Category: Hunting

Michigan’s 2024 Elk Hunting Season: Outcomes and Highlights

With the wrap of Michigan’s 2024 elk season, hunters saw challenging conditions during Hunt Period 1 and improved outcomes in Hunt Period 2. More than 250 licenses were issued across both periods, and hunters harvested 180 elk in all.

Hunt Period 1

The season began in late August and spanned 12 days throughout September. High temperatures during the fall hunt reduced elk movement during the day, making it difficult to locate elk during hunting hours. Additionally, the heat deterred some hunters from participating out of concern about meat spoilage and heat-related conditions.

Michigan’s early season is designed to remove elk living outside of the designated elk management area, which is primarily the Pigeon River Country State Forest. There are 100 licenses issued for Hunt Period 1: 30 any-elk licenses and 70 antlerless-only licenses.

Despite the challenging weather, Hunt Period 1 proved to be successful for 59% of hunters, who harvested 24 bull elk and 35 antlerless elk, including two calves. This harvest rate is the lowest documented, falling below the average of about 74% since 2007. Read more

Hunting

Michigan’s Urban archery deer season continues through Jan. 31

Urban archery deer season

  • Now through Friday, Jan. 31, on public and private lands in the following counties: Huron, Kent, Lapeer, Macomb, Oakland, Sanilac, Tuscola, Washtenaw, Wayne and St. Clair (excluding DMU 174).
  • Hunters can use a single deer license, deer combo license (regular and/or restricted tags), mentored youth license, inclusive mentored license or universal antlerless license.
  • All archery season rules and regulations apply.

Hunters Feeding Michigan

If you can’t fit another deer in your freezer but still want to get outdoors and hunt, consider donating your harvest to Hunters Feeding Michigan. Check out the list of processors who partner to provide venison to local food banks. Please call a processor prior to drop-off to ensure they will accept your donation. All deer must be legally harvested, harvest-reported and whole to be accepted for donation.

Harvest reporting

  • Deer hunters are required to report a successful harvest within 72 hours or before transferring possession of the deer (to another person, a processor or taxidermist).
  • Reporting your harvest takes about three minutes and provides critical information for managing Michigan’s deer herd.

Report your harvest or see the reported harvest totals in real time at Michigan.gov/HarvestReporting.

Hunting

U.S. Rep. Ben Cline’s Hearing Protection Act Introduction

WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, welcomes U.S. Rep. Ben Cline’s (R-Va.) H.R. 404, the Hearing Protection Act, which would remove firearm suppressors from the list of definitions under the 1934 National Firearms Act (NFA), eliminating onerous and duplicitous background checks. Instead, what is essentially a muffler for a gun would be regulated under the 1968 Gun Control Act (GCA) with the same background check that is required for a retail firearm purchase. The legislation would also amend the statutory suppressor definitions to eliminate ambiguity that might lead to the criminalization of lawful firearm accessories.

“Congressman Cline’s Hearing Protection Act will have the federal government recognize firearm suppressors for what they are: These are accessories to a firearm that make recreational shooting and hunting a safer experience,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “These safety devices reduce the report of a firearm to a level that won’t cause instant and permanent hearing damage. Read more

Firearms, Hunting

NSSF Celebrates $1.3 Billion to States for Wildlife Conservation

NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, celebrates the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) announcement that $1.3 billion is being delivered to state conservation and wildlife access programs. The distribution of funds is derived from the Pittman-Robertson excise taxes paid by firearm and ammunition manufacturers and Dingell-Johnson excise taxes paid by the angling industry.

A total of $886,499,121 of the $1.3 billion of those funds are directly sourced from firearm and ammunition excise taxes paid by manufacturers. Firearm and ammunition manufacturers have paid over $29 billion into the fund since its inception in 1937, when adjusted for inflation. These funds directly contribute to wildlife conservation through the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and provide funding for conservation programs, increased access to public lands and hunter education.

