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 thing 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 Wild Talk, I'm Hannah Shower and hosting with me today our Holly Vaughn and Rachel Leightner.

Holly:
We're really excited to have Al Stewart on the show today to talk to us about upland game bird hunting.

Rachel:
And, as we always do, we'll be answering your questions from the mail bag. Stick around as we kick things off with what is happening around the state.

Speaker 4:
The Wetland Wonders Challenge begins October 12th and runs through February 10th, 2020. Winners take home a prize package including a $500.00 gift card for duck hunting gear, a Customs Inc duck call, Yeti water bottle, and a golden ticket good for one first choice pick at a non reserved [inaudible 00:01:06] drawing. You must hunt at least three of the seven areas to qualify, but each additional area you visit gets you an another contest entry. Hunt all seven for five chances to win. Visit Michigan.gov/WetlandWonders for more info.

Hannah:
Welcome back to Wild Talk. Holly, would you like to kick things off with an update from the upper peninsula?

Holly:
Absolutely. So like most of the state, the upper peninsula is preparing for CWD surveillance, so that's Chronic Waste and Disease surveillance, and also preparation for all of our deer check stations, which will be open for the upcoming hunting seasons. So they're getting check stations ready to go, and permanent wildlife staff recently completed CWD lymph node collection training this month. So nearly all UP staff can collect lymph nodes from sampled animals in an effort to streamline the testing process for those hunters in the UP that want to have their deer checked.

Holly:
Staff are also in the midst of hiring seasonal workers to help bolster efforts within the CWD core area. And additional helpers are going to be hired for some of our other offices as well. And then we also hired a non career wildlife assistant to help in collection of crop damage harvested deer heads for testing. So lots of staff coming on board, and we're really ramping up efforts in the UP to surveil and to figure out where and if more chronic waste and disease exists in the upper peninsula.

Holly:
So, so far this year 55 deer have been tested in the upper peninsula CWD core surveillance area, and another 119 have been tested in the expanded surveillance area in the UP. So in addition to preparing for deer check stations, regional biologists and field staff all around the UP are winding down the summer planting season, and are conducting habitat preparation work as they transition to the fall activity season, where we really have the bulk of our hunters coming out and enjoying our public lands.

Holly:
For example, the Escanaba Wildlife staff are wrapping up new planting projects in Delta and Menominee Counties, totaling over 247 acres of habitat for various wildlife species such as deer, grouse, and turkeys. The Escanaba crew also completed mowing another 97 acres of existing habitat, which include gem sites, hunter walking trails, and forest openings. So moving into the fall season, some tree planting project are scheduled around the region, in addition to other preparations for the fall hunting seasons.

Hannah:
All right, sounds like there's a lot of excellent habitat for hunters to check out this season.

Holly:
Absolutely. And in really cool news from the upper peninsula, we have had our 40th cougar report. So since 2008, we've confirmed 40 cougar reports with all but one of those occurring in the upper peninsula. So we do get cougars in this state from time to time, usually they're transient individuals that are just passing through. There's no evidence of a breeding, free ranging population occurring in the state, but we do get individuals passing through.

Holly:
So finally, the UP staff have also been working on waterfowl banding. So in mid August, staff completed most of the duck banding operations. They surpassed their Mississippi flyway mallard and wood duck banding goals. So staff banded 115 mallards, and 150 wood ducks. And a few redheads as well.

Holly:
So earlier in the summer, staff banded over 300 Canada geese across the region as well. Banding these birds help biologists understand population structures, and assess mortality rates in these birds. And if a concerned citizen finds a banded bird, it can be electronically reported to the US Fish and Wildlife Service bird banding laboratory at ReportBand.gov. So those of you that are out hunting this waterfowl season, if you harvest a bird with a band, be sure to report that band number.

Hannah:
Great. Well thank you for those updates, Holly. Let's move a little bit further south in Michigan, Rachel, how about the northern lower region?

Rachel:
Recently we teamed up with our partner, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, for a conservation partnership workday. This cooperative project that we were working on involved planting a lot of apple trees in the Green Timbers area of the Pigeon River County State Forest. And those apples will provide an abundance of soft mass and other foods for deer and several other mammals to feed from.

