State wildlife regulators say armadillos are in Michigan, but it’s not so cut-and-dry.
(Ed. Note: This story was originally published by Bridge Michigan, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization. Visit the newsroom online: bridgemi.com.)
By Laura Herberg
Bridge Michigan
Michigan officials say they need to get ahead of a problem they’re not even sure they have: armadillos.
The only evidence the armored animals are in the state is a handful of roadkill samples and a single photo. Some Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials think those animals were moved into Michigan from elsewhere and didn’t get here naturally.
But Becky Humphries, chair of the Michigan Natural Resources Commission, seemed skeptical of the idea people would be “moving armadillos around.”
“I can’t imagine why the hell they would,” she said. “Sometimes the department doesn’t recognize when species first are found and people see sightings.”
The mammals, most commonly found in Texas and other southern states, have been identified in states bordering Michigan, likely pushed northward by climate change. Natural Resources Commissioner John Walters said at a meeting last week he wants to take steps toward allowing people to kill them here.
Armadillos are burrowing creatures, and their burrows beneath decks and even houses have been known to damage structures and tear up yards. They also can carry diseases including leprosy. However, some see benefits to the creatures because they feed on other pests such as ants and cockroaches.
Between 1989 and 2022, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources confirmed six reports of armadillos in Michigan. Five were roadkill samples tested by the DNR’s Wildlife Disease Lab: two from Ottawa County and one each from Ionia, Luce, and Saginaw counties. The DNR also confirmed a photo from Sanilac County posted on iNaturalist, an online platform on which people record and identify plants and animals.
There have been no confirmed sightings of live armadillo in Michigan, according to the DNR. And, as for those six confirmed sightings, some DNR staffers are suspicious of their origin.
“All of these are suspected of being picked up in a different state and discarded in Michigan, but we don’t have definitive proof of that,” DNR Bear, Furbearer and Small Game Specialist Cody Norton told Bridge in an email.
If armadillos had naturally wandered into the state, Norton said, it would make sense to spot them in the southernmost counties, but the roadkill samples and the photo came from around the state, including in the Upper Peninsula.
Armadillos migrated up from Mexico and into southern states like Texas in the 1840s and Florida in the 1920s. With climate change, their distribution has spanned northward, all the way up to states like Illinois, Ohio and Indiana.
A 2025 study by the US Geological Survey mapped out where the nine-banded armadillo (or their dead bodies) have been seen. The study mentioned “occasional reports” of armadillo in Michigan, but one of the authors, Brett DeGregorio, told Bridge researchers didn’t map those reports because there was no precise location data for Michigan’s armadillo roadkill and he heard the iNaturalist sighting was a prank.
Still, DeGregorio thinks armadillos have walked into the Wolverine State.
“I have no doubt that a handful of armadillos have made it to Michigan and then were hit by vehicles or died overwinter,” he said.
This is not the first time armadillos have been looked into by the state. In 2024, state officials began evaluating whether armadillos should be put on the invasive species watch list.
“They were having issues in Illinois and Missouri, mainly like car accidents, getting hit in the road,” said Ryan Wheeler, an invasive species biologist for the DNR. “And we were like, ‘Ah, we might need to look into these.’”
After reviewing the roadkill and photo evidence, the group determined armadillos have been in the state, but they don’t seem to be established.
“I mean, they’re obviously consistently showing up here,” Wheeler said. “But, as of right now, there’s nothing that we can point to say, ‘Yes, armadillos are here, they’re reproducing and we have a resident population.’”
That’s probably because, if armadillos do make it to Michigan — whether on foot or on a moving truck or as a souvenir from a family vacation — they likely can’t survive Michigan’s harsh winters.
But that’s expected to change as the climate warms. Experts like Wheeler think it will only be a matter of time before armadillos clearly settle in Michigan.
By Laura Herberg
Bridge Michigan
Michigan officials say they need to get ahead of a problem they’re not even sure they have: armadillos.
The only evidence the armored animals are in the state is a handful of roadkill samples and a single photo. Some Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials think those animals were moved into Michigan from elsewhere and didn’t get here naturally.
But Becky Humphries, chair of the Michigan Natural Resources Commission, seemed skeptical of the idea people would be “moving armadillos around.”