“The firearm industry is tremendously proud of the contributions we make to conserving our wildlife and the habitats wildlife need to thrive for generations to come,” said NSSF President and CEO Joe Bartozzi. “Our industry is at the forefront of wildlife conservation. Each time a recreational shooter or hunter purchases a firearm or ammunition, they are helping to support wildlife conservation through the excise taxes paid by our industry on the sale of those products. The American model of conservation funding is the gold standard throughout the world for sustainable conservation and wildlife management.”

The excise tax is set at 11 percent of the wholesale price for long guns and ammunition and 10 percent of the wholesale price for handguns. Read more

Fishing, Hunting, Wildlife

There’s Still Time to Apply for a Spring Turkey License

Applications for the 2025 spring turkey hunting season are on sale now through Feb. 1. Applications are $5 and can be purchased at any license agent, online at eLicense or through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app.

Drawing results will be available March 3. You can check your drawing results online at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses or through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app. You are responsible for obtaining your drawing results.

Find information on how to apply on page 8 of the 2025 Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations Summary. For questions about applying for a spring turkey license, call 517-284-9453.

Apply Now

Hunting

2025 Defender Vision Pro Livestream from Browning Trail Cameras

Browning Trail Cameras introduces the Defender Vision Pro Livestream, a groundbreaking innovation that redefines wildlife observation and property monitoring. With live streaming capabilities, this cutting-edge trail camera brings the outdoors directly to your device, providing an unparalleled, real-time connection to the natural world.

Live Streaming

With the Defender Vision Pro Livestream, you don’t just capture moments—you live them. Through the intuitive Strike Force Wireless app, this camera allows you to view real-time action as it unfolds, whether it’s deer moving through your hunting grounds or activity around your property. High-speed 4G LTE connectivity ensures instant access, so you’re always in the heart of the action, no matter where you are.

Immersive High-Definition Viewing

Experience unmatched clarity with 1080p Full HD video and 46MP images, designed to deliver vivid, lifelike visuals. Whether monitoring during the day or under the cover of darkness, the camera’s advanced optics and connectivity ensure that every detail is crystal clear. Read more

Hunting

Michiganders Can Learn to Trap – Trapping 101 Camp

Friday-Sunday, Feb. 7-9

Sleepy Hollow State Park, Laingsburg (Clinton County)

Learn about trapping with the National Wild Turkey Federation and partners from Michigan Trappers and Predator Callers during this weekend for new adult trappers. Trapping basics and hands-on experience with trap setting and checking, furbearer processing and fur handling will be covered. The species of focus will be muskrat and raccoon.

The cost is $200, which includes two nights’ lodging at Sleepy Hollow State Park cabins, Friday evening dinner, breakfast snacks, Saturday lunch, and Saturday evening wild game sampling. This event, limited to five new trappers, is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For questions, call/text Jen Davis at 734-680-6049 or email jdavis@nwtf.net.

Register Online

Hunting

Michigander Can Learn to Hunt Late-Season Geese

Sunday, Feb. 2

Near Grass Lake* (Jackson County)

*specific location dependent on conditions

The Michigan State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, in partnership with Waterloo Wings and Water, presents this event for new adult hunters to learn to hunt late-season geese.

The cost is $75, which includes a morning educational session covering basic safety and late-season goose hunting tactics, a guided goose hunt with blinds, decoys, etc., and a wild game processing demonstration.

This event, limited to six new hunters, is available on a first-come, first-served basis, contingent on proof of hunter safety certification.

For questions or to register, call/text Jen Davis at 734-680-6049 or email jdavis@nwtf.net.

Hunting

Muddy Introduces the Trifecta 180

IRVING, TX – Muddy® Outdoors, a brand known for its versatile assortment of blinds, trail cameras, climbing systems, boots, apparel and more, recently released the Trifecta™ 180, a cellular trail camera that captures 180-degree photos and videos of its surroundings.

Combining 180-degree motion detection with three independent PIR sensors, the Trifecta 180 captures and delivers panoramic-style photos and videos by breaking an area into three distinct zones—providing outdoorsmen with the equivalent of three cameras in a single device. When triggered, the camera responds immediately, rotating and situating the lens in the zone where movement was detected. The resulting 36MP photos, or 1080P video with audio, are then accessible on any mobile device via the Command Pro app*.

Users can also choose how images will be captured: Read more

Hunting
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