"Wardens of the North" Michigan Sturgeon Spear Season

1 00:00:08,967 --> 00:00:13,367 I got another fish, state park, on the ice. 2 00:00:13,533 --> 00:00:15,467 It's not our normal enforcement 3 00:00:15,467 --> 00:00:17,367 as far as law enforcement division. 4 00:00:18,100 --> 00:00:19,266 This is normal for us. 5 00:00:19,433 --> 00:00:21,400 This is one of the things that's not a matter of if, 6 00:00:21,567 --> 00:00:23,266 it's a matter of when we fall through. 7 00:00:23,266 --> 00:00:25,767 -Any drug use today from anybody? - No, no. 8 00:00:25,934 --> 00:00:26,867 Not that I know of. Nope. 9 00:00:26,867 --> 00:00:27,700 Didn't. 10 00:00:27,867 --> 00:00:28,834 Today, yesterday? 11 00:00:28,834 --> 00:00:29,867 - Didn't. - You didn't? 12 00:00:29,867 --> 00:00:32,100 I did not smoke up in Michigan. 13 00:00:32,266 --> 00:00:35,266 Said they've all been using this morning. 14 00:00:35,433 --> 00:00:37,667 They smoked this morning before we even saw them . 15 00:00:37,834 --> 00:00:39,867 I'm getting a different story from the three other guys 16 00:00:39,867 --> 00:00:41,667 that are with you. 17 00:00:41,667 --> 00:00:42,767 <i> Wild animals</i> 18 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:46,767 <i>and wild places.</i> <i>They're more than a picture.</i> 19 00:00:46,934 --> 00:00:50,567 <i>They're inspiration,</i> <i>excitement, and adventure.</i> 20 00:00:50,734 --> 00:00:53,700 <i>Patrolling and protecting</i> <i>these natural resources is</i> 21 00:00:53,867 --> 00:00:56,800 <i>a first-class band of</i> <i>peace officers.</i> 22 00:00:56,967 --> 00:01:01,166 <i>These are the wardens,</i> <i>dedicated to the preservation</i> 23 00:01:01,333 --> 00:01:03,266 <i>of our great outdoors.</i> 24 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:11,074 25 00:01:24,266 --> 00:01:27,767 Black lake sturgeon crew from Gaylord 710. 26 00:01:27,934 --> 00:01:30,066 I have 8:00. Season's on. 27 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:34,300 <i>At precisely 8 AM on the first</i> <i>Saturday in February,</i> 28 00:01:34,467 --> 00:01:37,767 <i>one of the more unique fishing</i> <i>seasons in the country begins.</i> 29 00:01:37,767 --> 00:01:40,300 Welcome to Black Lake. 30 00:01:40,467 --> 00:01:43,000 <i>It's the lake sturgeon season</i> <i>on Black Lake</i> 31 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:45,734 <i>in northern Michigan's</i> <i>District 3.</i> 32 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,667 This particular sturgeon season, this spearing season, 33 00:01:50,667 --> 00:01:54,266 is the only one in the state of Michigan where this year 34 00:01:54,433 --> 00:01:57,667 they can take six fish, and they can use an actual spear 35 00:01:57,834 --> 00:01:59,700 to spear the fish. 36 00:01:59,867 --> 00:02:04,467 In the other areas in northern lower Michigan, for example 37 00:02:04,634 --> 00:02:09,367 Otsego Lake, they have a minimum 50-inch 38 00:02:09,367 --> 00:02:11,600 requirement and it has to be hook and line. 39 00:02:11,767 --> 00:02:14,000 So this is the only place in the state where you can 40 00:02:14,166 --> 00:02:15,767 actually spear a sturgeon. 41 00:02:15,934 --> 00:02:19,000 <i>More than 300 registered</i> <i>anglers brave the snow and cold</i> 42 00:02:19,166 --> 00:02:21,767 <i>temperatures for their shot at</i> <i>one of six Michigan sturgeon.</i> 43 00:02:24,066 --> 00:02:27,800 <i>The total limit in 2017 for all</i> <i>sturgeon taken on Black Lake is</i> 44 00:02:27,967 --> 00:02:30,967 <i>seven, but they stop</i> <i>all fishing after</i> <i>the sixth harvest.</i> 45 00:02:31,133 --> 00:02:33,166 <i>In an effort to keep</i> <i>them from going over,</i> 46 00:02:33,166 --> 00:02:35,000 <i>no one can take more than one.</i> 47 00:02:35,166 --> 00:02:38,166 So we'll have conservation officers and fish, 48 00:02:38,333 --> 00:02:41,367 wildlife, or I'm sorry, fisheries techs at these little 49 00:02:41,533 --> 00:02:44,600 shanty towns, and then as soon as that sixth fish is caught 50 00:02:44,767 --> 00:02:49,500 over the radio, the cannon will go off, and then we go through, 51 00:02:49,667 --> 00:02:51,467 you know, these shanty towns and make sure that everybody 52 00:02:51,467 --> 00:02:54,567 stops fishing we do it as fast as we can because obviously 53 00:02:54,734 --> 00:02:58,166 we don't want to get over that quota over that number of six. 54 00:02:58,333 --> 00:03:01,367 -It has happened in the past. <i>-The year before, the entire</i> 55 00:03:01,367 --> 00:03:04,000 <i>season lasted</i> <i>less than 40 minutes.</i> 56 00:03:04,166 --> 00:03:06,166 -It was a half an hour. -Yeah. 57 00:03:06,166 --> 00:03:08,667 -36 minutes exactly. -Yeah, a new record. 58 00:03:08,834 --> 00:03:11,500 <i>Most use some type of</i> <i>decoy to attract the sturgeon</i> 59 00:03:11,667 --> 00:03:13,667 <i>to a large hole</i> <i>they've cut in the ice.</i> 60 00:03:13,667 --> 00:03:16,667 Well, you can see here, I got it all twisted up. 61 00:03:16,667 --> 00:03:20,367 Basically, this decoy spins around on the bottom slowly 62 00:03:20,533 --> 00:03:24,367 and, or not on the bottom, I usually put mine about... 63 00:03:24,533 --> 00:03:27,300 - Halfway up? - Yeah, halfway up, and then... 64 00:03:27,467 --> 00:03:28,667 You get them up close to you. 65 00:03:28,667 --> 00:03:31,100 Yeah, and a lot of times they come, they'll swim, 66 00:03:31,266 --> 00:03:32,600 they're just kind of curious, so they swim 67 00:03:32,767 --> 00:03:34,033 underneath the decoy. 68 00:03:34,767 --> 00:03:37,667 But I've had them come up on top of the decoy in Wisconsin 69 00:03:37,667 --> 00:03:39,967 and actually like -- - Bump it? 70 00:03:40,133 --> 00:03:41,367 And you'll see their mouth go down like they're 71 00:03:41,533 --> 00:03:42,800 trying to suck it up. 72 00:03:59,567 --> 00:04:01,367 Yeah, this is the place to be, though. 73 00:04:01,533 --> 00:04:04,567 -This is where five of the fish -- -Four. 74 00:04:04,567 --> 00:04:06,667 Four, last year and then the year before, 75 00:04:06,667 --> 00:04:08,767 it was another hot spot, too. 76 00:04:08,934 --> 00:04:10,767 Yeah, three out of the five. 77 00:04:10,934 --> 00:04:12,867 -Yeah. -We normally fish down there 78 00:04:13,033 --> 00:04:15,467 off the point a little closer. There's a little deeper water 79 00:04:15,467 --> 00:04:17,467 because of the clarity. -I think it was 2011. 80 00:04:17,467 --> 00:04:20,467 Remember, we had like 11, and they were flying out 81 00:04:20,467 --> 00:04:21,667 on the ice constantly. 82 00:04:21,667 --> 00:04:23,567 Couldn't get it shut down fast enough. 83 00:04:23,734 --> 00:04:25,367 -No, yeah. -You guys got a tough job 84 00:04:25,367 --> 00:04:27,000 ahead of you today. -Yeah. 85 00:04:27,166 --> 00:04:29,567 <i>Just a few minutes</i> <i>after the 8:00 start,</i> 86 00:04:29,734 --> 00:04:32,100 <i>Conservation Officer Mark Depew</i> <i>gets called to</i> 87 00:04:32,266 --> 00:04:33,600 <i>the first sturgeon</i> <i>of the season.</i> 88 00:04:33,767 --> 00:04:37,300 We're going to our first fish on the ice, state park. 89 00:04:37,467 --> 00:04:39,166 I'll advise here in a minute. 90 00:04:39,166 --> 00:04:42,367 <i>Black Lake is Michigan's</i> <i>seventh largest inland lake.</i> 91 00:04:44,667 --> 00:04:47,600 <i>It's more than 10,000 acres</i> <i>in size, and once called</i> 92 00:04:47,767 --> 00:04:50,200 <i>to a sturgeon, it can take COs</i> <i>several minutes</i> 93 00:04:50,367 --> 00:04:51,567 <i>to get to the shanty.