Volunteer at Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge

Volunteer positions in biology, habitat restoration, education and visitor services, community outreach, maintenance, and office administration are available for people of all ages. Flexible work schedules are available for all positions. At this time, no internships are available.

An urban mecca for 29 species of waterfowl, 23 species of raptors, 31 species of shorebirds, over 100 species of fish, and more than 300 species of birds, Detroit River IWR is a unique gem situated in a landscape where industry and nature collide. Join our family and donate your skills and talents to the only international wildlife refuge in America! Become a volunteer today and make a difference!
Read what these volunteers experienced last year:

Sarah Hodges

Sunshine, a fresh breeze off the river, bald eagles and osprey circling overhead, flowers bursting into bloom – what else could one ask for in a summer job? I am a recent college graduate with a degree in Environmental Science and am unsure of the specific career path I’d like to pursue. I wanted a job that would allow me to utilize my degree, and to better give me an idea of my interests and strengths. Not only that, but I wanted a position that called for working outside in a natural setting and being a good steward of the environment. Volunteering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance and a generous grant from the MDNR Community Forestry Grant has allowed me to do all of these things. I was able to interact with people of many different backgrounds and ages, gain knowledge, skills and confidence, and improve the environment through habitat restoration.

Volunteering at the Refuge gave me a great opportunity to work hard and feel satisfied with my work. The results are tangible and the appearance of numerous species of wildlife is such an encouragement! I participated in tree planting, watering, mulching, and anchoring, while leading other volunteers in this work to build up habitat and canopy in the Refuge Gateway, an area that was little more than concrete and pipes thirty years ago. It’s so exciting to see a landscape that was once an open field being slowly transformed into a wooded area, with woody pillars and leaves reaching to the sky, and to know that I was a contributing force in that transformation! I also helped to remove invasive species and clear a wildlife corridor in Humbug Marsh, the last undeveloped mile of the Detroit River State-side, to encourage a healthy ecosystem. This is a lot of work, but the progress we make after a few hours’ work is very evident, and it feels great to be working out-of-doors, talking with other volunteers as we strive towards a common goal.

Work at the Wildlife Refuge constituted most of my summer, but there were other volunteer opportunities I participated in as well. In late June, I went goose banding with the Michigan DNR – what a cool experience that was! I had another awesome wildlife volunteer experience in early July: sturgeon tagging with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We went out on the Detroit River in two boats and pulled in pre-set lines, measuring, recording, and then releasing any catches (barring invasive species, of course). On this trip, we caught three sturgeon, along with sheephead, channel cats, invasive round gobies, crayfish, and endangered northern madtom.

Working at the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is a fun, rewarding, and refreshing experience. Seeing my efforts actualized here, combined with the natural beauty of the Detroit River and Humbug Marsh, the good-naturedness of staff and other volunteers, and the knowledge that I am contributing to a masterpiece of a landscape in an urban area that will be appreciated by thousands of people for years to come, made this one of the best summers of my life. I would highly encourage others to volunteer at the Wildlife Refuge in the future – I know I will be!

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By Jake Bonello

            This summer has been one of the biggest influences of my entire life. The amount of education and training I have received is unbelievable. I’ve learned everything from plant, bird, and insect species to erosion control, tree planting, and working with GIS systems. Working with the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Alliance has strengthened my love for working outdoors, and has also strengthened the experience needed to become successful in life.

            Throughout the summer my coworker (Sarah Hodges) and I, lead numerous tree plantings with volunteer groups ending with a total of 105 trees going into the ground. We also helped run the open houses held at Humbug Marsh so that the local community can visit the site and see the progress being made. We had the opportunity to work directly with wildlife, taking part in sturgeon tagging and goose banding, and also witness rare species of animals not commonly seen in an urban area. But the best part of the job is that in 30 years I’ll be able to come back with my kids and grandkids and point out specific trees and shrubs I’ve planted, and  knowing that what I’m accomplishing now will have a long lasting effect on my community. I am extremely grateful for everything this job has presented to me in life, and I look forward to seeing what future generations of volunteers and workers accomplish.

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 Great things are happening at the refuge center.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Get Fishing Xmas Every Month

Over the long winter of Vulcan storms and polar vorti a great way to pass the time and have some clean fun is to get a gift in the mail. Well not really a gift since you are paying for it but it's a nice surprise. I can remember ordering things in the old snail mail from Netcraft or Bassmasters. There's always a good feeling getting something in the mail and Amazon can attest to that. This new concept is the Mystery Tacklebox. Depending on the subscription you get a box of fishing tackle every month. Check out their offerings at:
http://mysterytacklebox.com/

I just got the introductory subscription for 1 month and was pleased with the merchandise. With a coupon I got all this for just $5.

