The DNR is offering archery equipment grants to schools, both public and private, that enroll in the Archery in the Schools program go to www.michigan.gov/dnrarchery.

Information about cougars can be found on the DNR Web site. www.michigandnr.com/ftp/OutReach/

Report dead birds, Guidelines for Handling Birds With Suspected Cases of Botulism plus more information on Type E botulism and the protocols developed for handling or collecting dead birds is available on the DNR Web site at www.michigandnr.com/diseasedwildlifereporting/disease_obsreport.asp.

Michigan’s First Case of Chronic Wasting Disease Detected at Kent County Deer Breeding Facility
LANSING - The Michigan departments of Agriculture (MDA) and Natural Resources (DNR) today confirmed the state’s first case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a three-year old white-tailed deer from a privately owned cervid (POC) facility in Kent County. The state has quarantined all POC facilities, prohibiting the movement of all - dead or alive - privately-owned deer, elk or moose.  Officials do not yet know how the deer may have contracted the disease. To date, there is no evidence that CWD presents a risk to humans.  DNR and MDA staff are currently reviewing records from the Kent County facility and five others to trace deer that have been purchased, sold or moved by the owners in the last five years for deer and the last seven years for elk. Any deer that may have come in contact with the CWD-positive herd have been traced to their current location and those facilities have been quarantined.  “Michigan’s veterinarians and wildlife experts have been working throughout the weekend to complete their investigation,” said Don Koivisto, MDA director.  “We take this disease very seriously, and are using every resource available to us to implement response measures and stop the spread of this disease.”
CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk and moose. Most cases of the disease have been in western states, but in the past several years, it has spread to some Midwestern and eastern states. Infected animals display abnormal behaviors, progressive weight loss and physical debilitation. Current evidence suggests that the disease is transmitted through infectious, self-multiplying proteins (prions) contained in saliva and other fluids of infected animals. Susceptible animals can acquire CWD by direct exposure to these fluids or also from contaminated environments. Once contaminated, research suggests that soil can remain a source of infection for long periods of time, making CWD a particularly difficult disease to eradicate. “Currently, one of our top concerns is to confirm that the disease is not in free-ranging deer,” said DNR Director Rebecca Humphries. “We are asking hunters this fall to assist us by visiting check stations to allow us to take biological samples from the deer they harvest, so we can perform adequate surveillance of the free-ranging white-tailed deer herd in the area." Deer hunters this fall who take deer from Tyrone, Soldon, Nelson, Sparta, Algoma, Courtland, Alpine, Plainfield, and Cannon townships will be required to bring their deer to a DNR check station. Deer taken in these townships are subject to mandatory deer check. The DNR is also asking hunters who are participating in the private land five-day antlerless hunt in September in other parts of Kent County to visit DNR check stations in Kent County so further biological samples can be taken from free-ranging deer for testing. The DNR is in the process of finding additional locations for check stations in Kent County to make it more convenient for hunters.
The deer that tested positive at the Kent County facility was a doe that had been recently culled by the owner of the facility. Michigan law requires sick deer or culled deer on a POC facility be tested for disease. The samples from the Kent County deer tested “suspect positive” last week at Michigan State University Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, and were sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa last Thursday for confirmatory testing. The positive results of those tests were communicated to the state of Michigan today. Audits of the facility by the DNR in 2004 and 2007 showed no escapes of animals from the Kent County facility were reported by the owner. Also, there were no violations of regulations recorded during the audits. Since 2002, the DNR has tested 248 wild deer in Kent County for CWD. In summer 2005, a number of those deer had displayed neurological symptoms similar to CWD; however, after testing it was determined the deer had contracted Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Contacts: Bridget Patrick (MDA) 517-241-2669 or Mary Dettloff (DNR) 517-335-3014