</i> 94 00:05:25,166 --> 00:05:26,400 Yeah, that's a nice fish. 95 00:05:34,667 --> 00:05:36,166 - Congratulations. -Thank you, sir. 96 00:05:36,166 --> 00:05:38,367 Yeah, nice fish. Good work. 97 00:05:38,533 --> 00:05:40,166 - You want to know what the best part is? - Yeah. 98 00:05:40,166 --> 00:05:42,367 - Two years in a row. - Wow, good for you. 99 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:45,200 We got another one coming up here. 100 00:05:45,367 --> 00:05:48,900 It's gonna be number two. 101 00:05:49,066 --> 00:05:51,166 <i></i> <i>As Conservation Officer</i> <i>Mark Depew</i> 102 00:05:51,333 --> 00:05:52,967 <i>checks on</i> <i>the first sturgeon harvested</i> 103 00:05:53,133 --> 00:05:55,166 <i>during the Black Lake</i> <i>spearing season...</i> 104 00:05:55,333 --> 00:05:57,567 Second one just came out of the hole. 105 00:05:57,734 --> 00:05:59,000 Second sturgeon. 106 00:05:59,166 --> 00:06:01,100 <i>...he gets a call to check</i> <i>on another sturgeon</i> 107 00:06:01,266 --> 00:06:02,867 <i>pulled from below the ice.</i> 108 00:06:03,033 --> 00:06:05,667 <i>It's just a few hundred feet</i> <i>from the first one.</i> 109 00:06:05,834 --> 00:06:06,767 So this would be number two. 110 00:06:16,500 --> 00:06:17,967 Clear fish number one. 111 00:06:18,133 --> 00:06:20,066 They're gonna be en route here shortly 112 00:06:20,233 --> 00:06:21,266 to the check station. They've been advised 113 00:06:21,433 --> 00:06:22,867 to immediately go there. 114 00:06:43,166 --> 00:06:47,100 Well, congratulations. Good work. 115 00:06:47,266 --> 00:06:49,166 -I think we've met before. - Yeah, when? 116 00:06:49,166 --> 00:06:51,367 When you checked in my last one. 117 00:06:51,367 --> 00:06:52,433 Probably. 118 00:06:52,433 --> 00:06:54,200 -God, this is the number two... -This is number two. 119 00:06:54,367 --> 00:06:55,967 ...from last year you were here? -Year before last. 120 00:06:56,133 --> 00:06:58,000 Nice, good work. That's a nice one too. 121 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,166 Have you got your fishing, or driver's license with you? 122 00:07:00,166 --> 00:07:01,500 Yeah, I do. 123 00:07:01,667 --> 00:07:02,934 Quick, tag it for me. 124 00:07:02,934 --> 00:07:06,367 This year we want them as fast as we can to the check station. 125 00:07:06,367 --> 00:07:07,867 So as soon as you get him tagged, 126 00:07:08,767 --> 00:07:12,767 get to the check station and congratulations. 127 00:07:12,934 --> 00:07:14,700 Two years. 128 00:07:14,867 --> 00:07:16,600 That's awesome. 129 00:07:16,767 --> 00:07:18,066 That's a nice fish, too. 130 00:07:19,266 --> 00:07:21,767 <i>With both of the fish being</i> <i>speared, just a few minutes</i> 131 00:07:21,767 --> 00:07:24,100 <i>after the official</i> <i>8 AM start time,</i> 132 00:07:24,266 --> 00:07:27,500 <i>part of CO Depew's duties</i> <i>include making sure</i> 133 00:07:27,667 --> 00:07:29,967 <i>no one got a head start</i> <i>on the season.</i> 134 00:07:30,133 --> 00:07:31,767 One concern that we have 135 00:07:31,767 --> 00:07:36,967 when we go up and check the fish is if people are, 136 00:07:37,133 --> 00:07:38,467 you know, let's say they speared the fish at 137 00:07:38,634 --> 00:07:41,266 7:00 in the morning, we're looking for, 138 00:07:41,266 --> 00:07:43,100 you know, the vitals of the fish. 139 00:07:43,100 --> 00:07:45,767 So in other words, if the fish is moving, the gills are moving, 140 00:07:45,934 --> 00:07:48,100 which would indicate that the animal or the fish 141 00:07:48,266 --> 00:07:51,600 was still, you know, just speared 142 00:07:51,767 --> 00:07:55,600 because we've had rumors in the past of people 143 00:07:55,767 --> 00:08:02,100 trying to skirt the system by getting an early one where 144 00:08:02,100 --> 00:08:03,767 they wait five, ten minutes and then throw it out 145 00:08:03,934 --> 00:08:06,467 on the ice. "Oh, we got one, we got one." 146 00:08:06,467 --> 00:08:09,634 But again, so making sure that the animal is still, 147 00:08:12,100 --> 00:08:16,266 has some life in it is pretty important for the overall, 148 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:18,867 keep everything fair. 149 00:08:32,066 --> 00:08:34,500 <i>The state of Michigan has</i> <i>placed a high priority</i> 150 00:08:34,667 --> 00:08:38,100 <i>in recent years on restoring</i> <i>the lake sturgeon population.</i> 151 00:08:38,266 --> 00:08:39,367 This is the Black River. 152 00:08:39,367 --> 00:08:44,767 It's one of the only spawning areas for the sturgeon 153 00:08:44,934 --> 00:08:48,367 coming out of Black Lake. -Where we are today, 154 00:08:48,533 --> 00:08:53,100 having captured population estimate data, genetic studies, 155 00:08:54,266 --> 00:08:57,667 information on natural recruitment versus hatchery 156 00:08:57,667 --> 00:09:02,500 production, we are light years ahead of where we were in 2000, 157 00:09:02,667 --> 00:09:04,967 but we had to start somewhere in 2000 158 00:09:05,133 --> 00:09:08,567 to put, to start looking at the recovery of this species. 159 00:09:08,567 --> 00:09:11,800 <i>One of the ways they did this</i> <i>was through 24/7 surveillance</i> 160 00:09:11,967 --> 00:09:14,400 <i>of the river during</i> <i>spawning season.</i> 161 00:09:14,567 --> 00:09:18,000 They're easy prey right now in the river, very easy prey, 162 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,300 and so we're just here to make sure they're not as easy prey. 163 00:09:21,467 --> 00:09:24,266 <i>The volunteer group,</i> <i>Sturgeon for Tomorrow assists</i> 164 00:09:24,266 --> 00:09:26,600 <i>conservation officers</i> <i>keeping watch in an effort</i> 165 00:09:26,767 --> 00:09:27,967 <i>to limit poaching.</i> 166 00:09:28,133 --> 00:09:31,467 We started our sturgeon guarding program in 1999. 167 00:09:31,467 --> 00:09:33,667 We've been at it 18 years, 168 00:09:33,667 --> 00:09:36,567 and it's been proven successful. 169 00:09:36,567 --> 00:09:41,000 Vehicles and cars scare people, and campers, so you don't have 170 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:43,100 to be up all night, but yeah, it just scares them. 171 00:09:43,100 --> 00:09:46,000 We all volunteer, but we take it very seriously. 172 00:09:46,166 --> 00:09:47,700 We're very passionate about it. 173 00:09:47,867 --> 00:09:49,900 And we make it known, we advertise that we're gonna 174 00:09:50,066 --> 00:09:52,900 be out here 24/7, that Sturgeon for Tomorrow 175 00:09:53,066 --> 00:09:56,100 and sturgeon guards are gonna be out here 24/7, 176 00:09:56,100 --> 00:09:59,567 and it's advertised, and it's a huge deterrent, 177 00:09:59,734 --> 00:10:02,367 and it's helped. 20, 30 years ago 178 00:10:02,533 --> 00:10:05,600 that wasn't the case, and we lost lots of fish. 179 00:10:05,767 --> 00:10:08,700 <i>In addition to protecting</i> <i>the sturgeon, the Michigan DNR</i> 180 00:10:08,867 --> 00:10:11,667 <i>and local universities are</i> <i>helping to produce sturgeon for</i> 181 00:10:11,834 --> 00:10:14,100 <i>stocking and researching</i> <i>everything they can</i> 182 00:10:14,100 --> 00:10:15,600 <i>about the species.</i> 183 00:10:15,767 --> 00:10:18,000 We don't want to be in the business of stocking forever. 184 00:10:18,166 --> 00:10:20,367 We want these animals to do well not only here 185 00:10:20,533 --> 00:10:22,300 but throughout the range, but they face a lot of 186 00:10:22,467 --> 00:10:25,000 impediments, things that are there that human beings have 187 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:28,767 put in rivers that they haven't evolved to deal with, right? 