I was struggling with the verbiage for this post and that is the most heartfelt, honest one I can come up with.
We have been given some incredible opportunities to invest in the lives of children in Colorado by including them in part of a special mission trip in June.
This young man got to join Chester on an expedition in 2022 in Colorado. He got to photograph bighorns, elk and the beautiful mountain scendry.
In fact, we’ve had the trip booked but just added two new families to two different parts of the trip.
Our mission is restore hope during a dark time in their lives by giving them amazing wildlife encounters. We’ve raised most of the funds for this trip which we believe is very important. But we haven’t raised it all yet.
I almost never use this blog for fundraising but I need your help.
We still need to raise about $3,000 with the addition of the new families we are helping and other expenses as the cost of some things has risen since we put this together.
This is the photo the young man above took. Can you help facilitate the next young person getting such an encoutner?
Any size donation is appreciated. We are excited our mission has expanded and we will be impacting more families but we do need your help.
We are taking families to do wildlife photography in the Estes Park area as well as connecting with special wildlife encounters at two different zoos in the state.
All of it costs but the great news is these have proven to be life-changing experiences for the children and families. You have an opportunity to help us help hurting children and to see the goodness of Christ through wildlife expeditions.
The forthcoming expedition will also help some kids and their families get special wildlife encounters at zoos in Colorado.
My writings and broadcasts are important because they help spread the word of conservation. I very much appreciate you supporting them.
But these expeditions are far more important as they not only spread the word of conservation but help us help hurting children receive hope.
Can you make a donation? A donation of any size is greatly appreciated.
Just when you thought things couldn’t get stranger in the Texas wild, it gets strange.
Madison County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the death and mutilation of cattle along TX-OSR.
“Ranchers advised a 6-year-old longhorn-cross cow had been found lying on her side, deceased, and mutilated on their ranch.
A straight, clean cut, with apparent precision, had been made to remove the hide around the cow’s mouth on one side, leaving the meat under the removed hide untouched. The tongue was also completely removed from the body with no blood spill.
It was noted there were no signs of struggle and the grass around the cow was undisturbed. No footprints or tire tracks were noted in the area.”
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The Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) hosts its 46th annual Convention and Sporting Expo “The Sheep Show” Jan. 12-14 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center and the Peppermill Resort Spa & Casino.
“Every year we bring the sporting community together to celebrate outdoor traditions and raise money for the conservation and management of wild sheep,” said WSF President & CEO Gray N. Thornton. “It’s the largest celebration of mountain game hunting and conservation in the U.S. This year we’ve expanded the Expo to include three halls filled wall to wall with exhibits featuring the finest guides, outfitters, gear, taxidermy, art, firearms, optics and other outdoor essentials from North America and around the world.”
Higher Calling Wildlife will have coverage of the show on our Facebook and Instagram and a wrap-up here next week.
The Show features hundreds of exhibitors, educational seminars, youth events, drawings, hunt giveaways, raffles, and banquets. Nightly auctions feature more than $3 million in outdoor adventure trips and more special conservation permits than any other convention or hunting expo.
Money raised is used to enhance wild sheep populations across North America and internationally through disease research, herd monitoring, habitat improvements and other initiatives.
The Sheep Show is open to the public Thursday through Saturday, Jan. 12-14, at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. Show hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Daily admission is $25. Paid attendees are entered daily for floor credit drawings from $1,000-$5,000. Free seminars from experts on mountain hunting in North America, Europe, and Asia include topics such as wildlife conservation, travel, outdoor skills, backcountry fitness and nutrition, wild game preparation and cooking and hunter safety.
The Expo also features a free Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience open to the public at the convention center Saturday, Jan. 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The youth event offers fun educational activities focused on conservation, outdoor skills and nature.
A complete schedule of events, pre-registration and other details are available at www.wildsheepfoundation.org.
Daily passes are available at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center on convention days. Five-dollar discount coupons are available at Sportsman’s Warehouse, Cabela’s, Scheels, Reno HUNTNHOUSE, Mark Fore & Strike (Reno), Bass Pro Shops (Sacramento), Gun World & Archery (Elko) and Honey Lake Firearms (Susanville).
