MDNR Report

While you might be thinking about your next visit to the beach right now, with bird hunting season just around the corner, it's a great time to plan your fall hunting trip.

"Preseason planning for your fall bird hunt can really pay off," said Michigan Department of Natural Resources upland game bird specialist Al Stewart. "Michigan has millions of acres of huntable public land with excellent young forests that have made northern Michigan a destination for many."

You can find tools to get started on planning your fall bird hunting trip right on your mobile device. GEMS and Mi-HUNT are twoDNR-developed programs to help you build a public-land hunting itinerary.

Nineteen GEMS (Grouse Enhanced Management Sites) in the northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula will be available to explore this fall. GEMS are large blocks of land managed for young forests, with winding hunter walking trails that provide added comfort to those unfamiliar with an area or those with mobility challenges.

• Visit www.michigan.gov/gems for an interactive map, information about individual GEMS, custom maps and information about local businesses showing support by offering discounts.
• Pick out a GEMS location or two you want to visit and use the GPS points or general directions and a county atlas to get a feel for the area.
• Print off the detailed GEMS maps or save them to your phone for later use.
• Drive to the informational parking area and get your bearings. At the kiosk, read about grouse and woodcock, timber activity and the acres of land outside the GEMS that you also could hunt later. Note the businesses (listed on the kiosk) that offer a great discount to GEMS hunters.
• Start exploring!

Mi-HUNT is another option for hunters who already know the general area they'd like to hunt but want specific stand and road information. Visit www.michigan.gov/mihunt to watch the tutorials that can help you use the mapping system to its full potential.

Michigan's grouse season runs Sept. 15 to Nov. 14 and Dec. 1 to Jan. 1. Woodcock, a migratory bird, have an abbreviated season, Sept. 22 to Nov. 5. To hunt grouse and woodcock in Michigan, hunters only need a base license. To target woodcock, a free woodcock stamp is required. Licenses and stamps may be purchased online or at one of the many license agents across the state.

Past ruffed grouse and small game surveys and reportsare available to review.

Business owners interested in offering discounts to GEMS hunters may contact KEENK1@michigan.gov to find out how to become a GEMS business partner.

For more information, contact Katie Keen KEENK1@michigan.gov or at 989-385-0336.