Rachel:
Also from the Enterprise Township in the eastern Missaukee County, the Reedsburg Dam Project is almost complete. The Reedsburg Dam is located on the Muskegon River about five miles northwest of Houghton Lake. And this project first received funding in 2016, and repairs to the dam started about two years later in September of 2018. Now, the project is almost complete and is expected to be finished later this month. The dam initially went under construction to fix several infrastructure issues and provide a safer and richer outdoor recreation experience for the many anglers, birders, and waterfowl hunters, kayakers, and everyone else who enjoys this resource. The contractors have finished armoring the dike slopes, and removed the fish ladder, and are just now starting the concrete and steel work on the dam itself. After today, contractors mostly won't be manipulating the water level, so that piece of it should be finished, and that's in an effort to protect the herpes, the frogs and the snakes that will be burrowing around the dam to hibernate. So hopefully by the end of this month or into the beginning of November the improved dam and river will be open again for enjoyment.

Rachel:
Northern staff have also been really busy responding to calls and reports of bears moving around or being spotted in places they haven't recently been spotted. And that's because right now bears are preparing for hibernation, and are moving around to look for new den sites, and more available food sources. So if you're listening from northern Michigan, here is a reminder to remove any potential food sources from outside your home, so take down your bird feeders, or remove pet foods, or bring your grills inside, or you could have a surprise visitor in your yard.

Hannah:
Exciting.

Rachel:
Maybe. The remainder of the region has been working on wrapping up projects before the fall hunting seasons arrive. So DNR staff have been continuing to band ducks across the northern region until the quotas for the area are met, or the hunting season arrives, which begins in just a few says on October 5th. And staff have also been busy prepping the game and wildlife areas for the archery season. So the final round of fall crops were planted, and others were mowed to create wildlife openings, and the perfect opportunities for hunters to experience a great hunt this season.

Rachel:
And lastly, in a couple weeks, the region will be undergoing a forest certification audit. Forest Stewardship Council and Sustainable Forestry Initiative have these standards to help ensure forests are managed responsibly for present and future generations. Both standards require continuous improvements in forest management while protecting the environment and providing social and economic benefits. So these audits happen every five years, and so the northern region's forests are due this year. DNR staff will be interviewed, and these organizations will work to assess our management activities against their specific standards.

Hannah:
All right. Let's move a little further south. Holly, what is new in the southeastern region?

Holly:
Well, Rachel mentioned that the waterfowl season starts on October 5th, but in the south it starts on the 12th. So we're gearing up for October 12th, which is the official start of waterfowl season down in the southeast part of the state. Waterfowl and our managed waterfowl areas definitely take center stage this month in the southeast, and really the season's just around the corner on the 12th. So for those of you heading out to one of our self zone managed waterfowl areas for the regular waterfowl season, don't forget that Shiawassee River, Harsens Island, and Fish Point all have reserved waterfowl hunts on October 12th and 13th. So this means that only individuals that were successful in the reserved waterfowl hunt drawing are eligible to hunt those areas on those days. So don't show up at Fish Point, Harsens Island, or Shiawassee River hoping to get a place in the drawing, because there are people that are already selected for those reserved hunts.

Hannah:
Good reminder.

Holly:
Yes, just want everyone to be happy on opening day. We also will be hosting, as we've done in year past, open houses at all of our southeast region managed waterfowl hunt areas, or Wetland Wonders. So these open houses are a great opportunity to meet the staff, to take a driving tour of the area, and to learn how the managed hunt drawings work. Generally they do a mock drawing at these open houses so you can see how they work. These open houses are great for both experienced waterfowl hunters and new waterfowl hunters that may not have hunted these areas before. There will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions and familiarize yourself with these locations before the regular waterfowl season opens. And generally these open houses also include a driving tour of the area, which is a great way to familiarize yourself with the areas. All open houses will start at 6:00 p.m. Crow Island's open house is October 2nd. Nayanquing Point's is on October 8th. Harsens Island and Fish Point on the 9th. And Pointe Mouille and Shiawassee River on the 10th.

Holly:
So for more information, visit MI.gov/DNR and click on things to do at the bottom of the page, then click on events for a calendar of upcoming DNR event, including these open houses.

Hannah:
Definitely something to check out.

Holly:
Yes, they're a lot of fun and it's good to get to know the local staff as well.

