CFR News Wildlife & Fisheries Stories


Management workshop covers white-tailed deer

Mississippi State University is offering two deer management workshops in late July and August to hunters, land managers and foresters working with white-tailed deer populations.

Register by July 9 for the first course, offered July 24 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Forrest County Extension Office in Hattiesburg. Register by Aug. 13 for...

6/10/2010

MSU studies needs of giant alligator gar

A fish longer than 7 feet, heavier than 200 pounds and able to survive outside the water for up to two hours sounds like a fictional animal. This fish is the alligator gar, however, and researchers at Mississippi State University are working to protect it.

The population of the alligator gar is in decline, primarily due to loss of spawni...

5/27/2010

Workshop teaches new uses for catfish ponds

Owners of retired catfish ponds and current catfish pond owners looking to reduce their pond acreage can benefit from a June 16 workshop that explores ways to develop former aquaculture ponds into natural resource enterprises.

Developing Catfish Ponds into Natural Resource Enterprises is being offered in Stoneville through the Mississi...

5/20/2010

Kevin Hunt, Jan Odom receive top MSU, national advising honors

Mississippi State faculty and staff members are being honored for their hard work and dedication in ensuring the successful educational development of university students.

Kevin M. Hunt and Janet S. "Jan" Odom are 2010 winners of recognitions given by the National Academic Advising Association. He is receiving an Outstanding ...

5/14/2010

Learn outdoor sports at two summer camps

Young people and adults have two opportunities this summer to try a variety of high-interest outdoor sports through wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture camps offered by Mississippi State University.

The week-long, residential camps are intergenerational, open to those ages 10 and older. Camps will be held May 30–June 3 and June 2...

5/6/2010

Bug camp to offer fun for all ages

Mississippi State University’s Basic Insect and Plant Ecology camp will provide fun and learning for all ages June 13–17.

Better known as Bug Camp, it is the oldest residential entomology camp in the world. Two MSU departments sponsor the camp: the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture and the Department of Ento...

5/6/2010

Work of MSU deer biologist honored by international society

Stephen Demarais of Mississippi State is a new Fellow of The Wildlife Society.

A professor in the university’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center, he is being honored by the professional organization for his work on white-tailed deer biology and management.

"Dr. Demarais is a nationally recognized deer biologist w...

4/30/2010

Master Naturalist program to offer classes on habitats, wildlife

Mississippi Master Naturalist Program courses will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursdays from April 22 to June 3 at the Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi. Class enrollment is limited, and pre-registration is required.

The course fee is $75, which includes program costs, supplies, co...

4/1/2010

Well-known MSU aquaculture specialists honored by national peers

Longtime Mississippi State faculty members Louis R. D’Abramo of Starkville and James A. "Jim" Steeby of Inverness are being honored by the U.S. Aquaculture Society.

D’Abramo is dean of the university’s Graduate School, associate vice president for academic affairs and professor of wildlife, fisheries and aqu...

3/26/2010

Workshops offer training in natural resource enterprises

Two one-day workshops will provide the tools for farmers and landowners to start and manage a natural resource enterprise.

Fee fishing, fee hunting, agritourism, and wildlife watching are examples of enterprises based on the natural resources commonly found on Mississippi’s private lands.

An April 13 event will be held ...

3/25/2010

Wild pigs make tracks all over Mississippi

Wild pigs are digging up trouble across the state and causing major crop damage, so Mississippi State University and federal experts are helping landowners and farmers eradicate the troublesome beasts.

Wild pigs are a highly adaptable species that is not native to North America. They are seen throughout the country, causing vast agricu...

3/25/2010

MSU offers squirrel hunt event for youth

Several wildlife groups will assist in a Feb. 13 youth event in an effort to lay the foundation for safe and responsible hunting.

Mississippi State University&rsquop;s Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture in the College of Forest Resources is offering a squirrel hunt for young people. The hunt will take place at the Noxub...

1/21/2010

Youth quail hunts offer education, fun

Young hunters will learn about quail hunting and conservation at two upcoming day-long events in Clarke and Clay counties.

Quail Forever is organizing the Feb. 27 and March 6 events with help from the Mississippi State University Extension Service, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, and the 2009 Youth Particip...

1/21/2010

MSU researchers announce Web-based duck migration forecast

As global warming and climate change debates continue to "heat up" worldwide, researchers at Mississippi State are examining how weather influences duck migration patterns.

"In the past few years, we have observed that ducks are not migrating to southern latitudes in abundance, or are doing so generally only in the prese...

12/11/2009

Protecting young bucks increases herd potential

Mississippi State University research has found that protecting young bucks improves herd health and creates a better hunting experience.

The university’s Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture has been conducting deer research for more than 40 years with the goal of improving deer populations throughout the Southeast....

