Wolf Management Advisory Council to meet Feb. 19 in St. Ignace

ST. IGNACE, MICH. -- Michigan’s Wolf Management Advisory Council (WMAC) will meet from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, at the Little Bear Arena, located at 275 Marquette St. in St. Ignace.

The Wolf Management Advisory Council (previously known as the Wolf Forum) was codified under a law passed by the Legislature in December 2012 that reclassified wolves as a game species (PA 520) and directed the WMAC to report its recommendations on wolf management annually to the Legislature and the Natural Resources Commission (NRC). The NRC has the authority to determine whether public harvest of wolves should be allowed and to regulate season structure and method of harvest.

The WMAC includes members from a diverse group of organizations with an interest in wolves and wolf management, including hunting, conservation, tribal government, agriculture and animal advocacy.

At the Feb. 19 meeting, staff from the Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Division will gather input from council members regarding future wolf management activities, including the use of hunting to manage and resolve conflict issues. The 2008 Wolf Management Plan will serve as the guide for these discussions.

Members of the public are welcome to observe the council’s discussions and will have the opportunity to provide written comments at the meeting. The DNR will also host a series of public meetings around the state in March to provide information on wolf management and receive public input regarding the public harvest of wolves. Dates and locations of those meetings will be widely publicized once determined.

For more information about the WMAC meeting, contact the council’s DNR liaison Adam Bump at 517-373-1263. To learn more about Michigan's wolf population and Wolf Management Plan, visit www.michigan.gov/wolves.

DNR Western UP Citizens' Advisory Council to meet Jan. 14

LANSING -- The Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR's) Western Upper Peninsula Citizens' Advisory Council (CAC) will meet in Houghton County on Monday, Jan. 14, in Isle Royale Ballroom B, at Michigan Technological University’s Memorial Union Building, located at 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton.

Beginning at 5:30 p.m., DNR staff will present division reports on current DNR projects and business and will answer questions from council members and the public. The council meeting will immediately follow from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (all times are Eastern).

Agenda items include the following:

• DNR presentation on regional state forest planning process

• Upper Peninsula Deer Advisory Team options and update

• Public comment (for public comment instructions, see www.michigan.gov/upcac)

The Eastern Upper Peninsula and Western Upper Peninsula CACs are designed to advise the DNR on regional programs and policies; identify areas in which the department can
be more effective and responsive; and offer insight and guidance from members’ own experiences and constituencies.

The council members represent a wide variety of natural resource and recreation stakeholders and interest groups. Agenda items are set by the council members, and council recommendations are forwarded to the DNR for consideration.

CAC meetings are open to the public. If you would like to be considered as a future CAC member, please fill out the nomination form found on the DNR website at www.michigan.gov/upcac. For more information, contact DNR Upper Peninsula Regional Coordinator Stacy Welling Haughey at 906-228-6561.

This meeting was supposed to take place on Dec. 10, 2012, but was cancelled because of weather and re-scheduled for Jan. 14, 2013.

Editor's Note: Some concerned citizens were not aware of the Dec. 10, 2012, cancellation and met at Michigan Tech in the DNR's absence. Keweenaw Now reported on their concerns. See our Dec. 12, 2012, article, "UPDATED: KBIC elder comments on proposed wolf hunt despite cancellation of DNR meeting."

Natural Resources Commission to meet Jan. 10 in Lansing

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) will hold its regular monthly meeting TOMORROW, Thursday, Jan. 10, at the MSU Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, 4125 Beaumont Road, Lansing. All meetings will be held in Room 101 of the center.

The day will begin at 9 a.m. with a meeting of the NRC's Marketing and Outreach Advisory Committee. The committee will receive updates on the Mentored Youth Hunt, webcasting NRC meetings and the Youth Conservation Council. Also on tap are discussions on the ongoing Michigan Waterfowl Legacy program, the 2013 Youth Outdoor Jamboree, and improvements in the state's system for hunting and fishing on-line license sales.

At 10:30 a.m., the Policy Committee on Wildlife and Fisheries will receive reports from the Fisheries and Wildlife division chiefs, including updates on the recently completed elk hunt, and review a land order that would limit access to Kirtland's warbler habitat during nesting. The committee will also receive a status update on wolves following a new law that declared the wolf a game species in Michigan.  Click here to read more ...

DNR's Dec. 10 Western UP Citizens' Advisory Council meeting cancelled because of weather

MARQUETTE -- The Department of Natural Resources' (DNR's) Western Upper Peninsula Citizens' Advisory Council (CAC) that was scheduled to meet in Houghton County TONIGHT, Monday, Dec. 10, at Michigan Technological University's Memorial Union Building in Isle Royale Ballroom B has been cancelled because of weather.

The meeting has been rescheduled for Monday, Jan. 14, in Houghton.

Click here for information on future CAC meetings.