(Dept. of Conservation Press Service) 
 
 
          Despite the rapid increase in private hunting club 
lands from which the public is being excluded, such lands, as 
 
yet, form but a relatively small percentage of the wild lands 
available for hunting purposes in the northern part of the state, 
according to figures gathered last year and recently compiled by 
 
the Game Division of the Department of Conservation. 
          According to these figures there are approximately 
14,000,000 acres of "wild" land in Michigan, north of Townline

20, which may be considered hunting territory. Of these 14,000,000 
acres, 94 percent is open to everyone, and the remaining five per- 
cent is restricted to private hunting only. Most of the land open 
to everyone for hunting is owned by private individuals or corpor- 
ations who have taken no steps to exclude the public. 
          The figures of wild land "open to private hunting only",

includes the areas actually posted against the public or enclosed 
lands owned or leased by individuals or clubs. Much more land 
was undoubtedly "posted" last fall after the figures were taken,

but probably not enough to make any appreciable difference in the 
relative percentages. "ith statistics obtained up to July 1, last 
year, the total area closed to the public, but tpen to private 
hunting in the upper peninsula was 175,827 acres or two peroent of 
 
all the "wild" lands in that portion of the state. In the lrwer

peninsula north of Townline 20, the area closed to the public but 
open to private hunting, amounts to 40Q,838 acres, or 9 percent. 
          Marquette County has the largest area open to public 
hunting. The figures show 1,032,337 acres or 95 percent of all 
 
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