Michigan Mixed Bag: Pheasant Hunting has Resumed at Rose Lake State Game Area

Lansing — Pheasant hunting has resumed at the Rose Lake State Game Area, located in Clinton and Shiawassee counties.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources had temporarily paused pheasant releases there following an Oct. 16 plane crash in Bath Township near the Rose Lake SGA. The investigation, led by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, has concluded.

Visitors are still advised to avoid the immediate crash site.

Birds originally intended for the first scheduled release will be distributed across the remaining releases through the Nov. 14 end of the regular pheasant hunting season.

Rooster pheasants are being released weekly on 13 state game/wildlife areas throughout southern Michigan this fall. Releases will take place throughout pheasant hunting seasons, including the Dec 1-Jan 1. late pheasant season.

Visit here for more on pheasants, season regulations and release maps/information.

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Grant Funding of Up to $1.5 Million Available for Fisheries Habitat Projects

Lansing — The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is offering up to $1.5 million in Fisheries Habitat Grants to local, state, federal and tribal governments and nonprofit groups. This funding is available for activities that can improve Michigan’s fisheries and aquatic resources, such as fish habitat conservation, dam removal and repair, and resource assessment studies.

Fisheries Habitat Grants are available through an open, competitive process, and pre-proposals are being accepted now through Nov. 19.

“Healthy rivers, lakes and wetlands are essential to support fishing, boating and other enjoyment of our state’s natural resources,” said Joe Nohner, DNR fisheries resource analyst. “These grants help our partners protect and rehabilitate fisheries and aquatic ecosystems in Michigan, where these resources are vital to recreation and local economies. In cases where we remove, repair or renovate dams, we also can improve public safety for residents and visitors.”

Contact Joe Nohner at (517) 599-6825 or Chip Kosloski at (517) 281-1705 for more info. The detailed program handbook, including timeline, pre-proposal guidelines and forms, is available at Michigan.gov/DNRGrants.

Season Closures

Lake Orion, Mich. — Hunters are reminded of season closures on Nov. 14 prior to the Nov. 15-30 firearms deer season.

Ruffed grouse, pheasant, quail, and turkey seasons all close on Nov. 14. Check the 2025 Hunting Digest for December hunting opportunities.

Register Now for All-Inclusive Winter Wonderland Jan. 7-9

Gaylord, Mich. — If you’ve been thinking about ways to breathe a little more outdoors into your life in the new year, mark your calendar for the DNR’s Winter Wonderland Jan. 7-9.

Nestled along the shores of Higgins Lake near Roscommon, you’ll find warmth and winter wonder at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center. Join staff from the RAM Center and the Outdoor Adventure Center for an exciting Winter Wonderland experience. It’s a two-night, three-day adventure that includes guided winter birding, an evening owl prowl, presentations on winter ecology and wildlife and more, plus plenty of time to explore on your own.

This all-inclusive package includes two nights of comfortable lodging, five delicious meals and all activities and presentations.

Call (989) 821-6200 for more info.

COs Apply Search-and-Rescue Tactics to Locate Missing Ogemaw County Man

Lansing — A 70-year-old man from Ogemaw County was reunited with family earlier this month after becoming lost near his home earlier that day.

Around 11:30 a.m. the man wandered away from his home, a wooded and rural area located near County Highway F-18 and M-30 in Edwards Township.

Officers from the Ogemaw County Sheriff’s Office were the first to arrive on the scene and began searching with canine units. A Michigan State Police helicopter was in the air nearby and also searched the area.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officers Kyle Bader, Brad Bellville and Josh Jobin and probationary CO Andrew Werth responded to the area and used “lost person behavior” – a search and rescue method – to begin searching.

At 3:10 p.m., one of the conservation officers located the man in a ditch, approximately 100 yards from his home. The man was in stable condition and did not require medical attention.

“Based on our training we know that people with health conditions, such as dementia in this situation, are often located within 1.5 miles from the place they left,” said the DNR’s Lt. Jeremy Payne.

Since 2012, conservation officers have received search and rescue training, often using it to locate people in challenging terrains not accessible by vehicles. Conservation officers continue to advance that training through tactical tracking, which includes identifying and following a trail of evidence from the missing person.

The Ogemaw County Sheriff’s Office was the lead agency in this event, assisted by the DNR and Michigan State Police.