It's all about being aware
Last weekend, Big Oaks welcomed hunters for the primitive hunt weekend. Hunters were allowed to use compound bows, crossbows, or muzzleloaders with open ignition to harvest deer. Open ignition means that the ignition point where the black powder is located is exposed to the elements at all times. Improper care and heavy moisture exposure will prevent the black powder from igniting; you will not be able to fire. Sixteen deer were harvested; two were 9 pointers. Warmer temperat
Let us learn a few things, shall we?
It's too dry up! Cormorants feathers are not waterproof! Question was in the last blog :) Two of the most common diseases found in white-tail deer are Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD; also known as blue tongue disease) and Chronic Waste Disease (CWD). EHD is a viral disease some deer can recover from. Common symptoms include: loss of appetite, loss of fear of people, curving and breaking of the hooves during growth, a blue tongue due to lack of oxygen in the blood, and a f
What happened this week again?
We experienced our first round of archery deer hunt this past weekend. Our position consisted of: registering ALL deer (doe, button buck and buck) on the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website and determining the age of the bucks (only bucks) that were brought in. Deer registration helps control the amount of deer a single person is allowed to hunt in the state depending on the different licenses they have acquired. Hunting license laws get complicated very qui
Gray Fox Research and Wildfire Training
This week, a researcher from the Wildlife Ecology Institute invited us to assist/participate in ongoing research of gray fox populations in Indiana, an area to which they are native. Research has shown that gray fox populations are declining due to habitat fragmentation. As of the moment, there have been no confirmed sightings of gray foxes at Big Oaks. But, that does not mean that they are not there! Their home range fluctuates between from 74 to 6,000 AND they are very skit
The Road So Far
Hello everyone! My name is Audrey. I am one of the new fall interns here at Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge. I graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a Concentration in Ecology, Evolution and Environment. ASU is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in the small town of Boone, North Carolina. I live in NC as well. Hands-on experiences with wildlife in their natural habitats propelled me to pursue a career in wildlife conservatio