It’s simple math really: Zero eggs equals zero fish for future stocking programs.
So, the spring walleye and steelhead egg collections by the Michigan DNR are critical components of the strategy for maintaining world-class fishing opportunities in the Great Lakes State.
Abu Garcia has added a new model to the Zenon spinning selection with the Zenon X.
This new model fills the gap by offering the flexibility to fish lightweight finesse style baits while also providing the power to handle heavier baits when needed.
MLF Report
By CHAD STEWART, Deer, elk and moose management specialist Michigan Department of Natural Resources
The 2023 Michigan deer hunting season is about ready to kick off, and we need to have some frank conversations about deer management in this state. Primarily, our deer seasons aren’t impacting our deer herd like many may think. If you are in the Lower Peninsula, we simply aren’t taking enough does during the season to control the growth of our deer herd in many areas.
Comparative harvest
Since 2000, do you know how many years we have harvested more antlerless deer than antlered deer in the state of Michigan? The answer is one. In 2009, we had an estimated antlerless harvest of 220,913 and an estimated antlered harvest of 215,104. Every other year in this century, we’ve taken more antlered deer than antlerless deer. If you make a quick comparison with the states around us, such as Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin, they all typically harvest between 8% to 25% more antlerless deer than they do antlered deer in a given year. Using those measures, we should be harvesting between 43,000 and 68,000 more antlerless deer in the Lower Peninsula alone!
While this sounds like a lot, keep in mind that the Lower Peninsula has about 40,000 square miles of land. While not every square mile is created equally, and some of those square miles won’t hold any deer due to intensive development or other factors that make the land unappealing to deer, one can see that such an increase in total harvest CAN be achievable, especially in areas where deer are abundant.
By Louie Stout
Mike Raber and Austin Anderson came within seconds of seeing a $40,000 first-place prize slip out of their grasp in the Payback Bass Super Tournament at Lake St. Clair last weekend.
Thanks to Ohio anglers Cody Gray and Codea McCathran who hustled Raber to the weigh-in after he and Anderson ran out of gas, the Michiana team was able to get their winning bag of 24.46 pounds of smallmouth on the scales.
The duo, who fished in Lake Erie and headed back in plenty of time, miscalculated how much gas they had burned on Erie in Anderson’s 21-foot Phoenix Bass Boat.
“We took Austin’s boat instead of my Nitro because of the contingency prizes,” explained Raber. “His boat holds 50 gallons and mine holds 55 and we didn’t realize fuel would be an issue. It was a gift from God that those Ohio guys saw me waving frantically and asking for help.”
Raber said the Ohioans picked him up with 10 minutes left within a couple miles of check in.
“It was the difference between $40,000 and the worst day of our lives,” joked Raber, who promises to reward the rescuers with gear from the Tackle Shack, where he works.
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