Hiawatha National Forest covers nearly a million acres of public land supporting multiple uses, including hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities.
The USDA Forest Service welcomes hunters to the Forest with a reminder that there are special rules about use and removal of blinds on public lands. Responsible hunters play an important role in keeping national forest lands litter free and clean for everyone.
State of Michigan hunting regulations apply on national forest lands, along with additional regulations which require that hunting blinds be portable and temporary and not affixed to any tree by nails, screws, bolts, or screw-in tree steps. Blinds can be placed in the National Forest with name, phone number and address of the owner no earlier than Sept. 1 and must be removed by the end of deer season. Failure to remove any type of blind, structure, equipment or trash can result in fines, costs of removal and destruction, impoundment and/or seizure items.
According to Forest Service personnel, most hunters are responsible and follow the rules, though some people leave gear behind. Abandoned constructed blinds and associated equipment, such as tarps, chairs, buckets, plastic bait bags, food containers, heaters and fuel, etc., amount to remote dumpsites scattered across public lands. Such illegal permanent blinds pose several risks including safety hazards, environmental damage, and hunter conflicts.
Hunters on National Forest System lands should also be aware that there are some differences between hunting on state land versus National Forest land:
- All wheeled motor vehicles, including off-highway vehicles (OHVs) are allowed only on National Forest roads and trails shown open on the Forest’s current year Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) downloadable at: Hiawatha National Forest - Maps & Publications (usda.gov) or on the Avenza app.
- Motorized travel is allowed on designated routes only. Cross-country motorized travel off designated routes is prohibited on National Forest System lands, including for hunting blind access, baiting, or game retrieval.
- Cutting branches, limbs, trees, or other vegetation for shooting lanes or to construct blinds is prohibited.
- Guiding on National Forest land requires a federal special use permit.
For accurate information about hunting regulations in Michigan, hunters should review the 2024 Michigan DNR’s Hunting rules and regulations paying special attention to rules about blinds on public lands, raised platforms and tree stands, baiting, and hunting on National Forest System lands.
The Forest Service encourages people to contact their local National Forest office if they notice illegal blinds on National Forest System lands. Find our contact information at Hiawatha National Forest - Contact Us (usda.gov)
