2012 North Ottawa Dunes Deer Management Hunt. Rules and Regulations

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1 2012 North Ottawa Dunes Deer Management Hunt Rules and Regulations You MUST read and agree to abide by all of the rules listed below. All participants must comply with all Michigan DNR rules and regulations unless the Ottawa County North Ottawa Dunes Deer Hunting Program rules and regulations are more restrictive. A deer management program is in effect at North Ottawa Dunes. Does and bucks may both be taken at this site - HOWEVER each hunter is required to first take a doe. If a hunter has a permit for an additional deer, it may be a doe or buck. All DNR rules and regulations are still in effect for this program. Hunters will be notified via of lottery results by October 8. There is a $20 permit fee. Each selected hunter is required to attend a pre-hunt meeting. Failure to do so will disqualify the hunter from future permits. Each hunter will be required to sign a waiver, indemnification, and hold harmless document (at pre-hunt meeting) prior to hunting. Only hunters with Ottawa County Park issued permits may hunt during the specific time period authorized on their permit. Hunters must park only in the designated parking areas. Hunters will be assigned to a specific zone and are required to hunt only within that zone. Hunters are required to check in and check out with Ottawa County Parks staff each day of their assigned hunt. No trespassing on adjoining properties is allowed. No baiting deer is allowed. No use of nails, bolts, wire, tree steps or other materials that may harm the trees is allowed. No cutting of trees or branches to create shooting lanes is allowed. This will be strictly enforced. Tree stands may be installed and used per state regulations. Only one tree stand is allowed per hunter and must display the hunter s name and address in a manner clearly visible from the ground. Improperly installed tree stands will be removed. Ground blinds may be used per state regulation type 1 only. No gathering dead materials found on ground to construct blinds.

2 No use of off-road-vehicles is allowed. No target practice is allowed. No hunting under the influence or while in illegal possession of controlled substances or alcohol. Hunters must maintain a 30-yard distance from any property line. Hunters must maintain a 150-yard (450 feet) distance from any building. Hunters must display permit in windshield of car and have a copy visible while in the field. All applicants must be age 18 or older. Hunting spectators are not allowed. Violations of any rule or any unethical conduct will result in the revocation of permit, disqualification for future hunts, issuance of a civil infraction and/or other actions. Each hunter, whether successful or not, will be required to fill out a questionnaire after the season. Failure to do so will disqualify the hunter from future permits. Ottawa County reserves the right to amend, suspend, or revoke these rules and regulations at any time. NOTE: The County does not represent, warrant, or guarantee that any game taken from the hunting property is fit for human consumption. Each hunter should carefully examine the game for evidence of illness or disease in the same manner as game from other areas would be examined if used for human consumption. All deer that are taken are required to be taken to the deer check station at Hoffmaster State Park.

3 HOFFMASTER STATE PARK 11 North Ottawa Dunes Lake Michigan Coastal Greenway PARK USER INFORMATION PRIVATE No alcohol is permitted No motor vehicles beyond parking lot Bicycles are NOT alllowed on trails Dogs must remain on a leash at all times Dog owners must clean up after their pets No camping or fires No hunting All Ottawa County Parks rules & regulations are in effect on park property LEGEND PARKING AREA ";!\ RESTROOMS "? TRAILHEAD VIEWING AREA "K NATURAL SURFACE TRAIL BOARDWALK STAIRS TOPOGRAPHIC CONTOUR TRAIL INTERSECTION NUMBER E SPOT ELEVATION LAKE MICHIGAN 3 PRIVATE ,000 2,000 North Beach Park 20 "K COAST GUARD PARK 2 1 "?!\ 19 "; NORTH SHORE DR. ENTRANCE SCALE OF FEET

