Northern Michigan Conservation Network

The DNR Forest Resources Division is seeking public comment and input on three draft plans which will serve as the overall guide for the next ten years of forestry compartment planning. The public comment period ends on January 2, 2013 so now is the time to provide your input. For those who feel that such […]

The survey results were announced at Thursday’s December Natural Resources Commission (NRC) meeting for the possible expansion of antler point restrictions (APR) in the northwest Michigan area. It may be recalled that in 2011, a proposal was submitted to consider establishing a three-point APR in 12 counties in the northwest Lower Peninsula (Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, […]

In an action which is expected to be signed into law by the Governor’s office, a bill designating the wolf as a game animal in Michigan has now cleared its final legislative hurdle.  In addition to being added to Michigan’s list of game species, the bill authorizes the Michigan Natural Resources Commission to study and give […]

The reasons for the State’s action to ban the ownership and possession of feral swine (wild pigs, Eurasian boar, and the like) have been well documented.  Chief among these are disease risks to both wildlife and domestic pork production, habitat damage, and even human health and safety. Their free-ranging numbers in Michigan alone are now […]

Although not a new story, the restoration of wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) in this state and nation is an incredible conservation success story and one that is worth recalling.  This, especially as we prepare to celebrate its historical significance by dining on its domestic counterpart, Meleagris Butterballis. We must confess, we borrowed the “Butterball” reference […]

This may be old news to many of you, but we’ve recently been hearing from others who have begun using and exploring an interactive mapping tool which has been integrated into the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website.  Although this feature, MI-Hunt, is described on their website as being primarily a tool for planning […]

By Drew YoungeDyke, NMCN Contributing Editor It would be nice if hunting never got to this point: where the single-minded focus of killing a big buck sometimes overshadows the cultural and culinary experience of hunting an elusive animal and honoring it by sharing its meat with friends, family and the needy. Anyone who watches much […]

Following up on an earlier post appearing on this site back in July (Wolf in the Room – https://nmconservationnetwork.org/2012/07/24/the-wolf-in-the-room/ ), legislative hearings have begun in both the Michigan House and Senate on bills which would add wolves to the list of Michigan game species. As we have discussed in the past, this is a necessary […]

For those that did not happen to see it last Thursday, a video segment of interest was presented on two area television stations.  The subject of the story was an Onaway area farmer who has registered complaints about elk-related crop damage. We do not know who initiated the media event, but in addition to the television […]

As many of you likely know by now, the publication of  The North Woods Call has resumed after a 1 ½ year suspension, following the passing of conservation legend Glen Sheppard.  This news comes at an especially good time for those of us who have struggled in our attempt to at least partially fill this […]