“I can’t imagine why the hell they would,” she said. “Sometimes the department doesn’t recognize when species first are found and people see sightings.”
The mammals, most commonly found in Texas and other southern states, have been identified in states bordering Michigan, likely pushed northward by climate change. Natural Resources Commissioner John Walters said at a meeting last week he wants to take steps toward allowing people to kill them here.
Armadillos are burrowing creatures, and their burrows beneath decks and even houses have been known to damage structures and tear up yards. They also can carry diseases including leprosy. However, some see benefits to the creatures because they feed on other pests such as ants and cockroaches.
Between 1989 and 2022, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources confirmed six reports of armadillos in Michigan. Five were roadkill samples tested by the DNR’s Wildlife Disease Lab: two from Ottawa County and one each from Ionia, Luce, and Saginaw counties. The DNR also confirmed a photo from Sanilac County posted on iNaturalist, an online platform on which people record and identify plants and animals.
There have been no confirmed sightings of live armadillo in Michigan, according to the DNR. And, as for those six confirmed sightings, some DNR staffers are suspicious of their origin.
“All of these are suspected of being picked up in a different state and discarded in Michigan, but we don’t have definitive proof of that,” DNR Bear, Furbearer and Small Game Specialist Cody Norton told Bridge in an email.
If armadillos had naturally wandered into the state, Norton said, it would make sense to spot them in the southernmost counties, but the roadkill samples and the photo came from around the state, including in the Upper Peninsula.
Armadillos migrated up from Mexico and into southern states like Texas in the 1840s and Florida in the 1920s. With climate change, their distribution has spanned northward, all the way up to states like Illinois, Ohio and Indiana.
A 2025 study by the US Geological Survey mapped out where the nine-banded armadillo (or their dead bodies) have been seen. The study mentioned “occasional reports” of armadillo in Michigan, but one of the authors, Brett DeGregorio, told Bridge researchers didn’t map those reports because there was no precise location data for Michigan’s armadillo roadkill and he heard the iNaturalist sighting was a prank.
Still, DeGregorio thinks armadillos have walked into the Wolverine State.
“I have no doubt that a handful of armadillos have made it to Michigan and then were hit by vehicles or died overwinter,” he said.
This is not the first time armadillos have been looked into by the state. In 2024, state officials began evaluating whether armadillos should be put on the invasive species watch list.
“They were having issues in Illinois and Missouri, mainly like car accidents, getting hit in the road,” said Ryan Wheeler, an invasive species biologist for the DNR. “And we were like, ‘Ah, we might need to look into these.’”
After reviewing the roadkill and photo evidence, the group determined armadillos have been in the state, but they don’t seem to be established.
“I mean, they’re obviously consistently showing up here,” Wheeler said. “But, as of right now, there’s nothing that we can point to say, ‘Yes, armadillos are here, they’re reproducing and we have a resident population.’”
That’s probably because, if armadillos do make it to Michigan — whether on foot or on a moving truck or as a souvenir from a family vacation — they likely can’t survive Michigan’s harsh winters.
But that’s expected to change as the climate warms. Experts like Wheeler think it will only be a matter of time before armadillos clearly settle in Michigan.
The Simplified Crappie Tackle Box
Tom Maat shows off a crappie he caught using a Brewer spinner head.
Photo courtesy Jack Payne
By Jack Payne
Six rods spaced out across the front of the boat, my buddy and I bundled up, looking like we were prepared for a walk across the North Pole. We were fishing ice-out crappie with a technique called spider trolling.
Crawling along at 0.3 mph, rod tips all set just inches from the water surface, we cruised the back bays and the shallow waters. Most of the hits were either the line moving sideways or the rod tip rising an inch or two. Crappies feed upwards; keep that in mind.
On other ice-out early spring days, you might find us staring at a slip float, fishing some warm channel, cove, or backwaters that warm up fairly quickly. Our best locations would be home to muskrats and turtles.
Some days, our lines almost reached the shore. The crappie was feeding on minnows and smaller insects; all found in the warmer parts of the lake. The northeast side of the lake usually warms up faster than the main lake.
By the first of May, we will be counting down the fall rate of our small jigs while casting to cabbage weeds, pencil reeds, maybe some type of wood, be it stumps, a log on the bottom of the lake, or flooded brush.
