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Wildlife Conservation Order and NREPA in plain words · 2026-27
Michigan Hunting Laws
Legal and protected species, the weapons for each season, hunter orange under MCL 324.40116, the method rules from tree stands to trespass, harvest reporting, the Lower Peninsula baiting ban, and the penalties and restitution in Part 401.
Photo: Maslowski, Steve, USFWS (Public domain)
What Michigan hunters may take
The DNR summaries paraphrase the Wildlife Conservation Order (Natural Resources Commission orders) and NREPA parts 401 (wildlife), 435 (licenses) and 731 (recreational trespass); the order and statute govern.
Game (WCO 1.2(9))
badger, bear, beaver, bobcat, brant, coot, coyote, crow, deer, duck, elk, fisher, Florida (common) gallinule, fox, geese, hare, Hungarian partridge, marten, mink, moose, muskrat, opossum, otter, pheasant, quail, rabbit, raccoon, ruffed grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, skunk, snipe, sora rail, squirrel, Virginia rail, weasel, wild turkey, wolf, woodchuck, woodcock.
Plus any animal designated game under MCL 324.40110. Being on the game list does not mean a season is open (moose, wolf, Hungarian partridge have none).
Unprotected / year-round with base license
feral pigeon, house (English) sparrow, European starling, Russian boar (feral swine), armadillo, porcupine.
Pigeons, sparrows, starlings: WCO 9.1(1) and small game summary; Russian boar, armadillo, porcupine: deer/waterfowl summaries.
Year-round furbearers (fur harvester license)
opossum, skunk, weasels.
No bag limit.
Damage take without license on private property
cottontail rabbit, fox squirrel, gray squirrel, ground squirrel, red squirrel, woodchuck, beaver, coyote, muskrat, opossum, raccoon, skunk, weasel, crow, house sparrow, starling.
When doing or about to do damage (WCO 5.56; furbearer and small game summaries).
Non-native cervids at large
sika deer, fallow deer, mule deer, white cervids, red deer/elk hybrids (Zone 3).
Unmarked animals outside a cervid facility fence 48+ hours may be taken year-round (not in state parks April 1-Sept. 14); submit for registration and disease testing (WCO 9.1(6)-(7)).
Michigan hunter orange, Aug. 15 to April 30
Michigan sets its orange season by calendar, not by deer season: from mid-August through April anyone taking game in daylight wears it, unless one of the listed exceptions applies.
MCL 324.40116: from Aug. 15 through April 30, during daylight shooting hours, a person taking game must wear a cap, hat, vest, jacket or rain gear of hunter orange (or a commission-authorized color, e.g., hunter pink); camouflage with at least 50% hunter orange qualifies. Deer summary: outermost layer, visible from all sides, when hunting deer with a firearm; all Liberty/Independence/early-late antlerless hunters must wear orange.
Exempt from hunter orange
- Deer hunters with bow or crossbow during archery deer seasons (but archery hunters during a firearm deer season must wear orange)
- Bear hunters with bow or crossbow
- Turkey hunters
- Migratory bird hunters other than woodcock
- Falconers
- Stationary hunters of bobcat, coyote or fox)
Hunter pink
Statute directs the Natural Resources Commission to authorize additional colors (hunter pink defined); see the commission order.
Sources: MCL 324.40116; deer summary, checked October 22, 2026.
Michigan weapons, season by season
Since Sept. 12, 2026 every legal firearm works across the whole Lower Peninsula; the old limited firearms zone is gone. Turkey hunters still use shot of No. 4 or smaller, a bow or a crossbow, and waterfowlers carry lead-free shot.