Inside was a walking frog lure for bass, a bass jig and Texas rig hook.

Lastly a pack of swim baits and a pack of lizard plastics.

Probably not worth the reported $35+ but definitely $5.

Get Outdoors Downriver.

20 Pound Walleye

Here's something to get the blood flowing if you are a walleye fisherman. Imagine the 80+ inches of snow has melted and the last polar vorti was a month ago, you're jigging the river and this decides to taste your offering.

John Grubenhoff of Pasco caught a new state record walleye of 20.32 pounds in Lake Wallula (Columbia River), Benton County, on Feb. 28, 2014. Check out the State of Washington FB page; https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151913714916761&set=a.390652606760.166104.385127436760&type=1&theater

This one is better; https://nwsportsmanmag.com/editors-blog/how-john-grubenhoff-caught-a-20-plus-pound-columbia-river-walleye/

Lake Erie World Record Walleye

There have been numerous reports of large walleye being caught in Lake Erie this polar vortexed winter. Many are exaggerated beyond belief or just not true. The ranges are 37 to 41 inches in length and 17 to 19 lbs. No actual pics or certified weights have been produced. That's all changed now.

Grant McAllister of Toronto is a fishing nut. The kind like father Walleye or the Lindberg Flash, live to fish is an understatement. Grant a former guide is a walleye pro with experience on numerous tournament trails, including the Northern Ontario Walleye Trail, Tournament Trail and Quinte Fishing Series. This outing was with friends and while catching many large fish this was his PB, personal best. after posting on facebook he was told of the possible world record status.

The current Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame World Record, Division #4 - Ice Fishing, Catch and Release, Longest (only) Pole/Line, Walleye, is currently occupied by two 34-inchers in a tie. Grant's measured 35.3 inches long and weighed a whopping 14-pounds 10-ounces.

McAllister's approach to catching big fish is a one-two punch of calling them in and seducing them to bite with two vastly different jigging cadences.

"I'm a huge advocate of understanding jig cadence. After a lot of trial and error, my typical cadence involves two high lifts of the PK Spoon four or five feet, three short lifts of a foot, then three or four bangs on the bottom. Then repeat. Since I'm really ripping it, I go through a lot of minnows, something most guys don't do. But it's huge in drawing these big fish in. Then, once I have them on the flasher, it's like teasing a cat with a string."

The 'cat on a string' program is very much a finesse game, the goal being to get the walleye to slowly rise in the water column until it has no choice but to eat the bait.

Develope your own program and...

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New fishing, hunting and ORV license structure begins March 1

Michigan's hunting license structure is changing starting March 1. You can be sure it's confusing and will cost more. The brocure can be found here: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/license_restructuring_brochure_low-res_444799_7.pdf. You can find info on the new ORV sticker to ride a vehicle on non-private roads. If you drive on any 2 tracks you need this ($26.50) and if the trail is a designated one you'll need another sticker ($10).

A base hunting license is now required for all hunters. The base license allows you to hunt small game and purchase additional hunting licenses for other species. A base license is not required to buy a fishing license.
Deer hunters now have three license options to harvest antlered deer:

• A single deer license, which replaces the separate firearm and archery season licenses of previous years. The single deer license is valid for archery, firearm and muzzleloader seasons. With this choice, you will NOT be able to purchase a second deer license, but you will be able to purchase antlerless deer licenses where available.
  
• The deer combo license, which includes two deer licenses, one regular and one restricted, as in previous years. Both licenses are valid for archery, firearm and muzzleloader seasons. Antler point restrictions apply based on the area of the state where you hunt.
  
• The hunt/fish combo license, which includes the regular and restricted deer combo licenses, a base license and an all-species fishing license. This is an especially good choice for nonresidents, offering cost savings for those who have moved away or who still own property in Michigan and return to enjoy the outdoors. And for residents, the hunt/fish combo license is a quick and easy way to purchase four licenses at once.Antlerless deer may be still taken in archery season with deer and deer combo licenses as in previous years, and you can still apply for and purchase antlerless deer licenses where available until license quotas are met in each Deer Management Unit (DMU).
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• Starting March 1, you'll also see improvements to the license-buying process, with streamlined options for simplified purchasing at your local retail agent. The revamped system will help get your licenses faster and prevent duplicate purchases.
  There's also a new mobile option that will allow you to buy licenses using your smartphone or tablet and store licenses that don't require a kill tag – like the base hunting license – as a PDF on your mobile device or PC. You can find the new E-License with mobile capabilities at the same address, www.mdnr-elicense.com, starting March 1, or on the State’s MiPage application.