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Chester Moore and young artist Chanah Haley will host a book and poster signing Saturday Oct. 8 from 11 a.m. till 1 p.m. at Rambo Outdoors 2335 MacArthur Dr, Orange, TX 77630.
Chester will be signing his hunting and fishing books and Chana will debut a special poster of a red sheep she drew after taking part in one of Chester’s Higher Calling Wildlife expeditions.
“I’ll be there to talk with everyone and sign books to raise funds for our ministry work. It’s really about Chanah and her work. She went on our expedition, photographed a red sheep and then went and did the artwork. This shows her she can use her art for good and raise awareness to conservation. We will donate a portion of the proceeds to wild sheep conservation as well,” Moore said.
Above you see Chana taking photos in Kerr County, TX on a Higher Calling Wildlife expedition in May 2022. Here you see the art she did from one of of her photos. Order this poser and help other kids go on special expeditions.
You can order a print to be a limited to 40 signed and numbered to be shipped to you for only $25. Order here and clicking on the Higher Calling Wildlife fund.
Come out to meet Chester, get a cool, limited art print and help the cause. You can also have a rare chance to talk one on one with Chester about wildlife, Dark Outdoors and other topics.
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Last week we reported on possible wildlife impacts to Hurricane Ian, but the damage has been so bad on the infrastructure side that little info has come out of that part of the state.
Even the toll on people remains mysterious at the time of this writing. Hopefully there will not be as many dead as some officials predict.
This was an incredibly powerful and devastating storm..
One interesting wildlife note that has come out of Florida is a video of a shark in a backyard in Fort Meyers.
There are photos and videos that seem to pop up around every storm and most of them are fake, but this one seems legit.
We will have updates on Ian’s wildlife impact when we get them.
Dark Outdoors: Mysterious Water Deaths
If you think you’ve heard it all in true crime and outdoors mysteries, think again. Chester Moore interviews William Ramsey of William Ramsey Investigates about mysterious water deaths that have been puzzling police around the nation.
This takes us into the “Smiley Face Killers” phenomenon and we also delve into death cults link to murders in the great outdoors.
*Here why police and forensics experts believe young men are being taken and then dumped in water days, sometimes weeks after abduction.
*Learn why a smiley face can be a sinister symbol when found in the outdoors.
*Hear about dangerous death cults who operate in wilderness areas and along the border.
Speaking For The Wildlife Society
Last week, I had the honor of speaking at Stephen F. Austin State University for The Wildlife Society.
My presentation was about how to make an impact on wildlife conservation.
I shared some of my adventures in the field from photographing bighorn sheep to working with sharks.
It was a fun evening and several students have connected with me since then to find ways to use their photography to help wildlife. We will publish some of their work here soon.
Saving Vietnam’s “Unicorn”
One of the world’s rarest animals—the saola, a type of wild cattle likely down to a few individuals—is getting a critical emergency boost from the European Union, Re:wild and WWF-Viet Nam to prevent its extinction.
According to a press release by Re:wild: the saola is the focus of the latest efforts by the Rapid Response for Ecosystems, Species and Communities Undergoing Emergencies (Rapid RESCUE) fund, established in 2020 by the EU, Leonardo DiCaprio and Re:wild to provide a swift response to emerging biodiversity threats.
Saola photo by Toon Fey, WWF
The funding will support Re:wild and WWF-Viet Nam in their search for the last saola that survive in Viet Nam, as a first step in securing these animals for a conservation breeding program to ensure the species’ survival. As a result of the global covid pandemic, intensive search efforts to find the last Saola were effectively stopped for two years, greatly increasing the need for emergency support to quickly initiate surveys and conservation measures to save it from extinction.
“We have an amazing opportunity here to find and save the last saola in Viet Nam,” said Andrew Tilker, Re:wild’s Asian species officer.
“And as we are searching for saola, we will also be looking for some of the other special and endangered species that are found only in the Annamite Mountains. We are working with local stakeholders to start conservation breeding programs for a number of these species with the aim of someday returning them to the wild when it is safe to do so.”