| Season or topic | Legal | Not legal | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer firearm seasons (all zones from Sept. 12, 2026) | Shotgun; rifle larger than .22 rimfire; muzzleloader (incl. black-powder handgun); handgun larger than .22 rimfire (18+, in plain view unless CPL); bow; crossbow; pneumatic gun meeting firearm rules. | Semi-automatic rifle or shotgun holding more than 6 shells; tracer/explosive bullets; fully automatic; .22 rimfire or smaller; snares, traps, spears, slingshots, airbows; drugs/poisons. | source |
| UP muzzleloader season (Dec. 4-6) | Muzzleloading rifle/shotgun, black-powder pistol (black powder or substitute), bow; crossbow/modified bow only with disability permit or resident senior deer license. | Modern firearms. | source |
| Archery seasons | Bow; crossbow (draw weight 100 lb+; LP all archery dates; UP early segment only unless permit/senior); arrows/bolts 14 in.+ with broadhead 7/8 in.+ wide. | Carrying a firearm while bowhunting deer unless licensed for an open firearm season or carrying a pistol under a CPL/exception. | source |
| Bear | Shotgun, rifle > .22 rimfire, muzzleloader, handgun > .22 rimfire, bow, crossbow; LP Oct. 2-8 archery (bow/crossbow) only. | Semi-automatics holding more than 6 shells; firearms in LP BMUs Oct. 2-8. | source |
| Elk | Firearm, bow or crossbow per elk summary. | Bait. | source |
| Wild turkey (spring and fall) | Shotgun firing fixed shotgun shells or muzzleloading shotgun with No. 4 or smaller shot; bow; crossbow (WCO 3.310). | Rifles, handguns, shot larger than No. 4. | source |
| Waterfowl and migratory birds | Bow, crossbow or shotgun 10 gauge or smaller holding no more than 3 shells (one-piece plug); one firearm per person; lead-free shot (steel, bismuth, tungsten types) required statewide for ducks, geese, mergansers, coots, gallinules, rails and snipe; falconry. | Lead shot for those species; shot size limits on managed waterfowl areas (WCO 3.414). | source |
| Night hunting (raccoon, opossum, coyote, fox, skunk, weasel) | Bow, crossbow, pneumatic gun, rimfire .22 or smaller, centerfire rifle/pistol .269 caliber or smaller, shotgun with loads no larger than No. 3 buckshot (WCO 2.5(2)). | Centerfire rifle/pistol at night in state parks/recreation areas; buckshot larger than No. 3, slugs, cut shells. | source |
| Trapping | Foothold, body-gripping/conibear, cage traps for all furbearers; snares for beaver only; colony traps for muskrat only; nonlethal cable restraints for coyote/fox Jan. 1-March 1. | Setting traps before the season opens; see trap-type table and trap-check rules. | source |
| Pistol carry | CPL holders (or those exempt) may carry a loaded pistol while hunting; does not authorize taking game except as provided by law. | Carrying a firearm, bow or crossbow in areas frequented by wild animals without the required license (MCL 324.43510(1)). | source |
Crossbows
Crossbow legal in all LP archery seasons and any season a firearm is allowed; in the UP legal in the early archery segment and Nov. 15-30 firearm season; UP late archery (Dec. 1-Jan. 1) and muzzleloader seasons only with a disability crossbow/modified bow permit or a resident senior deer license. Crossbow: draw weight 100 lb or more; bolts at least 14 in. with broadhead at least 7/8 in. wide.
Quiet period before the opener
Nov. 10-14: no carrying afield or transporting a rifle (incl. rimfire) or shotgun with buckshot, slug, ball loads or cut shells, except properly transported to camp or a range, or target shooting on own property.
Sources: deer; bear; waterfowl; WCO 2.5 and 3.310, checked October 22, 2026.
The 23 Michigan method and conduct rules
Grouped by what they govern. Each card is the rule in short form, linked to the summary, the conservation order or the statute it came from.
Guns in vehicles, safety zones and lights
Firearm transport in vehicles
In or on a motor vehicle (parked or moving), all firearms unloaded in barrel and magazine and cased or in the trunk; bows/crossbows unloaded and uncocked or cased on public land and roads. On ORVs: unloaded and cased or with a key-locked trigger mechanism. Boats under power: firearms unloaded. Handguns cased and not readily accessible unless CPL.
Afield outside hunting hours
Firearms unloaded in the barrel and arrows in a quiver (WCO 2.5(7)); may load only at the point of kill of a downed big-game animal.
Safety zones
No hunting with a firearm within 150 yards (450 ft) of an occupied building, dwelling, cabin or farm building without written permission of the owner/occupant.
Artificial lights
No lights to locate animals in November, or 11 p.m.-6 a.m. the rest of the year; no lights with a weapon in possession; Nov. 1-30 on own/family land without a weapon; deer hunters may use lights 1 hour before/after hours with an unloaded weapon while walking to/from the stand.
Drones and vehicles
No hunting from cars, snowmobiles, aircraft, drones, motorboats, ORVs or sailboats (special permits excepted); drones may not be used to locate or recover game.
Stands, blinds and private land
Elevated platforms (tree stands) on public land
Portable only, placed no earlier than Sept. 1 and removed by March 1; no nails, screws or bolts (manufacturer T-bolts OK); screw-in tree steps illegal; nothing penetrating bark; name/address, driver license or Sportcard number permanently affixed.
Ground blinds on public land
Sept. 1 through end of deer seasons. Type 1 portable (removed daily) and Type 2 dead natural materials need no ID; Type 3 constructed blinds need ID and are not allowed on state game areas, state parks and recreation areas in Zone 3; no cutting of vegetation.