4 North Ottawa Dunes North Shore Drive Ferrysburg, MI On December 15, 2005, Ottawa County acquired the 500 acre North Ottawa Dunes property. Just off the Lake Michigan shoreline, between the Grand River and the southern boundary of P.J. Hoffmaster State Park, this tract is one of the largest wooded dune assemblages remaining in the central West Michigan area. The property is uniquely situated between state, county and city parks and is adjacent to township-owned undeveloped land. This acquisition links P.J. Hoffmaster State Park, Ottawa County s North Beach Park, Ferrysburg s Coast Guard Park and undeveloped land owned by Spring Lake Township. The property features tremendous topography with an elevation change of 185 feet in the parabolic dune formations. Eight distinct dunes in the rugged landscape exceed 750 feet in height. The property varies in width from 900 feet to 4,200 feet and has a north to south reach of approximately 10,200 feet (1.93 miles.) Today, this park offers 513 acres of wooded dunes located just off the Lake Michigan shoreline. Ten miles of hiking link North Ottawa Dunes to North Beach Park and P.J. Hoffmaster State Park. Some trails are designated for cross-country skiing. Facilities Access, trail head and parking at Coast Guard Park Picnic tables Modern restrooms during warm months Hiking and ungroomed cross country ski trails Park Hours North Ottawa Dunes is open year-round at the following times. March 1 through October 15-7 a.m. to 10 p.m. October 16 through the last day of February - 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fees There are no entry fees. Directions North Ottawa Dunes is located in Spring Lake Township and the City of Ferrysburg. From US 31, take the Ferrysburg exit and go west on 3rd Street to North Shore Drive. Turn west on North Shore Drive and travel about 1 mile to the City of Ferrysburg s Coast Guard Park. Enter Coast Guard Park and look for the North Ottawa Dunes trail head. For emergencies, call 911. Ottawa County Parks & Recreation Commission Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI Phone: (616) parks&rec@miottawa.org Website:

5 Date: August 29, 2012 For Release Immediately Contact: Melanie Manion, Natural Resources Management Supervisor or John Scholtz, Director at (616) Hunt Approved for Deer Management at North Ottawa Dunes After careful consideration, the Ottawa County Parks and Recreation Commission voted to approve a managed hunt to help control the deer population at North Ottawa Dunes this fall. North Ottawa Dunes is a 500 acre dune property located adjacent to P.J. Hoffmaster State Park. Two county park sponsored hunts, coinciding with hunts at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park, are planned to support the State s ongoing efforts to reduce habitat degradation caused by the overpopulation of deer in the area. The hunts will be limited to a total of four days over two weekends, one in November and one in December. In 2007, Ottawa County Parks and researchers from Grand Valley State University installed a deer exclosure to monitor the effects of the high deer densities at the park. Analysis of the North Ottawa Dunes deer exclosure, along with exclosures at Hoffmaster, shows there are significantly more plants inside the area that deer cannot access when compared to the surrounding landscape. The near elimination of understory plants at the park not only threatens the regeneration of the park s forest but is an immediate threat to all animals needing the food and shelter provided by small trees, shrubs and wildflowers. Deer are an important part of the natural features within the parks. However, as stated by Melanie Manion, Natural Resources Management Supervisor with Ottawa County Parks, the current number of deer is too high to sustain a healthy ecosystem. Once kept in check by large predators like wolves and cougars, these large herbivores, when numbers get too high, are able to decimate native plants and the animals dependent on the plants. Manion also stated that deer in excessive numbers also are known to spread invasive species, which Ottawa County Parks works to control. County Parks officials have studied the successful efforts of park managers around the Midwest that have also recognized the necessity of managing deer populations to protect native ecosystems.

6 Parks officials indicate that safety is of the utmost concern. To ensure the surrounding neighborhoods are protected, Ottawa County Parks will keep hunter levels as low as possible while still being effective. They will also hold a mandatory pre-hunt meeting with permitted hunters to review safety issues and mark a 450 foot buffer zone from inhabited structures. County Parks will provide on-site staff support before and during the hunt. The hunts are scheduled for November 17 and 18, during firearms season and December 8 and 9 during muzzleloader season. Ottawa County Parks invites hunters to apply for a permit by contacting the Parks Office at (616) or ing ocparks@miottawa.org. A lottery system will be used to select successful hunters if more applications are received than spaces available. Ottawa County Parks and Recreation Commission strives to be good stewards of its properties. The Commission believes that providing a recreational hunt at North Ottawa Dunes to protect and enhance the park s natural communities supports the Commission s mission. A 2010 survey of county residents found that 66% of respondents agreed with the need to reduce deer numbers to protect vegetation in high quality natural areas.