Memo From Chief Mason For Dat

N PA R TM E

DE

M ICHIGAN

DNR

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES JENNIFER M. GRANHOLM

L ANSING

GOVERNOR

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MI

R S O U CE S

OF

N AT U RA

OF

RE

S TATE

T

CHIG AN

REBECCA A. HUMPHRIES DIRECTOR

March 27, 2009

Deer Advisory Team Members: Thank you for your continuing participation as a member of the Deer Advisory Team (DAT). At the April DAT meeting, you will be asked to discuss a number of overarching strategic concerns. These concerns are attached. Each presents difficult challenges for group discussion, to say nothing of group consensus. We ask you to think broadly, even unconventionally. Ms. Jordan Burroughs, Michigan State University Extension, will be facilitating your meetings to ensure that all members are engaged in balanced discussions. The DAT discussions from this point on will be guided by comments gathered during the regional scoping meetings, conversations with Department of Natural Resources (DNR) staff, and the deliberations of the DAT over the last several months. Please remember that you represent the views of your organization. To this end, we encourage and expect that you will engage your respective members in conversation about the issues. We appreciate the concerns expressed by some DAT members that the DAT process to date has occasionally appeared somewhat disorganized. Several meetings have been postponed, perhaps for good reason, but postponed nonetheless, and we apologize. A clear timeline for remaining meetings will be presented at the April meeting. For each of these future meetings, we will provide you with background materials to facilitate discussion. Your deliberations will in turn assure that the DNR Strategic Deer Management Plan is completed by the summer of 2010. We encourage you to share any suggestions you believe will strengthen this process. On a side note, we have a new acting Big Game Specialist, Mr. John Niewoonder. John will be attending the DAT meetings and will assist the team when needed. John is a wildlife biologist from the Flat River Field Office. The DNR looks forward to working with you. Personally, I am looking forward to your recommendations; they may well change the way that deer are managed in our state. Sincerely,

Russ Mason, Chief Wildlife Division 517-373-1263

NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION Keith J. Charters, Chair ● Mary Brown ● Hurley J. Coleman, Jr. ● John Madigan ● J. R. Richardson ● Frank Wheatlake STEVENS T. MASON BUILDING ● P.O. BOX 30028 ● LANSING, MICHIGAN 48909-7528 www.michigan.gov/dnr ● (517) 373-2329

Great Lakes, Great Times, Great Outdoors!