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The Wild Times: Winter 2026
Canada lynx

It's been a winter marked by heavy snowfall, subzero temperatures, "exploding trees" (technically, "frost crack") and lots of collaborative wildlife conservation and management work across the state. As spring inches closer, we recognize and celebrate some of that great work by our Wildlife Division staff and partners. 


* Featured species: Silver-haired bat [ #link_1 ]
* 2026 Flat River Youth Hunt: 'A resounding success' [ #link_3 ]
* Hochstetler honored for improving turkey habitat [ #link_7 ]
* Photos from the field [ #link_4 ]
* Help MUCC improve wildlife habitat on public lands [ #link_6 ]
* NRC meetings [ #link_17 ]
* Grants/Jobs [ #link_5 ]
* Support [ #link_2 ]

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Featured species: Silver-haired bat

Bat for Wild Times

A biologist holds a silver-haired bat. Photo courtesy of Keweenaw Bay Indian Community

The silver-haired bat is one of the most common bats in forested areas of America and one of four bat species that hibernate in caves and mine shafts throughout Michigan’s Keweenaw region. The silver-haired bat is a medium-sized bat, measuring about 4 inches long and weighing about half an ounce. It's primarily nocturnal, hunting insects just before sunset and throughout the night. Even though they are highly dependent on old-growth forest areas for roosts, silver-haired bats feed predominantly in disturbed areas, sometimes at treetop levels, often in small clearings and along roadways or water courses. Their diets vary widely, but these bats feed chiefly on soft-bodied insects such as flies, mosquitoes and termites.

While their erratic flight patterns and nocturnal behavior cause some people to fear them, bats play a vital role in Michigan’s ecosystem and economy. A single bat can consume thousands of insects in one night, including disease-carrying mosquitoes and crop-damaging pests. By naturally controlling insect populations, bats reduce the need for pesticides, with some studies estimating they save U.S. farmers more than $3 billion per year. 

Learn more about bats in Michigan in this recent Showcasing the DNR feature story [ [link removed] ].

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2026 Flat River Youth Hunt: 'A resounding success'
Youth hunters

Above: Youth hunters gather during the 2026 Flat River Youth Hunt. Below: Five youth hunters with their guides and guide dogs.

Youth hunt 2

The Flat River Youth Hunt accommodated a record 54 youth hunters and more than 100 people for breakfast and lunch at the Jan. 17 event.

The annual hunt, which started about 15 years ago, was coordinated by Wildlife staff from the DNR’s Flat River Field Office in partnership with several organizations.

“This year's youth hunt was a resounding success," said James Miller, a wildlife biologist in the Flat River office in Belding. "The feedback we received from participant groups was 100% positive."

For the second straight year, every youth hunter had the chance to hunt behind a squirrel or rabbit dog. More than 30 squirrels were harvested in the Flat River State Game Area and local private lands. The youth hunters were shown how to process and prep small game for consumption.

“Connecting small game harvest to meals for a family is an invaluable skill to teach youth,” Miller noted.

Each youth hunter received a prize and a raffle was conducted for larger prizes including guns and gun cases. Participating organizations included Belding Sportsman's Club, Michigan Squirrel Dog Association, Triple H Sports, National Deer Association and Christianity Outdoors.

“I had several groups, both new and old, come up and thank us for putting on the event," Miller said. "We look forward to a great 2027 event.”



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Hochstetler honored for improving turkey habitat

Greg Hochstetler

Congratulations to Wildlife technician Greg Hochstetler for being honored as the 2025 Conservation Award winner for the Michigan chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation.

Hochstetler has worked closely with NWTF to improve habitat for wild turkeys on the Muskegon, Cannonsburg and Ottawa mini state game areas (SGAs), the Rogue River SGA and the Bakale Tract at the Bass River Recreation Area.

"Greg's innovative and aggressive work in savannas and grasslands on public lands in southwest Michigan made him a great and very deserving winner of this award," said John Niewoonder, field operations manager for the Wildlife Division's Big River Unit.



