A prime destination is Three Rivers State Game Area which consists of over 2,000 contiguous acres of great habitat. In Michigan, the season starts from mid of April to the end of May. Wetlands make up over 120 acres of the park area. Members of the editorial and news staff of USA TODAY Network were not involved in the creation of this content. Late Antlerless season occurs December 23, 2019 – January 1, 2020. It contains a number of maintained food plots and forest openings used by turkey, rabbits and deer. Pontiac Lake Recreation Area is approximately 3,745 acres and it is located northwest of Pontiac. 10 Answers. It is the only public hunting area in the county providing opportunities for hunting of small game, deer, turkey and waterfowl. History: Eff. Additionally, the area is adjacent to the 13,000-acre Barry State Game Area. Waterloo Recreation Area is approximately 20,500 acres and is located north of I-94 between Ann Arbor and Jackson. California, Michigan and Virginia - They … Visit one of our state game or recreation areas for many opportunities to get your bird. If you’re hunting deer during firearm season in the south, you can now use rifles where only use of shotguns used to be permitted. Hunters can now use a .35-caliber or larger rifle (or a shotgun, if that remains their firearm of choice), as long as it uses a straight-walled cartridge. Several thousand acres of land at the area are maintained by the DNR for wildlife habitat development and restoration. New this year - turkey hunters in Unit ZZ have a full six weeks to hunt and hunters in many other hunt units have two weeks to hunt rather than one. You can often follow a set … The area consists of a lake located in the center surrounded by a diverse complex of woodlands featuring northern hardwoods, lowland, oak and mixed deciduous forest. Each year, Michigan hunters spend an estimated $1.2 billion on travel and equipment. Several years ago it was legal to hunt spring turkeys in Oklahoma with a rifle and I shot more than a few with a rifle. That’s not to say it isn’t still dangerous, but it can be safer. … Hunting Season in Macomb County Hunting season is underway! Seven Lakes State Park, 230 acres, is located near Holly in the far northwest corner of Oakland County. Some straight-walled cartridges you may want to consider using are the .44 Magnum, .450 Bushmaster and Winchester .350 Legend, among others. Fall is right around the corner, which means the most active time of year for hunting in the Great Lakes State is fast approaching. Generally, the time span for spring turkey hunting is longer than that of fall and it typically starts in March and ends in May. The … Spring turkey hunting in southern Michigan is exceptional. Hunting seasons starts April 18! a .22 to the head does a decent enough job. Locating turkeys in the fall is more … For one, it’s safer. Whenever you have to hunt for anything in the wild, camouflage is always necessary. Spring turkey hunting in southern Michigan is exceptional. Crosman.com State by State hunting chart. The hiking trails off the parking lots allow egress farther into the property. For many years, people have been heading to deer camps and cabins to hunt on Michigan’s opening day. Depending on when you’re hunting deer and what type you’re hunting, you’ll use a rifle, shotgun or muzzleloader—unless of course you’re interested in archery, in which case you’ll hunt with a bow. The ammunition must have a minimum case length of 1.16 inches and a maximum length of 1.80 inches. With a good number of turkeys living on DNR-managed public lands, the opportunity for hunters to bag a bird has never been better. Allegan State Game Area is vast – spanning over 50,000 acres – and is made up of mature forest, oak savanna, wetland, riparian (areas adjacent to bodies of water) and grassland habitat. You … The late antlerless firearm hunt begins on December 14th and ends on January 1st. Michigan should allow airbows during firearm season or during archery season for “disabled” people. A partnership with Michigan Operation Freedom Outdoors provides access to hard sided blinds (by reservation, priority to hunters with mobility/health challenges and wounded veterans), provides accessible trails, and offers tracked wheelchairs (by reservation). You’ll also need proper licensing to hunt in Michigan, and you can order the appropriate ones here. The recreation area is located between Pontiac and Flint. Turkey, elk and waterfowl are, at certain times of year, fair game as well. Almost all of the area is open to public hunting. If you are looking to stay