Western Upper Peninsula Citizen Advisory Council DNR Division Reports Date of Production: November 2019

This documentation is provided by Michigan DNR staff as a supplement to verbal reports that will be distributed to the Western UPCAC at the November 2019 meeting in Escanaba.

Upper Peninsula Regional Coordinator Update – Stacy Haughey, UP Regional Coordinator

DNR Public Meetings November 6 Western UP Citizens’ Advisory Council Meeting, Escanaba, 5:30pm November 7 Natural Resources Commission Meeting, Lansing December 3 UP Sportsperson Coalition Meeting, DNR Marquette Office, 6:00pm December 3 UP Sportsperson Coalition Meeting, DNR Crystal Falls Office, 6:00pm Central December 10 Eastern UP Citizens’ Advisory Council Meeting, Newberry, 6:00pm December 10 UP Sportsperson Coalition Meeting, Gogebic-Ontonagon ISD, Bergland, 1:00pm December 11 UP Sportsperson Coalition Meeting, DNR Baraga Office, 4:00pm December 12 Natural Resources Commission Meeting, Southwest Michigan TBD

U.P. State Park & State Sponsored Activities November 23 Tahquamenon Falls State Park-Snowshoe Building Workshop December 7 Tahquamenon Falls State Park-Snowshoe Building Workshop December 14 Tahquamenon Falls State Park-Snowshoe Building Workshop January 25 Fayette Historic State Park-Lantern-Lit Snowshoe, Hike or XC Ski

Season Dates & Reminders 11/1 – Beaver & Otter trapping open in Unit B (for residents) 11/1 - Muskrat & Mink trapping open Zone 2; Badger trapping opens in Zone 3 11/4 – Woodcock season closes 11/10 – Beaver & Otter trapping open in Unit C (for residents) 11/10 - Muskrat & Mink trapping open in Zone 3 11/10 – Five Day Firearm Restriction Period begins, see hunting digest p. 19 11/14 – Badger trapping closes in Zones 1 & 2 11/14 – Fall Turkey & Early Archery Deer seasons close 11/14 - Grouse closes until 12/1; pheasant season closes in Zones 2 & 3 11/15 – Firearm Deer season opens; ORV time restrictions begin 11/15 – Frog, Toad, and Salamander seasons close 11/30 – Firearm Deer season closes; Muskie closes on the Boundary Waters (possession) 11/30 – Last Day to obtain Bobcat Kill Tags

1 of 14 Recent DNR Press Releases For full details, go to: www.michigan.gov/dnrpressroom

▪ 21 million fish stocked, Wildlife Habitat Grants, help the hungry (10/29/19) ▪ Happy Little 5K / Run for the Trees virtual race registration opens Jan. 1 (10/25/19) ▪ Share your thoughts with the DNR at November meetings (10/25/19) ▪ Showcasing the DNR: Deer movement studies provide insight into CWD (10/25/19) ▪ DNR reports CWD-positive deer in Hamilton Township, Gratiot County (10/24/19) ▪ Michigan one of five new states to commit to outdoor recreation principles (10/24/19) ▪ West Nile Virus survey shows limited exposure in ruffed grouse, strong survival (10/23/19) ▪ Conservation officers respond to fatal ORV crash in Delta County (10/21/19) ▪ Chinook salmon stocking, Bat Week, surprising forest products (10/21/19) ▪ Showcasing the DNR: Developing the Tahquamenon Falls (10/17/19) ▪ Rare, 150-year-old iron mine locomotive gets $120,000 federal boost (10/15/19) ▪ Lake sturgeon releases, tree-stand safety, outdoor educators honored (10/14/19) ▪ Showcasing the DNR: Behind the DNR’s firefighting front lines (10/10/19)

Eastern UPCAC Update

The Eastern UP Citizen’s Advisory Council Meeting met on October 9th in Wetmore. Old Business included a continued update on CWD. New Business included a thorough update and discussion with Mr. Cody Norton, the new bear/wolf specialist who replaced Mr. Kevin Swanson. Update on forestry activities and the DNR budget were also provided. Subcommittee reports were light. The next EUPCAC meeting will be held on December 10th in Newberry.

October 2019 NRC Meeting Summary – Ed Golder, Public Information Officer

The November 2019 Meeting Summary will be added in this section after the November 6th WUPCAC meeting.

The Natural Resources Commission met at Lansing Community College in Lansing today. The commission approved changes to: • Fisheries Order 205, which adds consistency to Muskellunge regulations on Michigan-Wisconsin boundary waters by increasing the size limit from 42 inches to 50 inches, and extends the possession season from Nov. 30 to Dec. 31. The amended order aligns possession dates for bass by extending the season from Nov. 30 to Dec. 31. • Fisheries Order 206, which delays the possession season date to May 15 to protect spawning walleye on the Cheboygan River from Mullett Lake downstream to Cheboygan Dam, and Black River downstream from Alverno Dam. The order also changes northern pike regulations on select waters in Montmorency, St. Joseph, Delta and Branch counties. • Fisheries Order 215, which simplifies walleye regulations in the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River by aligning the daily possession limits for these connected waters. The daily limits will be determined using the Lake Erie harvest quota process.

Director Dan Eichinger approved: • Changes to Fisheries Order 243, which modifies commercial fishing reporting requirements to better align with the department’s new electronic reporting process. • Thirteen land transactions, details of which can be found in the NRC agenda.

2 of 14 During the Policy Committee on Wildlife and Fisheries, Fisheries Chief Jim Dexter reported the salmon run and egg collection are going well. Jim also recounted conversations with the Lake Michigan and Lake Huron Citizens Fishery Advisory Committee regarding catch-and-release fishing in Grand Traverse Bay. Mortality on the bay is greater than 40 percent for fish that are caught and released. The division discussed with the committee whether catch-and-release fishing should be discontinued on the bay. Rather than taking that step, the committee supported enhancing education and outreach efforts to encourage people to limit catch-and-release fishing after they have caught their limit.

