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[Leadman]
State Conservation Officer,
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you want to step out
for a moment?
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Why are you throwing
all the logs across the road
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on the way back here?
-[man] Yeah, they got it.
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They're like a freight train
in the water.
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-[speaker] Was there two?
-[Goniea] No.
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Oh, nice!
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[Ofc. Busken]
And we also don't want blinds
to be left out and abandoned
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and become a nuisance.
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We're gonna go back
and check the hunter
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here opening morning.
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-Need to chat with you
for a moment...
-[hunter] All right.
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...about the deer you shot.
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Which one?
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Which one?
I don't know.
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How many did you shoot?
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[narrator] Wild animals...
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and wild places.
They're more than a picture.
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They're inspiration,
excitement, and adventure.
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Patrolling and protecting
these natural resources is
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a first-class band
of peace officers.
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These are the wardens,
dedicated to the preservation
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of our great outdoors.
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[theme music plays]
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Do you want subtitles for any video?
-=[ ai.OpenSubtitles.com ]=-
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Michigan conservation officers
are always on the lookout for
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blinds left on state land.
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[Ofc. Busken]
This is one of the nicer blinds
we found out on
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state land, actually.
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You can hunt from
a blind on public ground,
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but at the end of the season,
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you must take your blind down.
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Plus, all blinds must be marked
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with the owner's name
and information.
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It's not marked, and obviously
we're into April here,
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near May even, and it hasn't
been taken down yet.
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So this is fully on state land.
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Sometimes we'll run into it
where it'll be partially on
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private land,
partially on state land.
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This one is completely
on state land by
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several thousand feet, even.
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In Michigan's District 2,
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COs Jon Busken
and Brett Gustafson
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are checking on one such blind.
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Yeah, you can see it's got
a metal frame down here
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and then a roof
on the top of it, too.
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The braces are lag-bolted into
the trees and nailed into
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the tree over here
to keep it stable.
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We locate these in general
patrols throughout the summer.
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We get tips from the public,
people that are out mushroom
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hunting or bird hunting in
the fall or something or just
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out hiking that locate them.
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[Ofc. Busken]
The bracing he has here,
you can see it,
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like Officer Gustafson pointed
out, lag-bolted into a tree.
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That would be illegal
at any time on state land.
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It causes damage to the trees,
which will affect their timber
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sale value later on,
and that sale money will
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obviously go back to the state
and the people of the state.
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So this is causing damage to
that tree, which will,
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in the end, hurt the people of
the state of Michigan.
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Cutting the trees would be
another violation.
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Maintaining this, you can see
that this lane wasn't naturally
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here -- you can see some of
these other trees that have been
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cut down over the years.
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[Ofc. Gustafson] This has been
maintained for years.
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So there's multiple violations
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and it's definitely worth
following up on.
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[Ofc. Busken]
These blinds on state land,
hunters are allowed
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to have them,
but they have to be removed.
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We want everyone
to have an equal chance
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to use that land.
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And we also don't want blinds
to be left out and abandoned
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and become a nuisance.
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[suspenseful music plays]
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The officers find a second
blind left out
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after the season.
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This one a little less
elaborate than the first,
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which makes it easier
to abandon.
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And these blinds like this
are normally the ones that,
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if somebody stops using them,
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there's not much
invested in them.
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So they'll just leave it,
you know, and let it fall in.
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And you have a pile of garbage
out on state land.
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Yeah.
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COs Busken and Gustafson mark
the GPS locations of the blinds
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and will check them come deer
season to see if they can
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contact the hunters.
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Materials from abandoned blinds
are just some of the items that
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groups working with Michigan's
Adopt-a-Forest Coalition
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clean up.
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[Ada]
And this one happens to be
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four or five televisions.
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There's a couple
across the street.
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This type of stuff,
really, especially electronics
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like these TVs, they might have
lead cathodes in them that can
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cause environmental damage.
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The Adopt-a-Forest program has
helped clean 2 million acres of
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public land in Michigan,
and they work with
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conservation officers to help
figure out who left the trash.
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Littering fines in Michigan can
be in the thousands of dollars,
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depending on
the amount of trash.
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But we do find often the people
who do it, and it's not always
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because they leave
their name at the site.
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There's some really cool ways
that these people,
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that the law enforcement,
have found
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the culprit
over the years.
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Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
oh, it's hot.
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The opening morning of
Michigan's firearm deer season
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starts like many mornings for
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Conservation Officer
Brett Gustafson,
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by having breakfast with
his dad, Bruce, a retired CO.
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[Ofc. Gustafson]
Not necessarily just a job.
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It's been since
I've been five years old.
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So it's more of kind of
a lifestyle, I guess.
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They trade stories with Brett
catching his dad up in
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the latest department news
and Dad telling Brett where
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he plans to hunt later
that morning.
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Sit and probably watch muskrats
and beaver more than
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I'll watch a deer.
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With two kids interested
in law enforcement,
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CO Gustafson hopes
a third-generation officer
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is just a few years away.
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So we'll see.
It'd be, uh, it'd be --
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I'd definitely enjoy it, so.
-[chuckles]
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And I know Grandpa would, so.
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After breakfast,
CO Gustafson is on patrol
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with plans to check on
a handful of illegal blinds
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he found over the summer.
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Hunting blinds on state land
are allowed but must be
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taken down at the end
of the season.
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The blinds Officer Gustafson
has been tracking
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have been left out all year.
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[Ofc. Gustafson]
And we're gonna go back and, uh,
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check the hunter here,
opening morning,
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and hopefully get
the situation corrected.
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[energetic music plays]
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[music continues]
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[leaves rustling]
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Nobody home.
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Also, his trail camera's
gone, so.
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I don't know.
Maybe he was only bow hunting.
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Maybe he harvested his deer,
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and he's done hunting.
I don't know.
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A short walk away is another
illegal blind CO Gustafson
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found over the summer.
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But after making his way to
this one through the rain
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and flooded trails,
it's also empty.
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With no one at either of these
illegal blinds, CO Gustafson
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checks a couple of other deer
camps and finds most people are
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staying in on opening morning
due to the heavy rain.
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Those who are out,
are having slow mornings.
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-[Ofc. Gustafson] Morning.
-Morning.
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-[Ofc. Gustafson] Get
your buck already?
-No.
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-[Ofc. Gustafson] No?
-It's raining too darn hard.
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[Ofc. Gustafson laughs]
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I don't see
you dragging anything.
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[Ofc. Gustafson laughs]
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No?
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Nothing this morning?
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No, I didn't see
a deer this morning.
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Okay.
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All right.
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Well, we haven't seen
many people out.
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-No.
-For sure.
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[man] That has to be so nasty
this morning.
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[Ofc. Gustafson] I know.
I know it.
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[man] We walked all out, and it
was raining so hard, I said,
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"I don't even think
we can get back."
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That, uh, I mean,
we had snow last week,
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and I thought, "All right,
that'll be -- that'll be good."
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[man] Yeah, that's what
we was thinking.
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Well, it's a little
disappointing,
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'cause there was a lot of time
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between myself
and Officer Busken checking it,
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at various times this summer
and this fall.
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But we'll -- we'll find him.
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They'll show up anyway, so.
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He didn't take his blind down.
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Even if he's done hunting
this year,
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his blind's gonna be there.
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If we don't get him this year,
we'll get him next year.
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This is a wedge prism.
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It's used for measuring
basal area, and it's giving me
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an idea of how much trees
are growing on an acre of land.
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Forest technician Cory Luoto
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has worked for the DNR
for 20 years.