with rimfires, 22 WMR, the 17 HMR, and of of course the 17 WSM are all better choices. There are nine lakes within the state recreation area with all but two open to waterfowl hunting. You can purchase each of these cartridges online through Brownells.com, where many other supplies and options are available as well. How fun would it be to hunt turkey with an airbow utilizing the guillotine heads The emergent and forested/shrub wetlands provide habitat for a diversity of native plant and animal species. Many guns and loads are being made for it, and it’s designed to work in AR-15 pattern semi-automatic rifles. It is home to a variety of wildlife species, including deer, ring-necked pheasants and turkey. Jackson and Washtenaw Counties - Spring Turkey Unit ZE. Fond memories are made in the woods of Michigan! For many Macomb County families, hunting is a tradition that goes back many generations. Deer are far from the only animal legal to hunt in Michigan. Nearly 800,000 licenses were issued in 2011. A map of suggested spring turkey hunting locations. The recreation area offers turkey, deer, squirrel and rabbit. If you have had trouble in the past getting turkeys in range, this is your ticket. The wild turkey has always been one of the favorite bow hunting. This area boasts excellent deer, turkey and small-game hunting; and It is also open to trapping. Milford township, Oakland county, entire - Centerfire rifle and rimfire rifle hunting banned. Most of this area’s rolling woodlands and open fields are open to hunting deer, turkey, waterfowl, rabbit and squirrel. Out of … Let’s break them down and explain how and where you can participate in the hunt. Zoom in to see parking locations. The number of hunters in Michigan ranks third in the nation. However, only air shotguns are allowed for turkey hunting season. Please see pages 10-12 of the 2020 Spring Turkey Hunting Digest for hunt unit information and dates. Will Chambers, Michigan: Hunting deer Will Chambers, right, with a deer he killed with his AR-15 rifle. Plenty of people hunt deer and turkey with a .45 ACP so you should be able to use this airgun to harvest the same animals depending on your local rules and regulations. The area has a mixture of oak, pine and mixed hardwood forests, wetland complexes, prairies and savannas. The topography is rolling in nature with mesic, sandy loam soils, a 150-acre prairie unit, as well as many forest openings. The change came so that hunters in southern Michigan could have a broader choice in firearm selection, along with better accuracy and range options. Its currently illegal to do so now, you have to have a centerfire rifle or shotgun or bow to hunt turkey. There is no license quota and you can buy a tag through over-the-counter through the end of the season. About 3,500 of the acres are open to hunting during regular hunting seasons. turkey hunting is for the show,,an callin..not pot shootin with rifle 22s no ,,centerfires no, bows are tough ,but excitin,, Apparently few actually hunt Turkey. With a good number of turkeys living on DNR-managed public lands, the opportunity for hunters to bag a bird has never been better. This year, deer season kicks off September 21-22, 2019, with Early Antlerless Firearm Season which allows hunters to harvest deer with antlers less than three inches in length on private land only, with the appropriate firearms and licensing. Due to the large footprint of public land, hunters can move around to chase gobblers without worrying about crossing onto private land. Turkey / with small bore air rifles. There are many hunting options year-round in Michigan. This state game area includes a non-staffed DNR shooting range. It is home to three lakes, a campground and a boat launch. There are always exceptions when someone actually manages to drop a turkey with a smaller caliber but when hunting you should supremely confident in your chosen caliber. To make reservations, or to learn more, visit https://miofo.org/. The area features three lakes, the Kalamazoo River, a campground, more than 25 miles of multi-use trails, fishing opportunities, second-growth forests and remnant areas of prairie. In recent years, Michigan has changed its firearms rules for the southern part of the state. It can and should deliver a one-shot kill with proper placement. It also offers a better chance at a clean kill than a bow. Few things are better than getting out in nature in pursuit of some game—and with millions of public acres available across Michigan, there are plenty of places to explore on the hunting trips you decide to take throughout