Tagging and Reporting Deer Harvests

Tagging Big Game

Hunters who harvest a deer, bear, elk or turkey must follow instructions printed on tags supplied with licenses.

Harvest tags must be filled out with a ballpoint pen. The new green harvest tags have boxes with months and date numbers on the back of them. The hunter must cut the correct date of harvest in completing the tag.

Harvested bears, turkeys and elk must be tagged immediately after harvest and before the carcass is moved. Deer, however, can be tagged any time before the carcass is moved.

The harvest tag must be attached to the ear of a deer or bear, or the body of an elk and remain attached until the animal is processed for consumption or prepared for mounting. Turkey tags must be attached to the bird’s leg.

Tagging requirements for persons authorized to hunt without a license are identical, except that a homemade tag must be used listing the hunter’s name, address, game harvested and date, time, WMU, county and township where it was taken. It is unlawful to possess an expired, fulfilled, revoked, suspended or invalid big-game harvest tag or hunting license while engaged in hunting or trapping activities.

A prior regulation had required a hunter to tag any harvested deer before attempting to take another. That regulation has been rescinded.