Fall turkey hunting just got easier in Michigan. What to know

Michigan is dropping the license lottery for fall turkey hunting. Permits will now be sold first-come, first-serve
Licenses go on sale Aug. 15. The fall turkey season begins Sept. 15 and runs through Nov. 14
The new license system aims to simplify access and promote outdoor recreation

Michigan hunters should have an easier time getting turkey licenses this fall under new rules the state says are designed to make outdoor recreation more accessible.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is dropping an application and drawing process for fall turkey licenses. Instead, licenses will be sold first-come, first-served, online or through the DNR’s Hunt Fish app.

The change is meant to streamline the process while still supporting healthy turkey populations and hunting opportunities, according to the DNR. It also reflects a shift in focus: from controlling turkey numbers to encouraging more people to get outside.

Fall turkey licenses go on sale at 10 a.m. Aug. 15. There’s no quota for the Lower Peninsula, but only 2,220 licenses will be available in the Upper Peninsula. The season runs from Sept. 15 to Nov. 14, and hunters may harvest one turkey, male or female, during that period.

While applications are no longer required, a valid hunter education certificate is still necessary to get a license. All hunters must complete a safety course either online or in person before purchasing any hunting license in Michigan.

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What it costs

A fall turkey license is $15, or $6 for seniors 65 and older. A base license, which is required to hunt some small game, ranges from $6 for youth to $151 for non-residents. The state also offers a $1 sportcard for individuals without a driver’s license who want to hunt or fish.

Wild turkeys rebound in Michigan

Wild turkeys have made a significant comeback in Michigan after the population fell to about 2,000 in the 1960s.

As of last year, there were more than 200,000 wild turkeys in the state, according to the Michigan Wildlife Council, which credited “careful habitat management and strategic relocation efforts.”

The DNR says turkeys are now found in every Michigan county.

In recent years, the department has enlisted the public to help count wild turkeys. The third annual turkey brood survey is already underway and will last through Aug. 31.

“This bird’s comeback is something to celebrate, and now we need the public’s help to keep tabs on our turkeys going forward,” Adam Bump, the DNR’s upland game bird specialist, said in a statement.

The survey is timed for midsummer because it’s when turkey broods are most visible. The birds nest in spring, and by July, hens can often be seen taking their newly hatched poults on a stroll.

Learn more about the count — and how to participate in the survey — here.