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We inventory one-tenth of our
forest every 10 years
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so as a state we're
inventorying about
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400,000 acres a year
and over 10 years
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we'll inventory about
4 million acres.
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He surveyed the spot 10 years
ago and has tracked significant
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growth over that time.
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What I'm looking at here, I was
out in this stand 10 years ago,
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and the average aspen diameter
10 years ago across this stand
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was only 3 inches.
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Our aspen that we're looking at
here is considerably larger
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than that now.
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We're looking at --
these quaking aspen
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are probably around 8 inches,
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And the balsam was about
3 inches before, on average.
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But last time
when we were out here,
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I called the stand pretty much
immature, but there is lots of
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mature timber out here now.
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In 2019, parts of this section
will be put up for timber sale.
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Besides generating income
for the state,
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00:09:56,767 --> 00:09:59,667
the harvesting and replanting
of sections provides diverse
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habitats for wildlife.
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00:10:02,934 --> 00:10:04,867
[saw whirring]
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00:10:04,867 --> 00:10:08,667
When we clear cut our aspen,
that is key for the survival
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00:10:08,667 --> 00:10:11,967
and the enhancement of grouse
and deer and rabbits and all
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that type of stuff.
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And when we're taking areas of
hardwood like this,
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there's nesting birds
that use this hardwood.
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00:10:17,900 --> 00:10:21,467
So we'll break up the areas
that we're cutting to not
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00:10:21,634 --> 00:10:24,567
disturb that solid canopy
throughout the forest land.
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00:10:24,567 --> 00:10:27,000
But then when we do open it up,
that's enhancing areas.
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00:10:27,166 --> 00:10:29,100
The hawks have
better vision to the ground.
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00:10:29,100 --> 00:10:31,667
They can hunt better for mice
and whatever else that
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00:10:31,667 --> 00:10:33,100
they're eating, so, you know,
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everything benefits
from the cutting.
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It's a whole complete circle
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00:10:37,333 --> 00:10:38,834
for everything that
we're doing.
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Red pines grow
between 65 and 80 years
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before the state conducts
their final harvest.
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00:10:45,133 --> 00:10:47,500
And once a section is
harvested, it's replanted,
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00:10:47,667 --> 00:10:50,000
by hand, and the cycle
starts anew.
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00:10:50,166 --> 00:10:52,667
[Luoto] This stand right here
is what it'll look like
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00:10:52,834 --> 00:10:55,767
in about 55, 60 years.
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00:10:55,934 --> 00:10:58,200
This stand will have one more
thinning in it before
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00:10:58,367 --> 00:10:59,533
it's final harvested.
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00:10:59,533 --> 00:11:01,934
This red pine that we grow on
sites like this is some of
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00:11:02,100 --> 00:11:03,600
our most valuable products.
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On final harvest, we'll get
$5,000 to $6,000 an acre for
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00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:10,767
this, and we can grow
these sites -- grow trees
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very effectively
in places like this.
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[peaceful guitar music plays]
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00:11:16,667 --> 00:11:17,934
In Michigan's District 8...
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00:11:18,100 --> 00:11:20,734
Conservation Officer
Shane Webster received a tip
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00:11:20,900 --> 00:11:22,567
about a hunter shooting
a nice buck,
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00:11:22,734 --> 00:11:24,300
Just need to chat with you
a minute.
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00:11:24,467 --> 00:11:26,867
-Alright.
-About the deer you shot.
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00:11:27,033 --> 00:11:29,934
Which one?
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00:11:30,100 --> 00:11:33,100
The hunter only purchased
a doe tag.
244
00:11:33,266 --> 00:11:35,567
Oh, which one?
How many did you shoot?
245
00:11:35,567 --> 00:11:37,367
-[hunter speaking]
-You shot a deer?
246
00:11:37,533 --> 00:11:39,367
-[officer on radio] The one in
Blackman Township.
-Okay.
247
00:11:39,533 --> 00:11:42,100
-Who are you?
-My stepdad.
248
00:11:42,266 --> 00:11:43,200
His stepdad?
Okay.
249
00:11:43,367 --> 00:11:44,500
Um...
250
00:11:44,667 --> 00:11:46,667
then why are there a whole
bunch of photos of you
251
00:11:46,834 --> 00:11:47,734
posing with the deer?
252
00:11:47,900 --> 00:11:49,100
Cause I was with the deer.
253
00:11:49,266 --> 00:11:51,000
-Okay.
-[stepdad speaking]
254
00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,066
That's the first deer
that I've been with.
255
00:11:53,233 --> 00:11:54,500
Okay.
256
00:11:54,667 --> 00:11:56,934
First deer I've been around.
257
00:11:57,100 --> 00:11:58,967
So your name attached to it
258
00:11:59,133 --> 00:12:01,667
with a bunch of photos
being sent around.
259
00:12:03,300 --> 00:12:04,767
[indistinct radio chatter]
260
00:12:04,767 --> 00:12:07,567
Pictures on Facebook?
261
00:12:07,567 --> 00:12:10,100
Yeah, Facebook,
sent from friend to friend,
262
00:12:10,266 --> 00:12:11,400
text messages.
263
00:12:12,667 --> 00:12:14,166
Why would everybody
be saying you shot this deer?
264
00:12:15,166 --> 00:12:17,400
I have no idea.
265
00:12:17,567 --> 00:12:20,667
The suspect says his stepdad
shot the deer, but both are
266
00:12:20,667 --> 00:12:23,367
having trouble convincing
Officer Webster of their story.
267
00:12:24,266 --> 00:12:26,533
You don't have any pictures
of yourself posing with it?
268
00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,667
Okay.
That's all you've got?
269
00:12:31,834 --> 00:12:34,266
Just the one?
So you took pictures of
270
00:12:35,300 --> 00:12:38,467
you posing with it by yourself,
but pictures of
271
00:12:40,066 --> 00:12:41,867
both of you...
-[step dad speaking]
272
00:12:41,867 --> 00:12:44,400
All right, let's -- let's
not be silly, okay?
273
00:12:44,567 --> 00:12:46,266
All right, you know I know.
274
00:12:47,467 --> 00:12:49,667
So, why not
just tell the truth?
275
00:12:49,667 --> 00:12:51,367
I know you shot it
and you put his tag on it.
276
00:12:51,367 --> 00:12:52,400
Let's not be silly.
277
00:12:52,567 --> 00:12:53,433
Let's make this simple
278
00:12:53,433 --> 00:12:54,867
and let's get down
to the brass tacks.
279
00:12:55,033 --> 00:12:57,266
[stepdad speaking]
280
00:12:59,300 --> 00:13:01,166
-Okay.
-[hunter speaking]
281
00:13:01,333 --> 00:13:02,266
All right.
282
00:13:02,266 --> 00:13:04,100
[peaceful music plays]
283
00:13:06,567 --> 00:13:07,967
In Michigan's District 2...
284
00:13:10,367 --> 00:13:13,166
Conservation Officer
Brett Gustafson is checking on
285
00:13:13,166 --> 00:13:15,834
a deer taken
during archery season.
286
00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,567
a property owner called with
a trespass complaint.
287
00:13:18,567 --> 00:13:21,266
As CO Gustafson investigated
the complaint,
288
00:13:21,433 --> 00:13:24,100
he determined that a deer was
shot on an adjacent piece of
289
00:13:24,266 --> 00:13:26,734
property and the hunter had
gone onto the complainant's
290
00:13:26,900 --> 00:13:28,834
land in the course of
tracking it.
291
00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:30,934
And met with the property
owner, and we went out
292
00:13:31,100 --> 00:13:32,200
and found the drag mark,
293
00:13:33,467 --> 00:13:36,066
determined that the deer was
shot somewhere else,
294
00:13:36,233 --> 00:13:38,834
and they had just tracked it
onto his property.
