In this episode of the Wildtalk Podcast, find out what’s happening around the state, talk about Michigan History and the DNR Centennial with the Michigan History Center’s Tobi Voight, and hear listener questions answered in the mailbag segment. The episode wraps up with a discussion about baby wild animals that will soon be everywhere as spring approaches and the dos and don’ts if you happen to run across them.
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): Tobi Voigt
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 Michigan History and the DNR Centennial with the Michigan History Center’s Tobi Voight, and hear listener questions answered in the mailbag segment. The episode wraps up with a discussion about baby wild animals that will soon be everywhere as spring approaches and the dos and don’ts if you happen to run across them.
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): Tobi Voigt
Questions or comments about the show? Contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453 (WILD) or email dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov.
Announcer:
Do 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 DNRs 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.
Hannah:
Welcome to Wildtalk. I'm your host Hannah Schauer and with me today is Rachel Leightner.
Rachel:
Today we'll be talking with Tobi Voigt from the Michigan History Center, and sometime during the episode, we'll be revealing the winners of our Wildtalk Podcast camp mugs, and you can find out how you can win one too.
Hannah:
Yes. I'm really looking forward to talking with Tobi and sharing some of the cool work the historical center does. Speaking of history, I don't think we've mentioned yet that 2021 is a significant milestone for the DNR. It's our 100th anniversary. The Michigan Department of Conservation was created March 30th of 1921 through Public Act 17 of 1921. So, keep an eye out later this month and throughout the year for ways that you can celebrate.
Rachel:
Happy birthday DNR.
Hannah:
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 northern short-tailed shrew. I had a fun little adventure into the world of shrews recently, so I thought we could share some fun tidbits about shrews with all of you. I had a resident in Southeast Michigan send me some photos of a shrew living in their yard, and they were wondering what kind of shrew it was. So, you too can look for evidence of shrews or other small mammals in your yard, especially in or around bird feeders, flowerbeds, or patches of tall grass by looking for tunnels in the snow or narrow little pathways through the grass. Right now with the snow we have, you might not necessarily see the tunnels, but as the snow melts be on the lookout for those pathways.
Rachel:
We have a handful of shrew species that may be found in Michigan, but we're going to highlight the northern short-tailed shrew. The northern short-tailed shrew is one of the most common species and its range extends throughout the entire state.
Hannah:
And it also happens to be the species of shrews that was in those photos I had mentioned. The photos were really cute. They were of the shrew peeking out of the tunnel entrance with his little nose. They were very neat.
Rachel:
That sounds adorable. Shrews are small critters with body links averaging into three to five inch range and relatively short tails, but tail length relative to body size does vary among species. While they may look similar to a mouse or a vole, they're quite different if you look closely. They have a long pointy snout, small eyes and their ears are usually well hidden in their fur, which is the opposite of the big round mouse ears we're used to seeing.
Hannah:
And their eyes while functional, are more used for sensing light and dark, and instead of the eyesight, the shrew relies on its well-developed sense of touch through their sensitive snout. They also have a heightened sense of smell and acute hearing to help them find prey. Some species like the short-tailed shrew also use echolocation.
Rachel:
The short-tailed shrew can be found in a wide range of habitats, including grasslands, marshes, forests and backyards. Shrews primarily dine on insects and earthworms, but they will also eat spiders, slugs, nails, voles, mice, salamanders, frogs and so on. Mmm, what a delicious menu. Include fungi and seeds in their diet as well, especially during the winter months. So, places with a lot of grasses or other low to the ground plants and thick layers of leaf litter are ideal spots to find prey if you're a shrew.
Hannah:
And the northern short-tailed shrew also has a trick up its sleeve for some doing its prey. Venom, it is one of the few venomous mammals in the world. Now that I say that, we should probably use that as a fun fact for one of our mug questions. Hmm. This adaptation is particularly helpful for catching a shrew's larger prey like mice and voles, but unless you're a mouse or an earthworm, you have little reason to be fearful of the shrew.
Rachel:
Other shrew species have different adaptations and hunting techniques. Take for example the water shrew, also found in Michigan and aptly named because it does it's foraging under water. Its specialized feet help it move through the water, and its dense fur traps air to keep it warm. For many issues, mainly occurs throughout the spring and summer months with litters averaging around four to seven offspring.
