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 The
Lake Erie marshes gained fame during the late 1800s as some
of the best waterfowl hunting areas in the United States.
Wealthy sportsmen vied to purchase choice hunting sites, and
as early as 1890 much of the wetland area was being operated
for private shooting. By the end of 1951 the entire 30,000
acres of remaining marshland along Lake Erie, from Toledo to
Sandusky, was under private club ownership. Today, the
region still supports some of the most intensively developed
and managed waterfowling clubs in the Midwest.
The Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, purchased by the Ohio
Division of Wildlife in August 1951, lies in some of Ohio’s
finest remaining wetlands. The marsh complex has
historically been inhabited by large numbers of waterfowl,
waterbirds, shorebirds, and songbirds. The primary
responsibility at Magee Marsh is the development and
maintenance of high quality wetland habitat for a diverse
array of wetland wildlife species.
During the 1960s, a small flock of Canada geese was released
and goose nesting tubs were erected at Magee Marsh as part
of Ohio’s Canada goose reintroduction program. Other goose
management areas included Killdeer Plains, Mercer, and
Mosquito wildlife areas. Between 9,000-11,000 goslings are
produced on these areas annually, making Ohio’s goose
production program the most successful program in the
nation.
The Crane Creek Wildlife Research Station, headquarters for
the Division of Wildlife’s wetland wildlife research, is
housed on the second floor of the Sportsmen’s Migratory Bird
Center which is located on the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area.
Biologists at the research station are responsible for
statewide research and management of wetland dependent
wildlife including waterfowl, furbearers, and endangered
wetland species, such as the bald eagle. For more
information visit:
www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/19778/Default.aspx
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