# MUCC Resource Department Report



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

I'm passing on this email from Dennis Fox, MUCC

FROM: Dennis Fox, MUCC Policy Director

Copied below is the most recent MUCC Resource Department Report prepared for the MUCC Executive Committee. Please pass this along to other MUCC clubs, members or individuals.

Thanks,
Dennis Fox

MUCC Resource Department Report - September 2002 Executive Committee 

Forestry Compartment Reviews  Every thing came together well for MUCCs first forestry compartment review training session. Held in Gaylord it was hosted by MUCC and Resource Stewards, and was attended by MUCC and Rough Grouse Society volunteers. In the end about thirty eager volunteers were trained in how to be an effective reviewer and how to best help the state in evaluating the public forest lands. Every year about ten percent of the state owned forest lands come into a review process. This process helps decide the future management of the forest and its resources. A well trained volunteer is essential for the review process and ours should do well.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore  After receiving an immense amount of pressure from the public and now even from their own superiors in Washington the Review Board has decided to redo parts of the 20 year management plan for the park. The preliminary preferred alternative to the current plan outlined in their newsletter called for the destruction of a deer herd on North Manitou Island, the ending of Coho Salmon stocking in the Platt River, and the Closure of about 10 miles of road within the park. The time period for public comment has also been extended another time, in order to better collect public sentiment on the issue. A rough draft of the management plan is still due sometime this winter, with action towards a final copy coming the following summer.

New Pike Regulations  MUCC spoke before the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) during their September meeting on the issues related to the DNRs new pike of any size regulation. This regulation would allow for the catch of pike of any size (with a creel limit of five fish) in certain waters. This regulation is consistent with MUCCs policy with one exception. MUCC policy calls for quality fishery management requirements, such as a limited number of fish kept over a certain size limit (which would protect breeding aged females from being over harvested. MUCCs comments were received well, and the NRC discussed possible actions that could be taken at a later date. 

In the proposed waters, recent research performed by Fisheries Division personnel has found very high northern pike populations and growth rates below state average in the corresponding waters. These high numbers result in stunting and an eventual poor fishery, which necessitates a different management strategy than the statewide regulation of two fish, with a twenty-four inch size limit. For a listing of lakes included in this recommendation call Jason Dinsmore at 517/346-6484.

Hunting Closures  Lyon Township, after building a school on property that was historically used by the area sportsmen and women for hunting, is seeking to close hunting on all lands adjacent to the school property. MUCC stands against this proposal on the merit that the proposal came on the hysteria of a few individuals fearful of hunters and hunting. There is no evidence, scientific or otherwise, that hunters obeying the 150 yard buffer around the buildings pose any threat to the students or personnel of the school. The closure would also include a privately owned apple orchard that, without hunting, would be left with an exploding deer population with no way of controlling it.

Shelby Township, going one step further than Lyon, seeks to close hunting on all public lands within the township and hunting on private land totaling less than 3 acres in area. The township is also attempting to close the area to all firearm hunting (both shotgun and rife/pistol). MUCC will stand opposed to the closure of the public lands to hunting and the limitation of the minimum acreage for bow-hunting on private lands. MUCC supports the use of a 150 safety zone between hunters and buildings, or other settlements. When combined with safe and responsible hunters the risk to property and the non-hunting public is minimized to almost nothing.

CCW Changes -The Michigan House of Representative has passed several bills that tweak the new CCW law. MUCC is concerned about creating piece-meal exemptions to the newly revised CCW statute that was meant to treat everyone equal. Although the exemptions in these bills make some sense we are concerned about setting this type of precedent for carving out exemptions. HB 6108, sponsored by Representative Jim Howell would revise concealed weapon and pistol training requirements. HB 6109, sponsored by Steven Vear would waive certain educational requirements for peace officers and former peace officers seeking renewal of concealed pistol permit. HB 6110, sponsored by Representative Cameron Brown would allow reserve and part-time peace officers to carry concealed pistols on certain premises. HB 6111, sponsored by Representative Laura Toy would revise certain provisions relating to concealed weapons carried by reserve law enforcement officers. HB 6113, sponsored by Representative Andrew Raczkowski would revise the implied consent provisions for peace officers licensed to carry concealed pistols. There may be more changes made to the new CCW law during this falls lame-duck session. MUCC will be reviewing the existing statutes to see what if any changes are needed before term limits kicks in and remove friendly legislators.

Hunting, Fishing and State Park Entrance License Fee Delegation - MUCC has written a letter to the Natural Resource Commission (NRC) indicating support for legislation that will delegate the authority for hunting, fishing and state park entrance fees from the Michigan Legislature to the NRC. The intent is to provide sportsmen with greater input in the process of adjusting these fees at the same time a removing them from the political process. Under this structure there will be a minimum of 60 days for the public to provide comment whereas with the legislature these changed could be made in as little as 13 days. Another reason for this change is with term limits any adjustments will be almost impossible to move through the legislative process.

$1 Billion Sewer Bond - MUCC is supporting Proposal 02-02, which will provide $1 billion to help fix residential and municipality sewer systems and is encouraging our members to vote YES on the proposal. Proposal 02-02, will require 90 percent of the bond proceeds to into the existing State Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund and 10 percent to go into a new fund that would be established to make loans to municipalities to help them reduce the flow of groundwater or storm water entering sewer systems or to help them upgrade or replace failing on-site septic systems. Based on numerous policies adopted by MUCC members, we are supporting the proposal as a means to help address problems associated with failing sewer systems. Problems such as surface water contamination that leads to fish consumption advisories, overloading of nutrients that leads to over growth of aquatic weeds and water contamination that leads to beach closings are all problems that this bond proposal is aimed at fixing.

Right to Forest - HB 5953, sponsored by Ken Bradstreet (Gaylord) will create the Right to Forest Act. Under the bill, forestry operations would not be considered to be a public or private nuisance if the operations alleged to be a nuisance conformed to generally accepted forestry management practices in accordance with the policies of the DNR. MUCC is supporting this bill because forestry operations are important to maintaining healthy forests which are a valuable tool in wildlife management. The bill applies to both state and private forests.

CCW Fingerprinting - HB 6349, sponsored by Steven Vear, eliminates the requirement for additional fingerprints when a person is renewing a concealed weapons permit. MUCC strongly supports HB 6349 because repeatedly requiring a person to be fingerprinted each time they renew their CCW permit is an undue burden on law abiding citizens. This is also an unneeded duplication because once fingerprints are entered into the database they stay there and every time a person is fingerprinted those prints go to the same database.

Firearm Safety Zone  HB 6261, sponsored by Representative Scott Hummel (DeWitt), which would prohibit a person from hunting or discharging a firearm within 150 yards of an occupied or unoccupied building, dwelling, house, residence, cabin, or barn without the written permission of the owner, renter, or occupant of the property. Under current law this 150 yard safety zone only applies to an occupied building, dwelling, house, residence, cabin, barn, or other building used in connection with a farming operation.

Senior Fishing License Exemption  HB 6190, sponsored by Representative Wayne Kuipers (Holland), would allow senior citizens to fish without a license. MUCC policy supports seniors receiving half-priced hunting and fishing licenses but does not support a complete exemption.


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