Hunters welcome on Hiawatha National Forest
Trending
GLADSTONE -- The Hiawatha National Forest welcomes hunters and encourages everyone to hunt safely and care for public lands. Responsible hunting plays an important role in keeping national forest lands enjoyable year after year. Hunters should understand special regulations about use and removal of blinds on public lands, leave the forest litter free and completely extinguish campfires before departing.
The Forest Service reminds all hunters that the State of Michigan's hunting regulations apply on national forest lands. Before heading into the field, hunters should review current season dates, license requirements, safety rules and regulations for the species they plan to hunt. Michigan provides its current hunting regulations online.
Hunters using blinds must follow applicable state and federal requirements. Hunting blinds must be portable and temporary. Do not attach blinds or tree stands to any tree with nails, screws, bolts or screw-in tree steps. Blinds may be placed in the national forest with name, phone number and address of the owner no earlier than Sept. 1 and must be removed by the following Jan. 1. Failure to remove any type of blind, structures, equipment or trash may result in fines, costs of removal and destruction, impoundment and/or seizure of those items.
It is important to remember to clean up after hunting trips are complete. Abandoned constructed blinds and associated equipment, including tarps, chairs, buckets, plastic bait bags, food containers, heaters and fuel containers, etc., amount to remote dumpsites scattered across public lands. Such illegal permanent blinds pose safety risks, cause environmental damage and can lead to hunter conflicts.
Hunters on National Forest System lands should also be aware that there are some differences between hunting on state land versus national forest land. Hunters should confirm who manages the land they plan to visit and check the regulations that apply there. Remember:
-- 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) downloadable at: Hiawatha National Forest – Maps & Guides (usda.gov) or on the Avenza app.
-- Motorized travel is allowed on designated routes only. Cross-country motorized travel off designated routes is prohibited on National Forest System lands, including for hunting blind access, baiting, or game retrieval.
-- Cutting branches, limbs, trees or other vegetation for shooting lanes or to construct blinds is prohibited.
-- Guiding on National Forest land requires a federal special use permit.
-- For accurate information about hunting regulations in Michigan, hunters should review Michigan DNR's Hunting rules and regulations paying special attention to rules about blinds on public lands, raised platforms and tree stands, baiting, and hunting on National Forest System lands.
The Forest Service encourages people to contact their local National Forest office if they notice illegal blinds on National Forest System lands.