By KATIE GERVASI
Law Enforcement Division communications representative Michigan Department of Natural Resources
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. Conservation officers often see the wrong kill tag on game – such as fish or turkey licenses on deer. Often, this is a simple mistake made in the dark that can be corrected easily by retagging the deer as soon as you notice the error.
Remember that reporting your deer within 72 hours of harvest is just as important as tagging it. A great deal of information hunters need to know is available on the DNR Hunt Fish app. Regulation summaries are also available from hunting license vendors across the state.
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. If it’s been a while since you used your firearm, consider visiting a local shooting range to practice. Many ranges have extended hours this time of year. You can locate a shooting range through the DNR Hunt Fish app.
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.
Each year, conservation officers investigate property damage caused by firearms. Rifle rounds travel long distances – hunters are responsible for where bullets end up.
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. Conservation officers usually are contacted when trespass disagreements escalate and a resolution cannot be reached.
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.
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.
Type 2 ground blinds on public land are just that – public. Regardless of who constructed or tends these blinds, when they’re on state-managed public land, they are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Public land cannot be posted or reserved.
Tree stands used on public land must be portable and have one of the following affixed in legible English that can easily be read from the ground: the user’s name and address, complete driver’s license number or DNR Sportcard number. Hunting platforms cannot be affixed or attached to any tree by nails, screws or bolts.
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. It is the responsibility of all individuals to be good environmental stewards and clean up after themselves.
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.
Hunter orange garments may have a camouflage pattern as long as the pattern is at least 50% hunter orange. The DNR recommends wearing as much hunter orange as possible to increase visibility to other hunters. Hunter orange does not deter deer.
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. On commercial forest land, bait must be brought in each night, unless the landowner has given permission. Use bait sparingly to help curb the spread of diseases like bovine tuberculosis and chronic wasting disease.
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. Fast reporting makes it more likely that a conservation officer will identify the suspect.
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.
Anyone who feels targeted by hunter harassment or who witnesses a natural resource violation should immediately call or text the Report All Poaching Hotline at 800-292-7800. Information can be left anonymously. Monetary rewards may be offered for information that leads to the prosecution of violators.
Michigan conservation officers are fully licensed law enforcement officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety and protect residents through general law enforcement and conducting lifesaving operations in the communities they serve. Learn more at Michigan.gov/ConservationOfficers.
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Note to editors: Contact: John Pepin, Showcasing the DNR series editor, 906-226-1352.