295
00:13:39,867 --> 00:13:42,400
After recovering the deer,
the hunter left camp
296
00:13:42,567 --> 00:13:44,300
and returned home downstate.
297
00:13:44,467 --> 00:13:47,166
The trespass complainant was
happy the hunter searched for
298
00:13:47,166 --> 00:13:48,367
and found the deer.
299
00:13:48,533 --> 00:13:50,467
But I still wanted to follow
up, make sure that it was
300
00:13:50,467 --> 00:13:52,266
a legally harvested deer.
301
00:13:53,567 --> 00:13:55,600
Tracked it back
a mile and a half
302
00:13:55,767 --> 00:13:59,100
to near the state forest
campground.
303
00:13:59,266 --> 00:14:00,967
Found where it had been shot.
304
00:14:01,133 --> 00:14:02,467
Determined who
the property owner was.
305
00:14:03,367 --> 00:14:06,500
I had Officer Chris Keel
down in Metro area, Detroit,
306
00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:09,467
go and contact
and interview him.
307
00:14:10,500 --> 00:14:16,000
And determined that
it was a spikehorn buck.
308
00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:17,834
that he had harvested.
309
00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,266
The hunter had purchased
a combo tag, which meant for
310
00:14:20,433 --> 00:14:23,066
the area he was hunting,
he could only take a deer with
311
00:14:23,233 --> 00:14:25,567
at least three antler points
on one side.
312
00:14:25,734 --> 00:14:27,367
Since the deer
was only a spikehorn,
313
00:14:27,533 --> 00:14:30,467
CO Gustafson went to
the house to seize the deer.
314
00:14:35,367 --> 00:14:37,200
The hunter had returned to
his home downstate
315
00:14:37,367 --> 00:14:39,166
after taking the deer
and told the officers
316
00:14:39,333 --> 00:14:41,000
he would return to camp
that night.
317
00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:43,667
CO Gustafson planned
to visit him the next day
318
00:14:43,667 --> 00:14:44,800
to issue him a ticket,
319
00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:47,767
but just as CO Gustafson
was getting ready to leave,
320
00:14:47,934 --> 00:14:49,000
the hunter pulled in.
321
00:15:09,266 --> 00:15:10,567
-Hello.
-[man] Hello.
322
00:15:10,734 --> 00:15:11,634
How you doing?
323
00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:14,000
[man]
Uh, I guess not too good, huh?
324
00:15:22,467 --> 00:15:25,266
Mackinac County, located in
Michigan's District 2,
325
00:15:25,266 --> 00:15:27,300
is more than 70 miles wide.
326
00:15:30,767 --> 00:15:32,767
Immediately north
of Mackinac Bridge,
327
00:15:32,767 --> 00:15:34,934
conservation officers
can log a lot of miles
328
00:15:35,100 --> 00:15:36,033
patrolling the county.
329
00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:37,667
You shot the spike?
330
00:15:37,834 --> 00:15:39,367
-Yeah.
-Okay.
331
00:15:39,367 --> 00:15:44,100
Tonight, CO Brett Gustafson is
on the west end of Mackinac
332
00:15:44,100 --> 00:15:46,934
investigating an illegal
deer kill.
333
00:15:47,100 --> 00:15:49,867
Okay, so we'll deal with
the deer issue in a minute.
334
00:15:51,967 --> 00:15:54,467
The other thing is, it must
have been when the boys went
335
00:15:54,634 --> 00:15:57,967
back, they did some donuts
and spinning around in
336
00:15:58,133 --> 00:15:59,100
the state forest campground.
337
00:16:00,066 --> 00:16:01,367
-[man] Probably.
-Okay.
338
00:16:01,367 --> 00:16:04,934
A friend's teenagers were also
up at camp and caused damage to
339
00:16:05,100 --> 00:16:07,000
a state park with an ATV.
340
00:16:07,166 --> 00:16:09,367
[Ofc. Gustafson]
One spot they pulled down to
the lake shore and trenched it
341
00:16:09,367 --> 00:16:11,000
coming back up
in one of the campsites.
342
00:16:12,100 --> 00:16:13,867
-[man] I wasn't aware of that.
-Okay.
343
00:16:15,166 --> 00:16:16,233
I had...
344
00:16:16,233 --> 00:16:18,367
-[man] I'll take responsibility
for that.
-Okay.
345
00:16:18,367 --> 00:16:19,867
Well, what --
346
00:16:19,867 --> 00:16:23,600
what I had today is I had
a couple of the, um,
347
00:16:24,934 --> 00:16:26,767
state park workers
348
00:16:26,767 --> 00:16:28,767
go down and check out
and see what
349
00:16:28,934 --> 00:16:31,100
they estimated the damage was.
350
00:16:32,166 --> 00:16:35,867
So they're -- they're looking at
about $800
351
00:16:36,033 --> 00:16:41,400
in gravel and topsoil and their
time -- half a day to fix it.
352
00:16:41,567 --> 00:16:42,567
So...
353
00:16:42,734 --> 00:16:44,500
The teens use the hunter's ATV,
354
00:16:44,667 --> 00:16:47,100
so he takes responsibility
for the damage.
355
00:16:47,266 --> 00:16:50,867
CO Gustafson also
seizes the hunter's deer.
356
00:16:50,867 --> 00:16:53,367
The hunter had purchased
a combo tag, which meant for
357
00:16:53,533 --> 00:16:56,300
the area that he was hunting,
he could only shoot a deer with
358
00:16:56,467 --> 00:16:58,867
at least three points
on one side.
359
00:16:58,867 --> 00:17:01,400
Antler point restrictions
vary throughout the state,
360
00:17:01,567 --> 00:17:03,867
and the hunter said
he misread the hunting digest.
361
00:17:04,033 --> 00:17:07,567
CO Gustafson takes the deer to
a needy family in the area
362
00:17:07,734 --> 00:17:08,967
so it does not go to waste.
363
00:17:10,667 --> 00:17:12,500
Back in District 8...
364
00:17:12,667 --> 00:17:17,567
CO Shane Webster doesn't
believe the story he's hearing
365
00:17:17,567 --> 00:17:19,000
from these two hunters.
366
00:17:19,166 --> 00:17:22,367
The hunter on the right says
he shot and tagged the buck,
367
00:17:22,367 --> 00:17:25,834
but CO Webster has information
leading him to believe it was
368
00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:28,567
actually the hunter on the left
who pulled the trigger.
369
00:17:28,734 --> 00:17:29,834
He separates the two
370
00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:32,066
and asks one final time
for the truth.
371
00:17:34,367 --> 00:17:35,500
[Ofc. Webster]
People I've talked to
372
00:17:36,967 --> 00:17:39,000
don't want to have to be named,
but they know you,
373
00:17:39,867 --> 00:17:41,000
okay?
374
00:17:42,834 --> 00:17:45,400
-I know it's a bad situation.
-[hunter] Mm-hmm.
375
00:17:45,567 --> 00:17:47,667
I don't want to
drag them into this.
376
00:17:47,667 --> 00:17:49,367
I know you don't want them
dragged into this.
377
00:17:50,567 --> 00:17:53,266
All right?
Got a doe tag, I understand it.
378
00:17:53,433 --> 00:17:54,767
Most of the time,
that's all you see.
379
00:17:56,367 --> 00:17:58,033
You get a chance at a buck,
you take it.
380
00:17:59,367 --> 00:18:00,667
-All right?
-[hunter] Mm-hmm.
