Remember to 'Clean, Drain, Dry' to protect waterfowl habitat

As waterfowl hunting season begins, the Michigan Invasive Species Program is asking hunters across the state to take extra precautions to prevent the spread of invasive species.

Several aquatic invasive plants tend to grow in slow-moving waters — just the kind of places that ducks and geese flock to. Those plants’ seeds and turions (buds capable of growing into plants) are ripe for distribution, and they easily can attach to boats and gear, including decoys, straps and trailers.

Hunters may be familiar with invasive phragmites, a now-widespread, reedlike grass that takes over shorelines and shallow-water areas. In recent years, another, similar invasive grass called Glyceria maxima has been detected in the Upper Peninsula, likely arriving from infested areas in Wisconsin. Both plants spread by seeds and plant fragments.

Invasive European frog-bit, resembling small water lilies, is widespread along the coastal areas of lakes Erie and Huron up to the eastern Upper Peninsula and has been found in inland lakes and ponds in areas of Michigan. Easily spread by its seedlike turions, it forms dense mats of vegetation that can hamper the movement of diving ducks and reduce the availability of snails, mollusks and other food sources.

A significant infestation of hydrilla, considered one of the world's most invasive aquatic plants, was detected in 2024 in Ontario, Canada’s Hillman Marsh Conservation Area, popular with waterfowl hunters. In 2023, hydrilla was first detected in Michigan in private ponds in Berrien County.

Hydrilla’s long stems and short green leaves resemble both native and invasive elodea plants. If hydrilla is chopped by boat motors, its fragments can drift to new areas to start new populations. Fragments left on boats or gear can be transported to new rivers and lakes.

Take action!

To protect Michigan’s waterfowl habitat, hunters are urged to take the following precautions:

• Clean equipment (including waders, decoys, straps, anchors, boats and trailers) thoroughly between trips to keep from transporting undesirable plant fragments, seeds or organisms from one site to another.
• Drain all water from boats, trailers and equipment.
• Dry boats, gear and equipment for five days (if possible) before transporting to another body of water.
• Inspect all gear and equipment, including anchors, decoys and lines, blinds, waders and clothing, before and after use. Don’t forget to check dogs and their gear! Remove any plants, debris or soils.
• Remember that Michigan boating laws require boaters to pull plugs, drain water and remove plants and debris from boats and trailers before getting on the road.
• Hunters are encouraged to use synthetic materials to camouflage boats and blinds or choose known native species like cedar to avoid accidental selection of invasive plants.
• A brief video outlining what waterfowl hunters need to know about invasive phragmites and other helpful information about invasive species can be found at Michigan.gov/Invasives.
• Questions? Contact DNR invasives communications species specialist Joanne Foreman at 517-284-5814.