Bridge Construction to Begin at Pigeon River Campground Posted April 6, 2021 Huron Pines is breaking ground this month on a new bridge where Ford Lake Road crosses the Pigeon River at a popular campground east of Vanderbilt. The road will remain closed while a set of culverts are removed and replaced with a timber bridge to correct issues with erosion, fish passage and road safety. Pigeon River State Forest Campground will stay open and accessible from the east during construction, expected to run from mid April through June. Click for more info. Pigeon River Country A Michigan Forest Revised Edition now available Dale Clarke Franz Publication Date: November 2007 - A new edition of a classic! This updated edition explores why and how the outdoors moves and compels us. While it considers life beyond the boundaries of Pigeon River Country, it is steeped in the specifics of a place that lives mostly on its own, instead of human, terms. "A timely book that addresses serious questions facing those of us who love 'The Big Wild.'" ---Kenneth Glasser, Chairman, Otsego County Board of Commissioners "I seldom have been so moved by any writing as I have by Pigeon River Country. [It] has a power, a clarity, a message that springs from a vision, but also from a deep, inner soul." ---John F. Barton, retired journalist, United Press International and U.S. Information Agency The eagerly awaited new edition of a classic offers memories, myths, and meanings of the largest contiguous piece of wild area in Michigan's Lower Peninsula. The Pigeon River Country is a remote and beautiful forest in northern Michigan. Ecologically distinct from most other areas of the United States, this mysterious country, shrouded in forest and laced with waterways, has a unique and storied past. Dale Clarke Franz has collected personal accounts from various people who have called the Pigeon River Country their home---including loggers; conservationists; mill workers; campers; even Ernest Hemingway, who said he loved the forest "better than anything in the world." There are also comprehensive discussions of the area's flora and fauna, guides to the trails and camping sites, and a photo section showcasing the changing face of this hidden national treasure. Dale Clarke Franz http://dalefranz.org/ lived in northern Michigan for 22 years. He has been a newspaper editor, bookstore manager, U.S. Navy officer, college instructor, and portrait photographer. He administered the Otsego County Planning and Zoning Department, which encompassed more than 500 square miles. More recently, he has been a writer for the Ann Arbor Observer. Cover photograph by the author. Now available through The University Of Michigan Press http://www.press.umich.edu/titleDetailDesc.do?id=192215 November 19, 2019 - DNR seeks tips after large bull elk carcass found in Northern Michigan VANDERBILT, Mich. – State officials are searching for tips after a large bull elk carcass was found in Northern Michigan. Officials with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in Gaylord said a bull elk was poached in the Pigeon River State Forest east of Vanderbilt in Otsego County. The large carcass was found by citizens near Ford Lake Road, about three-quarters of a mile south of the Grass Lake intersection, according to authorities. Citizens notified conservation officers, who believe the elk was killed Saturday or Sunday. “We are currently following up on leads,” Lt. Jim Gorno said. “We hope that the public can help us with this investigation, as they have always been helpful in the past. This is flat out poaching. A majestic elk was killed for no reason and left to rot.” The elk’s antlers included six points on one side and seven on the other, officials said. Anyone with information is asked to call the DNR at 989-732-3541 or the 24-hour poaching hotline at 800-292-7800. Callers can remain anonymous. Monetary rewards are available for information that leads to the arrest of violators, officials said.

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