Remember

Happy Memorial Day to everyone, especially our Vets. If you know a Vet thank them for serving, if you don't know one adopt one at the VA hospital or any of our local assited living centers. At the least they gave up years to protect our freedom.
June 1st is the last day to apply for Michigan bear or elk permit drawings. Go here to get it done http://www.michigan.gov/huntdrawings

This pic was sent in by a reader from his place on Secord Lake near Gladwin.
Remember to send in those pics and...

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Quackers in Paradise

What would draw grown men to the edge of Lake Erie at 5am in the late fall? Yes, Fall. I’m just a little behind in my article chronology. This fine morning I came to find out what happens at the duck hunting drawings at the Point Mouillie Headquarters on Campau road. There were about 25 men waiting for the drawing results. As with all endeavors of chance there are those that try to sway favor their way. To this end the area manager, Joe Robinson, has listed almost 2 pages of rules to comply with in order to be eligible for a permit. Yet that doesn’t deter these men afflicted with the fever. As the numbers are drawn the best spots go first and it seemed these were the easiest to access, and they have corn. Many times the drawer for the day, Chuck Pulling, mentioned that you couldn’t wade that ditch because the water was over your head. Some areas are accessed by boat only so that’s another obstacle to overcome. Of the 12 areas for permit only 9 got picked for the morning hunt, there’s another drawing later for the afternoon hunt. Something Joe failed to mention when I first inquired about the permit process.

From Downriver Outdoors

So only a little more than half of the hunters got a permit and it seemed like a waste of time for the unlucky ones, time which could’ve been spent sleeping in. No, the fever doesn’t allow sleeping in; you have to be ready when shooting light becomes available. Ready means all decoys are deployed and a blind or some place to sit and not be seen by incoming birds is set up. So getting a permit only allows an easier, quicker set up, the others usually already know where they’ll be. Then it becomes a matter of first come, first to set up. There are 4000 acres in the Point Mouillie State Game Area and with a little work you can find your own little paradise within it’s’ boundaries. As I left the drawing building I could hear a cacophony of duck sounds that I didn’t hear just half an hour earlier. I don’t know if it was just the normal chatter of the duck or an in your face tease like here I am come and get me.

PMSGA is considered the “Jewel of the Midwest” by many and not only duck hunters. It’s a natural flyway for ducks and many other birds and that’s what makes it so popular. Many birds use it as a reference for their migrations north and south. As I wrote last fall about the Hawkfest at Lake Erie Metropark, many birders flock to the area to catch a glimpse of birds that may only be in the area for a few days on their trips back and forth. Everyone visiting the site must follow the rules and regulations of use. The most notable is that no one is allowed within the PMSGA after September 15th and the end of duck season, usually the first weekend in December, without a permit. Call the area’s headquarters at 734-379-9692 between 8am and noon on Wednesdays only to ask any questions about permits and other subjects. Check out Jerry Jordan’s web page for info on what birds may be in the area at any time of the year. Last year while working outside at home I heard the most awful honk coming from the sky. I looked up to see a lone sandhill crane looking for a mate or just some company in its new climes.

Get Outdoors Downriver

River Trip

All the heavenly bodies aligned today and I finally got to spend a good chunk of time on the river. 3-3-3: 3 waldos, 3 huge smallmouth and 3 silvers. Yes the silver scourge are coming. I guess they're late like everything else this year but when they come in the walleye are harder to find. This year is the hardest in recent memory so just the thought of making it harder is depressing.

The Boarder Patrol boats were out doing some kind of training, maybe. I didn't want to get too close to them so as not to become part of the training myself. The DNR and Wayne County boats are also out so make sure and check the boat for everything you must have for an inspection. Use the “quick list” to see if you are ready.
http://www.boatus.org/onlinecourse/ReviewPages/BoatUSF/PDF_files/section4.pdf this is a good page for info as is http://a0911806.uscgaux.info/Detriverwakezones.html

Something else I saw on the river
It's a cell phone picture so the quality isn't the best but these are nesting cormorants. Something that isn't supposed to be happening in the Detroit River area. At least that's what people involved with these birds tell me. If you see these birds nesting anywhere in our area send me a picture or notify the DNR using the cormorant report form(link just under and to the right of the slideshow. Seeing a cormorant 25 years ago was a rare sight and kind of gave you that "wildlife feel". Something reminding you there is wilderness somewhere. Now these birds are so numerous that you can only imagine what affect they're having on our fish population. Each bird eats a pound of fish per day but they can't eat big fish so a lot of little fish make up their diet. In the 7 months(210+ days) they live here they consume many fry of the fish we like. However, I'm told, let don't make a dent in any fish's population. We'll just have to wait and see.

