The Department of Natural Resources will host a series of nine public meetings in October and November to discuss the recent agreement of hunting, fishing and gathering rights with five Michigan Indian tribes over the Treaty of 1836. The area of Michigan impacted by this treaty is roughly the eastern half of the Upper Peninsula and the northwest one-third of the Lower Peninsula.

At the meetings, DNR staff will discuss the agreement and its impact on natural resources in the treaty area. DNR staff also will highlight what methods and harvest limits for hunting and fishing are contained in the agreement for tribal members, as well as gathering activities on public lands within the treaty area. There also will be time allowed for questions from the public on the agreement.

The agreement will be reviewed by the United States Federal Court Eastern District in Kalamazoo on Oct. 22.

The meetings scheduled include:

• Escanaba, Tuesday, Oct. 16. The meeting will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in Rooms 958-962 of the Joseph Heirman University Center at Bay de Noc College located at 2001 N. Lincoln Rd. in Escanaba.
• Sault Ste. Marie, Wednesday, Oct. 17. The meeting will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Sault Ste. Marie High School Theatre located at 904 Marquette Ave. in Sault Ste. Marie.
• Traverse City, Thursday, Oct. 18. The meeting will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Garfield Township Hall located at 3843 Veterans Dr. in Traverse City.
• Scottville, Tuesday, Oct. 23. The meeting will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Finn and Feather Club of Mason County located at 3276 Darr Rd. in Scottville.
• Alpena, Wednesday, Oct. 24. The meeting will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Thunder Bay Recreation Center located at 701 Woodward Ave. in Alpena.
• Gaylord, Thursday, Oct. 25. The meeting will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Northland Sportsmen's Club located at 1542 Alba Rd. in Gaylord.
• Grand Rapids, Tuesday, Oct. 30. The meeting will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. at the West Walker Sportsmen's Club located at 0-599 Leonard St. NW in Grand Rapids.
• Dundee, Thursday, Nov. 1. The meeting will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. at Cabela's located at 110 Cabelas Blvd. East in Dundee.
• Saginaw, Monday, Nov. 5. The meeting will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Elissa Rose Banquet Center located at 215 N. Park Ave. in Saginaw.

More information on the Treaty of 1836 and the proposed inland consent decree is available on the DNR's Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr.