Bids are due next week on State Lands timber sale
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) reminded timber buyers on Monday that bids are due next week on an estimated 646 hundred acres of timber on two tracts in Tuscaloosa and Cherokee Counties that the Department is selling to foresters for harvest. “Reminder that bids for the ADCNR State Lands Division Ed Lewis #2 Tract timber sale in Tuscaloosa County are due by 1:30 P.M., Tuesday, February 7, 2023, and bids for the Little River WMA Tract timber sale in Cherokee County are due by 1:45 P.M., Tuesday, February 7, 2023,” ADNCR wrote in a statement. The forested Little River Wildlife Management Area tract in Cherokee County is 391 acres. ADCNR estimates that the tract will yield 12,761 tons of pine pulpwood, 2,374 tons of pine canterwood, 3,261 tons of pine chip-N-saw wood, 8360 tons of pine sawed timber, and 723 tons of hardwood pulpwood. The forested Ed Lewis #2 tract in Tuscaloosa County is 255 acres which is to be clear cut. ADCNR estimates that the tract will yield 14,964 tons of pine pulpwood, 5,215 tons of pine chip-N-saw wood, 2,611 tons of pine sawed timber, 2,111 tons of hardwood pulpwood, 417 tons of hardwood tie logs, and 391 tons of hardwood sawed timber. The buyer may not harvest any trees that are beside any stream. They also may not operate or park their skidders, loaders, and other equipment on open areas maintained for wildlife. The contractor must follow all of Alabama’s Best Forest Management Practices. The logging operations may be halted any time the ground is saturated to avoid rutting, puddling, or soil compaction. A $10,000 cashiers or certified down payment check must accompany any bids to be considered. The losing bidders will receive their deposit checks back. ADCNR reserves the right to reject any and all bids. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources manages thousands of acres of state lands through its State Lands Division. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Forever Wild Land Trust Board set to meet in Montgomery February 2
The Board of Trustees of the Alabama Forever Wild Land Trust will hold its first quarterly meeting of 2023 on Thursday, February 2, at the Alabama Activities Center located at 201 Dexter Avenue in Montgomery, Alabama. The meeting will take place at 10 a.m. The Board will hear updates on Forever Wild program activities. The Board will also hear tract assessments about land that the program may purchase in the near future. This meeting is open to the public so that any individual who would like to make comments concerning the program can address the board. The public is invited to attend this meeting and is encouraged to submit nominations of tracts of land for possible Forever Wild program purchases. Written nominations may be submitted by email to Forever.Wild@dcnr.alabama.gov or by letter to the State Lands Division, Room 464, 64 N. Union St., Montgomery, Alabama, 36130. Nominations can also be made online. Since it was established by constitutional amendment in 1992, the Forever Wild Land Trust (FWLT) has purchased or leased more than 284,000 acres of land in Alabama for public use. Of this permanent land, the trust owns 223,466 acres. A long-term recreational lease has secured the balance of the total acreage. Forever Wild’s acquisitions have also created more than 363 miles of recreational trails within 23 new recreation areas and nature preserves, including additions to 9 State Parks and 20 Wildlife Management Areas. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) manages these lands through its various divisions: State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. The ADCNR is not a General Fund Agency and relies on revenues from license sales (hunting and fishing) and park visitor fees to support its public service operations. Without relying on taxpayer money, these coastal wetlands, forests, wildlife habitats, and other natural areas have been protected so that future generations can enjoy them. State Parks and Wildlife Management Areas have existed in Alabama since the 1940s. However, to provide for greater habitat conservation and public recreational opportunities, the Forever Wild Land Trust Program created state-owned Nature Preserves and Recreation Areas. The Forever Wild Land Trust believes in public hunting access for all Alabamians. But nearly 143,000 acres of leased public hunting land have been removed from the WMA system since 1992, with more lost yearly. The only funding method to replace these large tracts is the FWLT. The Forever Wild Board meets quarterly to maximize public input into the program. Only through active public participation can the best places in Alabama be identified and conserved in order to remain forever wild. ADCNR promotes wise stewardship, management, and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
State to celebrate bald eagles return from near extinction with program at Lake Guntersville State Park
