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Healthy Forests, Abundant Wildlife, Conservation Ethic

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Archives for June 2020

Friendship, Access, Opportunity: A Call to Action for the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan Revision

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Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan Revision

Act now to impact the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan Revision

The above photo showcases one of my favorite memories from this past hunting season and I’m so grateful to Durrell Smith, host of The Gun Dog Notebook Podcast, for capturing it. Durrell, Tyler Ross (featured along with his son, Brennon), and I gathered for a day of ruffed grouse hunting in western North Carolina. Wil Sensing tagged along with his two cameras in tow to film the southeast segment of Public Grouse. That morning Brennon knew his dad was headed out to follow a few bird dogs and refused to stay home. His smile in the photo is the result of a breakfast of the few oreo cookies I slipped him, an homage to the diet coke and powdered donuts of my childhood. Treats reserved only for hunting Saturdays.

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Last Day of Upland Gunning Season

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An upland hunter reflects on his last day of the season.

Saturday Morning, February 29, began with a crisp, cool, but sunny morning. It was also the last day of the upland gunning season and a day that brings bittersweet thoughts to my mind each year. It is with regret that I know that it hearkens an end my days afield with my canine companions. Yet I also know that my body needs a rest from endless treks across the mountains, my wife would like to see me around a wee bit more, and spring chores await. And gardening season is upon us and fishing in the creeks is just around the corner as the weather warms.

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RGS & AWS Shares USFS Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan Revision Fact Sheet and Position Statements

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Act Now: Submit Comments Here

Numerous forest wildlife are at-risk in the southern Appalachians due to lack of forest diversity and an unnaturally single-aged forest (i.e., lacking very young and very old forest interspersed across the landscape). Many, including ruffed grouse and American woodcock, are listed as species of greatest conservation need in North Carolina’s State Wildlife Action Plan. Some are even considered species of concern at the federal level (golden-winged warbler and Appalachian cottontail). The conservation needs of these species center mainly on habitat restoration and management.

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Comparing Habitat: Ruffed Grouse, Woodcock, Cottontail Rabbits and Snowshoe Hare

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cottontail-rabbits-habitat

Exploring habitat for ruffed grouse and woodcock as it relates to cottontail rabbits and snowshoe hare.

There’s a lot of information online about the different habitat types that wild game species like ruffed grouse and cottontail rabbits use, which is definitely important to know for hunting or wildlife watching opportunities. But we don’t often talk about the similarities between them. Truth be told, there’s a lot of overlap between many wild game species, and that means effects to one habitat type can impact (for the better or worse) other species too. 

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