On Aug. 25, the DNR and the Michigan Department of Agriculture confirmed the state’s first case of CWD in a three-year old doe at a private cervid facility in Kent County.  CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk and moose. Infected animals display abnormal behaviors, loss of bodily functions and a progressive weight loss. Current evidence suggests that the disease is transmitted through infectious, self-multiplying proteins (prions). Prions are normal cell proteins whose shape has been transformed, causing CWD. The disease is transmitted by exposure to saliva of infected animals. Susceptible animals can also acquire CWD by eating feces from an infected animal, or soil contaminated by them.  Once contaminated, soil can remain a source of infection for many years, making CWD a particularly difficult disease to manage. DNR officials remind citizens that, to date, there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk to humans, nor has there been verified evidence that the disease can be transmitted to humans. More information about CWD is available on the State of Michigan’s Emerging Diseases Web site at www.michigan.gov/chronicwastingdisease. Contact: Mary Dettloff 517-335-3014

DNR Acts to Implement CWD Surveillance and Response Plan
In the wake of the announcement that Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been confirmed in a three-year old privately-owned white-tailed deer in Kent County, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is acting immediately to implement provisions of the state’s Surveillance and Response Plan for CWD.
Among the provisions is an immediate ban on all baiting and feeding of deer and elk in the Lower Peninsula. DNR conservation officers will step up surveillance and enforcement efforts on baiting. Baiting and feeding unnaturally congregate deer into close contact, thus increasing the transmission of contagious diseases such as CWD and bovine tuberculosis. Bait and feed sites increase the likelihood that those areas will become contaminated with the feces of infected animals, making them a source of CWD infection for years to come . Additionally, the provisions include a mandatory deer check for hunters who take a deer within Tyrone, Solon, Nelson, Sparta, Algoma, Courtland, Alpine, Plainfield, and Cannon townships, which contain the surveillance area or “hot zone.” All hunters who take a deer during any deer-hunting season this fall within the “hot zone” will be required to visit a DNR deer check station so that their deer can be tested for CWD. The DNR currently is seeking locations for additional deer check stations in the area to make it more convenient for hunters.  To prevent unintentional spread of CWD, the only parts of deer harvested in the surveillance zone that will be allowed to be transported out will be boned meat, capes, and antlers cleaned of all soft tissues. In addition, all transport of live wild deer, elk and moose will be prohibited statewide, including transport for rehabilitation purposes. Currently, there is no live animal test for CWD, and infected animals often show no signs of illness for years in spite of being infectious for other animals.  Movement for rehabilitation purposes may speed geographic spread of the disease. The DNR will act immediately to test an additional 300 deer within the “hot zone” in Kent County. The DNR will be cooperating with local officials to collect fresh road-killed deer, and will be urging deer hunters participating in the early antlerless season on private land in September to comply with the mandatory deer check. Landowners in Kent County “hot zone” who would like to obtain disease control permits to cull deer from their property and assist with the collection of deer for testing should contact the DNR’s Wildlife Disease Lab at 517-336-5030. Permits will be available immediately upon request. Landowners who do not want to cull deer, but want to participate in the collection of deer for testing, can obtain assistance from the DNR in culling deer. DNR officials reminded citizens that, to date, there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk to humans, nor has there been verified evidence that the disease can be transmitted to humans. CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk and moose. Most cases of the disease have been in western states, but in the past several years, it has spread to Midwestern and eastern states. Infected animals display abnormal behaviors, loss of bodily functions and a progressive weight loss. Current evidence suggests that the disease is transmitted through infectious, self-multiplying proteins (prions). Prions are normal cell proteins whose shape has been transformed, causing CWD. The disease is transmitted by exposure to saliva of infected animals. Susceptible animals can also acquire CWD by eating feces from an infected animal, or soil contaminated by them.  Once contaminated, soil can remain a source of infection for many years, making CWD a particularly difficult disease to manage. More information about CWD is available on the State of Michigan’s Emerging Diseases Web site at www.michigan.gov/chronicwastingdisease. Contact: Mary Dettloff 517-335-3014

