beaver island wildlife clubbeaverislandwildlifeclub.org/binews/newsapr15.pdf · 2015-11-16 · ing...
TRANSCRIPT
President: Jeff Powers
Vice President: Bruce Beaudoin
Secretary: Jacque LaFreniere
Treasurer: Mark LaFreniere
Newsletter editor: Jacque LaFreniere
Directors: Phil Wyckoff, Bill Detwiler, Gary Mor-gan, Don Tritsch, Bob Tidmore, Tina Morgan. Shirley Detwiler
Board of Directors
April 2015
P.O. Box 103 Beaver Island, MI 49782
Volume 8 Issue 1
Beaver Island Wildlife Club
for early successional forests leaving all
mast/fruit bearing trees and shrubs, all
dead trees and anything 2" dia. and
smaller. Almost seven acres were cut this
winter using Beaver Island volunteers
and 20 acres were contracted to a new
Beaver Island contractor, B&M Tree Ser-
vice and was completed on April 11, 2015.
The locations are picked that provide
for suitable habitat in out of the way loca-
tions, where the stand has little or no
commercial value, and yet is accessible
for those who don't mind a little hiking. It
should be noted that not only did this
project bring about habitat improvement,
but also brought the equivalent of 1/3 of
an annual full time job to the island.
The Beaver Island Wildlife Club would
like to thank Eric Ellis, Eastern Great
Lakes Regional Biologist and Grant Writ-
er, for all the work and effort he contrib-
uted to get us to this point. We also want
to thank our MDNR Wildlife Gaylord
folks, Brian Mastenbrook and Jennifer
Kleitsch. The Beaver Island volunteers
included Gary and Tina Morgan, Bill and
Shirley Detwiler, Mark and Jacque
LaFreniere, Dalton and Ruthie Cothran,
Grant Funded Clear Cuts on State Land
For many years, the Beaver Island Wildlife
Club (BIWC) has funded different projects
and programs to benefit fish and wildlife on
the island, particularly focusing on deer and
turkeys and walleye.
Logging activities, once the "life blood" of
reforestation and generator of critical young
forest habitat on the island, have dwindled
during the past 30 years. Beaver Island’s
State owned forests continue to mature at an
alarming rate.
The Wildlife Habitat Grant Program
(WHGP), which began in October 2013, is
funded with a portion of the revenue from the
hunting and fishing licenses sold each year.
The Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS), RGS
works with landowners and government
agencies to develop critical habitat utilizing
scientific management practices.
The RGS, partnering with the BIWC, was
awarded a WHGP grant titled "Priority
Young Forests Project WH15-607. The grant
called for 27 acres of lowland mixed forest,
paint marked by MDNR Forestry personnel
in March of 2014, to be non-commercially cut
Eric Naranjo, Craig Gregory,
David and Dave Schwartzfish-
er, Tony Connaghan, Carl Ver-
tican, Phil and BJ Wyckoff,
and Jim Wojan. B&M Tree
Service, (owner/operators Dil-
lon Butler and Brett Maudrie)
did a great job on the contract-
ed portion. Special thanks to
Steve Juday/ Beaver Island 6
for access to cutting areas.
BIWC is already working with
the MDNR Wildlife staff for a
similar project next year.
Page 2 Beaver Island Wildlife Club Page 2 Beaver Island Wildlife Club
School Garden Project
The Wildlife Club as agreed to help
Beaver Island Community School with
a school garden project which will
eventually include trees propagated
from cutting of old orchards on Beaver
Island and other trees. Initially the
school garden will focus on a pollinator
garden and mast/fruit tree nursery.
Gun Range
Matt Hall from Charlevoix Rod and
Gun Club, presented to the BIWC this
winter, the possibility of creating a
gun club on Beaver Island. Generally
the idea was to create a shooting
range for siting rifles and a target
range which could draw people to the
island. Some discussion was had about
whether or not the club should get
involved in such a large venture which
would include purchasing property,
running the “business” of a gun club
complete with employees and potential
liability. The idea is currently on the
table, but needs more work to be con-
sidered feasible.
Tree Plantings
Several species of seedling trees and
shrubs will arrive on the island for
island property owners to plant. White
and Burr Oaks, American Hazelnut,
Black Cherry, American Chestnut, and
Serviceberry have been obtained from
the Conservation Resource Alliance,
Wexford and Manistee County Conser-
vation Districts. The seed-
lings/transplants will not only be
planted around the island, but also at
the school in its newly formed school
garden. The goal is to introduce other
mast/fruit trees and shrubs for wild-
life. Trees will need to be protected by
fencing and watered until well estab-
lished. Contact BIWC (231-448-2220)
to check on the availability and dates
when they will arrive on island.
2015 Rifle Raffle, Dinner and Tickets
The Annual Harold Lounsberry Hunter’s
Dinner will be held Nov. 16, 6-8 p.m. at the
Shamrock.
The Rifle raffle will be for a Weatherby
Vanguard 2 30.06 Bolt Rifle with scope.
Additional Grand Prizes include a GPS
and Binoculars. Many other prizes, includ-
ing the engraved knives from Baron Indus-
tries, will be raffled as well. A ticket gets
you entry into the drawing for all the priz-
es. Tickets ($10 each or 11 for $100) will be
available soon and can be purchased from
Phil Wyckoff or Jacque LaFreniere. Send
checks payable to BIWC, Box 103, Beaver
Island, MI 49782. If sending in, please let
us know if you have a preference for one of
the Grand Prizes over another and if you
want us to mail your ticket stubs to you.
