Last week, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the National Wild Turkey Federation gathered with other partners, volunteers and individuals to celebrate the opening of the first Turkey Tracts hunting area, located at Allegan State Game Area in Allegan County.

Sadly, the new Turkey Tracts kiosk, which is a large information station built by volunteers, thoughtlessly was vandalized and destroyed Friday night. It stood for only a few days. Read more

Investigation continues into thefts in Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties

Contact: Lt. James Gorno at 989-732-3541 or John Pepin, 906-226-1352

Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers are continuing to investigate the theft of sugar maple logs from public state-managed lands in three northern Lower Peninsula counties.

Three males in their mid-20s, one each from – Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties – have been arrested and charged with 1-year misdemeanors or 5-year felonies for removal of forest products. Names are being withheld pending arraignments.

The arrest warrants were issued by prosecutors in Cheboygan and Charlevoix counties. Officers expect more charges to be authorized as the investigation moves forward.

Late last year, conservation officers began receiving public complaints about large sugar maple trees being cut on state forestland. Only the thickest part of the trees – the lowest 8-12 feet – was taken most often.

In many cases, there were several valuable saw logs left on the site to rot in the woods. More than 100 logs were allegedly stolen.

“This is a clear case of thieves stealing what belongs to all of Michigan’s citizens,” said Sgt. Greg Drogowski of the Gaylord District office. “An analogy to the wasted timber left in the woods is that of a poacher illegally killing a deer and taking only the back straps (tenderloins).” Read more

“The recently reported instances of wanton and wasteful poaching in Minnesota should offend the sensibilities of all ethical and law-abiding hunters and anglers,” Gov. Mark Dayton said. “They are shameful criminal acts, and they should be treated as serious offenses by Minnesota laws.”

Dayton said he wants certain types of poaching to be upgraded from a misdemeanor to a felony offense for individuals who take animals above a restitution value of $2,000.  More here…

Two rewards totaling $10,000 have been offered for information on the killing of a federally protected grizzly bear in Idaho.

In October 2015, a radio collared grizzly bear was found dead in the Grouse Creek drainage of Bonner County, Idaho. It is a violation of the Endangered Species Act to kill a grizzly bear, which is listed as threatened. The incident was investigated by the Idaho Fish and Game Department and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Read more

Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers are seeking information on a dead cougar found approximately 4 miles north of Iron Mountain in Dickinson County. The male cougar was discovered by conservation officers around 11 a.m. today, Feb. 1, near the intersection of Johnson Road and County Road 607 in Breitung Township.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call 1st Lt. Pete Wright at the Marquette Customer Service Center at 906-228-6561, ext. 3028 during normal business hours, or the 24-hour DNR Report All Poaching (RAP) Line at 800-292-7800.

Information may be left anonymously.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers are seeking information on an elk poaching in southwest Otsego County. On Nov. 16, a large bull elk carcass was found west of Lewiston, between Shupac Lake Road and Big Creek Road.

“Anyone who has information that may assist us in finding the person or persons responsible for this poaching is asked to contact the DNR,” said Lt. Jim Gorno. Read more

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is offering a Report All Poaching (RAP) reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual who shot a gray wolf in Houghton County Saturday.

The shooting took place along M-26, one half-mile south of Twin Lakes.

DNR conservation officers said the shooter’s vehicle would have been parked along the west shoulder of M-26, heading southwest. The shooting took place sometime between the hours of 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. EST.

“The subject shot from the vehicle and struck the wolf as it was standing on the snowmobile trail (Trail No. 3) to the west of the highway,” said Sgt. Grant Emery of the DNR’s Baraga Field Office. Read more