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Eastern Upper Peninsula Citizen Advisory Council DNR Division Reports Date of Production: August 2017 This documentation is provided by Michigan DNR staff as supplemental information to the Eastern UPCAC members via email on August 17, 2017.

Upper Peninsula Regional Coordinator: Stacy Haughey DNR Public Meetings August 10 Natural Resources Commission Meeting, Jackson August 15 Michigan Iron Industry Museum Advisory Board Meeting, Negaunee, 3:00pm August 16 Forestry Compartment Review-Escanaba Unit, Escanaba State Office Building, 9:00am August 24 Eastern UP Citizen’s Advisory Council Meeting, Newberry, 6:30pm August 29 UP Sportsperson Coalition Meeting, Crystal Falls DNR Conference Room, 6:00pm Central September 6 UP Sportsperson Coalition Meeting, DNR Shingleton Office, 6:00pm September 7 UP Sportsperson Coalition Meeting, Great Lakes Sportsmen’s Club, Escanaba, 6:00pm September 12 UP Wildlife Habitat Workgroup Meeting, Location TBD, 9:30am September 12 UP Sportsperson Coalition Meeting, Gogebic ISD Office, Bergland, 1:00pm Eastern September 12 Forestry Open House-Sault Ste. Marie Unit, DNR Naubinway Field Office, 3:00pm September 13 Forestry Open House-Sault Ste. Marie Unit, Kinross Township Hall, 3:00pm September 13 UP Sportsperson Coalition Meeting, DNR Marquette Office, 6:00pm September 14 Natural Resources Commission Meeting, Lansing September 14 UP Sportsperson Coalition Meeting, DNR Baraga Office, 6:00pm September 19 Forestry Open House-Gwinn Unit, Marquette Township Hall, 3:00pm September 20 Forestry Open House-Crystal Falls Unit, DNR Crystal Falls Office, 3:00pm Central September 20 Western UP Citizen’s Advisory Council Meeting, Porkies Chalet, 5:30pm Eastern U.P. State Park & State Sponsored Activities August 15 Michigan Iron Industry Museum-The Labor Sport in the UP August 18 Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park-Basketry, Petals and Stars August 19 Baraga State Park-Kayaking 101 and 202 August 19 Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park-Weave a Willow Tension Tray and Suet Holder August 19 Van Riper State Park-8th Annual Moosic and Arts Festival August 22 Michigan Iron Industry Museum-Origins of the Michigan State Police in the UP August 22 Bewabic State Park-Total Woman in the Outdoors August 25-27 Straits State Park-Rendezvous at the Straits Powwow August 25-27 Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park-Porcupine Mountains Music Festival August 26 Van Riper State Park-Kayaking 101 & 202 Sept. 8-10 Van Riper State Park-Harvest Festival Sept. 9 Fort Wilkins State Park-11th Annual Geocaching Event Sept. 15-17 Baraga State Park-Harvest Festival Sept. 15-17 Van Riper State Park-Harvest Festival Sept. 15-17 Bewabic State Park-Harvest Festival

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Recent DNR Press Releases For full details, go to: http://www.michigan.gov/dnrpressroom DNR sends firefighters to British Columbia as part of international crew (7/26/17) Michigan DNR names Bill O’Neill deputy director (7/24/17) U.P. Whitetails co-founder named ‘Outstanding Conservationist’ (7/22/17) Showcasing the DNR: Firefighters analyze two U.P. jack pine burns (7/20/17) Public input sought on proposed stamp sands dredging project in Houghton County (7/18/17) DNR Conservation Officers Evink, Shively cited for lifesaving actions (7/14/17) New action plan shares direction for state’s Arctic Grayling efforts (7/14/17) Boating access site to be improved in Iron County (7/10/17) Share ideas on state forest planning for Delta, Menominee counties (7/6/17) DNR confirms presence of a cougar in Lower Peninsula (6/29/17) Early detection is key to controlling Michigan’s aquatic invasive species (6/29/17) Line 5 alternatives draft resort available for public review (6/29/17) Guided tours take cyclists through U.P. countryside, into Michigan history (6/29/17) U.P. history in spotlight at Iron Industry Museum summer series (6/28/17)

Grant Contacts For other grant information, to go: http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-58225---,00.html

Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant Merrie Carlock, 517-284-5931, carlockm@michigan.gov Recreation Passport Grant Merrie Carlock, 517-284-5931, carlockm@michigan.gov Aquatic Habitat Grant Kelly Parker, 517-284-5957, parkerk4@michigan.gov Michigan Invasive Species Grant Kammy Frayre, 517-284-5970, frayrek1@michigan.gov Wildlife Habitat Grant Kelly Parker, 517-284-5957, parkerk4@michigan.gov U.P. Deer Habitat Improvement Partnership Grant Bill Scullon, 906-563-9247, scullonh@michigan.gov The Natural Resources Commission met today at Jackson College in Jackson. Major actions taken:

• The commission approved regulations on state-licensed commercial fishing. • Resource Deputy Bill Moritz – standing in for Director Keith Creagh – approved new state park

camping, lodging and modification, cancellation fees. The new fee structure takes effect Nov. 1. • In addition, Deputy Moritz approved six land transactions. Details of those transactions can be found in

the NRC agenda. Two items related to a proposed re-designation of Bay City State Recreation Area as Bay City State Park – and the potential changes in land use that would accompany that re-designation – were removed from this month’s agenda. A proposed Land Use Order that had been before the director for action, and a proposed amendment to the Wildlife Conservation Order that had been before the commission for action, will return to the NRC agenda for action at the commission’s Sept. 14 meeting in Lansing. The added time will allow for comprehensive review and consideration of public comments. The day began with a meeting of the Michigan State Parks Advisory Committee. Debbie Jensen of Parks gave an overview of the general management plan for Muskegon State Park. Established in 1923, Muskegon State Park is comprised of 1,233 acres, sees 900,000 visitors a year and has a unique Winter Sports Complex. The Winter Sports Complex has the only public luge facility in Michigan and one of the few in the country, and also

August 2017 NRC Meeting Summary – Ed Golder, Public Information Officer

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offers ice skating, sledding, show shoeing and cross country skiing. The park has 12 miles of trails, a scenic drive and a variety of camping opportunities. A distinctive looking blockhouse on the park property -- which has endured repeated vandalism -- is highly valued by the community, which has tried to safeguard it against graffiti. Plans for the park include more year-round activities for the Winter Sports Complex, expansion of transportation connections, more education and interpretation of the park's history, expansion of the park’s friend's group, and replacement of bathrooms and installation of a new playground at the Channel campground. The committee approved a resolution supporting the plan. Parks and Recreation Chief Ron Olson talked about the continuing conversation regarding the re-designation of Bay City State Recreation Area as Bay City State Park. Parks and Wildlife are working together to come to a resolution on the issue. Marc Miller, regional initiatives deputy, updated the committee on Michigan's State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. In order to have access to federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grants, the department must undertake this statewide recreation planning process every five years. Michigan has received nearly $130 million from that fund. Creation of the SCORP, which is due by year’s end, has involved engagement with public officials and local parks districts, focus groups, a statewide phone survey and an external advisory group. Some results from the survey:

• Over 89 percent of participants went outside 52 or more days annually; nearly 60 percent doing so for more than 100 days.

• 84 percent and 82 percent are satisfied or very satisfied with the amount and quality of outdoor recreation in Michigan.

• 73 percent and 74 percent are satisfied or very satisfied with the amount and quality of outdoor recreation within a half hour of their homes.

• Walking outdoors, including dog walking, was identified as the most important outdoor activity (26 percent of users).

Ron reported that the Fiscal Year 2018 budget, which has been signed by the governor and takes effect Oct. 1, includes $7 million in General Fund for state park infrastructure, the largest general fund investment in infrastructure at state parks since 2004. Ron also talked about the new lodging and camping fees as well as cancellation and modification fees. The new fees have enjoyed support from members of the public who have commented. Murdock Jemerson of Parks talked about the 16 parks in PRD's Rose Lake District, including Waterloo Recreation Area, Brighton Recreation Area and Island Lake Recreation area. Brighton Recreation Area recently acquired a jump island aquatic play area. The new feature is well used and has generated an additional $10,000 in revenue, Murdock said. Youth with the Summer Youth Employment Program -- also part of the AmeriCorps program -- are helping to restore camper cabins at the Mill Lake Outdoor Center. Gary Jones of Parks talked about the Plainwell District in the Southwest Portion of the state, which includes nine parks in southwestern Michigan, many on the lake. Some highlights: There is now a bike rental at VanBuren State Park; there are new roofs on buildings at Holland State Park; a lot of work is being done at Grand Haven State Park to remove dune grass; a dune walk stairway at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park has recently been replaced. Ron talked about results from the department's annual lodging and camping survey. The survey showed that 90 percent of campers rate their experience as good or very good. Ninety-two percent would recommend campgrounds to a friend. Ron also displayed parks fliers in Spanish and Arabic and posters that include the tag line: "Park Here -- There's no such thing as the great indoors." Next came a meeting of the marketing, Partnership, Youth and Outreach Advisory Committee. Jennifer Cronkite, marketing director of Experience Jackson, talked about Jackson County. Among other notable facts: Jackson is the birthplace of the Republican Party, contains the headwaters of the Grand River, is home to Michigan's first state prison, and boasts a number of natural resource opportunities. Jackson has a variety of

