MI Hunters Rights Preserved in Huron-Manistee Forest Lawsuit

NRAHuntersRights.org

Fairfax, VA--(Ammoland.com)- A single citizen’s five-year legal battle to end gun hunting and snowmobiling in portions of Michigan’s Huron-Manistee National Forests —an effort that very well could have jeopardized hunting in all national forests— reached its likely end last week, when the U.S. Forest Service announced that both activities will be allowed to continue.

That decision stems from a 2010 ruling by the 6^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that the Forest Service failed to comply with several of its own regulations and a federal statute during revision of the 2006 Land and Resource Management Plan for the Huron-Manistee National Forests.

Kurt Meister, a forest user who owns a cabin in nearby Cadillac, Mich., filed suit in 2007 alleging that the management plan for Huron-Manistee favored gun hunting and snowmobile riding over “quiet” recreational activities. He sought to have approximately 66,500 acres of semi-primitive, non-motorized areas set aside for quiet uses.

His complaint was originally thrown out by a federal district judge in Detroit, but Meister won on appeal.

Specifically, the court found that the Forest Service (1) did not coordinate its planning with the state of Michigan, as required, to reduce duplication of recreational activities with respect to firearm hunting and snowmobiling, and (2) violated the National Environmental Policy Act when it failed to consider closing 13 semi-primitive, non-motorized areas and the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area to gun hunting and snowmobiles.

In response to that lawsuit, Huron-Manistee officials amended the management plan, offering four alternatives ranging from taking no action —which would have flown in the face of the court’s ruling— to ending gun hunting and snowmobiling on 14 different areas of the forest.

The agency instead opted to reclassify 13 of those 14 areas to management designations that imply more noise but still allow for “more secluded” and “less roaded” recreation relative to the rest of the forests’ nearly 1 million acres.

This preferred alternative (Alternative 4 in the draft plan) allows gun hunting and snowmobile use to continue and was supported by NRA and more than 30 other pro-hunting organizations via a letter submitted to the Forest Service in October. The Record of Decision implementing the preferred alternative, signed on Jan. 27 by Regional Forester Charles L. Myers, says the Forest Service will:

• –  Continue to allow gun hunting in the previously designated semi-primitive, non-motorized and primitive areas of the Huron-Manistee National Forests in accordance with regulations of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and
• – Continue to allow snowmobiling on designated trails within the Huron-Manistee National Forests.

Hunters should take note, however, that the plan still must clear several hurdles before it becomes final.

For starters, forest spokesperson Ken Arbogast said the Department of Justice will submit the Record of Decision on the Forest Service’s behalf to the U.S. District Court in Detroit, which will determine if the plan complies with the Sixth Circuit’s ruling.

The decision will also be open to a 45-day public appeal period.

Despite these pitfalls, it looks as if a precedent-setting ban on gun hunting has been averted, at least for the time being.

“The Forest Service made the right decision to keep secluded areas open to gun hunting, but in changing the land designations, the agency creates the impression that gun hunting should be excluded from semi-primitive and primitive areas,” said Susan Recce, NRA Director of Conservation, Wildlife and Natural Resources.

“The only way to protect gun hunting on national forests, regardless of individual land designations, and to stop these frivolous lawsuits, is for Congress to enact H.R. 2834.”

Supported by NRA, the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, Safari Club International, Congressional Sportsmen Foundation, and the American Sportfishing Association, among other conservation groups, H.R. 2834, the Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act, safeguards hunting, fishing and recreational shooting from arbitrary closure on federal lands.

The bill states that lands under Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service jurisdiction, including lands designated as wilderness, or administratively classified as wilderness eligible or suitable, and primitive or semi-primitive areas, shall be open for fishing, hunting and shooting unless the managing agency acts to close lands to such activity.

The closures or restrictions must be necessary and reasonable and supported by facts and evidence.

H.R. 2834 also corrects another problem that the ruling created with respect to duplication of activities. The court’s ruling suggested that the Forest Service, by its own planning rule, had to look outside the boundaries of the Huron-Manistee to see if hunting was allowed on non-forest lands, implying that the agency should close forest lands to hunting if other nearby state or federal lands were also open to hunting.

An analysis completed by Huron-Manistee officials and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources found that there was no opportunity to reduce duplication because of public demand for hunting and snowmobiling opportunities in more secluded areas.

However, H.R. 2834 removes any obligation for federal land managers to consider sportsmen’s activities on other lands when planning for public use on its own lands.

H.R. 2834 is expected to reach the House floor in March, and a Senate version of the bill was introduced by Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) on Thursday, Feb. 2.

For additional information on H.R. 2834, please read: NRA Fights to Secure Access to Federal Lands

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For the most up-to-date information about your hunting rights there’s just one source: www.NRAhuntersrights.org.

February 2012 Lawful Concealed Pistol License (CPL) Holders in Michigan

Michigan Coalition For Responsible Gun Owners

Michigan - -(Ammoland.com)- The most recent (February 2012) County by County CPL report is now available for download from the Michigan State Police web site.

According to the MSP report, as of February 3, 2012 there were 300,786 concealed pistol license holders in Michigan. Click here to download. MSP

Lawful Concealed Pistol License (CPL) Holders in Michigan.

About:
The Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners is a non-profit, non-partisan organization. Formed from just eight people in 1996, we now have thousands of members and numerous affiliated clubs across the state. We’re growing larger and more effective every day.

Our mission statement is: “Promoting safe use and ownership of firearms through education, litigation, and legislation” Visit: www.mcrgo.org

Michigan Coalition For Responsible Gun Owners

Michigan - -(Ammoland.com)- Senate Bill 58 was introduced by Senator Green early last year and co-sponsored by Senators Kowall, Brandenburg, Colbeck, Casperson, Emmons, Jansen, Moolenaar and Robertson.

It is currently sitting with the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill would eliminate the so-called “Pistol Free Zones” for CPL (Concealed Pistol License) holders.

As readers of this column may recall, I often refer to the “Pistol Free Zones” as “Mass Murderer Empowerment Zones.”

This is because the list includes several places where mass killings have occurred. As any thinking person knows, the only effect of any “gun free zone” that is not secured by metal detectors, and staffed by armed guards, is to simply disarm law-abiding citizens who comply with the law, thereby making them vulnerable to criminals, who do not.

The current list of places where law-abiding CPL holders may not carry is found in MCL 28.425o, and printed in abbreviated form on the back of your CPL. There are various groups of people who may disregard the list. They can be described as various types of law enforcement officers, retired law enforcement officers, judges and retired judges, and licensed private investigators. There are various proposals pending in the legislature to add to this list of people with special self-defense privileges that go beyond the self-defense that is allowed to ordinary citizens.

SB 58 would simply eliminate the list of so-called “Pistol Free Zones” altogether. We CPL holders have demonstrated over a period of more than 10 years, that we can be trusted to act prudently and safely in the overwhelming majority of situations. To say that we may not carry in certain places simply by legislative fiat, is to say that our lives are simply not important if we choose to go to certain places such as hospitals and adoption agencies.

As I tell my law students: “Do not try to apply common sense to gun law, you run the risk of a stroke.“

The current scheme is, by nature, arbitrary and capricious. As responsible gun owners, we are bound to follow the law, but we are also free to urge changes that make it more logical and fair.

If you would like to urge that the Senate Judiciary Committee take up SB 58 and recommend it to the full Senate, you could call the offices of the committee members.

They are:

• Sen. Rick Jones (Chairman) (Grand Ledge) 517-373-3447
• Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (Kalamazoo Co. plus Paw Paw Twp and Antwerp Twp) 517-373-0793
• Sen. Tory Rocca (Clinton Twp., Roseville, Sterling Heights, Utica) 517-373-7315

It is well known that phone calls that are polite and succinct are given more weight than those that are not.

Steve Dulan (www.StevenWDulan.com) is a member of the Board of Directors of the MCRGO and the MCRGO Foundation, and a member of the Board of Trustees of the MCRGO Foundation. He is an attorney in private practice in East Lansing and Adjunct Professor of firearms law at The Thomas M. Cooley Law School. as well as an Endowment Member of the NRA.

About:
The Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners is a non-profit, non-partisan organization. Formed from just eight people in 1996, we now have thousands of members and numerous affiliated clubs across the state. We’re growing larger and more effective every day.

Our mission statement is: “Promoting safe use and ownership of firearms through education, litigation, and legislation” Visit: www.mcrgo.org

Michigan's Castle Doctrine & No-Retreat Legislation Review

Michigan Coalition For Responsible Gun Owners

Michigan - -(Ammoland.com)- Occasionally we like to review Michigan’s version of the Castle Doctrine and No-Retreat Laws.

Each of these Bills provide rather specific circumstances and protections which, taken as a whole, provide strong protection for a person who is forced to defend himself from criminal attack (which here means grievous bodily injury, rape, or death)

PA 311 provides a “rebuttable presumption” in a civil or criminal case that a person who defends himself believes that criminal attack is threatened if (1) he is in a dwelling or business, or (2) the criminal is attempting to remove someone from a dwelling, business, or vehicle. This does not apply if the alleged criminal has a legal right to be in the dwelling or business, or if the person defending himself is committing a crime, or if the person entering is a law enforcement officer in the course of his duties.

PA 310 states that a prosecutor may still charge a person who has defended himself if the prosecutor can present to the court evidence that the person did not believe he was threatened with criminal attack. This represents a substantial change from the prior law which puts the burden of proof on the person defending himself to show that he did believe he was subject to criminal attack.

PA 309 says that if a person is anywhere he has a legal right to be, he has no duty to retreat if he believe he is threatened by criminal attack. Note that this differs from the home/business situation where it is presumed that he believes he is subject to criminal attack.

PA 313 is subtle: “Sec. 21c. (1) In cases in which section 2 of the self-defense act does not apply, the common law of this state applies except that the duty to retreat before using deadly force is not required if an individual is in his or her own dwelling or within the curtilage of that dwelling.”

PA 314 states that a person who defends himself (or in defense of another individual) with deadly force or less than deadly force anywhere he has a right to be is immune from civil liability for damages.

PA 312 provides attorney fees to a defendant if a civil suit is filed and the court determines that the defendant is immune from civil liability under PA 314. .

About:
The Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners is a non-profit, non-partisan organization. Formed from just eight people in 1996, we now have thousands of members and numerous affiliated clubs across the state. We’re growing larger and more effective every day.

Our mission statement is: “Promoting safe use and ownership of firearms through education, litigation, and legislation” Visit: www.mcrgo.org

Michigan Wolves Removed from Endangered Species List - Wolf Management Plan in Effect

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Management authority over wolves in Michigan has been officially returned to the Department of Natural Resources, putting the state’s Wolf Management Plan into effect, the DNR announced today.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to remove wolves in the western Great Lakes region from the federal endangered species list became official today. The Great Lakes region includes Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Wolves remain a protected, nongame species in Michigan, but state management will afford more options when dealing with wolves preying on livestock or dogs.

“Delisting is a victory for the state and for Michigan citizens who have been affected by this issue,” said DNR Director Rodney Stokes.

“The state’s healthy wolf population is a reminder that Michigan still has places where wild animals such as wolves can live and thrive. Fully implementing the state’s Wolf Management Plan will allow us to more effectively respond to problem wolves, while maintaining a self-sustaining wolf population and increasing social acceptance of the species as a whole.”

