Changes have been made to goose hunting regulations this year, the DNR said, include a dark goose aggregate bag limit and a light goose aggregate bag limit.
Canada geese, white-fronted geese (or specklebellies) and brant are now part of a dark goose aggregate daily bag limit.
From Sept. 1-30, the dark goose aggregate daily bag limit is five, only one of which can be a brant. (All five could be Canada geese.) After Sept. 30, the limit for dark geese is five, only three of which can be Canada geese and only one a brant.
An aggregate bag limit is also in place for light geese, including snow, blue and Ross’s geese. Hunters may harvest 20 light geese per day during goose seasons.
Goose season runs Sept. 1 – Dec. 16 in the North Zone; Sept. 1-30 and Oct. 14 – Dec. 10 in the Middle Zone; and Sept. 1-30, Oct. 14 – Dec. 10, Dec. 30-31 and Jan. 27 – Feb. 12, 2018 in the South Zone.
What were the Saginaw and Tuscola County goose management units now have the same season dates as the South Zone. GMUs in Allegan and Muskegon counties have different dates.
Waterfowl hunting regulations, dates and bag limits can be found in the 2017-2018 Michigan Waterfowl Hunting Digest, available at license dealers and online at Michigan.gov/dnrdigests.
New big game import rules
Planning to hunt outside of Michigan this fall? There are new rules about bringing back cervids — deer, elk or moose — the DNR said.
Hunters bagging a cervid in any other state or province can bring back only hides, deboned meat, quarters, finished taxidermy products, cleaned teeth and antlers (alone or attached to a cleaned skullcap.)
What’s changed? The new rules apply to animals from any state or Canadian province, not just those states and provinces that have chronic wasting disease.
Said Dean Molnar, assistant chief of the DNR Law Enforcement Division, “The health of Michigan’s big-game population depends on the cooperation of hunters.” Fines, penalties and confiscation of the animal await those caught breaking the rule.
Since a free-ranging white-tailed deer in Ingham County was confirmed with CWD, the DNR has sampled 13,458 deer; nine have tested positive.
There are also special rules for Michigan areas in which CWD has been found; visit mi.gov/cwd.
Vets first at managed areas on November weekend
Military veterans and active duty personnel will get preference in hunting permit drawings at DNR Managed Waterfowl Hunt Areas on Saturday or Sunday, Nov. 11 or 12, depending on the area.
To be eligible, single hunters must be veterans or active-duty military personnel; parties must have at least one member that is active-duty or a veteran.
Besides hunting license and stamp and driver’s license or voter registration card, vets will need one of these: military ID, leave papers, duty papers, military orders, copy of DD Form 214, enhanced driver’s license or documentation from the Veterans Administration regarding disability status. If discharged from Army or Air Force National Guard, provide a copy of NGB Form 22 or NGB Form 23.
Dates and areas for which vets have preference in draws for morning and afternoon hunts include:
Nov. 11 – Fish Point, Harsens Island, Muskegon County Wastewater and Nayanquing; Nov. 12 – Pointe Mouillee and Shiawassee River.
Compiled and edited for the Daily News by Steve Griffin