Hannah:
And as you can imagine with having such a small stature, shrews don't have a very long lifespan. There are many larger species that enjoy snacking on shrews, including snakes, hawks, owls, large fish, fox, weasels, skunks, you get the idea. Cold winters or other environmental stressors can impact survival as well. We hope you enjoyed this little adventure into the world of shrews. Next up, we've got some updates for you on work happening around the state.
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 the Wildtalk Podcast. We're discussing the work being done for wildlife across the state. We'll kick off this segment with an update on the butterfly habitat work happening at the Flat River State Game Area. Now, we've mentioned in the past episodes that field staff in Southwest Michigan have been waiting for enough snow to accumulate to be able to mow back the brush and other woody species to help the loop and other flowering plants grow this spring, which will lead to plenty full habitat for Karner blue butterflies and other pollinator species to thrive. Thanks to the January and February snow showers we received. Staff were finally able to take to the field to mow over the snow for this butterfly habitat.
Hannah:
Such a cool project, and not only will it benefit the Karner blue butterflies and other pollinators, but it's also probably going to be a great place for some game species like deer, woodcock and rabbits.
Rachel:
Such an obscure thing to mow over the snow. I had no idea this existed until this year. So, we enjoyed talking about this project this year.
Hannah:
Now, if you receive hunting updates or wildlife viewing information from the DNR through your email, you may have also read about this story in our Working for Wildlife Newsletter or the Winter Wildlife Viewing Newsletter. Both of these quarterly newsletters will be highlighting the amazing work our staff do all across the state, and if you're interested in receiving this information and you don't already, you can sign up for DNR emails or change your subscription settings on the DNR homepage. So, just michigan.gov/dnr.
Rachel:
Throughout the remainder of the state, our field staff are continuing to work on winter habitat projects. So, a lot of us are wrapping up winter timber sales, we're preparing some areas for spring prescribed burns and preparing for the spring planting season, so much. I'm sure all of us are in the same boat. We're looking forward and are eager to spring, and our field staff are no different. So, they're busy planning habitat projects for when the spring begins and planning logistics and budgets and arranging and scheduling all of these different types of projects or purchasing supplies and gearing up to hire our seasonal workers to carry out some of these projects we have planned.
Hannah:
Lastly, if you enjoy listening to the around the state segment of our podcast and learning a little bit more about the inner workings of the Wildlife Division and our projects, consider checking out the 2020 Wildlife Division annual report. This report was released in February and showcases the projects and achievements of each region and unit of the Wildlife Division during the past fiscal year. So, you can find the 2020 annual report at michigan.gov/wildlife. That's all we have for around the state. Stick around for our interview with Tobi Voigt.
Announcer:
It's that time of year again. Coyote breeding season. Don't be surprised if you see more coyote activity during the next couple of months. Coyotes are found statewide and can survive just about anywhere. Coyotes can become comfortable living near people, particularly if there are food sources available, remove attractings is like trash bins, bird feeders and pet foods. Take advantage of a coyote's natural fear of humans and scare them off if you see them. Remember, coyotes can be good neighbors to have because they eat plenty of rodents.
Rachel:
Welcome back to Wildtalk. Today, we have Tobi Voigt, community engagement director from the Michigan History Center joining us. Welcome Tobi.
Tobi:
Thank you. It's great to be here.
Rachel:
Yeah. We're excited to have you on. The Michigan History Center is such a neat place and we like to give programs there occasionally. So, it's really exciting to dive into the history center a little bit more with you today.
Hannah:
And with 2021 being the 100th anniversary of the DNR, we thought it, especially fitting that we highlight some of the great work that the history center staff does, and some of those historical places around Michigan that folks might want to check out. For our listeners who might not know the history center is an integral part of the DNR and helps to support our mission working to conserve Michigan's cultural resources. So Tobi, can you tell us a little bit about the role of the Michigan History Center?
Tobi:
Yes. So, the history center is the state of Michigan's official history department division, and so, we manage 12 museums and historic sites across the state of Michigan and the archives of Michigan which collects government records as well as documents and images and materials related to Michigan's history. We have been around in one form or another almost right after statehood in the 1830s, and we have actually been part of the DNR now since 2009, and I have to say, I think us being part of the DNR is the absolute perfect fit. It's so exciting to work for an agency that we're also passionate about Michigan and Michigan's history and cultural resources as you say, and I love when I talk to folks like you in Wildlife Division about what you do, because you're just as passionate about the work that you do for Michigan's natural resources. So, I think we're a perfect fit together.
