Hunting, fishing mix with conservation of water, species in new Paw Paw River game area
The Paw Paw River State Game Area recently opened with 350 acres for hunting, trapping and fishing and with 1.2 miles of frontage on the 68-mile Paw Paw River, which eventually flows to Benton Harbor.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says that public lands for hunting are scarce here in Van Buren County — just .02 acres per capita. This particular land had been enrolled in the state’s Commercial Forest Program, which allowed public hunting, trapping and fishing. Now under DNR ownership, the state says, the site has improved access and parking.
The river itself offers fishing for smallmouth bass, walleye and northern pike and seasonal runs of coho and Chinook salmon and steelhead.
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The DNR and partners at the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy say the game area, which is sandwiched between conservation easements, will preserve a critical wildlife corridor along the river and wetlands, which are needed to prevent pollution and to protect the groundwater. Officials say it’s mostly floodplain forest with several microhabitats. Spring flooding fosters early hatching of insects as food for migrating songbirds.
The game area is about a six-mile drive northwest of the village of Paw Paw. Parking is on 42nd Avenue. But the condition of the access road can vary, based on the weather. Before visiting, the DNR asks you to read up on regulations for using such public lands at Michigan.gov/DNRLaws.
Find columnist Joseph Dits on Facebook at SBTOutdoorAdventures or 574-235-6158 or jdits@sbtinfo.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Hunting fishing and conservation at Paw Paw River game area Michigan
