Oct. 7, 2025
Contact: Jeff Vasher, 989-745-2942

A half-inch of rain overnight helped firefighters make headway on the Benzie Road Fire near Houghton Lake, which is now about 95% contained.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources fire crews were using a drone with thermal imaging capabilities Tuesday morning to look for hot spots on the 101-acre fire site, which included a marshy area of mixed pine and hardwood forest.

“It has been a good effort with some tough conditions Sunday and Monday,” said Jeff Vasher, resources protection manager for the DNR. Dry conditions, unseasonable heat and gusty winds all were challenges.

The fire was reported early Sunday afternoon east of Old U.S. Highway 27, near the Clare-Roscommon county line. Resources battling the fire included DNR firefighters, local fire departments, bulldozers, fire engines and drone aircraft support.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The rain is not enough to mitigate dry conditions in much of the state, so please check online for a burn permit or call 866-922-2876 before burning yard debris. Get more fire safety tips at Michigan.gov/FireManagement.

Oct. 6, 2025
Contact: Jeff Vasher, 989-745-2942

With fire danger extremely high across much of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula today, firefighters are working near Houghton Lake in Roscommon County to contain a wildfire burning since Sunday afternoon, Oct. 5, near the Roscommon State Forest Area.

The fire was reported early Sunday afternoon east of Old U.S. Highway 27, near the Clare–Roscommon county line. The cause remains under investigation.

The fire is estimated to be at approximately 85 acres in a marshy area of mixed pine and hardwood forest, where dry fuels and gusty winds have challenged firefighting efforts.

“Crews have been working through difficult terrain to contain the fire,” said Jeff Vasher, Michigan Department of Natural Resources Lower Peninsula resource protection manager. “High winds have made suppression challenging, but firefighters are holding the lines and continuing to reinforce containment.”

Resources on scene include DNR firefighters, local fire departments, bulldozers, fire engines and drone aircraft support being used for aerial mapping and situational awareness. The DNR urges the public to avoid the area while crews continue suppression operations. Read more

A unique convertible roost box–nest box is available from BestNest, and is described and illustrated in the Products section of this issue.

As temperatures cool during fall, some birds begin to use nest boxes as overnight havens – as “roost boxes” – and they use these boxes increasingly as winter-like weather approaches. This has long been a secondary use of nest boxes, but during recent years some birders and nest box builders have improved the process in small but excellent ways to serve cold-weather birds by building a focused roost box. A roost box can be a great way to attract some favorite birds to your yard or property, while providing a considerable benefit to the birds that use it in the process. And who wouldn’t want to provide a roost box for a small owl, bluebirds, or chickadees to name a few of the birds that may benefit. Read more

MISSOULA, Mont. — Wildlife enthusiasts of all ages have a new way to immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of big game country thanks to the captivating exhibits at the James R. Wilkins Jr. Conservation Education Center. Located at Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation headquarters in Missoula, Montana, the Conservation Education Center officially opens to the public on Thursday, Oct. 16, following a year of development and construction.

Join FWP bear specialist Jeremiah Smith and Kyle Orozco as they demonstrate the work and knowledge behind setting traps.

A huge thank you to our partners, including the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study, for their efforts on the ongoing research and management of these species. Learn more about being bear aware at: fwp.mt.gov/bear-aware.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Genesee is now the 16th Michigan county where chronic wasting disease has been identified in the wild deer population, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. An adult doe found acting ill in Gaines Township recently tested positive for the disease.

The CWD finding was confirmed by the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, which works with the DNR to identify CWD in Michigan’s wild deer herd. The sample will be sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa for secondary confirmation.

CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects white-tailed deer, elk and moose. To date, the disease has also been detected in the following Michigan counties: Clinton, Dickinson, Eaton, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Ingham, Ionia, Isabella, Jackson, Kent, Mecosta, Midland, Montcalm, Ogemaw and Washtenaw.

CWD is a chronic, slow-developing disease that spreads slowly across the landscape. It can be present in new areas at very low levels, making it difficult to detect. Genesee County was under focused CWD surveillance in 2022, when approximately 300 deer were tested, with none testing positive. The DNR has continued to test deer that appear sick in Genesee County when possible.

The 2.5-year-old doe that tested positive was reported as very skinny and drinking continuously, and walked directly up to a conservation officer who responded to a public report. Public reporting of sick acting deer is one of the best tools available to the DNR for identifying CWD that may exist at low prevalence in previously undetected areas. Read more

Article and Photos by Paul Konrad

During migration, Broad-winged Hawks often circle higher in rising air columns in what is commonly referred to as a “kettle” of hawks.