The DNR will continue to recommend nonlethal methods of control as the first option for residents. However, in cases where nonlethal methods are not working or are not feasible, state officials will now have greater flexibility to use lethal means to remove problem wolves when appropriate. In addition, Michigan residents will be able to legally protect their livestock and dogs if an animal is being attacked by a wolf.

The Michigan Legislature passed laws in 2008 to allow livestock or dog owners, or their designated agents, to remove, capture, or, if deemed necessary, use lethal means to destroy a wolf that is “in the act of preying upon” (attempting to kill or injure) the owner’s livestock or dog(s). These state laws took effect Jan. 27, 2012.

Livestock or dog owners who use lethal means to destroy a wolf must observe the following guidelines:

1. Report the lethal take of a wolf by calling the Report All Poaching (RAP) hotline at 800-292-7800 no later than 12 hours after the lethal take.
2. Retain possession of the wolf until a DNR official is available to take possession. A DNR official will respond to the scene within 12 hours of notification.
3. Do not move or disturb the dead wolf. The only exception to this rule is if a wolf has been killed in the act of preying upon livestock and leaving the wolf in place would impede normal farming practices. In that case the wolf may be moved to a secure location once photographs are taken of the wolf and the area where lethal means were used.

“Although lethal control methods are now legal in certain circumstances, wolves remain a protected species in Michigan and no hunting or trapping season is in place,” said DNR Law Enforcement Division Chief Gary Hagler. “The DNR will investigate and continue prosecution of any wolf poaching cases.”

Illegally killing a wolf is punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both, and the cost of prosecution. Suspected poaching violations may be reported 24 hours a day, seven days a week to the DNR’s RAP hotline at 800-292-7800.

There are an estimated 687 wolves in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. For more information on Michigan’s wolf population, greater detail about the two laws governing wolf depredation, and to see the state’s Wolf Management Plan, visit www.michigan.gov/wolves.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Tahquamenon Falls State Park Hosts Snowshoe Race Feb. 18 2012

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Tahquamenon Falls State Park will host the second annual Tahquamenon Snowshoe Race on Saturday, Feb. 18, with a variety of distances and courses offered for adults and children.

The event, organized by Great Lakes Endurance, LLC, will begin at 11 a.m. at the park’s Upper Falls. Adult participants will choose from 5K, 10K or 20K courses; children can register for an 800-meter kids race. The unique course includes views of the Upper Falls and winds through the park’s towering old-growth white pines.

Registration fees range from $10-$40. Same-day registration will be available on-site, but those who pre-register online at www.greatlakesendurance.com will receive a discounted price. Proceeds from the race support environmental education programs at Whitefish Township School in Paradise.

The overall male and female 20K winners will receive a pair of Atlas snowshoes; 10K winners will receive a Mountain Hardware jacket; 5K and kids race winners will receive Mountain Hardware fleece tops. Additionally, the top three finishers of each race in each age group will receive local maple syrup, honey and organic chocolate. Post-race refreshments, including organic hot chocolate, blueberry scones and cherry juice, will be available for all participants.

For more information about the second annual Tahquamenon Snowshoe Race, or to make lodging reservations, contact park headquarters at 906-492-3415. Semi-modern campsites and a modern lodge are available during the winter season at Tahquamenon Falls State Park. The campsites include electrical outlets and vault toilets. The lodge includes heat, electricity, a furnished kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms. To learn more about the park’s winter camping amenities, visit www.michigan.gov/tahquamenonfalls.

The Recreation Passport has replaced motor vehicle permits for entry into Michigan state parks, recreation areas and state-administered boating access fee sites. This new way to fund Michigan’s outdoor recreation opportunities also helps to preserve state forest campgrounds, trails, and historic and cultural sites in state parks, and provides park development grants to local communities.

Michigan residents can purchase the Recreation Passport ($10 for motor vehicles; $5 for motorcycles) by checking “YES” on their license plate renewal forms, or at any state park or recreation area. Nonresident motor vehicles must still display a valid nonresident Recreation Passport ($29 annual; $8 daily) to enter a Michigan state park, recreation area or state-administered boating access fee site; these can be purchased at any state park or recreation area, or through the Michigan e-Store at www.michigan.gov/estore. To learn more about the Recreation Passport, visit www.michigan.gov/recreationpassport or call 517-241-7275.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

5thMichiganPlayer: The 5th Michigan Volunteer Infantry will perform at the Michigan Historical Museum on Feb. 4, marking the last weekend of the museum’s special exhibit, Plowshares Into Swords.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The 5th Michigan Volunteer Infantry will play at the Michigan Historical Museum on Feb. 4 at 1 p.m. in recognition of the museum’s Civil War exhibit, Plowshares Into Swords.

The performance marks the last weekend visitors can see the special exhibit. It will be held in the museum’s first floor in the Forum and begin at 1 p.m. The event is free with regular museum admission.

The 5th Michigan Volunteer Infantry – a unit which saw action at the battles of Bull Run, Antietam and Gettysburg during the Civil War – was mustered into service on Aug. 28, 1861 at Fort Wayne in Detroit. One hundred fifty years later the modern 5th Michigan Regiment Band brings Civil War history to thousands of spectators each year through music and historical narration.

The band will be dressed in their Union blues and perform Civil War-era music on antique and replica sax horns and wood rope tension drums. The selection will include popular marches, polkas, waltzes and quicksteps of the 1860s that were played during parades and at military balls on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Lt. Col. Guy Smith, director of the band, has meticulously transcribed and orchestrated the band’s music using original scores preserved in the National Archives.

Visit www.michigan.gov/museum and see “Coming Events” for more detailed information.

Michigan Historical Museum admission is $6 for adults 18-64. Children through age 5 are free; youth ages 6-17 pay an optional $2; and seniors 65 and up pay $4. Annual passes are available, and Sundays are FREE for everyone. Visit www.michigan.gov/museum for details.

The museum is open seven days a week. It is located inside the Michigan Library and Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo St., Lansing. The museum and visitor parking are on the north side of Kalamazoo Street, two blocks east of M. L. King Jr. Boulevard. Weekend parking is free. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/museum or call 517-373-3359.

The Michigan Historical Center is part of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Its museum and archival programs help people discover, enjoy and find inspiration in their heritage. It includes the Michigan Historical Museum, 11 regional museums, and the Archives of Michigan. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/michiganhistory.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Enjoy Snowshoe Treks through Michigan's Ludington State Park in January & February

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Ludington State Park in Mason County is offering a Go Get Outdoors free snowshoe trek on Saturdays, Jan. 14 through Feb. 18, weather permitting.

These 1-1/2-hour guided snowshoe/nature/history programs will take visitors through Ludington State Park’s snow-covered sand dunes. Two treks will be offered each Saturday.

Start out from the Warming Shelter located next to the parking lot at the end of M-116 at 3 p.m. or try the Moonlight Trek at 7 p.m. The park has 40 pairs of snowshoes to loan out on a first-come, first-served basis. Loaner snowshoes fit visitors ages 10 years old to adult. Reservations are not required.

Park staff will be on hand to help novice trekkers with their snowshoes and getting started. Participants are advised to dress warmly, wear good-fitting winter walking shoes or boots, and bring a flashlight if attending the Moonlight Trek.

“Snowshoeing can be done by anyone at any age. One hour of moderate walking in snowshoes can burn up to 750 calories, and the sport is one of the safest winter activities,” said Allen Wernette, Ludington State Park interpreter.

Ludington State Park is located at 8800 W. M-116 in Ludington. For details, call Wernette at 231-843-9261.

Snowshoe hikes and cross-country ski events are taking place this winter at many state parks across Michigan. To learn more, visit www.michigan.gov/gogetoutdoors.

A Recreation Passport is required for all vehicles entering Ludington State Park. The Recreation Passport has replaced motor vehicle permits for entry into Michigan state parks, recreation areas and state-administered boating access fee sites. This new way to fund Michigan’s outdoor recreation opportunities also helps to preserve state forest campgrounds, trails, and historic and cultural sites in state parks, and provides park development grants to local communities.

Michigan residents can purchase the Recreation Passport ($10 for motor vehicles; $5 for motorcycles) by checking “YES” on their license plate renewal forms, or at any state park or recreation area. Nonresident motor vehicles must still display a valid nonresident Recreation Passport ($29 annual; $8 daily) to enter a Michigan state park, recreation area or state-administered boating access fee site; these can be purchased at any state park or recreation area, or through the Michigan e-Store at www.michigan.gov/estore. To learn more about the Recreation Passport, visit www.michigan.gov/recreationpassport or call 517-241-7275.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers have determined an apparent moose poaching case reported in Marquette County in October 2011 was in fact a hoax, the DNR announced today.

DNR officers, with assistance from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officers, investigated the case and were able to determine that a severed moose head, left in an area by the corner of County Road CF and East Road near Helen Lake in southern Humbolt Township, came from a moose legally harvested in and imported from Canada.

During the investigation, officers learned that upon returning to Michigan, the successful hunter had brought the moose to a local Negaunee-area meat processor. The hunter retrieved the meat and antlers from the processor, but left the rest of the carcass, including the head, for proper disposal by the processor.

At some point, the head was diverted from proper disposal and used in an apparent attempt to imply a moose poaching had taken place in the Upper Peninsula. The moose head was displayed on a rock with a sign leaning against it that read “Wolf’s (sic) won’t get this one!”

“While the outcome of this case is positive, in the sense that a moose poaching did not take place, it is also disheartening that someone chose to express themselves in this manner, which resulted in a waste of public resources, through the time and expense involved in investigating and closing this case,” said DNR Lt. Timothy Robson.

While the hunter who legally harvested and imported the moose has been cleared in the case, additional information or tips regarding the hoax poaching case could lead to criminal charges. Anyone with information about this, or any natural resources violation, can call the DNR’s Report All Poaching (RAP) Line 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-292-7800, or contact Lt. Robson at the DNR’s Marquette office at 906-228-6561. Information can be left confidentially, and often monetary rewards are offered for information that leads to the arrest of violators.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources’ Parks and Recreation Division is offering free camping this summer for outdoor lovers who volunteer as campground hosts at Michigan state parks, recreation areas or state forest campgrounds.

The Volunteer Campground Host Program allows individuals to camp in a state park or state forest campground at no charge in return for providing visitor assistance in the campground.

Campground hosts direct visitors to their campsites, answer questions about the park or state forest, arrange campground activities and perform light maintenance duties and other services, depending on the hosts’ talents and interests. They can be individuals or teams. Retired couples, teachers and students, as well as families, are just some of the volunteers who have enjoyed spending their time as campground hosts.

Campground hosts must be at least 18 years old, provide services five days/30 hours per week (including weekends and holidays), serve a minimum of four consecutive weeks and furnish their own camping unit, equipment and personal items.

State park hosts must attend a two-day training session the end of April, 2012 at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center in Roscommon. This training is not required of state forest campground hosts.

Campground hosts are chosen by park and forest managers who may require an interview or request additional information. Selection is based on the individual’s familiarity with the state park or state forest system, his or her camping experience, special skills, availability, knowledge of the area and the needs of the specific park or forest campground.

