In this episode of the Wildtalk Podcast, find out what’s happening around the state, talk about on-the-ground projects with the Michigan United Conservation Club’s Makhayla LaButte, and hear listener questions answered in the mailbag segment. The episode wraps up with a discussion what to do if you’re dealing with feisty, nuisance turkeys this spring.
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
Main Interview Guest(s): Makhayla LaButte
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, find out what’s happening around the state, talk about on-the-ground projects with the Michigan United Conservation Club’s Makhayla LaButte, and hear listener questions answered in the mailbag segment. The episode wraps up with a discussion what to do if you’re dealing with feisty, nuisance turkeys this spring.
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
Main Interview Guest(s): Makhayla LaButte
Questions or comments about the show? Contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453 (WILD) or email dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov.
Hannah:
Insert-
Rachel:
Gobble gobble.
Hannah:
... Turkey noises here.
Rachel:
Gobble.
Announcer:
You know what that sound means? It's time for the Michigan DNR's Wildtalk podcast. Welcome to the Wildtalk 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 Wildtalk. I'm your host, Rachel Leitner, and hosting with me today is Hannah Shower.
Hannah:
Well, today we'll be talking with Makhayla LaButte from Michigan United Conservation Clubs about habitat projects and some volunteer opportunities. And sometime during the episode, we will be revealing the winners of our Wildtalk podcast camp mugs and you can find out how you can win one too.
Rachel:
Now is your opportunity to win a Wildtalk podcast mug. As a thank you to our listeners, we'll be giving away a mug or two every episode.
Hannah:
Yes, and our March mug winners are Sara Dezernus and Shane Moore. They answered how long is the typical lifespan of the lake sturgeon. Now this answer can be quite variable. For males, it is typically 55 years and 70 to 100 years is typical for females. And I might add this unique fish can weigh up to 200 pounds and get seven feet in length. Females tend to be longer lived and also longer and heavier than the males, which I found very interesting. So good job, Sarah and Shane.
Rachel:
Yeah, that is a remarkable fish. Not only is it that big in size, but it lives that many years and it's in the great lakes. For some reason, when I think of the great lakes and freshwater, I just think of smaller species of fish, but that is not the case. This is an enormous fish we have.
Hannah:
Yes and ancient, so ancient. Fascinating.
Rachel:
Yeah. Nice job, Sarah and Shane. I would have not guessed that if I didn't use the Google to find that question.
Rachel:
All right, to be entered into the drawing this month, test your wildlife knowledge and answer our wildlife quiz question. This month's question is, what bird has the nickname of timber doodle.
Hannah:
Email your name and answer to us at dnr-wildlife@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 April 15th. We'll announce winners and the answer on next month's podcast so be sure to listen in and see if you've won and for our next quiz question.
Rachel:
Good luck to you and now back to the podcast.
Rachel:
We will also be giving you some updates on work going on for wildlife around the state and as always answering your questions from the mailbag. But first we're going to shine our wildlife spotlight on the wild turkey.
Rachel:
Well, it certainly isn't Thanksgiving, but it is a great time to talk about wild turkeys because spring is breeding season.
Hannah:
Yes, indeed. I'm sure you've heard us say that about a lot of critters so far this spring, but turkeys are no exception. And turkeys stay in Michigan year round and while you may have had wild turkeys hanging around throughout the winter, you might see more activity from them right now and you might even get to see a tom turkey put on a show for the ladies.
Rachel:
Male turkeys, or toms, are going to work to attract females by strutting their stuff, gobbling, and fanning out their tails.
Hannah:
Turkey's nest on the ground and have 10 to 14 eggs in a clutch. The hen will start incubating her eggs after the last egg has been laid and it takes about a month before those eggs will hatch. Then you'll see a mom leading her brood round in search of tasty things to eat.
Rachel:
Turkeys are omnivores and eat a variety of foods including insects, seeds, green vegetation, acorns, and nuts.
Hannah:
Turkeys are typically found in groups and these flocks or rafters can range from five to 50 individuals. Typically a rafter is either all females or all males.
