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Bear and elk applications due soon in Michigan

Outdoors report

Wisconsin’s elk hunting application period is open through May 31. The northern herd elk population, centered around Clam Lake, rose to an estimated 300 animals in 2020. Only Wisconsin residents are eligible to receive an elk tag. (Chris Sarno/Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — Hunters are reminded that Michigan’s bear and elk license application period is open through June 1.

You can apply anywhere hunting licenses are sold, online at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses or on the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app. Applications are $5.

Information to assist in purchasing an application is available at Michigan.gov/Elk and Michigan.gov/Bear. Drawing results will be posted online June 23.

Hunters who want another chance at a bear or elk license can increase their odds by applying for the Pure Michigan Hunt. Learn more at Michigan.gov/PMH.

Elk licenses are issued to Michigan residents only.

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Applications are due May 31 for Wisconsin’s 2025 elk hunt. Only Wisconsin residents can be issued an elk license, and only one authorization can be issued per person in their lifetime. Winners will be notified by early June.

This year’s elk quota for the Black River Elk Range will be four antlered elk and five antlerless elk. The Clam Lake Elk Range quota will be eight antlered elk, with 50% available to Ojibwe hunters.

The 2024 inaugural elk hunt in the Black River Elk Range was a success with hunters meeting the four-bull quota early in the season. Bull-only quotas and hunting have been provided every fall since 2018 in the Clam Lake Elk Range.

More information can be found at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/hunt/elkhunting.

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Anglers on the Menominee River were catching walleye around the U.S. 41 bridge in Marinette, Wis., on crawlers. Others were fishing musky on the Michigan shoreline with limited success, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said.

The catch and release season for muskies is open all year on the Michigan side of the lower Menominee River, but the musky season on the Wisconsin side doesn’t open until June 1. The musky season on the other Green Bay tributaries in Wisconsin opens today. Michigan’s musky possession season opens June 7.

The Michigan DNR reported this Upper Peninsula activity:

Little Bay de Noc: Walleye fishing was found to have been good. Anglers reported catching walleye either trolling or using jigs tipped with natural bait or soft plastics. Anglers fishing near Breezy Point, the mouth of the Escanaba and Whitefish Rivers, and near Gladstone reported good fishing. Anglers targeting smallmouth bass reported a large quantity as well as a high number of large fish being caught. Anglers caught fish on beds and in the shallows. Perch anglers report mixed results.

Big Bay de Noc: Anglers targeting smallmouth bass reported fair success while producing multiple catches, and large fish. Anglers targeted fish on their beds, in the shallows, and near structures. Walleye anglers reported fair to good fishing with quality fish being reported. Most anglers found success trolling crawler harnesses or deep diving crank baits.

Marquette: The water temperatures have continued warming up and the coho bite around Marquette has continued to increase. East of the Chocolay river was reported best for chinook salmon. Brown trout were reported out towards Sand River and Shot Point in 40 to 50 feet of water.

Au Train: Several boats trolling around the river mouths or near shoreline points found chinook salmon and coho salmon at 40 to 50 feet deep. Lake trout were reported caught in water around 40 to 50 feet deep.

Munising: Boat anglers did well trolling for coho salmon in the bay while also reporting some Chinook salmon. Boat anglers trolling around Grand Island reported catching Chinook salmon and lake trout.

Ontonagon River: Reports suggested that walleye were caught in low numbers. Occasional incidental catches of lake sturgeon were also reported.

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