Alabama’s last documented nesting pair of bald eagles was in 1962. By 1972, only 480 nesting pairs of bald eagles were left in the United States, and the species appeared to be headed toward extinction. According to a recent survey, today, there are 700 to as many as 1000 bald eagles that winter every year in Alabama. This remarkable species recovery in the state was due to a 1940 law that banned the killing of bald eagles, the 1972 banning of the pesticide DDT, and restoration efforts by the state and efforts by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) to reintroduce the eagles into the state. Since the 1980s, the state has celebrated the return of the eagles to Alabama by hosting Eagle Awareness Weekend events at Lake Guntersville State Park. The three-day 2023 events are scheduled for January 20-22, January 27-29, and February 3-5. Greg Lein is the Alabama State Parks Director. Lein said that packages during Eagle Awareness Weekends include lodging, two breakfasts, one dinner, a welcome packet, VIP access to presentations from experts in eagles and other raptors, discounts at the restaurant and gift shop, and photo excursions around the park. “Our lodge, campground, and chalets often fill up quickly for these weekends, so we encourage people to make reservations and join us at Lake Guntersville State Park for what we believe will be another amazing year of Eagle Awareness Weekends,” Lein said. When the eagle weekends began in the mid-1980s, visitors would see eagles that had migrated from other states to Lake Guntersville for the winter months. Today many eagles live in Alabama year-round, and participants view both resident eagles and nonresident eagles (snowbirds) that visit the lake and forest habitats during the winter. Mercedes Maddox is a Nongame Biologist with the ADCNR’s Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division. She will be one of the presenters during the Eagle Awareness Weekends. “Historically, we had a large population of eagles in Alabama, just like the rest of the U.S.,” Maddox said. “But as early as the late 1800s, that population started to decline. That was primarily due to human intervention.” The Bald Eagle Protection Act was passed in 1940 to protect bald eagles. It now also protects golden eagles. Eagles then suffered a second setback that almost ended the species when the pesticide DDT became widely used. DDT was used on crops to minimize losses from insects and to control mosquitos to prevent malaria and yellow fever. The insecticide, however, got in the fish. Bald eagles consume large quantities of fish, so the pesticide accumulated in the bodies of the birds. There it impeded the ability of the birds to deposit calcium in their eggs, leading to weaker, softer shells that were crushed by the brooding birds resulting in greater nesting failure for the eagles leading to population decline. “By the time it made it to the top of the food chain, it was having direct and indirect impacts on bald eagles,” Maddox said. “One of the things it caused was the eagles’ eggshells to thin. They would lay the eggs, but when they sat on the nest to incubate them, the eggs would crack and never hatch. The eagles were building nests, laying eggs, and producing no young.” DDT was banned in 1972. In 1982 the WFF started its Nongame Wildlife Program. In 1984 Alabama joined the multi-state Bald Eagle Restoration Program. “We used a technique called hacking to grow the bald eagle population,” Maddox explained. “Hacking is where biologists force an immature bird to take its first flight in a desired area. They would take eaglets from Florida and Alaska and release them in specific locations with depleted populations.” Alabama participated in the hacking program until 1992. Ninety-one eagles were released from hacking towers throughout the state in that period. Today the eagles nest in Alabama. “There was a nest attempt in 1987, but the first successful nest occurred in 1991,” Maddox said. “That was the first successful nest in 30 years. It was a huge, huge success for the program as a whole.” By 2006 there were 77 nests found in the state. The eagles have continued to increase since then, so many of them that they are difficult to count. “You can now find eagles in every single county,” Maddox said. “It is one of the top recovery stories in the nation.” Alabama’s restoration program was funded through the Pittman-Robertson Act, which levies an excise tax on firearms and ammunition. Now that the state of Alabama has restored the bald eagle to the state, more attention is being focused on its cousin, the golden eagle. “A lot of people don’t know we have golden eagles that winter in Alabama,” Maddox said. “The Golden Eagle Project began about ten years ago. It’s a multi-state project as well, as with any good conservation effort. So, partners are heavily involved in this. We use simple game cameras to monitor where eagles are occurring throughout the state. We’ve set up cameras at 21 different locations during the program. We’ve had golden eagle sightings at 10 locations, with the most southern location at Upper State Special Opportunity Area near Jackson.” Maddox said several golden eagles have been captured and fitted with transmitter tags to track their movement to determine migration pathways and habitats the eagles are accessing in Alabama. She said 19 tags have been attached since 2013, and six remain active. “One of those tags still active is on a bird we’ve named Natchez, a bird that was captured at Freedom Hills,” Maddox said. “She travels from way up in Canada near Hudson Bay. Other birds migrate to northern parts of Ontario, and others go to Newfoundland. They migrate a long way to get to Alabama every winter.” “Golden eagles are most often found in forested areas,” she said. “They feed on carrion, which is one of their primary food sources in the winter, but they also feed on small mammals. Maddox said WFF depends on the public to report eagle sightings and nesting activity. Email mercedes.maddox@dcnr.alabama.gov to report
State sets up page on how to prepare wild game