381
00:18:00,667 --> 00:18:01,934
Yeah, tag goes on it.
382
00:18:02,100 --> 00:18:04,200
Tag went on it.
You're not a poacher.
383
00:18:04,367 --> 00:18:05,667
-I don't think you're a poacher.
-[hunter] Mm-hmm.
384
00:18:05,667 --> 00:18:06,834
All right?
385
00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:08,834
But the problem is that
if you don't work with me,
386
00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,166
the prosecutor's office isn't
gonna work with you either.
387
00:18:12,333 --> 00:18:14,667
-[hunter] Yeah.
-You understand me?
388
00:18:14,834 --> 00:18:15,767
[hunter] Yeah.
389
00:18:15,934 --> 00:18:17,033
Do you want to
tell me the truth,
390
00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:18,567
and we'll just make this easy?
-[hunter] Yeah.
391
00:18:21,500 --> 00:18:22,533
Okay.
392
00:18:22,700 --> 00:18:24,600
-What'd you shoot it with?
-[hunter speaking]
393
00:18:24,767 --> 00:18:26,166
12-gauge.
Was that opening day?
394
00:18:26,333 --> 00:18:28,266
-[hunter speaking]
-Okay.
395
00:18:28,433 --> 00:18:30,367
-Did his tag go on it?
-[hunter speaking]
396
00:18:30,533 --> 00:18:31,467
Okay.
397
00:18:31,467 --> 00:18:32,567
[hunter speaking]
398
00:18:34,767 --> 00:18:35,700
I understand.
399
00:18:35,700 --> 00:18:37,467
The hunter admits
to shooting the buck
400
00:18:37,634 --> 00:18:39,867
and using his stepdad's tag.
401
00:18:39,867 --> 00:18:43,166
Officer Webster seizes the deer
from the local processor
402
00:18:43,333 --> 00:18:45,166
and issues
the hunter a citation.
403
00:18:45,333 --> 00:18:49,400
In this case, it's
a court-ordered $6,660 fine,
404
00:18:49,567 --> 00:18:52,667
with $6,500 of that
going directly back to
405
00:18:52,667 --> 00:18:54,567
the State Fish and Game Fund.
406
00:18:55,934 --> 00:18:58,967
Kind of pulled him aside,
explained it to him that
407
00:18:59,133 --> 00:19:01,467
we already knew,
we already had enough evidence,
408
00:19:01,634 --> 00:19:04,600
and he eventually confessed
that he had shot the deer.
409
00:19:04,767 --> 00:19:06,834
We went down,
we seized the rack from
410
00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:08,867
the processor that they
had taken it to.
411
00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:11,767
And that's about what we had.
412
00:19:11,767 --> 00:19:13,834
And unfortunately, it seems
like we're getting a lot of
413
00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,934
that these days of people just
borrowing and loaning tags
414
00:19:17,100 --> 00:19:18,867
instead of wanting to go out
and just purchase one
415
00:19:18,867 --> 00:19:21,467
for themselves.
A tag is cheap.
416
00:19:21,467 --> 00:19:23,266
You're looking at
a nine-point buck.
417
00:19:23,433 --> 00:19:25,867
We're talking some pretty high
fines up into the thousands of
418
00:19:25,867 --> 00:19:28,367
dollars instead of just doing
it right the first time.
419
00:19:28,367 --> 00:19:31,567
♪♪
420
00:19:39,767 --> 00:19:41,066
We're here today for deer camp.
421
00:19:41,233 --> 00:19:43,100
Everybody know what
deer camp is?
422
00:19:43,266 --> 00:19:45,266
At least have an idea
what deer camp is?
423
00:19:45,433 --> 00:19:47,100
What's deer camp all about?
424
00:19:47,266 --> 00:19:51,400
[narrator] The day before
Michigan's firearm deer season
425
00:19:51,567 --> 00:19:54,066
opens, this conservation
officer is in front of
426
00:19:54,233 --> 00:19:56,767
an elementary school class
talking to second, third
427
00:19:56,934 --> 00:19:59,066
and fourth graders
about hunting as a part of
428
00:19:59,233 --> 00:20:00,667
the DNR's deer camp event.
429
00:20:00,667 --> 00:20:06,166
Deer camp is about tradition,
about deer hunting
430
00:20:06,333 --> 00:20:08,567
and about family. Okay?
431
00:20:08,734 --> 00:20:12,166
This officer talks safety,
432
00:20:12,166 --> 00:20:14,567
hunting ethics,
and his duties as CO.
433
00:20:14,734 --> 00:20:16,100
[officer] How many points
are on this deer?
434
00:20:16,667 --> 00:20:18,266
-Shout it out, guys.
How many you got?
-[indistinct replies]
435
00:20:18,433 --> 00:20:21,266
Ten points.
436
00:20:21,266 --> 00:20:24,467
What he's asking is if
he travels on somebody else's
437
00:20:24,467 --> 00:20:27,033
property, what's that called?
Shout it out.
438
00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:28,300
-[class] Trespassing.
-[officer] Trespassing.
439
00:20:28,467 --> 00:20:30,000
You can't go on
somebody else's property
440
00:20:30,166 --> 00:20:33,033
without their permission,
and you can get fined for that.
441
00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:36,567
A handful of you guys showed
that you'd shot a deer so far.
442
00:20:36,567 --> 00:20:38,266
How many have been out hunting
with mom or dad?
443
00:20:39,567 --> 00:20:41,867
OK, vast majority.
444
00:20:42,033 --> 00:20:43,300
How many have taken
hunter safety?
445
00:20:45,667 --> 00:20:47,500
Couple, OK.
446
00:20:47,667 --> 00:20:50,567
The Michigan DNR hopes
events like this lead to
447
00:20:50,567 --> 00:20:52,834
the next generation of hunters.
448
00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:56,000
[officer] And most important why
we started this program was to
449
00:20:56,166 --> 00:20:59,367
get you guys excited about
the outdoors and excited about
450
00:20:59,533 --> 00:21:02,100
deer camp and going out hunting
and fishing and getting
451
00:21:02,100 --> 00:21:03,367
involved in the outdoors.
452
00:21:03,367 --> 00:21:05,367
[mysterious music plays]
453
00:21:14,667 --> 00:21:15,667
[Leadman] Good morning.
454
00:21:15,667 --> 00:21:16,934
[hunter] How are you?
455
00:21:17,100 --> 00:21:18,300
[Leadman] Good,
how you doing?
456
00:21:18,967 --> 00:21:22,100
The next day, on opening day
of firearm deer season,
457
00:21:22,266 --> 00:21:24,567
Conservation Officer
Mark Leadman is on patrol
458
00:21:24,734 --> 00:21:25,734
in District 1.
459
00:21:33,166 --> 00:21:35,033
-[Leadman] Seen anything yet?
-[hunter] [indistinct]
460
00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:36,166
[Leadman] Nothing, OK.
461
00:21:37,667 --> 00:21:39,967
-You know why --
-[hunter speaking]
462
00:21:40,133 --> 00:21:42,100
OK, thank you for telling me.
Got a concealed pistol license?
463
00:21:42,266 --> 00:21:44,400
-I do.
-OK.
464
00:21:44,567 --> 00:21:48,500
-Do you know why we're out here?
-Blind?
465
00:21:48,667 --> 00:21:50,367
Yeah, and what else?
466
00:21:51,467 --> 00:21:52,567
The trail.
467
00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:54,900
-Trail?
-The ORV trail.
468
00:21:57,367 --> 00:22:00,467
Those always get the forester's
attention or our attention
469
00:22:00,467 --> 00:22:02,300
when they're on state land.
