2014 Hunting Update
2014
HUNTING UPDATE DEAR FRIEND:
Michigan offers some of the finest hunting opportunities around. With an abundance of game animals and birds, there’s no better place to enjoy this great outdoor tradition! Before you head out, I wanted to send along some timely hunting information, including season dates, license news, anti-poaching legislation and more. I hope you find it useful. Hunters are important to our state, contributing not only to wildlife management and conservation, but providing a major economic lift. Michigan attracts more than 750,000 hunters each year who contribute $1.3 billion to the economy. I am committed to protecting your hunting and sporting rights. Please feel free to contact me with any comments or concerns - I look forward to hearing from you. Best wishes for a safe and successful hunting season! Sincerely,
S TAT E S E N AT O R
JOE HUNE SENATE DISTRICT 22 TOLL FREE 855.JOE.HUNE
E-MAIL [email protected] VISIT www.SenatorJoeHune.com
Use the QR reader on your smartphone to go directly to
www.SenatorJoeHune.com
2014
HUNTING UPDATE NEW LAW AIMS TO DETER POACHERS When poachers take game illegally they undermine the rights of lawabiding hunters who play by the rules. A law that took effect early this year toughens the penalties for poaching in Michigan. The fines for illegally killing a protected animal have been increased significantly, and because poachers often target the best game specimens, stronger penalties have been imposed for poaching trophy bucks. Fines are deposited into the state’s Game and Fish Protection Fund. Along with sizable fines and jail time, offenders also have their hunting privileges revoked. Michigan’s wild resources are among the finest in the country. It’s important to help protect our wild game and support the sportsmen who hunt with integrity. Hunters can report a violation by calling the DNR’s Report all Poaching hotline at 1-800-292-7800.
LICENSE NEWS Beginning this year, all hunters are required to have a base hunting license before purchasing other licenses. The base license is valid for hunting small game; additional licenses are required to hunt other species. Hunters are encouraged to carry their base license at all
License Type
Under Age 10
Junior Age: 10-16
Resident Age: 17+
Senior Age: 65+
2 0 1 3 HUNTING INCIDENTS
Mentored Youth License
$7.50
—
—
—
There were a total of nine hunting
—
$6.00
$11.00
$5.00
incidents reported, including
times when hunting.
*Base License
(valid as small game license) Valid through Mar. 31, 2015
*Combination Hunt and Fish
one fatality. Six of the nine —
$76.00
$76.00
$43.00
incidents involved self-inflicted
Deer (one kill tag)
—
$20.00
$20.00
$8.00
involved crossbows. Find more
Deer Combo (two kill tags)
—
$40.00
$40.00
$28.00
Waterfowl
—
$12.00
$12.00
$12.00
information, including a report
(includes: base license, deer combo, and all species fish license)
See 2014 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Digest for complete information. Fall wild turkey and antlerless deer license cost and season information is available in species-specific hunting digests at www.michigan.gov/dnrdigests.
firearm injuries; two incidents
on the current 2014 season at www.michigan.gov/ conservationofficers.
Fees for hunting and fishing licenses not obtained through a lottery are waived for Michigan residents who are veterans with 100-percent disability or active-duty military.
STATE SENATOR
JOE HUNE • Toll-Free: 855.JOE.HUNE • E-Mail: [email protected]
DEER HUNTING UPDATE A LOOK BACK AT 2013
A LOOK AHEAD TO THE 2014 SEASON
In 2013, an estimated 661,800 hunters spent more than 9 million days afield. Those hunters harvested about 385,000 deer.
EARLY ANTLERLESS FIREARM (See Antlerless Deer Digest).... Sept. 20-21
Statewide, 43 percent of hunters harvested a deer; about 13 percent harvested two or more deer. Less than 4 percent of hunters statewide harvested two antlered bucks. Nearly 12 percent of the license buyers in 2013 were younger than 17 years old. About 162,730 hunters used a crossbow during the archery season and 36% of those hunters harvested a deer.
