ACCUSED MICHIGAN BEAR POACHER SHOOTS SOW WITH CUBS

A southern Michigan man from Ottawa County has been accused of poaching a mother bear (sow) with cubs present in West Michigan. If convicted, he faces up to $1000 in fines (which goes to local libraries) and $1,500 in restitution (which goes into the Game and Fish Fund) and his hunting licenses will be revoked…

Read More

BOW HUNTERS IN CWD ZONE HELPING THE EFFORT

June NRC meeting preview

Photo courtesy of the Michigan DNR Bow season is here, and now that you are prepped and ready to go (and perhaps reading this from the tree stand now), that means that Michigan deer hunters need to also be reminded of the new regulations in place due to Chronic Wasting Disease* (CWD). We’d like to…

Read More

ON THE LOOKOUT FOR INVASIVES

Ever been deer hunting, hiking through the woods, wandering through the city park, kayaking a river, or doing something outside and come across an invasive species and wondered if there was any way to report it without having to go through leaps and bounds to do so? If so the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network…

Read More

In the Field: A New Hunter's Experience

by Anna Mitterling, Wildlife Cooperative Coordinator What a beautiful weekend for the youth weekend! Crisp cool air, calm, practically perfect in every way. Congratulations to all the successful young hunters!! There is something special about seeing the looks of accomplished youth who got their first deer. A first hunt with a successful kill becomes one…

Read More

DNR: GRAY WOLF CONFIRMED IN LOWER PENINSULA

Yesterday, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources issued this press release confirming the presence of a wolf in the Lower Peninsula. While reports of wolves in the Lower Peninsula have been circulating for years, this is the first time the DNR has confirmed the presence of a live wolf in the Lower Peninsula through DNA…

Read More

MUCC SUPPORTS DETROIT RIVER REFUGE BOWHUNT

Yesterday, Michigan United Conservation Clubs submitted a letter of support for the proposed lottery bowhunting plan at Humbug Marsh in the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. Below is the text of that letter, which includes important statistics for any unit of government considering the use of bowhunting to help resolve urban and suburban deer management…

Read More

SPORTSMEN AND WOMEN ARE CRUCIAL FOR INVASIVE SPECIES CONTROL

This fall, I had the opportunity to join State Representative (and MUCC’s 2015 Legislative Conservationist of the Year) Jon Bumstead on a tour organized by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to examine the impact of Oak Wilt and Japanese Knotweed two  invasive plant species in and near his district, Newaygo County.   MUCC staff has written…

Read More

In the Field: Why We do What We do

 by Anna Mitterling, Wildlife Cooperative Coordinator If you have ever had little kids, they ask ‘why’ all the time. Even as adults, we ask ‘why’ pretty frequently. We have a need to understand the motivations behind why we are being asked to do a particular task, join a group, or spend some money. One of…

Read More

INVASIVE SPECIES LOWLIGHT: DIDYMO, A.K.A. ROCK SNOT

Snot is gross, so why would we want it growing on rocks in our streams? Rock snot or didymo (Didymosphenia geminata) is a brown or tan algae that grows thick and mat-like on the bottom of streams and rivers. Although when you think of snot you generally think slimy, rock snot has a texture more…

Read More