470
00:22:02,467 --> 00:22:03,567
And yeah, the blind
and the blind
471
00:22:03,567 --> 00:22:04,667
on the next hill over.
472
00:22:06,166 --> 00:22:08,667
And is there anybody
in the next blind?
473
00:22:08,667 --> 00:22:10,033
-That one down there?
-Yeah.
474
00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:11,567
That one's been there
for probably...
475
00:22:11,734 --> 00:22:13,867
-Been there a long, long time.
-That's not ours.
476
00:22:13,867 --> 00:22:16,100
Not yours, OK, and this one's
been here how long?
477
00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:20,467
I would say probably
a couple years, honestly.
478
00:22:20,467 --> 00:22:23,200
Yeah, OK, that's, yeah.
479
00:22:23,367 --> 00:22:26,834
Blinds on state land can't be
put out before September 1st,
480
00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:30,000
and they must be clearly marked
with your name and address.
481
00:22:30,166 --> 00:22:31,266
At the end of
the hunting season,
482
00:22:31,433 --> 00:22:32,667
you must take them down.
483
00:22:32,667 --> 00:22:35,934
This hunter was also driving
his ORV on an illegal trail.
484
00:22:36,100 --> 00:22:38,567
I mean, I guess you just go
through the woods or what?
485
00:22:38,567 --> 00:22:40,734
[Leadman] The only time you can
is to get a dead deer,
486
00:22:40,900 --> 00:22:42,734
a dead and downed deer.
487
00:22:42,900 --> 00:22:44,467
That's the only time
on state land you can take
488
00:22:44,634 --> 00:22:46,400
and just go off-road.
489
00:22:46,567 --> 00:22:48,767
Other than that, it has to be
on a road capable of travel
490
00:22:48,934 --> 00:22:50,600
with a conventional
four-wheeled,
491
00:22:50,767 --> 00:22:52,467
two-wheel drive vehicle.
492
00:22:52,467 --> 00:22:55,367
So like I tell everybody,
if a Ford Ranger pickup truck
493
00:22:55,533 --> 00:22:57,767
will make it down that road
in two-wheel drive,
494
00:22:57,767 --> 00:22:59,200
then your ORV can go down it.
495
00:22:59,367 --> 00:23:03,867
If it's anything narrower,
bumpier, mud, stumps,
496
00:23:03,867 --> 00:23:07,066
old, you know, just because
it's an old logging operation,
497
00:23:07,233 --> 00:23:09,367
the skidder drove in there,
but that doesn't make it a road
498
00:23:09,533 --> 00:23:10,900
or a trail.
-Right.
499
00:23:12,934 --> 00:23:15,867
He's ticketed for the illegal
blind which is a court-ordered
500
00:23:15,867 --> 00:23:17,367
$280 fine.
501
00:23:17,533 --> 00:23:20,934
To be legal, got to be placed
out here starting in September,
502
00:23:21,100 --> 00:23:22,734
removed at the end of
firearm deer season
503
00:23:22,900 --> 00:23:24,166
or whatever season
you use it in.
504
00:23:24,166 --> 00:23:26,300
He's allowed to continue
hunting from the blind,
505
00:23:26,467 --> 00:23:28,934
but must remove it at the end
of the season.
506
00:23:29,100 --> 00:23:32,667
CO Leadman gives
him a warning for the ORV use.
507
00:23:32,667 --> 00:23:36,367
The ORV we won't deal with now,
but just knowing the ORV trail
508
00:23:36,533 --> 00:23:38,467
in there, yeah, you can, like
I said, if you shoot a deer,
509
00:23:38,634 --> 00:23:40,367
though, you can go in
and get your deer.
510
00:23:40,533 --> 00:23:42,767
So that's the one time
you can take it in there.
511
00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:46,500
Now I've been doing the job for,
just getting ready to start
512
00:23:46,667 --> 00:23:50,333
my 15th year and still
love it, every minute.
513
00:23:52,767 --> 00:23:55,867
In Michigan's District 9,
this Conservation Officer is
514
00:23:55,867 --> 00:23:58,367
checking on hunters
by driving down train tracks.
515
00:23:59,734 --> 00:24:02,400
[anticipatory music plays]
516
00:24:04,867 --> 00:24:06,400
We're rolling down
the railroad tracks,
517
00:24:07,667 --> 00:24:10,166
and what we've encountered is
several subjects sitting up
518
00:24:10,333 --> 00:24:12,066
in tree stands without
hunter orange on,
519
00:24:12,233 --> 00:24:14,100
which is a violation
of state law.
520
00:24:14,100 --> 00:24:16,767
And it's not long
before he spots someone.
521
00:24:16,767 --> 00:24:19,166
This hunter says he was in
a hurry to get to his stand
522
00:24:19,333 --> 00:24:21,467
and just forgot to grab
an orange hat.
523
00:24:21,634 --> 00:24:23,667
Heard all of them start
shooting, and I was,
524
00:24:23,667 --> 00:24:25,567
like, rushing to get out here,
because I figured, you know...
525
00:24:25,734 --> 00:24:27,100
-[officer] Everything's moving.
-Yeah, if something
526
00:24:27,100 --> 00:24:29,467
runs through here, then I'll...
527
00:24:29,634 --> 00:24:31,834
maybe get something.
And I get all the way out here,
528
00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:34,467
and I'm like,
"Man, forgot my orange."
-[officer chuckling]
529
00:24:34,634 --> 00:24:36,500
He's also got too much bait.
530
00:24:36,667 --> 00:24:39,500
In areas where baiting is legal
in Michigan, you are allowed
531
00:24:39,667 --> 00:24:42,266
up to two gallons
in a 10-foot-by-10-foot area.
532
00:24:42,266 --> 00:24:45,467
[officer] Second thing here
is you've obviously
got too much bait.
533
00:24:46,767 --> 00:24:48,967
You know, you've got a couple
bags of carrots in a couple
534
00:24:49,133 --> 00:24:52,300
different spots here,
and apples too,
535
00:24:52,467 --> 00:24:53,867
so you've got too much.
536
00:24:54,033 --> 00:24:57,033
Deer are a grazing animal,
so if they come in and there's
537
00:24:57,200 --> 00:24:58,667
a pile of them like this,
they're gonna take
538
00:24:58,667 --> 00:25:00,567
a couple bites and then
they're gonna move on.
539
00:25:00,734 --> 00:25:02,567
Where if you get it spread
over this whole area right here,
540
00:25:02,567 --> 00:25:03,667
they're gonna come through
and they're gonna
541
00:25:03,834 --> 00:25:05,367
eat a little bit better.
542
00:25:05,367 --> 00:25:06,767
And they'll stay there
and present a little bit
543
00:25:06,934 --> 00:25:08,266
better shot for you.
544
00:25:08,433 --> 00:25:10,667
The hunter is given a warning
for the bait.
545
00:25:13,100 --> 00:25:16,100
This CO issues him a ticket
for failure to wear orange,
546
00:25:16,100 --> 00:25:19,166
which is a court-ordered
$135 fine.
547
00:25:19,166 --> 00:25:21,367
The hunter goes back to
his house for an orange hat
548
00:25:21,533 --> 00:25:24,100
so he can continue to hunt.
-[officer] So slide
back up there,
549
00:25:24,266 --> 00:25:25,867
just take your gun with you in
case there's some neighborhood
550
00:25:25,867 --> 00:25:28,033
kid that comes running through
or something like that
551
00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:29,767
so they don't find your shotgun.
552
00:25:29,767 --> 00:25:31,767
But then get back out here
and get at it, OK?
553
00:25:31,767 --> 00:25:33,033
-All right.
