October Hunting And Trapping Opportunities - GovDelivery

October hunting and trapping opportunities

• Small game hunting
• Waterfowl hunting
• Fur harvesting
• Deer hunting
• Fall turkey hunting
• Need a place to hunt?
• Questions?

Small game hunting

Small game seasons are in full swing, and pheasant hunting opens soon. Visit Michigan.gov/Hunting to plan your trip. Pheasant (male only): Zone 1* opens Oct. 10. Zones 2 and 3 open Oct. 20. Don't forget to get your free pheasant/sharp-tailed grouse endorsement if you plan to hunt pheasants. Cottontail rabbit and snowshoe hare: Statewide: Sept. 15 - March 31. Squirrel (fox and gray): Statewide: Sept. 15 -  March 31. Ruffed grouse: Sept. 15 - Nov. 14 and Dec. 1 - Jan. 1. Sharp-tailed grouse: Oct. 10 - 31 in a select portion of Zone 1*. Woodcock: Statewide: Sept. 21 - Nov. 4. Quail: Oct 20 - Nov. 14 in select counties*. *See the 2019 Hunting Digest for specific details on open areas.

Waterfowl hunting

Waterfowl hunting opportunities are abundant in October.

• Common snipe, Virginia rail, sora rail and moorhen (gallinule) seasons are open through Nov. 9, statewide.

North Zone:

• Duck, coot and merganser hunting is open through Nov. 24.
• Dark and light goose hunting is open through Dec. 16.

Middle Zone:

• Duck, coot and merganser hunting opens Oct. 5.
• Dark and light goose hunting reopens Oct. 5.

South Zone:

• Duck, coot and merganser hunting opens Oct. 12.
• Dark and light goose hunting reopens Oct. 12.

Waterfowl hunting dates, bag limits and regulations are available at Michigan.gov/Waterfowl.

Fur harvesting

Hunting: Coyote hunting is open year-round, statewide. Raccoon hunting opened Oct. 1, statewide. Fox (gray and red) hunting opens Oct. 15, statewide. Trapping: Badger trapping (residents) in Zones 1 and 2 opens Oct. 15. Resident beaver trapping opens Oct. 25 in Unit A. Coyote and fox (gray and red) trapping opens statewide Oct. 15. Muskrat and mink trapping opens Oct. 25 in Zone 1. Otter trapping (residents) begins Oct. 25 in Unit A. Raccoon trapping opens Oct. 15, statewide. See the 2019 Fur Harvester Digest for additional season dates, unit boundaries, bag limits and other regulations. Remember: Bobcat kill tags are available only until Nov. 30. Get licenses and kill tags online at MDNR-eLicense.com or anywhere licenses are sold.

Deer hunting

Make sure you are up to date with the 2019 regulations. The 2019 Hunting Digest has all deer hunting regulations, season dates and bag limits. 

October deer seasons:

• Archery deer season is Oct. 1 - Nov.14 and Dec. 1 - Jan. 1.
• Independence Hunt (hunters with disabilities) is Oct. 17 - 20.

Important changes:

• Deer baiting and feeding is banned in the entire Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula core chronic wasting disease surveillance area.
  • Watch our video: Michigan Deer Baiting, Feeding and Food Plots.
• New regulations in the Upper Peninsula core CWD surveillance area.
• New antler point restrictions. 

Visit Michigan.gov/Deer for more deer hunting details.

Fall turkey hunting

Remember, fall turkey hunting is open through Nov. 14. 

Any limited-quota licenses that remain may be purchased by any hunter with a current base license or mentored youth license, including those who did not apply for a fall turkey license. Hunters may purchase one license a day until quotas are met.

Find leftover license availability at Michigan.gov/Turkey.

Need a place to hunt?