In this episode of the Wildtalk Podcast, we’ll shine our wildlife spotlight on the elk, find out what habitat work is happening in the Southeastern Lower Peninsula, hear listener questions answered in the mailbag segment and get a sample of conservation officer activity reports from the field.
Questions or comments about the show? Contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453 (WILD). You can also email dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov, and even send your question as a sound file that you record on your phone to be played on the air!
Episode Hosts: Hannah Schauer and Rachel Leightner
Producer: Eric Hilliard
Around the State Guest: Kaitlyn Barnes
Law enforcement segment host: Katie Gervasi
Questions or comments about the show? Contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453 (WILD) or email dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov.
In this episode of the Wildtalk Podcast, we’ll shine our wildlife spotlight on the elk, find out what habitat work is happening in the Southeastern Lower Peninsula, hear listener questions answered in the mailbag segment and get a sample of conservation officer activity reports from the field.
Questions or comments about the show? Contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453 (WILD). You can also email dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov, and even send your question as a sound file that you record on your phone to be played on the air!
Episode Hosts: Hannah Schauer and Rachel Leightner
Producer: Eric Hilliard
Around the State Guest: Kaitlyn Barnes
Law enforcement segment host: Katie Gervasi
Questions or comments about the show? Contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453 (WILD) or email dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov.
Announcer:
You know what that sound means, it's time for the Michigan DNR's Wild Talk Podcast. Welcome to the Wild Talk Podcast, where representatives from the DNR's wildlife division chew the fat and shoot the scat about all things habitat, feathers, and fur. With insights, interviews, and your questions answered on the air, you'll get a better picture of what's happening in the world of wildlife here in the great state of Michigan.
Rachel:
Welcome to Wild Talk, I'm your host, Rachel Leightner, and here with me today is the wonderful Hannah Schauer.
Hannah:
In this month's episode, we'll be hearing some conservation officer reports from the field. And later in the show, we'll be answering some of your questions from the mailbag and we will also be revealing the winners of our Wild Talk Podcast Camp mugs sometime during this episode. And you can find out how you can win one too.
Rachel:
We've also got Kaitlyn Barnes on the show to talk about some upcoming events in the Southeast region that you might want to check out. But right now we're going to shine our wildlife spotlight on the elk.
Elk are large brown animals weighing in anywhere from 350 to 900 pounds. Now, as a member of the deer or the cervidae family, the males have antlers that grow and shed annually. Probably the easiest way to distinguish an elk from a white-tailed deer, aside from the large body size, is the buff-colored rump patch, the short tail, and a dark mane of shaggy hair hanging from around the neck and chest.
Hannah:
Yes, that rump patch is fairly characteristic. Elk are typically social animals, and the makeup and size of the group usually depends on the time of year. Cows, or females, and their young spend the summers in groups, and males, or bulls, are usually solitary or form small bachelor groups.
Rachel:
During September, bulls will gather a harem or a group of females for breeding. Now the bull will entice the female with his bugle. Now we're going to share a clip of an elk bugle from the National Park Service for those who may have not have heard the sound before. It's very unusual.
Hannah:
That was quite a sound to hear. I'm not really sure why the ladies find it so attractive, but I'm not an elk.
Rachel:
Yes. And in fact, this time of year is a great time to do some elk viewing, and you might be able to hear this bugle for yourself in the wild. Michigan's Pigeon River Country State Forest is home to one of the largest free-roaming elk herds east of the Mississippi. There are designated elk viewing areas within the Pigeon River Country State Forest in Michigan and the elk range includes several counties, including Sheboygan, Otsego, and Montmorency. Now we do have a map of these viewing locations on our website at Michigan.gov/wildlife, and we will plug that link into our show notes.
Hannah:
While Pigeon River Country State Forest is an excellent place to look for elk, if you're wondering what sort of habitat they prefer, there is some seasonal variation in habitat use depending on things like food, availability, weather, and so on. So for this time of year, elk are typically grazing in open grassy areas and the bull elk will be bugling, which is why it's the best time to try and spot one.
