GW:  Seems these are reasonable approaches to enhancing hunting opportunities.  Hats off, once again!

It isn’t every day that you would find Governor Rick Snyder and Department of Natural Resources Director Keith Creagh working shoulder-to-shoulder in the vast state forest lands of the Upper Peninsula, shovels in hand, planting nannyberry shrubs and crabapple trees.

But on a hot, sunny day in mid-August, that’s exactly what two dozen citizen volunteers and a handful of DNR staff witnessed at the end of a two-track trail just south of Gwinn in Marquette County, where, thanks to the collaborative efforts of all parties mentioned above, a diamond in the rough has gradually become a brilliant gem.

The GEMS – or Grouse Enhanced Management Systems – are a new DNR initiative designed to bring attention to Michigan’s outstanding upland bird hunting opportunities through the creation of a series of walk-in access hunting trails intensively managed for improved ruffed grouse and woodcock hunting.

DNR Wildlife Division development of the GEMS hinged largely upon the support of the Ruffed Grouse Society and increased revenue from the state’s new license fee package. Read more

New Berlin, WI (August 21, 2014) – Sportsman Channel and the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) are combining efforts to honor the contributions of the American worker and celebrate today’s youth, who represent the future of our nation’s workforce and outdoor heritage. Sportsman Channel’s Brotherhood Outdoors Labor Day Marathon, a salute to American workers and celebration of youth in the outdoors, is presented by Carhartt and airs exclusively on Monday, September 1 from 5–8 p.m. ET.

Today’s youth are consistently inundated with modern technologies and devices, which can serve as a distraction to fishing, hunting, biking, hiking, camping and other healthy outdoor activities. Throughout the Marathon, Brotherhood Outdoors co-hosts Daniel Lee Martin and Julie McQueen will provide viewers with interesting stories about the dedicated men and women who keep America moving forward and do their part to introduce America’s youth to our nation’s cherished outdoor lifestyle.

Sportsman Channel’s Brotherhood Outdoors Labor Day Marathon features six captivating episodes that include everything from a father and his sons guiding a fellow firefighter on a heart-pounding mule deer hunt in Arizona to a father and his daughters taking another young girl on her first coon hunt in Kentucky. The Marathon chronicles hard-working men and women who share a passion for outdoor adventures and are focused on passing along their great experiences to America’s youth. Read more

Waterfowl hunters and wildlife enthusiasts can now buy the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp – also known as the Duck Stamp – at more than 1,400 Michigan license sales outlets.

The Federal Duck Stamp also has been available for purchase online at www.mdnr-elicense.com since mid-July. The online purchasing option is part of a partnership between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service’s Federal Duck Stamp Office, designed to make the Duck Stamp more readily available and increase participation in this successful wetland conservation program.

Required annually for all migratory waterfowl hunters age 16 or older, the Federal Duck Stamp costs $17 when purchased at license vendors or via E-license, the DNR’s online license sales system. The stamp cost is $15, and both the stamp distributor and the DNR charge a $1 processing and handling fee. License agents also may choose to charge a processing fee up to $1. There will be no refunds available once the stamps are purchased. Read more