188 00:10:28,934 --> 00:10:31,767 So we have to understand that and how we can overcome that 189 00:10:31,934 --> 00:10:35,567 and, and the science is the basis for that management. 190 00:10:35,734 --> 00:10:38,200 <i>And with conservation,</i> <i>research, and law enforcement</i> 191 00:10:38,367 --> 00:10:40,266 <i>all working together,</i> <i>the DNR believes</i> 192 00:10:40,266 --> 00:10:42,266 <i>the restoration of the lake</i> <i>sturgeon is headed</i> 193 00:10:42,266 --> 00:10:43,567 <i>in the right direction.</i> 194 00:10:43,734 --> 00:10:47,066 We know where we're going in the next 20, 30, 40 years 195 00:10:47,233 --> 00:10:51,166 with recovery of this species, where it should be in terms of 196 00:10:51,333 --> 00:10:52,600 an adult population. 197 00:10:53,667 --> 00:10:56,367 <i>The ice on Black Lake</i> <i>at the beginning of February</i> 198 00:10:56,367 --> 00:10:58,467 <i>can be more than a foot thick.</i> 199 00:10:58,467 --> 00:11:00,767 <i>There's very little chance</i> <i>of a CO falling through</i> 200 00:11:00,767 --> 00:11:03,700 <i>during the sturgeon season,</i> <i>but they know it can happen</i> 201 00:11:03,867 --> 00:11:07,166 <i>at any time and are</i> <i>always prepared for it.</i> 202 00:11:07,166 --> 00:11:10,000 <i>Preparation for falling through</i> <i>starts at recruit school,</i> 203 00:11:10,166 --> 00:11:12,567 <i>where prospective</i> <i>conservation officers must</i> 204 00:11:12,567 --> 00:11:14,166 <i>endure the ice bath.</i> 205 00:11:14,333 --> 00:11:16,266 - Slowly sit down. -Slowly get in there. 206 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:19,100 Slowly down. 207 00:11:21,166 --> 00:11:22,800 All the way in. All the way in. 208 00:11:22,967 --> 00:11:26,200 -Hands in. - Down, down, down, down, 209 00:11:26,367 --> 00:11:27,500 down further. 210 00:11:27,500 --> 00:11:31,100 <i>The ice bath is just one of</i> <i>the many rigorous tests</i> 211 00:11:31,266 --> 00:11:34,467 <i>recruits must endure</i> <i>over the 22-week-long school.</i> 212 00:11:34,634 --> 00:11:36,567 This is designed for the recruits so that 213 00:11:36,734 --> 00:11:40,000 they experience a small bit of hypothermia as if they were to 214 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:43,200 fall through the ice at any point during their career. 215 00:11:43,367 --> 00:11:44,467 This is normal for us. 216 00:11:44,467 --> 00:11:46,467 This is one of the things that's not a matter of if, 217 00:11:46,634 --> 00:11:48,100 it's a matter of when we fall through. 218 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:51,667 <i>For four minutes, recruits</i> <i>sit in a tub full of ice,</i> 219 00:11:51,667 --> 00:11:55,500 <i>answering questions</i> <i>and performing dexterity tests.</i> 220 00:11:55,667 --> 00:11:57,200 Got a written test on Thursday night. 221 00:11:57,367 --> 00:11:58,400 What do you have coming up? 222 00:12:02,100 --> 00:12:04,467 - Ah. 223 00:12:04,467 --> 00:12:06,000 Have you studied for that yet? 224 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,667 -Yes, sir. -100%, right? 225 00:12:08,834 --> 00:12:10,166 - Yes, sir. -Cause it goes towards your GPA? 226 00:12:10,333 --> 00:12:12,367 - Yes, sir. -You're starting to chatter. 227 00:12:12,533 --> 00:12:19,000 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2, 1. 228 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:20,266 Do it one more time for me. 229 00:12:20,266 --> 00:12:24,667 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2, 1. 230 00:12:24,834 --> 00:12:26,066 Good, go ahead and lower it. 231 00:12:26,233 --> 00:12:29,767 And what those do is prove to the recruit that indeed 232 00:12:29,934 --> 00:12:31,867 in their mind, they're trying to get through it, but their body 233 00:12:32,033 --> 00:12:33,166 just won't push them through it. 234 00:12:33,166 --> 00:12:36,100 So they know later when they are conservation officers 235 00:12:36,266 --> 00:12:38,166 in the field that they can push through it 236 00:12:38,166 --> 00:12:39,867 because they've been here before. 237 00:12:40,033 --> 00:12:41,567 <i>It's a mental test that</i> <i>the recruits weren't</i> 238 00:12:41,567 --> 00:12:43,100 <i>necessarily looking forward to.</i> 239 00:12:43,266 --> 00:12:45,667 I was slightly dreading today. 240 00:12:45,834 --> 00:12:46,934 I know I can do it. 241 00:12:46,934 --> 00:12:50,166 I'm happy to have done that, but it was a challenge. 242 00:12:51,166 --> 00:12:53,500 It's a way of life. It's what we do. 243 00:12:53,667 --> 00:12:55,500 It happens. 244 00:12:55,667 --> 00:12:56,867 Like I said, we've all gone through it. 245 00:12:56,867 --> 00:12:59,066 I've fallen through the ice before, and I've swam 246 00:12:59,233 --> 00:13:01,367 in cold water before, but this, 247 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:03,667 it's a unique experience. 248 00:13:03,667 --> 00:13:06,000 And when they poured the bucket of ice water over my head, 249 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:07,767 it just took my breath away immediately. 250 00:13:07,934 --> 00:13:13,867 -H, Henry, A, Adam. - Come on. 251 00:13:13,867 --> 00:13:16,900 -N, Nora, S, Sam, O. - There you go. 252 00:13:17,066 --> 00:13:18,100 -Ocean. 253 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:20,600 - Come on. -N, Nora. 254 00:13:22,700 --> 00:13:25,667 The pouring more ice on is actually, that is by design. 255 00:13:25,667 --> 00:13:28,567 That is one of those things that if they do go through, 256 00:13:28,567 --> 00:13:31,100 it's very, very possible that more of that water will run 257 00:13:31,266 --> 00:13:32,500 over the top of their heads. 258 00:13:32,500 --> 00:13:34,700 This, just like the rest of the water safety program that's 259 00:13:34,867 --> 00:13:37,967 going on next to us right here, basically tests mostly 260 00:13:38,133 --> 00:13:41,867 their mental capacity. Anybody can do this physically. 261 00:13:42,033 --> 00:13:43,266 It's them being mental, 262 00:13:43,433 --> 00:13:44,800 them fighting through it mentally. 263 00:13:44,967 --> 00:13:47,900 <i>Afterwards, recruits are taken</i> <i>through a series of showers to</i> 264 00:13:48,066 --> 00:13:50,266 <i>bring their temperatures</i> <i>back to normal.</i> 265 00:13:50,266 --> 00:13:53,066 <i>And they wouldn't rule out</i> <i>taking a second ice bath.</i> 266 00:13:53,233 --> 00:13:54,467 I'd do it again. 267 00:13:54,467 --> 00:13:57,567 The more experience I have at it, the better I'll be able to 268 00:13:57,567 --> 00:13:59,700 survive in a real-life situation. 269 00:13:59,867 --> 00:14:02,266 Doing this definitely prepares us for 270 00:14:02,266 --> 00:14:03,800 what it's gonna feel like, 271 00:14:03,967 --> 00:14:06,467 and now we know that we are able to 272 00:14:08,166 --> 00:14:12,066 do the dexterity and be able to think quick 273 00:14:12,233 --> 00:14:14,600 when we're in a situation like that. 274 00:14:14,767 --> 00:14:16,467 How long you think you've been in for? 275 00:14:16,467 --> 00:14:18,100 - I'm not sure, sir. - Give me a guess. 276 00:14:18,100 --> 00:14:20,300 - "I'm not sure," is not an answer. - Three minutes? 277 00:14:20,467 --> 00:14:22,000 Four minutes. Get out. 278 00:14:22,900 --> 00:14:23,867 Slow, slow, slow. 279 00:14:24,033 --> 00:14:24,967 Slowly, though. 280 00:14:40,300 --> 00:14:42,500 Wow. 281 00:14:44,166 --> 00:14:46,467 -Wow. 282 00:14:50,467 --> 00:14:52,000 - Huge. - Yeah! 283 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,667 - Whoo hoo! 284 00:15:01,567 --> 00:15:02,900 So just to be clear, 285 00:15:03,066 --> 00:15:04,467 we have one that Depew reported 286 00:15:04,467 --> 00:15:06,467 and one that you just now reported. 