Muskie egg collection more than doubles last year's

The state's muskie stocking program got a big boost from 40 adult female muskies that state fisheries biologists captured in traps last month at Lake Webster. The process yielded more than 700,000 fertilized eggs, compared to 275,000 last year.

Biologists stripped more than 1.5 million eggs from the fish, which measured 31 � 45�. The eggs were fertilized using 50 ripe males. Ideally, the eggs will yield nearly 20,000 muskie fingerlings about 10� each, which will be stocked at 15 lakes throughout the state in October. "We exceeded our goal of 500,000 fertilized eggs," said Dave Clary, manager of the state�s Fawn River Hatchery, who oversees the egg-taking. "In 2007 we had poor weather conditions. This year the weather was perfect."

 After the eggs were fertilized, they were disinfected with an iodine solution to prevent VHS (viral hemorrhagic septicemia), a viral disease threatening muskies and other fish in the Great Lakes region. The eggs were taken to the Fawn River Hatchery, then shipped to another state fish hatchery in southern Indiana for hatching.

"Even though we don�t think muskies are currently carrying the virus, we treated the eggs to avoid potentially contaminating our hatcheries," Clary said. This year also marked the first time biologists took eggs directly from adults while at the lake, rather than first hauling them to the hatchery. Fish tanks in the basement of a cottage owned by a local resident were used to temporarily hold the adult muskies.

While collecting muskies at Lake Webster, biologists also marked them, for the third year in a row, with a uniquely coded tag, called a Passive Integrated Transponder, or PIT tag. Tagged fish that are recaptured in future years will enable biologists to accurately estimate muskie growth rates.

"By comparing the total number of muskies we have tagged and the number of tagged fish recaptured later, we can also estimate how many adult muskies are in the lake," said Nate Thomas, DFW assistant fisheries biologist. "Past estimates of Lake Webster�s muskie populations make it one of the premier fisheries in the Midwest.�

State announces the Reopening of All State Forest Campgrounds

The Michigan DNR announced the reopening of all temporarily closed state forest campgrounds for the 2008 camping season. With the recent Legislative approval to restore $500,000 of General Fund appropriation to the Recreation and Trail Program, DNR Director Rebecca Humphries has authorized a land use order, effective today (May 12), removing 20 state forest campgrounds from their temporarily closed status.

DNR staff is quickly working to open all state forest campgrounds for the 2008 camping season. Depending on local weather  conditions, campgrounds typically open by mid-May. Some state forest campgrounds will require maintenance repairs to the water wells during the month of May.

The 143 state forest campgrounds with over 3,000 campsites are available on a first-come, first- served basis. These rustic campgrounds have from five to 50 campsites, vault toilets and hand water pumps. They are found throughout the 3.5 million acres of state forests and most are located on a lake or river. State forest campgrounds are not on the DNR�s campground reservation system.

The campgrounds to be reopened are in the counties of Alpena, Antrim, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Crawford, Grand Traverse, Luce, Marquette, Oscoda Otsego, Schoolcraft and Wexford. For specific campground availability and information, please call the nearest Operations Service Center, or refer to the department Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr,  and click on Recreation and Camping.

Wildlife Regulation changes approved at May NRC Meeting

The State of Michigan approved several changes to the Wildlife Conservation Order at the May meeting of the NRC. The NRC approved an amendment authorizing veterans with 100% disability or those determined as individually unemployable as rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to participate in the youth firearm deer season in September and the October disabled deer season. The amendment also adds the Thursday and Friday prior to the third weekend in October to the disabled hunt.

"This amendment will provide increased opportunities for disabled hunters without adversely affecting the resource," said Michael Bailey, Wildlife Division Species Management Section supervisor.

The NRC also expanded opportunities for antlerless deer harvest. The season limit of three private land antlerless deer licenses per hunter in Zone 3 (southern Lower Michigan) was increased to five. The regulation that a hunter may purchase up to two private land antlerless deer licenses from Zones 1 and 2 combined remains unchanged from last year.