The saola, which was only discovered by scientists in 1992, is so rare that no biologist has ever seen one in the wild. Their evasiveness has earned them the nickname Asian “unicorn.” Like other species in the Annamite Mountains, a rugged mountain chain on the border of Viet Nam and Laos, saola are the victims of unsustainable hunting through wire snares. Although the snares do not target saola, they indiscriminately kill ground-dwelling animals, and have emptied the forests of wildlife across the region.
“Protecting ecosystems is key for wildlife to flourish,” said Giorgio Aliberti, head of the European Union Delegation to Vietnam. “We all depend on it, as biodiversity is crucial to safeguard global food systems and ultimately food security. The European Union is proud to support conservation efforts to save species like saola from extinction, in line with the EU biodiversity strategy.”
Since the saola’s discovery, biologists have only photographed the species five times in the wild, all by camera traps—twice in Laos and three times in Viet Nam. The most recent camera trap photos were taken in 2013, when a WWF camera trap caught images of an animal in central Viet Nam. This year’s Southeast Asia Games, which ran from May 12 through May 23, featured the saola as its mascot.
As monster category 4 Hurricane Ian slams into Florida, the human loss is of course the priority.
There are still people in danger and many homes and businesses are already destroyed.
This is a game changing storm for the Gulf side of Florida.
There will be a major wildlife and wildlife habitat toll as well and that is what we are going to cover here.
Although it will be at least 24 hours before we get into on major results of the storm on wildlife, here is what I believe we should expect.
Manatee Strandings: With the water already sucked out of Tampa Bay in a reverse surge situation, you can expect some impact to the West Indian manatee.
These animals have suffered tremendous losses over the last couple of years and there are chances of strandings and deaths due to direct impact and stress.
Manatee strandings are a big concern in the wake if Ian. (USFWS Photo)
Fish Kills: A storm brining up to 18 feet of storm surge with giant waves on top of that will cause major fish kills along much of the impacted area.
Fish kills will likely occur many miles inland. (USFWS Photo)
Canals where water has been sucked out will see fish death and saltwater intrusion of inland areas will also cause issues. It might be a fe days before we see this begin to happen on a large-scale but it will happen.
Key Deer: The Florida Keys dodged the major brunt of this storm but there was some storm surge.
I got this report from the National Weather Service
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for the Lower Florida Keys including Key West through Big Pine Key– Act now over the next several hours near and after the low tide to protect property.
Widespread Storm Surge Flooding originating from the Gulfside up to 4 feet above normal high tide levels is expected from Key West through Big Pine Key. For several islands, this will allow the storm surge to pass over from Gulfside to oceanside. The peak storm surge levels will likely occur from around noon through mid afternoon.
It went on to say many streets will become impassable with water into ground floor homes and businesses, especially those in lower elevation areas.
Key deer are under threat on Big Pine Key. (Photo by Faith Moore)
The largest concentration of the endangered Key deer is on Big Pine Key which has an elevation of three feet, so there is still some concern for the wildlife there.
Displaced Snakes & Hogs: In the aftermath of the storm, Florida’s very abundant feral hog and snake population in the impacted areas will be displaced.
That will mean cottonmouths and rattlesnakes in and around housing editions and feral hogs showing up in high ground around cities.
People will need to use extreme caution around debris.
We will post an update as soon as we know more on the wildlife end of things.
Keep the people and wildlife of Florida in your prayers.
They need it.
Chester Moore
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Join Higher Calling Wildlife founder and Dark Outdoors host Chester Moore as he interviews veteran and outdoors lover Lucas Pelt who experienced a very serious cottonmouth bite. Learn how it happened and the experience Pelt had in the aftermath.
In our Dark Outdoors defense segment, we check in with renowned snake venom expert Dr. Spencer Greene and learn what to do if you do get bitten by a snake.
Oh, and we also cover what NOT to do.
The outdoors is a place of serenity and beauty but at times the outdoors experience goes dark. And it can go dark quickly for someone experiencing a venomous snake bite.
A few weeks ago, we put out the word for free-ranging elk photos in the Texas Hill Country.
This is the first shot we got. It’s from Kennth Johnson and he got this near Rock Springs, TX.
Reader Rpy Heiderman photographed this elk near Utopia, TX.