LIBERTY HUNT
.................. Sept. 20-21
(youth, hunters with disabilities, inc. 100% disabled veterans*)
INDEPENDENCE HUNT (hunters with disabilities, inc. 100% disabled veterans*)
....................... Oct. 16-19
ARCHERY......................Oct. 1-Nov. 14 & Dec. 1-Jan. 1 REGULAR FIREARM......................................... Nov. 15-30 MUZZLELOADING Zones 1 & 2.......................................................Dec. 5-14 Zone 3............................................................. Dec. 5-21 LATE ANTLERLESS FIREARM (See Antlerless Deer Digest)....Dec. 22-Jan. 1 *see page 30 of 2014 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Digest for information on these special hunts Check the 2014 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Digest for notes and more information on hunting area and bag limits.
RAISED PLATFORMS AND TREE STANDS The following persons may hunt from a raised platform or tree stand: • All bow and crossbow hunters. • Bear, deer, and elk hunters when using a firearm. • F ox and coyote hunters from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. All other firearm hunters are prohibited from using a raised platform or tree stand. More information is available in the 2014 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Digest
GET IT DONE ONLINE Buy your hunting license www.mdnr-elicense.com Find public hunting land www.michigan.gov/mihunt Make campground reservations www.midnrreservations.com Take a hunting safety class www.michigan.gov/huntereducation
WILD TURKEY: A CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORY At the turn of the last century, the wild turkey population had disappeared in Michigan and much of the country. More than 100 years later, turkeys are plentiful and Michigan ranks among the top 10 states for harvest. Efforts to restore the bird spanned decades. Michigan’s wild turkey population was estimated at 2,000 by 1964 and the state’s first modernday hunting season followed in the fall of 1965. About 400 turkeys were taken during the 1977 season. Fast forward to 2013 when 32,000 birds were harvested during the spring season! Today, Michigan is home to approximately 200,000 wild turkeys. Sportsmen-financed funds and support have been instrumental in the bird’s comeback. The spring season is now the traditional time to hunt wild turkey; limited fall hunts are offered in specific areas. Find out more at www.michigan.gov/turkey.
VISIT: www.SenatorJoeHune.com • STATE SENATOR JOE HUNE
HUNTING UPDATE DEAR FRIEND:
Michigan offers some of the finest hunting opportunities around. With an abundance of game animals and birds, there’s no better place to enjoy this great outdoor tradition! Before you head out, I wanted to send along some timely hunting information, including season dates, license news, anti-poaching legislation and more. I hope you find it useful. Hunters are important to our state, contributing not only to wildlife management and conservation, but providing a major economic lift. Michigan attracts more than 750,000 hunters each year who contribute $1.3 billion to the economy. I am committed to protecting your hunting and sporting rights. Please feel free to contact me with any comments or concerns - I look forward to hearing from you. Best wishes for a safe and successful hunting season! Sincerely,
S TAT E S E N AT O R
JOE HUNE SENATE DISTRICT 22 TOLL FREE 855.JOE.HUNE
E-MAIL [email protected] VISIT www.SenatorJoeHune.com
Use the QR reader on your smartphone to go directly to
www.SenatorJoeHune.com
2014
HUNTING UPDATE NEW LAW AIMS TO DETER POACHERS When poachers take game illegally they undermine the rights of lawabiding hunters who play by the rules. A law that took effect early this year toughens the penalties for poaching in Michigan. The fines for illegally killing a protected animal have been increased significantly, and because poachers often target the best game specimens, stronger penalties have been imposed for poaching trophy bucks. Fines are deposited into the state’s Game and Fish Protection Fund. Along with sizable fines and jail time, offenders also have their hunting privileges revoked. Michigan’s wild resources are among the finest in the country. It’s important to help protect our wild game and support the sportsmen who hunt with integrity. Hunters can report a violation by calling the DNR’s Report all Poaching hotline at 1-800-292-7800.
LICENSE NEWS Beginning this year, all hunters are required to have a base hunting license before purchasing other licenses. The base license is valid for hunting small game; additional licenses are required to hunt other species. Hunters are encouraged to carry their base license at all
License Type
Under Age 10
Junior Age: 10-16
Resident Age: 17+
Senior Age: 65+
2 0 1 3 HUNTING INCIDENTS
Mentored Youth License
$7.50
—
—
—
There were a total of nine hunting
—
$6.00
$11.00
$5.00
incidents reported, including
times when hunting.