Holly:
Also this fall, each Wetland Wonder will host two youth waterfowl events in October and November. Youth will be given priority in these hunt drawings. And additional youth activities will be held as well in partnership with local hunt clubs. In many cases, these youth will be able to get into the field with mentors to harvest ducks and geese. These days are really fun, so check out the 2019 Waterfowl Digest for dates of these upcoming youth hunts.

Holly:
Our Wetland Wonders also host veteran's waterfowl events the weekend of Veteran's Day in November with drawing priority given to parties with veterans. So it's a great way to honor those who've served. Be sure to check the digest for information and dates on that, as well.

Holly:
And then finally, we had a Stewardship Day in late September at Shiawassee River state game area. My Birds, the DNR, and Michigan United Conservation Club's On the Water Program gathered on World Cleanup Day on September 21st to help remove trash from an important bird area. Volunteers were invited to take part in this fall stewardship day, and they cleaned up trash to help keep our marsh birds, water birds, and waterfowl safe. Many great volunteers turned out to help, and did a lot of hard work to clean up litter and other debris. We really appreciate all of you who came out to help, and keep an eye on opportunities where you can get involved as well.

Hannah:
Yes, definitely something to keep an eye out for if you want to get out and help keep some of our state lands looking pristine. Okay, Rachel, what do we have going on in the southwestern region?

Rachel:
Well coming up this month, we have two pheasant hunting events available for hunters to join. The first pheasant opportunity will be on October 20th. This is a ladies only pheasant hunt that will be held at the Flat River state game area. This hunt is intended for women who are just starting out hunting, or want to give pheasant hunting a shot. The day will begin with coffee and clay pigeon shooting to perfect your aim, a little bit of practice. And then each hunter will go out on a guided hunt for three birds. Once you've bagged your birds, you'll learn how to field dress them, and then we'll wrap up the day with a gourmet lunch. The DNR, the Grand Valley chapter of Pheasants Forever, and the Pine Hill Kennels and Sportsman Clubs put on this event and it's a great opportunity for hunters to ease into pheasant hunting. This event is $45.00 and there are only 12 spots available.

Rachel:
The other pheasant hunting opportunity this month is on Saturday, October 26th. This one is for our youth hunters. Third annual Joe Johnson Memorial Youth Pheasant Hunt will take place on the Gordon Guyer Augusta Creek state wildlife area. This hunt is open to youth hunters between the ages of 10 and 16 who are hunter safety certified. This hunt is held in honor of a great conservationist, Mr. Joe Johnson, who was the director of the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary and a leader in conservation. A mandatory orientation will begin at 7:45, so hunters should show up to the state wildlife area a little bit before then. Hunters will go on a guided pheasant hunt accompanied by a dog and a dog handler. This event is free and lunch will be provided to those who attend.

Rachel:
So for more information on the event, or if you're interested and want to attend, you can see the show notes for more details and how to RSVP.

Hannah:
Excellent opportunities to check out if you're interested in learning some pheasant hunting.

Rachel:
Yes, there are lots of opportunities for a pleasant pheasant hunt.

Hannah:
Pleasant pheasant hunt, I love it.

Rachel:
Over in Muskegon County, the Muskegon County Water Water Management Waterfowl Hunt will take place this month as well. The Muskegon waterfowl opener is currently set for October 19th, however that's dependent on the crop harvest. So if the crops are still in the ground then the hunt will be pushed back a week, so interested hunters should contact the Muskegon state game area a week prior to the 19th to confirm the date of the hunt.

Rachel:
After the opener, morning and afternoon hunts at the Muskegon stage game area will take place on Tuesdays and Saturdays. And if you're planning on waterfowl hunting at the Muskegon state game area, you should know that there is not standing water in this unit. It's a little unique, all of the hunting spots are for field hunting. And so the only equipment you need is a vehicle, or something similar to get yourself out to the field, and only carry your decoys or your blinds out there with you. There also isn't much standing cover in the field, so hunters will either need a very discreet blind, or to lay on the ground with the decoys to really blend in.

Rachel:
If you prefer to hunt later in the season, there will be some cover in the fields, about nine to 15 strips of corn will be left up in November. If you have any questions about the Waste Water Management hunt or just hunting on the Muskegon state game area in general, you can contact the Muskegon game area, or click the Muskegon County Water Water Management Hunt link in the show notes.