If you have photos of free-ranging elk anywhere in Texas, email me at chester@chestermoore.com. I’d love to share the photos with others.
SFA Student Wins 2022 Tony Houseman Conservation Legacy Award
Borel is studying forestry with a wildlife management concentration.
“It’s such an honor and privilege to receive this award,” Borel said.
“I want to make an impact for wildlife and also get young people involved in conservation, hunting and fishing. This award inspires me to push even harder toward those goals.”
Borel has contributed online articles to fishgame.com and has a feature entitled “Why This College Girl Huns” in the Sept/Oct. edition of Texas Fish & Game.
Emily Odom was inspired by her 2020 turkey release experience. She began doing conservation art for Higher Calling Wildlife and won the 2021 Tony Houseman Conservation Legacy Award.
The award is given annually by Higher Calling Wildlife®, founded by Chester Moore.
“Tony Houseman was a mentor of mine at a very young age. I met him when I was 20 and he made a tremendous impact on me and my career. This honor is for his long-standing legacy of conservation and helps give young people going above and beyond the call of duty a boost to carry on in what can be very hard work,” Moore said.
Borel is the third recipient of the award and was chosen because of her heart for serving and conservation.
“Grades are wonderful. Academics are important and she has those but then there is heart and commitment on top of that. We watched Amber not only serve relentlessly helping some projects we did with young children and wildlife but also write a book about shark conservation she wants to give to kids. She’s a special young lady and me and my wife Lisa are honored to know her,” Moore said.
Tony Houseman was a dedicated conservationist who at different times served as president of the @houstonsafariclubfoundation and Dallas Safari Club. He helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for conservation work across North America and Africa.
His last major hunt was a “green hunt” to extract DNA from a white rhino for conservation purposes, which is why the award itself is a bronze rhinoceros.
Higher Calling Wildlife® is proud that Amber Borel is the third recipient of the Tony Houseman Conservation Legacy Award.
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In a rare sighting, a majestic black tiger was spotted in Odisha’s Similipal National Park according to India Times.
The tiger was seen marking its territory, leaving scratch marks on a tree in the 15-second clip posted on Twitter on the occasion of International Tigers Day. The clip was posted by Indian Forest Service Officer Susanta Nanda. He wrote in the caption, “Sharing an interesting clip of a rare melanistic tiger marking its territory on international Tigers day.”
I was blown away at this news.
You can see an image from the photo in this screen shot from the man who captured the video footage’s Twitter account.
Tiger color phases have intrigued me for years since my friend renown wildlife artist Bill Rebsamen showed me prints he did of both a melanistic (black) tiger and a blue tiger. We’ll get to the blue in another story later this fall.
I had this image from Bill Rebsamen on my wall for years but lost it during a Hurricane.
This tiger isn’t fully melanistic but it’s the first image captured like this for years-at least that I am aware of.
It’s interesting this video comes as India’s tiger population is on the rise. Much work has been done with habitat connectivity with neighboring countries and overall protection from poaching.
Will increasing numbers mean we see more of these and other color phases?
It’s fascinating and as a big fan of this species I’m excited.
Dark Outdoors Podcast; Shark Numbers Rising! New Tech To Deter Shark Attacks
In episode four of Dark Outdoors, host Chester Moore digs deep into the rising shark numbers in the Gulf of Mexico, shark attacks and shark deterrent technology.
*Which shark species are on the rise and how sharks are a vital part of the ecosystem
*The truth about the bull shark’s attitude
*Which species never gets mentioned on top shark attacks list, but is really just below the bull shark.
*What caused a massive great white to turn away when encountering a surfer.
*How Shark Banz is giving many more confidence in shark infested waters.
Plus much, much more
Dark Outdoors is brought to you by the following:
*Texas Frightmare Weekend, The Southwest’s Premier Horror Convention and Film Festival.
*Hog Hunt USA-A Forthcoming App For Hog Hunting
*Texas Fish & Game magazine
Searching For TX Hill Country Elk
In an article at Texas Fish & Game last week, I discussed the history of elk in East Texas and put the word out for photos and accounts of elk in that region.
This week we’re looking at elk in the Hill Country.
