Outdoor News Daily

SISTERS, Ore. – The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted two-year regulations for the trapping and hunting of furbearers and other animals during its monthly meeting July 18 in Sisters.

The only major change from previous regulations was a reduction in the eastern Oregon bobcat bag limit from seven to five, a conservation measure in response to higher trapping pressure for this furbearer. The season dates and bag limits will remain the same for other furbearers (red and gray foxes, marten, muskrat/mink, raccoon, river otter). The season for predators, uncontrolled and non-native animals (badger, coyote, nutria, opossum, porcupine, spotted and striped skunks, weasels) will remain open all-year while the season for rare furbearers (wolverines, fishers, ringtail, kit foxes and sea otters) will remain closed.
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On Monday, A Minnesota federal judge cleared the way for fur trapping to continue in the state when he ruled that a Minnesota DNR management plan for Canada lynx, a federally protected species, adequately protects against incidental take of the animals by trappers.

“The case is incredibly important,” said STORY. “A loss would have established legal precedent that could end the taking of game species in the United Stated by trappers, hunters or anglers whenever and wherever a federally listed species was in the area. That takes in a lot of ground!”

Defendents in the case include the U.S. Sportsmen’s Legal Defense Fund (SLDF), Fur Takers of America, Minnesota Trappers Association, National Trappers Association, Todd Roggenkamp, and Cory Van Driel.
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MADISON – Hunters, trappers and spearers are reminded that applications for harvest permits for fall wild turkey, Horicon and Collins goose zones, sharp-tailed grouse, bobcat, otter and fisher, and 2009 Upriver Winnebago System sturgeon spearing season are due August 1.
Fall turkey

There will be 95,700 wild turkey permits available to hunters for the fall 2008 turkey hunting season, an increase of nearly a thousand over the 2007 fall season. Permits remaining after the drawing will go on sale beginning at noon on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008. Because the number of leftover turkey permits for the fall season is only a quarter of spring sales, DNR customer service and licensing officials do not expect computer problems with fall sales. In addition, the agency has been working with the private vendor that handles permit sales to make changes to the computer system to better handle high sales volumes, and backup plans are in place to avoid having hunters have to wait in line as they did last spring. Additional work continues by the licensing system contractor and DNR staff to ensure that the problems that caused last spring’s computer crash are not repeated.
Horicon and Collins zone Canada goose
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GRAHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission will hear comments next week on a proposed fox trapping season in Alamance County.

A local law passed by the 2006 General Assembly authorizes the commission to study, develop and implement a fox trapping season for Alamance County. The commission proposes a season from Nov. 1 to the last day of February for trapping red and grey foxes in Alamance. There is no proposed bag limit.

Comments will be heard at a hearing slated for 7 p.m. July 14 at the Graham Court House, 1 Court Square in Graham.

The public can also send written comments to Kate Pipkin, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commision, 1722 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1722

HARRISBURG - Beginning at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 23, Pennsylvania resident and nonresident hunting and furtaker licenses for the 2008-09 seasons will go on sale through “The Outdoor Shop” on the Game Commission website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), according to Carl G. Roe, agency executive director. Licenses are available over-the-counter at all Game Commission region offices and the Harrisburg headquarters.

“The Game Commission is working hard to incorporate better ways to serve license buyers,” Roe said. “By allowing our customers to purchase their hunting and furtaker licenses over the Internet, from the comfort and convenience of their home or office, we are offering one more service to meet their needs.”
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