There’s nothing quite like the light tap-tap-tap of a crappie inhaling a jig rigged with my favorite plastic body.
In any scenario, the lures that we use are just basic tools of the trade. Finally, after years of accumulating stuff, I only use a few select baits throughout the season. So, I downsized my tackle box, focused on the styles and patterns I enjoy, and caught more fish.
At ice-out, a jig and minnow combination is just plain deadly. We use either the marabou pinky-style jig or a jig with rubber legs. We will tip the jigs with a minnow and fish it under a slip float. This setup works from a foot of water to suspended fish at 20 feet.
Suspended fish all season fall for this rig, and starting in late October, it's once again the best rig going.
Slip floats should be a part of any angler’s arsenal, regardless of the species. They can be fished under any situation, all season long. On the days with some breeze, cast on an angle upwind, and let the wind provide your action and movement.
Charlie Brewer Crappie Grubs are hands down my favorite plastic baits. With decades of record keeping, there has not been one year in which the Brewer Crappie Grub has not come out on top.
This lure looks like a minnow when you reel it in. The slim paddle tail moves with almost no effort. We mostly use chartreuse, yellow, or light blue with chartreuse tails. That covers our top colors.
Action tales along the lines of the Mr. Twister battle, a close second to the Brewer Grub. The Brewer's tail excels in the spring and fall, and holds its own during the summer. The twister style tail excels from the peak of the spawning season until late September.
Jig heads in the 1/32-, 1/16-, and 1/8-ounce sizes are the best. We use Brewer crappie jig heads nearly 100 percent of the time. The wide gap of the hook ensures a good hook-set, and the plastic can be rigged weedless or with the hook point exposed. It will slide over the weeds and through the weeds without hanging up.
There is one additional lure to mention, which broadens our approach - the Road Runner/pony head-style jig spinner combination. Picture a standard jig head with a small spinner blade, offering a new tactic.
We purchase the jig heads without any marabou or plastic. This way, we can add the plastic of our choice. We throw the spinner with a plastic tail when the fish are really active, stacked in the weeds, or in dingy or muddy colored water.
This year I plan on giving Tube Jigs and honest effort. Using just a few select lures and an organized tackle box makes crappie fishing simpler and more successful. For your needs, visit Bob's Gun and Tackle Shop.
By Jack Payne
Six rods spaced out across the front of the boat, my buddy and I bundled up, looking like we were prepared for a walk across the North Pole. We were fishing ice-out crappie with a technique called spider trolling.
Crawling along at 0.3 mph, rod tips all set just inches from the water surface, we cruised the back bays and the shallow waters. Most of the hits were either the line moving sideways or the rod tip rising an inch or two. Crappies feed upwards; keep that in mind.
On other ice-out early spring days, you might find us staring at a slip float, fishing some warm channel, cove, or backwaters that warm up fairly quickly. Our best locations would be home to muskrats and turtles.
Some days, our lines almost reached the shore. The crappie was feeding on minnows and smaller insects; all found in the warmer parts of the lake. The northeast side of the lake usually warms up faster than the main lake.
By the first of May, we will be counting down the fall rate of our small jigs while casting to cabbage weeds, pencil reeds, maybe some type of wood, be it stumps, a log on the bottom of the lake, or flooded brush.
There’s nothing quite like the light tap-tap-tap of a crappie inhaling a jig rigged with my favorite plastic body.
In any scenario, the lures that we use are just basic tools of the trade. Finally, after years of accumulating stuff, I only use a few select baits throughout the season. So, I downsized my tackle box, focused on the styles and patterns I enjoy, and caught more fish.
At ice-out, a jig and minnow combination is just plain deadly. We use either the marabou pinky-style jig or a jig with rubber legs. We will tip the jigs with a minnow and fish it under a slip float. This setup works from a foot of water to suspended fish at 20 feet.
Suspended fish all season fall for this rig, and starting in late October, it's once again the best rig going.
Slip floats should be a part of any angler’s arsenal, regardless of the species. They can be fished under any situation, all season long. On the days with some breeze, cast on an angle upwind, and let the wind provide your action and movement.
Charlie Brewer Crappie Grubs are hands down my favorite plastic baits. With decades of record keeping, there has not been one year in which the Brewer Crappie Grub has not come out on top.
