Michigan Turkey hunters...late private ground

[Oliverstacy]

How many are going out on Monday the 5th for the late season?  Just found out my wife is taking the day off so I can go to the other side of the state to hunt my parents property.  I half heartedly asker her if she'd take the day off...she asked “why”.  I said “because I want to go turkey hunting”.  That was three weeks ago and today she says..."hey I took Monday off"...me..."why"..."so you can go turkey hunting ya @#$@".      

So I'm going out...looks like I'm going to be alone but oh well it will be me, my Matrix and my camera rolling.  Can't wait, I wasn't going to be able to make it out until the weekend of the 17th but this is a big lift.

Can't wait...first time with a bow of any kind and it will be with my recurve.  Going to be a blast!

Josh

[John C Keith]

Josh:

Returned you PM.  Let me know when you are coming back this way... unfortunately around the 17th is the  same schedule as Monday but maybe we can work out something

Best of luck out there.

John

[Tim Fishell]

Josh, Where on the west side will you be?

[last arrow]

Spoke with my buddy who's farm I was hoping to hunt last night.  He has been hunting the early season.  He had his woodlot logged over the winter and he said the turkeys have left and haven't returned.  He has only seen one hen that came out into the fields to feed from his neighbors.  His good news is that he has more deer than ever this spring.

Based on his report it sounds like I am going to have to head north where I can use my permit on public land.  Not sure what my schedule is going to allow yet.  Hopefully I will get in at least one weekend of turkey hunting and hopefully find some mushrooms.

[Oliverstacy]

Originally posted by Tim Fishell:
Josh, Where on the west side will you be?

North of Grand Rapids...small town, Greenville.

You heading out?  I just went out today and shot my new broadheads, 100 gr Snuffers on 42 gr long adaptors.  They all weigh right within 1 grains of 148 grains glued up.  Seem to shoot very well and should smack a turkey hard, arrow weighs 510 grains total.  

Looking forward to being in the woods or fields on Monday.  I only got to go once last spring and didn't have any luck.  This year I'm going to be out at least three times but hopefully 4.

Hopefully the weather will be nice.

Josh

[Oliverstacy]

Originally posted by last arrow:
Based on his report it sounds like I am going to have to head north where I can use my permit on public land.

Make sure you can use the late season tag on public land.  I have the late private only...I believe it is Hunt 234, it can only be used on private ground.

Josh

[Tim Fishell]

Josh, I am a little ways south of there but there are a few of us in that area that I shoot with regularly.  Good luck and keep us posted.

[last arrow]

Oliverstacey,

I think if you check further you will find that hunt 234 is "open to all areas, except public land in area zz"(southern Michigan) as described by page one of the DNR Turkey hunting guide.  Granted, later in the turkey hunting guide is a poorly punctuated sentence (probably by a UM grad) that could be interpreted in several ways, 1st that hunt 234 is "open in all areas except public lands, and area zz".  This interpretation would mean that, in addition to public land being closed, so would all of area zz.

The 2nd interpretation is that it is "open in all areas, except public land in area zz".  Because it is stated in accordance with the 2nd option on page one of the guide, I beleive that to be correct.  Several license sellers and other hunters I spoke with agree.  Anyone else have an opinion?

[Montyc]

Josh,
Good luck over by Greenville.  I hunted the last two days up in Newaygo.  Had 4 nice toms 40 yards away, but could not pull them in any closer.  Hope you have better luck.  Post a pick if you do.

[Tim Fishell]

Blaine, I thought that same thing and had to go back and look.  I still think that way but cannot say 100%.

[Oliverstacy]

Originally posted by Tim Fishell:
Blaine, I thought that same thing and had to go back and look.  I still think that way but cannot say 100%.

I just read the Turkey guide online:

  turkey guide  

3. Guaranteed Hunt Period                                    
A license for the Guaranteed Hunt Period is valid for all open areas, except public lands in the Southern Lower Peninsula Wild Turkey Management Unit (Unit ZZ). This license also is valid to hunt Fort Custer military lands with permission.

Guaranteed Hunt Chart:


HUNT
NUMBER  HUNT UNIT  OPEN SEASON  
0234  All Spring Units*  May 5 - May 31  

* Except public lands in Unit ZZ. A license for the Guaranteed Hunt Period is valid to hunt Fort Custer military lands with permission.  

All applicants who apply for Hunt No. 234 as their first or second choice are guaranteed a hunting license.

Hunters also may purchase the Hunt No. 234 license over the counter during the January 1 - February 1 application period. No application fee will be charged.

The Hunt No. 234 license also may be purchased by applicants who are unsuccessful in the drawing.

NOTE: The Guaranteed Hunt Period (Hunt No. 234) is not a limited-quota hunt and is NOT available as a leftover license.


Looks like it's only private ground for hunt #0234.

Josh

[last arrow]

0234 All spring Units*

*Except Public Lands in Unit ZZ

Exactly as I said, only public lands in Unit zz are being excepted.  Public lands in all other Units are open.  Pretty clear to me.  If the asterisked portion said "except public lands" then public lands woukd be closed in all units, but it clearly only excepts them in Unit ZZ, the southern Michigan Unit, Public lands in northern Michigan are clearly open. (except the poorly punctuated portion in the text portion of the guide.