The Michigan Wildlife Council has issued its first ever top ten list of wildlife management success stories.
This is the Council’s tenth anniversary. It was formed to educate the public on wildlife management and how it's funded.
“Hunting and fishing license dollars are the majority of what goes to conservation efforts of both game and non-game species. So, everything from deer and turkeys to salamanders and butterflies and everything else,” said Nick Buggia, a member of the Wildlife Council.
According to a press release from the Council, licenses purchased by 1.7 million hunters and anglers generated $66.1 million for the Michigan Game and Fish Protection Fund in 2022. Another $32 million was collected through a tax on hunting and fishing equipment.
Buggia said the Kirtland’s warbler has been a more recent success story. The bird was on the Endangered Species List. Wildlife management has brought the Kirtland’s warbler’s population to more than 2,000 nesting pairs.
The top ten list:
- Kirtland’s warbler
- Moose
- Pheasant (the only non-native species on the list)
- Osprey
- Lake Sturgeon
- Wild Turkey
- Ruffed Grouse
- Elk
- Muskellunge (or musky)
- Wood Duck
The list is being released in conjunction with "Wildlife Conservation Month" in Michigan.
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