Grocery prices, especially for meat, have never been higher, and Alabama is blessed with a multitude of wild game. The problem is that, in most cases, today’s generation does not know how to prepare wild game for the dinner table. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) has a new webpage so hunters and their families can properly and safely prepare nature’s bounty with tasty recipes at its new Wild Eats page. ADCNR also asked that experienced chefs who regularly cook their own wild game share their recipes on the new page. “The culmination of a hunting or fishing trip is food,” said Billy Pope, ADCNR’s Communications and Marketing Director. “We wanted to provide a platform on Outdoor Alabama that gives everybody the opportunity to cook wild game with unique recipes and a place for everybody to share their recipes.” “We’re asking people to submit their unique recipes for wild game and fish,” Pope said. “We’ve already had submissions for stir-fried duck and collard green soup with venison.” Pope said they realized this was a growing need for new hunters. “They want to harvest their own meat, so they know where it comes from. They want sustainable, healthy protein for their families,” Pope explained. “More and more people are interested in wild table fare, which has made learning to hunt a priority. ADCNR’s Adult Mentored Hunting Program has been able to fill the void and introduce new hunters to the art of field-dressing and butchering wild game.” Justin Grider is ADCNR’s Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division R3 Coordinator. Grider said that getting meat prepared quickly after killing it will improve the eating experience with wild game and fish. “The quicker you can get those internal organs and entrails out of that animal, especially deer, and get that body cavity cooled down, the better,” Grider said. “You’re fighting three things – heat, moisture, and dirt. You’re trying to avoid all three. “Most days in Alabama are relatively warm, so if you don’t have access to a skinning shed, grab a couple of bags of ice from the nearest gas station and throw it into the cavity, so it starts to cool down that body cavity,” Grider explained. “Make sure you get the ice between the hip joints. There’s a lot of heat down there. When you get that cooled down, it will delay any bacteria growth and meat spoilage.” “I like to let my deer age for seven days,” Grider said. “If you have access to a walk-in cooler, you can let it hang and allow that deer to go through rigor mortis. That whole product will start to break down and become more tender. If you don’t have a walk-in cooler, which most of us don’t, you can quarter the deer and age that animal in a 55-quart cooler.” If the deer is in an ice chest or cooler, keep the meat above the ice by using a rack or baking sheet to keep the meat from coming in contact with any water from the melting ice. Replace the ice as often as necessary to keep the meat cool. “That will accomplish the same result as if you had used a walk-in cooler,” Grider said. “That’s going to lead to your best-tasting product. Any time you can age that meat for seven days, that’s kind of the magic number.” Once the carcass has aged, it is time to finish the butchering process. Grider recommends deboning the quarters and separating the muscle groups. Trim as much connective tissue as possible and decide whether to use the meat for roasts, steaks, jerky, or ground venison. “I start from the back of the animal and work my way forward, all the way up to the neck,” Grider said. “I save that neck roast for slow cooking to break down the connective tissue and make it really tender. Of course, it depends on your needs. Later in the season, after you’ve got some steaks and roasts set aside, you may just focus on grinding the whole thing, so you have plenty of ground meat for the year.” Grider recommends removing all the deer fat since it can cause the meat to have a gamey taste. To keep the ground deer meat tender, he mixes it with beef or pork fat purchased from a butcher shop or grocery store. Grider recommends mixing the ratio of venison to fat to around either 85% meat to 15% fat or 80% meat to 20% fat. “You can call the day before you plan to grind the meat and ask them to set aside 10 to 15 pounds of fat,” Grider explained. “Venison is so lean; you need to put in a little fat. I’ve seen people use bacon ends, or you can buy a chuck roast and grind that in.” The best eating experience occurs with deer taken on cold days. Harvesting a deer on a warm day could make the meat not salvageable. “If the temperature is above 45 degrees, which is pretty common for most of the hunting season in Alabama, and the deer is out in the field for 6, 8, or 12 hours, be cautious about that end product,” Grider warned. “Bacteria grows so fast. Rancid meat has a distinct odor and color. Use your eyes and nose to make the best judgment.” The Alabama Cooperative Extension Service has prepared a video to inform Alabamians how to process deer and other topics. Grider does not recommend removing the fat from ducks, geese, and other waterfowl. “The only thing is I may go even a little rarer on waterfowl,” Grider said. “A lot of people just cut the breast out, and you can be missing a great opportunity with the skin and fat. If you’re lucky enough to harvest a duck with a good layer of fat, like early-season teal or wood ducks in a cypress brake, you leave the skin on and add a ton of flavor.” Even with small game, Grider prefers to age the meat before he prepares it.