287 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:09,867 Correct. 288 00:15:11,967 --> 00:15:14,100 -Four. - OK, do you have a angler name 289 00:15:14,266 --> 00:15:15,767 and was that . 290 00:15:15,767 --> 00:15:17,100 <i>Back on solid ice,</i> 291 00:15:17,266 --> 00:15:20,266 <i>Michigan's Black Lake sturgeon</i> <i>season can be very short.</i> 292 00:15:20,266 --> 00:15:23,367 <i>In 2016, it lasted</i> <i>just 36 minutes.</i> 293 00:15:23,367 --> 00:15:27,100 <i>In 2017, more than 300</i> <i>registered anglers</i> 294 00:15:27,100 --> 00:15:29,600 <i>were trying to harvest one</i> <i>during Michigan's only</i> 295 00:15:29,767 --> 00:15:31,066 <i>sturgeon</i> <i>spearing season.</i> 296 00:15:31,233 --> 00:15:34,300 <i>The total limit for 2017</i> <i>was set at seven,</i> 297 00:15:34,467 --> 00:15:36,467 <i>but all fishing would be</i> <i>stopped after the sixth</i> 298 00:15:36,467 --> 00:15:39,266 <i>successfully harvested fish to</i> <i>help reduce the chance</i> 299 00:15:39,266 --> 00:15:40,567 <i>of going</i> <i>over the limit.</i> 300 00:15:40,734 --> 00:15:44,000 <i>The personal limit is one,</i> <i>so bringing one up onto the ice</i> 301 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:47,066 <i>is quite a thrill.</i> -Absolutely overwhelming. 302 00:15:47,233 --> 00:15:48,467 My heart dropped, it was just... 303 00:15:49,166 --> 00:15:51,667 For a second, quick split second, I wasn't exactly sure 304 00:15:51,834 --> 00:15:54,367 what to do, but I'm like, oh, crap, get the spear. 305 00:15:54,367 --> 00:15:57,266 Get the spear, aim, and drop it down on them. 306 00:15:58,367 --> 00:16:00,066 It was crazy. 307 00:16:04,100 --> 00:16:08,300 I got another fish, state park, on the ice. 308 00:16:08,467 --> 00:16:11,500 <i>With five sturgeon on the ice,</i> <i>the race was on to bring up</i> 309 00:16:11,667 --> 00:16:13,467 <i>fish number six.</i> 310 00:16:13,467 --> 00:16:16,166 <i>CO Mark Depew gets a call</i> <i>and starts heading toward</i> 311 00:16:16,333 --> 00:16:17,300 <i>the lucky fisherman.</i> 312 00:16:19,300 --> 00:16:20,400 Congratulations. 313 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:24,767 Good work. Congratulations. 314 00:16:24,767 --> 00:16:26,000 - Nice job. - Thanks. 315 00:16:26,166 --> 00:16:28,800 - Yeah, is this your first one? -Yeah. 316 00:16:28,967 --> 00:16:30,166 What happened? 317 00:16:31,100 --> 00:16:33,166 - She just came in, or...? -Yeah, it came in 318 00:16:33,166 --> 00:16:35,400 real slow, gave me all the time in the world to spear it. 319 00:16:35,567 --> 00:16:38,767 Well, you're the sixth fish. So yeah, good work. 320 00:16:38,767 --> 00:16:40,667 -Shut down now. <i>-As CO Depew was</i> 321 00:16:40,834 --> 00:16:42,667 <i>checking on this sturgeon,</i> <i>two others were</i> 322 00:16:42,834 --> 00:16:44,133 <i>being brought to the surface.</i> 323 00:16:44,133 --> 00:16:47,600 <i>All three sturgeon were brought</i> <i>up practically simultaneously,</i> 324 00:16:47,767 --> 00:16:49,166 <i>and now officials have to</i> <i>figure out</i> 325 00:16:49,333 --> 00:16:50,500 <i>how to shut down</i> 326 00:16:50,500 --> 00:16:52,500 <i>the rest of the people fishing</i> <i>as quickly as possible.</i> 327 00:17:02,767 --> 00:17:05,467 <i>Just over an hour into</i> <i>the sturgeon spearing season</i> 328 00:17:05,467 --> 00:17:08,266 <i>on Black Lake in</i> <i>Michigan's District 3...</i> 329 00:17:10,567 --> 00:17:13,767 <i>Conservation officer Mark Depew</i> <i>gets called to the sixth fish</i> 330 00:17:13,934 --> 00:17:16,667 <i>of the day.</i> -I got another fish, state park, 331 00:17:17,867 --> 00:17:19,133 on the ice. 332 00:17:19,133 --> 00:17:21,867 <i>The total limit for the season</i> <i>is seven, but all fishing is</i> 333 00:17:22,033 --> 00:17:23,700 <i>stopped after the sixth</i> <i>is brought up</i> 334 00:17:23,867 --> 00:17:25,100 <i>so they don't go over.</i> 335 00:17:25,266 --> 00:17:29,567 The sturgeon patrol today is very controlled. 336 00:17:29,567 --> 00:17:33,367 There's about 15 to 20 conservation officers 337 00:17:33,533 --> 00:17:37,367 and fish division people out here so it's not our normal 338 00:17:37,533 --> 00:17:40,467 enforcement as far as law enforcement division. 339 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:45,767 But we do -- our main purpose for being out here is when 340 00:17:45,934 --> 00:17:50,266 we hit that six fish limit, we need to contact 341 00:17:50,266 --> 00:17:54,200 every fisherman out here that's in the -- fishing for sturgeon, 342 00:17:54,367 --> 00:17:57,767 they'll be flagged and so we'll contact them as soon as 343 00:17:57,934 --> 00:18:01,300 that last fish is speared, and we only have minutes, 344 00:18:01,467 --> 00:18:04,367 especially with the way the fish are moving today. 345 00:18:04,367 --> 00:18:06,667 And we don't want to go over that six fish limit. 346 00:18:06,834 --> 00:18:09,567 So as soon as that sixth fish is speared, we've got to get to 347 00:18:09,734 --> 00:18:12,767 every shanty, over 200 fishermen, and let them know 348 00:18:12,934 --> 00:18:15,667 that the season's closed. - Then this is your first one. 349 00:18:15,667 --> 00:18:18,000 - Yeah. - Good work. 350 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,000 Came in nice and slow, really easy to spear. 351 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:23,066 - Yeah. - I put two spears in them myself, and I was yelling, 352 00:18:23,233 --> 00:18:24,667 but nobody came over to help me. 353 00:18:24,834 --> 00:18:26,867 So I said, "Fine, I'll bring them up myself." 354 00:18:26,867 --> 00:18:28,767 - Trust me, that was hard. - Best way to do it. 355 00:18:28,934 --> 00:18:30,066 Good work. 356 00:18:30,066 --> 00:18:32,567 <i>As Officer Depew was</i> <i>checking sturgeon number six,</i> 357 00:18:32,734 --> 00:18:34,667 <i>two more sturgeon were</i> <i>pulled up almost at</i> 358 00:18:34,834 --> 00:18:36,367 <i>the exact same time.</i> 359 00:18:36,533 --> 00:18:39,400 <i>That made eight total sturgeon</i> <i>harvested, one more than</i> 360 00:18:39,567 --> 00:18:42,000 <i>the quota, two more than</i> <i>they had hoped to catch.</i> 361 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:43,800 You know, I mean, when you have an open fishery, 362 00:18:43,967 --> 00:18:47,166 there's a chance that you can go over your "quota", 363 00:18:47,166 --> 00:18:48,800 if you will. 364 00:18:48,967 --> 00:18:53,467 But we're at 1.2%, and we know we could go up to 5% for 365 00:18:53,467 --> 00:18:56,367 an expanding population, so it doesn't 366 00:18:56,367 --> 00:18:57,867 endanger the population. 367 00:18:59,500 --> 00:19:01,567 And with the open fishery, sometimes that happens, 368 00:19:01,734 --> 00:19:03,000 but we're still safe. 369 00:19:10,166 --> 00:19:14,133 - We went 20 minutes longer than last year. - Yeah. 370 00:19:16,567 --> 00:19:19,600 - That was another nice fish. - Was that bigger? 371 00:19:19,767 --> 00:19:21,767 No, it was about 50 again, somewhere in there. 372 00:19:22,667 --> 00:19:25,166 <i>Back at the check station,</i> <i>all of the fish were brought in</i> 373 00:19:25,166 --> 00:19:27,467 <i>for official measurements</i> <i>and photos,</i> 374 00:19:27,634 --> 00:19:31,000 <i>an unofficial celebration of</i> <i>a truly unique fishing season.</i> 375 00:19:31,166 --> 00:19:32,567 -Five, five. -Five, five? 376 00:19:32,734 --> 00:19:35,767 -Yep. -Full length, five, five inches. 377 00:19:35,767 --> 00:19:38,000 -Centimeters? -1-4-0 centimeters. 