 “Turkey Tracts are designed
to promote and highlight public access to quality turkey hunting, educate the
public of ongoing habitat management and the impacts on wildlife and people,
and build a connection with the users of these Turkey Tracts and local community
businesses,” said Ryan Boyer, district biologist for the National Wild Turkey
Federation.
Wild turkeys are found in all
68 counties of the Lower Peninsula and most counties in the Upper Peninsula,
where the species has continued to expand its range. In 1977, only 400 turkeys
were taken during the Michigan hunting season. However, by 2014, annual numbers of turkeys taken had reached 30,000 birds. Michigan is now ranked eighth in the
nation for number of turkeys taken by hunters.
“We’ve had hunters from all
over the country and many international hunters come to Michigan to hunt
turkeys,” said Al Stewart, DNR upland game bird specialist “The comeback of the
wild turkey is one of the greatest wildlife conservation stories, and we are
happy to share our success with others!”
Boyer will give a tour of the
new Turkey Tracts area, describing habitat management practices that benefit
turkeys and other wildlife within the game area. Management practices include
timber cutting, selective use of herbicides, invasive species treatment and
removal, selective annual and perennial plantings, and prescribed burns.
Boyer will also speak on the importance of partnerships.
“Because of the partnership NWTF has with the DNR and
local supporting businesses, we are able to make these Turkey Tracts happen
which allows hunters to experience turkey hunting in a way they may not have
been able to in the past,” he said.
NWTF CEO Becky Humphries said, “Habitat work is so important to the success of these Turkey Tracts. This work parallels with NWTF’s Save the Habitat Save the Hunt initiative.”
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