Michigan Mixed Bag: Clean up the Clinton River with state representatives

Rochester Hills, Mich. — Volunteers are being sought to join Clinton River Watershed Council, State Rep. Denise Mentzer (D-Mt. Clemens), and State Rep. Joseph Aragona (R-Clinton Township) for a bi-partisan effort to clean up the Clinton River and improve local parks and community trails.

Participants will meet at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 15, at George George Memorial Park in Clinton Township, 40500 Moravian Drive Clinton Township, MI, 48036. Registration is required for this event and will close on June 14, 2024, at noon. Register at CRWC.org

This clean-up is open to individuals of all skill levels. CRWC encourages everyone, from residents and anglers to community leaders, to get involved directly in improving the health and natural beauty of the watershed.

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New Bass Tournament Open to All High School Anglers, Boat Styles

Columbus, Ga. — This summer, high-school anglers from around the country have a chance to win great prizes while competing in a bass tournament that’s unlike any other. Kids can fish any public waterway, from any boat, at any time over a 61-day period.

The Fishers of Men 2024 High School Summer Challenge, presented by Realtree Fishing, brings fun competition through the Fishing Chaos app. Prizes are awarded for the largest five-bass stinger and biggest fish overall in June and July.

Any angler in grades 9-12 is eligible, regardless of age.

Participants must be members of Fishers of Men (youth membership is free) and pay a $10 tournament entry fee. No enrollment in other organizations or scholastic fishing teams is necessary. Upon sign-up, a special devotional message is given by superstar angler Nick Lebrun.

Anglers can fish multiple locations throughout the event. All fishing must be done from a boat, but that is the only formal watercraft requirement. Kayaks, bass boats, float tubes, duck rigs; all are welcome. State, and federal watercraft regulations apply, and high-school-aged competitors must wear an approved, chest-type flotation device any time a combustion engine is running.

The tournament lasts all of June and July. Find Realtree Fishing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and at Realtree.com.

Catch Fish, Have Fun, Help the Fishery Through Midwest Walleye Challenge

Lansing — Looking for another reason to get on the water? How about the Midwest Walleye Challenge? The Michigan DNR is partnering with MyCatch by Angler’s Atlas on a statewide walleye fishing challenge that includes all inland waters and runs through June 30.

The MyCatch mobile app maintains anonymous location data, so anglers’ secret spots stay secret, while Michigan DNR fisheries biologists get valuable information – generalized lake and river catch data entered via the app – to better assess and manage walleye populations. Specific catch locations from anglers are not listed on public leaderboards.

For all Midwest Walleye Challenge technical/operational/informational questions, email Angler’s Atlas at events@anglersatlas.com.

For questions related to Michigan’s walleye fishery and statewide fisheries management, contact Seth Herbst at HerbstS1@Michigan.gov.

Researchers Find Deer Genus from 32 Million Years Ago

Racine, Wis. — (AP) A team of researchers studying fossil remains found by an intern in South Dakota’s Badlands National Park have discovered a previously unknown type of tiny, hornless deer that lived in the area 32 million years ago, National Park Service announced last month.

Researchers from the park, American Museum of Natural History, and California State Polytechnic University say the remains are a new genus. Mattison Shreero and Ed Welsh of Badlands National Park headed the research.

Santuccimeryx, named after Vincent L. Santucci to honor his contributions to the paleontology program at Badlands National Park, belongs to the extinct family Leptomerycidae, whose members were about the size of house cats and lived in North America from about 41 million years ago to about 11 million years ago. They are considered close relatives to the living chevrotains, or mouse deer, from the tropical forests of central and western Africa and southeast Asia.

DNR Releases Name of Person Reported Missing on Belle Isle State Park

Detroit — James Kuntz, 63, of Plymouth, has been identified as the individual who was reported missing after being last seen at the Detroit Yacht Club on Belle Isle, May 10.

The U.S. Coast Guard located Kuntz’s body Sunday morning, May 12, offshore of Fighting Island in the Detroit River, about 9 miles south of the Detroit Yacht Club.

“This is never how we want to conclude a search, but we hope the recovery of this man’s body can bring closure to his family and friends,” said Lt. Todd Szyska, DNR law enforcement supervisor in Detroit.

The cause of death will be determined by the county medical examiner.

DNR Law Enforcement Division officers remind boaters to safely enjoy the waters, while remaining prepared with lifejackets, emergency equipment, a boating plan and always boating sober.