We are in the midst of International Hawk Migration Week, which runs through Sunday, and during this peak period of hawk migration I tentatively planned to visit one of the best count sites to witness a big migration surge. Hawk Ridge, located on the northwest tip of Lake Superior at Duluth, Minnesota, is a special place for birders where a mid-September push of thousands of migrating Broad-winged Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks is possible when weather conditions are right. The same migration weather brings a variety of other migrating birds south too, including thousands of Blue Jays.

I was due for a return to Hawk Ridge, having visited the site 3 years ago during an epic day of raptor migration but, unfortunately, the weather forecast indicated it would be overcast and rainy with a south wind during my Wednesday-Thursday window of opportunity, which spoiled my travel plans. That said, I want to share how exciting a visit to a hawk count site can be. In fact, during my 2022 Hawk Ridge pilgrimage I was on hand early morning to witness a remarkable migration day, when a total of 8,066 birds of prey were counted! That was on September 13, during a beautiful blue sky day with temperatures steady at about 70 degrees – and the sky was alive with the flights of a variety of raptors, geese, and songbirds – what fun.

The migration excitement was fueled by a big push of Broad-winged Hawks in the afternoon, numbering 7,196, mostly in groups of less than 25. Other raptors included 585 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 97 American Kestrels, 73 Bald Eagles, 60 Northern Harriers, 24 Red-tailed Hawks, 8 Ospreys, 3 Peregrine Falcons, 3 Merlins, 1 Northern Goshawk, 1 Cooper’s Hawk, and 1 Swainson’s Hawk!

An amazing 4,528 Blue Jays also passed by the count station, along with 823 Cedar Waxwings, 1,491 Canada Geese, 134 Sandhill Cranes, 86 White Pelicans, and at least 30 more species of birds including 8 species of warblers. There were 42 species of birds migrating that day, including the 12 species of raptors. Unlike most raptor counting stations, Hawk Ridge staff count all species observed, which adds a great deal more to the information provided daily and throughout the fall migration season.

It was fun to be in the company of other birders, and while there were only 4 other birders on hand when I started my personal observations, numbers of birders steadily increased and probably peaked at about 40 enthusiastic observers by early afternoon, with a number of Hawk Ridge staff members and volunteers providing information and answering questions. I stood at a favored viewpoint for the first few hours, walking a bit from time to time, eager to see the next hawk or flock of jays fly into view above the surrounding forest. Eventually, I found a comfortable rock on the edge of the ridge to sit on while continuing to enjoy the show from one horizon to the next. The woods were changing colors with yellow, gold, orange, and red leaves breaking through, and the view to the east revealed the top of the extensive urban forest of Duluth stretching to the western edge of Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world. What a wonderful setting during perfect early fall weather in the Northwoods.

How impressive was the day’s migration count of 8,066 birds of prey? During the work week, the other daily totals of raptors were 401 Monday, 108 Wednesday, 24 Thursday, and 0 Friday when it rained throughout the day. It’s all about timing and weather when it comes to migration, and after that memorable Tuesday, rainy weather to the north really dampened or stopped the migration. On a national scale, raptors migrating past Hawk Ridge far outnumbered all other hawk counting stations north of Mexico that day. If you would like to learn more about Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, you can refer to Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, you can see the count summary for Hawk Ridge on Monday at HawkCount, and be sure to check in on hawk count totals being reported from Canada to Colombia at HawkCount.

Share your bird sightings and photographs at editorstbw2@gmail.com

Join us for the next Herd & Hunter: Bovine TB Connections meeting to learn more about bovine tuberculosis, deer harvest reporting changes and feral swine in Michigan.

The public is welcome to attend the meeting either virtually or in person at the Ossineke Township Hall in Alpena County from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 7. To ensure you have the latest information on bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in Michigan, the meeting will include updates from the following speakers:

• Dr. Mike VanderKlok, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, will give updates on the cattle bTB program following a new agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
• Emily Sewell, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, will discuss deer harvest reporting changes and reminders.

In addition to these updates, the meeting will feature a presentation on feral swine in Michigan by Jake Nave, a USDA wildlife biologist who works with invasive species across the state. Feral swine have the potential to cause significant agricultural and ecological damage and can also transmit a number of diseases. Jake will share information on where feral swine have been detected in Michigan, efforts to eradicate them and their current status. Read more

There’s lots of reasons to be outside this time of year – hunting, fishing, hiking, fall colors, mountain biking and more. Keep in mind that bears are out there, too. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks bear specialists Danielle Oyler and Jamie Jonkel recently sat down to talk about some common myths about bears. Oyler is FWP’s wildlife stewardship outreach specialist and Jonkel is FWP’s bear management specialist.

Here’s part of that conversation:

Oyler: One of the things we hear a lot from people is that they’re worried about grizzlies but not so much about black bears. How do you answer that? Read more