Hosts are particularly needed during the busy camping season, which can begin as early as April in state parks in southern Michigan. Many of last year’s campground hosts will be returning this year; however, vacancies still exist at park and forest campground locations throughout Michigan.

Information and applications are available from the DNR’s website at www.michigan.gov/dnrvolunteers. Those interested in being a campground host at a state park should apply directly to the park of their choice.

For more information on campground host positions in state parks and recreation areas contact Pam Ames at 517-467-7401; for state forest campgrounds, please contact Ada Takacs at 989-275-5151, ext. 2049.

The Recreation Passport has replaced motor vehicle permits for entry into Michigan state parks, recreation areas and state-administered boating access fee sites. This new way to fund Michigan’s outdoor recreation opportunities also helps to preserve state forest campgrounds, trails, and historic and cultural sites in state parks, and provides park development grants to local communities.

Michigan residents can purchase the Recreation Passport ($10 for motor vehicles; $5 for motorcycles) by checking “YES” on their license plate renewal forms, or at any state park or recreation area. Nonresident motor vehicles must still display a valid nonresident Recreation Passport ($29 annual; $8 daily) to enter a Michigan state park, recreation area or state-administered boating access fee site; these can be purchased at any state park or recreation area, or through the Michigan e-Store at www.michigan.gov/estore. To learn more about the Recreation Passport, visit www.michigan.gov/recreationpassport or call 517-241-7275.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center “Michigan Birds” Photo Contest

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon is holding a “Michigan Birds” photo contest.

Submit a favorite photo from last year or take a trek through the woods, fields or wetlands this winter or spring and try your hand at capturing the beauty of a native Michigan bird. The deadline for submission is at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 27.

From bird feeders to lakeshores, there are many places to find photo-worthy subjects. Some examples include cardinals, chickadees, white-breasted nuthatches, American goldfinches, bald eagles, ospreys, wild turkeys, hooded mergansers, buffleheads, sandhill cranes and barred owls. Michigan has a very large, diverse group of birds. During any season, birds can be seen in every corner of the state in all types of habitats. Some common non-native species that will not be accepted into the contest include mute swans and all types of domestic or exotic fowl such as farm-raised chickens or geese.

Entries are limited to two photos per person. Photos must be securely matted without a frame or glass, with a minimum size of 8 x 10 inches and maximum size of 11 x 16 inches. An entry fee of $3 per photo must accompany each submission. Please include photographer’s name, address, email, phone number, name of the bird and location where the photo was taken on the back. This contest is intended for amateurs only; the works of published photographers will not be considered.

An impartial team of volunteers with knowledge of photography will judge the photos. Winners will be announced May 5. Three winners will be chosen. First, second and third place winners will receive gift cards of $100, $50 and $25 respectively. The contest is sponsored by the Gillette Nature Association in conjunction with the association’s annual Spring Blooms in the Dunes event held May 5 and a weeklong observance of International Migratory Bird Day, in cooperation with Ottawa County Parks, which will include programs and hikes scheduled for May 5-12. For more information on these events and other programs and hikes scheduled to highlight birds of Michigan, go to www.gillettenature.org or www.miottawa.org/parks.

Photos may be submitted by mail or delivered to: Gillette Nature Association, 6585 Lake Harbor Road, Muskegon, MI 49441. Winning photos will be on display at the Gillette Visitor Center through June 20. Entries may be picked up on or after June 20; those not picked up within two months will become property of Gillette Nature Association.

Questions may be directed to Elizabeth Brockwell-Tillman, park interpreter, at 231-798-3573. The Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center is one of 10 visitor centers managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Visit www.michigan.gov/dnrvisitorcenters for more information.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan DNR Applauds Federal Decision to Remove Wolves from Endangered Species List

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Michigan Department of Natural Resources today applauded the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to remove wolves in the western Great Lakes region from the federal endangered species list. The decision returns management of the species to the state level.

The federal delisting rule removing wolves from the endangered species list will be published in the Federal Register Wednesday, Dec. 28, and will take effect Friday, Jan. 27, 30 days after its publication.

Returning wolves to state management will allow the DNR to more effectively manage the species under Michigan’s highly-regarded Wolf Management Plan, which was created through a roundtable process involving interested parties representing viewpoints from all sides of the wolf issue.

“This is great news for the state’s wolf population and for Michigan citizens who have been affected by this issue,” said DNR Director Rodney Stokes. “Treating wolves as an endangered species, when the population has exceeded federal recovery goals in Michigan for more than a decade, has negatively impacted public opinion in areas of Michigan where wolves are established on the landscape. I firmly believe that the more flexible management options allowed under the state’s Wolf Management Plan will help increase social acceptance of the species while maintaining a healthy, sustainable wolf population.”

Once wolves are removed from the endangered species list, the DNR will continue to recommend nonlethal methods of control first, including flashing lights, flagging and noisemakers. In addition, the DNR administers a grant program that provides some funding to livestock owners with depredation issues for improved fencing and guard animals such as llamas, donkeys and Great Pyrenees dogs.

However, in cases where nonlethal methods are not working or feasible, DNR officials will now have the ability to kill problem wolves when appropriate. Under federal Endangered Species Act protection, wolves are protected from lethal control measures except in defense of human safety.

Livestock and dog owners in Michigan will also be able to legally protect their private property from wolf depredation once wolves are removed from the endangered species list.

The Michigan Legislature passed laws in 2008 to allow livestock or dog owners, or their designated agents, to remove, capture, or, if deemed necessary, use lethal means to destroy a wolf that is “in the act of preying upon” (attempting to kill or injure) the owner’s livestock or dog(s). These state laws will go into effect on Friday, Jan. 27, 30 days after the Final Rule is published in the Federal Register.

After the wolf is taken off the federal endangered species list, the animal will remain a protected species in Michigan. There is no public hunting or trapping of wolves allowed in Michigan. The DNR and the US Fish and Wildlife Service will investigate and continue vigorous prosecution of any wolf poaching cases. Illegally killing a wolf is punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both, and the cost of prosecution. Reports about poaching can be made to the DNR’s Report All Poaching (RAP) Hotline, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-292-7800.

For more information on Michigan’s wolf population and to see the state’s Wolf Management Plan, go to www.michigan.gov/wolves.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan DNR Reminds Snowmobile & ORV Operators to Be Safe Durring Winter Riding Season

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Winter is a beautiful time to experience Michigan’s outdoors. Whether riding a portion of Michigan’s groomed snowmobile trails or riding an off-road vehicle (ORV) to a favorite remote icefishing hole, the Department of Natural Resources reminds riders to always exercise safety.

With more than 6,200 miles of designated groomed snowmobile trails located throughout state and federal forests, and many acres of privately owned lands, Michigan is one of the top snowmobiling destinations in North America. While the DNR does not recommend that riders operate on the ice, Michigan’s 11,000-plus lakes also tempt operators to ride on the frozen surfaces.

“With Michigan’s riding opportunities also comes inherent risks associated with motorsports,” said Gary Hagler, chief of the DNR’s Law Enforcement Division. “It is each rider’s responsibility to ensure their safety and the safety of their passengers and bystanders.”

There are several common factors with snowmobile and ORV accidents in Michigan. The DNR urges snowmobilers and ORV operators to take simple precautions this winter season. Excessive speed, alcohol use, inexperience, failure to wear helmets, operating on roadways and unfamiliarity with terrain are some of the most common factors involved in accidents. Many fatal accidents have one or more common factors as contributing causes.

Snowmobilers and ORV operators are reminded to:

• Never operate under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Slow down
• Wear safety equipment such as a helmet, eye protection, protective clothing and insulated boots and gloves
• Always operate with the flow of traffic and stay as far to the right side of any legal road or trail
• Always keep a machine in top mechanical condition
• Never ride alone and always leave a travel plan with someone
• Avoid, when possible, operating on frozen bodies of water
• Avoid operating in a single file when operating on frozen bodies of water
• Wear a winter flotation suit whenever operating on the frozen surfaces of water
• Always be alert and avoid fences and low strung wires
• Always look for depressions in terrain
• Only carry passengers when the machine is designed to do so
• Ensure that headlights and tail lights are on at all times
• When approaching an intersection, come to a complete stop, raise up off the seat and look for on-coming traffic
• Always check the weather conditions before departure
• Bring a cell phone and other basic safety gear (something to start a fire with, rescue throw rope, self-rescue ice spikes, tow strap, flashlight, compass, blanket, etc.)

“Operators should respect the speeds that snowmobiles and ORVs are capable of attaining, and the demands that operating over snow and ice pose,” Hagler said. “Safety education is a crucial factor in safe and responsible snowmobile and ORV operation. Safety education is required for youths and highly recommended for all others.”

Persons interested in finding a safety course, go online to www.michigan.gov/dnr and click on the “Education & Outreach” menu and then select Hunter Education & Recreational Safety Classes. Safety training classes are offered in a classroom setting and some are available online.

The DNR does not recommend operating on the frozen surface of water; however, the DNR recognizes that it is a popular activity. If an ice crossing is unavoidable there are several safety concerns operators need to be aware of in the event they fall into the freezing water.

Once a person is suddenly immersed in freezing water, their respiratory system will automatically and instantly have an uncontrollable inhaling gasp reflex because of the cold shock. If initially under the water, individuals will inhale water into their lungs. It is critical to get your head above the surface and first get your breathing under control which will take at least one minute. If you do not control your breathing the chances of drowning sooner are exponentially increased. Once you have your breathing under control, get to the edge of the solid ice you were at before you fell in because you know that ice held your weight at one point. Secure your arms on top of the edge of good ice. Use your arms to lift your body up and kick your feet hard in a swimming motion while leaning over the good ice. Get your upper body up onto the solid ice and roll away from the open water. Using self-rescue ice spikes, which typically consist of two plastic cylinders with spikes on one end connected with a line, can greatly assist in pulling yourself out of the water onto safe ice. Once you are out, do not stand up immediately or you will have an increased risk of falling through thin ice again. Once far enough away from the open water, begin to crawl away and eventually walk.

If you’re unable to get yourself out of the water ensure your arms, and as much of your upper body, are out as far as possible. Reach out as far as you can onto the ice and do not move your arms. This will hopefully freeze your clothes to the ice and keep you from falling farther back in and increase the chances of being rescued. You will lose effective movement in roughly 10 minutes, but you can remain conscious for up to two hours. You should yell or signal for help.

Do not remove any protective gear such as a helmet or jacket. Your appropriate protective gear (riding clothes, suit and helmet) will offer some degree of floatation and provide insulating qualities. Helmets, while not marketed as a Personal Flotation Device (PFD), are partially constructed of foam liners and offer about the same amount of buoyancy as a PFD. Wearing a helmet will also help retain body heat around your brain which would otherwise be lost quicker, hastening unconsciousness, if not wearing a helmet.

There are free safety videos available online to illustrate what to expect and how to react in cold water immersion scenarios. These videos made be viewed at: http://www.yukonman.com/cold_water.asp.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources is offering an Introduction to Handgun Shooting class through the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program in Linwood, near Bay City, on Saturday, March 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Hosted by Linwood-Bay Sportsman’s Club, with instruction by the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA), this popular class teaches women all of the basics of handgun safety and use.

