# Watkins lake state park ??



## gilgetter (Feb 28, 2006)

Last year the state brought over 500 acres around watkins lake, AKA the trolz Farm. Its posted NO hunting, why ??? would like to know If anyone can answer this question. is MUCC working on this ?? what about DU or delta ?? It could be some great hunting, IF the DNR get's out of the way


----------



## John Singer (Aug 20, 2004)

Here is a link to an announcement by the DNR on Watkins Lake State Park. There are a couple of phone numbers you can call and ask the questions that you have.

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10365_76344_61567-396551--,00.html

From my perspective, if waterfowl and/or deer hunting is allowed on this property, I hope that the DNR controls and manages the hunting. 

If you call the DNR, be sure to tell them to get out of your way. They really like that.


----------



## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

gilgetter said:


> Last year the state brought over 500 acres around watkins lake, AKA the trolz Farm. Its posted NO hunting, why ??? would like to know If anyone can answer this question. is MUCC working on this ?? what about DU or delta ?? It could be some great hunting, IF the DNR get's out of the way


That's not too far from my house and I actually train with my lab down there. I'm glad the lakes are considered a "refuge" and there's no hunting. They would be ruined if they allowed hunting there. Those lakes hold incredible amounts of birds.


----------



## gilgetter (Feb 28, 2006)

John Singer said:


> Here is a link to an announcement by the DNR on Watkins Lake State Park. There are a couple of phone numbers you can call and ask the questions that you have.
> 
> http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10365_76344_61567-396551--,00.html
> 
> ...


I sure will,


----------



## gilgetter (Feb 28, 2006)

craigrh13 said:


> That's not too far from my house and I actually train with my lab down there. I'm glad the lakes are considered a "refuge" and there's no hunting. They would be ruined if they allowed hunting there. Those lakes hold incredible amounts of birds.


Didn't Know Waterfowl where endangered. I was thinking the Mission of the DNR was to provide recreation opportunity for stake holders and to manage the resource . Not to shut down the resource. folks who brought this land thru license fee's should have a say in how it's used IMO.


----------



## Anas rubripes (Jun 28, 2010)

The land was acquired with dollars from the Michigan Natural Resource Trust Fund. These funds are generated from royalties on the sale and lease of state-owned minerals such as oil and gas. Here's some more about MNRTF if you're interested: http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-58225_58301-39513--,00.html
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-58225_58301-39513--,00.html
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-58225_58301-39513--,00.html
The land is managed by the DNR's Parks & Rec Division and is designated as a State Park. State Park, State Rec Area, State Game Area, and State Wildlife Area all mean different things and State Parks happen to be the most limited on hunting because their management focus is on stuff like camping and outdoor education. As a newly created state park, they will need to go through a planning process to establish compatible uses, and that may take some time. My guess is that there will be some limited hunting at Watkins Lake State Park, but you should see if they have any upcoming public input meetings to voice your opinion at. 

I'd have probably been happier if it were designated a state game area and Wildlife Divison managed it for hunting as well, but c'est la vie.


----------



## AR34 (Jun 18, 2008)

I think we could screw up a good thing hunting the lakes there. Its a migratory stop for thousands of waterfowl. 
I recall when it was purchased that they said they would have upland hunting available in the grass lands out there. Guessing that may be over time like stated above.


----------



## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

gilgetter said:


> Didn't Know Waterfowl where endangered. I was thinking the Mission of the DNR was to provide recreation opportunity for stake holders and to manage the resource . Not to shut down the resource. folks who brought this land thru license fee's should have a say in how it's used IMO.


Have you ever visited the farm? Do you know what the area looks like? Pleas explain to me how hunting those two lakes would not simply push the birds to the other surrounding private lakes? 

HOWEVER, if they opened hunting ronthe surrounding fields that would be different. I'm all for that. I am not for opening the two lakes. The lakes are specifically listed as Refuges and there is no access during the breeding season or migration period.


----------



## gilgetter (Feb 28, 2006)

craigrh13 said:


> Have you ever visited the farm? Do you know what the area looks like? Pleas explain to me how hunting those two lakes would not simply push the birds to the other surrounding private lakes?
> 
> HOWEVER, if they opened hunting ronthe surrounding fields that would be different. I'm all for that. I am not for opening the two lakes. The lakes are specifically listed as Refuges and there is no access during the breeding season or migration period.


I did not make myself clear, open hunting for waterfowl is not what I was trying to say. A bingo style hunt for waterfowl. a couple hunts a week by draw, as is done across the state.
also try some bow hunting for deer, there is some great turkey hunting around there. do a draw hunt for them also
I trap, would love to trap some rat's and mink out there, that creek looks like a mink highway.

I live between Adrian and Tecumseh, been going out to watch the Birds for over 40 years. I knew a couple of the guys that killed the beef cattle years ago. I got to row the boat around that pond for my dad and some of his friends 50 plus years ago night fishing for Bass. 

Open hunting would Impact the birds, I dont want the place shot out, that would be stupid. but just as silly is never using it. there are other refuge's around, the Birds have many places to go. a couple hunts a week will not ruin the area. say five parties for a morning hunt, one day. five parties for an afternoon hunt another day. a three bird limit, with 12 shell's per gun. what say you???


----------



## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

gilgetter said:


> I did not make myself clear, open hunting for waterfowl is not what I was trying to say. A bingo style hunt for waterfowl. a couple hunts a week by draw, as is done across the state.
> also try some bow hunting for deer, there is some great turkey hunting around there. do a draw hunt for them also
> I trap, would love to trap some rat's and mink out there, that creek looks like a mink highway.
> 
> ...