Rachel:
Wild turkeys may roost in trees or other tall places overnight. And they can fly up to 55 miles per hour. That's very fast, especially for such a large bird.
Hannah:
Yeah, I never would have thought that they could move that quickly. I think they can run fairly fast too, but they are such a large bird to move that quickly.
Rachel:
Yep. And though you might only see them meandering around about forging, they can shift to flying when they need to.
Hannah:
Wild turkeys can be found throughout most of the state in forest and grassland habitats. Not to mention neighborhoods and urban areas too. I see them all the time around my neighborhood here. The other morning, I had to slam on the brakes in the middle of the road because there was a group of hens crossing the street, they're super lackadaisical about it. There didn't seem phased at all that there were cars driving by so very common to see around, especially in those groups in the spring time, just hanging out.
Rachel:
Yeah, actually the only time I have seen a flying turkey, it was a group of about 40 turkeys that were moving into the woods to sleep for the evening and they just came flying in through an open brush area in a huge flock of turkeys. And then quickly got to work eating insects and grubs all over the forest floor, but they are certainly an abundance of them.
Rachel:
And that's what we usually say, an abundance of turkeys. So can you believe that there was once a time in Michigan when you couldn't see even one wild turkey?
Hannah:
It is hard to believe. After dramatic population declines in the early 1900s from habitat loss, turkeys were re-introduced in the 1950s and now you can see them all over. It's a very awesome success story and it's one that is mind boggling when I think about it and read about it. Going from no turkeys to turkeys everywhere, it's a very cool success story and very neat how humans can play a part in aiding a species comeback.
Rachel:
Absolutely. And that's not even Michigan specific. I mean the turkey success story goes for largely across the entire United States. Very cool conservation story worth looking into if you get the chance.
Rachel:
And now, turkeys have recovered so much that we have hunting seasons. So there are even spring and fall hunting seasons for turkey throughout the entire state and we'll touch on some spring hunting opportunities a bit later in the episode. If you want to learn more about turkey hunting, which we have a season starting this month in April, you can visit Michigan.gov/turkey.
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:
So the springtime is really the kickoff for many habitat projects on DNR lands across the whole state. And these projects are meant to benefit wildlife and wildlife recreation, everything from our big game species like white tail deer to non-game species like box turtles, and even those that are federally endangered, like the Karner blue butterfly.
Rachel:
Now throughout each region, most field staff are all working on similar projects, really with one goal in mind and that's to prepare the land for our spring growing seasons. So rather than provide an update from each region, we thought we'd just give you an overview of the springtime habitat projects that you may encounter if you're recreating, or if you live near state lands. And some of the most common practices we use during the spring season are prescribed burns, removing invasive species, planting food plots, and serving habitats for population estimates.
Hannah:
And every region from Southeast Monroe County to the tip of the UP's Keweenaw Peninsula uses prescribed burns. A prescribed burn is an area that we intentionally set fire to, to remove invasive and unwanted species. It helps native plants compete during their life cycles and prevents more wildfires from occurring.
Rachel:
Prescribed burns can be used in both dry and wet habitats, which I did not know prior to this episode and doing some research. So for example, prescribed fires are often used in Southeast Michigan to remove invasive species like narrow leaf cat tail and phragmites from managed waterfall areas. And these invasive species often prevent native plants from growing and then they often grow so densely that waterfall and other wetland species have a really tough time moving through it. So therefore we remove these species to open up those wetland complexes so that waterfall and other aquatic species can thrive in them.
Rachel:
There's also several plants species in Michigan that actually require the extreme heat from fire in order to germinate and disperse their seeds. For example, the Jack pine tree, the Jack pine cones will only release their seeds, they'll only open to drop their seeds out, when it's exposed to extremely hot temperatures. And in order for these Jack pine forests to continue to grow, we have to burn them every few years. And these forest cover a lot of Michigan and they benefit a whole huge suite of wildlife species, everything from deer and turkey to small foraging rodents, to even the Kirtland's warbler, which is a bird species that was recently delisted from the federally endangered species list.
