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USDA Forest Service welcomes hunters to the Huron-Manistee National Forests

Release Date: November 14th, 2024
Contact Information: Debra-Ann Brabazon    debraann.brabazon@usda.gov

Annual firearms season is more than a trip to the woods. Hunting often builds relationships with families and educates young hunters on the art of hunting big game. Hunting is also an opportunity to demonstrate responsible recreation. Photo Courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

CADILLAC, Mich., Nov. 13, 2024 – Michigan’s Regular Firearm season kicks off Friday November 15, 2024, across both the upper and lower peninsulas. The Huron-Manistee National Forests (HMNFs) welcomes hunters dressed in blaze orange annually to recreate responsibly on nearly a million acres of public lands. All Forest visitors, including hunters, are asked to follow Special Orders and Closures designed to protect the Forest and to provide for safety of visitors. Emergency closure orders will be posted as an Alert on the Forests' webpage.

Visitors planning a hunting trip to the HMNFs are asked to abide by the Michigan Hunting Regulations and Summary publication produced annually by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) while hunting on the HMNFs. Hunters are required to have a valid hunting license issued by the DNR and to follow all state hunting regulations. Hunters should pay particular attention to the regulation on blinds, raised platforms and tree stands/scaffolding and hunting on public lands.

  • In legible English, your name and address, OR complete Michigan driver’s license number OR DNR Sportcard number must be permanently attached, etched, engraved or painted on your raised platform or stand or portable ground blind.
  • Tree stands can be placed no earlier than September 1, 2024 and must be removed by the March 1, 2025
  • Ground blinds can be placed no earlier than September 1, 2024 and must be removed by the end of the annual deer season, January 12, 2025.
  • Failure to remove any type of blind, structure, equipment or trash can result in fines and costs to remove, destroy, impound and/or seize those items.

“In the midst of the hunting season, we thought it timely to remind hunters that the hunt is not over when they've bagged their deer. Responsible hunting includes staying on the trail and removing your blind from public land in a timely manner,” explains Forest Recreation Program Manager Nick Edington.

Incidence of illegal, abandoned or so-called “permanent” blinds on National Forest System lands pose several risks including safety hazards, environmental damage and hunter conflicts. Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigation personnel and other staff may remove abandoned hunting blinds in accordance with the state and federal regulations.

In addition to state hunting regulations, please remember:

  • Discharging a firearm within 150 yards of a developed recreation site, building, or occupied area is prohibited.
  • Discharging a firearm across or on a forest development road, trail, or a body of water is also prohibited.
  • All wheeled motor vehicles, including off-highway vehicles (OHVs) are allowed only on National Forest roads and trails shown open on the Forest’s current year Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM). This map is available free of charge online or at one of our offices.
  • Cross-country motorized travel is strictly prohibited on Forest Service administered lands and may not be used for cross-country game retrieval.
  • OHV/ORV regulations can be found at DNR Handbook of Michigan Off-Road Vehicle Laws and Riding Basics.
  • From Nov. 15 through Nov. 30, the regular November firearm deer season, ORV operation is prohibited in public hunting areas from 7 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.
  • Please operate your vehicle responsibly. Respect the road/trail and fellow operators.

Additionally, the HMNFs has identified the following campgrounds, by district, still open for hunters looking to camp during the hunt. Please keep in mind that amenities may or may not be available and hunters are asked to plan to pack out whatever they have packed in to help minimize the impact on natural resources. Spots are first come first served except for AuSable River camping, which is available through rec.gov for the entire month of November. Dispersed camping is always available year-round.

Baldwin-White Cloud Ranger District

Cadillac-Manistee Ranger District

Huron Shores Ranger District

Mio Ranger District

On National Forest System Lands, camping is limited to 14 consecutive days in a developed campsite and 16 consecutive days while dispersed camping. Leaving camping equipment unattended for more than 24 hours is prohibited. Be sure to also be mindful of food storage so as not to invite unwanted wildlife into your campsites.

Hunters should also be aware of the current fire danger by checking the Great Lakes Fire And Fuels Fire Danger Website. Cooking and warming campfires must be always attended and extinguished completely when you leave. Remember to drown, stir, feel and repeat until the coals are dead out and cold to the touch. A smoldering campfire can lead to a wildfire and risk the safety of other hunters in the woods.

Hunters also encounter illegal forest dumping. To better assist ranger stations and the Supervisor’s Office with reports of illegal forest dumping, hunters can use their mobile devices to access the Adopt A Forest’s Report a Dump Site page and record images and location coordinates while still in the field. Do not approach dumpers actively engaged in illegal dumping! Instead, contact the DNR Report All Poaching (RAP) hotline at 800-292-7800. By reporting active dumping along with a vehicle description and license plate number to the RAP dispatcher, hunters can aid in enforcement.

Last updated November 14th, 2024

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