Woods-N-Water News

02/02/2026

World Wetlands Day
Monday, Feb. 2, Ducks Unlimited (DU) and conservationists around the world will celebrate World Wetlands Day to recognize the importance of wetlands for people and wildlife. This year's theme is “Wetlands and traditional knowledge: Celebrating cultural heritage.”
“Ducks Unlimited was founded by hunters in 1937, and hunters continue to make up the backbone of our membership,” said DU CEO Adam Putnam. “On World Wetlands Day, it’s important to recognize that hunters have long been among our most dedicated conservationists and steadfast guardians of our sporting heritage and traditions. Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 19 million acres of wetlands and waterfowl habitat across North America.”
For 89 years, DU has raised public awareness about the benefits wetlands provide as waterfowl habitats and critical natural water filters. Wetlands provide numerous services to our communities, including flood storage, groundwater recharge, carbon sequestration and enhanced fish habitat, among others.
DU’s international fundraising campaign, Conservation for a Continent, aims to raise $3 billion to provide cleaner water for communities and wildlife. One of the largest fundraising efforts launched in North America.
For more information about World Wetlands Day, visit https://www.worldwetlandsday.org/.

01/20/2026

87-year-old draws elk permit!

“Have you ever known anyone who’s waited 61 years to get an elk?” Nelson, 87, said with a laugh. "It was an absolute privilege and a thrill to get my elk after all this time."
Bruce Nelson of Hastings applied for an elk license every year Michigan held a drawing. The state’s first elk hunts were in 1964 and 1965, but were suspended due to low elk numbers before resuming in the 1980s. Now 87, Nelson finally drew a tag in 2025 and was able to harvest a cow elk on December 13.

01/15/2026

Michigan SCI Chapters Support State Wildlife Work
On December 11, 2025, members of the Michigan Involvement Committee of SCI presented checks totaling $11,100 to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for several research projects. This is in addition to an earlier $8,000 donation for graduate student work. The committee is a partnership between 10 Michigan chapters of SCI and the Michigan DNR.
A $7,500 check went toward a moose collaring project, and another $3,600 check supports a wolf/bear population survey conducted by the DNR. An additional donation of $8,000 was recently made to the Joseph G. Schotthoefer Memorial to support three graduate students conducting wildlife research at Michigan universities. In total, the Michigan Involvement Committee has donated $19,100 towards Michigan conservation work.
SCI’s Michigan chapters have long supported DNR projects, going back to 1985 when they were instrumental in making the state’s moose reintroduction a reality. These chapters have since contributed over $ 1 million to DNR research projects and graduate student grants.
Photo (lt-rt): left to right: Mike Kwast - President Michigan Chapter, Joe Mulders Regional Rep/Treasurer MIC, Mike Leonard - Vice President SCI, Ed Edwards - President Lansing Chapter, Scott Bowden - Director of MDNR, John Kupiec - Region 20 Regional Rep/President MIC.

01/07/2026

Stop by and see us at our booth at The Ultimate Fishing Show this Thursday through Sunday. Show special subscriptions!
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12/25/2025

12/19/2025

U.P. COUGARS!
The majority of trail camera photos captured of cougars in the Upper Peninsula have been of solitary animals, which are usually males, but Dayne Pulkas from Trimountain got about a dozen pictures of a pair of mountain lions together at one of his deer baits in Ontonagon County on November 10 this year. It’s possible the pictures are of one of the pair of cougar kittens seen and photographed in Ontonagon County this spring, along with their mother. Pick up the January 2026 issue of Woods-N-Water News to read the rest of Richard P. Smith’s Cougar story. Just an FYI; it looks like one of the lions might be eating an apple, but it was probably simply smelling them, most mountain lions eat only meat, not fruits like apples.

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12/15/2025

January issue on stands now! Go get yours today or get a great Christmas gift by signing up for a subscription at
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12/04/2025

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12/02/2025

Jay's Sporting Goods