The morning session will include an overview of handgun safety and the opportunity to shoot (live fire) .22 LR handguns. After lunch, the IDPA will set up a scenario where participants will shoot on the move while using cover. Women will also have the opportunity to shoot larger-caliber handguns.

All firearms, ammunition, and eye and ear protection will be provided. Attendees are asked not to bring their own firearms to this class.

This is not the class required by law to obtain a concealed pistol license, but is a great prerequisite course for those who are considering obtaining a CPL.

Cost per person is $25, which includes lunch. The class is first-come, first-served, and class size is limited, so those interested in attending are encouraged to register early. The registration deadline is Feb. 21.

Linwood-Bay Sportsman’s Club is located at 1643 E. Linwood Rd. in Linwood. For driving directions or more information about the club, visit www.linwoodbaysportsmans.com.

For registration forms and information on this and other BOW events, visit www.michigan.gov/bow, email dnr-outdoors-woman@michigan.gov or call 517-241-2225.

BOW is a noncompetitive program for women, in which each individual is encouraged to learn at her own pace. The emphasis is on the enjoyment, fun and camaraderie of outdoor activities, and sharing in the success of one another.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

The newly acquired property within the Pigeon River Country State Forest contains a nearly one mile stretch of the Black River and approximately one-half mile of Saunders Creek. Both waterways are situated in the headwaters area of the Black River system, an area that is a highly regarded “blue ribbon” brook trout fishery.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has completed a recent purchase of more than 500 acres of private land within the Pigeon River Country (PRC) State Forest in northern Michigan.

The acquisition of the property occurred through a partnership with the Little Traverse Conservancy, assistance from the Headwaters Land Conservancy, and with funds from the Natural Resource Trust Fund.

“This land acquisition simply makes sense,” said Scott Whitcomb, DNR unit manager for the Pigeon River Country State Forest. “Given the size and location of the property and the natural resources that occur there – this is a perfect addition to the PRC.”

The 517-acre tract of land, the second largest piece of private property within the PRC, is a natural fit for the state forest system. The land is bordered on two and a half sides by state-owned land with a level to gently rolling topography. The property also contains a nearly one mile stretch of the Black River and approximately one-half mile of Saunders Creek. Both waterways are situated in the headwaters area of the Black River system, an area that is a highly regarded “blue ribbon” brook trout fishery.

“We are excited about this land acquisition. It nicely ties together the southern portions of the Pigeon River Country State Forest,” said John Walters, chairman of the Pigeon River Advisory Council and president of the Headwaters Chapter of Trout Unlimited.

“The Pigeon River Country is a special place and the addition of the portions of Saunders Creek and the Black River make it all that much more special, especially for folks interested in quiet recreational opportunities.”

The property will be managed as part of the Pigeon River Country State Forest in accordance with the Concept of Management. This includes managing for timber and wildlife, specifically elk and other forest wildlife habitat, as well as for fisheries habitat. The property will also be open to the public at all times for hunting, fishing, trapping, wildlife viewing and other resource-based recreation.

“Thanks to the Natural Resources Trust Fund, the purchasing of this land is an outstanding addition to the PRC and should provide to be a huge benefit to the citizens of Michigan,” added Whitcomb.

With funds provided by the Natural Resources Trust Fund, the Department of Natural Resources was able to purchase over 500 acres of land within the Pigeon River Country State Forest.

For more information on the Pigeon River Country State Forest and the Concept of Management, visit www.michigan.gov/dnrpigeonriver.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Jim LePeak (center) of Munith was named the 2011 Michigan Hunter Education Instructor of the Year at a recent Natural Resources Commission meeting. Congratulating LePeak are Natural Resources Commission Chair Tim Nichols (left) and Department of Natural Resources Director Rodney Stokes (right).

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Natural Resources Commission recognized Jim LePeak of Jackson County as the 2011 Hunter Education Instructor of the Year at the commission’s Dec. 8 meeting in Lansing.

A resident of Munith, Mich., LePeak has volunteered his time to the DNR’s Hunter Education program since 1999, serving as an instructor as well as a coordinator – equipping and providing training to other instructors – for Jackson and Hillsdale counties.

“Volunteer hunter education instructors like Jim LePeak are vital to developing knowledgeable, safe and responsible hunters, and we are grateful for all that they do,” said DNR Director Rodney Stokes. “Jim goes above and beyond in his efforts to carry on Michigan’s rich hunting heritage.”

LePeak volunteers his time as a proctor for the annual Michigan Youth Hunter Education Challenge and participates as an instructor and range safety officer for the DNR’s weeklong Hunter Education Academy each year. He also helped in facilitating a first-aid and CPR class for hunter education instructors in Jackson County.

“Jim tirelessly promotes the hunter education program – participating in local parades and community events, providing incentives to students who take his class and even including information about upcoming classes on his answering machine,” Stokes added. “He has also recruited many new instructors to the program, including his two sons and his grandson.”

LePeak serves as treasurer of the Michigan Hunter Education Instructor Association and was instrumental in the dissemination of donated computers to instructors throughout southern Michigan. He is also certified as an International Bowhunter Education Program instructor, offering his knowledge and expertise to prospective archery hunters in his area.

Hunter education in Michigan has taught thousands of people safe hunting techniques, firearm handling and hunter ethics and has had a dramatic impact on reducing hunting incidents in our state. To learn more about the DNR’s hunter education program, visit www.michigan.gov/huntereducation.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- A workgroup comprised of conservation groups and youth hunters presented recommendations for regulations for mentored youth hunting in Michigan to the Michigan Natural Resources Commission at a recent meeting.

Earlier this year, Governor Rick Snyder signed two bills into law that eliminated the minimum hunting age in Michigan and directed the NRC to create a new program for mentored youth hunting for children under the age of 10.

Under the statute, the Department of Natural Resources will offer a Mentored Youth Hunting license starting on March 1, 2012. The $7.50 license will be a “package” license that includes small game, spring and fall turkey, two deer tags, a furbearer trapping permit and an all-species fishing license. An adult mentor must be at least 21 years old, have previous hunting experience and possess a valid Michigan hunting license. Another provision of the law allows 10 year-olds to hunt big game on private land with a firearm, which was implemented starting with the 2011 deer season.

The workgroup recommendations for the Mentored Youth Hunting program include:

• No limit on the number of youth a mentor can have with him or her in the field, leaving it at the discretion of the mentor.
• A limit of two hunting devices – bow, crossbow or firearm – per mentor.
• The youth in possession of a hunting device and engaged in the act of hunting must be within arm’s length of the mentor.
• The mentor shall ensure that the hunting device is sized appropriately to fit the physical abilities of the youth to ensure safe and responsible handling.
• The mentor will be held responsible for the youth’s actions.
• The issued deer tags under the Mentored Youth Hunting license can be used for either sex (antlered or antlerless), are not subject to antler point restriction regulations in certain parts of the state and can only be used on private land, consistent with current state law.
• A voluntary Mentor Guide program will be developed by the DNR to educate and inform mentors of their responsibilities.

The NRC has directed the DNR to come forward with a Wildlife Conservation Order to create the regulations for Mentored Youth Hunting at the Jan. 12 meeting in Lansing. The order would be eligible for an NRC vote at the Feb. 9 meeting in Dearborn. Public comment on the proposed regulations can be made at the January or February meeting. Written comments can be sent to the NRC’s executive assistant Deb Whipple at whippled1@michigan.gov or via US Mail to Natural Resources Commission, P.O. Box 30028, Lansing, MI 48909.

For more information on the NRC, including agendas and past meeting minutes, go to www.michigan.gov/nrc.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- This holiday season honor friends or loved ones by making a donation to the Michigan Nongame Fish & Wildlife Fund in their name.

The recipient will be notified of the donation by receiving a beautiful certificate and a Living Resources patch featuring one of Michigan’s unique nongame species.

A donation of $20 or more makes a difference for nongame fish and wildlife species in Michigan. Species that are endangered, threatened or considered rare in the state benefit from donations to this fund. A tax-deductible gift will help to restore rare species populations and also to keep common species common.

Since the Michigan Nongame Fish & Wildlife Fund was established in 1983, the program has had three main goals:

• To restore populations of endangered and threatened species through management and protection.
• To maintain present populations of animals and plants.
• To promote appreciation and awareness of Michigan’s nongame wildlife and endangered species through education and first-hand opportunities to experience wildlife.

Peregrine falcons, trumpeter swans, piping plovers, Kirtland’s warblers, Mitchell’s satyr butterflies, lake sturgeon and common terns are just a few of the hundreds of wildlife species that have benefited from projects supported through the Michigan Nongame Fish & Wildlife Fund. For more information on projects that have been supported by the Nongame Wildlife Fund visit www.michigan.gov/dnr.

The Michigan Nongame Fish & Wildlife Fund supports a network of more than 100 watchable wildlife sites throughout the state. These sites provide a variety of opportunities to view some of Michigan’s most popular wildlife species. The watchable wildlife program also promotes teaching people how to responsibly photograph and view all forms of wildlife and plants.

Since its inception, the Michigan Nongame Fish & Wildlife Fund has raised more than $9.5 million in support of critical projects for nongame species, but the Michigan Nongame Fish & Wildlife Fund will not continue without donations.

To make a donation in someone’s honor, please make your check or money order out to: State of Michigan, Nongame Wildlife Fund and send it, along with the person of honor’s name and address, to: Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Division, PO Box 30451, Lansing, MI 48909.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. To learn more, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources has indicated the 2011 firearm deer season harvest appears to have increased slightly compared to the 2010 season.

Southern Michigan is the only region where final firearm harvest figures are expected to decrease.

Preliminary estimates are based on cumulative reports from the field, license sales figures, and check station activity, and are later replaced by the final harvest figures generated using the annual mail survey.

Experiences can differ widely even within regions, but DNR biologists estimate the harvest compared to 2010 was unchanged to up perhaps 10 percent across the Upper Peninsula, likely increased in the Northern Lower Peninsula by as much as 10 percent, and the southern Lower Peninsula appeared down 5 to 10 percent.

License sales through opening day of the firearm season showed a 2 to 3 percent decrease compared to 2010.

“That typically reflects expected final license sales figures and hunting activity through the end of the full hunting season,” said DNR Deer Program Leader Brent Rudolph, “but we saw more than the usual number of hunters purchasing a license after opening day. Perhaps a somewhat slow start to the season encouraged more hunters to try their hand later on.”

Check station activity was also initially less than last year, but increased traffic saw some locations meet or exceed their marks from 2010 as the season progressed.

As expected, with the mild conditions experienced in the previous two winters, deer numbers in both the Upper Peninsula and Northern Lower Peninsula look to be slowly increasing following prior declines. Ashley Hippler, DNR Deer Program biologist for the northern regions, noted, “deer in these regions are not as abundant as they were in the 1990s, but deer sightings were generally up even though hunter numbers appeared down compared to 2010.”

Deer from throughout the state were reported to be in good condition, as indicated by overall observations and measurements of antler development collected at check stations.

“We greatly appreciate the efforts our hunters make to bring deer to our check stations located throughout the state,” said Russ Mason, chief of the DNR Wildlife Division. “These data are important to our deer program, but check station visits also provide valuable opportunities to gather hunter impressions and feedback and even celebrate the annual traditions built around Michigan deer hunting.”

