Family-Outdoors

Every year, three lucky Pure Michigan Hunt winners get to live out their dreams by pursuing elk, bear, deer, turkey and ducks in Michigan's great outdoors. This year has been filled with success for all three winners – Jason Eurich of Saginaw, Mike Sikkenga of Whitehall and Mike DiLorenzo of Rochester. Eurich and DiLorenzo both were successful in harvesting turkeys during the spring season, and all three Pure Michigan Hunt winners were successful during their September elk hunts. DiLorenzo bagged a huge 6x6 elk, and Sikkenga harvested a 7x7 bull elk. Check out the video of Mike Sikkenga’s elk hunt, recorded by Brian Bouwkamp, at  https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=wLxJMDwqimA . Eurich also was successful during his elk hunt when he harvested a 7x7 bull elk. Additionally, he bagged a 300-plus-pound Upper Peninsula black bear and a beautiful fall turkey. With deer and waterfowl seasons under way, all three winners are anxious to hit the woods and water for more hunting. Fo...

Mike DiLorenzo of Rochester, Michael Sikkenga of Whitehall and Jason Eurich of Saginaw, the most recent winners of the Pure Michigan Hunt drawing, all came to yesterday's Natural Resources Commission meeting in Lansing to take home their winnings. Each won 2015 hunting licenses for elk, bear, antlerless deer and spring and fall turkey, as well as first choice at a managed waterfowl area on opening morning. In addition to the hunting licenses, the Pure Michigan Hunt winners also received the ultimate hunting prize package, valued at more than $4,000 per winner. Many Michigan businesses and organizations were present to meet the winners and donate their prizes. Winners received the following prizes donated by Michigan companies and organizations: Annual subscription and more - Michigan Outdoor News Camouflage pop-up blind - Ameristep in Clio 12-gauge camouflage shotgun - Michigan Chapter of Ducks Unlimited Predator crossbow package - Darton Archery in Hale 30.06 rifle and m...

The hunting industry and sportspersons' groups are once again stepping up to support hunting and wildlife management in Michigan by sponsoring the sixth annual Pure Michigan Hunt. “We have the greatest sportspersons' groups and hunting industry right here in Michigan,” said Department of Natural Resources wildlife outreach technician Katie Keen. “It’s great that we can work together to help the resource, as well as making the dreams of three lucky hunters come true.” Every year, three winners are chosen by random drawing to win hunting licenses and gear. Each winner is awarded an elk, bear, spring and fall turkey, and antlerless deer license, as well as first pick opening morning at any managed waterfowl area. In addition to the licenses, winners receive prize packages donated by sportspersons' groups and the hunting industry that have totaled in value over $4,000 each. Shotguns, rifles, crossbows, camouflage clothing and memberships to natural resources group...

The lives of the three more hunters are about to get a little busier in 2014. The  Pure Michigan Hunt brought to you by Michigan Outdoor News  is entering its fifth hunting season this year. The latest winners – Bill Kring of Cadillac, Bruce Shaneour of Osseo and Frank Zrepskey of Algonac – will have a pocket full of hunting licenses and over $4,000 worth of hunting gear. “I had a voicemail to call Russ Mason,” said Shaneour, who works in sales at Signature Ranch Collection. He returned that call to hear the DNR Wildlife Division chief explain that he is one of the lucky Pure Michigan Hunt winners. “I didn’t tell many people until I got the paperwork in the mail,” Shaneour added. Zrepskey, now retired from the City of Detroit, said he was “one happy camper.” A member of the St. Clair Flats Waterfowlers, Zrepskey said he couldn’t believe he is a winner. When Kring, the general manager at 9&10 News in Cadillac, got the phone call from Mason, he said, "All I ...

