Rooster pheasants will be released on 13 state game/wildlife areas throughout southern Michigan this fall. Releases will take place from Oct. 20 to Nov. 14 on all 13 areas and Dec. 1-31 on 10 areas, coinciding with pheasant hunting season.

Adam Bump, Department of Natural Resources upland game bird specialist, said, "For seasoned hunters and newcomers alike, this is a great opportunity to connect or reconnect with upland bird hunting in Michigan.”

This year, directions to parking lots at release sites are provided online.

Parking Lot Directions

Releases will take place during the regular pheasant season at locations below. Locations include:

• Cass City (Tuscola County) – fall and December release.
• Cornish (Van Buren County) – fall release only.
• Crane Pond (Cass County) – fall release only.
• Crow Island (Bay and Saginaw counties) – fall and December release.
• Dansville (Ingham County) – fall and December release.
• Erie (Monroe County) – fall and December release.
• Lapeer (Lapeer County) – fall and December release.
• Leidy Lake (St. Joseph County) – fall and December release.
• Townline 16 (Bay County) – fall release only.
• Pte. Mouillee (Monroe and Wayne counties) – fall and December release.
• Rose Lake (Clinton and Shiawassee counties) – fall and December release.
• Stanton (Montcalm County) – fall and December release.
• St. Johns Marsh (St. Clair County) – fall and December release.

All hunters must adhere to pheasant hunting regulations, license requirements and bag limits. Only rooster pheasants may be harvested. The daily bag limit is two, and the possession limit is four.

License requirements

All pheasant hunters must have a base license, and some may also need a $25 pheasant license. This additional license is required for anyone 18 and older who is planning to hunt pheasants on any public land in the Lower Peninsula or on lands enrolled in the Hunting Access Program. Private-land pheasant hunters statewide and hunters on public lands in the Upper Peninsula do not need the pheasant license. Additionally, lifetime license holders, hunters 17 and younger, and those hunting pheasants only at a game bird hunting preserve do not need the pheasant license. The sale of the $25 pheasant license funds the pheasant release program, with pheasants supplied by the Michigan Association of Gamebird Breeders and Hunting Preserves.

General pheasant hunting season dates

The pheasant management unit open to hunting Oct. 10-31 in Zone 1 (Upper Peninsula) includes all of Menominee County and portions of Delta, Dickinson, Iron and Marquette counties. Zones 2 and 3 (Lower Peninsula) are open to pheasant hunting Oct. 20 - Nov. 14. A portion of Zone 3 is open to pheasant hunting Dec. 1 - Jan. 1.

To learn more about the pheasant release program, including pheasant management units, license requirements and season dates, visit Michigan.gov/SmallGame.