Preparing to Hunt and Fish in Michigan

Hunting and fishing are popular activities throughout Michigan. Despite the state’s friendliness to outdoorspeople, confusion about licensing is common. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources requires proper licensing, that people adhere to the dates in which they can hunt and fish, and understand changes that might have been put in place. People who are confronted with hunting and fishing violations could face a variety of problems including fines, jail and losing their license. Avoiding citations is preferable.  Spend time familiarizing yourself with changes by visiting the DNR website and reviewing the various hunting / fishing digests that relate to your target species.  For persons accused of committing a violation, it is critical to contact an experienced outdoors attorney who can assist you in formulating a viable defense.

Fishing licenses and hunting licenses for 2021

The Spring turkey hunting season is finally upon us.  Be sure to have your license and follow the rules.  Not doing so could transform an enjoyable experience harvesting a long-beard in to an unpleasant encounter with law enforcement, or worse yet, a trip to jail.

The 2021 fishing season begins on April 1. The license, once received, will be active for one full year. People who want to fish legally have various options depending on their preferences and goals. For example, if it is a resident of the state, there is a license for those who want to fish for all-species; there is one for non-residents as well. Seniors 65 and older or those who are legally blind can get an all-species license for $11. There are youth licenses and daily licenses. Anyone who wants to fish and is 17 or older must have a license. Adults helping those under 17 must have a license. A newly implemented rule applies to those 16 and under. They can purchase an all-species license on a voluntary basis.

Deer hunting begins in September, but it is wise for hunters to be ready by knowing how the regulations have been changed. The goal of the changes is to allow more people to hunt if they choose to and to ease the licensing process. Still, there can be confusion and those who do not follow the rules can be cited. Hunters should be aware of antlerless licenses, the areas in which they are allowed and whether public or private land can be used for hunting. Some choose to hunt using archery equipment. This is regulated with locations and dates as well.

Combating alleged hunting and fishing violations

People who love the outdoors are often passionate about hunting and fishing, and often attempt to comply with a myriad of often confusing and complicated rules and regulations.  However, it is not uncommon for people to make mistakes with licensing and to be cited for hunting and fishing violations. Adhering to the rules and regulations is a critical part of being a responsible outdoorsperson. Examples of violations including not wearing hunter orange, fishing or hunting out of season, improper baiting, taking more fish than is legally allowed, illegal weapons and more. Facing consequences for these violations can be costly in many ways. To avoid the penalties and address any problem that arises, contact an experienced outdoors criminal defense attorney.  At the Law Office of John Freeman, we not only represent outdoors people, we are outdoorspeople.