Hannah:
I think so too. It is a great fit. Can you tell us a little bit more about your role as community engagement director with the history center and just sort of what got you interested and passionate about history?
Tobi:
Yeah. I'd be glad to do that. So, my role as community engagement director with the center is relatively new. I've only been with the center, it'll be four years this June, and the role itself as community engagement director is new for the Michigan History Center. I think a lot of people, when you hear the word museum, you think, oh great, that's a really boring place where I go and get talked at about names and dates and people from the past that I don't really care about, and for me, all through school, that's how I felt about history. I thought, wow, that's boring, but I moved to a community in Michigan that had a really quaint downtown and I lived in the downtown. I was in my mid-twenties, and I remember thinking, huh, I wonder why this place is here. So, I went to the local history museum and really found it fascinating.
Tobi:
History suddenly meant a lot more to me when it was relevant to my life, and then I could see the connections, and then also I realized history isn't about names and dates, it's about stories, about people and I just fell in love with it, and so, in my museum career which has been 20 years this year, I've really worked to build a better bridge, mostly programmatically, not so much with exhibits between the museums I've worked for and the communities that our museums have been in. So, one of my big roles at the Michigan History Center is to help us build that two-way communication with visitors and residents of the state of Michigan, find out what stories are we not telling that they have, that we need to be incorporating into our exhibits and programs and just do a lot more learning. So, it's a lot of fun to be able to get out there and talk to people from all over the state and hear what is important to them in their heritage.
Hannah:
I imagine you learn something new every day.
Tobi:
Every day. Every day. Something new and it's exciting. Right now I will say, one of the things, because we are closed to COVID, and I know you'll ask me some questions in a minute, but we started almost a year ago now, right? When COVID hit, we started a COVID collecting project where we asked people to submit their photographs and their stories of what their experience was, and that has been phenomenal. That has been like, into sometimes I see some of these and I'm just crying, sometimes sad tears, sometimes happy tears, and it's been really profound to connect and be able to share those stories. I mean, in addition to us sharing the history, we collect the history for the future. So, it's really great for us to be able to be out talking to people, getting their stories of this very significant time. I think we can all agree that this is a historically significant time. So, being able to catch the stories that will help historians in the future better understand what we've lived through is really exciting.
Rachel:
What a remarkable project that is, and we'll be moving on for decades, if not centuries, to have these stories. So, I've heard a couple of times while we've been in the pandemic that you should be paying attention because we're living in history right now, and I guess we're always living in history, but this such a monumental time. How cool it must be to be collecting those stories for future ourselves to read.
Tobi:
It is. It's great, and one of the biggest reasons as you said, we've all been like, yes, we're realizing that this is unprecedented, but we ask the state's history agency, we've been asked quite a bit by media outlets and folks like, "Hey, how is..." Well, what we're going through now, similar to the influence outbreak in 1917 and TB or polio, other pandemics, and we go back and look at what we have in our collections, both in the archive of Michigan and the museum collections, and while we have a lot of great government records that tell us how the government responded to these things, we really just, in the past did not collect the stories of the people who were living it.
Tobi:
So, one of the other reasons why we wanted to do this was to be able to provide that for the future. Heaven forbid there's another pandemic like this 50, 75, 100 years down the road, but if there is, the state and the people who live here will be able to look back and hopefully take some comfort in what we are doing to take care of ourselves and take care of our community.
Rachel:
So, what other services or programs are offered through the history center?
Tobi:
So, it's a little abridged right now because of the COVID for particularly in our museum sides. Our main museum is the Michigan History Museum, which is in Downtown Lansing. That remains closed to the public because of the pandemic, and we're hopeful we'll be able to open it a little for on a limited basis, maybe as early as this summer, but who knows, but the good news is we've got 11 other sites, and most of them are in a state parks managed by the DNR, Parks and Recreation Division, and I'm excited to say that those will be open and staffed for the summer season.