378 00:19:43,567 --> 00:19:45,066 33. 379 00:19:47,367 --> 00:19:51,400 This morning we speared eight fish by 9:07. 380 00:19:51,567 --> 00:19:54,166 Instead of stop at six fish, we ended up with eight. 381 00:19:54,166 --> 00:19:56,066 Nothing that we can do there. 382 00:19:56,233 --> 00:20:00,300 Biologically, it won't hurt the fishery. 383 00:20:00,467 --> 00:20:02,266 I think the season was awesome. 384 00:20:02,433 --> 00:20:05,100 It ended up a lot of work between fish division 385 00:20:05,266 --> 00:20:10,100 and Sturgeon for Tomorrow and law enforcement. 386 00:20:10,100 --> 00:20:11,967 We got the season done. It was safe. 387 00:20:14,367 --> 00:20:18,066 And it just ended up being a beautiful morning 388 00:20:18,233 --> 00:20:19,800 and a great day for fishing. 389 00:20:31,166 --> 00:20:34,400 <i>Conservation officers in</i> <i>Michigan police all aspects</i> 390 00:20:34,567 --> 00:20:35,634 <i>of the outdoors.</i> 391 00:20:35,634 --> 00:20:37,867 <i>In addition to fish</i> <i>and game laws, they patrol</i> 392 00:20:38,033 --> 00:20:40,667 <i>winter recreation sports</i> <i>like snowmobiling.</i> 393 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:48,166 <i>The state of Michigan has</i> <i>nearly 6,500 miles of</i> 394 00:20:48,166 --> 00:20:51,367 <i>snowmobile trails,</i> <i>with 3,100 of those miles</i> 395 00:20:51,367 --> 00:20:53,500 <i>just in the Upper Peninsula.</i> 396 00:20:53,667 --> 00:20:57,367 50% of our trails go through private property, 397 00:20:57,367 --> 00:21:00,066 and we're basically at the mercy of these 398 00:21:00,066 --> 00:21:02,500 private property owners to allow us to have our trails 399 00:21:02,667 --> 00:21:05,700 going through their properties and that's the reason that 400 00:21:05,867 --> 00:21:07,467 we're doing the enforcement. 401 00:21:07,467 --> 00:21:09,600 <i>But that number is down</i> <i>over recent years</i> 402 00:21:09,767 --> 00:21:10,967 <i>due to noise pollution.</i> 403 00:21:15,266 --> 00:21:18,300 <i>Many of the trails either run</i> <i>near private residences</i> 404 00:21:18,467 --> 00:21:21,667 <i>or through private property</i> <i>with the owner's permission.</i> 405 00:21:21,834 --> 00:21:24,800 <i>When too many noise complaints</i> <i>pile up, those owners can limit</i> 406 00:21:24,967 --> 00:21:28,667 <i>access, making it tougher to</i> <i>get from point A to point B.</i> 407 00:21:28,667 --> 00:21:31,200 <i>To combat that,</i> <i>conservation officers in</i> 408 00:21:31,367 --> 00:21:34,600 <i>Michigan's District 1 conduct</i> <i>sound emissions testing.</i> 409 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:43,367 <i>Snowmobiles manufactured</i> <i>after 1980 must be equipped</i> 410 00:21:43,533 --> 00:21:46,767 <i>with a muffler that does</i> <i>not exceed 88 decibels.</i> 411 00:21:46,767 --> 00:21:49,300 <i>Conservation officers use</i> <i>a sound level meter</i> 412 00:21:49,467 --> 00:21:51,100 <i>to measure the noise.</i> 413 00:21:51,100 --> 00:21:54,667 <i>They set up about 13 feet away</i> <i>at a height of 4 feet and take</i> 414 00:21:54,667 --> 00:21:57,600 <i>the average of two tests to</i> <i>determine if a snowmobile is</i> 415 00:21:57,767 --> 00:21:59,100 <i>over the limit or not.</i> 416 00:22:19,100 --> 00:22:20,667 OK, go ahead and shut it off. 417 00:22:20,667 --> 00:22:23,400 And if you're 88 decibels and below, then you pass. 418 00:22:23,567 --> 00:22:26,266 If you're over 88 decibels, you can see where this is 419 00:22:26,266 --> 00:22:28,166 the four-second average of when you were going. 420 00:22:28,166 --> 00:22:31,000 So you're at 89.1 decibels. 421 00:22:42,467 --> 00:22:44,700 And just so you can see where your second average is, 422 00:22:44,867 --> 00:22:45,734 this is your second score. 423 00:22:45,734 --> 00:22:47,200 We're gonna average the two together, 424 00:22:47,367 --> 00:22:49,767 but this one was 88.6, so... 425 00:22:50,767 --> 00:22:51,867 Close. 426 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:54,800 And actually, the difference between, 427 00:22:55,867 --> 00:23:00,700 the difference -- just the way that it works, 89 is 1.5 times 428 00:23:00,867 --> 00:23:03,767 louder than 88 is, so that's why it's a fail. 429 00:23:07,500 --> 00:23:11,266 <i>This rider is issued a ticket</i> <i>for exceeding 88 decibels.</i> 430 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:19,300 <i>Out on the trails,</i> <i>officers also watch</i> 431 00:23:19,467 --> 00:23:22,266 <i>busy intersections to make sure</i> <i>no one runs stop signs.</i> 432 00:23:23,467 --> 00:23:26,300 This particular stop, there's a lot of foot traffic. 433 00:23:26,467 --> 00:23:27,700 The college is right here. 434 00:23:27,867 --> 00:23:29,767 There's a viewing spot at the top of the hill. 435 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:34,066 Snowmobilers will run this stop sign because it doesn't look 436 00:23:34,233 --> 00:23:37,100 like a road, when in fact it's probably one of 437 00:23:37,266 --> 00:23:39,100 the most important ones to stop at. 438 00:23:39,100 --> 00:23:42,066 <i>Conservation Officers</i> <i>Ethan Mapes and Brian Lasanen</i> 439 00:23:42,233 --> 00:23:45,066 <i>are just getting set up when</i> <i>a group of four snowmobiles</i> 440 00:23:45,233 --> 00:23:47,400 <i>all blow right through</i> <i>the stop sign.</i> 441 00:24:06,867 --> 00:24:08,700 <i>It's the middle of</i> <i>the snowmobile season</i> 442 00:24:08,867 --> 00:24:11,066 <i>in the western half of</i> <i>Michigan's Upper Peninsula.</i> 443 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:19,467 <i>Conservation officers</i> <i>from District 1 have</i> 444 00:24:19,467 --> 00:24:22,300 <i>four snowmobiles pulled over</i> <i>for running a stop sign</i> 445 00:24:22,467 --> 00:24:24,066 <i>at a busy intersection.</i> 446 00:24:24,233 --> 00:24:25,867 What I'm looking for is an updated... 447 00:24:26,033 --> 00:24:27,367 - This one right here? ...this one is expired, yeah. 448 00:24:27,367 --> 00:24:29,900 - Sorry, just got it in the mail. - OK. 449 00:24:31,867 --> 00:24:33,767 Is there a reason why it's not affixed to your snowmobile? 450 00:24:33,934 --> 00:24:36,800 It was cold when I got up here and couldn't get this one off. 451 00:24:36,967 --> 00:24:38,300 OK. All right. 452 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:40,400 This is supposed to, before you ride 453 00:24:40,567 --> 00:24:42,000 in your snowmobile, it's supposed to be attached. 454 00:24:42,166 --> 00:24:43,600 - OK. -All right? 455 00:24:43,767 --> 00:24:44,900 - OK. -So I'll tell you what, 456 00:24:45,767 --> 00:24:48,166 write you a civil infraction for an outside violation 457 00:24:48,333 --> 00:24:51,367 instead of an unregistered snowmobile. - OK. 458 00:24:51,367 --> 00:24:53,667 -You got a driver's license with you? - I do. 459 00:24:53,834 --> 00:24:57,667 <i>While CO Lasanen checks this</i> <i>rider, CO Mapes finds marijuana</i> 460 00:24:57,667 --> 00:25:00,500 <i>and a pipe.</i> -That came off the front guy. 461 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:03,767 One big nugget. The rider, his pipe. 462 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:08,166 Said they've all been using this morning, and smoked 463 00:25:08,333 --> 00:25:11,600 this morning before we even saw them . - OK. 464 00:25:11,767 --> 00:25:13,567 - Everyone's eyes are... - Yeah. 465 00:25:13,567 --> 00:25:17,166 ...pins. So, we'll deal with this guy. 466 00:25:17,333 --> 00:25:20,266 <i>The officers take turns</i> <i>questioning the other riders</i> 467 00:25:20,433 --> 00:25:21,500 <i>on their marijuana usage.