the year, whether it’s close to home or a further away destination. Michigan’s firearm season for whitetail deer has roots deep in history and tradition. Conclusion. Additionally, the DNR-staffed Sharonville shooting range is located within this game area. Additionally, with the DNR-staffed Pontiac Lake shooting range located within this game area. And once you’re ready to get the gear you need for the animals you’re pursuing, Brownells.com has a comprehensive selection of firearms, ammo, firearms accessories and other items that will help you make the most of your hunting experience. Two small, unpaved parking areas offer walk-in access for hunters and anglers. This area offers opportunities for deer, turkey, upland game and waterfowl hunting. The .44 Magnum is a tried-and-true classic that can be found pretty much anywhere ammo is sold and has lots of different loads available. The .450 Bushmaster is a relatively new cartridge that is becoming more commonplace and available. You can go after small game like rabbit and hare if you want, and if you’re looking for a challenge that is literally bigger, you can even hunt for bear. Some might find woodcock hunting a bit tricky. Target shooting is prohibited. After the drawing, any leftover licenses will be sold until quotas are met. Some counties do not participate in these seasons, so be sure to check regulations. The Barry State Game Area is just over 16,600 acres dominated by oak and mixed forest and also includes wetlands, lakes, and grasslands. Additionally, over 2,000 acres of food plots have been planted to provide fall and winter food sources for waterfowl, pheasants, deer and turkeys. Crosman has a chart showing what each State allows. When taking head shots, there is a lot to be said for hunting from a blind over decoys, as it’s easier to line up the precise head shot when you can move a bit and the birds tend to be more stationary. You can only use an air rifle or pistol of 0.35 caliber or larger. Finally got it done after the longest and hardest turkey season of my life! At 8,008 acres of rolling woodlands and open fields, the Holly Recreation Area provides some elbow room. No person shall hunt with a centerfire rifle or rimfire rifle within the charter township of Milford, Oakland county, state of Michigan. This means the regulations that apply to conventional guns do not apply to firearms. So essentially, your passion for hunting and potential success during the season can be good for the nature of Michigan itself. Crane Pond State Game Area consists of over 4,000 acres of a diverse mixture of cover types from upland mixed deciduous forests, lowland hardwoods, wetlands and prairie restoration areas. Hunting Turkeys with Firearms Scout out your hunting territory. The season for Turkey hunting is spring. The 400-acre Coldwater Lake State Park is located approximately 6 miles north of the Indiana state border. All in all, these are your primary caliber options for a turkey hunting shotgun. Wildlife is abundant in the recreation area and deer and waterfowl hunting is very popular. Wild turkey hunting. One of the great things about hunting winter rabbits in Michigan is the snow gives the hunter a great way to track them. While the other season is known as spring turkey hunting which has recently ended on May 1. Thus during this session wild turkey hunting is preferable. In this season, you can harvest deer with antlers of any size. Pinckney Recreation Area is approximately 11,000 acres and located north of I-94 between Ann Arbor and Jackson. 2021 Spring Turkey Hunting Digest The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment ... You can hunt on public and private lands statewide with a Hunt 0234 license, except public lands in Unit ZZ (southern Lower Peninsula). Regular Firearm season, which generally brings out the most hunters, takes place during the second half of November. Drawing results will be available March 16. They can be used anywhere in the state where turkey hunting is allowed, except for private lands in Unit ZZ (southern Michigan). The terrain is a mixture of open brush land to mature hardwood forest, with some pockets of open meadows mixed in with several large areas of wetland habitat. This area doesn’t have on-site facilities, but it does offer convenient parking for users. As far as hunting turkey, it should be open to all airguns that meet a certain power rating. The terrain is a mixture of open brush land and mature hardwood forest, with some pockets of open meadows mixed with several large areas of wetland habitat. What I quickly found out that if