This lure looks like a minnow when you reel it in. The slim paddle tail moves with almost no effort. We mostly use chartreuse, yellow, or light blue with chartreuse tails. That covers our top colors.
Action tales along the lines of the Mr. Twister battle, a close second to the Brewer Grub. The Brewer's tail excels in the spring and fall, and holds its own during the summer. The twister style tail excels from the peak of the spawning season until late September.
Jig heads in the 1/32-, 1/16-, and 1/8-ounce sizes are the best. We use Brewer crappie jig heads nearly 100 percent of the time. The wide gap of the hook ensures a good hook-set, and the plastic can be rigged weedless or with the hook point exposed. It will slide over the weeds and through the weeds without hanging up.
There is one additional lure to mention, which broadens our approach - the Road Runner/pony head-style jig spinner combination. Picture a standard jig head with a small spinner blade, offering a new tactic.
We purchase the jig heads without any marabou or plastic. This way, we can add the plastic of our choice. We throw the spinner with a plastic tail when the fish are really active, stacked in the weeds, or in dingy or muddy colored water.
This year I plan on giving Tube Jigs and honest effort. Using just a few select lures and an organized tackle box makes crappie fishing simpler and more successful. For your needs, visit Bob's Gun and Tackle Shop.
Outdoor Truths: A Priceless Exchange
By Gary Miller
The bass fishing tournaments are getting ready to start with a vengeance. Once they begin, each weekend will offer another opportunity to fish for money.
All bass tournaments have pretty much the same rules; two fishermen; one boat; the five biggest fish by weight, win. Some men will literally come to blows in pursuing first prize. And first prize can be worth lots of money, even in the smaller tournaments.
As I have said before, these types of events touch both the competitive and outdoorsy side of men. It’s fun enough to fish but add in beating somebody in the process and winning cash to do it makes it an addictive potion.
Most of the time, each team will spend the first few hours on the water just trying to catch any size of fish. The immediate goal is to get five fish in the boat. After (or if) that is accomplished, the goal changes. Now it’s time to cull the smaller ones that are already in the live well for bigger replacements. Remember, it’s the five heaviest fish.
Sometimes the technique changes just for the purpose of perhaps catching less fish but bigger ones. Again, the lesser ones get tossed back in when a better quality one is caught. And there are occasions when some good fish are thrown back because a great one is caught.
Our life is somewhat like these bass tournaments. We know we only have room for so many things in our life as well. Each one of these can be of little or great importance. Our life’s pursuit and God’s desire for us is to constantly add something that has a greater value than what we already have.
What we must remember, however, is sometimes we must get rid of something that is of great value to add something else that is priceless. This decision always comes with a mixed sense of both loss and excitement.
As we mature, we understand it just has to be that way. It’s just like that exercise shirt that you once wore that said, “No Pain; No Gain.” This is so true.
But never forget, what you give up now will not seem so great a sacrifice when you get to the weigh-in. These types of sacrifices will always put you in the real money.
—————
Gary Miller has written Outdoor Truths articles for 23 years. He has also written five books which include compilations of his articles and a father/son devotional. He also speaks at wild-game dinners and men’s events for churches and associations. Write to him at gary@outdoor truths.org.
The bass fishing tournaments are getting ready to start with a vengeance. Once they begin, each weekend will offer another opportunity to fish for money.
All bass tournaments have pretty much the same rules; two fishermen; one boat; the five biggest fish by weight, win. Some men will literally come to blows in pursuing first prize. And first prize can be worth lots of money, even in the smaller tournaments.
As I have said before, these types of events touch both the competitive and outdoorsy side of men. It’s fun enough to fish but add in beating somebody in the process and winning cash to do it makes it an addictive potion.
Most of the time, each team will spend the first few hours on the water just trying to catch any size of fish. The immediate goal is to get five fish in the boat. After (or if) that is accomplished, the goal changes. Now it’s time to cull the smaller ones that are already in the live well for bigger replacements. Remember, it’s the five heaviest fish.
Sometimes the technique changes just for the purpose of perhaps catching less fish but bigger ones. Again, the lesser ones get tossed back in when a better quality one is caught. And there are occasions when some good fish are thrown back because a great one is caught.
