Due to heavy accumulated snowfall, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources will allow supplemental feeding of deer in the southern Upper Peninsula by permitted groups and individuals beginning Wednesday, Jan. 15.

Supplemental feeding is only allowed in the southern U.P. during years when accumulated early winter snowfall reaches a depth that is predictive of winter stress, while permitted feeding is allowed annually from January 15 to May 15 in the northern counties found within the Lake Superior snowbelt. Read more

Michigan anglers didn’t have a lot choice about how they practiced their sport in early 2014. With arctic weather leaving most of the state’s lakes – as well as many of its rivers – frozen, it’s been fish through the ice or stay home and think about fishing.
Fortunately, getting started ice fishing is relatively simple. Anglers need just three basic pieces of equipment – something to make a hole with, something to clear the slush from the hole, and something to fish with – and they’re in business.
The first two are simple. Either an auger (a corkscrew-like cutting device) or a spud (an over-sized chisel) will get you through the ice. And a simple slush scoop – something that looks like a ladle with holes in the cup – will get that job done. Read more

 The Department of Natural Resources invites everyone to take advantage of the upcoming annual Winter Free Fishing Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 15-16. On those two days, residents and non-residents can fish without a license, though all other fishing regulations still apply.

Michigan has celebrated the Winter Free Fishing Weekend every year since 1994 as a way to promote awareness of and better connection to the state’s vast aquatic resources and fishing opportunities. With more than 3,000 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, tens of thousands of miles of rivers and streams, and 11,000 inland lakes – Michigan and fishing are a perfect match. Read more

GW:  Only 232 pages of government plans to control the invasive Asian carp in this study…

The GLMRIS (Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Stydy) Report presents the results of a multi-year study regarding the range of options and technologies available to prevent aquatic nuisance species (ANS) movement between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins through aquatic connections. Through a structured study process, USACE identified thirteen ANS of Concern established in one basin that posed a high or medium risk of adverse impacts by transfer and establishment in the opposite basin. USACE analyzed and evaluated available controls to address these ANS, and formulated alternatives specifically for the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS) with the goal of preventing ANS transfer between the two basins. Read more

Hopefully this cold weather will actually have an impact on Emerald Ash Borers, but who knows.  Trouble is they’ve already done their damage in Michigan.  Here are some details about the cold and the unwanted bugs.

So far in 2013, 347 javelina encounters and seven bites were reported to Arizona state wildlife officials.  People are afraid to go for walks after dark and have resorted to carrying weapons for self defense.  Pets and humans are becoming more at-risk as development encroaches on the range of the collared peccary.  Details here…

As incomes rise in China, Russia, and Korea, fur demand has followed.  It sure is comforting to know that Asians are buying something other than our metals, which they promptly turn into junk and sell back to us.  Good news for traditionalists is here…