Seth Herbst of Fisheries explained proposed changes to Fisheries Order 200, which would make a number of adjustments to statewide trout, salmon, whitefish, cisco, grayling and smelt regulations. Among other things, the department is recommending changes for regulations for coregonids – cisco, lake whitefish and round whitefish, three species that are hard to distinguish from one another. Currently cisco and lake whitefish daily possession limits are combined. The department is recommending that round whitefish possession limits also be added with the other two species. The proposed changes would also reduce daily possession limits for coregonids on the Great Lakes to 10 fish per day and 5 fish per day in inland waters. The order would extend the Pilgrim River Brook Trout Restoration Area in Houghton County to add greater protections for coaster brook trout.

Resource Deputy Shannon Hanna reported on the deer season forecast. Deer numbers in the Upper Peninsula this year will be similar to last year. In the Lower Peninsula, deer numbers have increased or grown year-to-year. Shannon talked about Eastern Equine Encephalitis, a disease that if contracted is very serious or deadly for human beings. Four people have died from EEE in Michigan this year. The department has found the disease in 13 deer thus far this year. The department continues to offer guidance to hunters about being outdoors while EEE is a concern, as well as safe handling and consumption of meat in areas of EEE occurrence. Please share this guidance with hunters who have questions about the disease. Shannon introduced Rex Ainslie, northern lower region manager for the Wildlife Division, as acting chief of the Wildlife Division through December. Rex was recruited to help relieve the workload for Shannon, who has been doing double duty as deputy and head of the division.

Al Stewart from Wildlife gave a presentation on proposed turkey regulations for the 2020-2022 spring turkey seasons. Michigan is ranked fourth in the nation for wild turkey harvest and is recognized nationally for having great wild turkey hunting. People come from other countries to hunt turkeys in Michigan, Al said. Surveys reveal high satisfaction among turkey hunters. The department’s proposed regulations would expand opportunities for hunters. Quotas would increase for turkey management unit ZZ in the southern Lower Peninsula from 35,000 to 50,000. Current week-long hunts would expand to multiple week hunts. The new regulations would allow turkey to be taken with a firearm from a scaffold, raised platform or tree. Chad Stewart of Wildlife reported on results of the fall elk season. During the first hunt period in August and September, 96 hunters participated, and 71 elk were legally harvested (29 bulls and 42 antlerless elk). Tribes harvested six elk (three bulls and three antlerless elk). Hunt Period 2 is slated for Dec. 14-22.

During the director’s report in the Committee of the Whole, Law Enforcement Chief Gary Hagler presented a lifesaving award to Officer Jeffrey Ginn of Newaygo County. This was Officer Ginn’s fourth life-saving event, the most of any officer in the division. Last November, Officer Ginn was the first person on scene in responding to a man who had suffered an apparent heart attack. Officer Ginn used an automatic defibrillator to help revive the man until emergency personnel arrived to take him to the hospital. Officer Ginn’s efforts saved the man’s life.

The commission then heard two presentations related to the question a 10 brook trout daily bag limit on select Upper Peninsula streams.

Daniel Hayes of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University presented his assessment of brook trout bag limits. Bag limits are a tool to limit total harvest, he said. They are also viewed as a way to distribute harvest in a fair and equitable fashion among anglers. In reviewing DNR data on brook trout regulation, he found a general reduction in legal size brook trout in streams with a 10-fish limit compared to those with a five-fish limit. There is a need to clarify the goals and objectives of regulations, Dan said. He concluded that regulations should not be viewed as one size fits all, but managers should seek to determine what mix of regulations provides the greatest benefits to all anglers. He also concluded that there are diverse fishing opportunities in existing brook trout regulations. Factors such as habitat concerns and fishing access are likely more important to the overall value of brook trout fisheries than bag limits, he said.

3 of 14 Next, Bryan Burroughs, executive director of Michigan Trout Unlimited, gave a presentation on considerations in brook trout management. Among the information presented by Bryan were social science considerations that showed that the majority of anglers oppose a 10-bag limit for brook trout, statewide and in the U.P. In addition, a study shows the effects of climate change will mean that 57% of brook trout streams will be suboptimal for brook trout by 2036. Bryan recommended moving on from the 10 brook trout discussion, retaining the five-brook trout bag limit on U.P. streams, and focusing limited Fisheries Division resources on managing brook trout conservatively while working to enhance and protect them.

The Michigan Involvement Committee of Safari Club International – representing Michigan’s 10 SCI chapters – presented prizes to two hunters who participated in the DNR’s annual deer harvest mail survey. This annual award to two randomly selected survey participants is meant to encourage hunter participation in this important tool for guiding deer management. Bob Taylor of SCI presented a new gun to Ronald Helmboldt of Manistee. Rich DeLisle of SCI presented a new crossbow to Ervin Sparapani of Iron Mountain.

A report on legislation affecting the department is below.

October 2019 Legislative Updates – Legislative & Legal Affairs Office

The November 2019 Legislative Update will be added in this section after the November 6th WUPCAC meeting.

HB 4735, 4736, 4737 Prohibit Certain Activities with Information Obtained under Freedom of Information Act – Reps. VanSingel, Cherry, and Love This legislation amends the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act by preventing an individual from using information listing the location of game obtained under the Freedom of Information Act to take game. The individual would be required to sign an affidavit stating that the data would not be used to take game or assist others in taking game. • The bills were passed out of the House Committee on Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation and referred to the House Committee on Judiciary. • The Administration supports this legislation.

HBs 4486, 4775, 4776 State Recreation Passport Opt-Out – Reps. Howell and Warren This package of bills amends the Michigan Vehicle Code and the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA) requiring that an individual needs to elect not to pay for the state recreation passport during the issuance or renewal of a motor vehicle registration and modifies how revenue will be distributed from the state recreation passport fee. This is similar to a package of bills in the Senate, SBs 391, 392 and 405. • The bills were referred to the House Committee on Transportation and a hearing was held on October 8, 2019. • The Administration has not taken a position on this legislation.

