# MUCC Policy Report, August 16, 2004



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

MUCC Policy Report, August 16, 2004

Help Needed to Protect Restricted Funds: House Joint Resolution (HJR) Z was introduced by Representative Randy Richardville to constitutionally protect the recreationally related restricted funds within the Department of Natural Resources. e.g. the game and fish protection fund, state parks endowment fund, snowmobile and ORV funds. HJR Z, must be passed by the voters in November, but first must be approved by the Michigan Legislature. The resolution passed the House of Representatives unanimously but Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema refuses to allow the Resolution be acted upon by the Senate. Please contact your State Senator immediately and ask for a vote on the resolution. Explain to your Senator that you are willing to pay for your recreational activity, but you want to ensure that those dollars are used to support that activity. For example, your hunting license dollars should only be used to support hunting related activity. The resolution must pass by the middle of September or it will not go on the ballot.


NRC to Consider Dove Season: DNR has proposed for the Natural Resources Commissions approval a mourning dove season running from September 10 to October 30, 2004. The recommended daily bag limit is 15 mourning doves and a possession limit of 30 mourning doves. Six counties adjacent to Indiana and Ohio are recommended to be open for mourning dove hunting. The counties are Berrien, Branch, Cass, Hillsdale, Lenawee and St. Joseph. The order was submitted for information and consideration at the August 2004 NRC meeting and will be eligible for approval on September 9, 2004. 

August Meeting of the Natural Resources Commission: This months meeting of the NRC was a busy one, with many complicated issues being discussed. On the agenda were proposed waterfowl and dove hunting regulations, an update on the progress of the captive cervid facility/industry audit, an overview of the kiosk and license sales operations, supplemental feeding of deer in some areas of the Upper Peninsula, and an overview of this past years education and outreach efforts by the department.

2004 Waterfowl Hunting Regulations: Proposed waterfowl hunting regulations, recommended by the Citizens Waterfowl Advisory Committee (CWAC) and approved by the NRC were as follows:

Species Zone or Mgt Area Open Season 

Ducks North Zone Sept 25 - Nov 21, Nov 27-28

Middle Zone Oct 2 to Nov 28 and Jan 1-2

South Zone Oct 9 to Dec 5 and Jan 1-2



Pintails North Zone Sep 25 to Oct 24

Middle Zone Oct 2 to Oct 31

South Zone Oct 9 to Nov 7



Canvasbacks North Zone Oct 25 to Nov 21, Nov 27-28

Middle Zone Nov 1 to Nov 28 and Jan 1-2

South Zone Nov 8 to Dec 5 and Jan 1-2



Merganser Same as ducks in the respective zones



Coots and Moorhens Same as ducks in the respective zones



Canada Goose North Zone Sept 20  Oct 10, Dec 4-12

(regular season) Middle Zone Sept 20  Oct 10, Dec 4-12

South Zone (SJBPU) Sept 20  Oct 10, Dec 4-12

South Zone (MVPU) Sept 20  Oct 10, Dec 4-17

Tuscola/Huron GMU Oct 9 to Nov 27 (or quota)

Saginaw County GMU Oct 9 to Nov 27 (or quota) Allegan County GMU Nov 6  Nov 14, Jan 1  

Jan 16 (or quota)

Muskegon W.W. GMU Oct 26 to Nov 14, Dec 2-6 

(or quota)



Canada Goose S. MI Goose Management Area Jan 1 to Jan 30, 2005

(special late season)

Update on the audit on captive cervids: Preliminary results from the ongoing audit of the captive cervid industry and its facilities were released at this months NRC meeting. Included in those results was a noncompliance rate of about 33%. Thus far in the audit, with just over four hundred farms audited, about one-third of the farms were found to be in non-compliance of one form or another. Final results of the audit will not be available until after the completion of the audit sometime this fall. The target date for the completion of the audit is October 1, 2004. The final report is expected to be released by the end of the year. 