Our life is somewhat like these bass tournaments. We know we only have room for so many things in our life as well. Each one of these can be of little or great importance. Our life’s pursuit and God’s desire for us is to constantly add something that has a greater value than what we already have.
What we must remember, however, is sometimes we must get rid of something that is of great value to add something else that is priceless. This decision always comes with a mixed sense of both loss and excitement.
As we mature, we understand it just has to be that way. It’s just like that exercise shirt that you once wore that said, “No Pain; No Gain.” This is so true.
But never forget, what you give up now will not seem so great a sacrifice when you get to the weigh-in. These types of sacrifices will always put you in the real money.
—————
Gary Miller has written Outdoor Truths articles for 23 years. He has also written five books which include compilations of his articles and a father/son devotional. He also speaks at wild-game dinners and men’s events for churches and associations. Write to him at gary@outdoor truths.org.
Michigan Hunters Harvest 153 Elk in 2025
Bruce Nelson, 87, harvested this cow elk on Dec. 13 after receiving his first elk hunting license. The Hastings man had entered every elk hunt drawing dating back to 1964.
Photo courtesy of Bruce Nelson
Michigan elk hunters faced challenging weather and storm-ravaged terrain to harvest 153 elk in 2025.
A record number of applicants – 47,493 – applied for one of just 260 elk licenses that were issued through the state’s annual drawing. The elk hunt took place in the northern Lower Peninsula over two periods – one that stretched across late August and September and one in December.
“With more than 47,000 applicants for the 260 elk hunting licenses made available, Michigan elk hunting is a highly prized opportunity,” said Brent Rudolph, the deer, elk and moose management specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
“Despite their good fortune, the lucky hunters drawn for this year faced a variety of challenges to harvesting an elk,” Rudolph said. “Those challenges included high temperatures in the early hunt period, blustery cold and freezing rain in the late hunt period, and continued complications from the historic March 2025 ice storm that left significant areas of downed trees and debris in the woods of northern Michigan.”
—————
Managing the herd
The DNR uses hunting as the primary method to sustainably manage Michigan’s elk population, which stands at an estimated 1,150 animals. The elk herd is centered in the Pigeon River Country State Forest, primarily in Cheboygan, Montmorency and Otsego counties.
The DNR Wildlife Division has proposed lengthening the elk hunting season for the 2026-2027 hunting cycle. Under the proposal, the two hunting periods would provide 45 total days of harvest time, more than double the current 21 days of harvest time. Public feedback has been coming in since November, and final comments can be emailed to DNR-Elk-Hunt@Michigan.gov by Jan. 23.
The proposal will be presented for decision this spring by the Michigan Natural Resources Commission, which has the exclusive authority to regulate the taking of game in Michigan.
—————
Perseverance, success
In 2025, the DNR issued 100 elk licenses for the first hunt period (30 licenses for any elk and 70 for antlerless only). The period was split into three sessions: Aug. 26-29, Sept. 12-15 and Sept. 26-29.
During this hunt period, hunters harvested 50 elk (26 bulls and 24 antlerless elk) despite warm temperatures that reduced elk movement. Some hunters chose not to hunt when the temperatures reached the mid-70s due to the challenge of retrieving and processing the elk before the meat spoiled.
In addition, many trees and limbs were still down following the 2025 ice storm, making it difficult to traverse some areas in the woods. Elk were reported as not occupying some reliable past locations, another potential impact of the ice storm.
During the second hunt period, Dec. 13-21, the DNR issued 160 elk licenses (50 for any elk and 110 for antlerless only). Hunters harvested 103 elk (40 bulls and 63 antlerless elk). Opening weekend brought subzero wind chills, while warming temperatures and rain then removed the snow cover, making it difficult to track elk.
On the morning of Dec. 13, Brent Henige of New Lothrop shot a 559-pound elk on state-managed public land just off County Road 622 in Montmorency County. The wind chill was 10 below zero, but luckily Henige was able to locate and harvest the elk within a couple hours.
“I didn’t have time to shake,” he said. “It happened so quickly.”
Henige hung the bull on the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Elk Pole and celebrated the harvest with his wife, two children and other family members. He had applied for an elk license for 19 consecutive years before finally drawing the tag in the popular annual drawing.