11/19/2009

MSU professor again honored for practical waterfowl research

A nationally recognized Mississippi State wildlife biologist and university administrator is receiving another major honor from The Wildlife Society.

Richard M. Kaminski, associate dean of the College of Forest Resources, is the international organization’s latest selection for the Caesar Kleberg Award for Excellence in Applied W...

10/23/2009

Resource workshop explores outdoor business ventures

People wanting to learn how to develop forest habitats, wildlife areas, streams, lakes and other natural settings into income generators can attend an outdoor recreational business workshop Nov. 10 at Legion State Park in Louisville.

The one-day workshop will give attendees information to start and manage a natural resource enterprise....

10/22/2009

Project to preserve rare Mississippi ecosystem

A 350-acre area of deep ravines and bluff ridges in Webster County is being preserved to protect its plant and animal diversity that resembles that of the Appalachian Mountains.

The Appalachian Mountains stretch from Alabama to Canada with foothills in northeastern Mississippi. Some 100 miles from these foothills is an area in central ...

10/15/2009

MSU department name change reflects impact of aquaculture

Mississippi State’s wildlife and fisheries department is changing its name to reflect the state aquaculture industry’s importance and the university’s role in its continuing development.

During its September meeting, the state College Board approved the change to the department of wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture, ...

10/1/2009

Wildlife festival offers educational family fun

Live snakes, alligators and turtles are just a few of the Mississippi wildlife that will be on display at the Oct. 17 wildlife festival at the Coastal Plains Experiment Station in Newton.

The 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. event will include bird dog and falconry demonstrations, and tours of wildlife management areas at the experiment station.

10/1/2009

Research shows gobbler activity varies by area

Turkey hunting is a popular sport throughout Mississippi, and the sound of a gobbler responding to a call is unrivaled for the more than 30,000 hunters who spend mid-March to May in search of the elusive bird.

While the season is set in spring for the entire state, many hunters have expressed concerns over the time frame as it relates ...

10/1/2009

NRCS releases study on Conservation Practices for bobwhite quail habitat

U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and Agricultural Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC) today announced the release of a new study on conservation practices that improve Bobwhite Quail habitat. Titled "Managing Working Lands for Northern Bobwhite: the USDA NRCS Bobwhite Restoration Project,&qu...


MSU team removes invasive plants, boosts Delta lake use

The lakes of the Mississippi Delta offer numerous recreational uses throughout the year. However, too many invasive aquatic plant species can create a less-than-optimal environment for fish and people.

A project in Mississippi State University’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center is looking at two different management practices ...


MSU prof assists with storm water planning in neighboring state

Extreme storm events striking large municipalities often create challenges for quickly moving accumulated rainwater away from business and residential areas, as well as high-traffic thoroughfares.

Such was the case for Jonesboro, Ark., whose 300-plus miles of ditches often swelled to overflowing during heavy storms. To address the issu...


Conservation camps transform science into fun family activity

Families that do not venture outside miss what the outdoors can teach them about conservation and natural resource management, but Mississippi State University offers a summer camp series that combines fun and excitement with science and career exploration.

As a nation, many Americans are losing touch with the outdoors because electr...


Oktibbeha County 4H wildlife judging team takes third place at national competition

Four Oktibbeha County high school students recently placed third in the 4H National Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program (WHEP) Contest, held in Zwolle, LA.

WHEP is a 4-H youth natural resource program dedicated to teaching wildlife and fisheries habitat management to junior and senior level (ages 8-19) youth in the United States. Partici...


2009 Dove Field Demonstration Set for Kilmichael

Landowners, managers and others will have the opportunity to learn how to plant and manage dove food plots at the 2009 Dove Food Plot Demonstration and Field Day.

The August 29 event is perfect timing for the September 5 opening day. Held in Kilmichael, the event is free and open to the public and begins at 9:00 a.m. Instruction on p...


Ducks Unlimited Honors Mississippi Heroes Of Conservation

Ducks Unlimited will recognize eight Mississippians for their individual conservation commitments in Jackson, Miss., August 1.

The Heroes of Conservation evening, including; dinner, honors presentation, conservation program presentations and an auction, will be held at the Hilton of Jackson.

Event honorees include:

  • B...


    Artificial reefs may help restore red snapper stocks

    The red snapper has proven to be an economically and culturally important fish species, but their numbers are declining throughout the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic.

    To help address this problem, Mississippi State University scientists, in collaboration with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, are examining how artificial...


    Grassy habitats improve fisheries

    Many anglers have long lived by the motto "grass equals bass," and for a bass fisherman, there is nothing more thrilling than pulling a spinner-bait along a weed edge and getting a strike.

    This simple motto is being investigated by researchers who say that the right type of vegetation in lakes and reservoirs can improve fishi...


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