The Natural Resources Commission modified bobcat hunting and trapping seasons for the Upper Peninsula at a recent meeting in Lansing in an attempt to preserve recreational opportunity, but reduce harvest.

Trapping season has been set for Dec. 1-Feb. 1. Hunting season is Jan. 1-March 1.

The NRC also voted to reopen coyote hunting in the northern Lower Peninsula during the Nov. 15-30 firearm deer season. The season was closed in 2005 when the presence of wolves was documented in the Lower Peninsula.

In addition, the NRC made several adjustments to regulations concerning the use of dry-land body-gripping traps to make them more selective, allowed the use of open-water snares for beaver trapping, and increased the allowable size of colony traps designed for taking muskrats. The specifics of these changes are available on the DNR Web site, at www.michigan.gov/dnr.