Hannah:
To make a long story short, a prescribed fire may look like it's devastating the land while it's in progress, but the result is an abundance of native wildlife and plant species.
Hannah:
Another springtime habitat project on many state lands is planting food plots and sharecropping with local farmers. During the spring planting season, farmers will plant their agricultural crops on DNR lands where they'll grow throughout the summer. When harvest time rolls around in the fall, the farmers will only harvest about 75% of the crops, leaving 25% of the crop standing in the field and that provides food and shelter for wildlife, but also quality hunting opportunities.
Rachel:
There are additional food plots planted by our field staff, where we have more flexibility in the types of crops that are planted. We typically plant corn or soybeans or other foods in high nutritional content. And we plant those annually because it's a great food source for many wildlife species. We also plant clover, grasses, and wildflowers because they provide excellent shelter to smaller wildlife like ground nesting, birds, snakes, rodents, and pollinators.
Rachel:
One more activity you might see on state land this spring, our DNR staff conducting population surveys. As the winter comes to an end, staff will be assessing how the winter weather affected wildlife by counting various wildlife species. In the UP, we're conducting the fawn to total deer survey and bat hibernacula surveys. For the fawn to total deer survey, we're looking for deer as they emerge from their overwintering habitats and moving into their summer ranges. Specifically, we're looking to see how many fawns were able to survive the winter. The goal of this survey is to observe at least 500 deer in each deer management unit. This active survey involves staff running routes to observe deer directly with the spotting scope and the data collected from the survey will be used to inform management decisions and regulations, such as harvest quotas and whether certain deer management units will be open to antlerless harvest this fall.
Hannah:
In the Western Upper Peninsula, biologists are visiting known bat hibernacula sites to count bats and collect data for various research projects. In a normal year, we survey approximately 20 different sites, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were restricted to only sites involved in high priority research projects. These sites vary in size and bat population, ranging from 12 individuals to 1,200 individuals. In the few sites that were visited, biologists have reported declines in population as a result of the white nose syndrome, which is a fungus that irritates the bats skin causing it to wake and leave its hibernacula in the wintertime when temperatures are too cold and there aren't any insects available.
Hannah:
We've talked about white nose syndrome on past episodes of the podcast as well. So if you want to learn more about that, check out some of our past episodes or visit michigan.gov/bats.
Rachel:
So these are just a few examples of the work our DNR staff will be up to this spring. The spring season is usually a very busy time for all of our staff, but it is met with great excitement and enjoyment to be outdoors in the warmer weather, so we look forward to all of these springtime activities.
Rachel:
All right, next up, we'll be chatting with Makhayla LaButte, the Habitat Volunteer Coordinator with Michigan United Conservation Clubs.
Announcer:
Did you know that you can take your hunting and fishing regulations with you wherever you go? Have access to the information you need, when you need it right on your smartphone. Just visit michigan.gov/DNRdigests to download the applicable hunting digest before you head out to the woods or the Michigan fishing guide before you hit the water. Download the most up-to-date regulations available today at michigan.gov/DNRdigests.
Hannah:
Welcome back to Wildtalk. Today we are joined by Makhayla LaButte, Habitat Volunteer Coordinator with Michigan United Conservation Clubs. Welcome Makhayla, we're happy to have you.
Makhayla LaButte :
Thank you, I appreciate the opportunity to be here.
Rachel:
So Makhayla, why don't we start off with you telling us a little bit how you got started with the On The Ground program and what your role with Michigan United Conservation Clubs is?
Makhayla LaButte :
Sure. So in 2019, I graduated from Lake Superior State University with a Bachelor's degree in Conservation Biology and a concentration in Human Dimensions. So prior to my role as MUCC's Habitat Volunteer Coordinator, I held [inaudible 00:14:58] positions with the DNR Wildlife Division, the DNR Parks and Recreation Division, and served as a biological science intern with the US Forest Service.
Makhayla LaButte :
When I saw the position open at MUCC, I thought it was a really great opportunity to harness my passion for biology and help create a stewardship ethic in the public. And I've been the volunteer coordinator at MUCC for almost two years now, and I've really enjoyed it.