Bruce Nelson of Hastings said he had applied for an elk license every year that Michigan has held a drawing. The state held its first elk hunts in 1964 and 1965, then paused the drawing due to low elk numbers before resuming it in the 1980s.
Nelson, now 87, finally drew a tag in 2025 and was able to shoot a cow elk on Dec. 13.
“Have you ever known anyone who’s waited 61 years to get an elk?” Nelson said with a laugh. "It was an absolute privilege and a thrill to get my elk after all this time."
For more information on elk in Michigan, visit the DNR’s elk webpage at michigan.gov/dnr/things-to-do/hunting/elk.
A record number of applicants – 47,493 – applied for one of just 260 elk licenses that were issued through the state’s annual drawing. The elk hunt took place in the northern Lower Peninsula over two periods – one that stretched across late August and September and one in December.
“With more than 47,000 applicants for the 260 elk hunting licenses made available, Michigan elk hunting is a highly prized opportunity,” said Brent Rudolph, the deer, elk and moose management specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
“Despite their good fortune, the lucky hunters drawn for this year faced a variety of challenges to harvesting an elk,” Rudolph said. “Those challenges included high temperatures in the early hunt period, blustery cold and freezing rain in the late hunt period, and continued complications from the historic March 2025 ice storm that left significant areas of downed trees and debris in the woods of northern Michigan.”
—————
Managing the herd
The DNR uses hunting as the primary method to sustainably manage Michigan’s elk population, which stands at an estimated 1,150 animals. The elk herd is centered in the Pigeon River Country State Forest, primarily in Cheboygan, Montmorency and Otsego counties.
The DNR Wildlife Division has proposed lengthening the elk hunting season for the 2026-2027 hunting cycle. Under the proposal, the two hunting periods would provide 45 total days of harvest time, more than double the current 21 days of harvest time. Public feedback has been coming in since November, and final comments can be emailed to DNR-Elk-Hunt@Michigan.gov by Jan. 23.
The proposal will be presented for decision this spring by the Michigan Natural Resources Commission, which has the exclusive authority to regulate the taking of game in Michigan.
—————
Perseverance, success
In 2025, the DNR issued 100 elk licenses for the first hunt period (30 licenses for any elk and 70 for antlerless only). The period was split into three sessions: Aug. 26-29, Sept. 12-15 and Sept. 26-29.
During this hunt period, hunters harvested 50 elk (26 bulls and 24 antlerless elk) despite warm temperatures that reduced elk movement. Some hunters chose not to hunt when the temperatures reached the mid-70s due to the challenge of retrieving and processing the elk before the meat spoiled.
In addition, many trees and limbs were still down following the 2025 ice storm, making it difficult to traverse some areas in the woods. Elk were reported as not occupying some reliable past locations, another potential impact of the ice storm.
During the second hunt period, Dec. 13-21, the DNR issued 160 elk licenses (50 for any elk and 110 for antlerless only). Hunters harvested 103 elk (40 bulls and 63 antlerless elk). Opening weekend brought subzero wind chills, while warming temperatures and rain then removed the snow cover, making it difficult to track elk.
On the morning of Dec. 13, Brent Henige of New Lothrop shot a 559-pound elk on state-managed public land just off County Road 622 in Montmorency County. The wind chill was 10 below zero, but luckily Henige was able to locate and harvest the elk within a couple hours.
“I didn’t have time to shake,” he said. “It happened so quickly.”
Henige hung the bull on the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Elk Pole and celebrated the harvest with his wife, two children and other family members. He had applied for an elk license for 19 consecutive years before finally drawing the tag in the popular annual drawing.
Bruce Nelson of Hastings said he had applied for an elk license every year that Michigan has held a drawing. The state held its first elk hunts in 1964 and 1965, then paused the drawing due to low elk numbers before resuming it in the 1980s.
Nelson, now 87, finally drew a tag in 2025 and was able to shoot a cow elk on Dec. 13.
“Have you ever known anyone who’s waited 61 years to get an elk?” Nelson said with a laugh. "It was an absolute privilege and a thrill to get my elk after all this time."
For more information on elk in Michigan, visit the DNR’s elk webpage at michigan.gov/dnr/things-to-do/hunting/elk.
DNR Seeks Input on Improvements to Michigan’s First State Park
Those interested in long-term planning for Interlochen State Park in Grand Traverse County are invited to provide feedback on a new general management plan for the park.
