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MDNR Report
To help fill vacancies for essential conservation officer roles in 14 counties, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is hiring licensed law enforcement officers for an accelerated conservation officer training program.
“The accelerated hiring process will allow licensed officers who have received general criminal training to bypass the traditional Conservation Officer Recruit School Academy and immediately begin their natural resources law enforcement training,” said Capt. Jen Wolf, DNR Law Enforcement Division. “This helps us bring in skilled, motivated officers with diverse law enforcement experience to quickly fill existing vacancies.”
Counties with vacancies include: Baraga, Cass, Chippewa, Eaton, Huron, Ingham, Kalamazoo, Lapeer, Mackinac, Midland, Ontonagon, Oscoda, Shiawassee and Tuscola.
Qualified applicants must be at least 21 years of age and meet one of the following requirements:
- Hold a current Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards license.
- Be a graduating student from a law enforcement academy and eligible for immediate licensure upon employment.
- Be a licensed law enforcement officer in another state and meet MCOLES requirements.
Interested? Apply by May 10. Successful candidates will meet DNR hiring requirements, including being a State of Michigan resident, by the time training ends.
Stationed in nearly every county of the state, DNR conservation officers are fully licensed law enforcement officers who enforce laws and regulations related to fish and wildlife, state parks, trails and forests, and outdoor recreation activities such as off-road vehicle use, snowmobiling and boating. They also often serve as first responders during natural disasters and life-threatening situations.
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D&R Sports Report
The D&R Sports Center in Kalamazoo will kick off its Spring Fishing Show April 14, 15 and 16 with a stellar seminar lineup.
Kevin VanDam - Jonathon VanDam
Speakers this year include Kevin and Jonathon VanDam, Mark Zona, smallmouth guide Chris Noffsinger, Canadian Bassmaster Pro and smallmouth expert Cory Johnston and Major League Fishing pro Josh Bertand.
Josh Bertand - Cory Johnston
In addition, KVD will be doing seminars with Justin Freeman, Director of Product Management at Humminbird. They will cover everything from Dual Spectrum Chirp to Side Imaging, Down Imaging, Mega 360, Mega Live, Lakemaster map chips and the One Boat Network. You will learn the ins and outs of those technologies and how to use them to catch more fish.
Store managers promise big sales on just about everything in stock and factory representatives from several companies will be on hand to discuss their products.
Show hours are 9-8 Friday, 9-6 Saturday and 9-4 Sunday. There is no admission fee.
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MDNR Report
Black Bears
The black bear’s winter slumber will soon be over. In late March to early May, bears leave their dens and begin looking for food to replenish their bodies. As they rejoin us in search of nourishment, it's important to remember that human behavior affects bear behavior.
"Just like humans waking from a long nap, bears first look for water, often drinking from rivers and ponds or eating snow. Their early spring menu consists of last year’s vegetation, salvaged carcasses and fresh green shoots as they emerge," said Rachel Leightner, Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife outreach coordinator. "Though these food sources are readily available, it is difficult to resist the calorie-rich offerings of bird seed, garbage, beehives and pet foods.
You might consider watching bears forage near your home as an exciting chance to see wildlife up close. But what’s really happening could be very troublesome for both you and the bear."
Bears that find reliable food sources near homes can become repeat visitors and may lose their fear of humans, she added. Additionally, if a female bear with cubs teaches her young to forage from these food sources, it can lead to problematic behavior later in life and negative outcomes such as property damage, loss of livestock and dangerous situations for both humans and bears.
Leightner said that, fortunately, avoiding these problems is easy if you take a proactive approach and suggested the following steps.
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MDNR Report
Walleye Electro-fishing
Muskegon River anglers should be on the lookout this spring for Michigan Department of Natural Resources personnel collecting walleye eggs below Croton Dam, which is in Newaygo County.
Electrofishing boat crews will collect walleye starting as early as the week of March 27 and concluding by April 14. The date these collections begin will depend on water temperatures, the presence of ripe fish and other factors. Most work likely will be completed from the last week of March through the first week of April. Five days of electrofishing are planned, with four of those being egg-take days.
"This adult population consists of mostly stocked fish," said Ed Pearce, DNR fisheries technician supervisor who coordinates the egg take. "The Muskegon River has the largest run of walleye in the Lake Michigan watershed south of Green Bay."
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Michigan DNR Report
A 14-year-old boy reported missing early last week was treated and released from an area hospital after Michigan DNR conservation officers located him cold and wet near Foster Creek, south of Marquette.
At 4:25 p.m. Marquette County Central Dispatch informed local emergency responders of a runaway boy who lives along Marquette County Road 545 North in West Branch Township.
The DNR is not releasing the boy’s name because he is a minor.
Conservation Officer John Kamps and probationary Conservation Officer Steve Sajtar were patrolling nearby and immediately began searching the area.
Kamps and Sajtar located a set of footprints and began tracking them, south of County Road 545 North and Maplewood Road. Officers followed the footprints about 650 yards, until they encountered a person walking, who confirmed a boy who matched the missing teen’s description had walked east on Maplewood Road about three hours earlier.