By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

Connecting with nature takes on many forms and many of us go to great lengths to do so.  Although it’s a never-ending process to actively participate in managing wildlife habitat, and thus the fauna that live there, we do it to benefit wildlife.  An underlying benefit that comes with the territory is that we benefit ourselves at the same time.

Spring is a time to celebrate our emergence from months of indoor hibernation and the renewal of our spirits.  Previous year’s food plots of turnips have either been devoured by whitetail deer or they’ve died a natural death and returned to earth as organic matter.

Weeds, on the other hand, are already developing their indigenous intent to take over the landscape.  It’s inevitable unless we “interfere.”

This past dry spring presented an opportunity to work up some ground that typically remains too wet in most years.  By mid-May the piece of land was dry enough to pull a disk harrow through the heavy soil in an effort to chew up the pesky weeds.  It didn’t go well on the first pass with the light-duty, 6-foot disk, but the results were promising enough to yield some hope.  As the soil dried along with the roots of the weeds, I kept up the disking process through the summer in preparation for a brassica seeding operation in late summer.1948 Ford 8N Disk Harrow Rips Ground – YouTube

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that if one step in the planting and growing process is minimized or skipped, it usually means failure.  And, failure is spelled “weeds.”  With that mentioned, things were looking great.

I added lime to increase the PH level of the soil months in advance of planting, so the lime could break down and do its job.  Then a healthy dose of fertilizer was applied with a broadcast spreader hitched to an ATV – again, a month or so ahead of planting.

Finally, it was time to plant the tiny seeds that would feed a variety of wildlife.  I diligently set the hand-seeder chute so as not to disperse too many brassica seeds, which can be a total waste of time, energy, and money. I walked the land back and forth, all the while cranking the handle and spreading the nearly invisible seed.  Now, if I just had the means to water the field.

The first of August is a natural time for late-summer planting with heavy dew most days and periodic rain.  But, day after day of hot, dry weather in the upper 80s to even 90 degrees was too much for the fragile seed.  Although the dew gave the seed enough moisture to germinate, it couldn’t survive without a drink.  After nine straight days of above average temperatures and no rain, I eventually lost the food plot to Mother Nature.

I thought about replanting brassicas but as the season progressed, it would have been futile.  There simply was not enough growing season left for any meaningful growth, so I decided to plant clover instead.  Although it was still too late for clover to develop as a food source in early autumn, the perennial mixture would develop nonetheless and be there in springtime – a good alternative and a way to save the investment in time and materials.

Off to the farm store for clover seed I went.  There, I found the large bins of seed empty!  The Covid craziness had broken the supply chain.  However, as luck would have it, I found a vendor at the Mid-Michigan Old Gas Tractor Show selling Ladino clover seed and purchased a few pounds.

Already late August, I put the hand-spreader into action again, after scratching the soil’s surface with a light-duty, slicing aerator pulled behind the ATV.  Through it all, I’m happy to report the persistence has paid off.  Recent rains have me smiling, once again, as the tiny legume plants are flourishing and sure to be nourishment when it is needed most next spring.

While we may deem the effort of planting food plots as one of charity for the good of the animal kingdom, there is also a certain amount of selfishness that gets satisfied in our pursuit of happiness.  Own it. Live it.  Love it.  Hunting season is here.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is seeking landowners to help with gopher tortoise conservation efforts as part of the agency’s Gopher Tortoise Recipient Site Program. The program benefits landowners and tortoises and is compatible with other land uses, such as hunting and wetland mitigation.

The Gopher Tortoise Recipient Site Program provides landowners with an opportunity to generate additional revenue from their lands, as the landowner may charge a market-based fee for each tortoise received at the site.

There has never been a better time for landowners to participate in the recipient site program. The price landowners can charge per tortoise received at an approved site is not set by the FWC, so the landowner can adjust the fee based on their needs. Based on the current market for gopher tortoise recipient sites, landowners can generate more revenue from this program than ever before while contributing to the conservation of the species. Read more

Gravel extraction planned for Genoa Township sites is one step toward preparing land for DNR seed orchard

A planned seed orchard on two parcels of land near Brighton eventually could grow into a parklike setting with well-spaced, healthy trees and grassy areas.