Rachel:
You do wonderful work in that role, so we're happy you're there. Could you elaborate a little bit more on the On The Ground program, what it is and how it got started?
Makhayla LaButte :
OTG, or as we call it, is MUCC's award-winning wildlife habitat improvement program. For those that don't know, Michigan United Conservation Clubs, we are the largest state specific conservation organization in the country. And OTG is the field program that we run.
Makhayla LaButte :
So OTG hosts projects that improve habitat for wildlife on public land across Michigan. Many of our projects are hosted in partnership with the DNR Wildlife Division. The OTG program is fully funded through a memorandum of agreement with the Michigan DNR Wildlife Division, so we partner very closely with their biologists and technicians.
Makhayla LaButte :
It was founded in 2013 and started with six pilot projects, but since then the program has grown to host an average of about 25 habitat improvement events per year. And we also have a youth version of the program that was founded in 2016, and that's called On The Ground Junior, and it provides local students with a field trip day and connects them to their nearby public lands.
Makhayla LaButte :
As I mentioned, OTG was founded in 2013 and it's actually the result of MUCC's efforts to give volunteers the ability to assist the department with public land work. So, as we all know, Michigan is home to 4.6 million acres of state owned public lands. And we have a growing interest in our population that loves to get outdoors, so the work can really add up. And OTG was a great opportunity to help the Wildlife Division achieve their management goals and connect the public to their lands for stewardship work.
Rachel:
So, as you mentioned, on average, you have about 25 events per year, and that includes a lot of volunteer work as well. So what types of projects or work gets accomplished by your OTG volunteers?
Makhayla LaButte :
A lot of our projects are designed by DNR wildlife biologists and technicians, so the goal is to help them achieve their wildlife management goals in the region or in a specific area. An example of some of the recurrent projects that we do almost every year would be native tree and shrub plantings, brush pile building for small game and other wildlife, invasive floor removal, hunter or user access trail improvement, grassland habitat restoration, and wood duck nest box installation.
Makhayla LaButte :
We've also been involved with habitat improvement efforts for the recently delisted Kirtland's warblers and the state [inaudible 00:17:56] blazing star borer moth in the rare Oak Openings region of Southeast Michigan. While some of our projects really highlight the habitat needs of one specific species, a majority of the projects are designed by wildlife professionals and a program to enhance or restore the landscape for all native wildlife that use the area.
Hannah:
Fantastic. So I'm curious, we've talked a lot about how we've partnered with our biologists and technicians to come up with these projects, so are these projects and the volunteer work primarily completed on state game areas or do other types of public lands benefit from this habitat work as well?
Makhayla LaButte :
OTG's projects do take place primarily on state game area land. Although state forests are also a frequent location for habitat improvement efforts. OTG has hosted projects in 50 Michigan counties, so that's about 60% of Michigan's 83 counties. And we're always looking to grow our impact in areas of the state where our presence hasn't been as frequent. So moving forward, you'll find us prioritizing projects in areas of the state like Southeast Michigan, the Northeastern Lower Peninsula, and the Eastern UP. But since our program is funded through hunting license sales, you'll primarily find us on lands that are open to the public for hunting.
Hannah:
That's fantastic. I love that you guys have covered so many different parts of the state and been able to likely work in a lot of different habitat types. Do you have any upcoming projects that you're going to be looking for volunteers for or opportunities for folks who might be interested in helping out with any of your programs?
Makhayla LaButte :
Yes, we do. So the spring season is much lighter than normal this year due to continued COVID-19 restrictions, but we do have two habitat events that are currently open for registration. The first is a small game habitat event for brush pile building on state forest land in Calcasa. In addition to building brush piles, we'll also have volunteers improving natural openings and edge feathering to provide enhanced habitat for species like Woodcock, ruffed grouse, wild turkey, rabbits, hare, and white tail deer. So such habitat efforts benefit non-game species like songbirds and reptiles as well.