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trails, including water trails, and has opportunities for scuba diving, bird watching and other activities. Experience Jackson has worked with the DNR to develop discount packages to bring people to the area to hunt and fish Elyse Walter of Fisheries reported on marketing efforts to promote fishing. Fisheries' goals for 2017 are: increasing fishing license sales with a variety of audiences; putting power in the hands of young people to initiative fishing trips with adults; increasing by five percent the number of visits to state fish Hatcheries; and encouraging fishing on Lake Michigan. The plan seeks to increase license sales among female anglers, lapsed anglers and first-time anglers in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties. The campaign relies on emails, postcards, web content, videos and social media. Holly Vaughn of Wildlife talked about her division's Wetland Wonders challenge, which promotes hunting at the state's seven managed waterfowl areas. There has been a 17 percent increase in trips to those areas in the past three years, in part due to the Wetland Wonders campaign, Holly said. Holly spoke also about Michigan Operation Freedom Outdoors at the Sharonville State Game Area. MiOFO, which has become its own nonprofit, serves people who have injuries, including veterans, and relies on a wide range of partners. Ami VanAntwerp of the Marketing and Outreach Division talked about promotion of parks, harbors and trails. The 2017 Parks campaign is focused on: increasing snowmobile and trail permit sales; increasing sales of boat registration and slip reservations; a two-week push for destination marketing; increasing park attendance and Rec Passport sales for designated dark sky preserves; increasing Recreation Passport sales generally. Some of these campaigns have resulted in impressive return on investment. A $320 investment in social media outreach resulted in an additional 1,774 snowmobile permit sales, valued at $85,116. The Park Here campaign has pushed Recreation Passport sales, which are as high as they have ever been. PRD's marketing relies on a combination of social media, flyers, videos and other means. Marketing and Outreach Chief Kristin Phillips talked about her division's creation of a strategic plan for department marketing and outreach. The plan has incorporated a great deal of input from throughout the department. It is nearing completion and will soon be rolled out to the department as a whole, Kristin said. Next, the Policy Committee on Wildlife and Fisheries met. Fisheries Chief Jim Dexter talked about an assessment of the St. Mary’s River the department is undertaking in conjunction with the federal government, government of Ontario and tribal governments. One of the goals in this combined creel census is to standardize regulations and fish community objectives. In Northern Lake Huron the department is working with the U.S. Geological Survey to better understand goby. An invasive species, goby are also great prey for predator fish. Fisheries staff is reviewing watersheds in the Upper Peninsula to determine where it is best to implement a 10-brook-trout daily bag limit. Jim also shared a picture of a 41.5 pound chinook salmon caught this week in Lake Michigan off Muskegon. The fish was caught by a 16-year-old, out-of-state angler. Nick Popoff of the Fisheries Division previewed three fisheries orders that will be before commissioners for action next month:

• Special fishing regulations on Big Island Lakes Complex in Schoolcraft County, a wilderness area. The proposed regulations would change the minimum size limit for northern pike from 40 inches to 24 inches and the daily bag limit for pike from one fish to two fish. There are proposed regulation changes for muskellunge as well.

• Regulations on the take of reptiles and amphibians. This order would not change current regulations but would modify common and scientific names for several species and update the order to remove two statutory references.

• Regulations on ice fishing changes. This order would consolidate ice fishing shanty regulations and change the way people are required to mark their shanties.

Steve Chadwick of Wildlife talked about the upcoming symposium on chronic wasting disease in deer and said the department met today with officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding bovine tuberculosis in Michigan’s deer herd.

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Lt. Tom Wanless of the Law Enforcement Division talked about the possibility of allowing colors other than hunter orange to satisfy statutory safety requirements for hunting. A law enacted last year directed the NRC to review whether hunter pink and other colors would be as safe and effective as hunter orange, which has been required in Michigan since the 1970s and has dramatically decreased hunter injuries and fatalities. The law requires the NRC to establish an order on the matter by October of this year. The International Hunter Education Association recognizes hunter orange as the most effective safety color to wear while hunting, and no credible national studies have established another color as effective for visibility, Lt. Wanless said. A survey of Michigan volunteer and hunter education instructors found that those individuals do not favor an alternative to hunter orange and largely did not believe that people would start hunting because alternatives were available. In addition, some of those surveyed said they have difficulty seeing hunter pink. Based on these findings, the department is recommending to the commission that it retain the hunter orange requirement and not authorize any additional garment colors to be worn as a legal substitute. Nothing in the law prevents people from wearing additional colors for safety provided the hunter orange requirement is met. During the Committee of the Whole, the commission recognized Dr. Bill Moritz for his years of service to natural resources and to the Michigan DNR. Bill leaves his current position as resource deputy this month to join the Wildlife Management Institute. He will continue as a senior policy advisor for the department. Forestry Chief Bill O’Neill will assume the role of resource deputy. A commission resolution recognizing Bill Moritz’s service stated: “Dr. William E. Moritz has demonstrated through his contributions to the State of Michigan that the strength of our state lies within the hearts and souls of people like him who give their all to maintain and safeguard the precious wildlife and magnificent beauty of Michigan’s outdoors and makes Michigan a more dynamic and inviting place to be.” Parks Chief Ron Olson told the commission that Recreation Passport sales are up 2.5 percent compared to last year. Camping and lodging reservations are up 14 percent year-to-year. Boating slip nights are up 38.3 percent. ORV licenses are up 6 percent over last year and trail passes are up 9.2 percent. Belle Isle Park just received a special urban grant from the National Park Service for $750,000. Newly replaced docks at East Tawas Harbor opened in mid-July, an important amenity for that community. Karen Maidlow from the Office of Minerals Management said the department has an oil and gas lease auction scheduled for Oct. 25 in Lansing. The auction includes more than 30,000 nominated acres. This compares to just 2,100 nominated acres for the May auction and 16,700 acres for last October’s auction. Karen also reported on a request for a direct lease from Eagle Mine, LLC, involving 15,274 acres in Baraga, Houghton, Iron and Marquette counties. The public comment period for the proposed lease ends Aug. 26. Ron presented a Partners in Conservation Award to the Potawatomi Mountain Biking Association, a 250-member chapter of the International Mountain Biking Association. The organization was recognized for its 20-year commitment to promote, build, maintain and protect trails in and around Washtenaw County. Nick Popoff reviewed the recent finding of red swamp crayfish in Michigan. The department has confirmed the presence of the damaging invasive species at Sunset Lake in Kalamazoo County and at a retention pond in Novi. Since those confirmations the department has received multiple credible reports of the crayfish elsewhere in Southeast Michigan. The department wants to determine the distribution and extent of the infestation, implement an early detection strategy and establish baseline data on the populations. Joanne Foreman of the Public Information Office gave a report on the Invasive Carp Challenge, an attempt to find innovative solutions to keep invasive carp from entering the lakes. The challenge officially launched Aug. 1, and over 400 solvers are already at work. There will be a 90-day window for people to enter the challenge. A second stage will involve a live “carp tank” (similar to the TV show Shark Tank) with total prizes of $700,000 for one or multiple winners. Joanne also talked about the recent release of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Tentatively Selected Plan, which lays out concrete plans for halting as much as possible the movement of invasive carp through the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Illinois. Brandon Road is a critical pinch point for stopping invasive carp. Finally, Joanne told the commission about the finding of Japanese Stiltgrass on a private property in Washtenaw County. This is a “watch list” species in Michigan that can displace native

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vegetation, thrives in areas of soil disturbance and tolerates a variety of soil and light conditions. The department will work with the land owner to treat the grass with herbicide. Chad Stewart of Wildlife previewed the upcoming CWD Symposium, which will be held Oct. 3-4 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing. The symposium will highlight CWD research and management from across the country and include a list of nationally recognized speakers. Experts will hail from universities, nongovernmental organizations and other government agencies. After hearing from the experts, a separate working group will review the state’s CWD response plan and recommend any possible changes in management of the disease. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. -Ed Golder, Public Information Officer PA 93 of 2017 (SB 76) – Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) 2017 Appropriation – Sen. Booher: This appropriates $47.6 million from the MNRTF for 27 acquisition projects (approximately $27.7 million) and 87 development projects (approximately $19.9 million). Total matching funds of $40.1 million result in total project costs of $87.7 million. HB 4781-4782 – Electric Bicycles – Rep. Hughes: This bill seeks to amend the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act and the Michigan Vehicle Code by defining an electric bicycle (e-bike) and where it can be used. The use of e-bikes on certain trails would be allowed unless the local unit or governing authority adopted a resolution or order to prohibit the use.

• This bill was referred to the House Committee on Tourism and Outdoor Recreation. • The Administration has not taken a position on this legislation.