*Base License
(valid as small game license) Valid through Mar. 31, 2015
*Combination Hunt and Fish
one fatality. Six of the nine —
$76.00
$76.00
$43.00
incidents involved self-inflicted
Deer (one kill tag)
—
$20.00
$20.00
$8.00
involved crossbows. Find more
Deer Combo (two kill tags)
—
$40.00
$40.00
$28.00
Waterfowl
—
$12.00
$12.00
$12.00
information, including a report
(includes: base license, deer combo, and all species fish license)
See 2014 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Digest for complete information. Fall wild turkey and antlerless deer license cost and season information is available in species-specific hunting digests at www.michigan.gov/dnrdigests.
firearm injuries; two incidents
on the current 2014 season at www.michigan.gov/ conservationofficers.
Fees for hunting and fishing licenses not obtained through a lottery are waived for Michigan residents who are veterans with 100-percent disability or active-duty military.
STATE SENATOR
JOE HUNE • Toll-Free: 855.JOE.HUNE • E-Mail: [email protected]
DEER HUNTING UPDATE A LOOK BACK AT 2013
A LOOK AHEAD TO THE 2014 SEASON
In 2013, an estimated 661,800 hunters spent more than 9 million days afield. Those hunters harvested about 385,000 deer.
EARLY ANTLERLESS FIREARM (See Antlerless Deer Digest).... Sept. 20-21
Statewide, 43 percent of hunters harvested a deer; about 13 percent harvested two or more deer. Less than 4 percent of hunters statewide harvested two antlered bucks. Nearly 12 percent of the license buyers in 2013 were younger than 17 years old. About 162,730 hunters used a crossbow during the archery season and 36% of those hunters harvested a deer.
LIBERTY HUNT
.................. Sept. 20-21
(youth, hunters with disabilities, inc. 100% disabled veterans*)
INDEPENDENCE HUNT (hunters with disabilities, inc. 100% disabled veterans*)
....................... Oct. 16-19
ARCHERY......................Oct. 1-Nov. 14 & Dec. 1-Jan. 1 REGULAR FIREARM......................................... Nov. 15-30 MUZZLELOADING Zones 1 & 2.......................................................Dec. 5-14 Zone 3............................................................. Dec. 5-21 LATE ANTLERLESS FIREARM (See Antlerless Deer Digest)....Dec. 22-Jan. 1 *see page 30 of 2014 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Digest for information on these special hunts Check the 2014 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Digest for notes and more information on hunting area and bag limits.
RAISED PLATFORMS AND TREE STANDS The following persons may hunt from a raised platform or tree stand: • All bow and crossbow hunters. • Bear, deer, and elk hunters when using a firearm. • F ox and coyote hunters from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. All other firearm hunters are prohibited from using a raised platform or tree stand. More information is available in the 2014 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Digest
GET IT DONE ONLINE Buy your hunting license www.mdnr-elicense.com Find public hunting land www.michigan.gov/mihunt Make campground reservations www.midnrreservations.com Take a hunting safety class www.michigan.gov/huntereducation
WILD TURKEY: A CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORY At the turn of the last century, the wild turkey population had disappeared in Michigan and much of the country. More than 100 years later, turkeys are plentiful and Michigan ranks among the top 10 states for harvest. Efforts to restore the bird spanned decades. Michigan’s wild turkey population was estimated at 2,000 by 1964 and the state’s first modernday hunting season followed in the fall of 1965. About 400 turkeys were taken during the 1977 season. Fast forward to 2013 when 32,000 birds were harvested during the spring season! Today, Michigan is home to approximately 200,000 wild turkeys. Sportsmen-financed funds and support have been instrumental in the bird’s comeback. The spring season is now the traditional time to hunt wild turkey; limited fall hunts are offered in specific areas. Find out more at www.michigan.gov/turkey.
VISIT: www.SenatorJoeHune.com • STATE SENATOR JOE HUNE
