LANSING, MI — Fall hunting season is now underway in Michigan, giving hunters the green light to pursue turkeys and several popular small-game species beginning Sept. 15. The opening includes cottontail rabbit, ruffed grouse, squirrels and woodcock, along with the state’s fall turkey season.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says the season comes with one notable change for turkey hunters this year: any harvested turkey must be reported online or through the DNR mobile app. The new reporting step is designed to give wildlife managers better harvest information and give hunters faster access to season statistics.
Turkey hunters must report harvests within 72 hours
Under the new rule, hunters who take a turkey must report it within 72 hours of the harvest or before the bird is transferred to someone else, whichever happens first. The DNR says the requirement will help build clearer data on harvest totals and support long-term population management.
Officials also say the system will make harvest information more available during the season, rather than waiting for later summaries. Hunters can file the report either online or through the department’s mobile app, giving them two options for meeting the requirement without delaying the processing of the bird.
The change applies across the fall turkey season statewide and adds a tracking step that did not exist before for all harvested birds. The department says that kind of real-time reporting can help it monitor trends more closely as the season unfolds.
Fall turkey season stretches through mid-November
Michigan’s fall turkey season runs from Sept. 15 through Nov. 14. Hunters need an annual base license along with a fall turkey license to participate, and the daily limit is one turkey of any sex, meaning either a bearded or beardless bird can be taken.
In the Upper Peninsula, hunting is limited by quota. Unit M is capped at 2,200 licenses, which are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. That unit covers the entire U.P. except Isle Royale, according to the DNR.
The Lower Peninsula is handled differently. Unit I has no license quota and covers the entire Lower Peninsula except Monroe County, where fall turkey hunting remains closed. The split setup reflects how the state manages hunting pressure in different regions.
Small-game openers bring rabbits, grouse and woodcock back into season
Along with turkeys, several small-game seasons opened Sept. 15. Hunters may pursue ruffed grouse from Sept. 15 through Nov. 14 and again from Dec. 1 through Jan. 1, while woodcock season runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 29.
Cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare and gray or fox squirrel seasons also began Sept. 15 and continue through March 31. The DNR says hunters need a standard base license for small-game hunting, including on private farmland.
That reminder matters for anyone heading out for the first time this fall. Even where the land is privately owned, the state says the base license is still part of the requirement for these species.
More Michigan game seasons will open later this fall
Tuesday’s opener is only the first step in Michigan’s fall hunting calendar. The DNR says other small-game seasons, including sharp-tailed grouse and ring-necked pheasant, will begin later in the fall.
Some species remain available year-round. Woodchucks, red squirrels and ground squirrels can be hunted statewide throughout the year, according to the department’s rules.
That staggered schedule gives hunters a season that changes over time rather than opening all at once. It also lets the state manage different species on their own timelines, based on the regulations set for each animal.
Where hunters can find license details, zones and bag limits
The DNR is directing hunters to its 2026 hunting regulation summaries for full details on bag limits, hunting zones and species-specific rules. Those guides also include the information needed to sort out which licenses apply in each part of the state.
For hunters preparing for the fall, the summaries are the clearest place to confirm what is open, where it is open and how many animals may be taken. The department says the online materials are the official reference for the season.
With turkey reporting now mandatory and several small-game seasons already open, Michigan’s autumn hunting period is moving ahead with a mix of familiar opportunities and new paperwork for those targeting wild turkeys.
