GUIDE

40 RECREATION GUIDE2010
ELK VIEWING
—ELK VIEWING—
Michigan’s native elk population disappeared
around 1875, but rebounded after seven elk were
released near Wolverine in 1918. The Pigeon
River Country State Forest, about 13 miles east of
Vanderbilt on Sturgeon Valley Road, is the heart
of Michigan’s elk range which is home to an estimated
1,000 animals.
The best time for viewing elk is early morning
and late evening, especially in the spring
(April 15-May 15) and fall (Sept. 10-Oct. 10).
Elk-viewing areas have been established where
the ground has been seeded with rye, alfalfa,
buckwheat and clover to draw the elk, deer and
turkeys into open areas.
Elk have been sighted on Fontinalis Road,
about three miles north of Sturgeon Valley Road
near the Cheboygan County line where a small
parking area and a field have been cleared by
the Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR); at an
elk-viewing area (with DNR signs indicating the
location) on East Sturgeon Valley Road, about
eight miles east of Vanderbilt; and about .4 miles
north of the intersection of Osmun Road and
Clark Bridge Road in the Pigeon River Country
State Forest. Chances of seeing elk are increased
by remaining at or near designated parking
areas.
Detailed maps of various other elk-viewing
sites are available at the DNR District Office,
1732 M-32 West, Gaylord, 732-3541.
In Gaylord, the elk/deer enclosure off
Grandview Boulevard and Elkview behind Kmart
is a popular draw, enabling people to get an upclose
look at the animals.
FALL COLOR TOUR
—FALL COLORTOURS—
The rolling countryside of Otsego County is
ablaze with color during Mother Nature’s autumn
color extravaganza. The area usually hits its peak
of color in early to mid-October. Hikers, motorists,
horseback riders and mountain bikers travel along
many picturesque scenic pathways in the area.
The Gaylord Information Center at 125 S. Otsego
Ave., Gaylord; 732-4000, can provide various maps
and directions for many popular routes.
FISHING
—FISHING—
Anglers can find great fishing across Otsego
County year-round. The county’s largest water
body, Otsego Lake, receives regular DNR stockings
of walleye, providing for a popular fishery during
summer and winter months. Otsego Lake
is also home to sturgeon, which can be legally
sought by tag holders as a sport fish from mid-
July through mid-March. Tags are available at
the DNR field office, M-32 West, Gaylord; or at
Parkside Country Store, Old 27 South, Gaylord.
Other sought-after species such as northern
pike, perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass,
panfish and the occasional muskellunge can be
found in Otsego Lake and across the rest of the
county.
Otsego County is home to significant portions
of the state’s best-known trout rivers: Black
River, AuSable River, Pigeon River, Sturgeon
River and Manistee River. Also, many area lakes
are stocked with rainbow trout and splake (a
brook trout/lake trout hybrid).
For more information on seasons, regulations
and current license fees, pick up a guide at the
DNR Operations Center office, 732-3541; or at
license dealers around the county.
GOLF
—GOLF—
The Gaylord Golf Mecca marked its 20th year
in 2007, and the greens of 22 courses continue
to beckon golfers of all
playing levels to their
links.
In 1987, a group
of golf courses in the
Gaylord area joined
forces to increase their
marketing power and
promote the Gaylord
area as a premier golf
destination. That concept
— the Gaylord Golf
Mecca — has succeeded
to become one of the
largest cooperative golf
organizations in Michigan.