Commercial Forest lands
Foot access for hunting/trapping; no permanent stands or blinds, tree steps, nails or cutting; motor vehicles at owner discretion.
Trespass (Recreational Trespass Act)
Written or verbal permission required to hunt farmland, connected woodlots and fenced or posted property (MCL 324.73102); posting signs at least 50 sq. in. with 1-in. letters; may enter on foot without a firearm to retrieve a hunting dog unless told not to; no right to follow wounded game onto private land without permission. Owners may sue for $750 or actual damages (MCL 324.73109).
Rights of way
Road rights of way huntable only where the adjoining land is public; railroad and utility rights of way on private land are closed without written permission.
Float hunting
Hunting and trapping along waterways protected by the recreational trespass law belong to the riparian owners; permission needed.
Hunting in state parks and rec areas
State parks closed to hunting unless opened by law; recreation areas open unless closed (about 92% of land open); no centerfire rifle/pistol at night; target shooting only at designated ranges; Recreation Passport for vehicle entry.
Dogs, decoys and lures
Dogs
No hunting deer with dogs; leashed or controlled tracking dogs may locate wounded deer (tracker unarmed; hunter may carry weapon only at point of kill); barking tracking dogs not on public land.
Bear hunting with dogs
Bear dog training/use closed April 16-July 7; UP no dogs Sept. 9-13; LP no dogs Sept. 12-13 and Oct. 2-8, dogs required Sept. 19-22; nonresidents may not guide bear hunts.
Decoys and calls
Deer decoys and electronic deer calls are legal.
Cervid urine lures
Only RHSA/ATA-certified tested products.
After the shot
Tagging and transport
Validate the kill tag immediately; may transport another person's lawfully taken game; do not destroy evidence of sex; CWD carcass movement limits; out-of-state cervid import limits.
Harvest reporting
Deer and turkey within 72 hours or before transfer; bear, elk and listed furbearers registered/sealed by DNR.
Buying and selling game
Game may not be bought or sold except as allowed by WCO 4.3.
Live wild animals
Possessing live game or protected animals taken from the wild requires a DNR permit.
Conduct
Alcohol and drugs
No hunting under the influence; carrying a firearm under the influence is a misdemeanor (MCL 324.43558(3)).
Hunter harassment
Obstructing or interfering with lawful taking of animals (driving game away, blocking, drones, erecting barriers, entering line of fire) is a misdemeanor: up to 93 days and $500-$1,000 fine; higher for repeat offenses.
Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact
License revocations shared with participating states.
ORVs during the firearm season
No ORV/snowmobile operation 7-11 a.m. and 2-5 p.m. on land open to public hunting during Nov. 15-30, with listed exceptions (5 mph to retrieve deer from state land, etc.).
Michigan harvest reporting and sealing
Deer and, from 2026, turkey are reported by the hunter within 72 hours, online or in the Hunt Fish app. Bear, elk and four furbearers still go in front of the DNR for sealing.
| Species | Reporting or registration rule |
|---|---|
| Deer | Mandatory: report within 72 hours of recovery or before transferring possession (whichever first) online (Michigan.gov/DNRHarvestReport / eLicense) or in the Hunt Fish app; keep the confirmation number. Civil infraction up to $150 for failing to report. Check stations reduced; heads for TB/CWD testing accepted only after reporting. |
| Turkey | Mandatory from 2026: report within 72 hours or before transfer of possession, online or app. |
| Bear | Within 72 hours present the unfrozen, undivided head and hide (or whole bear) at a DNR registration station for sealing. |
| Elk | Report on the day of harvest; within 72 hours present head or animal for registration and sealing by DNR. |
| Bobcat, fisher, marten, otter | Bobcat, fisher, marten and otter must be presented for registration/sealing by unit deadlines. |
| Migratory birds | HIP endorsement required (free at license purchase). |
Sources: deer summary; bear; elk; spring turkey; fur harvester; harvest reporting page, checked October 22, 2026.