Rachel:
Now, generally speaking, elk prefer a landscape with plenty of open areas and young vegetation. Aspen is a common forest type in the landscape occupied by elk here in Michigan and one of their preferred foods. You might also see an elk implanted or fertilized areas such as agricultural lands.
Hannah:
Now after the fall breeding season, larger winter herds of elk will form but some males will remain solitary. Calves will be born in late May or June and weigh 25 to 30 pounds, and calves will have a spotted coat, just kind of like a deer fawn, and can follow their mother a few days after birth.
Rachel:
Elk calves will start eating plant materials soon after birth but will take several months before they are fully weaned. As we mentioned earlier, elk like to graze and eat a variety of vegetation like young grasses and forbs, things like dandelions, aster, clove, and hawkweed, but they also still really like aspen.
Hannah:
Yes. And the winter diet for the elk includes twigs and bark of plants such as cedar, hemlock, and maple, but they will search for patches of grass or paw through the shallow snow to reach grass during the winter months. Elk typically forage at night and near dawn and dusk. During the day the elk will bed down and chew its cud.
Rachel:
Mm-hmm. I think elk have four stomachs just like cows do. It's a very interesting digestive system.
Hannah:
Yeah, it's weird. Just the concept of chewing your cud is weird and somewhat gross.
Rachel:
It's ick.
Hannah:
Mm-hmm.
Rachel:
Michigan's native elk herd disappeared in the late 1800s. Today's elk herd dates back to 1918 when seven Western animals were released near Wolverine, Michigan. Our current elk population has grown from these few animals to an estimated population of 1200 individuals.
Hannah:
It's pretty neat that the herd has made such a comeback. Now today the herd continues to thrive due to habitat management in the elk range and an annual hunting season. The first regulated elk hunt was held in 1984 and has occurred every year since. The hunt allows for a limited harvest, removing just enough elk to keep a balance between the population and how much habitat is available, this ensures there is enough space and food for the entire herd.
Rachel:
Yes, those elk sure can eat a lot. Now, of course, the successful reintroduction of elk is also a result of ongoing partnerships to fund and carry out habitat projects throughout the range. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Huron Pines, and the Pigeon River State Country Forest Advisory Group, and local land conservancies, universities, and hunters, and many others have played a valuable role in restoring the mighty elk herd in Michigan.
If you enjoyed hearing about the elk and you would like to learn more about Michigan's population or the elk hunting opportunities, visit michigan.gov/elk. Now don't trot off, next up we'll be finding out what is happening in the Southeast region.
Announcer:
Pure Michigan Hunt applications are on sale now. If you want your shot of what is considered Michigan's ultimate hunt, pick up a $5 application or two, there's no limit to the number you can buy. If you're one of the three lucky winners, you'll get a hunting prize package worth thousands, as well as licenses for elk, bear, spring and fall turkey, antlerless deer, and first, pick at a managed waterfowl area for a reserved hunt. Purchase anywhere hunting licenses are sold or online at michigan.gov/pmh.
Rachel:
Welcome back to Wild Talk. Today we have on wildlife biologist, Kaitlyn Barnes, who's joining us on the show to chat about some upcoming events in the Southeast region. Thanks for joining us today, Kaitlyn.
Kaitlyn:
I'm really excited to be here. Thanks for inviting me.
Rachel:
So we have heard that folks will have the opportunity to take a tour of the Port Huron State Game Area in St. Clair County this fall, which is a very beautiful time of year. Can you tell us a little bit more about what folks can check out at Port Huron?
Kaitlyn:
Yeah, absolutely. I'm really excited to share this event. So this is going to be our first ever walk and talk event at the Port Huron State Game Area. So for anyone who isn't familiar, Port Huron State Game Area is almost 7,000 acres and it's a mostly forested corridor following the Black River. It's one of the largest contiguous forested landscapes in that part of the state and it offers a lot of opportunity to anyone who wants to get outdoors.