Rachel:
Throughout the rest of the region, staff have been spending the last couple weeks transitioning into their fall management plans and gearing up for the hunting season. So deer check stations are now operational with fully trained staff, and our state game areas have all of their wildlife openings cut, and our food plots planted.

Hannah:
It is certainly a busy time of year for everybody around the state. Stick around, next up we'll be talking with Al Stuart.

Announcer:
Did you know that you can purchase discounted antler less deer licenses at 40% off the usual price to help stop the spread of CWD in the lower peninsula? These licenses are good during the archery season on private land with archery equipment from October 1st through November 3rd anywhere in the lower peninsula CWD management zone or core area. Ask for hunt number 2CWD when purchasing this license that can't be used after November 3rd, 2019. Visit Michigan.gov/deer or your local retailer to buy.

Hannah:
All right, welcome back to Wild Talk. We're joined in the studio today by Al Stewart, the upland game bird specialist with the DNR, to talk about upcoming hunting opportunities. Thanks for joining us today, Al.

Al:
Oh, it's great being here.

Hannah:
So just to kick us off, what got you interested in upland game birds?

Al:
Well I was ... I grew up on a farm in Rochester, a place called Van Hoosen Farms, and I spent a lot of time just out in the grass and fields, and the woods, and along the creek bottom, and saw pheasants and other birds, and that just was really interesting to me. And then I watched some National Geographic programs and I was hooked.

Hannah:
The rest is history.

Al:
There you go.

Rachel:
Al, so you're one of our most seasoned specialists. How long have you been with the wildlife division?

Al:
I have worked for the wildlife division for over 45 years, actually if you count student time, 48 years. So I started at the Wildlife Pathology Lab when it was at Rose Lake, and my first years I was paid my Michigan State University to work out there as a student part time. And worked with the lab for a lot of years, and then have had the opportunity to work in a lot of areas of the state, from the Thumb to central Michigan, I spent time at our [inaudible 00:19:10] Ranch deer facility, research facilities up by Houghton Lake. And I spent some time up at [Coosno 00:19:16] as well. So yeah, I've had ... it's been great fun and a lot of excellent experiences. I had the chance to work close to where I grew up when I worked down in the Pontiac area, and did a quail survey right in front of the house that I used to live in, that I grew up in, so it was ... it's been a lot of fun and I've had excellent opportunities to work with many really fine people through those years.

Rachel:
Wow. So all of those different positions, were all of them focused around upland game birds?

Al:
No, I was ... initially my background was in veterinary medicine, and wildlife disease. And that's why I was involved in Michigan State University with the Wildlife Pathology Lab when Dr. [Fay 00:20:12] and [Bill Uett 00:20:12] were there. And I was really interested in going that way and then I learned that there was really a wildlife biologist job, not a wildlife veterinarian job. And that was more in line with what I was really interested in. So was in fisheries and wildlife at Michigan State University, shift from veterinarian med things over to fisheries and wildlife. And had some really good mentors there. Initially our work at the lab involved deer, and deer research, and deer nutrition, and so I was very interested in that. And then shifted over to all wildlife, and so I helped develop the Maple River Marsh, and helped work in restoring ospreys through the state, and got involved with wild turkey restoration in those years.

Al:
So it started off with more than just upland game birds, and then expanded into that, and over the last 25 years I've been here in the Lansing area very specifically focused on upland game birds.

Hannah:
Very cool.

Holly:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel:
Sounds like a very vast and fulfilling career. So you like to work with upland birds, do you like to hunt them?

Al:
I enjoy hunting upland game birds as well, they're good to eat, and they take you to some really unique places within the state, whether you're pheasant hunting in the grasslands that we have or rough grouse hunting in the expanses of the young forest aspen stands of the UP, or some of the other grasslands for sharp tails in the east end of the UP. It's unique country, Michigan is so diverse in our habitats. And it's really enjoyable to be able to walk out through these areas, primarily with a hunting dog but I've hunted without one as well, but I enjoy hunting upland game birds with English setters, and I have a lot of friends that enjoy doing the same thing. So we connect in the field, and look and talk about the habitat needs of the various wildlife species as well as where you can hunt them and what you can do that way.