HB 4833 Prohibit Import or Transfer of Live Cervidae from CWD Positive Region – Rep. Albert The bill seeks to amend the Animal Industry Act to prohibit the import or transfer of privately owned live cervidae from a region that has tested positive for chronic wasting disease. • The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) has now been assigned as the lead agency. • This bill has been referred to the House Standing Committee on Agriculture.

House Bills 5002 and 5003 Youth Fishing License – Reps. Howell and Brixie This bill package would reinstitute a $2.00 fee for resident and nonresident youth under 17 years of age who wish to obtain an all-species fishing license. Youth under 17, would still be allowed to fish in Michigan without a license. However, youth under 17 who wish to purchase an all-species fishing license, would once again be able to do so for a $2.00 fee. • The bills were referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation. • The Administration has not taken a position on this legislation.

4 of 14 HB 4567, 4568, 4569 Update Commercial Fishing Statute – Reps. O’Malley, Wendzel, Lilly The legislative package will update the commercial fishing statute. The bills include language that establishes/updates fees and penalties, clarifies authority regarding the commercial fishing industry, updates reporting requirements and codifies several existing practices under administrative rules or Director’s Orders. • The bills passed out of the House Committee on Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation on October 8, 2019 and have been referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. • The Administration is in support of 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.

Division Updates

Law Enforcement Division (LED): Lt. Ryan Aho, District 1 Law Supervisor ▪ Conservation Officer (CO) Josh Boudreaux responded to a report of an overturned sailboat on Lake Independence with two individuals in the water. Upon arrival on scene CO Boudreaux boarded a boat with the Powell Township Fire Department who transported him across the lake to where the individuals were located, in chest deep water, attempting to right their overturned sailboat in the wind and waves. CO Boudreaux entered the water and assisted the pair, who were uninjured, with righting their sailboat and then helped them drag it to shore where Emergency Medical Services (EMS) was waiting. CO Boudreaux stayed with the sailboat and worked on bailing out the water while the pair warmed up with the EMS crew. Ultimately the sailboat was dragged up on shore to be picked up by the pair the following day. ▪ COs Josh Boudreaux, John Kamps, and Ariel Young were patrolling the Forsyth Township area and had set up a grouse decoy along a gravel road. Soon after, a truck drove past the decoy location and stopped. The two occupants could be seen fumbling around inside the truck and it began to back up. A shotgun barrel could be seen in the passenger side mirror and the passenger fired one shotgun blast striking the decoy. The driver leapt out of the vehicle and began hooting and hollering with excitement. The COs quickly approached the vehicle and that excitement turned to panic as the COs confronted both driver and passenger. The pair was cited for possessing a loaded firearm inside a motor vehicle, no hunter orange clothing, open intoxicants, and the shotgun was seized. During the same patrol, one hunter was issued a citation for no hunter orange and another subject had a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle. ▪ CO Cody Smith and Sgt. Mark Leadman were patrolling near Republic when an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) incident was put out by Marquette County Central Dispatch. The incident was only a few minutes from their location at the M-95 Michigamme River bridge. CO Smith and Sgt. Leadman immediately responded and arrived in less than four minutes to find a construction worker getting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from fellow workers. CO Smith and SGT Leadman deployed the AED and continued CPR until EMS arrived. Once inside the ambulance, the COs assisted EMS personnel for over 30 minutes with CPR until the victim was stable enough for transport. Unfortunately, the victim passed away early the next morning at UP Health System Marquette. ▪ CO Cody Smith was on patrol for the north zone duck opener when he received a Report All Poaching (RAP) complaint that someone had shot multiple swans in the Sturgeon River Sloughs. CO Smith vacated the wetland he was working and contacted CO Doug Hermanson to see if he was closer to the area. Upon arrival to the scene the alleged hunters were spotted and contacted by COs Smith and Hermanson. A routine waterfowl check was done, and lead shot was in one of the hunter’s gun cases. Upon asking the hunters where the swans were, they informed the CO’s that they stashed them where they dropped. Retrieval of the Trumpeter swans were made, and citations were issued for possession of Trumpeter swans along with possession of lead shot while waterfowl hunting. ▪ COs Brian Lasanen and Cody Smith worked an early morning waterfowl patrol. COs contacted a few groups and after a quick check, the COs discovered multiple violations. The COs addressed violations including no Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs), unplugged shotguns, hunt waterfowl with more than one gun, and hunting waterfowl with no license. At the end of the patrol there were two tickets for unplugged shotguns, one ticket no waterfowl license, one ticket for hunting with more than a single gun, and two tickets for failing to provide PFDs. ▪ COs Josh Boudreaux, John Kamps, and Cody Smith were working a possible moose poaching incident in Marquette County. The COs were driving into a remote area on an un-named road when they encountered a vehicle with two

5 of 14 occupants not wearing seatbelts. A quick check revealed the license plate was expired. A check of the driver showed he did not have a valid driver’s license and had an outstanding warrant in Marquette County. A search of the vehicle uncovered a baggie with suspected methamphetamine (meth) in the suspects pants pocket and another piece found in the vehicle compartment. A meth pipe was also located, and a shotgun was located in the back seat. A K-9 unit was called to do a further search of the vehicle. The driver was lodged on the outstanding warrant and the meth charges, suspended driver’s license, and firearm charges have been turned over to the Marquette County Prosecutor. ▪ CO John Kamps was on patrol when he was flagged down by a passing vehicle. The Individual let CO Kamps know that there was a vehicle stuck on the railroad tracks right up the road. On scene, the CO found an induvial with his Jeep stuck right next to the railroad tracks. Dispatch was notified of the situation and they were able to stop any incoming train traffic until the vehicle was safely removed by a passerby. A citation was issued for railroad trespass. ▪ COs Byron Parks and Zach Painter received a call from dispatch regarding a subject with an apparent broken collar bone from crashing his dirt bike. The officers patrolled to the area and found the friend of the injured subject who he had been riding with. He explained to the officers that he left his friend to go and find service to call 911 but ran out of gas. The officers worked with the Gogebic County Sheriff’s Department and the friend who called 911 to locate the injured subject. EMS was able to arrive on scene and transport the injured subject.