So it's got these really beautiful viewing opportunities too along the Black River Valley where you can look down over a hundred feet at the river and there's all these awesome forested ridges and ravines throughout the area, which makes it a really unique area for that part of the state.
So our walk and talk event is really meant to be an opportunity to share some of that beauty with everyone. And so on Saturday, September 24th, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, it's going to be exactly as it sounds, some walking and some talking, and also some driving, but that doesn't rhyme so we'll exclude that for now. But we're going to have some of our awesome partners are going to be gathered at the Port Huron field office for the day, so from 9 to 3, and you can stop by any time and talk with them, talk with local conservation officers, and wildlife staff, so myself included. So as the wildlife biologist, I'm responsible for managing that area and so myself and also other staff, so John Darling, the area technician will also be there with other DNR staff to answer any and all questions folks have.
And then, yeah, we'll be giving two tours of the area to showcase some of the habitat projects that our partners have helped us to accomplish. So we've recently done some cuttings for American Woodcock, we've been working with Pheasants Forever out there on some grassland plantings, and we've also got a timber sale that we recently did last fall. So we really want to share some of the accomplishments that our partners have helped us with and then also share some of our favorite parts of the area. So, yep. We're going to do two tours, one's going to start at 9:30, and then another is going to start at 12:30, and then folks can stop by any time in between to just visit and hang out and ask questions if they don't want to go on the full tour.
Rachel:
That sounds like an incredible opportunity for anybody who's in the area or has been curious about Port Huron State Game Area to come check it out with you, with the local DNR staff and see what a state game area is all about and the incredible habitat work you guys do out there. That sounds awesome. Thanks for sharing.
Kaitlyn:
You mentioned a good point there too, Rachel, about what state game areas are about, and that's been a part of what we want to express to people too. I get a lot of questions about, "Well, what is a state game area? Why aren't there more trails and more signs? How is it different from a state park?" So that's another thing we just really hope to showcase to folks is what these state game areas are, how you can recreate on them, what you can do on them. There's folks out there hunting, they're hiking, there's some phenomenal birding out there, especially around that time of year when we're getting into fall migration there's some really cool opportunities to see some really neat birds, especially because, again, it's kind of one of the longer, largest forested corridors in that part of the state and there's a lot of old growth forest that supports species that you probably won't see anywhere else in that area.
Hannah:
Sounds like a cool event for folks to check out on September 24th. So, Kaitlyn, are there any other events coming up at state game areas in the Southeast besides the Port Huron event? Any other cool events happening that we should know about?
Kaitlyn:
One that I'm really excited about because I've actually never attended it so I know I'm going to be there working and chatting with folks, but also just engaging at the event is the Pointe Mouillee Waterfowl Festival. Planning to be at that. I've never been to it before and I'm looking forward to it. This is actually the 74th annual waterfowl festival at Pointe Mouillee. So it's been a downriver tradition since 1947, making it one of the longest-running events of its kind in the state.
So historically, before we had places like Cabela's, Bass Pro, or Amazon, this is where people would go to trade goods, get ready for waterfowl season, so buying and selling decoys and calls, getting boats and gear, and now it's just a really awesome festival that a ton of people go to. So it's going to feature... there's goose and duck calling competitions, there's an arts and craft show, they have dog jumping, archery, and BB gun shooting, and it's a family-friendly event. So you'll find a kid's tent with games, face painting, popcorn, so there really is something for everyone.
And importantly, all the proceeds will benefit Habitat at Pointe Mouillee State Game Area. And the DNR office will be open and staff will be there and will be really excited to talk to you and see everyone that comes by.
Rachel:
Kaitlyn, I feel like you missed one of the main activities of Pointe Mouillee Waterfowl Festival, and that is the awesome dog watching. Everybody brings their dogs and they're super cute and there's a lot of great dogs to be pet.
