Residents and out-of-state visitors can ride Michigan trails and routes without an ORV license or trail permit on Aug. 16-17. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — Michigan’s final Free ORV Weekend of the year is set for Aug. 16 and 17, giving residents and out-of-state visitors a chance to ride trails and routes on back-to-back days without an ORV license or trail permit.

All other ORV rules and laws still apply.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials say the free weekend is offered with hopes that some participants will consider purchasing licenses and trail permits later.

Fees generated through the sale of ORV licenses and trail permits are reinvested back into the ORV system. These funds help pay for trail brushing, signage, maintenance, bridge and culvert construction, maintenance of trailhead amenities and other costs, according to the DNR.

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Wisconsin’s Operation Deer Watch and the Game Bird Survey are underway, both of which rely on members of the public to report wildlife sightings.

The Department of Natural Resources encourages everyone interested in wildlife — from hunters and trappers to outdoor enthusiasts – to take part.

“Wherever you are in Wisconsin, you can get involved and collect data in your area,” said Paul Frater, DNR surveys coordinator. “Sightings can easily be submitted through the Survey123 app, and every submission helps us better understand how wildlife are doing throughout the state. As more data is collected, it provides us a better understanding of the abundance and distribution of wildlife species in Wisconsin.”

Participation requires no registration, and observations can be recorded using a mobile device. Please do not use the app while operating a vehicle..

In Operation Deer Watch, members of the public can report location, age, sex and the number of deer seen from dawn to dusk during the summer months. This information helps to determine the fawn-to-doe ratio and, ultimately, deer population estimates. The deadline to submit observations is Sept. 30.

In the Game Bird Survey, members of the public can collect information on the types and numbers of game bird broods they observe during the summer months. This information is the basis for monitoring the reproduction of game birds for that breeding year. The deadline to submit observations is Aug. 31.

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Anglers fishing Lake Michigan near Marinette, Wis., were finding salmon in deep water around Chambers Island, the Wisconsin DNR said. Walleye catches were light, but some in the upper 20-inch range were reported. In the rivers and the bay, sheepshead were willing to strike any kind of lure, the DNR said.

The Michigan DNR reported this Upper Peninsula activity:

Ontonagon River: The river saw a fair amount of fishing effort over the past week. Angler reports show that walleye were caught in low to fair numbers. Anglers reportedly had the best luck finding fish when trolling.

Little Bay de Noc: Smallmouth bass fishing was good. Anglers cast artificial baits and worms. Yellow perch anglers reported good fishing in deep water. There were some reports of anglers catching salmon from Portage Point south.

Big Bay de Noc: Smallmouth anglers report good fishing in Ogontz Bay and near Nahma. Some anglers used bobbers baited with night crawlers, while others are casting soft plastics.

Fairport: Anglers report fair to good fishing. Anglers caught fish on spoons and flasher fly combos. Anglers targeted 100 feet of water and deeper. Fish catches were reported near Point Detour and the island chain. Steelhead were common.

Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay: Anglers reported that lake trout fishing was fair to poor. Anglers have had some success trolling spoons and flasher flies in 100 to 120 feet of water. Anglers reported that salmon fishing was productive, with an occasional splake being caught.

Marquette: Anglers started to see bait balls on their graphs, and the number of lake trout caught was consistent north of White Rocks in 200 to 250 feet of water. Anglers trolling from northwest of White Rocks out toward north of Granite Island did well, but it seemed they had to move into deeper water before they started catching fish. Anglers saw fish all over the water column, but catches came mostly from deeper water. The Clay Banks had been fishing very slowly lately. There were reports of lake trout caught along with a few salmon and steelhead caught during the Veteran’s Derby. Lake trout were caught in depths ranging from 80 to 120 feet.

Munising: Boat anglers reported catching lake trout around Grand Island at deeper depths trolling and jigging for them. There were also a few reports of coho salmon and Chinook salmon being caught trolling near Grand Island. Anglers targeting splake did well trolling in the bay.

UP Counties: On Lake Michigan, salmon were still being caught, but smaller fish were expected. On Indian Lake, some walleye and perch were caught using various methods. Strong inland lake fishing for bass and sunfish continued. Anglers near Munising Bay did well on lake trout, with some reporting occasional Chinook and coho salmon. Walleye and bass were caught at the head of Little Bay de Noc, and both salmon and steelhead were caught on Lake Michigan. Many lake trout were caught this year. Anglers also began to pick up decent numbers of walleye and pike throughout the St. Marys River. However, those targeting Atlantic salmon in Sault Ste. Marie had a difficult time.