Tobi:
Most of our sites in the parks are open roughly Memorial day to Labor day, and I can talk a little specifically about some of the really cool ones in a minute, but other services that we provide, and this is the one that we're excited we've been able to continue to provide in a limited capacity as our archives of Michigan not only does it collect the stories, but we have a reading room and we have open hours for researchers and individuals to come in.
Tobi:
We have a significant collection of records, both in a library, in stacks, as well as in the archives that help family researchers who are looking to research their family trees as well as a lot of government records that are requested. So, our archives staff did get permission on a limited basis pretty early on last spring to be able to work in the building to respond to inquiries. So, they started doing a telephone and email, but now you can schedule a free virtual Zoom appointment with a research archivist who can help answer your questions and help do some research for you.
Tobi:
So, that's a great service that I'm glad we're able to provide, and then other services that our museums generally provide is, we do a lot of public programs, we have exhibitions in our museums, just a lot of the standard fun stuff that people are used to do. We just had launched a great family, self-guided scavenger hunt program in the history museum in Lansing right before we closed. So, we're excited to be able to offer that when we reopen, because you do it as a family and you can safely navigate our museum together and have a little bit fun while you're doing it.
Rachel:
It's such a [crosstalk 00:18:20].
Tobi:
There's prizes too. It's going to be great.
Rachel:
Yeah. We all are going to be looking for something to do after the world opens back up and prizes are such a perfect to literally a reward while doing that. So, you had mentioned 12 historical sites, and some of them are going to be opening this spring and summer. So, what are some specific sites or museums people should check out? Do you have any favorites or any recommendation?
Tobi:
Well, obviously I love all of our sites equally. There is no favorite, but no, I'm kidding. I thought I would talk about three in particular briefly with you today, and the three I picked are very geographically representative. So, I wanted to make sure that no matter where you are in Michigan or even in one of our neighboring states, who knows wherever you are listening, you can come and have some choice on where you want to go. So, the first one I want to talk about is our Walker Tavern Historic Site. It is in Cambridge Junction Historic State Park, which is in Brooklyn, which is in Southern part of the Lower Peninsula. The building itself is a historic Tavern that was opened in 1832 on a U.S. 12, which back in the day was the main route between Detroit and Chicago.
Tobi:
So, it was the super highway before the super highway, and in fact, the route exists because it was a Potawatomi Trail between those that was turned into a road. So, it's a very historic significant and it's nestled in Michigan's Irish Hills, and our site historian, Lori Perkins has been doing a lot of research for an upcoming showcasing the DNR article, which I think people are going to be interested in about what it was like at the Tavern in 1921. So, the Tavern itself has a history that goes back to being a wayside in and a stopping place in a bar, in a restaurant along this route to Chicago, but in the 1920s, and this is my favorite part of the history of the Irish Hills, is the rise of the really cheesy roadside attractions, right?
Tobi:
Remember, there's the Dinosaur Parks and Walker Tavern. The guy that owned it in the 1920s turned it into a roadside tourist attraction with a lot of things on it. So, there's some really great stories. At about the same time that the DNR was formed, this was going on. So, that'll be an exciting place and will be opened. The Tavern itself has actually been closed to the public for the last couple of years as we do some major renovations on the windows and the interior. A building that old, you've got to keep it up, but hopefully with proper precautions, the building will be open for visitors. The grounds are absolutely stunning too. As I said, it's within the State Park and there's hiking trails on, and it's really beautiful. So, that's one.
Tobi:
The second one, we partner with the Parks and Recreation Division, with Hartwick Pine State Park up in Grayling, and we run a historic logging museum that basically talks about Michigan's first major industry, the logging in the late 19th century, and the cool thing about that is the logging museum, which is in the park, the buildings are recreated logging buildings that are from the late 19th century era, but they were built in the 1930s or the 1940s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. So, they're doubly historic and that's a real fun place to go to, to learn about the logging industry, and that's fun, and there's a great visitor center there too. It's a great place, and then lastly, I wanted to talk a little bit about Fayette Historic State Park up in the Upper Peninsula.
Tobi:
The Garden Peninsula right off Lake Michigan, it is, I have to say one of my favorite sites, because it is literally captured frozen in time. This company industrial city from the late 19th century, that's just still there. It was a company town founded to smelt pig iron and it's half conserved ruin and the other half has been renovated, and it's just a little slice of history that you can go and walk back in time. So, those are three.