DNR Outlines Special Hunting Regulations for Townships in Kent County;
Changes to Wildlife Rehabilitation Also Ordered
The Department of Natural Resources today outlined special deer hunting regulations for the nine townships in the Chronic Wasting Disease surveillance zone in Kent County that will be in place for the fall deer-hunting season. Changes also will be made to regulations regarding possession of live cervids, including for wildlife rehabilitation. These changes are part of the state’s emergency response plan for CWD. On Monday, Aug. 25, the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa confirmed CWD in a deer from a privately-owned facility in Kent County. Under the special hunting regulations, only boned meat, capes and antlers of hunter-harvested deer may be removed from the CWD surveillance zone, which includes Tyrone, Solon, Nelson, Sparta, Algoma, Courtland, Alpine, Plainfield and Cannon townships. Hunters harvesting wild, free-ranging deer in the surveillance zone shall not remove the carcass or parts of the carcass from the CWD surveillance zone, except for boned meat, antlers attached to a skull cap cleaned of all brain and muscle tissue, and hides. Finished taxidermist mounts also may be removed from the CWD surveillance zone. The entire carcasses of all hunter-harvested deer from the CWD surveillance zone shall be presented at a DNR check deer check station within 72 hours of harvest. Additional check stations will be established in the surveillance zone to make it more convenient for hunters in the zone. Those locations will be announced prior to the early antlerless hunt on private land scheduled to take place Sept. 18-22 southern Michigan. At the check stations, DNR staff will remove the deer head and a portion of the neck. During regular deer hunting seasons this fall, hunters may retain the antlers after they have turned over the head at the check station. Hunters outside the surveillance zone in Kent County will be able to retain the carcass as well. Hunters inside the surveillance zone cannot remove the carcass from the zone. Additionally, the DNR will issue a new wildlife order that will make changes that impact wildlife rehabilitation in Michigan. Under the emergency orders, the possession and transport of any live cervids, including for wildlife rehabilitation, will be prohibited. Cervids include white-tailed deer, elk and moose. All privately owned cervid facilities in the state are already quarantined, meaning no cervids alive or dead may be removed from the facilities. These regulation changes will be in effect starting Friday, Aug. 29, when DNR Director Rebecca Humphries signs the emergency wildlife orders that outline these special regulations. The wildlife orders and more information about CWD and the surveillance zone in Kent County are available on the DNR Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr. Contact: Mary Dettloff 517-335-3014

Deer and Elk Feeding Ban Outlined, Will Impact Bear Baiting
In the wake of the announcement that Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been confirmed in a privately owned white-tailed deer in Kent County, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has immediately implemented provisions of the state’s Surveillance and Response Plan for CWD. Among the provisions is an immediate ban on all baiting and feeding of deer and elk in the Lower Peninsula. This ban will also affect bear baiting activity.
Provisions of the baiting ban are:
- All grains, minerals, salt, fruits, vegetables, hay, or any other food materials, whether natural or manufactured, which may lure, entice or attract deer are prohibited.
- Food plots are not subject to the ban.
- Foods found scattered solely as the result of normal agricultural planting or harvesting practices, foods available to deer through normal agricultural practices of livestock feeding if the area is occupied by livestock actively consuming the feed on a daily basis, or standing farm crops under normal agricultural practices are not subject to the ban.
- Baiting is defined in the Wildlife Order as placing, depositing, tending, distributing, or scattering bait to aid in the taking of a deer.
- All counties in the entire Lower Peninsula are subject to the baiting ban.
- The Upper Peninsula is not included in the ban.
Current bear baiting regulations prohibit the use of any materials that lure, entice, or attract deer or elk where it is unlawful to bait or feed deer or elk.  As a result of the deer and elk baiting and feeding ban, no bear baiting with food materials other than meats, meat products, fish, fish products, or bakery products will be allowed in the Lower Peninsula at any time. DNR conservation officers have increased surveillance and enforcement efforts on baiting. Baiting and feeding unnaturally congregate deer into close contact, thus increasing the transmission of contagious diseases.  Bait and feed sites increase the likelihood that those areas will become contaminated with the feces of infected animals, making them a source of infection for years to come. DNR officials remind citizens that, to date, there is no evidence that CWD neither poses a risk to humans, nor has there been verified evidence that the disease can be transmitted to humans. CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk and moose. Most cases of the disease have been in western states, but in the past several years, it has spread to Midwestern and eastern states. Infected animals display abnormal behaviors, loss of bodily functions and a progressive weight loss. Current evidence suggests that the disease is transmitted through infectious, self-multiplying proteins (prions). Prions are normal cell proteins whose shape has been transformed, causing CWD. The disease is transmitted by exposure to saliva of infected animals. Susceptible animals can also acquire CWD by eating feces from an infected animal, or soil contaminated by them.  Once contaminated, soil can remain a source of infection for many years, making CWD a particularly difficult disease to manage. More information about CWD is available on the State of Michigan’s Emerging Diseases Web site at www.michigan.gov/chronicwastingdisease. Contact: Mary Dettloff 517-335-3014 or Adam Bump 517-373-1263

