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For the past several years, the SCD has been working to build and maintain deer habitats on plots across Schoolcraft Funding through funding from the Michigan DNR's Deer Habitat Improvement Partnership Initiative (DHIPI) grant program. In addition to addressing the resource needs of local wildlife, the program is intended to promote the SCD's partnership with the DNR and educate the public on the benefits of habitat improvement.
The DHIPI sites maintained by the SCD, situated on land owned by Lyme Great Lakes Timberlands, are open for public viewing. Directions and Google Earth GPS coordinates to each site can be found below. |
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Overview
The plots were established in 2019 and were worked up and planted to a mix of clovers and grasses after lime and fertilizer were incorporated. Supplemental trees and shrubs were planted in May 2020 and fenced to protect them from deer. One apple tree on one of the plots produced an apple that first fall. Annual mowing of plots was done in July of each year 2020-2022. In 2020 and 2021 competing vegetation was clipped or removed within the fenced enclosures. This was not accomplished in 2022.
Directions to Site
From Manistique, take CR-432 West ~7.0 miles beyond the entrance to Indian Lake State Park, to where the road turns South. Turn right at this intersection and go North on Poupour Rd and then Fox Road a total of 1.7 miles to a gate. Continue through this gate and go down the hill and go left (West). Follow this road ~0.8 miles to plot 1 on the left (you will pass plots 5, 4, 3, and 2 prior to that). To reach plots 6-8, return to the N-S road you came in on near Plot 5, and turn Left (North). Follow this ~1.0 miles (bearing to the left at any junctions), passing plots 6 and 7 before reaching plot 8 on the right; this plot was not tilled, but merely had supplemented trees and shrubs planted and fenced.
GPS Coordinates
E-W line of 5 plots (plots A-1 through A-5): ~45.981313 N, range of -86.485826 to -86.469487 W
N-S line of 3 plots (plots A-6 through A-8): range of ~45.983588 to 45.9901778, -86.465284 W
Size
Plots 1-7 range in size from 0.1 to 0.38 acres.
The plots were established in 2019 and were worked up and planted to a mix of clovers and grasses after lime and fertilizer were incorporated. Supplemental trees and shrubs were planted in May 2020 and fenced to protect them from deer. One apple tree on one of the plots produced an apple that first fall. Annual mowing of plots was done in July of each year 2020-2022. In 2020 and 2021 competing vegetation was clipped or removed within the fenced enclosures. This was not accomplished in 2022.
Directions to Site
From Manistique, take CR-432 West ~7.0 miles beyond the entrance to Indian Lake State Park, to where the road turns South. Turn right at this intersection and go North on Poupour Rd and then Fox Road a total of 1.7 miles to a gate. Continue through this gate and go down the hill and go left (West). Follow this road ~0.8 miles to plot 1 on the left (you will pass plots 5, 4, 3, and 2 prior to that). To reach plots 6-8, return to the N-S road you came in on near Plot 5, and turn Left (North). Follow this ~1.0 miles (bearing to the left at any junctions), passing plots 6 and 7 before reaching plot 8 on the right; this plot was not tilled, but merely had supplemented trees and shrubs planted and fenced.
GPS Coordinates
E-W line of 5 plots (plots A-1 through A-5): ~45.981313 N, range of -86.485826 to -86.469487 W
N-S line of 3 plots (plots A-6 through A-8): range of ~45.983588 to 45.9901778, -86.465284 W
Size
Plots 1-7 range in size from 0.1 to 0.38 acres.
Overview
This plot was established in 2017. The site was tilled, limed and fertilized before being planted to a mix of clovers and grasses. It has been mowed annually in July beginning in 2018. Also, various supplemental trees and shrubs have been planted and fenced along one edge with species of trees and shrubs which will provide mast within a few years.
Directions to Site
From the West side BP gas station in Manistique (or junction of US-2 and Chippewa Avenue), take US-2 West ~4.7 miles to Thompson. Turn left (South) onto Little Harbor Road (County Road 435) and travel ~4.4 miles and turn Left onto the 2-track that is just barely past the road to the right signed as Mead Auto Road. Follow this a short way (0.1 mile) to first of 3 small plots on the right side of this road (total length to last plot is 0.35 mile).
GPS Coordinates
~45.850705, -86.359974
Size
These three plots vary in size from 0.19 to 0.23 acres.
This plot was established in 2017. The site was tilled, limed and fertilized before being planted to a mix of clovers and grasses. It has been mowed annually in July beginning in 2018. Also, various supplemental trees and shrubs have been planted and fenced along one edge with species of trees and shrubs which will provide mast within a few years.
Directions to Site
From the West side BP gas station in Manistique (or junction of US-2 and Chippewa Avenue), take US-2 West ~4.7 miles to Thompson. Turn left (South) onto Little Harbor Road (County Road 435) and travel ~4.4 miles and turn Left onto the 2-track that is just barely past the road to the right signed as Mead Auto Road. Follow this a short way (0.1 mile) to first of 3 small plots on the right side of this road (total length to last plot is 0.35 mile).
GPS Coordinates
~45.850705, -86.359974
Size
These three plots vary in size from 0.19 to 0.23 acres.