</i> 468 00:25:29,667 --> 00:25:30,967 - Didn't. - Huh? 469 00:25:31,133 --> 00:25:32,500 - Didn't. - Today, yesterday? 470 00:25:32,667 --> 00:25:33,700 Didn't. You didn't? 471 00:25:33,867 --> 00:25:35,200 I did not smoke up in Michigan. 472 00:25:36,100 --> 00:25:37,266 How long you been up here? 473 00:25:39,166 --> 00:25:40,667 Any drug use today from anybody? 474 00:25:40,834 --> 00:25:43,367 No, no, not that I know of, nope. 475 00:25:43,367 --> 00:25:45,667 I'm getting a different story from the three other guys 476 00:25:45,667 --> 00:25:46,867 that are with you. - Yep. 477 00:25:46,867 --> 00:25:48,900 Well, everybody's a grown man. 478 00:25:49,066 --> 00:25:51,100 You know, I'm the oldest out of the group. 479 00:25:51,100 --> 00:25:52,667 Right, right. I get that. 480 00:25:52,667 --> 00:25:54,567 I can't watch everybody, what they do. 481 00:25:54,734 --> 00:25:56,900 So what they do is their own business. 482 00:25:57,066 --> 00:25:58,367 -What I do is my own business. -Right. 483 00:25:58,533 --> 00:25:59,433 But I didn't smoke. 484 00:25:59,433 --> 00:26:00,800 Well, your business is my business today. 485 00:26:00,967 --> 00:26:02,467 -OK? - Yep, yep. You betcha. 486 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:16,867 Do you have a medical marijuana card? 487 00:26:16,867 --> 00:26:18,100 I do not. 488 00:26:22,500 --> 00:26:23,767 Do you have any marijuana on you right now? 489 00:26:23,767 --> 00:26:25,767 Nope. 490 00:26:25,767 --> 00:26:28,166 - If I pat you down, I'm not gonna find anything? - Nope. 491 00:26:28,333 --> 00:26:31,066 And I don't expect you to tell on your partners, 492 00:26:31,233 --> 00:26:34,266 but everybody else has already caved that everyone's been 493 00:26:34,433 --> 00:26:35,667 using marijuana today. - Sure, yeah. 494 00:26:35,667 --> 00:26:37,500 OK, so is that true? 495 00:26:37,667 --> 00:26:39,100 - Has everybody? -Yes. 496 00:26:39,266 --> 00:26:41,767 - Not what I see. -OK, what have you seen? 497 00:26:41,934 --> 00:26:43,300 I ain't seen no use today. 498 00:26:43,467 --> 00:26:44,700 OK, not even yourself? 499 00:26:44,867 --> 00:26:46,200 - No, uh-uh. -OK. 500 00:26:46,367 --> 00:26:47,867 Not when we're gonna be on these things, no way. 501 00:26:47,867 --> 00:26:51,066 Right, well, if everyone had that much common sense, 502 00:26:51,233 --> 00:26:52,400 that'd be nice, right? - You betcha. 503 00:26:52,567 --> 00:26:54,166 -OK. <i>-As they slowly start to</i> 504 00:26:54,333 --> 00:26:56,867 <i>piece the story together,</i> <i>they switch who they are</i> 505 00:26:57,033 --> 00:26:59,800 <i>questioning to see if</i> <i>everyone's story matches.</i> 506 00:26:59,967 --> 00:27:01,400 You couldn't find anything on him? 507 00:27:02,367 --> 00:27:05,367 -Are they denying it? -He said he smoked two days ago. 508 00:27:05,367 --> 00:27:07,066 OK. All right. 509 00:27:07,233 --> 00:27:08,967 I'll talk to him real quick if you want to switch spots 510 00:27:09,133 --> 00:27:11,500 and talk to them. I'll talk to them. 511 00:27:11,667 --> 00:27:13,166 All right. 512 00:27:13,166 --> 00:27:14,467 I know you don't want to get in trouble. 513 00:27:14,467 --> 00:27:16,600 I understand that, OK? 514 00:27:16,767 --> 00:27:18,400 But you're saying that you smoked marijuana 515 00:27:18,567 --> 00:27:20,467 five days ago? That's simply not true. 516 00:27:20,634 --> 00:27:21,600 -OK. - Not five days ago. 517 00:27:21,767 --> 00:27:23,100 OK. How many days? 518 00:27:23,266 --> 00:27:25,367 - Two. -OK, what about this morning? 519 00:27:25,367 --> 00:27:27,166 - Not this morning. -OK. 520 00:27:27,166 --> 00:27:29,667 Because I got conflicting stories now from your group. 521 00:27:29,834 --> 00:27:30,934 - OK. -All right. 522 00:27:30,934 --> 00:27:33,767 So now it's time to be honest, and I can help you out 523 00:27:33,767 --> 00:27:35,767 if you help me out, OK? 524 00:27:35,934 --> 00:27:37,233 -So when's the last time you smoked marijuana? - This morning. 525 00:27:37,233 --> 00:27:39,100 -This morning? OK. - Before we got on the trail, yeah. 526 00:27:39,100 --> 00:27:42,400 OK, before we saw you guys a couple hours ago? OK. 527 00:27:47,767 --> 00:27:51,166 <i>Michigan's District 1 is home</i> <i>to The Carp Lake Mine and other</i> 528 00:27:51,333 --> 00:27:53,667 <i>abandoned copper</i> <i>and iron mines.</i> 529 00:27:53,667 --> 00:27:55,867 <i>The mines are a popular</i> <i>hibernation spot for</i> 530 00:27:56,033 --> 00:27:59,767 <i>the state's bat population,</i> <i>a population that is dying off</i> 531 00:27:59,767 --> 00:28:03,467 <i>at an alarming rate.</i> -We found 92 bats today. 532 00:28:03,467 --> 00:28:07,066 This population in the past has been upwards of 19,000 bats. 533 00:28:07,233 --> 00:28:10,000 So we're looking at a 99% plus mortality rate that's happened 534 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:11,100 here in the last four years. 535 00:28:12,066 --> 00:28:13,200 It's pretty devastating. 536 00:28:14,500 --> 00:28:18,100 So at one time, this was the fifth largest population 537 00:28:18,100 --> 00:28:20,567 of bats in the state, 538 00:28:20,567 --> 00:28:22,767 and now we're down to less than 100. 539 00:28:24,767 --> 00:28:27,266 <i>The cause for this huge drop</i> <i>in the number of bats</i> 540 00:28:27,266 --> 00:28:29,266 <i>is white-nose syndrome.</i> 541 00:28:29,266 --> 00:28:32,800 You can tell these have died a long time ago. 542 00:28:35,266 --> 00:28:37,767 Basically, you've got a little bit skin left and a little bit 543 00:28:37,767 --> 00:28:40,266 of fur and bones, and that's about 544 00:28:40,433 --> 00:28:42,000 all that's left. 545 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:46,567 The disease did go through this particular mine two years ago, 546 00:28:46,567 --> 00:28:49,767 so we're not finding anything in the way of 547 00:28:49,934 --> 00:28:51,467 fresh dead bodies. 548 00:28:51,467 --> 00:28:54,700 It's mostly ones that died probably two years ago. 549 00:28:54,867 --> 00:28:58,367 <i>First discovered in 2006,</i> <i>white-nose syndrome is now</i> 550 00:28:58,367 --> 00:29:02,100 <i>found in 29 states</i> <i>and five Canadian provinces.</i> 551 00:29:02,100 --> 00:29:04,367 This disease is unique in that it only affects bats, 552 00:29:04,533 --> 00:29:06,000 multiple species of bats, but only affects bats. 553 00:29:06,166 --> 00:29:09,000 Doesn't affect any kind of livestock or pets or people directly. 554 00:29:10,066 --> 00:29:11,667 It only grows in a cold environment, 555 00:29:11,834 --> 00:29:13,266 so it's a cryophilic fungus. 556 00:29:13,266 --> 00:29:16,000 It only grows below 54 degrees Fahrenheit, and it grows in 557 00:29:16,166 --> 00:29:18,166 these environments when bats are in hibernation 558 00:29:18,166 --> 00:29:20,166 in particular, so it grows on their exposed skin. 559 00:29:20,166 --> 00:29:22,900 Protecting these hibernaculas is really critical for 560 00:29:23,066 --> 00:29:25,867 the recovery of these species over the very, very long term. 561 00:29:26,033 --> 00:29:28,467 <i>White-nose syndrome irritates</i> <i>the skin of a bat</i> 562 00:29:28,634 --> 00:29:30,100 <i>and dehydrates them.</i> 563 00:29:30,266 --> 00:29:33,000 <i>It also interrupts</i> <i>their hibernation patterns.