Sacred Land Restoration Ceremony/ with update

The Blessing went off without a hitch. Many members of the Wyandot Nation were in attendance confirming the reverence they have for the land their families have walked on for many eons. The Wyandot's were the first people to reference the sunflower, maybe it originated from around here. Corn, beans and squash were used in the ceremony as well as smoke from the tobacco plant to reclaim this brownfield and make it a place that wildlife and people will want to use. Over 200 students(would have been more if not for budget cuts) from Summit Academy in Huron Township, Southgate Anderson, Trenton and Gibraltar Carlson high schools were all well behaved and in awe of the happenings.
Faith keeper Tharehtade from the Quebec Wyandot carried out the blessing with the help of many Canadian(http://www.wyandotofanderdon.com/) and local members of the Wyandot including Chief Ted Roll.
The blessing was a kickoff for many projects that are happening at the sight. Right now there's a shoreline restoration going on using large land moving machines. This brief period of elevated noise will pay off big in the future for aquatic wildlife in the area. The crown jewel will be the fishing pier, placed out away from shore, that could become the most popular one this side of the Mississippi. http://www.fws.gov/midwest/detroitriver/HumbugRefugeGateway.html
This could open walleye fishing to more people than any other fishing pier in the world. That's quite a statement and the rest of the refuge is shaping up to be even better than the pier.

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May 4th - Refuge Gateway
5437 W. Jefferson Ave. Trenton, MI 12:00-2:00 pm
We invite you to join the Wyandot of Anderdon in
blessing the Shoreline Restoration at the Refuge Gateway.
We invite students to experience a traditional smudging ceremony, administered by the Wyandot of Anderdon, the local Native American Tribe. The ceremony will bless the restoration work at the Refuge Gateway and Humbug Marsh.
After the ceremony, students will embark on a journey to learn about the natural, industrial, and cultural history of our region through visiting 5 learning stations. Stations will include: history and culture of the Wyandot of Anderdon; industrial history of the Refuge Gateway; Monguagon wetland system restoration; shoreline restoration ; and the natural history and the habitat found in Humbug Marsh and the Refuge Gateway.
For More Infromation Contact:
Allison Krueger
ph: 734.692.7672
Dear Teachers and Administrators:
The Wyandot of Anderdon and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service invite your class to participate in a traditional blessing ceremony at the Refuge Gateway.
May 4th, Refuge Gateway, Trenton, MI
11:30 arrival, 12:00 pm ceremony, 2:00 pm dismissal
After the ceremony, the students will visit 5 learning stations to describe the natural, industrial, and cultural history of the Refuge Gateway site.
As a traditional Wyandot ceremony will be performed at this event, we ask that participating students act respectfully
and appropriately.
We would be honored by your classes’
participation in this upcoming
learning opportunity.

Schedule:
11:30 arrival,
12:00 pm Blessing Ceremony,
12:30-2:00 Visiting learning stations
2:00 pm dismissal
Directions:
The Refuge Gateway is located 1 mile south of Van Horn on West Jefferson Ave.
5437 W. Jefferson Ave, Trenton, MI 48183

ACTIVITIES:
1.WYANDOT OF ANDERDON SMUDGING CEREMONY & BLESSING OF THE LAND
LEARNING STATIONS:
2. INDUSTRIAL HISTORY: Learn the Refuge Gateway’s industrial history and how we are transforming this property back to wildlife habitat
3. MONGUAGON CREEK DAYLIGHTING: The Monguagon is a newly restored wetland at the Refuge Gateway, learn what ‘daylighting’ means and how it improves water quality
4. WYANDOT HISTORY: Discover the culture of the Wyandot of Anderdon, our local Native American tribe, and learn how they used these lands
5. NATURAL HISTORY: Learn what species of birds use this land with and how migratory species use it as stopover habitat
6. SHORELINE RESTORATION: The restoration of coastal habitat is significant to our area! Learn the why and what of this important restoration