After experiencing technical issues Saturday, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources licensing system is performing as expected.

At around 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, the licensing system began experiencing slowness and timed-out transactions as some customers tried to purchase licenses. The DNR continues to work with the system vendor, Sovereign Sportsman Solutions (S3), to determine the cause of the issues, which affected S3-supplied licensing systems in other states, too.

As of Saturday afternoon, Michigan’s licensing system was successfully processing transactions as expected, and more than 45,000 hunters have purchased licenses since then. The DNR wanted to ensure the vendor’s system was selling licenses without issue for 48 hours before making this announcement.

Hunters who were unable to purchase licenses or deer tags due to Saturday’s system slowdown should do so online at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses or at a local retailer as soon as possible to comply with state law. The DNR does not have the authority to waive a license as a requirement for hunting.

Successful hunters who used a homemade deer kill tag as instructed must consider their purchased, official tag to be validated and not use it to take another deer. Read more

By Glen Wunderlich
Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

Firearms deer season is here, and accordingly, we’ll be able to hear the sunrise this morning.  If you have been one of the fortunate hunters and have already bagged a whitetail, congratulations.  If not, here are some last minute tips to get the job done.

With the advent of blinds – either permanent or portable – many of us can stay comfortable all day long and that’s an important ingredient to success.  Another necessity is accuracy afield:  the act of translating what has been learned at the target range to field use.

Good shooters know that a steady rest is a good place to start to minimize human error.  Benchrest sand bags under the forearm and butt stock can minimize movement and are a must for determining the accuracy potential of any round.  But, repeating this accuracy afield can be problematic, if you are not carrying a bench afield.

Obviously, pin-point accuracy is not as important at closer ranges, but when stretching the limits of a firearm across a field or through the woods, every bit of precision is required to minimize the risk of bad shots.

Here’s a tip for those that shoot from any type of box blind, where typically only some form of front rest is used.  First, place a sandbag-type rest on the window sill opening. If your blind has only window cut-outs and no window sills, consider purchasing a commercial rest designed for this specific purpose or add window sills large enough to support a rest.

Second, get a quality bipod that will adjust from 24 inches and up. (Get one that will extend to 60 inches or more so that it can be used for in-field use, as well.) Place the bipod under the shoulder stock of your firearm directly in front of the rear swivel stud and angle the legs forward slightly.

It’s easy to knock a firearm loose in the heat of the moment and doing so can mean a blown opportunity.  To minimize such a consequence, attach a rubber strap to the bipod and over the shoulder stock to secure it in place.  (Mine are made of inner-tube rubber.)

Once you get the firearm at the proper height by adjusting the bipod legs, you’ll be able to fine tune elevation quickly by moving the firearm back and forth across the front rest.  This system is so stable it will rival groups shot at the bench!

If your budget doesn’t allow for the expense of store-bought shooting sticks, make your own.  Cut any suitable sticks at the proper height for your blind and wrap the upper ends with electrical tape to keep them from damaging the gun’s stock.  Next, tape the sticks together using lots of tape approximately two inches from the top to form a joint.  Drive nails into the bottom of the legs and cut them off leaving about a half inch protruding.  This will keep them from slipping while in use.

If you’ve done your work at the range, now you’ll be able to repeat the results afield.

In light of unforeseen technical issues with the licensing system provided by Sovereign Sportsman Solutions, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources reports that some hunters may not have been able to purchase a base license and deer kill tags today. The DNR is working with the vendor to resolve these issues, which are occurring across several states, as quickly as possible.

Hunters are encouraged to continue checking online or with local retailers for updates. As always, DNR conservation officers will be patrolling throughout the season. Over the next several days, officers will take these circumstances into consideration while making contacts with hunters.

Hunters who were not able to obtain a legally issued kill tag for their deer due to system outages should affix a temporary kill tag using materials they have on hand. The temporary tag should include the same information normally found on a kill tag:

• Identification of the hunter.
• The date the deer was killed.
• The sex of animal.
• Number of antler points on each side.

Customers who have purchased a license on the DNR website today are asked to use this temporary kill tag until their legal tag arrives in the mail.

Hunters always should carry proper identification when in the field. The DNR does not have the authority to waive a license as a requirement for hunting. Hunters who go afield this deer season are still required to buy a license from a retailer or online as soon as possible to meet their statutory obligations.

Contact: Ed Golder, GolderE@Michigan.gov

Grand Prairie, TX – Avian-X Topflight Teal Decoys, available in Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal of Early Season Teal packs, let hunters target a specific species or hunt mixed flocks of ducks in early season plumage. At Avian-X, our goal is for every decoy to look just as real as the birds flying overhead. Our decoys feature ultra-realistic paint schemes, carefully crafted molding and true-to-life postures.

