Pere Marquette River Wildlife & Hunting – West Michigan Guides
The Pere Marquette River watershed contains a variety of wildlife. Hunting for both large and small game and waterfowl are popular recreational activities. Non-consumptive uses of wildlife for photography and observation are gaining in popularity.
Most participants in Pere Marquette River hunting activities come from the metropolitan areas to the south and provide a major source of revenue to the local economy. Trapping of furbearers is popular with local residents.
White-tailed deer is the most important big game species. Deer greatly benefited from plant succession following the logging and wildfire era in the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Carrying capacity of the range increased and subsequently deer populations rose dramatically about 1920. Populations exceeding the carrying capacity in the 1930s leveled off in the ’40s, declined again the ’50s, and has now again leveled off. A controlled harvest has helped to balance the population with habitat carrying capacity. Pere Marquette River floodplains and adjacent uplands are used by deer as winter habitat.
The watershed of the Pere Marquette River is one of three areas in the state supporting a huntable population of turkeys. Hunting is controlled by a permit system. The birds are the result of an intensive management and stocking program by the Department of Natural Resources with the cooperation of the U.S. Forest Service. The presence of these magnificent birds adds to the attraction of the area.
The Pere Marquette River area is used extensively by waterfowl and shore birds for nesting and brood rearing during spring and summer, and by migrating waterfowl during the spring and fall. Mallards, black duck, wood duck, red breasted and American mergansers, coot, teal, bitterns and herons nest in the floodplain marshes and woodlands. The diving-duck group: redheads, goldeneyes, blue bills, etc., use the river primarily during the spring and fall migration. A few ducks, primarily goldeneyes, winter over in the open water areas of the river. Shore birds such as sorarail, yellow rail, and Wilson’s snipe are common in the area.
Dutch elm disease has killed large stands of American elm in the river’s floodplain. As a result, the ecological changes have been beneficial to certain species of dabbling ducks (mallards, teal, etc.). Upland game birds found in the area include ruffed grouse, woodcock, turkey and, in the farm areas, some ring-necked pheasant. Ruffed grouse and woodcock provide the major upland shooting. Small game include the cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare, and fox and gray squirrels.
Furbearers which are open to trapping include beaver, muskrat, mink, otter, red fox, raccoon and skunk.
Source: Pere Marquette River Natural River Plan, Michigan DNR (revised 2002)
Planning a visit to the Pere Marquette River area? Have questions about your trip? Here’s where you can find help:
The Pere Marquette River is extremely popular with canoeists and fishermen. Many camping options are available along the river.
All year long, there are activities going on in the Scottville area to keep everyone happy. No matter what the season, there’s always plenty of great events to keep you coming back. Boredom is never a problem here!
The Pere Marquette River area is rich with wildlife, offering great outdoors hunting and fishing opportunities.
Pere Marquette River, with it’s moderately fast current and clear water, is an extremely popular river for canoeists and kayakers.
The history of the Pere Marquette River includes Indian culture, early exploration, logging, lumber mills, and the Pere Marquette Railroad.
The spring/fall runs of steelhead and salmon, the resident brown trout and “brookies” make the PM River extremely popular for fishing.