But first, the hilly land owned by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources between Brighton Road and Cunningham Lake Road in Genoa Township, in southeast Livingston County, needs to be leveled to accommodate the orchard. The most cost-effective route to that is a short-term lease of the rights to mine sand and gravel on the properties.

“We’re not offering this lease to make money,” said Jason Hartman, silviculturist for the DNR. “It’s one step in a series of steps toward getting to our goal for state forest planning and for this land. It’s good for the state and good to have more green space in the community.”

Public information meeting in October

The DNR will schedule a public meeting in October to discuss the steps in the multiyear process and answer residents’ questions.

The properties, which are near several residential subdivisions, include a 50-acre parcel and a 77-acre parcel. Both were listed as surplus properties by the state and destined for auction. But they’re also near the DNR’s Tree Improvement Center, where seedlings are grown to help maintain healthy landscapes among more than 3.9 million acres of state forests.

The DNR has managed seed orchards to procure jack pine and red pine seeds at the Tree Improvement Center for about 50 years. Red pine seeds are especially difficult to collect in a natural setting, so orchards are used to provide large volumes of pine cones to help in DNR reforestation efforts. Seeds are extracted and nurtured under controlled conditions, then transplanted to forest land. Using seed orchards helps guarantee the health and success of future forests. Read more

The popular fall color rides at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Ontonagon County are closed until at least mid-October.

With the popularity of the rides, which offer a spectacular view of the surrounding autumn countryside and the deep blue waters of Lake Superior, upgrades were necessary to the triple-chair lift to meet current engineering and design specifications.

These upgrades will allow more visitors to ride up and down simultaneously, decreasing wait times. Unfortunately, the work is taking place between now and mid-October – the traditional peak of the fall color season.

The chairlift may not be operated until the work to upgrade the lift is completed, tested and certified. Alternatives to try to accommodate fall color visitors while repairs were being made were explored. Read more

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is asking the public to be on the lookout for spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect with the potential to seriously affect Michigan’s agriculture and natural resources. This insect could damage or kill more than 70 varieties of crops and plants including grapes, apples, hops, and hardwood trees. To date, spotted lanternfly has not been detected in Michigan.

First detected in the United States in 2014 in southeastern Pennsylvania, spotted lanternfly has been spreading rapidly across the northeastern states. There have been confirmed infestations in Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Spotted lanternfly causes direct damage by sucking sap from host plants and secreting large amounts of a sugar-rich, sticky liquid called honeydew. This honeydew and the resulting black sooty mold can kill plants and foul surfaces. The honeydew often attracts other pests like yellow jackets, flies, and ants, affecting outdoor recreation and complicating crop harvests. Read more

EDGEFIELD, S.C.—The National Wild Turkey Federation is proud to announce its upcoming Conservation Week and is challenging all to partake in conservation by getting outdoors.

The week will begin Sept. 19 with a message to join in on the greater conservation story by getting outdoors and will conclude on Sept. 25, which is National Hunting and Fishing Day. The celebratory day brings together sportsmen and women to celebrate rich traditions. The NWTF urges all outdoors enthusiasts to help promote our passions and educate others on the importance of this week.

“We want to highlight all of our own conservation and outreach work, while emphasizing the important role hunting plays in conservation,” NWTF CEO Becky Humphries said. “The connection between conservation and hunting is the essence of the NWTF’s mission, and we want to bring that relationship into focus during our Conservation Week.”

NWTF’s Conservation Week will bring awareness and emphasis to its conservation mission and the role of hunters in creating Healthy Habitats and Health Harvests by illustrating the organization’s milestones and ongoing initiatives to conserve the wild turkey and preserve our hunting heritage, specifically through the lens of the NWTF’s America’s Big Six of Wildlife Conservation.

America’s Big Six of Wildlife Conservation is a national strategic plan created by NWTF conservation experts. Six areas of concern were established to help identify the most urgent needs and better monitor conservation objectives: Read more

The predictions are in: fall colors are ahead of schedule and will move through Michigan by mid-October. The window is short and calendars are busy, so plan your road trip now and get ready for Michigan’s dazzling displays of red, gold and green.

From visiting historic state parks and museums, to sandhill crane and elk viewing, to watching huge freighters move down the St. Clair River, there’s something for everyone to enjoy this season.

Want to get started? We’ve pulled together maps showing peak color progression, destination information and ideas for unique experiences all over the state. Hope to see you out there!

Take the fall color tour ?