Supplemental feeding: The supplemental feeding of deer will be allowed to continue in selected counties of Michigans Upper Peninsula. Those counties include Ontonagon, Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga, Alger, Luce, and those portions of Marquette and Chippewa counties north of the T43-T44N boundary line. Those who wish to feed this winter must check with the MDNR prior to feeding to obtain the required permit and to ensure that all the information from the prior year has been submitted. 

Non-toxic shot: This month the NRC heard a proposal by the MDNR to require the use of non-toxic shot for any person carrying multi-shot loads (including buckshot) while legally pursuing game in certain areas in Michigan. Those areas which were proposed include:

State Game Areas State Wildlife Areas

Shiawassee River SGA Fish Point (part)

Crow Island SGA Nayanquing Point

Maple River SGA (part) St. Clair Flats (part)

Allegan SGA (part) Wigwam Bay (part)

Point Mouillee SGA

Also included in the proposal was the Muskegon County Wastewater Game Area.

All those areas which will incur rule changes will be well marked so as to reflect the new rule change, should it go into effect.

New bobcat regulations A technical amendment was presented to the NRC by the department for furbearer regulations (specifically bobcat) this fall/winter.

The proposed change includes:

- A requirement for trappers to use foothold traps only during the December 10  December 20, private land only trapping season in Bobcat Management Units C and D.

The free bobcat kill tag or tags for Units C and D will be printed with a private lands only, foothold trap only statement

Pigeon River Open House: The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will host an Open House Tuesday August 17, 2004 to provide information and receive public comment on the forest management treatments proposed for 2006 in the Pigeon River Country Management Unit. The Open House will be held from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Pigeon River Country Management Unit Headquarters, located on Twin Lakes Road. Additional information can be found at www.michigan.gov/dnr,1607,7-153-10367 .

DNR Announces 2004 Elk Hunt Participants: Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials announced 124 Michigan residents have been selected from an annual, random drawing to participate in the Dec. 7-14, 2004 elk hunt.

The successful hunters were computer-drawn from a pool of 40,133 applicants. Notification letters have been mailed to the individuals selected for the December hunt. Forty-three of the 124 successful applicants will have the choice of taking an antlered or antlerless elk. The remaining 81 hunters received an "antlerless only" elk license.

This year's elk hunting areas will include Alpena, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego and Presque Isle counties. The January, 2004 population evaluation estimated between 800 and 900 elk in this area of northern Lower Michigan. This year's hunt is designed to maintain the population at 800 to 900 animals and to distribute elk
according to goals established for designated elk management units.

Policy Committeee: MUCC has created a new Policy committee. The Committee combines all of the previous MUCC Policy Committees including Forestry, Fisheries, Wildlife, Land Use, Energy, Parks and Recreation and Environment. The Committee will meet monthly starting on October 4, 2004 from 6:30 -9:00 pm. Anyone interested in attending the meeting is welcome, including those who are not members of MUCC but interested in topics on the agenda or meeting with fellow conservationists. The agenda for each meeting will stay basically the same each month, but the featured topic will change. Refreshments will be available. Topics to be covered throughout the year will be CWD Audit and the next steps, State Parks and their future, Non-Metallic Mining Proposed Activity and legislation, Great Lakes Restoration, Controlling exotics, Cormorant Control, Wetland and Water Management, Michigans Forest Certification program. DNR and DEQ will be invited to address emerging policy issues. When a specific issue needs additional policy direction , e.g. bass regulation, a subcommittee will be formed from interested members of the Policy Committee. Questions regarding the Policy Committee should be directed to Donna Stine at [email protected] or 517-346-6487. 

DEQ Breaks Ground for a Green District Office: The Department of Environmental Qualitys new Warren District Office has been designed and constructed to reduce potable water use by 20%, reduce energy use by 35%, and recycle 50% of all construction materials. The design utilizes natural daylight, storm water for irrigation, renewable energy, sustainable wood sources, regionally manufactured materials, and low-emitting materials. 