Kaitlyn:
Yeah. I even heard that there's rumors that there has been or can be puppies there. It says it depends on the year, so I don't want to get everyone's hopes up, but I am definitely bringing my dog.
Rachel:
Mm-hmm.
Kaitlyn:
It's coming up September 17th and 18th so that's an also important...
Rachel:
Are there any other ways people can connect with their local staff in the Southeast region?
Kaitlyn:
Yes. The list goes on. We are also excited to be having another open house at Harsens Island Managed Waterfowl Hunt Area. So that's going to be on October 12th starting at 6:00 PM, probably wrapping up around 8:00 PM. And these events are really cool, they're just exactly that, they're an open house, they're pretty low key, and whether you are a hunter who's been wanting to hunt at Harsens Island but you're not really sure to start. It can be kind of intimidating if you've never done it before or participated in a draw so it's a great time to come by and talk with staff beforehand and check the area out. Or maybe you're just interested in walking the dikes, photographing or viewing some birds, or looking for places to launch a kayak. Our open house events give people the chance to check the area out, talk with staff, again, find out how the draws work, what the rules are, and how you can recreate. And we really enjoy folks out for those. So again, that'll be October 12th starting at 6:00 PM.
So finally, the Woods-N-Water outdoor weekend in Imlay City is September 9th, 10th, and 11th, so it's Friday evening and then all day Saturday and Sunday. And I'm really excited that Wildlife Division is going to be having a booth there. So folks can drop by and visit any time. We'll also have a conservation officer from the law enforcement division present throughout the weekend as well, so if you've got questions about rules and regulations related to law, whether it's hunting or otherwise, fishing, or if it's questions for wildlife staff, we'll be able to answer questions about online deer registration, which is going to be new this year, and we also have a new hunt and fish app that we're going to be excited to get folks using. So we'll also be there all weekend to answer everyone's questions. So we're looking forward to seeing people there.
I guess I'll just end with this is: so state land is often referred to, we constantly hear people calling it DNR land, like, "Oh, the DNR land." But in fact, it doesn't belong to the DNR, it's not the DNR's land, it belongs to the people of the state of Michigan. We are here as stewards of it.
And additionally, we, the DNR, are also here for the people of the state. And so we're always working to encourage people to use state land but also to use us, ask us questions, tell us what you want to see, tell us about how you're enjoying your areas, ask us questions, and feel free to tell us what we can do differently to make it easier for you to get out on your areas, that's what we're here for, and that's something I just want folks to know about the land and us. We're here for them.
Hannah:
Fantastic. Well, thanks so much, Kaitlyn. We appreciate you taking the time to tell us about some of these neat events happening in the Southeast region. Folks should definitely check those out if they're going to be in the area. Lots happening this fall to take advantage of.
Announcer:
September is the perfect month for elk viewing. If you're looking for a fun, free outdoor adventure for the whole family, visit michigan.gov/elk and download your elk viewing information sheet from the elk resources section. Then guided by your elk viewing map, fill your tank, grab your binoculars, and load up the family to head out to the elk range in Michigan's Northern Lower Peninsula. Don't miss out on seeing Michigan's majestic elk or hearing their bugle echo through the fall air. Visit michigan.gov/elk to plan your elk viewing adventure.
Speaker 1:
Roger that.
Katie:
This is Katie Gervasi with the DNR Law Enforcement Division bringing you Conservation Officer Biweekly Reports from the field. Conservation Officer, Alex Van Wagner responded along with Iron County deputies and a Michigan state police trooper to report of an accidental gunshot wound at a residence in Iron County. Trauma care was provided on scene and the subject was airlifted out to receive advanced medical care.
Conservation officers, Mike Olsen, Cole Van OoSten, and Todd Sumbera responded to a call of a missing angler who had failed to return from the previous day of fishing on a remote stream in northern Luce County. The missing man was found safe after a brief search of the area. Other than spending the night in the woods, he was in good health. The conservation officers were assisted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, Michigan State Police, and Luce County Sheriff's Department.
