the Gwynnbrook Managed Hunt Permit office, located at 3740 Gwynnbrook Avenue in Owings Mills.
Reservations may be made up to eight days in advance. To obtain a seasonal permit or make a daily reservation, call the office at (410) 356-9272 Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
“Prather’s Neck WMA, located in southern Washington County, also went online during the late bowhunting season last year,” said Eyler.
“We’re also working on at least two other land acquisitions. I don’t know for sure if they’re going to happen, but more than likely they will. Then it’s just a matter of when we can get a management plan in place.”
“The property offers excellent hunting and wildlife-associated recreation,” said Karina Blizzard, associate director of the Wildlife and Heritage Service, in announcing the addition of the state property earlier this year.
Since the purchase of the 215-acre parcel in 2006 with Program Open Space Funds, a parking lot designed to hold 10 vehicles has been installed to accommodate hunters.
Parking on this single lot will be restricted on a first-come basis.
Prathers Neck WMA may be accessed by traveling south on state Route 56 from Clear Spring, turning left onto Four Locks Road and then continuing onto Ankeney Lane, which ends at the designated hunter parking lot.
For more information, call the Wildlife and Heritage
Service, Indian Springs Work Center at (301) 842-2702.
Hunters are reminded that the public land code for checking in deer and turkey for Prathers Neck is 269.
Last season, deer hunters enjoyed Sunday hunting in a list of Maryland counties.
The challenge of keeping deer numbers in balance with available habitat -- and also within acceptable social levels -- has a way of opening previous off-limits areas to hunting.
Added hunting days and weapon-specific hunts are also part of the current trend.
Yes, hunters may joke about the need for legal counsel to help keep them on the straight-and-narrow in the deer woods.
But there’s no doubt that avid sportsmen and women -- those are willing to explore the ever-evolving options -- now have more opportunities than ever.
Following is a look at Maryland and Delaware’s deer programs, the added hunting opportunities they’ve created and what’s in store for this season.
MARYLAND The past decade or so has witnessed a significant increase in deer-hunting opportunities in the Free State. The establishment of zones, each with separate bag limits, has been a prime component of this positive development.
Sunday deer hunting has gradually crept into the picture. Crossbows have expanded from being an urban-deer management tool to being acknowledged with specific seasons.
And the Free State sportsmen still also enjoy some of the lengthiest bow seasons anywhere.
Even so, there’s reason for Maryland hunters to expect even more deer options this coming year.
Among the most significant items are additional public hunting lands.
“In Cecil County, the Bainbridge Wildlife Management Area came on line late last year,” notes Brian Eyler, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) deer project leader. “It’s a cooperative WMA. We would expect to have that property again for this season.”
Beginning in late December of last year, the DNR’s Wildlife and Heritage Service partnered with the Bainbridge Development Corporation (BDC) to expand archery hunting opportunities in Cecil County.
The BDC will allow archery hunting for deer on their 1,200-acre property near Port Deposit.
Interested hunters must obtain a free seasonal permit and make a daily reservation to access the property through the Gwynnbrook Managed Hunt Permit office, located at 3740 Gwynnbrook Avenue in Owings Mills.
Reservations may be made up to eight days in advance. To obtain a seasonal permit or make a daily reservation, call the office at (410) 356-9272 Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
“Prather’s Neck WMA, located in southern Washington County, also went online during the late bowhunting season last year,” said Eyler.
“We’re also working on at least two other land acquisitions. I don’t know for sure if they’re going to happen, but more than likely they will. Then it’s just a matter of when we can get a management plan in place.”
“The property offers excellent hunting and wildlife-associated recreation,” said Karina Blizzard, associate director of the Wildlife and Heritage Service, in announcing the addition of the state property earlier this year.
Since the purchase of the 215-acre parcel in 2006 with Program Open Space Funds, a parking lot designed to hold 10 vehicles has been installed to accommodate hunters.
Parking on this single lot will be restricted on a first-come basis.
Prathers Neck WMA may be accessed by traveling south on state Route 56 from Clear Spring, turning left onto Four Locks Road and then continuing onto Ankeney Lane, which ends at the designated hunter parking lot.
For more information, call the Wildlife and Heritage
Service, Indian Springs Work Center at (301) 842-2702.
Hunters are reminded that the public land code for checking in deer and turkey for Prathers Neck is 269.
Last season, deer hunters enjoyed Sunday hunting in a list of Maryland counties.
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