What Are The Top 10 Deer Hunting Violations In Michigan?
This Sunday, November 15th, is the start of the state of Michigan’s firearm deer hunting season. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was kind enough to publish their Top 10 hunting violations during the firearm deer season.
These 10 violations that their conservation officer find just about every season and their recommended solutions are as follows:
#1 – Using the wrong tag or improperly filling out a tag
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
Solution: Commit to wearing hunter orange to keep yourself and others safe. Hunters are always required by law to wear hunter orange as the outermost layer of clothing.
#3 – Being unfamiliar with a firearm and how it functions
Solution: Take the time to familiarize yourself with your firearm and make sure it is properly sighted and functioning before you go hunting.
#4 – Committing safety zone violations
Solution: 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
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
Solution: 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.
#7 – Littering
Solution: Practice the “leave no trace” ethic. Whatever is brought into the woods should be taken back out.
#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.
#9 – Hunting out of hours or off-season
Solution: A hunter may legally shoot game 30 minutes before sunrise or until 30 minutes after sunset.
#10 – Harassing hunters
Solution: Respect the law. Michigan law prohibits anyone obstructing or interfering with the lawful taking of animals. Hunter harassment is a misdemeanor offense.
Now you have no excuses if you were to be ticketed for any of the above violations.
Your welcome.
Be careful and good luck hunting.
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