Three Michigan hunters who promptly returned Department of Natural Resources 2007 deer season surveys were rewarded for their efforts at the September Michigan Natural Resources Commission meeting in Lansing.

James Blies of Gregory, Keith Haney of Brant and John King Jr. of Onsted were all recipients of hunting gear from Joe Konwinski, treasurer of Safari Club International's Michigan Involvement Committee. Blies received a new rifle, Haney received a new muzzleloader and King took home a new bow.

To qualify for the Safari Club International's prizes each hunting season, Michigan hunters who receive a deer season survey need to return the completed survey within two weeks of receiving it. All hunters who qualify are eligible for the drawing. Winners are chosen by random lottery draw. The incentives help provide timely return of thousands of surveys every year, which saves the DNR time and money in collection of wildlife information, said DNR Director Rebecca Humphries.

"We appreciate the efforts of Safari Club International to strengthen the DNR's connection with the hunting community in Michigan," said Humphries. "Safari Club has offered the DNR supplemental funding and support for many Wildlife Division programs over the years, and their dedication to a high-quality hunting experience in our state is greatly appreciated."

The DNR uses information received from hunter surveys to analyze wildlife management priorities and regulations. Some recent survey results and reports are available online on the DNR's Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnrhunting, and then under the Wildlife Surveys and Reports menu.

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Predator Hunting on the Manitoba Prairie
As a young lad growing up in any rural area can tell you, predators are a part of life, whether you like it or not. I was introduced to a form of predator control at an early age, my father always used to run a small trap line, nothing special, just a bunch of snares and a few foot traps set out on only the most popularly used predator trails. My old man was always on the lookout for a new spot to set up traps and was usually right on the money when he returned to see if his hunch was correct. His personal best was 8 coyotes and one red fox, which he managed to collect during a 2 - day period about 20 years ago, it seems the tradition is bred into our heritage. This is the story of how my brothers and I tied my dad's personal best.