Migratory Bird Hunting
Announcements
- Permits are available online for camping, gathering, ricing, deer, bear, small game, turkey, and migratory bird hunting during and ~ 2 weeks prior to their opening dates. If you already have a NAGFA account set up, you can issue your own permits. Detailed instructions for issuing permits online can be found here. If you have not previously been issued an off-reservation permit, you will need to contact your registration station or conservation law enforcement office to set up an account.
- Updated Treaty Hunting Regulation Summary for the 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territories in Wisconsin and Minnesota is available here.
- Updated Model Off-Reservation Conservation Code for the 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territories in Wisconsin is available here.
- Commission Order No. 2024-03 Tribal Gathering on State Lands - Wisconsin 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territory is available here.
- Hand harvest, handheld nets, and electronic calls are not permissible methods of migratory bird harvest in 2024. GLIFWC staff continue to work with US Fish and Wildlife Service to implement a longer term agreement to allow tribal members to utilize these hunting methods in future seasons.
- The Swan Season is currently OPEN
Swan season will close if 50 trumpeter swans are harvested. See migratory bird harvest regulations for more information. - Trumpeter Swan Harvest to Date: 6
How To Get Off-Reservation Treaty Harvest Permits
Off-reservation treaty harvest permits are required for hunting, trapping, fishing, and gathering activities in the ceded territories. Permits can be obtained at your tribal registration station or conservation office. A tribal ID from one of GLIFWC’s member tribes is required to be issued a permit for off-reservation treaty hunting, trapping, fishing or gathering in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Permits are also available online for some activities after establishing an online account at a tribal registration station or conservation office.
Where Can I Exercise My Treaty Rights?
In general, off-reservation treaty rights may be exercised on publicly accessible lands within the ceded territory. An interactive map of the ceded territory can be accessed here:
Useful PDF Documents:
- Ceded Territory GIS Version 2.1 - includes numbered boundary segments with map and associated table including legal, map and treaty language reference information.
- Guide to the Southern Boundary of the Wisconsin portion of the 1837 & 1842 Ceded Territories - includes maps and descriptions of the features used to define the southern boundary.
Tagging and Registration
SPECIES | TAGGING REQUIREMENTS | REGISTRATION |
---|---|---|
ELK | You must have a carcass tag in your possession to hunt elk. Attach the carcass tag immediatley upon harvest. | Elk must be registered in person at a tribal registration station or by a GLIFWC warden by 5 pm on the day after harvest. |
DEER | You must have a deer or bear stamp on your hunting license to hunt deer or bear. A carcass tag is not required, however, if you leave a carcass unattended in the field, attach a tag to the carcass with your NAGFA ID and Stamp#. | Registration can be via phone, online, or in person at a tribal registration station or by a GLIFWC warden. Deadlines: in-person, by 5 pm on the third working day after harvest; phone/online/GLIFWC warden, by 5 pm the day after harvest. A registration tag is not required, however, if you leave the carcass with a third party, attach a tag to the carcass with your NAGFA ID, Stamp# and Harvest Report#. |
BEAR | ||
BOBCAT | You must have a carcass tag in your possession to harvest bobcat, otter, fisher, and marten. Attach the carcass tag immediatley upon harvest. CITES tags are required for bobcat and otter if the pelts will be sold. CITES tags can be obtained from a GLIFWC warden. |
Bobcat, otter, fisher, and marten must be registered in person at a tribal registration station or by a GLIFWC warden by 5 pm on the third working day after harvest. |
OTTER | ||
FISHER | ||
MARTEN | ||
TURKEY | You must have a turkey stamp on your hunting license to hunt turkey. | Turkey must be registered by 5 pm on the third working day after harvest. Registration can be via phone, online, or in person at a tribal registration station or by a GLIFWC warden. |
SWAN | You must have a swan stamp on your hunting license to hunt swans. | All swans must be registered in person by presenting a fully feathered carcass to a tribal registration station or GLIFWC warden within 48 hours of harvest. |
CRANE | You must have a sandhill crane stamp on your hunting license to hunt sandhill cranes. | Cranes must be registered within 48 hours of harvest. Registration can be via phone, online, or in person at a tribal registration station or by a GLIFWC warden. |
- Phone Registration: 844-234-5439
- Online Registration: glifwc.nagfa.net/online/
Shooting Hours
Local sunrise and sunset times can be determined here.
