MDNR Report
With the wrap of Michigan’s 2024 elk season, hunters saw challenging conditions during Hunt Period 1 and improved outcomes in Hunt Period 2. More than 250 licenses were issued across both periods, and hunters harvested 180 elk in all.
MDNR Report
Pheasant
Over the next few weeks, pheasants will be released on 10 state game/wildlife areas across southern Michigan to conclude the 2024 pheasant release program.
“The pheasant release program had a great regular season this year,” said Adam Bump, Michigan Department of Natural Resources upland game bird specialist. “Hunters enjoyed spending time together in the field, pursuing released birds across all 13 of our regular season release areas. This year, we made the program even more accessible by providing parking lot locations online. I encourage hunters to take advantage of December pheasant hunting at the 10 release areas still open.”
Birds will be released throughout the December pheasant season, offering a great opportunity to get outdoors and experience the hunt.
MDNR Report Rooster pheasants will be released on 13 state game/wildlife areas throughout southern Michigan this fall. Releases will take place from Oct. 20 to Nov. 14 on all 13 areas and Dec. 1-31 on 10 areas, coinciding with pheasant hunting season. Adam Bump, Department of Natural Resources upland game bird specialist, said, "For seasoned hunters and newcomers alike, this is a great opportunity to connect or reconnect with upland bird hunting in Michigan.” This year, directions to parking lots at release sites are provided online.Michigan Pheasant
MDNR Report The sixth annual Joe Johnson Memorial Youth Pheasant Hunt will be Nov. 2 at the Gordon GuyerAgusta Creek State Wildlife Area in northern Kalamazoo County. Hunter safety-certified youth hunters, ages 12-17, are invited to join this free pheasant hunt. Groups of two will hunt with a guide, dog and dog handler. Pheasants will be planted for each group to hunt, and lunch will be provided. Hunters should bring their base license, firearm and ammunition, hunter orange garments and a cooler for their harvested birds. This pheasant hunt is held in honor of conservationist Joe Johnson, director of the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary from 1985 to 2007 and a leader in many conservation efforts throughout Michigan, the Great Lakes and beyond. There are limited spots available for this hunt. Register now to reserve a spot for your youth hunter. You can register here.
Youth Hunt
IDNR Report
Registration for put-and-take pheasant hunts opens Wednesday, Sept. 11, at 7 a.m. ET and will continue to the end of the hunt period or until hunts are sold out. The hunts take place from Nov. 23 – Dec. 1. Hunters can register at on.IN.gov/reservedhunt.
Participating Fish & Wildlife areas include Atterbury, Glendale, J.E. Roush Lake, Pigeon River, Tri-County, Willow Slough, and Winamac. Hunters seeking information about the property on which they are interested in hunting should contact that respective property. Contact information is available at the website listed above.
Registration is first-come, first-served and costs $30 per registered hunter. Once the daily hunter quota is reached for each site, the location will be listed as unavailable. Hunters must possess a valid hunting license and a gamebird habitat stamp to hunt pheasant. The bag limit is two pheasants per person, per day. Hunters should print their registration confirmation sheet and bring it with them on the day of their hunts.
More information about put-and-take pheasant hunts and other reserved hunts is available at the website listed above.