HB 4784 – Free Access to Parks and BAS for Veterans – Rep. Hammoud: This bill seeks to amend the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to allow Veterans to have their Recreation Passport fee waived. When entering a State Park or state-operated public boating access site, the Recreation Passport fee will be waived if an individual can show a valid, Government-issued Veteran identification.

• This bill was referred to the House Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs. • The Administration has not taken a position on this legislation.

HB 4801 – Require Use of State-owned Minerals by Locals – Rep. LaFave: This bill seeks to amend the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to require the Department to enter into an agreement with a County Road Commission, a municipality or it’s contractor if they apply for the use of state-owned, nonmetallic minerals on a public road, street or highway. The Department would be prohibited from charging a fee for this transaction, other than a processing fee that could not exceed the reasonable cost for processing the transaction.

• This bill was referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. • The Administration has not taken a position on this legislation.

If you would like to learn more about these and other bills, you can access the Michigan Legislature website at www.legislature.mi.gov. The WUPCAC met on July 19 in Harris. Updates were provided on the UP Wildlife Habitat Workgroup and Chronic Wasting Disease. Under new business were updates on local trails, western UP state parks and antler point restrictions recently passed at the NRC meeting. Results of the moose survey were also provided. There were no committee reports or resolutions presented. The next WUPCAC Meeting will be held on September 20th at the Porkies Chalet in Ontonagon County.

August 2017 Legislative Update – Anna Mooney , Legislative & Legal Affairs Office

Western UPCAC Update

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Finance & Operations: Michelle Zellar, Eastern UP 2017 Free ORV Weekends June 10-11 and Aug. 19-20: Residents and out-of-state visitors can ride DNR-designated

routes and trails during the upcoming Free ORV Weekend Aug. 19-20. Off-road enthusiasts will not need to possess an ORV license or trail permit on these dates, saving riders up to $36.25. Customers are purchasing their Antlerless deer applications, which ends August 15, 2017. Several department divisions attended the Luce-Mackinac County fair.

Reminders for August 2017 8/1 – Crow season re-opens (open dates are 8/1 – 9/30 and 2/1 – 3/31) 8/1 – Deadline for Fall Turkey applications 8/1 – May apply for Reserved Waterfowl hunts 8/1 – Hunting & Trapping Digests available at license agents 8/1 – Hook & Lure size/weight restrictions begin on all streams (through 5/31, see p. 11) 8/10 – May place bear blinds in Zone 1 and may place bear baits in Zone 1 8/14 – Fall Turkey Drawing results posted on Web site 8/15 – Deadline for Antlerless Deer applications (also Reserved Deer Hunts) 8/17 – May place bear blinds in Zone 2 (see Bear Digest for baiting dates) 8/21 - Leftover Turkey Licenses on sale (for unsuccessful applicants, others on 8/28) 8/28 – Deadline to apply for Reserved Waterfowl; also, Antlerless Deer Results posted online 8/29 – Elk Hunt #1 opens (see digest for all hunt periods)

EUP Wildlife Division: Terry Minzey, Wildlife Supervisor (prepared by Craig Albright) Many fall hunting seasons will begin in the next few weeks. This report highlights some of the early-starting seasons

and provides comments on Wildlife Division involvement with management of these species. Canada Geese – Goose season typically kicks off the fall hunting seasons in Upper Michigan. This year’s season is

again lengthy, running from Sept. 1 to Dec. 16. Liberalized rules are partly due to the information provided by banding. Canada geese become flightless in late June during the annual molt of flight feathers. During this time, they can be easily corralled and leg banded. When banded geese are later harvested by hunters, survival rates can be calculated by the US Fish & Wildlife Service. This information helps wildlife managers assess the impacts of hunting season rules. This year, the U.P. region reached our assigned target of 300 geese by capturing and banding 348 birds.

Ducks – Duck hunting also gets an early start during 2017. For the 4th straight year, hunters will have an opportunity

to pursue early-migrating “teal” from Sept. 1-10. The Youth Waterfowl Hunting Weekend, for youth 16 years or younger, will occur Sept. 9-10. The regular duck hunting season in the U.P. will open on Sept. 30th. Similar to goose banding, the capture and banding of mallards and wood ducks provides important information for the establishment of hunting seasons. Wildlife Division staff currently are tending traps to hopefully capture and band our quota of 100 mallards and 100 wood ducks.

Black Bears – The first hunt period for bear hunting begins on Sept. 10th for those hunters awarded a license in the

state’s preference point lottery system. Many bear hunters have been hard at work since Aug. 10th establishing baits. New this year, bear baits may not contain chocolate or cocoa derivatives due to the potential negative impacts on wildlife. During the next 2 weeks, Wildlife Division staff will distribute check station materials to DNR offices and private businesses that register hunter-harvested bears. Hunters must register their bear within 72 hours of the kill.

Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock – Ruffed grouse hunting season will open on Sept. 15, and woodcock season will

follow shortly thereafter on Sept. 23. Hunting areas abound for these popular game birds, but new and veteran

Division Updates

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hunters alike may want to visit one of the 12 “GEMS” (Grouse Enhanced Management Sites) in the U.P. These areas are managed intensively for grouse and offer the amenities of parking areas, trail systems, and informational kiosks. For more information on GEMS, visit this website: www.mi.gov/gems.

White-tailed Deer – The first 2017 deer season begins with the “Liberty Hunt” on Sept. 16 and 17. Youth 16 years of

age or younger and hunters with certain disabilities may participate. Regular deer seasons commence with archery season on Oct. 1. To aid deer herd recovery, antlerless licenses will be available only in 5 deer management units in the central U.P. Deer registration is not mandatory in the U.P. but hunters who visit a DNR check station (see http://www.midnr.com/Publications/pdfs/ArcGISOnline/interactiveMaps/deercheck/) will receive a successful hunter’s patch. Deer heads will be tested for chronic wasting disease if desired. So far this year, 140 deer have been tested in the U.P. border counties with Wisconsin, and all have been negative for the disease.

Forest Resources Division: Jeff Stampfly, Eastern UP Supervisor (prepared by Kristen Matson) The 2019 Year of Entry (YOE) inventory is almost complete for the Eastern UP (EUP). Both the Sault and Shingleton

FMUs recently held their internal pre-review meetings to finalize inventory data before posting to the web. Newberry pre-review is August 17th. Sault FMU open houses will be September 12 in Naubinway and September 13 in Kinross. Open house and compartment review schedules will be posted online, along with other state forest inventory information at www.michigan.gov/forestry.

Foresters have been working on the 2017 timber sale plan of work. The EUP is scheduled to set up approximately

13,100 acres of timber sales in the 2017 FY.

Currently, there are 264 open sales in the EUP, covering 36,762 acres and valued at $26.7 million. Approximately 30 of these are active right now. Due to higher than normal rain, road maintenance and access to sales have been a major issue.

The EUP offered 38 sales in the last two months, five of which did not sell right away. Some of the sales that had

previously gone no-bid have now sold, but currently three sales are still unsold.

Trenching (for planting next year) is almost complete, for a total of 1170 acres in the EUP.

The seedlings that were planting last spring are doing well this year, due to the abundant rain. Any further planting in the Duck Lake fire area will be done after trenching to prepare the soil, as we would do anywhere else. The area has grown in with vegetation that is now making planting without trenches too difficult.

The division continues to work with the USFS on Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) projects. The 2017 harvest project

is in process and planning is occurring for the 2018 and 2019 GNA work. Harvesting has occurred on both 2016 GNA sales on the Hiawatha National Forest.

Eleven EUP fire qualified staff have been sent to help with fires individually as single resources, on an interagency

hand crew to British Columbia, and with our fire engines to Montana. This is an excellent way for our staff to gain experience, while helping out western states and Canada.

Many fire qualified staff attended S290, S300 and Well Point training. Forestry staff attended training on our new

Land Ownership Tracking System (LOTS).

The Road Classification work continues as planned. Staff continue to update the road inventory system. FRD presented information regarding careers in forestry and general forest management to a group of 30 Detroit

area high school students that were attending the Northern Michigan University Summer Academy “Upward Bound Math and Science” program.

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Hiawatha National Forest staff recently hosted a field trip for Congressional aides from Washington DC. During this event, FRD staff were asked to present information on our cooperative Forest Stewardship and GNA programs.

Road project work is currently taking place near Munuscong and another project will start on the Giddings Road.

Due to heavy rain, some washouts have occurred throughout the EUP area. Beaver removal is ongoing on the Sunrise Grade.

Eastern UP Fisheries Division Field Units (Cory Kovacs, Lake Superior Management Unit) The Newberry Fisheries staff has been working with Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore staff to survey waters in the

park. Newberry field crew sampled 9 sites throughout the PRNL, focusing the 2017 effort on trout streams. 2018 will incorporate large lakes including Beaver and Grand Sable.

The Newberry Fisheries staff assisted with the St. Mary’s River fish community netting survey. Newberry is responsible for the Upper River sites (5). The survey is being conducted cooperatively between multiple agencies and tribal units. The fish community netting survey is conducted every five years.