Fisheries Division: George Madison, Western Lake Superior Management Unit The following are the western Upper Peninsula fisheries division highlights for the period of September 12th through November 5th, 2019.

Escanaba Field Office (Darren Kramer) ▪ Staff have been working with Michigan DNR Marquette Fisheries Research Section to find suitable locations for the passive PIT tag antenna arrays for Cedar and Whitefish rivers. These arrays are intended to detect any returning adult lake sturgeon (stocked as juveniles from the Sturgeon Rearing Facilities) and will be installed in spring of 2020. ▪ Biologists attended Michigan DNR Forest Resources Division (FRD) compartment reviews (and/or submitting comments) for the forest management units. ▪ Staff have been working with the HMU to assist Eagle Creek Renewable Energy with setting up mussel surveys and relocation procedures at Park Mill Dam (Menominee River) during the drawdown of the intake canal. ▪ Met with FRD and Aquila Resources (Back 40 Mine) to discuss a land transfer near the proposed mine (Menominee County). ▪ Technicians have finished up the Bays de Noc fall community survey. ▪ Technicians are currently completing fall trout lake surveys and are finishing up maintenance and 2020 prep work at the unit walleye rearing ponds. ▪ Attended the FRD road inventory review with other UP department and division staff. Proposals were reviewed that resulted from either external/public comments or from internal staff suggestions. Recommendations were reviewed for the UP regarding which proposals will proceed to the Director for approval/denial. ▪ Met with Dickinson County Conservation District to discuss previous habitat work on Pine Creek. ▪ Staff met with Norway Middle Schoolers to discuss careers in natural resources. ▪ Gave presentation on the Menominee Dam sturgeon lift operation to M&M Great Lakes Sportsmen’s Club meeting in Menominee.

Baraga Customer Service Center (George Madison) ▪ Participated in a joint meeting with Michigan DNR-Fisheries Lake Michigan Basin Team staff and the Lake Superior Basin Team staff. ▪ Both above mentioned Basin Team members toured the construction site at the Thompson State Fish Hatchery where 6 new walleye rearing ponds and egg-incubation facility are being constructed. ▪ Completed 2017 and 2018 fish collection system survey reports. ▪ Began working on 2020 prescriptions. ▪ Began working on 2020 and 2021 field workplan. Highlight of spring 2020 will be the Portage/Torch Lake System walleye PE and deployment of acoustic tags/receivers to begin on working on the delisting of the Area Of Concern (AOC) beneficial use impairment (degraded benthos). Many other agencies involved in this AOC project.

6 of 14 ▪ Final draft of the Porcupine Mtn Wilderness Management Plan has been completed and will be going to the Executive review in the coming months.

State Fish Hatcheries (Jan VanAmberg, Hatchery Manager) Thompson State Fish Hatchery Fish Culture ▪ Mass marking of steelhead will be complete on Oct 8. Approximately 625,000 yearlings and 150,000 fall fingerlings clipped and tagged using USFWS auto trailer ▪ Stocking of fall fingerling steelhead starting week of October 7th. ▪ Experimented feeding steelhead fingerlings two types of EWOS (Brand) fish food (off-contract). The steelhead ate both types. Next step is to determine feasibility and cost for a feed study next season.

Maintenance ▪ Capital outlay project continues to struggle to stay on schedule. Recent rainy weather has hampered pouring of concrete for interior kettles and filling up some of the ponds with rainwater. Excavating contractor spending a lot of time and effort just dewatering the ponds with gas pumps. Dewatering system installation for under drains for the rearing ponds has begun. Underground plumbing for the coolwater building complete. Block walls for the coolwater building started. No construction started on steelhead improvements at the coldwater facility. ▪ Entrance road runoff ditch cleaned, and power washed on south side. Looks nice. ▪ Excavation and reshaping ground around spring pond building to keep surface run-off from entering spring. ▪ Exterior renovations on technician building started. New doors, roof and siding. ▪ Annual DOT inspections and complete service completed for fish planting units.

Marquette State Fish Hatchery Fish Culture ▪ Culture crew has been helping Research unit with field work- Bays de Noc surveys, brook trout stream surveys etc. ▪ First egg-take for lake trout completed. Lake trout and brook trout egg takes will be on-gong until mid-November. Maintenance ▪ Sand trap in Cherry Creek dredged using Parks Division (PRD) equipment crew ▪ PRD equipment crew reshaped and rip-rapped spill ways to direct water off the pavement at the entrance to the hatchery. ▪ Annual DOT inspections and complete service completed for fish planting units.

Fish Marking and Fish Transport Administration ▪ Process starting to permanently fill the Fish Stocking and Marking Biologist position. Fish Marking ▪ Setting up purchase order for annual coded wire tag order; approximately 425,000 tags, $41, 250. These tags will fill out our inventory needed for all tagging projects for FY2020. Fish Transport ▪ CDL training for four new employees (one research and three hatchery) set up for October 21st-23rd at Platte River Hatchery. ▪ Starting replacement process for Harrietta Peterson planting unit. ▪ Received six new cell phones to replace obsolete (3G) bag phones in the planting units. One per hatchery to be used where and when needed.

Marquette Fisheries Research Station (Dr. Ed Baker & Dr. Troy Zorn) ▪ In early October, the Lake Char assisted hatchery staff with wild lake trout sampling and tissue sample collections from Lake Superior near Marquette for additional testing for EED virus. ▪ The Lake Char was surveying Buffalo Reef and Traverse Island Reef to capture lake trout and lake whitefish for acoustic tagging. The netting and tagging operation is targeting spawning fish and will likely continue into November.

