Western Upper Peninsula Citizen Advisory Council DNR Division Reports Date of Production: March 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 March 21, 2019 meeting in Iron Mountain, MI. Upper Peninsula Regional Coordinator Update – Stacy Haughey, UP Regional Coordinator DNR Public Meetings March 21 Western UP Citizen’s Advisory Council Meeting, Bay College West-Iron Mountain, 5:00pm Central March 25 Conversations & Coffee with Fisheries Staff, Bay College-Rm 961, Escanaba, 6-8:00pm March 26 Conversations & Coffee with Fisheries Staff, Bay College West-Rm 231, Iron Mountain, 6-8:00pm Central April 2 Conversations & Coffee with Fisheries Staff, Tahquamenon Public Library-Newberry, 6-8:00pm April 4 Conversations & Coffee with Fisheries Staff, Holiday Inn Express-Munising, 6-8:00pm April 9 UP Sportsperson Coalition Meeting, Gogebic-Ontonagon ISD-Bergland, 1:00pm April 9 UP Sportsperson Coalition Meeting, Hiawatha FS Office-St. Ignace, 1:30pm April 10 UP Sportsperson Coalition Meeting, DNR Baraga Office, 4:00pm April 11 Natural Resources Commission Meeting, Lansing April 11 Ask the DNR TV Program, WLUC-TV13, 8:00pm April 16 Foresters for Fish Forum, River Rock Lanes-Ishpeming, 5:00pm April 16 Conversations & Coffee with Fisheries Staff, LSSU Anchor Room-Sault Ste. Marie, 6-8:00pm April 23 Conversations & Coffee with Fisheries Staff, Gobebic Community College-Ironwood, 6-8:00pm Central April 24 Conversations & Coffee with Fisheries Staff, Ishpeming Township Hall-Ishpeming, 7-9:00pm April 25 Conversations & Coffee with Fisheries Staff, Portage Lake District Library-Houghton, 7-9:00pm April 18 Eastern UP Citizen’s Advisory Council Meeting, Newberry, 6:00pm U.P. State Park & State Sponsored Activities March 29-31 UP Boat, Sport & RV Show – Superior Dome in Marquette (visit the DNR Booth!) March 30 Tahquamenon Falls State Park – Introduction to Skijoring May 18 Tahquamenon Falls State Park – National Kids to Parks Day Hike Season Dates & Reminders March 11 Leftover Turkey & Hunt 234 on sale (unsuccessful applicants; OTC begins 3/18/19) March 11 Last day to register Bobcats taken by hunting (Units A, B, C), see p. 54 of guide March 15 Walleye, Pike, Muskie seasons close in most waters, see p. 12 of guide for exceptions March 20 Dip netting opens (smelt, suckers, bowfin, carp, gar, shad, goldfish) March 31 Hunt, Fish, and ORV Licenses expire (Fur Harvester is valid until April 30) March 31 Last day for ice shanties in the Upper Peninsula March 31 Squirrel, Early Crow, and Rabbit/Hare seasons close 1 of 13 Recent DNR Press Releases For full details, go to: www.michigan.gov/dnrpressroom ▪ Showcasing the DNR: Battling oak wilt disease (2/28/19) ▪ UP Focus: Blizzard pounds central Upper Peninsula (2/27/19) ▪ Share ideas on plan for Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park (2/26/19) ▪ Wildlife job openings, Iron Belle trail grants, wolf survey (2/25/19) ▪ Showcasing the DNR: Michigan’s early parks development (2/22/19) ▪ Master Angler rules, outdoor skills, help, March 1 license year start (2/19/19) ▪ Showcasing the DNR: Task force making strides toward protecting Buffalo Reef (2/14/19) ▪ DNR conservation officers rescue snowmobilers in Ontonagon County (2/11/19) ▪ DNR director to visit UP, attend sporting group meetings (2/6/19) ▪ Buffalo Reef Task Force releases preliminary draft alternatives analysis (2/5/19) ▪ UP Focus: DNR conservation officers at work (2/5/19) ▪ Yellow perch daily limit, DNR social platforms, state symbols (2/5/19) ▪ Showcasing the DNR: Conservation officers heed calls for help during wintry weather (2/4/19) ▪ DNR Get Involved: State park volunteer opportunities, bird counts and more (2/1/19) Grant Contacts For 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, [email protected] Recreation Passport Grant Merrie Carlock, 517-284-5931, [email protected] Aquatic Habitat Grant Kelly Parker, 517-284-5957, [email protected] Michigan Invasive Species Grant Kammy Frayre, 517-284-5970, [email protected] Wildlife Habitat Grant Kelly Parker, 517-284-5957, [email protected] U.P. Deer Habitat Improvement Partnership Grant Bill Scullon, 906-563-9247, [email protected] Eastern UPCAC Update The Eastern UP Citizen’s Advisory Council Meeting met on February 20th in Newberry. It was the first meeting with new chair, Mr. Tom Buckingham. Four new members were introduced: Ms. Angel Portice of Pickford, Mr. Ken Collier of Naubinway, Mr. Jeff Cox of Manistique and Mr. Tony Wright of Manistique, all replacing spots opened termed members. Old Business included a continued discussion of additional overtime for officers during deer season (it was determined no further action was necessary, updates on CWD and the UP Wildlife Habitat Workgroup. New Business included a youth bear hunt proposal (same as was provided at the January WUPCAC meeting), a review of DNR responses to two resolutions—bear/wolf specialist position and a