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'Tis the (Tax) Season to Help Nongame and Endangered Wildlife
 Tax
season is upon us and the Wildlife Commission is asking taxpayers to think "wildlife conservation" when filling out their North Carolina state tax income form this year. Donating a portion of their refund to the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Fund on line
30 will help support nongame wildlife research, conservation and management, including monitoring populations of golden eagles, managing habitat to benefit bog turtles, surveying for gopher frogs, developing captive breeding techniques for mussels, and for
research and future restoration efforts.
More
 Nuisance
Algae Found in Tuckasegee River
Trout anglers fishing in western North Carolina waters are advised to be especially diligent about cleaning their fishing equipment after didymo was found in the Tuckasegee River in Jackson
County. Didymo, also called rock snot, is a nuisance algae that can produce thick algal mats along stream bottoms, altering stream habitats and making fishing difficult. This discovery marks the first time didymo has been found in North Carolina. Learn
more about didymo and steps you can take to avoid spreading the algae to other waters.
Angler Breaks Blue Catfish State Record Twice in Less than 24 Hours
Zakk Royce, an angler from Murfreesboro, did something that most fishermen only dream about — he caught two state record blue catfishes in less than 24 hours from Lake Gaston in December. Zakk
was our guest blogger this month on the Wildlife Commission’s Conserve and Protect blog, sharing his experiences reeling in the two monster fish, as well as, videos of his amazing feats. Read about them
here.
Wildlife Commission Introduces New Turn-in-Poachers Program
 The
Wildlife Commission has created the Turn-in-Poachers program to encourage concerned citizens to report information on wildlife violations. People who report suspicious activity or provide knowledge related to wildlife poaching violations that results in a
conviction could be rewarded. Rewards range from $100 to $1,000, depending on the severity of the crime and the fines assessed by the court.
More
Prescribed Burns Benefit Wildlife
 Where
there’s smoke, there’s fire. And where there’s fire, at least on a Wildlife Commission game land, there’s usually a prescribed burn — one of the best and most cost-effective methods of managing habitat for wildlife. A prescribed burn, or an intentional burning
of vegetation under strict and specific circumstances, helps restore and maintain wildlife habitat. It is a cost-effective tool that Commission staff uses to create and maintain suitable and ample wildlife habitat in old fields, native grasslands and open-canopy
woodlands on game lands throughout the state.
Learn more about the benefits of prescribed burns.
Bobcat T-shirts Available
 The
official N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission T-shirt this year features a bobcat and the agency’s distinctive diamond logo on the front and an enlarged image of the bobcat on the back. The beige, 100% cotton T-shirt comes in youth sizes ($12) and adult ($15).
Available at Neuse Sport Shop (NSS adult shirts;
NSS youth shirts).
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Subscribe to
Wildlife in North Carolina
Readers of
Wildlife in North Carolina magazine enjoy exceptional color photography and great articles on hunting, fishing, natural areas, conservation and wildlife in every issue. Subscribers also receive
special spring and fall outdoor guides, with the latest hunting, fishing and outdoors information. One-year subscriptions are $12 and three-year subscriptions are $30. Online subscriptions available
here.
Learn About North Carolina's Wildlife
The Wildlife Commission operates four learning centers across the state, each of which hosts seminars, workshops and activities throughout the year. Admission and most events are
free. Families and groups can enjoy interactive exhibits and displays. Learn more at
www.ncwildlife.org/learning.
Stay Up to Date with Online Calendar
The Wildlife Commission’s online
outdoor calendar
is a one-stop place for information on agency meetings, boat ramp and game land openings and closings, trout stocking dates, outdoor events hosted by the Commission, as well
as events hosted by other organizations where the Commission has a presence. Find information and register online for classes and workshops at the Commission’s four education centers and Hunter Education courses across the state.
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