After the harvest

Drones and recovering game animals

Can I use a drone to recover game animals?
No. The use of drones to pursue wildlife in any manner, either during legal hunting hours or after, is illegal. You cannot take game or fish using an unmanned vehicle or unmanned device that uses aerodynamic forces to achieve flight or using an unmanned vehicle or unmanned device that operates on the surface of water or underwater. Attempting to locate and/or recover game, either dead or wounded, is an act which falls within the definition of "take."

Transporting game animals

What are the rules for transporting game?
You can transport your own and another person’s lawfully taken game. You cannot destroy the identity or evidence of the sex of any small game animal. If you are transporting migratory birds (including woodcock), one fully feathered wing must be left on the bird. If transporting another person’s migratory birds, they must be tagged with the person’s name, signature and home address, and the number of birds by species, dates of kill and hunting license number.

Migratory bird band reporting

I harvested a migratory bird with a band. Should I report it?
Yes. You can promote sound wildlife management by promptly reporting all banded birds harvested, including date and location taken. This information is used to determine annual survival, migration routes and contribution to the state harvest from different breeding grounds. To report bands, go online to ReportBand.gov. Please note that even if the band you recover is inscribed with a 1-800 telephone number, you can only report it online.

Handling and processing small game meat

Should I be concerned about dioxin?
Health assessors from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Michigan DNR determined that samples of wild game taken from the floodplains of the Tittabawassee River and Saginaw River downstream of Midland contained high levels of dioxin and dioxin-like compounds. Wild game tested included deer, turkeys, cottontail rabbits, squirrels, wood ducks and Canada geese. As a result, the MDHHS advises that hunters and their families follow these recommendations related to small game:

• Limit consumption of squirrel harvested in or near the floodplain of the Tittabawassee River downstream of Midland.
• Other wild game species that have not been tested in this area may also contain dioxins at levels that are a concern. To reduce general dioxin exposure from other wild game, trim away visible fat from the meat before cooking. Do not consume organ meats such as the liver or brains, and do not eat the skin.

For additional information regarding dioxin, dioxin-like compounds and wild game advisories for the Tittabawassee River and Saginaw River floodplains, including a map of the area covered by these advisories, go to the MDHHS website at Michigan.gov/Dioxin.

Should I be concerned about lead in wild game meat?
Ammunition used to shoot wildlife, including traditional lead birdshot or rounds containing lead bullets, may fragment, leaving particles remaining in game meat, even after processing. Some of these lead particles may be too small to be seen or felt when processing game. Being exposed to any lead can be a serious issue for developing bodies and nervous systems, so those most at risk of health effects from eating wild game meat that contains lead are young children and women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

• Use lead-free ammunition: Opt for shotgun shells with nontoxic shot and nontoxic rifle bullets. If nontoxic ammunition is unavailable, avoid rapidly expanding bullets that tend to fragment.
• Trim around wound channels: Cut away the meat around the wound channel to remove lead fragments that may have entered the meat.
• Avoid acidic cooking ingredients: Refrain from using vinegar or wine when cooking wild game shot with lead ammunition, as acids can increase lead absorption in the body.

How should I handle and process wild game?
Keep yourself and others healthy by taking care of your harvested meat. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recommends proper food safety practices when cooking venison, as well as any other meat or poultry.

Buying and selling game animals

Can I buy or sell game animals?
You cannot buy or sell game animals, except as provided by Wildlife Conservation Order 4.3, available at Michigan.gov/DNRLaws.

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