Hey any of you MIchigan residents. A buddy is heading up to hunt on private land and we were talking. It made me think about hunting MIchigan and I started looking online. Man I am confused. Is all public land draw only? I didn't have much time to research, but what I saw looked difficult to decipher. SO is season out in most of the state? If someone can just clarify your process maybe I can plan a future hunt.
P.S. I also wanted to hunt for some morels, how's the mushroom season going? The wife and I might still run up to look for some mushrooms. Heck, I'd take a tip on a state forest area that would be a good chance for morels. Off the beaten path is fine. If someone has a mushroom tip, PM me. I don't really expect a tip but hey asking cost nothing. I probably would be very reserved sharing my mushroom areas :icon_thumright:
Quote from: eggshell on May 07, 2025, 07:53:30 AMHey any of you MIchigan residents. A buddy is heading up to hunt on private land and we were talking. It made me think about hunting MIchigan and I started looking online. Man I am confused. Is all public land draw only? I didn't have much time to research, but what I saw looked difficult to decipher. SO is season out in most of the state? If someone can just clarify your process maybe I can plan a future hunt.
P.S. I also wanted to hunt for some morels, how's the mushroom season going? The wife and I might still run up to look for some mushrooms. Heck, I'd take a tip on a state forest area that would be a good chance for morels. Off the beaten path is fine. If someone has a mushroom tip, PM me. I don't really expect a tip but hey asking cost nothing. I probably would be very reserved sharing my mushroom areas :icon_thumright:
I'm not a Michigan resident but I hunted it last year late May. I bought a license and tag over the counter at a license dealer. I called the game department of Michigan before I went to make sure that I could. As long as there are tags left, you can buy one. And if I'm not mistaken to hunt public land you need a tag that is in a draw. But after the draw there are usually left over tags especially in the later seasons. Someone from Michigan definitely knows more than me but that's how I remember it. So look at the zone you want to hunt and see if any tags are left for the time frame you want to go. Also, if it's like it was last year you have to buy at a license dealer and not online.
From some of my excessive YouTubing I thought some areas of MI had turkey seasons run into early June. Probably up in the U P. May be thinking of Maine. Still several states that are huntable without the notoriety.
Good luck..some of them folks up there are...different
Quote from: Clif Owen on May 07, 2025, 08:25:26 PMGood luck..some of them folks up there are...different
We have an old friend that's a "Youpper". One thing about the U P is there seems to be plenty of public land. Don't know about the turkey population. I camped in Escanaba/Gladstone area once in early June. It snowed lol
Quote from: joey46 on May 07, 2025, 08:38:37 PMQuote from: Clif Owen on May 07, 2025, 08:25:26 PMGood luck..some of them folks up there are...different
We have an old friend that's a "Youpper". One thing about the U P is there seems to be plenty of public land. Don't know about the turkey population. I camped in Escanaba/Gladstone area once in early June. It snowed lol
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Quote from: joey46 on May 07, 2025, 08:38:37 PMQuote from: Clif Owen on May 07, 2025, 08:25:26 PMGood luck..some of them folks up there are...different
We have an old friend that's a "Youpper". One thing about the U P is there seems to be plenty of public land. Don't know about the turkey population. I camped in Escanaba/Gladstone area once in early June. It snowed lol
Quote from: joey46 on May 07, 2025, 08:22:15 PMFrom some of my excessive YouTubing I thought some areas of MI had turkey seasons run into early June. Probably up in the U P. May be thinking of Maine. Still several states that are huntable without the notoriety.
The southern half of MI is open till June 7. I hunted public with success but I went Labor Day week and not in June. I just did a quick check and there are still some tags available in certain zones for all the seasons remaining
You can check the leftover tags here:
https://www.mdnr-elicense.com/Draw/Leftovers
Thanks for the info
That helps, thanks. I may just end up looking into a quick trip.
Anyone have any recommendations for a good outfit or guide in michigan?
Could find nothing on a quick look at bookyourhunt.com. That is unusual.
Several deer hunts however. One was $11,000. Yes that is 11 grand lol
Hey! Lay off the Yoopers dudes! Eh? Michigan splits the season into three parts. Part one is usually the third week of April plus the first week of June. The second season is over tomorrow and ran for two weeks. The third season starts tomorrow and runs through May. The May season is pretty easy to get over the counter. Additionally the three seasons are divided up by region and /or private vs. public land. One tag per hunter per year. Not sure where Michigan would rank compared to other states for turkeys. I don't think it is terrible but surely not awesome.
Brillo, how about where to find some mushrooms .... ;D
MI resident here - you've got a couple options. 1) there is a guaranteed tag for May that is good for public land North of Unit ZZ, which is roughly the southern half of the lower peninsula
Or 2) check out leftover tags for draw hunts, as stated before we are now into the third season which sees the least interest
Quote from: Clif Owen on May 07, 2025, 08:25:26 PMGood luck..some of them folks up there are...different
lol would like to hear more if you could elaborate
I suppose you would just need to know the guys I am talking about. But a couple have some really odd ideas.
One insists that he puts out a gallon jug of bleach to attract deer. Swears the odor is gone almost immediately and the deer tear it up. Same guy says his "turkey decoy" is a red ping pong ball on a stick...o idea about that one.
Next is the guy that told us one night that the reason bucks chase does is because his testicles swell up and they hurt..so he runs. I don't know about you guys but if mine were swollen up and hurting...running ain't in my plans;
Then there was the guy I saw in a picture..no gas cap on his truck..had a rag stuffed in the spout
Hahaha that sounds about right...we can be a little goofy but we mean well!