Red Snapper season to end on December 31
On Wednesday, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) Marine Resources Division (MRD) announced that Alabama’s Red Snapper private angler season will close at midnight on December 31. MRD reports that Alabama anglers caught far fewer fish than the federal government allocates to Alabama fishermen. Alabama’s 2022 federal allocation of red snapper was 1.12 million pounds. Anglers have to this point, actually harvested less than 500,000 pounds during the 128-day season. “Every year, a variety of factors impact the effort in this fishery,” said Scott Bannon, MRD Director. “Those factors influence the number of days Alabama is open to fishing for red snapper. Good weather throughout the summer and fall provided anglers with more opportunities to participate this year. We also want to thank anglers for reporting their red snapper harvests through Snapper Check. It is an important tool in providing increased access to this fishery.” The size of the state’s red snapper allocation and the length of the season has been a point of contention between the state and federal regulators with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for years. MRD says that it will announce the 2023 season dates in the coming months once NOAA Fisheries finalize the 2023 quota. “It has been a good, long red snapper season in Alabama this year,” said Chris Blankenship, ADCNR Commissioner. “Under Alabama state management, we were able to provide maximum access in 2022. This is the sixth successful red snapper season under state management. It was good to see anglers reeling in red snapper throughout the summer and fall. ADCNR will continue fighting to ensure our citizens and visitors have access to the incredible red snapper fishery off the coast of Alabama.” NOAA has announced that private angler red snapper catch limits for red snapper will increase in 2023 as the numbers of red snapper have increased in the federal government’s most recent assessments. MRD has also announced that the state will close all Alabama waters to oyster harvesting on Friday at 2:00 p.m. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
State closes all waters to oyster harvesting on Friday
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) Marine Resources Division (MRD) announced on Monday that all public water bottoms will close to the harvest of oysters at 2 p.m. on Friday, December 23, 2022. The Alabama oyster harvest began on October 3, 2022. ADCNR said that the cooperation between MRD, the Alabama Department of Public Health, commercial oystercatchers, and seafood dealers continues to move the oyster resources in Alabama in a positive direction. “This season has been very successful and built on the successes of the previous three years,” said Scott Bannon, MRD Director. “There was a notable increase in the number of catchers working on the public reefs this season. We anticipated the number of sacks harvested to be nearly equivalent to last season. That is what we have seen this year, but with a lot more people reaping the benefits. Last season the average number of catchers per day was around 120. This season it was 164, with as many as 243 catchers reporting their harvests on a single day. That is the highest level of participation I have seen in my 25 years with the Division. Many days the harvest exceeded 1,200 sacks per day, with the highest amount being 1,353 sacks – that’s nearly 115,000 pounds of oysters. Management zones were opened to harvest for 61 days. During that time, nearly 44,000 sacks of oysters were harvested, totaling almost 3.7 million pounds with an approximate dockside value of more than $3 million. “Utilizing our harvest grid system, we were able to monitor small areas and appropriately close them for sustainability while keeping harvesters working more days in other locations,” Bannon said. “Accurate harvest reporting was a vital part of the season’s length. I appreciate the reporting efforts of the harvesters and the efforts of our staff to effectively monitor and manage the season. The dockside price paid per pound of oysters remained relatively high, which means money in the pockets of harvesters. That is good for the families and economy of south Mobile County.” MRD is utilizing several new survey techniques to assist with developing pre-season harvest estimates and work toward restoring and maintaining Alabama’s oyster reefs so that oysters can be enjoyed for generations to come. ADCNR MRD closed some waters early, sparking some complaints from fishermen. Bannon said the closure was necessary to rebuild the state’s population of the bivalve. “Unfortunately, there’s just not enough oyster harvest available to do a longer season and to maintain that,” Bannon told the television station. “We would love to do that. We’d love to keep Alabama product in the market longer; we would love for them to be working longer and making good money.” ADCNR promotes wise stewardship, management, and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
State announces $47 million in funding for gulf restoration project