you shoot a turkey with any kind of rifle is to only shoot them from the side so the bullet passes through the upper 1/3 of the body. While bow season tends to be associated almost entirely with the pursuit of deer, rifle season encompasses much more than that. If you've ever thought about giving turkey hunting a try, this is your year! Hunt 0234 permits are valid from May 2 through May 31. The park is an endless variety of topography and ecosystems that form the area called Seven Lakes and is a combination of farmland, rolling hills and forests. Hunting setup. At approximately 5,200 acres, Yankee Springs Recreation Area is located east of U.S. 131 between Grand Rapids and Battle Creek. Although you will still have to locate turkeys and use your calling skills, which is also quite the challenge. The Winchester .350 Legend is true to its name in that it’s quickly becoming a legend, though it’s one of the newest straight-walled cartridges on the market. If you miss with a pellet, chances are it won’t go as far and it certainly won’t do as much damage. If you happen to be new to hunting in general, are curious about trying it or are considering planning your first hunting trip to the state, the following tips will help you gain an initial grasp on what to hunt, where to hunt it and what firearm is best and legal for certain game. It’s based on the .223 case and designed to work in AR-15 pattern semi-automatic rifles as well. Woodcock hunting. Huge thanks to Chris Bee for letting me come up and hunt! Turkey, rabbits, squirrel, grouse, woodcock, ducks, geese, raccoon and deer may be hunted at the recreation area during their respective seasons. Michigan law doesn’t technically prohibit you from firing a weapon in your backyard. Michigan. Now if you see a turkey, most likely you can shoot it with a rifle. Most of the recreation area is open to hunting according to the various seasons, except for safety zones around the developed day-use areas, campgrounds and office areas. This should always help you to blend into the environment so that you can have an advantage of hunting the turkeys. During the past eight years, DNR staff and partners have enhanced and restored nearly 1,300 acres of grassland habitat and 150 acres of wetland habitat. During the Michigan Muzzleloader Hunting Season in December, muzzleloading deer hunters can carry afield and use only a crossbow (except in the Upper Peninsula) or a muzzleloading rifle, a muzzleloading shotgun, or a black powder handgun loaded with black powder or a commercially manufactured black powder substitute. Keeping these grasslands healthy and thriving is one of the DNR’s major management goals at the game area. Be Patient and Have Fun! Kids under 10 years old can now head into the woods with a gun and a licensed hunter over 21-years-old, and hunt for small game. The key is in the wording and classifications. You might need to get yourself a … The cartridge shot comes with a velocity similar to a shotgun’s slug shot, and many available variations are very effective when it comes to hunting deer. Most areas of the park are open to hunting and species include deer, turkey, waterfowl, rabbit and squirrel. And when someone is using bow things can get a bit too clumsy if the … The techniques used for turkey hunting with an airgun mirror those used with shotgun or bow and essentially come down to hunting from a blind or running and gunning. Boyle Lake State Game Area is a small area (about 400 acres) that offers big hunting opportunities. The 4,387-acre landscape at Sharonville State Game Area is rolling topography with a mix of land covers, including hardwoods, young successional forest, oak stands, open fields, grassland, wetlands and food plots. Deer season happens in the fall and early winter. December 19, 1990 OAKLAND TOWNSHIP - R317.163.19 - Hunting restricted.A MI7417400 ELOP MI3399800. “(But) if you’ve got multiple animals or you miss, you’ve got a quick follow-up shot. It’s an exciting time. Read below for detailed descriptions of these locations and links to additional maps and information. For starters, the upper peninsula is closed to late antlerless firearm hunting. Why, because velocities are higher when the projectile reaches the target promoting more expansion of the bullet, more shock, and therefore a better opportunity to do quick fatal damage to vital organs. The application period for spring turkey has ended. However, it DOES prohibit you from firing a weapon in a place where there aren’t enough safeguards in place to ensure that no one gets hurt. Fort Custer Recreation Area is a 