Rudolph emphasized the annual mail survey completed once all deer seasons are concluded provides the final estimates of harvest and participation over all deer seasons, including the firearm season. Preliminary estimates last year projected the firearm harvest ranged from a 15 percent decrease to 10 percent increase by region, while the final mail survey indicated a slightly less than 6 percent drop in deer taken during firearm season statewide.

For more information about hunting opportunities in Michigan, to fill out your 2011 deer hunting survey, or for additional information about deer, go online to www.michigan.gov/deer.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Historical Museum Curator Laurie Perkins prepares the 24th Michigan Infantry flag for display. Shot through by 23 bullets, its staff splintered, the flag was reduced to tatters. Despite 80 percent casualties, the regiment never surrendered the flag. It is one of four Civil War battle flags on display at the museum through Feb. 5, 2012.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The final rotation of rarely seen Civil War flags is now on display in the Michigan Historical Museum’s Plowshares Into Swords exhibit, which features Michigan and the coming of the war.

Over the course of the exhibit, Civil War battle flags have been rotated in sets of four. To expose the flags to a minimal amount of light, each set is only on display for three months. Visit the Michigan Historical Museum through Feb. 5 to see these cherished pieces of Michigan’s history.

This final flag rotation includes the battle flags of the 6th Michigan Cavalry Regiment, the 4th Michigan Infantry Regiment, the 18th Michigan Infantry Regiment and the 24th Michigan Infantry Regiment.

“One of Michigan’s most notable flags belonged to the 24th Michigan Infantry,” explained Michigan Historical Museum Education Historian Eric Perkins.

“Color Sergeant Abel Peck—a farmer from Nankin—carried the flag into battle at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863. He was the first of the regiment to die that day, and before the battle was over, nine color bearers lost their lives or received mortal wounds in defense of the flag.” Shot through by 23 bullets, its staff splintered, the flag was reduced to tatters. Despite 80 percent casualties, the regiment never surrendered the flag.

If a Regiment was fortunate enough to return home with its flag, oftentimes the battle-weary soldiers would cut off a small square of the flag as a bittersweet memento. According to Perkins, these souvenir sections show up as square edges on the remaining flag.

Many of the flags have been meticulously restored and all are kept in a climate-controlled room away from light except for rare occasions such as this. Yet most of the flags are missing sections—a reminder of each soldier who walked back through the front door of his home, still wearing his uniform, with a scrap of his cherished battle flag in his pocket.

“Visitors won’t see perfectly rectangular flags,” says Michigan Historical Center Director Sandra Clark. “These are the flags of war. They bear the scars of battle, and that’s what makes them so special, so cherished and so important to Michigan’s history. Each flag has a story. They were actually there.”

Clark encouraged the public to take advantage of this rare chance to see each of them, and learn about who made them, who fought under them, and their long journey from the battlefield to the museum.

For more information about this and other Civil War Sesquicentennial events, visit www.micivilwar.org.

Michigan Historical Museum admission is $6 for adults 18-64. Children through age 5 are free; youth ages 6-17 pay an optional $2; and seniors 65 and up pay $4. Annual passes are available. Visit www.michigan.gov/museum for details.

The museum is open seven days a week. It is located inside the Michigan Library and Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo St., Lansing. The museum and visitor parking are on the north side of Kalamazoo Street, two blocks east of M. L. King Jr. Boulevard. Weekend parking is free. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/museum or call 517-373-3359.

The Michigan Historical Center is part of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Its museum and archival programs help people discover, enjoy and find inspiration in their heritage. It includes the Michigan Historical Museum, 11 regional museums, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve, and the Archives of Michigan. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/michiganhistory.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Extensive damage caused by suspected arson this summer has closed the Carp River Bridge on state snowmobile trail #8 in Marquette County. The DNR is working with the Hiawatha Trails Snowmobile Club to fund and replace the bridge. Work is expected to be completed by late December.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Carp River snowmobile bridge on state snowmobile trail #8 in western Marquette County remains closed due to damage sustained in an unsolved arson case, the Department of Natural Resources said today.

The bridge was burned so extensively by arsonists last summer that repairs will cost more than an estimated $20,000. The Hiawatha Trails Snowmobile Club, which maintains the trail, is working to secure donations to help pay for the repair work and necessary supplies. Current plans indicate repairs will be completed before the end of December, depending on weather and delivery of treated lumber for the bridge.

The trail closure is marked to the east and west of the bridge with signs and barricades. Snowmobilers can get around the bridge closure by utilizing the shoulder of County Road 492.

“The arsonists who damaged the bridge committed a senseless crime that will be very costly to the snowmobile program,” said the DNR’s Western Upper Peninsula Recreation Specialist Ron Yesney. “Not only does this hurt the local snowmobile club’s trail maintenance program, but it will also prohibit snowmobilers from enjoying this portion of the Iron Ore Heritage Trail for part of the snowmobiling season.”

The Hiawatha Trails Snowmobile Club has received a $10,000 donation from the Michigan Upper Peninsula Snowmobile Association and Marquette Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Iron Ore Heritage Trail Authority has also offered $4,000, while the DNR’s snowmobile program is funding $7,450 for the repair work. Another $5,000 will be donated through in-kind labor.

“We are so appreciative of the monetary support we’ve received, allowing the bridge repair to get underway,” said Hiawatha Trails Snowmobile Club President Don Britton. “Our goal is to get the bridge re-opened by Christmas weekend so snowmobilers can enjoy the trail in time for the holidays and the rest of the winter season.”

Anyone with information or tips related to the bridge arson is encouraged to contact DNR law enforcement at 906-228-6561 or 800-292-7800.

For more information about the temporary trail closure and bridge repair, contact Ron Yesney at 906-228-6561. To learn more about the state’s snowmobile trails program, go online to www.michigan.gov/snowmobiling.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Do you own at least 12 acres of connected forest land?

Have you always wanted to better understand how to manage that land for timber, wildlife values, recreational activities or maybe a combination of all three?

Here is your opportunity to receive cost share assistance to develop a certified management plan for your private forest land.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Forest Stewardship Program provides financial and technical assistance on Michigan’s nonindustrial private forestlands. The program helps private landowners offset the initial costs of developing a management plan for their forested property. The landowner selects and hires a private consultant forester to aid in developing management goals and objectives, evaluate the property, and prepare a Forest Stewardship Plan. Landowners in the program pay approximately 50 percent of the cost of the plan development. The remaining 50 percent of the costs will be paid by the State directly to the contractor.

“Forest stewardship is the act of managing a forest so that it sustains health, vigor and ecosystem function for the future,” says Shawna Meyer, DNR Forest Stewardship coordinator. “With over 8.4 million acres of privately owned forestland in Michigan, there is a lot we can do to ensure that our private forestlands are both profitable for the owners and managed for long-term sustainability. Once a landowner has a Stewardship Plan that opens the doors to other funding available to help implement the plan by cost-sharing management practices including planting trees or altering the land to benefit wildlife.”

The process for having a Forest Stewardship Plan written is as follows:

• Landowner selects a certified plan writer. A list can be found for your county at www.michigan.gov/foreststewardship.
• Together the landowner and certified plan writer complete the appropriate forms and application.
• Certified plan writer submits the application to DNR service forester for project eligibility approval.
• Certified plan writer writes plan. The plan must include all information required by DNR.
• Landowner reviews, signs and accepts plan.
• Landowner pays certified plan writer (minimum of 50 percent of plan costs).
• Certified plan writer submits plan to DNR service forester for review and approval.
• DNR service forester reviews, approves or disapproves (note: plans will not be approved for payment if there are outstanding omissions of required components).
• If approved, DNR service forester forwards to the DNR stewardship coordinator for reimbursement to consultant forester.
• If the plan is not approved, the consultant and the landowner are advised so that corrections can be made to qualify the plan.
• Certified plan writer is reimbursed in accordance with guidelines.

“This program is a win-win-win for everyone – our forestlands, the landowners and future generations,” added Meyer.

For more information on connecting with a consultant forester and learning more about the program please contact Shawna Meyer, DNR Forest Stewardship coordinator, at 517-335-3355 or by email at meyers6@michigan.gov.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason has been honored with the Professional Award of Merit from the North Central Section of the Wildlife Society.

Mason was presented his award Dec. 5 at the 72nd Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference in Des Moines, Iowa.

Mason, who took over as head of the wildlife division in 2008 after a lengthy career in wildlife management with USDA Wildlife Services, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the State of Nevada, is the third Michigan recipient of the award.

Michigan DNR Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason

Former DNR biologists Lou Verme and Ed Langenau were honored in1989 and 1994 respectively.

The award -– which is not given out every year – honors an active wildlife professional who has contributed to knowledge, enjoyed an outstanding accomplishment, or displayed leadership over a number of years.

“It is truly humbling to receive such an honor from my peers,” Mason said. “I’d like to thank former DNR Director Becky Humphries, who gave me the opportunity to come to Michigan to work in state wildlife management, current Director Rodney Stokes for continuing to provide that opportunity, as well as the dedicated DNR staff and an army of conservation-minded hunters, trappers and anglers, who make everything we’ve accomplished in Michigan possible.”

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Emily Bee, a high school student from Hartland, was recently honored at a Michigan Natural Resources Commission meeting in Lansing for taking the world championship in the female division in the National Archery in the Schools World Competition. Pictured here with Bee, from the left, are: Frank Wheatlake, NRC vice-chair; Mary Emmons, DNR’s Archery Program coordinator; Rob Jellison, Bee’s coach at Hartland High School; Emily Bee; and DNR Director Rodney Stokes.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- In October, 1,071 kids from around the world arrived at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex to compete in the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) World Tournament.

The three-day competition included students in grades 4 thru 12 from 28 states, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.

Michigan student Emily Bee, a Hartland High School sophomore, emerged from the tournament a world champion archer. Bee scored 292 out of a possible 300 points earning first place in the female division and a NASP World Tournament title.

“When my name was called, I couldn’t believe it, I’m still in shock that I’m first in the world,” Bee said. Bee won more than $4,000 in scholarships, two new bows and a target, among other honors. Hartland also did well as a team, finishing fourth overall and only 15 points from first place.

“The Hartland archery program is an excellent representation of the Department of Natural Resources’ Archery in the Schools Program,” said Mary Emmons, DNR Archery Education coordinator. “Under Hartland Coach Rob Jellison’s direction, the school’s archery team has acquired seven state championships, two top five finishes at worlds, one national champion and one world record since the program started in 2007.”

DNR Director Rodney Stokes honored Bee at a recent Natural Resources Commission meeting for her world record achievement by presenting her with a plaque and a letter from Michigan Governor Rick Snyder.

“There is no doubt in my mind that archery is a challenging sport, both physically and mentally, but you can truly get children of every age, size, and athletic ability shooting arrows safely down range,” said Jellison, “I love seeing some of my star athletes from other sports shooting on the same team as students who have never been on a ‘team’ until archery.”

The DNR Archery in the Schools introduces international-style target archery to students in 4th through 12th grade physical education classes. The in-school curriculum’s core content covers archery history, safety, technique, equipment, mental concentration and self-improvement. To date, more than 500 schools across Michigan have implemented the program.