The public input process is essential to ensuring the park continues to serve visitors and the Grand Traverse community for years to come.
Visitors, community members, stakeholders and others interested in sharing their opinions, ideas and experiences are encouraged to participate in an online survey, available through Feb. 22. Links to both the online survey and the project website are available at Michigan.gov/Interlochen.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources uses general management plans to define long-range planning and management strategies that protect parks' natural and cultural resources, while also addressing recreation and educational needs and opportunities.
"Public input is essential to the park’s draft general management plan, ensuring the final vision reflects the community's insights and priorities," said Debbie Jensen, DNR park management plan administrator. "The DNR will also host a public meeting in the summer of 2026, providing opportunities for people to review and provide comment on the new draft plan for the park."
Nestled between the shores of Duck and Green lakes, Interlochen State Park offers both modern and rustic camping, boating, paddling, fishing, swimming and much more. The park was acquired by the state in 1917 and established as Michigan's first state park by the Michigan Legislature in 1919.
Some of the large, old-growth red and white pine trees, for which the park was originally protected, remain throughout the park. The world-renowned Interlochen Center for the Arts is located just across the northern boundary, offering a year-round calendar of concerts and events.
Additional information on the DNR’s general management planning process is available at Michigan.gov/ParkManagementPlans.
For more about the public survey or proposed plan, contact Debbie Jensen at JensenD1@ Michigan.gov or 517-230-6837.
The public input process is essential to ensuring the park continues to serve visitors and the Grand Traverse community for years to come.
Visitors, community members, stakeholders and others interested in sharing their opinions, ideas and experiences are encouraged to participate in an online survey, available through Feb. 22. Links to both the online survey and the project website are available at Michigan.gov/Interlochen.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources uses general management plans to define long-range planning and management strategies that protect parks' natural and cultural resources, while also addressing recreation and educational needs and opportunities.
"Public input is essential to the park’s draft general management plan, ensuring the final vision reflects the community's insights and priorities," said Debbie Jensen, DNR park management plan administrator. "The DNR will also host a public meeting in the summer of 2026, providing opportunities for people to review and provide comment on the new draft plan for the park."
Nestled between the shores of Duck and Green lakes, Interlochen State Park offers both modern and rustic camping, boating, paddling, fishing, swimming and much more. The park was acquired by the state in 1917 and established as Michigan's first state park by the Michigan Legislature in 1919.
Some of the large, old-growth red and white pine trees, for which the park was originally protected, remain throughout the park. The world-renowned Interlochen Center for the Arts is located just across the northern boundary, offering a year-round calendar of concerts and events.
Additional information on the DNR’s general management planning process is available at Michigan.gov/ParkManagementPlans.
For more about the public survey or proposed plan, contact Debbie Jensen at JensenD1@ Michigan.gov or 517-230-6837.
Winning Vegetables for Gardens and Containers
By Melinda Myers
Include some winning vegetable varieties in this year’s garden. Look for the 2026 All-America Selections (AAS) winners that have been tested nationally and selected for their suitability in home gardens and containers. Winners must have improved appearance, flavor, performance or other features than those varieties already on the market.
Whether you like kale for its beauty, flavor or nutritional value, consider the Gold Medal winner Rubybor. This kale is both pretty and edible. The deep purple ruffled foliage is uniform and compact, making it perfect for ornamental planting beds, vegetable gardens and containers. You’ll enjoy a continuous harvest of tender non-bitter kale all season long.
This breakthrough in breeding resulted in a kale with outstanding flavor and beauty, causing Rubybor to become an AAS Gold Medal Winner in both the flower and vegetable category. This award is only given once or twice in a decade. Some past winners include Ruby Ball Cabbage, Sugar Snap Pea, Profusion Zinnia, Purple Majesty Millet, and Fresh Look Red Celosia.
Grow the award-winning Treviso basil for use in pesto, pastas, sides and your other favorite recipes. This basil was selected for its disease resistance to powdery and downy mildew, its tight compact growth habit and season long productivity. The flavorful leaves stay tender longer and maintain quality even late in the season. The AAS judges, volunteers with horticulture expertise, were impressed with its vigor, heat tolerance and its slow-to-flower nature.
