Mixed Bag: Volunteers sought to protect sturgeon along the Black River

Cheboygan, Mich. — Volunteers are needed in Cheboygan County through early June to stand guard as mature lake sturgeon head upstream to their spawning sites along the Black River.

The Black Lake Chapter of Sturgeon for Tomorrow is working in partnership with the Michigan DNR and various tribes to protect the fish from illegal harvest during the six-week spawning season.

Sgt. Mike Mshar, who leads DNR Law Enforcement Division’s efforts on the river, said, “This program, that protects this iconic species when they are most vulnerable, is a model of how agencies and the public can cooperate to get work accomplished.”

The lake sturgeon is listed as a threatened species in Michigan, with any sport fishing being closely regulated.

Volunteers are assigned shifts along the river to stand watch and report suspicious activity to the DNR conservation officers patrolling the area. The program also uses aerial surveillance for additional monitoring.

Individuals or groups interested in volunteering should contact Jim and Mary Paulson at (989) 763-7568 or search online for Sturgeon for Tomorrow, Black Lake Chapter.

MORE COVERAGE FROM MICHIGAN OUTDOOR NEWS:

Commentary: Traditional fish and wildlife management is under attack

Outdoor Observations: An opportunity for Michigan residents to take part in deer management

Walleye, perch tally still strong in Michigan waters of Lake Erie

Gear up for Spring Seasons and Get Your 2024 Fishing License Now

Lansing — Michigan’s new fishing license and regulation season kicked off Monday, April 1, so anglers need to be sure they have purchased a new license for this fishing season in order to enjoy some great fishing opportunities. The 2024 fishing licenses are valid through March 31, 2025.

Fishing licenses can be purchased at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses or by downloading the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app and purchasing your license through the app.

Michigan DNR Hunt Fish, an official app of the Michigan DNR, provides a mobile path to buy and store hunting, fishing, ORV and snowmobile licenses and permits, report harvests, access guides and digests, and get the latest outdoor recreation updates.

Upcoming Fishing Season Openers

Lansing — The statewide trout season and the Lower Peninsula inland walleye and pike seasons all open Saturday, April 27. On Upper Peninsula waters, the walleye and northern pike seasons open Monday, May 15.

Michigan’s muskellunge possession season on all Great Lakes, inland waters, the St. Marys River, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair and Detroit rivers opens Saturday, June 1. (Remember that catch-and-release fishing for muskellunge is open all year.)

The catch-and-immediate-release season for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open all year on nearly all waters (unless otherwise closed to fishing – check the current Michigan Fishing Regulations for specifics).

The possession season for bass opens statewide Saturday, May 25, except for Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair and Detroit rivers, which open Saturday, June 15.

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Brings National Rendezvous to Upper Midwest

Minneapolis — Backcountry Hunters and Anglers is bringing its 2024 North American Rendezvous to the Minneapolis Convention Center April 18-20. It’s the first time the national event will be held outside the northern Rockies.

“We are excited to start bringing the Rendezvous experience to the BHA community across North America, this time to the Minnesota heartland,” said Patrick Berry, president and CEO of BHA. “Rendezvous highlights our commitment to engage and celebrate the conservation-minded hunters and anglers who embody the BHA ethos.”

BHA is celebrating its 20th anniversary at the 2024 event along with welcoming new CEO Berry, who took the job on Jan. 1. The 2024 event will contain the largest exhibitor space of any rendezvous to date. The event is open to the public and welcomes outdoor enthusiasts who share a passion for BHA’s public lands mission. Participants can enjoy fan favorites, such as the world-renowned Field to Table dinner, the BHA Chapter Wild Game Cook-off, as well as hunting, angling and outdoor seminars, panels, and demonstrations.

Outdoor News will have a booth at the show. For complete details, visit www.backcountryhunters.org.

Hillsdale College Announces USA Shooting Junior Olympic Development Camps

Hillsdale, Mich. — The Hillsdale College John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center will host 2024’s Junior Olympic Development Camps. The camps, which are open to intermediate-to-advanced trap and skeet shooters ages 12 to 20, will take place from July 14 to 19 (trap) and from July 21 to 26 (skeet).

The Junior Olympic Development Camps are designed to help promising young shooters advance in the Olympic shotgun disciplines, providing Olympic hopefuls with advanced training from national team members, former Olympians, and world champions.

“These are some of the most promising young shooters in the country – maybe even the world,” said Caitlin Connor Royer, assistant program development and competition manager for Hillsdale College’s Halter Center and multi-time World Cup Medalist. “These camps provide them with the coaching and mentorship they need to take it to the next level. USA Shooting is already one of the top programs in the world. Events like this ensure it will become even stronger.”

Visit https://shootingsports.hillsdale.edu for more info.