-[officer] All right.
554
00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:34,033
Have a good night.
555
00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:36,166
[calming music plays]
556
00:25:54,367 --> 00:25:56,166
In District 1...
557
00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:02,367
CO Mark Leadman is trying to
check on more illegal blinds,
558
00:26:02,533 --> 00:26:04,934
but the road he wants to
go down is blocked.
559
00:26:05,100 --> 00:26:07,100
This might be the road we want,
560
00:26:07,100 --> 00:26:10,500
and it looks like he's blocked
the road, which is illegal.
561
00:26:12,967 --> 00:26:14,767
And he has.
He's blocked the road.
562
00:26:14,767 --> 00:26:18,066
So, you're not allowed to
block roads on state land,
563
00:26:18,233 --> 00:26:20,100
and he parked
right in the middle of it.
564
00:26:20,266 --> 00:26:21,767
He's got about
a half mile walk back
565
00:26:21,767 --> 00:26:23,667
to where he thinks
the blind is.
566
00:26:23,667 --> 00:26:25,767
[suspenseful funk music plays]
567
00:26:38,667 --> 00:26:41,166
But the truck isn't the only
obstacle this hunter has
568
00:26:41,166 --> 00:26:42,400
put in the road.
569
00:26:42,567 --> 00:26:44,867
Yeah, somebody's trying to
block the road by putting these
570
00:26:45,033 --> 00:26:49,367
couple of logs across it,
keeping other hunters
571
00:26:49,367 --> 00:26:50,667
from coming in here.
572
00:26:52,300 --> 00:26:54,767
There are signs of deer
all along the walk,
573
00:26:54,934 --> 00:26:56,967
which explains why this hunter
would want to keep
574
00:26:57,133 --> 00:26:58,667
other hunters out of the area.
575
00:26:58,667 --> 00:27:00,767
[suspenseful music plays]
576
00:27:05,266 --> 00:27:06,367
See the deer?
577
00:27:08,100 --> 00:27:09,266
Definitely rubbed up there.
578
00:27:10,266 --> 00:27:12,834
And there's a scrape
on the ground right up here.
579
00:27:15,300 --> 00:27:17,734
So the deer, the buck
has been in here.
580
00:27:19,467 --> 00:27:22,500
Pretty good spot
to be hunting.
581
00:27:24,567 --> 00:27:27,000
About 10 minutes after leaving
his patrol truck,
582
00:27:27,166 --> 00:27:28,834
CO Leadman finds the blind.
583
00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:30,967
[ominous music plays]
584
00:27:45,100 --> 00:27:46,867
-[Leadman] Hello.
-[hunter] [indistinct]
585
00:27:48,367 --> 00:27:49,467
[Leadman] How you doing?
586
00:27:52,767 --> 00:27:54,400
State Conservation Officer.
587
00:27:54,567 --> 00:27:55,767
You wanna step out
for a moment?
588
00:27:57,567 --> 00:28:00,734
[upbeat electronic music plays]
589
00:28:16,567 --> 00:28:18,867
Out on patrol
in Michigan's District 9...
590
00:28:21,367 --> 00:28:23,467
[upbeat electronic music plays]
591
00:28:29,467 --> 00:28:31,100
[officer] Well, you're looking
down, that must be a good sign.
592
00:28:31,266 --> 00:28:32,467
[indistinct reply]
593
00:28:33,867 --> 00:28:35,967
This conservation officer
sees two hunters
594
00:28:36,133 --> 00:28:38,300
on the edge of the road.
595
00:28:38,467 --> 00:28:39,767
[officer] You got blood there.
596
00:28:39,934 --> 00:28:41,100
It's all coming through
pretty good.
597
00:28:41,266 --> 00:28:43,066
[hunter murmuring]
598
00:28:43,233 --> 00:28:45,867
A grandfather and a grandson
had two bucks and a doe
599
00:28:46,033 --> 00:28:47,200
come into their blind.
600
00:28:47,367 --> 00:28:49,166
The grandfather shot
the smaller buck,
601
00:28:49,166 --> 00:28:52,367
the grandson shot the larger
one, but he ran across the road
602
00:28:52,533 --> 00:28:54,033
and onto
someone else's property.
603
00:28:55,467 --> 00:28:56,834
[officer] No, and you did
the right thing.
604
00:28:57,000 --> 00:28:58,033
You know, whether
it happened to be
605
00:28:58,033 --> 00:28:59,667
just because we stopped
by, hopefully it wasn't,
606
00:28:59,834 --> 00:29:02,300
but...
-I was gonna peek
607
00:29:02,467 --> 00:29:05,100
over the fence,
I'll be honest with you.
-[officer] Yep.
608
00:29:05,266 --> 00:29:06,567
[officer] Anytime it goes
onto somebody else's property,
609
00:29:06,567 --> 00:29:09,567
you've got to make sure that
you've got their permission.
610
00:29:09,567 --> 00:29:11,066
And if you don't,
in a situation like this,
611
00:29:11,233 --> 00:29:14,266
you can always get a hold of
us, and we can try and step in
612
00:29:14,433 --> 00:29:16,600
and help out as much as we can.
613
00:29:16,767 --> 00:29:18,667
This officer takes a quick look
to see if he can
614
00:29:18,834 --> 00:29:19,767
locate the buck.
615
00:29:19,934 --> 00:29:21,834
[footsteps crunching]
616
00:29:23,567 --> 00:29:25,100
[officer] All right, guys,
got good news and bad news.
617
00:29:26,567 --> 00:29:29,300
Deer's dead, but it's
a long ways back in there.
618
00:29:31,266 --> 00:29:32,600
It's not gonna be
an easy drag,
619
00:29:34,867 --> 00:29:37,100
but...
-[grandfather] [indistinct]
620
00:29:37,266 --> 00:29:38,867
[officer]...it gets
pretty gnarly back in there.
621
00:29:39,033 --> 00:29:40,367
[grandfather] It is bad.
622
00:29:40,367 --> 00:29:43,000
[officer] It's back in there,
straight back, about 150 yards
623
00:29:43,166 --> 00:29:44,367
straight back in.
624
00:29:44,533 --> 00:29:46,500
He gets permission
from the landowner to take
625
00:29:46,667 --> 00:29:49,166
the hunters back to the deer
so they can tag, gut,
626
00:29:49,333 --> 00:29:50,467
and retrieve the buck.
627
00:29:50,634 --> 00:29:52,600
[upbeat music plays]
628
00:30:01,867 --> 00:30:03,967
[branches rustling]
629
00:30:11,300 --> 00:30:12,967
[officer] They don't have
permission to be on this
piece of property,
630
00:30:13,133 --> 00:30:16,834
so what I did, there's nobody
else here right now, and I know
631
00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:19,100
the property owner
for this piece of property.
632
00:30:19,266 --> 00:30:21,734
So I tracked the deer in
and followed the blood trail
633
00:30:21,900 --> 00:30:22,934
and found the deer.
634
00:30:23,100 --> 00:30:24,934
So at that point
we were able to
635
00:30:25,867 --> 00:30:28,200
get the deer back out and get
it back to the rightful owner.
636
00:30:28,367 --> 00:30:30,867
So at least it's getting put
to use versus just being left
637
00:30:31,033 --> 00:30:33,033
in there and being left
for coyote bait
638
00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:36,400
or for whatever waste.
639
00:30:36,567 --> 00:30:38,667
Made a great opening day
for grandson.
640
00:30:38,834 --> 00:30:39,967
Give him a little bit
of bragging rights.
641
00:30:40,133 --> 00:30:41,400
[officer chuckles]
642
00:30:42,367 --> 00:30:44,000
[officer] Good deal.