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Photos from the field

Rachel L registers bear

Above, wildlife technician Rachel Leggett registers a bear in the field near Sault Ste. Marie for hunter Nick Cassel. Below, Cody Norton harvested a bear in the central U.P. with the help of fellow DNR wildlife biologist Morgan Lucot and Norton’s hound.

Cody Norton is show with his bear harvest in 2025.

Bear hunters recorded another strong season in 2025, with many 400-pound and even 500-pound bears harvested in the U.P.

The harvest included a 400-pound-plus bear harvested by Nick Cassel of Sault Ste. Marie and registered in the field by wildlife technician Rachel Leggett.

Cody Norton, the DNR’s bear, furbearer and small game specialist, said there was a phenomenal number of unusually large bears harvested across the U.P.

“This is something we’ve been working toward with our long-term bear management plan – growing the total number of bears and giving hunters more opportunities to harvest large, mature animals," said Norton, who harvested his own bear in the central U.P.

All told, hunters in Michigan harvested 1,952 black bears in 2025, according to preliminary data. That’s slightly above the state’s five-year average of 1,911 bears harvested per year.

Learn more in this Showcasing the DNR story [ [link removed] ].



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DNR tent at elk pole

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Angela Kujawa at elk pole

Wildlife conservation and management can be cold work. Wildlifers spent the first two days of the winter elk hunting season engaging with hunters and the public in subzero temperatures at the Atlanta Elk Pole, which was hosted by the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. 

*Above*, a canvas tent with space heaters and a snow-packed floor served as Wildlifers' daytime home in Atlanta from Dec. 13-14. *Left*, wildlife biologist Angela Kujawa talks to a couple about the elk hunt. *Below*, a hunter with his harvest hanging on the Atlanta Elk Pole.

Hunters braved the elements to harvest 153 elk during the fall and winter elk hunting periods in northern Lower Michigan, including 66 bulls and 87 antlerless elk.  



The _DNR Wildlife Division has proposed lengthening the elk hunting season for the 2026-2027 hunting cycle_ [ [link removed] ].

Under the proposal, the two hunting periods would provide 45 total days of harvest time, more than double the current 21 days. In addition, hunters would have 72 hours to register their elk with the DNR. Currently, elk must be registered within 24 hours of harvest.

Final proposed elk regulations and elk license quotas for 2026-27 will be presented to the Michigan Natural Resources Commission at its March 2026 meeting. The final regulations will be adopted at the April 2026 NRC meeting.

Elk harvest

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Rachel Leggett

Rachel Leggett, a wildlife technician based in Sault Ste. Marie, took time for public engagement in December by talking to a class at Lake Superior State University about her professional journey. Leggett earned a degree in fisheries and wildlife management from LSSU in 2018.

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Help MUCC improve wildlife habitat on public lands
wood duck swimming

The Michigan United Conservation Club's On the Ground program [ [link removed] ] brings volunteers together to improve wildlife habitat on public lands. From planting trees to removing invasive species, each MUCC project offers a hands-on way to support Michigan’s natural resources. Sign up for an upcoming stewardship day:

*Feb. 28*: Wood Duck Box Maintenance at Shiawassee River State Game Area (Saginaw County) [ [link removed] ]

*March 28*: Brush Pile Building in the Traverse City Forest Management Unit (Kalkaska County) [ [link removed] ]

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NRC meetings

*Feb. 11:*  [ [link removed] ]Natural Resources Commission meeting in Lansing.

*March 11: [ [link removed] ] *Natural Resources Commission meeting in Lansing.

*April 8* [ [link removed] ]: Natural Resources Commission meeting in Lansing.




Grants/Jobs

DNR jobs [ [link removed] ]

DNR grants [ [link removed] ]

More ways to get involved with the DNR [ [link removed] ]




Support

Purchase a Kirtland's warbler wildlife habitat license plate [ [link removed] ] and help protect Michigan’s most vulnerable species.





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