Outdoor Matters
DNR Fall Hunting Seasons Preview, Part II: Plenty of Small Game Hunting
A column from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources

According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, prospects for the 2006-07 hunting seasons, the first of which was a special five-day elk season that began August 26, are expected to be as good as they were a year ago. Most game species are on an upward trend or are stable on a statewide basis.

Part II of this exclusive smallgame preview by the DNR Wildlife Division covers rabbits and squirrels, and ducks and geese.

For the 2006-07 hunting seasons, small-game hunters will find plenty of rabbits and squirrels, and duck populations have been relatively stable for the past several years, except Michigan mallards, which have been on a decline. Reports from northern Ontario indicate goose production of migrants was better than average and regular goose seasons this fall should be improved, although

the local population of giant Canada geese continues to supply most of the annual harvest.

Squirrels and cottontail rabbits often provide youngsters with their first hunting experience, and, as a result of a new law this year, the minimum hunting age has been lowered to 10.

See the 2006 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Guide for the special rules that apply to young hunters 10 to 16 years of age.

The guide also includes information about the new apprentice hunter program, which allows individuals to hunt without the required hunter education course if accompanied and closely monitored by a licensed hunter 21 and older who is mentoring them in the sport.

All in all, the stage is set for a very good hunting season. DNR encourages hunters to make it a safe one.

Rabbits

Season: Cottontail rabbits and varying or snowshoe hare can be hunted from September 15 to March 31, statewide. Hunters may take a limit of five per day and 10 in combined possession.

Outlook: Cottontail populations are good throughout their range. Rabbits are the most popular small game animal; the annual harvest is about 500,000 rabbits each year. The abundance of cottontails and their skill at evading hunting beagles and shotgun pellets make hunting them very sporting. Hunters typically harvest about 17,000 to 19,000 snowshoe hares per year. Snowshoe hare populations are presently down somewhat due to cyclic population fluctuations,

however, population levels appear to be slowly improving. Declining habitat continues to be a concern in some portions of their range.

Squirrels

Season: September 15 to March 1. Hunters can bag up to five per day and have 10 in combined possession.

Outlook: Squirrels are at moderate to high levels throughout their range. Hunters generally can expect another good year for squirrel hunting throughout most of their range, but may find squirrel numbers down locally in marginal habitat.

Ducks Season: Starting Dates: North (Upper Peninsula) and Middle (northern Lower Peninsula) zones - September 30; South Zone (southern Lower Peninsula) - October 7. Consult the 2006 Michigan Waterfowl Hunting Guide for exact dates and daily limits.

Outlook: Duck populations in the mid-continent prairie and parkland regions increased about 14 percent from last year, and are 9 percent above the long-term average. However, mallard populations in the Great Lakes states (Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota) decreased from last year. Habitat conditions at the waterfowl management areas continue to look good. Hunters should make a preseason check of local ponds and marshes for waterfowl concentrations. River bayous and isolated ponds will harbor wood ducks early in the season. Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie are great areas to hunt diving ducks. Look for these areas to be hot spots again in 2006, as well as Saginaw Bay and the St. Marys River System in the eastern Upper Peninsula. The best time to hunt scaups, redheads, and canvasbacks is between October 15 and November 20. Special restrictions are in effect for these species. See the Michigan Waterfowl Hunting Guide for details.

Geese

Season: The regular goose season in the Upper Peninsula MVP (Mississippi Valley Population) Unit is September 18 to November 6. In the Lower Peninsula MVP Zone, the regular season is

September 30 to October 29 and November 23 to December 12. In the Lower Peninsula SJBP (Southern James Bay Population) Zone, the regular season is October 7 to 16 and November 23 to December 12. Consult the map of the 2006 Goose Management Units in the Michigan Waterfowl Hunting Guide.

In the South Zone, the late Canada goose season will be December 31 to January 29, excluding local goose management units (GMUs). See the 2006 Michigan Waterfowl Hunting Guide for bag limits and GMU harvest quotas. The guide also has information on hunting opportunities in the managed waterfowl hunt areas.

Outlook: Michigan's Canada goose harvest is derived from primarily three flocks, including the Mississippi Valley Population, the Southern James Bay population, and local giant Canada geese. All three populations are up from last year's estimates. Spring population estimates and brood production of the migratory Canada geese were above average.

Michigan's local population of giant Canada geese now supplies more than 70 percent of the state's total Canada goose harvest.

The early September hunts (September 1 to 10 in the North Zone and September 1 to 15 in the Middle and South zones) and the 30-day late season help control these local flocks through recreational hunting.