Wait for the danger of frost to pass and air and soil to warm before planting any basil in the garden. This is about the same time you plant your tomatoes. You can start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before moving transplants into the garden. Wait for the soil to warm when planting seeds directly in the garden. Grow basil in a sunny location and water thoroughly and often enough to keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy wet.
Boost the disease resistance in your tomato patch with BadaBing! Tomato. This large cherry tomato boasts resistance to septoria leaf spot, early blight, late blight and other diseases. You’ll enjoy the 1.5-inch diameter juicy red fruit that resists cracking. This indeterminate tomato will keep flowering and fruiting until frost but only grows 36 to 40” tall.
It was selected as a regional winner in the Great Lakes, Heartland, Mountain/Southwest and the Southeast. AAS judges praised BadaBing! for its productivity, flavor and meaty texture.
Check out other AAS winning vegetable and flower varieties. This nonprofit organization has been trialing never-before-sold varieties and selecting winning plants for home gardeners for more than 90 years. Trial gardens are located at seed companies, universities and botanical gardens. Judges are volunteers who monitor and rate varieties’ performance compared to similar varieties already on the market.
Plan a visit to one of the nearly 200 AAS Display Gardens located at public gardens, extension offices and some retailers. You’ll have a chance to see the winners in a garden setting to help you plan for future additions. In the meantime, look for the AAS Winner logo when searching catalogs and your favorite garden center.
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Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” streaming courses and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and her website is MelindaMyers.com.
Include some winning vegetable varieties in this year’s garden. Look for the 2026 All-America Selections (AAS) winners that have been tested nationally and selected for their suitability in home gardens and containers. Winners must have improved appearance, flavor, performance or other features than those varieties already on the market.
Whether you like kale for its beauty, flavor or nutritional value, consider the Gold Medal winner Rubybor. This kale is both pretty and edible. The deep purple ruffled foliage is uniform and compact, making it perfect for ornamental planting beds, vegetable gardens and containers. You’ll enjoy a continuous harvest of tender non-bitter kale all season long.
This breakthrough in breeding resulted in a kale with outstanding flavor and beauty, causing Rubybor to become an AAS Gold Medal Winner in both the flower and vegetable category. This award is only given once or twice in a decade. Some past winners include Ruby Ball Cabbage, Sugar Snap Pea, Profusion Zinnia, Purple Majesty Millet, and Fresh Look Red Celosia.
Grow the award-winning Treviso basil for use in pesto, pastas, sides and your other favorite recipes. This basil was selected for its disease resistance to powdery and downy mildew, its tight compact growth habit and season long productivity. The flavorful leaves stay tender longer and maintain quality even late in the season. The AAS judges, volunteers with horticulture expertise, were impressed with its vigor, heat tolerance and its slow-to-flower nature.
Wait for the danger of frost to pass and air and soil to warm before planting any basil in the garden. This is about the same time you plant your tomatoes. You can start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before moving transplants into the garden. Wait for the soil to warm when planting seeds directly in the garden. Grow basil in a sunny location and water thoroughly and often enough to keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy wet.
Boost the disease resistance in your tomato patch with BadaBing! Tomato. This large cherry tomato boasts resistance to septoria leaf spot, early blight, late blight and other diseases. You’ll enjoy the 1.5-inch diameter juicy red fruit that resists cracking. This indeterminate tomato will keep flowering and fruiting until frost but only grows 36 to 40” tall.
It was selected as a regional winner in the Great Lakes, Heartland, Mountain/Southwest and the Southeast. AAS judges praised BadaBing! for its productivity, flavor and meaty texture.
Check out other AAS winning vegetable and flower varieties. This nonprofit organization has been trialing never-before-sold varieties and selecting winning plants for home gardeners for more than 90 years. Trial gardens are located at seed companies, universities and botanical gardens. Judges are volunteers who monitor and rate varieties’ performance compared to similar varieties already on the market.
Plan a visit to one of the nearly 200 AAS Display Gardens located at public gardens, extension offices and some retailers. You’ll have a chance to see the winners in a garden setting to help you plan for future additions. In the meantime, look for the AAS Winner logo when searching catalogs and your favorite garden center.
—————
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” streaming courses and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and her website is MelindaMyers.com.