Staff attended the Resource Inventory Team meeting in Manistee. This internal committee is responsible for establishing standardization of gear types and sampling efforts for Fisheries Division.

Walleye ponds in the eastern UP were harvested near the end of June. Waters of note where Walleye were stocked include Brevoort Lake, Milecoquins Lake, North Manistique Lake, Grand Marais-West Bay, Belle Lake 1, Bodi Lake, Culhane Lake, Pike Lake, and Muskallonge Lake. Additional waters were stocked in the UP with Walleye reared by the Sault Tribe. A complete list of stocking locations can be provided by the local Fisheries Biologist.

Newberry field crews are finishing up stream sampling in the eastern UP. Streams being sampled this year include Joel Creek, Naomikong Creek, Davenport Creek, and Anna River.

Staff attended the Lake Superior Technical Committee meeting in Grand Marais, MN. The Lake Superior Tech Committee serves as an advisory group for the Great Lakes Commission on Lake Superior issues.

The Dollarville Flooding creel survey is moving along nicely. The creel clerk has contacted many anglers despite the normally slow warm months. Anticipating more activity as the season moves into the fall on the flooding. The creel ends on November 30.

All Newberry Fisheries staff will be assisting at the UP State Fair. Fisheries staff participated in the Luce County Fair. Despite the poor weather, those who were contacted asked

good questions and were well appreciative of the DNR’s participation. Forest Resource Division (Fire) and Wildlife Division also participated.

Forest Resource Division compartment review process has begun. Staff has attended pre-review meetings across the Upper Peninsula. Fisheries comments during this process are incorporated to protect riparian management zones, protecting important fisheries across the management unit. Compartment reviews in process are Gwinn, Shingleton, Newberry, and Sault/Naubinway.

The Waishkey River Management Plan is being completed by partnering agencies and being led by the Bay Mills Indian Community.

Upper Peninsula fisheries staff is working on the 10-fish bag limit Brook Trout proposal by the Natural Resources Commission (NRC). Fisheries Division is responding to the public’s interest of increasing the bag limit for Brook Trout on Type-1 streams in the UP only. Many versions of the project have been reviewed and the NRC will be reviewing the project in September.

Coho fishery has been good near many rivermouths despite moving into the summer months. Good catches in Grand Marais.

Marquette and Thompson State Fish Hatcheries (Jan VanAmberg) Thompson State Fish Hatchery Fish Culture

- Steelhead are growing well in inside tanks. On-pace with past years so far. Grading to start in Mid-August - Final plan for mass marking all the steelhead is set. Trailer to arrive in September. - Sent five of the most deteriorated interpretive signs to Genesis Graphics in Escanaba for rehabilitation work.

Hatchery Maintenance

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- Crew is fabricating jump guards for the outside raceways to keep the steelhead from jumping out of the raceways onto the ground.

- Failed culvert was discovered under back road. Culvert connects Thompson creek with discharge ditch. Looking into permitting for replacement.

- Entire crew has been felling trees that are overhanging the spring pond building. - New 800 Mhz pager system components are installed. Waiting on pagers. - Conceptual drawings and preliminary cost estimates have been completed for the capital outlay project at

Thompson Hatchery. Next step is to seek funding appropriation from the legislature. Marquette State Fish Hatchery Fish Culture

- Had Facebook live tour of the hatchery on 8/8 for about 30 minutes. Elyse Walters organized it and everyone felt it went well in spite of the feed dropping several times due to connectivity issues. Had about 40,000 views while it was going on. About the same as Platte FB event.

- Technicians have been converting the last 16 inside feeders from electric solenoid to pneumatic driven. - USFWS mass marked the Seneca Lake lake trout in July - Technicians have been working with Research doing stream surveys for Troy’s coaster brook trout study. - The 2003 Lake Superior Lean lake trout brood stock were stocked out followed by complete inventories of the

2015, 2012, and 2009 broodstock lots. - Culture staff will be involved in a two week aquatic invasive species survey of Lake Superior near shore waters

directed by the USFWS in mid-August. Hatchery Maintenance

- Mitch Gregg started as our new Maintenance Mechanic LT on July 17th. Nice to be back at full staff after a year of short staffing.

- Single bid for culvert repair came in $30,000 over engineers estimate. Don’t have the funding to proceed and since we now know failure is not imminent we decided to add $15,000 from FY17 major maintenance to the pot and rebid in early FY18, hoping to get more competitive bids.

- Staff fabricated a new fish exclusion grate for the hatchery discharge. Installation will occur when the culvert repair project is underway.

Parks & Recreation Division: Eric Cowing, Eastern Supervisor Indian Lake & Palms Book State Park Design work continues on the Laughing Whitefish Falls stairs & observation deck project. Construction is scheduled

to begin this spring. The Wagner Falls parking lot, sign & walkway project is 95% complete. The Indian Lake/Palms Book Friends group held their annual Family Fun Day at Palms Book on 7/29. Everything went

very well with several people attending. Camping -2%, mini cabins -9%, shelters +49%. The SFCG’s are running a little slower for the year. Palms Book -1% We are working on hand pump issues at the following SFCG’s, Canoe Lake, Cusino Lake & Kingston Lake. It’s been very busy at Palms Book again this year. We are beginning to have issues with the parking lot not being

able to handle the number of cars & RV’s we are getting. Brimley State Park/Detour Harbor/Lime Island Lime Island dock project (planning & design) is ready to go out for bid Detour Village BAS break wall project (planning & design) is ready to go out for bid BSP has been short one State Worker. Will be losing a couple more in a few weeks. Detour Harbor is not fully staffed at this time. Brimley camp nights have been comparable to last year Munuscong SFC camp nights have been comparable to last year BAS usage has been up and down depending on weather and fishing reports Lime Island: 54 cabin nights, 25 boat nights & 9 camp nights (June & July) Detour Harbor slip nights (June & July) comparable to last year

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Lime Island Victorian House (interior) & School house (exterior-roof) need repairs. Fayette Historic State Park Campground: New toilet shower building and sanitation station have

been open since May with few minor problems – campers and boaters appear to be happy with the facilities.

Harbor: Boaters have been very complimentary about the new harbor facilities and access to the toilet/shower building only 7 minutes away by foot.

Townsite: Contract plasterer finished up work in building #7, staff then repainted. Assisted history staff in putting displays back in place and re-opened the display to the public. Furnace stack warranty work in progress; to be completed by the second week of August.

Struggling to find enough eligible people to fill State Worker positions – ran season one State Worker short.

Christmas in June held June 18th: 25% increase in camp nights over 2016 for Fri and Sat nights.

Paranormal Event Held July 21 & 22: Main ghost hunter was a no show, but his team did their best and the event was held. 45 people “hunted” Friday night and 75 people Saturday night. 5% decrease in camp nights when compared to 2016 for Fri & Sat nights

Thru July 2017 (when compared to the average of 2014-2016) we are 506 camp nights UP!

Straits State Park/Mackinac Island Straits State Park is having difficulty hiring staff this year and multiple positions remain open. Both Straits and Mackinac Island marina have hired minors this year to help fill vacancy and fill the work load. While

they have come with extra responsibilities that take time, they have been worth the work and should be good employees that will return for several years.

Some programming at the Father Marquette site began on July 19th and will run through August 23rd. Programs are Wednesday evenings and begin at 7pm. So far there have been 2 historians and a nature hike. Remaining programs include: August 9 Smokey Bear birthday party, Aug 16 a nature hike and August 23 archery lessons and shooting for all ages.

Straits partnered with The National Wild Turkey Federation which held a turkey hunting seminar along with a BB gun range for all ages.

Campground attendance is up again this year despite the rainy weather. Straits State Park is a pilot park for charging a fee for non-campers using the dump and fill station in the park. With

the low cost of the recreation passport the park was experiencing many non-camping units simply stopping in to dump their waste. The park reviewed its costs for water and sewer and also called other locations to find out what they charge. The going rate locally was $10. That amount covers the water and sewer fee and is the rate the park is now charging.

Mackinac Island Harbor has come to a seasonal slip agreement with the Mackinac Island Fire and rescue boat for seasonal dockage. After multiple meetings it was decided that the seasonal dockage rate was the best option for all parties. As one of the seasonal boaters decided not to renew this year this new rental keeps the seasonal slips at 6.

Newberry Field Office Many projects completed. Wagner Falls parking lot, repaired federal ramp at brownstone, loading ramp for

Headquarters Lake complete and will be installed in the next couple days. Culvert at Black River Campground installed. Removed 4 large trees at Milikokia Lake Campground. Fish bunker dredge completed at Donaldson’s on Tahquamenon River. All in all very busy summer.

Found some real good state workers (STW) this year and they have kept up with things real good with the heavy use we have had this year both access sites and campgrounds. A STW was hired for trail maintenance working out of our shop and he also has done a great job. Another new thing this year we had a crew of Students do odd jobs for us like

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painting and brush removal and I am very happy with their work as we had no time to brush some apple trees at a couple of our site and they did a bang-up job.