Michigan baiting, Sundays and disease rules
Deer and elk baiting and feeding are banned in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties, on public and private land alike. Bear bait follows its own calendar, and no Sunday restriction appears anywhere in the 2026 summaries.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Deer, Lower Peninsula | Deer and elk baiting and feeding banned in the entire Lower Peninsula (Zones 2 and 3), public and private land (WCO 3.100(5), 3.100a(1)). Exception: qualifying hunters with disabilities during the Liberty Hunt (bait Sept. 7-13, 2026) and Independence Hunt (bait Oct. 10-18, hunt over it Oct. 15-18); youth may NOT bait in the LP during the Liberty Hunt. |
| Deer, Upper Peninsula | Baiting allowed Sept. 15-Jan. 1 (Liberty Hunt participants from Sept. 7); max 2 gallons per hunting site scattered over at least 10×10 ft (spin-cast feeders allowed within volume); any food type. Recreational viewing feeding within 100 yd of a residence, max 2 gal/day; supplemental feeding Jan. 1-May 15 in the 15 UP counties under WCO 3.100a(6)-(7) conditions. |
| What counts as bait | Grains, minerals, salt, fruits, vegetables, hay or other food; excludes inaccessible scents, wildlife plantings, normal agricultural practices and standing crops (WCO 3.100(4)). |
| Food plots | Legal on private land; no food plots or artificial gardens on public land. |
| Bear | Bait 31 days before the BMU opener through season end; up to 3 bait stations per hunter (a person may tend up to 12 for 4 hunters); unlimited meat, fish, bakery and processed foods; no chocolate/cocoa or melatonin; deer-attracting foods limited to 2 gal and must be inaccessible to deer/elk where deer baiting is banned; on public and Commercial Forest land bait must be on the ground with no man-made containers. LP: bait/other methods only (no dogs) Sept. 12-13 and Oct. 2-8; UP: no dogs Sept. 9-13. |
| Elk | No bait to take elk during the elk season (standing crops excepted); elk feeding banned in Zones 2-3. |
| Turkey | No bait to take turkey (fall summary); standing crops and naturally growing foods excepted. |
| Migratory birds | No bait for migratory birds; an area stays baited 10 days after bait removal; nonfood imitations (e.g., plastic corncobs) allowed. |
Upper Peninsula counties where deer bait is allowed: Alger, Baraga, Chippewa, Delta, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Luce, Mackinac, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon, Schoolcraft.
Sunday hunting
No Sunday hunting restriction appears in the 2026 regulation summaries or the Wildlife Conservation Order; seasons run on all days. Some townships restrict hunting or firearm discharge locally (deer summary lists Alcona, Arenac, Barry, Berrien, Crawford, Dickinson, Eaton, Emmet, Genesee, Iosco, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Livingston, Mackinac, Macomb, Manistee, Oakland, Otsego, Ottawa, Presque Isle, Saginaw, St. Clair, Washtenaw and Wayne counties as having posted township restrictions). Some managed waterfowl areas hold drawings only on certain weekdays.
Urine lures and carcasses
Natural cervid urine lures prohibited unless from Responsible Hunting Scent Association or ATA Deer Protection Program certified, tested and labeled products (WCO 3.100(3)(o)). From any other state or province only hides, deboned meat, quarters/parts without spinal column or head, finished taxidermy, cleaned teeth and antlers on cleaned skull caps may be brought in; notify the DNR Wildlife Health Section within two business days of an out-of-state CWD-positive notice (517-336-5030).
Sources: deer summary; bear; waterfowl; WCO 3.100; township limits, checked October 22, 2026.
Protected in Michigan: no season at all
8 listings from the summaries, the Wildlife Conservation Order and MCL 324.40119. Moose, mourning doves, sandhill cranes and king rails have no open season.
Bear cubs, sows with cubs, cougars, eagles, flying squirrels, hawks, lynx, moose, nongame birds (except starlings, house sparrows, feral pigeons), owls, spruce grouse, wolverines
Protected wildlife cannot be taken at any time (summary glossary).
Moose, wolverine and all birds not defined as game (except those in WCO 9.1); mute swans and bats except as in 9.1
WCO 9.3: shall not be taken at any time.
Sandhill crane, mourning dove
Not game species under WCO 1.2(9), therefore protected nongame birds under WCO 9.3; no season.
King rail
No open season (WCO 3.420(3)).
Gray wolf
No wolf season or license in 2026; WCO 3.700 text dates from the 2013 hunt.
Bear in a den; bear swimming
Cannot take a bear in a den, disturb a den, or take a swimming bear.
Swimming deer
Cannot chase, shoot or kill a deer swimming in water.
Eagles, hawks, owls and listed endangered/threatened species
Restitution $1,500 per eagle, hawk or listed animal; $1,000 per owl; $100 other protected animals.
Michigan hunting penalties and restitution
Most wildlife violations are misdemeanors. An illegal elk or moose brings the heaviest fines and up to a lifetime loss of hunting privileges, and every animal also carries a restitution amount set in statute.
General wildlife violations
Misdemeanor: up to 90 days and/or $50-$500 (MCL 324.40118(1)); small game and other game except deer, bear, turkey, wolf, waterfowl, moose, elk: up to 90 days and/or $100-$1,000.
