The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) will meet on Thursday, May 7, in Detroit for its regular monthly meeting. The commission will meet in Rooms 1601 and 1603 of the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources, located at 200 Walker Street, Detroit.

Prior to the regular business meeting, the NRC's Policy Committee on Wildlife and Fisheries will meet in Rooms 1601 and 1603 to hear a presentation on urban wildlife and feral hogs by Michael J. Bodenchuck, state director of Texas Wildlife Services, which administers the largest wildlife damage management program in the United States. The committee will review proposed wildlife regulation changes concerning the management of wolves and furbearers, and recommendations for the open/closed status for antlerless deer license sales for each deer management unit. The committee also will receive the final report on the new plan for bear management in Michigan and details on the "Pure Michigan Hunt," a new drawing opportunity for a multi-species hunt that is intended to increase public interest and enthusiasm for outdoor recreation while establishing a new source of revenue for natural resource management.

The Committee of the Whole will convene at 3 p.m. to discuss DNR Director Rebecca Humphries' action items, receive a legislative update and Washington D.C. report, review the monthly spend plan and receive an update on the Detroit Riverfront. Director Humphries also will present the annual DNR Director's Award that honors outstanding work by DNR employees.

Public appearances before the NRC start at 4:30 p.m. Persons wishing to give public comment to the commission should contact Teresa Gloden, assistant to the NRC, at (517) 373-2352 or glodent@michigan.gov. Persons also can contact Gloden at the meeting site to sign up for the public comment period. At 5 p.m., there will be a presentation of the Shikar-Safari Officer of the Year Award.

The NRC will take action on whether to create two large, multi-county deer management units on private land in the southern Lower Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula that would give hunters greater flexibility to harvest antlerless deer. NRC action on the late firearm antlerless deer season also is on the agenda.

Director Humphries also will consider approving two land use orders and several land transactions during the meeting.

For more information on the NRC, including the meeting agenda and related documents, as well as past meeting minutes, go to www.michigan.gov/nrc.