SPECIES | SHOOTING HOURS | |
---|---|---|
START | END | |
Bear | 30 minutes before sunrise | 20 minutes after sunset |
Deer | ||
Elk | ||
Bobcat | ||
Beaver | ||
Bobwhite Quail | ||
Hungarian Partridge | ||
Pheasant | ||
Ruffed Grouse | ||
Sharp-tailed Grouse | ||
Turkey | Spring: sunset; Fall: 20 minutes after sunset | |
Coyote | 24 hours per day* *During the Wisconsin regular firearm deer season: 30 minutes before sunrise - 20 minutes after sunset |
|
Cottontail Rabbit | ||
Raccoon | ||
Red Fox | ||
Gray Fox | ||
Red, Gray, Fox Squirrel | ||
Snowshoe Hare | ||
Unprotected Species | ||
Night Hunting Deer | 1 hour after sunset | 1 hour before sunrise |
Local sunrise and sunset times can be determined here.
SPECIES | SHOOTING HOURS | |
---|---|---|
START | END | |
Bear | 30 minutes before sunrise | 30 minutes after sunset |
Deer | ||
Badger | ||
Bobcat | ||
Beaver | ||
Bobwhite Quail | ||
Coyote | ||
Cottontail Rabbit | ||
Hungarian Partridge | ||
Mink | ||
Muskrat | ||
Pheasant | ||
Red, Gray, Fox Squirrel | ||
Ruffed Grouse | ||
Sharp-tailed Grouse | ||
Snowshoe Hare | ||
Turkey | ||
Raccoon | 24 hours per day* *During the Minnesota regular firearm deer season: 30 minutes before sunrise - 30 minutes after sunset |
|
Red Fox | ||
Gray Fox | ||
Unprotected Species | ||
Night Hunting Deer | 30 minutes after sunset | 30 minutes before sunrise |
Night Hunting Bear |
Local sunrise and sunset times can be determined here.
AREA | SHOOTING HOURS | |
---|---|---|
START | END | |
1837/1842 Ceded Territory | 30 minutes before sunrise | 30 minutes after sunset |
1836 Ceded Territory | ||
1837/1842 Ceded Territory HAND HARVEST METHODS | 24 hours per day |
SPECIES | SEASON DATES | DAILY BAG | POSSESSION LIMIT | |
---|---|---|---|---|
START | END | |||
Ducks | Sep 1 | Dec 31 | 50 | None |
Mergansers | 10 | |||
Coots and Galinule | 20 | |||
Geese | 20 | |||
Woodcock | Sep 1 | Dec 31 | 10 | |
Sora and Virginia Rails | Sep 1 | Dec 31 | 20 | 25 |
Snipe | 16 | None | ||
Mourning Dove | Sep 1 | Nov 29 | 15 | |
Sandhill Crane | Sep 1 | Dec 31 | 10 | |
Swans | Sep 1 | Dec 31 or until 50 trumpeter swans have been harvested | 5 | 5 |
- 1837 Treaty Conservation Code for the Minnesota Ceded Territory
- 2024 Regulations for Off-Reservation Migratory Bird Hunting in the 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territories.
- Apostle Islands National Lakeshore 2009-2010 Treaty Hunting, Trapping And Gathering Regulations Summary
- Crane ID for Hunters
- Swan ID for Hunters
- Wildlife Refuges And Closed Areas
- Results of the 1995 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season of the Lake Superior Tribes of Chippewa Indians.
- Results of the 1996 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season.
- Results of the 1997 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season.
- Results of the 1998 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season.
- Results of the 2001 Off-Reservation Treaty Waterfowl Season
- Summary of 2012 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season
- Summary of the 1985 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season in northern Wisconsin
- Summary of the 1986 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season in northern Wisconsin and upper Michigan.
- Summary of the 1987 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season of the Lake Superior Tribes of Chippewa Indians.
- Summary of the 1988 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season of the Lake Superior Tribes of Chippewa Indians.
- Summary of the 1989 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season of the Lake Superior Tribes of the Chippewa Indians.
- Summary of the 1990 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season of the Lake Superior Tribes of Chippewa Indians.
- Summary of the 1991 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season of the Lake Superior Tribes of Chippewa Indians.
- Summary of the 1992 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season of the Lake Superior Tribes of Chippewa Indians.
- Summary of the 1993 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season of the Lake Superior Tribes of Chippewa Indians.
- Summary of the 1994 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season of the Lake Superior Tribes of Chippewa Indians.
- Summary of the 2004 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season
- Summary of the 2007 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season
- Summary of the 2008 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season
- Summary of the 2011 off-reservation treaty waterfowl season
- Summary of the 2015 Off-Reservation Treaty Waterfowl Season
- Summary of the 2018 Off-Reservation Treaty Waterfowl Season
- Summary of the 2019 Off-Reservation Treaty Waterfowl Season
- Summary of the 2020 Off-Reservation Treaty Waterfowl Season
Swan ID for Hunters | Crane ID for Hunters |