Hunters Invited to Refuge Hunt Group Meeting

Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge invites you to attend the second annual Hunter Working Group meeting on Thursday, May 7, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. At the Refuge headquarters. This is an informal opportunity to provide beneficial input, comments and suggestions regarding the hunting and fishing programs that occur on the Refuge.

Refuge staff wants to hear your suggestions and feedback for the coming year`s season before the 2009-2010 regulation brochures are printed. The past hunt season will be reviewed and potential new regulations including a possible new system for issuance of quota hunt permits and increased hog hunt opportunities will be discussed.

Prescribed Fire Specialist, Vic Doig, will talk about fire as a tool for habitat management and will answer any fire-related questions you might have.

Law enforcement Officer Ken McCain and Ranger Pam Darty will be in attendance, as well. All interested individuals are encouraged to attend the meeting. Please call Pam Darty as 352-493-0238 ext. 223 for further details.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 547 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance Program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.