Seek a Paradise, look about you

A few months ago Warren Riggen passed away. You may have read about him in the News Herald years back. He was retired in his 70s and still trapping at Point Moullie State Refuge. He was born in Arkansas, fought in WWII including Omaha beach and then came to Detroit for a job in the automotive industry.
In his free time Warren loved to trap and Point Moullie was a favorite stop. He trapped muskrat, mink and coon. He became a mink trapping expert and had even trained DNR CO's in the finer points of trapping mink. In his full life long journey you could say Warren found paradise at Point Moullie.
Now there are about a dozen other trappers still plying their trade in Warren's old classroom and they still catch many muskrat and mink. This helps keep the dykes safe and helping control the vegetation which helps the ducks in the fall migrations. At one time 13,000 muskrats were trapped in one year but those numbers are way down now. Still there a lot of opportunities for catches at Point Moullie. Now for a different opportunity.
The opportunity came with a $284,477 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant acquired by Ducks Unlimited in partnership with the DNR in 2011. The 66-acre Dusseau tract is being converted to 38 acres of productive emergent wetlands and 28 acres of high-quality lake plain prairie grassland over the next two years.
DNR biologist Joe Robison recognizes the critical role partnerships like this one play in accomplishing conservation goals that benefit native species. "We've seen a decline in hunting license sales in recent years, the proceeds of which go directly back to species management projects on our State Game Areas. Partners like Ducks Unlimited, with their wetland restoration expertise and aid in grant-seeking opportunities, make a big difference in what habitat improvement work we are able to do on our State Game Areas."
Whatever we can do to keep paradise alive.

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