When hunting later seasons, such as Michigan’s Hunt 0234, the author prefers afternoon outings, as hens are often on nests then and lonely toms are more willing to check out calls.
April 11, 2025
By Mike Gnatkowski
Stars peppered the pre-dawn sky as I donned my turkey vest and slung my shotgun over my shoulder. It was May 6, partly cloudy, a little breezy, and I had a half-mile walk to reach the power line where I intended to hunt. While I hadn’t seen much turkey sign during a few scouting forays, I wasn’t too concerned. I’d killed gobblers in several spots on the Michigan property in seasons prior and felt confident I’d encounter another. It seemed like any time a tom was killed, another bird would soon take his place due to the area’s excellent habitat.
Sure enough, not a hundred yards in, I heard two gobblers sound off to my right. I knew exactly where they were roosting in a big oak close to a resident’s front yard and the adjacent pasture. It was still fairly dark, but the birds fired off in unison again.
Farther down the trail, I cut into a clearing that loggers had created. It seemed it would serve as a perfect ambush point once the birds flew down. I placed a jake and hen decoy at the clearing’s edge, plopped down next to a pile of logs, erected a small makeshift blind I carry and listened. At my first sultry tree yelps, both toms belted out thunderous gobbles. After a while, I heard the birds fly down, and I was certain they’d come running when they saw the decoys in the clearing. All signs pointed toward me notching my tag in short order.
ACCESSIBLE ACTION Michigan turkey hunting is unique. With seasons starting in late April and continuing into early June, depending on unit and hunt period, there are ample hunting opportunities, both early and late. While many Midwestern states have been reducing the number of licenses available to non-residents or shifting to draws for out-of-state tags in recent years, Michigan still offers guaranteed, over-the-counter (OTC) permits for residents and non-residents. In fact, the state has only continued to expand the tag options and opportunities available to hunters. There are the usual draw-based quota hunts (aka general licenses), an OTC permit (Hunt 0234) and a tag that’s valid only on private lands (Hunt 0301) in southern Michigan’s Unit ZZ.
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With these different choices, hunters can plan their hunt as they see fit. Those wanting first crack at spring gobblers in one of Michigan’s 13 turkey management units can apply for a general license in January. If drawn, they’ll be ready to make their best play come opening day (or whenever their hunt period begins). If not, they can purchase a leftover quota license (if available) when those go on sale in March (first come, first served) or pick up an OTC tag.
Ground blinds are great tools in late April and early May, as temps can be chilly and birds are often still visiting predictable locations. (Shutterstock photo) Those with access to private land in southern Michigan can simplify things by applying for a Hunt 0301 license or purchasing one when leftover licenses go on sale (Hunt 0301 tags are usually available through season’s end). While most quota hunts are tied to specific hunt periods (dates)—ranging in length from one to three weeks in most cases—Hunt 0301 runs from April 19 to May 31.
Hunt 0234 (OTC permit) offers a slightly shorter season (May 3 to 31), but still longer than most quota hunts. In fact, the Hunt 0234 and Hunt 0301 licenses—and the general license for Unit M (spanning the entire Upper Peninsula)—offer longer seasons than many tags in other Midwestern states do. Some permits in these states may only allot a 4- to 10-day window to fill a tag, while two to three weeks may be standard in others. (A few states do have longer seasons of five to six weeks, but most of these require a draw). Michigan’s Hunt 0234 OTC license gives hunters almost a full month to hunt, and it’s valid on public and private lands in the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) and northern Lower Peninsula, as well as on private lands in southern Michigan. The weather during Michigan’s 0234 hunt is also usually better and more predictable, and gobblers remain attentive and often more receptive.
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The cost of Michigan’s spring turkey licenses and tags are relatively reasonable when compared with other Midwest states, especially for out-of-state hunters. It costs non-residents $171 to hunt if they apply for a tag; $5 less if they wait and buy a leftover or OTC license. It’s one of the more affordable out-of-state hunts, particularly among those that offer a guaranteed OTC permit. Statewide hunter success rates are good (46 percent), Michigan has a solid turkey population, and the state boasts more than 10 million acres of land open to public hunting, giving hunters plenty of places to explore.
GOBBLER GO-TOS Michigan’s southern Lower Peninsula (Unit ZZ) tends to lead the state in spring turkey harvests each year. The region accounted for the four top-producing counties in 2023, with the northern Lower Peninsula’s Newaygo County in Unit K coming in at number five. With some exceptions, total harvest figures generally decrease the farther north you go. This isn’t the whole story, though, as more people hunt the southern counties—many on private lands—which may skew figures. Importantly, public lands are also more abundant in the northern Lower Peninsula and the U.P. Success rates, while higher in the south, remain decent (41 to 49 percent) throughout the state, with some of the best counties and units in all three regions nearing or exceeding 50 percent.
U.P. Utopias The U.P. (Unit M) is especially popular with run-and-gun freelancers holding a Hunt 0234 license, as it has ample public and private ground offering good hunting in May. Some of the best action typically occurs in the state’s banana belt, which includes Dickinson, Menominee, Delta and Schoolcraft counties along northern Lake Michigan. This area typically sees less severe winters than the rest of the U.P., and, therefore, higher turkey survival rates. It also holds a lot of dairy farms, feedlots and agricultural areas that turkeys flock to for survival in winter and venture out from during the spring. Use the Mi-HUNT App, onX Hunt, HuntStand or similar mapping apps to find public lands and to view ownership info for private lands.