A study by Richardson B. Gill, Christopher Gill, Reeda Peel, and Javier Vasquez gives a deep look at Texas elk history, including in the Panhandle and Hill Country.
The earliest recorded sighting of elk in Texas occurred in 1601 according to the authors. The Spanish governor of New Mexico, don Juan de Oñate, embarked on an exploration of lands to the northeast of Santa Fe.
“This river [the Canadian] is thickly covered on all sides with these cattle [bison] and with another not less wonderful, consisting of deer which are as large as large horses. They travel in droves of two and three hundred and their deformity causes one to wonder whether they are deer or some other animal.”
I’m looking for photographic evidence of free-ranging elk in the Texas Hill Country. If you have photos email chester@chestermoore.com.
Wild Sheep Foundation Providing $1.22 Million In Grants
The Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) Board of Directors has approved funding for its FY2022-23 slate of Grant-in-Aid projects.
WSF will be contributing $1,222,637.00 toward 14 projects that in total will exceed $5 million to benefit wild sheep populations across North America. This Conservation Grant funding is one component of the expected $6 Million in mission program funding WSF will direct this fiscal year.
“As the trusted facilitator for raising and directing funds for wild sheep conservation, we receive a number of grant requests,” explained Gray N. Thornton, President, and CEO of the Wild Sheep Foundation.
“This means a lot of agencies, universities, individuals, and other conservation partners are focusing on wild sheep, which is a good thing. We’re excited about this level of commitment and the quality of projects these experts have identified and brought forth.”
The project submission period was July 2022. WSF’s Conservation Staff conducted the initial review of funding requests received, followed by an independent review by WSF’s Professional Resource Advisory Board.
Final funding recommendations were made to the WSF Board of Directors, giving special consideration to funding requests submitted by or through its network of 36 Chapters and Affiliates.
Funding was awarded to a diversity of projects spanning from British Columbia to Mexico, focusing on:
• Population Restoration – Trap & Transplants, GPS Radio Collaring • Habitat Enhancement – Water Development, Prescribed Burns • Disease Management – Test & Remove, Pathogen Surveillance “This level of funding would not be possible without the unwavering generosity of our membership, industry partners, Chapters and Affiliates, and other wild sheep enthusiasts,” Thornton concluded.
Over the past ten years WSF has invested over $50 million in wild sheep conservation funding.
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A woman claims she spotted a mysterious animal resembling the long-extinct Tasmanian Tiger while out on a bush walk with her son and sister according to a report in The Daily Mail.
Jessie Milde was on the hike in Belair National Park in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, when her family noticed a strange animal ‘lolloping’ around.
Ms Milde first thought the creature was either a ‘weird looking kangaroo’ or a ‘really scraggy looking dog’ but her sister was convinced it was a Tasmanian Tiger.
The thylacine has been considered extinct since the 1930s although a fair amount of reports exist.
They are without question in my opinion the most intriguing of possibly still alive-considered extinct creatures. The video (linked above) is interesting, but what interests me more is there seems to be an uptick in sightings and possible videos in recent years.
My good friend Todd Jurasek has made several expeditions into Australia and New Guinea. He believes there is a high chance of thylacines still existing.
“I think there are definitely still some thylacine living in Australia and Tasmania,” he said.
Sept. 13 Higher Calling Wildlife the podcast and this blog will begin a three-part series on mysterious wildlife. The thylacine will be the subject of one of these episodes. We will also cover the ivory-billed woodpecker, blue and black tigers and some other obscure animals.
It’s going to be a fun fall with super cool topics.
Defending Against Guys Likes This In The Great Outdoors
In this epic, hour-long episode, Dark Outdoors host Chester Moore dives into the iconic unsolved Moonlight Murders and the Phantom Killer made famous in 1976’s classic “The Town That Dreaded Sundown”.
The Phantom Killer as portrayed by Bud Davis in The Town That Dreaded Sundown.
This show examines how the phantom operated and compares it to dangers lurking today in sububan forest areas from similar predators.
It begins with a personal brush with danger from me and then goes into an interview with John Tennison, a cousin once removed from one of the chief Phantom killer suspects.
Hear a super rare and historic revelation of an eyewitness to seeing a white-masked figure in the night of Texarkana during the Phantom’s reign of terror.
