Outdoors

After ice and snow cover melt on Michigan lakes this spring, it may be more likely for people to discover dead fish or other aquatic animals. While such sights can be startling, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds everyone that it is normal, since winter conditions can cause fish and other creatures such as turtles, frogs, toads, and crayfish to die.

Whether you ski them in the winter, or hike or mountain bike them in the warmer months, the Munising Bay Trail Network continues to be a popular destination. The trails and its governing club were formed in 2012 and it has been a hotspot for outdoor enthusiasts ever since.

Summer planning is underway on the Hiawatha National Forest as staff and members of the public prepare for the camping season. With a variety of options available, both developed and rustic, along with four cabins, there is plenty to explore in these Northwoods.

Updated guidelines for co-management of fishery resources in parts of Michigan’s Great Lakes are now in effect for the next 24 years. The new Great Lakes Fishing Decree was approved Aug. 24, 2023, by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan. In the months since the decree’s signing, the State of Michigan and tribal governments have been preparing to implement the provisions of the document.

This year’s winter weather has been so unusually warm that even the residents at the GarLyn Zoo in Naubinway are taking notice. Hutch, the zoo’s Syrian brown bear, came out of hibernation on Jan. 31; apparently wanting to investigate the warmth for himself.

Wildlife species and habitat quality too often, perhaps, are couched under the labels of “good” and “bad” using human attributes when, in reality, all habitat conditions produce “winners” and “losers”.

Katt Hansen What resolution have you made for the New Year? If you’re like most people, improving your health probably has figured into your plans for 2024. Improving fitness, eating better, losing weight and improving mental health all top the list of most common resolutions according to various polls and statistics for 2024.

It’s possible! In fact, winter tree identification is easier after all those leaves get out of the way. Bewilderment often greets the dormant season forest visitor in terms of tree identification.

Michigan’s 2023 regular firearm deer season concluded on November 30, leaving many area hunters empty-handed. This season closed with a final tally of 361 deer taken in Alger County, down sharply from the 455 reported in 2022.