Conservation Officer Tom Oberg met with the Skegemog Raptor Center to release a bald eagle back into the wild after it went through months of rehab. Oberg and Conservation Officer Kyle Cherry recovered the eagle in early April, as it was found extremely ill. Oberg transported the eagle to the Skegemog Raptor Center in Traverse City where it has been recovering since its capture. The 22-year-old bald eagle had very toxic levels of lead poisoning, but luckily was able to make a full recovery. Oberg met with the Skegemog Raptor Center off Old State Road near Turtle Lake Road in Otsego County to release the eagle near the area from which it was recovered. It was a public event and many people attended to watch.
Conservation officers Jeff Goss and Phil Hudson, along with a deputy from the Arenac Sheriff's Department, recently teamed up to work the annual Charity island Fun Run on Saginaw Bay. The law enforcement presence focused on safety and alcohol violation enforcement. As the day progressed, the boats that attended were met with increasingly high winds and waves. Most of the vessels were forced to head back to the mainland early due to the rough waters on the bay. It was reported to be a safe event for all that attended.
While contacting anglers on an inland lake on the Isabella and Clare County line, Conservation Officer Mike Haas witnessed a watercraft operating across the lake after sunset without navigation lights. Haas was able to contact the boat operator at the launch. Further investigation revealed that the vessel was unregistered and the operator had an arrest warrant issued. He was advised and released of the warrant and received a citation for the marine violations.
Conservation officer Sam Schluckebier was able to locate a litter suspect from an investigation he began back in March of 2022. A large pile of household trash, flooring, and construction materials was found in the Allegan State Game Area. After searching through the litter, he was able to locate a potential suspect's name. However, the suspect was difficult to track down and multiple attempts were made unsuccessfully. Schluckebier eventually located the suspect's current residence and conducted an interview. The suspect claims he hired someone to dump the trash legally but he would not provide that individual's name or phone number. The suspect did admit that the items found were previously his and he would accept the consequences. A citation was issued for littering on public property.
Conservation Officer Ed Rice was patrolling Hillsdale County when he observed a truck and camper in a ditch near a state game area. Rice did not observe anyone in or around the vehicles. Rice ran the vehicle's license plate and determined the vehicle was stolen out of Hillsdale County. The registered owner was notified with the vehicle being towed and turned over to the Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office for further investigation.
Conservation Officers Joe Deppen and Brad [inaudible 00:21:24] were checking anglers at a public launch in Macomb County. One angler was getting his fishing license and started smoking marijuana right in front of the officers. Deppen in question the angler, "So are you really going to smoke that marijuana right in front of me?" The man exhaled into Deppen's face saying, "It's legal, bro." The angler was issued a citation for use of marijuana in public.
To read more Conservation Officer Biweekly Reports, go to michigan.gov/conservationofficers.
Announcer:
There are many camping and lodging opportunities available in Michigan state parks. When you choose state park campgrounds, you get more than just a campsite. State parks offer a diverse range of recreational opportunities, including hands-on instructional classes, nature programs, places to fish, boat launches, family-friendly events, and much more. Reservations can be made six months in advance so why wait? Visit midnrreservations.com or call 1-800-44PARKS to make a reservation.
Rachel:
Now let's dig into the bag and answer your questions.
Speaker 2:
One, two, three.
Rachel:
Hannah, would you like to kick us off with a question today?
Hannah:
Absolutely. Kelly asks, "Where can I find this year's waterfowl season dates and when is the Youth and Veterans Waterfowl Weekend?" So waterfowl seasons kick off today with goose hunting and early teal season, and the teal season is September 1st through the 16th. You can find this year's Waterfowl Hunting Digest, which has all the season dates and regulations online at michigan.gov/waterfowl. The digest will only be available online this year and you can download it to your smartphone to have it on hand whenever you need it. The Youth Waterfowl Hunting Weekend and the Veterans and Active Duty U.S. Military Personnel Waterfowl Hunting days are September 17th through the 18th. And if you applied for a reserved waterfowl hunt, those results will be available September 19th.