Makhayla LaButte :
The second project is within the Mendon City State Game Area in the thumb region. A local business in the area donated approximately 200 oak trees, so we will be partnering with the Robert J. Little Chapter of the ruffed grouse society over there to improve habitat within that SGA. The hard mass producing trees will benefit a variety of wildlife, including ruffed grouse, wild turkey, and white tail deer, so it should be a great way to enhance some local lands.
Makhayla LaButte :
We also have more events scheduled for later in the season and they'll be shared on our Facebook and website, which I'll talk more about later, as they near. We do have some new adjustments due to COVID-19 at our events. So we're asking all volunteers to please bring a face covering to wear when social distancing of six feet or more is not possible. And while we always try to spread folks out in the field and limit any crowding during sign in and an introduction, it's always good to have that mask. We're also still providing lunch to all volunteers, but they are individualized subway lunch boxes, whenever available. So we limit shared surface and touchpoints. And hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipe, and extra masks are available at each event.
Rachel:
Thanks so much for the elaboration of your volunteer events. Now, these folks who may be interested in joining you guys, do they need to bring any tools with them for cutting brush or anything, or do they need previous knowledge of habitat work or will you guys provide what they need and educate as you go?
Makhayla LaButte :
So we do provide all necessary equipment for the project day, OTG does, and also our partners do as well. But we do encourage folks if they prefer to bring their own chainsaw or bring their own shovel or work gloves, they are welcome to do so.
Makhayla LaButte :
Regarding experience level, I'd like to just let everyone know that these events are open to all kinds of outdoor enthusiasts. So no matter your experience level, no matter how long you've been an outdoor enthusiast, you are welcome at our events. We do try to provide an educational component to each event. So in the introduction, when we're talking about the habitat, why we are doing the event that day, we keep it open to questions with the biologist or the other partners and myself. And we give a history of the area, why it's being managed the way it is, and it can be a really great learning opportunity for outdoor veterans or folks that are brand new to the outdoors as well.
Rachel:
Yeah and I will say that these events, especially the OTG events, are awesome for maybe folks trying to get into the natural resource industry. So while you're going to school, if you're working on a conservation degree or any kind of outdoor degree. I attended an OTG event when I was going through school and they just kind of show you the ropes of what your future career will be looking like. So whether you're new to conservation, you just want an excuse to get outside, or you're looking to build a resume, or you're a seasoned veteran when it comes to habitat work, these events are so awesome at building that skill.
Makhayla LaButte :
Absolutely. And another great thing about our events is that we often partner with a lot of great conservation groups. So if you're looking to come out and build your experience with on the ground habitat work, it's a great opportunity. You might meet folks from the Ruffed Grouse Society, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Nature Conservancy are just a few that we partner with. And then we also partner with local conservation clubs, conservation districts, college environmental clubs, and businesses like Consumers Energy even come out with our program. So no matter what your interests are, whether you're a hunter, angler, trapper, birder, naturalist, any outdoor enthusiast, we're all working to improve the habitat for the wildlife we all enjoy.
Hannah:
So you said you have 25 events, on average, that On The Ground accomplishes or has each year, do you have a overall number of how many acres have been impacted by the On The Ground efforts?
Makhayla LaButte :
Yeah, we actually have really impressive program statistics to boast about. So we were founded in 2013, as I mentioned, and since that time, OTG has hosted more than 155 projects and engaged more than 3,100 volunteers. These volunteers have contributed nearly 15,000 hours of on the ground habitat improvements. And through these statewide efforts, OTG volunteers have impacted more than 3,000 acres of habitat on public land in Michigan.
Rachel:
15,000 hours of volunteers on 3,000 acres of land, that's impressive. Very cool work.
Hannah:
So where can folks who might be interested in getting involved or finding out more about how they might register for upcoming events for the On The Ground program, where can they learn more?
Makhayla LaButte :
So to learn more about OTG or register for a wildlife habitat improvement event that might interest you, you can visit our OTG webpage that's on the MUCC website and that web address would be MUCC.org/on-the-ground. And we also post updates on social media and you can find MUCC or the OTG program on social media. And that usernames would be @MUCCOTG or @MUCC1937. And finally, we also have an Instagram page and our username on Instagram is @MUCC1937 as well.
