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If it's going to be cold out, it might as well be cold enough to freeze the lakes and rivers. Right now, ice fishing season is quickly approaching in many regions and one of the best ways to get in on the action is by targeting first ice panfish.
Jeremy Bunnell and Lee Duracz captured another Polar Bear victory, winning on the St. Joseph River at 6 Span last weekend.
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Michigan Deer Hunters Reminded of Reporting Requirement; Here’s How to Do It
- Details
MDNR Report
Last year, nearly 7,000 deer hunters voluntarily reported their deer harvest online to help test the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ new reporting system. Starting with the fall 2022 deer seasons, online harvest reporting is required for all hunters who successfully take a deer.
Chad Stewart, the DNR’s deer, elk and moose management specialist, said there are several reasons the department is moving to online harvest reporting, but one of the most important is more precise data.
“The decline in response rate to our post-season mail surveys increases the amount of uncertainty in our harvest estimates, which can lead to incorrect regulation recommendations in some locations,” Stewart said.
Brian Frawley, the DNR wildlife biologist who manages the surveys, agreed.
“Twenty years ago, 75% of recipients responded to the survey, but in recent years we have seen a response rate consistently under 40%,” Frawley said. “If we’re going to provide hunters, wildlife managers and the Michigan Natural Resources Commission with timely, accurate data, we need to change how we collect it.”
Reporting options
Hunters will have up to 72 hours after taking a deer to report their harvest. The DNR estimates it should take about three to five minutes to complete the report, and there are two ways to do it:
- Report online at Michigan.gov/DNRHarvestReport.
- Use the DNR’s new mobile app – an even faster option – available in the Google Play store (for Android devices) and the Apple App Store.
St. Joe Bass Masters Move Youth Derby Site to Pin Hook Park Aug. 13
- Details
St. Joe Bass Masters Report
The St. Joe Valley Bass Masters have changed their 46th annual free youth fishing tournament location from Potato Creek State Park to Pin Hook Park in South Bend.
The annual youth derby is Aug. 13 and is open to all kids ages 4 to 14. The youth fishing contest is one of the longest running kid events in the Midwest and averages approximately 200 kids each year. In fact, some parents and grandparents participated in this event when they were youngsters.
The park is located at Riverside Drive and Boland Drive in South Bend. The change was necessary because Potato Creek State Park has begun construction on a new inn on the land where the contest used to be held.
There will be both boy and girl divisions. Age groups are 4-7, 8-11, and 12-14 in each division. Registration starts at 8 a.m. Each contestant gets a free T-shirt.
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