The DNR offers free archery certification classes for teachers. Additionally, archery equipment grants are available to schools, both public and private, that enroll in the Archery in the Schools program.

For more information on Archery in the Schools, contact Mary Emmons at 517-241-9477 or by email at emmonsm@michigan.gov. Information also is available online at www.michigan.gov/archery.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- After spending 22 weeks in Texas, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is happy to welcome home state firefighters that have been diligently working to stem the wildfires that have burned throughout Texas.

Under an interagency agreement that all 50 states participate in, the Michigan DNR sent four tractors/plows and eight staff to Texas in mid-June. Staff rotated through every two to three weeks, with over 40 DNR staffers having spent time in Texas. The last of the crews and equipment returned home on Nov. 18.

“Fighting wildfires is dangerous, which is why we are happy to report that all of the Michigan DNR staff returned unharmed,” says Scott Heather, section manager for the Resource Protection & Cooperative Programs of the Michigan DNR. “Additionally, the State of Texas will reimburse the department for all of the costs associated with having the staff and equipment down there for 22 weeks.”

Firefighters from 43 states fought more than 29,000 blazes across almost 4 million acres of land since wildfire season began on Nov. 15, 2010. Michigan firefighters battled two of the largest fires – the Bastrop County Complex and the 101 Ranch, saving many homes.

“The unprecedented wildfires in Texas this year were just another example of why these types of interagency agreements are so important,” says Heather. “Due to the favorable weather in Michigan this summer and fall, the threat of wildfires was low, allowing us to lend our services and equipment to Texas for an extended period of time.”

This was the longest period of time that Michigan has lent staff and equipment to another state for the purpose of fighting fires. Michigan has a long history of providing equipment and staff to other states and has also benefited greatly from the interagency agreement. Most recently in 2007 during the Sleeper Lake fires in Luce County, over 230 firefighters from around the Midwest battled the 18,500 acre fire.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources recently confirmed the presence of a radio-collared cougar just north of the city of Hancock in northern Houghton County.

The animal was captured on a trail camera on Nov. 13, walking directly in front of the camera, with the noticeable presence of a radio collar.

DNR Wildlife Division staff visited the property on Nov. 17 where the trail camera is mounted and verified the location of the camera. Property owner Jesse Chynoweth submitted the pictures to the DNR for confirmation.

“This is the third time this animal has been captured on trail cameras in the Upper Peninsula.” said Adam Bump, a wildlife biologist with the DNR’s Cougar Team “The Wisconsin DNR earlier verified two trail camera pictures of this cat as it passed through Wisconsin on its way to the UP.”

The Department has also verified a set of tracks from a cougar in southern Keweenaw County on Nov. 20. The cougar passed about 30 feet from a deer hunter who later returned to the area with a friend to snap pictures of the cougar’s tracks. The animal is almost certainly the same, radio-collared cougar that was photographed about 15 miles south near Hancock a week earlier.

The DNR is still in the process of tracking down where the cougar is from and has been checking frequencies from collars of cats from South Dakota, Utah and Montana. Only western states currently have cougars collared for research projects, so the animal likely traveled a great distance to reach the Upper Peninsula.

The Department will inform the public if more details are discovered about this cougar.

Cougars, also known as mountain lions, were once found throughout North America, including Michigan. Habitat loss and heavy persecution led to cougars being eliminated from Michigan in the early 1900s. The last known wild cougar taken in Michigan was killed near Newberry in 1906. Although sightings have increased and are regularly reported in the Upper Peninsula, verification is often difficult. Cougar tracks and a cougar photo from in the eastern Upper Peninsula were verified in 2009. Additionally, the DNR was able to verify several sets of cougar tracks in Marquette and Delta counties in 2008. The radio collared cougar has been photographed in Houghton and Ontonagon counties in 2011.

Established cougar populations are found as close to Michigan as North and South Dakota, and transient cougars dispersing from these areas have been known to travel hundreds of miles in search of new territory. Characteristic evidence of cougars include tracks, which are about three inches long by three and a half inches wide and typically show no claw marks, or suspicious kill sites, such as deer carcasses that are largely intact and have been buried with sticks and debris.

Reports of cougar tracks and other evidence should be made to a local DNR office or by calling the department’s 24-hour Report All Poaching line at 800-292-7800.

Cougars are classified as an endangered species in Michigan. It is unlawful to kill, harass or otherwise harm a cougar except in the immediate defense of human life. For more information about the recent cougar tracks and photo, call your local DNR office to report it or report it on our website. To learn more about cougars and how to identify their tracks, go www.michigan.gov/cougars.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The 2011 firearm deer season opened Tuesday, Nov. 15, and impressions regarding deer observations, hunting activity, and check station operations from the first few days of the season have been compiled by the Department of Natural Resources.

Overall, hunting activity started slow but appeared to increase later in the week and over the weekend. Deer condition throughout the state has been reported as good to excellent. The following are the early impressions summarized on a regional basis:

Upper Peninsula – Conditions have been fair for hunting, though opening day temperatures were above freezing, moderate to strong winds and winter storm conditions moved through portions of the region on Nov. 16. Hunter numbers across the region appear the same or lower than during the early days of the 2010 firearm season. Most hunters are reporting seeing more deer than last year, and that deer are in good condition. The excellent condition of deer at check stations supports hunter observations. Initially slow activity at check stations picked up near the end of last week to now include similar or increased numbers of deer checked compared to last year.

Northern Lower Peninsula – Opening morning was cool, but temperatures warmed by late morning with a mix of clouds and sun. Nov. 16 saw a mix of flurries and accumulating snow in locations with high and gusty winds moving into some areas. Hunting activity last week was reported as fairly light compared to previous years. The northeast portion of the region noted an increase in number of deer checked, but the western and southern portions have noted similar to fewer deer brought in compared to last year. Early reports on weekend check station activity suggest check station and harvest numbers may now have caught up to or exceeded numbers from last year. Deer condition has been described as very good with several exceptional bucks observed at a number of check stations around the region.

Southern Michigan – Hunting conditions were fair in southern Michigan. Dense fog throughout much of the region on opening morning affected hunters’ abilities to see deer. With temperatures climbing into the upper 50s by late morning to early afternoon, both deer and hunter activity was slowed. Cooler temperatures prevailed the next few days accompanied by wind and scattered snow flurries. About 71 percent of corn was picked by opening day, which matches the five-year average but was less than last year, when 97 percent was picked. Hunting activity varied somewhat around the region, but appeared the same or lower than last year; shots heard were consistently lower than last year throughout the region over the first few days of the season. Fewer deer have been checked compared to last year, but deer are in good condition. Some check stations noted an increase in 3 ½ and even 4 ½ year-old bucks compared to recent years.

Each year, DNR Wildlife Division staff working at check stations around the state submit their impressions and a summary of comments provided by hunters from the first few days of the firearm season. These impressions provide an early view of how the firearm season is faring. Deer populations in both northern regions have come through two relatively mild winters in a row, on the heels of two relatively severe winters of 2007 and 2008. Deer numbers appear to be recovering, but more notable is the good to excellent condition being observed by hunters and confirmed by data collected at check stations. License sales through opening day were about 2.5 percent lower than in 2010, which supports the observations of generally lighter hunting pressure in most areas of the state.

Firearm deer season continues through Nov. 30 with archery season resuming Dec. 1. For more information about deer hunting opportunities in Michigan, go online to www.michigan.gov/deer. Updated field observations and check station summaries will be posted on the collaborative DNR Wildlife Division and Michigan State University Department of Fisheries and Wildlife website at www.deer.fw.msu.edu.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Coalition For Responsible Gun Owners

Michigan - -(Ammoland.com)- – MCL 28.425k covers alcohol. The limit is a BAC (Bodily Alcohol Content) of .02. This is essentially a zero-tolerance standard.

It is much lower than the standard of .08 for driving a car. The law says that you may not carry a conealed pistol if your BAC is at, or above, .02. The penalties get stiffer as the BAC numbers go up:

.02 – .079: Civil infraction, $100 maximum fine. CPL revocation for up to 1 year (note that your local county gun board may elect to treat this as evidence that you are a danger to yourself or others and permanently revoke your CPL.)

.08 – .099: Misdemeanor. 93 days in jail maximum. $100 fine maximum. 3-year CPL revocation.

.10 and above: Misdemeanor. 93 days in jail maximum. $100 fine maximum. Permanent CPL revocation.

The law also contains essentially the same language as the statute controlling the Michigan’s Driver’s License with respect to tests of breath, blood, urine. So, a refusal to provide a sample upon request of a law enforcement officer who has probable cause, results in suspenstion or revocation of your CPL.

The statute also states: “(3) This section does not prohibit an individual licensed under this act to carry a concealed pistol who has any bodily alcohol content from transporting that pistol in the locked trunk of his or her motor vehicle or another motor vehicle in which he or she is a passenger or, if the vehicle does not have a trunk, from transporting that pistol unloaded in a locked compartment or container that is separated from the ammunition for that pistol or on a vessel if the pistol is transported unloaded in a locked compartment or container that is separated from the ammunition for that pistol.”

So, if you find yourself deciding to have a drink at a holiday party. You may put your pistol in what is commonly referred to as “Transport Mode” and be sure that you stay below the .08 BAC limit for operating a motor vehicle if you are going to drive yourself home.

As always, be safe! Responsible gun owners know that alcohol and gun powder do not mix. The majority of accidental discharge stories begin with a bottle being opened. MCRGO members have an outstanding safety record. Let’s keep it that way.

About:
The Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners is a non-profit, non-partisan organization. Formed from just eight people in 1996, we now have thousands of members and numerous affiliated clubs across the state. We’re growing larger and more effective every day.

Our mission statement is: “Promoting safe use and ownership of firearms through education, litigation, and legislation” Visit: www.mcrgo.org

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Have you ever heard a real owl hoot or seen one up close? If not, the Department of Natural Resources has the nature hike for you.

Join one of the Owl Prowls taking place at five Michigan state parks at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3.

The locations include: Maybury State Park in Northville, Brighton Recreation Area in Brighton, Eddy Discovery Center at Waterloo Recreation Area in Chelsea, Hayes State Park in Onsted and Sleepy Hollow State Park in Laingsburg.

Join a park naturalist for a 30-45 minute walk through the woods. Listen as the owls are called and see if they respond. See if you can spot some on their perches. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. After the program, a bonfire with a marshmallow roast will take place at all the parks with the exception of the Eddy Discovery Center at Waterloo.

The Owl Prowls will meet at various locations within the parks that, in some cases, might be more easily accessed by roads other than the park’s main entrance:

• Maybury Owl Prowl, which is sponsored by the Friends of Maybury, will take place at the concession building off the 8 Mile Road entrance just west of Beck Road.
• The Brighton event will meet at the Sandhill Shelter at the Bishop Lake Day Use Area. ·The Waterloo Owl Prowl will begin at the Eddy Discovery Center.
• Hayes State Park will hold the event at the Activities Area in the campground.
• The Sleepy Hollow group will meet at the East Picnic Area.

All the events will take place rain or shine. Bring something to drink, a roasting stick if you have one and a great outdoor or nature story to share. Pre-registration is not required. For details, call 734-787-0062 or email ballt4@michigan.gov.