Results of the 2013 bear hunting license drawing have been posted at  www.michigan.gov/huntdrawings .   A total of 7,906 bear licenses were available during the bear application period (May 1 - June 1). A total of 267 leftover bear licenses are available in the Bergland Management Unit ( Sept. 25 - Oct. 26 ) and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis as follows: Holders of Lifetime Comprehensive Licenses, who were not selected in the drawing, may purchase a leftover license beginning at  10 a.m. Monday, July 8 . Unsuccessful applicants may purchase a leftover license beginning at  10 a.m. Monday, July 15 . Any hunter may purchase a leftover license beginning at  10 a.m. Monday, July 22 , including those who did not apply. Hunters are reminded that their preference points will reset to zero if they purchase a leftover license, except for Lifetime Comprehensive License holders. Hunters can increase their odds of getting a bear lice...

Results of the license drawing for the 2013 elk hunting seasons have been posted on the Department of Natural Resources website at  www.michigan.gov/huntdrawings . Two elk seasons will be held in 2013. The first season will run from  Aug. 27-30 ,  Sept. 13-16  and  Sept. 27-30 . The second season will run from  Dec. 7-15 . An additional season may be held  Jan. 15-19, 2014 , if the DNR determines the harvest insufficient to meet management goals. A total of 60 any-elk and 140 antlerless-only elk licenses have been issued through the drawing. Hunters can increase their odds of getting an elk license by applying for the 2014 Pure Michigan Hunt drawing. Each application is $4, and applicants can purchase as many chances as they like. Three lucky hunters will win a package of licenses to hunt elk, bear, turkey, antlerless deer and waterfowl. Only Michigan residents may hunt elk. Winning the Pure Michigan Hunt will not affect a hunter's elig...

The previous Pure Michigan Hunt winners have won prize packages that most hunters could only dream about. This year’s prize package is no exception, and new sponsors continue to jump on board to show their support for hunting in Michigan. Recently, several strong partners joined the ranks, to support this once-in-a-lifetime hunting opportunity: Kwikee Quiver Company in Williamsburg - quiver package   Saginaw Field and Stream Club in Saginaw - $100 gift cards to Cabela’s Ruffed Grouse Society Michigan Chapter - Browning wind-cutter jacket and membership Those would like a chance at being one of the three winners in 2014 can purchase $4 Pure Michigan Hunt applications anywhere licenses are sold or online at  E-License . Hunters can apply as many times as they wish from now until  Dec. 31 . Winners will be drawn in January 2014. Each winner will receive a prize package, valued over $4,000, which includes the following hunting licenses: elk, bear, sp...

Pure Michigan Hunt winner Dan Beaudoin  with his massive 6x6 bull elk taken in 2012.  Photo courtesy of Drew Socia./ The hunting industry and sportsmen’s groups are once again stepping up to support hunting and wildlife management in Michigan by contributing to the fifth annual Pure Michigan Hunt. “We have the greatest sportsman groups and hunting industry right here in Michigan,” stated Wildlife Outreach Technician Katie Keen. “It’s great that we can work together to help the resource, as well as making the dreams of three lucky hunters come true.” Every year three winners are chosen by random to win hunting licenses and gear. Each winner is awarded an elk, bear, spring and fall turkey, and antlerless deer license and first pick opening morning at any managed waterfowl area. If the licenses weren’t enough, prize packages donated by sportsmen's groups and the hunting industry have totaled approximately $4,400 in value for each winner. Shotguns, rifles, cro...

Three Michigan young people were introduced to the Natural Resources Commission as Outstanding Outdoor Kids at the regular monthly NRC meeting Thursday, June 14, in Lansing. Lexi Loehfelm, 11, Noah Ekdom, 12, and Jimmy McGrath, 15, were named in January as winners in the Outstanding Outdoor Kids program, which recognizes the efforts of youth who have gone above and beyond to protect, preserve and promote green space in Michigan. Lexi is a member of Goodwillie Environmental School in Ada, where she leads other students on environmental adventures. Noah, from Roscommon, is a second class Boy Scout who has been involved in a trail clean-up, Adopt-a-Highway and creating a new trail on the Marguerite Gahagan Nature Preserve. Jimmy, from Monroe, started an organization to clean up and restore Sterling State Park . The trio served as judges in the Feb. 7 contest which named Pure Michigan Caramel Apple as the official ice cream flavor of Michigan state parks. Samples...