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WEEKLY HUNTING & FISHING LEASE

Exclusive use for up to three (3) persons!!

eMail:  biglake@biglakeoutdoors.com

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ON THIS PAGE

Camping | Package | Property | Deer | Turkey | Waterfowl | Fishing | Passes

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$995.00 PER WEEK

SUCCESSFUL DEER HUNTER REBATES!!

AVAILABLE 52 WEEKS A YEAR

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CAMPING

You're welcome to camp on-site (camper or tent - PRIMITIVE:  no electricity or amenities).  You may also stay at our cottage about 20 minutes south at the Berrien Springs Dam or use one of the many local motels.  Additional charges will apply.  DETAILS

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THE PACKAGE

GAME:  White-tail deer, Canada geese, ducks, turkey, and small game.  

FISH:  Trout, salmon, walleye, pike, bluegill, catfish.  

Details for each species is presented below.

PARTY SIZE:  You may bring up to three (3) persons.

GUIDES:  Not included but available for all hunting and fishing.  If you reserve a guide, he will NOT be counted as part of your party.  Additional fees will apply.

IMPORTANT NOTE  

By purchasing this hunt package, you agree to ALL of the following items.  To put it simply, if you don't agree to all these items, don't buy the package.

• You are responsible for knowing and adhering to all laws and regulations pertaining to the current season in which you are hunting or fishing.
• Due to the presence and topography of the ravine, we do not feel tree stands are necessary for deer hunting.  For this reason, you will use only tree stands provided by yourself and are therefore completely responsible for their placement, condition, and safe use.
• You will be held liable for any property damage, including but not limited to permanent structures, fruit trees and other crops, whether accidental or intentional. 
• You must leave no trash - pack out EVERYTHING you take into the field. 
• You are required to stay on the specific property you are hunting.  You must NOT stray onto adjoining properties without a Big Lake Outdoors representative.  If you have a deer that needs to be tracked, call us and we'll help you track it.
• You understand that you will be hunting on wild land with inherant dangers and hazards that may lead to injuries ranging from bruises and scratches to sprains, broken bones and more serious injuries, up to and including death, and that neither Big Lake Outdoors nor the specific landowner will be held liable for any such injury suffered by any member of your party while on, or in transit to or from, the hunt site.
• You and your party are responsible for conducting yourselves in a safe manner.
• You and your party will NOT hunt while intoxicated or otherwise impaired.
• You and your party will NOT shoot in the direction of buildings and highways unless you are at least the legal distance from those locations as defined in the current Hunting Guide.
• Any injury, accidental or intentional, suffered by any individual, whether a member of your party or not, is the sole responsibility of the individual causing the injury.  Neither Big Lake Outdoors nor the specific landowner will be held liable for any such injury caused by any member of your party while on, or in transit to or from, the hunt site.

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THE PROPERTY

This property is the FIRST lot east of the Sarett Nature Center, a nature preserve and bird sanctuary of over 800 acres of spring-fed marsh and ravined river-bottom tangles that holds a nice herd of big white-tails as well as large numbers of ducks and geese, especially in the winter.  This stretch of ravined and wooded river bottom runs unbroken for over 15 miles along the Paw Paw River, including the entire west and north boundaries of the property (see photos below), and provides hundreds of big white-tails with cover. 

For the better part of the last 15 years, this property has been used mainly for goose hunting with a few deer hunters allowed on-site.  Now, however, a new orchard has brought about an increase in the deer traffic on this lot and they're causing a great deal of damage to the young trees.  The orchard owner is not happy and would like us to kill as many deer as possible each year.

This 45-acre lot, while not large, is in a perfect location.  It is bordered on the north by the Paw Paw River which has excellent steelhead and chinook runs, as well as nice populations of pike, walleye, and other fish.  The property is located downstream of the Watervliet Dam, probably the best-known fishing location on the Paw Paw.  The fish have to run past our property to get to the dam, and since the river is only about 30 feet wide, they pack in tight.  

NOTE: The river may not be wide, but we recommend you not try to wade it.  Along this property alone, there are holes known to be 15 - 20 feet deep.

On the east, we are bordered by a wild field (unfarmed) and then more woods and small swamps.  On the south, a golf course.  And on the west by the Sarett Nature Center.  This preserve runs along the south side of the river for about 3 miles and contains springs, marshes, and other wetlands.  Ducks and geese stay in the spring-fed marshes throughout the winter, making this property excellent for waterfowl hunting, especially for January geese.  The deer living in this preserve are numerous and get big.  Turkey have been seen on the property with more and more regularity and there is plenty of cover for rabbits and other small game.