The Recreation Passport has replaced motor vehicle permits for entry into Michigan state parks, recreation areas and state-administered boating access fee sites. This new way to fund Michigan’s outdoor recreation opportunities also helps to preserve state forest campgrounds, trails, and historic and cultural sites in state parks, and provides park development grants to local communities.

Michigan residents can purchase the Recreation Passport ($10 for motor vehicles; $5 for motorcycles) by checking “YES” on their license plate renewal forms, or at any state park or recreation area. Nonresident motor vehicles must still display a valid nonresident Recreation Passport ($29 annual; $8 daily) to enter a Michigan state park, recreation area or state-administered boating access fee site; these can be purchased at any state park or recreation area, or through the Michigan e-Store at www.michigan.gov/estore. To learn more about the Recreation Passport, visit www.michigan.gov/recreationpassport or call 517-241-7275.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources will offer a “Winter Discovery Weekend” – designed to give women an opportunity to try a variety of outdoor skills in a fun, safe and non-competitive environment –  Jan 27-29 at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center in Roscommon.

The event is part of the DNR’s Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program, and classes are geared toward beginners, with no skill level required.

Participants choose three classes from among several topics offered, including ice fishing, self-defense basics, wilderness first aid, snowshoeing, hiking, turkey and duck hunting and basic pistol shooting.

Guests should plan to arrive Friday evening between 4 and 9 p.m. On Saturday, guests participate in morning and afternoon classes (three hours each) with breakfast, lunch and dinner provided as part of the paid package. All sessions are taught by experienced volunteer instructors who enjoy the outdoors and have a true desire to share it with others.

The Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center is located on the north shore of Higgins Lake at 104 Conservation Dr. in Roscommon. The registration fee is $225 and includes two nights of lodging, four meals, all instruction and materials. Registration deadline is Jan. 12.

For registration forms and information on this and other BOW programs, visit www.michigan.gov/bow, call 517-241-2225 or email dnr-outdoors-woman@michigan.gov.

BOW is a noncompetitive program in which each individual is encouraged to learn at her own pace. The emphasis is on the enjoyment, fun and camaraderie of outdoor activities, and sharing in the success of one another.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Ludington State Park Offering Snowshoe-Making Classes in December

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Ludington State Park in Mason County is offering two GO-Get Outdoors Snowshoe Making classes in December.

Participants will learn how to weave a pair of traditional wooden snowshoes similar to the ones Native Americans have been making for generations. Classes will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4 and Sunday, Dec. 18 at the park, located at 8800 W. M-116 in Ludington.

The cost for making a pair of snowshoes is $180 and includes the pre-formed wooden frames, lacings, high-quality bindings and personal instruction. These hand-made snowshoes can be used for hiking throughout the winter, given as holiday gifts or used as home décor.

Classes will be held at the park’s Warming Shelter. Instruction is geared for ages 16 and older. Class size is limited to a maximum of 10 participants, and reservations are required. To make a reservation, call Ludington State Park, 231-843-9261, or email Alan Wernette at wernettea@michigan.gov.

The Recreation Passport has replaced motor vehicle permits for entry into Michigan state parks, recreation areas and state-administered boating access fee sites. This new way to fund Michigan’s outdoor recreation opportunities also helps to preserve state forest campgrounds, trails, and historic and cultural sites in state parks, and provides park development grants to local communities.

Michigan residents can purchase the Recreation Passport ($10 for motor vehicles; $5 for motorcycles) by checking “YES” on their license plate renewal forms, or at any state park or recreation area. Nonresident motor vehicles must still display a valid nonresident Recreation Passport ($29 annual; $8 daily) to enter a Michigan state park, recreation area or state-administered boating access fee site; these can be purchased at any state park or recreation area, or through the Michigan e-Store at www.michigan.gov/estore. To learn more about the Recreation Passport, visit www.michigan.gov/recreationpassport or call 517-241-7275.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Department of Natural Resources Director Rodney Stokes has authorized the Department to proceed with purchasing 2,354 acres in Menominee and Dickinson counties in the Upper Peninsula to create the Menominee River State Recreation Area.

The DNR will purchase the land for $2,534,400 in funding from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and DNR Land Exchange Facilitation Fund. The land is currently owned by Wisconsin Electric Power Company.

The acreage includes two separate tracts – Piers Gorge and Quiver Falls. Piers Gorge is located one mile south of the community of Norway, and includes 145.35 acres of land and 1.5 miles of access along the Menominee River. The acreage includes whitewater rapids and waterfalls, and contains some of the fastest-moving water in Michigan or Wisconsin. It is not navigable for general canoeing, but has become a popular destination for expert class kayakers seeking challenging Class IV whitewater. The parcel also contains good wildlife viewing opportunities for eagles, osprey and waterfowl, as well as public fishing access.

Quiver Falls is eight miles south of Piers Gorge and contains 2,208.83 acres of land and provides eight miles of access along the Menominee River. It is adjacent to the existing Menominee River Natural Resource Area, a 4,450-acre tract along five miles of the Menominee River managed by both the Michigan and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources.

The Quiver Falls parcel contains river frontage on both sides of the Menominee River, scenic rocky gorges with significant drops in the river and waterfalls. The area is popular with hunters and anglers, as well visitors because of the scenic sightseeing opportunities.

“This acquisition will give the Michigan Department of Natural Resources a unique opportunity to co-manage this area with our counterparts in Wisconsin,” said Ron Olson, chief of the Michigan DNR’s Parks and Recreation Division. “This would be our first jointly operated public recreation area and river corridor park, and would protect and make open to the public more than 5,000 acres along the Menominee River. The tourism potential of this project is enormous.”

For more information on the purchase, including a map of the area, go to www.michigan.gov/nrc and click on the Nov. 10 agenda for the Michigan Natural Resources Commission. The purchase is outlined in Item 6 under Land Transactions.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Grab your bike or your favorite walking shoes and check out Michigan’s 62-mile long North Central State Trail.

This crushed limestone trail that stretches from Gaylord to Mackinaw City was recently recognized by the Mid-America Trails and Greenways Conference as the best example of the state’s extensive rails-to-trails system.

“This is a perfect trail to have been chosen,” said Jim Radabaugh, the Recreation and Trails Section manager for the Department of Natural Resources. “From the shores of Mullet Lake to the rolling farm fields near Vanderbilt to the birch trees outside of Gaylord, a day spent on this trail is a day spent experiencing a little slice of Michigan.”

The North Central State Trail occupies what was once the northernmost segment of the Michigan Central Railroad. This Detroit-based railway, one of the largest and most profitable in the Lower Peninsula, constructed a land grant section of tracks northward from its primary service area to Mackinaw City in 1882. This spur line served what was then a booming area of old-growth timberland. When the Mackinac Bridge was opened for public use in 1957, passengers and freight in this area shifted to road-based vehicles, and the section of railroad line where the North Central State Trail runs today began to fall out of active use. The North Central State Trail was dedicated for public use in June 2008. That fall it was named one of the top five “Trails for Autumn” by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

Michigan is home to the largest rails-to-trails system in the country with over 2,400 miles of trails available for use all across the Lower and Upper Peninsulas.

“We have long been a national leader in both the quality and quantity of our trails,” added Radabaugh. “Michigan’s trail system is a hidden gem.”

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Hunting season is well underway in Michigan and now is a good time to remind everyone that it is wise to wear hunter orange clothing when you are out enjoying the state’s trails and forest lands.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources does not close trails or pathways during hunting season, and it is legal to hunt throughout these areas if you adhere to the laws regarding safety zones.

It is required by law that hunters wear “hunter orange.” There is no similar law for recreationalists, but because so much of state land borders private lands and the DNR allows hunting on portions of state-owned land, it is imperative that individuals take precaution and dress themselves and their pets in brightly colored clothing.

“Due to the very popular activity of deer hunting, now is not an advisable time to take a quiet, unassuming walk in the woods,” says Bill O’Neill, field coordinator for the Forest Management Division of the DNR. “Be smart about where you choose to go, wear brightly colored clothing and let hunters know that you are in the area. We must all work together to have a safe and successful hunting season in Michigan.”

It is also important as you go out and enjoy Michigan’s forest lands, that you understand the rules and regulations for hunting. In Michigan it is legal for hunters with disabilities to hunt from standing vehicles or off-road vehicles (ORV). This law does not grant any additional privileges for ORV operators with disabilities. It simply allows for hunters with disabilities better access to hunting locations on state-owned land. The DNR strongly encourages those hunters using alternative modes of transportation to mark their vehicles with hunter orange flags.

ORV operation is prohibited in public hunting areas during the regular November firearm deer season from 7 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.; except for these cases:

• · Going to or from a residence or hunting camp that is inaccessible by a conventional vehicle (subject to state land regulations)
• · On private property, with landowner’s permission
• · Passenger vehicles while being operated on roads capable of sustaining automobile traffic
• · Persons holding a “Permit to Hunt From a Standing Vehicle” or otherwise meeting disability requirements while engaged in hunting or fishing activity

For more information about ORV rules and regulations in Michigan please visit: www.offroad-ed.com/mi/handbook.

To find ORV trail maps for state-owned lands, visit www.michigan.gov/orvtrails.

For more information on hunting opportunities in Michigan, visit DNR’s hunting website at www.michigan.gov/hunting.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources announced today that Michigan state parks and recreation areas have won the 2011 National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Gold Medal for the top state park system in the nation.

The DNR was notified today by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration and NRPA.

Michigan was named one of four finalists in May, and beat North Carolina, Florida and Missouri for the top honor.

“This award is a credit to the people of Michigan,” said Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, who recently appointed a blue-ribbon panel to guide the parks system into the future.

“For more than 90 years, Michiganders have realized that these unique areas are an integral part of the cultural enhancement, economic enrichment and overall quality of life that we value. Our parks are what we make of them and the people of this state clearly prize these treasures. I commend the DNR for its outstanding stewardship of these resources and look forward to working with all stakeholders so that we have a parks system that serves our state and its visitors for generations to come.”

The Gold Medal Award honors communities throughout the United States that demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, resource management, and agency recognition. Each agency is judged on its ability to address the needs of those it serves through the collective energies of citizens, staff, and elected officials.

“We are very proud to receive this award, and I want to recognize the employees of the Parks and Recreation Division who have worked hard to make sure our 99 state parks and recreation areas remain excellent places for our citizens and visitors to experience Michigan’s abundant and amazing natural resources,” said DNR Director Rodney Stokes. “This is the result of teamwork, talent and vision that is aimed at protecting our special places, and also making sure that visitors have an enjoyable, high quality experience.”

In its winning application, the DNR focused on innovation, such as the Recreation Passport, which is the new funding model for state parks and outdoor recreation in Michigan. The $10 optional fee that Michigan residents can pay when renewing their vehicle registration at the Secretary of State gives them annual access to all Michigan state parks and boating access sites and also supports state forest recreation programs. A portion of the funding also supports a grant program for local parks.

“This achievement is indicative of the tremendous staff who works in the Parks and Recreation Division, who strive for excellent customer service every day to provide a positive experience for our customers,” said DNR Parks and Recreation Chief Ron Olson. “This is the result of teamwork, talent and vision, all aimed at protecting our special places and making sure that visitors have an enjoyable, high-quality experience.”

