Use These Tips – Woodcock and Grouse Hunting in Michigan

Pick out a few GEMS you might want to visit. Use the GPS points, the general directions and a county atlas to get a feel for the area. Print off or save to your phone the very detailed GEMS map. Don’t forget to have your base license and free woodcock stamp in your pocket! Drive to the informational parking area, get your bearings and a feel for the area. At the kiosk, read about grouse and woodcock, timber activity and the acres of land nearby that you can also hunt. Note, there are businesses that will give you a great discount because they support GEMS. Get out and explore. Repeat over and over and take others with you! See each of the species below for season information and bag limits. License requirements to hunt small game: Base License All woodcock hunters must obtain a free woodcock stamp which includes registration with the federal Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP) Sharp-tailed grouse requires a free sharp-tailed grouse stamp A $25 pheasant license is required for all pheasant hunters 18 years of age and older planning to hunt pheasants on any public land in the Lower Peninsula or on lands enrolled in the Hunting Access Program. Exempt from purchasing the license: Private land pheasant hunters statewide, public land pheasant hunters in the Upper Peninsula, lifetime license holders, hunters 17 years of age and younger, and individuals only hunting pheasant at a game bird hunting preserve.