We received our new case loader the end of June and it has been a blessing. All campgrounds were well used during the May and July Holidays. Wet weather and bugs did curtail some weeks

but all in all it was a good year for camping. We did lead samples on all 5 of our campground wells with all being good.

Tahquamenon Falls State Park The Lower Falls capital outlay project opened to the public in Late June. The new viewing platform & canoe/kayak

slide are great additions to the Lower Falls unit. The Boardwalk to the Lower Falls was also repaired to meet ADA guidelines again, and is in great shape.

The State Worker shortage continues to be a challenge. We were briefly (3 weeks) up to full staff but are now starting to lose help as College Students leave.

The Two-Hearted Trail Run was held here on June 24th. The Tahqua Trail Run was held on August 5, 2017. Both events were a success with 150 participants or so in each race.

The Park Campgrounds have been 100% full since the beginning of July. The average day will see a handful of first come first serve sites open in the morning, with the campgrounds filling up by early afternoon each day.

Day use attendance has been extremely busy. The Upper Falls has been averaging around 25,000 visitors a week this summer.

We continue to see a large amount of visitors from Out of State. TFSP has sold 13,000 Non-Resident Day passes so far this year.

The heavy use is taking its toll on park infrastructure & staff. Rangers have done traffic control at the Upper Falls every day except 2 since July 1st. The overcrowding & lack of sufficient parking has made for a very congested Upper Falls Day-Use area.

The Water & Sewer infrastructure is strained as well.

Muskallonge State Park Phase II – Headquarters relocation. Construction is underway for the new Headquarters building. The new well and

septic system are in place and functioning. Rough construction of the building is complete, electricians and plumbers are currently working on the interior of the building. The old headquarters buildings have been fully demolished.

Finding summer help this season has been a challenge. We continue to operate down 2 positions due to lack of applicants.

The annual “Rock On! With Lake Superior Agates” rock show is scheduled for September 9-10. The campground is fully reserved for this event.

Campground attendance has been busy thus far this season. Muskallonge Lake is over 1500 camp nights above average at this point. State Forest Campground use is also up substantially.

Planning Report Fayette Historic State Park - New toilet shower building, sanitation station, and on-site sewage disposal project: The

project is 100% complete and has been in operation since April 21, 2017. The project budget is $1,130,000.00. Fayette Historic State Park - New floating dock with water, electric, and finger piers: The project is 100% complete.

The new dock has been accepting reservations for the 2017 use season. Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park - Structural renovations of the stairway and observation platforms: The DNR has

awarded a design contract to Northwest Design Group. The design process is approaching 90% complete. The project has received $300,000 in design and construction funding from a 2015 Michigan Natural Resources Trust fund grant. Construction is proposed for early summer 2018.

Wagner Falls State Park - ADA parking lot improvements: MDOT & DEQ permits has been approved. Construction is 100% complete. The parking lot was raised to improve safety by reducing entry and exit grades. The parking lot was expanded to allow for 8 vehicular parking spaces with one ADA Accessible space. Additional improvements include a new site sign, kiosk, parking signs, parking bumpers, and improved site drainage.

Nahma Boating Access Site - Ramp replacement: The EUP has been allocated $200,000 in funding to design and construction services for a concrete launch ramp replacement. The design of a cofferdam to remove and replace

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the ramp in the dry and the design a sub-base for supporting the new ramp given existing soil conditions. Design is 100% complete and the project is out for bids. Bids are due August 16, 2017.

Trail Report Rail-Trail Projects Doty Bridge near Munising is funded for replacement from RTP and Trust Fund grant. Operational agreement

between the DNR and Hiawatha NF is being circulated for approvals. Doty Bridge is a multi-use Rail Trail Trestle Bridge. Snowmobile Trail Updates Beginning to work on some trail projects to get ready for winter seasons UP preseason meetings will be the first week of October. Prout Road Bridge replacement is done, Snowmobile/ORV, RTP grants and FDF funds involved to complete. ORV Trail Updates Mackinac County Routes proposal is approved. Making plans to get signed, waiting on confidence markers. ORV permits compared to last year this time, Regular ORV permits are up 10%. Many restoration projects going to snowmobile trails on public lands Grant sponsors are beginning their summer maintenance on trails. Equestrian Trail Projects Mounting blocks installed at Headquarters Lake SFC. Pathway Projects Shore to Shore Chapter of the North Country Trail Organization rerouted several hundred feet of trail and installed

100 feet of board walk On the North Country National Scenic Trail near CR 500. Event/Use Permits Six Days of Michigan, Cycle Conservation Club of Michigan, about 90 riders, 1 of the 6 days had rain, went very well

good trails this year. General Water, Water, Water! Becoming hard on trails. We have USDA Wildlife Trapper hitting many spots around the EUP and is being successful. Marketing & Outreach Division: Jon Spieles, Education Services Section Following are highlights of our work over the last couple months: DNR education staff is wrapping up a huge summer at our ten visitor centers in State Parks and Fish Hatcheries

across the state. Since Memorial Day Weekend, when we transitioned from school programs to our summer season, we have presented nature-based programs for more than 42,000 participants in our visitor centers, state parks campgrounds and fish hatcheries. Included in these numbers, the Interpretive Program and Explorer Program conducted more than 700 introductory fishing programs and 150 introductory archery programs through the same period.

Education staff has completed four Bear Hunting Workshops as a part of the “Outdoor Skills Academy” at the Carl

Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center in Cadillac. There were almost 200 participants in these classes that focused on black bear natural history, techniques and tips for hunting bear, applicable laws and common mistakes, field dressing and fur handling and more. 20 more classes like the Bear Hunting Workshop this year have led participants to elevate their game with Steel heading, Turkey Hunting, Fly-Fishing and a host of other nature-based outdoor fun.

The 22nd annual Saginaw Bay Waterfowl Festival was held again at the Saginaw Bay Visitor Center at Bay City State

Recreation Area on August 5 & 6. The festival was sponsored again by Cabela’s, Northwood’s Wholesale Outlet. Michigan’s State Championship Duck and Goose Calling Tournament as well as the Michigan Duck Hunters Association 2018 Michigan Waterfowl Stamp Competition as well as arts, crafts, waterfowl carving contest, a wildlife photo contest, Quack-Athalon and other duck-related games round out the weekend. Participation this year was near 15,000.

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Beginning August 14, we will again coordinate the 2017 Pocket Park activities during the U.P. State Fair in Escanaba. Volunteers and DNR, DEQ and MDARD employees will have helped thousands of children and others try archery, fishing and pellet gun shooting by the time the fair winds down. Partners included the Escanaba Noon Kiwanis Club, Escanaba RSVP Organization, NASP Instructors and the NORMENCO sportsmen club.

The 10th annual DNR Academy of Natural Resources welcomed 60 participating teachers to natural resource

education and science-based natural resource management through a week-long experience at the RAM Center in Roscommon in mid-July. Teachers spend time afield with Wildlife Biologists, Conservation Officers, Foresters and Fisheries Biologists learning field skills and figuring out together how to incorporate those techniques into their teaching plans.

An additional program we called “ANR North” was completed at the Ford Center just South of Baraga on August 7-

10. The program is a UP version of ANR and brings an additional cultural and mining focus to the curriculum. The program in the UP also included great partnerships with Michigan Technological University, Keweenaw Bay Tribes and the National Park Service.

Facebook state for April through June:

- 14 million impressions - 127 thousand engagements (reactions, shares, comments) - 50 thousand link clicks

Here is a list of the new Youth Conservation Council members:

First Name Last Name City Christopher Neuvirth Commerce Twp. Audrey Naeyaert Rapid River Laney Whitcomb Petoskey Joseph Perry DeWitt Jonathan Baker Chassell Allison Hawken Reese Cooper Evans Grand Ledge Reanna Byrnes Laingsburg Jacob Zuckschwerdt Owosso Benjamin Spieles McMillan Elijah Lampart Kalamazoo Addy Battel Cass City Neha Middela Bloomfield Hills

We are hard at work building the new DNR website. MOD is working with all the other division to remove old

content, update existing content and add new content where needed to create an improved user experience. The new site will focus more on the customer and less on how the department is organized, with simplified content, a new navigational structure and a modern look and feel. The goal for launching the new website is the end of this year.

Michigan Shooting Centers (MSC) hosted the 2017 U.S., Federation International de Tir Aux Sportives de Chasse

(FITASC) Grand Prix and Kolar Classic at the Bald Mountain Shooting Range on June 19-25, 2017. The FITASC is the international form of sporting clays. The tournament is one of only two clay target shooting World Cup events that will be hosted in the United States this year. It is also a qualifier for competitors trying to earn a position on the United States Shooting Team. There were approximately 400 participants that shot, 144 of which have residence in Michigan. The remaining 256 participants traveled to Michigan from one of the 32 states which will be represented at the competition, Canada or Australia.

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Clay throwers are being made available to the public for use at the DNR’s Ortonville, Pontiac Lake, Rose Lake and Sharonville shooting ranges on Sundays through August. The range staffs load the throwers and then let the public pull and shoot.