7 of 14 ▪ Nearshore Lake Michigan and Lake Superior survey work wrapped up in September. This was a particularly challenging year for sampling northern Lake Michigan with many days of south winds and barely manageable seas. ▪ Commercial lake whitefish data collection continued through October. ▪ PIT tag antenna site recon visits are ongoing for Whitefish and Cedar rivers. PIT tag antennas will be installed in spring 2020 to begin long-term monitoring for returns of lake sturgeon stocked from streamside rearing trailers. ▪ Stream electrofishing to review the fish populations in 5-coastal streams related to the coaster brook trout regulations evaluation project concluded October 25. ▪ Lake sturgeon in the rearing trailer at Bergland were all PIT tagged Oct 3 and were stocked Oct 10.

Parks & Recreation Division: Doug Rich, WUP District Supervisor

State Park/Recreation Area/Scenic Site/Forest Rec Units ▪ Baraga State Park: The park has still been busy, even with half of the campground closed for construction. Camping numbers have remained steady. Even with the construction June–October, use was within 200 camp nights of 2018 numbers; mini cabins nights were up one and tepee nights were up 13. Full and busy for the Harvest Festival. The campground closed for the season on 10/22/19. Construction is progressing well. State forest campgrounds were at normal use for September and October. ▪ Bewabic State Park: Harvest Fest was a great success. Confirmed oak wilt in two trees within park. Escanaba Office cut trees and removed stumps. Both were very large trees. ▪ Bond Falls Scenic Site: The site was closed on 10/17/19 (normal closing date). Use was high this season as we nearly ran out of non-resident annuals twice and 2020 resident vehicle passports once, relying on inventory supply from other state parks to get through the season. ▪ Craig Lake State Park: The cabins were up 5.70%, yurts were down 4.23% and Beaufort Lake State Forest Campground was up 22.12% from FY 2018. Staff has continued to haul firewood to all overnight lodging at Craig Lake for off-season heating. Staff from both the Baraga and Escanaba construction crews are currently hauling and spreading gravel on the Nelligan Lake Road primarily from the Craig Lake parking lot to the Teddy Lake Yurt. The road is in rough shape and in desperate need of gravel and grading. ▪ Fort Wilkins Historic State Park: Steady fall camping season. Park water systems are all winterized now. Still working on phase 100 of water and sewer line upgrades in the east campground. ▪ Lake Gogebic State Park: Attendance was up slightly for the month of September. Gravel (12 yards) was added to various sites to combat drainage and rutting issues. Headquarters upgrades continued with the installation of partitioning walls for the office and break room, installation of epoxy flooring in the ranger and break rooms, the construction of a utility room, the installation of a furnace and duct work, installation of new cabinets and desks, and the start of insulation of the cold storage garage. The Lake Gogebic traveling crew completed two roofing projects in September and October. The first project was the Fort Wilkins Headquarters garage and the other the bathroom building at Twin Lakes Campground. ▪ McLain State Park: Camping continued to be good through September and the beginning of October. Bad weather for the second half of October has slowed down the numbers. Water was shut down in the park October 14th. ▪ Menominee State Recreation Area: Busy with fall color tourists. ▪ Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park: All campgrounds and rental units have been running at nearly 100% capacity and staff are turning away many campers. Staff have been working on trailheads and surface work. The Baraga Field Office crew has been armoring around the Union River Bridge on M-107. Site preparations and planning in place to build a tiny house. Fall color tourism season was very busy with the park near full capacity for much of late September and early October. Staff has been updating the interior of the Cotton Cabin. General Management Plan is nearing completion. ▪ Twin Lakes State Park: Camping was good for this fall season, a lot of folks up for the fall colors. This year’s Senior Ride was a great success with 70 seniors given a fall color ride to the park and a pasty meal and dessert. ▪ Van Riper State Park: Camp nights were up 6.41% from FY 2018, mini cabin nights were down 21.32% (partially due to the cabins being closed for renovations). The Peshekee River Rustic cabin was up 23.08% and the camper cabin was up 13.89% from FY 2018. The 6 cabins at Little Presque Isle were down 3.75%. Early September brought the final holiday weekend and Van Riper's three weekends of Harvest Festival that are always well attended. Water was shut down and the park closed for the season on October 21, 2019. Staff is working diligently on projects such as

8 of 14 new gates and pay pipes installed, skid piers pulled, some minor repairs to the headquarters building, and other routine projects to wrap up before winter. ▪ Wells State Park: Continued issues with flooded campsites from the rain during these last few months. Work complete on shoreline erosion project in the day use area. ▪ Baraga Field Office: Installed new pit toilet at Presque Isle (Porkies). Armored approximately 1,200 more feet of shoreline entering the Porkies on County Road 107. Hauled gravel and graded at Craig Lake State Park. Replaced culvert at Porkies going to water treatment building. ▪ Escanaba Field Office: State forest campgrounds have remained busier than normal throughout the fall. The crew worked at Craig Lake to resurface bad sections of road. Staff have responded to and removed Oak Wilt trees from Bewabic State Park.

Boating Reports (BAS = Boating Access Sites) ▪ Bewabic State Park: Eddy Lake now open, water levels have receded. ▪ Fort Wilkins Historic State Park: Very slow fall season for boaters, mostly weather related. Still waiting for fuel system equipment install at Copper harbor. Eagle Harbor Phase 100 for site improvement at 90%. ▪ Lake Gogebic State Park: Bergland Dock BAS paving project was completed on 10/09, with the final inspection to take place on the 28th. Oman Creek BAS is at the 95% completion of plan and a public input meeting was held at GCC on 10/10, to gauge the public support for a final direction. ▪ Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park: The Union Bay Boat Launch has been busier than ever this fall. Most days all the parking spaces are full, with trucks and trailers parking in the overflow area. ▪ Wells State Park: Winterization of the harbor complete. Multiple occurrences of large rock and debris at the Menominee Railroad dock BAS site. Cleanup has come from the City of Menominee at this site. It continues to be an issue due to the high-water level and wave action along the lakeshore. ▪ Baraga Field Office: Placed riprap at east shore of Lake Gogebic and Eagle Harbor boat launches. Replaced pit toilet and poured sidewalk at Union Bay boat launch