Further Tests Required to Determine Cause of Death in Oakland County Deer
Tissue samples from a group of deer that recently died along the Clinton River in southeast Michigan have been sent to the Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health at Michigan State University to determine why they died. Initial tests by the Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Disease Lab show that the deer did not have Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) or Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), two diseases of particular interest in Michigan. Final toxicology andvirology reports are pending. Approximately 20 deer died in a three-week period along a six-mile stretch of the Clinton River in Bloomer Park in Rochester. Necropsies were performed at the DNR’s Wildlife Disease Lab in Lansing on deer that were in good enough condition to examine. Several diseases were ruled out, but no common cause of death was found. One deer submitted for testing and necropsy died of a fractured skull, but also showed evidence of a bacterial infection, said Tom Cooley, DNR wildlife biologist who performed the necropsies.
“We have sent tissue samples and stomach contents out for further testing to try to determine what killed the deer,” Cooley said. “We were glad to rule out CWD and other diseases, and hope the lab at Michigan State University can help us solve this mystery." Citizens discovering a significant die-off of any wildlife species should report it to the DNR for investigation. An online form to report sick or dead wildlife is available on the state’s Emerging Diseases Web site at www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases. The Web site also contains information on a wide array of animal diseases present in Michigan, including CWD. Citizens may also call their local DNR Operations Service Center to report significant wildlife die-offs. Contact: Mary Dettloff 517-335-3014

DNR to Issue Replacement Kill Tags in CWD Surveillance Zone
The Department of Natural Resources announced today that a Wildlife Order will be signed to give hunters replacement kill tags in the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) surveillance zone in Kent County if the deer they harvested appears to have a physical condition consistent with CWD. This is consistent with DNR policy in the northeastern Lower Peninsula for hunters who have harvested a deer that shows signs of bovine tuberculosis. This regulation will take effect in the nine townships that make up the CWD surveillance zone in Kent County, which includes Tyrone, Solon, Nelson, Sparta, Algoma, Courtland, Alpine, Plainfield and Cannon. Hunters will be provided with a replacement kill tag when the entire carcass is collected by the DNR for CWD testing, which is consistent with current actions for carcasses collected for TB testing. Hunters can then use the replacement kill tag to harvest another deer. Hunters can also retain the antlers or antlers attached to a skull cap cleaned of all brain and muscle tissue from the surrendered animal.  

Crossbow Permit Changes Adopted by Natural Resources Commission
The NRC adopted recommendations from its crossbow disability workgroup, which worked for four months to develop new permitting criteria. The workgroup was made up of representatives from the medical community, bow hunting interests, the Accessibility Advisory Council, general hunting interests, crossbow industry representatives and Department of Natural Resources personnel. Under the new criteria, a physician can automatically certify a hunter as eligible for a crossbow permit if the hunter:
- has an amputation involving body extremities required for stable function to use conventional archery equipment, or,
- has a spinal cord injury resulting in permanent disability to the lower extremities, leaving the applicant permanently non-ambulatory, or
- has a permanent wheelchair restriction.
If none of the above criteria apply, physicians, physical therapist or occupational therapists can certify hunters who fail:
- a functional draw test that equals 35 pounds of resistance and involves holding it for four seconds, or
- a  manual muscle test involving the grading of shoulder and elbow flexion and extension, or
- an impaired range-of-motion test involving the shoulder or elbow.
In addition, a physician can recommend a crossbow permit for other permanent disabilities, such as neuromuscular conditions. The new regulations go into effect immediately and a new simplified application form will be available on line at www.michigan.gov/dnr. Meanwhile, the NRC announced it would seek authority from the Legislature to issue crossbow permits for hunters with certain temporary disabilities. Currently, the NRC has authority to issue crossbow permits only to hunters with permanent disabilities. Contact Lt. Jane Gordon 517-641-4903, x226 or Mary Dettloff 517 335-3014  