Overview
This plot was established in 2017. The site was tilled, limed and fertilized before being planted to a mix of clovers and grasses. It has been mowed annually in July beginning in 2018. Also, various supplemental trees and shrubs have been planted and fenced along one edge with species of trees and shrubs which will provide mast within a few years.
Directions to Site
Continuing on down Little Harbor Road (CR-435) from the Mead Road sites, continue on CR-435 ~3.0 miles after the hard right turn across from Barque Point Trail, turning right on an unnamed 2-track road angling to the right. Go ~0.65 miles (do not take any right turns off of this road until after crossing the one lane bridge over Poodle Pete Creek), then turn right and follow this road for ~0.7 miles to the first plot on the right (site LHR-5). Site LHR-4 is just beyond this site. To get to site LHR-6, return to the intersection just before site LHR-5, and turn West (right) ~0.15 mile to the site on the left.
GPS Coordinates
Site LHR-4: ~45.811105, -86.436798
Site LHR-5: 45.809974, -86.435570
Site LHR-6: 45.807909, -86.438540
Size
These three plots vary in size from 0.23 to 0.35 acres.
This plot was established in 2017. The site was tilled, limed and fertilized before being planted to a mix of clovers and grasses. It has been mowed annually in July beginning in 2018. Also, various supplemental trees and shrubs have been planted and fenced along one edge with species of trees and shrubs which will provide mast within a few years.
Directions to Site
Continuing on down Little Harbor Road (CR-435) from the Mead Road sites, continue on CR-435 ~3.0 miles after the hard right turn across from Barque Point Trail, turning right on an unnamed 2-track road angling to the right. Go ~0.65 miles (do not take any right turns off of this road until after crossing the one lane bridge over Poodle Pete Creek), then turn right and follow this road for ~0.7 miles to the first plot on the right (site LHR-5). Site LHR-4 is just beyond this site. To get to site LHR-6, return to the intersection just before site LHR-5, and turn West (right) ~0.15 mile to the site on the left.
GPS Coordinates
Site LHR-4: ~45.811105, -86.436798
Site LHR-5: 45.809974, -86.435570
Site LHR-6: 45.807909, -86.438540
Size
These three plots vary in size from 0.23 to 0.35 acres.
Overview
This plot was established in 2017. The site was cleared, tilled, limed and fertilized before being planted to a mix of clovers and grasses. It has been mowed annually in July beginning in 2018. Also, supplemental trees and shrubs have been planted along one edge, with some survival of plants which will provide mast within a few years.
Directions to Site
From Manistique, take US-2 East to the blinking yellow light in Gulliver and continue East on US-2 an additional 5.1 miles, then turn right onto Quarry Road. Go 1.1 miles to orange-flagged 2-track road on the right. Turn right onto this and follow this for 0.25 miles, then turn left. Follow this until you reach the 2+ acre site.
GPS Coordinates
~46.048783, -85.931656
Size
This plot is about 2.2 acres in size.
This plot was established in 2017. The site was cleared, tilled, limed and fertilized before being planted to a mix of clovers and grasses. It has been mowed annually in July beginning in 2018. Also, supplemental trees and shrubs have been planted along one edge, with some survival of plants which will provide mast within a few years.
Directions to Site
From Manistique, take US-2 East to the blinking yellow light in Gulliver and continue East on US-2 an additional 5.1 miles, then turn right onto Quarry Road. Go 1.1 miles to orange-flagged 2-track road on the right. Turn right onto this and follow this for 0.25 miles, then turn left. Follow this until you reach the 2+ acre site.
GPS Coordinates
~46.048783, -85.931656
Size
This plot is about 2.2 acres in size.
Overview
This plot was established in 2020. The planted red pine site had been previously clearcut. Twenty-two (22) trees and shrubs (apple trees, Bucks Unlimited swamp white oaks and other mast- production species) were initially planted and fenced. Bucks Unlimited swamp white oak (replanted in September 2022 due to errant herbicide mortality) are now the predominant species there.
Directions to Site
Driving down Little Harbor Road (CR-435), go ~1.5 miles after the hard right turn across from Barque Point Trail. At the point where Williams Road T’s left, there is a pair of usually locked gates. Going through the right (East) one, follow this 2-track northerly ~0.6 mile and then westerly ~0.6 mile to the signed site.
GPS Coordinates
45.813735, -86.403438
Size
The approximate area of this group of trees is 0.4 acres.
This plot was established in 2020. The planted red pine site had been previously clearcut. Twenty-two (22) trees and shrubs (apple trees, Bucks Unlimited swamp white oaks and other mast- production species) were initially planted and fenced. Bucks Unlimited swamp white oak (replanted in September 2022 due to errant herbicide mortality) are now the predominant species there.
Directions to Site
Driving down Little Harbor Road (CR-435), go ~1.5 miles after the hard right turn across from Barque Point Trail. At the point where Williams Road T’s left, there is a pair of usually locked gates. Going through the right (East) one, follow this 2-track northerly ~0.6 mile and then westerly ~0.6 mile to the signed site.
GPS Coordinates
45.813735, -86.403438
Size
The approximate area of this group of trees is 0.4 acres.