Personnel News, Vacancies/Hires, Recognition ▪ Baraga State Park: Full-time admin support position for FEMA/Houghton County Trails Incident documentation & grants work, along with assistance for McLain & Twin Lakes has posted. ▪ Bewabic State Park: Ryan Wetelainen at Fort Wilkins SP accepted our new boating ranger position. Ranger Brittany Sides accepted full time ranger position at Porcupine Mountains State Park. ▪ Fort Wilkins Historic State Park: Still without a lead ranger, the rest of the career staff at the park has really stepped up to fill the vacancy. ▪ Lake Gogebic State Park: Lead Worker James Peace was promoted at Lake Gogebic to Supervisor 10 effective 10/06, leaving the lead ranger position vacant. All pertinent documents to fill that position have been submitted. The third member of the Traveling Crew has accepted the position and will be starting sometime in November. ▪ Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park: Katie Urban, an Interpretive Assistant at Tahquamenon Falls, was hired as the new Park Interpreter. Brittany Sides a Ranger at Bewabic State Park was hired as a Porkies Ranger. ▪ Van Riper State Park: Lead Ranger position filled in early September. Ryan Brown comes to us from Tahquamenon Falls State Park with a couple years’ experience at both the Falls and the River Mouth Campgrounds. ▪ Baraga Field Office: David White transferred from MDOC, started working in the ranger position at Baraga Field Office and has begun working on many different projects in the WUP district. Lead Worker Robert Erva is retiring at the end of this month. He will be taking many valuable skills and abilities with him that will be very hard, if not impossible, to replace (and sincerely missed!). ▪ Wells State Park: Passing of Lead Ranger Jason Truitt at the unit due to medical issue/situation. Please keep Jason’s wife and three young boys in your thoughts.

Other Issues, Challenges or Items of Note ▪ Baraga State Park: Vacant commissioned officer position has been challenging to fill. We also have our non- commissioned ranger on LTD (non-work injury). Having nearly a full season with no rangers has been difficult. ▪ All park units are still struggling with critical STW staffing shortages.

9 of 14 Multi-Use Trails ▪ Work on the Baraga to Arnheim grade will be completed early November. The various trail work has been in process since July which included construction of a concrete box culvert under the Little Carp Trestle, culvert replacement at two other locations and some other trail surface repairs. The contractor on this project is MJO out of Hancock. Funding has been acquired for the Little Carp Trestle deck replacement which will most likely open the rail trail from Beartown Road to Baraga. ▪ A number of engineering and grading projects are occurring on trails in nearly all WUP counties which are enabling the designated trail system to continue to provide great visitor access. ▪ Beaver activity is still going strong and keeping most sponsors busy ensuring the trails and infrastructure remain open. The rains and high-water levels are creating many new problem areas. ▪ Craig Lake State Park: The east end of Craig Lake State Park has been closed since the beginning of September due to 2 bridge failures along the NCT. DNR staff hiked into both bridge locations to determine feasibility of repair and/or replacement of the structures with planning taking place this winter. The MOU between the DNR and the Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy (UPLC) is in its final stages of being signed to create a partnership to connect state property with Land Conservancy property including a small parking trailhead and a multi-use trail between the two properties. Both DNR and UPLC staff is excited for this opportunity to provide an additional recreational opportunity for Craig Lake and the Indian Lake Watershed Preserve visitors. ▪ Twin Lakes State Park: Repairs to trail #3, fix damaged trail around culvert from spring flooding. ▪ Van Riper State Park: Friends of Harlow, District Supervisor, and unit and trails staff had a meeting to discuss current trail issues at Harlow Lake and the Little Presque Isle Tract. Priorities were identified and planning is currently in motion with plans to start with addressing the Wetmore Pond Parking area first. ▪ Baraga Field Office: Assisted Escanaba Field Office with graveling several miles of trail on the Stateline Trail in Iron River.

ORV Trails ▪ Due to user conflicts between logging activities and ORV riders, a section of the Keweenaw trail is currently closed to ensure safety for all parties. This closure is not expected to impact the snowmobile season. ▪ Final inspection is occuring on three new trail segments in Keweenaw County: • Access to Fish Cove has been constructed and provides ORV users a parking area and walking path in. • Keweenaw Mountain ORV Route provides access to Estivant Pines and beyond. • Eagle River ORV Route is also now signed and open with MDOT permits to utilize M-26 for a small connector. ▪ Baraga State Park: Average to busy year for ORV camping use at the park. ▪ Twin Lakes State Park: Put up closed signs on snowmobile trail being used by ORV’s. This problem continues to happen when winter users try and use trails in the summer.

Snowmobile Trails ▪ Weather has once again impacted many trails and work is taking place to re-route and repair as many locations as possible to keep the great network of trails open within the WUP. ▪ Baraga State Park: The snowmobile trail behind the campground will need to be re-routed due to the renovated campsite / electrical / full hook-up construction in the south end of the park. The trail in its current location would cause direct damage to these campsites and paving.

Equestrian Trails No report.

Pathways ▪ Van Riper State Park: Staff is prepping Blueberry Ridge Pathway for the winter ski season. New LED lights were installed along the lighted loop with monies awarded from Green Initiatives. Both parking areas have gotten a little more gravel and still need to be graded for the coming season. The Escanaba construction crew will be assisting to spread and grade the gravel. ▪ Escanaba Field Office: Pathway clubs as well as unit staff have made continuous improvements to Days River Pathway in preparation of grooming season.

10 of 14 Trespass & Acquisition Report No report.

