In the last issue of Turkey Tracks we addressed the proposed hunting and fishing license increases. If there was to be an increase we insisted that restricted funds such as Turkey, Deer Range, Waterfowl and other related funds must be increased by the same percentage as the increases. These seem to be the only money that is available for creating and maintaining habitat on our state forests.

Michigan law states “From the fee collected for each wild turkey hunting license and application for a license the following amounts shall be used for scientific research, biological survey work on wild turkeys and wild turkey management in this state: $9.50-Resident wild turkey license; $50.00-Nonresident license; $1.00-Senior license and $3.00 wild turkey application.

In the March 2006 issue of Michigan Turkey Tracks we published an article on the demise of the Pigeon River Country State Forest, located in the northeastern portion of the lower peninsula. This 105,000 acre forest is one of the most unique found anywhere on this planet. 65 percent of the forest land was purchased with hunter and angler dollars. About 22 percent was obtained through tax reversion. 

We hope that everyone had a successful fall season, whether chasing kee-kee runs and yelps, monster bucks, fast flying or running small game or those tasty fillets. As always, it is not the kill that counts but the enjoyment we experience from the pursuit and the beautiful surroundings.

As these years roll by we have lost some of our pioneers in the restoration of Wild Turkeys in Michigan. These are the people who gave of their time, personal funds and resources to give those first Wild Turkeys a foothold, that has turned out to be beyond our wildest expectations.