From the Michigan DNR
Opening day of the traditional firearm deer hunting season is right around the corner, and many hunters are busy scouting land, watching trail cameras and preparing equipment. To ensure a safe season, Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers are sharing best practices and tips to help hunters avoid the most common violations and mistakes they see every year.
Here are 10 best practices for hunters to remember:
Properly tag your deer
Before field-dressing or moving a deer, kill tags must be filled out to include the month and date the deer was harvested, animal gender and number of antler points, if any. Kill tags must be properly placed on the deer. Stick the tag to a piece of string, wire or a zip-tie that can be attached to the deer.
Know your firearm and how it functions
Properly handling your firearm is an important part of being a safe hunter. Take the time to familiarize yourself with your firearm and make sure it is properly sighted and functioning before you go hunting.
Know your target and what’s beyond it
Know the area you’ll be hunting, including nearby buildings and properties. No one may hunt with a firearm within 450 feet of an occupied structure, including buildings, dwellings, homes, residences, cabins, barns or structures used for farm operations unless they have permission from the landowner.
Respect landowner rights
Always respect posted no trespassing signs and property boundaries. If a deer runs onto private property, the hunter cannot retrieve it without the landowner’s permission. If you’ll be hunting near someone else’s property, contact the landowner ahead of time; don’t wait until you’re tracking game. Most of the time, a friendly call or visit to your neighbor will remedy the situation.
Share public land
Research and scout the land you plan to hunt before opening day. State-managed land is a popular place to hunt. Conservation officers often respond to confrontations over hunting spots, blocking of roads and illegally posting “no trespassing” or “no hunting” signs on state-managed public land. Conservation officers, who are often asked to help resolve these disputes, said hunter confrontations over hunting spots are often due to last-minute hunters who randomly pick a spot.
Leave the land better than you found it
Practice the “leave no trace” ethic and don’t litter. Whatever is brought into the woods must be taken back out. Leaving propane bottles, hand-warmer wrappers, food wrappers, bottles and other trash is illegal and may result in a fine.
Wear hunter orange
During firearm deer hunting season, deer hunters are required by law to wear a cap, hat, vest, jacket or raincoat of hunter orange. The orange must be worn on the outermost layer of clothing at all times and visible from all directions, regardless of hunting on private or shared public land, even if hunting from within a blind.
Know and follow baiting regulations
Deer baiting and feeding are banned in the entire Lower Peninsula. In the Upper Peninsula, baiting may occur from Sept. 15 to Jan. 1. Bait volume at any hunting site cannot exceed 2 gallons. Bait must be spread on the ground and in an area that measures a minimum of 10 feet by 10 feet or its equivalent. Mechanical spin-cast feeders are legal to use provided the feeder does not distribute more than the maximum volume allowed.
Hunt in-season, during legal hours
During firearm season, a hunter may legally shoot game starting 30 minutes before local sunrise and until 30 minutes after local sunset. Anyone who witnesses or suspects hunting outside of legal hours should immediately call or text the DNR’s Report All Poaching hotline at 800-292-7800.
Be respectful to other hunters
Michigan law prohibits anyone from obstructing or interfering with the lawful taking of animals. Hunter harassment – when a person or organization intentionally sabotages another hunter’s quality opportunity to take game is a misdemeanor offense. Examples include spraying repellent around a hunter’s blind, creating loud noises and/or barriers that prevent or deter a hunter or game from accessing an area, or destroying other hunter’s equipment such as trail cameras and blinds.
