With certain duck and goose hunting seasons starting Sept. 1 throughout the state and others to follow this fall and winter, the MDNR asks all hunters to be observant and careful when harvesting and handling wild birds due to the presence of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. Although the rate of positive HPAI detections has slowed this summer, a recent uptick in reports of wild bird die-offs, neurologically abnormal wild birds and HPAI detections has prompted the DNR to issue additional guidance. Influenza experts expect a resurgence of this “bird flu” as waterfowl migrations get underway and fall hunting…