Fish & Wildlife Management

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Robert Karges II

Fish & Wildlife Management
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"There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before."

- Robert Lynd

Mr. R.

Mr. R's Fish & Wildlife Management Passport^© (a 4"x5" pocket guide) is available in PDF format to print out for non-profit use (requires free Adobe Acrobat^© Reader). Passports are copyrighted, but scouts and troops may use them free of charge if they create only one per scout. NO scout may be charged! BSA councils must first contact Mr. R. before creating large quantities for scout camps, merit badge fairs, etc.

Req#
1

Describe the meaning and purposes of fish and wildlife conservation and management.

US Fish & Wildlife Service Division of Bird Habitat Conservation
Oregon State University History of Wildlife Conservation
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service What is the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service? (slide show - click on slider on right side to advance)
Utah Fish & Wildlife Service Restoring Americas Fisheries and Wildlife
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources About the DWR

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Credit: Glen Smart

Mission Statement: The mission of the Division of Wildlife Resources is to assure the future of protected wildlife for its intrinsic, scientific, educational and recreational values through protection, propagation, management, conservation and distribution throughout the State of Utah.

Req#
2

List and discuss at least three major problems that continue to threaten your state's fish and wildlife resources.

Credit: Chuck Bartlebaugh
© Used with permission
Be Bear Aware & Wildlife Stewardship Campaign

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Law Enforcement
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Wildlife diseases
World Wildlife Federation Polluting Planet Earth
ScienceProject.com Monitoring the changes in wildlife caused by human encroachment
Kaimin Online Deer-chasing dogs create problems
Nature Sounds Society Effects of Noise on Wildlife
Bassmaster 35 greatest threats to fishing

Defenders of Wildlife Forest Wildlife (be sure to read Threats to...)
eMagazine.com Paradise Lost - America's Disappearing Wetlands
United States Department of Transportation On Wetlands and Uplands
Disappearing Wetlands Slide presentation (click on screen to advance)
Rolling Hills Zoo Why do species become endangered?
National Wildlife Federation Habitat Loss
Maryland Department of Natural Resources Invasive and Exotic Species of Maryland

Req#
3

Describe some practical ways in which everyone can help with the fish and wildlife effort.

Vernon County Conservation Practices
Care2 The #1 Environmental Network

Many states have special Wildlife license plates which bring revenue for Wildlife Mangement.
Many states offer "Check-a-Box" on State Income Taxes where funds can be donated directly to help wildlife.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Credit: Robert W. Hines

Req#
4

List and describe five major fish and wildlife management practices used by managers in your state.

Missouri Department of Consrvation Wildlife Management Practices (very good)
Natural Resources Conservation Service Utah Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program
Alabama Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries Stocking Fish as a Management Tool?
Wildlife Management What is being done with specific wildlife? (choose desired wildlife animal from list on left)
Wildlife Management Links to State Wildlife Agencies
USDA Forest Service Wildlife
Utah Environmental Congress Wildlife Management of National Forests

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Credit: John & Karen Hollingworth

Req#
5

Do ONE of the following:
a. Construct, erect, and check regularly at least two artificial nest boxes (wood duck, bluebird, squirrel, etc.) and keep written records for one nesting season.

eNature.com Online bird field guide
The Raptor Trust Nest Boxes for Raptors
The Birdhouse Network Birdhouse Basics
North Carolina State University Woodland Wildlife Nest Boxes
Environment Canada Nest Boxes for Birds
SquirrelRehab.org Grey Squirrel Nesting Box

b. Construct, erect, and check regularly bird feeders and keep written records of the kinds of birds visiting the feeders in the wintertime.

Environmental Health Center Hummingbird Feeder
N.C. 4H Club Bird Furniture
The Winchester Star The ABC’s of Bird Feeder Construction

eNature.com Online bird field guide

Bird Furniture.2001.
NC 4-H Youth Development,
NCSU. Raleigh, NC

c. Design and implement a back-yard wildlife habitat improvement project and report the results.

University of Nebraska Lincoln Backyard Wildlife - Planting for Habitat
Suite101.com Wildlife Habitat Improvement (list of articles)

d. Design and construct a wildlife blind near a game trail, waterhole, salt lick, bird feeder, or birdbath and take good photographs or make sketches from the blind of any combination of 10 wild birds, mammals, reptiles, or amphibians.

PhotoNet How to Build a Blind for Photographing Wildlife

Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Low-Profile A-Frame Blind

Req#
6

Do ONE of the following:
a. Observe and record 25 species of wildlife. Your list may include mammals, birds, reptiles, or fish. Write down when and where each animal was seen.

Alabama Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries Alabama Wildlife

eNature.com Online field guides to wildlife and flora

b. List the wildlife species in your state that are classified as endangered, threatened, exotic, game species, furbearers, or migratory game birds.

EndangeredSpecies.com Endangered Species in Utah
Utah Conservation Data Center Learn About Utah's Species (great photos and descriptions)

c. Start a scrapbook of North American wildlife. Insert markers to divide the book into separate parts for mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish. Collect articles on such subjects as life histories, habitat, behavior, and feeding habits on all four categories and place them in your notebook accordingly. Articles and pictures may be cut from old discarded newspapers; science, nature and outdoor magazines; or can be photocopied from other sources. Enter at least 10 articles on mammals, 10 on birds, 5 on reptiles, and 5 on fish. Put each animal in alphabetical order. Include pictures whenever possible.

Req#
7

Do ONE of the following:
a. Determine the age of five species of fish from scale samples or identify various age classes of one species in a lake and report the results.

Ministry of Fisheries Determining the age of a fish from a scale
University of Plymouth Fish Scale Exchange via the Internet
Fish Scales
Australian Museum Fish Site Fish Scales

b. Conduct a creel census on a small lake to estimate catch per unit effort.
Examine the stomach contents of three species of fish and record the findings.
c. Make a freshwater aquarium. Include at least four species of native plants and four species of animal life, such as whirligig beetles, freshwater shrimp, tadpoles, water snails, and golden shiners. After 60 days or observation, discuss with your counselor the life cycles, food chains, and management needs you have recognized.

First Aquarium A beginner's quide
AquarimPros.com Hardy Freshwater Fish for Starting Aquariums

Fresh Water Aquarium

Fish & Wildlife Management
BSA Advancement ID#: 51
Pamphlet Revision Date: 1990
Requirements last updated in 1987

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Web page updated December 2003
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