Wildlife Observation & Research

Req 6b — Classify State Species

6b.

List the wildlife species in your state that are classified as endangered, threatened, exotic, non-native, game species, furbearers, or migratory game birds. Discuss with your counselor management practices in place or being developed for at least three of these species.

Wildlife doesn’t exist in a single regulatory category — it’s sorted into a complex web of classifications that determines whether you can hunt it, protect it, manage it, or control it. Understanding how your state classifies its wildlife gives you a map of how management priorities are set and where resources are directed. This requirement asks you to build that map for your home state.

Understanding the Classifications

Each classification carries different legal protections and management approaches:

Endangered and Threatened Species

Endangered species face an imminent threat of extinction. Threatened species are likely to become endangered without protective action. Both categories trigger legal protections under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) and most state equivalents.

For a listed species, “management practices” might include:

Critical habitat designation: legal protection of areas essential to the species’ survival, even on private land
Recovery plans: formal documents outlining what it will take to recover the population to the point where listing is no longer necessary
Captive breeding and reintroduction: raising individuals in captivity and releasing them to boost wild populations
Predator management: controlling or removing species that prey heavily on listed species
Voluntary landowner agreements: incentive programs that compensate private landowners for protecting habitat

The Endangered Species Act: 40 Years at the Forefront — U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Exotic and Non-Native Species

Exotic or non-native (also called “invasive” when they cause harm) species were introduced from outside their natural range. In the context of this requirement, your state may track non-native wildlife that has established wild populations — things like Asian carp, Burmese pythons, nutria (in southern states), feral hogs, or non-native deer species.

Management for invasive species typically focuses on:

Rapid response: removing new invasions before they establish
Mechanical control: trapping, netting, and physical removal
Hunting and fishing seasons: some states encourage heavy harvest of invasive species (there’s no bag limit on feral hogs in many states)
Public awareness: educating the public about preventing spread (e.g., don’t dump aquarium fish into local water bodies)

Game Species

Game species are animals that may be legally hunted or fished under specific regulations. For most states, these include:

Big game: white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, moose, black bear, mountain lion, wild boar
Small game: rabbit, squirrel, raccoon, opossum, groundhog
Upland birds: wild turkey, pheasant, quail, grouse, dove, woodcock
Waterfowl: ducks, geese, swans (regulated federally under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act)
Game fish: bass, trout, walleye, northern pike, panfish

Management practices for game species focus on sustainable harvest levels: population surveys, season-setting, bag limits, and habitat management.

Furbearers

Furbearers are mammals historically trapped for their fur. They generally have regulated trapping seasons in most states. Common furbearers include beaver, otter, mink, muskrat, marten, fisher, bobcat, coyote, and fox. Many also have hunting seasons.

Management focuses on population monitoring and season-setting to ensure trapping doesn’t over-harvest populations, as well as human-wildlife conflict management (beavers flooding roads and agricultural land, for instance).

Migratory Game Birds

Migratory game birds include ducks, geese, doves, woodcock, snipe, and sandhill cranes — species that cross international borders during seasonal migrations. They’re managed under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act in cooperation with Canada and Mexico, meaning no state can set seasons and limits independently.

Your state participates in flyway management through one of four flyways (Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, or Pacific). Managers conduct breeding population surveys in the northern breeding grounds each spring to set the following fall’s hunting seasons.

How to Research Your State’s Species Lists

Your state fish and wildlife agency is the primary source. Look for:

State endangered/threatened species list — often a separate list from the federal ESA list; states frequently list species that aren’t federally listed
Invasive species list — usually maintained by a state invasive species council
Game species regulations booklet — lists all legally huntable species with seasons and limits
Furbearer management plan — describes regulated trapping seasons and population status
State waterfowl regulations — lists migratory game birds and seasons

Research Checklist

Check off each category as you complete your list

Endangered species: Compile the state list from your agency’s website
Threatened species: Often listed alongside endangered on the same document
Exotic / non-native species: Check your state’s invasive species council
Game species: Review the state hunting regulations booklet
Furbearers: Usually listed in the furbearer section of hunting regulations
Migratory game birds: Federal + state waterfowl regulations
Three species to discuss: Select one from different categories for variety

USFWS Endangered Species — State Listings The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Ecological Services program maintains the federal Endangered Species list and provides state-by-state information on listed species. Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies — State Agency Contacts Direct links to every state fish and wildlife agency — where you'll find state-specific endangered species lists, game species regulations, and invasive species information.

Once you’ve completed your species classification research, you can compare options or move to the fish study requirement.