Hunting Hours
It is unlawful to take or attempt to take or attempt to take a turkey except from 1/2 hour before local sunrise to 1/2 hour before local sunset.
See the hunting hours in this guide.
Bag Limit
One turkey (any sex) per licensed hunter. It is unlawful to tag a bird you did not kill, use the tag of another, use a tag more than once or allow another person to use your tag. Turkeys may not be taken while they are in a tree.
Hunting Methods
Hunters may use a bow and arrow, a crossbow, a firearm that fires a fixed shotgun shell, or a muzzleloading shotgun for turkey hunting. It is illegal to use or carry afield any other firearm. The prohibition on carrying any other type of firearm does not apply to pistols carried under authority of a concealed pistol license or properly carried under authority of a specific exception from the requirement of a concealed pistol license. When taking a wild turkey, a person shall not use or carry afield any ammunition except shotgun shells loaded with No. 4 or smaller shot, or to use or carry loose shot larger than No. 4 for muzzleloading hunting. You may hunt turkeys from an elevated stand or tree using only a bow and arrow. The use of dogs or the use or possession of electronic devices that imitate wild turkey calls is illegal.
Authority to Hunt
A person shall not hunt wild turkeys in any area or during any hunt period other than the area and hunt period designated on their license.
Validating Kills
Immediately upon killing a turkey, a person shall validate their license by notching out the appropriate information as instructed on the license and securely attaching the license around a leg of the bird. A person shall not have in their possession or transport a turkey unless the validated license is attached to a leg of the bird.
Although not required, you are encouraged to report your harvest
online at www.michigan.gov.dnr.
Baiting Prohibited
It is unlawful to make use of bait to aid in the taking of a wild turkey. For the purpose of this regulation, "bait" means a substance composed of grain, fruit, vegetables or other food placed to lure or entice wild turkeys. This does not apply to standing farm crops (normal agricultural practices) or other natural growing grains, fruits or vegetables.
License
The license is not valid unless signed by the licensee. Licenses cannot be altered or transferred. It is unlawful to obtain or purchase more than one
spring turkey hunting license. When hunting, you must carry your license and the identification used to purchase that license and exhibit both upon demand of a Michigan Conservation Officer, a Tribal Conservation Officer, or any law enforcement officer.
Decoys
Mechanical, electronic or live decoys are prohibited. Mechanical decoy means any device that by design or construction uses motion as a visual stimulus
to attract a wild turkey, except a wind sock or similar decoy body anchored at a fixed point into the ground and whose only motion is derived exclusively by power of the natural wind.
Recreational Trespass
This law requires permission from the landowner or lease holder before you may enter any farmlands or connected woodlots or on any fenced or posted private lands and prohibits discharge of a firearm within the right-of-way of public roads adjacent to these lands without permission of the landowner.
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