Al:
So if I'm out in the woods, if I'm hunting, I'm thinking about, you know, if I was a rough grouse right now, where would I be and what would I do? And that helps me focus in a little bit more as a predator for the birds, but I have a real admiration for upland game birds and all wildlife species, for that matter, but as a biologist when I walk through those woods I'm also thinking, gee, if I was a rough grouse right now, what would I be doing? And then what do I need to survive? So our goal then is to provide that information and work with our great field staff, our wildlife biologists, and technicians, and our forestry staff to make sure that those types of habitats are out there for ... to be able to maintain and promote grouse and woodcock young forest wildlife.

Hannah:
Absolutely.

Rachel:
And so do you have a favorite game bird to hunt?

Al:
Boy, you know, that's really ... that's hard, that's like having children and saying-

Rachel:
Pick your favorite.

Al:
Do you like Mary or Billy better? Each of them really have their main focus, their highlights, and I just find them all very, very attractive and interesting. And I like to learn as much as I can about them. So wild turkeys have taken me around the country in part of the restoration activities, so as luck would have it I'm the only biologist in the world who has trapped all the species and subspecies of wild turkeys in the world. And did that as part of research or restoration projects, so I've been invited to help tap oscillated turkeys in Kampachi in Mexico, and I've had the chance to trap [Rios 00:24:20] out in Kansas, and another subspecies of the Merriams. And then Gould's turkeys in Mexico, and then eastern wild turkeys. And then also helped develop training for others to learn how to trap turkeys and look at the safety aspects of how to trap turkeys.

Al:
So turkeys are a favorite, you can hunt them both in the spring and the fall. But American woodcock have also been a real ... they're a real unique bird and a bird that I enjoy studying, and again, those have ... working with that species has taken me by invitation to Florence, Italy, and to England, which they pay to have me come and speak about American woodcock and share my knowledge about American woodcock. I've had the chance to go to Russia and follow the birds, so as well as work here in the United States and put together all our woodcock symposiums which is where we share our knowledge about every five to 10 years on what we know about woodcock, and advancing the studies, and what we can learn about them. So I've had a chance to be involved with that. So that's been great. And in some of the research we've done, Michigan was part of a group of the first people to use satellite transmitters on American woodcock. So we were able to go down into Texas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Michigan, and put these on the birds, which advanced our knowledge about woodcock tenfold.

Al:
Michigan currently is one of the top 10 places to pursue birds, and we're number one in the world for American woodcock harvest. So we also band woodcock, and we have the largest woodcock banding program, which is ... we utilize volunteers to do that. And we band more woodcock through that process than anywhere else in the world.

Al:
So when you ask which ones are you most interested in in game birds, boy, they're all great.

Rachel:
Hard to decide.

Holly:
So speaking of woodcock, Michigan is lucky to be sort of a destination state, definitely a destination state for woodcock and for grouse hunting as well. So we have these grouse enhanced management sites around the state. What can you tell us about those?

Al:
Well the grouse enhanced management sites, or as like we usually refer to them as GEMs, we've got 19 of them spread out through the state. There's six in the northern lower peninsula, and 13 in the upper peninsula. And these areas are managed very specifically for grouse and woodcock and young forest ... younger age classes of aspen in particular. So they're a destination site because we put up kiosks there, we put up ... provide information about the habitats that's there, and again, we're very focused in providing premium habitat for these species at this site. The area has foot traffic primarily, although there's a few other trails, but there's foot traffic trails that allow you to walk through the area with good habitat on either side. And that helps people who may have mobility issues in getting back into hunting. Grouse and woodcock hunting may be a quality of life issue for many people, and some as they get older may not be able to walk as hard as they used to when they were hunting grouse and woodcock. But these trails allow them to then travel there, or you may have someone who has a young family, so you can walk along the trail and the young kids can walk along through there and be able to maybe flush or find some birds, work the dog on either side of this trail and locate some grouse. So it makes for a little family outing.

Al:
Or, in looking at these as a destination site, you may come from Wyoming, which is much more open than the trees you find here in Michigan, and you really wouldn't know where to look for a rough grouse. A lot of the upland game bird people travel all over the country to hunt various kinds of upland game birds. Michigan's fortunate to have a lot of them, but there's some we don't. And so they come here and they've never hunted ina forest, so these GEM sites allow a trail, allow you to walk through some of the best habitat to get an eye, a feel for what grouse habitat is. From there they can use our My Hunt Program to then find other locations throughout the state, and our My Hunt Program is a mapping program that looks at all the different cover types within the state, and defines them down to not only cover type, but age classes, and it's a great tool to use if you plan to hunt.