Hannah:
How fun. Those sound like really exciting places that hopefully our listeners will go check out some time. Certainly, there's other places as well, but I'm really glad you highlighted those. Those are pretty cool.
Rachel:
I'm from the Irish Hills area and didn't know this was there. So, I appreciate hearing about it, and it sounds like such a neat place to stop into. So, if our listeners don't stop in, I definitely will be one.
Tobi:
Right. Definitely.
Rachel:
So, where can people go to learn a little bit more about Michigan's historical sites or look at these historical documents, photos, basically to learn anything about Michigan's history? Is there a website they can check out?
Tobi:
Yeah. Actually, we have two websites and they each serve different purposes. So, the first one is our main website for the center. It's simple to find. It's michigan.gov/mhc. So, our initials, Michigan History Center, and that's where you can learn about who we are, the services we provide, the programs that we do, and each one of our museums and sites has its own dedicated section of that. Will tell us the history of the site, gives the information on how to get there in a visitor information, it has some photo galleries. So, that's a great place to go if you are wanting to travel or get out and experience some of our sites this summer when they're open. That's a wonderful resource about who we are.
Tobi:
The second website is relatively new. It's michiganology.org, and we define Michiganology as the study of Michigan, and we're always looking for more people to become Michiganologists, people who are passionate about the study of Michigan. So, michiganology.org begun as the place where the archives of Michigan made digital records and images and photographs available for researchers. So, it's got about 10 million records on it right now, including some really cool histories from the DNR and Wildlife Division, I believe. You've got some great collections on there that are great to go back and take a look at.
Tobi:
As well as it's the place, I guess a blog, but we call them stories, where we have little nuggets of stories of really cool people, places, events in Michigan history so you can peruse and they're short form articles. So, you can read them pretty quickly and gain some knowledge, and it's also where we're building out a rich educational materials for K-12 teachers. So, we've got some great resources on defining Michigan right now. So, stories of the people and places here in the state about the time that Michigan became a state.
Hannah:
Those are some awesome resources for folks to check out and we will be sure to include links to those in our show notes as well. I did want to ask too, are there any ways that people can support the history center and the work you do in preserving all of Michigan's history? I know you mentioned that you're collecting stories right now from folks living through the pandemic. So, are there ways people can submit those stories? Are there maybe volunteer opportunities when things get back up and running or options for folks to support the history center?
Tobi:
Yes. Definitely. I've mentioned the collecting project for COVID and if you go to our main website, michigan.gov/mhc, right on the homepage, you'll find a link to get you more information on what we're collecting for that project. So please, it's still open. We're still collecting, this has gone on way longer than any of us thought, and the novelty has definitely worn off, but this is now where we really want to collect those stories. At our various sites depending on a lot of factors, we do have various friends' groups at sites. So, if you live near one of our sites and are interested, check out our website and see if you can join our, we have a friend's group for Walker Tavern, and that we're always looking for volunteers to help us join and run programs.
Tobi:
We have a very robust volunteer program at our Lansing based facilities, both the archives of Michigan and the museum. Most of it's on hold right now because the access to the buildings are extremely limited during the pandemic, but you can find information about that program on our website, and we're always looking to hear from folks that they just have a question or are curious, they can find us on our social media, where you just search Michigan History Center on most platforms. Send us a message. You can send us an email at MHCinfo@Michigan.gov, and we'll be glad to respond and hear from you. We love hearing from folks and hearing their stories. So, we encourage them to connect.
Hannah:
Great. Well, that's fabulous. Thank you so much, Tobi. We really appreciate all this information and hopefully for our listeners who may be art history buffs, here's the reason to become a history buff.
Tobi:
Absolutely. It's exciting stories, stories about people that matter.
Hannah:
Absolutely. As you mentioned before, all those ways that we can tie in with the places where we live, the places we like to visit in Michigan, there's a lot of history there for folks to connect with on that personal level.
Tobi:
Absolutely.
Hannah:
Well, thank you so much for joining us today, Tobi. We really appreciate it.
Tobi:
Thank you for having me.
Rachel:
All right, folks. Well, don't hop away. Next step, we'll be sorting through the mailbag and answering some of your questions.
