“Tell me who could make the clouds and make them move across the sky, who could make your mind and put it here to wonder why,” – Steve Forbert — — — MARQUETTE — In these autumn days, when the winds are twirling leaves across the dirt roads and the muddy pathways in ...

“Scarecrow on a wooden cross, blackbird in the barn,” – John Mellencamp — — — MARQUETTE — The first sound I heard after I slipped outside the back door that morning was the croaking squawk of an old raven. He sounded upset about the cold and the snow. I couldn’t blame ...

LANSING — This summer and fall, the DNR and several partners released nearly 20,000 juvenile lake sturgeon in public waters, part of an ongoing effort to rehabilitate this culturally significant fish species. The locations, totals, dates and (partner agencies) include: Allegan ...

BARAGA — A complaint called in to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Report All Poaching hotline resulted in two brothers being ticketed for illegally killing a pair of trumpeter swans on Sept. 28 - the opening day of waterfowl hunting season in the Upper Peninsula. Trumpeter ...

“Somewhere along the high road, the air began to turn cold,” – Bob Seger — — — MARQUETTE — Riding out over the gray gravel road, the plain laid out in front of me in all its spectacular sweeping autumn beauty. The October road was as straight as a witch’s broomstick, ...

LANSING — Michigan is rich with opportunities to hunt a variety of upland game birds this month, with several seasons already open and other openers on the way. Currently open are ruffed grouse and woodcock hunting. Ruffed grouse season runs through Nov. 14 and then reopens Dec. 1-Jan. 1, ...

Little Bay De Noc: Walleye anglers reported fair catches at the “Black Bottom” when trolling stick baits in 20 to 28 feet and off Kipling when trolling or jigging crawlers and stick baits in 14 to 30 feet between the First and Second Reefs. Perch fishing was fair around Butler Island with ...

LANSING — The days are growing shorter, the air is feeling crisp … it’s time for hunters to head into Michigan’s autumn woods for archery deer season, started up around the state Tuesday, Oct. 1. Before pulling back that first arrow, hunters are reminded to check the 2019 Hunting ...

“The high rolling hills give it all in the fall; oh, the hard days are gone...now,” – Steve Forbert — — — MARQUETTE — The hem of the resplendent gown of Madame Autumn moves slowly across the floor as she half-sashays into view, pulling with her a trail of rolling and ...

MARQUETTE — The DNR plans prescribed burns, timber harvests and tree thinning to help keep Michigan’s 4 million acres of state forest land healthy and to provide wildlife habitat. Plans for management activities are finalized two years in advance after public input is gathered in the ...

LANSING — This weekend marks the start of the waterfowl hunting season for ducks, coots and mergansers in the North Zone (Upper Peninsula). The season runs Sept. 28 through Nov. 24, with an additional weekend hunt Nov. 30-Dec. 1. Goose season in the North Zone opened earlier this month and ...

“Now the rain’s been droppin,’ drip drop a drippin’ every day you’ve been away,” — Aaron Schroeder and Chuck Kaye — — — MARQUETTE — I’m sitting up in bed listening. Everyone else has gone to sleep. With the darkness gathered around me I’ve got my eyes closed ...

Little Bay De Noc: Fewer walleye catches were reported as the action was spotty at best along the reefs at Kipling, south of the Ford River near the “Fingers” and near Round Island. Near Kipling, anglers were still working the weed beds when trolling, drifting or jigging crawlers or stick ...

“Summer’s end’s around the bend, just flying,” – John Prine — — — MARQUETTE — The afternoon couldn’t make up its mind between sunny skies, cold winds and clouds threatening rain. I decided to spend those hours traveling gray-graveled backroads, looking for some respite ...

LANSING — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer this week gathered with state, retail and nonprofit representatives of Michigan’s outdoor recreation industry to showcase the industry’s value and preview the move, this October, to officially join the Confluence of States. The Confluence is a growing ...

LANSING — Hunters around Michigan are getting ready to get outdoors. Sunday marks the statewide start of hunting season for cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare, ruffed grouse, fox and gray squirrel. Woodcock season, also statewide, follows less than a week later on Sept. 21. Before hitting the ...

“Swimming in the big lake, taking it easy, taking any comfort we could find,” – Bob Seger — — — MARQUETTE — With a splash and swift turn in the water, the brook trout at the end of my line broke the top of the water’s surface and jerked hard toward the bottom of the ...

MARQUETTE — An update on white-nose syndrome in bats, a presentation about the state’s parks and trails systems, and recognition for the efforts of former commissioner J.R. Richardson, Michigan United Conservation Clubs Upper Peninsula staff and former Michigan State Parks Advisory ...

IRON MOUNTAIN — The recent washout of a culvert along West Pond Road at the Groveland Mine Recreation Area in Dickinson County will leave boating access sites to the East and West ponds inaccessible until further notice. Michigan Department of Natural Resources staff is working to obtain ...

“Sometimes the best words are left unspoken, sometimes the best words are left unsaid,” – Marshall Crenshaw — — — MARQUETTE — From where I sat in the cool grass, I could look up to see the smoke roiling into the sky – tumbling and twirling. The night had begun to fall ...