</i> 564 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:35,200 Those bouts become so short that they become awake 565 00:29:35,367 --> 00:29:37,567 continuously, and they burn up the energy reserves they have 566 00:29:37,734 --> 00:29:39,567 for the winter and there's no opportunity to feed 567 00:29:39,567 --> 00:29:41,567 and replenish their energy reserves, so if they burn those 568 00:29:41,567 --> 00:29:44,867 energy reserves prematurely because of the disease they run 569 00:29:45,033 --> 00:29:47,567 out of gas effectively and they'll die en masse. 570 00:29:49,667 --> 00:29:51,767 -Heavily infected. -Yeah. 571 00:29:51,767 --> 00:29:53,166 Unbelievable. 572 00:29:53,333 --> 00:29:55,467 <i>At some of the sites the state</i> <i>is testing a couple of</i> 573 00:29:55,467 --> 00:29:58,367 <i>different treatments they hope</i> <i>will increase survival rates of</i> 574 00:29:58,533 --> 00:30:00,500 <i>bats with white-nose syndrome.</i> 575 00:30:00,667 --> 00:30:02,166 We have two different treatment trials going on. 576 00:30:02,333 --> 00:30:05,467 One strategy is to go in and actually treat the site. 577 00:30:05,467 --> 00:30:08,300 There's smaller sites where we go in and treat the site 578 00:30:08,467 --> 00:30:09,734 before the bats are there 579 00:30:10,667 --> 00:30:14,900 to try to kill off the fungus that's causing the disease, 580 00:30:15,066 --> 00:30:16,333 white-nose syndrome. 581 00:30:16,333 --> 00:30:19,300 <i>The second strategy involves</i> <i>treating the individual bats,</i> 582 00:30:19,467 --> 00:30:20,634 <i>not just the site.</i> 583 00:30:20,634 --> 00:30:24,266 If it works well, then we'll continue to test other sites 584 00:30:24,266 --> 00:30:26,166 here in Michigan and then also other states 585 00:30:26,333 --> 00:30:28,100 will start using it. 586 00:30:28,100 --> 00:30:31,100 So we feel fortunate that we're kind of one of the leaders in 587 00:30:31,266 --> 00:30:33,567 field trialing these treatment types. 588 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:36,900 It's exciting, we're hopeful. 589 00:30:45,967 --> 00:30:49,567 <i>With over 3,100 miles of</i> <i>snowmobile trails just in</i> 590 00:30:49,734 --> 00:30:52,100 <i>Michigan's Upper Peninsula,</i> <i>conservation officers</i> 591 00:30:52,266 --> 00:30:54,600 <i>patrol them similar to roads.</i> 592 00:30:54,767 --> 00:30:57,500 <i>They watch for excessive</i> <i>speeds, unsafe driving,</i> 593 00:30:57,667 --> 00:31:00,667 <i>and to make sure stop signs at</i> <i>busy intersections are obeyed.</i> 594 00:31:06,567 --> 00:31:08,166 <i>In Michigan's District 1,</i> 595 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:13,266 <i>COs Ethan Mapes</i> <i>and Brian Lasanen have a group</i> 596 00:31:13,266 --> 00:31:16,166 <i>of four snowmobilers pulled</i> <i>over for running a stop sign</i> 597 00:31:16,333 --> 00:31:17,600 <i>on trail number three.</i> 598 00:31:17,767 --> 00:31:20,266 <i>One of the drivers had drugs</i> <i>on him, and he admitted to</i> 599 00:31:20,266 --> 00:31:23,567 <i>smoking marijuana</i> <i>earlier that morning.</i> 600 00:31:23,734 --> 00:31:26,600 <i>A second rider eventually</i> <i>admitted to smoking as well.</i> 601 00:31:26,767 --> 00:31:29,166 So now it's time to be honest, and I can help you out 602 00:31:29,166 --> 00:31:30,767 if you help me out, OK? 603 00:31:30,934 --> 00:31:32,667 So when was the last time you smoked marijuana? 604 00:31:32,834 --> 00:31:34,000 - This morning. -This morning? OK. 605 00:31:34,166 --> 00:31:35,367 - Before we got on the trail, yeah. -OK. 606 00:31:35,533 --> 00:31:38,166 Before we saw you guys a couple hours ago? OK. 607 00:31:38,333 --> 00:31:39,967 All right, you got your license on you? 608 00:31:40,133 --> 00:31:41,567 -Does my partner have it? - He's got it. 609 00:31:41,567 --> 00:31:43,567 -OK. <i>-While the COs work to</i> 610 00:31:43,734 --> 00:31:46,367 <i>get the story from the rest of</i> <i>the group, a sound check is</i> 611 00:31:46,367 --> 00:31:48,867 <i>being administered</i> <i>closer to town.</i> 612 00:31:54,200 --> 00:31:57,467 <i>Sergeant Ryan Aho</i> <i>and Officer Mark Leadman are</i> 613 00:31:57,467 --> 00:32:00,567 <i>checking snowmobiles</i> <i>for excessive sound.</i> 614 00:32:00,734 --> 00:32:02,767 <i>88 decibels is the limit.</i> 615 00:32:02,934 --> 00:32:05,867 <i>If you are over that,</i> <i>you are issued a ticket.</i> 616 00:32:05,867 --> 00:32:08,100 That's what we're just trying to, you know, basically, 617 00:32:08,266 --> 00:32:10,667 just so you know why we're running all these tests, 618 00:32:10,667 --> 00:32:12,600 is that we've actually lost snowmobile trails, 619 00:32:12,767 --> 00:32:16,500 because 50% of our trails actually go through public property, 620 00:32:16,667 --> 00:32:19,166 and 50% go through private property, where we're losing 621 00:32:19,333 --> 00:32:21,467 permissions due to sound noises. 622 00:32:23,266 --> 00:32:25,467 OK, and again, have a seat on your snowmobile. 623 00:32:26,367 --> 00:32:28,767 Left hand on the brake, bring it up to 624 00:32:30,100 --> 00:32:32,266 that 4,000 RPMs when I give you the thumbs up, 625 00:32:32,433 --> 00:32:34,400 because that's when the machine will be ready, OK? 626 00:32:34,567 --> 00:32:36,166 All right, go ahead and start your machine. 627 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:03,100 Very -- Even I can do the math on this one. 628 00:33:03,266 --> 00:33:04,667 It's all the same? 629 00:33:04,667 --> 00:33:06,100 Exactly the same. 630 00:33:06,266 --> 00:33:08,000 - Am I good to go? 631 00:33:08,166 --> 00:33:10,266 90.5, you're way over. 632 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:15,767 88 is the limit where 633 00:33:15,767 --> 00:33:19,266 if you're over 88, you're in violation. 634 00:33:19,433 --> 00:33:23,100 <i>Aftermarket exhaust systems are</i> <i>the primary cause of engines</i> 635 00:33:23,266 --> 00:33:24,266 <i>being too loud.</i> 636 00:33:43,100 --> 00:33:44,166 That's good. 637 00:34:00,367 --> 00:34:02,066 You can come over and see where your second score was 638 00:34:02,233 --> 00:34:03,266 if you'd like. 639 00:34:04,300 --> 00:34:05,567 You can see where your average is here, sir. 640 00:34:05,567 --> 00:34:10,066 This is your second score. And your second score is 90.2. 641 00:34:10,233 --> 00:34:11,900 Come on up and check out your... 642 00:34:12,066 --> 00:34:14,967 I put pause... 91 flat. 643 00:34:17,066 --> 00:34:19,867 And you get the average of the two scores, so that's 644 00:34:20,033 --> 00:34:22,567 your four-second average that I took, 93.6. 645 00:34:22,567 --> 00:34:25,000 -So do you have a stock can for the machine? - Yeah. 646 00:34:25,166 --> 00:34:26,900 OK, what we're asking everybody is if you do have 647 00:34:27,066 --> 00:34:29,567 a stock can to please put it on if you had it with you, 648 00:34:29,567 --> 00:34:31,367 and if not, at your earliest convenience. 649 00:34:31,367 --> 00:34:32,667 Yeah, absolutely. 650 00:34:47,100 --> 00:34:48,100 Go ahead and shut it off. 651 00:34:48,266 --> 00:34:49,266 Why don't you come on over here? 652 00:34:49,433 --> 00:34:50,767 I like showing everybody where they're at. 653 00:34:52,767 --> 00:34:55,000 He's way over, so. 654 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:57,467 You're at, just with where you were, 94.9. 655 00:34:57,634 --> 00:35:00,100 -OK, and what is the limit on it? -88 is the limit, 656 00:35:00,266 --> 00:35:03,000 so you're probably one of the loudest sleds of the day. 657 00:35:03,166 --> 00:35:05,000 Today we had a very successful patrol. 658 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:08,200 We were targeting sound enforcement on the snowmobiles, 659 00:35:08,367 --> 00:35:11,667 so snowmobile sound enforcement, where we tested, 660 00:35:11,834 --> 00:35:14,066 we've probably tested close to 20 snowmobiles. 