Energy Workshop: Energy Choices for a Sustainable Future will be held at Upland Hills Ecological Awareness Center on Saturday August 21, 10 am -5 pm. Workshop topics will include Cost Effective Ways to Save Energy, Energy Efficient Homes, Overview of Renewable Energy, and Myths and Facts about Hydrogen. The cost is $25 ($20 if registered by August 16). Lunch is included. Contact [email protected] or call 248-693-1021 to register.

Town Hall Meeting to Stop Water Diversion: Rep. Steve Bieda is holding a town hall meeting to discuss opportunities to stop water diversions. The meeting will be held August 18th from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm at the Warren Recreation Center- 5460 Arden Rd. Warren, MI 48092.

Nominations Sought for Most Endangered River: American Rivers' Outreach Team is seeking nominations for 2005's Most Endangered River Report to be released in April 2005. Each year, the Americas Most Endangered Rivers Report shines a national spotlight on local rivers facing the most uncertain futures. In order to be a strong candidate for the 2005 report, it is critical that a major action or decision affecting the threat will take place between April 2005 and April 2006. The deadline for nominations is October 1, 2004. Nomination forms are available online at http://www.amrivers.org/doc_repository/MER_2005/2005_Nomination_Form.pdf

Nominations are judged by the following primary criteria:
* The magnitude and imminence of the threat
* A major action or decision being made in the coming year that affects
that threat
* The regional and national significance of the river

Questions should be directed at Jamie Mierau at 202-347-7550 or [email protected]

Game Breeders Face Serious Charges
Commentary, Louie Stout, South Bend Tribune, Sunday, July 25 2004:
The high fence hunting crowd took a serious hit last week when indictments were handed down against Indiana's largest game breeding facility.

Some 250 deer breeding operations and 10 private hunting preserves have battled DNR officials, sportsmen groups and conservationists' attempts to ban or at least restrict pay-to-hunt fenced operations masquerading as deer farms.

Those proponents -- including several Indiana legislators who have supported the activity -- are wearing egg on their faces after a U.S. District Court Grand Jury in South Bend leveled a 38-count indictment, charging two breeders with illegally selling and transporting wildlife
across state boundaries; facilitating the illegal killing and transportation of wildlife; knowingly providing false information to federal agents; and illegally introducing chemicals into food- producing wildlife for interstate transfer.

Of course, an indictment doesn't mean guilt, but the Feds' sting operation last October on the Peru, Ind. operation gives sportsmen more ammunition in their claims that unethical -- if not illegal -- activities are carried out inside the fence.

Russell G. Bellar, 49, of Peru, and Hinds Tom Jones, 36, of Edwards, Miss., each have been charged with more than 30 felony violations of the Lacey Act. Each felony violation can result in a maximum fine of $250,000 and/or 5 years in prison.

The indictment alleges that they conducted at least 51 illegal deer hunts since January 2001 at Bellar's Place, a central Indiana deer breeding facility, and that many "hunters" were unlicensed, used illegal weapons, and hunted with the aid of bait. State and federal conservation officers
claim that persons were allowed to choose specific deer and paid up to $20,000 in fees to kill the animals in an enclosed hunting area. The deer were said to be drugged, and had their antlers measured prior to being placed into small pens where they were killed. Once the deer were killed, antlers, hides and drug contaminated meat were illegally transported, often across state boundaries.

Bellar's Place consists of 1,200 acres and a 5,000-square foot lodge. The investigation included wildlife agents posed as hunters; detailed interviews with hunters, business associates and employees; and the execution of federal search warrants at Bellar's private residence and two
of his businesses.

Game officials say Bellar's Place was authorized to possess deer in captivity and to buy and sell deer for breeding purposes, but its license doesn't allow the sale of deer for hunting.

The investigation is said to be ongoing and more indictments could include celebrities who participated in alleged hunts.

Donna Stine
Policy Specialist
Michigan United Conservation Clubs
PO Box 30235
2101 Wood Street
Lansing, MI 48909
(517) 346-6487 - phone
(517) 371-1505 - Fax
[email protected]


----------

