Additional 140 acres of public hunting land now available in Sanilac County

g (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Department of Natural Resources today announced a new parcel of land is now open to the public at the Sanilac State Game Area. This 140-acre parcel, called the Petroglyph Tract, offers quality deer, turkey and ruffed grouse habitat.

The new parcel is in Sanilac County, section 11 of Greenleaf Township, near the Sanilac Petroglyphs Historic State Park. The area features relatively flat-bottom land along the headwaters of the North Branch of the Cass River and is 90-percent forested with aspen, lowland hardwood and a small stand of planted white pine. The balance of the acreage consists of an old field and a small area of seasonally flooded lowland brush. The parcel can be accessed from an existing DNR parking area at the end of Leslie Road, one-half mile north of Cleland Road. Currently there is no formal access from Germania Road, but plans are in place to develop access in the near future.

See the attached PDF file (available for download below) for a map of the Sanilac State Game Area showing the location of the new parcel.

“It is always exciting when we are able to make more land available to the public for hunting and recreation,” said Don Bonnette with the Michigan DNR. “This area offers some great opportunities and has always provided quality hunting in the past.”

Although the area is called the Petroglyph Tract, it is not believed to have had petroglyphs on the property.

The funding for the purchase was provided by the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF). The Michigan Land Trust Fund (MLTF) program was originally created in 1976 to provide a source of funding for the public acquisition of lands for resource protection and public outdoor recreation. Funding is derived from royalties on the sale and lease of state-owned oil and gas rights. This program has evolved over the years to become the MNRTF, which has now provided over $800 million in funding for approved projects and purchases and has become an example of an extremely successful partnership between industry and conservation.

Maps of all state game areas can be viewed on the Michigan DNR website at www.michigan.gov/dnrby choosing the “Where Can I Hunt?” link under “Hunting & Trapping.” New state land acquisitions, most of which are open to hunting, can be found on the same webpage by choosing the “New Public Land Acquisitions” link under “Land.”

Sanilac-SGA_Petroglyph_Tract map.pdf