Hannah:
Perfect. Well, we'll be sure to include links to those in our show notes so folks can find you.
Rachel:
All right, well, thank you, Makhayla. And to our listeners, stay put. Up next, we'll be looking into the mailbag and answering some of your questions.
Announcer:
Did you know that Michigan lies where the Atlantic and Mississippi migratory flyways intersect? This brings over 340 species of birds to Michigan each year. Follow MI Birds on Facebook to learn more about our feathered friends, year round guided bird walks, stewardship events, and community science opportunities near you. MI Birds is an education and outreach program created by Audubon Great Lakes in the Michigan DNR. Search MI Birds on Facebook. That's M-I birds.
Rachel:
Welcome back to Wildtalk. Now it is time for us to dig into the mailbag and answer your questions.
Rachel:
The first question I received is from John, who wrote in to report his observations of a black bear moving around a residential neighborhood in Trevor city. And he wanted to know what he can do to help his community prevent bear conflicts.
Rachel:
Well, thanks for writing in with this question, John, it is frequently being asked right now, as black bears are rising from hibernation across Northern Michigan and the UP and are searching for food sources.
Rachel:
So bears have a big appetite and a great sense of smell and a really excellent memory for remembering where they find a meal. So the best thing that you can do for bears and your community is remove those food sources right now, bird feeders, you need to remove them totally. Some people think that they can just remove the bird feeders at night and that will suffice, but it won't because if you leave them up during the daytime, those birds can be messy and drop seeds onto the ground and even the seeds being on the ground can attract a bear or other curious wildlife. So remove your bird feeders, your garbage cans, pet foods, grills with any kind of food debris or smells on them, these are all attractants to bears and other curious wildlife and if left available will only entice the bear to keep returning. So step one, remove all of those food sources.
Rachel:
If you would like to share our resources with your neighbors on how to prevent conflicts, we do have brochures and videos available at Michigan.gov/wildlife. This can provide you with all the information you need if you live in an area where there may be a bear. We also can link to the Bear Smart brochure in our show notes, just for quick access if you'd like to download that and share it in your community. If you're still having issues with bears two to three weeks after the feeders and the food sources have been removed, or if the situation escalates and the bear seems to be losing its fear of humans, please contact your nearest DNR office or send an email to the main wildlife email at dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov and we'll be able to get you in contact with your local wildlife biologist.
Hannah:
Good reminders. Sure folks are getting tired of us telling them to remove those food sources, but lots of critters like those food sources and we will be talking about that some more later on, too.
Hannah:
Anyway, I had Matthew email me some photos of a red fox and a coyote in his area and was wondering if it is possible for them to coexist. He mentioned the fox sometimes follows the coyote while the coyote generally ignores the fox. He wonders if the fox is acting so bold because it may have kits in the area and also wonders if the coyote would go after the foxes his kits.
Hannah:
The short answer to this question, it's certainly possible. Red fox and coyote are generally going to be competing for resources like food and space. Coyotes may kill or drive out the fox to eliminate the competition for these resources. The coyote does have the size advantage over the fox and so it may be acting unphased by the fox's presence because it has little reason to be fearful of the fox. And it could be very likely that the fox is scared of the coyote and maybe the bold behavior by the fox could be suggestive of the fox having a litter of kits in the area. Right now it is breeding season for both species and there could be baby young coyotes or foxes born by now.
Hannah:
And the final question, yes, the coyote may kill the fox kits if given the opportunity. Again, just that competition, trying not to have competition between the two. The coyote does have the upper paw in that scenario. Regardless, the two species probably won't tolerate each other for long and it's likely that the coyote might try and run the fox out of the area.
Hannah:
Now, speaking of foxes and coyotes, Brian says they have a fox that took up residence in a culvert under their driveway, and is wondering what steps to take to get the fox to relocate. So similar to what you would do to discourage coyotes, you'd also do to discourage fox. Removing those bird feeders, don't leave pet foods outside, remove any other attractants from the area, as well as using hazing techniques, so yelling at the fox, making loud noises, those kinds of different methods that you might use to scare animals away can work with the fox as well.