Little things make a big difference. Features like rugged construction, life-like size, shape and feather detail, realistic postures, weight-forward swim keel for realistic movement and no-flake paint create these fowl-fooling authentic teal decoys. Read more

Here is inside information worth sharing from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Hunters across the country risk one or more of these violations if they’re not familiar with the rules.

As Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers gear up for the 2020 firearm deer season, they are expecting that this year’s higher hunting license sales will mean more new and experienced hunters in the woods. Here’s a list of the 10 most common hunting violations that conservation officers encounter every firearm season – most of which easily can be avoided with a little research and planning.

#1 – Using the wrong tag or improperly filling out a tag

Conservation officers often see the wrong kill tag on game – such as fish or turkey licenses on a deer. Often, this is a simple mistake made in the dark and can easily be corrected by re-tagging the deer as soon as you notice the error.

Solution: Before field-dressing or moving the deer, kill tags should be filled out (including the month and date the deer was taken and the deer’s gender and number of antler points) and properly placed on the deer.

#2 – Not wearing orange

Some hunters remove their orange clothing once they get into deer stands or blinds. In the excitement of getting a deer, hunters may forget to put their orange clothing back on.

Solution: Commit to wearing hunter orange to keep yourself and others safe. Hunters are required by law to wear hunter orange as the outermost layer of clothing at all times. The DNR recommends wearing as much hunter orange as possible to increase visibility to other hunters. Orange and other bright colors do not affect a deer’s behavior. Hunter orange garments, including camouflage, must be at least 50 percent hunter orange and be visible from all directions. Clothing options include a cap, hat, vest, jacket or raincoat.

#3 – Being unfamiliar with a firearm and how it functions  

Semi-automatic, lever, bolt and pump-action firearms are common choices among hunters, but each firearm functions very differently.

Solution: Take the time to familiarize yourself with your firearm and make sure it is properly sighted and functioning before you go hunting. Being able to safely handle your firearm is an important part of being a responsible hunter.

#4 – Committing safety zone violations

Each year conservation officers investigate property damage caused by firearms.

Solution: Rifle rounds travel long distances – hunters are responsible for where their bullets end up. 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.

#5 – Trespassing

If a deer runs onto private property, the hunter cannot retrieve it without the landowner’s permission. Conservation officers are usually contacted when trespass disagreements escalate and a resolution cannot be reached.

Solution: Respect landowner rights and posted trespassing signs. 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.

#6 – Staking claims to public land hunting blinds

Confrontations over hunting spots, or the illegal posting (trespassing or hunting signs) of state-managed public land, happen every year. Conservation officers are asked to help resolve such disputes, and say the main reason for these situations is usually last-minute hunters who randomly pick a spot.

Solution: Hunters should research and scout the land they plan to hunt – before hunting day. Brush, constructed blinds and tree stands on public land are just that – public. Regardless of who constructed, purchased or tends to 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 the hunter’s name, address and Michigan driver’s license number or DNR sportcard number affixed in legible English that can easily be read from the ground. Hunting platforms cannot be affixed or attached to any tree by nails, screws or bolts.

#7 – Littering

Leaving propane bottles, hand warmer wrappers, food wrappers, bottles and other trash causes problems for animals and people.

Solution: Practice the “leave no trace” ethic. Whatever is brought into the woods should be taken back out. It is the responsibility of all hunters to be environmental stewards and clean up after themselves.

#8 – Baiting/attracting deer

Conservation officers stay busy responding to calls about illegal baiting in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and portions of the Upper Peninsula.

Solution: Know the law. Baiting and feeding are banned in the entire Lower Peninsula and portions of the Upper Peninsula – except for hunters with disabilities who meet specific requirements.

In approved Upper Peninsula baiting areas, 2 gallons of bait can be spread in an area that measures 10 feet by 10 feet. 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 deer diseases like bovine tuberculosis and chronic wasting disease.

#9 – Hunting out of hours or off-season

One of the most common complaints to the DNR’s Report All Poaching Hotline is about shots fired after dark. Often, these complaints are reported days later.

Solution: A hunter may legally shoot game 30 minutes before sunrise or until 30 minutes after 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.

#10 – Harassing hunters

Conservation officers investigate acts of hunter harassment – which is when a person or organization intentionally sabotages another hunter’s quality opportunity to take game. 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 hunters’ equipment such as trail cameras and blinds.

Solution: Respect the law. Michigan law prohibits anyone obstructing or interfering with the lawful taking of animals. Hunter harassment is a misdemeanor offense.