Michigan Mixed Bag: Remember hunter orange, proper tags for deer seasons

Lansing — Many hunters agree that this is the best time of year, with archery deer season underway and the regular firearm deer season quickly approaching.

Just don’t let time sneak up on you: If you purchase your required deer tags online, remember to leave enough time for them to arrive in the mail.

Before field-dressing or moving a deer, kill tags must be filled out to include the month and date the deer was harvested, animal gender and number of antler points, if any. Kill tags must be properly placed on the deer.

Additionally, take the time now to ensure you have the required hunter orange garments ready to wear. While deer hunters are not required to wear hunter orange during archery season, all deer hunters, including those using archery equipment, are required by law to wear hunter orange during Michigan’s regular firearm deer season, Nov. 15-30.

The DNR recommends wearing as much hunter orange as possible to increase visibility to other hunters. Hunter orange does not deter deer.

Questions about hunter safety? Email DNR-LED-RecSafety@Michigan.gov. For questions about hunting licenses, call (517) 284-6057.

Visit Michigan.gov/Deer for more info on deer hunting seasons, regulations and more.

MORE COVERAGE FROM MICHIGAN OUTDOOR NEWS:

Michigan biologists expect a deer season similar to last year’s solid hunt

Michigan legislation would fund Fisheries Division, boost fish production

A little shotgun maintenance will improve your accuracy this hunting season

Apply Now for a Clean Boats, Clean Waters Grant

Lansing — The Michigan Clean Boats, Clean Waters program, now in its sixth year, has $35,000 in grant funding available to support aquatic invasive species education across the state.

This grant program is open to organizations committed to protecting Michigan’s waters and educating boaters about aquatic invasive species. Eligible applicants include: lake associations, watershed groups, local or tribal governments, schools, nature centers, non-profit organizations. Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas and organizations with statewide impact are strongly encouraged to support local groups in their area.

What can be funded?

Projects should focus on outreach and prevention pathways for aquatic invasive species. No local match is required. The program encourages applicants to contact program staff to confirm project eligibility before applying. Up to $3,000 is available per project.

For more info visit the Clean Boats, Clean Waters grant website.

Deadline to apply is January 30, 2026

Contact Kelsey Bockelman at bockelm4@msu.edu with questions.

Register Now for Joe Johnson Memorial Youth Pheasant Hunt

Kalamazoo, Mich. — Hunter safety-certified youth hunters, ages 12-17, are invited to participate in a youth pheasant hunt, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Gordon Guyer-Augusta Creek State Wildlife Area in Kalamazoo County.

Hunters must bring their base license, firearm and ammunition, hunter orange garments and a cooler for their harvested birds.

There is a $20 ticket fee for each hunter. Participants will receive a bag of goodies and will be registered for a grand-prize shotgun given away at the end of the event.

This pheasant hunt is held in honor of conservationist Joe Johnson, director of the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary from 1985-2007, who was a leader in many conservation efforts.

Contact Wayne Block at (269) 578-3182 or PheasantsForever76@gmail.com for more info

Correction

Lake Orion, Mich. — A reader wrote in to let us know we made an error in our regional pheasant forecast, which ran in the Sept. 26 edition of Michigan Outdoor News.

The daily bag limit for pheasants in Iowa is three and the possession limit is 12.

The season opens Oct. 25 and runs through Jan. 31, 2026.

We apologize for any confusion this may have created.