AM OUTDOORS HOT SHEET

The latest in outdoor news and events in Michigan.

Updated 7 / 13 / 2010

Michigan Deer Harvest Decreases Nine Percent in 2009

Michigan hunters harvested about 9 percent fewer deer in 2009 than they did in the previous season, according to Department of Natural
Resources and Environment wildlife biologists.

Hunters killed an estimated 444,047 deer last year, down from 489,922 in 2008, according to the DNRE's annual mail survey.

Hunters killed 5 percent fewer antlerless deer and 14 percent fewer antlered bucks in 2009 than in the previous season.

Overall, hunters purchased about the same number of deer hunting licenses last year as they did in 2008. An estimated 686,392 hunters
went afield in 2009, a one percent decrease from the previous season.

Forty-three percent of hunters reported killing at least one deer last year, a 4 percent decline from 2008.

Hunter success was down most significantly, about six percent, during the traditional Nov. 15-30 firearms season. Success was about one
percent higher during the state's archery seasons, something wildlife officials think might be attributed to liberalized rules for using
crossbows.

The complete harvest survey is posted online at www.michigan.gov/dnrhunting.

2010 Anlterless Deer Applications Begin July 15, 2010

New regulations for zone 3 and other areas in Michigan will be released soon. Antlerless (doe) permit applications will begin July 15th. AM Outdoors will have complete information once received.

Fall Turkey Application Deadline - August 1, 2010

Fall turkey hunters can apply for permits starting July 1, through August 1, 2010. Some regulation changes have been made for various areas. Please make sure you see the new fall turkey hunting application guide for complete details. Drawing results will be posted
at www.michigan.gov/huntdrawings on August 16. Applicants will not be notified by mail.

Asian Carp Found Beyond Lake Michigan Barrier
Officials in Illinois have announced the discovery of a live bighead carp in Lake Calumet, 6 miles on the Chicago side of Lake Michigan, in an area near where a poisoning operation that ended June 4 took place. It marks the first time anyone has found an Asian carp, live or dead, beyond an electric barrier on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal near Lockport. Detroit Free Press.

Spinning-Wing Decoys Banned At Shiawassee River State Game Area

Waterfowl hunters will not be allowed to use spinning-wing decoys at Shiawassee River State Game Area this fall, the Department of Natural
Resources and Environment announced today.

Acting on a request by the Shiawassee Flats Citizens and Hunters Association, the Michigan Natural Resources Commission voted to ban
spinning-wing decoys - popularly known as “robo-ducks" from the managed waterfowl hunts at Shiawassee on an experimental basis. The NRC directed the DNRE to evaluate the ban for three years with hunter opinion surveys.

Although research has shown no conclusive biological impacts from the use of spinning-wing decoys, the Shiawassee hunting group proposed the ban because the use of the decoys can negatively impact the hunting experience of other parties sharing the same field.  Some hunters say the decoys can sometimes spook birds from entire fields during certain periods of the season.

The proposed ban was presented to the Citizens Waterfowl Advisory Committee (CWAC) at its March meeting. CWAC supported the proposed ban at Shiawassee.
 

DNRE Reminds Anglers About Bait Restrictions
Anglers who purchase spawn or minnows for bait should make sure it is certified as VHS-free. Certified VHS-free bait is widely available and may be used anywhere in the state for 14 days. The use of bait that has not been certified as disease-free is restricted, depending on where the bait was collected, and anglers need to follow the regulations to use uncertified bait in the correct locations. Uncertified bait can only be used for three days after purchase. All bait collected by anglers is considered to be uncertified bait.

VHS virus, a virus that causes fish to die from internal bleeding, has caused mortalities among a number of species of fish in Michigan. The
disease has been found in Michigan waters of lakes Superior, Erie and Huron. VHSv was detected in yellow perch in Lake Superior from the
Paradise area in 2009 and in lake herring from the Apostle Islands in Wisconsin waters.The virus has been found in fish sampled in Lake
Huron from Cheboygan and Thunder Bay in 2006 and in spottail shiners from Saginaw Bay in March 2010. Fish have been found to be positive from Lake Erie in Ohio waters each year since 2006. VHS virus has been found in fish in Lake Michigan, but not in Michigan waters. And it has been found in at least two inland lakes - in Budd Lake in Clare County in 2007; and in Baseline Lake in Washentaw County in 2009.

“There is no known treatment for VHS" said DNRE Fish Production Manager Gary Whelan. “Our best defense against it is trying to prevent
its spread. It is important to anglers to realize that the virus is not yet widely distributed in Michigan, thus anglers have the opportunity to
help slow its spread by using baitfish properly.

SLEEPY HOLLOW / LAKE OVID BOAT ACCESS CLOSED:

Lake Ovid Boating Access Site Closed Intermittently Through June 30 for Site Redevelopment and Improvements

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment announced today that site redevelopment and paving improvements have begun at the Lake Ovid Boating Access Site, located in Sleepy Hollow State Park in Clinton County.

Upgrades will include asphalt paving, improved vehicular circulation, an expanded parking area, barrier-free accessibility, and the handling
of surface water runoff in an environmentally-friendly manner. The improvements will benefit site users by providing a more efficient use
of parking space, as well as enhanced accessibility for persons with mobility impairments.

The entire boating access site will be intermittently closed for days at a time through June 30. After June 30, construction is anticipated
to be substantially completed and the site will be reopened.

Sleepy Hollow State Park is located at 7835 E. Price Rd., 5.5 miles east of US-27, off Exit 90. For additional information about the park,
accessibility, or updates on the status of the boating access site, contact the park at 517-651-6217 or visit www.michigan.gov/sleepyhollow.

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