In late April, birds are often still flocked up. They usually congregate in a field much of the day, but an ambush between the roost and the field can work. (Shutterstock photo) Northern Adventures Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula offers great turkey habitat and vast tracts of national forest ground and other public land. The area’s mix of forest and ag lands, and abundant large rivers, has produced relatively stable turkey populations. While severe winters can deplete turkey numbers, many birds have learned to migrate to dairy farms and other places offering suitable shelter and food in winter.
Unit K is a premier turkey unit, and hunters routinely find good success (4,970 hunters harvested 1,974 gobblers for a 40-percent success rate during Hunt 0234 in 2023). It contains major river drainages like the Muskegon, Pere Marquette, Manistee and Bestie rivers, which are huge draws for turkeys, as are surrounding oak stands on nearby ridges that offer a steady source of acorns, especially in winter. Turkeys love edges, and the habitat in western Michigan is full of them. The farther west you go, the more agriculture you’ll find, including cornfields, dairy cow pastures and orchards. In between are enough oak stands and pines to provide turkeys with safe roosts.
Turkeys thrive in the 3,920-acre Manistee River State Game Area (SGA) along the Manistee River bottoms, which are among the first places in Michigan to green up each spring. The game area is essentially marsh on its western end, and it becomes more forested and turkey-friendly as you move upstream. The farther east you go in the region, the more Manistee National Forest ground you’ll encounter, complete with massive oaks, jack pines and fire trails where toms strut and dust while attempting to attract receptive hens.
Southern Sweet Spots Those who’ve drawn general licenses for southern Lower Peninsula units (or purchased leftover licenses) have some public options. Unit ZF is a highly popular area that contains several powerhouse counties and great turkey ground, and it has a surprising amount of public areas.
Allegan SGA offers thousands of acres, and while some parts, like the Fennville Farm Unit, are managed mainly for waterfowl, most provide suitable agricultural areas for turkeys. According to wildlife biologist Don Poppe, Allegan SGA received some of Michigan’s first wild turkeys when the state began its restoration process, and it’s still managed for turkeys with prescribed burns and timber sales. He says white oak forests dominate the landscape, and ample white pines provide ideal roosting sites. Several square miles near Goose Lake offer prime turkey habitat, and the river bottoms along the Kalamazoo River are also worth checking out. Crane Pond, Three Rivers and Fabius SGAs are other places to consider.
Those with Hunt 0234 and Hunt 0301 licenses are limited to private lands. While you can’t hunt SGAs or other public lands with these licenses, adjacent private properties are often crawling with turkeys. Mapping apps can help you determine who owns a property, but sometimes there’s no substitute for knocking on doors with hat in hand. Your chances of getting on private property to hunt deer are almost zero, but you may have better luck gaining permission to hunt turkeys, and it never hurts to try. There are also several outfitters in southern Michigan for those seeking a turnkey option on outstanding private ground.
SPRING STRATEGIES Turkeys are usually just starting to come out of winter patterns in late April in Michigan. You’ll often see gobblers and hens in mixed flocks near the middle of fields, where they spend much of the day. Determine where birds are roosting and set up along the path they take to reach the field. Nasty weather is common early, especially up north, so many hunters opt for a pop-up blind and heater rather than running and gunning.
The author has killed a number of turkeys in Michigan on both draw permits and over-the-counter tags. Each has its own pros and cons. (Photo by Mike Gnatkowski) Later in the season, pressured birds may be more difficult, though not impossible, to fool. I’ve found hunting in the afternoon often works better than hunting mornings. Hens usually mingle early in the day after fly-down but will often leave to lay eggs or tend nests around mid-morning. Gobblers suddenly realize they’re alone, and patient hunters can capitalize. Gobblers that have frittered away the day without the company of hens may sound off at the prospect of a new love interest, and it sure beats getting up before dawn. Scouting provides clues to where gobblers spend midday and loafing time on late-season hunts. Look for drag marks on fire trails and edges where gobblers have been displaying for the ladies, and search for areas where leaves have been disturbed and turkeys have grubbed for acorns and insects. If it’s warm, find a shaded oasis where toms can escape the sun and relax. I’ve killed many midday gobblers by quietly walking fire trails, stopping to call occasionally and slinking in closer to seal the deal. If hunting a pressured area or even a favorite spot more than few times, enter from a different direction than usual. Turkeys get wise when hunters approach and call from the same place. Switch things up or walk farther before calling to imitate a hen that gobblers haven’t heard before. While I didn’t kill a bird on the hunt mentioned in the open, I’ve tagged a number of great Michigan gobblers over many years of hunting the state. I’ve drawn tags for quota hunts, and I’ve also gone the OTC route. Between the robust turkey population and the ability to choose the license option that fits your needs, there’s a lot to like about turkey hunting in the Wolverine State.
This article was featured in the April 2025 issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe .
