I am writing to ask for some help.  The issue?  The DNR, and the
accessibility to state land and lake access.

My name is Mike Goodwin.  I live in Portage, MI, which is directly South of Kalamazoo, actually butts up to Kalamazoo.  I was born here and have lived here all my life and grew up hunting and fishing (and hiking and camping) all over Michigan and can't think of another place I'd like more to live. One of my favorite spots for fishing is on a little lake called Hogset Lake and it happens to have a DNR designated launch on it.  It is connected to
Gourdneck Lake which is much larger and well known in the area for it's fishing, but it only has a private launch.  Hogset Lake also has a local (Kalamazoo County) park with a boat launch, but the county operates different hours, 7:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. (boat launch) 9:00 (park) so during summer time the hours aren't conducive to prime fishing time.  And it is only open from Memorial Day - Labor Day, so any other time someone wants to go to this lake they must use the state game area launch.  The launch is at the end of approximately a mile long winding trail, which is very enjoyable to drive on and the area gets tremendous use from people walking, biking, and horseback riding as well as from the fishermen and hunters.  It used to be a very rustic trail and not the easiest to navigate, then sometime in the mid 80's (I think) the
DNR started grooming the trail, trimming trees and at least once a year they run a grader through to fill the potholes and smooth it out.  At that time they also made a parking area right off the road at the beginning of the trail and put up a gate that they close every year in January and re-open the week before Memorial Day weekend in time for bass season.  This being closed for 5 months a year really put a damper on a lot of fishing time but the DNR claimed that it helped keep the trail from getting eroded as quickly, and besides there wasn't much anyone could do as the DNR seems to
be able to do whatever they want.  This year, however, things changed.

They decided to not open the gate until June 15th.  This was not advertised at all so there were many people that drove there Memorial Day weekend to only be turned away.  When I called and asked the area the operates it (Crane Pond State Game Area) I was told that it was due to not having the funds or manpower to patrol it.  The part that got to me was the attitude that conveyed to me that they didn't like being questioned.  I was also told at that time that they were considering not opening it at all.  When I asked
to talk with the person in charge (Steve Chadwick) I basically got the same thing.  Many other people that I know that also called to complain were given many different reasons but none were good one.  The main reason seems to be that they were trying to cut down on the problems do to juveniles partying and vandalizing the trail.  The thing wrong with that is that they even admitted that it was still going on even with the gate closed.  This means that they were only keeping out those that had legitimate uses for it.  It goes on from there as you will see from my attachments.  I have tried going farther up the "ladder" with the DNR and gotten nowhere.  I tried writing my local congressmen and the best I got there was from Jack Hogendyke's office telling me the name of Steve Chadwick's supervisor (Sara Schaefer) and telling me to call her.  And that didn't happen until the local newspaper (Kalamazoo Gazette) decided to write an article and started making phone calls.  The article wasn't really as one sided as I would have hoped, but
their phone calls, I believe, are what prompted the DNR to open the gate a week earlier than their stated June 15th date.

So now that the gate is open, I'm afraid people will think it's over, but
since the article I've had three other people recognize me, say that they complained too and were told by someone that it would be closed permanently next year.  To me there should be two major points to be looked at.  1) The DNR says license sales are down.  How can they expect sales to go up if they take away the reason for people to buy them in the first place?  2) This is an official DNR access, on the DNR maps for this area, and public land as
well.  Don't we have a right as taxpaying citizens to use it?  I have heard that there is a law or rule stating that there has to be an public access point to every public body of water.  If this is correct how can they close it even part of the year?

I thank you for taking the time to read this.  My hopes are to spread the word and to find someone who can help us have a say in what and how the DNR works.  If there is something you can do I would greatly appreciate it, as well as the hundreds of others that also frequent this site.  Thanks

Mike Goodwin, Portage, MI

Dear Mike Goodwin:

It sounds like you have a very aggravating issue with getting access to your favorite fishing spot. I will forward your email on to my father Fred Trost for him to look over.  Currently our website Outdoor-Michigan is operating on a shoestring budget and legal/political issues are not an area we are directing are very limited resources towards.  We will however post your email on our website to help you spread the word.  Let us know if we can help out in any other way.

Respectfully Outdoors,

Zachary Trost