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Invasive Red Swamp Crayfish Found in Southern MichiganThe Michigan DNR recently confirmed the presence of invasive red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) in Sunset Lake in Vicksburg, south of Kalamazoo (Kalamazoo County), and in a retention pond off Haggerty Road in Novi (Oakland County).
Reports of the crayfish at Sunset Lake came to the DNR from two separate landowners Thursday, July 13. DNR staff verified the reports during a survey of the area July 14, finding several crayfish in the grass in a local park and in shallow areas on the lakes west side.
A citizen reported possible red swamp crayfish in the Novi retention pond Monday, July 17, after a child captured one in a dip net. DNR staff responded that afternoon and removed 111 specimens from the pond.
These two reports represent the first live detections of red swamp crayfish in Michigan. In 2015, discovery of a pile of dead red swamp crayfish at Kollen Park in Holland (Allegan County) led to an intensive trapping effort by the DNR in Lake Macatawa and portions of the Grand River. No live crayfish were found at that time.
What are red swamp crayfish?
Red swamp crayfish, also known as Louisiana crayfish, are deep red in color with bright red, raised spots covering the body and claws. They have a black, wedge-shaped stripe on the top of the abdomen. Between 2 and 5 inches in length, these crayfish resemble miniature lobsters. They are native to the Mississippi River drainage and the Gulf Coast and are the popular crawfish or crawdads used in southern cooking.
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The Michigan DNR reminds hunters that the application period for antlerless deer licenses runs from July 15-Aug. 15.
Hunters may apply for one license in any open Deer Management Unit (DMU) statewide; a nonrefundable $5 fee is charged at the time of application. Hunters may choose to apply for either one private-land or one public-land license online at or at any authorized license agent.
Young hunters, ages 9-16, can purchase one junior antlerless deer license over the counter July 15-Aug.15. No application is required. A 9-year-old must be 10 by Sept. 26 to purchase this license.
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Arctic GraylingThe Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative, a statewide partnership effort focused on restoring self-sustaining populations of this native fish, unveiled its official action plan at a recent Natural Resources Commission meeting. The plan details the initiatives goals and various activities it plans to accomplish over the next several years.
This initiative, founded by the Michigan DNR and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, was announced in June 2016 and consists of 32 organizations.
The action plan is the result of multiple meetings of the partners where ideas, questions and information gaps were identified and then condensed into four main focus areas: research, management, fish production and outreach and education.
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By BOB Gwizdz, MDNR
Monitoring St. Clair Sturgeon Population Involves a Lot of Work
Fisheries managers have many high-technology tools available today acoustic tracking, remote satellite imagery, environmental DNA that might make old-timers shake their heads and think it all sounds like science fiction.
But old-fashioned techniques continue to provide fisheries managers with data that helps them make management decisions that benefit both the fisheries resource and anglers.
Nowhere is this truer than when it comes to managing the Great Lakes oldest denizens lake sturgeon.
The Michigan DDNR has been monitoring sturgeon populations on the St. Clair River for the last 25 years with a technique that is as old as fishing itself.
DNR crews use set lines that are anchored to the bottom of the river channel and sport numerous hooks to catch and tag the mysterious prehistoric fish.
The DNRs research vessel, Channel Cat spent much of June on the North Channel of the St. Clair River, above Lake St. Clair, setting and running what are essentially trot lines to monitor the Great Lakes most significant sturgeon population.
"This is the largest natural reproducing population of sturgeon in the Great Lakes," said Todd Wills, who heads up the Lake St. Clair Fisheries Research Station. "We estimate the population in the St. Clair system at about 30,000 fish, 2 years old or older, with about 12,000 of them concentrated in the area being surveyed."
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The Michigan DNR Outdoor Skills Academy will offer bear hunting clinics in Cadillac, Michigan, Saturday, July 29, Saturday, Aug. 5, and Sunday, Aug. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Students will learn the ins and outs of bear hunting with experienced hunters and DNR educators. The class will cover habitat, gear, stand placement, baiting, rules and regulations, carcass care and hide care.
Participants will spend three to four hours in the classroom and then hit the trail to learn how to place a stand and bait in the woods.