November hunting and trapping opportunities
This fall, you may still enjoy many outdoor activities, including hunting, as long as you practice proper social distancing by staying at least 6 feet from those who don't live in your household. If you are heading to deer camp with others outside your household, remember to wear masks if you are indoors or can’t be 6 feet apart. Plan to sleep in separate rooms, tents or trailers if possible.
Learn more about upcoming hunting and trapping opportunities:
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the DNR is offering a temporary safety certificate for eligible hunter education students who have completed the online course but have not yet completed the required field day. Those students can purchase a Michigan hunting license through June 1, 2021.
Eligible online students must have either:
- Started the program on or after Sept. 10, 2019, and complete it by June 1, 2021.
- Or already completed the online program but have yet to complete a field day.
Students are encouraged to complete a field day (currently being offered) as soon as possible. All hunters need a hunter education safety certificate to purchase a Michigan hunting license.
Find a field day or learn more at Michigan.gov/HunterEducation.
Questions? Email DNR-LED-RecSafety@michigan.gov.
Remember, whether this is your first season hunting or you are a seasoned veteran, put safety first.
Find hunting safety tips and resources at Michigan.gov/HuntingSafety.
As you head out this fall, keep these top 10 rules in mind. Conservation officers find these natural resource violations commonly each year.
- Make sure you use the correct tag and fill out properly.
- Be sure to wear hunter orange.
- Be familiar with your firearm and how it functions.
- Observe all safety zones.
- Do not trespass on private property.
- Recognize that hunting blinds placed on public land become public property. Public land cannot be reserved or posted.
- Do not litter.
- Observe all baiting laws. Remember that baiting is not allowed in the Lower Peninsula and the CWD Core Area in the Upper Peninsula.
- Make sure you are hunting only during specified hunting hours and only during legal hunting seasons.
- Report any issues of hunter harassment to the Report All Poaching hotline.
Learn more about these issues and how to avoid them.
If you witness a violation or issue, call or text the Report All Poaching Hotline immediately at 1-800-292-7800.
Michigan conservation officers are fully commissioned state peace officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety and protect citizens through general law enforcement and conducting lifesaving operations in the communities they serve.
Enjoy small game hunting with just your base license. Small game species currently open to hunting:
- Cottontail rabbit and snowshoe hare through March 31.
- Ruffed grouse through Nov. 14 and Dec. 1-Jan. 1.
- Squirrel hunting (both fox and gray) through March 31.
- Pheasant hunting in Zones 2 and 3 through Nov.14.
Visit Michigan.gov/Hunting for small game hunting information and see the 2020 Hunting Digest for regulations and bag limits.
Waterfowl hunting opportunities are abundant in November, with opportunities for harvesting ducks, coots, mergansers and geese.
The 2020 Waterfowl Digest, available at Michigan.gov/Waterfowl, has season dates, regulations, bag limits and additional waterfowl hunting details.
If you plan to hunt at one of the Wetland Wonders, please be aware of the changes to the waterfowl drawing procedures for this year.
Fall turkey hunting season is open through Nov. 14.
Check Michigan.gov/Turkey and the 2020 Fall Turkey Digest for hunting information.
2020 turkey patch
The 2020 Michigan wild turkey patch is available to hunters, collectors and other turkey enthusiasts. It's free to hunters 16 and younger who had a 2020 wild turkey hunting license, but anyone can purchase the patch for just $5, postage and handling included.
The state’s wild turkey patch program is coordinated by the Michigan chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, in partnership with the DNR. Visit Michigan.gov/Turkey to learn how to receive a 2020 patch.
November deer hunting opportunities include:
- Archery deer hunting season is open through Nov. 14.
- Firearm deer season is open Nov. 15-30.
Deer hunting regulations can be found in the 2020 Hunting Digest, available at Michigan.gov/Deer.
Deer check stations and CWD testing
This year, to protect hunters and DNR staff, procedures will look different at deer check stations. In addition, stations will be limited in number and hours of availability.
- Hunters are required to wear masks to DNR deer check stations and to remember social distancing guidelines, staying 6 feet away from other individuals.
- You will be asked to remain in your vehicle at most check stations.
- Deer cooperator patches will be available only at DNR deer check stations, during check station hours of operation, while supplies last.
Deer heads from southern Jackson, southern Isabella and western Gratiot counties, and the core CWD surveillance area in the Upper Peninsula (portions of Dickinson, Menominee and Delta counties) will be accepted for CWD testing from through Jan. 4.
Deer heads from Clinton, Dickinson, Eaton, Gratiot, Ingham, Ionia, Jackson, Kent and Montcalm counties will be accepted for testing Nov. 15-18 only.
If you wish to submit your deer for CWD testing and you are outside these areas/time frames, your deer head can be submitted to a U.S. Department of Agriculture-approved lab for testing. Hunters will be charged a fee to have their deer heads tested. Visit Michigan.gov/CWD and click on “For Hunters” for information about outside labs conducting CWD testing.
- Coyote hunting is open year-round; trapping is open through March 1.
- Raccoon hunting is open through Jan. 31; trapping is open through March 31.
- Fox (red and gray) hunting and trapping seasons are open through March 1.
- Trapping opportunities are also available for badger, beaver, muskrat, mink and otter. See the Fur Harvester Digest for season dates and bag limits.
Find additional information on fur harvesting regulations, bag limits and seasons in the 2020 Fur Harvester Digest, available at Michigan.gov/Trapping.
This year, printing and distribution of hunting digests will be limited. For on-demand digest access that travels where you do without the need for internet access, consider downloading DNR hunting and fishing digests to your phone. They are available for download on Android and Apple devices. Find the current digests and downloading instructions at Michigan.gov/DNRDigests.
You can buy your hunting and fishing licenses online at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses or anywhere DNR licenses are sold.
Kill tags purchased online take seven to 14 business days to arrive in the mail.
Find additional license information, including license types and fees, at Michigan.gov/Hunting.
|