On Friday, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) announced that the final phase of funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation-Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund (NFWF-GEBF) had been approved for projects in Alabama. The money is from the settlement for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill. “As we celebrate Alabama’s 2022 slate of NFWF projects and announce the final allocation of Alabama’s portion of the Gulf Environmental Benefit Funds (GEBF), we recognize another landmark in Alabama’s recovery from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill disaster,” Alabama Governor Kay Ivey said. “The $356 million awarded to Alabama in criminal fines, managed by NFWF and implemented by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), funded some of the first Deepwater Horizon Restoration Projects in Coastal Alabama.” Ivey continued, “Together, these investments tell a story of significant accomplishments that will go a long way in protecting Alabama’s diverse coastal ecosystem for decades to come. Whether it be our investments into maintaining the coastal reefs that support our thriving red snapper fishery or our land conservation efforts to protect game and non-game species in places like the Perdido River Corridor, Fort Morgan Peninsula, and the Grand Bay Savanna, there is no doubt Alabama has made the absolute most of these funds.” Ivey thanked the foundation for its dedication. “I thank the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for their partnership and dedication to the restoration and protection of Alabama’s natural resources and for their capable and dedicated management of the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund,” Governor Ivey said. “While this marks the completion of our allocation of the NFWF portion of the BP Settlement, our work continues to restore Coastal Alabama.” The most recent projects include $26,066,000 for Phase II of the Dauphin Island East End Restoration. The Dauphin Island project will restore approximately 1.5 miles of beach shoreline and about 85 acres of beach and dune habitat on the 14-mile barrier island that protects a portion of the Alabama Gulf Coast. Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier said that this project will significantly impact the area. “This is going to be significant,” Mayor Collier stated. “So, we’re greatly certainly appreciative of that. The focus is really going to be on trying to protect the area that encompasses the Audubon sanctuary, the freshwater lake that’s within that location.” The tentative plan is to renourish and extend the 2015-2016 beach restoration project to provide healthy beaches and dunes. The East End beach protects the Audubon Bird Sanctuary and other upland resources from beach erosion from storms. Sand has migrated to the west, which has caused wider downdrift beaches and growth of a sand spit south of the Isle Dauphine Golf Course. NFWF has awarded nearly $70 million in GEBF funds to nearly a dozen projects to enhance and protect this vital island. The Gulf Highlands Conservation Acquisition project was awarded $8.2 million in additional funding to expand the project footprint to include the adjacent Beach Club West property. The goal of the entire project is to acquire, conserve and manage the largest privately held, undeveloped Gulf frontage beach and dune habitat. This habitat will benefit nesting sea turtles, migratory birds and shorebirds, and the endangered Alabama beach mouse. $9 million will go to Phase II of the Lower Fish River Watershed Restoration project. The funding will be used to continue the work of Phase I by implementing designs to reduce the sediment and nutrients that flow into Weeks Bay. $2,788,000 will be used for Phase II of the Wolf and Sandy Creek Headwaters Restoration project. The money will be used for stream restoration, bank stabilization, invasive species removal, monitoring, and adaptive management. The project will restore nearly half a mile of instream habitat and 50 acres of wetlands through invasive species removal. $1 million will fund Alabama Coastal Adaptive Management, which will continue maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, or replacement of active projects funded by GEBF, as well as for expanding the ecological benefits of the projects to ensure the long-term viability of these efforts during unforeseen changes. These new projects bring the total awards from the GEBF fund to Alabama to more than $356 million. Efforts to restore Alabama’s coastline will continue. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
State receives $143,000 from the National Wild Turkey Federation for wildlife management
The Alabama Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) recently allocated more than $143,000 in Hunting Heritage Super Funds and Tag Funds for wild turkey projects in Alabama. “We are proud to partner with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) on the conservation of wild turkey in Alabama,” said Craig Harris, Alabama NWTF Chapter President. “Working together, we can ensure this important natural resource is available to future generations of Alabamians.” “We thank NWTF and the Alabama Chapter Board of Directors for helping to support the conservation of wild turkey in Alabama,” said Chris Blankenship, ADCNR Commissioner. “With their assistance, we will continue working to ensure the future of this resource for generations to come.” $35,392 was donated to the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division (WFF) of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) to fund projects, including wildlife habitat management and the publication of the annual wild turkey report, ‘Full Fans & Sharp Spurs.’ $107,655 was approved for other turkey projects statewide. That funding allows the state to draw down $786,712 in matching funds provided by other conservation partners available to positively impact approximately 126,000 acres statewide through the enhancement of turkey habitat. The funding also supports efforts to increase access to hunting opportunities and investigate why we are experiencing wild turkey declines in parts of the state. Most of the funding donated to WFF will be used on Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) and Special Opportunity Areas (SOA) throughout the state to support habitat management and other wild turkey programs. Some of the donation will also be used to purchase much-needed wildlife habitat management equipment. “More than $23,000 of this generous donation offers us access to federal matching dollars, which makes the donation go even further,” said Chuck Sykes, WFF Director. “Since federal matching dollars play such a major role in how our division is funded, contributions like this are extremely important.” The WFF is primarily funded by money generated through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses. That money is then matched on a nearly three-to-one ratio by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through funds allocated to Alabama from the Pittman-Robertson Act. WFF does not receive any appropriation from the state’s General Fund. In addition to the monetary donation, the Alabama NWTF chapter provides financial support for prescribed burn projects that help manage quality habitat in public hunting areas, costs associated with public hunting land acquisitions, the Adult Mentored Hunting Program, the Archery in the Schools State Championship, and the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program. Five species of wild turkeys are native to North America, and wild turkeys live in all 67 Alabama counties. The eastern wild turkey is found throughout forested habitats in Alabama, from the Appalachian Mountains in the north to the Mobile-Tensaw Delta swamps in the south. The NWTF estimates that there are 300,000 wild turkeys living in the state of Alabama, which puts the state somewhere in the top seven states nationally for wild turkey population. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management, and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Conservation department seeks public fishing lake managers in Geneva and Lee Counties
The Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) announced this week that it is currently accepting applications for both the lake manager positions at the Geneva County Public Fishing Lake near Coffee Springs and the Lee County Public Fishing Lake near Opelika. The lake manager positions are contracted with the State of Alabama for a three-year term, which is renewable at the discretion of the state. Duties include the sale of fishing licenses and permits, grounds maintenance, store management, and other related responsibilities. An investment is required to meet the initial needs of daily operations. There is no salary or state benefits associated with this position. Income is derived from fishing permits and concession sales. To be considered for either of the lake manager positions, contact Jason Junkin at jason.junkin@dcnr.alabama.gov or (334) 242-3472 to receive an information packet and application. Persons interested in this position should apply before December 30, 2022. The Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division manages 23 Public Fishing Lakes (PFLs) in 20 counties. The lakes range in size from 13 to 184 acres for a total of 1,912 acres of water. Each lake is intensively managed to provide quality fishing on a sustained basis. All lakes were originally stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill (bream), and redear sunfish (shellcracker). Channel catfish are stocked in every lake during the winter. White crappie and black crappie have become established in many lakes. To fish on one of the state’s public fishing lakes, anglers must have a valid Alabama fishing license. Anglers 12 years of age and older must also purchase a fishing permit. To Launch a personal boat, kayak, or canoe, anglers must also purchase a launch permit and be purposely fishing. You may also rent a Jon boat by purchasing a boat rental permit, have a valid fishing license, and a fishing permit. If renting a motorized boat, you must also have a boater certification from the state of Alabama or agree to the Alabama PFL boat rental agreement and be 16 years of age or older. PFLs are typically open six days a week from February 1 through June 30 each year. From July 1 until November 30, some lakes are only open five days a week. Many lakes are closed in December and January or operate on a limited basis. Information and schedules may change without notice, so please call the Lake Manager or the appropriate Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries District Office for the current operating schedule. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama accepting bids for Oil & Gas leases
