For many, September and October signals the start of various hunting seasons! Many are gearing up for hunting waterfowl, deer, rabbits, hares, squirrels etc. While in the field, we ask you to consider implementing some of the best practices listed below into your hunting protocol, and keep any eye out for new infestations, especially areas that you are very familiar with. Invasive species can negatively impact your hunting or fishing experience, both directly and indirectly. Hunting involves interacting with terrestrial or aquatic environments, sometimes both during the same outing, and invasive species can make navigating those areas difficult (even un-manageable). Woody shrubs and vines can create dense thickets that prevent people with equipment from passing through. Multi-flora rose and Japanese barberry also have the added bonus of small thorns that can snag on clothing/gear (resulting in rips) and scratch exposed skin. If you paddle or boat out to your hunting site, or your hiding spot within the cattails, aquatic plant infestations can clog motors or tire out your arms if you must paddle through them. European frogbit is one such aquatic plant that when left unchecked, can result in such infestations. New infestations of frogbit are popping up across Michigan, and waterfowl hunters might be the cause of some of these infestations due to contaminated waders, gear, boats and dogs. Not only do invasive species negatively impact your hunting experience, it impacts your target species. Deer and birds generally prefer eating native plants as they are more palatable and nutritious, and turkeys cannot easily move through thickets of Japanese barberry. Deer have also been observed to avoid garlic mustard, Japanese stiltgrass and Japanese barberry as food sources (Averill et.al., 2016). If deer over browse native species, it makes it easier for invasive species to take over (they generally pop up earlier than native species) as they crowd out native species, eventually resulting in less deer visiting. Thickets of barberry can also host more ticks than those of native species! Oriental bittersweet is a vine that can girdle (and eventually kill) trees, and crowd out native species. Dense stands of phragmites can discourage waterfowl from nesting in that region, and prevent deer and other fur bearing mammals from penetrating those stands, and change salt marsh* species composition (FWS, 2007). Now that we know why invasive species are problematic, what can you do to prevent their spread? 1. Check waders, clothing, boots, gear and dogs for burrs, seeds and plant matter before moving to another site (and when leaving a site) 2. Drain water from boats, kayaks, canoes and decoys (including live wells in boats) 3. Clean water crafts (cloth or spray) and remove plant materials 4. Check anchor lines and trailers for invasive species 5. Do not use invasive species such as phragmites and cattails for camouflage for yourself or a blind 6. Use elliptical, bulb shaped or strap anchors as decoys 7. Burn firewood were you buy it 8. When bringing in harvested deer, ensure you are not dragging brush in as well Buy following these suggestions, you can do your part in preventing the spread of invasive species to new areas. In addition to protecting wildlands and lakes, you will also be preventing undesired species from showing up at your house, cottage or hunting lodge! To learn which species you should be on the look out for, how to identify them, or report invasive species, please visit the following link: https://www.misin.msu.edu/ You can download this app on to your phone, or use on the computer. For current Michigan DNR hunting and fishing guides/digests, please click this link: www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79136_79772_80260---,00.html * Michigan does have a few salt marshes, see Albert (2001) below For more information: Albert, D.A. 2001. Natural community abstract for Inland salt marsh. Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Lansing, MI. 4 pp. Date Accessed: September 2020 mnfi.anr.msu.edu/abstracts/ecology/Inland_salt_marsh.pdf Averill, K.M. et. al. 2016. Deer feeding selectivity for invasive plants. Biological Invasions. 18: 1247-1263. Date Accessed: September 18, 2020. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10530-016-1063-z FWS. 2007. Phragmites: Questions and Answers. 11/07. Date Accessed: September 25, 2020. https://www.fws.gov/gomcp/pdfs/phragmitesqa_factsheet.pdf
1 Comment
5/15/2021 04:07:05 am
Invasive species will directly negatively impact fishing. This is very upsetting!
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AuthorShikha Singh is the coordinator for the JLW CISMA. She has a BSc. in Biology from University of Western Ontario, and her master's and PhD at Michigan State University from the Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife. Her areas of expertise include water quality, water policy, invasive species, education/outreach and public speaking. |