Hannah:
You can also discourage a fox from denning on your property by making sure you are creating a lot of human activity and disturbance in the area. So you can do things like running your lawn equipment frequently, making a lot of noise around the area, driving your lawnmower nearby the culvert because this may make the fox feel uncomfortable, and then they may choose another den site or relocate their family if they've already had kits. The more you make disturbance in the area and haze the fox, the more likely it will be to leave the area on its own.
Hannah:
As always, nuisance wildlife control businesses can assist with removal if hazing and removal of attractants has proven ineffective. Find more tips and information at michigan.gov/wildlife.
Rachel:
There is certainly a common theme among all the questions that we've been getting this season that spring wildlife are becoming more active and abundant and looking for food after probably not having many tasty things to eat in the winter months. So wildlife can live really close to us, whether we like them to or not. And the best way to remove them is to remove the food sources if you don't want them near and just try to scare them out of the area when you see them.
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.
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 1-800-44-PARKS to make a reservation.
Rachel:
As we mentioned at the top of the episode, it is a busy time for turkeys, as turkeys are getting busy. And as the males, or the toms, are competing for females, they can get a little bit feisty.
Hannah:
Yes. And if you have some turkeys in your neighborhood that are becoming bothersome, you'll want to try and haze them as well as removing any wildlife feeders that may be out. Note the reoccurring theme here.
Rachel:
While many people may feed the turkeys and enjoy seeing them, especially in the winter months, fed turkeys can become comfortable being around people and may start to be unwelcome. So if you do have feeders out, make sure they are inaccessible to the turkeys, or you may need to remove them all together.
Hannah:
You will also want to establish your dominance and show those turkeys who's boss. Use some hazing techniques to scare them when they come around, like making loud noises and waving wildly at them. Don't be shy, be loud, make big movements to maintain the turkey's natural fear of humans.
Rachel:
Loud and scary is the key to deterring, noted. Other hazing methods you can try a rattling coins in a jar, open and close umbrellas at turkeys to spook them away, use automatic sprinklers in your yard, or try spraying a hose in their direction.
Hannah:
Male turkeys, especially right now during the breeding season, can become territorial towards other male turkeys and that includes their own reflection. Now you might have noticed this with other birds too, like robins or cardinals that pick out their reflection on a window. So the same with those smaller birds you would also do with turkeys, cover your windows or try to disguise them to help keep the turkey from seeing its own reflection especially if you know you have some male turkeys hanging out in your area. You'll also want to park vehicles inside or put a cover over them if the Turkey finds its reflection in the paint or your shiny hubcaps.
Rachel:
If you're in an area where hunting is allowed, you may take advantage of spring turkey hunting opportunities. Hunting plays an important role in managing turkeys by regulating their numbers. The spring turkey season begins April 17th and runs through June 7th, in many areas. Drawing results were available on March 1st and you can check drawing results or see if there are any leftover licenses available at michigan.gov/Turkey.
Hannah:
And if you weren't successful in the drawing for a spring turkey license, don't worry, the Hunt 234 license does not require an application. Hunt 234 licenses are on sale now with any other available leftover licenses.
Rachel:
The hunt 234 spring turkey license allows you to hunt public and private lands statewide except for public lands in unit ZZ, which is the Southern Lower Peninsula. You can use your hunt 234 license through the whole month of May.
Hannah:
Again, you can find more details on turkey hunting and turkey hunting information at michigan.gov/Turkey. You can find more turkey tips at michigan.gov/wildlife, and look in the nuisance wildlife section if you're having troubles with turkeys and want to look at some more information on how to deter them.
Rachel:
And that wraps our April episode. Thanks so much for tuning in. We hope that you are spending lots of time outdoors, enjoying the sights and sounds and smells of springtime. We will catch you back here on May 1st for the next episode.
Announcer:
This has been the Wildtalk podcast, your monthly podcast airing the first of each month and offering insights into the world of wildlife across the state of Michigan.
Announcer:
You can reach the wildlife division at 517-284-9453 or dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov.