Serving The Straits Area Sportsmen Since 1975
2023 DRIP Grant
In May, the Straits Area Sportsmen's Club was notified they were approved for a $10,000.00 grant in the 2023 Deer Habitat Improvement Partnership Initiative (DHIPI) for opening, restoration, and non-commercial cutting on the St. Ignace Ranger District project in Mackinac County.
The intent of this 3 part project with the Straits Area Sportsmen's Club (SASC) is to improve the suitability of the St. Martin deer wintering complex in Mackinac County by mechanical (masticator) or hand brushing wildlife openings, hand cutting non-commercial aspen, and strip cutting tag alder. This project will also improve habitat conditions for species such as ruffed grouse and pollinators by restoring natural forest opening conditions and hand-cutting aspen and alder This project is intended to treat approximately 17 acres of small opening habitats on USFS lands.
Again, our partners in this grant are The U.S. Forest Service and the Ruffed Grouse Society, which will both add to the value of this grant. The Forest Service with $26,400, Ruffed Grouse with $3,998, SASC $5,990, and the Michigan DNR $10,000 DRIP Grant toward this year's project. This is the SASC's sixth successful DRIP grant application for wildlife habitat projects in the East Hiawatha National Forest; this year's value is $48,608. Over this period, the total value is $262,837 of wildlife habitat work.
We will begin work in August; if you want to help with this project, email us at sasc764@gmail.com or call 810-516-2000 or 419-460-3988.
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A Visual Guide to Our 2023 DRIP Grant Project
2022 DRIP Grant
Yesterday the Straits Area Sportsmen’s Club finished the 2022 DRIP Grant Project in the St. Martin deer yard. We want to thank our partners, the US Forest Service, the Ruffed Grouse Society, and all the SASC Volunteers who volunteered their time.
This 26-acre project aims to improve the suitability of deer winter complexes in Mackinac County by mechanical (masticator) or hand brushing of wildlife openings in the St. Ignace Ranger District. This project is needed to set back woody encroachment and improve cool-season grasses as a high-quality food source for deer entering or leaving winter complexes. This project would also enhance habitat conditions for species such as ruffed grouse and area pollinators. Wildlife openings are adjacent to deer wintering complexes and are accessible to the public for hunting.
Again, our partners in this grant were The U.S. Forest Service and the Ruffed Grouse Society, which will both add to the value of this grant. The Forest Service with $22.900.00, Ruffed Grouse with $5,000.00, SASC $5,708.00, and the Michigan DNR $15,000.00 DRIP Grant. We are bringing the total value of this wildlife grant to $48,608.00. With our partners, this will be our fifth successful wildlife habitat project in the East Hiawatha National Forest. Our wildlife habitat’s total dollar amount to $201,457.00 over the five years.
2021 DRIP GRANT
September 2021
Straits Area Sportsmen’s Club
In September, SASC Volunteers were out with a contractor to clear sites in the St. Martin’s deer yard. It had been 30 years since these sites were last cleared. Our goal was to remove ten different areas, but with the size of many trees and how much the sites had grown in, we could only clear five sites. We will apply for a DRIP Grant again next year to finish what we started in 2021.
April 28, 2021
The Straits Area Sportsmen’s Club (SASC) has been approved for $15,000.00 for a project to partner with the USFS St. Ignace Ranger District to brush wildlife openings in Mackinac County (T42N R4W, Sections 14; T43N R3W, Section 29 & 30; T43N R4W, Section 26 & 27; all lands are owned by the US Forest Service, St. Ignace Ranger District).
This project intends to improve the suitability of deer wintering complexes in Mackinac County by mechanical (masticator) or hand-brushing wildlife openings to set back woody encroachment and improve cool-season grasses as high-quality food sources for deer. On the St. Ignace Ranger District. This project will also improve habitat conditions for species such as ruffed grouse and pollinators by restoring natural forest opening conditions. This project is intended for Approximately 30 acres of small opening habitats on FS lands will be brushed, removing encroaching woody vegetation. Opening averages 1 to 4 acres. If funds are available after the preliminary treatment, SASC will purchase red oak saplings (approximately 2-4 feet in height) and wildlife shrubs, Thorn-apple to be planted around some opening perimeters.
Partners include USFS contributing $10,000 in Biologist and Technician time and $50,000 in funds for project implementation. The Ruffed Grouse Society will donate $5,000 from the Drummer Fund for the early successional habitat creation of 10 acres. SASC will contribute approximately 200 hours of labor as an in-kind match valued at $4,828. The total planned game is $79.828.00 (84%). The entire project is valued at $94,828.
October 7, 2019
2019 DRIP Grant Completed
Despite setbacks the Straits Area Sportsmen’s Club has completed the 2019 DRIP Grant Project. This project is in the St. Martin winter complex and will expand upon the ongoing work and partnership occurring between the Straits Area Sportsmen’s Club, Ruffed Grouse Society and Forest Service to provide high quality food to deer entering and leaving the St. Martin’s deer winter complex. The project will benefit a variety of wildlife species, including Ruffed Grouse and American Woodcock. Increasing the oak component on the landscape would enhance the hard mast production of acorns which provide forage for whitetail deer and black bear among many others.
Fifteen different wildlife openings have been opened by mechanical brushing and piling. The project included brushing all woody stems at least 2’ tall, except for reserve species soft mast species – cherry, service berry, and white pine. Each of the wildlife openings averaged approximately 1-2 acres in size, and totaling 30 acres. In addition the SASC purchased 50 – 10 foot in height red oak tree which were planted by volunteers in September.
September 12, 2019
2019 Project
Club President Gary Gorniak reported volunteers planted all 50 Oak trees over the weekend in different designated areas off of Gamble Rd. The masticator will be back grinding up areas designated by Forest Service Biologist this Friday clearing additional sites. This project will be completed by the end of September.
Straits Area Sportsmen's Club Successful Application for DRIP Grant
The Straits Area Sportsmen’s Club has been approved for a $15,000 grant. The SASC plans to partner with the U.S. Forest Service’s Hiawatha National Forest to brush approximately 30 acres of small opening habitats on Forest Service lands in Mackinac County. The brushing will remove encroaching woody vegetation so natural grasses and forbs can thrive. Plans also include planting multiple 8- to 10-foot-tall red oaks with protective fencing.
Proposal partners include the Forest Service contributing $10,000 in biologist and technician time to set up the project, and the Ruffed Grouse Society with $5,000 for early successional habitat creation of 10 acres, using a grinding head machine. The club will provide a match of $4,828 (administering the contractors etc.; $10,000 from the Forest Service for staff time, and $5,000 from the Ruffed Grouse Society for the cutting head machine. The total match is valued at $19,828 (132 percent). Total project value is $34,828. This is a long form text area designed for your content that you can fill up with as many words as your heart desires. You can write articles, long mission statements, company policies, executive profiles, company awards/distinctions, office locations, shareholder reports, whitepapers, media mentions and other pieces of content that don’t fit into a shorter, more succinct space.
Partners
It is always important to have parnters. Both the Hiawatha National Forest East and the Ruffed Grouse Society are our partners in this great project.
Habitat Partners
Hiawatha Nat. Forest, Rufffed Grouse and Straits Area Sportsmen's Club
Membership Information
The Straits Area Sportsmen's Club is for you if you are interested in hunting, fishing, trapping, or other outdoor interests. For membership information, check our Membership Page or email us. (sasc764@gmail.com)
We meet on the 3rd Monday of each month at 7:30 pm at St. Ignace Moose Lodge, 2999 Mackinac Trail, St. Ignace, MI. Please stop in to see what we are doing.