We also interview Pamula Pierce Barcelou, daughter of “The Town that Dreaded Sundown” director Charles B. Pierce. She shares fascinating insight into this cult classic and her Dad’s role creating it nearly 50 years ago.
And learn why we should be super cautious in urban and suburan parks, greenbelts and forests.
The San Francisco Mountains south of the Arizona border in Sonora, MX, barely receive 3” of annual precipitation according to officials with The Wild Sheep Foundation.
WSF Photo
WSF, along with $10,000 from the Dallas Safari Club Foundation, has contributed $82,500 to drill a well to supply water to local people and provide a close and reliable water source for transport to fill water tanks for desert bighorn sheep and other desert-dwelling wildlife.
Before this well, water had to be trucked daily 30 miles to supply the 78 families living in the area according to WSF reports.
For nearly 25 years, residents have worked to conserve and re-populate desert bighorn sheep in this ejido. As a result of their program’s success, desert bighorn hunting on the ejido has expanded, as six permits were offered in 2020. Four of these permits were sold to generate money to pay for additional transplants of free-ranging desert bighorn sheep.
The big increase in bear sightings across my native state of Texas inspired Higher Calling Wildlife to focus heavily on black bears throughout our launch year of 2019.
This year there have been many more sightings, especially in West Texas. In fact, there were closures in some areas of Big Bend due to high bear activity.
This South Texas black bear photo was submitted to us by a hunter that was surprised to see this on his game camera.
In the podcast we did with Stephen F. Austin University officials, we learned in the eastern third of Texas, the best migrational routes in terms of undisturbed habitat for bears to preoccupy Texas comes from Oklahoma.
My close friend and research partner Todd Jurasek got some incredible game camera videos of black bears in the Kiamichi Mountains in Southeastern Oklahoma, showing the Sooner State has a burgeoning bear population in some areas.
Check out the clips by clicking on the links below.
People in states that have had large bear populations for decades like Oregon, Montana, and Alaska understand these animals.
But all forest-loving Americans need to become bear aware and realize these apex animals are increasing in the southern and eastern portions of the country.
Enjoy the above clips. Bear coverage in Texas and non-traditional bear states will continue.
Rogue Waves!
The latest episode of my Dark Outdoors podcast is up and it talks about dangerous rogue waves in Texas bays. You don’t want to miss hearing these firsthand testimonies of fishermen that encountered waves up to 15 feet in Texas bays.
Ever seen a 10 foot wave that went across an entire bay?
How about a 15 footer with a sheer wall that hit a 15 foot boat?
We have these stories and more from eyewitnesses/survivors, plus some information from a boating group trying to raise awareness to this growing issue.
We explain what is causing these waves and show how they can make the outdoors experience go dark-very dark.
Permit in Texas
While we’re talking about bears in Texas, we might as well talk about something unusual on the aquatic side of things.
Permit are stunning sea flats-dwelling species that get big. They are said to be the moodiest of flats slam species (includes bonefish and tarpon) and will often ignore the most perfectly placed lure or fly.
Permit are indeed present in Texas in small numbers.
Rider Colvin caught this juvenile permit while fishing with Capt. Brian Barerra in the South Padre area. Catches like this are rare in Texas.
Jared Guinn caught the Texas state record in the Gulf of Mexico in 1993. It only weighed 1.50 pounds. I’ve heard anecdotal evidence of permit close to this size caught in the Galveston Bay complex in recent years, from very informed anglers.
One of Capt. Brian Barerra’s young clients (pictured above) caught a permit in the South Padre area. It wasn’t a monster but in a very real way, it was the catch of a lifetime.
Have you ever caught a permit in Texas? We’d love to see the photo. Email photos to chester@chestermoore.com.
Gulf temperatures have been gradually warming and species like permit and even bonefish have been showing up in small numbers on the Texas Coast.
Duck Counts Are In
There has not been a duck population/pond count since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Delta Waterfowl has put out a graphic of the numbers in comparison to the 2019 numbers (when they were counted last time). There is some interesting data here that reflects interesting trends in habitat conditions.
We will address that on an upcoming episode if the Higher Calling Wildlife® podcast and post it here.