Planning Report ▪ McLain State Park: Phase 2 design and construction is 100% complete. Phase 2 includes a new State Park entrance road and contact station, 16 modern campsites, and a renovated day use and beach area on the west end of the park. ▪ McLain State Park: Shoreline armoring - 100% complete. The installation of 1,140' of shoreline armoring is complete. The shoreline armoring is intended to provide protection to a portion of McLain State Park shoreline that is infrastructure heavy (electric, water, and sewer lines, campsites, and primary access road serving 91 campsites). ▪ Bergland Boating Access Site: Parking lot, dock, and ADA site improvements completed August 1, 2016. Additional asphalt paving and site lighting improvements is nearing substantial completion and has been re-opened to the public. Minor punch list items may remain. ▪ Copper Harbor: Design and construction of the masonry repairs to the Copper Harbor historic lighthouse and light keepers’ residence were completed on 10/2/2019. $250,000 in design and construction funding had been allocated. ▪ Eagle Harbor: Engineering, analysis, and design of improvements at the Eagle Harbor State Harbor is proposed in 2019. Improvements to the site utilities, mooring facility, and harbor master building are being considered. A design contract was awarded to Edgewater Resources. The data collection of existing site conditions is underway. The analysis of potential of design improvements is 95% complete, a public meeting was held August 21, 2019. A total of $625,000 has been allocated for design and construction. A second public meeting is proposed for early November 2019. ▪ Fort Wilkins Historic State Park: Design of the replacement of the parks water lines is 50% complete. Construction is anticipated in 2020. ▪ McLain State Park: Phase 3 design is 25% complete. Phase 3 includes replacement of the park's sewage lagoon, additional shoreline armoring in front of the park's well and sanitation station, and cabin renovations/relocations. ▪ Van Riper State Park: Upgrades to the water treatment plant and water supply systems - $175,000.00 has been allocated for design and construction. Design is 100% complete. The construction of the project is now 100% complete. ▪ Baraga State Park: Upgrades to the campground electrical and wet well has received design funding - Construction is approximately 85% complete and anticipated to be substantially complete on 11/12/2019. ▪ Oman Creek Boating Access Site: • Interim planning: A stakeholder workgroup meeting was held at the Little Girl's County Park lodge on October 17, 2017. The DNR engaged stakeholders in a problem-solving exercise for developing solutions to address immediate operation concerns at the site. The DNR and the stakeholders agreed to implement 3 solutions: • Armor the Oman Creek Shoreline - immediate. • Re-construction of the boating access site to pre-flash flood dimensions • Improve the conditions of the dredging operation to be more effective and to provide more value to the boating public. • Progress: DEQ and USACE permits have been approved. Project design is 100% complete, construction is estimated to cost $140,000, and construction funding has been approved. The construction of the improvements is proposed for May 21 - June 30, 2018. • Saxon Harbor is proposed be closed all of the 2018 boating season. Black River harbor is proposed to be closed all of the 2018 boating season. The DNR has communicated with Gogebic County Commissioners, Gogebic County Parks and Forestry, Iron County - WI, the USCG, and the USFS regarding boating access and boater safety. ▪ Oman Creek Boating Access Site Long Range Planning: $170,000.00 has been awarded for the design of a groin. The groin design will be informed by a littoral drift study. OHM Advisors has been awarded a contract for design. The analysis of coastal processes is underway. The analysis of proposed design improvements is 100% complete. Two groin alternatives were considered, a Public Input Session was held on July 24, 2018. The public input demonstrated support of investing in groin alternative #1. The DNR has selected Groin Alternative #1 and is proceeding with the development of plans and specifications for bidding. $1,000,000 has been allocated for construction of a groin. Design is 95% complete. A public meeting was held on October 10, 2019 to confirm the public's interest in constructing a sediment control structure (in lieu of pursuing alternative development priorities

11 of 14 such as: asphalt paving, site lighting, and canoe/kayak improvements). Most members of the public preferred moving forward with the groin. Construction could occur as soon as 2020, pending supplemental funding announcement and EGLE & USACE permits. ▪ Bewabic State Park: Working with District Planner to update wastewater disposal and road projects at Bewabic. ▪ Fort Wilkins Historic State Park: Fort Wilkins/Fayette Fire Suppression project ongoing. Fort Wilkins/Copper Harbor Lighthouse restoration now complete for the season. over 1200 bricks were replaced in the lighthouse and much of the light keeper's dwelling masonry was repaired. ▪ Lake Gogebic State Park: The Traveling Crew will be completing the remodeling efforts at Lake Gogebic this late fall and early winter, including the creation of a new heated workshop and a complete bathroom remodel. When those projects are complete, they will construct a "Tiny House" that will go to the Porkies Union Bay campground. ▪ Menominee State Recreation Area: Working to acquire a piece of property at Piers Gorge from Verso paper company. ▪ Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park: Continued meetings regarding future of M-107. Continued meetings regarding Little Iron River Bridge. Continued meetings regarding Lake Superior Sportsman’s Club upgrades.

Forest Resources Division: Tom Seablom, Western UP District Supervisor ▪ Units are finishing Compartment Reviews 2021 YOE Inventory. Work has been started on the 2022 YOE Compartments. Open House and Compartment Review schedules will be posted online, along with other state forest inventory information at: Michigan.gov/ForestInput.

▪ As of October 28th, 303 timber sale contracts are open WUP Wide. This represents 708,603 cords of timber on 42,340 acres, valued at approximately $33.4 million. Included in this are 12 GNA sales representing 38,188 cords of timber on 3,086 acres, valued at approximately $2.4 million.

▪ 3 out of 4 WUP units report 23 active timber sales totaling about 2,287 acres. Units report low demand for sales with fewer bidders and lower bid prices. Units are continuing to see “No Bid” sales.

▪ Units are wrapping up road projects on the Cassidy Creek Road, Wells Grade, Groveland Mine Road, and the Ross Grade.