Rachel, how about you? What questions did you get?
Rachel:
Billy submitted this question and this is applicable for the hunting seasons that are getting ready to roll around. Billy wrote to us and is interested in hunting grouse and woodcock for the first time this fall and asked if there were any specific locations we recommend he look into. While there are a lot of public lands in Michigan, there are some pretty cool places we can recommend you check out. These would be the Grouse Enhanced Management Sites, which also are referred to as GEMS. If you're interested in trying to hunt grouse and woodcock this fall, these areas are excellent locations for you to check out because they're specifically managed for these species, but they are also open to different types of hunting. GEMS have groomed trails, maps of the areas with cover types, and most of them have parking lots so it's a great place to start bird hunting. If you wanted to learn more about these locations or see habitat maps of the areas, you can learn more at michigan.gov/GEMS, and you may even consider scouting some of them before the small game season opens on September 15th.
Hannah:
Excellent. Good to know. And small game season is right around the corner. And speaking of hunting seasons, Christie asked, "When is the Liberty Hunt and the early antlerless deer season?" So we'll switch here from small game to deer. Now the Liberty Hunt, which is open to youth and hunters with disabilities, takes place September 10th through 11th this year. And the Liberty Hunt is a firearm deer hunt that will take place on public or private lands open to firearm deer hunting statewide. The early antlerless firearm deer season is September 17th through 18th, and this season is open on private lands only in the Lower Peninsula. The Upper Peninsula is closed to the early antlerless firearm season. For deer hunting regulations and season dates, please be sure to review the 2022 Hunting Digest, which is available at michigan.gov/deer.
Rachel:
Thank you for that information. And I also have a question related to deer. Mark wrote into us and asks, "Will there be mandatory harvest reporting for deer hunters this year?" Yes, there will be. Online harvest reporting is a new requirement of every successful deer hunter to report their deer harvest through our website or our new mobile app beginning this year. So for the 2022 deer season, you will need to report your harvest.
Hunters will need to report the deer within 72 hours of recovering the deer or prior to transferring possession of the animal to someone else like a deer processor or taxidermist. The system will allow us a near real-time estimate of deer harvest as it occurs, which is super cool. But please be aware that the exact harvest locations that you have to enter will only be used by DNR for management purposes and will not be shared with the public. If you want to learn more, you can visit michigan.gov/deer.
Hannah:
As we zip this segment to a close, remember if you have questions about wildlife or hunting you can call 517-284-WILD or email us at DNR-wildlife@michigan.gov. Your question could be featured on the next mailbag.
Now is your opportunity to win a Wild Talk podcast mug. As a thank you to our listeners, we'll be giving away a mug or two every episode.
Rachel:
Our August mug winners are Carol Wilson and John Gein. Check your email and we'll be getting in touch with you soon. They answered the question: what does a toad do with its shed skin? The answer: they eat it. It's filled with nutrients.
Hannah:
To be entered into the drawing this month, test your wildlife knowledge and answer our wildlife quiz question. How much does a great blue heron weigh?
Rachel:
They are fairly large birds. Well, after you've pondered, email your name and answer to us at DNR-wildlif@michigan.gov to be entered for a chance to win a mug. Be sure to include the subject line as Mug Me and submit your answer by September 15th. We'll announce winners and the answer on next month's podcast so be sure to listen in to see if you've won and for the next quiz question.
Hannah:
Good luck. Now back to the show.
Rachel:
Well, folks that is our September episode. Enjoy Michigan's wildlife and we'll see you back here in October.
Announcer:
This has been the Wild Talk podcast, your monthly podcast airing the first of each month and offering insights into the world of wildlife across the state of Michigan. You can reach the Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453 or DNR-wildlife@michigan.gov.
Speaker 3:
(singing)