Deer, bear, wild turkey, wolf
Up to 90 days, fine $200-$1,000, plus loss of hunting licenses for the rest of the year and 3 more years; illegal bear or antlered deer adds 2 more years (first offense) or 7 years (second); illegal turkey adds 2 years.
Elk
Up to 180 days and/or $500-$2,000; no hunting license for the rest of the year plus 15 years (first offense), lifetime for a second.
Moose
Up to 1 year and $1,000-$5,000; same revocation as elk.
Waterfowl
Up to 90 days and/or $250-$500 (higher for repeat offenses per statute).
Buying/selling game or protected animals
Misdemeanor first offense (90 days and/or up to $1,000); felony for subsequent offenses.
Civil infractions
Up to $150 civil fine: missing name/ID on ground blinds or tree stands, supplemental feeding violations, failing to report deer harvest or keep the confirmation number.
Restitution
Per animal: elk $5,000; moose $5,000; bear $3,500; eagle $1,500; hawk or listed species $1,500; deer, owl, wild turkey $1,000; waterfowl $500; other game $100-$500; other protected animals $100. Antlered deer add $1,000 plus $500/point (8-10 points) or $750/point (11+); antlered elk add $250/point (8-10) or $500/point (11+); antlered moose add $5,000; bearded turkey add $1,000.
License violations
False statements, using another person's license or tag, hunting without a license, reusing tags: misdemeanor up to 90 days and/or $25-$250; hunting while ineligible: up to 180 days and/or $500-$2,500.
License revocation
Court may revoke licenses for the rest of the conviction year and the next year or longer; licenses suspended for failure to appear.
Recreational trespass civil action
Owner may recover $750 or actual damages, whichever is greater, plus attorney fees.
Hunter harassment
Up to 93 days and/or $500-$1,000; repeat up to 1 year.
Deer restitution and revocation
Illegal deer: $1,000 restitution per animal; antlered adds $1,000 plus $500/point (8-10 points) or $750/point (11+); license revocation current year plus 3 years (+2 years first antlered offense, +7 years second) (MCL 324.40118-40119).
RAP hotline call or text 800-292-7800, 24/7, anonymous allowed. Michigan is in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.
Sources: DNR regulation summaries; MCL 324.40118; MCL 324.40119; RAP line, checked October 22, 2026.
Michigan hunting law questions
How do I report a poacher in Michigan?
Call or text the Report All Poaching line, 800-292-7800, any hour; you can stay anonymous.
What happens if I hunt without a license?
False statements, using another person's license or tag, hunting without a license, reusing tags: misdemeanor up to 90 days and/or $25-$250; hunting while ineligible: up to 180 days and/or $500-$2,500.
Where may a Michigan deer hunter use bait?
Only in the 15 Upper Peninsula counties, Sept. 15 to Jan. 1, with no more than 2 gallons scattered. The 68 Lower Peninsula counties ban baiting and feeding.
Do Michigan bowhunters wear orange?
Not during the archery deer seasons. An archer hunting during a firearm deer season must wear it like everyone else.
How far from a house can I shoot?
No hunting with a firearm within 150 yards (450 ft) of an occupied building, dwelling, cabin or farm building without written permission of the owner/occupant.
What can I hunt turkey with in Michigan?
Shotgun firing fixed shotgun shells or muzzleloading shotgun with No. 4 or smaller shot; bow; crossbow (WCO 3.310).
How must a gun ride in my truck?
In or on a motor vehicle (parked or moving), all firearms unloaded in barrel and magazine and cased or in the trunk; bows/crossbows unloaded and uncocked or cased on public land and roads.
Is a drone legal for finding a downed deer?
No hunting from cars, snowmobiles, aircraft, drones, motorboats, ORVs or sailboats (special permits excepted); drones may not be used to locate or recover game.
Are tree steps legal on state land?
Portable only, placed no earlier than Sept. 1 and removed by March 1; no nails, screws or bolts (manufacturer T-bolts OK); screw-in tree steps illegal; nothing penetrating bark; name/address, driver license or Sportcard number permanently affixed.
Can I follow a wounded deer onto posted land?
Not without permission. The Recreational Trespass Act gives no right to follow wounded game onto private land; ask the owner first.
Before you head north
State game areas, recreation areas and refuges can post tighter rules than the statewide summaries. Pair this page with the property page and the DNR summary for your species before opening day.
Other photos on this page: Department of the Interior. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. National Conservation Training Center. 10/1997-8888 (Public domain); GA-Kayaker (CC BY 2.0); USDAgov (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); GregGilbert1 (CC BY 2.0).