The DNR is partnering with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and Pheasants Forever (PF) again this year on the Turkey Days and Pheasant Fridays in the several state parks. The NWTF and PF staffs along with Chapter volunteers are in 17 state parks over the summer with their BB gun ranges teaching people how to shoot and providing information about turkey and pheasant hunting. This is the second year of this program is going great after learning and making adjustments from last year.

MOD shooting range staff participated in the “Come Play at the Capitol” day by providing the automatic lift for the youth to try out. The lift is stationed at the DNR Rose Lake shooting range and allows individuals with disabilities to practice their shooting skills from a raised platform

June 23-25 we hosted Detroit River days where we provided Archery on the River as well as participation from Wildlife, Fisheries, and LED.

July 21-22 I attended the NASP World Archery Tournament where our Michigan school - Hartland Middle School won 1st place in their division.

We have provided archery at various events such as the Bow and Bowl Summer Camp in Woodhaven and will provide archery at the West Bloomfield Summer Camp day on August 16. We teach the children how to shoot and provide archery games for them.

Going to be meeting with Pure Michigan in a few weeks to strategize over next year's joint promotions. Redesigning

the DNR website (Beth has more details). Designing from customer perspective rather than how our dept. is set up. Mobile first, so it will look different from a laptop. Links will be broken, content with be streamlined and much of the old stuff will go away (we won't treat it like a library or filing cabinet). Rewriting content to be understandable and appealing to a general audience. Go live is looking like fall.

The Michigan Wildlife Council is wrapping up their 2nd survey of state residents. The next MWC meeting is August 28th and Gud Marketing will present results of that survey. The meeting is scheduled to be in Clare.

Law Enforcement Division (LED): Lt. Skip Hagy, District 2 District Officers have been involved with many events and activities this summer including the usual fish, marine and ORV patrols and have also conducted patrols related Commercial Fish Enforcement, the Chicago to Mackinac and Port Huron to Mackinac Yacht races and several marine events. Officers participated heavily in the search for the kidnap victim & suspect which originated in Delta County along with other search and rescues. Officers have taught hunter safety classes and staffed a booth at the UP State Fair Pocket Park answering questions and putting on tree stand safety demonstrations along with boating and ORV safety presentations. The CO Academy “Recruit School # 8” is going well and in full swing, the Academy began on July 16th and is a 23 week long Academy. Do your part to help our next generation of sportsmen & women learn to do things the right way & safely, they learn by the example you set! Get out and enjoy our great UP!! Below are some of the cases officers have been involved in since the last CAC. DISTRICT 2 BI-WEEKLY REPORT 7-3-17 CO Mark Zitnik was on patrol working marine enforcement when he came across two vessels that had and expired registrations

and no life jackets. Enforcement action was taken. CO Mark Zitnik and Park Service Officer Amber Tembruell stopped three ORV’s on H-58 for excessive speed of up to 60 miles

per hour, not operating to the extreme right of the road way, and operating in a prohibited area. Enforcement action was taken. CO Mark Zitnik along with Michigan State Police were dispatched to a Domestic in progress. Upon arrival the boyfriend was

complaining that his girlfriend was beating on him. Further investigation revealed that the boyfriend had been striking his girlfriend. When the CO and Trooper put the individual under arrest he stated, “Look at all the marks on my body from her.” The Trooper said to the boyfriend, “I do not see any marks on you.” The boyfriend said, “I don’t bruise like a peach for god sake.”

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CO Robert Freeborn assisted COs Christopher Lynch and Pat Hartsig with an illegal charter operation. After a brief interview with the charter operator, the CO’s were able to determine the fisherman was operating illegally. The charter operator received several citations.

CO Robert Freeborn assisted Sgt. Michael Hammill with a traffic stop. Both CO’s had dealt with the driver the previous week on several motor vehicle, watercraft and other violations. The driver was still driving without a license plate and was issued another citation for operating without a valid registration plate.

CO Robert Freeborn responded to a PI accident on US2. A passenger car was stopped at a construction stop sign in a one lane construction zone when an armored bank truck failed to stop and rear ended the car at highway speeds. The passenger car was slammed forward several feet while the armored truck went off the road and into the ditch just missing the tree line. Both vehicles were severely damaged and the armored truck sustained a major fuel leak. Luckily, only one person in the car sustained minor head injuries. The scene was turned over to MSP when they arrived.

While on patrol CO Robert Freeborn checked a small fishing boat. While talking with the fisherman CO Freeborn noticed their boat did not have a current registration. While continuing to talk with the fisherman CO Freeborn noticed a pellet gun with a scope sitting in the boat. CO Freeborn asked the fisherman what the gun was used for. The fisherman stated they keep it in the boat in case they see a muskrat swim by. CO Freeborn explained to them that it was against the law to shoot a muskrat and that it wasn’t even trapping season for them. CO Freeborn then proceeded to check for life jackets and fishing licenses. The fisherman stated they did not bring life jackets Citations were issued for no PFD’s.

COs Michael Evink and Robert Freeborn checked a local lake for marine and fishing activity. After checking several boats, the COs made contact with a small fishing boat. As the COs checked the fisherman it was determined that they did not have PFD’s in the boat or valid fishing licenses. The fisherman received citations for fishing without a license and no PFD’s. As the COs were leaving one of the fisherman stated he told his buddy they didn’t have fishing licenses and shouldn’t fish but his buddy told him they would be alright for a night of fishing they wouldn’t get caught.

COs Michael Evink and Robert Freeborn noticed a Jet Ski operating approximately 10 feet from a dock with kids standing on it. As the COs approached the Jet Ski continued to whip fish tails splashing the kids. The COs made contact with the operator and advised him of the 100’ rule of operation. The operator stated he did not know there was such a rule. As the COs continued to talk with the operator, they noticed the Jet Ski had an expired registration. A citation was issued for the expired registration.

COs Michael Evink, Mark Zitnik, and Robert Freeborn along with Forest Service Officer Dave Tembruell conducted a group patrol along the AuTrain River. While the temperature was below average, there were still several people floating the river. The COs made contact with several groups of canoes/kayaks. While overall compliance was good, the COs addressed several violations for no PFD’s.

COs Michael Evink and Robert Freeborn were stopped behind a car attempting to make a left hand turn. While the COs were waiting, they noticed a pedestrian walk across the busy road. As the pedestrian crossed the road, another vehicle came up from behind and passed the COs along with another vehicle on the right shoulder over the white fog line. The COs stopped the vehicle and advised the driver that you can’t pass on the right. When CO Freeborn asked for the operator’s driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance, the operator stated that he did not have insurance on the vehicle. Enforcement action was taken.

CO Pat Hartsig responded to an ORV accident where the operator was driving down a hill, lost control, and fell over his handlebars. The operator had a broken arm and leg and was stabilized before EMS could arrive.

CO Pat Hartsig patrolled Little Bay de Noc for marine safety after sunset. Numerous vessels were contacted for operating without any navigation lights. This was especially important as a Great lakes freighter had come into the bay after sunset.

COs Pat Hartsig and Chris Lynch conducted several patrols on lakes in the Hiawatha National Forest for marine safety issues. Numerous boaters were contacted for issues such having incorrect registration, no PFD’s on board vessels, no fire extinguishers, and safety zone issues. A few tickets were issued along with several warnings.

CO Michael Evink contacted an elderly gentleman fishing in a small boat on a remote area lake. The boat had an expired registration which prompted further investigation. During the contact it was discovered the man had an “old warrant” out of Mackinac County. Bond was taken on the warrant and a ticket was issued for the registration violation.

COs Jon Busken and Thomas Oberg were assisting the Straits State Park with the St. Ignace Car Show when a City officer called out a fight in progress at a local business. The officers responded and assisted with the battery investigation. One suspect was arrested and lodged in the Mackinac County Jail.

COs Jon Busken and Thomas Oberg were assisting the Straits State Park with the St. Ignace Car Show when troopers pulled over a vehicle near the park. The officers responded and assisted with the DUI investigation. Sobrieties and a PBT reviled the suspect was over the legal driving limit. When placing the suspect in custody he attempted to get back in his vehicle. Officers assisted with removing the suspect from his vehicle and placing him under arrested the suspect was lodged in the Mackinac County Jail.

Cpl. Shannon VanPatten and CO Jon Busken conducted multiple bait dealer inspections. No violations were observed but multiple dealer questions were answered.

COs Jon Busken and Brett Gustafson attended the Army Corps of Engineers Engineer Day at the Soo Locks. Close to 10,000 people attended the event. The officers answered multiple questions about conservation law enforcement.

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CO Calvin Smith was about to launch his patrol boat when he observed two ORV’s being operated on a state highway. A stop was conducted and enforcement action was taken for open intoxicants, registration violations and for operating an ORV on a state highway.

CO Calvin Smith helped with the annual Two Hearted river marathon and 50 k race. Over 80 runners participated in this year’s race. CO Smith was notified by one of the participants of the race that there was a runner suffering from a knee injury. CO Smith was able to quickly locate the injured runner and escort her to the race headquarters where she was offered medical attention.