I'm pretty sure the ice fishermen caught every perch in those lakes last winter. They absolutely murdered them. 

Anyways, I thought about the bingo hunts or even leaving the big main lake a refuge and hunting the other side. Either way, I'm not too worried about it. I wouldn't mind the surrounding areas being open to hunting but not the water. Those birds congregate there because nobody hunts them. Start hunting them and they will become just another local lake in the area.


----------



## Urriah (Jul 26, 2013)

gilgetter said:


> Didn't Know Waterfowl where endangered. I was thinking the Mission of the DNR was to provide recreation opportunity for stake holders and to manage the resource . Not to shut down the resource. folks who brought this land thru license fee's should have a say in how it's used IMO.


It's a good personal growth habit to admit when you are wrong, as Mr. Black Duck pointed out above. Parks and Rec has totally different goals than the Wildlife Division. I get that you want to hunt and trap there, but starting off your argument by ripping the agency you're going to try and work with to get something changed is just not good business.


----------



## gilgetter (Feb 28, 2006)

Urriah said:


> It's a good personal growth habit to admit when you are wrong, as Mr. Black Duck pointed out above. Parks and Rec has totally different goals than the Wildlife Division. I get that you want to hunt and trap there, but starting off your argument by ripping the agency you're going to try and work with to get something changed is just not good business.


----------



## gilgetter (Feb 28, 2006)

I dont plan to work with anyone. to include you.


----------



## Urriah (Jul 26, 2013)

gilgetter said:


> I dont plan to work with anyone. to include you.


So what exactly are you attempting to accomplish?


----------



## Anas rubripes (Jun 28, 2010)

Stumbled across this the other day. Had to go back in time a month or so to find this conversation, but here is your opportunity to, as a stakeholder, weigh in on the management of Watkins Lake State Park. There are also opportunities to submit written comments online or via mail if you are unable to attend.

The press release didn't copy/paste terribly well, so here's the link: 
http://www.michigan.gov/som/0,4669,7-192-47796-429688--,00.html


----------



## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

Anas rubripes said:


> Stumbled across this the other day. Had to go back in time a month or so to find this conversation, but here is your opportunity to, as a stakeholder, weigh in on the management of Watkins Lake State Park. There are also opportunities to submit written comments online or via mail if you are unable to attend.
> 
> The press release didn't copy/paste terribly well, so here's the link:
> http://www.michigan.gov/som/0,4669,7-192-47796-429688--,00.html


Good to know. I plan on being there to hear what they have to say. I don't really care what they do just as long as they don't open up at least the east lake to hunting. Preferably both. They could manage the surrounding farm lands for hunting. They don't get farmed much anymore but they used to hold an incredible amount of birds. Now the birds just push way out from the refuge.


----------



## hammerdown (Sep 28, 2011)

craigrh13 is 100000% right leave it be a refuge


----------



## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

These lakes should be left alone, it's a migration pit stop. Safe Haven, Refuge, we need more places like this. Everyone notice its state owned and wants to go in there guns a blazing. That's why all of our other SGA's don't hold birds. They get blown out. If people would leave roost alone there would be plenty of opportunities to shoot more birds. Use places like this for a Refuge, follow the birds to and from the refuge, run traffic or find out where they are going to feed then set up on them... Scouting is not pulling up to a lake "I found em! All I gotta do is setup and start knockin' em dead now! That was easy"


----------



## riskybiz09 (Oct 3, 2016)

Duck-Hunter said:


> These lakes should be left alone, it's a migration pit stop. Safe Haven, Refuge, we need more places like this. Everyone notice its state owned and wants to go in there guns a blazing. That's why all of our other SGA's don't hold birds. They get blown out. If people would leave roost alone there would be plenty of opportunities to shoot more birds. Use places like this for a Refuge, follow the birds to and from the refuge, run traffic or find out where they are going to feed then set up on them... Scouting is not pulling up to a lake "I found em! All I gotta do is setup and start knockin' em dead now! That was easy"


What he said^^ I am relatively new to waterfowl, but I read like crazy and ask questions before making a move that could ruin my hunting and others as well. the one thing I noticed when hunting with a few buddies in the past is that they don't scout correctly. They do exactly what you posted, I didn't realize this until recently and needless to say I now hunt solo or with my brother in law. I have craighr and all of you experienced hunters to thank for explaining the why behind things like this. This forum is awesome.


----------



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

I don't know this specific area, but refuges of some sort are critical to keeping birds around to hunt. I've been going to North Dakota since the late 90's, and part of the reason the hunting is so much better is that there are refuges, both formal and informal, scattered everywhere. A lot of the landowners in the area we hunt keep some of the potholes closed to hunting in order to give the birds somewhere to rest. Yes, we piss and moan when we drive by a pothole with 5,000 mallards on it and know we can't hunt there. But in the big picture, it helps everyone have better success. With the exception of a few state/federally managed refuges in Michigan, we have very little in the way of refuges for birds to congregate.


----------



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

gilgetter said:


> I dont plan to work with anyone. to include you.


Which is exactly why you will get nowhere. Remember the old saying..."you will catch more flies with honey than with vinegar". Working in collaboration with the regulators (whether DNR, USFWS or whoever), AND the affected constituents (whether hunters, birdwatchers, hikers, etc) is the only way you will accomplish your goal.


----------



## Anas rubripes (Jun 28, 2010)

For anyone who didn't make it to the public meeting last night in Brooklyn, here's your opportunity to provide public comment on the future management of Watkins Lake State Park. You can submit comments via the online survey at the top of page through 9/22.
http://www.michigandnr.com/ParksandTrails/Details.aspx?id=746&type=SPRK


----------

