Michigan Department of Natural Resources

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is calling on snowmobilers to ditch modifications to  their sleds' exhaust systems that can make snowmobiles exceed legal noise limits. 

DNR officials say they continue to get complaints from the public about loud sleds.

"They're modifying them by putting on different types of exhaust pipes or what are called cans," said John Pepin, a DNR spokesperson. "And by using those modifications, they make the sleds actually louder than they would be, had they used the original stock exhaust that came from the manufacturer."

State officials have named eight navigable waterways as the first state-designated water trails in Michigan.

The water trails total about 540 miles and flow through more than a dozen counties in the Lower Peninsula, according to the state Department of Natural Resources. They are intended for paddleboarders and boaters on lakes, rivers, canals and bays.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources offered free admission to state parks, to entice people outside on Black Friday.

The DNR said the inspiration comes from the #OptOutside movement, which was started by the outdoor equipment store REI.

At P. J. Hoffmaster State Park, along Lake Michigan, there was a steady stream of visitors Friday.

It appears Belle Isle will continue to host the Detroit Grand Prix for at least another five years.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources signaled its support for that Friday, as it released some suggested terms for keeping the IndyCar race on the island.

A dredging project in Grand Traverse Bay Harbor in Michigan's Upper Peninsula has been delayed due to permit and contracting issues.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says dredging expected to start this spring will be postponed until at least fall. It's part of efforts to save Buffalo Reef off Gay, northwest of Marquette.

Public comment is being sought on a draft of a conservation plan expected to help reverse eastern monarch butterfly population declines.

Michigan's Department of Natural Resources says the Mid-America Monarch Conservation Strategy builds on existing efforts by state, federal, and local agencies and private organizations and individuals.

Monarch butterflies found east of the Rocky Mountains have declined by more than 80 percent over the past 20 years primarily due to habitat loss, including reduced milkweed required for reproduction and fewer nectar plants.

Hiking and bicycling routes that will traverse Michigan have secured $10.5 million in private donations. Gov. Rick Snyder on Tuesday shared the fundraising update on the Iron Belle Trail at an Ann Arbor event. He was joined by philanthropists including officials with the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, which has pledged roughly $5.5 million for trail design and development in Washtenaw County and Detroit. A group has been formed to help raise an additional $155 million in private money.

This week, Michigan lawmakers are scheduled to discuss a measure that would prevent communities from sterilizing wild animals to control their populations.

Copperwood Resources, a subsidiary of Highland Copper, has entered into a legal settlement with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality over part of its exploratory drilling operation at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.

The agreement concerns environmental damage from the mining company's test drilling last spring along a county road right-of-way (233 feet on each side of the road) at the park.

Two additional firearm deer hunts are planned for January 4-7 and 11-14 in portions of Ionia and Montcalm counties, according to an announcement of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The goal of the extra hunts is to help with monitoring chronic wasting disease that has been found in some deer in these counties.

Participants in the hunt will be required to turn in the heads of the deer they kill for testing. 

The DNR advises not to eat the deer until test results are back.

Most Michiganders have spent hours walking up and down shorelines, hoping to spot a Petoskey stone or two for their collection.

Hunting for Petoskey stones can be tough - they're often small, hidden among thousands of other little rocks and their distinctive pattern is only visible when wet.

One deer in Genesee County has tested positive for epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Disease Laboratory and the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory say the free-ranging white-tailed deer died from the disease, which can be found in wild ruminants such as white-tailed deer, mule deer and elk.

The state Department of Natural Resources says an invasive grass from Asia has been found in Michigan for first time.

The DNR said Friday that Japanese stiltgrass was recently found on private property in Scio Township, near Ann Arbor in Washtenaw County.

The invasive plant originates in Asia and is a thin, bamboo-like grass with jointed stems and well-spaced leaves.

The DNR is asking landowners and others spending time outdoors to be on the lookout for Japanese stiltgrass and to report its location to the state agency.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has issued a recommendation against adopting "hunter pink" as an approved alternate color for hunting safety gear.

Other states like Colorado and Wisconsin allow hunters to ditch the traditional orange safety gear for pink. But Tom Wanless, Hunter Education Administrator with the DNR, says the agency doesn't have enough information on whether pink is safe enough.

"Contrary to what some people are thinking, hunter pink is not a true color," Wanless said. "Hunter orange is a true color. It is nationally and internationally recognized as the safety color for hunting."

A recent Facebook post has gone viral in the Great Lakes region. A few weeks ago, an Ontario woman posted a video and photo of a small, umbrella-shaped sea creature she says she caught in Lake Erie — a freshwater jellyfish. The video has been viewed more than a million times.

For the first time in more than 100 years, a cougar has officially been found in Michigan's Lower Peninsula.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources confirmed the presence of a cougar in Bath Township, Clinton County.

A photo of the cougar was captured by a Haslett resident near the Rose Lake Wildlife Area on June 21. After a field investigation, the MDNR confirmed that the animal was indeed a cougar, also commonly referred to as a mountain lion.

Peregrine falcons are making a comeback in southeastern Michigan, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The birds became endangered in the mid-20th century because of pesticides like DDT. But now, the population has grown from near extinction to 15 nesting pairs in southeast Michigan alone.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources discovered 20 burned mattresses and bedspring frames on state-managed land in northern Michigan last week. 

MDNR says conservation officers responded to a complaint on May 24 about the burned items in Benzie County's Inland Township. They're seeking information from the public about anyone responsible for dumping and burning them.

A new program from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources will allow campers to bring their dogs and cats to some Michigan state parks. The pilot project will launch on November 1st and last for one year.

DNR resource specialist Maia Turek says lots of people like to vacation with their pets.

Ahead of the 100-year anniversary of the state park system, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has drafted a strategic plan for the state parks and recreation system.

The draft plan will replace the current strategic plan, which was set to last until 2019. The draft identifies new issues and recent changes within the system. Key issues include the environment, economic impact, and balancing recreation and protection.

Officials have found that a recent outbreak of an invasive virus may be responsible for killing tens of thousands of fish in Lake St. Clair.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources confirmed this afternoon that the fish tested positive for the viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSv). The virus first appeared in Lake Michigan in 2006.

For rural residents worried about visits from black bears this spring and summer, a wildlife expert has some advice: Take down your bird feeders, at least for now.

Katie Keen of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources says bears are particularly attracted to bird seed and suet because they have higher fat content than natural food sources such as roots of early spring plants and insect larvae.

Once a bear finds a bird feeder, it will keep coming back until the seed is gone or the feeder is removed.

Insects and diseases are posing a threat to Michigan's forests.

That's according to a report released yesterday by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The report, which is a part of the National Forest Health Monitoring Program, includes an analysis of issues that threaten Michigan's 20 million acres of forest land for 2016.