Al:
So these sites, these GEM sites are designed that way.

Hannah:
So there's something similar in place for some of our premier turkey hunting area as well, right?

Al:
Yeah, so we have a sister program to GEMs, most all our GEMs are found in the upper peninsula and the northern lower. The Turkey Tracks are a sister program that is found on our state game area in the southern lower peninsula. And the focus there is turkeys and turkey management. So you'll find [inaudible 00:30:14], you'll find some openings, maybe some food plots that were put in for wild turkeys. And again, a trail system winds its way through those properties and you can get in there and feel comfortable hunting along there. There are some people who are new to hunting that have some concern about getting lost in the woods, so this trail allows you to meander through the woods and be able to listen for turkeys gobbling in the morning, particularly if you went out first in the morning while it was still dark, trying to hear some birds gobble.

Al:
So it helps you locate your position within the game area, and it helps you find your way back out to your car if you have concerns along those lines.

Hannah:
In addition to awesome turkey hunting and woodcock and grouse hunting here in Michigan, we also have some great opportunities for pheasant hunters as well, and I understand there's going to be a new opportunity this year for pheasant hunters with the Pheasant Hunting Initiative. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

Al:
Yes, so the Michigan Pheasant Hunting Initiative is like you said new this year, the legislature passed an act that appropriated money from the general fund to the DNR for the release of pheasants on state game areas during the fall of 2019 and 2020. So we have two years in order to do this. We are working with the Michigan Game Breeders Association. The Game Breeders Association will be responsible for releasing birds, and we've got a number of state game areas where the birds will be released from the opening part of the pheasant season til the end of the season. So pheasant season opens on October 20th and runs through November 14th for areas where the birds will be released, and then December 1 through January 1 for the other part of the pheasant season.

Hannah:
So that sounds like a really exciting new opportunity for hunters. It's a little bit confusing because we have the Pheasant Hunting Initiative in Michigan and also the Pheasant Restoration Initiative. So can you tell us a little bit about the difference between the two, and then what are some of the exciting habitat restoration projects that have been accomplished through the Pheasant Restoration Initiative?

Al:
So yes, we've got these two initiatives really that are going on at the same time. So the Michigan Pheasant Hunting Initiative involves a variety of game areas with the money coming from the legislature and the general fund, and that's the first time general fund has really been provided for doing ... releasing pheasants in this fashion. And we've got hunting areas are distributed throughout southern Michigan, so we've got some in Bay County, Cass County, Clinton County, Lapeer county, Monroe County, Saginaw, Santilac, St. Clair, St. Joe, and Van Buren, so you can tell we've made a lot of effort to spread these locations around the state.

Al:
And then we also have, associated with that, hunter retention, recruitment activity and reactivation hunts that will be one time events only that are ... one will be held at the Allegan state game area on November 2nd, and another one will be held at the Shiawassee state game area on December 14th. When it comes to the Pheasant Restoration Initiative, we are working with a number of different organizations and partners to help establish grasslands for wild pheasants and other species that utilize grasslands. So you may have heard about the Monarch Recovery Program, so we're looking at ways to establish good grasslands, good habitat for monarchs, as well as providing southern Michigan pheasant habitat throughout the area. Not only on state land, but on private lands as well.

Hannah:
The thing I really love about the Pheasant Restoration Initiative is some of those sites are really good for grassland birds that are hard to find. Like Henslow sparrows, and grasshopper sparrows, and so they're really great places not only to potentially find a pheasant, but also to find other grassland dependent wildlife.

Rachel:
Al, you mentioned a lot of these high quality management sites and these great hunting opportunities for people to go explore, do you have any recommendation or other bird hunting tips for folks who might be traveling from out of state, or those who have never hunted before?

Al:
Well Michigan just has such a diverse group of upland game birds that live in a variety of habitats, but we have grouse and woodcock and again, we're number one in the world for American woodcock harvest, we're number two or three for rough grouse harvest. We have a lot to offer, and we are really serious about managing for upland game birds in this state. And we work with many partners to make that happen. So if you're looking for a destination to come to, we provide lots of chances to get out for wild turkeys, we have a spring season and a fall season. And in fact, you can probably harvest legally more turkeys in Michigan in the fall than any other state in the country. And then we have one of the longest spring hunting seasons, so you may be from a southern state and your season is in March, you could come to Michigan late April and all of May and hunt birds if you're really interested in hunting turkeys. Truly we're a destination location.

Al:
And people do come here from all over the countryside. We evaluated the locations where turkey hunters come from, from other states, or other parts of the country, and people come to Michigan to hunt turkeys from every state in the nation, including Hawaii and Alaska. They come from almost every province in Canada except Manitoba, and they come from other countries in the world, a number of other countries in the world, to come to Michigan and turkey hunt.

Al:
So you could go anywhere else in the United States to hunt turkeys, but there are followers of turkey hunting in Michigan that show up here. We're rated as having some of the highest quality turkey hunting of any state in the nation. So it's something for the DNR, it's something for our partners to be very proud of. And we did a lot of work to get to this point, because it wasn't that long ago that there were no turkeys in Michigan and that they were extirpated from the state in 1900. And we didn't have birds all the way up until the late 50s, and in 1983 we made a concerted effort to really restore turkeys back to Michigan, and from that point until now, we've gone from a handful of turkeys state to over 200,000 birds distributed throughout almost every country in the state.

Al:
Another wildlife management success story and that many people helped make happen.

Hannah:
Absolutely, a lot of awesome and fantastic opportunities for upland game bird hunting here in Michigan. Al, thank you so much for sharing some tips and all this helpful information for folks to gear up for fall game bird hunting here in Michigan. We really appreciate you sharing this information with our listeners.

Al:
Oh, great, it's a great opportunity to be here with you and I enjoy having this little talk.

Hannah:
Well thank you, Al. And stay tuned, next up we'll be answering your questions from the mail bag.

Announcer:
You can use your base license to hunt squirrel, rabbit, and hare. Make sure you take full advantage of your base license this season. Visit Michigan.gov/hunting and click on small game for more info.

Hannah:
Welcome back to Wild Talk, I'm Hannah, and I have Rachel and Holly here with me. And now it's time for us to dig into your questions from our mail bag.

Speaker 7:
One, two, three.

Hannah:
So Rachel, why don't you kick us off with a question that you've got.

Rachel:
Sure, so I've got a question from John. And John says, "I heard there are going to be pheasants released during this year's hunting season. When will this be occurring?" So as Al mentioned during his interview, the legislature appropriated funds to the DNR for pheasant release programs during fall of 2019 and 2020. The releases are taking place on 11 different state game areas in partnership with the Michigan Association of Game Breeders and Hunting Preserves. Rooster pheasants will be released weekly between October 19th and November 10th, and then again between November 30th and December 27th. For a list of state game areas where the releases will be taking place, as well as the one time learn to hunt pheasant recruitment events, please visit Michigan.gov/hunting, and click on small game.

Hannah:
All right, thanks, Rachel. All right, so I had Nancy ask where she can find a deer check station for archery deer season that's coming up. If you visit Michigan.gov/deercheck, there will be a map and details on where to find all our DNR deer check stations as well as drop boxes. The map also includes the hours and directions to the check station or drop box, and please remember that staff check stations are closed on holidays, but drop boxes are self service and available at any time. If you have an antlered deer that you'd like to keep the antlers from or want to get your deer mounted, please be sure to visit one of our staffed check stations for assistance.

Holly:
Thanks, Hannah.

Hannah:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Holly:
So I've got a question from Dan, who's asking about harvesting an antler less deer during archery season with his combo tags. He's wondering if that means he can take two does during archery season. Throughout the lower peninsula during archery season, there is the option for hunters with a deer or a deer combo license to harvest an antler less deer. If you have the combo license, and wish to fill both of your tags during archery season with antler less deer, you could do so. There are some portions of the upper peninsula where you can take an antler less deer with your deer or deer combo license during archery season, although there aren't a lot of areas, but there are a few. Please see pages 42 and 43 of the hunting digest for the lower peninsula antler point restrictions and harvest options. It's this handy chart that has the state of Michigan and all of the areas and handy chart that lets you know what you can harvest during which seasons. You can also check out pages 48 and 49 for the upper peninsula antler point restrictions and deer harvest options.