Michigan is home to 99 state parks and recreation areas, offering visitors more than 13,000 campsites, trails, access to inland lakes, rivers and the Great Lakes.

For more information on state parks in Michigan, go to www.michigan.gov/stateparks.

The Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Conservation officers with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources are seeking information about a moose poaching incident that occurred sometime between the evening of Oct. 26 and the morning of Oct. 27 in southern Humboldt Township in Marquette County.

The DNR received a call from a township resident about a severed moose head placed on top of a rock with a sign leaning against it reading, “Wolf’s (sic) won’t get this one!!”

Officers investigating the scene noted the blood had not yet coagulated and the antlers had been removed, placing the poaching of the animal within hours of discovery. The head was discovered in an area by the corner of County Road CF and East Road near Helen Lake.

Officers were able to collect fingerprints from the cardboard sign and other evidence in the vicinity. The resident who alerted the DNR to the scene said the head was not there when she came home from work the evening of Oct. 26, but was there by 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 27.

Persons with information about this or any natural resources violation can call the DNR’s Report All Poaching (RAP) Line 24 hours a day toll-free at 800-292-7800 or can contact Lt. Tim Robson at the DNR’s Marquette Operations Service Center between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 906-228-6561. Information can be left anonymously, and often monetary rewards are offered for information that leads to the arrest of violators.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information about the department, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Janine Kopera works on NWTF education box material with one of her students.

National Wild Turkey Federation

EDGEFIELD, S.C. --(Ammoland.com)- Third-grade teacher Janine Kopera was merely looking for some lesson ideas to tie in with Thanksgiving when she stumbled upon the NWTF’s web site.

Eight years later, the Melvindale, Mich., teacher is renowned for successfully teaching her suburban students about conservation through an educational unit she built around the NWTF’s Wild About Turkey Education Box.

In recognition of her efforts, the NWTF selected Kopera as the NWTF’s 2011 Educator of the Year. Kopera also won the NWTF’s Educator of the Year Award for Michigan. She is a former Wayne County Elementary Teacher of the Year.

“This whole unit has really opened the children’s eyes,” Kopera said. “They learn how people can have a positive effect on nature.”

Kopera will receive a $1,000 grant from the NWTF and will be honored at the NWTF’s annual convention in February in Nashville, Tenn. With the grant money she plans to spend to fund a conservation field trip and purchase conservation field investigation equipment to meet curriculum requirements.

“Receiving this great award is just icing on the cake,” said Kopera, who teaches at Allendale Elementary School in a school district just outside the city limits of Detroit. “I already had a reward by using the unit.”

Utilizing fun elements such as turkey feather bookmarks and rulers in the Wild About Turkey Education Box – a replica of an actual wild turkey transport box – Kopera has sparked enthusiasm and awareness among many children who had never been exposed to conservation and the outdoors. Most of the 32,000 NWTF education boxes distributed nationwide are donated by local NWTF chapters. Kopera’s box was donated by the Huron Valley Chapter, the NWTF’s first in Michigan.

Kopera also has coordinated visits by NWTF Huron Valley Chapter members, who dressed in turkey hunting clothes and gave the students the opportunity to use turkey calls and other gear.

After discovering the Wild About Turkey Education Box on the NWTF website, Kopera found another important resource in Melvindale-Northern Allen Park Superintendent of Schools Cora Kelly, an NWTF member.

“The kids really enjoy the education box, and they come home with great stories,” Kelly said. “Janine has been a fantastic teacher. She took the ball and ran with it.”

The Wild About Turkey Education Box, full of activities and educational tools correlated to national education standards for kindergarten through 12th grade, includes:

• colorful bulletin board display
• DVD of wild turkey history, communication and habitat videos
• wild turkey habitat and anatomy posters
• 30 pencils, rulers and turkey feather bookmarks for students
• multimedia CD-CD-Rom with turkey sounds and printable resources
• K-12 curriculum and activity guide
• Scaled-down trap and transfer box

More than 32,000 education boxes have been distributed nationwide, most donated by local NWTF chapters to schools, parks, visitor centers and museums as well as through educator training workshops.

Education boxes are available for $50 online, plus shipping. Refill kits cost $50, plus shipping. Boxes also can be purchased by calling (800) THE-NWTF or (803) 637-3106 and asking for the sales department.

About the NWTF:
The NWTF is the leader in upland wildlife habitat conservation in North America. A nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving the wild turkey and preserving our hunting heritage, the NWTF and its volunteers work closely with state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies and other partners.

Through these dynamic partnerships, the NWTF and its members helped restore wild turkey populations throughout North America, spending more than $372 million to conserve 17 million acres of habitat. Wild turkeys and hundreds of other species of upland wildlife, including quail, deer, grouse, pheasant and songbirds, benefit from this improved habitat.

The NWTF also brings new conservationists and hunters into the fold through outdoor education events and its Women in the Outdoors, Wheelin’ Sportsmen, JAKES and Xtreme JAKES youth outreach programs. Dedicated NWTF volunteers introduce about 100,000 people to the outdoors through these programs every year.

Founded in 1973, the NWTF is headquartered in Edgefield, S.C., and has local chapters in every state and Canada. According to many state and federal agencies, the restoration of the wild turkey is arguably the greatest conservation success story in North America’s wildlife history.

To become a member of the NWTF, join a committee or start a chapter, visit www.nwtf.org or call 800-THE-NWTF. The NWTF is also at www.facebook.com/theNWTF.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Ludington State Park is offering daytime and evening snowshoe-making classes in October, November and December, the Department of Natural Resources announced today.

Participants will learn to weave a pair of traditional wooden snowshoes, similar to the ones Native Americans made for generations.

The cost for making a pair of snowshoes is $180 and includes the pre-formed wooden frames, lacing, high-quality bindings and personal instruction. Classes are designed to be fun, informative and interesting. Because this is an activity that requires concentration over long periods of time, it is suggested for ages 16 and older.

These hand-made snowshoes can be used for hiking throughout the winter, given as holiday gifts, or used as a decoration in your home. Snowshoeing is an easy, inexpensive way to get outside and burn some calories during the winter months.

All classes are held at the Ludington State Park’s Warming Shelter. The park is located at 8800 West M-116 in Ludington. Note that the Oct. 28 and 29 is one class split over two days.

Classes are scheduled for:

• Oct. 28, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Part 1)
• Oct. 29, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Part 2)
• Nov. 6, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (All day class)
• Dec. 4, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (All day class)
• Dec. 18, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (All day class)

Class size is limited to a maximum of 10 participants, and reservations are required. To make a reservation, please call Ludington State Park at 231-843-9261 or email Alan Wernette at wernettea@michigan.gov.

A Recreation Passport is required for all vehicles entering the park. The Recreation Passport has replaced motor vehicle permits for entry into Michigan state parks, recreation areas and state-administered boating access fee sites. This new way to fund Michigan’s outdoor recreation opportunities also helps to preserve state forest campgrounds, trails, historic and cultural sites in state parks, and provides park development grants to local communities.

Michigan residents can purchase the Recreation Passport ($10 for motor vehicles; $5 for motorcycles) by checking “YES” on their license plate renewal forms, or at any state park or recreation area. Nonresident motor vehicles must still display a valid nonresident Recreation Passport ($29 annual; $8 daily) to enter a Michigan state park, recreation area or state-administered boating access fee site; these can be purchased at any state park or recreation area, or through the Michigan e-Store at www.michigan.gov/estore. To learn more about the Recreation Passport, visitwww.michigan.gov/recreationpassport or call 517-241-7275.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- By tracking radio-collared elk, researchers in Michigan hope to better understand the animals’ habitat preferences, movement patterns and responses to human recreation such as hiking, biking and hunting.

The study tops a list of Michigan projects slated to receive 2011 grants from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

RMEF grants also will help sponsor a variety of events designed to introduce youths to outdoor recreation and conservation.

All together, the grants total $27,601 and affect 11 counties: Allegan, Cheboygan, Delta, Genesee, Iosco, Kent, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Otsego, Ottawa and Presque Isle.

“The research project is being led by Michigan State University and is focused on the Pigeon River Country State Forest in northern lower Michigan,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “This project will help us understand more about the existing and potential elk habitat in Michigan, as well as how public recreation might influence elk behavior throughout the year.”

Allen thanked RMEF volunteers and fundraiser attendees for building the organization’s conservation impact in Michigan and across elk country.

“Because of their amazing passion and generous support, we’re doing some great things locally and a national conservation milestone is within reach–our organization this year expects to reach 6 million acres of habitat protection and improvement,” he said.

RMEF grants will help fund the following 2011 projects in Michigan, listed by county:

• Cheboygan County–Quantify elk range and habitat potential in the core regions of the Pigeon River Country State Forest, the number, relative frequence and geographic scope of recreational users, temporal elk movement and habitat selection patterns (also affects Montmorency, Otsego and Presque Isle counties).
• Delta County–Provide sponsorship for Great Lakes Sports Club 2011 Youth Shooting Program to introduce students to outdoor recreation and conservation.
• Genesee County–Provide sponsorship for Passing Along the Heritage Foundation 2011 initiatives to offer hunting opportunities to physically challenged individuals, at-risk youth and disabled veterans.
• Iosco County–Provide sponsorship for Iosco County 4-H Youth Sharp Shooters Club to introduce students to outdoor recreation and conservation (also affects Ogemaw County).
• Ottawa County–Provide sponsorship for Macatawa River Greenway Outdoor Naturalist Program to introduce youth to outdoor recreation and conservation (also affects Allegan County); sponsor Michigan Mobile Marksmanship Training Unit, an archery program of the Outdoor Discovery Center Macatawa Greenway (also affects Allegan and Kent counties).

Projects are selected for grants using science-based criteria and a committee of RMEF volunteers and staff along with representatives from partnering agencies and universities.

Partners for 2011 projects in Michigan include Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan State University and many conservation and sporting organizations.

Since 1984, RMEF and its partners have completed 90 different conservation and hunting heritage outreach projects in Michigan with a combined value of more than $4.9 million.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.9 million acres–a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- A Department of Natural Resources director’s order listing sporting swine as an invasive species took effect over the weekend on Oct. 8, making it illegal to possess the animals in Michigan.

“Absent a regulatory program in Michigan law for sporting swine facilities, the invasive species order is being put into effect,” said DNR Director Rodney Stokes.

Stokes said active enforcement of the invasive species order will not start prior to April 1, 2012, with compliance visits to swine shooting and breeding facilities planned after that date.

Sporting swine facilities can use the next six months to schedule hunts to reduce the population of sporting swine on their properties. Facilities still in possession of sporting swine on April 1, 2012, may face violations and fines.

The DNR acted to list sporting swine as an invasive species to help stop the spread of invasive swine across the State to eliminate the disease risk they pose to humans, domestic pigs and wildlife, and to prevent damage to agricultural and other lands. The state is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to eradicate feral swine.

Legislation was also passed last year allowing people with any valid hunting license to shoot feral swine on public land and on private land with the permission of the landowner.

For more information on feral swine in Michigan, go to www.michigan.gov/feralswine.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.