CO Calvin Smith assisted Luce County sheriff deputies and the Michigan State Police with a stabbing incident that took place within the village of Newberry.

While checking a popular shore fishing area CO Calvin Smith observed two fishermen fishing as far as possible from the parking lot. CO Smith made contact and it was quickly found that one of the fishermen did not possess a current fishing license. Law enforcement action was taken.

CO Tom Oberg and a Lake Superior State University intern were on patrol on Drummond Island when CO Oberg observed a vehicle roll through a stop sign. CO Oberg conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. After file checking the driver and passenger, it was found that neither of them had a valid driver’s license in Michigan. Enforcement action was taken.

CO Tom Oberg was on patrol when a call from Central Dispatch came through advising that an individual had been electrocuted at work and was neither conscious nor breathing. CO Oberg was equipped with an AED and responded to the call. Upon arrival, the individual had regained consciousness and seemed to be doing well besides the fact of not being able to remember much about what happened. EMS arrived on scene shortly after to evaluate him.

DISTRICT 2 BI-WEEKLY REPORT 7-17-17 CO Mark Zitnik was working late on Saturday night when Park Ranger Amber Tembreull made a traffic stop on a husband and

wife for traveling onto prohibited National Park Service property and driving while intoxicated. CO Zitnik arrived shortly after. A short investigation revealed CO Zitnik had stopped the daughters of the two just an hour before for the girls driving an ORV over 60 miles per hour on Highway H-58. Enforcement action was taken.

CO Mark Zitnik patrolled the Au Train River for marine violations and made contact with over 300 boaters that day and encountered several violations. In total, 7 citations were issued for use of marijuana, littering, and no PFD’s.

CO Mark Zitnik was on his way home for the day, when local dispatch contacted him for a nuisance bear in the City of Munising. CO Zitnik responded and helped guide the bear into the woods. CO Zitnik walked to each neighbor’s house and advised them to keep food items secured inside to keep the young bear from returning.

Sgt’s Mike Hammill and Jerry Fitzgibbon, along with COs Brett DeLonge, Calvin Smith, Kevin Postma, Brett Gustafson, Patrick Hartsig, and Mark Zitnik assisted Michigan State Police Troopers, along with officers from Alger County Sheriff Dept. and US Forest Service in patrolling and searching remote areas in Delta, Schoolcraft, and Alger Counties in an attempt to locate a convicted sex offender who was holding a girl captive. The search went on for over 4 days. The subject was apprehended by the MSP ES Team in the early hours of Friday morning in the city of Munising. The woman was also found alive.

COs Calvin Smith, Patrick Hartsig, Mike Evink, Mark Zitnik, and Sgt. Jerry Fitzgibbon, assisted the Park Service in conducting a search for a missing hiker. The search started in the Beaver Basin area of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Northern Alger County. The search has been joined by Alger County Sherriff Dept., State Police and US Forest Service. Efforts are still being conducted to find the missing 57 year old who suffers from a prior brain injury.

While checking several boats on a busy lake, CO Robert Freeborn made contact with a pontoon boat with subjects that were fishing. Upon checking the fisherman for licenses, it was determined that 3 of the 4 did not have fishing licenses. CO Freeborn then checked for safety equipment on the boat and found they were short one PFD. Enforcement action was taken and a citation was written.

COs Mark Zitnik and Robert Freeborn worked Munising Bay for the 4th of July fireworks. The COs made several contacts with boats throughout the day and had high compliance. Once dusk arrived, the COs had to remind a few boats to turn on their navigation lights.

COs Mark Zitnik and Robert Freeborn assisted a Munising City Officer requesting back up due to a verbal dispute following a PDA. The COs arrived on scene within a few seconds of the call and helped separate both parties while the City Officer dealt with the accident report.

CO Pat Hartsig conducted a marine patrol on Little Bay de Noc and Green Bay. Many boaters were contacted and enforcement action was taken for violations including not having PFD’s on a vessel and no navigation lights while underway after sunset.

CO Pat Hartsig was patrolling inland lakes in the Hiawatha National Forest for Marine activity. While speaking with a boater whose registration was expired, CO Hartsig noticed a subject fishing from a dock reel in his line and hide his fishing rod on his dock behind some chairs. Once CO Pat Hartsig cleared the initial contact he drove his boat to the subject on his dock. When asked for a fishing license, the subject stated it was in his truck near his cabin. After another minute of talking, it was found the subject had lied and did not have a fishing license. Further, the subject who’s been coming to his camp and fishing on the lake for over 20 years never bought a MI fishing in any of those years. Enforcement action was taken.

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CO Pat Hartsig was patrolling Lake Superior near Munising and checked numerous boats and Kayakers. One group of kayakers was contacted and asked for their PFD’s. Two of them held up cushions from patio furniture. It was explained to the group that the patio furniture cushions would more than likely not float. Enforcement action was taken.

COs Pat Hartsig and Mark Zitnik held a Hunter Safety Class at the Pocket Park in Escanaba. 16 students attended. CO Pat Hartsig along with Sgt. Jerry Fitzgibbon patrolled the waters of Little Bay De Noc for the 4th of July. Numerous boats

were contacted with several warnings and a few tickets given out for marine safety violations. COs Bobby Watson and Calvin Smith checked several anglers on a local lake, with law enforcement action being taken on

individuals that were fishing without a license and possessing undersize northern pike. Several verbal warnings were also given for other minor violations.

CO Calvin Smith used his ORV to search for an overdue runner that was participating in a race at the Tahquamenon falls. The search lasted nearly six hours before the runner was located.

CO Tom Oberg was on patrol with a Lake Superior State University Intern when they came across a lone boater in Munuscong Bay. CO Oberg maneuvered his patrol boat to make contact. After asking the individual for their fishing license, the angler thumbed through his wallet stating he’s positive he bought one. CO Oberg verified through retail sales and it came back that he had not purchased a 2017 fishing license. Enforcement action was taken.

Sgt. Mike Hammill and CO Tom Oberg were on marine patrol on the north side of Drummond Island when they checked a couple individuals fishing. After checking their fishing licenses, the individuals stated they had caught a Northern Pike. After measuring the fish it was determined the fish was several inches undersized. CO Oberg asked the individual if he knew what the size limit was for Northern Pike and he stated 24 inches. Enforcement action was taken.

CO Kevin Postma checked a group of fishermen near Lime Island. CO Postma asked to check a cooler on the back of the boat. The fishermen advised that they had 5 pike, all of which were the legal 24 inches. CO Postma measured a couple of the shorter pike and determined one was short by about an inch and a half. Enforcement action was taken.

CO Kevin Postma checked herring fishermen in McKay Bay in the Cedarville area. One fisherman was issued a citation for fishing without a license and a second fisherman was issued a citation for failing to provide a PFD. CO Postma also checked a group of fishermen who advised they were five short of their 3 man limit from that morning and were out to catch the rest in the afternoon, which would only amount to 1 more fish since that already had 4 in the cooler, the group was reminded of the limit.

CO Bobby Watson was just beginning his shift and was fueling his truck up when he witnessed an ORV attempt to cross M-123 to get to the same gas station he was pumping gas at. The ORV rider was not wearing a helmet and the ORV had no visible ORV stickers. The ORV was nearly hit by a vehicle travelling on M-123 after the ORV stopped suddenly in the lane of travel to pick up a 12-pack of empty beer cans he had dropped while crossing the highway. CO Watson made contact with the ORV rider who appeared to be very intoxicated. SFST’s were conducted in the gas station parking lot and CO Watson was able to determine the operator was very much under the influence. Enforcement action was taken and the subject was lodged in the Luce County Jail.

DISTRICT 2 BI-WEEKLY REPORT 7-29-17 CO Chris Lynch was on patrol when he observed a vehicle in front of him driving erratically. A traffic stop was conducted and

contact was made with the driver. The driver said his young hunting dog was jumping on him while he was driving. Further investigation revealed the vehicle was not currently registered. Enforcement action was taken.

While on routine patrol CO Robert Freeborn contacted two fishermen in a boat. When asked to produce their fishing license the 1st fisherman replied he did not have one. The 2nd fisherman replied that he left his at camp. CO Freeborn began checking the anglers license status through the radio, the fisherman suddenly remembered that he had not purchased a license. Enforcement action was taken and a citation was issued.

COs Robert Freeborn and Michael Evink conducted a patrol on Lake Michigan during the Manistique Salmon & Trout Derby. The COs contacted the first couple of boats and issued a few tickets for fishing with more than 3 lines. After an especially friendly contact, the COs heard a concerned fisherman do his best to warn all other boats. He advised using his marine radio that “Gentleman, the DNR is on the water”. Unfortunately, not everyone heard the warning and a few more citations were issued for fishing with more than 3 lines with one boat fishing 4 lines over the legal limit. All names were given to the derby officials that received citations.

COs Michael Evink and Cpl. Shannon Van Patten executed arrest warrants on two individuals who were involved in illegal gill netting Indian Lake this spring. The individuals were arraigned in the 93rd district court. The Warrants were part of an investigation where Conservation Officers received good information and were able to use that information to catch one individual in the act of pulling a gill net from Indian Lk. The gill net contained more than 200 lbs. of Walleye.