change to the statewide perch limit (which was in support of the WUPCAC’s resolution). Subcommittee reports were also provided. The next EUPCAC meeting will be held on April 18th in Newberry. March 2019 NRC Meeting Summary – Ed Golder, Public Information Officer The Natural Resources Commission met on March 13th at Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire. Major actions: • The commission approved migratory game bird hunting seasons for 2019-2020, which included few changes from current regulations. The daily possession limit for Pintails will be reduced from two birds to one. 2 of 13 • The commission approved bear regulations for 2019-2020. The department’s proposed regulations had been amended based on commission input at the February meeting. The commission made two further amendments to the regulations today before approving them: • Limiting bait barrel locations to within 100 yards of a state forest road as defined in law. • Requiring that bait barrels and all materials used in a bait station on state-managed public lands be removed no later than five days after the end of the season; and requiring that bait barrels have a mechanically attached, securely affixed lid. • Director Dan Eichinger approved five land transactions. Details of these land transactions can be found in the NRC agenda online. The meeting included a joint meeting of the NRC’s Marketing, Partnership, Youth and Outreach Advisory Committee and the Outdoor Recreation Advisory Council (ORAC). ORAC was formed last year within the DNR to improve the outdoor recreation economy, employment and consumer spending, and support conservation and public recreation across the state. The joint meeting focused on areas of common concern and potential cooperation between the NRC and ORAC. Next, the Policy Committee on Wildlife and Fisheries met. Fisheries Chief Jim Dexter reported to the committee that construction will begin this month on an ultraviolet light isolation building at Oden Fish Hatchery. The building will be used to rear Arctic grayling, as part of the state’s Arctic grayling initiative. In addition, Fisheries plans to start construction this summer on upgrades on the Little Manistee River Weir, a popular tourist destination in Manistee County. Also this summer, the division will begin construction on its first building dedicated to rearing coolwater species at the Thompson Fish Hatchery. Fisheries is in the process of holding11 Conversations & Coffee meetings in northern Michigan and the U.P. The meetings allow opportunity for Fisheries staff to meet with constituents to listen to concerns and answer questions. Jim outlined a proposal for lake trout regulations on Grand Traverse Bay. The state has to reduce its harvest limits on the bay in 2019 under provisions of Michigan’s 2000 Consent Decree with tribal governments. Last year the state exceeded harvest limits outlined in the Consent Decree. As a result, the department will recommend that the commission reduce the daily bag limit on Grand Traverse Bay from two lake trout to one for this year’s season. Wildlife Chief Russ Mason reported on the recent meeting in Denver of the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference. It was announced there that Director Eichinger will be appointed as the Mississippi Flyway Council representative to the North American Wetlands Conservation Act Council, Russ said. Also at the meeting, Department of Interior Acting Secretary David Bernhardt announced his intention to propose removing wolves from the endangered species list in the lower 48 states. Director Eichinger later told the commission that the Michigan DNR will review the service’s delisting proposal in detail and offer comments from the state’s perspective within the 60-day time period provided for public input. Kelly Siciliano Carter, who has led the Wildlife’s Division highly successful Public, Outreach and Engagement Unit, is leaving the department to take a position with the Michigan Department of Education, Russ said. Kelly has done an outstanding job and she’ll be missed. Russ plans to appoint an acting supervisor to ensure no break in service. Tom Cooley, a wildlife pathologist with the DNR’s Wildlife Disease Laboratory and a 40-year veteran of the department, has received Michigan State University’s Outstanding Alumni Award from the university’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. In the past decade alone, Russ said, Tom has served as lead pathologist on more than 10,000 cases of wildlife mortality and has been an author and co-author on hundreds of publications. The Wildlife Division completed its Western Upper Peninsula moose abundance survey. The survey suggests the population is about 509 animals and is growing at an average of about 2 percent each year. Russ announced that supplemental feeding of deer will be allowed in the southern portion of the Upper Peninsula.