643
00:30:44,166 --> 00:30:46,100
[rock music plays]
644
00:30:51,767 --> 00:30:54,567
DNR biologists spent
a week over the summer
645
00:30:54,734 --> 00:30:56,667
on the Detroit River
working to catch
646
00:30:56,834 --> 00:30:58,834
one of the Great Lakes'
most challenging fish.
647
00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:00,367
[man] There, they got it.
648
00:31:00,533 --> 00:31:01,767
The spotty muskie.
649
00:31:01,767 --> 00:31:04,967
We capture the muskellunge
in the springtime
650
00:31:05,133 --> 00:31:08,166
when they're in shallow water
spawning, and then we hold
651
00:31:08,333 --> 00:31:10,467
them for a night,
and the [indistinct]
652
00:31:10,634 --> 00:31:11,934
spawn the next evening.
653
00:31:12,100 --> 00:31:14,367
What is the best method to
capture the muskie?
654
00:31:14,533 --> 00:31:16,266
By electrofishing
for them at night.
655
00:31:16,433 --> 00:31:18,367
[Goniea] It's over here.
It's over here somewhere.
656
00:31:18,367 --> 00:31:21,367
Hold on, right there.
I got him, I got him.
657
00:31:21,367 --> 00:31:23,300
-[netter] I think we
got them together.
-[Goniea] Get them,
658
00:31:23,467 --> 00:31:27,300
get them, get them.
Got them?
-[netter] Yeah.
659
00:31:27,467 --> 00:31:30,600
The basic concept of the boat
is the ground is
660
00:31:30,767 --> 00:31:32,567
the actual hull of the boat.
661
00:31:32,567 --> 00:31:35,066
And then we have these probes
here that produce
662
00:31:35,233 --> 00:31:37,567
the electricity into the water,
663
00:31:37,734 --> 00:31:41,500
and basically it shocks fish,
enables us to capture fish.
664
00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:45,266
So the pads control
the electricity to the front
665
00:31:45,433 --> 00:31:48,066
of the boat.
It's a safety measure.
666
00:31:48,233 --> 00:31:50,100
Both the guys on the front
of the boat that are doing
667
00:31:50,100 --> 00:31:52,400
the netting have to be
standing on the pads.
668
00:31:52,567 --> 00:31:54,367
If we fall off, it shuts off
the electricity,
669
00:31:54,367 --> 00:31:57,066
which is a good thing
from our standpoint.
670
00:31:57,233 --> 00:31:58,166
[Goniea]
I got him, got him.
671
00:32:00,667 --> 00:32:02,000
I'm gonna go over this side.
672
00:32:07,300 --> 00:32:10,100
Today, with the onset
of dams and whatnot
673
00:32:10,266 --> 00:32:13,100
from the '20s and '30s,
they're just not there anymore.
674
00:32:13,266 --> 00:32:16,066
The habitat, there's no access
for them to get there anymore.
675
00:32:16,233 --> 00:32:19,266
So what we're doing is
providing a trophy fishery
676
00:32:19,433 --> 00:32:20,767
inland in some locations.
677
00:32:21,767 --> 00:32:22,867
And we're providing...
678
00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:28,166
a Great Lakes strain of fish
into the environment
679
00:32:28,333 --> 00:32:29,467
where they used to be.
680
00:32:29,467 --> 00:32:31,967
The muskie is thriving in parts
of the Great Lakes,
681
00:32:32,133 --> 00:32:34,033
but is struggling to
maintain its numbers
682
00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:36,033
in inland lakes and rivers.
683
00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:38,400
By capturing muskie,
biologists are able to
684
00:32:38,567 --> 00:32:42,266
spawn them and help restart
the previously populated areas.
685
00:32:42,266 --> 00:32:43,767
They're like a freight train
in the water.
686
00:32:43,934 --> 00:32:45,934
[upbeat jazz plays]
687
00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:51,100
It stuns them momentarily.
688
00:32:51,100 --> 00:32:53,200
[upbeat music plays]
689
00:33:03,467 --> 00:33:07,100
You kind of play to the ability
of your netters as well,
690
00:33:07,100 --> 00:33:12,166
because the more experienced
netters will know,
go head first,
691
00:33:12,166 --> 00:33:15,100
tail first, based on
the current, which way
692
00:33:15,266 --> 00:33:17,367
the boat -- direction
the boat's going.
693
00:33:18,367 --> 00:33:21,033
It helps to have a real
experienced crew up there
694
00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:23,600
netting, because you get [snap]
one second of time
695
00:33:23,767 --> 00:33:25,200
to collect those fish.
696
00:33:25,367 --> 00:33:27,600
Each boat has a captain
and two netters.
697
00:33:27,767 --> 00:33:29,934
When a muskie is shocked
and rolls to the top,
698
00:33:30,100 --> 00:33:32,600
chaos can ensue .
-[Goniea] It's really deep.
699
00:33:32,767 --> 00:33:34,767
[grunting]
700
00:33:38,367 --> 00:33:40,600
-[Goniea] I got it.
-[netter] Good, nice.
701
00:33:41,734 --> 00:33:43,834
-You got it? [indistinct]
-[Goniea] Yeah.
702
00:33:47,100 --> 00:33:49,166
[grunting]
703
00:33:54,166 --> 00:33:55,567
-[netter] Was there two?
-[Goniea] No --oh.
704
00:33:56,967 --> 00:33:59,100
-[netter] Nice!
-Each fish is different.
705
00:33:59,266 --> 00:34:02,100
You may get 15,000 eggs
out of one fish,
706
00:34:02,266 --> 00:34:04,367
or you may get 50,000.
707
00:34:04,367 --> 00:34:08,600
Anywhere from 100 to 250 muskie
are captured each year.
708
00:34:08,767 --> 00:34:11,300
From there, the eggs are
harvested and sent to
709
00:34:11,467 --> 00:34:13,100
a hatchery for incubation.
710
00:34:13,100 --> 00:34:16,200
In the fall, that new
population of fish is released,
711
00:34:16,367 --> 00:34:19,767
helping the muskie population
recover to historic levels.
712
00:34:27,667 --> 00:34:31,567
In 2016, more than 1.3 million
deer licenses were sold
713
00:34:31,734 --> 00:34:34,467
in the state of Michigan,
and the state had the second
714
00:34:34,467 --> 00:34:38,166
most successfully harvested
deer, trailing only Texas.
715
00:34:38,333 --> 00:34:40,667
There are eight million acres
of public hunting land
716
00:34:40,834 --> 00:34:43,033
in the state,
but sometimes competition to
717
00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:46,000
get and hold a hunting location
can lead people to
718
00:34:46,166 --> 00:34:47,133
break the rules.
719
00:34:50,567 --> 00:34:52,066
In Michigan's District 1...
720
00:34:54,233 --> 00:34:56,667
Conservation Officer
Mark Leadman is trying to
721
00:34:56,834 --> 00:34:59,266
check on an illegal blind
on state land.
722
00:34:59,266 --> 00:35:02,000
[Leadman] This might be the road
we want, and it looks like
723
00:35:02,166 --> 00:35:04,567
he's blocked the road,
which is illegal.
724
00:35:04,734 --> 00:35:06,767
But a hunter parked his truck
in the middle of the road
725
00:35:06,934 --> 00:35:08,266
and placed some downed trees
726
00:35:08,266 --> 00:35:10,567
across the road,
blocking access.
727
00:35:10,734 --> 00:35:13,166
Yeah, somebody's trying to
block the road by putting these
728
00:35:13,333 --> 00:35:17,634
couple of logs across it,
keeping other hunters
729
00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:19,433
from coming in here.