Holly:
If you are hunting this fall in the CWD management zone, there is a 40% discounted private land antler less license that you can purchase in the CWD management zone. This license does expire on November 3rd of 2019. But that's a great opportunity for you to get out this archery season with an antler less tag that's a little bit cheaper if you are hunting in the CWD management zone.

Hannah:
Great, thanks, Holly. Finally Theresa wrote in asking about the Independence Hunt for People with Disabilities. The Independence Hunt is a firearm deer hunt and it takes place on private lands, and then there are some specific public lands as well that the hunt is open on. And that runs October 17th through 20th, and this hunt is for hunters with disabilities. Hunters can use a deer or deer combination license for an antlered or antler less deer. Only one deer may be harvested during the Independence Hunt, and antler point restrictions do not apply. Hunters with disabilities that qualify for the Independence Hunt may use single bit baits during this hunt in locations where baiting is banned. Single bite baits are things like shelled corn, nuts, deer feed, or pellets. So for additional Independence Hunt information and baiting restrictions, you should see page 34 of the Hunting Digest. Additional accessible recreation opportunities can be found by visiting Michigan.gov/DNRaccessibility.

Hannah:
As we zip this segment to a close, remember, if you have questions about wildlife or hunting you can call 517-284-WILD, email DNR-wildlife@michigan.gov, or stop by. Your questions could be featured on our next mail bag.

Announcer:
Michigan deer hunters are invited to bring their deer to a DNR deer check station during the 2019 seasons. Hunters submitting their deer to DNR staff check stations for data collection that aid management decisions receive a deer patch for being a deer management cooperator. In addition to staff deer check stations, there are also a number of 24 hour self service deer head drop boxes that hunters can use to submit their heads to help the DNR which chronic waste and disease surveillance. Visit Michigan.gov/deercheck to find the nearest location.

Hannah:
If you've been a long time listener of the podcast, you'll know I get a little batty in October. And if you want to get batty too, be sure to check out the 2019 Great Lakes Bat Festival this Saturday, October 5th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Belle Isle Nature Center in Detroit. Admission to the bat festival is free, though you will need a recreation passport to get on the island.

Rachel:
That sounds like fun.

Hannah:
Definitely.

Rachel:
So back to some bat basics, Michigan is home to nine different species of bats. All the bat we have here in Michigan are all insectivores, meaning they eat bugs, like lots of bugs. Moths, beetles, flies, and yes, even some mosquitoes. They're great critters to have around, and are a critical component of the ecosystem here in Michigan and elsewhere throughout the world.

Hannah:
Definitely, very important little critters.

Holly:
Unfortunately, here North America, white nose syndrome has been taking its toll on bat populations. White nose syndrome is a disease caused by a fungus that affects bats during hibernation. Hibernation allows bats to survive the winter months when there are no insects to eat. Michigan bats use caves and mines throughout the state and some may even migrate to find suitable places to hibernate.

Hannah:
Yeah, it's a very unfortunate disease. So white nose syndrome causes hibernating bats to basically awaken prematurely and it depletes their fat reserves. And because there are no insects available for the bats to eat during the winter, they cannot replenish their fat reserves while they're using them up and don't survive until spring. Since white nose syndrome was found in Michigan back in 2014, it has had significant impacts on the bat populations in the state. The same can be said for other parts of the country where white nose syndrome is found. So it's not just Michigan, unfortunately, it's found throughout a lot of North America.

Rachel:
But the good news is that bat populations look like they're starting to stabilize in the upper peninsula. But at a very low number compared to pre white nose syndrome population sizes. We are working with several researchers on different methods to try to mitigate the impacts from white nose syndrome. You too can help reduce the spread of white nose syndrome by following mine closures and decontamination guidelines.

Holly:
Have we piqued your curiosity? Visit Michigan.gov/bats to learn all about Michigan's bats and how you can help. And remember to celebrate all things bats this Saturday, October 5th at the 2019 Great Lakes Bat Festival from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Belle Isle Nature Center in Detroit. Thanks for joining, we'll see you all back here November 1st.

Hannah:
Yes, and Happy Halloween.

Holly:
Happy Halloween.

Rachel:
Spooky.

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.