3,033-acre area located between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. Yankee Spring's rugged terrain, bogs, marshes, lakes and streams lend itself to many forms of outdoor recreation, including 30 miles of hiking trails. It has a mixture of marshes, ponds, heavy forests, old farm fields, river bottom and lakes that support a variety of animals and excellent hunting. They should also open up turkey to airguns, to include airbows, as well. The wild turkey population is also becoming well established. And unlike fall turkey hunting, almost all the states offer it. North of this Limited Firearm zone, you can legally hunt deer with a wider variety of firearms. Lake Hudson Recreation Area, 2,796 acres, is located in southern Michigan near the Ohio border. If the far left California allows airgun hunting for turkey, every darn state should! Simply put, hunting season is a big deal in Michigan, and it’s ramping up along with the fall color as archery season that began on Oct. 1, to be followed by the regular firearm season beginning on … MICHIGAN—Hunting season is a celebratory time for hundreds of thousands of Michiganders, and for others, it’s one of their primary means of finding sustenance and feeding their families. Visit one of our state game or recreation areas for many opportunities to get your bird. Small game hunting in the area includes rabbit, squirrel, woodcock and ruffed grouse. It also gives lighter weight and youth hunters an opportunity to use firearms with less recoil. The application period for spring turkey has ended. There are many hunting options year-round in Michigan Deer are far from the only animal legal to hunt in Michigan. Hunting deer at close range with a lever-action .44 Magnum rifle is a fun and challenging experience. Hunting is a time-honored tradition that calls enthusiasts of all ages to head for the woods and waters for the chance to track whitetail deer, elk, bear, turkey, grouse, waterfowl and other wildlife.The opportunity to hunt and harvest game is abundant to all and with various seasons spanning throughout the year, the opportunity to get lost in a sportsman’s paradise is always calling. Additionally, the air gun should be charged only from a high compression, external power source. In 2015 Michigan amended its laws to remove high power air rifles from the firearms list. Are there better rounds for turkey hunting with a rifle, yes. PLAINWELL, MI - As deer hunters prepare for the opening day of firearm season on Nov. 15, changes to Michigan's gun regulations for part of the lower peninsula continue to cause confusion. Managing the amount of deer residing in Michigan helps ensure they’ll have more positive than negative effects on the state’s social, biological, ecological and economic values. The following state game areas are suggested locations for prime spring turkey hunting opportunities: The following state recreation areas and state parks also offer spring turkey hunting opportunities: Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center, Bluesource/DNR Big Wild Forest Carbon Project, Assistance for Private Forest Land Owners, County and Municipal Law Enforcement Information, Fisheries Division Citizens Advisory Committees, Michigan History Center Commissions & Committees, Pigeon River Country Equestrian Committee, Timber and Forest Products Advisory Council, Upper Peninsula Citizens' Advisory Councils. Applicants selected in the drawing may then purchase a license. Deer season is extremely popular in Michigan—and it’s also very important from a population control angle. Pellet gun turkey hunting has some benefits over using a shotgun or bow. Regulations for the late antlerless firearm hunt are a little different this year. Limited Firearm Deer Zone: This zone has replaced the original Rifle and Shotgun zone, and there is a legal restriction on firearms used here. Illogical as it sounds, someone in Michigan who can’t legally possess a firearm can get a license to go hunting with a firearm. Airguns are not considered a firearm anymore so we should be able to use “silenced” air rifles. Yes, you can kill a turkey … The landscape is rolling topography with hardwood woodlots, pocket wetlands and fens, and food plots with clover and small grains where turkeys are known to gather. My aunt and grandpa only used a .22 on the ranch to kill turkeys, killed dozens of them that way. When it comes to air gun hunting, it is generally acceptable. You cannot hunt in Michigan with a silenced (or anything that reduces the report) firearm. 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