"The change to allow five antlerless deer to be harvested on private land per hunter will substantially increase hunting opportunities in the southern Lower Peninsula," Bailey said.  Director Humphries approved the issuance of private land antlerless licenses through an application and lottery system for northern Lower Michigan counties and the Upper Peninsula.

"Previously, private land antlerless licenses were sold over the counter, but many of the counties in northern Michigan sold out on the first day of availability," said Bailey. "An application allows everyone wanting a private land antlerless license an equal chance at obtaining one."

Also approved was an early firearm antlerless deer season to address disease and deer population issues in Zone 3 and in Alpena, Alcona, Iosco, Montmorency, Oscoda and Presque Isle counties. The season will be open for five days on private lands only beginning the third Thursday in September.

The five-day season in southern Michigan also offers additional opportunity for licensed hunters in other areas where deer populations remain above the desired goal.

Guidelines for Handling Birds with Suspected Cases of Botulism Announced

The state of Michigan last week announced a series of protocols to provide the public with information on how to handle birds suspected of  dying from Type E botulism.

"For the past two years on Lake Michigan, we have had a number of waterfowl and other shore birds die due to Type E botulism," said DNR  Wildlife Biologist Tom Cooley. "We now have protocols in place for the public that explain what to do if they find a dead bird washed up on  shore. We also will be providing information to waterfowl hunters this year who might be hunting in these areas."

In 2006 in the Upper Peninsula, the die-off occurred in Menominee, Delta and Schoolcraft counties with an estimated mortality of 600 birds. The  species involved were double-crested cormorants, ring-billed gulls, horned grebes, common loons, red-breasted mergansers and red-necked  grebes. In the Lower Peninsula, the die-off occurred in Leelanau, Mason, Benzie and Grand Traverse counties with an estimated mortality of  nearly 3,000 birds. The species involved were grebes, double-crested cormorants, gulls, mergansers and common loons.

In 2007 in the UP, the die-off occurred in Delta, Schoolcraft and Mackinac counties and involved common loons, long-tailed ducks, horned  grebes, white-winged scoters, herring gulls and red-necked grebes. In the LP, the die-off occurred in Leelanau, Benzie, Emmet, Charlevoix  (including Beaver Island) and Antrim counties. DNR wildlife biologists also heard reports of other counties involved, but received no birds to examine. There were at least 17 species of waterbirds involved with the most common being double-crested cormorants, ring-billed gulls, horned  grebes, common loons, common mergansers and long-tailed ducks.

Two additional species of interest are the Caspian tern and the piping  plover, which are state threatened and federally and state endangered, respectively. The estimated mortality for the Sleeping Bear Dunes  National Lakeshore, which was highly monitored, was 1,135 birds. The total mortality for both Peninsulas was 7,500 birds, including birds from  the Sleeping Bear Dunes. The numbers were much greater in 2007 in the UP than they were in 2006.

The majority of the mortality began in late August and extended into the middle of November. There was a small die-off in June along the  Sleeping Bear Dunes area, and that is when the Caspian terns and the piping plovers died.  DNR wildlife biologists believe the likely route of  transmission of Type E Botulism in Lake Michigan, as well as in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, probably includes Cladophora algae, zebra and  quagga mussels and the round goby. The algae establish anaerobic conditions in which the botulism bacterium -- found in the bottom  sediments of the Great Lakes -- proliferates.

The bacteria, and the toxin it produces, are ingested by the mussels and the mussels are in turn  eaten by the gobies. Birds can become infected either by eating the mussels directly, eating gobies or other fish that may be involved that are  sick or dead due to the botulism toxin, or by scavenging carcasses of birds or fish that have died from botulism.