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 digests 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. Now, it's time for us to dig into the mailbag and answer some of your questions.
Announcer:
One, two, three.
Hannah:
First from the mailbag, Sarah asks if the frog and toad survey will be occurring this spring, and yes, you can help us track frog and toad population trends in Michigan by listening for their calls this spring. So, data is collected throughout the state and anyone who's interested is welcome to participate. Frog and toad survey data collection takes place usually April through July. So, now's the perfect time to plan your survey route and brush up on frog and toad calls.
Hannah:
You can find Frog and Toad Survey instructions and the route description form along with calls and other information on our Michigan Frog and Toads page on the website. We'll be sure to include a link to it in our show notes. Some things to keep in mind, a new survey route should be submitted by April for approval, and these survey routes should include at least 10 different stops that will be surveyed three times throughout that April to July survey period. So, you'd go back to those 10 different stops, three different times to collect data. Now, if you want to send in your survey route for approval or have any questions, you can email DNR-FrogSurvey@michigan.gov with that information or any questions that you have.
Rachel:
Jordan asked, when black bears usually come out of hibernation, and if it's time to take her bird feeder down. Well, if you live in the UP or really anywhere North of Grand Rapids or Mount Pleasant, where we have bear sightings just about yearly now, it is in fact time to take your bird feeders down. Bears will be rising from their dens in early March and through April, and we'll be on the move looking for some type of replenishing food sources and bird seeds tend to be really high in calories and make for a really delicious meal for hungry black bears.
Rachel:
So, consider taking down your bird feeders, clean up any seed that has spilled on the ground because that's still very attractive to all types of wildlife, bring your trash cans into an enclosed area like a garage and take in any of their pet foods or any food sources that might be outdoors attracting wildlife and other bears. Taking these preventative actions can reduce most conflicts with the bears and other wildlife, and if you do have a bear, find your bird feeder or visit your yard, just make sure to remove the food sources immediately, and the bear should stop returning in about two to three weeks.
Hannah:
Yes. They have that excellent sense of smell and a great memory. So, they can remember where those food sources are and to return to check them out and see if there's a snack there waiting for them.
Rachel:
And if there's no reward, then they should hopefully move on, go find a delicious snack in other place. So, it's super important to just preventively take action and remove any food sources you might have around. The other question I received was from Terry, who wrote in saying that they heard there were new deer hunting regulations passed for the 2021 deer hunting seasons, and they were wondering where they can learn more about these new regulations. Well, hi Terry, this is true. The Natural Resource Commission did recently pass regulations for this year's deer hunting season.
Rachel:
These approved orders can be found at michigan.gov/nrc. That's going to be the most up-to-date place to find any regulations you're looking for right now, also at the upcoming March and April NRC meetings, the commission will be discussing updates to the new bear regulation cycle. So, these regulations will be in effect this year in 2021 through 2022. If you're interested in bear regulations and would like to attend a meeting or provide any input on these regulations or on bear management in general, you can check out the meeting agenda and sign up to attend the virtual meetings on the NRC website at michigan.gov/nrc.
Hannah:
Great place to go for meeting updates and information on how to get involved in those meetings, and I'd also like to mention the deregulations were just decided. So, right now we're working on getting the 2021 hunting digests put together. So, hope to have that out around July 1st for folks to be able to read through those new regulations as well. So, keep your eyes open for that.
Rachel:
Well, as we set this segment to a close, remember if you have any questions about wildlife or hunting, you can call 517-284-WILD or email dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov. Your questions could be featured on the mailbag. Each spring brings new generation of wildlife to be enjoyed, and with spring headed our way, we wanted to remind you to be mindful of baby wildlife you may encounter. While enjoying the sights and smells of spring, be sure to give wildlife plenty of space to raise their young and enjoy observing the youngsters from a distance. It's also important to keep in mind that young animals are often left alone and you won't always see the parents. This is especially true for rabbit's nests and fawns.
Hannah:
I like that you mentioned the sights and smells of spring, because I'm sure some people are going to start noticing wonderful odor of skunk in the air as the skunks start to be out and about more with the warming weather, and unfortunately, they tend to get hit a lot by cars in the spring time that and opossums. So, don't be surprised. It's a sure sign of spring when you see more roadkill skunks, opossums and can smell skunks in the air.