Such a deal. Hopefully the regs will be easier to understand but - note that deer regulations are not finalized until July, so it's important to review the 2014 Hunting and Trapping Digest for details on antler point restrictions and other regulations - so maybe not. If you buy more than 5 licenses like me, in the past a 15% discount was awarded. That's no longer the case so the cost of enjoying Michigan's great outdoors is going up. Unless you have property up north and only spend a few months here.

Get Outdoors downriver.

Polar Vorti

Wheather it's global warming or the wobblimg of the earth or just bad luck the onslaught of the string of polar vorti has caused many strange happenings. Most have occurred on our streets with people not knowing how to drive in 6+ inches of snow but some are coming from our waterways.

The Department of Natural Resources confirmed the catch of a new state record flathead catfish on Monday, Jan. 13. The catfish was caught by Dale Blakley of Niles, Mich., on Sunday, Jan. 12, on Barron Lake in Cass County at 3 p.m. The fish weighed 52.0 pounds and measured 46.02 inches. Blakley was ice fishing for crappies when he landed the record fish. The record was verified by Brian Gunderman, a DNR fisheries biologist, at the Plainwell office. The previous state record flathead catfish was caught by Rodney Akey of Niles on the St. Joseph River in Berrien County on May 22, 2012. That fish weighed 49.8 pounds and measured 45.7 inches. Prior to that, the record hadn’t been broken since 1943.

“Catching this fish was the most exhilarating experience,” said Blakley. “It was only the second time I’ve ever gone ice fishing and it was the only bite we had on the lake the whole day. This definitely sits at the top of my list!”


Not to be outdone:

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirmed the catch of a new state-record white perch on Friday, Jan. 24. This is the second state record caught in the month of January.
The white perch was caught by Aaron Slagh of Holland, Mich., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, on Muskegon Lake in Muskegon County at 11 a.m. The fish weighed 1.93 pounds and measured 13.25 inches. Slagh was ice fishing with a spoon when he landed the record fish.
The record was verified by Rich O'Neal, a DNR fisheries biologist, at the Muskegon field office.
The previous state-record white perch was caught by Kyle Ryan of Reese on Lake Huron in Tuscola County on July 13, 2002. That fish weighed 1.88 pounds and measured 13.25 inches.

So with snow in Jerusalem and all 50 states having an area with temps below 32 degrees F many firsts are happening all over. Buy a lotto and...

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Mich-Ohio Sportfishing Expo

The Huron Valley Sportfishing Club is proud to present the 2014 Mich-Ohio Sportfishing Expo, Feb. 8th & 9th in the MBT Expo Center at the Monroe County Fairgrounds

 

7th Annual
Mich-Ohio Sportfishing Expo
Presented by: Huron Valley Sportfishing Club
http://www.huronvalleysc.org

Feb 8th 9am-6pm & Feb 9th 9am-4pm @ MBT Expo Center, Monroe, MI
$5.00 Admission

• Tackle deals from Local and Major vendors
• 2100 sq ft of boats
• Food and soft drinks available
• Professional Charter captains
• Crawler harness tying demos
• Over 100 tables
ONE ON ONE SESSIONS WITH LOCAL BASS & WALLEYE PROS !!Fishing information at a family oriented fishing expo!!!
Free Parking
Free Fishing Seminars
Kids 12 and under FREE
Free Door Prizes—must be present to win
Free Fishing Simulator
Free Walleye Lure –to the first 100 paid admissions Sat. and Sun.

SEMINAR SPEAKERS

Capt. Dan Boileau- Detroit River Walleye

Jerome Dorlack and the Reel Naughty Team- Trophy Walleye All Season Long

Capt. Matt Sell- Trolling Crawler Harnesses

Matt Vermilyea- Bass Fishing Lake Erie

Capt. Brian Woodard- Trolling Crankbaits

Capt. Greg Warsow & Jerry Hinton- Perching the Detroit River and Lake Erie

 

 

There will be over 40 vendors there covering many outdoor and home products. This looks to be the best show yet.

 

 

Bait Proof

   The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) would like to inform anglers about new viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) regulations that went into effect Thursday, Jan. 9. The changes result in simpler regulations for anglers who purchase and use minnows as bait by removing the retail sales receipt provision. Anglers will now no longer be required to possess their bait receipts while fishing and retail minnow sellers will no longer be required to provide anglers with detailed receipts for minnows.
  Receipts were previously used for educational and enforcement purposes to direct anglers to places where their bait could be used based on purchase location and whether or not it was certified as disease-free. VHS regulations have been in effect for several years and, after careful review, the DNR determined the retail receipt provision could be removed because anglers are more knowledgeable about the risks associated with baitfish use.
   There is no known treatment for VHS, so preventing the spread of disease is the best way to protect Michigan's fish. Anglers can help prevent the spread of VHS by keeping the following tips in mind when using baitfish:

