Michigan Pheasant Restoration Initiative 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

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assist landowners in the cooperatives to improve wildlife ... Through the DNR's Wildlife Habitat Grant program, nearly .
Michigan Pheasant Restoration Initiative 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

Wildlife Habitat Grants Through the DNR’s Wildlife Habitat Grant program, nearly $400,000 was awarded to various habitat projects in Lenawee, Jackson, Huron, Gratiot, Lapeer, Sanilac, Ingham and Saginaw Counties. These projects focused primarily on grassland habitat improvement for pheasants and other grassland wildlife. Through this grant, over 1,451 acres were enhanced in 2016.

New Funding Sources The DNR received a $500,000 Competitive State Wildlife Grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service to study grassland management techniques. Funds will be used over the next three years to monitor the impact of prescribed fire and disking on plant and pollinating insect diversity in established grasslands.

Recruiting a New Generation of Hunters The MPRI Coalition offered a number of education and recruitment events in 2016. • • • • • • • •

31 Mentored Hunts with 363 youth 37 Shooting Sports Events with 2,005 youth 12 Field Days with 1,845 youth 9 Pollinator Habitat Projects with 881 youth 6 Pheasant Fridays with 125 participants 12 Turkey Days with 821 participants 1 Great Outdoor Jamboree with 1,143 participants 4 Ladies Hunts with 100 participants

What’s Inside What is the MPRI? Pheasant Cooperatives Grassland and Wetland Habitat Improvement Landowner Assistance Improving Hunter Access Additional Land for Hunting Wildlife Habitat Grants New Funding Sources

What is the Michigan Pheasant Restoration Initiative (MPRI)? The MPRI is a conservation initiative to restore and enhance Michigan pheasant habitat, populations and hunting opportunity on private and public lands. It is accomplishing this through public-private cooperatives of 10,000 acres or more that improve habitat for pheasants and other wildlife on a landscape level. The MPRI works by acquiring state and federal resources to assist landowners in the cooperatives to improve wildlife habitat on their property and by improving habitat on selected state game areas, recreation areas, or other public lands.

Recruiting a New Generation of Hunters

For a full list of MPRI Coalition partners and to learn more about

MPRI, visit mi.gov/pheasant

Pheasant Cooperatives At the end of 2016, 16 cooperatives were actively working to expand and improve pheasant habitat on over 11,000 acres of habitat. 14 additional cooperatives are currently in development and will be established soon!

02 l MPRI Annual Report

MPRI Annual Report l 03

Grassland and Wetland Habitat Improvement

Landowner Assistance

The MPRI Coalition works cooperatively to improve grassland and wetland habitat for pheasant nesting, brood rearing and wintering. This work is completed on both private and public lands.

MPRI Farm Bill Biologists and DNR Private Lands Biologists provide technical and financial assistance to landowners as they improve habitat for grassland wildlife. The DNR provided technical and financial assistance to 31 landowners with 1,138 acres of improved habitat. The MPRI Farm Bill Biologists provided technical and financial assistance to 566 landowners with 5,639 acres of improved habitat. In addition, 9

Public Lands State Game Area Shiawassee River Sharonville Grass Lake and Schlee Goose Lake Adams Verona Gagetown Thumb Mini SGAs Gratiot-Saginaw Maple River Rose Lake Totals

Grassland Acres Enhanced 25 51.6

Grassland Acres Established 68 40

Food Plot Acres Planted 25 74

Wetland Acres Enhanced 380 0

10 14.8 0 1,474 40 210 65.5 133 30 2,053.90

0 0 22.3 43.5 10 91.5 33 0 0 308.3

3 6 7.5 71 0 70 8 22 24 310.5

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 380

Conservation Reserve Program/MPRI Cooperative Workshops were held with 209 participants to recruit and educate landowners.

Private Lands

Coalition Organization Pheasants Forever Michigan Audubon Ducks Unlimited US Fish and Wildlife Service National Wild Turkey Federation Totals

Grassland Acres Grassland Acres Food Plot Wetland Acres Wetland Acres Enhanced Established Acres Planted Enhanced Restored 5,478 80 0 9.3 0 5,567.3

0 0 0 428 193 621

11,326 0 0 0 3000 14,326

0 40 97 96.7 0 233.7

9 0 1,322 369.6 0 1,691.6

Improving Hunter Access The Hunting Access Program provides hunters with access to private land hunting opportunities, especially in Southern Michigan where 97 percent of the land base is privately owned. There are currently 173 properties and 15,841 acres enrolled in HAP. 5 of these properties were added in 2016 with a total of 529 acres.

Additional Land for Hunting The DNR has acquired additional land for pheasant hunting opportunities. 120 acres of potential pheasant habitat has been purchased as part of Watkins Lake State Park in Jackson County. 300 acres of potential pheasant habitat was acquired in Northwest Monroe County. This property will become a new State Game Area in an area of the state with few public land hunting opportunities.