The State Lands Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) announced on Friday that there is an opportunity for Alabamians to bid on oil and gas leasing rights within the state, The State Lands Division will be accepting bids for the subject-referenced Oil & Gas Lease until 2:00 P.M. November 30, 2022, for the following: Tract 1: Sepulga River, Conecuh County Tract 2: Sepulga River, Conecuh County Tract 3: Sepulga River and Pigeon Creek, Conecuh and Covington Counties Tract 4: Sepulga River and Pigeon Creek, Conecuh and Covington Counties Tract 5: Pigeon Creek, Conecuh, and Covington Counties Details are included in the attached Invitation for Bids for Oil & Gas Lease and map. A sample of the Standard DCNR Oil and Gas Lease Form is also attached. Oil & Gas Lease Map Tracts 1-5 Conecuh & Covington Counties.pdf SAMPLE Standard Oil & Gas Lease Form.pdf Invitation for Bids for Oil & Gas Lease – Conecuh & Covington Counties.pdf The lessee will be expected to use the highest degree of care and all proper safeguards to prevent land or water pollution resulting from the drilling for or production, storage, and removal of oil, gas, or other liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon minerals. The lessee shall be required to use all means at its disposal to recapture all escaped hydrocarbon minerals or other pollutants and shall be liable for all damages to aquatic or marine life, wildlife, birds, and any public or private property. Typical exceptions to this provision include if that prohibited discharge or other polluting condition was the result of any of the following: (a) Act of War, (b) an act of government, either federal, state, or local; (c) an act of God, which shall be construed to mean an unforeseeable act exclusively occasioned by the violence of nature without the intervention of any human agency; or (d) an act of omission of a third party. The lessee will have to maintain compliance with requirements of such permits and approvals associated with the Leased Area and to maintain compliance with all federal, state, and local laws. Lessee shall not knowingly permit or suffer any nuisances or illegal operations of any kind on the Leased Area. Any unlawful activity which occurs on the Leased Area or in conjunction with the use of the Leased Area, shall be grounds for the termination of this Lease by the state. Conecuh County has a population of just 11,271 and has been in decline since it peaked in 1940 at 25,429 in 1940. Covington County has a population of 37,530 – down from a peak of 42,417 in 1940. Despite the ongoing effort to decrease emissions, oil and gas remain major sources of energy in this country and are likely to remain economically important for decades to come. The United States has vast reserves of recoverable oil, gas, and coal – enough to power this country for the next one hundred years. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Oyster harvest opens October 3
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) Marine Resources Division (MRD) announced on Thursday that the state will open limited areas of public oyster bottoms for weekday harvest beginning on Monday, October 3, 2022. Oyster harvesting will begin at 7:00 a.m. and close each weekday at 2 p.m. The state will allow weekend harvesting on Saturdays from 7:00 a.m. to 12 noon on October 8, 15, 22, and 29. Oysters, whose population had declined from previous decades, are making a comeback. 50,000 sacks of oysters were harvested in the 2021-2022 season – more than double what it was the previous year. Better management is being credited for this improvement. “Alabama’s wild oyster population is in fair condition and improving. Improvement is a multi-faceted issue,” MRD Director Scott Bannon said. “Some things in nature are rebounding to levels they need to be. They are reaching a balance. Also, some practices have changed in how we address oysters harvest to catch maximum yield but leave enough to impact water quality.” Harvesters can view their locations and the open harvest areas with Alabama’s Oyster Management Station (OMS) Oyster Grid Map. Harvesters are reminded to visit the Oyster Management Stations located across from Jemison’s Bait and Tackle at 16871 Dauphin Island Parkway, Coden, Alabama 36523) or Delta Port Marina at 5080 Green Drive, Coden, Alabama 36523) to drop off their OMS ID cards and confirm which grids are open for harvest prior to the start of their harvesting trip. Heron Bay, Cedar Point East, and Cedar Point West grids will open on Monday, October 3. Grids will close based on evaluations of the harvest by the MRD staff. In order to be a legal recreational oyster harvester, you must report your catch and purchase a recreational harvest tag at the OMS station. Recreational harvesters are allowed to harvest up to 100 legal-size (minimum 3 inches) oysters in the same areas and during the same times as commercial harvest. No license is required, but commercial and recreational oysters may not be transported together on a vessel. All commercial oyster catchers, regardless of age, must have a commercial oyster catcher’s license in order to participate in the harvest. Commercial oyster catchers may harvest up to six sacks per person/vessel per day regardless of how many licensed harvesters are aboard. Recreational oyster catchers may harvest 100 legal-size oysters per person per day. Recreational harvest may only occur in areas and at times that are open for commercial harvest. The approved harvest methods are tong and hand only. The Management Station is located at the Cedar Point Cutoff across from Jemison’s Bait and Tackle and Delta Port Marina. The Management Station will open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. When selected Saturdays are open to harvest, only the OMS at Jemison’s Bait and Tackle will be open. To contact the Management Station by phone: 251-257-9966 For more information about licensing and regulations, please contact the MRD by calling 251 861-2882 or visit the MRD office located at 2 North Iberville Drive on Dauphin Island. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Public meeting on Chronic Wasting Disease set for September 22 in Florence
Deer hunters are encouraged to attend a meeting in Florence hosted by the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR). The public meeting will be in Florence, Alabama, on Thursday, September 22, to discuss Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) detected in Lauderdale County earlier this year. Two cases were found in northern Alabama this year, just four years after the deer disease was first discovered in Mississippi. CWD is a transmissible disease found to affect deer, elk, and other cervids. It is believed to be caused by an infectious prion and has an extended incubation period. Diagnosis requires examination of brain and lymphatic tissue. Infected deer become emaciated, behave erratically, and eventually die. CWD is caused by a denatured protein called a prion. The best-known prion disease is “Mad cow disease” (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) which devastated the beef and dairy industry in Great Britain after it killed a number of people who had eaten the affected meat. Controlling the disease did enormous damage to the agricultural economy in Great Britain and resulted in government orders to destroy 4.5 million cattle. Most diseases are infectious diseases where a pathogen invades the body, and the immune system fights the invading species. Prions are not well understood but build up in the brain and spinal system until it hits a critical mass, and the animal goes into an inevitable decline. Since a prion is not a living thing, it remains even after the deer has died. Deer are contaminated from exposure to the corpse of dead deer who were infected with CWD. Many unethical hunters take the meat from a deer they have harvested and dump the head and other parts in the woods. If that deer were infected with CWD, the prions will remain. USDA research on CWD shows that it can remain in the soil for decades; thus, a property that has had CWD-infected deer on it likely will still have the CWD prions decades later, even if the area was completely depopulated with cervids. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports no strong evidence that CWD can infect humans. Researchers have been able to infect squirrel monkeys and laboratory mice with CWD. As a precaution, no brain or spinal cord materials should be consumed by humans. ADCNR has regulations against importing deer, elk, mule deer, moose, or other cervid meat from states infected with CWD unless it is completely deboned. The regulations are designed to prevent the spread of CWD to Alabama, but to be effective, everyone must participate. The meeting will take place from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the University of North Alabama’s Norton Auditorium, located at 1 Harrison Plaza. The public and media are both encouraged to attend. WFF officials will provide an overview of ADCNR’s response to CWD, including a new hunting regulation and the CWD Management Zone covering Lauderdale and Colbert counties. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer session. Due to CWD detection in Lauderdale County, ADCNR enacted a new regulation for Lauderdale and Colbert counties, as outlined in Alabama’s CWD Surveillance and Response Plan during the remainder of the 2021-2022 hunting season. All of Lauderdale and Colbert counties are designated as a CWD Management Zone (CMZ). The area west of U.S. Highway 43 in Lauderdale County to the Mississippi and Tennessee state lines and south to the Tennessee River is designated a High-Risk Zone (HRZ). The remainder of Lauderdale County and all of Colbert County are designated as the Buffer Zone. Last winter, there were no seasonal or daily bag limit restrictions on antlered or unantlered deer within the CMZ. There was also no antler restrictions for deer harvested on privately-owned or open-permit public lands in Lauderdale or Colbert counties through the remainder of the 2021-2022 deer season. Carcasses or other deer parts could not be moved outside the HRZ or CMZ. Small game hunting and waterfowl hunting were closed for the remainder of the 2021-2022 deer season for several of the Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) and Community Hunting Areas (CHA) within the zone. ADCNR will reveal new CWD rules for the 2022-2023 hunting season. ADCNR promotes wise stewardship, management, and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Bow season begins in October. Check your specific zone for exact season dates. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
