“Despite having issues with stunting in the past, the panfish populations of Pickerel Lake currently exhibit good size-structure… Native predator species like largemouth bass and northern pike were well-represented in the catch and showed satisfactory growth rates,” wrote DNR Fisheries Biologist Mark Tonello in a summary of that survey.
Michigan has a healthy, diverse fishery in Newaygo County’s Pickerel Lake Read More »
Winter is slowly fading and it won’t be long before warm spring breezes replace the snow and cold. Along with the arrival of spring comes one of my favorite pastimes – spring turkey hunting.
Once that first glorious gobble from a love-struck longbeard rings in my ears I can’t focus on much else. Turkeys have that effect on me. Fortunately, Michigan is one of the top states in the country for hunting spring turkeys. But it hasn’t always been that way.
Outdoor Observations: Michigan’s wild turkey population has come a long way Read More »
Spring gobbler hunters can expect another good season with stable turkey numbers across most of Michigan.
The harvest report for the 2024 season was not available from the DNR at press time. However in 2023, 74,244 hunters killed an estimated 33,925 bearded turkeys during the spring hunt. Biologists expect that last year’s numbers were similar.
Good hunting anticipated for Michigan’s spring turkey season Read More »
Despite warmer temps, still some good ice fishing taking place. Here’s where.
Michigan Outdoor News Fishing Report – March 1, 2025 – video Read More »
Walleyes haven’t been planted in Isabella County’s Coldwater Lake since 2018, but anglers are still catching a lot of nice sized ’eyes.
“A few years back the DNR truck broke down, and they had to dump all the fish they had left (in the truck) into the lake,” said Greg Clark, owner of Schafer’s Bait and Sport Shop. “A lot of people got mad and said the walleyes were eating all the other fish so they stopped planting them.
Walleyes still making waves on Coldwater Lake in Michigan’s Isabella County Read More »
Another bill to legalize baiting of white-tailed deer in Michigan has been introduced in the state legislature.
State Sen. Michele Hoitenga (R-Cadillac) introduced SB 065 earlier this month which, if approved by both the Senate and House, would need Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s signature for approval.
If history is any teacher, I don’t anticipate Gov. Whitmer signing this bill. This isn’t the first piece of legislation introduced in Lansing in an effort to overturn the baiting ban.
Outdoor Observations: Will Michigan deer-baiting ban be lifted? History says no Read More »
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources proposed several changes in bear hunting license allocations and regulations at the Feb. 13 Natural Resources Commission meeting in Lansing.
The proposals came from discussions with the Bear Forum and the DNR’s internal Bear Work Group. (The Bear Forum meets annually and consists of 15 conservation organizations, the U.S. Forest Service and others.) A proposal to raise bear license numbers in the northern Lower Peninsula drew the sharpest criticism from members of the bear hunting community.
A bill recently introduced in the Michigan legislature seeks to overturn the Department of Natural Resources’ deer baiting ban, which has been in place since 2018.
Senate Bill 065 was introduced Feb. 5 by Senator Michele Hoitenga (R-Cadillac) and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture. SB 065 states that if the Natural Resources Commission issues an order banning or restricting deer or elk baiting, an individual may still bait deer on private property during the open hunting season under certain circumstances.
Legislation seeks to overturn deer baiting ban in Michigan Read More »
Gray wolves have bolted back into the spotlight with the introduction of legislation that could remove them from federal protection.
The Pet and Livestock Protection Act, introduced last month by Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and Congressman Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.), would delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act list and return management to the states.
Sign up for the Outdoor News Weekly Newsletter and get 2 months of FREE access to OutdoorNews.com – packed with hunting, fishing, and conservation news. No Catch.
This offer includes digital access only (not the printed edition)
We’ve simplified things. Now you only need one password to access all your Outdoor News digital content.
If you hit the help page, follow the directions so you don’t miss out on any of our great content.
Let’s get you reading!
We’ve simplified things. Now you only need one password to access all your Outdoor News digital content.
• Click Continue below.
• You’ll be taken to the OutdoorNews.com sign-in screen.
• Don’t have an account yet? Create one—it’s quick!
• After signing in, click the E-Edition Login button again. When the pop-up appears, just click Continue. You’ll either:
If you hit the help page, follow the directions so you don’t miss out on any of our great content.
We know you love the outdoors—now we want to make OutdoorNews.com the ultimate destination for all things hunting, fishing, and conservation.
Take our brief 3 minute survey to share your thoughts, and help us build the best outdoor website on the planet. As a thank you, we’ll send you a special offer!
Together, we can make OutdoorNews.com even better.
For a limited time, you can get full access to breaking news, all original Outdoor News stories and updates from the entire Great Lakes Region and beyond, the most up-to-date fishing & hunting reports, lake maps, photo & video galleries, the latest gear, wild game cooking tips and recipes, fishing & hunting tips from pros and experts, bonus web content and much, much more, all on your smartphone, tablet or desktop For just a buck per month!
Some restrictions apply. Not valid with other promotions. $1 per month for 6 months (you will be billed $6) and then your subscription will renew at standard subscription rates. For more information see Terms and Conditions. This offer only applies to OutdoorNews.com and not for any Outdoor News print subscriptions. Offer valid thru 3/31/23.
Already a subscriber to OutdoorNews.com? Click here to login.