Protocols issued for Lake Michigan homeowners:

* Bird carcasses should not be handled with bare hands

* Bird carcasses should be placed in garbage bags

* Dispose of carcasses by including them with your household trash or by burying them. Bury them away from the shoreline

* You can bury animal carcasses on your property only

* Once you finish handling the carcasses, you should dispose of your gloves in a garbage bag and place them in trash

Protocols for collection of carcasses for examination:

* Any bird collected for submission for a necropsy or botulism testing must be freshly dead. Presence of a bad smell or maggots is evidence  that the bird has been dead longer than 24 hours and is not acceptable for testing. Decomposed carcasses can cause false positive results.

* Submission of birds for examination and testing needs to be limited to two individuals per species per county. Once the disease is confirmed  in a species in a county, no additional testing will be needed on that species.

* Individuals handling dead birds should wear rubber, plastic or disposable gloves. Place the carcasses in a garbage bag and seal the bag.  Collected specimens need to be bagged individually or by species and a history provided. The history should include date collected, location  (county, township, range and section if possible),  the numbers and species involved in the die-off and a contact name and address.

* The nearest DNR office should be contacted and arrangements made to deliver the specimens to the office. It may be possible for DNR  personnel to pick up specimens, but it may be necessary to deliver them. DNR field personnel will forward the specimens to the DNR Wildlife  Disease Lab in Lansing for necropsy and botulism testing.

Guidelines for waterfowl hunters include:

* Birds with Type E botulism may be lethargic, have difficulty holding their head out of the water or be unable to fly.

* Hunters should harvest only waterfowl that act and look healthy.

* Hunters should wear rubber, plastic or disposable gloves while field dressing, skinning or butchering waterfowl.

* Remove and discard intestines soon after harvesting and avoid direct contact with the intestinal contents.

* Wash hands, utensils and work surfaces before and after handling any meat.

* Keep waterfowl cool (either with ice or refrigerated) below 45*F until butchered, then refrigerate or freeze.

* Cook waterfowl to an internal temperature of 165*F. Cooking may not destroy Type E botulism toxin.

Women�s Fly-Fishing Seminar Returns to Salmon River Fish Hatchery June 14

Local groups in Altmar will host the second annual Women�s Fly-Fishing Seminar on Saturday, June 14, 8 - 6 p.m. This event is specifically geared for women who are interested in learning or improving their fly-fishing skills. It�s a great way for women to get together, spend peaceful time with nature and enjoy a pastime that might otherwise seem intimidating.

Open to women over the age of 16, the seminar covers basic stream entomology and includes hands-on instruction from experienced instructors. Students will learn how to assemble, rig and make basic fly-casts with traditional fly-rods and reels.

The cost of the seminar is $20 and includes instruction, a tour of the hatchery and its operations and a deli-style lunch. Registration is required by contacting Lindsay Shukoff at [email protected]  no later than Sunday, June 1. Registrations are also accepted by mailing to Lindsay Shukoff, 60 Monroe Street, Honeoye Falls, N.Y. 14472.

�For each participant to have a quality experience, we are going to limit the class size to 20 women, on a first-come, first-

served basis,� officials said. �We will provide as much equipment as we can for the women to use for the day, but if they have a good, working fly-rod set up we are encouraging them to bring it.�

The seminar will take place rain or shine, so participants are asked to dress accordingly, including hats, sunscreen, bug repellent or anything they might need to make their day comfortable. For their own safety, women should not wear sneakers or open-toed sandals. Waders are recommended, but not required. A good pair of hiking boots or wading shoes are necessary if they intend to �wet wade�.

Fishing licenses are required to participate in the seminar and are available online at www.dec.state.ny.us/permits/28941.html  or by calling 1-86-NY-DECALS (1-866-933-2257). They can also be obtained at most town clerk offices or many local sporting goods stores.

For more info: [email protected] . For up-to-date fishing conditions throughout the year, call 1-800-248-4FUN (4386) or visit www.visitoswegocounty.com.