This is our only fundraiser for the year.
Help us maintain enough funds for our
current projects and to fund future projects
as well.
The annual Cormorant training ses-
sion for Beaver Island participants
will familiarize the participants with
gun safety, proper bird identification,
boat safety and reporting require-
ments. This years participants are
Bill and Shirley Detwiler, Tina and
Gary Morgan, Phil Wyckoff, Craig
Gregory, Jeff Powers and Bob Tid-
more. The purpose of the program is
to harass the cormorants to prevent
them from feeding on the fishery of
Lake Geneserath and the Harbor of
Beaver Island. This is especially
critical for Lake Geneserath as the
Wildlife Club has an yearly program
to stock with lake with Walleye fin-
gerlings.
Cormorant culling training
Walleye Pond
The Walleye pond is being prepared
for the arrival of the Walleye fry
late in April. The pond needed to be
pumped dry from the winter water
and then refilled and ready for
stocking. Within several weeks, the
fry will be transferred to the inland
lakes. Hopefully the weather will
cooperate and provide good condi-
tions for their growth.
Birder’s Weekend
Warblers on the Water is the theme
for this year’s birding weekend, May
22-24 on Beaver Island. Besides nu-
merous field trips including a night
bird search, there will be guest speak-
ers: Kay Charter “Saving Birds
through Habitat”, Dr. Greg Butcher
“Michigan’s connection to the tropics”
and Dr. Nancy Seefelt “Avian re-
search on the Beaver Island Archipel-
ago”. Reservations are suggested for
the field trips. Go online:
www.beaverislandbirdingtrail.org to
register.
The Little Traverse Conservancy has
started a new program of volunteers
entitled “EcoStewards.” This program
is open to all. Basically, the volunteer
submits ideas, such as monitoring for
invasive species, planting for wildlife,
explore, collect, research, restore and
much more. The LTC will help you get
whatever skill needed through train-
ing and learning opportunities and
provide the land (preserves). This will
help the LTC better steward their pro-
tected lands. You can contact LTC
through their website for more infor-
mation at landtrust.org.
Please check your address label.
There will be a date or LT (lifetime) on
the label to show when your member-
ship is due.
Your membership dues help to support
all of the many projects of the Beaver
Island Wildlife Club. Please renew
now!
Page 3 Volume 8 Issue 1
NAME
____________________________________
Address :____________________________
City/
State_______________________________
Zip _______________________________
Would you like to help the wildlife club
fund its many activities? Join now:
Youth (under 16): $10
Adult one year: $25, 5 yr.: $75
Family: $35, 5 year: $110
Lifetime: $250
Would you like email updates from the
Wildlife Club? Yes No
Email: _____________________________
Return to:
Beaver Island Wildlife Club
Attn: Treasurer Mark LaFreniere
P.O. Box 103
Beaver Island, MI 49782
Membership
Membership Renewals
Changes in Dues
Avian Pox and
Turkeys
The BIWC board decided it was time
to restructure dues as it had been a
very long time since it had done so.
Effective June 1, 2014.
A family category was added to in-
clude spouses and underage chil-
dren.
Dues were raised slightly and we
kept the 5 year rates available as
well as the lifetime.
The club uses its funds to maintain
the wildlife of the island through
feeding programs, the walleye pond
stocking program, cormorant control
training and much more.
This winter two turkeys were iden-
tified with Avian (Turkey) Pox.
Both were shot and sent to Lansing
for necropsy. The results were posi-
tive for Turkey Pox and Lymphopro-
liferative Disease Virus. Both of
these diseases create yellow-brown
tumors on the head of the bird. The
first bird was almost completely
blind because of it.
Neither LPDV nor Pox are conta-
gious to humans and the meat can
be consumed safely. It is particular-
ly contagious among birds, and can
be transmitted by mosquitoes.
There is no cure, nor prevention
other than to remove affected birds
from the flocks.
If you see such a bird, call Mark
LaFreniere, who has a permit, to
cull the bird and we will send it
Lansing for necropsy.
Club Officers At the January meeting, Jeff Powers,
Mark LaFreniere and Jacque
LaFreniere were re-elected to their
current positions. Bruce Beaudoin
was elected to Vice President and
Shirley Detwiler was elected to the
board.
EcoSteward program
The 2014 Rifle raffle grand prize win-
ners were: Dan Sparks (Gun), Susan
McFall (binoculars) and Bud Martin
(GPS). There were many other winners
of a variety of raffle prizes as well.
Rangefinder- Keith Bales
Engraved Knives- John Haggard, Mark
Welke
Flashlights: Don Tritsch, Myles Re-
hkopf, Eric Hodgson, Chuck Marshall
Knives: Bill Brott, Mark LaFreniere,
Rex Dowling, Robert Atchulson
Headlamps: Bob Tidmore, Bruce
Beaudoin, Charlie Creasser (2), Sally
Lounsberry
Worklight- Tom Whitman
Folding saw- Mike Meany
Scent repellant kit- Don Tritsch
Whitetail hats- Tom Graham, Myles
Rehkopf, Jason Darwin, Bob Tidmore,
Keith Brothers
50/50 raffle winners: Colleen Martin and
John Haggard, Jr.
Rifle Raffle Winners
Beaver Island Wildlife Club
P.O. Box 103
Beaver Island, MI 49782
Big Buck Contest
Dan Cruickshank won the big buck contest 2014,
actually bagging two big bucks, one scoring 95.5!
The prize was $265. Congratulations Dan!