Sept. 3, 2008  Bear Cooperator's Patch to Return for 2008 Hunting Season
   The Department of Natural Resources is pleased to announce that the Bear Cooperator’s Patch will be available in 2008 after a one-year absence. The DNR and the Michigan Bear Hunters Association (MBHA) have partnered together to produce the patch in an arrangement that is similar to the relationship between the DNR and the National Wild Turkey Federation that produces the turkey patch. “MBHA is very pleased to help preserve a traditional aspect of Michigan bear hunting,” said Matt Pedigo, president of the MBHA.
   Young hunters, ages 10-17, who have a valid bear-hunting license may receive a free patch.  To receive a patch, youth hunters need to send their name and complete address, with a legible copy of their valid bear hunting license to:  MBHA, Bear Patch Program, 10510 Fairgrieve Rd., Johannesburg, MI 49751.
   Adult hunters, collectors and other interested individuals may purchase a patch for $5, including postage and handling.  It is not necessary to harvest a bear to purchase a patch.  Send patch orders to the address above and make checks or money orders payable to the Michigan Bear Hunters Association.  “Continuing the bear patch program has resulted from a successful partnership with MBHA to provide hunters with this desired product,” said DNR Bear Specialist Adam Bump. Contact Adam Bump 517-373-1263 or Mary Dettloff 517-335-3014

Sept. 4, 2008  DNR Announces Tentative Diagnosis for Deer Die-Off Affecting Oakland and Macomb Counties
   The Department of Natural Resources today announced a tentative diagnosis of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), an often fatal viral disease found in wild ruminants, for the more than 50 deer that have died off in an area around the Clinton River in Oakland and Macomb counties.
    The disease is characterized by extensive hemorrhages and is transmitted by a biting fly or midge. White-tailed deer develop signs of the illness about seven days after exposure. Deer initially lose their appetite and fear of man, grow progressively weaker, salivate excessively, develop a rapid pulse and respiration rate, become unconscious, and then die. Due to a high fever, the deer often are found sick or dead along or in bodies of water.
    The virus can be transmitted to other wild ruminants, such as elk and moose; however, there is no evidence that humans can contract the virus. There is no known effective treatment or control of EHD. The disease was first documented in Michigan’s white-tailed deer in 1955. Additional die-offs attributed to EHD occurred in 1974, and again in 2006 in Allegan County. The Allegan County die-off involved 50 to 75 animals. 
    Property owners who discover dead deer on their land should bury them at a sufficient depth so that body parts are not showing. Carcasses also can be disposed of at landfills that accept household solid waste. For more information on EHD, please see the Michigan Emerging Diseases Web site at www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases. Contacts: Tom Cooley 517-336-5030/ Mary Dettloff 517-335-3014

Sept. 4, 2008  DNR Offers Discounted Antlerless Licenses for Fall Deer Hunting in Kent County
   The Department of Natural Resources announced today that a Wildlife Order will be signed that will offer discounted antlerless deer licenses in Deer Management Unit 041 (Kent County). Hunters can purchase the antlerless licenses at a 70 percent discount -- $3 for a Michigan resident and $30 for a non-resident. “This discount is being used to encourage more hunters to harvest antlerless deer in Kent County, where we have detected Michigan’s first case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a privately owned white-tailed deer,” said DNR Director Rebecca Humphries. “The discount does not reflect the value of the animal, but is designed to help us encourage hunters to take an antlerless deer. Testing these deer for CWD will assist the DNR in determining if CWD exist in the deer herd of Northern Kent County.”
    All successful hunters in the CWD surveillance zone of Tyrone, Solon, Nelson, Sparta, Algoma, Courtland, Alpine, Plainfield and Cannon townships in Kent County will be required to visit a DNR deer check station. Deer must be presented to a DNR deer check station within 72 hours of being killed. If the deer shows physical signs of CWD, the DNR will take the entire carcass for disease testing. Hunters having to surrender the entire deer will be given replacement kill tags to take another deer.
    A list of check stations in the CWD surveillance zone for the Sept. 18-22 antlerless private land hunt will be made available soon. As with all hunting license fees, the revenue generated from antlerless deer license sales is deposited in the Game and Fish Protection Fund, which is a restricted fund used to support game and fish management programs in Michigan.
    For more information on fall hunting opportunities in Michigan, including the early antlerless hunt scheduled for Sept. 18-22 in southern Michigan, visit the DNR Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr. For more information on Chronic Wasting Disease, go to www.michigan.gov/chronicwastingdisease.  Contact: Mary Dettloff 517-335-3014

  Sept. 4, 2008 Upper Peninsula Citizen Advisory Council Meetings Set for Sept. 17 and 18
   The Upper Peninsula Advisory Councils (CACs) will hold two meetings in September. Two councils, one in the eastern U.P. and the other in the western U.P., were developed following public input meetings. “These councils were formed to give U.P. citizens more input into Department of Natural Resources regional programs and policies,” said Tom Courchaine, acting Upper Peninsula field deputy for the DNR. “The councils have a wide array of outdoor recreation interests represented and help us identify where the DNR can be more effective.”
   The Western U.P. CAC will meet on Wednesday, Sept. 17, in the cafeteria conference room at the Ford Center, 21235 Alberta Ave. in Alberta, near L’Anse. That meeting will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
   The Eastern U.P. CAC will hold its meeting on Thursday, Sept. 18, at the Luce Mackinac Alger Schoolcraft District Health Department, located at 14150 Hamilton Lake Road in Newberry. The meeting will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The meetings are open to the public. For more information, contact Tom Courchaine at 906-228-6561 or Mary Dettloff 517-335-3014

    (DNR) Reward Offered for Information in Bald Eagle Shooting Case in Menominee County. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are investigating the shooting of a bald eagle that was discovered dead in a field just north of Bartoszek Road in Harris Township in Menominee County on April 21. A reward of up to $2,000 is being offered for information which leads to the conviction of the person or persons responsible for shooting the eagle. Bald eagles first received federal and state protection in Michigan in 1940 and 1954, respectively. They continue to be protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and the Michigan Endangered Species Protection law. Under these laws, a person may not kill, harass, disturb or otherwise harm bald eagles. Bald eagles, the national emblem, are one of two species of eagles found in the United States. The image of the bald eagle has had great significance in the formation of the U.S. Anyone with information concerning the shooting of the bald eagle is asked to contact the Department of Natural Resources Marquette Operations Service Center at 906-228-6561, Special Agent Jim Fuller with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 989-686-4578 or the DNR’s Report All Poaching (RAP) hotline at 800-292-7800.

 $2,000 Reward for Information in Wolf Poaching Case
Department of Natural Resources officials are seeking information related to the probable poaching of a female wolf. The incident occurred in Delta County, just north of Bark River. "Our regular aerial surveys indicated the wolf was alive June 13, but her radio collar was in mortality mode when we next checked her on June 16," said Brian Roell, the DNR's wolf program coordinator. DNR conservation officers and wildlife personnel went to the site the following day but were able to recover only the wolf's collar. The collar had been cleanly cut with a knife. No further evidence of the animal was found. "It appears the person who killed the wolf cut away the radio collar and left it in the woods, so we are still trying to locate the remains of the animal," said Lt. John Cischke, DNR Law Enforcement in Newberry. To encourage information that will help the DNR solve this case, the Defenders of Wildlife is offering a $1,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the death of the wolf. In addition, the DNR's Report All Poaching program has offered an additional $500, to bring the reward total to $2,000. "We hope someone with information will step forward to help us solve this case," Roell said. "This particular female has been part of our research program since 2001. It's really a shame to lose her because we have been watching her for a long time and have learned so much from her movements and behavior." DNR biologists believe the wolf was an alpha female from the pack labeled X-Skunk Creek. She originally was collared in Ontonagon County, but spent most of her last few years in the Delta County region. Michigan's wolf population currently stands at 520, based upon last winter's survey, compared to 509 in 2007. Anyone with information pertaining to this case is asked to call the DNR's Report All Poaching hotline at (800) 292-7800, or contact a local DNR conservation officer. Information can be provided anonymously.
CONTACT: Lt. John Cischke 906-293-5131 or Ann Wilson 906-228-6561

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