• Learn to identify the species of baitfish you are using. Species known to be susceptible to VHS and typically used as live bait include emerald shiners, spottail shiners and white suckers. Other species occasionally used as bait that are susceptible to VHS include bluntnose minnows, trout perch, gizzard shad, shorthead redhorse and silver redhorse.
• Request that your local bait store sell certified disease-free baitfish.
• Purchase and use only certified disease-free baitfish.
• Never move live fish between bodies of water.
• Disinfect your bait bucket, livewells and bilges between uses with a bleach solution (half-cup of bleach to 5 gallons of water) or allow equipment to dry thoroughly before using in a different body of water.
• Properly dispose of all bait containers including worms and soil, crayfish and minnows in a trash receptacle.

   Just like EHD in deer VHS in fish is a disease that has no immediate cure. We should be viligant of disposing of bait but not having to hold on to your receipt is a deregulation that will make fishing easier. So....

Get Outdoors Downriver.

Christmas Pheasant

The Whip is on a roll. My buddy has been hunting almost every day now that his retirement is settling in and a move to the country has given him the opportunity. Of course life is complicated and Mike has had some ups and downs recently namely having to give up a hunting dog. A dog lover at heart and a hunting dog fanatic it was hard for Mike to let go his next in line birder.

As is common with bird hunting enthusiasts having an older dog and a younger dog gives them a sense of security in the present and the future for chasing game birds. The old one hunts smarter but tires easily then the young one takes over and hopefully has learned something from the older dog to help it find birds. Mike has even had three dogs to help him choose the next best one. This time the duo didn't work out as the younger dog tried to prove dominance and many fights ensued. I even helped out by watching the older dog while the owner was on vacation but the dog prints in the new Fort Street concrete are evidence these dogs are tightly wired.

So on the day he said goodbye to the young project Mike went deer hunting on his property and bagged the biggest doe of this hunting career. It's only fitting after going through a lot of anguish on what to do with the dogs he could enjoy life a little bit. However this is a little overboard. On the first trip out with the old dog and feeling melancholy about not having the other by his side he had some more luck.

Shortly into the hunt the older German Short Hair put up a rooster a little too far away but the bird stayed in the field. After working the rest of the property and putting up some hens the dog locked up near where the bird had landed. Everything worked out and the shot was true. This rooster's tail has 27 bars along it's length. A trophy in anybody's book especially on your own piece of paradise. Merry Christmas Mike.

Get Outdoors Downriver

DRIWR Boasts New Icon

When bicyclists, walkers and joggers visit the Refuge Gateway in Trenton, they will pass a towering new steel wildlife sculpture that depicts the ecological recovery and biodiversity of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge (IWR).

As part of DTE Energy’s commitment to the environment and sustainability, DTE employees first erected a 12-foot wildlife sculpture at the entrance of its River Rouge Power Plant. Based on the overwhelming positive feedback on that project, DTE Energy employees approached staff of the Detroit River IWR to see if they might be interested in a similar wildlife sculpture at the Refuge Gateway in Trenton. Refuge staff jumped at the opportunity and immediately began working with DTE employees to design a four-sided, 16-foot piece of art that will welcome thousands of projected annual visitors to North America’s only international wildlife refuge.

Whether entering the Refuge on a greenway trail to enjoy the new Visitor Center, fishing off a 775-foot pier (soon to come), boarding the Great Lakes school ship, kayaking in the marsh, bird watching from observation decks, or hiking in Michigan’s only “Wetland of International Importance,” visitors will be able to see the wildlife sculpture. It might best be described as a Christmas tree-shaped sculpture made of three-eighth-inch-thick steel. Upon closer look, you will see lake sturgeon and walleye at the bottom, cattails, turtles, dragonflies, woodpeckers and blue heron as you move up the symbolic food web, and bald eagles as top predators at the pinnacle.

The Detroit River IWR incorporates 5,800 acres along 48 miles of the Detroit River and

Western Lake Erie. The Refuge focuses on conserving, protecting, and restoring habitat for 29

species of waterfowl, 23 species of raptors, 31 species of shorebirds, over 100 species of fish,

and over 300 species of birds. It is the first international refuge in North America and one of the

few urban ones. Unique habitats being managed for conservation include islands, coastal

wetlands, marshes, shoals, and waterfront lands. The Western Lake Erie Watersheds Priority

Natural Area is the institutional mechanism for Canadian federal, provincial, and local partners

to cooperatively work with U.S. partners on the International Wildlife Refuge.

Get Outdoors Downriver.