State Game Area Highlight: Gratiot-Saginaw SGA

lschultz • November 14, 2019

Written by Makhayla LaButte, MUCC Habitat Volunteer Coordinator

Comprised of nearly 17,000 acres, the Gratiot-Saginaw State Game Area (SGA) is one of the largest managed wildlife areas in the Lower Peninsula. During its acquisition by the State of Michigan in 1939, much of the land that now makes up the Gratiot-Saginaw SGA was agricultural fields and cut-over areas. As time passed, plant succession eventually led tomuch of the area becoming forested. Select portions within the SGA were modified to create wetlands to promote habitat for waterfowl and furbearing species, and these areas continue to be managed to ensure habitat quality and hunter access.

This SGA features game species like wild turkey, ruffed grouse, white-tailed deer, cottontail rabbit and an abundance of waterfowl and furbearing species. Due to the expanse of the SGA, there are a variety of habitat types to provide foraging material and cover for these species. The DNR continues to restore and enhance different portions of the land to better sustain the wildlife populations found there.

In partnership with Michigan DNR Wildlife Division biologists and technicians, the Gratiot-Saginaw SGA has benefited from wildlife habitat work by MUCC On the Ground (OTG) volunteers since the start of the program in 2013. In fact, the first OTG project was held at the Gratiot-Saginaw SGA in March of 2013 and involved volunteers building brush piles for rabbit habitat (rabbitat). Every year since the start of the program, volunteers have improved habitat for wildlife in this state game area. Such improvements involve the creation of brush piles for rabbitat, clearing of user-access trails, dike clearing and maintenance and grassland restoration efforts.

Despite its proximity to major cities like Saginaw, Lansing and Flint, the Gratiot-Saginaw SGA is located in a rural setting across Gratiot and Saginaw counties. There have been quality hunting opportunities reported for a variety of game species in this unique management area, and the OTG program looks forward to returning to the area in 2020 to continue the tradition of giving back to Michigan’s natural resources.

Information about this state game area was adapted from the DNR Master Plan for the Gratiot-Saginaw SGA.

 

 

Please contact MUCC Habitat Volunteer Coordinator Makhayla LaButte at mlabutte@mucc.org with questions or comments regarding the OTG program or visit mucc.org/on-the-ground for more information.

Recent Posts

May 2025 NRC Recap

By Justin Tomei • May 8, 2025
The Natural Resources Commission (NRC) met for their May meeting today at Lansing Community College West Campus. The commission voted to return antlered opportunities to the Independence and Liberty hunts at the May Natural Resources Commission meeting. The amendment to restore this opportunity passed after Commissioner Walters withdrew his amendment from April to only partially restore antlered opportunity during these hunts. MUCC testified for the complete restoration of antlered opportunity during these two hunts, per a member passed policy from our 2025 Annual Convention. The commission also voted on, and ultimately accepted, a proposal to allow archery antlerless take in the high snowfall zone in the Upper Peninsula. Additionally, the commission also chose to leave on the table and postpone indefinitely the order to reopen the illegally partially closed coyote season. This prevents the order from dying after today's meeting and makes it eligible for action at a later date. This amendment will remain postponed until the June meeting at the earliest.  MUCC has created the Coyote Coalition to assist in unifying the voice of conservationists in support of Proposal G. To join the Coyote Coalition, visit https://www.mucc.org/coyotecoalition . The commission did adopt proposed fall turkey regulations unanimously. The June commission meeting is Thursday, June 12 in Bay City. To ensure our natural resources remain protected and managed thoughtfully and our outdoor heritage defended, join Michigan United Conservation Clubs today: http://bit.ly/JoinMUCC .

On The Ground: Volunteers at the Annual Jack Pine Planting Day

By Olivia Triltsch • May 8, 2025
In total, volunteers improved about 6 acres of habitat and planted around 6,000 trees in this stand to continue regeneration.

On the Ground Junior: Spring Event Recap

By Katelyn Helsel • May 7, 2025
Our student volunteers have been hard at work improving wildlife habitat on public lands! MUCC’s On the Ground Junior (OTG Jr.) program, a subset of the On the Ground program, is a fully funded field trip program that brings grade-school classrooms into the outdoors to improve fish and wildlife habitat in their local communities. Through activities like native plantings, brush pile building, and invasive species removal, students gain hands-on experience with conservation and positively impact the world around them. Students also participate in educational activities like predator-prey tag to teach them about population dynamics and other natural resources concepts. So far this spring season, MUCC welcomed 69 students, teachers, and chaperones who participated in multiple OTG Jr projects with more on the way! In total, they improved over 12 acres of wildlife habitat. Read on for a recap of each OTG Jr project and see what all our awesome student volunteers have been up to. 
More Posts