The Deer Private Land Assistance Network grant application period is now open, with applications due by Sept. 1.

The Deer PLAN, a cooperative grant program designed to support private-land deer habitat improvement projects in the northern Lower Peninsula, is funded by Deer Range Improvement Program dollars. In 2019, a total of $50,000 will be available through a competitive grant process. Read more

By Glen Wunderlich

When food plot guru, Ed Spinazzola, suggested a dynamic combination of plants was worth a try, I listened.  Although I had never tried to plant soybeans and sugar beets

Coated Sugar Beet Seed

, I did so last year and the results were less than stunning.  But, with another bit of education from the School of Hard Knocks, I’m poised to give it a go, once again.

His advice was sound; it was the execution that was lacking last time around.  The quarter-acre plot had been disked, dragged, and cultipacked with fertilizer and lime added to the mix.  Before that, an application of glyphosate was sprayed to get weeds under control.  However, eliminating a single step in the recipe – a final herbicide application – was enough to spoil all the hard work and expense.  Up came my precious seed – right along with obnoxious weeds to spoil the entre’.  This time it will be different, as long as Mother Nature cooperates.

As bad as the results were, the choked-out beets were there and provided the wildlife some benefit, albeit a pitiful one.  So, a few weeks ago another small site was properly prepared and it became time to wait for the weeds to sprout before zapping them and planting.  Instead of soybeans and beets, brassicas were substituted in place of beans, as a means to hedge the bet.

The seed came from Deer Creek Seed Co. in Wisconsin (www.deercreekseed.com), which specializes in farming and wildlife seed.  The site provides plenty of planting options along with good instructions and a help line, if needed.  The sugar beets, beta vulgaris, are relatively expensive, so it makes sense to become educated before jumping in.  What follows is some of the information relative to sugar beets.

Sugar beets are not only a great crop for sugar production, but are also a fantastic dual-purpose food plot plant.

Sugar Beets

Deer enjoy the leafy tops for forage and will also dig up the sugary roots to eat in late fall and throughout the winter months. Sugar beets will reach a mature weight of 2-4 lbs. each and provide a solid food source for deer. Cooler weather promotes increased sugar content and makes them an extra attractive food source. To achieve best germination, Deer Creek Seed recommends planting sugar beets at least 1/2 to 1-inch deep.

Since I don’t have a grain drill, Deer Creek suggests broadcasting and to make sure to deeply rake the seed in. After planting, make sure the seed is covered in soil.  But, before that – and here’s where I went wrong last year – wait a week or two before planting so you can hit the second crop of weeds that will come up in the bed with another round of herbicide.  It is also highly recommended to use coated seed!  The coating on its seed is a clay polymer that protects the seed in the soil and helps with water uptake. The coated seed will feed better through any spreader, as well.

The final suggestion is not to over-seed, which is another tendency of the beginner.  More is not better, because crowded plants do not flourish.

With a heavy dose of patience and faith, there’s nothing left but to wait.

Twenty-two men and eight women will start their journey toward becoming Michigan conservation officers when the DNR’s Conservation Officer Recruit School #9 gets under way Sunday in Lansing.

The candidates face 23 weeks of intensive training that will test them academically, emotionally and physically.

The DNR again will offer weekly blog entries that provide a firsthand look at the challenges and accomplishments of recruits as they progress through the academy. Readers can subscribe to the blog, which also will be posted on the Michigan DNR Facebook page. Read more

On Friday, the Trump Administration implemented the first phase of Section 301 tariffs on approximately $34 billion worth of Chinese products – including marine engines, navigational equipment, and components. The tariffs are in response to China’s alleged theft of U.S. intellectual property and could be expanded to a total of $50 billion or more.

Regarding the new tariffs, NMMA’s President, Thom Dammrich, stated, “On one hand, we’re happy to see the Trump administration is committed to cracking down on China for stealing U.S. intellectual property—including our members’ inventions. But on the other hand, putting a 25 percent tariff on $34 billion in products used by American manufacturers is the wrong solution. Not surprisingly, with China fighting back and officially kicking off yet another trade war, recreational boating is being uniquely targeted because of our status as a true American-made industry.”

Dammrich continued, “As a result of the administration’s decision to move forward with its Section 301 tariffs, nearly 300 commonly used marine related products will immediately cost 25 percent more. There is no way to simply weather the storm and see how this shakes out as the cost of doing business for our members has instantly increased. For some products, the additional cost to marine manufacturers will be in the thousands of dollars, resulting in employment changes, canceled expansion plans, and halted growth. We are having a hard time understanding why the President is choosing tariffs when they are directly putting millions of American jobs on the line, including the 650,000 supported by the U.S. recreational boating industry. Read more

The Cobra Chat Tag is the newest addition to the Cobra Walkie Talkie line, fit for hikers, hunters and outdoor adventurers. Notably the smallest wearable two-way radio on the market, the tech-savvy gadget flaunts a unique, circular design that easily clips onto users for hands-free comfort and manageability. Unlike traditional two-way radios, it showcases crystal clear sound with its internal antenna; plus, it has a wide range of 8 miles.

“The Chat Tag debut has us very excited, as it will change the way campers effectively communicate with one another. Cobra is dedicated to providing top notch radio systems geared towards outdoorsman, and the Chat Tag tops the list as being the most versatile, reliable and pristine in design and function,” says Bernie Auyang, CEO of Altis Global Ltd.

More reliable than cell service, the wearable radio can be used among anyone; also ideal for families on the go, the Chat Tag is compatible all two-way radios on the market, and comes with a convenient rechargeable battery. Read more

On Monday, several NMMA member engine manufacturers sent a letter to President Donald Trump expressing support for replacing the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) with a new national octane standard. NMMA has worked closely with the Administration and Congress regarding the recreational boating industry’s problems with the current RFS and higher ethanol additives in gasoline.

The letter states, “We are pleased that Members of Congress and your Administration are considering replacing the broken RFS with a new fuel neutral program. However, our industry and America’s recreational boaters have a number of priorities that need to be considered and addressed in order to ensure a new octane standard is not detrimental for our industry.”

The letter continues, “Marine engines do not have any performance or safety problems running on high octane fuels, such as a 95-98 RON. However, if the higher octane is achieved via higher ethanol additives into gasoline (above 10 percent) then the recreational boating industry would face the same problems with the new program as we do today with the RFS. Congress and your Administration would simply be replacing one broken program with another. However, if some additional considerations can be taken into account we believe that a new national octane standard could be better than the current RFS program and beneficial for all stakeholders. Read more