CO Mark Zitnik was on ORV patrol when he came across three ORV’s who did not have ORV licenses. The operators claimed they did not know that they needed them. Enforcement action was taken.

CO Mark Zitnik was heading to the Newberry field office when he was passed by a very aggressive driver. As the vehicle was passing the marked patrol truck, oncoming traffic had to pull off the road in order to avoid a collision. A traffic stop was made for the careless driving and enforcement action was taken.

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CO Mark Zitnik was on marine patrol on Lake Superior when he observed an unregistered motorized kayak. A quick inspection of the kayaker revealed he also did not have a PFD. Enforcement action was taken.

CO Pat Hartsig trained the new Conservation Officer Recruits at the Michigan State Police training academy in first aid and field Trauma. The program lasted two weeks and included instruction in CPR and AED skills, as well as trauma scenarios.

CO Pat Hartsig taught Hunter safety to students at the Pocket Park in Escanaba. This day included a field day portion where the students were able to shoot guns, and learn about tree stand safety.

Lt. Hagy, COs Brett Gustafson, Bobby Watson, and Calvin Smith patrolled the Les Cheneaux Islands targeting marine violations. Citations were issued for operating unregistered watercraft and for failing to provide PFD’s. Warnings were given for other minor violations. The COs were thanked by many for being on the water.

COs Brett Gustafson and Calvin Smith worked the Chicago to Mackinac Island yacht race. The COs noted a very high compliance in this year’s race for registered watercraft.

COs Bobby Watson, Brett Gustafson, Tom Oberg and Sgt. Mike Hammill worked a security detail for an Enbridge “line 5” meeting in St. Ignace along with other local law enforcement. The COs provided extra security at the meeting and checked any bags before entering the building. The meeting went smooth with no incidents.

CO Tom Oberg and along with other COs across the state and other hunter safety instructors attended a Hunter Safety Academy located at the Ralph A. MacMullan center located in Roscommon. The classes provided information on how to enhance certain areas when instructing a hunter safety class and how to reach out to the young students and help engage them into practicing safety while hunting. The classes also gave instruction on how to set up tree stands, use survival skills in emergency situations, practice firearm safety when hunting in groups, as well as many other helpful tools.

CO Kevin Postma made contact with two individuals fishing with four lines. Both anglers were asked for a fishing license. Only one of the fishermen could provide a license. The other individual told CO Postma that she wasn't fishing. CO Postma then asked the male fisherman, who did have a license, if he was fishing with four lines. After an awkward silence, CO Postma advised him that it was either one or the other. The male fishermen looked at his female friend and advised that he must be fishing with four lines then. Enforcement action was taken.

CO Kevin Postma assisted with a kids fishing weekend put on by the Soo Area Sportsman Club. Fishing was somewhat slow but beautiful weather and a good turnout made the day a success.

CO Brett Gustafson received a RAP complaint concerning two individuals who had been fishing Atlantic Salmon and Whitefish at the Sault Ste. Marie Power plant for the past 15 days. With the assistance of CO Bobby Watson, the two individuals were placed under surveillance and witnessed them fishing behind the powerhouse throughout the night. A traffic stop was conducted after they left their motel. Both fishermen were very cooperative and honest about their fishing exploits for the previous two weeks. Consent was given to inspect the chest freezer. It was determined that the two individuals were 11 Atlantic Salmon over the possession limit. Enforcement action was taken.

CO Brett Gustafson was first on scene to a two vehicle personal injury accident on US-2. Four individuals were transported to the Hospital with severe injuries. US-2 was closed for 4 hours while the accident was investigated. None of the injuries ended up being fatal and the victims are recovering. MSP handled the enforcement of young driver found to be at fault.

While on patrol in the Les Cheneaux Islands, COs Gustafson, Calvin Smith, Bobby Watson and Lt Hagy observed an unregistered pontoon boat. The boat was being used by a local construction company to transport building materials to and from the job site. It was determined that the owner had not registered the vessel since 2013 and had failed to transfer the title. Enforcement was action taken.

DISTRICT 2 BI-WEEKLY REPORT 8-14-17 CO Mark Zitnik and Pictured Rocks Park Ranger Seth Turi were patrolling Lake Superior when dispatch advised them of an

injured kayaker. The kayaker was on a section of cliffs off of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore hiking when he hit his head on some rocks. Upon arrival they rendered first aid and transported him to Munising where EMS personnel provided care and transported him to Marquette General Hospital.

COs Christopher Lynch, Rob Freeborn, Mark Zitnik , and Forest Service Officer Dave Tembruell patrolled the Au Train River to address alcohol, drugs, littering and marine violations. Over 30 warnings were given, 13 citations were issued, and one subject was lodged on a warrant. The COs and Forest Service Officer also assisted a group of kayakers with a hypothermic victim. In all the majority of the people were happy to see the law enforcement presence on the busy river.

CO Mark Zitnik was on patrol when he came across some eager bear hunters training their dogs for the upcoming bear season. Ultimately, illegal early bear bait was discovered and admitted too. Enforcement action was taken.

CO Chris Lynch successfully served 3 illegal deer warrants. CO Lynch was doing follow up on a suspicious license purchase. The hunter shot a 9 point without a license then bought a license after the fact. The 9 point was harvested on opening day of 2016. While investigating this case CO Lynch learned the father of the hunter had shot two 8 point bucks on opening day of 2015 without a license, then bought the licenses after the fact. A confession was received from both hunters. The combined restitution for the three deer equals $18,500 under Michigan’s new trophy buck laws.

While on patrol, CO Robert Freeborn was traveling along the highway when he noticed the oncoming vehicle swerve into his lane at a high rate of speed. CO Freeborn immediately hit the brakes and pulled over to the shoulder. As CO Freeborn watched

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the vehicle still coming at him, it swerved back into its lane and lost control. The vehicle then exited the road way. As it went into the ditch, it hit an embankment from another road and went airborne. The vehicle traveled several hundred feet before it landed on its passenger side in the ditch along the tree line. CO Freeborn along with a Good Samaritan rushed to the vehicle to check the occupants. They were able to get the driver’s side door open and assist the driver along with 2 young children that were still hanging by their seat belts. The driver stated she was changing a cd and lost control of the vehicle. MSP arrived on scene shortly after to handle the report. Thanks to the use of seatbelts, no one in the vehicle received serious injuries.

CO Pat Hartsig instructed the new Conservation Officer recruits at the Michigan State Police training academy in Lansing with first aid and field trauma training.

CO Pat Hartsig and Sgt. Jerry Fitzgibbon patrolled Lake Superior from Grand Marais towards Whitefish Point assisting ground units looking for ORV’s driving on the shoreline causing damage.

While conducting a patrol near Whitefish Point, COs Brett Gustafson and Kevin Postma checked a vessel with a group fishing for Salmon, the anglers had one very nice Coho on board. Unfortunately, they were short on the number of life jackets required. Enforcement action taken.

CO Brett Gustafson located some early bear baits and is following up on them. CO Kevin Postma spoke to a group of about 40 youths at the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians Junior Police Academy. The

Academy directed the youths on the steps it takes to become a Conservation Officer. CO Kevin Postma contacted two anglers fishing on Lake George near the back side of Sugar Island. CO Postma asked them for

their Michigan fishing licenses. Both individuals advised that they were residents of Ontario and thought that they were fishing in Ontario waters and therefore did not need a Michigan fishing license. CO Postma explained to the fishermen that they were over a mile into Michigan waters. The fishermen were also in violation of several marine safety requirements. Enforcement action was taken.

Sgt. Mike Hammill and COs Brett Gustafson and Kevin Postma conducted a group patrol on Lake Superior targeting its underwater shipwreck preserve. No dive boats were contacted however, several recreational fishermen were contacted and enforcement action was taken for various marine safety violations.

COs Kevin Postma and Tom Oberg assisted with providing a safety zone around the commercial shipping freighter “Calumet” that had run aground near Sault Ste. Marie on the St. Mary’s River system. The Calumet had run aground during the early hours of Thursday morning and was eventually pulled from the reef early Friday evening.

CO Calvin Smith was on patrol when he observed an ORV operating on a state highway. A stop was made and contact was made with a couple nervous occupants. Further investigation led to finding an over limit of brook trout. Law enforcement action was taken.

COs Bobby Watson and Calvin Smith investigated a tip that CO Watson received regarding early bear baits. CO Smith and CO Watson were able to discover multiple baits that had been established prior to August 10th, and that were also utilizing chocolate bait which is now illegal. The investigation is ongoing.

CO Tom Oberg was on patrol on Drummond Island when he witnessed a vehicle fail to stop at a stop sign. CO Oberg performed a traffic stop on the vehicle and quickly noticed that the driver appeared to have been drinking. CO Oberg ran the driver through field sobriety tests. After the tests and a PBT CO Oberg determined that the driver was over the legal blood alcohol content limit to operate a motor vehicle. CO Oberg arrested the subject and transported him to the Chippewa County Jail.