Rachel:
I was thinking spring ephemerals was the smells, but you make a very good point that not all spring smells are pleasing to the nose. So, thank you Hannah.
Hannah:
You're welcome. Anyway, I come across rabbit's nest frequently in the tall grass along the edge of my yard. Mom might be around the yard somewhere, but she certainly doesn't hang around her nest, and this is one survival strategy that wildlife use, and it might seem a little bit strange to us as people, but the mother will hide the young somewhere and then she leaves, but know that she will return periodically to nurse and care for her young. By hiding the babies, this helps them stay safer from predators and the mother goes elsewhere to avoid drawing attention to where she's hidden her young.
Hannah:
So, a lot of times fawns have very little scent to them, and so, it's a good strategy to stash the fawn until it's older and bigger and can keep up with mom, same for rabbit's nest and things like that. It's just a survival strategy. Now, you'll notice when fawns are being born May through June, don't be surprised if you find them left alone in seemingly not so hidden places. They'll often be left near people's homes as sort of their fawn daycare, if you will. I know last summer I had the pleasure of watching twin fawns wander through my yard looking for a shady spot. Just know that eventually those young will be strong and fast enough to venture out either on their own or with their mom, and so, it's really not that unusual to find baby wildlife by themselves.
Rachel:
Yeah. It seems like every year we get lots of questions about fawns, especially being in unusual places and being left alone. So, showing up on people's back porches or gardens or flowerbeds, just really unusual places and they're always alone, but it's very normal. It's very healthy, just a good thing to be aware of, and as we get later into spring and summer, you might see fledgling birds hopping around on the ground, and that is also completely normal.
Rachel:
These fluffy youngsters are getting old enough to start flying and need more space than what is in their nest. So, don't worry mom and dad aren't far and will continue to feed and care for their young even if they're on the ground. Duck's nest will also start to pop up in unusual places. Female mallards often build nests in landscaping, gardens or other locations that people may consider inappropriate, and if this occurs near you in the spring, just leave the nest alone and try not to disturb it, then will eventually lead her young to water soon after they hatch.
Hannah:
Yes. And migratory birds, including ducks and their nests and their eggs, are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and so, you must leave them alone.
Rachel:
Yes. This is really good advice for all wildlife. Do not remove a wild animal from the wild if you find one, especially young wildlife, because while they are alone, they are rarely abandoned and their best chance for survival is in the wild. Unless you are a licensed rehabilitator, taking wildlife from the wild is breaking the law.
Hannah:
That's right. And only those licensed wildlife rehabilitators may possess abandoned or injured wildlife, and unless you're licensed, it is illegal to be in possession of alive wild animal in Michigan. So, if you do find a baby animal and it's obviously injured, or you are certain the mother has died, so for example, the baby might be standing right next to a deceased adult, for example, that would be probably a good indication that, that baby no longer has its mom to care for it.
Hannah:
Those are the situations where the licensed wildlife rehabilitators can lend a hand and always, always contact the rehabilitator before removing or doing anything with that animal. You want to make sure that the rehabilitator has space at their facility to care for the animal. They often get a lot of calls and get full pretty fast in the spring as you might imagine, and they might have special instructions for you to follow. So, you want to make sure you contact those rehabilitators in advance before trying to remove the animal from the wild.
Rachel:
You can learn more about what to do if you find a baby animal in the wild and a list of licensed wildlife rehabilitators at michigan.gov/wildlife.
Hannah:
Now, it's 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.
Rachel:
Our February mug winners are Aaron Zempel and Derek Moore. Congratulations, Aaron and Derek. Make sure to check your emails. We'll be getting in touch with you soon. They answered that the woodchuck or the groundhog is the animal that also goes by the name of whistle-pig. They certainly have a lot of nicknames, but whistle-pig is by far my favorite.
Hannah:
They have that nickname from sort of the whistly alarm call that they sometimes make if they feel like they're in distress. Now, should you be entered into the drawing for this month, test your wildlife knowledge and answer our wildlife quiz question. This month's question is, how long does a lake sturgeon typically live?
Rachel:
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 answers by March 15th. We'll announce winners and the answers 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 podcast.
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. You can reach the Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453 or dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov.