LANSING — As Michigan deer hunters take to woods and fields, wildlife biologists say prospects for success will be good in many places.
The Department of Natural Resources released its annual deer forecast Monday. It says numbers are rising in northern Michigan because of mild weather the past two winters.
In the Upper Peninsula, the forecast says fawn production and antlered buck numbers should be good. It predicts more deer for the southern U.P. near Lake Michigan than the northern U.P. closer to Lake Superior.
The population appears excessive on some private lands in the northern Lower Peninsula, while numbers are rising slowly but still below goal in some publicly owned areas.
Southern Michigan continues to offer high-quality habitat and plentiful deer.
About 700,000 people typically take part in Michigan's deer hunt.
Outdoors
Forecast predicts good deer hunting
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Gwizdz: Big walleye scarce on Houghton Lake
It didn’t take long before I had a bite and reeled in a walleye. It was too small to keep, slightly longer than 14 inches, but it set a trend. Over the next hour we caught five more walleyes and only the sixth exceeded the 15-inch mark.
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DNR reminds anglers about bait restrictions
Michigan officials are reminding anglers that bait restrictions apply in some waters as a way to slow the spread of a viral fish disease.
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Bob Gwizdz: Let's go bass fishing
Walleye action on the Tittabawassee River was non-existent, so we changed course and snagged a bunch of bass.
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Bob Gwizdz: Brown trout fishing hit, miss
Brown trout fishing along Michigan's Lake Michigan shoreline has been hit or miss for a few years now. This year, it's been hit or miss again.
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Catch-and-release bass season to start
Bass anglers enjoying the early catch and release season in the Lower Peninsula are doing well.
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Local Outdoors in Brief: 05/10/2012
Invasive species course offered; Clays shoot in Manton June 9; Gun dog training set for Alden; Sailsport to hold swap meet, picnic
Continued ... - Wednesday, May 9, 2012
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Thousands of salmon wait to be released
Pat Cole stood atop a floating metal net pen in the Boardman River and held a chute that allowed thousands of tiny Chinook salmon to slip into their temporary quarters.
Continued ... - Sunday, May 6, 2012
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Wakeley, Schmidt win Mud, Sweat & Beers titles
Before Saturday, Jorden Wakeley had never competed in Mud, Sweat & Beers. Johanna Schmidt had never lost it. One veteran, one first-timer, two champions.
Continued ... - Thursday, May 3, 2012
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Bob Gwizdz: Detroit River walleye
When you're fishing in the Detroit River, you never know what you're going to hook. But I had every reason to believe this fish was a walleye, as the five fish we'd boated in the previous two hours were walleyes. And they were all good ones.
Continued ... - Fishing Report: Catch rates improving
- Thursday, April 26, 2012
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Bob Gwizdz: Stars were aligned on this trip
Don Carlsen was perplexed. We’d been trolling for close to 90 minutes in the exact same place where he’d left them biting — after filling a cooler, of course — a couple of days earlier without so much as sniff.
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Fishing report
Saturday is opening day of trout season on the Type 1 and Type 2 streams as well as the walleye, northern pike and muskellunge opener on the Lower Peninsula inland waters, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Continued ... - Thursday, April 19, 2012
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Leelanau County's antler rules may expand
Leelanau County's deer hunting restrictions have been a boon for that area, and could be greatly expanding in time for the 2013 hunting season.
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Bob Gwzdiz: Tips to get your boat ready
Have you noticed the calendar? If you didn't take advantage of the terrific March weather this spring and haven't gotten the boat out of the barn yet, well, time's awastin'.
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Carp, catfish biting; bass off limits
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is reminding anglers that bass season is closed, and it's illegal to take or attempt to take any species during the closed season.
Continued ... - Sunday, April 15, 2012
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DNR warns bass season not open yet
Unseasonably warm weather last month got some anglers in the mood for going after largemouth and smallmouth bass, but state officials warn the bass fishing season isn’t open yet.
Continued ... - Thursday, April 12, 2012
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Bob Gwizdz: Crappie doesn't get respect
I started out with a bobber and a tiny tube jig dangling about six feet below it. My partner, crappie angler extraordinaire Jim Horn, started out without the bobber. Twenty minutes later, he had me down five to one.
Continued ... - Chilly weather cools fishing
- Thursday, April 5, 2012
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Bob Gwizdz: Deep water steelhead fishing
We arrived at the Pine Street launch ramp just before daylight, but still had five boats in front of us. And after we launched and rounded the first curve, I counted seven boats within the first couple hundred yards of straightaway.
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Weather affects panfish bite
Cooler weather over the past week has shut down the panfish bite in northwest Michigan, according to the Michigan DNR.
Continued ... - Monday, April 2, 2012
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Report: Coyotes No. 1 deer predator
Researchers say coyotes were the No. 1 predator for deer in parts of Michigan's Upper Peninsula during a recent study.
Continued ... - Friday, March 30, 2012
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Grouse hunters plan tree-planting
The Le Grand Traverse Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society will conduct a tree planting project at the Traverse City State Forest Area.
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Tagged fish derby set in Manton
The Manton Area Chamber of Commerce will conduct its 6th Annual Tagged-Fish Derby on April 28-29.
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TC Little League registration starts
Traverse City Little League is accepting player registration for the 2012 baseball season for players age 4 to 12 years old.
Continued ... - Thursday, March 29, 2012
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Bob Gwizdz: Bluegills already hitting
Today the Record-Eagle introduces a weekly column by veteran writer and outdoorsman Bob Gwizdz.
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Gwizdz: Big walleye scarce on Houghton Lake
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