We have the property posted and it will be policed to ensure ONLY the persons authorized by the lease are using the land.

The property is divided by Interstate 196.  In the 40+ years the highway has been here, there have been exactly ZERO deer killed by traffic on this stretch.  And yet the deer are getting from the nature center on one side of the highway to the young fruit trees on the other side.  How they do this without crossing the road is by going UNDER the bridge over the Paw Paw River (see photo below).  This natural funnel can provide you with an EASY deer hunt.

PROPERTY LAYOUT PHOTOS

In the second picture from the left, the RED box indicates the Sarett Nature Center; the YELLOW is the property for lease; the BLUE is county property that is usually flooded timber (but cannot be hunted); and the GREEN is a creek-fed pond that stays open year-round and attracts hundreds of geese each January.  The dark, irregular line running from lower-left to upper-right is the wooded Paw Paw River bottom and ravines.

In the third picture from the left, the YELLOW outlines the lease; the RED dashed-line shows the edge of the ravine; the ORANGE lines are deer trails; the ORANGE dots are where the deer most often feed; the GREEN circles are the best locations for your goose blinds; the BLUE dots show where timber sometimes floods; and the PURPLE circle is where turkeys are most often seen.

WHY THIS PROPERTY??  

If you're a deer hunter, you'll love this lot.  It's not large, but the old realty adage "location, location, location" has never been more true.  This property is the FIRST property off the Sarett Nature Center Bird Sanctuary.  Sarett is almost 4 miles in length and is comprised mostly of the old House of David Marsh.  The marsh itself is spring-fed so it almost never freezes up in the winter (meaning a lot of waterfowl roost here).  No hunting is permitted on Sarett so these animals have every opportunity to grow.

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DEER HUNTING

SUCCESSFUL HUNTER REBATES:  A rebate of $100 will be given to your party for each deer taken from October 1 through the end of the muzzleloading season in December (maximum of $300 per week).  You will be able to hang your deer at our home property until you are ready to either go home or take it for processing.

HUNTING SCHEDULE:  Other than Opening Weeks, you will arrive on Friday after 3:00 PM.  You will have a quick tour of the property pointing out the major runs and best locations from which to hunt.  Once you get settled in, you are welcome to hunt Friday afternoon and may hunt the land as much as you wish.  Your hunt ends at NOON the following Friday.

OPENING WEEK HUNTING:  Arrive the day before Opening Day after 3:00 PM and begin your hunt the following morning.  Other policies mentioned in HUNTING SCHEDULE still apply.

BAITING FOR DEER:  At your request, we will legally bait for deer as described in your Michigan Hunting Guide.

Daily results must be called in to Big Lake Outdoors so we can monitor your success and have the correct rebate ready for you.  THE MICHIGAN DNR KNOWS THIS PROPERTY AND HAS AGREED TO MAKE SPECIAL DEER TAGS AVAILABLE AS NECESSARY!!

10-point buck taken Nov 16, 2007

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TURKEY HUNTING

In the last couple of years, turkeys have been showing up with more and more regularity.

TURKEY LICENSE APPLICATIONS

Spring Turkey hunt applications must be submitted for (UNIT 'ZZ') from January 1 through February 1 each year.

Fall Turkey hunt applications must be submitted for (UNIT 'L') from July 1 through August 1 each year.

Click HERE to apply for your Turkey License

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WATERFOWL HUNTING

The Sarett Nature Center, the old 'House of David' marsh, is a bird sanctuary with acres and acres of spring-fed marshes and river back-waters.  Large numbers of ducks and especially Canada geese make use of this habitat.  Duck hunting can be sporatic at this site, although they do make some use of the flooded timber both on the north side of the river and in the northwest corner of our property.  Canada goose hunting can be excellent all season, but especially in January, as the local geese make use of the many grain fields to the east and the creek-fed pond a half-mile northeast (this pond stays open year-round).

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FISHING

The Paw Paw River has some very nice runs of steelhead and salmon.  The river isn't wide, so they pack in pretty tightly.  However, you should plan on losing a good number of the fish you hook.  There are numerous snags for the fish to wrap a line and you do NOT want to jump in the water.  There are some very deep holes due to some old-time dredging.

Walleye, pike, and other slow-water species (blue gill, etc.) can also be taken year-round.

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PARKING PASSES

Parking passes, with photo, will be issued to each party.  Maximum two passes per party.  Your pass must be visible on your vehicle's dashboard while you're on-site.  This will be checked when the property is policed.

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If you have any questions, shoot us a note or call 269-845-2354.

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Quality Optics at Great Prices

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