Family-Outdoors

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Regional Director Tom Melius announced the establishment of Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area in Iroquois County, Illinois. “The Kankakee River Basin represents a unique Midwestern landscape,” notes Regional Director Tom Melius. “I’m very pleased to continue working with the local community and partners to conserve these priority wetlands, remnant oak savanna, and grasslands, as well as enhance outdoor recreational opportunities.” The refuge and conservation area was officially established with the acceptance of a 66-acre donation from Friends of the Kankakee, an organization dedicated to the establishment of a national wildlife refuge in the Kankakee River basin. This parcel will be open in the near future for public hunting of deer and turkey following state regulations, as well as wildlife observation and photography. Establishing the refuge and conservation area formally recognizes decades of work with conservati...

 Landowners and hunters interested in hearing a variety of topics related to the management of bobwhites and ring-necked pheasants are invited to attend a free Quail & Pheasant Field Day from 1 to 5 p.m. June 9 at Kaw Wildlife Management Area.     Representatives from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service and Quail Forever will talk about how prescribed grazing, prescribed burning and disking can be effective habitat enhancement practices when managing for upland game birds.     In addition, discussions regarding the use of food plots, the control of invasive plant species, and the importance of specific habitat components should be helpful to most landowners. An important part of the field day is the opportunity for attendees to see the results of these practices on the WMA and ask questions about any aspect of quail and pheasant management.     Hunters who visited Kaw WMA during the 2015-16 ...

May is American Wetlands Month – a month to appreciate and enjoy the wonders of wetlands!  Take some time to experience this amazing native ecosystem by visiting one of Michigan’s Wetland Wonders . There, you may find one of Michigan’s most fascinating aquatic mammals – the muskrat.  Muskrats are a rich brown color and are roughly 18-25 inches long from the tip of their nose to the end of their hairless, round, brown tails. They weigh about 2-3 pounds and have partially webbed hind feet to help them swim in the marshes, lakes, ponds and slow-moving streams they inhabit.    Plants are the primary food source for muskrats, including the roots and stems of aquatic plants like cattails, arrowhead, waterlily and rushes. Muskrats will also sometimes eat meat, including fish, crayfish, mussels, turtles and frogs. Muskrats usually feed within 50 to 500 feet of their den.  Muskrats build dens, with one or more underwater entrances, in the sides of elevated banks...

NORTHWEST Yellow Smoke Park Lake Look for bluegill spawning beds near shore in 2-6 feet of water in areas with sandy or gravel substrate. Fish are usually visible as they guard these nests; try throwing a small jig fished under a bobber. Use a small piece of crawler or wax worm. This lake has good numbers of 8+ inch bluegills and this is a great time of year to target these fish. Brushy Creek Lake Bluegill - Good: Bluegills are on beds near shore. Fish these areas with a small jig tipped with a crawler under a bobber. Black Crappie - Good: Crappies are spawning. Fish areas near shore in 3-5 feet of water with a jig under a bobber. Use a small piece of crawler or minnow. Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake) The dredge is in operation in the northeast portion of the lake. Boaters should use extreme caution in this area of the lake and must maintain a 100 foot distance from the dredge, booster pump and all dredge pipes at all times. . Storm Lake has a daily limit ...