661 00:35:14,233 --> 00:35:18,900 I think we issued 12 to 15 citations for 662 00:35:19,867 --> 00:35:24,567 snowmobiles that exceeded 88 decibels, which is the maximum 663 00:35:24,567 --> 00:35:27,467 that you can have for a snowmobile to be legal. 664 00:35:27,634 --> 00:35:30,967 <i>The court-ordered fine for</i> <i>exceeding 88 decibels can be</i> 665 00:35:31,133 --> 00:35:32,667 <i>as high as $280.</i> 666 00:35:46,066 --> 00:35:48,467 <i>With thousands of miles</i> <i>of trails in the state,</i> 667 00:35:48,634 --> 00:35:51,867 <i>keeping them groomed is</i> <i>a near round-the-clock job.</i> 668 00:35:51,867 --> 00:35:55,767 Our club grooms 235 miles of trails. 669 00:35:55,767 --> 00:35:59,467 Behind me is one of the groomers that we get, 670 00:35:59,467 --> 00:36:04,266 $200,000 piece of equipment that is 100% funded by 671 00:36:04,266 --> 00:36:07,367 the trail permits sold by the snowmobiles that are 672 00:36:07,367 --> 00:36:08,667 coming up behind us. 673 00:36:08,667 --> 00:36:10,767 <i>There are dozens of</i> <i>local snowmobile groups</i> 674 00:36:10,934 --> 00:36:13,100 <i>across the state, and their</i> <i>members work all winter</i> 675 00:36:13,100 --> 00:36:15,467 <i>to keep the trails</i> <i>in tip-top shape.</i> 676 00:36:15,467 --> 00:36:19,266 <i>The winter of 2016-2017</i> <i>in Houghton County saw</i> 677 00:36:19,266 --> 00:36:21,767 <i>180 inches of snowfall.</i> 678 00:36:21,767 --> 00:36:24,867 Because of the high amount of snow that we get up here, 679 00:36:25,033 --> 00:36:29,500 as well as the enthusiasm from the snowmobilers to come up 680 00:36:29,667 --> 00:36:32,600 here and play in all that snow, we have to hit our trails 681 00:36:32,767 --> 00:36:34,100 at least twice a day. 682 00:36:34,266 --> 00:36:35,867 Snowmobiling is huge for this area. 683 00:36:35,867 --> 00:36:39,800 I mean, that's probably our primary winter income 684 00:36:39,967 --> 00:36:43,200 as far as tourism and so forth, so it makes a major impact. 685 00:36:43,367 --> 00:36:45,000 If we don't have the weather for snowmobiles, 686 00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:48,300 then our economy is hurting up here a little bit. 687 00:36:48,467 --> 00:36:54,767 So in a season, our club grooms over 30,000 miles of trail. 688 00:36:54,934 --> 00:36:58,100 That's like circling the globe and going another quarter of 689 00:36:58,266 --> 00:36:59,500 the way around. 690 00:37:01,166 --> 00:37:03,900 <i>Conservation Officers</i> <i>Ethan Mapes and Brian Lasanen</i> 691 00:37:04,066 --> 00:37:07,667 <i>of Michigan's District 1 have</i> <i>four snowmobilers pulled over.</i> 692 00:37:11,867 --> 00:37:13,800 <i>The group ran a stop sign</i> <i>at the intersection of</i> 693 00:37:13,967 --> 00:37:16,567 <i>two very busy snow trails,</i> <i>and they found drugs</i> 694 00:37:16,567 --> 00:37:18,200 <i>on one of the drivers.</i> 695 00:37:18,367 --> 00:37:22,800 I found marijuana on the front group. We're gonna deal with that. 696 00:37:24,266 --> 00:37:25,600 They shouldn't be driving. 697 00:37:25,767 --> 00:37:27,100 At least a couple of them shouldn't be driving. 698 00:37:28,467 --> 00:37:29,634 Their sled's staying... 699 00:37:29,634 --> 00:37:32,700 Obviously, it impaired them, which is why they blew this 700 00:37:32,867 --> 00:37:35,166 stop sign right through this intersection with people 701 00:37:35,166 --> 00:37:37,767 walking everywhere. 702 00:37:37,767 --> 00:37:40,066 It would be a good one to get him off the trail. 703 00:37:40,233 --> 00:37:43,867 <i>In addition to traditional fish</i> <i>and game laws, COs police many</i> 704 00:37:43,867 --> 00:37:46,367 <i>recreational sports,</i> <i>like snowmobiling.</i> 705 00:37:46,533 --> 00:37:47,433 I know you guys smoke marijuana. 706 00:37:47,433 --> 00:37:48,500 Everybody smoked marijuana this morning. 707 00:37:48,667 --> 00:37:50,100 before you hit the trails, right? 708 00:37:51,700 --> 00:37:54,000 Well, if they did, I didn't smoke any marijuana. 709 00:37:54,166 --> 00:37:55,500 Were you guys staying in the same room? 710 00:37:55,667 --> 00:37:56,667 Yep, yep. 711 00:37:56,834 --> 00:37:58,867 So you're telling me that they were hiding, 712 00:37:59,033 --> 00:38:00,400 or what's going on? 713 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:01,967 Well, what they do outside, I go outside and smoke 714 00:38:02,133 --> 00:38:03,300 cigarettes and make sure everything's... 715 00:38:03,467 --> 00:38:05,367 When's the last time you used marijuana? 716 00:38:05,367 --> 00:38:06,767 - Friday night. -Friday night, 717 00:38:06,934 --> 00:38:08,967 before you guys came up to Michigan? - Yep, yep. 718 00:38:09,133 --> 00:38:11,467 <i>Two of the drivers have</i> <i>admitted to smoking marijuana</i> 719 00:38:11,634 --> 00:38:12,734 <i>earlier that morning.</i> 720 00:38:12,734 --> 00:38:15,266 So now it's time to be honest, and I can help you out 721 00:38:15,433 --> 00:38:16,767 if you help me out, OK? 722 00:38:16,934 --> 00:38:18,600 So when's the last time you smoked marijuana? 723 00:38:18,767 --> 00:38:20,166 - This morning. -This morning? 724 00:38:20,333 --> 00:38:22,467 <i>The other two are denying</i> <i>that they also smoked.</i> 725 00:38:22,467 --> 00:38:25,000 -Any drug use today from anybody? - No, no. 726 00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:26,867 Not that I know of. Nope. 727 00:38:26,867 --> 00:38:30,667 <i>The COs conduct field sobriety</i> <i>tests on all four individuals.</i> 728 00:38:30,834 --> 00:38:33,600 18, 19, 20. 729 00:38:36,767 --> 00:38:42,367 One, two, three, four, 730 00:38:42,367 --> 00:38:49,000 five, six, seven, eight, nine, 731 00:38:54,367 --> 00:38:56,600 OK, at this point, you're under arrest for 732 00:38:56,767 --> 00:39:00,066 possession of marijuana, OK? - Yep. 733 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:04,367 To be determined, we're gonna check and see 734 00:39:04,533 --> 00:39:07,967 how much THC is in your blood, see if you're OK 735 00:39:08,133 --> 00:39:10,266 to drive a snowmobile today. 736 00:39:10,433 --> 00:39:11,800 Obviously, you're a little bit impaired. 737 00:39:11,967 --> 00:39:14,367 You drove right through that stop sign, OK? 738 00:39:14,533 --> 00:39:16,767 <i>Based on the results of</i> <i>those tests, coupled with</i> 739 00:39:16,934 --> 00:39:20,367 <i>the snowmobilers'</i> <i>admissions, the COs called</i> <i>the Houghton County Sheriff</i> 740 00:39:20,367 --> 00:39:23,266 <i>and Michigan State Police</i> <i>to help transport all four</i> 741 00:39:23,266 --> 00:39:25,867 <i>to a local hospital</i> <i>for further blood testing.</i> 742 00:39:27,166 --> 00:39:29,500 Will you guys take a blood test for me? 743 00:39:29,667 --> 00:39:31,400 -Volunteer blood test? -Sure. 744 00:39:31,567 --> 00:39:34,200 -OK. -I appreciate you guys cooperating, OK? 745 00:39:34,367 --> 00:39:37,266 Yeah, no, I know. I like being helpful. 746 00:39:38,300 --> 00:39:41,266 <i>All four were charged with</i> <i>operating a snowmobile under</i> 747 00:39:41,266 --> 00:39:44,300 <i>the influence of drugs,</i> <i>and all four plead guilty,</i> 748 00:39:44,467 --> 00:39:47,467 <i>paying $850</i> <i>in court-ordered fines</i> 749 00:39:47,634 --> 00:39:49,600 <i>and spending</i> <i>the night in jail.</i> 750 00:39:49,767 --> 00:39:52,900 <i>They also lost their snowmobile</i> <i>privileges for six months.</i> 750 00:39:53,305 --> 00:40:53,647 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm