Pheasants are being released on 13 state game/wildlife areas throughout southern Michigan this fall. Releases will take place through Nov. 14 on 13 areas and Dec. 1-31 on 10 areas, coinciding with pheasant hunting season. Directions to parking areas are available on the pheasant release webpage. Locations include:

• Cass City (Tuscola County) – fall and December release.
• Cornish (Van Buren County) – fall release only.
• Crane Pond (Cass County) – fall release only.
• Crow Island (Bay and Saginaw counties) – fall and December release.
• Dansville (Ingham County) – fall and December release.
• Erie (Monroe County) – fall and December release.
• Lapeer (Lapeer County) – fall and December release.
• Leidy Lake (St. Joseph County) – fall and December release.
• Townline 16 (Bay County) – fall release only.
• Pte. Mouillee (Monroe and Wayne counties) – fall and December release.
• Rose Lake (Clinton and Shiawassee counties) – fall and December release.
• Stanton (Montcalm County) – fall and December release.
• St. Johns Marsh (St. Clair County) – fall and December release.

To learn more about the pheasant release program, visit Michigan.gov/SmallGame.

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: Read more

Picture this: You’re getting ready to walk into your stand or blind in the quiet darkness of predawn. The property has some standing water so you’re wearing knee-length rubber muck boots and, since the mercury is just above freezing, two pairs of socks. You walk in for a half mile or so, occasionally sloshing through some ankle-deep mud along the way, being as quiet as possible. You get set up and everything looks good—time to wait patiently and see what happens.

A little while later, the cold starts creeping in, starting with your feet. In another 30 minutes, they’re starting to get really chilly now. Read more

A flurry of factors is compiling now to make this your best whitetail hunting season…ever.

The first cool nights in October are a bellwether for the chaos that will soon occur in the deer woods when lovestruck whitetail bucks roam the countryside seeking out the first does that come into estrous. Like clockwork, the familiar scent of decomposing leaves and musty smoke drifts across the land and the deer hunter’s soul is triggered by primal instincts that even the most pedestrian lifestyle cannot conceal. This is Late October Magic.

Generally, big cool downs occur sometime in early to mid-October, but warm stretches of weather are less than ideal for deer hunting as well. That said, savvy deer hunters know the deer are still active.

“Weather trumps everything, but at the end of the day, I’ve learned deer are going to do deer things regardless,” says TheGame TV host Matt Jennings of Woodland, Alabama. “The weather bothers us more than it bothers the deer. They’re still going to do their thing, you just have to be in the right spot at the right time.” Read more

In many cases, a large portion of your scouting will be done ahead of season at fairly long distances, so a quality spotter will be your best piece of equipment. Our favorite units are heavily farmed and relatively flat without much in terms of coulees or cover.

From Summer 2020 Fair Chase Magazine
By Justin Spring, B&C Professional Member, photos courtesy of author

Pronghorn is probably the most straightforward western species to hunt on your own. While they are commonly (though incorrectly) called antelope (and also oftentimes referred to as speed goats or goats), they are more closely related to giraffes than Africa’s true antelope species. Antelocarpa americana has a couple of very unique traits that are extremely interesting. First, they are the only species that loses its horns every year. Secondly the pronghorn reaches maturity at 3 years, meaning with the right conditions, a third-year pronghorn has the potential to express his largest set of horns. Interestingly, a pronghorn’s age is easily determined to age 3 as each year they add an additional front incisor until they reach maturity.

I am clearly intrigued by this species for its uniqueness and also the fact that pronghorn are only found on the North American continent. Their popularity is relatively low compared to many other western species, which can work to the visiting hunter’s advantage. Especially in areas of high abundance, access can usually be obtained. Although the same rancher that will gladly let you on for pronghorn is more likely to give you some of his water or a date with his daughter than permission to hunt mule deer. Read more