730
00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:21,834
After a short walk,
Officer Leadman finds
731
00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:24,133
the hunter in his blind.
732
00:35:24,300 --> 00:35:25,266
[Leadman]
State Conservation Officer,
733
00:35:26,667 --> 00:35:27,934
you wanna step out
for a moment?
734
00:35:28,100 --> 00:35:30,867
-[hunter] Sure.
-[Leadman] Grab
your license with you.
735
00:35:35,033 --> 00:35:36,567
-[Leadman] Is that
your truck out front?
-[hunter speaking]
736
00:35:37,867 --> 00:35:39,467
-OK.
-[hunter speaking]
737
00:35:39,467 --> 00:35:42,867
-No, you're not.
-[hunter] OK.
738
00:35:43,033 --> 00:35:44,100
Why do you think
you're not legal?
739
00:35:45,467 --> 00:35:47,634
[hunter] First time I've seen
you in my blind.
740
00:35:48,934 --> 00:35:50,266
First time you've seen me
in your blind?
741
00:35:50,433 --> 00:35:51,767
[hunter] Well, coming
through here, I've had guys
742
00:35:51,767 --> 00:35:52,834
come through before.
743
00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:55,367
OK, why do you think
you're illegal?
744
00:35:55,367 --> 00:35:57,066
-[hunter] I was just paranoid.
-OK.
745
00:35:58,867 --> 00:36:02,000
[hunter] I try to do everything
as up to the -- as I can.
746
00:36:02,166 --> 00:36:04,066
OK.
747
00:36:04,233 --> 00:36:05,767
Why are you throwing
all the logs across the road
748
00:36:05,767 --> 00:36:07,133
on the way back here?
749
00:36:07,300 --> 00:36:10,567
[hunter] Oh, because guys would
drive down and spin their tires
750
00:36:10,567 --> 00:36:13,166
and make a bunch of noise.
-Spin their tires.
751
00:36:14,266 --> 00:36:15,567
-During deer season?
-[hunter] Yep.
752
00:36:15,734 --> 00:36:17,266
And have you ever called
and reported that?
753
00:36:17,266 --> 00:36:21,834
-[hunter] No.
-So then makes me think it
maybe didn't happen.
754
00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:23,467
-[hunter] OK.
-You've got your truck parked
755
00:36:23,467 --> 00:36:25,767
in the middle of the road,
which is illegal.
-[hunter] OK.
756
00:36:25,767 --> 00:36:28,667
You're not allowed to block,
impede any traffic.
757
00:36:28,834 --> 00:36:31,166
You're far enough off the road
where even if traffic was to
758
00:36:31,166 --> 00:36:32,300
drive down that road,
759
00:36:33,967 --> 00:36:35,634
they have the right to drive
down all those roads.
760
00:36:35,800 --> 00:36:36,734
-[hunter] OK.
-[Leadman] Your blind
is illegal.
761
00:36:36,734 --> 00:36:38,133
[Leadman] How long has
this been out here?
762
00:36:39,634 --> 00:36:40,734
[hunter] Two weeks.
763
00:36:43,166 --> 00:36:44,266
Two weeks?
764
00:36:46,066 --> 00:36:47,667
[hunter] I'm guessing.
765
00:36:47,834 --> 00:36:49,533
You're supposed to be
allowed the first...
766
00:36:50,667 --> 00:36:51,767
part of...
767
00:36:53,834 --> 00:36:55,200
November, correct?
768
00:36:57,667 --> 00:36:58,767
[Leadman] No, the date's...
769
00:36:59,867 --> 00:37:01,467
the date's different
than that.
770
00:37:01,634 --> 00:37:02,700
[hunter] OK.
771
00:37:03,667 --> 00:37:05,367
[Leadman] But when was it
really put out here?
772
00:37:05,533 --> 00:37:09,734
Without, without exaggerating
or trying to change the story.
773
00:37:09,900 --> 00:37:11,533
[hunter] I can't say.
So if I went...
774
00:37:11,700 --> 00:37:14,066
Was this, did you
use this last year?
775
00:37:14,233 --> 00:37:16,533
-[hunter] Yep.
-[Leadman] And it's still
out here from last year?
776
00:37:16,700 --> 00:37:17,967
-[hunter] Oh, no,
absolutely not.
-No?
777
00:37:18,133 --> 00:37:20,967
-[hunter] Absolutely not,
100%, no way.
-OK.
778
00:37:23,166 --> 00:37:25,233
[hunter] 100%, no way.
779
00:37:25,400 --> 00:37:27,266
He takes a closer look
at the blind and believes
780
00:37:27,433 --> 00:37:29,667
the hunter took it in
after last year.
781
00:37:29,667 --> 00:37:33,166
In Michigan, on public land,
blinds cannot be left out
all year
782
00:37:33,333 --> 00:37:35,667
and must be marked with
the owner's name and address.
783
00:37:36,767 --> 00:37:39,066
[Leadman] OK, yeah,
it looks like it actually
is kind of fresh.
784
00:37:39,233 --> 00:37:40,266
The blind looks so old,
785
00:37:40,433 --> 00:37:43,867
but I don't have
this one marked.
786
00:37:44,033 --> 00:37:45,467
There's a bunch out here
that I do have marked,
787
00:37:45,634 --> 00:37:49,867
but this isn't the one.
788
00:37:49,867 --> 00:37:51,333
You didn't have your orange
on when we come up.
789
00:37:51,500 --> 00:37:52,634
[Leadman]
You do need to keep it on.
790
00:37:52,634 --> 00:37:53,900
-[hunter] In the blind?
-[Leadman] Even in the blind.
791
00:37:53,900 --> 00:37:56,333
The problem is you
shoot an eight-pointer
and you wound it,
792
00:37:56,500 --> 00:37:59,467
and it takes off running,
and it's kicking, and you shot
793
00:37:59,467 --> 00:38:01,266
the both front legs.
794
00:38:01,266 --> 00:38:03,066
You're gonna chase
after it immediately.
795
00:38:03,233 --> 00:38:04,834
You don't think to put
your orange back on.
796
00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:06,133
You're simply out in the woods.
797
00:38:06,300 --> 00:38:08,066
Pretty soon
you're two hills over
798
00:38:08,233 --> 00:38:09,767
and there's a hunter
over there and he sees
799
00:38:09,767 --> 00:38:12,233
you moving without orange.
800
00:38:12,400 --> 00:38:14,266
They shoot at movement
nowadays, some people have.
801
00:38:18,033 --> 00:38:21,166
CO Leadman has him remove
the trees blocking the road
802
00:38:21,333 --> 00:38:22,500
and move his truck.
803
00:38:22,500 --> 00:38:24,767
He gives the hunter a warning
on not having orange on
804
00:38:24,934 --> 00:38:27,567
in the blind and issues
him a citation for blocking
805
00:38:27,567 --> 00:38:30,367
a road on state land,
which is a civil infraction
806
00:38:30,367 --> 00:38:33,367
and a court-ordered $125 fine.
807
00:38:33,367 --> 00:38:36,467
But since his blind and bait
are legal, he's able to go back
808
00:38:36,634 --> 00:38:38,367
and continue his hunt.
-Questions?
809
00:38:38,533 --> 00:38:39,567
-[hunter] No.
-OK.
810
00:38:39,567 --> 00:38:41,166
-[hunter] Thank you.
-Good luck.
811
00:38:41,333 --> 00:38:43,367
-[hunter] OK.
-Yeah, good luck to you.
811
00:38:44,305 --> 00:39:44,755
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