▪ The Forest Health staff reports: • Local management units, working with forest health staff, completed treatments for oak wilt in Menominee and Iron Counties. A vibratory plow is used to cut root grafts between oak trees to isolate a pocket of infected oaks and prevent the disease from continuing to spread from tree to tree through the roots. • Oak wilt is present on private land in western Menominee county, the vicinity of Iron Mountain in Dickinson County, and in southeast Iron County. Oak wilt has also increased in recent years in northeast Wisconsin, including locations within 5 miles of the Gogebic County border. Forest health staff are collaborating with other agency staff to raise awareness of the threat of oak wilt to other areas of the west UP, particularly through firewood movement from affected areas. Check the online oak wilt viewer for current confirmed oak wilt locations and to report possible infections at Michigan.gov/foresthealth. • Forest health staff are surveying for Heterobasidion root disease (HRD) in managed red pine plantations with pockets of dead trees. This disease, which is most easily detected in the fall, is slow moving, but kills conifers and is extremely difficult to eradicate once established. HRD has not been detected in the west UP, however has been confirmed in Luce county and in Marinette County, WI adjacent to Menominee County.

Wildlife Division: Karen Sexton, Wildlife Biologist-Delta & Dickinson Counties ▪ UPR Public Land Pheasant Hunt – A Partnership with Menominee County Pheasant Club Wildlife Staff have been working with Menominee County Pheasant Club to create a Public Land Pheasant Hunting opportunity in the Upper Peninsula Region. The Club and its growing membership have been stocking pheasants for decades on private lands in Dickinson, Menominee, Iron and Delta Counties and reached out to Department Staff in search of an opportunity to stock a property accessible to the public.

12 of 14 Division staff agreed to make improvements to “Berg Farm” a 160-acre parcel acquired in 1998, to create a quality pheasant hunt accessible to the public. A 50-acre grass opening was improved with a planted firebreak, costs were shared to improve parking, and staff agreed to mow hunter walking trails into the large openings. MCPC stocked the property by putting out a total of 150 pheasants, stocking groups of 50 throughout the 15-day hunting season. Unique in the region, this quality recreation opportunity continues to grow in popularity.

▪ National Park Service – Isle Royale Wolf Restoration Partner Project National Park Service has not completed a formal report on the wolf translocation project to date. This summary was gathered from The Wildlife Society website and MI DNR Staff. During the month of September, Department of Natural Resources and USDA Wildlife Services staff captured 4 wolves that were translocated to Isle Royale National Park. One of the wolf’s collar sent out a mortality signal one week later. A team of biologists located its carcass, which will be examined at the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin. The fall effort resulted in two male wolves and one female from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, bringing the total wolf population on the Michigan island to 17 — nine males and eight females. Three other wolves were captured but failed to meet translocation criteria and were released. Officials hope to restore 20 to 30 wolves to the island over a period of three to five years.

▪ Chronic Wasting Disease Sampling Update 2019 White-tailed Deer CWD Testing as of - October 25th, 2019

We continue to request hunter cooperation to achieve the UP CWD Core Surveillance goals. Check Stations and 24- hour Drop Boxes are fully staffed. Check Station Hours and locations are provided on our website at www.michigan.gov/deercheck, or folks are welcome to call their local DNR office for details. The Wildlife Division is encouraging hunters to utilize our Electronic CWD Tagging for deer head sample submissions. The electronic process was created to provide ease in identifying harvest location information, and to ensure data is captured accurately and the most efficient way possible. Hunters using it during the 2018 season, and farmers using it during the crop damage period have provided positive feedback about the system! To review the tagging system, do a web search for the following: bit.ly/DeerDropBox. Wildlife Division’s Marketing and Outreach Section has developed informative CWD related short videos. To view an instructional video for deer head submissions, go to YouTube and search “MI DNR Drop Box”. We also have a video clarifying CWD baiting and banning regulations, at YouTube search “Michigan Deer Baiting, Feeding and Food Plots”.

▪ UPR Deer Movement Study Update: (Information surmised from progress report provided by Rs) On average, deer movements for each wintering complex during 4 January–15 June 2019 encompassed 299.3 mi2 using a 100% minimum convex polygon to define the total wintering complex movements. Deer captured in the CWD core area in Dickinson County encompassed a smaller area (96.1 mi2 ) than deer captured in Deer Winter Complexes of West Iron County (105.0 mi2 ) and the 3 additional Deer Winter Complexes in West Gogebic County.

13 of 14 A total of 6 collared deer crossed into Wisconsin from Michigan during spring migration. Two adult female deer from LGP traveled 2.6 and 14.4 mi from their winter range and crossed 0.8 and 10.4 mi, respectively, into Wisconsin. Two male deer, 1 fawn and 1 adult, from West Iron County traveled 9.5 and 9.6 mi, respectively, from their winter range and crossed into Wisconsin and established a summer range within 0.6 mi of the Michigan-Wisconsin border. Two adult deer captured in Dickinson County Complex, 1 female and 1 male, traveled 1.1 and 8.6 mi, respectively, from their capture sites and crossed 0.7 and 6.8 mi, respectively, into Wisconsin. The adult male from Dickinson County is currently near Pembine, WI, 21.4 mi from the nearest CWD positive facility in Wisconsin.

Public Information Office: John Pepin, Deputy Public Information Officer ▪ As some of you may know, the DNR has a U.P. Twitter Feed. As the administrator for this avenue of communication with the public, I want it to be the best it can be. To accomplish that I would like contributions, whether interesting facts, short videos, photos or important information to be included from DNR staffers across the Upper Peninsula. Please send me anything you might find interesting to share with the more than 7,000 subscribers on this feed. I would welcome this information regularly. I know there are great things happening out there and it would wonderful to share some of this with the public. Please send me contributions at [email protected].

▪ I am also interested in good ideas for Showcasing the DNR stories for 2020. We have had some great stories this year, with new writers lending their talents to the effort. The stories have been published in newspapers, and elsewhere statewide. Writers get byline credit for their stories. To volunteer to write a story or offer a story idea, please send me an email at [email protected].

▪ Upcoming broadcasts of “Ask the DNR” for the 2019-2020 season include Dec. 5, April 9 and May 21.

▪ If there is anything I can help you with regarding communications, interviews, photos, et cetera, please let me know.

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